3:40 PM, Local Time
Rome, Italy
Embassy of the United States
June, 2018
Marvel flinched as Genji landed a back kick to his stomach. He had a feeling Genji was going for the stomach but he didn't expect it this early. Marvel moved around the ring, keeping his steady pace. For the past two minutes, he was unable to land a proper hit on Genji. It was almost as if he could read his next move. Marvel wanted to test his luck again after his disastrous first time sparring with Genji, almost embarrassing himself in front of his team. He had experience with MMA training in between his time at the Air Force. He wanted to be better. He wanted to be perfect.
Wiping the sweat off his forehead with his arm, Marvel went for swift hooks left and right rapidly. Genji covered his face against most of his hits and backed away quickly. Approaching him, Marvel lifted his leg for a roundhouse kick which Genji blocked quickly. Marvel then went for a spinning kick aiming for the head but Genji ducked under. Marvel didn't react in time to block not just one but two of Genji's kicks to his torso with the last being a back kick. It was inhumanly rapid that Marvel wished he had that too. Marvel clutched his stomach, enduring another one of Genji's attacks.
But it was way earlier than he had expected. Genji moved forward and delivered what he perceived was a tornado kick. The impact on his face made Marvel stumble onto the ground. He quickly recovered and moved away, punching the mat and cursing under his breath.
They continued to trade punches with Genji blocking most of them, almost reaching the three-minute mark by ten seconds. At that rate, he was starting to feel tired. Marvel stepped forward and swung a cross at Genji, only for him to push the punch away and wrap his arm over his. Then Genji turned his back against him and Marvel felt his feet lift off the ground. In just one motion, he found himself thrown to the mat with a hard thud. He had lost all of his energy to get up. All of his limbs went limp onto the mat and his heartbeat was twice his usual like it was about to burst open. Marvel sulked. He blew it. What would his young counterpart say? Genji appeared in his view and bent down, reaching a hand out for him.
"You overused your strength," He said. "This'll leave you vulnerable and open to your enemy's attacks. Use your mind, not your body."
Since when did he become my personal trainer? Marvel thought. He glared at his hand for a brief moment. Wiping his mouth, Marvel rejected Genji's hand and pulled himself up while gritting his teeth from the pain. He glanced at Genji while holding his stomach.
"Thanks. You fight well."
It came out dry and nasally. Genji didn't respond as long as he said something grateful enough, it'll do. Stepping out of the ring, he snatched his bottle and towel off the floor. Marvel noticed McCree and his Mexican hacker friend outside the ring, watching him leave. Both of them are either unamused or pitiful. Marvel looked away and went back to the punching bags.
3 Days Later
11:35 PM, Local Time
Busan, South Korea
After cleaning herself up, Hana Song walked out of the bathroom while tying up her hair. It was almost midnight and she still didn't feel like sleeping which Hana thought was both a good and bad thing. The press conference that afternoon wore most of her team out with most of the questions by journalists being boring and mundane. She already prepared herself for bed wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
Hana approached the bed where her friend Yuna Lee was on. Her jet black hair was slightly messy but any kind of hairdo she would try would still make the fans and the media swoon. The TV was still on, blaring music on a lower volume.
"Jesus, I'm so tired," Yuna yawned. "That session was so boring I almost fell asleep."
"Tell me about it. I'm lucky that I barely sleep all the time."
"I still don't believe you're not an alien."
Hana chuckled as she tucked herself in beside Yuna. There was only one large bed so the girls decided to share it. Hana reached for her phone on the nightstand and quickly put up an alarm. The noise from the TV shut off.
"So how're things with that DJ boyfriend of yours? " Yuna asked.
"Huh?" Hana glanced at her.
"Your boyfriend, Lucio. You guys doing fine?"
Hana paused for a moment. "We're going steady. Lucio's finishing up his tour for his new album so it'll probably be a few days until we see each other again."
Yuna nodded and clicked her tongue. Hana adjusted herself against the squishy pillow. There was silence.
"What about you? How's Su-ji?" Hana asked.
Yuna let out a sigh, tugging her crop top. A smirk crept up across her face.
"We're a thing now," she said, surprising Hana. "Su-ji asked me out last week while I was staying at his place. He got a bit nervous and all but-"
Suddenly, they heard muffled bangs. The two perched up and looked around.
"Is that what I think it is?" Hana asked.
More bangs followed up, collectively synchronizing. And it sounded like it was coming from downstairs. Yuna leaned forward to get a view of the door.
"You remember that incident in Seoul last year?" She asked. "I think it's happening again but we're in it this time."
"Oh my god," Hana muttered. "Oh my god, this is crazy. D-do you know where the others are?"
"They were at the bar downstairs."
Hana let out a distraught sigh. Her heart was racing and her breathing was fast. She silently cursed and tried to calm herself down. They were already off the bed at this point.
"C-can you call the police?" Hana asked, pacing across the room.
Yuna already had her phone out. "I can't. There's no signal. There was WiFi earlier and now it's offline."
"What? Oh my…what do we do now?"
She shrugged. "I don't know, wait it out, I guess? I mean, we're in a locked room after all."
"But what about them? They're still down there!"
"Hana, unless we had futuristic mechs capable of shooting lasers, I don't think we stand a chance against these guys. Who knows what they're capable of?"
They both stood in awkward silence, other than anxious breathing. Gunfire had already ceased at this point.
"What about the rooftop?" Hana said.
There was a sudden knock on the door. They both froze and spun, focusing on the door.
"Security! Anyone in there?"
Hana and Yuna exchanged glances. They both silently asked questions with no possible answers. Hana then agreed to approach the door.
"What is it?" She called as she neared the door.
There was no reply from the voice. Looking through the peephole, Hana noticed a man in a red polo shirt with a large vest standing in front of the door. He hardly looked like a security guard.
"A-are you security?" Hana asked.
"I'm off-duty," The man replied. "I was inside when I heard the gunshots. Are you alone?"
Hana quickly glanced at Yuna who was standing by the corridor. She had her suspicions and shook her head. Hana faced the door without looking through the peephole.
"Y-yes. I'm alone. My friend's…i-is the police on their way right now?"
There was a pause. Hana looked back at Yuna again who was now near her. She was still unconvinced the man was security.
"I can't tell. Communications have been cut off so it's not likely. Now can you please open the door so I can check if you're hurt or not?"
Hana looked through the peephole again to check on the man. There was no sign of a badge or a tag.
"Ma'am, this is very important," the man continued. "I have been authorized to bust into guests' rooms if I have to."
"Excuse me, sir. With all due respect, security doesn't take routine room checks and kick doors down...and you definitely don't look like one."
There was another pause but Hana thought she could hear the man mumble something. And then she heard a familiar sound. Hana's eyes widened. It was enough to convince them of his deception. Yuna grabbed her shoulder and threw themselves into the bathroom, dropping onto the floor. Gunshots erupted from outside as the girls slid away from the door frame. Hana's ears began to ring on the verge of deafness from the loud shots. She flinched over each shot that fired upon them. Years of gaming experience and shooter games hadn't prepared her for real gunfire. Was it her time? She wasn't ready for this.
Hana flinched as the door kicked off the lock and slam against the wall. Her breathing became short and detached as she braced. Hana noticed a shadow looming on the porcelain tiles. As soon as the barrel of the gun appeared from the door, Yuna stepped forward and went for the man's gun. Shots fired with one hitting the wall and the other two on the ceiling. Hana forgot how painfully loud the gun was, forcing her to cover her ears. They both pushed and kicked, knocking things off the counter as they struggled for the gun. Yuna managed to pin him against the wall, hitting him as much as possible.
"Go! I got this!" She yelled.
Hana was mixed with jumbled thoughts. She didn't want to leave her behind. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her to a killer. Everything was crowding up her mind she could only move slowly. Then, Hana noticed the gun fly off and land in the bathtub. Without any second thoughts, she reached the bathtub and got the gun. It felt heavy and big for her hands. Thoughts were swarming her head, making it hard for her to hear herself. When Hana turned around, Yuna was pushed back and pinned against the sink.
Hana held up the gun, aiming it in the direction of the man. She felt her hands shake uncontrollably as her finger touched the trigger. Hana pulled the trigger and recoiled to the crack. There was no splashy sound of the bullet hitting the skin. Only a hole left in the back of the man's thigh. Blood suddenly trickled from the hole, soaking the area. The man spun around, teeth gritted and was about to reach for her. It gave Yuna enough time to grab a hairdryer from the counter while he was distracted. She swung it to his face, hard enough to break herself free of his grip.
The man tripped over and fell onto the floor. Yuna didn't even give him a chance to fight back, let alone let him sit up. She was above him, hitting the man with the hairdryer without stopping. She was letting it all out on him. Hana could see faint splashes of blood projecting to the tiles. The man's hands fell limp and Yuna stopped. She was heaving loudly and her breaths were shorter. She got off the body and sat beside the bathtub, dropping the bloody hairdryer. Her hair was disheveled and drips of blood stained her top. Hana could notice her flushed cheeks and her bruised arms. Hana felt like a timid rabbit. She could still feel her ears softly ringing like an alarm.
"Y-Yuna?" Hana quietly said.
Her friend glanced at her while still visibly worn out. Her breathing was starting to ease up.
"I had this." Yuna whispered.
"You didn't look like you did so well." Hana replied.
Yuna didn't reply but she decided to pat down the man. Hana looked at the gun she fired. The slide was clipped back and there was no bullet inside. It was now useless. Shortly, Yuna stood up with a flip phone on her hand. Hana couldn't see her reaction but she was lingering to it for a while.
"W-what is it?" Hana asked.
Yuna turned around and Hana quickly noticed how staggered she was.
"It's them."
Hana was confused by her answer. "Who?"
Before she could ask more, Yuna moved past her.
"We need to get to the rooftop now." She said.
Hana wanted to ask who it was. But Yuna was already at the door before she could find her words. She eventually stumbled after her and followed Yuna out of the room. Just as she stepped out, Hana noticed three men in similar vests, armed with rifles, closing in on the two.
The Next Day
10:00 PM, Local Time
West Busan, South Korea
The flaps opened as the Blackwatch team entered the makeshift command center one by one where they were greeted by the sight of Gabriel and Amélie standing by the displays. Once everybody was present, Gabriel began the briefing.
"Alright, let's get into it," he said, turning on the TV. "Last night, a group of armed men stormed the Lijiang Busan hotel and took an unknown number of guests and staff hostage. Because no negotiations have been made, Salvatore has permission to declare this as a Blackwatch operation."
"But that's the ROK's job. Why are we needed?" Ray asked.
"Because intel NATO has provided us with theorized a possibility that the armed men are the separatists of North Korea, the Gwishin." Amélie answered.
The TV displaying the news article and footage then switched to a new slide, showing a black flag with a side view of a leopard skull and swords formed into a cross behind it.
"This group is led by radical, politically motivated terrorists who wish to see their supreme country rise, even if it means the downfall of South Korea. They have been orchestrating attacks on South Korea for the past decade every couple years and continued to this day." She continued, switching to another slide showing news articles about them from the past.
"Intel has also ID'd and confirmed one of the Gwishin members in the hotel as the number one on South Korea's watchlist: Hwang Gyeong-jae AKA. the White Panther." Gabriel added.
The display then switched to a new slide, showing a blurry photo taken from a security camera. The photo was cropped to only focus on the bald man with a large forehead seemingly ordering something. Another photo was a second cropped piece showing the same man posing with the others blocked out for comparison. There was a scar on his right eye.
"He's one of the lieutenants of the Gwishin and possibly more ruthless than the others. He was infamously responsible for the bombing of Major Myung Seon-ok during a diplomatic meeting in 2012."
"If these guys are separatists, then what are they trying to achieve by taking an entire hotel hostage? Doesn't make any sense." Marvel said.
"Whatever message they're trying to send, orders are orders," Gabriel continued. "We'll be going in as an anonymous counter-terrorism unit in corporation with the 707th SMB. Because we were never there, all credit for the raid will go towards them. Sombra, Marvel, Ray, you three hang back. The rest of you, gear up and be ready by 1010."
The rest of the team left the command center one by one while Marvel and Ray were left inside with Sombra. Gabriel looked behind his shoulder at the shrouded tent with light between the flaps before turning away and catching up with his team.
10:29 PM, Local Time
As the chilly night brewed, the Blackwatch team in the KUS-VH unmanned helicopter flew past the skyline of Busan where the sight of the brightly lit Harbor Bridge was easy to spot. Another helicopter flying with them held the SMB team, shrouded in all black gear. The Blackwatch team were suited up in uniforms with masks, covering their identities. They were only a few minutes close to the hotel. Faint siren lights were still flickering from the bottom outside and a news helicopter hovered around the hotel for a shot.
"글라이더 1, AO 접근 20 초 남았습니다. (Glider 1, approaching AO. 20 seconds out.)"
"Copy. Get ready for landing." Gabriel replied.
As the helicopters reached the hotel, the helicopter began to descend to the rooftop with the SMB following. Once it was a few inches off the roof, Gabriel and the team hopped off and started moving. With their weapons ready, Gabriel led his team towards the door while the SMB unit got their rappelling gear set up by the balcony. They wanted to breach the upper floor for the gunmen.
Entering inside, the Blackwatch team descended down the emergency stairway, floor by floor. Their body cameras were attached to their plate carriers as surveillance for Sombra and the others back at their post.
"Shadow 1," Sombra's voice from the comms buzzed. "I've hacked into the security surveillance system and the hotel is swarming with the Gwishin and I mean, a lot of them."
"Not the first time. Any sign of the hostages?" Gabriel asked.
"Still on it. No sign of the White Panther yet."
Gabriel ordered McCree and Moira to sweep the first floor, leaving himself with Amélie and Genji. They reached the ground floor and stacked up by the door. Gabriel slowly opened the door and the team moved out, approaching an integrated cafe. It was brightly lit yet dead quiet. Most of the furniture was toppled over in the midst of the rush. Gabriel stopped by the table once he noticed a pair of men with matching rifles patrolling the cafe several feet away from each other.
Gabriel mounted his Scar L on the edge of the table and made some hand signals with his right hand. Amélie nodded and raised her K7 at the figures. Once Gabriel got their line of sight, he pulled the trigger twice. The suppressor pulsed as the muzzle let out a small flash. The gunman on the left dropped immediately and the other fell in half a second. They were about to stand up when they heard a thunderous burst erupt from the ground. The group froze. Faint noises echoed from afar. Gabriel cursed under his breath.
"Hope you guys got a plan B," Sombra said. "Cause the entire hotel knows something's up."
"Just find the hostages! We'll deal with the rest!" Gabriel replied.
Once the group moved out of the cafe, gunfire from above erupted across the hotel. The SMB must've breached once they heard the discharge. So much for keeping it quiet. As they reached the lobby, Gabriel caught sight of four gunmen from across the lobby near the stairs. He fired a couple of suppressive bursts at them before taking cover behind the reception counter as retaliation gunfire barreled upon the group.
Gabriel chanced a glance through the counter and bolted back as soon as gunfire focused on him. Objects and paper from the counter popped and flung around like confetti. Amélie fired back from behind the wall near the barricaded entrance, taking out one of the gunmen running low in the middle of the fight. Gabriel stood out of cover and returned fire, taking down another gunmen beside the Lijiang label statue. The remaining gunmen were taken out by Genji.
"Clear!" He called out.
"Shadow 1, I found the hostages. They're in the function room next to the restaurant on the first floor." Sombra said.
"Copy, Shadow 4," Gabriel replied as he moved out of cover. "Let's go. Hostages are in the function room upstairs.
As he led his group up the wide stairs between the escalators, gunfire erupted from behind with bullets pelting the stairs. The group quickly spun around and returned fire on two gunmen from below, taking them down without a hitch. Once they reached the first floor, they noticed three gunmen at the hallway shops with one of them carrying a pistol. The team took cover from the hail of gunfire behind the wall. Bullets sprayed at the walls, piecing off dust and small shards of material.
Gabriel leaned over slightly and returned fire, hitting the gunmen with the pistol in the stomach. As he fell onto his stomach, Gabriel slipped away from another barrage of gunfire. He ejected the empty mag and fitted it with a new one before retracting the bolt. Gabriel could hear the cries of one of the gunmen he shot. Amélie got out of cover and managed to hit the second gunman running across the hallway and the last one as soon as he peeked out from behind the leather couches.
Once gunfire ceased, the team moved out and headed towards the hallway. Gabriel finished off the fallen gunman before he was able to raise his pistol. They reached the restaurant to their left where they noticed another group of gunmen near the buffet counters. Gabriel immediately shot the gunman on the right and took cover from oncoming gunfire. While his group hid behind the bar counter, Gabriel mounted his rifle on the edge of the couch and opened fire at the scurrying gunmen. Plate shards and glass sprayed across the restaurant and furniture tumbled over. Three more gunmen arrived from the back, suppressing the group hard enough to make Gabriel take cover.
He took a flash grenade attached to his plate carrier, pulled the pin and tossed it out into the open. A loud bang erupted and gunfire began to cease. The group took that chance to return fire, taking out several gunmen before the rest dropped. Gabriel glanced to his right where the other entrance was and noticed McCree, Moira and the SMB unit entering the restaurant with their weapons' muzzles letting out smoke.
"Clear!" He called before noticing Gabriel. "Reyes, you okay?"
Gabriel simply nodded. Then his comm buzzed.
"Shadow 1, the rest of the terrorists are holed up in the function room with the hostages. And the White Panther's with them."
"Copy," Gabriel replied. "All units, on me."
The team followed Gabriel past the restaurant until they reached the door leading to the function room. Gabriel could hear faint voices through the wall which sounded like a shout. They were possibly waiting for them to come through.
"Plant the charges." Gabriel ordered.
As the team stacked up by the door on each side, one of the SMB operatives set up an explosive charge before stepping away from the door's sight. Once everybody was clear from the door, the operative set off the charge on Gabriel's mark. A bright, deafening blast erupted, engulfing the door in smoke and dust. As soon as the door was blasted open, Gabriel and the team tossed their flashbangs into the room without throwing it too far to blind the hostages.
They stormed into the room and managed to put down the rest of the terrorists hiding behind makeshift cover without difficulty. Gabriel caught sight of the White Panther who seemed to be unaffected by the flash, reaching for a girl nearby. Before he could even touch her, Gabriel fired several rounds to his chest before going for the head. With the smoke fading and the gunfire ceasing, Gabriel glanced at the hostages lined up on the back of the wall. They were relieved and alarmed at the same time. He tapped into his earpiece.
"This is Shadow 1, all hostiles neutralized. White Panther is down. Hostages secure."
"Copy," Sombra replied. "That was kinda genius on the breach thing by the way."
Gabriel bent down to check on the body. The face was similar. Black eyes, large forehead and bald but something was off. His scar was absent. He got back to his comms.
"This is Shadow 1, negative ID on the White Panther. I repeat, negative ID on the White Panther." Gabriel said.
"Are you sure?" He heard Marvel ask. "Our hacker can use a facial scanner on him."
"Don't bother. It ain't him. Intel was wrong."
"He's right," Sombra said. "I'm good with identifying people's faces and that's definitely not him."
Gabriel cut off the comms and growled under his breath. If they were told the so-called 'White Panther' was just a wannabe terrorist, this would've been the army's job and their time would've not been wasted. Sighing, Gabriel turned to where his team was and helped tend to the hostages. At some point, he will have to tell the rest of the team.
11:00 PM, Local Time
"So that wasn't the White Panther?" Amélie said, after hearing Gabriel's news.
"Yep," he replied as they walked past police units and paramedics. "The guy was just someone who looked like him. He hardly bothered to fight back."
"It's not possible for intel coming from Salvatore being wrong."
"Well, he must've made a mistake. This was just a random attack. We weren't needed here."
Gabriel was able to predict his team's disappointment over the news of the White Panther. All this for something the Korean government could've dealt with instead.
"(I'm sorry, ma'am. You must step back from military personnel.)" Gabriel heard one of the police officers say.
"(Please I need to speak to them.)" a woman's voice replied. "Sir, I need to speak to you! It's urgent!"
Gabriel and Amélie turned as soon as they heard the woman speak English. She was trying to get past the police officers blocking her way. The woman looked concerned and desperate like she was trying to warn them of something. After ordering the guards to move aside, Gabriel watched as she approached them. She was slightly short and her long hair was messed up.
"Can I help you?" The leader asked.
"My name is Hana Song and I have information you need to know."
Gabriel and Amélie exchanged glances before turning back to the woman.
"We're listening." He nodded.
"The hostage situation was a distraction by the Gwishin so they could get close to Chung Nam-il without police interference."
"The Prime Minister? What happened to him?" Amélie asked.
"They kidnapped him from his home. This happened at the same time these guys took the hotel hostage but the media didn't report on it."
"So this was the Gwishin…"Gabriel muttered. "What are they planning to do with him?"
"They're going to execute him back in North Korea so they can start the New Korean War." Hana replied.
She paused. Hana looked as though doubtful of what was next. Gabriel and Amélie were both waiting for her to continue.
"Keep going…" Gabriel asked.
Hana took a deep breath. "He was one of the officials for the North Korean army until he defected to the South fifteen years ago. All the attacks they've been doing was to divide the union and they believe executing him in North Korea would be enough to give South Korea a reason to declare war. Everything else they've planned is on this phone I got from one of the terrorists."
Hana then pulled out a flip phone from her pocket, handing it to Gabriel. Although it looked to be broken, Gabriel could see it was intact.
"I don't know what else to say but if the war happens, it could drag other countries into this and the damage could be catastrophic." Song added.
Gabriel could feel her desperate tone. If what she's saying was true, this would be something worse than the fight against terrorists. It was an act of war. They needed to act now and fast.
"Do you know where he's held?" Gabriel asked, looking back at Hana.
"Hwansang Port. They're planning to smuggle him out by ship tonight." She replied.
Gabriel then nodded before slipping the phone into his pocket.
"Thanks, Ms Song," he said. "We'll take it from here. Go and get some rest for now."
"Thank you, sir." Hana replied which almost sounded like a whisper before allowing police to take her back.
"I'll go with Shadow 7 and 8. We'll keep in touch." Amélie said.
"Fine by me, go." Gabriel nodded.
Amélie began to walk away and out towards the road. Gabriel stayed and looked back at the scene where the paramedics continued to treat the hostages with the police questioning some of them.
After the call from Lacroix, Marvel slipped on the plate carrier over his hoodie with exposed forearms and fitted himself with his own Glock 17 while Ray did the same and armed himself with the UMP-45 fitted with a red-dot optic from the last mission. They were also provided with some neck gaiters for concealment. Once they were ready, they headed out and got into a black unmarked SUV before driving off to the Port. Marvel did a press check of his Glock as they entered the highway.
"Do you have any guns other than a sidearm?" Ray asked as he drove.
"I have an MCX but that depends on the mission. I prefer to carry light." He replied, putting his pistol in the waist holster.
"Well, you might wanna bring that one just in case. Any mission can go sideways at any time."
Marvel didn't reply but he wasn't wrong. He had never been on a major mission before. As they continued down the almost empty highway, Marvel had a thought of the situation.
"Makes sense now." Marvel said.
"What does?" Ray asked without glancing at him.
"The Gwishin's plan. They never liked the whole truce thing in Korea."
"Wouldn't make sense that the ROK knew about this."
"That's the point. The ROK didn't know it was them because they don't have enough proof that it is them. The Gwishin wanted the South Korean government to break the truce and they think killing the Prime Minister on North Korean soil would convince the government to raise hell on the North so they could retaliate with bombs and shit, just like the old days."
"I don't think I will understand these guys." Ray said.
"Maybe that's what they're trying to make us think."
A few minutes had passed and the two passed the gate leading to the Port. The place was empty for the late night with all the stacked containers locked up and secured. They reached the entrance to an area of the Port at the very end. There was a blue two story building nearby with a warehouse at a distance. Ray parked the SUV at the parking lot beside them before killing the engine. There was no sign of Lacroix anywhere but she could be taking position from afar.
"This is Shadow 8, we have reached the destination, over." Ray said to his comm as he got out.
"Copy," Lacroix replied. Her feed was shared with Marvel too. "Counting multiple hostiles near the warehouse. No sign of the PM. They seem to be waiting for something."
"Probably waiting for the PM." Marvel added.
"Guess we're gonna have to see for ourselves." Ray commented, finishing up on his weapon check.
Once they were ready, the two moved out and headed for the warehouse with Ray taking point. They passed a yellow truck parked in front of the boom gate and reached the stack of containers a few feet away from the blue building and near the office. They eventually reached the warehouse near the end where a large cargo ship was moored to the side.
Marvel watched through the window of a car with Ray behind him. He moved over to the front and counted about five men in balaclavas and dark uniforms with ballistic gear. They were carrying what appeared to be smuggled weapons. He heard a door creak and turned to the warehouse where a masked separatist went down the platform while taking a cuffed person with a bag over his head with him. Blood was stained at the front of his messy suit with his blue tie partially ripped off his shirt.
"There's the PM. They must've roughed him up badly." Marvel whispered.
"Copy. I see him too." Lacroix replied.
Shortly, they heard the sounds of a car engine closing in. Faint headlights began to enlarge from the side and a white van stopped. The doors swung open and a familiar face emerged. The tall, bald man with the scar near his eye. His muscular appearance was quite noticeable.
"Shadow 8 to Shadow 2, I got visual on the White Panther, over." Ray said.
"Hopefully the real White Panther." Marvel commented.
They watched him as three more men appeared from the van with smuggled ARs. The White Panther began to approach his team and conversed in Korean. Marvel couldn't understand what they said but it could be about the PM.
"What do we do?" Ray asked.
"Wait for it. Let's see what they're gonna do to him." Marvel replied.
Shortly, one of the separatists grabbed the PM and pushed him towards the White Panther. As he held the PM, the White Panther then stopped and looked around. He was scanning the area as if he was looking for something. He then faced their direction but he didn't look to have spotted them.
Just as the White Panther checked the PM, Marvel heard a faint sound of sirens wailing from a distance, seemingly closing in. Once they turned towards the sound, the White Panther suddenly winced and stumbled back, clasping over the temple of his head and letting go of the PM. A thunderous crack followed up. His men began scrambling towards the White Panther while others got into defensive positions. That must've been Lacroix's sniper shot.
"Shadow 7 and 8, you are clear to engage. Repeat, clear to engage." She ordered from the radio.
Without any second thoughts, Marvel stood up and mounted his pistol on the hood, aimed for the unsuspecting separatists and opened fire. He managed to down one of them, grabbing their attention. Ray followed his lead and fired at the separatists. Bullets pelted at the car the two hid behind and a tire popped, letting out a hiss. Ray leaned over to the other side of the car and fired back. Marvel noticed two separatists fall before catching sight of the White Panther and the remaining Gwishin members heading for the van while dragging the PM with them. One of them fell onto the front hood with blood splattering on it and a familiar crack erupted from the distance. Then the van's engine rumbled.
"Shadow 7 to Shadow 2, targets are trying to escape by vehicle, over!" Marvel called out as the two emerged out of cover and chased the van.
They managed to find the van reversing it's way out and opened fire. The bullets sprayed the hood and reached the windshield before hitting one of the tires. The van began to slow down as Marvel fired at another tire, completely immobilizing the vehicle. As the two approached the van cautiously, Marvel heard the back door open and footsteps distancing themselves. Marvel's predictions of a surprise realize when a separatist appeared from the side with his rifle raised. He quickly fired two shots to his chest before going for the head.
"Shadow 7 and 8, I lost visual on both of you. You'll have to find the PM fast, over."
The two reached the van and found the back doors swung open and empty inside. Then Ray's weapon fired upon, prompting Marvel to turn to where he was shooting at.
"Over there! At the cargo containers!" Ray called, running after them.
Marvel followed him to the containers, stepping on a puddle across the road. Once they reached the containers, they were immediately willed back by suppressive gunfire. Marvel slid behind the containers away from the volley of bullets bolting between and noticed Ray across him. He heard one of the separatists shout through gunfire.
"Cover me." Ray said.
Marvel shook his head. "No, you cover me. I'll flank them."
Ray nodded and leaned over to provide cover fire. Marvel moved away from him and headed to the left, raising his pistol. Moving between containers, he aimed his pistol at the separatist hiding from Ray. Just as he turned around, Marvel fired at his stomach. He held onto the body and aimed over his shoulder, shooting the last separatist in the torso. As he fell onto his knees, Marvel finished him off with a shot to the head. He then placed himself in a clinch with the wounded seperatist before pivoting on his heel and throwing him to the ground with his hip. Once he was down, Marvel fired a well-placed bullet to the temple, making it the last round. The cartridge bounced off the cement with a metallic clink.
Ray appeared past the container and noticed the bodies. Marvel unloaded his mag, inserting a new one before pulling the slide back. Ray glanced at him, impressed.
"Nice." He said.
"Thanks," Marvel replied, standing up. "Let's go."
The two then made it out of the containers with Ray taking point. They reached the road across the blue building where they caught sight of the White Panther and the last separatist stuffing the PM into a car. The two opened fire at them, only managing to penetrate the car before taking cover from return gunfire. As Marvel aimed past the sides, he caught sight of the separatist's head peeking out from the side and fired. He then noticed his body slump to the side.
Marvel noticed the White Panther firing at Ray's position near him and fired back, only hitting the hood. He ducked down and changed mags as gunfire focused on his position. Suddenly, they heard a click. Marvel and Ray exchanged glances and he gave him a nod. Ray got out of cover and managed to fire several rounds at the White Panther before he could get down. Marvel stood up from cover and approached the car with Ray behind. He peered past the sides and found the White Panther on the ground. There were several holes to his plate carrier and blood was soaking his clothes. However, he was still alive for some reason. Marvel quickly placed a round to his large forehead before he could try any moves on him. He kept his gaze on his body as the thin smoke escaped the muzzle. Marvel activated his radio.
"Shadow 7 to Shadow 2, the White Panther has been neutralized, over." He said.
"Copy, Shadow 7," Lacroix replied. "Secure the PM, over."
Marvel got off the radio and checked on the White Panther's body while Ray tended to the PM inside the car. There was nothing false about his face. He was definitely not a double this time. Marvel turned around as Ray got the PM out of the car with the bag taken off his head. He was still shaken but relieved to see his rescuers.
"Shadow 8 to Shadow 2, PM is secure. We're moving out, over." Ray said.
"Copy, Shadow 8. Exfiling now. Out."
Ray then glanced at the White Panther's body before looking back at Marvel.
"You sure he's the real one?" He asked.
"Yeah. No other North Korean would have a large ass scar like him."
Ray nodded and the two walked away from the body, heading back to their vehicle with the PM in their protection. Eventually, this would make the headlines of Busan by the time the workers arrive.
5:53 PM, Local Time
Rome, Italy
After a long day and being dismissed, Marvel returned to his apartment outside the Embassy. Unlocking the door, he entered his unit and placed his backpack on the coat rack beside him. His place wasn't much of a luxury house but it was enough to feel comfortable. Wide rooms for bigger furniture and a balcony overlooking the district which was enough comfort for him to take advantage of.
Marvel took a quick shower before slipping on some comfortable clothes. Walking out of the bedroom, he got himself a can of beer from the fridge and a before heading into the living room. He crashed onto the couch and turned on the T.V. However, he wasn't interested in what the T.V had to offer so he just left it on to keep the noise on. Popping off the cap, he took a swig of the ice-cold refreshment.
Then, one of the news reports caught his attention. He didn't understand Italian but he could tell they were reporting on the incident in Busan and the police identifying the bodies at the Port last night as the Gwishin separatists, as well as one of the bodies being the White Panther. Additionally, there was CCTV footage of two masked figures opening fire at the Gwishin from a distance in which Marvel recognized himself. A smirk began to grow across his face. Then, the footage of the South Korean Prime Minister in the hospital bed making a statement played on the screen. Afterward, the rest of the news wasn't too important for him.
Taking another swig, Marvel lifted the controller and changed channels.