Chapter 65 66

Chapter 65: Triumphal Return

"Target hit!"

"Target hit!"

"Target hit!"

The pilots of the three RAH-76 Butler drones reported their hits almost simultaneously, pulling up in altitude, instinctively preparing to wrap up and head back. They were well aware of the devastating power of the superweapons they controlled.

The explosion from the AGM-114B Hellfire anti-tank missiles created a blast wave powerful enough to level everything visible on the ground, leaving virtually no creature within the area able to withstand the resulting high temperatures and shockwave.

Marlowe Chaplin, though still frowning deeply, had also confirmed that the target was eliminated, albeit in the least preferred way—such a large-scale explosion, flames soaring into the sky, especially at the major docks of Los Angeles Harbor, close to the bustling city of Los Angeles. He anticipated that the media and public scrutiny tomorrow would be enough to give the Pentagon spokespersons a headache, clearly, the higher-ups would not be pleased, and his report would be exceptionally challenging to compose.

But he had no choice, in that situation of frequent accidents and urgent needs, unwilling to sacrifice the lives of the assault team members, he opted for indiscriminate bombing, barely managing to retrieve some remains, hoping that the parts left by the monster would be sufficient for DARPA to study...

"Team A, prepare to clean up the battlefield; other teams, stand by."

His habitual caution ensured that the operation wasn't in vain.

Minutes later, Marlowe Chaplin personally led two capable subordinates into the explosion zone, with Team A maintaining a standard battlefield cleanup formation on both flanks.

Crackling sounds filled the air. The ground was littered with burning debris, charred remnants, and goods affected by the explosion. Even though the fire lasted only briefly, the temperature here remained terrifyingly high, like a giant oven, emitting intense heat causing profuse sweating and making it hard to keep one's eyes open.

What was more irritating was that in such a complex, high-temperature environment, enhanced night vision devices struggled to accurately capture any thermal imaging of life, as everywhere was filled with bright red lights and shadows, making it impossible to discern.

"Stay alert!"

The chaotic scene stirred unease in Marlowe Chaplin, who drew his pistol from beneath his jacket and loudly reminded everyone.

As his voice faded, a dark shadow suddenly burst through the flames and thick smoke!

"Ratatatata..."

The soldiers fired without hesitation, the sound of automatic rifles firing continuously, but they were completely unable to stop the shadow's approach and assault at such close range. Their retaliation turned merely symbolic, unable to keep up with the shadow's speed.

"Ha!"

Mr. Faraday, like a demon born from hell, reborn bathed in blood and fire, his appearance was no longer human. His body was nearly melted by the high temperatures, his charred muscles fused together, unrecognizable. His left arm along with a good portion of his shoulder had vanished, and his body was covered with various-sized holes.

These were terrifying wounds caused by metal jet streams. Due to the high temperatures from the explosion and his strong regenerative abilities, these wounds bled not a drop, presenting a sight that made one's heart skip a beat.

But he was still not dead. The terrible genes from an alien world gave this new creature an extraordinary vitality.

After killing several assault team members, Mr. Faraday could no longer bear the hunger from the massive energy depletion, completely ignoring others' reactions, grabbed a corpse and again leaped away, circling past containers. During the process, he hastily started devouring the body with his remaining arm, desperately trying to recover from his severe injuries.

"The target is still alive! Birds 1, 2, and 3 return to the battlefield to intercept the target! All teams continue the hunt! Helicopters, lock down and monitor!"

Marlowe Chaplin, his eyelids twitching and body covered in cold sweat, issued the command. At that moment, he was genuinely grateful for his caution. If the target had escaped after causing such massive casualties and destruction, even with his status, he could hardly bear the consequences; packing up and leaving would have been the best outcome.

Meanwhile, he kept his arms steady, relentlessly chasing and firing at the shadow until losing the angle to shoot. Years of executing dangerous missions had turned Marlowe into a steely and composed figure, able to remain calm under any circumstances.

Mr. Faraday felt his strength rapidly draining. A strong sense of crisis accelerated his devouring.

Not enough... This was still far from enough...

He needed... more...

Food...

Sticking close to the bottom of the containers, Mr. Faraday slowed his movements, silently sneaking back.

The remaining members of Team A and Marlowe Chaplin were quickly leaving the explosion zone, and at this time, Mr. Faraday's gaze fell on the central figure of the group. It seemed to be the leader of the food, presumably consuming him would restore more strength...

"Be careful! The target is approaching!"

"Open fire!"

Having left the explosion zone, the assault team members, always monitoring infrared thermal images and motion sensors, immediately detected Mr. Faraday entering their detection range.

Unfortunately, this distance was already sufficient for him to charge into the crowd and strike at his chosen target before they could react.

As Marlowe Chaplin turned around, what he saw was Commissioner Sierra Blaze, her fiery red hair billowing in the air, and a few drops of warm blood splattering on his cheek.

Mr. Faraday was caught by surprise.

Another piece of food had bravely positioned herself in front of his selected target, forcing him to make a choice. Since she had presented herself directly, he decided to consume her first, lifting her body high as he leaped onto the top of a nearby container.

Sierra Blaze faced the people below, her chest pierced by a dark, iron-hard arm, hanging in mid-air, blood dripping from her lips. This beautiful and resolute commissioner's face twitched as she gave Marlowe Chaplin a lingering look through blurred vision, silently smiling, mouthing the words:

"Goodbye."

A burst of fire suddenly erupted in mid-air, like a splendid firework, releasing a proud display of colors.

In a moment of certain death, she made a soldier's honorable choice, pulling the pin on the grenade strapped to her waist!

Chapter 66: Behind the Scenes

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Marlowe Chaplin, who had always maintained a calm and resolute demeanor, finally showed a drastic change in expression, his eyes nearly splitting as he let out a heart-wrenching scream towards the blazing fire.

Mr. Faraday truly felt fear this time.

Although these humans seemed fragile, their bizarre and endless tactics had overwhelmed him. His jumps were no longer agile, his limbs no longer strong, his reactions no longer sharp, and even the injuries that had slightly healed were worsening again. Moreover, his body had already been riddled like a sieve by the hellfire's metal jets, allowing the stubborn and brutal shrapnel to inflict internal damage more easily.

Seeing the seawater of the harbor not far away, he gave up attacking and turned to flee. He thought he would be safe once he reached the water.

Yet, the distance of less than a hundred meters had become an insurmountable chasm.

As a low, subtle sound began, several ghost-like shadows appeared from the night sky, moving swiftly and stealthily, almost imperceptible in the dim sky, making hardly any noise. But Mr. Faraday, with his superior hearing and vision, noticed them.

Indeed, Birds 1, 2, and 3 were not the earlier attack helicopters but the final safety measure in this special operations capture.

The Shadow200, a lightweight unmanned combat drone developed by DARPA and specially equipped for special operations, measures 2.7 meters in length with a wingspan of 3.2 meters. It has a range of about 110 kilometers and can cruise at subsonic speeds. Coated with noise-reducing and light-absorbing special paint, it moves quietly through the night sky, difficult to detect by radar, always considered an ace up the sleeve.

Six long Gatling guns silently rotated, targeting the swiftly moving shadow on the ground. The familiar sound of a lawnmower rose again, fiercer than before, as 36 barrels of 20mm caliber unleashed a fiery barrage. It was like a metallic storm rising from the ground, erasing any obstacle in its path, loud, terrifying, and relentless!

Mr. Faraday screamed in pain. The Shadow200 drones were much more agile and faster than helicopters, making it impossible for him, even as he darted around containers, to shake off these ghostly assassins speeding at 0.9 Mach. Moreover, heavily damaged, he could no longer sustain high-speed movement for long.

In less than ten seconds, over ten thousand bullets were fired, and although most were dodged, the remaining ones were enough to cause severe suffering. Together with the helicopters guarding the coastline, Mr. Faraday found no chance to break through the blockade.

Meanwhile, at another end of the dock in the surveillance room, the ground was littered with security guards and two assault team members, all lying in strange, twisted positions, limbs severed, expressions contorted in a ghastly death.

"It looks like it's over; we should leave now."

Ray Stein pulled out a data disk and stood up. Beside him, the blond-haired Eliot stared unblinkingly at the screen showing the drones brutally strafing Mr. Faraday, his body trembling slightly.

"Human weapons are too powerful! I wonder if my scales could withstand such damage!"

Ray Stein gently patted Eliot's shoulder, understanding his right-hand man well. Eliot's excitement was not due to fear or hatred; it was purely the thrill of the hunt.

"You'll have your chance to fight, Eliot. For now, control yourself, destroy everything here, and retreat immediately. They'll soon discover something is wrong here."

Eliot took one last look at the screen, nodded, and held a string of seven or eight grenades, clearly taken from the special operations team. He pulled the pins and tossed them behind him.

"Boom!"

Seconds later, a massive explosion added another blaze and ruins to the already restless night at the Port of Los Angeles.

Once Ray Stein confirmed the surveillance center was completely destroyed, he pressed a controller and blended into the scattering crowd with Eliot.

Mr. Faraday, struggling to escape, suddenly shuddered and fell just twenty meters from the water's edge, a distance he could have easily covered in a few strides, but now unreachable. His body was cut in half by the 20mm Gatling guns, blood gushing out. Even his remarkable healing abilities could not close such wounds, especially since he was already running on empty.

Yet, he wasn't completely dead; his remaining arm still twitched, showing his incredible vitality.

Compared to earlier, his eyes began to lose focus but still held a hint of clarity. The chip previously implanted in his brain had been remotely destroyed by Ray, eliminating the suppression of his memories and the simple commands, allowing Mr. Faraday, now Dr. Calder French, a moment of lucidity before death.

Dr. Calder's mouth opened slightly, trying to express his resentment and agony, wanting to tell the soldiers gathering around about his horrific and tragic ordeal. However, he was no longer capable.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Marlowe Chaplin, his eyes red, stepped forward without a word and fired his gun, shooting all the bullets into his head, putting this monster to eternal rest, and also missing the best chance to uncover the true circumstances of the incident.

He stood there, stunned, as countless memories of his time with Sierra Blaze flashed before his eyes, causing this self-proclaimed suave tough guy to painfully close his eyes, as if her fiery red hair was still lingering around him, its warmth enveloping him.

Marlowe had always known that Sierra liked him, but accustomed to a life of thrills and wanderings, he had not yet settled on the idea of committing to a relationship, only to lose her due to a moment of negligence.

"Sir, you should come see this."

A voice snapped Marlowe out of his reverie.

After quickly clearing the scene of any sensitive information that shouldn't be exposed, the logistics team was allowed to enter the area. The sounds of fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars echoed through the sky, plunging the Port of Los Angeles into chaos, filled with shouting and crying.

Half an hour later, standing in the charred remains of the surveillance center, Marlowe Chaplin scanned the area, frowning in deep thought.

"At the start of the operation, I followed protocol by sending Sergeant Matt to the surveillance center to delete records. He did not report encountering any enemies along the way, and it was only due to being preoccupied that he didn't maintain contact. Only after the battle ended did we discover the situation here."

After the team captain reported, Marlowe turned his head to survey the hall. With his keen eyesight, he could tell that the concentrated grenade explosions were no accident.

So, other than Special Operations, who else would be interested in the surveillance videos, willing to kill everyone including two elite assault team members, and not hesitate to destroy the bodies and evidence?

"Get DARPA's technicians here. Have them take all the wreckage and see if there's any chance to recover the data."

Marlowe Chaplin had regained his composure, a cold smile appearing on his lips.