>Leo looked at Emily to see why Docker would be here in >this situation. As he examined her from top to bottom, he >finally saw the seemingly innocent ankle bracelet that >Emily was wearing. It wouldn't have been noticed by too >many people since it looked like a normal ankle bracelet, >except that this one had a red light emanating from it. >And that spelled trouble for Emily.
>Leo turned back towards the fliers on the wall and Zenya >followed suit.
>"What is it?" Zenya repeated.
>"Remember that face, Zenya." Leo answered. "That's >Docker. He's got a miniature explosive locked around >Emily's ankle, and it's armed!"
Zenya's blood ran cold. For a brief moment, the world around her lost focus and she pressed a hand against the cold marble wall to keep to her feet. She took a deep breath and let it out accompanied by a long string of curses.
"What was that?" Leo asked.
"I'd translate, but I'd rather no one know that I use that kind of language," Zenya said. Feeling somewhat calmer now, she moved a few steps closer to the group and pretended to examine a flyer announcing some meeting of some club. She glanced over at the group and particularly at Emily's ankle. "You recognize the device? What are we dealing with?"
"Let's just say it could do a lot of damage. The detonator probably has about a hundred foot range."
"Are we assuming that Docker's the one holding it?"
"That would be a pretty safe assumption."
"Safe enough to bet Emily's life on it?" Zenya turned so she could see Leo across the hall and watched as he weighed his answer carefully.
"Yes. We need to get her out of range."
"Tell me about him." Leo frowned in her direction. "His personality," she prompted. "What is he like?"
"Cold," Leo said. "Brutal, efficient."
Seeing Leo shrug, Zenya turned back to the flyers. "Arrogant?" she asked. "Does he take pride in what he does?" She shivered as she asked the question and didn't really want to hear the answer, but she asked it with such cold determination that it gave Leo pause.
"I suppose so," Leo said. His voice through the headset sounded mildly uncertain, not of his answer, but because he didn't like the direction Zenya's questions were taking.
"Enough that he would take any mistakes he made personally?"
"There's got to be another way."
"Do you have a better plan?" Zenya asked. "If you do, I'd love to hear it. I'm the best distraction we've got."
"This isn't a plan! It's� Zenya!"
Zenya turned in time to see Jordan holding out the briefcase. Docker was reaching for it while his other hand was casually reaching for his coat pocket.
Instinct kicked in. Somehow, her gun was in her hand and aimed at Docker's heart as she stepped around the column. "Docker!" He froze, but only for a second, when he saw her. "Hands up! Now!"
"Zenya, what the hell�" However Jordan finished the his statement, it was drowned out when all hell broke loose around them as the students began to notice what was going on. Zenya kept her eyes locked on Docker's. His cold stare was like venom and she could almost feel her resolve weakening under its intensity. Docker did not raise his hands, but neither did he continue his reach for the detonator. Jordan took a small step toward Zenya.
"Anyone moves and I shoot him," Zenya said, and then realized that she meant it. Jordan stopped, the briefcase still in his outstretched hand. "Martin, get her out of here. Go!"
Martin stared at her dumbfounded for a fraction of a second before grabbing Emily's hand and pulling her toward the exit.
"You're not going to kill me in front of all these witnesses," Docker said coolly.
"Why not? As long as you're dead, what does it matter, you filthy bastard?" Zenya started to take a step toward him, but then thought better of it. Where she was, she could dive for cover should it become necessary. No doubt Docker had a few of his own people here, but it was a little late to worry about that, she thought. "I'll show you the same mercy you showed them!"
"Get down!" Leo's voice boomed through the headset and echoed through the hall.
Zenya didn't think about reacting. She just did it, diving behind the column just as a chunk of marble exploded free from the column in the vicinity of where her head had been a moment before. In the same instant, Docker reached for his pocket, but Jordan reacted just as quickly, knocking him to the ground, sending both the briefcase and the detonator flying across the floor. Carol dove for the briefcase and then moved to go after the detonator, but Leo got to it first.
In the same two seconds it took for all of that to happen, a group of students appeared from one of the side corridors, too engrossed in their conversation to notice what was going on until they were practically in the middle of the melee. "Fine, you win," one of them was saying. "We'll go to a movie, but which one�" His question was cut short when one of the group let out a startled gasp and all of them finally noticed what was happening.
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NRPG:
I'll leave it here and let someone else take over - mainly because it's
getting really late and I have to get up really early in the morning! ;)
(
BTW, just an opinion (and in case anyone had other ideas) ;), but I think
Docker should survive this little confrontation. After all, there's no
challenge (read: fun) in a dead enemy.
-----
Sydnie Kathryn MacElroy .-"-.
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