Chapter 15
Ruby
Four hours since the team landed, squad 16 has been walking to the approximated location of where Ruby's aura is located.
"Ugghhhh. Why didn't we land closer to the location?" Kathryn asks.
"Because we didn't want to be seen, and raise the alarm." Jack says back.
"But still our armor stealth features should keep us hidden." Kathryn says.
"But we don't know what countermeasures the enemy could have. They could have detected us and are now waiting to ambush us right now." Reese says.
"How would you know?" Crystal asks.
"It's a rough guess. No proof to back it up." Reese says.
Just then the team herd something.
Reese then raised a fist to indicate to stop. They came to a stop. "Crunch." It was faint but something is coming towards them.
They got into cover and waited and what came around the corner was a single Beowulf, the team held their fire but keep ready for it to attack.
It stoped and sniffed the air as if it knew they were there but it gave no reaction.
"Remember Grimm can sense negative emotions from everyone so your going to have to keep a straight face if you want to slip pass them." An instructor once taught them.
Meanwhile back at the command room Yang was sweating a little.
"Why isn't it attacking them?" Yang asks.
"They are cloaked and they are showing no emotion. They are practically invisible to Grimm." Winter says.
"Yeah I see that, but how?" Yang asks.
"Well when we trained them we essentially beat the emotion out of them." Winter says.
"You mean you punched them if they showed fear?" Yang asks.
"No we ummm put them in a machine where it showed them situations where a certain negative emotion could show, and well when it showed the machine zapped them." Winter says.
"That's why he turns cold in a combat situation." Weiss says.
"Exactly but we left positive emotions inside so they are not entirely machines." Winter says.
"Hey what's that on the screen?" Blake asks.
All the woman looked and saw a castle and it was massive.
"Hunter 1-1 breaking radio silence." Winter says.
"Hunter 1-1 here, go ahead." Reese says.
"According to the aura scan you are within the range of the last known location where Ruby is." Winter says.
"Copy she is probably inside the castle." Reese says.
"But it looks big, how are you going to narrow her location down?" Weiss asks.
"Simple. Patty." Reese says.
"What do you need?" Patty asks.
"Sat scan please." Reese says.
"Got it standby." Patty says.
After a few seconds Patty had the floor plan.
"The castle has about three levels, on the top floor are the bedrooms, nothing special there, the second level has numerous ballrooms and a grand hall, third level the basement it looks like it holds several rooms but there are some heat signatures." Patty says.
"That's where Ruby is." Reese says.
"How would you know?" Crystal asks.
"Because that's where most prisoners are located, don't you remember our SERE training?" Reese asks.
"I didn't listen to that lecture." Crystal admitted.
Reese rolls his eyes after hearing that.
"K here is what we are going to do, jack setup a lookout position on one of the tall rocks, kathryn you will spot for him, and crystal and me will go in and look for Ruby, maintain silence." Reese says as he moves out.
After 20 minutes Reese was at the door with crystal behind him.
"Going internal." Reese says as he opens the door.
When he entered it was dark but not too dark there were some lights on but not enough to light the whole hallway. Reese then activated his night vision and started the slow process of looking for Ruby.
Meanwhile down in the dungeon.
"It's hopeless Ruby, no one is coming to rescue you just give up." Salem says.
Ruby said nothing back.
"Ruby you will see it my way, your mother failed to see it until it was too late." Salem says.
That got a reaction out of Ruby in the form of lunging at Salem in a wild manner but the chains held her in place.
Salem left and went straight to the main hall to rest and come up with a plan to break Ruby.
Salem then entered where she found two people waiting for her, one was standing next to her chair, and the other was sitting in a chair somewhere in the middle of the table.
At the same time both Jack and Kathryn saw a woman enter the hall dressed in black and had white skin.
"You seeing this?" Jack asks kathryn.
"Yeah, keep the scope steady, people at the facility are watching." Kathryn says.
Yang was the first to see the image from the scope and then her blood ran hot.
"That is the woman who took Ruby." Yang says.
"You sure?" Winter asks.
"Yes positive." Yang says.
"Hunter 2-2 keep your eyes on that woman and standby to fire." Winter says.
"Copy standing by." Jack says.
"Are you going to give the order to fire?" Yang asks.
"Not yet Reese is still in there. When he gets Ruby then Jack will take the shot." Winter says.
Back at Reese.
Reese then made his way to the dungeon and began his scan for Ruby.
"If it were not for my night vision I would be blind." Reese said to himself.
In the dungeon it was really dark so dark in fact there was light once every thirty feet.
"How are we going to know where she is?" Crystal asks.
"Well put your head to the doors and listen." Reese says.
"Geez and here I thought we could kick doors down." Crystal says.
"Eh, not that type of mission." Reese says as he puts his head to the door.
Back at the ballroom.
"How is the process going?" Watts asks.
"It's going. Soon Ruby will be broken and she will be on my side." Salem says.
"Shall I prepare the mixture for her?" Watts asks.
"No, when I break her she won't need it. Be gone and continue your studies." Salem says.
Watts then got up and left the hall.
"What should I do, my queen?" The cloaked figure asks.
"Go to the pool and continue your meditation." Salem says.
The cloaked figure bows and leaves Salem alone.
Meanwhile at Jack he was recording the conversation with a laser microphone.
"What kind of crazy is this?" Jack asks.
"This is nuts I don't know what to think of it." Kathryn says.
Back at the facility.
"What is Reese doing? He has to hurry." Yang says with panic.
"I have faith that he will find Ruby." Winter says.
"But that castle is huge; it could take him hours to find her." Weiss says.
"I don't think so he just probably found her." Winter says.
Everyone then looked at the screen to see Crystal and Reese looking at a door.
"Why aren't they doing something?" Yang asks.
"While we can see what they are doing, we can't hear them so they might be planning something." Winter says.
Back at Reese.
"So you think she is behind this door." Crystal says.
"I know she is, my laser mic is picking up breathing from behind this door. Open it." Reese says.
Crystal then went to work on the lock, it took her a bit but got it open.
Both of them stood to each side of the door and opened it silently.
Ruby heard the door open and got ready for the next torment that Salem is about to give her, instead it was silent and the Grimm took notice but didn't move.
One of the Grimm looked at where Reese is but didn't notice the barrel of a rifle pointed right at the monster.
Ruby was watching but she lost all her strength and put her head down.
"3-2-1 go." Reese said.
"Peshhh" one silent shot Grimm down.
The second got up to make a noise but a second shot from crystals rifle made short work.
At that moment Salem, who had her eyes shut for a moment of rest, snapped open.
"Something is wrong, I can feel it." Salem says to herself.
Jack at the same time heard what she just said.
"Guys she knows something is up, hurry." Jack says as he flips the safety to fire.
When the room got clear Reese turned to look at Ruby and in an instant he covered his camera.
"Crystal cover yours." Reese says.
She did and looked away at the sight.
"Patty shut it off for three minutes." Reese says.
"Done your camera is off and not transmitting." Patty says.
Reese then lowered his hand and looked at Ruby to assess what happened to her.
But when he got a good look at her it was way worse than what he expected.
Ruby was covered in bruises on her arms and legs, she was cut in various places but they were surface cuts, next there was some ugly zig zag marks on her, to Reese that said electricity was used, her outfit was torn in various locations exposing her skin, Reese then took her head gently and lifted it. Her face didn't look any better, more scratches and zigzag marks.
"My Monty, what did Salem do to you?" Reese says as he works on the chains.
Then Ruby was free but didn't make any signs that she was aware of what is going on.
Reese then decloaked and took off his helmet, he put Ruby on the ground for a minute to give her first aid.
"Reese hurry up, the main target is getting suspicious." Jack says.
"Roger I have the VIP." Reese says.
"Jack take the shot." Winter says.
BOOM! That was a 340 magnum rifle going off.
Salem turned just in time to see her window break and then nothing.
What jack just saw through his scope was Salem's head disappearing from sight.
Just then everyone heard the Grimm howls.
"Time to get out!" Reese shouted as he put his helmet back on
Now Reese had ruby tied to his back and was now running out of the castle shooting any Grimm that got in their way.
"Weapons free everyone knows we are here." Reese says.
BOOM! Jack was now engaging every Grimm that came in sight.
Reese then reached the front door and was about to open it.
"Stop!" Jack said.
Reese waited then he heard a splat from the other side and a faint bang.
"Your clear go." Jack said.
Reese then opened the door and saw the remains of a Grimm who was waiting for them.
"Jack, Kathryn cover us till we get past you, then follow." Reese says.
What Reese then heard is sniper rounds passing over him and Grimm dying around him.
After Reese got past the rocks he got into contact with winter.
"Package secured get the QRF moving." Reese says.
"Copy the airship "red bain" is on route to get to the shore line. It's five miles from your position." Winter says.
"Copy Whoa!" Reese said as a Grimm pops out of nowhere.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Grimm down.
"Activate your armor speed enhancements." Reese says.
The team then started running at speeds exceeding 23 mph covering a half a mile in a minute.
But with every mile they had to cover the team had to turn around and fight for a few minutes to get the Grimm off of them.
"This is going to be troublesome if we keep this up." Jack says.
"We got to keep going if we stop for to long they will….." kathryn was about to say when something new came along.
CRUNCH!
Reese turned just in time to see a spike come out from the ground to impale kathryn and in that instant she flatlined.
"KATHRYN NO!" Jack shouted.
"Retrieve her." Reese says as he covers jack.
When Jack got her body a Beowulf took the opportunity to tackle jack and try to hurt him.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! that was jack firing his handgun into it.
But as soon as he dispatched it he got up.
CRUNCH! CRUNCH!
This time jack got two spikes in his body but he wasn't flatlined yet, at that moment the Grimm pursued Reese and crystal.
"Shit looks like they got a plan." Reese said.
"Hunter 1-1 you need to get out of there." Winter says.
"I can't, I won't leave my team behind." Reese says as he continues to fire.
"If you don't get out this mission will be a failure." Crystal says.
"Crystal no." Reese says as he feels a lump in his throat.
"Go!" Crystal ordered.
"Fine you better be right behind me." Reese says as he runs.
Crystal then slams another mag in and starts aiming for the heads of the Grimm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
But Crystal saw something she did not expect to see. What she saw was the same woman that Jack just shot ten minutes ago all fine and head still intact.
"That's bullshit." Crystal says.
Just then the woman puts her hand to the ground then a spike shot out from the ground, but Crystal was ready for it and got out of the way.
What crystal also noticed that the Grimm stopped attacking and instead were watching the fight.
Then the woman sped right at crystal and tried to tackle her.
Crystal got out of the way but she didn't notice that the ground was rigged to grab her.
SNAP!
"What the!?" Crystal says as she notices the cage that is now holding her feet down.
"Now that I got you I'm going to make this short. You have something that belongs to me I want it back." The woman says.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Crystal says.
Just then the woman drew her hand back and a spike came out from her palm, then she drove it right into crystals abdominal area.
"AHH!" Crystal winced in pain.
Even with the armor hardened abilities it was no match for whoever this woman is.
Back at the facility everyone was watching crystals stats and they made a horrible discovery, from what the armor is telling Winter the spike turned into a tentacle and was now worming around crystals body.
"I'm sorry crystal." Winter says as she turns a key and hits a button.
Back at crystal she is in great pain but she notices a one minute countdown till the armor detonates.
"You stole her from me now, where is she.?" The woman asks.
"Far away from here." Crystal says as the timer reaches ten seconds.
Meanwhile at Reese.
Reese made some good distance but it was hard for him not to turn back, he was about to but he got a new order.
"REESE YOU GOT TO GET GOING I HAVE INITIATED PROTOCALL 55!" Winter shouts.
Reese then realized what it means, if an operator is captured and there is no way of rescuing them the armor will detonate.
Reese then started running but he needed more speed.
"Come on faster! Faster! FASTER!" Reese internally shouted.
Just then the world distorts and now he was moving fast with Ruby still on his back.
Back at Salem she looks down just in time to see the armor glow orange.
"What are you.." Salem didn't get to finish her sentence.
Then the whole area is engulfed in a bright flash of light followed by a loud bang.
Back at Reese his helmet hud displayed the following message.
NUCLEAR DETONATION WITHIN BLAST ZONE 30 SECONDS TILL SHOCK WAVE.
That gave him a huge adrenaline rush and he just kept going.
"Warning if you keep going you'll black out from the strain your putting on your body." Patty says.
"Noted." Reese says as he keeps pushing his body to the limit.
But the shock wave was catching up, so Reese grabbed Ruby off his back and brought her to his front side and held on. Reese just then jumped off a cliff and then the shock wave hit him and he was flung into the ocean.
At that exact moment the gps that was tracking him lost him.
"MONTY DAMNIT!" Yang shouts.
End.
A/n this took so long to write up.
Hacking commenced….
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File found.
Winters report.
Subject squad 16 free time observations.
When squad 16 has done their training for the day they usually spend it by hanging out in the dojo area honing their hand to hand combat skills or at the firing range, but other times when they worked extra hard I have found them in their room doing various things. Reese is often seen reading a book of some sort, crystal will be disassembling her weapons and cleaning them while looking at Reese from the corner of her eye, jack and kathryn will be out and about doing something, I have tried to find them to see what they do but to no success. Other times I have found them playing some sort of card game.
End file.