"Shut up," William barked at the nagging Bromley. "If you're not confident, take another plane."
"Fine, that's just great, thank you," Bromley retorted.
He almost jumped out of the helicopter, but before he could, William pulled the control lever, and the helicopter slowly ascended into the sky, leading the way towards Margate Harbor.
After about ten minutes of smooth flying without any turbulence or issues, Bromley finally relaxed. He shot William a glare before closing his eyes to rest. Over the past couple of days, Bromley had done all the logistical planning, while William's only contributions were strategizing and running his mouth.
During the flight, William asked Sunday, "Sunday, help me with navigation. Where are Maggie and the leader now?"
"SIR, we are now out of range of the spider robot's transmission. The last report came 42 minutes ago; Maggie and the leader were headed toward Margate Harbor. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll arrive about half an hour earlier than them. The other three targets are currently in a two-story inn outside the harbor."
"Got it," William said. Glancing at the sleeping Bromley, he grinned and tossed out a Black Blade drone. "Start recording now, make it like a documentary. Add some thrilling shots and music. And remember, don't show my face."
"Understood, SIR. Recording has begun."
After flying for 40 minutes, the three helicopters landed at a base in Margate. They then drove four cars to the harbor. William positioned two snipers and two spotters in strategic locations. Not long after, Sunday reported that Maggie and the leader had met up with the other three.
William led Bromley to a crane near the harbor and released several Black Blade drones for close-range surveillance.
"William, can't we sell some of these drones for counter-terrorism operations?" Bromley asked hopefully.
"Sorry, these are for personal use. The commercial version costs one million pounds per set," William replied without turning his head.
"Forget it," Bromley grumbled. "A million pounds for one team—I'd need at least ten million pounds to equip all my squads. Who'd buy your overpriced gear? Don't be too greedy, or no one will buy from you."
"Whether people buy it or not, I don't care. Besides, ten million pounds wouldn't even get me a decent ship," William scoffed.
As they talked, Sunday relayed new information. William put on his glasses and closely examined the inn's surroundings, confirming that all five targets were in the suite. He adjusted the communication channel and issued his orders.
"Team One, proceed covertly from the front. Team Two, break in through the back. Move in immediately on command. Snipers, be ready to shoot. If you detect any danger, take the shot. I don't care if the targets are taken alive. Repeat, if there's any emergency, shoot to kill."
"Team One, copy that."
"Team Two, copy that."
Relieved that they didn't need to capture the targets alive, the two strike teams relaxed. In their line of work, it's always trickier when hostages need to be taken.
Two minutes later, Team Two quietly surrounded the two-story inn where the assassins were hiding. After confirming no other people were in the building, William addressed Team One. "Team One, prepare flashbangs. All five targets are on the second floor directly in front of you."
"Understood," replied Team One. The four operatives quickly pulled out flashbangs, counting down from three to one over the communication channel. Four flashbangs smashed through the windows and into the second-floor room.
A series of deafening explosions followed, instantly shattering the glass. The building shook as the windows and floors trembled.
"Team Two, move in. Team One, hit them again," William ordered. With the Black Blade drones keeping watch and the final images from the spider robots sent just before they were destroyed, William had a perfect grasp of the situation. The powerful explosions had incapacitated the five targets. Blood streamed from their ears and noses. The closest one, Olica, died on the spot from cardiac arrest.
William never intended to let them live. Shooting them might raise questions later, but explaining away deaths caused by the shockwaves of flashbangs was much easier.
Team One, already liking this mysterious commander, pulled out another set of flashbangs and tossed them in. Another four thunderous blasts followed.
Five or six seconds later, Team Two broke into the second-floor room. The gruesome sight of the five targets made them pause. "Sir, all five targets confirmed dead. Four from heart attacks. The woman might still be alive."
"Might?" William asked coldly. "What do you mean, might? The mission is complete. All five insurgents have been eliminated. Any questions?"
"No, sir," the Team Two leader replied. He nodded to a nearby teammate, who raised his weapon and shot Maggie a few times before finishing off the others on the ground.
After gathering evidence and recovering the three destroyed spider robots, both teams withdrew, leaving the scene to the local police.
Standing next to William, Bromley was horrified by William's smile. "I didn't think you'd be so ruthless, killing them all like that. Maybe I should stay away from you in the future."
"Dead men don't talk, and there's no point in keeping them around. Why waste resources keeping them in prison?"
William waved his hand dismissively, uninterested in hearing any talk about law or rights. He and Bromley got into a car that had come to pick them up.
Once in the car, William took the gathered evidence and the three spider robots handed to him by one of the operatives.
Back in London, William had Sunday edit a seven-minute video. After reviewing it and finding it satisfactory, he made a copy and gave it to Bromley.
Mission accomplished, they each went their separate ways. Back in his office, Bromley excitedly watched the video William had sent him. It was perfect, laying out the entire story while giving him all the credit. He immediately sent William a thank-you message.
Then, he stood up, called his subordinates, and ordered them to release the news: the terror case had been solved, and all five perpetrators were dead.
Half an hour later, Bromley, fully suited up, held an enthusiastic press conference.
Meanwhile, back home, William endured a full hour of scolding from his mother. It wasn't until a servant announced that dinner was ready that Lena finally let him go.
During dinner, the news on TV showed the video William had given to Bromley.
As the scene of the three helicopters played on screen, Lena suddenly glared at William. "You little punk, when did you learn how to fly a helicopter?"
"Huh?" William, sipping his wine, nearly choked. "I didn't, Mom. You must be mistaken."
"Ha, don't lie to me, boy. I raised you. You think I wouldn't recognize you just because you hid your face?"
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