Power Play

Chapter 17: Veronica

Chapter 17: Veronica

    Veronica slipped out of the car, pausing to check in with the agents in the van to ensure that the prisoner still remained secure before moving off with a few other agents to a nearby airplane hanger, where they began carefully changing out of their oxygen tanks and outfits and into their normal clothes.

    The operation had gone far more smoothly than she'd ever imagined. The target hadn't even really put up a fight. They'd had to rush things far more than she would've liked, though. Who would've expected the True Mind to contact one of the freaks they'd been surveilling with a letter? Not through a phone call, not showing up at the freak's place of residence, but actually sending them a letter to set up a meeting. They hadn't caught it. It had been a mistake on their part, not to check the mail, but Veronica hadn't thought of it. They hadn't even known where Simon was heading until the team following him reported back sighting the target. Until that moment, with Vanning's meeting only an hour away, Veronica had almost given up.

    She'd had agents double-time it to that location, Connor Marks chief among them since she'd wanted a blanket thrown over their auras before they moved in. As it was, they'd almost missed their chance. They'd still been completely out of position when they overheard the True Mind telling Simon to leave. They didn't have things nearly as prepared as she wanted them to be. But she'd had only a second to make a decision. Simon was leaving the alley and the True Mind could depart himself at any moment. Even fifteen seconds before and she'd have called it off as too risky, but the vehicles were close and just enough agents had arrived despite being out of position. The thought had entered her mind of how angry the Director would be if they lost this chance, and she'd given the order to capture the target. The team had been too slow, they hadn't had every angle covered, and still they'd succeeded. The True Mind had just stood there, probably in utter overconfidence that no one could harm him. It had been his downfall, because now that the chemical in the gas was working its way through his brain, he wasn't going to get another chance to escape them. Veronica would make sure of it.

    Still, it had unnerved her a bit how easily he'd surrendered to them. How he hadn't even tried to use his powers against them. How he hadn't resisted, or for that matter even seemed surprised at their appearance. He'd simply offered his wrists to be cuffed, smiling the whole time. It was almost like he'd been the one planning the whole thing, rather than them. But that was ridiculous. It had to just be that he was still remarkably overconfident, regardless of his newfound situation. She couldn't let it get to her. They'd captured him, been successful in their mission. And now that he was breathing in the chemical on a constant basis, he was no longer a threat. All she had to do was take him in for questioning and watch over him until the Director sent someone else to handle him.

    With her and the rest of the transport team back into regular clothing, she took the lead as they made their way back towards the van, where the other agents stood ready. Stopping a distance from the van itself to ensure she wouldn't be exposed to the chemical and taking a deep breath, Veronica offered a nod to the agent closest to the back doors, and then just stood back and waited as they were opened. The purple gas carrying the chemical immediately began rushing out, and in only a few seconds she began to catch glimpses of the True Mind still inside. With another nod from her, two other agents stepped forward, reaching into the van to grasp the True Mind's arms and pull him out. For his part, the man still didn't struggle, he just wore the same confident smile as he stepped out of the vehicle into the open air.