Dark Arrow Ch. 08

She hadn't bothered with flashbang grenades because she'd assumed she'd be in close quarters most of the way.

She'd failed to calculate the need to access the locked stairwell on the far side of the lobby. Ideally she'd have simply entered from the lobby but, because of the open courtyard that surrounded the tower, she'd chosen the roof access.

She'd hoped that they would do much as they'd done and confine themselves to the close quarters of the stairs in an effort to stop her descent. Unfortunately, now she had to deal with the fact that they'd been smart enough to hold back a fair portion of their force.

Crossing an open area and getting pinned down or ripped apart by defensive fire had always been the weak point in this plan.

The courtyard had been a deathtrap if she tried to breach. The charges on the other three sides of the building were easy enough to place but a monitored wall sealed off any approach to the front of the tower without crossing nearly two hundred meters of open space with laser trip alarms, zero cover, automated defenses, and constant monitoring. She'd never have made it that way but now she had a fifty meter lobby to cross which would likely also offer next to no cover and they knew exactly where she was going to be coming from.

She pulled the tattered bag off her shoulder and opened it. She had four breaching charges left, the nanites, and the remainder of the grenades as well as the two MG 51 rocket launchers. Unfortunately, if she did succeed in getting across the lobby alive she was going to need those, so that was out. But as she glanced at the bag an idea struck her.

Quickly positioning herself she placed the remaining breaching charges on the door and wall that led to the lobby. She tied them to a timed circuit rather than the circuit she'd tied the rest of them to giving herself 60 seconds to clear the blast zone when she triggered them. Setting down she ripped the bag into strips and began wrapping spare batteries and some of the grenades to the magnum and the remaining Mark 8 rifle.

It wasn't quite a flashbang, but if she tied down the triggers the guns would expel enough heat to overheat and rupture the unprotected batteries. The failure would cause a plasma flashover that should produce enough light and heat to blind anyone looking in that direction. Hopefully the flashover would produce enough of an explosion to act as a detonator and set of the grenades and set of the incendiary material.

Using the remaining strips, she tied groups of four grenades together until she ran out of strips and was left with a handful of grenades. Replenishing the grenades she'd had on her suit, she hung the loops of grenades around her neck and set the remaining grenades and one of the MG50's up on the third floor landing. Shouldering the other she quickly armed the breaching charges and rushed back up and around the corner of the second floor landing sheltering from the blast.

The explosion shook the building and deafened her even through the suit. Cinching the ties around the triggers of the Magnum and Mark 8 as she ran she burst through the gaping entrance she'd made and hurled the weapons in the direction of the gunfire that erupted on her appearance. Rolling to the side she rose quickly bringing the MG50 into firing position and sighting on the heavy steel door guarding the lower floor access.

She heard the bark of alarm as she squeezed the trigger. A second later there was a pulsing shockwave and warnings lit up across her screen followed by a second deafening roar as the rocket impacted the door blasting it from its hinges.

She cursed as she ran a parabolic course across the open area taking one of the loops off her shoulder she triggered the four grenades and then threw the entire loop towards the cluster where the most coordinated gunfire game from. The blast came a moment later followed by screams and curses.

She smiled to herself. The EMP blast to disable her shield had been unexpected, but it had the positive effect of eliminating any shielding they had as well. Whipping two more loops off she triggered the grenades and sent them sailing towards the same area. She'd have fifteen loops.

With twelve left she hoped she could keep their heads pinned down and let her reach the barricades they'd set up. If she could manage that she might have a fighting chance even though she was going to be facing several members of Ren's old unit at once.

With a stroke of luck, the room had three large structural pillars that provided minor cover. Diving behind one she paused to catch her breath. She sat three loops in front of here. Two of these were incendiaries mostly with a single M35 frag a piece. Taking one in each hand she tripped the grenades then stepping out from behind the pillar she tossed them in front of the barricade in the middle of the room.

Grabbing the third she triggered it's grenades as well and hucked it to the far side of the room. With a last prayer she slung the RK99's strap over her neck, broke cover and rushed the nearest barricade. With a snarl she launched herself over it finding a wide eyes security guard cowering behind it. Grabbing the Freninham from her hip she pulled the trigger, reveling in the deep bark as the .45 round slammed into the man. Turning she saw three men in combat armor standing well back from the barricades and now gesturing to turn the men towards her.

There were two others down from the explosives. Snapping into a firing position she fired several shots in the direction of the armored men, causing them to drop into a crouch and raise their own weapons. The others fired back halfheartedly but it was enough to make her hunker down again.

Stowing her sidearm she grabbed another two grenade loops and triggered them. Pausing a second she hurled them high over the heads of the men working to pin her down. This close she was going to take a bit of a hit from the concussion at the least. If she was lucky though, tucked in as she was around the desk that had been turned into a barricade, she could avoid the shrapnel. Her chest hurt as the explosion thumped through her, and she ground her teeth as she swung around the corner.

A quick inventory showed her six men huddled at the far end clearly lost as to what to do. Not that she could blame them most of these men were middle class terrans who'd never actually had to even draw their weapons let alone use them. They had training to deal with an attack if need be but they weren't battle hardened, and they'd definitely never faced someone like her or the Advocacy agents. She had to guess it felt a little like being caught in a clash between two moguls. No matter what you did you were screwed.

For a single moment she felt a pang of guilt about killing these men, but then it passed. They'd signed on with the Advocacy, and the Advocacy had taken Ren along with a myriad of other sins. In the end what they intended to be part of and what they knew about the Advocacy was irrelevant. Those who did know were sending them against her, and so they had to die.

Dropping back down as shots shuddered into the makeshift barricade she took stock of her supplies. She was down to the two RK99's, her Freninham, and the B series. She also had the ten grenades hooked to her suit and the seven loops. Glancing at herself the HUD displayed some mild damage but the suit was still intact. No sooner had she breathed a small sigh of relief that she'd yet to be truly injured when an alarm sounded as a grenade landed next to her.

With no time to think, she reacted on instinct. Throwing herself through the gaping hole she'd opened in the stairwell she scrambled and pressed herself against the wall. The explosion was deafening and shrapnels hammered all around her as she huddled against the wall struggling to breath after the shockwave passed. For a moment despair rose sharp and overwhelming.

She was just coming to grips with being a fighter, rather than a hunter. Ren had trained her but even so these men had trained with Ren and there were three of them left standing and only one of her. What in the seven hells had convinced her she ever had a chance of pulling this off. She should have just taken the chance to see Ren again. Her hands started to shake and she could feel the tears about to overwhelm her.

Then she ground her teeth together and shook her head. This wasn't the woman Ren had trained. She wasn't that scared little girl who'd clung to her father's hand anymore, and she wasn't the cocksure assassin either. She was a weapon honed in desperation and tempered in hope. The image of her father's blanket leapt to her mind.

Semper Fidelis, he'd tried to tell her at the time but she hadn't been ready to understand it then. Always faithful didn't mean when it was easy or possible it meant always, no matter the cost. Her father had been faithful to his wife and daughter until the bitter end, and she'd be damned if she wouldn't be just as faithful to Ren despite it all.

Taking a breath and a moment to collect herself her thoughts flew to Ren. She let herself feel for a second. Remember the feeling of Ren's hand's on her body. Strong and sure as he squeezed the tension from a muscle, gripped her shoulder, or held her in place as he plundered her with his mouth. Fingers long and talented that had traced her face like he was painting a masterpiece. Fingers that had wiped away her tears and plunged into every part of her sending her to heights of pleasure she didn't know she was capable of.

She remembered the feel of him hard and rigid sliding through her folds, drawing soft cries from her. Remembered how it felt to be surrounded by his presence as he joined his body to hers in every way possible. He'd penetrated her body, mind and soul and was still buried deep inside her even when he wasn't physically in her. Slowly she blew out her breath and remembered. Then she opened her eyes. No matter the cost, no matter the pain, it would never be worse than having this part of her ripped away again and knowing she could have at least tried to do something.

Growling she slung the remaining grenade loops off her neck and crouched next to the door. Another grenade was thrown into the door way. Grabbing it she flipped it across the room ducking back and sheltering against the wall as the explosion shook the air and the shrapnel thudded into the barricade. Above the noise of the explosions and the shouted order she heard something. A sudden clang from the metal stairs leading towards the basement. Eyes wide she grabbed two grenades from her suit and triggered them.

Tossing them around the corner into the lobby she grabbed a loop and swiftly and quietly moved down the stairs until she reached the bend in them ten stairs down. Crouching by the corner she gripped one of the grenades on the loop in each hand and waited. A second later she saw another armored figure appear around the corner. Shots thudded into her suit as the man shouted in surprise and she lunged for him.

Triggering the two grenades she held, she dropped the loop around the man's neck as she slammed into him. Head-butting him hard enough to cause warnings to flash across the HUD, she spun him and delivered a kick launching him back down the stairs. Throwing herself flat against the wall she sheltered just as the explosion shook the stairway.

She said a silent prayer that Ren hadn't been caught in that blast as she took two more grenades off her suit and launched them up into the lobby and past the barricades. It wouldn't be anywhere near the remaining fighters but she had to hope that just knowing she was still alive and fighting would give them pause long enough for her to formulate a plan.

Dashing up until she was just inside the ruined door she knelt and took a second to gather herself. There were no more shouted orders. No barked commands thundering out. She would wager a guess that the initial plan once she breeched was to gun her down from behind the barricades. The grenades had allowed her to force them to stay down and let her reach the barricades though. After that, since she had breached the door they planned to take her from below and catch her off guard.

Now that she'd managed to survive that she could only guess, but she'd wager they were into uncharted territory. Unfortunately, if they were making it up as they went they were going to be a lot harder to predict and counter now. Then again, so was she. For the first time in almost twenty-four hours she smiled a genuine smile.

Pulling the remaining loops from her neck she lay them in front of her and unslung one of the RK99's. Sticking the gun around the corner she pulled the trigger, spraying the lobby with the full thirty round magazine. A spattering of rounds answered her back and she drew back her hand. Grabbing two more grenades off her suit she triggered them. Holding them just a minute to cook them she tossed them out again, hearing a scrambling of feet as people moved away and took cover.

Taking a deep breath, she rose to her feet. Hooking the remaining loops over one arm and grabbed another grenade off her suit. Triggering it she tossed it out and gripped the RK99 tightly as she waited. The explosion went off and she counted a two beat to make sure the shrapnel wasn't still flying and then rushed out of the stairwell. At a flat out run she charged the barricade and dove over it. Gunfire barked out after her as she scrambled up next to the barricade she'd just cleared.

Seven loops, and five grenades left plus the remaining guns. She dropped the loops on the ground and gathered her nerve. Picking up three of the loops she held them in one hand. One at a time she triggered the four grenades and hurled a loop over the barricade in rapid succession. Grabbing two more grenades from her suit she launched that as well. Snatching the remaining four loops up she dashed down the line of piled up office furniture.

Pulling two remaining incendiary grenades from her suit she triggered them and launched them over the barricade and dropped down waiting for the blast. A scream rent the air and she grunted with satisfaction. At least one more person out of the fight. Gripping the RK99 she launched herself over barricade, coming face to face with one of the three armored men. With a snarl she rammed the muzzle of the SMG into the suit joint in the neck and depressed the trigger.

Blood splattered out and onto her as the man twitched and fell to the floor. Bullets rang off her suit as she dove to the side. Of the six men left from the security team only three were still functioning. A fourth was still alive but was swiftly bleeding out from shrapnel wounds and burns. The two other armored men however despite some damage to their suits from the grenades were still very much functional. Rolling again she came up and sprayed the three security team members with what was left of this mag.

Dropping the mag she slammed home another and ignored the bullets slamming into her torso as she took aim and fired at the remaining two men. She smiled again as she saw them stop firing and dive for cover. A feral grin that she couldn't rid herself of and wasn't even sure she wanted to. Somehow despite all the odds it was now two of them against her. By all rights she should be dead but she wasn't yet and she wasn't ready to throw in the towel. Emptying the remainder of the third mag she kept them pinned down as she shifted position.

As she rammed home another mag and pulled the charging handle she had to duck as answering fire rang out. They were trying to make it down the stairs again. If they made it down there they could use Ren to shield them from her. With a roar she made her decision and charged, gun up towards the portion of barricade they'd hidden behind. They broke cover as they heard her coming and peppered her with precise gunfire.

Alarms lit up the HUD as the suit began to fail and she gasped in pain as the first round made it through the suit, punching an agonizing trail through her thigh. She faltered for a second and felt the sting as the suit injected nanites to stabilize her. Returning fire, she focused on their heads. The suits were very resilient, but the helmets were more susceptible than the chest or extremities to failure. More holes punched through in the legs and arms and even a single round through the abdomen.

Her advance had slowed to a crawl but still she pushed on towards the men. They had stopped, content to stand their ground, and confident in their ability to down her. Suddenly though one of them shouted out in alarm as a fracture appeared in the front of his helmet. With a grim sense of satisfaction, she focused on the fault as the man staggered and tried to find cover.

She thanked her father silently for his training and insistence on accuracy. As the man dove for cover she saw the spurt of red cover his helmet and knew she'd gotten a round through the armor finally. The other man faltered and glanced at his comrade. With a snarl she dropped the SMG and forced herself into one last burst of action.

Drawing her knife, she sprang forward and buried it into the seam of the suit, driving it deep into the neck and subclavian artery. Ripping the blade back out she staggered back as he opened up with the remainder of his clip punching four more holes through her suit and wrenching a pained cry from her in the few seconds it took him to bleed out.

For a moment she collapsed to the ground as an unearthly calm descended and the adrenaline left her. Pain locked her in place for a moment as the nanites struggled to repair all the damage she'd sustained. Her breath came in raged pants, and her head spun as she delt with the pain and blood loss. She was going to be weak from this, but she was still on her feet. Six of the Advocacy team down for sure.

Probably a seventh wounded if not dead down the stairs to the holding cells. She'd figured on ten of them, so there were three and possibly four if the one wasn't dead waiting for her still.

With a grunt she rose to her feet. Dropping the clip from the RK99 she replaced it with another mag and chambered a round. She moved slowly to the bodies of the security team and stripped off a shirt from one of them. Limping back to the stairwell she retrieved the remaining RPG, nanites, and grenades.

After replacing the two used nanite canisters and the grenades on her suit she tied the rest up in the shirt and tied it to the shoulder strap of the RPG. Hanging that from her neck she straightened up and eyed the gaping hole that led to the cellblock stairs. One last push, one last time, and then she'd be with Ren one way or another.

She walked stiffly across the lobby again surveying the damage the battle had caused as she went. SMG at the ready she paused at the stairs to the cells. If the police hadn't changed dramatically in the last week or so they were still almost half an hour away. It had taken nearly a half hour to descend the stairs and clear the lobby, but their response time had been just over an hour before Bicormish. They would wait to call in what they considered an overwhelming force and then descend in mass.

Slowly she moved down the stairs to the bend. Carefully she moved around the corner and grimaced at the scene that greeted her. The loop of grenades had detonated with enough force to shred the man's armor and decapitated the man. The smell of chard flesh and blood permeated the stairs and a puddle of blood was spread out at the landing.

As she reached the landing her breath caught in her throat. At the end the hall stood a single figure in armor, next to a chair on which Ren was seated and bound. For a moment time stood still as her heart did its best to hammer its way out of her chest and right through what was left of her armor.