Feb 27. 1981
"Now this is why I love my occupation!" Bell had a smile on his face as he gunned down all the enemy Reds using the turrent on the tank.
"Adler missed out on this!" Lazar cheered through comms, shooting from inside the big metal force.
"Move out of the way next time!" Woods scolded the two soldiers that were crushed beneath the bottom of the tank.
"Do you think Adler and Park will let us keep the tank?" Bell asked as he continued to fire rounds into the enemies.
"Not if that wet blanket Hudson has anything to say about it." Woods groaned.
"Woods do you even know where your going?" Lazar asked.
"You two just keep shooting, I'm looking for an exit."
"Damn the exit! Make one if you have to!" Bell advised.
"We won't be doing that today. There! I can see the exit. Hold on boys!" Woods shouted.
"Woah!" Bell gripped the tank as the vehicle rammed into cars, crushing them. They were all slung back and forth inside the unstopable force. Bell focused his fire on the APCs. "Wooo!" He hadn't had this much fun in a long while.
"I'm gonna floor it!" Woods cautioned them. He didn't give the two enough time to prep before they busted through the large metal door.
"Oh hell yeah!" The three of them said in unison.
"Woods, Bell, Lazar? Whats your status?" Park chimned in.
"Gather everyone Park. The entire team." Woods was suddenly no longer hollering with excitment like Bell was.
"Hudson has some explaining to do." Lazar added.
The three joined Adler and Mason in the car. "Take me to Hudson." Bell said sternly, a look in his eye that meant bussiness.
"That's where we're going." Adler lit a cigarette, rolling down his window.
Bell felt his blood boiling when the pulled up to the safehouse. Hudson stood, leaned up against his car. He out his phone down the moment he saw a pair of headlights shine in his direction.
The moment the car stopped, Woods hopped out and marched towards Hudson, his fist colliding with Hudson's cheek. Blood dripped from Hudson's nose. Bell watched as his new friend fumed. He was glad Woods acted upon his instincts first, had it been left up to Bell himself, he would have opted to put a bullet in his foot and leave him to deal with it.
A brawl nearly broke out between the two before Hudson poked his pistol into Woods' stomach. After a few jabs at each others faults Hudson explained to everyone how the nukes were created with the intention to be a counter to a Soviet invasion back in '58. And of course they were placed in every major European city, just to make matters worse.
"In '74 the bombs were upgraded to high yield neutron bombs, capable of terminating personnel without damaging infrastructure." Hudson continued.
"Oh how thoughtful!" Bell said sarcastically. "Preserve the buildings but kill the people who inhabit them." He spat. He noticed Lazar and Adler keeping their composure the best.
"How's that for civilized." Mason added.
"We're trying to preserve our way of life." Hudson argued.
"Bullshit! The only reason you-" Adler put a hand to Bell's chest, shutting him up before they all got started again.
"How long have you known about the missing nuke?" Adler asked.
Hudson took a quick pause, deciding to rip the bandage off fast. "One of the nukes went offline 8 weeks ago. We suspected it was Perseus but couldn't confirm it until we saw those photos you brought back with you from East Berlin.
"So theres an American made nuke in the wild, and once Perseus detonates it... the U.S becomes global enemy number one." Adler simplified the situation, connecting the dots as Woods cracked his knucles behind him.
"We wouldn't have this problem if you had done your job, and killed Perseus in Vietnam." Hudson shifted the blame.
"Careful Hudson." He placed a hand aganist Woods' chest, preventing him from laying im his next shot. "Next time I might not stop Woods." He warned before shoving past the man and into the safehouse. The others followed without a single word.
Bell marched into the safehouse, his footsteps speaking for him. Loud, fuming with rage. He pulled out his walkman and popped in a new tape he recovered from inside the tank they blew up fake town with. He attatched the device to his belt and began sparring with the punching bag by his desk. He remembered desiring to be a professional boxer before Vietnam called his name. The war had other plans.
Hudson was smart to not enter the safehouse until the next morning.
Bell, Adler, Hudson, Mason, Woods, and Park gathered around the evidence board.
"We need to know what Perseus is planning for that nuke. Park anything else from that printout Bell, Woods, and Lazar pulled from the base?" He set a few papers down on the center table infront of the board.
"Theres mention of an excavation taking place in the Ural Mountains. Yamantau. Our insider within the KGB confrimed an active operation.
"Yamantau. I thought Hudson and Weaver buried that place years ago." Woods recalled hearing about the massive "avalanche" that had killed all of those men.
"We did." Hudson replied.
"Perseus wants to salvage the old mainframe." Park continued.
The moment Steiner's name was spoken Mason perked his head up. "Steiner.." he said. Bell coild tell by his tone that there were memories and history behind that name for Mason. "Send me and Woods."
"Your too close to this Mason. We-"
"Bullshit. You know theres nobody better for the job." Mason cut him off, a finger pointed to his own chest.
"It's my call. I want Mason and Woods on this. Find that mainframe before Perseus does." Adler ended the dispute before it got out of hand.
"I'll contact Belikov. He'll offer logistical support. Hell, he may want to fly the chopper himself." Hudson added.
"Whatever Perseus wants at Yamantau..." Adler started.
"We want it more." Bell finished. Adler looked at him with a nod.
"Woods Mason, get geared up. You two will leave in about an hour." Hudson checked his watch before walking towards the back of the van to answer a phone call.
Bell waited until everyone had disspersed to approach Adler. "Russ, I know you picked Woods and Mason to go on this, but could I join them? I've been to the Ural Mountains before, in fact I know them rather well. Especially since they're going after something Perseus wants... theres no telling what may happen if they don't have backup."
"Woods and Mason are experts at this. They know what they're doing."
"I know they are. In fact they're like superstars to me but I just think they need a third man if Belikov is going to be in the air. And theres nobody better to fill that spot than me."
"Bell." Adler let out a frustrated sigh. "It won't kill you to take a few days out from fieldwork."
"But-" He began to protest.
"It won't kill you." Adler held a finger up, his brow raised above his glasses.
"Yes sir." Bell replied, walking away to his desk.
"Adler." Park called for his attention.
"Yes?" It wasn't even five minutes before he had another one come up to him asking him something.
"Being that Mason and Woods are off doing bussiness in the Urals, I hope you wouldn't mind me taking the next few days to take care of some of my own bussiness until they get back."
"Where are you heading kid?" He took a drag from his cigarette.
"Most likely back home, and whereever else the trail leads me." She handed him a few files. "I've already finished with these reports.
Adler gave the files a quick glance. "Go." He waved his hand. "Be back before Mason and Woods return." He scanned through the papers. "Oh and Park." He said before she walked away. "Take him with you." He pointed to Bell who seemed to be finishing up on decryptions of his own.
"I'd rather do this alone." She spoke quietly.
"If he stays here he won't stop bugging me about not going to Yamantau with the others. Plus, the fact he said he remembers going there screams red flags. I don't want him having an "episode" while he's not with either of us."
She paused, giving him a glare. "I'll add to your pay. I just need a break from playing as his supervisor." Adler said kept looking through the files.
"Fine." She agreed. "We'll be back in a few days."
"So where are we going?" Bell asked. Park kept her eyes on the road as they drove to their destination during the late hours of the night.
"Home."
"Your home?"
"Yes."
"And yours."
"Mine?"
"Your of MI6, are you not?" She had focused on the main details when they had written up his bio, his birthplace and less memorable aspects weren't something she recalled off the top of her head.
"I am. But I wasn't born there. My parents gave me duel citizenship. I grew up with my father. We didn't coincide well together." He drifted. "My mother passed in childbirth, so I had no choice but to live with him.
"Oh." She sold bery compellling sympathy, knowing very well that the words flowing from his mouth were all lies contrusted by her and Adler. "I'm sorry." She was sorry, not about bringing up his traumatic memories but for implanting them into his own self. He didn't know any better than to think anytbing but.
"By the time I was old enough to leave, I did. And since he brought us to London a few years prior, I found my position at MI6." He sniffed, making sure he saw his reflection in the window before he looked towards her. "So, I assume we have a long drive ahead of us. What's your story 007?"
She explained everything to me. Thinking about it know, I don't know why she did. Maybe she had gone so long without sharing her story with anyone. Or perhaps it was merly to gain my trust to make her and Adler's betrayel that much more difficult for everyone. She told me things I didn't even ask. More specifically she told me about the man I hadn't even realised I killed. Her brother was dead and it tore her apart. And I was ignorant of my own crime.