Lexicon: II

Infil & Exfil

Location: Tanggapan Corp's Facility, Borneo Jungle

The air inside the facility was stale and heavy, filled with the faint scent of disinfectant mixed with something darker, a cloying undercurrent of rot and decay. Haya led Bravo Team through the dimly lit hallways, every sense on high alert. The cold steel walls loomed around them, oppressive and unyielding, as if the building itself were watching.

Their footsteps were silent, each member moving with precise, measured steps. Hoshino scanned the shadows, her shotgun ready, while Olav kept his sniper rifle trained on the path ahead, his expression focused and unblinking. Kyle brought up the rear, his gaze flicking back and forth, fingers tight on his weapon.

"Stay close," Haya whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. "We don't know what they have waiting for us."

The facility was eerily silent, but she knew better than to trust the quiet. This was Raidentea's domain, and the man was notorious for his traps, his twisted experiments. The entire building felt like a cage, waiting to snap shut around them.

They moved through a series of laboratories, each one filled with shattered glass, overturned tables, and empty cages, the remnants of experiments long abandoned. Dark stains smeared the walls, grim reminders of whatever horrors had taken place here. Hoshino muttered something under her breath, her eyes narrowing as she took in the grisly scene.

"What kind of freak show is this place?" she whispered, glancing at Haya.

"The kind where monsters are born," Haya replied, her face hard.

Suddenly, Olav held up a hand, signaling for them to stop. "Movement up ahead," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

They pressed themselves against the wall, weapons raised, eyes trained on the end of the hallway. From around the corner, footsteps echoed—a steady, deliberate rhythm that sent a chill down Haya's spine. She tightened her grip on her katana, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

A group of mercenaries rounded the corner, their weapons drawn, faces hidden beneath tactical helmets. But they weren't Tanggapan operatives. Haya recognized the emblem on their sleeves instantly: Wagner Group.

For a tense moment, the two groups stared each other down, weapons aimed, fingers hovering over triggers. Haya's mind raced, calculating their odds. Wagner was a dangerous, unpredictable faction, and if they decided to fight, it would be a bloodbath.

One of the mercenaries—a tall man with a scarred face and cold eyes—stepped forward, his rifle aimed directly at Haya. He tilted his head, studying her, his gaze sharp and assessing.

"Kitagawa Hayashi," he said, his voice rough. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Haya's heart skipped a beat. She recognized him—Nolan, one of her father's former allies. He had been part of the same underworld circle, a man with a reputation for ruthlessness and loyalty to Wagner.

"Nolan," she replied coolly, not lowering her weapon. "I could say the same."

Nolan gave a faint smirk, his gaze shifting to the rest of her team. "Seems we have a common enemy."

"Doesn't make us friends," Hoshino muttered, her finger hovering over the trigger.

Nolan raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "No, it doesn't. But considering where we are, a truce might be... mutually beneficial."

Haya exchanged a glance with Olav, reading the silent question in his eyes. Wagner was unpredictable, but they had their reasons for hating Tanggapan. If they could work together, even temporarily, it might give them an edge.