Stop! No, Safety… We Won't Stop
“If you're alright with this, then we can start trying for one after marrying.” Fox nodded and caressed the back of Nala's head. She looked left and right at his eyes before nodding a bit, her expression unchanging. Nala wrinkled her nose, pouting her mouth before muttering under her breath, looking at the side. “Not like you ever denied reserving your assets in the bank account diligently. Mn, you are such a cherished client.”
“Hmf, hm.” Fox smirked from the left corner of his mouth, setting his eyes on her cocoon golden blonde hair. Nala turned to him, wearing casual, clueless eyes as she looked at Fox at him with askance. He rubbed his forehead on the side of her head, “And when would you propose we marry?”
“Well, you still have to go get your Raging Blood ceremony with Butler and the president’s presence. Right, there must be the lover or all lovers you have, or there is the ‘legend’ that you won’t remain Raging Blood until your death.” Nala comfortably held his arm before jolting stiff.
“Hmf~, how so?” Fox really had no idea how important Raging Blood was at the top of the people’s hearts in Piya Sanctum District. Nala looked up at him, her ear resting comfortably on his arm, all sound vacuumed out. “It is said you will be dishonored. Mm, not exactly, but you ceasing to be the Raging Blood without dying… That is humiliating just from an outsider’s point of view. Now imagine what else it means yourself.”
“We’ll see about that,” Fox said, unconcerned. As for his lovers? He only had Nala Loba in his life, his dear little life. Fox grabbed her waist a little more caringly and pulled her to his side, letting her lean on him, doing all the work to walk for both.
Their next destination was none other than Piya Sanctum District Headquarters. The ceremony had to be held soon, and while Luis would take a little longer to arrive, Fox should be there. He knew little to nothing about a Raging Blood, but he understood its intricacies from Butler’s words.
. . .
An hour later. Piya Sanctum District HQ.
Fox had Red Blood painting on his body, standing on the training grounds with a wide multitude. Before, they might’ve picked a place of nature in Proteros, but it was busy being fought with the army and national guard destroying the remnants of the Yopbartes gang in Proteros.
His torso was mostly bare, with only a white bandage around his chest and solar plexus and 2 white ribbons 5.5 inches wide with of a crude-looking yet most defined surface. They dropped from his shoulders to his chest, crossing just below his collarbone at the sternum. In his left chest was the image of a pale golden circle, with what seemed almost like an eye, but wasn’t. It was just the ‘hole’ to his heart; where the lye of this ceremony was focused on.
Fox stood behind a row of steps leading to the top of an altar 15 meters tall. People could see him from the sides at the extremes, but he ignored them, and they only looked in his direction out of fascination. Even as it was so sudden, the Butler deemed it fit. Fox will be their Raging Blood.
“Phew…” Fox blew some air out before taking the first step of the staircase with his left sole. No matter how he thought about it, he was jumping from one important, leading ladder to another. From politics to a high position in the secret world.
He didn’t even know what the other hoog secret organizations would think of this, only that they might feel pressured or even threatened. But… maybe also disdainful? After all, with all the previous Raging Bloods’ ends… But, of course, Fox wasn’t like that. Honorable.
Fox neared the top, with the people he knew just around. Teon stood beside Nauer in his team, looking at him as he stepped higher and higher. Nala’s team were on another side, looking at him like looking at a monster. There was an obvious glint of pride in their eyes. The 3rd Raging Blood was born from their team, although Nala wasn’t there.
Fox continued stepping up, finding Butler and the President at the very front, watching from the other extreme of the training grounds. Luis blinked and smirked hard from ear to ear when seeing Fox like this. At first, Luis pondered if Fox looked ridiculous, but then, he felt such thoughts were wrong.
As Luis stood in the open, to all those special agents working with him, with his government, for the same dream of Lýmoca, he wasn’t their focus of attention after Fox stepped atop the altar.
“…” Fox looked down, to his left, where Nala sat with her previous dress but now smeared a silver glossing on her left breast side, up and down her sternum, and at her abdomen. She looked up when feeling his gaze. Both locked eyes before Fox proceeded with the ceremony, looking at the ceiling ahead from where he stood.
Everything grew silent, and before he knew it, a silent whistle emanated from somewhere around the ceiling. Fox slowly brought his folded arms in front of his solar plexus, grasping his right wrist with his left hand, when he saw a silvery blur rush towards him from the hidden corners of his polycoria eyes.
‘A Silverplated Eagle!’ Fox was aware of the ceremony, but this was the second time in his life he saw a Silverplated Eagle up close, in person… and this time, for him.
Criii! The eagle echoed with a brief shriek before clawing at Fox’s left wrist. It stopped, bumping into Fox, letting him feel its actually tough feathers on his body, opening tiny, thin cuts on his skin, barely threatening to bleed him.
The Silverplated Eagle retracted, looking at his body as if trying to sober up from a harsh hit, while Fox felt he was being analyzed by the eagle instead. But this was no magic, only extensive training and… the wisdom and instincts of the animal world.
The Silverplated Eagle looked at Fox’s face for a few seconds, extending its wingspan that was double his stature, and he was tall. This was, perhaps, one of the oldest, still healthy and powerful Silverplated Eagles to exist in history. And Fox only had one suspect in mind that might have trained this old fella, older than Fox himself.
Crrrii! The eagle suddenly cried again, but this time, it lifted is left talon and kept its wings. Fox steeled his resolve and saw the talon strike his left chest, stabbing those wounds into his skin. He moved not, winced not, and remained expressionless even as the eagle pushed its talons thrice into his chest, hooking beneath his skin.
Phla- crk crlk crkla… The talons came out of his body, bringing blood out, with some skin breaking apart in the process. The eagle then cleaned its talons like grooming its feathers, letting the rest of its leg trickle with some blood on his wrist.
The Silverplated Eagle remained there for several more seconds, opening and closing its beak while staring at Fox with one or both its eyes. It even closed the one he adverted from his face, and Fox saw the one looking at him shrink and expand, marveling him. As a departure gesture, the eagle slightly raised the part of its wings nearest to its body, changing its head appearance.
It looked like a strange, harmless, thick-furry animal now. Fox studied the wonderful animal before it jolted its head down and up, returning to normal.
The Silverplated Eagle kicked Fox’s left arm down, flying away and disappearing somewhere in the ceiling with a blur. There had to be a corner where it rested, or a tunnel. These Silverplated Eagles were so agile, after all. Flying up a tunnel was no issue with some momentum and their wings kept, let alone down a tight excavated gap.
“Lyeeeee!” An extended, rough calling emerged from Fox’s surroundings. They brought Fox’s attention to the people below, who cheered and shouted with their hearts out. There was only one thing they wanted after returning to the ‘outside’ world and witnessing the return of the Raging Blood in their generation.
Fox looked down at Nala, whose face had been looking up at him all this time like his first cult worshiper. He stepped down his first few steps, causing the crowd to slowly calm down. Not all special agents were here, especially with the incoming nationwide operation the entire District would help participate in. The firsters had rested, and the seconders and thirders were exhilarated to join.
The SAs here were the firsters, but not everyone, who went to the operation to free the capital city, and some other Captains who weren’t present then but now will.
Fox helped Nala up and held her with his left arm. He looked into the ceiling while Nala gazed at his left chest. In her eyes were both, pride and longing. She looked up at his chin just as he looked down. Just her being here with him showed their relationship to everyone, these stares into each other’s eyes was the cream at the top, simply fulfilling.
Fox leaned his forehead on her for some seconds before looking at Luis, who nodded after a short exchange. With this, and the night approaching… the time to move again arrived. Fox couldn’t help but feel excited to command again… such a force and movement like this.
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***
Lýmoca. 6th day of the 2nd month’s 1st week. Near 1 AM.
In the open nature of Proteros. There was information of Yopbartes gang sightings here for the past 20 months. After White Blood performed thorough investigations in said places, criminal organization bases and camps were found.
They were just tents and some campfire, with a few kitchenwares and improvised ovens with rough iron and even processed wood. The former was understandable, but the latter? Such things in the middle of Proteros’ woods everywhere? It was difficult to obtain through ordinary means for criminals, or supposedly so, and dangerous.
For this, instead of spreading the PSD SAs, the operation, Fox and the other forces’ counsel, decided to send the special forces. It was their territory, so to speak, after all. Although General Edgar Plomo wanted to try surrounding the targets and force them to kneel, he knew it wasn’t feasible, and that it was just putting the natural zones in Proteros in further danger.
“Hey.” In the not so tall grass by a hillside, slightly over a dozen hidden, camouflaged special forces soldiers laid prone in waiting. When the time neared and neared, and they received no signs or notices, some soldiers carefully whispered among each other. “They said nothing about how it was gonna be. Anyone has guesses?”
“Only the highest command knows, shush. If she hasn’t said anything, it’s because we don’t need to know.” - “What if she gets killed? Or her hands explode and her tongue is shot?” - “Then we open our minds and connect through our mythical blood.” - “Aaaah, yes.”
“Boys, tighten your inner scrotum.” A soldier looked back at them from the front at this moment, calling out in a whisper. Although the others were still in a good mood to giggle and grope each other out of their boredom, they threw all playfulness away and tensed up.
… In Lydfe, one of the largest states sharing borders with ANS. A dozen military vehicles, separated from an even larger convoy, fast yet silent through the deep of the night, approached an empty zone with hills, a couple of small ravines, and some lakes, with a nearby lagoon.
The leading vehicle, as armored and fearsome with a mini-antenna, inconspicuous and tough-looking beside a turret with remote control from within, opened comms and conveyed a middle-aged man’s words.
“Attention, kids. Everyone is in their position.” The convoy’s soldiers became stern when hearing this. The Pvt.1st Class, Corporal, Sergeants, and Staff Sergeants looked at their team and squads with dead seriousness. “As expected, we will get a bumpy ride, but that’ll only light up our way. You’ll know what it’s happening to them when it comes. When it does, remember your training, then remember you’re not alone. Not here, not in every house of this nation.”
“Hua!” The soldiers called out, most unheard by the Chief Warrant Officer leading them, but their direct superiors did nod, grin, and/or looked at them with duty in their eyes.
… In Lydua, one of the most benefitted states with borders to the sea and ANS, allowing a more direct approach to deliver merchandise to ANS and wasting less fuel, while enriching the trade routes in those states. There might be hundreds of years since the ultra modernism arrived at Resilient with the SO and its POC, Post Order Concession, but trucks and railways were still a ginormous means to move supplies and people.
Lydua had one of the most important ports in Lýmoca, with the influx of goods from the Sierra Caliente criminal organization group being naturally attracted to it. This was only in the east. In the west, it is the Himperyia state for the Lyclan Cartel, and Lyemé state for the Guerramar cartel. These two were also the most influential and powerful organized crime groups in Lýmoca.
Regardless, here in Lydua, the navy worked with the national guard and army on the ground while staying in the sea. It wasn’t clear yet, but there were a couple of mobilizations not even the news reporters were aware of, even with their freedom to look around, although unable to record.
In the sky, there were support-focused helicopters, so high and with strangely their sound and signal virtually nonexistent. At the sea, dozens of frigates spread, forming a blockade, but still outside the detection of any military equipment that wasn’t up to the current times.
Furthermore, earlier on, while every frigate has a helipad for 2 combat helicopters, each frigate was accompanied by 2 light support helicopters from the ports. These were built to focus on long travel distances before needing refuel, unlike the combat choppers, and even other support helicopters.
In one of those frigates, the commander of the task group sent to Lydua alone, its commodore, looked at the time and waited. The combat helicopters’ crews of every frigate were ready and sweating. Also waiting for the very instance they ‘see’, and the order falls in their ears.
Gazing into the seemingly endless ocean was a calming effect to this commodore. It helped him now more than ever. He was an old man in his 100s, soon to retire and depart from this life.
A couple of decades ago, when he was still a commander in charge of a single vessel, he might’ve retired by now, but the recent several years when the president increased the neutralization of OCs chains kept him alive. His heart bled in thrill, knowing they could act as soon as they detected anything suspicious. Like this, the navy has made great work decommissioning illegals products and apprehending OCs bandits, or ‘pirates’.
Now, he didn’t want to retire, but he knew his limits. The commodore rather looked for candidates to guide. He has been giving them aid whenever needed and instructed, no longer forced to ‘select’ newcomers and just give them high positions.
Just a few more months and he would retire, resting with a heavy heart as he counted the rest of his days, hoping the president would get another light bulb in his head and make another program. This time re-including veterans somewhere, for something, to further help in the navy, army, or even the air forces. Yet, when he was just hoping for the future before even falling into boredom, this opportunity presented before hm.
Why not serve the country for real? With something that matters?
Beep. The commodore snapped his head to look at a light that just beeped. A green light flashed from a cone-shaped glass encasing a small device, paralyzing him for a second, a second too long in his heart. The commodore lunged his left hand and grabbed a thumb-sized device, passing it to his right hand to press it on his ear, hearing the message.
“That was fast, commodore.” A voice responded before clearing his throat, “3 coins thrown into the air, glide and flight, pure empty. Eagles unto force of blood.”
“…!” The commodore heard a beep before a consuming silence filled his right ear. He dropped the device, leaving it hanging still attached to the panel, and walked to the communications’ panel with its team wide-eyed. He nodded at them, and then, he gave the order.
“Eagles unto force of blood.” - “Lye.” - “Lye.” - “Lye.” - “Lye…”
The commodore was already feeling excited with the numbing of his body. When he heard their low, continuous call, he felt his body tremble. And then, he felt the ocean was trembling.
… A few seconds earlier. Several kilometers away, flying slow and at ease. Ly warplanes continuously circled the designated area, smoothly gliding at times with their thrusters and using fuel at others. They showed ample discipline and mastery. Then, at last, each of them received a report, “Red notice. Hijos de la chingada, you’re free to proceed.”
All warplanes stopped frolicking. The pilots looked for each other’s group of 3, and formed as pre-arranged. They all headed in the same direction after positioning correctly. Not one of them advancing a meter out of a perfect line, even if not straightforward, with some behind and others a little farther ahead, and others below and some more above the rest: to Lydua.
As they overflew the frigates for a couple of hundred meters, the frigates’ combat choppers flew high and rushed to the shores as well. The light support choppers advanced faster, but still slower than the warplanes. Meanwhile, inland, all over Lydua alone, hundreds of military and national guard armored vehicles waited to hear it…
… In other states, for example, Lydfe. Just as a convoy was onwards to their position, the soldiers in their armored vehicles heard it. BOOOM BOOOM BOOOM BOOM- PF PF PF- TAH TAH TAH TAH TAH! Weeee! Weeeeeee! Weeeeee!
Explosions rang everywhere, no more than 200 meters from where the convoy was moving, with the sounds of things being launched from above followed suit. Immediately after, metal-like heavy objects fell to the ground, followed by the sound of sirens and energy charging up.
No soldier could see what was happening, unless they sat at the driver and co-driver seat. But just as the soldiers grabbed their firearms and regulated their breathing, their Chief Warrant Officer’s voice echoed again. “Heard that? Its translation is— ‘we’re’ too fucking late!”
“But that also means— get the fuck ready! Even if we’re holing in our trucks, we’re getting IN THERE!” - “Hua!” - “Hua!” - “Hua!” - “Hua!”
The soldiers responded to their highest command. They knew the sounds of those things. First, explosions. Rockets to disrupt or strike vehicles and armories. The accuracy had to be excellent, or they wouldn’t launch them. It was said the air forces were ‘the quiet ones’ from the Ly forces, besides their notorious army, but this was the first time the army experienced air forces’ support.
The second was the drop of heavy incursion tools. These were extremely heavy and circular, with countless angles added to it. It begins charging the moment it falls, sounding with sirens as soon as it does, before emanating a tremendous light source to blind the nearby targets. Then, its intensity is lowered enough to still expose them, but not blind anyone looking at it anymore.
“Go! A por esos cabrones!(Get those fuckers!)” Soldiers yelled to their comrades after a bumpy ride everywhere, having to stand up a little to not beat their asses purple before engaging the bandits. The moment they stopped, doors opened fast, but soldiers bravely rushed out and distributed firepower with their beloved renegades.
Ta ta ta-trrr rrrr rrr… bang bang bang bang bang!
… In Proteros, the special forces only watched the warplanes fly over before dropping the incursion balls of blinding light, rapidly charging as special forces stood up as swift as dogs before charging into the woods. Like hound and horses, they moved together with their small unit expertly led by their direct superior, facing a few or a surprising number of bandits, but neither managed to startle them nor make any of their steps hesitate.
Trrr rrrrr rrrrrrrr rrrrr rrrrrrr rrrrr rrrr rrrrr… Bang bang bang bang bang bang!- Boom!
The special forces were louder acting than any soldiers. Lýmoca had no tanks, with their best being artillery, and even mobile rocket launching trucks. However, they were lethal, not needing a much higher firepower. Besides, this was their country, and they would not destroy it just to kill those who, by now, have become traitors in the nation.
They didn’t listen. Now, they were faced with the truth.
Grenades, rocket launchers, heavy machine guns with the intensity of DLM, and large pistols crashed the sounds of even the flying bandits before they were taken down. Their actions were clearly louder than words.
As hours passed, and the morning arrived. With the surprise of Lýmoca’s sudden cruel offensive operation on the organized crime groups gained attention. But even though it didn’t seem like much, Luis was prepared for this obstacle in geopolitics. He would face it as Lýmoca’s president, not as Luis Heartez, or just a patriotic Ly.
…