Chapter Extraction: Part 1
Loki/Red
Time: 21:00:00
Everyone was paired up. Teams of two wasn’t ideal, and maybe it didn’t make sense, but we didn’t have the numbers to have larger groups.
As for me, I was running solo.
Eric and Aaron were standing by for me to shut the security system down and also to extract Diana. Damian and Adam were in position to scale the building to reach Holden once Eric located him via the camera system.
Damian was the only one capable of killing Holden, so leaving the extraction to Eric and Aaron was the only option to ensure Holden was killed. However, we weren’t sure if Holden was with Diana in the same room or somewhere else, it would only be determined when Eric hacked into the security system.
The rest of the Fenrir warriors were supposed to create a perimeter and block of the entry points to the building to ensure no reinforcements could get through.
The plan sounded simple, but it was far from it, and to make things harder, we had to use comm links as not all of us could mind link with one another. It was almost like having a micro walk-talkie my ear. It was uncomfortable, but it was the only way to speak to the others.
“Loki, when you find the security room, there should be an access panel on the left side of the main computer HUB. Plug in the USB that I gave you, which should override the access to me from here. I’ll be able to control the building after its done. When that happens, the alarms will go off for a brief moment, causing the door to lock you inside. Everyone, including the Crimson pack will be alerted of your presence.”
“Perfect. Anything else I should be aware of?” I casually walked down the empty hallway. A couple of nurses passed me, too afraid to look me in the eye.
They quickly disappeared around the corner.
I had on Crimson gear, and as far as anyone was concerned, I was still one of them. All the warriors on this floor of the hospital were mere grubs, low in rank, and probably too dumb to tell the difference between me and them.
I already passed by a couple of young Crimson warriors, and I acted like nothing was wrong. They actually gave me an affirmative nod, assuming I was still their superior.
“Good luck Loki, when we retrieve our Luna, we will come back for you,” Eric voice came from the comm link in my ear. I wasn't sure where he was at the moment, but everyone was waiting for me to pull this part of the mission off.
“No need for the pleasantries. I’m in the god damn basement, and I’ll be completely surrounded soon enough. I’ll be dead by the time you get here. Just remember what you promised me Eric.”
Eric sighed heavily, “Hippolyta doesn’t deserve this...”
I smirked, “I know she’s in good hands.”
There was no reply from Eric, and all I could hear was his deep breathing on the other line.
“Besides, I got a little surprise for these bastards.” I shifted around the C-4 in the backpack I was carrying over my shoulder. It was my fail safe, well, deep down I knew in my heart that I would be setting it off. I wouldn’t let these assholes have the satisfaction of killing me. It will also ensure that no one could override the control when Eric takes over the system. The mainframe wasn’t physically located in the building, so blowing it up at one of the hubs wouldn’t make a difference.
All the more reason to carry a small bomb as a fail safe.
“Don’t do anything stupid… We will come back for you,” Eric replied.
I caught my eye on the large black steel door down the hall and picked up the pace. “I’ll let you know when I’m in.”
“Good luck, we’re all counting on you.”
10 Minutes later…
Eric was right. The door shut instantly after plugging in the USB drive, and now I was a trapped in here with no where to run.
All I could do was sit on the floor and wait.
It was easy to find the plug on the access panel, and moments after inserting the drive, Eric hacked in. My job was done and the only thing I could do now was wait for the fire works.
The C-4 was positioned beside me as I clutched onto a photo of Hippolyta. It was the last thing I wanted to see before I pressed on the detonator in my opposite hand.
The comm links were going crazy between Damian, Aaron and Adam, so I decided to pull the ear piece out.
There was an entire army at my door step, and the bashing of the door was only getting louder.
If the Crimson warriors somehow got through the door, I would be forced to detonate this bomb. I couldn’t allow them to take back control of the building, because as long as Eric controlled the system, he blocked off all the signals going in and out of the hospital.
It wouldn’t end pretty if the rest of Holden’s pack were notified the hospital was under attack. Besides, Holden had allies everywhere. He could just call one of them up and they would be here in a blink of an eye, but I would never allow that to happen.
I gripped onto her picture tightly.
It was a picture taken not too long ago, after training, she snuck up on me and snapped a surprise selfie. I hated pictures, but she always insisted on saving them for keep sake.
“Good thinking my love.” I lifted her picture to the dim over head light.
BANG,BANG,BANG!
The warriors outside the room were taking turns bashing the door. I could see the steel hinges start to break away. I thought I would have more time to wallow in memories, but I suppose, my end was coming fast.
I reached down into my side pant pocket that was thankfully military grade, and large enough to conceal a flask of my favourite whiskey. I untwisted the steel cap of the flask and threw it to the corner. The security room was near pitch black with only one single overhead light. For such a large hospital, their security was lacking, but I suppose they wouldn’t expect to be under attack by werewolves.
I inhaled the bitter aromas of the whiskey and it instantly brought me back to memories of her.
I remember sipping on this very whiskey the first night I took Hippolyta out. I still remembered what she wore that night.
Tight denim jeans, black tank top, army green combat jacket. She was never the dressy sort of girl, and she even insisted on going to a pool bar to prove a point, and boy, she most certainly did.
She beat me at every game we played that night.
I gripped onto her picture tighter, all while the banging of the door got louder. I took a large swig of the whiskey, and I was immediately met with another memory.
“I thought you were good at this game.” It was Hippolyta. She smirked playfully as she set herself up for another shot with her wooden cue. The way she bent over the pool table, focusing her eyes on the white billiard ball made me weak at my knees.
She caught me in her web of charm, and she wasn’t doing it on purpose, it was because we were destined for each other. We were two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly, and there was nothing else that could take her place.
Her eyes as she glanced up from the billiard table was imprinted on my mind permanently. When I was a rogue, I would always think of that night, hoping it would sooth the feral beast that slowly took over my mind, and maybe in some ways it helped.
And the funny thing was, it was just a normal night. It was a night where we would just shoot the shit after a long day of training. It was a night where we would laugh hysterically at her corny jokes, and me, watch her hit the cue with such accuracy. She was skilled, focused and determined. She was so many things that I was not, and she filled my soul in ways I didn’t know possible.
She made me a better man, and for the first time in my life, she made me want to become a father.
I always hated the idea of having kids. I wasn’t sure why, maybe it was because I was an orphan, but she changed the way I looked at everything. I wanted to create a life that we could raise, love, and cherish.
It was a dream that I had every night since our first date.
I took another sip of whiskey and wiped a rogue tear from my face.
The hinges were to their breaking point.
I gripped tightly on the detonator.
“I love you H.” My throat was so fucking tight that I was gasping for air. I could die a thousand times, and it would never get easier knowing that I wasn’t with her.
I lived for her, and I was doing this for her.
“FUCK YOU BASTARDS! BRING IT ON!” I yelled out and downed the rest of the whiskey, tilting the flask of the bitter liquid down my throat. I threw it to the door, and simultaneously, the banging stopped.
They were almost through, and were probably getting their biggest guy to finish the door off.
My time was coming close.
I quickly looked down at Hippolyta in the picture. She was smiling as she held the camera to my face.
We looked so fucking happy.
BANG!
Suddenly, a hinge broke off and fell to the floor. I could see the shadows through the crack of the door. They were almost inside.
I hovered my finger over the detonator and looked over to the C-4 sitting on the floor next to me. I put it together this morning, it was a fairly simple design comprised of red wires and a compound detonator that would activate from electrical currents. I was able to connect the detonator wirelessly with a handheld remote that I still had in my hand.
I flicked the black switch on the bomb to initiate the connection.
Once the connection is active, all I had to do was to press down on the handheld detonator in my hand.
I breathed in heavily as the banging continued. The door was on its last legs. Dust was falling from the ceiling from the impact of the warriors tearing down the door.
My finger was so close to the button, but I needed to wait until they completely surrounded me. I wanted to take as many as I can with me.
Sweat pellets ran down my forehead and my heart was beating fast, but I had to keep steady.
I had to focus.
BANG, BANG, BANG – BANG!
That was the last impact before the door completely collapsed to the floor.
I held my breath and looked down at the picture one last time.
“Goodbye my love….”