Eldervein, Crevania
The phone rang and Dr Raven picked it up. "Hello?"
"It's me." The person on the other end didn't bother to give anymore identification. 'His' voice was heavy and croaky.
"I know," Dr Raven heaved a sigh. "I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't call."
"How's the progress?"
"Very well," he smiled. "In fact in the last trial one of my men simply called it 'astonishing'!"
Dr Raven glanced at the boys at the far corner of the brightly lit lab. His equipment were scattered all over the place but the boys knew their limits. They only sat there smoking or admiring their guns which was the only thing they knew how to control.
"Very good. What about the Impulse?"
"I need more time. The Impulse is very tricky and can somehow be destabilised by a chain reaction."
"Was I supposed to understand that?"
"No," Dr Raven crunched up his nose and wiped his forehead. "I'm asking for a little more time to study the Impulse."
"You have two months, Raven!"
Dr Raven calculated in his mind the progress he would be able to make in two months and found that the time was indeed small but what could he do against the boss? He simply sighed and tersely agreed. "The D.I.V. is ready for extraction. Send your men over."
"No," the other person disagreed. "Bring it over. I don't want the military goons to put their nose in my affair."
"At the usual spot?"
"Yes."
"We'll be there in an hour." The call ended leaving Dr Raven with a cringe. He glanced at Lino and his group. The latter wasn't smoking but he was engrossed in wiping his assault rifle—the one that he loves so much.
Sometimes he wondered what Lino would do if his favourite assault rifle were to be damaged. That consideration only came back unanswered. He just considered what he'd do if his life's work were to be damaged.
He walked over to a small briefcase and patted it gently. The D.I.V. was in there. His life's work was in there. Years of research and study together with sacrifices were in that briefcase.
"Let's move." He gestured to Lino.
"So soon?" Lino questioned with raised eyebrow. "But we just got here."
"You should know, Lino." The Dr pulled off his lab coat and hung it up. "That in our line of work we are always on the move. We need to deliver the D.I.V. to the boss."
Lino nodded and picked up the sniper rifle at his side and threw it at his companion who caught it deftly. He pulled out his small rifle and tucked it in his belt and then gave orders to the others to pack up the equipment.
They loaded the grenade launcher and the guns into the jeep and got in. Dr Raven sat in the front with his hand tightly clutching the briefcase that contained the D.I.V. "Clear it up."
Lino nodded and pressed a small remote before throwing it out the window. The car drove forward silently for a while then a loud explosion came from the small makeshift lab they had just left.
….
Military HQ, Misthill.
Lieutenant Marco stood with his back straight and chest puffed out. He was waiting in General Gordon's office.
The man was a stern man and when it came to duty he would make sure to always put his neck down to it. When it came to instructions he would execute it to the letter. When it came to sacrifice, Marco was sure; he could put his life out there without thinking twice.
General Gordon walked in after a short while and didn't bother to ask the Lieutenant to sit down. "At ease."
Marco's body eased up a bit. "You sent for me, General?"
Gordon nodded gravely and sighed not knowing where to begin from. He tapped his finger on his desk for a while before asking, "How has the training gone?"
"So far? I would say satisfactorily." Marco replied.
"Is that so?" Gordon mused. "What about the recruits? Are they any better?"
"Most of them are adapting to the military life while others are trying to fit in, sir!"
General Gordon fell into deep thought as his eyes lost focus for a bit. "What about Edwin?"
Marco shivered a bit not knowing how to put it nicely. He wasn't one to mince his words but this was the General inquiring about his son. He cleared his throat and said, "I'm afraid, sir, Edwin isn't doing well. He's performance in the training sessions have been… disgraceful."
"Disgraceful…"Gordon rapped the edge of the table in contemplation then waved at Lieutenant Marco. "That's alright. You may leave."
"Sir!" he saluted before abruptly leaving the office.
General Gordon sighed deeply. "Disgraceful…"
That word seemed to have stuck to his mind. His mind flashed back to his daughter. She was better. She wasn't a mediocre but she was excellent at combat and shooting.it came to her like a second nature. She was…phenomenal.
He was happy for her progress and thrilled when she wanted to join the military and follow in his footsteps. He wanted a younger version of him in the military. He wanted someone to take over his legacy.
Soon he'd have to retire and go home then what? He didn't want to go home. He wanted to be a soldier. He loved being a soldier. He loved fighting for what he believed in.
Yet…a car crash was enough to extinguish his hopes.
Then Edwin promised to step up but that wasn't happening any time soon. With his 'disgraceful' performance, it would be safe to say that he wouldn't last long in the training camp.
He sighed lightly and scratched his head. He should have known that Edwin would never be able to step up. He shouldn't have gotten his hopes up when he was so determined to prove him wrong.
He instinctively reached for his phone and dialled a number and pressed the phone to his ear. When the other line became active he said. "Everything is in place. Proceed with the plan as discussed."
"Okay, sir!" the other end went dead and Gordon sighed again and sat down with his eyes cold as stone.