Chapter 3: Birds

09:22 AM (Arizona Time), Sunday July the 21st…

"… Stop pacing up and down…"

"Force me to! Bitch…"

"You were saying? The coyotes were howling…"

"You're not funny!"

"A warden isn't meant to be…"

"Whatever. You'll soon become Swiss cheese…"

"I'm SO afraid… No. 128…"

A woman inmate fumed as she paced up and down a prison yard.

She was in her early 30s.

She had orange hair and blue irises.

She wore an orange inmate uniform.

A woman warden stood behind a security fence, annoyed.

The inmate tried to intimidate the warden, but she ignored her.

"The killer whale will mince you to pieces!"

"Please. How is a killer whale going to come to the middle of Arizona?"

"By growing wings!"

"Sure, sure…"

"Don't believe me? Ask the Russkies!"

"What does Sharo have to do with anything, anyway?"

"Their killer whales can fly!"

"Making a parody of Jaws or what?"

"Ask your lover, Warden Smithson!"

"Very innovative. Are you really the exec of a huge organization…?"

The warden was becoming skeptical.

"Or a scammer that pretended to be that?"

"Neither! I am a Queen! The Ice Queen of the Japanese underground!"

"Dear. Should've become a thriller novelist…"

"Boast while you can! Lapdog of the White House!"

"Sure, sure…"

"Olga will come throw you into the Hudson River!"

"Please. There's at least 2500 miles from here to NYC…"

"Really. Thought that this was the Bronx!"

"Very funny…"

The sound of chopper blades became audible, increasing in intensity.

"Choppers? Here? In the middle of nowhere?" The warden wondered.

"This is the KA-60! The Kassatka! The killer whales!"

"What in the…!?"

Two KA-60 choppers hovered over the prison complex.

The doors opened and grenades rained down.

They detonated in mid-air, scattering shrapnel.

"Chaff grenades!?" The warden gasped.

"Your radios and short-range transmissions are disabled!"

Rappelling ropes were flung out.

Women soldiers using black powered suits dropped to the ground.

"Move, move!"

A squad of eight of them surrounded the inmate.

"The Mighty Ice Queen, correct?" One of them asked her.

"Correct!"

The warden was already running back towards the building's doors.

Alarms were ringing out.

Missiles were shot towards the spotlights of the perimeter towers.

Several hit the communication system atop the central tower.

"This will make them unable to report what happened at once…"

"Wonderful!"

"Anything that needs retrieval?"

"Nothing!"

"Good. Deploy the canisters!"

One of the choppers dropped huge canisters.

They landed on the rooftop.

Some soldiers connected them to the air inlets and outlets.

"Sleeping gas. It'll help buy time…"

"Wonderful!"

"This is Team C. We damaged the main gates, too…"

"The wardens become inmates!" The inmate laughed.

"Allow me…"

"Go ahead…"

One of the soldiers attached a belt with a wire to her waist.

"We'll pull you towards the chopper…"

"OK!"

"Pull!"

The wire was reeled in and the inmate lifted.

Two soldiers helped her step inside of the chopper.

"Please sit here and buckle the seatbelt…"

"Naturally!"

She sat on a seat and buckled the seatbelt.

The other soldiers were also retrieved.

"We confirm destruction of all vehicles, too…"

"Good. This has become an island surrounded by arid lands!"

"A call from the contractor. I will patch it…"

She was handed a radio receiver.

"It has been a while, milady. Glad that the operation was successful…"

"Same over here. Those fools couldn't see it coming!"

"I did retrieve Mr. Izono from Point B, too…"

"Great!"

"You will be shipped to an airfield that we own…"

"And switch vehicles there?"

"Correct…"

"Fine. Don't tell me your location yet, to be safe…"

"Naturally…"

The choppers flew away.

"Worry not. We are using radar jammers, too…"

"A feint operation is going on elsewhere, keeping them busy…"

"Good. Show those cowboys that they aren't invincible…"

"Delighted…"

The call ended and the soldier replaced the receiver.

Another one opened a cooler box and handed her a bottle of water.

"Thanks!"

She opened it and drank some of it.

"I missed a real cold drink. What they had there but lukewarm!"

"We will be at our destination in 15 minutes…"

"OK!"

"Here is the daily newspaper…"

"Almost like a VIP seat in a plane!" She laughed.

"We are used to VIP escort jobs…"

"Wonderful! He sure knows where to find the best of the best…"

"We are honored…"

She hummed as she went over the newspaper.

The other soldiers were coordinating using laptops and radios.

"The feint operation is successful. Their planes are destroyed…"

"Good. Remember the protocol…"

"Yes, Captain!"

"What about Point F?"

"Detonated and burning, as planned…"

"Good. That warehouse was of no use to us anymore, anyway…"

"Roger, Captain!"

"Have the ground team ready for evacuation, too…"

The inmate merely smirked and kept reading the newspapers…

09:51 AM (Arizona Time)…

"… Here we are. Prepare for descent…"

"Track is clear. We can descend…"

"Roger. Descend!"

The chopper extended its landing gear.

It slowly descended until it landed on an airfield.

A huge hangar building stood before it.

The doors were open.

"The Point B Team is arriving, too…"

"Good. Punctual, indeed…"

Another two choppers descended.

The doors opened, and the soldiers jumped out.

A man inmate also climbed down from one of them.

He was also in his early 30s.

He had black hair and brown eye irises.

"Milady. It has been a long time…" He greeted her.

"Sure, Marco. No hitches over there, either?"

"Nothing. All was smoothly…"

"Great. Our acquaintance always hires the best of the best…"

"It took time, but I had my payback on that stupid, bossy warden!"

"Same over here…"

"This way, please…"

"Roger!"

They followed two soldiers across the airfield.

There was an open hangar which had a "buggy" inside.

"It will drive you to the next destination…"

"Great!"

"But, before that…"

She signaled mobile toilet boxes.

"There are clothes changes there. Janitor uniforms…"

"True. Driving around in inmate clothes isn't smart…"

"There will be snacks and drinks in the car. A driver, too…"

"All is covered to the detail. As expected, my gals!"

"Naturally. We leave nothing unaccounted for…"

"Great!"

Both headed for the boxes and locked the doors from the inside.

The soldier walked over to the car.

A driver was already waiting inside.

"Did you perform all checks?"

"Yes, ma'am. Tire pressure, oil levels, brake fluids… All is green…"

"Fuel tank is also full, I take it…"

"Naturally…"

"Excellent. You know the instructions…"

"Yes, ma'am…"

"Good driving…"

"Thanks, ma'am…"

The two inmates emerged, having changed into grey uniforms.

They also had caps.

"Worry not. The old clothes go straight to the incinerator…"

"Wonderful!"

"And the stalls to the trash compactor…"

"Brilliant!"

The driver ignited the car.

"It's about 4 hours from here to the destination…"

"Understood. Will take a nap!"

"We will make a pause every 1h to stretch legs…"

"And to confirm that all goes smoothly?"

"Exactly. One can never be careful enough…"

"Agreed. Handle it…"

"Roger that…"

"Good trip, ladies and gentlemen…"

"Thanks. I will make sure to tell your employer that you were great…"

"We are honored…"

The duo climbed into the car.

It drove away from the base.

The choppers had changed their design.

They were being stored in the hangers.

"Holographic skin system… Twilight's idea, I take it…" The woman giggled.

"That will throw off any pesky cowboys…" The man chuckled.

"I shall play some music…"

"Go ahead…"

The driver turned on the radio and the music began to play.

"We are headed for the Pacific. Puerto Peñasco, Mexico…"

"Wonderful. There'll be burritos?" She laughed.

"If that is your desire…"

"Sorry. No need to take me literally!"

"Understood…"

The accomplice rolled his eyes, slightly exasperated.

"Now, my man! No need to be so defeatist…"

"That carefree attitude is what led to our state…!" He whispered.

"Fine. We'll argue it later…"

"By the way! What about the frontier crossing?"

"No concerns. Another team has silently taken control of it…"

"And they will consider our passports to be authentic!"

"It's a minor outpost. Was not a major issue…"

"Bribes and lies must be the daily routine there…" The man guessed.

"Exactly…"

"They will be more concerned with who'll be the scapegoat…"

The woman smirked.

"Washington never changes. Always seeking a scapegoat…"

"Truly, milady…" The man chuckled.

"I don't recommend opening windows…"

"Because most of the route is desert?" The man deduced.

"Exactly…"

"Alright. Let's leave it up to the professionals…"

"By the way, Marco… Did the polo eat the pole?"

"I fail to find the correlation between each other. As always!"

"As stiff as always!"

"It's about being serious. Which you seem to lack…"

"… We'll argue it when we arrive at the final destination…"

She fumed and crossed her arms.

"Alright. But don't say that I didn't warn you, milady…"

"On the news… An Air Force airbase in Las Vegas was attacked by…"

Both looked over at the radio.

"An unknown attacker which inflicted major damages…"

"Naturally. They don't want to admit that…"

"A merc force that they aren't aware of is flying around undetected…"

"Insofar, a group named "Blood for Freedom" has claimed authorship…"

"Excellent. Let there be rivers of blood…"

"A protest is already happening in the city itself…"

"As expected of our buddy. The follow-up is perfect…"

"Claiming that the governor was accepting bribes from terrorists…"

"The TV stations will soon bite the bait, too…"

"They are hounds to the carrion, after all…"

"The White House is yet to make a statement…"

"Slower than turtles, as always!"

"Some claim that this group comes from southern Texas…"

"Excellent. Let them dig up the sands in vain…"

"The real fun is yet to begin…"

"Truly!"

14:44 PM (Arizona Time)…

"… Finally! The ocean!"

"All was smooth, truly…"

"I will take you to the port. A boat is waiting for you…"

"Excellent…"

The car drove across the streets of a city.

It reached the port area.

A sailor stood next to a fishing boat.

He was waving the right hand.

The car stopped next to the sailor.

"Pepe of the fishing boat El Mariscal, right?" He asked in Spanish.

"Sure! That's me!"

"Did the codfish bite the shrimps?"

"Sure. They're annoying!"

"Did the seagulls bite the eels?"

"No. They're too sneaky!"

"Did the lobsters drive out the starfish?"

"As always!"

"… All passwords have matched. One last check…"

He opened a case which a fingerprint drawn on the right side.

There was a section which had ink on it.

"Press the thumb finger here. Must compare fingerprint…"

"OK!"

The sailor did as he was told.

The driver pulled up the glass.

He examined both fingerprints.

He nodded with approval.

"This wasn't previously agreed. So even if someone replaced him…"

"They'd fail the fingerprint test…" The man deduced.

He lowered the glass again.

"All is OK. Have this…"

He drew an envelope and handed it over to the sailor.

"Open it once you set sail…"

"Roger, Boss…"

"Excellent service. May we have a name, Mr. Driver?"

"John…"

"I'll tell your boss that you performed like a real professional!"

"It's an honor, ladies and gentlemen…"

The two passengers climbed down.

The car drove away.

"This way, please…"

They climbed into the fishing boat.

"Miguel! Time to set sail!"

"OK!"

Another sailor undid the ropes.

He lifted the anchor, too.

Pepe turned on the engine.

The boat recoiled.

It then turned to the right and headed for the ocean.

The coast began to recede.

Pepe opened the envelope.

"… The cargo ship Marcelina that's 30 miles SSE of here…"

He walked to the cabin and checked the map.

"Near the Isla San Jorge…"

He nodded in understanding.

"The captain of the ship already knows the arrangements…"

He steered the ship in that direction.

"You can rest in the quarters. It'll be an hour or so…"

"OK!"

Both climbed below the deck and entered a room.

There were four bulk beds and a cupboard.

"It's several steps, but it makes tracking harder for them!"

"I don't argue, milady. It works as a lesson…"

"What lesson?"

"That one must always be wary of everything!"

"Fine, fine!"

"Don't cry at me if something goes wrong again…"

"You're so defeatist…"

"Realistic is the word…"

"Whatever…"

"What do we do about Regal?"

"Good point…"

She crossed her arms.

"Not like he's useful for anything at this point…"

"And dared to try to eliminate me, too!" The man argued.

"I know. Guess that we need to ice him…"

"Before he comes up with something to annoy us…"

"We'll tell our buddy once we meet him…"

"Yes. Let's allow him to handle it…"

"If he can stage this huge operation, that must be very easy!"

"Hopefully! But Regal isn't stupid, either…"

"True. Maybe he'll see us coming…!"

"We know that he has some agents, too…"

"Guess that Twilight needs to figure them out…"

"Or try to lure them out…"

"Fine. We'll talk it with them…"

She drew a folded page of the newspaper that she'd pocketed.

"Was on the mist of the crosswords!"

"Alright. I'll take a nap…"

"Suit yourself, Marco Polo!"

He ignored the nickname and stretched on the bed.

"Wait, fools. Anaya Maria and Izono Marco are back…!"

Anaya giggled as she solved the crosswords.

"… This one's easy, too!"

There was a knock.

"Yes?"

"Do you need water or food?" Pepe asked.

"We're fine, thanks!"

"Alright. Will warn you when we're about to arrive…"

"OK!"

Anaya resumed solving the crosswords.

She stopped for a moment as she struggled with one of them.

"… I know! It's Athena! The Greek goddess of victory!"

She wrote it down.

"Perfect. Everything matches!"

She folded the page and pocketed it again.

She held back a yawn.

"Must stay awake until we reach the destination…"

She exited the cabin and entered the bathroom.

She opened the faucet and washed her face with it.

She looked up and looked at the mirror's reflection.

"… Maybe I need a new haircut…"

She washed her hands, too, and hummed a tune.

"… Snake Eater…"

She became amused.

"I'd really wish to siphon their energy to become immortal!"

She shrugged.

"Kidding. That must be so boring!"

She exited the bathroom.

"Eager to meet up with our pal…!"