G.I.Z.M.O. (COMPLETED)

Chapter X

Current day, 9:37 PM, Radii Weapons Systems laboratory, Thompsonville, Virginia. 

Cole slowly eased the supply room door open, peering around its edge to verify he and Kevin were alone in the hallway. He lifted a hand behind him and gestured for his partner to follow. The two men crept silently down the hall, Cole sweeping the AK-47 side-to-side into each open doorway or empty hall.

"You see that?" Kevin whispered as the pair approached a corner room surrounded by thick glass windows. The sounds of talking and intermittent gradient rays of light and shadow shone through the panes, bouncing off the wall on the opposite side of the hallway.

Kevin's reply came in the form of an open hand pressed against his face.

Mumble.

Cole released Kevin, returning his fingers to his weapon's grip and trigger. With his back pressed firmly against the wall, the young man slid down the hall toward the room and quickly glanced into the security office. He relaxed with an exhale. "It's only a T.V." Cole laughed, lowering his weapon; the olive drab shoulder strap's buckle clinking against the dark barrel. "Your boy, Pete...looks like he came through. Big boy's friend even disabled the entire video surveillance system for us! Take a look."

"You know better'n to doubt Pete," Kevin retorted, his voice low. He walked around in front of the glass windows to inspect the wall of static filled monitors on the other side. "Dayum, he's good!"

Cole sighed. "Until tonight, you didn't even know the guy existed." He lifted his eyes to a utilitarian black and white clock mounted on the wall to check the time.

"I've seen him around..."

"Stuff it, Kev. Let's get what we came for and get the hell out of here!" Cole said in a whisper. "So, we take a left here and then down the elevator at the end to the bottom floor."

"Okee dokee, boss."

"Asshole."

Kevin grinned.

The two men jogged down the hall, their fear of observation completely gone.

"Don't you think it's odd that this joint don't have no serious security?" Kevin asked between steps.

"Maybe it's cutbacks? Hell, jobs are disappearing all over like ships in the Bermuda Triangle," Cole retorted breathlessly as they arrived at the elevator.

"I suppose...oh, shit, Cole." Kevin pointed over at a pulsing panel mounted on the wall next to the shiny metallic doors. It illuminated as the two men approached. "That's some kinda serious security lock. Are you gonna be able to crack that one like the other?"

Cole knelt down, narrowing his eyes as he examined it. "Did you bring the baby powder?"

"Not feelin' fresh, buddy?"

"Why do you got to be such a smartass? Just give it here!" Cole demanded, jutting an open hand out at Kevin.

The man laughed as he extracted a white bottle from inside his backpack. "You can dish it out..."

Cole rolled his eyes, and dumped some of the powder into his gloved hand.

"It's unscented."

"I'm ignoring you," Cole replied and blew into his hand toward the panel on the wall. A white cloud erupted from his open palm and exploded onto the glowing electronic surface leaving an odd maze-like pattern in its wake.