Free Operation Sting by Simon Cheshire

preparing Phase One of Operation New Age. To the right, they could detect voices coming from one of the roomsabout ten metres away.
    “Sabre, you gather visuals,” said Nero. “Photograph and scan everything going on in this bunker. I’ll get into their computers. Hercules, cut access holes wherever possible, in case we need a rapid escape route, and monitor whoever goes near Dr Smith.”
    “We’re live,” said Sabre and Hercules. Sabre took to the air and sped away. Nero scuttled rapidly into the control room, while Hercules flew up to an electrical box bolted to a nearby wall, cut a small hole in it and crawled inside.
    They transmitted streams of data to each other as they progressed. “Eye cameras at enhanced level,” said Sabre. “Images of all gang members obtained. Watching activity.”
    Nero kept to the shadows at the edge of the large control room, skirting around the equipment until he found a blank metal plate on the back of a PC. Using a screwdriver attachment inside one of his claws, he quickly undid the plate and squeezed inside. He tested the computer’s processors until he found a suitable patch of circuitry. Then a tiny fibre-optic probe extendedfrom his claw and clamped on, linking him to the gang’s computer network.
    “Can you send a message?” said Sabre.
    “Negative,” said Nero. “All communication with the outside world is routed through Williams’s own smartphone. I can’t bypass that without tripping several automatic alarms. However, I can read every byte of data that’s gone through here since it was first switched on.”
    Hercules was snipping and chewing his way through various air vents, and pipes designed for electrical cables. “Give me the full layout of the bunker, Nero,” he said. “That way I can check that I won’t cut through any cable I shouldn’t.”
    “Accessing,” said Nero. The probe searched the computer’s hard drives. “I’ve got it,” said Nero. “Detailed drawings of the whole place.”
    “Received,” said Hercules.
    “Wait,” said Nero. “I’ve found a lot more in here… Hang on… Accessing… Accessing…”
    Meanwhile, Hercules emerged from a neatly cut hole in a metal heating duct. He found himself in the long concrete corridor that led away from the bunker’s entrance.
    The large metal wheel in the centre of the door was turning.
    “Someone’s coming in!” said Hercules.
    “You might be able to slip past them.” transmitted Sabre. “If you leave the bunker, you can contact HQ!”
    The bunker’s entrance swung open. Hercules instantly flicked his wings to full stretch and took off. Whereas Sabre, and Chopper the dragonfly, were built for agility and would have reached the entrance in seconds, Hercules was designed for heavier work, and his top speed was much lower. He was eighteen metres away from freedom…
    A figure stepped through the entrance into the sinister gloom of the corridor.
    Fifteen metres…
    The figure turned and took hold of the metal locking wheel.
    Ten metres…
    The heavy metal door was swung back.
    Seven metres…
    The door bumped shut, the wheel was turned and the bunker was sealed up once more. Hercules swerved in mid-air and landed on thewall above the entrance.
    “Attempt failed,” he transmitted to the others. “The door wasn’t open long enough. I got a brief look at our visitor, though.”
    He sent his sensor readings to the others. They pieced together a photograph that was too blurry to give a positive identification.
    “I’ll intercept him,” said Sabre. “I can see he’s entering the control room now.” With a sharp buzz, Sabre skimmed along the ceiling.
    Nero, still plugged into the computer system, had accessed a treasure trove of documents, emails, phone calls and technical data. “The information I’ve tapped into tells us almost all we need to know,” he said. “To begin with, it seems this bunker is safe from the effects of Whiplash. It’s built using thick concrete reinforced