World in Tatters Ch. 14

We meet up at the safe house as planned about an hour before dark. It’s going to take some time to get into position for the op. CP is expecting Philip’s signal in about two hours, right after they relieve the previous guard detail. For now, though, it’s time for us to gear up.

Corina’s people don’t have many choices as far as weapons go. Getting firearms into the city is a dangerous business. Getting caught with them without the right permit is a death sentence. What they do have, they either purchased through the black market, or stole during previous smaller jobs. Laid out before us are a couple of handguns, a few magazines of ammunition a piece, and six bandanas. One set for each of us. Along with the arsenal, there are four small packs filled with several short lengths of sturdy rope, each pre-tied into handcuff knots for easy access.

Alice picks up her bandana and pack, but leaves the rest. “I don’t like guns.” She explains.

“Alright, guess I’ll take yours then.” Gracie nudges her coyly, before collecting her weapons and supplies. She tucks her clips into a hidden pouch in her jacket, tucking the guns into her waistband.

As for the rest of us, we collect and stow our gear, sure to keep it out of sight. I see Alice check her knives, making sure they’re clear and ready for use. All of us tie our bandanas around our necks, prepped to use as masks once we’re in position. As a group, we go over the plan one more time before breaking off.

Corina decides that it’s best we stagger our departures. Her team heads out first with ours to follow a few minutes later. Now that we’ve separated, there won’t be any further contact between the teams until we’re in the warehouse.

Before she left, Corina handed Alice a mechanical pocket watch. She said that she had one just like it set to the exact same time. Right now it reads 6:37pm. The sun has already mostly set, but last light won’t be for a bit. Corina’s team is supposed to begin infiltration at eight. At the same time, we give CP the signal.

If something happens, and Corina’s team can’t make it in, we’ll have no way of knowing until it’s too late.

*****

Alice, Gracie and I take our positions across the street from the south gate a few minutes before go time, our bandanas pulled up over our noses. Honestly, I find these things super uncomfortable. Breathing through one of these in this heat and humidity feels like I’m drowning.

From our perch, we watch the guards swap shifts. Now we get our first look at the so-called CP. The two new guards take up positions on either side of the gateway. From my spot, I can’t get a good look at either of them. 7:58. All I can tell is that one is a large, bulky man and the other is smaller and leaner. Maybe a woman. Both guards are in khaki uniforms. The large man has his shirt untucked and open revealing white underclothes. Both only seem to carry a sidearm holstered at the right hip. No rifles. That’s a surprise, but it makes things easier.

7:59. Just about time to get going. I wonder which one of these guards is our informant. When the clock hits 8pm, I give the signal. A high-pitched whistle mimicking that of a songbird. The larger of the guards doesn’t seem to register the sound, preferring instead to kick rocks around his post.

The second guard, however, pricks up their ears, going on high alert. If we’re wrong, this guard will just beckon to the other and our plan will be shot. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. They draw their pistol, slowly slipping behind their partner. Any shot would give us away and bring the full force of the guard down on their position.

Right as they’re about to raise their hand to strike, the big guy turns around. I hold my breath, sure CP is about to be creamed. Fortunately, CP is quick enough to hide the gun before being seen. The two talk for a moment before the big guy starts walking off toward the guardhouse. I’m not sure what just happened, but at least Gigantor is out of the way, for now. I’m sure he’s going to be my problem soon enough.

Once Gigantor’s out of sight, CP unhooks the latch on the gate, opening it enough for us to get through. Alice, Gracie, and I make a run for the gate. I’m sure we only have a moment before the big guy returns.

CP quickly shuts the gate behind us, “Hurry up, he just forgot his water. He’ll be back soon.”

I finally get a good look at CP. I was right, she is a woman. “I take it you’re CP?”

“Yeah, introductions later. We have work to do.” She snapped back. “Wait. Where’s Philip? He was supposed to be here.”

“Philip’s dead. We’ll explain later. Crap!” Alice noticed Gigantor starting to reemerge before the rest of us, and gesturs for us to hide. The three of us duck behind the corner of the nearest building, biding time until he’s back into position.

“I’ve got this one.” Gracie whispers with a smirk.

Her movement is swift and soundless. She slips behind the big guy, no weapon in sight. In the blink of an eye, Gigantor is unconscious on the ground. Honestly, in the low light, my eyes can’t even follow what happens. It’s quite impressive.

Once Gracie take down the guard, Alice and I come out of the shadows to help drag him off to be tied up. Once we have him secured, it’s time to move through the guard shack. If the intel is correct, there should be another three guards inside the shack, two at the other gate, and one floating around the compound. Of course, the other team has a few guards to take care of in the warehouse.

As a team, we step swiftly into the guard shack. As soon as we enter, we hear two voices coming from a room just down the hall. Upon investigating, we find the two guards sitting across from each other in the kitchen. Alice signals that she’s going to break off to find the third. I gesture to CP to go with her. Gracie and I both pull our weapons to confront these two.

With a gun in each hand, Gracie barges in first startling both men. “Get against the wall. Hands where we can see them.”

Looking around the room, I notice that only one of the two have their weapon holstered on his hip. The other is in its holster sitting on the counter.

“Don’t be stupid. You’re going to want to listen to her.” The unarmed guard begins to stand up and face the wall. “Come on, you too. I see that gun on your belt. I guarantee I will put you down before you can pull it.”

Reluctantly, angrily, the second guy rises from his chair. While Gracie keeps her weapons trained on the two men, I take the guards’ weapons, stuff them into my pack and pull out two sets of rope cuffs. I take the first guard, pat him down for any further weapons, and secure his hands. After him, I repeat the process with the other guard.

“Alright, you two, sit back down.” Both comply without further protest. “Now, you two aren’t going to give us any trouble, right.”

“Screw you.” Spat the second guard.

“That’s about what I thought.” I pull off the ornery guard’s boot and sock, stuffing the sweat-soaked sock into his mouth before, turning to the other. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll get used to the taste soon enough.”

“Hey, I’m just glad that you aren’t killing me.” He squeaked.

“Next time. Promise.”

Once both are successfully subdued, I secure the ropes of both guards to their respective chairs. Binding their feet to the chair legs, sure to make it near impossible to escape. Right as I’m finishing with these two, Alice and CP come in carrying the unconscious third guard. We take the time to tie her up too, before moving on to the next targets. Three down, three to go.

From here, CP and I break off to take care of the guards at the northwest gate, while Alice and Gracie head off to find the floater. I might finally be able to ask her a couple questions.

“So, CP. What does that stand for?” I keep my voice low while we make our way through the compound.

“Seriously? You think this is the best time?” She barks back. After a pause. “My name’s Charlie. You going to tell me who you are? And what happened to Philip?”

I feel my body freeze for only a second, lowering my weapon in a moment of thought. We’re out of sight and earshot from the gate, so I guess now is as good a time as any. “My name is Steven. Philip… Philip was killed yesterday. I had just met him the day before. We were supposed to help him with this job in exchange for information. We don’t know who did it, but they shot him. Left him there to bleed out. Alice and I… we couldn’t have missed them by much, but we were there when he died.”

“Damn. Do you have any idea who or why?”

“We think it was Hattiesburg special ops. Maybe Picayune militia or bounty hunters, but we aren’t sure. We heard there is a detachment of spec ops here at the Praetor’s request.”

“You heard right. Those guys are bad news.”

“Yeah. We know.”

“Then why are y’all here? If you think spec ops killed Philip, why the hell would you still go through with this?”

“Thing is, while he was bleeding out, Philip said that you were his contact for the information I need. Or at least, I think that’s what he meant. He was delirious.”

“That’s it?” Her temper is rising. “You risked these lives because you think I have something for you?”

“Well, no. The resistance needs those supplies. Badly. If it were just about your intel, we would have just extracted you, and disappeared.”

Charlie seems to calm down a little. “And what information is it that you think I have?”

“That’s a much longer conversation. We should table the rest of this discussion until we’re clear of this place.”

“Fine. Let’s go then.” With Charlie in the lead, the two of us make behind a storage container close to the northeast gate.

From our position, I can see both of the guards. Like the others, they’re in their khaki uniforms, carrying only their sidearms. Neither appears formidable. If we can catch them by surprise, we shouldn’t have much trouble with them.

“What’s the plan?” Charlie looks to me for the answer.

“Uh… This courtyard is too open to take them without being noticed… and subsequently shot at. They still think you’re one of them, right?”

“Sure.”

“So, you go over there and lure them around to here. Once they’re in range, I’ll take one, you take the other. Sound good?”

“That sounds terrible. They’re not going to just abandon their post. At best, we’ll get one of them like that before the other pulls his gun.”

“Let him. You lure Tweedle Dee over to me. I’ll knock him out. When Tweedle Dumb realizes he’s been gone too long, he’ll come investigate. At which point, we take the gun, and knock him out too. Unless you have a better idea?”

“Tweed—what now?”

“Book characters…Alice in Won—Nevermind. Just lure one of them over.”

“That’s going to blow my cover. If they see me helping you, my cover is gone.”

“Look… Our plan has always been to extract you. You were compromised the second you let us through the gate. That, and we need to debrief you.”

“Yeah, yeah, that information you think I have. But this is my life we’re talking about. So far, no one has seen me working with you. I’m not compromised yet, and I’m not going to go with you just so you can interrogate me.”

“I’m sorry. But we don’t really have a choice. Now, please. Unless you have a better idea, can we just try to take these guys down and go help the others?”

“Fine, but better be prepared in case the other guy comes too.”

“Great. I’ll…” Before I can finish my thought, Charlie runs off. “Good talk.”

When she gets close to the others, Charlie starts staggering, grabbing her arm like she’s been injured.

“Help me! Help!” she calls to the guards. Once they notice her, both of them pull their weapons ready to repel an attack.

“Charlie? Is that you? What happened?”

“There’s someone here. They came through the gate. We need help!”

Honestly, her acting is quite good. She definitely has these two convinced. With their weapons drawn, the two guards take off, heading straight for my position. Charlie let them both pass her before regaining her posture and taking off after them. Before they can get close, I duck behind the building.

As soon as I hear the first guy coming around, I stick my foot out, sending him sprawling. Just as the second guard comes around the corner, Charlie catches up to him, tackling him to the ground.

“Nice. Here.” I toss her one of the rope bundles and take one for myself. We take the time to bind their hands and mouths and retrieve their weapons before helping them to their feet. “These two should be the last guards. As long as the others took down the floater.”

Nodding in acknowledgement, “Yeah. Let’s take these guys to the warehouse, meet up with the team.” She disguises her voice, keeping her face hidden from our prisoners.

“The guard shack is closer. We should put them in there with the others.”

With a last nod, we start leading our captives through the compound, never straying far from the shadows.