The Prelude to the Assault of Ferm

Meanwhile, inside the city of Ferm.

Vincent stood inside the command center, his arms crossed as he oversaw the final preparations for Rourke and Sykes to depart with their share of the treasure. Several wooden crates were neatly stacked in front of them, each one carefully packed with the ancient artifacts, gold, and jewels they had uncovered in the sarcophagus. Vincent had personally ensured that everything was accounted for, but he knew better than to leave anything to chance.

"These are the crates containing your share," Vincent said, gesturing to the pile. "I've made sure all the items are accounted for, but I suggest you double-check everything before you leave."

Rourke and Sykes exchanged a quick glance, then nodded. They stepped forward, their

expressions serious as they began inspecting the crates. They lifted the lids, carefully sifting through the contents, verifying each item against the mental checklist they had kept since the treasure was uncovered.

After several minutes, Rourke straightened up, closing the last crate with a satisfied nod. "Everything's here," he confirmed. "No items missing."

Sykes echoed his sentiment, closing another crate. "All accounted for."

Vincent allowed a slight smile to cross his face. "Good. We've both fulfilled our parts of the agreement. I trust you'll make good on your word as well. What are your plans now?"

Rourke glanced at Sykes before answering, his expression firm. "We're going to head back to our outpost. We'll let the others know that we've secured what we came for in Ferm. With the treasure in hand, there's no reason for us to linger here any longer."

Sykes nodded in agreement. "The city of Ferm isn't worth the risk anymore. It's clear that it's under new management, and from what we've seen, it's not a place we want to challenge. We'll take our leave and spread the word that Ferm is off-limits."

Vincent smiled at their answer. He too wouldn't want unnecessary fighting with the likes of Rourke and Sykes, especially now that the situation in Ferm had changed so drastically.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Wise decision," Vincent replied, nodding in approval. "Ferm is a different place now, and it's best that we part ways on good terms. I'll arrange for an escort to guide you out of the city safely."

Rourke and Sykes exchanged a relieved glance, appreciating Vincent's pragmatic approach. They had come to Ferm expecting conflict but were now leaving with their lives and a fortune in treasure.

As they were about to express their thanks, a sudden, loud noise reverberated from outside, cutting through the relative calm of the command center. It was a sound unlike anything they had heard before—a deep, resonating boom followed by the chaotic whirring of machinery gone awry.

Vincent's smile faded instantly, his expression turning to one of concern and urgency. Without a word, he spun on his heel and rushed out of the command center, with Rourke, Sykes, and a handful of soldiers following closely behind.

The scene outside was chaotic. They emerged just in time to witness the Apache helicopter, which had been patrolling the skies above Ferm, spiraling out of control. Smoke billowed from one of its engines, and its rotors, which had once kept it aloft with precision, were now spinning erratically.

"What the hell?" Vincent muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had seen the Apache in action before, and it was a formidable machine-one not easily brought down.

As the helicopter spun wildly, it began to lose altitude rapidly, careening toward the ground with a terrifying lack of control. The soldiers around Vincent stood frozen in shock, unable to tear their eyes away from the unfolding disaster.

The helicopter veered dangerously close to the city walls before it finally crashed with a deafening impact just outside the perimeter. The ground beneath them trembled with the force of the explosion, and a thick column of black smoke rose into the sky, marking the crash site.

For a moment, silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the distant crackling of flames and the eerie whine of damaged metal settling.

Vincent was the first to break the silence. "What the fuck happened?!"

"Sir, there was lightning that struck the helicopter!" shouted one of the eyewitness soldiers, his voice trembling with a mix of shock and disbelief.

"Lightning? There isn't even a storm cloud in the sky," Vincent responded, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. He quickly turned his gaze upwards, scanning the clear blue sky, where not a single dark cloud was in sight. The idea of lightning out of nowhere was preposterous, but the evidence of the Apache's demise was undeniable.

Rourke and Sykes exchanged uneasy glances as they stood a few steps behind Vincent, their previous relief replaced by growing concern. This wasn't just a freak accident; it was something far more sinister and unexpected.

"Could it have been some kind of attack?" Sykes asked cautiously, voicing the thought that had begun to creep into everyone's mind.

Vincent didn't respond immediately. His eyes were locked on the distant plume of smoke rising from the crash site.

Until-

"Sir...there are elements moving from the north, there are a lot of them," one of the officers inside the headquarters reported through radio.

Vincent's mind raced as he processed the information. The situation was escalating faster than he could have anticipated. First, the inexplicable downing of the Apache helicopter, and now reports of unknown elements moving toward the city. He clenched his fists, his gaze shifting from the crash site to the north, where this new threat was approaching.

"Can you identify them?" Vincent asked, his voice sharp as he grabbed the radio from the nearby officer.

"Negative, sir. They're moving fast, and they're heavily armed. We've never seen anything like this before. It looks like...a full assault," the officer's voice crackled through the radio.

"Get every available unit to the northern perimeter!" Vincent barked into the radio, his command leaving no room for hesitation. "And someone get eyes on those elements-find out who or what we're dealing with!"

Rourke and Sykes exchanged a worried glance, their thoughts no longer on the treasure but on the rapidly deteriorating situation around them. The uneasy truce they had with Vincent was holding, but they knew that if things continued to spiral, all bets would be off.

"We should leave now," Rourke said, his voice low but firm. "This isn't our fight, and if we stick around, we'll get caught in the crossfire."