The Hard Core

by Allen Manning

  Making his way around, John moved behind the heavy-duty crane parked nearby, in perfect position to give him a straight shot inside the base. He only needed to time his approach around the pair of spotlights tracing elliptical paths across the grounds.

  The lights crossed over each other and panned out. John tightened his grip on the M4, pulling it against his chest, and stepped out into the open, starting his run toward the cavernous maw.

  An alarm bleated in the distance where he and the others had split up. The guards stood dumbfounded looking around. The commotion came from the cell blocks. Chance and Roland had been spotted.

  “Intruders!” one of the guards shouted, drawing his sidearm and running for the south wing of the base.

  You’ll have to buckle down and hold the fort for a few minutes, John thought, turning to head inside. The furthest spotlight swept back toward the distant building. The harsh white disc almost shot past John when the operator stopped and whipped it back.

  “There!” he shouted.

  John brought the weapon up and snapped off a burst. The suppressed rifle spit three subsonic rounds into the bright epicenter, shattering the reflector and bulb. He dropped to a knee and spun to face the guards at the front entrance. Two had already headed to the cell blocks, but the other four turned their weapons in his direction.

  John steeled his nerves and let their panicked fire dance around him, kicking up dirt and sparking off the construction equipment. His finger broke the resistance on the trigger as another burst lanced out. Two of the three rounds punctured one of the shooter’s lungs.

  The rest scrambled, but John tracked the slowest of them, firing two more bursts in his direction. The .300 Blackout rounds made short work of the light materials the poor sap used as cover. His body fell back and hit the ground with a puff of dust.

  John ran for the base as the last two guards found the courage to return fire. Neither took the time to aim their weapons, opting to spray blindly from behind cover. By the time they rose up and sighted down the barrels, their target had disappeared.

  CHAPTER

  33

  Ty heard the alarm blaring and scrambled to his pack. He retrieved the Glock 26 inside and racked the slide like John had shown him, to load and ready the weapon. Taking aim at the far door leading into the base, he crouched behind one of the racks of computer equipment.

  Boots clanged down the stairs. “Check the control room. If it’s clear, lock it up and move on to the cell blocks,” a gruff voice said.

  “Yes sir,” another replied.

  The handle rattled, and the door swung open. A wiry guard wearing a uniform one size too large poked his weapon in before he looked inside. Ty opened fire, jerking the trigger. He lost count, not knowing if he shot four or five times.

  The guard fired his G36 blindly into the room. The difference in sound was overwhelming as the rifle thundered in the confined space. Ty shrank back, covering his head as the other man’s bullets shattered plastic and tore into the flimsy steel braces of the server racks.

  The man stepped in and circled around, flanking Ty. “Drop it!”

  “Alright bro, don’t shoot,” Ty said, tossing the pistol to the side.

  The other guard entered, keeping his attention locked on Ty.

  Neither man noticed the rear entrance easing shut in the ensuing chaos. Millie’s rifle stock snapped out of the shadows, crunching against bone, breaking the first guard’s jaw as his body spun into an unconscious heap.

  She had her weapon up, unleashing two shots into the other man’s chest. A third shot punched a hole left of center in his forehead, the rifle’s report far less violent than the damage inflicted by the bullets.

  “Get up, we need to move,” Millie said.

  Ty waited for a second, hands still up as he looked around. “Let me just grab my gun. I tossed it over here.”

  “Leave it. You’re no good with it anyway,” she said.

  * * *

  “Somebody shut off that incessant siren,” Faust said.

  “Sir, that’s the base’s alert system. There are intruders here,” Owen said.

  “I know that, you dolt. The hundred and twenty decibel alarm did wonders letting us know,” he shot back. “Now shut it off so I can think.”

  Owen pressed a button and flipped a few switches killing the ear-piercing shriek. He rolled a chair over and continued pulling up more information at the console.

  “I found them. They’re in the cell blocks,” he said.

  “You don’t think that was enough to tell me that?” Faust pointed to a flashing red light labeled Cell Block A.

  Owen continued, undeterred. “Two men, armed with submachine guns. They’ve taken control of the first floor.”

  Faust ran his fingers back through his hair. “Get some men to the cell blocks. You need to regain control now!”

  “There’s another one coming from the front.” Owen stared at the images on the security feed. “I don’t see anyone there, but the guards outside reported an intruder.”

  Faust folded his arms, his face pulling into a scowl. “So you fools think you can invade the Wolf’s Den?”

  * * *

  Chance barely made it back into the security room, sliding along the floor as a guard appeared from the cell block’s entrance, her H&K G36 bucking wildly.

  Roland crouched and answered with his MP5. The suppressed weapon’s response came out in muted pops. The guard retreated, giving Chance the window he needed to stand behind Roland and brace his SMG against the frame.

  The guard popped out firing. Before Chance could press the trigger, a second guard swung out, stepping into the cell block. Roland’s shots caught the woman in the arm, but the second guard’s assault drove them back into the security room.

  He shouted commands to more security personnel as he approached. Chance leaned out and fired a long burst, riding it up the concrete floor and catching the man in the knee and thigh. The guard screamed and fell, shooting his assault rifle wildly as he scrambled toward the exit.

  Roland took aim at the downed guard, but a renewed barrage drove him back as another guard rushed out to pull his friend behind cover.

  “They’ve got us pinned,” he said.

  “At least this room is secure for now,” Chance replied. “We just need to warn Millie and John, since they’ll be heading back here.”

  * * *

  A grunt and hiss of breath came from the door. An impact, like a baseball hitting a catcher’s mitt sounded out a second later. The door swung open as a musclebound man in the dark blue uniform of the CARR Group security forces staggered back, squeaking along the floor as his body slid to a stop.

  Faust looked down to see Troy Spragg’s replacement unconscious on the floor, eye swollen and a trickle of blood coming from one nostril. He tracked his gaze to the doorway, watching the mountain of a man stride in. The newcomer held a rifle across the front of his body, his broad shoulders almost brushing both sides of the frame as he entered.

  “Hard to find good help these days,” John said. “Step away from the console.”

  The warden obeyed, raising his hands and moving back several paces. John grabbed a handful of the unconscious man’s shirt and dragged him over. Tossing the man’s body into a corner as easily as a child throwing a pillow, John nodded his head to let the other two men know where he wanted them.

  Owen kept his hands up as he complied, but Faust sneered as he reluctantly moved into the corner.

  “Finally caught up with you, Blythe,” John said, pointing to the frightened man. “I need you to tell your men to stand down. My team has already gained control of the base, and we don’t want any more bloodshed.”

  “Don’t you dare,” Faust said to Owen.

  “But Mr. Kingston, I—”

  “Kingston? Faust Kingston.” John’s smile grew. “The big fish. The grand prize. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you tucked tail and ran for what you thought was a secure hiding spot.”


  Faust faced John. To his credit, the man puffed his chest out, unafraid.

  “You and your team are dead.”

  “Eventually,” John said, pulling the pistol from the unconscious guard’s holster and setting it on the console. “Not today though. Get your hands up and turn around.”

  He patted the warden down, finding the Walther PPQ SC under his jacket. Moving over to Faust, he checked the usual spots for carrying a pistol but coming up empty.

  “Looking for a gun? This entire base is my weapon,” Faust said, a smug, self-satisfied grin growing.

  CHAPTER

  34

  Chance released the charging handle of his weapon and gripped tight, ready to engage the enemy. More gunfire echoed out from the halls. Someone firing from outside the room. The pops were dulled, the rounded edges of the sounds in direct contrast to the harsh, angry blasts from the security team’s G36s.

  “I think John and Millie are here,” Roland said.

  Chance stepped one foot out, taking a more stable shooting stance. The firefight continued, but the shots spread out with long stretches of shouts and grunts.

  After a few moments, the fighting outside stopped.

  “Yo, Chance, we’re here,” Ty said, walking into the cell block.

  A hand grabbed his collar and yanked him back hard as he let out a yelp. A second figure leaned in, weapon ready. Chance lowered his MP5 and held a hand out. Millie did the same before pulling Ty back into the room.

  “Did you kill them all?” Roland asked.

  “Man you should have seen it,” Ty said. “She ran right into the middle of the group and just started wrecking shop.” He threw several chops and kicks in the air.

  “A got a couple, but the rest retreated upstairs,” Millie said, checking her magazine before reinserting it into the rifle.

  “What’s the plan now?” Ty asked, examining a rifle he took from one of the downed security guards.

  Millie pulled the weapon from his hands and gave it to Roland. “We stand our ground here. John will circle back and join us.”

  “This door is a good choke point for anyone coming through that long hall,” Chance said. “But those stairs are going to be an issue. We can’t cover both.”

  “We won’t have to,” Millie said. “We’re heading upstairs.”

  “We’re what?” Roland asked.

  “There’s a bridge joining the cell blocks to the main building. It’s where John will be heading to avoid all the guards outside,” Millie said.

  “John is a one-man army,” Ty said. “A few security guards won’t be trouble for him.”

  “This isn’t the movies, kid. Millie is right,” Chance said.

  “I just wanted to give you guys a heads up. You’ve got more company headed your direction,” John said.

  “Are you on your way?” Millie asked.

  “Negative. Slight change of plans. I’m going to stick around.”

  “What happened?” Chance asked. “Do you need us to head there and support you?”

  “No, you need to set up a secure position and hold the cell blocks until our support teams arrive. We can exfil by chopper then. I’ll be here babysitting our new guest, Faust Kingston,” John said.

  “You’ve got Kingston?” Chance turned to face the others. “This is getting better by the minute.”

  “First things first,” Millie said. “We hold this position.”

  Roland’s weapon chuffed. He leaned out again and fired a second burst down the hall. Millie ran over to join him.

  “They’re here, John. We’ll keep them busy,” Chance said.

  “Copy that.”

  * * *

  Millie’s burst stitched several holes in her target’s torso, sending the man sprawling down the stairs. She moved up, taking cover behind the wall for a better vantage point.

  “Behind you,” Chance said, firing his SMG down the hall leading to the building’s outer door.

  The guards retreated, letting the door swing shut.

  “They’re coming in from two sides,” Roland said.

  Millie kicked the downed guard’s G36 to him. “Cover the door from down here. Chance, you and I are heading upstairs.”

  “What about me?” Ty asked.

  “Make sure Roland’s weapons are reloaded,” she said, clutching her M4 and moving up the first flight of stairs.

  She took a knee at the first landing and turned to face the top of the steps, firing her weapon. The rifle’s suppressed pops didn’t compare with the thunderous answer from the enemy assault weapons. One of her bursts eliminated another shooter before he could add to the cacophony.

  A metallic canister bounced down the stairs from the second floor. Millie twisted and sat on one of the steps, covering her head and squeezing her eyes shut. “Flash-bang!”

  The concussive pulse pushed out, forcing her down a step. Chance rounded the corner and bounded up to her position as boot steps rushed to overtake them.

  Chance shot the first man down as the others staggered away, taking cover. He pressed his back against the handrail and unleashed more lead as the dead man rolled by him. Millie plucked a device from the guard’s belt.

  She pulled the pin and tossed it up the stairs, patting Chance on the shoulder twice. They turned their backs and crouched as the flash-bang grenade exploded, followed by the shouts and groans of the disoriented enemy.

  Weapons at the ready, the duo moved up to the second floor, gunning down the opposition.

  * * *

  The MP5 clicked dry as Roland fired the last of his ammo at the brave soul trying to prop the steel door open. Ty handed him the G36 and grabbed the SMG. He pulled the last magazine for the weapon from a pocket and reloaded it, keeping it ready.

  Roland switched the weapon to semi-automatic, pressing the trigger in a steady rhythm. A pair of rifles popped out from cover at the far end, both firing blind. The fully automatic fusillade drove Roland into the room.

  He looked over at Ty. “They’re going to run us down at this rate. Can you fight?”

  “You mean like fist fight, or with guns?” Ty asked. “Because the answer is no either way.” He released the charging handle on the MP5. “But that never stopped me before.”

  Roland popped out again and squeezed off three more shots before a steady stream of enemy fire forced him into the room again.

  “Uh, they’re right outside,” he said, grabbing Ty’s collar. “We need to lock ourselves in the security room.”

  Bullets chipped away at the floor, sparking off the cell doors in the distance. Roland forced Ty into the reinforced room, firing a pair of shots at the first man that crossed the threshold. Another guard pulled his buddy back as Roland followed Ty and yanked the door closed.

  Roland looked at the courier. “We need to think of something quick. They’ve probably got a key for this door.”

  “What about Chance and Millie?” Ty asked. “Those guys are probably going to break off and head up the stairs.”

  Roland cursed. “You’re right.”

  Ty retrieved his radio. “Hey, so, you might have some company coming from downstairs.”

  “We told you to hold them back,” Millie said.

  “Yeah, well, we’re not exactly a crack special forces unit down here.”

  “You had a solid fighting position,” Chance said.

  “And they had the numbers,” Roland replied. “If we can’t force these guys back, you’re going to have to deal with a wave of dudes flanking you.”

  “Do you need us to come down?” Millie asked after a brief pause.

  Roland handed the rifle to Ty and pointed to the door as he headed for the security room’s controls. “Negative. I’ve got an idea.”

  Ty opened the entrance a crack and aimed the weapon. One of the guards issued orders to rush the room. More out of panic than any desire to suppress the enemy, Ty squeezed off a dozen rounds at a somewhat erratic pace.

  As the last shot echoed through the block the voices of
the enemy formed into one intertwined buzz of sound.

  Ty kept his rifle pointed forward and shouted, “I’m out!”

  The voices all quieted down.

  “You’re not supposed to let the enemy know that, Ty,” Roland hissed. “Fall back before—”

  Three men came in firing and hugging the wall. Ty fell on his butt and yanked the door closed. Bullets rang off the steel barrier, their reports outside dulled in the room.

  “You said they had the key to this room, right?” Ty asked.

  “So do I,” Roland said, swiping his finger across a series of buttons.

  The security lock beeped and clicked, disengaging the locks. Before the guards could rush in, a speaker in the corner emitted a loud buzz as the mechanical latches of the inmates’ cells popped open.

  The steel door to the security room opened halfway, but the guard outside turned his attention to freed inmates. His eyes were saucers, mouth agape, firing in a panic.

  One of the inmates fell as the others looked on in stunned disbelief. A fury washed over them as they rushed the guards that had just killed one of their own. Bodies collided, spoiling the aim of the other guards, just as the tidal wave of inmates crashed on them.

  CHAPTER

  35

  Millie slid underneath a guard’s line of fire, kicking his legs out from under him. She twirled her body around coming up to a crouch as she hit him with a burst at point blank range. She swung her muzzle up and caught another man as he tried to retreat behind cover.

  Chance grabbed the G36 from another guard, pulling the man off balance and tossing him over his hip. Bringing the rifle up to his shoulder, Chance took aim, but a flash of movement caught his attention. Another guard rushed out of the room, slashing with a combat knife. Chance leaned his head back to avoid the blade before swinging his leg around, planting a roundhouse kick across the assailant’s neck and collarbone.