Capítulo 83: HOSTAGE CRISIS
Sean looked the clone's lifeless body, lying her down on the cold metal floor.
He noticed Xiao Tian typing on the screens and devices around them, while Nanami put down a device next to the body.
"Aya's here, go to plan B" Xiao Tian said, connecting a device to the monitors.
"Once again sir, your analysis are spot on," commended Sean as Team Zero started doing their work.
Knowing that Aya would most likely be able to track them here, Xiao Tian and Nanami decided to leave behind clues and evidence to be seen by her and Team Phantom. Their hope is that Aya can piece together the information, realise that Team Zero is innocent and help them to unmask the real traitor(s).
With that done, they left the base.
"UNNSD Mechas have barred off the docking areas, we have to use the backup exfil plan," asked Sean.
"To the lower levels!" said Jay.
They rushed to the emergency escape pods in the lower levels, while notifying Charlotte of the situation.
Just as they rushed down, Aya is leading Team Phantom and Team Raptor up the floors to the 20th floor, flanked by Pegasus contractors.
Bryan readied his rifle as they went up the elevator, not aware that their targets are in the elevator going in the opposite direction next to them.
Once the elevator stopped, the operators and the contractors stormed out, heading to the reinforced door that Xu Qing had closed back up.
Reza took a brief glance at the rows of monitors.
"Permission to take point ma'am?" asked Albert, slapping down the charging handle on his MP5A5 submachine gun, ready to engage.
Aya smiled. "We're always first," she said, gesturing to the former Squad Artemis members among them, heading to the door.
Liu Zhong kept his QJY-201 machine gun in his Exo-suit's weapon bay, taking a FN P90 PDW and deployed a shield.
Atsumi did the same with her PKP machine gun, raising her FN P90 PDW, taking up positions behind Liu Zhong, while Meari took up a breaching position behind Aya, readying her KAC KS-1 rifle, setting the LPVO optic on it to a low power setting, putting one hand on Aya's shoulder. Behind her is Walter, putting his hand on her shoulder too.
Cameron let her QBZ-192 rifle rest on her front armour plate, wiring up the door with a breaching explosive charge.
"You will be compensated for the loss," assured Bryan at a nervous contractor.
He gave the Aya the permission to engage.
Aya raised her L119A2 custom to high ready.
Cameron set the charge and moved out, hiding behind Liu Zhong's shield.
A loud explosion later a hole appeared in the reinforced door that can allow 3 people to enter easily.
The 6 of them moved, entering the room using the alternative left and right entry, all moving extremely quickly while covering each other's blindspots to ensure that they do not get caught in the death funnel that is the entrance.
They entered the room, alertly raising their guns as they advanced forward in a reverse triangle search position, the Pegasus contractors and the remaining operators of the 2 teams followed after them.
"Too quiet here, something is not right," murmured Reza.
They stopped upon reaching the centre of the room, shocked to find a floor of bodies consisting of Archangel personnel, all shot up.
Walter poked one with his HK-416 rifle.
"Dead," he said. He checked the body's warmth. "They are killed not too long ago. Team Zero did this," he said.
Just then, he got a notification from Herbert.
"Team Zero is heading to the lower levels! I am in pursuit!" he said.
"He only has 2 Team Raptor operators with him, this is not good," said Reza.
Bryan nodded.
"Ok," he said. "Aya, you guys and the contractors stay here and gather all the information you can, I will lead the rest of the operators to reinforce Herbert."
Aya agreed.
"On me, let's go!" yelled Bryan, rushing back to the elevator. Reza, Albert and Vera rushed after him, followed by the other operators from the 2 teams.
"Forward," said Aya, tapping Liu Zhong's shoulders. The 6 of them pushed forward, flanked by the Pegasus contractors.
As they searched, a body covered by lab coats in a corner caught their attention. Flanked by her alert comrades, Cameron approached the body, and pulled off the lab coats.
"NO WAY..." she exclaimed in shock, almost dropping her QBZ-192 in shock.
Her other siblings are equally shocked seeing the clone of Freyja's cold body. Her grotesque looks sent shudders down their spine.
Atsumi could not help herself, tearing up.
A shaking Liu Zhong noticed a device placed next to the body. He played it.
The footage of the cruel experiments performed on the clone as well as Sir Campbell's recorded interrogation played in the 3D hologram video.
The 6 former Squad Artemis members feel their blood boiling in rage.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Aya noticed the contractors raising their guns at them.
She immediately bent down, turning around, training her L119A2 rifle at them, opening fire before they can shoot.
The rest of the operators turned around too, firing their weapons in sync with Aya.
Soon, all of the contractors are killed, none of them able to fire a single shot.
They checked the bodies on the floor carefully, ensuring that they are all dead.
Aya's expression is forlorn.
"Not a word about this," said Liu Zhong. He knows that they have now entered unknown territory, hence, it's best to keep a low profile.
The 6 of them got to work collecting intel. Aya's expression turned sour as she read the information.
"If something is wrong with Archangel, then does that mean that we were on the right track at London?" thought Aya.
"Then that brings Vanguard's intentions into question...could Team Zero really be innocent?" she thought.
This thought shook her.
(Lower levels)
"SH*T!!!" yelled Jay, firing back, deliberately missing.
Reza reloaded his SIG 516 rifle, resuming fire, also deliberately missing. Neither side is willing to hurt the other.
Albert and Vera charged out under Reza's fire cover, pushing forward.
Seeing them, Santos aimed his SIG MCX rifle, using the laser designator to aim to avoid peeking out from cover to shoot.
To his confusion, his shots ended up being way off from the point marked by the laser. He turned down to his rifle, shocked to realise that the laser designator had lost zero after he had hit his rifle handguard on the wall accidentally earlier, inducing shift.
"F*** YOU SIG!" he fumed, switching to his Glock 19 pistol, using the underbarrel laser sight.
Jay tapped him on the shoulder as he ran back, moving out of his line of fire. After Jay fell back, Santos threw a flashbang and quickly retreated too.
The 2 rushed into the room, and Xu Qing quickly closed the door. He and Nanami then wielded the door shut, while disabling the controls.
This will only stop them for a short while, prompting Louis to speed up the process of trying to activate the emergency escape pods.
Albert and Vera stopped at the door that slammed shut. They tried to force it open.
Vera slung her AK-12M1 rifle back, deploying her battering ram.
Herbert, Reza and Bryan appeared behind them, ready to breach in once they are done.
Vera managed to slam the door open after some time, and moved out of the way.
Herbert charged in, aiming his MK 18 Mod 1 rifle. The rest of the operators charged in, finding the room empty.
Herbert looked at the 4 escape pods leaving the research base. He slammed his hand angrily on his armour.
"Damn it! Clara, they are in the air! Pursuit!" he yelled into his radio.
"COPY!" yelled Clara. She and 2 other Mechas broke off from the docking platform, charging to intercept the escape pods.
Clara scanned them for lifeforms, finding only one to have them.
She sneered, flying at full speed, ready to intercept.
"Steady..." muttered Xiao Tian.
Nanami is working the escape pod to charge at full speed, while Sean, Louis and Ariel all have a remote controller in their hands.
Clara extended her Mecha hands, wanting to grab the escape pod.
"NOW!" he yelled.
The 3 pressed the buttons.
The 3 escape pods surrounding them suddenly turned and charged straight at the 3 Mechas
"F***!" cursed Clara, unable to dodge an escape pod in time.
It knocked off one of the Mecha rockets, causing the Mecha systems to malfunction, sending her tumbling out of the air. Her comrades are also hit by the escape pods, allowing Team Zero to escape undisturbed.
Once their escape pod reached parachuting height, the parachutes deployed, slowing down the fall, allowing them to land on the ground, cushioned by giant balloons underneath that pumped up.
The Team Zero members all climbed out, careful with their devices that held the vital intel they need.
Just as they headed to the backup evac slot where Charlotte is waiting, a Mecha fell out of the sky.
Clara grunted, managing to do a controlled forced landing, stopping in front of Team Zero.
She trained the Mecha's weapons at them.
"Freeze where you are!" she yelled into the broadcast system. "This is your only warning."
"Clara?" exclaimed Louis.
Sean walked forward, seeing the point defence batteries on the Mecha revving up and pointing at him.
"Clara, please," said Sean, keeping his hands raised.
"You know me, you know them," he said. "Do you really believe that we are traitors?"
Clara opened her mouth, but nothing comes out.
"We are gathering the evidence to prove our innocence," he said. "We just need more time."
"So please, you don't have to do this," implored Sean. "The real traitor is somewhere in UNSSD, you need to stop him, or her, or them, and we are the closest ones to uncovering the truth."
"Do you trust me, Clara?" asked Sean.
Clara looked at her 2 comrades' Mechas approaching on the radar. She sighed, removing her drive suit helmet.
"You better be right about this," she muttered, deactivating the Mecha and stepping out, grabbing her pilot survival bag. It contained her HK-416 rifle, emergency food supplies, first aid kit, medicine, flares and torches.
Frederica recognised her, alertly keeping her SIG MCX raised.
Clara walked up to Sean, passing the survival bag to Frederica beside, while pulling out her Glock 19 pistol and handing it to Sean.
Before a confused Sean can say another word, she raised her hands.
"Take me hostage," she said. "That's the only way you all can escape from here."
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