VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, [7], 8, 9 ]


[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 04:55:41 11/03/08 Mon
Author: taurus2124
Author Host/IP: CPE-124-188-7-253.nsw.bigpond.net.au / 124.188.7.253
Subject: chapter 186
In reply to: taurus2124 's message, "The Rising Dragons - continued" on 04:46:57 11/03/08 Mon

Chapter 186

Monitoring the team’s progress on his monitor back at Section One, Birkoff was hopeful that the team would soon be out of the labyrinth of monastery corridors. His fingers nimbly typed commands which brought up pictures on his ancillary computers. To be on the safe side he observed the images from a number of angles. Not completely confident that all was clear he cautioned the team.

“Wait ...The area's still not secure, yet.”

“What’s the problem Birkoff?”

“There are some heat thermals around the wall of the corridor ... but there appears to be no point of exit.” There must be some secret panel in the wall of the corridor or else there has to be some other explanation. Birkoff thought.

Furiously typing in another command he tried to make sense of the discrepancy. Birkoff checked for abandoned air ducts but Intel provided no indication of them. He prayed that his Intel was not faulty. The safety of the team was at stake ... they were depending on his skills in Tactical to see them safely to egress.

Suddenly the sound of Jasmine’s voice broke into his concentration. “Birkoff ... Should we proceed?”

“Continue to egress ... The exit is one level above you.”

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

Michael too had heard the communiqué from Birkoff alerting them to a potential problem. However, oxygen deprivation and the torture techniques he’d endured had impaired his reflexes somewhat. Nevertheless, despite a continual pounding in his head that jarred his senses, he tried to stay more vigilant. Michael’s thoughts were not of his own needs but those of Nikita. She needed some medical attention and the sooner they were able to return to Section One the better for both of them. Knowing that they would soon be out of here was more than enough to him keep going and he was grateful that the team had rescued them, but they were far from being safe ... yet.

Suddenly, Michael saw a shadow move behind them as another guard broke through a new hidden panel firing at the operatives. Setting his jaw against the pain in his shoulders, he raised his gun and returned fire, firing rapidly into the darkness. The dull thud of a body hitting the floor confirmed that his aim was true as the guard fell down lifeless. However, the gunfire had echoed through the passageway and would have alerted any other triad guards in the vicinity. His eyes now accustomed to the dim light of the corridor darted left and right as Michael looked around to see if the coast was clear.

A heavy silence permeated for a few moments in the corridor until the sound of pounding footsteps thundered towards them.

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

Looking over the bridge of his glasses Birkoff suddenly noticed that the heat thermo dots were pooling together. Shit! ... Where did those hostiles come from?

He alerted the team ASAP. “Hostiles in pursuit ... You have less than a minute.”

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

Cool as a cucumber, Walter reached into his mission vest pulling out several small circular devices which he quickly attached to the floor. Pleased with his invention, the highly sensitive explosives were just a little something he had put together for such a moment like this. Setting the charges he confidently activated the explosives and quickly signalled to the others to take cover. Heeding his advice the team managed to do so just before several hostiles burst along the passageway. The leading hostile unwittingly detonated one of the explosives as he stepped on it. The impact tossed his body backwards causing the following hostiles to activate the other devises as they too were blown away killing all hostiles in their quest.

As they had no idea how many more triad members were on site, the team members quickly turned and continued along the winding corridor. Keeping alert and without delay, they moved forward where ahead of them the corridor was more brightly lit. Even though their egress point was only one level above them, they still had to make it out. As team leader Jasmine knew that anything was possible in this situation and she would underestimate nothing until the team had finally made it out of the monastery. What’s more, she hoped that second team had been able to take care of any other hostiles who may hinder their escape from inside the building.

Jasmine also had the added responsibility of two injured operatives who were not as functional as they would have liked to be. Nonetheless, despite setbacks, they were nearing their goal. She glanced back at Michael and Nikita. Her brow furrowed. She was acutely aware that they were in worse shape than she had first thought or they were letting on. It was obvious that both were in pain and their injuries were telling. Although they tried to keep up, both had slowed a little despite their efforts to not up hold up the team’s egress.

Approaching the last set of stairs, Jasmine quickly moved towards the exit. Scanning the walkway above them for hostiles she then hurriedly continued up the stairwell while the others followed close behind. As they started to climb the stairs, Jasmine turned her head to urge them to hurry. Unexpectedly a dark shape flashed across her line of vision and appeared behind Michael and Walter. With gun raised he opened fire at her before any of the team was able to get off a bead in return.

The guard’s gunshots ricocheted in the quiet as the operatives took cover. Looking down Jasmine saw where a bullet had lodged in her Kevlar vest, but thankfully it had deflected the bullet that found her. Walter meanwhile, instinctively whirled around facing the man rapidly discharging his gun in return fire. Despite the precarious situation he found himself in, his hail of bullets hit their mark. Pummelling the triad hostile with ammunition, he fell to the floor lifeless no match for the skill and deadly aim of the craggy Section operative.

Jasmine’s eyes momentarily rested on the dead man before catching Walter’s eye. “Thanks.”

He nodded in acknowledgement of her thanks.

Getting to their feet Michael and Nikita stood and along with Jacobs and the other operatives prepared to continue up the stairs. However, Michael’s step was sluggish and although he tried to keep pace, he lagged behind. Walter heard his laboured breathing and turned back to look at him. Michael looked okay, but obviously this last encounter had been one too many. The man had just been rescued from a death chamber and had endured horrendous torture ... it was little wonder that he had slowed up somewhat trying to keep pace with the team.

Suddenly Michael lost his footing and fell ...

silently...

awkwardly...

onto the ground ... holding his chest. Despite his demeaned physical condition, he attempted to keep his body upright and minimize further injury as he collapsed.
Walter got to him first. He saw blood staining his upper torso ... obviously a stray shot fired from the hand of a dying opponent.

“Michael! ... Michael! ... Are you all right?” Nikita cried out as she forced her way past Walter to where he lay. She bent down and saw red blood oozing from his body.

“I’m okay” Michael uttered gritting his teeth at the pain and not wanting to alarm her.

All the events that had just happened were a blur that passed before Nikita’s distraught eyes. With urgent appraisal, she moved her fingers over his shoulder searching for the source of his wound. She found an entry but not an exit wound. The bullet was evidently still lodged in his shoulder. Blood was oozing from Michael’s chest and Nikita became fanatical in her effort to stop the bleeding. Her fingers worked tirelessly as she tried to compress the wound and they became sticky and wet with Michael’s red blood.

Walter, noticing her distress had already thought of something to stem the flow. Taking his bandanna from his head he moved Nikita aside then pulled Michael up to a sitting position. He hurriedly ripped the material in pieces and fashioned them into a makeshift bandage. Applying a clean pressure dressing to the wound with some of the cloth, he then attached the other to his shoulder in a rudimentary binding. Although crude it would do the job until they could get Michael back to Medical at Section One.

He helped him to his feet. “You okay?”

Michael gave a breathy reply. “Yes ...Thanks.”

“No worries ... but I think we better get outta here ASAP. Can you walk?”

Walter watched as Michael’s face changed colour, turning a deathly shade of white. With the added pain of this gunshot wound fatigue was etched in his face. He saw Michael struggle with his reply trying to avoid letting on how he really felt.

“I’ll be fine.”

However once on his feet, he stumbled a little.

Walter held him steady. “Easy Michael ... lean on me.”

But that was easier said than done for Michael. Every step was a painful reminder of the wounds he bore of his torture at the hands of Andy Koo. Not only was his shoulder throbbing but the pain exacerbated through his body. Michael fought with everything within him to ignore the pain but just placing his arm around Walter’s shoulder was enough to send a new spasm of pain skidding through his body. He flinched. Ignoring the rippling effect, Michael knew he was in worse shape than he was letting on but he’d endured pain before and his threshold was greater than for an ordinary man. He braced himself ... he would be at Med Lab soon enough. Gritting his teeth Michael leaned his body weight on Walter grateful for his support.

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

Realising that time was of the essence Jasmine alerted Section as to their situation. They all needed to get out of here before Birkoff gave the order for detonation and the monastery exploded in a ball of flames. “Birkoff? ... First Team is approaching entry point ... Status?”

“Stairs are clear. Main egress is just ahead. No hostiles.”

“Got it,” Jasmine replied before turning to her team members. “Ready ... Let’s go ... This way.”

After what felt like an eternity but which was only a few minutes, the team members finally reached the exit, but their escape route was boarded up. Without hesitation, Jacobs took the initiative. He stepped forward, lifted his foot and kicked at the planks that were hindering their escape. His forceful kick sent the wood splintering in all directions while the door flew off its hinges. They could see nightlight as they went through the door that led them from the building.

“First team clear,” she reported.

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

Once Jasmine had confirmed their egress status, Birkoff contacted Fitzpatrick and O’Connor. Second Team.”

“Yes Birkoff?”

Destroy the monastery. Ignite the charges.”

“Copy.”

“Set the sequence for thirty seconds ...Go.” Once he’d issued the directive he alerted the others giving the retrieval team their orders. “First team evacuate. The building is hot; all teams exit.”

“When's the detonation?”

Birkoff's voice came through the COM unit loud and clear. “You’ve got twenty-one seconds.”

“Okay.” Jasmine then gave the order to her team, “Come on ... We have to get out of here before this place is blown apart.”

Relieved that the teams were safe at last Birkoff ordered the explosives to be set off. ”Fitzpatrick ... push the button.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
Play on text from ... NW, AZ, OBT, CAM and TTBH

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]



Replies:



Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.