Project Obsidian Moon

Chapter 9: The Heist

The train cart in front of us was empty, apart from the kid that sat in the middle of the compartment with his hands chained to the ground. "Where the hell are the guards? I thought you said there'd be 5 of them." Jenson ignored my question and ran up to our suspect, crouching to check him. "He's unconscious, something's not right. Get the blowtorch here quick, we'll get these chains off him and get the hell off this train." I pulled the blowtorch out from the duffel bag and threw it to Jenson. "You free him, I'll work on phase 2." I retrieved the tensile steel coils and opened the cargo bay door on both sides of the train cart. The blueprints showed a metal hook that should have been just beyond the cargo doors, that were meant to help secure the train at the station. I wrapped the steel cable a couple times and left the slack on the ground, tying a knot at the end of it. "How's the chain doing?" I looked back at Jenson who was still crouched down, a bright glow emanating from in front of him. "Almost done, we've got a minute and a half before this train passes our exfil point, get ready t-" Just then the door to the third compartment of the train burst forward, knocking into Jenson and launching him against the wall as he fell to the floor next to our duffel bags. I looked back at where the door once stood to see a 7 foot tall metal beast glaring back at me.

I froze for a second, fear preventing me from doing anything. But then the adrenaline kicked in, I quickly kicked the bundle of cable out the cargo door and jumped across the room barely missing the kiloton punch the embedded itself in the floor where I was a second before.. The juggernaut turned back towards me, with my options running thin I jumped out the cargo door, barely grabbing the handle outside. I started climbing up the side of the train, maybe if I could get to the controls I could stop the train and escape... But just as I was almost at the top of the train, a metallic claw gripped my foot. I screamed in pain as it's grip tightened, holding me down. I took out my pistol, trying to shoot off it's arm, but there's not much a 9mm can do against 4 inches of metal. I was pulled back into the train compartment and thrown across the room, slamming my back against the wall. My vision went blurry... Was this it? Was this how I died? "Get up... Come on Adam, get up." I mumbled, I fell to the ground, but that's when my hands felt something. The duffel bag. I cleared my head and crawled towards the bag. Right as I reached it the Juggernaut stepped on the heel of my foot, practically crushing it. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE AGAINST MY LEGS!?" I yelled, kicking away trying to free myself. It reached down, picking me up by the foot. It brought me up to where its primary cameras were, to closer inspect me I presumed. That was it's first mistake, and also it's last. "Hey asshole..." I pointed the nozzle of the liquid nitrogen tank at the juggernaut who was just a couple inches from me, "Open wide.." I ripped the valve to full open, spewing out cold white gas. The juggernaut staggered backwards, its grip on me loosening until I fell to the ground. A visible coating of ice forming on its surface. Its movements slowed until it froze completely still, I quickly got up and ran over to where it stood, I didn't have long and I'd have to think fast. It was only a few feet from the cargo door that was wide open. "Ah what the hell... Guess it'll have to do." I started pushing it with all my life. It slowly tipped over and fell, rolling out the cargo door. "I hate those things..." I ran over to Jenson to make sure he was fine, slapping his face a couple times. He was conscious... Barely.. "Nice job kid.... Really.. Well done... Now can we please.. Get off this fucking train?" I helped him stand up when suddenly his timer started beeping. Our 4 minute window.... Had ended. "You've got to be kidding me.. We're fucked kid..." I laughed... "Don't worry old man, I slowed the train down when we got on... We've got another minute at least, now come on, help me secure this guy." He laughed, patting me on the back. We trudged over to the boy, who now lay on the floor, the chains completely melted. I put a belt around him with a clip that we could use to secure ourselves to the steel cable. First, it was Jenson's turn. He quickly buckled himself to the cable and jumped out the door. Next I secured in our criminal, pushing him out as well. Finally I clamped myself and jumped out. The cable extended a few meters beyond the train, hanging low enough that we wouldn't be hurt if we fell. The train began slowing down as we approached the station, "You better have been right about this kid, or we're going to have a bunch of armed jackasses staring right at us." I crossed my fingers. I could see the platform, the train slowing to an almost complete stop. "UNBUCKLE! NOW!" I quickly cut my buckle off just as Jenson does his as well as our criminal's. The impact with the ground was hard but not fatal, but we didn't have time to recover. The train stopped at the station a couple metres ahead, and the lack of a prisoner was already making itself known. Jenson quickly stands me up as we run in the other direction. Our exit was a series of tunnels that were meant to be a Plan B for any convoy that was attacked, we trudged towards it's location with the boy in between us. An alarm and multiple announcements could be heard at the station behind us, I looked over at Jenson. "Where were all the guards? There were supposed to be 17 of them, but all we found was a Juggernaut." He grunted, replying harshly but quietly. "What the hell does it matter kid, we're out. Just focus on dragging this son of a bitch back somewhere safe." I couldn't help it.. something didn't feel right, almost like this was supposed to be happening.. "Jenson this just doesn't feel right.... We gotta think this over again." He stopped and turned to me, "Ay kid, I really agree with you 'ere. BUT TURN THE FUCK AROUND, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE TO WORRY ABOUT IF WE DON'T HAUL ASS RIGHT NOW!" I saw what he meant, the security forces from the station had begun to inspect the train, it was only a matter of time before they saw us limping down the tracks. We just had to make it past the curve up ahead and the access hatch would be right there. Beams of light started to shoot through the dark tunnel searching for us. Apart from the commotion behind us, the tracks were dead silent, but that's when I realized. I hadn't noticed over the past few minutes but, Jenson was breathing really heavily. Now don't get me wrong, we were in a really crappy situation but his breathing was really rugged. Was he hurt?? "There's the hatch! Quick go get it open and I'll carry him over" He motioned ahead of us where a small door was embedded in the wall. Several red hazard lights surrounded it, flashing every few seconds. I ran over to it, smashing the control panel hoping it didn't have an over-the-top security system in place. The door flew open revealing a corridor ahead that ended in a sharp right turn after a couple meters. Jenson joined me at the entrance and nodded at me as he walked into the dimly lit corridor ahead. I followed close behind, making sure to override the door behind us to stop anyone from following. After only a couple steps though, "Stop." Jenson motioned me to stay quiet. Sounds. Whispers and shuffling could be heard just beyond the corner. We looked at each other as we both thought the same thing, "We're screwed." Jenson took out his pistol and checked the magazine, right before handing it to me. "Go. I'll stay here with him." I took a deep breath and proceeded down the hallway, making sure I made no noise. But right as I was about to turn the corner, A voice rang out. That same voice. That same accent. Thick German. "How about we save both of us the trouble of stealth.. I know you're there Adam. You too Jenson." I'd heard that same voice in the past, right before I entered the recovery centre, and once before that in the alleyway. "Who the hell are you? And why shouldn't I just put a bullet in your head right now??" I heard a chuckle, "Oh you may not know me but I clearly know you Adam. Trained at the Academy for 4 years, could have been part of an elite unit.... Had you stayed, it's a shame you left. You might've lived if you didn't." Jenson grunted behind me, "Leave the kid alone you sick fuck." I held my pistol at the ready, sure to shoot anyone who appeared. "Adam we both know you're not going to use that weapon. You won't let yourself kill..." A figure turned the corner, he was dressed head to toe in tactical armour. Firearms, knives and explosives hung from every holster on his body. But none of that frightened me more than his face, a face that I recognized. "Jeremy.... Wh-" He interrupted me, "Jeremy? Hah no that was but an alias. People of my line of work don't go around revealing their names.. How about we have a wager? Which one of us will die here?" My grip around the handle of the gun tightened... He was right. Something inside me prevented me from pulling the trigger. No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't let myself. "My money's on Jenson.... Old, weathered and outdated.. Shame this is his grave." I looked back at Jenson. He gave me a look with a very clear message, 'Kill him' I turned back at *Jeremy* with my pistol raised. "What makes you think it won't be you? There's two of us." He claps his hands. "Glad you noticed, just like in the American movies eh?" On queue, four guards dressed in the same combat armour emerged from around the corner. Except unlike Jeremy they held fully Automatic rifles pointed at us. "Drop your weapons now!" "On the ground" "Don't try it scumbag" I was forced to drop my weapon as one of them kicked me backwards. I fell on the floor next to Jenson, who was already crouched on the ground. He let out a huff before shifting closer to me, "Kid.." He whispered, "We're right above the Residential Lane in Sector 3.. I can buy you time and you get out." I looked at him, "Absolutely not old man, we don't even have any leads. This whole thing would've been useless." I look back at Jeremy and his team, they seem to be conversing with each other. They were distracted... somewhat. "The kid.. He mumbled something about 'Elysium'. That's a lead... Look into it.." One of the soldiers began walking towards us, "Okay... good luck kid.." Just as he reached for me, Jenson reveals the handgun he gave me earlier. I don't even know when the geezer took it back, but that didn't stop him from putting 2 bullets into the soldiers exposed neck. Jeremy and the others ducked behind the corner as Jenson removed another square device, placing it on the floor. "Go now!!" He turned back around, firing more shots at the corner. I could hear them yelling. "Director Hans, it's only one. We can take him." Followed by an agitated reply, "Nein, I won't let this coward kill any more assets." I looked back down at the floor, it was almost completely melted through... But I couldn't leave Jenson. I picked up the second tank of liquid Nitrogen and sprinted toward Jenson, pushing him aside. I threw the can past the corner, before grabbing the gun from Jenson's hand and shooting the tank. It burst into a puff of white mist, completely encompassing the hallway ahead. "That bought us time, come on Jenson we need t-" a flash of light accompanied by a high frequency sound blast. There was only one thing that could have sonic weaponry on it. I turned around to see the hatch that I override ripped from it's hinges. The Juggernaut. It was crouched at the entrance, it was too big to fit in the hallway but that didn't stop it from firing ranged attacks. We were out of options, and Jeremy knew that. "See you around kid." I turn around just to see him push me into the hole. Time seemed to stop as the feeling of weightlessness made everything seem even slower. Jenson's figure disappeared as bullets flew past the open hole. Time sped back up right as my back impacted against the floor beneath me.