Sam walked into the office of Major General Rowan Lestra’ad, slightly optimistic about what this meeting could be about. As soon as he got one look at the visitor sitting crisply in his chair in a three piece suit, wearing jewelry probably worth more than all of Sam’s belongings put together, his heart crashed into his stomach.
Great. Another gorramned protection job.
“Ah yes Sam! Thank you for joining us.” Lestra’ad said as he stood to pat Sam on his shoulder.
Lestra’ad came from a race of beings known as Aquilan, an aquatic bipedal race of beings with flippers for hands and feet and a head that Sam always thought looked a lot like a brown jellyfish. Most Aquilians went into the peace core or politics but Lestra’ad was one of the few who decided the life of a military man was more exciting.
Lestra’ad was usually placed as Sam’s handler on cases mainly for his ability to calm him down and help him focus on the job at hand, an ability he developed over the years. Something that made Sam like Lestra’ad so much, even possibly love him like he loves his uncles, is the fact that the man had known Sam since he was born, having been close friends to both Sam’s parents when they were in the Naval Academy together.
“Major General.” Sam said curtly, ever the professional with Lestra’ad when on the job in presence of others.
“Sam, allow me to introduce you to Jori Lancaster.”
Sam shook the older man’s hands and saw fear, apprehension and a little bit of shock. “Mr. Lancaster, I believe I have heard something about you. You are an oil baron, no?”
Jori nodded. “Very good Mr. Owens. I own the largest oil pipeline running through the old regions of Russia, Germany, New Dheli,”
“All the way down to the Seven Seas.” Sam finished.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t know how much help I can be here. I don’t know anything about pipelines aside from they are long and oil travels through them. Unless you want me to take out a competitor line.”
Jori’s eyes grew wide. “Heaven’s no!”
“Of course not.” Sam said with a tiny nod.
“Slightly along those lines though,” Lestra’ad cut in. “There have been a few incidences along the pipeline as of late.”
“’Incidences’ meaning?”
“Equipment sabotaged, pipeline’s springing leaks, missing tools, those sort of things," Jori replied.
Sam absentmindedly rolled his eyes. “And you want me to find out who is playing these mean tricks on you?”
“Those are annoyances, yes, and some of them cost me a good deal of money, but I am more concerned at the attempt on my life that just recently happened.”
Sam shrugged. “Pipelines are dangerous places. You sure it wasn’t an accident? Maybe even a coincidence?”
“Cars aren’t ‘accidently’ rigged by timed bombs to ‘coincidently’ explode when you are supposed to be inside them,” Jori said with a defensive edge.
Sam whistled. “Someone really doesn’t like your oil line. Are you sure it was a rigged time bomb?”
Jori nodded. “My head of security, Mr. Cassel confirmed it himself,” A man that had been standing in the corner walked forward and shook Sam’s hand. The man had a firm hand shake and a good build, too good to just be a head of security.
Jori smiled. “Mr. Cassel used to be a Green Beret so he knows a thing or two about bombs. When he says it was a time bomb meant for me, I tent to listen to him.”
“I’m not that concerned about persons responsible at this particular moment.”
Sam scoffed and leaned forward in his seat. “I’m sorry, maybe you are still in shock. These people tried to kill you. I would think they would be a huge concern of yours at this particular moment.”
“What I am concerned about Mr. Owens is finding the mole that Cassel believes I have in my security staff.”
“How do we know it’s not him?” Sam asked, motioning to Cassel. “I mean you said it yourself, he knows a thing or two about bombs.”
“If Mr. Cassel wanted me dead, then he would have allowed that bullet aimed at my face last month to hit its target instead of placing his back between me and it, would he have not?”
Sam shrugged. “Maybe he is really committed to his cover story.”
Jori Lancaster exhaled and looked at Lestra’ad. “Surely he is not the only one that will be protecting me?”
Lestra’ad nodded. “Sam here is the best Agent we have. You are in good hands.”
“What about the rest of your roster?”
“Hey!” Sam cried. “You got the best so you don’t need the rest.”
Lancaster snorted. “Cute. I’m sorry Rowan but he can’t be competent enough for this. I have grandkids older than him. How old are you boy?”
“Twenty-six.” Sam growled angrily. He really hated people calling him boy.
“Jori, how long have you known me?” Lestra’ad asked
Jori shrugged. “Most my life.”
“And you trust me right?” Jori nodded. “Then believe me when I say that Sam is the best I have and he will not let you down.”
“And if I do, you can tell the Major General I told you so.”
“If you let me down, then I will be dead.”
Sam nodded. “Fine. I will provide the crystal ball and the psychic medium.”
“That is enough!” Lestra’ad cut in. “Nobody will be dying on this mission. Sam, do you wish to hear your mission parameters?” Sam gave him a ‘be my guest’ gesture.
“You will infiltrate Lancaster’s security team as a new recruit. From there you will accompany him to his estate in Europe. In two days you will escort him to Vector III."
“What’s going on there?”
“I have been invited to a very prestigious party for the elite of the elite. A veritable who’s who of the crème de la crème.”
Oh great. More stuffy high society types. Just what I ruttin wanted.
“A party is high risk. If someone wished to make another attempt at your life, it would be very hard for me to guard you.”
“You won’t be alone. You will be assisted by my security team.”
“Oh great! You of course do mean the one that has a possible mole in it right? I just wanted to make sure we are on the same page.”
“Is he capable of acting like a mature adult for a few minutes?”
“Not really no. I’m not that good of an actor. I starred in my elementary school’s rendition of ‘The Space Man and His Alien Fiddler’…” Sam trailed off with a shudder.
“Sam will do just fine,” Lestra’ad cut in. “Now then Sam, do you accept this mission?”
Sam stared Lancaster down. He wanted to dismiss it just out of principal, but he knew if he turned this one down another hoity toity billionaire would be here later in the day needing protection from a gang of local thicks. Besides, something inside Sam almost cried out to this job, like there was something more to it then what he saw.
“Sam?”
Sam looked over at Lestra’ad. “Yea sure, I accept it.”
“Very well,” Lestra’ad slipped Sam a piece of paper. “You will meet Cassel at this location at this time. You’re equipment will be waiting for you at your apartment. Good luck.”
Sam easily blended in with Lancaster’s impressive retinue of personal security, almost as if he had known every single one of them all his life. That was what made Sam such a deadly threat. He was a natural people person, easy to get along with and befriend.
After ‘orientation’ and a proper tour of the house Lancaster lived in on Earth, Sam retired to his room, where a schematic of the bomb and video recordings of Lancaster’s car from the time it left his house to the time of the explosion awaited him.
After extensive studying, which turned up nothing, an exhausted Sam decided to jump in the shower then retire for the day.
Every day it’s the same gorramned thing. Sam mused as the hot water hit his head.
Some rich muckety muck pulls their political strings or flexes their financial muscles and get another Special Agent to protect them from Joe Nobody, and the people of the Federation are being systematically abused by the K.L.F. It’s so ruttin frustrating!
I almost had their leader in stun cuffs, but then they went and attacked our base so I was called back like all the other Active Agents. Ever since then, the Federation was too scared to continue the pursuit in fear of another retaliation like that.
Sam pulled on a white shirt and some lounge pants and turned on the holo-television set in his room. A sad smile crept on his face.
Everyday some news channel airs a Federation leader assuring the people that everything is ok, that the K.L.F. is nothing to fear. But I know what is really going on. I know that the silent war with its quiet weapons has begun. I also know the sad truth that we are losing.
Everyday another planet falls to the Front. Everyday another Federation flotilla is eradicated.Sam stared out the window in disgust as Lancaster fussed over the way his chauffer was polishing his limousine.
And meanwhile, I’m protecting people that have more money than brains while they throw their wealth around at social get-togethers easily worth more than my families total accumulated income for two years.
Sam felt a flash of anger but squelched it quickly. But Lancaster isn’t the real problem. The Federation is the real problem. Their fear and refusal to do anything about the K.L.F. is the problem. We sit on our thumbs and treat them like the elephant in the room that nobody wishes to discuss. Meanwhile they kick our keesters all over space and the innocent masses are caught between the crosshairs and contrary to popular belief, stray bolts can kill.
Sam threw himself on his bed in frustration. I have seen so many Agents join the Legion of the Lost, Agents who go A.W.O.L. out of frustration for the Federation’s complacency, its willingness to throw their people to the jaws of these tyrannical monsters.
I’ve even learned of some of the ex-Agents who now work for the Front. That is probably the most depressing thing I have ever learned.
If only they had held on. I know things are going to get better. Eventually the Federation will get back to their old ways of actually caring about their people. One day we will take the fight to the Front and make them pay for what they have done. I may have my frustrations and anger towards the upper brass but I also have my loyalty. I guess what I feel is a….frustrated loyalty.
Sam cast one more glance at the holo-tv before shutting it off.
One of these days, every last person that has had to suffer through this will get their vindication. I will see to it personally.
With thoughts of revenge and payback flashing through his mind, Sam drifted off to a fitful sleep.
Sam’s eyes snapped open as someone relentlessly pounded on his door.
“Rael!” Someone yelled his assumed name. Sam glanced at his bedside crono and saw it was two a.m. “Rael!”
The voice repeated.
“Yea?” Sam called.
“We are under attack! Someone is trying to get to Mr. Lancaster again!”
Sam jumped out of bed and pulled his navy blue security jumpsuit on. “What’s the sit rep?” He yelled as he adjusted his belt, lowering the blaster holster to hang low on his right hip.
“Five men have breached the main foyer, three others are attempting to enter through the east landing’s windows on the third floor by rappel line.”
Sam threw the door open. “Where is Lancaster?”
“Locked in his bed room with Mr. Cassel and two other guards.”
Sam followed the two men down the hallway, down the stairs to the third floor. “Where do you need me?”
“See if you can do something with the three attempting to rappel up here. Our laser defense grid is having a devil of a time with them. Something is wrong with the targeting system.”
“New problem?”
“How did you know?”
Sam snorted derisively. “Lucky guess.”
As the two men left, Sam peeked out the window to assess the situation. Two men had been pinned down by the defense grid halfway up the wall but the third man was quickly making his way up. Sam ducked back in before they could see him and pressed his body against the wall, blending in with the shadows.
He watched as the man pulled himself through the window and into the hallway. The man was dressed from head to toe in your typical black invader garb, including full face covering black mask. If he hadn’t known the man was coming, Sam could have very well missed him.
“Hi there.” Sam said.
The man turned around, pulling a blaster out of a holder. Sam swung his left arm around, chopping the nerve’s to the wrist holding the gun. The man’s fingers flexed open, dropping his gun.
Sam swept his left foot, kicking the gun away. In the same motion, Sam thrust his right arm out, palm open in a forceful chest push. The man stumbled backwards, the wind knocked out of his lungs.
Sam pressed forward, bringing in a right hook, knocking the man off balance. As he teetered towards his right, Sam swept his foot in a clockwise motion, knocking the man off his feet.
Sam spun to his feet, leapt in the air and landed on the man’s chest. A quick one-two combo took the man out of the equation.
Sam ran back to the window to see the man on the right had managed to continue his trek up the wall but his partner had once again been stopped by the laser grid.
As the man pulled himself over the ledge, he immediately spied his unconscious buddy. He began to run towards him but Sam reached out from the shadows.
Grabbing the man’s shirt, he yanked him backwards, driving his elbow hard into the man’s spine.
The man yelled in pain, undoubtedly giving away his element of surprise against the final guy.
The man spun around with a sloppy right hook. Sam dropped to his knees, delivering a straight punch to the man’s right knee. He smiled with sadistic pleasure as he heard the sickening CRACK of the man’s kneecap shattering.
As fortuitous luck would have it, the man began to fall down in Sam’s direction. Thinking quick he rose, arching a high elbow into the man’s jaw. The man moved with the motion of the impact, teetering over onto his right side.
Sam looked down in grim satisfaction as the man’s broken jaw hung at an unnatural angle, soaking in the man’s wordless groans of pain.
The man’s eyes narrowed. That was the tip off. Sam glanced over his shoulder in time to turn the almost perfect left handed ambush into a flip, throwing the third man on top of his friend.
The man on the ground increased his moaning as his friend landed on his shattered knee.
The final man stood, holding his hands in an amateur boxers pose. Sam couldn’t help but laugh.
It’s so stupid it’s almost cute.
The man swung a straight right, which Sam easily dodged. The man brought in a straight left. Sam twisted his body to block with both forearms. Before the man could react, he shot out his right hand, jabbing the man in his Adam’s Apple.
The man stumbled back, coughing. Sam waited for the man to compose himself. He wanted to have a little fun.
The man ran to him, then jumped, aiming a sloppy straight left kick to Sam’s head. Sam easily grabbed the man’s ankle before his foot connected. Holding on with his right hand, he lashed out with a hard left palm against the man’s shin, causing intense pain but not breaking anything.
The man stumbled back, rubbing his shin, only half watching Sam. It would have been so easy to end it but he wanted to give the man a sporting chance. He hadn’t been in a fight in a good while and he was aching to get some frustrations out.
This poor man’s main crime was catching Sam on a bad day.
Leg feeling better, the man came charging at Sam with a right hook. Sam easily ducked under and delivered a sharp elbow to the man’s kidneys. As the man continued with his motion, this time holding on to his kidney, Sam spun, delivering a right side kick to the base of the man’s spine.
The man stumbled to the window, spun and rushed Sam.
Not expecting this sudden recovery, Sam was almost caught off guard.
Almost.
The man kicked, Sam stepped to the side and chopped his thigh. The man delivered a right hook. Sam stepped to the side and slapped his face. The man shot a straight left. Sam ducked under and punched him in the stomach. Sam stood.
Time to end his suffering.
The man attempted to grab Sam’s shoulders. Sam brought his arms up inside the man’s closing arms and spread them apart, deflecting the grab. Flowing with the motion, Sam brought his hands around in a circle, then clapped down on either side of the man’s head, landing on his ears.
The man screamed in pain as Sam’s blows ruptured his ear drums, snuffing out the planets sounds in one intensely painful moment.
With the man distracted, Sam landed a hard left strike to the man’s ribs, feelings a few crack under his knuckles. The man gasped and began seeping blood from the mouth as a rib pierced his lungs. As fear and pain flooded the man’s eyes, Sam swung a right elbow into the man’s temple. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
After severing the rappel lines, Sam activated his communicator.
“Rael here. Third floor intruders have been dealt with and the lines have been cut. Now what?”
“This is Cassel. We are stuck in Mr. Lancaster’s bedroom suite. There are men on the outside with torch cutters. We need you to get up here and stop them from cutting through to the room.”
“Any idea how many there are?” Sam asked as he ran towards the bedroom.
“At least one.”
Sam bit a curse as he turned off the communicator. He rounded the corner to the bedroom and came skidding to a stop.
“There’s one!” One of the guys, a look out, yelled.
Sam quickly fired a shot, dropping the man where he stood before he tucked back behind the wall.
“Rael here!” He yelled into his communicator over the sounds of blaster fire. “There were six trying to break in but I dropped one.”
“Sounds like they know you are there Rael.” Cassel replied dryly.
“Yea the one I dropped was a watch out.”
“Are they all watching you now”
“I dunno. Let me check.”
Glancing around, he noticed a broom closet behind him. A quick check inside revealed a mop. Grabbing it, Sam turned and spied a mirror back the way he came. A quick kick broke out a sufficient piece and a quick tape job provided Sam with an appropriate utensil to help him look around the corner without being shot.
He slowly inched it out towards the door. He saw masked faces looking in his direction. The fifth man was still torching the door.
Suddenly, blaster bolts resumed, one shattering the glass, causing shards to fly in Sam’s face.
Thankfully none of them hit any vital spots.
“That’s a negative. You still have one man trying to break in.” Sam said as he rubbed blood off his cheek.
“Roger that. Any ideas?”
Sam reached in the thigh pocket of his Mark V Tactical Operations Suit, standard issue Special Agent wear, underneath his security jumpsuit. His fingers clasped around a cylinder, which upon removal was discovered to be a flash bang grenade.
“I have an idea. On my mark, open the door. Copy?”
“Copy that.”
Sam pulled the pin and held the handle down. Took in a deep breath and held it. Counted down to five, then threw the grenade in the direction of the bedroom.
He heard feet scatter then a high pitched pop.
“Now!”
Sam heard the bedroom door bust open, followed by the volley of blaster fire. After a few tense seconds of silence, with the tinge of ozone thickening the air Sam heard his name called.
He turned the corner to see Cassel and his two men standing supreme over the lifeless bodies of the six men attempting to splice their way into the bedroom.
“Good job Rael.” Cassel said.
“Where on Earth did you get a flash bang?” one of the men asked.
Sam shrugged and gave a lopsided grin. “My daddy raised me to always be prepared.”
“Glad to see his teaching stuck.” The other man said.
“This is Cassel. Report!” Cassel barked into his communicator.
“Front door is secure sir. We believe there may still be some in the house though.”
“Copy that. Sweep the building for any that may be left. I’m taking my group and trying to get Lancaster to his armored transport car. Cassel out.”
“So what’s the plan boss?” One of the men asked.
“We need to get Lancaster out of here and to his secure hideaway. Rael will lead the way, clearing out any resistance he may come across. You remember where the car is?” Sam nodded.
“Good. Go on ahead of us and let us know when it is safe to follow.”
Sam was almost disappointed. He was nearly at the garage and had not run across anybody at all. Then he heard talking up ahead. Glancing around the corner he saw two men walking his direction. Glancing up, he barely noticed a fire suppression system on the ceiling. He pulled an ascension wire out of his suits pocket and launched it up. A few tugs confirmed the safe latch and Sam pulled himself up into the shadows.
As the men neared him, he rolled his sleeve up and tapped on his Osprey wrist computer system. After a few taps, Sam found the app he needed.
Aiming his arm back where the men cam, he pressed a button. A little device silently flew pass the men and stuck to a wall behind them.
Pressing a button, the device made a high pitched chirping noise. The men turned around, attempting to locate the source of the noise. Sam twisted himself and deactivated the rope.
In an instant he landed on the first man’s shoulders, driving him to the ground. Turning to see what was going on behind him, the second man turned right into Sam’s right fist.
As he fell backward, Sam spun a roundhouse kick into the man’s right side, knocking him down.
Stepping forward, Sam kicked the man in his face, knocking him unconscious. The other man moaned, attempting to raise. A foot to his face dropped him as well.
The train followed behind him, Cassel in the lead, Lancaster in the center with the other two men bringing up the rear.
Sam reached a door and looked in. At the end of the hall was the door that led to the garage.
“Come on. We’re almost there.”
Sam opened the door, saw nothing out of the ordinary and motioned Cassel and Lancaster in. Slipping in behind them, Sam turned at the sound of a door behind them opening. He watched in horror as bolts lanced out, piercing the security team’s bodies, dropping the two men behind him.
“No!” Lancaster yelled.
“Get back!” Cassel said as he shoved himself in front of Lancaster. Sam popped out and fired at the man standing in the hallway. He watched as his shot punched into the man’s chest……and absolved into his clothing!
“What the brix?” Sam muttered. Cassel grabbed his shirt and yanked him back, as a bolt carved through the air where his head had been mere seconds before.
“What happened? Did you miss him?”
Sam shook his head, too awed to answer otherwise.
Cassel motioned for Sam to stay as he blended into the door frame.
In a few seconds, the attacker came around the corner, gun raised.
“Stop right there……Sam?”
Sam looked up, surprised to hear the man speak his name. Before anything else could be said, Cassel reached out and snapped the man’s neck.
“Let’s go.” He barked as he ran pass Sam. Almost too stunned to move, Sam just stared at the dead man’s body.
“Come on!” Cassel yelled. Almost as if someone else was controlling his actions, Sam walked over to the man’s body. On legs that felt like jelly, he bent down and removed the mask.
He didn’t recognize the man underneath the mask personally but he had seen his face before.
“Oh my God,” Sam muttered to himself. “He is one of the Legion.”
“Do what?” Lancaster asked. “He is one of the what?”
“Legions of the Lost. ex-Special Agents that went A.W.O.L. after the Front raided our H.Q.”
“Are you saying this ex-Agent is trying to kill me? How many more are there?”
Cassel grabbed Lancaster’s arm. “We don’t know and we don’t plan on finding out. Come on!”
Sam tore his eyes off the dead man’s face and ran after the two men. As he reached them, Cassel threw the door open. Once he was sure there was nobody in the garage, the three men ran towards the car.
They were only a few feet away when the explosion hit. The undercarriage of the car exploded, sending a wave of energy that threw the three men through the air. Sam slammed on his back, the air exploding out of his chest. As he struggled to lift his head, he managed to roll in time to narrowly dodge being run over by a flying burning hunk of the car.
“Cassel? Lancaster?”
“We are fine.” Cassel yelled.
Sam slowly regained his feet and ran towards them.
“Now do you believe there is a mole?” Cassel asked an astonished Sam. “Come on. Mr. Lancaster has another armored transport nobody else knows about.”
Will they discover who the mole is? What is going to be in store at their next location? Will Sam be able to save the billionaire from death? What does the Legion have to do with all of this??
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