GRAYSON: ETERNAL: PART FIVE - ENGAGE

PRESENT...

Dick woke up to see Tiger standing over him, rubbing his chin with conflict in his eyes. They were in a darkened room, with dim red lights in a line along the walls.

“I got the pictures,” Dick said, groggily.

“I saw them,” Tiger nodded, “You did… okay. You engaged a sniper.”

“I needed his vantage point,” Dick pointed out.

“So you wait for him to vacate it,” Tiger rebutted, “You are supposed to be a prrrrrofessional.”

“Sorry,” Dick apologized.

“There is good news,” Tiger admitted, “The man you knocked out? He is Mao and Liang’s son.”

“Small world,” Dick commented, “But isn’t that bad news?”

“Matron can confirm he did not see your face,” Tiger said.

“That’s definitely a positive,” Dick said, “Who was piloting that jet?”

“I called in another agent. You blowing your cover forced me to change my strategy. Matron will join us tonight. We are no longer working on stealth. We will engage Zhou He’s army directly. I brought in Agent 65 to run aerial surveillance and gather any data she can before we attack. She will provide air supporrrrrrt during our attack.”

“Understood. And where is she now?” Dick asked.

“Right outside, actually. Making sure everything is still okay with the jet after she flew it through a valley to save your ass.”

“I can’t forget to thank her for that,” Dick said, getting up. He rubbed his back where he had fallen on the jet. They approached a door, and it retracted upwards. Outside was a large room with a one-seater stealth jet in the middle. Everything along the walls of the room was strapped down. A tall woman with dark hair braided in the back was taking a look at the underside of her jet.

“65,” Tiger said, letting her know they were there. She straightened up, and did a visual scan of Dick.

“You put a dent in my jet,” Agent 65 said, matter-of-factly.

“Sorry about that,” Dick replied.

“I suppose it’s fine. As long as everything else still works,” Agent 65 sighed, wiping grease off of her hands.

“Well? Does everything else work?” Dick asked.

“Yeah,” the woman nodded, “It does. You’re lucky, 37.”

“I guess so,” Dick smiled.

“Patron, I’m ready to deploy whenever you need me to,” Agent 65 stated.

“Patron? Who’s-? Oh yeah,” Dick said, “Tiger, I’m technically supposed to call you Patron, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are. But quite frankly I think it’s just a decorrrrrative title. Serves no real purpose.”

“Wait, your real name is Tiger?” Agent 65 grinned.

“Yet another codename,” Tiger smiled, coyly.

“What? You mean Tiger isn’t your real name?” Dick exclaimed.

“There is much you two don’t know about me,” Tiger said, putting hand on their shoulders, “My name is the least of my secrets. It does not matter. Just focus on the mission.”

“Whatever you say, Tony,” Dick shrugged.

There was a beat of silence.

“Did I get it?” Dick hoped. Tiger shook his head.

“Tony the Tiger?” Agent 65 scoffed, “That was your best guess?”

“Enough banter,” Tiger said, “65, it’s time to head out.”

Agent 65 gave a quick salute, and snatched a helmet up off of the ground. She strapped her pale vest over her torso, and climbed into the cockpit of the small stealth jet. The cockpit sealed shut, and Dick helt the air around him heat up as the jet began to rumble.

The bottom of the jet glitched for a moment, then appeared as a light blue color. It was a dynamic underbelly that could be changed by Tiger with a press of a button. Currently, there were clear skies, so Tiger used the light blue setting.

“Remember, this is simply observation,” Tiger reminded Agent 65.

“I understand, sir,” Agent 65 nodded.

“That’s what 37 said,” Tiger sighed, “Bay doors opening. 37, you may want to leave the room.”

“Leave the-?”

“Orrrrr at least hold on,” Tiger said, grabbing onto netting that held down a few steel crates. Dick grabbed it with him.

One of the walls began to flip open, revealing an open sky and harsh winds.

“Where the hell are we?” Dick yelled over the howling wind.

“About 10,000 feet in the air!” Tiger responded, “Cloaked with the same dynamic underrrrrbelly!”

“So if I let go?”

“A speedy death!”

“Good to know!” Dick nodded.

The jet’s engines revved, then it shot out of the hangar. The door flipped closed, and Dick and Tiger collapsed.

“Warn me, next time,” Dick insisted.

“It wasn’t that bad, Grayson,” Tiger.

“Grayson?” Dick raised an eyebrow.

“37,” Tiger corrected himself.

“Getting a little chummy?” Dick mused, elbowing Tiger in the side.

“Hush. Take this,” Tiger instructed, handing Dick a tablet. The tablet lit up, and Dick saw an aerial view of the base. Two circles appeared on the sides of the screen, along with a slider.

“Drone controls?” Dick assumed.

“Corrrrrrect,” Tiger nodded, “I have to observe Matron. You will pilot this drone, and get a closer look at the base. It is currently attached to the bottom of the jet. Simply tap the screen to detach.”

“Can do, Thomas,” Dick said.

Tiger threw his arms up in frustration and left the hanger.

“65, you there?” Dick asked, linking his earpiece to hers.

“I read you,” Agent 65 confirmed.

“I’m controlling the little pal you have on your bottom,” Dick informed her.

“Don’t break my drone,” Agent 65 said, “It was expensive.”

“No promises.”

“I swear, 37,” 65 said.

Dick tapped the screen, and his view shook. He was detached.

“I’m free- free falling,” Dick sang in a low voice. As the drone tumbled through the air, Dick slowly raised the slider, and the drone slowed. He rotated the circles until his view was flat and stable.

“What’re you seeing down there, 37?” Agent 65 asked.

“Descending now. Too high at the moment,” Dick responded.

Dick lowered the slider, and the drone approached the ground.

“Don’t get too close,” 65 cautioned, “I don’t want you getting shot down. There’s a zoom option at the top of the screen.”

Sure enough, there was another slider, this one horizontal, at the top of the screen. Dick inched it over to the right, and his vision enhanced, getting closer to the camp.

“Get a view into the pit,” Agent 65 requested. Dick obliged, hovering over the hole in the ground. He nearly hit the nearby crane.

“The hell is down there?” Dick questioned, angling down for a better shot.

“Something that Zhou wants. Bad. The whole reason she’s here, it seems,” Agent 65 stated.

“You mean she’s not a local?” Dick asked.

“You thought Zhou was from Suopo?” Agent 65 laughed, “No way could a little girl from Suopo amass this much firepower.”

“Where’s she from?” Dick asked.

“Chengdu. She’s actually been on our radar for quite a while. She always uses a small militia of people from the cities she visits. Cusco, Peru. Giza, Egypt. Salisbury, England. Teotihuacán, Mexico. Every time she had a small army to back her up.”

“Wait, where has she been?”

“Cusco, Peru; Giza, Egypt; Salisbury, England; and Teotihuacán, Mexico,” Agent 65 repeated.

“Sacsayhuamán. The Great Pyramids. Stonehenge. City of the Gods,” Dick muttered.

“Excuse me?” Agent 65 said.

“All places that some people believe were built by aliens,” Dick explained.

“What does that have to do with-? The watchtowers of Suopo,” Agent 65 said, shocked, but catching onto what Dick was suggesting, “You don’t think she’s really-?”

“She’s looking for some sort of alien artifact,” Dick confirmed.

“And she thinks it’s down in that pit,” Agent 65 said.

“Let me get a better angle,” Dick said, jerking the controls around until he was in a decent position.

“Anything?” Agent 65 hoped.

“Nada,” Dick shook his head, “Going in.”

“No! 37, don’t you-”

Dick thrusted the dots forward, sending the drone zooming into the hole.

“It’s done,” Dick said, “And no one suspects a thing.”

“Are you always this difficult to work with?” Agent 65 asked.

“I’m told so,” Dick nodded.

Dick surveyed the caverns in the pit. Hollow strip mines spread out from the epicenter in a web-like format.

“She’s thorough, I’ll give her that,” Dick said, “This whole place is destroyed. Hell, it’s a wonder the ground is still intact.”

“I don’t care about the scenery. Can you spot Zhou? Or any glowing ray gun?” Agent 65 questioned.

“No laser gun.”

“Darn,” Agent 65 sighed.

Suddenly, Dick’s drone picked up on some heat signatures approaching from an adjacent tunnel. Dick piloted the drone up to the top of the tunnel, and tried to keep as still as possible, while also exerting as little noise as possible.

“Advice. I need a advice. I’ve got guys advancing on my position. They’ll hear the propellers,” Dick said.

“Get away from the area. Get out of the pit, preferably. Zhou’s not down there-”

“Oh crap,” Dick said, clapping a hand over his mouth, “Zhou’s one of the guys.”

“Don’t move. Place three fingers on the screen, and double tap. As many times as you can,” Agent 65 instructed. Dick followed. With every double tap, there was a small click. Pictures.

Zhou He was a Chinese woman on the taller side. She had hair pulled tightly back in a bun, and zero visible makeup on her face. Her eyes were wide, but not at all inviting. They were harsh, threatening to incinerate Dick through the drone. Her bulletproof vest was covered in dirt, as were her jeans.

She walked confidently, leading her three foot soldiers with pride. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, and closed her eyes. She held her arms out, and the drone vibrated. Her eyes shot open, and she pointed at the drone, shouting orders to her men. The men opened fire, taking it down.

All Dick saw was static.

“Uh, 65? I may have broken your drone,” Dick gulped.

“What?” Agent 65 shrieked.

“It wasn’t my fault, I swear!” Dick promised, “Zhou- she just held her hands up, and it was like she sensed the drone.”

“Alien tech,” Agent 65 said under her breath in bewilderment.

“My hunch was right,” Dick said, proud of himself.

“She must have come here believing that the watchtowers were crafted by extraterrestrials,” Agent 65 explained, “And by the looks of it, she was right. Only question is, what other gadgets did she find?”

“Hopefully just the sensors,” Dick prayed.

“Even then, that could be disastrous. She could even sense- oh no. 37, you’ve got to get Patron and get out of that airbase!” Agent 65 said urgently.

Dick’s eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. Seconds later, the whole airbase was rocked by an explosion. The hangar doors were rattled, but held strong. Dick was still safe. He moved quickly, grabbing a parachute, as well as the toolbox that Agent 65 had been using to do repairs on her jet.

“Tiger, are you there?” Dick asked, attempting to connect his earpiece to Tiger’s.

“Currrrrrrrently free-falling through the air, but I’m here,” Tiger responded.

“65, are you able to swoop by and pick up Tiger?” Dick asked, slipping the parachute backpack over his shoulders.

“Everyone down below is grabbing rocket launchers. I’m dead the moment I fly over that camp. I need you two down on the ground causing a ruckus and drawing attention before I can get anywhere close,” Agent 65 stated.

“Looks like your fate is in my hands, Tig,” Dick said, “Open the hangar doors.”

“Opening… now.”

Dick was torn out of the airbase, and spat out towards the ground.

-

NINE MONTHS AGO…

“There’s no way we’re actually going to be a mole for this guy, right?” Jorge asked, holding an ice pack against the wrapping along the back of his head. He and Dick were on a jet plane back to Spyral’s Headquarters where they’d be forced to spy on the organization.

“Hell no,” Dick shook his head, “We’re taking this guy down. If we can just find the detonator for these bombs in our head, we’ll be be fine.”

“Yeah, no biggie. Just find the killswitch before Asi catches on and paints the walls with our brains.”

“That’s the plan,” Dick nodded.

“And if the plan falls through?”

“I’ll be there to catch you,” Dick smiled, placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder. Jorge was a newer agent, still antsy about dangerous ops. He and Dick had bonded nearly immediately over their rookie status, and dislike of killing. They didn’t expect this much chaos on their first mission, which was supposed to be simple.

“37, I mean Dick?” Jorge asked softly, “What if you die first.”

“I won’t,” Dick promised, “I’ll be right by your side the whole time.”

Jorge nodded, obviously reassured. Together, the two agents came up with a plan to locate and destroy the detonator. They combined their intelligence to deduce that it was most likely locked away in the room full of safes that Asi had stashed away in the small town’s bank. Spyral had informed them of this stash before they had begun the mission.

“How about you and I rob a bank?” Dick grinned.

The duo snuck up to the cockpit, and gave each other a quick nod. Dick kicked the door, with Jorge following up with a hard shove. The door gave way, revealing a pilot hired by Asi to take them back to Spyral. He reached for his radio, but Jorge knocked him out before he could contact his leader.

“I can fly,” Jorge stated, “You just direct me on where to go.”

Jorge pulled the plane around, and started to head towards Idlib, where Asi was stationed.

“Get as much speed as you can,” Dick instructed, “We’ll need to come in from the North-East at a high enough speed so the plane passes over the inhabited parts of the city after we bail.”

“Bail?” Jorge whimpered.

“Ditch the plane. Skyfall down to the bank. We’ll have parachutes, of course. I saw some packs in the back.”

“So we reach the bank, snag the detonator, destroy it, and scurry on back to Spyral?” Jorge asked.

“No. Once we’re free of the bombs, we take down Asi once and for all,” Dick said.

Soon enough, the plane was directly over the bank. They were flying through the air at full speed.

Dick tossed Jorge a parachute, busted down a door, and leapt out. Jorge followed immediately after.

They fell through the air like small pins against the vast landscape.

“Ready… now!” Dick yelled, yanking the cord on his parachute as they neared the ground. He and Jorge were jerked upwards slightly, then fell to the roof calmly.

“I’m still alive. You’re still alive,” Jorge remarked, shocked.

Dick shrugged, smirking.

The two agents climbed down the side of the bank, and strutted inside. There was an elderly teller alone inside.

“This can go one of two ways,” Dick stated, trying to conjure up an air of dominance. The man glanced up, not understanding a word of English.

“Marhabaan,” the man smiled, his eyes sparkling.

“Guess I’ll have to use a universal language,” Dick sighed, drawing his pistol. The man shrieked.

“Threatening your elders?” Asi chided from the doorway, “I thought you were supposed to be hero.”

Dick put his hands in the air, loosening his grip on the gun. Jorge did the same. They both turned to see Asi Slimam holding a detonator in each of his hands.

“I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt,” Asi said, “Silly me. Your twisted, paradoxical morality clouded your judgement. You have doomed you and your friend to a grisly death.”

“Jorge, look at me,” Dick ordered. He had seen Barbara die this same way not long ago. He wouldn’t relive the experience.

“No reassurances from your partner will save you, Jorge,” Asi scowled.

“Do it,” Dick said. Jorge gulped, and turned to face Dick. Dick quickly aimed his pistol at Jorge’s neck, and pulled the trigger.

“Ma allaenat?” Asi exclaimed, turning away.

Dick turned his pistol on himself, and blasted through his neck as well. The bullet ripped into the explosive next to his spine, tearing it out. He let out an unholy scream as he fell to his knees. Vision blurry, jaw clenched, he steadied his pistol once more, aiming at Asi Slimam. He fired until he passed out.