Chapter 178 -- LFN Storyboard 2

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Date Posted: 21:23:08 09/06/08 Sat
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-2-61.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.2.61
Subject: Chapter 178
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons - continued" on 05:02:56 08/10/08 Sun

Chapter 178(V)

�Birkoff ... I have Nikita.�

�Check. Do you need a support team?�

�Not unless the zone is dirty. Scan until we've reached the egress area.�

�Will do ...�

Carrying Nikita up the stairs Michael paused before opening the door into the corridor that lead back to the tunnel and their safe egress. If he was able to retrace his route they would be out of the monastery before any of the triad knew that Nikita had been rescued.

Safe in Michael�s arms, Nikita was starting to feel better and it was all because Michael was here. He gave her the strength to do what ever was necessary to escape. The very fact that she was released from her bonds was having a positive effect on her mentally and physically too. She dug deep within herself and mustered all the inner strength her Section training had given her, knowing that if they were to exit safely she would need to be alert.

Gently he lowered her to the floor. Looking left then right Michael made sure that the passageway was clear. The corridor was deserted except for the two dead guards he had taken out just moments ago.

�All right, Michael, you're clear. Proceed to egress.�

He tenderly looked at Nikita. He noticed that she had bucked up a lot since they had come up the stairs. �Can you walk by yourself?�

Reassuring him that she was capable of walking unaided, Nikita replied, �I�m all right Michael.�

�Good ... let�s go. We've got to get out of here.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Karen Ho was seated in a winged chair near the parlour fire and looked up when she heard the door open. Andy Koo burst through the door first and was quickly followed by Wang Yu who had an enigmatic smile on his face.

�Good evening gentlemen ... I see you are pleased to see me back.�

As the two men approached where she was sitting, Andy Koo fired a flurry of questions at her. �Karen ... are you okay? How did Michael Samuelle manage to kidnap you? Did he hurt you? How did you get here?�

�Andy! Stop! Enough questions ... we have more pressing problems.�

�What problems?�

�Firstly Michael has penetrated the security of the monastery ... and second he is somewhere in this building ... I suspect that he may already have found the torture room and rescued Nikita.�

�That may be so but they have to make it out first .... I doubt if they are capable of that,� Andy replied confident in his security guards being diligent.

�Michael made his way in without detention why wouldn�t he make it out too?�

�He is outnumbered ... there is no way we won�t discover their movements ... it is only a matter of time,� was his smug reply.

�Do you think so?�

�I know so ... security is tight inside the monastery ... Their capture is a �faite accomplie� They cannot hide from our security forces and still make their way out undetected. We will eliminate them both.�

Karen looked Andy in the eye. Although confident in his faith of their triad members to capture and eliminate Michael Samuelle and Nikita, she still had matter for concern. �There is one other problem.�

�What?�

�We need him alive.�

Surprised at her statement, he wondered why Karen was hesitant to eliminate the couple given what they had inflicted on the Rising Dragons over the last couple of months. �Why?�

�Mr Samuelle placed an isotope to my hands ... I need the extracting agent or I will die.�

�Oh!�

�My hands are already starting to peel ... next I�ll loose feeling in my arms. This is no joking matter Andy ... and Wang ... what are you so pleased about? ... You haven�t wiped that smile off your face since you came into the room.�

�I�m happy that you are safe of course.� He looked directly at her, �We will get the antidote before anything serous happens as well.�

�Thank you.�

�But more importantly ... Mr Samuelle is the key to making Nikita talk.�

�Explain.�

�If we capture Michael and use our ... persuasive techniques .... then I�m sure she will divulge the information we want.�

�Yes ... Once that happens ... then we can eliminate the two of them and I can get the extracting agent.�

�Exactly ... Problems solved.�

�I agree. Where is Mr Samuelle now then Andy?�

�Well ... I ... don�t have his ... exact location yet ... but we will soon,� he stammered.

�We must work swiftly in that case ... Check the security monitors ... Let�s see if my theory is correct and he has found Nikita. If so we will give him time to rescue her. We�ll throw up a few obstacles ... Unfortunately we will have to sacrifice a few men ... but we must let Michael Samuelle think that they have been able to getaway ... then we�ll surprise them.�

�Your father would be very proud.�

�Thank you Wang.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Despite her answer, Michael placed one arm around Nikita�s waist in support as the two operatives entered into the passageway. With his gun at the ready, they moved carefully through the hallway and turned left before coming to the stairwell just up ahead of them. Michael again checked to see if all was clear but as he did so, suddenly Nikita moved next to him and he felt her pulling the gun out of the waistband of his mission pants. She fired over his shoulder just as a triad guard materialized behind him. The guard aimed his weapon and was about to fire at Michael but before he could get a shot off Nikita felled him.

Michael spun around to see the man fall and topple down the stairs. However, another guard suddenly appeared next to the hit guard and shot back before Michael or Nikita were able to engage again. Michael fell to the floor but was able to get another shot off, hitting the shooter. Yet another guard entered through a nearby door. Michael rolled to the left and fired killing the man while Nikita shot yet another triad guard that had entered into the fray.

Getting up, he surreptitiously clenched his arm. Michael rubbed the graze and looked away not wanting Nikita to see that he was injured.

However, she did see what he�d done and she rushed forward. �Michael you�ve been shot.�

Taking his hand away he saw the blood on his fingers. Not wanting to alarm her realising it was only a flesh wound he answered. �It�s nothing ... Let�s go.�

Although still weak, Nikita kept her gun drawn, holding it at the ready and covering Michael�s back as they began to descend down the stairs. As she went to step over a fallen guard a hand grabbed her foot knocking her off balance. Nikita struggled against his grip but she found the inner strength she needed. Stepping on his hand with her boot, she reached down and slugged him in the face, knocking him out. At the same time Michael turned back when he heard Nikita�s soft gasp. He immediately opened fire with his silencer killing the assailant. The guard�s hand fell away from Nikita�s foot and he lay lifeless on the stairwell.

Annoyed because of obvious flawed Intel Michael cautioned. �Birkoff ... this isn't clean!�

Armed men were coming up the stairs and when another guard saw Michael descend the stairs with Nikita close behind, he instantly recognized them and barked orders to the other men coming up the stairwell. �That's him! Shoot him! And there she is ... get her!�

Michael and Nikita took stance and prepared for a counter attack as suddenly four triads rushed at them. The bodyguards saw their fallen colleagues and knew that Michael and Nikita had nowhere to hide. The only way out was down. As they approached the guards aimed their weapons to fire at the retreating couple. But the Section operatives knew they were there. They both instinctively took aim, and despite Nikita�s weakened condition, rapid fire was exchanged. The triad members shot at them. The Section operatives shot back. Michael signalled for Nikita to go to the right side of the stairwell as he covered the left. He threw his balaclava down; the assailants rose up to look at what was happening. As they did so, Michael and Nikita fired rapid shots in their direction blasting them away and taking out two more men. Others took their place and verged into the skirmish.

They both ducked as two more men shot at them. Bullets were ricocheting everywhere yet Michael and Nikita edged further down the stairs. The men were no match for the Section One operatives and fell like nine pins toppling one over the other.

�Are you okay?� Michael asked as Nikita grabbed his arm to steady herself.

�I�m fine.�

The Rising Dragons obviously knew they were there which made egress that much more difficult. �Birkoff ... Is the egress route clear now?�

Seeing no more indication of hot spots of hostile movement he answered, �You�re good to go. All�s clear ... proceed to the egress point.�

They soon reached the landing, then quickly proceeded down the stairs as Michael and Nikita cautiously back tracked his route. They went along the corridor and down another flight of stairs without seeing another guard until they were near the room where Michael had exited the tunnel.

However despite overcoming the triad obstacles and imminent escape, Michael had a feeling of uneasy quiet.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Watching his monitor Birkoff�s eyes widened. They were glued to the screen as hot spot after hot spot unexpectedly started to appear on his screen. All had been clear just a moment ago. It seemed that these assailants were appearing as if out of no where. �Michael � We have trouble � Hostiles approaching from the stairwell and corridor!�

�Birkoff ... what's going on? You said it was clean!

�It was ... I scanned everything ... I didn�t see anything ... but not any more. This doesn't add up.�

�How many?�

�Too many ...�

�What does your sat-thermo say?�

Birkoff hesitated before answering particularly knowing that they had walked into a trap. �The entire egress area�s a hot zone! ... You won't get ten feet.�

No sooner had Birkoff relayed the Intel than triads came from every which way. Four appeared behind and in front of them until suddenly they were encircled. Six more men appeared from the corridor, then the door to the exit room opened and Andy Koo appeared with Wang Yu. Michael and Nikita were surrounded by hostiles. There was no escape.

�Birkoff ... We're surrounded.�

�Help is coming Michael ... The team is on its way.�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Play on text from ... NW, GOH, LFM and FLYF

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