Agent 69- Stroken, Not Stirred

by Callista Hawkes

  You finally reach a clearing, the thick vegetation giving way to a neatly trimmed lawn and a path winding across it before disappearing down the hillside. (Towards a jetty to the south of the island if M’s intel is accurate). You are more interested in the other end of the path – a small door built into the hillside. M’s analysts believed it was the back door of the facility. Time to find out. You are about to step out of the treeline when you hear footsteps approaching. A uniformed guard, an AK47 slung lazily over his shoulder, makes his way up the path before standing before the door. He stands there for a few minutes, shifting his weight from foot to foot before pacing slowly back along the path and standing at the far side of the lawn, gazing down towards the sea below. He then retraces his steps back towards the door, leaning against it and folding his arms. A few minutes later, he repeats his patrol. You time him. Forty-seven seconds from leaving the door to turning around to return to it. Just enough time to slip past him. Having said that, dead men tell no tales…

  Shoot the guard and hide his body in the forest

  Sneak past the guard

  As the guard paces back along the path, you grasp the opportunity and dart from the treeline, soundlessly crossing the well-manicured lawn to the door. Glancing over your shoulder at the retreating back of the guard, you grin and twist the handle of the door. It doesn’t open. You push against it, but it is solid. Locked. You feel your blood run cold.

  “Drop it!” The guard growls behind you. You can hear his footsteps behind you as he quickly closes the distance between you, his AK47 no doubt aimed at your back. Your gun hand hangs down at your side and you consider whether you might still be able to turn and shoot before his finger tightens on the trigger. Doubtful, but your initial impressions of him are of a sloppy mercenary who was probably thrown out of the military before he even finished his training.

  Surrender

  Spin around and try to shoot the guard

  You twist around, bringing your silenced pistol up to bear. The muzzle of the AK47 flashes and the bark of machinegun fire sends a flock of colourful tropical birds into the sky as bullets tear through your chest. The force of the impact throws you back against the door and you slump down, your head lolling forward as your lifeblood quickly drains from you.

  “Nice try.” The guard tells you as he stands over you. “But ultimately foolish.” He takes a step back as the expanding pool of your blood threatens to reach his boots before your vision fades to black as you fall into the abyss.

  THE END

  Go back a few moments and rethink your actions

  Your shoulders slump and you toss the weapon onto the grass and slowly turn around to face the guard. He advances towards you, his AK47 raised and his yellowed teeth showing as he grins in triumph.

  “Reckon this will earn me a promotion.” He muses as he reaches you. “Maybe guarding the pool area and gazing at those beautiful women in bikinis all day.” With that, he swings the butt of the rifle into the side of your head. The crunching blow sends you reeling and as you collapse to the ground, your vision fades to black.

  Continue

  You aim your gun and put the guard down with a single shot. His body collapses onto the lawn and you step out of cover and drag his body towards the treeline. You notice a bunch of keys on his belt and unclip them before continuing to drag his corpse into the shadows of the trees and hiding it in the undergrowth. You retrace your steps back to the door and try to open it, finding it locked. You try the keys and smile as it swings open. Lights flicker on within and you step into a long, narrow passageway with walls of exposed rock. The gradient drops steeply as it runs deep into the hillside. You hurry along it, your footsteps echoing loudly.

  You continue along the passageway for several minutes deep into the subterranean facility before finally reaching the end. You emerge into a large store room, with weapons and ammunition cases piled high. Kruger is evidently well prepared to defend his facility. You notice another passageway on the opposite side of the room. Conscious that time is running out, you throw caution to the wind and hurry towards it. You wince when you hear a footstep just behind you, knowing your assailant already has the drop on you. You grimace as you feel the muzzle of a gun pressed into your back and raise your hands, your own pistol dangling by the trigger guard from your forefinger. It is snatched away and dropped on the floor.

  “Hello Mr Grenville.” A female voice purrs behind you. “Or should I say Mr Hazard?” You recognise the dulcet tones of Kruger’s mistress, Bérénice Marceau’s French accent instantly.

  If you saved Anya Suchova’s life, select this option

  If Anya is dead and you seduced Bérénice Marceau, select this option

  Otherwise, select this option

  “You French have a reputation for surrendering.” A familiar Russian voice announces before the menacing metallic click of a pistol being cocked. “Don’t be the exception to the rule.”

  “Mrs Somerset!” You grin as Anya steps out of the shadows. Her blonde hair is tied back in a ponytail and she is dressed in a dark grey vest top and black shorts with a twin holstered gun belt around her waist. Her steely gaze is fixed on Bérénice behind you and she holds a pistol in each hand, both trained on your assailant. You feel the muzzle of the gun leave your back and hear the weapon clatter to the floor.

  “I believe the passageway behind you leads back to the surface.” Anya growls as you turn to face the Frenchwoman who is enchanting in an exquisite blue dress, her long dark hair immaculately styled, falling past her shoulders in gentle spirals. “I suggest you use it.” Bérénice gulps and nods before fleeing as quickly as her designer heels will allow.

  “An old flame?” She replies coolly, glancing past you at the retreating brunette.

  “She couldn’t hold a candle to you.” You smirk, collecting your gun from the floor. Anya glares at you, but the corners of her lips curl into a reluctant smile. “Now, shall we finish this?” Anya nods. “Ladies first.” You grin, gesturing with your gun towards the next passageway.

  “What’s your plan?” Anya asks as you move further into the facility.

  “We need to find the missile silos.” You reply. “We’ll try to jam the silo doors so that when the missile launches, the missile will smash into the doors and the rocket fuel will detonate. Fail safes should stop a nuclear detonation, but a full load of fuel exploding should still take out half the island.”

  “‘Should’ stop a nuclear detonation?” She glances over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

  “You like to live a little dangerously don’t you?” You flash her a grin.

  “You really are reckless aren’t you.” She scolds you before sighing in resignation. “But in the absence of an alternative plan, we don’t have much choice. I passed what looked like an access door to the missile silos on the way in. Follow me.”

  As you hurry deeper into the underground complex, you pass the corpses of several guards lying on the floor, all efficiently assassinated with no sign of a fire fight or struggle.

  “Your handiwork I presume?” You ask Anya. She nods grimly.

  “Yes. We should have a clear run back to the silo door.”

  You reach a stairwell, quickly climbing up several flights of steps before reaching a door labelled Silo 1. You push through it and move quickly along a concrete corridor towards a thick steel pressure door with a wheel in the centre of it. You grunt as you turn it, the locking mechanism disengaging with a solid clank. You pull the door open, your eyes immediately drawn to the sleek nose cone of one of the stolen missiles.

  “Here you are.” You murmur.

  “Come, there is no time to lose!” Anya says stepping onto the gantry that rings the missile around the circumference of the silo.

  “Wait.” You call out, but she has already stepped inside. You see a thick arm swing out and grasp Anya by the throat. He shakes her, the guns slipping from her fingers and clattering onto the gantry.

  “Drop your weapon!” Kruger’s v
oice growls pulling her body to him and using her as a human shield as he steps into view.

  “Kruger.” You spit. “It’s over. Give yourself up and you might yet be able to strike a deal.”

  “Fool.” Kruger snarls maniacally. “It’s too late. You’re too late! In four minutes, this missile will launch and wipe Washington DC off the face of the Earth!”

  “Just shoot him!” Anya tells you hoarsely, her eyes bulging as his arm grips her throat tightly.

  Shoot Kruger and hope you miss Anya

  Drop your weapon and hope for an opening later

  You quickly raise your gun, Kruger’s eyes widening and pulling Anya’s body in the way. Your finger tightens on the trigger, the muzzle flashing and the shot echoing around the silo. You hear Anya gasp as a spray of blood erupts from them, their bodies collapsing to the floor. You drop to your knees, pulling Kruger’s limp arm from around Anya’s throat. Kruger’s corpse stares at the ceiling, a small bullet hole through his forehead. While satisfied that Kruger is dead, as you glance at Anya’s bloody body, your heart sinks. The cost is too high.

  “Anya!” You gasp, her long blonde hair stained red and her face splattered with blood from the wound. “I’m so sorry!” You feel her body shift very slightly and she coughs, her pale blue eyes meeting yours.

  “You should be.” She croaks, reaching up and wincing as her fingers find a wound on the side of her head. “I think that will leave a scar.”

  “You’re okay?” You smile, your relief palpable.

  “It’s just a nick. Most of the blood is his.” She grins, getting back to her feet. “Good shot I suppose.” She adds grudgingly.

  “Let’s finish this.” You tell her, turning to study an instrumentation panel on the wall. “If we can somehow lock the silo doors from here…” A gunshot booms out behind you, your ears ringing while a fine mist of fluid rains down on you. You turn around, a smoking gun in Anya’s hand.

  “Or we could just shoot the hydraulic pipe feeding the doors.” She shrugs with a wry smile.

  “That will do it.” You grin. “How long until the missile launches?”

  “Two minutes James!” Anya tells you, checking her watch. “It’s going to be tight. The explosion will rip this whole place apart.”

  “Kruger’s helicopter.” You tell her. “If we hurry, we can be airborne before the missiles explode.” Anya nods and you turn to leave. As your footsteps clank on the gantry, you notice several grate covers over exhaust vents in the silo wall. Perhaps that might get you out quicker.

  Prise a grate off and throw yourselves into the exhaust vent

  Take the elevator to the top of the facility and fly off in Kruger’s helicopter

  Reluctantly, you drop your weapon on the floor.

  “There, you’re not as stupid as you look.” Kruger grins. “Now step inside the silo please Mr Hazard.” You step through the pressure door, Kruger wheeling around to keep Anya between the two of you.

  “So what has Washington DC done to provoke your wrath?” You ask, stalling for time while you try to think of a way out of the situation.

  “Nothing.” Kruger shrugs. “I simply require a target to show the world I am not to be trifled with. Then I will threaten city after city, all of which will bow to my demands. New York, Tokyo, Beijing, all will tremble when my gaze falls upon them. I may eventually even get as far down the list as your pitiful country and threaten London.”

  “Why?” You ask. “You are already the wealthiest man in the world. Why do this?”

  “Because I want to be the most powerful man in the world too.” He replies. “Wealth gives you power to a certain extent. I can influence governments to a degree but nothing compares to wielding the threat of a nuclear strike on the city of my choice. Governments will tremble and bow to my will. My influence will be total and with it I will stamp out petty squabbles fuelled by archaic religions or oil deposits and build a better world. All for a reasonable fee from each of the world’s countries of course.”

  “An international protection racket?” You scoff, rolling your eyes and taking a little sidestep towards the gun. “I can’t decide whether you’re delusional or outright insane.”

  “I grow tired of this inane banter.” Kruger sighs. “I think I shall leave you here to witness the launch first hand. You will enjoy the view… however briefly.” He glances lasciviously at Anya. “Though I may keep your attractive Russian friend here for my own amusement.”

  If you seduced Bérénice earlier, select this option

  Throw yourself at Kruger and wrestle him to the ground

  Dive for the gun, open fire and hope you miss Anya

  You dive for the gun, hitting the chequer plate floor of the gantry hard. You reach out, grasping the gun and swinging it up to bear on Kruger. His eyes widen and he wrenches Anya around, blocking your shot just as you pull the trigger. The gunshot is deafening in the confined space of the silo, the sound booming out and echoing around the cylindrical chamber. The bullet rips through her and she shrieks in agony, her scream oddly muffled from the ringing in your ears. Kruger grunts as the bullet passes through her and into his stomach. His grasp on her weakening, Anya wriggles free and swings a fist into his groin. He doubles up and Anya drops to the floor giving you a clear shot. You fire again, the gunshot booming out, the bullet causing Kruger’s head to rock back as it pierces his forehead, a red mist filling the air behind him. His bulky frame collapses face down on the floor.

  “You son of a bitch!” Anya grimaces, clutching her side, her vest soaked with blood.

  “Sorry.” You reply. “No other option. How does it look?”

  “I’ll live.” She snaps. “I thought you might shoot your load inside me when all this was over, but that’s not quite what I had in mind.” She snatches her gun from you and aims above your head. A third gunshot booms out and hydraulic fluid rains down on you. You glance up and realise she has shot a hole in the hydraulic hose leading up to the silo door mechanism. “That’s the silo doors dealt with.” She gestures with the gun to the open pressure door. “Shall we?”

  “After you.” You grin, stepping over Kruger’s corpse.

  Anya, using you for support with her arm resting on your shoulder, grunts in pain as you hurry back down the corridor and up the stairwell.

  “Less than two minutes.” Anya tells you through clenched teeth as she glances at her watch.

  “Nearly there.” You tell her as you emerge out of the top of the stairwell into broad daylight and the suspended platform of the helipad. Kruger’s helicopter sits there, the rotors already spinning as the pilot prepares to take off.

  “Don’t even think about it.” Anya snarls, aiming her pistol at him. You see him blanch and raise his hands as you hurry to the side of the helicopter and slide open the door. You help Anya in, the Russian cursing at the pain from the wound as you clamber in with her.

  “Go.” You shout at the pilot. He nods and the thumping of the rotors rapidly intensifies before the machine rises into the blue sky. You glance back just as a series of explosions boom out behind you, thick black smoke pouring from the facility. The helipad you were standing on only moments earlier collapses in on itself, the supporting steelwork breaking apart like matchsticks.

  “Mission accomplished.” You grin at Anya.

  “I’ll have the scars to prove it.” Anya replies sourly. Sheepishly, you pull a green first aid kit from the wall behind you and rummage through it. Anya draws in her breath sharply as you peel her vest up and clean the wound as best you can before pulling out some pads and a bandage and dressing it.

  “Thank you.” She tells you grudgingly.

  “I’ll make it up to you.” You promise.

  “Yes you will.” She replies, her pale blue eyes fixed on yours. “Once I’ve recovered, I’ll expect a meal in a fine London restaurant followed by a night in a luxurious suite in an expensive hotel. You will then give me a night of pleasure that will take you to the very limits of your skills and endur
ance.”

  “I’m already looking forward to it.” You grin, your cock twitching at the thought.

  THE END

  Desperate, you launch yourself at Kruger. He grins, obviously anticipating this last throw of the dice and swinging his free hand at you. His huge fist crunches into the side of your head, sending you crashing to the floor and leaves you lying there in a daze.

  “Goodbye Mr Hazard.” He tells you cheerfully before slamming the pressure door shut. You struggle to your feet, but the mechanism is already clanking into place. You twist the wheel with all your might, but Kruger has obviously locked the door shut from outside. You hammer and scream at the door, but it is no avail. Your blood runs cold as you hear the hydraulics above you as the silo doors open, daylight shining in. Moments later, you hear the roar of the missile’s engines followed by immense heat as a ball of gas and fire is funnelled up the silo. You have just enough time to scream before your body is utterly incinerated.

  THE END

  Go back a few moments and rethink your actions

  “Be sure to give my regards to Bérénice.” You smirk. “I wonder if after the gala, she imagines my face when you’re in bed.” Kruger’s face darkens.

  “You’re lying.” He tells you, but his voice cracks as doubt creeps in. His eyes lose focus for a moment and you wonder if he is imagining the two of you together.

  “Was the black lingerie she wore for me a gift from you perhaps?” You chuckle. “You have a good eye. I particularly enjoyed the way that lacy black corset accentuated her cleavage…” He roars in fury, throwing Anya crashing to the floor and launching himself at you, his face red with rage, his teeth bared and huge hands outstretched. His anger is his undoing and you easily sidestep his lunge, grasp his arm and redirect his momentum towards the gantry railing. He yells in fear as you swing him into it, his back crashing into the tubular steel railing, his bulk bending it outwards, leaving him teetering on the brink. His arms wave wildly, trying to right himself as you watch coolly.