Chapter 14: Juan Sierra

John McCloud
Saturday 14, February 2015
22:39 Hours
Location Unknown

Torches off and weapons ready, the team approached their target location. Upon reaching it, they watched from afar an ancient bunker now surrounded by buildings. A hellipad stood someways off, while a patrol walked past the gates. This scene was in a hole, high natural walls surrounding the makeshift base. Olive dashed to the edge and scanned the area with her binoculars. Four sets of guards patrolled the area while a watch-tower overlooked the whole base.

"We need to neutralize the watch-tower before going in."John mused. "Leaf?"

"On it." He left swiftly.

"Olive, take the girl and follow Leaf. I need your eyes up there."

"Roger that." Olive went off, closely followed by Yanai.

"Peter, there's a few second opening during which that door-" John pointed at the door. "-isn't within a patrol's sight. Once Leaf takes the tower, you head for that door. Understood?"

"Aye."

Several minutes later, Leaf used their communication system to inform them that the tower was theirs. Swiftly, Peter ducked into the building as Olive watched the area with her rifle. With the help of Olive's skilled sniping, the four patrols were taken down. The team, minus Olive, made a quick rendezvous at a warehouse, and in they went. The door opened into a small, office-like room, where a man was tied up. Shoulder-long silvery-blond hair was covered with blood, and he would have been talen for a dead man if he hadn't looked up at them. His bloodshot eyes made the team train their weapons at him, but then he spoke.

"Ya era hora! I thought that useless colonel of yours was gonna abandon me here!" The man laughed. "What flies through the sky with charcoal-black scales?"

"A winged furnace." John replied, then began to unbound the man. "Juan Sierra?"

"The one and only, man. You are late. I would have been killed!"

"Luckily, we made it in time." Leaf smirked. "We have to go, before-"

"It's too late, gringo. The helicopter is here to bring me my ironic death." Juan said as the helicopter was heard.

"We need to go now!"

As John shouted that, an enormous figure slammed through the door brandishing a chainsaw. It hacked at Peter with it, but he had already moved. Swiftly sidestepping the chainsaw, Peter brought his fist into his attacker's stomach, then spun and, grabbing his enemy by the neck, made him fall on his own chainsaw. The others dashed out, ducking into cover as reinforcements arrived. The helicopter oversaw the whole gunfight going on, then lowered itself to fly very close to the ground. Two shiny gattling guns were aimed at the team, when a loud bang pierced the air. One well-aimed bullet went straight through the helicopter pilot's skull and lodged itself into the co-pilot's throat as Olive shifted her scope to provide support to her fellow soldiers. Joshua made a mental note never to mess with Olivia as she skillfully sniped most of the remaining soldiers. A slight chill began to settle over the base as the group rejoined at the base of the warchtower.

"Hello, lovely lady. Is your name as radiant as your eyes?"

"This is who we were sent to get?" Olive asked, looking at him with something similar to disgust.

"Juan Sierra, at your-" He was suddenly forced to his knees by Peter. "What is this, eh? I am on your side!"

"A codeword isn't proof enough. These people are heavily loaded, and I can't afford to sacrifice my team for your sake." John stated.

"You're soldiers. All soldiers are expendable." Juan smirked, then Leaf put one of his handguns against Juan's forehead. "Threats aren't gonna help, gringo. So stop playing around."

"I don't play around." Leaf stated. "Prove to us you're on our side and that you're of actual help, and I'll gladly die for your sake."

"Easy. The girl." Juan pointed at Yanai, who had been silently standing besides Olive. "I can show you how important she and I are."

"You're not getting anywhere close to her." Olive growled, aiming her rifle at him.

"Then look at the back of her neck."

"Why?" Joshua asked.

"Proof. Proof of her importance and my knowledge."

Nervous glances were exchanged among the team as Olive placed her rifle on the ground. Yanai obediently turned around and allowed Olive to move her hair out of the way. A circular pattern of punctures was perfectly visible. The marks were an ugly blue, and the surrounding area was pale white. Upon seeing this, Olive gasped and backed swiftly away, mosty due to surprise.

"Olive?" John asked. Only Olvie had seen the marks. "What's wrong?"

"She's been bitten." Olive stated, shock and confusion settling over the others.

"The question, my odd friends, is why hasn't she turned." Juan mused.

"I take it you know the answer." Joshua glared at Juan.

"Of course. And I'll tell you as soon as you get my little butt to safety." Juan stood and dusted his clothes off, then smirked. Turning to John, he said: "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal."