Taken

"It's the strategist, he said we have to meet at the planning room." Sebastian Notified us while walking back.

"Well too bad our relaxation is now short lived." Lennox responded.

"Gear up he said, bring your guns and armor." Sebastian ordered. Thalia turns off the gaming console, leaving the controllers on the couch we enter our rooms to begin readying ourselves.

Back inside my armory. I should try my 2 weapons in the field now, instead of the range. With me i brought 3 weapons to bring. My new pistol, new marksman rifle, and my assault rifle. I put on my armor, starting with the kneepads and my waist belt that carries extra slots for ammo, till i put on my mask. An armored mask that encases my face protecting me from bullets or any other projectile, i should customize it sometime. Alas, the only thing left were the magazines for all 3 weapons i will bring. Mags for my ar are on my vest, pistol mags on the left slots on my waist belt, lastly the marksman rifle mags on the right side. In but a few minutes i was finished. All prepped up and ready to head out, with the picture still in my pocket i walk out, to await the rest of my team.

Outside the team was ready, Nora and Stephen just coming out of their rooms as i exited mine.

"Alright, let's head out." Sebastian announced.

Exiting our quarters we walked to the elevator to meet with the strategist. What is this about? Are we gonna have a mission now? That was quick, thought we gotta wait longer till we get another one. While i think of the possibilities of what this is about, I failed to realize that we were already at the elevator. Inside we went and a push of the floor button to the planning room, we were off.

The doors swing open to the familiar sight of the hallway, the hallway that not only led to the planning room but also to the other elevator. Sebastian approached the metal door of the planning room, with a few loud bangs from Sebastian to the metal door, it opened. Inside it was the same as before, a dark room with the only light emanating from the holographic table, i wonder if they actually have lights but choose not to use em.

Two dark figures stood in front of the table.

"Ah there you all are, come take a seat." It's the voice of the strategist, chairs stood vacantly before the holographic table. We took our seats and waited for the strategist or this.... Other figure to speak.

"Damon, the doctor is here. He would like to have the picture back." The strategist stated. Does he mean the picture of the woman? Pulling out the picture from my pocket i placed it on the table, it showed a map. A holographic map of a place I do not know.

"Damon, turns out it was true. We had a merc team sent to the desert of Lacisto, the largest of deserts spanning the whole top part of the continent of Valek." The doctor slipped another picture, this time a picture of a man. "That's Xavier, the person you mentioned from your vision. The customer and the academy didn't hear anything from them. Last known location is in middle of the Lacisto desert, most likely the place where they found the convoy." The doctor explained. After he spoke I placed the picture of Xavier in my pocket.

The strategist cleared his throat.

"The doctor said that from Damon's vision, they may have been captured by a group in the desert, unknown to what group it is, we ordered the local military to do a large scale search around the site they were last heard from and the entire desert. We however, have a spy in a group that resides in the Lacisto desert. From intel gathered he says that the group has heavy support from Burnwick," The strategist scoffs, "Those bastards keep getting stronger and stronger, regardless of how many times we jab at them or destroy key points that belong to Burnwick, it's like they just have immediate replacements for the lives lost, equipment destroyed and key points wiped, though perhaps they partner with many insurgent groups to replace the lives lost, though it's still unclear where they get the replacements of lost equipment and weaponry, same goes for the key points. Anyways, the spy said that they reside in a hideout not far from the last location the team was in. The merc team is most likely captured in their hideout." The strategist explained.

"Damon, the flight will take about 5 hours to get to the nearest base to Lacisto, we called your team here because of you and your team's expertise and because you may help in finding the location they reside in. Your team's skill coupled with your unique trait, we can see to it that you can recover the taken mercenary team. You can perhaps concentrate and sleep throughout the flight, maybe you can get a vision to Xavier and describe the surroundings." The Doctor added.

"This mission is covert and we will still follow the restrictions of no military support, but after talking to the government of Aregalia and the nation the base is stationed at, we managed to get permission to use a small camp as a staging point of the recovery mission, but since this is a recovery mission of our mercs, we managed to attain a little help in the form of recon intel. Coincidentally they had insurgents in the desert so they sent scouts for recon, perhaps they may help in finding the huntsmen, anyways. You will be sent there via a private ship we allocated for this matter, you will be flying all the way there." The strategist added.

"Furthermore, this mission's payment will be given by the academy itself, as a thanks for recovering her lost huntsmen. That is all, you may find your ship at the rooftop awaiting you." The strategist concluded. My group stood and started walking away with me at the back, before i can exit, the doctor called my name.

"Damon, good luck and sleep while on the way, so we may see if remembering a merc's face can let you see through them specifically. But aside from that, good luck on recovering our lost huntsmen." The Doctor advised to me. With his words, i left the planning room. With the metal doors shutting after me. Everyone was already on the elevator, waiting for me to get on last. I step inside and just waited.

The elevator opens to the rooftop, awaiting us was the transport. A large ship with 6 thrusters on both sides. Damn that's a big ship, I thought to myself. Awaiting us at the landing ramp were 5 people.

"You Sebastian's team?" One of them asked.

"Yeah they're with me." Sebastian replied to them.

"Good, get on." The 5 people went back on the ship with it's landing ramp down. Inside the large ship, shelves full of ammunition for any weapon along with some shelves chalk full of medical equipment from bandages to painkillers and first aid kits, enclosed inside locked inside glass with the words "Bulletproof" marked on each glass covering in yellow. The left and right sides of the ship were seats resting back to back in the middle facing the shelves. Above the shelves, were rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, and every other type of gun rested inside bulletproof glasses as well. The floor, walls, and even roof had reinforced metal plating as well. This ship is very armored and well armed, like a mobile carrier for a battalion of soldiers. Not even the military ships we used before were this big. The rest of the team got inside of the ship, sitting in different seats on the ship, as we all went on. The ramp behind us closed shut, I sat down on a random seat of the ship, quickly fastening my seatbelt for the long flight to the desert. The muffled engine became louder and louder as I feel it rising up, in just seconds, I feel the ship go forward, looking around I realized that the ship didn't have any windows. Remembering the doctor's reminder, I pull out the picture of Xavier, remembering his face for when I have to sleep later. I focus on his face, making a mental image of him so I can attempt to see through Xavier specifically and not any other merc. I rested all my weapons on the seat next to me, facing away with safeties on, even strapped like me, for extra measure. The inside of the ship was just silent apart from the constant vibration and hum of the loud thruster engines outside. Maybe my team is also asleep or don't have a reason to talk. I close my eyes, preparing to sleep, constantly reminding myself of Xavier's face. After shutting my eyes i slowly went to sleep.

From the darkness of sleeping my vision became blurry, showing different colors. In time though, my vision slowly became clearer and clearer.

As it became clearer, I can make out where i am. It's a room with chains on the wall. Looking around, other people were also chained up. My vision to the very left and the very right is obscured with a long metal divider. Where is this?

"Xavier, you still there?" A voice asked beyond the left divider.