Episode Eight
First Strike
Just as Bryce had said, the dragon task force showed up in the town police station, and Tyler went to work replicating from his Transporter Buffers Assault Rifles and combat shields. For simplicity and uniformity, he replicated his own BR77A2 CAR for the Runners; Fliers got surveillance gear that would allow them to keep an eye on enemy positions at the camp from the air; for the Earth Dragons, including Bryce, Tyler had to get creative, but came up with an improvised combat armor comprised of a Nano-Kevlar Armorweave suit with a reinforced Titanium-A plating. Everyone got Combat shields. Tyler educated the task force on the weapons, armor, and shields, as well as the nature of the enemy they'd be facing. He left no doubt - Majestic Twelve would not give this up willingly. They would not go down without a fight. And it was possible, even with all the equipment provided, that some of them wouldn't be going home. They all understood. They knew the risks. And they were still willing to fight this threat.
Under Tyler's banner. He never pictured himself a squad leader, let alone the one spearheading this assault. But looking on the faces of those now under his command... Tyler felt confident. Fearless. He would not back down. In the centuries leading up to now, he never had. Not once. And now, as then, he moved out to take the fight to his enemy. But this time... this time, he would do this right.
The trip was quiet - the Runners were very adept of moving unheard. Several times, he felt they were not there. They followed Daniel's directions, quietly creeping up on the MJ12 encampment. Just as reported, it was active - fliers radioed that there were sentries patrolling the perimeter, but strangely, several spots were not covered. Tyler wondered if they were that undisciplined... or if they did that intentionally. Either way, he opted to do a stealth approach, neutralize the approaches that were covered by sentries, just on the off-chance that the approaches not covered were booby-trapped. Tyler personally took one approach, and crept on it slowly. His Kevlar boots made no sound on the soft dirt as he made his way toward one of the sentries. The poor bastard - a pale-skinned human - made not indication he was aware of Tyler. Tyler didn't have a suppressor attached, so he knew if he fired a shot, that would alert others nearby. But he had the Force. And he decided to use it. He made a quick check to ensure no one was nearby that would see this man, and then delved into the Force, grabbing hold of the man's head, and twisted with a quick motion of his hand. The man's neck was snapped without a sound - at least not one loud enough to alert others - and Tyler caught the man's fall and dragged him into the bushes. He covered the body with foliage, and continued his approach. The other dragons fed info on enemy positions, and other Runners were silently silencing the sentries, making an approach to the camp itself. The camp was situated in a clearing in the woods - and a rather large one, at that. A makeshift command center sat at the center of the encampment; a communications dish north of that, a munitions dump to the west; east sat a mess hall constructed with logs from adjacent trees - amazing no one ever heard it when it was constructed; and south sat a structure serving an unknown purpose. Fliers were unable to get a direct look at the camp, on account of Tyler's orders not to be seen by enemy personnel on the ground. But Tyler, on reaching the camp, noticed it was short on personnel - nowhere near enough to defend a camp this size. Something was definitely off.
"All units, hold position," he whispered into his radio. A series of double-clicks acknowledged his order. He then opened a line to Bryce. "Bryce, you seeing this?"
Bryce, whom Tyler had placed monitoring his armor cam, acknowledged. "Affirmative - enemy presence is way too light. This may not be their primary base of operations."
"Suggestions, mister Horgus?" asked Taylor, one of the Earth Dragons.
"Stand by - I'm gonna go in for a closer look," Tyler stated, formulating a plan. He remembered he had a personal cloaking device in his gauntlet, one he used for stealth ops. He quickly activated it, and moved into the camp. Still moving quietly, he moved first for the munitions dump, where on slipping past the sentries in the camp, he got a surprise - the dump was surprisingly empty.
"The hell...? What were these bastards planning on using against us, harsh language?" Bryce's voice asked in Tyler's ear.
"Hell if I know," Tyler whispered.
"Make for the comms dish - maybe we can determine who they were talking to," Bryce suggested. Tyler complied, and moved for the Comms array, taking care to avoid the sentries in the camp. Again, Tyler noted the enemy presence was surprisingly light for a camp this size - and with a near-empty munitions dump, it begged the question: did they think so little of the Dragons' combat capabilities, or were they pulling out? Tyler made it to the communications dish, and found it unguarded. Acting quickly, Tyler plugged his gauntlet in, and was able to access the comms, where he got hit with another surprise: the logs had been wiped.
"Enemy comms are blank - they must have been wiped before we got here," Tyler reported.
"Which means either they knew we were coming, or they were bugging out. Either way, it's not good," Taylor commented. Empty weapons cache. Light personnel presence. And now wiped communication logs. Something was going on here. Tyler headed for the command center, and like nearly everywhere else, he found it empty - but not just of personnel; nearly everything that would be present in a command center was gone. And the empty shelves that remained looked like everything had been removed in a hurry. Tables were moved, chairs overturned - someone left in a hurry. Tyler spotted a datapad, discarded in a tub of water, with a line of text burned into the otherwise blank screen: "L/P: WSIMONS/DAMOCLES" Tyler frowned, and suspected this to be a login and password, but to what? Tyler remembered the building that served no discernible purpose. Could it be that some answers lay in there? Tyler was about to exit when Bryce signaled again:
"Dammit, where the hell iseverybody?"
"Few that are left are goose-stepping around outside or having chow. Got one last place I want to check out before pulling the plug on this camp," Tyler said as he exited the tent. He then made for that unknown building, finding it unguarded - and the door was left open. Bad sign. But the Force did not tell him there was danger there. Just something he needed to find. He entered the building, and found something he was not expecting to see: A device, with seven pads top and bottom, arrayed neatly in a circle. The pads glowed a soft white, and the nearby computer was active.
A Transporter Pad. Tyler approached the computer panel, and saw it required a login. He remembered the datapad, and entered "WSIMONS" in the login space and "DAMOCLES" in the password. The computer chewed on that a split second before giving Tyler new text. The most of the logs had been erased - but Tyler caught a break on this one; the computer kept logging the transporter usage, and from it, Tyler was able to determine that this transporter was used to transport a large amount of personnel and material to another location in the sewers beneath a city near the center of the continent. "Got it!" Tyler proclaimed quietly. "Bryce, MJ12 bugged out of here - took everything they could with them, but the computer kept logging where they sent their stuff - I'm downloading the logs."
"Copy - what should we do with the MJ12 personnel and equipment?" Bryce asked.
"Capture whatever equipment you can - any personnel puts up a fight, kill them. Those that don't, detain. We'll let the council deal with them," Tyler responded.
"What do you intend to do?" inquired another of the Earth Dragons, David.
"Soon as I have the logs downloaded, gonna get MJ12's attention, draw their fire; have the Runners attack from their rear flank," Tyler requested.
"Copy - Runners, take positions," Taylor ordered. Tyler finished downloading the logs, and moved outside the building. And waiting for him in the doorway was one of those gray-skinned Men In Black. The MIB hesitated, evidently having trouble seeing Tyler, and Tyler immediately raised his weapon and put a burst in the man's face. He dropped like a rock, and Tyler took cover - but the attack never came. It was as though the sentries were unaware one of their officers just died. Tyler dragged the MIB's body inside, then exited the building, and instead of avoiding sentries, he quietly killed them, one after the other, until he got to the general area of the mess hall. Nearby were some metal crates - that would be his cover. He snagged a frag grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it to the mess hall - right as the troops were leaving. The grenade bounced once, landed between two soldiers, and detonated with a reverberant BLAM! The blast sent two flying, and Tyler opened fire on the soldiers. The MJ12 troops came flooding out of the woodwork, and several got nailed by Tyler's automatic fire. These must have been greenhorns, as they seemed to have zero combat experience; half of them retreated inside the mess hall, and half of what remained got drilled as the runner dragons came in from behind. The half that survived the initial onset of the attack made a break for the munitions dump, but got cut off by Tyler and the Earth Dragons. Several died resisting, and the others surrendered; the forces that retreated into the mess hall fought among themselves, but eventually ousted and killed the die-hard MJ12 Loyalists and surrendered. When all was said and done, there were nearly two dozen MJ12 casualties. The dragons took no casualties, thanks to the equipment provided by Tyler. Tyler returned to the Dragon Command Unit, and he downloaded the data he'd gathered into the computer. As he did this, Bryce came in.
"I have to admit - I thought for sure we'd take a few hits, send some of the boys and girls home in boxes," he said. "You really got us a crushing victory."
"Hardly," Tyler sighed. "The presence in that camp was far too light for its size - according to the transporter logs, most of the personnel and material was beamed to another location before we got there."
"So you're thinking they knew we were coming?" Bryce surmised.
"It would not surprise me," Tyler said. "But even if they didn't know, something prompted them to evacuate." The computer beeped and Tyler disconnected his gauntlet from the computer and began going over the data. "According to this, they beamed to a location in some sewers beneath the city at the center of the continent."
"Gorinth City," Bryce said. "That place has a vast and complex sewer system - but it was abandoned once newer water reclamation and waste disposal systems were devised. Ever since, that sewer has been a haven for clandestine activity."
"Sounds right up Majestic Twelve's alley," Tyler sighed.
"What was it you said that MJ12 used to get there?" Bryce asked.
"Transporter," Tyler answered. "Teleports personnel and material from one place to another. I previously did not realize they had that kind of tech." Tyler paused to scoff. "My girlfriend would go nuts trying to reverse-engineer that thing if she saw it..."
Bryce chuckled. "I bet she would," he agreed. "Thank god she isn't here."
"Regardless, I imagine I'll need to report this to the council," Tyler said.
"Yes, they would be eager to know how this operation went," Bryce sighed, "But I imagine our work is only just beginning."
"If you're gonna report to the council, sir, I already have them on video call," reported a runner.
"Patch them through, please," Tyler requested. The runner typed in a few commands, and the council appeared on the screen.
"Commander Horgus... how did the operation go?" Emera spoke first.
"Operation was a success - no dragon casualties. There is, however, another problem," Tyler reported.
"How so?" Emera asked.
"The bulk of the MJ12 forces escaped via a transporter before we arrived; transporter logs pinpoint their destination at the sewers beneath Gorinth City," Tyler reported. "Most of the material at the camp was moved last night, and the bulk of their personnel evacuated this morning."
"They left?" Alice queried. "Was there any indication they knew you were coming?"
"Unknown," Tyler answered. "All we know is they bugged out before we got there. Some of their personnel were still there, and a number of them were captured in the aftermath of the battle."
"You're not gonna object if we interrogate them, are you?" Emera asked.
"I was hoping you'd take the initiative," Tyler admitted. "More intel we can get out of those we captured, better off we'll be."
"My sentiments, exactly," Emera agreed. "Bryce, take our forces and escort the captured MJ12 troops to the holding facility - keep them separate from any other criminals. Get whatever information you can out of them, and report to the council. Clear?"
"Crystal, Minister," Bryce responded, before leaving. Emera then returned her attention to Tyler.
"Consider me impressed, Tyler - you not only survived the operation, but gained a crushing victory against MJ12," she told Tyler.
"To be frank, Minister, this was hardly a crushing victory; the enemy basically left those troops behind to die. This was hardly a test of my combat capabilities; I suspect future engagements will not be so simple. And fighting MJ12 troops in enclosed corridors like sewers presents its own problems," Tyler explained.
"The fact you know these things suggests to me you'd be the perfect man to lead this fight. You have good instincts, keen combat skills... and clearly superior equipment," Alice told Tyler.
"Honestly, I'm using equipment I either salvaged, or created via the Force. Superior to MJ12 equipment? Debatable. But MJ12 will throw more than a few surprises at us, trust me," Tyler said. "I've fought them for centuries, remember? I know how they operate - yet even they pull new ones on me."
"You still are the perfect candidate to lead this fight. Regardless, while we wait for the interrogations, I imagine there's a certain young lady who would be thrilled to know you survived the battle," Emera said, clearly knowing Tyler would get the implication. Tyler nodded.
"Of course, Minister," he said.
"We'll be in touch," Emera stated, before the video call ended. Tyler smiled, and headed for the production facility...
{{{{{ }}}}}
Ever since Tyler had left with Bryce in the morning, Anna couldn't help but be worried sick about him. She couldn't stop thinking about him - and it was beginning to show. She could hardly focus on her work, she seemed visibly distracted, and a bit jumpy. This was evident when Damion walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Anna?" he spoke. This was enough to startle her, and she jumped with an audible gasp.
"Please don't do that again!" Anna requested.
"Sorry," Damion apologized. "But you seem a bit distracted today. Is everything alright? Are you and Tyler okay?"
"No, we're fine - Tyler... he just..." Anna stammered. She sighed, agitated, then continued, "I'm not sure I'm at liberty to say what he's doing."
"Maybe not, but it's public knowledge that a Majestic Twelve camp was located," Damion said. "What does-? Did Tyler go there?" Anna didn't verbally respond, but nodded. "Anna, listen to me - Tyler knows the risks. He knows what he's doing. He's fought MJ12 for centuries - I'm sure he'll come out on top."
"I know - I just can't help but worry about him," Anna responded. "I love him so much... I don't want to lose him."
"There's nothing wrong with worrying about the man you love - it's only natural," Damion assured her. "Have faith, Anna - he'll be alright."
Anna thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "You're right - he's been through worse than this," she said. She returned to her work, and for some time, had no idea how much time had passed. Next distraction came when a pair of hands covered her eyes. "Really, Damion, I'm-" Anna stopped midsentence when she realized Damion didn't have hands this soft.
"Guess who," came a voice Anna knew all too well. She turned around and saw Tyler standing there grinning.
"Tyler!" she squealed in delight as she threw her arms around him in a hearty embrace. Tyler gripped her tightly. "Did you get the bastards?" Anna asked when she released him.
"No, the bastards bugged out before we got there - transporter tech," Tyler said. "According to the logs, they headed for the Gorinth City Sewers."
"The Gorinth Sewers?" Damion repeated. "You're sure of that?"
Tyler looked to Damion. "Yeah," he affirmed, "Why? Know something?"
"Yeah - my cousin used to work the sewers," Damion said. "Give me ten minutes, I can get you a map of the entire system. Runs all underneath the city."
"Sure, go ahead," Tyler said, clearly taken aback. Damion went for his phone, then made his call. While he did, Anna bumped Tyler.
"You okay, hon?" she asked.
"I'll be fine, baby - just a bit taken aback that your coworker would have access to something tactically useful in this situation," Tyler responded. "A map of those sewers would really come in handy."
"Quite ironic, that a dragon that once insulted you would have something you would need," Anna chuckled.
"Yeah," Tyler chuckled with her.
"... Oh, you did? Where? ... You're sure? Alright, thanks, Tom. Let's not wait till the new year for the next get-together, huh?" Damion said into his phone, shortly before hanging up. "Well, Tyler, you're in luck - my cousin Tom left the map at my house."
"Should we tell Bryce or Maverick?" Anna asked.
"They're probably busy with the interrogations of the MJ12 troops we captured at that camp - we should get it ourselves," Tyler stated.
Anna looked to Damion. "Can you give us the map?" she inquired.
"Definitely - I want MJ12 gone almost as much as your boyfriend does," Damion said as he rose from his seat and shed his lab coat. He placed the coat on the back of his chair and started for the door. Tyler and Anna both followed, and followed Damion to his apartment. When they got there, Damion invited them in. "Make yourselves comfy - I'll get the map," he told them. He went off to one room, leaving Anna and Tyler alone in the foyer. Looking around, Anna saw the walls covered in numerous awards and trophy plaques.
"Who knew Damion was so accomplished?" Anna commented.
"Looks like your apartment," Tyler said.
"You can see why I resented you, Anna," Damion said from the room he was in. "It was like all those were meaningless next to you."
"I'm sorry," Anna apologized.
"Eh, it's all in the past - we work together, now; you, me, and Tyler," Damion said as he emerged from the room with a large, neatly-folded piece of paper under his wing-arm. "And we've, I think, become friends. Quite amusing, considering how we started." He presented the paper to Tyler. "The map. Shows the whole sewer complex."
"Thank you, Damion. When this is over, I'll see to it you are recognized for this. Without it, our forces likely would be running around the sewers for god-only-knows how long, and give MJ12 the opportunity to give us the middle finger as they get away," Tyler thanked Damion.
"Hopefully, between this map and Bryce's interrogations, we can pinpoint the exact location of MJ12's base," Anna added. "Thank you, Damion - this really helps."
Damion smiled. "That means a lot, coming from you," he told her. He looked to Tyler. "I don't know how you managed to change her, but I'm glad you did. Regardless, you two better get this to Bryce."
"And we will - again, thank you, Damion," Tyler said as he and Anna headed for the door. As they headed for the police station, Anna spoke to Tyler:
"Tyler... I want you to know, whether you survive this or not... I consider myself honored to be yours. I always have been, and shall always ever be, your true love."
Tyler stopped and turned to face Anna. "I know, Anna - and I will always love you. But I'll survive this," he told her. He ran a hand over her cheek. "I promise. I'm coming home to you. You and I are gonna live - we're gonna see the day we get married, and have a life together."
"Always the optimist, aren't you, Tyler?" Anna chuckled. Tyler chuckled with her, and they shared a tender kiss. Anna felt assured, warm, and happy. She believed Tyler when he made his promise.
He would come home to her, one way or the other...