These next few will be shorter as I’ll only be posting the immediate change of POV. In this case to Bob.

The C4 is an addition I thought of later: not all doors in a prison will be connected to an electrical system, certainly not one connected to the Net. More direct action will be needed.

Had to watch some old “Bob and Doug” on Youtube to get the accent right.

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From their overhead surveillance three nights before, Hardt waited with three of his men in the hold of the S-2.  One of the smaller reactionless motor craft, and looking like a classic flying saucer, he’d briefed the pilot that they were to be dropped out into the small exercise yard and not on the prison’s roof. 

“Our boots would make too much noise and there are only two maintenance hatches to get in,” he had said.

With darkness now just falling, and having seen the guards’ shift change was inside and not about the walls, the ship dropped silently out of the dark.  At his feet, the hatchway dilated.  He jumped first, followed by his men.

About fifty by fifty feet with clumps of weeds and snow, he led them toward the door to the left.  There were only a few lights on poles in the yard, but light streamed out through the mesh-reinforced window of the door.

Hardt reached for the handle with his left hand – this is all you, Reina – and pulled.  It opened.  No alarm.

Unless she had been moved in the last eight hours, intel had Eloise down the hall, through another reinforced door, then in the first cell on the right.  They knew there would be at least one guard on the other side of reinforced door, but between here and there…

His men had a collection of weapons out.  Two with machine pistols, his under-centurion a silenced semi-auto pistol and a satchel with pre-formed C4 to blow open doors if Reina changed her mind or they were not connected to wired systems, and Hardt with a Fairbairn-Sykes knife in his right.  Making their way silently as best they could in legionary boots –

A guard came around the corner, nearly bumping into Hardt.

The legionary punched his head with his left.  With the man’s neck exposed, he slit his throat, blood spraying onto him.  His eyes were protected by his clear goggles.  No time to dispose of the body, they kept on.

At the last door before the cellblock, he reached again with his left and pulled.

Nothing.  Immediately followed by a buzzing.

“That you, Nick, eh?” a speaker to their right asked.  “Aboot time!  Your badge not working?”

Why isn’t this door opening? Hardt wondered.  We’ll have to blow it.  Damn.