Chapter 10: The End of Things
The end of things. A pokemon fanfic by Rocko Wallaby
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chapter 10: The end of things.
The buses pulled up a half block from Sinnotech main headquarters, right on schedule, at 7.15am. Within a minute, the full complement of troops had disembarked and were standing in formation, awaiting their deployment. A group of twenty were to storm the front offices; ten to gain entry and secure the area, and the rest to begin securing the evidence we needed from their databases and hard copy, before it could be tampered with or destroyed. Another group of fifteen were to enter via the rear of the office block, with the intention of securing key targets amongst the company directors, and senior staff and management.
I was with the final group of five, the smallest of the three, whose job was to penetrate the lower research facilities, secure the laboratories and neutralising key personnel. It was felt that we were unlikely to encounter anything significant in the way of opposition, so our team was to rely on stealth rather than firepower to gain entry to the facility.
I was looking forward to it very much.
At 7.20am, Captain Barkley and the team leaders emerged from the temporary HQ that had been set up in a local warehouse the evening before. After checking that everyone was in their assigned positions, and giving a final briefing to the team leaders, the action began.
The Sinnotech building was seven stories of gleaming steel and polished concrete, in the midst of over an acre of manicured lawns and gardens. Obviously, no expense had been spared in either its construction, or its appearance. However, the environmentally friendly exterior of the building belied its High level of security, with large retracting bollards encircling the area outside the entrance, and metal detection scanners visible through the entrance. Numerous security personnel had been spotted and marked for neutralisation, but it was still no easy target, with unknown factors posing the greatest risk.
Regardless, we were ready for almost anything they could throw at us.
Group one stormed the front of the building, encountering momentary opposition from the reception area security personnel who were clearly unprepared for the action. Of the five guards encountered, only one caused any difficulty, attempting to reach for something underneath the security desk, before freezing with the muzzles of a half dozen assault rifles pointed at his head. With a startled look on his face, his hands slowly withdrew from underneath the counter and were secured behind him, before he joined his colleagues under guard by two Rangers. The remainder of the group continued through the area, spreading out in groups of two and three to check all offices for staff. A few stragglers emerged, bewildered, from various places, but given the early raid, few full time workers were present to complicate matters. They continued through the corridors to the main computer server room, which was cordoned off and isolated, allowing Ranger technicians to lock down the systems from external tampering and hacking. Within the hour, the techs had backed up all the relevant information, and had forwarded it through to HQ for processing.
The second team stormed through the rear, and immediately struck trouble, encountering a group of suited security personnel packing a surprisingly heavy assortment of weapons. The reason for their presence soon became apparent, as once the Rangers began returning fire, shouts rang out from the individuals inside. It appears several members of the Board, including the Sinnotech CEO himself, had been in the building early for a meeting, and had been taken completely by surprise by the Rangers raid. After much blustering and threats of legal action, the Board realised that the game was up, and offered their unconditional surrender. Their security detail had their weapons confiscated, and the Individual Board members were shortly escorted, coughing and spluttering through the dust and rubble of the rear entrance to the vans waiting for them.
Our entry began uneventfully. Given the entry to the lab levels was via the rear loading dock area, several Rangers approached the secured loading bay roller doors with petrol powered demolition saws and hand held rams, and quickly cut access openings through the heavy sheet metal of the doors. The dock itself was deserted, although several small trucks were backed onto the loading platform, ready for loading.
We proceeded to the end of the docks and entered a short corridor leading to the alcove where the fire stairs were located. During the briefing, there had been debate as to whether to use the lifts for a speedy access, but it was felt the risk of a trap was simply too high. It would be easy enough for Sinnotech staff to immobilise the lift between levels, effectively trapping us in a makeshift steel prison. Also, the risk of booby traps was there, although unlikely. While the stairs were the longer route, at least they provided a somewhat more safe entry point to the levels below.
However, it became apparent fairly quickly that our "surprise" entry was turning out to be anything but a surprise. From our first entry, we quickly became aware of the large number of CCTV cameras located throughout the area. When several began following our progress through the stairwell entry, we quickened our pace, as the element of surprise had been lost, and now time was of the essence.
To make matters worse, our initial briefing suggested there were only 3 floors below the main basement level. When we finally reached B13, many levels below the estimated final level, the much greater extent of the complex became apparent. This was no "small" facility! Several of our group split off to investigate the various darkened levels we passed, leaving just Ranger Smith and myself to enter the final level, where the main laboratory was supposed to be located. We crept through the stairwell doors and proceeded to slip through the darkened offices towards the dimly lit entry door leading to the main lab facility.
Smith went first, cautiously turning the handle of the doorway, and began slipping through into the work area beyond, when a hail of bullets shattered the door and adjacent plaster board wall, and ripping chunks out of the office furniture behind us. While I was relatively protected behind a metal filing cabinet, Smith wasn't so fortunate, with several of them striking him in the chest and legs. While his body armour protected him from the more fatal shots, one penetrated his upper thigh, causing him to drop to the floor with a curse. Reaching out from my protection, I grabbed him by the collar of his flack jacket, and dragged him back towards me. Bullets continued to fly through the air above us, but at least we were somewhat safe where we were.
Quickly grabbing a triangular bandage from my field kit, I tied it tightly above his wound, while applying a pressure bandage to the wound itself to assist in controlling the bleeding. While the dressing quickly turned crimson, at least it managed to staunch the majority of the blood flowing from the wound, buying us some time to get him proper medical attention.
I reached for my shoulder radio, attempting to call in for reinforcements, but only static came through. Fuck! The thick concrete walls and depth of the lab underground stopped any radio transmissions from penetrating to the others.
Shit. We're on our own here!
By this stage, Smith had entered shock, his white, pasty skin and dripping perspiration ruling out his continuing further. I made him as comfortable as I could, before taking a deep breath and readying myself to continue. We NEEDED those labs secure! Any delays could result in their destruction, and Sinnotech may just slip through our grasp!
While the weapons fire had subsided, I held no doubts whoever they were waiting for me beyond the doorway were still there. The door remained partially opened, so with Smith safe behind me, I slipped on my respiratory gear, grabbed an immobilisation canister from my kit, thumbed the activator, and tossed it through the opening into the lab beyond.
These canisters, a combination of flash-bang and tear gas grenade, were the perfect way to incapacitate an enemy at close quarters. The loud concussive noise, especially in confined spaces, worked to disorientate and disable an enemy, while the tear gas effectively rendered them unable to continue fighting. Unless they were prepared to deal with the gas, at least, it provided a fast, relatively safe method of dealing with an opponent, without having to resort to lethal force.
Once the concussion passed, and tear gas began pouring from the door opening, loud coughs and retching noises, accompanied by the clatter of several weapons hitting the floor, met our ears. I jumped to my feet, kicking the door in with a boot, and turned my rifle on the occupants beyond. Three of them were sitting or lying on the floor, one already unconscious. A second man went for a knife, but the butt of my rifle striking his head quickly deterred him from further action, and he joined his motionless colleague on the floor. The third occupant, barely capable of movement, lay down on my barked orders, with hands behind his back, and I quickly secured his hands, as well as those of his colleagues, with cable ties.
Leaving them where I found them, I quickly returned to Smith, who gave me a somewhat shaky thumbs up, indicating he was OK for the moment. So I returned through the lab, checking cautiously for other adversaries, before finding the place deserted.
By this point, we were out of time. I needed to check the rest of the facility, and could no longer wait for the rest of the group to meet up back here. Gritting my teeth, I passed through the huge darkened area, to a doorway marked "Animal storage", and cautiously entered.
My first impression was of a zoo. Row upon row of gleaming metal cages, small stacked upon large, led away into the dimly illuminated distance. The room was enormous, easily stretching several hundred feet in both directions. This was no small-scale facility!
The second thing to hit me was the stench. Blood, shit and fear.
Many of the cages were occupied, by a variety of pokemon of all species. In the distance, the screaming cries of several pierced the darkness. However, given the number of cages, the cries of those remaining were pityingly few.
Most of them were already dead, their congealed blood forming large, dark pools on the concrete floor below.
Fuck! Too late!
A loud shot tore through the silence, followed by yet another gurgling shriek, which died off into a whisper. Someone was still here, killing the pokemon!
I crept down the corridor of cages, carefully watching my footing in the slippery gore below. Yet another shot rang out, and another cry. Finally making my way down to the far wall, I spied a human form in front of the last of the large cages, holding a pistol pointed at the occupant inside. Clearly, this wasn't going to end until they were all dead.
Fuck this. No more!
I unslung my rifle from my shoulder, and took a bead on the gun holder. With a press of the trigger, I sent a bullet through the upper torso of the figure, who spun with a scream, weapon flying from his hand to land against the cages nearby. He then dropped to the floor motionless, a pool of his own blood mingling with that dripping from the cages nearby.
Cautiously moving forward, I approached the prone figure, prodding it with my rifle barrel.
The large hole left in his left upper chest told me he wasn't killing any more pokemon today.
I glanced into the cage, spotting a large blue creature slumped motionless on the floor inside. I couldn't see any blood, so I shouldered my weapon and decided to enter and check further. Before I could unlock the cage door, the silence was broken behind me, while a cold pistol barrel pressed behind my right ear.
"Ranger Scott", a cold, calculating voice spoke, "Fancy seeing you here!"
You got to be fucking joking!! I know that voice!
It couldn't be....
"Drop the weapon, and kick it towards the wall" the voice demanded. I removed my rifle slowly, letting the shoulder strap slip through my fingers as I lowered the weapon to the floor. Using the tip of my boot, I nudged it hard, sending it skittering away until it vanished underneath the nearby cages.
"Now, turn around...slowly. Keep your hands where I can see them"
I did as directed, feeling the pistol barrel slide around to my forehead, and found myself face to face with the scowling visage of Dr Jameson himself.
Shit!
He backed off several paces, keeping the pistol barrel pointed steadily in my direction, while sparing a quick glance to his colleague lying motionless on the floor. He motioned with the gun that I back off even further, until I was pressed against the cages behind me.
"Seems poor Danny didn't finish the job I set him to do. Poor Danny. Never could complete what he started".
With a snarl twisting his features, Jameson gave the corpse a swift, hard kick to the side, sending a splatter of blood across the floor, before regaining his composure and turning back towards me.
"You and that pet of yours have cost me a lot of time and money, Ranger Scott." he said, waving the gun barrel towards me. "I'm almost surprised you're bright enough to have gotten this far"
"Wasn't hard, given the mess your lackeys made of their poaching up in the mountains. I should have known that was your handiwork. I'm surprised I didn't recognise the stench of your involvement immediately, even over the carrion smell of those pokemon you had slaughtered" I spat at him, eyeing the gun warily. I'd hoped he might become angry, losing concentration and allowing an opportunity to rush him, but he didn't take his eyes off me a second time.
He smiled a cold, tight smile, before replying further.
"Nice try, Ranger Scott. While my patience in dealing with you wore quite thin a long time ago, don't consider yourself intelligent enough to outwit me so easily. I dealt with your animal without issue, and dealing with you won't expend a neuron"
My vision clouded a bit, as I took in what he said "What do you mean...." I began, before he interrupted.
"Oh yes, we arranged that little warehouse "demonstration demolition” last year that caused you Rangers so much difficulty. Consider it payback for the trouble your animal caused when leaving our facility so many years ago."
He leaned forward menacingly "Do you think I had forgotten that, Ranger Scott? That your animal has caused me to lose over a decade of hard work, as well as discrediting all the research we had done to date? He made a laughing stock of me, Ranger. No one ever does that! When Sinnotech offered me the opportunity to pursue my research out of the public spotlight, I jumped at the opportunity. Especially as they were so keen in offering their assistance in settling the score I had with your pet pokemon. It worked so perfectly, too, didn't it, Ranger Scott."
He began slowly pacing across from where I stood, eventually stopping with his back against the cage containing the large pokemon his colleague had been about to shoot. The animal didn't move, remaining motionless on the floor in the half darkness.
He continued "I do admit feeling a great deal of satisfaction hearing of your fall from grace, Ranger. All that time alone in the mountains, moping over your devastating loss. What a tragedy! The humanity! I had hoped you'd make it a permanent solution, but you again decided to involve yourself in business that didn't concern you. Such a stupid mistake to make"
I decided to try and delay him further, as he seemed so keen on spilling the beans on his operation, and knowing that backup could arrive any second.
"So, what was it you were doing up there, Jameson? We only attended due to the noise your people were making. What was it? Explosives?"
He chuckled nastily. "We prefer to call it a "wide ranging DNA collection technique", ourselves. A group of pokemon has a hard time avoiding the blast radius from such well placed detonations, especially when they're located on trails so frequently used. Why bother with individual samples, when you can do a mass collection so easily"
I ground my teeth at his egotistical posturing, while trying to think of any way to distract him further.
He smiled unpleasantly, while waving the gun around slightly towards the cages.
"As you can see, you were not very effective in preventing us concluding our research. We have all the information we need, and now have the means to eradicate these pokemon "vermin" as we choose. Selective DNA extermination, you see, Ranger Scott. Target the species, release the pathogen, and eliminate the animals in the area. Rather elegant, don't you think?"
While he was speaking, the large blue bundle of fur in the darkened cage began to move, slowly putting its arms underneath itself, and clambering to its knees. It was difficult to determine exactly what it was in the darkened room, apart from the fact whatever it was, it was quite big. I avoided glancing at it, trying to keep Jameson's attention on myself, as the last thing I needed was for it to be shot before I had an opportunity to deal with him. It silently staggered to its feet in the gloom, and began slowly moving towards the front of the cage where Jameson was now leaning.
"Well, Ranger Scott, I have to say, while it has been such a pleasure talking to you yet again, I think we've exhausted the possibilities of this conversation quite nicely. I think it's time for you to die now, Ranger Scott. Your meddlesome interference with my activities has become rather tiresome. Goodbye now!"
With that, he raised the gun and took aim at my chest. Two shots rang out, with the muzzle flash lighting the area. I felt a tearing pain in my right shoulder, and another in my abdomen. While the body armour was designed to stop a chest shot, it was less effective in the lower or peripheral areas. The bullets pierced through the shielding, throwing me backwards against the cages behind me, before I slid to a sitting position on the floor, gasping in pain. I reached down, pressing my good hand to the area of burning pain just below my ribs, only to feel them become coated in hot, sticky warmth. I brought my fingers up, seeing them caked in blood, before trying to struggle to my feet again. While my legs threatened to give out, I was able to struggle to my feet, leaning heavily against the cages behind me while I tried vainly to keep my balance.
"A tenacious bastard, aren't you, Ranger Scott" I heard Jameson say maliciously, before he chuckled and again brought the muzzle up towards me. This time, pointing unerringly at my head.
I coughed, and almost doubled up with the pain emanating from my wounds, but still able to let out a gurgling laugh in reply. "Trust a useless prick like you not even to be able to shoot straight, Jameson. For a supposedly smart guy, you really are a fucking imbecile. Want me to move a bit closer, so you can get it right this time?" Spitting blood towards him, I lifted a middle finger in salute, before settling back against the cages with another hacking laugh.
The smile dropped from his face, replaced by a snarl of rage, as his finger tensed, pulling back on the trigger a third time.
Then the room exploded into flames.
The pokemon that had been stalking up behind Jameson let out a screaming roar of rage, engulfed by an aurora of intense fire that I could feel from where I leant a dozen meters away. Jameson whirled towards the cage, bringing up the pistol to bear on the creature, only to be met with a massive fireball erupting from its mouth, which engulfed his body after incinerating the front of the cage before him. While releasing a long shriek of agony, Jameson tried to step away from the beast, but it then rushed towards him, impaling his chest with its claws. With a final gurgle, scorched hands weakly scrabbling at its chest, Jameson's smouldering corpse finally slid from the creature's grip, to fall in a charred heap at its feet. Standing over the charred body, it let loose a chilling roar of victory, before turning its attention in my direction.
Eyes blazing menacingly, and claws dripping red, it began moving towards me, the heat radiating from its body blurring its outline. I began to lift an arm to shield my face from being scalded, only to feel something further tear in my wound, and a flood of wetness began soaking through my fingers. A new wave of agony raced through me, while my vision began dimming further. As the hand staunching my wound fell away weakly, I began sliding down the cages supporting me, towards the concrete floor beneath.
The creature leaned over me, eyes gleaming menacingly, before it reached out with a paw to grab me by the shoulder, halting my fall and pulling me towards it. The eyes blinked, losing much of their maniacal gleam and, as its flames began to die down, I heard a stuttered voice speak hesitantly...
"Sssc...otty?"
I couldn't hold myself together further. As I began to black out for the final time, slipping into the swirling darkness, I heard it scream my name again, as I was crushed against it.
"Scoooootty......!"
Then the darkness engulfed me, and I knew no more.
Concluding in Chapter 11: Absolution.