Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XXV

MIA

Music: Sky #1 from Gradius Gaiden

While on our way to the headquarters, Sam fires up yet another video call with Dr. Scientist to give him the news.

"Hello, Dr. Scientist. Just wanted to let you know that that friend of yours got in contact with us. We're on our way to their HQ at this very second," Sam says.

Dr. Scientist finishes chewing on his sandwich and replies, "Ah. Celia actually managed to get ahold of you. Well, this is a bit of a big leap for you, but good luck."

"We're gonna need it," I mutter quietly enough so only I can hear.

"Thanks," Sam says in response. The short-lived call then ends. According to the hovercraft, we're now about a minute away from our final destination. Sam uses this time to do a final check on supplies before we stage our inevitable raid. I surprisingly haven't used that much from my weapons belt since the start of this mission.

We land in front of a building only a little bit larger than a storage shed. It has the appearance of a one-story house, with plain white curtains covering a small window and an empty driveway that hasn't been paved over in at least a decade. The location seems a bit odd; it's right by a countryside road and is only partly obscured by the trees.

Brielle has immediate skepticism upon stepping off. "Okay, this is definitely NOT where they took me the first time."

"Well, it's what that woman gave us, and it's the best lead we've got, so I'm going with it," Sam replies, pulling his gun out and waiting by the door with Heath and Luke.

"Hey, um, how about maybe listening to Brielle here? I mean, she probably knows what she's talking about more than that crazy old hag," I suggest, frowning.

"Besides, Sam, don't you think this could be a-" Mackenzie starts to say.

"Trap? Yeah, and I'm ready for whatever these bastards have to throw at us," Sam replies, turning his attention back to the wooden door. He gives Heath a nod, and Heath proceeds to kick the door open. The three guys practically leap inside, guns drawn.

I guess it really isn't shocking to say that this place is bone dry of... well, anything. There's no furniture, no lighting, and no sign of inhabitants anywhere. The rest of us slowly trod on in, constantly checking around to see if there's anything to see. Even with the early evening light from outside, it's almost pitch-black in here. I can barely see past my hand.

"Geez, you'd think they'd pay an electricity bill every now and then," Sam mutters, keeping his gun drawn.

Music: The King of Diamonds from Nemesis 3 MSX

"As the oldest person here, I say we leave. I feel like we're about to get-" Brielle's sentence is interrupted by the lights turning on, nearly blinding us. An ear-piercing alarm sounds, combined with the sound of a never-ending bell.

That's when we realize we're completely surrounded by armed people dressed in camo. There's probably around thirty of them, so they'd definitely outnumber the eleven of us. The hovercraft has probably already flown off and started doing its own thing by now, and even if we could signal it in, something tells me these men are aware of what it can do. They're yelling things along the lines of, "Put those hands up!" and, "Don't make a single move!"

Brielle finishes her sentence when she spots the men. "Ambushed."

By the time the alarm finishes, the guards all have their weapons aimed at us. Realizing that fighting back is probably not in our best interests, we all put our arms up.