Where In The World Are The Killers?

Countdown to Murder

In Kazakhstan...

"Agents, this is a disaster! SOMBRA's not only finished building their satellite, but we now know they intend to launch it from the COSMORUS facility in Kazakhstan!" Chief Ripley says as she, Anders and Jack stood in front of the monitor displaying an overhead image of the launch site, "I still haven't been able to reach Natasha to let her know that the COSMORUS facilities have been infiltrated by SOMBRA, but no matter. Elliot has managed to override COSMORUS's security systems to give you clearance, so nobody will stop you from entering the launch site."

"Good, because I know Natasha will have done everything in her power to stop the Bureau and the G.I.A from accessing the facility until after the launch," Anders grumbled, glaring at the picture of Natasha on the screen.

"We cannot let Operation Darkness Descends go a step further! You must get to the COSMORUS site and stop that launch!" she orders, handing the agents the access cards Elliot had made for them, "keep in mind that anyone you come across may be working for SOMBRA. Trust no one. Except Archer, of course. He'll be your partner for the mission."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Chief Ripley!" Jack smirked.

"If that satellite goes into orbit, SOMBRA will take over all other satellites and civilization as we know it will end! Now get to that launch site!" she barked, "there's no time to lose!"

Jack and Anders rushed out of the plane to where their Jeep was waiting and hurried over to the COSMORUS launch site. They used the card Elliot had made to get through the security gate and parked as close to the main entrance as they could. They used the card again on the doors and entered the long hall with a long red carpet and COSMORUS signs mounted along the walls. As they walked down the red carpet towards the doors leading to the control room, Natasha Romanova came storming over to them from a side room.

"How did you Bureau idiots get in here?" Natasha demands, "this is a restricted area!"

"The Bureau has its ways, Ms. Romanova. Especially when the safety of the world is at stake!" Anders glared.

"Safety of the world?! What are you talking about?!" she cried, perplexed.

"SOMBRA's satellite is here in the COSMORUS launch site, Ms. Romanova!" he informed, "and if it launches, SOMBRA will take over all active satellites, which means they can take over the world!"

"You're throwing your wild accusations around again! SOMBRA can't have infiltrated COSMORUS!" she yelled, red-faced with anger.

"They did compromise COSMORUS and we have proof! Agent Anders found counterfeit swipe cards at SOMBRA's hidden satellite factory in Mongolia!" Jack tells her, his temper and impatience rising, "SOMBRA agents are probably setting up the launch right now! You must get us to the launch control room so Agent Anders can stop this!"

"I... I guess even if only half of what you say is true... we cannot take any chances!" Natasha admits, "please, Agents, follow me to the launch control room!"

Natasha signalled for them to follow her as she turned on her heels and began walking towards the large doors at the end of the hall. She used her access card to get inside and they continued their journey across an enclosed raised walkway overlooking the COSMORUS rocket waiting to launch. They crossed the platform and entered the control room to find it void of life, literally.

Draped across the main control panel was a dead man dressed in an expensive dark gray suit with a slashed across his throat and a Russian word burn along his forehead. On the floor near his feet was some glossy torn paper that looked to have once been a photo and a small plastic electronic had been dropped on the seat beside the control panel.