Lexicon: II

Op. Iris Fallen

Location: Jungle, Borneo – En route to Tanggapan Corp's facility

The jungle stretched out below them like a vast, green ocean, the canopy dense and tangled, hiding unknown dangers in its shadows. Kinan's parachute jerked as he hit the thick, humid air, his body descending in controlled silence toward the dark landscape below. Around him, the rest of Alpha and Bravo teams were descending, their silhouettes barely visible in the mist that clung to the treetops.

The air was thick with the scents of earth and decay, the kind of scent that warned of death lurking just out of sight. Kinan's heart pounded as he scanned the jungle for any sign of movement, his senses sharpened, his mind racing through the mission objectives.

They hit the ground one by one, landing quietly on the thick carpet of leaves. Kinan unclipped his parachute, stashing it in the underbrush, and turned to check his surroundings. His rifle was already in his hands, his body tense as he surveyed the jungle.

"Everyone down safe?" Price's voice crackled softly over their earpieces.

"Roger that," came Olav's calm reply, followed by murmurs of confirmation from Haya, Snake, Hoshino, and the rest of the team.

They regrouped quickly, moving with practiced efficiency, forming a tight circle as Price laid out the approach.

"Tanggapan's compound is about three klicks north," Price said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the map displayed on his tablet. "Dense jungle, minimal paths. Expect resistance—this place is crawling with undead, and we don't know what else they have waiting for us."

Kinan exchanged a glance with Snake, his expression grim. This was it—the heart of Tanggapan's operations, the place where Raidentea conducted his experiments, unleashing monsters on a broken world. And they were walking straight into the lion's den.

"Stay alert," Kinan said, his voice quiet but firm. "Move as one. No one gets left behind."

The team nodded, their faces set, and they melted into the jungle, moving in a staggered line, every step deliberate, every breath measured. The sounds of the jungle surrounded them—chirping insects, rustling leaves, and the faint, haunting groans that signaled the presence of the undead.

---

They hadn't gone more than half a mile before the jungle grew silent. The chirping stopped, the rustling ceased, and an eerie stillness settled over the landscape. Kinan's grip on his rifle tightened, his senses on high alert.

"Something's not right," Haya whispered, her voice barely audible over the comms.

Just then, a flicker of movement caught Kinan's eye—a shadow shifting among the trees. A Runner darted out from the foliage, its emaciated frame moving with unnatural speed, eyes vacant but fixed on the scent of the living. It was followed by another, and then another, until a small pack of Runners was barreling toward them, their movements erratic, twisted limbs propelling them forward with terrifying speed.

"Contact!" Kinan barked, raising his rifle.

The team sprang into action, rifles raised, fingers steady on triggers. The first shot rang out, and a Runner dropped, its body collapsing into the underbrush. Another lunged forward, but Price took it down with a quick, precise shot to the head.

Beside Kinan, Haya moved with practiced fluidity, her katana flashing as she decapitated a Runner that got too close. She switched seamlessly to her Colt M1911, firing at a Crawler that had emerged from the shadows, dragging itself toward them with broken limbs and a haunting, low growl.

Kinan fired another round, dropping a Crawler that had crept up beside Olav. The jungle erupted with the sounds of gunfire, grunts, and the sickening thud of bodies hitting the ground. The smell of decayed flesh mingled with the fresh scent of blood, a reminder of the world they were fighting to survive in.