Missions; Prologue

The moon had sunk below the treetops, and no light but the stars and the roving searchlights from the jungle compound on the other side of the cement barricade could be seen. It was silent too, only the rustling of leaves in the breeze disturbing the humid night air.1

It begins soon.2

And it did. On the opposite side of the facility, the barricade of cement and steel exploded with the charges that he had methodically placed over the last two weeks. A second later a shrill alarm sounded and he could hear the sound of boots on pavement and the tense shouts of voices.3

Joshua checked his gear. Knife, 9mm pistol, fiber wire, flash bangs, syringes, and the package. Assured that everything was in order, he pulled on the night vision goggles and grappled his way over the wall.4

He crouched low on the top of the wall and swept the immediate area below for obstructions, and then slid silently down onto the bare concrete.5

A guard.6

There was a guard leaning in the shadows, the soft glow of a cigarette lit his dark face. Instantly, Joshua dodged behind a stack of I-beams and stood silently.7

They had told him no one was to be killed, but they had said nothing about there being guards.8

Quick decision.9

Joshua withdrew a syringe, this one filled with a strong mixture of sedatives. Crouched low, he slid around the I-beams, slipped the cap from the needle, and jabbed it into the guards neck. By the time the man realized what had happened it was too late. 10

The body went slack in Joshua’s arms, and he set the guard down gently and swiftly strapped the guard’s hands to the steel beams and removed his mp5, sidearm, and knife.11

Slipping the needle back into his thigh pocket, Joshua bounded across the walkway to the shadows of a doorway in a low cement building. He couldn’t be sure if there were more guards, and that would at least double the time of the operation. Darn them for not giving him accurate intelligence.12

Time to move.13

He jumped, grabbed the overhanging ledge, and quickly pulled himself onto the roof of the building. 14

Do it quick. In and out, and it’s done. That’s all.15

Joshua sprinted across the roof, his soft-soled shoes padding lightly on the concrete. Then in the air, easily clearing the ten foot gap between the first building and the next.16

Now for the fun part.17

Two more buildings later, undetected, Joshua crouched next to a skylight, breathing lightly. Luckily there hadn’t been any more guards along the way.18

It wasn’t that he couldn’t take care of any guards, as a matter of fact, he would almost rather have been allowed to simply walk in and eliminate anyone who got in the wait. Training for over half of his 33 year life wasn’t for nothing. There were only to people in the world that could even stand a chance as besting him in hand to hand combat, and none in marksmanship. Those two had trained with him for over 18 years. No, it would have been effortless to walk in, guns blazing, and complete the operation in ten minutes. 19

But they said no one could die, and their word was law. 20

So then, everyone lives.21

For now.22