Devastation - A sequel to Devotion (M/F) (M/M) Complete

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Post by wolfman »

Kate slams the boot of the vehicle shut and gets behind the wheel, deep in thought. ‎She lights a cigarette, as she drives the pool car to meet Steve after a worrying call.

She exhales smoke out of the window, shaking her head. She programs the vehicles satnav and sets out in search of Steve and hopefully Louise.

"242 to dispatch, I need SOCO and uniform at Ackly Marina, IC one dead male, identified as Lee Price, over." she calls over the radio. 

"Dispatch to 242, acknowledged over." comes the tinny response. 

"Poor bastards, who knows what state Steve left him in to be found." Kate muses. 

She gathers her thoughts as she drives, "According to Steve, Price took Louise to an abandoned bunker under Lymm island in the Thames. Couldn't get any plans for the place, she could be anywhere."



Steve steps out of his vehicle and waves to Shaw as she approaches. His kevlar vest and compact pump action shotgun on a tactical sling, show he is expecting trouble.

He stands still, mouth open slightly, listening. "Quiet spot, ideal for a secret bunker." he observes as he stalks to the bridge between the shore and the island. "Wooden bridge, well maintained, island a little overgrown but generally well kempt."

He freezes in place, as he hears a noise that doesn't belong. "What is that?" He asks himself, looking towards the source of the noise. Slowly, he advances, shotgun raised, senses alert for any sign of trouble. 

Shaw watches Steve as she parks the vehicle, "Trouble?" she wonders, readying her sidearm. She springs from the vehicle and begins quickly walking towards Steve.

A flash of recognition sparks across his face and he drops the shotgun allowing the sling to hold the weapon, as he charges through the bushes, leaving Shaw in his wake. 



Louise looks up, through a veil of tears to see the man she loves, burst through the bushes with arms open wide. She leaps up into them and buries her head in his shoulder, softly weeping.  

"It's ok Lou. I've got you." He whispers reassuringly. "I thought I had lost you."

Louise sinks into the safety and warmth of his embrace. "I knew you would come." she says softly. 



Kate bursts through the bushes nearly tripping over the reunited couple. She breathes a sigh of relief seeing Louise safe and well, if a little shaken. "I will give them a moment." she thinks, turning her heel and stepping out of the bushes to cover the street. 



"What happened?" Steve asks, cupping Louise's face in his hands, his voice wavers slightly. 

"I woke in a room, tied up. It was his kill room.", her eyes widen, "Oh God, mum." 

"I'm sorry, we were too late." Steve says, his heart breaking for Louise and the pain he sees in her eyes. 

"That bastard. I will kill him." She says, darkly. 

"He is already dead." Steve says, almost apologetically. "He died," he pauses, searching for the right word, "Badly." 

Numb, she wordlessly nods. 

"He found me and things escalated. I didn't plan on this. It was my best chance of finding you." He explains, "He also confirmed that he was a lackey. He acted under instruction from someone."

"He worked for Technical Solutions. He entered a program with them after he left the Marines." She says, her voice sounding distant. 

"What?" Steve says, sounding sharper than he meant to. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?"

"I escaped the ropes, but his father let me out of the room. He told me that he enrolled his son in a program for soldiers with life changing injuries. Got a job off of the back of it and a mentor. Over time, he changed." She explains. 

Steve closes his eyes, his mind whirling, "Could it be the same program I was in after mum and dad were killed?"

"Are you ok?" Louise asks softly. 

"I think we need to find out who his mentor was. Where is his father now?" Steve says, coldly. 

"He walked back to the bunker. I heard a gunshot.", he voice tails off as she looks back to the island. Steve pulls her close and rocks her gently.



Shaw stubs out her cigarette after Steve and Louise summarise what they know. "We have to get whoever did this." she says feeling nauseous, "Could someone really be using this program to target damaged soldiers and turn them into hardened killers?"

"It worked for me." Steve says coldly. "I was a mess after Price murdered my parents. Harris set up the program years ago and mentored me, helped my move beyond my pain. He offered me a job and I haven't looked back."

"Could Harris have been his mentor?" Kate asks, warily. 

Steve looks up at the sky and strokes his stubbled chin, "It is a big program, with dozens of mentors."

"Is there any way we could find out who his mentor was?" Louise asks.

"All of the old records would have been destroyed, when the company changed to Advanced Options." Steve says, "Harris might know, but so many soldiers went through the program. I am not sure where to start."

"I am." Kate says, with a twinkle in her eye. "I picked something up at the station that might help us here."

Steve and Louise both look at Shaw, questioningly, as she walks purposefully towards her pool vehicle. 

She opens the boot and reaches in, struggling to lift out the squirming black sack within, she calls over, "Can you guys give me a hand?" 
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Post by Caesar73 »

The Sequence Steve fighting Price was stellar! And the end of this chapter, Louise talking to Prices Father? Very touching. It went straight to my heart.
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Post by wolfman »

Steve and Lou jog over to Kate's vehicle wondering what she meant. When he sees the writhing black sack in the boot, Steve's expression darkens. "Kate? What have you done?"

Without emotion Kate lights a cigarette, "Do you remember when you dropped me off at Reading police station? I had a fresh pack of smokes, not my normal ones, menthols. I had one before I went in, got stopped and searched by this guy.", she says punches the sack savagely, "Then the next time I checked I somehow had a full pack again, with one of my normal brand in the box. It had a faint smell of almonds, so I put it in for testing. The lab confirmed it was laced with enough Cyanide to kill a room full of people." Shaw launches three powerful jabs at the bags occupant, "If I had lit it when we were together, it would have killed us all."

"Kate, this is not the way. This is what I do, not you." Steve says, shaking his head. 

"Also turns out that this clown requested my transfer to Scotland Yard. He is neck deep in this." Shaw says, firing a plume of smoke into the air, with a wink. "I want answers."

"This is not you Kate, I can't let you do this." Steve warns. 

"Oh here we go. The alpha male, telling a helpless woman that she cant get her hands dirty. Well guess what? My hands have been bathed in blood, since we met. This," she rants pointing at the sack, "This worm, is just another drop in the ocean."

The sack begins mewling weakly, it's struggles weakening. Shaw roughly grabs the neck of the bag and pulls it harshly from the boot, dumping it on the ground. 

"No Kate. I know what kind of a stain this leaves on your soul. I don't want you to have that. You are a good person at heart." Steve says, shaking his head slowly.  

"You don't want me to have that?" she scoffs, he eye brows raised, "What about what I want? Because of this man, I was nearly snatched from custody to have who knows what done to me. A good officer was murdered and I could do nothing but sit helplessly by and listen to him gurgle out his last breath." she chokes back her rage, before continuing, "I want to beat the truth out of him, one word at a time. I want him to feel the same fear, that Constable Benny felt as he bled out." Kate snarls opening the back to reveal Inspector Hughes, in handcuffs and ankle cuffs, with the same neoprene mask on that Shaw herself wore for transport. 

"We can't let you kill him, Kate." Louise pleads. 

"I am not going to kill him. I will start with his toes and break every single bone in his body until he talks, then I will keep breaking them, until I am sure he is telling this truth." Kate says, raising her voice so she can be heard over the man's moans and muffled cries. "And when I am done, he will be forced to live in a broken body, through endless days of agony, as a penance for what he has done."

Hughes mumbles frantically, thrashing against the metal cuffs, securing his ankles and wrists. Kate reaches down and rips the neoprene mask off, freeing his jaw and plunging him into the light. "Wait please, I will talk." He pleads, gasping for air.

Kate seizes his shirt, pulling his face close to hers, "So talk." she says is a low voice. 

"I found a note in my pocket after going to lunch, instructing me to arrange for me to take over the Carter case and have you brought to the Yard. It said if I didn't, my secret would be exposed." Hughes says, in a panicked tone. "I am so sorry for what happened to you. I didn't know what they would do."

"And the poison?" Shaw asks coldly. 

"When you were sprung from custody, there was an envelope on my desk, with the cigarette and a note saying, "If Shaw comes in, put this in her pack and text to confirm delivery."

Shaw takes out his phone and scrolls through the messages, "Got it." she says passing the phone to Steve. 

"What else have they asked you to do?" Kate asks, coldly. 

"Nothing, I swear." Hughes says, furiously shaking his head. 



"What was your terrible secret?" Shaw demands, as she roughly pulls him into a seated position.

"No, please." Hughes says shaking his head. 

Shaw leans down, her lips almost touching his ear, as she maliciously whispers, "Your secret killed a good officer and nearly killed me. So, you will tell me, why you thought it was worth it."

"Three years ago I was undercover, I slept with an informant and she had a daughter. Please, if this gets out I will loss my career, my wife, my family, everything." he begs.

"All this because, you couldn't keep it in your pants." Shaw says, "You disgust me."

"Please don't tell anyone. I am begging you." Hughes pleads. 

"Your secret is safe for now. Don't give me a reason to change my mind." She says, coldly, before turning to Steve and Louise, with a smile, "The fear of consequence, is often a greater tool than its application. How did I do?"

Steve and Louise stand open mouthed, before Steve breaks the silence between them, "You scare me.", he admits, shaking his head. 



"So do we call the number and see who answers?" Louise asks, referring to the number, Hughes texted. 

"Could tip off whoever is behind it. I may be able to get a trace on the line, if the phone is turned on." Shaw says taking out her phone and dialling. 

"Hughes, when you found the note, where had you been before?" Steve asks the still cuffed man on the ground. 

"I got some lunch and went to Hyde Park to eat it. When I got to the Yard, the note was in the pocket I keep change in." Hughes explains. 

"Do you normally go to the park for lunch?" Steve asks, checking the phone. 

"Yeah, I like the quiet." He says sheepishly. 

"Let me guess, you can see your secret daughter from the park." Steve says, coldly. 

"How did you know?" Hughes says, looking up at Steve, his lip quivering slightly. 

"Uh huh. Did you notice anyone get close to you?" Steve asks, calmly. 

"No and before you ask I didn't see anyone out of place." Hughes says, trying to be helpful. 

"You wouldn't see anyone out of place, that would defeat the object of a covert dead drop." Louise says, calmly, prompting an appreciative nod from Steve. 

"Who did you see?" Steve asks, wondering. 

"I don't know, people out with their kids, a few dog walkers. Now that I think of it there was something a little odd." he says, struggling to recall the details. "As I was leaving about twenty pigeons were gathered around a park bench."

"Was anyone sat on the bench?" Steve asks. 

"Not that I can recall." Hughes says, shaking his head. 



Steve stares into the middle distance, as something teases the corners of his mind. "The Unseen.", he whispers. 

"Who?" Louise asks. 

"Someone so adept at hiding in a persons blindspot that they would never be seen. Able to read and predict body language so well that he would always be able to be where no one was looking. He's a rumour, but, if he is real, he could get into a police station unseen to plant the envelope and plant a note in an unsuspecting minutes pocket." he says, thinking aloud.

"Sounds like magic." Louise says, subtly looking around. 

"Not at all. It is a matter of observation, probability and prowess." Steve explains. 

"How do we find him?" Louise asks, softly. 

"No idea if he is even real, if he is, he would find us. For now, we focus on what we can prove." Steve says, wondering.



Kate hangs up her phone and lights a cigarette, "This number was for a pre paid mobile, that was turned off, soon after the last message was sent. However, after each message was received a call was placed to the Advanced Options reception number."

"But we have no way of knowing which extension the call was put through to." Steve says sighing. 

"No. Only that the number was called." Shaw admits. "Another dead end."

"Not quite, the company will have their own extension logs, I might be able to get them." Steve says‎, as he notices something on Hughes' phone. "When did you last charge your phone?" Steve asks, his eyes furtively, scanning the area. 

"This morning. Why?" Hughes asks, confused.

Steve exchanges a glance with Lou and Kate, "The battery is down to twenty percent."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Louise asks, looking up with concern. ‎
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Post by Caesar73 »

Kate was very intimidating - and Hughes gets what he deserves.
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Post by wolfman »

"I think that they've heard everything we have just said and there is a good chance that they know where we are." Steve says, rubbing the back of his neck. "They know we have made a link to Advanced Options and will be scrambling to cover their tracks."

"Should we hit them now?" Louise asks, considering the possible opposition. 

"The window of opportunity is closing. First we need to sort out our friend here." Steve says, snatching up the neoprene mask. 

Hughes' eyes widen in horror, as Steve approaches, "No please not tha-"

Anything else the man has to say is stifled by the mask, as Steve tightly fastens it in place. He picks the man up and throws him over his shoulder. "We can leave him in the bunker, until after this mess is cleaned up." He says, as he starts walking towards the bridge. "There is a bag of clothes in the boot, if you want to get changed."

Louise retrieves the bag whilst Kate covers the road with her handgun. "It is too quiet." she thinks as she pulls the bag out of the boot, "No random pedestrians, no passing cars since we met up." 



Steve is halfway across the bridge, as Louise and Kate jog to catch up to him. Louise's blood chills, as she hear a series of loud pops. She dives at Kate taking her to the ground, as she screams, "Incoming."

Steve turns sharply on the bridge as several 40mm flashbangs and gas grenades, land near to Louise and Kate.

Louise's senses are overwhelmed by the loud, strobing explosions. Groggy, she tries to orient herself. On shaking arms she raises her body slighty, "Kate!", she cries as she looks down at her friend. 

She tries to wake Kate, shaking her gently and calling her name. "Come on Kate wake up. Please be ok.", Louise begs as Kate lays motionless. 



Steve drops Hughes, unceremoniously, on the bridge and begins to run towards the cloud on smoke . "Lou." he shouts, "Lou are you ok?"

His legs pump hard as he sprints. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees a flash and pushes harder, knowing what is coming.

The LAW missile strikes the bridge almost simultaneously, turning the third of it, nearest the bank, to instantly into match stick sized splinters and launching Steve in a high arc before dumping him in the river. 



Louise hears a distant voice call her name and rolls her head slowly toward the unseen source. "Steve." she calls weakly, her cry suppressed by the sound of an explosion. 

She reaches for Kate's sidearm, but feels a hand sharply grip her right wrist. Groggy, she tries to twist free but feels a strong hand between her shoulder blades push her down. She squirms, as her arm is forced up behind her back and a moist cloth plressed to her face. 

As the cloying fumes, slowly overcome her, she hears unseen men talking. "Bag these two up."

"And the copper on the bridge?", the second voice asks, deferrentially. 

"Leave him, he has served his purpose." the first voice says. 

Another voice, "What about Marks?"

"He is face down in the water and hasn't moved since we got here. If the rocket didn't get him, the river will." the first voice says. 

"Are you sure boss?", the second man asks.

"Unless you want to swim out there and check his pulse, I suggest that we load up these two, put a couple of bursts in him and get moving." the first man says, coolly.

As unconsciousness engulfs Louise, gunfire echoes nearby, as a single tear leaks from her eye.  



Steve drifts in the river, the sharp thump of rounds into the back of his kevlar vest, enough to tell a part of his mind that something was wrong. 

He stirs languidely, "I am wet." he thinks. He rolls onto his back and floats in the calm water as car engines rev heavily on shore. 

His eyes flash open, "Louise!" he thinks, now fully aware.

Steve's ears are ringing as he swims for shore, as hard as his aching limbs will allow. He crawls up the bank and staggers to his feet. He tentatively stretches, testing the muscles in his back, "I will be sore tomorrow." he thinks, "The vest stopped the rounds, but not the force."

He slowly stands, "Lucky the missile hit low on the bridge." he reflects. Pain lances up his leg as he takes a step. He bends slowly, pulling a three inch shard of wood tentatively from his leg.

One agonising rung at a time he climbs the ladder to the empty street. He limps to the spot where he saw Lou and Kate fall. "No blood, they are still alive." The thought, galvanising his resolve, he bites down on the pain and focuses, "They are not dead, which means they need them alive."

He limps back to his car, and takes out the medical kit from the boot and removes the glass from the mirror of Shaw's car.  "First things first, heal thyself son." he says, under his breath climbing in the back of his car. 

Using the mirror he picks out small splinters from the back of his leg and cleans the wound before packing and bandaging it. "Better." he thinks stretching the wounded limb. 

As he straps his ribs he thinks, "At least one cracked rib, no time for a hospital"

He freezes, roll of bandages in hand, in a moment of stark realisation, "The unseen. It couldn't be him. Could it?"
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Post by Caesar73 »

What a Drama you created here again! So it is up to Steve to save the day.
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Post by wolfman »

The Unseen finishes listening to the feed from Hughes phone, at the point he hears the gunfire. He closes his laptop in quiet disgust, "How did I let this happen?"

As two people pass his office, discussing operational reports for an upcoming sting, he steps into the corridor silently behind them and walks swiftly towards the stairs in the direction that they came from. 

As the cleaner on the stairs turns to dip his mop into the bucket, the Unseen steps around him, leaving him oblivious to his passing. 

The receptionist turns from the door to answer her phone and does not notice the door softly close as she sets it down. 



He slips into his home, twenty minutes after leaving the office, foregoing his daily feeding of the birds in the park due to the urgency of business at hand. ‎Ignoring the junk mail accumulated on his door mat, he strides with purpose towards the basement 

Wordlessly he opens various drawers retrieving weapons, ammunition and armour, reflecting.

"All these years, I have been a messenger. I never agreed to use my skills to take life and that bastard knows it." He says angrily as he slots spare magazines into a tactical vest. 

He fits a suppressor to a machine pistol and loads the weapon smoothly. He checks the laser sight and sets the weapon down. The unseen slumps in a chair. "For all this time, I have been his messenger, a note here, a package there. Why change the arrangement now?" He asks himself.

He places his hands on the table and gets bck to his feet. "If Steve is dead it is up to me to, make things right.", he thinks with grim determination.

He rubs his face and slaps his cheeks. "Snap out of it. Steve can't be dead. It will take more than a rocket and a few bullets to stop him." he says, softly shaking his head.

"You are not wrong there, old son." Steve says quietly, from behind him. 



Kate wakes slowly in the small cell. She sits with her back to a wall, her legs ziptied together at the ankle and above her knees. She tries to move her hands but finds them ziptied tightly at the small of her back. "Not again.", she thinks, testing her bonds. "At least I am still dressed." she notes looking down at her jeans, jacket and top.

She rolls her head slowly, wincing as the bump on the back of her head, presses against the wall. "Oh Lou." She says, shuffling over to her unconscious friend. 

Kate nudges Louise with her shoulder, "Lou." She says, keeping her voice low, "Come on Lou, wake up."

"Chloroform." she thinks, as she smells a trace of it on Louise's face. "Come on girl, move yourself." she says as she keeps nudging her red haired companion. 



"Steve." Louise calls out as she snaps awake. For a moment she panics, furiously fighting the bonds, until she realises that her struggles have knocked, a similarly bound Kate onto her side. 

"I am so sorry, are you ok?" Louise says, softly. 

Kate manages to move her hands enough to get leverage to sit up. "It's ok. Are you alright? Do you know what is going on?" she asks, fearful of the response.

"We were ambushed near the bunker and." Louise pauses, recalling the last thing she heard, "I think they killed Steve."

"No way, he is a force of nature." Kate says reassuringly. 

"But they blew him up with a rocket and shot him." Louise says, her lower lip quivering. 

"Hey, come on." Kate says softly, "Close your eyes and breath deeply." she pauses waiting for Lou to breath, "Do you still feel him in your heart?"

Weakly, Louise whispers, "Yes."

"With the love you two have, you would feel it if he was really gone. He is alive." Kate whispers back, whilst thinking, "God I hope he is."

"Thank you Kate." Louise says softly, resting her head on Kate's shoulder. "For everything. It's been great having you there."

Kate chokes back tears as she listens to Louise. Louise looks up at her as she feels a tear land on her cheek, "Hey," she says, softly, "What's wrong."

"Nothing. It has been so lovely to have a friend and feel like someone cares. I have not really had that before." Kate admits, with a touch of sadness.

"Really? There must have been someone." Louise says. 

"I tend not to get close to people." Kate says, smiling softly.

"What about your family?" Louise asks. 

"Never knew them. One day I was found on the steps of a police station. I was in and out of foster homes until I was sixteen. No one ever gave me anything, except betrayal. I never let anyone get close." Kate explains. 

Louise looks at her dumbfounded, "I had no idea."

"It's ok. I tend not to mention it. I don't like people feeling sorry for me." Kate says shrugging. 

"You really are incredible." Louise says, nudging Kate. "Look at what you have made of yourself, with that start. Your career, your life. You are amazing."

"A job I don't love, a life that is empty, is nothing to be admired." she says bitterly. She looks at Lou and smiles, "But having a friend, means everything."

"I mean it, you are so together. If I am honest, I'm a little jealous." Lou admits. "You grew up in this world and you glide through it. I feel like have just arrived and I am constantly out of my depth."

"Are you kidding me?" Kate says incredulously, "You're great with people, you are calm under pressure, you're stunning and have a man that loves you with all his being. You might have just entered this life, but you are so natural. I am the jealous one."

Louise blushes, turning away, "Sorry I don't take compliments well." she looks back at Kate, "I was lucky to find Steve. In truth, I never expected it to turn out this way.", She pauses, thinking of his smile, "You will find something or someone who makes you happy."

"Haven't really up till now." Shaw says, realising too late what she has admitted. 

"Really? With your looks? Never?" Louise asks, shocked. 

"Like I said, I never let anyone get close. Forty years and barely been kissed." Shaw says, sadly, "I have dated, but nothing ever went anywhere."

"Oh Kate." Lou says sympathetically, "When we get out of here, we will find you someone. I promise." Lou says, twisting against her bonds.

"Thanks Lou." Kate says turning her body so she can touch Louise's hand with her own. "If we don't get out of this, I want to thank you for everything."

Before Louis can respond, the sound of a key can be heard in the lock of their cell door.



The unseen smiles to himself nods softly, "Hello Steve. How did you know?" 

"We found Hughes and he told us about notes just appearing. Got me thinking about the Unseen for the first time in years." Steve says calmly, "Then I was patching myself up, I began to wonder how you got out of that hospital room, surrounded by police, armed hostiles and patients and no one saw you leave."

"All those years watching people, studying their behaviour, their movements. I became good at moving unnoticed during police investigations and it never left me." Ryan says conversationally. 

He turns, hands open and held away from his body, "I know how it looks."

"We both know that how something looks, is almost never how it is." Steve says, raising a calming hand, "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I was told to put a note in Hughes pocket. The way it was put to me, Shaw had problems with corrupt officers in the past and getting her to the Yard, would protect her." Ryan explains, with a look of disgust.

"And the cigarette?" Steve asks, closely watching the man.

"The envelope was sealed. It looked like it held a wad of twenties. They said it was a sweetener to keep him onside during the investigation. It seemed legit. I had no reason to question it." Ryan explains, before he shakes his head and curls his lip in a snarl, "Until I saw Hughes phone was being monitored and listened in." Ryan explains, reaching slowly into his pocket with his forefinger and index finger, "I kept the texts with the instructions."

Steve takes the phone and confirms the instructions. "Where will they take Lou and Kate?" Steve asks passing back the phone. 

"I don't know for sure, with all the noise, police will have sewn up the area tight. There is a facility about three miles from where you were ambushed. A lock up on Hatton road, in Lymm. If it were me, I would lay low there until the area is clear and then get moving."

"I know the place, run down looking place with good lines of sight and a half decent Chinese takeaway next door."

"That's the place, I was heading there in a bit." Ryan says cocking a thumb at the assembled gear.

"You know what I am going to ask." Steve says, looking Ryan in the eyes. 

"Steve, please don't ask.", Ryan says looking defeated.

"Who gave the orders?" Steve asks, calmly, suspecting the answer already.

"Steve." Ryan says weakly, putting his head in his hands.

"Say his name." Steve says, closing his eyes.

Ryan hangs his head, rubbing his hands over his scalp as he says, "Harris."
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Post by Caesar73 »

Great dialogue between Kate and Lou, Kate reassuring Lou, that Steve is alive and Kate opening up to Lou. The twist at the end was unexpected! Great Job!
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Post by slackywacky »

Things are a foot... love this story. And updates are plenty.
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Post by wolfman »

Kate and Louise look up as the door swings open. The man in the doorway wears a dark blue bomber jacket, jeans and a white shirt. He looks at Louise and says, "You will be leaving soon."

"Where are we going?" Shaw asks, noting the bulge under his left armpit and the box that appears to be in his right pocket.

He can barely bring himself to look at Shaw as he speaks, "We were only supposed to get Miss Carter.", he pauses, "For what it's worth, I am sorry."

"So you will let her go then?" Louise asks hopeful for Kate's freedom. 

"I've seen his face." Kate says, sadly. 

"We cannot leave any witnesses." He says, solemnly, "It will be quick."

"It's me you want, please let her go, I will do anything." Lou begs. 

"The decision is made.", he says, with a finality to his tone. 

"No, please, you can't." Louise says, shaking her head and thrashing against her bonds. 

"Lou. I need you to listen to me. After a lifetime of drifting through my days alone. I found a friend." Kate says, holding back her tears, "For a few wonderful days, I didn't feel alone. You and Steve gave me that." 

Louise's lip quivers, as Kate continues, "I need you to be strong. Don't be sad at my passing. Be happy we met."

"It's not fair." Louise says weakly.

"No, it isn't. But my life has never been fair, it is fitting for it to end unfairly." Kate says, swallowing hard. 

"It's time." the man says, somberly. 

Kate looks at him and nods. Slowly, he reaches down and cuts the ties on Kate's legs, before stepping back and drawing his pistol.

"Kate. No." Louise cries, as Kate struggles to her feet.




"That old bastard." Steve says, en route to the lockup. He shakes his head thinking about old man Harris. 

"No wonder he was so supportive when mum and dad were murdered. He bloody arranged it." he shouts angrily as he drives. "I fucking trusted him."

He puts his foot down, bouncing the car over a mini roundabout, talking to himself through gritted teeth. "Their death destroyed me, made me leave the Royal Marines. He sponsored me in the program, to get me back on my feet and used people like Terry to hone my skills." His face contorts with rage, "Just so I could be a good little asset. Now he has plans for Lou." 

Steve's face is a mask of fury, as he pictures Harris' face in his mind, "Once Lou and Kate are safe, You are mine sunshine."


He swings the car into a space about a hundred metres from the lock up. Silently, he begins to don Ryan's gear. "Thanks for the gear mate." he thinks, nodding, "I hope he gets on alright without it."

He hears two shots and watches as two black saloons pull sharply out of the lockup, heading north at speed.



Kate cannot bear herself to look back at her screaming friend, as the man leads her away. He takes her by the arm, almost tenderly, as they round a corner at the rear of the building. 

She closes her eyes, as she hear Louise screams, while she is carried to a waiting vehicle.

"That's far enough." the man says, turning her to face the wall and stepping back. 

Kate nods softly, "I know it is."

"I am sorry for this." the man says, quietly. 

"This isn't your fault, nor mine. It is what it is.", she pauses awkwardly, "Can I please make a last request?" Kate asks, looking down at the floor, lost. 

He nods unseen by her, "Of course."

She turns to face him tentatively and asks, "May I please have one last cigarette?"

He smiles softly, as the tension leaves his body, "Yeah sure." he transfers the hold out pistol that Snow gave to Shaw, to his left hand, before taking a cigarette out of his pocket and offering it to her. 

She takes it between her lips and waits while he lights it. She draws deeply, as smoke curls up into her eyes. She twists her body, showing her hands, "Do you mind?"

He shakes his head, but relents when he sees her eyes watering. "I may have to take your life, but I won't take your dignity." he says, using the clippers to free her wrists.

She rubs her wrists before taking the cigarette from her mouth, "Thank you, I appreciate you treating me like a human being."

"Even in theie last moments, I like to make sure, those I kill get the respect they deserve." he says, looking her in the eyes. 

"Have you been doing this long?" she asks returning the cigarette to her mouth.

"A few years off and on. I hate this part of the job.", he says with a shrug. 

"Oh" she says, lunging forward, delivering two lightning fast left and right jabs to his solar plexus, driving the air from his lungs. "I thought it was your first day.", she says sounding surprised, as she strikes his right temple, with a powerful left hook.

The man drops to the floor, hard. She quickly checks his pulse and empties his pockets, taking a reload for the pistol, the holdout pistol, the clippers, and his cigarettes. Kate walks away from the unconscious man,  finishing the cigarette and flicking it toward the open car park. She checks the pistol and fires twice into the ground. "For now let them think he finished me." she thinks, scrambling to come up with a plan.

She rounds the corner in time to see two saloon vehicles peel out at speed. "Shit." Kate says, running towards the only vehicle left onsite, "Hold on Lou, I am coming."
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Post by Caesar73 »

Kate made it! Great sequence and an interessting dialogue between Kate and her Executioner - she lured him into safety and then lightening quick one-two. And clever. Let the other side think, she is dead. I wonder what Plans Harris for Lou. That devious old ... I let the rest to your imagination :)
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Post by slackywacky »

Kate is dangerous, but I like her. Would have been sad to see her go.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
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Post by Caesar73 »

slackywacky wrote: 3 years ago Kate is dangerous, but I like her. Would have been sad to see her go.
Agreed! ! I was soo happy, that Kate made it!
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Post by wolfman »

"Get your fucking hands off of me." Louise screams, kicking out at the two men who have entered the cell, as they try to pick her up.

As the squirms and thrashes against their grip, the taller man launches a vicious backhanded slap, "Calm your shit down love."

Louise licks blood from the cut on her lower lip, and spits a gob of it onto the man's shoes. Contemptuously, she looks up at him, "You will pay for that."

"Doubt it love." He laughs.

"Untie me and I will rip you a new arsehole." Louise snarls at him. 

"Let's not and say we did." he says, roughly grabbing the shoulders of her anorak and dragging her to her feet. 

Louise wobbles slightly on her feet in front on the man who hit her, struggling to keep her balance bound hand and foot. She topples forward into the man. 

He laughs, "First you want to kill me and now you're throwing yourself at me. Make up you're mind love." He stops laughing, when Louise lunges forward and clamps her teeth around his ear. 

He panics, shoving her back, with half of his ear in her mouth. The other man catches her and she spits the ear back to its original owner, "Starter." she says, spitting blood on the floor, "Touch me again, Earhole. See what happens."

He clutches his ruined ear and tells his colleague, "Get her in the car, cargo strap her to the front passenger seat, duct tape her mouth."

‎"No duct tape sir." the man says as he throws Louise over his shoulder. 

Earhole looks incredulously at the other man. "No duct tape, this is a kidnap operation. That is basic. How the hell?" Earhole scratches his head in disbelief, "Just get her in the car."



The cargo strap is tightened around her neck, forcing her head back onto the head rest. Earhole smiles as he gets into the drivers seat, "Don't worry love, we will settle up later." he sneers. 

"Any part of you that touches me, you aren't getting back." she says, trying in vain to move her head. 

Two shots ring out, and Earhole starts the car, "That's the starting gun." he says, pulling away, "Sorry for your loss love." He says in mock sympathy, as he strokes her bare leg.

Louise closes her eyes willing herself, not to cry, "I am so sorry Kate, I tried to make an opening to get free and save you. I failed you." She thinks, her heart breaking, as she pictures the sadness on Kate's face as she walked away.

The speed of the vehicle and the tears in her eyes make everything a blur as they pull out of the lockup. 

"What about Mac?" the man on the back seat asks. 

"He'll catch us at the office. Don't worry about him, Benton. Just keep your gun pointed at the back of her head." Earhole says, professionally.

"What if anyone pursues?." Benton asks. 

"Keep your gun on her and don't worry, Shaw and Marks are dead. No one is coming." Earhole says moving his hand up Lou's leg. Pulling the vehicle slightly to the left‎

"Get your hand off of me." Louise says, her futile squirming, unable to dislodge his hand. "First Helen, then mum and now Steve and Kate. No one is left. I am alone." she thinks, beginning to silently weep.



Two cars behind, Steve drives cautiously, "Not too close old son, don't spook them just yet."

He watches the cars closely, "Front vehicle veers slightly off course every so often. I am guessing Lou is in that one causing trouble, Kate probably in the rear vehicle."

Steve drops his speed slightly and drops back slightly. "This is risky, two vehicles, hostages in both, narrow streets and no back up. I will have to wait until they stop and disembark, before making a move.", he decides. 



Kate's long brown hair whips behind her unfettered, when looks left, passing a side street, "Good," the thinks, "I'm keeping pace with the vehicles transporting Louise."

"I am getting one of these." she thinks, guiding the Ducati motorcycle along a parallel street to her quarry. The bike holding every curve of the road like a lover as it throbs, powerfully between her legs. 

"I am coming for you Lou, stay safe.", she thinks as she notices the street veer away up ahead. She pulls hard on the brakes and twists her body, before pulling back on the throttle and launching the bike down the connecting side street and across the road, behind the convoy. 

Soon she is level with the lead car again, running parallel. "Got to pick my moment."



Steve sees a red motorcycle pass behind the trailing car. "Kate?" He whispers, in a flash of recognition. 

"Interesting. Why is Kate following them on a bike?", he wonders, "If she escaped did Lou?" he leaves the point unfinished, as the convoy turns onto a narrow side street.



Earhole's radio crackles, as one of the men from the trailing car calls in, "Sir, we have a vehicle tailing."

"Whose driving?" Earhole asks, checking his mirror for signs of the tail. 

"Unknown, do we engage?" the radio crackles. 

He notes a van unloading, on the right hand side of the road, leaving a tight gap between it and the cars parked on the left, "Slow down a little and when you draw level with the van, slam on the anchors and take him out."

"Roger sir." the radio squeaks. 



Earhole puts down the radio and strokes Louise's leg working his hand uncomfortably high. "Can't have anyone interrupt our fun. Can we babe?"

Benton shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "Sir, please stop doing that. It is won't help us complete this mission."

"Shut up, boy. This helps me focus." Earhole snaps back. 



Kate sees the convoy coming towards her as she passes the side street, and nods. She accelerates hard and when there is an opening in the parked cars, she brakes the rear wheel hard, locking it and the front soft, slowing but not stopping the bike, and shifts her body weight allowing the bike to spin around. 

She accelerates out of the spin as the lead car crosses the road moving much faster than before.

"Shit something has spooked them." she thinks gunning the engine and taking off at speed, diving round the corner, her knee just off the ground.

As she straightens the bike up, she ducks, hearing gunfire, behind her. "Steve?" she thinks relieved. "He can handle the other car, I can't lose this one.", she decides, accelerating after the fleeing vehicle. ‎



Steve notice the trailing vehicle losing speed and cuts his own, "Too slow." he thinks ducking below the level of the dashboard. 

A split second later the windscreen, dissolves under a barrage of handgun bullets from the rapidly reversing vehicle in front.  

As the occupants of the other vehicle pause their barrage, Steve thinks, "Amateurs." and sits up, sharply, weapon drawn, double tapping each of other vehicles occupants, before they can reload, "Don't you know to offset your firing, so someone is always shooting."

Seeing no way around the vehicle now blocking the road, he jumps out of his car and runs to the other vehicle, to pull bodies out.



As Earhole guides the vehicle onto the Embankment, Louise, feels his fingers approach, she squirms back in her seat, pleading, "Stop that, please."

Earhole laughs hard, "The lady protesteth too much."

Benton's sense of decency wins out and he turns the gun on Earhole, "Get the fuck off of her."

Earhole's face flushes red with anger as he turns to face him. "Who the fuck do you think you are?" He screams at the man holding the gun, inches from his face, unaware that he has pulled the steering wheel, very slightly to the left.

The vehicle veers just for a moment. When the car bumps the kerb, Benton's tense finger snatches the trigger of his pistol. Earhole slumps back, dragging the wheel to the right, sending the car careening across the road, narrowly avoiding oncoming traffic.

Benton pops his seat belt release and lunges forwards between the seats, reaching for the steering wheel, as the vehicle mounts the kerb at speed. Louise screams and Benton's eyes widen in horror, as the vehicle crashes through the wall.

The front airbags of the vehicle detonate on impact. From his position, Benton is reaching forward almost touching the wheel when the steering wheel airbag deploys beneath him, forcing his body upwards sharply. The back of his head, connects with the roof of the vehicle at a little over a hundred and fifty miles per hour. 

Benton is dead, before the vehicle hits the water.
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Post by Caesar73 »

Louise is tough as hell. Earhole got, what he deserved. And the finish of this chapter? Excellent cliffhanger! How will Louise escape?
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Post by Caesar73 »

Post Scriptum: Kate like Hellrider on a Motorbike? Awesome! The Angel of Vengance and Fire!
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Post by wolfman »

"No." Kate screams, as she swings the powerful super bike onto the Embankment, as the car holding Louise, crashes through the wall.

Without thought, she swerves across the road, a hairs breadth away from other vehicles, prompting several horn blasts from angry drivers. 

The area is busy at this time of day with a mass of tourists, protesters, press and politicians on the pavement in the Palace of Westminster's shadow. All watch in horror as the vehicle bobs lazily in the river, at least half are filming the scene on their phones.

Kate screeches to a halt and dismounts, leaving the bike on the kickstand and advancing on the crowd. Concerned onlookers all vie for position to get the best view. She shoulders through the rapidly growing crowd shouting, "Police. Move.", brushing pedestrians aside.

"Oh God," she thinks looking down, at the almost submerged roof of the vehicle. "No signs of movement from the car." Kate closes her eyes and dives off of the bridge. "I hope I am not too late."



Louise, watches the water rising in the car, assessing the situation, "Between this strap around my neck and the seat belt pretensioner firing and locking the belt, I am pinned to the seat." she thinks sadly, before an image of Steve's smile flashes in her mind, "This is bad, but I am not done for yet."

The vehicle is pitched forward in the water, it's heavy engine block, pulling the front down towards the river bed. ‎By the time the vehicle sinks below the waves, the water in the cabin, deep red with Earhole's blood, has risen to Louise's chin. 

"I can barely move, but I have to try. Steve is alive I can feel him." She thinks feeling at peace. She takes a deep breath, before the water covers her mouth and nose and closes her eyes, resolved to spend her last few moments thinking of her love for Steve, as she fights for her freedom.



Kate surfaces long enough to take a lung full of air and see that the car has sank. "Here goes." she thinks, as she dives under the waves. 

Through the murk of the Thames, she sees the dying flicker of the vehicles lights and kicks towards them. As she gets closer, she senses something wrong, "The car is full of blood. Oh Lou."

She reaches the car as it settles on the bottom. Focused, she swims around the car until she reaches the front passenger door and sees Louise. 

Her eyes widen as Louise begins to struggle. Kate taps on the window causing Louise's eyes to open. 

"I knew it. She is alive." Louise thinks her heart leaping. Her reactions betray her and she opens her mouth releasing the last of her air. 



As Louise struggles not to breath, Kate takes out the hold out pistol and holds the barrel against the door glass, pulling the trigger. The tiny pistol bucks lightly in her hand, cracking the window inwards. 

"Hold on Lou." Kate silently prays, seizing the door handle and placing her foot on the rear door, she pulls hard. The door opens slowly at first but soon yields to her force. 

Louise closes her eyes, fighting the urge to inhale, "Please," she screams in her mind, "this isn't fair." 

Kate rushes forward, pinching Louise's nose and places her mouth over Louise's. As her friend opens her mouth, Kate blows the last of the air from her lungs. 

Louise takes the breath and looks into her friends eyes, seeing Kate wink and give the thumbs up. She watches Kate back out of the vehicle and swim to its front. "What is she doing?" she wonders, unable to see Kate. "Is she going to get air from the tyre?"

A moment later she sees a thin line of bubbles from the front of the vehicle in Kate's wake, as she returns. Louise smiles, thinking, "I am so pleased, you are ok."

"Let's get you out of here." Kate thinks as she releases the seat belt. "What the hell is that?" she wonders looking at the strap around Louise's neck. 

Floating in front of Louise, she reaches behind the seat, feeling for the ratchet to release the strap. "Come on please." she silently begs. Kate's fingers, brush metal and her heart skips, "Yes." she thinks pulling it and releasing the strap. 

When Louise slumps forward Kate catches her and pinches her nose again. Lou empties her lungs and Kate refills them with another kiss of life. 

The blood red of the water, has turned a softer pink, swirling from Louise's struggles against her bonds, as Kate swims to the front of the vehicle again.

After refilling her lungs with a breath from the cars tyre valve, Kate returns, with the clippers in hand. She smiles up at Louise as she clips the ties binding her ankles and legs. Louise smiles back and turns away from Kate to allow her to free her wrists. "Thank you." Lou mouths to her saviour.

Louise winks at Kate and swims for the tyre to take a breath. Kate shakes her head and smiles thinking, "She is incredible." 

Kate kicks after her and once Louise has taken a breath from the tyre, she takes another breath herself. She touches Louise gently on the arm and gives the thumbs up, looking at the surface. 

Louise gives a thumbs up in return and they kick gently for the surface, each humming continuously. Neither aware of the splash above their heads, signalling, someone else entering the water.



Steve screeches round the corner, seeing a crowd, surrounding a hole in the wall. "No, no, no, no." He says under his breath as he slides the vehicle across the road and skids to a halt, next to the parked motorcycle. Steve quickly leaps from the car, barging through the thickening crowd, shouting, "Make a hole."

The crowd parts, before the dangerous looking man in tactical assault gear allowing him to the edge of the wall.

"Shit, where are you?" He says under his breath as he searches for a clue as to the vehicles location,  "What happened?, he demands, turning to the person next to him.

"About five minutes ago, dude lost his shit, now he's got a wet car. Then a fit as fuck copper rocked up on that bike." the teenager with a skatebord says, cocking his thumb at the Ducati, "And she jumped in to nick 'em."

"There." he thinks seeing a small patch of bubbles. Steve turns to the skate boarder and nods, saying, "Cheers mate.", before he takes a breath and dives into the water. "Five minutes and there is no sign of them.", he thinks surfacing to breathe and then diving down.



"This coat is killing me." Louise thinks as she struggles to swim upwards in the heavy waterlogged anorak. Kate's eyes widen as Louise shrugs out of the anorak and keeps swimming, her strokes, weakening. 

Kate slows her ascent very slightly so Lou can catch up. "She looks like she is struggling." She looks up, "Come on hun, ten feet and then all the air you can breath."

"I can see the surface, but I am spent. I have nothing left." Louise thinks, realising that the past few days constant activity have more than taken their toll. 

Kate wraps her arms around Louise, as her naked friends limbs stop pumping. She kicks for the surface in desperation. Her mind screams "Not now, please." as her left leg is lanced with a powerful muscle cramp. 



Steve thrashes under the surface wildly, lookin for a trace of the car. His heart sinks, when he sees two motionless figures, slowly rising, thirty metres away. "No you don't." he thinks, pumping his arms and legs savagely. 

Kate head snaps up when she feels powerful arms, under hers, reaching around her and Louise. She sees Louise's eyes light up and beaming smile grace her lips, as she looks over Kate's shoulder to their saviour. 

Steve smiles over Kate's shoulder at Louise, thinking, "I have got you.", as they break the surface.  



They bob on the surface catching their breath. As the cramp in her leg eases, Kate slips from Steve's arm, to tentatively tread water under her own steam. 

Steve pulls Louise close and kisses her deeply, prompting cheers from the assembled crowd of onlookers. Louise buries her head in Steve shoulder and whispers, "I thought I had lost you."

Steve holds her close and kisses her neck, "I am so pleased you are ok, my love."

Kate looks on, feeling warm inside, "They are so lovely together." she treads water, tilting her head back to watch the clouds, scudding cross the sky over Westminister.

She feels arms wrap around her as Louise swims to her side, "I am so pleased you are ok, I tried to make an opening so I could save you, when I heard the shot." Louise starts to cry. "I am sorry."

"Hey, it's ok. I got lucky. I am sorry I couldn't get to you sooner." Kate says hugging Louise. 

Steve looks on and nods, "They have been through so much. We can't keep pushing like this.", he thinks to himself. Seeing an approaching police boat, he waves them over.



Shaw climbs aboard the river police boat as sergeant Reed appears ready to launch into a diatribe. He sees Chief Inspector Shaw and snaps a smart salute, "Welcome aboard, please go through, ma'am." he says, warmly. 

"Thank you sergeant. Keep our presence here off of official channels please." Shaw says in a confidential tone. 

"Understood ma'am. Anything you need, please just ask.", responds professionally. 

"Thank you, can you please help my, er, colleagues." Shaw says, with a smile.

Reed nods and calls out to his crew as removes his coat, passing it to Steve. "Boys, get towels and dry clothes and will someone, get the Port of London Authority on the blower to recover the car from the bottom."



They gather in the small bridge of the small police water cruiser. Louise sits in the policeman's coat in the small cabin. Kate stands looking out of the window, as Steve rises from his seat next to Louise. 

"Kate?" Steve asks, nervously. 

She turns and smiles warmly, "We did it."

Steve steps forward, unaccustomed, to speaking the words he needs to say. "I-", he relents and throws his arms around Kate for a tight hug, "Thank you Kate. You were there for Lou, when I wasn't. You saved her life."

"You got us to the surface." Kate says, warmly. 

"You would about twenty seconds from the surface at the rate you were rising. You got her out of the car and saved her life. For that I will be forever in your debt." Steve says sincerely.

Louise jumps up from the seat and joins the hug. "Thank you Kate."

They hug in silence, breaking up as three mugs of tea and a tin of biscuits are delivered by a constable. 

As the officer leaves, Steve tosses a fresh packet of cigarettes still in their wrapper and a waterproof lighter to Shaw, with a wink. 

"Legend." she says unwrapping the pack, lighting one and drawing deeply.

Steve's face turn serious, "There is one thing though Kate." he says fixing her with stern stare. 

Kate straightens in her seat, "What's wrong Steve." She asks, nervously, flicking ash from her cigarette.

"Steve?" Louise asks concerned. 

"I leave you two alone for five minutes and next thing I know, my fiancé is naked in your arms." Steve says with a smile. 

"We kissed too." Louise says, causing Steve's head to whip towards her. 

"No tongues." Kate says with a chuckle, before the tension they have carried over the last few days turns to laughter.

"What else have I missed?" Steve says, smiling as he shakes his head.
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Post by wolfman »

"Not my best look, but better than just a coat." Louise says adjusting the zip of the river police coveralls from the boat. 

She looks at a similarly dressed, Steve and Kate, as they search the car park for a vehicle, "I am exhausted, Kate's limping slightly and even though he won't admit it, Steve is suffering with his ribs. We are in no shape for this." She thinks, noting a large black minibus, that has just pulled into the otherwise quiet car park.

Steve and Kate also notice the van slowly circling the car park and begin picking their way through the car park back to Louise. 

The van parks under a defective overhead light, leaving the front passenger's face covered in the evenings gloom, as he steps out. His six foot tall, heavy set silhouette slowly glides towards Louise.

Louise jumps slightly as Steve places a hand on her shoulder. "Looks like someone wants to be friends." he whispers. 

"I think you may be right." Louise responds, slipping a hand behind his back drawing his pistol and holding it out of sight. 

As the man approaches, he raises his hands by his sides, and with a hint of a Texan accent, he calls out, "I come in peace."

"Adam?" Louise asks, wondering where Kate is. 

"Yes, Miss Carter." he calls back, stepping into the light. His six feet frame, looking at ease in charcoal grey suit and trench coat.

"That's far enough. What do you want?" Steve asks. 

Adam halts on the spot, "I came to London as soon as I heard about Ms Carter, I have been trying to call back on the number you contacted me on, but getting no answer. Etienne, told me everything he knows. I think we need to talk." Adam says. 

"Fine, but we are not doing this in a car park. Can we go somewhere?" Louise asks, before whispering to Steve, "This is a risk, but I think we can trust him."

Steve nods subtly. "Agreed. But watch him."

"Of course, Miss Carter, please come this way." Adam says, casting a hand towards the van. 

Louise nods and smiles. "Where the hell is Kate?" she whispers.

Steve smiles, nodding to Adam, "Don't worry." he whispers, having seen her duck behind a wall furtively when Adam opened his door.

Adam slides open the side door of the minibus, surprised to see the driver and the two security operatives in the van, all sat in the back with Kate covering them with a small handgun from the drivers seat. 

"Impressive, Chief Inspector." Adam says, with a smile and a respectful nod. 

"How did you find us?", she demands. 

Adam smiles, "Your latest video ma'am. 'Supercop just won't stop.' I recognised the embankment and saw the boat number for the police cruiser. Tracked it down and worked out where you were dropped off. We have been circling car parks in the area for the last half hour looking for you."

"Supercop just won't stop?" Louise chuckles, "And this is my friend Kate, the social media badass."

Kate closes her eyes, shaking her head, softly saying, "Damn it.", under her breath. 



"We should get moving.", Steve says looking around the car park, "If you can find us, so can Harris."

"What do you mean?" Louise asks, gently touching his arm. 

Steve places a warm hand over Louise's, "Harris is behind all of it, Helen, Dionne, Hughes, Price. Went to see an old friend, who filled me in. Whatever his game is, he has used a lot of people."

"Stand down Kate, I think we are ok." Louise says, as she and Steve climb in the back of the van. 



Kate puts away her weapon, with a smile and climbs over the bench seat to in the back to allow Adam into the drivers seat.

She flops into a seat and slumps her shoulders, lighting a cigarette, "What's our next move?" she asks slowly, rubbing her aching legs.

"Whilst it is tempting to gear up and go after Harris. We are not in any kind of shape for a war. We need to recover." Steve says, wearily. 

Louise feels the aching of her body and the throb from her shoulder, but shakes her head, "Let's finish this. If we delay, he will fortify."

"Agreed. We should press ahead." Kate says, stretching out her legs, still feeling a twinge from the cramp. 

"Harris has been planning for months, he is already fortified. We are all tired and battered, to press on now, is a recipe for mistakes." Steve says, "Besides, he won't be at the office. He will be at his home."

"So? What's the problem?" Kate asks, firing smoke at the ceiling.

"It's a heavy stone country manor, with a sensor grid covering the entire grounds, mine fields and snipers nests. The place is a fortress." Steve explains. "If, as Adam says there is a video online of us in the Thames, he will know we are alive and will be expecting us to surface. But he doesn't know we are on to him."

"So where are we headed?" Louise asks Adam, as he drives.

"We are heading to the Nirvana facility, in Hertfordshire, Chief Inspector. It is being refurbished and has a skeleton staff, but will do for the night. We can talk safely there and you can rest." Adam calls back over his shoulder.
  


"So what did Etienne have to say for himself." Louise asks, firmly.

"He confirmed that he helped Helen escape from her cell and he delivered her to Harris' men. Harris paid him a lot of money and Etienne was going seize power when the dust settled." Adam explains, bitterly, "He said, that Harris wished to separate your mother from the organisation and most of her support. He positioned himself to fill the void."

Adam shifts uncomfortably in his seat, "Miss Carter, may I extend my deepest condolences and apologies. I failed your mother and it cost her, her life."

"Thank you Adam, I appreciate that." she says, before frowning, "Why was Helen in a cell?"

"Helen contacted Etienne for help leaving the UK. He arranged for her to come to the Chateau and tipped off Harris. When your mother found out, she threw her into a cell." Adam says, sounding uncomfortable. 

"What are you not telling me Adam?" Louise asks, gently. 

"Your mother," He begins, pausing to find the words, "Your mother was furious with your sister, after what she did to you. She beat her so badly, if your sister had not escaped, I fear your mother would have killed her.", Adam feels ill, thinking of the sound of the beatings, "Miss Carter, please understand, my role was to preserve her safety, both physical and emotional, as CEO. Many times I was able to talk her down, to save her from her excesses. But, she was livid with Helen, I have only seen her like that once before." he pauses, hurt by his failure, "I couldn't stop her."

Louise closes her eyes imagining how her sister suffered at the hands of her mother, before she found herself in Price's hands. She feels Steve wrap his arms around her as she cries softly.

They drive in silence until the leave London. The dark streets are deserted as the van winds it's way north. Louise dries her eyes and looks up, asking Adam, "Why? Why would she do that?"

"You were your mother's favourite. She hated Helen for what she did to you and it was just one step to far." Adam replies, with regret, "I am so sorry I couldn't stop her."

Louise chokes back her tears and reaches down for her seat belt release. Steve looks at her quizically. Louise smiles and softly nods before rising unsteadily from the seat and moving just behind the drivers seat. 

She places a comforting hand on his shoulder and softly speaks, "Adam it's ok. I know. You went above and beyond in your duties for my mother. I have no idea how hard it must have been." Louise pauses, "You are a good man Adam, thank you for trying."

Adam nods softly, as his eyes moisten, a ragged "Thank you.", is all he can whisper.



As they pull into the drive and listen to the gravel crackle beneath the wheels, the old building looms into view. It's old marble pillars and sculpted gardens, a badge of falled glory. 

Steve, feels every bruise and ache of his body, stiffly he turns and looks Louise in the eyes saying, "Let's skip dinner, I am bushed."

Louise squeezes his hand and kisses his cheek, "Normally I would want dessert," she says nibbling his ear, "but I am exhausted, I think an early night is wise."

"I don't know about you guys, but I have an appointment with a bath, a bottle of wine and a comfy bed." Kate adds, as she stretches. 

"I am very sorry, but I really need to speak to you all." Adam pleads. 

"Unfortunately, your needs are not our priority after the last few days." Louise responds with a yawn. "We have been through the mill and just need rest, but we will talk in the morning, I promise."

"As you wish, Miss Carter." Adam says, reluctantly. 

They disembark from the vehicle, they shuffle stiffly towards the door, escorted by Adam and his team. Unaware that half a mile away, atop a ridge overlooking the lake, hidden eyes are watching.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


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https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
Caesar73
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Post by Caesar73 »

So no rest for our heroes. The next attack will come. And our trio is already spent - for the moment. I hope, they get at least a little time to rechner, dear [mention]wolfman[/mention] ! Has Harris endless Ressources? It seems that way.
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Post by wolfman »

"Report." Harris commands, sharply. He sits back in his chair thinking, "Time this slow dance ends. My men will sweep through that building like a storm." 

He looks down the ridge towards the dilapidated hotel, from the window of the modified long wheel base van, before checking feeds from his teams, nodding sadly. "No way out of this for you Steve. Not this time.", he thinks with regret, "I am sorry old son."



"Sir." The surveillance officer turns in his chair, "The targets have entered the building."

"Just as I predicted, are the feeds still good from Nirvana's systems?" Harris asks, coldly.

"Yes sir, we have everything, vehicles, buildings and personal comms for everyone onsite.", the officer confirms. 

"Good work, man. Once you have confirmation that the targets are settled, we strike." Harris says, firmly. 

"This has gone on long enough, it is time to move on." Harris thinks, watching Steve, Louise and Kate shuffle across the car park to the entrance of the hotel. "Sorry old son, this is business. This ends tonight."



Adam watches as the three, slowly limp and stagger up the stairs, before he stretches and heads to the offices



As they stand at the doors to their rooms, Louise, turns to Kate and embraces her warmly and kisses her on the cheek. "I will never forget today." she whispers. 

"Neither will I." Kate whispers, hugging Louise warmly. 

Steve smiles softly as Lou and Kate embrace, giving them space. He takes Louise's hand, as she and Kate part. He smiles at Kate and gives her a wink as Louise opens their room. 

Kate winks back and enters her room. 

Steve smiles darkly as he surveys the room and closes the door behind them, thinking, "Thank you Ryan."



After an hour of monitoring the targets settling and Kendall listens intently to the sounds of Kate running a bath, "Shame we only have audio in the rooms." he thinks, imagining what she would look like naked and how it would feel to join her.

He grunts to himself, "Snap out of it." as he switches the feed to listen to the sounds of Louise and Steve softly snoring. He listens to the rhythm of their breathing. "Slow and steady."‎

"They are all settled, sir." the surveillance operative reports. 

"Excellent. Give the team the green light. We end this now." Harris says, topping up his scotch.



Edgar leads the first team through the delivery entrance by the kitchens to the rear of the building. "Ok people, objective is to neutralise all resistance as quickly as possible and secure the building." he sub-vocalises, "We move fast, check your targets and watch your fire. Easy on the corners, we sweep smooth and don't bunch up."

He shoulders his weapon and advances through the kitchen, followed by a well honed snake of men, well practiced in urban warfare. The cook and bottle washer in the kitchen look up in surprise as they enter. Before they can raise the alarm, tranquilliser darts find a place in their necks and the unit presses on. 

Edgar presses forward, entering the dining room, filling the room with a flurry of darts, neutralising the serving staff and diners in less than a second. The team takes turns reloading and move forward at a clipped but steady pace. 

Less than a minute after entering the building, Edgar calls keys his radio, "Ground floor secured sir. All exits covered."



"Excellent work, maintain positions, second unit, move in." Harris orders, nodding. He sits back thinking, "Poor bastard, won't know what's hit him."

‎Cage turns to his team and nods, smoothly he rises up from a crouch and swiftly advances on the building. They pass a pair of first unit operators, as they enter through the main reception, heading straight for the main marble staircase. 

Edgar keys his radio, "Principals room confirmed, Plod in room seven, Happy Couple in room eight."

"Acknowledged, over." Cage confirms, advancing on the rooms.



Cage clicks his radio twice to confirm his teams are ready to begin. Harris closes his eyes and solemnly says, "Breach."

The teams act as one, one man from each takes the door off of the hinges with a breaching tool. As he steps back, the rest of the team enter the room single file. Team A sweeps into the bathroom of their room whilst Team B surround the bed. 

"Room empty." the teams report simultaneously.



"Shit, get out of there." Harris says, exasperated. "We need to move."

The driver turns the key in the ignition and whilst the engine turns over, the engine does not start. "Sir?", the driver, asks, "There might be a problem."

"Get out and fix it then." Harris says shaking his head. 

A moment later the driver responds, "Sir? The doors are jammed."

Kendall reports, "Sir, cargo straps have been secured around the vehicle."

"Give me strength." Harris says, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Wind down the windows and cut them then.", he bellows.

"The glass is an aftermarket plexiglass, over an inch thick, it won't roll down.", the driver sheepishly explains. 

"Warn the men. Things are about to deviate from the plan." Harris says, seething. 

"I am getting no response sir, I think our communications are being jammed." Kendall confirms. 

Harris closes, his eyes and shakes his head, chuckling to himself. "Ok you bugger. Let's see what you've got."



Steve checks his phone and texts "Box closed."

Adam carries the last of his people into the hotels panic room and a moment later, Steve's phone pings, "Sleepers tucked up." Steve nods.

Kate pants out of breath, as the last of the perimeter guards, collapses with a dart in his neck, her message is simple, "Doors unlocked."

Ryan sits back at his desk, smiling to himself, thinking, "Well Steve was right that Harris had been listening for a while. I like the irony that I used recordings he made of Steve and Lou sleeping and Kate in the bath to lure his goons in.", he shuts off the feed and remotely deactivates the communications for the van. His message to Steve reads "Silent night."



Steve nods afresh with each new message he reads, but his brow is still furrowed, "Come on Lou, let me know all is well."



Louise remains hidden above the fake ceiling, as the assault teams exit rooms seven and eight. "Here goes hell." 

She pops the quick release and drops through the ceiling, at the far end of the corridor. 

Cage turns and begins bringing his weapon to bear on the source of movement out of the corner of his eye. 

Lou lands hard and throws the bottles secured to her webbing. "Fingers crossed." she thinks, seeing‎ Cage and two other members of the team shoulder their carbines trying to draw a bead. 

The bottles smash high on the walls, dumping their contents on the team, as she reaches for her weapon. 

Cage smells the petrol and yells, "Do not engage.", lowering his weapon, knowing that a single muzzle flash will incinerate them all. 

As Louise sweeps her arms down from the throw, she smoothly draws the flare gun from her hip. "Unload and discard your weapons into room six, then close the door gentlemen. I will use this." she speaks with authority, despite the flutter of her pulse.

The men reluctantly comply and turn to face her. She throws a bag of zip ties to the man closest to her, "You." she commands, "Restrain your colleagues hands behind their backs. Everyone else, line up facing the wall.  Arms held away from your backs once restrained."

Two minutes later, Louise restrains the last man and commands, "Single file down to the lobby."

As the men grumble and start to walk,Louise pulls her phone and with shaky hands, texts "Room Service cancelled.", to Steve.



Steve breathes a sigh of relief as he reads the text message and simply replies, "I love you."



Louise feels her phone buzz, as she directs the men down the stairs, to the recently gathered pile of unconscious and bound operators assembled by Kate and Adam. 

Adam looks up at the unhappy line of men, reflecting, "Cheer up fellas, if she was like her mother, you would all be medium rare, right now."

As the men reach the bottom, Louise maintains position halfway up the stairs, surveying them, "Ok gentlemen, on your knees, when one of my colleagues points to you, rise to your feet and allow yourself to be searched and your restraints to be checked."

One by one the men comply, Adam covers the man being checked with a handgun, while Shaw completes a full pat down removing any weapons or equipment and tightens their cuffs. 

By the time they have been checked, the previously drugged men have awoken and find themselves restrained. Much to their chargrin. 



"This is quite effective, I am impressed with  Shaw's protocol." Adam thinks nodding, looking down from his perch at the men who find themselves thrown in the deep end of the pool, drained for the upcoming refurbishment. 

He watches them complain and shout, as Louise douses them with more petrol for their continued compliance. "That should make them behave.", he says to himself from the high diving board, whilst checking the flare gun.

He nods to Miss Carter, as she draws her phone and smiles unable to see Steve's text, or her reply of "I love you too. We are on way."



Steve smiles, reading the message, "All wrapped up and no casualties." he nods, looking at the van, "I bet you are scratching your head trying to work out how we did this you old sod. I might tell you, but first we will get some answers."



Inside the van, Harris looks out of the blacked out windows at the trees and bushes around the van. "Where are you Steve? What is your game?" He wonders, "No sign of my teams and no way to contact them. I guess we wait." 

"Oh you old fool." he says, glancing at his phone and realising that he has a signal, "He would need to speak to his people, so is probably only blocking radio traffic."

He smiles darkly, dialling a number, "Might only have one ace left, but I am not out of the game yet."
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


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https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
Caesar73
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Post by Caesar73 »

Wow! That was soo clever :) Full points for creativity! Harris surely caught on the wrong foot :)
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Post by wolfman »

Louise crouches by a tree and gestures forward, with her open hand. She watches the dark woods for any signs of movement, as she hears Kate approach from behind her. 

Kate keeps low, moving with elegant precision through the leaf litter at the base of the ridge. She glides smoothly past Louise, crouching and stopping a few metres ahead. 

"I should have grabbed a vest back at the hotel." Kate thinks, "I needed the speed to clear the exits, but here, I feel so exposed."

She gives the signal and crouches as Louise starts to move, continuing the advance on Harris. "Much easier for her to be quiet, without body armour." she thinks, "Glad I had it back there though, if I had mistimed my throw I would have faced a wall of bullets."

As she passed Kate, she whispers softly, "ETA five minutes."



Harris hangs up his phone and picks up the microphone to the vehicles PA system, "Well played old son. So what happens now?" He says warmly. 

Steve adjusts his position and considers his options, "Do I let him stew? Lou and Kate aren't far away. Maybe I should say hi. The mikes fitted to the van will let him hear me from concealment. Let's open him up a little."

"How is your day Malcolm?" Steve calls out, slinking through the shadows of the woods.

"Not my best day, to be fair, have had a problem with some rats." He retorts, "Have tried everything, just can't seem to get rid of them."

"That must be very upsetting for you." Steve calls out. 

"I have to give you credit Steve, you have played a blinder so far." Harris chuckles. 

"Unfortunately, you haven't." Steve replies.

"How did you you do it?" Harris asks, curiously.

Steve casts his eyes around for possible hostiles and decides, "Why not keep him focused on me, until Lou and Kate arrive." he thinks, calmly.



"A friend met us off of the boat with an itch to scratch, as far as you were concerned. Kate said about her would-be executioner, having to use her holdout pistol to kill her and Louise added how poorly prepared her captors were. I knew your operation was getting low on resources and you would tip your hand by joining the fight, as your men seemed unable to succeed."

Harris' eye twitches as he listens, "So far, bang on, you bugger." he thinks, clenching his jaw. 

Steve calmly watches the van for signs of movement, reflecting, "My friend had a few old non-smart phones, that the company can't track. The kind with limited function, unable to run any apps and a battery measured in weeks not hours." Steve continues, "Adam seemed a little shocked when Lou called up front to brief him about our charade. But he was on board and called the phone you were tracking to get himself on your radar."

"You clever sod. You always were the best Steve." Harris says over the PA in grudging admiration.

"Thank you sir." Steve says in mock appreciation, "My friend, drives like a demon and was able to drop a long list of gear we needed at the hotel and hooked us into their internal surveillance systems. When the time was right, he then took recordings of Kate, Louise and I, that you made and spliced them into the Nirvana systems. Fooling you into thinking we were at rest."

Harris shakes his head, and closes his eyes, "Nice touch. The irony is not lost there."

"We presented you with a soft target, knowing you couldn't resist. I set up the protocols that the company uses for operations like this and deployed assets to counter." Steve says, coolly.

"I trained you too well Steve, you beat me at my own game." Harris says over the PA. 

"You taught me a lot, but you underestimate so much." Steve says, coldly. 

"Such as?" Harris says, feeling irked. 

"You underestimated how strong and capable, Louis and Kate are, despite everything they have been through over the past few days, they neither bent nor broken. You underestimated the lengths my love for Lou would push me to  and you underestimated Price's instability." Steve says calmly. 

"Poor Lee did you have a good catch up with him? You had so much history." Harris says mockingly. 

"He and his father trusted you to help get him back on his feet and you used him. Now he and his father are dead." Steve says, spitting in disgust, "Lee, his father, Dionne and Helen Carter, my parents, how many others have died for your scheme?"

"Sometimes, you have to see the big picture, old son." Harris says coldly.

"Why did you kill my parents?" Steve says, angrily. 

"I needed someone loyal with a particular set of skills. You were the best match." He says, in a matter of fact tone. "What better way to earn your loyalty, than by helping you come to terms with the death of your parents and helping you get back on your feet?" 

Steve scowls, imagining the satisfaction he would feel, by rolling a white phosphorus grenade under the van. "No, Lou and Kate need to say their piece." he thinks, taking a deep breath and releasing his anger. 



Louise blows Steve a kiss indicating that she and Kate have arrived. Steve blows a kiss back and sees her and Kate on the other side of the clearing. He waits for her to wave and then points to her and waves an open hand to the van indicating she may say her piece. 

"Why did you kill my mother and sister?" Louise asks coldly. 

"Oh and here's little orphan Lou." Harris says mockingly, "I am so sorry for your loss."

"Tell me.", she says in a low voice. 

"Nothing personal, just business. Nirvana was building an executive arm, with the cream of international operatives. I couldn't let a rival assail our position. I killed Helen to lure Dionne away from all her security. Eliminating Dionne, eliminated the problem." Harris explained. 

"Why do it in such an elaborate way?" Louise asks, coldly. 

"To keep everyone off balance whilst the pieces fell into place. Of course." Harris says with a shrug. 

"Why come after me and Kate? Where do we fit in?", she asks. 

"To stop you coming after me for revenge." Harris says, off handedly. "As for Kate, she was a convenient distraction

Steve listens, thinking, "He is stalling and this sounds like bull. Nirvana only started their executive arm recently, but, the wheels were set in motion six months ago when the Bed and Breakfast was leased in Price's name.", his skin pricks with goosebumps, "Around the same time Lou and I got together."

"It's bullshit, all of it, he is buying time." he thinks pulling his phone. He rapidly types a text "Ryan, if you are still at the office, I need a favour. After Louise, was nearly killed by Dickens, Harris got her to sign a non disclosure agreement, preventing her from suing in exchange for payment. Can you find and destroy it and any copies on the system?", he clicks send, at the same time he hears a helicopter in the distance.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
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Post by wolfman »

Harris' phone softly buzzes with an incoming message. "Very good." he says quietly, reading it to himself. He turns to the driver, "Alan, our ride is inbound, put the vehicle in gear, release the clutch and turn the ignition."

"Sir?" the driver asks. 

"The starter motor will turn the engine which should turn the gearbox so we can get moving. Once we crest the ridge, dip the clutch and we'll roll away. When we get some speed up hit a tree near the nearside front headlight, there's a good chap."

"Yes sir." the driver says, following orders. 



Steve hears the starter motor churn and raises his weapon as the van lurches forward. "Tyres." he shouts, squeezing a burst at the vehicles front wheel, prompting a chorus of small arms fire from Louise and Kate. 

Large chunks are torn from the solid rubber tyres under the barrage but the vehicle, continues its inexorable progress towards the edge of the rise.

"He's getting away." Lou shouts, between bursts. 

"Cease fire.", Steve calls out, as the van crests the rise and begins to roll freely away. "The van is armoured." he shouts. 

Watching the van as it picks up speed, he sees the lights of an approaching helicopter, coming in low over the horizon. It's silhouette, unmistakable again the dimly lit clouds. "Lynx, incoming." he says, breaking into a run after the van. 



"Nice try Steve, but I will win." Harris thinks as the van rolls at speed down the hill. 

He taps the driver on the shoulder, pointing to a tree. Alan pulls hard on the steering wheel, swerving into the tree, destroying the vehicle's front light and heavily damaging the front of the van.

Kendall hangs limply from his seat belt, a massive gash to his forehead, a testament to the need to set up a monitor a safe distance away on an operation like this. 

Harris feel a twinge from his left collar bone, where the belt arrested his body, during the impact. Through the pain, he smiles to himself and readies a compact sub-machine gun. 

"Nice try Steve." he says opening his door and looking down at the no longer taut cargo strap. "Only works whilst the vehicle retains its shape old son."

Harris drops a smoke grenade and takes cover at the front of the vehicle. "Keep the van between me and them. Taxi on its way."

Alan falls out of the van, struggling to stand. Shades of pain play across his face as he leans on the side of the van for support. "Sir, I cracked my knee in the crash. Can you help me please?" He asks breathlessly. 

"Of course." Harris says coldly, turning to him. 



Kate is running hard down the hill, carbine ready. She skids to a halt and ducks when he hears a short burst of gunfire from the direction of the van. 

Steve pats her on the shoulder, as he and Louise catch up to her, "Don't worry, it wasn't aimed at us." he says, stopping his run for a moment. "Can you circle around to those buildings?" He asks pointing to a small but sturdy looking stables, "You should be able to provide cover for us as we move in."

Kate nods, "On it, see you on the other side."

"Stay safe." Louise whispers, with a smile and a wink. 

"You too babe." Kate says, as she darts off.

"You know she won't be able to see a thing from there, right?" Louise asks with a raised eyebrow. 

"We have lost enough loved ones in this affair, I don't want anymore." Steve admits, "Besides, she's done enough."



Ruiz clips his safety harness to anchor points near the side door of the Lynx and slides it open. He surveys the scene, looking down at the van, spotting Harris crouching by it. "There's the boss.", he calls over the internal comms, "Drift twenty feet starboard and hold her steady."

Gustav eases the stick maintaining altitude and keeping his eyes open for threats, "Of all the world's hot zones, how am I doing critical evac just north of Watford?", he asks himself, in a deep Swedish accent. 

Ruiz loads a heavy crossbow with a steel bolt and clipped to the free spooling steel cable behind him. "Not my preferred way of getting a line down, but good when time's tight.", he thinks, taking aim through the weapons scope and squeezing the trigger. 



Steve looks up at the hovering helicopter, hanging over the crash site, like a hungry wasp. "They are prepping for a pickup." he says, taking Lou's arm and coming to a halt, by a shallow dip near the base of the ridge. He thinks to himself, not the best cover, but it will have to do.

He pulls Louise down into the dip and speaks softly, "Whatever else happens, remember, that I love you." 

"I love you too Steve, always." Louise says taking a prone firing position next to him. Together they take aim at the helicopter and open fire.



The bolt flies true, digging into the soil, about two metres from Harris' feet. He keeps low, crawling quickly on his stomach, watching the tree two lines of tracers arc up towards the Lynx. 

Gus pulls hard on the stick, pulling away from the line of fire, causing Ruiz to lose his footing in the rear of the helicopter. The harness holds fast and he scrambles to his feet, as the free spooling cable plays out beside. "Careful you stupid lump."

"Sorry." Gus says with a chuckle, "Let me hold this thing still, so they can shoot your skinny ass."



"I can't see a thing from here." Kate says frustrated as she runs, around the stables, trying to find a vantage point, overlooking the chaos at the crash site. 

"When I viewed the site back with Lou and Steve, it appeared that the rooftops of the stables would provide a good view of the site, however, the courtyard in front of the stables is sunken and I cannot get to the roof of any of the stables." she thinks exasperated.

"Steve ditched me here, I can't believe it." she says resting against a half open gate to catch her breath. 

The horse in the stall edges it's head out, braying, causing Kate to start. She looks at the chocolate coloured mare and strokes it gently, "Hello beautiful, Sorry to disturb you." she says softly, patting it's side. "Guess it is just you and me eh?"



"Give me strength, do I have to do everything myself." Harris thinks, watching the Lynx swing slightly back away from the tracers lancing towards it. He hefts a grenade and pulls the pin. He releases the spoon and holds it for a second before hurling it at the source of the gunfire.

It detonates the moment it lands, showering the area with sizzling hot shards of metal. Louise looks up after the explosion forced her to duck. "How close was that?" she thinks, realising, she is unhurt. 

With a feeling of quiet dread, she turns to look at Steve. Her eyes widen, as she sees him struggling to pull off his vest, "He must have shielded me." she thinks reaching for him. "Are you ok? Can I help?"

He huffs as he shrugs out of the vest, revealing several punctures in the coveralls beneath them but little blood, "Bloody hell. Caught a few that time." he says looking down, "Don't worry the vest caught the worst of it. Are you ok?"

"I am ok." she says, worriedly. She stares for the first time at the ragged and bleeding cut on his right shoulder. All she can say, is"Looks bad."

"Looks worse than it is." Steve says, gritting his teeth, "Let's do this.", he takes aim at the helicopter, above the rising plume of smoke, "Try for the rotor hub."



Harris dives for the embedded crossbow bolt and attaches a clip from his belt to the clip on the cable. "Here we go." he says as he releases the cable from the bolt.

Ruiz locks off the cable, and nods to Harris before activating the winch. Harris finds himself pulled sharply upwards. He allows his weapon to hang by his side as he watches, two trails of small arms fire targetted above his head.

Gus silences the alarms and ignored the flashing lights, as he wrestles to control the former British Royal Navy Lynx. He turns the windscreen wiper of the chopper on and looks worried, "Looks like they have hit the hydraulics for the rotor blades." he says over comms. 

Ruiz helps Harris aboard, giving him a headset, "Can we still fly?", he says unclipping himself from the harness and joining Gus in the cockpit. 

"For now. But, we will have limited speed and maneuverability." Gus advises. 

"Need to stop them shooting." Harris thinks, looking around the cabin of the helicopter. "Perfect." he thinks, picking up the crossbow and loading another steel bolt, "Time to go fishing." he says clipping the bolt to the spool. 



"Helicopter closing in." Louise shouts over the noise of the Lynx's rotors as it glides towards them. 

Steve looks up, as he reloads, seeing the helicopter looming at a range of forty metres and moving in fast. "Break cover and head deeper into the tree line. I'll provide suppressive fire, then follow you under your suppression."

"Be strong my love, we will get through this." Steve silently pledges.

She looks at him and nods, "On your signal." she shouts, whilst thinking, "Stay safe my love."

Steve shouts, "Go." as he rises to one knee and strafes the side of the helicopter.

Louise breaks into a sprint, running in a zig zag pattern towards the trees. 

Harris ducks back from the incoming fire. Leaning forward again as soon as the fire pauses. He shoulders the crossbow, snap aiming and pulling the trigger.

Louise dives behind a tree and raises the carbine to her shoulder, and takes a deep breath, before edging around the tree and aiming up at the helicopter.



The crossbow bolt and cable, snake unerringly towards their target, rending powerful thigh muscle aside as it punches through Steve's upper leg. 

"Well that stings." Steve thinks, as he let's his carbine hang from its sling as he grasps the cable. Steve winces as the helicopter pulls up, yanking the cable and forcing the barbed trailing edge of the bolt back into his leg to grind against his hip bone, as he is lifted skyward. "Right you bastard. Now I have you right where I want you." he thinks darkly.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
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Caesar73
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Post by Caesar73 »

You write incredible realistic action Sequences, [mention]wolfman[/mention] !
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Post by wolfman »

Caesar73 wrote: 3 years ago You write incredible realistic action Sequences, @wolfman !
Thanks [mention]Caesar73[/mention] I love running gun battles, but also like action that is a bit different, where the stakes get raised.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
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