Barricaded

When the elevator arrives, Ismak storms forward, seeing an empty hallway. He motioned to his men to follow him towards their new objective. It wasn't long before they came across Colonel Bravi's body. Ismak gave his commander a solemn nod before saying "May the Caretaker watch over you now, old friend."

"Looks like he used a pneumatic baton." Alja, one of Ismak's men commented. "Hopefully that's all he's armed with."

"Don't underestimate him. He's still killed our comrade. That means he's incredibly dangerous."

"Yes Sir."

The three move onwards, soon finding the four corpses of their comrades. Ismak took a deep breath, as Alja said "One man did all this?"

"Indeed. We are tracking a skilled foe, that's for sure."

"May the Braveman favor us then."

The men then approach the nearest suite to their left, with Ismak turning the doorknob. Finding the door locked, he proceeded to put a button-sized explosive charge on the door's lock, before detonating it with his wrist-mounted computer. After the small explosion, he threw the door open, finding an empty living space.

The explosion was audible to both Jol and Kira, who found themselves waiting in the bathroom. Kira looked at Jol and said "They're coming."

"It's okay. They're not here yet."

"But they will be."

"You'll be safe. Just stay in your hiding spot."

Kira got back in the cupboard, fearing she might spend the last few moments of her life there.

Ismak threw a cupboard open, finding no one. "Fuck."

"Sir. I think I found something." Alja called out from the balcony.

Ismak approached, seeing the bedsheet hanging from the opposing balcony.

"They must be in that suite. Let's move."

The three commandos rush to the door. Once they arrive at the suite door, Ismak places another breaching charge. Once it's placed, he steps to the side of the door before detonating the charge. He then pushes the door forward, finding that the room is blocked.

"Dammit. Put charges on the hinges."

"On it Sir."

Alja did just that, before detonating the two charges. The door falls to the ground, so Farae moved over the couch. His foot landed on the Stinger stuck in between the cushions, and in turn pressing it down. The compressed air blasts the wound, tearing a hole inside Farae's foot. He fell forward, landing on his shoulder. Ismak then trained on the nearest doorway, before shouting "Are you okay?"

Farae crawled away. "Agh... I think I dislocated my shoulder."

"Dammit. Stay there."

Ismak proceeded to push on the back of the couch. As it moves forward, Ismak heard something tear, right before a Stinger weighed down by a can of Miner's Respite landed on the top of his head, activating the Stinger. The burst of compressed air instantly blasted his brain, killing him in an instant. As the man fell to the ground, Alja keyed his radio.

"This is Alja. I've got two men down here. I need reinforcements."

"What do you mean?"

Alja looked down at Ismak's body, his eyes bulging out of their sockets, and his mouth twisted in the shock of the split-second pain he felt.

"The room was rigged. Ismak is dead, and Farae's hurt bad."

"Can you see the Princess?"

"Negative, but I don't know where she could've gone. She's trapped here."

"Okay. Just hold there for now."

"Copy that. I'll meet you there."

"Understood."

That's when Alja saw a door in the room open. He leveled his rifle at Jol, who aimed his baton at him and hit the button to deploy the pneumatic head, launching the Stinger on the end. The spike plunged in between Alja's eyes, killing the commando in an instant. Farae then rolled onto his stomach, the sudden movement alerting Jol who retreated back into the doorway, narrowly escaping the burst of automatic fire.

Jol loaded the final Stinger into his improvised projectile weapon before ducking down low and peaking out once more. Bullets fly over his head as Farae takes a split second to shift his aim, only to be struck in the groin by the Stinger. Farae screamed in pain as he fired a burst into the roof. Seeing his chance, Jol charged forward, ready to strike.

Gritting his teeth, Farae aimed his carbine at Jol, who was now looming over him. He swung his baton at his weapon, pushing it out of the way before following up with a strike to the bridge of his nose, which collapses Farae's skull. A second and third blow ensures the Black Dagger had met his demise. With all three dead, Jol went to collect the M430 carbine from Ismak's cold, dead hands. He might still be outnumbered, but the extra firepower gave him some semblance of a chance. Now all he had to do was think of his next move.