True Conviction

by James P. Sumner

  “No, haven’t seen or heard from her. I’d gone back to the hospital to check on her, but she’d discharged herself… again.”

  “Right. Well, that’s why I was calling you—she just rang me.”

  “She did? Is she alright? Where is she?”

  “She’s fine. She was asking after you, actually. Said she felt bad leaving the hospital without telling you, but couldn’t sit there and allow Dark Rain to get away with what they did to Webster. She felt responsible and wanted to do something.”

  “What did you say to her?”

  “Well, she asked what the plan was and how she could help, so I told her about my involvement with GlobaTech and what their operation entails. She said she’d do some recon and give me intel from the ground, to help me co-ordinate the attack.”

  “Sounds like a good plan. She needs to watch her back though. Dark Rain is gunning for her just as much as they are for me.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Anything she can give me will be invaluable. So, what are you doing now?”

  “I have a gift from GlobaTech, thanks to our friend, Bob. I’m going to pay Don Pellaggio a visit.”

  “Is this gift, by any chance, in the shape of a black bag full of evil things?”

  “It is.”

  “And have you used the words ‘inner’ and ‘Satan’ in the same sentence recently?”

  “I have.”

  “Oh, bloody hell! I’ll be under my desk ‘til you’re finished.”

  “That’s probably wise.”

  I hang up and continue navigating the back streets. After a good half hour, I find myself walking down a poorly lit street just outside the center of the city. It’s clearly a rich area of the city, because the houses are well spaced and all look like mansions. I make my way along the street and about halfway down on the right is a particularly enormous house within a gated property. There are high walls all around, with a security hut to the right of the large, wrought iron gates. Beyond is a circular driveway with a massive water feature in the middle. The house itself has three floors, with a large, stone pillar either side of the front door. There’s light coming from a few windows, but other than that the place is in darkness.

  Roberto Pellaggio’s estate.

  I smile to myself.

  Showtime, asshole.

  22:34

  I crouch down and hide behind some bushes out front of the property opposite. It’s dark and the lights aren’t on, so I doubt anyone will see me. I open the bag and take out the pair of black coveralls, quickly putting them on over my clothes. I then carefully unpack all the equipment and weapons, kitting myself out and preparing for war.

  I look across the street. My first problem is getting into the estate. I can easily get over the walls, but I have no visibility of what’s on the other side. I don’t know if there are any guys patrolling the perimeter, if there are any attack dogs, what the positions are of any and all CCTV cameras… Basically, I’m completely blind and therefore justified in assuming any attempt to get inside at this stage would result in a swift and painful death.

  Luckily for me, I have Josh.

  I clip my Bluetooth earpiece in place and dial the man who’s been my eyes and ears around the world for half my life.

  “You ready?” I ask as he answers.

  “I am,” he replies. “And, for the record, I’d like to say again that I’m completely against this. I think it’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done—and that’s saying something. I just want that made official, so my conscience is clear in case you die.”

  “Josh, given I’m relying solely on you for navigation here, if I die it’ll be your fault, so be prepared for me to come back and haunt you should that happen.”

  “Fine. Are you in position?”

  “Yeah, I’m across the street, hidden in some bushes. I’m invisible and ready to go.”

  “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Josh told me earlier that GlobaTech gave him access to their satellite feeds and thermal imaging technology, because he’s going to be working with Clark to help co-ordinate the attack on Dark Rain, which he said is going to be happening at some point tomorrow. I figured, seeing as he had that access, he might as well use it… Josh explained to me that once the satellite is in position over Pellaggio’s estate, he’ll have a real-time view of where all the guards and dogs and such things are—both inside and out, as well as where the security cameras are and which way they’re looking. He'll be able to view all the heat signatures on the grounds and direct me safely inside.

  He’s already had a look at the place, which is how I knew exactly what to ask Clark for.

  “Right, I’m picking you up over the road from the west wall of the estate,” he begins.”‘That’s good, because that’s where the main security desk is.”

  “Why’s that a good thing?” I ask.

  “Because if the main security hub is there, they’ll be no need to have any other security patrols on side of the building, which means once you’re past it and inside, you shouldn’t run into anyone else.”

  “Great. So, how do I get past it?”

  “The guard’s hut and main gate is about forty feet to the left of where you are now. If you look about thirty feet to your right, you’ll see a group of trees. Work your way level with them, and wait for my signal.”

  “Got it.”

  I negotiate my way through the bushes and undergrowth, doing my best not to tread on any flowerbeds these people have scattered around their garden. There’s a skill to making no noise while walking through things that crack and rustle. Thankfully, I learnt it a long time ago. It only takes me less than a minute to get where I need to be.

  “Right, I’m here,” I say. “The trees are directly in front of me.”

  “Good. There’s been no movement, which means no one’s heard you moving around over the road yet.”

  “Or they have heard me and they’re pretending, while secretly planning to gun me down the moment I’m over the wall?”

  “Adrian, do you really think now is the time for your particular brand of pessimism?”

  “I think of it as realism, but let’s not split hairs. So, now what?”

  “Once you’re over the wall, dive to your right. You should then be covered completely by trees and darkness. It’s a black spot in their CCTV coverage, but that just means there will likely be at least one sentry checking the area now and then, so we need to keep an eye out for him.”

  “Got it. Just say when.”

  I check my equipment for the fourth and, probably not final, time. In addition to my black overalls, I’m wearing a Kevlar vest and tactical night vision goggles on my head. I adjust the chinstrap again, ensuring it’s tight and the goggles are firmly in place. I’ve moved my Berettas so that I now have one holstered on each leg. Both have their silencers equipped. At my back, in their place, is a belt kit for a repelling hook—good for two hundred feet. More than enough for what I need it for. Fed over both shoulders are two MP5 submachine guns—both silenced and set to fire in a three round burst. I also have the knife with me that I took from the guy at the safe house where I found Webster. Figured it might come in handy. Finally, in the pockets sewn into the legs of my coveralls, I have some grenades—two frags and two smoke.

  Josh’s voice sounds in my ear, interrupting my last-minute checks. “Right,” he says. “One guard is approaching the security gate now. Possibly switching shifts. Hold steady.”

  There’s a minute of silence on the line.

  “Okay, he’s walking away again now,” announces Josh. “On my mark, stay low and move fast to the wall. Flatten against it until I give you the all-clear to scale.”

  “Roger that,” I say.

  Another moment passes before I finally get the order to go.

  “Okay, move!”

  Staying low, I sprint across the road and stop when I reach the wall. I press my back against it and catch my breath. The painkillers are doing their job—breathing isn’t c
ausing me any discomfort at all in my torso, which is a pleasant change. I should’ve taken some days ago…

  “I’m in position,” I whisper.

  “Okay, up and over the wall on my count—remember to land and roll right. Three… Two… One… Now!”

  I clamber up the wall, heaving myself up. I lie flat along the top for a moment, catching my breath. I then swing my legs over and drop down into a crouch on the other side. As I land, I roll to my right and come to a stop behind the trees, exactly as Josh had instructed.

  I lower my goggles into place and activate the night vision mode. Everything flickers in front of me and turns a pale green. I quickly scan the area. I see the south-west corner of the house in front of me. To my left, in the distance, is the security hut. To my right is a long lawn with two sets of garden furniture positioned along it. No sign of any movement.

  I look up at the house. There are a couple of lights on in windows on the top floor, which flare up and obscure my view through the green glow of the goggles.

  “Josh, I’m in.”

  “Okay, this next bit is the tricky part,” he says.

  “The tricky part? I’ve not seen the easy part yet… So far, all of this has been tricky, Josh.”

  “True. But this next part in particular will suck more than the rest.”

  “I can barely contain my excitement...”

  “From here, you need to head to your right. On the left in front of you, you should see a wine cellar entrance. You got it?”

  I look over and see the alcove, maybe a third of the way along the side of the house. In the middle of the alcove is the entrance—two doors open out on an angle leading under the house and to the cellar. Decent-sized gaps on either side are completely covered in darkness.

  “Yeah, I see it.”

  “You should have enough cover at the side of that, but to get there you’re going to have to run across open ground. You’ll be completely exposed for close to fifteen seconds.”

  “Oh, wonderful...”

  “I’m tracking the patrols now,” he continues. “I see a total of six guys working the perimeter in teams of two, with a lone guy based in the security station. You’re clear to your left, as you’re out of sight from the station, but to your right you’ve got two guys patrolling. It’s gonna be tight, but you should make it. Once there, you’ll be in total darkness again, so they shouldn’t see you.”

  I lift my goggles up and look at the world as it is. Josh is right—there’s no way anyone will see me, and I doubt very much Pellaggio’s goons are equipped with the same tech as me. I pull my goggles back on and turn the world green once again.

  “Okay,” says Josh again. “When I say, you run like hell, yeah?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  Just up ahead, I catch a glimpse of one of the guards. He’s walking toward me down the left hand side, carrying an assault rifle, which he’s holding loose, and letting hang in front of him from the shoulder strap. I figure that means the other guy is walking away from me down the right… Plus, as I suspected, he’s not wearing any night vision goggles, so I’ll keep my advantage as long as I don’t get too close to anyone.

  Seeing what I have to do, the enormity of the risk involved begins to sink in. As soon as the guy nearest to me turns his back, Josh is going to tell me to run. By the time I reach my cover, the guard will be out of earshot, but the guy patrolling the right hand side will be coming toward me, and I’ll be horribly close to his line of sight. Even in the dark, if he’s facing my direction and I’m running, he’ll see enough by what light is coming from the house that he’ll be suspicious and come in for a closer look. That, in turn, means there’s a very high chance of someone discovering me, and if that happens, it’s game over.

  Shit.

  “Be ready,” says Josh.

  I stand slowly, preparing to run.

  “Okay, go now!”

  I set off like a sprinter out of the starting blocks. I have to cover almost three hundred feet in less than fifteen seconds. As I run, my weapons bounce around, adding extra resistance. I feel myself slowing down as a result.

  Five seconds.

  “Adrian, the guy on the left will likely be out of earshot by now, but the guy coming toward you on the right will have line of sight any second—you gotta push the pace...”

  I grit my teeth and press on. I’m usually pretty fast, for someone my age, but I’m not an Olympic sprinter by any means. Plus, despite normally being in good shape, the pounding my body’s taken recently is making quick, heavy breathing a very painful experience. Subconsciously, I know I’m not running as fast as I’m capable of.

  Ten seconds.

  “Adrian, he’s almost in position—you need to get to cover NOW!”

  I approach the cellar doors at full speed. I drop and do a baseball slide into the corner and slam into the wall, struggling to suppress a grunt of pain caused by the impact. I look out across the lawn and see the other guy almost level with my position. I’m gasping for breath. My lungs are burning—each intake is sending a white-hot stab of pain shooting into my ribs. I lift up my goggles, and the guy disappears in the darkness.

  “Don’t move,” says Josh in my ear. “We’re not clear yet.”

  I do everything I can to slow my breathing down as the seconds tick by. There’s nothing out of the ordinary just yet. But the big test will come when the first guy comes back toward me down the left flank.

  “Okay, first guy is heading your way now. Don’t move, don’t breath, don’t do anything.”

  My breathing is finally returning to normal. The guy on the left is approaching the cellar doors. I curl up into a ball in the small alcove, tucking myself away in the shadows in the corner next to them. I can’t see my hand in front of my face, which means he shouldn’t be to see anything if he looks my way. I slip my goggles back on and see the guy walking right in front of me. He can’t be more than ten feet away…

  I hold my breath, causing a fresh pain to pulsate through my chest like a fire spreading through a forest. My eyes water, blurring my vision through the goggles.

  Come on… move, you piece of shit…

  The guy’s almost past me, but I can’t hold it in any longer.

  I grimace at the burning sensation as I let out a breath.

  Fuck!

  I immediately clasp my hand over my mouth, but it’s no good. The guy stops, listening intently. Then he takes a couple of paces backward and stares into the small abyss where I’m crouching down against the wall. He doesn’t know it, but he’s looking right at me.

  Josh’s voice sounds in my ear. “Oh, bollocks…”

  24.

  23:01

  THE GUY’S STANDING directly in front of me, squinting into the same darkness I’m desperately trying to hide in. I’m convinced he can hear my heart beating inside my chest. He takes another step closer, his hand tightening around the barrel and stock of the machine gun he’s holding.

  I know Josh is watching via satellite, and I’m silently begging him to give me something to go on—some clue as to what my next move should be, but he’s staying quiet. Probably worried his voice would be heard in the silence.

  I run through my options but soon arrive at the annoying conclusion that there’s really only one way out of this... If this guy doesn’t move away, he’s going to have to die.

  I move my hand slowly away from my mouth and down to my leg. With infinite care, I draw the knife from its sheath, which I've strapped to the front of my right thigh. I slowly and carefully grip the handle. I can’t risk drawing it right away in case the blade makes a noise, but I want to get ready to use it if I need to.

  Come on… move, goddammit!

  I’m willing him to walk away, but he remains in front of me, trying to focus and see into the dark shadows ahead of him. He takes another pace toward me, pointing his gun out in front of him.

  Each second that passes feels like an hour. I need to make a decision and fast. I can’t afford to bl
ow this, not after coming so far. But the bottom line is if this guy finds me, it’ll be very hard to deal with it without alerting everyone else. And if I lose the element of surprise, I’m as good as dead. Unless I run for it...

  Let’s be honest—that’s never going to happen. I would literally rather die.

  Ah, fuck it.

  In one swift and silently brutal movement, I draw my knife and lunge toward the guy, pushing up with my legs and thrusting the blade forward. It carves into him effortlessly, catching him in the fleshy part of his throat, just below his jaw and above his Adam’s apple. I aim it perfectly, immediately severing his vocal chords, meaning he can’t make any noise as he dies. He falls forward, and I catch him, guiding him silently to the floor with my left hand.

  That’s one issue resolved, but now I’m left with a whole new one. The other guy’s going to notice his friend’s missing in the next thirty seconds.

  “Josh,” I say, urgently. “Where’s the second guard?”

  “Yeah, I can’t help but notice that the heat signature near you is disappearing...” he replies, sarcastically.

  “I had no choice. Where’s the other one?”

  “He’s still walking away from you on the far side. He’ll be turning round any second. Just be careful the other patrol at the far side of the house doesn’t see him drop.”

  “I’ll wait for him to head back toward me, don’t worry.”

  I remain where I am, making sure the same darkness hiding me is completely cloaking the dead guard. The next twenty seconds feel like a lifetime, but eventually Josh comes back on the line.

  “Right, the second guy’s approaching you now. You should see him coming from the left any second. You can’t let him get too close. Otherwise he’ll notice his partner’s missing.”

  “I’m on it.”

  I move forward slightly, crouching on the edge of the alcove, just inside the shadows. After a couple of seconds, I have a clear view of the other guy, walking casually but alert across the lawn. I grab the knife by the blade and line it up, ready to unleash it at my target. I’m a good aim, but I’m trying to hit either his throat or the top of his chest with a knife from about eighty feet away. It’s not going to be easy, but I don’t want to use my guns. Even though they’re fitted with their silencers, there’s still a risk of noise or commotion. Plus, I’m going to need every bullet I have for what comes later.