Apocalypse L.A.: Scorched Earth: Part 6 by Holly50 on DeviantArt
Chapter 6 "I believe this is your department," Holly calmly told Sonia as the countdown continued on the suitcase nuke. "Can you disarm it?" The brunette examined the weapon. "It's a Mark VI nuclear device. I think I can disarm it." In the hallway, despite six bullet wounds. Major Dadenov slowly pulled his Makarov pistol from his holster. His eyes refusing to focus, he raised up the 9mm weapon. Exiting the stairwell on the third floor, Cassie and Amber spotted the Russian major raise the gun and aim it into the interior of the hotel room. Cassie pulled the trigger on her M-4 carbine, but she was a split second too late. Dadenov got off a single shot before he died. The round went into Sonia's back shoulder and bored its way through, coming out her front shoulder. It spun her around and into Holly's arms as she screamed. Val was there in seconds, helping Holly lower Sonia into a sitting position beside the wall. Reaching into her rucksack, Val pulled out a small medkit. "It's a through and through," Holly reported as Cassie and Amber raced into the room. "What the hell," Cassie said as she and Amber looked at the countdown clock on the bomb, the wounded Sonia and then at each other. Val cut open Sonia's t-shirt at the shoulder and sprayed disinfectant on both the wounds. She then started to apply pressure bandages on each of them. "Sonia, can you hear me," Holly asked, kneeling down in front of the brunette. "Yes," she replied through ragged breaths. "I have morphine to give her," Val said, holding up a small vial and a needle. "Not yet," Holly told her. "I need her lucid. Sonia, can you tell me how to disarm the bomb?" She nodded. "It's a five digit code." Standing up, Holly saw a digital keypad on the weapon. She then knelt back down in front of Sonia. "There must be thousands of combinations to stop it. How do I pick the right one," Holly wondered. "The Los Angeles postal code. Nine ... zero ... zero ... zero ... one," Sonia gasped out. Cassie bent down next to Holly. "How does she know the code?" "I was just going to ask her that," Holly said. "Sonia! The code, how do you know it?" "I'm with the Russian intelligence service," she explained through the pain. "Sent here to stop Dadenov from starting a nuclear war." Holly and Cassie exchanged looks of shock. "Not everyone in my country wanted this invasion. It's madness to think we could win a war on American soil." Val asked the question that was on all their minds. "Can we trust her?" Holly glanced at the clock, it had just gone under five minutes. "I don't think we have much of a choice." "If it helps any, I don't wish to die today, along with the rest of you," Sonia stressed to them. "Val, give her the morphine, please." Holly stood up and faced her fellow team members. "If this doesn't work, I want all of you to know that I've loved every minute we have spent together. I couldn't have asked for a better group of friends." Val looked up at the blonde. "We love you, Holly." "The same goes for me, mate," Amber said her in Melbourne accent. Cassie silently took hold of Holly's left hand as she turned to the nuke. She squeezed it gently, not having to tell Holly how she felt. Holly took a deep breath. She read off the numbers as she pressed the keys. "Nine ... zero ... zero ... zero ... one."She then tapped the enter key. The numbers stopped, then vanished. A sob of relief escaped from Holly. Cassie, Amber and Val all crowded Holly, hugging each other. Holly touched her earpiece. "Everybody, back to the tanks. The bomb's been deactivated." She then turned to her comrades. "The only ones who know Sonia is Russian intelligence are us. It stays in this room, okay?" The rest of them nodded. "You're not going to leave me here," Sonia asked. Holly closed up the suitcase. "No. You saved our lives." "Thank you," she sincerely replied. "Think you can walk," Val asked. When Sonia said yes, Val helped her up and let her lean on her for support. Holly picked up her carbine in one hand and the suitcase in the other. "Let's go home."
