It started to rain slightly when the window opened and four black shadows
stepped out. Quickly they walked down the emergency staircase. They reached
the ground and immediately dove into the shadows between the trucks. Nick
searched for the car.
"No way we're gonna get out of here by car." He whispered through his teeth.
"Follow me." Rocky said. " I know a way out."
They sneaked to the fence and swiftly crawled over it. When they were on the other side Colt asked:
"Now what??"
Rocky didn't answer. He simply pointed across the road.
"Clever thinking Rock." Colt said and all four crossed the road. They crawled against the fence. Suddenly Tum Tum whispered half loud:
"Here."
He pulled at the iron fence and slowly folded back the corner of the fence.
"Very good." Nick said. "There's a car coming. Hurry!"
They sneaked inside. A few seconds later the car passed. In the light of it's front lights you could read the sign: "NO ENTRANCE. PRIVATE AIRPORT."
"Do you know how to fly that thing?" Rocky asked nervously when he watched the helicopter.
"I have no choice, have I?" Nick asked and started to crawl to the dark machine.
"It's locked." Colt said when he tried the door.
"Of course it is dork." Tum Tum said. "Do you think they would leave their plane here open for thieves?"
"It's a helicopter, pizza-brain!"
"Guys cool down!" Nick said between his teeth. "Don't forget where we are."
He took a small tool out of his pocket and placed it with the magnetic strip next to the door. He pushed a few buttons. Suddenly a little green light flashed and Nick pulled open the door.
"Okay, let's get in."
The three boys sneaked in, Nick followed and shut the door.
"Okay, so far so good." Nick said when he put on the contact. A greenish light lighted up on the instrument panel.
"It can't be that hard. But I suggest you buckle up well." When he said that he took his own seatbelt and fastened it.
"Okay, here we go." He clicked three levers, checked the fuel and pushed a white button.
"They're turning!" Tum Tum yelled.
Indeed, they felt the blades turn faster and faster. Nick slightly lifted the handle and the helicopter started to rise. Suddenly a high pitched voice sounded through the cabin.
"GD18 ILY what are you doing? You are not granted permission to take off!"
Nick grinned and pushed a button. Radio-contact was cut off.
"We don't need her now." Rocky laughed.
Ten minutes later they saw the dark buildings approach. Nick held still in the air.
"I can't put us down now. They'll hear us." He said very nervously.
"Nick, look!" Colt said and showed him a book.
"What's it Colt?" Rocky asked.
"Here in this book…"
"You mean you've got a manual???" Nick asked. "Next time tell me before we take off!"
"Sorry." Colt laughed. "But anyway, you have to push this button…" he said and immediately concluded by pushing a yellow button on the instrument panel. "to make it silent."
And indeed they heard how the blades turned softly.
"I wonder what I'm needed for." Nick said and started to lower the helicopter.
"Okay, the minute we land, you open the door and leave the helicopter. Got that?"
They nodded.
"Okay then, here we go."
Nick pushed the handle down and the helicopter touched the roof of the building. Immediately the door swung open and the four boys discharged. Softly the blades started to slow down and eventually stopped. Still no movement on the roof.
"Okay guys, it's safe now." Nick said and together they ran back to the helicopter. They took out the bags with their equipment and left the helicopter.
"I think we can safely assume this is plan B." Nick said.
An attack from ground level seemed now only a very stupid thing to do.
"Lucky we have one." Tum Tum said.
"I suggest we get going." Colt added.
"Good luck. See you down there." Nick said and he and Tum Tum sneaked to the door. Colt and Rocky started to unpack the elevators.
Slowly Tum Tum and Nick entered the building. They walked carefully through the hallways till they reached the main staircase. Tum Tum pointed down. Nick nodded. They walked on.
Suddenly Nick held still and pointed straight forward. A camera. Nick knew the buildings was filled with them. Almost sixty cameras throughout the building, and Parish had his own security guards who did nothing else then watch little television screens.
Carefully Nick took a sirtaken out of his belt, aimed and swiftly threw it. It pinned dead on target and cut the electric wire which connected the camera to the system. Quickly both boys sneaked to the staircase.
Down in the main security room, one of the guards suddenly saw a flickering screen. He only saw some lines and black curves.
"Damned." He shook the little screen. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to his seat.
In the meantime Colt and Rocky had set up their elevators. They attached the wire to their belts. They had carefully inserted the dropping distance.
"You go first?" Colt asked.
"We go together." Rocky said.
They stood up a little wall which served as a safety fence for people who got on the roof. They looked down. They saw the pattern of lights throughout the city. Main street. Other high buildings. Very high. Rocky forced himself to look to the opposite building. They crossed their arms in front of their chests.
They waited.
Suddenly a red light flashed on Rocky's belt.
"Three, two, one." Rocky counted in a quivering voice.
They jumped.
"Okay Tum. On the lookout."
Nick pressed a small tool between the door and the doorpost. He inserted almost half of it. He pushed the button and a small counter started to count. He needed seven digits to switch off the alarm. Six digits. Tum Tum motioned. Five. Tum Tum gestured someone was coming. Four. He looked back at Tum Tum. Three. Tum Tum sneaked to him. "Two floors down." He whispered. Two. Nick held his breath. One.
Click.
The door was open. Nick and Tum Tum sneaked in and closed back the door. The guard in the gang passed the door, and walked on.
Nick started up the computer. Tum Tum waited next to the door. The blue screen lighted up and the words: "PASSWORD?" blinked. Nick started to type very fast. Rapidly he inserted several keys and hit the enter button. The computer started to process. The screen changed but suddenly flashed back to blue. "PASSWORD?"
Nick cursed. He inserted again several combinations. Again the computer started to process. But still the blue screen lighted up and asked for a password.
Nick cursed again. He rapidly inserted several names he could think of.
"Try Dragonheart!" Tum Tum said.
Swiftly he typed "DRAGONHEART". He hit the enter button. The computer started to process. Nick grinned when the words "WELCOME" lighted up. He opened the browser and started to look for a certain document.
"Tum how did you know…" He started.
Tum Tum said: "I'll tell you later. There is someone coming." He listened to the door. "Lots of them."
Nick groaned. He could have cursed himself.
"Of course! When that guy in the hotel didn't come back… Hold on Tum, I'm getting close!"
Nick clicked twice and a document appeared on the screen. He started to read:
"Lorian Kennedy, Park Lane 7, …"
The door swung open and a man came into the room. Tum Tum tripped him up and kicked the other fully in his stomach.
"Ughh!" The man grunted and fell to the ground.
Nick impressed the words upon his mind, while he pushed the button in his pocket. The signal was sent to the roof. He pulled the cables of the computer out and cut the power so they would not know what he was looking for.
He jumped over the desk and kicked the rifle out of the man's hands who tried to shoot Tum Tum. He kicked the man at his head, tripped him up and kicked his foot at his jaw. He received the next man with two strokes in his neck. He jumped high and kicked the man full on his chest. He and Tum Tum took a pose and challenged the other man in the hall with a brutal grin. They had to pass the door one at the time.
When Nick had pushed the button in his pocket, on the roof the led in Rocky's belt had started to flash. They had jumped.
The McDean elevator did its job. When they were almost half of their fall, it slowly started to brake. The boys slowed down in their fall till eventually they held still in front of a window. They looked inside. They saw Nick kicking a guy in the air. They grinned.
Rocky and Colt took their knives. With large gestures they scratched a circle on the glass. Their knives shrieked. They put both feet on the window and took a deep breath. They kneeled on the window and suddenly pushed! Their bodies flew backwards till they had reached their highest point, then they swung back. With their feet in front of them they shattered the windows. Pieces of glass flew into the air and shattered into the room. Quickly they stepped onto the window-sill and loosened the elevator cables. Ready to fight.
Suddenly they heard shooting. The men down in the hall fired with rifles at the half closed door. Tum Tum and Nick dropped on the floor. They crawled sideways, but when they heard the men approach suddenly they were back on their feet. They let the first men pass but together kicked the following man in his stomach. With very fast strokes Tum Tum drove the man against a wall, turned around and hit him high in his face. A man grabbed him from behind. Tum Tum threw his head backwards, hit the guy in his stomach, stepped hard on his toe, and threw him over his back so another unwanted visitor tripped over him.
Meanwhile Colt and Rocky had received the men like true ninja's. Rocky kicked the man full against his jaw, and Colt finished by taking the mans head and lowering it on his knee.
"Sorry." He grinned.
They all four gathered in the middle of the room. It was totally ransacked.
"Let's get out of here." Rocky said.
They all four ran to the window. Rocky and Colt fastened themselves back to the cables. Rocky grabbed Tum Tum and pushed the button. Colt and Nick did the same and quickly the elevators pulled them up.
They crawled across the edge and stood up their feet. They ran to the helicopter.
"Get in, get in!" Tum Tum gestured. He heard loud banging on the door.
The four jumped into the helicopter and Nick pushed the button. The blades started to turn. First slowly but they gained speed and started to turn faster and faster. Suddenly the door swung open and men ran onto the roof. But the wind made by the turning blades almost blew them over the edge. They hid behind a large chimney.
Suddenly Nick pulled up the handle and the helicopter took off. They heard gunshots but soon they were out of the men's reach.
The helicopter swiftly flew south. Underneath them the traffic was visible in the dark night. It was an amazing sight. But the three ninja's were too tired to care. Colt and Tum Tum were fast asleep, resting their heads on each others shoulder. Rocky had a hard time too stay awake.
"Go to sleep Rock." Nick smiled. "Now you still can."
Rocky smiled. Five minutes later he was fast asleep.
"No way we're gonna get out of here by car." He whispered through his teeth.
"Follow me." Rocky said. " I know a way out."
They sneaked to the fence and swiftly crawled over it. When they were on the other side Colt asked:
"Now what??"
Rocky didn't answer. He simply pointed across the road.
"Clever thinking Rock." Colt said and all four crossed the road. They crawled against the fence. Suddenly Tum Tum whispered half loud:
"Here."
He pulled at the iron fence and slowly folded back the corner of the fence.
"Very good." Nick said. "There's a car coming. Hurry!"
They sneaked inside. A few seconds later the car passed. In the light of it's front lights you could read the sign: "NO ENTRANCE. PRIVATE AIRPORT."
"Do you know how to fly that thing?" Rocky asked nervously when he watched the helicopter.
"I have no choice, have I?" Nick asked and started to crawl to the dark machine.
"It's locked." Colt said when he tried the door.
"Of course it is dork." Tum Tum said. "Do you think they would leave their plane here open for thieves?"
"It's a helicopter, pizza-brain!"
"Guys cool down!" Nick said between his teeth. "Don't forget where we are."
He took a small tool out of his pocket and placed it with the magnetic strip next to the door. He pushed a few buttons. Suddenly a little green light flashed and Nick pulled open the door.
"Okay, let's get in."
The three boys sneaked in, Nick followed and shut the door.
"Okay, so far so good." Nick said when he put on the contact. A greenish light lighted up on the instrument panel.
"It can't be that hard. But I suggest you buckle up well." When he said that he took his own seatbelt and fastened it.
"Okay, here we go." He clicked three levers, checked the fuel and pushed a white button.
"They're turning!" Tum Tum yelled.
Indeed, they felt the blades turn faster and faster. Nick slightly lifted the handle and the helicopter started to rise. Suddenly a high pitched voice sounded through the cabin.
"GD18 ILY what are you doing? You are not granted permission to take off!"
Nick grinned and pushed a button. Radio-contact was cut off.
"We don't need her now." Rocky laughed.
Ten minutes later they saw the dark buildings approach. Nick held still in the air.
"I can't put us down now. They'll hear us." He said very nervously.
"Nick, look!" Colt said and showed him a book.
"What's it Colt?" Rocky asked.
"Here in this book…"
"You mean you've got a manual???" Nick asked. "Next time tell me before we take off!"
"Sorry." Colt laughed. "But anyway, you have to push this button…" he said and immediately concluded by pushing a yellow button on the instrument panel. "to make it silent."
And indeed they heard how the blades turned softly.
"I wonder what I'm needed for." Nick said and started to lower the helicopter.
"Okay, the minute we land, you open the door and leave the helicopter. Got that?"
They nodded.
"Okay then, here we go."
Nick pushed the handle down and the helicopter touched the roof of the building. Immediately the door swung open and the four boys discharged. Softly the blades started to slow down and eventually stopped. Still no movement on the roof.
"Okay guys, it's safe now." Nick said and together they ran back to the helicopter. They took out the bags with their equipment and left the helicopter.
"I think we can safely assume this is plan B." Nick said.
An attack from ground level seemed now only a very stupid thing to do.
"Lucky we have one." Tum Tum said.
"I suggest we get going." Colt added.
"Good luck. See you down there." Nick said and he and Tum Tum sneaked to the door. Colt and Rocky started to unpack the elevators.
Slowly Tum Tum and Nick entered the building. They walked carefully through the hallways till they reached the main staircase. Tum Tum pointed down. Nick nodded. They walked on.
Suddenly Nick held still and pointed straight forward. A camera. Nick knew the buildings was filled with them. Almost sixty cameras throughout the building, and Parish had his own security guards who did nothing else then watch little television screens.
Carefully Nick took a sirtaken out of his belt, aimed and swiftly threw it. It pinned dead on target and cut the electric wire which connected the camera to the system. Quickly both boys sneaked to the staircase.
Down in the main security room, one of the guards suddenly saw a flickering screen. He only saw some lines and black curves.
"Damned." He shook the little screen. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to his seat.
In the meantime Colt and Rocky had set up their elevators. They attached the wire to their belts. They had carefully inserted the dropping distance.
"You go first?" Colt asked.
"We go together." Rocky said.
They stood up a little wall which served as a safety fence for people who got on the roof. They looked down. They saw the pattern of lights throughout the city. Main street. Other high buildings. Very high. Rocky forced himself to look to the opposite building. They crossed their arms in front of their chests.
They waited.
Suddenly a red light flashed on Rocky's belt.
"Three, two, one." Rocky counted in a quivering voice.
They jumped.
"Okay Tum. On the lookout."
Nick pressed a small tool between the door and the doorpost. He inserted almost half of it. He pushed the button and a small counter started to count. He needed seven digits to switch off the alarm. Six digits. Tum Tum motioned. Five. Tum Tum gestured someone was coming. Four. He looked back at Tum Tum. Three. Tum Tum sneaked to him. "Two floors down." He whispered. Two. Nick held his breath. One.
Click.
The door was open. Nick and Tum Tum sneaked in and closed back the door. The guard in the gang passed the door, and walked on.
Nick started up the computer. Tum Tum waited next to the door. The blue screen lighted up and the words: "PASSWORD?" blinked. Nick started to type very fast. Rapidly he inserted several keys and hit the enter button. The computer started to process. The screen changed but suddenly flashed back to blue. "PASSWORD?"
Nick cursed. He inserted again several combinations. Again the computer started to process. But still the blue screen lighted up and asked for a password.
Nick cursed again. He rapidly inserted several names he could think of.
"Try Dragonheart!" Tum Tum said.
Swiftly he typed "DRAGONHEART". He hit the enter button. The computer started to process. Nick grinned when the words "WELCOME" lighted up. He opened the browser and started to look for a certain document.
"Tum how did you know…" He started.
Tum Tum said: "I'll tell you later. There is someone coming." He listened to the door. "Lots of them."
Nick groaned. He could have cursed himself.
"Of course! When that guy in the hotel didn't come back… Hold on Tum, I'm getting close!"
Nick clicked twice and a document appeared on the screen. He started to read:
"Lorian Kennedy, Park Lane 7, …"
The door swung open and a man came into the room. Tum Tum tripped him up and kicked the other fully in his stomach.
"Ughh!" The man grunted and fell to the ground.
Nick impressed the words upon his mind, while he pushed the button in his pocket. The signal was sent to the roof. He pulled the cables of the computer out and cut the power so they would not know what he was looking for.
He jumped over the desk and kicked the rifle out of the man's hands who tried to shoot Tum Tum. He kicked the man at his head, tripped him up and kicked his foot at his jaw. He received the next man with two strokes in his neck. He jumped high and kicked the man full on his chest. He and Tum Tum took a pose and challenged the other man in the hall with a brutal grin. They had to pass the door one at the time.
When Nick had pushed the button in his pocket, on the roof the led in Rocky's belt had started to flash. They had jumped.
The McDean elevator did its job. When they were almost half of their fall, it slowly started to brake. The boys slowed down in their fall till eventually they held still in front of a window. They looked inside. They saw Nick kicking a guy in the air. They grinned.
Rocky and Colt took their knives. With large gestures they scratched a circle on the glass. Their knives shrieked. They put both feet on the window and took a deep breath. They kneeled on the window and suddenly pushed! Their bodies flew backwards till they had reached their highest point, then they swung back. With their feet in front of them they shattered the windows. Pieces of glass flew into the air and shattered into the room. Quickly they stepped onto the window-sill and loosened the elevator cables. Ready to fight.
Suddenly they heard shooting. The men down in the hall fired with rifles at the half closed door. Tum Tum and Nick dropped on the floor. They crawled sideways, but when they heard the men approach suddenly they were back on their feet. They let the first men pass but together kicked the following man in his stomach. With very fast strokes Tum Tum drove the man against a wall, turned around and hit him high in his face. A man grabbed him from behind. Tum Tum threw his head backwards, hit the guy in his stomach, stepped hard on his toe, and threw him over his back so another unwanted visitor tripped over him.
Meanwhile Colt and Rocky had received the men like true ninja's. Rocky kicked the man full against his jaw, and Colt finished by taking the mans head and lowering it on his knee.
"Sorry." He grinned.
They all four gathered in the middle of the room. It was totally ransacked.
"Let's get out of here." Rocky said.
They all four ran to the window. Rocky and Colt fastened themselves back to the cables. Rocky grabbed Tum Tum and pushed the button. Colt and Nick did the same and quickly the elevators pulled them up.
They crawled across the edge and stood up their feet. They ran to the helicopter.
"Get in, get in!" Tum Tum gestured. He heard loud banging on the door.
The four jumped into the helicopter and Nick pushed the button. The blades started to turn. First slowly but they gained speed and started to turn faster and faster. Suddenly the door swung open and men ran onto the roof. But the wind made by the turning blades almost blew them over the edge. They hid behind a large chimney.
Suddenly Nick pulled up the handle and the helicopter took off. They heard gunshots but soon they were out of the men's reach.
The helicopter swiftly flew south. Underneath them the traffic was visible in the dark night. It was an amazing sight. But the three ninja's were too tired to care. Colt and Tum Tum were fast asleep, resting their heads on each others shoulder. Rocky had a hard time too stay awake.
"Go to sleep Rock." Nick smiled. "Now you still can."
Rocky smiled. Five minutes later he was fast asleep.