10 Minutes Ago
Annabelle got out of a smoking Artemis with her hand on her head. She had to crash-land the Artemis as both the VToL engine and the support stabilisers were destroyed by RPG. She got in front of the closed backramp and said, "ARIA, lower the backramp."
ARIA replied, "Princess, it is advised that you remain inside as my calculations show that the moment I lower the ramp, you'll cease to exist."
Annabelle got back and sat down in a chair as she said, "You got a questionable set of vocabulary."
ARIA replied, "You're the one who installed that vocabulary."
Annabelle chuckled and replied, "That is true." Annabelle heard bullets raining down on the body of Artemis and said, "This is it, huh? It was a small time, but I had fun. I'd have given you a body if we had more time in our hands. Anyway…"
She took out a small P320 pistol from a holster in her hip and said, "Let's see how many I can take out before they take me out."
Outside Artemis, Naomi and Mitali stood behind a broken column, waiting for a chance to get to the Artemis, but they weren't getting the chance as outside was filled with Phoenix Company soldiers. Naomi said, "We can't get out like this."
Mitali replied, clear frustration in her voice, "Even if we do get out, what are we supposed to do? I've only got 3 bullets left in my gun."
That's when she received Sohel's call. Mitali said, "I'm going back inside. Blast is injured; he needs medical."
Naomi asked, "What?" But she realised she wouldn't be getting any answer as she saw Mitali disappearing in a corner. She thought, "Ahh, damn it."
Just then, he heard sounds. Sounds of whirling blades and supersonic jets.
"Saber leader to Saber 2 to Saber 4. Mark a five-meter radius around the crashed Artemis. Blow everything else to kingdom come."
Four SU-57s ran a bombing run over the island in the next minute.
"Saber leader to Saber 2 to 4. Good hit, good hit. Change ROE and go for round two."
Another bombing run later, the pilot of Saber leader said, "Saber leader, to Hunter one to five, you're free to land. All Sabers, good work; return to base."
Five Mil MI-17s landed close to the crashed artemis, and a total of twenty SNA soldiers got down. As they got close, four soldiers separated and went towards the Artemis, and the others went forward.
Naomi came out as she saw the SNA soldiers, but she didn't expect the behaviour the soldiers had. The moment they saw Naomi, the soldiers went hostile. They yelled, "Get down. Drop your knife and get on your knees. Now."
Naomi was confused, but she obliged. A soldier took her hands, held them behind her back, and ziptied them. The soldier then said, "Bravo 2 secured."
Another soldier got out of Artemis with Annabelle and said, "Bravo 3 secured." She too had her hands tied behind her back with a ziptie.
Inside Ito's Office
Mitali was tending to Jacob. She had taken off his jacket and was trying to stop the bleeding with gauze and bandages. His chest area was filled with small puncture wounds.
Sohel was sitting on the ground a few feet away, his eyes still diluted. Mitali was saying something, but he couldn't hear it as he was still trying to figure out everything. Just then, ten SNA soldiers entered the room, weapons aimed towards them, and asked them to get down.
10 March 2032
12: 46
SNA military court, special tribunal, SNA regional HQ, Tokyo, Japan
All members of the Bravo squad except Jacob were sitting on the defendants bench. There was no audience; only the Seven Generals sat on the judges bench.
General Snow Leopard was sitting in the middle. He said, "Captain Sohel Chowdhury. You say that everything the Bravo Squad did was on your orders, so you're the only one who should be punished. Is this true?"
All four of them silently nodded. Mitali wanted to retaliate, but Naomi held her thigh in a gesture to stay silent.
General Snow Leopard continued, "Even if the squad moved on your orders, they are still going to be charged with insubordination. Any objections?"
They remained silent.
General Snow Leopard said, "I'll now announce the verdict.
Sgt. Mitali Roy, Sgt. Jacob Williams, and 1st Lieutenant Naomi Kobayashi, for the crime of insubordination, the Bravo Squad will be disbanded and the three of them will be redesignated.
2nd Lieutenant Annabelle Josephina Watson, as the main accomplice of Captain Sohel chowdhury, she will be court-martialed and will remain on house arrest for two years.
Captain Sohel Choudhury, for the crimes of insubordination, unneccesary damage to SNA property, unauthorised releasing of prisoners, and violation of overall security, he'll be court-martialed and sentenced to life imprisonment. But due to his past achievements, the prison sentence is reduced to ten years in the state prison.
The court is adjourned."
As Sohel was being taken out of the courtroom, Rahat approached him. He said, "I'm sorry, Sohel. If I knew it'd end like this, I wouldn't have recruited you in."
Sohel didn't rely and just walked on.
15:21
Gujo Highway, Gujo, Japan
Sohel was being transported in a prison van with another humvee in front as protection. Sohel was handcuffed and was seated in the middle of the van against the driver's cabin with two soldiers on his both sides.
Suddenly the van stopped midway and as Sohel wasn't holding anything, he fell to the van's ground.
He couldn't see what was going on outside as the van had no windows but he could hear suppressed gunfire and thudding noises.
The two guards with him were acting confused. Sohel yelled, "Why are you getting confused? It's clear that we're under attack. Go outside and see what's going on."
The soldiers looked at Sohel and nodded. They got up and went to the door. Just as they opened the door, someone pulled them out. Sohel couldn't see what happened to them as the outside was completely covered with smoke. A few loud thuds later, two hooded figures got on the van. Both of them were holding suppressed Glock-19s. One of them had the keys to Sohel's handcuffs. He uncuffed Sohel and was about to say something but the moment Sohel got free, he sent an uppercut aimed straight at the person's chin. He got up as he said, "I don't know who you are but you made a huge mistake."
The other person quickly opened his hood as he said, "Captain, Cap2, calm down. It's me."
Sohel looked at the man and got astonished as he saw that the man was Naoki. He said, "Naoki? What are you doing here?"
Naoki replied, "Freeing you, of course. With a little bit of help that is."
Sohel looked at the person rubbing his chin, sitting on the ground and asked, "Who's this?"
The person lowered his hood and said, "It's me, Captain. Aiden."
Sohel asked, "What the F are you doing here?"
As Aiden got up with Sohel's help, he said, "We're the help Mr. Kobayashi is talking about."
Naoki said, "Let's go. SNA's backup should be on their way."
The three of them got out of the van and got on a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Sohel noticed that Naoki didn't get on and asked, "Naoki, where are you going?"
Naoki got on a Kawasaki off-road bike as he said, "To tie up a loose end."
Sohel asked as a CIA agent started the car, "What happened to the Yu sisters?"
Aiden replied, "They've been sent to the States with our help. We're going to leave tonight for the states too, with you and Mr. Kobayashi in tow."
CIA Headquarters, Langley
A man entered an office room of what looked like it belonged to the head of the CIA and said, "Sir, our agents have secured Captain Ghost. They should reach the US by tomorrow evening."
The man sitting in the chair said, "Good. Ready a false ID for them. They're US citizens now."
The man said, "Got it, sir."
The man left the room. The other man leaned on his chair and murmured, "Now captain, what secrets are you holding? Hope you'll let us in on it too."
17:49
SNA regional Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan
General Phantom entered his office room, took off his court and threw it on the couch. He then went ahead and sat on his chair when he heard a click sound. He quickly looked back and saw Naoki standing at the door with one hand on the lock and the other hand holding a silenced Glock-19 aimed towards him.
He quickly tried to press the panic button but couldn't find it.
Naoki walked forward as he said, "Don't try it. I've removed it."
Phantom leaned back on the chair and said, "So this is it, huh?"
Naoki replied, "Yes. I can't prove that you kept going with Project Spectre even after knowing what was being done. I can't prove that you're the one who brought back Naomi in this mess. I can't prove the monster that you are, but I can remove a monster from this earth."
Phantom looked unwavered. He said, "Yes, I kept going with Project Spectre cause it was needed, for the betterment of this world. Yes, I brought Naomi back to SNA because her power was needed. You know that too."
Naoki replied, "No. I don't know. You destroyed so many lives, for what? Nothing."
Phantom said, "You're better than this, Kobayashi. I know you are."
Naoki replied, "Maybe. But right now, I don't care."
Naoki created a third eye on Phantom's forehead before he could say anything. He put away the pistol and walked out of the room, leaving Phantoms dead body inside.