Project Phoenix (MARVEL)

I

Locals scurried out of the way of soldiers marching down the dusty street, mothers holding back their children while the platoon walked in line, the men stood and stared at the soldiers. The sand and dirt invading the soldiers faces matched their desert camouflage, their fully covered bodies stuck out against the ripped clothes of the locals.

Some of the soldiers had helmets, covering their faces; the two leaders, both wore tinted sunglasses. The male, a step ahead of the other turned his head to look back at the squadron. "You keep your men in good shape Lieutenant Gilbert, you should be proud"

"I am, sir" the lieutenant replied, even with the sunglasses, she held her hand to further protect her eyesight as she spoke. "This is the third additional patrol this week, is there something I should know about?"

The Captain shook his head, "we wont discuss this here", he faced forward and led the group of soldiers back to the compound in silence. Once the gates shut behind them, he looked at the Lieutenant, "if you'd follow me"

She nodded, though he did not look at her. She followed him into a lavish office, one much larger than she had been given; the Captain closed the door and smiled quickly, revealing perfect white teeth, standing out against his dirty, tanned skin. "Bella, we have a problem"

"Oh, so we're back on first name terms, Johnathon." Bella replied, she narrowed her eyes slightly, "since you were made Captain, you've become a right bore"

"Look, this is important" he turned around, his whole body tight. "I need your help" his dark eyes, met Bella's steely grey ones.

"Okay, what you got?" She walked over to his desk and waited for John to join her, he walked around her and put a recon map in front of her. "Some of our men went on a routine patrol last week, and we've had no contact. Looks like the Syndicate have had something to do with their disappearance"

Bella looked down at the photograph, "the Syndicate have been more active this year, but they're not going to kidnap our soldiers for the sake of it" she looked up at her superior; "what were they doing really?"

"That's confidential"

Bella laughed darkly, she stood up and pressed her hands against the desk. "With all due respect, Captain" she paused, lifting the recon photograph, "this area is like 20 miles from the base, what did you send them there for?"

Captain Pitt sighed, but Bella interrupted him, "if you want me to take my men into a search and rescue, this case better stop being confidential. I'm the best you have, but I need the information" she kept the Captains gaze until he looked away.

"Fine" he paused, "they were out doing recon on the Syndicate; meant to be a simple mission, follow their trucks and find out where their base was" He put his hand up to silence Bella who had opened her mouth to speak, "all was going well until we had complete radio silence, we first put it down to the range but now its been over a week and nothing."

"First" Bella said, slightly annoyed, "why didn't you give me this mission?"

"Bit below you Bella"

"Not when it is the Syndicate, you know what they're capable of. My team are specially trained for this sort of situation" she clicked her knuckles, "second, the radios are Stark technology, I would be able to speak to you from the other side of the world unless there was a specific jamming signal"

"I'm aware"

"Third, why the fuck did you wait a week to inform me of this?" she threw the recon picture on the desk. "You know as well as I, they don't take prisoners. I am sending my men to find dead bodies"

"You cant be sure"

"Have you heard back from any of our boys who were captured by them?" Bellas eyes darkened, she glared at her Captain. "I want the names and pictures of all the men in that platoon; any recon information you have; Ill have my men ready by sunrise"