An Unauthorized Genetic Experiment: episode two.
Author: Chippewa Livingston
Archive: Please ask
Disclaimer: I claim no affiliation or ownership of characters or material related to Dark Angel.
11. Improvisation on a theme
We took advantage of the flickering lights in the parking lot. She and I dodged from shadow to shadow, and wound up against an industrial-strength garage door at the back of the building. The sign said "Deliveries only."
"Your pass-key!" she whispered, and handed me an enormous pry bar. "Thanks for distracting Nathan while I borrowed some of his tools."
The heavy-gauge metal roll-up door was painted a dull gray, except for a few shiny scuff marks. One corner looked a little bent already, so I wedged the pry bar under the rubber seal and against the concrete.
It was clearly designed to resist this sort of attack, but not from an X-5. Something popped loudly, and the bottom panel started to curl inward. I encouraged it, and a few moments later had an opening big enough for us to crawl through.
*go!* said her hands.
I slid through the opening, and carefully scanned the clutter of boxes that filled the loading dock. It was quiet, and would be dark except for two panels of fluorescent lights that were obviously on the emergency circuit. I took cover behind the boxy orange chassis of a fork lift truck.
A moment later, 'Roxanne' joined me. She slid an empty box in front of the damaged corner of the door. Just like old times.
We heard footsteps, and the creak of a door opening. She moved her hands just enough to mean *freeze!*
I watched from under the fork truck as shiny black shoes and grey pants-legs paced to the center of the room, turned around, and headed back for the door.
Then we were in the clear. *you lead* she signed.
When I got to the door, I looked at my trail of wet boot prints leading to the fork truck. I hoped it would dry before the security guard's next trip around the building.
Two beige-painted hallways and one right turn later, I caught a glimpse of Asha. She had obviously traded her cowboy boots for the white sneakers for a reason. The rubber soles were soundless against the tile floor of the lobby. She ignored the two elevators, and pointed her flashlight at a nearby door.
She brushed her gloved hand against the side seam of her jacket, and paused just above the level of her belt. She tested the door that lead into the stairs, and slowly eased it open.
I tucked myself back behind the corner, and caught 'Roxie''s eye. *visual* *primary target* *armed!*
*hold* she signaled, with a closed fist silhouetted against her red sweater. The lights flickered back on.
I waited until I heard the door shut behind Asha, and we continued our search for the central security location.
Security was on the other side of the elevators. The glass wall that separated their station from the hallway let them have entirely too good a view of our approach. I pressed myself against the last of the normal wall, and crept forward until I could just touch the edge of the glass.
I could hear a muffled and slightly slurred male voice complaining about "the radios are out again", and the sound of a can being set down on a hard surface.
The air in the hall was cool and dry, but I could still get little traces of scents filtering under the glass door, and a few traces of people who had been here recently. I identified a particular brand of aftershave, someone else's body odor, and . . .
"Cheap American beer" I whispered.
Her smile was quick, and cynical. *how many?*
*one* Except that the guard that we'd seen making the rounds would be back any time. *for now*
Author: Chippewa Livingston
Archive: Please ask
Disclaimer: I claim no affiliation or ownership of characters or material related to Dark Angel.
11. Improvisation on a theme
We took advantage of the flickering lights in the parking lot. She and I dodged from shadow to shadow, and wound up against an industrial-strength garage door at the back of the building. The sign said "Deliveries only."
"Your pass-key!" she whispered, and handed me an enormous pry bar. "Thanks for distracting Nathan while I borrowed some of his tools."
The heavy-gauge metal roll-up door was painted a dull gray, except for a few shiny scuff marks. One corner looked a little bent already, so I wedged the pry bar under the rubber seal and against the concrete.
It was clearly designed to resist this sort of attack, but not from an X-5. Something popped loudly, and the bottom panel started to curl inward. I encouraged it, and a few moments later had an opening big enough for us to crawl through.
*go!* said her hands.
I slid through the opening, and carefully scanned the clutter of boxes that filled the loading dock. It was quiet, and would be dark except for two panels of fluorescent lights that were obviously on the emergency circuit. I took cover behind the boxy orange chassis of a fork lift truck.
A moment later, 'Roxanne' joined me. She slid an empty box in front of the damaged corner of the door. Just like old times.
We heard footsteps, and the creak of a door opening. She moved her hands just enough to mean *freeze!*
I watched from under the fork truck as shiny black shoes and grey pants-legs paced to the center of the room, turned around, and headed back for the door.
Then we were in the clear. *you lead* she signed.
When I got to the door, I looked at my trail of wet boot prints leading to the fork truck. I hoped it would dry before the security guard's next trip around the building.
Two beige-painted hallways and one right turn later, I caught a glimpse of Asha. She had obviously traded her cowboy boots for the white sneakers for a reason. The rubber soles were soundless against the tile floor of the lobby. She ignored the two elevators, and pointed her flashlight at a nearby door.
She brushed her gloved hand against the side seam of her jacket, and paused just above the level of her belt. She tested the door that lead into the stairs, and slowly eased it open.
I tucked myself back behind the corner, and caught 'Roxie''s eye. *visual* *primary target* *armed!*
*hold* she signaled, with a closed fist silhouetted against her red sweater. The lights flickered back on.
I waited until I heard the door shut behind Asha, and we continued our search for the central security location.
Security was on the other side of the elevators. The glass wall that separated their station from the hallway let them have entirely too good a view of our approach. I pressed myself against the last of the normal wall, and crept forward until I could just touch the edge of the glass.
I could hear a muffled and slightly slurred male voice complaining about "the radios are out again", and the sound of a can being set down on a hard surface.
The air in the hall was cool and dry, but I could still get little traces of scents filtering under the glass door, and a few traces of people who had been here recently. I identified a particular brand of aftershave, someone else's body odor, and . . .
"Cheap American beer" I whispered.
Her smile was quick, and cynical. *how many?*
*one* Except that the guard that we'd seen making the rounds would be back any time. *for now*