Something Exploded

JR slowly made his way up to Ian, while he and De Beer was discussing possible plans of action. He weren’t there for most of the discussion, but did overhear something about the East Rand Traders Square, and another possible hit at Lakeside Mall, both of which seemed likely, though completely wrong due to the info Abigail had just sent over to JR’s phone. This, of course, was believed to be even more wrong as JR knew it was only a ruse to get Ian and Abigail alone so she could confront him.

            “I think I know where the bomb is going to go off,” JR said quietly behind Ian, unsure of how to act in order to seem convincing.

            “Where?” De Beer asked, having heard him.

            “Abigail said something about having to look after a couple of rogue Others agents near The Village, Fararmere. Just figured that, since Others are there, maybe the Council would have put down measures and all.”

            Ian contemplated it. “I used to live near there, I’ll go and check it out before we hit Lakeside.”

            “I’ll be keeping an eye out, and have Laura sit in for you, until you’ve figured it out.”

            “What about me? I can go with you, you know,” JR said, putting up his most convincing face.

            “Sure. I could use the extra help, I suppose. It would also be good field practice for you.”

Ed was in the main hall, talking to Safu about a number of experimental weapons caches that the Agency had stored away before the Fall. None of them had ever seen, nor could confirm these caches to actually exist, however, except that Ed had a strange inclination to go toward an abandoned office park, not far off from where Stronghold Prime was located. Much to Safu’s distaste.

            “I can not let you go alone,” Safu said and folded his arms.

            “You’ll be needed at Lakeside; I’ll be fine, man.”

            “Either you get someone to go with you, or I will,” Safu said and walked off toward the entrance of the manse. Ed looked at him, and gave in, following suit.

Dev was pacing up and down the room that he and Evelyn shared. The other two agents would join them any second now to go over the final plans and preparations before their target were to land at the airport at 23-hundred hours, and then go and make their hit at exactly zero-hundred hours, giving the target zero time to prepare, and catch him off guard.

            “Calm down, you’re making even me nervous,” Evelyn said as she fell down onto the couch he had called his bed for the past few days.

            “I can’t calm down.”

            “Yes you can. I can help you, if you’d like.”

            Devon shot her a dark expression. He was in no way looking forward to her games. As their eyes met, though, he was sure that he had seen them somewhere before. He still could not pinpoint where or when, but it really did start to get on his nerves. It wasn’t every day that he met someone that he did not recognise, if they had ever met before.

            “What’s the matter?” she asked in a defensive manner, after a little while.

            “It’s nothing.” Devon then continued his pacing until the other two agents arrived. Stone came in first, immediately starting with the briefing. It was nothing Dev had not heard before.

Ian had parked his car below a single tree in the middle of a small field, across from the little suburb of Farrarmere that was called The Village. Lots of little shacks and houses populated the few streets, most of which was short and easily navigated. He sat in his car for a while, and then noticed Abigail at the far end of the street, talking and playing with a little girl, no older than thirteen, or perhaps fourteen. He watched her for a while longer. JR was sitting quietly in the passenger’s seat, trying not to look conspicuous, though clearly forgetting the fact that their car was the only one in the entirety of the small little field. Underneath the only standing tree.

            Ian unlocked his doors and got out of the car. JR reluctantly followed suit, though he was in no mood to be there, right that second. If Ian would not figure out what was going on soon, Abigail would sure as hell not keep the truth from him for JR’s sake. Ian patiently waited for JR to get to his side before he locked the car and walked off in Abigail’s direction. She was still talking and laughing with the little girl as Ian came to a halt a few metres away.

            Abigail took note of both he and JR, brushed the stray lock of hair back behind her ear, and kissed the little girl before ordering her to go inside and close the door. She then stood up and took a few paces forward. “Nice of you to finally come,” she said and put her hands to her sides.

            “JR told me that you’re protecting Others? I would like to speak to them.”

            “And why would you want to do that?”

            “There may be a bomb in one of these houses,” Ian answered matter-of-factly and gestured around him.

            “I can tell you one thing: here is no bomb.”

            “What?”

            “I had JR give you this address because I needed to confront you.”

            “I have no time for this,” Ian said and turned, though stopped half in his tracks when Abigail mentioned a name that Ian hadn’t heard in more than a decade. He turned back, and balled his fist. “What did you just say?”

Ed and Safu arrived at an old office park that seemed to still be in construction, though he knew that it was still in construction for more than ten years now. Ed had bought a brand new Toyota 86 the day after he reported his car stolen, and wished for nothing to happen to it, as he still hadn’t taken out insurance on the thing. Safu had no car yet, however, so they had no choice when they had to choose a vehicle.

            “Are you sure it’s here?” Safu asked as he looked up at the dawning thunderstorm in the horizon.

            “Yes. I can’t describe to you how or why, but I just know it’s here.”

            Safu nodded then headed into the half-built building with Ed. There was no human in sight, except for the government housing on the other side of the road. The only thing keeping hawkers out was the thick, long walls that surrounded the construction site. That, and the patrolling police, of course. Safu beckoned Ed closer as he saw something etched into the brick right next to a metal door frame. Ed had to squint to see it, but as Safu indicated, it was right there: a tiny little circle with the wings of an eagle, as well as a letter D, and a number beside it. The small emblem was faded and would definitely be missed if one wasn’t actually searching up and down for it.

            “Division 7,” Ed said quietly and looked at Safu.

            “It seems that you might have been right.”

            Ed smiled and stood up right again. “Not that I have any idea what to do.”

            “Now, we look,” Safu replied and jumped down a hole in the floor. “I suspect it would be underground.”

           

Jacks and De Beer was on top of a building not far from Lakeside. Jacks had been busy surveying the immediate area for any kind of suspicious activity, but had seen none so far. De Beer was just about to radio Laura, then heard a massive explosion form within Lakeside.

            “Hit! We’re Hit!” erupted Connor’s voice from the radio. “Laura is injured! The bomb hit here!”

            “Negative,” Jacks replied over the radio. “Bomb hit here as well!”

            Jacks heard Connor swear on the other side of the radio, and then it fell dead. Jacks tried to reconnect, and send another signal, but got nothing. He then hurried back to De Beer, who was setting up the zip line to make it across to the mall. “Shouldn’t we be helping Connor and Laura?” Jacks asked.

            “I’m sure they’re asking the same about us, kid. Now come on.” De Beer zip lined across the road and onto the roof of Lakeside Mall, where he could see that the explosion was caused by a van that rammed the entrance of the building. Fortunately minimal casualties. Jacks joined him shortly after and hurried over to the rooftop entrance as fast as he could, and started to kick it open.

Connor and Laura were both pinned down in the centre of the Trader’s Square. The bomb that had gone off inside the fleamarket had indeed caused quite a few casualties, and in the process of trying to find evidence on the Council, they were pinned down by Others agents, disguised as SAPD.

            “I had no idea they actually went through with it!” Laura said as she peaked out of their cover, which was in the small office building at the back of the stage.

            “What?”

            “They were talking about taking over the police!”

            “The Council is the police!” Connor exclaimed as he fired off a few shots and repositioned on the other side of the door.

            “That only means one thing – we’ve been compromised since the start!”

            “Only since the Council wanted back in the game.”

            A grenade made its way inside the office, but Connor picked it up and threw it back in a timely fashion. It had bought them enough time to make it out of the building and around to the other side of the Square and into the various stalls.

Right before Abigail answered Ian, his earpiece went off with chatter from both Connor and Jacks. Which only made him more furious.

            “Now you cost me precious lives!” He yelled at her. Abigail stood motionless and began tearing up. She then walked toward him with her finger pointed firmly at the house the little girl had gone into a bit earlier.