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H/C April Challenge: Tremors
In which Inui must team up with Ishida and Temari to rescue Kaidou after a mission goes wrong. For the prompts natural disaster/destruction, kidnapping, and dungeons.
Fandoms: Prince of Tennis, Bleach, Naruto
Rating: T
Warnings: earthquakes, kidnapping, dystopia, injuries, implied torture
"Mamushi, do you copy?"
"Loud and clear, Archer," Kaidou replied, but his voice came through the line distorted and garbled by static. Inui frowned and fiddled with a few of the dials on the radio setup on the table before testing again.
"Roger that. Loud and clear here, and awaiting orders," Kaidou said.
Satisfied, Inui handed the microphone off to Ishida for the mission briefing.
"Orders stand as given. Hold your current position until nightfall," Ishida began. "Additional weapons and gear will be in the drop behind the market by 16:00. Move in at 23:00; your mission is to acquire the target and immediately return to your current location. The signal beacon will be lit at 02:00 hours. Use it to cover your retreat to this base. Should you need immediate rescue, send up a red signal flare from your location."
"Roger that," Kaidou said. "Mamushi out."
"What do we have by way of surveillance during the op?" Inui asked Ishida.
"One of our agents is leaving an earpiece and goggles with a camera feed in the drop. Rumor and initial reports suggest the stronghold has shielding and/or jamming in place, so we may lose contact with Mamushi once he's inside, but we'll have eyes and ears before and after that. Most of our agents are still at the central base preparing to move on the capitol. We have three agents currently in this city, but two are long-term spies. Command isn't willing to risk their cover for one op. If the weather holds, we may be able to get a drone up for additional visual if you have one ready."
"They're technically all in use or requisitioned by headquarters, but I'll have one available by 18:00," Inui said, already planning what he would need to make that happen.
"You're fretting," Ishida said, turning on Inui. "Mamushi is one of our best operatives."
"He's also one person breaking into an known enemy stronghold alone."
"One person is more likely to be able to get in and out unnoticed."
"Things can always go wrong."
"Don't let the personal color your judgment, Pi," Ishida snapped. "I need to review mission parameters and probabilities one more time and finish this report. Go worry about your boyfriend somewhere else."
If Inui were Kaidou, he would have hissed. He wasn't, so he imagined Kaidou hissing on his behalf, adjusted his glasses, and walked out of the command room without another word. Ishida may have been one of the best tacticians they had, and a renowned sharpshooter back when he was a field agent, but that didn't make him any less infuriating to work with. He had an almost unnatural ability to get under everyone's skin, which Inui supposed, was why they had stationed him at this remote satellite base rather than at the main headquarters where his talents would likely have been of more use. All the talent in the world did no good if one was murdered by ones team after one infuriating dry jab too many.
Inui rubbed his temples. While spite could be a good motivator, it wasn't conducive to fiddly technical work, which was what would help Kaidou most right now. All of the official drones may have been in use, but there were enough spare parts and pieces he had salvaged from the scrap heap lying around that he was certain he could piece together a perfectly functional piece of equipment in time for tonight's operation. It wouldn't have any fancy capabilities, but that wasn't necessary for this mission. All he needed was another set of eyes overhead to give Kaidou a little more advanced warning (and to give him the piece of mind of being able to track the operative (at least when he was outdoors and aboveground) without cluttering the radio waves with chatter and causing a distraction).
He sat down at his workbench and started sorting through his piles. It was easy to lose himself in the maze of circuits and stray components waiting to be assembled, and to let the acrid smoke and quicksilver of solder burn his frustration away.
By late afternoon, his drone was nearly done. All that was left was to attach the final backup power supply, and then do one final test.
He adjusted the clamps on his bench to hold all of the pieces exactly where he wanted them. Then, the shaking started. At first, he thought it was just another explosion coming from the firing range, as happened on a not infrequent basis, but rather than fading, the shaking intensified.
As cracks formed on the ceiling and plaster started flaking down on him, he dove under his bench, grabbing his nearly-finished drone almost as an afterthought. It wasn't the first time an earthquake had struck in this area, but as the seconds dragged on, it rapidly climbed toward the longest Inui had experienced. By his judgment, it was close to magnitude 6, which would also make it one of the strongest on record for the area. The tremor sent most of the contents of his work station crashing to the floor. He threw up a hand to protect his face from the flying debris and winced when he made contact with the still-hot soldering iron. He kicked the offending object under the facing desk and shoved his hand in his moth. In theory, there was a sink almost directly over him, but he couldn't risk venturing out until things calmed.
The shaking continued until Inui began to have serious concerns over the structural integrity of the building. Judging by the crashes he heard around him, they had lost multiple windows, and probably most of the freestanding cabinets that always seemed to multiple the minute there was a square meter of open space in a lab. Even after the initial shaking finally stopped, Inui stayed in his position under the desk. It would probably be safe to come out in a few more minutes, but he wanted to make sure it was really over, and he would rather any final things hanging by threads in the building would get their falling out of the way before he was walking under them.
"Probability at least one floor of this building is deemed unstable and closed until repairs can be made: 85%. Probability entire building is condemned: 45%"
A sudden thought occurred to him like a cold punch in the gut. "Probability Kaidou's base remained standing in this quake: 7%." He pulled up his mental map of the location, overlaid it with the topographical maps he had studied, the reports of street traffic and surrounding buildings, the likely behavior of the local population in the event of a natural disaster such as this, and Kaidou's devotion to seeing a mission through. "Probability Kaidou fled the city and is en route back here or to the main regional headquarters: 6% Probability Kaidou is still in the city and intends to attempt the planned operation tonight: 73%"
He thought through everything he knew about the enemy stationed at the stronghold, both the confirmed facts and the stories that were so far only hearsay. As was so often the case, even with operatives in or near the stronghold on a regular basis, the vast majority of stories remained nothing more than just that--unconfirmed stories--but as the well known adage said, there was no smoke without a fire. Even if only a fifth of those stories were true, and even if each of those true stories exaggerated the exact events by 35%, he was still left with an alarming picture. The stronghold wasn't a military base in the common sense of the word, but it was rumored to house the most valuable and most deadly of the military's weapons and decommissioned projects. It was rumored that the enemy's special forces would frequently retire to the stronghold when they reached the end of their active service years.
"Probability Kaidou is captured by the enemy: 78%"
Forgetting about the mess on the lab floor and the potential risk from downed wires, broken glass, and spilled chemicals, Inui picked his way across the room to the one lone window in the wall. The glass was covered in a spiderweb of cracks that made it difficult to see too much out of it. It had a view of both Kaidou's hideout and the stronghold; smoke and patches of fire further obscured the view, but when he scanned the sky off in the distance where the stronghold's radio tower pierced the sky, he saw no signal flares hanging in the sky. That could mean Kaidou had already been captured of course, or that he was injured and trapped under a pile of rubble, but he could also be fine.
Inui chose to hold onto the latter thought as he picked his way out of the lab and went in search of Ishida. They needed to reevaluate the mission parameters.
It was slow going, with Inui stopping every few feet to scan the terrain before him, evaluate the clearest paths, and calculate probabilities of structural weakness. He knew he had committed the blueprints for the building, right down to pipes and electric circuits, to memory for a reason.
He found Ishida in the central control room staring at a wall of monitors. All but one was dark.
"Power out?" Inui asked.
"What does it look like?" Ishida snapped. "Explosion in the west lab took out the backup power supply. Generator appears to still be running, but the line connecting it to the rest of the building is down. Main power supply is down at the source; they shut off the plant for safety until they can inspect the generators and the transmission lines. Status of the local power lines between there and here is unclear at this point."
"Other systems?"
"Battery backup has kept the fire alarm system online. Water appears to be running, so fire suppression is still intact. Potability of water unclear at this point; take appropriate precautions until further notice. Internet is down, unclear where the damage originated. At least three local cellular towers came down; cellular service is offline, which brought down most of our communications network. Landline to headquarters is also down; most likely culprit is landslides near where it enters the mountains. Satellite communication remains operable, though spotty in this location at this point. I put through a request to reposition a node near this location until other communication channels are restored."
"What about our operatives in the area?"
"Everyone in this building is accounted for. A few minor injuries from falling debris or spills, but we were lucky. Most staff outside of core security personnel are preparing to evacuate to regional headquarters to await further instruction. Downed communications has cut off communication with most of our field operatives. Initial observation and prior knowledge support the stronghold coming out relatively unscathed. Lights are still on in the communication towers above the building, so they have a backup power supply online. Until we hear otherwise, we are operating under the assumption the operatives we have inside are continuing as before. We will wait for them to confirm; we do not risk attempting contact from our end unless at least seventy-two hours have elapsed with no word.
"Our operatives stationed in the city were meeting at the time of the earthquake. All three of them are accounted for. One found a functional landline to send word to us. She couldn't say much due to possible surveillance of the line, but two of them are available for future orders. One is temporarily out of commission after a railing collapsed on his ankle, but he has chosen to remain in his position in the city while he recovers. Two operatives were en route to headquarters to deliver the weekly reports. They contacted headquarters directly; they are okay, but the road took significant damage. Headquarters is sending out a retrieval team. That leaves only one operative still unaccounted for."
"Kaidou," Inui said.
Ishida nodded. "The same operative who reported to us from the city is currently en route to his last known location. If he's there, she will order him to hold and await further orders. If he's not, we go from there."
"Probability that building remained standing in an earthquake of this magnitude, less than ten percent," Inui said flatly. "He's not going to be there."
"We check anyway," Ishida replied. "We're taking this by the book."
"What if he's hurt?"
"If he's well enough to travel, we'll find him when he shows up here. If he's not, Temari will find him when she arrives there."
"What if he was already scouting on location for tonight's planned operation?"
"Hopefully Temari will find some sign to tell us that too, though if Kaidou has any brain at all, he'll wait for confirmation of his orders before proceeding."
"If past data are any indication, security personnel from the stronghold are frequently sent out into the city to assist emergency personnel in the immediate aftermath of any disaster. That could leave a gap in the security at the stronghold itself."
"And the security that is there will be on edge and prepared for possible trouble. Additionally, past data suggest at least a 50% chance the building is on lockdown at least until sunrise tomorrow. If Kaidou goes in there with no backup, no communication, and without confirming his orders, he's even more of an idiot than I thought."
Inui disagreed with Ishida on the last point. By his calculations, there was an 85% probability Kaidou would abort the mission after observing and evaluating the situation; he wasn't an idiot after all, no matter what Ishida may think, but he knew Kaidou. When given what could be an opening, Kaidou would seize it with both hands. In the aftermath of the earthquake, he would have seen the possibility for decreased on site security and even possibly structural damage to the stronghold and moved in to investigate. He wouldn't try to enter the building yet, but he'd be close.
"He could be in trouble," Inui said. "I give that probability just over 75%. Would you abandon him?"
"What would you have us do?" Ishida asked, finally turning away from the computers. "We don't know where he is, what his status is, or where's he's headed. We have no way to contact him, and neither the means nor the justification to launch a large scale search at this time. As soon as we have more information, we can reevaluate and create an action plan. Until then, we'd only create more liabilities. And what are you holding?"
Inui looked down at the drone he was hugging to his chest. He couldn't remember why he had taken it with him from the lab, only that it had seemed important at the time. "Drone," he replied. "I was planning to use it tonight to enhance visual support on the operation. We could use it to help find Kaidou now!"
"What are the capabilities?"
"Infrared, normal visible light, and low light. No scratch that," Inui said as he set the drone down and inspected it. "Low light camera was damaged at some point since installation. The other two still appear fine. The main power supply will run all systems for four hours under normal conditions. Backup power supply to the flight system can handle movement only for another hour. Cameras currently have no backup power; that part of the project was unfinished at the time of the earthquake."
"Four hours isn't enough time for a broad search. If word comes that he, or any of our other operatives, need help, we can use it for support. Until then, the best use of resources is to await further instructions and information here and begin cleanup and inspections." He looked sharply at Inui. "You're injured," he said, pointing to Inui's hand. "Why didn't you say so before?"
Inui looked down. As if on cue, the burn on his palm started throbbing again. Truth be told, he had forgotten all about it since the moment he realized Kaidou could be in danger. "A soldering iron fell off a workbench during the earthquake. It's only a minor burn; I didn't think about it."
Ishida glared at him and pulled a first aid kit out from under the desk. "I'll be the judge of minor," he said. "Small maybe, but soldering irons are known for running extremely hot."
In a matter of seconds, he had the first aid kit open and everything he needed set out on a corner of free workspace. With the amount of time he spent in front of computers managing their research programs, it was easy to forget that Ishida had not always been there. If one did remember, one was more likely to think of the years before his shift to research when he had been one of the best sharpshooters in the field. Very few people remembered that Ishida had grown up in the medical world; the son of one of the top doctors in the military prior to his defection.
Calculating that his chances of escaping Ishida's ministrations were near zero, Inui cut his losses and offered his hand for inspection. After poking and prodding and turning it this way and that, Ishida seemed to conclude that it was in fact not in imminent danger, and he had cleaned and bandaged the small wound before Inui could even articulate a protest. As much as he hated to admit it, his hand did feel better after Ishida was done. Not that he would admit it, the data scientist may have been brilliant, but he was also insufferably smug.
"I've started on an analysis of building structure and damages," Ishida said once the first aid kit was cleared away. "Most of the sensors have either been knocked offline or damaged, but I was able to pull data from some on the upper floors and east wing. I've been overlaying those with the blueprints and reports from those who were onsite to create a preliminary map of the damage. You were the only person in your area, so any data you can add would be appreciated. Once that was done, I was going to begin a walkthrough of the other areas to add to the report. I could use your assistance there if you're willing; if we work fast enough, we may be able to have a preliminary report ready to send to headquarters by the time Temari reports back."
Inui studied the blueprint Ishida had up onscreen. "This is out of date," he said. "The plumbing around the east wall was rerouted last year after the sewage incident, and in the process they upgraded the wiring coming out of the main circuit panel."
"It's the most recent blueprint we had on this computer," Ishida said dryly, "and seeing how this is the only computer in here with its own local backup power supply, it's the best we have. If you see anything that's changed significantly, make a note of it, but otherwise, this will have to suffice for the initial report."
"The second floor corridor on the west wing is no longer continuous," Inui said after a moment. "When they added the laboratory facilities to handle suspected biological and chemical weapons, they sealed off that space from the rest of the floor. Access is now only from the far stairwell, which also no longer connects to other floors. Additionally, after the incident last summer, fire doors were installed in most of the basement and around the server room on the first floor. All of them would have come down in the earthquake, and without power, there's no way to raise them again."
"Then we split up the areas outside of that. It should have locked down automatically, but if it didn't, don't enter the second floor biochemical weapons space until a hazmat team can clear it. You take the rest of the second floor. I'll take the first floor. There should be a couple of two-way radios around here we can use to communicate. We'll keep each other appraised of our positions and come back here when we finish to make the report."
"Radios should be in the bottom drawer on your left," Inui said. "Flashlights should be in there too. I changed all of the batteries last week."
Ishida took out the radios, tuned them to the correct channel, and tossed one and a flashlight to Inui. "Be careful," he said. "Keep in contact, don't take any undue risks, and keep an eye out for any surprise visitors. Bring a weapon if you have one, just in case."
"This isn't my first time," Inui said. "I know the drill. Unless there is something truly unexpected, it should take me approximately 75 minutes to clear the second floor. Until then, the same goes for you. Be careful."
They left, splitting off in opposite directions. Inui shoved his radio into his pocket, keeping one hand free. Ishida held his radio in one hand, his flashlight in the other. A glancing light reflected off of the silver cross on the bracelet he always wore, only the edge of it visible between his flashlight and his palm. "So you're human too," Inui thought. "You may do your best to hide it, but you have nervous tics just like the rest of us." Somehow, the thought settled him as he stepped into the dark stairwell.
As slow as his original trip from his workspace to the command center had been, the return trip was slower. He was more concerned with gathering data now to add to the report, and what little natural light there had been earlier had faded, leaving him with only the narrow beam of his flashlight to light his way. Perhaps he was collecting more data than Ishida wanted or needed, but the alternative was thinking about what could happen next. Yes, someone needed to document the damage to the building, but there was no reason it couldn't wait until it was light again. He knew busy work when he saw it, and this definitely qualified. Unfortunately, he couldn't even be too irritated at Ishida for giving it to him.
Despite the scattered papers, overturned shelves, and broken equipment littering the floors, and the cracked plaster flaking from the walls and ceilings, the areas he walked through appeared to have been spared significant structural damage. It would take a trained architect to confirm that, but the initial conclusion that the floor was not going to collapse under him made him move more easily. As Ishida updated him on his status, Inui updated his mental map of Ishida's location and progress. They were both making good time, and if their current paces held, they would make it back to their starting location at roughly the same time.
As Inui turned down the final hallway, he noticed movement out on the road. He immediately switched off his flashlight and pressed himself to the wall. When no shots were fired and no noticeable alarm was raised, he inched closer to the window until he could just make out the figure coming down the path. She absently flicked the fan she held open and closed. Inui knew the gesture to be not nearly so innocent as it appeared; her fan was made of steel, heavy enough to break bones with a solid strike. The ends of most ribs were sharpened into razor points, just like the ends of the pins holding her hair, and she wasn't above dipping them in poison when the situation warranted it.
"Pi to Archer," he said into his radio, "Windstorm approaching from the main road, traveling alone, ETA approximately two minutes. Change plans and make your way to the front entrance. You're closer; I'll meet you in the command room in five."
"Roger that, Pi," Ishida confirmed. "Changing route to the entrance now."
With every step, Inui wished he could move faster, but tripping now and breaking an ankle would only cost him more.
By the time he made it back to the command room, Ishida and Temari were already waiting.
"Report," Inui ordered.
Ishida held up a hand. "Give me a minute," he said as he fiddled with the old satellite phone. "I'm looping headquarters in on this too. It'll save us time. Commander, do you copy?"
"Clear enough," the commander replied. "Windstorm, report."
"As Mamushi was the only operative in the area unaccounted for after the earthquake, I went to his last known location. The building collapsed in the earthquake, but there were no signs of anyone trapped in the building. I then proceeded to the drop location in the city where equipment for an operation had been left for him. The drop was empty, and an informant nearby stated they had seen someone matching Mamushi's description in the area approximately ninety minutes before the earthquake. On the basis of that information, rather than reporting directly back to base, I chose to detour past the known vantage points that we have used for scouting the stronghold in the past. Security personnel were out in force on the road, and I also observed signs of increased presence in the forest behind the stronghold, though I was able to slip through unnoticed there. I did not find Mamushi, but I did find signs of a struggle on the overlook on the ridge in the forest including a broken buckle consistent with those on Mamushi's vest. It is my belief at this point that Mamushi picked up his gear from the drop and proceeded directly to the outlook to scout in preparation for tonight's operation. He would have been there when the earthquake hit, and I believe he was captured by security personnel in their initial sweep immediately following."
"I told you he was in trouble!" Inui snapped.
"And now we have something concrete we can work from," Ishida countered. "Windstorm, do you have any insight on where Mamushi is likely to be now?"
"With the damage to the communications systems, getting word from our operatives inside the stronghold has been even more difficult than usual. If they know anything, the earliest we can expect to hear about it is with the morning supplies delivery. If it is warranted, we can also try to send a message to them updating them on the situation at that point. Although we don't have complete blueprints, our operatives have managed to create a decent floor plan of the stronghold for us. In addition to the aboveground levels, most of which are devoted to housing and administration, there are three underground levels. The lowest extends under only part of the building and is a heavily reinforced saferoom. The general and his closest staff would have retreated there as soon as the earthquake hit, and they will most likely remain there until the initial aftermath of the quake has been dealt with. We have almost no information on the second basement level, but it is rumored to be a firing range and munitions testing ground. If Mamushi is in the stronghold, he would most likely be in the first basement level. That houses their prison cells and intelligence and interrogation unit. Although it's called the basement level, it's not fully underground. They're double-barred and screened, but there are a couple of windows at ground level on the east side of the building that would fall at the very top of that floor. Our information on that floor is also limited, but we suspect the holding cells are also on the east side of the building as that would keep them as far away from the general's quarters as possible."
"So we need to go rescue him. What's stopping us from leaving now?" Inui said.
"Hold, Pi," the commander ordered. "Windstorm, do you believe Mamushi is still alive at this point?"
"Yes. At the point of his capture, he would have had equipment on his person that identified him as an enemy operative. They won't kill him until they've tried to learn what he knows. He won't be an easy nut to crack; given their track record in the past, I estimate we have at least thirty-six hours before they dispose of him. Significantly longer if he's smart about it and gives them just enough to keep them interested."
The commander sighed. "Given the state of the roads, we can't have any units out to you for thirty-six to forty-eight hours. It would be faster by air, but we're receiving reports of the army mobilizing to the west; all of our air units are currently occupied investigating. Windstorm, do you believe you could put together a rescue mission with the assets you currently have on site?"
Temari steepled her fingers as she thought. "It won't be easy, but if we can locate Mamushi, I believe we could manage extraction with the units we currently have, especially if we can secure assistance from one of our operatives within the stronghold. Send a support unit, and if all goes well, they will assist after the initial rescue."
"What's our timeline?" Ishida asked.
"We won't be able to make contact within the stronghold until tomorrow morning. I'll prepare that communication tonight. Other than that, I propose we rest tonight and make our first moves in the morning. Tomorrow, we will scout the stronghold and try to identify where Mamushi is being held. From what I overheard today, the security personnel currently in the city will remain there at least through tomorrow night. If we can locate our target and approach tomorrow, then we move in tomorrow night."
"Why not tonight?" Inui demanded. "We're wasting time."
"We're not wasting time," Ishida countered. "We're moving as quickly as is advisable. Rushing in without a plan and with no support in place will only get us captured. As Windstorm said, we still have time. We move tomorrow once we're ready."
"Commander, your thoughts?" Temari asked.
"I'll sign off on your plan. Windstorm, you have the best grasp of the city, you're in charge. Delegate as you see fit. I can spare two units to assist; expect them at your current location two days from now. If you need them elsewhere, send word. I'm thinking one ranger and one medical?"
"Two rangers," Ishida said. "I'll cover the medical, but be prepared that we may need medical evacuation to a hospital. I'll coordinate through the rangers should that become necessary."
"Keep me updated where possible," the commander said. "Over and out."
Temari turned to the other two. "I need to go back into the city to give a message to the merchants to pass on to the stronghold. Depending on the security in the city, I may stay in the shipping district overnight. If I'm not back here by midnight, then meet me at the munitions store near the west gate two hours before dawn. I want to make our initial sweep under cover of night. What do we have by way of surveillance equipment?"
"Limited," Ishida replied. "Assuming they weren't damaged, we have a few pairs of binoculars with good filters available. Most of our electronics were damaged or are currently offline, but Inui cobbled together most of a drone this afternoon that we may be able to use."
"It's not much," Inui said, holding it out for inspection, "but if we can get close enough, we can hopefully put it to use. It has a 250-meter range under normal conditions, but that will drop to about fifty within the perimeter of the stronghold. They'll try to disable it completely, but the shielding and repeaters I added to this should at least keep it in the air. The battery life is only about four hours, so we'll need to be selective about using it."
"While I'm out, see what else you can dig up or cobble together here. Specifically, I'd like a low-profile camera we can leave if we find a good location, and anything that could give us audio. Once you're done with that, try to get some rest. We have enough liabilities as is; I don't want to add sleep deprivation on top of them."
"If you do stay in the city, send word if you can," Ishida said. "Otherwise, we'll see you either tonight or early tomorrow. Godspeed and watch your back."
"The same to both of you."
Once Temari left, Ishida looked at his watch. "Two hours," he said. "We do as much as we can by midnight, and if Temari isn't back by then, we rest. I'll take the search for other equipment while you work on your drone. How much do you have left?"
"Removing the broken lens; if you stumble across a new one, I'll replace it; otherwise, it will run with just the two cameras. Given the current mission parameters, I'm optimizing for speed and agility over endurance. I'll remove the secondary backup power supply mounts entirely and pare down the primary backup to the bare minimum."
"Do you have everything you'll need here?"
"If I can borrow the power supply from your computer to run a soldering iron, then yes," Inui replied.
Ishida shrugged. "Take it, but don't use it any more than you have too; we don't know how long it will need to last. Remember, two hours at most."
Inui set his flashlight on the table and went to work, tuning out everything around him. Cut a wire here, twist in a new wire there, Inui was so engrossed in his work that someone tapped him on the shoulder before he even realized he wasn't alone anymore. He twisted around, ready to use his soldering iron as a weapon.
Ishida stepped back, hands raised. "It's just me. It's almost midnight now; Temari just sent word; she'll meet us in the city in the morning. I found a couple of sleeping bags that aren't too covered in dust. We can bunk here tonight; I've set an alarm for tomorrow. How is the drone going."
"97% complete. I need to rebalance the rotor, but then it should be complete. Give me six minutes."
"Turn off the light when you're done," Ishida said, already climbing into one of the sleeping bags he had laid out on the floor.
Five minutes and forty-six seconds later, Inui did the same. Despite the endless scenarios and probabilities running through his head, he was asleep as soon as his head hit the floor.
All too soon, Ishida's shrill alarm jolted him awake. It was still dark without even the earliest hints of dawn as they packed their bags and left the building. Their breath fogged in small clouds in front of them. They slipped into the city proper silently, picking their way from shadow to shadow in the dark streets. The only other sounds this early were the heavy tread of the security patrols. Whenever they heard on nearby, they reversed course. It was risky enough to be caught breaking curfew even on a good day. Being caught during a partial lockdown while everyone was on high alert and while carrying highly illegal surveillance equipment would be a disaster.
Despite a few close calls, they made it to the meeting point with half an hour to spare. Temari was already there, materializing out of the shadows as they approached. After a quick glance down the street, she waved them inside. "How did you do?" she asked.
"Drone is fully operable," Inui said, patting the bag on his back.
"I found two cameras that fit your specifications," Ishida added. "One will blend in to dirt or grass; the other can mount on any flat surface. We had fewer choices for audio, but I found one possibility. It doesn't have much by way of filtering capabilities, but it can be mounted onto either of the cameras. Given the interference around the stronghold, I doubt we'll be able to make out any specific conversations, but we should be able to identify number of voices and relative proximity."
"That will be good enough," Temari said. "Word will be reaching our operative in the kitchen right about now. He'll be ready to assist in whatever way he can tonight; if has any relevant information to pass on, he'll send it out via the midday supply train. Before first light, we will scout the perimeter of the stronghold and identify the areas that warrant closer investigation. We'll use the drone for that. The weather today is supposed to stay cool with rain starting mid-morning; hopefully that will make it easier for us to move around unnoticed. I've already taken what I wanted from the supplies here; you should do the same. Remember, military and security personnel at the stronghold prefer knives and lasers to guns. Plan your gear accordingly."
"There's body armor here?" Ishida asked.
"In the crates along the back wall. There's also communications equipment. Take an earpiece and a microphone for your radios. When you're ready, meet me back here. We're moving out in ten. Once we go live, codenames only; always assume our communications are being intercepted and monitored."
As he geared up for the mission, Inui ran through another set of probabilities. With Kaidou's location and status still unknown, there were too many variables to calculate specific outcomes, but the probability of success ranged from 68 to 82 percent. It wasn't perfect, but at least they had the beginning of a plan.
At Temari's signal, they slipped out of the back of the building and into the forest that ran behind the stronghold. "We'll focus on the east side," she said, "but don't let that make you miss signs on the west side. If anything catches your eye, we all hear about it. I'll take point; Pi, you take the rear; Archer, you're in the middle for now."
"Roger that," Ishida and Inui echoed before they all fell silent. The branches and leaves snapping underfoot sounded painfully loud to Inui. It was a wonder every guard in a hundred hard radius didn't come running. It was late enough now that most of the night creatures had retired, but early enough that the birds were not yet singing. In a word, it was silent. Inui didn't like the silence; it set him even more on edge than he already was. "Probability trees are literally watching our path, 0%," muttered to himself.
By the time they reached the ridge marking the midpoint of the forest, they had identified three locations that warranted further investigation: two screened windows on the corner, and one ground-level door that was marked as a fallout shelter. The sun was rising, bringing with it birdsong to break the unnatural silence, but also the promised rain.
"Don't drop your guard," Temari warned as the descended the far side of the ridge. If our predictions are correct, then this half of the stronghold will be better guarded. Rotate positions--Archer, take point; I'll take the rear."
"One possible already," Ishida said as soon as they cleared the ridge. "Ground level doors approximately 50 meters east of the central spire; it looks almost like a root cellar of some sort."
Inui saw the door Ishida mentioned, added it to his mental map, and began calculating new probabilities in the silence before someone found another site.
He froze. Silence. It wasn't silent anymore; the birds had started chirping. Except, they weren't chirping right now. Something had made them stop.
He raised his hand to call a halt for his teammates, and listened more closely. There! Off in the distance, the sound of a branch snapping underfoot. He waited a few more seconds, and there it was again. "We have company," he whispered into his earpiece, "Coming in from your 10 o'clock. Appears to be a single person."
"Fall back," Ishida ordered. "I'll handle this one."
With no time to argue, Inui and Temari ducked behind a nearby boulder. No sooner had the guard stepped into their view then Ishida gave the cross charm on his bracelet a sharp tug, and a hologram bow with laser arrows shimmered into view.
His first shot hit the guard in the tiny, exposed sliver where two plates of armor didn't quite meet. His second shot knocked the radio out of the guard's hand, turning it into a puddle of molten plastic and metal before the guard's body even hit the ground. "They'll come check on him when he doesn't answer his radio; we need to not be here by then."
"Pick up the pace," Temari ordered. "Nice shooting Archer, and credit to you too, Pi; we may not have noticed we had company until too late without you."
They continued skirting the edge of the stronghold, now more aware of possible visitors as they looked for more locations to add to their list. They had a half dozen by midday, but it wasn't until they reached the far corner of the wall that they found a location that rang true for Inui. "There," he said, pointing into the shadows. "Ground level window, double-barred, and recessed such that it would be nearly invisible from anywhere other than here. I'd put my money there."
"I'd agree with that. Can you get us a closer look, Pi?"
Inui lifted the drone out of his bag and switched it on, counting on the sound of falling rain to help mask the whir of its rotors. As soon as it was aloft, he took out a tablet and began typing rapidly on the screen.
"Archer, Windstorm, cover me. Conditions are bad, and the stronghold is notorious for trying to disrupt electronics."
"What do you see?" Ishida asked.
"Give me another minute," Inui muttered. "Almost there...in position...adjusting filters now..."
An image from the other side of the glass finally flickered into focus on screen, and he bit back a gasp. It was grainy and out of focus, but it was also unmistakably Kaidou. Blood or dirt caked one side of his face and streaked down his arms from where they were bound overhead at his wrists. His head hung forward in unconsciousness or sleep. Inui would have feared worse, except even at the low resolution, he could see the slight rise and fall of Kaidou's chest.
"He's there," Inui said, "and he's hurt."
"What are our options for extraction?" Ishida asked.
"If we can get word to our operative in time, he may be able to let us in a service entrance tonight. Otherwise, we'll have to find a door ourselves. Optimal scenario: we bypass the locks on the door and manage to enter unnoticed. Worst case, we have to fight our way in or out," Temari said.
"I think I may see another way," Inui said, squinting at his tablet. "Just to the left of the window. There's an intake vent for the air handlers; it looks like the cover was knocked loose during the earthquake, and no one has fixed it yet. If we're lucky, no one even knows it's damaged yet. Unless it behaves in a completely unexpected manner, it should run along the cell where they're holding Mamushi. If we can get into the vent, we can cut through into the cell from there, and we'll have a direct route for extricating him as well."
"Can you leave one of the cameras and the microphone inside the vent?" Temari asked. "I need to contact our operative and let him know what's going down tonight; if we're lucky, he may be able to provide a distraction to draw attention away from this area. While I do that, the two of you retreat back to a more sheltered location; you're too exposed here, and it's too risky to make our next move until nightfall."
"The quality will be even worse than this," Inui said, "but I can leave us something. If anyone else enters the area, or if they try to move Mamushi, we'll know. With the current weather, night will fall early. I think we should move in as soon as the sun sets."
"Go put yourselves somewhere where you won't be seen by anyone stepping out for a quick smoke then," Temari said, "and get your drone out of here too. I shouldn't be more than an hour. We'll finalize our plan once I return."
"We're coming, Mamushi," Inui muttered as they split off in different directions. "Just hold on a little longer."
"There's a rock formation about seventy yards back in the trees," Ishida said. "There should be places to hide in there, and maybe even to shelter from the rain."
For the next hour, Inui huddled under the overhang of a boulder, clinging on to the grainy stream on his tablet and the knowledge that Mamushi was still there. He didn't look up until Temari returned.
"Good news," Temari said. "Word from our friend in the kitchen says the general is holding a banquet for most of his staff tonight in his dining hall on the west side of the stronghold. The east side will be empty of everyone except the bare minimum of staff starting in about three hours. We'll move in then. Here's how we're going to play it out."
Temari outlined her plan, drawing diagrams in the dirt with a stick. When she finished, she scuffed them clean. "Any questions?" she asked.
"No," Ishida replied. "We'll go on your signal."
"We go when the bell chimes. Until then, do what you need to do. Archer, you and I will alternate lookouts every hour. Pi, keep watching the feed and let us know the second anything happens."
The next several hours seemed to crawl by until Inui was certain he would vibrate out of his skin if he listened to Kaidou breathing one more time. He was about to climb up the rocks and demand someone trade lookout duty to him when the massive bell atop the stronghold's spire tolled. The sound echoed through the earth and into his veins, and his blood answered, hot and buzzing and ready to go.
"Pi, with me. We're moving," Temari hissed. Inui rushed back down the slope after her with Ishida close behind. As soon as they reached the vent, Inui pulled his tools from his pocket and made short work of the damaged bolts. He set the grate aside and followed Temari into the dark tunnel, leaving Ishida outside to stand guard.
"Don't speak unless it's an emergency," Temari whispered as soon as Inui was inside. "I don't know how far these vents reach, and sound carries. The air currents suggest they go significantly farther than just these couple of rooms though."
Inui tapped her shoulder twice for confirmation, then turned his focus to picking his way through the ventilation system without giving them away. The walls pressed in close against him, waiting to ring out at even the smallest slipped elbow or knee. There was barely enough space to lie down; sitting or turning were out of the question.
"Probability this space was designed for human access, <1% Inui thought to himself.
Then, Temari stopped abruptly in front of him, and he nearly crashed into her feet. She hissed a warning before pulling another fan out of the depths of her jacket. Inui couldn't see what she did, but suddenly acrid smoke began filling the vent. He coughed and tried to fan it away with his hand, but that only seemed to make it swirl more thickly. Just when he was beginning to think he would suffocate, the smoke begin to clear, pouring out through the whole that had suddenly appeared on the wall. Temari set the circle of metal she cut out of the vent aside and climbed through, offering a hand to Inui as he wiggled himself free.
Inui forced himself to do a slow scan of the room for any traps before he rushed to his target. "Mamushi," he whispered, "Mamushi, it's me, Pi." When that received no response, he slapped Kaidou gently across the cheek. Kaidou stirred, and Inui clapped a hand over his mouth before he could make any noise. "Mamushi, it's Pi. We're getting you out of here. You need to stay quiet until we're clear. Understand?"
Kaidou nodded, pain and adrenaline both making his breath rapid and shallow now that he was awake.
"Windstorm, I need you over here," Inui whispered. "Hold his arms while I cut these bolts."
It took a little bit of maneuvering, but eventually Kaidou was freed from the wall of his cell, though he still had chains on his wrists and ankles. As soon as he was cut loose, he fell forward on Temari, nearly knocking her over in the process.
"You go into the vent first," Inui said to Temari. "Once you're ready, you'll help me get Mamushi in there too. You and Archer pull from your end, I'll push from mine. As soon as we have Mamushi out, we make directly for our pickup location. Archer can assess status there."
As difficult as crawling in through the tunnels had been, crawling out with a dead weight in front of him was even harder; at least this time he didn't have to worry so much about noise. Their cover only needed to last a little longer. When Mamushi suddenly slid away from him, he assumed Ishida was close enough to help, and with one last burst, he pushed himself out of the vent.
Kaidou slumped propped up against the wall as Ishida looked over him.
"We need to get out of here," Inui hissed.
"He's concussed, has a broken hand, and has lost significant blood. He really shouldn't be moved right now, but since we don't have a choice, we're all going to carry him as I instruct." On his orders, they managed to lift Kaidou across their arms and begin the slow trek back to the base, worrying the entire time that they would run into stronghold guards.
Kaidou didn't stir until they laid him out on a table Ishida had cleared. Then, he reached out and groped blindly until he found Inui's hand. "You came," he whispered.
"Of course I did," Inui replied. "Ishida's going to patch you up now, but I'll be right here. I promise."
Fandoms: Prince of Tennis, Bleach, Naruto
Rating: T
Warnings: earthquakes, kidnapping, dystopia, injuries, implied torture
"Mamushi, do you copy?"
"Loud and clear, Archer," Kaidou replied, but his voice came through the line distorted and garbled by static. Inui frowned and fiddled with a few of the dials on the radio setup on the table before testing again.
"Roger that. Loud and clear here, and awaiting orders," Kaidou said.
Satisfied, Inui handed the microphone off to Ishida for the mission briefing.
"Orders stand as given. Hold your current position until nightfall," Ishida began. "Additional weapons and gear will be in the drop behind the market by 16:00. Move in at 23:00; your mission is to acquire the target and immediately return to your current location. The signal beacon will be lit at 02:00 hours. Use it to cover your retreat to this base. Should you need immediate rescue, send up a red signal flare from your location."
"Roger that," Kaidou said. "Mamushi out."
"What do we have by way of surveillance during the op?" Inui asked Ishida.
"One of our agents is leaving an earpiece and goggles with a camera feed in the drop. Rumor and initial reports suggest the stronghold has shielding and/or jamming in place, so we may lose contact with Mamushi once he's inside, but we'll have eyes and ears before and after that. Most of our agents are still at the central base preparing to move on the capitol. We have three agents currently in this city, but two are long-term spies. Command isn't willing to risk their cover for one op. If the weather holds, we may be able to get a drone up for additional visual if you have one ready."
"They're technically all in use or requisitioned by headquarters, but I'll have one available by 18:00," Inui said, already planning what he would need to make that happen.
"You're fretting," Ishida said, turning on Inui. "Mamushi is one of our best operatives."
"He's also one person breaking into an known enemy stronghold alone."
"One person is more likely to be able to get in and out unnoticed."
"Things can always go wrong."
"Don't let the personal color your judgment, Pi," Ishida snapped. "I need to review mission parameters and probabilities one more time and finish this report. Go worry about your boyfriend somewhere else."
If Inui were Kaidou, he would have hissed. He wasn't, so he imagined Kaidou hissing on his behalf, adjusted his glasses, and walked out of the command room without another word. Ishida may have been one of the best tacticians they had, and a renowned sharpshooter back when he was a field agent, but that didn't make him any less infuriating to work with. He had an almost unnatural ability to get under everyone's skin, which Inui supposed, was why they had stationed him at this remote satellite base rather than at the main headquarters where his talents would likely have been of more use. All the talent in the world did no good if one was murdered by ones team after one infuriating dry jab too many.
Inui rubbed his temples. While spite could be a good motivator, it wasn't conducive to fiddly technical work, which was what would help Kaidou most right now. All of the official drones may have been in use, but there were enough spare parts and pieces he had salvaged from the scrap heap lying around that he was certain he could piece together a perfectly functional piece of equipment in time for tonight's operation. It wouldn't have any fancy capabilities, but that wasn't necessary for this mission. All he needed was another set of eyes overhead to give Kaidou a little more advanced warning (and to give him the piece of mind of being able to track the operative (at least when he was outdoors and aboveground) without cluttering the radio waves with chatter and causing a distraction).
He sat down at his workbench and started sorting through his piles. It was easy to lose himself in the maze of circuits and stray components waiting to be assembled, and to let the acrid smoke and quicksilver of solder burn his frustration away.
By late afternoon, his drone was nearly done. All that was left was to attach the final backup power supply, and then do one final test.
He adjusted the clamps on his bench to hold all of the pieces exactly where he wanted them. Then, the shaking started. At first, he thought it was just another explosion coming from the firing range, as happened on a not infrequent basis, but rather than fading, the shaking intensified.
As cracks formed on the ceiling and plaster started flaking down on him, he dove under his bench, grabbing his nearly-finished drone almost as an afterthought. It wasn't the first time an earthquake had struck in this area, but as the seconds dragged on, it rapidly climbed toward the longest Inui had experienced. By his judgment, it was close to magnitude 6, which would also make it one of the strongest on record for the area. The tremor sent most of the contents of his work station crashing to the floor. He threw up a hand to protect his face from the flying debris and winced when he made contact with the still-hot soldering iron. He kicked the offending object under the facing desk and shoved his hand in his moth. In theory, there was a sink almost directly over him, but he couldn't risk venturing out until things calmed.
The shaking continued until Inui began to have serious concerns over the structural integrity of the building. Judging by the crashes he heard around him, they had lost multiple windows, and probably most of the freestanding cabinets that always seemed to multiple the minute there was a square meter of open space in a lab. Even after the initial shaking finally stopped, Inui stayed in his position under the desk. It would probably be safe to come out in a few more minutes, but he wanted to make sure it was really over, and he would rather any final things hanging by threads in the building would get their falling out of the way before he was walking under them.
"Probability at least one floor of this building is deemed unstable and closed until repairs can be made: 85%. Probability entire building is condemned: 45%"
A sudden thought occurred to him like a cold punch in the gut. "Probability Kaidou's base remained standing in this quake: 7%." He pulled up his mental map of the location, overlaid it with the topographical maps he had studied, the reports of street traffic and surrounding buildings, the likely behavior of the local population in the event of a natural disaster such as this, and Kaidou's devotion to seeing a mission through. "Probability Kaidou fled the city and is en route back here or to the main regional headquarters: 6% Probability Kaidou is still in the city and intends to attempt the planned operation tonight: 73%"
He thought through everything he knew about the enemy stationed at the stronghold, both the confirmed facts and the stories that were so far only hearsay. As was so often the case, even with operatives in or near the stronghold on a regular basis, the vast majority of stories remained nothing more than just that--unconfirmed stories--but as the well known adage said, there was no smoke without a fire. Even if only a fifth of those stories were true, and even if each of those true stories exaggerated the exact events by 35%, he was still left with an alarming picture. The stronghold wasn't a military base in the common sense of the word, but it was rumored to house the most valuable and most deadly of the military's weapons and decommissioned projects. It was rumored that the enemy's special forces would frequently retire to the stronghold when they reached the end of their active service years.
"Probability Kaidou is captured by the enemy: 78%"
Forgetting about the mess on the lab floor and the potential risk from downed wires, broken glass, and spilled chemicals, Inui picked his way across the room to the one lone window in the wall. The glass was covered in a spiderweb of cracks that made it difficult to see too much out of it. It had a view of both Kaidou's hideout and the stronghold; smoke and patches of fire further obscured the view, but when he scanned the sky off in the distance where the stronghold's radio tower pierced the sky, he saw no signal flares hanging in the sky. That could mean Kaidou had already been captured of course, or that he was injured and trapped under a pile of rubble, but he could also be fine.
Inui chose to hold onto the latter thought as he picked his way out of the lab and went in search of Ishida. They needed to reevaluate the mission parameters.
It was slow going, with Inui stopping every few feet to scan the terrain before him, evaluate the clearest paths, and calculate probabilities of structural weakness. He knew he had committed the blueprints for the building, right down to pipes and electric circuits, to memory for a reason.
He found Ishida in the central control room staring at a wall of monitors. All but one was dark.
"Power out?" Inui asked.
"What does it look like?" Ishida snapped. "Explosion in the west lab took out the backup power supply. Generator appears to still be running, but the line connecting it to the rest of the building is down. Main power supply is down at the source; they shut off the plant for safety until they can inspect the generators and the transmission lines. Status of the local power lines between there and here is unclear at this point."
"Other systems?"
"Battery backup has kept the fire alarm system online. Water appears to be running, so fire suppression is still intact. Potability of water unclear at this point; take appropriate precautions until further notice. Internet is down, unclear where the damage originated. At least three local cellular towers came down; cellular service is offline, which brought down most of our communications network. Landline to headquarters is also down; most likely culprit is landslides near where it enters the mountains. Satellite communication remains operable, though spotty in this location at this point. I put through a request to reposition a node near this location until other communication channels are restored."
"What about our operatives in the area?"
"Everyone in this building is accounted for. A few minor injuries from falling debris or spills, but we were lucky. Most staff outside of core security personnel are preparing to evacuate to regional headquarters to await further instruction. Downed communications has cut off communication with most of our field operatives. Initial observation and prior knowledge support the stronghold coming out relatively unscathed. Lights are still on in the communication towers above the building, so they have a backup power supply online. Until we hear otherwise, we are operating under the assumption the operatives we have inside are continuing as before. We will wait for them to confirm; we do not risk attempting contact from our end unless at least seventy-two hours have elapsed with no word.
"Our operatives stationed in the city were meeting at the time of the earthquake. All three of them are accounted for. One found a functional landline to send word to us. She couldn't say much due to possible surveillance of the line, but two of them are available for future orders. One is temporarily out of commission after a railing collapsed on his ankle, but he has chosen to remain in his position in the city while he recovers. Two operatives were en route to headquarters to deliver the weekly reports. They contacted headquarters directly; they are okay, but the road took significant damage. Headquarters is sending out a retrieval team. That leaves only one operative still unaccounted for."
"Kaidou," Inui said.
Ishida nodded. "The same operative who reported to us from the city is currently en route to his last known location. If he's there, she will order him to hold and await further orders. If he's not, we go from there."
"Probability that building remained standing in an earthquake of this magnitude, less than ten percent," Inui said flatly. "He's not going to be there."
"We check anyway," Ishida replied. "We're taking this by the book."
"What if he's hurt?"
"If he's well enough to travel, we'll find him when he shows up here. If he's not, Temari will find him when she arrives there."
"What if he was already scouting on location for tonight's planned operation?"
"Hopefully Temari will find some sign to tell us that too, though if Kaidou has any brain at all, he'll wait for confirmation of his orders before proceeding."
"If past data are any indication, security personnel from the stronghold are frequently sent out into the city to assist emergency personnel in the immediate aftermath of any disaster. That could leave a gap in the security at the stronghold itself."
"And the security that is there will be on edge and prepared for possible trouble. Additionally, past data suggest at least a 50% chance the building is on lockdown at least until sunrise tomorrow. If Kaidou goes in there with no backup, no communication, and without confirming his orders, he's even more of an idiot than I thought."
Inui disagreed with Ishida on the last point. By his calculations, there was an 85% probability Kaidou would abort the mission after observing and evaluating the situation; he wasn't an idiot after all, no matter what Ishida may think, but he knew Kaidou. When given what could be an opening, Kaidou would seize it with both hands. In the aftermath of the earthquake, he would have seen the possibility for decreased on site security and even possibly structural damage to the stronghold and moved in to investigate. He wouldn't try to enter the building yet, but he'd be close.
"He could be in trouble," Inui said. "I give that probability just over 75%. Would you abandon him?"
"What would you have us do?" Ishida asked, finally turning away from the computers. "We don't know where he is, what his status is, or where's he's headed. We have no way to contact him, and neither the means nor the justification to launch a large scale search at this time. As soon as we have more information, we can reevaluate and create an action plan. Until then, we'd only create more liabilities. And what are you holding?"
Inui looked down at the drone he was hugging to his chest. He couldn't remember why he had taken it with him from the lab, only that it had seemed important at the time. "Drone," he replied. "I was planning to use it tonight to enhance visual support on the operation. We could use it to help find Kaidou now!"
"What are the capabilities?"
"Infrared, normal visible light, and low light. No scratch that," Inui said as he set the drone down and inspected it. "Low light camera was damaged at some point since installation. The other two still appear fine. The main power supply will run all systems for four hours under normal conditions. Backup power supply to the flight system can handle movement only for another hour. Cameras currently have no backup power; that part of the project was unfinished at the time of the earthquake."
"Four hours isn't enough time for a broad search. If word comes that he, or any of our other operatives, need help, we can use it for support. Until then, the best use of resources is to await further instructions and information here and begin cleanup and inspections." He looked sharply at Inui. "You're injured," he said, pointing to Inui's hand. "Why didn't you say so before?"
Inui looked down. As if on cue, the burn on his palm started throbbing again. Truth be told, he had forgotten all about it since the moment he realized Kaidou could be in danger. "A soldering iron fell off a workbench during the earthquake. It's only a minor burn; I didn't think about it."
Ishida glared at him and pulled a first aid kit out from under the desk. "I'll be the judge of minor," he said. "Small maybe, but soldering irons are known for running extremely hot."
In a matter of seconds, he had the first aid kit open and everything he needed set out on a corner of free workspace. With the amount of time he spent in front of computers managing their research programs, it was easy to forget that Ishida had not always been there. If one did remember, one was more likely to think of the years before his shift to research when he had been one of the best sharpshooters in the field. Very few people remembered that Ishida had grown up in the medical world; the son of one of the top doctors in the military prior to his defection.
Calculating that his chances of escaping Ishida's ministrations were near zero, Inui cut his losses and offered his hand for inspection. After poking and prodding and turning it this way and that, Ishida seemed to conclude that it was in fact not in imminent danger, and he had cleaned and bandaged the small wound before Inui could even articulate a protest. As much as he hated to admit it, his hand did feel better after Ishida was done. Not that he would admit it, the data scientist may have been brilliant, but he was also insufferably smug.
"I've started on an analysis of building structure and damages," Ishida said once the first aid kit was cleared away. "Most of the sensors have either been knocked offline or damaged, but I was able to pull data from some on the upper floors and east wing. I've been overlaying those with the blueprints and reports from those who were onsite to create a preliminary map of the damage. You were the only person in your area, so any data you can add would be appreciated. Once that was done, I was going to begin a walkthrough of the other areas to add to the report. I could use your assistance there if you're willing; if we work fast enough, we may be able to have a preliminary report ready to send to headquarters by the time Temari reports back."
Inui studied the blueprint Ishida had up onscreen. "This is out of date," he said. "The plumbing around the east wall was rerouted last year after the sewage incident, and in the process they upgraded the wiring coming out of the main circuit panel."
"It's the most recent blueprint we had on this computer," Ishida said dryly, "and seeing how this is the only computer in here with its own local backup power supply, it's the best we have. If you see anything that's changed significantly, make a note of it, but otherwise, this will have to suffice for the initial report."
"The second floor corridor on the west wing is no longer continuous," Inui said after a moment. "When they added the laboratory facilities to handle suspected biological and chemical weapons, they sealed off that space from the rest of the floor. Access is now only from the far stairwell, which also no longer connects to other floors. Additionally, after the incident last summer, fire doors were installed in most of the basement and around the server room on the first floor. All of them would have come down in the earthquake, and without power, there's no way to raise them again."
"Then we split up the areas outside of that. It should have locked down automatically, but if it didn't, don't enter the second floor biochemical weapons space until a hazmat team can clear it. You take the rest of the second floor. I'll take the first floor. There should be a couple of two-way radios around here we can use to communicate. We'll keep each other appraised of our positions and come back here when we finish to make the report."
"Radios should be in the bottom drawer on your left," Inui said. "Flashlights should be in there too. I changed all of the batteries last week."
Ishida took out the radios, tuned them to the correct channel, and tossed one and a flashlight to Inui. "Be careful," he said. "Keep in contact, don't take any undue risks, and keep an eye out for any surprise visitors. Bring a weapon if you have one, just in case."
"This isn't my first time," Inui said. "I know the drill. Unless there is something truly unexpected, it should take me approximately 75 minutes to clear the second floor. Until then, the same goes for you. Be careful."
They left, splitting off in opposite directions. Inui shoved his radio into his pocket, keeping one hand free. Ishida held his radio in one hand, his flashlight in the other. A glancing light reflected off of the silver cross on the bracelet he always wore, only the edge of it visible between his flashlight and his palm. "So you're human too," Inui thought. "You may do your best to hide it, but you have nervous tics just like the rest of us." Somehow, the thought settled him as he stepped into the dark stairwell.
As slow as his original trip from his workspace to the command center had been, the return trip was slower. He was more concerned with gathering data now to add to the report, and what little natural light there had been earlier had faded, leaving him with only the narrow beam of his flashlight to light his way. Perhaps he was collecting more data than Ishida wanted or needed, but the alternative was thinking about what could happen next. Yes, someone needed to document the damage to the building, but there was no reason it couldn't wait until it was light again. He knew busy work when he saw it, and this definitely qualified. Unfortunately, he couldn't even be too irritated at Ishida for giving it to him.
Despite the scattered papers, overturned shelves, and broken equipment littering the floors, and the cracked plaster flaking from the walls and ceilings, the areas he walked through appeared to have been spared significant structural damage. It would take a trained architect to confirm that, but the initial conclusion that the floor was not going to collapse under him made him move more easily. As Ishida updated him on his status, Inui updated his mental map of Ishida's location and progress. They were both making good time, and if their current paces held, they would make it back to their starting location at roughly the same time.
As Inui turned down the final hallway, he noticed movement out on the road. He immediately switched off his flashlight and pressed himself to the wall. When no shots were fired and no noticeable alarm was raised, he inched closer to the window until he could just make out the figure coming down the path. She absently flicked the fan she held open and closed. Inui knew the gesture to be not nearly so innocent as it appeared; her fan was made of steel, heavy enough to break bones with a solid strike. The ends of most ribs were sharpened into razor points, just like the ends of the pins holding her hair, and she wasn't above dipping them in poison when the situation warranted it.
"Pi to Archer," he said into his radio, "Windstorm approaching from the main road, traveling alone, ETA approximately two minutes. Change plans and make your way to the front entrance. You're closer; I'll meet you in the command room in five."
"Roger that, Pi," Ishida confirmed. "Changing route to the entrance now."
With every step, Inui wished he could move faster, but tripping now and breaking an ankle would only cost him more.
By the time he made it back to the command room, Ishida and Temari were already waiting.
"Report," Inui ordered.
Ishida held up a hand. "Give me a minute," he said as he fiddled with the old satellite phone. "I'm looping headquarters in on this too. It'll save us time. Commander, do you copy?"
"Clear enough," the commander replied. "Windstorm, report."
"As Mamushi was the only operative in the area unaccounted for after the earthquake, I went to his last known location. The building collapsed in the earthquake, but there were no signs of anyone trapped in the building. I then proceeded to the drop location in the city where equipment for an operation had been left for him. The drop was empty, and an informant nearby stated they had seen someone matching Mamushi's description in the area approximately ninety minutes before the earthquake. On the basis of that information, rather than reporting directly back to base, I chose to detour past the known vantage points that we have used for scouting the stronghold in the past. Security personnel were out in force on the road, and I also observed signs of increased presence in the forest behind the stronghold, though I was able to slip through unnoticed there. I did not find Mamushi, but I did find signs of a struggle on the overlook on the ridge in the forest including a broken buckle consistent with those on Mamushi's vest. It is my belief at this point that Mamushi picked up his gear from the drop and proceeded directly to the outlook to scout in preparation for tonight's operation. He would have been there when the earthquake hit, and I believe he was captured by security personnel in their initial sweep immediately following."
"I told you he was in trouble!" Inui snapped.
"And now we have something concrete we can work from," Ishida countered. "Windstorm, do you have any insight on where Mamushi is likely to be now?"
"With the damage to the communications systems, getting word from our operatives inside the stronghold has been even more difficult than usual. If they know anything, the earliest we can expect to hear about it is with the morning supplies delivery. If it is warranted, we can also try to send a message to them updating them on the situation at that point. Although we don't have complete blueprints, our operatives have managed to create a decent floor plan of the stronghold for us. In addition to the aboveground levels, most of which are devoted to housing and administration, there are three underground levels. The lowest extends under only part of the building and is a heavily reinforced saferoom. The general and his closest staff would have retreated there as soon as the earthquake hit, and they will most likely remain there until the initial aftermath of the quake has been dealt with. We have almost no information on the second basement level, but it is rumored to be a firing range and munitions testing ground. If Mamushi is in the stronghold, he would most likely be in the first basement level. That houses their prison cells and intelligence and interrogation unit. Although it's called the basement level, it's not fully underground. They're double-barred and screened, but there are a couple of windows at ground level on the east side of the building that would fall at the very top of that floor. Our information on that floor is also limited, but we suspect the holding cells are also on the east side of the building as that would keep them as far away from the general's quarters as possible."
"So we need to go rescue him. What's stopping us from leaving now?" Inui said.
"Hold, Pi," the commander ordered. "Windstorm, do you believe Mamushi is still alive at this point?"
"Yes. At the point of his capture, he would have had equipment on his person that identified him as an enemy operative. They won't kill him until they've tried to learn what he knows. He won't be an easy nut to crack; given their track record in the past, I estimate we have at least thirty-six hours before they dispose of him. Significantly longer if he's smart about it and gives them just enough to keep them interested."
The commander sighed. "Given the state of the roads, we can't have any units out to you for thirty-six to forty-eight hours. It would be faster by air, but we're receiving reports of the army mobilizing to the west; all of our air units are currently occupied investigating. Windstorm, do you believe you could put together a rescue mission with the assets you currently have on site?"
Temari steepled her fingers as she thought. "It won't be easy, but if we can locate Mamushi, I believe we could manage extraction with the units we currently have, especially if we can secure assistance from one of our operatives within the stronghold. Send a support unit, and if all goes well, they will assist after the initial rescue."
"What's our timeline?" Ishida asked.
"We won't be able to make contact within the stronghold until tomorrow morning. I'll prepare that communication tonight. Other than that, I propose we rest tonight and make our first moves in the morning. Tomorrow, we will scout the stronghold and try to identify where Mamushi is being held. From what I overheard today, the security personnel currently in the city will remain there at least through tomorrow night. If we can locate our target and approach tomorrow, then we move in tomorrow night."
"Why not tonight?" Inui demanded. "We're wasting time."
"We're not wasting time," Ishida countered. "We're moving as quickly as is advisable. Rushing in without a plan and with no support in place will only get us captured. As Windstorm said, we still have time. We move tomorrow once we're ready."
"Commander, your thoughts?" Temari asked.
"I'll sign off on your plan. Windstorm, you have the best grasp of the city, you're in charge. Delegate as you see fit. I can spare two units to assist; expect them at your current location two days from now. If you need them elsewhere, send word. I'm thinking one ranger and one medical?"
"Two rangers," Ishida said. "I'll cover the medical, but be prepared that we may need medical evacuation to a hospital. I'll coordinate through the rangers should that become necessary."
"Keep me updated where possible," the commander said. "Over and out."
Temari turned to the other two. "I need to go back into the city to give a message to the merchants to pass on to the stronghold. Depending on the security in the city, I may stay in the shipping district overnight. If I'm not back here by midnight, then meet me at the munitions store near the west gate two hours before dawn. I want to make our initial sweep under cover of night. What do we have by way of surveillance equipment?"
"Limited," Ishida replied. "Assuming they weren't damaged, we have a few pairs of binoculars with good filters available. Most of our electronics were damaged or are currently offline, but Inui cobbled together most of a drone this afternoon that we may be able to use."
"It's not much," Inui said, holding it out for inspection, "but if we can get close enough, we can hopefully put it to use. It has a 250-meter range under normal conditions, but that will drop to about fifty within the perimeter of the stronghold. They'll try to disable it completely, but the shielding and repeaters I added to this should at least keep it in the air. The battery life is only about four hours, so we'll need to be selective about using it."
"While I'm out, see what else you can dig up or cobble together here. Specifically, I'd like a low-profile camera we can leave if we find a good location, and anything that could give us audio. Once you're done with that, try to get some rest. We have enough liabilities as is; I don't want to add sleep deprivation on top of them."
"If you do stay in the city, send word if you can," Ishida said. "Otherwise, we'll see you either tonight or early tomorrow. Godspeed and watch your back."
"The same to both of you."
Once Temari left, Ishida looked at his watch. "Two hours," he said. "We do as much as we can by midnight, and if Temari isn't back by then, we rest. I'll take the search for other equipment while you work on your drone. How much do you have left?"
"Removing the broken lens; if you stumble across a new one, I'll replace it; otherwise, it will run with just the two cameras. Given the current mission parameters, I'm optimizing for speed and agility over endurance. I'll remove the secondary backup power supply mounts entirely and pare down the primary backup to the bare minimum."
"Do you have everything you'll need here?"
"If I can borrow the power supply from your computer to run a soldering iron, then yes," Inui replied.
Ishida shrugged. "Take it, but don't use it any more than you have too; we don't know how long it will need to last. Remember, two hours at most."
Inui set his flashlight on the table and went to work, tuning out everything around him. Cut a wire here, twist in a new wire there, Inui was so engrossed in his work that someone tapped him on the shoulder before he even realized he wasn't alone anymore. He twisted around, ready to use his soldering iron as a weapon.
Ishida stepped back, hands raised. "It's just me. It's almost midnight now; Temari just sent word; she'll meet us in the city in the morning. I found a couple of sleeping bags that aren't too covered in dust. We can bunk here tonight; I've set an alarm for tomorrow. How is the drone going."
"97% complete. I need to rebalance the rotor, but then it should be complete. Give me six minutes."
"Turn off the light when you're done," Ishida said, already climbing into one of the sleeping bags he had laid out on the floor.
Five minutes and forty-six seconds later, Inui did the same. Despite the endless scenarios and probabilities running through his head, he was asleep as soon as his head hit the floor.
All too soon, Ishida's shrill alarm jolted him awake. It was still dark without even the earliest hints of dawn as they packed their bags and left the building. Their breath fogged in small clouds in front of them. They slipped into the city proper silently, picking their way from shadow to shadow in the dark streets. The only other sounds this early were the heavy tread of the security patrols. Whenever they heard on nearby, they reversed course. It was risky enough to be caught breaking curfew even on a good day. Being caught during a partial lockdown while everyone was on high alert and while carrying highly illegal surveillance equipment would be a disaster.
Despite a few close calls, they made it to the meeting point with half an hour to spare. Temari was already there, materializing out of the shadows as they approached. After a quick glance down the street, she waved them inside. "How did you do?" she asked.
"Drone is fully operable," Inui said, patting the bag on his back.
"I found two cameras that fit your specifications," Ishida added. "One will blend in to dirt or grass; the other can mount on any flat surface. We had fewer choices for audio, but I found one possibility. It doesn't have much by way of filtering capabilities, but it can be mounted onto either of the cameras. Given the interference around the stronghold, I doubt we'll be able to make out any specific conversations, but we should be able to identify number of voices and relative proximity."
"That will be good enough," Temari said. "Word will be reaching our operative in the kitchen right about now. He'll be ready to assist in whatever way he can tonight; if has any relevant information to pass on, he'll send it out via the midday supply train. Before first light, we will scout the perimeter of the stronghold and identify the areas that warrant closer investigation. We'll use the drone for that. The weather today is supposed to stay cool with rain starting mid-morning; hopefully that will make it easier for us to move around unnoticed. I've already taken what I wanted from the supplies here; you should do the same. Remember, military and security personnel at the stronghold prefer knives and lasers to guns. Plan your gear accordingly."
"There's body armor here?" Ishida asked.
"In the crates along the back wall. There's also communications equipment. Take an earpiece and a microphone for your radios. When you're ready, meet me back here. We're moving out in ten. Once we go live, codenames only; always assume our communications are being intercepted and monitored."
As he geared up for the mission, Inui ran through another set of probabilities. With Kaidou's location and status still unknown, there were too many variables to calculate specific outcomes, but the probability of success ranged from 68 to 82 percent. It wasn't perfect, but at least they had the beginning of a plan.
At Temari's signal, they slipped out of the back of the building and into the forest that ran behind the stronghold. "We'll focus on the east side," she said, "but don't let that make you miss signs on the west side. If anything catches your eye, we all hear about it. I'll take point; Pi, you take the rear; Archer, you're in the middle for now."
"Roger that," Ishida and Inui echoed before they all fell silent. The branches and leaves snapping underfoot sounded painfully loud to Inui. It was a wonder every guard in a hundred hard radius didn't come running. It was late enough now that most of the night creatures had retired, but early enough that the birds were not yet singing. In a word, it was silent. Inui didn't like the silence; it set him even more on edge than he already was. "Probability trees are literally watching our path, 0%," muttered to himself.
By the time they reached the ridge marking the midpoint of the forest, they had identified three locations that warranted further investigation: two screened windows on the corner, and one ground-level door that was marked as a fallout shelter. The sun was rising, bringing with it birdsong to break the unnatural silence, but also the promised rain.
"Don't drop your guard," Temari warned as the descended the far side of the ridge. If our predictions are correct, then this half of the stronghold will be better guarded. Rotate positions--Archer, take point; I'll take the rear."
"One possible already," Ishida said as soon as they cleared the ridge. "Ground level doors approximately 50 meters east of the central spire; it looks almost like a root cellar of some sort."
Inui saw the door Ishida mentioned, added it to his mental map, and began calculating new probabilities in the silence before someone found another site.
He froze. Silence. It wasn't silent anymore; the birds had started chirping. Except, they weren't chirping right now. Something had made them stop.
He raised his hand to call a halt for his teammates, and listened more closely. There! Off in the distance, the sound of a branch snapping underfoot. He waited a few more seconds, and there it was again. "We have company," he whispered into his earpiece, "Coming in from your 10 o'clock. Appears to be a single person."
"Fall back," Ishida ordered. "I'll handle this one."
With no time to argue, Inui and Temari ducked behind a nearby boulder. No sooner had the guard stepped into their view then Ishida gave the cross charm on his bracelet a sharp tug, and a hologram bow with laser arrows shimmered into view.
His first shot hit the guard in the tiny, exposed sliver where two plates of armor didn't quite meet. His second shot knocked the radio out of the guard's hand, turning it into a puddle of molten plastic and metal before the guard's body even hit the ground. "They'll come check on him when he doesn't answer his radio; we need to not be here by then."
"Pick up the pace," Temari ordered. "Nice shooting Archer, and credit to you too, Pi; we may not have noticed we had company until too late without you."
They continued skirting the edge of the stronghold, now more aware of possible visitors as they looked for more locations to add to their list. They had a half dozen by midday, but it wasn't until they reached the far corner of the wall that they found a location that rang true for Inui. "There," he said, pointing into the shadows. "Ground level window, double-barred, and recessed such that it would be nearly invisible from anywhere other than here. I'd put my money there."
"I'd agree with that. Can you get us a closer look, Pi?"
Inui lifted the drone out of his bag and switched it on, counting on the sound of falling rain to help mask the whir of its rotors. As soon as it was aloft, he took out a tablet and began typing rapidly on the screen.
"Archer, Windstorm, cover me. Conditions are bad, and the stronghold is notorious for trying to disrupt electronics."
"What do you see?" Ishida asked.
"Give me another minute," Inui muttered. "Almost there...in position...adjusting filters now..."
An image from the other side of the glass finally flickered into focus on screen, and he bit back a gasp. It was grainy and out of focus, but it was also unmistakably Kaidou. Blood or dirt caked one side of his face and streaked down his arms from where they were bound overhead at his wrists. His head hung forward in unconsciousness or sleep. Inui would have feared worse, except even at the low resolution, he could see the slight rise and fall of Kaidou's chest.
"He's there," Inui said, "and he's hurt."
"What are our options for extraction?" Ishida asked.
"If we can get word to our operative in time, he may be able to let us in a service entrance tonight. Otherwise, we'll have to find a door ourselves. Optimal scenario: we bypass the locks on the door and manage to enter unnoticed. Worst case, we have to fight our way in or out," Temari said.
"I think I may see another way," Inui said, squinting at his tablet. "Just to the left of the window. There's an intake vent for the air handlers; it looks like the cover was knocked loose during the earthquake, and no one has fixed it yet. If we're lucky, no one even knows it's damaged yet. Unless it behaves in a completely unexpected manner, it should run along the cell where they're holding Mamushi. If we can get into the vent, we can cut through into the cell from there, and we'll have a direct route for extricating him as well."
"Can you leave one of the cameras and the microphone inside the vent?" Temari asked. "I need to contact our operative and let him know what's going down tonight; if we're lucky, he may be able to provide a distraction to draw attention away from this area. While I do that, the two of you retreat back to a more sheltered location; you're too exposed here, and it's too risky to make our next move until nightfall."
"The quality will be even worse than this," Inui said, "but I can leave us something. If anyone else enters the area, or if they try to move Mamushi, we'll know. With the current weather, night will fall early. I think we should move in as soon as the sun sets."
"Go put yourselves somewhere where you won't be seen by anyone stepping out for a quick smoke then," Temari said, "and get your drone out of here too. I shouldn't be more than an hour. We'll finalize our plan once I return."
"We're coming, Mamushi," Inui muttered as they split off in different directions. "Just hold on a little longer."
"There's a rock formation about seventy yards back in the trees," Ishida said. "There should be places to hide in there, and maybe even to shelter from the rain."
For the next hour, Inui huddled under the overhang of a boulder, clinging on to the grainy stream on his tablet and the knowledge that Mamushi was still there. He didn't look up until Temari returned.
"Good news," Temari said. "Word from our friend in the kitchen says the general is holding a banquet for most of his staff tonight in his dining hall on the west side of the stronghold. The east side will be empty of everyone except the bare minimum of staff starting in about three hours. We'll move in then. Here's how we're going to play it out."
Temari outlined her plan, drawing diagrams in the dirt with a stick. When she finished, she scuffed them clean. "Any questions?" she asked.
"No," Ishida replied. "We'll go on your signal."
"We go when the bell chimes. Until then, do what you need to do. Archer, you and I will alternate lookouts every hour. Pi, keep watching the feed and let us know the second anything happens."
The next several hours seemed to crawl by until Inui was certain he would vibrate out of his skin if he listened to Kaidou breathing one more time. He was about to climb up the rocks and demand someone trade lookout duty to him when the massive bell atop the stronghold's spire tolled. The sound echoed through the earth and into his veins, and his blood answered, hot and buzzing and ready to go.
"Pi, with me. We're moving," Temari hissed. Inui rushed back down the slope after her with Ishida close behind. As soon as they reached the vent, Inui pulled his tools from his pocket and made short work of the damaged bolts. He set the grate aside and followed Temari into the dark tunnel, leaving Ishida outside to stand guard.
"Don't speak unless it's an emergency," Temari whispered as soon as Inui was inside. "I don't know how far these vents reach, and sound carries. The air currents suggest they go significantly farther than just these couple of rooms though."
Inui tapped her shoulder twice for confirmation, then turned his focus to picking his way through the ventilation system without giving them away. The walls pressed in close against him, waiting to ring out at even the smallest slipped elbow or knee. There was barely enough space to lie down; sitting or turning were out of the question.
"Probability this space was designed for human access, <1% Inui thought to himself.
Then, Temari stopped abruptly in front of him, and he nearly crashed into her feet. She hissed a warning before pulling another fan out of the depths of her jacket. Inui couldn't see what she did, but suddenly acrid smoke began filling the vent. He coughed and tried to fan it away with his hand, but that only seemed to make it swirl more thickly. Just when he was beginning to think he would suffocate, the smoke begin to clear, pouring out through the whole that had suddenly appeared on the wall. Temari set the circle of metal she cut out of the vent aside and climbed through, offering a hand to Inui as he wiggled himself free.
Inui forced himself to do a slow scan of the room for any traps before he rushed to his target. "Mamushi," he whispered, "Mamushi, it's me, Pi." When that received no response, he slapped Kaidou gently across the cheek. Kaidou stirred, and Inui clapped a hand over his mouth before he could make any noise. "Mamushi, it's Pi. We're getting you out of here. You need to stay quiet until we're clear. Understand?"
Kaidou nodded, pain and adrenaline both making his breath rapid and shallow now that he was awake.
"Windstorm, I need you over here," Inui whispered. "Hold his arms while I cut these bolts."
It took a little bit of maneuvering, but eventually Kaidou was freed from the wall of his cell, though he still had chains on his wrists and ankles. As soon as he was cut loose, he fell forward on Temari, nearly knocking her over in the process.
"You go into the vent first," Inui said to Temari. "Once you're ready, you'll help me get Mamushi in there too. You and Archer pull from your end, I'll push from mine. As soon as we have Mamushi out, we make directly for our pickup location. Archer can assess status there."
As difficult as crawling in through the tunnels had been, crawling out with a dead weight in front of him was even harder; at least this time he didn't have to worry so much about noise. Their cover only needed to last a little longer. When Mamushi suddenly slid away from him, he assumed Ishida was close enough to help, and with one last burst, he pushed himself out of the vent.
Kaidou slumped propped up against the wall as Ishida looked over him.
"We need to get out of here," Inui hissed.
"He's concussed, has a broken hand, and has lost significant blood. He really shouldn't be moved right now, but since we don't have a choice, we're all going to carry him as I instruct." On his orders, they managed to lift Kaidou across their arms and begin the slow trek back to the base, worrying the entire time that they would run into stronghold guards.
Kaidou didn't stir until they laid him out on a table Ishida had cleared. Then, he reached out and groped blindly until he found Inui's hand. "You came," he whispered.
"Of course I did," Inui replied. "Ishida's going to patch you up now, but I'll be right here. I promise."