Ancient Forces (2018 Reboot)

Chapter 37 - Calm After... or Before the Storm

SWAT members swarmed the forest and spread out their forces to ensure total coverage of the land. They had gone for miles around the pillar of smoke and rubble behind them, still no sign of the escaped Mythic anywhere. Helicopters and jets flew all over the sky searching every inch for their targets. Several Mystic walked among the group, elemental fragments or alien like qualities making them visible in the crowds. The woods gave off a haunting feeling as the sun drooped over the horizon. Behind them all the hilly mountain like formation casted its shadow over them, blocking out what little sunlight the day tried to provide. None of them were scared. They knew this fear was part of the job, and they'd learned to accept it and move on.
    Back at the destroyed mansion home a general, short and stocky with several badges of honor on his shoulder breasts stood amongst the rubble. A special team of seven highly trained SWAT members guarded him and every entrance anyone had to him. He looked around at the destruction, reminded of the damage he'd seen done to a base made specifically to keep these monsters in. He shuddered.
"General," someone grabbed his attention and pulled it to the side, resting his eyes on a group of people walking past the guards and right up to him.
    Zayne locked eyes with the general and seemed a bit surprised that the Government would send such a high priority person here. Damien and Eli walked side by side with each other, each one carrying his own wounds as they were walked past the general and too a helicopter past the front door. The door closed and they were lifted off, escorted away to the nearest still functioning MRaCD medical facility. Just behind the group of three were Keith and Ver, both of them harboring their own injuries as well although not as severe as their children's. The general stopped them before they exited the ruins and pulled them aside. Going past Ver and Keith were two stretchers with Geneticide and Fracture on them, both of them badly injured. Cuts and shreds lined their bodies and suits, all done by one angry individual.
"I read the report. I'm impressed with the work you've done on those three," the general congratulated.
"They've done most of it themselves sir. We've just been making sure they had a guide," Ver stood up straight, still remembering her required respect in the general's presence.
"If Zayne's anything like his mom, even if she did leave, he'll be a very skilled fighter in the future. One of the best," the general chuckled as he remembered the good days before Vanessa Smith left the MRaCD.
"Any word about the escaped Mythic?" Keith asked.
"None so far, but we're still searching. We didn't think they would have gotten as far with this amount of time, but we've had to expand our scouting borders twice now already. I wouldn't be surprised if they've gotten all the way to Texas by now," the general scoffed, "Can't do anything to stop them now."
"We'll help with the search," Ver offered.
"No no no no no you need to get yourselves fixed up. Then we can talk about getting your help. I want you to do something else for me first though," the general asked.
"What is it?" Keith wondered aloud.
"I want you to interrogate those two Mythic we caught. Get any information you can out of them. There's gotta be something about anything in those thick skulls of theirs, if they can even think about anything other than that stupid Midnight Horror beast that almost killed them."
"And saved our lives in the process," Ver added slyly, "Don't forget that part."
"Saved your lives or not I'm still not fully on board with that thing running wild in the community. It'll be discreet, but I'm putting that kid on watch until he leaves my care."
"General-"
"My care, my rules understood?" The general snapped.
    Both Keith and Ver nodded slightly. The general straightened his tunic and stood up tall.
"Now I want to go meet this Dragon Force Champion myself. I'll leave the interrogation to you, and my scouting parties will be just fine on their own until you get medical attention," the general commanded as he began escorting the two out the front door.
"I'm assuming we'll need to get a new place?" Keith asked.
"No no no, I've got it covered. I do owe you both for that save three years back after all," the general laughed.
"I thought you'd forgotten about that," Ver chuckled.
"I never forget something that involved my life," the general replied, a solemn look taking over his face as they loaded into his personal chopper and took off.