Chapter Sixteen: Inside Job


July 28, 2016. Classified meeting spot, Keystone.

Vargas looked over in annoyance as Ichigo yawned. In fairness, he was sitting pretty close. "Do you gotta do that right in my ear?" he grumbled.

"What? I'm bored," replied Ichigo. "We've been sitting here for three hours, and nobody's shown up!" He looked off into the vacant horizon as he scratched his neck. "I'm starting to think he's not coming."

"...'Kay, but that doesn't explain the yawn," said Vargas.

"Whoever this guy is, he'll be here," said Rook. "If he has the guts to defy St. Augustine by funneling us info, then he has the guts to show his face."

The three of them sat on the truck as the team waited for BAINE's informant within Polaris Industries. For a little over a month now, around when the Cluster had been stopped, someone from within the company had been informing them of their activities. The thing was, nobody really knew who he was, or why he decided to turn against Barnabas. A meeting had been arranged, but since nobody was sure what to expect, Fireteam Victor was sent, in case an ambush was being planned.

Vargas cleared his throat; or maybe it was just a cough. "Any of you noticed that Bridge's been acting different lately? He seems…flighty, all of a sudden. He won't look me in the eye, and he doesn't talk too much."

"What, like that's out of the ordinary?" said Ichigo, nudging his companion's shoulder. "Ol' Danny-boy's never exactly been the sociable type. It's part of his charm."

"I meant more than usual!" Vargas said. "'S like he's scared of me or something. Or scared of something to do with me. You sure you guys ain't noticed anything?"

Rook couldn't answer, and neither could Ichigo. "If you ask me, he's probably on edge about these aliens," the former replied. "With the world about to end, I wouldn't blame anyone for being a bit skittish."

Ichigo agreed. "Yeah. He puts on a stoic front, but he still gets worried from time to time. Who doesn't? I mean, we're right off the heels of these Xevellan guys, we've suddenly got a bunch of robots, we've gotta rely on someone from Polaris…"

"...one of the enemy's in our base…" muttered Ichigo.

"Are you still giving Valdain a hard time?" Luke, who had been patrolling the area, approached in time to hear James' comment. "You'd think offering to build us a bomb would endear a guy to you…"

James rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that. There's something off about him, and you know it! You can't tell me you trust him entirely, can you?"

"Eh…" Luke gave a 'so-so' gesture. "I don't trust him trust him, but he seems to want to help, right? Hell, even if he is tryin' to double cross us, he's doing a pretty lousy job of helping his team."

"Hey," Vargas interrupted, "you notice anything weird about Bridge lately? Has he been acting different around you lately?"

"Buddy, one conspiracy theory at a time!" Ichigo jokingly chided. "Man's got enough on his plate talking about Rook's trust issues, he doesn't need yours on top of that!"

After a moment of thinking, Luke answered. "No, I can't say I have. Why? Has he been giving you a hard time or something?"

"It's nothing." Vargas stared out at their captain, who waited for their informant further down the road.

Daniel stood almost completely still, gazing down the road like he expected it to be gone the next second. The midday sun beat down hard, but he showed no concern. He was too far away to hear the group talking about him, but he had indeed been avoiding Vargas as much as he could. He knew he would have to confront him about Aster's accusation soon, but that wasn't something that there was a 'right time' to do. "See anything?"

Nearby, Hester stood just off the road, her eagle eyes staring through a pair of binoculars. "There was a dust devil out that way a while ago, but no cars, if that's what you're asking. Are you sure you got the meeting time right?"

"There was no meeting time," Daniel said. "We were given a location, and either he's here or he isn't." That was that, for now, at least it would have been. "Hester…have you given the Radiant One any thought since we captured him?"

Not expecting this question, Hester turned to face him. "Not really…but I take it you have. I'm sure you have your reasons, but I'll never understand why you keep going down to talk to that guy. You just know he's trying to escape."

"Mm," Daniel agreed. "The reason I ask is, well, do you think he knows more than he's letting on? Just in general. About Gems, Polaris, Echo…us…"

"Let me stop you right there," said Hester. "Whether or not he does, he obviously isn't going to tell us, unless he thinks he can use it to his advantage. Because of that, I don't think there's any sense in worrying about him. Besides, we have something else to worry about right now: a car just came into view."

"Right, right," Daniel said with a sigh. "We should focus on–wait, a car!? Just now?"

"Just now," confirmed Hester. "Looks like a fancy one, too. What is that, a Porsce?" She handed Daniel the binoculars, and sure enough, a bright red sports car was speeding down the dirt road towards them. "Think it's him?"

"Nobody's used these roads in years," Daniel said, "so it's either him or the world's most lost tourist. And if it is him, he must be pretty high up on Polaris' ladder to afford a hot rod like that."

The two waited for the car to slow down, but it kept speeding along. Concerned, they stepped aside as it approached. Near the team's truck, the rest of the team got to their feet, having seen the concerningly-fast dust cloud coming closer. James felt his hand approach his sidearm, just in case.

The car finally reached them; or rather, it reached their truck, as it sped past Bridge and Hester without so much as a wave. Not that they could have seen the driver through the tinted windows. Swerving violently into a near u-turn, the car came to a stop across from them with a cloud of dust thrown up behind it. The six of them approached as its engine turned off, each of them somewhat annoyed.

"Awfully fashionably late, aren't you, Mr…?" said Hester.

The car's door swung open, and its owner stepped out with an aloof air. As he removed his sunglasses, Bridge became aware of a familiarity in his short hair and stony face; and then it hit him. "You're kidding me…you're the insider?"

"Nice to see you, too," the man said. "And to answer your question, Fitzpatrick. Jermaine Fitzpatrick, but everyone calls me Fitz." He looked around at the team, none of whom were exactly happy to see him. "So, should we get started?"


"You've gotta be kidding," Gina said once Fitz stepped into the tent. "He's the insider we've been hearing about?"

"That's what I said!" Daniel added. The rest of Fireteam Victor joined their enemy-turned-ally in the makeshift base of operations where Fireteams Alpha and Charlie waited. None of the latter two recognized Fitz, but the reactions of those who did told them that they did not have a pleasant history.

"It's funny," said Gina. "Considering you went from SEEN to Polaris, I didn't take you as the sort of guy with a conscience. What changed?"

Fitz pulled up a chair and took a seat by the table in the room's center. "What changed is that Polaris put innocent people in harm's way to help those Gem-worshiping freaks. I was willing to put up with a lot from both Pierce and Barnabas, but that attack in Empire City was the last straw for me. I figured helping you guys out would make up for all that."

Luke leaned in to confirm something with James. "Weren't those guys in Empire City using rubber bullets?"

"Well, maybe not all the way, but it's a start," Gina said, not hearing Luke. "Alright, enough shootin' the breeze, let's get this show on the road." She took several photographs out of a file and placed them on the table. They showed a Polaris facility built into the side of a mountain, surrounded by a thick forest. It was remote enough that few were likely to stumble across it by accident. "Look familiar?"

After taking a moment to study the photos, Fitz nodded. "Yeah, I know this place. Blacksite-19, it's called. It's one of Polaris' secret nuclear reactors." He looked up at Gina, suspicious and perhaps a little concerned. "Why exactly do you want to break into this place, now?"

"That's none of your concern," said Captain Steele, leader of Fireteam Alpha. "Can you get us inside?"

"Hang on," Daniel said. "I don't like him either, but we need to cooperate if we want his help." He turned to Fitz. "Since you're the one who gave us info on it, you're aware that BAINE is dealing with an extraterrestrial threat, yes?"

A grunt from Fitz that could have been an affirmative.

Daniel continued. "Simply put, we need plutonium in order to build an atomic weapon to fight back against the invasion. And Val–er, another informant of ours decided that this place would be the best location to acquire the needed nuclear materials."

This got an almost disbelieving chuckle from Fitz. "Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But why exactly can't Rose's Angels and the Wonder Kid help you out with this one?"

"They're busy," answered Gina. "Look, can you help us get in or not?"

"I think I can manage," he said. "It won't be easy, but you definitely called the right guy for the job." He stood up, taking a look around to make sure everyone was paying attention. "So, here's our first roadblock: even as head of Polaris security, I don't have access to dangerous materials like the kind you all need. Fortunately, one of us here does."

Fitz glanced over at James as he took a load of cards out of his pockets and placed them on the table. Each one bore the credentials for a Polaris employee, and aside from one, each had a blank space for a picture.

"Fresh Polaris IDs," he said. "Believe it or not, I could get in more trouble for forging these than for conspiring to steal radioactive materials with you all. Now, most of these are just for soldiers with made up names, but this guy here, Dr. Perry Graves, he's the most important. He's the only one with clearance to access the plutonium. And luckily for us, he's the spitting image of Rook here."

James looked closer at the scientist, and had to admit that the resemblance was there, if one squinted. However, there was one detail that stood out from the rest. Vargas looked as well, and caught a case of the giggles at the man' hair frizzing out in all directions. "Dude looks like a mad scientist!"

"You, uh, might need a wig," said Fitz. "But aside from that, we'll just need some headshots to make the other ones look convincing. We'll go in in three teams: 'Dr. Graves' with me, another group to stand guard, and another to shut down security, just in case."

"We'll take the last one," said Captain Hugo. "Fireteam Charlie's second to none when it comes to infiltration and espionage."

"I'll send in some of mine to watch your backs," said Steele.

"Then I guess that just leaves us," said Daniel. "Luke, you're going in with Rook and Fitz. Everyone else, we'll be on standby outside the facility in case something goes wrong during extraction."

Satisfied, Fitz nodded approvingly. "Okay, okay! Y'know, I like your guys' hustle here. If I end up getting found out for this, I might just join you guys! Welp, I'm takin' five." He left the tent, tossing his car keys to Daniel. "Hey, careful not to scratch it: it's not insured."

"What, you can afford a ride like that, but you can't afford insurance?" he asked.

"Oh, it's not my car," Fitz said with a grin.


July 29, 2016. Polaris Blacksite-19, classified location.

So far, the infiltration had gone smoothly, without incident. But that was like saying they were winning the game in the first inning; they had only just started. The guards at the gate had let their convoy in with no questions upon seeing Fitz and 'Dr. Graves.' But there was still the risk of them being found out inside the facility.

James took the moment of safety to scratch under his wig. "Can't believe I have to wear this stupid thing…" he muttered.

"Hey, at least your guy has a cool name," said Luke, holding up his badge. "According to this, I'm Hubert Butz." Someone beside him snickered, earning a glare from him.

"I was low on time, what do you want from me?" Fitz said indignantly. "And as for you, Graves doesn't sound like that. Try to sound more American."

"Alright, how's this: I'm Perry Graves, I look like I stuck a fork in a socket!"

"Terrible," Fitz said. "Just let me do the talking, okay?"

In what thankfully didn't feel like very long, the three transports pulled up in front of the facility. Soldiers filed out, all dressed in Polaris uniforms. "Everyone, to position," said Steele. A few of them took their places just outside the building, while Fitz and the others approached the door.

"Dr. Graves, didn't expect to see you here today," one of the guards said. "What brings you all the way out to the middle nowhere?"

James opened his mouth to speak, but Fitz preempted him. "Dr. Graves needs to acquire some plutonium for an experiment he plans on running. Don't worry, it's all being paid for under Polaris' expenses. Ah, and he has a bit of a sore throat right now, so don't make him talk too much."

"Of course, of course." The guard scanned James' badge, and opened the door to let them inside. "Good luck with your experiment, and I hope you feel better soon."

James nodded as he and the others went inside. The place was much bigger than the outside would have one believe, going up several stories at least, and likely having numerous sublevels. Captain Steele's group waited here in the lobby, while Captain Hugo's team made their way to the surveillance room. "See you on the other side," she said.

"Well, you're the expert here," Luke said to Fitz. "Lead the way!"

"Right this way." Fitz took Luke and James to an elevator, thankfully empty, that began taking them down to one of the facility's lower levels. "Our first stop on the tour will be the volatile material storage, located in basement four. Don't forget to stop by the gift shop and pick out a–"

"Don't start," growled James.

The elevator door opened to a surprisingly open room, a walkway spanning across a large pit. "What exactly is down there?" Luke said hesitantly as Fitz walked across.

"Toxic waste," said Fitz nonchalantly, to the concern of the other two. "Now will you hurry up? The longer we stay here, the more chance we have of being found out, and of me losing my job, or worse!" The three traversed the pit, arriving at a sealed door on the other side.

Beyond the door, numerous workers in white hazmat suits went about their business, paying the trio little more than a glance. Fitz led them with confidence to another door, this one guarded by one of the workers. "Jermaine Fitzpatrick and Dr. Perry Graves here for retrieval," he told him. He held up his badge, and James did the same. "Twenty kilos."

The guard nodded, heading into the sealed room. "What are you doing? We only need ten!" whispered Luke. "Aren't you worried about us being found out? The more we take would increase the chances of that happening, I would think."

"Don't you know anything about nuclear physics?" Fitz shot back. "Anything radioactive has a half-life. So, we need twice as much to make up for the half that decays!"

"I…I don't think that's how that works," said James.

Fitz grinned. "I'm just yankin' your chain. But it's good to be prepared, right? Besides, we'll probably be found out no matter how much we take. Ideally, though, we'll be long gone before that happens."

Inside the sealed room, the guard placed two cylindrical canisters into a bulky metal briefcase. Once it was locked up tight, he stepped out and handed it to James with a nod. He returned the gesture, and the group headed back towards the elevator.

"That went better than expected," said Luke. "We got all we need in there?"

"Are you kidding? I'm not opening this thing up to check!" said James. "This thing's staying sealed until it gets to someone who can handle plutonium without blowing us all to kingdom come."

"Heh, now who's clueless about nuclear physics?" said Fitz. James growled.

With them on the bridge, it was only a few feet to freedom. But as fate would have it, freedom would not be theirs tonight. Without warning, the entire room was bathed in red as an alarm began echoing off the walls. Luke instinctively drew his pistol, whipping around wildly as he looked for the threat. Not having a weapon, James gripped the briefcase tighter.

"Aaaand, there it is," huffed Fitz. "I knew this was too easy." The assumption was that they had triggered the alarm, but none of the workers were focusing on them. It seemed something was happening upstairs that they weren't aware of.

A call came over Luke's radio. "Retrieval team, get out of there, now!" said Captain Hugo. "The entire base is going into lockdown!"

"It wasn't us!" he said.

"I know; it's worse," she replied. Something just triggered the base's alarm. And whatever it is, it's big."

"Big? L-like, how big are we talking about here?" Luke asked. "Big as in a football field, or big as in…" He was silenced at the look of horror on James' face.

"You don't think…" said James. "No, it's impossible. There's no way they're here. Right?"

"What? What's impossible?" asked Fitz. "Who's here?"

Unbeknownst to all of them, an enormous, and all-too-familiar, craft was descending from above. The guards outside looked up in shock as the dreadnought released a swarm of dropships which flew to the ground, surrounding the facility on all sides. Dozens of glowing red optics began to emerge from the forest.