CUS 9; Cinco Encounter

ENCOUNTER 28

Suddenly, a faint sound came from inside barely perceptible, but enough to confirm Blade's suspicions. She signaled to Ross, her movements deliberate and controlled.

Simon's voice crackled through again, urgency is evident in his tone,"Blade, I've lost visuals on you. What's your status?"

"Shit!" She cursed under her breath. The sound was heard on Simon's comms, "Lieutenant Martle, we were deceived!" She gritted her teeth but didn't show any sign of panic.

Simon's voice came through the comms, tense and urgent. His grip on the comms getting tighter out of growing frustrations as Blade hadn't yet answering him "Fucking hell, Blade. What's happening down there?" Simon's teeth gritting, his jaw clenching as he tries to find Blade's direction.

Ross tensed beside her, his tall frame coiled for action. "Fräulein Blade," he whispered, "what should we do?"

The building loomed before them, no longer seemingly empty but alive with hidden dangers. Blade's mind raced, calculating their next move. She knew they were in a precarious position, potentially walking into a trap.

Suddenly, a faint noise came from inside the building  the unmistakable sound of a weapon being prepped. Blade's instincts kicked into overdrive as she realized they were moments away from being discovered.

"Get ready," she hissed to Ross, her hand moving to her concealed weapon. "We're about to have company."

She finally talks in the comms telling Simon to guide the team out properly as she had guessed that the enemy was waiting inside the building. "Lieutenant... we have a company here."

Simon's voice crackled through the comms, a mix of concern and determination evident in his tone. "Hell Izy! Where did you?!—" Simon closed his eyes, trying to calm the whirling anger and concern for her before he speaks again in a calmer tone, "Copy that, Blade. I've got eyes on multiple hostiles converging on your position. Team's falling back to secondary extraction point. What's your play?"

Blade's voice crackled through the comms, steady despite the tension in her surroundings. "Acknowledged, Lieutenant. I’ll draw their attention and buy you time. Tell the team to hold position at secondary until I give the all-clear. I’ve got this."

There was a pause, followed by a faint sound of shifting gears. "And Simon… watch my six."

Simon’s voice came back immediately, firm and resolute. "Always, Blade. You focus on making it out. We’ve got you covered. See you at secondary."

He adjusted his scope, scanning the area for any sign of movement. "Stay sharp. Hostiles are closing fast—don’t take unnecessary risks."

Ross tensed beside Blade, his massive frame ready for action. "Fräulein Reign," he whispered urgently, "we are outnumbered. What is the plan?"

Blade faced the large man. Her gaze gleamed with unbreakable determination as she speaks, "Are you ready to face the real battle? If you do, come with me."

Blade didn’t flinch, her gaze locked on the advancing hostiles. Her voice was cold, calculated. "We turn their numbers against them. You’ll create a diversion—loud and messy. Draw as many eyes as you can without getting caught."

She reached for the blade at her side, her grip firm. "I’ll take the high ground and thin their ranks from above. Once the chaos sets in, we regroup at the extraction point. No heroics, Ross. Stick to the plan."

Her eyes met his for a brief moment, steel and determination reflected in her gaze. "We’re not losing anyone today. Understood?"

The air around them thicken with tension as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from within the building. Blade's mind raced, calculating their options in this rapidly deteriorating situation.

Simon's voice came through again, low and urgent. "Blade, if you've got an exit strategy, now's the time. I can provide cover fire, but you need to move fast."

"Watched the area, I'll take down as much as I can."

Simon's voice came through the comms, tense but resolute. "Copy that, Blade. I've got your back."

Ross nodded, his eyes wide behind his mask but his stance determined. " I will watch your six, Fräulein Blade."

As the sound of approaching enemies grew louder, Blade positioned herself strategically, her body coiled and ready for action. The air crackled with tension as she prepared to engage.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a crashing bang. Revealing several armed hostiles. Blade sprang into action, her movements swift and deadly. She took down the first two with precision strikes before they could even raise their weapons.

Ross, despite his nervousness, proved his worth, using his massive frame to advantage as he engaged the enemies. Simon's sniper fire provided crucial support, taking out targets from afar with deadly accuracy.

The fight was intense but brief. As the last hostile fell, Simon's voice crackled through again. "Area's clear for now, but more will be coming. You need to move, now."

Blade began to swiftly move, she take the coming enemy's down one after another. Her muscles tensed with every strike she released aiming the fatal spot of the enemy. While she gestures Ross to support her by shooting the other enemies coming their way. She was surprised to witness how good Ross was at fighting.

Simon's voice came through the comms, a mix of admiration and urgency. "Bloody hell, Blade. Impressive work, but you've got more hostiles incoming from the east. Time to exfil."

Ross's large frame moved with surprising agility as he covered Blade's flank. His voice was tight with adrenaline. "Fräulein Blade, you are... unglaublich! But we should go, now."

The compound was now alive with alarms and shouts. Blade's keen senses picked up the sound of reinforcements approaching rapidly. She knew they had mere moments before they'd be completely overwhelmed.

Simon's voice crackled through again, tense and commanding. "Blade, I've got a clear path to the extraction point. Northwest, 200 meters. Move now!"

The mission had taken an unexpected turn, but Blade's quick thinking and combat prowess had turned potential disaster into a sliver of escape. The next few moments would be crucial.

"Go now newbie! I'll follow you later!" She pushed the tall frame of Ross towards the direction of the escape. Blade was a persistent head. She doesn't like abandoning her mission and failing. She uses all her strength and wits to go further sending Ross away to lead the others to exit pount as she headed straight towards the exact location of the target.

Finding it so quick in the room with desperation and precision when she was about to be caught and surrounded, she had successfully extracted the data in their system and destroyed the remaining. She then swiftly jumped out of the window on the second floor without any hesitation. She knows she'll get injured after this jump but it happens as her instinct kicks in0.

Simon's voice erupted through the comms, a mix of anger and fear. "Sergeant Grey! what the fucking hell are you doing?!"

As Blade plummeted from the secondfloor window, the ground rushed up to meet her. She hit hard, rolling to absorb the impact, but pain shot through her body. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to her feet, adrenaline masking the worst of her injuries.

Ross's voice came through, breathless and worried. "Fräulein Blade! Are you alright?"

Gunfire erupted around her as she sprinted towards the extraction point, the stolen data secure. Simon's sniper fire provided cover, taking out pursuers with deadly accuracy.

"You're going to get yourself killed," Simon growled over the comms. "Extraction point, now!"

The extraction point was in sight, but so were the rapidly approaching hostiles. Blade's breath came in ragged gasps, her body screaming in protest as she pushed herself to the limit.