I was seated at my desk in Brazil, having just received the latest information about a particular location. After debriefing on what we had gathered, it was time to move on to the next mission. I was currently reviewing recent information about a new place. I had a substantial amount of data on this one and was confident that we wouldn't require any additional surveillance.
It seemed to be a breeding and testing facility, and I wanted to ensure that we didn't end up arriving too late and causing harm. My goal was to save as many people as possible. As I examined the reports and made my initial plan, the door to my office suddenly swung open. Damon entered, carrying his laptop. He didn't say a word as he came in and proceeded to clear half of my desk for himself. Despite having a few biting remarks in mind, I kept my mouth shut.
This was still my office, and as the sole leader of this organization, it would have been courteous of him to ask or inform me beforehand. I also contemplated assigning him his own office on the next base wherever that may be.
With my playlist playing Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For a Hero" in the background, Damon abruptly silenced it and commented, "I need to make calls soon, so there's no need for a soundtrack."
I grunted in response and continued examining satellite photos, jotting down notes in my notebook regarding the personnel and equipment we would need. Once Damon had set up his side of the desk, he opened his laptop and began focusing on the missions I had assigned to him, keeping himself busy. Meanwhile, I requested certain pictures to be printed from the central hub, as they had a larger printer that would provide a better view. Naturally curious, Damon started leaning towards my laptop to see what my own mission entailed.
He quipped, "I didn't see that on the roster. Do you take your gigs from somewhere else?"
I said, "This is one of the new breeding and testing facilities, and I want to go there now instead of waiting two weeks and having to kill everyone later."
Damon grunted and asked, "Do you have a crew? We're pretty booked here."
Absentmindedly, I replied, "I'm working on it, as soon as I finish my plan."
He took some papers in front of me, glanced at them, and then looked at my notebook.
He suggested, "I'm not sure if it would help to survey the place for a few days, to get a better view of the guards."
I told him, "I don't need to know their names or faces. I'll just shoot them. I'm trying to save as many people as possible. I'm sick and tired of being an angel of mercy." My tone left no room for debate.
Soon, there was a knock on my door and Wendy, one of our techs, brought me some pictures. Those printouts from satellite feed with a few different filters. I took them to another desk so I could assess the situation better. Damon walked over and grunted as he looked at the pictures.
He proposed, "How about if me, number 2, 4, 7, Adam, Charles, Mariella, and the wolves join your crew? Our missions aren't finished yet, and since you're determined to go in, we happen to be free."
I stayed quiet, weighing the pros and cons of his offer. They were professionals and trust wasn't an issue, but my leadership was. It wasn't the time for negotiations or takeovers once we were in the field. I pondered if this was feasible or not. But if they saw my missions from start to finish, maybe they would see that I am capable, not an addict, and the leader of this organization.
Damon asked me, "When was the last time you had blood? You need to be at the top of your game, so there's no need to starve yourself just to prove a point."
I said nothing. Soon, other members started to join us, and we began planning. I shared my knowledge and experience from working in Brazil before, discussing the roads and potential obstacles we might encounter. As the leader, I focused solely on business and the mission at hand. It would be relatively simple since Damons' role was to destroy, while Mariella and the wolf with me would be rescuers. Moving would be done with Adam and Charles. They would ensure everyone's safety either through tubes or teleportation. Either method would suffice.
However, I estimated that there were over 100 victims, maybe more, maybe less, and it was crucial to save as many as possible. This was a covert operation, so we couldn't involve the local authorities since we had no proof of the victims' existence. Moreover, the Brazilian police were not inclined to work for vigilantes, despite the corruption within their ranks. There were still many decent officers who wanted to do things by the book.
Once we were inside, we could inform them, but time was of the essence, and we couldn't afford to wait for the local police to assess the situation themselves. We had to take action, and I was prepared for it. This was the routine for me, as it had been in most of my previous missions.
Damon's idealism, however, clashed with the reality of the situation once again as he tried to involve the locals. Unfortunately, there was no way to do so in this case. Then there was the matter of guns. My custom Glock had become the envy of many, but it was tailored for me and wouldn't work for anyone else. Eventually, they would likely acquire their own custom guns based on their preferences, but they had to earn them.
This work was far from the exciting fantasies depicted in agent novels. The truth of the matter was becoming increasingly clear to them with each passing day. Time would show to me if they would have it what this really takes. So far, their missions had been successes, so there had been no nasty outcomes and when those would come, then it would reveal true capability.
I was explaining certain things that needed to be done, asserting that I wouldn't be seeking any other opinions. I had confidence in my expertise and experience behind my decisions, so I didn't appreciate others coming to me with alternative ideas, especially when they had far less experience in this field. Mariella and the wolves were unsure of how we would evacuate people, but I assured them that it wasn't our responsibility to do so.
Adam and Charles, the movers, would handle that part. Our role was simply to save lives, keeping people calm and composed as we moved them towards Adam and Charles. We would also have an additional crew on the ground to transport victims to the next location, though the specifics were still to be decided based on their condition. Those who were badly injured and weak would be taken to hospitals or clinics, while those who were able to move would be directed to designated places, such as Luiz's pack, who could assist us.
We would deploy for this mission as soon as possible and hope for the best. Sometimes, a surprise attack was the most effective approach, catching the enemy off guard. In my usual missions, I would have three teams conducting surveillance to eliminate any surprises. I might wait for two weeks to gather detailed information about the enemy, including the number of guards, their patrol routes, and a comprehensive understanding of the entire operation.
However, in this case, I decided to skip those steps and proceed with deployment. I didn't see any danger in doing so, and if successful, it could potentially lead to a new type of attack - a swift and decisive one that didn't require weeks of waiting for information that ultimately had minimal significance in the bigger picture.
Turning to Mariella, I advised her, "Now, when we enter, you'll have your floor without any backup initially, so be cautious. Keep your gun ready and be prepared to shoot first and ask questions later. Make sure you have your back covered and begin moving the victims who need to be transported. Inform Adam and Charles when you have someone ready to be moved. Let's see if we can use teleportation to expedite the process."
I kept my tone professional as I made sure she understood how this was done. She nodded in understanding.
I next spoke to Damons. "Guys, let's not forget that we are just team members. Mariella is not your wife, she's just a member of the team. We need to approach this professionally, with no personal connections. Remember, this is your chance to impress me if you want to be part of my team occasionally. I only take the best, those who I consider the best."
Number four retorted at me, "This is also your chance to impress us, baby. Show us why we should follow you and keep us hooked on this work."
I nodded and replied, "I'm not a show pony, that's for sure. But let's see if we can handle this the way it should be done. However, keep in mind that anything can happen, and we need to be prepared for everything. There are variables we can't control or predict, but that's what makes it fun. We gotta improvise, and improvise a lot. Think at your feet and not adhere just to the protocol."
They all nodded. I didn't bother asking anyone else since it was a small place, and the others were busy with their own missions, Wulfe and Magnum included. They could handle their tasks, and I would be fine. They would see. I focused my mind and didn't even think about that damn bunker or the blood that meant so much more than just blood. Wulfe was a dick, lacking self-restraint when it came to that particular blood. He had the nerve to accuse me of being an addict. Crazy.
As I looked at our supplies, I said to my team, "We'll be ready to deploy soon if you don't have any other questions. We have the supplies for this mission, so reserve those for us. After that, it's just a matter of gearing up and executing the mission. Let's move on."
Damon seemed to be deep in thought but kept quiet, and Mariella appeared to be lost in her own thoughts.
Adam spoke up. "Are we moving a bit too fast here? Should we wait for more information?"
I snapped at Adam, "Every hour that we waste, someone in there dies or suffers. I don't want to lose so many innocents all the time. Someone might surpass the point where all I can offer them is mercy, as they require a quick death. I know I'm not perfect, but I don't want to be just a killer. I want them out there alive."
Charles interjected, "You know, honey, the NSA might be able to help if we can gather evidence of American prisoners there. It could give us public support and be a significant blow against these bastards."
I told Charles, "It's unlikely to happen, and it takes time for the NSA to get things moving. Our goal is to save these women, not let those fuckers harm them day after day."
Charles remained silent, understanding from my expression that I was determined to wait for the right opportunity. Besides, being in Brazil rather than the States, it might not be as big of an issue and could be undermined by corrupt officials quickly. It was never so simple.
A few hours later, we were already getting ready. I stayed in my office while the rest of the crew went to the gear room to collect their equipment. Even though they had their own lockers, they couldn't store their stuff in my office. I laced up my boots once again, reflecting on how everything had changed and how it frustrated me that nothing stayed the same.
There was always something changing, and I had to adjust. Why couldn't the world give me a break? As I contemplated my frustrations, I noticed that my shoelace had snapped. Damn it. I had pulled it too hard. It was shorter now, but I managed to put my shoes on. I reminded myself to replace that damn shoelace. My nerves were so freaking frayed, for some reason. I knew that special blood would have helped, but no, since Wulfe had decided that I am a damn addict, so not gonna get that either.
I strolled over to the central hub, where I found Magnum and Wulfe just walked in, looking exhausted. They had just completed a difficult mission, destroying everything in sight and saving whoever they could.
I turned to Wulfe and suggested, "We're about to embark on a new mission, so feel free to debrief your team if you'd like. I'm not sure how long it will take, so I can't give you an exact return time."
Magnum questioned, "What mission are you talking about? There are no missions assigned to you on the roster."
I replied confidently, "It's a flash mission. I have all the necessary information, and we're going to target a breeding and testing facility without waiting for multiple confirmations."
Before Magnum could voice his opinion, the rest of my crew, including my pack members, arrived. We were prepared and eager to complete this mission. Damon looked at Wulfe, but it was clear that Wulfe was too tired to think clearly. I noticed him limping, showing that he had been injured. That was fine - he would have time to heal, and once this mission was over, everyone would see that I was perfectly capable. I could then continue directing more missions and perhaps even go on a sniping tour myself.
Why was I so eager for a sniping tour? There were several reasons. Firstly, it was an excellent way for me to release my frustrations and let my killer instincts take over. Secondly, as I scouted for vantage points, I could enjoy a snack or two - fresh blood straight from the vein, rather than having to settle for freaking stupid bagged blood. It was fucking perfect. Lastly, it would give me some much-needed alone time to just be myself. Perhaps I could even recruit some new members on the side. I kept these plans to myself as we made our way towards the car. Adam would be our driver, so the mission was officially underway.