"Right … Yes … Yes, Sir, we will get it done … I understand." James hangs up the pay phone and makes his way back to us, whilst Angry CIA man, or Victor as I should be calling him, his partner, deserves as much. I hope you rest in peace, Nolan. He is still chatting, well, more like getting grilled, on his pay phone.
James rubs his stubble. "Well, the General says we don't have a choice, we have to get those documents, and we can't fail. This is too good of an opportunity to get into the good graces of Stark Industries. If we can get their approval from this, that means recognition, which means an increased budget and notoriety. At least that's what the General is hoping for."
Robert slaps me on the back. "Looks like your first mission is turning into quite a doozy, Cooper. Best not screw it up." Robert sneers at me as James sends him a scowl. I tune out their conversation as I see Victor give us a quick look before shifting away from us. I hear him clink some coins before he quickly starts another conversation.
"What the hell, Sam! This was not the agreement we had!"
I struggle to hear the other side with both James and Robert's conversation next to me and the distance to Victor.
"Like that makes it any better, we had an agreement, he was a 'good' man," He sneers as he says it. ", and unless you want more people, like Nolan, to start asking questions, I want to double what we agreed." I quirk my eyebrows as muffled annoyance comes down the phone line.
"Haha, like I give a dam, you double-crossed me, so now you've got to deal with the consequences." A muffled shout goes down the phone before he gets cut off. "Don't give me that crap, I know it was you! Pay up, or I start to throw shade like God when he made the-." I can't hear what he said at the end as James snapped his fingers in my face, trying to get me back into his conversation. I watch as Victor, the bastard, hangs up the phone, his brow crunched up, but he can't help himself as a grin slithers into his mouth. I really hate this guy now.
"The higher-ups aren't too happy with me right now; this was supposed to be a simple mission, and now we have a dead Officer and have lost the documents. So, you don't have a choice, you are going to help me get those documents. Maybe you DIA can show your worth for once."
Robert sneers. "Says the guy who lost his partner."
The two of them stare each other off before James steps in between. "I suppose you two staring at each other will make the documents just appear to us. Come on, we need to find somewhere more private so we can plan this out."
We walked around for a while before finding a quiet café, still in sight of the Dynamics building. After some shudderingly bad but strong black coffee and some expectantly disappointing bland pastries, we finally settled enough to talk about a plan.
Robert folded his arms. "We need to get to the documents as quickly as possible; the longer they sit in that building, the more likely they are to be moved or copied and destroyed. I would guess a couple of days."
Victor huffed, "Fantastic show, we only have a couple of days to get into that." He pointed to the Dynamics building with its barbed-wire fence, security guards, and no way in without a reason attitude.
James nodded. "Yep, so let's figure this out."
As I look over the building as they mumble between themselves, I notice that it looks to be made up of two buildings, one on top of the other. One is clearly the original, and then a smaller extension was made onto the top of it, surrounded by a roof terrace.
Many of the buildings around it are the same as the bottom one, and it looks like Dynamics has extended its building. But the buildings around it are close enough for the idea I just formed.
"I think I have an idea."
The three of them turn to look at me. I just smile back at them.
/
We made our way to the back of the building after climbing over some fences and into the parking lot that was shared by a couple of different buildings.
"Don't worry, I got this." Only James looked confident in me, whilst the other two just looked unimpressed.
James patted me on the shoulder. "Quickly, kid, we don't want to get spotted here."
I quickly make my way to the building next to Dynamics. It was a smaller squat office building made up of pillars of concrete separated by glass windows. Perfect for what I need. I wrap myself around the pillars and easily lift myself, pushing off with my legs whilst holding the pillar with my arms. I quickly start to make my way up.
"Dam!" I hear Victor exclaim in surprise. I look back briefly, causing me to smile as Roberts and Victor have their jaws on the floor, whilst James looks incredibly proud, sending warmth through my stomach as I smile back at him.
Quickly, I shimmy my way up, trying to move quickly enough that my hands will stay dry from the concrete and dust. The wind soon starts to claw at my coat as I cling to the building. I feel a shiver run down my back. I start to feel my hand slipping. Searching frantically, I just manage to find a crack and jam my finger into it. I catch my breath and get my foothold, looking up, I can see that I am not far from the roof, where this gets a bit trickier.
A solitary car drove out of the still partially filled car park. Blaring his horn as someone sped past him as he tried to enter the road, his horn was quick to follow the speeding car.
I started to climb again, soon reaching for the roof edge, wrapped my fingers over it, and hoisted myself up. One slip here and I'd fall five stories probably straight onto a car, if I was lucky, the hard concrete if I was not. With a fluid motion, I rolled over the ledge and flattened against the gravel roof.
huff* "Finally."
The wind hissed over the rooftop, scraping across my sweat-lidded face; it felt peaceful, for just a moment. I got up and went to the edge to look at the Dynamics building. I stood well over their barbed fence and could see the edge of the building. At eye level stood the ledge of their second extension.
I don't think a normal person could do this. Should be simple for me, I thought as I felt a smile slide into my face. I feel like I'm back at home. I chuckle. If my mother could see me right now, she would be mortified. I give myself enough space to give me a run up and then shoot forward, not even needing my full speed, stepping on the ledge and propelling myself into the air, flying through the night sky.
I skidded into the gravel before rolling and hitting my back against the Dynamics building. I smoothly dusted myself off and headed around the building, eventually finding the door.
I pulled out a wrapped cloth from my pocket and unfurled my picks. I inserted the tools, adjusted pressure, and after seven slow, surgical seconds, the lock gave a soft click. Thanks, Dad.
I closed the door behind me and quickly descended the floor, stepping out into a hallway. After some aimless looking around, I eventually found a building key. Research and the offices are on the second floor.
As I stepped out onto the second floor, I had to quickly dart back where I waited, barely breathing. A man in a lab coat had stepped out of a room, muttering to himself, a clipboard tucked under one arm. I waited, listening to his heartbeat through the wall, using it to track him as he walked off down the hall.
The scientist moved to the stairs. Before continuing. He greeted a night guard before another door clicked shut behind him. I let out my held breath.
Moving fast enough that my shoes squeak, making me pause as sweat dripped down my back, but I heard no further noise. I navigated through dim corridors lined with many, many offices and labs. I sighed as I moved between them, having to check them all. Sometimes, having to camp out in them to avoid walking scientists and night guards.
I reached one of the big research labs. The floor was tiled and sterile. If you are going to put stolen Stark Tech anywhere, it would be in your best and biggest lab; only the best scientists would get to look at it, right?
I quickly moved to the filing cabinet at the back, locking in on one of the only locked ones right next to the desk that overlooks the entire lab. I smiled before quickly kneeling, and within seconds, the drawer slid open, revealing a big stack of files. Searching through them, I finally found an imperial-looking folder, plain except for red stencil writing.
Project Black Goose.
At the bottom, property of Stark Industries.
I stared at it for just a moment; we finally had it.
I tucked it inside my coat, exhaled once, before checking the rest of the folder, finding some other documents where I recognised Vince's handwriting.
I was so engrossed that I heard late squeaking sounds from outside, getting closer to the door. I felt my sweat seep into Vince's documents. A belt clinked as a dull jangle of keys filled my entire world, a bored whistle shot through me like a gunshot.
I snapped toward the door before checking out the rest of the lab. No large vents. No closets. The lab was just filled with open desks and lab equipment. I had nowhere to vanish or could squish my body.
The footsteps stopped just outside as the jingling got closer to the door lock.
My heart pounded, the sound so loud in my ears as his whistle cut through the walls.