Alam and the other commanders looked over the soldiers affected by the red mist. It wasn't a pretty sight. The men were agitated, aggressive, and clearly out of it. They couldn't talk straight, lost in some kind of mental fog. The red mist was messing with their heads, big time.
“Doc, any chance we can fix this? Got any meds that’ll help?” Alam asked, sounding worried.
The doctor checked the soldiers over. “We might be able to treat them if we figure out what’s causing this and find the right antidote. Best thing is to quarantine these guys so it doesn’t spread. We also need to find out where this red mist is coming from so we can make a cure.”
Alam nodded, thinking fast. “Let’s keep pushing towards the Zion bases. But hold on…” He stopped, staring at the ground. The snow around them was bright red. Intel suggested it could be a crystallized form of the mist, or just some kind of red dye. Alam didn’t want to take any chances. “We need hazmat suits before we go any further.”
Out in the distance, the local wildlife was acting strange. Animals were attacking each other like crazy. Someone spotted a wolf eating another wolf. The red mist was affecting everything.
“We need to find out how they’re making this stuff and come up with an antidote,” Alam ordered. “Send the CAD team to investigate. We can’t just wait for this to go away; it’s slowing us down.”
Mei jumped at the chance to lead the investigation. The red mist was causing serious problems, and she was determined to find the source and a solution.
New intel came in through secure comms: The Red Army was taking over all the poppy fields in the areas they’d captured and sending them to fortified processing centers. Satellite photos of a facility near Kandahar, Afghanistan, showed weird red smoke coming out of the chimneys, and the heat readings were off the charts.
“Interesting,” Mei said. “If the Red Army is using poppies, they might be making the red mist from them. Poppies make opium, which could explain what’s happening to people.”
“Want to give it a shot?” Vance asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Sure! I’d love to give it a shot,” Mei replied, excitement bubbling beneath her calm exterior.
The CAD team flew to the contested region of Afghanistan, a landscape scarred by heavy bombardments. Wreckage littered the roads, a haunting reminder of the destruction that had unfolded.
Setting up base near the poppy fields, just a few kilometers from the targeted factory, they prepared to investigate the facility. Caution was paramount; the area was still contested, and Red Army patrols lurked nearby.
Razor deployed a grasshopper spy robot to survey the surroundings. Equipped with a small camera, it allowed the team to gather intel while remaining undetected.
“Looks like that factory is suspiciously guarded,” Vance noted. “Too heavy for a simple drug factory.”
“Definitely,” Mei agreed. “They’re likely producing something more critical than just drugs. They’re employing local workers to extract the poppy plants. Let’s exploit this—bribe some workers to disguise ourselves.”
“Sounds like a plan. We can infiltrate the factory and get a closer look at the production process,” Kirk chimed in.
After successfully bribing some workers, the team disguised themselves and positioned themselves just meters from the factory, ready to begin their infiltration.
As they pretended to work, they moved toward a warehouse connected to the factory via a conveyor belt.
“Do you guys think what I’m thinking?” Vance asked, a sly grin spreading across his face.
The team looked on expectantly.
“Crate ride?” Vance suggested, pointing to a stack of boxes overflowing with poppy plants. “Conveyor belt to the factory. Razor, you’re on scanner duty.”
Everyone grinned. It was crazy, but it might just work. They clambered into a crate, hoping they wouldn't get squished. The conveyor belt jerked to life, carrying them toward the factory.
They bumped and jostled along the belt. When they reached the other side, Vance carefully poked his head through a gap in the wood. A couple of workers were heading their way. Time to improvise.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Surprise!” Vance yelled, bursting out of the crate and zapping one of the workers with his taser. The other worker barely had time to blink before the rest of the team piled out and quickly took him down. Razor got to work on the scanner, bypassing the security system.
“Let’s move!” Vance whispered, leading them into the factory.
Inside, Razor plugged into the main computer, downloading files on other red mist factories. Finding those locations was key to shutting down the whole operation.
“Okay, sabotage time,” Vance announced. “Remember, we’re ‘fixing’ things. Act natural.” He grinned, and the team scattered, blending in with the workers.
They moved through the factory’s dim hallways, nerves buzzing. They were dressed in factory uniforms, which helped them blend in. Vance, always the one with the crazy ideas, gave them a wink. “Alright, team. We’re here to repair machines—perfect cover for some good old-fashioned sabotage!”
Razor, stationed near the entrance, was busy hacking the scanner to ensure they had a clean entry and exit. “Just let me know when you’re ready to make some noise,” he said with a wink.
Less than three hours later, the team had successfully disrupted the machinery, but Vance had a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Wait... we need to do something before leaving. How about the plantation itself?”
The others nodded in agreement. Disrupting the poppy fields was crucial, as it was the source of the plants fueling the red mist production. “Let’s poison the plants,” Mei suggested. “We can use weed killer on the water containers for the sprinklers. That’ll prevent further growth and cut off their supply.”
“Brilliant!” Vance replied, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s make sure this operation leaves a lasting impression.”
Just as they were about to leave, Razor provided intel that a high-ranking officer was scheduled to inspect the factory soon. The team exchanged glances, excitement and tension crackling in the air.
“Wanna give it a shot?” Vance asked, an enthusiastic grin spreading across his face.
“Yeah, let’s go for it!” Kirk chimed in, his confidence infectious.
They quickly devised a plan to ambush the officer while he inspected the containers on the platform. With plenty of cover available, it was the perfect opportunity to strike.
Hours passed, and the distant thrum of a military helicopter grew louder. “Looks like our guest has arrived,” Vance said, peeking through the foliage. A man in black dismounted, followed closely by a thin figure in a grey suit.
“Time for the ambush,” Vance whispered, adrenaline surging through him.
the CAD team is take aim. then razor manage to hack the local camera.and manage to hear the figure conversation with his officer, and its facial indentification. the man was a weaver
"Sir, 534 out of the 46 insurgents are dead" officer said while his hand on the tablet
“Civilians are just combatants who didn’t enlist.” the weaver says, then continue
“It’s not a massacre It’s surprise peacekeeping”
Weaver The man in the grey suit began conversing with the others, moving closer to the team's position. Vance tightened his grip on his weapon. “Alright, take the shot only if you’re 100% sure you’ll get a direct hit.”
As the Weaver leaned against the fence, laughing, Mei took a deep breath and fired first with her silenced pistol, hitting him in the head. Kirk followed suit, landing a shot to the neck. The weaver stumbled, crashing into a container filled with chemicals.
“Quick and clean!” Vance exclaimed, adrenaline pumping as they quickly dispersed, not wanting to linger after taking down a high-ranking officer.
As they exited the factory, the atmosphere shifted; guards were on high alert, and the team had to maneuver carefully. They ducked into nearby vegetation, hoping to remain unseen until nightfall.
Weaver then somehow still survive but screaming on agony as his skin is steaming and melting“aghhh.. i wanna them dead!.. i im not joker damn it!”
Suddenly, barking echoed from the distance, and Vance’s heart sank. “They’re using dogs to sniff out our trail. It’s only a matter of time before they locate us.”
“Great,” Mei muttered, her brows knitting together. “What do we do?”
“Alright, we have a better chance if we spread out,” Vance said, his face grim. “I’ll create a diversion with a smoke grenade, then we regroup at the rendezvous point. It was a pleasure working with you all, including you, Razor.”
With resolve, he pulled out a smoke grenade. “Let’s do this!”
The team split, sprinting into the underbrush as Vance tossed the grenade, a cloud of smoke enveloping him and obscuring his escape. The barking grew closer, but he was determined to give his team a fighting chance.
As Vance dashed through the trees, he could hear the whir of helicopter blades approaching and the frantic shouts of soldiers. They needed to outrun their pursuers, and speed was their only ally.
Meanwhile, Razor monitored the team’s movements from a distance, anxiety gnawing at him. He silently prayed for their safety, a rare moment of vulnerability for the normally composed hacker.
After what felt like an eternity, Razor received an update from Mei and Kirk confirming they had reached their position. Relief washed over him, but Vance’s absence weighed heavily in the air.
Then, a crackling radio call broke through. “I’m getting shot. I lost my arm and fell off a cliff. I can’t contact you earlier because they’re right on top of me. Pick me up!”
Razor’s heart raced as he quickly responded, asking for Vance’s location. “Hang on, I’m on my way!”
When Razor found Vance, he was perched precariously on a boulder, blood pooling beneath him. “Stay with me, Vance,” Razor urged, quickly applying first aid to stem the bleeding.
“Heh… at this time, drugs are kinda good. If not, I’d probably scream like crazy,” Vance muttered, a weak grin on his face.
Razor tried to soothe him, but Vance’s eyes fluttered closed as unconsciousness took hold from pain and blood loss.
When Vance finally awoke, sunlight streamed through a nearby window. He saw Razor sleeping in a chair beside the bed. Content and safe, he took a deep breath, trying to keep quiet.
Minutes later, Mei and Kirk entered, accompanied by a nurse and a doctor. “So, doctor, am I going to lose my right arm?” Vance asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
The doctor examined him quickly, then delivered the grim news. “The arm is severely damaged. Based on the X-ray, amputation is likely necessary. The surgery will be delicate and risky due to the injury and blood loss.”
Vance nodded, accepting his fate. “Alright…”
After the medical team finished their task, Vance turned to Mei and Kirk. “So, how did the mission go?”
Mei and Kirk reported their findings about the red mist, emphasizing the need for further research. Vance felt gratitude for their dedication and hard work.
As they shared a lighthearted moment, local news coverage on the TV caught their attention. The screen depicted the Red Army’s new general attacking the Emerald League, showcasing the use of the red mist during the assault on the city.