The night was thick with tension as the Suicide Squad infiltrated the dense forest surrounding the base. Each member moved with precision, their years of experience—or insanity—guiding them through the perilous terrain. Overhead, the moon cast a pale light, but its glow was quickly swallowed by the towering trees and the oppressive shadows of the fortified complex ahead.
Amanda Waller's voice crackled in their earpieces. "You're approaching the first perimeter. Expect heavy resistance. Stay sharp."
Harley Quinn skipped forward, her blood-red lips curling into a manic grin. She swung her bat lazily, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Finally, some action! I've been bored outta my mind."
"Focus, Harley," Deadshot said, scanning the area through his scope. "This place isn't just crawling with guards. They've got magic users in the mix. We mess up, and it's game over."
Copperhead hissed softly, his body coiled and ready to strike. "Let's just get in and out. I'm not here for chit-chat."
Ahead, the base's outer defenses loomed: a sprawling fence lined with barbed wire, searchlights sweeping the ground, and armed guards patrolling in pairs.
Runes etched into the walls shimmered faintly, casting an eerie glow that hinted at their magical nature, with the mere thought of it sending a shiver down the spines of those who were sain.
The first clash was brutal. Deadshot fired the opening salvo, his wrist-mounted guns spitting silent but deadly rounds. Two guards dropped before they even knew what hit them. The rest weren't so lucky.
A flare erupted, bathing the area in harsh light. Alarms blared, and the base's defenders swarmed like angry hornets. Automatic gunfire ripped through the air, shredding the trees and underbrush around the squad.
Killer Croc surged forward, his immense frame shrugging off bullets as if they were pebbles. He tore through the fence with his bare hands, ripping apart a guard who got too close. Blood sprayed in arcs, painting the ground crimson.
Harley twirled her bat, smashing it into the skull of an oncoming soldier. The sound of bone cracking was drowned out by her cackling laughter. She ducked under a swing, flipping onto a guard's back and jamming a knife into his neck. "Oops! Guess I hit an artery!"
Captain Boomerang's blades whirled through the air, slicing through throats and limbs with surgical precision. He sidestepped a blast of magical energy, retaliating by lodging a boomerang deep into the caster's chest.
"Not so tough now, are ya?" he sneered as the mage gurgled and collapsed.
Copperhead slithered through the chaos, his claws slashing at throats and tendons. He was a blur of motion, but even his agility couldn't save him from the hail of bullets and spells. He narrowly avoided a fireball, only to be blindsided by a guard wielding a grenade.
The soldier grinned, pulling the pin and shoving the explosive into Copperhead's gut. "Die, freak."
Copperhead's eyes widened in shock. "No—" The explosion was deafening, the force of it hurling shrapnel and viscera across the battlefield. The squad froze momentarily, the loss sinking in even as the battle raged on.
Harley screamed a guttural, rage-filled sound that echoed through the night. She charged at the nearest group of guards, her movements wild and unrelenting. Blood and gore splattered as her bat connected with flesh, the weapon now slick with crimson.
"Keep moving!" Deadshot barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We'll mourn him later. Focus on the mission!"