“Whoa, you alright big fella?” asks Josh, immediately picking up on my tone.
“Aside from being blown up by a car bomb, I’m peachy.”
“What?”
“Yeah, Clara’s Dodge Viper was blown to shit in the hospital parking lot as I approached it. I think Pellaggio’s started his campaign to kill me. Dunno if he knows he failed or not.”
“Jesus! You alright?”
“I’ve got a helluva headache and my ribs and back have taken another pounding, but I’m fine. I was blown clear by the blast. Any closer and I’d have been evaporated.”
“This has gotta be one of the shittiest weeks ever! Listen, have you spoken to Clara yet?”
“No, haven’t seen or heard from her. I’d gone back to the hospital to check on her, but she’d discharged herself… again.”
“Right. Well, that’s why I was calling you — she just rang me.”
“She did? Is she alright? Where is she?”
“She’s fine. She was asking after you, actually. Said she felt bad leaving the hospital without telling you, but couldn’t sit there and allow Dark Rain to get away with what they did to Webster. She felt responsible and wanted to do something.”
“What did you say to her?”
“Well, she asked what the plan was and how she could help, so I told her about my involvement with GlobaTech and what their operation entails. She said she’d do some recon and give me intel from the ground, to help me co-ordinate the attack.”
“Sounds like a good plan. She needs to watch her back though. Dark Rain is gunning for her just as much as they are for me.”
“I’m sure she’ll be fine. Anything she can give me will be invaluable. So, what are you doing now?”
“I have a gift from GlobaTech, thanks to our friend, Bob. I’m going to pay Don Pellaggio a visit.”
“Is this gift, by any chance, in the shape of a black bag full of evil things?”
“It is.”
“And have you used the words ‘inner’ and ‘Satan’ in the same sentence recently?”
“I have.”
“Oh, bloody hell! I’ll be under my desk ‘til you’re finished.”
“That’s probably wise.”
I hang up and continue navigating the back streets. After a good half hour, I find myself walking down a poorly lit street just outside the center of the city. It’s clearly a rich area of the city, because the houses are well spaced and all look like mansions. I make my way along the street and about halfway down on the right is a particularly enormous house within a gated property. There are high walls all around, with a security hut to the right of the large, wrought iron gates. Beyond is a circular driveway with a massive water feature in the middle. The house itself has three floors, with a large, stone pillar either side of the front door. There’s light coming from a few windows, but other than that the place is in darkness.
Roberto Pellaggio’s estate.
I smile to myself.
Showtime, asshole.
I crouch down and hide behind some bushes out front of the property opposite. It’s dark and the lights aren’t on, so I doubt anyone will see me. I open the bag and take out the pair of black coveralls, quickly putting them on over my clothes. I then carefully unpack all the equipment and weapons, kitting myself out and preparing for war.
I look across the street. My first problem is getting into the estate. I can easily get over the walls, but I have no visibility of what’s on the other side. I don’t know if there are any guys patrolling the perimeter, if there are any attack dogs, what the positions are of any and all CCTV cameras… Basically, I’m completely blind and therefore justified in assuming any attempt to get inside at this stage would result in a swift and painful death.
Luckily for me, I have Josh.
I clip my Bluetooth earpiece in place and dial the man who’s been my eyes and ears around the world for half my life.
“You ready?” I ask as he answers.
“I am,” he replies. “And, for the record, I’d like to say again that I’m completely against this. I think it’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done — and that’s saying something. I just want that made official, so my conscience is clear in case you die.”
“Josh, given I’m relying solely on you for navigation here, if I die it’ll be your fault, so be prepared for me to come back and haunt you should that happen.”
“Fine. Are you in position?”
“Yeah, I’m across the street, hidden in some bushes. I’m invisible and ready to go.”
“Okay, let’s do this.”
Josh told me earlier that GlobaTech gave him access to their satellite feeds and thermal imaging technology, because he’s going to be working with Clark to help co-ordinate the attack on Dark Rain, which he said is going to be happening at some point tomorrow. I figured, seeing as he had that access, he might as well use it… Josh explained to me that once the satellite is in position over Pellaggio’s estate, he’ll have a real-time view of where all the guards and dogs and such things are — both inside and out, as well as where the security cameras are and which way they’re looking. He'll be able to view all the heat signatures on the grounds and direct me safely inside.
He’s already had a look at the place, which is how I knew exactly what to ask Clark for.
“Right, I’m picking you up over the road from the west wall of the estate,” he begins.”‘That’s good, because that’s where the main security desk is.”
“Why’s that a good thing?” I ask.
“Because if the main security hub is there, they’ll be no need to have any other security patrols on side of the building, which means once you’re past it and inside, you shouldn’t run into anyone else.”
“Great. So, how do I get past it?”
“The guard’s hut and main gate is about forty feet to the left of where you are now. If you look about thirty feet to your right, you’ll see a group of trees. Work your way level with them, and wait for my signal.”
“Got it.”
I negotiate my way through the bushes and undergrowth, doing my best not to tread on any flowerbeds these people have scattered around their garden. There’s a skill to making no noise while walking through things that crack and rustle. Thankfully, I learnt it a long time ago. It only takes me less than a minute to get where I need to be.
“Right, I’m here,” I say. “The trees are directly in front of me.”
“Good. There’s been no movement, which means no one’s heard you moving around over the road yet.”
“Or they have heard me and they’re pretending, while secretly planning to gun me down the moment I’m over the wall?”
“Adrian, do you really think now is the time for your particular brand of pessimism?”
“I think of it as realism, but let’s not split hairs. So, now what?”
“Once you’re over the wall, dive to your right. You should then be covered completely by trees and darkness. It’s a black spot in their CCTV coverage, but that just means there will likely be at least one sentry checking the area now and then, so we need to keep an eye out for him.”
“Got it. Just say when.”
I check my equipment for the fourth and, probably not final, time. In addition to my black overalls, I’m wearing a Kevlar vest and tactical night vision goggles on my head. I adjust the chinstrap again, ensuring it’s tight and the goggles are firmly in place. I’ve moved my Berettas so that I now have one holstered on each leg. Both have their silencers equipped. At my back, in their place, is a belt kit for a repelling hook — good for two hundred feet. More than enough for what I need it for. Fed over both shoulders are two MP5 submachine guns — both silenced and set to fire in a three round burst. I also have the knife with me that I took from the guy at the safe house where I found Webster. Figured it might come in handy. Finally, in the pockets sewn into the legs of my coveralls, I have some grenades — two frags and two smoke.