Whew, that's a long title. The first part is the series title, the next is this story title and then I've broken this story up into six parts. I hope you enjoy.
Young Mad Scientists in Love
"The New Team"
Part 1: Guard, Guard This
“Nic, I know you're new here so I want to show you some
tricks I've picked up over the years," John Smith was a round bald man
who's patchy mustache was his pride and joy.
"Yes, John," Adrian Nicomedia had only been
working for Consolidated Securities Inc. for a week, but Smith's script was
already starting to replay sections.
They were part of the night shift and were walking their rounds at Acme
High Tech Industries.
“When you’re patrolling the grounds you gotta be on your
toes."
Acme was a huge company with a wide campus of several
buildings and their own network of roads.
"You gotta look in every nook and cranny. Someone could break in and be hiding in every
or any shadow. I
mean a burglar could be,” he shrugged and swept his flashlight over the
sidewalk and over the curb into the shadow there, “hiding in the shadow of the
curb right there.” The flashlight shined
on a young man lying in the shadow.
“Like that one!”
The man leaped to his feet, waved at someone in the shadow
of a nearby building and ran off. The
man in the shadow was a huge hulking mountain of a man who could easily hide in
the shadow of a multi-story office building, but not a curb. He lumbered off in the same direction as the
smaller man.
“Freeze!” Smith
shouted and let loose two shots after both men.
They seemed to have no effect.
"Get the big one," Smith said as they began the
pursuit.
The smaller man kept looking back as he ran to check on the
big man.
“Yes sir.”
Suddenly the big man darted right. The smaller man sensing they were going their
separate ways slipped up a few gears and flew off straight up the street.
Nicomedia turned to follow her man, “Don’t lose yours,” she
said. Smith groaned at his choice and
tried to pick up his pace.
The big man ran to a nearby building, Nicomedia
followed. Inside the first door was a
second door with a key card scanner. The
man turned to face Nicomedia with his hands up to fight.
“Crap,” she breathed.
“Come with me quietly now, sir.”
In answer he gave a massive roundhouse. She saw it coming and ducked under it. Bent over she took the two steps the
vestibule afforded and hit him in the gut with her full weight. He staggered back until he was against the
inner door and folded.
She took a step back and said, “Come quietly with me now,
sir.”
He started to rise, fists held out in the ready. She knew if he got up and was able to land a
few good punches he could finish her in no time. As he lifted his head she had to make a split
second decision.
She slammed her right fist into the side of his face. He groaned and his head fell.
“Will you come along quietly now, sir?”
Up he came again, hands and head rising.
She gave him another massive shot. He flopped back down. Her hand hurt.
“Come quietly now, sir.”
He grunted louder, more angry and started to rise. She hit him with her left hand.
He flopped back down, this time to his knees. She hit him again, “Stay down. Put your hands behind your back and lay
down. Sir.”
He collapsed completely.
His arms flopped at his side and he grunted quietly in a high
pitch. Nicomedia was breathing heavily;
she looked down and saw blood all over the back of the man’s shirt. She bent down and pulled his shirt up. There, just above the belt was a gunshot
entry wound.
He whimpered on the floor.
“Did you get shot in the back?”
He nodded with snot and tears running down his face. He moved his mouth but only noises came out.
“Sir, are you alright?”
He shook his head and tried to talk again.
“Can’t you talk?”
The man whimpered and slowly shook his head.
“Oh shit,” she grabbed her radio and called for help. Eventually Smith and the ambulance showed up.
“What the hell happened?”
Smith asked bewildered. Nicomedia
was tall and broad. She was older for a
new hire because of prior military service.
Still Smith was surprised the thirty seven year old amazon could take
the mountain of a man.
“Seems one of your shots hit home. When I pushed him against the inner door the
handle pushed the bullet against his spinal column. Every time he tried to surrender he could only
lift his hands a little and couldn’t rise above waist level.”
Smith guffawed, “So, you beat the crap out of a paralyzed
man?”
“How was I supposed to know, wait, where’s your guy?”
“I’m calling the boss,” Smith pulled out his cell.
Later that day Nicomedia and Smith sat outside the guard
commander’s office awaiting their fate.
The Duty Sergeant, Lieutenant and the commander had been talking for ten
minutes before they called her in.
“Adrian Nicomedia,” the commander began, “Twenty year Army
MP veteran, several tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, Purple Heart and Bronze Star. You are a natural for this job.” She closed the personnel file and opened a
file containing a single sheet of paper, the beginning of the report of the
night’s activities.
“Two men compromised the security of our facilities, stole
highly sensitive data as well as several small but very valuable pieces of
equipment. You and your partner lost one
of the men and you assaulted a badly wounded man, further wounding him,” she
looked up at Nicomedia, “I had such high hopes for you.”
“Had?”
“Well. Mr. Jones, the
wounded man you beat senseless, has already begun proceedings to sue our
company.”
“He’s suing us?”
“This is true.
Unfortunately you know what else is true? John Smith is the nephew of Consolidated
Securities CEO, Matilde Smith. He’s also
the grandson of the chairman of the board of Acme High Tech Industries Inc.,
you know, the company our company is guarding?”
“I know who they are.”
“Look, Adrian, I like you.
I think you should be working for a guard company somewhere, that’s why
I’m sending in a recommendation to a headhunter that contacted us about you for
a company they are working for, MSL Inc.”
“You want me to be working somewhere?”
“Someone has to go down for this, you do understand? We need a goat.”
“Baa.”
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