"Captain, do you copy? Repeat, do you copy? The explosives are set in the secret passage. You can retreat anytime."
Hearing this, Ethan and Benji, already nearing the public area, froze. They broke into a near sprint as another message came through, this time from Kubrick Hendrick.
"Damn it, there are only three minutes left before the guards switch shifts at the launch code briefcase vault! Do you copy? Captain, respond!"
When no response came, Kubrick growled into the radio, "Get the red mercury nuke and get out now! Repeat, grab the nuke and leave immediately!"
"God help us," Ethan muttered, his face pale. He realized not only had they been used, but they were also being set up as scapegoats. Kubrick was planning to expose the breach only after Ethan and Benji were identified, ensuring they'd be caught in the crossfire.
"Now what?" Benji asked, panic evident in his voice.
"Get out. Now," Ethan said decisively.
Ethan knew their only chance to chase the mastermind was to escape first. If they were captured by the Russians, no explanation would save them. At best, they'd be secretly imprisoned; at worst, executed once deemed useless.
Luckily, most of the guards had been redirected to the vault, allowing Ethan and Benji to slip out of the Kremlin undetected.
Once outside, they found a secluded spot, removed their facial disguises, and shed their military uniforms. A quick change into tourist attire helped them blend into the crowd in the square. They began scanning the area for any suspicious individuals.
Meanwhile, Kubrick, informed by his men that Church hadn't destroyed the passage, abandoned his original plan to exit through the main entrance. Instead, he used the secret passage.
Emerging into the hamburger joint restroom, Kubrick and his men donned hats and walked briskly out of the restaurant. After a short walk, they boarded a car. Kubrick took a detonator from one of his subordinates and pressed the button.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A series of explosions ripped through the secret passage. The vault housing the nuke was obliterated, and a hundred meters of concrete road above the passage collapsed into rubble.
Ethan, hearing the distant explosions, clenched his fists in frustration. He knew the mastermind had successfully covered their tracks. With no time to waste, he motioned for Benji to split up, and the two disappeared into the crowd.
In another part of Moscow, Church and Marvin were driving back to their safe house when they heard the explosions. The sound sent a chill down their spines, and Church instinctively stepped on the gas.
In the backseat, Edward Bailey's lips curled into a faint smile. Shielded by the seat, he discreetly retrieved the phone he had pilfered from Church's pocket the night before.
Edward typed out a text message containing the safe house address and sent it to Jack Horton, a CIA agent who had been tailing Church and Marvin.
Back at the safe house, the trio let out a collective sigh of relief. Church and Marvin began packing passports and clearing evidence of their presence. Edward, meanwhile, held up a pair of worn-out shoes and said, "I need to change these."
"Go ahead," Church said without much thought.
At the shoe cabinet, Edward picked up an old pair of leather shoes. With a sly grin, he pried open the heel, revealing two small glass vials and micro-injectors hidden inside. Satisfied, he replaced the heel, applied some polish, and slipped the shoes on without bothering to clean the insoles.
Edward then retrieved a handgun hidden in the cabinet's false bottom. Cocking it with a sharp "click," he turned to Church and Marvin, who were startled by the sound.
With a cheerful smile, Edward said, "I'm sorry, Frank, Marvin, but your journey ends here."
Marvin, his hand slowly reaching for a concealed weapon in the sofa crevice, froze when Edward aimed the gun at him. "Careful, Marvin. Don't make me shoot you now."
Marvin sighed, pulling out the gun by its barrel and tossing it to the floor. Church followed suit, disarming himself as well.
"Let me guess," Marvin said coldly. "You're the mastermind behind this, and the Dragoncrown Project was your doing."
"Exactly," Edward replied with a grin. He pulled out Church's phone from his pocket. "Ever since I got my hands on the guards' phones years ago, I've been learning the art of pickpocketing. If those guards hadn't been using cheap phones with limited data plans, my plan might have started two years ago. Still, I have to thank you, Frank. Who would've thought a wine label clue would lead you to Toad and ultimately to rescuing me from MI6 custody?"
Church frowned. "You can't smuggle the red mercury out of Russia on your own. Who's helping you?"
Edward chuckled. "Jack!"
The door opened, and Jack Horton strode in with a smirk, his bandaged hands raised mockingly. "Surprised to see me, Frank?"
"Surprised, yes," Church replied, glancing at Edward. "Jack, have you ever wondered why Edward is working with you?"
Jack shrugged. "Doesn't matter. As long as I bring the red mercury back to the States, I'll be a hero. And Edward's desire to take revenge on MI6? That's easy to handle when we're holding a portable nuke."
Jack opened the briefcase containing the red mercury, inspected its contents, and smirked. "Right, Edward?"
"Of course," Edward replied smoothly, though he recognized Jack's tone as the prelude to betrayal.
"Time to wrap this up," Jack said, patting Edward on the shoulder. "Take care of them."
"Gladly." Edward raised the phone he was holding and waved. "Goodbye, Frank. Goodbye, Marvin."
"Rat-a-tat-tat!"
Gunfire suddenly erupted from across the street, bullets tearing through the safe house's windows. Though the angle prevented the shooters from hitting Edward, Jack, or his CIA team, the attack forced them to take cover.
Church and Marvin seized the moment. Marvin dove into the kitchen while Church scrambled to a corner.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!" Another volley of bullets peppered the walls.
"Cover us!" Jack shouted to his men as he dragged Edward out of the building.
Once Jack's team had left, Church and Marvin cautiously peeked out. They retrieved their weapons and approached the window, spotting Victoria armed with an MP7 and Sarah peeking out nervously from behind cover.
Church gave Victoria a thumbs-up before turning to Marvin. "Call Victoria. We're leaving now."
Before Marvin could dial, he froze, staring at Edward's discarded phone. Picking it up, he hesitated before checking it.
After a moment, Marvin's face turned pale. "Frank, we've got a big problem."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter][+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]