Chapter Four: Blind Firing
SEE A/N BOTTOM OF PAGE
"Reporting in. the transaction has been secured, and details have been submitted."
"Got it, but remind me, why we gotta bother freeing that psycho?"
"Simple, our employers want something from the Schale building. Only issue is if we step into those boundaries, we'll be head-deep in a political battle - Boss wants to avoid that. We need a third party. One that can't be pinned to any notable leads and can easily be passed on as a run-of-the-mill incident for valkyrie and the student council to clean up."
"Damn, they must be paying big bucks for this much effort. And what kinda over zealous group would risk putting that much flak? I mean, it's the fucking student council!"
"They're keeping it discrete, going by the alias of some research group - my ass."
"Enough said. I'll get my people ready."
"Rememeber, keep it discrete. We can't leave any leads. Make it look like an accident."
"Run a false flag, got it. Yeah, no worries; Fake IDs, double-check analytics, surveillance jamming, and we'll be sure to stir the pot in the media.
"God, this job better pay well."
/GSC BUILDING/UPPER LEVEL/
/11:43 AM/KIVOTOS/
/LOCKER ROOM 4/
Inside a mid-sized locker room, the four boys readied themselves - Rummaging through duffle bags, harnessing their tac gear, and calibrating any tech or devices they brought along; Everything aside from their Weapons and small personal belongings.
Following the explosive argument when Rin issued orders, the two parties were sent off to prep for the operation - much to their disagreement. Still, no one was willing to argue with the student council officer once she was ablaze.
Giving a quick yank on a zipper, Palus reached into one of the duffle bag pockets, whipping out a weathered tin can - heaving a sigh as he gave it a gentle squeeze before stowing away the rattling container in one of his vest's pockets.
Crash-!
A shattering slam against one of the lockers snapped across the room. Turning heads, Diego was on the other side, tucking away his tight scowl as he yanked his hand back from a sizeable indent on the metal - knuckles red with anger, with his face to match.
"Yo… you good?"Feng asked, tilting his cap up, revealing a shaky look of worried confusion.
Palus rolled his eyes, turning to the contents of his bag."Don't mind him... He's having a pissy fit-"
"Man, it's bullshit-! Chica already has us dealing with their problems, and then she loads us with four dead weights!"Diego stomped his way towards the others, plopping down onto one of the benches - his eyes shrewd shut and nostrils flared proportional to the rising temper."It's like one after the other-"
"Diego, don't you think you're being a bit of an ass?"Feng cocked an eyebrow, churning a slight frown as he stood up - eyeing down the bulky Hispanic man as he slinked into his plate carrier."Besides, shouldn't we be welcoming help-? You gotta cool it, man.."
"Tch- help my ass.."Diego scoffed, faking a grin as he jerked his head."She just wanted to get them outta her hair..Besides, what are four- let me remind you, high school girls gonna do to help us in a firefight?"
The sharp click of Feng's holster locking into place silenced him, tucking snugly into his fingerless gloves as he brought a hand to his chin."Well.."
Feng turned to Diego with a shrug - only to be met with a disappointed frown."Even if you give them guns, I doubt that will change much.:
"Feng, give monkeys an oven, and that shit don't mean they're gonna make banana bread."Diego shot up, bringing a hand to his face as he turned towards the corner, storming over to his bag.
Draping his jacket on his shoulder, Diego slid into the sleeves, tugging the zipper close - All the while objecting at Feng. "They're only gonna slow us down."
Accepting defeat, Feng whipped his head with an eye roll as he tightened his elbow and knee pads. Turning to Palus for help, Feng got down with pleading eyes as he gestured towards Diego."Palus, come on- convince the guy or something-"
With a weighted look, Palus batted him an eye, only to turn away as he fastened the last of his plate carrier straps - buttoning up his shirt in the process.
"Just leave him…Besides, he has a point."
"Your serious, Palus-? you too?"
"It's not just about Rin getting them off her ass." Palus stood up, his jagged stare cold and intense."It's already going to be difficult enough to coordinate such a big squad."
"But you've already done plenty of- you just don't want to even bother dragging them along do you?"
"Shut it." Palus fired back, eyes intense as he glared the boy down with a look of hostility - a rapid and almost unnatural shift in mood. Feng, a little taken aback, quickly backed off.
"Just drop it. Feng, in any situation, we gotta be in total sync to make any op work. Adding four random girls we never met will only make things harder - just keep them in the back, and we'll do our best to clear them away from the shooting."
Feng lowered his head, heaving a sigh as he nodded - disappointed and a little heartbroken at the fact.
"So, with that mindset, why'd you agree to help Rin..?" Feng made eye contact, forcing his voice through the stalemate. "Matter a fact, why did you even volunteer for this op back when the lab requested it?"
"You had the option to throw down the towel for good, yet you still hung around-"
"I ALREADY KNOW THAT!" Palus lashed out, quickly jabbing a finger in a blind flurry of emotion. Suddenly snapping to his sense, the blurry rage cleared, revealing a vacant space in the room he was glaring at. Retracting his pointed gesture, he whipped around only to see the three others wide-eyed and in silent shock.
"I'm not dealing with this bullshit right now."Palus snapped back, shutting the boy down as he returned to his gear - giving himself a thorough shake before returning to his usual squad-commanding nature."Just…Let's hash out our gear and get this shit over with."
Coaxing a few nods, the three backed off, remedying the room to a neutral quiet.
"Well, at least they were nice enough to give us our stuff back-" Feng's face lightened up, the familiar goofy smirk soon converting his demeanor.
"I want my fuckin guns back." Diego butted himself in, cracking his knuckles as he tightened his boots.
Feng turned to Palus, cocking his head to the side" And the other four, boss?"
"Probably getting ready in their own room- and no, don't even think about it."
"I DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING-"
Shiloh feigned a smile. Short-lived, however, as the moment dimmed for him - It all felt like an act to him. Watching Palus from afar, underneath the hardened expression and focused stare, Shiloh could feel a subtle yet notable aura.
Although he still didn't know what, the mixture of grief, self-blame, and apprehension made it clear that their leader was still gripped by their recent incident.
Knock Knock
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Turning to the sudden intrusion, the four boys narrowed in on a dark-haired woman stepping inside - blinking her crimson gaze before lowering her head in a bow; it was one of the four students from the earlier quarrel.
"Hasumi, right?"Palus questioned, looking up from his task as he matched the woman's gaze.
She nodded, smiling lightly in a friendly greeting."You are correct."
"That's strange…I don't recall introducing myself before." She cocked a brow.
Feng popped his head up."Rin already yelled our names at least once back in the lobby."
A wrinkled look of confusion crossed Palus' face as he eyed the women up and down - sparking an awkward static. From what he pieced together so far, based on Rin and the earlier interaction he had, almost all of the people in Kivotos have some exotic feature, unlike and far removed from any form of reality an average person could think of; Hasumi was no exception to this.
The woman bore a halo, just like Rin, but hers was red - a hollow circle with a center diamond, encompassed by dagger-like prongs forming an almost star-like logo. More importantly, however, were the giant Raven-black wings sprouting from her waist area. Not a prop, not a form of cybernetic enhancements; from what Palus could tell, they were a natural extension to her body that jolted in movement - whether or not she could utilize them was beyond him.
Noticing him gazing holes through her, Hasumi perked her eyes up as an ever-slight tint of pink dashed her cheeks before shaking her head lightly - Trying to brush off the flustered state as she cleared her throat.
"I-Im sorry, is something the matter-?" She stammered, playing it off, eyes darting around the room before abruptly reaching a revelation."It's the wings, isn't it?"
"Never that big n- Ow, what the h-!"Feng was cut off, and a quick strike from behind in the form of Diego's fist silenced the boy before he could continue.
"What do you need?"Palus cut in, batting an eye before focusing back on his gear.
"My apologies for derailing the conversation." Taken slightly aback by the abruptness, Hasumi straightened herself - returning to her polished demeanor.
"I'm here to inform you that Rin would like us all to head to the helipad once you're ready."
No reply to the woman. Palus remained focused on the bag with an almost trance-like focus - A stark silence that had the trinity student and the three others awkwardly trading glances. Hasumi especially, as she anxiously shifted in place, wondering if what she said came off as rude.
Shiloh cleared his throat, breaking the stalemate as he darted an eye towards Hasumi."Thank you, we'll be sure to meet up with you once we're all sorted."
"Understood, the rest of the girls are already suited. We'll be sure to wait for you on the helipad."Hasumi flashed the boy a gentle smile as she turned for the exit - gesturing a quick bow to the group before she made her way out.
Shiloh kept his gaze on the door, waiting for the footsteps to fade before aiming a narrowed glare at Palus.
"You holding up in there?"Shiloh bickered, gesturing a tapping motion to his head as he broke the boy out of his daze - snapping to attention with a shake of his head and wide eyes.
"Are you good, boss?" Feng questioned, visible worry dotting the boy's scrunched brows."Listen, if you need to back out of this-"
"I'm fine.."Palus's swift response didn't give the rest a say on the matter as he quickly rose up, glaring towards the door with a piercing visage of determination - the glossy shine on his eyes barely visible under the room's fluorescent lights.
With his voice heavy and low, Palus signaled the rest of them to follow as he made his way to the exit. Shiloh and Feng traded worried looks with raised brows as they reluctantly followed - Diego scoffed, shaking his smirk away as he followed the rest.
"Honestly, what are you thinking right now, Palus."Shiloh pondered, downcasting his gaze as he followed their leader's shadow out of the room.
XXXXXX
Donning their old gear, the four boys made their way up several stairs and onto the helipad - A large bay with catwalks, housing for several air transports, and a large opening on one end for entering and exiting.
Scanning the area for the rest of their entourage, Pauls mainly saw autonomous personnel; very few appeared to be residents donning similar halos to the others they'd recently met. A thought that sparked even more questions as he pieced things together.
After a few surprisingly short minutes, they found the four girls - sticking out from the rest, given their vibrant appearances.
The four girls were gathered around a UH-60 Black Hawk - each distancing themselves from each other in respective areas, Hasumi and Suzumi chatting near the tail rotor. Chinatsu at the cockpit examing the interior, and Yuuka sat on the edge of the passenger seats tapping away on her phone.
Looking up from her screen, Yuuka spotted the four, bolting up and making her way over with a crooked look of annoyance - the other girls glanced over and shortly followed.
"You sure took your time-" Yuuka peeved, crossing her arms as she eyed the boys - her face puffing up as she stopped at Diego; their prior encounter was still fresh in her mind.
"Blame him. He was being difficult to work with."Diego snarked back, pointing his thumb over at Palus.
Palus scoffed, shaking his with an eye roll."As if I was the one being difficult to deal with,"
"Both of you have been especially challenging to cooperate with today."Shiloh commented.
Gathering his thoughts, Palus steeled himself, shifting everyone's focus with little flourish as they all turned to the change in demeanor. "Anyway, we've already been established as a squad for this operation. So, with that in mind, follow my orders and don't run off."
The four girls all nodded, albeit some bore doubtful looks.
"And what of a mission debrief?"Chinatsu called out.
Palus shifted his gaze, scratching his head as he repeated the question to himself."We're still waiting on that as well."
"Understood. Regardless, ill be sure to provide you with as much support."
Hasumi nodded, sticking her nose up in a huff."You can count on us Trinity students to carry out our parts."
Suzumi as well nodded in affirmation.
"It still doesn't make sense..regardless the help is appreciated."Yuuka held her gaze, analyzing the boys with a crinkled look of confusion donning her visage.
"Tch- trust me, this was the last thing I wanted." Palus scoffed, face turning slightly pale as his expression turned grim.
"Eh, honestly, we're just as confused," Feng added, coaxing a wide-eyed response from the millennium student.
Before she could pry further, a lazy pair of footsteps made their way over.
Tossing their attention to the staggered shuffling to their right, a short pink pigtailed girl, bearing the same uniform as Rin, came lazily walking over. Her rested eyes, a greenish cyan, adding to her laid-back attitude - chip bag in hand with an escort of four automatons carrying ample steel cases following in uniform behind.
Parallel to the other girls, she had a halo of her own, a ring of pink crosses forming a tight crown. In addition, the girl, just like Rin, had mystical features in the form of two short horns stubbed near the top of her forehead and a long dragon-like tail sprouting from underneath her skirt.
"Woahh, Rin actually convinced two stubborn groups in one day."The girl paused, raising a finger to her lips. Rin's tactics at times were far from subtle; overboard and lunatic more like. "Four if she manages to get through with the other board members."
"Well.. Intimidated, probably."She mused, crunching down on a handful of chips."Such a way with words that one."
The woman stopped in front of the group, nodding a quick greeting with the Kivotos girls, then looking up to Palus and the rest of his squad - Paying little mind, or better speaking, little care to the odd looks she was receiving.
"Huh, so you guys are the ones Rin entrusted with governing Schale?"The girl shrugged."The name's Momoka. I'm sure we'll see each other plenty."
The comment sparked interest and warry looks eyes from the girls. Each inching closer, ready to pry away at the girl with questions, especially given her close association with the general student council activities.
"Wait, hold up. Wasn't Schale supposed to be an experimental extrajudicial branch?" Yuuka remarked, furthering her interrogation with more questions."And why them of all people?"
"How would I know."Momoka shrugged."It was the student president who authorized it."
Off to the side, the four boys tuned in, undisturbed and taking in the wave of conversation.
"They sure love to talk."Feng jested, nudging over to Palus, who was eyeing the girls with a judging frown.
"Too much. I thought this was supposed to be a confidential matter?"
"Strange for it to be established days before the president's disappearance," Chinatsu commented, burying herself in speculation.
"Wouldn't it be better to have them running, considering they're not from Kivotos?"Suzumi pronounced, enticing Hasumi's attention.
"The lack of bias with academy affiliation would make sense."The raven-haired student's gaze trailed off to the side, processing the newfound information."That said, if word were to get out, many would see Schale as a danger considering their high level of authority."
Tossing the trinity students a skewed smirk, Chiunatsu perked her head up."Funny hearing Trinity talk about bias among authority figures."
"And as if your one to talk!" Hasumi protested, sizing the girl up with a hand on her hip."Isn't your school hounded by a group parading behind a tyrant?"
"Both your schools are kinda weird, I'll be honest."Momoka interjected, popping a chip in her mouth.
"Excuse me!?"
"Regardless, Schale's a federal investigation club working closely with the other academies and the General Student Council." Momoka turned back to the four boys."From what I know, it's speculated that these four, Palus, to be exact, were chosen by the president herself."
Momoka bit her tongue; beads of sweat trickled down her forehead, sending a wave of realization at her recent blundering."Actually, I should be quiet now.."
"Ah-ha, the rest of your equipment is all in those big boxes." Momoka stammered, peering back at the bots as they placed the cargo down."Same goes for you girls. As per security, any confiscated weapons and gear will be redistributed upon leaving the premise- yeah, you get the rest."
"Here's your stuff- Just don't go causing trouble that gets me involved."
Hesitancy glazed the boys before shrugging it off and splitting towards the sealed containers.
Feng was the first to unfasten the latches. Peeling off the lid, he peeked inside, inspecting several cases of ammunition, magazines, and other miscellaneous pieces - more notably, near the bottom was a glimmering shine among the mass pile of matte items.
Nudging the vapid pile to the side. It revealed an ornate piece, a captivating sight for the marksman. To his knowledge, it was a modified 1914 Lee Endfield - black patented wood furniture with a sizeable flush of ornate gold for the mechanisms, buttstock alongside the receiver, and past the fore-end. On the stock was a gold symbol identical to the ones embossed on the trinity students' clothes. It was a beautiful piece that made the marksman almost drool in his captivated state.
"The praise is flattering, but I believe that's mine."
Snapping to reality, Feng whipped his head back. Hasumi was standing behind, cheeks peppered with a dash of pink as she awkwardly shifted her smug smile.
"U-uh, my bad." Feng stammered, spinning himself around and graciously handing the raven-haired woman her rifle."A helluva piece you have there."
"Thank you, but it's just another tool for my duties."
"And what kind of duties require a skinned-out rifle like that?"
Off to the side, Shiloh was rummaging his way through another container - with Chinatsu on the opposite side.
Hoisting up a small pistol case near the corner, Shiloh undid the latches, revealing a relic from a long-gone era of warfare. A Mauser C96 outfitted with a twenty-round mag - a well-kept pistol evident by the glossy shine on the red color scheme.
Catching the bespectacled girl's attention; With a generous smile, Shiloh handed her pistol.
"Thank you."Returning the Gesture, Chinatsu smiled as she reached for the weapon - stowing it inside her bag.
"You're welcome."
"Yo, Shiloh!'' Diego called out from across, Drawing Shiloh's attention. Shiloh glanced back and forth, returning to his usual demeanor before waving the Gehenna student a curt goodbye.
Spotting the boy making his way over, Diego weaved his way through one of the containers.
"Here's yours." digging up a submachine gun and tossing Shiloh the weapon alongside a handful of magazines. It was an mp5k, no stock, and several spare thirty-round mags - small and compact with deadly effectiveness at close quarters. Thanking his partner, Shiloh slung his gun, stowing away the ammunition in his pouches.
Spotting the two, Feng made his way over, calling out to them."Yo, any of you two find my rifle?"
Shoving his head back into the container, Diego reached for the bottom, finding a familiar metal shape.
"Found it!"Diego hollered, tossing the marksman his rifle. A well-maintained mk14 ebr, outfitted with a holographic sight and magnifier. Cradling the rifle, Feng inspected its mechanism before humming in approval; a few racks of the bolt and buffering any minor scratches.
"That's a nice rifle you have."A fourth feminine voice caught the boys off guard. Suzumi was silently tuning in, peering over their shoulders as she watched with intrigue. "I haven't seen anyone in Kivotos with a rifle like that before."
Feng held his head high, face puckering up in pride as he showcased his treasure."Well, what can I say-"
"Don't even start with that shit, vato." Diego cut in, nudging the boy off with an eye roll as he kept rummaging through the box.
"The old field captain did take a great liking to Feng's precision," Shiloh commented, garnering a gentle smile from the marksman.
Catching Feng's eye, Suzumi carried a glistening white rifle; it was a SIG-Sauer MCX Virtus refurbished with a completely sleek futuristic frame. If not for the familiar receiver parts and bolt, it could've easily been mistaken for a gun the robots from earlier might've carried.
"Hell, I can say the same for yours." Feng remarked, crouching down to inspect the familiar yet displaced-looking ar platform.
Suzumi smiled, a genuine show of emotion different from her usual deadpan expression."I've been keeping our schools' streets clean from hooligans for some time now."
"Cool and all, but- man… where the hell's my gun?!"Diego bellowed in annoyance.
"Probably withered away by now-" Feng jabbed.
"Fuck you."
Yuuka rummaged through a pile of ammo canisters, searching for her guns - the added heft of the mound further tilting the already irked student. The additional work she now found herself in was far from desirable.
"Man, how did I get roped into this?"She heaved a crate to the side with a strained groan, struggling beneath the weight."I'm a student of Millenium. Why do I have to be the one to deal with the General Student Councils' problems?!"
Let loosing an exasperated huff, she regained her bearings - frivolously patting down her jacket in a flustered blow-up.
Having exhausted most of the built-up stress, she returned to her search. Near the corner, a long matte black metal piqued her interest. Hoisting it up, from what she could recall based on her many inventory reports, it was a Mossberg 500. This particular one bore a fair amount of wear and tear - scratches coating the receiver and the end of its stock, riddled with chips and indents; A weapon closer to a piece of scrap metal than an actual gun.
Narrowing her eyes, she held the battered piece of metal towards the light - examining the weapons scars with a judgemental frown.
"Tch- Do some people not have any standards?"
Just as she was about to throw the scrap back into the box, a bulky figure swept behind her. Before she could react, a strong force yanked the weapon out of her hands, nearly whipping the petit girl around and off her feet.
Struggling to regain her footing, she batted her eyes up. With a weighted look, Deigo loomed over with knitted brows.
"Hands off other people's stuff."
A surge of anger flared up as Yuuka tightened her face to a scowl - Jolting herself up, she placed a hand on her hip, standing against the giant. The stark contrast to her slim frame didn't stop her from contesting, jabbing her finger at the boy with a seething look.
"What is your problem?!"Yuuka snapped. Diego spared her little attention, acting aloof as he batted an eye before walking off.
Yuuka stomped her foot down, resent boiling inside her sharpened glare as she opened her mouth to let loose a torrent of words at the gall she witnessed.
Before she could, however, Palus called out to the two of them; Diego, to be exact.
"Let's cut that shit out."Palus bluntly said, focusing in on Diego with a heated expression. The giant merely nodded, avoiding eye contact.
"He has absolutely no right to act out li-!"Yuuka blundered out in protest, only to be immediately stopped as Palus's gaze shifted - shutting the girl down.
Still seeing the girl's irked face, Palus hollered, grabbing her attention with two well-polished submachine guns - one of his recent finds while rummaging through the crates."These yours?"
Like a switch, her eyes lit up, lightening her frown as the boy tossed her guns. Fumbling the catch, she inspected her signature piece. Two SIG MPXs, a near-futuristic submachine gun, accented by the luminous blue trims alongside the silver embossing of her school's symbol.
Opening her mouth, Palus waved her off before she could utter a word - lightly shaking his head as he turned to his own gear, leaving the girl standing in an awkward fluster before meandering off.
"Y'all sure are one funny bunch."A chipper voice from behind caught Palus off-guard, the witty comment whipping the boy's attention around - instincts tightening his body, ready to retaliate.
It was Momoka, smugly smiling as she held in her laughter. Clearing her throat, she straightened herself - Seeing Palus's look of murder near similar to Rin's had her cutting any jest.
"Rin also wanted me to give this to you."Reaching into her pocket, she whipped out a sleek, white P-shaped device.
"An earpiece?"Palus deduced, accepting the gear as he gave it a curious inspection.
Momoka nodded. Powering on her holo device, she swiped through a series of messages. With a hum and a brief pause, she turned heel - giving the boy a quick thumbs up. "Rin has given you the good to go whenever you're ready."
Palus simply nodded, turning to the rest of his squad with a tentative look. It's been several months since their last operation - Several months since he last made orders that led to unnecessary deaths. Regardless the terms were concrete, Palus was going to oversee again.
"Good luck Schale. We'll be counting on ya." Momoka lazily voiced back, waving goodbye before disappearing into the crowd.
Quelling the ever-creeping doubt, Palus made his way towards the Chopper, calling out to the rest of the group."Everyone mount up. We're taking off!"
Everyone snapped to attention, urgency in their steps as they followed suit. Adrenaline and anxiety coursed through their veins as the thought of battle rushed to life.
With the two groups seating themselves opposite of each other, in a few minutes, the chopper's engines began to roar to life. Its rotor blades slowly accelerated to their limit as the noise outside grew thick - personnel rushed to positions, hustling out any obstructions. The whirling blades sliced through the air, interior quaking in response as the mechanical beast rose - engulfing the cockpit with a flurry of drowned-out noises.
From outside, a mechanical clunk signaled the hanger doors opening - its mechanisms bellowing a beefy roar throughout the room.
"Huh, deja vu," Feng commented, donning a blank expression as a smirk crept onto his face.
"Real funny" Diego rolled his eyes, coaxing a small chuckle from the boys.
Feng's expression soured to a frown, dragging out a sigh as his now blank eyes began to tremble slightly.
"You know I gotta say." His lowered voice caught the boy's attention. Barely Audible to bleed through the chopper's noise and not be heard by the girls across."Regardless of how much we've done this, the feeling never leaves."
A shallow smile crept onto his face."Always gotta wonder when that day eventually comes for us."
"Not yet…"Palus rubbed his hands, eyes transfixed with a bleeding determination as a breath of air passed through gritted teeth. "If what we do, doesn't amount to what they've sacrificed, then we have no right to die now."
The three replied in silence, faces grizzled with grief - With it, however, a dim flame of determination perked their heads up as the squad traded nods; Palus forced a smile, albeit a small one battling the torrent of grim thoughts.
"Let's forget about that sentimental shit for a while." Diego scoffed, hiding the creeping grin as he tossed his gaze off to the side. "At the end of it all, we're just here to see how long we'll last, right?"
"Back then, everyone always wondered what we were fighting for." Shiloh commented, leaning back as he tilted his head up."Now it's just us, and that question is all the more meaningful."
The four shook their heads, sharing a Silent laugh as they gripped their weapons. Among them, Palus clutched tightly onto a small tin case rattling lightly inside his vest pouch - a weathered piece of beaten metal with numerous tallies etched into the surface.
"Oi boss, I handled your rifle a bit, and it's all good to go." Feng validated, working the bolt several times before tossing it over. It was a standard m4 carbine fitted with an acog and a forward grip - generally well maintained, minus the few cosmetic damages along its surfaces.
Sliding in a fresh mag, Palus smiled in satisfaction before stowing it to his side.
All the while this was happening, Hasumi watched from across. Unaware of their conversation but visibly puzzled by the contrasting looks the four were donning.
"You four seem awfully lively considering the circumstances."The trinity student addressed, catching their attention.
"Eh, you get used to it…minus the whole seeing girls with halos thing," Feng replied, brandishing a grin as he cradled the rifle to his chest."This, I could have never predicted."
Now intrigued, Hasumi's head perked up, leaning slightly in as her eyes sparkled with interest in the newcomers.
"I take it you've all been well accustomed to this line of work?"
The boys smirked; Feng shook his head lightly as he huffed a breath of air.
"Been doing this for too long, honestly-"
Tuning into the conversation, the other trinity student, Suzumi, joined in. Observing the four with an analytic gaze.
"What kind of work did you four used to do?"Suzumi queried, invoking a sudden silence.
The four boys didn't reply, holding their tongues as they downcasted their eyes. Feng dipped his hat down, awkwardly shifting in his seat as he let out a weak chuckle.
Hasumi cleared her throat."Apologies for our nosy behavior. We were only curious, is all."
Suzumi bowed lightly, apologetic.
"Don't worry about it." Palus reassured, his tone subtle.
Seeing the dreary change in atmosphere, Chinatsu cleared her throat, leveling the mood as she grabbed the group's attention.
"In other regards, we should probably focus on our mission."
Shiloh nodded as he redirected their group's focus to Palus.
Closing his eyes, Palus took a breath of air - A shallow attempt to cover the visible stress donning his visage.
Palus swallowed hard, forcing down any backward thoughts as he hardened his focus - Whipping out the small device Momoka handed, and popping it in his ear. Feeling the smooth material, Palus stopped on a shallow divot; Pressing down, a blue led lit up, softly emitting a beep and hum.
"Do you even know how to use that?" Yuuka raised a brow.
"Vaguely"
Struggling to grasp the device's functions, Palus Fondled it till a familiar chipper but lax voice broke through; it was Momoka.
"Hey, no way! You actually managed to get it to work."
"I was worried you wouldn't be able to figure it out."
"Would've been nice to know," Palus grumbled, pinching his nose.
"Yup my fault for that, but everything worked out." Momoka mused. A rustle, a crunch of food, and the lax girl chirped in satisfaction, returning to the task at hand."Alright, let's get back on track."
"Please do"
"First things first- There should be another button to place me on speaker."
Doing exactly so, Palus began feeling his way around the surfaces, eventually channeling Momoka's voice through - the rumble of the chopper now audible on both ends.
"Good sounds like you're already en route."
A series of tapping from Momoka, then a hum of affirmation.
"One last thing before I pass it on to Rin."
Feeling vibration from the earpiece, Palus placed his hand over the device. In response, a sizzle of blueish hues spewed from a small slit on the device. In seconds, a projection materialized in the middle of the helicopter's cabin, Engulfing the room in cobalt. Various segments of shapes and lines began forming on a flat plane in what could only be presumed to be a map or layout. Near the top of its corners, a digital timer labeled 'ETA' was displayed counting down from 15 minutes.
The boys were stupefied, eyeballing the array of holographic shapes emanating from Palus's ear. The Kivotos students, with similar reactions albeit more tamed, watched with appeal; Yuuka especially, head held high as she took on a boastful smile.
"Courtesy of the intellect brought by the forefront of technological innovation here in Kivotos, Millennium Science School."Yuuka boasted, coaxing a mix of appraising and peevish looks from both crowds.
"Impressive tech, considering the size of the device.."Shiloh analyzed, wafting his hand around the projection.
"Yeah yeah real cool, we get it, Millennium's the fancy smart school."Momoka told off, regaining the group's attention."Marvel at it later cause you'll be using this for future operations."
"Okay, time to get serious, I'm patching Rin through."
With an audible fuzz, Momoka added the acting president to their communications. A quick clear of her throat and the parties could feel the shift in atmosphere as a familiar spine-shivering voice spoke up.
"Ladies and gentlemen good to have you here. Without wasting any time, let's go over your objectives."
The two parties leaned in, eyes locked.
"As you all are already aware of the student council president's disappearance, one thing I didn't mention was the item she had requested us to stow away in the basement of the Shcale building."
On cue the projection began shifting in form as in the center, a tall tower rose from the originally 2d plane.
"We believe that with it we can bypass the security login and regain control of Sanctum Tower."
"So that's our target, but what's the catch?" Palus queried, raising a hand to his chin as he began closely observing the map.
Again, the projection began to shift, this time a layer of red formed itself on top of the area surrounding the tower.
"Recently, an escaped convict from the federal correction bureau, whose breakout is still a mystery, has used the opportunity to rally local gangs and thugs to enact chaos in the area. We're fairly certain they're unaware of the real value the Schale building has, but we can't risk losing that item."
"Not to mention the damage they are causing will be a nightmare for our logistics team."Rin heaved a sigh, mumbling something under her breath before refocusing."That's where your team comes in."
The two parties traded glances, a mix of panic and uncertainness at the given task. Palus however remained steadfast or at least attempted to look so. In truth, his mind kept processing all the potential outcomes and snags they might come across; they were under-equipped and short on manpower given their tasks' scale. Not to mention the feigned confidence he has for their last-minute salvation squad.
"Are we going at it alone?" Palus asked warily.
"Not necessarily. You'll be acting on your own but you will have additional ground forces to ease the tide.
"I'd like you to meet the global director of Valkyrie Police Academy, Ms. Ogata Kanna"
Hearing another abrupt fuzz on the comms, a perimeter of green began forming along the northern side of the map.
"It's a pleasure meeting you sensei. As mentioned, my name is Ogata Kanna, I'm the head of law enforcement here in Kivotos and I'm looking forward to seeing how well Schale operates."The woman announced - A stern and intense voice. From the introduction, alone Palus could feel a strong sense of authoritarian justice webbed into the woman's tone.
Regardless, Palus cleared his throat, straightening himself.
"Likewise, I assume then, your people are already within the ao, given the info I'm seeing on my map."Palus presumed, wasting no time in leveling himself with the sitrep.
"Correct, our people were the first to respond. The escaped convict, however, worked together a sizable fighting force consisting of thugs and criminals. That alongside the chaos being conducted on such a large perimeter, coupled with our insufficient numbers, our forces haven't been able to make notable progress in controlling the situation."
"What's so special about said convict?"Palus queried
"The perpetrator is Kosaka Wakamo, a former student of Hyakkiyako Alliance Academy - the proclaimed 'Fox of Calamity' given her record of Arson, property damage, and several thefts." The captain heaved a sigh. "She's a troublesome one - highly dangerous, so avoid her if possible."
Clearing her throat, the captain moved on to a more positive note; the few advantages they had over the situation.
"On one hand, we've created a blockade on a major traffic zone, separating the fighting from any major city areas - limiting collateral and civilian casualties."
"So I'm guessing that's where we come into play." Palus analyzed the situation, eyes focused on the shimmering glimmer of the map, molding and sculpting itself to every new bit of info; He had to admit it was a convenient tool to have.
"Yes, fortunate for us, them being clustered in a relatively minor city district makes our lives easier-"
"But our jobs harder." Palus finished with a grumble. Having reached a conclusion, Palus gripped the bridge of his nose, eyes sewn shut as a stifled breath sliced through his agitation; it was a complicated set of circumstances.
Shiloh crossed his arms, batting Palus a cocked brow."Have a plan? I'm sure you realize how steep this mission really is."
"Oh come on, we've done shit helluva lot worse and ten times the amount.''Diego scoffed, stuffing aside his snark remark." May I remind you on consecutive days too?"
Suzumi nodded in acknowledgment, turning to Palus with a dubious look."I'm aware caution is advised, but certainly, you're underestimating our capabilities."
Palus gushed another puff of air, batting the girls a quick glance before narrowing on the map."Yes, I'm aware, and to be frank, with the additional support, we could steamroll this mission, but.."
"Can you really guarantee that?"
Palus paused, face scrunched and a hollowed gaze seemingly staring at something distant - one hand instinctively aiming south, giving the container in his pouch a tight squeeze before snapping back to reality.
"My forces are ready to assist in the assault. Just give the word and we'll charge in with a two-way attack." Kanna relayed back."A Few groups of loosely placed thugs won't be able to coordinate themselves accordingly."
"No, we play it safe." Palus bluntly said, swiftly inching forward towards the map, catching the team off guard with the abrupt change.
The boys traded surprised looks. Feng straightened himself up, leaning in with widened eyes."Huh, so we're not blitzing it for once."
Palus shook his head, batting an eye over at the girls then locking in with his squad.
"Given the nature of it, we'll still be making an aggressive push."
"So what's the plan, vato? Cause I hope you know nothing about this is safe." Diego jabbed.
"Minimise casualties. Looks like we're being dropped off a couple blocks away, south of the tower - on the opposite side of Kanna's forces.
"That's a first.." Feng queried.
Palus directed his hand, gliding a finger along the map as he composed a strategy.
"If it isn't too much to ask ms. Kanna, I'd like your people to agitate them and lure them into your choke point."
"Draw out as many as you can. While still maintaining an easily defendable formation - limiting potential casualties. With that, our team will push through on the opposite side."
"Scattering their forces by stirring up some confusion through the chaos." Hasumi hummed in approval, raising a hand to her chin as she evaluated the plan."A two-pronged assault with one side acting as a baited trap."
"Are you certain they'll fall for the lure?" Chinatsu contorted, batting a skeptical look.
"Their common thugs with a grudge to pick with the authorities."Palus reassured, coaxing a nod from the Gehenna student."They have no real goal or chain of command, for that matter. The moment shots are fired, they'll instantly engage - an act of defiance and retaliation towards authorities."
Diego stifled a snicker, nodding as a smug smile crept onto his face.
"Won't they notice the chopper?"Chinatsu evaluated.
Shaking his head, Palus gave the Gehenna student a frown."Not much we can do about it - we're dropping in hot. So, here's hoping the chaos will mask our deployment."
"I doubt a band of hooligans would be that coordinated. Even then, as long as it's a smaller force, we'll swiftly deal with them." Hasumi insisted.
Suzumi's face wilted in annoyance, recalling all the nuisances she's had to deal with."That I can see-"
Hasumi gave the student a humoring smile."We might see some familiar faces."
"Please no.."
"Any objections?"Palus announced, eyeing the two groups before nodding in confirmation."Then it's settled.."
"With that, I'll inform my people and commence with the operation." Kanna affirmed, bidding the squad good luck and disconnecting from the call.
Palus nodded, albeit with lingering unease clenching his stomach; He wasn't the only one. Shiloh as well dipped his down with a hand to his chin. Years of fighting and the unnerving paranoia that something was off coming to effect. Much to their concern, however, little could be done - every fight built unease, but far too many had variables out of their control and challenging to ring out.
Haasumi, with the corner of her eye, watched from afar, eyes narrowing with suspicion but choosing to remain silent.
Feng leaned over, patting their squad leader's back, attempting to shift his focus."Head up and eyes forward, boss, don't even stress it."
Palus forced a smile, returning the marksman's toothy grin and turning to the goofy antics the other members were in.
"Hnghh- why me out of all people."Yuuka groaned, her face puffing up red as she cocked her submachine gun and tightened her belt.
"Why the attitude? Shouldn't a member of the Seminar be appraising an opportunity to display their schools' capabilities?" Hasumi chaffed, earning an unamused frown.
Chinatsu tilted her chin up." Here's hoping Trinity's combat capabilities match that of their reputation."
"And the same can be said for you."Hasumi retorted.
A sharp beep surged from the hologram's timer; five minutes remained. Knowing they were about to begin, both parties traded glances. A mixture of grief, worry, and smug confidence from some as they did one last check on their gear.
"This is it..back in action.." Palus murmured.
"May I have a word, sensei?"Rin softly spoke, lowering her voice from the others.
"Sure, what is it?"Fumbling back to reality, Palus switched the voice channel back. Confirming their privacy beforehand.
"I know your team appears to already be well acquainted with combat, but I'd also like to remind you to be extra careful with your approach."
"And why's that?"
"Much to how you're viewing everything else right now, I'd assume that even if I were to tell you, you'd simply refuse to believe it was true."
Rin paused, delicately choosing her words with care." I don't mean to offend, but so far, from what I've learned, you have a sense of stubbornness."
Palus scoffed, shaking his head as he gripped the handle of his rifle - eyes hollowed as he stared at the floor.
"We'll get the job done."Palus flatly said.
"Very well as you wish. Momoka will be monitoring your progress - touching base if needed. Good luck, Schale." Rin hummed in approval, hesitating before abruptly cutting the call - leaving the squad leader in a silent reflection, zoned out and blurring his environment into a moment of isolation.
"Is this all that's left? Fallen quite low if this is all you have. And yet, you still keep going."
"What for anymore? Most of it is gone, so why keep revisiting?"
Palus chuckled weakly, rubbing the edges of his rifle as he shook his head - eyes dropping down to the rattling container in his vest.
"Keep fighting, I suppose.."
XXXXXX
"Remind me again why we're going away from the fighting? Last time I checked, we got no part in these guys' schedules." Tucking their head down behind a dumpster, a masked individual wearing worn down street clothing glanced over at their partner - similar in appearance, but with subtle variations."Because me personally, id like to give those pompous student council punks a piece of my mind."
"Man, I don't know. I'm not the one calling the shots- and would you really like to get in between those two out of all people?!" Their partner chastised, gesturing behind them as a quick reminder of whom they were with.
"Tch- you gotta point. I don't know what a PMC group wants with the general student council, but hell, I don't want any part of it."
"Hmph- Like hell as if we got a choice."
Hidden away in a parking yard, underneath several buildings, an entourage of armed personnel was loosely spread out - forming a perimeter around the various entry points and alleyways. Keeping a close watch as the distant gunfire grew in intensity - not stray rounds but now a full-on skirmish.
An odd mixture of every day looking thugs and miscreants to organized and well-equipped-looking soldiers.
Both sides passed each other the odd-ball look as it was the least likely people they'd ever expect to cooperate with, even if it was only temporarily.
In the middle of it all, a stockier-looking soldier was discussing with a woman. Amongst them, she stood out the most - Long black hair with a pair of fox ears and a tail. Wearing ornate and traditional clothing in the form of a black, with slight terms of maroon furisode decorated in crimson, white, and gold sakura blossoms. Contending the almost elegant attire was an asymmetrical fit on her legs, consisting of an opaque socking on one leg and a garter strap on the other. To top it all off, the women wore a mystically designed kitsune mask - eyes holes filled by a solid gradient of gold and black, while the surface was eyelined with stokes of red and a gold flower embossing on the forehead.
"So, that's all there is to it?"The woman spoke, her voice low, with an almost seductive and mischievous slow to her words.
"Simplicity itself."The soldier nodded, handing the women a folder. "Our employers left us a description of what they want to be retrieved from the Schale building."
"Aside from that, how you go about it is at your discretion."
The vixen let out a pensive hum, ogling the contents inside - Tilting her head to the side, she raised a finger to her chin, letting out an amused giggle."And what do I gain exactly from this?"
With a huff, the soldier crossed his arms."Let's not forget who it was that got you out of the Correction Bureues facility."
"I could've done it myself~ and from what I recall, wasn't that incident caused by a malfunction in the facility's equipment?"
"That's what everyone else is supposed to believe."The soldier retorted, groaning in annoyance as his patience spread thin."Face it, you owe us for all the times you interfered with our operations."
"As if I'd intentionally go out of my way to foil your plans~" She teased back.
"And let's not forget theirs still a sizeable bounty on your head. For all its worth, we could've turned you in whenever but still chose not to."
The woman scoffed, stifling a laugh as she batted her gaze to the side; her aggressor didn't take it likely. Taking a step forward as he towered over her with a looming stiffness beginning to engulf the air.
"Help us with this job, and you can consider yourself a free and alive woman."
Raising her head up in defiance, the woman contemplated her options, observing her surroundings before locking in with the eyes of the front man. A stillness in time clouded the two as the intensity grew. Close to a minute passed by till the woman backed off, giggling to herself with a cynical undertone.
"Fine, as you wish~"
The soldier scoffed as he walked off, taking a short glance behind to find the woman still eyeing him down - gesturing him a little wave before turning heel.
"Tch- fucking creep."
Bzzz-!
Feeling a vibration, he reached for the radio strapped on his belt."Report."
"Bravo one reporting- Several of our overwatch troops caught wind of a helo making its way here."
"It's a troop carrier coming from the student councils' defensive line."
"Something's on its way, and it's coming in fast."
A/N
And after a stupidly long hiatus, chapter four is out and we're finally getting into the juicier bits. Overall I really enjoyed writing this one. It really got my brain moving grabbing everything I possibly could from the game combined with my own ideas to create a hopefully beefier story. I'm gonna need to spend some time REALLY catching up on all the installments the game has added but hopefully, this just leads to me getting a lot more material for the story I've already got a vague idea of how I'm piecing the story in regards to all the characters and plotlines.
Once again I apologize for the long wait, been sorting a lot of things in life out and im really trying to grind out this story as best as my time allows me.
Thank you so much for being patient and As always, I appreciate each and every single reader. Do share your thoughts, opinions and critiques. As always stay safe, treat each other with respect and ill catch you later.
-IBENZ_Mp4