Chapter 37: Preparations...

"Reporting for duty ma'am!!"

Inside one of the barracks of the police camp situated at the Twilight National Police headquarters, a certain squad of four people, three men and one peculiar pink-haired girl was seen to be standing on the position of utmost attention as they reported to their superior police officer with a snappy salute.

"At ease men." The Blonde Police Captain Henders Alexia commanded her squad as their posture immediately relaxes but is still at full alert at what Henders is going to say to them.

"So what brings us here ma'am?" One of the men, Charlie spoke up in a familiarizing manner. Despite the significant gap between their police ranks, the squad shows no hesitance in addressing their superior with the less of formalities as seen by most to be not abiding in the strict military decorum. The squad excluding the recruit of course have known Henders for quite some time during the moments when they had the pleasure of working together with the newly promoted Police Captain. As such, Henders allowed such an informal act of familiarity towards one another, from superior to subordinate and vice versa, well at least to her squad only.

And it also seemed that this privilege has extended considerably to a certain Chameleon of the B.S.S. Dawn Branch, the newest recruit of the precinct who has shown a lot of promise in these past few days as they tackled on a few operations. Such well-rounded actions of the pink-haired Agent in undercover have garnered the attention and intrigue of the Police Captain and just that, the girl, Hannie has been also recently promoted to the low rank of Police Staff Sergeant as per recommendation by Henders herself, joining the ranks of Sergeants among Charlie, the second in command of the squad who is a Police Chief Master Sergeant, a prospect to be a Police Lieutenant along with Brandon and Oliver who are Police Senior Master Sergeants, meaning they are a rank below of the first man mentioned.

The blonde police officer assumes a smile of accomplishment on her rather pretty face, a look of pride garnering as she eyed her precious subordinates in high spirits. "For the past few days when we have been assigned to quell and disrupt some crime operations within the city, you have indeed served the Kingdom well. Of course as your Captain, I could have not been more proud to have you guys-"

Hannie pouted with a slight frown.

"-and girl, what am I going to do with you recruit…" Henders sighed with a deep breath but nonetheless chuckling at the silly antics of the pink-haired Sergeant. "Anyways, I can't be more proud to have you all as my esteemed subordinates. For that, I'm sincerely glad to have you all in my team and to be honest, it was all due to your efforts at that have accomplished us into a squad worthy to defend Twilight's good name despite our time still being short."

"Oh shucks Captain!!" Hannie grinned widely as she playfully caresses her own cheek while acting all giggly and touched. "Don't sell yourself too short!! Your leadership and strategical skills have definitely push as this far hehe."

"The recruit is right ma'am." Charlie smiled in response. "It was because of you that we are able to manage. We also would like to gratefully thank you for all that."

"Yeah!!!" Both Brandon and Oliver shouted in unison.

Henders looked at her subordinates with deep gratitude, an expression of appreciation being witnessed on her facial figure. "I see. I really did pick the right people for the job and we are not just a squad of task force but also a family, keep that in mind. We cover at each other's back as we leave no one behind. And with that, may the coming days be less rocky as we eliminate one evil after another that threatens to disrupt the sacred peace that we have been bravely fighting for."

"Hehe well said ma'am!!" Charlie said with great enthusiasm while he and the squad have their morale skyrocketing above at the motivating speech that was delivered to them by Henders.

As the squad continues their chattering as they enjoy the social interactions, a ring was heard from Hender's phone inside her pocket. She then reached it in and answered the call.

"Henders." A familiar voice of a man was heard from the communication device.

"Colonel Williams sir." The blonde Police Captain responded very calmly as only fitting by her actuations in regards to her Officer rank. The girl then gestures her squad that she'll be talking with the Police Chief in private as she turned to leave them to their own devices for now.

As they witness their squad leader's retreating form, Hannie grinned in a playful manner as she socializes with her fellow squad mates. "Hey guys, why don't we invite Captain outside for some celebration!!"

Charlie stroked his chin as he nodded at seeing no harm at such a wonderful prospect. "I suppose we can. The past days have certainly done some sort of number on all of us, stopping every syndicate operation that has seemed to be operating within the borders of the city, almost next to the Underworld."

"Yep." Brandon stretches his shoulders to relax himself. "We could really use a break right now. Headquarters have been monitoring our performance on how we effectively operate as a task force and being impressed, they thought it was a fucking good idea to give us the more risky jobs out there sheesh."

"You can say that again." Oliver groaned in annoyance. "Headquarters seemed to be taking notice on us especially which is really, really weird considering how that we are just a newly formed Taskforce after all. Their reason being that we need the experience and all that but I call bull. Something fishy is really going on around here…"

"Your argument is valid, yes." Charlie nodded. "Being a new squad, they opted to send us off on harder assignments. Aside from needing the experience that you mentioned, they also took note of Captain's excellent leadership skills. Add to the fact that she is an Academy graduate, it is inevitable that she will be noticed by the higher-ups very easily."

"Hehe. That or Cap, aside from being our great squad leader and all that is also hot chick of a babe!!" Brandon giggled like a perverted old man. "In case you fellas are too blind to even notice, our beloved Police Captain Henders Alexia is a young and beautiful woman who is 24 years of age. Many tried to woo her of course but all of them failed as her eyes only seek true dedication to the job as romance for her is something of a meaningless distraction in the ragged line of justice as quoted by her. Sometimes, I worry for her love life hahaha and I would not mind if she would be my girlfriend hahaha. Damn that hot body!!"

"Brandon." Charlie sighed in deadpan while shaking his head. "That perverted mind of yours will be your downfall one day and Captain will not hesitate to shoot a bullet right straight in your head if she heard you lewding her."

The squad then laughed as they continued their talking and bantering.

"So what do you think recruit?" Oliver turns his head on the pink-haired girl, the latter now turning confuse. "What can you say about our situation, how headquarters seemed to be gunning on us these days."

"Hmm…" Hannie for a moment turned dreadfully serious as all now eyed on the girl who was seen to be on deep thought. Then after a few seconds, the girl once again shifted to her cheerful persona as she struck her tongue out and poke her head cutely in response. "Tehee, I have no idea~"

"R-right." Oliver said. "You're not much in the brains huh. I guess you still have much to learn even when you are now officially a Sergeant like us."

"Oh enough of the serious talking boys!!" Hannie said cheerfully in a bubbly manner. "Let's all think where to bring Captain for the weekends!! Oh this is going to be one hell of a celebration!!"

" I believe that is impossible."

All eyes turned to Henders who has just returned from her phone conversation with the Police Chief.

"It seems that headquarters has assigned us for another job." Henders uttered with a deep sigh.

"Oh man!!!" Hannie groaned in retaliation as the rest of the squad shared her predicament.

"So what is it this time ma'am?" Charlie questioned seriously.

"A reliable source has mentioned that a drug-dealing operation is going to happen to the place that we dread the most…" Henders spoke with a grim look.

"The Underworld." Charlie mentioned and all eyes widen at hearing the forbidden and most unlawful section of the kingdom.

"Yes." Henders nodded. "About 3 days from now, a drug trade is about to take place in the Underworld and we are going to do whatever it takes to stop and disrupt the operation."

"Damn." Brandon said. "So much for taking a break."

"We are to use this time to prepare ourselves for the upcoming operation. It would be imperative to gear up and make sure to anticipate the worst since we are going inside the Underworld after all." Henders advise her squad.

"And why us again? And in the Underworld no less?" Oliver spoke with frustration. "We are still new in this task force business. Should it be not more logical to send a more experienced squad for this?"

"You make a valid point." Henders nodded. "But it was Police Colonel Rogers who recommended me to the General in partaking this operation and I can't exactly say no to that. Besides, the performance that you have been showing me? I have faith that we will succeed in this."

The men despite feeling wary, simply agreed with their Captain in the end as they started to their necessary preparations.

At the back, Hannie could not help but frown at the job being given to them, her thoughts being directed on a certain black-haired agent/mercenary.

'The Underworld huh.' Hannie thought with a subtle intrigued grin.

'It seems that the Dragon has been quite busy hehe.'