Chapter 6 Kiev, Ukraine (Two Days Later)
"Yawn, found anything new in the past two hours master?" Jonny yawned as he stretched out from lying on the uncomfortable couch in the office that had been supplied to the team at the investigation site.
Carrie Miller spun around from the desk to look at Jonny and smiled. "No, young padawan I have not. Control your patience and we will be out of here soon." "Yes Yoda!" was Jonny's reply.
He was already thinking about how nice it would be to get back to the hotel suite he was sharing with Anthony and Steven, and how the nice Queen size bed would feel after a hot shower. After two days at the sight of the former lab helping the Ukrainian government investigators determine the cause of the explosion the team had turned up absolutely nothing other than that the originally determined cause sounded best, a liquefied oxygen tank explosion. Jonny had spent most of his time the past 2 days with Anthony and Steven either keeping a close eye on the Ukrainians or getting down in the rubble and helping dig and sift through it. He usually loved doing this type of thing, but still was not 100 do to his injuries healing and it was taking its toll on his stamina.
"Ok, that's it. Got through the last of the data and put it on the computer. Time to go home now." Carrie stood up from her chair and shut off the computer and disconnected it from the power source on the wall. Jonny looked down at his watch and saw that it was 9:20pm, he and Carrie had stayed 3 hours so she could finish some experiment and record the data while the rest of the team had left for dinner and the hotel. Jonny stretched his frame to its full extension and then reached to the small table grabbed the keys and his Glock pistol. Putting the pistol in his pants at the small of his back he turned to Carrie and giggled the keys. "Alright Cinderella, your carriage and knight escort await." Carrie slinked past him giving Jonny her best Prima Donna walk and look. "Why thank you kindly Sir Jonathon, will you also be my escort to the ball?" was her response as she stood next to the door and held it open for Jonny.
Jonny walked outside and went to unlock the drivers side of the Mercedes left for them when he stopped and reached for his gun. 'Uh oh, my spider senses are tingling.' Jonny narrowed his eyes and started to look all around the complex. "Carrie get behind me and stay there unless I tell you to move." Jonny whispered while side glancing at Carrie who had the look of a confused puppy. Carrie nodded and stepped behind Jonny. Jonny continued to scan the ground and then he saw it. Not much to see but it was darker than the shadows and building and was moving along the wall. "Hey! Freeze, Don't move!" Jonny bellowed as loud as he could at the dark figure while raising the pistol to a firing position.
The dark figure seemed to stop for a moment and then hit the ground in a sprall. Jonny was about to take a shot when he barely made out a flash to his left about 100yds away. Jonny dove to the ground dragging Carrie with him as he heard a snap-hiss go above his head. "Shit they have guns, should have figured on a sniper backup." He said aloud. Jonny kneeled over the hood of the car and took aim with his Glock at the position that the shot came from, then squeezed the trigger 3 times. The noise was loud and Carrie shuddered in surprise as Jonny fired. Jonny barely ducked back down behind the car when suddenly hell broke loose at the site. Glass shattered everywhere from every window on the Mercedes and Jonny could hear the pings and snaps as bullets tore into the metal of the cars frame and ricochet off the ground. Jonny figured it had to be a machine gun due to the volume of bullets and the rate of fire he could hear. 'Probably a RPD.' He thought. He knew he was outgunned if someone had a machine gun, and probably AK-47's as well and all he had was the glock.
He rolled to the ground so he could see under the car and saw the figure he first saw start to move towards the building. Jonny took a quick snap shot at the figure pulling the trigger 4 times. He was amazed to see the dark figure react as if they were hit and slip to the ground. 'Well one down, no idea how many to go.' Jonny thought. He then decided his best course was to call in back up. "Carrie, call Dr. Quest or Race and then hand me the phone when they answer." Carrie nodded and reached into her purse pulled out her new cellphone Dr. Quest had handed them each in the Dragonfly, and pressed the right button to dial Race. Three rings later and she handed Jonny the phone as Race answered.
"Race. Race. Its Jonny we're still at the Lab and office. I saw someone moving around and when I warned them they started shooting at our asses." Jonny yelled into the phone hoping Race could hear him over the gunfire. "Jonny got it, do you know how many there are and what they have?" "I know I dropped one Race, but if you'll hang on Ill walk over there and politely ask them that for you." "Jonny relax, Anthony Steven and I are on our way. I'll also alert the Ukrainian officials to get the militia or whatever they call it now down here to help. We'll be there in 10minutes hang on." Race responded. Jonny hung up the phone and handed it to Carrie. "10minutes till we get help."
True to his word 10mintues later Jonny hear the distinct sound of a motorcycle and saw as a figure came roaring towards the now gutted and hole drilled Mercedes. The Rider of the motorcycle laid the bike down on its side and slid in behind the car almost right next to Jonny and barely missing Carrie. "Right on time, but was that really needed?" Jonny said as Anthony took off the motorcycle helmet and handed Jonny a M4A1 assault rifle. "Well you know me. Always have to make a dramatic entrance, and destroy my toys." Was Anthony's response as he kneed up next to Jonny and took aim with his own M4A1. "Right." Was the response. "Whats the set up so far blondie?" Anthony asked as they ducked to avoid a near miss shot. "Well I count at least one machine gun out there and an AK47 off to the right, the figure I put maybe 4 bullets into crawled off, and I dunno who else is out there."
Anthony and Jonny turned to look at Carrie who was huddled into a fetal position behind the front tire of the car. "Race is sneaking behind them, and Steven is working his way up the right side. I came straight up the middle. Dr. Quest and the girls are in the Quest Rover not far waiting for the Cops. I think I should grab Carrie put her on the bike, and take her back to Dr. Quest." Jonny nodded in agreement. "Will you be ok for a couple minutes without me darling?" Anthony smiled at Jonny. "I dunno mommy them big boys is playing rough over there, but I can play alone for 5 minutes." Jonny retorted in his best 8-year-old impression. "Ok , see you in a few minutes, keep my beer cold." Anthony said as he picked Carrie up in one hand and righted the motorcycle with his other side. Jonny just waved at him and let down a long burst of fire to cover Anthony as he shot down the road with Carrie hanging on to him from behind for dear life.
Jonny waited about 2 minutes as the opponents suppressed his location and then as soon as the fire slacked her let loose a burst that emptied the magazine of his assault rifle. 'Shit. Shit. I forgot to grab more ammo from Ant' He was about the draw his Glock again when he saw Anthony coming at him and then do his slide trick again and come to rest next to Jonny and already had 3 magazines in his hands for Jonny. "Oh thank you sweetie, I think that deserves a kiss for bringing me those." Jonny grinned as he grabbed the mags and loaded a fresh one. "Who needs a kiss from you dirty mouth, make it a few beers and we'll call it even." Anthony retorted as he took aim and fired at the position.
The firefight continued for another 5 minutes until Jonny and Anthony heard 2 short bursts come from 2 new locations. Then Anthony heard Race's voice through his earpiece microphone. "Got the Machine gunner." Then he heard Steven. "I got two of them with AK's. Looks all clear," Anthony looked at Jonny and then over the hood of the car. "Roger that looks all clear here." Was his reply as he stood up and walked around to the front of the ruined Mercedes. "Well write off that nice car. I hope they have good insurance." Race came walking towards Anthony and Jonny and had heard the remark and replied. "The way they said it. They're going to sue Jonny for starting it." Everyone smiled and laughed a relaxing laugh.
A couple of minutes later Dr. Quest with a Glock carrying Jessie, Mariah, and Carrie came up to join the group of males who had walked over to the location of the target Jonny had shot at the beginning of the fight and had since crawled off. "Really too sloppy to have been serious professionals." Race said as he knelt over the blood patch. "Whatever. Looks like the trail leads over there to an intact part of the building." Steven commented as he pointed a flashlight over the trail of blood, which lead over to an open doorway to a still standing and functioning part of the old lab.
Dr. Quest motioned towards the armed men and motioned towards the door. "Why don't a few of you check it out while the others stay here investigate and wait for the police to arrive." Race, Jonny, Anthony and Steven all nooded their heads in agreement, and Jonny spoke up first pointing at the older men and Jessie. "The three of us will check it out, Dad you and Race stay here with Annie Oakley over there and explain what has happened when the fuzz arrives." "Bite me." Was Jessie's response, but Dr. Quest and Race nodded their heads in agreement. "Ok, but stay together don't separate, keep in radio contact, and get out if it becomes to dangerous and there's a risk of collapse.
"Did I ever tell anyone one I hate dark tight places that hold people with guns and a possibility of falling on my head?" Steven said in whisper that Jonny and Anthony barely heard. "Ehh, don't worry about it Steve, just be careful of any lights at the end of the tunnel, we don't want you to die a virgin." Anthony said grinning, but unfortunately no one else could see it in the darkness of the tunnel. "Hey, now there is nothing with an old fashioned guy who likes old fashioned girls." Was the response back from Steven. Jonny turned to the other too and snarled through gritted teeth. "Shut the fuck up you two, lets not tell anyone we are here, and besides Steve what about that girl you dated last year who broke your bed, she was far from old fashioned and more like a nympho." "Yea, like I said old fashioned." Steven whispered, his lips in a broad grin.
The three moved quietly for the next 10 minutes as the followed the hallway about 30ft from what Jonny could judge, now that his eyes had becomed accustomed to the darkness and little if no light in the hallway. When they reached a set of stairs that lead down Anthony shined his flashlight for 2 seconds down and all three noticed the stairs traveled about 60ft down. "Shit, I didn't know this complex went deep like that, is there supposed to be subterranean levels here?" Steven asked looking in Jonny's direction. "Not according to official schematics, but want to bet that it has something to do with those secret project dad said they were working on here." Was Jonny's reply in the darkness. "Either way lets go down and investigate. Anthony lead the way." He continued.
Anthony didn't hesitate a second and started slowly descending the stairs with his assault rifle aimed in front of him at all times so as not to be surprised and unprepared. Jonny and Steven followed in the same manner as Anthony was. It took them about 15minutes to reach the bottom traveling at a slow pace in the dark as to not alarm anyone and to not take an unexpected tumble down the stairs.
When the last of them reached the bottom Anthony who was in the lead led them through a door and into a hallway that ended with a dim light coming through a doorway at the end. "What did you say again about not going into the light?" Steven replied looking over Anthony's shoulder. Steven barely saw the outline of Anthony giving him the finger before it dropped and he started moving towards the doorway. When they finally reached the light Anthony stood with his back to one wall as Jonny took up a position across from him. Jonny and Anthony locked eyes and then a moment later simultaneously Jonny leaned through the doorway aiming his assault rifle as Anthony careened his neck to look over his shoulder into the doorway. Steven in the meantime had taken an knee right in front of Anthony and was aiming his weapon while leaning through the doorway. What Jonny Steven and Anthony saw nearly caused them to gasp in shock and horror. "Oh my god." They whispered simultaneously.
Right in front of them was a room about 50ft long by 40ft wide and looking like a hospital Operating Room. On one wall of the room were 4 large containers that each held the mutilated remains of what appeared to be human beings but shockingly the eyes were still open and the figures appeared to be grinning. On the far wall was a video display with a computer in a corner. Sitting at the computer was a small slender man in a black ninja suit with red hair and he was talking to a blonde woman with long blonde hair and another man not much smaller than Anthony who had shoulder length brown hair that was up in a ponytail. Jonny nearly gasped at the sight he saw on the floor slouched against a wall in a pool of blood and a trail of blood coming from a gash in her head was the person he recognized as Amanda Duroc, and he surmised that she was the figure he had shot outside.
At that moment Amanda groaned loud enough for the other 3 to notice and turn around with guns being drawn and staring right at Anthony, Steven, and Jonny. "Freeze!" Jonny screamed at the 3 figures but instead they dove to the side. Jonny and Steven opened fire but missed, and Anthony stood frozen in horror as he recognized the blonde woman as his former girlfriend and fiancée from years ago Krysta. Krysta had reached for her pistol and fired 3 quick shots that were off target and slammed into the wall a few inches from Steven's head. Anthony spurred into movement by the gunfire dropped his assault rifle and drew his H&K .40 pistol and moved into the room taking aim at the figure with the red hair. He fired a quick 2 shots and was satisfied to see that he hit the target both times, once in the arm and the next in the left shoulder.
Jonny meanwhile had taken aim at the large man and had fired a long burst at him but the man surprisingly was agile and avoided the fire. The man returned fire from an AK-47 he had in his hands. Jonny ducked back behind the doorway and avoided the rounds.
Steven meanwhile through all this had rolled into the middle of the room and was about to draw his Glock pistol when he saw Krysta aim her pistol at him and pull the trigger. Her aim was thankfully hurried and off and instead of a headshot she hit Steven in the chest and sent him to the ground as the bullets impacted new body armor Dr. Quest had required everyone to wear. The new body armor was unlike any in the world, it was 1/4in thick and form fitting looking much like athletic UnderArmour, and could protect against anything up to a high powered sniper rifle from 100yds away. The round struck the armor where Steven's left lung was and knocked him flat on his black and completely out of breath forcing to gasp for air.
Jonny had seen the shot and before Krysta took take aim again he bull rushed her and tackled her, driving his shoulder into her sternum and then carrying her into a far wall. He instantly regretted that as his body and ribs erupted in pain from his previous wounds causing him to slump over in pain. Krysta after recovering from the shock quickly got to her feet and moved to jonny as she brought her knee up to her side. Jonny just managed to pick his head up as Krysta kicked the heel of her boots into the side of Jonny's head knocking him unconscious.
Anthony during this process had become quickly involved in a hand to hand struggle with the large pony tailed assailant and they were throwing punches and counter punches at each other until the other man had pulled a combat knife out and prepared to lunge at Anthony. Anthony stared at his opponent waiting for him to make a move or a mistake that he could counter and disarm him with when the man lunged at him swiping with his knife instead of trying to stab. Anthony quickly dodged the move to his left side. As the man swung passed Anthony grabbed his wrist and twisted with his right hand and then with his left brought his open palm up in an uppercut and connected with the mans elbow which caused a satisfying crack as the elbow fractured. Anthony quickly followed with a kick to the back of the mans right knee sending him to his knees and Anthony quickly punched him in the throat connecting with the larynx which popped. As the man grabbed his throat Anthony reached to redraw his gun when he heard a click come from right side.
Anthony turned and saw a sight he had not seen in years staring back at him with a pistol aimed right at his head. He also noticed that behind her was Jonny and Steven lying unconscious. "Hello, long time Anthony. Drop the gun." Anthony did as Krysta ordered. "Get on your knees. Put your arms behind your head." Anthony complied why still trying to develop what to say too her. When he finally opened his mouth and spoke all he said was. "Why?" Krysta didn't respond only aimed at his chest and quickly fired three times into his chest at point blank range. Anthony sprawled back onto his back and couldn't speak. He felt like his whole chest was on fire and all he could see was straight up and at Krysta as she looked over him. "Some things should remain buried and unknown don't you think?" and then she was gone.
Anthony lied there about 5 minutes before he felt like he could move again and then rolled over onto his stomach and promptly threw up. When he looked over at Jonny and Steven's position and saw that they were on their hands and knees trying to stand up.
Jonny felt like a bus had hit him when he tried to stand up and had a sudden sense of vertigo. When he regained his composure he saw Steven had also stood up and had stumbled over to Anthony who was trying to get up out of a puddle of vomit in front of his face and was helping him up. Jonny then looked over and saw that the unknown assailants had all left including having dragged Amanda off with a trail of blood going out a different door then they had entered through.
Jonny looked around the room looking to any threats and getting his bearings when he saw a large barrel like device that carried a biohazard warning on its side, but what really frightened him was the bomb of C-4 attached to it. Jonny stumbled over trying to see if it could be opened, when he noticed that the container had a label on it saying Caution: Handle with Care, Centurion Drug Canister. Property of Raven Industries and Zin Enterprises.
"Ughhh, guys come on we gotta get outta here fast, this thing has something in it that cant be good, belongs to Dr. Zin, and has a big bomb attached." Jonny moaned gritting through teeth and pain. Steven who was standing grabbed Anthony and attempted to put an arm over his shoulder and drag him alone when Jonny came over and grabbed the other side and they half dragged Anthony down the hall they had come from. When they had just about reached the stairs and were about to start up them, the whole world shook from a violent explosion down the hall. The three men were thrown against the stairs by the pressure wave that hit them and then could only close their eyes in the second it took for the fireball to reach them. Five seconds later the fireball had dissipated into gas and smoke leaving only fires burning in the hallway and three young men against the wall.
Race Bannon and Dr. Quest were starting to become concerned at how long the 3 boys had been out of contact and inside the rubble. The Kiev Police had arrived 15minutes before and had secured the scene and were removing the bodies on the surface and had done preliminary interviews with the Quest team. "I tell you doc something in my gut tells me that something isn't right down there." Race said as he paced by the entrance Jonny and the others had gone down. "Relax Race I'm sure they are…." Dr. Quest never finished the sentence because everyone felt a small tremor in the ground and then Race in a blur of movement had tackled Dr. Quest as a fireball erupted out of the entrance nearly killing them both.
"Oh my god Jonny Anthony and Steven." Jessie screamed as she came running over towards her father and Dr. Quest followed by Mariah and Carrie. Race had quickly recovered and grabbed Jessie could run down the entrance into the rubble. "Hang on Jessie the tunnel might collapse on you from the concussion."
Dr. Quest stood straight up covered in dirt, dust, and slightly singed from the explosion and just stared absently into the rubble in a complete daze and shock, unable to believe anyone could have survived that. Race quickly grabbed Dr. Quest and ushered him and the girls into the trailer that earlier Carrie and Jonny had been inside of. "Hang on everyone, let the scene settle down and then we will look for the boys." Dr. Quest unable to handle what his mind sensed collapsed onto the couch and started to just shake his head. Jessie, Carrie, and Mariah started to cry and each sat down with Dr. Quest and hugged him as he hugged back. Only Race controlled his emotions, standing Stoically with his sidearm out and in his hands as he stared out the window, but inside his heart was crushed.
Fifteen minutes later after the team members had composed themselves Race, Dr. Quest, Jessie, Carrie, and three Ukrainian policemen had donned respirators and were slowly walking down the hallway, attempting to avoid the lingering fires and debris that had fallen. Race was at point with his own M4A1 Assault Rifle up and aimed in front of him, with the flashlight on. Within 10minutes the team had reached the stairs and looked down realizing that's where the explosion had occurred. Race frowned through his respirator as he looked down and couldn't imagine the boys surviving down there.
As he turned around his ears heard a sound. He swore he heard a sound. "Does anyone else hear anything down there?" He asked over his intercom. "Hold on, YES I hear something down there." Mariah replied, and before Race could respond the three girls sprinted past him and started down the stairs. All Race and the 4 other adults could do was sprint to keep up. As they reached the bottom of the stairs Carrie screamed louder than Race thought anyone could. When he reached Carrie she and Jessie ran and buried their heads in his chest, while Mariah did it to Dr. Quest. Race looked up and attempted to see what they had been scared of, and then he saw it. Leaning against the wall bleeding and burnt was Jonny, with Anthony laying across his legs and Steven leaning against the wall as well on his side. All three of them were burnt and bleeding from different areas with a pool of blood having collected on the floor from the three boys. Race was about to throw up and turn away when he noticed Jonny's head move slightly and his eyes open very slightly and he attempted to smile but couldn't. "Are you guys here for the Barbeque too?" Jonny whispered before he passed out again.