by TR Cameron
Diana set the pieces of her own equipment on the bench. She sat and began to strap on the black shin and thigh guards. The ARES armor preserved mobility and flexibility at the cost of pure coverage. So far, it had proved a useful trade, as she found herself dodging twice as often as she was blocked.
Exoskeletons would be nice, even though that’s not really our area. Hell, maybe battle mechs.
She pictured Godzilla marching in from the river, her team in giant robots waiting to fight him, and laughed inwardly. “Okay, so everything suggests that the initial alert from ARES DC is correct, and there will be a move on the museum in the next two to five hours.”
Tony refastened a piece of his own gear with the harsh tear of Velcro. “How did they come by this information all the way down there?”
“Cyber wizard.”
The pair looked confused, and Diana laughed. “Our data geeks prefer to be called cyber wizards, although the term is also used for those rare beings who can merge tech and magic into computer systems. In this case, it was cameras, basically. The Pittsburgh Police surveillance grid identified an increased street presence around the building. We've been piggybacking the feeds since we set this place up. It seemed random at first, but our computers picked up enough repetition to distinguish a pattern and alerted the techs. When they pulled other sources for closer examination, they caught some suspicious cell phone conversations—unencrypted, apparently, so very amateur—which led them to more people to watch. Ultimately, they had sufficient information to generate a rough timetable.”
Cara tilted her head. “So, why don’t we have a better one?”
Diana shrugged. “They switched to radio silence. It seems there are some smart bad guys in the mix, too.”
Her agents both nodded. She knew they’d both had sufficient of their own experiences with criminals to be well aware that they lived on the same intelligence spectrum as everyone else.
But a reminder never hurts.
The other woman checked her watch. “The protest this evening is supposed to start about three hours from now. That seems like a convenient coincidence.”
“No coincidences,” the troll interjected crisply.
Diana nodded. “I’m with Rath. No coincidences. It’s too handy.”
She stood, slipped the vest over her head, and secured the Velcro tabs at each side. They were the same models she’d last used in DC, slimmer than the SWAT versions and equipped with built-in anti-magic deflectors and electrical absorption. The front held two magazine holders for the rifles and a pair for the pistols, all made of non-conductive plastic to avoid interfering with the vest’s function. She had requested the addition of a Bowie knife sheath like Bryant’s. The weapon’s weight was comforting at her lower back. “I talked to the Warden on the way in. The Cube is on high alert, but she doesn’t think they’ll call for us.”
Tony made another adjustment to his vest and shrugged to settle it properly. “She has the direct line for police support but said she didn’t need that either.” He shook his head in reluctant admiration. “SWAT snipers are already in position at the museum, but they can only cover front and back since the side streets are too narrow for long-gun deflection. The rest of the unit is posted about a block away in an unmarked truck, waiting for something to happen.”
Cara drew her Glock from the shoulder rig she’d removed and placed it on the bench beside her. She slipped it into the hip holster on the utility belt that rode her hips. “We coordinated with local forces a lot in the Marshals, but we rarely used them, except as perimeter control during takedowns. Having them set to go in with us is strange.”
Diana nodded. “When we’re at full strength, we'll probably choose to use our own teams and not local forces too, except as backup on the odd occasion. Until then, we need the extra firepower. SWAT will take point until serious magic shows up. Then, we’ll move into the lead. They’ll follow once we’ve cleared the way. At least, that’s the plan.”
“And if there’s magic from the opening bell?” Tony asked
She shrugged. “That’s why we get the big bucks.”
Rath had been quietly putting on his own gear. He perked up at her words. “Rath needs big bucks. More Maxes.”
They all laughed, and she shook her head. “No more, Rath. You can keep nagging, but I won’t change my mind.” She turned to the other humans in the room. “If he had his way, there would be an army of attack dogs with us.”
Tony grinned. “Actually, that sounds like a good idea.”
Cara nodded. “I agree. BCOM. Black-ops Canines of Magic. Maybe it’s time to think out the box.”
Diana rolled her eyes. “Two things. First, you’re both traitors and deeply unhelpful. Second, no.” She rummaged in the tech locker and withdrew the special item she’d carried back from DC, then sat beside the troll. “Emerson sent you a present—something in addition to your standard gear.”
He peered up at her with an eager grin. She extended the canister-covered bandolier and set it diagonally across his chest. It fit perfectly, naturally. Diana was convinced Kayleigh had surreptitiously scanned Rath from head to toe while they did the comm fittings. She then pulled out a pair of headphones for him that looked like ones a DJ might wear. The flexible strap that connected them was designed to expand if he changed to a larger size, so he wouldn’t lose contact. A microphone curved around the front. She positioned the unit on his head. “All good?”
The troll gave her a double thumbs-up, and the sight was so unique that she broke into laughter again. “Top grenade is pepper, middle is sonic, bottom is flash-bang.” Rath nodded. Emerson had wanted to make the last one incendiary, but Diana had vetoed that idea. Maybe after he practiced for a while, she’d told the scientist.
Maybe never is more like it.
“So, here’s the plan. The four of us should stay together as long as possible. Ideally, we won’t have to split up. If we do, Rath and I will be a team, and you two will be the second one.” She reached into the top area of the tech cabinet, which was outfitted with a second lock. She released it with a fingerprint and a code and withdrew three carbine magazines marked with a bright blue stripe. “We each have a single magazine of anti-magic bullets, secured at great effort and expense.” And more than a little peril. “Don’t waste them but don’t be afraid to use them either. You all are worth the cost.”
They snickered, and she grinned as she passed them out. She slotted hers into a chest holder on her vest. Tony and Cara had already donned their weapons. Diana retrieved the other item in the small safe, counted out six Ruger rounds for each, and handed them over. She drew her revolver, cleared the standard bullets, and replaced them with the anti-magic versions. The discards went into the weapons cabinet.
She slipped the backup gun into the off-center holster at the back of her belt. “Grenades as you want. Load ʼem up. But be sure to warn the rest of us when you throw them.” As the troll started to move, Diana said, “No more for you, Rath.” He grinned at her but didn’t appear at all apologetic. Instead, he looked fierce in his vest and utility belt with the batons ready in their holsters on each side. He had refused any additional armor, claiming it would reduce his agility. She couldn’t argue. The balance point between raw protection and gear weight low enough for mobility was different for everyone.
Diana crossed to an unmarked crate against the far wall and opened it with the standard routine. SWAT-issue stun rifles bigger and blockier than their own carbines waited patiently for someone to use them. Each had a spare battery in a holder on the side of the stock. She handed one each to her team. “So, we’ll play by SWAT’s rules at the start. It’s our guess they’ll send the magicals forward and use humans as guards against us. If we can disable them without killing them, great.” She hefted the gun. “At the first sign that these don’t get the job done—” She paused and pointed at them. “And I do mean the first sign, ditch the stunners and go loud.”
The others checked the new weapons in silence. The
gravity of what they were about to undertake had quietly settled into the room. Cara seemed to take it more in stride than Tony, who wore an expression stuck somewhere between disbelief and concern. Rath didn’t seem bothered in the least. He merely flexed his hands like he wanted to feel his batons in them.
Diana clapped and startled her team. “There’s been nothing to suggest they’ll do anything other than break in and head for the basement vault. That will continue to be our base assumption. If they do something unexpected, we’ll adjust as we go. One thing to remember is that even though they’re likely to have the numbers, their training shouldn’t be anywhere near SWAT’s level, much less ours. We should be able to eliminate the pawns without excessive trouble.”
They nodded confidently as Diana continued. “When we reach the magicals, that’s where we need to be focused and do our thing. I have the most recent similar experience, so I’ll take lead. Once we’re in the heat of it, target choice is yours unless I say differently. We have the gear, we have the smarts, and most importantly, we have each other to depend on. That’s an advantage the other side won’t be able to match.” She finished with a grin. “When the mission is over, I’ll buy the drinks.”
Tony laughed. “That bar tab could be a little expensive, boss.”
“Work hard, play hard. But don’t forget, there are no days off for the Black-ops Agents of Magic. Even though it seems like a big deal, this is simply another day for us. Let’s get to it.”
Chapter Thirteen
BAM Pittsburgh deployed from a pair of boring gray sedans a little over two blocks from the museum. It was still early evening but already dark thanks to the persistent cloud cover, and the area was devoid of foot traffic.
The comms carried Cara’s quiet comment perfectly. “Everyone’s probably at the protest.”
Diana nodded. “Yep.” A telltale glow in her vision indicated an incoming request, and she warned the team. “Adding in local SWAT.” With a couple of taps on the side of her glasses to navigate through menus, an encrypted channel was established with the Pittsburgh Police Department’s SWAT division. Not for the first time, Diana wished there was an AET unit in town. Despite being a reasonably big city, Pittsburgh still carried a risk-avoidant attitude about certain things, and it seemed the advanced anti-magic version of SWAT was one of them. It had never been said in so many words, but she was sure that was a reason for locating an ARES bureau there.
“This is Sheen, ARES Actual. What’s our status?”
A deep baritone responded instantly. “Lieutenant Donalds, SWAT Commander. We’re posted as planned, ready to enter on the northwest corner.”
“We’ll be there in ninety seconds. Any sign of activity?”
A quiet male voice answered. “This is sniper one. No action in the back.”
A younger-sounding and notably more excited person reported in. “Sniper two. It seemed there was motion near the eastern front entrance, but it turned out to be nothing.”
Diana exchanged glances with Cara, and they pushed into a jog. She checked left to make sure Rath still paced beside her. His three-foot form kept up easily. Tony, whose day-to-day routine hadn’t involved quite as much physical training, gamely brought up the rear a couple of strides behind. She tripped her mic. “It could be illusion magic. There’s probably no way to tell until we get inside but it seems likely they’re timing this with the protest.”
The SWAT leader’s voice responded. “Which began for real about fifteen minutes ago.”
She cursed. “Earlier than expected, right?”
“Affirmative. Apparently, they couldn’t wait to start shouting at the office building.”
Tony joined the conversation with a laugh and heavy breathing. “I talked to the warden again just before we rolled out. Murphy's convinced she has all she needs if this is a decoy and the Cube is a target. Not coincidentally, the prison received an additional shipment of drones today. Armed drones.”
Diana’s voice contradicted her words. “That’s reassuring.” She shook her head to clear everything from her mind other than the impending mission as they rounded the corner to the front of the building. She deactivated her mic, raised a fist to circle her team, and gave them the signal to kill their mics as well. Rath bumped into her leg, and she smiled and shifted her expression to neutral.
“Okay, game faces. We start nonlethal, but only so long as it’s abundantly safe to do so. We won’t trade one of us to prevent some scumbag from receiving the consequences of his actions.” Cara and Tony nodded. Their expressions hardened as they individually prepared for what was to come. Diana turned and led them at a jog toward the entrance as she reactivated her comm. “All right. As we agreed, Donalds, your people lead. We’ll bring up the rear until magic beyond your ability to manage shows up. Best case, you handle the whole thing and we get to watch.”
The deep-voiced lieutenant chuckled. “Perfect.”
Ahead, a fully geared unit materialized from hiding places among the architecture and landscaping outside the front of the museum. By the time SWAT was lined up on both sides of the entrance, Diana and her team were in place behind them. Donalds unlocked the door with keys he’d acquired from the museum’s curator. The appropriately cautious woman had argued during their call that she should bring in additional guards to lie in wait for any thieves, but the two leaders had persuaded her that doing so would simply ask for a bloodbath, given the nature of the opponents. They had reassured the executive that they had the matter well in hand.
I really hope we have the matter well in hand.
The time for thinking ended abruptly as the door swung wide and the SWAT team flowed into the building. Shouts of contact rang out. Diana crossed the threshold and took stock of the situation. Ahead was the opening to a large exhibit that looked to be filled with ancient facades and statuaries. An event hall stood off to the right, separated by a set of eight glass doors.
The SWAT team had already leapt into action down a long, wide corridor on the left. Its walls and floors were made of polished marble. Pedestals supported smaller statues and precious objects at precise intervals. Lighting modeled after gas lamps hung above and the gun barrels that protruded from the more distant pillars glinted in the dim illumination. The weapons clattered as the enemy fired first. She flung herself behind a pedestal on the right wall as her mind cataloged the opposition.
I see a mix of rifles and pistols—maybe a handful, depending on how far back along the hall they go. We clearly outnumber them, which is basically what we anticipated.
They had decided that the thieves would need to prepare for an incursion from any of the museum’s many entrances, so initial resistance would be light and scattered. She had guessed, and the SWAT lieutenant had agreed, that the enemy would have surveillance outside the building and a mobile response group ready to supplement small delaying units positioned at each breach point. They had considered splitting their own people but discarded the notion early on. Overwhelming force seemed like the right play for the situation.
It usually is.
Grunts sounded as bullets struck Kevlar, and one of the SWAT troops collapsed, the victim of simultaneous attacks from multiple opponents. The sizzle of stun rifles filled the air, and several enemies dropped their weapons when the limbs holding them numbed. The distraction that resulted from the disarming was substantial enough that the officers could advance and subdue the remaining defenders.
As the last opponent was disabled, a multi-forked bolt of lightning hurtled down the hallway and struck the lead SWAT component. Three of the four troops screamed in pain and alarm as they fell. The second group rushed to drag the wounded clear as a wash of flame followed on the heels of the first magical attack. The sprinklers activated and drenched the party.
“Isn’t that lovely?” Diana muttered under her breath, momentarily glad she’d bound her hair in a ponytail before the mission. In a louder voice, she commanded, “ARES, forward.” They shoved ahead in a staggered line and dove behin
d the nearest cover as another sweep of fire filled the center of the wide hallway. It seemed less intense than the last, possibly because of the water from the sprinklers. The lightning storm that followed, on the other hand, looked even more dangerous. Whether that was simply a natural reaction to mixing electricity and water or an actual danger, Diana neither knew nor cared. She simply ran faster once it sizzled past.
Rath and Cara were a step behind and one to each side when a wizard and witch appeared ahead. Diana raised her stun gun and pelted forward to hurl bolts of energy that streaked at the wizard. The wave of a wand dissipated the blast and she let the rifle fall to her chest with a curse. Its positioning prevented her from drawing her carbine with the anti-magic bullets, so she snagged her Glock from its hip holster instead. She raised it and fired a triple burst at each enemy in a continuous track from left to right. As expected, their shields raised. Cara’s pistol barked beside her, and Diana shifted her aim to the wizard once more. The sizzle of a stun gun nearby confirmed that Tony was doing his part, but to negligible effect.
They maintained a steady barrage as they closed and forced the magic users to focus on defense. The wizard found a momentary hole and thrust a lance of lighting at Diana, but she weaved right and Rath somersaulted over it. They both avoided injury and it smacked into the wall behind them with a sizzle and pop and reduced a nearby statue to dust and shards. The witch on the other side of the hallway had retreated from Cara’s bullets and no longer had a clear angle to attack her. She continued to backpedal and opted to send a wash of fire at Rath, instead.
The troll stopped on a dime and vaulted into an acrobatic roll that enabled him to avoid the fiery cone that reached for him. This gave Diana the opportunity she needed. In the moment of distraction, she dropped and fired at floor level. The anti-bullet shields were often less comprehensive than a full-body shield, and the witch’s didn’t fully cover her. The bullets pierced her foot, and she collapsed with a cry. The agent holstered her pistol, switched smoothly to her stun rifle, and pulled the trigger. Despite the pain of the wound, the witch had the presence of mind to interpose her shield and deflect the blast, which drew another growl of annoyance from Diana.
