“Found it,” Stelig shouted through his comms.

“Ping us the locale!” Naedon said.

A red dot resonated into my cybernetic eye, then drew a line that zipped through the Port. It led us to an abandoned warehouse, with rusted doors and two trailers stapled to the side of the building.

As I entered the rusted doors I was met with a flickering light to my left, whilst the remainder of the warehouse was dimly lit. I laid eyes on the warehouse a noticed equipment scattered across the ground as if someone was trying to destroy evidence.

The glistening sparkles of a tattered piece of Active Camouflage lay on the ground, with shell casings and soldering equipment with prastin alloy sitting on a workbench to the right. Prastin Alloy? How in the Imbibe did these rioters get such expensive ore?

I walked over to the table, feeling the coarseness of the prastin alloy. I rubbed it between my finger and nodded. Metal sandpaper, that’s what people said when describing how the alloy felt within their hands. This was my first time touching it and I had to agree…but how did they acquire this? This is expensive as shit…

Prastin Alloy was used to Armor vehicles such as the Thundrum. Steel was mostly used for such feats, but it was too heavy. The Thundrum wouldn’t be able to pull off half its manoeuvres if it were steel…but that also explains why the vehicle was able to get away from us.

My eyes drifted upstairs noting the sleeping bags haunched over the small brown barrel. “Nothing’s up there.” Stelig said, “already checked.”

It was clear, this was a staging area for the kidnapping, but how long have they been planning this. Furthermore, how did they find out about the auction?

“Over here,” Tryzer said, calling us over to the white van, sitting at the back of the warehouse, behind three sheets of plywood. “Look…multiple tracks.”

I stimulated my SMB, feeling as it clutched onto my brain. I bit my lip feeling as the pain from it was more overbearing than usual. Damn it…I’m low on slethe. I groaned bitterly.

“Hold it!” Stelyne snapped, walking through the rusted door, followed by The Commissioner. I pursed my lips in annoyance and stalked my way to the ladder, leading to the second floor.

“Thanks to the stills from the footage from Cypher’s cybernetic eye, I believe we’ve figured out who the mastermind behind the kidnapping is,” Stelyne said.

“Who is it?” Naedon asked.

“Rikor Haek” Stelyne answered.

“Who?” Naedon asked annoyance flashed across his face.

“It doesn’t matter who he is, but his skill set,” Stelyne added. “Rikor Haek’s former soldier like the rest of all, N7 Classification,” Levisay said, turning to me.

My head was down as I propped up on the ladder, ignoring The Commissioner’s gaze as she listened in, just like me.

“That’s not even the good part.” Stelyne said, “He works for Valeon Epin.”

“Who?” Commissioner Hexan asked.

“Valeon Epin, CEO of Gartheon Defence Services.”

“…ahh, that piece of shit.” Tryzer spat.

“Not the point Tryzer” Stelyne intervened. “…but Rikor is Valeon’s man, or he was up till a few months ago.”

“What do you mean, a few months ago?” Naedon asked.

“Riots hit the Welkey’s Industrial District a few months back,” I said, laughing dryly.

“That’s correct EXiCON Cypher,” Hexan said.

“You fired me, remember?” I said firmly, shaking my head and quelling the urge to unclip my assault rifle.

“Rikor Haek wasn’t part of the riots. I verified his location with Valeon himself, he was dispatched for some rebellion within The Cherokee Union.” Colonel Levisay said.

“The Cherokee Union? That barren wasteland?” Stelig chuckled. “Who in the Imbibe would wanna go there.”

“Someone who loves the fight,” Naedon said.

“Can we get back to finding the girl?” I said.

“There’s no need for that Cypher. We know where she went.” Stelyne said.

She tapped her datapad, then placed it on the ground, face up. She typed something into her watch and a holographic projection pulsed into existence in the form of white light.

The light fizzled, then solidified into what seemed to be a corridor of trailers. It was a camera shot from the looks of it. On the far left side of the camera angle, a trailer split right down the middle, then shot open. Two men ran outside with the gurney, looking left and right then stopped.

One of them opened up a Trailer, spent a few seconds inside, then the ramp at the back snapped open. The man who was left with the hover-gurney with the girl pushed it inside then slammed the door shut.

The video didn’t have any audio, but from the wind the dust and muck flaring from beneath it, it was pretty obvious.

An Eight-Door Truck began hovering back into the view of the camera, out of the trailer and stood in place for three seconds. Stelyne switched to another camera angle, we watched as the Eight-Door truck slowly ascend into the sky, light surging from the afterburners as it sped away off into the distance.

“What’s the point of this?” Rynord spat, “this doesn’t show SHIT, she could’ve been taken anywhere within the Federation!”

“That’s not the point Rynord. I’m showing you the vehicle they used, don’t you find it funny they’d have something like the Thundrum? Do you know how much that rig cost?”

“A few hundred thousand. Probably.” Rynord said shrugging.

“Five Million Creds…” Stelyne corrected. Tryzer whistled and nodded, approving the price point. “Gotta admit, The Colonel knows how to keep a man alive.”

“You think I’d let you run out into battle without the best equipment Tryzer?” Colonel Levisay said, pulsing into existence from Stelyne’s datapad.

“Of course not sir. I’m just surprised is all.”

“Pleasantly. I hope.”

“Always sir.”

“Alright.”

The colonel stepped to his left, which shifted the gaze of the hologram. He clasped his hands behind his back and held his chin up. “I know you’re tired, but we’ve all know what we must do. We’ve been tasked Colvolt Weitson to retrieve his daughter, Elhisia.”

“We expected that much sir.” Naedon said, “but how? Does the girl have a tracker in her? If not, we’re wasting time.”

“She does…”

Colonel Levisay turned to his right, nodded to someone offscreen. “Stelyne.” He said, turning back to us. “Give them the data packet with Ms Weitson’s transponder.”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright Cobra Squad, Listen up. Mr Covolt Weitson received a message from the kidnappers. They’re aware of the transponder. However, if he wants his daughter back, he must come to pick her up as well.”

“We don’t need any dead weight, Sir,” Naedon said, clearly flustered.

“Yeah…that don’t sound right Colonel, sounds like they want the man for some’em,” Stelig added, clearly not impressed.

“Any foil play, Elhisia’s dead.” The Colonel’s added.

“…and if she’s dead, they won’t get whatever they’re asking for!” Naedon snapped.

“Captain…” Colonel Levisay said firmly. The frustration that swelled within Naedon’s face dissipated instantly, showing who had the power here. “Escort Mr. Elhisia and Ms. J’ron.”

“Why the fuck do we need more people with us?” Naedon hissed.

“There aren’t just more people,” The Tycoon said, walking into existence on Stelyne’s datapad. “One’s my Bodyguard and the other’s my negotiator.”

“This ain’t no Labour negotiation! ” Tryzer said, “what is she gonna do, talk me to death?”

“I assure you, I can do much more than just talk.” The lady said, clearly unimpressed by Tryzer vulgarity. “What makes you think you can get the job done?”

“We have these,” Tryzer answered, pointing to his sidearm, slung to his waist.

“Tryzer!” Stelyne snapped.

“This is a waste of time Stelyne, just let u—“

Naedon raised his hand and Tryzer silenced himself. “Mr Weitson, I understand that you’re worried about your daughter, but you coming along with us won’t help increase the success in bringing her back, Hell, you’re making it harder.”

“I won’t get in your way Captain. Trust me, that’s why I’m bringing Ms J’ron along.”

“Look around Mr Weitson.” Naedon said, “does this look like a boardroom discussion. Their bodies are all around us. This Rikor Haek, is prepared, you think he won’t be ready for us in The Waste as well?”

“Mr Naedon…I assure you, if your daughter was kidnapped, in front of you, you would do the same as me, armed forces or not.”

He’s right I mused to myself. If anything like this were to happen to Hannah or Shin-Lee, I would burn this city to the ground just to get them back.

The Tycoon’s eyes gleamed as the light above him flickered. I couldn’t see his face clearly from where I stood, but his eyes were as clear as the moon.

If there was one thing I knew, it was when a man loved his kin and Colvolt Weitson was one of them, despite being one of the biggest pieces of shit within Bridge City.

“…fine.” Naedon finally said. “CAPTAIN.” The Cobra squad complained but was silent when he raised his hand once more.

“…now that, that’s been settled,” I said pushing myself off the ladder, “will I be needed for the hunt? Or shall I bow out?”

“You gonna leave us with a businessman Cypher?” Rynord joked,

“…well this is not exactly what I signed up for?”

“What the Imbibe are you talking about Cypher! Hazard Pay is tripled for a job such as this.” Naedon said.

Triple I mused for a second. My lips curled into a smile and I pushed myself up, “is the triple pay true, Stelyne?”

“Not usually, but for an emergency such as this…yes, triple pay will be taken into consideration.

“Naedon! I guess you may have to suffer my intrusion a little longer!”

“Your jokes are lame, but your aims don’t suck, so it’s fine by me, squad, any problems with Cypher joining?

I looked around, watching as everyone nodded, even the god damn Commissioner. I huffed a sigh and mentally prepared because I know what I was about to do, was gonna get my ass handed to me. “I’m in your care gentlemen.” I said, “…but before we go, I have to make a quick call.”