Chapter 027: Dead heart, gray world

While the others were shocked by what was happening, their leader started laughing in exhilaration, like a villain that just made it big. This made his men whip their toward him in confusion.

The one among them who did not seem to have totally integrated the group form by the rest like a new member questioned:

"Boss, do you know what is happening?"

Still basking in triumph, Marc answered:

"Of course, rookie, I know what is happening. Do you remember what mission we came here for?"

The others stood up and raised their guard while listening to the conversation.

"Yes, boss, I do. We are to prepare an ambush at point Kilo to prevent a transaction of threatening goods between two dangerous individuals and their group and apprehend the people in question. We are free to retaliate with lethal force if the present the slightest resistance. We just don't know if the goods in question are information, nuclear materials or something else so to get a lead for follow up investigation and actions, capture of the leader of the two sides is strongly advised. As for how it concerned the "Specter" and the nation behind her, I don't know but since it was made a joint operation she is now here with us."

"Exactly, good job the rookie, as expected of a boy scout. But..."

Looking around at his men while playing the suspense game, he dropped a bomb that stunned them:

"That was just a cover. Of course the transaction is true if not, just a flimsy story wouldn't have landed us such a big fish. You see, this woman here, that we didn't even know was a woman till some hours ago, has been bothering us for many years while staying a phantom, thus the nickname "Specter". She had foiled many of our plans and framed us for many other things. We could have even suppressed the Ukrainian situation and dealt a blow to the other side if not for her diverting our attention and almost crashing our economy, thus preventing us from acting till we have stabilized ourselves and the theater was already formed, making us lose some positions there. If not for wanting to pursue advancement, her nation can achieve a degree of self-sufficiency which puts them in a good position amidst the different crises of the world. But greed and ambition are a thing and they long for better political and economic positions on the world stage and unfortunately, it comes at a price. This time, it was to have her delivered to us on a plate, and to avoid her suspecting anything and being on guard, a genuine mission was put together."

The rookie asked while gulping:

"Doesn't that mean that she was sold?"

The others also gasped. Even they, who were used to the darkness in the background of the world, seeing this that could happen to them but had always felt far away up close made them uncomfortable.

Hearing the inference she unwillingly made being confirmed, "Specter", fighting against her foggy consciousness, kept a trace of hope. While only her own people could have slipped into her guard and caused her to ingest an incapacitating agent, it should just be a small part of them that betrayed her.

'After all, with all that I have done for the country, they wouldn't hand me to the enemy. When the traitors get busted, they will organize a rescue so I need to survive till then.'

Unfortunately, she would get disillusioned soon.

She heard the rookie ask:

"Boss, what about the mission, since it is true? Will we take "Specter" with us? What are the new parameters?"

"Don't worry. There is another team to do that job. We will just support them after we are done here. The deal was to leave her dead here so her "people" could bring her back, ironic huh? And just so you know how valuable she is, to get her, interests were sacrificed, politics were changed and accords were revised."

'They discarded everything I have done and could have done for assured short term profits.'

Letting out a smile full of complicated emotions like disdain, wrath against the world, self-deprecation and others, Marc fixed his gaze on the enemy now on the ground:

"You wonder why I have a bad temper, am obnoxious and always give in to my desires while challenging the bottom line of the brass? It's because I realized that in this world, you are only valuable to yourself. Anyone and everyone can forsake you for whatever reason but mostly for their own interest. So, you need to create your own value and let yourself go if you want to enjoy this life amidst the constraints of the rules makers."

Looking at his men in thought, he changed the subject:

"Enough of that, guys. We have a job to finish and another to help complete. Let's see what the famous "Specter" looks like first."

Going closer, he took off her mask and whistled:

"Damn, she is not bad at all. A good b*tch to rut, don't you think guys? And are those tears I see? As expected of a woman, she can't take the truth. She should have stayed at home to be a good baby factory."

She had a beautiful face with short length hair and eyes like stars unfortunately with dim light at the moment. Marc looked back at his men as he made a proposal.

"We are in radio silence, what do you say we postpone our support to the other group and enjoy ourselves here first? I don't think they will need us anyway."

The men looked at each other then the face of their target and honestly admitted that they were tempted. Just as they about to accept, the rookie frowned and interjected:

"Boss, shouldn't we just kill her as agreed or try to extract some intelligence at most? No matter what, we are just on different sides, why go to that kind of unholy length?"

Marc glanced at him:

"You do realize that she must be used to spreading her leg to anything with a d*ck to have gotten that kind of success in her career as a woman, right?"

Standing his ground, the rookie replied:

"Maybe, or maybe not. But we are first and foremost soldiers, boss. No matter how shitty the job can be, I think that we should try to preserve a bit of ourselves."

Marc seemed to go into thoughts for a moment before he commented:

"This, rookie, is the proof that you have not been to the dark side for long. But, you are right. Let's wrap things up and be on our way."

After tensing at the first sentence, the rookie relaxed while the others tried to hide their disappointment.

While his men were disgruntled at the missed opportunity, Marc bent down and relieved the young woman of her gun and pointed it at her forehead. He said as she showed no resistance:

"Funny how you will die huh? Even the gun is yours."

Looking in the hopeless eyes of "Specter", he abruptly pivoted and faced the rookie, immediately pressing the trigger.

As the latter fell down having not even registered what went down, Marc addressed the others:

"The target fought back when she ingested the drug, causing one casualty before being neutralized. While you were not in the know of the real mission, this happened because you let your guard down inappropriately."

The others took a second to get and started replying:

"You're right boss, sorry."

"Yeah, there won't be a next time boss."

"Exactly. What do you say we "punish" her first before neutralizing her, boss?"

"Right, boss. We will stand guard for you, we will go later."

With that reaction, Marc nodded in satisfaction:

"Good boys. When we go back later, you will be able to brag that the famous "Specter" was a girl and you "thoroughly" took her down."

"Hahahahaha..."×4

"Alright, help me take off her clothes. From what I'm seeing, I bet she got some good curves beneath all those clothes."

Under the cold winds of this desolated continent, inhibitions were discarded, for those who still had them and, for those who had lost it already a long time ago, the semblance of them they had was pulled apart like the veil of a theater where they were making a show just to fit in society.

Now, free and ready, they used their position of power and dominance to extort satisfaction from the helpless, leaving only whispers of noises that became the muffled echoes of the atrocities that were happening in this corner of the white expanse, showing humanity in all of its glory.