"Alright, here's how it works. We ask the questions, you answer the questions. If you're lucky, maybe we might answer one of yours." Brea was trying to look as fierce as possible at the moment, trying to intimidate Carmen... it worked, a little.
"Fine." Carmen huffed, her cuffed paws on the table before her.
"First, what is your rank within Aramov's syndicate." Bryan asked, pen at ready to take notes.
"I made Major a few weeks back."
"Good, now, what do you have to say to our intel reports on 'cloned soldiers'?" Bryan asked.
"I'd say, fear them." Carmen responded. "They're not like me or my team. We might feel a very slight ping of guilt about having to kill some people, but they don't have that in them. They have no conscious."
"Does Aramov ever leave the compound?" Brea asked, stepping forward and away from the wall.
"Yes, twice a week she goes for a mid-afternoon lunch, though she never leaves the complex without her body guards. Fifteen of them, all armed."
Bryan checked his watch. If she was going today, she would be getting at her spot within the next half hour.
"Where does she go?" He asked, flicking the pen between his fingers.
"Small Town Café, on east and third. Sits in the same seat every time too. Her guards take up some other tables, some on the inside, others outside with her."
"When was her next trip?" Brea asked, leaning on the table, trying to hide her grin.
"Well... she never plans them but... I've noticed she likes to go on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also, any time it stops raining before one o'clock; she'll head out as well."
Brea had to put her hands to her muzzle to hide her grin. Was it really going to be this easy to catch Aramov?
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"No! I simply cannot allow it!"
"General Pepper - try to understand. We know their situation! We could take them all down now without a large fight!" Bryan was close to growling... so close...
"It is a public place. I can't allow you to have a shootout in a public place!" Pepper sighed, resting his head on his paws. "You know as well as I do that they won't go down without a fight. We also know you can't clear the area without them realizing you know. You just can't touch them there. Tail them if you must, but do not engage them in a public area."
"Fine. We won't engage them." He responded, smirking as he walked out of the General's office, leaving him to sit back in his chair. "What are you up to..." He wondered aloud, going back to work.
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Aramov carefully looked around her to make sure she was in the clear. Her men had taken up their spots around her, watching from every angle to make sure no one tried to take her on. She smiled to herself, ordering some bread while sitting back with her cup of tea.
The bread was set on her table shortly after it had been ordered. Lazily, she reached for it, pulling a slice from the basket, spreading the butter on it before taking a bite, looking down over the papers she had set in front of her.
She finished off that slice and was about to reach for the other. Unable to feel it in the basket, she looked up, to see a man sitting in the other seat, eating the other slice.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She hissed, glaring at him.
She couldn't see his eyes because of the dark sunglasses on his face, and the black shirt didn't give much away either. Instead, all she had to go on were what few facial features there was.
"I'm enjoying lunch on someone else's tab. Why, is there a problem?" He spoke.
Aramov hissed at him. "Filthy humans. Taking over everything. Go get your own table."
"I'm just fine here, thank you; though." Bryan grinned, knowing full well she couldn't tell who he was. For all he knew, she didn't even know his face, only a name.
"I wasn't asking." Aramov responded, almost ready to call her guards over to deal with the man.
"So much the better. Wouldn't have really made the difference anyway." Bryan tilted his head down, letting the glasses slide to the end of his nose, allowing him to peer at her over the top of them. "Would it, Aramov?"
Her smirk was more of surprise then pride. "And how do you know who I am?"
"I tend to know the names of those who go after me and my people. Makes the paperwork and death certificates a lot easier to fill out." Bryan responded, enjoying this a lot more than he should have. He leaned back, placing the glasses on top of his head.
"So, living out the last of your days trying to terrify me? Pitiful."
"I'm not dead yet."
"No, I suppose you're not. But, all in due time."
"We'll see." Bryan's tone turned hard in a moment, proving just how much he had to restrain himself from reaching across the table and strangling her.
"You can't touch me... you know you can't. Is that why you're so mad? Knowing I could shoot you right now and you would be powerless to stop me."
"Reality check, Aramov dear. You are unarmed. Think I jumped in this seat without a weapons scan? Oh, better yet, I have a team here with me. Ten around me, and six on the roofs, all armed. You're guys may get a shot off, but not before nine rattle them from the inside out."
"And you? I believe this is the first time I've seen you without a holster on your hip."
"It's there. You just didn't look hard enough."
The waiter set some food in front of Aramov, turning to Bryan. He waved him off before he could mutter a word.
Aramov didn't touch her meal, she was transfixed on the agent before her.
"So, how is that other girl taking her team mate's death?"
"You killed Kyle in cold blood. He hadn't done anything to threaten your organization. You are a coward. You fear us..."
"I fear nothing!"
"Really? Then why ask us to step out of the war? Why threaten us? Or a better question," he leaned in close. "why try to kill me?"
"You are nothing more than a fly. You annoy me."
"It's much more than that, and you know it." Bryan stood up, moving to walk past her. She twitched, about to reach up and grab him by his neck. But, Bryan was faster, grabbing her paw and twisting it behind her back, slamming her chest into the table.
"So strong. It's sad you won't work for me. You could do nicely in my ranks." She was playing it sweet with him now, her voice laced with something he didn't want to pick-up on.
"You kill for money. I kill for justice. To different sides of the law. I'll never join you ranks." Bryan hissed, releasing his grip and walking away, knocking over one of Aramov's guards in the process.
The terrorist straitened her blouse out, sitting back down and eating her meal. Only slightly shaken by the encounter.
Things were not turning out the way she had planned.
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Mei sat behind the glass. The long cold coffee cup sat on the table while she watched Carmen sit in the chair, still in the interrogation room. She just couldn't figure the girl out.
Did she join Aramov to protect her sister? And even so, why not find another way?
She sighed leaning back against the wall as the door opened. She opened one eye to see who has entered. It was a cop, probably from the local department, just checking on a prisoner.
Mei was still musing on Carmen's predicament. Was it really that possible that she had made that bad of a choice to protect the ones she loved? She found herself scoffing being she could stop herself.
"I'm one to talk." She whispered. "I'm the one who joined the Yakuza to protect someone."
Mei closed her eyes again until she heard a whimper. Now she was well aware of what was going on around her... it wasn't good.
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Carmen watched him screw on the silencer. It was true, Aramov knew... and she had sent her best assassin to kill her. "Carlos... please... I didn't have a choice!" She pled.
"You lie. You know the rules. We don't get taken alive." Carlos stated, it was a practiced speech. Carmen only whimpered.
"But I'm not like the others! I have someone who depends on me! I can't just commit suicide! It doesn't work like that!"
"You cannot commit it yourself. But I can make it look like that." The assassin spoke, backing her into a corner, pressing the barrel of the silencer to her chest. "It's too bad too, I kind of liked you."
Carmen panicked, thinking she was well done for. She heard the shot go off, but felt no pain.
I'm... dead?
She slumped to the floor, vaguely aware of Carlos slumping next to her as she cradled her head in her paws. She still couldn't figure it out. She heard the shot, yet felt no pain...
Meanwhile, Mei jumped through the shattered window, her weapon still trained on the would-be assassin. She checked for a pulse as a few more officers entered the room. She turned around, glad to recognize all of them before pulling Carmen to her feet.
"Call the morgue." She said, pulling the girl into the hallway. She checked her corners once before pushing Carmen against a wall, not in a threatening manner, but as to calm the ex-terrorist down.
"Hey." Mei tried once, before raising her voice. "Hey! You are okay! He didn't get you. It's alright." Carmen crumpled to the floor, starting to sob slightly.
"Everyone I've ever known is turning against me... and it's all because of you people."
"Listen to me. We're all you have now. They know you've told us everything we know. They're going to come after you and your sister. We can protect you, but you have to work with us!"
Mei was shoved back as Carmen stood, running for the main entrance just down the hall.
"Stop right there! Don't go out those doors!" Mei yelled.
Officers watched her run past unsure if they should open fire or not. Mei was only a few steps behind. Knowing full well she wouldn't catch up to Carmen in time she did the only thing she could think of.
"Forgive me." She whispered to herself, pulling her tazer from her belt, letting the electrodes fly through the air.
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Carmen still twitched every now and then. And while the medics had said she would be fine, she still felt like the electricity was flowing through her.
"It was either that, or shoot you dead."
"It's fine." Carmen huffed, rubbing her own arms. "I just had a momentary laps in my sanity. Too much stress, I guess."
"Now listen to me, alright? You aren't like the other terrorists we've dealt with. You still have a chance to turn your life around. Don't pull another stunt like that, and we'll be on good terms, got it?" Mei finished, watching as Bryan pulled his unit to a stop.
"Well, the hero returns. Bag us any good stuff?" Mei taunted, he scowled in return.
"No, but I think we've got her flustered. She knows that we can get close to her now... err, what the hell happened here anyway?" He asked, realizing that they were sitting on a gurney in the back of a medical rig.
"She shocked me." Carmen said, pointing at Mei.
"She ran down the hall like a mad fur." Mei said, pointing back at Carmen.
"Oh, and there's a dead assassin, other there." Mei finished, pointing at another ambulance.
Brea blinked a few times. "What happened... we're gone a couple of hours and these two are acting like long lost sisters."
Bryan sighed, shaking his head. "So, we leave Mei alone for a little while and she manages to turn the police station into a shooting range."
The Japanese girl just grinned. "All in a day's work, boss."
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What had started as a small sprinkle had turned into a hurricane-like storm. So, the snow was gone, only to be replaced with heavy, heavy rains. With visibility at an all time low, it was slow going on the way to the house.
Search lights and headlights combined still kept their line of sight down. Up ahead, Bryan caught what looked like break lights. The only problem was that they were vertical instead of horizontal, while a second set seem to be right next to them.
"What's this?" Brea asked as Bryan slowed the car down, she observed the car accident before looking over at him. "What do you want to do?" She asked.
"Five-five David. We've got an accident here, Trent and Eighth, possible major injuries. Roll medics."
"Copy, dispatching medics, code three."
"Bryan? Want us to stop too?" Mei's voice came over the radio.
Bryan sat back for a moment. Mei was transporting Carmen in her unit. With only three in their convoy, his in the lead, to have Mei stop too could cause a major risk.
"Negative. Keep moving. Little ways down the road trade Carmen off to Jackie and double back. Got it?"
"Copy that."
"38 here, I hear yah. Taking the package home after that I take it? Gonna have any cover?"
"I'll cover you Jackie." Dean broke in. "I'm about 2 clicks over from you guys. Mean Eats diner. Just meet me in the parking lot."
"Copy Dean, moving to you." Jackie confirmed, Bryan watched them go past him as both him and Brea got out of the truck. The began approaching the other turned car.
Brea made a mental note of Mei's distance when she heard the first shot. Her keen eyes caught the blaster fired shot zooming towards Mei's unit. She was the first one to turn around, leaping hard and catching the roof cargo bar of their unit in a paw, flipping herself over the side, landing safely on the other. Bryan, leaped the hood of the car.
"Get moving! It's an ambush! Mei, hall ass!"
Tires squealed as Mei's unit sped off and Jackie slammed her own accelerator, spinning the car around. She sped right back to the others, pulling her car in next to theirs she took cover from the pot shots as well.
"Dean, Jackie's gone back to help Bryan and Brea. Gonna need you to meet with me and cover my ass back to the house."
"Copy that. I'll be with you in forty-five seconds. Haulin' ass, code three."
Bryan was returning fire from over the hood of the car along with Jackie and Brea. They're weren't pinned down by any means, instead, they were buying time. So long as another ambush wasn't set up, Mei, Carmen, and Dean would surely make it to the safe house. As soon as they safely arrived, they would put an end to the situation.
"Guys, if any of them try to get mobile, do whatever it takes to stop them!" Bryan called over the blaster fire. Jackie wrenched open her back passenger door, pulling out a few grenades and tossing them to the others.
The stingers and fragment grenades would diffidently come in handy.
When the blaster fire had ceased, Bryan poked his head out to see the car that was still right-side up back up and speed off. Bryan swore to himself, jumping into his car and speeding off while Jackie fired off a few rounds into the fleeing car, jumping into her own a few minutes later.
"This is DCTU: 38 Delta. 55 David and 38 in pursuit of suspect vehicle involved in terrorist actions. Unknown number of armed suspects bearing automatic weapons. Suspects fleeing in a red sedan, tag number two-three-seven-macy-david-tom. Requesting additional units."
Jackie stayed a safe distance behind Bryan's unit. Watching some of the local police join the chase.
"55 David to dispatch. Stand by for emergency traffic."
"Copy. Ready to transmit. Destination?"
"Silver-227."
"Copy, transmitting."
"55 David to Silver-227. If you can hear me, need some help. Suspects fleeing."
"Silver-227?" Jackie whispered to herself. "Who the hell... no agency we know."
"Copy, Bryan. I've got your location. Ready when you are."
"On my signal. 55David to all units, fall back."
Jackie did as she was told, watching as the suspects car sped through a red light at an intersection, she watched flames shoot through the rain, busting the four traction systems on the vehicle, causing it to skid out of control, flipping several times before resting on its roof.
Jackie gasped slightly. "Flames in the rain? Someone has some explaining to do."
She was out of her car now, back into the pouring rain. She blinked a few times, clearing the rain from her eyes as she caught on to Bryan's commands, pulling her weapon and approaching the toppled car slowly.
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"Alright, unless we just entered a video game, I want some answers." Jackie had pulled Bryan to the side while Brea watched the suspects being taken away by police.
He looked over his shoulder. Jackie followed his vision to see a silver wolf leaning on a car, parked slightly on the sidewalk just out of view of the intersection. She watched as the wolf idly twirled a finger through the rain. A small trail of flame in it's path.
"Who's that?"
"That's Silver. One of those... friends in high places, kind of thing." Brea answered.
"What is he, ex-military?"
Bryan grinned. "Something like that."
Jackie was about to ask another question, but felt it would just be smarter to stay quiet. Bryan turned around, heading over to the wolf, shaking his hand and saying a few worlds before Silver left and Bryan walked back over to the group.
"Lets get moving. Clean up crews have the scene now."
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It had been the first real meal of the week that didn't have something to do with ration bars. And hell, Bryan would be damned if it would see it go to waste.
"Easy, chief. I really don't feel like doing CPR today." Mei warned, only giving him a side glace. They were all doing something that they hadn't done in the longest time. They had taken over three tables to the local diner, two of which they filled, and a third had jackets and such on them.
"So, this is what you guys used to do? Hmm... seems like we've been invited into the inner circle guys." Fox joked, as the food was set before him. A freshly out of the hospital Krystal only grinned.
"So, any new business?" Falco asked.
"Other than the fact that Aramov will probably find a new restaurant to go to? Nope." Brea answered. "But we do know that Wolf will finally be out of the hospital next week."
"Yah, only to go into our custody with his daughter." Jackie offered. "Seems like we've been turned from a tactical unit to a safe house."
"We're the only ones who can offer the protection needed. Besides, once Aramov is out of the way, then we get to start charging rent." Dean laughed.
"Make some good cash off of that." Mei grinned.
"Dispatch to 237 Ida. 911 just got a call about some yelling at 23 Raven road. Check it out?"
"Copy dispatch. 237, code two."
The radio call went unnoticed by the DCTU agents as they continued on.
A few more laughs later, they all quieted down a little; only because of glances from other restaurant patrons.
"237, requesting back-up. Suspect-"
The radio fell silent, causing Bryan to hush everyone.
"237 repeated, transmission cut off."
"237? Repeat, this is dispatch. Repeat, your last transmission cut off."
Everyone glanced at the other. "This doesn't sound good."
"Dispatch to all units in the Raven area. Respond code three to 23 Raven Road. Officer unresponsive on a possible high-risk call."
"Supervisor six to dispatch. Advise which back-up in route, we may need M-TAC on this one."
"Copy Supervisor six. M-TAC on alert."
"Copy. S-Six, responding code three."
Bryan stood up, leaving the table for a moment. A minute or so later he returned with take-out containers, also having just paid the bill.
Collective groans went around the table when they realized it was time to go back to work.
They packed up their food and grabbed their jackets before piling into the units and heading back for base.
Bryan was already touching things on the GPS screen. After finding Raven Road, he found the address and placed a pilot beacon on it.
"Supervisor six to Dispatch! Back-up requested! 237 is down! I repeated, 237 is down! We need medics and M-TAC ASAP! The suspect has barricaded himself, his mate, and three kids in the house."
"Copy S-Six. M-TAC will be alerted."
"Copy."
"All units, all units, respond to 23 Raven Road. Officer requesting assistance, code three."
"Supervisor six to dispatch. ETA on M-TAC."
"M-TAC is unavailable at this time."
"Damn it, we need someone here now! We can't get into this house with our current gear."
"M-TAC won't be available for another hour."
Bryan glanced over to Brea who simply nodded as he flicked on his lights and siren, slamming the accelerator while pulling the e-brake, Bryan spun his SUV around, ending in the other lane facing the other way as he sped off. The others fallowed suit, turning around before speeding off.
"55 David to Dispatch. Advice which units available and on scene. DCTU will be responding, code three, BCC on TAC one." Bryan called into the radio.
"Copy, ETA?"
"No more than three minutes."
"S-Six to DCTU, 55 David; when you guys get here you've got full command."
"Copy."
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Mei was feeling the adrenaline rush in full force now. It had been a while since she had strapped on the light vest and tight clothes, strapping the silenced weapon to his thigh and attaching the radio Comlink to her ear.
She looked over her shoulder to see Dean load the clip into his automatic weapon, sliding back the bolt and releasing it. He was armed now.
She reached behind herself, ruffling her short hair a little before letting the grin take over her face. She just loved just job... maybe a little too much at time.
"Alright, here's what we know." Bryan had hung the building plans off the raised tailgate of his Suburban, pointing out area on the map. "Best point of entry is here; through the sky light in the back. Since all we know is that the armed suspect is in the front, we'll have to assume he won't know where we're at."
He turned to Mei. "You and Dean will get in through there. Use your glass cutters and lower yourselves in. Clear the back of the house first, then try to find the hostages. If they're with the suspect, don't engage, leave that to the assault element. However, if they are separated, lead out who you can, got it?"
Mei and Dean nodded, both starting their jog to the back of the house. Unnoticed by the suspect.
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Mei pulled the suction cup from the pack on her back. Applying it to the glass she reached back again, this time pulling out a laser. Manually, she made a circle pattern around the suction cup; just big enough for her and Dean to get through.
Putting the laser away, she pulled on the suction cup, lifting the circular cut glass up and off to the side. Next she stuck her head in, seeing that the room was dark and no one in it; she grasped the sides of the hole, flipping the rest of her body through it and landing silently on the floor below.
Dean dropped in a moment later, not as silent as she had been, but silent enough.
She pulled out her silenced weapon, turning it's flashlight on to look around the room.
"Oh my god." She gasped to herself. "TOC, be advised, suspect has various torture things in his house. Some I can only say to be caked in dried blood." She raised her flashlight to the wall and felt a vile amount of vomit coming up her throat. "He also has pictures of kids being raped... looks like be himself."
"Copy." Bryan's voice came back to her. "Take a deep breath Mei. Do you need to pull out? We can always assault the house."
She felt Dean put a hand on her shoulder. She shook her head a moment.
"No, we'll be fine." She responded, padding her way to the door. She opened it to find herself in a hallway.
Dean fell back into the shadows as Mei clicked off her flashlight, pacing her way down the hallway by herself, poking her head around the corner. She signaled to Dean that it was clear and they continued on.
They passed, and cleared, two other rooms before the hallway took another turn. They stopped at the turn as they heard a creaking noise. Mei poked her head out enough to see the suspect walking in their direction. She turned to Dean with a wide look in her eyes.
In a matter of seconds, a decision had been reached just as the suspected turned the corner. Neither of the agents were anywhere to be seen. As he passed around the corner and into the back room.
A small sigh came from the ceiling of the hallway as Mei dropped back down after holding herself up there for so long. Dean came out of the closet he had been hiding in.
Now they entered the room they had seen him leave.
"Oh, man..." Mei groaned, seeing the small streak of fresh blood on the wall. They were in a bedroom now. Dean covered the door as Mei cleared the room, ending at the bed.
"TOC, be advised, we've got a hostage." She said, leaning over to check for vitals. "She's alive, but not by much." Mei said to herself, pulling her first aid kid from her pack.
The hostage groaned when Mei applied the bandage. The noise was quickly silenced by a hand over the muzzle. "Shhh..." Mei soothed. "We're the police. We're going to get you out."
"The kids?" Mei was asked, weakly.
"We haven't found them yet... you're his mate... aren't you?"
"Yes... you have to get the kids out of here... you don't know what he's done to them."
Mei's anger rose a level.
"Are they injured?" She asked quickly.
"Not now... but before..."
Images flashed before Mei's eyes as she realized. "Oh my god... those pictures..."
"So you've seen them... you have to get the kids out!"
"Shhh... don't worry. We'll get everyone out."
Mei turned to face Dean as she spoke into her radio again.
"TOC, Hostage secure. Have medics on stand-by."
"Copy, any sign of the suspect?"
"He went past a minute ago. Want us to engage?" Mei asked, silently hoping he said yes.
"How bad is the hostage injured?"
"There's blood everywhere... and then there's that room..."
"Alright, you know where he is now?"
"Behind us somewhere. The kids are in the front of the house from what I gather."
"Alright, we'll raid the house for the kids. Engage the suspect."
"Copy."
"And Mei, remember, you're still a cop. Don't go too nuts, got it?"
And then Mei growled. "I'll try."
She strode past Dean, who had to blink a few times before catching up with her. They stood outside the room they had last seen him enter and she pressed her ear to the door before nodding to Dean; who easily took it down with his boot.
"Police!" Dean yelled, bursting in the room after Mei.
When the suspect made no move to turn around nor get down Mei pressed the barrel of her pistol to his head.
"Get down before I put you down." She hissed before grabbing his forearm, throwing him down.
"TOC, this is entry team," Dean reported. "Suspect secure and ready to trailers."
"Copy."
He turned around to see that Mei had him cuffed, on the ground, staring up at her... or rather into the barrel of her pistol.
"Mei, don't you do it!" Dean pled.
Her entire body was pulsing. Oh how much she wanted to pull that trigger.
"You beat your mate... you raped your kids... and now you defy me..." She hissed, her finger twitched, sending the round from the clip, out the barrel... and into the floor just six centimeters away from the suspects head. "And I hope you fry in hell." She finished, holstering her weapon.
It was Dean's turn to sigh.
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A/N: Alright guys, just a little bit of side stuff for now. Tell you what though, depending on the number of reviews I get for this chapter will depend what happens next.
One Review: Nothing
Two Reviews: A short-ish chapter, not much action, mostly talk and spy stuff.
Three Reviews: All of the above. Longer chapter, action, no character death.
Four or More Reviews: All of the above. Chapter length based off of number of reviews. Every 2 after 4 will equal three pages of standard text.
Now, review!