Strike Force Five Part 5
Touring the Devil's Den
The rumbling storm had spent its sound and fury in a brilliant lightshow but had failed to produce much rain. Now the night sky was shrouded in mist. The fine droplets did not fall straight down but swirled about in a soupy fog.
The estate's security lighting paled in the concentrated vapors causing Wufei to curse as he performed a safety check on his "Lone Dragon". He would have preferred higher visibility for the flight out than the fog allowed. Thankfully there were no massive mountains that could unexpectedly rear up from the murky atmosphere or a maze of cityscape to navigate through.
Wufei had flown in worse conditions shuddering in storms that had threatened to tear his "Lone Dragon" apart. He had zigzagged among bursting shells and ground fire so thick that he couldn't see for the smoke. Tonight he would fly his teammates within a mile of the OZ compound before tucking his "copter" into a narrow ravine. They would make the rest of the journey on foot using the dense fog as cover.
Finished with his pre-flight checklist Wufei joined the other Strike Force members assembling on the east patio. The team, dressed entirely in black, was a formidable sight. Trowa checked his pistol's clip before sliding the automatic weapon into a hip holster. Extra clips were attached to his belt.
Copying Trowa's preparations Quatre, Heero and Duo confirmed that their side arms were loaded and ready for action. A slender knife sheathed snuggly against Duo's right thigh added to his fortification.
Heero shouldered the odd shaped case once more triggering Wufei's curiosity. Duo followed the Chinese man's gaze to the mysterious holder. "Did you know that Heero has a crossbow?" he shared the information tucking an empty backpack under his arm that upon his return would be packed with volatile revenge.
"I knew the shape was familiar." Wufei replied relieved to have the puzzle solved.
Trowa started toward the helicopter, "Let's get going." He ordered. Everyone fell in line. "Are you sure." he asked Quatre before climbing aboard.
"Yes. I will not leave your side." Quatre declared leaving no room for doubt.
Certain that his teammates were strapped in and all their gear stowed away Wufei started the engines. As the rotor blades engaged the "Lone Dragon" came to life with a powerful whoosh. "Welcome aboard Chang Air Services." he made the mock announcement.
Increasing the power a steady thump, thump, thump pounded against the air. Jerky vibrations traveled through the awaken beast then lessened to rhythmic quivers before the helicopter lifted off at a speed that made everyone feel as though their stomachs had been left behind.
Watching the ground pull away at a rapid rate Duo muttered under his breath. "Now I remember why I hate flying."
Trowa, his usual deadpan expression in force, nodded toward the side hatch. "Would you like to get out?"
Duo nodded "no" the lump in his throat preventing any verbal reply.
Wufei wasted no time clearing the treetops and charging headlong into the opaque haze. Condensation quickly covered the viewport but the wipers dispersed the clinging moisture. Soon the estate's security lights were swallowed up and the helicopter and its passengers were surrounded by deep darkness. The rotor's fog-dampened beating was reduced to a stabilized sound as Wufei banked left and headed for the devil's den.
Everyone traveled in contemplated silence. Each member of the crucial spying operation struggled with emotions as individual as the person. Wufei's mind was occupied with keeping on course. The swirling fog had cut visibility to less than a mile forcing him to rely strictly on his pilot's instinctual knowledge.
The navigational computer's programming was fine for routine flying but even its mechanical brain could not "think" through the fog. And the instrument readings were no help at all. It was just as well that Wufei was distracted by his piloting duties. There would be plenty of time to fret over the mission once they landed safely.
Trowa worried for Quatre more than he did for himself. He knew that his lover could not possibly comprehend the danger or the brutality they would face should they be caught. Someone once said that love is blind. Trowa knew that Quatre's devotion to him, while not misplaced, made him think with his heart and that could prove to be a deadly mistake.
Trowa did not need the extra stress, the mission was already complicated enough. Even though he and Quatre were not going to engage in deep infiltration having to watch out for his partner was an added risk factor. But if he had forced Quatre to stay behind the strain on his soul mate's emotional stability would have been a greater risk. No, Trowa in good conscience could not jeopardize Quatre's well being just to lessen his stress level.
Quatre, contrary to Trowa's beliefs concerning his unrealistic comprehension of the peril they would face, was all too aware of the danger. Not only was he experiencing an acute case of trepidation but overwhelming pangs of guilt as well. He knew that by insisting on coming alone he put Trowa in more danger.
While Quatre's coaxing heart had encouraged him, his head was fully aware that he was putting his partner at risk. If something happened to Trowa, if he was hurt or, heaven forbid, killed while defending him Quatre knew he could not live with the horrible consequences. As Quatre held his lover's hand and leaned his head against Trowa's strong shoulder he made a personal pledge. He would defend Trowa even if it meant losing his own life. There was nothing more precious in Quatre's world than Trowa and he would not live in that world without him.
Duo nervously fumbled with the latch on his safety harness. He was more concerned with the flight than what would happen once they touched down. He had always been fearful of heights to the degree that he avoided high places whenever possible. In fact he had decided as his heart pounded and sweat beaded under his bangs that playing a game of fox and geese with the OZ soldiers was much preferred to bouncing around thousands of feet above the ground enveloped in a murky mess.
Amazingly Heero appeared totally at ease. His head rested on the seat's back, arms folded across his chest and eyes closed in a state of complete calm. Duo leaned closer watching the steady rise and fall of Heero's chest and wondered if he had actually fallen asleep. In the same way he had been aloof since he arrived at the Winner estate Heero Yuy was in his private space, solely to himself and perfectly content to be there.
Suddenly Duo couldn't stand Heero's placid posture one minute more. Dammit there was no way in hell that Heero was going to remain this relaxed not while Duo was suffering a full fledged anxiety attack.
"Hey Heero." Duo called watching Heero's face for any sign that he heard.
A few seconds passed, no reaction. "Heero" Duo repeated leaning closer.
The eye nearest Duo cracked opened enough to show a hint of blue.
"What?" the single word hissed.
"Are you asleep?"
"No."
"Is it true you have a crossbow?"
The crack expanded, more blue shone through. Slowly Heero turned his head and opened the other eye. "So what if I do?"
Duo dared to let a slight grin grace his lips, "That's not a lot of firepower." he stated then began to expound, quite boastfully, on the superiority of his large caliber pistol.
Heero leaned an elbow on the seat's armrest locking his cobalt sight on the bragging bigmouth with the braid. "That may be true," he conceded giving the impression that he might agreed with Duo, "but if you want the enemy's numbers diminished without alerting the entire compound then my crossbow is the only means to carry out the "silent hunt"."
Duo could not argue with Heero's statement. He reluctantly had to admit there was some truth in Heero's declaration concerning the crossbow's discrete removal qualities but Duo saved his pride by stubbornly upholding his claim that a pistol still commanded more respect. "Just aim a pistol in someone's general direction and watch them scatter."
Heero nodded sinking back into a comfortable position, "If you are close enough for someone to see your pistol then you are close enough for that someone to shoot you." he declared, "I don't have to get that close." With that pronouncement Heero shut his eyes and by his body language told Duo that the conversation was over.
*********
Several hundred yards from the secluded ravine Wufei switched on twin landing lights tucked under the helicopter's belly. Slim shafts pierced the gloom illuminating circular patches of the landscape below. The mist-muted light slid over glistening treetops, reaching between their branches to pick out scrub bushes and a line of rough rocky outcrops. Then the yellow beams broke over the outcrop's rim almost disappearing into the ravine's murky depths.
"Hold on." was the only warning before Wufei began his descent. The instrument readouts indicated that the ravine's width would accommodate the helicopter's body but the rotor blades extended beyond the body's breadth. Once more Wufei had to rely on his pilot's "eye" to sight in the landing.
Briefly cutting his eyes back to the passenger compartment Wufei shouted over the increased noise of rotor-whipped air beating on the outcrop. "Are you certain about the width?" he directed the crucial question to Quatre.
Quatre straightened in his seat. "Yes I am sure."
Wufei shook his head as he mentally estimated the distance across from one side to the other. "If you say so." he took Quatre's word, "If not you are going to buy me a new helicopter." he stated easing the control stick forward.
Duo closed his eyes, drew in an optimistic breath and held it for luck. The engines cut back sending shivers through the "Lone Dragon". The landing lights pooled on what Wufei hoped was sandy ground minus any jutting points that might rip into the fuselage. By deliberate degrees the helicopter eased between the ravine's russet walls.
There was a slight bounce as the left landing gear hit first then the right gear leveled off. On solid ground Wufei switched off the engines and waited until hub rotor and tail rotor momentum stopped. Releasing his harness he pivoted in his seat looking back at his black clad comrades, "It's a smug fit but you were right." he admitted to Quatre.
Trowa stood stretching his back, "I want you all to wear these." he stated pulling five nylon bands and five small black boxes from his jacket pocket. He handed one to each team member.
Heero silently studied his band focusing his attention on the thin metal disk on the band's underside. "A Tracker Band." he announced to no one in particular.
"A what?" Duo asked turning the strange device in his hands.
Trowa held up his band and a box, "This is a Model 354 Tracker Band," he began, "It is a simple but effective unit that will allow all of us to be linked during the mission. The Band operates from a narrow bandwidth chip housed in this round signaling disk. You wear the disk positioned over your wrist's pulse point.
The disk registers heartbeat and nerve responses. The readings are broadcasted to this belt pack receiver and enables the unit to locate anyone that might become separated from the group. It is especially helpful if someone should be injured." he paused giving everyone a chance to digest the information.
"There is also a communications chip that will allow us to speak to each other. The unit is virtually indestructible so if the Band should cease its transmission it usually means that the wearer, unfortunately, has expired."
"Expired...you mean like in dead?" Duo got to the point not bothering to sugarcoat Trowa's reference to "expired".
Trowa nodded, "Distance or terrain can affect the signal's range and strength but this was the best I could do considering the short time span we had for planning."
Heero slipped his Band over his left wrist and tightened the strap until he felt the shiny metal disk pressed into his pulse point. "I am not going to ask how you got these." he proclaimed recalling the classified maps back at the estate.
As everyone gathered their gear, Wufei opened the side hatch and climbed out. He turned on a flashlight then stepped aside to let his teammates exit the aircraft. Trowa and Quatre came next. Heero shouldered his crossbow case and jumped gracefully to the ground. Duo moved on shaky legs thankful he was leaving the "Lone Dragon" behind for awhile. Five flashlights flared into the soupy haze as the Strike Force warriors started off in single file to tour the devil's den.
*********
"There it is." Trowa declared.
From the crouching intruder's hilltop vantage point the OZ compound borders were clearly defined by a ring of security spotlights. Although its actual size had only been supposed the warehouse complex dimensions covered a surprisingly limited portion of the overall area.
Two large structures sat to one side. One flat roofline supported a gold-toned disk betraying the Communications Center and sealing its fate as a prime target for the team's intended destruction. Many lesser building, probably support units, were scattered haphazardly within the compound's circular confines. The random site selections offered proof that the complex had been hurriedly thrown together over a short period of time.
An elevated armored gun emplacement was positioned at each corner. The team couldn't make out the kind of artillery that guarded the compound but judging from one protruding barrel's circumference the defensive weaponry packed a lot of firepower.
A single structure that Duo reckoned was his objective occupied a space well away from the other buildings. Coupled with the fact that it was encircled by a high fence further fostered Duo's belief that the building had a special use.
"Of all the buildings," Duo declared, "it was the most likely to house his explosives." With that declaration he spent the next few minutes expounding on his planned usage of the powerful charges once they were in his possession.
Again Wufei had to ask, "Suppose there are not any explosives?" He did not intend to play the devil's advocate or in any way dampen Duo's fervor but he felt the question needed to be asked. He didn't want Duo to get his hopes up then have them dashed if his instincts were proven wrong.
Duo adamantly refused to even consider any other line of thought sticking steadfastly to his convictions that the explosives were there. "Well if they are not there," Wufei sighed, "then you will have come a long way for nothing."
"I will make you a bet." Duo responded to Wufei's doubts, "If I return empty handed then I will buy you a beer but if I come back with my treasure, the brew is bought by you."
*********
There was one other structure located outside the far border that peaked the trespasser's interest. Beyond the enemy camp the baffling outline stood bathed in bright light. It appeared to be more of a tall tower than an actually building. A large square platform rising well above the fog sat atop four massive support "legs"
Pressing night vision binoculars to his eyes Wufei could just make out what seemed to be a long extension projecting from the platform's top. As he increased the binocular's magnifying levels he growled out something in Chinese.
Even with his naked eyes Trowa had a pretty good idea what had prompted Wufei's low guttural grumbling. "That looks like..." he began then paused hoping that his assumption was wrong.
"A Laser Cannon." Wufei finished confirming his comrade's worse fears.
Heero shook his head letting out a weary sigh. "Damn." he swore, "I guess that identifies the mystery structure." he stated recalling the recon-photos.
No one had deluded themselves with unrealistic expectations of matching OZ's armaments and the Cannon was sure evidence that their wise thinking was on the right track. But the Strike Force believed the scales could be tipped in their favor if secret infiltration allowed the upper hand.
Designed to defend against an aerial attack or large invasion forces the Laser Cannon, sitting snuggly on its lofty perch, was of little use against a covert operation. And even though the enemy's artillery and field rifles could be just as deadly, one on one combat was still preferred by the determined insurrectionists especially if the odds were reduced by quietly taking out as many OZ employees as possible before the final charge.
Duo raised up nodding toward the compound below, "We're wasting time." he announced anxious to get to his explosives hunting. Extracting his pistol Duo checked his watch, "Let's meet back at the helicopter in two hours. That should be enough time to finish the tour."
"Two hours." Quatre agreed.
Heero unzipped the case taking out his crossbow. A quiver of steel-tipped arrows was secured to his belt. "Wufei, Duo and I will take the inside inspection. Trowa, you and Quatre scout the outer perimeter" he confirmed the team's plans.
At the bottom of the hill a trio of trespassers took off to the left. The remaining twosome kept to the edge of the forest that backed up on the compound's east side. Two teams...double trouble for OZ.
TBC...
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