WEBVTT

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This podcast may not be suitable for
young listeners. Co named Wild Hunt,

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Operation Blood Eagle, written by Da
Roberts and read to you by Cameron Buckner.

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Chapter eleven, Where Eagles Dare,
fourteen thirty hours, fifteen May,

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Lake Nawelapi. Clark landed the plane
and brought it back to the dock outside

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the hotel. Gregel had not only
located the hidden layer where the creatures hid

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by day, but he also located
a massive clearing large enough for the teams

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to use as a landing zone or
LZ for the target for the teams.

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Clark had been in contact with all
Father and been advised that tem Odin had

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landed in Buenos Aires four hours ago
and prepared the choppers to bring in the

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mimic units. They were already on
their way to deploy the mimics and secure

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the LZ. Tim Odin would be
the first to arrive in the last to

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leave. There was a reason they
had all earned their Pathfinder badge. Tim

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Orian, one of the West Coast
teams, was going to come in right

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behind tim Odin and establish another landing
zone on the outskirts of the village,

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complete with another set of mimic units
that would be General Dalton's command center.

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They would hold that landing zone to
prevent any escape by the Nazi personnel through

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the town. Since an Alco was
on a peninsula, it was going to

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be key that they blocked both directions
to prevent them from escaping. Clark doubted

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that they would try to escape by
water due to the danger posed by the

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Shark men. It was possible they
could escape by air, but thus far

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they had been unable to locate a
landing strip where they could lift from.

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They'd seen no sign of any aircraft. Although Clark knew that Hendry and collected

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World War II aircraft, the question
was where were they. In addition to

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the fleet of Chinooks who were bringing
in the mimic units, eight Apache helicopters

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were accompanying them. They were to
help establish air superiority before the assault on

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al Lalco. If any aircraft lifted
from there, the Apaches had orders to

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shoot them down. The assault would
launch immediately after the teams reached the ground.

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Team Uller was already cut orders to
locate and eliminate the cat creatures.

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It would be their job to make
sure the other teams weren't fighting Henderman's security

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forces and the cat creatures at the
same time. Ty Asaft, said Clark,

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nodding at Gregel. Gregel went out
through the cockpit hatch and jumped across

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the dock. He tied them off
and knotted at Clark, who shut down

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the engines and let Gregel pull them
the rest of the way to the dock

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before completely securing the lines. The
others began climbing out the side hatch onto

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the dock. They had all changed
back into their civilian clothes and stowed the

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weapon back in their bags. All
of them were carrying the fifty gi clocks

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concealed inside their waistbands. Too many
things were in motion now for them to

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be caught off guard. As Clark
was preparing to leave the cockpit, his

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phone buzzed. He checked it and
found that the intel promised to them by

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Hints had just been emailed to his
account. He forwarded a copy to Saunders

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in General Dalton. They would immediately
begin disseminating the information to the units that

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were committed to the assault. Crawling
out of the hatch, he tossed his

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bag across the greygle. He saw
movement in the water. It was only

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there for a second, but he
was certain he'd seen a head sticking out

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just above the surface. It occurred
to him that the sharkmen were watching them,

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trying to figure out what they were
up to, and while they kept

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showing up, where the fighting was. What's next, asked Gregel as Clark

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jumped on to the dock. We
get ready for the others to arrive,

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said Clark. TM modin and the
mimics are in the air as we speak.

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They should arrive at the designated LZ
in the next two hours. There

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to get the mimics online as fast
as possible and hold the LZ for the

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others. Won't that alert Henderman and
the others, asked Valkyrie. Yes,

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said Clark. We're hoping that we
can contain them at an loco by cutting

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off both directions they could escape.
Their only remaining options will be in the

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air or water. The apaches will
own the air and the shark men on

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the water. I think we'll effectively
have them hemmed in. Well, let's

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hope, so, said Runstone.
If they escape into the mountains, it

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might take years to find them.
The Andes is one of the biggest mountain

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ranges on the planet. Then we
have to make sure it doesn't happen,

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said Clark. And if it does, then we're going to have to find

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them. We can't let them escape
so they can rebuild and do this again.

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We've opened a can of worms,
said Gregel. If they established a

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Nazi stronghold here in Argentina, then
where else have they done it. Someone

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is going to have to start scouring
the earth looking for them, said Valkyrie.

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It's going to become a full time
job. I feel sorry for whoever

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gets stuck with the job, said
Clark. Honestly, I just want to

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get back to hunting monsters. You
and me both have, said Runestone.

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So how are they going to deal
with the sharp men in the water,

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asked Valkyrie. I gave them the
name of a friend of mine, said

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Clark. He's a former Navy seal
who runs a private security company now.

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He's an expert on underwater threats.
He came up with the method of using

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ultrasonic hydrophones to push them into a
certain area of the lake. Once we

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know we've gotten them trapped, we're
going to use depth charges to either eliminate

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them or force them to come up
onto land. Then We deal with them

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the same way we would any other
monster. Yeah, said Runestone. We

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put enough lead on our target to
put them down hard. By the way,

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who's your friend? That was a
seal? His name is Clinton Bruce,

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said Clark. I met him right
after I got out of the army

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the first time. He asked me
to come to Dallas to talk to a

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group of people, and he offered
me a job, but I turned him

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down. I've heard of that guy, said Runestone. I never met him,

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but he's pretty well known in the
community, got a hell of a

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reputation. He played in the NFL
for a while. I think he's one

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tough motherfucker. If he can help
us eliminate those things, said Valkyrie,

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then he's my new best friend.
All right, what's the plan now,

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asked Raven. We get our gear
together and we're rendezvous with the rest of

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Team Odin when they hit the LZ, said Clark. After that, we'll

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be part of the assault. I
thought it was going to take them a

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few days to mobilize, said Gregel. Well, it was, said Clark,

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until they found out who was behind
the creatures and Potus got involved.

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Now it's a much bigger priority.
They want this target taken out and the

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rest made if we can, won't
they alert them by coming in with choppers,

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asked Valkyrie. They're coming in through
the mountain passes on the west side

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of the lake, said Clark.
If everything goes right, they won't know

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anything's going on before the team is
on the ground. Well what do we

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do then, asked Valkyrie. We
get more mo and equipment, said Clark,

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and then we lead Team to and
Team four to secure the intersection on

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the road just north of Analco.
Teams two and four of Ol Ryan will

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blockade the road into town. If
we time it right, we should effectively

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contain them. Then we hold them
there until the rest of the team hits

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the ground. Well, who's going
after the cat creatures, asked Raven.

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Tim Uller is going after them as
soon as they hit the ground, said

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Clark. All right, said Gregel. We have a battle plan in place.

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I would love to be dropping in
with TEA. It's historic, man,

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said Runestone. I don't think it's
ever been done, much less with

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this many jumping. I've never heard
of an OPT taking nine teams to beat.

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We're making team history, said Clark. If this ever goes public,

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which I doubt, then we'll be
changing world history. I don't care about

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making history, said Valkyrie. I
just want to get through this mission.

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This is so far beyond anything we've
done before. We're effectively invading part of

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Argentina. Well, we do have
their permission, said Runestone. We have

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part of their permission, corrected Valkyrie. We still have factions that are openly

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moving against us. That military intel
team that met us at the airport had

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to have been sent by someone.
If we're lucky, they're being arrested as

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we speak, said Clark. Let's
not forget about the bugs in our hotel

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rooms too, said grey Eagel.
I'm willing to bet those bugs belong to

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the other government factions, said Clawk. Factions of the government, said Valkyrie,

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more than one type of monster in
the Survivors of the Third Right.

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This mission is insane. We need
to get our gear together, said Clark.

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We need to load it into the
suv. I'll tell Ernesto that we're

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going back to the beach we went
to yesterday. We could meet with the

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teams at the crossroads. Five minutes
later, they all met at the suv.

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Clark got behind the wheel. Once
everyone was inside, he drove out

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of the parking lot and headed for
the highway to Amalco. Immediately, Valkyrie

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opened the bags and started handing out
weapons. Gregel took Clark's AA twelve and

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checked the load before sliding into the
seat next to Clark. Clark nodded in

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appreciation and then glanced at the message
he'd received on the sat phone. Fifteen

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minutes until boots on the ground said, Clark, get your game faces on

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people. Clark accelerated and kept the
speed just above the posted limit, not

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wanting to draw too much attention.
He hadn't seen any local police today,

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but this would not be a good
time to get pulled over. They would

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have no choice but to shoot their
way out of it. They couldn't allow

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themselves to be taken into custody.
Too much was riding on their making the

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rendezvous. They drove without passing another
vehicle for several minutes before Clark noticed something

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seemed off. He glanced around and
saw the entire village seemed empty. No

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one was on the streets, and
the open air market was abandoned. What

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the fuck's going on, asked Clark, nodding at the village. Looks like

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the place was abandoned, said Gregel. How would they even know what was

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about to happen. I don't think
it has anything to do with us,

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said Rhnstone, pointing at the lake. They all turned in that direction and

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saw several boats were floating empty on
the lake. They were local fishermen who

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would not risk swimming in the frigid
waters without reason. Clark slowed down and

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saw that one of the boat was
sitting low in the water. It was

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lower in the stern than it should
be. Then he realized what he was

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looking at. It looked like the
small outboard motor had been ripped off the

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boat, allowing it to slowly fill
with water. It's the sharp men,

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said Valkyrie. They've started attacking boats
on the lake. Then where's everyone in

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the town, asked Raven. They're
at the church, said Clark. At

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least that's my guess. This place
is still Roman Catholic. They're praying for

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God to remove the evil from the
lake and for the souls of those who

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have been taken, whispered Runestone.
Raven looked at him with concern on her

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face and put her hand on his. You know, he said, softly.

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Despite all the shit we've seen,
I'm still Catholic. I was raised

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that way. I didn't know you
were religious, said Raven, looking at

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runestone. Most of the time,
I'm not, he replied, But with

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everything that's happening now, I think
prayers might be a good thing. I

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would not disagree, said Gregel.
From the highway. They could see the

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beach that ran in front of Enloco, but they couldn't see the house.

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Clark knew that was intentional to prevent
too many curious eyes from watching what they

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were doing. Everything about the Analco
estate was built around privacy. Eta ten

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minutes, said Gregel, checking his
watch, Clark pushed the accelerator down harder

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and headed out of town on the
highway that would take them past the entrance

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to Analco. They wouldn't make any
acknowledgments to the gate, continue to the

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rendezvous point. Time was quickly running
low and things were about to start moving

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fast. When they saw the intersection
come into you, Clark began slowing down.

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All right, said Clark, I'm
going to pull to the side of

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the road and put the hood up
if anyone stops. Were just having engine

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trouble if anyone comes from ANALCO,
we might have to engage them. You

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heard the man, said Gregel,
his old voice coming out loud and clear.

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Let's move, Valkyrie, said Clark. I want you to find a

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position where you can watch the way
we just came in. Stick close to

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us because I'm not convinced the cat
creatures are out of the fight just yet.

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Until tim Uller neutralizes them, we
can't assume they want attack. You

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got it, boss, she said, studying the area in search of a

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good place to set up her rifle. We're close enough to ANALCO that they're

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going to hear the roads, said
Clark. Once team's two and four hit

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the deck, we have to consider
this is an active theater of operations.

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I don't think we've got anything that
can punch through those armored cars they drive,

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said Valkyrie. Nothing I've got can
punch it. Maybe the glass if

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I'm really lucky. We need to
start factoring that into our planning, said

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Clark. We might want to upgrade
your rifle. You always know just what

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to get a girl, said Valkyrie, grinning. Clark rolled his eyes and

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started to say something. When Runestone
broke the sun contact right he screamed and

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brought his rifle to his shoulder.
Clark spun quickly, bringing his AA twelve

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into firing position when he froze.
Standing at the tree line was the same

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creature that had asked him for mercy
during the fight at Almalco. It wasn't

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rushing toward them or making any threatening
movements. Seeing it in the light for

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the first time, he wasn't certain, but he thought the creature might be

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a female. It was difficult to
tell with all the thick muscle. Hold

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your fire, roared Clark. Gregel
was already facing the creature, his weapon

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hanging from the single point strap.
Clark could see the muscles in his arms

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cording up and straining against the skin. His fingertips were already sprouting claws.

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Somehow, Gregel was holding the transformation
in check, but it seemed like it

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was just by the thinnest of strings. The smile of dyn creature cocked its

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head to the side and held its
hand out in front of it, palms

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facing them. It took a hesitant
step forward, keeping its hands open where

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they could see them. Clark considered
it for a moment before deciding cover me,

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He said, lowering his weapon.
Moving toward the creature, Clark let

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his a twelve dangle from the strap
around his neck. The creature watched him

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with caution, but didn't react.
As he grew closer, Clark stopped when

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they were still more than ten meters
apart. I've got you covered, said

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valkyrie. I wouldn't get any closer, though. Clark stared at the creature

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for a moment before speaking. Do
you speak English? He asked. The

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creature nodded affirmatively. Good, said
Clark. The creature nodded slowly in agreement.

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You came to talk, right,
asked Clark. All Right, said

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Clark. Let's talk. The creature
nodded and took any deep breath before releasing

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it slowly as it closed its eyes. Clark watched in surprise as the massive

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beast began changing back to human form. It was a smoother transition than he'd

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seen with Gregel and Kodiac. He
could see that his assessment had been correct

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and it was a female. After
a moment, a naked woman who looked

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to be of Native American descent instead
of Hispanics, stood before him. She

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stood roughly five feet five inches tall, with dusky skin and tribal tattoos on

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her breast, thighs, stomach,
and upper arms. They appeared to be

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different animals, but drawn remarkably like
the Mayan artwork he'd seen in museums.

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She was shockingly beautiful, with long
black hair that hung to her slender waist.

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The nudity was distracting, and it
took Clark a moment to recognize her.

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She was the waitress from the hotel
restaurant. Clark quickly took off his

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uniform shirt and handed it to her. She smiled but seemed unfazed by her

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nudity, excepting the shirt. She
put it on. It was big enough

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that it covered everything, leaving her
legs bare from just a few inches below

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her waist. Thank you, she
said, smiling. Uh Okay, said

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Clark hesitantly. How can I help
you? My name is Rayan Huikapan,

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she said. I'm the last of
the Mapuche Indians. Could all of you

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change forms, asked Clark, No, said Raven. My grandmother was a

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powerful Jinmachi, a shaman of the
spirits of nature. She passed it to

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my mother and then to me when
my mother was killed by the ek Balum.

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What are the ek Balum, asked
Clark. Do you mean the panther

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creatures panthers, asked Rayan. They
are black jaguars, not panthers. That's

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right, said Clark. They're not
native to South America. There were four

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clans who could change, said Rayan. Two were pure evil, the ek

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Balum and the Boom both are jaguars, but the egg Boom are black.

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The other two clans were fighting against
them. They both were jinnin my clan,

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and another who became El Tiger Soombre, the shadow tigers in your language.

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They were wiped out by the Akbalum. So why are you here,

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asked Clark. I am the last
of my kind, she said. I

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wish to fight beside you against the
darkness that came to our soul when my

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grandmother was young, the evil ones
that call themselves Nazis. Clark thought about

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it for a moment before speaking.
Is that why you were at the restaurant?

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No, she said, I just
happened to work here. That's how

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I caught the big ones scent the
first time. She nodded at Gregel.

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Things are about to get very bad, said Clark. There will be soldiers

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arriving soon, and we plan to
take on those invaders at analco. You

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might not want to be anywhere near
this place when it starts. I thought

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you were like the others, she
said, ignoring clark suggest But when you

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spared my life, I knew you
were different. You are my only chance

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to help rid this place of their
evil. If I agree, said Clark,

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you will have to follow our lead. If you don't, there's a

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good chance you could be killed in
the cross fire. I will follow you,

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she said, nodding. I know
you can work with my kind.

250
00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:26.240
She nodded at Gregel. This magic
is strong, she said, but it's

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different. Gregel said nothing, but
stared intently at Ryan. She met his

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gaze and held her head up high. Use your senses, she urged.

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You can tell if I'm one of
the bad ones. You can sense if

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I'm lying. Is she lying?
Said Clark, glancing over at her.

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I do not believe, so,
said Gregel, but it is too late

256
00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:53.440
to question it. I hear the
helicopters coming now. Clark glanced at a

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SAT phone and saw the message.
One minute, folks, he shouted,

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turn on your calms. Everyone activated
their radios and heard the clicks as the

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00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:07.640
encryption system linked up with the rest
of the team. It was the clearest

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indication that tim Odin was close.
Thunder God to all, Father, said

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Clark. Go for all, Father, said Saunders. We're in position and

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ready to begin, said Clark.
The road is secure. We can confirm

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target is in the nest. Over
copy thunder God, said Saunders. Blood

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Eagle is a go, asgard to
all units, said General Dalton. Blood

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00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:37.839
Eagle is a go. Say again, Blood Eagle is a go. Above

266
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the trees, two chinut helicopters came
screaming in at barely above tree top level.

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They both flared out and hovered over
the intersection. Clark could barely hear

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his own voice with the two twin
rotor choppers hovering right above him. The

269
00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:57.440
only indication of trouble was when Greegel
dropped his weapon and started to shift forms.

270
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Turning in the direction he saw close
to fifty of the egg bottom and

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the bottom erupting from the trees and
racing toward them. Rayon stripped off her

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shirt and began transforming. Gregel roared
loud enough to be heard above the choppers,

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and Clark could feel the power of
it in his chest. Not for

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the first time. Clark was grateful
that Gregel was on their side. Thundergud

275
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to all Father, shouted Clark into
his MIC. Troops in contact, Say

276
00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:30.599
again, troops in contact. He
wasn't sure if they had heard him,

277
00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:34.000
but it was too late to do
anything about it. Anyway. They were

278
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:38.200
on their own with enemies on both
sides. Fuck, he hissed, not

279
00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:45.759
hearing a response from the radio.
Rayon transformed and stood beside Gregel facing the

280
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charging cat creatures. She was ahead
shorter than him, but matched his ferocity

281
00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:55.279
with her massive fangs bared. Clark
knew that they had to hold off the

282
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cat creatures long enough for Teams two
and four to get on the ground.

283
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It was almost possible for them to
fight from inside the chopper. Valkyrie rolled

284
00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:07.839
over to face the attack instead of
the road and began lining up targets.

285
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Clark began firing as he moved toward
the creatures, keeping them at bay while

286
00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:18.279
the teams deployed. Using the coms
or shouting commands was useless with the choppers

287
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.400
directly overhead. He just had to
trust his team to do what they were

288
00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:27.119
trained to do. It wasn't worried
because he trusted them all with his life.

289
00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:32.119
Two creatures were rushing right toward him, and he emptied the AA twelve

290
00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:36.000
into the first creature, punching a
hole in the middle of its chest large

291
00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:40.279
enough to see daylight through, and
when the weapon clicked empty, Clark knew

292
00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:45.400
he was now in Meleey range.
In an instant, he drew the bounty

293
00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:48.079
on his hip and yanked free his
boarding acts. With the axe in his

294
00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:52.119
left hand and the bounty in his
right, he launched himself at the second

295
00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:59.599
creature. Above them. A thunderous
roar shattered the cacophony of battle. Clark

296
00:22:59.640 --> 00:23:04.079
slacked the creature across the abdomen,
nearly disemboweling the creature as he slid past

297
00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:08.960
it on his knees, narrowly avoiding
the creature's claws. Glancing up, he

298
00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:14.319
saw something that he would never forget. He wasn't even sure he believed what

299
00:23:14.400 --> 00:23:18.680
he was seeing. At the back
of the first chinook, the ramp was

300
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:22.839
fully extended, and at the end
of the ramp stood staff Sergeant Cody Tapuki

301
00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:27.920
call signed codyak. He was wearing
a loincloth and had two of the massive

302
00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:33.160
packs for the XM two to fourteen
mini guns Strapped to his back. With

303
00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:37.359
one weapon in each hand, he
stepped off the platform and shifted to his

304
00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:42.519
bare form in mid air, landing
with an earth shaking boom. He was

305
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:49.480
fully transformed and holding the XM two
fourteens like pistols. Roaring in fury,

306
00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:56.440
he began advancing toward the cat creatures
using the miniguns with deadly effect. Ropes

307
00:23:56.480 --> 00:24:00.559
dropped from the choppers and troops began
deploying as fast as they could say go.

308
00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:03.920
The creatures were pushing closer to them, but so far they had managed

309
00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:08.759
to hold them back. The element
of surprise was gone. Now. Everyone

310
00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:14.079
at Aenolco might not have heard the
choppers, but there is no way they

311
00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:18.319
wouldn't hear the firefight that had just
erupted a few miles down the road from

312
00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:22.359
their gate. Pushing back, screamed
Clark. He wasn't sure anyone heard him.

313
00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:26.839
Fuck, he hissed, ducking another
creature that had just swiped at his

314
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:33.839
face with its claws. Time seemed
to stand still as he saw the tableau

315
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:37.480
unfolding in front of him. Two
creatures were bearing down on him like freight

316
00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:42.759
trains, but another movement caught his
eye Valkyrie was siding in on a target

317
00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:47.559
and didn't see the creature that was
leaping at her from the trees, and

318
00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:52.640
in that instant, Clark knew he
could save himself or save her. Doubt

319
00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:56.519
never entered his mind as he decided. Whirling to his left, he threw

320
00:24:56.559 --> 00:25:02.039
the boarding axe with all the force
he could, and it flipped end over

321
00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:06.440
end through the air, as if
in slow motion. His aim had been

322
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:10.160
good, and he watched the blade
berry to the handle in the side of

323
00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:14.200
the beast's head and it fell in
a heap and slid to a stop just

324
00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:18.079
three feet short of Valkyrie. She
was so focused on her shot that she

325
00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:22.880
never saw it coming for her.
Clark felt the claws of at least one

326
00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:26.759
of the beasts dig into his ribs
as it landed on its back and took

327
00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:32.119
him to the ground. Shifting the
large blade of the bounty as he fell,

328
00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:36.119
he tucked it beneath his right arm. The force of the fall drove

329
00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:38.640
the blade through the chest of the
creature on his back, just as he

330
00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:44.720
felt the hot breath and sharp teeth
touched the back of his neck. He

331
00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:48.119
grunted as he hit the ground with
so much weight on his back and he

332
00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:51.680
tried to free himself, but couldn't
force the heavy creature off his back.

333
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:56.240
He was pinned and only barely able
to move his head, and out of

334
00:25:56.279 --> 00:25:59.960
the corner of his eye he could
see the second creature reaching for his face

335
00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.160
with its claws extended, and just
before it reached him, there was a

336
00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:08.599
boom and the beast head exploded in
a fountain of gore and bone. Valkyrie

337
00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:15.759
had just earned another kill. He
recognized her handiwork. Shoving with all his

338
00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:18.799
might, he was starting to painfully
lift the creature when it came off him.

339
00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:22.880
Suddenly. He rolled onto his back
and he drew his gunners mate knife

340
00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:26.720
and prepared himself for an attack,
but instead of a creature, he was

341
00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:33.359
looking up into the grinning face of
Staff Sergeant Franklin Moorhouse. Marglin, goddamn

342
00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:37.720
boss, he said, holding out
his hand. You okay, say something?

343
00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:41.960
Cat got your tongue. Clark had
no choice but to laugh as he

344
00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:45.680
took the extended hand and was hauled
to his feet, and he shook his

345
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:49.240
head, and he retrieved his bounty
from the chest of the creature and nodded

346
00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:55.680
his appreciation to Marglin. Margolin casually
put two rounds into the creature's head,

347
00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:59.480
just to make sure it stayed on
the ground. Bad Kitty, said,

348
00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:03.640
Margolin, stay the FuG down there. Clark suddenly realized that the roar of

349
00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:07.599
the rotors was now fading away,
and both teams were on the ground and

350
00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:12.319
the tide of battle had changed.
A few remaining cat creatures were trying to

351
00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:18.240
escape, but were being taken down
by the precision fire of Valkyrie and Sergeant

352
00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:25.880
Alejandro de la Cruz of the Peruvian
Special Forces call signs Scald. Clark glanced

353
00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:29.680
around and he could see that fighting
was all but finished. It was time

354
00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:33.880
to secure their object and blockade this
road. He looked around and saw there

355
00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:37.440
were several wounded, but it didn't
look like there had been any fatalities.

356
00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:44.440
Most of the wounds looked like they
would just likely be interesting scars. Kodiak

357
00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:48.279
walked out of the trees, cradling
Ray and in his thickly muscled arms.

358
00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:52.119
She'd taken a nasty wound to her
left thigh and abdomen. They were healing

359
00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:56.759
slowly, but he wasn't taking any
chances. He carried her to a medic

360
00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:00.519
and lay her on the ground,
kneeling beside her. Are you all right,

361
00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:06.200
he rumbled, looking into her intense
green eyes. I am now,

362
00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:10.680
she said, her voice purring.
Thanks to you. My grandmother told me

363
00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:14.720
that my fate was tied to a
bear. I never knew what she meant

364
00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:19.400
by that. She's healing rapidly,
said Cadusius. She should be fine in

365
00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:26.400
a few minutes. Kodiak nodded his
thanks and continued to stare into those strange

366
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:30.519
green eyes. All right, folks, shouted Clark. Let's get this road

367
00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:33.519
block. Kodiak and gregel see if
you can knock a few trees down and

368
00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:38.640
block off this section right here,
duty calls, rumbled Kodiak, I'll join

369
00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:44.039
you in a minute, Pert Rayan
Kodiak stood and headed for the trees,

370
00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:47.720
looking for trees large enough to block
the road and to provide cover for the

371
00:28:47.799 --> 00:28:51.920
team. Would you look at that, said Gideon, lighting up a cigar

372
00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:56.039
and nodding at the sky. They
all looked up to see numerous mammoth aircraft

373
00:28:56.119 --> 00:29:00.920
flying over out of the back of
a C sevent ti Globemaster. They watched

374
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:07.680
as paratroopers launched themselves into the sky. Moments later, their shotes began deploying

375
00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:11.960
they weren't jumping with the traditional round
chutes. They were using the Army Advanced

376
00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:18.319
Air Ram Parachute Systems r A DASH
one, using their superior mobility to guide

377
00:29:18.359 --> 00:29:22.920
them to the l Z. Clark
noted that the weather was perfect for an

378
00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:27.160
airborne drop, and with the mobility
of the shutes and the large LZ,

379
00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:32.240
they should all be safe on the
ground within minutes. He couldn't help but

380
00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:34.680
feel a twinge of jealousy at the
men and women who got to jump today

381
00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:40.559
over such a beautiful scenery. Fucking'
a, said Margoline, pumping his fist

382
00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:44.319
in the air. If that's not
the most beautiful sight you've ever seen,

383
00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:49.319
then I don't know what is.
Greygel and Kodiak stacked several large trees,

384
00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:55.200
cutting off all access to the road, and immediately Teams two and four began

385
00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:59.839
setting up firing positions behind the trees. Thunder God to all, father,

386
00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:04.440
said Clark. Objective is secure over
copy. Thunder God, said Saunders.

387
00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:15.759
Stand by to initiate Phase two out
Chapter twelve. The Eagle has landed eighteen

388
00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:23.000
hundred hours fifteen May, Lake Nawilapi. Clark and other senior staff of Teams

389
00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:29.279
two and Team four stood behind the
barricade. Although this was several of the

390
00:30:29.359 --> 00:30:33.039
new member's first deployment with the team, they had already proven themselves in battle

391
00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:38.000
with the cat creatures. Both mimic
units are online, said Clark. We

392
00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:42.200
have full command and control functions.
Once the command is given, we're to

393
00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:47.799
proceed to the gate and breach the
perimeter. Just us, ask Murdoch.

394
00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:52.279
No, said Clark. We're meeting
up with two elements from Team Orian.

395
00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:56.799
I've got operational command, Hernandez,
your team XO, got it, said

396
00:30:56.799 --> 00:31:03.240
Hernandez. Mind if we join your
little pow wow, asked Matthias Giovanni,

397
00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:07.559
walking up with his brother the priest. Would it stop you if I said

398
00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:11.720
yes? Ask Clark. An ote
of anger in his tone. Probably not,

399
00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:15.279
said Matthias, smiling. By the
way, Major said father Marcus,

400
00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:21.759
our sister told me to give you
something. Clark looked quizzically at the priest.

401
00:31:22.200 --> 00:31:26.200
Despite being a priest, he was
wearing a full combat load, except

402
00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:30.119
that instead of carrying guns, he
was loaded with his sword, along with

403
00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:33.920
numerous knives and throwing blades. Clark
was more than a little concern since he

404
00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:40.079
knew their sister was psychic. They
called her an oracle, but it amounted

405
00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:44.759
to the same thing. She could
predict events even before they happened. What's

406
00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:48.839
that, asked Clark. Father Marcus
handed him a playing card. Clark glanced

407
00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:52.880
at it with a confusion on his
face. It was just a simple card

408
00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:56.440
from a standard deck. But flipping
it over, he noted that it was

409
00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:01.559
the Ace of Spades. Is there
any kind of explanation, asked Clark,

410
00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:07.400
giving brothers Giovanni an annoyed look.
He said, it would be your new

411
00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:12.799
nickname, said Father Marcus. Clark
shook his head and casually slipped the card

412
00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:16.039
into his shirt pocket, whatever he
said, turning back to the group,

413
00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:22.119
My apologies for the interruption, aren't
you the slightest bit curious about that?

414
00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:27.359
Asked Matthias. Look said Clark,
his temper flaring. I don't have time

415
00:32:27.400 --> 00:32:30.119
for this. The only reason I'm
putting up with the two of you at

416
00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:36.039
all is the Vatican rammed it down
our throats. Neither of you are trained

417
00:32:36.079 --> 00:32:39.359
military. You refuse to follow protocols
and seem to think that you can come

418
00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:44.480
and go as you please. You
don't even pay cursory attention to the chain

419
00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:47.359
of command. If I can't trust
you, to follow my orders in the

420
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.000
field, then neither of you is
worth the shit to this team. Does

421
00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:55.519
that clear things up for you?
Father Marcus stepped back as if he'd been

422
00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:00.359
slapped in the face. But Matthias
just smiled that strained, sardonic smile.

423
00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:06.319
Of his women seem to find it
irresistible. It just made Clark want to

424
00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:08.920
punch him in the mouth. He
resisted the urge, but it took some

425
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:14.960
effort. My apologies, said Father
Marcus. It was never our intent to

426
00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:20.039
undermine your authority. We're just used
to operating with a certain degree of autonomy.

427
00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:23.279
Well that might work on the Vatican
team, said Clark, but this

428
00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:28.039
is a military unit, and in
the field we all depend on each other.

429
00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:32.240
Whenever one person or in this case
too, don't follow orders and just

430
00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:37.480
do their own thing, that endangers
us all, so that leaves us at

431
00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:40.519
an impasse. I need to be
able to count on you doing as I

432
00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:45.359
tell you. If that is something
you fail to understand, then I have

433
00:33:45.440 --> 00:33:49.680
no use for you. I will
not endanger this entire operation because the two

434
00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:52.880
of you want to do things your
way. I thought your orders were to

435
00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:59.119
accommodate us, as Matthias, Clark
started to take a step toward him,

436
00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:04.079
anger flashy on his face. Now
now, said Matthias. Temper temper.

437
00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:09.239
Gideon stepped out from behind Clark and
drove a fist into Matthias's face with a

438
00:34:09.239 --> 00:34:14.760
blow that cracked like a baseball bat
striking a side of beef. Matthias flew

439
00:34:14.840 --> 00:34:19.480
nearly six feet before he hit the
ground, his nose broken in blood pouring

440
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:22.760
from both nostrils. Listen to me, you little shit, snarled Gideon.

441
00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:27.079
He might not be able to hit
you, but I damn sure. Will

442
00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:30.760
you two better get your shit together, and I mean right fucking now,

443
00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:35.159
or I swear I will send you
both back to Rome in a goddamn suitcase.

444
00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:39.960
Everyone froze. That was the most
profanity they had ever heard Gideon use

445
00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:45.599
at one time. He rarely swore, let alone, let his temper flare.

446
00:34:45.239 --> 00:34:50.440
Matthias just lay on his back,
holding his nose. His eyes were

447
00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:55.360
wide open and shot. Father Marcus
quickly stepped between Gideon and Matthias. That's

448
00:34:55.480 --> 00:35:00.519
enough, he said, holding his
hands out. Please a pa Jos for

449
00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:05.519
my brother's behavior. He likes to
push people's buttons. He also has the

450
00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:09.920
uncanny ability to push things too far
at the worst possible time. Get your

451
00:35:09.960 --> 00:35:14.440
shit together, snarl Clark. I've
got half a mind to put both of

452
00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:19.880
you on a chopper and send you
back to base. Mattias spat bloody phlegm

453
00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:23.199
on the ground as he slowly got
to his feet. He was glaring death

454
00:35:23.239 --> 00:35:30.400
at Guineon. Pradatoris facto, said
Martam. Matthias said, glaring at Gideon.

455
00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:36.880
I j quiet ajas, replied Gideon, meeting his gaze. Mattias went

456
00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:39.480
for his gun while Gideon reached for
the hilt of the Gladias on his hip.

457
00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:45.000
Before Mattias could make a move,
massive hands wrapped around his wrist and

458
00:35:45.079 --> 00:35:51.039
throat. It was Malachi Beer,
the gigantic Israeli lifted Mattias off the ground

459
00:35:51.079 --> 00:35:53.960
like he didn't weigh an ounce.
I think it is time we were formally

460
00:35:54.119 --> 00:36:00.760
introduced, Yes, he said,
glaring into Mattias's face. I am Beer.

461
00:36:00.280 --> 00:36:05.199
I was fortunate to be chosen for
this assignment. My code name was

462
00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:09.599
translated so that I could use it
as a call sign. Here banamore means

463
00:36:09.639 --> 00:36:15.960
executioner. That was what I was
in my own unit. I was who

464
00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:21.280
they sent when terrorists needed to die
with absolute certainty. Many perished at my

465
00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:24.280
hand, and the last thing they
saw before death was the view you are

466
00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:30.800
seeing now. There was silence in
the group. Matthias's feet were easily a

467
00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:35.519
foot off the ground and his eyes
were wide open in fear. Malachi narrowed

468
00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:39.880
his eyes and glared directly into Matthias's. To Matthias, it felt like they

469
00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:45.360
were boring into his soul. Our
mission, said Malachi, is to finally

470
00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:50.599
put an end to some of the
worst Nazi filth that ever lived. I

471
00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:53.440
do not plan on letting you ruin
our chances. Now you can watch your

472
00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:58.000
mouth and do as you are told, and if you choose to do anything

473
00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:00.400
else, I will put you to
sleep and you will not wake up for

474
00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:05.880
many hours. The Major's trying to
lay out our battle plan. You can

475
00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:09.599
listen quietly, but do not interrupt. This kind of behavior is exactly why

476
00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:15.599
Israel does not work with the Vatican. You arrogantly assume that you're in charge

477
00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:19.559
in all things. This simply is
not the case, do you understand.

478
00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:24.079
He glared into Mattias's eyes for a
few moments before setting him on to the

479
00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:30.239
ground. There, said Malachi,
patting Matthias on the cheek like a child.

480
00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:35.320
We can all be friends now we
have an understanding. Yes, Mattias

481
00:37:35.360 --> 00:37:38.960
said nothing. I told you something
like this would happen if you kept pushing,

482
00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:44.719
said Father Marcus, glaring at Matthias. If you get us thrown off

483
00:37:44.760 --> 00:37:49.119
this team, the Archbishop will not
be happy with you. His Holy Eminence

484
00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:52.920
will not be happy either. Gideon
never moved a muscle, his hand was

485
00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:57.599
still wrapped around the hilt of his
Gladias, and his gaze didn't falter.

486
00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:02.960
Gideon said, Clark, stand down. Gideon narrowed his eyes at Matthias before

487
00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:07.760
releasing his grip on the Gladias and
stepping back. My apologies, Major,

488
00:38:07.880 --> 00:38:13.519
said Gideon, nodding at Clark.
Do you wish to file charges against Sergeant

489
00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:16.840
Major Gideon for striking you, asked
Clark, gritting his teeth. No,

490
00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:22.840
said Matthias, wiping blood from his
nose. That's good, said Clark.

491
00:38:22.199 --> 00:38:25.920
I'll consider the matter dropped now.
Is there's something I can do for the

492
00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:31.480
two of you again, said Father
Marcus. I apologize for our behavior.

493
00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:35.960
We want to be part of this
team. I will make sure we do

494
00:38:36.039 --> 00:38:40.119
a better job of adjusting to the
structure of this unit and you, asked

495
00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:45.159
Clark, glaring at Matthias. No, Sir, said Matthias through gritted teeth.

496
00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:50.559
I'm sorry I pushed things too far. Clark stared at him for a

497
00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:55.119
long moment before speaking fine, he
said, you're dismissed. You will be

498
00:38:55.239 --> 00:39:00.920
briefed. When I finished discussing our
orders with the senior staff, the brothers

499
00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:05.400
moved away and headed toward the rear
of the group. As they were walking,

500
00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:08.519
Matthias started to say something when he
was cut off by father. Marcus.

501
00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:15.000
Don't you ever learn, he demanded, glaring at Matthias. We're here

502
00:39:15.239 --> 00:39:20.079
under direct order from the Secretary General
of the Order. If you screw this

503
00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:22.639
up, they might throw us out
of the order. Well is that such

504
00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:28.639
a bad thing, asked Matthias,
giving Marcus a dirty look. Only if

505
00:39:28.679 --> 00:39:32.480
you think they won't revoke grandfather's indulgence, said Marcus, you might not only

506
00:39:32.599 --> 00:39:37.760
ruin everything for you, you could
do it for all of us. Matthias

507
00:39:37.800 --> 00:39:42.519
looked like he had been struck again, and he stopped in his tracks and

508
00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:46.079
looked at his feet. Though he
said, I never thought of that.

509
00:39:46.079 --> 00:39:51.000
That old bastard would do it too. That's the problem, dear brother,

510
00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:54.719
said Marcus, you never think of
the consequences of your actions. You,

511
00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:59.800
of all people, should know that
hell is a real place. You were

512
00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:04.639
just punched in the face by living
proof. He is no demon, countered

513
00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:09.320
Matthias sourly. No, he just
stabs Christ in the side, snapped Marcus.

514
00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:15.360
That kind of makes faith irrelevant.
Don't you think he's proof that Christ

515
00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:19.039
was here? Do you want to
tempt that kind of fate? Why would

516
00:40:19.079 --> 00:40:23.440
you even try? Christ cursed him
to remain here until he returns. Do

517
00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:28.480
you think you can interfere with that? Are you so arrogant that you think

518
00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:32.920
you can undo what Christ himself wrought? Matthias looked like he was going to

519
00:40:32.960 --> 00:40:38.039
say something else when Valkyrie walked up. She tossed Matthias a single round from

520
00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:42.960
her rifle. It was a large, heavy, solid core a round etched

521
00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:46.840
with magic ruins and coated with silver, packed in the tip with tungsten and

522
00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:52.719
silver and nitrate. What's this for, he asked, looking at her confused.

523
00:40:52.519 --> 00:40:57.599
Just a friendly reminder, she said, smiling darkly. If you make

524
00:40:57.639 --> 00:41:00.920
a move on Gideon and her Clark, then I promus you won't see the

525
00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:06.280
next one coming. She turned and
walked away. Without another word. Way

526
00:41:06.280 --> 00:41:09.039
to go, Moron, said Father
Marcus. That woman can put a bullet

527
00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:14.000
through a gopher's eye a thousand yards. You really do have a way with

528
00:41:14.119 --> 00:41:19.119
people, you know. Matthias looked
at the round in his hand, turning

529
00:41:19.159 --> 00:41:22.039
it over slowly. It occurred to
him that he'd pushed his luck with a

530
00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:27.360
lot of people over the years.
He'd been threatened by some of the nastiest,

531
00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:30.920
most dangerous people on the planet.
None of the threats scared him as

532
00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:36.119
much as the one laying in the
palm of his hand, not just because

533
00:41:36.159 --> 00:41:39.719
of her reputation, but because he
could never know when or where that round

534
00:41:39.840 --> 00:41:45.320
might come for him. My apologies
for the distraction, said Clark, turning

535
00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:50.639
back to the others. We'll have
to work on team cohesiveness before our next

536
00:41:50.639 --> 00:41:54.559
deployment. Getting glassed at Clark with
an apologetic look on his face, but

537
00:41:54.639 --> 00:42:00.960
said nothing. The rest of teams
Odin, Uller, Scottieier, and Frea

538
00:42:00.280 --> 00:42:06.679
will be moving into position along the
boundaries to Alalco, said Clark. Team

539
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:09.559
Uller found that most of the cat
creatures were gone when they arrived at the

540
00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:15.039
coordinates that Gregel gave them. Looks
like we wiped out most of them when

541
00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:20.800
they hit us. Teams Orion,
Apollo, Artemis and Diana will be covering

542
00:42:20.840 --> 00:42:24.519
the south end of Analco. That's
good, said Murdoch. That gives us

543
00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:29.760
another entire team to throw at these
assholes. It's time to put an end

544
00:42:29.760 --> 00:42:34.000
to them once and for all.
It will not be that easy. Caution,

545
00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:38.480
Malachi, do not underestimate this foe. They are responsible for the deaths

546
00:42:38.519 --> 00:42:43.320
of six million of my people.
They have had more than seventy years to

547
00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:47.000
fortify this place. He's right,
said Clark. I know for a fact

548
00:42:47.039 --> 00:42:52.800
they have an underground safe for him
as well as the scientific facilities. Since

549
00:42:52.800 --> 00:42:54.880
we never saw a building that looked
like it was used for that, I

550
00:42:54.920 --> 00:43:00.360
think it's probably safe to assume that
it's underground too. This entire area could

551
00:43:00.360 --> 00:43:06.639
be riddled with underground bunkers and strongholds. We know from the intel that Heinz

552
00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:10.000
gave us that they're at least five
hundred security personnel, or as he called

553
00:43:10.039 --> 00:43:14.840
him, the wormocked. There's no
way they're all above ground or we just

554
00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:20.519
seen them on the satellite images.
Thermal imaging agrees with that assessment, said

555
00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:24.599
Hernandez. The entire compound is not
only connected by tunnels, but there are

556
00:43:24.679 --> 00:43:30.400
also extensive underground facilities. One section
even seems to connect to the lake,

557
00:43:31.559 --> 00:43:37.960
an underwater excess point, asked Clark. It appears so, said Hernandez.

558
00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:42.800
Possibly an escape route. We can't
rule out the possibility of some sort of

559
00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:47.039
submersible vehicle. They'd be fools to
use it, said Clark. With the

560
00:43:47.079 --> 00:43:51.559
sharp men out of control, going
out into the lake in a sub would

561
00:43:51.559 --> 00:43:58.320
be suicide. There's more, said
Hernandez. Thermal indicates an underground airstrip.

562
00:43:58.760 --> 00:44:02.199
It looks like they can long retrieve
aircraft from an access way in a cliff

563
00:44:02.239 --> 00:44:07.639
face on the far side of the
compound. The apaches are covering it just

564
00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:10.880
in case they try to escape that
way. All right, said Clark.

565
00:44:12.199 --> 00:44:15.800
We've got them bottled up inside their
own perimeter. We need to make our

566
00:44:15.840 --> 00:44:20.239
move before they decide to punch their
way out. Major, if I may,

567
00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:23.840
said Gideon, nodding at Clark,
Go ahead, said Clark. According

568
00:44:23.880 --> 00:44:28.960
to the satellite images, said Gideon, there should be a bunker about three

569
00:44:29.039 --> 00:44:32.079
hundred meters due west of here.
All right, said Clark, What are

570
00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:37.480
you proposing that we take a team
and hit that bunker, said Gideon.

571
00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:42.000
It'll have to be a smaller team. All the bunkers are connected by tunnels.

572
00:44:42.480 --> 00:44:45.920
If we can crack that bunker open, we can get direct access to

573
00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:50.679
the underground facility while the rest of
the team hits the gate, said Clark.

574
00:44:51.239 --> 00:44:53.800
That's what I was thinking, Sir, said Gideon. I think that's

575
00:44:53.800 --> 00:44:57.760
a good idea, said Clark.
Let me get on the horn and run

576
00:44:57.800 --> 00:45:00.320
it by All Father. If they
like it, We'll leave most of Team

577
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:06.159
two and Team four here at the
roadblock and let Team Uller lead the assault

578
00:45:06.199 --> 00:45:09.920
on the gate. I'll take Team
two into the complex. I have to

579
00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:14.880
agree with the plan, said Hernandez. It's going to be a nasty fight,

580
00:45:15.000 --> 00:45:17.599
but I think it gives us the
best shot at penetrating their facility before

581
00:45:17.639 --> 00:45:22.079
they have time to move their troops
from the perimeter. If I know All

582
00:45:22.119 --> 00:45:27.079
Father, said Clark, we're going
to get a green light start making the

583
00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:30.760
preparations. Yes, Sir, said
Hernandez. All right, let's get the

584
00:45:30.760 --> 00:45:36.000
ball rolling, said Clark, dismissed. We'll meet up again after I talk

585
00:45:36.079 --> 00:45:38.760
to All Father. Talk to me
about what, said a voice from behind

586
00:45:38.800 --> 00:45:45.320
them. Clark glanced back to see
All Father leading the remainder of Team Odin

587
00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:49.679
and all of Team Uller into the
perimeter. It's nice of you to join

588
00:45:49.760 --> 00:45:53.119
us, Sir, would miss it
for the world, said Saunders. Besides,

589
00:45:53.159 --> 00:45:59.000
Colonel Boudreau has operational command of the
Mimics. He's got a security team

590
00:45:59.039 --> 00:46:04.280
of Army rangers assigned to him from
JSOC. Tim Odin started this fight,

591
00:46:04.519 --> 00:46:07.199
We're going to finish it. So
what did you need to talk to me

592
00:46:07.280 --> 00:46:12.880
about? Clark spent the next few
minutes briefing Saunders on the plan. While

593
00:46:12.880 --> 00:46:16.199
he was talking, they were joined
by CSM Hammond, who simply nodded and

594
00:46:16.239 --> 00:46:22.039
held out his hand. Clark tossed
him a can of chewing tobacco without missing

595
00:46:22.039 --> 00:46:24.960
a beat. When he finished,
Saunders looked at him for a long moment.

596
00:46:25.639 --> 00:46:30.119
And you're going to take Team two
into the rabbit hole, said Saunders.

597
00:46:30.679 --> 00:46:34.639
Well that's the plan, sir,
said Clark, grinning. I hope

598
00:46:34.639 --> 00:46:37.159
you realize just how heavy the fighting
is going to get down there, said

599
00:46:37.199 --> 00:46:43.199
Saunders. That's where they'll have all
the hvts. Are you sure team two

600
00:46:43.320 --> 00:46:45.840
is enough? Well, if we
could take Team four with us, said

601
00:46:45.880 --> 00:46:50.719
Clark, might get a bit crowded, but that would double our firepower.

602
00:46:51.400 --> 00:46:54.800
Then do it, said Saunders.
Make that happen. Everyone gets with the

603
00:46:54.920 --> 00:47:00.320
armorer and re equip you'll won't suppress
weapons below ground. Copy that, said

604
00:47:00.360 --> 00:47:05.559
Clark. We'll be ready to move
in thirty minutes. All right, said

605
00:47:05.599 --> 00:47:08.119
Saunders. We're going to cut the
perimeter fence at the same time you do,

606
00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:12.880
and follow the road that runs along
the perimeter right to the main gate.

607
00:47:13.400 --> 00:47:16.280
We're leaving the heavy weapons teams here
at the roadblock. Do we have

608
00:47:16.360 --> 00:47:22.880
all teams in place, ask Clark. We're blockading every possible exit except for

609
00:47:22.920 --> 00:47:27.800
the lake, said Saunders. The
apaches are covering that. Unless they try

610
00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:31.599
to launch a submersible. We can
cover everything. Using a submersible wouldn't be

611
00:47:31.719 --> 00:47:36.559
useful since they can't control the shark
men. I don't see that being a

612
00:47:36.639 --> 00:47:40.400
viable option for them. The risk
is too high. Gideon walked up and

613
00:47:40.480 --> 00:47:47.239
handed Clark one of the cig ngswars
with the L three LWTS optics mounted.

614
00:47:47.800 --> 00:47:52.880
The barrel was already fitted with a
suppressor. Clark nodded his appreciation as he

615
00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:58.719
clipped the weapon to a single point
sling. The teams are all outfitted,

616
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:02.880
said Gideon. Hand Clark a CIM
seventeen pistol that had been fitted with a

617
00:48:02.880 --> 00:48:07.719
suppressor. Clark clipped the holster to
his plate carrier and kept the fifty gi

618
00:48:07.800 --> 00:48:12.599
clock conversion on his belt. Think
I'm going to hang on to this fifty,

619
00:48:12.760 --> 00:48:15.599
said Clark. You never know when
you're going to have to have something

620
00:48:15.639 --> 00:48:19.920
with a little more punch to it. I'm sending by Frost with you,

621
00:48:20.119 --> 00:48:23.280
said Saunders. You're going to need
a combat engineer to blast through the concrete

622
00:48:23.320 --> 00:48:28.400
on that bunker. That's good call, sir, said Clark. We're ready

623
00:48:28.480 --> 00:48:32.519
to roll on your command. Saunders
nodded and turned to the team. All

624
00:48:32.599 --> 00:48:37.440
right, folks, yelled Saunders.
You've all been briefed. Form up and

625
00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:43.320
let's move out. There was a
line of heavy machine guns interspersed with Mark

626
00:48:43.440 --> 00:48:49.239
nineteen grenade launchers along boat directions of
approach on the road, with enough riflemen

627
00:48:49.280 --> 00:48:52.440
to cover any angle. The road
was closed and they weren't going to breach

628
00:48:52.480 --> 00:48:58.880
it with anything less than a tank
company. Team Odins split into two groups,

629
00:48:58.960 --> 00:49:02.480
with Clark leading Teams two and four. Saunders took command of Team one

630
00:49:02.599 --> 00:49:07.559
of Odin and Teams one, two
and four of tim Uller. As they

631
00:49:07.559 --> 00:49:12.960
were starting to head in different directions. Clark caught the attention of Tim Muller's

632
00:49:13.000 --> 00:49:19.719
commander. Hey Slayton, yelled Clark, Major Nicholas Slayton call signed Archer turned

633
00:49:19.760 --> 00:49:23.559
and walked over. What's up,
thunder God? He asked, watch Saunders

634
00:49:23.599 --> 00:49:28.559
back for me, said Clark.
Keep him safe. I thought that's what

635
00:49:28.639 --> 00:49:34.239
I was for, said csm Hammon
with a rasby chuckle. Clark reached into

636
00:49:34.280 --> 00:49:37.679
his cargo pocket and tossed Hammon a
can of chew. You think that'll last

637
00:49:37.719 --> 00:49:42.920
you until this is done, asked
Clark. Maybe, said Hammond. But

638
00:49:42.960 --> 00:49:45.719
I've got a few good cabanos for
us to smoke when this is over and

639
00:49:45.760 --> 00:49:51.119
we're back together. Well that's a
deal, said Clark. I've got a

640
00:49:51.119 --> 00:49:54.199
bottle of bourbon in my bag that'll
go great with those cigars. That's why

641
00:49:54.239 --> 00:49:59.679
you're my favorite, said Hammond,
winking at Clark. Do I get invited

642
00:49:59.719 --> 00:50:02.639
to this party? Asked Slayton.
Hell, yeah, said Hammond. You're

643
00:50:02.639 --> 00:50:07.880
almost family, kind of like Odin's
bastards stepchild. And they both chuckled.

644
00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:12.639
You all be careful, said Clark. This is going to be a hell

645
00:50:12.679 --> 00:50:15.400
of a fight. Watch your ass, son said Hammond, You're going into

646
00:50:15.440 --> 00:50:20.920
a snake's den. What's that quote
from Ricky Ticky Tavy, asked Clark,

647
00:50:21.000 --> 00:50:24.960
with a wide grin and very few
mongooses, however wise and old they may

648
00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:30.320
be. Care to follow a cobra
into its hole. Don't get bit,

649
00:50:30.519 --> 00:50:35.800
said Hammond. Clark clasped hands with
Hammond and Slayton. See u assholes on

650
00:50:35.840 --> 00:50:40.440
the other side, said Clark.
They headed their separate ways, moving into

651
00:50:40.480 --> 00:50:44.960
the trees. At the edge of
the road, they found the perimeter fence

652
00:50:45.079 --> 00:50:50.679
less than ten yards inside. Clark
nodded at by Frost. The staff Sergeant

653
00:50:50.719 --> 00:50:55.440
Paul LeBlanc was a US Army trained
combat engineer from the fifteenth Engineer Combat Battalion.

654
00:50:57.079 --> 00:51:01.159
He was also incredibly good at his
job. In seconds by Frost,

655
00:51:01.280 --> 00:51:06.320
bypassed the electrical current and cut through
the section of fence large enough for the

656
00:51:06.360 --> 00:51:09.599
team to pass three at a time. Clark and Gideon went through the first,

657
00:51:09.639 --> 00:51:15.719
with Murdoch on their heels. They
instantly took up defensive positions to cover

658
00:51:15.800 --> 00:51:20.320
the others as they passed through.
Once the team was through, Clark nodded

659
00:51:20.320 --> 00:51:23.480
at by Frost, how long until
they know the fence has been breached,

660
00:51:23.519 --> 00:51:28.639
He asked if I did it right, answered by Frost, they won't.

661
00:51:29.199 --> 00:51:31.840
All right, let's move, said
Clark. Murdoch, you've got point with

662
00:51:31.880 --> 00:51:38.199
Gregel and Marglin. Go. They
slipped silently into the forest and only took

663
00:51:38.199 --> 00:51:43.679
a few moments before they reached the
patrol road that ran around the entire property

664
00:51:43.679 --> 00:51:47.360
of Analco. Gregel and the others
went to one knee. When they reached

665
00:51:47.360 --> 00:51:52.719
the road, Clark slipped up beside
them, glancing at the map redoubt on

666
00:51:52.800 --> 00:51:55.840
his risk computer. If the map
is right, said Clark, The bunker

667
00:51:55.920 --> 00:52:00.480
should be about three hundred meters to
the right if we follow the road.

668
00:52:00.960 --> 00:52:05.719
If we follow the road, caution
Gregel, they'll see us coming. But

669
00:52:05.760 --> 00:52:07.840
if we go through the trees,
I can bring us up on their blind

670
00:52:07.920 --> 00:52:13.719
side. We've got cameras on the
road, whispered Murdoch. If we take

671
00:52:13.760 --> 00:52:16.760
them out, they'll know that we're
here. Wait one, said Clark,

672
00:52:16.840 --> 00:52:22.559
reaching for his mike. Thunder God
to all father, he said, we're

673
00:52:22.559 --> 00:52:29.000
in position. Ready on my mark
was the reply. Clark motioned for both

674
00:52:29.079 --> 00:52:35.119
Valkyrie and Sergeant Alejandro de la Cruz
call Sign's skull to come up on my

675
00:52:35.280 --> 00:52:39.400
mark. He whispered, take out
both cameras suppressed weapons only. They both

676
00:52:39.480 --> 00:52:45.199
nodded and brought up their rifles,
siding in on the cameras. You ready,

677
00:52:45.480 --> 00:52:50.920
whispered Clark into the mic, Go, said Saunders. Now said Clark,

678
00:52:51.000 --> 00:52:55.360
loud enough of the shooters to hear
him. The two suppressed coughs erupted

679
00:52:55.400 --> 00:53:00.199
and you could hear both bolts come
back. Both shooters were covered their expended

680
00:53:00.280 --> 00:53:07.639
Brice Clark visually verified that both cameras
had been destroyed. A few hundred meters

681
00:53:07.639 --> 00:53:12.840
away to their left, they heard
unsuppressed rifles ring out. Saunders was debate

682
00:53:13.119 --> 00:53:19.519
covering the covert insertion of Clark's team, motioning for everyone to take cover.

683
00:53:19.840 --> 00:53:24.079
They watched as two of the armored
German ampv's race by, heading for the

684
00:53:24.159 --> 00:53:30.039
sound of the gunshots. They passed
by Clark's team without even slowing down.

685
00:53:30.679 --> 00:53:34.920
Clark counted down from twenty, listening
as the two vehicles opened fire on the

686
00:53:34.960 --> 00:53:39.239
other team. The firefight was over
in seconds, and Saunders had been waiting

687
00:53:39.280 --> 00:53:44.599
for them. Let's move, said
Clark. In groups of two, they

688
00:53:44.639 --> 00:53:47.639
began racing across the narrow road and
into the trees on the other side.

689
00:53:49.320 --> 00:53:53.159
Gregel navigated by instinct and was taking
them on a curved path to the bunker.

690
00:53:54.039 --> 00:53:58.079
If they could get close enough without
them knowing that they were there,

691
00:53:58.559 --> 00:54:01.719
they stood a good chance of getting
inside without them knowing it. If they

692
00:54:01.760 --> 00:54:07.239
didn't, then Byfrost was going to
make them an entrance. Gregel crouched low

693
00:54:07.320 --> 00:54:12.760
and checked the air. There was
something different in this area. It wasn't

694
00:54:12.840 --> 00:54:16.199
the same as the cat creatures,
but it was oddly familiar. Something not

695
00:54:16.320 --> 00:54:22.679
quite human was nearby. Whatever it
was, it wasn't close. He hoped

696
00:54:22.679 --> 00:54:25.840
that it didn't sense him the same
way he sensed it. What's wrong,

697
00:54:27.000 --> 00:54:31.159
whispered Murdoch. It's nothing I can
explain, said Gregel. It's just a

698
00:54:31.159 --> 00:54:36.960
feeling. Well, whatever it is, whispered Murdoch. Let's hope it's friendly.

699
00:54:37.360 --> 00:54:40.880
That bunker should be right through those
trees according to the map. Let's

700
00:54:40.880 --> 00:54:45.480
go, whispered Margolin. I want
to get me a German boot knife.

701
00:54:45.800 --> 00:54:52.840
Shut up, Margolin, whispered Murdoch, shaking his head. Chapter thirteen,

702
00:54:53.400 --> 00:55:01.920
Snake's Lair, nineteen thirty hours,
fifteen May, and all gray eagle crept

703
00:55:01.920 --> 00:55:07.239
through the trees, making hardly a
whisper of noise. He'd motioned for the

704
00:55:07.280 --> 00:55:09.880
others to take a knee and wait
for his signal before they tried to approach

705
00:55:09.920 --> 00:55:15.960
the bunker. He crouched low and
peered through the branches of a coniferous tree.

706
00:55:15.519 --> 00:55:20.079
He hunkered beneath the branches at the
base of the tree, using the

707
00:55:20.199 --> 00:55:25.559
natural camouflage to his advantage. Breathing
shallow, he watched for movement. The

708
00:55:25.599 --> 00:55:29.840
bunker was playing to see once you
were closed, but they had done an

709
00:55:29.880 --> 00:55:35.199
excellent job of camouflaging it from the
air and the front side. They had

710
00:55:35.199 --> 00:55:38.440
planted trees and pulled them with ropes
until they grew in the desired formation,

711
00:55:38.960 --> 00:55:44.800
completely covering the bunker from above.
It had taken years, but it was

712
00:55:45.039 --> 00:55:50.679
ingenious. Modern thermal technology made it
a moot point. But had they been

713
00:55:50.800 --> 00:55:54.159
using the equivalent of World War II
technology, they would have never seen it.

714
00:55:55.599 --> 00:56:00.039
The thought occurred to Gray Eagle that
despite the Nazis using it ants technology,

715
00:56:00.440 --> 00:56:05.159
they were going to great links to
keep things low tech here at an

716
00:56:05.159 --> 00:56:09.280
Alco. That struck him his eyes, since it also limited their ability to

717
00:56:09.320 --> 00:56:15.159
defend themselves. He made a mental
note to tell Major Clark what he suspected,

718
00:56:15.320 --> 00:56:20.480
just in case it might be important. Watching patiently, Gregel saw a

719
00:56:20.599 --> 00:56:23.480
movement at the back of the bunker. There was a steel door set into

720
00:56:23.519 --> 00:56:29.360
thick concrete, and it was opening. The man that walked out was tall,

721
00:56:29.599 --> 00:56:32.280
nearly as big as kodiac. He
had to be nearly six feet eight

722
00:56:32.320 --> 00:56:38.400
inches tall and was rippling with muscle. His blonde hair was cut militarily short,

723
00:56:38.599 --> 00:56:44.239
and his blue eyes shone like beacons. It was that movement that Gregel

724
00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:47.599
realized the creature he'd sensed was standing
right in front of him, less than

725
00:56:47.679 --> 00:56:53.679
twenty yards away. While the man
wore military fatigue pants, military boots,

726
00:56:53.679 --> 00:56:59.800
and a green tank topped t shirt, he carried no firearm. He looked

727
00:56:59.800 --> 00:57:04.559
around the area and seemed to either
not notice Gray Eagle or failed to detect

728
00:57:04.599 --> 00:57:08.039
his presence. Turning his back,
the man walked over to the edge of

729
00:57:08.079 --> 00:57:13.079
the trees on the other side of
the bunker and opened his fly. He

730
00:57:13.239 --> 00:57:16.719
urinated into the thick grass, and
then the man leaned his head back and

731
00:57:16.800 --> 00:57:23.639
sighed contently. Greegel considered eliminating him. That he hesitated, wondering if the

732
00:57:23.760 --> 00:57:28.880
rounds he had in his rifle would
put him down. He didn't know enough

733
00:57:28.920 --> 00:57:32.239
about what he was to make that
call. It might only serve to anger

734
00:57:32.280 --> 00:57:37.239
the man. He wanted to be
certain of a clean, quiet kill before

735
00:57:37.280 --> 00:57:43.760
he risked exposing them. The man
finished urinating and button his fly and turning

736
00:57:43.760 --> 00:57:49.119
around. He froze and stared directly
at where Gray Eagle was hiding. Holding

737
00:57:49.159 --> 00:57:53.119
his breath, Greegel froze so no
movement would give away his position. The

738
00:57:53.159 --> 00:57:57.800
man cocked his head from side to
side, as if studying the spot.

739
00:57:58.880 --> 00:58:02.119
Greegel could see the confusion on the
man's face. It was clear that he

740
00:58:02.199 --> 00:58:08.039
scent something but couldn't figure out what
it was. Gregel felt sweat running down

741
00:58:08.039 --> 00:58:13.639
his face and onto the tip of
his nose, but still he held completely

742
00:58:13.679 --> 00:58:19.559
motionless, painfully slow. He shifted
his fingers on the grip of his rifle.

743
00:58:20.119 --> 00:58:23.440
His finger moved a millimeter at a
time, slowly moving onto the trigger.

744
00:58:24.599 --> 00:58:28.760
His thumb found the selector lever,
but he knew that it was going

745
00:58:28.800 --> 00:58:32.480
to make a noise. It might
almost be imperceptible, but he had little

746
00:58:32.519 --> 00:58:37.199
doubt that it would give away his
position. Come on, Hans yelled a

747
00:58:37.280 --> 00:58:44.159
voice from inside the bunker. Lock
that fucking door before someone gets in the

748
00:58:44.159 --> 00:58:47.679
Man's concentration was broken, and he
turned to face the door. I'm coming,

749
00:58:47.920 --> 00:58:52.880
snapped Hans. I thought I heard
something. Gregel knew he had to

750
00:58:52.920 --> 00:58:58.199
act quickly before they shut that door. If he could catch the bunker open,

751
00:58:58.320 --> 00:59:04.000
they could get inside the underground facility
without anyone being the wiser. Click.

752
00:59:05.079 --> 00:59:08.800
The sound of the selector lever moving
to auto cracked like thunder, At

753
00:59:08.880 --> 00:59:14.119
least it did for Gregel. Hans
heard it too, and his head snapped

754
00:59:14.159 --> 00:59:17.679
around in an instant. He looked
directly at the spot where Gregel crouched,

755
00:59:17.960 --> 00:59:23.199
and before he could open his mouth, Gregel opened fire. The suppressed sig

756
00:59:23.440 --> 00:59:30.519
n GSWAAR began coughing out high velocity
death as the belt fed weapon came to

757
00:59:30.639 --> 00:59:35.199
life. The first dozen rounds rocked
Hans back on his feet, but he

758
00:59:35.280 --> 00:59:40.199
didn't fall. He only staggered backwards, shaking like he was dancing. Gregel

759
00:59:40.280 --> 00:59:45.480
continued to fire as he stepped out
of the bushes and kept the fire concentrated

760
00:59:45.519 --> 00:59:50.559
on Hans's chest. After nearly thirty
rounds, it was clear that he wasn't

761
00:59:50.559 --> 00:59:55.920
going down. There was a strange
bluish blood oozing from the wounds in Hans's

762
00:59:55.920 --> 01:00:00.519
mouth, but he didn't fall instead. Greg could see the wounds beginning to

763
01:00:00.599 --> 01:00:07.280
force out the projectiles and heal.
Hans's skin began to turn a modeled gray,

764
01:00:07.320 --> 01:00:10.320
and he started getting bigger. You're
going to have to do better than

765
01:00:10.440 --> 01:00:16.199
that, said Hans, his voice
gurgling with blood in his lungs. Hans

766
01:00:16.199 --> 01:00:21.079
began to get bigger, and Gregel
saw gill slits forming on both sides of

767
01:00:21.119 --> 01:00:24.920
his neck. His face began to
elongate, looking not quite like a shark,

768
01:00:25.079 --> 01:00:30.400
but not like a human either.
They had moved quickly into the second

769
01:00:30.440 --> 01:00:34.800
phase, and that meant it was
highly unlikely that they would recover Hinz.

770
01:00:35.039 --> 01:00:40.039
Before he'd been put through the experiment, a roar like thunder exploded from the

771
01:00:40.079 --> 01:00:45.239
trees behind Gray Eagle. He expected
to see either Kodiak or Raying rush out

772
01:00:45.280 --> 01:00:51.360
of the trees and challenge of the
gigantic shark man. It took Gregel a

773
01:00:51.440 --> 01:00:54.360
moment to realize that hadn't been the
roar of a living creature. That was

774
01:00:54.440 --> 01:01:00.559
Valkyrie's rifle. The massive forty five
seventy rounds lammed into the forehead of the

775
01:01:00.639 --> 01:01:07.119
Hans shark and exploded the head into
a fountain of gray matter and bluish gore

776
01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:13.440
Hans stumbled back before falling to his
knees and then onto his face. Running

777
01:01:13.440 --> 01:01:16.360
to the door, Gregel opened fire
into the bunker just as an arm came

778
01:01:16.360 --> 01:01:22.000
out attempting to pull the door shut. The man was no monster. He

779
01:01:22.119 --> 01:01:25.440
was fleshing blood, and the rounds
had no problem shredding him since he wasn't

780
01:01:25.480 --> 01:01:31.079
wearing body armor. Gregel rushed inside
and noticed that Margolin and Murdoch were right

781
01:01:31.119 --> 01:01:36.760
on his heels. There was a
brief exchange of fire, and three more

782
01:01:36.880 --> 01:01:42.679
of the Germans went down in bloody
heaps. As a suppressed weapons fire came

783
01:01:42.760 --> 01:01:45.320
to a sudden end. Gregel could
see the carnage around the room and knotted

784
01:01:45.400 --> 01:01:51.320
at the others. Clear, he
said, Clear, echoed Margolin and Murdoch.

785
01:01:51.960 --> 01:01:54.079
Go back and tell the major to
bring everyone in, said Gregel,

786
01:01:54.159 --> 01:02:00.360
nodding at Margolin. We secured the
bunker. Walking outside, Margolin saw the

787
01:02:00.519 --> 01:02:06.119
arms on the shark Man begin to
twitch. Fuck me, he whispered,

788
01:02:06.440 --> 01:02:10.199
and put a long suppressed burst into
the beast's head. Stay the fuck down.

789
01:02:12.800 --> 01:02:15.840
The others began emerging from the trees
and headed for the bunker. Clark

790
01:02:15.960 --> 01:02:20.800
paused long enough to take out his
bounty blade and lop the head from the

791
01:02:20.840 --> 01:02:23.280
shark man. He'll that you,
son of a bitch, he said,

792
01:02:23.320 --> 01:02:30.400
wiping the bluish blood onto the dead
man's T shirt. Soon everyone was filing

793
01:02:30.480 --> 01:02:35.719
inside. Clark looked around and found
a small armory. Several sets of body

794
01:02:35.840 --> 01:02:39.840
armor, neatly stacked and helmet sat
beside them. It was hot and humid

795
01:02:39.920 --> 01:02:45.960
inside the bunker, making it obvious
why they'd taken it off. None of

796
01:02:45.000 --> 01:02:50.679
them expected a direct assault on the
bunker. They were complacent and that would

797
01:02:50.679 --> 01:02:55.639
work to their advantage. Murdock said
Clark, how's your German next think,

798
01:02:55.960 --> 01:03:00.119
answered Murdoch. Grab all of their
radio, said I want a few of

799
01:03:00.159 --> 01:03:06.079
us that speak German monitoring their frequency. If they stay focused on the assault

800
01:03:06.159 --> 01:03:09.199
above ground, they might overlook us
until it's too late. Boss, said

801
01:03:09.239 --> 01:03:15.239
Marglin, you might want to take
a look at this. Margolin was motioning

802
01:03:15.320 --> 01:03:19.880
at the steps that led down into
the connecting tunnel. Clark followed him and

803
01:03:19.920 --> 01:03:22.920
found that it wasn't just a small
tunnel that troops could walk through. It

804
01:03:23.000 --> 01:03:27.480
was almost as wide as a road
and ten feet high, with a spot

805
01:03:27.559 --> 01:03:31.039
to turn around. It only led
back toward the main part of the compound.

806
01:03:31.559 --> 01:03:35.039
This had to be the end of
the line for this section of the

807
01:03:35.079 --> 01:03:39.440
tunnel. There were parking nooks where
they had two electric passenger carts that could

808
01:03:39.440 --> 01:03:44.440
hold six people. Well, that
would only accommodate twelve of them, so

809
01:03:44.480 --> 01:03:47.559
he ruled them out. It would
spread the team too thin. They needed

810
01:03:47.599 --> 01:03:52.880
to stick together, all right,
said Clark. We've got a clear direction

811
01:03:52.000 --> 01:03:55.760
of travel. We'll follow this tunnel
until we reach the hub. Now,

812
01:03:55.760 --> 01:03:59.840
I'm sure that there will be a
central hub that leads to all the bunkers

813
01:03:59.880 --> 01:04:02.920
on this end of the property.
What do we do about the other bunkers,

814
01:04:03.079 --> 01:04:08.440
asked Murdoch. Once we're clear,
said Clark, we give the apaches

815
01:04:08.480 --> 01:04:12.599
to green lights start taking them out. That might take them out of position

816
01:04:12.639 --> 01:04:16.360
to cover the airstrip. Caution Murdoch. I think we can spare one apache,

817
01:04:16.400 --> 01:04:20.840
said Clark. They're eight out there. Surely seven can cover the airstrip.

818
01:04:21.440 --> 01:04:26.599
Unless they're carrying bunker busters, said
Murdoch. The apaches might not have

819
01:04:26.719 --> 01:04:30.239
enough firepower to punch through a concrete
bunker. Let me see what they've got,

820
01:04:30.360 --> 01:04:35.000
said Clark, reaching for his radio. Thunderguid to Valhalla, said Clark.

821
01:04:35.599 --> 01:04:40.840
This is Valhalla, actually came the
voice of Colonel Boudreau. Go ahead,

822
01:04:41.760 --> 01:04:45.800
We've reached our first objective, said
Clark, requesting air support. Begin

823
01:04:45.960 --> 01:04:51.719
targeting the bunkers over negative, said
Boodroux. Asgard has other assets tasks for

824
01:04:51.760 --> 01:04:57.159
those objectives. Proceed to the next
objective and advise when you're clear of the

825
01:04:57.239 --> 01:05:01.760
bunker ghostwriter. Gunships are in bound. Proceed to object to. You have

826
01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:08.440
two five minutes to reach it over
a firm, said Clark. Well,

827
01:05:08.559 --> 01:05:13.000
Charlie, Mike, and advise when
clear. Thunder God out. What did

828
01:05:13.039 --> 01:05:16.599
he say, asked Murdoch. He
said, Asgard has other plans and to

829
01:05:16.639 --> 01:05:20.679
get our ass moving, said Clark. Let's get clear before they bring down

830
01:05:20.679 --> 01:05:28.760
some serious firepower on these bunkers.
Valhalla advises that AC one J two ghostwriters

831
01:05:28.800 --> 01:05:32.639
are targeting the bunkers. Fuck,
said Marglin with a rye grin. I

832
01:05:32.679 --> 01:05:36.159
don't want to be anywhere close to
a bunker when those one O fives click

833
01:05:36.239 --> 01:05:42.559
off. Well, let's move,
said Clark, Gregel Beer Davidson take point,

834
01:05:42.880 --> 01:05:48.119
codyak, you're right behind him.
Gregel nodded at Malachi and Warrant Officer

835
01:05:48.400 --> 01:05:55.719
Noah Davidson. Gregel knew their files
Davidson was on loan to the team from

836
01:05:55.719 --> 01:06:00.760
the British Special Reconnaissance Regiment. Although
he was very served, Davidson had proven

837
01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:06.360
to be highly competent during training,
remaining cool under stress. There was something

838
01:06:06.400 --> 01:06:12.400
about him that Gregel couldn't quite put
his finger on, something mysterious. That

839
01:06:12.440 --> 01:06:16.800
would be for another time, but
right now they had bigger problem. Cody

840
01:06:16.840 --> 01:06:21.239
and Rayn moved up behind the point
team. Cody was once again carrying the

841
01:06:21.320 --> 01:06:27.000
massive many gun, but only one. He wasn't planning on shifting forms in

842
01:06:27.079 --> 01:06:31.360
this tunnel, and even his incredible
strength alone wasn't enough to carry both for

843
01:06:31.440 --> 01:06:36.159
long. He glanced over at Rayn
and she smiled at him, placing a

844
01:06:36.159 --> 01:06:42.000
reassuring hand on his forearm. She
had been given a uniform and armor,

845
01:06:42.079 --> 01:06:45.199
but she carried no weapons. She
assured them that she didn't know how to

846
01:06:45.360 --> 01:06:49.679
use them and was planning on shifting
forms as soon as they contacted the enemy.

847
01:06:50.280 --> 01:06:55.920
Let's move, said Malachi. As
they headed off. Clark watched them

848
01:06:55.960 --> 01:07:00.280
for a moment. He knew the
big Israeli would be highly motivated to complete

849
01:07:00.320 --> 01:07:03.840
this mission. This might very well
be the most important mission of his entire

850
01:07:03.920 --> 01:07:10.199
career. Clark just hoped that he'd
remain focused on the mission instead of revenge.

851
01:07:10.760 --> 01:07:15.239
That was something he'd have to watch. Murdock, said Clark, nodding,

852
01:07:15.599 --> 01:07:18.519
you take Gideon and Raven and watch
our six. I'll stick close to

853
01:07:18.559 --> 01:07:24.000
the middle. I want the Giovanni's
with me. Everyone else take your assigned

854
01:07:24.039 --> 01:07:30.239
positions. As everyone began fanning out, Matthias leaned close to Marcus. See,

855
01:07:30.400 --> 01:07:33.159
he whispered. He wants us with
him. I think that's so he

856
01:07:33.239 --> 01:07:36.519
can shoot you himself, said Marcus, if you give him a reason.

857
01:07:38.239 --> 01:07:42.440
Fuck, said Matthias. I hadn't
thought of that. Let's move, people,

858
01:07:42.639 --> 01:07:45.239
said Clark. We've got a lot
of distance to cover in exactly twenty

859
01:07:45.280 --> 01:07:50.039
minutes to do it. Let's move. They proceeded down the long tunnel,

860
01:07:50.079 --> 01:07:55.800
moving quickly. Clark was monitoring the
radio that they'd confiscated, but heard no

861
01:07:55.960 --> 01:08:00.159
traffic, indicating that their presence in
the bunker had been detected. All radio

862
01:08:00.280 --> 01:08:04.519
traffic was concerning the team that was
currently shooting their way through the main gate.

863
01:08:06.119 --> 01:08:11.360
As they approached an intersection in the
tunnel's beer faded against the wall.

864
01:08:11.880 --> 01:08:15.119
The team was scattered along the tunnel
behind him with an interval of ten feet.

865
01:08:15.960 --> 01:08:20.439
As greygl faded against the other wall, Davidson crouched low and crept forward

866
01:08:20.479 --> 01:08:28.239
to peer around the corner. Wasbatsdu
called a voice from the shadows. Davidson

867
01:08:28.279 --> 01:08:33.000
froze in place and slowly looked in
that direction, I say, said Davidson

868
01:08:33.039 --> 01:08:38.840
in his perfectly intoned British accent.
Is this the way to the main complex.

869
01:08:40.159 --> 01:08:44.239
As the German officer stepped out of
the alcove, he raised his weapon

870
01:08:44.279 --> 01:08:47.640
toward Davidson. He never saw Beer
step out of the shadows behind him.

871
01:08:47.720 --> 01:08:53.560
As if by magic, a massive
hand wrapped around the man's face, covering

872
01:08:53.600 --> 01:08:57.920
his mouth and pulling his head to
the left. The shocked guard released his

873
01:08:58.039 --> 01:09:02.600
hold on his weapon and reached for
Beer's hand. Before he could grasp the

874
01:09:02.720 --> 01:09:08.079
massive wrist, Beer drove a knife
down into the man's exposed throat and deep

875
01:09:08.119 --> 01:09:13.840
into his chest, cavity piercing along
with a savage twist of the knife.

876
01:09:14.039 --> 01:09:17.760
He brought it out and sliced through
the corded artery as he slashed up and

877
01:09:17.920 --> 01:09:23.760
out, and a fountain of blood
erupted in an arc as Davidson deftly stepped

878
01:09:23.800 --> 01:09:28.880
back, avoiding the spray Beer held
the man as he felt the resistance grow

879
01:09:29.000 --> 01:09:32.520
weaker by the second, as his
blood flowed diminished with each passing second,

880
01:09:33.199 --> 01:09:36.920
and when the body went slack,
Beer dropped him and wiped his knife off

881
01:09:36.960 --> 01:09:43.319
on the man's shirt. Davidson and
Gregel checked the tunnel but found no one

882
01:09:43.359 --> 01:09:46.880
else nearby. There was a small
guard's outpost here at this junction, but

883
01:09:46.960 --> 01:09:51.319
it looked to be a place that
wasn't normally manned, and with the attack

884
01:09:51.399 --> 01:09:58.159
on the compound, all stations would
be staffed ready to repel intruders. Nicely

885
01:09:58.239 --> 01:10:03.439
done, lad said Davidson approval at
Beer. Beer nodded solemnly and returned his

886
01:10:03.520 --> 01:10:09.199
knife to its scabbard, bringing his
rifle back up to a ready position.

887
01:10:09.479 --> 01:10:15.720
They continued toward their objective. Grego
glanced at Beer and understood the look on

888
01:10:15.760 --> 01:10:19.039
the man's face. How would a
Lakota feel if it had been one of

889
01:10:19.119 --> 01:10:26.000
Custer's curse seventh Cavalry that he just
put a knife into. He understood Beer

890
01:10:26.119 --> 01:10:29.800
more than anyone else on the team. They were both from the people who

891
01:10:29.800 --> 01:10:34.520
had suffered greatly, and it marked
them for all their lives. Moving up,

892
01:10:34.640 --> 01:10:40.119
Clark saw the fallen guard for just
a moment. His heart skipped when

893
01:10:40.119 --> 01:10:44.359
he thought it was Heinz. They
looked a great deal alike, but once

894
01:10:44.359 --> 01:10:47.640
he was closer he could see the
difference. Also, there was no tattoo

895
01:10:47.720 --> 01:10:53.239
on his arm. Margolin leaned down
and took a knife from the dead man's

896
01:10:53.279 --> 01:10:57.239
boot and smiled at Clark, who
ignored him. As he started to kneel

897
01:10:57.279 --> 01:11:02.039
beside the body. The ground shook
eat rapid explosions announced the arrival of the

898
01:11:02.079 --> 01:11:10.479
AC one thirty j Ghostwriters. They
were targeting and eliminating the bunkers. Clark

899
01:11:10.520 --> 01:11:14.880
heard a crackle of static on his
radio and then a partial garble of communication.

900
01:11:15.720 --> 01:11:18.640
Last call station, Say again,
said Clark. You were badly broken

901
01:11:19.520 --> 01:11:24.479
all father to thunder God, said
Saunders. Can you read me over?

902
01:11:25.359 --> 01:11:29.039
Hey, firm, said Clark.
Looks like Ghostwriter punched us a hole.

903
01:11:29.319 --> 01:11:33.920
Over. We've breached the perimeter,
said Saunders, proceeding to secondary objective.

904
01:11:34.079 --> 01:11:41.079
Over copy that said Clark, We're
fifteen minutes out. Over understood, said

905
01:11:41.119 --> 01:11:45.600
Saunders. Charlie, Mike, see
you on the other side. Out contact

906
01:11:45.680 --> 01:11:49.399
front, shouted grey Eagel. The
roar of firearms filled the tunnel as the

907
01:11:49.399 --> 01:11:54.720
team did their best to take cover
in the constraints of the tunnel. Most

908
01:11:54.720 --> 01:11:59.680
of them went prone ahead. Clark
could see a squad of Germans moving their

909
01:11:59.720 --> 01:12:03.479
way, firing as they approached.
Gregel, Davidson, and Beer dropped to

910
01:12:03.520 --> 01:12:09.159
the ground and were returning fire.
And that's when Clark heard the unmistakable sound

911
01:12:09.199 --> 01:12:14.399
of a mini gun's motor spooling up
to speed. Kodiak stepped out of the

912
01:12:14.439 --> 01:12:18.720
alcove where he'd pushed Rayan when the
shooting started, stepping into the center of

913
01:12:18.760 --> 01:12:25.159
the tunnel, he engaged the mini
gun. The roar of an enraged Dragoness

914
01:12:25.199 --> 01:12:29.720
seemed to fill the tunnel as Kodiak
sent five second bursts into the group of

915
01:12:29.840 --> 01:12:33.920
Germans, killing six of the ten
instantly and sending the other four diving for

916
01:12:34.039 --> 01:12:40.680
cover. Clark instantly keyed up the
German radio to squelch any call for help

917
01:12:40.760 --> 01:12:45.800
they'd tried to send out. Before
the four German soldiers could get to their

918
01:12:45.840 --> 01:12:49.600
feet, Gregel and Beer rushed forward. They quickly dispatched two of the others.

919
01:12:50.560 --> 01:12:57.159
Behind Clark, he heard two suppressed
rifles go off almost simultaneously. Valkyrie

920
01:12:57.199 --> 01:13:02.199
and De la Cruz eliminated the remaining
two with well placed headshots. Clark glanced

921
01:13:02.199 --> 01:13:05.640
back, but couldn't see either of
the snipers due to the darkness in the

922
01:13:05.680 --> 01:13:11.920
tunnel. Fuck me, he thought, that's terrifying. Tangles down, called

923
01:13:12.000 --> 01:13:16.039
greg Or, we're clear. Beer
crouched down and took a keyboard from the

924
01:13:16.079 --> 01:13:20.479
pocket of the leader of the German
squad. Move called Clark, we've got

925
01:13:20.520 --> 01:13:26.239
a schedule to keep. They pushed
farther up the tunnel for another half mile

926
01:13:26.279 --> 01:13:30.479
before they came to a large intersection. There was a massive steel door on

927
01:13:30.560 --> 01:13:33.800
the right side of the hallway.
There was also a parking area for several

928
01:13:33.840 --> 01:13:40.760
of the electric transport vehicles, with
four vehicles sitting empty. Approaching the door,

929
01:13:40.920 --> 01:13:45.000
Clark looked at it closely before studying
the map on his risk computer.

930
01:13:45.800 --> 01:13:50.439
Thunder God to Valhalla, said Clark, we've reached objective too over copy,

931
01:13:50.560 --> 01:13:56.560
thunder God said Boudreau. Proceed with
recovery. Don't waste too much time.

932
01:13:56.880 --> 01:14:01.600
If he's not there, move on
over as guard actual to thunder God interrupted

933
01:14:01.680 --> 01:14:06.560
General Dalton. Priority one is to
recover the asset. Make all attempts to

934
01:14:06.600 --> 01:14:13.119
locate and recover Bower over copy that, said Clark. Thunder God out,

935
01:14:14.359 --> 01:14:17.479
what the fuck just happened, asked
Valkyrie, stepping out of the shadows and

936
01:14:17.520 --> 01:14:23.720
tapping her earpiece. Looks like Boudreau
just got overruled by the General, said

937
01:14:23.760 --> 01:14:29.640
Clark. That's odd. How's that, asked Valkyrie. It's almost like Boudreau

938
01:14:29.840 --> 01:14:34.399
wasn't concerned about recovering Bauer, said
Clark. The General has other plans either

939
01:14:34.439 --> 01:14:38.600
way. We've got to hurry.
The last thing we want is for the

940
01:14:38.640 --> 01:14:42.479
others to get away while we're trying
to find Bauer. That's a good point,

941
01:14:42.560 --> 01:14:46.960
said Valkyrie. Get that door open, said Clark, pointing beer and

942
01:14:47.039 --> 01:14:51.840
greg Egel started checking the door for
a release mechanism. After a moment,

943
01:14:51.880 --> 01:14:56.800
Gregel motioned for Clark to come over. I think I found some sort of

944
01:14:56.880 --> 01:15:01.039
keyboard reader, said Gregel. Try
this ball, said Margolin, handing Clark,

945
01:15:01.079 --> 01:15:05.039
and I d card. Where'd you
get this, asked Clark. I

946
01:15:05.119 --> 01:15:09.960
found it on that fucker that Malachi
gutted back in the tunnel, said Margolin.

947
01:15:10.319 --> 01:15:14.880
Thought it might come in handy.
Clark inserted the key card and there

948
01:15:14.920 --> 01:15:18.640
was an audible beat followed by a
clicking sound before the door began rumbling open.

949
01:15:19.279 --> 01:15:23.720
Clark motioned for everyone to move back, and he slipped on one side

950
01:15:23.720 --> 01:15:28.239
of the door. Once it rumbled
all the way open, Clark peered inside

951
01:15:28.319 --> 01:15:33.279
and saw nine large glass cylinders lining
one wall with people inside. Six were

952
01:15:33.279 --> 01:15:39.279
men and three were women. All
were attached to oxygen masks and had numerous

953
01:15:39.359 --> 01:15:44.239
leads and tubes running to them.
Clark slept around the corner and entered the

954
01:15:44.359 --> 01:15:47.880
room. Nearly a dozen people were
moving around in white lab coats, while

955
01:15:47.920 --> 01:15:54.479
one older man sat at a desk
and studied a computer display. Even without

956
01:15:54.520 --> 01:15:58.560
seeing the man's face, Clark knew
who it was, and when he turned

957
01:15:58.560 --> 01:16:02.399
to see who had entered them,
Clark confirmed it. It was Joseph Mingle.

958
01:16:03.960 --> 01:16:09.960
What's his loss, asked Mingola,
Looking angry to be interrupted, Clark

959
01:16:10.079 --> 01:16:13.920
raised his rifle and pointed at it. Mingola, moving, you die,

960
01:16:14.159 --> 01:16:18.119
said Clark. Mingolea didn't respond,
but Clark could tell from his body language

961
01:16:18.119 --> 01:16:24.239
that he understood English. Get this
asshole in restraints, said Clark, motioning

962
01:16:24.279 --> 01:16:28.399
with his left hand. The muzzle
of his rifle never moved a millimeter.

963
01:16:29.640 --> 01:16:32.880
Greegel and Beer moved over and grabbed
Mingola by both arms and put him into

964
01:16:32.880 --> 01:16:39.039
thick zip restraints with his hands behind
his back. Beer looked like he would

965
01:16:39.039 --> 01:16:43.399
happily rip the older man's head off, but he said nothing. The seething

966
01:16:43.520 --> 01:16:48.439
hatred on his face was plain for
all to see. Gregel pulled Mingoly roughly

967
01:16:48.520 --> 01:16:53.119
to his feet and began taking him
toward the door, and beer followed.

968
01:16:54.319 --> 01:16:58.760
One of the other scientists went for
an alarm panel, and Margolin shot him

969
01:16:58.760 --> 01:17:02.920
in the Neck's legs buckled beneath him
as he took one last step before collapsing

970
01:17:02.960 --> 01:17:09.079
into a pool of blood. Manos
Soriba shouted Margolin. They're German, not

971
01:17:09.199 --> 01:17:14.319
Spanish, you dumbass, shouted Runestone. The scientists all put their hands in

972
01:17:14.359 --> 01:17:17.880
the air well. Whatever works,
said Margolin. See they understood what I

973
01:17:18.000 --> 01:17:24.640
meant. Besides, I don't speak
much German. Runestone rolled his eyes as

974
01:17:24.640 --> 01:17:30.159
the other team members began putting all
the scientists into restraints. Comply and you

975
01:17:30.319 --> 01:17:33.880
will not be shot, shouted Runestone. If you move, you will die.

976
01:17:34.600 --> 01:17:40.039
And for your cooperation, said Margolin, I say, donkey schlong,

977
01:17:40.800 --> 01:17:45.680
that's doca shame, corrected Runestone.
I think I like his better, said

978
01:17:45.720 --> 01:17:49.279
Bedford. Get them ready for transport, said Clark, heading for the glass

979
01:17:49.319 --> 01:17:55.399
cylinders. The clock is running,
folks, as he began inspecting the tubes.

980
01:17:55.439 --> 01:18:00.319
He saw Murdoch and Henderson fulfilling their
orders by grabbing all the research and

981
01:18:00.439 --> 01:18:04.600
hard drives that they could find.
LeBlanc shouted Clark, I want charges on

982
01:18:04.680 --> 01:18:09.840
all of these tubes now. We
can't let them hatch another generation of these

983
01:18:09.880 --> 01:18:15.640
shark things. LeBlanc took his kit
out and started preparing incendiary charges. Clark

984
01:18:15.760 --> 01:18:20.000
located the one shark like creature that
had a tattoo of a trident on its

985
01:18:20.119 --> 01:18:26.880
arm. Clark knew this had to
be Heintz and Bower. The placard placed

986
01:18:26.880 --> 01:18:30.680
on the tank confirmed it. It
read heints Eric. Help me get this

987
01:18:30.800 --> 01:18:35.880
open, shouted Clark. Shield Maiden
ran over and helped him begin examining the

988
01:18:35.960 --> 01:18:41.520
controls. I don't speak German,
she said, I do, said Clark.

989
01:18:41.880 --> 01:18:45.840
What am I looking for one that
says purge or emergency release? She

990
01:18:46.000 --> 01:18:51.640
replied something like that. Clark began
examining the controls and found one that he

991
01:18:51.720 --> 01:18:56.960
was looking for, and then hit
it without hesitation. Wait, said shield

992
01:18:57.000 --> 01:19:00.760
Maiden, But it was too late. The container began to hiss and the

993
01:19:00.800 --> 01:19:05.600
fluid began to drain onto the floor. That wasn't an issue since The floor

994
01:19:05.720 --> 01:19:11.640
was made of metal grating and had
a large drainage basing beneath it. Seconds

995
01:19:11.680 --> 01:19:16.279
later, the tube lifted and Heinz
Bower fell out. Clark caught him and

996
01:19:16.399 --> 01:19:19.880
kept him from striking the rough steel
floor. I've got you, man,

997
01:19:20.119 --> 01:19:26.520
said Clark. Shield maiden started to
move forward to check him when Bower's eyes

998
01:19:26.560 --> 01:19:31.359
flicked open with an audible click.
She gasped and jumped back. Before Clark

999
01:19:31.359 --> 01:19:36.000
could react, Bower grabbed him and
threw him across the room. Clark slammed

1000
01:19:36.000 --> 01:19:42.279
into a bank of computers and shattered
several screens. He grunted in pain,

1001
01:19:42.520 --> 01:19:45.760
and he hit the floor and cut
open his face and left arm on the

1002
01:19:45.880 --> 01:19:50.239
jagged grating. All around the room, weapons were trained on Bower. He

1003
01:19:50.359 --> 01:19:55.319
was locked in a state between human
and sharp, but not fully either.

1004
01:19:56.319 --> 01:20:00.039
He had webbed hands and feet,
a shark like snout, a shark's tail,

1005
01:20:00.439 --> 01:20:05.359
and dictating lenses over his eyes.
As he looked around, the look

1006
01:20:05.399 --> 01:20:11.199
in his eyes was pure beast.
There was no recognition there. Clark got

1007
01:20:11.239 --> 01:20:14.560
to his feet with a groan and
waved his hands. Don't shoot, he

1008
01:20:14.680 --> 01:20:18.279
ordered, let me try to reach
him. Moving toward Bower, Clark kept

1009
01:20:18.359 --> 01:20:23.960
his hands open and palms outward,
making no sudden movements. It's okay,

1010
01:20:24.279 --> 01:20:29.119
he kept softly repeating as he approached. Crikey, said Marglin, with an

1011
01:20:29.159 --> 01:20:33.439
exaggerated Australian accent. You all right, mate, Shut up, dumbass,

1012
01:20:33.479 --> 01:20:40.000
said Valkyrie through her clenched teeth.
It's okay, repeated Clark, Ignoring Margoline,

1013
01:20:40.840 --> 01:20:45.319
he took a few more steps toward
Bower. Oscar said Clark. It's

1014
01:20:45.399 --> 01:20:50.319
Daniel Clark. Do you remember me. Confusion crossed Bower's face as he closed

1015
01:20:50.319 --> 01:20:56.640
his eyes. Oscar Bower said,
Clark, remember me, Oscar Bower.

1016
01:20:57.600 --> 01:21:01.640
Bower opened his eyes and looked at
Clark. Clark said Bower through a mouth

1017
01:21:01.760 --> 01:21:05.760
not designed for speaking. That's right, said Clark. I'm here to take

1018
01:21:05.800 --> 01:21:12.920
you home home, repeated Bower.
Beer picked Migola up by the throat and

1019
01:21:12.960 --> 01:21:15.159
slammed him against the wall. Tell
me how to help him, or I'll

1020
01:21:15.159 --> 01:21:20.520
crush your fucking throat, he hissed. It's the green vial, wheezed Mingola.

1021
01:21:20.640 --> 01:21:25.239
It's on my desk. That will
help him. But nothing can reverse

1022
01:21:25.279 --> 01:21:30.800
the transformation. Now it's far too
lit for that shield. Maiden rushed over

1023
01:21:30.880 --> 01:21:33.720
to the desk and found the green
val It was next to an air gun

1024
01:21:33.760 --> 01:21:40.039
that was designed to deliver shots using
a pneumatic dart. She loaded the green

1025
01:21:40.119 --> 01:21:44.680
vial and turned to face Bower.
He was still staring at Clark. Confused

1026
01:21:44.720 --> 01:21:49.079
and straining to gain some sort of
control, She aimed and fired, striking

1027
01:21:49.159 --> 01:21:54.680
Bower in the middle of the stomach. Bower snarled and started to take a

1028
01:21:54.720 --> 01:21:59.159
step toward Clark. When the shot
began to take effect, his knees went

1029
01:21:59.159 --> 01:22:02.239
out from under him, and he
collapsed to the ground. Clark caught him

1030
01:22:02.439 --> 01:22:06.520
to keep his face from striking the
steel grating. He eased him to the

1031
01:22:06.560 --> 01:22:12.840
ground, and Clark watched as Bower
revered to human. He was unconscious but

1032
01:22:12.960 --> 01:22:17.239
breathing deeply. Clark grabbed a lab
coat from a hook and wrapped it around

1033
01:22:17.279 --> 01:22:21.800
Bower. Nodding at Shield Maiden,
she grabbed an emergency stretcher from the wall

1034
01:22:21.880 --> 01:22:28.079
mount and they rolled Bauer onto it. Thunder God to Asgard said, Clark,

1035
01:22:28.439 --> 01:22:33.279
package is secure. We have additional
assets in custody over solid copy.

1036
01:22:33.319 --> 01:22:40.279
Thunder God said, Asgard tasks Team
four with getting them to the extraction point.

1037
01:22:40.319 --> 01:22:45.119
Team two can Charlie Mike and proceed
to your next objective. Over copy

1038
01:22:45.159 --> 01:22:49.279
that, said Clark. Thunder god
out. Clark looked around the room.

1039
01:22:49.680 --> 01:22:54.600
Team four. He shouted, get
the prisoners in this stretcher, onto those

1040
01:22:54.720 --> 01:22:59.279
vehicles outside, and get to the
rendezvous point. Team two, let's move.

1041
01:23:00.479 --> 01:23:03.920
Henderson sprang into action, coordinating the
movement of prisoners and the wounded.

1042
01:23:04.319 --> 01:23:09.880
And as soon as LeBlanc finished placing
all the charges, Clark nodded toward him.

1043
01:23:10.479 --> 01:23:14.439
LeBlanc said, Clark, go with
Team four. Blow this place as

1044
01:23:14.439 --> 01:23:17.560
soon as we're clear. Yes,
sir, said LeBlanc. As they were

1045
01:23:17.560 --> 01:23:21.760
heading out into the hallway, Beer
fell into step next to Clark. What

1046
01:23:21.800 --> 01:23:26.720
are they going to do with the
prisoners, asked Beer, his deep voice

1047
01:23:26.800 --> 01:23:30.920
rumbling low in the near darkness of
the tunnel. From what I was given

1048
01:23:30.960 --> 01:23:33.960
to understand, said Clark. Once
they've been debriefed, they're going to be

1049
01:23:34.000 --> 01:23:40.239
turned over to the Israeli government for
war crime trials. Beer looked at Clark

1050
01:23:40.319 --> 01:23:44.319
for a long moment. Thank you, said Beer, You have no idea

1051
01:23:44.359 --> 01:23:46.920
what this means to my people.
Well, don't thank me yet, said

1052
01:23:46.960 --> 01:23:50.159
Clark. We've still got a lot
of others to stop before they find an

1053
01:23:50.279 --> 01:24:00.399
escape route. Chapter fourteen, aces
high twenty one hundre hundred hours, fifteen

1054
01:24:00.640 --> 01:24:08.079
May. Beneath en Alco running down
the tunnel, Clark could hear gunfire coming

1055
01:24:08.079 --> 01:24:13.079
from multiple directions. As much as
his instincts wanted to help his teammates that

1056
01:24:13.159 --> 01:24:17.000
were engaged with the Germans, he
had his own mission directive, thunder God

1057
01:24:17.039 --> 01:24:23.640
to all Father, Clark said into
his mic status update over thunder God,

1058
01:24:23.720 --> 01:24:29.520
be advised. We have encountered heavier
resistance than expected, said Saunders. We

1059
01:24:29.600 --> 01:24:31.960
have yet to breach the manor house. We will not make the rendezvous.

1060
01:24:32.000 --> 01:24:36.000
Over copy that, said Clark.
We'll make do with what we have Over

1061
01:24:36.479 --> 01:24:43.199
negative, said Saunders. I've retasked
Team two from Tim O'Ryan. They'rein route

1062
01:24:43.239 --> 01:24:48.000
to your position. Call sign vindicator, contact on alternate frequency. Confirm with

1063
01:24:48.119 --> 01:24:54.680
call sign and password. Over copy
that, said Clark. We'll have runestone

1064
01:24:54.760 --> 01:25:00.720
continue to monitor this frequency. I'm
switching now to make contact over a firm

1065
01:25:00.800 --> 01:25:05.520
thunder God, said Saunders. Good
luck all father out. Clark changed the

1066
01:25:05.640 --> 01:25:12.119
radio channel to the specified alternate frequency
and check for clear traffic and finding no

1067
01:25:12.239 --> 01:25:16.359
active communications, he keyed up thunder
God to vindicator, he said, pausing

1068
01:25:16.399 --> 01:25:20.279
for a reply. There was a
moment of static and he heard a clear

1069
01:25:20.359 --> 01:25:26.640
response. Copy thunder God, said
a female voice. This is vindicator.

1070
01:25:27.279 --> 01:25:38.159
Authentication code nine seven alpha tango three
seven six Bravo echo over identity Confirm vindicator,

1071
01:25:38.359 --> 01:25:45.039
said Clark, glancing at his risk
computer authorization code Delta Sierra three five

1072
01:25:45.319 --> 01:25:51.560
five November golf one nine or five
over copy that, thunder God said the

1073
01:25:51.640 --> 01:25:58.119
voice. Identity confirmed. Be advised, we have your approximate location in can

1074
01:25:58.159 --> 01:26:02.319
rendezvous in three minutes at the next
intersection. Over understood, said Clark.

1075
01:26:02.399 --> 01:26:08.600
See you there out. Clark looked
over and made eye contact with Gideon.

1076
01:26:09.119 --> 01:26:12.760
Get to the front and make sure
our point men don't exchange friendly fire,

1077
01:26:12.920 --> 01:26:18.880
said Clark, checking his risk computer
challenge and password password is Phoenix. Got

1078
01:26:18.920 --> 01:26:24.800
it, said Gideon, Heading quickly
up the tunnel, Clark glanced around and

1079
01:26:24.840 --> 01:26:28.560
did a quick head count of his
team. After a moment, he confirmed

1080
01:26:28.600 --> 01:26:33.279
everyone was present and accounted for once. That was the unemotion for Valkyrie and

1081
01:26:33.399 --> 01:26:38.159
De la Cruz to come over to
him. They both moved up and leaned

1082
01:26:38.199 --> 01:26:42.199
in near to him. Listen up, he whispered. Once we reached the

1083
01:26:42.239 --> 01:26:45.399
next objective, we're going to come
under heavy resistance. I want you too

1084
01:26:45.520 --> 01:26:50.640
to hit the deck and start picking
targets. Stick to the hvts, leave

1085
01:26:50.680 --> 01:26:56.039
the rest to us. We can't
afford to let any of these hvts escape.

1086
01:26:56.399 --> 01:27:00.159
We want them alive if possible.
However, death is preferable to escape,

1087
01:27:00.319 --> 01:27:05.079
understood. Valkyrie nodded, and De
la Cruz grinned. I won't let

1088
01:27:05.079 --> 01:27:10.079
you down, sir, said De
la Cruz. Outstanding, said Clark.

1089
01:27:10.199 --> 01:27:15.800
Let's move. After a few minutes, Clark heard Gregel's voice up ahead.

1090
01:27:15.520 --> 01:27:20.920
Halton said, Gregel, advance one
to be recognized. Clark heard another voice.

1091
01:27:21.319 --> 01:27:27.319
This is Sentinel, said a male
voice, advancing. Clark began moving

1092
01:27:27.359 --> 01:27:31.479
forward to double check the exchange.
As he crept forward, he saw Gregel,

1093
01:27:31.640 --> 01:27:36.000
Beer and Murdoch were each on one
knee with their weapons trained on one

1094
01:27:36.119 --> 01:27:42.199
corridor. Clark saw a man emerge
from the darkness of that tunnel. He

1095
01:27:42.319 --> 01:27:45.720
was wearing wild Hunt gear with a
marine booney hat on. His face was

1096
01:27:45.760 --> 01:27:49.720
camouflaged, and he had a full
beard. He also noticed that the man

1097
01:27:49.840 --> 01:27:54.640
was wearing a mechanical knee brace on
the outside of his pants on his left

1098
01:27:54.720 --> 01:28:00.840
leg. Gunnery Sergeant Robert Miller said, the man code named sentinel Tim O'Ryan.

1099
01:28:00.960 --> 01:28:08.079
Password is Phoenix password confirmed, said
Gregil. Advance your team. Miller

1100
01:28:08.159 --> 01:28:13.039
glanced back and made an exaggerated motion
with his right arm, calling everyone forward.

1101
01:28:14.039 --> 01:28:17.600
Moments later, the rest of the
team moved into the intersection. Clark

1102
01:28:17.680 --> 01:28:21.760
silently breathed a sigh of relief.
The objective was going to be a tough

1103
01:28:21.800 --> 01:28:28.520
fight for two teams, nearly impossible
if they'd gone in alone. Stepping out,

1104
01:28:28.600 --> 01:28:31.920
Clark glanced around. I'm Major Clark, he said, nodding to Gunny

1105
01:28:31.960 --> 01:28:36.119
Miller. Guns who's your CEO?
Well that would be me, said a

1106
01:28:36.159 --> 01:28:42.640
woman stepping out of the crowd.
I'm Captain Amelia Nayan, Vindicator if you

1107
01:28:42.800 --> 01:28:47.359
prefer. Clark shook her head.
She was just a touch over five feet

1108
01:28:47.399 --> 01:28:53.000
four inches tall and built like a
distance runner. She was lithe and nimble,

1109
01:28:53.159 --> 01:28:57.199
with dark eyes and short black hair. She had a firm handshaked and

1110
01:28:57.239 --> 01:29:00.880
Clark instantly liked her. It's nice
to me, said Clark. Likewise,

1111
01:29:00.920 --> 01:29:05.319
Major, she said, you have
quite a reputation with the teams, A

1112
01:29:05.359 --> 01:29:09.920
good one, I hope, he
replied, some of it. We're not

1113
01:29:10.000 --> 01:29:13.920
sure it's true. She said,
I have a bet going with my exo.

1114
01:29:14.520 --> 01:29:16.159
Now, he claims you and one
of your men fought a group of

1115
01:29:16.199 --> 01:29:23.159
bigfoots using a Roman legion tactic with
a sword and a shield. He's convinced

1116
01:29:23.199 --> 01:29:26.880
it happened, but I'm skeptical.
I promised him if we got the chance,

1117
01:29:26.920 --> 01:29:30.840
I'd ask you. Clark laughed and
glanced around at her team. Most

1118
01:29:30.880 --> 01:29:33.920
of the males had beards, and
some of them quite thick and long.

1119
01:29:34.640 --> 01:29:39.800
I'll make you a deal, said
Clark. I'll tell you if you explain

1120
01:29:39.880 --> 01:29:43.560
to me how your team gets to
grow beards. Well, that's a deal,

1121
01:29:43.720 --> 01:29:47.279
she said. Okay, yes,
that happened, said Clark. My

1122
01:29:47.399 --> 01:29:51.880
first deployment with the team, we
had to breach in the mimic unit and

1123
01:29:51.960 --> 01:29:58.199
Sergeant Major Gideon and I improvised to
keep them out. Shit, she said,

1124
01:29:58.439 --> 01:30:02.520
shaking her head. I oh,
skippy fifty bucks and the beards,

1125
01:30:02.800 --> 01:30:09.640
asked Clark. They're approved by our
commander, she replied, relaxed screaming standards,

1126
01:30:09.640 --> 01:30:13.680
so we can blend in where there
are civilians around. Most of the

1127
01:30:13.800 --> 01:30:16.760
encounters on the West Coast are in
places that are full of people. Your

1128
01:30:16.800 --> 01:30:23.239
team should qualify to. The approval
came from Asgard himself. I might have

1129
01:30:23.279 --> 01:30:27.439
to look into that, replied Clark. We'll have to continue this conversation later.

1130
01:30:27.600 --> 01:30:30.560
We need to get moving, yes, Sir, said Nayan, team

1131
01:30:30.640 --> 01:30:36.199
too, Orion is at your service. Clark integrated the teams and put his

1132
01:30:36.279 --> 01:30:41.000
team in front and had naih In
bring up the rear. As they were

1133
01:30:41.039 --> 01:30:44.960
passing, Clark stopped Gunny Miller.
Gunny, what happened to your leg?

1134
01:30:45.560 --> 01:30:48.960
Fucking PLF went bad? Said Miller. Wrenched my knee and landed on a

1135
01:30:49.079 --> 01:30:53.439
rock. You should be at the
mimic getting that knee taken care of,

1136
01:30:53.560 --> 01:30:58.279
said Clark. Doc Avalletti would let
you deploy like that. I didn't go

1137
01:30:58.319 --> 01:31:00.600
see the doc, said Miller.
One of our medics grabbed me a knee

1138
01:31:00.600 --> 01:31:05.000
brace and I chased a handful of
motoring with a ripe. I'll get it

1139
01:31:05.039 --> 01:31:09.279
looked at when the mission is over. I'm not sending this one out.

1140
01:31:09.800 --> 01:31:13.520
Helping nel Hitler is the biggest shit
I've ever done, and I helped hunt

1141
01:31:13.560 --> 01:31:16.800
the Taliban in the Marines. Fair
enough, Gunny, said Clark. As

1142
01:31:16.840 --> 01:31:21.039
we say in the Army, fuck
it, drive on fid oh, said

1143
01:31:21.039 --> 01:31:25.720
Miller, grinning. That's my motto. I'll finish this if it kills me.

1144
01:31:26.680 --> 01:31:30.039
Let's hope it doesn't come to that, said Clark. Urrah urrah sir,

1145
01:31:30.279 --> 01:31:34.439
said Miller, heading off with the
rest of his team. Clark turned

1146
01:31:34.479 --> 01:31:39.399
around and locked eyes with Gregel and
then gave him the signal to move out.

1147
01:31:40.039 --> 01:31:44.319
Gregel nodded once and turned, heading
off into the dark tunnel. They

1148
01:31:44.359 --> 01:31:47.439
were now moving farther away from the
main complex and the rest of Team Odin.

1149
01:31:47.960 --> 01:31:53.680
He'd never been into combat with anyone
on Team o' ryan, but they

1150
01:31:53.680 --> 01:31:57.560
were a certified wild hunt field team, and he knew they had the same

1151
01:31:57.640 --> 01:32:01.319
training as his team. Did have
to trust in that training. Fuck,

1152
01:32:01.439 --> 01:32:05.720
Sir, said Margolin, falling into
step beside Clark. Did you see the

1153
01:32:05.720 --> 01:32:11.800
beards on those guys. Some of
them look like fucking lumberjacks. Goddamn surfers

1154
01:32:11.800 --> 01:32:15.399
out on the West coast. What
the actual fuck? Well, it's not

1155
01:32:15.600 --> 01:32:20.239
uncommon for special forces to be allowed
to relax grooming standards in Afghanistan, said

1156
01:32:20.319 --> 01:32:24.960
Clark. I had a beard for
most of my tour. Well, that's

1157
01:32:24.960 --> 01:32:28.680
the difference, said Marglin. We're
in the States. We had beards in

1158
01:32:28.720 --> 01:32:31.399
the ship box because all the local
men wore beards. It helps you not

1159
01:32:31.520 --> 01:32:35.239
stand out. Why do they need
them here? Have you ever been in

1160
01:32:35.319 --> 01:32:40.760
a Starbucks coffee, asked Clark.
No way, sir, said Marglin.

1161
01:32:41.199 --> 01:32:45.079
I don't go for that lumberjack beard, flannel shirt, skinny jeans, wearing

1162
01:32:45.199 --> 01:32:50.159
manbun, bitch, vanilla bullshit things
masquerading us coffee. I do see your

1163
01:32:50.279 --> 01:32:55.840
point, though, I mean they're
stationed on the West coast. That makes

1164
01:32:55.880 --> 01:33:00.520
total sense. Thanks sir, Well, I'm just here to help Clark.

1165
01:33:00.800 --> 01:33:03.600
Now get your game face on.
We're less than a click from our objective.

1166
01:33:03.960 --> 01:33:10.199
The feces are about to strike the
pneumatic oscillator, what, asked Margolin.

1167
01:33:11.039 --> 01:33:14.920
He means the shit's about to hit
the fan, dumbass, said Spinelli.

1168
01:33:15.119 --> 01:33:19.079
Huntsman two ten. That drew a
few laughs from the crowd. Game

1169
01:33:19.159 --> 01:33:26.359
faces people, said Clark ahead.
Gregel motioned for everyone to come to a

1170
01:33:26.399 --> 01:33:30.560
halt. The signal was passed back
and everyone took a knee. Gregel approached

1171
01:33:30.560 --> 01:33:34.720
the door, motioning for the others
to stay back, and Clark watched with

1172
01:33:34.800 --> 01:33:40.640
his hand clenched on the handle of
his rifle. Gregel approached the door and

1173
01:33:40.760 --> 01:33:44.720
used the key card he'd been given
by Clark, and he swiped the access

1174
01:33:44.800 --> 01:33:48.840
panel. It beat and then flashed
green, and Gregel began opening the door

1175
01:33:48.920 --> 01:33:54.800
slowly and gently. Since he couldn't
use both hands, he pulled out the

1176
01:33:54.840 --> 01:33:59.279
long bladed knife that had been custom
made for him by the Mohawk twins who

1177
01:33:59.399 --> 01:34:05.079
rode with the Matanaio. The door
opened about six inches and Gregel froze.

1178
01:34:05.560 --> 01:34:10.319
He saw a guard coming up the
stairs. He wasn't looking up from the

1179
01:34:10.359 --> 01:34:15.560
noise. He was alone. Gregel
whistled softly and the man looked up with

1180
01:34:15.680 --> 01:34:18.319
wide eyes, and with a snap
of his wrist, Gregel threw the knife

1181
01:34:18.600 --> 01:34:24.159
and it struck the man in the
middle of his item's apple. The man's

1182
01:34:24.199 --> 01:34:28.840
mouth opened and closed as he tried
to scream, but both his vocal cords

1183
01:34:28.840 --> 01:34:32.560
and his spinal cord were severed.
He fell over backward and landed in a

1184
01:34:32.640 --> 01:34:38.279
heap on the next Landing down the
stairs and bringing his rifle up quickly,

1185
01:34:38.359 --> 01:34:43.000
Gregel began sweeping the stairway and looking
down. He didn't see a sign of

1186
01:34:43.039 --> 01:34:46.199
anyone coming, and he looked back
and he motioned for the others to follow.

1187
01:34:46.880 --> 01:34:50.079
As he reached the body, he
quickly recovered his knife and wiped the

1188
01:34:50.119 --> 01:34:56.359
blood on the dead man's uniform.
Murdoch picked up a rock and jammed it

1189
01:34:56.479 --> 01:34:59.880
under the bottom edge of the door, blocking it open for the others,

1190
01:35:00.399 --> 01:35:04.880
and then he shouldered his weapon and
followed Gregel into the stairwell. The rest

1191
01:35:04.920 --> 01:35:09.479
of the team began to file by, and when Clark saw the dead man,

1192
01:35:09.960 --> 01:35:15.760
inspiration struck. He looked around and
found one of the Germans GSG nine

1193
01:35:15.880 --> 01:35:19.359
personnel that had been assigned to his
team. Stops for We will hide,

1194
01:35:19.520 --> 01:35:26.520
said Clark in German, come and
see erbite. Hyde came down the last

1195
01:35:26.600 --> 01:35:31.439
steps and stood rigidly at attention beside
Clark. Jole er meager, said Hyde.

1196
01:35:32.000 --> 01:35:35.960
Clark gestured at the body. I
have an idea, said Clark.

1197
01:35:36.239 --> 01:35:40.880
Do you think you can fit in
this man's uniform? He looks to be

1198
01:35:40.920 --> 01:35:44.159
close to my size, Sir,
said Hyde. I think so. What

1199
01:35:44.239 --> 01:35:46.640
about the blood? I don't need
you to wear it for long, said

1200
01:35:46.680 --> 01:35:50.359
Clark, just long enough to buy
his time to get through the fatal tunnel

1201
01:35:50.399 --> 01:35:55.199
at the bottom of the staircase.
All you need to do is stall them

1202
01:35:55.239 --> 01:35:58.199
long enough for us to get in
the room. You think you can do

1203
01:35:58.279 --> 01:36:01.600
that, I think so, sir, said Hide good, said Clark.

1204
01:36:01.760 --> 01:36:08.119
Let's make it happen. While Hide
quickly stripped the dead man's clothes and gear,

1205
01:36:08.760 --> 01:36:14.000
Clark reached for his radio thunder God
to tire. He said, go

1206
01:36:14.039 --> 01:36:16.800
ahead, said Murdoch. Hold at
the door, said Clark, Do not

1207
01:36:17.119 --> 01:36:23.359
enter until I give the word.
Copy that, said Murdoch. Once Hyde

1208
01:36:23.399 --> 01:36:27.039
had changed, Clark led him down
the remaining steps to the metal door.

1209
01:36:27.760 --> 01:36:30.640
There was some blood on the front
of his uniform, but most of it

1210
01:36:30.720 --> 01:36:34.039
was on the back where it had
pulled beneath the dead soldier. Hopefully the

1211
01:36:34.079 --> 01:36:40.359
Germans wouldn't notice it before they could
act. Kneeling, Clark motioned for everyone

1212
01:36:40.479 --> 01:36:44.520
to lean in that could. On
the other side of this door, whispered

1213
01:36:44.560 --> 01:36:48.199
Clark is the underground hanger. There
will be close to fifty German troops on

1214
01:36:48.239 --> 01:36:54.399
the other side, maybe more.
We know the hvts are heading this way

1215
01:36:54.479 --> 01:36:59.520
as soon as we breached the perimeter. I've been monitoring the command frequency the

1216
01:36:59.560 --> 01:37:02.159
apatche He's still on the air,
so we know nothing is lifted yet.

1217
01:37:02.680 --> 01:37:08.640
That means that hvts are inside waiting
for the chance to escape. They'll be

1218
01:37:08.720 --> 01:37:13.199
planning a move soon. They have
to know we're closing in on them.

1219
01:37:13.680 --> 01:37:17.319
There were solemn nods from the crew. Hide will slip in and distract them,

1220
01:37:17.439 --> 01:37:21.279
said Clark. Otherwise we're going to
be cut to ribbons when we push

1221
01:37:21.319 --> 01:37:27.560
through this doorway. It's a fatal
funnel that we can't avoid. Hide.

1222
01:37:27.640 --> 01:37:30.880
Once you're through the door, convince
them that it's just you, and when

1223
01:37:30.880 --> 01:37:34.159
they relax and lower their weapons,
hit the deck and cover your ears.

1224
01:37:34.600 --> 01:37:38.840
We're going to dump as many flash
bangs through the door as we can and

1225
01:37:38.920 --> 01:37:42.880
hit the room in force. We
need to put down the Germans as fast

1226
01:37:42.920 --> 01:37:47.319
as possible to prevent the hvts from
boarding the aircraft and fleeing. If they

1227
01:37:47.359 --> 01:37:51.640
get clear of the apaches will never
find them again. Got it, boss,

1228
01:37:51.760 --> 01:37:58.039
said Murdoch. Do not fire on
any of the aircraft, caution Clark.

1229
01:37:58.520 --> 01:38:02.640
If that aviation fuel go and catches
the refueling tanks, everyone in this

1230
01:38:02.840 --> 01:38:08.760
end of the compound dies, including
us, it'll backflush fire up the tunnels

1231
01:38:08.760 --> 01:38:13.039
and kill half our teams. Got
you, said Murdoch. Don't shoot the

1232
01:38:13.079 --> 01:38:16.880
planes. That would be bad,
said Margolin, grinning. But what a

1233
01:38:16.880 --> 01:38:21.119
fucking way to go. I mean, in a flash your asses in Valhalla.

1234
01:38:21.239 --> 01:38:26.199
Fuck yeah, I'd like to hold
off on going to Valhalla for the

1235
01:38:26.239 --> 01:38:30.880
foreseeable future, said Clark. Fair
enough, boss, said Margoline, sounding

1236
01:38:30.880 --> 01:38:35.279
a little disappointed. No shooting the
planes, let's go, said Clark.

1237
01:38:35.359 --> 01:38:41.159
No mistakes, flash bangs only.
We can't afford to cook off those fuel

1238
01:38:41.239 --> 01:38:45.680
tanks. Watch your fire, make
sure you're not shooting toward the fuel bunker.

1239
01:38:45.199 --> 01:38:51.920
Selective fire and judicious marksmanship, folks, Now, let's move. Hide

1240
01:38:51.960 --> 01:38:57.319
took the key card from Greygel and
nodded solemnly. He walked over to the

1241
01:38:57.359 --> 01:39:00.760
door and he swiped it and pulled
the door open. Nightd Shebin, he

1242
01:39:00.880 --> 01:39:05.800
shouted. Stepping through the door,
Clark heard the numerous bolts being pulled and

1243
01:39:05.920 --> 01:39:12.640
released. Well send thy Americana,
yelled a male voice. We have them

1244
01:39:12.720 --> 01:39:16.439
pinned down into man house, replied
Hyde. That's good, said the voice.

1245
01:39:16.680 --> 01:39:23.199
We have lost communication. Clark listened
for the ghost signal. Everyone near

1246
01:39:23.199 --> 01:39:27.399
the door had flash bang grenades in
their hands, with pins already pulled.

1247
01:39:28.079 --> 01:39:31.920
Now, screamed Hide, dropping to
the deck whilst he is lost, shouted

1248
01:39:31.960 --> 01:39:38.199
a voice. Nine flash bang grenades
sailed through the door. Instantly. They

1249
01:39:38.239 --> 01:39:41.800
all put their hands over their ears
and closed their eyes, looking down and

1250
01:39:41.880 --> 01:39:46.359
tucking their chins against their chests.
After a moment that felt like an eternity

1251
01:39:46.479 --> 01:39:51.840
they heard as much as felt it, the flash bangs began detonating. There

1252
01:39:51.920 --> 01:39:57.600
was a colossal bang followed by a
nearly blinding flash of flight that they could

1253
01:39:57.640 --> 01:40:00.720
see through their tightly closed eyes,
and as soon as it cleared, Clark

1254
01:40:00.760 --> 01:40:05.479
grabbed his weapon and raced for the
door. Now he roared, bursting through

1255
01:40:05.479 --> 01:40:11.119
the door and opening fire on the
nearest group of Dasorian and German soldiers.

1256
01:40:12.439 --> 01:40:15.800
As the rest of the team began
pouring through the door, Clark could see

1257
01:40:15.840 --> 01:40:19.359
that they were rapidly thinning the Germans, who were still recovering from the effects

1258
01:40:19.399 --> 01:40:25.159
of the flashbangs, and in seconds
the team had cleared the stairwell and were

1259
01:40:25.199 --> 01:40:30.600
taking firing positions behind crates and equipment. Valkyrie and Skald dove behind the crate

1260
01:40:30.720 --> 01:40:35.640
near Clark and began scanning the area. Clark glassed around for Henderman and the

1261
01:40:35.680 --> 01:40:40.520
others, and he didn't see them. However, what he did see was

1262
01:40:40.600 --> 01:40:47.359
highly disturbing. A Junker's Ju fifty
two was already taxiing into the launch lanes

1263
01:40:47.399 --> 01:40:53.640
of the underground runway. Ahead of
it was four Messer Schmidt BF one O

1264
01:40:53.840 --> 01:41:00.359
nine's and Clark could see that Henderman
was piloting the lead aircraft personally. God

1265
01:41:00.439 --> 01:41:04.079
to Asgard, shouted Clark, trying
to be heard over the firefight. Troops

1266
01:41:04.119 --> 01:41:11.000
in contact, Troops in contact.
We've reached checkpoint two. Be advised.

1267
01:41:11.159 --> 01:41:15.800
Aircraft are preparing to launch. Say
again, aircraft are preparing to launch over

1268
01:41:16.960 --> 01:41:23.479
as Guard Control acknowlogists under God said
a calm female voice, will advise all

1269
01:41:23.600 --> 01:41:29.439
air assets to prepare a warm welcome
over. Clark looked at his risk computer

1270
01:41:29.640 --> 01:41:33.119
and saw that the apaches were all
moving into position over the lake, and

1271
01:41:33.359 --> 01:41:36.920
just as they all came around to
blockade the launch bay, Clark heard the

1272
01:41:38.000 --> 01:41:45.439
captured radio crackle to life. Aligufune
shouted a voice that Clark recognized as Henderman

1273
01:41:45.640 --> 01:41:50.520
slash Hitler's. Clark felt the ground
rumble. Striker leader to base, we're

1274
01:41:50.560 --> 01:41:56.920
taking heavy fire, shouted a voice
on the command frequency. Striker two two,

1275
01:41:57.000 --> 01:42:00.279
two five and two six are down
in the lake. We can not

1276
01:42:00.439 --> 01:42:03.680
stay here. We've got to the
line filled with static and then went dead.

1277
01:42:04.840 --> 01:42:09.800
Striker Leader, this is Asgard Control, said the calm female voice.

1278
01:42:09.840 --> 01:42:16.239
Can you advise over? There was
no reply overwatch to Asgard control, said

1279
01:42:16.239 --> 01:42:20.920
another voice, All apaches are down. Say again, all apaches just got

1280
01:42:20.960 --> 01:42:26.520
splashed in the fucking lake. We
just lost our air support. It's those

1281
01:42:26.520 --> 01:42:31.039
goddamn eighty eight millimeter flat guns over
fuck Hiss, Clark. They're going to

1282
01:42:31.119 --> 01:42:38.119
launch those aircraft cover me. He
looked around frantically, and Clark saw that

1283
01:42:38.159 --> 01:42:42.079
the team was beginning to push the
Germans back and thinning their numbers rapidly.

1284
01:42:42.640 --> 01:42:45.239
And below him, the floor of
the launch bay was close to thirty feet

1285
01:42:45.279 --> 01:42:50.640
down. There were more than a
dozen aircraft sitting in alcoves. Most were

1286
01:42:50.720 --> 01:42:56.680
transport planes. There were a couple
of bombers. Six were fighters, but

1287
01:42:56.760 --> 01:43:00.560
only one was sitting pristine. The
others were in various states of repair,

1288
01:43:01.159 --> 01:43:06.600
and Clark's attention focused on the one
perfect fighter. Sitting there waiting for him

1289
01:43:06.840 --> 01:43:12.359
was a beautiful P fifty one Mustang, gleaming like the day she had rolled

1290
01:43:12.359 --> 01:43:16.479
off the assembly line. It had
the original markings in place, and Henderman

1291
01:43:16.760 --> 01:43:21.680
was nothing if not a historical purist. It was painted in the pattern of

1292
01:43:21.720 --> 01:43:26.880
the Shark squadron, with the mouthful
of teeth painted on the nose behind the

1293
01:43:26.920 --> 01:43:32.520
propeller Instantly he knew that was their
only shot at stopping Henderman, if only

1294
01:43:32.640 --> 01:43:36.720
it was full of fuel. Cover
me, he shouted, Got you,

1295
01:43:36.840 --> 01:43:43.920
shouted Clark. Kodiak, shouted Clark. Kodiak turned and headed toward Clark.

1296
01:43:44.560 --> 01:43:46.960
Get me on the deck, said
Clark, pointing at the flight deck thirty

1297
01:43:47.000 --> 01:43:53.159
feet below. Kodiak nodded and dropped
his pack and weapon, and then the

1298
01:43:53.239 --> 01:43:59.520
transformation began. It took only seconds
as he transformed, and Ray and transformed

1299
01:43:59.520 --> 01:44:03.479
beside him, and with the roar, Kodiak scoop Clark up like a child

1300
01:44:03.520 --> 01:44:09.399
and stepped off the platform. He
hit the deck with a thunderous boom and

1301
01:44:09.479 --> 01:44:14.479
sat Clark behind a crate, and
when Ray landed beside him, they exchanged

1302
01:44:14.520 --> 01:44:18.600
glances and charged directly at a group
of Germans that had taken position behind a

1303
01:44:18.680 --> 01:44:25.600
large stack of crates. Using the
diversion to his advantage, Clark sprinted across

1304
01:44:25.640 --> 01:44:29.880
the flight deck to the P fifty
one Mustang, firing as he ran,

1305
01:44:30.680 --> 01:44:33.920
dropping his pack and body armor and
rifle. He grabbed his radio in earpiece,

1306
01:44:34.199 --> 01:44:38.800
and then he scrambled up the short
ladder and climbed into the cockpit,

1307
01:44:40.039 --> 01:44:44.199
pulling the aluminum ladder from the side. He tossed it clear the landing gear

1308
01:44:44.520 --> 01:44:47.880
and slid the canopy shut. Come
on, baby, he said, beginning

1309
01:44:47.920 --> 01:44:54.159
the startup sequence. There was a
wine as the engine began turning over,

1310
01:44:54.399 --> 01:44:58.920
and then a pop as the cylinders
and gaged. He feathered the fuel and

1311
01:44:59.039 --> 01:45:02.239
choked, bringing the engine fully to
life. Moments later, the engine was

1312
01:45:02.319 --> 01:45:06.920
running smoothly and slowly, coming up
to temperature, and checking his gauges,

1313
01:45:08.000 --> 01:45:11.720
he saw that he had a full
tank. Fuck yeah, he said,

1314
01:45:11.880 --> 01:45:15.399
slipping his earpiece back into his ear
and clipping the radio onto his belt.

1315
01:45:16.520 --> 01:45:21.039
He began to taxi out of the
alcove and toward the launched lanes, and

1316
01:45:21.079 --> 01:45:26.159
as he was approaching, he saw
Henderman go to full power and race down

1317
01:45:26.159 --> 01:45:30.800
the runway. Immediately after Henderman,
the other fighters left one by one.

1318
01:45:31.680 --> 01:45:35.960
The JU fifty two was the last
to lift. It was a transport,

1319
01:45:36.079 --> 01:45:41.279
and Clark knew that the other members
of Henderman's inner circle would be on board.

1320
01:45:41.880 --> 01:45:47.039
Irwin Rommel, Wilhelm Kanaris, Martin
Borman, and Carl Donnitz, and

1321
01:45:47.119 --> 01:45:51.079
possibly others were on that plane,
and Clark knew he couldn't let them all

1322
01:45:51.279 --> 01:45:56.399
escape. Justice was going to find
them, and he was going to make

1323
01:45:56.479 --> 01:46:01.079
sure it was going to happen today. As he began increasing speed toward the

1324
01:46:01.119 --> 01:46:05.399
launch lanes, he glanced through the
canopy and waved at Valkyrie and Vindicator,

1325
01:46:05.439 --> 01:46:11.000
who were watching him from the platform. Please tell me he's not married,

1326
01:46:11.079 --> 01:46:15.199
said Vindicator, watching him speed away. He is, replied Valkyrie, cocking

1327
01:46:15.239 --> 01:46:20.239
her head slightly to the side as
she saw Clark adjusting his controls. It's

1328
01:46:20.239 --> 01:46:25.880
too bad, said Vindicator. Get
in line, said Valkyrie, as Clark

1329
01:46:25.960 --> 01:46:30.000
throttled up and raced down the runway. He can fly a plane from World

1330
01:46:30.079 --> 01:46:35.319
War Two, said Vindicator. That
is incredible. You should hear him play

1331
01:46:35.359 --> 01:46:42.720
the piano, said Valkyrie. Click
the video on your screen for the next

1332
01:46:42.760 --> 01:46:48.039
part of this audio book. This
has been cod named Wild Hunt, Operation

1333
01:46:48.439 --> 01:46:54.640
Blood Eagle. Written by Da Roberts, Read to you by Cameron Buckner.

1334
01:46:55.359 --> 01:47:02.439
Print copyright by Da Roberts. Audio
production copyright by Cameron Buckner. Reproduction of

1335
01:47:02.520 --> 01:47:09.560
this audio is prohibited in any form
without written approval under the US copyright laws.

1336
01:47:10.359 --> 01:47:14.920
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