Pagan took a drink from his nightcap. He woke up early for this occasion that Ajay prepared for him and the Royal Army. Chiffon and Samar threw on him a custom body armor to protect him from serious firepower up to 7.62mm NATO FMJ before he went out.
"As requested your highness, the speakers have been installed onto the under belly of three of the helicopters which will be participating today!" His guard escort informed him across his seat.
"Three? I thought I asked for all eight?! Now how the hell are the Golden Path monkeys gonna hear it over their own squabbling?! How is Ajay gonna hear?!"
"My King, the speakers themselves weigh more than the unguided rockets pods! If we minus on firepower it might be worse for the ground forces that may already be under fire!" The escort reasoned.
There were eight helicopters, militarized versions of the S-70 Blackhawks. Four out of eight carried troops internally while the remaining four were made into improvised gunships with rocket pods and Gatling gun pods mounted to the wings. Pagan was in his usual helicopter piloted by his favorite pilot, Kamran.
*We're approaching the site, my king! Twenty seconds to arrival overhead! * Kamran transponded over the microphones.
"Already? Great! Now-….where…. did I…" He dug around his pockets for the smartphone which was wirelessly linked to the speakers on his and the other helicopters.
"Damnit! At a time like this, where is it?!- Ah!" The escort brought it out to him where he found it next to Pagan's feet.
*Ten seconds.*
"Oh dear! We're nearly there- you know what? Just hit shuffle!" Pagan told the escort as he opened the cabin door to the helicopter, the cold air rushed in but he was well clothed for the morning cold.
Pagan positioned himself behind the minigun as the escort went through the music library and tapped one quickly.
The sound of a metal guitar twang in a certain way made him recognize which music the escort chose.
"Oh! Perfect choice!" He chuckled.
(AC/DC - Shoot To Thrill begun to play)
The helicopter loomed over the airport and the Golden Path forces could now be differed from the group of Royal Army soldiers and so other force.
The gunships aligned themselves to their targets that were positioned on one end of the runway for some reason.
"Right, little monkeys! It's time for round two!" Pagan spun his minigun as the chorus came.
*Shoot to thrill…Play to kill….Too many women…. too many pills-…*
"Yeahhhh!" Pagan shouted excitedly as the minigun roared.
The gunships fired their arsenals as well at the Golden Path so tightly grouped, there wasn't a more perfect opportunity for targets.
"Forward, advance!" Ajay called out as the mercenaries and 3rd Company soldiers charged with their guns blazing.
"Cut them down!" Saras shouted.
"Kill that little bitch!" Samson pointed at Sabal who was in a stupor.
The Golden Path began to disperse in chaos trying to get out of the way of the missiles and Gatling fire.
"Sabal! You have to leave!"
"The Golden Path cannot afford to lose you brother!"
The Golden Path fighters around him pleaded for his escape. Sabal roared in frustration and mounted a jeep they provided for him as they covered his retreat. The Golden Path fighters now without a leader, ran for the protection of the forest at the base of the hill as the gunships did strafes at them. The troop carriers carrying the Royal Guards hovered about the control tower and its passengers rappelled down the ropes.
They added their ground firepower to the overwhelming fire support of the helicopter gunships.
The sounds of chaos could be heard even from the neighboring mountain, a mix of explosions, gunfire, screams and that awesome rock music. Villagers stopped their work wondering what was happening in the direction of Meh Teh Airport.
In just three minutes over three and a half hundred Golden Path fighters were killed and the remaining two hundred and fifty were chased through the forest by the heli-borne Royal Guards and blocked off by a blockade built by the Royal Army below the hill. Screams and shots could be heard from the forest now but the battle at the airfield was done.
The mercenaries and 3rd Company Royal Army soldiers broke into a cheer and danced around celebrating to the crushing victory for the Royal Army over Southern Kyrat. This mere company of Royal Army soldiers and band of foreign mercenaries were part of a turning point in the history of Kyrat. Leaving them a story to tell to their children and grandchildren if they turned old, they would return heroes to their home towns.
Ajay left them to celebrate as he walked up to the King's personal helicopter that was making a landing. Saras, Samson and the hunters followed behind him. Ajay started to limp as the combat drugs were starting to wear off, so Maya and Samson helped him walk.
The helicopter touched down and out came Pagan in body armor which he proceeded to take off as it was too cumbersome for him.
Pagan walked up to their group laughing satisfyingly at the work Ajay had yet again pulled off.
"I swear, if you keep giving me this kind of surprise I'll take it for granted one of these days, Badala boy!" Pagan complimented him, although he wasn't in the shape to stand on his own now.
"You look worse for wear." Pagan started the conversation.
"You were late, I almost blew the airport you know…" Ajay said with a smile.
"Better late than never, eh? Besides, you didn't blow it after all. Oh cheer up Badala! Do you know what you've done or shall I spell it out for you?"
"He has struck a critical blow to the Golden Path rebels, one that'll take them years to recover from if they ever think of doing the same as they have recently." The one answering Pagan's question was General Arjun who came over from one of the helicopters to personally come down to the site.
"Quite right, Arjun!" Pagan praised him.
"Thank you, your highness!"
"Father?!" Saras wasn't expecting him to come down to this place.
"He insisted he had to know if his darling daughter was alright and that Badala didn't fool- Uffffhh!" Arjun punched his subordinate in the gut for being too frank.
"Great to see you haven't a scratch on you, dear! Badala, you did well!" Arjun complimented him as well, but he was clear it was more than just a compliment.
"Yeah, sure!"
"You know, with all the success Badala's had in his standalone career I think we might be on to something here! As it stands you've managed to not only subvert the invasion of those rebel monkeys but you also broke their pointed stick! I think this calls for a promotion."
"I agree my king, although I'm not sure what Badala's standing is at the present moment-."
"How bout I make you Kyrat's second vice-lord!" Pagan announced.
Everyone became stupefied by what Pagan had just declared.
"Yeah!... I, King Min declare Badala the second Vice-Lord of Kyrat! Round of applause, please!" Pagan affirmed it himself and asked for some audience support. Samson started an awkward applause which nobody else but Arjun followed, he felt silly but Pagan gave him the thumbs up.
"I, Badala…. Graciously accept." Ajay responded after he took in what Pagan had said.
"Great! Now that you're officially a lord on paper I'll give you the choice of where you'd like to establish your domain!"
Ajay hadn't really considered this far so he took a while to respond. Where would he choose to build a keep to help the people in Kyrat? Where was the place the people hard the most difficulty developing and getting by everyday? The thought of the village that Maya took him too, her home for the last decade. They were the furthest away from other major villages and towns which made them the least valued. They made ends by selling poorly grown crops in their area and through Maya and Bipin's generous donations. If he remembered correctly that place was called-…
"Valley of Death….." Maya was dumbfounded by his request.
Pagan raised an eyebrow as he was unsure if that was what Ajay wanted.
"You sure? That place is the most desolate place in the whole of Kyrat, literally nothing grows there, not even weeds! Most chaps don't stay there long before leaving."
"I'm sure your highness. I have a few plans for that place which requires a lot of space." Ajay confirmed with Pagan.
"Ok!... It's your choice. I'll have someone send you a budget, Bimpin-…Pipin- Whatever his name was!" Maya chuckled unconsciously at Pagan's remark of her brother's name.
"Well I'd best be off! General, I'll leave the situation to you! And Badala, see me at my place for dinner will you?"
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!" Arjun saluted him.
He patted Ajay's shoulder and smiled before boarding his helicopter again. It was the equivalent of 'Be back for supper!' to Ajay.
Ajay turned around to the group that was staring at him blankly, no words could convey the experience they had just now.
"You have problems getting over it, what about me?!"
"What are you complaining about, you became a bloody lord on his highnesses whim!" Maya pouted. The rest were having cold-sweat, Maya was the only one who dared to speak to Ajay in that tone especially now when he was a vice-lord, who was just as powerful as Yuma or Noore.
"And what about us? We who contributed to you live endangering plan!" Saras added fuel since Maya started it.
"What do you want?"
"Eh!- Daughter, don't be unreasonable!" Arjun warned his daughter not to push Ajay but he waved that it was ok. "It's fine, so what will it be?"
"A look at your face." She answered. Arjun was biting his fingernails because it was apparent Badala wanted to keep it on.
"That's it?" But Ajay spoilt that myth.
He reached for his mask buckles about to pull it off.
"Hang on! Not when everyone is around. Sorry guys, but this is my wish." She winked at the rest.
"Ok?"
"Me next!" Maya said excitedly like Ajay had become some sort of Kyrati Santa Claus. The other hunters wouldn't dare make any such request from him.
"(Sigh) What is it Maya?"
"You owe me one favor."
"Done." He didn't want to argue or she would just make her request more absurd.
"Yayyy!" She didn't expect him to be so generous.
"Maybe I should have asked for that instead….." Saras said regretting her decision.
Samson stared at Ajay with sparkling eyes.
"Aren't you on my payroll?" He denied him the possibility of claiming a reward.
Samson looked downcast as he reminded him.
But Ajay didn't disappoint him for long, reaching into his vest pocket he took out a bag and tossed it to Samson.
Curious to what was the contents he poured it onto his hand. And out tumbled precious rubies the size of bubblegum balls.
"It's to share amongst you and your men on your trip out of here!" Ajay reminded him that he had the opportunity to take the next plane out of the country.
"Thank you for your generosity, sir! My companions will never forget the trials we have gone through with you." He said before walking to meet with his mercenary buddies to relay the news and show off their payment.
"Honestly, if you keep giving such valuable things in your possession you'll become the poorest lord in history!" Maya scolded him for his spendthrift ways.
"Even if I didn't have a cent to my name that's alright, that's not what I value the most!" Was what Ajay reasoned.
"Ah!-…." Maya was reminded about his story and said no more.
"Well this calls for a celebration! Drinks on this new lord, eh?" Anish proposed.
"Aye! I believe Badala here owes us all drinks!" Saras joined in.
"Drinks….." Darshan also approved of the idea.
"Oh!- Come on!"
"Hey, guys! Beers on this sucker!" Anish announces to the mercenaries and 3rd Company, they rush towards him and hoist him in the air like some football champion. And when they got out of this close shave with the Golden Path and elevated their prestige they didn't even shake his hand. The power of beer.
They carried him on the way to the airport lounge where one of the soldiers said there was a bar there. As the soldiers were laughing and cheering happily a racing truck was screeching its tires as it steadied itself due to the reckless driving of the driver. The truck screeched into a halt in front of the victory parade making the guys wonder what was the deal with this person.
"Did we miss it? Dude, noooo! We did not just miss the action!"
-Here we go….-
"Who the fuck are you?" Anish seemed to be on a rather bad mood when being denied a straight path to the pub.
"Mannn Tsk!- I'm the cavalry, man! I was gonna roll up here like God damn Clint Eastwood!"
"That-….. doesn't answer my question." Anish was being to feel he was talking to a straight up idiot which he was.
"(Sigh) I'm Hurk!"
"Who?" Maya responded.
"Hurk." Ajay repeated for her.
"Yeah that's right, Hurk!" Hurk squints his eyes at Ajay.
"Hang on a dang minute! I heard about you man, taking names and writing checks out to: 'Kicking ass' man. That's why I'm here, because you and me together….. the Golden Path won't know what hit'em, right in their faces!"
"Yo! Trash! You're in our way!" Anish was starting to hate the guy.
"Man, I—do—not—understand—what—you—are—saying, I—don't—speak—your—language!"
"You son of a-!" Hurk had officially blew his lid and he went up to drag him out of the truck, the mercenaries and soldiers quickly held him in place. "I'll show you how to speak our language!" Anish began cursing and swearing at Hurk.
"Look, Hurk. The battle has been going on since last night. The men are tired and seriously need a de-stressor right now!" Ajay explained. Although he knew clearly that Hurk had known the battle had taken place since last evening. Hurk was more timid than he let others think he was, he couldn't do jobs on his own, always making Ajay do all the dangerous jobs while he kept mouthing off. The only thing he was really useful for was gathering intel which Ajay felt the need to have especially now when things have changed tremendously.
Also, he had a severe monkey fetish.
"Dude, seriously?" He exclaimed in a false but obvious way.
"Okay, new plan then! Pre-eeemptive cavalry, that's right! You need help, you call, we swoop in and help you—me or my uh….ahhhh-….tsk!"
"Royal Army?"
"Royal Army buddies, that's right."
The crowd was finding him to be rather obnoxious and glared at him.
"Dude, your Royal Army buddies are giving me the old stink eye!"
"Hurk!-" But he went on talking about at his own pace.
"You and me man, the new and improved tat bros, that's right living the dream! Come on! Punch it in!"
Hurk held out his fist.
-Are you serious?- He had done this before already, but if he let him hang he'd be terribly embarrassed and fail to show himself for a period of time.
Ajay reluctantly reached out to fist bump him.
"Boom! I went French Fries you stayed potato. That's all right. You kinda came in on the slow bus too- but you got there, so I got respect for that. I'm gonna see you around, ok? Okay! Let's roll! Whooooo!" Hurk hit the gas and sped off down the cliff and bumped onto some boulders on the way.
Maya and Saras giggled at his comic routine. "He's a funny guy." Saras said.
"He'll be a handful, just watch out!" Ajay advised them.
The men packed the bar till there were no longer seats for all so most stood up having theirs. Samson went behind the bar to serve since the bartender seemed to be absent. Ajay, true to his word placed a ruby stone in the cash register to pay for the drinks for over a hundred men.
"Ehem! I would like to say a toast, to a hell of a night!" Anish proposed.
"""To a hell of a night!""" The crowd resounded and drank from their glasses.
Ajay and the hunters sat at the bar counter.
"What will you have?" Samson asked them in sequence starting from Darshan.
"Whisky." Was his response.
"Cough syrup. Seriously, what else? Whisky!" Maya said.
"Can you make cocktails?" Bipin asked.
"Just a few."
"How bout Margarita?"
"Sure." Samson turned to Ajay last.
"Brandy, a bottle." He asked for the whole bottle which Samson went to the shelf to take out and placed it in front of him with a shot cup.
"Thanks."
"Mmmm!" Samson went back to doing Bipin a Margarita as he asked.
But Ajay's use of the brandy wasn't entirely for drinking and he took a swig of it to drink first before pouring some on his wound. "Urghhh….." The pain was pulsing on his wound, he had yet to remove the bullet fragments and seal the wound.
"You'd better get that looked after!" Maya came over to sit next to him.
"I'll do that when we leave." Ajay assured her.
"Then let's have a small toast!" Samson proposed after passing Bipin his tequila and pouring a cup of vodka for himself.
"To what might I ask?" Asked Saras who returned from a discussion with her father.
"Ah!- Miss Roka, right on time! Let's see….."
"To a continued winning streak." Ajay gave one.
"To a continued winning streak!" The clicked their glasses, Ajay poured a glass for Saras from his bottle that he used to cheers with the rest.
"Thanks!" She replied to the glass he gave.
"So what did daddy say?" Ajay asked curious what Arjun dragged Saras away for.
"Seems the airport wasn't the only place the Golden Path attacked last night, Varshakot stronghold was nearly overrun last night."
"De Pleur's fortress?" Saras nodded.
Personally Ajay didn't care for Paul. But there was one thing he couldn't forgive him for, and that was what he did to Noore's family years ago. The way Noore died caused him nightmares for months, he had difficulty getting over how he hadn't help her sooner and more carefully. He hoped his intervention this time would prevent that from happening again. Something Maya said to him when she came back with the hunters set a spark on how he could confront her and prevent her fall into despair.
At the moment, he didn't have the means to get in contact with the two of them and he was now given his own domain to manage, things were only getting harder. He needed it to settle down before taking up other tasks. For the time being they didn't seem to be any activity from the two of them so it was sort of dormant at the moment.
"You seem to be thinking about something at almost every opportunity." Saras broke his line of thought.
"It's nothing, just brooding on the past."
"Speaking of past, mind sharing yours? Your accent already gives away the fact you didn't live in Kyrat for a while."
"No. I didn't, I lived in Brooklyn for most part of my life. Kyrat is just as alien to me as any other country."
"And yet you seem to always know your way around here." He had to admit, Saras had a keen observation skill.
"Perhaps I'm quick to adapt." He came up with an excuse with a composed expression careful not to reveal to many spoilers.
"So that's why you speak like an American, I thought you were one of those eccentric kids!" Samson voiced his assumption.
"Does an American sounding kid go around killing people without blinking an eye?"
"Fair enough!" Samson responded.
"That just reminds me about my betrothed who also came from the states." Saras said.
"You have a betrothed?" Maya asked.
"I wouldn't be surprised, he must be a damn lucky fellow, ma'am."
"Thank you, Samson!"
"So who is he? Do tell." Maya got curious and questioned her excitedly like a gossiping girl.
She took a drink from the glass Ajay provided and Ajay offered to refill it.
"Thank You, Badala." She accepted graciously.
"Well he's someone you'll all know about." Now they were all curious, was he that famous everyone knew about him in Kyrat?
"Although he's been missing for the last few weeks since he supposedly returned to Kyrat."
"Oh-no! That's terrible!"
"It's alright, I'm sure he's fine somewhere. Perhaps the King is holding him safely somewhere."
"Now you've got even me curious! Who in the world would Pagan keep a secret from everyone?" Ajay asked as he was drinking from his bottle.
"My betroth is-…." She leaned closer to them to whisper.
"Ajay Ghale."
"Pffftttt!" Ajay sprayed the liquor away from the counter when he heard the most absurd thing. For Maya who knew who Badala was actually fell into a stupor.
"Quite amazing isn't it?" Saras said chuckling at their overreactions.
"Um-… who is Ajay Ghale?" Samson being from another country was unaware of who Ajay was.
"Who is Ajay Ghale?!" Anish came around from a drinking game he was having with the lads.
"Ajay Ghale's the son of Mohan Ghale, leader of the Golden Path and of Ishwari Ghale the Tarun Matara!" He said in a drunken way as he used Ajay's shoulder to support him.
"Hakuna Matata?"
"No, dear friend!...Tarun Matara….. basically it's dis holy woman, rightful ruler of all Kyrat! (Hick) Ask Badala! He should know best…. He's-" Anish never got to finish his sentence as Ajay punched him off of him and kicked him at a table.
He slammed into the table breaking it and went unconscious. Usually that sort of commotion would start a bar fight but this was Badala they were talking about so there was an awkward silence. Darshan went over to pick him up and threw him on a couch, everyone went back to their drinking and merry making as if nothing had happened.
"That's fine. He deserved it!" Maya said as Ajay turned to her. He returned to his seat.
"So how did that happen?" Maya took the liberty of asking, Ajay also wanted to know.
"Mmm…. It happened a long time ago. My father and Mohan were members of the Royal Guard to the previous Monarch, the one King Min deposed. Back then before King Min ascended the throne they were the best of friends, comrades in arms, the drank together, fought together and were sort of sworn brothers. So one day they made a pact that if they had a son and daughter respectively they would be betrothed."
This was a new piece of info to Ajay he had never heard about his father's line of work before, but it made sense. He was probably unhappy for giving his allegiance to a king that was not from the original royal bloodline. Kyrati tradition was that the Tarun Matara was the next ruler if there was no monarch fit to ruler over the kingdom of Kyrat.
There must have been others who thought like him and formed the Golden Path out of it. Coincidentally, his wife was Tarun Matara so she would have been the rightful leader over Kyrat instead of Pagan who claimed by conquest. But the diary entries he read from his father showed he had been moving his mother around like a chess piece, so that was the true intention of Mohan. Ishwari was a tool for him to take over Kyrat, it was proven when he sent her to Pagan as a spy instead of as a commander as she requested.
Perhaps upon learning about Lakshmana he wasn't only betrayed and jealous, but afraid of what Lakshmana represented. Union between the King and Tarun Matara, nothing more could solidify Pagan's rule over Kyrat.
-This family of mine...-
It gave him a headache thinking about it.
"So if Arjun and Mohan were best buds why didn't he join the Golden Path?" Was that all their friendship amounted to?
"From what my father told me, he could not fault Mohan for what he believed in because he wasn't wrong. But to my father, nothing mattered more than the stability of the kingdom and the throne. To him the throne was only a position, it didn't matter who sat on it so long as the people were happy and the country prospering."
"..."
-He was more pragmatic than Mohan.-
"So like that, I don't really think your betrothal would still be standing."
"Oh? Are you jealous that I, Saraswati am betrothed to such a celebrity?" She said with a smirk.
Ajay just gave her a deadpan stare, to which she laughed.
"I'm kidding! Kidding! I've never taken that vow seriously even once. That'll restrict all my future candidates….. like you, Badala."
"Excuse me?" Saras chuckled in her usual way.
She coiled her hands around his body as she leaned on his shoulder.
"Perhaps you don't see it but you're a pretty rare find!"
"I'll take that as a compliment." He responded calmly.
Maya pulled her away from him.
"Oh? Is little Maya getting jealous?"
"Jealous? I'm trying to save you from making the biggest mistake in your entire life! This masked bastard is actually a shitty jerk!"
"Oi! Don't cross the line!"
"Or what? You gonna send that person to stop me, what was his name?-….Michael-Mc-Doesn't-Exist?"
"Big words for a little girl that hides behind Yuma. You must feel real proud of yourself, purring your way up the ranks through her."
"Nobody talks an about mistress that way!" Maya glared.
"Wasn't talking about her, I was referring to you!"
"Jerk!"
"Spoilt brat!"
"Okay! Okay! Settle down, stop bickering like a married couple you two." Saras smiled while the crowd was laughing at their romance-comedy routine but instantly turned away as Ajay and Maya sent their strong glares in their direction.
"(Sigh) I'm going to the bathroom, need to get the bullets out." Ajay said as he dismissed himself.
"I'll help, who knows!... This sort of delicate procedure might need a woman's touch." Saras got up from her seat to follow him.
"Suit yourself, don't blame me if it looks messy."
Now Samson, Maya and Darshan were the ones left at the bar counter. Darshan was drinking his whisky quietly.
"Aren't you gonna follow him?" Samson asked Maya.
"Why would I?" She replied in a hostile tone.
"Looked to me that you were more like his missus!"
Again, people were saying they were a couple.
"Hmph! Samson, more whisky!"
Samson sighed while handing her another cup.
Ajay was in the bathroom of the airport, he opened the medical box that was hanging on the wall and placed its contents by the sink.
"Here, let me undo it for you." Ajay didn't stop Saras as she carefully removed the wrap bandages around his arm and leg.
After washing the wound, Saras took a pair of tweezers to draw out the fragments in his body while he shone a torchlight on them.
"You don't make much noise even though it should hurt."
"That's a testament of how good your skills at taking out the bullet are." She giggled at his honestly.
"I wasn't referring to right now, you've had those in you since early morning. You should be crying out in pain as doctors operate on you!"
This was a common occurrence for Ajay, he didn't visit a doctor to treat his wounds. It was always done on the go while on the mission.
"I've been shot at more than once."
Ajay pounded the coagulating agent onto his clean open wound and injected Saline to prevent infection, lastly taking the antibiotic powder as an extra precaution against infection or shock.
"You certain seem to have a lot of experience at treating gunshot wounds!"
Saras went on to sterilize a needle which she used to sew his wounds together with fine precision, Ajay barely felt the needle poking him.
"You're really good at this yourself!"
"… I used to sew the wounds on my father, he always did such a poor job at it himself."
Saras threw on a bandage as a final piece to his first aid treatment. "There."
"Thanks! It was really done well."
"So…."
"Yes?"
"Can I have my wish now?" She was referring to the mask on his face. It seemed like a good time since they were alone at the moment.
"Sure-." Ajay saw no reason not to let her see it, it wasn't like she knew what Ajay Ghale looked like anyway. As he proceeded to take off the mask she stopped him again.
"May I?" She asked, Ajay put his hands down and let her take it off herself. She ended up leaning on him to take it off from the front. Her bosom and well-endowed body pressed against his front torso.
-Cunning fox!-
Taking her time to remove the clasps and peeling it off his face. She took in his features of a healthy tanned skin with sharp features and piercing eyes which caused her to gasp. Saras smiled and leaned closer to him.
"Can I ask for another request?"
"What is it?"
"…..A kiss-."
She didn't wait for him to answer and instead took his lips again for the second time. Ajay did nothing to stop her from doing so, instead he placed his hands around her waist and fought back with his tongue. He wouldn't allow this woman to treat him like some plaything.
It caused her chuckle in surprise by his assertiveness.
In the afternoon, the cargo plane came right on schedule. The traffic control tower gave them permission to land and the crew came out of the rear exit expecting the Golden Path but were looking down the muzzles of the Royal Army instead. After a short interrogation with the pilots and the crew inside by Ajay and Saras they found that they were a private air delivery company who did this deal of shipping crates without seeing its contents, a little bit of underhand business.
Ajay allowed them to return to their home on the condition they provide the mercenaries accommodation to India, where they could go anywhere they wanted from there. The shipments were confiscated by Arjun's men on his orders to take what appeared to be Stinger missiles back to the Royal Fortress. One of Willis's contributions to the Golden Path in countering the Royal Army's helicopter fleet. Almost reminiscent of the CIA supplying the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan.
The last of the mercenaries boarded the cargo plane after saying their goodbyes to the 3rd Company. Ajay could not help but laugh at the irony, just last night they were at each other's throats. But both sides were nice people, it was just that their occupation involved a lot of dark areas.
Ajay watched as Samson and a few of his companions from the paratroopers were discussing something outside the plane.
"This plane isn't gonna stay forever, Samson!" Ajay called over to remind him.
The mercenaries wore grave expressions when he said something and gave serious advice against whatever he was doing before Samson shakes his head. The last of the mercenaries board the cargo plane and the propellers start to turn.
Samson instead walks towards Ajay.
"Would you still be willing to offer me a contract?" He asks, meaning his intention was to stay.
"Are you sure? Shouldn't you follow your friends?"
"They have had enough of conflict so they'll be returning home to Florence. I-… I can't explain why but I wish to continue in the business of war!" Ajay smiled at him.
"There's nothing to be ashamed about desiring to be in the fight, that's just how we are. Warriors, so long as there is war we'll be there. And my answer is yes, welcome aboard!" Ajay caught his hand and shook it.
"Thank you, sir!"
They turned to watch the cargo plane retract its ramp, but just as it was about to close halfway Samson's friends jumped out with their bags, all seven of them.
"You guys!-….." Samson didn't understand why they had left going home behind.
"Come folgore dal cielo-….." His friend's response was a creed.
"…..Come nembo di tempest." Samson completed it smiling.
"You didn't leave us then, we won't leave you now!" The only female member in their group said.
"Did you really think we could let you have all the fun?" They laughed together.
"Grazie a tutti!" He thanked them all for their loyalty.
"So with this we hope that lord Badala-."
"Yeah!- I'm gonna stop you there, don't call me that ever. It makes me sound like some dark lord."
"I'm sorry, I only meant to address you to your title. So how should I address you?" Samson's friend said.
"Boss will be fine, or Sir. Um?" Ajay hadn't really taken down their names, it had only been one long night and they barely interacted.
"Ricardo, sir!" He instantly got what Ajay was looking for.
"Nice to meet you."
"And these are Luca, Antorio, Emilio, Luigi, Alberto and the lovely lady is Stella." Ricardo introduced him to the people of their group.
"Are all of you from Samson's former unit?"
"Sì, sir!"
"Alright, let's see-…." Ajay pondered for a while.
"Sir?"
"Oh- I was just thinking it would be troublesome to call you mercenaries all the time, did you guys work under a company?"
"Uh-no, sir. We merely drifted wherever there was conflict to lend our services, that's how we met Solomon in Eastern Europe before he brought us here."
"So what did he call you?"
"You lot!" Samson mimicked Solomon's voice as best he could, the mercenaries laughed at his comic attempt. Solomon was officially the worst boss in existence.
"Mmmm. Because I plan on making a company in which you all fall under. I will have you do things for me but you can lend your services to others if the price is right. Escort duties to VIPs, training militia, kidnapping High value targets-…."
The last job type was a little on the poor moral side, but they figured this was how Ajay was most of the time.
"So what to call you?..."
-They're Italian Paratroopers from Florence, they come from the same unit. Betrayed and turned mercenary…..Italian mercenaries-….-
"I've got it!" Ajay announced.
The listened closely to what Ajay had decided for them.
"Your group shall be known as… Condottieri!"
Upon hearing that word, a smile came across their faces.
"So boss, what's our first course of action?" Stella asked in a spunky way.
"Something as ambitious as taking an airport and ending an invasion?" The man called Emilio asked.
"Oh- Just as ambitious! We'll be doing something really pioneering here!" Ajay grinned.
The Condottieri were anxious to hear his plans.
"We'll be forming Kyrat's first arsenal!"
