The rookies of the Green Team, after a grueling week of training, finally welcomed their much-deserved weekend of fun.
Long Zhan, in particular, had already mounted his old antique motorcycle and set off to Hudson State University, dozens of kilometers away, to pick up Stella and have a great time together.
By spending more time together, he aimed to win over this fiery beauty sooner rather than later. That way, he wouldn't have to spend every weekend squeezed into the dormitory with a bunch of sweaty guys, forced to endure the stench of sweat and foot odor.
Meanwhile, the members of Team B, who had been enjoying a week of rest at home, received a sudden summons from the base the day before their weekend could even begin.
There were no fixed working hours, but they were required to be on call 24/7 throughout the year—such was the life of a DG operative.
---
An hour later, all the active members of Team B had gathered in the Red Team Operations Conference Room on the third floor of headquarters.
Before Jason and the others arrived for the meeting, Senior Intelligence Officer Mandy and Commander Eric were already present, accompanied by a skinny, short, middle-aged Asian man who clearly looked like a researcher.
"This is a satellite map of a deserted hospital on the outskirts of Akhir City, in the northeastern region of Syria," Mandy began.
The laser pointer in her hand emitted a red beam, highlighting a spot on the 100-inch LCD screen at the front of the room.
"According to reliable intelligence we've recently obtained, we believe the Syrian military is using this facility as a biological weapons factory. If true, the consequences would be catastrophic, which is why you've all been called here."
"A hospital that's been abandoned for years, yet there are so many tire tracks around it. That's definitely unusual," Jason mused aloud.
"After our repeated strikes, they've resorted to mobile laboratories to avoid detection, haven't they?" Ray asked curiously.
"An excellent question," Mandy said with a smile, crossing her arms. "You all remember Dr. Lucien from the Biochemical Unit. He'll answer all your questions."
"Hi, good to see you again, everyone," the middle-aged Asian man said, standing up and greeting the group as he walked to the screen.
"Oh, shit, Death Doctor," Trent groaned, slapping his forehead and covering his eyes in mock pain.
It was clear he disliked the doctor, though his disdain wasn't personal—it was aimed at biochemical missions. The presence of Dr. Lucien signaled that their next task would be a high-risk operation.
Anything biochemical, be it toxic gas or radiation, carried grave risks. Even if one survived exposure, severe aftereffects were almost guaranteed.
Trent wasn't the only one unhappy. Team members like Jason and Ray, who had families, were equally apprehensive but chose not to voice it.
Dr. Lucien, having worked with Team B multiple times, was unfazed by their candid attitudes. He merely flashed a grin, showing his two prominent buck teeth. "Recently, we successfully identified and destroyed mobile labs, forcing the Syrian military to revert to fixed locations.
"They chose this hospital because hospitals are protected under international war laws, assuming we wouldn't dare bomb the site. And they're right—without solid evidence proving the hospital has been converted into a biochemical weapons facility, the Department of Defense won't authorize an airstrike."
Dr. Lucien didn't elaborate further, as everyone understood the implications.
Biochemical weapons are globally prohibited. If it could be proven that the hospital was producing such weapons, the U.S. Department of Defense would have grounds to greenlight an airstrike.
Gathering that evidence, however, fell squarely on the shoulders of the special forces.
"What kind of evidence does the Department of Defense consider irrefutable?" Jason asked.
"Physical proof," Mandy replied.
"Samples?"
"That would be ideal," Mandy said, tilting her head with a teasing smirk before turning back to the screen. "Our satellite passes over the target every seven hours, lingering above the area for twelve seconds and capturing six high-resolution images each time.
"In the past three passes, we've observed these peculiar phenomena."
She switched the images on the screen, zooming in on a smaller section of the ground.
Ray noticed numerous black dots in the photos, with discernible limbs and heads, and ventured a guess. "Are those dead livestock?"
"Precisely," Mandy nodded.
"There must be hundreds of them. To cause this level of devastation, did they open a gas valve to irrigate the desert?" Sunny quipped, attempting dark humor, though the room remained silent.
Mandy clarified, speculating, "There was intense fighting in the area over the past few days. We believe a stray missile hit their supply depot inside the hospital, causing a massive toxic leak."
"That's a strong possibility," Jason agreed, quickly steering the discussion to the core issue. "What about their defenses? Are there Syrian troops nearby?"
"You don't need to worry too much about that," Eric interjected from his seat on the left. "We'll monitor Syrian military movements closely and identify the best window for your assault."
"What's the hospital's security situation?" Ray asked.
"We've been monitoring for three days and have only identified a six-man squad on patrol," Dr. Lucien reported.
"You're saying a chemical weapons factory is guarded by just six people?" Sunny said incredulously.
The idea of such a critical facility being so poorly defended was deeply suspicious.
"Yes, only six. Small enough to avoid detection by image analysts. If it weren't for the dead cattle, we might never have noticed the facility," Mandy explained.
At this point, Brock, who had been silent, quipped, "We're studying them, and they're studying us. Fascinating."
Mandy shrugged, spreading her hands as if to say, "That's just the way it is."
"What do you think they're producing?" Trent, who had been uneasy about biochemical weapons from the start, asked.
"Based on historical government records, sarin or ethyl gas are the most likely candidates," Mandy replied.
As she finished, Dr. Lucien added, "Both are lethal nerve agents. A single barrel of sarin could wipe out the entire planet.
"If you're hoping it's ethyl gas instead, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. I'd much rather it be sarin. Ethyl gas is humanity's deadliest creation. Just one gram is enough to kill 100,000 people."