~ two

The tank rolls hard on the pavement, swarmed with these private security in black cars but lights pretending on top, and now joined by the real ones, all descended on the crossroads.

The jeeps file through firing mad, their only advantage that they have such fewer numbers, the cars pile up on each other, herded in ways like a mad herd charged by two predators steering them to a trap which invariably will be the cannon shot.

Boom !

A flank is tossed.  A raw shot at their congested wall sends three to rolling, piled behind by wave of more, the jeeps focus fire at their halted motion to shred their wheels.

 

Herd the rest into another wave to buy in on the reload time.

Boom.  Inside the tank, hard at work, the bagged suited man with his hands tied bouncing along annoyed, struggling to remain seated upright with tied feet.  His head bangs the wall, a gag muffled sound of pissed off under the bag.
________________

Libra and Emilio watch from the hill with binoculars.

Libra - "They've got dogs, we can't send a sonic ping for the mapping resonator, it'll attract them.  We're going in blind."

Emilio - As the caravan arrives, "Hang on.  Check your motive view." 

(it's a motion detector which generates a composite image of anything moving at abnormal speed in comparison with the background)

Libra - Watching the blurs of security move for the gate, "Holy shit.  It's an unannounced visit."

Emilio - "Agent Corvallis ... "

Libra - "Think that's really his name ?"

Emilio - "Is your name really Libra ?"

Libra - "Sure !"  Scanning with the binoculars, "Hey check the back section, rear corner.  So long as their not actually processing grain here, that's out way in."

Emilio - A glance, the area around, "We go now."  They pick up and run.
____________

At the complex gate, the administrator of sorts ~

The Administrator approaches out with security en force as the SUVs empty, "I'm sorry, I was only just informed moments ago of your arrival.  This is very unusual, and we are not prepared."

Corvallis - "We did not wish to see you prepared Ms ... "

Ms Berg - "Berg.  But I'm afraid Dr Heisenstein is not here right now."

Corvallis - Looking around as the rest file in, "We did not come to see Dr Heisenstein, Administrator Berg.  We came to tour the facility."

Ms Berg - "I'm sorry, Is there a problem ?  Is something happening here ?"

Corvallis - "Just a tour of the facility."

...

Ms Berg - A laugh and a smile, "Of course, my apologies."  Suddenly an incredible host, "We are at your disposal." 

She waves the security off, they linger back to their patrols.  

 

One can see the mistrust for these agents as whole, even to them under normal circumstances the scientists are ordered to obey them, if never knowing exactly why.

Nonetheless more than that, they are feared.  Feeling like just one look and the operation shuts down, leading only to the mandates of their own silence.  

 

The security is less aware of this, these are more like those seen before at the party, their likenesses in gear becoming more noticeable.  

 

They display a bit for the passing agents and are ignored, but for one who leaves a shoulder in the path.  An agent places his hand on it gently to move it aside as though it were a curtain, but with a firmness which breaks his will completely.

The rest return to their duties.

Ms Berg - "Where first ?"

Corvallis - Looks around between the rest, then to the man who blocked the way with a smile, "The barracks I think.  We'll work their path from there to the labs, piece by piece.  Step by step.  One by one.  While my people, secure the area."

Ms Berg - "If I may ask, it sounds as though you suspect a security breach ?  Is it true ?"

Corvallis -   Still watching the guard, then to her.  "You may not."  They carry on, "Is it this way I believe Ms Berg ?" 

Ms Berg - A hard look to the security fool, "Indeed it is.  We will see to this one." 

Corvallis - "No need.  His territoriality,".  A smile to him, then back, "Serves you well."  

 

As they walk on the security kid calls that one in and now the entire force is offset, these agents everywhere as a presence, but not actually looking for anything.
______________

A guard walks by, metal pipe cuts through close to the wall in the corner's shadow from inside after he passes, the heavy piece lifted out by two magnetic handles applied within.

The crawl out, he reapplies three fast welds to hold the plate.

The guards are dressed in black, often private security relies on fear and force over tactic, their numbers more loosely regimented.  So everything black and polished with well placed pieces of armor leading to the helmeted gas mask.

A strange fit among the white bio-hazard suits of the doctors and technicians.

Emilio and Libra work the shadows in their own dark camo, hazard sealed as well but more high end militaria grunt than polished drones such as these.  They have to be, to get these kinds of jobs.

The guards' tasks are kept tight, their conversation minimal, the unwinding happens in the barracks.

Libra - "We'll need a link to the barracks as well.  Different uniforms but very similar patterns to some of the security at the ball.  Let's hear what they talk about."

Emilio - "Work."

Libra - "Probably ... wait."

The clicking of dog nails with the jangle of a chain.

Libra - "Get the sonic imager ready."  She digs in her satchel, "Send a pulse when I say now."  Pulls out a small leather sack.

Emilio pulls out the imager and readies it then stares at the sack ... a look like 'what the hell !?'  She pours some red powder along the corner shadow, then points to the next safe spot, they wait for another guard to pass and move fast in silence.  

 

The dog sniffs along the floor inhaling the powder, begins sneezing and pawing the nose, head side to side, pulling on the chain erratically.  The guard shines a light, nothing there.

Libra nods to Emilio, he sends the pulse.

The guard looks at the dog, the dog looks back sad, then a sneeze.  Instinct sends the flashlight to where they were, but they're gone.  The dog sneezes again ...

The guard looks around at the scientists in the lab ahead ... back at the dog with the runny nose ... "That can't be good."

Libra - Checking the map from the sonic imager, now a distance away.  "Cayenne."  She taps a panel on the wall looking around, "This one."

Back to scrolling the map with a vague patrol layout frozen on a vague map, Emilio works the panel screws.  

Libra - "I need you to strip all the main feed wires without cutting them, and attach this."  She hands him a little box with a lot of ready wires hanging off.

Emilio - "How does it transmit ?"

Libra - "Through their internet router.  How's the explosives."

Emilio - "Ready to distribute.  We need the bigger boom in the lab's core.  The cooling units will be volatile.  Another to the basement boilers will be good."

Libra - "How do we transmit the detonation ?"

Emilio - Attaching her box with another linking it through to the main cable, "E-mail."  Smiles, "Great minds."  Closes the casing.

Libra - "Well Staff Sergeant, my assignment is complete.  Your orders."

Emilio - "The barracks."

Libra - A laugh, "Sir yes sir."
____________

In the barracks ~

A guard - "Yes sir."  He salutes.

Corvallis - "Agent Corvallis will do.  Open this locker please."

Guard - "This one sir ?  Agent.  Corvallis.  Sir."

Corvallis - "I'm sorry.  I've just changed my mind.  How about that one over there ?"

Guard - "Um."

Corvallis - "Yes this one.  If you please."

The guard complies, Corvallis rifles the belongings and pulls out a single vial from the lab, and shows it to Ms Berg.

Corvallis - "Because where there is smoke, Administrator Berg."  He watches Libra and Emilio plant explosives behind them while they all stare at the vial, "There is fire." 

A smile and into the pocket.

Corvallis - Now lets find out what compound, exactly, this vial matches while you arrest this locker's owner.
____________

That one fucking guard chained to a chair in their walk in cooler - "I didn't do a goddamn thing."

Corvallis - "No ... I don't believe that you did.  What I believe, is that somebody got desperate with so few moments before our arrival, and set you up because they heard us in the hall.

"Five minutes before that I think, it was in another locker entirely.  And if you had to guess ... who's would that have been ?"

...

Guard - "Okay.  So there's this one fucking guy ... "