Red Dragons

by K W Frost

  ‘Thanks, Stan,’ Child added simply.

  ‘Let’s go,’ Walker said. He nodded curtly at Child before heading back to the table he had been sitting at earlier.

  Child turned to stare at the back wall of the room, allowing Walker ample time to inform the Australian delegation of the potential situation. He then spotted a Chinese waiter exit the kitchen area and walk towards the outdoor observatory level. He followed closely behind.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  Hikinui took charge at Whenuapai air base. Ten minutes after arriving at the base he had the two helicopter gunships warming up on the tarmac. He swiftly briefed his assault team as they assembled their gear. Five minutes later they were prepared for action.

  Two minutes later they took off, the fifteen men ready save some of the world’s most powerful leaders. They were men who were trained to kill. Hikinui just hoped they weren’t too late.

  Down at the base of the Sky Tower, Harrison inspected the hole they were cutting into the door. It was almost done. A couple of minutes later and they would be inside the stairwell. He was already thinking of the thousand or so steps leading up to the viewing galleries. What kind of condition would the team be in by the time they got up there? Would they be too late? What if they’re already too late…

  Smaille and Thomson sat in a gulf of silence.

  Work continued on around them but with all lines of communication cut it was impossible to gauge the situation.

  More and more people were staring over at the live feed of the Sky Tower. It was glowing bright blue in all its glory. It almost appeared close enough to touch yet they knew it was as accessible as the moon.

  Smaille and Thomson looked at each other, and then over to Gray and Ritson. No one said a word but they all shared the same thought.

  What was going on up there?

  The doors to the stairwell opened and the Chinese waiter named Jun Yong Yang stepped through. Child didn’t take any chances. He stepped out from behind the open door and swung at Yang. His solid wooden staff whistled down towards Yang’s unprotected head. A warning triggered inside Yang’s head, instinctively, he swung his hand around to protect the shape attacking his head. A dull squishing noise sounded as the wooden staff broke the bones in Yang’s right forearm and continued on to thud into the side of his head. Dazed and yelping in pain, Yang staggered to the side.

  Next, Child reversed the staff and the swing that followed smashed into Yang’s midriff, robbing him of any air. Yang crumpled to the ground unable to yell any further. Child’s third strike hit Yang behind the ear rendering him unconscious. Child then grabbed Yang’s left arm and pulled him across his shoulders. Slipping his free hand up between Yang’s legs, Child effortlessly lifted him in a fireman’s lift and carried him up the stairs.

  Within minutes Yang was taped and bound.

  Child then checked on Hardgrave. Child found him sleeping peacefully on the ground, still knocked out from the effects of the sedative. Retrieving Hardgrave’s plastic pistol from his holster, Child slipped it into his own waistband.

  Child then headed back down the stairwell.

  At least two more assassins needed to be located.

  Thomson was still staring at the glowing image of the Sky Tower when a new report came in.

  Helicopters had been seen lifting off from Whenuapai airbase.

  Less than a minute later, a panting constable ran in and reported that they had broken through the stairwell door at the base of the tower, and that the assault team was heading up now.

  With growing frustration Thomson made his decision.

  ’I’m going down there too,’ he declared, ‘it’s pointless waiting here.’

  ‘I’m coming too,’ stated Smaille.

  ‘Same here,’ Ritson and Samantha said simultaneously.

  Looking around at the crowded room, Thomson nodded slowly.

  ‘Okay, the rest of you,’ he said to the remaining officers in the situation room, ‘I want all channels monitored. If there are any major new developments that could be essential then you send someone down after us.’

  Thomson turned to the group who had requested to join him.

  ‘So, if you’re coming then hurry up — let’s go!’ he said before marching out of the door.

  Unaware of the incoming forces climbing the stairs of the Sky Tower, Child turned back to look around the restaurant. He noticed that the Australian delegation had separated from the rest. He casually approached their table. Walker was in deep discussion with Prime Minister Frayward.

  ‘Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have something for Stan,’ Child said quietly.

  Child opened up his jacket, slipped Hardgrave’s plastic pistol out, and swiftly palming it to Walker. Walker gave a quick start of surprise before smiling grimly up at Child. He slipped the gun into his empty holster.

  ‘Who are you?’ asked Frayward.

  ‘This is the Mr Child that I was telling you about, sir,’ responded Walker.

  ‘Oh, and how much danger are we really in, Mr Child?’ asked the nervous politician.

  ‘Not too much, sir,’ Child replied. ‘However, I think it preferable that we’re not seen together for too long. I’ll be off to the kitchen.’

  ‘Good luck, I’ll act as backup out here,’ Walker muttered to Child’s retreating back.

  ‘If I miss them, don’t take any chances,’ Child warned. ‘Kill them and ask questions later.’

  The brief exchange had gone unnoticed apart from one pair of eyes. Ming Dong Yam was the Chinese Minister of Trade. He had seen a brief glimpse of the gun being exchanged. He began to feel unsettled. Was there something going on?

  High above the glowing Sky Tower, Hikinui manned the assault helicopter. With a wave of his hand and sharp gesture downward, all three helicopters started to descend on the tower.

  In the stairwell of the Sky Tower, Harrison was gasping for air as they stormed upwards. Passing the sixteenth floor, he was sweating profusely in his full riot gear. It was now a race against the clock. It was already well past the estimated time for the assassinations to take place. He prayed that they weren’t going to be too late.

  Chapter Sixty

  Inside the kitchen area Mitsu was preparing to serve the main course. The waiter Hu Seng knew what to do. When serving food to President Chu, Seng was to lean in close over his shoulder and discreetly push the nine-inch needle down between Chu’s ribs and into his heart.

  If the kill was executed cleanly and correctly then there would little blood showing, and Chu would appear to fall victim to a heart attack.

  The other waiter, Yang, would be back from his duties shortly, and then they would make their main move.

  Child approached the kitchen area hoping that surprise would be on his side. There were two assassins still to locate and subdue. He hoped to find both quickly. He also hoped to prevent the other chefs from being injured.

  Drawing his Glock, Child held it against his chest to prevent the other politicians from seeing it.

  He stepped through the swing door and moved into the kitchen area.

  Leaping onto the kitchen floor, Child raised the gun out in front of him.

  The first person he saw was Seng.

  Without thought Child pumped two shots into his torso.

  The power of the bullets jerked Seng around and throwing him onto the floor. Amazingly, the other chefs had only just noticed the intrusion. The silencer on Child’s gun turned the shots to soft backfiring noises.

  ‘Everyone out! Out! Out! Out!’ Child yelled, dropping to the floor. His eyes

  focused on the spot where he had seen Mitsu duck down behind a rolling heating trolley.

  Mitsu had been frozen in shock for the briefest of seconds before reacting to Child’s arrival.

  Dropping behind the heating trolley, Mitsu grabbed two knives and scurried to the far end of the trolley, trying to create a greater distance between him and Child.

  Mitsu had no idea how Child had accessed the Sk
y Tower, but he knew that only one of them would survive the next few minutes.

  Following Child’s commands, the other three chefs ran out the exit door, jumping over Child’s body as they fled.

  When the last one had cleared the room, Child took aim and placed a bullet six inches away from the corner of the trolley. It tore a ragged hole in the thin metal, and the trolley jerked sideways at the impact.

  ‘Almost got you, Mitsu,’ Child taunted, ‘watch out for the next one…’

  Mitsu was really rattled now.

  A piece of the trolley had splattered off and created a shallow gash along one of his cheekbones. Blood trickled down his face.

  How did Child get here? What would he do next? Thoughts and questions surged through Mitsu’s mind until the key goal returned. He needed to survive and successfully complete his assignment. He must kill Simon Child.

  Child was now midway down the trolley, his back up against the wall. Reaching behind him, he freed a flash grenade across the floor. Rolling it to the far end of the trolley, he counted two seconds before springing around the near end of the metal obstacle, ready to fire at Mitsu.

  But Mitsu wasn’t there.

  Mitsu saw the small, round canister and immediately knew what it was. However, instead of rolling away from it, he dove over the grenade and curled up in a ball at the far end of the kitchen.

  The grenade exploded, causing Child to reel backwards, momentarily blinded. He instinctively crouched down towards the floor.

  A carving knife cut through the air above him and clattered into a hanging fry pan. Thick smoke was swirling in the air, limiting vision for both Child and Mitsu.

  Mitsu was now on his feet, his mind fully functioning. Child had held the advantage of surprise, but now that was over. Mitsu, the master assassin was back in action now. He knew he must nullify Child as quickly as possible.

  Peering through the smoke around him, Mitsu grabbed the pot containing a bubbling tomato sauce. Mitsu raised his arm to throw the sauce through the smoke towards where he thought Child was hiding.

  Suddenly, Mitsu felt a piercing pain and collapsed down to the ground. Looking down at his ankle, Mitsu saw the shattered remains of his left foot.

  Child had flattened himself on the floor to create a view under the smoke and had shot at the only thing he could see: Mitsu’s left foot.

  Shock deadened Mitsu’s pain and he threw the boiling sauce towards Child.

  Child shot again, and this time the shot struck Mitsu higher up, tearing a four inch chunk out of the top of his left thigh.

  As Child shot his second bullet he saw Mitsu throw a liquid substance towards him. He didn’t wait to see what it was, but rolled over behind the metal trolley in the middle of the room. Once behind the trolley, Child stopped his roll and then realised that he had to keep the advantage. He lay on his back and placed one leg onto the end, the other leg on the side, and he pushed it hard towards where he had last seen Mitsu.

  Just then, bubbling hot tomato sauce splashed over Child’s front. Fortunately, his thick clothing protected him and the sauce cooled rapidly.

  Watching the trolley slide away, Child heard it crash into the back wall of the kitchen. Child pumped two shots to the left, and two to the right of the trolley. Pulling out the second flash grenade he launched it to the left of the trolley, rolling it towards the far wall. On seeing the flash of fire erupt to the right, Child fired two more shots into the hazy smoke.

  After throwing the sauce at Child, Mitsu staggered to his feet and leant up against the end of the bench. Then he saw the trolley hurtling towards him. Unable to jump to either side, he swung his legs up high and rolled backwards up out of the way, just as the trolley crashed into the bench. Swinging his legs down on top of the bench, he pushed his body onto the stainless-steel top. Turning swiftly, Mitsu pushed away from the bench and rode the trolley towards Child.

  Child waited after he had fired the shots, peering into the now billowing smoke. What had happened? Was Mitsu dead? Bleeding on the floor somewhere out of sight? Or had he somehow escaped…

  Lying flat on the floor, Child tried to peer through smoke. Then a dim shape appeared… it was the trolley. Suspecting that Mitsu would be following behind the rolling blockade, Child rolled against the wall out of its way, trying to pierce the gloom behind the trolley.

  Too late, Child saw a dark shape leap off the trolley, a sharp filleting knife arching down towards his unprotected back.

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Harrison was sweating so profusely that it dripped down his forehead and into his eyes. The headlong rush up the stairs had slowed to a plod. Hands on knees, pumping hard, the floors had become a blur. Only their determination and physical hardness from being elite professionals kept them going.

  Harrison, second from the front, turned the final corner and saw with relief the plain door that signaled the end of the climb. Taking in deep breaths and wiping his brow, Harrison waited while Inspector Harley Palmer, the leader of the armed defenders squad, surveyed the door for hidden traps. Satisfied it was safe to open, Inspector Palmer waved his hand and the squad hugged the wall. Tentatively turning the handle, he pushed the door.

  Nothing happened.

  Trying harder he got the same result.

  ‘The bloody thing is locked,’ Inspector Palmer growled, turning to another sergeant behind Harrison. ‘Sammy, plastic it, five second fuse. Everyone else get down around the corner.’

  Sammy stepped forward and spread the explosive like plasticine in a thin line around the door handle and lock. With a quick look behind to check that everyone was clear, Sammy clicked the detonator fuse and ran back down the stairs.

  Five seconds later a loud bang assaulted Harrison’s ears, amplified by the bleak concrete stairwell. At Inspector Palmer’s signal upwards, the squad rushed back up the smoky stairwell and headed out through the open door.

  Hikinui had watched the Sky Tower from the moment the helicopter had taken off, as if by staring at it he could understand what was happening inside it. The tower had quickly grown larger as they approached. Trying his radio for the final time Hikinui found that he still could not get through to anyone in the tower. Whatever was causing the interference was still active. He would have to continue with his original instructions.

  Clicking his flashlight at the other two helicopters he soon received the responding flash. Now flying metres above the Sky Tower, the two lead helicopters swung wide and dropped down to hover at restaurant level. Swinging the mounted heavy-calibre semi-automatic machine gun towards the well-lit restaurant area, they began to close in on their target.

  Higher above them, Hikinui and his team readied themselves for their descent. The wind and the length of the descent made this a very risky proposition. They dropped their abseiling ropes and almost immediately Hikinui lead the way, disappearing down the side of the tower towards the observation deck.

  Thomson, Samantha, Smaille and Ritson soon arrived at the Sky City complex. With a brief check to see if the elevators were still out of service, they headed to the bottom entrance to the stairwell. After a quickly flashing their identification at the policeman guarding the doorway, they began their long climb up the tower. They knew full well that they would only reach the top in time to pick up the pieces.

  Ming Dong Yam watched on in astonishment as the three chefs ran out of the smoky kitchen. He and the rest of the room watched the door to see what else was going to happen. Chattering could be heard around the tables but no one knew what was going on.

  Yam knew something had gone wrong with the plan.

  He was supposed to remain in the background and then take control after the killing. His role was to confuse police and blame the inefficient safety measures laid out by the New Zealand government. Only in the worst-case scenario was he to take a more active role. Regretfully this was what he would have to do now.

  Yam had been a reasonably successful businessman as the owner of a fishing fleet and processing p
lant. While not an international company, his business was very profitable. Life was looking good for Yam until Ishida and Kioki came to call one day.

  By the time they had finished presenting him with the photographic and video evidence of his indiscretions with young boys, the sexual games and torture that he had enjoyed, Yam knew he was under their control.

  Yam came from an old, proud family, it would be expected that he would take his own life if these indiscretions were made public. Ishida and Kioki then laid out how they could help him achieve almost unimagined power in return for his allegiance to them. The plans had gone smoothly and now Yam was on the verge of the ultimate prize. But things were not going right tonight.

  Yam looked over at President Chu, who still sat calmly sipping his tea as he watched the smoking kitchen door with some interest. How unperturbed he looked with death only metres away.

  Yam removed his wallet from this breast pocket and carefully palmed the sharp hardened plastic blade. Even at only seventy-five millimetres long and five millimetres wide, the blade could kill cleanly and easily with a simple slashing or plunging action.

  With growing awareness, a dull low thumping sound penetrated the enclosed restaurant. One by one the people inside became aware of the thwump, thwump, thwump of the helicopters hovering in the air and turned to look outside.

  Staring down the barrel of a fifty millimetre mounted sub machine gun was nerve rendering. It was Walker who reacted first.

  ‘Everyone down, get down on the ground,’ shouted Walker at the top of his voice. He immediately took his own advice. People around the room began dropping to the floor. Then they heard the sound of explosions coming up from the floor.

  What the hell was happening?

  Walker then remembered what Child had said earlier.

  He looked up in time to see a dark figure appearing out of the kitchen door. A figure surrounded by smoke and covered in fresh red blood.