The Fire Beneath Us

Part 2

Hex
March 23, 2022 6:05 AM
Praslin, Africa

Me and Emil walk up the wooden steps to the floor above. We get to the top and open the metal double doors. The other three already took their seat around the table. The table was in the shape of a semicircle. All the seats were on the rounded side of the table, facing a huge screen. No windows are present in the room. The only source of light coming from the ceiling above.

I take my seat next to Svein, to the far right of the table. General Williams wasn't in the room so I just grabbed a pen infront of me and started to fidget with it. Everyone else just started talking, but I didn't bother tuning into the conversation. All the talking stops a soon as the General in. We all stood up and watched him walk in with another person I haven't seen before.

A woman with shiny, long, black hair. She looks to be average height and in good shape. She is in a black long sleeve shirt, tucked into her black cargo pants. Both the General and the mystery woman stood infront of us.

Williams: "First off, welcome back team. I have no doubt you completed the job at hand flawlessly. Second, I would like to introduce you to Ae-Ri. She will be with us for some time and will have involvement in any future operations."

That seemed very vague to me. What kind of involvement will she have?

Ae-Ri: "For now I will just stay out of the way and let you do your own thing."

She then walks to the corner of the room and stands in a formal position looking over the whole thing. General Williams then gestures us to sit, which we do.

Williams: "Emil, what was the status of everyone both inside and out of the bunker?"

Grid: "Deceased, no survivors. Same goes for the enemy, none left alive."

Williams: "Anarchy have always been difficult to deal with. Their attacks have always been quick and destructive, but this one seems different. Was there any info about what they were trying to target?"

Grid: "No sir. No coordinates were input when we eliminated the enemy."

Williams: "Very well. Is there anything that needs to be said before we dismiss?"

Yurei: "Yes, this just came to me, but Anarchy usually force the people they are up against to join. This time they killed everyone without second thought."

Williams: "How can you be sure they killed without second thought?"

Hex: "I checked the bodies outside before entering and all inside. Just based off quick analysis I concluded that all were killed at relatively similar times and all bodies were in places that were defensive."

Williams: "So all were killed in combat?"

Hex: "That's correct sir."

Williams: "Like I said, different. You are all dismissed."

Ae-Ri: "Before you all leave I wanted to ask you all a few questions if you don't mind." She chimed in.

Williams: "Very well."

Ae-Ri: "I noticed that you don't dress appropriate to your own military."

Hök: "What do you mean exactly?"

Ae-Ri: "Emil, you are German correct?"

Grid: "That is correct."

Ae-Ri: "If I'm not mistaken your military doesn't go onto the field in dark colors and a helmet with NODS."

Pyro: "When you are training for the Hellhounds task force you go through all kinds of training, not limited to your own country's. When you train in that many ways you find different talents that you most likely wouldn't have found if you stayed with your military."

Grid: "I had experience in tech and code, but when I joined my knowledge on the subject expanded. The uniform was just a choice I made, I could have stuck with my old uniform."

Hök: "Same goes for everyone else sitting at this table. I was never an expert in reconnaissance until I joined."

Ae-Ri: "Thank you for answering. I had other questions, but you have already answered those."

Williams: "If that is all then you may all get some rest."

We all get up, push in our chairs, and exit the room. We walk out of the building an to our barracks. The barracks The Hellhounds get are different from the usual military barracks.

When you walk into the building there is a long hallway with windows along the left side. To the right are the doors that lead to our own rooms. We each get a large square room with a bathroom, bed, closet, television, and work station.

The closet is mainly to store our uniforms. There are drawers at the bottom of it for our regular clothes, but uniforms are what they are mainly for.

The work station is were we clean, fix, and improve our weapons and equipment. It is a large metal desk with a spacious bottom compartment. When we are not working on our things we put them in there and lock it up. There is a large scale workshop elsewhere in our base, but this is for quick jobs.

I get undressed out of my uniform and into some more comfortable clothing. Once comfortable I place my unused equipment and weapons in the compartment and lock it. It requires a six digit code, so no one will open it except me.

I double check to make sure it is securely closed then lay down in bed. The bed has a wooden frame, with a mattress, white sheet, grey blanket and pillows. I close my eyes and try and get some sleep.

As I lay there I can't help but think about that woman. She seems off to me. We know nothing about her and she is just here in our base. I can ask Williams later. Hopefully he can shed some light into who she is and why she's here.

I just hope I can get some sleep before the squadrons begin target practice. They are supposed to be practicing with the fifty calibers today, so it's going to be loud.

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