Toby shook in terror as their saviors, the people who were merciful enough to save them from the Insurgency and wise enough to hold off squad after squad, attempt to off-road an average unmodified Toyota around the thick Canadian forests. Though while they skirted around the thick foliage and absolutely avoided trees, their vehicle would still jump and rumble on rough terrain. Typically, hopping into a vehicle headed towards an unknown destination which was operated by men who probably don't have a driver's license wasn't exactly the best of idea. But considering that they'd save him and his brother from certain death and had no prospect betraying them as the Madmen did, it was a half-decent idea.
"Holy- Slow down, you're going to get us all killed!" Tom called out to the steadfast man operating the steering wheel, whilst clutching whatever he could get a hold of.
"Ah, don't worry. I've done this plenty of times. You'll never know how thrilling racing a Humvee or ATV through the forests is until you try it."
"We're in a god forsaken Toyota- I can see the paint being scraped off!"
"Should be nearing one of our logistics paths now, you'll be fine then."
"Oh, thank god. Good to know not all of you are this batshit insane."
"Eh, I'd beg to differ, they still haven't told me off for this reckless driving."
"How are you even a squad leader ... "
"Fucked if I know."
As the forest slowly began to clear, he started to make out the rough flattened outline of a dirt road. Deciding to give the timid Serpent one final spook, his arms remain alert as he eyes up a sizable clearance in the line of trees. He swings the wheel to his left as he steps foot on the brakes.
"What the hell-"
As the car drifts near the path, he takes the wheel to the other far end, throwing it towards the other direction. Behind them laid a trail of dust as he stabilized their vehicle and brought them on a straight path. He took a look at their rearview mirror and glances at Tom, who was clutching his seat for dear life.
"What was-- Wha- Why- Don't pull that trick again you absolute psycho!"
Crystal chuckles for a moment, "Just like every cadet."
"I think I'd rather take my chances with the Madmen than risk a car accident with you?"
"Is that an offer?"
"No! You saw what they tried to pull on us!"
"Heh, anyways. So these 'Madmen', or Insurgents as your brother calls them. Any clue who they are?"
"Oh uh, I don't know. They just wanted us to shoot up a few places and steal some stuff, paid us pretty nicely. He usually handles the talking with them."
He looks through the rearview mirror at Toby expectantly, "Can't say much either, never told us much outside of basic introductions. Had us go on operations against some folk we weren't particularly on good terms with, so no complaints from me."
"Uh huh, alright. I'm sure we'll learn more when you two have a little reunion."
"Huh?"
Crystal would leave Toby's inquiry unanswered, instead remaining silent as they continued to drive on the road in an awkward quiet. He only flinches for a moment as he makes out a scope's glare in the distance, their lookout who would hopefully notice them as a friendly and not file another blue-on-blue incident. To his relief, the glare goes away as they're allowed to pass by peacefully, fences and watchtowers coming into view as refocuses his attention the path ahead of him. The figure in the watchtower adjacent to the only opening in the fence would become apparent to him as he notices a unique cloak covering their upper torso. He begins to slow the car as they enter the facility's perimeter.
"Hey," Wraith called out from the watchtower, "Thought you'd take this path."
"How the hell did you get here before us?"
"I have my ways," she takes a look at the vehicle's passenger seats, "Ah, you've made it safely, despite his driving?"
"It was only one time-"
She departs from the tower as she grabs the ladder, climbing down for a moment before leaping down.
"You tried to ram an APC and nearly wrecked that Humvee."
"Are you coming with or not?" He suddenly rebutted.
"You're going to meet with her again, aren't you? Best I tag along," she turns to the two brothers in the backseats, "You two, follow me. Crystal, you're repairing any damages brought to this car by your driving."
The two Serpents nod as they dismount, leaving Crystal to drive away as he heads towards the surface's garages. She waits until the two recover from the long road-trip and begins making pace to the facility's entrance. She looks up to take a glance at the surface floor's sign, reading 'Intefor Lumber' in a green text adjacent to an abstract icon resembling a tree. Obviously it was a front for their actual operations, they had various logging equipment on the surface and actual stockpiles stored. All hiding two floors of a militarized facility underground. After all, what other industry would have a depot out in the deep woods?
"I'm sure you two have plenty of questions, now would be your chance to ask away."
"Are you guys an actual logging company?"
"Actual questions?"
"How come you're helping us? Many would want us dead, and many more want our power."
"Let's see. We've been in a shadow war with another company for quite a while now and apparently they've brought in some new allies. According to some ol' reliable intelligence and an outside 'source', your group calls them the 'Madmen' and aren't on the best terms with them. And you know what they say, the enemy of my enemy."
"Huh? How'd you even come to know of us?"
"We're a security company, so naturally we've been contracted by a wide variety of questionable organizations. We were hired by a certain corporation to dispatch a certain target, a target who happened to be associated with you."
Toby tensed up for a moment, taking their safety and loyalties into question as they stand in the very facility of the organization that sent out a hit-squad on one of them, " ... Who?"
"Contracted us? Who we were hunting?"
"Who employed you?"
"We're meant to keep some level of confidentiality with unrelated partiers. But I'll just say, they're a 'Dark' company that essentially desires nothing more than greed and material wealth."
The terms 'Dark', 'Company', and 'Greed' was more than enough to bring his mind to the 'Marshal, Carter & Dark, LTD'. A company that had much interest into their various arcane abilities and artifacts.
"Apparently they were withholding some valuable information from us. And now Ervna's questioning their allegiance."
He calms down somewhat upon hearing their troubles with the evil company. He pauses as they step into an elevator, Wraith selecting the second floor down.
"You lot seem really casual about this situation, bringing two members belonging to a cult associated with your assassination target."
"Mess around and find out, we've done more recklessly and I'd say I could trust you two."
The elevator doors opened with a *ding* as he was greeted by the sight of concrete walls and metal flooring, various uniformed agents paced around as they went on their own duties.
"Either by horrible architecture or intentional defensive measures, this place is essentially a labyrinth of a layout. Don't wander off on your own and you'll be fine."
Wraith steps out of the elevator as she begins to make pace around the facility, the duo of cultist brothers following close behind. They certainly attracted glances from the passing operatives, but they had more worrying concerns as they slowly paced closer to their 'reunion'. They passed through various keycard doors as they entered another sector, Wraith swiped her keycard on another scanner as they stepped foot into a chamber of doors.
Wraith unlocks a random door in the middle of the row and opens it up, welcoming them inside, "In here."
The two step in ahead of Wraith into the concrete room able to locked by a reinforced metal door, of which could easily have been shut behind them. They're greeted by a shady figure looking through a window, a notebook and pencil besides him. Wraith steps in after them and shuts the door close behind them.
"Did he give it another try?" She inquires to Specter, questioning about the MCD representative's involvement.
"Negative, I kept him out until you finished up with your operation."
"Whew, what a relief," she steps towards the metal door separating them from the holding cell and observation room, opening it as she leads the two in. As they stepped into the room, Toby was taken aback as he saw a familiar face sat detained in the interrogation room, the very woman that had indoctrinated them into the Serpent's Hand. She peered down into the table as she sat steadfast and with resolve.
Wraith snaps her fingers, "Oi, they're not dead."
Rebecca glanced up, her face begrudged with a scowl and her teeth gritted as she looked to her interrogator's gaze. A sudden look of shock and subtle relief would come over her as the sight of the two fresh Serpents to her right. Serpents that were thought to have been killed by the Madmen's increasing activity and involvement in Lethbridge.
"You actually-"
"Mhm, now then. It's time for your end of the deal," she pauses, "I'd hate to go back my promise, but worse come to worst-"
"I'll tell you! Damn it. What do you need from me!" Rebecca spoke out hastily with a voice of urgency.
"Alright, let's start from the beginning. Just, who are you? How are you associated with this mess in any way?"
"You'd already know me as Rebecca. I work with the splinters of Serpents in Lethbridge and this are. How I came about to this position is not of your concern."
"You lot keep calling yourself the Serpents, how come? What are you trying to do here?"
"We are the Serpent's Hand, the messiahs who will bring about freedom to the jailed and knowledge to the people."
"You mentioned a Jailor last time we met, who is he?"
"They."
"An organization?"
"Much like yours. Perhaps with different ideals and far greater in influence and power."
"These goals and splinters you lead, how did they come about? Who leads you?"
"No one."
"Top of the ladder, are you?"
"There's no ladder, there's no rankings, there's no organization."
"Insanity, what do you mean! You're clearly not the only ones."
"We do not work as an organization or a company. We work and are unified by an idea. Our numbers unknown, our influence is greater than even WE might estimate."
"You must have some form of contract or communications if you're able to keep up several hundreds or thousands of Cultists under this idea."
"The Library brings great knowledge. A hub for wanderers"
"Library? Where? What city, country?"
"If that's what you believe to be, then it does not exist. Seeking an entrance will be difficult if that's how you approach it."
"Wha- Forget this. What about those 'Madmen'?"
"They call themselves the 'Chaos Insurgency', I'm sure those two have already told you. "
"How come you're at odds with them?"
"We trusted them, at first. But then we realized they were no different than the Jailors. They only wish to enslave and use them for their own benefit."
"And why did Tom and Toby work with them."
"I tried to warn them," she glares at the two for a moment.
"The Chaos Insurgency threw several squads and armored scout cars at just two of you. What do you reckon they've got some sort of operating base nearby?"
"Perhaps they do."
"Are you suggesting they do have one?"
"The Library offers a vast variety of knowledge."
Mission Briefing
"Recent Ervna operations have been hampered due to the involvement of a new third party involved with Igneous. Information from Rebecca and reconnaissance teams have confirmed the presence of a Chaos Insurgency encampment several miles off the city of Lethbridge. Destroy it and reestablish our operational stability and influence. Dynami squads will be leading a frontal assault on the encampment's main gates whilst supported by armor and light artillery. Apochrosi squadron will be blitzing through the flank opposite of the main gates. Good luck."
His hands held firmly on the ATV as they raced further away from civilization, trees and foliage speeding by. Though he'd drive in moderate speeds as he kept in mind his colleagues racing much the same around him and the several explosive weaponries and ammunitions he had strapped to the ATV as cargo. Was it dumb and reckless? Sure, but his willingness to pull off insane stunts and expertise in demolition, CQC, and explosives handling was exactly what brought him onto the Apochrosi squadron.
"Yo, Prometheus! Packing something special there?"
He took a quick glance off to his side before returning his eyes to the road. A figure cloaking their upper torso with a cape and a sniper rifle slinging over their back. Naturally, it was only Wraith, who had inquired on a bulky package strapped to his ATV.
"Just some 'fireworks'."
"Hah, wonder if it could top last week's raid."
"I'm sure it will, stuffed some unique materials in it."
"We'll see-"
"Alert, we're starting to near the Insurgency outpost. Our Dynami counterparts are nearly ready to begin their assault as well. They have no idea the storm's that's coming, DO NOT fuck this up."
The voice of their squad leader, Crystal, came over the radio to warn them of the upcoming operation. He hones in as the silhouette of several watchtowers and barricades come into view within the distance.
"Dismount here, wait until they're distracted by Dynami's assault."
Bring their ATV to a halt, he steps off and begins to unstrap some of his gear. Several bricks of explosives, firebombs, a handheld flamethrower, and his signature shotgun they'd procured from the JTF's surplus. To his side, another agent dismounted, it was Perses, their resident AT expert and essentially his partner in demolition.
"Glory, how much did bring here?"
"Enough."
He noted down the several disposable rocket launchers and a single shot grenade launcher he was unloading from the vehicle. Looking out at the outpost, he'd hope it would be enough. The presence of several armored vehicles back at the previous raid had come from none other than the Insurgency. The several fortified towers, barricades, and occasional bunker had also been a concerning fact to the success of the operation. They'd been preparing for several days and had retrofitted their gear somewhat for the critical mission. Unpacking the last of the explosives, he quickly rushed to cover as their squad slowly approached, concealed under the cover of night and shadow.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Crystal-1 to Overwatch, Apochrosi squad is ready."
"Affirmative, standby."
He waited in fated breath as he awaited the eruption of gunfire from the main gates. Though he was leagues away from the opposite squad, he could practically feel the rumbling of several tanks upon the dirt flooring. He waited in anticipation as a minute went by, then another, and then several more.
"What the hell are they doing?" Prometheus pondered over the radio.
"I'm sure they have their reasons." Wraith responded.
"Just stick to the plain," Crystal quickly cut in, bringing the two back to focus.
The night laid silent as ever as a calm and peaceful breeze flew over the valleys. The sound of wind blowing, the occasional scuttling and crawling of a critter, the trees rustling, and the faint 'blob' of a mortar firing in the distance.
"Wait, isn't that-"
Seconds later, several artillery shells struck the various fortifications and towers opposite of them. He flinched back for a moment as a brief flash encompassed the distance and several accompanying pillars of smoke rose out. Taking the signal, he began to move through the shadows as multiple figures shifted away from their post in the distance. Tank shells can be heard in the distance as gunfire erupted, Dynami's assault has begun.
"Prometheus, get to those walls and slap some explosives on it, we need a way in. I'll cover you." Wraith called out as she took the best elevated position she could and paused to provide sniper support, scouting ahead and dispatching any lone Insurgents.
Prometheus nodded to Wraith's order as he held his shotgun firmly, Perses following closeby with his grenade launcher out. As he paced closer, he made several figures still remaining, watching the area closely as the bulk of their force was preoccupied with Dynami's squad and armor support. Though much more concerning was a makeshift bunker looking over the entire field, built into the walls.
"Crystal and Specter are taking another flank, that patrol is all ours. You'll need to engage them if you want to get to those walls in a timely manner, I'll keep the bunker in check if it gets alerted to your little trick."
He made pace behind tall grass and thick foliage, preparing his shotgun as they neared close to the Insurgency squad, Perses unholstering an SMG as they came into view. He paused as he could make out the sizable figures in the field. While his gear and tactics were geared for indoors and close quarters engagements, he was still a highly trained operative armed with a powerful firearm. At least some of his pellets should connect with the targets. He racked the shotgun as he took aim, his colleague following suit. He waits for the agents to pause until pulling the trigger.
"Run their shit in," he called out as he racked in another shell, firing it at another Insurgent before he could react.
He hears several shots ring out besides him as several rapid shots rang out from besides him, Perses downing another Insurgent. The final agent raises their unidentifiable firearm at their position before collapsing to the ground, a precise sniper's shot penetrating through his visor. He doesn't marvel at his work, quickly making haste to duck back into cover as he hears more gunshots ring out nearby. The bunker's lookouts, having been alerted to their presence, opens fires with their various assault rifles.
"Need some help over here!"
"Gotcha," Wraith responded shortly before the sound of a powerful shot rang out through the entire field. The gunfire stops as the bunker's inhabitants took cover, presumably from the impact of a bullet near their concrete walls.
"Hurry closer to the outpost, they should lose sight of you in the shadows."
"Affirm."
He heeded Wraith's advice and began a sprint towards the wall, his legs slamming against the ground as his eyes focused on the pinned down bunker, looking for any sign of gunfire in the near future.
"They're hanging back in the bunker, can't get a good shot from here, you'll need to clear it out. I'm sure you have something in that arsenal of yours."
Prometheus grins, knowing he had the perfect weapon for clearing a (somewhat) closed off and indoor space. Was it questionably legal? Sure, but that wouldn't deter him from its effectiveness in combat. He was only a few meters away from the walls as he reached to his side and pulled out a disposable flamethrower.
Naturally, he wouldn't bring an actual reusable flamethrower to the battle field, too heavy and bulky for him to realistically carry over his several explosives, shotgun, and armor. Though is practicality really a concern when you carry nearly a dozen separate explosives near your body at all times? Yes, yes it is.
Slowly pacing towards the bunker, he held the flamethrower up as he watched for any movement. Meer feet away from the edge, he pulled down hard on the trigger and hastily leaned into the bunker. The flames erupted out for a few moments before coming to a sudden stop. Screams of pain and agony came from beyond the concrete and metal, burnt and charred by the spew of flames. He raised his shotgun and peeked into the bunker, whereas a pair of soldiers laid on the ground burning. He pulled the trigger and put a swift end to their lives.
"Brutal, but we've got work to do. Get some explosives on those walls and start clearing out-"
"Holy fucking shit- They just knocked out a tank! They got some sort of AT near the gates, we need support down here!"
" *sigh* Never a dull day, get in and take some pressure off of the Dynami squads."
His mind clears as he finally takes note of the intense sound of a heated fire fight and several explosions in the distance. The sounds of treads rumbling against the ground, both of theirs and the Chaos Insurgency. Reaching for his bag, he opens it up and takes out a brick of explosives. It was an explosive charge that was designed to detonate after a certain period of time, following an activation, of course. He slaps a brick of the timed explosives on the wall, flicking it on as he took several hasty steps back. Half a minute would go by as he hid behind the bunker's stable walls. A violent explosion ripped the wall open as he braced himself for the shockwave, he grabs his shotgun as he begins rushing into the facility.
"You're going to be heading out of sight, good luck in there. I'm shifting to provide our Dynami counterparts some support."
"Affirm," he turns to Perses, "Get moving! We need to take out the main gate's fortifications before we make any progress."
Taking his first step, he makes the silhouette beyond the walls, unaware of his presence as he was concealed by the smoke. Prometheus doesn't waste any time as he fires a shotgun shell into the figure's chest and immediately dashes into cover. His reflexes and specialization in gear and skill made short work of the grunts that stood in his way, firing shell after shell as he made progress to the other end of the facility. Though he'd meet his match as he glances out of cover yet again, looking for his next targets. To his slight dismay, he encounters a hostile he wouldn't be able to tackle with shotgun. He would take sight of an IFV aiming towards the main gate, ready to provide fire support against their main assaulting elements.
He turns to Perses and urgently signals him over, "Time for some fireworks, get over here and help me destroy that thing!"
Perses nods as he takes out an AT4, a disposable rocket launcher that was cheap enough to suit their line of work. Using a 1500$ weapon to destroy something worth leagues more was an extremely valuable trade off. He takes cover behind a wall and awaits his colleague to fire a devastating AT weapon. He hears a powerful *boom* far to his side as the shadows were illuminated by the explosion for a brief moment. Yet again, he wastes no time as he rushes to his colleague's side.
"Sweet fucking glory, that's what I'm talking about!"
"All in a day's work-"
He's brought back to attention as he hears several gunshots and footsteps, "Now, we've got to fucking move. They're going to be looking for whatever the hell destroyed their vehicle. We. Have. To. Move."
Perses pulls out his SMG as he begins making haste away from the fire site, "Affirm," as Prometheus followed quickly behind. They ran through alley after alley as they stuck to the perimeter of the outpost. Not daring to take a detour through the center, believing it to be infested with Insurgents and armor. It took a sizably long moment, but they'd reached one of the facility's corners, whereas they turned and started moving towards the actual main gates.
"Christ, they're going to end up dead at this rate, can't our artillery destroy those AT encampments?"
"I'm sure they're trying- Shit!"
Prometheus quickly raised his shotgun as an Insurgent dashed around the corner, an assault rifle raised at his colleague taking point. He fires as fast as he could, each pellet meeting its mark as it ripped through the hostile's armor and skull.
"Holy- You good?"
Though he would not be fast enough as the Insurgent was able to fire a pair of rounds in Perses' chest, one impacting his armor as the other ripped through his unprotected side.
"Agh! Fuck, fuck!"
Prometheus immediately begins dragging Perses back to cover, the injured operative clutching his injured side as he held his SMG out at the corner as he attempted to shamble back. Putting him behind a few pallets and barrels, he reaches around Perses' pockets as he pulls out his first aid kit.
"Gah, don't worry, don't worry," he raised his hand at Prometheus as he attempted to stand back on his feet, "I can still fight just finely."
Calming down for a moment, he grabs Perses' arms begins to help him back to standing. Though, he suddenly pauses as he hears the sounds of another pair of footsteps from beyond the corner. He reaches for his shotgun, but too slow too late as an armored figure rounds the corner, turned towards them with their assault rifle raised. They take aim at Prometheus, who has barely laid hands on their shotguns, and begins pressing down on their rifle's trigger.
Wraith
"Hah, Hespheteaus, this thing still works!"
"Eh, why wouldn't it? Do you doubt my engineering handiwork?"
"Noo, no. Of course not. Just nearly crashed this into a tree the other day."
"I'm sorry. what-"
"Heads up, two tangos incoming."
She watched as the figure whipped around and fired two bursts of 5.56 into the pair of Insurgents, collapsing them instantly.
"Good work, good work. Their vehicle depot should be roughly 15 meters ahead, breach that wall and see what you could find. I'll be moving over to Prometheus' squad now, good luck."
"Copy that, over and out."
Gliding gracefully over the battlefield, she watched in awe the sheer intensity of the firefight that was going on. Several separate groups of Ervna's Dynami agents exchanging gun fire with insurgency squadrons, armored tanks enforcing its presence on the various pinned down combatives, and the ever-present threat of mortar shells raining down. As she soars away from the frontlines, she pays her attention back to the two Apochrosi agents infiltrating their backlines. Grinning as she sees a completely destroyed IFV next to their path. She sees two figures stalking among the shadows of the outpost's perimeter.
"And there's our demolition experts," she mutter to herself as she kept an eagle eye over the two.
She quickly switches the modified UAV to combat mode as she notices several Insurgents nearing their position. Wraith zooms in somewhat as she takes aim, though she's not worried as she holds her fire, believing her colleagues to be able to handle themselves finely. Wraith reaches for her radio as she begins to hail her counterparts. But much to her horror, a hidden Insurgent jumps out of the corner and fires their assault rifle at the leading Ervna operative. The following agent was quick and agile enough to raise their shotgun and fire several pellets point blank, ensuring the Insurgent's swift collapse, but too late as the man in front of him fell to the ground in pain and shock. Wraith watched, sitting in anxiousness as she was helpless to tend to the operative's wound, as Prometheus knelt down to Perses and attempted to tend his wounds.
"Not this time," Wraith mutters as she sees the heat signature of another hostile coming around the corner, alerted by the sudden silence from their colleague's radio and deafening blast.
They turned the corner and paused for a split second, startled by the view of two unknown contacts and raising his rifle. Wraith pulls down on the device's trigger as the crosshair barely glide over the Insurgent.
Dead on.
Prometheus jumped back as several bullets struck the Earth, lightning from a guardian angel above smiting his foe.
"Prometheus, Prometheus! Wraith to Prometheus, do you copy!"
"Christ! Holy- I hear you!"
"Is Perses alright? Can he move?"
"Insists he can. We need some support over here!"
"Affirm. Let's see ... Area ahead is clear. I'd leave while you still can before they investigate the *several* gunshots over at your corner."
"Understood," Prometheus shifts away from the radio and turns towards the barely standing Perses, "We're moving!"
The two figures began to shift once more as they began to make pace deeper towards the outpost's main gates. Wraith's eye was keen and her reflexes quicker, the indiscriminate power of a 5.56 raining down from the skies was enough to put an end to any odd insurgent lurking about the corners.
"Gruesome trail of bodies you're leaving down here."
"Effective weapon, no? They never look up, specially' when they're worrying about something lurking in the shadows."
"Are you using us as bait?"
"I do not confirm nor deny these alleg- Lone hostile behind that corner, you've got the jump on em!"
The two fell silent as Prometheus pulls out a small figure from his side, unidentifiable from the thousands of feet she had visuals from. He slowed down to a shamble as he became as silent as the wind, his movements as swift and graceful as a person equipped with several pounds of explosives could be. He pauses as he rounds the corner, pausing for something. Prometheus tries to glance around the corner, but doesn't take the risk as he waves to the UAV. Wraith takes the hint.
She whispers as to preserve his concealment, "One foot away, reckon you could grab him."
Prometheus braced for a moment before holding his knife to his side. He lunges around the corner with a primal fury and the Insurgent by the neck, strangling him as he plunged the knife into his neck. Yanking the knife down, a steam of blood flooded out as he pulled the crimson blade out.
"Once more, brutal. But you best get moving before they catch on."
He wipes off the knife, "Understood, how far off are we?"
Wraith sighs as she scans the outpost with her UAV, "Gah, no good. Those tanks will be long destroyed before you even lay eyes on those AT encampments. Draw some attention and start clearing out the outpost, I'm moving to the frontlines."
Prometheus chuckles as he throws down his bag, taking down several bricks of *fun things*, "Hooo boy, I've got some fireworks ready for this. Sit back and observe."
"Mhm, hope you can handle yourself."
Wraith diverts the drone from the pair of demolitionists as they ready several pounds of fireworks. She watched over the entire facility as her drone glided through the calm winds, observing Insurgents and vehicle scurry about as if they were ants in a farm, ants that were occasionally being smite by 5.56. On the front gates, she saw several patches of metallic roofing surrounded by thick sandbags and barricades. Shielding them from the shrapnel and impact of their H.E mortar shells, they obviously hid some sort of heavy AT weaponry, clear from the sudden flashes and eruption of flames from their armor. Conveniently shielding itself from artillery and divine intervention, much to her dismay.
"Wraith to Duke-1, do you copy?"
The sounds of several bullets flying back as an explosive shell impacted in the distance could be heard over the radio, "The hell's that support! Aren't you supposed to be our best?"
"We don't have a clear line of fire from up here, get one of your AT guys to fire a rocket into that encampment, I'm sure that'll scare em' off."
"They've got bloody tanks rolling up on us, we're being suppressed by an entire army over here!"
"I'll keep them pinned down the best I can, losses are inevitable anyways. If we don't take those encampments out, you'll be defenseless to their column of armor blitzing through you. "
"Damn you for a cruel misstress, you'll get your assault," he drops the radio by his side, his voice barely audible but still comprehensible, "Archarios squad, Katai squad! AT ready, hammer down those positions!"
Turning her sights she looks back to the various Insurgency agents firing from behind steel walls and tanks, under no roof and exposed to her crosshairs.
"Give no quarter," she orders in the radio as she unleashes a fully automatic storm from her UAV. Her initial burst struck down several Insurgents, their surviving colleagues sensible enough to duck down from supposed 'MG' fire. But they'd only make themselves sitting ducks as she picked them off. As she diverts her attention to another squad, Wraith was taken aback for a moment as she could make out clear muzzle flashes. Not the faint flashes she'd observed during their numerous exchanges and fire fights, but the clear flash of a muzzle as if she were on the frontlines. They were (attempting to) firing at her UAV.
"Holy hell, they actually spotted me," but she wasn't too deeply concerned for her UAV's longevity. The pitch black painted drone against the void sky, without the distance flash of her mounted gun, they stood no chance of detecting her. As such, she'd only fire in short bursts, whizzing around and being a menace in the skies.
Her infrared would be blinded for a brief moment as multiple rockets strike the entrenched encampment. She waits a few moments and finds no more flashes erupting from the ghetto bunker, much to her relief. Wraith's eyes honed in as she saw multiple soldiers fleeing from safety of the roof, more concerningly was a pair pushing out a wheeled Anti-Tank weapon.
"Oh hell, they had a recoilless in there! The hell did they get that thing from?"
"What are you doing? Take it out!" Duke-1 rebutted frantically.
She fires several more bursts at the Chaos Insurgents gathered around the recoilless rifle, multiple of her shots striking the rifle's delicate parts and rendering it immobilized by wheel.
"I reckon that was their only static AT, armor should be good to slowly advance. Careful though, I'm sure they've got some infantry armed with AT of their own. No telling what's in there-"
She was blinded as an eruption of fire flared up from the rear of the outpost, several charges detonating as the opposite end of the encampment was engulfed in smoke.
"Bloody hell, that was a glory of a sight, the fuck that come from?"
"Enjoy the fireworks, I'd move while you still can," Wraith responded in kind.
Her UAV's ammo beginning to run dry for the first time in its couple weeks of existence, she puts the drone to circle around, able to do nothing more than provide recon and scout. She begins a sprint towards Prometheus' initial breaching position and prepares her sidearm for engagement, a compact SMG that could pack a significant punch. Her first step was met by a swift burst of her sidearm into an early encounter with an insurgent. She may not have had the reflexes or athleticness of her squad mates, but none of that really mattered when you had the first strike and knowledge of anything coming your way. She periodically scanned the area ahead of her as she maneuvered deeper within the encampment, looking to meet up with her peers.
"Crystal, it's Wraith, little check in?"
"Affirmative, still standing. But we've hit a road block here, large tank over here! Dynami's armor isn't risking coming into its sight, get Perses over here!"
Another voice came over the radio, "We're on the other end of the outpost, that's going to take a while."
"Stalling them the best we can, hurry!"
Dashing towards Crystal's location, Wraith pauses as she stops by a corner, the sounds of a deep and slow track rolling across the rough dirt terrain. Glancing around a corner, her eyes widened at the sight of a sizable tank unleashing powerful shells and relentless MG fire upon a group of her colleagues. It was unmistakably an MBT, though, perhaps an early and ancient model compared to the world's modern models of tanks. Lightly armored, it was still armed with a powerful cannon and was only scratched by their small arms fire. Their (few) cheaper Cold War surplus tanks and APCs under heavy threat from the behemoth.
"The hell they get a Leopard from?"
"Pathetically armored, nothing Prometheus shouldn't be able to handle. Speaking of which, where the hell are you!"
"Place is still infested! We're trying to clear the way."
Wraith glances out once more but quickly ducks back in as she sees a couple figures aiming at her general position. She blind fires out of cover and makes haste to reposition for a better angle. A fireball erupts in the distance as she hears the Leopard's cannon unleashing hell on one of their tanks. Rapid gunshots searing through the air as their firefights intensified for a last ditch hold-out of their outpost.
"Shit! It's moving!"
Wraith quickly glances back at her UAV's controller and scans the area, looking for the duo of AT specialists. To her relief, they were on a path to intercept the Leopard's reversal.
"Prometheus, Perses! Halt! You'll have line of sight on them soon, stay there and get your AT4s ready."
The two paused, one of them unslinging a tube, handing it to his partner and grabbing another as he knelt in position. Prometheus ran to another corner as he sought out another chance to strike should Perses tremendously fuck up his attempt. After all, who else would miss their shot on a stationary Hind that's refueling? Wraith waited in fated breath as the tank inched closer to the open alley, hoping not for another repeat of their Red Crimson incident.
"Fire! Fire! Run his shit in!" Prometheus called out to Perses as he comes into view of the early Leopard model tank.
The Leopard tank was engulfed in a ball of flames as she witnessed the rocket strike the tank's side. Perses was knocked back as an intense wave of inferno heat coursed through him, he quickly stabilizes himself as he glanced out once more. Only wrecks of a turret-less tank laid in ruins, they'd scored a critical hit on the tank's ammo rack. Wraith ducks as she hears the turret collapsing on a building close by,
"Enemy armor down," Crystal's voice came over the radio, a calm setting upon the battlefield as Wraith could hear the crackling and sizzling of the tank's wreck, "Dynami's armor should be free to move in now, oughta' be a cake walk now, practically already a victory. Clear out those buildings and get to work."
Operation Debrief
Mission Status: Success | Insurgency outpost destroyed
Casualties: 13 | Two destroyed tanks and crew, several Dynami deaths | Several injured
Summary: Dynami squads deployed on the outskirts of the Chaos Insurgency outpost, being bolstered by artillery as several armor squads spearheaded the initial assault. Initial mortar bombardment have resulted in the deaths of several Insurgent operatives, several more injured as fortifications were heavily damage. Main assaulting element was met by heavy resistance as encamped Insurgents and static AT held the line. Sizable armor support would stall Dynami's assault.
Apochrosi squadron deployed close by to several of the Insurgency Outpost's flanks, leading a strike team as main forces were diverted to Dynami's assault. Heavy use of explosive weaponry would be employed as wreaked havoc on the facility's back lines.
"We've truly struck a fucking goldmine of information here. Files, transport logs, operation files, personnel logs, even a couple devices. Going to take a while to sift through all of this. I suggest several squadrons remain mobilized as we dig through this mess, they'll be making moves following this strike and we may uncover time sensitive information in here." - Specter's closing remarks.