Another mention from the Marvel franchise. Just a mild reminder that they exist in this timeline.

"Dusk, get my ERC-7 out of Lucy's mouth before I do it myself."

- Vigil

Hereford Base, England

Clark sat at his desk, flipping through the individual reports of the twelve recruits who had survived Rainbow's grueling orientation. Of the twenty-four that started, only half had made it to full operator status.

He paused briefly over the first batch. Both Rajani Mahmud "Pyre" Ali from Bangladesh's RAB and Nattapong "Naga" Kittitham from Thailand's Arintaraj 26, the two oldest among all the recruits on 2022, had shown impressive resilience and leadership qualities. Meanwhile, Simon "Razorback" McCowatt of Australia's CIRT and Astrid "Lynx" Hunt of the United States ATF have both shown themselves to be quick, smart and alert.

Clark moved on to the second batch. Chaiwat "Phaya" Suwannakorn, also from Thailand's Arintaraj 26, demonstrated remarkable adaptability despite his difficult personality, while Gunter "Spearhead" Vogl of Austria's Jagdkommando had proven his leadership abilities despite his hot temper. Joselito M.H. "Myotis" Tanyag from the Philippines' SRR rounded out the group, his expertise on acoustics engineering making him an interesting asset.

Clark's eyes lingered on the third batch, which had caught his attention ever since they arrived. Lead by Choi "Ram" Bo-Ram of South Korea's 35th Commando Battalion, this group had exceeded all expectations. More than half of them had been promoted to full operators, an unprecedented achievement, and each of them have displayed a unique skill they've developed over the years: Fred "Breaker" Duncan of the U.S. Marshals' SOG's unorthodox use of a ballistic shield. Amir "Saqr" Hajjar, the medic from Egypt's Unit 333, who can conduct search-and-rescues without moving from his position and Pham "Chameleon" Thuy Minh from Vietnam's M1 Brigade, exceptional in stealth tactics despite her quirky, sometimes childish, personality.

But it was Keith Sng "Dusk" Wei Hao and his K9, Lucy, from Singapore's STAR that truly stood out among the batch: Despite having the least experience in live situations compared to his peers, his performance and versatility was exceptional enough to earn praise from even the most hardened of operators.

Remarkably, the remaining three from the third batch were selected by Sam Fisher to be part of the Rainbow Operation Staff, a rare honor that spoke volumes about their abilities despite not making the cut. This was the first time in Rainbow's history that an entire batch of recruits had successfully passed the grueling tests to prove they deserved their place.

Clark nodded to himself, impressed. This group was certainly one to watch.

Several operators surrounded the boxing ring watching Valkyrie and Thatcher squared off. Thatcher, never one to hold back, was playing it rough, not caring that his opponent was a woman, but he had clearly underestimated her: More than once, Valkyrie would feint to a side and landed a quick jab to his face from the other side. From the sidelines, Ram, Saqr, and Breaker were in stitches, throwing taunts and playful comments Thatcher's way.

"You sure you still got it, Thatcher?" Ram called out with a smirk, arms crossed, "She's making you look like you've been drinking too much of the old man's whiskey!"

Saqr chuckled, adding, "Getting slow in your old age!"

Thatcher growled under his breath but kept swinging, only to be caught by another quick jab.

"Alright, alright, that's round three!" Castle called from the sidelines, signaling the end of the round.

Valkyrie flashed a grin as Thatcher wiped a bit of sweat off his brow, a look of mild frustration creeping in as the others burst into laughter. Meanwhile, on the other side of the gym, Ash and Dusk stood near the wall, watching the sparring match while discussing a more serious topic: NIGHTHAVEN's return to Rainbow.

"I don't know, Ash," Dusk said, his brow furrowed, "Bringing a private military contractor into Rainbow? Doesn't sit right with me. I don't know much about them, but I've heard enough to be skeptical."

Ash leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as a pair of boxing gloves hung from her right hand.

"You're right to be cautious. NIGHTHAVEN's presence before caused all kinds of problems. Operators were poached, tensions rose, and there was that whole mess over tech ownership. It was a nightmare."

"So why are we letting them back in?"

"Clark thinks they might be useful against the Keres Legion. But... I'm not sure it's the right call. NIGHTHAVEN's always been more about reputation with a win-at-all-costs style of operation. We've got a lot of bad blood with them, Dusk. And they're no doubt looking for Rainbow's new blood to poach into their organization. That includes you, Dusk. Don't let Kali's offer tempt you."

Ash was serious, but then she caught herself as she remembered something in Dusk's profile.

"Wait… You rejected an offer to join NIGHTHAVEN, right? Don't know why I even warned you. Guess you're not the kind of person to fall for that kind of thing, Dusk."

"No offense taken, Ash."

Ash offered Dusk a small, reassuring smile. Dusk gave a slight nod, his attention now split between the conversation and the laughter from the ring. He wasn't sure where Clark's decision would lead, but he trusted Ash's instincts. As for NIGHTHAVEN... that was a storm he'd rather not get caught in.

Dusk's attention was pulled away from the conversation when a light jab hit his shoulder from behind. He turned to see Dokkaebi standing there with a mischievous grin, a pair of boxing gloves on her hands.

"Fight me," she demanded, thrusting the gloves toward him.

Dusk blinked, confused.

"I'm supposed to be in the ring with Thorn after Valkyrie and Thatcher," he replied, trying to brush her off with a shrug.

But Dokkaebi wasn't having any of it. She jabbed him again, this time lightly on his ribs.

"Fight me!" she insisted, her tone stubborn.

"Seriously, Dokkaebi, not now…"

The jab came again—this time, a little harder.

"Oi, lan jiao! Why are you hitting me so hard?"

"Fight me!" she repeated, this time her voice rising slightly, clearly not taking no for an answer.

"W-Wait, wait! I-I didn't sign up for this!" Dusk stammered, but Dokkaebi darted in, jabbing him again, faster this time.

"Come on, Dusk! Fight me!"

Instead of throwing a punch, Dusk turned on his heel and bolted for the other side of the gym, his shoes squeaking on the floor as he parkoured around the punching bags and gym equipment while being chased by Dokkaebi.

"Fight meeee!"

"You siao ar?! Get away from me!"

The operators around the gym erupted into laughter as they watched the scene unfold. Dusk zigzagged across the gym, shooting a pleading glance at Ash, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Seems like you're in for a real workout today, Dusk," Ash called, laughing.

"You're going to have to fight me eventually!" Dokkaebi yelled, refusing to let him get away.

"For what I want to fight you, woman?"

"To prove my superiority!"

It was a full-on Tom-and-Jerry style chase, a blur of quick steps, dodges, and laughter echoing through the gym, much to the amusement of everyone watching.

Doc, Hibana, Thermite, and Caveira stood in a quiet corner of the base, their eyes fixed on the arrival of NIGHTHAVEN personnel. Helicopters descended into the designated landing zone while a convoy of five military trucks, each emblazoned with NIGHTHAVEN's logo, rumbled onto the base grounds. The sight left a bitter taste in the mouths of all present.

Caveira's voice was harsh and thick with disdain as she muttered, "Interlopers. They make themselves at home so easily, like they've forgotten all the shit they started with us."

Thermite, standing beside Caveira, shot her a pointed look.

"Don't let NIGHTHAVEN get under your skin," he advised, though his own posture was taut, clearly not thrilled about the situation either.

His words were a reminder to everyone that maintaining a professional distance, despite their personal opinions, was key in this tense arrangement.

As the helicopters landed and the trucks parked, Kali emerged from one of the vehicles, her presence immediately commanding attention. She scanned the area, her eyes briefly settling on Dusk, who stood with the other operators behind the squad captains, watching the influx of NIGHTHAVEN personnel with a mixed expression.

Kali's gaze lingered on Dusk for a moment, a faint but knowing smile curling at the corners of her lips, before she continued to move towards the gathering.

Doc and Hibana, being the most professional of the squad captains, stepped forward to greet Kali. Doc nodded politely as he approached her, maintaining his calm demeanor. Hibana, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment before extending her hand, though there was a trace of reluctance in her movement. She had her reservations about Kali's return, but professionalism always came first.

To Hibana's surprise, Kali didn't acknowledge her gesture and instead focused entirely on Dusk, who stood quietly by Hibana's side, arms crossed. The sharp-eyed PMC leader raised an eyebrow as she approached him.

"Dusk… It's a shame you rejected my offer," she said smoothly, eyes flickering with a hint of amusement, "You could've been much more valuable at NIGHTHAVEN."

She extended her hand, expecting Dusk to reciprocate. However, Dusk wasn't about to let Kali disrespect Hibana like this. Without a word, he and Lucy silently walked past Kali and instead greeted NIGHTHAVEN agent Apha "Aruni" Tawanroong in a cheerful manner. Aruni's face lit up with recognition at the sight of her former student, a bright smile forming on her scarred but gentle face, and the two began engaging in conversation asking how each other had been doing. Seeing this, Caveira couldn't help but let out a short laugh.

"I'll give Dusk credit, he sure knows how to make a point," she murmured, clearly enjoying the way Dusk had turned the tables on Kali.

Kali, for a moment, was left standing with her outstretched hand, clearly caught off guard by Dusk's move. The amused, almost embarrassed smile she couldn't suppress only lasted a second before she refocused, this time offering her hand to Hibana with a rueful chuckle. Hibana took it, but the slight, almost imperceptible smirk on her lips betrayed her satisfaction as she shook Kali's hand.

"Welcome back to Rainbow, Kali," Hibana said, her tone businesslike but with an underlying edge that conveyed she was still not a fan of the PMC leader.

As the NIGHTHAVEN personnel filed into the Hereford base, it was immediately apparent that many of the Rainbow operators were still harboring some deep-seated grudges against the PMC agents who had once been part of Rainbow. The SAS operators, led by Thatcher, were particularly cold, blatantly ignoring the presence of James Porter, aka Smoke. Smoke, who had once served alongside them, seemed to sense the chill in the air, but he said nothing.

Elsewhere, Castle found himself locked in a tense but civil conversation with Jack Estrada, aka Pulse, who had been one of his colleagues in the FBI SWAT team before their paths had diverged. The conversation was polite on the surface, but there was an undeniable tension, the awkward silence between words speaking volumes about the history between the two men.

Zofia Bosak, the GROM operator, caught sight of a younger NIGHTHAVEN agent with striking green hair. Dusk had noticed how the green-haired operator resembled Zofia a lot in terms of appearances. For a brief moment, Zofia seemed to hesitate, her eyes narrowing in recognition, but she quickly dismissed the thought and turned away, unwilling to stir up old memories.

However, not all interactions were so filled with resentment. Monika "IQ" Weiss was one of the few who managed to bridge the gap with some semblance of civility. She shared an awkward but ultimately friendly reunion with her former GSG9 teammates, exchanging brief pleasantries. It wasn't the warmest of reunions, but there was at least a sense of mutual respect between them, even if the air was thick with the unspoken history of the split.

Dusk and Aruni sat on a nearby bench watching everything play out, with Lucy pattering happily around them, her tail wagging with excitement. The Belgian Malinois seemed to take a special interest in Aruni, sniffing at her, especially her prosthetics, with curiosity as they went. Dusk glanced down at his dog, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Lucy's a good judge of character. She seems to like you."

Aruni looked down at the dog and chuckled softly.

"She has good instincts. I've heard a lot about her," she said, her tone warm.

Dusk's smile faded slightly as he focused on Aruni's words.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard a lot about me too," he said, his voice turning more serious, "I assume you're aware of my recent missions? The ones involving Keres Legion and, of course, Shimura."

"Yes, I've seen the reports, but I'd rather hear it from you. What's been weighing on you, Dusk? You don't seem to be yourself today."

Dusk stopped walking for a moment, his eyes distant as he thought about the recent events. The frustration was bubbling up again, and he couldn't shake the feeling that they had missed something important.

"I can't help but feel like we made a mistake with Shimura. We should've seen it coming—he told us he had information on the Keres Legion, and we still let our guard down. Could have squeezed more info out of him. We should already know that the Legion wouldn't pass up an opportunity to take out someone with information like that. But we underestimated them. One minute, he was spilling the beans, then all of a sudden, he was spilling his guts, literally.

Aruni slowed her pace and listened intently, sensing the frustration in Dusk's voice. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, saying, "Dusk, sometimes you can't foresee everything. You made a decision based on what you knew, and sometimes, things don't go the way we hope. Remember, none of us can't control everything. You did your best with the information you had. Don't let that frustration eat at you. You're stronger than that."

Dusk sighed, taking a moment to let her words sink in. He glanced down at Lucy, who was happily trotting along, her energy a sharp contrast to his current mood. The simple presence of his dog, always by his side, seemed to ground him, offering a small sense of peace amidst the frustration.

"I'll try," Dusk said quietly, his voice steadier now. He looked back at Aruni, offering a small nod of gratitude, "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

Aruni smiled, giving him an encouraging pat on the back, "Anytime, Dusk. And don't forget: Just because I'm in NIGHTHAVEN doesn't mean I don't got your back."

Dusk felt a little lighter, though the frustration was still there. He wasn't sure if it would fully go away, but Aruni's words had given him a bit of clarity.

A commotion caught Dusk and Aruni's attention. They watched as Phaya stood a little too close to Grim, his stance uncomfortably assertive. Grim, however, remained perfectly still, his face expressionless. Dusk sighed and muttered, "Phaya's really not picking the right person for this."

Aruni glanced between the two men, her curiosity piqued. "What's going on?"

Dusk shook his head, keeping his eyes on Phaya.

"That's Phaya. The other Thais warned me that he's racist towards Singaporeans. Grim's just the one he's decided to take it out on today."

Aruni raised an eyebrow, then glanced back at Phaya.

"Well, he's not exactly making smart choices. Grim's that one Singaporean you do not want to mess with."

"Yeah, definitely not."

Phaya was trying, in his own twisted way, to provoke Grim. Standing a little too close, he subtly and indirectly threw out one barbed comment after another, aimed at irritating the cold, taciturn man from Singapore. The insults were subtle—little jabs at the country, at the way Grim carried himself, and even at his people. Phaya, in his usual arrogant manner, didn't expect to get no response at all.

"Doesn't it get boring, y'know? Just standing there like a statue? Or maybe that's just what your people do when there's nothing to say... Live a little, Grim."

Grim remained unmoved. His posture was still, his face a mask of indifference.

"Nothing to say, huh? That's typical," Phaya pushed, growing more annoyed. "You know, you people sure don't have much personality. I've met rocks with more character than—"

Not even a twitch from Grim. The silence was deafening.

Phaya's temper began to flare.What's wrong with him?He thought. He was trying everything: He'd insulted the man, made him the butt of every sarcastic remark in the book, but Grim's silence was like a wall. This only made Phaya angrier.

"Come on! Youmusthave something to say, or are you all just a bunch of—"

Before he could finish his tirade, Dusk stepped between them with an almost mechanical swiftness. He shoved Phaya hard but with restraint, making sure the Thai operator didn't lose his balance or fall over. Phaya immediately thought Dusk was starting a fight. His hands balled into fists.

"Hey! What's your problem, huh?" Phaya snapped, glaring at Dusk.

"I'm trying to save you from him."

Dusk pointed directly at Grim's right hand. Phaya followed Dusk's gaze and saw that Grim's hand was resting lightly on a combat knife, not gripping it, but ready to draw it in a heartbeat. Dusk's voice was cold as ice as he spoke.

"Grim's not reacting only because he was most likely instructed not to cause trouble with Rainbow, but don't push your luck. He's one of the rare few Singaporean soldiers to have taken lives in combat zones, and trust me, his military records and killstreak will make American black ops look like humanitarian missions."

Phaya froze, turned to look at Grim, who had yet to make any movement, his dour demeanor as chilling as ever. Now that he wasn't focused on making a fool out of himself, Phaya was starting to realize that there was a highly dangerous aura around the other Singaporean.

"Take my advice. Stay away from Grim if you want to live," Dusk said, to which Phaya, for the first time since he met Dusk, does not argue with.

The common room was filled with the sound of clacking pool balls and muted laughter. Dusk, Dokkaebi, Jackal, and Mute stood around a pool table, each taking their turn at sinking balls into the pockets. Lucy was sprawled out on a nearby couch, being pampered by Mira, who was fussing over the dog's fur with a gentle touch.

Dusk, standing at the cue ball, lined up his shot and glanced around the room as he took a deep breath. With a swift pull, he sent the cue ball crashing into the others. By sheer luck, two balls sank into the pockets, and Dusk shot a look of surprise at the table.

"Nice shot," Mute commented with a small smirk.

Dokkaebi, leaning against the table, was about to tease him when Thatcher's voice rang out from across the room. The older operator was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and observing the game with a mild interest.

"That was lucky," Thatcher said, his tone surprisingly calm but with an underlying smirk, "But I gotta say, I saw Phaya nearly sign his own death warrant just now. Tried to provoke this Grim character into something... not pretty."

"Oh, trust me. He was pushing the wrong buttons," Dusk replied.

Thatcher nodded, his expression growing more serious.

"I got access to some of Grim's records. You weren't lying... It's not pretty. The man's cold, calculated—something else entirely."

"Grim works within his instructions," Dusk said quietly, "Otherwise, there's no way to stop him. If he gets loose, better hope someone's got a leash."

Jackal, who had been silently watching, raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds like a tough assignment, working under someone like him. Must've been unlucky as hell, Dusk."

Dusk just chuckled dryly, replying, "Lucky for me, Grim never became a squad leader back when I was still part of the NDU."

His voice held no bitterness—just an acknowledgment of the tension in that kind of position. Mute gave a low whistle, clearly impressed.

"If he'd been squad leader... I think we'd have heard stories about how Grim handled things. No one would've dared mess with him."

Dokkaebi raised a finger, her eyes glinting with mischief, "And I bet it'd be interesting to see how Phaya would've handled a whole squad of Grim's type. A matchbox will be too big to fit what's left of him after that?"

Dusk smirked at that, the lightheartedness of the conversation easing the tension in the room, but even he knew: there was truth in what they said. Grim wasn't the kind of person anyone wanted to provoke.

As Dusk leaned over the pool table, Mira, still gently stroking Lucy's fur, suddenly stopped and looked thoughtful. She straightened up, a lightbulb going off in her mind.

"Dusk," she began, catching Dusk's attention, "Solis and I were working on an experimental device. We think it could help you and Lucy improve your ability to detect electronics. The problem is, the device itself is an electronic, and you know how Lucy gets around those…"

Dusk chuckled, glancing over at Lucy, who was blissfully oblivious to the conversation.

"Yeah, the last thing I need is for her to chew through another one. She doesn't make it easy. Only time she doesn't turn electronics into scrap metal is when it's attached on her collar"

"Good," Mira said, a grin appearing on her face, "Meet us in the R Lab tomorrow morning, and we'll give it a shot. Hopefully, it'll work out."

Dusk gave a slight nod, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I'll be there."

Mira turned back to Lucy with a thoughtful expression.

"Let's see if we can keep you from chewing through everything, huh?" she murmured to the dog.

The hum of the Rainbow R Lab's high-tech equipment buzzed in the background as Dusk, who had been following Mira, stepped into the room. Solis stood near a workbench, a small but complex device in front of her. Dusk wasn't a fan of new tech, preferring to rely on his instincts—yet, both Mira and Solis were rarely wrong.

"Dusk, over here," Mira called, her tone warm, but her focus was on the device. Solis was adjusting a pair of AR goggles, her dark eyes scanning the readout on the screen in front of her.

As Dusk approached, Mira held up the sleek collar. It was compact, fitted with a series of small sensors embedded in the material. It looked harmless, but Dusk knew better.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice low, a touch of skepticism edging his words.

Mira's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"It's for Lucy. We've designed a collar that can detect electronic devices around the area she's sniffing out. Once she walks past or picks up on something, the collar scans the device and transmits the data directly to the AR goggles in real time. The goggles will show you the last known location of the detected devices. I know Lucy zeroes in on any electronics she finds, but with this collar, you can also find the one she misses when she's in her 'tunnel vision' mode."

Solis chimed in, handing the goggles to Dusk, "These AR goggles are a modified version of the older SPEC-IO Electro-Sensor models I used in the field. I figured we could make them more practical for your work with Lucy. The new system integrates the collar's data into a more intuitive, real-time feed. The catch is that the collar only retains data from six detected devices at a time. Once it detects a new device, the earliest detection data is erased. So, you'll need to rely on memory to track the older detections."

Dusk studied the goggles in silence, then nodded. He felt a flicker of hesitation—the burden of memory work was nothing new, but this felt different. Lucy's capabilities were enhanced, but so was the pressure on him to keep track of everything in real time.

Lucy, who had been sitting patiently at Dusk's side, wagged her tail, sensing his uncertainty. Dusk sighed quietly, giving the new detection collar around Lucy's neck a final glance. He eyed the device warily for a moment before slipping the goggles on.

"Let's test it."

Instantly, the world around Dusk shifted. The once familiar R lab became overlaid with digital readouts, highlighted by blue symbols floating in his peripheral vision.

"Focus on Lucy," Mira instructed.

Dusk glanced over at Lucy, who was already scanning the lab, her keen eyes darting from one corner to the next. He felt his head spin momentarily as the AR data flooded in. Small, blinking icons representing hidden electronics near Lucy flickered around the room, showing their locations in real-time. The disorientation soon faded and the constant stream of data became less jarring.

As Lucy trotted around the lab, Dusk observed how the symbols tagged each of the devices she detected: Red for the ones she personally finds and blue for the ones near her. The collar was transmitting data to the goggles—each electronic item's position pinned on the display, and every time a new one is detected, the first detected item disappears.

"Pretty impressive," Dusk muttered as he took off the goggles.

Solis gestured to the collar on Lucy's neck, further explaining, "The collar itself is easy to calibrate and replace, so you won't have to wait days for a new one. You can come by anytime, and we'll have one ready for you."

"And the goggles?" Dusk asked.

"Those will take time to repair," Mira replied, "So don't go burning through them too quickly, alright?"

"I'll keep that in mind."

Solis chuckled as Mira stepped forward to help him calibrate the connection between the collar and the goggles. It wasn't much, but for Dusk, who had always worked with what he had, the addition of such sophisticated tech felt like a small leap forward in his partnership with Lucy. He could see its potential. For a moment, Dusk allowed himself a rare, quiet smile. Maybe this new tech wasn't so bad after all.

Director John Clark sat at his desk, his steely gaze fixed on the array of monitors before him. The calendar on the wall quietly ticked down the final two days of 2022, a reminder of how quickly time passed—even in times of global unrest.

"Festive seasons," Clark murmured, voice low and grave, "They tend to be prime targets for terrorists. They know that people let their guard down. We need to be prepared for anything."

Aurelia Arnot, sitting across from him, nodded silently. Her face remained stoic, betraying little emotion as she sifted through the latest intelligence reports. The weight of her position at Rainbow was never lost on her, but this time, there was an underlying tension in the air that was hard to ignore. Clark's fingers drummed lightly on the table as he leaned forward.

"Are the operators aware of the attack at the Mojave desert black site?"

"Most of them have heard by now. News spreads fast among our ranks."

A slight pause hung between them before she continued. Her voice dropped, as if reluctant to reveal more.

"Sam Fisher—he's dug up some disturbing details about Project Cicuta. It's an artificial virus, created via a combination of modified influenza virus and ebola virus, then treated with chemicals to increase the lethality. The current U.S. government authorized its creation, but quickly disposed of it when they suspected their political opponents had gotten wind of its existence. All of this was set in motion just a year ago, hidden from the public eye."

Clark's jaw tightened. He had heard rumors of dark operations buried deep in the government's underbelly, but this? This was something else entirely.

"This is what happens when you elect the wrong person to be in charge of an entire country, turning it into a clown show first and a nursing home next. And now, the only sample of a highly dangerous bio-weapon is in the hands of the worst terrorists this world has ever faced, second only to HYDRA and AIM."

Arnot's eyes flickered with understanding, but she remained silent. The weight of their words hung heavy in the room. A virus capable of mass destruction, engineered by those who claimed to act in the name of safety—there was a bitter kind of hypocrisy to it all.

The corridor leading to Viperstrike's briefing room was bustling with operators coming and going, some heading to the cafeteria, others to the briefing rooms. Dusk stood near the hallway, catching a moment of peace before his next task. As he adjusted his gear, he spotted Maestro marching down the corridor with Echo and Julian "Rook" Nizan in tow.

"Morning, Dusk," Maestro greeted with a wide grin, his bombastic energy immediately filling the space around him.

Dusk nodded in return, raising an eyebrow as he noticed the way Maestro was bouncing with enthusiasm. "Heading out for something interesting?" he asked casually.

Maestro leaned in with a wink. "Small recon mission. Just a little stroll, nothing to worry about," he replied. His voice carried its usual bravado, and Dusk couldn't help but try to mentally process how Maestro's bombastic personality was supposed to help him blend in on a covert mission.

Echo, ever the silent one, merely nodded at Dusk while Rook gave a polite, half-smile. They quickly turned and continued their way, Maestro's loud footsteps echoing down the hall.

As they disappeared around the corner, Dusk turned to resume his walk, but was intercepted by a familiar figure—Phaya. The Thai operator stood leaning against the wall, arms folded, his expression unreadable. Dusk instinctively tensed.

"Didn't expect to see you here, Dusk," Phaya remarked, his voice carrying a cool, almost casual tone, "But then again, with NIGHTHAVEN making their move again... I suppose it's no surprise you'd be around."

The tension was immediate. Dusk's gaze narrowed, unsure of Phaya's intentions, but the quiet animosity lingering in the air was palpable. He stayed silent for a moment, waiting for the conversation to unfold. Phaya's expression remained composed, but his words were sharp, like a razor hidden behind a veil of politeness.

"You know, Dusk, I'm surprised you don't know much about NIGHTHAVEN, especially considering how connected they are to your past, given that a former squad-mate of yours from the NDU is now their chief of security… Also, you were trained by someone from their ranks, weren't you? A former Thai detective, no less, the one who taught you all those advanced EOD techniques."

His voice held a certain quiet disbelief, as though he found Dusk's ignorance on the subject somewhat... amusing. Dusk's eyes narrowed. Phaya was being polite on the surface, but the barbs were there, neatly disguised beneath the surface.

"Interesting that you know so much about them and my past," Dusk replied, keeping his tone even.

He didn't need to say more. The implication was clear. Phaya might be pushing boundaries here, but it was a subtle game, and Dusk wasn't about to back down.

"Oh, I know more than enough," Phaya said with a little chuckle, his eyes briefly flicking to Dusk's, as if daring him to challenge it, "But I also know that someone with your skills wouldn't have turned down an offer from NIGHTHAVEN. Surely they'd have made you a very generous offer when you were scouted."

Dusk felt the tension building, but he refused to give Phaya the satisfaction of an angry response. Instead, he leaned in, his gaze sharpening.

"They did offer me a position, actually. But I lost interest in their pitch pretty quickly and chose Rainbow instead. But you know, it's funny... it seems like you know more about NIGHTHAVEN than me. Maybe you're the one who's more likely to join them, huh?"

Phaya's eyes darkened for the briefest moment, but he kept his composure. The polite mask was still firmly in place, though it was clear that their verbal sparring had gotten under his skin.

Dusk leaned in a little closer, his voice lowering even more as he added, "And maybe you shouldn't question my loyalties when you so easily turn on your fellow Thais the minute they associate with me."

Phaya bristled at Dusk's words, but Hibana suddenly appeared, her footsteps sharp and purposeful. She had already heard the entire conversation between the two men and immediately stepped between them.

"Enough. Don't test my patience, Phaya. I didn't want you in Viperstrike, but Clark insisted, and now I'm stuck with you. If you continue provoking Dusk, though, I can easily reassign you to another squad. And Dusk, be careful about your choice of words too. You may not know it, but you've got quite an acid tongue and I can't afford the chaos it might trigger."

Phaya straightened, a polite but inscrutable expression returning to his face as he nodded in deference.

"Understood," he said, before walking past Hibana and Dusk, not sparing another word.

Dusk didn't like the news. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in a team with Phaya, someone who had been nothing but a thorn in his side since his arrival. Hibana stood beside him for a moment before turning and continuing down the corridor herself. However, Dusk knew this wasn't over. Phaya's underlying animosity was still there, waiting to pounce on Dusk. Unbeknownst to them, from behind a corner, Dokkaebi had overheard the entire exchange. She stepped forward, her usual teasing grin replaced by a more serious look.

"Phaya's still a pain in the ass, huh?" she asked.

Dusk didn't answer immediately. He just shook his head

"I think we should talk about this later... but don't worry, I've got your back," Dokkaebi said to Dusk, who simply nodded, though he was clearly far from reassured.

Somewhere in Italy

The shadows of a dimly lit warehouse concealed two figures. Deimos face to face with a sharply dressed man in a dark suit. The man handed over a sleek suitcase, his expression unreadable.

"First time the Keres Legion is making a purchase from us," the man remarked, his voice low and tense, "I'll warn you, though... your actions could attract some unwanted attention. You may find yourself on the radar of a certain group of individuals if you are not too careful."

Deimos took the suitcase, his smile hidden by his ballistic mask.

"I'm not concerned," he replied with a chuckle, "Our objectives are not as megalomaniacal as your leaders. Nothing big enough to attract the attention of superhumans in Halloween costumes."

The man in the suit narrowed his eyes, but said nothing more. Deimos turned, signaling to his men, and began walking away, the heavy footsteps of his soldiers echoing in the silence of the warehouse.

"Remember," the man called after him, "HYDRA usually doesn't get involved with small players."

Deimos didn't look back, his cold chuckle the last thing the man heard before the door swung shut.

Hereford Base, England

It's been a few days since NIGHTHAVEN arrived, but so far, there had not been any major incidents apart from a very tense moment where Ash and Kali had a "friendly talk" near the auditorium which thankfully ended peacefully and without conflict.

Right now, however, Viperstrike has a new mission, something that would let the squad take their minds off NIGHTHAVEN's presence.

Dusk was adjusting the straps of his tactical vest when Dokkaebi walked into the locker room, eyes glued to her tablet. She looked up briefly, a teasing grin spreading across her face.

"Going all in today, huh? You planning to carry half the armory?" she teased, noticing the full kit Dusk was donning.

"It's this prototype Kevlar that makes me look heavy. Anyways, Hibana wants us in the briefing room, fully geared, in fifteen minutes, so…"

"Yeah, typical Hibana," Dokkaebi responded with a smirk, flicking off her tablet and tossing it on the bench, "'No exceptions.' As if we're not all already walking targets anyway. But hey, at least she's serious."

Dusk didn't respond other than flashing Dokkaebi a mild grin, adjusting his gear. Dokkaebi leaned against a locker, crossing her arms.

"You know, speaking of tech and gear... I heard something interesting about NIGHTHAVEN. A few months ago, they pitched a business proposal to Stark Industries. They wanted to team up for some weapons development. Guess what? It got shot down."

Dusk raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Stark Industries turned them down? I thought they were all about cutting-edge tech."

"They are," Dokkaebi said, "But Stark Industries is no longer in the weapons game. They made it clear they weren't interested after their owner ended up with shrapnel near his heart when one of his creations ended up in the wrong hands. NIGHTHAVEN's people were pretty disappointed. Apparently, they were hoping for some military-grade tech collaboration."

Dusk nodded, his focus returning to the mission. "Well, that's NIGHTHAVEN's loss. As for us... Malaysia, huh? Doesn't sound like a usual Keres Legion hot spot. Why are we heading there?"

"Could be something bigger brewing," Dokkaebi replied with a shrug, "You know Hibana. She's got her reasons. We'll find out soon enough."

Dusk adjusted his gloves and gave a small nod. Whatever the mission was, it was bound to be important. And dangerous.

The briefing room was filled with the usual tension that came before a mission, but today, there was an undercurrent of unease as Hibana stood at the front, briefing her squad.

"Alright, before we commence, it is my duty as squad captain to inform everyone that we're going to be joined by these new operators effectively today: Dusk, Lynx, Chameleon, and Phaya," Hibana announced, her voice firm and unwavering.

Immediately, Echo leaned forward, his brow furrowing.

"Chameleon and Phaya? I thought they were supposed to be with Ghosteyes."

"Clark feels that we needed at least a stealth specialist in Viperstrike, hence Chameleon's on our squad."

"That sounds reasonable, but why's Phaya also being added to Viperstrike?" Mute chimed in, not missing a beat, "We already have two hackers on the squad. Why bring in another one?"

Hibana's gaze remained steady.

"Clark's orders," she said curtly, pausing to let the words settle, "Dusk will also occasionally be allocated to Wolfguard due to his search-and-rescue experience."

The squad members exchanged glances. Dusk's occasional redeployment to the humanitarian-focused Wolfguard made sense to most of them since they could understand its reasoning. The squad had seen enough of his quiet reliability to know he'd be an asset no matter where he was. It was Phaya that had most of them unsettled.

"Phaya's a wildcard," Echo muttered, clearly uncomfortable, "The guy hasn't exactly made a good impression on any of us, and now we're stuck with him?"

Elias "Blitz" Kötz grunted in agreement, adding, "He didn't exactly earn any trust in his last few ops. If we're going to be stuck with him, I hope he proves he's worth the trouble."

"I'm aware of the history. But Phaya's on the team now, and we'll deal with it. Just focus on the mission," Hibana said, her voice firm.

There was a brief pause, but after a moment, the squad members nodded reluctantly. They didn't like it, but they understood. The mission came first, and if Phaya was part of the team for this one, they would work with him—no matter their reservations.

"Alright," Hibana said, moving on with the briefing, "We've got work to do. Let's stay focused."

The room settled into a more professional atmosphere, but the lingering discomfort about Phaya remained, a quiet tension in the air. As the four new members of Viperstrike shuffled into the briefing room, Dokkaebi gave a quiet wave for Dusk to sit next to her and Blitz.

Dusk, ever stoic, nodded and moved toward the seat, but Phaya, eyeing the spot, seemed determined to beat him to it. Lynx and Chameleon, despite never having directly interacted with him, appears to be aware of his hostility towards Dusk and his supposed obsession with winning Dokkaebi's heart. The American ATF officer subtly blocked Phaya's path by walking in front of him, while the quirky Vietnamese casually bumped him aside, both women claiming their seats with practiced ease.

Phaya shot them a glare, his frustration growing as he found himself caught between Thatcher and Jackal, both men offering him little more than a brief glance of displeasure before turning their attention back to the briefing.

Dusk, now sitting next to Dokkaebi, glanced at Phaya with a quizzical look. Phaya's barely concealed annoyance was almost palpable as he glanced sideways, watching Dusk settle in next to his object of unrequited affection. Hibana let out a long sigh, her eyes flicking toward the growing tension between Dusk and Phaya, but she chose not to address it. Some things, she knew, were best left unsaid. She cleared her throat, regaining the room's attention, and began the briefing.

"Alright, enough distractions. Let's focus. Maestro's team has gathered some interesting intel regarding the Keres Legion's activities in Southeast Asia a few days ago. Their movements are focused around the town of Mersing, located in Johor, Malaysia."

She gestured to the map behind her, showing the town highlighted in red. The squad leaned in, all ears as Hibana handed the floor over to Maestro, who was already standing, arms folded, ready to present his findings.

"Malaysian police intelligence has uncovered a hidden warehouse in the area," Maestro began, his voice calm but firm, "The Keres Legion is using it as a storage facility for advanced military drones, stolen from the British Armed Forces. These drones are highly sensitive technology, and the Brits want them back, but there's a catch: they don't want to draw attention to this—especially with the current strain in diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the West."

Dusk glanced at Phaya, who seemed to be listening more intently now, his previous frustrations momentarily forgotten as the seriousness of the mission took over.

Maestro continued, "Our job is simple: get in, secure the drones, take out the stronzos, get the drones out. The Brits and the Malaysians don't want a scandal, and we don't want to give the Keres Legion an opportunity to escape with the technology."

Blitz raised his hand, his tone practical and to the point.

"Is this a stealth mission? If so, Ghosteyes would be better suited for the job. Their expertise in infiltration is second to none."

"Not this time. Blitz. The Malaysian authorities are already aware of the situation, so there is no point in stealth anymore. The Malaysian authorities have prepared a cover story for Rainbow's involvement, however. They're presenting this operation as a live-training exercise being conducted by Malaysia's elite counter-terrorism unit, the Special Actions Unit, aka Unit Tindakhas. This will allow us to move freely through the area without raising suspicion," Hibana replied.

Dusk listened intently, his usual calm demeanor unchanged, while Phaya appeared to be processing the details, perhaps considering how this would impact his involvement. Hibana nodded to Maestro, signaling him to continue.

"There's more," Maestro added, "A member of UTK is being scouted for potential recruitment into Rainbow, and he'll be joining us on this mission as a test of his abilities. His participation will help reinforce the cover story."

Echo raised an eyebrow.

"So, we've got a 'new recruit' tagging along, huh? Will he be a help or a liability?"

Hibana's response was calm. "We'll find out. His performance will determine whether or not he's a good fit for Rainbow."

The team exchanged glances, the usual mix of curiosity and skepticism hanging in the air. They were about to move into unfamiliar territory, both on the ground and with their new recruit, but one thing was clear—this mission would be anything but simple.

"The warehouse is located deep in the jungles surrounding Mersing," Hibana spoke again, her voice steady. "It's a tough location, and it's fortified. The building has two basements, which means the Keres Legion would have a significant number of guards inside and around the perimeter. We'll need to be strategic.

"The stealthier members of Viperstrike will be responsible for clearing a path through the jungle and taking out any patrols in the area. Thatcher, Chameleon, Capitão, that's your jobs. We'll need to keep the element of surprise as long as possible."

Dusk glanced to his right and observed Vicente "Capitão" Souza, an eyepatch-wearing BOPE officer, nodding at Hibana with a calm smile on his face.

"Once the area is secured, Maestro will lead the main attacking squad," Hibana continued. "Your job will be to distract the Keres Legionnaires inside the warehouse. Cause a diversion, force them to focus on the front, while I take a second team to infiltrate the basement and secure the drones."

"Understood," Maestro said, already mentally preparing for the chaos that would ensue once they went in hot.

"Once the warehouse is cleared, the Malaysian authorities, along with members of MI6, will assist in moving the drones. They will handle the extraction and return the technology to the United Kingdom. Questions?"

The room remained quiet as the team processed the plan, the weight of the mission sinking in. The operation would be high-risk, but it was clear to everyone that this was a job they had to complete—no matter what.