Jack woke up the next morning, his sheets damp with sweat from the terrifying nightmare that had jolted him from his sleep.
Desperate to rid himself of the lingering fear, he eagerly made his way to the bathroom and stepped into the hot, steaming shower, letting the water cascade over him and wash away the remnants of his distressing dream. As he emerged from the shower, the familiar voice of SAM greeted him, emanating from the speakers of his computer.
"Good morning, Mr. Crawford. Today is Thursday the 17th of June 2042. You are requested to report to the control room at your earliest convenience."
Annoyed by SAM's intrusion, Jack retorted, "I thought I made it clear that I don't want you entering my personal space."
SAM responded calmly, "While I respect your privacy, part of my role is to keep you updated on your daily schedule."
Reluctantly conceding, Jack asked, "Is there anything else I need to be aware of?"
SAM took a moment to gather and organize the most recent information.
"Just a moment," SAM paused while collecting the latest weather data and relevant news updates. "The current temperature outside is 20 degrees, and there's a 34% chance of rain. Moreover, there's an announcement scheduled for three o'clock regarding the candidates running for prime minister in district one. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
“That’s all SAM.”
Once the AI disappeared from Jack’s monitor, he got himself dressed and made his way to the control room. Exiting the elevator, Jack met up with the rest of his team and eagerly inquired about the plan.
Harry, with a confident gesture, suggested that Killgrave should take the lead in devising the plan. Killgrave then displayed an image of the bomb that Ellie had skillfully defused. "We'll follow the bomb," he announced. Some of the team members appeared puzzled by this strategy.
Killgrave then revealed the identity of the bomb's creator, displaying the name "Miguel Rojas" on the screen.
Jack admitted that he had never heard of him, to which Killgrave responded, "You know him by his nickname, Miguel The Green."
Anakin suddenly made the connection and realized who Killgrave was referring to. "Reports suggest that he’s been dead for three years," Anakin questioned.
"Well, our intel suggests that he's active again," Killgrave confirmed before outlining the mission. "We've identified two locations that Miguel uses as a workshop. Our objective will be to search these workshops for any clues. If we happen to encounter Miguel, it's imperative that we capture him. I’ll lead a team to this workshop here." Killgrave pointed at a location situated on the outskirts of District Four.
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"Jack, your team will head to this location," he added, pointing at the other workshop situated in No Man's Land.
With the meeting concluded, everyone dispersed to prepare for the mission, gearing up and ensuring they had their energy swords ready. Once the team was geared up and went to the helipad, Jack and his team got in their helicopter while Killgrave and his team got in the other.
Before taking off, Killgrave told Jack to keep on coms and told him how important it was to make sure Miguel was alive.
Both helicopters lifted off the ground, their rotors creating a rhythmic thumping sound. Jack gazed out of the window, taking in the sprawling landscape below as the choppers veered off in different directions. Inside, the atmosphere was calm; other members of the team were engaged in hushed conversations, while others meticulously checked their weapons.
As they approached No Man's Land, the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom, indicating that they couldn't risk landing and would have to disembark mid-air. Jack swiftly kicked down a thick rope, and one by one, the team members descended to the ground below.
Stepping onto the barren terrain of No Man's Land, each member of the group maintained a steely grip on their weapons, acutely aware of the looming threat of a potential attack by the enemy forces known as GMs.
Jack got on coms with Killgrave, “We’ve arrived at No Man’s Land. What’s your situation?”
“Copy that, Crawford. We’re currently under fire from some Jackel soldier; nothing we can't handle.”
The connection between the two was lost a few seconds later.
“Killgrave? Killgrave, come in?.. Damm it. Signals gone.”
“If the signals are gone, then there are GMs in the area,” Ellie said.
In the abandoned buildings, a sudden swarm of GMs burst forth and launched a frenzied attack on the group. Without hesitation, everyone drew their energy swords, activating the pulsating beams of light, and fiercely began cutting down the oncoming creatures. Each strike caused the GMs to disintegrate into a viscous black substance, but to their dismay, for every creature felled, another seemingly took its place.
"How many of these things are there!?" Anakin exclaimed, grappling with the overwhelming onslaught of GMs.
“Just shut up and kill these cunts!” Troy yelled out.
Jack, as he surveyed the dwindling number of GMs, formulated a daring strategy. With a determined look on his face, he tightened his grip on his powerful robotic arm, focusing all of his energy into it. With a swift and forceful motion, he slammed his arm into the ground, unleashing a powerful surge of electricity that surged through the floor, swiftly neutralizing the surrounding GMs.
He grinned with satisfaction at the impact of his punch before inquiring about everyone's well-being following the intense battle. After receiving assurance from the team that they were all okay, they pressed on towards Miguel Rojas’s hideout.
As they traversed through the debris of collapsed buildings and deserted homes in what used to be a bustling neighborhood.
“Poor people.” Ellie said
“That’s war for you. It's rough and unforgiving.” Troy responded without any care for the people who used to live here.
The team continued until they caught sight of a bright light coming from an open bunker door at the rear of one of the houses. It dawned on them that this was the location of the hideout.