Mission in Turmoil: A Lieutenant's Dilemma.

James and his team's POV :

Lieutenant James stood before his team of 14, the weight of their mission heavy on his shoulders. His eyes flicked over each member, taking in their determined expressions. "Listen up, everyone," he began, his voice low and steady. "We all know what's at stake here. The people of this city are counting on us to deliver the antidote and put an end to this pandemic once and for all. And we will not fail them."

He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "Delta Squad," he continued, turning to the eight members who were part of the elite team. "You guys are the best of the best. We're going to need your skills in stealth more than ever. But remember, we're all in this together. We watch each other's backs and we make sure we all come out of this alive."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the team, and James felt a surge of pride. These were his people, his brothers and sisters in arms. They had trained together, fought together, and now they were about to face the greatest challenge of their lives.

"We're heading into enemy territory, folks," he said, his tone grave. "There will be protesters, there will be insurgents, and there will be those who want to see us fail. But we will not falter. We will not hesitate. We will do what needs to be done to get that antidote to the people who need it."

He looked around at his team once more, his gaze lingering on each face. "Let's do this," he said, his voice firm. "For the people of this city, for the people of this planet, for the UPKF.

"I know this isn't going to be an easy mission. We're heading into the heart of the city during a time of unrest. But we've trained for this. We've faced tougher challenges before, and we've come out on top. And we'll do it again."

This dialogue had a profound effect on the team, helping to alleviate the anxiety and negativity that had been weighing heavily on their minds.

The team's spirits lift up as they hear the chorus of "Yes sir!" echoing through the air. Lieutenant James smiles, knowing that his team is ready for anything that comes their way.

"Get ready to rock and roll squad hop on! " Lieutenant James shouted with a fierce determination as he signaled his team to hop on the military vehicles. The team swiftly hopped on to their respective vehicles, ready to face the rebel forces on their way to the capital city.

The roar of the military vehicles' engines drowned out the chants of the protesters as the team left the campsite, leaving behind a cloud of dust.

The convoy of military vehicles rumbled down the road towards the capital city, the hum of the engines and the occasional staticky chatter over the radio the only sounds. The team was on high alert, each member tensed and ready for any potential danger.

As they approached a bend in the road, the lead vehicle screeched to a sudden stop, causing the others to slam on their brakes and skid to a halt. In front of them, a group of angry protestors had formed a barricade, their bodies blocking the road ahead.

Lieutenant James quickly assessed the situation and barked out orders to his team, "Delta squad, move up and secure the perimeter! The rest of you, prepare for any hostile action!"

As Delta squad took position to secure the area, the protestors started hurling insults and objects at the military vehicles, their anger palpable. One protester stepped forward, shouting into a magnetic communication device, "We won't let you reach the capital! The UPKF is nothing but a terrorist organization!"

James stepped out of his vehicle, trying to calm the situation, "We're just trying to reach the capital to protect our people. Please let us through peacefully."

The protester scoffed, "You UPKF dogs are all the same. You don't care about the people. You're just here to oppress us!"

The tension in the air was thick as James and his team waited for the next move, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Lieutenant James stepped forward and spoke calmly but firmly, "We are here on official business, and we will not be deterred by your protests. Please let us pass peacefully."

But the protestors refused to budge, and tensions began to rise. Suddenly, someone in the crowd threw a rock, narrowly missing one of the team members.

"Alright, that's enough," James said, as he gestured to his team. "Delta Squad, move in and disperse the crowd. Non-lethal force only."

The team moved in, using stun grenades and smoke bombs to disperse the protestors without causing any serious harm.

As the Delta squad member tries to contact the dreg division, the roadblock of protestors seems to be growing more aggressive by the minute even with the use of non-lethal force. James and his team can see that some of the protestors have started throwing rocks and bricks at their military vehicles.

But suddenly, amidst the chaos, one of the team members jumps at the sight of a protestor's sudden movement, and his finger accidentally slips onto the trigger of his weapon. A shot rings out, and everyone freezes as they see a child fall to the ground.

James sees the child fall to the ground and immediately jumps out of his vehicle to save them.

The child trembled in fear as the bullet whizzed past him, barely missing his head. He felt a hand grab him by the arm, pulling him away from danger. As he turned around, he saw Lieutenant James holding him tightly, shielding him from the chaos of the gunfight.

The child's heart was racing with fear and confusion, but as he looked into the kind eyes of the lieutenant, a sense of safety and gratitude washed over him. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he clung to James, feeling a sense of relief that he was still alive. He couldn't help but whisper a soft "thank you" as he buried his face into James's shoulder.

In that moment, the child felt a newfound sense of trust in the military and those who served to protect the innocent. He knew he had narrowly escaped death, but the presence of Lieutenant James and his team gave him a feeling if security.

As James runs towards the child, he hears the sound of more gunfire, and his heart races as he realises that the situation is quickly spiralling out of control. He reaches the child, who is now crying and trembling in fear, and he picks them up in his arms.

As James carries the child back to his vehicle, he can hear the sounds of chaos all around him. He can see the fear and panic in the eyes of his team members as they try to control the situation.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the Dreg Division arrives and takes control of the situation. The protestors are dispersed, and the area is secured. James looks down at the child in his arms, who has now stopped crying and is staring up at him with eyes filled with gratitude and awe.

In that moment, James feels a surge of emotion wash over him. He realises that this is why he joined the military - to protect and save lives. He looks around at his team, who are now visibly shaken by what just happened, and he knows that they will never forget this moment.

The team continues their journey to the capital city, but the memory of the scared child and the chaos on the roadblock will stay with them.

While on board to the capital city, "The Shield Legion just sent us a message. Looks like we have some rebel forces waiting for us in 2 Km ahead," James announced to his team.

Lieutenant James and his team were nearing the outskirts of the capital city when they suddenly heard a loud explosion.

The lead vehicle had been hit by an improvised explosive device, and the rest of the convoy quickly came to a halt.

Lieutenant James immediately got on the comms, "What's the situation, report!"

One of his team members responded, "We've been ambushed, Sir! Rebel forces are attacking us from all sides!"

James gritted his teeth, "How did the Shield Legion miss this? This is a major intelligence failure."

Lieutenant James and his team immediately took cover as bullets flew past them. The sound of gunfire echoed through the air, as the rebels closed in on them. James could see the fear in the eyes of his team members, and he knew he had to act fast.

"Delta Squad, I need you to take out those snipers on the rooftops. The rest of you, cover fire!" James shouted, his voice firm and commanding.

The Delta Squad members sprang into action, moving quickly and quietly to take out the snipers. Meanwhile, the rest of the team fired their weapons, taking out rebel soldiers who were attempting to flank them.

As the gunfight raged on, James could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He ducked behind a car and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

"This is insane," one of his team members said, panting heavily. "We can't take much more of this."

"We have to hold the line," James replied, his voice unwavering. "We can't let them get past us."

Suddenly, a grenade landed near their position. James dove for cover, but he could feel the heat of the explosion on his skin. When he looked up, he saw that one of his team members had been hit.

"Medic!" James shouted, rushing to the wounded soldier's side.

But there was no time to tend to the wounded. The rebels were closing in fast, and James knew that they had to keep moving. They fought their way through the ambush, leaving behind the wounded soldier and the dead rebels.

As they neared the end of the street, James felt a sharp pain in his side. He looked down to see blood soaking through his uniform.

"You're not going anywhere," a voice said from behind him.

As James turned around, he saw the rebel leader pointing a gun at his head. He was shocked to see that 3 of his team members were already lying dead on the ground, their blood pooling around them. The Delta squad members who were still standing had their weapons dropped, with their hands raised in surrender.

James could feel his heart racing, his mind racing to find a way out of this situation. "Why are you doing this?" he asked the rebel leader, trying to buy time.

The rebel leader sneered, "Your legion is trying to take away our freedom. We won't let that happen."

James tried to reason with him, "We are not here to harm anyone. We are just following orders."

But the rebel leader was not interested in listening. "You and your men are the ones who have caused harm. You have killed innocent people in the name of protecting the government. It's time for justice to be served."

James knew that this was not going to end well. He tried to think of a way to escape, but he was outnumbered and outgunned. He closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

The team members close their eyes in pain, cry silent tears and curse their fate. They suddenly hear a loud bang and a sound of someone falling to the ground.

They slowly open their eyes to the sound of a toy that belonged to the child that they saved ringing with :

The wheels on the bus go round and round

Round and round

Round and round

The wheels on the bus go round and round

All through the town.

They opened their eyes to a gruesome sight but as expected only one person was standing...