3 Years Later

Jason was perched on the largest dune surrounding his target. A sandstorm had blown in the previous day and covered his hiding spot and him in a layer of sand. His new suit had protected him from the flying pellets, leaving minor paint scratches across the black armored plates that covered his back, arms, legs, and shoulders. He was completely invisible in the night of the Sahara Desert.

The Atropos armor was specially designed by him in combination with DARPA and Lexcorp. Its plates are a solid black with a special coating that prevents light from reflecting off the seemingly shiny metal. The undersuit that composed the second layer of the suit was a dark gray, meant to break up his silhouette in shadows and darkness. Both the plates and undersuit were composed of nth metal. The undersuit had been designed and created with new technology and manufacturing techniques Lexcorp had pioneered in its development of power armor. It was essentially full body armor that was light and thin enough to not impede the user's movement in any way. The solid plates that covered this undersuit were considered to be a second layer of protection for the user. As, while the undersuit may never be pierced, the kinetic energy of impacting bullets could still cause internal bleeding and broken bones. Thus, the plates and undersuit were a part of an energy absorption system, designed by Luther himself to tank hits from Superman. The energy for these hits would be stored by the suit, gradually emitting a blood red glow between the plates as energy was stored up. In the daytime this glow would be intimidating, but at night….. It looked like the reaper himself had shown up to escort you straight to hell. The user could then capitalize on this stored energy to increase the power of their hits or clear areas out of hostiles by releasing the power into the ground.

Jason had further designed the gauntlets for close quarters combat. His left arm contains a foot and a half long blade that retracts and extends over the top of his hand with the aid of shrinking tech from The Atom. The blade was also made of nth metal as he wanted a weapon that could take on tough meta-humans that was integrated with the suit. His right arm held a holographic system that functioned similarly to a touch screen computer, along with a second blade. The computer was meant to assist with hacking, tactical planning, and security/surveillance. Both of his fists were lined with electrical projectors to release the stored up energy or convert it into electricity for weaker opponents.

But his favorite part of the suit was his custom helmet that took everything his old hood could do and improved it further. Gone were the glowing eye slots, seen as a structural weakness. In their place was a solid surface that looked like a void to its enemies that indented slightly to indicate the position of his eyes. Further, his helmet could split into two parts. The lower portion of the helmet was integrated with the undersuit and acted as a half mask. Covering his mouth and nose while still feeling like wearing nothing at all. It could be paired with custom goggles that integrated with the mask to provide a HUD. This would protect his identity, while providing possible cooling through the top of his head.

His current weapons were less high tech, but still extremely deadly. His signature 10mm Jericho pistols strapped to his thighs. Which connected to his belt that contained four additional clips for his pistols, six throwing knives, his solid black k-bar, a grapple gun, with backup grapples, and room for four grenades. His chest armor was modeled after Bruce's first model of the Beyond suit. Its armored plates containing plenty of sliding points and openings to allow better flexibility. His addition to Bruce's armor concept was several hard points incorporated with the armor to allow for quick snapping of mag pouches and shotgun shell holders. He also had his customized M4, with an extended barrel, foregrip, silencer, and canted red dot. The primary scope position was taken up by an acog sight that was fielding new technology to highlight enemies the user aimed at.

Between the armored boots ending at his knees, the military style cargo pants holstering his pistols, the armored chest and arms, and his helmet. It looked like the military had aimed for militarized Batman and ended up with the grim reaper. Overall, the Atropos armor was his magnum opus. It's materials collected meticulously and its creation fully overseen by him. It vastly improved his survivability, and was the test bed for all future upgrades designed by him and DARPA. Cheaper, less protective versions made of titanium would be making its way to his fellow agents.

"Knight-01 to Specter 304, target sighted. Requesting QRF prep for extraction and Spooky 102 proceed to overwatch position. Friendlies will be marked with IR beacons." Jason spoke quietly as he observed Mason Blood enter the largest building in his impromptu village. Mason was an up and coming member of the Church of Blood Cult. Named "Young Blood" by his fellow cult members, as he was the son of the current Brother Blood, Sebastian Blood, and was the most promising of the potential successors. Mason had planned and oversaw the mass kidnapping of American citizens abroad to be used in some repeated ritual to grant him strength. He caught the attention of the CIA after he took a highly placed asset in Turkey. Said asset was found… terminated along with several other victims three days later. The CIA passed this up to the Director of National Intelligence, Amanda Waller, who approved their request to utilize Agent Knight-01 for a liquidation mission.

Jason, readied his M4 and activated his IR beacon. He had already memorized the guard routes and noticed that the guards were extremely complacent. Most likely a by-product of the surrounding desert and boring monotony of the cult's schedule, that only deviates for rituals. Moving to a crouch silently, Jason began his slow walk toward the village. His rifle trained on the man slowly walking the perimeter. The man had an AK-47 held loosely in his arms, his gait screaming hungover or tired. Jason ended his misery with one bullet to the head as he encroached upon the village. Only pausing slightly to place a second shot into the man's heart.

Jason infiltrated the outer edge of the village. Slowly approaching the lit inner pathways. The entire village was devoted to worship of Blood and his teachings, so if he was caught out in the open the target could flee as his followers threw themselves into Jason's meat grinder. An unacceptable outcome. With this, Jason paused quickly and ensured there were no prowling eyes between him and the alley next to Mason's building. Assured that he was clear, he silently jogged to the darkness of the alley and returned his rifle to his back. Pulling his grapple, Jason climbed to the roof and quickly pulled one of the grenades from his belt. Pulling the pin and quickly activating the grenade, he ensured it had a clear sight line into the sky.

"Specter 304 has confirmation of the friendly building. Confirming Spooky 102 in overwatch position. Switching frequencies to Spooky 102." The pilot of Specter 304 relayed, as her predator drone continued to circle high in the sky above.

"Spooky 102 has confirmation of IR beacon. Awaiting tasking, Knight-01." The pilot confirmed to Jason as they entered the airspace and had the crew arm the various weapon stations.

"Confirmed Spooky 102. Streaming mission camera to your crew, along with designated targets for the first salvo. Trigger phrase is "Kali". Confirm?"

"Trigger phrase confirmed. We await the call." Spooky 102 confirmed as they planned their flight path to account for the first pass.

Jason re-equipped his rifle and gently opened the floor grate to the second floor of Mason's building. Below him, two men appeared to be sleeping in opposite positions of the sparse room. An AK holstered near their beds. This must be part of Mason's entourage of guards. He had five with him at all times, and these two must have been given leave to rest as Mason felt they would awake quickly in the face of an attack. Jason circled the grate, ensuring there were no other hidden threats in the room. He caught the glow of light emitting from the stairs, indicating Mason was still awake and working on something with the rest of his guards. Satisfied that the room was clear, Jason shouldered his rifle and fired 4 shots into the two sleeping men. One through the head and the second through the heart, they would never wake from their slumber.

"Kevin?" A voice echoed from the stairway. Jason quickly dropped through the grate and rolled into the half wall that separated the second floor from the stairs, holstering the rifle again as he did. He listened as heavy boots ascended the stairs toward him. He waited until the shadow of the man turned the end of the half wall and then struck. Like a viper, Jason spun around the man until he was directly behind him and with a quick pull of his right arm, snapped his neck. He slowly lowered and dragged the body into the darkened room to clear the stairs for maneuvering.

Activating his AR vision, Jason identified the remaining three targets below him. They seemed to be discussing something on the table in the middle of them. They were positioned so that they all had a line of sight toward the stairs but there didn't seem to be any weapons within arms reach. All the rifles were laid to the side of the front door, ready to be picked up as they left the dwelling. Deciding that speed and accuracy would ensure the greatest odds of success, Jason pulled his right Jericho and approached the stairs.

He then slowly descended the stairs, his AR vision still on so he could track his targets below him. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he confirmed the location of the targets one final time along with making sure he had a clear line of sight to the three men. He deactivated the vision and threw himself to the left, executing a roll and coming up in a crouch. Mason, as befitting his station, was in the center of the two men. All three where trying to react and pull the pistols they seemed to be holding in their waistbands. Their faces lit up in clear shock. Jason took aim and fired once. The left man's head snapping back, the bullet carving a new valley in his head. Swinging his aim right, Jason shot Mason's right side. Causing the man to spin into the shot as he fell towards the floor. Adjusting one final time, Jason's final shot pierced the rightmost man's head with a crack.

Not wanting to give Mason a chance to react, Jason rushed forward. His pistol aimed at Mason's head as he turned the man onto his back. Mason starred up at the void that had entered the room silently and did away with his men.

"Red Crown to Knight-01. Further confirmation of the target is required. Current photos appear out of date." Waller's voice echoed over Jason's com.

"What is your full name?!" Jason asked in his distorted voice. Mason appeared to be having trouble registering Jason's order, fear etched on his face. Jason turned and fired a round into Mason's left knee, eliciting a howl of pain from the cult member. "Name! Now!" Jason ordered again.

"Mason…. Blood."

With that confirmation, Jason planted a third bullet between the eyes of the cult member. Crouching to get a blood sample, for later confirmation.

Before returning to the roof, he placed two more shots in the hearts of the guards that had died with Mason, and took quick photos of the documents laid out on the table. He finished with the interior of the building after putting one final shot in the head of the guard whose neck he had snapped. Once he was on the roof he holstered his pistol again and readied his rifle.

"Spooky 102, Kali."

Seconds later the earth shook with the impact of a 105mm high explosive round that decimated one of the outlying buildings. It was quickly followed by the roar of 40mm rounds impacting the surrounding streets and buildings. Pounding holes into the hardened sand and buildings.

A second 105mm round had impacted another building by the time the cult had managed to respond. Men poured from the surrounding buildings, trying to get away from the obvious targets and into cover. Some attempted to fire upon the circling bird, only to be cut down by Jason's precise fire from the rooftop. His fire was one of hundreds in the chaos, but he had the knowledge that his building was clear of any direct fire.

The AC-130 continued its slow circle, raining death down on the helpless cult. Buildings were reduced to rubble in seconds, and men were blown to pieces from the shockwave of exploding rounds. By the end of the first circle, the entire outer ring of buildings were burning ruins.

Jason had continued his rain of death down on the men closest to the building. His M4 piercing heads and hearts of men that thought they survived the first wave of punishment unaffected. "Spooky 102, level the rest of the buildings. You are free fire with the 40mm and 105mm." Jason spoke as he reloaded on the rooftop.

"Acknowledged, Knight-01. Additional fire support incoming."

As if sensing the impending impact the world quieted around Jason. Until it was shattered by the destruction of another building. What followed its destruction was a massive explosion of gunpowder and rounds cooking off. It must have been where the cult had an armory, Jason thought. He returned to his task of ensuring the destruction of the cult and leveled his rifle on a team of five men. Two dropped before they even knew they were under fire. The remaining three attempted to locate the shooter, spinning this way and that. Only one would live long enough to see the void balanced on their leader's roof. Before the crack of a round silenced his thoughts forever.

"Knight-01, leveling complete. We're not seeing any movement down there." Spooky 102 informed Jason.

"Acknowledged Spooky 102. Ready the Vulcans and hold fire till I order. Confirmed?" Jason asked as he took stock of the situation.

"Confirmed Knight-01." Jason turned to the destruction he had wrought and turned his helmet's speaker's volume to maximum.

"This is your only warning! Retreat now!" His distorted voice echoed over the rubble.

Slowly, movement began to emerge from the rubble. The inhabitants congregating into small groups and looking toward the horizon with hope in their eyes. Jason gave them ten minutes to prepare themselves and leave the perimeter of the village. The second the final man left the area of rubble that was once a village, Jason spoke into his com.

"Free fire"

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8 hours later

Sergeant Harvard was sweating through his camo gear as he sat in the passenger position of the Humvee. He had been given orders to extract a CIA asset from the middle of the Sahara desert. A strange order and location. There wasn't anything for miles besides some small village that had appeared in the previous months. Even stranger, when he asked about what sort of gear he could be expecting to extract the asset, he was told he had a Humvee, fifteen gallons of water, a driver, and four backup jerry cans of gas in addition to a standard combat load.

He had gotten the go ahead an hour ago to proceed with the extraction and was currently two mikes out from the village. As he and his driver, a nineteen year old private that had just finished maintaining the current Humvee they were driving, approached the line of dunes that encircled the village, they noticed a man standing on the tallest dune. He appeared to be surveying the village at a distance, but that couldn't be. He's a spook. They're meant to spy and not be detected. Yet this man just seemed out for a sightseeing adventure.

Harvard and the private stopped the Humvee a few yards behind the strange man and dismounted. Up close the man was a specimen to behold. 6'3 with armor the color of the void. Only broken up by the mute dark gray of the under suit. He was also built like he was meant for war. Large broad shoulders and obviously sculpted muscle lying underneath. "Sir, we're your extraction team." Harvard rattled out as he walked up to the crest of the dune. The figure raised one finger in a signal of one second, still looking at the village.

Harvard had crested the hill and stopped cold in his tracks. His skin losing all its color and his blood running cold. The private was in no better state as his mouth hung ajar and skin became so pale you could see the veins underneath.

The village was gone. Every building was a smoldering rubble of charred rock. Bodies and body parts littered the ground. In the center, as if a monument to this great sin, stood the final building. Untouched besides bullet holes and knicks where flying rubble had impacted. A second later a large boom shattered the landscape and that solitary building was reduced to rubble like all the others around it.

"First liquidation mission?" The figure spoke with a tone that indicated he was smirking under the faceless visage he wore.