The Sabbath

by Nsenga, Arthur

  They drove back to the abandoned warehouse. The same two hostile doormen, dressed in black and holding semi-automatic weapons, greeted them. At least twenty people scattered around inside. Bienaimé excused himself once he spotted Jeff, Alex, Charles and Zaire conversing in a corner.

  Destiny and Adam introduced Cory and Lana to as many people as they could. Cory was surprised how diverse the group was. They came from all walks of life - some were Europeans, while others were from Africa or Asia. Everyone was ready for war, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the conversations circulating. It was a room full of laughter. No-one sounded serious, but their mood changed upon being summoned. It was a quarter to six when Zaire gathered everyone together for the briefing.

  “I want to thank everyone here. Today is the day where we will take back a piece of our lives and let them know that those who still believe in true freedom are more than willing to fight! Now, without further ado, I will let Professor Bienaimé take the floor,” Zaire said.

  Bienaimé emerged to face the crowd, then stood in silence for a moment. He made sure every set of ears and eyes were focused on him.

  “I would also like to thank everyone for being here,” Bienaimé started. “As some of you are aware, today we’re going to free those who have been held captive for over a year now.” He raised his right hand; his fingers were stiffly spread and slightly bent. “We will also capture the infamous Dr. Phils himself. This operation is just the beginning. From here, we will free everyone who is being detained by our so-called ‘government.’ We’re outnumbered ten to one, but we’re fighting for the freedom of our loved ones, and we will not be defeated.”

  He balled his hand into a fist and started pacing back and forth. “When you’re out there, remember what you’re fighting for, and you will see that you will conquer your enemies, and they shall fall before you. Five of you can chase off a hundred, and a hundred of you can put ten thousand to flight - your enemies will fall before you.”

  Bienaimé stopped his pacing and with open palms, he extended his hands toward the crowd. “This, my brothers and sisters, is a promise -and when you’re on that battlefield, feeling scared or stumbling, just look around this room; there are people in here that are ready to pick you up and fight your battle. We’re all here for each other and our loved ones. Fight for the cause; fight for each other. I have high hopes for each one of you - I pray that you guys don’t let me down.”

  There was a loud uproar, accompanied by guns pounding in the air. The atmosphere was electric - full of excitement and fight. Bienaimé waited for the crowd to settle down before he outlined the plan and dismissed them to get their things together.

  “Be ready to move out in twenty,” he yelled as everyone prepared.

  Inspired by his speech, Lana wanted to show Bienaimé her appreciation. She sought to find the old man while he was still strolling around.

  “Hey, Bienaimé,” she said, tapping his shoulder.

  “Oh, hey darling,” Bienaimé replied, mildly surprised. “What can I do for you?”

  “Oh, nothing. I just wanted to tell you that what you said was really inspiring,” Lana confessed, blushing.

  “Oh, darling, stop that. You inspire me.”

  “How?” Lana asked, shocked. She’d never expected to be an inspiration for anyone.

  “The way you are with that boy. I can tell that things aren’t going too well between you two right now, but you’re still here fighting. You have everything to lose and nothing to gain but his happiness, and yet you still fight for him. The loyalty and the kindness that you show for him…it reminds me every day why I still fight. Have you ever heard of the saying ‘a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity’?”

  “No,” Lana answered.

  “Well, you see, a brother, or in your case a sister, will always show loyalty in times of calamity. That is not to say that they will only show loyalty in times of need; but in dire times, their natural instinct is to love and support their brother or sister. For example, if someone accused my brother of anything, I would deny it to my dying breath, and if it turned out the accusations held true…well, that’s family business. The funny thing is, that kind of adversity is often the only thing that brings family together.

  “Now a friend - a real friend - loves you at all times, even when it hurts them. They owe you no loyalty, but act like they do. Oftentimes, they are the ones who you run to when you want to complain about your family. They are the friends who stick closer to you than a brother. A person is lucky to have at least one of these people in their lives, and you, my darling, have blessed Cory with the best gift he could possibly have…you guys have blessed each other.”

  Bienaimé’s words were comforting, and Lana was so overwhelmed with joy that tears rolled down her checks. He embraced her.

  “Don’t cry, darling, or you’re gonna make me cry,” he teased.

  Lana laughed and hugged him tighter.

  “Thanks, Bienaimé,” she said.

  “No problem,” Bienaimé replied, “and Lana?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Whatever you did to that boy…fix it.”

  Lana laughed once more before going back to join the others. Everyone was making their way to their vehicles; it was almost time for them to take their positions. Bienaimé, Jeff, Alex, Zaire and Charles were the first ones to drive off the premises, while the others followed behind.

  They parked at a nearby camping site. From there, it was a ten-minute march through the woods, stopping twenty yards from the wire fence surrounding the research facility. Hidden by bushes, they waited quietly in the comfort of the shadows. It was a quarter past seven, and there were still at least two hours left until Doug made his delivery.

  Cory glanced up above. The tall trees blocked sunlight from reaching them. It’ll be pitch black soon - the only light coming from the building lights and the two tower lights rotating around.

  They had counted twenty-eight armed men stationed around the research facility, and the darkness was their biggest ally.

  Still, as night came, time didn’t move forward fast enough. Sharp shooters like Lana and Destiny kept watch on the guards, itching for Bienaimé to give the order to shoot. The group was becoming restless, but everyone kept poised, linked by their headsets, anxiously waiting for orders. At last, bright high beams approached from a distance. It was a truck making its way to the facility.

  “I’m here,” a voice spoke through the headset.

  It was Doug; strapped with wires for easy communication with Bienaimé and the others. Doug drove to the main gate and stopped. As he got out of the truck, two guardsmen ran up to him with guns aim ready. With this much hostility, Doug regretted getting out the truck.

  “Stay right there!” they ordered.

  Doug didn’t move a muscle; he knew these guys were taught to shoot first and ask questions later.

  “Hey,” he said with his hands raised. “My name is Doug Anderson. I’m just here to do a delivery.”

  One of the guards spoke into his shoulder-mounted radio.

  “Watchtower, do we have a delivery by Doug Anderson scheduled for tonight?” he said.

  Within seconds, a male voice spoke loud enough for Doug to hear through the guard’s radio, “Yes. He’s all clear.”

  “All right, sir, I just need to check what’s in the back.”

  They walked to the back of Doug’s truck and opened the door. Before long, they returned and waved up to the tower to open the gates.

  “You’re all set to go,” they informed him as he hopped back in.

  He drove to the front of the facility. Ten minutes went by before the entrance door slid open. A slim, average height man in a white lab coat came out. He had flashes of gray in his hair, and bushy eyebrows peeking over the top of his thick glasses. When he spoke, it was with a heavy Russian accent.

  “Ahh, Mr. Anderson, I hope you brought my generators this evening,” he greeted.

  “Yes, Dr. P
hils, they’re in the back. I just need you to sign these forms, then I can help you get them out,” Doug replied, handing him a clipboard and a pen.

  “But of course,” Dr. Phils said, signing the form and returning it to Doug.

  “Okay, guys, we have confirmation,” Bienaimé’s voice came roaring through the headset. “Adam, scramble their signals. We’re going to come in from the back of the building. I need everyone at the back to lock in on a target, and as soon as they move into the shadow, shoot. Do not miss.”

  Within seconds, muffled shots pierced the air followed by a succession of thuds as bodies dropped to the ground.

  “That’s about half of them,” Zaire radioed in. “Now take out those spotlights before they find the bodies!”

  Four men emerged from the woods and ran to the barbwire fence and chopped a huge hole in the chain link with a wire cutter, then slipped inside.

  “We have penetration. Snipers provide back up for our guys – if anyone comes near them, take them out,” Bienaimé ordered.

  The four men took position behind the facility and waited for further instruction.

  “I need two snipers to keep an eye on the watch tower at all times. Do not fire until the guards are outside - the windows are bulletproof, but take out those spotlights now,” Bienaimé commanded through the radio.

  Lana was positioned directly across from the lights. She waited for them to swivel back around, and then squeezed the trigger with perfect rhythm. A guard from inside the tower came running out of the shadows to investigate the sound of glass shattering, but before he reached the spotlight, Lana fired another shot that sent his body tumbling to the ground.

  Bienaimé turned to face them, “Good shot, Lana. Cory, Adam, go. Now!”

  Cory and Adam sprinted to the fence, slid inside and join the four, hiding behind a brick wall. Activity in the compound was picking up. With communication sabotaged, most of the guards ran toward the towers to investigate the broken lights. Even Dr. Phils made his way over. It was only a matter of time before they discovered the body Lana had shot down, but they already knew something was wrong. The increase of traffic near the main gate left Bienaimé and his men only the slightest risk of exposure. It also became a playground for Bienaimé’s sharp shooters.

  “Snipers, careful now - Dr. Phils is making his way toward the towers. We don’t want him or Doug hurt. Adam, you guys be ready to approach both the Doctor and Doug when the opportunity presents itself.” Bienaimé put down his radio and turned to face Lana and Destiny, “Once everyone is distracted, you guys make your way through the fence. I’ll have the rest of the sniper team covering you - stay on guard.”

  *

  “That’s odd,” Dr. Phils grumbled, rushing toward the noise. “What’s the commotion over there about? You can never trust these people to do anything right, can’t even keep lights working in this shit hole.”

  “I’m sure it’s nothing. The guards should have it under control sir. With this much security, what’s the worst that can possibly happen in this place?” Doug asked, trying to maintain his cover.

  “You’d be surprised, Mr. Anderson - but I don’t mind a little excitement and danger every now and then. My life isn’t exactly exciting or vibrant at this point, so I’d like to see what’s going on,” he replied.

  As soon as Dr. Phils was within earshot of the guards, he wasted no time making his presence felt.

  “You incompetent fools! What’s the meaning of this? What happened here?” he shouted.

  His questions went unanswered. The guardsmen were too afraid to speak up and risk upsetting the good doctor further. Looking around, he raised his voice and asked again.

  “Well? What is it? Speak up,” he barked.

  This time, one brave soul walked up and said, “Sir, we’re not sure. It could be a burnt-out spotlight, but communication is down, so we’re not getting any response from the man inside and the door that leads up to the top of the tower is locked shut.”

  “Okay, so what’s being done about it?”

  “We hollered over to the other tower, and someone is making their way down right now with the keys to let us into this one.”

  Dr. Phils flagged his hand in the air, signaling for the guard to stop speaking. Taking one of the guard’s flashlights, he knelt down to examine the shattered pieces of glass. Before he finished his investigation, Bienaimé’s snipers started shooting. Their amazing precision – aided by their targets being in the same area, made it more like a game than real life. Destiny and Lana, looking as though they were in a competition, took out the bulk of the guards.

  Dr. Phils dove for cover with surprising agility, driven by the whining from bullets flying in the darkness. The guardsmen who were supposed to be protecting him were dropping limply to the ground. The barrage of bullets was deafening; the doctor could hear it, but couldn’t see where it was coming from. He lay there in shock, with no option but to observe the madness around him and pray he wouldn’t be hit. Digging his face deeper in the dirt, he waited for his demise. Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands pulling him up.

  “Get up! We’ve got to get out of here,” Doug yelled over the terror.

  Dr. Phils was unsure of what to do, but the fear on Doug’s face convinced him he could be trusted. They dashed toward the facility, only to be chased by Cory and his men. Doug didn’t hesitate for a second. Turning around, he reached for his gun and shot Cory in the chest several times. As Cory collapsed into the arms of his men, Doug grabbed Dr. Phils by the shoulder and dragged him to the building. Dr. Phils frantically punched a code, and they dove inside as the door slid open.

  Inside the facility, most of the scientists had taken refuge behind their desks, and only a few brave ones made their way to the doctor - seeking answers for the chaos.

  “This place is being invaded! You could have gotten shot,” Doug yelled, full of adrenaline.

  Dr. Phils, recovering from his shock, blinked a few times, and muttered softly to himself. Finally, he uttered, “I-I, uh, I need to get something. It’s imperative, life or death, actually.”

  As soon as he spoke those words, Doug knew he had to stay close, so he volunteered to accompany him, and as he was the only one with a gun. The doctor agreed without a second thought.

  22

  “Fuck! Fuck! Ugh!” Cory screamed, rolling on the ground in pain from the gunshot to his chest. “I’m going to kill that bitch. Oh, I’m going to kill him.”

  “Cory, are you okay?” Lana asked through the radio with exhausting concern.

  “Yeah, I’m good, I-I lost sight of Adam and the others. Doug is in the building with the doctor,” Cory said through gritted teeth, trying to mask the excruciating pain.

  “Sorry about that, Cory - I got held up with some of the guards,” Adam responded, still preoccupied.

  “Cory, go on ahead, I’ll cover you before I head down. I’ll stop the guards, just run inside and go after Dr. Phils,” Lana said over the radio. She refocused all of her attention on Cory’s position, ignoring the deadly shoot-outs happening with Adam and the others. “Just regain your stamina and go on ahead; I got you.”

  Vest or no vest, Cory was in agony. It was as if someone had caved his chest in with a metal baseball bat. No matter the pain, he had to move or one of those guards would put him down permanently. Suck it up, he thought, staggering to his feet.

  “All right Lana, cover me,” Cory instructed.

  He didn’t need to know where Lana was. If anyone had his back, she would. No need to look over his shoulders either - she was always there protecting him from a distance. He ran toward the door, and Lana picked off the guards popping up to attack him. As Cory got closer to his goal, Lana adjusted her scope, and changed to headshots. Even if they couldn’t die, she wanted to make sure they didn’t stop or hurt Cory.

  Cory wasn’t fazed when he saw a bullet go through a skull; it was either them or him. When he reached the door, he tried to pry it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Desperate to get i
nside, he fired a barrage from his M16. It proved to be a bad idea - bullets ricocheted off the door, and he scrambled for cover.

  “We’ve got a problem - the door won’t open. There’s some sort of code panel on the side,” Cory radioed in.

  “I’ll be right there,” Adam replied.

  Adam came bolting toward Cory. He pulled out a handheld electronic device from his bag.

  “Cover me,” he said to Cory.

  He attached two wires to the control panel. Within seconds, the door slid open with ease. “We’re in,” Adam radioed in.

  “Good job, now go after the doctor. We got these bastards on their heels!” Bienaimé replied over the thunderous volley of gunshots.

  23

  Quietness descended on the facility. The battle was won, but it was not without its casualties. Ten men suffered massive injuries, dwindling their combat team to fifteen. The resistance was neutralized, and those left surrendered peacefully.

  Lana and Destiny entered the research facility, and found Alex interrogating a handful of scientists. They looked scared and confused. Lana found it difficult to believe any of them was diabolical enough to create ATHENS. Whatever their involvement was in The Sabbath, Lana trusted Alex would force the answer out of them.

  “We are not here to hurt any of you. We know some of you are here against your will and forced to do terrible and inhumane things…We’re here to save you.” Alex had a very calming demeanor, and he was utilizing his appearance to this end. His features were so softened; even Lana felt safe listening to him.

  “That being said, we need your help - and most of all, your cooperation. We need you to stay put. We have a plan, and it is being executed effectively. All questions you may have will be answered at a later time. Thank you for listening and for your patience as we go through this challenging and difficult experience.”

  The scientists shuffled as they huddled together. They seemed as if they wanted to protest what was happening, but had no fighting spirit. They just gave up and did as they were told.