Project Perses: Redemption

Chapter Thirty Seven

Chapter Thirty Seven

“Ah Shit!” It’s all I can mutter before I slam face first into the impact resistant floor to ceiling window, all the while in full view of the fourteen or so men and women all sitting around a conference table on the other side.  I hadn’t taken into account that the glass might not actually break, instead it merely turned into a web of cracks from my first attempt.

The sight and sound of me coming out of nowhere in the middle of the day, slamming into the window like a confused pigeon, is enough to cause the ones facing the window to jump up in alarm. Those sitting with their backs to it aren’t so lucky since they have no warning.  I hit pretty hard too, making a rather impressive “thunk” sound that causes them to shoot out of their chairs, stumbling over each other to get out of the way.  A few with fast reflexes draw their guns which further freaks out their comrades, causing a couple to bolt for the door, one woman getting trampled in the process. 

Given that this is a post 9/11 world, I’m in New York City and I’m attempting to crash land into the offices of Homeland Security, I can totally understand their reaction.  Before anyone gets smart and actually starts shooting, I push hard off the side of the building with my feet, swinging wide and at the same time focus every ounce of kinetic strength I have at the impact resistant glass.

This time the shit breaks, shattering inwards, raining those still in attendance with dangerous shards of every shape and size.  There is screaming and someone takes a shot at me just as alarms start going off all around us.  I don’t know if it’s from the window breaking or one of the lucky ones who had gotten away actually alerting the floor, but the siren is ear splitting.

After landing and unhooking the harness, I take stock of the room. Mitchell isn’t here, that would be too lucky and so far I am anything but that. These people all look like agents though, so in my book, they’re all my enemies unless proven otherwise.  The two men nearest me attempt to take me down but end up getting in each other’s way.  As they make an effort to coordinate and fail, I swing at one, connecting with his jaw and then spin kick the other right in the stomach, taking them both down pretty easy.  I pull my hits though, I aim to incapacitate, not kill.

Several more make it out the door while two agents, a man and a woman, drop into a firing stance and start pummeling me with bullets.  Without silencers the sound is deafening, especially in combination with the alarms, but the only person who seems to notice is me. I’m not a moron, I know they’re trying to buy time for the rest to exit, that much is clear. They’re excellent shots too, first aiming for the vital areas but when I don’t seem fazed, they switch to legs, arms and my head.  I can’t fathom what they think though when the bullets fail to draw blood, or drop me.  Obviously Mitchell hadn’t enlightened these innocent souls to the possibility of me or my visit. 

I keep that in mind as I move towards them.  When I am less than five feet from them, the woman takes a shot and nails me directly in the forehead.  The shock and horror that registers on both of their faces when the bullet impacts my thick skull and drops away, leaving no sign of trauma behind, is priceless. The man’s mouth opens and closes several times while the female simple gapes at me, her lips wide, and eyes staring.  She reaches out and starts slapping at her partner, pulling him backward towards the door. 

They don’t make it.  The man is five steps from the door when I charge, catapulting over the conference table to slam into him, knocking him backwards and into the wall behind.  His head connects soundly with the whiteboard hanging there, sending markers and the eraser flying.  The woman, the badge hanging from her blazer pocket telling me her name is Paige, stumbles sideways and damn near trips over the other poor woman who had been trampled earlier and was still unconscious.  She regains her balance just as I reach her, my hands out to catch her.