Even though it was already 10:30pm at Downtown L.A, Express Enterprises was still very much active. The day time employees were already gone. They had no idea what happened over the night. The guards were on alert,well most of them. Some told stories while drinking, to entertain themselves.
Inside the company's building, the surveillance operator had the task of watching twenty screens and he was, no doubt doing a good job. The screens suddenly went static, producing an annoying screeching sound.
"Fuck. " He pulled out a cable and plugged it back in and the screens were back to normal.
"That's better." He said, as he relaxed into his seat.
Outside the barbed wire fence of the company was Andrew Barnes, seated on his black motorcycle, unwrapping a cheeseburger. He took two huge bites from it and then a feminine voice chimed in through his earbud.
"Bud check. Bud check. Andrew, can you hear me?"
"Mhm." He swallowed and coughed. "Yeah, I can."
"How about you Fred?"
"Yup." Another voice answered. "I'm in place."
Andrew got down from his bike and placed the half eaten cheeseburger on the seat. "You'd better be in place. Definitely don't want to be in a situation where I need you to shoot and you don't shoot, cause you are not in place."
"Have I ever disappointed you, Andrew?"
Andrew let out a fake laugh. "Yeah. A lot of times."
"Why don't you take a look at the rooftop? I'm there, waving."
Andrew directed his eyes to the building opposite Express Enterprises, and he saw nothing. "It's night. How do you expect me to see your sorry black ass?"
"My black ass is not sorry."
"Guys!" Hazel yelled and they both took out their earbuds, rubbing their ears and then placing it back. There was really no need for her to shout.
"Andrew, are you ready?"
He took a look at himself. "Well,vest? Check. Guns?" A pistol in its holster was attached to each leg. "Check. And mask. " He put on his leather motorcycle mask and cracked his neck. "Check."
"Alright. I already hacked into the cameras so you won't have to worry about that now. Turning lights off in three, two, one-"
The building's lights all went off except the security lights. The guards focused on the new situation and murmurings rose up.
"Security lights are still on, Hazel. "
"They are manual. I can't switch them off from here. "
"Alright. That's fine." He wore his thermal goggles, moved into the compound and safely entered the building as the guards were distracted. Loud talks of 'Check the servers', 'Focus everyone' and 'Stay on your toes' were heard all around.
Andrew maneuvered his way in the building as quickly and as quietly as he could. "Where am I headed, Hazel?"
"Fourth floor." Hazel was in a black SUV, perched at the backseat and observing her laptop screen. From the cameras she hacked into, she could see Andrew and the other twenty screens surveillance man could see. However, he couldn't see Andrew. His screens were empty, except from the few offices that people still remained in. It was like nothing had changed. On his screens, he could see that the lights were not turned off, yet he didn't have light in the control room. He picked up his radio and sent a warning. "Cameras have been hacked. Watch out for any suspicious activity going on. " He placed down his radio and proceeded to retrieve control of the cameras.
Andrew was already on the second floor, moving to find the next stairway. "Can't I use the elevator?"
"If you do that, the guy at the control room is going to know. "
"He could think it's one of the guards."
"Stick to the stairs, Andrew. "
He sighed and replied sarcastically, "Yes, mom."
He kept moving, and then stopped by the sidewall when a light shone out of the hallway. "Hazel?"
"A guard coming down the hallway. About fifteen seconds away from you."
"Great." He pulled out his push dagger. "Blood so early. "
"Oh my god, you are going to kill again. " She said and covered her eyes.
"Of course I am. You've been with us for five years. You should be used to this already. "
"Pump gun boy's head." Fred said.
"Fred!" Hazel exclaimed.
"Hazel how close now?"
The guard had picked up his pace when he heard muffled sounds. "Three, two- one."
Andrew popped out and stuck his dagger into the guard's neck, covering his mouth to keep him from shouting. The body dropped and he wiped off the blood from the dagger on it.
"Is he dead?" Fred asked. I didn't hear no gunshots."
"I can't shoot yet. It could let them know where I am. "
"Fuck that. You just have to shoot anyone who comes your way. "
"Hurry up, Andrew." Hazel said, totally not interested in their shooting conversation. "No time to waste. "
Andrew smirked. "Did you like the little blood show?"
"Fuck off. "
He laughed and moved on. He was able to avoid other guards till he got to the fourth floor. "Hazel?"
"On your left. Down the passage. The office has Mr. Matthews above it."
"Did you say the passage?" He asked as he approached the office.
"Yeah? What about it?"
"You used the hallway before."
"And?"
"This isn't a synonym and antonym mission where you get to exchange words as you feel like."
Hazel sighed and shook her head gently. "Look, can we just get the thing and get out of here?"
"Yeah, hurry Andrew. Cause I already have eyes on the man. Permission to shoot?"
Fred really sounded stupid to him at this point. "Uh? Permission not granted. How do I get in if he's dead?"
He knocked at the door, waiting for a reply.
"Who is it?" Mr. Matthews asked from inside, while typing on his laptop.
"It's me!" Andrew replied in an unusually excited tone.
Fred gave a light chuckle. "The fuck?"
Hazel tapped her forehead repeatedly, feeling the growing frustration inside her. "What do you mean it's you?"
Mr. Matthews was quiet for some time. "You who?"
"Ohh fuck. Matthews just pushed a red button Andrew."
"So?"
"It alerts the control room that he might be in danger."
"I'm Andrew–Coleman."
Hazel gasped. "Don't fucking use my last name!"
"Andrew Coleman– Davis."
"Yoo!" Fred said, his face depicting his shock. "What are you doing?"
"I'm not going down alone!" Andrew answered in a light, harsh tone.
"How can I help you Andrew Davis?"
Fred refuted, "His name is Barnes! Andrew Barnes!"
"Um, I have a, um, package for you. And I'd like to drop it off quickly. I'm not cool with being in the dark for too long."
"Andrew", Hazel called out. "Guards are possibly coming your way. Second floor."
"I'm not expecting any package, Andrew."
"Well, I'm a new employee. This is one of my tasks. It's out here by your door sir. Pick it up when you are ready. " He turned around and began walking away. "Hazel?"
"He just got up. About to open his door, and he has a gun in his hand."
Mr. Matthews picked up his key card and was ready to slot it into the card reader.
"Count for me." He said and slowly reached for the pistol on his right leg.
"Three, two–" Calling one took an extra two seconds because Mr. Matthews was being careful.
"One!"
The door came open;Andrew whipped round and shot before Mr. Matthews could. A perfect headshot dropped the body and Andrew ran into the room, pulled the body in, and locked the door.
"That was close." He pulled out a drive from his pocket and fixed it into the laptop. "What I'm looking for, Hazel?"
"Search his files. Under 'document', there is a folder called 'finance'."
Andrew pursed his lips as he scanned through the documents. "Seen it. Password?"
"Matthews De La Reyes Carlos."
Andrew paused. "Which is in capitals?"
"First letters. Then space them."
He pushed the enter button. "Yeah. I'm in."
"Transfer them."
He moved the files he was seeing. "Transfer on. Two percent."
Hazel looked at the other screen. "Shit."
Andrew remained focused on the transfer. "You said shit Hazel. What's going on."
"Oh. You are about to find out. "
Heavy bangs were made on the door. "Mr. Matthews, are you okay?"
"Ahh, shit. How many of them are here?"
"Five."
"Open it Barnes. I'll handle them." Fred said.
"Your time isn't now, Ferdinand. "
"Hey! Don't call me that. "
"Then don't call me Barnes!"
"Andrew, I think you have bigger problems than arguing with Fred."
"Mr. Matthews?" The call came again. We are coming in by force. The guards started firing at the door and the glass on it scattered.
"Shit!" Andrew went to a corner to take cover.
"Transfer percentage?" Hazel asked.
"Uh, I have bigger problems than worrying about the transfer percentage."
"It's an access door. They can't open it without a card. Or a grenade."
"Very well." Andrew got up and took out two hand grenades. "Fred get ready."
"For sure."
He tossed out the grenades through the door's aperture.
A loud 'fuck' came from the guards outside as it blew up and the explosion pushed out the door.
"Now Fred."
A bullet came through the window of the office and landed straight in the head of one of the guards. Another flew past Andrew to another guard.
"Hey! Be careful!" He opened fire from his pistol and soon all five of them were down. He pulled the trigger to add another bullet to one of the lifeless guards, but he was all out.
"Uh?" He checked his other gun. It was also empty. "I'm out of ammo. Fred!" He yelled.
"What?"
"Why are my guns empty?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Because you fucking used them last night. You didn't reload them?"
"Andrew, just grab the drive and get out of there. Reinforcements are coming."
He took the drive from the laptop once it hit hundred and ran out of the room. "Great. No guns, no grenades, just a dagger to face hundreds of guards."
"Yeah. Sucks to be you. Might end up meeting your creator today." Fred said and laughed.
"I'm going to kill you when I get back."
"Try your luck. "
"No one is killing anyone when anyone gets back." Hazel interjected and pulled her hair. "Please hurry up."
The lights came on. Andrew took off his goggles. "That took some time."
"Cause I had control of the system!"
"Had?"
"They have taken control back Andrew. I can't see you."
That was real bad news. "Fuck."
"Go to the ground floor. Take the back door." Fred advised. "It's safe."
He ran and stopped a lot of times, to allow guards pass without seeing him. On the ground floor, two guards noticed him and started shooting. He kept on running, cursing his luck. He eventually escaped from them, not without a bullet fired into his arm.
"Fuck." He held his arm in pain and kicked open the back door, coming face to face with a guard.
"Hands in the air," he said fiercely. " Don't move!". The guard had his gun pointed at Andrew.
"Oh, shit." He slowly put his hands up and a shot was heard. The effect? The dead body of the guard lay in front of him.
"You are welcome. "
Andrew let out a deep breath. "Fuck you." He tapped his watch screen. It was a smart watch linked to his auto-bike. The bike came on and made its way to Andrew.
When he got to the SUV, he gave Fred a killing look which he found amusing.
"What? I saved your life."
"After trying to take it." He got into the passenger seat as Fred took the wheel.
"Good job. Andrew." Hazel said from the back and rubbed his shoulder. "Now you just need to deliver the drive to-"
She stopped when she noticed him staring at her. "What?"
"I'm done for the night." He declared and faced forward. "Fred can handle it. He's been having fun on the rooftop all this while. I am done."
"I'll take care of it, Hazel." He started the car and drove off. "I'm not a lazy guy, like Andrew."
Andrew looked at him. "Oh, I'm lazy, huh? I'm lazy!" He moved to strangle Fred and Hazel pushed him back.
"Andrew!"
"Hey!" Fred yelled. "Hey! Hey!I'm driving. You want to get us killed?"
"I need a new partner." He was breathing heavily and could still feel the pain from his wound which had only been bandaged. "A new partner and a bottle of tequila."
"I'll get you the bottle of tequila, if you promise to keep me."
"Fuck you."
Fred laughed. This was the normal mission experience for them, with Hazel the tech genius and Fred and Andrew, the gunmen, fighters and throat slitters.
Hazel shutdown her laptop. "Another ten million, coming up. "