I looked at the rows of our men and women standing ready before us and was impressed at how quickly they had assembled and were ready for whatever we were about to send them to do. It was amazing to see a crowd of not just former military but also hundreds of everyday people and Fae become so efficient and look like they've been doing this for years in such a short time. I took a moment to proudly look at them, feeling humbled that I had helped with shaping these soldiers.
Clearing my throat, I stepped forward to address them all and lifted the mic to my face.
"Looking at you all right now, has made me proud of how quickly you are all willing to risk your lives to save total strangers. To do what is right even if it means staring death down in the face. Now remember, this is no VR simulation, this is real, people are going to try and kill you. So stay alert and aware, don't try be some hot shot and make sure you come back home."
"Now I want my battalion and platoon leaders front and center for your orders!"
John was off to the side with lists of areas that were in need of help, some were going to be helping with tsunami evacuations and the majority would be going into the hot zones with us to help get people out. The Tsunami relief teams were to leave immediately and the rest of us were to be on standby.
I watched as a third of the troops were snapped by either a Fae or half Fae team member to the areas that would be affected by the tsunamis. Anand and Akiyama were included with the tsunami groups. Before me stood Anzo, Futere, Hughes, and Suites ready and at attention with those under their command behind them.
"Since you all are aware of the dangers and varying factors of each location you may be going to, I'll keep this brief. As you all know, you have two members of each squad that are capable of snapping, they will be your life line to get you all out if shit hits the fan. If something does happen and they are unable to snap, everyone of you has a blue bottle on you. If they are conscious, get them to drink it and try snapping again. If they are unconscious or dead, you contact HQ via your chip and we'll snap someone to get you and the others out."
I get a buzz behind my ear of an incoming transmission from head quarters. I hear Turk's gruff voice that's quick and to the point.
"Bogota and Cali in Columbia have civilians calling for help. Take two companies to each city make sure the take extra bottles. Be careful and expect hostiles."
"Got it."
I turn and look at who's in front of me. "Hughes, Suites, your men are coming with me to Columbia. Everyone grab an extra bottle and prepare for hostiles. Civilians are requesting help. Suites you're going to Cali. Hughes, you're coming with me to Bogota." I get a nod of confirmation as people quickly grab an extra blue bottle.
I turn to John and wink and do a quick pucker of my lips, making him blush.
"Come back safe." He tells me.
"You know I will, mother hen." I flirt and tease shamelessly back.
"Cluck." John imitates a chicken and I have to bite my lips to keep them closed from bursting out laughing.
I clear my throat to regain my composure and turn to my now ready platoons.
"Let's go." I snap and we're there outside the city of Bogota.
We're in the Humedal Capellania, a wetland park in the western area of the city.
'Great now my boots are wet and they're going to reek later.' I think to myself but quickly focus on the mission.
It's Hughes and his platoon with me right now. I deploy a few of our surveillance drones to see where we should go from here. I toss the squad leaders the glasses that will help them see and put on my own. I start having them scan and notice the heavy traffic coming out from the airport and notice that some people are already not bothering with cars, they are just taking their children and pets and just running. We all start hearing gunshots and screams and I use the drone to see that the airport was where the Erl-kings army was coming from.
"Turk, are you seeing this?" I radio HQ.
"Already sending in a strike team to hold them back from flooding the city while you guys do your job." He tells me.
"Okay everyone, fan out and start offering to get these people out of here. They go to Brazil and Peru like in your briefing orders earlier. Avoid the airport, if you can. Remember do not open fire unless they see and start to attack you. We are here to save civilian lives first. Now go!" I instruct them and point each squad in the direction they are to fan out and wave Hughes to follow me with his squad.
I sent the other squads to the south and east of our location, while we went into the west. The second we stepped onto the streets with our guns and tactical gear, the people became more frenzied. Some ran away from us as well and some dropped to the ground, begging for mercy. A few took defensive stances but we held our hands up as we began to explain to them we were here to get people out of the city who wanted refuge. We explained quickly to the crowd that they would be leaving the country if they left with us, otherwise they had the choice to take their chances in the country side.
Some were calling out asking about other people and we had to tell them that we could figure that all out after wards. While quite a few took off again leaving the city, others were gripping their family tight and were ready to go. We left behind a squad to take care of these people and moved farther west and heard more gun fire as we were directing the frightened people to the other squad to take them somewhere safe.
The people were starting to thin out as the gunfire got louder. I contacted the other squad that left with me and told them to start moving south to stay away from the conflict. We approached a apartment complex and instructed the squad to do a sweep of the building making sure no one was in there.
We're quick and ten minutes later we have cleared the building and sent elderly and children to a refuge with notes for anyone who came to head for the borders, that they were safe. We were about to head out to the next apartment building when we noticed Fae moving our way, and they were not ours.
I held my hand up for everyone to hold their position and I snapped us to the building across the way, on to the rooftop. Using the drone, I quickly scanned for people in the building under us and found some on the third and fifth floor. I directed a squad for each floor as I had other drones keeping a look out to make sure we didn't get any surprises.
I radioed Turk when I made sure we had at least a minute before we would have to start scanning the next building.
"Turk what happened to the strike team to keep the soldiers back at the airport?"
I could hear the shots still being fired over at the airport, but our drones counted at least thirty heading our way starting with the businesses and buildings a street over.
"Sin, the boys are trying with the help of the drones, but more and more are just filing out. We don't want to send too many just enough to distract the main amount. The strike team is getting pushed back so hurry up and use your drones. Don't waste time and just snap people. We'll handle the mess when we know the people are safe."
He ends sounding annoyed and know everyone has their hands full. He's right we shouldn't waste time. Scanning for more heat signatures, the squads I sent down are back and we're taking a leap over to the next rooftop, snapping when the jump isn't possible. By the fourteenth building I'm needing my blue bottle. The others still have the backups, but even they're getting low since some of our magic capable team members still require quite more than the more experienced.
Also the buildings are becoming lower and we're at higher risk of being seen. We've been heading southwest of our original location, just ahead of the Erl-kings soldiers making their way through looking through the buildings as well. We were having to make our way to the east now and were risking running into the Erl's soldiers.
Turk came through our coms and told us to come back, the strike team was pulling out and we needed to go. My men snapped back after getting the nod from me and once I saw them all gone did I snap back myself.
We were back at our compound and I ordered everyone to go shower and get into clean clothes.
"Don't forget to wash your boots!" I ordered as I threw a towel over my shoulder.
I was in, out and dressed within ten minutes snapping my dirty boots home to wash later. I grabbed my clean boots and laced them up when Turk buzzed my com.
"Sin, come to headquarters when your decent."
"I'm always decent, Turk." I smile hearing his airy snort of cynicism, feeling his eyes roll through that breath.
I'm still smiling as I snap to HQ where Turk is right in front of me. His burly arms are crossed in front of his chest as he looks me over.
"Yeah, decent whatever... at least you don't smell. Come on, we got a meeting to attend to." He shrugs his arms apart and heads to Thietian's office.
I stick my tongue out at him and his shoulders bounce with the guffaw at my response to his insult.
"How did John's team do?" I ask looking around for him.
"He's not back yet, they have five more minutes before they need to head back."
I nod as he opens the door to the office.
"So where is Suites and his men who went to Cali?" I stroll into the office and take a seat nodding to Thietian who's on a call.
"Right here, Sin." Is whispered into my ear making me jump and turn.
Suites is struggling to hold back his laughter, biting into his knuckles as his eyes start to water as I flip him off. He steps out the door quickly but not before a snort escapes him.
I sigh exasperated.
'It never changes, there's always someone who thinks I'm a riot.'