An Unfolding Threat

LIAM'S HOUSE

SAT. DEC. 7

12:02 AM

Ace is standing by a window staring at the night sky as the wind tosses the golden woven curtains around him, seemingly lost in his thoughts, his pale face slowly regaining its life.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Liam asks walking into the living room.

"No… Is he up yet?" he says facing him.

"No thanks to whatever the hell happened. I mean what kind of shit did you get yourselves into anyway?"

"Not me, him"

"But you were in the car as well, weren't you? If he is a target, that makes you one and you know that more than anyone else. If you two hadn't picked up that mutation project, none of this would be happening"

"So now it's our fault that someone wants us dead? The last time I checked, you were the one who advised we picked up a project quickly to lighten the burden on the family. Remember? And now that the problems associated with the project are popping up you want to back right out" Ace says, his face turning black.

"Don't you raise your voice at me kid. You better watch the way you talk to me" Liam says standing abruptly.

"Then don't rub salt in my injuries. Why are you even connecting this to the mutation project anyway?"

"Oh, he didn't tell you did he?"

"Tell me what?"

"You see, after your dad dropped the mutation project, they tried to get rid of him. Twice and this is the third time"

"What? why didn't didn't you tell me this before?" he lashes out

"It's not like there is anything you could do about it, besides he probably didn't even want you to know"

"And he was right to not tell me. Take care of him. I would be back"

"Where do you think you are going, and this late?"

"Nowhere you need to know about"

"Like father like son. You two are too stubborn to listen to anything"

"Whatever" Ace says putting on a hooded jacket before he leaves whiles slamming the door as he walks out.

3 YEARS AGO

VILGOR

2:00 PM

In a large open field, grasses begin to sway as a heavy gust blows down on them but they eventually give in and bent to the will of the gust as ropes uncoil from the chopper onto the ground. Two soldiers in a green Camo with a large embroidered S on their shoulder grapple down onto the field. The chopper rises then disappear in the distance. The sound of waves crashing on the shore could be head a few meters away as the soldiers move through the thick trees and shrubs ahead swiftly and quietly and lay down in the grass at the edge of a cliff overlooking a number of buildings and facilities.

One removes a pair of binoculars and sweeps the buildings below them whiles the other removes a phone and views what is being recorded by the binoculars. A group of 6 buildings appear on it with the highest in the bunch highlighted and enlarged. "Found him, fifth floor. Looks like three men are guarding him." the one with the binoculars says. The fifth floor of the 7 storey is enlarged and x-rayed and displayed on the phone. There are three people in the room guarding a prisoner as she says. The number of henchmen in the building and surroundings are displayed as well.

"What's the plan, S-1?" S-2 asks dropping the binoculars.

"We have to do this quickly and leave this place before we draw too much attention. So how about ziplining?"

"Yes! haven't done that in a while, I would back you up from here" she says removing a disassembled sniper rifle from her backpack as S-1 begins preparations to zipline and assembles the gun.

"This is an amazing spot for sniping don't you think?"

S-1 secures one end of the line to a tree and the other to a grappling hook as she says "Yeah it is. You ready?" S-1 asks picking the grapple gun and fixing the hook in with an enchanting smile.

Her lips arc up in a smile as S-2 responds "Ready when you are".

S-1 fires the hook into the upper wall of the fifth floor and puts on her ziplining straps. "Hahaha gotcha" S-2 says and takes out the two henchmen on the roof. S-1 releases herself and zooms down, the low inclination increasing her speed greatly. Reaching the window, she releases her strap and breaks through the window into the room like an owl with its wings spread out and rolling, she shoots the 3 henchmen simultaneously. The two men guarding the room rush in. Seeing the two come in, she rolls forward and shoots them both.

She unties the prisoner and removes the hood from his head and says "Hey there S-5"

"S-1? …saving my ass again huh?"

"You were the one who let yourself get caught in the first place. Did you get the information?"

"Ooh I got more than the information" S-5 says rubbing his wrist.

"Alright, let's get out of here before they come swooping in" she says and they run to the window. "S-1 to S-2 undo the cable and get the chopper. Over"

"Roger that S-1. Over" she says and quickly gets to work.

Loud footsteps could be heard drawing closer to the room S-5 and S-1 are in. S-5 bolts them in and uses a chair to block the door. "Whatever you are doing you gotta do it fast. We don't have much time" he shouts from the door. She fixes another hook to the rope after railing it in and shoots it onto a lower roof. Torrents of bullets begin to blast into the bolted door behind them as S-5 removes a grenade from S-1's belt and tosses it near the door before they both zipline down.

A gust of smoke rushes out of the window behind them, followed by debris. She presses a button as they land and the hook detaches from the building. She rails them in as the chopper arrives and hovers above them. She removes a rifle and backs up S-2 who is shooting from the chopper as S-5 climbs the lowered ladder before S-1 follows. Half way up, she loses her footing and falls. "Melanie!!" S-2 shouts with an outstretched hand in a motion of catching her.

PRESENT

MELANIE'S APARTMENT

3:00 AM

Melanie wakes up with a start as the wind whistles through the open window tossing her hair back and forth, her face a bit pale. She makes her way to the open window and sits on the leather stool by it, staring into the star filled sky but is soon startled as she notices a suspicious hooded man approaching the apartment building. Taking a closer look, she notices the suspicious looking man seemed rather familiar. "Wait, isn't that Ace?" she says out loud staring at the clock. It's five minutes past three. "Where's he coming from and at this time of the night?" she questions and grabs her gown from the hanger near her bed and makes her way to the main door.

***

Ace walks towards the refrigerator in the reception area of the apartment block.

The reception area is not too large and contains a number of seats and a small cinemalike area. It has flowers of various kinds in pots with a film of water pouring down into pool nearby.

He puts a card into the card reader and removes a canned drink, then removes the card and the receipt and leaves. He steps into the elevator a few meters to the right, keys in his destination and it begins ascent. As he steps out the elevator, he sees Melanie on the corridor bench with a worried look and approaches her. "You are up already?" he asks.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep" she replies in a low voice, her head lowered a bit. He hands her the drink and sits whiles asking "Nightmares?"

"Not exactly, I guess I just wasn't feeling sleepy. Aren't you supposed to be at uncle Liam's?"

"Yeah, but something came up. I had to leave"

She notices the bandages on his hands an lets out a wail "ACE!, what on earth happened to you? Why are you in bandages?"

"That's why I came back. I think something really crazy is going on in this city. We need to call for an emergency meeting this morning. I would tell you about it there"

Since knowing him, she has never seen him in such a state before. A completely defeated by fear state as though he had been suppressed by a great mountain.

"You really are freaking me out" she says unable to hide her fear.

He turns to her as the faint smile on his face disappears and his face hardens all of a sudden "Well... you should be. The kind creepy things that happened tonight, has me wondering if I'm even safe out here" he announces hiding his shaky hand behind him.

Pausing and taking a deep breath, he continues "If..... anyone in this city is safe. Something dangerous, something life threatening..... is unfolding here and if we don't take time, we may not be able to contain it, even with the military assisting us. Get the messages to the others. We meet at six. I'm going to take a shower."

Forcing a smile, he asks "You got anything to eat? I'm hungry"

"Yeah, I got some noodles. Go take your shower. I will prepare it for you"

"Thanks" he says with a shaky voice and heads to his room. She stands there frozen, staring blankly at his door.