The Last Dainv-Chapter 112

The Last Dainv-Chapter 112

2345
The cold cut through the tac gear that Gale was given just hours before the operation. Tight fitting, enough so that he had to scratch the tight parts around the joints and his chest. He'd actually never worn anything this tight. All of his clothes were baggy red cross donation hand me downs.
Ollie, Lily, and Rodriguez stood where the sand met the grass of the island. In front of them, over in the distance, was a fence that separated the wild from the small clearing behind the maintenance building at Billy Bishop Airport. Behind was Lake Ontario, where the white moon looked down, illuminating the surroundings. Runway lights blinked on the tarmac, providing a clear outline of the whole empty space.
Compared to the Eclipsed, this place was bright. He could even see his hands without needing to use Breath of the Void.
"Everyone, comms check," Ollie said through the earpiece while covering his mouth.
Surprisingly, the sound quality felt like there was no difference between talking over the radio and talking in front of each other. Gale pulled the earpiece out of his ears. It had the label "HD-GloryTech Earphones." The whole earpiece was glyphed with shapes he couldn't understand.
"Mateo here," said Mateo, also through the earpiece. "I've got eyes on the security cameras. Three guards at the main gate, two patrolling the private hangars. Nothing unusual so far."
Lily adjusted her blonde hair under a black cap. "Lily, checking in."
Rodriguez felt for his machete on his hips for the fifth time this whole night. "Rodriguez, good to go."
"Gale here," he said.
"Alright," Ollie said, pulling up the digital map on his phone and showing everyone. "Target's landing in less than an hour. Let's go through this one more time."
He pointed at a specific point southeast of the island where a warehouse was situated.
"Private jet lands," Ollie pointed. "Taxies to Hangar Six. Security detail will escort the shipment to this loading zone where a truck's waiting."
Rodriguez moved his face closer to the phone Ollie held. "How many in the hangar already?"
"Two at most," Mateo said. "Standard protocol is two inside, the rest meet the plane."
"What about backup?" Rodriguez asked. "They usually have a second team somewhere nearby."
Fifth time feeling for his machete, now sixth. Third time asking about the security. There was no way someone could be this forgetful. Even Gale remembered most of the plan.
Go in, steal, and get out. It wasn't even that hard. Let Ollie be the brains and think for him.
"None on our radar," Ollie said. "If anyone shows up, Mateo will alert us."
Rodriguez nodded, "And our extraction? Same route out?"
Lily glanced at Gale. He waved back, causing her to force a smile.
"As we discussed yesterday," Ollie said. "Unless something changes, we exit through the maintenance road."
"What about the twins?" Gale asked.
"No sign of them so far," Mateo said. "I'm monitoring all security feeds."
"Good," Ollie pointed to two spots northwest of the map. "Lily and I will position here and here. We'll create a diversion if needed."
"What kind of diversion?" Rodriguez asked.
"Fire alarm in the main terminal," Lily said. "Simple but effective."
"And if that doesn't work?" Rodriguez pressed.
"Then I get creative," Lily smiled.
Ollie turned off the screen and turned it back on, checking the time. "Time to move. We've got twenty minutes before the jet's due. Gale, Rodriguez. Head through the service entrance. Stay on comms."
"Copy that," Rodriguez said. "Ready, partner?"
Gale nodded.
"Be careful out there," Lily said, looking directly at Gale. "And watch your back."
Gale nodded again.
"Mateo, talk to me," Ollie said.
"All clear on approach. Guards changing shifts at the main gate. Good timing."
"Move out."
0010
The service road curved around the back of the main terminal building. Gale and Rodriguez moved in shadow, staying away from the floodlights and the blinking lights on the tarmac.
"So," Rodriguez whispered as they approached the chain-link fence around the private hangar area. "Blue Witches really think you're hot shit, huh?"
Gale didn't respond, checking left and right of the fence. Breath of the Void's tendrils spread out through the whole empty area. No ether signatures in the distance that could see them. Safe for now.
"Not much of a talker. I get it," Rodriguez said. "Yeah? What's your specialty anyway? Lily's got her blue light thing. Ollie moves shit with his mind. What's your trick?"
Gale stared the man in the eyes. "Focus."
Rodriguez shrugged. "Just getting to know my partner. Trust goes both ways, right?"
"Watch for patrols."
Without waiting for a response, Gale approached the fence. He checked for cameras. One pointed at the gate thirty yards down, nothing covered this section. He phased his whole body and stepped through the fence.
"Well, shit," Rodriguez said.
"Gate's down that way," Gale said, pointing. "Meet you there."
Rodriguez moved away from the gate where all the cameras pointed to as Gale headed toward the small side entrance to the gate house. A single guard sat inside, watching a Raptors basketball game on his phone in front of multiple monitors showing a live feed from the cameras.
Phasing through the door, Gale moved behind him. Once he was close enough, his knuckles went straight at the man's temple, knocking him out instantly. Hoisting the body up, he moved the unconscious body into the big blue recycling container just a couple of steps away from the gate house.
"Clear," Gale said over the comms.
Thirty seconds later, Rodriguez entered from the shadows.
"Clean," he looked over Gale's shoulder at the recycling container. "No alarm?"
"No alarm," Gale dematerialized the Weber back into the storage box.
"Mateo," Rodriguez touched his earpiece. "Status?"
"Still clear. Jet's on approach, twelve minutes out. You've got two guards patrolling Hangar Six, changing positions every five minutes."
"Copy," Rodriguez said. He turned to Gale. "Let's move."
They crossed through the shadows of fuel trucks and baggage carts. The hangar was just ahead, its big gates closed. Rodriguez wouldn't be able to go through. On the side of the hangar, a side entrance was lit by a single yellow bulb.
"Two guards, just like Mateo said," Rodriguez whispered, pointing to figures moving near the side entrance.
Tendrils fed him information. Both carried sidearms and were Awakened individuals. The left man's eyes shifted left and right while the other on the right yawned.
"I'll take left, you take right?" Rodriguez said.
"No," Gale said. "No noise. I'll handle this."
"Both of them?"
Gale moved, circled wide, approaching where the shadows deepened by the lights around the hangar. Distort activated as he rounded the corner.
Rodriguez's voice came through the comm. "Where'd you go?"
Slipping closer to the guards, they stood about ten feet apart. The one on the left almost looked in Gale's direction, then looked away back to the lake.
Slowly, he approached behind the left guard. Mouth over mouth. Other hand chopped at the base of the neck. The man ragdolled limp, causing too much noise from his clothes crumpling.
The second guard turned at the sound.
"Davis?" he called. "You good?"
Gale laid the first guard down. In two quick steps, he appeared behind the second guard just before the man's hands reached the radio on his shoulder. Weber's edge already placed at the man's neck.
"Don't," Gale whispered.
The guard froze, then slowly raised his hands.
Gale struck him with the hilt, catching the man's weight as he collapsed and lowering him gently to the ground.
"Clear," he said into his comm. He took their key cards and looked around where to put the bodies. There. A large open container filled with cardboard boxes.
He heaved both men onto his shoulders and went to the container, slowly and softly putting them over the lip. The cardboard cushioned their landing inside, making as little noise as possible.
"Jesus," he said. "They didn't even see you coming."
"Get their key cards," Gale handed him a key card.
"You always this efficient?" Rodriguez asked.
"When I need to be," Gale said, using one of the cards and swiping it at the door. The lock clicked open.
0020
Inside the hangar, the walls lined with shipping containers, stacked 4 containers high. A forklift was parked by the side door's entrance. And only the fluorescent lights covering the pathway to the hangar's office were lit.
"Twelve minutes," Rodriguez checked his watch. "We should get in position."
"Cover by those containers," Gale said, pointing. "I'll check the perimeter."
Rodriguez moved to the stack of containers. "Keep your comm open. I don't like surprises."
Gale circled the hangar, checking each corner and exit. The main doors faced the runway, with a smaller personnel door on each side.
"Mateo," he whispered while pressing the earpiece. "Any movement outside?"
"Nothing yet. Jet's eight minutes out. You're clear for now."
Gale moved to the stack of containers where Rodriguez waited. The man had positioned himself behind a large crate, machete in his hand.
"Find anything?" Rodriguez asked.
"Just what we expected. Empty hangar, waiting for delivery."
Rodriguez nodded. "What's the plan when they arrive? You take point while I secure the package?"
"I'll secure the package," Gale said. "You watch my back."
"Sure thing, boss. Whatever you say," Rodriguez smiled.
"Heads up," Mateo radioed in. "Jet's on final approach. Landing in three minutes."
"Copy that," Gale replied.
Stolen from NovelFire, this story should be ed if encountered on Amazon.
"Ollie, Lily, you in position?" Rodriguez asked.
"Ready at the perimeter," Ollie said. "No movement on our side."
"Let's do this clean and quick," Lily said.
Gale pressed his back against a container, eyes on the main hangar gates. Rodriguez crouched down behind a stack of pallets by a different shipping container.
The distant sound of jet engines came closer, growing louder by the second. Tires squealed along the runway. Minutes later, the thin metal plates and windows of the hangar rattled from the approaching aircraft.
"Target has landed," Mateo ed. "Four vehicles approaching from the terminal building. Looks like security detail."
"How many?" Rodriguez asked.
"Eight figures total. Four, two, and two. Just like the intel said."
Rodriguez glanced at Gale. "Right on schedule."
The hangar doors began to fold open upwards, motors whirring as the massive panels separated. Outside, the private jet had stopped, its engines high pitch winding down gradually. Ground crew positioned wheel blocks and stepped back.
"Get ready," Gale whispered.
Four black SUVs pulled up beside the jet. Men in dark suits stepped out, eight in total, all Aurians, moving around the aircraft as the passenger door opened in front of a staircase being laid out.
0032
The set of stairs touched the tarmac with a soft thud exactly on time. Two men came down first, looking left and right.
The first man made a hand signal. 'Clear, safe to go down.'
After that signal, a thin man in a gray suit climbed down the steps of the jet, carrying a metal briefcase handcuffed to his wrist. The man wore glasses that had a light blue tint.
Two men flanked Wang, both attuned. Two resonant by the rear and four awakened stood by in a square away from the centre.
"They're coming in," Gale whispered. "Eight guards total, just like intel said."
"Wang's in the centre with the case," Rodriguez whispered.
The group entered the hangar. A broad shouldered Awakened signalled toward the cargo containers. 'Secure the area.'
Two of the resonant peeled off, moving toward where Gale and Rodriguez hid by the shipping containers and pallets.
"We've got company," Rodriguez said.
"Stay put," Gale said. "I'll handle it."
Distort activated, fading from view as he stepped away from the container. The approaching guard peeked through the corner, shining a flashlight on the darkest parts behind paletts and wrapped up cargo.
"Status," Ollie's voice came through the comm.
"Two heading our way," Rodriguez whispered. "Gale's doing his disappearing act."
Gale circled behind the guards, muffling his steps as silently as he could. The first guard passed within inches of him, unaware of his invisible state. The second stopped, head tilting slightly at the wavy distortion caused by his skill.
"You feel that?" he asked toward the other awakened guard.
"Feel what?"
"Like something's..." the guard turned, looking directly where Gale stood. "Weird."
Gale held perfectly still. The guard's eyes squinted, looking at where his face was supposed to be.
"You're jumpy," the first guard said. "Come on, let's finish the sweep."
They moved on, continuing their patrol. Gale waited until they were at the far end of the hangar before moving toward the main group. Wang stood with the briefcase while the remaining mundane guards unloaded cargo from the jet.
Large metal containers, each about the size of a refrigerator, came down a conveyor ramp from the plane's cargo hold. Three metal containers slid down. The first two had no glyphs on them. Tendrils looked through them, revealing guns and vials and random items like wooden sticks and shields. The last one, however, the tendrils couldn't penetrate. It looked ordinary, except for a single circle of glyphs at the top of the container.
"That's our target," Mateo said. "The one with the circle markings."
"How am I supposed to open that?" Gale whispered.
"You don't need to," Ollie replied. "Just secure the whole container. We'll crack it back at base."
Wang checked his watch, then waved the lead guard over. "Schedule says the truck arrives in fifteen minutes. Get everything ready for transfer."
The guards began organizing the containers into a row, ready for loading. The marked container sat at the end, partially blocked by the others.
"Rodriguez," Gale whispered. "Create a distraction in two minutes. Nothing big, just enough to draw their attention to the far side."
"Copy that," Rodriguez said.
Gale pressed himself against the walls, walking through the shadows away from the fluorescent lights while keeping Distort up. He crouched behind a container, waiting for the distraction.
An object fell down, crashing from the far end of the hangar. Metal hit concrete as something fell.
"Check it out," the lead guard ordered, pointing two men toward the noise.
That was the sign. Gale moved to the containers, the blue marked one stood out at five feet tall, with handles on each side. The centre was embedded with a panel just beside the seam crack of the container's door.
"Mateo," he whispered. "Any alarms on this thing?"
"Weight sensors and lock alerts," Mateo replied. "But your particular skill set should bypass those nicely."
Gale activated Phase Touch, letting the energy flow through his palm into the container. He pressed his hand into the metal, his fingers passing through as if it were water.
Inside, his fingertips touched something smooth and rectangular. A metal case smaller than the container itself. He wrapped his hand around it and pulled gently, phasing the case through the container wall.
The case emerged, a sleek black box about the size of a takeout container, with no visible openings.
"Got it," he whispered.
"Outstanding," Ollie said through the comm. "Now get out of there."
Gale slipped the case inside his jacket and began moving back toward the exit. The guards were still investigating the noise Rodriguez had made, but Wang stood near the containers, looking directly at where the circle-marked one sat.
Wang's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, reaching for the container.
"Movement at the perimeter," Lily's voice suddenly came through the earpiece. "Three vehicles just pulled up. Not airport security."
0033
Alarms blared through the hangar, red lights flashing from all directions.
"Breach! Seal the perimeter!" Wang spun around, shouting as he hugged the case.
"What the hell's happening?" Gale whispered harshly into the comms.
"Multiple security breaches," Mateo replied, static coming through the earpiece. "Airport security systems just went haywire. Looks like Path agents incoming."
The east wall of the hangar exploded inward. Concrete chunks flew across the floor. Through the dust stepped the familiar twins Gale saw in the asylum, Kyle and Clyde, with matching dark navy blue suits, wearing black shades even in the dark. Behind them were six other suited men in standard black suits.
"The twins," Rodriguez muttered.
Kyle spun his dagger on his finger by its loop. "Evening, shitheads."
Clyde raised his long gun. "Surrender or there'll be more paperwork."
Wang's security moved in on him in the centre. The lead guard pulled up a pistol saying, "Path agents. Open fire!"
The hangar erupted.
Bullets tore through metal containers. Sparks flew. Gale dove behind the forklift near the side entrance, case on his chest. The fluorescent lights above shattered, making the only muzzle flashes of guns light up the environment.
"Status !" Ollie shouted through comms.
"Path twins crashed the party!" Rodriguez yelled back.
"Where do I go?" Gale ducked as a bullet whirred above him.
"Escape routes blocked," Mateo replied. "Firefight at north entrance. Guards everywhere."
Kyle vaulted over a cargo container, whipping his dagger through a mundane guard's throat. His body flashed blue and then appeared exactly where his dagger went, holding it by the hilt. Blood sprayed on the floor, missing his head by inches as he threw it upwards to the catwalk above the hangar.
Clyde's rifle cracked. A shockwave followed the bullet, shattering the hangar's office window. A guard's chest exploded.
"Fall back!" Wang screamed, pointing at the jet. The awakened guards formed a moving shield. Gunfire bounced off the invisible wall. As soon as they reached the jet, they took cover behind the wheels and opened fire at Clyde's position. Two Path agents behind him dropped. One took a bullet to the thigh.
"Lily, Ollie, where are you!" Gale shouted into his comm.
"We're pinned down at east perimeter," Lily's voice broke through the static.
"Multiple hostiles…" Her voice didn't finish the words. Only static came through after.
Rodriguez took cover behind a container, blood trickling from a cut on his cheek. He caught Gale's eye and tapped his ear. "Comms compromised?"
Gale shook his head. "Looks like it."
"Gale," Mateo's voice came through. "East side's a war zone. Ollie and Lily can't reach you."
"What's the play?" Rodriguez shouted across the space between them.
"Stick to the plan," Gale called back. "I got the tech secured. We get out. Now."
Rodriguez nodded. "I'll create a diversion. Meet at south west extraction point."
Before Gale could respond, Rodriguez blended into the shadows and threw his machete at the nearby Path agent who had aimed at him. The machete sliced through the Path agent's hand that held the pistol before being flinged back by the rope tied to Rodriguez's hand.
The machete lashed out again, this time at Wang's guards. It hit the wheels of the jet, causing it to hiss as it deflated.
When a bullet whirred through Gale's hair, he ducked, losing sight of Rodriguez. When he looked back up, the man was gone.
"Guide?!" Gale shouted.
[Guide: Eight hostiles closing on your position. Recommend immediate tactical retreat. Shipping containers available for cover.]
Lunging at the shipping container and pressing himself against the metal, there were guns barking left and right. Blue tracer rounds curving through the air to meet their target, only to spark after hitting something invisible.
"Mateo, where's Rodriguez?" Gale whispered.
"No comm response coming from him," Mateo replied.
"Shit."
Static came through the earpiece, and Ollie's voice came through. "Abort original plan. Rodriguez may be compromised. Repeat: Rodriguez may be compromised."
"Copy that," Gale replied. "Alternative extraction?"
"Service tunnels outside," Mateo said. "Maintenance area connects to underground network. Moving map to your phone now."
Gale glanced at his phone. A blue line showed his route. He pocketed it and peeked around the corner of the shipping container.
Three of Wang's guards lay motionless on the concrete beside the deflated tire of the jet. Wang provided some sort of barrier that would block oncoming bullets.
Kyle continued throwing his dagger, zipping and teleporting through the whole hangar. One moment, he was at the catwalk, then near the gate, then back to Clyde. On the other hand, Clyde took position behind a crate by the exploded wall. Whenever there was someone aiming at Kyle, he'd fire a round that'd hit centre mass while they were distracted.
Gale bolted as they were distracted. Wrong move.
The twins, perfectly in sync, moved their heads toward his direction at the same time.
"Target acquired," Kyle and Clyde said at the same time.
The long gun fired at his location. Gale slid downwards. Bullet missing him overhead. Weber materialized into his right hand. Phase Touch activated along its edges mid swing, cutting open a shipping container's door.
Path agents fired at the container, but Gale was already at the other side, kicking the exit open.
Distort activated. His body became nigh invisible as he sprinted along the wall.
Kyle threw his dagger directly at where Gale would have gone. The blade bit the wall just behind him as Kyle blinked to where it was.
Another boom came from Clyde's gun.
Stop.
The bullet hit the wall beside him where he was about to go, exploding outwards.
Gale ran through the hole. The service tunnel would be just ahead.
"Target moving to maintenance area."
He heard one of the Path agents shout from behind.
Gale ran through the side path of the hangar. Only one single yellow bulb lit up the area. No doors. Up ahead, he could see a tunnel that went downwards with a door.
Phase Touch activated to his whole body. But when he tried to phase through the door, all he met was an invisible wall.
What the!
On the door was a spray painted yellow strip that looks like a sutra with red Chinese letters.
Fuck it. Break it open.
He kicked at the lock, breaking it in, and pushed it open. Closing the door, he broke a railing and jammed the rod through the handles.
"Mateo," he panted. "I'm in. Which way?"
"Left at the junction, down the stairs."
Gale ran, releasing Distort. His footsteps echoed off concrete walls. The case bounced against his ribs with each stride.
Behind him, metal screeched. The maintenance door giving way.
He reached the junction, turned left. Stairs appeared ahead, going downwards. He jumped down to each landing, no hesitation.
A metal door had the same spray painted sutra. Beside the door, outside the frame was a keypad. Again, Gale tried phasing through the door again with no luck.
“Mateo?!”
“Service tunnel entrance is coded. 4-9-2-1.”
He punched in 4-9-2-1.
Nothing happened.
"Mateo! Code's not working!"
"Try again. Slowly."
Gale's fingers trembled as he pressed each number. 4-9-2-1.
The keypad flashed red.
A voice echoed down the stairwell. "Movement below!"
"Shit," Gale hissed. He looked around frantically. No other exits.
“Guide!”
[Low level technology identified. Phase Touch to short circuit keypad.]
The keypad wasn’t part of the door. This should work.
Gale pressed his palm against the keypad. He channeled essence into the keypad, and then the pad made a popping electrical noise. The metal door clicked and swung open.
Slipping through, he pulled it close behind him, entering a wider tunnel with several pipes running along both sides of the wall.
"I'm in the service tunnel," he whispered into his comm.
"Keep moving," Mateo said. "Turn right, follow the main pipe to southwest extraction point."
Gale ran, not meeting anyone else and only hearing the sound of his own steps.
"Status on the twins?" he asked.
"Skirmish with Ollie and Lily," Mateo said.
"And Rodriguez?"
Silence.
"Mateo? What about Rodriguez?"
"No contact," Ollie answered instead. "Consider him hostile until proven otherwise."
"Copy that."
The tunnel forked. Gale went right, following the main pipe. It led to a larger junction where six passages met.
"Two hundred metres to extraction point," Mateo said.
A door clanged open somewhere behind him.
"Check all tunnels," The voice echoed again along the tunnels. "He's down here somewhere."
Gale pressed himself against the wall. Distort activated once again. Footsteps approached from multiple directions.
A Path agent appeared at the far end of the junction, flashlight sweeping across the pipes.
The beam passed over him, then snapped back. The agent raised his gun. "Contact!"
Gale lunged forward. In one step, he closed the distance, Weber swung. The agent dropped, leg missing. Palm to the agent's chest, launching him back down the tunnel.
More footsteps echoed by the corner of the junction. Gale ran down the remaining tunnel.
"Thirty seconds to extraction," Mateo said.
A figure stepped out from a side passage ahead.
Rodriguez.
"Whoa, partner," Rodriguez said, raising his hands. "Just me."
Gale stopped, raising Weber. "What happened to your comms?"
"Lost it in the firefight," Rodriguez said, taking a step closer. "You got the package?"
"Stay back," Gale said.
Rodriguez frowned. "We don't have time for this. Extraction in just a half a minute."
Gale stepped back, gripping Weber's hilt tighter. If his comms were down, then how did he know what Mateo said?
Rodriguez laughed.
"How'd you find me?"
Rodriguez glared at Gale. "Lucky guess."
He flicked his wrist. A machete appeared in his hand. "Give me the case,
legend
."

Chapter 112