Barnes grunted, “We breach the laser wall, activate the alarm, leave these stiffs for the NSA to find… then we find us a place to hide.” He shrugged, “It’s all good, what could possibly go wrong?”
“That’s about it. Just don’t forget; keep away from the third rail. You’ll be no use to us if you’re electrocuted,” Rose said, gripping Mercy’s shoulder. “Otherwise it’ll be fine, see you the other side of this shit.” Rose held up a fist.
Mercy returned the fist bump and turned to Barnes. “Let’s do it, keep those tropes on a short leash,” Mercy said, jerking her head at the two bound tropes.
They switched off their torches and moved on in the dark, feeling their way. The tunnel curved and soon the red laser lattice became visible thirty yards away. Mercy advanced, her eyes glued to the laser barrier ahead. A distant booming reverberated from the side tunnel a few yards beyond the laser wall.
That’s the NSA’s sonic tower in Lincoln Park. Fine, situation normal, as it should be. Just ignore us, nothing to see here you bastards—
Mercy approached the red lattice and examined the laser apparatus surrounding the tunnel.
Yeah, this was the only call we could’ve made. There’s no way we could’ve hacked these electronics. We have to walk through it, set it off on purpose—
Mercy turned to the others, “Ready?”
Barnes nodded. Rose gave a thumbs up. Mercy waved Barnes forwards. He stood up and shoved the two captive tropes through the laser wall. Its red light fragmented, flickering across their shuffling bodies. Yellow flashing lights lit up the metro tunnel ahead and a shrill alarm sounded in the distance. Barnes followed his charges through the laser wall, leading them on with the rope. Mercy checked her watch and followed with Rose.
Two to four minutes until the NSA comes to investigate—
They made it to the side tunnel and started searching. Barnes stopped just inside the entrance and pointed to an air duct recess running along the ceiling. “I’ll hide up there and cut the stiffs free when I’m out of reach. They’ve got my scent so they’ll stay below me. You’re OK with your biotech… they won’t follow you—”
Mercy looked back at the main metro tunnel, her heart racing. She checked the space blanket under her jacket. “Do it—”
Rose had gone further up the side passage and was just visible beyond the reach of the main tunnel’s flashing yellow light.
Rose has found somewhere to hide. It’s everyone for themselves—
Barnes began climbing a stanchion under the air duct apparatus. Mercy watched as he concealed himself in the recess behind the air ducts.
He’s in. Find somewhere—
Mercy frowned.
Alarm’s gone silent—
She glanced at the metro tunnel ten yards away. Green laser lights were dancing on the tunnel wall.
Shit, they’re here—
Mercy moved further up the side passage, her eyes darting ahead to where Rose had ducked down. Her right foot stepped into dead air and she stumbled forwards. She threw out a hand and caught hold of the side wall, managing to steady herself.
Jesus. What the hell—?
She stooped down and looked into a hole between the tracks.
What the hell is this? Some sort of maintenance pit for the carts?
Voices reached her from behind.
In, get in—
Mercy held onto the sides of the pit and lowered herself. Her feet scrabbled on loose earth, she dropped down and crawled to the far end of the pit. A large oily tarpaulin lay over a stack of wooden planks. She crawled under the tarp, squeezing herself in between two massive beams.
Goddammit. It’s like a coffin—
Mercy curled up, just managing to conceal herself. Her cheek and forehead pressed against the damp ground. She swore and closed her eyes.
Damn, if they decide to put a few rounds in here I’m fucked. I can’t even fire back. No wonder Rose gave this a miss. Just breathe—
Mercy’s heart pounded. Voices reached her from above.
“Contact—”
Shouts. A burst of suppressed gunfire in the passage above. A heavy thump near Mercy’s feet. Scraping, groaning in the pit, nearby.
Shit—
Footsteps. Torchlight. Voices, closer now.
“That one’s wearing a helmet, it’s still squirming. Give it another couple of rounds—”
Two shots from the rim of the pit.
“Nice. They really do have shit for brains, don’t they?”
A spitting sound from above.
More footsteps. A new voice, “Where the fuck did those two tropes come from?”
“There must be a breach east of here, sir.”
“Hell, that’s all we need. You two, check down there, make sure there’s no more of the fuckers. I’ll radio this back to base. The rest of the squad will do a sweep down the main tunnel. Catch up with us when you’ve covered this section. Lincoln Park are sending down a crew so you should meet them half way, so no blue on blue fire got it? Use your comms.”
“Roger that sir, on our way—”
Footsteps. Torchlight.
Mercy held her breath and closed her eyes. Her hand tightened around her HK45. She fought the urge to shoot through the tarpaulin.
They’ll see me. They’ll see me. They’ll see me—
Voices. Distant booming. A rumble in the passageway.
“Carts coming. Stand aside.”
The torchlight pulled back and danced across the ceiling as the NSA men stepped away from the rail tracks. Seconds later the ground shook as six heavily laden mining carts trundled overhead. Mercy swore to herself.
Fuck. Carts full of body bags. Body bags full of dead alphas. NSA above me. You couldn’t dream this shit up—
The carts moved into the main metro tunnel and turned west, their sound receding into the distance. Silence returned to the passage. A trickle of sweat ran down Mercy’s neck, she let out her breath.
Wait for them to make the first move—
Footsteps. Torchlight.
“Come on Lopez, the sooner we get this job done the sooner we get some chow. I can’t stand that guy, someone’s gonna frag his ass one day. Just sayin’…”
“I hear that. The fucker had Sherman
