Seras was one of the last people to arrive, so Matt didn't get a chance to
talk to her much. The briefing began soon after she walked up to him.
Fargason addressed the troops. "We have learned of a hostage situation on
the other side of London. A large number of people are being held by
ghouls while their master vampire readies himself to turn them into ghouls
as well. Alucard has already left to engage and distract the vampire.
We're going in to rescue the hostages. Final plans will be made on site
when we get the latest intel. Load up!" All the troops started for
transports. Matthew ran, shifting his weight to compensate for the
Valkyrie's mass. He managed to keep up with Seras, who was used to running
with her over six foot long cannon and was faster on her feet then Matthew.
A short while later, the transports rolled up to a short, wide office building. Matthew walked up to where Fargason and his staff worked up plans for action. Seras followed, possibly to keep the inexperienced vampire out of trouble. Fargason stood over a floor plan for the building's first floor. As he spoke, he looked at Johnson occasionally to ensure they were on the same page. Johnson would undoubtedly be leading the team in the assault. Fargason's finger slid to the center of the building. "Latest intel shows the hostages being held in this central meeting hall. An unknown, but possibly small, group of ghouls guards them. However, they're not the problem." Fargason moved his finger to a side room connected to the central meeting hall by a short hallway. A branching corridor connected it to the front entrance. "Our intel shows a large number of ghouls waiting here as back-up. We'll need to hit both rooms at once, but the more we use in one room the less we have at the other. I want Seras with the rescue team, but I'm not sure about the assault team."
Matthew stepped forward into a gap in the group around the table. "I'll get the ghouls in the side room, sir."
Fargason looked up at him. "You will?"
"Yes, I will. You said so yourself, sir, you need all the men you can get hitting the central meeting room to take out the guarding ghouls, and you need Seras helping them. With her on the rescue team, I'm free to hit the side room. They tend to be a little single minded, and I plan to drawing as much of their attention as I can." He pointed to the door leading from the side room to the connecting hallway. "I'll plant myself here and keep those ghouls from entering the main room. You should have all the time you need to get in and out." Matthew smiled. "Might even take them all out before you finish with the ghouls in the main room."
"You're sure you can do it." Fargason wasn't sure, but was considering the plan.
Matthew's voice was filled with confidence. "I'm sure, sir. And if one or two do manage to slip by, Seras can take them out as they enter the main room."
"Point. All right, Jemeth, mission approved. Let me know when you're ready. Pull this off, and your worth to this organization will be unquestionable." Without another word, he started for the human troops.
'What the? Did everyone hear what she said to me?' Truth be told, he really did feel all the confidence he showed. He may not have come to grips with what he had become, but there was no question about his job. Besides, beating up on ghouls made him feel better. For one, he was essentially ending their suffering. For two, he felt he was getting back at the evil that forced him into his decision to be turned and all the events that followed.
Seras walked up, looking a little concerned. "Are you sure you can handle it? It is a rather major mission to undertake."
Matthew nodded, a quiet determination showing on his face. "I can. The people inside need me to. The troops need me to." He paused. "I need me to. As Yoda said, 'Do or do not, there is no try.' I must, therefore I will."
Seras placed a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, ok?"
Matt turned his head to look at her, and smiled. 'That's the first time she's touched me since...' "Of course. You too. See you in a while." He started forward towards Fargason. He was all ready to go, so better to get moving now while he still had his nerve. "Sir."
Fargason turned to see him. "Are you ready, Jemeth?"
"Yes, sir. With your permission, I will enter the building and start for the side room. From the looks of things, I should be in position to strike in about three minutes. I'll probably wait to fire until I'm in position to guard the main conference room."
"All right, then. I'll send Johnson and the rescue team to strike exactly five minutes after you enter. Good luck."
"Thank you, sir." He gave Fargason a salute, waited for the reply, then started for the building. On the way, he reached back and activated the pack's ammo dispensers. Two rounds appeared at his hips. He grabbed a shot filled round and loaded it into the Valkyrie. He didn't know how much recoil the cannon would have, which was the main reason he would wait until he was in position to fire. Then, he reached to his side, grabbed the Walther, and pulled back its slide, readying the gun for action. Quietly, he slipped through the front doors into the empty corridors of the office building.
He ran on his toes, staying as silent as possible. He really didn't know if that would help against ghouls, but it couldn't hurt. As he approached the door to the side room, he could hear the front door opening. Johnson and the rescue team were entering the building. He checked his watch; two and a half minutes passed, half a minute to go to attack. He counted off the seconds in his mind, and at exactly three minutes he smashed his foot into the door. It flew opened, and he charged.
A short while later, the transports rolled up to a short, wide office building. Matthew walked up to where Fargason and his staff worked up plans for action. Seras followed, possibly to keep the inexperienced vampire out of trouble. Fargason stood over a floor plan for the building's first floor. As he spoke, he looked at Johnson occasionally to ensure they were on the same page. Johnson would undoubtedly be leading the team in the assault. Fargason's finger slid to the center of the building. "Latest intel shows the hostages being held in this central meeting hall. An unknown, but possibly small, group of ghouls guards them. However, they're not the problem." Fargason moved his finger to a side room connected to the central meeting hall by a short hallway. A branching corridor connected it to the front entrance. "Our intel shows a large number of ghouls waiting here as back-up. We'll need to hit both rooms at once, but the more we use in one room the less we have at the other. I want Seras with the rescue team, but I'm not sure about the assault team."
Matthew stepped forward into a gap in the group around the table. "I'll get the ghouls in the side room, sir."
Fargason looked up at him. "You will?"
"Yes, I will. You said so yourself, sir, you need all the men you can get hitting the central meeting room to take out the guarding ghouls, and you need Seras helping them. With her on the rescue team, I'm free to hit the side room. They tend to be a little single minded, and I plan to drawing as much of their attention as I can." He pointed to the door leading from the side room to the connecting hallway. "I'll plant myself here and keep those ghouls from entering the main room. You should have all the time you need to get in and out." Matthew smiled. "Might even take them all out before you finish with the ghouls in the main room."
"You're sure you can do it." Fargason wasn't sure, but was considering the plan.
Matthew's voice was filled with confidence. "I'm sure, sir. And if one or two do manage to slip by, Seras can take them out as they enter the main room."
"Point. All right, Jemeth, mission approved. Let me know when you're ready. Pull this off, and your worth to this organization will be unquestionable." Without another word, he started for the human troops.
'What the? Did everyone hear what she said to me?' Truth be told, he really did feel all the confidence he showed. He may not have come to grips with what he had become, but there was no question about his job. Besides, beating up on ghouls made him feel better. For one, he was essentially ending their suffering. For two, he felt he was getting back at the evil that forced him into his decision to be turned and all the events that followed.
Seras walked up, looking a little concerned. "Are you sure you can handle it? It is a rather major mission to undertake."
Matthew nodded, a quiet determination showing on his face. "I can. The people inside need me to. The troops need me to." He paused. "I need me to. As Yoda said, 'Do or do not, there is no try.' I must, therefore I will."
Seras placed a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, ok?"
Matt turned his head to look at her, and smiled. 'That's the first time she's touched me since...' "Of course. You too. See you in a while." He started forward towards Fargason. He was all ready to go, so better to get moving now while he still had his nerve. "Sir."
Fargason turned to see him. "Are you ready, Jemeth?"
"Yes, sir. With your permission, I will enter the building and start for the side room. From the looks of things, I should be in position to strike in about three minutes. I'll probably wait to fire until I'm in position to guard the main conference room."
"All right, then. I'll send Johnson and the rescue team to strike exactly five minutes after you enter. Good luck."
"Thank you, sir." He gave Fargason a salute, waited for the reply, then started for the building. On the way, he reached back and activated the pack's ammo dispensers. Two rounds appeared at his hips. He grabbed a shot filled round and loaded it into the Valkyrie. He didn't know how much recoil the cannon would have, which was the main reason he would wait until he was in position to fire. Then, he reached to his side, grabbed the Walther, and pulled back its slide, readying the gun for action. Quietly, he slipped through the front doors into the empty corridors of the office building.
He ran on his toes, staying as silent as possible. He really didn't know if that would help against ghouls, but it couldn't hurt. As he approached the door to the side room, he could hear the front door opening. Johnson and the rescue team were entering the building. He checked his watch; two and a half minutes passed, half a minute to go to attack. He counted off the seconds in his mind, and at exactly three minutes he smashed his foot into the door. It flew opened, and he charged.
