News of the Chemical Attacks of the City of Thermus, the second largest City within Axis that’s heavily famous for the War Museum that held many relics of previous wars had spread across the continent like wildfire just hours after the bombs had gone off. The Kingdom of Exavis was horrified at the fact that such a group was capable of doing something so terrified, whereas the Kingdom of Jorouse wants compensation in response to the death of the Ambassador who was among the victims that died during the Gas Attacks.
As such politically Axis is slowly getting pressured by the Jorouse who would begin to suspect that Axis has no regard to Jorousian Members of State while Exavis defends that this was the work of Terrorists. Meanwhile, the Axis Government is currently more focused on handling the threat of not only having their Second Largest City succumb in a Gas Attack while fearing the next move of the Coalition. Because of this their priority is both the mass evacuation of the City as the Gas slowly spreads across the City while having all the other cities that have not been affected by the Gas attacks.
As such with the Military Police, Axis Government and the Academy as a whole is heavily divided in the current crisis, with the Military Police working their hardest on seeking out and investigating the Coalition members that were alive captured from the Incident as well.
The Government on the other has halted all projects and plans and is more focused on relief effort on first finding a way to cure and reverse the effects caused by the Gas,
And Academy as a whole had begun to take focus on assisting both in this crisis. The Third and Fourth years are more focused on the investigation with the Military Police, and the Second and First Years have focused on assisting the medical aspect of the Crisis.
And so Teams Aegis and Strike found themselves in Thermus assisting the Medical Personnel. For a brief moment, Thomas and Lissa found themselves helping in identifying the Corpses of those who died from Exposure from the Gas.
Truth be told while it had been hours since their intervention with the Wedding the two haven’t had a proper talk since then mostly to focus on their objective instead.
“Those poor souls,” Lissa commented in a low voice as the two went and finished placing a child’s corpse into a body bag.
“I wish we could have found a way to stop them,” Thomas lamented as he watched as Alice from his Team and Jun loaded up on the Truck to be shipped back for identification and autopsy.
“What can we do? These things are absolutely–”
“Watch out!”
Thomas shouted at her as a Sedan crashed on a nearby post taking both of them by surprise as the two quickly scrambled with the other remaining Team members went to see who’s inside.
“Get a stretcher and prep the Van for an emergency transfer to the Camp!” Thomas shouted as he and Lissa looked and to their horror, they found their Seniors, Fuyumori Haruka and Harumura Natsuki at the front, their weapons were destroyed and was in critical condition.
“Told you we’d make it…Haruka…”
The two heard Natsuki mutter while Haruka was silent with him grabbing Thomas and dragging him by the collar and whispered something in a low voice.
“Get this...to the princes…” He said weakly as the two were rushed to the Van and were transported out of the Quarantine Zone. Lissa shot a curious look at the back of the Crashed Sedan and found two containers that seemed to glow ominously within the place.
“What the hell are these?” Lissa asked as she looked at one of the Containers as it glowed faintly blue drawing her curiosity further into it.
“No idea but they want us to take these to the Princes and let’s do just that and get it over with,” Thomas said as he grabbed the other one causing it to glow red from his touch. “We have more important things than just work as runners.”
“Yeah let’s go,” Lissa said nodding at Maria from her Team while Thomas spoke with Ivan giving them authority to take over the job until they return. With that, the two boarded on the same Van where they placed the two Seniors who were badly clinging to their life.
“You still there? Please….if not for me...then for her…” Natsuki muttered in a weak voice. “As long...as you stay….the last thing I need...is her being upset….” Haruka replied with a weak cough.
Well, that clarifies certain rumours, Thomas and Lissa thought at the same time, as they have heard rumours about the two currently dating their fellow Seniors, Karen Natsuyama of Team Valkyrie and Hanako Amamiya of Team Magister.
“Get them full Priority,” Thomas told one of the Medics picking them up while silently handing them a wad of money something that Lissa notice. It didn’t sit right on him knowing that these two Seniors had women waiting for them to come back alive.
“I’ll do my best.” The Medic nodded as he took the two young men as Thomas and Lissa made their way to the Command Tent where they found the leaders of both team Freedom and Justice talking to Professor Hathaway.
The three of them took notice of the two and shot them a confused look.
“Can I help you?” Hathaway asked while Arthur and Charl had a mixture of shock and horror. “Fuyumori and Harumura wanted you all to see this,” Thomas said as he placed one of the Canisters on the Table while Lissa did the same.
“Where are they?” Arthur asked worriedly with Hathaway quickly grabbed the Canisters and placed them in a Safebox which was among the many things which are to be transferred to the Academy.
“They’re being treated in the Medical Tent,” Lissa answered as the two quickly left the Tent leaving them alone with Professor Hathaway.
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“You think we could have avoided this crisis?” Lissa suddenly spoke earning a surprised look from Thomas.
“I don’t think so,” Hathaway said as he turned his back on them as he focused on the map of the Thermus Area. “Not with the current rules of engagement that we have, now return to your duties.”
Lissa frowned as she turned and tried to leave.
But it was Thomas’ turn to speak up.
“Then what if we don’t follow the Rules of Engagement then?” He said, causing Lissa to turn and look at him with a horrified look and Hathaway looking at him with a curious look. Such an idea was after all tantamount to a War Crime and–
“It’s possible,” Hathaway said crossing his arms. “But only if you don’t get caught.”
“Understood sir,” He said as he left the Tent with a worried look from Lissa.
Thomas, please don’t tell me you’re planning on–
“Come see me when you finish your duties,” Hathaway said in a low voice. “You as well Miss Ikross.”
[Axis:Legacy]
Thomas and Lissa made their way towards the Classroom where Hathaway had told them to go after finishing their duties. Inside they spotted several students, some were first years like them, some were from a different year.
Eventually, Hathaway entered the Classroom he looked like he hasn't slept in days since the Gas Attacks in Thermus and have been handling the Relief effort.
"You are all gathered here as you are all the most qualified students to partake in this mission, however before we begin I would like to inform all of you we are working off the Books, meaning what we're doing is illegal and would get in trouble for it." He explained as he set up his equipment for the Presentation. "Therefore to any of you who are not willing to do such things are free to leave right now, but if you choose to stay then there is no turning back, however as an incentive, I'll make sure to have all of you pass in all of the subjects I'm handling regardless of your grades do you understand?"
There was a brief moment of silence, they all had mixed thoughts on the matter. Is whatever they were doing worth the grades.
Lissa was among the many who had a hint on what was going on, this was likely an armed response against the Axis Liberation Coalition. In all honesty, she wanted to leave and not get involved, the fact she was nearly married to a member was enough for her and hopefully becomes the last time she'll get involved, she glanced at Thomas hoping maybe he had the same thought.
But she was wrong. It was clear that Thomas has the eyes of a man determined to do whatever it takes.
She could just leave him though, but she was afraid. Maybe it was because of the memory of him getting shot or perhaps the scale of atrocities the ALC was willing to perform just to achieve their goals, but regardless she was afraid that Thomas would follow down a path that she couldn't go.
Eventually many left, and Lissa stayed. There was no turning back.
Hathaway looked at the remaining members, which consisted of only a dozen members, he sighed and nodded at the rest, this prompted both Kyle and Arthur to lock the doors while Petra and Charl cast a soundproof barrier within the Classroom.
"I won't beat around the bush," Hathaway said as he showed them images and reports towards the incident surrounding the previous incident at the city of Thermus. Which was then followed the profiles of the members of Team Justice and Freedom.
[JUSTICE SQUAD]
[CHARL JOROUSE NOCTRIA/JUSTICE-1 - ACTIVE]
[CALLIOPE PETRIKOV/JUSTICE-2 - KILLED IN ACTION]
[LUCAS MCGEE/JUSTICE-3 - KILLED IN ACTION]
[HARUKA FUYUMORI/JUSTICE-4 - WOUNDED IN ACTION (CRITICAL CONDITION)]
[ERIKA SAKAMOTO/JUSTICE-5 - ACTIVE]
[GILLES CURIE/JUSTICE-6 - KILLED IN ACTION]
[FREEDOM SQUAD]
[ARTHUR EXAVIS LUXIR/FREEDOM-1 - ACTIVE]
[RYAN MEDINA/ FREEDOM-2 - KILLED IN ACTION]
[MAGGIE GRAYSON/FREEDOM-3 - KILLED IN ACTION]
[NATSUKI HARUMURA/FREEDOM-4 - WOUNDED IN ACTION (CRITICAL CONDITION)]
[LEAH FISHER/FREEDOM-5 - ACTIVE]
[LUKE HAMIL/FREEDOM-6 - KILLED IN ACTION]
Lissa noticed Charl was holding back her tears as she saw the pictures of Calliope, Lucas, Gilles and Haruka as the former three were ruled out as Killed in Action while Haruka is currently in a critical condition. Meanwhile, Arthur rubbed his eyebrows in an attempt to look away as the pictures of Ryan, Maggie, Luke and Natsuki as the former three were ruled out as Killed in Action while Natsuki is currently in a Critical Condition as well.
It was clear that the weight of their current state brought upon them by their guilt was present, by their perspectives it was their fault that thousands if not millions had died during the Gas attack at Thermus and it was their fault that three of their teammates are dead and one is in critical condition, all because they failed their mission.
It was clear that to them they could have been able to save them all had they been better at their job.
I chose all of you here to hunt down and take out the Inner Circle of the Axis Liberation Coalition." Hathaway said as he showed them the Logo of a Skull wearing a Gas Mask with the following name.
Task Force Revenir.
"We will be known as Task Force Revenir, what we will do does not follow the standard rules of engagement nor will we take orders from the Axis Government, Exavis and Jorouse." He explained, shooting a glance at the two Princes when he mentioned the latter. "All of our operations will be regarded as illegal since we will be working off the books and in the shadows, hence why no one needs to know about this."
"So what's our first move then?" Thomas asked, Hathaway, smirked as he tapped on his tablet showing a handful of images.
"Thanks to our informant we were able to get a lead on who's responsible for the shipment of the Bombs in Thermus," He zoomed in on the logo of Ercrov Express and a Woman in her Mid-thirties.
"Her name is Wilmari Ercov, she was a former Axis Noble but was stripped from power by the Exavis Government. On the surface, she runs a Cargo and Shipping Company that expands beyond Axis but it has been revealed that she uses it as a cover to run a smuggling ring by assisting not just the ALC but also other Criminal Organisation." He tapped once more revealing on a Port found near the City of Irago. "Thanks to many of the trucks used are listed under her Company, she is currently trying to smuggle herself out of the country and our objective is to capture her. Alive, are we clear?"
"Yes sir."