Rainbow Six: Operation Blinding Lights

Chapter 13: Forcing Up the Forgotten

Savaana

With my thoughts spinning like a tornado, I march into the mess hall for this morbid celebration of life.

"Fuckin' morbid, if you ask me," I mutter to myself, my voice sending a shiver down my spine. I push through the chill and head toward the wide-open doors.

Three recruits are hanging around the entrance, and it's obvious they're shit-faced. The first one's a real gem—cargo shorts revealing his freakishly thick calves, bright red tennis shoes that clash with his black tank top. His arms are on display, covered in shitty tattoos—crosses, skulls with knives through them, and ribbons with names. The whole getup gives off an unsettling vibe.

Next to him is the bearded wonder. He's wearing ripped black jeans, combat boots, and a green polo with some forgotten football team logo. His ginger beard's a mess, and that yellow baseball cap perched crookedly on his head makes him look like a walking disaster. Despite his appearance, he's got this stupid, misplaced sense of pride.

The third recruit's a woman, and she's different from the rest. Her toned, tanned body stands out, her muscles defined even through her clothes. She's not as hammered as the two idiots with her. Her arms, long and scarred, are covered in intricate tattoos. A half-sleeve depicts roses and thorns intertwined with a serpent skull pierced by a dagger. The serpent's scales shimmer in deep greens, and blood drips from the roses in a haunting design. Below it, a banner reads, *To cut the heads of snakes* in elegant Latin. Another tattoo wraps around her wrist—a black vine with delicate flowers. She's wearing a tight red tank top and black cargo pants, with a pistol strapped to her left hip. There's a quiet fierceness in her demeanor, a calm that makes her stand out from the drunken mess around her.

The stench of alcohol and the heavy air fill the space. The first guy's laughing sluggishly, his breath a mix of cheap whiskey. He leans against the door frame, his tattoos shifting grotesquely as he moves. One arm hangs limply while the other flails about, trying to make a point he's long forgotten. His eyes, glassy and unfocused, struggle to settle on anything.

The bearded man mutters something incoherent, the slurred words blending into the noise. His hat is askew, nearly falling off as he sways. Despite his disheveled appearance, there's an odd sense of pride in how he carries himself as if he still thinks he's important. His beard's flecked with crumbs, and he mumbles something to the woman, his voice barely coherent.

She stands apart from their chaos, her stance poised and ready. Her scars and tattoos tell stories of battles fought. One arm features a phoenix rising from the ashes, feathers shimmering in reds, oranges, and golds. Its talons grip a burning skull, flames licking up toward her elbow. Below, the words *From the ashes I rise* are inked in sharp Gothic script. On her other arm, a snake coils around her bicep, its scales dark green and black. A small dagger is stabbed through its skull, dripping with blackened blood. The snake's tail disappears beneath her tank top, hinting at more ink hidden underneath.

The two men, in their drunken stupor, start making moves on me. Cargo Shorts leans in, trying to act smooth but failing miserably. "So, what's a badass like you doin' with us? Bet you like a real man, huh?" he slurs, his eyes lingering on my tattoos in a way that makes my skin crawl.

I don't even flinch. "Fuck off before you embarrass yourself," I snap, my voice sharp and clear. But his grin only widens.

Bearded guy steps closer, his breath hot and reeking. "C'mon, babe. Don't be like that. We're just havin' some fun. You seem like the type who likes a little danger, huh?" He reaches out, his hand brushing against my arm.

That's it. I'm done with their shit. Ginger Beard tries to grope me, his hand sliding around my waist. Before he can even get a grip, I grab his wrist with lightning speed. My fingers clamp down, the bones beneath feeling like they might snap any second.