Kandar Ep 18 The last hit

    So this was my 43rd time climbing these steep walls down into the gorge. This guy was not just making me look like an amateur he made me feel like a cadet again and not in a good way. I was getting closer each time like that was some condolence. Took six tries to figure out the laser sensors at the mouth of the cave into the upper rim of the gorge were not the first ones you ran across. No, he had them all over the rocky terrain for miles before you ever got to the cavern system to get to the gorge. Tiny little one with partial beam interruption sensors. Only the best for this guy. Not sure how he read the difference between someone and something out here. It was a fairly barren landscape but there were the occasional reptile and avian.
    I was looking to get out of the game. I had started a guild and had five teams working for me. One of Zero Jack's people picked right up on the procurement process so we had our own office, put us in a much better position verses the others out there. This guy they called Spyder, could comb the web and get some sweet bids for us. He got the standard commission as any procurement office, though he did only have us to get jobs for.I had spent my whole life in this work I wanted to do something a little different, I was going to just teach the new guys coming in.
    "Beeb beeb beeb" in my ear lets me know another sensor nearby. I scan the area naked eye first looking for what it could be. Normally I don't use detection gear, I spent my childhood learning to notice and recognize them. This guy used such high end gear everywhere adding to the fact tat at night was the only way down this wall without being in plain sight. I had to use detection gear and set for max nondiscriminatory call. It would pick up the slightest electrical current, any wavelength frequency, thermal variance, anything. Downside at this level it was not reliable enough on which kind. Had to keep my hands and feet in place as sometimes it only registered after I had touched the sensor. This guy was very good.
    There it was the ledge just below me. Was planning to use it to shimmy over to the next 'easiest' path down without being in full view of the house. There are few places that are possible to scale down here and each one he has something at spots you have no other option to get around, and they are in a different place the next day. I found out when I tried to do the same path a couple times. Looking around I think I have been on ever inch of this rim. Only way past this obstacle is to jump.
    I have not been able to use a rope its to visible and not much to tie it off on anyway. Only 30 feet to ground. I can make the jump but can I land quietly and not on another trap. I don't see anything with my eyes but its to dark for that distance. I try inferred, ultra purple, thermal, ahh, there it was straight down. I will need to jump a little to the left and hope those rocks are not very lose.
    7000 miles through the Great Sands Dessert from any city. No, that does not count the Grand Waystation, it's not technically a city even if a lot of people do live there, If you can call that living. Another 1500 miles of rocky terrain to a cloaked and camouflaged gorge. Really well done job I might add.
    How did I get this close? Reports of missing patrols and treasure hunters. They get lost all the time out here. They know the risk when they come out here. Many just run out of food or fuel. Second clue, with 127 million on his head I am not the first to try. Zero Jack and his 30 Bit System really helped out on finding those lost files of the ones that went before me. Then they hacked some satellites to find some anomalies in this area. Nothing and no one are safe from these guys on the web or even the electrical grid.
    The top rim juts outward covering most of the gorge itself. It runs mostly north and south so it gets plenty of light at the floor. The camouflaged electric shield will hit you for 150Kv if you try to just walk through. If you  could survive that and repel down from there you are in plain sight with no wall or cover of any kind anywhere till you reach the ground. Leaving the only viable way to the bottom is through a maze of caves full of traps, past all the heat and laser sensor, to the lower rim and scale down from there.
    I made it. I'm down on the floor for the 15th time. It's still quiet, no lights on me and no shots fired yet, that seemed to be his favorite way to tell you he saw you. The ground was not loose but the landing was still rough and my ankles hurt. The words of an old instructor ring in my head 'Suck it up boy you have a mission to do'. He was hard as steel, but I learned a lot for him.
    The ground here has an abundance of flowers, shrubs, fruit trees, sensor, alarms and deadly traps. Keeps you on your toes. I make my way to a vantage point to check the building out and make sure he is still there. I have learned not to use the best spots as they are all trapped. Oh the things I could do with 127 million. Keep telling myself that to keep motivated. Biggest payday yet and by far the hardest mark. This guy was good, I could have done 3 other jobs in the time I have spent here. I would not have made this much on them, but would still have money in my pocket to show for my work.
    I have been using the perfect camouflage, going at night, quiet as a cat, still this guy spots me. Sometimes he takes a shot at me and sometime I just get the alarm and leave. This is so much harder than any of the training houses back at the cross or the slaver's compound I hit for training now.
    The Cross requires all agents, Hunters, and Assassins to pass a 'Training House' quarterly. They are 3000 to 6000 square foot buildings set up with lots of traps inside. The goal is to obtain hidden flags inside in a set time span. A minimum of 5 black flags are required to pass. There are 4 levels of these spread around the different regions. The levels are not posted on the buildings, you have to learn to do the research to find the right ones you want.
    Level 4 is the lowest ones. Normally the smallest floor space and the easiest traps. There are 6 black flags and 2 red flags inside. The red flags are harder to find but, each red flag has a training place and type listed on it you get to go to, if you make it out in time with any of them. Level 3 is next with 7 black 3 red flags more space more and better traps and less time to complete. Level 2 has 7 black 3 red and 1 gold flag. You get a gold flag you get to chose a training type you want under a master in the area.
    There is only 1 level 1 'Training Houses' that is only available once every 3 years. Only Saint level Agents, Elder level and up Hunters and and Assassins are allowed in. You have to find out the when and where of these. There is 5 black 5 red and 2 gold flags. The time is very short, the space is very great, the place is always a maze, and the traps are deadly. Every time several people fail, or die, in these.
    At 12 years old I was taken to it and made to go through. I only managed to get 4 black flags and almost died. At 15 if got 5 black and 2 red. At 18 years old and two weeks before my "departure" from the Cross I managed to find all but 1 gold flag. This gorge made that look like a walk in the park on a Sabbath at sun high.
    I began to wonder if he is leading me in for something or testing or what? I have to assume that with the rest of this he would be a good shot or at least have someone there who is. Why I am not dead yet is a mystery to me. Why I keep try after all I have seen is too. Maybe he thinks I will give up and go away? If I think that, then why has nobody that has gone after him ever been seen again?
    There he is walking through the great room very visible in the large panoramic windows there. They have to be deflection glass, it off sets the images behind it a bit just for snipers. Again with everything else I would guess it's true glass for people like me that carry around this heavy 23mm Keagan. I could have brought the DK 23mm but this has more knock down power and range difference does not matter in here.
    I eat a protein bar for some much needed energy. You would think with all of our wonderful technology they could come up with some better flavors for these nasty things. Still with limited carring capacity they are the best thing for the job.
    He is an old Kandar, feline type, much of his fur is gray now. What I have been able to find on him suggest that he is a Breema, but there is no confirmation on that. Even now that I have him in full view with my big scope I am unsure. Nope, there it is, his arms are visible with the short sleeve button down shirt. I can see all five colors in his coat, he is a Breema.  
    I carefully move in closer, to a good spot. I take the vantage point in some shrubs just to the left of another one of his traps. I set up the Keagan readying myself as he is walking back and forth. A 3 round burst should take the glass out at this range and leave him exposed for the kill shot. I will have to be very quick with the follow up so he does not make it to any cover.
    Looking down through the scope in to the window I wait for the right moment. He walks up to the glass with a sandwich and a glass of what looks like tea. He tilts his head to the side with a smile looking right at me. Holding the sandwich in his mouth for a moment he points to my right. I quickly look where he is pointing to see a fresh sandwich on a plate and a glass of tea with ice in it that is not yet sweating.
    I give up. I pack up everything take the drink and sandwich with me. I forgo all else just take the plain dirt path right up the middle to the front door. I am surprised there are no traps on the path. Up on the porch I see the front door is open and he is sitting at the table having lunch. A chair is pulled out across from him inviting me in to sit.
    The door bell rings drawing Jessie back from his memories to the here and now. With a sigh he gets up from the couch heading towards the front door. 'What now?' he wonders.