The Protectors

Chapter 6 - Izumi, the Captain.

Later that week, the training sessions had been progressing smoothly and Emile had shown remarkable improvement by effectively communicating with his inner rage. However, there were no updates regarding Luna's situation. Emile continued to inquire about her every day, but unfortunately, there was no new information regarding the mission. With only an hour left until his first mission, it was time for Emile to attend the briefing. He entered the briefing tent and found Izumi, Mia, Alex, Cole, and Snow already present. Cole and Snow, although lacking powers, had been training with the group throughout the week. Izumi sarcastically thanked Emile for finally joining them, hinting at his tardiness. "Now, onto the mission," Izumi began. "We are going on a hunt. An ashen claw has been sighted in a small town near Sheffield. Our task is to eliminate this ashen claw. Scouts have reported that it is located in an industrial area, filled with old abandoned buildings and warehouses. We need to be prepared, as there is a possibility of encountering more than one, although currently we only have confirmation of one." Emile interrupted, sensing that Izumi suspected the presence of additional ashen claws. "You think there might be more, don't you?" he questioned. His words caught Izumi off guard as if he had read her thoughts. She chuckled and replied, "Yes, indeed. I have requested a larger team from Victor, but with Marvin, Jacob, Klay, Luna, Co, Max, and Renay still absent, this is all we have available. It should be a routine mission, but I have a nagging feeling about it, to be honest. Anyway, once we reach the area, we will move in pairs while maintaining unit cohesion. Snow, you will be with me, Cole with Mia, and Alex, you will accompany Emile, along with his 'angry' alter ego," she joked, eliciting smiles from everyone. "Emile, I'm not sure if this has been explained to you yet, as I believe you have not yet undergone weapon training. Normal bullets tend to stun rather than fatally injure these creatures unless a direct shot is made to the neck. Therefore, I am hesitant to provide you with a firearm without proper training. As you can see, I do not use one myself. I believe your strengths lie in close combat, so I suggest equipping yourself with knives or similar weapons. Mia is a skilled sniper, Alex prefers throwing knives, and Cole and Snow are proficient in both gun training and hand-to-hand combat," Izumi explained. Emile understood her words and discreetly tucked a couple of medium-sized knives into his clothing. "We'll be leaving at 5, so I expect everyone to be ready in the car," she added.

As they neared their destination, Alex seemed more nervous than Emile, despite having done this before. Emile found it fascinating to observe. Mia, on the other hand, remained composed, offering reassuring smiles while mentally preparing herself for what lay ahead. Finally, they arrived at their destination, a remote location in the middle of nowhere. The sun was setting, casting an eerie darkness over the surroundings. "Everyone, out of the car and line up. Let's get ready," Izumi commanded with authority. Emile was intrigued to see how she would perform in battle, as everyone held great respect for her. They formed pairs, with Izumi and Cole leading the way, followed by Emile and Alex, and Mia and Snow at the rear. They put on their earpieces and activated their radio communication, striving to maintain silence. With the element of surprise on their side, they aimed to swiftly complete their mission before darkness fully engulfed them. The pathway they walked along was open, flanked by numerous warehouses on either side.

They continued their slow pace, scanning their surroundings vigilantly, eagerly anticipating any sign of sound. Suddenly, Alex halted in his tracks. "Izumi, I hear breathing from the northwest," he whispered, a smile forming on his face. Izumi nodded in acknowledgment, and they proceeded in that direction. However, Alex stopped again, causing Izumi to turn and notice the expression on his face. Annoyance flickered across her features, as she already knew what he was about to say. "Where is the loudest noise coming from?" she inquired, and Alex paused, closing his eyes to concentrate on his hearing. "Northwest," he responded. "And where is the other noise originating from?" she pressed further. Alex focused once more. "East," he informed her. Izumi pondered the best course of action, her mind working swiftly. "Alright, Cole and Snow, come with me. We'll head northwest. Mia, Emile, and Alex, you go east. Follow Mia's lead. Understood?" she spoke firmly yet compassionately, and they all nodded in agreement. "Stay in contact with me through the radio so I know you're all safe. Once I've dealt with whatever lies in my path, I'll join you. Is that clear?" she expressed her reluctance to leave them, her pain evident. "I've got this, Izumi. Go," Mia assured her. Izumi trusted her companions and took Cole and Snow, fading to the left. "How close is the noise coming from the east, Alex?" Alex concentrated once more and pointed towards a nearby building. "It's in that building over there," he indicated. Izumi absorbed the information, realizing that the building was only about 100 meters away from their current location. She scanned the area and found the perfect vantage point. "I'm going up there. Wait here until I give you the signal to proceed. I'm going to snipe that bastard to oblivion," she declared without hesitation. With remarkable agility, she effortlessly overcame any obstacles in her path, swiftly ascending to the elevated position she had identified. She swiftly readied her weapon and spoke into the radio, her voice filled with determination. "I have a clear view through one of the windows. There's one of them inside, feasting. Go now." Emile understood that he needed to take charge in this situation, as Alex wouldn't be of much help. He swiftly made his way, with Alex following closely behind, towards a side door of the building. They managed to open it without making a sound and entered inside. The warehouse was enormous, with a spacious ground floor and a staircase leading to a higher level where the ashenclaw was feasting. Alex knew exactly where it was and began pointing towards it. "Create a distraction, get its attention," Emile instructed Alex, who became pale at the thought. "You can do this, I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you," Emile reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Alex nodded, and Emile quickly positioned himself to the right of Alex, hiding from view. Suddenly, Alex shouted, "Hey you filthy mutt, come over here!" The ashenclaw stopped eating and looked around in confusion, trying to locate the source of the sound. At that moment, Alex heard it scream in pain and witnessed it fall to the ground at the center of the warehouse. It appeared to be in agony, and that's when they realized what had happened. "Wasn't that a perfect shot?" Mia confidently spoke through the earpiece. The ashenclaw struggled, and Emile rushed towards it. It noticed him and attempted to jump up, but its movements were unsteady and weak. Emile's rage appeared and took over as he approached, a sinister smile on his face. "I've been waiting for this," he growled. Rage Emile grabbed a knife from Emile's clothing and charged at the ashenclaw. Although it saw him coming, it was too weakened by the shot to its neck and was now clutching the area with one hand. It swung its blade uncontrollably in an attempt to fend off the Rage Emile.