The Atomic Secret [IC, TWI]

[Vancouvia]

Senator Eva Driscoll strolled out onto Lanshire Park in the heart of Vesuvius, dressed in a wide sun hat and wider sunglasses. In one hand was a small purse and in her other was a book on naval history. She spotted a rare empty bench and galloped towards it, sitting down and checking her phone for the time. 5:02? Where are they?

Opening up to the first few pages, Eva's eyes scrolled over the preface of the book. Bored already, she picked her head up and saw a man with an auburn briefcase approaching her.

"Cousin!" she yelled, hoping the man would respond.

[Ostehaar]

"Well, hello to you too!"

Martin smiled cheerfully and held his arms to the sides as a gesture of enthusiasm. "It's so nice to see you here," he said and sat next to her, "how have you been?"

Not far away from there, in an empty office across the street, Martin's partner watched the meeting through a photo-telescope, and listened to it through a recording device on Martin's shirt.

"So, I hear you plan on a long vacation. Is it true?"

[Vancouvia]

"That is quite true, cousin. Now that winter is approaching, I fear my constitution may be better served in a more... southerly climate," said Eva taking a seat. "I believe Ostehaar has some nice forestral lodges a lady like me might find absolutely charming."

A brisk wind swashed through the park, reminding both that winter was indeed fast approaching. "Of course, I would have to pack and get some affairs in order. And then there's a Mr. Yates, a former.... neighbor of mine, who I should surely say goodbye to. I hear he has just the worst heart attacks from time and time, and I would not want to leave and never see him again."

"In fact," said Eva. "You should pay him a visit, too."

[Ostehaar]

"Ostehaar, really? I actually know a guy, Oster, and I can ask him for recommendations on what to see or what to do."

"I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Yates," Martin cleared his throat. "Does he have people looking out for him? You know, hanging around, monitoring his situation?"

[Vancouvia]

"He lives over in Greenview with his family now, wife and three daughters. His health has been quite poor recently, I'm afraid. Even caused him to have to quit his job. Oh, well, he could surely use the rest."

Eva looked out into the park at her fellow Vancouvians, their minds perfectly at ease. They couldn't know the dark burdens required of her, the harsh weight of morality vs. necessity, the choices that she must make just to keep this country alive. But still, she knew she had changed from the young woman who went through law school just a few years ago; she just couldn't remember how far she had gone.

"Have you read this, cousin?" said Eva, handing over the naval book. Inside lay an address, a time, and a key to her apartment. "It's quite good. Just make sure you return it to me shortly."

[Vancouvia]

Isle 14

Lt. Abraham Woo himself was the first through the bunker door. Its hatch unlocked after an hour of brute force electronic work by a young Sergeant, and there was nothing left to do but enter the cavern. Woo wasn't sure whether or not to have his rifle ready, whether or not to bring his men, or what to expect. All he knew was that he had orders and that he would carry them out to the letter.

A few of his men had diligently followed him in. "Men, guard the door," ordered Woo as he ventured in alone, his hand hanging eerily by his holstered pistol. "I'll be out within 10 mikes."

Woo descended into the bunker, guided along the way by flashing crimson lights, like blood disappearing and then reappearing on the walls every three seconds. He wasn't frightened, but rather awestruck and compelled.

Soon Lt. Woo reached another door. "Captain Rothschild? Captain Rothschild? I am Lieutenant Abraham Woo. White albatross."

Upon hearing the last two words, the giant steel door swung upon. Four members of Bravo 8 rushed past Woo, into the hallway. "Are you alone, Lieutenant?" came a voice from behind the chaos.

"Yes, it's just me. Captain?"

"Indeed," said Rothschild, stepping into the light. "It's good to see friends on this godforsaken island. Come, follow me."

The door closed eerily behind him, and Woo followed the Captain and his men past a series of closed steel doors and long, straight hallways. The Captain was silent, exact, almost marching to the destination. Woo looked up at his face every now and then as if to get a hint on their destination, but nothing was revealed.

"Here he is," said Rothschild as he swiped a card and opened one of the identical doors. Only the Captain and Lieutenant entered. The room was empty except a long stainless steel table and a black body bag on it. It was not empty.

"Yes," said Rothschild, anticipating the question. "The Sergeant John Smith. We had no choice."

Woo's mouth was agape. His orders were to extradite the prisoner back to the mainland and peacefully get the rest of John's squad back to Yorkford. One of those things was not going to happen for certain, the other almost certainly too now. He began to rock back and forth as he stared at the black sleeve.

"Now Lieutenant, there's no need for that," said Rothschild, placing his hand on Woo's shoulder.

[Ostehaar]

It was late evening in a quiet residential block in Greenview. Martin and his partner, Alek, had been following Mr. Yates for a few days - more than enough in his case, since no bodyguards were involved. The retired senator was in the middle of his regular bicycle ride around the neighborhood, and the two Osters were waiting just around the corner.

As they noticed Yates' approach, they emerged from around a corner to walk in front of him. He seemed to acknowledged them and began to slightly slow down and divert his path in order to go around them. They acted as if they were minding their own business, talking to one another and laughing.

When Yates was less than a meter away, Martin opened a previously shaken can of coke, fizzling and spraying the drink all over the himself and Yates, and pushing Yates sideways. Alek, who was walking slightly behind Martin, jumped towards Yates to prevent him from falling. As he grabbed the front of the bicycle, he reached forward towards Yates' temple in a quick and sharp movement, and poured a few drops of a certain substance into his ear.

"Oh, shit! I'm so sorry!" Martin said as Alek helped Yates re-stabilize.

Alek smiled at the Vancouvian as he fixed himself and got ready to ride away. "You'll be alright, mate. Have a nice evening!"

[Vancouvia]

Yates found the interruption quite aggravating. Looking at his watch and realizing he was now behind his usual lap time, he sped up and rapidly rode down a slight hill. With the wind in his face and gravity easing him on, Yates felt finally free--free of the lies, the corruption, the dark rooms, his conscience. Finally, at last, he was loose from the grips of the capitol, even if it was just for a moment.

When Yates turned and began his trek home he suddenly felt very tired. Thinking he had pushed himself too hard, he gently coasted back home, placed his bike in the garage, grabbed a water, and launched himself into his reclining chair. After finding a station he would enjoy watching, he popped open the water bottle and went for some much needed re-hydration. But before he could get a sip down, he began to choke, violently, like he never had before. He couldn't swallow, his eyes began to tear, and he struggled for air. By the time his wife had run into the family room after hearing the gasping, Yates was unconscious and dying.

The doctors at the hospital gave the speech and the widow gave her cries.

[Vancouvia]

November 9, 2016
VNN ~ Vancouvian News Network
Greenview

Former Senator Yates Dead at 49

The nation was shocked today as Former Senator Arnold Yates was pronounced dead at 4:40 PM at Greenview Area Hospital. Senator Yates was rushed to the emergency room after suffering respiratory failure. His wife told us that he was exhausted after taking his regular bike ride, and that he began struggling for breath while sitting at home. Although doctors worked furiously to save him, Yates never regained consciousness.

Senator Yates resigned about one month ago on October 1st, due to health concerns. It is likely that he had a condition he did not want the public to be informed of. Yates was the first Senator ever to resign for health concerns, and the first former or active Senator to pass away.

Congress has retired his Senate chair and placed a permanent plaque on his seat. They have also delegated all active military units to perform a 72-gun salute in his honor at dawn tomorrow.

Yates leaves behind a wife and three teenage daughters.

[Ostehaar]

Minister Dulikh held the newspaper in his hand and stared at the small headline at the middle section of one of the last pages. Yates was rushed to the emergency room after suffering respiratory failure, he read it in his mind again, exhausted after taking his regular bike ride. His left hand began shaking slightly. He clenched his fist, struggling to control the vibrations until they gradually faded.

"Did they...?" he uttered faintly to himself. "No," he decided, "not a chance."

"What, Minister?" his assistant Behl wondered. "Did you say anything?"

"Yeah, I... No, it doesn't matter. Say, can you please check something for me?"

"Of course, sir," Behl replied firmly.

"I need you to go to the institute - don't call them or ask, just go there - and see if you can find out if there has been any kind of mission in Vancouvia lately. It can even be something like a humanitarian thing or a monitoring operation... See if you can find any reports from the area or about it."

"Alright," the young man said, unsure what to think. "Do you need it now?"

"Yes," he nodded once. "Come see me when you're done."

---

Martin hesitantly inserted the key Eva gave him into the key-hole, and gently turned it and opened the door. He checked his watch again and carefully stepped inside. Outside, in the street, Alek was in a car, waiting for Eva and him to exit the building. He would drive them to a port where a small merchant boat would pick them up and sail towards Lovsk.

Martin looked around in Eva's place. "Madam?"

[Vancouvia]

"Oh! I wasn't expecting you until later... cousin," said Eva, frantic now that the time had come. "Say, what is your name?"

Eva ran to her bedroom and retrieved a suitcase, then plopped it in the Oster's surprised hands. She then scurried back into her bedroom and began furiously tossing items into two more suitcases. "Help yourself to something in the fridge," she called out to him, realizing that he better enjoy wine, cheese, or apricots.

Fifteen minutes later she reappeared with two suitcases, two purses, a large coat, an umbrella, and an extra pair of boots. "Be a dear and take, like, seventy-five percent of this, will you? I assume we're late for whatever cruise ship you have waiting for me!" She laughed and tossed her head up. "Ha, just kidding, a catamaran would do nicely as well."

With that she slammed her door closed with her foot and headed out, for the last time.

[Ostehaar]

"It's Martin," he said, trying to figure out if the Vancouvian had lost her mind or was having a nervous breakdown. He picked up some of her stuff, still unsure what is happening, and told himself that he's just not used to this country. Soon they would be back home, and he wouldn't have to worry about it at all.

His mobile phone buzzed. He drew it out and looked at the message Alek had sent him. We should get going. "Alright, alright," he said quietly, picking up more of Eva's belongings. "We should head out," he said, and led the way outside.

The long drive eastwards to Yorkford felt odd. Martin didn't say much, and Alek kept his face forward and changed the music volume once in a while. Since the entire operation was off the books, they couldn't utilize the resources they usually use and find out if they're being followed, listened to, monitored... For all they knew, Vancouvian police could be waiting for them at their destination. Maybe we should have sailed from Vesuvius, Martin thought. Is it easier to hunt people on land, where they're fast but limited, or at sea, where they can sail in any direction but slowly?

Martin fell asleep about an hour into the ride, leaving Alek to the feeling of driving alone. He hoped to wake up in Yorkford, with the car parking near the port, and the boat waiting in place.

---

Behl sat anxiously in Minister Dulikh's office, waiting for him to return. The Minister stormed in with a cup of coffee in his hand and a pack of papers, which he threw onto the desk.

"So," he asserted as he sat in his leather chair, "what have you found?"

Behl cleared his throat in discomfort. "Sir, it's not easy to get information from these people, even as the assistant to the Minister of Defense."

"I know, Behl," Dulikh said, "don't worry. Did you find nothing at all?"

"Well, there are two level-three operatives currently in Vancouvia."

"They've been there for a few months now, if my memory serves..."

"Yes," Behl confirmed, "and they have been constantly reporting about various things, usually administrative reports and opinions... until recently. About a week ago, a week and a half maybe, the reports stopped coming."

"Interesting," Dulikh replied, impressed. "Go on."

"That's it, sir. I mean, I couldn't find anything more specific."

"What about level-2 operatives?" the Minister asked. "Nothing of that sort?"

"There are several of those in Vancouvia, but I couldn't find details."

"Their names, maybe?" Dulikh suggested. "Last known location? Recent missions?"

"No, sir."

"Alright. Thank you anyway. I think that first bit was enough for a call to Mister Vulf."

[Vancouvia]

Isle 14

"With all due respect," said Lieutenant Woo. "You've put me in a terrible position."

Captain Rothschild let out a loud laugh, almost a roar. "We're down here under siege and you think you're the one in a terrible position? Son, you have no idea what is going on here."

"Maybe not, Captain, but I do know that whatever you're doing down here is dark, and what I'm doing here isn't. I had my orders, ones that I now cannot fulfill."

"Cheer up, Woo," said Rothschild, leading him back out into the hallway. "A trespasser is dead and life goes on. Orders go on. Duties go on. Vancouvia goes on. What you saw here is a testament to those facts."

Woo was shocked at Rothschild's demeanor. He shuddered as Rothschild again placed his arm around him.

"Now you go on back up to the real world and forget all about this. Tell Costanello and the other traitors that John will be transferred out as soon as they head on back to the mainland. The Colonel already has another 'weather observation' platoon on the way to replace them."

"And if they refuse?"

"That's why you men carry guns."

Woo scoffed. Yeah, that worked well the first time.

-

Lt. Woo walked back up the dark slope towards the bunker entrance in silence. His mind raced with scenarios on how to peacefully resolve this. One thing was for certain, they could not find out about John.

The bunker door was closed. Woo pushed up against it with the full weight of his shoulder until it creaked open. Disoriented, stepping out into the bright sun, his arm was immediately grabbed and he was flung to the mud.

"Where's John!?" shouted multiple voices. Woo held his hand up to block the sun and scanned the scene. Dozens of Costanello's men swarmed the area. 10 yards off, his own men knelt in the mud, unarmed and tied, set in a long line with guns to their backs.

"Where's John, Lieutenant?" said Costalleno, stepping forward, with a look of anger and contempt painted across his face. "Excuse me. Where is he, sir?"

Two men took his pistol and knife and zip-tied his hands behind his back while he sank further into the mud. Woo's mind raced.

"You don't want to talk now? That's fine, Lieutenant." Costanello grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. "We'll see how you like being in a hole separated from your men."

"Lieutenant!!" shouted one of Woo's captured men as they led him away, as if to tell him that they were with him. A sergeant quickly hit him with the butt of his rifle in response and the man collapsed face-first into the dirt in front of him.

What have we all done... thought Woo as he was dragged towards a small, dark building a quarter of a mile away.

[Vancouvia]

As Woo was being dragged away, the rest of Costanello's men stood up Woo's platoon and marched them off towards the base camp, a mile down the road. Sticking them into their largest building, the cafeteria, they posted guards both inside and out and then some went and talked in small, huddled groups. Woo's men lay down on the hard cafeteria floor, shivering, their hands still tied, most of them wondering why and how in the hell they found themselves in this position.

-

Lt. Woo was dragged by Costanello towards a small out-building, presumably an old mid-century hunter's cabin. Cracking up the door, Costanello tossed Woo through a layer of dust and frosted spider webs onto the floor.

"Gibson, White, Cruz: cover the entrance," said Costanello. The men rushed out to guard the door. "No one in or out without my say so."

Costanello, now alone with the Lieutenant, grabbed an old wooden chair and brought it close to where Woo lay. "Look, Woo, I know this isn't what you thought would happen when you showed up here, is it? I mean, come on, you're the cavalry aren't you? The good guys sent here to protect this all-important island with a massive secret bunker that is for some reason being protected by scores of VSF."

Costanello took Woo's fleece cap off his head and put it on his own. "But when we saw you walk back up from that dungeon without our man, we knew we had to take matters into our own hands."

Woo was silent, staring away, pondering his next move.

"So I'm going to ask you one more time, Lieutenant, while we're alone. Where is Sergeant John Smith?"

Woo picked his eyes up off the floor towards his captor. "I don't know."

"Hell, isn't that what you went down there for? Or were you just borrowing some bunker milk?"

"My orders were to secure Smith and your squad and escort you all back to the mainland. You're traitors now, Costanello, treasonists. There's no going back from this."

"Bullshit, my good Lieutenant," yelled Costanello, standing up and staring out the cabin's small, frosted window. "Your orders were to secure whatever dark ops project they have going down there. John stumbled upon it and now he's down there paying the price, and you had no intention of getting him out."

"John attacked two of our own and infiltrated a restricted base," shouted back Woo. "And you are committing treason out of some unfounded loyalty to that man!"

"Hah, unfounded loyalty. As if they don't drill into our heads the opposite. He's our brother, not just a man, and he's sitting in a dark hole surrounded by dark ops crazies. If that was your man, Woo, what would you have done?"

"I would have trusted the system, that we have protocols in place to transfer prisoners, and that people like me follow those protocols."

"If that's the case, Lieutenant, why did you not walk back up with Smith in hand?"

The Lieutenant broke eye contact and shifted his body uneasily. I wish I could have son, oh how I wish I could have.

[Ostehaar]

Mark looked again through the scope, moving it ever so slightly. "I count two... no, three."

Lex could hear Mark loud and clear. He sat in the disguised boat - now much closer to the Isle 14 coast - and scanned the ground from afar. He also had several state-of-the-art short range anti-tank missiles with him on the boat. "I have the structure on sight as well. Do you need covering fire?"

"No," Mark replied quickly, "not yet, at least. Moving forward."

Mark crawled through the brush to a spot on a rise and then lay flat in the leaves, barely visible. He looked through the rifle scope at the trees behind the small building, listening to the breeze. He had the surveillance advantage - he could see all guards walking, looking around. He used the laser designator on his rifle to paint the area outside the building, just in case he would need those missiles.

"Clear to engage?" He said, half asking half announcing.

Lex acknowledged. "No one on road."

Mark took a deep breath and then released all the air slowly, waiting for his hands to completely relax and the little vibrations to fade. He followed one of the guards until that guard wasn't in the other guards' line of sight, and then gently squeezed the trigger.

His rifle jerked a bit, and he could follow the bullet's heat trail through the air all the way until it reached the guard's face. One, he counted as the man fell to the ground. He had only seconds before the others would notice, so he immediately shifted and locked his eyes on the second target. He fired. Two. The third guard was only a few feet away. Three.

"I'm coming down," Mark called in the radio. He picked up the rifle, fixed it on his back, and drew out his side pistol.

"Still no one on road," Lex reported. He turned on the boat's engine and sailed towards the island's coast, keeping the small building on the monitors. "I'm on my way."

Mark walked out of the bushes, coming from the side of the cabin, his pistol raised and pointing forward. "Entering the building," he whispered to the radio.

[Vancouvia]

"What was that?" asked Costanello to himself as he heard the sound of the body crashing into the ground. "Don't move."

He unholstered his pistol and took cover behind a dresser, facing the door. "Gibson?! Status!"

Woo finally realized this was his chance. Either his men or a second force had arrived, surely now aware of the status of his operation. He waited for the door to open, then charged head first at Costanello's flank, intending to knock the pistol out of his hand with the sure weight of his charge.

[Ostehaar]

Mark didn't even have the time to see who was being pushed sideways when he looked inside, finger tight on the trigger, with a man at gunpoint. "Get down!" he shouted as soon as he realized which of the two was the Lieutenant he has been following.

He took the chance and fired two rounds at the other man's chest.

[Vancouvia]

"Shit!" said Woo, as he rolled back out of the way. He looked at the man and immediately knew he wasn't Vancouvia. "Who the hell are you??"

[Ostehaar]

"It doesn't matter," Mark uttered, "we share a cause now." He holstered his pistol and searched Costanello's pockets for anything of value to the mission.

"More importantly," he added, "I'm not alone here, and I can summon more firepower. I can help you free your men and return order to this island."

"Is there anything we can get from..." Mark tried to find the proper word, "this guy? His stuff? Anything we might need maybe?"

[Vancouvia]

Woo eyed the man cautiously. VEO? Not likely, the man actually hit his targets. A foreigner definitely. But who?

"Shit, what kind of firepower?' said Woo as he leaned down and took Costanello's pistol and magazines, one of them coated in blood. "But if we're going to work together, I need to know who you are."

For a moment, Woo was wondering if this was some sort of elaborate trap. But then he looked at the body lying beside him and just began thanking God for his good luck.

[Ostehaar]

Mark checked his own gun and watched as Woo took Costanello's. He turned around, not knowing what would be the better idea, and turned back to face Woo. He sighed and looked directly at him.

"Let's just say I was trained in Lovsk. My service has great interest in keeping this island secure and the activity on it a secret."

"Now, about firepower," he said as he turned around to exit the cabin, "my partner is cruising close to the coast and has my back with some very accurate laser guided anti-armor weaponry."

"Do you want to lead the way?"

[Vancouvia]

Woo smiled as he realized he was a friend. "I would lead the way, if I had any idea where we are and where my platoon is."

Woo exited the cabin and stared at the men on the ground outside, impressed he was able to take down all three.

"Tell you what, secret agent man, I think the first logical order of business would be to call this up the chain, but then again my gut is saying that we have the advantage right now because they don't know there's anyone active against them."

"Now, I wasn't trained on Lovsk, but I sure as hell know there isn't any armor on this island," said Woo quite dismissively. "If your friend could get us some intelligence, possibly some heat signatures and whereabouts, that would make my day."

[Ostehaar]

"He can, actually," Mark replied with satisfaction.

"Already on it," confirmed Lex, who was listening to the entire conversation. "The road is clear for roughly half a mile before you exit the wooded area right in front of the military camp, that I assume belongs to the bad guys. I don't detect any movement on the road at the moment, but there's a lot of movement around that camp so it might change."

Mark relayed the information to Woo. "Is there a way to signal your men that you're approaching?"

---

Merchant boat Ophelia,
At sea outside the port, Yorkford

Alek completed all the minor adjustments and corrections, and put the engine on cruise mode towards Lovsk. Tired from many hours of driving, he fell on the bunk in the vessel's small bridge.

Martin stayed up, reviewing maps and making final arrangements for the flight from Lovsk to mainland Ostehaar. He resisted the urge to write a report about the entire mission - no documentation this time.

[Vancouvia]

"Other than gunfire?" said Woo. "I'm not sure. They gotta know that someone's coming, though. We're supposed to radio in updates every hour."

Woo took a look up at the sky. It was growing dark and the freezing wind was starting to blow across the island. Woo knelt down to recover one of the dead men's carbines, then took his scarf as well.

[Ostehaar]

"Check," Lex announced abruptly in the radio, setting the start time for their coordinated plan. On the island, Mark nodded firmly to Woo, and lifted his hand to point backwards into the bushed behind him. The other hand was already gripping his sniper rifle. A few seconds later, he vanished between the trees and ran up the hill to a higher ground overlooking the camp. Woo remained in place, the road to the camp open in front of him, sounds of activity heard from afar.

The sun was setting on the horizon when Lex turned off all the lights on the boat, except those emitted by his monitors. He already informed Mark and Woo of the locations of most of the troops in and around the camp.

The three minute mark arrived, and as they agreed, Lex gently lowered his palm over the 'fire' switch, and one-by-one, several small short-range missiles flew to their targets across the camp.