As Alpha and Bravo fireteams swiftly moved through the apartment, their movements were precise and coordinated, a testament to their extensive training and experience.
The room was dimly lit, with shards of broken glass littering the floor and the acrid smell of smoke lingering in the air.
The sergeant led the Alpha team to the left side of the room, his rifle held at the ready as he scanned for any signs of movement.
Behind him, one of his fireteams soldiers followed closely, his eyes sharp and alert as he swept his weapon across the room.
Meanwhile, Bravo team fanned out to the right, each member covering a different section of the space.
They moved with practiced efficiency, checking every corner and crevice for potential threats.
As they cleared the immediate area, the tension in the room began to ease slightly, but the sense of seriousness remained, driving them forward in their search.
"Clear!"
The sergeant called out, his voice echoing through the apartment as he signaled that their section was secure.
"Clear on the right,"
The second in command echoed, his tone firm and decisive as he relayed the status of Bravo team.
With the initial sweep complete, the teams pressed on, moving deeper into the apartment in search of any remaining threats.
They checked each room methodically, ensuring that no corner was left unchecked.
As they reached the living area, they encountered signs of recent occupancy a half-empty glass of water on the coffee table, a child's toy abandoned on the floor.
It was clear that someone had been here recently, but there was no sign of the occupants.
"Keep searching,"
The sergeant commanded, his voice low and urgent as he gestured for his team to spread out.
They continued their search, checking closets, bathrooms, and even under beds for any sign of hidden threats or children.
Then, just as they were about to move on to the next room, one of the Bravo team members called out.
"Sir, I found them"
Hearing this the sergeant and his second in command hurried over to where the Bravo fireteam member was standing at once.
There, huddled in a corner of the room, were two small figures—a boy and a girl, their faces streaked with tears and fear in their eyes.
"Hansel, Gretel, is that you?"
The sergeant asked as his round visors scanned the two children and his helmets AI started doing a check based on the Info gathered by TAI 0 on Marcus children, his voice neutral as he knelt down beside them.
The children nodded, their voices trembling as they spoke.
"Yes, mister,"
Hansel replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked at the seargents towering and menacing figure.
"We are hiding from the scary sounds."
The sergeant exchanged a glance with his second in command, they had accomplished their missions first part all that was left was to bring the children back to Nova Roma.
"Come with us we will take, you two to youre father"
He said while extending his armored hand for the children to grab.
"You will?"
Hansel the elder one a child of seven years old asked.
"A warriors word"
The sergeant said while nodding as he did the two children took his armored hand.
"Mission objective secured moving back to the dropship over"
The sergeant reported to the pilot as he led the children toward the waiting dropship.
"Copy standing by over"
The pilot reported back.
As the sergeant led Hansel and Gretel towards the waiting dropship, he couldn't help but feel disappointed that he didn't get any action at all.
If only he knew that he would soon have to work his ass off like never before then he would have punched himself In the face.
The children, still trembling with fear, clung to the sergeant's armored hand, their small fingers wrapped tightly around his gauntlet.
"Stay close, we're almost there,"
The sergeant reassured them, his voice devoid of gentleness yet firm as they approached the waiting dropship.
As they reached the open hatch of the dropship, the sergeant lifted up Hansel and Gretel with practiced ease.
Then he moved a few steps back, Ignited his Inbuilt chemical thrusters and started sprinting forward, then with a mighty jump that broke the windows concrete jumped off.
Hansel and Greta under the seargeants armored armpits each started screaming their lungs off as they felt the air tussle their hair as they flew through the air straight Into the dropship's Interior.
As his armored boots landed with a heavy thud on the metal floor, Hansel and Gretel that just had the scare of their life clung to him tightly, their eyes wide with fear as they looked around the interior of the aircraft.
Inside, Marcus and Morgana watched with bated breath as the sergeant and the children entered the dropship.
Relief flooded through Marcus as he caught sight of his children, unharmed and safe in the arms of their rescuer.
"Thank you,"
Marcus said, his voice choked with emotion as he approached the sergeant, his eyes shining with tears of gratitude.
The sergeant nodded, his expression masked by his helmet as he handed the children over to Marcus.
The children hesitated for a moment, their eyes flickering between their unrecognizable father because of his augmentations and their rescuer.
"Daddy?"
Hansel asked unsurely finding It hard to match Marcus's current twenty year old looking face with his old one.
"Its me Hansel, I just had a growth sprout"
Marcus said while smiling as he rustled his son's hair with his gloved hand.
"Daddy!"
As he did both of the children cried out, their voices muffled against his chest as Marcus enveloped them in a tight embrace.
Morgana, standing nearby with her Marcus drones camera rolling, captured the emotional reunion, her own eyes shining with a reporter's light as she witnessed the raw emotion unfolding before her.
As Marcus held his children close, the sergeant stepped back, allowing them a moment of privacy only to see his men standing still Inside the apartment.
"What are you waiting for? A personal Invite? Get youre asses In here now!"
He barked as he did the cosmic marines jumped Into the dropship with the help of their Inbuilt chemical thrusters one after another.
"Sorry sarge didn't want to Interrupt the moment"
His second In command said while shrugging his armored shoulders as he walked past him.
"Interrupt the moment my ass corporal you just want to slack off every opportunity you get"
The sarge barked causing his men to start laughing at the two's antics only for masterchief to cut in.
"Sit youre asses down were moving out!"
Hearing this the sergeant and his men did just that together with Marcus, Morgana, and his children who took a seat on Marcus and Morgana's laps, seeing this the masterchief gave the pilot the green light.
"Everyone accounted and strapped In were ready to go over"
"Copy hang In tight over"
The pilot replied as he started Increasing the chemical thrusters output which slowly rotated from a vertical position to a horizontal one the more altitude and speed the dropship gained as It left the towering skyscrapers behind.
...
Back In the Liberty States underground command bunker, It was a hive of activity as conformations of Terran forces performing what seemed to be rescue operations of none Terran citizens flooded In from other countries one after another.
"No matter how I think about It the rescued people must be the future citizens of the Imperium, there's no other explanation for that f*scist psychopath of an Imperator doing this"
President Thomas muttered to himself after letting out a defeated sigh. only for his chief communications officer to run over with a piece of paper.
"Sir, we just received a transmission from the Imperium, they are willing to help us neutralize the xenos!"
The man reported In one breath as he did the underground command bunker fell Into deathly silence In which you could hear the gasps of surprise escaping people's mouths.