Authors note: How do you make a page break show on the word document? It won't show up on the fanfiction once uploaded. Any ideas?
General Samuel Reyes stepped out the Chinook helicopter. Its long body and irregular oblong shape, at first glance, would look as if it shouldn't be able to fly. Despite it being one of the US's best heavy lifting transport helicopter. Its tandem rotor's whirling overhead kicking up dust blowing it to its surroundings.
Samuel wore a black blazer with a matching colour of trousers, multiple pins representing ribbons earned during combat in his early days of combat with yellow stars decorating his uniform and a pin with the letters US on one of his blazer collars. He was escorted by a detail of guards walking either side of him armed with M16's.
The sound of the helicopter's engine's rose in pitch as it flew vertically and flew off, blowing dust onto its surroundings again, making nearby personnel turn their heads away to protect their eyes.
"Glad to see you make it sir," the voice belonged to a man around his mid-30's. He had dark brown hair and nutmeg skin and wore the US marine MCCUU in a woodland MARPAT camouflage. He wore a helmet with the matching camo with ballistic goggles nestled neatly on top.
"Major Hamill, do you have the report?" the general asked raising a brow.
"I do, sir," the major nodded, "If you'd like to follow me,"
Major Hamill turned heel and walked off with the general closely following. As they continued walking the general noted the charred remains of vehicles as well as soldiers on patrol taking their designated routes and others scavenging for usable scrap from the remains. Hundreds of men on stretchers, as far as the eye can see, were being treated by medics. Some of the wounded were housed in tents with the iconic red cross for further treatment while others were being loaded onto UH 60 Blackhawk helicopters with the same red cross painted on the cabin door and the nose. It was a grizzly sight to say the least with the constant blood curdled screaming and once lush green grass dyed red in blood, as if the entire world was bleeding.
Major Hamill led the general and his guards to a clearing a on the side of the road where tents were being set up to create a temporary base. The drive was fortified with sandbags on either side which led to the clearing with guards wielding assault rifles. Behind the sandbags was a Humvee with a 50 calibre machine gun with the gunner mounted. The camp was bustling with activity, with guards on patrols and engineers starting up generators and pitching tents. Samuel was led to the command tent which was slightly larger to the others.
After ordering his guards to stay and guard the entrance Hamill led the general inside to his office. Nothing really stood out, as it was literally only a few crates acting as tables and a foldable chair behind of a laptop. The only decoration was a simple houseplant.
"Here's the file,"
The major handed him a yellow folder with a red stamp which read "CLASSIFIED". Samuel opened the folder and read through the file.
It read: "Sigma 22 'The Crew' was engaged at the Ukraine-Russian border escorting a convoy bound for an FOB in an undisclosed location. Sigma 22 is a squad consisting of six [6] members belonging to 'The Unit' All six [6] are MIA presumed KIA and have disappeared in a similar way to SGT.[REDACTED] 'Reaper' [REDACTED] as well as the 'The Ginza Incident'
No bodies recovered.
CPT.[REDACTED], LT.[REDACTED], MSG.[REDACTED],Cpl[REDACTED], SSG.[REDACTED] and Unit #[READCTED] are MIA.
The convoy's cargo consisted of: Raw materials, ammo, weapons, reinforcements, medical supplies and [REDACTED]. The item in question along with 'Sigma 22' and the addition of missing supply crates have disappeared, presumed destroyed in combat or captured. The search for the item and Sigma 22 will have a radius of 20km from the convoy, nearby settlements are to be searched and Red Imperial bases or areas of recent activity are to be raided and searched. No new details at this time,"
"So…, Black Company is involved and the 'item' is missing," the general said closing the file.
"Yes, sir," Hamill replied, "The involvement of Black Company is makes this extremely case sensitive and the missing 'item' is driving the higher ups crazy,"
"Hmmm…," the general thought a moment peering out the blinds, "Well then, let's hope wherever those Black company fellas are they have the 'item' safely with them. I can only wish Sigma 22 the best,"
"Hey! Try kicking it!" Mack cupped his hands shouting at Taylor followed by the clang of his foot after making contact with the containers door.
We found this container when Mike was on patrol on the early hours of the morning. It was olive drab in colour and was about 20 feet long and 8 feet high. We couldn't tell what was inside, let alone open it without damaging its contents inside, as it was sealed with an electromagnetic lock which could only be opened with a key card. None of us know about any containers with electromagnetic locks, but they were really vague with the brief.
We spent a good half an hour trying to figure out how to open it, even using the 'Mystical Power of Bait' that Taylor claims he has yet has never worked, except that one time with the party cannon and yes it was awesome.
Looks like any hopes of finding out what's inside will be dashed for the time being until we figure out how to open the magnetic lock.
"Looks like we'll have to pack it up," I said, "grab everything you can and prepare to head to the castle,"
For those wondering what the castle is it's a castle like structure Ayaka found during some early morning recon. The structure from what she described it looked like a mansion or temple, Italian or Greek in origin, with parts submerged underwater, mostly pillars. She also said it had a giant statue of an angel erected at the top and a runway jutting out of the structure with lots of aerial activity. Which may or may not bode well for us since Albert found that no airfields should be on our location, let alone mansions with giant statues on top of them. If even such a mansion exists.
Let's just pray there will be someone there to help us.
"Erica! Erica! Wake up damnit!" Gertrud clamoured at the small blonde to wake her up but to no avail, "We've got a mission!"
The brunette shook Erica more vigorously.
"C'mon give me five more minutes," Erica yawned.
"You said that five minutes ago!"
Gertrud sighed. She wasn't surprised at Erica's lazy behaviour, as it was typical for her.
Gertrud left the room and left Erica to her own devices. She walked through the bases numerous corridors and hallways to the briefing room.
The briefing room was small and basic. The floor and walls were entirely made of a dull grey stone and there was only one window which overlooked the bright blue sea and let in much needed light. There were cheap wooden chairs that the squadron members sat on whenever they were need to be briefed as well as a small podium the speaker would use with the addition of a green chalkboard to its right, giving it an impression of a small classroom.
"At 0400, in the morning, we intercepted a strange radio frequency coming not far off from base," the woman on the podium was the 501st's flight lead. Major Mio Sakamoto. Next to her was a red headed woman at her late teens. Her name was Minna Dietlinde Wilcke and she was the NCO of the 501st.
Around Gertrud were the members picked to mission. They were Erica Hartmann, who had just walked into the room and was still yawning and struggling to keep awake, Lynette Bishop, Yoshika Miyafuji, Charlotte Yeager, Francessca Lucchini, Perrine Clostermann and Mio Sakamoto.
"Alright, without further ado, go find the source of that transmission!" Minna said.
"What is it Ayaka?" I asked packing up supplies that I might need, like ammo, food and medicine, and putting them into my ruck.
"You may want to take a look at this, sir," Ayaka held a pair of binoculars as we walked to the edge of the forest, overlooking the sea, on the horizon was the mansion we were headed to.
Ayaka passed the binoculars.
I brought them to my eyes and adjusted the focus to make the image clearer.
"Hmm… interesting," I mumbled to myself.
On the horizon I could make out the specs of what I assumed was aircraft. They were too far away to describe in detail, but I could hear the distant hum of prop engines, and they appeared to be headed this way, fast. That was either a good thing or a bad thing.
"Shit," mumbled Ayaka.
"C'mon, let's go tell the others," I said, "Double time it!"
I and Ayaka ran back to the camp, stumbling throughout the stones that were in our way.
"Captain, what's the rush?" Mack said making slight tweaks on his LMG.
"No time, Bait, I need you to get on any AT weapons you can get your hands on, machine guns, rocket launchers, 'nades, anything." I barked, "Albert, Mike, I need you to fortify what you can, Mack get behind something and get ready with the SAW. Ayaka find an elevated position and keep over watch, we don't have a lot of time, let's move it lads!"
The 501st were rapidly approaching the site. During the brief they were informed of a high concentration of magic energy, it disappeared as soon as it came. It may have just been an error, or an undiscovered phenomenon they have yet to understand, or worst case scenario. Neuroi. But they were the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, they were witches, because there's nothing a witch can't do.
The squadron flew in a delta formation, slightly above tree level, skimming the green tips of the trees. Gertrud was flying just behind the Major's left side, with Erica Hartmann flying behind.
The squadron flew towards a clearing in the forest by the coast. As they flew towards the clearing something felt a little off, like they were being watched. It was a natural instinct for a soldier to assume that potential hostiles were hiding behind anything, but it was probably nothing.
However, their instincts weren't wrong as they made out metal and wooden crates as well as the remains of a camp, and by its look it was recently made.
"Gertrud, Erica, Shirley, Francesca. Get down there and search the area," Sakamoto ordered, "The rest of us will provide over watch,"
The four exited the strikers barefoot and started sweeping the site.
"Woah look at these crates!" Francesca said peering inside, "Wow I've never seen anything like this,"
Francesca was holding a weapon of some sort. It was black in colour with a large triangular shape rifle stock and a handle on the top of the rifle. The barrel was oddly shaped and had some sort of railings jutting out from the sides and underside. Unbeknownst to them it was an American M16A4 assault rifle and the railings were used to attach weapon mods, such as laser sights and fore grips.
"I've never seen anything like them," Erica said rummaging through the crates.
"Hey! Don't touch anything!" Gertrud hissed at her partner's curiosity.
"Looks like something Erica's sister would make," Shirley said.
The four were bewildered to what the contents of the crates and containers were and who may have camped here the previous night, but unknown to them they were being watched.
"We got four unknowns, Young girls?" Mack whispered looking down the sights of his M249.
He had taken position behind a makeshift MG nest which was literally a fallen log they used the night before concealed with twigs and leaves.
"They aren't wearing panties either," Albert whispered loading his Spas 12 back pressed against a tree.
"Hey, Bait, you enjoying the view, amigo?" Mike said, prone next to bait, the duo with their weapons pointed at their selected targets.
"Shut up," Bait whispered in a manner close to shouting, somewhat flustered, "That ain't cool, man!"
"What are they? Air assault infantry, like the ones with the jet packs?" asked Ayaka. She was crouched up on a tree branch and had her sight on the blond haired girl.
"Nah, my guess would be those terrorist syndicate lads in the middle east," I said concealing myself behind a crate.
"I dunno, what would they be doing this far out, and what were those things they just had on their legs," Mack said "They look like them ww2 fighters and didn't they just have animal ears and tails?"
"I wouldn't know, mate," I replied, "but im gonna find out,"
[Linebreak]
"Okay let's report our findings to the commander," Gertrud said.
"Got it," Erica replied, "Shirley's gonna have a fun time with these, whatever they are,"
"Minna, this is Gertrud, we've got something here,"
"Copy, what do you have?"
"Send over a detail, we got some-"
Gertrud heard the sound heard the sound of a gun loading.
"Don't move,"
The voice belonged to a male, judging from his accent he was Brittanian. And was clearly armed.
"Trudy!" Erica cried.
She charged at the unknown, MG 42 at the ready, but was swiftly tackled to the ground.
"Hartmann!" The trio yelled.
Just above the clearing the witches on over watch heard the yelling and commotion before radio silence.
Minna was silent for a while before issuing the order: "Get down there!"
A distant hum of the engines grew louder as they descended down the woods.
Reinforcements.
The man who tackled Hartmann was unlike Gertrud had ever seen before. He obviously was a soldier of some sort.
He wore armour that wasn't familiar to her. A Neuroi? He sure looked like one. He was black clad in padded armour plating, multiple pouches, a helmet with an extra plate of armour, sleek goggles that seemed to emit a slight crimson light and some sort of mask with the mouth of a shark or wolf with sharp jagged teeth, reminiscent of the nose art on P40 Warhawks.
"Damnit!" Shirley cocked her Bar, finger on the trigger.
"Stop! Or we'll shoot!"
"We outnumber you!" Sakamoto yelled, gun at the ready.
The air was heavy with tension. The witches guns were raised at the man, fingers trained on the trigger.
"Ready,"
Gertrud looked down the sights of her MG 42, aimed at the man's head.
"Aim,"
She rested her finger on the trigger, relaxing by inhaling and exhaling.
"Fire!" Sakamoto ordered.
"Team! Open fire!" The man yelled.
Before any of the witches were able to shoot the earth shook violently, as if it was protesting on both of the parties actions.
"Girls?! Girls?!" Minna's voice cracked through the comms, somewhat panicked, "Get out of there!"
"What is it, Commander?!" Sakamoto asked, unable to comprehend what was going on.
"Neuroi!"
