A/N: I make fun of myself in this chapter. See if you catch it. Petal did. Thanks Darlin'.
Chapter 5
"Damn it! I knew there was something not right about that man and his…team."
Clemente paced back and forth in front of the computer terminal. They'd just finished reviewing the feeds from the hoverdrones. Clemente had ordered the drones sent in after the shooting of a hostage took place by White's man. He was especially interested in seeing what White and his 'so-called tactical team' were up to. They couldn't hear what was happening, but they could see it. They had footage from three different angles.
They had watched as 'Max' ordered everyone up stairs. Watched as two transgenics remained behind long enough to cover everyone's move. Only when everyone was upstairs and the shooting started did they move to join the rest.
"See here, sir, she knows they're coming. She's moved all the hostages to a safe place, out of the line of fire," Brooks observed.
"That doesn't seem like the actions of a crazed killer, does it?" Clemente observed.
"No sir, it doesn't."
They continued to watch as White's tactical team seem to slither down from the ceiling. Finally, they engaged the transgenics in hand to hand combat. Clemente and Brooks watched as they saw White going toe to toe with a Lizard looking mutant and getting the best of him.
"That's…that's not human," Brooks spoke in shock.
Clemente didn't reply he just watched, his blood running cold at the sight before them. 'How could White prevail against a transgenic?' That was a question he needed answered.
The footage finally ended. Clemente started pacing.
"She stopped him."
"What?" Clemente stopped and looked at his second.
"She stopped that dog guy…man…whatever he is, from killing White and earlier, that other transgenic, the wounded one? He was almost killed by that female member of White's team. Even wounded, he should have been no match for her. Maybe…maybe they're telling the truth. Maybe they're not the ones we need to be worried about," Brooks stared wide eyed at his superior.
"Has anyone else seen this?" Clemente asked.
"No. As soon as I saw what it was, I called you."
"I want you to make two copies of this. Take one and put it away for safe keeping. Give me the other copy. Get rid of what's on the hard drive."
"What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know yet, but we can't let White's people know we have this."
"White's NSA, he's part of the federal government. If he's part of…whatever the hell this is? Who do we trust? There's no telling how high up they are."
"I don't know. Hurry up," frustrated, Clemente began pacing again, trying to gather his thoughts.
Brooks slipped a CD in and began copying the footage. He turned to Clemente, "We don't even know how many of them there are. Didn't you tell me he had the Governor's backing?"
"Yeah, it's where he got his authority to take over our hostage situation. Senator McKinley seems pretty involved with getting the transgenics subdued as well. I've seen White with him a few times."
"Do you think they're transgenics of some kind too."
"I don't know. I don't think so. White seems to have a hatred for the transgenics. He acts like they're bugs of some kind that need done away with."
Handing the CD to Clemente, Brooks added, "I gotta tell ya, Ramon, this is scaring the hell out of me."
"You and me both. Look I want you to do a thorough background check on White, Senator (What's his name? ) and the Governor. I want to know if there are any connections between them before now and if there is, how far back they're connected. I have to get back to the command post. I'm going to feel this Colonel out. It was obvious that he didn't like White any more than me. It could be we can trust him. I'll decide that after I see what he's going to do."
Clemente grabbed his jacket and headed out the door. Hesitating he turned, pointing his finger at Brooks.
"Don't tell anyone about this. The less that know, the less chance of White's people finding out anything. Do you understand?"
"More than I want to, Ramon. More than I want to."
Brooks sat down at the computer terminal and started on the dirty work.
~ ~ ~
Max's units were just entering the dangerous part of their journey; the route taking them directly under Sector Police Headquarters. Once past, they would split two more times. Leading the way Max signaled her group to stop and moved forward, catlike, until she was directly under a manhole in front of Police Headquarters. Slowly she made her way up. There was no sound from her movements. Pausing she listened.
"Leutenant?"
"Cooper, what's up?"
Max shut her eyes and concentrated. That was Clemente's voice.
"Sir we've done a sweep of the area, it's all clear. Do you want us to relocate to Terminal City?"
"How many squads are left in this section of the City?"
"Three sir. The rest are working with the National Guard securing the perimeter of TC."
Steps. Moving closer to her. Max eyes shot open and she looked up. Clemente stopped just above the grate. Melding back into the wall, Max continued to listen, thankful that her pounding heart could not be heard.
"My gut tells me we're missing something…No…I want you and your men on the alert around the City. I especially want to know if any of White's people show up anywhere else in the City."
"You don't trust him either, do you sir?"
Max watched from the shadows, as Clemente looked up at the officer.
"No, I don't," genuine disgust in his voice.
"We'll do what needs done, sir."
"Good, I'm headed over to the Command Center. I'll see what I can find out from there. Notify Brooks of any relevant information. Cooper," he voice commanding, "it's important that you do whatever he tells you. Do you understand?"
"I understand, sir."
Max saw Clemente leave and heard a car door open and close. Closing her eyes once again, Max listened as the car drove off and Cooper walked in the direction of Police Headquarters. She let go of the breath she'd been holding and made her way back to the others. Max signaled Biggs, Gem and Dalton to move ahead to predetermined junction points just on the other side of Headquarters. Once in place, Max signaled her people to move forward. Joshua moved forward first with the baby held close in his arms. Sketch, OC and Logan came up behind him. As they reached Biggs, he signaled for them to break off and go a direction that would bring them home. Once past Biggs moved with them. As the rest reached Gem and Dalton, they broke off into final groups. Each with an X-5 in the Lead. Gem and Dalton made their way back to Max at the first junction. Signalling them to go, they headed in the same direction Biggs had taken. Max hesitated, turning her head back the way they'd come, and frowned. 'Was that gun fire?' The knot that resided in her stomach seemed to grow to overwhelming proportions making her feel sick.
"Alec!" her voice so low, no human could hear it, "Remember…remember what you said."
Swallowing the bile that wanted to rise in her throat, Max turned and set off after her unit. 'Your unit comes first.' Those words echoed in her mind over and over. With each echo the sickness she felt lessened, but not by much.
~ ~ ~
Alec's head snapped up and he looked around.
"Are you listening to me?" Mole ground out.
"Shhh…wait a minute," Alec shut his eyes and concentrated. Nothing.
"What?" Mole asked, Alec's actions putting him on the alert.
Alec opened his eyes, frowning, "I thought I heard..."
"What?"
Shaking his head to clear it, Alec waved his hand dismissively, "Nothing…It's alright. What've we got?"
Mole stared at him for a moment, eyes narrowing, "As I was saying…this is the intel Dix was able to gather before leaving. It's about the military force that arrived. You're not going to like it."
"Well what's not to like about this? Should make life more interesting," Alec looked up from the report. A cocky smile on his face.
"It's Special Ops?.…Delta Force?…You know, a counter-terrorist unit specializing in hostage rescue," Mole responded incredulously.
"Maybe they think we need rescuing," Alec's smile widened.
Grinning back, Mole stuck a cigar in his mouth, "Yeah that's it."
Both their smiles vanished at the sound of gunfire. It had come from the east entrance. Reaching up Alec activated his com.
"Three, this is One. What's happening?"
"Sniper fire. Five is down. We're trying to get to him. Our cover fire is having little affect."
"Hold your positions."
Alec blurred in the direction of the entrance. Mole followed closely behind him. Alec slowed to assess the situation. One X-4 was on the ground this side of the gate, blood pooling beneath him. Two others were firing from a rooftop to the left of the entrance. A third was trying to get to the downed X-4, without success. Bullets were hitting around him every time he tried to move forward. Alec's eyes followed the sound of sniper fire. Mole came up behind him. Seeking the cover of a doorway four feet from Alec
"What've we got?" Mole asked.
"Sniper fire. One down."
"You got the shooter? I can't see anyone."
Alec's eyes zoomed in on the area where the shots were coming from. He could just make out a rifle barrel.
"Yeah I got him."
"Can you get him from here?"
"No, I'll have to get higher. I'll need your rifle."
Mole pulled his rifle from his shoulder and tossed it to Alec. Alec reached up and removed his com link, tossing it to Mole.
"Take my com thingy, tell 3 to hold position till I'm in place."
Mole snatched the com link, looking at Alec like he was nuts.
"What did you call this?"
"What are you talkin' about? It's a com link? Weren't you trained in its use?"
Mole stared at him open mouth.
"Nice Lizard in the headlights look. Well?"
Mole shook his head, "Yes, I was trained to use one."
"Good, because I don't have time to train you. I have a sniper to take out."
Without waiting for a response, Alec turned and climbed the fire escape to the roof. When he reached the top, Alec looked back down at Mole, eyes wide, mouth in an open smile, he wiggled his brows and blurred to the other end of the roof to take up the position he needed to do the job.
"That little piece a…" Mole grumbled staring at the com, "Three!" he shouted, "Hold position. One is going to take out the shooter." Mole focused on the building across the way. "Com thingy…hmpf."
~ ~ ~
Sitting back in his chair, Colonel Foster threw the folder containing White's reports on the desk. White had already explained his plan to 'subdue' the transgenics.
"Your so called tactical plan is more of a search and destroy mission than an attempt to subdue them. Did you really think I wouldn't see the difference?"
White stepped forward, his face hard. "No, I figured you'd see the need. These are not normal humans. They're freaks and I know what they're capable of doing. You can't use normal tactics where they're concerned. It's the only way."
"Shoot first, ask questions later will not accomplish what's needed. I'm not interested in wiping them out. My orders are to subdue and take them into custody."
"With their training and abilities, they'll make your men look like toy soldiers."
"I know exactly what their capabilities are. Did you honestly think the government would develop a contract with Manticore and not know what they were doing? Did you think the only records of each developed soldier only existed at the Manticore facility?"
Standing, Foster moved toward White, his face devoid of all emotion. "I know exactly what they are."
"Then you should understand how dangerous they are. You can't…"
White's words were interrupted when the gunfire started.
"What the hell have you done White?"
White smiled, "I don't know what you mean."
At that point Foster's second entered.
"Report!" Foster ordered.
"Sniper fire sir. Directed into Terminal City from a building across from here."
"Send a team in. Stop that shooter. Use any means necessary."
"Sir, yes sir." Turning his Second left.
~ ~ ~
Alec positioned himself just below an old advertising sign at the edge of the building. In the shadow of the billboard he would be invisible to the shooter. But Alec could see him clearly. Lifting the rifle into place, he stretched his neck before sighting down the barrel. Movement on the street caught his eye and he noticed a team of Special Forces entering the building where the shooter was. He thought for a moment about letting them take care of it. That moment past and he sighted down the rifle once again. He needed to give them a message and couldn't think of a better way to do it, than to take the shooter out himself. Alec zoned out everything around him except the target. No sounds or movement penetrated his mind. Zeroing in on the target, Alec slowly squeezed the trigger.
~ ~ ~
Delta force broke through the door just as Alec fired.
"Aaaah, my face!" the shooter screamed, clutching his face and rocking back and forth. Lt. Gamble and his team circled around him, careful to stay out of the line of fire. Grouching down Gamble grabbed the man by his jacket and pulled him to safety. Flipping him over he subdued the shooter with handcuffs. The man cried out in pain.
"Take him," he ordered.
Gamble's eyes shifted to the sniper rifle, staring for a moment. Standing, Gamble stepped over to the rifle and into the line of fire, but he knew nothing would happen. Looking out the window toward Terminal City a look of awe came over his face. As he stared over to the building, what he saw had to be a transgenic. He stood up, stepped into the light. Suddenly he gave Gamble a quick salute, turned and was gone in a blur.
"Sir, you need to move, sir."
"Huh? Oh…No…it's alright Corporal, I'm not in any danger. At least not yet." Bending over he lifted the sniper rifle from the floor to examine it. The bullet had hit the stock of the rifle causing it to split and splinter into the shooter's face.
"Son of a Bitch," Gamble laughed out and followed his men out.
End of chapter 5