POO - Aya Hoshino

The C-17s landed and took off continuously from the Saven airfield, ferrying in new personnel from the Federal Reserve Division and transporting half of the town's population for deployment in construction efforts. Bell oversaw the town from the FOB situated atop a small hill roughly thirty kilometers away from Saven.

Using the system distributed to the officers, they supervised the soldiers engaged in road construction, with Aurora meticulously overseeing the budget allocation for each road section and other facilities. One prominent addition was a sizable building positioned between Saven and the FOB. This facility managed multiple wind turbines scattered across Saven to generate power.

Remarkably, these turbines were erected at an astonishing pace. A group of soldiers in a JLTV would approach an empty space, clear it of husks, and then an officer would summon a wind turbine connected to the power plant. The turbine materialized in the middle of the land without any traditional construction, a sight that defied conventional sorcery.

Bell settled onto the snowy ground, sipping on his hot cup of coffee. Beside him, Lisa sat down as well, gazing at the evolving landscape of Saven. Her task involved establishing a general hospital in the town, which kept her occupied. Consequently, Lukas Bauer had assumed the role of chief of staff, taking over her previous responsibilities.

"How's the progress?" Bell inquired.

"So far, it's good. I've summoned seventy staff members to occupy the newly constructed hospital, including some military EMS personnel for casevac from those located very far from Saven," Lisa responded.

"Yeah, I can see it," Bell remarked. The hospital was the most conspicuous structure in the town, with its multi-floor construction and modern design that made it stand out prominently. Not to mention the black helicopter perched atop the structure, ready to respond to any call.

"Anyway, Aya has made progress," Lisa continued.

"On what?" Bell asked.

"She managed to infiltrate Fort Normolus yesterday," Lisa revealed.

"That's good to hear. What did she find?" Bell inquired further.

"Hahaha. A lot," Lisa chuckled.

=00:00 - Fort Normolus - Section 1-2 Gamma=

"1-2 Gamma to 1-1 Gamma, exfil point secured. Awaiting your infil. How copy, over?"

"Solid copy, 1-2 Gamma. Breach Actual commencing ops. 1-1 on the move, over."

"Warhound 1 to 1-2 Gamma, in position for CAS. Awaiting tasking, over."

The operation was rather pseudo-complex, primarily because it involved the air force and was conducted discreetly without the presence of conventional forces in the area. The RAA-POO Section team was deployed via helicopter in the middle of the night. At this moment, Aya stood in the blind spot of the fort, her tactical skeletons on standby in case the plan went awry.

Her objective was simple: infiltrate the fort, make contact with Gavil, either capture or eliminate him, and then extract quickly. She was partnering with Ade for this mission, while Wood and Section 1-2 served as backup in case of emergencies. The F-15E flying directly above the fort was armed with multiple light small-diameter bombs for precision strikes, a total of 22 of them.

"Ready?" Ade asked.

Aya nodded, and then she fired the silent grappling hook, which securely attached to the fort's wall. They began to climb the wall, rain from the ongoing storm soaking their bodies. In under a minute, they reached the top.

"1-1 Gamma, 1-2 Gamma has arrived at checkpoint Alpha and is moving towards checkpoint Bravo," the communication buzzed.

"1-2 Gamma, Warhound 1 WSO, be advised, we have visual on two hostiles on FLIR moving toward your position," came the warning.

"Copy that, Warhound 1," Aya acknowledged.

Aya and Ade advanced cautiously across the top of the wall, their 416 rifles aimed forward. It didn't take long for two guards dressed in bright red uniforms to approach them. Both guards held lanterns, likely searching for intruders like themselves.

"I'll take the left one," Aya whispered.

"Roger."

The guards moved closer, their heads unknowingly in the crosshairs of Aya's laser sight. With a single, precise trigger pull, both guards fell silently to the ground, their thuds muffled by the ongoing storm.

"He's down. Let's hide the bodies," Ade moved swiftly toward the fallen guards, dragging them into the muddy trench located between the wall and the surrounding grassland. No one would likely check that muddy ground during a storm.

Aya surveyed the fort; the guards appeared to be somewhat lax, with only six lookouts armed with muskets. The patrols also seemed less vigilant, possibly due to the storm that would soak their hard-to-dry uniforms.

The command center, as expected, was positioned in the heart of the fort within a reinforced building designed to withstand cannon fire. Nevertheless, with a bit of finesse, entering the building shouldn't pose a significant challenge.

"What's your plan for entry, 1-2 Gamma?" Ade asked.

"Let's leap there, but first, despite the darkness, we need to take out the lookouts," Aya suggested.

"Alright, let's observe," Ade agreed. "I see that each tower can see one another."

"Ten seconds to eliminate six snipers, is that enough?" Aya inquired.

"It depends, but it should suffice," Ade responded, steadying his rifle.

"Wait, let me get 1-2 Charlie and Delta," Aya said.

Two tactical skeletons emerged from the ground, clad in dark uniforms and armed with SR-25 designated marksman rifles. After all, four riflemen were better than two. Aya lay prone on the wet ground amidst the downpour, her rifle aimed.

"1-2 Charlie, 1-2 Delta, take out the lookout on the left. 1-1 and I will handle the one on the right," Aya commanded.

"Copy," the skeletons replied grudgingly.

"1-1, give the command," Aya directed.

"Engage."

Four bullets were fired from the POO's rifles, each one striking the head of a marksman. Aya shifted her aim to another lookout and engaged the last one, while Ade took out the final marksman, leaving the fort devoid of any threats.

"Thanks, 1-2. You may return now," Aya ordered the skeletons.

The tactical skeletons vanished into the ground, leaving the fort wall to Aya and Ade once again. The next step was to leap onto the roof of the command center, silently infiltrate, and confront Gavil.

"Ready?" Ade inquired.

Aya nodded.

With a single leap, the two demons jumped from the fort wall, walking in mid-air before landing softly on the roof of the command center. The roof was solid except for one spot—a window situated right where they were landing.

Aya noticed the window and opened it, allowing both of them to enter. They found themselves in a bedroom, complete with a bed and a spare uniform, which belonged to none other than Gavil himself. Aya approached the uniform hung on a stand.

"Lieutenant. So, he did get demoted," Ade remarked.

"You've read the report about him, right?" Aya replied.

"Yeah. To be honest, it was a smart decision for him to retreat from that fort near our territory. If not for his scout, his unit might have become target practice for all of us, don't you think, 1-1?" Aya observed.

"Sure," Ade agreed.

As Aya and Ade advanced toward the wooden door, they heard footsteps approaching the room. Suspecting that it might be their target, they quickly sought hiding spots. Ade chose to conceal himself inside the wardrobe, while Aya positioned herself directly behind the partially opened door.

The door creaked open slowly, revealing a man in a light blue uniform who entered the room. He had short brown hair, a moderate build, and held the rank of lieutenant. It was Gavil. Aya cautiously closed the door and launched her attack on him.

Caught completely by surprise, Gavil found himself on the floor in an instant, with Aya seated on top of him. Her hand firmly covered his mouth while the other held a sharpened combat knife at his throat.

"Don't say anything, Gavil," Aya warned.

Confused and disoriented, Gavil couldn't scream in panic, nor could he resist the soldier atop him. All their faces were masked, so he had no idea who these assailants were. However, he recognized Aya's voice.

Ade approached Gavil with a roll of duct tape and secured his mouth shut, while Aya used cable ties to bind his legs. They then positioned Gavil on the bed.

"1-1 Gamma, jackpot," Aya reported.

"Good work, 1-2 Gamma. Proceed as planned," Wood replied.

"Roger that, 1-1 Alpha. Prepare the mute charge."

Ade retrieved a circular device from his backpack and placed it on the ground. With a single turn of its handle, a blue energy field enveloped them, muffling any sound from escaping. Ade then removed the duct tape from Gavil's mouth.

"Aya, what the heck?" Gavil shouted.

Aya should have muffled her voice with a gas mask, but at this point, if he recognized her voice, he recognized her voice. It was a matter of whether to play dumb or not, for obvious reasons.

Ade opened his tablet and asked, "Who developed the virus for the demons?"

"The hell would I know?" Gavil replied. "Try asking your colleague."

"Nope, I have no idea," Aya shrugged.

Indeed, how could she know? As far as her memory went, she had never worked with the Southern Coalition. She had only worked with the JSDF, and that was over twenty years ago, long before she was recruited by the RAA.

"You are the one who told me to spread the virus, not me, Aya," Gavil insisted.

"It doesn't matter who told whom to do what. I want to know who created this thing. Give me names!" Aya shouted. "Otherwise, I'll slaughter this entire fort and leave you as the sole survivor."

"What have they done to you?" Gavil asked. "You used to be more... human."

"This will take too long, 1-1, tape him up and gag him, and let him watch as his camp gets destroyed."

"Wait, I know a name, Rosalind Hand. That's all I know, I swear."

"Who the hell is that?"

"A chief scientist at Polar Biologics."

"Polar Biologics? The drug company in your nation?" Ade inquired.

"Yes."

"1-1 Gamma, 1-2 Gamma, did you record that?" Ade asked.

"Everything is accounted for, 1-2 Gamma," Wood confirmed.

"We've got what we need, then."

Now, the question remained of what to do with Gavil. By Federation standards, he was undoubtedly a war criminal, but using that standard meant everyone the Federation had fought so far was a war criminal. Besides, Aya felt that there might be something he could still contribute.

"Should we kill him now?" Ade inquired.

Aya paused, looking at Gavil. She then asked him, "Gavil, how much do you trust me?"

The question left Ade puzzled, and Gavil seemed equally baffled. He glanced up at Aya, his eyes showing a mix of confusion and fear. "Trust you?" he stammered. "After this? I don't know what to think."

Aya leaned in closer, her voice unwavering. "I'm offering you a choice, Gavil. You can die here as a war criminal, or you can help us. We need information about Polar Biologics and any other operations you're aware of. In exchange, we'll spare your life and provide you with protection."

Gavil's eyes darted between Aya and Ade, weighing his options. The idea of betraying his own side was daunting, but the alternative was far worse. "Okay," he finally muttered. "I'll cooperate. But you have to promise my safety."

Aya nodded firmly. "Agreed. But if you double-cross us, you know the consequences."

With their deal in place, they quickly formulated a plan. Gavil would act as a double agent, providing intelligence on Polar Biologics and any other military operations he was privy to. It was a risky gamble, but considering the circumstances, Gavil had little choice.

Ade, though skeptical, trusted Aya's judgment. "We'll need to move fast. Let's exfil, 1-2."

"Agreed. 1-1 Gamma, we're going to exfil. Be prepared," Aya informed Wood.

"Understood, 1-2 Gamma. Extraction team is on the way," Wood replied.

"Roger that, 1-1. Let's exfil," Aya said, and they began the process of leaving the fort with their newfound asset, Gavil, who was now caught in a complex web of espionage and survival.