WITCH DOCTOR

(Amsterdam, Netherlands, May 2134)

"Team Zero arrived in standby positions," radioed Xiao Tian.

Sean gripped his SCAR-H tightly, looking at the abandoned storage warehouses complex in front of them.

The intel they got from the lab in Spain gave them a lead on a supplier of black market laboratory equipment that Vanguard is a frequent customer of, finding that the logistics company doing so is based in Netherlands.

Through further investigation, they learned that there is a shipment happening tonight, and that their boss, a Netherlands businessman known only as "Mr T", will be personally overseeing.

Thus, the mission given to Team Zero is to arrest Mr T, and detain or destroy the set of equipment.

To provide support, the Dutch authorities leased a drone bomber, as well as a QRF of Dutch special forces. UNSSD provided the drone surveillance, AEW aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft.

Xu Qing launched a small quad-copter drone into the air to amplify the range of their individual radars, as well as to assist in providing surveillance.

"Operation Hippocrates is a go," radioed command.

Xiao Tian tapped Ariel on the shoulder, and she advanced forward, raising her AUG A3 SF, alertly scanning the surroundings. Xiao Tian followed behind, raising his custom QBZ-97 in another direction.

James followed, raising his KAC AMG machine gun chambered in 7.62 NATO. Santos followed after him, alertly pointing his HK-416 forward.

"Moving," reported Nanami, who covered another section with her AK-19.

Jay moved, keeping his HK-416 ready. As he moved he tapped Louis' shoulder, who then moved, raising his Noveseke N4.

Phineas quickly moved to cover his blindspot, pointing his SIG-516. Xu Qing followed behind, keeping his QCQ-171 submachine gun raised up. Frederica covered him with her SIG MCX, while Sean guarded the rear with his rifle, peeking out from behind cover.

Team Zero advanced forward carefully, covering each other tightly, ensuring no blind spots, while keeping close to cover as they moved. All of them are not aiming down their optics to prevent tunnel vision.

They then split into 2 groups as they advanced. Group A consisted of Xiao Tian, Ariel, James, Jay, Phineas and Louis, in charge of assaulting. Group B consists of Nanami, Santos, Xu Qing, Sean and Frederica, in charge of providing support.

The quad-copter following Team Zero as they moved provided high resolution video image, while the UNSSD surveillance drone flying over the area in the clouds provided thermal and satellite imaging.

The electronic warfare aircraft have already cut off communications of the hostiles, effectively isolating them into small pockets. The intel stated that Mr T and the equipment are in the warehouse painted yellow.

"Zeros, be advised," radioed command. "Hostiles detected in front of you."

Red dots appeared on the thermal scan in their Exo-suit HUDs. Xu Qing quickly popped up a mini-window that relayed the feed from the quad-copter.

"Group A, sniper on the second floor!" he warned.

A shot ricocheted off a steel bar in front of Ariel, who then quickly withdrew back.

"CONTACT!" she yelled, Team Zero quickly fired in the direction.

"Group B, find a high spot, take out the sniper, cover us," ordered Xiao Tian.

"Copy," replied Nanami. "Smoke grenade cover."

Santos grabbed a smoke grenade from the tool kit on her back, tossing it. The smoke soon blocked the sniper's vision. Seizing the chance, Nanami laid down suppressive fire, covering the rest of Group B rushing to take a high spot.

The enemy sniper is forced to abandon the position, running away.

Frederica is the last to leave, tapping Nanami on the shoulder as she left, and Nanami ceased firing, withdrawing.

Group A then took a detour, attacking in from another direction.

Ariel saw on her HUD that there are hostiles rushing over to their way. She jumped down from a platform, sliding behind cover, peeked out and opened fire, gunning down the first ones that appeared in her sights. Xiao Tian and Jay fired from the platform.

James then rushed over to another cover, firing his KAC AMG machine gun, while Phineas moved down too, firing above Ariel behind the cover. Jay then launched a grenade from his Exo-suit, blowing their way open.

Once they cleared the intersection, they moved forward, only to get cross fired, prompting them to take cover, halting their advance.

"Be advised, more hostiles inbound," radioed command.

"Requesting air strike!" radioed Louis, illuminating the area in front with his laser designator.

"Solid copy," a missile soon landed, killing the hostiles.

In the meantime, Group B found a good high spot in the form of a tall tower with 5 floors, quickly moving to secure it.

Nanami deployed her battering ram, breaching the door, quickly moving away. Santos then chucked in a chain flashbang.

Once the flashbangs ended, Santos moved in while Xu Qing immediately moved to cover his blindspots. Nanami, Sean and Frederica followed.

They turned on the night vision and looked at the IR lasers of their laser designators, scanning the area carefully, finding 2 tripwire grenade traps which Santos quickly disabled.

Just as he did so, a grenade is thrown from the 2nd floor.

"GRENADE!" warned Sean, as Xu Qing immediately pulled Santos into cover.

More hostiles started shooting down at them. Santos readied the under barrel grenade launcher of his HK-416, loading in a round.

He and Nanami moved. Nanami laid down suppressive fire, while Santos fired the rifle grenade into the window, instantly killing those inside.

Xu Qing and Frederica then advanced onto the 2nd floor, finishing off 2 stragglers. Sean advanced to the 3rd floor with Nanami and Santos.

A hostile appeared, Sean quickly aimed down his canted red sight, pulling the trigger, gunning him down. He then switched hands, firing behind a cover, taking out 2 more.

As he moved, Santos opened fire to Sean's right, taking out a hostile in his blind spot.

(Group A)

Group A has now reached the surroundings of the yellow warehouse. The drone bomber had helped them to take out another cluster of hostiles before they arrived here.

"Yikes," muttered Jay, looking at his HUD. "Lot's of hostiles ahead."

"Just blast them," sneered James.

"Negative," ordered Xiao Tian. "Detour—"

Bullets rained down on them. They fired back, but are soon pinned down.

"Requesting air support!" radioed Louis.

"Negative," replied command. "There is a warehouse filled with ammonium nitrate nearby according to our intel, we cannot risk causing a catastrophic explosion."

"Group B, we are pinned down in front of the warehouse, requesting support!" radioed Xiao Tian.

"Copy, move up, quick!" ordered Nanami.

A hostile appeared on the 4th floor, shooting down. Xu Qing and Sean waited for him to run out of ammunition, then moving out from hiding, gunning him down, and advanced upwards.

Nanami then tossed a small robot in front of Xu Qing and Sean. The robot dashed up the stairs and exploded once it hit a hostile, killing them.

They advanced up, carefully checking all corners to prevent any surprises. They soon arrived at a door. Sean kicked the door down, moving out of the way. The rest aimed their guns inside.

"DON'T SHOOT! WE AREN'T ARMED!" yelled the masked men wearing lab coats and gas masks inside. In front of them are barrels of chemicals.

After giving a quick peek to ensure that their air filters in their helmets are working, the operators ordered them to turn around and keep their hands on the back of their heads.

2 of them tried to draw pistols, and is promptly gunned down by a quick burst from Frederica.

Santos, Nanami and Xu Qing quickly tackled down the remaining 3 men, while Sean and Frederica remained on guard.

After ensuring that the 3 men are not armed, they threw bags over their heads and handcuffed them to the fixed racks inside the room, then notified command of the situation.

(Group A)

"I will handle them, cover me!" said Ariel.

"Their firepower is too strong, it's too risky!" said Phineas.

"Then what? Just get pinned down here?" asked Louis, reloading.

"Jay, smoke grenade," ordered Xiao Tian. He then launched a few rifle grenades in the direction of the hostiles, creating a gap in their shooting.

Jay threw a smoke grenade, shielding Group A as they advanced forward to a better covered area.

(Group B)

Sean and Frederica set up a sniper position on the 5th floor, while the rest abseiled down to meet up with and help Group A.

Frederica soon locked her sights on a hostile machine gunner, taking him out with her suppressed CS/LR35 sniper rifle.

"Enemy sniper, water tower east," reported Sean.

Frederica pulled the trigger. The sniper dropped dead.

With the machine gunner down, the rest of Team Zero that has met up are good to advance.

Ariel peeked out from behind a wall in a low position, while Xiao Tian is in high position, covering the same direction.

Louis then moved out. He accidentally moved too much.

Consequently, Xiao Tian and Ariel could not see the hostiles, while the hostiles can see Louis, and he is promptly shot in the leg, falling. Nanami quickly dragged him back.

Phineas then quickly bandaged the wound.

"We cannot afford to delay anymore," said Santos. "We need to push!"

"On it," said Sean, He and Frederica provided precision fire cover, removing key threats to them.

"Suppressive fire!" yelled Xiao Tian, leading the assault using the hellfire assault. How it works is that the first 2 fire in fully automatic suppressive fire, while the rest behind fire in bursts and tap shooting. Once the first 2 run out of ammunition, they go to the back of the advancing column to reload. The third and fourth operators switch to automatic shooting in the meantime, and the loop continues. This ensures that they form a continuous bullet wall that covers their advance.

James rained down bullets from his machine gun once it's his turn, suppressing the enemy down.

"Rangers lead the way!" he yelled, referencing his time as a US Army Ranger before becoming a Delta Force operator. "Let's go!" 

This tactic successfully pinned down the enemies firing, and they managed to breach into the yellow warehouse. Sean and Frederica picked off the 2 last hostiles blocking their way., the suppressed shots they fired quietly ending the 2 hostiles' lives.

To save time, Nanami blew off the wall with a C4 charge, and they stormed in, opening fire on the remaining hostiles inside. Soon, most of the hostiles are dead or badly wounded. They advanced further inwards. Louis took out a straggler trying to shoot them.

Ariel noticed a man in a suit trying to run away from the fighting. She recognising that to be Mr T, as she and the rest of Team Zero had memorised his face from their intel, not to mention their HUD facial recognition AI giving alerts.

She launched 2 small guided needle sized projectiles from her left Exo-suit gauntlet. The 2 needles flew and stabbed into him, releasing a high voltage of electricity each, tasing Mr T.

Mr T fell, convulsing. Team Zero quickly advanced forward, kicking away the rifle next to him. Xiao Tian searched the man and removed away the remaining weapons on him.

Once that's done, Ariel cuffed the man, restraining him.

"Mission success, Mr T in the bag," reported Louis.

"Excellent," replied command. "Dutch evac helicopters are flying over now, ETA 10 minutes, remain vigilant."

"Wow," exclaimed Xu Qing, checking Mr T's phone. "You call yourself "Witch Doctor" on social media?"

Mr T looked away, embarrassed that the people coming to arrest him are also jeering him.

"You do have the eccentricity of one," joked Nanami. "You actually stayed and fought with us instead of trying to escape?"

Mr T rolled his eyes. "You all must have already barricaded the entire area off, I have no way of escaping unless I finish you all off."

Xiao Tian looked up, rubbing his chin in thought, thinking of the Dutch special forces QRF and the layers of Dutch army and police elements that he had set up around the warehouse complex.

"You, are, smart," commended Xiao Tian.