“Down!” I yelled just a heartbeat before the grenade exploded to my right.

I heard the scream as Donovan was ripped to shreds not able to react fast enough. He was the last one that survived our initial encounter with the enemy. Everything since we tried storming this building had gone to hell. They open fire as soon as we breached, had pinned us down and taken out 3 of my squad right away. Every meter forward in the abandoned warehouse was a death trap. Finally they pushed Donovan and me back into this room and threw the grenade. I looked over to my former squad mate. No point checking him out, he was missing half his face. Fuck!

Coming back up to a crouch I dashed behind a stack of crates. I tried to check where the gangers where at over the sights of my HK2079. 23 shots left. Okay, at least I don’t have to throw the gun at them. My P90md, the md standing for mass driver, was spent and the battery light gave a last few saw blinks in red and then died. Okay, 23 shots and two flashbangs vs 3 gangers. I know it shouldn’t be possible but they seemed to know exactly where we were the whole time.

I pressed a button on my wrist and activated my stealth field. 30 seconds of looking like the background. I positioned myself so that the crate would still provide cover but I could aim at the door. I am sure that they will be coming to check.

Just as that thought crossed my head, I heard the shuffling of feet. My guess, 2 people to check the room, one to check the other to cover. I shifted slightly to the side giving me a better angle at the door and the expected location of the gangers. One stuck his head into the room for a moment having a quick a look around and retracting it again. I bided my time.

Two seconds later ganger one stepped into the room and I saw a few inches of ganger two’s torso. That had to be enough. Now or never. I aimed at the guy providing cover from the door. I gently squeezed the trigger. 2 soft pops about half a second apart. Before his gun could clatter to the ground I had already shifted aim at number one. The sensor in my gun fed information through my neural-link. Half body armor, low chance of penetration in double tap mode.

The handbook said to go for burst setting in these cases but I only had 21 shots left. Burst would have cost me 5 right there. Instead I switched to single action. I finally heard number two’s gun clatter to the ground as I loosened my first shot and hit just underneath the armor in the crease of his upper thigh. He leaned forward, his own weapon forgotten and I aimed my second shot right between his eyes. My neural link in combination with my training had predicted his movement correctly and he collapsed to the floor. 19 shots left, one ganger to go.

I snuck to the door frame and peaked around. Eight seconds left on my stealth field. I poked my head out to get the lay of the land and immediately pulled back as 2 flechettes ricochet off the door frame and whined into the room. Shit, I don’t know where number three is holed up and I can’t get a good look. I did however see an old metal sheeting press with about a foot and a half room under it.

“Put your weapons down, activate your surrender chip, get on your knees and fold your hands on your head,” I yelled into the gloom of the warehouse and no one in particular. I glanced at the indicator on my wrist. Nothing. Well, what did I hope for.

I threw the flashbang into the room and closed my eyes. A second and a loud bang later I dashed the 20is foot to the press and slid underneath. Now I at least could get a bit of a look around. Where would I hide if I was the last of a gang of kidnappers and wanted to make sure I took the last cop out. It was either the office that was set a little higher in the back or the metal staircase that lead to the roof. Probably the office to be able to use the hostage as leverage.

The problem was if I go for the office I am exposing my back to the staircase. Not wanting anybody shooting at my back I took a chance to slide closer to the edge of the press and have a look at the staircase. Nobody there. I must have stuck myself out a little too far because the next moment something bit into my shoulder and threw me back under my cover. My left arm went numb and I clenched my teeth against the pain. My body started shaking. Fuck! High speed ammo. Designed to disrupt neuronal connections through impact shock.

I must have blacked out for a moment because the next thing I noticed were heavy footsteps and shuffling sounds.

“Come out of there or I kill this bitch!” The ganger growled from not far away.

My options were… nonexistent. Our assignment was taking out the kidnappers and rescuing the hostage. It was marked “Condition Red” - by any means necessary. Loss of life included. I shuffled around, my injured shoulder sending pain spiked through my whole body. My nervous system still heavily impacted had me weak and shaking. And there was not much I could do. I gathered my last bit of strength and slid out from my hiding spot.

The ganger stood maybe 30 feet away in an aisle. His right hand was holding his gun, trained at my head and in his left he held the hair of the teenage girl they had kidnapped. She was hanging on to his arm but her body was bruised and she looked like she had been through hell.

“Did you really think you could take us?” The ganger growled and then added with a sneer: “Mister Fuller?”

As much as I wanted to respond, it took all my mental energy to stay on my feet and face him.

“I am tempted to let you go. Putting her head into your lap after I have some more fun with her and then leave you here so you can spread the words about “Thunder”.” He waited a few moments.

I managed to stop my teeth from chattering. I was angry, red hot angry. Who does this motherfucker think he is? How did they outmaneuver us so completely and where the hell did he get this kind of equipment from. My thoughts raced and my anger raged. I tried lifting my arm to aim at him but the simple action had me shaking and groaning.

“No reply? How the mighty have fallen!” He said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. “I didn’t think it would be that easy.”

With that he squeezed the trigger on his gun. I tried dropping to the ground but all I managed to do was put my face right in the way of the 3 flechettes he had fired. For a heartbeat agonizing pain flooded me and then everything went black.