The shrill wails of the sirens sliced through the night. Distant explosions and gunshots reverberated like cacophony of chaos.
Nathan sprang from his bed, snatching a Beretta under his pillow and scanned for threats. After ensuring the bedroom was safe, he rushed to the wardrobe and took out a duffel bag and a rucksack from a hidden compartment, propping the latter against the bedpost before unzipping the duffel bag and retrieved an AR-15 outfitted with a holosight and a thumb grip.
He carefully set the carbine on the bed, quickly changing into cargo pants and a snug white wool shirt. His handgun went into the newly equipped thigh holster and he grabbed the bulletproof vest from under the bed. He donned a thick fur coat from the wardrobe, wrapped a well-worn scarf around his neck, and placed a ballistic helmet on his head afterward. The metallic clinks and the hurried rustling of gear in the rucksack were heard as he slung it over his shoulder.
The door into his apartment banged loudly.
Instincts took over. He swiftly unholster the Beretta and aimed it at the entrance through the bedroom door, his finger hovering near the trigger.
"Are you going to open this door?!" The deep voice of the village chief was distinguishable.
"Coming!" Nathan shouted back, reholstering his gun, and hurried to the door. As soon as he opened it, the cold wind of the winter night immediately gnawed at his body. There, he found the village chief dressed in tactical gear with a white beanie replacing the helmet.
The village chief nodded towards the road and started jogging. Nathan followed in his footsteps; his breath visible in the cold air.
"SITREP?" Nathan asked.
"SF is raiding the village. Recon give approximate of two hundred two kilometer- no, 1 mile from the village. The automated sentry guns are delaying their advance."
"I prefer metric system." Nathan remarked before asking, "But why is Sangvis Ferri launching a large assault on a small village?" Nathan asked.
"Damned if I know."
"Did you call the army? Any Ringleaders?" Nathan asked.
"Negative on the ringleaders. The army is tied up dealing with E.L.I.D. infestation outside Bucharest. They rerouted the call to the Griffins. They should be en-route right now."
"Do they bring CAS? It'll buy us time."
The village chief snorted. "Griffin having CAS? Yank, did you hit your head on the floor too hard when you wake up?"
Nathan had no response, so the village chief continued, "Non-combatants are being evacuated to the bunkers. The rest are waiting for us in the village hall."
"You have a plan?" Nathan asked the village chief.
"I'll spare you the details until we RV with the rest." The village chief replied before locking his head to the dirt road forward.
The village was able to deal with one or two wandering E.L. or a bandit raiding party, but a whole battalion? The chances of survival were pretty grim. Griffin outpost was about 50 kilometers away. Even if they have a QRF on standby, they won't make it in time before the entire villages - including him were slaughtered. The village chief knew this too.
Nathan considered sending a request to his handler for the deployment of a nearby Mobile Task Force, but abandoned the thought when he heard the rhythmic thumping of helicopter blades.
Nathan looked up. He saw two helicopters slicing through the air before hovering near the sound of fighting. Two dozen silhouettes rappelled down from the ropes with guns blazing at unseen enemies
"Griffin's Pave Hawks. That's our reinforcement." The village chief observed.
"Damn, they are fast. Something's off." Nathan remarked.
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth." The village chief replied off-handedly.
Nathan didn't comment.
They reached the village hall within a brief two-minute jog, just around the corner down the street of his rented house. The village chief pushed open the double doors, and they stepped inside. The interior of the hall, despite being kept clean, still showed its age with peeling paint and faded wallpaper as nobody had the money nor the time to renovate it.
The armed villagers already present inside shifted their attention to them. They were wearing a mix of civilian clothes that clearly couldn't stop a bullet, much less suited for combat. Still, he'd prefer armed civilians that he personally instructed. At least they knew basic gun safety, follow order and could shoot straight.
"Pavlo, what's the situation?" The village chief asked the younger militia fiddling with a tablet.
The young militia's brow furrowing as he examined a digital map. "The automated turrets were destroyed," he reported, his fingers dancing across the touchscreen. "Griffin arrived just in time to stop Sangvis Ferri in their tracks. Andrei's team managed to get almost all of the families evacuated to the bunkers, though, the area of the fighting is clear of unarmed villagers.
"What's Sangvis Ferri and Griffin's current position?"
"They are at the outskirt of the village. North-west."
"Noted. Let's get down to the details." The village chief brought out a map from his rucksack and laid it on the floor.
"Wait." Nathan interrupted. "Are there sightings of Sangvis Ferri ringleaders?"
The ringleaders were the most dangerous. If they managed to breach the militias defensive line, their superiority compared to human will wreak havoc.
"So far, no." The younger militias replied.
The village chief continued, kneeling by the map. "So, if Griffin deployed their initial forces in the North-western areas of the village…" the village chief tapped on the map, thinking, before he looked at the lanky, blonde villager, "Boris, you'll be in charge of this northern area…Hold this position." The village chief circled the map with his finger, indicating a cluster of houses. He pointed at a group of villagers, "You six are with Boris."
"Understood."
The village chief then looked at the fit female villager nearing her 40s, "Ivanova, you'll guard the western part. Your team of six will be positioned near the church." The village chief then circled around the drawn 'church' icon with his finger. "I also want two members of your team to go to to the top of the church tower and relay information on Sangvis Ferri dolls movement. Since you can see everything around the village, the enemy doll will be able to see you too. Hold your fire unless absolutely necessary."
"The remaining group will be under Skarsguard's command," the village chief remarked, his gaze shifted to a bearded, muscular man. "Skarsguard, your primary task is to reinforce the defense of the bunkers. Set up a secondary perimeter and establish a fallback line closer to the bunker itself," the village chief circled an area on the map labeled 'shelter' with his finger. "Hold position at the secondary line as long as possible. You need to prevent Sangvis Ferri deploying explosives close to the bunker."
"Got it."
The village chief rolled the map and returned it to his rucksack.
"Our objective is to delay Sangvis Ferri long enough for more Griffin's reinforcement to arrive. We don't have proper equipment or training to handle assault of this magnitude. However, stick to the drills we practiced and you'll all be fine. Remember to always relay information through to walkie-talkies. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Chief Maarja."
The village chief then handed another walkie-talkie to Nathan, who clipped it to his vest.
"What about you, Chief Maarja?" one of the villagers asked the village chief.
The village chief calmly racked the bolt of his AK-74 to check if a round was chambered. Het met the militias' gaze squarely, "I will assist the Griffin's dolls with Nathan."
The villagers exchanged concerned glances. Nathan decided to chime in, "You don't have to worry about Chief Maarja. Griffin is effectively holding off the Sangvis Ferri with more reinforcements on the way. We'll be fine."
The villagers still looked worried. "You should take more of us with you as backup," one of the villagers suggested.
The village chief shook his head firmly, "No, we need every man we can muster to defend the bunker."
"But there'll be about a hundred Sangvis Ferri dolls you'll be fighting against," the villager protested.
"That's precisely why I want you in those positions," Maarja emphasized. "A head-on attack by Sangvis Ferri on Griffin's position would be devastating. They'll likely try to flank us in those areas with their superior numbers."
A moment of tense silence filled the room. They couldn't dispute the village elder's assessment. He's old, nearing his 60s, but he's a former Estonian Special Operations member.
Not wanting to waste any more time, the village chief asked, "Any questions?"
"No," the villagers replied in unison.
"Good luck. May you all return safe," The village chief said.
"You too, Chief Maarja and Nathan. Good luck." Ivanova returned the gestures.
The village chief turned to Nathan before giving out an order, "Let's move out."
The villagers quickly exited the hall and rushed to their designated positions. Nathan and the village chief jogged through dimly lit streetlight, their tactical gear and rucksacks clattering with every step. The distant sounds of the ongoing battle grew louder as they approached.
Nathan gritted his teeth as he endured the cold of Balkan winter. It's too late to go back and add on extra-layer of cloth.
As they reached the midpoint of an intersection, a figure emerged from one of the nearby buildings, raising a weapon in their direction. A high-pitched voice, clearly belonging to a girl, demanded, "Identify yourself!"
"It's Maarja!" the village chief shouted, both his gun and arms raised in the air as he continued jogging towards the Griffin's doll position with Nathan following close behind.
Nathan got close enough to recognize the voice belonged to a young girl, dressed in a miniskirt and wielding an M1897 pump-action shotgun. He refrained from questioning why someone of her age was in an active combat zone, keeping in mind that she was a modified A-Doll.
"Village chief?! What are you doing here? It's dangerous!" the shotgun-wielding Doll asked. Three more Dolls came out from the building, wielding AK-12, HK416, MP5 and a World War 2 STEN gun.
"What do you think these guns and gear are for, girl?! We are here to help!" the village chief retorted.
The AK-12 wielding Doll chimed in, "We don't want untrained civilians to be caught in the crossfire."
Two dark silhouettes hopped onto the rooftop of a nearby house.
"Watch out!" The M1897 wielding girl warned, raising her gun towards the rooftops.
But Nathan and the village chief already spotted them. They swiftly raised their guns and fired in perfect unison. Two precise shots that were joined by the Griffin Dolls' a few milliseconds later. The two dark silhouettes ceased their movements abruptly like marionettes with their strings severed before tumbling down from the roof.
The village chief suddenly snapped his gun to the side and shot another hostile T-Dolls right in the forehead across the street.
The T-Dolls turned to look briefly toward Nathan and the village chief, their expressions unreadable.
"Shit, that's their scout. They'll be coming from that direction." Nathan remarked.
He was also about to comment on the weak spot in the Griffin's perimeter, but the village chief already took the initiative. "Where are your commander? There are blind spots in your defensive perimeter!" the village chief demanded.
The AK-12 wielding Doll replied, "It's best that we continue this conversation in a more secure location. The rest of you, go back to your position. M1897 will accompany me."
"Roger, captain!"
The AK-12 wielding Doll led them into a small cafe that had been standing since before the War. Inside, the shotgun-wielding Doll exchanged glances with AK-12 wielding Doll. After a moment, she handed the village chief an earpiece.
The village chief took the earpiece before putting it on his right ear, "This is Maarja, the village chief of Peetri. Griffin Commander, I presume you are here to help defend the village?"
"Thank you. I request intel on the locations of Griffin's combat units."
Whatever response came from the other end of the line, Nathan couldn't hear it, but it clearly left the village chief frowning. "What do you mean you can't? Three Sangvis Ferri Dolls just slipped past your defenses."
The village chief gritted his teeth. "We are not supposed to be here? You can't just tell me to not do anything while my village is under attack!"
The village chief massaged his forehead in frustration. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"
The village chief clenched his fist. "With all due respect, the number of Dolls you have here are not enough to secure the perimeter. I ordered the militias to watch over the village flank."
The village chief snorted, "Yes, yes, we'll assist defending the rear echelon. I figured as much. What's the reinforcement ETA?" The village chief looked at Nathan before replying, "Got it, but I still need the intel on your units' locations. The village's militia will shoot anything that resembles a SF doll."
"Yes, yes. I'll share the location of my militias, and in return, I want information on your Dolls and strategy." The village chief unshouldered his rucksack and placed it on the ground. He retrieved a map and pointed to M1897, saying, "You there, the girl with the shotgun. Record this and send it to your commander."
The girl obediently followed the orders, capturing the village chief as he explained the details of his defensive plan as he pointed on the map in front of the camera.
"The commander has received it." The twin-tailed girl notified.
"Good," The village chief replied. He turned towards the T-Dolls and informed.
"Griffin Commander, we need to set to up a common frequency for the village militias to listen in." After a moment, the village chief nodded, "Affirmative, frequency 1-4-5." The village chief nodded at AK-12 wielding Doll, to which she immediately informed on her radio about the new radio frequence.
"Nathan." The village chief gestured to his walkie talkie. Nathan nodded; he'll have to ensure every militia was on the right radio frequency.
"This is Maarja, everyone, switch to radio frequency 1-4-5. It'll be communication between us and Griffin. Confirm when you are on the new frequency."
"This is Ivanova, confirming switch to one-four-five." Nathan's walkie talkie hung on the vest crackled,
"Uh, this is Boris, confirm on one-four-five."
"Skarsgard, confirm on one-four-five."
Then, the Griffin's Dolls added with a level tone and scripted reply, reflecting their programming and training.
"This is Springfield, leader of overwatch team, confirming switch on frequency one-four-five."
"M16, team leader of frontline defense, confirming switch to frequency 1-4-5."
"M249, light weapons support team leader, confirms the switch to frequency 1-4-5."
Lastly, it was the girl wielding AK-12, "AK-12, rear echelon, confirming switch to 1-4-5."
"Copy all. Boris, Ivanova, Skarsgard, hold your position and report about Sangvis Ferri's movements on this channel."
"Affirmative," Came the collective reply from the militias squad leaders.
With the communication channels established, the village chief turned his attention back to the task at hand.
"This is Springfield, be advised that a platoon sized Sangvis Ferri Dolls managed to infiltrate past M16 team and is currently heading towards your way, AK-12 and Chief Maarja."
"Copy." Chief Maarja and AK-12 wielding Doll replied.
The village chief looked at his unmodified AK-74 he was holding then at Nathan's AR-15. He set his attention to the AK-12 wielding Doll. "Girl, how much ammo did you bring, and what kind?"
One of the Dolls responded, "We didn't bring any 5.45×39mm for your AK-74. But we brought an extra NSV heavy machine gun for extra fire support and enough ammunition to sustain a continuous firefight for six hours."
The village chief without missing a beat, asked, "Does the frontline team need that NSV?"
"Currently, no-"
"Where is that NSV?"
"Protocols dictate that-"
"We are in an active war zone with potential Sangvis Ferri's ringleaders leading the assault. I'll go through the protocols after this end," the village chief interrupted firmly.
The AK-12 wielding girl flinched at the village chief's brashness but quickly complied. She went to a long metal gun case and entered a passcode on the panel. It clacked open, revealing a pristine NSV heavy machinegun. The steel shone under the café's light.
Nathan, observing the situation, asked, "So, you'll be using it or me?"
"How many mags do you have for your AR-15?" the village chief inquired.
"12, with an extra 10 in my bag."
"I'll use it." The village chief immediately replied. He looked onto an optimal location through the window that overlook a row of houses and an empty street.
"Help me carry this table to that window." The village chief pointed at the café small wooden table.
"I'll handle it." The AK-12 wielding Doll carried it over to the window like she was carrying a bucket of feathers.
Chief Maarja then heaved the NSV heavy machinegun and deployed it on the table. He retrieved a chair from the café before sitting on it. Zeroing in the NSV sight, the village chief informed, "They'll be coming from that way."
Nathan and the Dolls set up position.
They waited. Nathan's heart raced.
When the first Sangvis Ferris Dolls trickling into their sight, the village chief immediately pressed the trigger. The sound boomed across the café, clouds of dust and debris were kicked into the air from the pressurized gunshot of the NSV. The large, heavy bullets of the NSV tore them into pieces within seconds. Every bullet the village chief poured downrange was accurate, forcing the SF Dolls to scramble for cover. Their efforts were in vain as the large, heavy bullets from the Nikitin-Sokolov-Volkov heavy machinegun obliterated the aged concrete walls within seconds.
Nathan went to aThe Griffin's Dolls swiftly joined the battle, their shots precisely hitting the Sangvis Ferris Dolls attempting to flank their position. The combined firepower created a deadly crossfire, making it nearly impossible for the SF Dolls to advance or find safe cover.
Despite the village chief's anticipation of a larger firefight, they only had to contend with roughly two dozen SF Dolls that had managed to slip past Griffin's initial defensive perimeter trickling into the village chief's line of fire and taken care of by Griffin's snipers and Dolls that had rushed in to clear out the Sangvis Ferris dolls from their position.
It took them roughly 30 minutes.
As the battle raged on, Nathan observed the Dolls on rotation, paying particular attention to the STEN and shotgun-wielding Dolls tasked with carrying supplies to the frontline.
The village chief reached for his walkie-talkie. "Boris, Ivanova, Skarsguard, report in."
"We don't see anyone. Are you okay over there, chief?"
"Yes. Stay put and remain cautious."
A young feminine voice crackled over the radio. "This is Kalina. To all units, be advised that reinforcements have arrived."
The intensity of the gunfight surged once more, with hundreds of gunshots erupting each second. Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the battle ceased, leaving an eerie silence that hung over the battlefield. The village chief let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the Sangvis Ferri assault had been successfully repelled.
"This is Kalina, Sangvis Ferri assault have been successfully repelled." The voice informed.
"To Chief Maarja, I'd like you to remain with AK-12 for a joint debriefing," Kalina's voice crackled over the radio.
"This is Chief Maarja. I copy, Kalina," the village chief acknowledged.
After a moment of silence, Nathan turned to the village chief, curiosity in his eyes. "So, what happens now?"
"Griffin's commander wants me to wait here," the village chief replied, his gaze scanning their surroundings.
Nathan pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to the village chief, who politely declined the offer.
Nathan reached for a cigarette, the dim glow of his lighter about to ignite the tip, when the sudden screech of tires shattered the silence. His hand froze in mid-air as a Humvee pulled up in front of them, its tires kicking up a billow of dust from the road. The abrupt arrival startled him, making him forget about the cigarette momentarily.
From the vehicle emerged two unexpected figures. First, a young woman—or more accurately, a doll—wielding a G36k. She, and a girl who appeared to be in her twenties stepped out. Nathan stored the cigarette into his pocket.
The girl stood out with her attire—a heavy jacket emblazoned with "G&K" emblazoned on the side alongside long trousers and a scarf. Nathan couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, considering between her age and her rank within the PMC she worked with.
The girl introduced herself with a friendly smile, extending her hand towards the village chief. "I am Kalina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Chief Maarja."
The village chief, though somewhat taken aback by her age, shook her hand in return. He then voiced his concern, furrowing his brows. "Maarja Tammik, likewise, Kalina."
Then, she extended her hand to Nathan, who promptly accepted it. "Nathan," he replied with a nod of acknowledgment. Her handshake was firm and confident. This girl was not ordinary college girl.
"I appreciate Griffin's assistance in protecting our village."
"You are welcome, Chief Maarja. That is our duty," Kalina replied with a hint of formality.
"No rest for the wicked," the village chief sighed before adding, "We are lucky that there weren't any Ringleaders personally leading the assault."
"Indeed," Kalina nodded before continuing, "Have your side suffered any casualties?"
"Our militias weren't engaged. You?"
"Only scratches and bruises. In any case, your village has held up well, considering the circumstances."
"We've been through tough times before and seen our share of threats in this region. Though I do have to wonder, how did the QRF arrive here so quickly?"
"Classified information," Kalina replied, prompting a sigh from the village chief.
"Regardless, I had my doubts about your tactical decision and I would like to apologize for my rude remarks. Your swift arrival undoubtedly saved lives today, and for that, I am grateful."
"You are forgiven," Kalina responded graciously.
Nathan, feeling the need to contribute to the conversation, interjected, "I suppose Griffin will handle the mop-up operation after this?"
Kalina nodded her head. "We'll secure a perimeter around the village to make sure nothing gets through." She then turned towards the village chief, her tone becoming more business-like. "I do have a matter to discuss since you borrowed an asset from us," she said, gesturing toward the NSV on the table.
The village chief nodded and reached for his walkie-talkie. "Boris, Ivanova, Skarsguard. Gather all the team leaders and regroup at the hall."
"Copy that, Chief Maarja," came the collective response over the radio.
The village chief then turned to Nathan. "Nathan, I'll stay here to sort things out with Griffin. I need you to handle the debriefing until I arrive. It may take a while."
Nathan checked his watch, noting that it was already 4 in the morning. He let out an internal sigh, realizing that he probably wouldn't get much sleep that night. He replied firmly, "Understood."
It was the usual drill for the debriefing with the village militias, a well-practiced routine that Nathan had gone through countless times over the past year during their monthly combat drills.
Nathan stood before the gathered team leaders sitting at the long table. He began by providing a concise overview of what had transpired during the battle, ensuring that the context was clear to everyone present.
Then, Nathan turned to the leaders of each team and invited them to share their perspectives. One by one, they offered insights into what their teams had done. Nothing remarkable that occurred and they followed the village chief's order to the letter, to which he was thankful for as it meant no casualty
However, he knew that no operation was perfect. So, he probed further with questions, encouraging the leaders to delve into aspects that could have been handled better. The debriefing naturally shifted to faster communication, better coordination between teams, and refining response protocols.
Midway through the meeting, the village chief arrived, apologizing for his tardiness as he took his seat among the team leaders. Nathan provided a brief recap of what had been discussed thus far, ensuring the chief was up to speed.
Afterward, another team leader proposed the acquisition of more advanced and potent firepower turrets to bolster the village's defenses, a suggestion that was met with nods of agreement from some of the others.
Nathan replied in the place of the village chief by saying 'he will consider the suggestion based on the village treasury.'
Throughout the debriefing, Nathan ensured that he didn't use military jargon as to not confuse the militias. It took an hour to go through the various aspects of the operation thoroughly.
Before concluding the debriefing, Nathan allowed the village chief to take the stage. The village chief announced that Griffin & Kryuger would leave a few squads in the village for the next few days to prevent any potential follow-up assaults. He also declared that Griffin had officially deemed the village safe, allowing the villagers to return to their homes.
Nathan concluded the briefing. The team leaders left the hall with a breath of relief as the operation was over. Nathan lingered in the hall for a private discussion with the village chief, but he was promptly dismissed by the village order with orders to get some rest.
Hence, he returned directly to his apartment complex.
Nathan checked his watch; 6:00 in the morning. The sky was still dark as night, given that it was the heart of winter. The low hum of his city's early morning activities reverberated outside his apartment window. Exhausted from the overnight operation, Nathan longed for the embrace of sleep.
"Hopefully, no nightmares tonight," he muttered to himself as he entered his dimly lit house. It had been weeks since he'd had a decent night's rest, his dreams plagued by the memories of past missions and encounters.
He unbuttoned his tactical vest and tossed it on a nearby chair, each clink of metal on fabric echoing through the small space. His boots hit the hardwood floor with a muted thud as he made his way to the kitchen for a glass of water.
As he sipped the lukewarm water, a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Nathan narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze toward the floor. An envelope, nondescript and unmarked, lay there.
His instincts immediately kicked in, and he scanned his surroundings for any signs of intrusion. The apartment remained unchanged, the only sound being the distant hum of the snows that began to fall.
Cautiously, he approached the envelope and picked it up, feeling its weight. Inside were two items: a thumb drive and an envelope containing his weekly salary—payments from his covert employer.
"A dead drop," he snorted.
Nathan moved to his laptop, which sat on a cluttered desk in the corner of the room. He inserted the thumb drive into the USB port. The screen blinked to life, revealing a stark, text-based chat room.
"Agent Nathan, your mission directive has changed," the message read, each word appearing on the screen with calculated precision.
He leaned back in his chair; his eyes locked on the words as they continued to appear.
"You'll be working with Griffin & Kryuger as a mole," the message continued. Nathan's pulse quickened. Working undercover within a private military company was a risky endeavor.
"A detachment of Epsilon-6 will be acting as your extraction team during emergency." The mention of Epsilon-6 provided a sense of reassurance.
"Your primary objective is to report on anomalies the company has discovered or may be hiding. Your secondary objective is to strive for promotion within Griffin & Kryuger to attain a higher level of security clearance."
"Good luck, Nathan," the message concluded, and for a moment, he allowed himself to acknowledge the gravity of the task ahead.
"No rest for the wicked," he muttered.
The thumb drive ejected from the laptop with a soft click. Considering that the data within it would wipe itself out after three minutes of viewing, he placed it on the table and immediately went to sleep,