Chapter 73. Mission failed, seven people died
"We can't possibly check all the units," Gladys mused. She kept worrying that something was wrong because everything was going so smoothly. "Split into two teams," she finally decided. "We look for a computer terminal. There must be an entrance somewhere. Even in this primitive world, it cannot function properly without computers. So there should be such a facility on every floor. If we can gain access, maybe we can find us Where are the people. Stay connected, but definitely use our frequency.” She doesn’t want unwelcome listeners.
The others nodded, and they headed down the corridor in both directions. Two officers cautiously moved ahead, securing the next corner. Gladys' eyes kept switching between her surroundings and the display of her tri-band scanner. She never wanted to overlook any detail. The excitement at the beginning was gone. Professional mission awareness crowds out everything else.
She motioned for the team to move on. They pass some doors that, based on their construction and locking technology, can be assumed to be prison cells. She preferred not to imagine the inmates sitting in an area of the prison accessible only through a secret elevator passage. This is certainly no ordinary prison. She strongly suspected that anyone who came here would never see the outside again.
The corridors were absolutely terrifying. And there are no forks in the road. The corridors have some curves, but there are no branches, no intersections of two corridors. It's like a long winding tunnel. In an emergency, such a layout might make partial lockdown simple. Section by section can be blocked without the need for other escape exits.
As they move forward, Gladys notices that things are getting weirder and weirder. No one would put such an important computer access room so deep into a prison corridor and have the access blocked when in danger. What if some prisoners really escape? The corridor would then have to be sealed off, and the escapees would have unimpeded access to the computer system. No, they must have missed something. "Let's go back to the elevator," she finally decided. "We need to check it carefully again."
The others seemed a little surprised, but just nodded and started to look back. They are all trained soldiers who have learned to follow orders strictly under such circumstances. In such dangerous situations, decisions cannot be discussed. Delaying for too long could lead to the death of everyone.
After they returned to the elevator, Gladys scanned the surroundings carefully again. It seemed to her that the room she was looking for could only be near the entrance. Here, the person in charge comes first and can view and submit interrogation reports or learn about the prisoner's status before treating him or her. It only makes sense here.
Finally, she pointed directly at the wall opposite the elevator. "There is a room here. No visible door. I assume this is to keep out prisoners who might escape. There must be an access control as well." She slowly searched the walls, both with her tri-band scanner and with her own s eyes. However, she found nothing. The access control is well hidden.
"Okay," she nodded. She first called back the second team. No need to search any further. She then used the measurements to find the best spot for a powerful break. She signaled her team again, and with just a few shots she blasted a hole in the wall big enough for a bent man to pass through.
Gladys entered the room first. No one was there, but she knew immediately that they had found the target room. There was a large table in the center of the room, apparently used as a conference table. There was a row of chairs arranged neatly around the table. The table itself is empty. But along the perimeter of the wall, there are computer monitors and accessories.
She couldn't help but laugh. The first step has been completed. Now, she needs to hack into the computer. "Chu Yuhao," she shouted towards the corridor. Immediately, the tall and lanky Chu Yuhao stood beside her. "Check the computers and find our people."
"Yes, sir," he nodded. He sat down at a computer and immediately started working. Gladys looked over his shoulder for a while, then was about to turn around and leave, but her peripheral vision spotted a small red light flashing under the conference table. "Damn," she said exasperatedly. Apparently, they set off the sirens. She should have thought of this. "Secure the hallway," she shouted. "We've been discovered."
Immediately, the team took a defensive stance. Some soldiers returned to both directions of the corridor until the first turn and hid behind it. This way they can monitor the elevator while also protecting themselves. Based on what they found, they didn't need to worry about launching an attack from an apparently dead-end corridor. Others stood on the blown-out wall directly in front of the elevator. This way they can better attack by surprise. Their rifles can now cover every inch of the elevator doorway. They waited nervously.
Gladys turned to Chu Yuhao again. "how is the progress?"
"The system is password protected," he replied. "I need a few minutes."
"We don't have the time," she said, unmoved. She didn't care if it made him feel more stressed.
She walked to the hole in the wall and looked out. The elevator ahead was her best shooting position.
Suddenly, a loud bang pierced the air, echoing painfully through the corridors. More sounds followed, and the hum of phaser guns. The noise was coming from the corridor on the left. Twelve of the opponent's soldiers managed to enter the corridor from the other side and then suddenly attacked the Republic's security officer.
"Physical weapon," shouted one of the Republic officers, "this is definitely an antique."
"But still works," Gladys considered. "Apparently there is another passage on the other side of this corridor. They are not dead ends. We should search carefully."
She pointed to the left, where she saw officers retreating toward them under enemy fire. One of the officers was bleeding from his shoulder. During the few steps they were exposed, they were covered by enemy bullets. Only two of the six entered the room.
"Come in at once," Gladys ordered loudly. She had seen the coming disaster in her mind. If the elevator opened now, her officers would remain unprotected in the hallway.
One by one they passed through the opening. Gladys felt that time passed very quickly. Now the officers from the other side had arrived. They were also caught off guard and had to endure several rounds of bullets. Almost everyone was bleeding.
Then something happened. Before anyone could get back into the small room, the elevator doors opened and twelve soldiers at the ready opened fire. The three security officers who remained in the hallway didn't even have a chance to react. Bullets rained down, inflicting fatal injuries on them. Before they fell, several bullets had penetrated them. Their blood spread on the smooth floor.
Gladys was frightened, but she fought back from relative safety in the bunker of the room. Her officers followed her lead, shooting only two at a time. The space at the entrance of the cave is limited. Despite this, they still managed to contain their opponents.
Gladys knew they were in a trap. Once they break out, the bullets will knock them down. And there is no other exit. She realized she had failed, it was clear to her now. The mission has failed and seven soldiers are dead. But she hasn't had time to think about her failure yet. She had to see how to get the remaining team members to safety. The team members depended on her.
"Chu Yuhao," she shouted, walking up to him.
He looked at her in horror. "They're not here."
Gladys's eyes also widened. "What does this mean? Are we getting the wrong information?"
"No, they're here. But they were moved away a few hours ago. A ship is supposed to have taken them to a facility on the moon."
This can't be true. An uncontrollable rage filled Gladys. She is angry that she led her team into a hopeless mission that resulted in senseless deaths. She wanted more than anything to kill her attacker with her hands, she was so angry. Her team members' lives were completely in vain. And they were trapped, with no chance of expecting a rescue operation to succeed.
The environment became quiet. The gunfire stopped. No one spoke, everyone was waiting for what was about to happen.
Gladys looked around, her despair growing. There is no way out. There was absolutely no way they could walk out of the hallway without being killed. Even if they blow a hole in another wall again, they'll end up in an adjacent cell. There is no real choice. The only option was the elevator and the emergency escape ladder they came down. The emergency escape ladder, although located directly on the other side of the corridor, is out of reach as enemy shooters will kill them all in the short walk back. Is there any other method?
She suddenly turned around: "Chu Yuhao, can the entire computer network be connected here?"
"Yes, it seems so," he answered cautiously. "What are you looking for?"
"Can you cut off the energy? The energy to the entire building."
"I'll give it a try," he typed frantically on the keyboard. "But then we'd be in darkness. Are you planning on leaving without sight?"
"There's no way we can do that," she responded. "But if we can close the energy barrier, then the Republic can take us directly onto the ship."
This prospect seemed to fill Chu Yuhao with new energy, because he hit the keyboard more quickly.
Time flies. Then, a deep voice sounded in the corridor: "Throw out the weapons, raise your hands and surrender. You have no way out."
Gladys looked at Chu Yuhao, but he shook his head. Apparently he wasn't ready yet. They need time. And now it's up to her to buy time for him. "What guarantees can we get?" she responded.
"You have no right to ask for any guarantee," the official outside replied brusquely.
"Maybe we have no chance, but we will fight until the end. Your losses may also increase," she thought of the soldiers who were shot in the elevator. They managed to knock out six of them. At least for the time being, no one will notice that these soldiers are just unconscious.
There was a laugh from the other party. "You are really strange terrorists. Your toy pistols pose no threat to us. My soldiers are just unconscious, but yours are not."
Oops, they've found out. "We are not terrorists."
"Oh, isn't it? Then you are here to visit?" His tone suddenly became threatening. "You have ten seconds to think about it, and then you're going to die. We're going to blow up the whole room."
Gladys turned around hastily. "Chu Yuhao," she said softly.
But Chu Yuhao didn't respond. He was still staring intently at the screen.
"Five seconds left," a voice came from outside.
"Chu Yuhao."
Suddenly, the lights went out and the whole room fell into darkness. Even the hand in front of me can no longer be seen. Fortunately, they are underground now and there is no light source. The computer that Chu Yuhao was on just now also turned dark.
Gladys quickly pulled out her communicator and turned it on. "Republic. Identify and teleport up the outside team immediately. Including everyone in this room."
After a few seconds, she felt the familiar vibration of the teleporter. Before she disappeared completely, she also saw an explosion of light flash out of the darkness and the walls crumble. She then stood on the teleporter again, along with the remaining members of her team.
"Thank God," she gasped.
Tiny looked at her doubtfully. "Where are the rest of your team?" There were only five tired people standing on the teleportation platform.
Gladys looked around. All but the seven slain officials teleported out with her. She looked at Tiny again and shook her head gently. This gesture is not easily misunderstood.
"What about those who are being hunted?"
Gladys looked at the young Indian girl. She knew the captain being sought was her father. She could imagine how disappointed she would be that he wasn't among them. "They're not there anymore," she said. A groan from one of her team members made her turn around. They have injured people and must take care of them first.
Before she could say anything, Tiny shouted, "I'll notify the infirmary. Then you should contact Mr. Ingmar."
Gladys nodded. She wasn't exactly looking forward to breaking the news to him.
After his conversation with General Frigg, Noah is taken back to the underground prison. His cell has been transformed. The chair he had been strapped to was no longer in the room, replaced by a crude bed. In the corner are sanitary facilities that supply human physiological needs. Still, it was a barren and unfriendly cell. After being roughly pushed in, the door was locked.
He sat up on his bed, exhausted from the last few days. In fact, he was going to analyze the current situation. But his mind refused to serve him. He had thought too much and slept too little in the past few days. Despite the new information he had received from Frigg, he was now too exhausted. So, he just sat and stared at the wall.
Suddenly, two strong hands grabbed his arms and shook him. He was startled. Two soldiers with rifles stood before him, looking at him seriously. Noah was still sitting on the bed, but he was asleep. He did not notice anyone entering the cell. He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. Just a few minutes? Or maybe a few hours?
"Get up," one of them ordered, realizing that the prisoner was awake.
Noah slowly stood up. He didn't want to rush into anything. First of all, he didn't want the soldiers to know his condition, and secondly, he was not sure whether his strength had been restored and whether he could stand firm. He definitely didn't want to fall.
The two men pointed their guns at him and motioned him toward the door. When Noah walked too slowly, they gave him a rough shove. They made the prisoners afraid to play tricks on them.
They led Noah down the hallway and into another cell. There stood a man in a black suit, whom he had previously asked many questions. He still looks a bit arrogant and haughty. When Noah stood between the two soldiers, the man took a step toward him and looked at him seriously.
"You could have cooperated, Captain," the man finally said. "In this way, you not only save us trouble, but also save yourself trouble. But you have to use a tough method. Well, Captain, I'm sorry, but I can't control the situation now." From his tone He sounded as if he believed he had been trying to obtain information in a civilized manner. "You will no longer be our guest. Your fate is of your own making."
