Striker/Spriggan: Unknown Object
By: Ominae
Rating: T
NOTE:
All characters of Striker/Spriggan are under the copyright of Hiroshi Takashige, Ryoji Minagawa and FROM Software. All other characters are under my jurisdiction
Summary:
A look at Mark Sy's past as a Center and Spriggan agent. During a routine "check" into the networks of the Trident Corporation, ARCAM uncovers a plan by Trident scientists to create some prototype Armored Machine Suits for the company's clandestine operatives in making them more powerful than before. Can they prevent Trident from mass-producing these suits before it's curtains for the ARCAM Corporation? A Spriggan story.
Disclaimer: This chapter's in homage to rx79guntank's Chapter 6 in "The Solitary Trooper" for he seemed to have some good paced action, though I tend to think I'm better than him as I'm more familiar with firearms and special operations forces, who knows. Maybe you readers should ask him. Hope to see more of your updates in the future, dude!
Chapter 1: Discovery
2000
Runway, Auckland Intertional Airport, Auckland, New Zealand
After the defeat of Umbrella's various paramilitary corps. back in New Zealand, ARCAM went back to rebuild most of its facilities in the forests of New Zealand as they were being mindful of their recent security lapses when the US Armored Corp. and the COSMOS unit infiltrated ARCAM's Japanese branch twice. With the board of directors at work in trying to figure out how their facilities can be better protected from attacks by national militaries or paramilitary forces, they have another thing coming up soon to prevent future attacks against them.
Mark "Hiryu" Sy, one of ARCAM's most prized Striker operatives, had checked a calendar prior to boarding an ARCAM Airlines Boeing 747 in Auckland International Airport back to Manila with some of the others in tow before they would head back to their respective countries.
"It's January 17 right now." murmured Mark, noting that he needed to get back home and do some homework with his brother as well. He was fortunate to be alone in Manila as his parents are foreign investors who had to work in San Francisco for Citibank.
"Good thing I'm luck ma and pa are in the US." grinned the Filipino operative, which was the last words he said before entering the 747 with the other Strikers with him.
2001
Corridor, Clovers Heavy Industries Hong Kong, 76th Floor, Central Plaza, Wan Chai, Hong Kong SAR, China
It was 9 in the evening as the Central Plaza building in Hong Kong's Central district was closed for the night. Most of Hong Kong have settled themselves into the confines of their homes, but others had other "important" things to do for the rest of the night.
"January 24, huh?" A security guard from the Trident Corporation's private security forces whistled to himself while he did a routine patrol on the Central Plaza's 76th floor, looking at a calendar tacked on the wall of the security room before he left his post to do his said job. Essentially, all the last three floors of the Central Plaza were purchased by Clovers Heavy Industries, providing a means for Trident to illegally conduct their operations in the former British crown colony, though the Campbell Company and Takasumi Zaibatsu have their branches in Hong Kong too. As a standing protocol, Trident's own security forces are responsible for maintaining security on establishments owned and controlled by the three corporate companies and not by private security firms in Hong Kong, mainly for operational and security reasons.
Stopping to make a routine check on the cubicles found in the floor's main area, he failed to notice someone trying to sneak up on him using the shadows as a means of protection. When the guard noticed, his first instinct was to grab his standard Sig Sauer P228 from his holster. He, instead, swiftly turned around and saw no one when he used his flashlight to check the area where he thought a perp might have been.
"That's a relief." The guard wiped some sweat off his brow, trickling down from the cover of his Trident Corporation olive green beret. Unfortunately for him, two strong hands tightly gripped his neck and hands from his rear, which made him drop his flashlight.
"Urk!" The guard tried to wrestle free from his captor's grip, trying to reach for his holstered Sig Sauer P228. His captor, being the first to think ahead of the situation, snapped his neck quietly before the Trident security guard could try to subdue him instead of the other way around.
The man began to drag his body into a supply closet, disposing of his body covertly before closing the door. "That look long enough." murmured the man, who massaged his neck after silently hiding the body.
"Jean!" A female shouted from the enclosed offices of the Clover Heavy Industries' deserted 76th floor. "Get your butt in here!"
"Coming, madame!" grinned Jean, whipping his ponytail behind him before entering the room. At work inside was Hong Kong-based Striker Riza Wong, who had her GIAT FAMAS G2 Commando assault rifle slinged on her back. She fidgeted a bit on her ARCAM Armored Muscle Suit before typing a few commands on the office room's single computer.
"Any luck?" Jean leaned on the wall, crossing his arms on his chest and leaning his back on the wall while being careful with his Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun.
"I don't know." replied the female, who brushed her black ponytail behind her. "Using a salaryman's computer to gain access to the Clover Heavy Industries R&D division is sure taking a long time." Why can't Mark or Michael come with me on this mission instead of Jean? She bit her lip while using the computer to check for the said information.
A loud knock came from outside the office, revealing Australian Striker Timothy Wells, Egyptian Striker Jamal Hassan and Japanese Striker Tatsuki Otsuki. All three of them had their ARCAM Armored Muscle Suits on with their vests on with the exception of Timothy as he wore a black Web-Tex Tactical Vest on him with the rest of his tactical gear on.
"We took care of those nosy guards from the two floors above us." quipped Timothy, pointing to the dark corridor behind them. "But I heard more Trident Corporation reinforcements are coming in from the floors below."
Jean didn't like the sound of his tone. "How will they get here?"
Jamal offered to answer him, "Must have been dispatched from either the Campbell Company and Takasumi Zaibatsu branches somewhere in the Hong Kong area. I overheard the radio transmission from the radio extenders of the dead guards when we were trying to dispose of them quietly."
"We'd better hurry." Riza furiously entered a few more commands onto the computer. "Okay, I'm getting some files on some secret files that seemed to be zipped." She took out a blank Zip disk from her Arktis 1606 Sigma Vest and inserted it into the Iomega Zip drive, working on getting the files inside the zip disk.
Otsuki, who was standing near the door with Jamal and Timothy, had the unnerving feeling to unsling his Beretta SCP 70/90 assault rifle at his right shoulder, but decided to wait in order to see if they can get through the entire mission without firing a single shot. Everything was going smoothly as Riza was about to hit the command that would allow her to view data from the Clovers Heavy Industries' Hong Kong R&D Division from the salaryman's computer.
Then, some gunshots rang out of the 76th floor, ending Takashi's speculation on a covert operation.
"Okay!" Riza ejected the zip disk sucessfully after the computer prompted her to remove the said disk. Replacing it in a safe vest pocket and booting the computer to shut down, she unslinged her GIAT FAMAS G2 assault rifle and got ready for action.
Trident commandos rushed inside from the main entrance on the left side of the building, decked with Heckler and Koch MP5A3 submachine guns, Steyr AUG P carbines and their ALICE web gear. Opening the lights, they began to flood the entire 76th floor with the sound of 9mm and 5.56 NATO bullets. Timothy automatically fired his IMI Galil AR at some of the Trident guards, killing them with potent 7.62 NATO bullets. The building's triangular plan gave the Trident forces an initial advantage over the Strikers.
"Let's go! Let's go!" Jamal and Jean assisted Timothy by pumping out 12 gauge shells from their Franchi SPAS-12 and RDI Protecta shotguns, scoring 3 Trident guards each for one of their shells.
Otsuki and Riza went ahead to open a path for them after they got out of the office area, entering the floor's elevator lobby area from the office's right side. As the two approached the elevator lobby, scores of Trident guards emerged from the safety of sofas, the reception desk and the pillars in front of two surprised Strikers in a massive show of force. The two stunned Strikers were then forced to head back inside the office for cover.
"Dammit!" Otsuki growled at the thought of being cornered. "Trident sure got here fast!"
"Tell me about it!" yelled Riza, who emerged out of the office door frame briefly to lay down suppressive fire with her GIAT FAMAS G2 Commando at the Trident security guards.
Otsuki copied Riza's movements and unloaded his Beretta SCP 70/90 assault rifle at the guards, killing some of them who were unable to get to cover. Riza, who crouched on the carpeted floor, reached out for a M67 grenade clipped on her vest. Removing the safety pin, she tossed it towards the reception desk. In minutes, the M67 exploded, killing most of them while some were critically injured with shrapnels on their bodies.
The two Strikers casually walked towards the fire escape door, taking a few minutes to execute the surviving Trident guards, gasping for breath while feeling pain from the shrapnel of the detonated M67, by aiming the barrels of their rifles at their heads. The crack sounds of their rifles briefly echoed throughout the elevator lobby before Jean, Jamal and Timothy appeared in the area.
"We've managed to hold off the guards, but more are coming!" warned Timothy, who kept firing his IMI Galil AR at two Trident guards armed with Steyr AUG P carbines after emerging from the same door that the Strikers had escaped from.
Otsuki and Jamal ran ahead, approaching the fire escape door after entering the right corridor that lead to the said fire escape door. Jamal opened it and checked the stairway with his Reutech Protecta shotgun, making sure it was clear. He gave a thumbs up to Oshiki, indicating the path was clear.
"All clear!" Otsuki followed him, but stayed behind to make sure no Trident guards were climbing the stairway. Jean, Timothy and Riza were inside the stairway when the French Striker lobbed another M67 grenade after taking off its safety pin as he noticed some stragglers coming near them as some survivors were able to escape from the initial attack when Timothy, Jamal and Jean delayed them for a few minutes to let Riza and Otsuki escape. Aiming carefully, Otsuki fired a short burst from his Beretta SCP 70/90 at the grenade before it landed on the tiled floor, making an explosion that took out another squad of Trident Corporation guards with it.
Jean tapped his shoulder, "Let's go!" Nodding at him, Otsuki raised the Beretta SCP 70/90 and rushed with Jean towards the rooftop of the Central Plaza.
Rooftop, Central Plaza, Wan Chai, Hong Kong SAR, China
An ARCAM Corporation Sikorsky S-70-27 helicopter began to make a landing on the Central Plaza's rooftop when the Strikers got the rooftop door open. Jamal, who was the first to arrive near the descending chopper as he ran first, got the door of the chopper open, getting inside first before assisting Timothy to get inside with Jean following. Oshiki and Riza stayed behind to cover their backs.
"Thank goodness that it got here!" shouted Jean, wanting to get out of the Central Plaza's roof before it's too late.
The rooftop door bursted open behind them, leading to scores of Trident guards as they took aim at the escaping Strikers.
Damn! thought Riza and Jamal, not wanting to stick around to fight off another horde of Trident Corporation security guards.
"Shit!" murmured Jean. "Don't these guys ever give up?" He fired his Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun at them, with no result due to distance problems.
"Grenade!" shouted Timothy; he and Otsuki removed the pins of their M67 grenades and lobbed a couple of them at the approaching Trident forces after quickly zipping their Armored Muscle Suits to activate the suit's artificial muscles, exploding after making impact with the cemented ground to take out a certain number of them when the grenades ripped through their ranks. The guards didn't have time to react to the grenades after it was hurled to them.
Riza, who was about to get on the chopper, fired the rest of her GIAT FAMAS G2 Commando's magazine at the Trident guards, killing some of them before hearing a clicking sound from her gun. She hastily reloaded her weapon after hearing her magazine go empty.
"Move aside!" Timothy brandished a Milkor MK-140 automatic grenade launcher from the S-70-27's cabin and aimed its Aimpoint Comp ML3 red dot sight at the rest of the approaching Trident guards by lobbing deadly HE 40mm grenades at them. The Strikers watched the 40mm grenades make short work of the Trident security guards before the smoke cleared, showing a few survivors from the remaining from the original 20 or so guards that arrived in Central Plaza. All were armed with either Heckler and Koch MP5A3 submachine guns or Steyr AUG P carbines.
"Crap!" Riza fired a short burst from her GIAT FAMAS G2 Commando, taking some of the guards out before Timothy and Oshiki offered support by firing their own rifles at them, watching the guards drop dead despite firing their weapons. One of them made a reaction of being shot before falling to the ground, firing wild shots from his Steyr AUG P carbine while another did the same with his Hekcler and Koch MP5A3.
After making visual confirmation that the guards were dead, Riza and Otsuki got on the Sikorsky S-70-27 helicopter and closed its cabin door. Timothy told the chopper pilot to get off the helipad, telling them that the mission was complete. Jamal, through the cabin door's window, saw one of guards unloading his Glock 17 at the chopper before collapsing on the ground. It failed as all of the bullets missed by the time the chopper got completely airborne from Central Plaza's helipad.
Cabin, ARCAM Sikorsky S-70-27
"You guys were lucky." grinned the choper pilot, who had a Cantonese accent as he told the assembled group in English. "We've got some radio transmissions that police and ambulances are coming to Central Plaza."
"Any Ang Chias (Red Vehicles)?" asked Riza in Cantonese, inquiring about the status of any fire engines.
The pilot shook his hand, replying back in Cantonese. "None. Squad cars are going to cordon the streets surrounding Central Plaza first, based from the radio transmissions."
"Good." Timothy leaned his head against the chopper's frame, exhausted. "Guess we can go back to HQ now."
"By the way," began Otsuki, asking the pilots. "Is the security chief going to see us?"
"Don't know." The co-pilot began to work on the chopper's GPS (Global Positioning System), making sure that they're on their way back to ARCAM's Hong Kong headquarters, located a few miles in the northern area of Central. "I think he's in a party or some sort of meeting."
"Hm." mumbled Jean, turning to Riza. "Where'd you learn to say Ang Chia?"
"That?" Riza bit her lip again. "From Mark."
"Heh, the teacher has been getting some students, eh?" chuckled Jamal, nodding his head at her. Riza could only blush in embarrassment.
Oshiki raised a question to the group, "Riza, what exactly did you find in the computer before we have to left in gunfire?"
"Let's see..." Riza tapped her chin, thinking about what she found. "I remember!" She snapped her fingers, able to figure out what Otsuki was talking about.
"And that is?" Timothy raised a questioning eyebrow at his Hong Kong comrade.
"Something about a prototype armor." Riza adjusted her ponytail. "Trident's suppose to develop it in a few days from now. From reading the text file, it said that they had to do it ASAP."
Jean huffed, "Hope the guys back out there are doing okay." He cradled his Franchi SPAS-12 as the chopper flew over the Central airspace.
Nadaman, Island Shangri-La, Central, Hong Kong SAR, China
Inside the hotel's Japanese restaurant, two men were conversing inside from the Nadaman's semi-booth area dressed in business suits. One of them was Chairman Yamamoto of ARCAM Japan, who was chatting with another associate of his, who had neat black hair.
"So I've been hearing that Trident's been making their move around Hong Kong, Yeo." said Yamamoto, beginning their conversation.
"Yes," nodded Yeo Ching Hua, ARCAM Hong Kong's security chief who had a renowned career as a constable in the former Royal Hong Kong Police Force before retiring from the force with the rank of Senior Superintendent and was subsequently recruited by ARCAM Hong Kong to serve as the branch's security chief. He adjusted his eyeglasses on its bridge. "We've heard that Clovers Heavy Industries have moved their field of operations from the Kowloon area to Central in order to operate efficiently according to some of our business sources."
"This is bad." Yamamoto shook his hand while drinking his green tea. "The board of directors have noted this serious threat to us. I wonder how some of us are going to explain this. I wish the chairman would have been here." Yamamoto, after landing in Hong Kong, learned that the chairman of ARCAM's Hong Kong branch was hospitalized for chest problems at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Lai Chi Kok. The security chief had assumed temporary responsibilities to lead Striker operations involving the Hong Kong branch's operatives based in Hong Kong itself while the President assumed temporary executive responsibilities of the branch.
"Don't worry. Some of the Strikers that we've sent out a while ago have infiltrated their offices as they haven't opened yet." The man glanced at his wristwatch. "They should have reported by now."
"Let's hope so for our sake, Yeo." He refilled his green tea, a bit nervous on whether the Strikers had gone a good job. I knew I should have sent Yu and Tea to support the guys in the Hong Kong operation. If only HQ would have listened to my recommendations on those two.
Suddenly, Yeo's Nokia 8210 cellphone rang out from his coat pocket. Taking the phone, he answered it after covering his mouth with his left hand.
"Yes, it's me!"
"Sir!" said someone from the other line. "The Strikers have made it back to headquarters."
Yeo nodded at hearing the news, "And the data?"
"They've got it with them, sir. Some of our staff who volunteered to stay overtime are checking the zip disk for the data they extracted from the Central Plaza operation. The zip disk used for the said operation is intact. No corrupt data is present."
"Good. I'll head back there shortly with Yamamoto." He then ended his call and replaced the cellphone back at his coat.
"What is it?" Yamamoto had his chopsticks diving towards some sushi. "Is it good news?"
"Indeed." Yeo took his own chopsticks and dipped his Mirugai (Clam) sashimi on his sauce dish filled with soy sauce and wasabi. "Apparently, they were able to obtain the data from Central Plaza."
"And casualties?"
Yeo shrugged, "I don't know about that. We'll have to see for ourselves."
The two ARCAM executives decided to finish off the rest of their dinner before heading back to the ARCAM Hong Kong branch building to see the Strikers who had returned from their Central Plaza operation.
Passenger Lounge, Hong Kong BAC, Chek Lap Kok International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, Lantau, Hong Kong SAR, China
From within the confines of the BAC (Business Aviation Centre) in the safe haven of the Chek Lap Kok International Airport, a middle-aged man sat in the passenger lounge with a group of executives, waiting for their private jets to be ready.
Hopefully all operations in Clovers would be okay in time for the opening.
Scratching his mustache, the American executive was about to open his Diet Coke can when he heard his Nokia 8250 rang on the lamp table beside him.
"This better be good!" snarled the man, wanting to hear some good news.
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, Mr. Markson." said the caller, swallowing some saliva. "But we weren't able to recover the said data from our Central Plaza office."
"WHAT?" Larry Markson wanted to shout at him, but decided to whisper at him instead while keeping a tempered mood down. "I thought I told you to make sure this is under wrap."
"We did, Mr. Markson." insisted the caller. "But most of our security forces dispatched to Central Plaza were killed on sight. Some were even executed with shrapnel wounds on them. We were able to keep this event quiet from the Hong Kong Police and the Hong Kong Security Bureau. We've also dispatched some of our agents in the various Hong Kong news media outlets to keep the events quiet."
Those accursed Strikers... Larry scolded the caller on his phone. "Do you know that the data could surely give us some trouble if ARCAM were to find out about our latest research project?"
"Yes, I do."
Larry sighed, he couldn't do anything as the evening continued to dawn on him since the Strikers have already raided their Clover Heavy Industries office. "Make sure our branches increase their security so as to prevent a repeat of this from happening again."
"Understood, sir."
Shutting off his phone, the American Trident executive slapped his hand on his face, remembering the many methods he tried to use to dispose of the Strikers from using Bowman, Yu's ex-knife instructor from COSMOS to Jean's estranged father, Rick Bordeau to subdue ARCAM's Striker agents. I have to do something before those damn Strikers attempt to attack our branches and extract more information about our latest prototypes
He needed to do something about the situation, something that he could do in order to give ARCAM a disadvantage. Reaching to his Nokia 8250 again, he dialed a series of numbers and waited for the caller to answer.
"Mr. Markson." began the caller, a bit stunned to hear him on the line. "What can I do for you?"
Larry grinned before answering, "Assemble the officers at once. I want Akatsuki, Hedgehog, Dary, Jack and Sidewinder to be in my office after I get back from Hong Kong."
"At once, sir. I'll relay the message to our units at once."
The mustached man grinned and chuckled, shutting his cellphone off and had a little surprise ready for ARCAM and its Strikers.
Do I have a surprise for you, ARCAM. Your trump cards will regret the day you cross with the Trident Corporation.
Chapter 1 END
Notes/Terms:
Ang Chia - Red Vehicle in Hokkien. This is the literal meaning.
Central Plaza - One of the tallest buildings in the Central District of Hong Kong. Holds several known business firms such as Chevron, ExxonMobil and Sun Microsystems.
HE - High Explosive. Used in grenades and tank bullets mostly to maximize its killing potential against enemy personnel.
Milkor MK-140 - American-made auto grenade launcher that can accomodate other types of less lethal 40mm ammunition like tear gas and concussion. Has a Picatinny railing too.
Sikorsky S-70-27 - is the chopper primarily used in the Hong Kong territories as it's the export version of the Sikorsky S-70. Made similarly to the Black Hawk
To know more about the other Spriggans/Strikers, check Elite Force.
