'John! Scott's not here!'
John could hear the panic in Kayo's voice, and his fingers flew even as he answered her with a possible solution.
'The camera, Kayo!'
She gasped. Of course! Maybe they could get a trace still…she held up her hand and the small aerial popped out as she grasped the tiny wire.
While she was waiting Kayo watched Penny treating Gordon. He'd been badly beaten and had an obviously broken arm at the very least. He wasn't coherent but at least he was conscious.
'I got them!'
John's shout made everyone jump, and as Virgil bustled in with a stretcher, Kayo rushed out and into Shadow.
'Kayo, the co-ordinates indicate a building of offices that closed a couple of years ago. There is still some heavy shielding in place so I have no ideas of life signs.'
'FAB John.'
'Penny and Parker will be along shortly. I will meet you there.'
'John?'
'I'm already on my way. We don't know how many you'll be facing, and I'll be damned if I let you go in alone. EOS is working on circumventing the shielding and Five is almost in place.'
'If you're sure, John.'
'I'm sure. I'll be there the same time you will. Five out.'
Sure enough, as Kayo parked Shadow on the roof of a building a short distance away she could see the elevator descending onto the rooftop next to hers. John exited and flicked a salute her way, and they met on the street.
'Ready?'
'Ready.'
They were almost to the building when EOS spoke to them.
'John, I have broken through the shielding. There are six life signs inside. Four are spaced around the building, two are in a room on the first floor.'
'Have you eyes on anyone?'
'Yes. Scott is in the room with the one other man. John – you need to hurry!'
Cursing, the two broke out into a run. The door was no object to two hurtling bodies, and Kayo took on the first thug as John ducked out of the way and ran to his brother, EOS directing him so he could miss the other three men.
He could hear yelling before he was even close to the room, none of which sounded like Scott, and he sped up.
A gunshot made him falter only for a second before bursting in, the momentum causing him to barrel into the man. The gun skidded across the floor as they fell in a heap.
Scott's heart was in his mouth as he watched. The gun had skidded out in front of him, but he couldn't reach it with his ankles bound to the chair. He couldn't move, couldn't help, and frustration rose, threatening to choke him, but he kept quiet. Scott knew he couldn't distract John.
They got to their feet at the same time. John was half the size of the man in front of him, and the man looked him up and down before chuckling. He cracked his knuckles.
'And just what do you think you'll be able to do? A scrawny kid like you?'
John raised his eyebrows. He took a deep breath and stilled his heart. He might not be muscular like Virgil, or military like Scott and Gordon, but he knew how to fight, Kayo and Scott had seen to that.
The raising of his eyebrows seemed to be a trigger, and the man charged. He was surprised when John danced out of his way and used an elbow to propel the man into the wall behind him. Unfortunately, it put him on the wrong side of the room.
For a second John thought the man was going to go for Scott, or the gun, but he picked himself up and charged John again. John couldn't get out of the way quick enough to avoid the punch to his side and he collapsed on the ground at Scott's feet. He sat up shakily, scooting back against his brother's legs.
The man towered over them, manic grin plastered on his face.
'What is it about you lot? I wanted a little bit of information. Anyone else would have caved. Yet you, Commander, you sat there and let me beat your brother. Your brother, despite being beaten, was defiant. That rescue screamed military coordination. And that string bean at your feet – even he is as…obstinate and as uncooperative as the rest of you.'
He stepped back and felt behind him, fishing another gun out of his jacket that was hanging on the wall. He gestured to John, and he stood up, making sure that he was in front of Scott.
'Just who are you people?'
The man didn't get any further.
Kayo just made it to the door as two gunshots rang out in quick succession. Dreading what she would find, she rushed in, only to pull up short.
John was stood in front of Scott, an absolutely ferocious expression on his face. In John's hand was a gun. On the floor in front of him was the man who had to be the mastermind behind all of this
He was crumpled in a heap, bleeding from his hand and his leg. Staring in shock at the ginger-haired man before him.
'Who are we?' John spat. 'We're Tracy's. Remember the name, because we are not done with you.'
