Black Waters [A Dark Romance Military Fanfiction]

Chapter 9 The Elite

As I climbed the ranks, stories of rogue men and women began to reach me. Desertion seemed all too common, with individuals becoming disillusioned with their organizations. One story, in particular, intrigued me, and I delved deeper. It told of a man whose abilities were unmatched, deemed superhuman, surpassing all test benchmarks in speed, agility, and strength. He was known as 'The Elite.'

Sent on a high-risk mission with a team, none returned. Investigations presumed all dead until the bodies were found, all but The Elite. Theories about his fate abounded: betrayal, capture, or disappearance. His whereabouts stayed a mystery, and despite many believing him dead, I couldn't concede to that. Such strength couldn't be easily defeated; doubt lingered.

"Lieutenant, your presence is required in the meeting room," came the call. I promptly joined the others. "Sierra, we have a matter to discuss. Remember the stories?" I sat down. "Yes, General, what about them?" He sighed. "We believe a former ally might be aiding our enemy, willingly or not. Your mission is to uncover the truth, alone and covertly. We believe you're up to the task. You leave at dawn." I stood, saluted, and said, "Understood, General." I then set out to ready my gear.

A tap on my shoulder made me turn and smile. "Leah, how are you, my friend?" As a Private First Class, she was under my command, and we had shared dreams of embarking on an adventure together. She had been enthusiastic about joining the military with me since the day I decided to enlist on that bridge. Despite my quicker rise through the ranks, her determination never wavered, and her eagerness to advance only grew. "I'm good. Tomorrow, they're sending me on my first mission. It's a recon, and I'm both excited and nervous," she confided. Returning her smile, I gave her a warm embrace. "I'll be on a solo mission myself. Let's catch up after, okay?" Her hug was tight and full of promise. "Absolutely! And when you're back, we'll start that book we've been meaning to read together." With a final smile, I stepped away. "It's a plan. But for now, rest is crucial for both of us." We settled into our bunks, the anticipation of our separate missions heavy in the air, the future as yet unwritten.

The morning arrived, and we set off on our separate ways. Time seemed to accelerate, with hours, days, and weeks slipping by. Eventually, I reached an enemy base, enveloped in an unsettling silence. It was too quiet. I cautiously approached the abandoned base, sensing that something was amiss. The absence of personnel was unnerving. Moving through the corridors, I felt as though I was in a horror film, half-expecting a figure to leap from the shadows. Fortunately, that never happened. Rounding a corner, I spotted a light spilling from a doorway. I silently made my way to the room and surveyed it. It was empty. The room resembled a laboratory, cluttered with equipment, but in disarray as if ravaged by some force. Bloodstains smeared the floor, vials containing mysterious substances lay shattered, and glass was strewn about. Clearly, a significant event had transpired. An active screen on a terminal caught my attention. I navigated the debris to reach it and saw what appeared to be a recording. I pressed play.

I quickly averted my eyes quickly feeling nauseous. What had played on the screen etched itself in my head. A man was being injected with needles and slit by knives. He screamed loudly that the room seemed to come alive. The next minute the screen glitched with static. I looked again and the video fast forwards to a horrid scene. A man being held by the throat by the man that was being tortured. In one swift movement, his neck was snapped. All the other men in the room were killed as well. Blood staining the ground and the man just standing there back to the screen. He wasn't wearing a shirt so I could partially see his body. It was strong and his muscles were well defined. There were scars on his back as well. An etching of a wolf and other markings. Kinda reminded me of myself. For a split second, I saw him look towards the camera. His eyes pierced my soul through the screen. I couldn't really tell, but they seemed really bright. The screen flickered off. I grabbed my USB and transferred the data for my intel on this mission. On my way back through, I wondered to myself what exactly happened. 

A crash echoed through the air. I seized my gun, extending it before me—someone, or something, was present. I prowled the area until I stumbled upon a room resembling an office, though its contents were in disarray across the floor. With my gun at the ready, I scanned the room but found no one. I edged closer to a billboard plastered with information. A gasp escaped me; the board displayed test results. The entity conducting experiments here sought to engineer the inhuman—a serum for superhuman abilities. Yet, the numerous failures hinted at their lack of success. Had they achieved their goal? A creak sounded, and I whirled around, aiming my gun toward the noise, but the room remained empty. Was it my imagination? Dismissing the thought, I resolved to exit promptly. As I navigated the corridors, a voice halted me, "Hey." Startled, I surveyed my surroundings in alarm. A blood trail led to a closet. Approaching cautiously, I opened it to find a blood-soaked figure. "Please, stop him," he implored. I knelt, questioning, "What happened here? Who must I stop?" Tears filled his eyes. "We made a mistake. In our hubris, we defied nature's laws and birthed a monstrosity. It slaughtered everyone. I concealed myself here, but I won't last. You must annihilate it, or it will annihilate all." With those final words, he succumbed. I recoiled, urgency surging within me—I needed to deliver this intelligence to the base immediately.

I sprinted until an SOS alert flashed on my pager: "Mission in Distress! Head west for rendezvous. Need backup." Without hesitation, I dashed towards the coordinates. Arriving, I was met with a chilling sight: bodies strewn across the ground, lifeless. Anxiety mounting, I drew my weapon, ready to secure the area. Nearing one fallen comrade, the insignia 'Team Bravo, Recon Regiment, 2XP' caught my eye. They were my squad, the 'Two Times Powerful.' My heart sank; Leah was among them. Fueled by adrenaline, I raced aimlessly until I stumbled into a room of carnage—bodies, blood-soaked floors, and bullet-riddled walls. Desperately, I searched for Leah, hoping she's alright. A blood trail halted me; someone had attempted escape. Following it, I discovered a body clutching a note. It read: "To whoever finds this, inform Sierra of my fate. Express my pride and apologies for not being strong. Convey my love and request to rest at our cherished shore. We were overpowered. An assailant decimated us effortlessly. My time dwindles. I tried. Forgive me, Sierra..."

I collapsed to my knees. There lied Leah, my best friend, lifeless.