O
of Dirt
Guest
One minute they were smoothly operating multiple missions at once and the next everything came crashing down. HQ was suddenly swarmed with cloaked soldiers that got past their cameras and every other defense. If it wasn't for Trident's unexpected warning moments before the attack, it might've truly been over. Trident had been gone for over twenty years. The fact that she had been selling Wraith equipment for nearly half that time under a different name boggled his mind. She hadn't been too far away afterall, but it raised many questions.
"How did you know HQ had been compromised?" Wraith had asked two hours ago.
"By keeping an eye on you, obviously. Noticed some data leaving HQ rather recklessly about a week ago. After the attack, I'm thinking it was deliberate," Trident explained.
"What? That one of my agents tipped off the corps? My agents know better."
"I wouldn't know. Odds are your bad agent is MIA now, but perhaps they're still in your midst to finish the job."
"How do I know it wasn't you?"
"I'd hope you know me better than that by now."
"Wasn't enough to predict your leaving the agency over twenty years ago."
"Are we getting emotional?"
"Just a matter of fact."
"Well, Wraith, all you have is the jet you're in and six agents, along with Incognita. If you still trust me, I'd recommend paying the anti-corp underground in Hamburg a visit. They're a lot stronger than your average rebels and if you tell them I sent you, they'll let you set up shop there until you find a way to save Incognita. If not, I'm sure you'll find a way."
Wraith sighed as he recalled the conversation, his eyes locked onto his laptop screen, looking through all the agents that were either MIA or KIA. If they really were betrayed it could have been anyone of them. And the battle suits the attacking soldiers wore were unlike anything he had ever seen before. To his dismay, he hadn't a clue any of the corps had that level of technology yet. Trident didn't seem to know who was behind the attack either, but didn't seem impressed by what he recalled about the suits. Incognita narrowed their suspects down to three corps—Sankaku, K&O, and Plastech. She also determined that she could live for one month wired to the jet. They had to do in one month what they couldn't in decades and with a fraction of their strength.
A digital, feminine face appeared on the jet's display. "All agents are in position," Incognita said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Shall I brief them once more?"
"Please," Wraith replied. All six agents were inside the K&O owned building to retrieve data regarding future plans and current interests. The building was never heavily guarded, and after the attack on Invisible he expected it to be less guarded. Nobody would expect an infiltration just hours after taking such a heavy hit. He hoped the data would tell them something about the tech that was used during the attack or where some of the missing agents are being held hostage—anything that would help them get back on their feet.
"Agents, this mission requires a one hour completion time for optimal results. K&O should never know they have ever been infiltrated. Avoid the guards. Do not engage them. Voodoo, Golden Boy, and Catfish must find the server room and hack their database for anything that will help us. Zero, Joker, and Magus must find and loot any vaults for cash and other valuables. All cameras have been successfully hacked from here. We'll be waiting on the rooftop with the jet." Voodoo listened to Incognita's words through his earpiece.
They had already split into their respective groups and made their way through the building, quietly. It was a little past midnight and the building was only minimally lit. Some rooms weren't lit at all. Voodoo could hear the footsteps of guards from the opposite ends of long hallways and some of the conversations they were having with each other. Any noise the agents made could definitely be heard if there was somebody nearby. There was nothing to mask the sound.
Voodoo led the other two agents to a large room with double doors. He peeked in and saw several lit up towers full of computers, with wires leading every which way. He listened for any movement in the room before entering and heading straight for the computer that controlled them all. He placed his backpack on the floor beside it, pulled out the cable he needed and attached himself to the computer. Gripping the cable at the base of his neck, he closed his eyes and breathed in, waiting for the pain to travel down his spine. His whole body twitched for a moment, but he made no sound. He pulled out the cable.
I watched every agent that rescued me from Plastech five years ago get gunned down just two hours ago, he suddenly thought—a delayed reaction due to everything happening too quickly since their escape. With no time to gather their thoughts, they were on the move again for another mission. He wondered what was going through Wraith's mind right now. Nobody spoke the words out loud, but they weren't stupid. Every agent understood that an attack on HQ like that was only possible through somebody leaking information. It could've been anybody.
"This one is rigged to set off an alarm if I try to infiltrate," Voodoo whispered to Catfish. "I need you to open it up and disable the alarm."
"Incoming guard from the hallway. He's on a standard patrol and doesn't suspect a thing yet. Do not engage," Incognita said through their earpieces. Voodoo's eyes immediately darted to Golden Boy's position to see where he was. Hopefully the guard won't come into the room, he thought as he hid behind a desk, his hand slowly reaching for his Neural Disruptor. "Do not engage," Incognita repeated as though reading his movements. He heard the door opening slowly. The guard was peeking in.
"How did you know HQ had been compromised?" Wraith had asked two hours ago.
"By keeping an eye on you, obviously. Noticed some data leaving HQ rather recklessly about a week ago. After the attack, I'm thinking it was deliberate," Trident explained.
"What? That one of my agents tipped off the corps? My agents know better."
"I wouldn't know. Odds are your bad agent is MIA now, but perhaps they're still in your midst to finish the job."
"How do I know it wasn't you?"
"I'd hope you know me better than that by now."
"Wasn't enough to predict your leaving the agency over twenty years ago."
"Are we getting emotional?"
"Just a matter of fact."
"Well, Wraith, all you have is the jet you're in and six agents, along with Incognita. If you still trust me, I'd recommend paying the anti-corp underground in Hamburg a visit. They're a lot stronger than your average rebels and if you tell them I sent you, they'll let you set up shop there until you find a way to save Incognita. If not, I'm sure you'll find a way."
Wraith sighed as he recalled the conversation, his eyes locked onto his laptop screen, looking through all the agents that were either MIA or KIA. If they really were betrayed it could have been anyone of them. And the battle suits the attacking soldiers wore were unlike anything he had ever seen before. To his dismay, he hadn't a clue any of the corps had that level of technology yet. Trident didn't seem to know who was behind the attack either, but didn't seem impressed by what he recalled about the suits. Incognita narrowed their suspects down to three corps—Sankaku, K&O, and Plastech. She also determined that she could live for one month wired to the jet. They had to do in one month what they couldn't in decades and with a fraction of their strength.
A digital, feminine face appeared on the jet's display. "All agents are in position," Incognita said, her voice devoid of emotion. "Shall I brief them once more?"
"Please," Wraith replied. All six agents were inside the K&O owned building to retrieve data regarding future plans and current interests. The building was never heavily guarded, and after the attack on Invisible he expected it to be less guarded. Nobody would expect an infiltration just hours after taking such a heavy hit. He hoped the data would tell them something about the tech that was used during the attack or where some of the missing agents are being held hostage—anything that would help them get back on their feet.
"Agents, this mission requires a one hour completion time for optimal results. K&O should never know they have ever been infiltrated. Avoid the guards. Do not engage them. Voodoo, Golden Boy, and Catfish must find the server room and hack their database for anything that will help us. Zero, Joker, and Magus must find and loot any vaults for cash and other valuables. All cameras have been successfully hacked from here. We'll be waiting on the rooftop with the jet." Voodoo listened to Incognita's words through his earpiece.
They had already split into their respective groups and made their way through the building, quietly. It was a little past midnight and the building was only minimally lit. Some rooms weren't lit at all. Voodoo could hear the footsteps of guards from the opposite ends of long hallways and some of the conversations they were having with each other. Any noise the agents made could definitely be heard if there was somebody nearby. There was nothing to mask the sound.
Voodoo led the other two agents to a large room with double doors. He peeked in and saw several lit up towers full of computers, with wires leading every which way. He listened for any movement in the room before entering and heading straight for the computer that controlled them all. He placed his backpack on the floor beside it, pulled out the cable he needed and attached himself to the computer. Gripping the cable at the base of his neck, he closed his eyes and breathed in, waiting for the pain to travel down his spine. His whole body twitched for a moment, but he made no sound. He pulled out the cable.
I watched every agent that rescued me from Plastech five years ago get gunned down just two hours ago, he suddenly thought—a delayed reaction due to everything happening too quickly since their escape. With no time to gather their thoughts, they were on the move again for another mission. He wondered what was going through Wraith's mind right now. Nobody spoke the words out loud, but they weren't stupid. Every agent understood that an attack on HQ like that was only possible through somebody leaking information. It could've been anybody.
"This one is rigged to set off an alarm if I try to infiltrate," Voodoo whispered to Catfish. "I need you to open it up and disable the alarm."
"Incoming guard from the hallway. He's on a standard patrol and doesn't suspect a thing yet. Do not engage," Incognita said through their earpieces. Voodoo's eyes immediately darted to Golden Boy's position to see where he was. Hopefully the guard won't come into the room, he thought as he hid behind a desk, his hand slowly reaching for his Neural Disruptor. "Do not engage," Incognita repeated as though reading his movements. He heard the door opening slowly. The guard was peeking in.