by Matthew Rief
***
“Nobody here to welcome us?” Charlotte said to herself. She floored the car, breaking down the fence, entering the compound.
“Be ready for a firefight,” she said into her radio. If this was the place they were looking for, and she was sure it was, their enemies would defend Asin with their lives.
She stopped the car near the largest building, opened her door, and stepped out - pistol in hand. The three other cars parked beside her. Twenty agents in all moved for the doors.
“Could be booby trapped,” Charlotte said, unsure of what to expect. It was a large shipyard hangar from the looks of it. “You three go around back. And check the docks too!”
Confidently, Charlotte motioned for six other agents to fall in beside her. She removed the safety, ready to fire her weapon at a moment’s notice. With a nod, she abruptly kicked in the door, declining a large male agents desire to do it instead.
She rushed into the building, her eyes darting across the massive room and her gun following them. Agents poured in behind her. She moved quickly, scanning every inch of the room, the verdict was clear. When she reached the other side, met with the others that had taken the back door, she knew they were too late. There was nothing but old scraps and rusted boats. A mess.
The only thing out of place was a video camera resting on a tripod near the middle of the room.
“Have someone look into it,” Charlotte said to no one in particular as she motioned to the camera. “See if there’s any film in it.”
There was no sign of Christopher or Asin in the building, or that anyone had been there for years. The place was abandoned, and a wreck. She ran for the back door. There was only one more place to look here, and then they would try another building. The docks.