Hidden Impact (Safeguard #1)(69)
Sites like these could be contracted to local governments and corporations, even private military contractors in decades-long leases for preservation or training purposes. Cheaper for the federal government than maintaining the site, perfect for organizations like theirs to establish a training facility. In fact, Centurion Corporation had similar contracts for other types of sites.
Once his team cleared the glorified broom closet, they set up on the door and communicated through silent touches their readiness to breach it. Marc opened it quickly and the other three poured into the hall, Gabe at the lead, all weapons at high ready.
Never breaking step, the fire team embodied the mantra “smooth is fast, fast is smooth” as they flowed past other doors and danger points in a modified T.
“Not a spider or rat in sight.”
“You’d think someone wanted to maintain good laboratory practices for some reason.” Yeah. They’d confirmed this was their target when surveillance had caught some very interesting supplies arriving. Coated slides for protein and DNA microarrays, multi-well microarray substrates and a long list of other things, harder to pronounce and definitely for genetic research, all received in fairly regular shipments from various sources.
Whoever was maintaining the site had done a good job of hiding the supply draw from the eyes of anyone watching for a virtual paper trail, but for someone with eyes on the site? It was painfully obvious. Right up there with the number of fairly new surveillance cameras installed on the premises.
His team reached a juncture in the hallways and, having established a beachhead, crouched at the corners to wait for Bravo and Charlie teams.
The Bravo team would emerge with a mirrored formation to his own fire team a minute or two behind them to ensure they had heavy support on both sides. Charlie team would follow after, with Delta team holding position at the access point, ready to run in with medical support if the worst happened.
Once the teams had all emerged from the drain and were able to move quickly, he took them forward.
Based on the surveillance and intel they’d been able to gather, there were likely minimal patrols at this time of night. 0200 hours fell well into the graveyard watch, when those assigned to the shift became complacent with the night’s silence and, hopefully, bored enough to doze off. Any other personnel in the facility, maybe more kidnapped scientists like An-mei, should be asleep, and all were likely kept in separate quarters to prevent them from communicating more than was necessary.
Hang on. You have a big sister looking for you.
Gabe hoped they were in time. Edict shouldn’t have had time yet to move An-mei. They’d have needed a green light from a decision-maker in their backer’s organization, Phoenix Biotech, on any semi-permanent location to take her to in any case. And the Centurions were betting on An-mei’s value as a scientist to keep her alive. Anticipated retaliation after the attack on Centurion Corporation ground would push Edict and, by extension, Phoenix Biotech, into taking defensive action. Hopefully it wouldn’t pressure them into making An-mei disappear permanently.
Harte’s voice murmured into his ear-comm, “Squadron Two Bravo reports normal movement above ground. Guards on watch show no change.”
Which was an indicator that all was well below ground, if luck was on their side.
Gabe proceeded forward, working his way through the network of hallways and stopping to check the labels for each of the rooms as they passed, trying to find the labs or the sleeping quarters. The search would be painfully slow unless they found someone to help them. Gabe wasn’t above asking for directions.
Politely, of course.
They moved forward two more hallway junctions before he heard exactly what he was hoping for: footsteps. They echoed around the corner as his teams halted. The person was alone and unhurried. Perfect.
*
“What are they doing?” Maylin squinted, trying to make sense of the images on the various monitors. Apparently Gabe and each of his teams were wearing cameras, but the images had been too dark until Gabe’s team emerged in the lighted hallways of the facility. Even so, the video feed wasn’t crisp and the color was a little closer to gray scale. Focus was sharper in the center of the screen but stretched along the periphery. It made it more like a scary movie for her, surreal and tense. As if anything could come at them from any side. They’d all become people who mattered to her. And Gabe? Much more. Indescribably so.
“They’re about to ask for directions, most likely.” Harte stood in front of the monitors, arms crossed. His head turned slightly as he scanned each of the monitors in turn. “It’s what I’d do.”
“We had a good idea of what the layout was inside the underground lab based on the way the military tended to build those old silos. They’re cookie-cutter in some ways. Not the same, but following the same architectural logic.” Caleb tapped a monitor showing an outside view of the area. “But these people could’ve repurposed the interior in any number of ways. It’ll take too long to do a room-to-room search. Our teams need to get intel directly from someone familiar with the operation.”
Possibilities crowded into Maylin’s mind and none of them were the stuff of sweet dreams. She had to remind herself, chant silently. We’re saving An-mei.
The people who had her sister would’ve done worse to her, would’ve killed Charlie. An innocent man dragged into chaos and it was all Maylin’s fault. Maybe when it was all over she could figure out a way to make up for it, but she wasn’t in a place to think about it. Yet.