R6S // SEE NO EVIL [VOL.2]

➤OP-08 // Grim_Reminders

["Nokk to Zero– I'm one level below the server room. I'm going to be compromised soon, dressed in GE Standard...What's your status?"] Karina's voice came through on the comms link.

"We're set at the exfill point. We got eyes on the perimeter of the building. You are green-lit for lethal force." Sam stated. He and I were holding out in a small dinghy boat off the coast of a Nighthaven laboratory. "Eyes on multiple armed hostile patrols, ground team on the shore ahead of us."

They had facilities around the world, but it seemed that most of their activities centered around the Southeast Asian island nations which is why we decided to strike at the heart of it all. "This must be why they were so confident about Indonesia, they could just retreat back to Singapore in the night and act like nothing ever happened."

"And anyone that spoke up could be bought or killed," Sam added, zooming in his binoculars. He tuned the small radio system on the floor listening to the Nighthaven radio comms. I rested the body of my rifle against the side of the boat, scanning the forest line with a thermal. "If Nokk can get her hands on the QCR shipment records then we can link Nighthaven to the murder of Yahata."

"A target-rich environment sir," I comment on the amount of heat I see in the vegetation. "If things get too loud?"

"We send you in to escort her out. You know the plan, Ethan, we're in the lion's den but that doesn't mean they'll wake up on a full stomach." Sam explained, but before he could tune the radio again he spotted something. "Shit– There's a patrol out there. They're on her trail. They know about her."

"I see'em, permission to fire?" I ask, zoning my scope in on one of the nighthaven mercs.

"Negative, it'll give us away." Sam pulled a duffle bag from behind him and handed it to me. Inside was a plummet gun with one line and a hard breach charge, different from Thermite's, it was flimsy and connected via wire and frames. "I'll get you into a good spot, climb up and breach. No EMPs, can't risk prolonging the mission."

"Understood..." I sling my rifle and take the plummet gun, aiming up as we reach the edge of the facility.

"Zero to Nokk, you got hostiles enroute to your position, I'm sending in ETA-10. That should buy you enough time to get the data." He radioed as he swerved the boat to a stop, taking a deep breath as I took aim and fired the hook. Watching the cable fly higher and higher until it landed on the rooftop, I pressed a switch on the machine and added some tension to it. Nodding to Sam I attached my ascender to the line and went up.

"ETA-10 to Nokk, I am inbound to your position. What is your status?" I asked as I held the brakes on the ascender, stopping beside a window. It was more than difficult having to assemble the hard breach charge with one hand but I managed, more than fortunate enough for the two sections to be connected by a wire – pulling the pin as I kicked off the side. Diving through the explosion and rolling to break my fall.

["One hostile on my position. Do not underestimate him. Don't let your emotions drive this time, ETA-10."] She warned a huff in her voice gave away that she was running. I needed to get to her fast, sprinting around the first floor until I found the stairs where I found a trail of unconscious bodies. Her handiwork.

Sloppy Work at Best

Who was that? I spun around and aimed my rifle, switching on my NVGs and looked around. The red lights flashing made it slightly more difficult. "Whos there?!" I shouted. My hands trembled. They don't tremble, I never gave like this. Shaking my head and made my way up the stairs, Karina needed me right now and I couldn't afford any slip ups.

I found the server room where a fight went down, busted fire sprinklers and bodies, and the shattered glass of one of the towers. Stepping into the room, I switched to my pistol and carefully maneuvered around the mist. However, I had the grace of a rhino when I stepped on a panel of glass and cracked it. Looking down, I saw something or rather, someone.

Morris. I spun around and saw that no one was there. It must be the sleep deprivation, or maybe it was the fall. The fall must've knocked something in my brain loose. Shaking off the nerves I spotted a trail of blood looking up I spotted the source.

A Nighthaven soldier, though he didn't share the uniform as he wore a khaki-colored vest and hat, a tornaqkit wrapped around his leg as he shouted into his radio. He was on the hunt for Karina.

I raised my Maxim pistol, planning to put an end to his hunt. But as I fired he was already on the move. "Fuck!" I cursed, chasing after him as he sprinted across the facility, he was following some sort of drone in the air. Whatever those are were probably also tracking her, so I needed to keep some distance. "Grim..." I muttered, reading the patch on his vest.

He was there, in Indonesia. I remember hearing that name mentioned around – He led the hunt for us. He hunted You, Ethan. Blood is on his hands, and I'm collecting the debt. Making the bend he burst into one of the labs, I raised my pistol and aimed at him. Unfortunately, I had flown too close to the sun as one of his drones landed on me. TAKE THE SHOT.

He spun around and saw me, rolling out of the way as I opened fire. Marching into the room with an unrelenting trigger finger. Suppressed rounds ricocheted and bounced off the lab equipment. I think I heard my radio. There was a buzz in the air, kinda muffled. That didn't matter. I kicked over the mechanical arm looking for him, this was more than enough of an opening for him to try and get me in a headlock.

"Who the hell are you?!" He demanded, holding the knife to my jugular. I struggled against his hold, throwing both of us into the tool drawers, the clattering of metal was the only noise as I used my pistol as a buffer between me and that knife to break away.

"We have history, you just didn't care," I muttered, climbing to my feet and pulling on another drawer, swinging it, and throwing wrench sockets everywhere. Raising it into the air before throwing it back down on him. "You thought it was just another job. You think your so free to do whatever you want."

"You want to become greater, Ethan. Show me your initiative." He took his revolver out of his holster and spun it so that he held the barrel. "Draw your own line in the sand."

He was hurt. Writhing on the ground. "Who Do You Think You Are?!"

"Just a tourist," I say as I take aim at him. My finger was ready to squeeze the trigger when another pair of hands pulled me back. Throwing me in a chokehold and dragging me back.

"Stand down!" Karina shouted, "Nokk to Zero, I have the data. Moving to extract now, I have ETA-10." She radioed as she clicked a detonator blowing a hole into the outside. As she pulled me closer to the opening, I saw that in the corner of my eye. Someone was there. Morris was there with his arms crossed as I fell down into the boat.

Morris died years ago. Why? Why am I seeing him now?