[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/H2y3o1h.png?1[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/fZCtRWq.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/HolG6gM.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/dpLvYzd.png?1[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/RgrbUbC.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/zHNWiYO.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/dpLvYzd.png?1[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/lKklhTv.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/dZQiNGX.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/ulzMzzF.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/69emnw2.jpg[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/rkqNAGN.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/WuWlwaC.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/vyWkdqm.jpg?2[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/DL2eFzu.jpg[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/2Uulfed.jpg?1[/img] [h1][i]Every Nook and Cranny[/i][/h1] [color=a400ea][b]Maya Hammond - "Cipher"[/b][/color] [color=d588fc][b]Advanced Combat Intelligence Mk.6 - "Eagle Eye"[/b][/color] [color=00aeef][b]Morena Carvallo - "Pixy" [/b][/color] [color=0fea00][b]Vicente Morales - "Sandman"[/b][/color] [color=999999][b]Mr. Smith[/b][/color] [color=999999][b][REDACTED] Strike Teams[/b][/color] [color=ed1c24][b]Hounds of Humanity Terrorists[/b][/color] [sub][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/143799-create-a-hero-a-superhero-rpg-season-2-new-horizons-always-open/char?page=2#post-3904890](Full Cast of AbandonedIntel's Characters)[/url][/sub] [hr] [img]https://i.imgur.com/A8LdD3t.jpg?1[/img] Sonoran Desert - Somewhere North of Hermosillo, Mexico [i]Present Day[/i] [sub][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCDvRBkyhFU]Theme[/url][/sub][/center] In the darkest of nights, the windy silence was broken by the air being beat into submission. Two unmarked gray UH-60 Blackhawks made their way into Mexican Airspace from Arizona, continuing through the Sonoran Desert. Two of them flew in close formation, and once they flew over the border, both helicopters went dark, all external lights shut off in order to remain almost invisible to the naked eye. The only revealer for them being the noise they made, the military helicopters flew at low altitudes and sped off into the night. Peculiarly, both helicopters had no pilots. The cockpits were empty, and they seemed to be flying on their own. Inside the lead helicopter was a team of combat robots, a metahuman and a normal human, with a cyborg to lead them all. The leader of this team, Sergeant Cipher Hammond, pulled her combat uniform over her exposed robotic limbs, making sure that her cybernetic parts were not too obvious to anyone who looked at her. Across from her was the metahuman, Corporal Pixy Carvallo, who remained seated, wearing only a black ballcap and a skull bandana over her face. The normal human, who was clad from head to toe in black tactical gear, remained seated next to Pixy, resting with his head up against the walls of the helicopter. Occupying four of the seats with them are black-and-gray camouflage combat robots, armed with cannons and miniguns along their arms and shoulders, with one unarmed on his body, but carried a massive anti-material rifle. They remained in standby mode while the others remained silent. The unmanned Blackhawks, often referred to as [i]Helodrones[/i], banked slightly towards the right, heading southwest towards their target. The lead helicopter flying slightly faster than the second. There was nothing but the sound of rotors onboard the lead Helodrone. However, Cipher broke the silence with her West African accent, speaking aloud. [color=a400ea]"Eagle Eye, what's the ETA to our drop zone?"[/color] A slightly pitched male digitized voice replied through a speaker within the helicopter, speaking to Cipher and letting the others inside know. [color=d588fc]"We are fifteen mikes out from the drop zone. I suggest that all combat units get ready."[/color] Cipher nodded. [color=a400ea]"Any news on our drone?"[/color] The same voice, belonging to Eagle Eye, spoke again through the speaker. [color=d588fc]"The drone is currently over the compound, and is performing a scan for hostiles and civilians. I will update you on the results when you arrive at the landing zone."[/color] Eagle Eye, formerly known as Advanced Combat Intelligence Mk.6 Serial 032-Delta, is a combat AI designed to keep track of information and communications from both enemies and friendlies, and is always with Cipher to assist her on any of her missions. While he often would speak through her mind within her cybernetic brain implants, communication to all friendlies on this operation was vital, so he stuck with using the speakers on the Blackhawks he was piloting. [color=a400ea]"Copy."[/color] Cipher said before leaning back. [color=a400ea]"Excited for your first rodeo?"[/color] Cipher asked, smiling to the woman across from her. [color=00aeef]"A little."[/color] Pixy's Colombian accent replied, a small nervous smile concealed by her skull bandana. [color=00aeef]"I was one of Zepeta's best, but we never did anything with tech at [i]this[/i] kind of level. I fastroped from Blackhawks before, but not Blackhawks piloted by a powerful AI!"[/color] Cipher chuckled a little. [color=a400ea]"Relax, Pixy. Just stick with our doctrine and you'll be fine."[/color] Cipher said before pointing towards her. [color=a400ea]"And please, for the love of god, do [i]not[/i] shock me. I may look and sound like an invulnerable cyborg but, just be careful with electricity around me. It's both my life source and my weakness, so... watch where you strike, okay?"[/color] [color=00aeef]"Oh no, don't worry. I'm very careful and mindful about where I zap."[/color] Pixy replied. [color=00aeef]"Even under pressure. You'll see."[/color] Cipher nodded with a soft smile. [color=a400ea]"Alright. But just remember, these guys we're going up against aren't your standard guerrillas."[/color] Cipher said. [color=a400ea]"These guys mean business, so don't get too cocky. I know Eagle Eye suggests that this should be a cakewalk, but just remember that's what STRIKE thought before they got torn to shreds."[/color] Cipher grabbed an FAL from under her seat and chambered a round. [color=a400ea]"Remember to stand behind the bots, and use them for cover as you advance. I'll help soften 'em up for you. Got it?"[/color] Pixy gulped and nodded slowly. [color=00aeef]"Wilco..."[/color] She said, rubbing her gloved hands together to make sure the conductivity of them is up to par, seeing them both spark up and generate some bright and powerful arcs of electricity. [color=00aeef]"Okay... I should be good to go."[/color] [color=a400ea]"What about you, Warlock?"[/color] Cipher asked the only human in the helicopter. The operative cocked his Galil 329 rifle and brought it to shoulder. [color=999999]"Just save some of them for me, I don't want management to think I'm useless."[/color] Warlock joked, his accent vaguely French. Cipher smiled a little. [color=a400ea]"Don't worry, I'll fill in a good word for you. Just make sure Pixy's covered, copy?"[/color] [color=999999]"Solid."[/color] [hr] Those in the second Blackhawk were a little more reserved. There were fewer combat robots on this one, and there was only three men and a woman onboard. A rather particular man in a suit who went by the name of Sandman Morales, and the man across from him who simply went by the name of [i]Mr. Smith[/i]. While Sandman preferred just wearing a suit, Mr. Smith was fully clad in tactical armor as well, with a skull and crossbones marked on his helmet. There were two other soldiers onboard who wore similar gear to Mr. Smith, but without the creative markings, a man and a woman who went by callsigns such as 'Wizard' and 'Sorceress' respectively. While the lead helicopter continued on faster ahead and dropped to a lower altitude, the second Helodone remained behind. Sandman looked to Mr. Smith and sighed. [color=0fea00]"Eagle Eye isn't playing tricks with us, right?"[/color] Sandman asked. Eagle Eye replied over the loudspeaker. [color=d588fc]"I can assure you, this operation will carry minimal risk to your mate. Pixy is in good hands, and I can see her becoming a formidable ally and useful operative in her service to come."[/color] Eagle Eye paused. [color=d588fc]"Personally, I'm quite glad to have you and Pixy onboard. You two seem like a fantastic team, if my simulations are worth any salt."[/color] Mr. Smith smiled underneath his mask and mirrored goggles. [color=999999]"You should listen to him, you know. Eagle Eye's a good AI. Even though he kind of locked us out to prevent foreign tampering, well, so far he's been the most stalwart ally so far."[/color] Sandman folded his arms. [color=0fea00]"I do not trust a mind that I cannot enter."[/color] Sandman said, trying to blink away painful memories of Zepeta's regime. [color=0fea00]"You'll have to forgive me, I am going to need some time to... getting used to this. It has only been a few days."[/color] Mr. Smith shrugged. [color=999999]"Hey, I'm not holding anything against you. I mainly brought you two along just to see what you can do. And hopefully kill two birds with one stone by grabbing any intel we can get in the meantime too."[/color] Sandman nodded. [color=0fea00]"Yeah... don't worry, I'll do my best. I want to make sure that damned satellite goes down in flames."[/color] Sandman said, remembering the news footage, seeing the aftermath, and what the survivors looked like afterwards. It was absolutely [i]horrifying,[/i] and he was still trying to get over the images that he saw. [color=0fea00]"I'll do anything it takes to make sure that things like that never happen again."[/color] [color=999999]"That's the spirit."[/color] Mr. Smith said, nodding. [color=999999]"I can see you already becoming one of us now, but just remember. Those feelings are what drive us forward, but when we're out on the field, we can't be controlled by them. The mission comes first. [i]Comprende?[/i]"[/color] Sandman looked back up to Mr. Smith and nodded again. [color=0fea00][i]"Si."[/i][/color] [hr] The lead Helodrone rocked a little, and the doors automatically opened up. One of the interior lights remained red, and once four of the combat robots activated, stood up and began jumping out from either side of the helicopter one by one, the light then turned green. [color=d588fc]"You're cleared to drop."[/color] Eagle Eye informed the passengers on the Helodrone he remotely piloted. Cipher brought her FAL to shoulder and stood up, her heavy robotic legs making somewhat of an impact on the steel floor with every step. She arrived at the side of the helicopter, and casually dropped off from the side of it. It was a two-story fall, and Cipher landed on the ground with a somewhat noisy [b]*THUD!*[/b], landing in between two of the combat bots that secured the LZ with their arm-bound weapons. Cipher stood up, having landed on both of her feet without a problem. She stepped forward, and used her CyberEye to assess the environment around her. Just nothing but desert, and an armadillo not too far ahead. [color=a400ea]"Go ahead, you're clear."[/color] Cipher said into her headset, the only thing she wore on her head. Two ropes unfurled from either side of the helicopter, and immediately, Pixy and Warlock fastroped down from the Blackhawk with them, Warlock raising his powerful Galil to shoulder after he landed. The ropes were then lifted back up into the ports. [color=a400ea]"Alrighty Eagle Eye, feel free to land somewhere behind us. Remember QRF protocol."[/color] Cipher said, using her cybereye to help locate her objective before leading the group towards it. [color=d588fc][i]Copy that, Cipher. Will keep Helodrone armed hot and on standby.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye said over their encrypted comms, keeping everyone on the same page. Eagle Eye then brought the Helodrone back and flew out of sight while Cipher advanced forward. The four combat bots marched forward with her, creating an arrow formation of sorts with Cipher at the tip and the two squishies in the center. [color=a400ea]"Galm team to Crow Team, we're at the LZ and are currently proceeding to the objective. How copy?"[/color] Cipher spoke into the comms while she climbed up a hill. [color=999999][i]This is Mr. Smith of Crow Team, solid copy. Good luck out there, and happy hunting.[/i][/color] The comms replied, Cipher climbing up the hill. She soon reached the top, and immediately went prone. The combat robots remained crouched behind her and below the hilltop, out of sight. Cipher was soon joined by Pixy and Warlock, both of them pulling out a pair of binoculars. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/B6ABdtr.jpg?1[/img] Hounds of Humanity Compound - Sonoran Desert, Mexico [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QZzmMEOedk][sub]Theme[/sub][/url][/center] [color=a400ea] "Alrighty Eagle Eye. How does the enemy shape up?"[/color] [color=d588fc][i]So far I only count ten guarding the compound outside, with an unknown number inside the building. Two MGs in each guard tower up front, two in one technical patrolling the facility, a sniper on the roof, and five patrolling on foot. I would suggest caution for Pixy and Warlock, for one of the patrolling hostiles carries an RPG.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye said, Cipher using Eagle Eye's scan information to mark all of the enemies he mentioned within her cyber-eye HUD. [color=a400ea]"What kind of weapons do they have?"[/color] Cipher asked. [color=d588fc][i]They are all carrying AR variants, though one has an AK.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye replied. [color=a400ea]"So the usual?"[/color] Cipher smirked a little. [color=a400ea]"Okay."[/color] Cipher looked around, trying to assess the situation, figuring out a battle plan. She then smirked. [color=a400ea]"Eagle Eye, get the Helodrone running but remain on standby. Use the drone to jam their audio freqencies and cameras."[/color] Cipher said. [color=a400ea]"Get Galm 4 to get into position and to take aim."[/color] Immediately, the combat bot armed with the massive sniper rifle got into position right behind the hilltop and took aim at the compound. [color=a400ea]"Everyone else get into combat positions and await my command. I'm going in."[/color] [hr] [color=ed1c24]"Do we really have to be stationed here?"[/color] One of the Hounds sighed, taking a drag from his cigarette. [color=ed1c24]"I hate it here. They could've at least put this place on a beach or something."[/color] He lowered his cig, lazily putting his AR on his shoulder. [color=ed1c24]"Would you rather be the guys in Lost Haven?"[/color] Another Hound asked, brushing away some of her hair so she could see better. [color=ed1c24]"I swear, I feel like people are going on suicide missions there. Couldn't we have used the killsat to blow that place up too?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"Well apparently not, brass actually has plans for that place."[/color] The male sighed, taking another drag from his cigarette. [color=ed1c24]"I swear, no one tells us anything. I just want to go kill some freaks, that's it."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"The pay is decent though."[/color] The female chuckled. [color=ed1c24]"Get some decent gear, and you get to kill some idiots from time to time. I mean... they aren't meta but even then the world would be better off without 'em."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"I know... but we could be anywhere else but here. This place is hot as balls and no one here speaks a lick of English! It sucks!"[/color] He shook his head. [color=ed1c24]"Fucking shoot me."[/color] In a cruel twist of irony, the man's head exploded in a bloody, gory mess, with a massive hole being torn into the wall behind him. The female nearly shrieked before hearing the signature [b]*POW!*[/b] from a sniper rifle. She looked at his body in horror, and took cover behind a wall. She shouted into the radio. [color=ed1c24]"CP! CP! This is Diane! We're under attack from an enemy sniper! Possible government forces, how copy?"[/color] Diane listened intently, hearing nothing but static and the machine gun fire coming from the guard towers, with the people in them shouting [i]Contact![/i] She peeked up from the wall she was hiding behind before witnessing a flash, followed by a loud crack. One of the men in the towers was immediately struck down by a bolt of lightning that came from the [i]ground![/i] He fell off the tower, landing on the ground with a loud [b]*THUNK!*[/b] [color=ed1c24]"We have meta-"[/color] Before Diane could finish, her brain had been liquified from the sheer power of a .50 BMG bullet. Cipher promptly raised her FAL at the man in the second tower and squeezed off a controlled two round burst, one bullet entering the man's chest with the next entering his head, causing him to fall immediately. [color=a400ea]"Okay, the guard towers are down, the rest of you are cleared to advance!"[/color] From behind the hill emerged two robots with Warlock and Pixy behind them. They marched down the hill, quickly making their way towards Cipher and the robot she was with. [color=a400ea]"By the way, nice shot on the tower there, Pixy. Didn't think you had that kind of range."[/color] Pixy joined up with Cipher, using the combat bot for cover. [color=00aeef]"You'd be surprised at how far lightning travels."[/color] Pixy said with a proud smile. Cipher smiled back. [color=a400ea]"Keep up the good work."[/color] She then made a hand signal. [color=a400ea]"On me."[/color] She continued ahead, bringing her FAL to shoulder. She then heard the blaring alarm from the compound. [color=a400ea]"Eagle Eye, keep an eye on that RPG. Shoot on sight."[/color] [color=d588fc][i]Wilco.[/i][/color] Cipher continued ahead, and as soon as the technical (pickup truck with machine gun mounted on it) came around, Cipher gestured for the others to stay back, in which they did. [color=a400ea]"Heh, a Toyota. Typical."[/color] Cipher said, standing still, putting one of her feet back. The Hound on the mounted gun fired at her, and Cipher stood still as bullet seemed to just either cause some dents or just go into her, but she didn't go down. Some impacts produced the metallic TINGS!, and a few others had the signature FFT! of bullets impacting body armor. Either way, Cipher didn't go down. The pickup truck went faster in an attempt to ram Cipher, but as soon as it should've made contact with her, Cipher simply jumped. She jumped straight up, and pretty high too, allowing the truck to simply just pass underneath her. Once she landed, she just turned around and fired two shots. One for the gunner and one for the driver, causing the truck to swerve off course and flip over from oversteer. Cipher smirked a little and turned to the others. [color=a400ea]"Alright, regroup on me."[/color] She said before marching towards the compound's gates. [color=00aeef]"Jesus... are you okay? You just strugged off bullets like nothing! And that was a [i]PKM[/i]!"[/color] Pixy objected, remaining behind her bot. Cipher chuckled. [color=a400ea]"I'm fine, sweetheart. I got titanium bones, and enough plating on my limbs and in my vest to keep me in the fight. Just worry about shocking the Hounds, okay?"[/color] Pixy nodded. [color=00aeef]"Copy that!"[/color] Warlock smirked a little underneath his skull balaclava. [color=999999]"You'll get used to it."[/color] He said, before he was almost interrupted by automatic gunfire. [color=999999]"Contact 12!"[/color] He shouted as the bot shielded him from the inaccurate gunfire the Hounds produced. A few Hounds piled out from the building in front of them and tried to lay suppressing fire on them with their ARs, and a few patrols that surrounded the building were making their way around to help deal with the threat. One of them was already picked off by sniper fire, and then another, a few others dropping from lightning bolts Pixy produced. The combat bots unleashed hell upon the terrorists that tried to get into cover, a few of them falling to the few bursts of minigun fire that came from the bots. Warlock raised his Galil and shot a single round at a Hound, blasting him in the head and allowing him to fall. Cipher simply ran into the compound and jumped up high, landing behind some of the terrorists that were in cover. Shooting two of them dead with two-burst shots, a man approached her and tried to stab her in the neck. Without looking, she simply grabbed him in the arm and twisted him a little, causing him to shout in pain. Using his arm, she got a little momentum and space before throwing him hard against the wall, almost certainly knocking him out if not killing him. She turned just in time to see a man with an RPG promptly fall to the ground after a [b]*CRACK!*[/b] and a [b]*POW!*[/b] made a his head explode like a watermelon. [color=d588fc][i]RPG down.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye said simply. Cipher smiled a little. [color=a400ea]"Thanks."[/color] She whispered. Eagle Eye interjected. [color=d588fc][i]Be advised, I'm sensing some more hostiles inside the building. The hostiles outside have been dealt with. Watch out for traps.[/i][/color] Cipher nodded. [color=a400ea]"Copy."[/color] She looked to the others. [color=a400ea]"Keep Galm 5 and 6 on watch."[/color] She whispered to Eagle Eye, in which two of the bots immediately started patrolling the combat zone. [color=a400ea]"Warlock, on Galm 7. Pixy, you're with me."[/color] She whispered before she turned to the hill. [color=a400ea]"Eagle Eye, bring the Helodrone in. Make sure no one escapes."[/color] [color=d588fc][i]Wilco.[/i][/color] Cipher then turned to the door, and made a hand signal to stack up. Everyone complied, with Cipher and Pixy on one end, with Galm 7 and Warlock on the other. They waited for at least a solid minute before they heard the Helodrone pass over them, and remain ahead. [color=d588fc][i]Helodrone in position.[/i][/color] Cipher then whispered [color=a400ea]"Flash and clear."[/color] and after opening up one of the doors, Warlock pulled out a flashbang grenade and tossed it into the door before taking cover. [b]*BANG!*[/b] A few shouts indicated enemy presence, and positive effect from the flashbang onto the enemy. Cipher and Galm 7 immediately kicked the doors in and engaged the enemy. Galm 7 used the small cannon on its other arm to engage enemies inside close quarters, blasting Hounds in the heads one by one, Cipher shooting the Hounds who hid themselves in the corners, filling them up with hot 7.62 NATO lead. Warlock and Pixy followed in, and they continued through the compound, which consisted of empty stone corridors, offices, bunk rooms, and several living spaces. After the group cleared out the rooms two at a time, they each indicated 'Clear!' once they confirmed that the rooms they were in were secured. After clearing most of the building, the final room that they moved to was the Mess Hall. The mess hall wasn't that large, but it was large enough to host at least forty people. The last of the Hounds, at least six of them, were hiding behind several tables, flipped up and used as cover. Galm 7 was the first to enter, and a Hound carrying an RPG immediately fired at him. The nearly supersonic rocket made impact with the combat robot and exploded with a loud [b]*BOOOM!*[/b], creating both a larger doorway, causing serious damage to the robot and tossing it back a significant degree. Warlock was hapless enough to be standing directly behind it. While he sustained minimal damage from the rocket, the robot flying back hit him hard and nearly crushed him when it fell to the ground, pinning him there and injuring him significantly. [color=999999]"Gah... shit..!"[/color] Warlock called out as the dust settled. Cipher and Pixy immediately stepped back and hid behind the walls adjacent to the hole the RPG made in the wall, keeping their distance. Cipher shot a concerned look to Warlock before turning back to Pixy, who seemed to have kept her cool. Cipher looked to Pixy and mouthed 'Flash and clear.' Pixy nodded. Cipher immediately pulled out a flashbang and tossed it inside, and after it gave its signature [b]*BANG!*[/b], both Cipher and Pixy rushed in, Cipher shooting enemies through the flimsy cover the Hounds hid behind, and Pixy throwing a deadly lightning bolt at two people who bothered to try to stand up and shoot at them, killing them both instantly. Only two Hounds remained, and one of them tried to stand up and fight, but was promptly grabbed by Cipher and was tossed into the adjacent kitchen, landing on a stack of pots and pans. Only one remained, and before he could bring his revolver up, Pixy stood there with a menacing look on her face, her hands crackling with electricity. [color=00aeef]"Go ahead, [i]try it.[/i] I [i]dare[/i] you to be as fast as [i]lightning itself.[/i]"[/color] Pixy said, smirking underneath her skull bandana. The Hound, a middle aged man with some spiked up hair, slowly trembled and dropped his revolver, putting his hands up. Pixy then spoke into the comms. [color=00aeef]"Eagle Eye, have we tackled the last of them?"[/color] [color=d588fc][i]Affirmative.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye replied. [color=d588fc][i]Picture looks clear, no additional enemy forces in sight.[/i][/color] [color=00aeef]"All clear!"[/color] Pixy called out reflexively before forcefully shoving the man onto the ground, putting his hands behind his back and tying them up with zipties. The man coughed. [color=ed1c24]"Who... who the hell [i]are[/i] you?"[/color] [color=00aeef]"That my friend... is none of your concern."[/color] Pixy said with a soft smirk bringing him up and pushing him onto a chair. She then spoke to Cipher, who was in the other room. [color=00aeef]"I got one in custody. How's Warlock?"[/color] She asked. Cipher, who was in the next room, was pulling the large disabled combat robot off of Warlock. Cipher did a check on him with her cyber eye, using her hand and vibrating it softly against him to detect any anomalies. [color=a400ea]"Hey, Warlock, you alright?"[/color] She asked after scanning him, giving the results for Eagle Eye to analyze. [color=999999]"I... I think I'm okay... I'm in a whole lot of pain but I'm not dead."[/color] He coughed through his mask before removing it, revealing the white stubbled man underneath. [color=999999]"Fucking bot crushed my chest... I think I might have a broken rib or two. Ow..."[/color] Warlock groaned. Eagle Eye added in. [color=d588fc][i]He is correct, he has two broken ribs, and some minor crushing damage to his chest. I'll bring the Helodrone and the others to airlift him to safety.[/i][/color] [color=a400ea]"Good, thanks Eagle Eye."[/color] Cipher said, patting Warlock on the shoulder reassuringly. [color=a400ea]"Crow Team, this is Galm Team. The compound has been cleared, but we have a downed bot, a wounded friendly and one enemy in custody. You're cleared to move in."[/color] [hr] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MudRvzka7hw][sub]Theme[/sub][/url][/center] [color=999999]"This place is an intelligence black hole. I'm getting nothing here."[/color] Wizard said with a vagely Arabic accent as he looked through the one of the computers in the office. [color=999999]"They're all connected on a network, but none of them have any files saved. I think they scrubbed all of their information once they were discovered."[/color] Wizard said, sighing as he sat on one of the chairs. [color=a400ea]"Seems likely."[/color] Cipher said. [color=a400ea]"Let's see what Eagle Eye thinks."[/color] Cipher said, putting in a small USB networking card, allowing Eagle Eye to easily sneak into the computer network. [color=a400ea]"Got anything buddy?"[/color] Cipher asked. [color=d588fc][i]Wizard's theory holds up, there seems to be only the bare minimum of executables to create valuable information, but there is no information. There is also an executable to scrub all data, and a task to do so on the sounding of an alarm.[/i][/color] Eagle Eye said. [color=d588fc][i]Nothing else. Can I get out now? It's cramped in there.[/i][/color] Cipher chuckled a little before taking out the USB card, pocketing it. [color=a400ea]"Thanks, Eagle Eye."[/color] She said with a small smile before looking up, seeing Mr. Smith and Sandman. [color=a400ea]"Mr. Smith, Sandman."[/color] She nodded in respect to the both of them. Mr. Smith, still clad in tactical gear, nodded back. [color=999999]"Nice work, Cipher. You, Pixy and Warlock did a really good job here. I'm assuming there's no intel here, right?"[/color] [color=a400ea]"Yep, not even any paperwork."[/color] Cipher replied. [color=a400ea]"How's Warlock?"[/color] [color=999999]"He's on his way back to a friendly facility to get treated. He should be good and ready within a few weeks."[/color] He turned to Sandman. [color=999999]"Well, you know what this means."[/color] Sandman sighed and nodded. [color=0fea00]"Where's your captive?"[/color] [color=a400ea]"Pixy has him all tied up in the storage closet. He's all yours."[/color] Cipher said nonchalantly. [color=a400ea]"Gonna tap into his memories or something?"[/color] Sandman smirked. [color=0fea00]"Something like that."[/color] He and Mr. Smith walked to the storage closet, opening it up to reveal Pixy standing in the back, with a Hound strapped to a folding chair with duct tape in his mouth, legs tied to said chair. Sandman, not even bothering to pay attention to the man in the chair, smiled at the sight of Pixy. [color=0fea00]"Pixy~"[/color] He called out lovingly. [color=0fea00]"How was your first day at school?"[/color] [color=00aeef]"It was okay. Scary at first, but I got it handled pretty well."[/color] Pixy then sparked her hands some more. [color=00aeef]"I haven't lost my touch."[/color] Sandman smirked, taking a chair and sitting across from the captive Hound. [color=999999]"Hey, nice work Pixy."[/color] Mr. Smith said. [color=999999]"Sandman and I will take things from here. Go ahead and sit down with the others. You've earned it, child."[/color] Pixy nodded, smiling underneath her mask. [color=00aeef]"Thank you, sir."[/color] She headed out the door, closing it behind her. [color=999999]"Now, we can get down to business."[/color] Mr. Smith said, leaning against the shelves. [color=999999]"Go ahead and do your thing."[/color] Sandman then tore the duct tape off of the captive. The captive immediately shouted at him. [color=ed1c24]"All of you are a bunch of freaks! You slaughter as you please and bring nothing but destruction wherever you go! I hope you all burn in hell!"[/color] The captive shouted. Sandman smirked. [color=0fea00]"Very rich coming from a terrorist organization that has already murdered thousands of innocents in cold blood."[/color] Sandman chuckled. [color=0fea00]"Do you want to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"[/color] The captive spat at him. [color=ed1c24]"Fuck you, you monster."[/color] The captive then got a good look at Sandman and his eyes widened. [color=ed1c24]"Oh... oh shit! I know who you are! You're that freak who was in cahoots with that Colombian monster! And they acquitted you of war crimes, didn't they? Ha! Looks like we're the only ones with spines here!"[/color] Sandman sighed. [color=0fea00]"Okay, hard way it is then."[/color] He then waved a hand over the captive. [color=ed1c24]"You'll never-"[/color] The captive then blinked, and yawned before dozing off, snoring. Sandman then turned to Mr. Smith. [color=0fea00]"Now watch. This process is very important as it puts me in a half-sleep state. Make sure nothing happens to me while I do this, okay?" [/color] Mr. Smith nodded. [color=999999]"Of course, son. Do you thing."[/color] Sandman then closed his eyes, and soon sank into the ocean of dreams and memories. [hr] Sandman stood in a black void. He looked around and continued to walk through it. He didn't feel the normal weight of the world around him, and he didn't feel himself as much as he'd used to. From time to time, he would see himself as if he were looking through a cinematic camera. He paced around the black void and cracked his dreamscape knuckles. [color=0fea00]"Let's get to work."[/color] He said. Sandman stepped from the void and into a forest. He wasn't himself anymore, but more of a camera again, witnessing the life events of this captive. He saw the captive walk through the forest with what seems to be the captive's wife. She guided him through what seemed to be a park, and led him to a surprise party in a rental shelter. Sandman stepped through that memory, seeing the man's job, before stepping through that memory, seeing the catastrophic events of what happened in Lost Haven some months ago on the news. Things shifted into one another, things transforming outside of Sandman's minds-eye, where the captive found an internet forum where the Hounds of Humanity was growing. It was just hypothetical rhetoric at first, but it grew into an echo chamber of epic proportions where people started posting pictures of themselves with guns and even some military grade hardware. Then the captive was inducted physically into the Hounds of Humanity, and went through some basic training in a camp located in Mexico with ARs and AKs, as well as basic strength training in order to be a proper foot soldier. Soon enough, for his first assignment, he had to go to a populated area in Nicaragua and kill as many as possible. And that the captive did, killing at least 4 children in the process. Sandman continued to step through the man's memories to where he would be posted at this compound, standing guard and doing nearly nothing in the building for at least some time. And then he saw some plans, maps of Lost Haven, as well as images of blast radii. Sandman then stepped through some more memories to find out more, but all he saw was the captive scrubbing the data after sounding the alarm, gunfire, and hiding in the mess hall. Several people took harsh lightning strikes, and others were shot in the head, and one was tossed. The captive was the lone survivor, and as the captive turned to fight, he saw Pixy standing right there, with her hands crackling with electricity. [color=00aeef]"Go ahead, [i]try it.[/i] I [i]dare[/i] you to be as fast as [i]lightning itself.[/i]"[/color] Pixy said as the captive looked upon her with terror. [color=0fea00]"That's my girl."[/color] Sandman said with a smirk, before appearing back into the void, this time with the captive. [color=ed1c24]"Woah... what the hell?"[/color] The captive stood around, staggered, realizing that he was in a strange place. [color=ed1c24]"Where am I?"[/color] [color=0fea00]"You're in my dreamscape."[/color] Sandman said with a smile. [color=0fea00]"A world that only I can craft as I please, a world I have full control over."[/color] Sandman summoned two bikini-clad copies of Pixy to sell the point to the captive, and brought them under his arms. Sandman smirked as the two copies sparked with electricity. [color=0fea00]"Now. I saw through your memories. What's going on at Lost Haven?"[/color] Sandman asked casually, tilting his head. [color=ed1c24]"Oh, so this is just a dream, huh? You can't do anything to me."[/color] The captive grinned defiantly. [color=ed1c24]"It's my mind, you freak. You can't stop me!"[/color] [color=0fea00]"Oh really now?"[/color] Sandman then let go of the two copies of his lover. [color=0fea00]"Show 'em, girls."[/color] Immediately, the two copies turned into zombified and demonic looking women, with rotting skin and to voids for eyes. The sharpest of teeth were put on display, and soon after they transformed into the most hellish bikini-clad creatures known to man, they pounced upon the captive and started biting him on his shoulders, tearing out chunks of flesh. [color=ed1c24]"AAAGHH!!"[/color] The Hound cried out as he was bit into, shaking as he felt a pain unlike any other. [color=ed1c24]"Please... please stop! Please!"[/color] He whimpered. Sandman smirked a little, walking closer to the man. He snapped his fingers, and the two women reverted back to Pixy's appearance. [color=0fea00]"Okay, I see you're willing to cooperate given the circumstances. Now, will you tell me what these plans are?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"Listen man, I don't know, okay? It's not my job to look at them. I just only caught sight of them, but those who had them didn't tell me what they were all about!"[/color] The Hound panicked. [color=ed1c24]"C'mon man, that's all I know. Please don't kill me... I beg you!"[/color] Sandman nodded. [color=0fea00]"I see."[/color] He then turned to the man. [color=0fea00]"Does your wife know anything about this?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"No, please don't bring her into this!"[/color] The Hound pleaded. Sandman shook his head. [color=0fea00]"I won't... I'm just wondering what she would think about you if she found out that you murdered innocent children."[/color] Sandman turned around and snapped his fingers, and the two Pixy clones turned back into their demonic zombie forms. [color=0fea00]"You know what to do, girls."[/color] He said, walking off. [color=ed1c24]"No no no... no, please! Don't! AAGGHHH!!!"[/color] The Hound's screams were replaced by gurgles as the two demons started tearing the man apart with their teeth alone, reaching his throat among other places. Sandman sighed and closed his eyes, surfacing to the world of reality. [hr] Sandman simply blinked open from sitting up, blinking several times. The captive on the chair just stopped convulsing, and after convulsing, he slumped over, dead. His face was red, with veins visible almost everywhere, or at least in the places where the women bit. Sandman looked upon the man before looking back to Mr. Smith, who looked quite impressed. [color=999999]"Wow... you actually killed him."[/color] Mr. Smith said, impressed. [color=999999]"This entire time, I thought you were bullshitting me."[/color] He then tilted his head. [color=999999]"Why did you kill him though? I know we operate in secret but we have plenty of space to hold prisoners."[/color] Sandman frowned a little. [color=0fea00]"I went through his memories. He's murdered children."[/color] Sandman said simply. [color=0fea00]"I had to make sure he died painfully, if I let him live it would've only added to what haunts me."[/color] He said softly. Mr. Smith nodded. [color=999999]"I understand."[/color] He folded his arms. [color=999999]"Did you get anything from him?"[/color] Sandman nodded, standing up. [color=0fea00]"Yeah, but not much. All I got were maps of Lost Haven, and blast radii. That's it. Not even he knows what they are for." [/color] Mr. Smith stood up. [color=999999]"Really?"[/color] Sandman nodded. [color=0fea00]"Yeah."[/color] Mr. Smith patted Sandman on the shoulder. [color=999999]"A vague lead is better than no lead."[/color] He then opened the door and walked out into the office. [color=999999]"Eagle Eye, get the Helodrones ready for takeoff. We're gonna make a pit stop to Outpost Delta before going to Lost Haven. Relay everything you heard to HQ."[/color] He turned to Sandman. [color=999999]"In the meantime, I want you to get a map of Lost Haven and draw the blast radii on the map. Whatever the fuck it is that they're planning, I want to make sure that we don't get caught in it." [/color] Sandman nodded. [color=0fea00]"Wilco."[/color] He said, looking around for a map. Cipher stood up from her chair. [color=a400ea]"We're going to Lost Haven? It's about damn time!"[/color] [color=999999]"Yeah, I know."[/color] Mr. Smith said as Sandman printed off a map of Lost Haven. [color=999999]"We've been hands off on that place for a while because Management thought STRIKE could handle whatever is happening stateside. Most of what we've been doing was abroad for a while... but it looks like we're going back to the good ol' US of A, pals."[/color] He then saw the finished blast radius. [color=999999]"Whatever is happening here, we must stop. The Hounds have gone way too far for us to ignore. Whatever is happening here could even link us to the satellite if we're lucky. I'll brief you as much as I can on the place on our way there. But until then, I suggest we move quickly before anything else happens."[/color] He then saw the Helodrone outside start up. [color=999999]"Alright, this is where we leave. Eagle Eye will scrub this place during our trip."[/color] He brought a fist to his heart. [color=999999]"Quia pax!"[/color] Everyone present, including Sandman and Pixy, put their fists on their hearts, before shouting together [b]"Quia pax!"[/b]