40
MAX
The exoskeleton hummed as Max powered it up. Through the suit's enhanced optics, part of William's latest upgrades, he could see heat signatures inside—three Doomers moving on the upper floors, and twelve humans scattered throughout, deep in Yamanu-induced sleep.
"Strike One in position," he said into the comm.
"Strike Two in position," came the response from Bhathian's team across the city.
"Strike Three ready," Anandur confirmed.
"Strike Four standing by," Magnus reported.
Max checked his chronometer: 0059 hours. The neighborhood slept under Yamanu's influence, a blanket thrall that would hold until he made another round through the four locations and released it. If he did nothing, the thrall would eventually weaken and evaporate, but it might take days, and that was dangerous. The less time the humans spent sleeping unnaturally, the better.
"Simultaneous breach in thirty seconds," Onegus's voice came through the command channel. "Start the countdown on my mark. Now!"
In addition to himself, Max's team included eleven Guardians in matching exoskeletons, their armor making them look like something out of a science fiction movie. The recently added camouflage of a matte black surface absorbed light, turning them into shadows with substance. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with the servo-assisted movement, but two days of intensive training had given him enough proficiency to work with.
"Ten seconds," he told his team.
Breach team Alpha, headed by Conrac was in charge of the basement and securing the explosives. Thar's team was tasked with securing the perimeter, and Zolen's breaking in through the back. Max and his team were about to charge through the front and head straight for the Doomers.
It had all been rehearsed enough times for each Guardian to know precisely what his task was, but things never went according to plan, and shit happened more often than not.
"Five seconds."
Max gripped the specialized battering ram with the suit's mechanical fingers like it weighed nothing. Even if the door was reinforced with steel, which many of the doors in this upscale neighborhood were, it wouldn't stand a chance.
"Three... two... one... Breach!"
The ram connected with devastating force, and the door exploded inward, torn from its hinges. Max flowed through theopening, his movements relatively smooth despite the bulk of the exoskeleton.
The interior was dark, but the suit's optics rendered everything in sharp clarity. Not that immortal eyesight needed the enhancement, but it was nice to see so clearly.
Expensive furniture, Persian rugs, the trappings of wealth hiding a nest of killers. Two human guards were slumped in chairs by the entrance, lost in Yamanu's thrall.
The suit's feed indicated that the basement and back teams breached successfully as well. The visuals superimposed on a corner of his visor were another benefit of using the suit. No comm confirmations were needed.
He leaped directly to the second-floor gallery, his men landing with loud thuds all around him. It was a calculated risk since their combined weight could overcome the gallery's structural supports, but the element of surprise was worth the risk.
Not even three seconds had elapsed since the door was breached, and the Doomers were already on them.
They were fast. But not fast enough.
Max's reflexes kicked in, the suit responding to his commands with just the slightest delay. He leaped, bringing his arm up just in time to block a blow aimed at his head. Without the suit's helmet, it would have likely knocked him off his feet, but with it, it would have been an inconvenience that may have given his opponent a momentary edge. Not something he was willing to do.
"Surprise, asshole," Max growled, driving his armored fist into the Doomer's solar plexus. The impact lifted the immortal off his feet, sending him crashing through a wall.
"Contact with two more Doomers, second floor, east wing!" Thar's voice came through the comm.
"Moving to support," Raith confirmed.
Max pursued his target through the hole in the wall. The Doomer should have been knocked out, but he was already rolling to his feet.
Tough bastard.
They collided in the center of what had been a library and reading room. The Doomer was fast, trained, and enhanced beyond what his immortal strength should have afforded him. Max suspected drugs, but even though they could make the guy stronger, faster, and more resilient, they couldn't protect his body from the massive damage of the amplified force behind every punch Max delivered.
