Chapter 14
Briggs watched Sam being hurriedly whisked away on his stretcher, panic rising in him. He himself was sitting in one of the armchairs of the corridor, where a doctor was examining his wound. He focused on the SWAT team around him to calm down and try and ignore the throbbing pain in his upper arm. His SC-IS pistol was on his holster again, and he watched the task force bring all the enemy bodies in the corridor.
There were five bodies of Voron agents. Sam had killed two men, two had been shot by FBI agents and one by a fellow Voron ops. A FBI agent had been killed in the assault, which made Briggs furious and sad. The SWAT team was uncovering the faces of the Voron ops for identification when the doc said:
_ You're lucky, agent Briggs. The bullet passed right through your arm, and nothing important has been damaged. A few stitches and you'll be right as new. But you shouldn't use your left arm for five days to heal properly.
_ Okay, doc, Briggs said distractedly.
He was observing a SWAT member discreetly approaching from the operation room's doors and shooting furtive glances around him. Briggs rose and said to the startled doc:
_ Be right back.
Then he casually went to the captain of the team, behind the suspect soldier, and drew out his pistol. The captain was about to protest, but Briggs pointed behind him, scowling. The captain shot a glance over Briggs' shoulder and his eyes widened with surprise. Then Briggs turned on the spot and in three strides pointed his gun against the soldier's neck, where he knew a bullet shot at point-blank range could penetrate the thick armored suit.
_ And where exactly are you going?
The soldier froze, then took out a blade and lashed wildly behind him. In a reflex, Briggs pulled the trigger, killing the man instantly. He cursed as his target crumpled on the floor, and watched the SWAT captain kneel beside his man to remove his helmet.
_ What the...?
The captain looked in surprise at the face of the man and said:
_ That's not Hendricks! But he was with us on the bus! Where is he and who's this guy?
_ I'd bet on another Voron ops, Briggs sighed, cursing inwardly at the death of his enemy. Captain, please check each and everyone of your men. We must be certain all the SWAT members here are who they should be.
_ I couldn't agree more, the captain said.
While he called his team, Briggs returned next to the doctor who had brought back all the supplies to sew his arm. He resumed his seat and watched the SWAT captain asking his startled men to remove their helmets. But no other Voron ops was hiding in their ranks, and Briggs breathed easier as the doctor made the stitches. In the meantime, he thought about these ops who'd rather die than be caught alive, and that irrational fact was driving him crazy.
When the doctor was done, Briggs saw Grim running in the corridor towards him.
_ Briggs! Are you all right? Where's Sam?
_ For me it's nothing, just a bullet through the arm. But Sam has been shot in the chest, and the medics carried him away. I have no news.
_ My God, Grim said with a quivering voice. Who are these...?
_ Voron ops, Briggs said with a grimace. Thanks for the SWAT team and the power back. Without them we would most certainly be dead.
_ Six Voron ops? And this one with the SWAT suit too?
_ Probably. He took the place of a soldier named Hendricks.
_ What about Kestrel?
_ He was out of danger in the latest news, but we're still waiting for the rest.
He shot a meaningful look at Grim, and she immediately understood. But her features were tight with worry and anguish, and he made her sit in the armchair next to him.
_ Don't worry, Sam will be all right.
_ Wasn't he wearing his bullet-proof vest? she asked in dismay.
_ Yes, he was. But the bullet went right through it. Must be a prototype.
The SWAT captain went next to them and said:
_ My men and I will search the hospital, but I don't think your assailants are still there.
_ Thanks for everything, captain, Briggs said. I hope you'll discover what happened to your man.
_ Yeah, me too.
The captain and his men left, and some stretcher-bearers went to collect the bodies of the dead men. Grim got up and took a photo of each man with her smartphone, and soon the corridor was empty. Briggs' arm was painful, but he had other more important things in his mind. The ruthless assault and the six dead ops proved how eager Voron was to find these microchips, regardless of the casualties that could occur.
Grim's phone rang, and she took it out from her trousers' pocket.
_ it's Charlie, she said, and picked up and switched on the loudspeaker.
_ Grim.
_ Grim! It's Charlie! The Paladin's under attack!
_ What? she shouted.
_ The SWAT team you called to protect the plane is shooting on some ops, probably Voron, the tech said quickly. I'm stuck in the workshop, but nobody in the plane has been hurt. I barricaded myself and have enough guns here to wage war on Russia if needed.
_ Oh my God, Grim said, distressed, and Briggs gulped down his fear, concentrating on the anger. What about the fly?
_ It can fly again, Charlie announced, but you won't like his flight.
Briggs rejoiced at the good news. Alpha's microchip was working again, but according to Charlie it was nothing but trouble.
_ That's why Voron is attacking, Briggs said. They want both flies, so they must have different flights.
_ What about you? Charlie asked. Is everyone all right?
_ No, Grim said darkly. Kestrel's okay, but we're waiting for news. Sam has been shot in the chest, again no news. Briggs took a bullet in the arm, he'll be okay, I guess.
_ What? Charlie shouted. Wasn't Sam wearing a bullet-proof vest?
_ Yes, he was, Briggs said, anger rising in his throat. But the bullet went right trough it.
_ Impossible! Charlie said. No bullet can pass through the kevlar and ceramic plates!
_ It is possible, otherwise Sam would be fine, Briggs rumbled angrily.
_ I'll check on the vests as soon as Voron goes away. Looks like the fight stopped, but I'll wait for the captain's clearance.
_ Beware, Charlie, Briggs said. Here a Voron ops was disguised as a SWAT soldier.
_ Don't worry, I know. A SWAT member tried to make me get out in spite of his captain's orders, so I grew suspicious and I threw a gas grenade under his nose through the door's hatch. He's currently snoring in a cell, tied up like a smoked sausage thanks to Ollie and Jun.
_ That's brilliant, Charlie! Briggs rejoiced. We wanted one alive.
_ I know I'm a genius, the young man said, and Briggs was happy to hear him feel better, like his old self. Gotta leave you, I'll be in touch.
_ Be careful, Grim said.
_ You too.
She hung up and exchanged a gloomy look with Briggs.
_ Voron has struck us badly and powerfully just for two small microchips, she said. I do hope they're worth the pain and hard work.
_ When we come back to the Paladin, I'll interrogate the ops in the cell, and I won't show mercy.
He caught the surprised gleam in Grim's eye, but she didn't comment. It was true he didn't like to manhandle people and avoided to kill as much as possible, but this time enough was enough. Voron was playing dirty, then so would Fourth Echelon. And with Kestrel and Sam out of the game, it was him who had to step up and do the work.
In front of them the doors opened and Dr Collins, gun in hand, checked the corridor before saying in the room behind him "All clear!" and marching towards them. Briggs jumped on his feet, and Grim stood up at his side.
_ How's Kestrel, doc? Briggs asked.
_ He's all right, he said. He's slowly waking, we'll take him to a special bedroom with Commander Fisher.
_ You know about Sam? Grim asked him anxiously. How is he?
_ He's having surgery as we speak, the doc said, but it's not too serious. The bullet was stopped by his ribcage, so nothing to worry about. He'll have a small scar and a broken rib, that's all. The surgeon was suturing him when I left, he'll soon be out of here.
_ Thank goodness, Grim exhaled.
_ So Kestrel and Sam will be together? Briggs insisted. It's risky, doc.
_ Yes, I know, he answered apologetically. Unfortunately the FBI needs his agents and left us only two of them. So Dr Jakowicz and I decided to put them in the same bedroom with the two agents in front of their door at all times. It'll only be for a day or so, tomorrow we'll be able to bring them back in the Paladin's infirmary.
_ Okay, doc, Grim said. Thanks for everything.
_ Can we see Kestrel? Briggs asked.
_ Of course, Dr Collins said. Follow me. Oh, I almost forgot.
He put a hand in his pocket and took out a small box. He gave it to Grim, and she opened it. Inside was one of the sources of all their trouble: Kestrel's microchip.