Following Aldegar's conversation with Severo and Ambrosio, he instantly decided to call a small assembly. Planning out their next moves was critical, to avoid being caught off guard again. He gathered a small group of trusted individuals, those who would be most meaningful during the attack on the Severance site.
In Aldegar's office, on the fifth floor of the Offense Corps building, sat a handful of trustworthy people. So different from one another, yet, all united by one shared goal. All united with one idea in their minds, peace and stability. However, the current situation was far from stable, and it needed to be altered fast.
The office lights cast a sterile, white glow around the room, the weight of their next words palpable. Aldegar's spotless and slightly perfectionist nature was clearly evident, since, not a spec of dust could be noticed anywhere. Every book, file, folder... it was all perfectly sorted, nothing standing out even a millimeter. An air freshener sat in each corner of the room, all with the same aroma of coffee and a sweet note protruding. It felt as if someone had just brewed a fresh espresso, and was enjoying it with a caramel treat. It was an aroma that'd calm you down and ease worries, as the only thing on your mind would be the heavenly scent.
As everyone collected their thoughts, or thought of their own personal plans, Aldegar was sorting and shuffling through a large stack of papers. Afterwards, he reached under his desk and powered on his PC, hastily typing away and searching for something.
That was, until he found it. He approached the table and tapped a discreet button on its edge. With a soft whir, a mechanism activated, and the center of the table began to rise smoothly. The white surface retracted and slid aside to reveal a hidden compartment.
Inside the compartment was a high-resolution screen, embedded seamlessly into the table's design. As it powered up, the screen emitted a soft glow, casting a cool, blue light over the room. The display flickered to life, showing a detailed, interactive map of the Severance Industrial building.
Aldegar coughed, to grab everyone's attention, and began. "Thank you for reconvening here on such short notice, everyone." he stated with a steady voice. "You may be wondering why I called this meeting here, or, why a lot of key faces are missing, like Captain Tosetti."
Khiara leaned back and a light chuckle escaped her lips. "I think we all know why Captain isn't here..."
Aldegar shot at her a stern look, cutting off her humorous response. "The reason I chose a secluded setting like this is, if there is any place in the Oracle complex whose security and privacy I can guarantee, it's my office. In these situations, even over the top privacy isn't enough."
He now turned to face Ingrid. "Ingrid, if you will?"
"Certainly." she begun as she stood and took the stage. All eyes shifted to her, her speech calm and slow. "As the head of the Defense Corps, I was put in charge with reinstating contact with Severance Industrial regarding our desired anti-corruption armor. The deal was confidential and kept under covers specifically to avoid a scenario like this. Nonetheless, it still occurred. I do not wish to point fingers at anyone, especially not anyone in this room. If Aldegar believes you all to be trusted, I have faith in his intuition."
Aiden chimed in, leaning in with curiosity. "So, what you're saying is, Gabriel isn't the only traitor?"
"Technically," Ingrid replied, her expression serious. "However, I'm not certain this is a traitor situation in the way you think of it."
Dr. Akker looked puzzled, his eyebrow raising. "What do you mean? How else would've they gotten information?"
Ingrid took a deep breath. "As you recall, all officers, except the two highest ranks, were searched upon entry into the assembly hall, as is standard. No one was found with anything. Suffice it to say, I doubt any of us higher ranks sneaked in a device."
Amaro included himself in the conversation also. "So, Miss, what you're implying is, there was a device stashed away in the assembly hall before the meeting began?"
"Yes, exactly," Ingrid confirmed. "Before the meeting began, a group of cleaners were sent in to make sure everything was spotless. I believe that, out of those cleaners, one was either a Cult associate or bribed."
"But," Synnove interjected worriedly. "Wouldn't you also search the cleaners for contraband?"
Aldegar sighed. "In a standard situation, where we have time to prepare for the assembly, certainly. But on such short notice, we overlooked it."
"So, Ingrid," said Dr. Arroyo. "What's your plan of action?"
Ingrid shook her head. "Mine? None. I'm not going to the front lines this time, as firepower is needed. We'll be sending Lieutenant Aldegar, Aiden, Synnove, Amaro, and Khiara. We will stay behind."
Dr. Akker frowned. "Then, why were we called here?"
Aldegar's gaze hardened. "Seeing Ambrosio and Severo's injuries, us escaping unscathed from the facility is unlikely. Dr. Ishikawa will be on scene, alongside you, Dr. Akker. Meanwhile, Dr. Arroyo - You, Dr. Carruso, and any other Medical Corps officers you wish to invite will search the assembly hall for any foreign devices."
Ingrid returned to her seat and added, "I will go check the main surveillance system to look for any potential suspects. I will also dispatch Sondre, Vivianne, and Francesca to be on standby near the mission location to prevent any possible leakage of corrupted individuals."
Aldegar nodded, agreeing upon Ingrid's words. "So, everyone other than the Offense Corps officers and Synnove is free to go. We'll reconvene later if needed. Wish us luck."
Ingrid gave a small nod. "Good luck. Hopefully, you won't need it."
Aiden almost stood, but, he asked. "What about me?"
"You're an officer too, Aiden," Khiara laughed. "You already forgot the assembly?"
"No, but, I'm honorary... I don't count as a standard officer."
Khiara waved her hand, dismissing Aiden's statement. "Oh shut up, honorary or not, you're going on the mission. You can't avoid it."
Aiden couldn't help but smile at Khiara's words. "Why, you..."
The two doctors and Ingrid left the the office, and went off to do their own work. Aldegar's gaze switched to the table screen, the building map present.
"Alright, listen." he ordered firmly. "This is the first floor. Considering Severo's words, it's completely ruined. We can disregard the elevator's existence, since, even if it's in operation, it's a safety risk."
He pointed his finger to the top right corner of the map. "Here's the staircase. Thing is, if we all climb together, we can get caught quite easily."
"I assume that means I should use my power to jump up, and climb downwards?" asked Amaro.
"Not only you, but, let Khiara climb on your back and take her as well."
Amaro grabbed the back of his neck and looked down at the ground. Trying to speak up, he stuttered. "S- Sir, what do you mean?"
"Oh, come on Amaro," Khiara teased. "You're telling me your mighty Overdrive can't carry me? You've been hitting the gym so much, you should be able to do it without even using your power."
Amaro tried to muster up a response, but to no avail. He had no clue what to say, so, he just stopped talking and returned his gaze to the screen.
Aldegar fought against a smile before he continued. "Either way, since we don't know much about the situation inside the building, other than the first floor, we can't really come up with a detailed plan."
"Best we can do is decide on our entry points, and make sure we don't get caught up in any tight spaces where we could get cut off."
"So, Lieutenant," Khiara inquired. "Any spots in the building we should know? To check for possible deaths, critical information, to hide... or some we should avoid?"
Aldegar stopped, scrolling through the various levels of the map, each representing a floor. "Well, again I say, we have no clue of the status inside. For all we know, there could be injured or deceased in any room. I would advise you to check, but, if you get cornered in a room with only one door, you're in trouble. So..."
"And for important locations to remember..." he placed his finger on the map. "One is here, on each floor. See these rooms?" he pointed to two square rooms one next to another on the edge of the building.
"These two rooms used to be just one room, if you look at previous revisions of the plan. They added a thin separator between them, to create two distinct offices. You can run into these separators, and, if you do it strong enough, you'll easily break through without any issues. You can exit around the other way."
Aldegar stopped, and turned off the PC. "That's that, folks. The mission starts at 21:00 sharp, be there at least half an hour before."
As the meeting concluded, the team dispersed to prepare for the upcoming mission. Hours passed quickly, and as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across Dawnvale, the team reassembled at the designated meeting point in the industrial district. The Severance Industrial building loomed before them, its once-pristine facade now marred by the earlier attack. Just like Ambrosio said, the door was broken through, and a large hole sat next to it.
Aldegar arrived first, his stern expression betraying the weight of responsibility he carried. Aiden and Synnove followed close behind, their faces a mixture of determination and apprehension. Amaro and Khiara were the last to join, an awkward tension still lingering between them after the earlier exchange.
The industrial district, usually bustling with activity, was eerily quiet. The only sounds were the distant hum of machinery and the occasional gust of wind whistling through the abandoned streets. The team huddled together in the shadow of a nearby warehouse, their voices hushed as they performed final equipment checks and reviewed their roles one last time.
Dr. Ishikawa and Dr. Akker set up a makeshift medical tent in a secure location nearby the main entrance, yet still far enough not to be seen, ready to respond at a moment's notice. In the distance, barely visible in the growing darkness, Sondre, Vivianne, and Francesca took up their positions, forming a perimeter to contain any potential threats.
As the clock ticked closer to 21:00, Aldegar gathered the team for a final briefing. His voice was low but firm as he addressed them. "Remember, we're facing an unknown threat. Stay alert, watch each other's backs, and don't take unnecessary risks. Our primary objective is to secure the building and gather any information we can about these new corrupted entities. If the situation becomes dangerous, do not hesitate to retreat. Is that clear?"
A chorus of affirmatives answered him. With a nod, Aldegar turned to face the Severance Industrial building. "It's time. Let's move out."
As one, the team began their approach, each step bringing them closer to the unknown dangers that awaited within. They were prepared to face any and all threats that might face them, but still, a sense of careful ticked in their hearts. But, was it really just them being worrisome, or was it a primal fear of the unknown? Was it really the safety of the world that concerned them, or do even the most chivalrous tremble in the face of death?
These were all questions for which the answers laid ahead, as everyone prepared to face the unknown...