Chapter 381 - 381

The rest of the day went by slowly but not without its share of entertainment. Stories were swapped, food was shared and one of the hunters even busted out a deck of cards to do a bit of gambling. Adam took part. He had a few big breaks at the start and then lost all his earnings by the end. It wasn't much of a loss, just 32 caps in the end, but not quitting while he was ahead was his downfall.

On the other hand Percy won it big. Earning himself over 400 caps through a series of daring gambles. His poker face was unreadable.

Everyone spent the time in whatever way suited them. Some looked over the plans, some cleaned their weapons, some paced around, some just took a nap. Which is actually what Adam ended up doing for about an hour, napping in one of the unused apartment rooms that still had a usable bed.

Eventually though night hit and it was time to start the plan. Salvatore started by heading to the roof of a nearby building that had a great view overlooking the top of the factory. But not before grumbling that it was so dark it was going to be hard to land a shot. On the plus side it seemed as though the factory still had some power as a lot of the lights were on around the exterior making it easier to see the guards by the entrances. Not only would it be easier for Adam's group to see them but the light shining down on them would mean the cultists would have an even harder time seeing into the dark. They may be fanatics but they are clearly not strategists.

Adam had already driven the APC around a corner and out of sight of the factory, ready to use it when it was his turn to go, but he himself remained dismounted from the vehicle because, despite everything, he was still worried and wanted to watch the stealth team get to the side entrance where the distance between the factory and the surrounding buildings was the shortest.

Before they left, Adam watched as Milla and Jack, one of her hunters, placed their hands on each other's arms and pressed their foreheads together in a very loving way.

"Don't die out there you here? You better come back to me." Milla said as if she was speaking a prayer.

"Don't worry, I'm the toughest son–of-a-bitch in Chicago. I'll come back to you, my cuddlefish." Jack said back, with a sweet tone. Milla seemed embarrassed and chuckled before lightly tapping her palm on his cheek, half as an endearing gesture and half to mime slapping him.

"You'd better. Now get out there." She said before grinning and slapping him on the ass, pushing him towards Henderson and the others.

"Man, I gotta get a girl like you, dude." Henderson said with joking envy.

"Ain't no girl like the one I got." Jack said with a grin back.

"We are heading off now Adam. Good luck to you." Mira said as she stood close to Adam, ready to move out.

"Luck? You are the ones who will need it. I'm sitting inside a behemoth of a metal monster while you guys are infiltrating a cultist base." Adam said back.

"Well, let's just both say good luck." She grinned.

"Good luck Mira." Adam smiled at her.

"Thanks." She said before putting on her helmet. "I'll take every bit I can get." Without another word Mira walked over to the other 4 that were a part of the infiltration team and walked off with them. Eve blew Adam an imaginary kiss before walking off but said nothing as the 5 of them disappeared out of sight for the time being.

"Here." Milla said as she walked over, handing Adam a bottle of pills. "Cateye." She offered. Adam looked at it for a moment and then palmed it.

"Thanks."

Cateye was a drug designed to allow the eyes to adapt to low light environments. It had many uses as a non addictive recreational drug however it was never circulated around the military. While Cateye can allow someone to effectively have night vision it only lasts a few minutes, which for active combat is not great. Furthermore Cateye strained the eyes so after it wore off the user would not only temporarily struggle with normal light levels but also likely need a few minutes to clear up dry eyes. However the fact it was non addictive made it an over the counter purchase at any local hunting store across the country. Still they were not very common so Adam had never seen a bottle on sale back in the old world nor encountered a bottle since he had woken up. He was still unsure if he would use it or not, but having it as an option was always a plus.

The rest of the group began to split off from Adam, heading to the designated locations they will hit the front entrance from. The hunters and Adam's friends were more or less spread out evenly among the locations, leaving Adam alone here, at the APC, on his own signal.

In truth he wished he had Mira here. She was the only other person who knew how to operate the gun system. Adam did, but he could not shoot and drive, not beyond simply firing forward anyway. As much of a pain in the ass as it will be he is going to have to drive into position, swap to the gunner's seat, and then fire off his rounds. Slow, but necessary, because he did not have the confidence to perfectly line up the APC to angle the gun correctly, it would just be faster to move the gun.

Waiting. Adam hated waiting. It was the worst part of missions like these. If he was in the action, part of the infiltration team, he would not mind. But sitting in the back, waiting for a signal that may never come, knowing his friend's lives were on the line, did not sit well with him. He had more respect for the people who take the officer track now, it takes a different kind of bravery to send men you care about off to an uncertain mission. Dying is easy, sending others to die? That was far harder.

Regardless Adam watched, through his binoculars, in the shadow of the building he was parked behind as Mira, stealthed up, cut one cultist's head off by the door before he knew she was there. Then, as the guard next to him began to turn, a spear flew through the air and struck him in the head, killing him instantly. Following that up the third guard, caught completely off guard by the sudden assault, opened his mouth to shout for help but before he could a hook on a chain came out of the shadows, stabbed him through the back of the neck, and then pulled him across the cracked pavement towards where the group was hiding nearby. With those three dead, the coast was clear to begin the operation.

Adam watched as the other 4 emerged from the shadows, approaching Mira who had turned off her stealth for a moment and broke through the door's lock, opening it for the others.

As Adam watched Eve begin to carve into the side of the concrete of the factory, to climb to the roof, and the others began to enter through the doorway, Adam could have sworn that Mira glanced his way, over quite the distance, before she too disappeared into the now closing door.

Other than Eve still visible and climbing slowly, the group was now on their own. There was nothing anyone else could do other than pray. Pray they would succeed.