by Gerry, Frank
He began to move, coughing from the dust as he came to. He heard Tien speaking to him. He wasn't sure at first what she was saying. Quickly he came to his senses, sitting up, and feeling for Tien. “Are you OK, Tien?” he said. In the pitch blackness, Tien responded with a whisper, “Shhhh, speak softly, I'm OK.” “There's a flashlight in my bag,” he said. Each of them finding and opening the duffel bag nearest them. Tien pulled out the flashlight and turned it on. They looked like survivors of a volcanic eruption. Tien playfully reached over with her forefinger and wiped a line across Dylan's forehead. They smiled at one another, just glad to be alive.
THIRTY
Agent Chang listened on his communications headset to the latest status information from the senior DHS officer in the field. He stood inside the mobile command post, a few feet away from Senior Agent Goodman and Agent Greene. The command post, parked two block away from the condominium building under siege, was an extra large tractor trailer truck with every imaginable computing and communications gear arrayed in consoles on either sides of the walls. A dozen agents manned their stations.
Goodman continued to personally command the operations. It was essential for him to be at the scene when Fraser was apprehended. In fact, he would have preferred to lead the soldiers into the building himself if he could have. Agent Chang called out, “The third floor has been swept. No sight of the fugitives yet. They're proceeding to the fourth floor, Sir.” Goodman nodded to acknowledge the information. “There's no way they're going to escape,” Agent Greene said. He was the second ranking officer at the scene. It was his job to see that the building was surrounded, with no possibility of escape. National Guard troops encircled the entire building. Armored assault vehicles blocked every street. A small fleet of hover drones patrolled the entire area. Assisted by State Police who blocked all traffic in a four block radius.
Goodman paced back and forth, he lit another cigarette, then called out to Chang, “Tell me what's going on.” He began to wonder whether the surveillance tracking supervised by Agent Carmen was correct. He reviewed the video recordings himself, but wasn't one hundred percent sure. Even the computer analysis wasn't conclusive. But Agent Carmen had a hunch the two people recorded exiting the City Hall Plaza subway station were their targets. It was a man and woman with the same general physical characteristics. Though more importantly, it was the way that the pair kept their hats low to cover their faces. Goodman agreed it could be them. It took the rest of the night and most of the day to painstakingly trace their route with an assortment of DHS surveillance cameras, and requisitioned video from as many business' in the areas as was possible. Eventually tracking the pair to this condominium building in the Downtown Crossing section of Boston.
“Soldiers are now sweeping the fourth floor now, Sir,” Agent Chang called out. No sooner had he finished his update, a massive explosion rocked the building. Goodman swung around to view his video display in time to see a fireball on the west side of the high rise. Eight Homeland Security soldiers were incinerated instantly. Shards of glass, concrete, and brick rained down on the soldiers and vehicles located below. Deep black smoke billowed out from the hole in the side of the building as fire spread out across the fourth floor.
Dylan stood in the dark sewer, his feet submerged in cold filthy water. He reached up to grab the duffel bags being handed down to him by Tien. She sat in the opening of the trap door in the buildings basement. Her feet resting on the first step of the rusted metal ladder. Dylan slung the bags over his shoulder and helped her down. She was more than capable of making the decent on her own. Dylan was more concerned with the ladder breaking and Tien falling. He was lucky to have made it down himself.
The foul smell of the sewer was overwhelming. Tien coughed harshly from the fumes, almost to the point of throwing up. Dylan leaned over Tien and placed his hand on her back, “OK, take it easy. Breath shallow until you get used to the smell.” Tien took a minute to regain her composure, finally getting used to the foul odors. “I'm good,” she said, taking her bag from Dylan. She fished a machine pistol out, re-zipped and slung the bag over her shoulder. “Let's go,” she said, cocking her gun.
The sewer tunnel was an arched shaped semi-circle made of concrete bricks. It was no more than eight feet high and twelve feet wide. Old LED lamps were positioned overhead in the tunnel every hundred feet or so. Illuminating the tunnel just barely enough for human eyes to see.
Dylan studied the map with the flashlight. “OK, which way?” Tien asked. Dylan pointed to the left, “I think it's that way.” He studied the map further. “Yeah, it's definitely that way. I just had to get my bearings.”
They started walking down the tunnel. Their feet swishing through the sewer water. “Get your machine pistol out, we need to be ready,” Tien ordered. He fumbled with the bag, as he walked, finally getting the weapon out without spilling everything into the muck. “Remember my instructions about the safety switch on your weapon. Ignore what I said. That's our standard operating procedure, orders from command. Down here, though, you shoot any God damn thing that moves. Got it?” Dylan let out a low, slightly nervous laugh before acknowledging her new orders, “Yeah, I got it.”
They continued in the direction that Dylan originally indicated. Tien in the lead, one hand carrying the flashlight, the other her machine pistol with a red laser sight. Dylan picked up the rear, carrying the heavier bag with the electronic jamming equipment. “We need to get at least five city blocks away. That should get us outside any standard sized perimeters that DHS would have set up,” Tien said. Dylan looked behind him, thinking he heard something. Probably a rat.
“What are our chances, do you think?” he asked. Tien looked back at him. “I don't want to guess the odds. The truth is we'll be lucky to fight our way out of this one,” Tien spoke softly to avoid her words echoing down the tunnels. Dylan knew she was right. Still, he didn't like the sound of it.
They made their way a few hundred yards further, until the sewer branched off in different directions. Dylan stopped to study the map more closely. Tien walked back to shine the light above him, casting more light on the map. Finally convinced of the right direction, he pointed down one of the tunnels, “That way.”
Agent Goodman ordered more troops into the building to secure the other floors. Then ordered the fire to be put out. The explosion convinced him they were close. He was certain the fugitives were using the explosion to cover their escape. He barked out a litany of commands to various Homeland Security agents in his vicinity. “Get troops in those adjacent buildings. Put a secondary ring around the entire neighborhood. Bring in more drones.”
It took about ten minutes for the soldiers to extinguish the fire in the apartment. Agent Chang received an update from the commanding officer who was finally able to get into the gutted apartment to inspect the remains. Chang turned and walked the few feet over to Goodman, “They found what looks like an escape shaft. It leads down to the basement.”
Goodman understood the situation immediately. “They're in the fucking sewer. Get men in there right now. Get on the line with the city's sewer department. I want schematics for those tunnels downloaded to our computers within two minutes.”
“Agent Greene,” Goodman called to his second in command. “How the fuck did you miss the sewers?” Goodman didn't want an answer. He cut Greene off before the officer could give an excuse. “You're going down there yourself and lead the effort in hunting them down. And I'm changing the standing orders. Shoot on sight. I want those motherfuckers dead.” “Sir, with all due respect,” Greene replied, “We should assume that the target has reacquired her memories. Capturing her alive should be our objective. Capturing Fraser alive could be useful in breaking her.”
Goodman thought it over for a minute. “Fuck it. It doesn't matter any longer. Countermand my last order. Take them dead or alive.”
Dylan and Tien traverse an additional three hundred yards of sewer lines. They walked silently as they wound their way through var
ious passages. They knew it wouldn't take long for Homeland Security to figure out they were in the sewer system. Tien broke the silence, “Soldiers are probably already down here. We need to take the next manhole exit.” Dylan took a moment to study the map. “Yeah up ahead. There should be a main tunnel. Then be a smaller tunnel leading to an exit,” he said. The tunnel they were traversing narrowed even further. Crouching as they walked.
Reaching the end, Tien stuck her head out, peering both ways into a wide cavernous section of the sewer system. It looked to be thirty feet wide and twenty feet high. The tunnel, although still dark, was slightly brighter. Higher voltage lamps lit the entire length, as far as they could see. The map indicated this was a newly constructed main channel. They could follow it most of the way across the city if they chose. Dylan pointed to their left. “That way, about twenty yards up, the second tunnel on the right leads to our way out.”
They walked side by side as fast as they could, pushing their legs through the almost knee high sewer water. Tien shoved the flashlight into her bag and took hold of her machine pistol. She looked it over once again, making sure it was loaded and ready to fire.
They made it almost twenty yards, passing a smaller sewer tunnel branching off to their right hand side. Dylan checked the map again. I hope I'm right, he thought. They trudged on through the filthy water. The small tunnel they were looking for was no more than five yards away. Suddenly voices could be heard in front of them. Lights flashed from Homeland Security soldiers in the main tunnel about seventy five yards ahead.
Dylan turned to Tien, “Run!” The two ran as fast as they could. Splashing about as they leaped from foot to foot through the water. They gave up trying to be silent, speed was the essential thing. Beams from a several powerful flashlights along with red laser sights swung back and forth within the tunnel. A red laser landed on Dylan as he ran. Tien stopped in her tracks, unloading several controlled bursts of automatic fire. The DHS soldiers dove into the filthy water for cover. The soldiers lights no longer shining.
Dylan jumped into the entrance to the side tunnel, dropping his bag once inside. He cocked his gun and leaned against the wall. Tien ran towards him. The soldiers opened up with automatic rifle fire. Bullets flew around Tien, ricocheting off the walls, and hitting the water. Dylan leaned out of the tunnel, swung his machine pistol towards the soldiers, and held the trigger for a continuous burst of covering fire. The soldiers automatic fire stopped, giving enough time for Tien to leap into the side tunnel. A fraction of a second later a barrage of bullets from the soldiers let loose.
Three red laser targeting beams crisscrossed up and down across the entrance to the side tunnel. Then a forth laser beam. Followed by a fifth. In a course of three seconds, a dozen red lasers swayed back and forth across the tunnel, searching for their prey.
Dylan pulled out the empty magazine clip from his machine pistol and tossed it on the floor. He was shaking and trying to calm his breathing down. Tien fought to catch her breath while she spoke, “You did good. I'm really proud of you.” She handed him an ammo clip from her bag, then took one for herself. Dylan loaded his gun and moved to the opening of the tunnel. He stuck his gun out past the entrance so only his hand and wrist were exposed, firing off a quick burst. Tien leaned back against the tunnel wall. Her machine pistol locked and loaded. She held the gun in her right hand, holding it high, pressing it against her breasts. She spoke while still catching her breath. “We have to get out of the sewer now. Or this is where we die. They've already called in our position.”
The main channel became quiet. The red laser beams continued to swing back and forth. Tien handed the flashlight to Dylan. “Get moving and find that manhole exit. I'll be right behind you. I'm going to set explosives,” she said. Dylan opened the map and began looking at it. “Fuck the map. Get moving, now!” she said, almost frantically. She moved up to the tunnels entrance and unleashed another burst of fire into main tunnel. The soldiers returned the fire. “You don't wait for me. I'll be there,” she said, then fired another burst.
Dylan didn't say a word. He dropped the map and rushed down the tunnel. As he sprinted, Tien yelled out, “When you get up above, if you see anyone holding a gun, you shoot them. OK.” Dylan acknowledged her with a quick 'OK' while he was in mid stride.
Tien fired another burst from her machine pistol, emptying the magazine clip. Again the soldiers returned fire. A bullet grazed the top of her hand. She realized how lucky she was she didn't have her hand ripped off. She licked her wound before reaching into the duffel bag and pulling out more ammo. She loaded her gun then searched around the bag again, finding the brick of C4-B and the detonator. It was only a timer detonator. It will due, she though.
Tien knelt down in the tunnel and started wiring the detonator to the C4-B. Her hands shook from the cold and the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The soldiers were getting closer, probably no more that thirty yards away. She knew she was lucky that the soldiers weren't shooting rocket propelled grenades or smart bullets with explosive charges. Such explosions could rip through the natural gas lines that crisscrossed the sewers, potentially killing everyone inside. That was her plan for them.
Tien turned towards Dylan. He was climbing a ladder, about twenty five feet down the tunnel, his flashlight aiming at the ceiling. She picked up her machine pistol and fired several controlled bursts out the entrance. Her automatic fire only intended to for the soldiers to think they were being fired on. Hopefully to buy her more time. She turned around again to look at Dylan, he was at the top of the ladder. The sounds of the soldiers were getting closer.
Tien punched the keys to the detonator, setting the timer for forty seconds. Enough time, she estimated, to get away. She waited for Dylan to clear the exit. “Come on, come on,” she muttered to herself. Dylan was taking too long. The soldiers were now no further than twenty yards. She fired off another short burst into the tunnel. She looked behind her, Dylan was gone. It was time. In quick succession, she armed the detonator, hit the start button, picked up her duffel bag, and ran like hell.
THIRTY ONE
Dylan stood at the top of the ladder, trying to push the manhole cover up with his left hand. It wouldn't budge. Shoving the flashlight into his pocket, he balanced himself on the ladder while pushing with both arms against the cover. It moved up by an inch before falling back down. The steel cover weighed at least a hundred pounds and he didn't have much leverage. He took a breath and balanced himself again. This time using all of his strength, he managed to push the manhole cover up and away.
He peeked his head up through the opening. It was dark out, night time had already fallen. A car sped by, then another. The manhole opened to a busy street. Cars drove past in both directions. Lucky enough, though, the opening lay directly in the center of the road. Luckier still there was a nearby streetlight, enough to see.
At first Dylan ducked his head down with every oncoming car. Then popped it back up again when he thought it safe. He couldn't find an opportunity to climb up into the street. It didn't matter, he knew he had no choice but to move. He threw his duffel bag up onto the street, then practically jumped out of the manhole in one fluid movement. Cars swerved to miss him at the last second.
Dylan brandished his weapon at the traffic speeding towards him. Hoping that was enough to keep any of them from running him down. He fired a quick burst from the machine pistol into the air for one car that apparently didn't see him standing in the middle of the road. The car swerved to the side with a high pitch screech, then drove past without slowing down.
Tien reached the manhole opening, pushing her bag through first. She threw her left arm into the air, allowing Dylan to reach down to pull her out. No sooner had Tien got to her feet, she yelled, “Run!” They made it only halfway to the sidewalk before the explosive detonated. Fire and black smoke ejected skyward through the manhole opening. A fraction of a second later, another more powerful explosion rocked the street, knocking them off their feet. They fell for
ward onto the hard cement of the sidewalk. The street buckled in several places, fire and smoke billowed out all around them. The natural gas lines had ruptured. In all likelihood killing every soldier below in the sewer.
Tien was first to roll over and sit up. Dylan was slower to get up. “You OK?” Tien asked. He nodded his head. “Yeah, how about you?” Tien got to her feet. “I'm fine.”
Dylan was the first to notice them. Two hover drones flying down the street, in their direction. They flew in tandem, one flying directly above the other, probably on a standard sweep for the fugitives. “Drones!” he called out. Tien picked up her weapon. “Grab my bag,” she said, then ran into the street. She aimed the red laser sight at the windshield to the first car that approached. The vehicle wouldn't stop, it swerved to the right and sped up, nearly hitting her.
The drones flew past on the other side of the street. Flying no further than fifteen yards, before both drones stopped simultaneously, then headed straight for them. The drones stopped almost directly overhead, hovering thirty to thirty five feet above street level. Within a second, as if on cue, the drones separated, moving about fifteen feet apart. Once in position, their laser targeting beams shot down. One dot on Tien, the other on Dylan.
Time was up.
“Fuck!” Tien screamed, as she ran towards the next oncoming car. It was a Massachusetts State patrol car. Tien aimed the laser beam directly at the driver behind the windshield. The cruiser skidded to a stop. Dylan rushed to the passenger side, Tien to the drivers side. The State troopers were sitting ducks inside their unarmored vehicle. Tien squeezed off a quick burst of fire over the cruiser's rooftop. She lowered the gun, the laser directly on the officer behind the wheel. The troopers had no choice, they slowly climbed out, raising their hands into the air. Dylan took the sidearm from the cop on his side. Tien did the same for the cop on her side. “Get down! Lie down spread eagle!” Tien yelled at the men. She turned to Dylan. “You drive.”
