“Now!” Captain Jeremy Jackson ordered his team using holo-chat.

Initially, the transition to using the interface was difficult. They were accustomed to audio only communications and by default, holo-chat blocked one's field of view with video.

However, Renner eventually discovered that they could customize every aspect of the interface and its tools. They were able to shrink, move, and change the opacity of the video feed, until it was even more useful than their old electronic communication.

The third person angle which holo-chat provided proved even more useful. It allowed them visual confirmation of their teammate's real-time positions, and allowed them to coordinate attacks with greater precision. When this technology, years of combat experience, and a crash course in HEMA, or Historical European Martial Arts, was combined, it was met with instant success.

The HEMA training lasted two weeks. During that time, Scott Peters, his CIA superior, became increasingly impatient. He repeatedly insisted they cut the training short and begin their assaults immediately. Initially, Jeremy was concerned the CIA man would go back on his word.

Mister Peters had promised him two weeks of training if he agreed to lead the team, and Jeremy wanted to take advantage of the entirety of it. However, despite the nagging protests, Scott begrudgingly allowed him the full agreed upon amount of time.

After its completion, a week ago, they had assaulted the Ursa on their alien planet with their team of five, and soundly defeated them. Since that point, they completed every scenario with ease. On the third day, at Scott’s urging, they had even begun to assault the Ursa twice each day.

Now, they escalated efforts again, and for the first time, Jeremy’s team increased the difficulty of the scenario.

We’ve got this.

Renner silently stepped out from behind a tree, drew back his bow, and released an arrow at the unsuspecting Ursa below him. As they suspected, the projectile slammed into the thick hide of the level one beast, but did not penetrate.

It did, however, piss the monster off.

The gargantuan bear-like creature rose up on its hind legs and roared. When it spotted Renner, who swiftly released a second arrow, it slammed its front feet into the ground, and charged towards the archer.

Yes!

Jeremy felt a surge of hope as Renner’s second projectile closed on the Ursa’s eye. However, before it could connect, the beast’s hide shimmered and its speed slowed.

The arrow hit the wide open eye, and bounced off.

What the hell was that?!

“Renner, get out of there,” he ordered.

At the order, the soldier turned and fled along their pre-planned route. As he ran, he was careful to weave between the wide tree trunks. This prevented the Ursa from reaching its top speed and overtaking him, as it was forced to slow to turn.

Renner continued to lead him on a chase until the third tree, which hid their ambush. A pit had been dug, and a line of spears, collected as rewards in previous scenarios, were buried deep within the ground at an angle.

The archer circled the tree, and used a low-hanging branch as a fulcrum. He swung across the ten-foot pit, landed on the opposite side, retrieved his own spear from the ground, and turned to face his pursuit.

Come on, you stupid bear, ignore it.

The Ursa complied and leapt over the obvious trap to reach its prey.

“Push!” Jeremy ordered.

High in the tree above, Esteves, Jacobs and Lee heaved. A heavy log, which they had raised into the tree before the battle, fell from its perch. It landed atop the Ursa as it spanned the open pit, and physics took over.

It slammed into the large creature and forced it down into the pit, onto a row of spears. However, its hide still shimmered with light, and the spears failed to penetrate, despite the momentum behind it.

“Contain it!” Jeremy ordered and then rushed into battle himself from his station behind a nearby tree. He sprinted forward with his long pole arm. Meanwhile, Renner thrust his spear at the trapped beast, but the attack failed to damage it.

A moment later, Jeremy joined him. He swung the pole high, and tried to bury its axe head into the top of the Ursa’s head, but it rebounded. After Jeremy’s attack failed to affect the beast, the strange shimmering in its hide suddenly disappeared.

Esteves, Jacobs, and Lee leaped from their perches with their axes blades raised, and hammered it down into the Ursa’s exposed back. Unlike the previous attacks, this assault was successful. Their weapon’s sharp edges bit deep into the beast’s back, and released a torrent of blood. Jeremy and Renner added their own strikes, and with all five of their team combined, systematically dismantled the beast.

“Holy shit!” Lee blurted. “That’s a lot of nano!”

“That’s what she said,” Jacobs quipped.

Jeremy could only agree. Normally, each of them received between one hundred and eighty or one hundred and ninety thousand nano for each Ursa kill. This time, however, he was granted nine hundred and forty thousand

“Looks to be about five times more,” Jeremy noted.

“I’ve got enough for an upgrade,” Esteves added.

Captain Jackson nodded. He himself had just over ten million and was eager to see what it was like to upgrade an attribute. However, he had promised to wait until they returned. The scientists wanted to observe the process under closer supervision.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Does anyone else think this was just a bit too easy?” Jacobs asked, finally serious.

“No,” Renner replied. “I don’t. How about you be the bait next time and see how easy it is.”

Jacobs sneered. “Oh please! All you did was run and jump over a pit. My five-year-old can do that.”

“Yeah, I bet your five-year-old can shoot better than you, too,” Lee chided. “There’s a reason Renner’s the one that got chosen, we only have so many arrows.”

“Those arrows didn’t seem to do much good, now did they?” Jacobs responded.

“Okay, game faces back on,” Jeremy interrupted their banter. Humor was good for morale, but they were in a war zone and needed to remain alert. “Lee, Esteves, you search right, Jacobs, Renner, left. I’ll take center.”

The five-man team fanned out in search of their next target.

----------------------------------------

Jeremy ejected from the void, and a moment later, he was joined by three others. When they suddenly appeared within the fire tower, the quarantine department on guard alerted his superior of their presence. The man frowned when he counted only four and asked, “Where’s Renner?”

“Didn’t make it,” Jeremy growled, still angry.

Their second takedown was a disaster. For a few seconds, the Ursa had moved at lightning speeds. It had quickly overtaken Renner and crushed the man’s shoulder with its jaws. The jerkin he wore provided little protection, and the beast worried him back and forth like a rag doll.

By the time they closed to assist, Renner was already dead.

After that, Jeremy had made the executive decision for them to all upgrade their Physical Power, Scott’s wishes be damned. He was glad he did. The extra strength and speed they gained from the increased Physical Power was pivotal in completing the scenario.

The guard winced. After he shook his head, he added, “Mister Peters wants to meet you all asap in the command tent. He said there’s been a new development.”

Jeremy solemnly nodded and then navigated down the metal stairs, through the chain link fence, and to the newly erected command tent outside the tower. His now shortened team followed behind him, morosely.

Within the sparse tent was their leader, Scott Peters. The CIA man was poised behind a desk, his arms behind him. Based upon his frequent nods and responses of ‘Yes, maam’, he was in communication with his own superior.

Finally, Mister Peters promised, “I’ll make sure it’s done.” After that, he took off his headset, turned to face Jeremy and his team, and then frowned. “Where’s Renner?”

“Dead,” Jeremy bitterly replied.

Scott swore.

Is that actual sorrow for the loss of a good man?

“This is horrible timing,” The CIA man complained, and then immediately shifted. “We’ve got a new situation on our hands. I suppose you’ll have to make due with just the four of you.”

Of course, he doesn’t give a shit. Renner’s death is just an inconvenience.

“I’ve got orders from the Pentagon,” Mister Peter’s stated. “There’s a hostage situation just a few miles from here. You and your team are to disguise yourself as FBI hostage rescue, and capture the criminal Blake Summers.”

“That’s bullshit!” Jacobs complained. “We ain’t HRT! Let the FBI handle their own shit!”

Scott scowled, but did not remark about the breach of discipline. “The target is enhanced with nano-machines. He is the same kid who killed the local law enforcement a few weeks ago, and has been on the run ever since.”

Renner was right. That psycho really was infected.

“Now, normally, I would agree with you. We would let the FBI do their jobs and discreetly appropriate the criminal later. However, like most of the government, the FBI remains unaware of the alien threat and its technology, and the Pentagon wants them to remain that way. They are unequipped to handle the situation.”

“Sir, if he’s such a threat, why wasn’t he apprehended weeks ago?” Jeremy asked.

“At the time, it was believed that the local law enforcement were exaggerating the kid’s prowess. It seemed incredibly unlikely that a high schooler had the skills to survive on an alien world alone, and after we took away their crime scene, the sheriff refused to cooperate with us. A search was deemed a waste of resources, and he was forgotten.”

“What changed the brass’ minds?” Jeremy asked.

“Priorities were shifted when Blake Summers displayed super-human capabilities on video.”

Super human?

“What kind of capabilities, sir?” Jeremy asked.

He motioned to the computer. “Just watch the video, and you can see for yourself.”

Mister Peters clicked his mouse a few times and then turned his laptop around so they could see. Video footage from a drone filled the screen. In the distance, he saw a helicopter hover over a field within some type of medieval town. The rear doors of the helicopter opened, and ropes descended.

That looks like SWAT.

Suddenly, he saw a skinny kid in armor leap impossibly high into the air. Just when he thought the young man would fall back to the Earth, he disappeared, and reappeared instantly on the nose of the helicopter.

“What the…” Lee muttered.

How the hell did he do that?

Suddenly, the helicopter jerked away, and a SWAT member fell from the back door. However, before Jeremy could even feel sorry for his death, the kid threw himself off the helicopter and dove for the doomed man.

What is he doing?

The kid quickly gained on the SWAT member, and just before they hit the ground, wrapped the cop in a hug. Yet, somehow, they did not impact. Instead, they appeared a few feet away, in a completely different orientation.

“Mother of God…” Esteves swore.

Next, he released the cop, took his rifle, and tossed it at least a hundred feet like it weighed nothing. While the kid was distracted, SWAT began to descend from the helicopters. However, by the time they made it to the ground, the high schooler returned to the helicopter. Jeremy watched in slack jawed amazement as the kid tore through the highly trained SWAT members like they were children, and then captured them.

Just who the hell is this kid? He moves so fast!

Shortly after, the video ended and Scott asked, “Thoughts?”

“I thought you said FBI wasn’t aware,” Jacobs accused and pointed at the laptop. “I’m pretty sure they’re aware.”

The CIA man shook his head. “They are confused and concerned, that is all.”

Jacobs snorted. “Confused? They have video proof of what happened right there!”

“You would be amazed at what people ignore when they believe something’s not possible,” Scott said dryly. “It could be they believe there was a recording error. Or, it’s possible they believe it is a one in a million fluke. Who knows what’s going through their heads. But, one thing that won’t be going through it is alien invasion, am I clear?”

Jeremy and his team nodded. “Yes sir.”

“Good. Now, ideally we would like Blake Summers apprehended alive, but as you can see, that might prove difficult.”

You’re telling me.

“So, the Pentagon has approved the use of lethal force if necessary. Your mission is to breach the wall and retrieve Blake Summer’s body for study.” Scott Peters leaned forward on his hands. “Alive is best, but dead is acceptable. Are there any more questions?”