"Again, you are quiet."
He looked up to her. "I thought you'd be loyal to the Black Hand."
She almost wanted to laugh. "Loyal, to the ones I am in debt to? Oh, you mistake it," she reacted as if it was the most laughable thing that she heard. The wind fluttered her hair wildly, but her breath lowered her hair. A skin-biting cold that nibbled on his skin.
Jak folded his arms. "Are you coming with me to annoy me? What are your plans?"
"Oh, I am sorry, I forgot I am an open console you access and read information about. Why not ask me what my favorites are?"
Jak didn't speak. She thought of it as his way of persuasion and bit her lower lip. "The Black Hand is part of Haven now."
"What about the other members?"
"The ones buried six foot underground? The leader of the Black Hand himself is one of those people. I am Black Hand, Jakob Recker. The ghosts had hunted down and killed most of our operatives because of you. I have no love for the Black Hand, but it was a place that nurtured me into what I am," she looked sour. "To have it destroyed, so easily after so much plans is disappointing."
Jak shook his head. He turned on his mask to hide the confusion before he retracted his mask. With her eyes wandering to the landscape. Yuki seemed like she had wanted to say something, but turned her attention back to the landscape.
Jak had nothing to say to her. So he left the deck and checked on the crew, the passengers, and made a trip below the deck on the engine room and made sure that everything was going well. After his inspection, he climbed back up to topside, where he used the optics of his mask to scan for threats. It was only when they receive a broadcast from the one handling the readings that the airship had to find a place to land.
They ordered Jak to find a landing zone for the airship. He took the flares from one officer. He pocketed the flares. He walked near the railing and manually activated the wingsuit of the suit. Throwing the rifle and the capsule containing the ammunition. He took a leap of faith. He started gliding before activating the boosters on the sole of his metal boots, which gave him a boost. When he landed on the sticky mud, he found the capsule stabbed near a tree. He slung the rifle around his shoulder and retrieved his vest webbing.
He cocked the side of the rifle, tapped the compartment and started searching the area for any hostiles. The knee-deep mud. The wet smell in the air. The trees molded. The cold taste of the wind. The ghost suit doesn't block them off. It enhanced the capability of the host to a superhuman level. But with how already strange his body was. It didn't matter if he didn't have the suit, he could imagine the stench.
"Sky Watcher, any signs of movements?" Jak called.
"Negative," Yuki replied. "All clear. Metal man crouching near a tree. Want me to take a shot?"
"Out," Jak moved forward. He cleared the trees. Checked on the sonars of his suit. He entered a ruined court with debris and a waist-high flood. The place was a not suitable so climbed up the tiered seating and boosted himself up the court. He referenced the satellite map and check on the football field seven hundred meters away from his current position.
Across the field, he saw vintages cars dipped into thick mud. On the street were lamps that have quite a gap. Sure that he could reach it, he deployed his grappler, swinging from street lamp to street lamp, and making use of his innate strength to reach the other side of the street.
Surveying the street, he checked his corners for any hidden belua before moving further in. It was an empty field of sand that had lost its colors. Before, the field must have looked stellar. Around the field were decrepit seating stands. Surrounding the field were ill-repaired concrete structure that have fallen out of style.
Stone, steel, and hardened concrete were the most prized building materials now. This ancient sport complex once housed thousands to watch people kick a ball. Then again, the arena has not gone away. No matter what time it was, people always looks for this kind of entertainment.
The area was open, and the space was enough to land the airship for maintenance. Flying the airship without stopping wasn't good for the airship, not when the flight path had strong winds. They were going to need that airship to follow the mountain spine leading to the coastline.
"Sky Watcher, any hostiles around?"
"Negative, we sending the exosuits on the location to handle the procedure. Watch the LZ and I'll watch the skies."
"Watch out for sky shooters. Water spitters should be around. I don't want a puncture on the airship before we clear the area."
"I got it," Yuki responded on the radio. "Watch the landing zone, the Captain will land soon."
Up in the sky, he heard the popping of air as the exosuits boosted across the structure with their weapons in all directions. Overhead, he saw the airship breaking away from the clouds, slowly descending to the stadium. The hulking sound of metal meeting the ground with a loud thud blew dust around the area.
"This is Sky Watcher, no enemies other than the minor belua. Should I engage?"
"Trigger off, Sky Watcher," he responded on the radio. "No need to attract the beluas around. Engage them in melee if you can and report any nest or horde you might fight."
"What about you, Jak?"
"I'll clean up the perimeter for any belua around the place."
"You head north while I cleaned up the south. Got it."
"Do you copy, Jak?" the radio sounded.
"Captain," said Jak. "Any problems?"
"Can you do a nightwatch, over?"
"I can."
"Good. I'll need the armored troops on standby and help with the maintenance. We didn't bring power loader and we have to rely on the exosuit team to do the job."
"Go it," Jak replied.
Tapping his rifle, he turned to the exit.