A few seconds later I got a response, “Secure target, we’ll have someone come for the child.”
Greg came up the stairs and I handed him the unconscious father, “Affirmative.”
I turned back and returned to the room to see the child crying, I crouched down next to her, “I’ve called someone, they’re going to pick you and your dad up, stay right here.” She nodded and I gave her a pat on the shoulder, “Good job.”
I stood up and went to join my team in the kitchen, along with Minks and his group, “Greg, let’s get changed.” He nodded and reached into one of the duffel bags, pulled out a pile of clothes and walked off.
I began padding around inside a bag and found my shoes from before we left as well as socks, jeans, a t-shirt, a zip up jacket and the chest holster for my two pistols. Satisfied that I had everything that I required I went into the bathroom and started to get changed.
I managed to get out of the black suit and into my pants when a knock came, “Come in.” Kate, now no longer wearing the blacked-out helmet slowly opened the door and slipped in, pushing it shut behind her.
“Thank you,” She walked over and hugged me, “this is going to hurt for a long time, but thank you for being here for me. You have no idea how much it means to me.”
I kissed her forehead, “Hey, it’s why I’m here.” I hugged her back for a while before she was called back outside at which point she gave me a peck on the lips and disappeared out through the door. I resumed getting dressed and left feeling more comfortable than I had in a while.
When I emerged the house was empty except for Gregorvich who was dressed in a three piece suit, “I’ll be carrying the suitcase.”
I nodded, “Looks good, come on, let’s go.” We stepped out into the pouring rain to see the others had packed the truck and were almost ready to go,
Minks tossed me the keys, “See you there sir.” I gave him a thumbs up and got in the car and started the engine.
As Greg got in and put his suitcase on the back-seat the entire vehicle shook violently under his massive size, “I detonate it with my phone, call the number, boom.”
I nodded and pulled off onto the road, “Do us a favour and keep that in your hands for now, I don’t want to be a pocket dial fatality.”
He almost smiled but it evaporated quickly, “I could’ve saved them. I could’ve saved so many.”
I knew what he was feeling, I had it too, I’d had it several times before over the years, “Don’t dwell on the past, there’s nothing we can do about it.”
It was weird having so few cars on the road, “It isn’t the past, it is now. There has been no period between then and now. I should’ve died with them as a warrior.” These words almost made me want to scream.
I flexed my hands, and lowered my foot slightly, “No, Greg. This is now,” I lowered my foot some more and felt the push start to hit. Not like my car, but it was raining so it felt just as scary, “Everything before this point is nothing, all that matters is now.”
The accelerator touched the floor, “John, slow down.”
My heart pounding against my chest, “Do you want to die? I can make that happen.” He went to grab my arm, “Yeah, hijack the vehicle in motion and watch how far that gets you.” He retreated and started fuming, heavy breaths fogging the windscreen in front of him, “Tell me, do. You. Want. To. Die? Because I don’t care to be perfectly honest.”
He remained silent, “Fine.” I lifted my hands off the wheel, sat back and watched Greg. Whose eyes kept darting to me before finally staring me down, “You know you won’t die.”
I began drumming on my legs, “I’ve been alive for hundreds of years, I’ve had time to develop into a powerful vampire, so you’re probably right. But the same can’t be said for you. Your decision. I really don’t care.”
I looked up at the road; we were coming up fast to a turn, “Grab the wheel.”
I put my hand to my ear, “Pardon?”
He growled, “Grab the bloody wheel!”
I grabbed it and pumped the brakes just in time to reach the corner, “Don’t test me again Gregorvich.” He grunted.
He hated me, but I didn’t care, he wanted to live now. We continued for another hour in complete silence before signs started to pop up for the Brisbane turn off, “Thank you.”
I looked at him and nodded, “Yeah, it’s alright. So where do we go from here?”
He tightened his hair into a ponytail to make himself look more professional, “Queen Street, we’ll walk to the CBD from there while the others take a slightly more scenic route.”
I kept driving through the winding roads, people had started their trips to work, “This is going to be good, we’re going to get through this, then we’ll go home.”
Greg’s hand fell on my shoulder, “I know we will, you’re a good leader.” I smiled weakly; I needed to get these guys home. They were my responsibility.
The parking lots were all already full as well as the street parking, “We’re running out of time John.”
I was getting pissed, “I know.” Horns had started to go off as the rain became heavier and the drivers became angrier. All of the sounds assaulted my senses as I attempted to focus on the task at hand, “You know what, screw this,” I parked the car and took out the keys, “Grab the case and get out.”
He looked at me like I was crazy, I sighed and got out and waited for him to follow. The rain pounding on my head, “Come on!” I heard him ruffle around before he got out with the suitcase, I put the keys on the roof and shut the door.
“Not my car, not my problem.” People started swearing and catcalling us, “Oh sod off!” I flipped off one driver shortly before hearing police sirens going off down the road, “Leaving!”
I heard Greg slide across the bonnet as I ran down an alley, the police yelling after us. I couldn’t suppress my laughter, we were trying to stop terrorists but still had to run from the police.
We got spat out on a long street, “This is the street, third building.”
I stopped laughing, “Lucy, tell Jason Minks its go time.” We went up to the building while watching the police looking around at the end of the alley, I heard tires screeching, and “That’ll be Minks, drop the case and let’s go.”
The police had spotted us and were moving to intercept, “What about them?” The truck drifted around the corner ahead of us, smashing into several small cars.
I didn't want to say it but had to, “They're collateral. Drop the case.” The police approaching had noticed the truck ramming its way toward us and slowed to a jog.
“No.” I turned and looked at the menacing face of Gregorvich staring me down.
“What?”
He shook his head, “No more collateral, not after Wednesday.”
The truck was now seconds from us, “Fine, be like that.” I pulled one of my pistols out and aimed it at the officers, “Today is not your day.”
The police drew on me, “Put the weapon down!”
I fired a shot into each of their shoulders, “That's your only warning, now turn around now and go call for backup!”
I turned to grab Greg’s arm but he was swinging it at the building's doors while pulling his phone out, “Down!”
As the case went flying I tried to duck but I was too slow.
Bang!
It Gets Worse
I got hit by the shock-wave of smoke which was more an annoyance more than anything. I turned to the sound of the van doors opening,
“Guns up!” Minks’ voice rang through the street. I caught my backpack as well as the gas-mask and assault rifle that was flung at me. I pulled the mask on and watched the world get instantly clearer.
“Move up! Mike, take point, Kyle, get to blast prep, Greg, Minks and Gabe, keep this floor clear!” The ringing and mask muffled the “Sir!” response.
I pushed through, Kate and Wolf joined my sides as we moved in. There was the mangled remains of a security gua
rd sprawled against the front desk.
“Up the fire escape, floor by floor!” Our shoes slamming against the stairs after ripping the door off, “Wolf, take the first then up, Kate, fifth to ninth, I’ll take the tenth to roof. No survivors here, we’ve already got one.” Wolf bashed through a door with a large red one printed on it.
“Kate, stop.” She spun around looking for a target and I pushed her gun down, lifting my mask while she did the same and revealed her confused expression.
I pushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek before kissing her, “I love you.”
Her eyes shot slightly wider, “Um… ok, well, can we talk about this back at home?”
Ouch, “Yeah, of course. Get up there.” She nodded and bounded up the stairs, “Goddamnit.” I kicked the step and pulled my mask back on before running up to the tenth floor, the sound of gunfire forcing me back to the memories of base.
I started checking the large office room as I stalked across the light blue carpet. White cubicles littered the entire floor, plenty of cover for guards.
A chair moved slightly two cubicles from me making me drop to a crouch. I peeked around the corner of the first cubicle as I passed it, empty. I moved onto the wall of the one where the chair moved, laying my rifle on the ground as quietly as I possibly could I slowly produced my pistol with my back to the wall. I waited a few seconds before spinning around the corner while maintaining my crouched position and quickly surveyed the empty cubicle, the chair rotating on its swivel slowly by itself.
I frowned under my mask and knocked the