The Watchmen Files // File One // Chapter Eighteen // The Prayer Before the Storm

Good morning (or afternoon or lunch time or tea time or whatever) everyone!

I (Darrion) have completed another chapter for you :)

   I wrote through a cold, and not to mention my nose running with blood like a facet (ugh), Willow, Mom, and now Dad have also caught a cold as well :( Bleck. But anyway, I still wrote chapter eighteen :)

   This chapter is kind of an in between one, as in next is a biggie. I'm so excited!! I hope you are :)

   Okay, so here we go!

   A cool crisp breeze floated the fallen red, orange, and yellow leaves of fall through the Watchmen base as two young gentlemen and an older one strolled down the sidewalk, talking of training, missions, and other new recruits as they walked.
   The sky was overcast with pale white clouds, covering all of the bright blue sky above, though that wasn't unusual weather in the Northwest.
   One of the younger men buttoned up his coat from a cold gust of wind and gestured to a overhanging bridge to the parking lot, and they followed his advice and took it, trotting down a few levels of upper-level parking to where the ground parking lot was.
   The rain started to fall lightly, only a drizzle as they entered the large paved area. The silver lining in the distant clouds turned darker as the trio surveyed the grounds. There weren't any cars parked in the spaces, and the leaves were littering the empty grounds. Only one car was there, and it obviously wasn't being driven well. It was lurching forward, then stopping suddenly, then repeating the cycle again.

   The older gentleman slapped the two boys on the back, told them good luck and watched them head over to where the car was.

   One of them was a bit cautious of course, a little jittery. The other playfully jumped in front of the car as it lurched forward and braked quickly when he came in the way.

   "Hey, what'd you think you're doing?!" a young man stuck his brown curly haired head out of the driver's side window and shouted, then smiled as he recognized the accused. "Jared?"

   "Long time no see," Jared laughed as he pulled his hoodie back down, and reached his dark skinned hand out for him to shake. "Mason, you coulda hit me! And you're a terrible driver."

   Mason laughed and shook it, then hopped out of the car as Conner did the same.

  "I'm trying to teach him my ways," Conner joked. "It's good to see you again Gabe," he smiled polity as he got out of the passenger's seat.

   Gabe nodded back shyly and he greeted Mason the same.

   "So what're you two doing here?" Mason questioned once the pleasantries were out of the way.

   "We're on our first real mission," Jared answered proudly.

   "Wow, that's great," Mason punched him in the shoulder with a smile. "We just finished ours two weeks ago."

   "He's suppose to be recovering from his 'injury'," Conner added, throwing Mason a playful glare.

   Gabe gasped. "Wow, what happened?"

   "He got shot in the hand," Conner rolled his eyes.

   Mason shrugged it off casually, obviously enjoying the attention, and rubbed the scar on his right hand in between his thumb and pointer-finger. "Aw, it was nothin'... sorta like a bee sting, only... bloodier..."

   "Oh brother," Conner ran his hands through his short caramel hair to occupy himself while the two ooh-ed and ah-ed over the 'injury' which, in reality, wasn't as dramatic as Mason had depicted it. A sly smile came over his face, and he added, "By a girl."

   The boys gasped and Mason glared at him. "Conner!"

   "A girl?" Jared started laughing. "Was she cute?"

   "Um, no, actually she wasn't," Mason corrected. "And anyway, a bullet hurts just as much if it was shot by a girl."

   Conner basked in his playful revenge for a moment as Gabe and Jared continued to laugh about it as Mason blushed, embarrased.
   Changing the subject, Conner asked Jared about how training had gone without them.

   "It was great, we got this guy, A.B. Jenkins, as our Sargent after Graham left to train you two. It's been awesome! He taught us everything. No offense to the Sarge, by the way-"

   "None taken," Mason laughed. "He's so strict sometimes, I bet it was nice to get away!"

   "Nice to know you think that," Graham appeared from behind the car, smirking.

   "Oh, um, hey Sarge..." Mason put on a plastic smile. "Did I mention how much I appreciate you leaving the rest of the team in other hands to train us for a few months?"

   Thankfully, Graham found that amusing and they all had a good laugh before Jared continued.

   "Guess who was sent off to the bad boy squad?"

   Recalling the extra digit in every squad, Mason nodded and asked with excitement, "Who was it?"

   "D.S.Y., of course!"

   Mason nodded, having guessed it was Duke York before it was even said. He was kind of a jerk. "Even after I... you know..?"

   "Yep, no one really cared. He brought it on himself, anyway. Chris and Hank were partners, which was surprising."

   "Oh yeah," Mason agreed. "I was expecting that he and Duke would team up."

   "Well, Hank will round him out, get him in that military precision he needs. Anyway, Felipe and Jean-Claude Rousseau stuck together as expected."

   "Good for them," Conner smiled at the thought of the French twins who had been pretty nice to him when he was in their squad.

   "But that's not what you two are here for," Graham interjected secretively.

   A light bulb went on in Jared's head and he nodded. "Oh yeah! So we're transport for your next mission."

   "What?" Mason's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

   Graham handed them each a iPad and continued. "Using the product shipping information you got us from InterTech, we found the base they're sending all this titanium to, and from that, caught up with what we think is the Headquarters for Hydra at the moment. You asked to be there when we busted her out, and that's where you'll be."

   Mason examined the plans of a bulky, twelve story building with an elevator shaft as an extension from the roof leading up to a helicopter landing platform. "Dude, you'd have to be blind not to see that. Where is it, anyway?"

   "It's in Washington State, out and away from the prying eyes of the population."

   Mason looked over the plans again, noting the lack of them, actually. "There isn't much of the interior hallways or rooms in these blueprints."

   "Mason, this is a Hydra building," Graham reasoned. "I'm surprised we even got so far as to get these pictures. If they caught us, they'd be out and gone for good. It would take months to find them again."

   "Okay, so what's the plan?"

   Before he could answer, the soft drizzle turned into a hard rain and Sargent Graham led them out of the downpour to a small coffee shop, still inside the protective borders of the Watchmen compound.

   The shop was small and narrow but quaint, with a heavy coffee bean aroma filling the air. There were tables lining the walls and six one-piece chairs around them, with the menu above the ordering counter.

   Conner hung his jacket over the back of a chair and the others settled in as Graham carried four steaming cups of coffee over from the front counter to their table.

   Mason madly grabbed for a cup, and Conner scolded him, "What do you think you're doing? Mason, you have the Super Soldier Serum in your blood, you know how that effects your caffeine levels-"

   "Yeah, yeah, I know," Mason recalled the time he had drank two cups of coffee, and then went running around the compound. His body had reacted so much to the caffeine that he couldn't sit still. That happened with alcohol, too, according to Dr. Simon.

   After taking a sip of his coffee as Mason watched enviously, Graham continued with the answer to his question. "So the plan is that Jared and Gabe will pilot the helicopter and drop you two off approximately two miles out from the Hydra building, and you'll walk the rest of the way. I want you two inside and unseen. Once you get inside the base, you will split up and Conner will go for the cameras and freeze the live feedback, then Mason will go for Dominik's office and find out where they're holding the kid.
   While this is going on, our troops will be helicoptered in from a mile out and hurry to the base. Then once the cameras are frozen, they'll launch a full on attack on the base of the building, making their way up and using the element of surprise. Conner will also be taking out the communication, so the Hydra agents will be disorganized.

   Mason, they'll be in a frenzy, but also be on guard for Watchmen sneaking about. So you will have to hurry and in the chaos, grab the kid and hightail it out of there. There's more in depth information about the plan in the device. You'll have to be super careful, so don't get sidetracked." He glanced at Mason. "Think you can handle this? It's a full on invasion of the plant. That's where everybody is today," he noted, glancing out the window at the empty streets.

   "If Ava is in there, I'll do whatever it takes to get her to safety," Mason confirmed.

   "Good, that's the attitude you'll need for this one. Both of you have to stick to the plan and to each other, or you may not get out of this alive. Understood?"

   Conner's heart was racing but he nodded solemnly with Mason, who was completely serious and focused.

   "Okay boys, this is it. We're leaving in five," the Sargent checked his watch and then folded his hands and looked back at them. "Let's pray."

   Conner smiled softly and folded his hands, and Jared and Gabe did the same. Mason followed their example, but kept his eyes open and watched them as Graham prayed.

   "Dear Lord, please keep these boys safe. Their mission is of the utmost importance as You know, and a little girl will be in the crossfire. Please protect her and keep her strong, and these young pilots as well. Keep them concentrated and not swayed by revenge, and that they will not be afraid. Grant them the victory Lord, and keep them safe if it is Your will, and if not, take them to their eternities. We thank You for these boys, and in Your name, Amen."

   As Graham prayed, Mason could see the expressions of them all react in the same way: with sincerity and a willing heart. Conner was calm, not afraid, but humble and ready for what was to come. He nodded his head as his Sargent spoke, agreeing with what he was saying, and occasionally silently mouthing a few words of his own.
   Graham was also calm, with a look of honor on his face.

   Jared was listening, hands folded, face stern and loyal. Gabe was shaking slightly, but without opening his eyes, Jared nudged his friend's elbow in a gesture of comfort. Gabe breathed deeply, and he stopped shaking and looked braver than before.

   Mason knew that they all knew where they were going when they died. Mason thought he knew too. What about God? Could He forgive him of all of the things he had done over the years? Mason could hardly imagine that He could, but he knew He was out there. He understood the system of how He could be justice and love at the same time, with the sending of His Son for our sins, but he just wasn't ready for Him. And if he died on the venture?

   As Graham said 'Amen', Mason raised his head with the others, but didn't look up at them. Then, feeling the gentle touch of Conner's hand on his arm, he looked up into his best friend's bright freckled face.

   "She's going to be okay," he assured.

   "I sure hope so. Thanks," Mason turned his attention to the Sargent, who looked up in response.

   "Of course Mace," he smiled back, then patted the two on their shoulders. "We've got a big mission here, may God be with you two."

   "He always is," Conner added with a thoughtful smile, then turned to Gabe and Jared. "We better hurry, or we'll miss our flight."

   As the four of them grabbed their coats and glugged down the last drops of coffee, Mason continued to think of his six year old cousin. Little Ava was about to be freed at last. After months of captivity, being held by the brutal forces of Hydra, would she even be there? Of course she is! He mentally blasted. She's a feisty girl, she'll be safe. And what of his dad? Would Dr. Kruger be held in the same place as her? He probably wasn't even alive, much less there. But what if?

   "Mason, you coming?" Conner watched him ponder from the street, still in the coffee shop.

   "Yeah, right behind you!" Mason answered, grabbing his coat and puling the hood up as he followed after his friends. There was no doubt about it now, he was freeing Ava at last!

So chapter eighteen wasn't the best, but chapter nineteen will hopefully be better (more action scenes, so if that' what you like). I also have finally found a character for Jared! His picture is up in the characters page, if you would like to see.

Announcements...

Willow's chapter may or may not be up this Friday, but she already has chapter twenty three up, so you can check that out in the meantime.

Well, I think that's just about it... Allons-y, Geronimo, and all that good stuff!

Always Watching,

Darrion