Hill smiled when Caiphus’ voice flooded through his earpiece. “I’ll take that over us being accused of a terrorist act against a National Park.”
“Hell yeah…” Caiphus chuckled. “But we aren’t within range of the Park so that’s somethin’.”
“Yeah...it’s somethin’, alright,” Hill muttered. He and his team were stealthily shaving off the distance to the designated spot.
In addition to the explosives team, there was a second unit led by Carlos and comprised of Vestige shooters and those in Moses Ramsey’s employ. Additional teams would approach in waves and await advancement orders from Caiphus who would move in with Bashir and their two crews. The group would accompany the explosives unit and provide cover should it be needed.
The groups operated under the cover of night and utilized night vision goggles to find their way. In such a desolate area, any added illumination was liable to be noticed. It went without saying that Jake Shannon was sure to have the most sophisticated surveillance equipment monitoring his fortress. Chances ran high that they’d already been spotted either by infrared radiation or satellite imaging. They moved forward regardless. The group was thoroughly vested, ready to see the mission to its intended or unintended end.
Hill and his team were halfway to what appeared to be a gaping expanse the blueprints had indicated as the entrance. They were within range of the entrance when an ear-splitting signal pierced Hill’s headset.
“Shit Cai!” He hissed.
“That wasn’t me,” Caiphus hissed back. “Team leaders report.” He ordered.
“No need for that, fellas, and no need for all those fancy explosives you brought along unless you’re trying to get yourselves killed sooner rather than later.”
“How’d you get this frequency? Identify yourself.” Caiphus demanded.
“If you’re patient, I’ll do just that. I may also be able to save you some of that impressive ammo and buy us time being detected.”
“Us?” Hill’s dark eyes narrowed from curiosity and another feeling he couldn’t label.
“Let’s just hope you and I are in the same place, Hill.”
The voice emitted with crystal clarity. Reflexively, Hill’s hand tightened on the butt of his Berretta. “What the fuck?” He snarled.
“Patience man, if this doesn’t work, I’m gonna have a helluva time tryin’ to save my ass once they find the entrance guards.”
“Identify yourself.” Caiphus insisted.
There was laughter in response.
“I see marriage hasn’t helped with your impatience, Cai. Now it’s gonna be a few seconds- the entrance is on a timer. Out.”
There was silence across the band and then SyBilla’s voice came through the station.
“Somebody wanna tell me who the hell that was?” She demanded.
Hill sensed vibration beneath his boots. “I think we’re about to find out.”
The vibrations rumbled up through the ground and, as it shook, the distinctive clang of metal accompanied the noise. There was a grinding as though pulleys were rotating. Next came a faint distortion; a subtle shift in the lighting, as though an entrance were being unveiled.
It was difficult to tell, as the undetermined interior appeared as black as the pre-dawn sky. Guns lifted in unison when the team members spotted the outline of a lone figure. Fingers hovered over triggers as the figure advanced.
“Hurry!” the figure-a man- called. “The guards run checks every eight hours-these doors are to be open no longer than ten minutes approximately! A second longer and an immediate warning sounds-We don’t need that!”
With complete disregard for the time, Hill advanced. The laser sighting on his weapon was aimed dead center of the stranger’s chest. “Why don’t you tell us why you’re being so helpful, first?”
“There’re times when family should help instead of hinder, right cousin?”
Hill tilted his head, ignoring the sensation of hair raising along his nape. He identified the sensation he couldn’t label earlier. It was recognition. He disengaged his earpiece and waited, watching as the figure stepped into view. Pure shock almost had him pulling back on the trigger.
“Brogue?”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
“I know this is a shock.”
“Oh? You got that, did you?” Hill had yet to lower his aim.
Brogue Tesano’s rakish features defined with added amusement despite the automatic trained at his skull. “It’s a story that’s gonna take more time to tell than we’ve got right now. We need to get everybody movin’ in order to keep the warning alarm from sounding.”
The mission elbowed its way back to the forefront of Hill’s mind and he lowered the gun and re-engaged his earpiece. “We’re good here, Cai,” he called into his headset.
“Let’s move!” Caiphus sent the order to his team leaders who relayed the message to their crews.
Like a ripple in black fabric, a wave of bodies-men and women-similarly outfitted in tactical gear and full weaponry, rushed the entrance.
“What the fuck are we heading into?” Hill asked his cousin.
“We’re gonna take the stairs down-there’re two sets on either side of the entrance.”
Hill transmitted Brogue’s info to Caiphus who dutifully relayed it to the other leaders.
Hill kept Brogue at his side as bodies rushed on ahead of them. “What the fuck, B?”
“Like I said, it’s a long story. Right now, we’ve got to get the kids out- our presence here won’t go undetected for long. When Shelanon realizes that, he’ll use them to set off the detonators-three sets at opposing ends of each floor. They have to be hit manually.
