Chapter 42: The Test

January 20th 2011 0021 Hours

Shanghai, China, Chaohua Hospital

"GAH! God fucking damnit! Can you please be more careful!?"

Despite the amount of painkillers I took I had to power through the rest of the pain while the terrified nurse removed the bullet from my hip. I wanted to get this wound patched up as fast and as best as I could so I can get right into finding out who the fuck decided to start shooting at us.

And who was suicidal enough to take Sophia from me.

After we had escaped from the hotel we had to get Mao to a doctor. Of course we couldn't just say we came from a massive gun fight and we needed help. So after we got to a hospital, Koko graciously requested that one or two of their surgeons stitch up her head, remove the shrapnel from Mao, get a bullet out of me, and not ask questions if they wanted to live. I was second to last of being done but due to the nature of Mao's injuries he would take a while. The good thing though was that a majority of his injuries were not life threatening. It would go without saying but when he woke up from his surgery I would let him know to call home and let his missus and kids know he got hurt but he's ok. I did wonder how he managed to keep a secret from his family about what he really did after all this time working for Koko.

As I sat there sulking and doing my best to ignore the pain, the nurse had already finished stitching the hole in me and began wrapping a gauze and bandage around my waist. She let me know I was done and I immediately stood up from the patient's chair and put on a spare set of jeans. My bloody ones in a plastic bag which I would dispose of properly later. As I finished getting dressed the nurse continued to stand frozen in place wanting whatever was happening to be over and avoiding eye contact with me. The pain in my hip was becoming annoying every time I twisted it so I needed something for down the road at least.

"Gimme some more painkillers." I said with my hand out walking toward her. She was sinking back down terrified.

But I could give a fuck.

"I said give me some fucking-!"

"Damien!"

As the nurse shrieked, Koko was standing dominantly there in the doorway to the room with her arms crossed with Ugo in tow. Her head was wrapped in bandages and dried blood still visible in her snow white hair. Her piercing blue eyed stare was the one I recognized when she wanted to make sure that things didn't escalate any further than they needed to be.

"You can't look for her if you're higher than the damn clouds in the sky. Let's go."

As she left I saw Ugo giving me a look of condolences. As well as holding my .45's and holsters normally meant for being carried under a jacket as opposed to my other ones I kept tucked behind my waist. As I checked to make sure that they were both loaded, Mike was looking down both ends of the hallway to make sure no one saw them with a bit of agitation on why I did that so brazenly in the open.

"How's Mao?" I asked him as the three of us walked toward the wing in where he was being operated on.

"He should be done within an hour. Lutz and Tojo left earlier to make sure that the safehouse was secure and clear. We're going there the moment we're done here."

"Mmm." I grunted in acknowledgement.

Eventually we came to the waiting area where Wiley was the only one sitting there reading a book he had brought with him in his backpack. Lehm, as I was told, was in the operating room with the doctors and Mao to make sure they didn't do anything rash. His calm and cool persona was shaking a bit, no doubt he was sharing the same concern I had for what had just transpired in the last few hours. He did know Sophia longer than I had. But I doubt his heart was about to explode out of his chest like I felt like. I had fucked up on a colossal scale and my last vision of Sophia was her scowling at me. Now some son of a bitch had taken her and we had no idea where.

Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK!?

Panicking was not going to solve anything, physically at least as my thoughts were running at a hundred miles an hour. The silence that was surrounding us all was eerily disturbing as well. If Koko's cell phone didn't buzz I would have continued screaming in my head.

"Lehm says Mao's gonna be alright. I'll go make sure that the doctor's mouths stay shut and were leaving." She grumbled as she got out her HCLI check book. "This is gonna be more expensive than usual."

As she went into the operating room I noticed the nervous look in her eyes and that her hands were shaking. She was internally freaking out just as bad as I was.

0137 Hours

Xishan District

After regaining consciousness inside of the MSS's chopper she tried to fight back was immediately held down by several agents and had a sedative injected into her neck. That was the last thing Valmet had remembered when she woke up with a groggy groan and noticed that she had a black bag over her head. Her arms restrained by handcuffs that wrapped around a pipe and her legs chained to the chair she was sitting on. Whoever they were, she thought, they didn't want her getting away.

"Kan qilai ta zhengzai xing lai." Said the Chinese voice she heard to her left.

(Looks like she's waking up.)

"Wo hui dedao Kang." Said the other Chinese voice to her right. Walking away.

(I'll get Kang.)

The sedative was still in her system and limiting her functions but her senses were gradually getting better. Even though her head was covered in a black bag she saw light coming from above her head meaning that they were indoors. While not cold it was slightly drafty and there was a prevalent smell of a combination of oil, metal, dust, and smoke. She was in an industrial section of Shanghai but that could be anywhere and it didn't necessarily mean that she was in the city anymore. She could have been taken to Nanjing or Guangzhou which weren't that far for a helicopter ride. But then she remembered something.

Wait a sec. Where the hell's everyone else? Where's Koko!?

But before she could continue she then heard two sets of footsteps coming her way. There was a metallic sound with each step meaning they were ascending or descending stairs. The footsteps stopped in front of her and the bag was taken off of her head. She looked up at a Chinese man in the later half of his thirties with slightly receding hair, a round face, and a look as if he was studying her. She was far used to the types of looks she received from men at this point in her life. A scowl with a missing gold brown eye with messy pitch black hair covering some of her face. Well developed muscles that did not hinder her womanly curves as well as her well-endowed bust. And a height advantage that could cause any man to sink further into the ground. But this gaze was something that was truly on the analytical perspective. Upon reaching his conclusion he turned to one of his subordinates.

"Zhe shi ta. Hen bang de gongzuo."

(This is her. Excellent job.)

The man he directed his statement to had smirked and then he began to address her.

"Olet kaukana kodista Velmer. Nimeni on Kang Shaowen. Tiedatko miski olet taalla?"

(You're a long way from home Velmer. My name is Kang Shaowen. Do you know why you're here?)

Despite his butchered use of her homelands language she immediately realized that these guys were on the hunt for her ever since that day last summer when she got her revenge against the man who murdered her troops. What she did bordered on an act of terrorism and world powers don't just let that go. She knew that Koko would protect and hide her from the eye's of the Chinese but it appeared that someone was bold enough to take the extra step in fulfilling their own perception of justice. And according to the standards of a nation like China, the Ministry of State Security could do whatever they wanted.

"Ei mitaan sanottavaa?"

(Nothing to say?)

"If it helps I speak English just fine, you piece of shit." Valmet said annoyed of his poor attempts to convince her that he was just a man doing his job.

"If you insist. There's no need for such vulgarities Major. But I think you do know the weight of the consequences that you carry."

"And I care because?"

Her sass was beginning to annoy Kang's subordinates, one of them approached her and rifle butted her in the gut. A sharp yelp was followed by violent coughing and wheezing from the wind being knocked out of her. Kang just stood there indifferently, he was used to such methods and actions when a subject was being uncooperative. But Valmet was no ordinary woman after she gained her breath back she pierced an unkind gold brown hole through the head of the one that hit her.

"You are first."

The MSS agent then snarled and was about to hit her again but Kang raised his hand to hold him off. The proper interrogation would happen back at headquarters in Beijing. He never really cared about playing clean or dirty so he closed the distance between him and her to let her know what awaited her. His subordinate stepping back.

"You'll care once you realize that actions have consequences. Did you really think that my nation would just ignore the fact that some rouge wandering maniac murdered so many members of the People's Liberation Army? That just because you're close to the heir of a business empire means you are beyond the law? There are reasons why no one dares oppose us as compared to the rest of the world. If someone or some group would do active harm to our people we make sure that there will be none of them left to try again."

He then grabbed her hair and got face to face with her.

"Consider yourself lucky we didn't just execute you on the spot."

She then clenched her teeth in a growl. Not caring about Kang's poor attempt at being intimidating but trying to figure out how she would get out of this situation. All she had to do was figure out some way to send a signal to Koko. Her knack for pulling off miracles was something that would make even God blush.

"It's funny you mentioned executions because you assholes really don't know that your signing your own death warrants. She won't let me die like this."

One of Kang's men scoffed. He knew English as well. "Do all terrorists spout the same baseless threats?"

Kang then let go of Valmet's hair while hitting her head on the back of the pipe. Then turned to the one that was unbelieving of who Valmet was talking about.

"Chin, xian paishou biao. Ranhou xiuxi yixia. Wo xuyao da dianhua gei daoyan."

(Chin, take first watch. Then get some rest. I need to make a call to the director.)

Valmet then shook her head from the pain as the leader of the MSS team and his other subordinate left the room. The third man who hit her then stood at the open door way with his T95 assault rifle, with his finger on the trigger and his sight solely focused on her. She had no way out of her current predicament right now and she needed to recover her strength.

They want me alive but I don't know how long that will be. My only option is to wait for them to drag me to wherever they're going. Ok Valmet think.

"Tell me. Why did you get new pair of tits that look so fake?"

Her train of thought was then interrupted by the vulgar question of the smiling guard with a heavier Chinese accent. She just rolled her eyes and did her best to ignore at where he was staring. Despite wearing a thick, now shredded from a battle, sweater there were portions of her body that she would never be able to hide. Short of walking around wearing a carboard box around herself.

I wish Damien was here so that he could rip his jaw-

…

Oh God.

Her thoughts then immediately drifted back towards her outburst towards him and the arguments that had happened in the last several weeks. His face was the same after the end of every argument, a combination of a frown and hopelessness. He was being honest in telling her that nothing had happened between him and Koko. Despite his size, voice, attitude, and especially what terrible things he's done in his life he's been doing everything in his power to fix what he's done wrong. She saw for herself that he hated himself for everything he'd done, that his soul was broken and he needed all the help he could get to fix it. Even with all of that he promised her that he would support her after she had killed General Chan. But her anger and jealousy let her control what was coming out of her mouth and she unknowingly stagnated the reconstruction. Except for Koko she had never really cared for anyone else on such an intimate level or had the intimacy returned to her. So she reacted in a way that she always did with others, a predatory stare and a vicious bark with the bite to back it up. At first she internally laughed upon remembering that she and Damien were similar to each other both in ways that were good and bad. But now she realized that it was a terrible thing that she did. She told Damien that he is a good man and not the same one that he was. Despite him being somewhat unconscious at that particular time when she said that.

I'm sorry Damien. I'd never thought I'd be the type to get jealous and it looks like I over did it. The chances of Koko and you finding me are next to none. So I don't think I'm coming back this time. My only regret is that I couldn't tell you how I feel.

0515 Hours

Fengxian District, Koko's Safehouse

I hadn't slept one damn bit the whole night even though the pain in my hip had finally subsided. I had calmed down a bit from earlier but that didn't mean I wasn't stressed as hell, and I wasn't the only one. Koko had been up all night as well talking to HCLI's intelligence group. An operation that was this complex was too much for nobody to just know nothing. Judging from their fighting style they were too passive to be assassins, not to mention expensive. Most importantly, Koko was not their target and that would be their downfall.

"Since they've made no effort to contact us it's only conclusive that these guys work for one of Asia's intelligence branches."

I glanced over to her sitting at her desk, her laptop was off so that meant she was done talking to the home office. There was a horse in her throat from talking that long. I then stared back out the window. This little and very plain apartment complex was a big step down from the ritzy glamor we were staying at. The boxes with all our gear and even our luggage took up a good portion of the living room. It would be dawn in little more than an hour.

"I've managed to narrow down the list of possibilities. But my gut tells me that the ghosts of the trip you two took through Africa have come back for revenge."

I didn't catch it on the nose but I did have a feeling that it had to be Chinese Intelligence. The ever varying types of enemies we came across and fought just came back to another world power. The CIA was bad enough but if we were attacked by who I think we were than we're up against a group that played by even lesser rules and death would be considered a mercy if you were caught by them alive. Unlike agencies known throughout the world such as the CIA, MI6, or even the KGB from the Soviet Union the Ministry of State Security of China was one of the few intelligence agencies that even to this day when it was first formed during the Cold War continued to maintain a level of secrecy of what it really does. I already knew, even before I joined the Army, that spies always play to win and never care about fairness. But after witnessing all the shit that the CIA was pulling first hand it wasn't hard to figure out that on some level or another all spy agencies do that kind of work. I do know that this is hypocritical of me but if we lower ourselves to the level of our enemies then why even bother fighting them. Authoritarian states though are the ones that more often than not turn out utter scum that are more along the lines of killers with free range rather than spies.

"I've called in as many favors as I can but all we really need is a lead as to where they went. Kasper's trade routes aren't connected to China so he won't be much help in terms of finding some contacts. But if they take her to Beijing then it's over."

I was a little surprised that Koko was being so calm about this. But we couldn't afford to panic or jump to conclusions about what could be happening to Sophia right now. But all that I could think of was her yelling at me and at worst case scenario I would never be able to make it up to her. I then shut my eyes and tried to relive my anxiety but it wasn't working.

But it quickly ended when Koko approached me, grabbed my collar to face her, and she slapped me across the face so hard it echoed in the tiny room. Rather familiar feeling but I was curious to know why she did that.

"Don't you fucking dare act weak at a time like this Damien! I want her back just as bad as you do but standing there brooding won't get us anywhere. I need you now more than ever. I need to know that you'll keep your head on straight and not start rampaging. I need you at your best. I need…I need…"

Her voice started to break up and then eventually she then began to sob. At that same moment she lunged into me and I caught her at the same time. Her sobs were muffled as she put her face in my chest and I wrapped my arms around her tight. If anything she needed to get this out of her system and I would let her take as much time as she needed.

But for some odd reason I couldn't shake the feeling that in some way or another this was my fault. My damned curse just didn't want to leave me alone. Anyone I ever get close to just suffers and is thrown into misery.

God…can I get just one fucking break!? What more do I need to do!?

"Koko. I'm angry. I'm angry and I'm scared. What do I do? How do I stop being the source of everyone's pain?" I pleaded.

She then looked up to me catching her breath. My shirt was wet with her tears but then she put on the iron mask of confidence she normally held when situations were dire.

"Don't think for one second that it's your fault that Val-" She stopped to correct herself. "Sophia was taken. It's those assholes fault and they will suffer for it. I will tear apart all of China if I have to. No one takes my sister away from me."

She then let me go, wiped her eyes with her shirt, and then started to unwrap the bandage on her head.

"So use that anger to help me bring her back."

It was time to go to work. Now I had a truly rare opportunity to cut loose and not worry about the consequences.

"What's the plan?"

"All we really need is a lead. Someone who would have inside knowledge of the Chinese military's system and I think I know who we can ask to get us started on a trail."

"Who is it?"

"You know who she is. There won't be any problems with her will there?"

I knew exactly who she was talking about. For a moment I was a little annoyed that it had to be her but I couldn't afford to act stubborn right now.

"No there won't. But the real question is: WILL she help?"

January 19th 2011 2338 Hours

Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Karen Low's Apartment

The end of the year and the beginning for the next had to be the most exhausting course of events she had ever experienced in her life. With Dr. Miami's eccentric behavior and hyper personality she had no control over her boss even with Malin and Mokoena's help. First was the Christmas party at Marchen's new factory, then was integrating Dr. Baburin into her staff, next came the New Years Celebration in town, and now was the construction of the system mainframe of the new Hekmatyar Global Grid.

Needless to say that sleep was an absolute blessing. Even more so now that she had a bed instead of a cot in a place she could call her own home. A spacious apartment that was comfortably outfitted and furnished for a single person and a moderate distance from overlooking the sea. Despite her salary being negotiable, as per what Dr. Miami offered, it was more than enough to sustain herself and more. But everything always comes at a price, she just wished it was anything but her current employer.

Her cell phone on the night stand next to her bed began to ring. As she rolled over from the other side, she wasn't surprised on who was calling.

"What is it Doctor?" She said groggily from a disturbed slumber.

"Karen? I need you to come to the office in town right now. It's an emergency."

"Doctor it's almost midnight can't it wait?"

Her assumption was that more often than not these so called "emergencies" were not life threatening.

"Karen get over here now! Koko just called me from China. She need's your help and you're the only one who can do it."

The information dump on Karen was difficult for her to comprehend. But the insistence that was heard in the voice of Professor Amada was truthful. It had to be desperate if Koko Hekmatyar needed her help.

"Karen!" She said implying urgency.

"Alright. Let me get dressed and I'll call you back when I'm in my car."

January 20th 2011 0013 Hours

Marchen Toy Development, Professor Amada's Office

On her drive to the office, Professor Amada had only partially explained the full situation of the abduction of one of Koko's bodyguards. She didn't however tell her that the one of them that was taken was that on some level still she hated with a passion. As Koko Hekmatyar explained the full version on a video call half a world away. It didn't help either that the video call that was being made to the other side of the world had a distraught looking man in the background, a man that she wanted to kill when no one was looking.

"Why do you assume that I can point you in the direction you need to go Miss Hekmatyar?"

Koko had expected the dry response but maintained her composure.

"Being the personal aid of a General gave you access to classified information and movements of specific activities in the PLA. Not to mention that armies across the world have to get their intelligence from somewhere. And the Chinese do like to use a one size fits all system."

For some reason Dr. Barburin was there as well. She had been dressed in sweatpants and a jacket, probably told by Amada to hurry to the office as well.

Karen was still groggy from being woken up but not incoherent enough to realize that none of this would benefit her. Even though Dr. Miami was a rather hyperactive woman, she notice certain changes in her own behavior in the last several months working for her. She wasn't as withdrawn as she was before. She had moved away from a strict and direct military attitude to open mindedness. But she still maintained her pride as a warrior and she had no obligation in helping Koko Hekmatyar. Much less the woman who murdered her mentor.

"You're not answering my question Miss Hekmatyar. You know what she and he did to me. Regardless of the fact that Professor Amada is your friend that doesn't mean that I need to help you."

"Karen." Professor Amada stopped her. "Didn't I tell you that that world you once knew was going to change for the better? Think of this as a part of it. If you keep holding onto that hatred, you'll be stuck in an endless loop."

Not caring on what she would think Karen then scowled at the Professor.

"Respectfully Doctor, you didn't get shot or have your arm broken!"

She was done with this conversation and began to storm out. But before Dr. Miami or Koko could stop her, one no one expected spoke up revealing a secret he only shared with a select few.

"On my first tour of duty I went on killing spree. My victims though were other American's."

Karen recognized the distinct deep yet youthful voice of Damien Andrushko. But instead of tough and guttural it was more, dare she thought, pitiful.

She turned around to figure out what he mean by that. On his face was a look of desperation. On Koko's, she was facing the camera but looking to him wondering if what he said was a good idea. Dr. Baburin raised an eyebrow and stayed silent. She was perplexed to see a man like him who had killed her guards without remorse act with so much emotion.

"The CIA kept manipulating me and my team into doing their dirty work. Those waterboarding stories you've probably seen in the news? They are shit compared to what I've witnessed. My own superiors wouldn't even help me either, they saw me as only a tool. Eventually, I had enough and took matters into my own hands. But my arrogance became my undoing and my team along with some innocent people paid for that with their lives. That led to the worst moment in my entire life when I let my hatred take me over and I went on a fucking rampage."

Each word and event Damien had said and described sounded like he was in pain. Karen almost expected him to break down and cry. Once again he had shown to other's that he was totally unpredictable. She saw that this was not the same man she talked to when Professor Amada took them both for a walk. And sure as hell not the same towering maniac that tried to kill her.

"Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with your teammates kidnapping?"

Damien shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you know why I'm called Nightmare?"

Karen blanked for a brief moment but then remembered General Chan going over an intelligence report that he ordered her to destroy. It was not long after her failed mission to intercept Koko Hekmatyar's team in South Africa. She also remembered a smile on his face after he told her not to worry about them anymore. The report was classified as eyes only for him but she saw a quoted word from the form sticking out of the file, Nightmare.

"Sir that sounds a bit ominous. Are we about to go on another mission?"

"No Lieutenant it's not another mission, it's a man."

"Sir?"

"Go ahead and look, you won't get in trouble."

"…"

"Hard to believe isn't it? But apparently the American's had one of their best take sides with their enemies. And as you can see he's gotten around a lot. In more places than he should."

"Selling classified information, aiding and abetting terrorists, extortion, involvement in drug trafficking, involvement weapons trafficking, kidnapping, bombings, murder. Who is he? There's no photograph."

"You already know. Perhaps you saw a young man with them? Blue eyes? Rather tall?"

"Yes I do." She said remembering what she saw of what he had done.

"Well then you've probably just seen what I've done but not how I've done it. So I'll leave it at that. There's a difference between what is said and what is."

Karen was starting to wonder where Damien was leading this to. So far this little spiel of his was not getting her to change her mind.

"What does this have to do with Velmer?"

"What happened between her and Chan was their own business, it didn't have anything to do with you. While on some level it was personal, they both wanted to finish what they started. It was their issue and theirs alone." He then sat down on the chair behind Koko not looking at the camera. "I however just seemed to get mixed up in almost everything I even get near and I always make others suffer more than they should. Sophia however didn't care about what I had done. She saw me as another member of the team. It was the same with Koko when I first met her. And she's helped me move past the trauma in my life. I can't even begin to pay them both back for what they did for me. Same goes for the rest of the team. There the first true group of friends I've had in so long. You however still maintain your status as a professional doing what you are trained to do. I know reality can be very different but real soldiers are the same no matter where they come from. It's just a matter of which side they are on."

As Damien said his piece, Koko continued on for him. They had planned this out if Low decided 'no' right off the bat.

"What we are asking for is out of professional courtesy. I wasn't there for what happened in Ethiopia but when you came across us as a group we spared you twice. And I assure you I was rather stern on Damien after what he did. Those choices of sparing you weren't based on a whim and neither was Minami picking you up when you were at your lowest. The new world that she and I are about create will come true and we want you there for it. Help me and you'll see it with us."

Karen then took a few moments to process what Koko and Damien had said. It was if they were discussing some sort of combination of a business transaction with life lessons. But their words held truth and not deceit. It was actually more amazing in the fact on how open Damien was telling her that he more or less hated himself and was scared for others around him because he thought he was something toxic. But Hekmatyar just brought him into her fold without hesitation or even care about what he had done. The same was for Professor Amada when she picked her up off the street. They both truly believed that they both could make a brand new world.

If that was the case then she knew that just letting Valmet die would not bring back her mentor or get her back into the PLA. Her own country had abandoned her anyway. And Minami was right in telling her that if she kept holding onto her vengeance she would find herself trapped in an endless loop of violence until she would be killed or worse, end up like Damien. If he wasn't lucky enough to be picked up by Koko.

Still, it didn't make her feel any less annoyed.

"You won't be able just go to the nearest government building and start snooping around. Most of the time agents take all of their orders out of headquarters in Beijing. So they set up their own command centers with mobile means. The only issue with that is that they can set up shop anywhere they want. But the department your looking for would be the one that deals with domestic threats. It's similar to the United States' Department of Homeland Security."

Koko formed a slight smirk and Damien then began to relax. They managed to pull off getting Low to help them.

"From what happened they also had a transport chopper to extract the snatch team. The others were decoys and we didn't have time to figure out where they went so wherever they took her was probably out of the city. But what was strange was on how calm things were when we were moving along our escape route. I gotta hunch that someone tipped off Shanghai police to not get involved."

"Then that's were you need to start. Someone that would have considerable pull and be trustworthy enough to not report it to their superiors. Plus no matter what kind of clearance they have they can't fly a helicopter over a city without proper clearance or they would get shot down by the Air Force. I don't know how we could get their flight patterns though."

Koko then looked to her friend Minami. They were both sharing the same thought but the Professor was a little hesitant in the idea that Koko had.

"Damien. Karen. Can you both step out for a few moments please? I need to talk to Minami and Dr. Baburin."

"Sure."

"Doctor?"

"It's ok Karen. It'll be only for a moment."

After they had left, Minami and Elena knew what Koko had in store and it was a huge risk. Elena didn't know Koko as well as Minami did so her skepticism was prevalent.

"Koko I know what your thinking but we've only recently just begun to analyze and figure out the capabilities of Mr. Zhao's algorithm. Even if we tested it out right now on something low key, there's absolutely no guarantee that it'll work on an advanced encrypted system like the heavy duty firewalls most government facilities use."

"I have to agree with her Koko, it's way too soon and there's too many risks. Violating aviation laws is one thing but hacking into Chinese Intelligence? If we fail the US and even this Bookman guy who's been ghosting you will be the least of our concerns."

Koko sat up with her hands on her desk and leaned into the camera. Minami could see the beautiful ice blue eyes that Koko had, were suffering from lack of sleep and stress. With the bags under them as well as being bloodshot it made her look like she was suffering. But behind that mess was the spirit and determination of a woman she knew better than anyone.

"I told you that you are my best friend in the whole world Minami. Any time you wanted to go catch butterflies I dropped whatever I was doing and went. Not because I wanted to spend time with you but because we both dreamed of making the same thing."

Minami remembered that day, not too long after her eighteenth birthday. It was during her summer break from the California Institute of Technology taking an internship at the Marchen Company in South Africa at the time. Her genius level intellect and wizardry with robotics and computers let her enter the school when she was only sixteen. And within three years after graduating from Caltech she had furthered her knowledge and was a certified as a Professor from the Imperial College Facility of Engineering in London. She wanted to use her knowledge to achieve the goal she shared with her best friend Koko.

"The New World." She said lighting up her preferred brand with her torch.

"I've never once failed you Minami. And I'm not going to welcome the new world without Damien or Valmet. They're more precious to me than anything. I won't lose her or let him fall back into his well of despair."

Dr. Miami then let out a long blow of smoke. Dr. Baburin then understood why people were so loyal to Koko. She treated each of them like family, a feeling she herself did not feel for a very long time.

"So how do we make this work?" She asked.

"Call Karen back Minami. We need to formulate a plan."

1127 Hours

Changning District, Shanghai, China

I had managed to at least get some sleep for a few hours and even though I was still walking with a limp I had at least calmed down enough that I was ready to find Sophia as fast as we could. Koko had been running on fumes since last night but she still had enough coherence to explain the plan to us on how to track down Sophia before we made her get a nap in. We would have to take a subtle approach to this and most importantly, pray that we don't get caught.

We split the team into two parts, one would have the easier job of tracking the flight patterns of the chopper and the other would find, in Koko's words, "A way onto the dragons tail and ride with him to his nest." In simpler terms, find out who told Shanghai police to stay out of the MSS's business.

Our target was a police inspector that the intel guys at HCLI was a good start. I asked Koko if we were just going after random people, why not just grab someone and beat it out of them. But as much as I wanted to let whoever took Sophia know I was hunting for them Koko said that it's not a person we were after it was the system to find them. The premise seemed simple, just bug the man's phone, follow him back to his precinct and Koko and Minami would handle the rest. How in practice that they would actually do this though was a little confusing but what was important was that it was to make sure that the connection at the police precinct would stay as strong as possible. The method we were using was a wireless system and we didn't have much of a choice since we didn't have the equipment to make a direct tap into their system. Much less even just sneak in pretending we were there to fix the plumbing or some shit.

The cop we were tracking had just finished his lunch and he was about to head back to work. A few minutes prior though I had followed him into the restaurant he was eating at and picked his phone out of his coat pocket. I then had connected a receiver to it that was getting a data signal from Koko's laptop. She, Tojo and Ugo were parked outside waiting for me and they were still coordinating with Dr. Miami in South Africa via satellite call. Apparently whatever I was putting in the phone was coming from there.

"You almost done planting this digital bug? He's about to leave."

As I was whispering through my concealed earpiece Koko was working her magic from Ugo's car across the street. As I took a sip of tea I ordered while glancing out the window to the car I realized that this was the first legitimate form of what one would might call espionage. Granted that this was a little bit more fancy than field work as Green Beret but the practice was about the same. Only exception here though was that we were taking or doing what we needed. We didn't have the option of negotiation.

"Few more seconds and…done! Ok get out of there Damien."

"Got it."

After putting the gizmo in my jacket I put a few bills on the table I made my way over to the cop. I stopped right behind him and kneeled down as if I was tying my boot. It still hurt pretty bad from getting shot again so I had to power through it. But in reality I had put his phone up the sleeve of my jacket and let it slide out into my hand as if I was picking it up off the ground. Despite the events of the last twenty four hours I put on my friendliest face and gentlest voice. Hopefully he would buy the act of me being a good samaritan.

He did. And took his phone back without being too suspicious. Language barrier not included.

Albeit with a limp I made my way back to the car quicker than I should have. Even though I wanted to get out of the cold I still had to look innocent. It was just as cloudy and miserable as yesterday. Another front was scheduled to roll in that night. As I got into the front seat of the car the police officer then exited the tea house we were at and drove off. Koko then silently motioned Ugo for him to follow the cop.

1203 Hours

Traffic was slow and heavy getting to the precinct where this cop was. Not because of accidents or rush hour or anything but because that no one wanted to cause an accident on the slick winter streets. We let the cop enter his building and held off the hack for about thirty seconds, just so that Ugo could park and we didn't look suspicious. Electronic warfare on this level was out of my league and I had absolutely no idea of what Koko and Professor Amada were doing. I'm a combat soldier, not a hacker. She had worked wonders before, I just hope she could pull another one off.

"Ok Minami are you ready?" Koko asked her friend on the other side of the world.

"Not like I have a choice. Here we go."

Whatever kind of hacking computer nerd bullshit Dr. Miami was doing started. All we really had to do was wait.

"Holy crap its doing it. I'm already in their records for arrests being forwarded to magistrates!"

Which to my surprise wasn't very long.

I know for a fact tracking something simple like a phone call wasn't as time consuming as it was in the movies. It was almost instant. A little thing I learned when I was younger in Middle School. One of the student's parents was a CID agent. But I didn't expect it be that easy.

"Wrong place to look Minami. Look for any incoming communications from state officials within the last three days. If you can see if it came from Bureau Number Two. "

"Ok gimme a second…" The actual time was four seconds. "I think I found something. Bingo! An encrypted call from Beijing came in two days ago when you guys were getting settled in. And according to the time you told me when they raided the hotel, the same channel had made a call to the chief of police fifteen minutes before that happened. It's gotta be them."

"Can you trace the signal without being detected?"

"Yes. Now that I know what uplink line to look for, all I need is access to the internet. Which I have plenty of!" The doctor said with her usual chipper self.

"Alright I'll call you back later. Get us out of here Ugo." She said hanging up her phone and shutting down her laptop.

"Roger that."

We now had our lead on finding Sophia. But we were racing against a clock that we didn't know how much time we had left. I would never be able to live with myself if I failed at this. There's a limit to how much emotional pain a man can endure.

I then winced. It was real annoying where I got hit this time, I looked like an old man every time I reacted to it. Since the wound on my hip it didn't help it was being prodded by the seat belt buckle. While I was gritting my teeth to unbuckle the seat belt I sort of threw it off as it retracted back hitting the window with an aggressive smack against the glass, scratching it. I knew everyone was staring at me after that, I still needed to work on getting my anger under control.

But as I put some pressure on where I was hit recently, I saw two arms in a white coat wrap around me from the back seat. Koko poking her head up to me from my left. Just being near her always did calm me.

"When I find them. They're all yours."

While it sounded like she was simply giving me instructions. The subtext was that she was the hound leading me, the hunter, to its quarry.

"They'll have to count the pieces or wipe up the stains when I'm through with them."

1420 Hours

Xishan District

She had now begun to go past thirty six hours with no sleep or rest. Throughout the night and well into the following afternoon she had been made to forcibly stay awake. This was implemented through pain that ranged from beatings from either fists or blunt objects to shocks to her body such as being doused in ice water or prods from the tasers they had. This would only be the beginning of her punishment until they moved her to Beijing where she would face her final judgement.

Covered with cut's and bruises, some visible and others not from under her torn clothes, Kang was actually impressed by after all of that she still held her composure like stone. And with a hawk like stare of what normally a hardened combat soldier would maintain if they were captured by the enemy. Normally such training was taught to special forces types and he knew from her file that Velmer was not one of them. The Mechanized Jager's were capable in their own right but the last time their entire defense force was to show the best of their capabilities was during the Winter War against the Soviets over 70 years ago. It also didn't help that they were a defense force period. By many of the worlds other militaries, world powers especially, who could operate far beyond their own borders they were often seen as inferior in combat until proven otherwise.

"There some reason behind this crap? Because it's starting to become annoying."

The animalistic snarl and piercing stare of a single gold eye did little to intimidate the agent of the MSS. But he decided to humor her, seeing that he would probably never see her again after she would be handed off to his superiors.

"Originally I wanted to ask why you did what you did but on the level of carnage that you wrought, it doesn't matter now. At this point we'll take no chances. Now it was simply a matter of testing your limits because I don't want you causing trouble for us. It seems as though your employer has been through more than her fair share of war zones. And not all of them are in areas of actual conflict."

"Then if you know anything about Koko then you know for a fact she won't take your little stunt lightly."

Kang was not the only one there making sure their new guest behaved herself. The only female agent, Xue, and his gunner from his helicopter, Chin, was with him as well. Kang was proud to earn the position he did by being an effective leader. But for what his subordinates did during missions he could care less as long as whatever objective was given to him was accomplished. His duty and loyalty were to his country. An example was when Chin balled up his fist and backhanded the former Finnish Major with a crack of knuckle to jaw.

Valmet just smirked at him as blood poured from her already split lip.

"Heh. Soft hands. Every one of you."

Kang let out a frustrated sigh. "Chin, that's enough. We're not interrogating the lady so don't bother."

The stocky gunner paused and then immediately stepped behind his superior. Sensing another opening, Valmet decided to take a page out of Damien's book.

"Pretty obedient. Did you teach him not to piss in your shoes too?" She said with a smirk.

A enraged look then came over Chin's face and then aggressively made his way towards Valmet while muttering a few obscenities in Chinese. But he didn't make two steps before Kang turned into his path, put his hand on his face, and swept his legs out from under him while pushing him down to the metal floor in one consecutive move.

"Dang wo shuo goule, wo de yisi jiu zugoule." He said with grit but kept his look neutral.

(When I say enough, I mean enough.)

The man looking up from the floor had gotten the point and didn't argue. His other lieutenant shaking her head in disappointment.

"Shi de xiansheng."

(Yes, sir.)

He then stood up and looked at his number three as Chin dusted himself off.

"Xue, da dianhua gei Nanjing. Women rang tamen fei dao zheli lai jie ta yidan ta zai jidi women jiu hui bat dai hui zongbu."

(Xue, make a call to Nanking. We'll have them fly out here to pick her up and once she's at the base we'll fly her back to headquarters.)

"Shi de xiansheng. Wo hui rang Shen Shangxiao zhidao. Suiran tamen keneng xuyao ji ge xiaoshi."

(Yes sir. I'll let Colonel Shen know. Might take a few hours for them though.)

"Meiguanxi." He then turned to her. "Ta zoulu de shi yige siqu de nuren."

(It doesn't matter. She's a dead woman walking.)

As the three of them left, Valmet knew that from what Xue was talking about on her phone that they were about to move her and more importantly where. There was a Chinese military base near the city of Nanjing. If they took her there, not even Koko would be able to get her back. Seemingly exhausted from the beatings for enjoyment on top of being forced to stay awake, her options of escaping had now dwindled down to just one. It wasn't one she wanted to do but she wouldn't be made a prisoner to the nation of the man who murdered her unit. She unlocked the world with Koko's help and she would stay free no matter what the price.

Knowing that her time was growing short, she calmed herself to try and make peace with the life that she had lived. Up until her unit's massacre in Africa, it was quite happy and fulfilling. The days when she and her brother got into snowball fights in Finland's long winters. Her mother cheering her on when she was on her schools track team. Her father giving her the biggest hug she ever felt when she graduated officers school. But then she realized that that was just bitter sweet memories now. With what she had done in her life, she'd never be able to face her family again without the crushing feeling of guilt of just up and leaving one day without anyone knowing.

I know you said it wasn't my fault father. But I still failed on a colossal scale and I blamed the world for it because no one wanted to help me when I was at my lowest.

It was during that time that one woman, or girl at the time, entered her life and it began to turn around. So much so that it turned into an adventure of epic proportions. Traveling around the world with a arms dealer and despite being in constant conflict and danger, it was more than fun. She made a new family, new memories, and walked her own path on her own terms. But she didn't expect that out of the blue one day a man, and from reputation alone, a rather dangerous and merciless one to be someone that would win over her heart. When they first met in Prague, her immediate thought was "Who the fuck is this pretty boy meathead?" But of course her thoughts on him changed when she found out his reputation. He didn't care who he worked for as long as he was properly compensated and nobody knew where he was. Making his own decisions on whether or not he would agree to completely fulfill the terms of a deal or contract. How vicious he was to those that stabbed him in the back, both literally and figuratively. He probably knew but she kept a closer eye on him than the rest of the crew in case if he did any of those things. But then when he followed her to Africa, she found out who he really was. Mentally distraught, hopelessly lost, totally alone, fearful of his own potential, an utterly broken soul. With the weight of all of that he kept moving forward trying to find some way to right all he had done wrong. She found boundless admiration in that and respect for abilities as a soldier. But what she found funny though was that he told her that she was far superior to him even with all his strength and determination. Despite him being so bold that he took the chance to steal a kiss from her.

I will miss you Damien. I wish I could apologize for acting like a jealous bitch but you held up your promise to not let me turn into you. But I need to ask one more thing from you. Please take care of Koko. She'll make sure you don't spend the rest of your life doing nothing but fighting and killing. You didn't deserve what fate decided to throw at you. It wasn't fair.

Before she finally passed out from exhaustion, she thought of one of Damien's rare smiles and his impossibly blue eyes that could rival Koko's.