Doomsday By Design -- [STORY THREAD]

ryujin watched the exchange between sandra and the other girl with the sniper rifle with amusement and noted the other figure with her ..

once they finished their exchange and made their way to the bunker .. ryujin spoke up telling sandra ..
Theres a few things I need to tend to at my house .. and before you say its not safe .. relax outwardly it may appear as all the other houses here .. but its probably better fortified than your bunker here erm.. no offense your uncle built it well .. but I have to get a message to my father at the embassy and I can only do that on the secure line at my house .. have to inform him whats happening here .. after that me and gozaimon will do what we can to help keep things secure around here ..

Before sandra or anyone else could say anything ryujin vanished into the night ..

Jack thought. This will be interesting...

"No--!" Sandra grabbed after Ryujin, but he strolled away, stepping into the night and closing the bunker's door behind him. Sandra headed for the door, but Alan grabbed her arm, halting her.

"He'll be fine." Alan told her. "Let him go. Don't go out again. Its not safe."

Sandra gave Alan a small, pondering face, then broke away from him. She yanked the bunker's door open again and stepped outside, scanning over the area in search of Ryujin, who was already gone.

"God dammit..." Sandra hissed, her heart beginning to pound, her body filling with a slow, hot sensation, making her feel as though her blood was boiling. "God--****ing--DAMMIT! COME BACK, YOU IDIOT!"

After staring endlessly into the night and receiving no response, Sandra stormed back inside, slamming the gigantic metal door shut a lot harder than she intended, making a deafening, echoing BANG.

Everyone jumped.

Sandra stood rooted to the spot, fuming, suddenly feeling furious.

Sue-Lin was back in Mouse persona and acted like it. Church was just standing there still looking like a pack mule and she was happy for his help. She wasn't sure how he carried it all. She took one of the cases from him, walked to a corner and placed it against the wall. She dropped the magazine out of the Steyr, cycled the weapon to eject the round up the spout placing it into the magazine and putting the weapon down next to the case.

Next she took off her Gilles suit and folded it in half and put it on the floor. She took her pack off, took out the tiny sleeping bag and laid that over the Gilles suit. She unbuckled her holster and dropped that next to were her head would be later.

The next 30 seconds were taken up with removing her blades and the two number 10 knitting needles from her person. Lastly she took out the 9mm Silenced pistol, removed the silencer and put the weapon back into her waist. People were staring but they were always going to.

Then she laid down, closed her eyes and accessed her emotions just to check how she really felt about the whole damn day. She missed Dad! Her black panther persona had taken a toll on her. Keeping alertness at that level for a whole day was tiring to the extreme.

She hoped that Sandra would manage the transition from a headstrong sometimes PITA to a leader, well, time would tell. She was only going to get to make one mistake, it would likely be her last. Problem is, a wrong decision right now could put everyone six foot under.

She remembered her lunch and, sitting up, happily munched away on two sandwiches and one of her Dad's custard tarts. She washed that down with a can of soft drink fully expecting it to be the last one for a long time.

On the other hand, she could always blow a drink machine away and just take some. That thought amused her.

Watching Sandra fuming at Ryujin leaving was concerning to say the least. She didn't like the way Sandra handled stress, still, it was early days yet.

Halfway to the house ryuijin heard the announcement from the speakers on the apc .. taking cover under a rocky outcrop he stopped to listen and make sure he heard correctly ..

Hmm.. could also be a trap he thought .. though why bother with the announcement at this point ? it was obvious they could have easily wiped out the town by now..

He signalled gozaimon and after a brief discussion decided to make his way to the meet .. if worse came theyd have one hell of a diplomatic incident he thought as he held diplomatic passport due his fathers work at the embassy .. and no sense any of the people go.. aside from sandra and the chinese girl with the sniper rifle he doubted any would know how to handle negotiations .. for once being a diplomat brat came in handy .. at least if they still follow protocals .. then again thats why gozaimon was in the shadows .. shoganai neh ..

ryujin moved to position and waited for their signal ..

He sensed gozaimon in position .. then saw the signal ..moving swiftly through the darkness he slipped past the guards and made his way to what appeared to be the command apc ..

looking in from outside .. standing relaxed yet alert he addressed the man inside startling him saying you wanted to talk ?

"Sandra..."

Alan snapped his fingers in front of her face, but she said nothing.

"Sandra, answer me." He demanded. "Sandra!"

"Alan, shut up." Sandra snarled at him.

"This isn't the time to get emotional. Sandra..."

"I said shut up."

"Sandra, please..."

They looked at one another for a moment.

"What exactly is going on?" Alan asked her.

Sandra gave him a cold look. "Why ask me?"

Alan opened his mouth as though he wanted to speak, then took a moment, unable to manifest the proper words.

"Because now you believe everything I say all the sudden." Sandra said.

"You once claimed that the government staged the 9/11 attacks, Sandra." Alan retorted. "Its not exactly easy to believe some of the things that come out of your mouth."

Sandra let out a huge sigh, looking off, then meeting his eyes again.

"The buildings... fell... from the bottom. How many times do I have to say it--"

"It doesn't matter, Sandra! You know the planes hit the building! Everyone knows! It wasn't fake! It really happened!"

"I never said it didn't happen! All I ever said was it was an inside job--"

"Garbage! Complete garbage!"

"Its NOT garbage you goddamn idiot! The planes hit the TOP of the buildings--and they crumbled from the bottom! Explain to me exactly how that makes any sense!"

"How does it make sense for a government to attack its own people, Sandra?"

"Because they needed a reason to get into war and take over other countries, dumbass! I've explained this to you a million times--its called a false flag attack!"

"GARBAGE!"

Something quick happened--something no one expected, even Sandra.

Her hand had become a rock-solid fist, and Sandra launched it into Alan's jaw, hitting him squarely, and sending him spinning. His glasses flew across the room, and the few seconds following seemed to last for hours.

Jackson watched as Sandra smacked the hell out of Alan.

Although Jack hates bullies, and although Alan is somewhat small in physical demeanor, he was a bully in his own right. An intellectual bully. Jack always thought he was kinda snobby, always sneering and giving annoying looks. He was one of those "smarty pants" who mainly held his nose in the air to any "idiot" who didn't fit his expectations of "smart". Alan was just...a jerk to anyone who didn't think exactly as he did.

"Heh. The prick deserved it." Jack mumbled as he rolled over and tried to get a couple more hours of shut eye.

"Wake up." She mumbled darkly, her eyes burning into Alan, who glanced up at her, his usually neat hair now completely askew, and his eyes portraying an odd, unexplainable emotion. "Just... just wake the hell up... I don't have the patience to listen to your sh!t anymore. And you know what? Neither does the rest of the world. Seriously, Alan--I mean goddamn--look AROUND you! Look what's happening!"

Alan sat on his knees, cupping his cheek, entirely silent.

Even though everyone else was trying to rest, they all seemed to sense what had happened. Still, none of them spoke a word.

Sandra's hand was still balled into a tight, trembling fist. Although, as she stood over Alan, watching him, a revolted, horrible feeling burst through her like water from a broken dam.

After what felt like years of silence, Sandra finally uncurled her hand, allowing it to relax.

"I'm sorry." She told him softly.

He said nothing, still looking away.

Sandra glanced at the others, then back to Alan, looking conflicted.

"Com'ere." She said, bending down and grabbing Alan by the arm.

Sandra pulled him to his feet, then lead him out of the main room, towards another mysterious metal door, the one on the opposite end of the bunker. She opened the door, pulled Alan into the isolated room, engulfing them both in darkness, then shut the door.

After groping around in the blackness, Sandra located the light switch, then flicked it, illuminating the room in a blinding white light. Alan wasn't able to hide his shock once everything in the room became visible.

It was like a huge walk-in closet, only with walls of metal--and both of the walls were lined with various types of firearms. Rifles, shotguns, and small rectangular cases, which Alan suspected contained handguns. When he made a bewildered expression, Sandra lifted a finger to her lips, making a "shushing" motion.

"Don't tell the others what's in this room." She told him.

Alan nodded, glimpsing at the guns nervously.

Sandra gazed at him, her expression deflated, looking positively regretful.

"I'm sorry." She told him truthfully. "I'm really sorry."

Alan returned her profound stare, still seeming unable to speak.

Sandra noticed a bruise beginning to form on his jaw.

When she extended her hand, hoping to examine his face, he backed away.

"Alan, I'm sorry." Sandra said again, her voice mellowing. "It won't happen again. Ever."

Alan continued to stare at her quietly.

Sandra sighed.

"What do you want?" She asked. "A free shot?"

Alan squinted questioningly at her.

"I'll let you hit me back, if you want." Sandra told him. Then, she swiped one of her crimson-red bangs off her face, revealing one of her smooth, pale cheeks. "Do it. Just hit me. You'll feel better."

"I'm not going to hit you." Alan told her.

"Just once, as hard as you can. Do it." Sandra tempted, inching closer.

"No." Alan said forwardly. "Who do you think I am?"

"You've got a lot pent up. You need to vent more." Sandra told him. "I deserve it for hitting you, alright? Just do it."

"You know how many times I've been hit." Alan said. "Why would I get any pleasure out of doing that to someone else? Especially--"

He cut himself off, giving her an odd, unreadable face.

Sandra stared back at him, the bruise on his jaw becoming the slightest bit more noticeable now...

"I'm sorry." She mumbled again.

"Don't be." Alan replied. "I needed it."

Sandra paused, unsure of how to respond.

"Just don't..." He started, looking down. "Just don't leave again... please."

John sat at the ops desk in the APC, he was tired and almost asleep when he heard someone say, "you wanted to talk"?
Totally caught off guard all John could do was put his best toothy smile on for some kid kinda dressed like some Japanese warrior from old. The more he looked the more he realized, there was something in this kids eyes... maybe young in years but this was an old soul standing before him; not just another kid.

"My Name is John and you are welcome to enter. We were not expecting anyone for another few hours yet.. You are early"!
"May I offer you a drink of water or I think I can find a ham and cheese sandwich"?

The young man at this point stood motionless with his left thumb on his the scabbard on what appeared to be a Katana or maybe a Naginata.... in this light and the way the young man was standing John could not tell.. He just bet it was sharp and john hated being in a knife fight.. especially since all he had on him was his 9" government issue survival knife !

"Thank you for coming to this little mess, I hope we can salvage what is left and find out who set this whole thing up, for all our sakes.

Sue-Lin woke to the whispers and listened needing every ounce of skill she had. She smiled inwardly. Those childhood lessons how to listen were coming in handy. Unwanted images flashed across her mind. The boy that got the knot wrong and hung himself by accident. The adults watching a failure die. She had to suppress them. She switched back to the present. These two seemed to be debating 9/11.... once again, and Alan was being a real tool as usual. He thought he was smart but crap, everyone knows that tall structures fall over not straight down.

While Sandra kept to the basics, even her explanation was more complex that it needed to be. Tall things fall over, that's it, that's all you need! Alan was just plain dumb. She would have to watch him. A non believer could always change sides. Oh, well, if he does change sides she will need to kill him between the decision and the execution of that decision. Hmm, execution, just another way of dying.

Sue-Lin watched as Sandra hit Alan. She analyzed the punch and thought, hmm, not bad, not bad at all.

Robbie had been sneaking around town and on the outskirts all day. He had gone by the bunker twice and even searched the house. No sign of Dorian or Sandra anywhere.
Between circuits, he stopped by his house and picked up his laptop and a small backpack he had converted into a toolbag. He had his trusty Gerber multitool on his side but sometimes you just needed more firepower, so to speak.
This time while taking the long way around, Robbie tripped and twisted his ankle.
He lay there for sometime trying to work it enough until he was able to put weight on it.
It was completely dark in the outskirts by the time he started moving again. Moving slower than he had all day, it took him some time before he got back to the bunker.
As he approached the door, he noticed the lock he had helped Dorian with.
No picking that one, glad he gave me the password
He could only hope that Dorian and Sandra had made it safely back and were inside, if not he would go back out again in the morning.
Robbie punched in the password, swung open the door.....................
and all hell broke loose.

The door opened! Sue-Lin rolled sideways twice to bring her 9mm to bare on the door. Someone was standing there! SHe said loudly but with complete calmness, "Freeze in place, do not move ... or die with your spinal column blown out from this side." The figure froze.

"Sandra, this whole thing just--"

"Shhh." Sandra stopped him instantly, feeling the floor give the slightest tremor. The noise came from the main corridor... she knew that noise...

"Stay here." Sandra ordered Alan, then tried to rush passed him.

"What? Why--?"

"Someone opened the bunker door. Stay here."

Sandra grabbed the gun nearest to her, raised it, and opened the armory's door, stepping into the main room, and Alan followed her, ignoring his orders.

A familiar man was standing in their presence, a man only Sandra knew.

"How'd you get in here?" Sandra demanded, pointing the rifle at him. "How do you know Dorian's password?!"

Sandra and Sue-Lin stood, armed at the ready, waiting for answers.

Once again, Jackson was awakened by the metal door....

It was damn early in the morning now and Jack was very annoyed.

This had better be someone we all know, or a whole new sh!t is going to hit a completely new fan! Thought Jack, as he grabbed for his Colt strategically located right under his cot.

He approached the door cautiously, Sue-Lin already had it covered. She had made some of kind threat involving his spinal cord, or something.

Out of no-where, Sandra showed up and said "How'd you get in here?" "How do you know Dorian's password?!"

Jack stood beside the girls and said - "Yeah! Something like that.. Who the hell are you?"

Now, it was Sue-Lin, Sandra and Jackson, all with their weapons aimed directly at the intruder expecting a prompt, no BS answer.....

Yes.. didnt mean to startle you.. its good to meet you john .. im ryujin .. and before you get worried.. plus I dont feel like getting shot again.. I will let you verify my i.d am going to reach in by back pocket slowly and let you see my passport .. and it is a diplomatic passport .. I have diplomatic inmmunity under international agreement ..

Moving slowly ryujin pulled out his passport and held it out for the man to examine .. you can verify over secure line if you dont believe me ..

and some water and a sandwich sounds good .. havent ate since yesterday before all this started .. figured would make contact as the rest here are mostly scared kids .. far too many died already .. will relay your message and let you talk with whoever they choose to send ..

ryujin took a seat on the ground in tateheza position .. thinking .. hope this man will keep his word .. enough have died on both sides and over what..

Sue-Lin was waiting for the answer to Sandra's question but the guy just stood there with his mouth open.

Sue-Lin asked Sandra, "Sandra, do I shoot him or would you like him alive. It takes an effort to precisely aim and I am tired. Your in charge in here so you need to keep us informed of what you would like us to do. Do I shoot or do I relax?

Jason and his team had been busy with wiring an old single story shack with the latest plastic explosive. They had set the timer for exactly 5 AM and Jason had sent a message that they had found some holdouts in this particular house. By watching his sitrep monitor he could tell a new Hawkeye was on station recording everything. He had the other teams out on psyops duty trying to get the survivors to understand this Op was closed and they should all be one big happy family now..

Jason wanted to help the survivors as much as he could but his first responsibility was to his teams and trying to figure out a way to get them out of here safely..

Incoming message beep beep. Jason clicked his receiver... "Hey boss this is John one of the survivors is here with me in ops".

"Early bird gets the worm huh"?

"Did you get a name"?

"Yes it is the young Japanese we were told about".

"John tell him everything you think he needs to know. Once we blow this building and put on a good show for Hawkeye we will RTB".

"Hopefully I will be back before anyone else shows up but if not you handle it pard".

@ 05:00 sharp the building and several cans of 230 proof alcohol went up in a very satisfying fire ball. Jason had taken some of their extra fuel canisters and placed them next to the ground zero of the boom...Just for effect... It worked almost to good ! Damn thing looked nuclear only on a smaller scale..

"Bet that woke up the neighborhood"!

All of the APCs ran on alcohol. It burned cleaner, cooler, and you could even use the fuel for wound cleaning...although it would burn like a mother if you did. STU was the first unit to Jason's knowledge to run all Alcohol APC vehicles.. The only surprise was why the nation had not switched everything over to this fuel ? He supposed it was to easy to make, to cheap or there was a concerted effort to keep the supplies low... go figure?

Jason fired off his after action report:
West side of town team 9 came under heavy automatic fire from building at coordinates YT235687.
Fire was returned and suppressed.
Speculation: the holdouts decided to blow the building instead of being captured or killed by our team.
We were very lucky none of team nine was injured during the blast.
We are RTB for some much needed rest
Red 9 out.

"May I call you Ryujin", queried John?
"Yes please".
"Ryujin I was in the school killing everything in sight. We were trying to save the world based on some very bad bogus info. If any of us could take it back I can honestly say for all the teams we would.

Ryujin nodded; almost a slight bow from the waist up.

"Whoever set this up the ops spec is to have all the teams killed when we exit the town in our APCs. Our one ace in the hole is our buddy at CIA. We are supposed to be in contact with him today at 12 noon. I am going to ask Jason about getting us an air drop for secure radios and then we need to get the APCs out of town so whoever is running this plan can blow them up and believe we are all dead. Once the birds in the sky are gone we can try and make a break for it. We plan,.... no check that,..... we are going to find out what is going on and believe me, whoever or whatever set this up is going to be sorry for the day they were born".
Again Ryujin gave the nodding bow.

ryujin sat quietly waiting as john went back into the apc to verify his i.d .. his head stil throbbing but not as bad as before ..

so far is good he thought .. at least they didnt shoot me .. hope dad doesnt think i got in trouble at school again when they check with the embassy .. his thoughts interupted briefly by an explosion in the distance .. hope nobody else died in that he thought..he wondered did I make a mistake coming to talk.. then he heard his grandfathers voice telling hm remember.. patience ..

Then john was back and explaining what happened .. ryujin listened and thought makes sense now ..

Thank you john .. I see you guys got used too.. I will let the others know so they can get to cover.. and make a stop by my house.. think I may have something you guys need .. theres an heavy envelope my father gave me when he sent me here.. said it may come in handy and id know who to give it to when the time came..

Let me inform the others and will bring their rep along with the envelope ..