Mein Liebling

Untitled Part 18

The journey is quick, barely taking two hours being in the vehicles versus walking on foot. It starts out somewhat jovial, the men even cracking jokes with each other, but as you approach the destination they steadily become more and more stoic. Now that you're pulling up at the mansion where you had taken up residence only a few days prior, everyone silently exits the truck.

You spread the map on the hood, waiting for the rest of the crew to arrive and huddle up around.

"The hoard seems to be converging around the caverns," You speak up, trying to make sure the now 30 something people gathered around you can all hear. "We need to split up into smaller subgroups of 4 or 5 people each, circle around and flank them from all sides. Avoid engaging if at all possible , this is a scouting op, not an extermination. We're here to observe and report back to get a game plan , they far outnumber us, so let's keep it smart, alright?"

Everyone around you seems to nod, adjusting their sat phones and tuning in their backup radios to the same frequencies in case anyone gets separated or needs backup. After sorting into groups, you obviously stick with the men, making for a group of 5 plus Gaius; call sign Alpha, with the remaining groups in ascending letters; call sign Bravo, Charley, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, and lastly Golf.

With the groups seeming clear on their objectives and everyone mapping out their routes, you all head off into the woods.

You can hear them before you even reach the clearing, opting to stay in the cover of the trees, kneeling down and using a pair of binoculars instead of approaching too closely. They seem to be meandering around in an almost catatonic state, as if dazed or hibernating; waiting for something to disturb them, or waiting for whatever had gathered them here.

Gripping your radio, you keep a low voice and check in with the other teams, "Alpha in position."

"Bravo in position."

"Charley in position."

"Delta in position."

"Foxtrot in position."

"Golf in position."

Hesitantly, you bring the radio to your mouth again. "Echo check in."

Silence.

"Echo," You repeat. "What is your location."

Dempesy grabs your binoculars and scans the tree line surrounding the clearing before lowering them, meeting your eyes, and shaking his head to confirm Echo team was nowhere in sight.

Trying once again, you bring the radio to your lips. "Echo, do you copy?"

Silence.

Unsure whether you should be worried or agitated, you press the button again. "Does anyone have eyes on Echo?"

"This is Bravo," The radio sounds, "We have a strange blue light at... what seems to be youuurrrrrr 5 o'clock? Yes, your 5 o'clock."

Dempsey raises the binoculars again before returning them to you, pointing his finger to direct your gaze.

Sure enough, there's a strange blue light coming from the section of trees exactly where Echo team was supposed to set up.

"Shit..." You mutter to yourself, lowering the binoculars and chewing at your lip, scanning the area in deep thought.

" Vhat's the plan?" Edward scoots forward, kneeling beside you.

With a sigh, you bring up the radio again. "Bravo, do you copy?"