John O'Brien - Reckoning

Swiping the card, it releases and, with Horace ready, she swings it open. Horace darts inside ready to deliver fire should she see anyone on the other side. There’s only a corridor that stretches past her line of sight, illuminated by widely separated lights hanging from the ceiling.

The air is dry yet chilled as they move quickly down the hall, figures darting in and out of the light, fading into the gloom between the pools of brightness, the sound of many boots shuffling on the dusty concrete floor, heartbeats racing.

Horace holds up near a corner at the end of the long tunnel and waves Lynn forward. Peeking around, Lynn spots a door with ‘Security’ placarded across the top. Over the door, only because she is looking for it, she notes Jack’s handiwork on the camera.

Sending a series of clicks, she signals Jack that they are at the security room door. Lynn sees a shadow through the window and the sound of the door unlocking. Directing Horace to station her team at the adjacent corner, and making sure their backside is covered, she takes her team and enters the security room.

She immediately takes in the scene and is taken aback by guards sitting in chairs at the console. Looking closer, she sees that they have long since left this life, becoming quickly obvious by their slouched positions and blood stains on their collars and shoulders. Another body lies partially stripped of its clothing in a corner. And, standing near the wall by the door, is Jack.

“Took ya long enough,” he says.

“What happened? Did you get bored?” Lynn asks, smiling.

“One can only play so much solitaire,” he states, waving an arm to one of the computer terminals on a table. Sure enough, there is a half completed game on the screen.

“Jack, you didn’t really…” Lynn questions, to which Jack shrugs and turns to the monitor banks filling one wall.

“We’ve been pretty lucky so far, but we don’t have a lot of time. I’d rather initiate things on our own terms than be discovered and have to fight our way through. Here,” Jack says, pointing to one of the monitors, “this is the reaction team. They’ll need to be taken out first before we move into positions in the equipment bay.”

On the monitor, Lynn sees a group of six soldiers that are playing cards around a large table. She notes that their carbines, M-4s, are slung on the backs of their chairs. The soldiers themselves are clad in multicam fatigues and wearing vests. The edges of bunks can be clearly seen in the foreground of the video. Jack then directs her attention to a diagram outlining the general room structure of the facility with room numbers annotated.

“We’re here and they’re in this room here,” Jack says, pointing to a room not far from their present location.

“That’s just down the outside hallway,” Lynn says.

“Yeah, and it needs to be done quickly and quietly.”

Lynn continues to look at the diagram, etching it into her memory.

“There are some other differences on this plan than on the diagram Harold showed us. They’re minor differences, but ones we need to be aware of,” Jack says.

“We can go over them when I return,” Lynn states.

“You’re going?” Jack asks.

“Of course. You don’t think you’re the only one who can handle things, do you?”

“No, but I thought—”

“We’ll cover the next step when I get back,” Lynn says. “I’ll be taking Black Team with me. The other teams are in the hall with Horace covering toward the equipment bay.”

“They’re exposed out there.”

“That’s why I need to get going. I’ll see you in a sec,” Lynn says, gathering Black Team to point out the monitor and room diagram.

“I guess I’ll just sit here and finish my game then.”

Lynn knows Jack has no intention of finishing the game, if he ever really played it to begin with. More than likely, it was already on the screen when he entered. Although, if that’s the case, why isn’t she seeing a screen saver. Lynn shrugs and gives Jack a smile before turning back to brief her team.

In the hall, Lynn places a hand on Horace’s shoulder and leans in to whisper her intention of taking Black Team down the hall that exits a short distance away.

“You’re in charge until we return. Keep this hall clear. I’ll give a short whistle before we reenter the hallway which you’ll return if it’s clear,” Lynn says.

“Will do,” Horace replies. “We’ll be here if you need.”

There hasn’t really been much talk of rank for a while except for everyone calling Jack ‘sir’.

We’re going to have to work that out when we get back , Lynn thinks, rising with the rest of her team.

Creeping against the wall, Lynn edges toward the opening just ahead. The silence is almost enough to hear, if there was such a thing, and the tension seems to press the walls inward. Step by step, with her M-4 aiming unwaveringly at a point in front of the opening, Lynn closes in. Ahead, the main corridor leads to a security door that then enters into the large equipment bay.

That’s for a later time , she thinks, nearing the intersection.

Kneeling, she peeks around the corner. Florescent fixtures light a hallway with doors branching off to the left and right down its length. It’s the door at the end that she focuses on. Behind it, six soldiers are wasting their time with a game of cards, trying to chase the boredom of their watch away.

Briskly rounding the corner, she quickly moves down the hall, checking each door as she passes. Two of the nearer ones are easily identified as bathrooms by the placards. Her teammates behind check the others finding that they are storage rooms. Lynn keeps her focus on the doorway ahead. If it opens, she and her team will charge forth. It will be uglier but they can’t risk a firefight, especially an extended one. They are still vulnerable from the hallway behind.

At the door, she stacks next to it with another teammate on the other side. Handing the keycard to a third team member, she signals Jack that they’re ready for entry. They’ll enter with four, the other two maintaining security in the hall. In the control room, she knows that Jack will be setting the monitor to its playback function.

“There are bunks to the left and right of the door. The room past that is open with a large table in the middle. There should be six around that, but stay flexible as they could be moving around. We go in firing. Watch for anyone going for an alarm, they’ll be our priority target. Are you ready?” Lynn whispers.

Hands tighten on their carbines and they shuffle to get into position.

Lynn feels her heart beat thudding against the walls of her chest. Adrenaline courses through her as she and the team wait for Jack’s signal. One of the bathroom doors opens behind her.

A soldier steps into the hallway wiping his hands on his pants. He looks up and his eyes go wide seeing six-armed strangers in the hall. He’s so startled that he takes no action as his mind tries to fathom that what he is seeing is real. The amazement is short-lived however as muted coughs signal rounds being delivered from her two teammates guarding the hall. The soldier rocks backward and slams into the door jamb. As he falls back, his arms jerk with each bullet strike as if he’s on the end of puppet strings. He slides down the frame and slumps to the ground.

“Fuck it, we’re going in,” Lynn states.

The third member of her team lays the ID card Jack delivered against the keypad. With a corresponding loud click of the door unlocking, Lynn’s teammate pulls on the handle. Lynn sweeps into the open doorway, her carbine up and ready.

Six pairs of eyes turn toward her from a table in the middle of the room, their glances more curious to see who has entered their watch room. Their inquisitive looks rapidly change to alarm as they see armed strangers pouring into the room, barrels aimed directly at them.