Ch 440 - To Hell and Back

The whole camp was seized by nervous trepidation, but Alex remained still. He refused to be distracted by negative thoughts, and he wanted to analyze the situation with a level head.

While it was obvious that a fight had broken out inside the factory, it was unclear what it meant. Alex was nowhere near as optimistic as Gavin had been, but he couldn't deny that Ash was highly skilled. He had sensed as much from their brief encounter. 

Ash had the real skill to back up his arrogance, but so did his adversaries inside the factory.  They wouldn't be so easily beaten. And if Ash failed, whether he survived or not, it would be even more difficult to rescue Heidi.

Gavin glanced at him and seemed amused by the pensive expression on his face. "You look worried, Mr Ambrose," he exclaimed mockingly. "Is it possible that you don't Mr Thornton's reputation?

"He was a famous fighter by the time he was twelve," he continued. "He became a great master by thirty. By the time he was forty, he broke the record for the most victories in martial arts competitions in the entire country. A record he still holds. Can you boast anything similar?"

"Oh, most wins in the country?" Alex replied mockingly. He wasn't one to denigrate achievements in martial arts, but competitions were very different from real battles. If winning championships was the best that Ash could boast of, then he was much less fit for the present task than Alex had realized.

Gavin hadn't noticed that Alex was mocking him. He simply stood there with a satisfied grin on his face. He seemed completely at ease with what was happening. As he stood there watching the director smirking at him, Alex suddenly realized that the gunfire had died down.

"Director Abbott, your man has been in there for a while now," Alex told him. "What happens if he doesn't come out?"

Gavin scoffed. "Don't you worry yourself," he said. "Mr. Thornton will do what he said he would do. He'll wrap things up nicely for us."

He had barely finished his sentence when a loud bang rang out. Everyone turned toward the factory, and in the distance, they could see the black shape of a man stumbling out of the factory and come hobbling toward them. Behind him, every remaining opening in the factory's façade was closing one by one. The mercenaries were preparing for another onslaught.

"That's Mr. Thornton!" Gavin cried out, pointing at the approaching figure. Everyone sharpened their eyes to see, and those who had binoculars raised them. It was true. The hobbling shape was Ash.

He was a mess. He ran toward them slowly and unsteadily, badly dragging one of his legs behind him in a mad dash to get to safety. As he passed through a hole in the chain-link fence, he left a trail of blood behind him. Some of the mercenaries had run after him out through the doorway, but they had retreated inside the building for fear of being caught in the open.

When he came within fifty yards of the command post, another agent ran out to meet him and carried him on his back for the rest of the way. Gavin was stunned. His mind raced with questions. How could this happen? What about the hostages? How many were there? How many were dead?

He stood frozen in complete shock, and his legs began to shake. For the first time, it struck him that the mercenaries might be a match for him and his team. If they could so easily repel what he thought was his greatest asset, then there might be no limit to what they could withstand. 

His future flashed before his eyes. He bore responsibility, and the outcome of the operation would be placed at his feet. He would be looked on as a failure and an imbecile. He would be fired in disgrace. All because he had been stupid enough not to accept the help that Celia had offered him.

What do I do now? he asked himself as Ash was brought over. He was laid carefully on the ground, and Gavin's face turned pale when he saw the state he was in.

There was colour on his face, and his eyes were droopy and weak. He had been shot in the arm one leg, and he was bleeding profusely. It didn't look to be fatal, but there was no chance of him returning to fighting shortly turn. He would probably never be restored.

Celia and Ethan looked at each other, and they will be shocked. As much as they disliked Ash for his arrogant behaviour, they were saddened and unnerved to see what had happened to him.

"What happened?" Gavin asked in a strained voice. His previous reverence for Ash had disappeared and been replaced by a hectoring sternness.

"They're too prepared," Ash said through his heavy breathing. "They've fortified themselves. With enough firepower to take on an army. It's much worse than we thought."

Celia took Alex by the arm. "Mr. Ambrose, we must prepare," she said. "The clock's ticking. It's up to you now."

Alex didn't answer. He gave her no indication that he had even heard her.

"Well, I can't help him now," Ash said scornfully. "What could he possibly do? I went in, but I could get back out. He will only get himself killed."

"What do I do?" Gavin muttered to himself. He was still preoccupied with his future. Everyone stared at him and awaited further orders, but their faith in him was dwindling. The seconds passed very slowly, and Gavin could not think of what to say or do. An atmosphere of hopelessness set it.

Celia looked at her watch. It was now only ten minutes until the deadline they had been given.

Ash squirmed as he tried to sit up. "It can't be done," he said. "I failed because it was impossible. They're too well-prepared. No one can root them out, and no one could get a hostage out of there. Not even me."

The pain made him gasp for air before he continued. "I advise you to stop the operation," he said, looking scornfully at Alex. "It's ridiculous to expect anything from the security guard."

Just then, Celia's phone rang. She answered, and then signalled to Gavin to come with her and take the call somewhere more private. When they came back, they both had stoic looks on their faces.

"Mr. Ambrose," Celia said and turned to Alex. "The situation has changed. Mr. Thornton startled the mercenaries, and they've made contact with Heidi's father. Unless this situation is resolved immediately, we have reason to believe that he'll make some sort of deal with them that allows them to get away. Our superiors can't accept that."

Alex gave her a troubled look. He knew what she was implying. Unless he could find a way to end the stand-off, the agents would storm the building, and there was no telling what would happen then.

Gavin was staring into the ground, absorbing the news and weighing his options. He looked over at Ash, who lay bleeding on the ground, and then over at Alex. As their eyes met, only exploded in anger.

"They're giving us no choice!" he yelled. "We can't let them escape. We tried playing nice. Now we try a different way. We'll blow them all to hell!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Celia cried out fiercely. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She knew that Gavin was reckless, but she didn't want to believe that he was willing to blow up a building with hostages inside it. And yet, the situation was dire. If the hostages were to survive, they needed a new plan. And they needed it soon.