The supply depot loomed like a fortress in the industrial district, its massive silhouette lit by floodlights and patrolled by armed guards. It was the heart of the dissenting council's supply chain, holding stockpiles of food, energy cells, and medical provisions. Destroying it wasn't just a strategic move—it was a crippling blow that would leave the enemy scrambling to sustain their forces.
Kara Valen was the perfect choice to lead this mission. Renowned for her tactical genius and ability to make tough calls under pressure, she had assembled a team of operatives for this high-risk operation. But even with her experience, she knew the odds weren't in their favor.
Inside a dimly lit safehouse on the outskirts of the industrial district, Kara stood before her team. A holographic projection of the supply depot flickered in the air, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
"Our objective is simple but critical," Kara began, her voice calm and authoritative. "We infiltrate the depot, plant charges on their primary stockpiles, and ensure every supply inside goes up in flames. This will severely weaken their ability to sustain their forces."
She pointed to three glowing sections of the depot blueprint. "These are our targets: the energy-cell repository, the medical supplies hangar, and the food storage warehouse. Each area is heavily guarded, with drones and automated defenses. The depot also has a rapid-response unit stationed nearby, so we need to be fast."
Talen, one of her marksmen, frowned. "Fast and silent? That's asking for miracles, Kara. What about contingencies if things go south?"
Kara's silver-gray eyes met his. "We adapt. But make no mistake—this isn't a battle. We strike hard, leave no traces, and exfiltrate before they can respond. Understood?"
The team murmured their agreement, though tension hung in the air.
Sera, the tech infiltrator, smirked as she adjusted her gloves. "Don't worry. Once I disable their drones, this will feel like a walk in the park."
Kara gave her a sharp look. "Stay focused, Sera. Overconfidence gets people killed."
The industrial district was a maze of towering structures and cargo containers, dimly lit by flickering streetlights. Kara led her team through the shadows, their energy-reactive suits muted to blend with the environment.
They reached the drainage grate—a narrow, rusted entry point hidden behind a stack of crates. Sera crouched beside it, pulling out a compact hacking device.
"This'll take a minute," she whispered.
"Make it thirty seconds," Kara replied, scanning the area for patrols.
The lock clicked open just as a pair of guards rounded the corner. Kara raised a hand, motioning for silence. Talen moved swiftly, his suppressed energy rifle firing two silent shots that dropped the guards instantly.
"Move," Kara ordered, leading the team into the drainage tunnel.
Inside the depot, Team A—led by Varin, the demolition expert—split off to target the energy cells. The repository was a massive storage room filled with neatly stacked crates of volatile energy. But the area was heavily guarded, with two drones hovering near the entrance and four armed guards patrolling.
Talen signaled to the team as they took cover behind a stack of crates. "We take out the drones first. I've got the one on the left."
The first drone went down silently, its circuits fried by Talen's precision shot. But as Varin lined up his shot for the second drone, his weapon emitted a faint whine, just loud enough to alert the guards.
"Movement! Intruders!" one of the guards shouted, raising his weapon.
Chaos erupted. Talen managed to down the second drone, but the guards opened fire, forcing the team into a firefight.
Varin, realizing the situation was spiraling, shouted, "Cover me! I'm planting the charges!"
As the team returned fire, Varin sprinted to the energy cells, attaching the explosives. But a stray shot from a guard struck him in the shoulder, sending him sprawling.
"Varin!" Sera screamed, firing wildly at the guards.
"I'm fine!" Varin growled, clutching his wound as he finished setting the charges. "We've got three minutes. Move!"
Despite the injury, the team managed to retreat, dragging Varin along as the energy cells exploded in a deafening blast behind them.
Kara's Team B moved toward the medical supplies hangar, navigating through narrow corridors and avoiding patrols. But as they approached their target, they encountered an unexpected obstacle—a group of engineers working late, surrounded by automated turret defenses.
Kara signaled for the team to hold. "We can't take them out without alerting the entire depot."
Sera stepped forward, holding up a small device. "I can disable the turrets remotely, but it'll take time."
"Do it," Kara said, keeping her voice low.
As Sera worked, one of the engineers glanced toward their hiding spot. Before he could raise the alarm, Kara moved like a shadow, taking him down silently with a blade to the throat.
The turrets powered down just as the remaining engineers noticed something was wrong.
"We're compromised," Talen muttered.
"No choice," Kara said. "Take them out."
The team engaged in a brutal close-quarters fight, eliminating the engineers. But one of their operatives, a young scout named Elen, was struck by a turret that briefly reactivated.
"Elen's down!" Talen shouted.
"Leave her," Kara snapped, her voice pained but firm. "We can't risk the mission."
The team hesitated, but Kara's command spurred them into action. They planted the charges and retreated, the medical supplies erupting in flames behind them.
The food storage warehouse was the most heavily guarded of all, with a full squad of soldiers stationed inside. Kara led her team in carefully, using the chaos from the previous explosions as a distraction.
They managed to plant the charges without detection, but as they moved to leave, a patrol entered the warehouse.
"Who's there?" a soldier barked, his weapon raised.
Kara made a split-second decision. "Go," she told her team. "I'll cover you."
"No way," Talen argued. "We're not leaving you behind."
"That's an order!" Kara snapped.
Reluctantly, the team retreated as Kara engaged the patrol, taking out three soldiers before reinforcements arrived. She fought fiercely, buying her team enough time to escape before detonating the charges remotely.
The supply depot was reduced to smoldering ruins, its destruction visible from miles away. But the cost of the mission weighed heavily on Kara's team. They had lost Elen, and Varin's injury left him unable to continue fighting.
Back at the command room, Aether and Arath received the news.
"Did they succeed?" Aether asked, his voice tense.
Kara's voice crackled through the comms. "The depot is gone. But we took casualties."
Aether closed his eyes, the weight of the war sinking in. "Understood. You did well, Kara."
"Did we?" Kara murmured, her tone bitter. "We lost good people tonight. I hope this was worth it."
"It will be," Arath said firmly. "This is just the beginning."
Back in the command room, Aether and Arath monitored the missions with bated breath. The holographic map displayed live updates, showing each target as it was successfully neutralized.
"All teams are clear," Arath said, his voice tinged with relief.
"Good," Aether replied. "But this is only the beginning. The council won't take this lying down."
Kael, watching from the back, felt a surge of pride but also unease. He knew this victory would provoke retaliation, and the real battle was yet to come.
The Dissenting Council's Headquarters
The dissenting council members convened in their headquarters as reports of the strikes poured in. Darius Veryon slammed his fist on the table, his face contorted with rage.
"This is unacceptable!" he bellowed. "How did they manage to pull this off?"
Maelis Vorn's eyes burned with anger. "I told you, Darius! I told you they were planning something, but you refused to listen!"
Darius glared at her. "Enough! This isn't the time for blame. We retaliate immediately."
"That's reckless," Maelis snapped. "We need to regroup and assess the damage."
"We don't have time for that," Darius growled. "If we hesitate, they'll gain the upper hand. Everything is already in motion. We strike back now."
Selric Drayn leaned forward, his expression cold. "The troops are ready. All we need is the order."
Darius nodded. "Then give it."
Maelis shook her head, " the communications are down."
"Then do something and get the information out to the troops as soon as possible." Darius barked furiously."
"If this fails, Darius, it's on your head." Maelis said, her voice low and dangerous.
"It won't fail," Darius said coldly. "We'll crush them before they have a chance to recover."
---
As the night deepened, both sides braced for the inevitable clash. The allies of Aether and Arath celebrated their initial success, but they knew the real battle was just beginning. For the dissenting council, the strikes had been a wake-up call, and their retaliation would come swiftly and without mercy.
The war was about to begin.