“Brass Eagle to Finn, repeat, Brass Eagle to Finn. Do you copy? Over.”

“Finn to Brass Eagle, copy. Over.”

“Status? Over.”

“Brass Eagle, pillars are destabalized. Set Grasshopper in motion. Over.”

Brass Eagle stood overlooking the whole operation. The pillars were down, so the rest of the procedure could go ahead. He sighed through a cigar and spoke into his headset.

“Brass Eagle to Grasshopper. Over.”

“Do I have to be Grasshopper?”

“Yes. Over.”

“Why?”

Brass Eagle crunched down on his cigar. “Because you’re still a student. Follow orders. Over.”

“Copy that.”

In the distance, Brass Eagle could see a small flame blossom on the other side of the island.

“Brass Eagle to Mug. Ready. Over.”

“Ready, Eagle. 3…2…1…”

A tremble escaped through the ground. Brass Eagle smiled. The operation was going exactly as planned. Just a few more steps and it would be his.

Then he saw a hulking silhouette on the other side of the island. He uttered a vivid word.