liamc2

[size=1] [b] Briefing: ETA Three Hours [:Hercules ahead of Schedule:] [/b] ?As you know, the purpose of this mission is to retrieve the hostage, Karen.? Matt pointed to a photograph projected through the lightpro. ?Speed is of the essence. From what we?ve seen so far, the Triad are not above using failsafe explosives, so we must assume that their Colombian contacts have the same tactics. ?The Colombian government has?graciously?informed us that parachuting through that airspace is impossible, especially with weapons. This is because the connections apparently have airspace control and regular helicopter flyovers. Apparently they tolerate archaeologists investigating ruins nearby as long as they get a cut of the profits. However, no weapon is allowed within an eighty-kilometre radius. ?Our base camp, Callum and an assortment of technicians, are already ahead of us, having been flown in by jet with all their ?archaeological? equipment. They will be set up and ready for us by the time we?ve hiked from our drop point. It will take us approximately a day to arrive at our base camp, and half a day to more to reach our target.? Matt switched images to a satellite image of the Colombian jungle. There were three locations flagged, and a faint red circle fanning out from the centre point. ?What you see now is the area under the Colombian Triad?s control. The intense blood red at the centre is the location of our destination, a fortified base equipped mainly for drug manufacture. As this circle?s intensity fades, as does the level of control or frequency of patrols. You will note that our drop point is well away from the circle, and the base camp is only just pink.? Matt pointed to a tiny clearing halfway between the drop point and base camp. ?This is our halfway point. According to our Intel it is clean, an abandoned Colombian Military post, from back in the day when they actually bothered to try and take down the drug lords. We can rest here for a while before moving on. I might as well tell you now, this point here is our only break. Before and after this point there will be no unnecessary conversation or otherwise. It is a scorcher of a day, predicted to be around forty to forty-five degrees Celsius; hence any unnecessary chatter will lower your hydration levels. Due to the nature of what we?re carrying, water will be in short supply.? Liam snapped out of his comatose state there, Matt had been talking for a few hours now. ?What about our guide?? He asked. ?Eve or something wasn?t it?? Matt changed the image again, to a photo of Eve. ?She?ll be meeting us shortly after we hit the ground. She knows this area better than a lot of us, and it helps to have someone who knows the locals.? ?Once we?ve arrived at base camp, she will remain on with the team as her undercover position in Colombia will be compromised.? ?We get another rookie?? Liam exclaimed. Matt gave him a sour look. ?Liam, we don?t need your two cents on everything.? The lightpro switched off and Matt sat on the table beside it. ?Our bags and gear will be dropped before us. Just guide your parachutes to them and you?ll be right. Once you?re landed, cut loose your ?chutes and bury them, they?re a new type of fibre and in a couple months with contact to soil and moisture they?ll biodegrade and won?t leave a trace. ?What else is there? Ah yes. Your radio is equipped with narrowband, wide band and satellite capabilities.? Matt held up a sleek black two-in-one earpiece with retractable microphone. ?In case radio is out you have your satellite equipped mobile phones, with camera and GPS.? This time Matt held up a mobile phone, complete with its all-weather shell and rubber skin. ?We jump in an hour.? He checked his watch again. ?Yes, an hour. I can?t believe I talked for that long. I suggest you make your way down and get suited up. For the forty minutes or so after that I suggest you re-check, and double check until we jump.? [/size]

[size=1] ?Liam?? Rae said, poking him in the side. He grunted and turned off the music. ?Yeah?? She glanced over at Bradley and Zharra before looking back to Liam. ?You mentioned before about us parachuting into Colombia?right?? Liam nodded. ?Just like when we did the Sahara.? ?Great. Well, I did some background checking on Bradley, he?s got vertigo. He?s got a thing about heights.? Liam?s eyes glistened at the possibilities, but he shrugged and reached for his headphones, saying, ?what do you want me to do about it?? ?You?re going to have to do a tandem jump with him. Otherwise he might leap on his own and hit the ground not too softly.? Liam sat up. ?You,? he said, ?want me to jump with Bradley even though Zharra obviously has experience and also has the advantage of being joined at the hip with him?? ?That?s the thing.? Rae said. Her hands were on her hips now. ?They just go off into a corner and don?t associate with us, it?s no good if we?re to work with them.? Liam?s eyes drifted over to Malania and Katarina, who were speaking quite casually to each other in rapid Russian. Rae sighed. ?I?m involving them too, I?m working on it, ok?? ?You know,? Liam said, mock suspicion in his voice, ?if I knew any better, Matt would?ve put you up to this?? ?Just do it already.? ?Fine, fine.? Liam stood up and strode briskly towards Bradley and Zharra?s bed. Zharra opened her eyes and appraised him. ?We?ve got to go to the briefing already?? She yawned. ?No. It?s come to my attention that Bradley has an issue with heights. As such I feel it?s best if he jumps in tandem with me.? The glint in Zharra?s eyes spilt danger. ?Why can?t he jump with me?? ?Because you?re not heavy enough.? Liam replied flatly. ?For a tandem jump to work effectively, both participants have to be of equal weight. Now, I may not be exactly the same mass as Bradley, but I?m willing to bet I?m a whole lot closer than you are.? Zharra went to open her mouth, but Liam cut her short. ?Unless of course you?re willing to argue otherwise,? he said with a sly grin curling around his lips. Zharra sighed and flopped back onto the bed. ?Fine then,? she said, ?go. Leave me on my own to die of boredom?? Bradley sat up, paused, caught her chin, and gave her a kiss. ?I?ll be back shortly. Liam won?t keep me long, will he?? Liam cocked his head to the side and looked at Zharra meaningfully, ?you could always associate yourself with the others you know?? ?Whatever.? Liam grinned and pushed Bradley down the spiral staircase in front of him. When they were at the bottom Liam reached over and flicked the lights on, illuminating the hold. He left Bradley standing apprehensively at the stairs and picked up a parachute, bringing it to Bradley. ?That looks suspiciously smaller than the others?? Bradley noted. Liam looked at, rolling it over in his hands. ?Shouldn?t think so. Mind you it?s a faster model. It allows you to drop a whole extra thousand feet or something so that you?re way closer to the ground before you start to slow.? Liam looked up at the slightly green Bradley and said brightly, ?basically it means you can go a whole lot faster without your parachute getting shot out of the sky.? ?Wonderful?? ?Ok,? Liam said, ?I?ll be wearing the parachute as I?m controlling our descent and you?ll be attached to my front.? Bradley looked alarmed. ?Where's my 'chute? I do get one, right?? ?Hell no. For example, put on this parachute.? Liam grabbed one of the other team member?s ?chutes and gave it to him. Bradley put it on quickly, looking very much like he knew what he was doing. ?So if you had to leap of the plane right now,? Liam said, ?what would you do?? ?I?d leap, wait for the altimeter to indicate I was at the right height and pull the cord.? Bradley?s response was crisp and collected, he seemed proud of himself. ?Good response.? Liam said, ?but when you pulled the cord the parachute would only half open, you see here, you?ve got these two buckles crossed. That is, of course, assuming you didn?t die of oxygen deprivation on the was down.? Liam grinned. ?We?re up way too high. Trick question, sorry. Not that it matters, sporty spice, because in a few hours I?ll be jumping with you attached to my front whether you like it or not.? Bradley was cut by the sporty spice remark. Sure, he?d played sports at school a lot, but that?s how he got his figure? ?If I?m sporty spice,? Bradley said, ?what does that make you, scary spice?? Liam?s eyes sparkled. ?No, that makes me [i]mace[/i].? [/size]

[size=1] Liam opened his eyes as he felt the bus rumble to a start around him. He turned off the music and tuned in his ears as watched Matt climb aboard, saluting to the bus driver to start moving. Matt reached over and unplugged the iPod, much to Zharra?s instant indignation. She sat up to bark a stinging insult to who she though was Liam, but Matt caught her eye and she was silent. ?Looks like we?re to have a short detour on the way to the airport. Agents Katarina and Malania have not yet arrived, all though I had been informed they had. I have received information about a prime KGB base being destroyed and two girls, one injured and one with a heavy Russian accent, have been sighted there by our informants.? Matt plugged the iPod back in and the Toyota minibus pulled out of the alleyway and onto the main street. Liam bounced along in the back seat and turned the music back up. He snapped back to reality when the bus suddenly stopped, there was a loud thump and a stream of someone swearing loudly in Russian. The doors hissed open and Katarina climbed aboard, glaring at the bus driver and rubbing her hip. ?Crazy focking driver, reminds me of Russia. Hit me with a focking minibus will you?? She muttered as she sat down. Malania?s eyes sparkled with humour as she finished off the last of an ice cream cone. She caught Liam?s eye and grin, and struggled to not burst out laughing. She slumped down next to Katarina and began speaking rapidly in Russian to her. Liam stopped the AFI song that was playing and stowed away his Discman, shifting himself until he was lying on the backseat. He dropped his camouflaged bucket hat over his face and dozed. [center]~~~~~[/center] The doors hissed open and each of the agents climbed out, grumbling about the uncomfortable trip. Liam jumped out onto the bitumen, stretched and slung his backpack around his shoulders. ?Get onto the plane already.? Matt barked to Liam, who was currently fishing into his pockets. ?We?ve wasted enough time.? Liam shrugged and marched over to the Hercules. From the looks of it, there?d be some vehicles, maybe a jeep, or some motorbikes? He got in first, and saw a whole lot of nothing. Just a couple of crates filled with ?UN-AID? emblazoned on the side. Next to them, however, was a stack of black Samsonite cases, about eighty centimetres long. P-90?s. Hung across the wall behind them was an array of pre-packed hiking packs, equipped with radio and otherwise. Liam eyed them with a slight hunger and watched them until they went up the spiral staircase to the second level. Now this was a bit less Spartan. There was a small bar-fridge in the corner, a couch, and even a line of single beds on the corner. Liam claimed the couch and dropped himself into it, directly opposite the white lightpro screen. Matt waited until the others arrived upstairs before announcing, ?we?ve got about ten hours maybe until we?ve got to jump. In six I will be briefing you. Until then, you have free time.? ?Wonderful.? Liam said. ?All that rush for a whole lot of nothing.? [/size]

[size=1] Liam just shook his head and made his way to the back of the bus. The music started playing and Zharra drummed her fingers to the beat while having an in-depth conversation with Bradley. The bus driver was nowhere to be seen, which wasn?t a surprise seeing as they still had an hour on the clock. The music was starting to irritate Liam, and there was a severe absence of anyone to talk to. Through the blacked out bus he could see the entire alleyway and the rear entrance to the SYF Singapore headquarters. Bradley and Zharra were making eyes at each other again, so Liam rolled his eyes and fished out a CD player and plugged the earphones in. He gave a little smile and closed his eyes, letting the music drown out the other sounds. Blindly he reached and turned up the volume as far as it could go. He could feel the inside of his head shaking, but he didn?t mind. Liam smiled to himself and tapped his foot out to the beat and shifted his weight in the seat. The track changed as the song ended. Liam frowned and skipped the next song; he really wasn?t in the mood. Someone pulled out one of his earphones and Liam opened his eyes. ?The hell??? He murmured. ?I need this, trust me.? Bailey held the earphone. She nodded over to Bradley who was muttering sweet nothings into Zharra?s ear, who was blushing. ?It?s cute,? she continued, ?but you can only take so much.? Liam said nothing on the subject and resumed the play of the CD. ?You might not like this,? he warned. ?It?s a whole lot of Home and Hosed stuff.? Bailey?s eyebrow went a little higher as Universal Game started playing. ?It?s Australian music. Rock or whatever, but it?s devoid of that teeny bopper rubbish. You get homesick after a while, especially with all the J-pop that gets played here.? Liam rolled his eyes as her face remained blank, and turned the music up again. He checked his watch, half an hour left, and Rae was no-where in sight, same with Katarina and Malania. Not that it mattered, they?d probably get picked up by one of the SYF controlled taxis. Liam yawned, pulled a second CD out and slotted it in. [/size]

[size=1] Liam forced a small laugh and let her go. He was warming up to Callum, but voluntary contact with him was irksome. Once she was out of earshot, he groaned loudly. One of his only forms of entertainment just left to make out with a desk jockey, and his ?can on head race? competitor was sleeping around or something. The main problem was that the training room was still out of commission, they were updating it and it?d take weeks or something. Most importantly of all though, he had the familiar feeling of electricity dancing on his skin. Normally the pre-mission adrenaline wasn?t this bad, but he?d been to Colombia before, and had some interesting times there. Like running through minefields?and torture?stealing plastic explosive?the list just went on and on. Absentmindedly he scratched his back, running the tips of his fingers over the little bubbles and scars. Thanks to Zharra the acid burns were gone, but unless he was flayed alive, his back was still going to be the mess it was now. ?Liam?? Matt was wandering up the corridor now. ?Good. You?re changed. Katarina and Malania just got back- -they left?? Matt ignored the comment and ploughed on. ?We?ve move forward the flight out. The Singapore government has informed us that in three hours they will be blocking all outgoing flights to prevent anyone leaving the country. I?ve already informed Katarina and Malania, and I caught Rae in passing, but where?re the others?? Liam looked blankly at him. ?Try the Cafeteria, the break room and their rooms. But if Zharra?s door is closed, don?t open it. Just a word to the wise.? Matt gave him a confused glance and shook his head, smiling to himself before continuing down the corridor. Liam remembered something and called out after him. ?Matt, what?s the primary gun for this mission?? Matt turned around and called back, ?let?s see, jungle, wet, they?ll use guns that have already been waterproofed?The FN P-90. They just got them back from another mission.? Liam grinned at the thought. ?So where do we go?? Matt started walking backwards, ?in two and a half hours we meet at the back door and get into the Toyota. We leave and hit the airport. I?ll brief you guys on route. We?ll meet up with out contact when we hit Colombia.? ?Right, ok then. I have two and a half hours to stock up on carbonated drinks before I get to crawl in the mud. Wonderful.? [/size] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=518979[/img]

[size=1] Liam rolled his shoulders and played with the coins in his hand. Today he might do something a little risqué?like a bottle? The coin ringed as he flicked it and reached Rae?s door. He stopped and wandered in, sitting on the side of the bed. She stirred and rolled towards him, but dozed on. Liam poked her and she groaned. ?Ungh?Callum?? She muttered, squinting at Liam in the dull light. ?I had the weirdest headache?Liam couldn?t have done that to his sister?? She rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. Liam coughed. ?Rae. C?mon. You?ve got to get ready, otherwise you?ll be dopey on the flight over.? Rae rolled back over slowly. ?Liam?? She started, squinting and looking closer at his face. ?You aren?t supposed be sitting on my bed at this hour?that?s Callum?s job?? She yawned slowly and realised that she was actually having a real conversation. Liam?s eyebrow could not have possibly risen any higher. Rae blanched and sat up, causing Liam to shift down slightly on the bed. He raised the money and put it under her nose. ?C?mon! Drinky drinks.? Rae groaned, gave him a pathetic push away, and buried her head under the pillow. Liam resumed poking her in the back and received a vicious backhand to his side. ?Go away. Sleeping?? Rae burbled. Liam pulled out the Desert Eagle and pulled out the load. He rummaged through his cargo pockets and replaced the top three bullets with blanks. He slid the clip back in, pointed the gun at the ceiling and squeezed off the rounds. Rae leapt up, an amazing feat for someone on their stomach, and was white. She had the expression of someone who was halfway in a bad dream and was woken in the worst possible way. She held the sheet up to her shoulders, as through it was a shield against something that was still haunting her. She blinked and glared at Liam savagely, over the initial shock. Liam innocently picked up the brass casings off her bed sheet. She pointed at the open doorway. ?Out. Now.? She said coldly. ?Fine, fine.? Liam said while tossing the casings into the wastepaper basket. ?You?re missing out on a free beverage, however.? He turned and left the room with a certain swagger. Rae flopped back down into her bed, eyes glued on her ceiling. It was too late now?she couldn?t have got back to sleep if she?d taken sedatives. She resignedly sat up and wandered over to her drawers, having actually bothered to unpack. After fishing out a pair of pants and a shirt, she wandered outside, buttoning up the last button. Liam looked up from his watch. ?Fifty-six seconds.? He dropped his arm. ?Hmm, I was out by four.? Rae groaned and walked away. ?Hey. Vending machines over here, remember?? [/size]

[size=1]On a mid twirl, Liam noticed someone back at his room. He paused the dance and made his way back, where he stopped and poked Bailey with the toe of his boot. She mumbled something incoherent and looked straight out, recognising the camouflaged pant legs. Liam whistled and she looked up at him. He grinned like an idiot and said, ?well seeing as I normally don?t have beautiful girls sleeping outside my room, don?t shoot me for getting this wrong.? Bailey stared blearily back, black circles under her eyes. Liam didn?t have the heart to shoot off a snappy remark; instead he dropped the bag, ignoring the clatter, and sat next to her. Bailey hugged her knees and muttered something else. Liam didn?t catch it and raised and eyebrow, gently poking her in the shoulder with his head. The bizarre attempt at consolation caused a wry smile to dance across her lips. Liam did it again and the smile stayed a bit longer. ?So,? he said, ?anything I?m meant to do right now?? ?No,? she said and looked at him, ?this is fine.? Liam nodded slightly and leant against the wall. Bailey put her head against his shoulder, ignoring the rough stitching of the unit patch brushing against her face. Liam, realising this would take a while; unholstered one of the Desert Eagles and pulled it apart, cleaning each piece before putting it back together. Bailey dozed and Liam?s armaments became cleaner than they had in a long while. [/size]

[size=1] Liam opened his eyes and sat up when Bailey had finished jabbing him in the ribs. He yawned and climbed out of the taxi, stretching. ?Cor I feel lethargic.? Liam paused and rolled the accent over his tongue. ?Why am I speaking as though I?m from Cockney?? He coughed and made his way inside, absentmindedly waving to the taxi as it peeled away from the kerb. Bailey didn?t ask and just followed him in, closing the door behind her. Liam?s pace was slow, a credit to his aching knees and lack of sleep. Bailey vanished into her room soon enough and Liam said his good mornings before reaching his own room. The laptop was still where he left it; though the screen was on power save and the hum had receded. His bed on the other hand had been righted and the table had been replaced. Liam instantly didn?t like it. He?d never heard of a booby-trapped bed before, and he wasn?t about to experience one. Midst weird spells of blackness and blood rushes, he tottered over to Bradley?s bed and collapsed on it. The bed jittered, and Liam lay still. He faded out and had a dreamless sleep. For once his subconscious was too tired to plague him with speculation. He woke up of his own accord a few hours later. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth and his back was killing him, but he was rested. His clothes still bore bloodstains, and he smelt of gunpowder. ?Shower?? He mumbled and rose from the bed, his hair resembling an ocean wave. Liam opened his bag and pulled out more clothes, full dress jungle fatigues. They weren?t leaving until the evening, but Liam was too lazy to get changed twice in one day. He wandered into the bathroom and came out half an hour later looking respectable. The heavy steel capped boots went on next and he sat down, painstakingly tying them up. When he was finished he grabbed a smaller camouflaged backpack, already packed. From the metallic clinks it made when he picked it up, it was half filled with a variety of ammunition. This bag was Liam?s addition to the gear the SYF prepacked and supplied for every addition. Generally it carried something of note, but mostly it carried lots and lots of bullets. Liam packed up his laptop and slotted it into the foam sleeve on the back of the bag, swinging it around his shoulders. The bag was packed; the Eagles were in their holsters, all he needed now was a beverage and the rest of the MS1 clips. ?Drink first.? He said, picking up the MS1?s Samsonite case. With that he turned and literally waltzed down the corridor, whistling as he went. [/size]

[size=1] Liam let her last words roll around in his head, they bounced around like a drunk finding a kebab shop, finding interesting things along the way. He recalled his life as a sixteen year old, returning to a school that he?d only just purged of a terrorist threat a few years before. Not to mention throwing a student counsellor out the window, deliberately discharging a weapon to intimidate team members? Liam gave a wry smile when he faced her. ?You know,? he said, ?you?re being slightly pedantic there. We all have issues, serious issues.? An unwelcome image of Bradley and Zharra flickered through his mind before being violently put down. ??Some issues more serious than others?? Bailey looked mildly affronted. ?What?? Was all she could say. ?Look. What I?m trying to say is that I?m frequently put into jeopardy all the time.? In a slightly lower voice he added, ?mostly by me?Hell. Lots of weird trippy stuff happens. My past crops up, Rae?s past crops up, family gets involved, I mean, look at what just cropped up about my sister. I mean, would you believe it?? His voice faltered. Bailey was now confused. Liam went from conversational back to an introverted lump with eyes that glazed over, a sure sign he was thinking about something painful. ?Sister?? She started. ?What about your sister?? Liam sat back up in his seat and pinched the bridge of his nose, waving the question away. ?Nothing,? he said, ?it?s been a really long day and that new piece of painful information is one that I really don?t want to bring up right now. Maybe later when I?ve not got a headache the size of my ego.? Bailey looked bewildered. Liam yawned and checked his watch. Without another word he settled back into his seat and dropped his head onto her shoulder, switching off immediately. ?That left the conversation unresolved.? Bailey sighed and shifted her weight slightly, moving Liam?s head slightly higher up her shoulder. Liam dozed on while the taxi picked its way carefully through the streets. Gradually more vehicles were on the road, delivery trucks mostly, but there was still evidence of the odd emergency vehicle. Dusty coming out, clean going in. The taxi pulled up in front of the youth hostel, which was surprising, seeing as neither Bailey nor Liam had mentioned to the driver where to go. Bailey moved the comatose Liam slightly and leant forward, cash in hand. The driver turned round and winked. ?No charge love,? he said in a cockney accent. ?The SYF picks up the bill all the time.? He eyed Liam. ?You might want to keep an eye on that one,? he laughed, ?I?ve seen some weird travels with him. If it weren?t for that whole desert raid mess with the SYF, I?d still be piloting a Hercules now.? He grinned and pointed his thumb at himself. ?You?re looking at an all round metal man chauffer right now.? He looked at Bailey as though any of this was supposed to make perfect sense. It didn?t. Bailey smiled, thanked him, and poked Liam awake. [/size]

[size=1] Liam stalked down the corridor, slotting in the clips one by one. The cases for the rounds were the same as always, with the fancy belt hooks for easy storage, but the gun was different, and he had to find out if it worked. Liam reached the doorway to the training room. It was locked. A small notice had been fixed, stating that there were ?technical difficulties? or some rubbish. Liam raised his leg and kicked the door. It rattled in its frame, but the three locks held. ?Fine then.? Liam growled. The MS1?s thumb scanner glowed as Liam pressed his hand into the grip. There was the sound of bullets being automatically chambered. Liam flicked it to full automatic. He pulled the trigger and a fifth of a second later both clips were empty and the door was in shards on the ground. Liam held the barrel away from him as it cooled. He continued his stroll through the building, dumping the used clips in the rubbish bin as he passed. He entered his dorm room just as someone ran past, running to where the shots had come from. Liam received no small pleasure when he noticed that it was Callum. The MS1 settled back into its foam lining like a beast sliding back into the water. He closed the case and slipped it back into his bag. There was a buzz of static. ?Radio. Probably should have returned that.? He said, fishing it out of the bag. There was the sound of someone coughing, breathing as though in pain. ?Not all the radios were accounted for?there might be someone still alive?? Liam pulled out his laptop from the drawer and started it up. He left the room in a hurry and returned, carrying a piece of hardware. A frequency triangulate. He plugged its USB into the side of his computer and the radio into a plug on the other side. The crackling continued, but this time there was an overtone of the triangulate working. There was a pause, and the computer hummed, clicking as the information was uploaded. An address appeared. ?What?but that?s nowhere near?? He clicked the address and topography of Singapore appeared, with the address highlighted. It was a good fifteen minutes from the desolation. He jotted down the address. Leaving the equipment still set up, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Open doors flashed past. He ran past the door to Zharra?s room and kept going. Then stopped, backtracked and without looking, closed the door. He shook his head and kept going. ?There goes two team members.? He passed Katarina?s door, it too was closed. ?Two more.? He groaned and made his way to the car park. ?It?s got to be Bailey. I?m not dragging Rae into this either. She?s too damn depressed right now.? The irony in the back of his head smirked. He forgot the elevator and opened the service door. Inside was a long spiral staircase. Without any hesitation he sat on the railing and slid right on down to the bottom. The rush of adrenaline and air did something the wake him up, but the bags were still weighing on his eyes. He hit the floor running, recovering as his tired knees almost buckled under him. ?C?mon, c?mon.? He grunted as the pain flared. With a free hand he hit the button on his key chain. In front of him the indicators flared on his car. Minutes later he was out in the night. One-handed he took the car out onto the road in front of the lights, with the other hand he pressed the console. The trendy little GPS rotated and turned on. He checked the lights and entered the address. The lights changed and the directions popped up. He ignored the speed limit and shifted gears. It wasn?t as though there was anyone on the roads this early anyway. The GPS prompted straight ahead. He shifted up to third. This particular straight was infamous for the night racing that afflicted much of the youth culture. Liam personally had no grudges against it, but he never seemed to have the time. There was a line up of cars in front, all decked out in absurd metallic paint. All of them were Nissan Skylines. Liam shifted up again and switched lanes, bypassing them at just over a hundred k?s. Behind him he heard the Skyline?s start up. Not that it mattered, the directions changed. He shifted down and twirled around into a side street. In front of him a hotel loomed. Liam raised an eyebrow and parked out front. The blue xenon lights dimmed slowly as he climbed out of the car. The minutes seemed to drag by as he entered in. He checked the hotel registry. The latest room was booked by someone with close to Bailey?s handwriting?albeit it was a bit scrawled. At least it was on this floor? He tried the handle, Desert Eagle slightly raised. There was Bailey, lying on her side and facing the other wall. He gave a precursory sweep on the room and made his way over, putting the gun away. ?Hey,? he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Liam doubled over as her fist swung round and collided with his stomach. Bailey sat up with a look of triumph, that quickly changed to one of apology as she noticed Liam?s face contorted in agony. ?Oh?I?m so sorry?I though you were someone else.? She blinked. ?Where?s Xavier?? ?Weir?weir?? Liam gasped and stood up, hands on his sides. ?Weird looking guy with glasses?? ?Yeah?? She said. ?I saw him in the lobby, with a newspaper. Didn?t look to be a threat though.? ?C?mon!? Bailey got up from the bed and brushed past him to the door. She paused and looked at him. Liam groaned and made his way over, ignoring the pain in his stomach and legs. They reached the empty lobby and rushed through to out the front. The morning sun was just creeping up and silhouetted against it was Xavier, hurriedly getting in a car. ?That him?? Liam asked, raising his gun. ?Yes.? ?Great.? He said, pulling the trigger. The bullet flew through the air and clipped Xavier?s shoulder, and went right on through to crack the windscreen. His blood showered the inside upholstery, but he hobbled in and started to drive away. Liam raised his gun again, but Bailey pushed it down. ?We?ll get him later.? She said. ?I?m too tired to bother now.? Liam silently agreed and made his way to the car. ?I wonder why he hadn?t left yet?? Liam wondered aloud. And then he noticed someone beside his car, twenty or so metres away. ?Hey!? He called out. But the thief was already inside. Liam heard the engine turn over and the car pulled out, and exploded. ?There?s your answer.? Bailey said. Liam raised both his arms into the air to appeal to the skies and cry ?Why?? And then he changed his mind and dropped them. ?Screw it.? He muttered. ?I?m too tired and I?ve had way too many explosions to care. Taxi!? [/size]

[size=1]Liam raised an eyebrow at Bradley?s rapid exit. A small grin played across his lips. ?What?d you say to him?? He asked. Rae didn?t reply and instead, became suddenly interested in the softdrink in his hand. Liam very slowly put it to the table, Rae?s eyes followed it. Just as slowly he lifted it back to his mouth, her eyes followed. Needless to say Liam repeated the process until the absence of conversation got to him. ?Rae?? He asked as he put the can down for the last time. ?You?re starting to weird me out. Is there something wrong?? No response came. ?Is it Callum?? Her head shook. ?Matt?? Again she shook her head. Liam sighed. ?Right. What?ve I done?? Rae looked as though she was holding back tears as she shook her head one more time. A light clicked on in Liam?s head. ?What has Adam done?? He questioned, voice solemn. Rae took a shuddering breath before starting. ?He lied Liam. He lied about it.? ?That?s great. I already know that.? He picked up his can. ?Moving right along to your point.? ?He lied about your sister.? She said. It was getting easier to talk now? ?You were ordered to assassinate Jess because you were informed that she was a traitor. She was the told same thing about you.? Her eyes were slightly unfocused, looking slightly above Liam?s head. ?Adam lied to you Liam. He ordered you to kill your sister when she was innocent.? There was a gap in the conversation where Rae looked relieved that it was out, but was starting to worry about Liam?s reaction. Liam sat for a while, motionless, as his mind pondered what had been said. Rae went to say something, but stopped when Liam leant forward and finished the rest of the can in front of him. ?Right.? He said. ?That?s good to know.? His voice was slightly upbeat, but dismissive. ?Liam?? Rae said, ?you?re in denial?? ?Nah I?m not.? Liam countered. ?I?m just not letting it register. There?s a difference you know.? He rose from his seat and looked down at Rae. Rae looked right back up, muttering in her head [I]?don?t shoot the messenger?[/I] Liam took her hand, patted it, and sauntered out of the room, calling back as he left, ?I really need some space to think this over.? As he got further and further from the room, his mood steadily darkened. [I] ?That?s right. Grow up in your teen years with your favourite sibling in a secret government organisation. Get sent on missions together, then separately. Then you find out she?s a turncoat. You don?t believe it but accept the order to kill her anyway. And then get over it steadily. You move on, get a job?or something. Then you find out that your sister wasn?t really a traitor at all. Talk about screwed up irony.?[/I] As he walked his hands found the MS1 on his back, his Desert Eagles now being on his thighs. In his bag he had found two lone clips of the ammunition for it. One hundred rounds all up. Which was a good thing seeing as the MS1 seemed to be slightly modified. It now resembled a MP-10, with the double front cartridge slot. Two clips at the same time, and it now seemed to have a semi-automatic, burst and full automatic option now. Very classy. Liam stalked down the corridor, slotting in the clips one by one. The cases for the rounds were the same as always, with the fancy belt hooks for easy storage, but the gun was different, and he had to find out if it worked. [/size]

[size=1]The computer room door bang closed and Liam walked back in, can of softdrink in hand. Rae jerked awake, and Zharra?s look shot daggers at the intrusion. Liam just shrugged and sat down in the free chair next to Rae. ?Did you find out about the ammunition too?? He asked, popping the top open. Rae shook her head, ?no. Forgot.? Zharra was frowning; Liam ignored it and looked at the screen. ?So?? he started, but his eyes drifted to the clock. ?Aren?t we supposed to be at Adam?s flat right now, for dinner?? Rae really jerked awake this time. ?What?? She exclaimed. ?That much time?s past already?? ?Yeah.? Liam took a sip. Rae was anxious, she logged out and shut down before leaping to her feet. Liam put down the can and watched the spectacle as she grabbed her things. ?Keys, keys?keys?? She muttered. ?Where?re my car keys?? Liam looked up at her and held up his own, emblazoned with a Mitsubishi logo. ?Who said you were driving?? He asked. ?If I wasn?t allowed a Subaru here, I might as well drive the compensation. Anyway, I haven?t been able to drive anywhere since I got to Singapore.? ?All right all right,? she said while snatching his arm and pulling him out of his seat. ?We?re late enough as it is.? Liam found himself being dragged from the room, and his beverage getting further and further from his grasp. Zharra noted his intent, smiled, and picked up the drink, finishing it. She gave a cutesy little wave just as he was about to be out of sight. ?Come on!? He bellowed, ?I only just opened that!? Rae continued at her rapid pace and freed Liam from her grasp. He began jogging to keep up with her. ?I need my lemony tang, alright?? He said. ?Where?s Callum situated?? She asked, brushing his inane statement aside. ?Umm, try the second door before the end of this corridor.? His tone was suspicious as he asked, ?why exactly?? ?We?re meant to take him. He doesn?t know where Matt lives.? Liam stopped dead, letting Rae continue down the hall. He called out to her, ?what? He?s coming in my car?? Rae just called back, ?fine then, we can always take mine.? ?Like hell we are.? He jogged and caught up with her, just as she entered Callum?s little office. In a whisper, he added as Callum stood, ?damned if I do, damned if I don?t.? ?Come on,? Rae said, breathless. Liam was certain it wasn?t because of the brisk walk. ?Liam?s driving us there.? ?Great, just let me grab something from the fridge.? Callum shone his dazzling little smile and walked into the annex desk worker?s break room. He returned with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, ?I thought it would be appropriate.? Liam eyed the bottle of red with obvious distaste. Rae glanced at him and shrugged, explaining, ?don?t mind him. He feels that alcohol is a performance inducer, bane of all agents type thing. You know the type.? Liam?s scowl increased. He spun his keys. ?Right. Now that we?re done defaming me, let?s get this show on the road.? The xenon lights flicked on as Liam turned the engine over. It was a stylish little car, a two door five seater Lancer evolution six. He was going to hot it up, but it would ruin the retail value. Besides, last time he had a car tuned to perfection with all the bells and whistles, it was blown up. He had to then console himself with the powerful blue lights, the turbo?the six stack?the underbelly ultraviolet lights? Rae and Callum had both climbed into the back, leaving Liam feel as though he was a prom chauffer. He turned up the music and pulled the silver car out of the underground car park. The trip was a short one, straight through the centre of town. It would cost a heap to cross all those E-toll lines, but Liam didn?t foot the bill. Matt?s apartment complex came into sight, he drew the car off the road and inside. He flicked off the stereo and caught the last snippet of conversation before his passengers realised he could hear them. -yeah well, it?s not as though he?s important.? Callum?s voice, once bold, trailed off. Liam pretended he hadn?t heard and climbed out, pulling the seat forward so that they could get out into the cool parking lot. ?Matt?s on the ninth isn?t he?? He said, pocketing his keys. ?Yeah, ninth storey, number twenty-one.? Liam strolled over to the elevator and opened it. Once they were inside, the doors closed and they conversation started again. This time, however, Callum expressed his concerns over the mission to Cambodia. Liam shut it out and was the first to exit and knock on Matt?s door. It opened and Matt looked Liam up and down, ?you?re late.? He said. He brushed off the slightly cool tone when Rae reached the door, arm in arm with the bottle bearing Callum. ?Hey!? Matt continued, brighter, ?Cabernet? One of my favourites, but it?s too expensive around here to bother.? Liam allowed them to walk inside, paused at the threshold, and closed the door behind him. When he entered, they were already seated at the table. He walked up and took the spare seat, next to Matt. ?Dinner?s stir fry I?m afraid.? Matt apologised as Liam sat down. ?It?s the only thing I can really trust myself to cook without burning.? The rest of the evening followed, casual conversation drifted through three at the table, but Liam was reserved and only spoke when something was asked of him. Generally it was, ?pass that rock salt.? He remained polite, but he felt the evening was so false. Until the doorbell buzzed. Matt looked surprised, but got up to answer it. He returned looking slightly miffed, as though the package he was holding was rotting and giving off a foul odour. ?That?d be mine.? Liam said, ?thank you very much.? He took the package and opened it, pulling out the Samsonite container inside the cardboard. ?What on earth is that?? Callum asked. Liam flicked it open and pulled out what was nestled comfortably inside the foam. ?This my friend,? he said, ?is the MS1. There aren?t many of these in the world, but they?re all in ASIO?s reach. I?d give you the specs, but I?m sure it would bore you.? ?Liam,? Matt said, ?put the gun away. We?re having dinner, I don?t want you waving weapons about.? ?Fine.? He said resignedly and put it back in the case and under the table. [/size]

Sorry about the length...(note: this is a key plot development for Rae and Liam ~_^) [size=1] ?Talk about a right royal brush off.? Matt intoned sagely. Liam gave him a slanted look and made a shape with his hand. ?What?s this?? He asked. Matt squinted and shrugged. ?What? I don?t know.? ?It?s a hand that still doesn?t have a MS1 in it. Rae said she was going to help out with the red tape.? Liam turned and stalked after her, but Matt caught his shoulder. ?Leave her be. She?s happy, didn?t you see?? ?Well, I?m not.? [center]~~~~[/center] Rae smiled and brushed the loose hair out of her eyes. It promptly fell back into place. Callum reached forward and hooked it behind her ear. Liam frowned from the other side of the hall. ?Yo.? He called out. Rae perked up and looked in his direction, looking surprised and frustrated at the same time. ?Sorry to interrupt,? he said, voice starched and cut, ?but I need Rae to help me out with a few requisition forms.? Rae mouthed, ?what?? at him when Callum wasn?t looking. Callum grinned and looked at his watch. ?That?s fine by me. I?ve got some work to do anyway. With all this moving your team does, it?s a wonder I have any spare time to myself.? He gave Rae a peck on the cheek and she blushed slightly, not because of it, but because Liam had an eyebrow raised and had his ?I?m so cynical? face on. ?Seeya at dinner.? She said brightly as Callum left. ?Right.? Liam said. ?Ready to do some typing? I need my MS1 back.? ?Excuse me? Is this what you broke us up for? A gun?? ?Well, I thought that part was obvious?? ?Liam. Guns aren?t everything.? There was a pause as Liam thought over her words. ?That?s your attempt at sarcasm, right?? Rae groaned. ?Yes Liam, exactly.? ?Well you?ll want to leave that aside once we?re in the computer rooms. I want you focused, I need this MS1 before we leave tomorrow. That?s why I?ve ordered the room to be clear, no one will be in there when we are.? He grinned, ?I can almost feel it?s rubber moulded grip now?? [/size]

[size=1] Liam rolled his shoulder blades and nodded to Matt, who took the CD?s with what could be said as glee in his eyes. He blinked and smiled, slotting them into a wallet he picked out of his pocket. ?Very nice. I think our desk jockeys will have a field day with this. I?m assuming you have personnel and schematic files on here?? Matt asked Zharra. ?Of course, why?d you think I went to all this trouble?? Her voice carried a friendly sting in the tail. ?I got everything of note. It?s in five different languages or so, however. So you?ll have to run it through a translator first.? Liam rubbed the grime off his arms and stretched them out. His muscles stretched and felt like a pleasant jelly when he relaxed. Letting the ghosts of the day?s past slip away, he leant his head against the wall of the van, pushed up his sunglasses, and dozed. [center]~~~~[/center] ?Hey up, he?s awake. Might want to break the bad news to him...? Liam blinked and opened his eyes?he was in a familiar hospital room?and that was him lying on a bed. All of twelve years old. Liam groaned, he hated it so when his mind saw it fit to play flashbacks. ?Don?t tell me about it...? Younger Liam opened a dry mouth to ask what had happened, but found it bandaged shut, his entire head had been bandaged and he could feel his arms and legs were too. The blurry doctor sat on the end of the bed, ?Hey mate...look...I?ve got some bad news...that explosion did some serious damage to you, your sis is fine, no need to ask, she was out of range. But...you however...we believe the flash may have done some serious damage to your eyes...am I correct?? Liam forced a stiff nod, ?Ok then...well put these on, they aren?t prescription, but they?ll do until we get you to an optometrist.? The doctor leant forward and placed the glasses on his face, everything seemed to jump back into place, but the doctor still had a furry outline. ?Better?? Liam forced another nod. ?Good. Ok we?re going to have to keep you in bed and do a few more operations to remove those shards from your stomach and lower back, not to mention skin grafts and a small amount of plastic surgery to fix the third degree burns...? The doctor?s voice seemed to falter and the other one took over. ?You?re lucky mate,? he said, ?that was a pretty close call, if you?d been in Major Pine?s position then, you?d be pushing up daisies right now. He received the full blast of the explosion I?m afraid. The funeral is tomorrow but you will not be able to attend due to your present condition.? There were footsteps and a youngish Jess walked to the end of the bed, looking more than upset when she came close to him. The two doctors got up and took their leave and she took the seat beside the bed. ?Liam...are you...y?know...ok?? Jessie?s face harboured worry. Liam twisted his pain-inflicted thumbs into a big thumb up and tried to curl his bandaged face into a smile. Jess gave a small laugh and she looked at her lap, knitting her fingers. Nineteen year old Liam rolled his eyes at his previous bravado. He couldn?t believe he was like that. It had been a while since he?d had this dream, but it was always interesting. He pulled up one of the hospital chairs and sat down to watch. ?Mum and Dad are still on their mission in New York...Colombian drug lord ring trading and all that, you know...the usual.? Her countenance was brightening slowly, eyes now shining. ?We won?t be able to contact them until they contact us, but by then the surgery will be done and you?ll be all better and that.? Liam tried to smile again and Jess returned his pained expression with a grin warm enough to melt a block of ice. She was always good at that...people relations, social relations...boyfriends, even though they didn?t last long, she was never able to get really close to anyone, her secrets were too dark to share with anyone but her family and her job. Liam slid up in his bed when he saw the surgeon and some attendants walk over, apparently it was time for the procedure. Jess clasped his hand in hers before saying a jovial ?See you on the other side!? The trolley rolled into the theatre and he felt the mask being pressed onto his face, and everything slipping away from him... [center]~~~~[/center] ?Ugh.? Liam jolted awake as the van stopped. ?Everybody out.? Matt stated to all and kicked open the back doors of the van. ?Last stop. Good job guys. How it finished was unexpected, but we can win the war.? A group of civilians walked past paying interest into their grubby clothes. ?Liam, just make sure you bring enough paintballs next time, ok?? Matt added in a bright note. ?Yeah, sure. They?re just so expensive though.? Liam?s heart wasn?t in it. He just plodded into the hostel and ignored the gap in the line of skyscrapers in the distance. [/size]

[size=1] ?Zharra!? Matt?s shout carried across the expanse of concrete, but seemed almost irreverent in the now quiet space. ?I need to know.? ?Look?s like Matt?s needs are greater than mine. He?s probably going to want to know what damage you did. Nice work by the way.? Liam grinned at the thought of an international drug and gun ring finding all their files and receipts gone. From the sound of it, Zharra had hacked their bank account numbers. ?Yeah, whatever. As long as he doesn?t make a scene or something.? Liam shook his head and watched her go. He turned back to face Bailey. ?Sir, can you give us an account of what?s happened here?? The voice questioned Liam. ?Everything just blew up. We?re trying to rescue people, but some were killed by a gas explosion when they moved the rubble.? Liam responded in a pained voice, of someone genuinely worried about what had happened. The mid-twenty something reporter nodded. ?Where you in these buildings?? He waved his note taker at Bailey and Liam. ?No. We were driving in our van back to our flat, we?re over here on an exchange you see, and it just?happened. One minute we?re cruising along, the next we?re flying end over end in the air. We?re lucky to be alive really.? Liam appraised the reporter. ?The name?s Liam, I?ve told you about myself, how?d you come here? It?s not often an Australian reporter just hangs around in Singapore.? The reporter smiled and looked sheepish. ?Yeah, well. I?m actually on contract for the Weekend Australian magazine. I?m meant to be talking about the shifting culture in Singapore. But when I saw this, well, I couldn?t pass it up. Name?s Arthur Brook by the way.? Liam smiled. ?Pleased to meet you. This is Bailey, we go to the same Uni.? Bailey smiled and gave a little cutesy wave. ?We?re all flat mates. It?s just so much cheaper to rent a nice big house and split the rent.? ?I assume you mean the others combing the rubble?? He looked over towards Rae and indicated over his shoulder at Matt, Bradley and Zharra. ?Yeah. We?re all taking this pretty hard. I mean, the twin towers, Bali, and now this?? A Singaporean police officer ran up to the three and explained in heavily accented English, ?please move. The area is still unstable, thank you for your help, but we don?t want any more civilian lives at risk.? Liam couldn?t help but feel that the conversation was being directed at the reporter. ?Ok. Glad we could help.? Liam grinned and put a hand against the sticky blood that ran down the side of his face. ?Hell, I don?t know what to say. ?Glad we could help? just doesn?t seem to do justice to this situation. I feel as though I helped someone move house after saying that.? Rae plodded over to them, escorted by another police officer. She looked pale and tired. Liam could have sworn she?d been crying, but the dust masked her face. ?They pulled me away?? She muttered. Arthur looked as though his reporting career couldn?t get any better. He jotted notes onto a notepad that magically appeared in his hand. He went to say something when Matt jogged over. ?Van?s ok.? He said. ?Bradley and I managed to flip it over again; we?re going to head back. From the looks of it, we?re not needed here.? ?I?d better ask for an official report before the other members of the press get here.? Arthur said brightly. ?I?ll see you around, hopefully not under the same circumstances.? He shook each of their hands in turn and wandered off. Matt shot Liam a look that said, ?Why are you talking to a reporter? You didn?t say anything did you?? Liam shook his head and Matt looked relieved. They began wandering back to the van when there was a whistle behind them. They turned and saw Arthur. ?Almost forgot.? He smiled and raised a compact digital camera. The flash blinded the group. ?Thanks again. You guys will be all over the front page when I?m finished.? Matt rounded on Liam and Bailey, but faltered. ?Screw it.? He said. ?I?m too tired. We?ll leave it and let him write it. As far as anyone knows, we?re nobody.? ?And Uni students.? Liam added. ?That share a house.? Bailey finished. Matt wrenched open the door of the van. ?Whatever?where?re Katarina and Malania?? There wasn?t a response from anyone in the group. They just climbed in and sat down, exhausted from the day?s events. Bradley, the last one in, closed the door. ?Oh, they?ll turn up Matt, you know they will. Why thanks, you?re right, they do.? Matt said to himself as he answered his own question. He wiped his brow and marched to the front of the van. It started up on the third try and picked its way through the rubble. [/size]

[size=1] ?What, what? Can?t you see I?m busy being dirty and feeling nauseous?? Liam?s sarcasm was beginning to fire up as the initial shock faded. His swagger had begun to come back. ?Read this.? Bailey said as she pushed it into his hands. Liam gave it a cursory glance, and then read it in detail. He dropped the paper holding arm to his side and raised the other to his ear. ?Matt, Bailey?s found some information pertaining to the secondary. Something worth checking up on, she?s on holiday with some of those metal men. She?s off on a botanical hunt, where Rae and I enjoyed out biology excursion. Looks like we?re going on a reunion hike. Great, you pick up the tickets and I?ll pack our gear.? Liam dropped his hand. Bailey inclined her head to the side at the inane conversation. ?You think the frequency is tapped?? ?Could be. Not all of the radios are accounted for.? ?Care to tell me what?s going on?? ?Karen?s in Colombia according to the paper, right? Matt?s going to take it up once this mess has blown over. Then we get to pick up some flybys.? Liam folded up the paper and put it into one of the pockets in his cargo pants. ?How long will that take?? ?I don?t know. Days, weeks, months, even years. But we?ll have plenty to do in the meantime. I want to find out whom that bastard was that set the bomb off. The best thing about it is that he won?t want to be leaving the country because of the security that is now washing over the country.? He smirked. ?He?ll be trapped like a rat, unless he wants to take a risk and jump a boat.? ?What makes you so sure he won?t?? ?The boatmen are more unscrupulous than he?ll ever be. To risk going out to sea in the hands of some third party smugglers has too many things that could go wrong. No, he?ll want to sit here and keep it safe.? Bailey frowned, ?I can?t help but notice you?ve already summed up this ?man? in one neat bundle, and we don?t even know if someone outside set the bombs off. It could have been on a time delay. Or it could have been a trip wire.? ?Trust me. There was an increase of radioscopic energy or whatever it?s called. The jammer may not have been on, but it recorded it.? ?How do you know? You haven?t touched the jammer.? ?I haven?t, but Matt did.? [/size]

[size=1] There were scattered cries of excitement from one side of the rubble, the locals had found something. Liam watched and began walking towards them to help, then he noticed what they were pulling aside. Three objects where passed in a bucket chain, along with the rocks. Except...they weren't rocks...and the pins had dropped out. 'Oh...sh- A convoluted burst of fire enveloped the team. Burning naphtha like substance was sprayed over the rest. Liam stood, lost for words. And entire rescue team of mismatched locals lost their lives because of the mission. A quarter of the business district was gone because of the mission. The entire economy of Singapore would be crippled in the stock markets the next morning. 'This mission has gone to hell and danced on the Brimstone.' Sirens got louder and came closer. Liam stepped aside as the fire engines arrived, pushing their way through the rubble that carpeted the bitumen. They stopped just in front of him and the firemen climbed out and set to work. Liam didn?t catch a word of what they were saying, but he heard the urgency and switched on the heat scanner, heading over to where Rae and Bailey were picking the ruins. ?Nothing?nothing?? Liam paused as something of an outline appeared on the scanner screen, it was moving. He faced the firemen and began waving and hollering before dropping to his knees and throwing the rubble aside. The firemen rushed over, carrying long crowbars and a stretcher. Liam kicked the last bit of loose concrete aside and realised he was facing a solid floor of reinforced concrete. A basement. The firemen brushed him aside, and he was left to just staring blankly at their fruitless attempts. [/size]

[size=1]?Quite easily actually.? Liam stood up and gingerly made his way to the door at the back. Thanks to the rough treatment the vehicle had, the rear doors were bent slightly in their frame, effectively locking them into place. Liam tried the handle to no consequence. Angrily he leant against it and pushed hard with his shoulder, the metal strained in protest. ?Right then.? Liam reached up and grabbed the seats above him and dealt the doors a vicious kick with all the g-force he could muster. The doors burst open, and closed back on his leg. Liam winced and fell on his rump. ?That?s what you get for being nasty.? Bailey said to him matter-of-factly. Liam stood and ignored her, stepping out into the new downtown Singapore. There was a long while before he said anything or moved from the door. From the little window inside the van, it didn?t look like much had changed?but outside it was a war zone. Dust from the foundations was everywhere, settled on the streets and making the air hazy. He could see right up to where the tremors subsided thanks to the broken glass. There wasn?t a single window that wasn?t shattered. The only reason why the van?s withstood the blast, Liam assumed, was because they were high quality Lexan bulletproof windows. Some people were just wandering the streets aimlessly, but a lot were already combing the ruins and searching for anyone who may have survived. Liam?s pessimistic nature flared and told him it wasn?t very likely. There used to be three thirty-storey buildings around the Triad complex?and the ground was now level. The bombs had blown a monstrous hole in the ground, and the buildings had filled it. Liam let the enormity of it rush over his head and pass him by. Now really wasn?t the time. ?Liam, get the fock away from zeh door. Zome people have a focking huge headache and need to stretch.? Malania grumbled to Liam in an annoyed tone. Liam sidestepped out of the way and absentmindedly helped her out. Malania cocked an eyebrow at the mess and shrugged. ?It happens.? She said and cracked her back. ?Right, whatever.? Was Liam?s only response. In the present circumstances?you couldn?t argue?it wouldn?t be right. One by one the rest of the team exited, each reacting differently to the CBD that now greeted them. Zharra arrived as Matt climbed out and checked on the unconscious driver. ?What are we going to do?? She said while pointing the M16 offhandedly at the demolished buildings. ?For one,? Matt growled, not unkindly, ?you can stop waving that gun around.? He snatched it from her and tossed it into the van. ?People will be snap happy all over this, and we can?t risk it. I?ll stick with the van until the driver wakes up, we don?t want someone cracking it open expecting to help and finding military weaponry inside. The rest of you are going to help look for people. Get the heat scanners out. We?ve got some work to do.? ?Great.? Liam muttered in an empty voice. Matt rounded on Liam. ?I don?t have the inclination or the time to waste on barking at you Liam.? He pushed a scanner into Liam?s unresisting arms. ?Just start already and give these people a hand.? Matt pulled out the other two devices and tossed them out before kicking the van doors shut and climbing on top of it. ?What are you waiting for?? He said, pointing at the crowds of locals that were pulling at the rubble with their bare hands. ?Check out the complex first, use the SAT trackers on the bomb squad equipment to find our people first, and keep an eye out for the Dragon ATV?I could have sworn they were right behind us?? Liam brushed the blood out of his eyes and put his hand to a scratch on his forehead. In the distance there was the sound of sirens. He walked over to the still standing rubbish bin, feeling it appropriate; his stomach emptied itself into it. He wiped his mouth, and, in a husky tone muttered, ?lets get this over with.? [/size]

[size=1]Liam checked the load in his pistols and the Styer. He tended to do that sort of thing when he was frustrated. It was an unhealthy habit for sure, but it was better than shooting things until his agitation left him, like before. ?Bomb squad is here.? Bradley offered. ?Shall I set them to work?? There was a crackle of static and Liam put his hand to his ear. Liam nodded. ?Order everybody out first. All Triad in the building have been eliminated and the heat scan is clean?all computers have been picked up?? He faced Bradley, ?tell them that they?re free to go.? Bradley went to leave, but Liam stopped him, ?don?t forget to tell them to be extra careful?this particular Triad are not above booby traps.? ?Fine. Will do.? Bradley turned and left, jogging down the corridor. [I] ?It?s been a bad day?please don?t take a picture??[/I] Liam tapped his earpiece. ?All teams vacate the premises. I repeat, all teams vacate the premises.? Liam looked at Rae, ?that goes for you too Rae.? ?I know, I know.? Katarina greeted them in the alley with an arrangement of body bags. She gave them a curt nod and lowered her weapon. ?Forenzics whill be arriving soon.? ?Good, then we can leave.? The van started up and made its way out into the street, behind the Dragon ATV followed. Matt greeted them with a wry smile. ?Our casualties are non-existent...the Dragon?s lost two of their own? But the mission was a success.? He settled down into his seat, ?and the Singapore bomb squad will remove the explosives efficiently and effectively in no time at all.? Something in Liam?s head twigged. ?Bradley, why are you sitting on the jamming frequency case?? ?Oh?? ?Start it up, start it up [I]now[/I]? From a skyscraper on the other side of town, someone pressed a button. The Semtex detonated, causing the implosion of the foundations of the buildings surrounding the Triad complex. The soundwaves shattered glass in half of the city. The SYF unmarked van was lifted and thrown by the force of the blast. Inside, Liam?s day went from bad to worse. The engine ticked over and went silent. Around the car the cries of shocked civilians rose up. Liam groaned and punched the ceiling, now the floor, of the van. ?A fleet of flying firetrucks?? [/size]

[size=1] Liam held the Styer up in his shoulder, Bradley was beside him and doing the same with his M4. Behind them the Dragons were cleaning up and re-checking all the rooms. The last door was left up to the SYF. The heat scanner had picked up just one heat signature, from the looks of it, male, and quite comfortable behind a desk. There weren?t any traps either from the looks of it. Liam nodded to Bradley and kicked the door open, waving the gun and hollering orders, scare tactics. The man behind the desk remained unfazed and beckoned. Liam looked to the side and saw someone in a rather odd suit. Behind Liam, an automatic arm, locking him in; and Bradley out, closed the door. A thermal suit. The man was wearing a thermal suit. Liam cocked his head to side and watched with horrified interest as the man removed the suit. His senses returned and he swung the Styer around. The man grabbed the barrel and twisted the gun out of his hands. Liam only just managed to free his hands before his trigger finger was broken off. The Styer clattered onto the ground. ?My people may flee, but it is of no consequence,? stated the man behind the desk. He steepled his fingers. ?As long as I die knowing that I took some of you with me, I will die happily.? ?Prophetic.? Liam grunted and drew both of the Desert Eagles. Just as quickly the Asian bodyguard gave a flick of his hands. Liam went to make a smart arse quip when nothing happened, then the clips fell out of his guns. The Triad leader laughed. ?These doors are locked, and the rest of my people will take the fight to the streets if necessary. So many innocents dead, what will you do?? He opened a drawer on the side of his desk and pulled out a small black box. ?In my hand I hold the death of your entire team.? He pulled a small wire antenna out of the box. ?There are enough explosives wire to the foundations of this building to demolish it, and the tremors will take out the neighbouring skyscrapers. Effectively your entire team, and a quarter of the Singaporean business district.? The repercussions of his statement echoed through Liam?s head. The bodyguard smirked and stood beside the Triad leader, who raised the box. ?You see, hatred overthrows fear.? The leader said triumphantly. ?Any last heroic words before you see the end?? Liam regained his composure and turned to face them. ?Yeah,? he said, ?there?s still a round in the chamber, you [I] moron [/I].? Like a macabre fountain the blood was pumped from the two as they slumped to the ground. The walls dripped in all their gory glory. Liam knelt down and picked up the two clips and reloaded, savouring the snap made by the two gun slides. The door behind him exploded into splinters. Liam?s eyes bugged out as the sound waves temporarily deafened him. Bradley stepped over the threshold to find Liam clutching his guns to his ears and rolling around on the floor in agony. ?Ow, ow, ow, ow, [I]really[/I] ow.? ?Liam?? ?There is no talk?only pain?? ?I take it I should go and help with cleaning up the rest of the building then?? Liam managed to cock and point on of the pistols at him, ?unless of course you want to stay here so I can shoot you.? Bradley backed slowly out of the room. Liam sat up and shouted, ?get a bomb squad in and tell them to check the foundations of the surrounding block?and get a jamming frequency up, just in case.? [/size]

[size=1] Liam smirked and righted his bronzed orange anti flash glasses. He handed Bradley an M4 and tossed him a Kevlar vest. Liam clicked his fingers dramatically, the doors behind him burst open, and the Dragons ripped through. ?Bradley,? Liam said, ?where?s the nearest computer?? Bradley racked his brains, ?uh. I don?t know. That door?? Liam shrugged and opened it. Inside was a rather cramped room, but with a computer terminal. Liam grinned and sat down, pulling his watch off. ?Bradley, guard that door. It?s time for me to play some psychological warfare.? Bradley raised an eyebrow, but obliged and closed the door behind him. Liam checked the computer. There wasn?t a LAN cable, which was a bad sign. There could be over a hundred working computers in the facility, and he?d have to search for every one of them. There was a USB port, however, that was a plus. He picked up his watch and pulled the USB plug out of the band. The watch wasn?t standard issue, Liam saw it at a computer store and thought it was useful to be able to carry around 256 megabytes on his wrist. Mostly it contained mp3?s. He plugged it in and ?Removable media A? appeared under My Computer. He dragged across three music tracks and checked the rest of the computer. Nothing of interest, there was barely anything worth urgent notice? Not that it mattered, once this was over, the Singapore police would pick everything up and each hard drive would be scanned in detail. Liam ripped open one of his pockets and pulled out a white audio plug, which he jammed into the appropriate socket. On the wall was an in-house intercom. No doubt there was one in every room all over the building. He paid a closer look; it could even speak to individual rooms?there were over thirty of them? Then he noticed the microphone plug. His teeth showed like a shark?s and he slotted in the white audio plug. The intercom crackled as Liam spammed the entire network with three tracks of music. REM: Bad Day, Jet: Be my Girl, Powderfinger: On my Mind Something that would not only disarm the Triad communication, but make them wonder what the hell was going on. In fact, by the look Bradley gave him when he opened the door, he was wondering also. Liam just grinned and lifted the Styer. ?We have some leaders to find.? He said. [I] ?Baby I got you on my mind??[/I] The Intercom speakers crackled and gave the music an odd tinny sound. Not that it mattered, because anyone in this room who could have listened to it was dead. Liam pulled out the cartridge and slotted in a new one. In a sick twisted way, he appreciated the speed at which the Dragon?s operated. Already half the complex was under their control, and the Triad were fleeing like rats?and finding themselves without a stomach. Liam gave a wince, he had no idea where Katarina had got the shotgun, but from what he was getting over the radio, he wanted one. ?Rae?? He asked into the radio. There was static in response. Then a crackle. ?Bailey here. Rae?s with me. Her radio is out. We?re over the other side of the building. We?re patching up one of the Dragon?s, he got hit pretty bad in the stomach, the armour buckled and one of the bullets is sitting in his gullet?I reckon he?ll be alright.? ?Fine. Just keep out of harm?s way, or in, if you prefer.? Liam watched, bemused, as two Dragons paused before a door. One pulled out a heat scanner, nodded to the other, who shot a hole in the door with a tactical twelve gauge and tossed a Napalm grenade in the hole. The Dragon leapt out of the way just as a column of fire engulfed the room and spilt out in tiny jets around the gaps in the door. Liam ignored the screaming, it was better that way. [/size]

OOC: Apparently TUN wishes to post the first encounter of the team with the Triad stronghold. The Team, however, can feel free to do some fillers in the 'truck' on the way there. It can be a long trip ~_^ [size=1][b]Let?s load up this bandwagon[/b] ?Mrowf.? Liam muttered and rolled over as someone poked him in his side. He was poke again, harder this time, ?push off?sleeping?? Two things happened. The bed Liam was sleeping on was suddenly pitched to the side, and Liam woke up. ?Ow. You could have kept poking me.? Liam brushed splinters from his shirt, remnants of his bedside table. Matt lifted him up by the collar. He looked serious, really, really serious. Mission serious. Liam sobered up instantly. ?The Commander has put forward the mission date, it appeared we had a leak. The Triad are preparing for us to come tomorrow, so we?re leaving in an hour. All the agents are in the break room, tooled up and ready, except you.? ?Everybody is ready? Wow.? Liam said while grabbing various clothes from his bag, including moulded body armour. ?Except Malania?she?s there?but?not all there?if you catch my drift.? Liam picked up a towel. ?She got hit by a rock?? ?No. She?s drunk, vodka I assume, seeing as she hasn?t got alcohol on her breath.? Matt eyed the towel, ?we have to go, and you?re having a shower?? Liam stopped in front of the door to the ensuite. ?Well,? he said, ?if you really like my manly musk smell, Matt, I can just get changed if you want.? Matt wrinkled his nose. ?Take the shower. We?ll brief you with the others when you?re done.? Liam smiled and pulled open the door, ?if you insist.? The shower started and Liam hunted for the soap. As the foam was washed away, something clicked. ?Wait a second?this means?great, much suffering from sever lack of MS1.? [center]~~~[/center] Liam opened the door to the break room, a new one seeing as Katarina disliked the previous. He sat with great aplomb, putting his drink on the table. Zharra eyed him suspiciously. ?Took your time didn?t you?? Liam smiled and fixed the straps on his thigh Kevlar, ?quite frankly Zharra I don?t give a flying fire truck.? Malania on the other side of the room let out a loud ?Hah!? and lilted sideways in her seat. Katarina caught her before she fell out. ?Zhe had to catch up on six months of zhe drinking.? She explained in Malania?s defence. Matt waved it aside, ?fine. She?d better be sober by we arrive, or she?ll be in the truck with me and the Singapore Dragon coordinators.? Liam?s eyebrows went up. ?The Dragons are on this case?? Bailey spoke the rest of the teams feelings when she said, ?the [I]who?[/I]? Matt folded his arms. ?The Singapore Dragons are a squad of elite antiterrorist soldiers. They aren?t widely known, unless you?re in the profession. Basically they?re sent into situations as an urban strike-force, and are equipped as such. Full body armour and cut back assault rifles, as well as controlled explosives.? Liam grinned, ?as in napalm grenades that have an explosive radius just enough to encompass an enemy and burn them to charcoal, but leave the surrounding area intact.? Katarina let a low whistle of interest. ?Now zat is somezing I like.? ?Yes, well. As I was saying. The Dragons will be in full battle fatigues for combat, you will be in casual. This is because it is more than likely that the Triad will attempt to escape into the general public, and the Singapore government feels it too much of a liability to the Dragon security to have them traipsing about in public.? ?But it?s ok for us?? Rae queried. ?You won?t be wearing a soldier suit.? ?That makes all the difference.? Liam muttered. ?So basically we have to break in, rescue Bradley, bust up the Triad, steal some files and hunt down the big wigs?? ?Basically.? Matt said. ?We?re moving out now. Standard issue Styer or M4 will be in the truck. You guys are lucky, normally you take what you?re given.? [/size]

[size=1] A hint of a smile played around Liam?s lips as he thought about the question. ?It?s under glass back in Australia, in the main SYF training compound. I think they even have my picture next to it.? Rae?s forehead crinkled in confusion, ?what? Why?? ?The MS1 was?well?to put it bluntly, too damn powerful for covert urban missions. Besides, Metal Storm wanted it back for testing. They?re in the process of making more you know. When they?d finished, I just donated to the SYF until further notice?? Liam played with the thought in his mind. It was very tempting? ?Actually,? he said thoughtfully, ?with this big mission and the Triad?s with their Uzi?s and all?it might be time for the MS1 to be dusted off?? The intensity in the room deflated like a punctured air mattress. Liam carried the conversation on by himself. ?So, if I send the email off six hours before the mission starts, I?ll have it here and vacuum sealed by the time we go.? He turned to Rae, ?ok Rae, you know the red tape better than I do, could you give me a hand on that?? He turned back to Zharra and twirled the disk, ?and while Rae does that, I?ll sort this out?? Liam looked at his watch and realised how tired he was. ?Until then I?m going to die for a few hours, if you want to wake me, poke me with a stick for a while.? With that he kicked off his shoes, dropped his guns and fell promptly onto his stomach. The bed rocked slightly as Liam rolled onto his side, back, before finally resting on his stomach. Sleep was instantaneous. ?Right. We should leave then I suppose?? Liam grumbled in his sleep, making noises like an aggravated cat before rolling onto his other side. His feet hung over the end of the bed. Zharra cocked an eyebrow. ?Unless of course we want to be entertained by sleeping beauty here?? There was a cracking sound as he arched his back, stretching in his sleep with his fingers and toes stretched. ?Just as interesting asleep as he?s awake.? Rae muttered as she closed the door behind her. Liam smiled in his sleep, his left hand moulding to the shape of a submachine gun grip. [/size]

[size=1]Liam adjusted the Velcro straps on his back. It felt odd to have two guns being held there; no doubt the outline would be pronounced?He gave a mental shrug. Then he thought about what Zharra had been doing. His logic bubbled. If the entire purpose of this mission was for Bradley to get captured?and the retrieval squad to blow the triad wide open?why was she suddenly prancing off and asking favours of them? He spun to a halt and opened his mouth, as Bailey opened the door that he was in front of. Liam staggered forward as the solid wood clocked him in the back of his head. ?What? Oh, I?m so sorry!? Bailey grinned sheepishly and closed the door behind her. Liam rubbed the back of his head. ?It?s ok,? he said, ?I needed to wake up, and that helped?somewhat.? Bailey?s eyes flickered to the two handles that were embossed in his t-shirt. ?New guns?? She asked. Liam lifted up the back of his shirt and pulled out the two Eagles. He passed them to Bailey and explained. ?No, same old guns. I just?appropriated another.? Bailey ran a finger over the initials on the pistols. ?JC and LC? Liam and??? ?Jess.? Liam said bluntly. ?That was my sister?s gun.? Zharra?s ears perked up at the sound of a story. ?What happened to her?? She asked. Liam took the guns back and re-holstered them. ?She died on a mission. I was given these as her last effects. We were pretty close, and then we had a new case manager that believed we had to be split up. In her last mission her entire team died.? He groaned. ?Look, I really don?t won?t to talk about it this early. If you?re interested, just read the mission files. It?s all in the mission files.? Liam gave a smile. ?Sorry. It was three years ago, I should be used to the fact that my sister became a turncoat and I was ordered to kill her, shouldn?t I?? There was a pause filled by Bailey giving Zharra a sidelong glance. Liam shook his head. ?Whoever assigned me that mission should have thought of the psychologic implications eh?? He laughed. ?I suppose though, if anyone else had done it, I would have killed them. Life?s funny like that I suppose.? Liam felt the conversation drift away from him. It wasn?t a pleasant feeling. He hitched up his trousers and said brightly, ?whatever, to sleep I say!? He pointed and advanced back down the hall, the pistol rubbing against his scars. Inside his head, Jess smiled. [b]Twelve sleep filled reflective minutes later[/b] Liam walked into the spacious hall, footsteps echoing around him. He drew to a halt when the slim figure looking out the large windows turned to face him. ?Sis...? Liam managed to say. Jess smiled and walked towards him, ?so you made it here. I?m so glad you came, now you can help us fight for this worthy cause!? Liam was taken aback, ?you?re not my sister...my sister would never warrant the murder of so many innocents as a ?worthy cause.? ?My real brother would not have been blinded by corruption his own self righteousness.? Jess said defiantly. ?He would know a good cause when he saw it and would have joined it the instant the opportunity beckoned.? Jess paused, ?It beckons now Liam.? Liam shook his head, ?Then I guess both our respective siblings are dead. It now seems that all that I need to do is finish what I came here to do, my job.? Jess remained grim and ripped her Velcro gun holster off her hip, tossing it and the weapon to the side before taking a stance. ?Fine. Let?s make this fair though. Take off the Kevlar and lose the pistol.? Liam gave a mock bow and tossed his khaki t-shirt aside to reveal the black Kevlar vest. He undid the Velcro straps and dropped it to the tiled floor with a dull thud. He picked up his shirt and put it back on, throwing his gun and holster to the side. Jess gave a curtsey before leaping at him, tackling him around the middle. They both hit the hard tiles and slid with the momentum. Liam threw her off and got to his feet, waiting for her to do the same. He rolled his shoulders and rushed; first fist colliding with her chin and the second openhandedly slammed her in the chest. Jess gasped as the air was knocked out of her lungs and stumbled back a pace. Liam, not keen on wasting time, kicked her in the stomach. As she fell, he felt cold steel slash deeply in his leg. Jess spat blood out of the corner of her mouth, ?I?ve learnt a few tricks in the time I?ve been here. One of which was to fight dirty!? A derringer two shot dropped into her palm from a secreted pocket in her sleeve, Liam dropped to the floor in his efforts to avoid the two heated shots. He rolled back to his feet, with some effort on the bleeding leg, only to be high-jump-kicked in the face. He fell back on his rump for the third time in the space of five minutes. Liam lifted Jessie to his face, ?Why sis? Can you bloody tell me that?? She smirked, ?We all need a little controversy...besides, I was getting bored after all this goodie two shoes espionage business, I enjoy the jungle, when I heard truth, that they got mum and dad, I thought what?s the point of trying to beat them when you can join them? I took this transfer and started.? Liam dropped her, disgusted. Jess giggled, completely without malice, ?Bit of a moral dilemma for you isn?t it? Fighting for a corrupt government or fighting with your sis on the good side? Whatever are you going to do?? ?Do what I?m supposed to do, and fight on the good side.? Jess nodded and wandered over to pick up her gun, ?Shall we kill these two miscreants together or what?? Liam didn?t reply. He picked up his Eagle and pulled the trigger until the gun was empty. Jess slumped to the floor, a pool of blood rapidly forming to greet her. Liam walked over to her and knelt beside her, closing her pain struck eyes and walking out the exit, past the shocked Rae and Jaudiar. [center]~~[/center] Liam sat up and resisted the urge to roar out the pure hatred inside him. He?d prepared himself so well, locking away all the memories, only for it to blow up in his face. His subconscious had drawn a card, and it had given him this. He turned to his bedside table and slapped hard, it exploded into pieces and toppled over, spilling the holster onto the floor. [/size]

[size=1] Liam blearily reached for the ever-present can of soft drink on his bedside table. He took a sip and then pressed it against his face. The cool was a welcome relief to the sunburn like sting that sent a dull fire over his face. Liam placed the can back on the table, rubbed his eyes and dropped his head onto the pillow. A familiar face greeted his closed eyes. Liam shook his head in frustration and sat up, blinking pointlessly in the dark. ?Why are you always there?? He muttered while rubbing his eyes in frustration. ?Can?t you give me some reprieve for once at least?? Mentally he screwed up the face and tossed it into the proverbial trash. As though it had never left from behind his eyes, it appeared again. Liam banged the back of his head against the pillow. ?I get over it, mention you once in casual conversation, and there you are, smiling.? He groaned. ?I eliminated you from my life izn?t?izn?t?? Liam spluttered. ?Great, not only am I talking out loud to myself, I?m speaking like Katarina. Wonderful.? Liam sat up and put his feet onto the carpet. With a smooth movement he pulled his Desert Eagle from his holster and spun it in his hand. ?Fine then, if that?s what you want,? he mumbled. Liam stood and walked over to his bag. After pushing aside a wad of clothes, he reached deep inside and pulled out a chromed Samsonite case. He dialled the pin into the nine-digit whisper lock. With a click, the case opened. Inside was a Desert Eagle, identical to his, but with two small cosmetic exceptions. One, it had the initials ?J.C? on the barrel, and two, it was in a plastic zip-lock bag. Liam pulled it out of the bag and weighed it up against his own pistol. ?You always favoured the lighter touch.? He twirled it and it spun hypnotically. ?Gas recoil arm?you didn?t like the kick back did you?? Liam dismantled it in seconds, placing its pieces before him on the carpet. In the same time he rebuilt it, with one small exception, the gas recoil cylinder remained on the carpet. ?Well,? he said triumphantly while sizing up both the pistols, ?if I?m going to use your gun, it might as well meet my standards?sis?? Liam placed both the guns down and pulled out the harness the Eagle was resting on inside the case. He checked the straps. Double back holster, Velcro, for quick removal. He groaned and looked at the carpet. Was he that easy to read? The Commander had given him the case a year ago, and told him that the sweep team had retrieved the Eagle?and its owner?just hours after Liam and the rest of the team flew out, two years before that. Liam feigned disinterest and accepted the case as though he really didn?t care. But he had carried it around since, the idea of opening it galling him?until now. The Commander had even placed a double holster inside?he knew?he always knew. That man could read him like a book; no one alive could ever read his emotions like that, only one other person came close? ?Damn Rae.? [/size]