Part 3 – Trouble in Paradise – Part 1
The Toybox was P.A.T.R.O.I.T.'s gadget laboratory, all run by Hange Zoë, the 'psychotic genius' of the agency who was always trying to come up with new inventions, some successful, some… not so much.
The Toybox itself was a large complex located underneath the Chrysler Building, and
"Good morning, Hange," Eren said as he walked up to Hange who was working on one of her famous gadgets.
"Good morning, Eren," Hange said as she removed her wielding goggles, and stood up, "New mission?"
"No rest for the wicked," Eren said.
"You should be sleeping, but, oh well," Hange said as she pointed over toward a desk on the other side of the Toybox, "I've read the brief, and I think I've got everything you'll need for your upcoming mission."
As the two of them walked up to the desk, Levi saw the gadgets, and said, "Nice choice."
"I know," Hange said as she pointed to what appeared to be a gold-plated fountain pen, "The latest in personal defense technology," she picked it up, and undid the cap, "They can check however close they want," she took a piece of paper, and signed her name, "Has enough ink to last you one hundred and fifty uses," she then reached up to the end, "But you touch this little piece right here," she pointed to what appeared to be a small piece of decorative latch attached to the trim ring, "And the pen can deliver enough voltage to disable any electronically-powered lock you come across, or any hostile that tries to choke you."
Eren took the pen, and when he pressed on the latch, he could hear the electricity clicking at the tip, "Sounds shocking," he said as he capped the pen, and slid it into his shirt pocket.
"It will be," Hange said before picking up a box that was three inches wide and tall, black on the outside, and clear on the inside, "The latest in code-breaking technology," she held it out to Eren, "Hold the box up to your eye and click that small switch on the side," Eren complied, and saw several dots that varied in definition on the gadgets in front of her, "Filter inside the camera picks up residual traces of oil in fingerprints, the more defined the print, the more recent it was. They'll eventually fade after about four hours."
"I take it, it also works if I come across an electronic lock," Eren said, "It'll detect when the key was pressed, and I should figure out the combination."
"In theory," Hange said, "We've had a few successes, but you need good lighting, and sharp eyesight."
"Then I'll keep an eye open," Eren said.
Hange chuckled before continuing, the last two things on the table, "Now these last two items, I am very proud of," she pointed to what appeared to be a small key with multiple teeth on both sides, "This is something I call the H-Key."
"Catchy," Eren said.
"It is isn't it," Hange asked before picking it up and turning it outwards like a fan, which showed it was three keys instead of one, "The key is fitted with multiple teeth which fits 85% of the world's locks, it's just a simple matter of deciding which one or which ones to use," she then pointed to a pack of gum, "Ordinary gum right?"
"No," Eren asked.
"No," Hange said as she picked up one that was already on the table next to the pack, and undid the wrapping, it was yellow on one side, and white on the other, "Yellow and white means reactive, and corrosive. Come across a lock or a chain you can't open, squeeze them together, place them on the lock or chain, and it turns into one of the most effective acids ever created. Guaranteed to melt through almost everything."
"Fantastic," Eren said, "I take it the standard serving is four?"
"Yes," Hange said as she handed the gum to Eren, "Don't chew it," she then held out the keys.
"I have something I can put these on," Eren asked.
"I thought you'd never ask," Hange said as she held out a keyring that had what appeared to be a car key attached.
"What's this other key for," Eren asked as he took it.
"Right over here," Hange said as she led Eren and Levi over to what was obviously a covered car, "This is the Toybox's crowning achievement," she grabbed hold of the cover, and removed it to reveal a Datsun 240z painted red with a white interior.
"Now you're talking," Eren said as he walked up to the car, "And here I thought the company cars would be boring."
"Not this one," Hange said as she walked up to the car, "Datsun 240z, titanium armor, bullet-proof windows, and a refrigerated drink holder," she then pointed to the interior, "Handbrake, gearshift, radio," she opened the door and opened the top of the gearshift which revealed a little red button, "Press this button, and you activate the armaments," she pressed it, and the front grill opened to reveal a pair of machinegun barrels, "Thirty caliber, full-auto machineguns," she pointed to the hand-break, "When activated, the trigger pops out of the hand-brake," she then walked around to the trunk, "And this, I absolutely love," she pointed to the license plate at the back, "When in Offense mode, simply pull the hand-brake, and the ultimate in anti-car protection is activated."
"The ultimate," Eren asked, "This I have to know about."
Hange walked over to the table behind the car and pulled out what appeared to be a couple of foot-long metal pipes with serrated edges connected via two metal rings.
"I call this little beauty, the H-Destroyer," Hange said as she twisted the pipes around so they were parallel with each other, "Pull back on the hand-brake, and this deploys from the license-plate which does this," she twisted the pipes so that they made an 'X', "Once it goes underneath the pursuing car. As it's being dragged along," she pointed at the serrated edge facing downwards, "The edges send sparks up the pipes which trigger a thermite charge that'll shoot out of the opposite end," she pointed at the end of the pipe facing upward, "It should melt through the driveshaft, or something else more important like the engine."
"You have an evil mind sometimes," Eren said.
"I know," Hange said.
"Anything else," Eren asked.
"Yes," Levi said as he reached into his jacket, and held out an envelope to Eren, "One plane ticket, you leave in one hour."
"The car will meet me there," Eren asked.
"It will when it requires it," Levi said, "Your luggage has been collected, and sent to the airport."
"I guess I'll be off, then," Eren said.
"One more thing," Levi said as he grabbed Eren's arm, "You know me and Mikasa don't get along, but my family does. I'll say this once, so listen. Bring her home, or it'll be a double funeral."
"You don't have to worry," Eren said, "I'll bring her back."
As he freed his arm and walked out, Hange walked up next to Levi, "Do you always have to antagonize him," she asked, "He is one of our best after all."
"I antagonize him because I trained him to be the best," Levi said, "I can't let him lose his edge."
The plane ride to Malaysia was interesting, being as he had to fly to Los Angeles before continuing to Japan where he had to board a plane to the last place he ever wanted to see again: Vietnam.
He had spent five years there, lost a lot of friends, and received quite a few scars. When he left when Levi recruited him into P.A.T.R.O.I.T., he was beyond relieved that he could have left that hellhole behind, and all the memories of pain.
As he was changing planes to go to Malaysia, he could see the troops on the tarmac that were going home piling one at a time into a Flying Tiger DC 8.
Some of them were conscripts, kids not even out of their teenage years, most of them wanted to go home because the propaganda had turned them against the war. Never mind the fact he had been where they were eight years prior. The U.S.' involvement was over, and they were excited about it. It made him sick.
As he stood there for a while, he reached down to his left leg which began to twitch slightly before brushing the feeling aside and walking off.
The next plane would take him directly to Malaysia, and right now, he was glad to put the country behind him, as he saw Vietnam disappearing from view in the window behind him, he relaxed and lit another one of his cigarettes.
Arriving in Malaysia, Eren could feel how different it was in comparison to Vietnam, for one thing, there wasn't that faint hint of nausea he felt when he got off in Saigon, and being as he didn't see soldiers in uniforms who had been propagandized to hate what he fought for, he felt more at peace.
When he walked out of the airport, he saw Armin standing there in the boots they were issued in 'Nam, denim jeans, and that button-up black shirt he always had in his luggage.
"Never thought I'd see you this close to Vietnam," Armin said as Eren walked up to him.
"Back at you," Eren said, "If you weren't wearing those boots, I wouldn't have pegged you for a Vietnam veteran."
"And with that suit, I'd peg you for a businessman, not a veteran yourself," Armin replied.
The two stood staring before laughing, and sharing a slight bro-hug, "You didn't know when to quit on Asia didn't you," Eren asked.
"And you didn't know when to return," Armin said before grabbing Eren's tie, "And what is this fucking tie business?"
"Oh, come off it," Eren said as slapped Armin on the shoulder, "What do you say we get going?"
"I'd love to," Armin said, "Follow me."
Armin led Eren over to an auto Rickshaw (otherwise known as a tuk-tuk), and stepped in, "New company car," Eren asked as he climbed into the back.
"Only when in this country," Armin said as he stepped in, and started it up, "Sit back and relax, it takes forty-five minutes to get to the harbor."
"And after that, how long should it take us to reach Singapore," Eren asked as Armin took off.
"About four hours," Armin said.
"Four hours," Eren asked, "I thought we'd be there a while after."
"The office provided us with a specialty vehicle," Armin said, "We'll rendezvous with our undercover upon arrival at the Liberio lab, and dispose of the one we have waiting for us, it should take us three hours. From there, it's just one more hour of traveling, and we'll be at the lab."
"You have the place mapped out," Eren asked.
"I somehow managed to find an insider," Armin said, "Paid through the nose to get the schematics of the place. They're waiting for us in the undercover vessel, and we'll go over the plans when we get there."
"Fantastic," Eren said, "Tell me, you think we should worry about talking so loud?"
"No," Armin said, "The engine is loud enough to mask us talking."
"You going in with me on this one," Eren asked.
"Not this time buddy," Armin said, "I'm on extraction and backup."
"What you carrying," Eren asked.
".357 Colt," Armin said.
"Could never let it go could you," Eren asked.
"Never," Armin said.
"You and me working together again, eh," Eren asked.
"Just like old times," Armin said as he held his hand over his shoulder.
"Damn straight," Eren said as he grabbed his friend's hand.
"Now with Mikasa joining us, it'll be just like our middle school days," Armin said.
"Although we had a lot more hair, and not as much combat experience," Eren said.
"And we're dealing with corporate security," Armin said, "And not bullies who stole our lunch money."
Eren chuckled as he sat back, and enjoyed the ride as much as he could.
Armin wasn't lying when he said he had an interesting boat for the two of them: a custom Day Cruiser that was painted Army Green, and had their unit's patch painted on the hood: a silver four-windowed shield with white segmented wings on the right, and blue segmented wings on the left.
"You made this as a tribute to the squad didn't you," Eren asked as he undid the back anchoring rope.
"You know I did," Armin said as he jumped into the boat, and started up the engine which roared to life like an angry lion.
"What kind of engine are we running," Eren asked as he undid the front rope.
"We're running a custom 540 cubic inch," Armin said over the roar of the engine, "She should put out about 450 horsepower!"
As Eren stepped in, Armin handed him a poncho, very similar to the ones they wore in Vietnam, a pair of goggles, and a set of headphones, "What's up with this," Eren asked.
"We need to go as fast as we can," Armin said, "The engine is so loud we won't be able to talk without these. Hang onto something, and don't speak if we go over a wave or you'll bite your tongue."
Eren slid on the poncho, headset, and the goggles as Armin guided the boat out into open waters, and gunned the engine which sent the boat rocketing forward.
To be Continued…