Johan thought for a moment before asking,
"If the lights can be disabled for a moment, I can slip through and handle those two at the watch tower. I'll give a signal, and the others can start moving as well."
Everyone silently mused Johan's idea and before they could respond, Lucy's voice sounded from the line,
"How long should the lights be gone?"
"Three seconds is enough, but it'll be when I give the mark."
"That's fine. I'll handle the lights; you handle getting through. Wade, Connor, I'm pulling you both from the front… Johan will take your place. At his signal, you both will proceed to the hostiles in the forest. Bonnie, Eric, and Anna will cover and help handle the rest of the hostiles. Is everything clear?"
"All clear."
Everyone replied in unison.
After that, Johan proceeded to take off his weighted vest and boots. The moment he did, his feet were suspended inches above the ground, as though gravity didn't apply to him. This was his ability, Floatation.
Johan's ability, floatation, made it extremely difficult for his feet to touch the ground under normal circumstances, always suspending him in mid-air. This was the reason he wore weighted vests and other specially crafted gear to keep him on the ground. However, his use of this ability in covert assignments made him a reliable team member.
All the weights were taken off and Johan was suspended twelve inches above the ground. He stretched his hands, grabbed the closest branch, and pulled, borrowing the force to propel himself upward. He moved agilely, grabbing and leaping off branches until he got to the top of the tree.
"I'm in position," he said.
"Copy that. Just say when…"
Lucy was to hack into the base's system and disable the lights outside, but since Johan was the one to make the move, she had to do it when he was ready and not a moment earlier or later.
Johan didn't act just yet. He looked over the guards patrolling the forest and those guarding the entrance, scrutinizing their movements and patterns, checking for blind spots in their formation.
"Lucy, how's it coming?"
Johan asked.
Clicking sounds could be heard over the line.
"I'm ready now… on your mark."
Johan waited for a moment before announcing,
"Do it now."
The watch tower and the tree Johan was on were about fifty meters apart. Regardless of how it would be achieved, he had to transverse fifty meters in three seconds without getting detected.
The moment the word was given, the lights instantly went off, and as expected, the guards patrolling the entrance entered a frenzy due to the sudden blackout. They issued commands in another language, moving around frantically. But during the commotion, the lights came back on. In just three short seconds, the guards were already cocked and ready for any action.
The lights coming back on didn't make them let their watch down. Commands were issued and everyone started reporting back through their talkies. The atmosphere eased when everyone was accounted for, before resuming their usual patrols.
The watch tower was old and dilapidated with no windows. Two people stood guard at different corners of the tower armed with assault rifles. The blackout just now made them uneasy, making them more alert. They scrutinized the area as though they wanted to see all that was hidden beneath the snow.
While being engrossed in their duty, one of them suddenly felt something itchy on their neck,
"Damn bugs… that hurts."
The person who spoke was angry that he mercilessly smacked his neck and still didn't kill the bug. He turned to his partner who had the same problem of a bug bite. Except he was a lot calmer than the other.
"Are bugs meant to be out this time of the season?"
He asked under his breath while rubbing his sore.
Suddenly their eyes felt heavy,
"Whoa, what's happening?"
"This can't be right… let's report to the…"
Before completing his sentence, the guard felt something slam into him from above, knocking him out. The other one felt drowsy, but he got a good glimpse at the sudden assailant. He was just about to reach for his talkie when he blacked out.
"I'm in…"
Johan said over the line.
"Good. Bonnie, Eric, Anna, you're up," said Lucy.
"Take out the hostiles guarding the entrance, while Wade and Connor proceed to those in the forest. Johan, make your way down the tower and take out any hostiles you encounter. Move fast!"
Lucy coordinated the team to match the situation, and everyone understood their assignments and moved to carry them out.
Bonnie, Eric, and Anna had abilities that gave them a long-range advantage. The only problem was that they were lethal, and their mission this time around was against it. Nonetheless, they were all good with snipers. They took out their snipers, chose their targets, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Under normal circumstances, Johan's feet cannot touch the ground, but he spent time building muscle mass and learning ways to move around while remaining weightless. It didn't help keep him on the ground, but moving around was a lot easier.
Johan's slender body remained close to the ground as he descended the tower. But before he got to the entrance of the tower, he saw someone standing guard there and stopped. Luckily, the guard didn't hear him coming, and Johan silently showed up behind. Not even a muffled noise was heard when Johan forcefully suppressed the guard.
Johan then gave the word over the line and the support unit, Bonnie, Eric, and Anna fired their shots at their targets, clearing the remaining three hostiles at the entrance. Very soon, Wade and Connor emerged from the forest, heading for the entrance. On Connor's hands were Johan's shoes.
"These sure are heavy for shoes." He said, giving them to Johan.
Johan frowned,
"Is that blood on them? Don't tell me…"
"What? They packed a punch. One hit and they were down for the count."
Johan's eyes twitched.
Lucy's voice then sounded from the line,
"Wade, Connor, and Johan, you guys go retrieve the target. I'll lead you to where he's held."
The order was given, and with questions asked, the three of them proceeded to the target's location under Lucy's direction.