ONI Field Report D45937
Date: July 6, 2564 (Military Calendar)
Classification: TOP SECRECT, CODE-WORD
Subject: Status of OPERATION: RINGWRAITH
Location: Elysium City, Eridanus II
Author(s): Commander Lazarus-B210 (service number [CLASSIFIED]), UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence
Abstract: After nearly six months of undercover investigation on behalf of Section One's Counterintelligence Division and alongside other Counterintelligence Division members and SPARTAN Team Excalibur, Insurrectionist terrorist activities on Eridanus II indeed exist on planet. I have pinpointed the exact locations of several cells operating in Elysium City. Surveillance has shown that these cells are well insulated and have been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of UNSC citizens and soldiers. In addition, I have confirmed that an Insurrectionist spy ring codenamed "Bhoot" (Sanskrit for "past being") has been in operation within the Elysium City Law Enforcement and ONI's office on planet for the past two years. Members of this spy ring are as follows:
-Lieutenant Commander Henry Josephson, UNSC Navy and operations head of ONI's Eridanus Office
-Lieutenant Lucas Choi, UNSC Navy and secretary to the Eridanus Office Chief
-Major Josephine Langer, UNSC Army liaison to the Eridanus Office
-Staff Sergeant Chetan Hassan, UNSC Marine Corps and intelligence specialist
-Landon Ramos, deputy chief of the Elysium City Law Enforcement
-Derek Christiansen, chief of the Elysium City Law Enforcement Counterterrorism Branch
The spy ring has been responsible for several failed operations and ambushes on our assets. I request additional assets to commence the second phase of OPERATION: RINGWRAITH. I recommend sending in at least four ODST companies, two SPARTAN-IV teams, and a nearby UNSC frigate to augment on-site strength for the second phase.
Date: July 7, 2564
Classification: TOP SECRET, CODE-WORD
Subject: Response to ONI Field Report D45937
Author(s): Major General Jonathan McConnell (service number 72163-03944-OX), UNSC Office of Naval Intelligence
Abstract: Request for additional assets has been granted. Six ODST companies and SPARTAN-IV Teams Fireball and Magyar will arrive on site at around 0700 hours, July 8. Also, we have notified two nearby Army battalions, who have been on planet for training exercises, of the situation and they will provide assistance. Also, UNSC Mogul will be on station for the extraction of all assets except a few members of Counterintelligence Branch, who will stay behind to conduct further investigations. The second phase of OPERATION: RINGWRAITH will commence at 1900 hours, July 10, 2564. Godspeed.
Lazarus watched the satellite feed's heat vision on the ONI-retrofitted Pelican, as the ODSTs, SPARTANs, and ONI agents moved into positions outside the Insurrectionists' locations and the residences of the "Bhoot" spy ring. Six months of surveillance and investigations have led to the critical part of Operation: Ringwraith. The raids had to be coordinated from a single command-and-control center aboard the Pelican and they all had to commence simultaneously for maximum effect. The best-case scenario for this operation was that there would be no shots fired and all high-value targets accounted for, and that was reliant on the element of surprise. Lazarus was sure that they had that element in their grasp, but nearly twenty years of combat experience taught him to not trust in luck.
"Valhalla," Lazarus heard one of the teams call out his codename on comms. "This is Echo Zero-Five. We're in position."
"This is Magyar Actual. We're in position, over."
"This is Zulu Five-One. We're in position."
"November One-Three in position, over."
"Juliet Two-Four in position."
"This is Fireball Actual. We're in position."
"Lima Nine-Seven, we're standing by, over."
"Excalibur is in position."
"Yankee Six-Eight in position, over."
"Delta Two-Three is in position, over."
Lazarus turned his attention to the Army convoys just outside the city. "Uniform Seven-Seven and Romeo Five-Nine, are you in position?"
"Roger that. We're standing by, over."
"Roger, Valhalla. Ready for operation commencement."
He had the agent on comms zoom out the satellite feed a little bit. While the ODSTs, SPARTANs, and ONI field agents conducted the raids, the Army convoys would move in to the city and establish a perimeter around the target areas. After the objectives were completed, the convoys would then extract the teams and their prisoners out and bring them to a rendezvous point outside the city limits.
After looking at the feed once more, Lazarus knew the moment had come.
"Commence the operation," he told the comms agent.
"All units, NAZGUL. I say again, NAZGUL." NAZGUL was the signal word to commence operation.
Lazarus watched the events unfold. Switching to various helmet cams, he watched the raids unfold as the teams bust through various doors and converge on their targets. Most of them were asleep and had no idea what was coming. Some attempted to resist, but they were promptly gunned down before they reached their weapons. After watching the teams place black bags on their targets' heads, they looked around. All of the target places contained direct evidence of Insurrectionist association (fake passports, explosive material, UNSC and Covenant weaponry obtained black market, etc.). For the residences of the spy ring members, there were classified files tucked away in their drawers, no doubt to be turned over to their handlers.
Lazarus checked his watch. 1930 hours. It only took thirty minutes for the entire operation to run, and it was a stunning success. They had effectively shut down Insurrectionist terrorist activities in Elysium City and captured all members of a dangerous spy ring. Not a single UNSC life was lost.
As the last Army convoy left the city with the teams and prisoners in tow, the Pelican moved out of the city's airspace and headed towards UNSC Mogul's hangar bay. After exiting the Pelican, Lazarus oversaw the ODSTs, SPARTANs, a few ONI agents, and the prisoners loaded onto the ship before the Mogul set a course for Earth. Looking at the list of the prisoners, he thought through the best course of action to take.
Henry Josephson sat in a sealed-off room on the Mogul and on a cold metal chair with the black bag still on his head. His hands and feet were bound to the chair and all he could see was a bright white light barely penetrating the cloth. All he remembered from the recent ordeal were multiple flashlights trained on him and several soldiers pinning him down while they zip-tied his hands behind his back. He tried his best not to panic. After all, he was able to stay covert for a lengthy period of time by keeping his cool. Also, ONI made a huge investment in ensuring that their agents would not be able to divulge core secrets to a hostile organization. He was so sure that he would not tell his captors anything that would endanger his comrades back on Eridanus II.
He felt two sets of hands grab his shoulders and pull the bag off his head. Temporarily blinded by the light, he came to and saw what looked like three ONI agents: a man (who looked Asian and had Spartan features) sitting on a steel table in front of him and two holding him (one a black man and the other a white woman).
"I don't think I have to tell you how you came to this room," the Asian man started.
"Whatever it is you are going to do to me, I won't break. You imperialist spooks trained me well to be resistant to interrogation tactics," Henry replied defiantly.
"Oh, sure. We all went through that hellhole on Europa. However, I'm not going to resort to the tactics we were subjected to because that would be counterproductive. Let's talk about you first."
Lazarus pulled out a file Henry knew it was his own comprehensive records from behind him. "You've had quite a life, Henry. You were born out of wedlock on Ballast in 2530 and adopted by an academic family from Circumstance. Both of your adoptive parents were university professors and were quite active in humanitarian causes. You gained acceptance to a respectable institution and studied political science and physics, but you transferred to the Reach Naval Academy and graduated with honors just as the Covenant invaded. Decorated for bravery by saving many of the faculty and students from the burning campus, escaped as Reach was glassed, and fought in the final stages of the Great War. You worked your way up and got recruited into ONI's Section I in '56. Rapid promotion through the ranks and you ended up with the rank of lieutenant commander and as the operations head of ONI's Eridanus II office."
He closed the file. "You've had a bright future ahead of you, Henry. Most people would have killed to be in your position. Maybe, it had something to do with that book we found in your residence. Was it Animal Farm by George Orwell?"
Henry was inwardly shocked at this man's words. Unbeknownst to him, the Asian man sensed his reaction.
"I was surprised at how much you wrote on the pages of that book. Apparently, you believed that the UNSC represented the Manor Farm and that the ruling pigs were ONI and the UEG. From there on, you saw the Insurrection as a better alternative to your future at ONI."
"Animal Farm was only a catalyst to my defection. And this Insurrection is trying to help cleanse the human race of the evils that are the UNSC. We are the outnumbered angels against the hordes of demons."
Lazarus scoffed. "You really believe that? I'm surprised that the security checks didn't catch this. But enough of that."
He put the book on the table. "Let's get to business. We know that you've been actively conducting espionage for the Insurrectionists for two years by leading a ring codenamed 'Bhoot.' We also found classified documents in your house, and ONI personnel never do that. Plus, we have evidence that 'Bhoot' was responsible for the deaths of several of our agents in the Outer Colonies. You're looking at severe espionage charges, and not even your defendant rights will protect you against that."
Henry smiled mockingly. "You think I care about what happens to me? I was prepared the moment I undertook this endeavor."
"Oh, I'm sure you were. Not so sure about the others, though."
"They knew what they were getting themselves into."
"I wouldn't be so confident about them. You are familiar with Landon Ramos?"
Henry didn't answer.
"Good thing about colonial cops, they didn't get the same training you did. He told me that all of you made dead drops to be picked up by an Abraham Wesson. Apparently, that's only a pseudonym. So, what you are going to tell me is the real name of your handler. You do so, I'll put in a good word for and ensure preferential treatment in custody."
Henry remained silent.
Lazarus sighed. "Suit yourself."
He took out a pair of wire pliers. "Hold out his hands," he said to two people holding Henry. "I really hoped that it didn't come down to this."
Henry's eyes widened. He started to struggle, knowing what was going to happen.
"I avoid the tactics used at Europa. It's good for training, but there are thousands of types of methods used in interrogation. Ideally, you break a person by taking away their willpower without physical harm. However, that takes time and I get bored after a while. Psychology suggests that torture is only exacerbated by the mind, because the mind controls every kind of response and emotion available to human beings. So, while I may hurt you, it's ultimately you who makes the decision on whether to cry in pain or shake it off."
Lazarus placed the pliers in between the nail on Henry's right index finger.
"Let's see what you're made of," and he began to pull on it. Possessing SPARTAN strength, Lazarus could have easily pulled that nail off in an instant. However, that would defeat the purpose. Using minimal strength and a slow pull, he did his best to maximize pain.
Henry tried so hard not to scream, but he began to violently shake while the other two began to have trouble restraining him. Denailing was considered counterproductive by ONI centuries ago, but that worked to Lazarus' advantage. No one expected such a barbaric practice to be utilized, which increased the chances of success.
After what seemed to be an eternity for Henry, Lazarus had the nail pulled out completely. "Ugh," he said, observing the bloody nail that still had a tiny amount of flesh attached to it. "That's disgusting." He shook the pliers a little to get the nail off.
"We can do this all day. You've got 19 more nails to be pulled out."
By now, Henry was hyperventilating. Seeing his own index finger devoid of a nail made him realize just what kind of person was in front of him. However, he was not going to break yet. He was going to continue to withhold information.
"Go to hell," Henry declared defiantly. His reward was another episode of pain and his right thumb deprived of a nail. By nail number six, he was close to passing into unconsciousness. He was prevented from doing so when a large bucket of freezing cold water was splashed in his face.
"I know many other methods that will cause pain and won't kill you," Lazarus said as he held Henry's chin. "Maybe, I should pull out some of your teeth. That would be worse compared to the nails you lost."
Lazarus knew by now that Henry was reaching his breaking point. To show that he was serious, he forcefully opened Henry's mouth and pulled out a bicuspid. Henry finally screamed.
Lazarus observed the bloody bicuspid before discarding it. He turned back to Henry.
"Okay, please," he pleaded. "No more. I'll talk."
"That wasn't hard, was it?" Lazarus asked, satisfaction evident in his tone.
"I'll talk. Just ask whatever it is you want and I'll answer."
"Now, we're getting somewhere." He turned to the woman. "Get a corpsman in here. After we patch him up, we'll start the questioning."