Amira had her team together in the meeting room back at the safehouse.
The people in her unit filled the room, and their faces were eager and focused.
She started once everyone was sitting down.
"Thank you all for getting here early," she said in a serious voice, "There are two main reasons for this meeting. First, we can't stay here indefinitely. Although it's safe for now, we don't know how long that will last. And second, as you can see, we're already at capacity."
She let her words sink in while she watched her team look at each other thoughtfully.
She nodded, feeling a surge of pride.
This was her team, her family, and together, they would face whatever challenges awaited them on the horizon.
"I'll get straight to the point, then we'll discuss it," she began, glancing around to ensure she had everyone's attention.
The team nodded in unison.
"Firstly," Amira said, her voice even, "we'll monitor closely for any energy surges at 5 PM. If they happen, we'll evaluate the government's response, especially concerning the possibility of communication blackouts."
A ripple of tension spread through the room as she continued.
"If Carl's intel is right, and the government abandons other provinces, we'll relocate to Icelorn Basin. Our objective there would be to secure the military base and fortify the town within. Its natural defenses would give us a strategic advantage, providing protection and resources to sustain our group and families."
She paused, gauging the reaction of her team.
She could see a flicker of disappointment in some of their faces at the idea of resuming their lives if nothing happened, but no one raised an objection.
Finally, Sam spoke up, "Captain, why Icelorn Basin?"
She nodded toward Elias, signaling him to answer. He stepped forward, clearing his throat.
"The town within the basin is almost completely self-sustaining," Elias explained.
"It has fresh water, fertile land, and, more importantly, a large underground military bunker. It's equipped with small-scale manufacturing units for ammo, medicine, and other essential supplies. Also, it's surrounded by rivers and a mountain range, areas with lower beast density. If everyone awakens, we should be able to hold our ground."
A collective murmur of understanding spread among the group, a look of relief passing over their faces.
Amira could feel the tension ease as they saw that she'd thought of everything, ensuring their families' safety and sustainability.
"Now," she continued, "focus on completing your assigned tasks. Those helping with procurement, stay on it."
"For the rest, I need you to get as many of these herbs as you can, no matter how much they cost. They are very important for our preparations."
She held up a list, passing it along to the group.
"Also, form a small team to discreetly contact reliable colleagues and inform them of the potential threat."
"Tell them to move to one of the big cities in the central or the province where they are now. You must remain anonymous; don't risk being found out."
Elias leaned in as she addressed him directly, "I'll need you to put together a video exposing the government's cover-up of recent incidents."
"People should be warned about the hidden dangers and told to stay away from places that are close to forests, mountain ranges, or anything else with wildlife. Release it by 3 pm. and make sure no one will locate us."
"Consider it done, Captain," Elias replied, determination sparking in his eyes.
Amira scanned the room once more, feeling a surge of pride in her team's resolve.
"If Carl's vision comes to pass, we'll save as many lives as we can," she affirmed.
With the tasks assigned, Amira briefed them on a recent incident near the Grove farm.
She'd decided to take ten members to investigate and told the rest to await further orders.
She dismissed the group, watching as they conferred among themselves, choosing who would accompany her.
Thirty minutes later, Amira stepped into the brisk cold air, fully dressed in her combat suit, her gear secured.
Her selected squad waited, checking their equipment with quiet focus.
She gave a nod of approval, spotting Asher, Mira, and Sophie among the group.
Once everyone was ready, they loaded into the vehicles and set off.
Meanwhile, in a distance near helicopter landing zone just as Aiden's team regrouped, a low, guttural growl echoed from the trees, freezing them in their tracks.
Aiden, the squad leader, narrowed his eyes and gestured for everyone to stay alert.
Only the soft rustling of leaves broke the tight silence in the air.
Suddenly, three wild dogs stepped out of the darkness.
Each one was about 1.5 meters tall and had muscles showing through its thick fur.
It looked like wildfire in their eyes, which shone like coals in the dark.
Someone or something was off about them; they had a scary, almost smart look that made Aiden shiver.
He whispered to his team, "It's showtime."
"Get Jefferson back to the helicopter." As he said, "Pair up, the rest of you. Kill these dogs. Two on each."
The team was very careful as they moved. They split up into pairs and got closer to the animals, guns ready.
Aiden didn't move. He kept his surroundings in check and kept his eyes open for any sudden moves.
As the fighting started, something else came out of the shadows: a huge dog that was almost two meters taller than the others.
It had thick, matted fur all over its body, and a flaming horn sticking out of its head that lit up the grove in a scary, fiery way.
Aiden clenched his teeth and told his team to stay focused.
"I've got this one."
"You take care of the others," he told them, his voice calm even though things were tense.
The pack of wild dogs and the squad were in a fierce battle. The wild beast were fighting with strength and speed that didn't seem natural.
They were so angry that their teeth snapped and claws cut through the air, pushing the other people in the group to their limits.
One man fell backwards with a cut arm and just barely avoided getting bit again.
Aiden stood straight up and faced the bigger hound. As he called on his power, flames sparked in his hands.
He turned his energy into a stream of fire that he aimed straight at the beast.
As they closed in, the fires popped along the ground as they moved forward.
But the animal did something strange: it lowered its horn and consumed the fire, which fed the glowing spire on top of its head.
He barely had time to take in the shock before the beast charged at him with its horn on fire.
As it went by, he rolled to the side and felt the heat from its horn almost burn his skin.
He said under his breath,
"It's like it's feeding off my flames." He tightened his grip on his weapon in anger.
Close by, his team was having a hard time avoiding the aggressive dogs.
Their bullets didn't seem to slow down the creatures much, and they fought back with scary force.
One of the guys yelled,
"These things won't go down!" His voice was rough, "They look like they're made of iron!"
"Don't move!" he barked and threw another round of fire at his opponent.
While the bigger hound easily ducked, and its eyes shone with a cold intelligence.
Aiden noticed that it was watching him and studying how he moved.
He changed his plan with a grimace, feinting to the right to draw the it closer before lunging to the left to get closer.
Drawing his blade, he struck hard, the steel glinting in the sunlight as it bit into the creature's side.
The hound howled, a guttural, furious sound that echoed through the grove.
It staggered but quickly regained its balance, its fiery horn blazing even brighter.
He muttered as he got ready for the next round, "This thing just won't quit."
At that very moment, Amira's SUV hummed quietly as it neared the edge of the grove, morning light streaming through the leaves and casting long, dappled shadows.
She leaned forward, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the road ahead. The forest was dense here, the thick canopy creating a shifting blend of light and dark.
Her instincts prickled, a familiar sensation warning her to stay alert.
"Alright, ease up here," she murmured through the radio, her tone low but firm. "Sophie, I need you to scout the area. Get out, see what's up ahead. We'll hold position here."
Sophie nodded, slipping silently out of the car. The team waited, each moment stretching longer as they listened to the soft rustling of leaves in the distance.
Amira's hand tapped rhythmically against the steering wheel as she kept her gaze locked in the direction Sophie had gone. The feeling that something was waiting for them was growing stronger.
Finally, Sophie appeared again, sprinting back to the SUV, her face grim.
"There's a fight going on near the grove," she whispered. "Looks like a military squad. They're up against three wild dogs… and a large hound."
As Amira thought about what she had learned, her heart rate went up.
"Alright, everyone, masks on," she instructed, pulling her own mask over her face. "Remember, we're mercenaries hired to clear out beasts. Keep it casual, no showing off."
The team adjusted their masks, each shifting into a tougher, more unbothered stance.
She took a steadying breath, letting herself slip into character, "Let's go check it out."