The Jumpship sped along, going its usual top speed.
"Why do we need to make this stop? Can't we just head straight to the satellite?"
"To be honest with you, Joanna, we can't find it."
"What do you mean? How can you hide a satellite?"
"Well, Faww has the technology to do that. It's a kind of 'curtain' that cloaks anything inside of it. He's produced it on a much larger scale. It also hides the satellite from radars and navigational equipment."
"So what? We can fly around the Earth's orbit until we fly through it and find the satellite!"
"It's not that easy. He has space mines surrounding it, and those are cloaked as well. Even if we could see it, I'm not going to waste the time or people to take wild shots at the sky. Grimshaw is doing the best he can to override the system, and with some of the Maians' technology, we should be able to reveal the satellite and the mines that surround it." He stopped to take a breath, but not long enough for Joanna to say anything. "Even if we knew everything already, with all of the troops from the bases, you would be overrun. So, instead of sitting on your ass all day, you can help mop up the ground forces by taking out this training facility."
"…What about the other facilities? And his headquarters?"
"Other agents are taking care of the other facilities, and his headquarters is completely deserted. We suspect he moved it, with a portion of his force, onto the satellite."
"Okay, what about this base?"
"Normally, Weldon would be going with you. However, he is still recuperating; plus, he wasn't trained here. Jonathan signed up as a recruit, and was transferred here."
"Which is why this is the one I was assigned," Joanna muttered sarcastically.
Carrington ignored her. "Your mission is simple. Get in, meet with Jonathan, and place enough of the explosives to bring the building down. Engage anyone with a weapon as you normally would."
"Does that include Jonathan?"
"I'm being serious, Joanna. If there is a mistake, Faww will still have the manpower to threaten us. We need these buildings down. Do you have any other questions?"
"Where-"
"Of course you don't. You should be coming up to the training facility. And this time, try to find another way in, not the front door. Carrington out."
Joanna groaned. "Left in the dark, as usual." The ship stopped, and she jumped out.
Landing on her feet, she pulled out a Falcon 2, loaded it, and put a scope on it. She ran over and stopped at a bush. Two guards were talking. She stood and fired two shots, and continued after they fell. They had been standing in front of a door. She was about to open it when she remembered what had happened before. Instead, she ran around the sides of the building, ducking under windows.
"There it is!" She ran up to the ventilation shaft, which was covered by a grate. Putting away her gun, she got a grip on the sides. After a struggle, the grate was pried loose.
"What's all the comm – hey!" The guard pulled out a K7 Avenger. Thinking quickly, Joanna hurled the grate at him. He fell to the ground, unconscious. She checked to see that no one else would come, and crawled into the shaft.
Joanna got out at the other end, dusting herself off, and pulled out her Falcon 2. This time she slipped a silencer on it as she looked around. She had come out into a long hallway, filled with doors. One in particular was marked "Security." She opened that door and peeked inside. It looked empty, so she walked in.
The room was dark, except for the glow of computer screens. The screens were connected to cameras, and one appeared to be in almost every room, but luckily, not in the hallways. An alarm was on the wall next to the screens. An electronic map of the building was lit up to the left of the screens.
"Five floors. Mostly training facilities and classes of some sort." She looked over at the screens. "Now where would Jonathan be…? There!" As she was looking over the screens, she saw Jonathan enter the showers with a group of men. She stood, and just as she was about to leave, a guard pistol-whipped her from behind. She crumpled to the ground.
"I knew someone had broken in. Help me carry her; we'll take her to Faww." Her eyes were still closed. The two guards grabbed Joanna's legs and arms. As they were lifting her, she grabbed her gun and shot both of the guards. A third peeked in to see what had happened, and she took him out before he could start running. She stood up, brushing herself off. No one came at her, so she quickly ran down the hallway.
"I think this is it," Joanna muttered to herself. She put her ear to the door. Men were talking inside. She reloaded her gun and put a CMP in her other hand. Taking a breath, she opened the door.
"Alright everyone, put your hands up! Don't move and you might get away with your lives." The men were in various stages of undress. They all put their hands up, except for one. He grabbed a gun from his locker, but before he could fire, Jonathan punched him and wrestled it away from him. The others took advantage of the distraction and picked up their guns as well. Joanna and Jonathan quickly killed them, even before they could load their weapons.
Joanna walked up to Jonathan and glanced down. "Well, looks like you're happy to see me."
"I don't know what it is about pretty girls and guns…" he replied. She rolled her eyes and turned around to walk out.
"Come on. You have the chance to have all of your passionate dreams come true."
Joanna threw a towel at him. "Get dressed."
- - - - -
Jonathan walked out, buttoning his shirt, his magnum at his side. Joanna was leaning against the wall just outside the door.
"I'm assuming Carrington briefed you."
He nodded. "We have to bring the building down. What explosives did you get?" She pulled out what looked like a larger version of a Remote Mine. "I've got six of these."
Jonathan laughed. "Maybe if we were taking out a bakery. There's a weapons room on every floor. Follow me." Joanna was about to make a comeback, but he was already walking. She bit her tongue and followed him.
"There aren't many guards down here on the bottom floor. Some days the building is open for tours, so most of the training, as well as most of the instructors and trainees, are on the floors above us."
"Well, Faww certainly likes to appeal to the public."
"He's the 'good guy'…. Well, we won't have to go to any of the upper floors. If the structure is weakened on the bottom floor, it will collapse in on itself." He slid a security card through the reader. A light on the door flashed green, and Jonathan opened it. Before stepping in, he shot out the camera.
"Wow." Joanna looked around. Any hand-held weapon known to man seemed to be in here, as well as several devices. Jonathan went into a corner and dug up a box. He opened it for her.
"Ten bombs in all, made using C-4. If they're put in the right places, we can take the building down." He got out a map and pen. "I've been doing some reconnaissance. We can put them in the corners of the building, and weak points look to be here, here, here…" He continued, marking on the map. He then handed it to her, along with five bombs. "We can split them up, half-and-half. We'll get more done that way."
"Fine. I'll take the left set of five."
"Works for me. And, just so you know, these bombs have a six-minute timer after you place them. Of course, when the first goes, they all go, so we only have six minutes to do this and get out."
"That won't be a problem." She looked around the room. "However, we might need more firepower." She pulled out a Superdragon.
"My magnum is good enough for me."
"Don't be stupid. Use this as well, at least." She threw him a Cyclone and started to walk out.
"Joanna, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Don't shoot the bombs."
"Thanks. I never would have figured that out on my own."
- - - - -
"Hey, Johnny, what's up?"
"Hey, Ted." He casually walked by the guard, then grabbed him from behind and snapped his neck. He fell to the ground. Looking around, Jonathan stuck another explosive on the wall.
"That's number four. Just one more to go." He checked his watch. "And two more minutes. I'd better get a move on."
Jonathan continued down the hallway until it ended at a large door. The door automatically slid open as he walked through.
He found himself in a large, empty, gray room. There were a few boxes scattered around. He didn't see anyone, so he shrugged and walked over to the corner. Before he could place the last bomb, a knife hit the wall. Jonathan whirled around, his guns out.
A woman was standing on a box, holding two knives. She had a long black ponytail and a sword, in its sheath, at her waist. Loose black armor, looking like leather, covered her chest, shoulders, and down to her knees.
"I know who you are, Jonathan. I have to say, I am very disappointed in you."
Not wasting time, Jonathan fired with both guns. The bullets didn't pierce her armor. She, on the other hand, threw the knives at him. He jumped out of the way of the first one and blocked the second with his Cyclone. He tried to fire back, but the gun jammed. He angrily threw it down as she ran at him, sword in hand.
He shot the magnum once, but she ducked under the bullet. "What the hell..?" Before he could fire again, she was on him, swiping with her sword. He jumped, barely saving his feet, and turned to run. She was already on the other side of him, her sword coming down. He put his gun up, blocking it. They stayed like that for a moment, locked together, both trying to overpower the other.
"My, what pretty green eyes you have." Her only response was a fist at him. He rolled backwards, then quickly getting up. She ran at him again, and he fired. The bullet didn't pierce the armor, but the force knocked her back. She paused for a second, and that was all Jonathan needed. He fired again, this time hitting her sword. It cracked, and shattered into pieces.
Seeing her weapons gone, the woman turned to run. Jonathan shot again, this time hitting her leg. She fell to the ground, grunting in pain. Jonathan put his gun to her head.
"You should know that I'm very disappointed in the skill of the woman who came to kill me." He fired a shot; then looked down at his watch. "Forty-five seconds. I hope Jo hasn't gotten into any trouble."
- - - - -
Joanna opened the door to find a room much like the one Jonathan had previously been in. This time, however, armed guards were behind all of the boxes. They immediately opened fire on her. She hid behind a column, firing back carefully. She checked her watch.
"Thirty seconds! I don't have time for these assheads!" She chucked the bomb into what she hoped was the right corner, and then ran out the door. Running down the maze of hallways, while avoiding the guards behind her, she ran up to the entrance. Jonathan was casually leaning against the door.
"What the hell are you waiting for?"
"I wanted to catch another glimpse of your bright, smiling face."
Joanna practically threw him out of the door as they started to run. They continued running until they heard the explosion. Getting a safe distance away, they turned around to watch the building collapse. A light rain had begun to set in.
"You know, with everything that's happened, I feel like we've become a lot closer." He slyly slipped his arm around her. She picked it up and let it fall at his waist. "Carrington said our Jumpship would be waiting for us at a nearby clearing. Let's get going."