10AN: It's been a very long time since I updated this, but a ton of RL stuff's happened, plus a major case of writer's block. Sorry!
Chapter 8: The First Strike
"We have a problem."
"What is it, jefe?"
"The assassin that was sent to California was discovered. One of my contacts there at the hotel confirmed that she managed to carry out part of her mission. Devon Miles is poisoned, but the little Gypsy brat escaped unscathed."
"And the assassin?"
"Dead. She chomped on her teeth. That's not why I called."
"Why then?"
"I've heard a nasty rumor from the same contact. Line Knight walks the earth."
"Those filthy—they're traitors to the true humans!"
"Sí. I don't want any more nasty surprises. Call in whoever. Take however many you need, but I want Miles and the girl dead. Those two are the last of Line Medina."
"Consider it done, jefe."
00000
That evening, Michael, Laura and Rodrigo were eating dinner in a little Mexican restaurant, disguises all in place. The botanist/groundskeeper was now clean-shaven and wearing local clothing, his daughter's now-short hair had been trimmed to look even and she wore a red and white dress that had been seen more than once in the area. Michael…he wore the mustache that he had found, as well as a wide, straw hat and grungy, Mexican clothes. As far as anybody unknowing would be able to tell, a man, his brother and niece were enjoying a night out.
"How long do you think before they start figuring out what's going on?" Laura managed to ask in a low voice.
"Depends on how well we can keep things on the low," Michael replied in the same voice level, right before he asked, "What I want to know is how long before we enter their territory?"
"Unless they've seriously expanded their control in Mexico since last week, we'll enter the outer fringes tomorrow morning."
Michael frowned at this, then said, "That's when these get put to the test, then," referring to their disguises, "If they get suspicious as to what we're doing, they might try to torch the flowers."
"No es possible," Rodrigo said, "If they're using them to poison us, they know that they can't find them other than my 'house. Why get rid of their only source of weapons?"
"I've seen it done before," was the whispered reply, "A few years ago, someone was using orchids to poison, and when I came for the antidote, the entire greenhouse was torched, just so that I couldn't get my hands on it."
Rodrigo choked on his food, causing Michael to thump him on the back as though laughing at a joke.
"Los Dios y Señora Medina, be with us," Laura whispered.
"Don't use that name here," Rodrigo managed to say, "You never know if their scouts or spies are listening."
Michael nodded in agreement, "Can't be too careful. If you're going to mention her, then just la señora will work."
The trio remained silent until it was time to pay for the bill. Thankfully, Rodrigo and Michael both had the foresight to bring pesos with them.
Once they were back in Kitt, the AI said, "I've sent an e-mail message to Rissie while you were inside, as well as received one from her. She says that their bodyguards have arrived…and they are very familiar with Devon and the others."
"Who the hell did Jack call in?"
"The Black Dragons."
Michael's eyebrows when up and Rodrigo whistled in appreciation and surprise.
"Never thought they'd get tangled into FLAG business again."
"Michael, you did tell him to call in whoever he wanted, as long as he could trust them. He most certainly trusts the Dragons."
"Okay, okay…you've got a point there. Anything else?"
"Yes. The Dragons' leader, Angel, made a mention of a trump card, but said that it's unknown as to if he'll actually show. Nothing else was said."
"A trump card, huh? Not sure I like the sound of that."
"Do you trust Jack, Angel and the others?"
"Kitt has a point, Michael," Laura said with a laugh, "If you trust them, let them do what they're supposed to do, which is to protect Devon, Riss and the others."
"Never thought I'd be getting advice on trust from a kid."
"I'm not a kid, Michael," she retorted, "I'm an adult."
"In the Mystic view, yeah…but by California law, you still have 3 years to go. I get your point, though."
"Now for my say," Kitt put in, sounding annoyed, "The three of you need to get some rest. If something happens or we get any unpleasant visitors, I'll wake you up."
"Sí, madre," Rodrigo and Michael grumbled.
"I am not female, for one thing, nor am I your mother," Kitt corrected, getting a laugh from Laura.
"Okay, we'll get some shuteye," Michael agreed, "Tomorrow's when the real challenge begins."
00000
When the sun began to set in California, a single black vehicle pulled into a parking lot, engine running silently.
"We're here," the driver, a hard-looking man, said, "Go into surveillance…and see if we pick up any cultists."
"Shouldn't we contact the client and let her know we're here?"
"No," was the reply, "We're operating in the shadows this time. Keep it that way."
"And if any of them show up?"
The man smiled coldly, "If they do, we disable as many as we can. The inside's well guarded; they'll take care of what we miss."
There was only silence for a while until the disembodied voice said, "Nicholas, I'm detecting a person in the parking lot, with weapons."
"Bring 'em up."
Images appeared on the monitors and the man, Nicholas, peered at the person, a woman, depicted in them.
"She coming from the hospital?"
"Yes."
"She's part of Angel's gang, the Black Dragons. When she contacted me, she said that she was taking her three best with her. The ex-leader's here, too."
"There are now two vehicles approaching. One car and one van…they are all armed."
The man nodded and said quietly, "Alright, ram the van and disable the combatants inside. We'll leave the car to the Dragons."
The black vehicle made a sound similar to a nod, then proceeded, first by approaching the van, seemingly head-on...
"Don't kill them if you can help it," Nicholas said in a warning voice, "Just disable them."
As the van came near a wall, the black car suddenly swerved in an arc to the left, tires screeching as it did. Inside, Nicholas pressed a button that would also cause the doors to lock and jam, preventing any of them from exiting.
00000
Flame was outside, doing a patrol of the parking lot when she saw the vehicles pull up…and when she glanced at the occupants of one of the vehicles, she hissed and got her walkie-talkie out.
"Flame to Angel."
"Angel here."
"Enemies at the front gate. 1 car, 1 van."
"Sounds like the first round. Tail 'em and reinforce the point."
"Roger."
"Good work. Angel out."
00000
Angel took a second to breathe before she said into the walkie-talkie, "First round incoming. Get ready."
"Chuck to Angel. We're ready."
"They didn't waste any time," Bonnie said, then asked, "What do you want RC and I to do?"
"You two stay in here. If any of them break through the point, Jack and I will need help."
Devon, who was sitting up in the bed, nodded and said quietly, "Be careful, everyone."
Marissa, who was sitting beside him, merely said, "Good luck."
There was a blast on the walkie-talkie before they heard Flame hiss, "Holy-"
"Flame, report."
"I don't know how, but one of the enemy vehicles is disabled. Nobody can exit from it."
"Which one?"
"The van."
Angel smiled coldly as she said, "Looks like we've got a guardian angel. Good work. Proceed with your orders."
"Roger."
00000
"Down from fourteen to around four," Chuck said to Chris.
"Think it's Angel's trump card?"
"Gotta be. "
"Flame to Chris and Chuck. The remaining four have just entered the eastern elevator. Two of them are definitely muscle-bound."
"Roger," Chuck said, then called out, "Boss, we're gonna need an extra man, preferably RC."
Angel, inside the room, nodded and said, "RC, you heard him."
The black man nodded and immediately went outside into the hallway. Just as he glanced down the corridor, he saw that the elevator doors were opening to expel three Mexican men and an American that could easily pass beneath the notice of anyone, due to the fact that he looked so ordinary.
"Here they come!"
Chris, RC and Chuck stood in the pathway, between the elevator and the nurse's station.
"Go!" Chuck snapped.
RC didn't even bother to nod, but immediately went after a Mexican, a man that wasn't one of the muscleheads. As the targeted man saw what was going on, he started to pull out something from his jacket. The ex-Street Avenger quickly saw this and decked the man across the jaw with a right hook, followed by a punch to the stomach.
Chuck saw another, a Mexican that definitely was a musclebrain, start to pull out a gun. He responded by using a kick to knock the weapon away from the man, then sent a punch to the solar plexus to knock the wind out of him. When he hunched over, the Black Dragon used a similar chop between the neck and the shoulder to knock him out.
Chris went after the American, charging at him. When he got close enough, he could see the enemy trying to pull something out, too. He immediately picked up speed and then closed the distance with an uppercut that caused the item, which resembled a sunglasses case, to be dropped to the floor.
The fourth had started to exit the elevator when the doors suddenly closed, trapping him inside for the time being.
The American hissed, some blood drizzling down his mouth, and started to go after the object...only to feel a sharp pain to his back and a bit of forward momentum. Before he knew it, he was on the floor, with Chuck sitting on top of him.
"Angel!" Chuck yelled, bringing out the Black Dragon leader.
RC picked up the case and opened it.
"Holy-! Yo doc, lookie here!"
Inside the case was a silver-colored thing that looked like fuzz but felt like Styrofoam...and in the middle of it was a syringe, filled with a clear liquid, needle capped.
A couple of the doctors came forward from the nurse's station, one of which took the case and syringe, while a nurse called the police. "Where'd you get this?" one asked.
"One of those three thugs had it on 'im," RC replied, "Any idea what's inside?"
There was a familiar voice coming from the corridor, and that voice asked angrily, "What the hell is going on here? RC, what's all this?"
RC groaned as he saw who the voice belonged to: Doctor Alpert himself.
Angel's head snapped in the man's direction as she curtly asked, "Who the hell're you?"
"Yo, Angel," RC quickly said, "He's cool. That's Devon's doctor, Doc Alpert."
"Let's just say that Devon, my boys and I go back to around March," she replied to Alpert, "And we got called in as bodyguards while Michael goes to get the antidote. These three bozos and another tried to get the last jump on him."
"Devon called in roughnecks...? Are you serious?"
A little voice...little and definitely irritated, spoke from behind Alpert, in the same corridor he had come from.
"Hey, do you remember the last time you doubted one of us when we told you what happened...just because it sounded like something out of a storybook? That was around March, right? You turned out to be wrong then, too!"
Everyone turned and saw Marissa, standing there, supporting someone as she moved...and that someone turned out to be Devon.
"Devon, you're not supposed to be out of-"
"Devil take that," the Englishman snapped, "Reginald's telling you the truth. Angel and her group, the same ones involved in the rescue operation in March, have been called in as bodyguards...and from what I'm seeing and hearing, they're doing quite well so far."
Alpert nodded in apology and said, "All right, then-"
"Doctor, have a look at this," one of the other doctors said, coming towards him and carrying the case and syringe, "This was on one of those guys that got stopped."
He nodded, then said, "I'll have a look at the contents, but you'd better get back to bed, Devon."
The Englishman nodded in agreement, then went back into the room, with Marissa's help.
There was a blast on the walkie-talkie, then Flame spoke.
"Flame to Angel. Looks like one of those 4 got caught in the elevator when I called for it to come down. He's snagged, tagged and ready for the cops."
Angel grinned and said, "Good work. Back to your post. All others, keep an eye on the other three until the cops come."
00000
Once they were back inside, Jack looked at Devon, partly puzzled and partly angry.
"Jack, what's wrong?" the Englishman asked.
"I overheard what happened. I'm grateful for you backin' up my old boys, don't get me wrong there, but...now they think that you called in the Black Dragons."
"True," he replied as he rested in the bed, "That wasn't my first intention. But young man, I don't think that they would take it too well that until March, you had been their leader."
"So basically, it's our little secret?"
"Basically, yes."
Jack nodded and said grimly, "Then Michael and the others had better find that antidote fast. If the Dragons fail at their bodyguard job, it'll screw up not just their reps, but yours, too."
Devon nodded and said, "Rissie, I want you to try to contact Kitt and the others, through the video phone. I'll walk you through the process."
"Not an e-mail?"
"We'll send an e-mail later, but right now, I need to contact him and Michael."
"Yes, father."
000000000000000
Kitt detected an incoming transmission. At first, he had thought that it was an e-mail, but upon inspection, the AI learned otherwise.
"Michael? Michael!"
The operative blinked awake, mumbling half to himself.
"Yeah, Kitt?"
"Rissie is calling."
That startled Michael the rest of the way awake. Marissa had never called on the mobile phone before.
"You said Marissa?"
"Yes, I did."
"Well patch her through," he replied.
A moment later, the monitor activated and the image appeared of the hospital room and the little girl was sitting in a chair, frowning a little.
"He's accepting the transmission, but I don't see an image yet. Is this thing on?" she was asking.
There was a little chuckle coming from close-by as a very familiar Englishman replied, "There should be...activate the control on your right..."
"Okay...oh! There it goes. Hi guys!"
Michael grinned and said, "Hey there, Marissa!"
Kitt added, "Hello, Rissie!"
"Father said he needs to talk to you directly. Something's happened. I'll e-mail to you later, Kitty. Okay, here's father."
Devon's voice said quietly, "All right, now set the camera to automatic...yes, like that."
The camera on the other end moved to include not only Marissa, but Devon, who was lying in the hospital bed.
"Yo Devon, I thought live communication was a bad idea."
"For regular use in this mission, yes, but this time it's necessary."
"What happened?"
"MAGE sent in the first round of attackers."
"Whoa, they sure don't fool around."
"No, they do not."
"Did the bodyguards take care of them?"
"Yes...and apparently, Angel's 'trump card' had a hand in the matter as well."
Marissa cut in, saying excitedly, "There were fourteen of 'em, but only 4 made it into the hospital!"
"Rissie!"
"Oh...sorry, father."
"As Marissa said, fourteen arrived, but the remaining 4 were...summarily dispatched before they could even enter the hospital room."
Another voice could be heard, and it sounded like Dr. Alpert. "Sorry to interrupt, we found what that syringe con—is that Michael on the other end?"
"Yeah," Marissa replied.
The doctor came up to the camera, then said, "Michael, this is Dr. Alpert. We found, on one of the attackers, a syringe full of a high concentrate of cyanide. They were intending on lacing the IV with half of it and then injecting the rest into Marissa."
"Those sons of-"
"Michael," Devon cut in with a warning.
"Michael, really. Marissa is right there," Kitt agreed.
"Sorry guys," he replied sheepishly.
The Englishman nodded slightly, then asked, "How is everything on your end?"
"As soon as we crossed the border, all three of us got disguises. So far, so good, but we'll be entering the outer fringes of enemy territory early tomorrow morning."
"Well, that certainly explains why you look somewhat like a common Mexican worker," he replied dryly.
"Thanks a lot, Devon,"was the retort.
A voice from behind them suddenly asked, "Dr. Alpert, mind explaining why Senor Miles looks as though he's been moving around a lot more than he's supposed to?"
Marissa winced, and so did Devon.
"That's because, Rodrigo, he did. He went into the hallway during a slight confrontation between the Black Dragons, that first volley...and myself."
Right at that moment, Kitt detected that Michael had let go of the gullswing and immediately went into autopilot. The AI also predicted exactly what would next be said.
He proved to be right.
"Devon, that was really stupid!" Michael exploded, "How the he—heck are we supposed to get the antidote that you need if you're going to be putting yourself at that kind of risk? The antidote's not going to work any wonders if you're dead by the time we get back!"
Devon asked, "I suppose you have something to add to that, Rodrigo?"
"I would, Senor, but Michael's covered all the bases," the botanist replied wryly.
Michael shook his head and said in a low voice, "You are not an easy man to protect."
"I beg your pardon?"
Michael was about to repeat himself when Rodrigo quickly said, "In any case, Senor, it'd be best if you didn't do things like that again. You're running the risk of the medicine wearing off too early as it is."
"I agree," Alpert replied, "From now on, Devon, unless it is for basic things, you are not getting out of that bed until after they come back with the antidote. Doctor's orders."
Marissa giggled a little then said, "We'll send an e-mail later. Be careful, Kitty."
"Same goes to you and the others, Rissie," Kitt replied, a smile in his voice.
As Marissa signed off, Rodrigo said, "You knew your duty wouldn't be an easy one when you underwent the Initiation."
"Yeah...we'd better get some sleep now," Michael said, then snuggled into his seat once again. Before he drifted off, he said a very quiet prayer.