A simple lamp with a dirty shade over a light bulb swung from side to side, casting changing shadows on a wooden desk stuffed with documents and reports. Five people stood around it, one wearing a weary familiar black leather coat. Occasionally, dust clouds rippled from the ceiling, accompanied with the distant thumping of explosions. A makeshift command center set up in an abandoned building , close to the border of the downtown districts and the still safe streets controlled by Aeron Security.
“To recapitulate everything” Major Finnegan began; “We got the Paladin Mech, our troops are armed, trained and motivated, the streets are turning into a warzone with the people rising up after the news of the board of directors dead went around, much thanks to you. When that hotel tower was destroyed right in the heart of downtown Aeron city, it was our coup de grace. We’ve shown the world that Aeron isn’t invincible. You’ve given the people a spark of hope that turned into a firestorm. On the other hand, we got a megalomaniac chief of security in charge of a multinational company with the most advanced weapons in the world and an army of mercenaries available to them.”
“So, where do we stand today, Sir? Keep up what we started; really go for an all-out war?” Adam asked.
“Are you joking? This is just where the fun really begins!” Karter exclaimed “We can’t stop now just because Gabriel is in charge with no one holding him back…”
“No we shouldn’t” Finnegan backed him up “However, we need to rethink our plans.”
“Right, but how are we going to do this?” Sam asked: “I think full frontal assault is not going to work, even with the streets in their current state. There’s just too many troops up there.”
“I’ve briefly considered it but it won’t, can’t work. But we all know one thing; Gabriel must die if the world is to be freed from Aeron oppression.”
“Isn’t there something about a press conference of Aeron on the net?” Emma interrupted.
“Yeah, I read something about it. Gabriel’s gonna inform the public about him assuming control of Aeron management. I guess the shareholders would like to learn about something of that importance…”
Finnegan nodded and turned to his best sniper: “Adam, can you work with that?”
“If he’s somewhere I can see him, he’s somewhere I can shoot him. I’ll just need a good spot for that.”
“Okay good, I’ll take your word for that, but there’s always a chance that goes wrong. What then? Ideas people, come on.”
“Well, when Gabriel lives after the conference…perhaps we can still hide the Paladin along with some soldiers somewhere in the City, then storm the Grayson Building. We got it out of there; we can get it back in somehow. Risky and I’m sure we will lose men.”
“Sounds like there’s a lot of destruction and explosions involved with that…sounds like my kind of plan.” Karter said.
“I think we’ll manage that, Sir.” Emma agreed.
“If you feel up to it, I’ll get you volunteers as backup. Sam, you seem to be the one who can drive that mech best, so it’s yours for this mission.”
“Aw, why does he get to use that heavily armed juggernaut of destruction?” Karter exclaimed. As he saw the looks of everybody, he added: “Alright, I’ll be quiet.”
“Okay then, it’s settled. We’ll use that press conference to end this, once and for all. Once Gabriel is dead as well, we’ll truly have beheaded Aeron. Without leadership, it’s gonna be over within weeks.”
“And after that?” Sam asked.
“We’ll see. One thing is sure; it’s going to be a better world.” Finnegan replied.
“I seriously hope you’re right with that, Major.”
Two days later the preparations on both sides were complete. Gabriel had a stage set up and his men made sure the area was clear for his conference, about to start within hours. They failed to find several dozen soldiers of the Anarchy Coalition and the Paladin mechanized suit. Someone else also managed to evade them for long enough to set up a sniper’s nest on a rooftop. The Grayson Building, the highest building in Aeron City, was built a decade ago as the symbolized heart of the city, the symbol of a better tomorrow and a bright future. Now it was more of a tumor, standing for a Corporation that fed off the public to keep alive. Around the base of the tower, a lawn was supposed to create a distance between it and the rest of the city. The wall around the compound did what was left for that. Recently added barbwire was the icing on the cake. Three smaller towers surrounded the main building, ending in triangles, the inner tip pointing towards the central tower’s rooftop. A road from the underground parking lot connected the tower with the outside world where the fourth one would have been built. In front of the tower it split, the direct way leading down while two branches went left and right in a semicircle and met again in front of the main doors.. Somewhere in the penthouse office, right below the Helipad, Gabriel was preparing for his speech. For that, a platform-stage had been set up, a stage that Adam had been watching for two hours straight. Groups of reporters chatted idly, who would soon turn into barbarians just to get the best shot at Gabriel…just like Adam. In black limousines, the major shareholders and the managers of Aeron’s out of country subsidiaries arrived. A bright sun stood high in the sky, the air was warm; it could have been a wonderful day.
Unaware of this, hidden inside hastily placed containers in the nearby harbor’s loading halls, the small strike force waited. The Paladin, too large for them, was covered by a canvas cover and the few workers on duty didn’t pay much attention to it, they were used to all kinds of cargo coming in for the Aeron labs below the Grayson Tower.
“Adam here, you guys hearing me?”
“Loud and clear. Anything happened? I want to get out of this box.”
“I’m not sure, just noticed that the security is becoming nervous and keep talking into their head-micro’s, I guess this is it, he’s coming on stage any moment now.”
Karter loaded his gun, kept it locked and inquired: “You think you can hit him?”
“Buddy, from up here I could give him a haircut and shoot his tie off. As soon as he stands on that pedestal, he’s dead meat.”