Chapter 6: Directives

*Warner, 3 days after the Briefing*

*I love Japan, or at least Hokkaido. If there's one thing the Japanese excel at, it's food. I remember getting lost in various restaurants; it reminds me of my youth when I worked in dishwashing to make a living. Today, I'm in a completely different solar system, devouring Karaage. It's fried chicken, I think.*

-Arigato Gosaimasu.

*Choosing Japanese as an optional language was a great idea; however, my stay in Japan was short-lived. Nevertheless, I'd find an excuse to come back.*

-8..... 8..... Are there 8 billion? *Did I shout.*

-Are you sure there's no mistake? *Gael asked, surprised.* What's with this crazy reproduction capacity?

-You see that reaction? *Arctog said.* You're already on edge. Lets imagine the higher up.

-8 billion is like 1 or 2/5 of our population. *Gael said.* It's completely unbelievable.

-I think we got it, youngsters, thank you. *Gaines interrupted us.*

*He had a way of killing the mood, but he was creepy, staring at us silently like that.*

-This information changes nothing. Our mission remains the same: track, find, and exfiltrate.

-How do we find our target in the midst of 8 billion individuals, sir? *Stowe asked politely.* It's like searching all of Rollings four times.

*3 days later, I was in Okinawa on a U.S. military base. Accompanied by Nikto, who had packed her things, we both wore civilian clothes. I must admit I'll miss this place; I didn't even have time to visit the public baths. But I did bring some mangas for entertainment. There's one where the guy's hair changes color when he gets angry. I'll read it on the plane.*

-Is the bird ready? *I asked.*

-Can I see your ID, sir?

*I took out mine and showed it quickly before putting it back into my jacket.*

-And the tall lady?

-She's with me.

-I need to see her ID too, sir. *The pilot said.*

-Don't waste my time, you idiot; we're in a hurry.

-Sorry, sir, but I didn't even get to see which organization you belong to.

*I gave him a cold, threatening look and put my hand on his shoulder.*

-Listen, son, I don't think you're authorized to know who I am, let alone what I do. Besides, we never boarded this plane; we're just two surplus crates you happened to load. Is that clear?

*The intimidating look I gave him got the better of him. He returned to his cockpit, and Nikto and I were able to sit down.*

-He called you "Tall Lady." *I said, laughing.*

-Shut up. *She said, elbowing me.*

*But Nikto was really tall, about 6'3", compared to my 6'0". She had the same look as the Japanese and a certain tomboyish air. Like me, she was single, but with her nasty temper, she wouldn't find anyone in this world either. Plus, her military tattoo peeked out from her neck; she looked like a thug; it's intimidating.*

-My directives are simple, *Gaines had said.* You'll be dispersed to different continents for a month.

-W... Wait, aren't we going after Shraken right away? *The newbie asked.*

-You have a month to integrate and infiltrate the assigned continent. *He said, sliding the info onto his watch.* You can do it alone or in groups; I don't care, but in that case, no more than two per team. You can even seek help from someone on another continent.

-Do you want us to be tourists? *Sullivan asked.*

-I want you to go as scouts, familiarize yourselves with the locals, and blend into the population. There are 8 billion of them; it won't be a problem. *He said, crossing his arms.*

-With all due respect, sir...

-There's no " all due respect" that matters, Sullivan. *He interrupted.* These are your directives & you have to follow them. As for how you plan proceed, vous avez carte blanche.

*The reason I chose the U.S. military is that it has many similarities to Firiyaze's federal army (FFA). It's so vast that even its leaders have no idea how many actual forces it has. Infiltrating it is like putting a new fish into the ocean; no one will pay attention. I looked at the number of organizations, and it's really crazy. I couldn't choose a standard unit, but I also couldn't pick a group that's too small, or I'd get exposed quickly. So I chose a unit whose secrecy is so well kept that its members won't say anything. No, I'm not talking about Delta force but the ISA. Intelligence Support Activity, a branch of the military special operation that very few know about, with highly questionable activities. When America wants to invade your country, the ISA has already finished listing the military strengths and weaknesses of your nation even before the invasion begins. It's the tip of the tip of the spear, in a way. So, a week later, I was in Texas, undercover in a house, observing another one with Nikto entering, holding hamburgers in her hand.*

-Double cheese for you.

-And triple chili for you. *I said, taking mine.*

*She sat on the sniper rifle, which also served for surveillance, while I looked through the guidance scope.*

-Oh, by the way, I just saw 2 guys walking down the street holding hands.

-Well, they're probably brothers. *She replied.*

-The other guy held him intimately, like on a date.

-That's probably how brothers act on Amadori. I'm trying to concentrate here.

-But the other guy kissed him on the neck.

-But damn, will you just shut up? *She yell*

*Giving her furious look, I decided not to insist. Still, it disturbs me; what are these disgusting manners? The Japanese, at least, had a certain sense of decency.*

-8 billion idiots. One chance to encounter the target. *I said.* Aren't you going to ask me?

-Ask what?

-Why I joined the unit. Why I joined Scavenger?

-No, and I don't give a damn. *She said curtly.*

-You've got some bitchy ways. You'll never find a husband at this rate.

-Finding someone to marry in our line of work is pretty unlikely.

*The radio beeped in my ear.*

-Agent Wayne? Can you confirm the target is still there?

*As Gaines likes to say, "We're not in a democracy." So, we had to have these fake names despite the popular vote. Here, I'm Agent Terry Wayne, working on counter-terrorism.*

-Wayne here; stand by.

*I checked my computer; Gael gave us our own gadgets so we could stay equiped, and if possible, we could even request WhiteStar our Drone model Jubile, which I didn't hesitate to use. The guy hadn't let go of the target since I marked him. By hacking into his computer's camera, we could see inside the room; it's basic, but it works, the NSA do it all the time.*

-Wayne here; confirmed.

*What their drone can't do is scan with as much precision as ours. Jubilee sees through walls and lists individuals, heart rate, surnames, weapons in their hands, the whole deal. Even if they don't appear in the US database, Jubilee has access to a broader database; even a guy once incarcerated for a minor theft in a police station is listed here. And the most crucial thing when entering a house, "explosives."*

-Hello? Wayne here. Tell the tactical team to stand by; there are explosives at the back of the building.

-What? How do you know...

*I cut off the transmission and settled on the sniper rifle. A Blaser Tactical R93 model, .50 caliber, uses 7.62 x 51 NATO cartridges. All for a practical range of 800 meters. How do I know that? It's my job to know the guns I use, and I'm particularly interested in those from Amadori.*

-It's 2 km away; I can do it. *Nikto said.*

-It's not a blaster but a firearm; I don't recall you being trained on that. Go help the instead; you know the position of our enemies, unlike them.tacitcal team and if possible recover my bullet.

-Okay, got it.

*I inserted a special cartridge in the rifle.*

-Oh, and don't forget, we're incognito here; don't do anything superhuman like lifting a car.

-You're not my mother, Ted.

*I would have liked to grow up in a place like Texas, live on a farm with horses around, stroll and frolic everywhere. Instead, I spent a good part of my life in the slums. My father had incurred debts, and even before I realized it, we were living in one of the poor cities of Rollings. Still, despite our precariousness, we lived much better than many people here on Amadori. I had to stop school at 13 due to a lack of money, but it wasn't a big deal; I was self-taught and learned quickly. I was also a good fighter, even if I got beaten up a few times. But it didn't matter because I had books; I was thirsty for knowledge, and I loved it. But most importantly, I was tired of poverty, and I wanted to become rich. I remember declaring after a fight.*

-One day, I'll leave this hick town, and I'll become a wealthy entrepreneur in a remote colony.

*With hindsight, I was naive. One day, at 17, I came face to face with a man in an alley; he was crying and seemed to have problems. The guy was, in fact, a recruiting sergeant for the federation; he told me that if he didn't find anyone by the end of the month, he would end up on the street because it had been three months in a row that he hadn't brought anyone, and his pay had already been halved. The poor man pitied me so much that I signed the papers. You should have seen the more than joyful smile he threw at me at that moment. Something like*.

-I got your ass now.

*Even before I realized it, I was on the front lines pacifying dissident worlds. Apparently, I was good, both with blasters and firearms, so my sergeant recommended me to join the main reconnaissance unit of the FFA. And yes, before joining Scavenger, I was a ranger.*

*Name: Ted "Guarneer" Warner*

*Code name: Cipher 03*

*Rank: Sergeant 1st Class*

*Role: Master Armorer, Sniper, expert in high-risk reconnaissance and infiltration in hostile environments*

*Civil qualification: Medic*

*Back to texas. I opened fire, and the bullet took a good moment in the sky before hitting the target. It passed through the window of the building and lodged into the improvised explosive device.*

-Target hit. Nikto, it's your turn.

-I'm already on the scene.

*The tactical team entered and did their show; the individuals were neutralized, and the cell was under control. I joined them later myself while Nikto removed the bullet from the explosive.*

-Good job, Wayne. This is the third cell we've dismantled since your arrival.

-Since my return. I was born here in Texas. I won't tolerate terrorists causing trouble here.

-Ah, I see, hence your fierce involvement in the mission. *The man in front of me said.* You've earned a break.

-Thank you, sir.

*Nikto approached me and returned my bullet. This cartridge was special; it fries the circuits inside its targets by injecting some ice gel in it so no reaction is triggered. We often use it in bomb disposal or hostage situations. I knew I would need it here.*

-Well... that concludes my insertion. Do you want help with yours? *I asked nikto*.

-I think I can keep up without you. Just send me to the border.

*We got into my car, a Shelby Cobra GT500. I love the design of cars in this world; they're quite rustic and very appealing. I should have infiltrated the automotive industry. After driving for hours, I arrived at the Mexican border; I parked by the Rio Grande.*

-Are you sure? It looks rough there. I think it's on the list of dangerous countries.

-I am a big girl you know

-Oh, take care of yourself, tall lady.

*We did a check followed by a hug, then she smiled at me and got out of my car. I saw her run towards the river and cross it in one go.*

*After that, I didn't hear from Nikto for two weeks, but I'm not worried about her. In the meantime, I'm having a blast at the shooting range, killing targets with a machine gun.*

-HAHAHAAHAHAHA. I LOVE AMERICA. *I yelled.*

*If there's one thing that's not lacking in this country, it's guns. In Firiyaze, the regulations are super strict, even for the military. Whereas in America, even a teenager can get one like it's a bag of chips. But that suits me. Gaines asked me to inventory all the armed forces in this world. And I can test 80% of them without moving from here.*

-I feel like I'm going to love this mission.

*End of the chapter.*