Razor Burnby O. J. Anderson |
Table of Contents Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 19 appear in this issue. |
| Chapter 18 |
Sitting in the rear seat of the limousine are Thaddeus and Erskine. Across from them are Leon and Kate. Kate’s hands are tied and she has a large strip of duct tape covering her mouth. Leon strokes the barrel of the pistol along her shoulder while staring are her flirtatiously.
Thaddeus is busy yelling into the cell phone. “What? Listen to me, you moron. Find him and bring me his head on a stick. Got that? I want his head on a stick in my office. On a stick!” Tosses the cell phone to the floor. “Idiots. Bunch of useless idiots.”
The limo slows as it approaches the gates of the compound.
An armed guard from the Bikharmer Security Force leans toward the opening rear window of the limo and says, “Good evening, sir.”
“Secure the area,” Thaddeus commands. “I want the security force on full alert. Be prepared for anything.”
“Yes, sir!” The guard turns away and signals to the guard in the control point to open the gate. He reaches for the com-unit clipped to his shoulder and barks, “All units, all units...”
* * *
“I want the product off the compound as soon as possible. If they take us, it will be our only leverage.”
“Yes, Father. What about her?”
“We’ll keep her alive a bit longer, I suppose. Leon, see to it that she makes herself useful.”
Leon smiles, then whispers something into Kate’s ear.
* * *
Razor strides through the SCU cluster headed for the Tactical Operations room.
The Tac-Op room is dark and secretive, lighted mostly my the glow of electronic devices and the banks of monitors encircling the upper walls like postmodern molding. At the center of the room is the holographic briefing table, already displaying a rotating bluish reconstruction of the Bikharmer Pharmaceutical compound. Standing over the hologram are Chief Conrad, Carl, and Agents Cheeseman and Grimes.
Razor bursts through the door as a technician taps Cheeseman on the shoulder holding a handset to his ear. The tech tells him, “Surveillance teams on site. Live feed beginning in five mikes.”
“Good,” Cheeseman says.
* * *
The final two-man surveillance team crawls the last few feet through the brush into position overlooking the compound from the east. They set up their equipment and begin transmitting.
* * *
Tac-Op video monitors blink to life when the live feed is established. The compound is covered from seven different vantage points. Agent Cheeseman nods and mumbles something about a live fireworks show.
Razor storms through the room issuing commands. “All right, I’m gonna need every Stud you’ve got, Carl. We’ll hit the compound from three sides with everything we’ve got. I’ll parachute in from five thousand feet and drop...”
Chief Conrad tries to interrupt. “Razor, there’s no... Razor.”
“...a satchel charge on the main building from one thousand feet up and blow an entry hole through the roof. I’ll gain access...”
Chief Conrad, louder: “Razor!”
“What? What is it?”
“Listen. No one’s going in.”
“That’s right,” Agent Cheeseman cuts in. “Sniffers picked up the scent less than two hours ago. They’re either trying to move the virus, or they’re getting ready to deploy. But that’s not going to happen. We’ve articulated the hot zone and we’re destroying the compound.”
This takes a moment for Razor to process. “What the hell do you mean destroying the compound?”
“I’ve already called in an airstrike. The compound and the virus will be annihilated in approximately sixty-seven minutes.”
“Kate’s in there.”
“And who do we have to thank for that?” Agent Grimes shouts from across the room.
Chief Conrad’s head jerks back toward Razor, regarding him like he’s a nuclear weapon about to blow. But, surprisingly, Razor stays on topic rather than field stripping Grimes like a weapon in need of cleaning.
“You’re not even going to try to get her out?” Razor takes a few inquisitive steps toward Cheeseman. Cheeseman backs up without even the slightest pretensions of turning this into a contest of manhood. Razor tells him, “Seal the place off. Contain it. That’s protocol.”
Cheeseman says, “We’ve got a virus on our hands that has the potential to kill everyone in this city if it gets out. Now, I am not in a position where I can risk the lives of millions to save the life of one person, even if she is a colleague.”
Grimes adds, “If she were here, she’d say the same thing.”
Looking at Grimes as though he is the most pathetic thing he has ever seen before, Razor asks him, “But if you were in her place, would you say the same thing?”
A short silence, then Cheeseman says, “That compound is getting incinerated whether any of us like it or not. It’s the only option.” He turns away and watches the video feed.
Razor slams his fist on the briefing table, causing a blip in the hologram, then checks his watch. “How much time do I have?”
“About sixty-five minutes,” Grimes says.
Razor says to Chief Conrad, “I’m going in.”
Grimes smirks. “Don’t be foolish.”
“Razor,” the Chief says, “I can’t...”
“I said I’m going in. I’ll blast my way in, grab her, be out in under ten minutes.”
“Are you kidding?” Grimes sneers. “That compound is more guarded than most military installations.”
“I’ll go with you,” Carl volunteers.
“Let’s do it.”
Razor and Carl head for the door. “Sixty-four minutes,” Grimes shouts after them.
On their way through the SCU cluster, Razor and Carl pass Doug working at his station. Razor asks him, “Hey, kid. You up for ass kicking?”
“Oh, hell yeah,” he says and drops whatever he was doing and chases them into the stairwell.
“Gear up,” Razor says, hopping down the steps. “We’re going in light and loose. Take only what you need to kick ass and nothing more. Meet me outside in two mikes. Let’s go, we’ve got no time.”
* * *
Chief Conrad picks up the phone. Dials. “Yeah, get a gunship in the air to cover Razor. Right. Have him off site in five zero mikes. Wait, make that four five mikes.”
Agent Grimes shakes his head in disapproval. “Don’t risk any more of your men, Chief. It isn’t worth it.
The Chief ignores him.
Copyright © 2006 by O. J. Anderson
