As Amelie and her team entered the room, they noticed Lieutenant Colonel Lugwig engaged in a conversation with Colonel David, Captain Thomas, and LTC's secretary assistant, Nikole, affectionately known as Nikki. The atmosphere was relatively relaxed, with the commanding officers sipping tea and exchanging stories about their respective roles.
Captain Thomas mentioned his recent deployment, saying, "...so I sent them to handle the rest of the Krasnyj Medved in the east."
Colonel David showed interest and inquired, "How about the Eisenfust syndicate? I heard they had their hands on new weaponry."
Lieutenant Colonel Lugwig responded confidently, "I already sent Ethel Abel to take care of them."
Colonel David nodded, acknowledging the proactive measures taken. "Well, I guess we just have to wait for Frye to give us his next command."
At that moment, the injured operatives stepped forward, catching LTC Lugwig's attention. Concern etched on his face, he questioned, "You all seem injured. What happened to you?"
Recognising the need for solitude, Amelie spoke up, saying, "I think we should talk about this in private."
LTC Lugwig, understanding the gravity of the situation, nodded solemnly. "Alright then..."
Sensing the significance of the conversation, the other officers respectfully excused themselves, leaving Amelie and her team alone with LTC Lugwig.
The atmosphere in the room had changed to one of anticipation and urgency. The injured operatives stood before their commanding officer, ready to unfold the events that had unfolded during their mission and the enigmatic boy they had encountered. Their injuries served as a tangible reminder of the dangers they faced and the potential threat posed by the unknown forces at play.
LTC Lugwig leaned forward, his gaze steady and attentive, signaling his willingness to listen and understand. The operatives took a deep breath, ready to recount the harrowing tale, determined to provide they superior with the necessary details to make informed decisions.
Colonel David, Captain Thomas, and Nikki's presence hovered in the back of their minds as they began to recount their mission. They couldn't help but worry if their chats and understanding would have an impact on LTC Lugwig's response to their report.
Kelly, the leader of Strikeforce, spoke up with a sense of frustration in her voice. "We got into an unexpected hand-to-hand combat with this kid, and it was a complete disaster."
As the team members explained the encounter in detail, they emphasized the boy's exceptional abilities and the baffling manner in which he disabled their weapons. Madison expressed her astonishment, saying, "He... Well... He's small, yet he managed to defeat us all... with his bare hands, no less. I've never seen someone like him before. It's like he's some kind of superhuman or something... Even the most experienced operatives in TNP can't defeat him with just their guns. He somehow just disabled all our guns. How could a mere boy like him do that?!"
Lieutenant Colonel Lugwig listened intently, his face etched with a mix of concern and curiosity. He requested visual evidence of the encounter, and Kelly promptly sent the recording from the microchip in her brain. However, when the LTC attempted to play back the recording on his computer, it abruptly corrupted at the point where the encounter with the boy was expected.
The LTC was puzzled by this unexpected change of events and tried to close and reopen the file, as well as redownload it from the cloud, but to no effect. Confused, he exclaimed, "Was zur Hölle? The recording is there but it was corrupted."
Amelie, recognizing the urgency of the situation, offered her recording as an alternative. When the LTC opened her file, they encountered another problem. Amelie's recording displayed a pixelated filter obscuring the boy's face and distorting his voice. Confusion and frustration filled the room as they grappled with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the recordings.
Amelie examined the filtered image, desperately looking for details. "How did he do this?" "Who is he?" she asked, her voice tinted with annoyance and intrigue.
In the midst of the tense silence, Darya broke the spell. "Chey, how about you?" she asked, turning to their injured teammate.
Chey, still recovering from her injuries, uploaded her recording. Similar to Amelie's file, the face of the boy remained filtered, but his voice was audible.
The distorted voice of the boy echoed in the room, uttering cryptic words: "You seemed much more unthreatening than the rest."
Chey's recorded voice responded in surprise, "How did you... how did you do that?"
"Get out of here quickly. They will sent reinforcements here soon, or something even worse..." the boy said.
The conversation abruptly cut off, leaving the team and LTC Lugwig perplexed and searching for answers.
"So, this is the kid who killed Qevrols Fran?" the LTC inquired, seeking confirmation.
Chey nodded, her voice filled with a mixture of unease and determination. "Yes, that's him."
The room fell into a heavy silence as they contemplated the implications of the boy's actions and the enigma surrounding his identity. It became increasingly clear that tracking him down would be a formidable challenge without reliable visual information.
Feeling the weight of the situation, LTC Lugwig made a decision. "Well, it's hard to formulate a plan without any visuals on him. For now, I will inform Heinrich about what has transpired and think of our next steps. In the meantime, take the rest of the day off, you all seemed very screwed after what had happened. Also, I suggest you all to be cautious, and stay vigilant, alright?"
Amelie nodded, appreciative of the LTC's understanding and support. "Alright, we'll await further instructions. Thank you, sir."
As the operatives exited the room, a sense of anticipation and concern lingered in the air. The revelation of the boy's remarkable abilities and the mystery surrounding his identity weighed heavily on their minds. They knew that they were up against a formidable and elusive adversary, one who seemed to possess uncanny powers and connections to powerful individuals.
As they dispersed to tend to their injuries and recuperate, Amelie and her team braced themselves for the challenges that lay ahead.
Meanwhile, LTC Lugwig made his way to meet with Heinrich, his superior and the mastermind behind the mission targeting Qevrols Fran. As he entered Heinrich's office, the LTC couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at his comical demeanor.
"Hhhhhhhh... Heinrich," the LTC greeted, his voice laced with exasperation.
Heinrich, with a mischievous grin, responded in jest, "What? What's wrong? You're having a stroke? It was quite a hot season this month, you should drink some more water. You might get a heat stroke."
"You see, global warming and the rising temperatures are no longer unfamiliar to us. They bring about a host of problems, like soaring electric bills, heat strokes, dehydration, and discomfort. Therefore, we must..." Heinrich trailed off, leaving the LTC momentarily perplexed.
Shaking off the comical diversion, LTC Lugwig persisted, "I'm not having a heat stroke, you... ugh, never mind. There's something important that you need to know."
Intrigued, Heinrich finally focused his attention on the LTC. "What is it?"
With a heavy heart, LTC Lugwig began to relay the dire news. "The mission you gave me... about Qevrols Fran. It didn't go as planned."
Heinrich's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Oh... about that. So, how did it go? What did they find out?"
The LTC's voice held a somber tone as he delivered the shocking revelation. "Qevrols was killed."
Heinrich's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"
LTC Lugwig continued, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and disbelief. "...by a kid."
Heinrich's shock turned to incredulity. "WHAT?!"
Struggling to contain the weight of the information he was about to reveal, LTC Lugwig pressed on. "Not only that, but the operatives sent to apprehend him were severely beaten. The recording of their encounter with the boy was corrupted, and the compound itself was struck by a missile."
Heinrich, visibly flabbergasted, struggled to find words. "Was... WAS?!" he stammered in a German accent, his disbelief evident.
LTC Lugwig sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "So, what are the orders now?" he inquired, his voice shifting to a lower, more urgent tone. "Also, not to mention that the operatives are asking for their paychecks..."
Caught off guard, Heinrich struggled to regain his composure. "Do you think you can track him down?" he asked, his voice more composed now.
The LTC contemplated the question, his mind racing. "With the corrupted recording, it's uncertain. However, the operatives who were there might remember how he looked."
Heinrich nodded, his expression grave. "Very well. For now, let them recover. And don't worry, I'll handle their payments."
The LTC, appreciative of Heinrich's understanding, couldn't help but voice his concerns. "But, sir, do you think this kid might be... you know, Ace?"
Heinrich's gaze shifted to a distant point, his face clouded with uncertainty. "Ace? Well... if he's really Ace, then I don't know what else we can do. Just give me some time to think..."
Understanding the weight of the situation, LTC Lugwig nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright then, I'll leave it to you."
With a sense of purpose, the LTC left Heinrich's office, leaving the fate of their mission and the mysterious boy in Heinrich's capable hands. As he exited the room, the comedic exchange with Heinrich still lingered in his mind, a stark contrast to the gravity of their current predicament.