"I think we did it!" Alpha 1 said, walking over to the dead body of the Krall leader. "We just cleared this entire island out of monsters."
"Yeah, this is worth celebrating," Alpha 2 said with a smile. "This means this island is the new main headquarters of whatever name our boss came up with."
"Well, let's go look around and search for something that might be valuable to us," Alpha 1 suggested.
The soldiers spread out, exploring the cavern and surrounding tunnels. The adrenaline from the battle still coursed through their veins, but they remained cautious, their weapons at the ready. As they moved deeper into the mine, they came across a narrow passage hidden behind a pile of rubble.
"Looks like we've found something," Alpha 3 said, gesturing for the others to follow.
They squeezed through the passage and entered a smaller chamber. The air was thick with the smell of decay, and their flashlights illuminated skeletal remains scattered across the floor.
"Human remains," Alpha 1 observed, kneeling beside one of the skeletons. "Looks like they've been here for a long time."
"Poor souls," Alpha 2 said softly. "I wonder what happened to them."
"They must have been explorers who were kidnapped by the kobolds and brought here," Alpha 3 speculated, his voice echoing in the eerie silence of the chamber.
Alpha 1 stood up, scanning the room. "Let's keep moving. There might be more to find."
As they continued to search the chamber, they noticed another passage leading to a different area. The air grew colder as they approached, and a sense of unease settled over them.
"Stay sharp," Alpha 1 warned, leading the way.
The passage opened into a larger chamber, and what they saw made their blood run cold. The chamber was filled with men and women, but what was even more appalling was the scene of a group of men sexually assaulting the women. The prisoners looked relatively healthy, suggesting they hadn't been down here for long.
"Jesus…" Alpha 2 muttered, his voice filled with disgust and anger. "What the hell is going on here?"
Alpha 1 stepped forward cautiously, his weapon at the ready. "Stop!" he commanded.
The men assaulting the women froze, their eyes wide with shock and fear as they saw the armed soldiers. The victims, some of whom were crying and others staring blankly, looked at the soldiers with a mix of hope and terror.
"Who the heck are you?!" One of the assaulters there demanded.
Alpha 2 didn't hesitate. The moment the assailant raised his voice, he raised his rifle and fired, the shot echoing through the chamber. The assailant dropped to the ground, lifeless, and the room fell silent.
The other attackers froze, their faces pale with fear.
"Yeah…I just killed one of your guys for sexually harassing that girl over there. To think you'd do such appalling things while you are all captured makes me sick. I'm sure, my boss won't mind dealing with all of you."
"You curse!"
The remaining attackers, spurred by desperation and rage, rushed towards Alpha 2. Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled the trigger again, dropping each of them with precise shots. The chamber echoed with the sound of gunfire, and then, silence.
Alpha 1 and the others moved swiftly, securing the area and ensuring there were no further threats. The victims, now freed from their tormentors, looked at the soldiers with a mixture of relief and disbelief.
"Alpha 2, keep an eye on them," Alpha 1 instructed. "We don't know if some of them are associated with those men."
"Copy, I will report to Actual about the situation," Alpha 2 said. He raised his radio and began to relay the events to Vincent.
"Actual, this is Alpha 2. We've encountered and neutralized a group of assailants who were assaulting prisoners. The victims are now secured, but we need immediate evacuation and medical assistance. Some of the prisoners may be associated with the attackers. Over."
"Wait, what just happened? Explain it," Vincent's voice crackled over the radio, sounding both surprised and concerned.
"Actual, we found a group of men assaulting prisoners in one of the chambers. We neutralized the assailants, but some of the prisoners might be complicit."
"Wait, there are people in that mine?" Vincent's voice grew tense.
"Yes, Actual. There are prisoners."
"Oh…I see, how many of them are there?"
"About twenty, sir," Alpha 2 replied, his voice steady. "They seem to be in relatively good health, but they're obviously traumatized.'
"Understood. We don't really have medical personnel at the moment, so what I want you to do is get them out of the mine and have them all sorted at the main entrance. We will figure out later what to do with them," Vincent instructed.
"Copy that, Actual. We'll get them out," Alpha 2 acknowledged. He turned to the prisoners and spoke firmly but kindly, "Alright, everyone, we're going to get you out of here. Follow our lead and stay close. We'll make sure you reach safety."
The prisoners, still shaken but visibly relieved, began to gather their belongings and form a line. The soldiers positioned themselves around the group, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings as they started the journey back to the mine entrance.
"Stay alert," Alpha 1 reminded his team. "We don't know if there are any more threats hiding in these tunnels."
They ventured cautiously through the dimly lit tunnels, and the soldiers maintained a protective formation around the prisoners, their senses heightened for any sign of danger.
As they moved closer to the mine entrance, the flickering light of the outside world became visible, a beacon of hope for the weary group. The prisoners' expressions shifted from fear to relief as they realized they were nearing freedom.
Alpha 2 glanced back at the group, ensuring everyone was still together. "Keep moving, we're almost there," he urged.
Finally, they emerged from the mine into the open air. The prisoners squinted against the sudden brightness, some shielding their eyes as they adjusted to the light. The soldiers guided them to a secure area near the entrance, where they could rest and await further instructions.
"Alpha 2 to Actual, we have successfully evacuated the prisoners. They are secured at the mine entrance. Awaiting further orders," Alpha 2 reported.
"Good work, Alpha 2. Hold your position as I will cash in my rewards."
Even though Alpha 2 couldn't see Vincent's face, he knew he was grinning as his mission was completed. And since they killed a lot of monsters, it's going to be a lot more.