章 23: To the Outside World
"So, what's the plan again?" Ian asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he leaned against the wall, looking down at the rest of the team. His height gave him a clear advantage, both literally and figuratively.
Barseagle, arms crossed, glanced up at Ian. "We're going to Uvogin. You're going to stop complaining and do your part. That's the plan."
"Great. Kidnapping a president. Totally my style," Ian said, a smirk playing on his lips. "What are we, the world's most violent delivery service?"
Daniel leaned in, biting his thumb nervously. "Not the first time we've been sent to do something shady. Just gotta get paid."
"I'm sure you'll find a way to make everything about money," Kate said, flashing Daniel a smile. "But honestly, we have a bigger task here. We can't mess this up."
Liz adjusted her glasses, her gaze calculating. "A president. That's a huge target. We'll need to be ready for anything."
Barseagle nodded, his voice serious. "It is the response of the leader to look for their members. We each have our roles. Stick to them."
...
The ride to Uvogin was quiet. The team sat tense in the back of the transport vehicle, each lost in their own thoughts. Ian kicked his feet up, staring out the window with that cocky, indifferent look on his face.
"So, anyone else worried about this?" Daniel asked, his eyes scanning the dark horizon.
"Worried?" Ian scoffed. "Please. This is what we do. We're professionals."
"You sure about that?" Barseagle's voice cut through the air like a blade. "We've been assigned this for a reason. Don't take it lightly."
"I know, I know," Ian muttered. "No need to act all bossy."
Kate turned to Ian, her voice soft but insistent. "He's right. We can't afford to fail. Not this time."
Liz was looking at the team, reading them as usual. "We'll get there. We just need to stay focused."
Barseagle nodded once, his gaze hardening. "Stay sharp. When we land, we move fast."
...
Just like that, as the Team 7 descended into the dark, murky waters. Their mission had taken an unexpected turn. A massive, grotesque sea creature emerged from the depths, its tentacles thrashing violently. The team fought back, but it was clear that they were outmatched.
"I can't hold it off much longer!" Daniel shouted, narrowly avoiding one of the creature's snapping jaws. His eyes darted to Barseagle, who had already spotted the creature's weak point.
Barseagle's eyes narrowed. "There! Its left side. Weak spot near the base of its tentacle!"
Ian, gritting his teeth, launched himself forward, striking the weak point with his tail just as the monster's tentacle came crashing down on him. He barely dodged the attack, but his strike was enough to cause the beast to recoil, howling in pain.
"We're not out yet," Barseagle said, gritting his teeth as he stepped back. "Everyone—now!"
With a collective effort, they managed to bring the creature down. It collapsed in the water, its massive form sinking into the depths.
Barseagle wiped his brow. "That was too close."
Ian grinned, wiping blood from his face. "Maybe you'll actually listen to me next time."
Daniel waved his hand excitedly. "We did it! Who's up for a drink when this is all over?"
Kate laughed, her voice full of warmth. "Let's finish the mission first, Daniel."
Liz nodded. "We've still got a long way to go."
...
"So, who exactly is this president?" Ian asked, leaning against the table, looking at the pile of documents scattered in front of him. His posture screamed boredom, but his eyes never stopped scanning the papers.
Kate flipped through the files. "The president of Uvogin, a major political figure. Smart, ruthless, with a whole network of loyalists. We need to know everything—his habits, weaknesses, anything."
"Great," Daniel muttered, tapping his fingers nervously. "So we're going after someone who's basically untouchable. Nothing's ever easy."
Barseagle stood up from the map on the wall, his voice calm but firm. "We don't need easy. We just need to be prepared. Everyone has a role here."
Liz, with a furrowed brow, looked up from a tablet. "I've already tracked his daily routines. He's always in a specific part of the city at 3 p.m., meeting with advisors. There's a weak spot there."
"We'll grab him then," Barseagle said, his voice decisive. "Everyone, study the map. The plan's simple. We get in, grab him, get out. No mistakes."
...
The room was filled with the sound of paper rustling. The team 7 was deep into planning, mapping out every detail.
"Captain, how exactly are we getting to him?" Ian asked, tapping the side of his glass with his finger.
"We're using the alley behind the conference hall," Barseagle said, his finger tracing the map. "We'll catch him on his way to the car. No one's expecting an attack there. It's quiet."
"Seems easy enough," Daniel said, but there was a nervous edge to his voice. "But what about the guards?"
Kate was already thinking ahead. "There's a shift change at 2:30. We'll have a small window to slip past them."
Liz nodded. "And I'll handle any technical distractions. I can shut down their security systems for a few minutes. Should be enough."
Barseagle's eyes scanned the group. "Good. Stick to the plan, and don't get greedy. We take him and leave, no detours."
...
The city streets were eerily quiet as Team 7 positioned themselves outside the conference hall. The plan was simple: grab the president, make a clean getaway. Nothing should go wrong.
"I'm ready," Ian muttered, his eyes scanning the area with his usual cocky air. "This is going to be too easy."
"Stay focused," Barseagle said, his voice low. "Remember, it's all about timing..."
The time came. They moved quickly, slipping into position behind the hall. Liz worked her magic, hacking into the security system and disabling the cameras. Kate and Daniel stayed low, watching for any signs of movement.
Then it happened.
A loud crash echoed in the distance. Ian's head snapped toward the noise. "What was that?"
Barseagle's eyes widened. "No way…"
From the shadows of the alley, a massive shape emerged. A giant tortoise—forty meters tall—stumbled onto the scene, its massive shell scraping against the walls of nearby buildings.
"What the hell is that?!" Daniel shouted, backing away.
Barseagle was already running the calculations in his head. "That's no accident. Someone's using that thing as a distraction."
"Great. Just great," Ian muttered, taking a step back, his face twisting in frustration. "What now?"
Kate looked at Barseagle, her voice urgent. "We can't fight that thing. We're supposed to be kidnapping the president, not fighting giant reptiles!"
Barseagle was silent for a moment, watching the tortoise crush anything in its path with its massive limbs. The noise was deafening.
"We retreat," Barseagle said at last, his voice tinged with frustration. "We're not equipped for this. Regroup, now."
Liz was already pulling up the escape route on her tablet. "There's a side exit a few blocks down. We can make it."
The team ran, dodging the chaos as the tortoise continued its rampage through the streets. The president was still a target, but today wasn't their day.
As they regrouped, panting and out of breath, Ian scowled. "Well, that was embarrassing."
Daniel waved his hand in frustration. "It's not like we could've stopped that thing!"
Barseagle grunted. "It doesn't matter. We'll try again. No plan survives contact with reality."
Kate offered a small, reassuring smile. "Next time, we'll get it right."
Liz crossed her arms. "We'll have to be better prepared. That was too unpredictable."
"I'll make sure the president's next move is even more predictable," Ian said with a smirk. "Can't let a giant tortoise beat us."
...
"I'll never get used to this," Daniel muttered, wiping sweat from his forehead as they caught their breath.
Barseagle glanced around at his team, his tone serious. "Get used to it. This isn't a clean job. It's always going to be a mess."
"Well, at least we get paid for the mess," Ian said, his usual smirk back in place.
"Let's focus on the next step," Liz said, scanning her tablet again. "We'll do better next time."
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