Lupin is not mine, as per usual. Hey, you try to be funny at three in the morning, okay?
Chapter 11: Can You Dig It?
"We have to break into that?" Jigen said, staring in disbelief at the sight before him. He had thought Elijay was nearly impenetrable, but it was a bicycle lock compared with Turquoise.
From the group's vantage point on a cliff near the base, Jigen spotted twenty-foot walls, tanks, attack dogs, lasers, automatic machine guns, sensors, and enough barbed and razor wire to encircle the globe twice. And that was what he could see; Jigen didn't want to think about the deadly stuff hidden in, above, and below the base.
Lupin grinned at Jigen, looking like a kid in a candy store. "Aren't you glad I'm the one who plans all this, now?"
"If only you came with a mute button," Jigen said, shooting Lupin a slight smile.
"Enough chit-chat," Fujiko said, crouching down next to the blueprints Lupin had laid on the desert ground. "What's the plan?"
Lupin crouched down next to her, and the rest of the group gathered around. Goemon settled in his usual position, cross-legged with Zantetsuken slung over his shoulder. Eshe had dispensed with her make-up, figuring that being human would not make much of a difference in being shot if found; she knelt down between Goemon and Jigen. Agent Hanes stood back from the group, unsure as to how much she should try and fit in. However, she could still clearly see all of Lupin's plans.
"Let's see...here's the main entrance," Lupin said, tapping his finger on a spot on the battered blueprint. "Six lockdown gates, x-ray grid, retinal and voice scanners...basically enough security to ensure that if they don't want it in there, they can vaporize it immediately."
"In other words, disguises are too risky," noted Goemon.
"So usually our next course of action would be to cut through the walls. However, there's astounding amounts of voltage running through it. Apparently, one of their lab technicians had too much free time and created a super-strong superconductive material that is used liberally through the structure. So, no arc welders, no jackhammers, and if Goemon tries to cut through it with Zantetsuken, we'll have one extra-crispy samurai."
"Ouch," Goemon remarked stoically.
"What about over it?" Fujiko tried.
"More military stealth jets than over any part of the Middle East at any given time."
"Unless we hijack a Black Hawk, we'd be sitting ducks," Hanes chimed in.
"Which leaves our fourth, and least popular route..."
"Tunneling under," the four members of the Lupin gang chorused cheerlessly.
"There is underground security for the first three underground levels," Lupin said. However, even the most stringent military standards allow for the fact someone will only dig so far before it becomes too difficult. Which means the fourth level is completely un-guarded if we come in that way."
"And of course, we're stupid enough to go too far," Jigen noted. "So, how do we dig down four levels."
"We don't." Lupin pulled another blueprint out and set it out on top of the pile. "Here are the original construction plans for the base. A second underground area was supposed to be added at approximately the point we are standing. However, it only progressed as far as digging out some crude tunnels and ventilation ducts before it was abandoned due to the fact this area is prone to landslides."
"Wouldn't the tunnels be guarded, Lupin?" Fujiko asked.
"The government is even stupid enough to keep secrets from itself," Lupin said. "As far as most of those drones are concerned, they don't even exist."
"So we only dig down one level instead of four, but take a chance that those tunnels have not collapsed, nor will collapse on us," Goemon concluded.
"Bingo."
"Sounds good to me," the samurai said, rising to his feet.
"Yeah, me too," Jigen added. "So, where's the digging equipment?"
Lupin grinned wickedly as he produced four shovels from behind a nearby rock.
"You are kidding me," Jigen growled.
"We can't use mechanical equipment," Lupin hastily said before Jigen could grab a shovel and put it somewhere uncomfortable. "They'd hear it or detect the vibrations on their equipment. Besides," Lupin added, with a big grin, "you need to lose some weight anyway."
Jigen snorted and grabbed a shovel. "You're lucky I don't shove this up your..."
"Hey, less empty threats, more digging," Lupin interrupted. From then on, the only sounds were the sounds of shovels scraping against dirt.
Dawn found the group still digging, but shortly thereafter Jigen's shovel went through the dirt into an opening beneath.
"Took us long enough," Jigen said, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.
"That was practically a record for us," Lupin pointed out. He had crouched down next to the hole and was gently pulling away dirt to make it wider. "Fujiko, point a light over here."
Fujiko took a flashlight out her pack and aimed it down the hole. "Just as I thought. One of the abandoned tunnels." After examining the tunnel, he pulled a rope from his own pack, tied it around a nearby rock, and prepared to descend.
"Alright, guys," he said. "We're a lot closer, but we've still got a long way to go. These tunnels are very unstable, and we'll probably have to do a lot of detouring to get around the ones that have already collapsed. Make sure you stay as quiet as possible, though, or else we'll be adding to the pile, so to speak. That means no talking, and no guns," he said, eying Jigen, Fujiko, and Hanes. "And watch the sword, too," he added with a glance at Goemon. "A wrongly cut rock and we're looking at making our own funerals a lot easier for the gravediggers."
The group nodded in understanding. With that, Lupin descended first, followed by Fujiko, Eshe, Jigen, Hanes, and finally Goemon, who severed the rope to keep any snoopers from immediately finding their path. He gracefully leapt down through the hole and landed silently next to Hanes.
"Let's go," Lupin mouthed. He lead the way, consulting the plans, with the rest of the group following the way they came in.
Meanwhile, a single figure strolled up the mountainside Lupin and his gang had earlier dug into, hoping for a breath of fresh air and some insight into his present situation. He was enjoying a splendid sunrise when his sharp eyes caught something on the ground nearby. A cigarette butt, carelessly tossed by some trespasser. And another, and another. He followed the trail of butts and nearly toppled headfirst into a small hole. His face twisted into a smile as he pulled out a flashlight and shined it down the hole.
"I have you now, Lupin," he said, smiling joyously.
For the next hour, while the sun rose above ground, Lupin and the rest silently navigated below ground by their flashlights. It was slow going; Lupin would head down one tunnel marked on the map, only to find it dead ended or had collapsed years before. Other paths were only partially blocked, and it took some careful maneuvering on everyone's behalf for them to get through without making things worse.
Lupin let out the quietest sigh of relief he could muster. He could see where the tunnels joined up with the base proper just up ahead, and where their path would therefore be much more stable. He looked back at his weary but triumphant gang, who had quickly realized that the toughest part of their journey was almost over.
"LUPIN!" The cry reverberated through the tunnel with almost enough force to bowl everyone over. "I have you now!" Lupin groaned. Pops always picked the most inconvenient time to show up.
Already, a light shower of dust was beginning to rain down from the ceiling, and the group could already hear the sound of rocks and earth above them giving way. Jigen, Goemon, and Fujiko shot Lupin a look and wordlessly they all came to the same conclusion.
"RUN!" they all yelled. With that, they all dashed for the end of the tunnel as the pebbles and small chunks of rock joined the dust in coming down.
"You can't run, Lupin!" Zenigata howled, missing their insight. He continued with them in his sights, oblivious to the danger around him.
"Pops, you moron!" Lupin yelped back. "You caused a cave-in!"
"No excuses!" Zenigata said, continuing to lunge forward.
At that moment, a tremendous boulder loosened itself from the ceiling. It would have crushed both Eshe and Agent Hanes if Goemon had not pulled them back in the nick of time. A large shower of rocks and other debris followed, sealing the tunnel.
Zenigata caught up. "Where did that little bastard go? He can't escape!" Zenigata continued ranting and raving until his shouting loosened a rock directly above him. It fell, nailing him on the top of the head. He fell limp to the ground.
"Well, at least it's quieter," Goemon noted grimly.
"Can we dig through?" Hanes said, futilely pushing on the boulder. Pebbles and dust rained down even harder around them in response.
"Not enough time," Goemon said quietly. "Here," he said, picking up Zenigata by one arm and shoving him at Eshe and Hanes. "Get ready to drag him through." Before they could protest, Goemon had quickly sliced crossways through the rocks and boulders. A second later, the blockage split into smaller pieces, creating a small hole, but very temporary hole they could climb through.
"Go!" Goemon yelled. Eshe scooted through the hole and pulled Zenigata through behind her. Hanes, supporting his other side, stooped through, followed by Goemon. The three spotted Lupin, Jigen, and Fujiko at the other end of the hall. Goemon grabbed Zenigata's legs and the three carried the unconscious cop through the crumbling corridor as fast as they could. They dove the last few feet, and despite cries of protest from Lupin, Jigen, and Fujiko, the entire group landed in one big heap in the safe passageway.
Lupin coughed and waved away the dust surrounding his face. "Everyone okay?"
"Define okay," groaned Jigen, stuck underneath Eshe and Hanes.
"Lupin, get your hand off my ass this second!" Fujiko protested.
Lupin lifted both hands up and looked at them. "They're not mine, Fuji-cakes."
"Uh...sorry," Lupin heard an embarrassed Goemon say.
A few minutes later, everyone was sorted out and on their feet, except for Zenigata, still out cold. "Well, what now?" Jigen said, dusting off his fedora.
Lupin pulled out a dirt-streaked map. "Down this corridor, we'll meet with the ventilation system. We should be able to infiltrate the rest of the base through there."
"What about him?" Fujiko asked, pointing to the unconscious Zenigata.
Lupin sighed. "We can't just leave him here. This tunnel is safer, but he could still be buried in another landside. Better drag him along with us."
And so, the group made their way down the final corridor. Fujiko spotted the first of the ventilation shafts just ahead. Lupin trailed the group, dragging Zenigata along by the legs.
"Isn't that going to make things worse?" Hanes asked, looking worriedly at the Interpol agent, bumping his head on various debris on the floor.
"Nah. Pops has an abnormally thick skull. He'll shake it off," Lupin said casually, dropping Zenigata's legs to join Fujiko up front.
"According to your map," Fujiko said, squinting in the dim light to make out the details, "this shaft directly in front of us leads right to the facility where Eshe's ship is."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lupin said.
"The furnace to turn off. The shaft goes right through one of the power and heating rooms, and the only thing we have to worry about is getting fried, since it also happens to be directly tied to said furnace."
Lupin looked over her shoulder. "This one," he said, pointing to one a bit down the hall, "joins up with that one past the heat and hellfire." He paused, "But, it passes over security. And I'll bet that should something happen, they're not going to greet noises in the vents with a cheerful, 'Who is it?'"
"But none of the other shafts join up," Fujiko said, frustrated. "We'd have to go through even worse parts of the facility."
Lupin sighed and glanced at the rest of the tired and dirty group. His eyes fell on the unconscious Zenigata. "Hmmm...idea!" he proclaimed.
"About time," Jigen grunted. "I was starting to worry you'd been hit on the head, too."
Approximately fifteen minutes later, the two officers stationed in security heard a loud thud from the room outside. Not hesitating to draw their guns, one silently glided over to the entrance while the other positioned himself by the control panel, ready to sound an alert if necessary. The guard by the door ran his card through the scanner and quickly kicked the door open, gun at the ready. To his surprise, there was no one out there. At least, no one standing.
"Holy crap," the guard said, glancing down at the unconscious figure. Even though the hat had fallen over the face, the trenchcoat and handcuffs clutched in one hand was a dead giveaway. "It's that Interpol agent...the one working with Waker."
"What?" the other guard said. "Is he okay?"
"Dunno..." The guard crouched down and felt along the neck for a pulse. "He's alive. But why is he lying here passed out?"
"Because a damn rock hit him on the head," a gruff voice replied. The guard whirled to see his partner lying on the floor, and a bearded man in a dark suit and fedora sitting his chair instead. The man casually twirled a Magnum around one finger.
"Freeze!" The guard pointed his gun at Jigen. A second later, he felt something cold enclose his wrists. He glanced down and saw a pair of handcuffs. The slight break in his guard was all Lupin, in Zenigata's clothes, needed to propel himself up and slug the guy in the jaw. The guard went down easily.
The rest of the gang exited the vents and helped Jigen and Lupin drag the unconscious guards back into the security room and lock them in the brig after obtaining their security papers and keycards.
"What now?" Fujiko asked, going over to look over their shoulders, Hanes and Eshe hovering anxiously behind her. Lupin and Jigen were rapidly tapping into the system, looking for a break of some sort. Goemon serenely glanced at the output monitors.
"Yeesh. When Jed said top security, he wasn't kidding," Lupin groaned. "All of the systems have at least four kinds of security checks on them. And the stuff we pulled off of those guys isn't enough, despite the fact they work for security."
"In short," Jigen grunted. "We need to get hold of someone really high security."
"Who has that high clearance?" Goemon asked.
Lupin scanned the list. "Nope...nope...never heard of them...ah, here we go." Lupin turned with a big smile. "Three familiar faces pop up. If we get hold of at least one of them, we're bound to get somewhere."
"And they are?" Hanes said, already figuring she knew the answer.