Who the hell attacks a metal factory at seven in the morning on a saturday? I’ll tell you: the same maniac who is making a radioactive bomb… I’m not a morning person. And I couldn’t even eat a decent breakfast. Just chewed on a piece of bread mom handed me on the way here…

This time too he evacuated the building before the police surrounded it, and some explosives are blocking the front and back doors. The bomb disposal squad is on their way, but that’ll take a while. And even with the path cleared I doubt they would be of much help. The Scorpio can easily take them down or, most likely, escape before things comes down to it.

“I’m going in.” I look at my teammates. “Where are the windows according to the blueprints?”

“No, you are not. There could be more explosives or turrets inside.” Sorry mom, but I need to.

“He is gonna escape if I don’t. Either I try that or we all can go back home empty-handed.”

It’s already bad enough that he chose the place we had the less surveillance stationed at. This factory is rundown and almost out of town, just beside one of the curves of the Tyne.

“Fine,” Nanao sighs. “but you will be extra careful.”

The officer who was examining the print directs me to a window closest to my target. I don’t have to walk much inside before seeing him in the middle of the room. Standing in front of some shelves he is scanning a metal and glass capsule. It looks like a big hand lantern, around 2 feet tall.

With him distracted I remove the batons from my belt and charge them. I jump and aim for the head. But some noise must have alerted him. Or the helm has a radar. He turns. One of the hands grabs the metal handle of what he came to get and the other arm raises to block my attack. The electricity makes him flinch just a little. Right after a leg tries to kick me. I retreat a few steps to avoid it.

Gotta admit this guy is versatile. But I’m not one to give up. We both move forward and I connect blow after blow. With one free hand he only manages to defend and fall back until we are beside the shelves again. I hit his hips and he fall to his knees. I’m about to deliver a last strike when he passes through the shelf to the other side and pushes the metal structure over me.

Damn, this is gonna hurt a lot more tomorrow! As I get back to my feet, he runs to a big pipe connecting to the sewers. He is not very steady. Great, this is my chance. He points at the entrance.

Shit, the bombs! “Get away from the…” I start yelling at the intercom, but he closes his hands and the explosions interrupt me. He jumps into the pipes.

“Mom!? Dad!?” There is no answer. Screw the bad guy! I have to make sure everyone is safe.

I run outside instead of pursuing him. But there is neither smoke nor fire. And what is that on the floor? It looks like a… Son of a gun tricked me! They were noise bombs on the doors.