Chapter Twenty-six
Digital Warfare
Matt
Vibrating uncomfortably against my wrist, the communicator announced Leo’s request to rendezvous. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t a great time. Ducking under the wide kick given by the soldier in front of me, I jabbed powerfully into his gut forcing him to double over in agony. Jack was a little way beyond me, up the corridor, and was equally knee deep in guards defending the technicians lab.
It had all started so well. After we’d breached the fence, we’d been faced with no opposition. Despite the supposed swarms of guards we’d been told would be waiting for us outside, we’d walked relatively easily to the inner compound. There, we entered the building topped with a satellite with ease. Every door opened with a well oiled silence and due to magic we were able to quieten the sound of our footsteps against the echoing steel.
Upon entering the building, we’d briefly split up trying to locate the technicians lab. Even alone, I’d felt confident. Despite the hostile territory we were casually strolling through, the lack of guards had lowered my attentiveness and made me admittedly lazy. As I walked slowly down the halls, I gradually made my way to the centre of the building, guessing it was where the lab would be. As it was closest to the satellite, I accurately assumed that it would receive the quickest feedback, allowing technicians to act quickly with the information. In addition, it also meant the classified knowledge would never have to be sent from that room making it secure and making it hard to hack. It was this thought that started to make me uneasy. If it truly would be secure, somebody would be there right? Surely we would meet resistance soon?
Nevertheless, I’d moved on, continuing my walk in a lengthened stride. Eventually, I reached a door left slightly ajar and was immediately met by a wave of nausea as I looked into the misty visor of a guard. Acting without thinking, I jabbed him hard in the neck and kneed him forcefully between the legs before pushing him to the floor. I was shivering violently and retched as he fell, revealing a long corridor swarming with soldiers all swarming around a singular figure. Occasionally, one fell to floor before being trampled by his allies. Sometimes, random columns of fire erupted around the room which had the same effect, albeit more rapid. Apparently, Jack had already met our welcome party. Running into the hall, my hearing suddenly left me and I just had time to work out Jack had cast a silencing spell before I was met by a second soldier. He attempted to kick me and ducked under it as I received Leo’s message.
Punching him hard in the chest again, I spun around to meet another guard who quickly received an elbow in the ribs and who lost the plasma pistol resting in his belt as I snatched it for myself. Taking a purposeful step back, I hurriedly left the churning fray and aimed the pistol before releasing a few short bursts and taking down a few of the guards. Stepping further back, I assessed the situation. About ten guards were still standing but they fought brutally and with conviction. Each one tried desperately to land a hammering blow onto Jacks fragile body and as I watched I realized these were elites trained to defend or die trying. Despite obviously woking for the government, these guys appeared to have been trained in the Japanese samurai ways which was now a technique taught to all Asian troops who were willing to defend their homeland against the government. Unfortunately for the unites Asian nations, not everybody was as loyal as was hoped.
As I watched, I also thought about weather this was a trap designed for us or if it was generally the defense they put in place in preparation of attack. Judging by the fact we’d managed to take down ten already without any severe injuries to ourselves, I assumed that they weren’t expecting us. Good, we were still one step ahead.
Ducking back into the combat, I took one mans legs out from under him and knocked him hard in the head with the barrel of the pistol. As he lay silently on the floor, his head tilted to a sickening angle, another of the soldiers comrades charged at me. Knowing the gun had no time to charge for a new round, I threw it hard at his head and swung the rifle hanging around my neck into a firing position. He stumbled slightly, as the projectile bounced off his head, and he altered his course just enough to knock two other guards to the ground. After releasing a quick shot at my assailant, I took aim the two who had been floored in the process of the fight. I pulled the trigger twice more and reloaded the gun.
