Foil a cunning plan...
“Come in.”
The two young women smiled at Buck’s booming voice, feeling at ease after hearing it as they always did, despite the seriousness of the problem. They walked into his crowded workshop, stopping for a moment to listen to the soft sounds of Buck’s clockwork creations. The man looked up as they came around the corner of his workbench, being careful not to disturb the piles of gears and mechanical doo-dads that gave the room an almost steam-punk feel.
“Well. My favorite duo. What can I do for you?”
As usual, Siege went right into it, preferring not to waste time if she could help it. “I think I found the pattern. It took a couple hours of digging, but I think,” she paused, “I’m sure I found it.”
“Well, go on child, go on!”
She colored briefly, at being called a child, but she knew he meant no harm. If anyone else would call her that, however... “All of the places hit are connected by an old series of tunnels. They date back to World War 2.”
“World War 2?” He furrowed his brow, confused. “That doesn’t make any sense though. The War never touched our shores, aside from the odd incident or two.”
“That’s just it. You’ve hear of the so-called ‘Battle of Los Angeles’?”
Buck thought for a moment. “Oh, right. If I remember correctly, it was 1942. An unidentified craft was spotted and fired upon by the military.”
Hitomi nodded, “Yeah, Siege had to fill me in, but it was a pretty cool story. Apparently, ” she handed him a computer tablet and pointed out a series of marked points on a map, “they were worried that it was the vanguard of something, so they green-lighted a tunneling project to work on research.”
“I couldn’t find out if they were ever completed, but they apparently did get pretty extensive.”
Buck nodded, “Very good C.J., excellent. I can see at least two more places that haven’t been hit.”
“That’s not all I found. There’s more than a few rumors surrounding these tunnels, running the gamut from abandoned weapons and equipment to stockpiled money. Now, as you know, we’ve never actually caught these goons doing anything other than a lot of trespassing and breaking and entering. What if these guys are distractions, and The real action is down in the tunnels?”
He thought that through for a moment, “Good thought. Plus it’s better than what he had before, which was zilch.” He looked from C.J. to Hitomi, “Take what you girls need, who you need, and see if you can dig something up.” He gave a chuckle, “Hell, I wouldn’t mind going. Sounds like the old days for me.”
Siege smiled, “You’re always welcome Buck, you know that.”
“Eh,” he waved her off, “No work for old men, darlin’. I’d just slow you down.”
She was about to argue when Hitomi placed a hand on her arm and shook her head, “We’ll let you know what’s up, Buck.”
He smiled, a bit melancholy this time, “I know you will, ‘Omi. You two’ll make me proud like always. Now go!” he added gruffly, “Let me get back to my tinkering.”
They smiled at him, and gave him a small hug to add some cheer, which always worked and trotted out to work up a plan.
The two young women smiled at Buck’s booming voice, feeling at ease after hearing it as they always did, despite the seriousness of the problem. They walked into his crowded workshop, stopping for a moment to listen to the soft sounds of Buck’s clockwork creations. The man looked up as they came around the corner of his workbench, being careful not to disturb the piles of gears and mechanical doo-dads that gave the room an almost steam-punk feel.
“Well. My favorite duo. What can I do for you?”
As usual, Siege went right into it, preferring not to waste time if she could help it. “I think I found the pattern. It took a couple hours of digging, but I think,” she paused, “I’m sure I found it.”
“Well, go on child, go on!”
She colored briefly, at being called a child, but she knew he meant no harm. If anyone else would call her that, however... “All of the places hit are connected by an old series of tunnels. They date back to World War 2.”
“World War 2?” He furrowed his brow, confused. “That doesn’t make any sense though. The War never touched our shores, aside from the odd incident or two.”
“That’s just it. You’ve hear of the so-called ‘Battle of Los Angeles’?”
Buck thought for a moment. “Oh, right. If I remember correctly, it was 1942. An unidentified craft was spotted and fired upon by the military.”
Hitomi nodded, “Yeah, Siege had to fill me in, but it was a pretty cool story. Apparently, ” she handed him a computer tablet and pointed out a series of marked points on a map, “they were worried that it was the vanguard of something, so they green-lighted a tunneling project to work on research.”
“I couldn’t find out if they were ever completed, but they apparently did get pretty extensive.”
Buck nodded, “Very good C.J., excellent. I can see at least two more places that haven’t been hit.”
“That’s not all I found. There’s more than a few rumors surrounding these tunnels, running the gamut from abandoned weapons and equipment to stockpiled money. Now, as you know, we’ve never actually caught these goons doing anything other than a lot of trespassing and breaking and entering. What if these guys are distractions, and The real action is down in the tunnels?”
He thought that through for a moment, “Good thought. Plus it’s better than what he had before, which was zilch.” He looked from C.J. to Hitomi, “Take what you girls need, who you need, and see if you can dig something up.” He gave a chuckle, “Hell, I wouldn’t mind going. Sounds like the old days for me.”
Siege smiled, “You’re always welcome Buck, you know that.”
“Eh,” he waved her off, “No work for old men, darlin’. I’d just slow you down.”
She was about to argue when Hitomi placed a hand on her arm and shook her head, “We’ll let you know what’s up, Buck.”
He smiled, a bit melancholy this time, “I know you will, ‘Omi. You two’ll make me proud like always. Now go!” he added gruffly, “Let me get back to my tinkering.”
They smiled at him, and gave him a small hug to add some cheer, which always worked and trotted out to work up a plan.
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