Mt. Elberus, 2300 H
***
On a quiet night, the wind blew cold, and darkness engulfed the heavy rainforest of Mt. Elberus. The sounds of crickets and dancing trees were only audible at this time of night. The coldness chilled the bones of the black ops team heading to the mission site.
There were three armed vehicles in convoy running at medium speed, bouncing off against the rocky terrain. Captain Luke Mason and his 20 fellow agents had fully armed weapons, but an ominous silence filled the tight room of their vehicle.
They could not comprehend what contributed to the unnatural feeling. But it could be the cold breeze the Mountain offered with a perfect combination of lifelessness and a blanket of darkness. Or the risks in any Kill squad missions.
The Captain, a handsome middle-aged man, addressed his team via radio and went over the mission details. Efficient, experienced, and dedicated to the military code, had gained him the respect of everybody under his wing. He headed the Kill squad with highly trained assassins and they were considered the most lethal operatives in covert missions.
"Attention Boys. I will run again an overview." Luke addressed the team via his earpiece. "Two Teams, Alpha and Bravo. If in positions, both teams will use LTT -Light-Target Tech, F35 to signal the predators to bomb the targets with B60 ballistic missiles."
"We should be at least 450 meters away from targets to be safe from the blast radius. These babies should do the job. Two identified rebel leaders each housed on different sides of the village are our main targets. Eliminate all hostiles if possible."
The team affirmed the mission details and prepped for their mission rally point. The Captain should reiterate specifics and even with weapons used for his squad even though his squad already memorized them. It was a mandated protocol.
As they arrived at their drop-off, they disembarked from their vehicles.
"Spread out, you four," The Captain pointed to the men behind him.
"Watch our six." He faced his closest comrade.
"Agent Rick and Alpha team, you are with me." He continued. "We attack at the right side of the entrance of the hidden village. Agent Mark and Beta Team, you lead the team attacking the left side."
Each of them clad with black full-body armor vests with black helmets and night vision goggles. Embossed in their chests was a stenciled logo of a black wolf with writings on the sides,
***
'Primus Ego In Conspectu Dumos et Patria Protegat'
***
They were fully armed with Assault rifles CZ 805 Bren, a couple of extra magazines, hand grenades, flashbangs, smoke grenades, and two efficient handguns. Other squad members packed more depending on their mission specialties.
They checked their gears one by one and cocked their Assault rifles and pistols. The clicks and clanking sounds were in unison and fast-paced.
"Comms check?" Luke clarified again as the team dispersed.
"Clear." His team responded.
"ETA to our positions, 2245 Hours. Radio when you're ready."
Then the Captain parted some words to his men for encouragement as he always did in every before missions.
"Remember your training boys. What you are doing here is for your country and your family. This is what we have been waiting for. Stealth is the key but always expect the worst. As the Commander have said, there will be 50 to 100 rebels housed in this hidden village. We do not have solid intel about this but we must prepare for the worst."
"The Blast will at least eliminate most of them. Always watch your six and communicate if you are in position. This will be easy boys. Just follow protocol. Beers on me after this mission." His men responded with a silent cheer.
***
For them, it was a simple assassination mission. They had experienced more complicated missions during the Rebel wars years ago. This small team of 20 operatives was fully trained and capable of wiping out 50 to 100 armed rebels if they attack in stealth.
Even during their stint in Blackwolf, they had several successful kill missions without losing a comrade. For them, it was a walk in the park.
They were carefully handpicked and scrutinized for the skills they possessed and their psychological stability. They were trained for months to become one of the elites and were compensated by the Government 10 times that of ordinary military men.
This was the type of team that was called for off-the-books missions and highly confidential objectives. They were not sure the reason why they were chosen, one could be they have top-of-the-line military skills or second, they were expendables.
Some of them were disqualified due to some issues, with administrative cases due to bad behavior, had committed petty crimes, and killed comrades due to friendly fire.
But they all agreed with the terms of their enlistment and they were considered Ghosts (no records, out of the grid, cannot be traced by Government systems, and considered dead) in exchange for hefty compensations.
***
The black ops team cautiously and silently entered the thick forest with their weapons armed and ready. The Captain had a rare feeling, a cold biting chill that dug to his bones and gooseflesh on his foreskin.
They left behind their Armored vehicles and the area was left with only the sounds of crickets, the swaying of trees, and the whistling of breeze.
**
**
2 Hours later, Blackwolf Base camp
***
Commander James Johnson was enraged that the Kill squad was delayed in delivering their 30-minute-interval communications report as their SOP. In the room with him were two military geeks, facing 4 computer monitors waiting for Captain Luke's report.
They frantically surveyed with their monitors and computers to control satellite imaging but it was useless, they haven't heard anything and they cannot see from up above as the thick forest concealed the happenings on the ground.
"Launch two spy drones to the area with night visions!" The Commander demanded loudly, "Call the Search and Rescue operatives immediately and ready them for their deployment! I will brief them ASAP!"
He was known for his calm demeanor but now he was surprisingly agitated and uneased.
The man in glasses who wore military camouflage quickly reached out for the phone and contacted the operatives to come immediately to the mission center. The other military operative immediately grazed his keyboards to launch the spy drones.
"I need immediate visuals!" The Commander exclaimed. He was walking back and forth, hovering above the two trembling military personnel.
"Sir it will take about 30 to 40 minutes for the drones to arrive at the mission site depending on wind speed impedance," The military man explained.
"That's too long!" The Commander demanded and he continued, "Where is my rescue team? Prep the armory!"
The two men sensed that the Commander was surprisingly rattled by the situation. It was the first time in their numerous past missions that their Commander was not composed and acted so differently like he was gritting his teeth all the time.
Commander James was feared and respected by his men. A man in his late 50's, he was 6 foot 3, strongly built, weighing over 200 pounds, with white streams of hair, a perfectly placed beard, a square-faced jaw, and a set of strong-looking eyes that everyone feared staring at them. His eyes projected fearlessness and true self-discipline.
Commander James was a very dedicated man to his missions and serving his country, a true patriot would be the perfect definition. He had a solid military track record and was promoted to General at the young age of 40. One of the youngest Generals in UAC military history.
He was granted medals only a few can achieve and was awarded "The Astron City's Hero award" by United Alliance Confederation Prime Minister. As he was the commanding officer of the Alpha team who fought the rebels penetrating the City, 8 years before.
The Commander was known for his perfectly executed strategies and was considered to be one of the brightest Generals who ever lived in history. This was the reason why The President of the United Alliance appointed the Commander to head the Black operations department - Blackwolf.
A covert department that was designed and trained to topple rebel groups, illegal but necessary assassinations, and broke down rival Governments in stealth. Through the years, since the Commander's stint as Head of the black ops department, they have had 100% successful missions.
'Is this my first failed mission?' The Commander thought. His heart hammered against his chest. He had difficulty concealing his anxiousness as cold sweat started to stream down his cheeks.