No rest for the wicked.
"Yes, Commander"
"An abduction is in progress. Prepare your team, I want you ready in 5"
Abduction!? I instantly shot up running through various corridors assembling the team before finally rushing to my locker. Is this real!?
"Skyranger 1 minute!" I barked.
We geared up in grim silence, each of us shouldering the weight of the task ahead. As the Skyranger lifted off, I cast a glance at my team. Bullseye, his eyes fixed on his rifle, his fingers running over the sniper scope with a reverence that spoke volumes. Titan, a grim determination set in his features as he tested the weight of his heavy weapon. And Medusa, her hands steady as she checked her medical kit, ready to face whatever was ahead.
"Team I'm glad your all here. I'll brief you on the way. Big Sky were ready"
"You got it"
He shot on the jet to full power hovering for a moment before pulling out of the base faster than usual showcasing his skill in a limited space. It's all happening so fast but time wasn't on our side.
The mission brief was a hard slap of reality - an alien abduction in the heart of China. The sprawling cityscape was far removed from the rural quiet of our last operation, the stakes exponentially higher. This was no crashed scout. These were civilians in danger, innocent lives at the mercy of the unknown.
"Strike-1 Ill keep this short and sweet. This operation is called Broken Pipe and it has us heading into China. Our one and only mission objective is to put them down. We'll make them regret ever stepping foot here"
"Hoorah"
Once comms were cut silence captured the skyranger once more. Medusa who had just finished checking titans bandages pulled up next to me, once again steadily going through her medkit.
"Captain." she said in a rather harsh voice "Relax, we'll push these bastards back"
"Thank you but is it that obvious?"
she let out a light smile "You do know I am doctor right? Everyone can get flustered, your no different James"
"What she said Rogers" Bullseyes said from my left placing his hand in my shoulder.
"That's Captain to the both of you"
"Atleast now there showing thier cards." Titan remarked
"Your damn right. Let's show them what we're made of."
"We have visual on the mission site, setting down" our ever calm big sky said. As we landed Medusa couldn't help but gasp.
The abduction site was a nightmare.
Smoke hung heavy in the air, the acrid scent of it burning my nostrils. Buildings were alight, their structures slowly crumbling under the destructive force of the flames. The eerie silence was punctuated by distant screams and the crackle of burning structures a symphony of horrific sounds on repeat.
We moved in formation, eyes scanning the chaos for signs of movement. We placed ourselves hidden well behind a set of cars.
Titan I want you to move out on our left flank, anything moves you punch it.
"Yes, sir!"
"The rest of you on me, we're moving up"
North of us our eyes set upon the first suspecting building a well sized taco shop. As Medusa, Bullseye and I find decent cover. we hear an all to familiar shriek.
"Weapons at the ready"
I vaguely saw a shift in the shadows near the rear on the restaurant. I let loose a barrage of bullets damaging whatever it was but not killing it. After a few seconds It moved slightly into the light, enough for me to see its luminescent blood reflect off the light.
"Engage" I yelled pointing in the direction of the enemy.
Once it heard my voice it let off a reaction shot in my direction completely obliterating the wall next to me even Titan was shocked at the destruction from a single shot
"Eyes on the ground" our code word for focus as I saw we were still in bewilderment with such a display of raw power. To be honest I'm just glad Titan didn't get hit with that.
I peaked through the damaged part of the wall cooking a grenade and throwing it in the general direction of the alien. It booming sound reassuring us the aliens death.
the short lived peace was disrupted by another wincing Shriek. We steadily make our weapons ready reloading and aiming respectively. I took a peak once more inside the building and saw what appeared to be a purple almost thread like material flowing through the rear door and into the restaurant.
"Bullseye you got eyes on this?"
"Affirmative"
"OK good, here the plan were going to enter slowly. The enemy has already shown us thier power and quite frankly we can't afford to get hit with it."
I took aim at the left side.
"Clear, Somebody put a muzzle on that rear door"
Medusa without hesitation yelling "Yes, sir" entering the building and sliding Into a non compromised position or so we thought. As she readied her weapon 2 more enemies came bursting out of the kitchen area to her immediate left. Startled she managed to let out a shot of pure reaction ability that distracting them just long enough for me to react.
"Medusa down now!"
I took aim at the center of the group and fired a rocket with the perfect placement or I had lady luck on my side. It flew past Medusa who was jumping into safety. It hit and killed from my view 4 alien species spraying a vast amount of the luminescent blood all over the counter or what was left of it.
"I'll be damned if let you hurt my squad again"