Chapter 4: Operation Crimson Spear
Odd and the gang took a moment to catch their breath as Jeremy scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of XANA. It was too quiet but before anyone could so much as blink, a massive shockwave hit the area. Aelita saw what looked like a tear in the air and walked over to it. Inside were a man and a woman but the woman was opening similar tears everywhere. She signaled to Aelita to run as a massive beast tore through the area. The group entered a way tower and assessed the situation.
"Ok, so Kadic is ground zero for what now?" asked Odd.
"It's military designation is Black Fang but we know it as asset Proteus or as our contacts put it, Asset 071A. Yumi, how did you escape?"
Yumi recounted the ordeal to the others, mentiong how Sissi had not seemed herself, then she saw the bodies.
"I managed to get out by playing dead. When that thing left, I bolted to the factory. I think I saw cop cars heading in...and tanks on the edge of the city. Jeremy, what is going on?" she asked, clearly terrified.
"Our allies are coordinating a strike through the network hereafter referred to as Operation Crimson Spear. Five strike teams, including us, are to be sent to the origin of the problem, ascertain the situation and get out, leaving charges that will eviscerate the site. Command will give us no more then 1 hour to do it, then they will bomb it with A-10's" said Jeremy as the area behind him shifted into a portal.
"We are here. Step into the portal. I will convene with my contacts. You must enter the waiting drop pods. I will coordinate with the men here. Remember, you have one hour, then the bombing will commence."
Aelita, Ulrich, Odd and an enraged Yumi stepped into the pods. One by one, the pods were ejected over the area. The radio was going crazy with chaos from other pods:
"Visibility is near zero. I can't see the marker. INCOMING!"
"we've got flak firing on the pods, move to position sierra tare 3,6. ETA two minutes to eject over"
"Negative, negative, area is too hot. Swordbreaker, this is Thunder, request HE rounds at grid reference Baker, Sierra, 6,6,8 over!"
"Shot over"
Yumi nearly went blind as a cannon fired superheated plasma over the area. Yumi jostled around in the pod as the G force's ripped the metal to shreds.
"DEPLOY, repeat DEPLOY NOW!" came the order.
Yumi saw darkness, then the sky as her parachute opened. Below, flak was pelting the area. More plasma fire erupted from above as the area became a blackened wasteland. As they approached the ground, Yumi and co saw firsthand what happens to a body when it takes the full blast of Plasma. There was blood everywhere.
"1-0, cease fire, eagles near drop point over!"
The fire ceased as the group touched the ground. A spike was fired into the earth and the data sent to the ship.
"insertion commencing in 3,2..1"
Four drill landed in the ground and proceeded to make their way to the programmed way point. The earth gave way and the ground fell into the void.
"Hook up, we're going in"
Inside the hole all was dark. A faint roar could be heard.
"Asset 071A in area. Be careful, out"