0005: Fight to the Top

Roman opened the doors and Kim moved through quickly ensuring that no one was waiting on the other side. There was a piano next to a flight of stairs leading up. There were plenty of suitcases scattered around the floor. Roman and Kim moved up the stairs with Kim covering above to make sure that they didn't get ambushed.

They proceeded up the stairs. Roman focused ahead while Kim covered above. When they reached the top, they checked to make sure that the coast was clear before trying to make their way up the hallway. After they entered, several Hyenas rushed out and ducked behind a barricade at the end of the hall. Roman and Kim dropped behind available cover and prepared for the ensuing fight.

"These guys are like roaches. They won't be happy until they're exterminated," Roman said.

"Were you an exterminator before you were activated," Kim asked as the Hyenas started shooting.

"Nope."

Roman leaned out and swung his KSG up to shoot a rushing Hyena in the head. Roman switched to his sidearm as he caught the body of the dead Hyena. He sprang up and used the dead body as a shield. The Hyenas riddled their former friend with bullets as they tried to hit Roman. Roman killed one with several shots from his pistol. Kim caught the other one with a burst after she shifted to Roman's former position.

Roman dropped the dead Hyena. As he did this more Hyenas rushed to the barricade. Roman dove behind the wall to his left. He looked at Kim and saw that she had produced a grenade from her backpack. She flung it and it soared down the hall. Roman checked a hole in the wall and noticed that it led to a possible flanking position on the barricade.

"Shit grenade," one of the Hyenas shouted.

As Roman emerged on the flank of the Hyenas, he noticed that they were covered in riot foam. He smiled as he pumped the KSG. The Hyenas struggled to get free, but three shotgun blasts later left no survivors. Kim vaulted over the barricade to rejoin Roman.

"Riot foam grenades, huh?"

"Yeah. All of us can't be as fierce as you in combat," Kim responded.

"True, but that was definitely right on time."

Roman and Kim continued around the corner to some more stairs. They proceeded like before. They found themselves at another set of double doors. Roman reloaded his shotgun as they prepared to continue. Kim opened one of the doors quietly.

Kim quickly ducked behind a nearby column. She surveyed the large room. It looked like it had been turned into a dogfighting arena. She got a quick count of the room and used hand signals to relay the information to Roman. Roman nodded and switched to his assault rifle. Kim ducked low and shifted into cover behind the next column.

Roman moved behind the first column and reactivated his Striker Drone. Kim moved to the third column and killed two Hyenas on the left side of the room. Roman sent his Striker Drone after a Hyena upstairs. He put down three Hyenas as he moved towards one of the dog pens. The Striker Drone eliminated its target and switched to another Hyena up top. Kim ducked behind some massive speakers on the left side.

A Hyena from upstairs tried to outflank Roman and get behind him. Roman dodged his attack and responded with several concentrated sprays. The Hyena tumbled down the stairs dead. A Hyena in the back of the room released a pissed off Pitbull and it charged towards Roman. Roman raised an eyebrow at this and switched to his KSG. The Pitbull leaped in the air and Roman blasted it.

"You fucker. You shot my dog," the Hyena screamed as he unloaded on Roman's position.

"You should've left the bitch in its cage," Roman retorted.

"Fuck you, motherfucker! Fuck you!"

The Hyenas gun ran out of bullets. As he tried to reload, Roman popped up. He rushed the Hyena and punched him in the throat. He spun around and slammed the KSG into the back of the Hyena's head. The Hyena fell to the ground. Roman kicked his gun away and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

Roman drug him to where the dog laid at. He stomped the Hyena's head before flipping him over. Roman stomped him a few more times before firing the KSG into his chest. Roman flipped the Hyena over and draped his arm over the dead dog.

While Roman was dealing with the dog situation, Kim was dealing with the last two Hyenas. One rushed behind the speakers to attack her. Kim emptied her magazine into the "enhanced" Hyena. The final Hyena hopped down on a stack of boxes as he tried to quickly get to Kim. She slid another magazine in and cut the Hyena down at the knees. After ensuring that he was dead, she turned to check on Roman.

"Roman, are you good?"

"Yeah. Just had to deal with a couple of bitches. We should keep moving."

Roman and Kim stepped up to the next set of double doors. They nodded at each other before entering with their guns ready. There were stacks of empty dog cages up against the wall. The rest of the room was filled with dog food and boxes.

"I just found an ammo stockpile. I'm gonna detonate it," Agent Kelso said over comms.

"Is that a good idea," Kim asked.

"We need to keep them off balance," Agent Kelso replied.

"Kelso, I think I love you," Roman said with a chuckle.

"You would," Kim said as she rolled her eyes.

"Romance will have to wait."

"Affirmative. We have some more scum to kill," Roman said.

Roman and Kim proceeded through the next set of double doors. The word kennel was spray painted on the floor. The area was filled with garbage bags and rolling laundry carts. As they neared the opening for the next hallway a hail of gunfire erupted. The two agents ducked into cover behind the wall.

"These bastards are starting to piss me off just a little," Roman said as he reactivated his Striker Drone.

"Just a little," Kim asked as she popped up to fire at a Hyena on the other side of the building.

"Yeah. If I was really pissed, I'd blow this place up."

As if on cue, a large explosion rocked the building.

"That's what you get, you dumb sons of bitches," Agent Kelso shouted.

"You doing all right there, Kelso," Manny asked.

"As long as I'm not breathing asbestos. That blast did a lot of damage."

Roman killed a pair of Hyenas and his Striker Drone finished off another. Kim spotted a sniper on a higher level and killed them before they could become a factor. Roman shot another Hyena and watched him fall over the wall and crashed into the atrium below.

"You and Kelso are looking like a better match than I thought."

Roman just laughed as they continued to finish off the Hyenas. He recalled his drone and deactivated it. The agents headed to the elevator at the end of the hall. Kim pressed the button and the elevator beeped. When the doors opened, Kim stepped in. Roman hesitated for a moment.

"You don't like elevators?"

"I don't like the surprise ending," Roman said as he stepped inside.