The Rift
When the Stealth Infiltration Squad (plus one Microphone Mike) reached the temporary base, rain began to first sprinkle, and then accelerate into a kind of omnipresent waterall. Angela's black hair hung down like the head of a janitor's mop, and Richie's orange curls had become a dark, almost brown, tangle of worms.
The scientists were already removing the covering from the trailers, the rain making a steady popping sound each time it hit the tarp. It this rate, all the popping sounds converged into one, infinitely crackling firecracker.
The occassional bolt of lightning appeared in a thin neon stroke, which illuminated the the the old gray trees on either side, down to the last detail. It was followed by the roar of thunder, of course.
"We need to set up scouts along the cliff." said Calvin, his voice being drowned in the ocean of thunder.
"What?!"
Angela hadn't heard him.
"You and John need to get our scouts set up along the edge of the cliff!"
Calvin had to almost yell in order to make his voice his voice heard.
Angela gave him a quick nod and then motioned John over to her. As the two of them faded away, Mike, Richie and the four other SIS members followed Calvin over to the truck to help unload the bots.
"Tom! Jonas! You guys go and help them over at that truck," Calvin pointed over on the far left. "Us four will go over to this one!"
"Okay!" said Tom.
Jonas made an OK sign with his thumb and forefinger, and then they were off, disappearing into the shower of rain.
"After we unload these things, are you guys going to be able to get them in position without any problems?!" Calvin asked Mike, motioning to the humanoids.
"Yeah! It shouldn't be a problem!" said Mike.
When they finished unstrapping the tarpulin and unloading the bots, Calvin sent the two last members of SIS (their names were Charlie and Ferdinand) and Richie over to the landslide. He helped Mike and the other guys unload the third trailer. When their job was finished, he leaned in close, so that he could talk without shouting over the racket from the downpour.
"Alright, Mike," he said. "As soon as I go, you're in charge. Get the bots set up as soon as possible, and I'll contact you by radio shortly after."
"Will do," said Mike, looking at the trailer.
"Look," Calvin stared up at the sky for a brief second. "If I tell you that it's too dangerous, or if something happens, then get the hell out. Don't hesitate. Two-way over to your researchers. Tell them to load up the trucks with as many guys as possible, and haul ass back to camp."
Mike nodded.
"And what about SIS?"
Calvin smiled a cold smile.
"Big SIS can take care of herself."
Calvin stepped over to the crates on the opposite edge of the clearing, where Tom and Jonas were engaged in mild coversation.
"Are we ready, then?!" asked Jonas in a gruff, impatient voice. Jonas was a wrinkled old bastard, who took pleasure in letting people know how pissed off he was.
"I need to talk to Davis or Miley!" said Calvin. "Get 'em hooked up with the radios!"
"Miley's right over there!" said Tom, pointing to the cluster of trees where a small man with long blonde hair was emerging. "Had to take a piss before we got set up!"
"Alright! Grab some radios for yourselves -- in fact, grab all seven of them -- and make sure everyone gets armored up!"
Calvin strode over to Miley.
"Calvin, how's it going?!" he asked pleasantly, his words booming over the thick rainfall.
"Same as always, Miley!" said Calvin. "Listen -- we're about to take off. Can you make sure you and Davis get radios?!"
"I'm on it!" said Miley.
"Make sure Mike gets one, too! I'm going to send over to you in a couple minutes... before you hear the gunshots!"
Miley nodded.
"Just make sure all your guys are standing ready in ten, okay?!"
"Got it!" said Miley.
The scientists were already removing the covering from the trailers, the rain making a steady popping sound each time it hit the tarp. It this rate, all the popping sounds converged into one, infinitely crackling firecracker.
The occassional bolt of lightning appeared in a thin neon stroke, which illuminated the the the old gray trees on either side, down to the last detail. It was followed by the roar of thunder, of course.
"We need to set up scouts along the cliff." said Calvin, his voice being drowned in the ocean of thunder.
"What?!"
Angela hadn't heard him.
"You and John need to get our scouts set up along the edge of the cliff!"
Calvin had to almost yell in order to make his voice his voice heard.
Angela gave him a quick nod and then motioned John over to her. As the two of them faded away, Mike, Richie and the four other SIS members followed Calvin over to the truck to help unload the bots.
"Tom! Jonas! You guys go and help them over at that truck," Calvin pointed over on the far left. "Us four will go over to this one!"
"Okay!" said Tom.
Jonas made an OK sign with his thumb and forefinger, and then they were off, disappearing into the shower of rain.
"After we unload these things, are you guys going to be able to get them in position without any problems?!" Calvin asked Mike, motioning to the humanoids.
"Yeah! It shouldn't be a problem!" said Mike.
When they finished unstrapping the tarpulin and unloading the bots, Calvin sent the two last members of SIS (their names were Charlie and Ferdinand) and Richie over to the landslide. He helped Mike and the other guys unload the third trailer. When their job was finished, he leaned in close, so that he could talk without shouting over the racket from the downpour.
"Alright, Mike," he said. "As soon as I go, you're in charge. Get the bots set up as soon as possible, and I'll contact you by radio shortly after."
"Will do," said Mike, looking at the trailer.
"Look," Calvin stared up at the sky for a brief second. "If I tell you that it's too dangerous, or if something happens, then get the hell out. Don't hesitate. Two-way over to your researchers. Tell them to load up the trucks with as many guys as possible, and haul ass back to camp."
Mike nodded.
"And what about SIS?"
Calvin smiled a cold smile.
"Big SIS can take care of herself."
Calvin stepped over to the crates on the opposite edge of the clearing, where Tom and Jonas were engaged in mild coversation.
"Are we ready, then?!" asked Jonas in a gruff, impatient voice. Jonas was a wrinkled old bastard, who took pleasure in letting people know how pissed off he was.
"I need to talk to Davis or Miley!" said Calvin. "Get 'em hooked up with the radios!"
"Miley's right over there!" said Tom, pointing to the cluster of trees where a small man with long blonde hair was emerging. "Had to take a piss before we got set up!"
"Alright! Grab some radios for yourselves -- in fact, grab all seven of them -- and make sure everyone gets armored up!"
Calvin strode over to Miley.
"Calvin, how's it going?!" he asked pleasantly, his words booming over the thick rainfall.
"Same as always, Miley!" said Calvin. "Listen -- we're about to take off. Can you make sure you and Davis get radios?!"
"I'm on it!" said Miley.
"Make sure Mike gets one, too! I'm going to send over to you in a couple minutes... before you hear the gunshots!"
Miley nodded.
"Just make sure all your guys are standing ready in ten, okay?!"
"Got it!" said Miley.