Chapter 9: Can't let her die
'Greetings agents' the hologram said. I believe all of Bravo team is familiar with Agent HUNK. His report documents that you all followed orders precisely and the mission turned out perfect. Well, this time, you'll be joined by his entire team. Once again, HUNK will be in charge of the operation and you will all go with your specialist counterpart from the other team, sniper with sniper, medic with medic, and so on. On with the mission. Nero has confessed that he has given information to a woman he was having an affair with. Her name was Lily. After the raid on the base she requested military protection, and she received a pretty heavy one too. Charlie Team was sent for an assassination but the operation ended up a total loss. Their leader was severely wounded in the battle' Meiko frowned hearing that Miku was injured, she was a good friend of hers. The voice went on 'She'll be out of service for three months, along with their demolitions expert who will be out for two. Their sniper is dead, bullet straight to the head. Watch your backs, their field scientist said he couldnt get their sniper's location even after the shot was fired. The military is serious about keeping this Lily girl alive. She is currently at her home, but the Spec Ops operatives are all hidden near the area. Its gonna be more dangerous than the previous one. They're expecting us this time, and they know what they're up against. The way you tore them apart back in the previous operation, they have their best men on this one, they called in Echo-Six. They're so classified even we dont have their names. Watch your backs, Command Out.' and the hologram disappeared. The team got up and entered their individual helicopters.
In Alpha's helicopter it was all serious talk. HUNK was coming up with a plan for the operation. 'If Reaper and Spectre take a point they could give us some support from a different viewpoint' HUNK began. 'What about that other military sniper? Rumor has it he's ex-Marine Scout Sniper.' Midnight said. 'Colt, do you have any camera's in the nearby area so we can begin surveillance of the area from now?' HUNK asked, and Colt replied 'Negative sir, we haven't planted any cameras ourselves in the past, and the military disabled all cameras which could show us something useful.' HUNK thought he must make sure that sniper would be taken down. He couldn't risk Gumi being killed, not after last night. 'Do we have any stealth drones we can get in the area, aerial or ground?' he said. 'Thats still a negative, our air drone is still down and our ground one is too loud for this operation.' Colt replied. 'Reaper I need you looking for that sniper all the time, Spectre can provide support for us alone.' HUNK ordered and Reaper simply saluted. 'Tequila, I need you to put a silencer on that shotgun of yours, Beltway will do that as well, this is a stealth operation, if they hear us they will call for backup.' 'Yeah, ok,' Tequila began 'The girl, Lily, do we kill her on sight?' 'On sight' HUNK replied 'However, we'll be dealing with the forces surrounding the house, Bravo will storm in and take the target out. If she comes out though, yes, shoot to kill.' 'You don't wanna mess with their captain today?' she asked him, after she heard about what happened on the helicopter during the last mission. 'Heh, it was fun, however can't do that now can I?' HUNK replied.
'Captain' Colt shouted 'I have a reading on the location, twenty-plus hostiles are there, they set up a perimeter around the house, how do we kill the without waking up the neighbors.' 'If anyone sees us, kill them as well, no evidence must be left, we'll burn the entire block down if we have to.' HUNK replied. He never thought of that, and it was a possibility that they'd be seen. HUNK changed his voice channel to Delta Team's channel. 'Hey Dutch, where are you?' he asked. 'Getting myself killed' a voice replied. 'Well thats what you're always doing, we got a short little neighborhood we might need incinerated. Any help we can get from your guys?' he replied. The voice said 'No problem man, I can have that place firebombed, we'll stage it to look like a terrorist attack, arent there some special military experts there?' 'Yes' HUNK replied 'They deployed Echo-Six' 'Damn,' said the voice 'They really arent taking any chances, well since Echo's there, would be a good suicide bomb target.' 'Do you think the military would believe that?' HUNK said but the Dutch reassured him 'What evidence do they have linking Umbrella to the bombing? Besides, has command even authorized air support for this one?' 'I can call for air support anytime I want, Dutch, I'm Umbrella's most valuable soldier' HUNK said, allowing himself a smile. 'Heh, you show off, you're gonna get killed someday and then what's Umbrella gonna do? Anyways, air support is standing by, we'll level the neighborhood on your command' Dutch said. 'Alright, thanks' HUNK replied and switched back to his team.
'Alright, we have air support if we need it.' he said, and Phantom replied 'You sure about this? Isnt this a stealth mission?' 'This is Echo-Six we're dealing with Phantom, they're just about as damn well trained as we are, isnt your sister in the other team anyways, arent you the least bit worried about her?' HUNK said. Phantom shrugged 'Didnt really think you cared so much about the other teams, you used to be all about the mission, and all of a sudden now you're taking bullets for people and being worried if about other operatives below you.' HUNK could sense the mistake he made, he couldnt let Phantom catch on to the real events. 'Its nothing like that, what I did in the previous mission I did because we needed a sniper to win that firefight. If I knew that Delta was on their way dont think for a second I'd take that bullet for your sister, I could care less if she lives or dies' he paused, knowing he didnt really mean that, he would take another bullet for her if he had to, 'And the statement from a while ago was trying to poke at a weak spot you might have had, excuse me for not analyzing EVERYONE'S inside world correctly. Anyways, again, we're dealing with Echo-Six here, we need all the help we can get and thats final, we arent taking any risks.' not wanting to continue the conversation he switched to Bravo's channel.
'Bravo team, how are you holding up?' 'All fine sir,' Meiko replied calmly while she made a face, taunting him. HUNK moved on asking every individual member and Meiko smiled thinking she finally beat him, he couldnt tell she was mocking him and she felt so proud of herself. Until HUNK said 'Oh, by the way Agent Lupo, I'd suggest you dont make faces at your superiors though, camera up to your left.' Meiko went white and looked up to see the camera facing her. HUNK could see her eyes filled with fear as she stared into the lenses. 'I...Sir...I' she began but HUNK had left the channel. 'Hehe, told you guys he wouldnt make it through the mission without taunting that idiot captain of their's' Tequila said turning to the rest of the team who were all geared up and now sat down, laid back. 'And its only the beginning' Colt said and they all laughed.
Meanwhile back in Bravo's helicopter Meiko cursed HUNK for getting her again. She couldnt believe it, was he really that perfect. Luka turned around to her 'Oh dont worry, he's just showing off.' 'NO, YOU DONT SAY?' Meiko turned and snapped, 'I dont think he goes a single mission without doing something like that just to satisfy his stupid ego.' On the other side of the helicopter, Kaito was constantly bugging Len. 'Hey, that explosions girl, from Alpha, Tequila, she's into you man, she was like looking at you the whole time during briefing.' 'Ok so now you're gonna start this while were on a mission too?' Len replied. 'Well, we're technically on our way to the mission, but still, I aint joking this time.' Kaito said, but Len looked away just saying 'Yeah ok, next time you want me to fail in front of everyone make it less obvious.' Gumi wasnt really taking part in any conversation. She sat there next to Kiyoteru, who surely had no interest in socializing, and she was thinking of Gakupo. It was so weird, for once, she thought of the dangers of being in one of these teams, she thought of her death, these we're things that never crossed her mind before. She was always ready to get into the action, she never really had much to look forward too when she came back, but now, coming back was more important than anything in the world. She could still remember what it felt like. How was he so good at it if he dedicated his life to the military? She fantasized of the next time until a message came up on her heads-up display. It read 'Go into the helicopter's toilet room, call me.' and the sender was classified. 'Its him' she thought and told the team that she would take a quick trip to the bathroom.
'May I join?' Kaito offered, and got instantly turned down, but he didnt seem to mind and continued annoying Len. Once she got in she received an invite to a private channel. It was just her and HUNK. 'Hey Gakupo, what is it?' she said trying to sound sweet despite the stress of someone actually coming to the door to tell her they were nearly there. 'Oh its nothing,' he said 'I just wanted to let you know, I have your position on my personal map at all times. If you ever come under fire, just switch to this voice channel and tell me. I'll take them out before they know what hit'em. By the way, you'll be joined by Agent Reaper from Alpha, if she gets shot by the Echo-Six sniper, I want you to get down, and take cover. If any one from Alpha dies, I'll be the first to know. If Reaper dies, its obviously the sniper, and I'll have the entire of Alpha on him. I cant risk anything happening to you.' 'Dont worry about me,' Gumi said 'I need you to come back alive too you know.' Gakupo chuckled, she was worried about him, not because he was an asset, but because she loved him. He didnt really know what the feeling was but it was a pleasant one.
He replied with 'I've defied Death so many times I think by now he's given up trying to take my life.' 'I bet you have' Gumi said 'By the way, can I ask you for a favor?' 'Anything for you' he replied. 'Can you pay for the bedsheets, after we get back?' she joked 'I think a mission of this caliber deserves some celebratory fun time, I might just get a bit too carried away this time' she said, turning her voice into that devilishly charming tone that Gakupo loved. 'Oh you can get as carried away as you want in my room' he said, smiling, 'Everything's classified, what happens in there, stays in there.' 'Mmm~' Gumi said, sliding her tongue across her lips. 'Tonight' Gakupo said, 'Until then stay safe' and he left the channel. As Gumi got out she noticed the team was getting ready, they were over the LZ.
'What happened, did you need any help?' Kaito questioned, referring to his previous statement. 'No' Gumi replied 'But you will if you keep going on like this.' 'Ooooh, burn' Len said, but Kaito interrupted him 'Dont you talk about women to me pretty boy, I still know abit more than you.' The more they kept arguing the more the looked like a two teenagers. Still, they had to cut it out now, it was time to get serious. HUNK's voice came into Bravo's chat channel once again. 'Bravo team, set?' 'Set' they all replied and rappelled down...
