Chapter #19Captain Wen's Command by: imaj   There’s an odd sense of déjà vu as Rèn’s SUV approaches the warehouse. You’ve been here before, and yet you haven’t. The dockside warehouse matches exactly the memories you lifted from the Fane soldier’s head. Though there are dozens like it nearby, you know for sure this is exactly the one they have taken Gāo Chi to.
The line of police surrounding the warehouse is a surprise though.
A white helmeted officer waves down the SUV before it gets too close to the warehouse. Hu slides down the passenger side window and the policeman walks round and leans on the side of the door.
“No further sir,” he says in a clipped voice. “This area is temporarily restricted. I must ask you to turn around.”
“We’re expected,” replies Hu smoothly. Rèn says nothing, he just taps his fingers on the wheel patiently. “Where is Captain Wén?”
The officer’s assured demeanour evaporates in an instant, his mouth locks into a nervous grin. “Are you…” The question tails off without being asked.
“We are,” replies Hu, still speaking in the same smooth voice. “Take us to Captain Wén immediately.”
Captain Wén turns out to be a small man with a wrinkled face in his early fifties. He looks up warily as you and the two sages are led over to the armoured car where he has set up his little command post: A simple folding table covered in sheets of paper. After a moment in the two or three other – judging by their uniforms anyway – officers look up from the paperwork too. They look at each other nervously.
Captain Wén is more resolute though. He stares Hu straight in the eyes. “Greetings Sages,” he say, bowing stiffly.
“Captain Wén,” nods Hu in return. “I am Sage Hu, my associates Sage Rèn and Ms Yè” You nod in acknowledgment to the captain yourself. Staying in character seemed the best way to avoid awkward questions, though you have at least changed from the business suit you were wearing into a more comfortable set of fatigues with an urban camo pattern. You suspect they belong to Xifeng, the woman who escorted you to the Sage’s base in the limousine. “Go over the situation for us.”
The elderly police officer nods abruptly. “We cordoned off the warehouse as soon as we received the call esteemed Sage.” He gestures at the papers on the table. “Lines, here, here and here, with boats patrolling the harbour. No one gets in or out. We have contacted the terrorists within and they have expressed a willingness to negotiate, but we have delayed until your arrival.”
You look over the blueprints of the warehouse spread out on the table in front of you. No one normal could get past the captain’s blockade, you agree, but you aren’t dealing with the normal here. If Fane brought any of their Dark Stars with them, then the captain’s cordon would be in tatters within minutes. A minotaur – the beasts that assaulted Rosalie’s and Joe’s wedding – could bowl through the lines in seconds, though you hope that you’ve stopped them from creating any more of those. Another speedster, like the one you met in Barcelona, would run rings round them. One of the tattooed men would have the police officers shooting each other if given half the chance. That would be your approach to the problem anyway.
Hu seems to share your misgivings. “Keep delaying them,” he says sternly. “My associates and I will mount a rescue attempt and neutralise anything you won’t be able to handle, but I don’t want them to know we are here yet. It may tip their hand and you would not be able to deal with what happens next.”
The is a moment of awkward silence. The only sound is a frightened gulping noise escaping from the throat of one of the officers. “I… see,” says Captain Wén. “What would you have us do?”
“We will signal you once the hostage is secured,” explains Hu. “At that point you can sweep the building and neutralise any remaining threats as you see fit. Miss Yè,” continues Hu, turning to you. “What entry point would you recommend.”
You shift uncomfortably. From the Fane soldier Jarvis’s memories you have a good idea of exactly where in the warehouse they would be holding Gāo Chi, as well as what the rough disposition of their remaining forces would be. But you glance at the captain: The Stellae are more used to working secretly, and certainly without the official co-operation you are seeing here.
“Will,” says Hu so softly that you barely hear him.
Your attention snaps back onto the plans on the table. “Here,” you say placing your finger above a rear door on the plans. “Enough coverage for me to be able to use my… For me to be able to sneak in. I think Gāo Chi is here,” you say moving your finger across the plans. “So it’s also close enough for to get to him quickly.”
“Do they have any, ah, special resources,” asks Hu.
“I don’t know,” you admit. “Fane are very good at keeping things secret from themselves. If they do, it has to be here and here,” you add, pointing to two more sections of the plan. They’ve been kept off limits from the ordinary soldiers.
“I see,” says Hu. He starts gesturing rapidly over the plans. “If we move through this way, we can drive many of them towards this exit, cutting off the remainder. Place your snipers on the roofs there Captain,” adds Hu, pointing at the top of another nearby warehouse. You listen fascinated, as the mild mannered and unassuming Hu lays out his strategy with military precision. Hu stops periodically to allow Captain Wén to issue orders. Police officers scurry around, moving into position to cover your assault.
With everything in position, Hu leads you and Rèn back to the SUV. Rèn pops open the trunk and pulls out some metal cases. Hu takes the first, opening it to reveal a sleek black framed crossbow. The Sage takes it in both hands, testing its weight and making minor adjustments till he is satisfied.
“Tranquiliser darts Rèn,” he states. “We want more captives.”
The other Sage nods. He has a pair of smaller crossbows himself now, one in each hand. He smiles to himself and gazes at them lovingly. It’s perhaps the most emotion you’ve ever seen from the man.
“Do you need a weapon,” asks Hu.
You do have a little weapons training, mostly taken from other people’s imagos. Mostly you rely on your ability to knock people out with a touch. Besides, you suspect that asking for a katana – which thanks to have a copy of Miko Toyotomi’s imago you know how to use proficiently – will not go down to well. “No thanks, I’ll rely on my hands.”
“As you wish,” replies Hu. He hands you an earpiece with slender microphone running out on a short boom. “Take this, we’ll use it to stay in contact if we are separated.”
You thank him and place it in your ear, looping it round the back to hold it in place. “Can you hear me,” you ask quietly once Hu puts his own one on.
He nods. “Are you ready?”
You still your nerves, dipping briefly into your meditative state to help you do so. This is nothing you haven’t done dozens of times before. All that’s different is you are working with the Great Sages of the Heavenly Court rather than the Stellae or Akshardham. If anything, these guys are more professional than your own colleagues.
“Yes,” you say firmly.
*****
You offer your hand to help Gāo Chi climb out of the SUV. The little boy seems none the worse for his brief kidnapping, a few bruises and scrapes, a cut on his oddly shave head. He looks at you with pale watery eyes as he takes your hand. Chi’s coat catches on the door as he clambers through, tearing as it does so. The boy ignores it though. You sigh. Someone will have to patch his coat, you guess. It’s already been mended a dozen times, each with a different clashingly coloured swatch of fabric.
Chi smiles weakly as you close the SUV door shut. “Are you ok,” you ask
“I am fine,” replies Chi, his voice stiff. “Thank you.”
Hu walks round from the passenger side of the SUV. He’s the only casualty of the operation in the warehouse, with one arm held in an impromptu sling. He ran the warehouse infiltration near perfectly, his calm voice whispering commands into your ear, changing the plan constantly to meet the changing circumstances. Luckily there were no Dark Stars present, so all Hu had to contend with was the regular soldiers. It shouldn’t surprise you that he did so well, he introduced himself as a student of Sun Tzu. In Stellae terms that would mark his ousiarchs as Arbol and Malacandra. The perfect combination for a peerless strategist.
Táng Bolin emerges from the elevator, the pale bodyguard with the wraparound shades trailing behind him. “Ah, you have returned,” he drawls. His gaze falls to where Gāo Chi still clings onto you. “And have matters well in hand too I see. I trust everything went smoothly Ms Yè.”
“Like clockwork,” you reply.
You freeze in place, suddenly aware of the hairs standing on the back of your neck. Eldibria is trying to tell you something. Your gaze sweeps the underground parking lot, and as your eyes land on the bodyguard, you suddenly realize exactly why he seems so familiar.  You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
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