Chapter 27: Chapter 26 – Hellman in a Handbasket

I was currently in Panam's Warhorse, sitting on the side of the road waiting for Hellman's AV to fly over us. The usual music was nowhere present, and the cab was unusually silent. It was very early in the morning, and the night sky was just beginning to be pushed away by the faint sunlight creeping over the eastern hills. The underlying tension juxtaposed with my peaceful surroundings, and I couldn't help but worry about our plans.

After shopping for cyberware and a few more gadgets yesterday, I drove into the Badlands. Since Saul wanted no part in attacking Kang Tao, I had to meet with V and Panam's team outside the Aldecaldo Camp. The Nomads that showed up were the usual suspects. Mitch, Scorpion, Carol, Cassidy, Teddy, and Bob, collectively known as 'The Vets'. These six were the group that Panam looked to for support the most.

We discussed our roles and drove to the various locations we would set up. Bob and Teddy will detonate and overload the power station. They'll shoot an additional EMP missile at Hellman's AV if it doesn't go down. After they bring down the Zetatech Surveyor, Bob will activate his drone and track the KangTao convoy.

Once Bob informs us that Hellman has left the crash site and which car he was in, Carol and Cassidy will give chase. KangTao should try to intercept the chasing team at the airport by splitting their main force. The chase team will enter a brief firefight and then disengage to give the main KangTao convoy a false sense of security. The chase team will then go to the crash site to clear out the guards.

Scorpion, V, Panam, and I will be waiting for the remaining KangTao employees at the CHOOH2 station, hidden and ready to pounce the second they show their faces. Once we get our hands on the VIP and neutralize the corpo muscle, V and I will take Scorpion's truck and bring Hellman to the Sunset Motel. Meanwhile, Panam and Scorpion will cover our tracks by going in a different direction.

As the smash-and-grab is happening, Bob no longer needs to keep an eye on the drone, so he and Teddy will get into a big rig and book it to the crash site. Carol and Cassidy should have cleared the area as Bob and Teddy arrived. The four will then move the AV onto the big rig to haul it back to camp. I wanted Panam to hide it somewhere safe for a day in case KangTao tracked it, but the vets guaranteed that the megacorp won't be able to find the Surveyor.

The Nomads will return to camp with the Surveyor while V and I watch over Hellman. Once the dust settles and KangTao isn't breaking down the door to get their new hire back, V will bring Hellman to a safe house. Then I will contact Grant Moreno, the dad of one of the girls we found in the tunnel. And also someone that owes me a favor after we rooted out the corpo rat that ordered the kidnapping of his daughter. I'll ask him to get a meeting with Michiko, using Hellman as bait. After that? Fingers crossed, and hope that the big fish bites.

Things have gone pretty well so far. Teddy and Bob successfully planted the explosives and overloaded the power station. And they did it with a lot less fanfare than Panam, sneaking inside instead of ramming into the place. All of the vehicles we use are customized by the Aldecaldos to be EMP-resistant. Still, just in case, we are all waiting outside the blast radius.

"I got visual on Hellman's AV. Everyone get ready. Shit's about to hit the fan."

Teddy broke me out of my reminiscing, and I focused on the skyline. Sure enough, a few miles away in Night City's direction was the heavy-duty flying transport painted in the KangTao standard orange and black. Panam straightened up and gripped her steering wheels.

"Overloading the power station now."

Right after that message from Teddy, flames and smoke erupted from the spike at the center of the power station. I could see the surroundings distort as the compressed air from the explosive blast radiated outwards. Electric lights in the surrounding buildings and cars sputtered as the overloaded and damaged core became an improvised EMP bomb. The KangTao AV reduced altitude, and the thruster blue flames noticeably dimmed, but the thing was still airborne.

"The damn thing is still flying. Bob! Shoot the fucker down."

"Calm your tits, sister. Trying to get a lock, and... Got it! Missiles launched!"

Panam gave the order to Bob over the radio, who was already ready and launched the MANPAD with an EMP warhead. Just as Bob said he took the shot, I saw something zip across the sky, leaving a distinct smoke trail behind it. The missile stayed true and followed the AV until slamming into its rear and exploding in blue light. Under normal circumstances, the Surveyor's automated defense system would have shot the missile down. But the EMP shut down most of its system, and it had no choice but to eat the hit.

The AV was now on a crash course, and we watched as the pilot struggled to keep the craft upright and control the landing. With the transport no longer in flight, it was time for everyone to get to work. Panam stepped on the gas pedal, and the tires spun out until gaining traction and launched us down the freeway. As we sped down the road, another car pulled in behind us. Checking the rearview mirror confirmed that it was Scorpion driving with V in the passenger seat.

Radio chatter was frequent as everyone communicated what they were doing and any information they had. Bob's drone was on its way toward the crash. Cassidy and Carol were driving together in the general direction of the AV. At the same time, the rest of us made our way to the abandoned CHOOH2 station.

A few minutes later, Bob informed us that his drone had arrived on site and started feeding us information, the first of which was excellent news. Since we used an EMP missile to minimize the damage to the AV, a happy little coincidence was that the rocket also knocked out a significant amount of the drones and combat robots. There should be about half a dozen of each. Instead, only three KangTao combat robots wandered around. This meant that when the Nomads try to steal the Surveyor, they'll meet much less resistance.

Hearing that released some of my tension, but I was still pretty high-strung. Bob told us that a local KangTao QRF team had already extracted the surviving crew and Hellman in two vans. Besides the vans, the reinforcements also brought three Militech Griffins for escort. Our drone did an outstanding job of keeping track of the KangTao convoy and where Hellman was located. Carol and Cassidy jumped into action once they got the go-ahead from Bob that our mark was on the move.

"The lead car just rammed through the gates of the regional airport. The other vehicle pulled off and stayed behind. I'm going to keep following Hellman's car. Damn, you were right, Basil. They split off to try to stop Cassidy and Carol. How the heck did you know?"

Bob confirmed that some of KangTao had detached from the group and set up defensive positions in the abandoned regional airport.

"A hunch, let's call it. Cassidy and Carol, remember that you're just there to give them a false sense of security. Give them a good show, but don't engage in any risks."

The distinctive gruff voice of Cassidy Righter came over the coms to ease any worries I had.

"Don't worry, kid. Carol and I've been doing this longer than you've been alive. We'll get the job done. Just focus on your part."

I didn't appreciate him brushing off my concern, but the old fart had a point; they were all professionals. In terms of relevant experience, I had the least of the group. Sure, I shot and participated in shooting competitions in my past life, but that was all recreational. Maybe I was so nervous because I was having doubts about whether or not I was the right person for the situation.

"We're rolling into the airport now." Agony Aunt Carol announced, "Once we break contact, we'll contact you again."

Hearing the chase team initiate only caused my emotions to spike. Panam must have noticed my agitation and self-doubt since she put her hand on my leg, which I hadn't even realized was bouncing up and down like crazy. She gripped my thigh and forced my leg to come to a stop.

"Calm down. You'll do fine. Just let your mind focus on what you must do and trust that everyone will do their job." Panam reaffirmed me as if she could read my mind. "You came up with a great plan, and everything has gone how we wanted. If anything, things have gone better than we anticipated."

I looked at her and smiled, wedging my hand below hers and giving it a squeeze.

"You know you're saying that right before we start a shootout with an armed convoy, right?"

Panam smiled back and pulled her hands free of mine before slapping the dash of her beloved truck.

"Mac can take it. Anything short of a freight train can't even hope to put a dent in my baby."

I rolled my eyes at her confidence in her ride.

"I was more worried about the passengers than the car. Sometimes I wonder if you would save me or your truck if it came down."

Panam pretended to consider the question, exaggeratedly tilting her head as if thinking about the pros and cons of who to save. Before she could give a witty response, Carol came back on the radio.

"We pulled off from the airfield and are heading towards the crash site. Everything still on track?"

Bob quickly responded with Hellman's location.

"I'm still tracking them. Basil seems to have been right about KangTao heading to that CHOOH2 station. They're beelining there at top speed. I'd say five minutes before they get there."

As Bob informed us of Hellman's convoy's whereabouts, we arrived at the refueling station. Panam and Scorpion pulled off to the side to let me and V outside. I ensured all four of us were on the same channel and sent out my orders.

"Panam and Scorpion, hide your trucks under that rock formation on the other side of the road. Scorpion, you ram the KangTao van the second it starts slowing down. Wreck the thing so it can't just run away. Panam, your job is to take out the Griffin drones, but only shoot once Scorpion makes his move."

I paused for a couple of seconds to see if there were any questions. When I was sure there was none, I continued.

"V, you're with me. We'll hide inside the station. Once the drones are taken out, the attention will be on Scorpion and Panam. You and I will use that against them and hit them from behind. We have to make this quick before they bolster their forces. This is when they will be weakest, but other QRF teams and the ones at the airport will be coming here. If you have any concerns, voice them now."

A chorus of 'nopes' and 'nuh-uhs' sounded, followed by all of us scattering to our designated spots. V and I opened the garage doors and hid behind the center pillar. I poked my head out just in time to see Scorpion and Panam get under the small cliff and orient their trucks to face us. Once everyone was in position, I asked Bob how far out Hellman was.

"Any updates on Hellman?"

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"He's close. I can see the station in the distance. Get ready."

I looked down at the Crusher in my hands and inspected it one more time. I made sure the sling was attached and pointed it at the ground. I put my eyes behind the Militech Kanone holographic sights, confirming that the optic was turned on. After that, my hands reached for the ejection port and pulled the bolt back just enough to see the twelve-gauge buckshot shell still in the chamber. Releasing the bolt caused it to move forward under spring pressure. I gave the back of the charging handle a jab to ensure the gun was back in battery.

As I finished checking my weapon, I leaned out to take a look at our surroundings and saw our target. A black van a few hundred meters out was speeding across the desert, heading directly towards us, kicking up a dust storm behind it. This must be our man. I gripped my radio and pushed the transmit button to talk to Bob.

"We got visual on the van, Bob. Recover your drone and take Teddy to the crash site. Stay in contact with Carol and Cassidy. We'll see you later."

"Roger. Good luck."

Switching to the private local connection with my ambush team.

"Alright folks, look alive. Hellman's in visual range."

I was wound up tight, like a coiled snake ready to strike. The only sound was the KangTao van's engine, getting louder and louder. It felt like I was in one of those old western movies right before a shootout, where everyone is just waiting for the sound of the first gunshot before all hell breaks loose.

Once the van was close enough, I hit it with my Ping quick hack and marked all the tangos inside. Six men total, two in the front and four in the back. The van was being escorted by three Militech Griffin drones, one on each side and one trailing behind. Since Hellman isn't a fighter, that makes eight total combatants. Since I marked them, I could see them through barriers, so I hid behind the wall and waited for Scorpion to act.

I watched as the red outline got closer and closer until it crossed the road and pulled into the CHOOH2 station. I could hear the van hit the brakes and see its profile stop incredibly close to the garage doors V and I were hiding behind. Before the van could come to a complete stop, Scorpion came over the comms.

"I'm going now!"

Immediately afterward, the low rumble of the KangTao transport's idling engine was overpowered by the roar of a tuned Aldecaldo truck. A couple of seconds later, I heard the sounds of a massive crash, and all the pinged silhouettes except the drones jolt forward. Before any of the KangTao forces could react, Panam started shooting with the turret on top of her Mackinaw. HMG rounds slammed into the drones, and I watched as her gun made quick work of two of the drones. However, before she could take care of the last Griffin, there was an abrupt stop to the firing.

"Shit. Turrets jammed! There's still one more drone!"

Of-fucking-course it did. Panam really needs to get that fucking thing fixed. Not wasting any time, I swung out from behind my cover and raised my Crusher. The last surviving drone was hovering a dozen feet away from me. It was smart enough to recognize the situation as combat and started firing on Panam. I saw sparks flying and walnut-sized dents being created on the hood of her truck as bullets impacted her car.

I flipped the safety off and pushed the Crusher outwards until my one-point sling stopped it from going further. Since this weapon didn't have a stock to shoulder, using the sling this way turned my back into another point of contact to stabilize the gun.

I focused on the drone and pointed the Crusher's muzzle toward it. I pulled the trigger when the red dot in the center of my holographic sight drifted onto the target. A fireball exited my barrel, and I watched as the pellets shredded one of its gun pods. This must have thrown the drone off tilt as it started spinning around.

I quickly popped off another two shots, which destroyed the drone's main body, causing it to tumble. There was a large gaping hole where its sensor arrays were, and tiny sparks of electricity arced out from it. Happy with my handiwork, I turned my attention to the van. The passenger door opened, and an armed and armored KangTao operative stumbled out. Before they could understand what the hell was going on, I put a quick shot center mass. The individual flew back from the force and banged into the side of the van, groaning in pain.

Surprisingly, it didn't kill them. I guess KangTao corpo armor does an excellent job at stopping double ought buck. Before they could respond, I put another shot in the same spot. This shot seemed to break through, and they slumped lifelessly against the side of the car. Noted, two shots are required. While I was taking care of my guy, V ran up to the open door and started shooting into the driver's side.

As V and I dispatched the first two enemies, the sliding door on my side and the rear doors started to open. I quickly activated my Sandi to have the tactical advantage and charged to the sliding door. Grabbing onto the handle, I ripped the thing open to see the comical sight of a surprised man getting put off balance as he was dragged to the side by the door I threw ajar. Before he could retaliate, I muzzle stuffed his head and caved his head in.

Leaning into the back of the van showed three remaining people. A blonde executive type with a wound in the leg, a medic treating his injury, and one more heavily armored soldier trying to exit through the rear. The medic noticed me and tried to draw his pistol. I was faster, so I took my first shot before their gun could leave the holster. The muzzle flash temporarily brightened the space before dimming down again. My aim was accurate, and the medic's neck was torn open.

The windpipe and spine were shredded, and blood sprayed all over Hellman's face. The former Arasaka engineer's eyes widened for a split second before his glasses were covered in human juice. As time returned to normal, I heard the crack of a gunshot and turned my head toward where it came from. Scorpion had gotten out of his truck and just put a bullet into the right side of the head of the last man standing. The exit wound on the opposite side of the helmet confirmed their fate.

Hellman's brain finally caught up to what was happening and was screaming his lungs out.

"Wait! WAIT! Are you with Arasaka? I'll go back. I'll sign a lifetime contract! Please, just don't kill me!"

Happy that all the enemies were taken care of, I stepped into the van and reached into one of the pouches on my plate carrier. I pulled out a small rectangular case and pulled the top cover off, revealing the skinny syringe inside. While shopping in a market with ill reputes yesterday, I picked up some tranquilizers to make Hellman more compliant. Removing the cap protecting the needle, I jabbed into Hellman's arm and pressed down on the plunger. The man soon fell to his side, like a puppet with its strings cut.

I removed the needle and wrapped his arm around my neck and onto my right shoulder. Then I grabbed one of his legs and lifted it around my other side. With Hellman's torso supported by my back and shoulders, I fireman carried him out into the open. I shuffled my way to Scorpion's truck, and V opened the door to the back seats. I dumped the unconscious man into the rear cab and closed the vehicle behind him. I turned around to see Scorpion walking towards Panam's truck, whose owner was on top of it, trying to clear the jam in the turret.

I looked around and saw all the guns and gear the KangTao security had on them. I was tempted to start looting, but I held myself back. One of the annoying things about having people around is that I couldn't run around and put everything into my inventory without raising a bunch of questions. Oh well, we don't really have the time to properly salvage anyway.

"Hellman' secured. Panam, are you done fucking around with that hunk of scarp you call a turret? You need to take Scorpion out of here."

She responded by flipping me the bird without even looking at me. A few seconds later, she grunted and removed something from the gun. Going by the yelp of joy, it seemed she solved whatever issue the turret had. Looking up, she waved Scorpion over and confirmed everything was good to go.

"Everything's ready! Come on, Scorpion, before KangTao can bare down on us."

Seeing Scorpion get into the Panam's Mackinaw, I climbed into my truck. V was already in the driver's seat. She reversed out of the gas station and drove down the freeway the second I closed my door. Looking behind me showed Scorpion and Panam leaving and cutting through the desert. I settled back into my seat and kept an eye on the road, warry of any trouble coming our way.

It was now early morning, and the road that was empty just a few hours before was starting to see its first commuters. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary for the next few minutes, and just before I was going to relax a few Chevillon Emperors in a familiar orange and black paint scheme showed up on the horizon.

"Shit. I think that's a KangTao convoy" V looked at me, wondering what our plan was, "How do you want to handle this?"

Should have known better than to think we were in the clear.

"Just keep driving like nothing is happening. We're just innocent workers heading into the city. Only engage if bullets start flying or they turn to follow us."

My heart beat faster and faster as the KangTao reinforcements got nearer and nearer. Happily, they sped right past us, not even sparing a glance our way. Just in case, I kept my eyes in the rearview mirror and only stopped when I could no longer see them.

From there, it was smooth sailing. We reached the parking lot of the Sunset Motel ten minutes later and dragged Hellman into a room I rented ahead of time. V then drove Scorpion's truck into the small shop that the motel operated to hide the vehicle from sight. While she was doing that, I stayed in the room to ensure nothing happened to our ticket to Michiko. I dragged one of the chairs near the bathroom, as far away from the door as possible, and sat in it. V rejoined me a few minutes later, tossing her backpack onto the ground and crashing into the bed.

She rubbed her eyes for a while before sitting up and taking a bottle of water out of her pack. After emptying it in one go and tossing it into a trash can, she looked at me.

"So, what's next?"

I grinned at her and picked up my Crusher that I set down on the side of my chair. I put a fresh mag in and rested it on my thigh, muzzle pointed at the door.

"Next, we wait and see if KangTao retaliates."

 

Author's Note

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