I closed the van doors and hit the van twice. It was a signal to indicate that everything was in order and could run smoothly. The van vanized through the dense fog of the place. Everything was desolate, the water was dirty, completely polluted and full of waste. The huge wooden walkway with benches and the occasional small shop placed on the sides were completely destroyed. "This place... It's not at all as I remembered.— Sergio mentioned.Our footsteps resounded on the wooden floor with slight creaks due to the wear and tear of the material. — Where should we start? This looks like a horror movie, you can't see anything..." He looked everywhere looking for a place to start. "Maybe we should walk in a straight line to see how far we can go, if we don't see anything we will take a different path until we find something." Soukaku said. "It's a good idea." We started walking, each one watching a different side.— If I remember correctly, there was a supermarket a kilometer from here, it would be a good idea to go and see what is going on over there.— First what was agreed, but I will write it down for later. A muffled sound was heard from afar, but apparently only I heard it. From what I had managed to hear, it was not a person but an ethereal being of a lower level.— Have you hated him?— I prepared the weapon, grasping it firmly but with a curious indecision.— No, but if you do, we'd better be alert.— Sergio said.I looked at Soukaku and put a hand on his shoulder. She was startled and gave a big back snash. I was shocked by his reaction. "You'd better go ahead, you're our support and squire..." I murmured, surprised at her reaction. Sergio looked at me, I looked at him. We shrugged. yes, I'm going." Soukaku said. He grabbed his banner and stood on guard right in front of us. Sergio wasn't in his specialized area right now, he was just equipped with a rifle just like me, but unlike me, he didn't have such a high aim. We cautiously enter the damp shadows of the catwalk. The air was heavy, and every creak of the wooden floor made the pulse quicken. Suddenly, a strange, cold whisper enveloped us, and out of the mist emerged a translucent, ethereal figure, with bright eyes that seemed to absorb the little light of the surroundings. The being lunged at us with a spectral shriek. Without hesitation, I raised my rifle and fired a precise burst. The bullets pierced the ghostly body, which dissipated in a cloud of silver smoke, leaving behind an awkward silence. They seem to still be easy prey for us. We continued advancing, the lighthouse appeared in the distance, erect and lonely in the middle of the fog. Its light, dim but steady, flickered like hope in the darkness that enveloped us. The metal structure was corroded by salt and the passage of time, but it was still imposing, watchful. "There we have our next point," I said, pointing to the lighthouse. We may find clues or hints of the activity that was detected. We headed toward the base of the lighthouse, footsteps echoing over the wood and rusty metal, knowing that the worst might yet be yet to come. As the ethereal body faded away, I couldn't help but stop for a moment and look at where I had been. The creature was unlike anything I'd seen before: its translucent, changing shape gave it a ghostly, almost intangible appearance. Why was that so? Why hadn't I been able to detect anything like it in my previous missions? Perhaps her ethereal nature meant that she could pass through certain obstacles or camouflage herself in the environment, making her a much more dangerous enemy than she appeared at first glance. Fear began to grow in me, that uncertainty that sets in when you realize that you still don't know half of what surrounds you. He had to keep a cool head. "Lucas, are you okay?" Soukaku asked from the front, breaking the silence and pulling me out of my thoughts. I nodded, trying to put aside doubts and focus on what mattered: the mission. The lighthouse was now much closer, and the silhouette of its rusty structure was silhouetted against the gray of the cloudy sky. We approached along the walkway that led to the base. The sound of the sea mixed with the creaking of the wood was the only thing that accompanied our steps. The lighthouse door, made of corroded iron and painted with traces of faded red, seemed to be ajar. "As expected, someone has been here before us," Sergio said. It is best to be careful. Behind me." Soukaku said. I looked at Sergio and gave him a light touch on the gun, which hung from his back, making it stagger and hit his body several times. "Yes, you're right," Sergio said, grabbing his rifle again. We approach the door with stealthy steps. Just as we had practiced, Sergio and I positioned ourselves on either side, while Soukaku positioned himself right in front, protecting us with his banner against any possible attack. "At my signal," Soukaku said. "Ready," I replied. "Whenever you want," Sergio added. Cautiously, Soukaku opened the door, covering himself with his banner as he advanced. Sergio and I immediately followed him, pointing in opposite directions: he was covering the left and I was covering the right. We turned on the flashlights mounted on our guns to illuminate the interior. The place was a complete mess. Overturned furniture, papers broken by humidity lay scattered on the floor. However, in the midst of the chaos, an illuminated table stood out from a corner of the room. "I'm going to check that table," I announced without lowering my weapon for a second. I approached slowly without lowering my guard for a single moment, when I arrived, I left the gun hanging on my back thanks to the rope around me. On the table there was some paper in good condition, nothing special to highlight. The papers were turned over intentionally, probably so that whoever entered would not see at first glance something they shouldn't. Or at least that was my hypothesis. I turned the papers but I couldn't see anything, the light was too scarce.— I need light here.— I ordered.Serguio quickly stood next to me and pointed the flashlight of his gun. I began to review the documents carefully. As I read I lost even more hope of finding something until I decided to turn to the page next to the one I was reading.
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To whom it may concern:
The operation on the coast remains stable, although control becomes more delicate with each movement of Division 6.
Internal contact has effectively fulfilled its function. His knowledge of tactics and extraction protocols has been key. His decision to act from the shadows has made it possible to preserve the structure from the inside without raising suspicion.
The "special training" he gave to several of them in the past has turned out to be an unexpected advantage. They did not expect it.
The next step will be riskier. Do not hesitate to execute phase 3 if the situation gets complicated.
Remember: old wolves always return to the forest they know best.
— A.
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"Inside contact"? What the hell...? I murmured. I looked up at the wall for no apparent reason. I became self-absorbed. Sergio was looking away, watching the place in case an unwanted subject appeared. "Did you find anything useful?" Serguio asked without looking at me. I put the paper away without answering. It wasn't the timeNot yet.— Nothing special, old papers of the owner of the lighthouse.— I answered.— What a shit...— Sergio murmured.A feeling of distrust took over my body, suddenly everyone in this room was suspicious to me. There was a mole between us, and it could be anyone." "I checked the floor upstairs, there was nothing. Soukaku was leaning out of the railing of the stairs, still with his banner in his hand. "Received..." Murmuré.De soon a figure entered the door. The figure rushed in, soaked by the mist, panting as if it had fled from something. It was only a second, but enough. The silhouette froze when he saw us: three agents with weapons at the ready, aiming from different points in the lighthouse.
No one moved. The figure's face was covered with a frayed hood and a red scarf... too red. He wore it around his neck carelessly, but at that moment it was like a headlight lit in the middle of the fog.
Red Fang.
"STOP THERE!" I roared, raising my rifle. "HANDS UP!" Soukaku shouted at the same time, raising his banner. Sergio reacted later, but did not hesitate: he aimed directly at the intruder's chest. The guy didn't say a word. Nor did he raise his hands.
He turned on his heel and ran away, stumbling slightly as he crossed the door again. Soukaku went after me like lightning. Sergio muttered a curse and followed us, though his weapon bounced off his back as he tried to equip himself properly. The hooded man slipped between the wooden planks, jumped over corroded railings, and disappeared into the fog as if he knew every corner of the place. We ran after him at full speed, listening to his footsteps in the puddles, which were getting farther and farther away. Sergio shouted from behind. I didn't answer. Something in me already knew that we wouldn't catch him. Because that guy... he had not entered by mistake.
He was watching us. Testing our reactions. Measuring our response.
It was a warning. A silent warning, with a red scarf for a flag. We continue the chase to a loading dock. Everything was full of containers. All this gave me a bad vibe, it was not a good idea to enter this metallic labyrinth. Sergio and soukaku stopped dry right next to me.— FUCK!— Sergio exclaimed.— Where the fuck did she go?— She vanished...— I murmured.Soukaku didn't say anything, she was strange, she was lost... Sergio began to enter the labyrinth but I stopped him by putting my hand on his chest. "He has brought us to a strange place, it is not a good idea to play along with him. Sergio sighed resignedly and pushed my hand away.— I can't let him go away with his rositas, we have to catch him.— You could die...— He blows it on me, I'm going to go.— It's not a good idea... Sergio looked me straight ahead. I looked him in the eye. He wasn't the Sergio I knew, he was different...— Are you a chicken?— He asked. His question was lost in the air, but not before giving me an imaginary slap. It felt like a shot in the chest. It hurt my pride. "You don't know what you're doing, Sergio." I replied, keeping my composure. Soukaku watched worriedly, she knew that this could escalate into an argument, but she didn't say anything. "Don't you want to get revenge on those bastards?" she asked. My heart contracted when I heard that question. An image of my mother being killed by the red fang came to mind. I didn't see it, but I could imagine it in great detail. The rain that had been falling for a long time did not prevent my blood from boiling exaggeratedly. I began to feel hot, I pressed my hands to my gun, as if I was trying to prevent it from being taken out of my hands.— My feelings can't interfere with my work.— I answered, direct, without nonsense.— So he'll blow it on you.— Sergio pointed to the inside of the labyrinth of containers.— Are you going to let it go? They didn't let your mother go home... I couldn't take it anymore. I slapped Sergio almost involuntarily. "Lucas!" Soukaku exclaimed, moving away from Sergio in case he reacted. She was not aware of why she said that, and looked at me worriedly. and that is harming you even within the profession.— Sergio said almost in a murmur.— If you don't take revenge... I have no choice but to do it myself... I'll kill them for you..." "We're soldiers, not monsters..." I bit my lower lip. I wanted to cry one more time, but this time I couldn't. Not with Soukaku in front of him. "While you continue to complain, I'll go do what you should do." Sergio said, entering the labyrinth of containers, leaving Soukaku and me alone. I watched Sergio watch his figure fade as he turned a corner of containers. I was putting up with it all alone, for her, so as not to break the whole team, or maybe for something else?— Fuck...— I murmured.—I can't... I can't... Soukaku stood in front of me and looked at me, devastated, as if my pain had doubled in her. Soukaku stood silently in front of me. The sound of rain hitting the containers seemed far away, as if the world had been turned off for a second. His eyes sought mine, as if he hoped to find an answer there. A decision. But all he found was a broken face. "Do you want me to go after him?" He asked quietly, as if the sound might break me even more. I said in a thin voice. I lowered my head and plopped down on a half-opened rusty box. The air tasted metallic, as if the pain could be inhaled. "It's not him I'm worried about," I continued, without looking at her. This is me. I'm becoming the same thing I hate. If I cross that line... I don't know if I'll come back. Soukaku knelt in front of me, the banner resting at his side. His voice sounded firmer this time: "You don't have to do it alone. I looked at her. And for the first time since it all started, I felt that someone was speaking to me not as a soldier, nor as a target, nor as a squad leader... but like Lucas.— It hurts, Soukaku. It burns me inside. And no matter how much I bury it... it's still there. She raised her hand slowly, and carefully, rested it on my cheek. But don't let that decide for you. There was a moment of silence, broken only by a distant thunderclap. And then, an explosion. A loud detonation resounded from deep within the labyrinth. The ground shook under our feet. I shouted, standing up suddenly. Soukaku gripped his banner tightly. We ran between the containers, zigzagging between narrow aisles. The smoke was beginning to spread, and a faint orange glow lit up the corners. With each step, the smell of molten metal and gunpowder became more intense. As we turned the next corner, we saw it. Sergio, kneeling, with a bleeding hand and his backpack open to one side. In front of him, a container deformed by a recent explosion. The fire was still sparking on a makeshift trap that almost split it in two. Soukaku arrived first. She helped him up while I covered the area, pointing in all directions. I shouted at him. What were you supposed to be doing?! Sergio looked at me with half-closed eyes, full of anger and shame. He said nothing. He handed me only a small, bloody transmitter that he had torn from the body of a guard hidden in the wreckage of the container. They were listening to us. All this time. I froze. Everything was planned. They were here, we were surrounded.