Down in the hull, everyone was already checking – again – their gear, weapon, and neighbor's gear. David "Superman" Matthews was reading again his mission orders on the datapad. The redhead to his right was reviewing her medical pouch, her headlamp distributing a red halo on and in her bag. Across, was a tall, muscular, razor shape faced man. Almost bald, the exception of a long blond braid, bare-arms, "Blackbeard" was making his gloves tighter, his gear closer to skin. The Japanese technician was, per usual, flicking his lighter, impatient to step off and light himself a cigarette. Anxious, he stared at the red light flooding the hull.
- Don't worry "Crypto", when ramp goes down, you can whiff a whole carton if you have time, shouted the team leader.
- I should install ventilation, he simply replied with a nervous smile.
The pilot flicked the red light twice, signaling the soon to be arrival, and "Superman" held two fingers up high for all to see. He was about to give final orders, when a familiar voice came in the team's headset.
- Team Auroch, this is "Paladin". I'll be your tactical advisor today and as of now.
While most looked at each other with questioned looks, the team leader smiled. Somewhere, somehow, twenty years had flown by, and hearing the Commander's voice declaring he was in charge was like coming back home. And just when he leaned forward, the hull light flashed green, the thrusters kicked on brakes. The ramp opened, and with it, ropes dropped to the ground. Superman gestured to the team to equip the thick gloves, before leaping off the ship, to the rope and landing on the ground. Soon followed by the rest of team, every member sprinted a few meters away, took an angle to cover.
- Fireband; all boots on the ground, stated the sharpshooter adjusting his jungle hat.
- Copy Auroch, see you on the other side.
- Auroch, you have two blocks to cover before reaching city, and one more until last known cell placement, started the Commander.
- Any advice, asked "Superman"?
- Snatch 'n' grab. I'll be looking for an EVAC on a roof if I were you.
- Will do.
The fire team motioned. Gray, being lightly geared up, went several meters before the rest of the team. That late at night, it was no surprise no one opened the door to the ruckus of thrusters. Usually such noises meant ADVENT peacekeeping troops, therefore better not be up and awake at that time.
- Auroch, we're picking up a convoy, opposite of town, coming your way. Three escorts, one wagon. Must be your Package taxi. ETA twenty minutes. That means you have twelve.
- Who is that voice damn it, asked the Russian woman, going over a fence. He sounds arrogant.
- That… Is the Commander, answered Superman.
- You mean, the test tube Central and Axle took from ADVENT? Standing already?
- Guess so. Used to be a tough one. Trust the voice baba. And stay sharp, he's got the eye.
Gray, a little further, motioned to stop, raising his hand.
- I got patrol. Two and officer, twenty meters East. Guess they're knocking doors.
- Good. Overwatch with Blackbeard. Rest of y'a pass through. Don't need no attention just yet.
The obstacle seemed easy the enough, the patrol being completely oblivious to the presence of the commando, never was wiser after their passage. The city was fairly calm, and only two cars were seen moving, and or still hot. A little nightlife next to a bar was all to be seen. Superman stepped up to the pointman's level, putting a hand on his shoulder.
- Feed me Gray.
- Well… This building is for office use. Good vantage point. There's an exterior ladder. I guess you'd find a similar one on dark face. We could go around… Or top like you. Not much activity.
- Right. You and Crypto first. I follow. Quinn, Blackbeard and Baba close. Heard this kiddo's?
While the first duo leaped across the road, the Viking looking operator, set his machinegun on the ground, prone, next to Babayega who had her rifle opposite from him. Blackbeard sensed the unease that was going through the team, due to this voice coming from the past, giving them tactical awareness boost. For the past year or so the Avenger program had been kicked in and launched, Central had given some tactical cues. But for the most part, the team on the ground was left to be responsible of the pointman's and leader's decisions. Not that it felt wrong, simply new and all needed to accommodate. Maybe, just maybe, the commander brought back from the past could turn some tides.
- Road checked. Swing back kids.
Lifting his weight, gear and weapon, the Norwegian man sighed. He loved that weapon, but he'd be damned if it didn't feel heavier after every stop. And the group moved on until arrival to the rooftop of the second building. Curfew was still in effect in this area, making the urban part quite easy for one. It was a matter of dodging scanners and patrols, nothing very fancy. Yet it took only a sound too loud or movements to sharp to blow the infiltration sky high.
- It's a good thing that the scare tactics worked so well, commented Central, his arms crossed. Makes it somehow easier to move around all geared up.
Central glanced towards the commander, and smiled a little. Philippe had taken his usual dubious pose: his left arm crossed his stomach, ended by a fist, on which rested is right elbow. Tapping his lips lightly with his index, his eyes were going from one camera feed to another, team's or aerial. Around them, the TOC was quiet, few words were spoken,
- You don't agree commander…
- No. They have scanners. Patrols. I see patrol vehicles, two. And no one got worried by the Skyranger fly-by. This ain't right. This convoy? Smokes and mirrors. That guy is what already? Broker? He's got to know being seen is being told on. How can we know they're not fortifying?
- Well, Skyranger thrusters are similar to the ADVENT transport Vertical Take Off Landing ships. Untrained ears… Well, they'll be the same.
- Still. No Skyranger evacuation less than three kilometers.
- And how are they supposed to take the HVT then? Drag him?
- Carry him. Steal a car, a van. They know this kind of tool of trade?
- Well… Not sure.
- Auroch, this is Paladin. Listen close. Evac will not be on site, except if you snatch and grab in two minutes…
Ileana looked at the team leader, concerned. Silently she made her gremlin take off.
- Baba, keep cool, whispered "Superman". Copy all Paladin. Can't promise we got a cat burglar with us. Any volunteers?
- Gray. I can hotwire but I'll need a little time.
- Got all you need if you take plan B Gray, replied the commander.
Superman pondered three seconds his options, readjusting his scope.
- Snatch and grab team. Paladin, Firebrand, Extract in fifty five seconds, my current. I got overwatch with Blackbeard, we blast in twenty. Gray on point with Crypto. Quinn you got babysitting. We're wasting time. Beard breach.
- Rock n roll people, laughed the Norwegian operator, grabbing his grenade launcher.
What was a quiet night turned rapidly into a full-on mayhem. When the lobbed grenade hit the doorframe, it tore them apart in a literal bang and flames. Already sprinting inside, the Swiss ranger primed his shotgun, and dashed through the smoke, while a Gremlin hovered above his head.
- Gray, hammered the Russian engineer, sixty degrees right, getting up. Laying one next to target.
As he was told, he unloaded a single shot, split seconds before his vision was set on the target. As a result, only a flying body was on the dangerous end of the muzzle. Dashing by his side, was "Quinn", leaping like a panther, throwing her rifle in her back. Touching the floor again, one knee down, she jammed here extended other leg right in the face of the struggling shape. Still in momentum, she swung as to ride the poor sod, and went on delivering a backhanded blow to the face. Rapidly, she turned the man on his stomach and proceeded to tie him, hands in the back.
- Crypto! A hand to lift jelly beans there.
- Coming!
Jogging, although less agile than the first two, the smoking half bald operator came to lift the unconscious fellow on the shoulders of "Quinn".
- That man is heavy!
- Well quit smoking you'll have time to stay in shape, joked the combat medic.
- You'll laugh it up later kids, cut the marksman. Same way back we got one minute and a half.
Crypto came out first, throwing a smoke grenade on the road, followed by "Quinn" and "Gray", under the surveillance of "Babayega" and her assault rifle. Arriving the building's wall, a problem popped inside the Scottish operator's mind.
- Now that wee baby ain't going to get up himself is he now? Not going up the gutter with him.
Gray turned to the unconscious man. He looked average build, with some formal clothes. Evaluating his weight, he shifted against Sutherland.
- Gimme "Quinn", I'll carry sleeping beauty.
- Ay, you a gentleman now, she joke. All yours deary.
Sliding away, leaving the hostage to the Swiss man, the young Sutherland ran faster than a cat up the ladder, followed by "Gray", huffing and puffing doing the same. Upon arriving, he felt the weight lift, as "Babayega" pulled to herself the target. He smiled, seeing how their mission was being passed from hand to hand. Without any waste of time, Crypto, who was right behind the Ranger, grabbed his flare pistol and shot it in the air.
- Auroch, this is "Paladin". QRF is already here. Seems local station was very close. Hold for Firebrand. ETA thirty seconds, will push it three minutes. Mission shift; repel enemy QRF before boarding Firebrand. Firebrand how copy? Auroch how copy?
- Firebrand… Well copy sir. Will hold off. But will arrive on fumes.
- Honest day of work Firebrand, responded the commander, a smile to the multiple screens.
- Auroch… Exhalted "Superman", Auroch hard copy. Hold and nuke.
- Y'all got your assignments. Auroch, show hell.
Back on the Avenger, there was a growing activity. Leaning on the geosphere's railguard, both hands tightly seizing the metal tube, the commander was stern looking. This mission had gone almost smooth. Execution wise the operators seemed top notch. The situation, though, was a whole world different. Central came behind Philippe, holding a file.
- Sir. There are several ADVENT communications. Word "heavy" is used many times. I think they're sending more than troopers.
- Well then, that QRF better be dealt with swiftly.
He turned around, reassuming his thinking pose, right finger on lips, elbow rested on left fist, arm crossed.
- Firebrand got any weapons?
- No sir.
- Twenty years, and my order to outfit Skyrangers with light weapons has still not been done. Flares?
- Yes sir.
- Then, Firebrand swoops in, low altitude, flares up. That'll spook. One pass, he mimicked, sharp hook, and load team with HVT. Loading time ten seconds.
- That's short.
It was. It was a short call. Phillipe hoped that these two decades had not softened his team leader and sharpshooter. From the little he had seen, training was harsh and made through combat experience. It was the amongst the best way to become a veteran, but toll was high in casualties. He wasn't on the ground, with the team. Only camera feed, radio chatter and a few aerial imagery connected him to the present situation.
Ten seconds to board a Skyranger was short, and under fire it was even worse. Back in the day, before being assigned in X-COM, there had been a couple of times during which there were short calls to make an exfil. He didn't know the team well enough to assess their capability, therefore, the small window he had created was a hard call to ask from the ground team.
- Central. How important is this HVT?
- Sir… He is an intel broker. He and his team of three to five, has cost the resistance a couple of safe havens.
- So… War prisoner?
- Yeah. He might also lead us to the rest of his spy ring.
- Screw him. We'll look into his friends. We know any?
- Ay sir. One.
Muddy boots knew best about local weather.
Back on the roof top, street fight was getting intense. Hunkered behind cover, "Superman" was listening to the new orders, while on his left, "Babayega" was pouring lead downhill. And so was the whole team, "Gray" aside, who had a leg on each side of the hostage's body, frisking him thoroughly, and throwing away his electronics. Crypto and Quinn were opposite side of the building, making sure no one would flank them or sneak around.
- Will do Commander, answered bitterly the sniper, looking over to Gray.
- Will what, shouted the Russian woman, changing magazine.
- Will do. You know. Following orders. Things we try to teach you people. Gray, wake that traitor up.
The ranger obeyed and slapped twice the hostage who gasped for air, screaming in surprise. "Superman" kneeled over him, his sidearm locked on his forehead.
- My handler says you're not worth the trouble. What do you think? You'd talk?
He cocked the gun, to the bewildered and panicked tied man on the muzzle side.
- Talk fast meatsack! What use are you to me alive?
- I… I… I can tell which haven is targeted!
- Faster!
As he shouted, Firebrand made a pass right over their heads, unleashing a dozen flares as he did. The roar of the engines was deafening, and was so close, every team member was certain the building trembled. As for the High Value Target, well, he was panicked and didn't move a muscle anymore. Thinking fast, and rehearing the orders received by the Commander. Grabbing his flare pistol, he shot the blue one in the air.
- Gray, mark the roof. Team, regroup tight. Last stand on roof kids. Smoke the place, and when ramp opens, you'll already be inside. Blackbeard and Baba ramp duty. Rest sprint. Ready in thirty seconds.
A couple of seconds later, "Gray" called out the marked Landing Zone, while the whole group swarmed into defensive positions. The team leader holstered back his gun, leaving the babysitting back to "Gray". A hunch traversed him. A jolt of electricity came through his spine, and so he complied to his instincts. His Marksman rifle back up, he scanned the East side buildings, right when Firebrand called out his arrival in his back. The ramp was still two meters high, The designated ramp duty operators dashed to grip their sectors. "Superman" kept scanning the building until he saw him. Prone and against a ventilation shaft, was a muzzle. Immediately, somehow, with great speed, Captain Matthews adjusted his aim and shot a first, and second shot. A little low, and then on point. He didn't manage to hit the target, but was close enough to make that sneaky ambusher get down for cover. He spun on himself, and ran to the opened ramp, while his team was boarding their last member. Still a few paces away, he called out to the pilot to take off, making his last leap a shaky one, the ramp closing as he landed. As his foot caught the metallic pathway, the rest of the body curled as to perform a clumsy combat roll. Against the hull, a few laser shots resonated on the alloy.
Back in the TOC, Philippe was still as a statue. And until Firebrand gave the all clear, not a muscle moved. Everyone was looking, silent, at the body cameras, listened the radio chatter, which was non-existent, except for a med-check from Quinn, making sure no one was losing blood. Some looked at the Commander, like Central. When finally the "all clear" came up, a few minutes later, "Paladin" smiled, his head falling forward, making him look like nodding. And in a certain way, he was. The TOC cheered and a few clapped for an instant.
- Pretty intense eh, commander, asked Central.
- Yeah well… When was easy day my friend.
- Yesterday, chanted back the gray-haired officer.
Philippe nodded, and grabbed his microphone
- All right Auroch, this is Paladin. Good exfil, good job. Prepare notes, prepare impressions. After Action will be one hour after landing. Get chow, get soap. Paladin out.