by Katy Jordan
Gecko paced the length of Jack’s room, running his hands through his jet black hair and scratching at his stubble.
“Fine.”
All of a sudden, an alarm went off, swarming the room with red flashes, and a voice came over a tannoy system.
“This is a personnel alert. All staff must report to the main hall, repeat, all staff must report to the main hall.”
“What the hell is that?” Youth burst out.
“We’ve been summoned,” Jack explained. “Stick with us, guys; I might be able to whisper some information.”
Jack and Gecko made their way back to the main hall, joining in with the other workers who were jogging steadily to meet their boss’ demands.
Jack couldn’t help but think that they stood in blocks like an army when they arrived in the main hall. Echoes of footsteps broke the silence as Gecko and Jack followed the man in front and took their place facing Neon on the steps at the front.
“Ladies and gentlemen. I have some disturbing news to share,” Neon began, standing brazen and still like a statue, towering over his employees. “As you know, there is now a bunker that I had built for myself to have somewhere quiet to work. Someone in this room didn’t think that was vital, and they entered my private lair for reasons completely unknown to me.”
Gecko and Jack looked at one another with a clear expression of fear and anticipation.
“I would like the intruder to step forward. Step forward knowing that you will be treated not nearly as harshly as you would if you don’t step forward and I find out that it was you,” Neon threatened, eyeing each and every member of his organisation individually.
His eyes fell on Jack, and lingered for a moment, before moving on to Gecko.
Jack felt the vein in his neck pulsate profusely, and he heard Gecko swallow rather loudly with tension. Nobody in the room moved a muscle.
They looked amongst each other seeking out the culprit, hoping that they would come forward knowing Neon’s remorseless nature.
“No one?”
Again, nobody did or said anything, especially Jack and Gecko.
“Very well, then. I now have no choice but to have security pace the perimeter of the grounds every night for the foreseeable future. After nine p.m. every night, leaving your living quarters will be strictly forbidden until the perpetrator is caught. I don’t need to tell you that if you are found anywhere on the premises other than the living quarters, serious consequences will follow your capture.”
Neon strategically paused to let his words sink in with the crowd.
“Good. You may return to your duties.”
Everyone spontaneously scattered like ants.
Jack and Gecko turned to go back to Jack’s room.
“JACK BURNS!” Neon’s voice rang out over the room.
Jack turned to face Neon, who was still at the opposite side of the room.
“WITH ME,” Jack headed towards Neon, and keeping his head down, he began to whisper.
“Neon has placed security around the building because someone broke into his bunker. I’ve been sent back which is fine for me leaving, but I don’t know how we’ll get Gecko out. We’re going to need a plan.”
“We hear you, Jack. We’ll work something out,” Youth replied.
“Just do what you have to do to stay safe, guys,” said Bullet.
Jack walked towards Neon and left with him into his bunker, knowing he was getting ready to leave.
Bullet turned to Youth and Sparrow, leaning forward and running her fingers through her hair. She pulled the zip down a little on her black leather biker jacket. The pressure of this endeavour was getting higher and higher by the second.
“What’re we gonna do?” Sparrow asked.
Without even thinking, Bullet pressed into her earpiece.
“Everyone, this is the Black Bullet. You’re all needed in the Yellow Youth’s quarters. A situation needs Colour Coded.”
Bullet slouched back in the chair while Youth continued monitoring Jack and Gecko’s cameras, and Sparrow was manoeuvring the drone to the other side of the warehouse.
A couple of minutes later, footsteps were heard, and Tide and Rocket entered. In behind them, The Spectrum entered, looking forever fresh as a daisy.
Breaking the silence was Lab.
“Someone wanted to join in the fun,” she announced, helping a limping Flare into the room.
Sparrow immediately grabbed a seat and spun it towards her as she crashed on to it.
“Hon, this is maybe a little soon,” Bullet suggested, concerned.
“If I spend another night in that hospital wing, I’m going to kill myself,” Flare exclaimed.
Bullet flinched at her words.
“I just want read in, I’m not jumping in with two feet.”
Bullet looked at The Spectrum, who nodded gently with his approval.
“Okay,” Bullet walked round by Youth and referred to the monitors, “as everyone knows, Jack was hooked up with cameras before he went back to Neon, as was Gecko, and we’ve been monitoring them both since they got there.”
“Along with me keeping an eye on the perimeter with the drone,” Sparrow cut in.
“We also know that Neon has built a bunker underneath the warehouse and I’ve been trying to update the floor plan with its location,” Youth added.
“I don’t know if you heard earlier on, but Jack informed us that Neon is planning to send him back here as he somehow knew that we would ask him to spy for us. But, he’s sent Jack back to retrieve information and pass it along to him.”
“Much like he’s doing for us,” The Spectrum clarified.
“Exactly. Now, there’s a problem; Jack will get out easily because he’ll have clearance from Neon. For Gecko, on the other hand, it’s going to be tricky. Neon has authorised security to man the outdoors and nobody is allowed out of their living quarters after nine,” Bullet continued.
“So, why doesn’t Gecko just leave now? It’s six thirty,” Flare asked.
“Because Jack is leaving just now to come back to us. If they both slip out at the same time, it’ll be too noticeable,” Youth replied.
“Well, what’s the plan?” Rocket asked. “The car’s out the front, ready to go.”
“Are all the vehicles serviced?” Sparrow asked.
“Yup, every single one is up to spec and ready whenever they’re needed to be. Why?”
“Because I was thinking it might be best to take multiple vehicles. One takes Gecko, one takes Jack, the other would be a decoy?”
“Yeah, let’s do that,” Bullet stated, “so, Tide can go with Sparrow, Rocket can take his car, and I’ll take the bike. When we get there, I’ll take Jack, and Gecko will go with Rocket.”
“Are you planning on taking different routes home?” The Spectrum intervened.
“Yeah, we will. Sparrow, you take the A85,” Bullet instructed.
“A… eighty… five…” Sparrow muttered to himself as he tapped roughly on his tablet.
He looked up to everyone staring at him.
“I’m a pilot, not a driver. I don’t know roads!”
“Uh-huh,” Bullet mumbled, smiling, “Rocket, you take the A9.”
“Sure thing, love,” Rocket confirmed before leaving the room.
“I’ll come back the long way around the A90. Lab, you might want to get some fresh bandages and antiseptic at the ready. We don’t know how ugly this is going to get.”
“On my way!” she replied, heading out to the hospital ward.
“Everyone good?” Bullet concluded.
They all nodded in confirmation and got up to leave.
Bullet noticed Flare looking rather unhappy.
“Youth could use some help with those monitors, Flare,” she whispered.
Flare beamed and pushed on a table with her good arm, her chair rolling smoothly over to Youth who greeted her with a smile.
“Hey, stranger. Been a while!” She rested her chin on his shoulder as he began ty
ping.
Bullet flashed a satisfied smile as she left.
The night air nipped them as a red Volkswagen, a silver Ford and a black motorcycle left Colour Coded HQ. The Spectrum watched from his office window, Lab and Flare at his back as they rolled off of the property and disappeared behind the trees.
“Do you think this one will get ugly?” Lab asked The Spectrum.
“I can neither confirm nor deny my concerns at this moment. Many of us have certain fears and reservations about many things, but everyone is always apprehensive about the unknown. I am no different,” he replied, not taking a break from watching the headlights travel away from them on the tight, winding roads that would lead them to Jack and Gecko.
And Neon.
Jack walked out of the warehouse, keeping his head high and his walk a brisk one. The guards didn’t bat an eyelid considering it was a minute past nine.
Brazenly, Jack gave them a wave as he walked off the premises and headed for the hill to the east of the warehouse as Bullet had told him.
“Jack, it’s Tide, can you hear me?”
“Yeah, I can hear you. Where’s Bullet?”
“She’s on her motorcycle; we’re all on our way, but listen, don’t climb the hill. We’re coming in from the south. Hide away somewhere to the side of the road. We’ll find you.”
“Right, okay. How long you guys gonna be?” he enquired, looking around for somewhere to stay low.
“Won’t be too long, bud. About twenty minutes. Gecko, be ready to make a run for it by then,” Rocket cut in.
“I’m ready right now, gang. Just give me the all clear,” Gecko answered.
Jack walked for around ten minutes, looking back to see how far out of site he was from the warehouse. He came across a ditch just off the main road and crouched down into it, leaning back against a big rock and using his case as a seat looking both ways down the road for headlights or any other sign that Colour Coded were close.
In the distance, Jack saw the lights from two cars and a singular light at the back which was clearly Bullet’s motorbike come down a road and then disappear behind a field.
Gradually, engine noises got louder and louder.
Jack started to panic.
“Guys, I can hear you, you’re close. Cut out the engines and turn off your headlights.”
He could no longer hear anything. He got up and walked down the road to meet them.
“Put your case in my car, Jack,” Rocket offered, “I’ve popped the boot.”
“Thanks,” said Jack, walking around to the back of Rocket’s red car and flinging his case in.
“Hey! Be careful with that, I can still see you remember!” Youth screamed in his ear.
Jack merely chuckled.
“Sorry.”
“Gecko, we’re ten minutes away on foot. Wait for our signal,” said Tide.
“I’m ready. What side am I going for?”
“We’ll go for the…”
“North side,” Jack cut Tide off.
She looked at him very taken aback, forcing him to suddenly feel anxious.
“It’s only got one door, there won’t be as many guards at that side.”
“He’s right,” said Sparrow, who had pulled out his tablet, “there’s only two guards there. There’s six on the south side and four on both the east and west sides.”
Bullet walked over to them as she pulled off her black helmet, letting her brown hair drop down on to her jacket, a swing in her hips as she paced over in their direction.
For Jack, the world stopped.
He couldn’t decide if he was more frightened or in awe as he eyed every inch of her. This was someone who, if she was scared, never let it show.
The Black Bullet was ready.
“What’re we waiting for?”
“We were doing a guard count, I’m just checking the rest of the grounds. Don’t want any surprises,” Sparrow replied.
“Where’s your drone positioned?” Bullet enquired, as she went into the boot of Sparrow’s car.
“Bird’s eye.”
“Okay, you guys go. And stay low. I’m going to set up shop here,” she ordered.
“Fine, but you’re not doing it across my car!” Rocket warned her.
Bullet rolled her eyes as she set up the stand on for the sniper, and they all started running into the field in stealth mode. Jack couldn’t help but remember the last time Bullet pulled out one of her guns in his presence.
The closer to the warehouse they got, the more they began to spread out. Tide went towards the back of the warehouse with Sparrow, while Rocket and Jack ran to the front. Rocket stopped at the south-east corner just before the entrance to the compound, while Jack ran past him to the north-east corner.
He could see Tide at the north-west corner.
“Guys… the guards rotate. There’s six on this side right now,” Tide whispered.
“That means they’ve done a full 180 since we got here. How long has it been since we checked the drone?” Bullet’s voice cut in.
“Six minutes,” Sparrow replied.
“They rotate every three minutes… Neon is taking no chances,” Jack muttered. “What’s the plan?”
“We need a distraction,” Rocket said.
“Gecko, are you by the north side door?” Sparrow asked.
“I’m right on the other side of it. Hurry up! There are guards in here too!” he whispered frantically.
“I have an idea,” Jack said.
“Well, get ready to execute it in ten seconds. We’re about to go down from six guards to four,” Bullet intervened.
They all sat as still as possible, and after a moment, the six guards moved to the east side of the warehouse by the entrance, while four guards came around from the west side.
Jack moved down to the compound area where the vans once were and scooped up four decently sized rocks, and as hard as he could, lobbed two of them over the wire fence as far as he could make them go. As soon as he threw them, he ducked back into the bushes and ran up towards Tide, and threw the other two to the west side of the building. The four guards divided into two and split up to investigate the noise.
“Now, Gecko,” Jack forced as quietly as he could.
Gecko flung the side door open and ran straight for Jack who was now opposite the door on the other side of the fence. Tide followed him down there, while Rocket threw another rock into the property before running around the way he came and darted straight back down the field to the car.
Jack, Gecko and Tide ran as quietly as possible to meet Sparrow.
They had barely gotten to the north-east corner of the premises before the alarms were going off in the warehouse, and guards were in a frenzy.
“Guys, do not let the alarms panic you. Stay. Low,” Bullet ordered.
They did as instructed.
They kept low.
But, a guard had run to the entrance of the compound area, and Gecko literally bashed right into him. They scrambled around on the ground; Gecko was whimpering and clearly scared.
“Tide, Sparrow, run now!” Jack shrieked, as he dived on top of the guard in an attempt to free Gecko.
Tide and Sparrow ran past them, although Sparrow seemed hesitant.
“GO.”
Reluctantly, Sparrow continued to the road as five more guards arrived just as Jack took power of the situation. He was rugby tackled to the ground, and Gecko was grabbed again.
He couldn’t see.
There were so many men sprawled everywhere, all Jack could do was flail around with his arms and legs hoping he caught somebody other than Gecko.
“Jack, try and stay low. I’m going to fire,” Bullet said.
“No, Bullet, don’t!” Tide’s exasperated voice came back. “You’re missing, remember? Don’t give yourself away. We’re almost there.”
The sound of a revving car had everyone distracted as Rocket’s red Volkswagen came billowing up the road with no intention of stopping, and he was heading straigh
t for them.
At the last second, Rocket slammed on the breaks and yanked the steering wheel, the side of the car now skidding towards every one of them.
All but one guard leapt out of the way.
The last one standing merely fell back a little, and all four doors to the car popped open.
“GET IN!” Rocket yelled.
Jack and Gecko scrambled to their feet, and Jack as good as toppled himself into the back seat. The last guard grabbed on to the back of Gecko’s shirt and floored him.
He went down hard on to the concrete.
“No, you don’t!” Jack muttered.
Rocket’s voice almost deafened everyone’s ear.
“Bullet, SHOOT!”
A gunshot reverbed through the night air alongside the wailing of the warehouse alarm. Sparrow’s silver Ford came hurtling up behind them with Tide in the passenger seat as Rocket was dragging both Gecko and Jack to the car and hurled them in.
“Rocket, bring Jack to me!” Bullet cried.
Rocket left half of the rubber from his tires on the road, the smoke billowing out the back of them from the wheel spin as he whirled the car around and went back down the way he came. He screeched to a halt by Bullet who was back on her bike.
Dizzy and in shock, Jack tumbled out of the car and went straight to her, climbing almost drunkenly on to the back of the bike. Rocket continued down the road, and Bullet took off back up the way, passing the warehouse at top speed. She rode for a few minutes, checking her mirrors constantly, but thankfully, no one seemed to be following. Bullet couldn’t understand why Jack’s grip got more loose as she went on.
She tried to slap his arms awkwardly as she rode.
Was he falling asleep?
Panic-stricken, she pulled the bike over, and Jack merely fell off into the mud at the roadside.
“Jack?” Bullet yelped, yanking her helmet off and dropping it to the ground.
“Oh, my God… Jack… I thought it was clear, I’m so sorry!”
She clawed at the bullet hole in his shoulder, watching his eyes roll into the back of his head.