PART TWENTY-FOUR : " Sequester "
Sam finished placing charges around the third complex and was making her way around to another building when she spied Mole doing the same across the flat between buildings.
She signaled with hand signs that she was finished with her building, and was moving on to the main complex.
Mole looked at his chronometer and nodded to her, indicating that the interior group should be finishing up soon.
When the muffled shot sounded, Mole and Sam drew pistols at the same time, looking in the direction of the main complex. Easing back against the wall in the darkness, Mole waited for Max to give clearance through the micro-radios to break radio silence.
A small number of men and women, probably the only ones awake at this hour of the morning, began coming out of the various buildings and looking around for the source of the report.
The Conclave members gathered and compared observations. This pleased Mole. If they started moving towards the main building, they'd all be in one spot to start shooting at.
Sam watched this with professional interest, unaware of Mole's deliberations. She noticed they had collected between the two transgenics and the main building where Max's team was.
She had patently ignored White after discovering he had switched sides. If she hadn't seen Max talking to him back at Terminal City, she'd probably have nailed him on the spot. In her opinion the former Conclavant deserved to be killed rather than be allowed to participate in this rescue, regardless of the information he was providing.
Sam reminded herself for the umpteenth time that if it came down to it, she could always eliminate him after the mission was over. Just as well he was forced to remain with the observation team at the perimeter.
A squawk came over Sam's earpiece. "All teams alert. Single radio silence break..." She recognized Lydecker's voice. "Mission green. Flash at three in three, two, one, mark. Maintain silence."
Instantly the translation filtered through her mind. "The mission is successful. Begin extraction procedures in three minutes. Do not respond to this, maintain radio silence..." She assumed the injured party was Logan, since he was the one that was captured. While this was going through her mind, she set her timer for 3 minutes and on Lydecker's mark, initiated the reverse timer.
* * * * *
Alec took point; Lydecker came around him and situated himself on the left side of the doorwell. Logan, gun in position, came up beside Lydecker, then took a standard police stance in front of the door, gun pointed forward.
"Oh my god..." they heard him call out. Lowering the gun, Logan burst into the room as he saw Max collapsed to the floor.
Lydecker swung around, gun inside the room and swerving around to find a target. The acrid smell of burned flesh hit him as a wave, almost as if the doorway was a barrier against the odor; but there was nothing in the room that indicated anything was burning.
He covered Logan while the man picked Max up after he quickly checked for injuries. "Time to go," Lydecker stated bluntly.
Alec glanced inside. "Time's running out, guys. Is she all right?"
Logan couldn't take his eyes off the young woman in his arms. "We'll find out on our way out." He began walking towards the door.
Lydecker motioned to Alec. "Single file. You, then Logan. I'll pull pick up the tail. Go."
They made their way through the hallway and down the stairs as an explosion came from outside.
* * * * *
As the three minute mark timed down to zero, mini-explosives detonated, blowing in windows, doors and destroying exterior electrical panels and phone relays on all of the buildings in the "mini-mall" community.
The group that was now searching around for the source of the gunshot began talking urgently into radios, obviously frustrated in the discovery that they no longer worked.
Sam and Mole circled around to the back of the main complex. Several other placement teams started showing up, and they hid in various spots. One of the back doors opened and Alec glanced out in both directions, then headed through the doorway, followed by Logan carrying an unconscious Max.
Lydecker followed shortly after. Alec motioned with hand signals and Mole came out of the woods.
"Run into a little trouble?" he quipped.
Alec replied, "'Run' might be a good term to use. We've got about two minutes before this building goes sky-high."
"How do we get out of here?" Logan asked.
Remembering that Logan wasn't briefed on the layout of the area, Alec motioned to Max. "Give her to me."
Logan wanted to refuse but sensibility won over pride only because her safety was at stake; Alec could carry her for a long time over the terrain without tiring. Putting her into Alec's arms, he mumbled a "take care of her" and stood back, waiting for their next move.
Lydecker made two sharp motions with both his arms, and the transgenics in hiding began moving out deeper into the woods. Logan followed Alec, who was hard to keep up with despite his burden.
Abruptly, the expected explosion brightened the sky, sending debris everywhere. Almost as one, the transgenic teams moved into positions; beside trees, large rocks, anything that provided cover from the debris and light.
When it appeared the larger pieces were done falling, they started out again.
White and the rest of the teams soon joined them as they made their way back to the vans, some of the transgenics clapping Logan on the shoulder and quietly welcoming him back to the flock. Their smiles turned somber as they noticed the limp body Alec was carrying.