BEGINNING OF STORY

PREVIOUS (PART 17)

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When the alarm went off, Bryce lost his cool for a moment. He quickly regained himself, and, as Reiter and his guard Blair stared at Bryce looking ready to move against him, Bryce casually glanced to his watch and said, "The alarm was supposed to go off five minutes ago; I wonder if something is wrong?"

They were in an empty lab; Reiter seemed to be careful on what he showed Bryce until he had more confirmation on who he was. Bryce had seen enough, though, including the pin number that went with Reiter's access card. He only had to get it from him, but Blair was watching them like a hawk. So the best bet was to take out Blair first, but Bryce had two problems with that: One, he wasn't the kind of person who could just pull out a gun and shoot someone face to face. Two, he was scared of Blair.

Thus he figured that meant he should get Lulu to do it, who, for all he knew, could be freaking out behind him. Bryce couldn't risk breaking character to check, though.

Reiter looked ready to burst with frustration. "Why didn't you tell me you were setting off the alarm?"

Bryce sighed. "How many times do I have to say this is a surprise inspection?"

Blair had her hand resting on the rifle slung over her shoulder and kept a steady gaze on Bryce. "I should check with surveillance on what's happening."

Bryce shook his head. "You can't do that. Communications are down as part of the test." Or, at least, they should be if Doug and Charlene didn't completely screw up.

Reiter made a fist. "You took down our communications?!"

Blair began to grip her rifle. "How are we supposed to find out if he is who he says he is now?"

Bryce rolled his eyes. "Obviously, if we know enough about this place to bring down the communications, then we must be who we say we are. Can we keep this moving?"

It looked like Reiter couldn't decide whether to obey or shoot Bryce. "You do know Dumalt is coming?"

Dumalt? "Of course."

"I wonder who he'll kill when he finds the place like this." Blair pointed her rifle at Bryce. "But I know who I will."

Bryce could hear Lulu scribbling behind him, confirming she was still there. He looked to Reiter while pointing at Blair. "This woman just pointed a gun at an Asmod official. I want her executed."

Blair kept her gun on Bryce while Reiter now drew his sidearm but kept it down at his side. Bryce could tell he very much wanted to shoot him, but there was that seed of doubt. Reiter must have still left open the possibility that Bryce really was just another pompous government official, and, by shooting him - as logical as that seemed - he would be signing his own death warrant.

Blair seemed to be waiting for word from Reiter, but, getting none, she glanced towards him. It seemed the perfect time to act - if Bryce were more of a man of action, that is.

All Bryce knew was that someone fired, and then he lost track of everything else. There was a stinging pain on his left arm, and he saw Reiter, bleeding from his right hand, and reaching for his gun on the ground with his left. Bryce ran forward and kicked him, meeting foot to chin. By the time Bryce remembered his own gun, he realized it was all over. Blair was dead, and behind him stood Lulu holding a smoking gun, the notepad laying at her feet.

Lulu lowered her weapon. "I never killed anyone like that before."

"Better than getting killed like that." Bryce looked over the unconscious Reiter for his keycard.

Lulu smiled. "I'm like a real killer now, aren't I? Is there some special ceremony you're supposed to do with your first kill? Like, should I drink her blood?"

Bryce gave her an odd glance as he stood up with the keycard. "We don't have time to stop for a drink. Now, put your gun away, pick up your notepad, and let's just walk out of here."

Lulu put the gun back under her suit jacket. "I'm in charge, and if I decide to shoot more people, I will." She picked up her notepad. "What do you think happened with Charlene and Doug?"

"Dunno." Bryce activated his radio as he headed towards the hallway. "Doug, Sidewinder, what happened?"

In his earpiece came the answer, "This is Doug. Uh... Hey, Bryce, what's your call sign again?"

"Midas."

"Well, Midas, we... Wait, why don't I get a call sign?"

"Because you're Doug. Now what happened?"

"We got the software installed like we were supposed to, but then I thought maybe we should free the people prisoner here because..."

"No! Bad Doug! No thinking! I'm docking part of Charlene's pay for not keeping good watch of you!"

"Sidewinder," Doug corrected.

"Whatever. What are you all doing?"

"We're headed up with our new friends... and Sidewinder is shooting at people right now."

"The only way out are the vehicles on the roof; send your friends there if you want. You two meet us at Lab 8 where we are headed now. Midas out."

When Bryce and Lulu exited into the hallway, they found themselves face to face with five soldiers. "Quick!" Bryce pointed vigorously into the lab they just exited. "Reiter has been shot!" The soldiers rushed into the room, and Bryce smashed through the glass to hit the emergency lockdown button, locking the soldiers inside.

Lulu tapped her notepad with her pen as they sped up the pace. "So, did Charlene start 'Plan S'?"

"Kinda."

"Things aren't going to plan, are they?"

"We're going by backup plans, which technically means we're still in plan, I'd say."

They encountered three more soldiers at the stairway. "Quick!" Bryce pointed down the hallway in panic. "A number of soldiers got locked in Lab 4!" The soldiers rushed to help.

As they headed up the stairs, Bryce noticed the sting in his left arm again. He looked to see a cut where a bullet must have grazed him. A bit of blood oozed down his sleeve. "Man, I liked this suit. Let's not get shot anymore; that is definitely not planned. We better hurry; hopefully, if Doug and Charlene took down the network correctly, no one outside will notice this building is in lockdown. That will probably change whenever this Dumalt character gets here."

"Who do you think he is?"

Bryce shrugged. "Why don't we get this job done and get out of here as fast as we can and leave that a mystery for the ages."

Lulu skipped ahead of Bryce. "Fine with me; this alarm is annoying."

NEXT

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