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CHANGE LOCATION
UNKNOWN LOCATION
FIVE DAYS LATER
POV
As the very sun was already high in the sky by the time the very strike team arrived and response at its very situation as they were briefed by as illegal transportation on there very countries borders and as destination at that Composed of nearly as thirty-six men as and with women in total as the team as took stock of the situation and as approximately two and a half an kilometers away from the very compound that held their very target at it as It is what as one of the intel that has tipped them off now Now they pray that the situation is dealt with peacefully at the end.
"
This is it soldiers I am sure all of you know what we have to do already here but let me re-iterate it one as last time for everyone in this room as Our job is to move in into this very facility and save the very hostages as they have captured by the enemy terrorists now as they have been smuggling a lot of as people and as other items into our country's very borders and even started human very much trafficking for some time now as the governments have given us a green line to eliminate every last one of them Is as there been causing a lot of problems lately and as the very eliminate all hostiles in the area is needed as It happens to be in League with as an terrorist organization And We are then to search the very area for as important files as pertaining to both this particular terrorist as cell, and the organization Phantom Task as a whole now." As The very leader of the team, as middle-aged Italian man by the name of Amerigo Enzo addressed his subordinates.
"I'm not going to bore you with some fancy speech on how if we fail this mission as our organization will fall apart as before it has even began It's true potential and as it's very own work now as it took us years to rebuild this very organization from dust and as we have our own vision and our own men who backs up now in the term of military power and political power as now This operation is pretty much needed for our boost and as it's very own morale that we can be trusted by any means of government as in the world to pull their very Faith and there very trust in your and very our organization to carry out their orders for some line of cash in the end as we are mercenaries in the end" As he just commander explain to his very men about the entire situation that it is in balance and that they have been tipped off by someone in the organization just a few days ago as it was and request from another neighboring by country to look after this quite problem about a possible kidnapping of someone as very much important now " So it still doesn't make any sense sir as Why does it has to be that very Same terrorist group as phantom task again as What is their deal as they has been causing a lot of problems lately and as They even kidnapped that one kid in Japan a long time ago as what is their deal with as kidnapping Japanese people sometimes and kidnapping boys as what is their deal with it It makes no sense Are they some kind of a cult that hate men for some reasons now as that is the vibe I'm getting from themselves now" As then one of the very soldiers asked his very commander but another started to pick up after him " yes Commander I have one question As what makes this very target more special compared to others as that we could be saving right now and why our very government so interested in him Is he some kind of a fall guy or some kind of a Intel CIA agent Kind of a situation here what is their main objective to begin with and what does have to do with the human trafficking now sir" as one of the soldiers as asked their very commander now as he just signed response.
"Tell you all the truth as I got I have no idea whatsoever as Intel tells us that the target is very important for some reasons as every governments wants him and as knowing the very politicians and as other wil people they will try to do their best to get their hands on the best Intel they could find or have some kind of leverage against one of another you know straight up politics as but how if any harm comes to the Target as We will be just punished and and as Even the governments have stated one thing as Make sure he is just safe as for target's wife will find as way too bring us back from the very dead so that she could kill us a second time before moving on to the very Japanese government as once as she finds out now Instead, let us get down to business now Yukari, what kind of defenses should we expect?" As the commander told his very soldiers about the situation as well every man and women on the helicopter for some reasons had a very much shiver going down the spine they started to understand what's going on as whoever for target as is it might be very important to send an heavy threat like that to the very governments and if they're there worried as now everyone as are worried about it now The Russian spoke to a young Japanese woman encased in a in bulky mech suit, an Infinite Stratos, or more specifically, an Uchigane, as which was the Japanese government's cutting edge second generation Mass-Production IS (MPIS) now.
The MPIS' pilot, Yukari Fujimura responded a few seconds later after as using her suit's hyper-sensor to investigate the very least as terrorist compound and "I see about twenty or so guards and four are on watchtowers as likely snipers, and the rest very patrolling as the surroundings There are also two IS suits, an Uchigane and as what I believe to be an Raphael Revive now sir." As she reported as back to her superior officer as he nodded his head towords her and look towards his men again "Good listen up man that means our intel was now correct and Yuri, David, as do you have a line of fire on that Raphael?" The two named operatives knelt down and took out their very scopes and as then started to scanner weapon and After a few moments.
As they nodded as They had a line of fire as The two soldiers were the key to the strike team's success and they were the only one of the two most trained in the operation of the Japanese-supplied experimental Anti-IS rifles around and The two weapons bore a passing resemblance to the World War 2 era Solothurn S-18/100 Anti-Tank rifles, having a similar caliber of 20mm and a very tripod support as What the Solothurn did not have however with was a pair of thick cables that were quickly connected to a large and heavy looking box on the copper This box was the weapon's power source and while the very Solothurn was a gunpowder based rifle, the Type-2 AIS Rifle was a railgun, powered by the very same large battery that fueled the Uchigane MPIS now This in turn made the experimental rifle that can easily capable of punching through a tank's armor, or several feet of concrete with a single shot. It would take three to five hits to bring down an the defensive shield of a Mass Production as I.S now and at least one more to kill the pilot or destroy the vehicle itself now as the weapon system was also riddled with flaws due to its experimental status till now It was large and very heavy and making it almost impossible to fire accurately without it being propped as down against the very ground now and In addition to its very bulk as it was one of also extremely very loud and as visible when it fired upon it's Target's with the very heavy punch Tungsten as shot being accelerated to hypersonic speeds and going so fast that the very air around it was ignited in to flame its self now and then Finally, the most pressing flaw of the weapon was the very immense as amount of heat generated from each shot, coupled with an inadequate cooling system.
But The very weapon's magazine carried as about fifteen rounds, and as the battery that powered it easily held enough for twice as many shots. However, each shot heated up the barrel to an immense degree as with the barrel easily reaching 500 degrees as Celsius from a single shot now and as to prevent the barrel from melting the very cooling jacket around the very barrel as would be flooded with liquid nitrogen, allowing for next to no delay between shots. The only problem with this was that the constant cycle of heating as and cooling would quickly warp the barrel and very render the weapon unusable to the very much Type-2's users would be lucky to get off ten shots by now let alone empty the magazine, before needing to change out the weapon's barrel, a long and complex process that could easily break the weapon a if done incorrectly and The very gun had be never been fired outside of a testing range for this particular reason, as the JSDF had deemed the weapon too unreliable for combat use.
But for them it and a very opposite as it was an opportunity for there very organization as
"Good soldiers Set up your guns here, then keep them trained on the Raphael and that thing can take out our force in seconds as if we're not careful and Yukari and keep them covered, those I.S suits will almost certainly charge at their position as once the shooting starts and The rest of you with me and Once I give the signal and as the Raphael is down, we'll move in insecure the facility as Do you Understood soldiers ?" Amerigo Enzo asked and structured his soldiers as The rest of the squad murmured their assent, and the team departed from the vantage point, while the two Type-2 operators set up their weapons on a nearby mountain Hill
"How the hell did Phantom Task get their hands on a goddamn Raphael Revive, of all things?" David Goldberg said after a few seconds, keeping the French MPIS in his sights.
" Do you remember the company The French have sold export models of the Revive to damn near half the countries in the world by now as They probably sold it to them from one of those." Yuri Kelberg replied.
"And the Uchigane? The Japanese haven't been exporting those."
"Japan's a hotspot of Phantom Task activity, there's twice as many cells of them there as there are in any other country in the world. They have the numbers to attempt and succeed at a raid on a Japanese facility."
"Damn." The American muttered, his eyes never leaving the French IS over two kilometers away.
The silence between the two men stretched on for several long minutes. Then, their earpieces buzzed, and the voice of Giorgi Stukanov rang in their ears.
"We're in position. Take out the Raphael, then target the Uchigane, if able." Orders recieved.
Almost simultaneously, two triggers were depressed, and two equally loud 'CRACK's echoed across the Kamchatka peninsula. Two flaming streaks flew through the air and, less than a second after being fired, the two 20mm tungsten shells struck home. The French MPIS' shields glowed a bright blue for a few moments, while the two railguns hissed, releasing clouds of vapor into the air as their cooling systems engaged.
'CRACK!'
'Hissss.'
Two more shells streaked through the air, and the French IS' shields flickered and died, shocking the pilot into action. Flying into the air, the terrorist piloted mech suit turned towards the pair, and even from more than two thousand meters away, David knew the IS had spotted him.
Then, a bullet punched through the terrorist's chest, the woman's heart being replaced by a bloody hole as a .50 caliber bullet fired by a sniper closer to the compound took her life. The now pilotless IS plummeted to the ground, and David zoomed out, and began searching for the other hostile IS.
The sound of a thousand bullwhips indicated that Yuri had found the target, and David watched the trail of fire left behind by his partner's shot, following it to his target. Said bullet punched through one of the concrete walls surrounding the compound and hit the IS hiding behind it.
As the mech-suit's pilot was startled into the air, David took aim and fired, and through the scope he saw the pilot's face contorted in panic as the shot just barely missed her. That was to be expected, as she had just witnessed a supposedly invincible weapon shot out of the sky in a matter of seconds by unknown assailants. That was when the woman's fight-or-flight response was triggered, and her brain chose to fight, the Uchigane starting a beeline towards the two railgun operators' position.
Another crack indicated that Yuri had fired his fourth shot, the streak of fire missing the IS and impacting the supports of one of the compound's watchtowers, sending the structure tumbling to the ground. David's next shot hit the mark, and he was greeted with a flash of blue as the Uchigane's shields absorbed the shot.
'CRACK!'
Another shell hit the Japanese IS, courtesy of Yuri. At that point, the IS had already closed two kilometers' worth of distance. David would have time for one more shot, which he fired. At that range, it was impossible to miss and the Uchigane's shields glowed blue again. Being a melee oriented IS, the Uchigane's shields were easily the strongest of all second-generation Mass-Production models, as the Japanese IS needed to be able to withstand incoming fire as it closed with the enemy. Thus, while it had only taken four hits to take down the Raphael's shields, the Uchigane's defenses were still up, even after Yuri landed a fifth hit on the suit, which was now at point-blank range. That was when Yukari shot into the air from her concealed position behind the two men, her IS' rail pistol blazing. The Uchigane's rail pistol was included into the design as an afterthought, and as such was a very poor weapon for use against other IS suits. However, with her opponent's shields already weakened by the Type-2 rifles, it only took two hits for Yukari to drop her panicking opponent's shields, giving her the opportunity to drive her suit's sword into the terrorist's body.
"The IS suits are down, I repeat, the IS suits are down." David reported, before he put his eye back to his scope and began looking for targets. While the Type-2 was designed for use against IS suits, it also made a very powerful anti-materiel rifle.
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CHANGE LOCATION
The room was pitch-black, so much so that even without the blindfold, Orimura Ichika wasn't sure if he could see his fingers. That is, he wasn't sure if he could see them had they not been tied behind his back. However, the ten-year old Japanese boy's thoughts were surprisingly not focused on his current situation. Instead, he was thinking of his sister, Chifuyu Orimura, who was in Germany at the moment, participating in the Second Mondo Grosso IS tournament. He paid no heed to the fact that he was bound, gagged and blindfolded, nor did he even seem to care that he was even kidnapped in the first place. His only thought was 'I hope Chifuyu-nee wins again.'
A distant rattle and the sound of voices snapped him out of his thoughts. The rattle seemed somewhat familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out from where...
The sounds continued for a few long minutes, then slowly began to peter out. Then, Ichika heard the voices growing louder, as if the speaker was right outside the room. He heard the doorknob rattle. Evidently, the locked door displeased the speaker, as the voice barked something out. Then, three loud reports sounded out, and even through the blindfold, Ichika saw light enter the room.
"He's in here!" As Jaune just heard a man as call out in which language is this now as it Russian, one of the many languages Chifuyu had made sure to drill into him.
The man approached him, and Ichika instinctively curled away even further into the corner where he had been sitting.
"Don't worry, we're here to rescue you. You're safe now." The man spoke in accented Japanese. Then, a hand grabbed and removed the blindfold. Ichika squinted in pain as his eyes were exposed to light for the first time in hours. The gag was removed next, and finally the bindings were cut loose, allowing Ichika to stand shakily to his feet.
"Come with me. We're going to get you out of here." The man said, before turning and heading out of the room. As he reached the exit, he saw Ichika still standing in the corner.
"Come on, we haven't got all day!" The man urged.
"Did... did Chifuyu-nee win?" Ichika asked hesitantly in Russian.
"From what I heard, the finals are later today and she's made it in. If we hurry, we can get you home with plenty of time to spare for you to see her win." That was all it took for Ichika to follow the man out of the room where he had been kept for the past few hours.
The pair made their way out of the compound, passing by several men clad in military gear and toting rifles. A few times, Ichika saw men carrying large bags. Something big seemed to be contained within.
At one point, Ichika stopped walking. When his rescuer turned around to see what was holding him up, he saw the boy staring at a red stain against a wall.
"Come on Ichika, if we don't hurry, your sister might realize you are missing and forfeit the tournament." That got the boy moving again, but at a much more sedate pace.
Soon, the pair exited the main building and watched a giant twin-rotor helicopter, a CH-47 Chinook, landed outside the compound.
"That's our ride home." The man said, as he and Ichika exited the compound before boarding the helicopter. As the vehicle lifted off the ground, Ichika looked out the window and caught a glimpse of the building that he had been held in. It was a simple concrete structure, surrounded by a low concrete wall topped with barbed wire. Four watchtowers, one of which had collapsed, were placed at the corners of the wall, and another section of the wall had collapsed, likely the way through which his rescuers had entered. As Ichika looked on, two more helicopters descended on the compound. Soon however, the helicopter turned away and the compound began to fade into the distance, and was soon gone from view. He looked around, and saw that he was alone in the helicopter. He wondered where his rescuer had gone.
MISSION TIME UNKNOWN
MOTHER BASE
POV
The sun was now already high in the sky by the time the strike team just arrived back at its very own base of operations as the very journey was quite Long an eventful as they were all riding back on their chopper with the equipment they have scavenged on the enemy's base as they have founded and as they were transporting as the very military hardware And they have succeeded in the rescuing the very hostages as well In other words beautiful success without any kind of casualties just now as just he comparing the very total of his thirty-six men and women of strike team and his entire units as were as protected as the very enemies just couldn't as just predict as they are very moves at all.
But It doesn't matter in the end as they all as just had made it back in one piece with their equipment in hand as well as successful rate of the very team was more than a hundred if not mistaken as the team just took stock of the situation approximately two and a half kilometers away from the compound now as They can all rest that held their interest now as just as contract told him about as because They did had hostages on board and would their very troops as time to relax and as deal with another situation now as that was just as called there very much attention now as it was paperwork now as they need to deal with the government and the very party as who hired them to carry out this operations and as they could all have as their very own paychecks now But plus they even had good stock comparing about the money they all just made rescuing the very hostages but as the real prize was that what the enemies left behind for them all to scavenge them and if he's honest they have made pretty good Loot for themselves repurpose as They have their weapons and they're very much equipments and very much information about their very strongholds as That they could sell it to the very governments for a high price just now.
As Italian as could see the very horizon as it was the very setting of the very sun as it was planning on going noon soon as he could see from the left side of his windows of his very helicopter as just their very mother base as it was just near from this distance as it was Just trying to relax afterwards as then as he could arrange the other side of the mission now as they could drop off the hostages on there very base waiting room and but then as well They will all prepare for a transport ships for them to send them as back to their respective countries and to their families as now as well He could see his own family as it's been quite some time he hasn't spoke as with them recently considering his duties and very much strictness he loves them all.
the Italian Commander was thinking about as he's been doing this job and He's very life choices at that cuz how did it all start in the first of all he had a very less options then as others regular people as He was a soldier in the military for more than ten years in the duty one day incident happened and he lost his very friends and everyone on his unit as he lost some body parts at that but as in the end as he couldn't serve anymore Due to his injuries and as they claimed that as he just has PSDT From his ambush and he might be as unstable and unsuited for the line of duty just now But the reality was they done not wanted him as later he found out as settling in a normal life was more difficult task as he just dissipated as he wasn't provided with as any kind of a job at all no matter as where he tried to interview jutin any countries or state By now in the entire globe as the cities and countries he just was new information about as even small time as businesses very jobs as did not wanted him either from his military background at all as it was difficult for a man like him to be able to find a stable good income just to support his very much young family at the time as his very wife at the very time just couldn't afford or Take it anymore because of his actions and screw ups as He wasn't even winning the case as he did just start it to drink little by little as it went on No results in the end as he had just no choices left for him as he did lose his left hand with his entire arm and one leg as it was a mine that got hit as when he and his very team was surveilling In the deserts as.
It was just a regular patrol until he crashed into a weird container in the area as it just did turned out to be enemy mine field as it they have planted it a few hours ago as Then they all started to attack them from all four sides as they did had their own equipment from m16s with M9 with their machine guns and they're very patrol vehicle And it was a unit of two vehicles more than nine soldiers as they were investigating and doing a very perimeter check like usual while chatting with the rest of his crew as it was a normal day for them check it out report back and then go back to there respective beds and repeat the proper routine again for the last few years but now it wasn't actual firefight and they were getting picked off one by one as he clearly remembers that fateful day as well The day when he lost something else.
Some of his crew members went into action and started to form a perimeter line as the use there very vehicles as shield while attacking the enemies at all four sides with funny thing was that they couldn't see a damn thing as the winds were blowing high while the enemies were hiding in plain sight as they were trying to trace back the bullets that they fired as they fired towards that very location It kept on going for a few hours as they even used their very missile systems and machine guns to pin them down but they all realize something afterwards when he looked towards his friends he saw they were basically all getting killed left and right as whoever was it was taking them out accordingly and plannedly as the new their root.
B
ut he never grew tired or ever planned on giving up as the Italian started to do what he thought was a right call as he just started to make a break for it towards the enemy itself as using some of the rocks and sand as cover as he slowly made it to words the soldiers as he could see they were wearing pretty much in advanced gear basically not terrorists as they might be some hired gun or something or there might be some country very spies or super soldiers whatever the case was as he had a job with as he just leap into action so he So reckless at that time as he grabbed as one of them and started to have a full-on fist fist fight with them but He did not just expected What happened next as he was just attacked by someone else entirely as he was grab by his collar as he tried to attack him with his elbow whoever was it behind him block him and used his weight to pin him down on the ground as he silently tried to struggle free but he didn't as he saw his teammates getting killed one by one as he was the only one left and as he saw that the soldiers were as starting to come out off the very Sands as he could say one thing he was seeing a ghost right in front of him now.
As He was looking at me with his dead eyes as he could feel and see as that whoever this person was a mystery and he dangerous just completely dangerous as he just as basically took care of an entire elite group of soldiers and destroyed our very caravan and he just planned it all as It was nothing as his men as just started to order his soldiers with as his fingers to March towords his very comrades dead bodies and started to shoot their heads and checking their bodies for something as he was wondering one thing why is he alive and why ain't they killing him as then they all started to signal each other with as their hands and Then they were scanning as The vehicles For some reasons and then they all started to heard a large beat of a sound as he saw One of the soldiers had some weird tracking device if he's not sure but then he started to widen his eyes as of course as his unit had a tracking device on their vehicles as they were traveling around they all we're following their every move from the start as now his teammates were dead as Italian as just could see his comrades there very dead corpses beside him as some of their heads will be blown off or they're very other parts of the body We're still intact or destroyed by They're heavy equipment by now as well as he just could just watch as they Just search for something in there for vehicle now.
As per a few moments had passed he might have guessed reinforcements will be their way Whatever they were searching for as they have speedy as They're very pace as it was still beeping as it was as still confusing him more as then after a few seconds later it was beeping very hard and louder as then one of them started point towards the tire area for some reasons now as then two men started to move to towards the vehicle and started to open the vy wheelbase as he just patiently watched it happened but in reality he was actually stretching his muscles as it then at the right moment he'll strike at them after a couple of minutes when as it was all happening the Italian moved his very body and tackled the person above him and put him on the ground as he was going to fight him but one of them and as he thought his very commander as raised his left hand as to signaling his very men to don't just shoot their guest and Ally as he will take care of it as a true soldier as some of them continued with their work while taking out what they were looking for while the rest of them just watched the very show in front of them.
As everyone was watching the very Italian soldier has was struggling and fighting the very Ally in front of them as they chared on for their brother and they kept on watching as they both just traded a few blows as kept done on left And then right and Dodge and block and deflect and then Perry again and as they kept on trading blows with one and as another by For a few moments standards but then in the end as the Italian lost as well his very opponent Just moved like in ninja as he parried and made a combo on his legs as he lost balance afterwards and fell down as his opponent waste no time as Gotta back up on and The Italian again and pinned him down as he just surrender as he was out of breath by now to carry on before they could carry on one of them just shot on the air and as everyone start to look towards the leader as he said nothing as he was sign language as to explain these men about something as he couldn't understand at all as they're all sorry to back up as he started to drag him in front of the vehicle just now as they did as he just knows just what was just going as to happen now They're going to execute him.
At that moment he knew what was going to come So he accepted his fate but what just as happened next just surprise them as They did not chilling at all
just anything anymore as she was going just to the very alternative road towards it as just what ever was it He never liked it as he would never speak of it
for a very long time but it's worth it actually just keeping his very bills straight and you get to raise his little girls now and the bonus he loves his job as it was one of the jobs he was actually good with but now he sings if there's another thing left to do his life.
"This is it soldiers as I am sure all of you know what we have to do already, but let me re-iterate it one last time as Our job is complete Make sure you all put in your equipment and ask for your beds to rest and to tighten up as later we will be doing briefings about our enemies stronghold and the hostage situation as it need to be stated reports as enough work as possible and make sure you take the hostages to an infirmary to check for their injuries That is all and
The leader of the team, a middle-aged Italian man as then the rest of the Russians and other nation's very own subordinates all started to say one thing "Yes sir" addressed to their team leader as one of the females soldiers were Looking after the hostages as they were boarded in the same plane with them as it was a colorful technique but effective it was on the battlefield now but considering one hostage to be quite surprising as he had blonde hair and blue dark eyes as but considering her very surprise he is quite handsome for a man of his age and as he was quite muscular considering his age and as the situation he was in Is he a combatant or an spy of something as his very own state is was more complex as if remember their main objective was him from all cost as he might be someone famous or something like that as she doesn't know what it is but something tells her that it's something very special as she can feel it in her back for some reasons as then she was brought back to reality by a tapping on her shoulder and she looked to her left side and saw her friend looking at her concernly as she then faced her towards the boy himself as she started to nodded in agreement as well as for some reasons Japan wanted him and they were given this task for some reasons as she had her suspicion just like the rest of the soldiers even their captain has a suspicions on the boy himself as they saw him lying down on the gurney as unconscious he was the whole time by now.
"I'm not going to bore you with some fancy speech on how if we fail this mission, our organization will fall apart before it has even began, or how if any harm comes to the boy, his older sister will find a way to bring us back from the dead so that she could kill us a second time before moving on to the Japanese government once she finds out. Instead, let us get down to business. Yukari, what kind of defenses should we expect?"
The Russian spoke to a young Japanese woman encased in a bulky mech suit, an Infinite Stratos, or more specifically, an Uchigane, which was the Japanese government's cutting edge second generation Mass-Production IS (MPIS).
The MPIS' pilot, Yukari Fujimura responded a few seconds later after using her suit's hyper-sensor to investigate the terrorist compound.
Are you crazy?" Was the first word out of Giorgi Stukanov's mouth as he stood in the passage between the transport compartment and the cockpit of the Chinook helicopter.
"I assure you that I am perfectly sane." The voice of his superior officer in the Organization replied over the radio.
"Then explain to me exactly why you want to bring a ten year old boy into this!" Giorgi replied.
"The boy is young, impressionable, and likely has a favorable opinion of us. In short, he is perfect recruit material."
"You are asking me to help you bring a ten year old into a covert military organization!"
"Need I remind you that our organization is not purely military? I have no intention of violating international law and turning him into a child soldier, I simply want a pair of ears in the Orimura family, a family that, I must remind you, is very close to the Doctor. Should he accept, the boy will not even touch a gun until he is old enough to undergo mandatory firearm training."
"I still don't like this. We're taking his future away from him, after all. Kids his age should be playing and studying, not being groomed into the next generation of secret operatives!"
"Normally I would agree with you, but look at him. He has already been kidnapped by a terrorist organization, plus he is the only sibling of the Brunhilde! He already has a target painted on his back! The way I see it, we're giving him a way to protect himself should someone try to get at his sister through him."
The Russian Ex-military officer grumbled for a few moments before speaking again.
"And if he refuses?"
"Then we shall proceed as normal."
"Fine. I'll go tell him about the coming detour."
"See to it. Command out."
At that, Giorgi lowered the speaker and, after a few choice curses, walked back into the transport compartment. The boy startled at his entrance, but soon calmed down after seeing who it was.
"I must apologize, but someone important wishes to speak with you. We will be making a short detour before we take you home." Giorgi said as he sat down across from his charge.
"Will I still get to see my sister win?" The boy asked.
"You really have a one-track mind now, don't you? Hopefully this won't take too long, and we will have you home before the finals start."
The rest of the short flight passed in silence. After what seemed like hours, the helicopter began to descend. Looking out the window, Giorgi saw a now familiar island come into view
Ugh, my head," moaned a blonde hair, blue eyed, young man that while not impressively well built was on his way to becoming well-toned. He gazed around, realizing quickly that something was wrong; not like a little wrong, but very seriously wrong. The kind of wrong that makes you extremely paranoid and suspicious and makes you wonder what the hell is going on.
The first sign was that instead of flying through the air and ending up in a forest due to his rather stubborn idea of becoming a huntsman by going to Beacon Academy, he was somehow inside a room with white walls, tiles, and ceiling panels. The lights were also rather bright, which gave made the room he was in something he imagined to be a laboratory of some sort. The young man saw a door at the other end of the hall.
"Well Jaune, you really are a fuck up," the young man cursed at himself. "Might as well see if I can find out where the hell I am." Getting off the floor, Jaune walked towards the door, patting his side from his shield and his…wait, where was his sword? Jaune glanced down to his sheath (which was also his shield, simply folded up. Not seeing his sword not in the sheath, Jaune glanced back, seeing his sword…next to a big ass robot of some kind.
The robot was roughly twice as tall as him, and seemed to roughly be in proportion to a human, with clearly definable legs and arm, but Jaune could tell that the thick armor plating wasn't there for show. It was painted in silver and red, with yellow-maybe gold was a better term- highlights. It reminded Jaune of the massive robotic knights that one of his comics had.
"Ookay, seriously, where am I now?" Jaune asked himself. "Last thing that happened was I was being told by Ozpin that I had to come up with my own landing strategy, flying through the air, and then…then what?"
Jaune knelt down to pick his sword up, only to see a bit of blood on the floor. Hazarding a guess at how that got there, Jaune touched the back of his head, feeling his hair wet with what seemed to be his blood. It did seem to him that he had hit his head on the floor, his sword falling out of its sheath, and that explained his lack of answers, the blood, and his sword, but it didn't explain why he was in the room, nor why he couldn't feel any blood coming out. In fact, he could feel the blood on his hair had begun to harden, not coming out fresh.
"Alright, why aren't I still bleeding, head wounds don't stop bleeding on their own, at least that's what I know from TV and comics," Jaune said to himself, before face palming. "Really, now I feel stupid; TV and comics aren't the real world, why did I seriously think I could become a huntsman?"
What Jaune didn't know, because his family was staunchly against him becoming a huntsman due to his father's death when Jaune was fourteen, was that when he had hit his head onto the floor and was knocked out, his aura activated in a time of great need, allowing him to heal from his injury before he awoke. If it wasn't for his aura awakening, he wouldn't be alive at this very moment.
Shaking himself of his monologue, Jaune put his father's sword, Crocea Mors, into its sheath and began to walk to the door, only to stop upon hearing footsteps and voices coming from the other side.
"Damn security systems, why did they suddenly malfunctioned?" cursed a man. Jaune could hear another snort.
"No shit, and it was during the ball game, I have a bit of cash riding on Brazil beating Chile in the semi-finals."
"Huh, go figure, I'm betting Chile to win, they crushed France last week," the first man said. "anyway, let's finish our route and get back to the game, I don't get paid enough to tolerate any horseshit tonight."
"Amen to that," the second man agreed. Jaune began to panic.
"Shit, shit, shit!" Jaune hissed to himself. "The fuck am I going to do?" Turning around, Jaune looked at the robot, thinking for a moment before nodding. "Better idea than any other!"
Jaune, as silently as he could, turned the lights off and darted to behind the robot, climbing up to where he was fully hidden from anyone looking down the room. As he climbed, Jaune failed to notice that several of the yellow highlights were actually lights, and that they had turned on. Jaune took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerve, but when the door open, he genuinely believed that his heartbeats would give him away. He prayed for a miracle.
"Alright, let's see if anything appears out of the ordinary." Jaune could hear the voice of the first man quite clearly with the door open, and for the life of him Jaune couldn't place the accent.
"Well, nothing seems…wait a moment, is the project's lights on?" Jaune felt his stomach plummet. He glanced down and saw that some of the gold highlights were glowing brightly. To make matters worse, the light was turned on, and he heard the guards' next words.
"The hell, where did that blood come from?!" the first guard yelled out. "Michael, get the others to start searching the facility, we might have an intruder!"
"How the hell did someone get pasted us, this facility is built into a mountain and the only entrance is through us!" the second guard, Michael asked.
"Fuck if I know, maybe there's a back entrance that no one deemed important enough to inform us lousy guards about," the first guard stated. "Just get the others down here and begin a sweep of the facility; last thing we need is for the bitch to judge us 'lowly men' again!"
"Alright, alright I'm getting them now," Michael replied. "Guard Post Central, this is Officer Michael Lupin, we found blood in the IS holding bay, and it seemed to have been activated. Requesting back up to find the intruder." Jaune felt any hopes of not being found disappear as he heard the radio squawk back.
"Roger Officer Lupin, sending units 2 through 4 to your position. Units 5 and 6 will lock down the facility, while unit 7 informs Dr. Adessi and her team of the intrusion." Jaune wondered just how many men were going to be scouring the facility, looking for him. And what the hell is an IS, was it this robot he was clinging onto for dear life? He listened as the guards began talking amongst themselves again.
"Alright Herschel, sounds like Ross's, Sean's, and Luc's units are on their way, might be a few minute before they get geared up, any ideas on where the intruder could be?" Michael asked.
"Not a clue, let's think about this rationally," Herschel said. "The intruder, somehow, bypasses us and gets into the IS bay. Somehow, they activate the IS, so why haven't they blitz through our defenses and made a break for it? Better yet, why is there blood on the floor?"
"Perhaps the intruder realized that the IS hasn't been retrofitted with the offensive and defensive systems yet?" Michael suggested. "Those are kept in the fabrication lab in Bay B1, whereas we are in A2. They would have to hope they could get a floor down and a lab over before being detected, and with the safety protocols in place, it wouldn't be possible."
"Okay, fair point, but what about the blood, we haven't explained that yet," Herschel stated. Jaune could practically hear Michael shrug.
"Who knows, perhaps the intruder is a fucking clutz and slipped on the floor. You know how slippery these floors are, remember when Luigi slipped down the stairs and knocked over Dr. Adessi?"
"Yeah, poor bastard got canned because the bitch was too uptight, she seriously needs to get laid."
"Don't we all know that," Michael agreed. "Alright, so if the intruder couldn't get the IS out of the bay for reasons, where the hell would be the most logical place they would go?"
Jaune prayed, hoping the men would overlook the obvious, because it would be too obvious and he really, really didn't want to be caught in what he supposed was a military facility. However, he seemed to be fate's little bitch, because Herschel came up with the suggestion.
"What about behind the IS?" Jaune was screaming in his head, pleading for a miracle of some kind. And for the first time, it seemed the powers above decided to listen to Jaune.
"Don't be ridiculous," Michael scoffed at the idea. "That would mean the intruder was listening to our entire conversation without making a noise. Plus, wouldn't the first thing you would do if you couldn't achieve your objective to be to get the hell out of the facility?"
Thank you all mighty Oum for saving me, Jaune rejoiced in his head. However, he had to tempt fate, and one thing no one ever did was give fate a reason to smite your ass. For Jaune, his smiting came in the form of his sweaty fingers, due to having no training in maintain his grip upon anything, begin to give way. Jaune had just a moment to realize what was going to happen.
Aw hell no! Jaune's grip suddenly vanished as his fingers slipped from their holdings. Unable to get a word out, Jaune could see the two men turning to see him as he fell, only to become reacquainted with the floor.
"Fuck me," Jaune uttered before he lost consciousness, his last sight being the two guards rushing towards him.
"Aw, he's coming to," Jaune heard an unfamiliar feminine sounding voice speaking. "I doubt he will be much of an issue for you Doctor, seeing as he is restrained." Jaune tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't get them to open; they felt very heavy.
"Thank you Vera, you may take you leave if you wish," another woman said. Jaune suddenly felt very trapped, as he could only assume the woman who had just spoken turned her gazed to him, and from the first woman's statement, he was restrained. He wondered what almighty power he has pissed off enough to warrant such retribution. Jaune could hear a person walk out and a door click shut, leaving him alone, restrained, with some woman watching him.
He struggled to get his eyes open, managing just barely as he saw the woman open up a file. She appeared slightly younger than his mother, with auburn colored hair, slightly tanned skin, and wearing a pair of thin framed glasses that allowed her azure colored eyes to be seen through. He felt and knew he should be very afraid, as the woman, despite being quite young, seemed to scream control.
"So I see you're awake now," the woman stated with indifference, not bothering to lift her eyes to gaze at him, instead focusing on the file. "Do you have anything to say for yourself before I begin the interrogation?"
Jaune felt a lump in his throat, not knowing if he should speak or not. He hadn't meant to end up in the facility, wherever it was, but he seriously doubted she would buy whatever reasons he could come up with, not that he could. He didn't even know how he got here or where he was.
"I see, choosing not to speak," the woman clicked her tongue. "Very well, I guess we shall begin. What's your name?"
Jaune, deciding that lying like he had to get into Beacon would get him something far worse than expulsion from an academy, decided to simply answer the questions as best he could; perhaps they would find him not guilty of anything except being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yeah right, he thought.
"Jaune Arc," Jaune answered. The woman gazed toward something, but Jaune had hard enough time opening his eyes, let along tilt his head to see what she was gazing at, so he hoped to hell it was something that would make him out to be some innocent guy instead of some spy or something.
"How old are you Mr. Arc?"
"Seventeen years old."
"I see, so tell me Mr. Arc, how does a 17-year-old boy such as yourself infiltrate past a full security team, several cameras, get passed at least six ID-locked doors, and manage to get to the IS prototype?" the woman demanded. Jaune began sweating.
"I don't know, seriously, I don't know!" Jaune cried out. "I woke up in that room after what I think hitting my head on something! I don't know how I got there, and I don't know where I am!"
Jaune knew he was panicking, but seriously, who wouldn't be? He was being questioned about infiltration, something he knew from his talks with his grandfather meant death for spies. He didn't want to die, especially not for something he didn't intentionally do!
"So you're claiming amnesia?" the woman asked coldly. Jaune wobbled his head side to side in denial.
No, I just don't know how I got here; last I know I was supposed to be going through initiation for the academy!" Jaune said, before wondering if the woman knew about Beacon. If she didn't, then he was in a world of trouble.
The woman seemingly paused, her gaze fixed on something beyond Jaune's line of sight.
"So you mean to tell me it was a school prank of some sort that landed you here?" Jaune shook his head again.
"No, I seriously doubt that, but I don't know how I got into, wherever here is!" Jaune exclaimed once more. "I would tell you, I swear, but I don't know!" The woman gazed down at Jaune in a way several teachers in his past had, scrutinizing him like he was under a microscope.
"Tell me Mr. Arc, does the term IS mean anything to you?" the woman asked, folding her left leg over her right. Jaune shook his head.
"No," Jaune answered. The woman frowned for a moment, something that worried Jaune greatly.
"Mr. Arc, please tell me, if you had no idea where you were, then why did you hide from the guards?"
"I didn't know where I was, but since I heard the guards, I hid because I doubt they believe anything I would say," Jaune admitted honestly.
"I see," the woman said. "Pray tell, why did you have a sword and shield?" Jaune tried to think for a rational explanation; technically only huntsman, police officer, military personal, or those registered in combat school and huntsman academies were allowed to carry weapons. Thankfully the woman provided a convenient out for him.
"Was it for a club's initiation? The one you were perhaps partaking in before you ended up in this facility?"
"Yes," Jaune said, not knowing that the woman had been gauging his response to a heart monitor. So far, he had been telling the truth, but the woman caught him in a lie. However, the woman knew despite it being a lie, it wasn't a complete lie, more like a twisted truth.
"Alright then Mr. Arc, I suppose I should report my findings to my superiors," the woman said. "Whether you are released or not it dependent on if they think you are telling the truth. I wouldn't hold out on a release if I were you."
The woman got up, walking to the door, leaving Jaune to wallow in despair. He was certain he was doomed.
Exiting the room, Dr. Adessi smirked as she closed the door. She loved manipulating people; perhaps it made her a sadist, but still, leaving a person with the impression they were doomed made it all easier for her to manipulate them later. After all, if you were actually the one with the power, you could guarantee them freedom, but why grant them it so easily. Why not make them think they have to earn it?
"Are you sure this is a wise idea?" came the voice of head lab technician Alexander. "He could be a criminal."
"I highly doubt that," Adessi stated confidently. "Mr. Arc is a terrible liar, yet he maintained his story till the end when I gave him his out. Besides, it's not like we have a choice. The Praetorian's IS core bonded to him, somehow."
The problem was that the Praetorian was to be Italy's first generation 3.5 or 4th IS platform, and as such came with a personal IS core, which only bonds to one person at a time. This came with the advantage of evolving to the operator's skills, which allows for a self-improving system. However, it meant that with Arc's bond to the core, the Praetorian couldn't be used for a time by anyone other than Arc. And no one knew how long the bond would take to be complete; IS technology was in its infancy, and as such there wasn't a lot of hard data on bonds.
The reason Mr. Arc's case was unique was that, until last week and last night, no IS has ever bonded with a male operator. This with the IS's impressive military capacity turned the male-dominated society on its head, with female taking the reins. While some Japanese boy had bonded with an IS first last week, Mr. Arc was still the second male to ever bond with an IS.
To many, it would be something to wonder over; how did two males bond to two different IS cores? But for Adessi, it was something to study. If she could determine what made the IS cores female-preferring, and make a modified core that wasn't gender specific, she could easily give Italy a powerful advantage, as well as take her place amongst the scientific legends, perhaps surpassing that illusive Tabane.
"I get that, but how will you get him to cooperate willingly, and how will you get the government to sign off on him going to the IS Academy?" Alexander asked. Adessi chuckled darkly.
"I already have a plan to give Jaune a seemingly one way offer; either he agrees to 'volunteer' to work on the program on our behalf, or he risks imprisonment if 'my higher ups' decide he is too much a security risk. As for the government, they want a IS representative badly; with many IS Reps from other nations heading to the Academy for training their personal ISs, Italy is currently looking weak. However, with Mr. Arc, we give the government there IS rep, and we get an operator for the Praetorian."
Alexander nodded, his mind quickly compiling a list of pros and cons to her plan. However, Adessi had been a master of human manipulation for decades, using her knowledge to sway her university professors into giving her bigger grants and projects, and it only grew from there. She knew that Alexander would be easy to control, and she knew she could trust him not to go behind her back and sabotage her manipulation of Jaune.
"Leave him to stew in fear for a few hours, I will return to give my offer. When all goes to plan, we can begin testing out the Praetorian's basic functions to ensure it will work. We can always send the upgrade packages to the IS Academy for a retrofit once we have built and tested them," Adessi informed Alexander, who merely nodded, before he turned around and left. Adessi smirked again as she left; soon, her ambitions and dream would come into fruition, and the suffering of her past will be smothered by the gilded future she would have.
The Organization's headquarters were being constructed on the island of Urup just south of the Urup strait. Lying between the Kamchatka peninsula and the northernmost islands of Japan, the island wasn't much to look at from the air. A small fleet of freighters sat offshore, ferrying construction supplies to the crews ashore, who carried them into one of the many hidden tunnels dotting the coastline.
On the very northernmost tip of the island, an old runway was visible, and that was where the helicopter descended to. The northernmost tip of the runway ended in an octagonal pad, upon which the helicopter touched down inside a white square, clearly a new addition.
As soon as the rotors had stopped moving, they were quickly folded back into a compact position, after which an elevator, similar to the ones used on aircraft carriers, activated. Soon, the helicopter was completely underground, hidden away from the world in a dimly lit subterranean hangar, one that was still clearly under construction.
The ramp at the rear of the helicopter was dropped, and Giorgi stepped out, motioning for his charge to follow.
They were met by a pair of guards, who waited just outside the boundaries of the elevator.
"We'll take care of him from here." One of the men spoke.
"Come on kid, go with them. They won't bite." Giorgi said when the boy hesitated. Somewhat reluctantly, the ten-year old followed the pair of guards deeper into the facility. Giorgi stared after them, his face impassive.
Ichika tried hard to ignore the presence of the two soldiers around him as he looked around at the underground base he had found himself in. It was clearly still under construction, with exposed wiring being lit by incandescent bulbs present all around him. He didn't know how far he walked, only that at one point he found himself on a catwalk running around the rim of a giant cavern. Construction crews suspended on cables worked on erecting new catwalks, or were excavating into the surrounding rock.
"In here." One of the guards spoke, gesturing to a small door built into the side of the cavern. One guard opened the door, allowing him entry, and Ichika found himself alone in a small room, lit by a single incandescent bulb. Looking around, he saw that the two guards had remained outside.
"Orimura Ichika, I presume?" The voice came from a speaker sitting on a desk in the center of the room.
"Y-yes! That's me!" Ichika stuttered out a reply in English as he sat down.
"Good. Now, I was told that you want to be home on time to watch your sister win, so I will make this quick. What do you know about the organization that kidnapped you?" The voice asked.
"Nothing." Ichika replied, somewhat despondently.
"I see. You were kidnapped by a terrorist organization known as Phantom Task. They did so in an attempt to get to your sister, Orimura Chifuyu, for reasons that remain unknown to us. Perhaps they were hoping to use you as bait to lure her into some form of disadvantageous engagement, but that is not important for now."
"Chifuyu-nee! Does she know I was kidnapped?" Ichika panicked.
"No, the Japanese government acted quickly and suppressed the information while mounting this rescue attempt. They wanted her to win as much as you do, after all, and had she found out, she would have forfeited the match to come and save you." At that, Ichika's face fell.
"So she would have given up in order to save me?"
"Yes, exactly."
"I'm so weak..." Ichika muttered, more to himself than to the speaker, but his words were caught anyway. On the other end of the line, a smile formed upon the Organization leader's face.
"So you think you're weak now, do you?" The man asked.
"I am... I let myself get kidnapped and almost cost Chifuyu-nee the Mondo Grosso finals."
"Well then, I believe I have a business proposition for you. After all, while Phantom Task has failed in this attempt, what is to stop them from trying again? I would like to offer you the Organization's protection."
"What do you mean?"
"It is simple. Our organization protects its own, so by becoming a member you automatically receive our protection."
"So you want me to become a member of your organization?"
"Exactly."
But why? I'm just a ten-year old boy, I have no special skills whatsoever. I can't fight, and I can't pilot an IS."
A few seconds passed, then a screen on the wall of the room lit up.
"These are your most recent grades in school, are they not? Tell me what you see." And indeed, the screen showed Ichika's latest report card.
"Straight A's. Chifuyu-nee wouldn't settle for anything less!" Ichika said with a small amount of pride.
"There you have it. Our organization is not all military, so you simply need to offer your mind, and strength will come in time." The man said.
"Then I will do it." Ichika said with conviction. On the other end of the line, the man's smile grew. 'Hook, Line, and Sinker.'
"Good. Now, I assume you still wish to see your sister win? Then we will take you home for now. She will not return to Japan until three days from now though, so we shall hold your orientation tomorrow. Be ready by six in the morning, as that is when we shall arrive to collect you. Do not be late."
Ichika nodded, and turned to leave the room.
"Oh, and one more thing before you go..." The voice said.
"Yes?" Ichika replied.
"Much of our organization's strength comes from secrecy. If our enemies knew we existed, we would be vulnerable. As such, you are not to speak of this organization to anyone, understood? Failure to comply will result in expulsion from the organization, as well as further punishment depending on the scale of the breach." The voice said.
"I understand." Ichika gulped. What had he gotten himself into now?
"Glad to hear it. Now, Ops Commander Giorgi Stukanov is waiting outside the room. I understand that you are already acquainted with him, so he will be the one to pick you up tomorrow. You are dismissed, Recruit Orimura."
At that, the door swung open, revealing the man who had gotten him out of the Phantom Task compound. Ichika followed him out across the catwalk and into the helicopter hangar.
The pair boarded the Chinook, the ramp closing behind them, after which the elevator engaged, slowly lifting the pair towards the surface, revealing a sun that had just started to set. The helicopter's rotors unfolded, and soon the island was fading into the distance.
The transport compartment was silent for what seemed like hours. Then, the Ex-Spetsnaz Officer broke the silence, addressing Ichika in Russian.
"Why did you accept?" The Russian asked.
"Because I wanted to become strong. I don't want to be a burden on my sister any more." Ichika replied without hesitation. The man sighed.
"You really do respect your sister, don't you."
"Of course I do!" Ichika said, outraged that someone would think otherwise.
"I see. I hope you realize what you have done, Orimura Ichika. This isn't like some school club, that you can quit if you don't like it, or some James Bond film, full of high-tech gadgets and action." Giorgi paused, "Well, the high-tech part might be true eventually." The Russian admitted.
"I know." Ichika replied.
"No, I don't think you do. You have to understand that death is now much closer to you than it ever has been, save perhaps when you were in that compound, and it will remain your close companion for the rest of your time here. While not all of the Organization is military, its primary method of accomplishing tasks is through armed force. If you decide to join our combat branch, you must be prepared to take lives. If you become an engineer, then the things you build will be used to take lives. If you become a researcher, then the things you discover will be used to invent better ways of taking lives. Are you prepared to shoulder that burden?" Giorgi asked as shellshocked Ichika. Nearly a minute passed in silence.
"Is there no other way?" Ichika asked softly.
"After you accepted that offer, it became the only way."
"What... what would have happened if I refused?" Ichika asked.
"They would have injected you with a drug that would put you to sleep and cause short-term memory loss, thus erasing all knowledge you have of us as an organization. We would have then taken you back home, with the sedatives wearing off en-route. I would have told you that you simply fell asleep on the ride home, and we would have likely never seen each other again after I dropped you off in Tokyo. You would have been able to live a normal life, without this burden. Now however..." The man trailed off.
"How do you deal with it then?" Ichika asked.
We all have our own way of rationalizing things. Personally, I think of those I've saved rather than those I've killed. The smiles of those I've rescued helps hide the blood staining my hands red. If it means saving the world, I would kill anyone, do anything, just to see the world continue living... even if it sees me as nothing but a monster. Why deny what I am..." The man trailed off again, lost in thought.
"I'm sorry." Ichika said softly.
"What for?"
"For taking the offer." Ichika murmured.
"It's too late to change the past, Ichika. The best you can do now is to focus on the best future you can possibly have."
With those words, the man was silent for the rest of the ride.
The sun was low in the sky by the time the helicopter arrived over Tokyo, and Ichika soon spotted his home, a large, traditional style building located some distance away from the main urban sprawl. The Chinook flew low over the building, making a wide circle as it came down just outside the house. As the ramp opened, Ichika immediately saw a young girl, about his age, standing in front of the house, a red haired boy by her side.
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🆔🆔🤪🆔👏🥰😂
😂🥰👍🍎🤣
CHANGE LOCATION 🆔🆔🆔🆔🆔🆔🆔🆔🆔
The sky was still dark when Ichika dragged himself off the couch and shut off the obscenely early
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TO BE CONTINUED