Alpha Threat (60 page)

“Chain the man to the wall over here,” demanded Maas.
 
The guards walked over and picked up Randall, dragging him over to the wall opposite Dana.
 
“I want him to have a front row seat while I torture this bitch.”
 
With that Maas walked out of the room.
 

Monday, July 18, 2011

Deep within Fortress Alpha;
 
8:00 a.m.

It was quiet.
 
Hugo stuck his head out of the door of the closet to look down the hallway.
 
A single shot rang out and the bullet smacked into the door frame barely missing his head.
 
Sparks flew as the bullet crashed into the metal frame with a loud clink.
 
He pulled his head back and turned to Dane.
 
“It’s hot out here,” he said, bursting through the door and into the recess across the hall.
 
The door barely moved.
 
Even his weight could not force it open.
 
He leveled his weapon as one of the Germans peered around the corner.
 
Hugo fired his silenced weapon and the burst smashed into the German’s face, knocking him back against the far wall now spattered with blood and brain matter.
 

Hugo reached behind and tried the door handle.
 
It was locked.
 
He checked the corner again, stepped out from the doorway and fired at the locking mechanism.
 
It opened as another German rounded the corner.
 
He stepped back into the open door a step and fired another burst, taking down the two Germans who decided to throw caution to the wind and rush Hugo.
 

They got exactly two steps each before Hugo’s burst cut them down.
 
Three down, Hugo noted in his mind.
 
He wondered how many to go.
 
He glanced over his shoulder.
 
There was the stairway they were trying to locate.
 
Still covering the corner, Hugo motioned for Dane to come over.
 
Dane peeked out of the opening and leveling his weapon at the corner scooted across the hall and past Hugo into the stairwell.
  

“Go on,” cried Hugo.
 
“I’ll hold ‘em off here.”

Dane nodded his understanding and galloped down the metal stairs.
 
He immediately realized he was making too much noise and slowed a bit.
 
He came to the first landing.
 
He took a quick look down to the next landing.
 
Immediately the stairway was alive with gunfire.
 
The sharp clink of lead hitting the steel stairs and the powdery dust from the bullets smashing into the concrete walls threw a blanket of haze and confusion over the area.
 
If it was not for Dane’s safety glasses he was wearing, the tiny bits of concrete would have caused temporary blindness, something you cannot afford in a close firefight.
 

At the same time he heard gunfire back up the stairs.
 
Evidently Hugo was wreaking havoc on his own.
 
Dane reached into a large pocket on his vest and produced an M67 fragmentation grenade.
 
With bullets still peppering the concrete walls around him, he pulled the pin and released the spoon.
 
After waiting about a second or two, Dane tossed the grenade over the railing and down the space between the two opposing stairways.
 
He turned his head, crouched and readied himself for the explosion.
 
Within seconds there was a deafening explosion magnified immensely by the closed confines of the stairwell.
 
The concussion stunned Dane momentarily.
 

After a second or two to clear his head, Dane jumped up, raised his weapon, charged down the stairs to the next landing.
 
Smoke was all around.
 
He pushed himself against the far corner of the stairwell and pointed his weapon down to the bottom floor.
 
As the smoke began to clear he could see several bodies lying about him.
 
No one was moving so he carefully stepped down the stairs until he was amidst the bodies.
 
There was no one left alive.
 
Five men and their weapons were sprawled out at the base of the stairs.
 
They didn’t expect to encounter a hand grenade.
 
Dane looked back up the stairs.
 
He still heard shots being fired from above.
 
For a second his thoughts turned to Hugo.
 
Then he quickly realized Hugo was well equipped to take care of himself.
 

Dane stepped over to the door.
 
He could hear someone on the other side.
 
He reached down with one hand and tried the handle.
 
It was not locked.
 
He used a foot to move one of the bodies away from the base of the door and took position against the concrete wall.
 
He threw open the door and stepped in, leveling his weapon at several Germans in the hall.
 
Immediately he felt a blow to his head and stars filled his eyes.
 
Then everything went black.
 
Dane fell flat on his face.
 
A German stepped away from the side of the door, his weapon still raised.
 
As Dane had come through the door, the man had smashed the butt of his assault weapon into the back of Dane’s head just below Dane’s hairline.
 
Two other Germans quickly jumped on Dane and removed his weapon and his grenades.

“Bring him,” commanded the group leader.
 
“Take him to Maas.”
 
Two other Germans reached down and grabbed Dane by his arms and dragged him down the hall.
 

Maas rounded the corner and saw Dane.
 
“Well, you got one!” he bellowed.
 
“It’s about damn time.”
 
Maas motioned with his hand as he spun around and walked back to his playroom.
 
The guards struggled to drag Dane as they followed Maas.
 
When the group came to the heavy door of the playroom, Maas stopped and turned to look at Dane.
 
“Who is this son-of-a-bitch anyway?
  
Bring him in and check him for ID.”

“Sir, he has no unit patches on his uniform,” said the soldier.
 
“He’s not a U.S. soldier.”

“Bullshit,” bellowed Maas.
 
“He damn well fights like one.
 
I don’t care if he has Mickey Mouse on his suit. ”
 

The heavy door opened and Maas stepped in.
 
“I have a surprise for you.
 
We have another visitor,” announced Maas, turning to see his men drag Dane into the room.
 
Dana looked at the unconscious man.
 
He looked familiar.
 

“Oh, my God, Dane!” she screamed.
 
Maas’ head snapped around to look at Dana.
 

“So you know this bastard?” he asked.
 
“He came to free you?”

Randall, still foggy, did recognize Dane but wanted to try to protect him.
 
“Dana, that’s not Dane.
 
It’s only some soldier.”
 
Maas turned his gaze to Randall, who was chained to the opposite wall.
 
Dana realized she screwed up by letting Maas know she knew Dane.
 
She immediately picked up on Randall’s lead.
 
She decided to say nothing more.
 

“So you don’t know this guy?” asked Maas smiling.
 
“No, I think you do.
 
I think you know exactly who he is.”
  
Dane started to stir, still flanked by the two German soldiers.
 
“Let’s see what he can tell us,” said Maas, walking over and standing over Dane.
 

Dane’s head was spinning.
 
He never saw the man that cracked his skull and sent him into never-never land.
 
He made a critical error, one that may cost his life.
 
He tried to open his eyes.
 
He was welcomed by a blurry vision of several people standing over him.
 
He decided it would not be prudent to try to take all of them on at once.
 

Dane slowly shook his head, still trying to clear his mind.
 
All he knew was he was in a large, dungeon-like room with walls made of stone.
 
There was a noticeable smell of smoke as he saw the open fire in a firebox/fireplace to his right.
 
The air was moist and dank except for the slight smoky haze.
 
But there was something else here.
  
There was the smell of fear and suffering.
 
This was definitely not a friendly place.
 

“Welcome back, asshole,” chided Maas.
 
“I’m glad you are still with us.
 
Maybe you can clear up some things for me.”

Dane looked at Maas.
 
“And who the hell are you?” he asked almost humorously, letting out a grim smile.
 
“Oh, you must be the Devil himself.”
 
He slowly came up on one knee.
 
The two guards beside him stepped back but still held their weapons trained on him.
 

Maas stepped over and stood in front of Dane.
 
He used his hand to motion to the guards to step back.
 
“I will ask the questions here.
 
Don’t try anything.
 
My men would love the chance to kill you.”
 
Maas turned away from Dane, relishing his control over this intruder.
  
As he stepped away, he began asking questions.
 
“Who are you and where did you come from?” Maas commanded in a low, controlled voice.
 
“I assume that you are part of the army that is attacking us.”
 

Dane looked at Maas.
 
“Part of a huge army encircling this complex,” Dane said calmly, his head clearing.
 
He mentally checked his acuity as he looked around the room.
 
First and foremost he saw Dana hanging from the ceiling in the center of the room beside a naked, bloody man.
 
He also saw Randall chained to the opposite wall looking untouched.
 
Although hanging by her wrists and barefoot, Dana was still wearing the gray overalls given to her earlier.
 
She did not look molested in any way…yet.
 
He winked at Dana.
 
She winked back.
 
Dane looked at Maas.
 
“Looks like I interrupted your fun.”

Maas spun on his heels and strode back over to Dane and looked him in the eyes.
 
“With one order I can have you killed.
 
Or better yet, we can work on you like this pig here,” he said, motioning toward Grübner, still hanging now unconscious.
 
Dane glanced at Maas’ victim.
 
What a mess.
 

“Nice work.
 
So what happens now?” asked Dane.
 

Maas laughed.
 
“Easy.
 
You talk,” he said loudly, “or I kill you and this twerp chained to the wall and I rape this beauty from now ’til hell freezes over!”
 
Maas was grinning broadly as he stood beside Dana.
   

Dane watched Maas fondle his sister but suppressed his growing anger.
 
“I do have some prepared comments, if that’s what floats your boat,” chided Dane, attempting to piss off Maas.
 
Dane figured if he could get Maas mad he had a better chance at causing enough commotion that he may be able to jump a guard and get a weapon.
 

Maas laughed again.
 
His guards stared at him.
 
They had neither seen nor heard Maas laugh like this.
 

“You are a funny but dead man.
 
You simply don’t realize it yet,” chided Maas.
 

“So,” said Dane looking around the room, “I love what your decorator has done.
 
Early twelfth century, I believe?”
  
Maas grinned and walked over to Dane.
 

“You have no idea what you are into here.”

“Sure I do.
 
Let me tell you.
 
This is a large underground complex with several thousand devoted Germans set to wreak havoc on the world.
 
How will you do that?
 
You are making gold and have a plan to set the financial world on their ear.
 
Once that is done, your folks take over the world.
 
Am I close?”
 
Dane stared directly into Maas’ eyes, waiting, searching for a glimpse of weakness.
 

Maas was stunned at Dane’s knowledge.
 
And he couldn’t hide it.
 
Randall, who heard the entire explanation, was astounded.
 
Making gold?
 
What the hell was Dane talking about?
 
You can’t make gold.