Before we start reading Choose Your Side today, lets take a moment to say something.
I know it's late, but…
Never forget. 9/11Now, on with chapter nine.
Thanks for the couple of reviews, those few folk that review my chapters anymore, it seems. LondonVixen and Shadows have offended, if I recall correctly. Your reviews are wonderful to read, especially when no-one else reviews.
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Orithian walked over to the shooting range. Selene had offered to show the men around the mansion briefly, after the mission was carefully planned. Orithian stared at the shooting range. "Where's the target?" Selene smirked, and pressed a button. A panel opened, and a bust was raised.
"You shoot at Beethoven?" Orithian asked incredulously.
"I suppose you people just shoot at bulls' eyes," Selene said. She aimed her pistol and fired several rounds. Liquid silver oozed from Beethoven's eyes and nose. Orithian took out his magnum and fired once. The upper half of Beethoven's head suddenly exploded. He fired again. The remainder of the bust disintegrated. Selene didn't move for a moment.
"You still have hearing ability after using that weapon?" Selene asked mildly. Orithian gave her a slightly mean look.
"In fact, I do," Orithian said. "A powerful weapon makes the job easier." He glanced at his watch. "I'd say it's time to go. See you in an hour." He headed to the hummer. Steel and Eversman followed. Orithian glanced back at Eversman. "Call Garrison. Tell him to get the men ready, have them gear up," He said. Eversman did so. Orithian revved the very fuel efficient hummer, going slightly faster than comfort would allow. Steel tapped him on the shoulder.
"Mind slowing down before the flaming fireball part comes up?" Steel said.
"No." He slowed down. By two mph. Eversman spoke. "Okay, they are gearing up. You will be briefing them. I also told him to get those pilots to the airfield." Orithian pulled up in front if the garage entrance. He exited swiftly. Just as his hand touched the keypad, a voice spoke. "Gimme your wallet or die." Orithian looked at him. It was a mugger pointing a .22 at his head. Orithian batted the gun away, then pulled his new pistol out. BANG BANG! The mugger was on the ground. Orithian coolly started typing the code in. The mugger gasped for air. Orithian glanced over, saw him moving, then casually finished him off with one round to the head.
Steel stepped out of the car. "Taking out some stress?" he asked, staring at the corpse.
Orithian finished typing the code in. "He tried to mug me, and threatened me with lethal force. Under Parabellum code, I am charged with the duty to kill muggers." He glanced at the body. "Leave him."
"And let some kid discover a dead body?" Steel said. Eversman got out the car and walked inside the base.
"It's a full moon. A lycan will eat him and be happy for the meal," Orithian said. He pulled the car. Garrison met him before he could get to his room for his equipment.
"Orithian! Get to briefing room 6A now!" Garrison said. "I'll be in the back. The pilots have the Hueys ready to go at the airfield." Orithian combed his hair as he went down the stairs, and strode into the briefing room, looking fully confident.
"All right men, we have mission to do," Orithian said, tapping the a button on a remote. The screen behind him changed to a 3d map of the target building. "This is the target building. A old hotel, abandoned."
"Two teams. Team one goes in by chopper, team two by hummer." Small, animated hueys and hummers approached and soldiers deployed. "Four men with heavy weapons from team one will remain on the roof and hold the landing zone. The helicopters and hummers will leave as soon as you are deployed." The tiny vehicles left when Orithian tapped the remote. "Team one will work their way down, searching for the prisoners. Team two will secure the first floor, and the eight guardians of team two will go into the sewers and join the death dealers at this point. The others will work their way up, securing as they go.
"The mission is over when all the nine prisoners are found. Extraction is the roof. Get up there, signal, and a chopper will come. However, it is a fifteen floor building, so hopefully you won't have to evac until the mission is over. Get in and out ASAP. Any questions?" Orithian said.
"How many lycans in the target area, sir?" A soldier asked. Orithian took a breath.
"Thermal scanning suggests possibly thirty to forty, maybe more." There was quiet whispering.
"These are pictures of the captured men," Orithian said, "Study them." The screen behind him started flashing their pictures. Orithian went to his room and put on combat gear. Large, study boots, the bottoms lined with kevlar to help stop bullets from below. The pans were a black, camouflage patter made to distort the wearers outline in battle. After his shirt went the body armor, level four, made to be very lightweight, while stopping assault rifle rounds. The gloves were nomex/kevlar, bulletproof. If shot in the hand, the glove would not keep it from being shattered, but would keep it in one piece. The tactical vest held multiple pouches for ammo and such. Orithian selected silver 5.56 rounds. Into the pistol pouch went the magnum. Out of his closet came the silenced SC-20K, a very advanced weapon. The 5.56 round is used gave it the same power and range of the M16, while it also had multiple attachments that could be put on. Also, it was nearly silent. The shotgun attachment, which fired 12 gauge shotgun rounds, the sniper attachment, which fired 20 millimeter armor-piercing rounds, and the launcher, which fired smoke grenades, and non-lethal gas grenades. All attachments went into his pack. In a holster on his lower leg went a large knife, with a 10" silver-steel blade. Orithian opened a small box and took out silver grenades. Four went onto his belt. Lastly, he put a nine-millimeter USP handgun in a thigh holster. It was loaded with Ultraviolete emitting rounds. Very powerful, emitting UVC, the harmful radiation that the ozone layer blocked out. He didn't plan to fight vampires, but one should always be prepared.
Orithian went to the garage. Their were five hummers ready to go. Orithian got in Strueker's hummer. "You go to go, sir?" Strueker asked.
"You know it," Orithian said. And not late either. Orithian glanced at his watch. In exactly two minutes the rest of the hummers were loaded. The door opened, and the convoy sped down the road. Orithian looked out the window, and could barely make out in the night sky, three Hueys. The men were silent as they proceeded. Orithian stared out the window. Strueker showed no signs of being worried. Figures. Orithian thought. He's taking this hummer back to base. The houses he was passing were filled with sleeping people, resting safely, unafraid of the monsters of the night. That was why Orithian did it. To protect.
Orithian's cell phone rang. The other soldiers glanced at him. He fumbled for it, getting it on the third ring. The cool voice of Selene was in his ear.
"Are you ready?" She asked calmly. What did she have to fear? Only a stake through the heart or UV bullet could kill her.
"Go." Orithian said simply. She hung up. The hummers turned the corner, and there was the target building. Orithian took the safety off his SC-20K and set it to semi-auto. The hummer pulled to a perfect stop in front of the building.
"Adios." Strueker said. Godspeed, it meant literally. Orithian nodded, and opened the car door. The other men, Luis and Steel, jumped out as well. About 12 other men rushed over. Orithian could hear the distant ring gunfire coming from the roof, as the Hueys flew off. Luis ran forward to the locked doors and slapped a explosive to the lock. The men flattened to the walls of the building. "Boom." Luis said softly in his Spanish accent, and pressed a little red button. The doors exploded inwards. The men moved in.
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The ending will involve Viktor, yes, but I think they flopped with the vampires. Viktor was an angry old guy. In this story, he will be what nightmares and legends are made of.
PLEASE REVIEW!