Pew!
The grapples shot into the air. They rose and gripped the edge of the roof.
The string pulled taut.
The Amazons pulled the trigger. The string vibrated as they were yanked off the ground.
"We're doing this," Jada squealed.
"Keep silent," Ciema urged.
"Sorry," Jada whispered.
Outside, Yiannis Papadopoulos stooped in the bush. He stuck the bombs on the wall, it immediately adhered to the concrete.
The Amazons reached a window. Ciema produced a circular glass cutter from her pouch. She pressed it to the window, and rotated the arm a full 360 degrees. Ciema gently removed it and slipped her hand in.
Opening her palm, a small drone flew up and down the hall.
"That'll scan the area," Ciema explained.
"I thought that was for us," Jada snapped. "I am very disappointed."
"How? Can you fit your head through that hole?" Ciema argued.
"Ladies, focus," Jaiden's voice boomed in the earpiece.
"Boss?" The Amazons exclaimed in hushed whispers.
"Are you in yet?" Jaiden asked as they ascended.
"Not yet," Ciema replied.
"Be safe," he said. There was a pause. "And I'm proud of you."
The Amazons froze.
Jada blinked. "Did he just say he's proud of us?"
"Yes he did," Ciema smiled.
_________
Basil and Nikolaos enter the building, the crate carried between them.
"We're in, κα Λεόν," Basil whispered.
"Any Amazons?" She whispered.
"None," Basil replied.
"I want it kept that way," she replied.
"Why did we lie, brother?" Nikolaos asked as Basil ended the call. "We could've told her the Amazons are still alive."
"We were paid to kill Jaiden," Basil cut in as they headed for the elevator. "And if he lived, that was no consequence. We're paid nonetheless."
The Amazons crawled up on the roof. Stuffing the grapple guns into their pouches, they produced rappelling rope.
Hooking it to the roof, they ran towards the edge. They jumped off, and rappelled down to the seventh floor.
They unhooked themselves, and watched the rope retract upward.
"Amazons," Ciema whispered, producing a small screen. "Split up. Find Bowman and tell her to get out of here. I have my own mission."
"What?" Laila hissed. "What are you gonna do? Hack the system?"
"No. T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. will hack the system," Ciema responded. "Now go."
The girls turned, ran towards the door. Pushing inside, they ran down opposite hallways.
__________
Ciema, careful to avoid agents, knelt by a wall. She glanced at her screen. The drone's scan popped up.
She was able to see every hallway and the people within.
She ordered, "Hippolyta, turn left."
Laila nodded, turning left. Jada followed.
Ciema noticed the Papadopoulos Brothers, Basil and Nikolaos, ascending in an elevator.
"They're here?" Ciema frowned. "It's fine. Laila and Jada can take care of them."
"T.I.F.F.A.N.Y.," she began, "find the frequency that triggers the bombs."
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. went to work, hurriedly looking for a frequency that matched.
Meanwhile, Jada and Laila halted at the sight of an agent. The agent looked up. Laila and Jada walked normally, with long, exaggerated strides.
The agent watched, confused as they passed.
"Um...do you need something?" The agent questioned.
"Yes," Laila turned, grabbing his arm. "Why the hell are you still here?"
"What?" The agent blinked.
"She means," Jada cut in. "Get everyone out. There are bombs."
"What?" The agent breathed.
"Is what the only language you know?" Laila snapped. "You heard the girl. Get the hell outta here!"
Laila released him and the agent sprinted down the hallway.
"Idiot," Laila laughed.
"Don't say that," Jada smiled.
The pair continued on, reaching an elevator. "We'll use that to reach Bowman," Laila whispered. Jada nodded.
It opened with a ding.
Inside was Basil and Nikolaos, a crate placed between them.
Laila and Jada froze. Summoning courage, they stepped inside. The door closed.
___________
1... 2... 3...
"Ladies," Basil greeted smoothly.
Laila glanced behind her. "Hello. What's up?"
"Nothing," Basil smiled.
Jada whistled 'The Sound of Silence' as she watched the dial.
4... 5... 6...
"When are you dropping off?" Nikolaos spoke.
"Where you dropping off," Laila replied coldly. "What's in the crate?"
"Careful princess," Basil winked. "No need to get suspicious."
Jada whistling faded. She glanced at Laila.
"Excuse me?" Laila blinked. "I ain't no princess of yours. I'm a child of God."
"Amen to that," Jada nodded.
"Apologies," Nikolaos said. "What's your badge number?"
"Why do you want to know?" Laila asked.
"To make sure you're really SWAT," he pushed. "And not pretending."
"Oh we're real," Jada replied. "50-Squad. But guessing from the tattoo on your neck, you're not delivery men."
Basil's smile faded.
Laila dropped her gun. Jada kept whistling.
Nikolaos clenched his fist.
"You don't have to do this," warned Basil.
"You started it," Laila whispered.
Basil whipped out a knife, aiming for her back. Laila dodged and grabbed for his throat.
Jada simultaneously blocked Nikolaos' punch, but he stunned her with an uppercut.
Her helmet flew off.
Basil gasped as Laila slammed him against the steel wall.
"What's up?" Laila yelled.
Nikolaos lunged for Jada but she grabbed him. Nikolaos' face was slammed against the panel, over and over.
Basil reached for Laila's face, pinching her nose. Laila gasped and he shoved her off.
Basil advanced with a devastating elbow, but Laila caught it.
Nikolaos stepped on her foot. Jada stumbled back. Nikolaos shook it off, snarling.
Jada blew a raspberry at him. The two faced off.
Laila kicked his knee. Basil buckled to the ground. Laila, not giving him a moment of rest, kneed his jaw.
Stunned, Basil didn't register her arms snaking under his armpits.
With a heave, Laila launched him into the elevator ceiling above.
Basil grunted as his back hit the ceiling. He came tumbling down, landing beside the crate.
"Oh shit!" Laila exclaimed, stepping back. "That was unexpected. What in the Captain America did I just do?"
Jada and Nikolaos, stood there, shocked at what they witnessed. They turned to each other, panting heavily.
Nikolaos lunged for Jada but Laila grabbed him. Jada punched his face. Nikolaos grunted, but grabbed Laila's shoulders and flipped her onto her back.
Laila coughed, stunned by the blow.
Nikolaos loomed over her, about to hit her. Jada hooked her elbow around his neck, earning a gasp of shock.
Jada pried him off Laila, applying pressure. Nikolaos tried to grab her face, but his hands flailed about.
He soon went limp. His eyes closed. Jada sank to the ground with him in tow. She laid him beside his brother.
"Shit," Laila grunted, getting up.
"You okay?" Jada asked.
"I'm fine," Laila dismissed her concern. "But you lost your helmet."
Jada looked around, finding it on the ground. She picked it up and affixed it on her head.
"Whoops," she grinned.
Laila approached the crate, popping it open. She gasped, grabbing Jada's shoulder.
"Holy cow," Jada breathed, eyes blown wide.
"Antiope, we found something," Laila spoke, pressing her earpiece.
Ciema pressed hers. "What did you find?"
"The bombs," Laila replied.
"Oh my God," Ciema gasped. "Seriously? Secure it, now."
"Will do," Laila smiled.
"How did you get hold of it?" Ciema asked.
"Funny story," Jada chimed in. "We named it from those guys Jaiden fought."
"What?" Ciema hissed, checking her screen.
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. spoke, "You defeated the Papadopoulos Brothers?"
"Two of them anyway," Jada replied.
8... 9... 10...
Ding!
The door slid open. Laila and Jada hurriedly picked up the crate and shuffled out the elevator. The doors closed, trapping the unconscious men within.
"Bowman's right around the corner," Ciema told them. "Be careful, they're agents inside."
Laila assured her, "We whopped the hell out of the Papadopoulos Brothers. We'll be fine."
Ciema shook her head. "Be careful."
"We will," Laila promised. "Hippolyta out."
__________
"Basil, Nikolaos," Yiannis said, pressing his comm. "Come in, over."
He snarled in frustration as he affixed another bomb. There has been radio silence on his end for over an hour.
It's 10: 30 p.m. in Washington now.
"Yiannis," Aleen's voice spoke. "Are you done yet?"
Her tone screamed impatience.
"In a minute," Yiannis assured her.
"You'd better," Aleen growled.
Yiannis shook his head, muttering a complaint in Greek.
____________
"...Then, at my Gala," Henry spoke. "Aleen told me she had planted these bombs there. She planned to blow Jaiden up for whatever reason."
"And you allowed this?" Bowman blinked, incredulous.
"Yes, she informed me of it," Henry revealed. "I didn't think she was serious, but I authorized it. If Jaiden died, so be it. I even allowed one of her assassins to play the bartender."
"You're disgusting," Bowman shook her head. "People almost died."
"Her insanity cost me a building," Henry spat.
Laila kicked the observation room door open. She grunted as she shuffled in, holding the crate.
Miller spun, eyes wide in surprise. "What the hell?"
"Put your hands up now," Hubbard ordered, whipping out her gun. Bowman stood up, confused.
"Everyone calm the hell down," Laila snapped. "You're all in danger. Aleen Leon is about to blow this place sky high, and you're concerned about us."
Henry sprang to his feet, slamming Bowman against the window. She grunted. He fished for her gun and pressed it against her back.
"Go to the door," he hissed. Bowman shuffled to the interrogation door, twisting it open.
The two stumbled into the observation room.
"No one moves," he commanded.
Miller gestured for the agents to lower their guns. They do so, brows creased in worry.
"What is this?" Laila said, annoyed. "Everyone's an enemy day?"
"I don't intend to go to prison," Henry confessed smugly. "With Aleen gone, I'll inherit her empire."
"All you'll be inheriting in this bullet between your eyes," Laila snapped, raising her barrel.
Suddenly, Ciema ran in, firing her dart gun. It landed right in his neck.
Henry dropped his gun, his eyes drooped. Bowman turned, grabbing him and forcing him to the ground.
He groaned in a daze as she cuffed him. "Now you'll be inheriting an orange jumpsuit."
Laila turned, eyebrow raised. "How'd you get here so fast."
"I was a block away," Ciema grinned. "Who knew?"
"Agents," Miller ordered. "Arrest the Amazons."
"Forget them," Bowman answered.
Miller turned. "Excuse me? We need to apprehend these criminals."
"Sir, with all due respect," Bowman replied, yanking Henry to his feet. "We need to evacuate the premises now."
"Evacuate?" Miller snorted. "They could be lying."
"Oh yeah," Laila snapped, opening the crate. She tossed the bomb. Miller and several other agents gasped as it hit the window with a thud.
It stuck to the surface perfectly.
Ciema narrowed her gaze.
"We broke in here and shot his ass for shits and giggles," Laila spoke, furious. "Do you hear yourself?"
Yiannis stood to his feet, and pushed through the brush. "I've set up my own bombs, Ms. Leon."
"Then set it off," Aleen snapped.
Yiannis hopped into the truck. His eyes scanned for his brothers, hoping they'd come out.
Nothing.
With a reluctant sigh, he pressed the trigger.
A high pitched whistle rang through the observation room.
The bomb on the window turned on.
"Shit!" Laila exclaimed.
"T.I.F.F.A.N.Y.," Ciema ordered, "decipher the signal."
"Move! Move!" Bowman commanded. Miller dashed towards the door, pushing past Laila and Jada.
"Our hero," Laila rolled her eyes. Jada ran over to Bowman, helping her with Henry.
Ciema and Laila grabbed the crate, shuffling out of the room, Jada and Bowman close behind.
29...28...27...
"Boss," Laila spoke, pressing her earpiece. "They're evacuating. We got a crate full of bombs."
"Very good Amazons," Jaiden's voice answered. "Now hurry back."
"Not yet," Ciema whispered.
"What?" Laila blinked.
"I need to find the frequency," she reminded. "But yes, let's hurry."
Agents filed out of the building, sprawling into the busy streets. Miller whipped out his phone, hesitantly pondering to call the police.
20...19...18...
The Amazons and Bowman exit the building. T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. scrolled for the frequency. They shuffled down to the elevator. It dinged open. They went inside.
16...15...14...
Exiting the elevator, they headed for the exit.
"I got it," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. announced proudly.
"Do it!" Ciema urged as they pushed through the doors.
T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. echoed the frequency.
The agents braced. Laila and Ciema shielded their faces. Jada gritted her teeth.
Nothing.
The countdown froze at 11.
Miller sighed in relief. Bowman exhaled deeply.
"I did it," Ciema whispered.
"Yes you did," Bowman muttered.
"Thank God we're okay," Miller breathed. He jabbed a finger in the Amazons' direction.
"Turn yourselves in, Amazons," Miller commanded, unconcerned. Agents whipped out their guns, aiming at them.
"And you ruined it," Jada shook her head. Jada cleanly hit Bowman with a palm strike in the jaw.
Bowman fell, stunned. She looked up at the Amazon.
"Sorry," Jada whispered.
Laila pulled out a smoke bomb, tossing it to the ground.
It exploded. Suffocating smoke filled the street. Miller and the Agents coughed.
Laila helped Jada drag the crate into the trunk. Ciema hopped inside. Henry laid on the ground, slowly gaining consciousness.
Jada and Laila hopped inside. "Going invisible," T.I.F.F.A.N.Y. announced.
"Invisible?" The Amazons exclaimed. "Like the invisible Jet?" Jada asked, excitedly.
The BearCat's exterior morphed to see-through before completely vanishing from sight.
"Like the invisible Jet!" Jada laughed, pressing the gas pedal.
The truck surged forward, powering through the smoke.
It began to clear, Miller looked around.
"Damnit!" He shouted.
Bowman stood to her feet, rubbing her sore jaw. Miller stormed up to her.
"You disobey me," Miller snapped. "When I tell you not to pursue him. But when we had them in our grasp, you refuse my orders."
Bowman turned to him. "They weren't the enemy this time."
"You're just like your father," Miller spat. "A damn fool who cost us a lot."
"There's only one fool here," Bowman shot back. "Look in the mirror."
She stormed off, leaving Miller standing.