Gathering of elites

Wuhuan City, central district, as people moved in the morning heading for work or business communication either on social media or personal discussions seemed to be focused on a single issue. 

"Have you heard!" 

"Who hasn't! It is becoming a big thing, even the foreign governments seem to be willing to send some aid." 

"Is that true? I thought that the foreign governments did not like our country! But then again, this is a good thing since the victims can be able to benefit from it."

The city dwellers seemed to have heard the news that shocked them, but did not seem to disturb their lives. On the very top of the building with a lab, the man being refereed to as the supervisor seemed to be on a phone. His sight seemed to be set on the distant horizon. 

"Previously we where supposed to hold them out for sometime, what has happened? Are we really going to let the foreigners also explore that place? I planned to see if some resources could be obtained there to be replaced as some strategic resources." The man said dejectedly, but the other side did not seem to reply. 

This seemed to be more like passing a message to him rather than discussing it with him. Now even though the experiments he was in charge of where important, he was not the only person that had such value. 

In this kind of situation he could only calm himself down, "It seems that the foreigners where announcing that they where going to support the victims and even send rescue personnel for this very reason. They are more scheming than anyone else, but then again, everyone is indeed interested in the materials from that volcano, perhaps had the same happened in other countries we would also use the same tricks. This good things can't be consumed by us alone." 

The man sighed, and stopped thinking about it, but rather turned towards the helicopter ready to leave this place. He had just been entrusted with another task, and it seemed even more important to him. 

The research labs where classified based on their progress and he was not going to wait for the others to beat him to accomplishing the experimental objectives. 

When he cast a last glance at the entire city, many thoughts seemed to be going through his head at the moment. "This city is too peaceful, don't tell me it is because of that one, but the others do not seem to meddle at all in the affairs of civilians, even that old one at Wu Dang With interests involved seems to like letting things go with the flow. It is best to cause trouble somewhere else, and avoid getting in the eye of that one." 

As the man got on the helicopter it soared into the sky disappearing in the horizon in a few minutes. The only thing that could be heard was the sound it was leaving behind. 

His departure seemed to have made a lot of people relieved for some reason. 

Before long the helicopter seemed to reach another city, and the man in the helicopter seemed to be having some headache. He was not the only one that was going to participate in the planned event, and thus kept thinking about how he should appear. It was a shame that all of the supervisor level individuals came with a helicopter. In simple words, he had no means to show off. 

It was  not just him, the others were facing the same situation but those that arranged this where even more excited than the participants. 

When the helicopter was making rounds, on the base camp, preparing to land, he could see that the situation in the distance did not seem that ideal. From the helicopter, some instrument seemed to record ripples like patterns coming from further into the distance. It was covered in fog, as such he could not see through it. 

He just like the others seemed to have come to this place because of the unusual nature of the events taking place. In this place, none of those present dared to move further to explore. When he descended, he came out the helicopter, but did not feel any good seeing that he was not the only one with such treatment.

The moment he walked down, he could see military like personnel. it was just that all of them had unique masks on. But standing among such a group of individuals that seemed to be always fighting and had a great sense of oppression even for someone like him. 

"This place is not like the others I have seen and it seems that a lot of causalities are to be expected. It seems that I am not the only one that has guessed this, after all the last time we where allowed to act together like this, it never ended well."

When he was lost in thought, he heard someone calling him, "Boss Wang!" 

The man was slightly younger, but seemed to have a military uniform. He was someone that had worked with him before, and it seemed like he was the only excited about this mission.

"Why are you excited? Don't you see the expression on all those people that came with helicopters?" He asked with a smile.

Even though he did not seem to be willing, he had to complete this mission and thus, it was necessary to be nice to the team he would have to enter the dangerous grounds with. 

"What is there to be scared off, us brothers have experienced numerous dangers, it has become a common thing to risk our lives. I can be sure that I can outlive most of them, so why should I be concerned about their expressions." Listening to the man, he knew what he was saying was not wrong entirely. 

The best trained individuals have more value due to existence of numerous unexplored grounds and thus their lives are not threatened by the higher ups. Unless things went wrong and they died in the exploration, they would always have value.

"Our team has been around for more than five days and through observation, it is already clear that it would take close to another two days at minimum before we can even get some actual situation inside the fog." The man spoke as he looked into the fog in the distance with some solemn look on his face.

Wang seemed to remember something, "Right little Chao..." 

Hearing this name, the man wanted to protest, but knew that this was useless. " Boss Wang! Why do you always call me that, I am now the captain of the team, can't you give me some face!" 

"Oh right, I wanted to tell you to keep an eye out for the other teams, once they make any move inform me."  He instructed, as he headed to the nearby tent. 

Even though Chao was still protesting, Wang did not stay behind to argue, he entered the tent.

When he was completely gone, other mean dressed in military uniform approached Chao and had a lot of questions. 

"Captain, who is that old man? You seemed too respectful towards him." The man that had asked this seemed to be probably more interested in having some conversation but the captain did not seem to be that interested. 

He just looked at them and said, "That is the man that determines your life and death in the mission. When the time comes, make sure to keep heed of what he tells you."

Chao was very sober, even though they have been trained on survival, it seemed that occasionally they have been doing a lot of private work. It seemed that their boss in the government where more or less working for others too. In this way, it was best to say that the best way to survive was to be on good terms with this private individuals.

It was not an easy task for one to be able to get the trained military elites as side kicks, it meant their influence was unlike anything else. The most important aspect was the fact that the military personnel are the best in handling things that involved secrets. 

But even so, it could be seen that the people they worked for did not care about this kind of thing, their main objectives where very much different. Once they obtain whatever brought them to this place, it would be enough and they would leave, the rest is not what they care about.

The fog in the distance was under their monitoring, and this has been happening since the base had been stationed in the region. Even though such places have been explored for more than three decades, humans have yet to find more advanced means to approach such places. 

The benefits gained however can be said to be immense in terms of research, and in the moment they where gathered to sent people in to explore at the slightest chance they obtain. 

The reason for not being in a hurry was because in such events, death rates are high. One has to be patient, this is to avoid suffering unnecessary loss. 

Even so, it did not seem to mean retreat, because the benefits and individuals involved would not allow it.

"Everyone should probably be prepared, I have a feeling that we might move out any minute. This matter involves a lot, and our lives are probably insignificant compared to the plans of others. Make sure to not become a hindrance or I wont mind taking action against anyone myself." As Chao warned, he also seemed to have some worries, but buried them deep inside.