[center][h1]Vulpine Space Command Centre, Île de la Tempête, Reunion [/h1][/center] [center][h2] 1000 Hours [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Adam Kajtanowicz, Sophie Keller, Tahlia Harris [/h2][/center] [b]Soundtrack: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAtYoTLrxCU]Hans Zimmer- Estate Betrayal[/url] [/b] The noises inside the Control Room were mostly anxious ones. Positive that the team got there. Negative that nothing came back, due to what was suspected to be a jammer. "Oracle, this is Wilk, send traffic?" The voice cut through, Imran wanting to know exactly what the hell was going down. It was silence, nothing but that since the team had left the Arianne, in EVA and in a comms jammer. Their statuses were being pinged poorly, but audio was garbled, and broken. The signal jammer on the space station perhaps working its magic Adam had seen it all unfold, albeit from the remote feed of the observatory looking at it, in far less definition, but only one thing coming out of it truly to observe. The space station was being detonated. "Station's been observed as dead. Awaiting confirmation." Adam replied, looking over Keller's shoulder, looking at the traces of team. "We have contact. Two shuttle ejections. One looks to be leaving orbit....with a collision course onto the Sun? The other is coming down. Impact zone, predicted to be....coast off Esbjerg, Denmark." Keller commented, as Adam broadcast. "Oracle, we need a QRF, Esbjerg, Denmark is the crash zone. Still awaiting confirmation, standby." Adam relayed, the comms from Oracle minimal, as he turned back to Keller. "They got the canister away. And everyone else out. Though....the main rocket hasn't had its return come back. The station's in pieces. Fuck. Queen do you read?" Adam asked, as the realisation began to hit. The comms got more panicked. "Got signal back. Patching you into the rest." Keller added, checking signals, realising Ark Angel must have bene jamming signals. "I can't hear anything from her." Keller replied, as Sophie pitched into the comms. "Negative, life signs are....oh, oh fuck. Adam, it's nothing." Adam looked in, and gave an comment to any of them. "Team, what the fuck is going on? Can you confirm, is the threat eliminated?" He asked, as Keller looked to the screen. "What the fuck is going on with the rest of the space station? It's like....oh, they fashioned something to renter. The hell?" Keller didn't have words, even at the end of the world, to believe what she was seeing. [hr] [center][h2] Later That Week.... [/h2][/center] "And in other news, rumours of the Ark Angel space hotel exiting orbit, a space station launched by Vulpine Space, have been confirmed. A spokesperson proposed that the space station was not capable of sustained orbit following a malfunction, and deorbited safely into the North Sea. In an unrelated incident, Vulpine Space have proposed that People's Liberation Army activity at their launch facility was "unprecedented" and "sought a peaceful resolution to a confusion of our operating capabilities.", although tensions appear to have cooled after the attacks of last month." The voiceover played, as Laura shook her head, chained at the arms and legs, the armed guards outside making it clear if she wanted to hulk out today, she'd be getting plenty of bullets to the head inside of the secure cell. She didn't actually know where she was, she guessed somewhere in the Netherlands based on accents. "In other news, the billionaire Pavel Andros was arrested earlier this morning for fraud and acting a sponsor of terrorist activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Andros, who denies all wrongdoing, says he has been "framed" and that it is a "misunderstanding". The billionaire's recent successes at Vale have been mired by his endeavours, including the recently destroyed Ferovia Two geoengineering facility, the Southern Cross Observatory in Chile and La Jardin Villeneuve in Marrakesh being destroyed. All of which have shrouded the billionaire in mystery, leaving many speculating that his affairs were far from clean. In sports...." "Worth it to flaunt on Freya, though." Laura grinned, stretching out, getting looks from at least two of the guards on her cell. [hr] [u][center][h1] Epilogues: Those Who Serve [/h1][/center][/u] [center][h1]Somewhere near Babia Gora, Tatry, Poland [/h1][/center] [center][h2] One Week After Return, 1900 Hours Local [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Adam Kajtanowicz [/h2][/center] [img]https://media.istockphoto.com/id/528048242/photo/colorful-morning-with-wooden-hut-in-tatra-mountains-poland.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=loPVFxY_m08yv8rt96lvTPAJUfYiw_QvhXZ8wxJOkGg=[/img] Sitting in the chair in the old, stone-walled mountain hut, Adam stared daggers at Oracle. He'd asked to visit. Another NATO team was in Raven's place, and for now, they were off duty. A debrief had happened. Faacts trickled out, and the team realised it. It was a cold, horrid feeling. Knowing Skye was dead, well, it left a sour taste. And it hurt each of them. All that had gone down, every detail of it, examined, and then.... Silence. No formal thank yous. Nothing at all. No recognition for what they'd done. Behind the covers, there had been plenty of cheers. A silent nod of approval. A silent agreement that the future was left open to the team. In a game that usually meant you couldn't leave, there was a feeling you didn't talk back to the people that saved the world. Adam took that as a sign that things were significantly more complicated behind the scenes So when Oracle called, Adam told him to come here. He wasn't coming out to him. Not on his turf. If an apology was coming, then it would. Some small talk had passed. Adam cut to the chase, the green-shirt wearing, jeans having Pole having his beard grown out long, his head firmly bald. "So, by the fact you're here, you want something. Debrief wasn't enough. You got second thoughts." Oracle sighed, nodding, the Sikh, MTP-wearing commander knowing this was a hard one to breach. "Yep. Look, about..." "You wanted us to take in one of the most difficult pieces of shit we found. Zhao straight up would have given you the key to something that produced Rose. What the fuck is wrong with you? Now we're off that record, yeah, we all said it straight to keep you in your job. Now you want more?" "Playing every card we had. Or are you just a trigger happy cold bastard that can't follow orders? With feelings for her?" Oracle leaned in, Adam staring back. The sentence stopped, as Adam stared daggers. "A realisation you were happy to repeat past mistakes. With all due respect, I think you've got some balls, but you needed more to tell them to fuck off. Yet now you're here. You walked in here, and expect anything less than for me to take that tomahawk and mash you in? You were good, Imran, once upon a time. The very best. But you're an old man preaching morality. So what are you trying to get at? Redemption for you? Or that I'm expendable?" Adam asked, knowing he would cut to the chase. Oracle didn't like being talked down to, but in this instance, he knew he had little recourse himself. He'd shielded his team from the wave of shit, quietly agreeing, but knowing deniability was how the game worked. "Artemis is dead. All but wiped. You saw the news. Pavel Andros got arrested. And you have our eternal thanks, given how close we were to the brink. But...." Imran began, as Adam leaned forwards. "You still need someone." Adam cut him off, as Oracle slid a document across the table. "I need you back. There's clean up work. And what I said to the team about indefinite leave is no less true. But there's going to be other threats. Jihadist groups in Iraq that want to stir more shit than anyone has any reason to know. There's a cartel in the Caribbean who are filling the vacuum of the cocaine groups that you dismantled, and they'll come across the idea of making biological weapons of their own. And Spectre is still loose. Finding whatever alliances he needs. We need to kill it at the root before the weed spreads." Imran added, knowing Adam had been wanting to lead the team for years. And yet, been in quiet waiting, for that moment. "We save the world, and yet it still spins for you fast?" Adam replied, as Oracle, or Imran, nodded. "Sometimes, Adam, that's just how it is. A bit more boring. But it spins." Oracle started, the document open. "You'd be in charge, and given any resource you need. Same as Skye did. Run it your way. You told me you wanted that a long time ago. Here's your chance." Oracle began, as Adam pushed the document shut. "I'm not interested. You know, Skye was right. I am too intense. Too addicted to this. But...I know someone who would." Adam leaned forwards, flicking through, finding a face in the dossier. Looking at the face, eyebrows raised, as he looked back up. "You think she's ready for it?" Oracle asked, Sam's face in centre. "Worth an ask. If not, then I know the team's on indefinite leave. And that you agreed we could walk away considering the shit that went down. She might not want it though. Maybe because of the same reasons as me. But maybe, you could convince her. Let her get her affairs sorted first." Adam replied, as he shrugged, knowing that could go either way. "Xander is too wild. But he might come back if you can give him some ADHD shots. Ogre, Jaguar, Boxer. Maybe even Tiny Nord could give you another team that gives you another angle. But who out of those I would have leading....well, I see why you came to me if you couldn't." Adam stated, knowing the old Raven roster, and why Imran was here. Oracle sighed, knowing it was worth a punt, having a response to earlier. "You know I didn't have a choice. Ebrima was smart enough. Smart to realise what he did when the cams were reviewed by everyone from Washington to Brussels. If he hadn't....I'm pretty sure he'd be flayed. Same with Sam. Smart cookie, that one. You'd almost call it malicious malcompliance. Smart enough to keep me out of the shit, too." Oracle mentioned, Adam chuckling. "That's very funny. I'm not sure how much you know Ebrima, but he'd take platoons with him if they tried. Sam too, she.....easy to underestimate, but she knew what was at stake. So leave that to us, a bunch of deniable operatives mean you get to deny anything, right? Besides, revenge is a fool's game, especially when you're dealing with operators at our level that don't care how it ends. We're stubborn enough not to die. Ebrima, most of all." Adam chuckled, sipping down more coffee, as Imran leaned back in the chair. "Perhaps. Maybe like you." Imran poked back, Adam shrugging. "Touche." Adam replied, as Imran finished his. "Skye was extraordinary. Lay my cards out, no fucking wonder Rose went as wild as she did. And much as I'd like to say there's a thread....there is nothing left. The Project that spawned her, everyone of the management team got killed by Rose, all the way to the top. She got her justice. But yeah. It left a lot of people losing their minds. Intelligence community's been a hive over this." "No shit. Have fun unpacking it. That, is why I'm not so keen." Adam added, the Pole standing, as Imran turned in the wooden stool. "I suppose the rest that remains is what next for you. Going to continue living this life, quiet? Someone of your skills?" Imran quried, Adam shrugging as he was grabbing another bit of water from the boiling kettle, pouring it into another mug, Imran's as well. "Enjoying this. Until you phone me telling me that things are about to end and your team leader's fallen out of the sky again. Sure. But maybe I've learned that there's a reason we fight the wars in the dark for you, and your job is to make sure the wrong people, on our side, don't take advantage." Adam wryly commented. "I imagine you learned that we aren't so fucking stupid. So for now, I think I have some other affairs to get in order. I see what you're getting at. So. Got your answer? Happy?" Adam started, knowing it wasn't going to smooth things over with him, but in his own particular way, get back to the point. "One thing might sweeten the deal though." Adam came out and asked, as Imran nodded, in agreement, pouring sugar into his own coffee, then Imran's. "Name your price." "I need some details on a certain militia in Tennessee. I need intel. There's never a last job. But there are things you give your team, even when they leave. Commitments that Skye made that I suppose, pay her back by me keeping them." Adam stated, as Imran nodded, realising what he was alluding to. "Oh, them. They're....well, they're low in the priority list. On the Richter Scale in the community, a blip. One HVT sticks out. A former US Marine Colonel recently moved ranks to them. Putting even one of you to the task would be like taking a stun gun to a fly though." Imran added, as Adam smiled. "Oh....I think this might work very mutually for you. Well. We'll talk on that." Adam stood again, yanking the axe out of the wood he'd been trimming, before throwing a couple of logs into the fire, thinking that over. He knew the reality of Imran's position. He just wanted to see how he'd take it. A fair bollocking, but then again, Adam knew as a disciplinarian himself, he'd have done the same. Zhao was too valuable to let go. "And how about you?" Adam asked Imran, as he sipped down more coffee, hands open. "Same shit, different day. I'm clearly not retiring soon. If you weren't such a rude cunt, you'd do better in management. Maybe mine. I would have probably let that go to someone like Skye, in time." The tall Sikh replied with a sigh on that thought, Adam cracking a rare smile, coming back over, grabbing his coffee. "Yeah, well it turns out speaking your mind's, it's a dangerous thing in the intelligence community. I'll pass. I suppose you got to live being a bastard, but hey. We worked it out, didn't we?" Adam replied with a little sarcasm, as Imran chuckled, getting a smile out of him, it dawning more and more. "Yeah, point taken. Point, bloody, taken. Fuck me. What a mess that was." Imran sipped the coffee away, as the scene cut to the hut itself, the smoke stack with gentle white puffs coming from the logburner, and the quiet pine forest revealing the solitude. "I wouldn't call her a mess. Just everything that happened to her. But she came good." Adam noted, as Imran nodded. "Always did." [hr] [@Rhona W] [center][h1]Porto Montenegro, Tivat, Montenegro [/h1][/center] [center][h2] Two Weeks Later After Return, 2100 Hours [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Tahlia Harris [/h2][/center] [img]https://www.thetravelmagazine.net/wp-content/uploads/Regent-Porto-Montenegro-Night.jpg[/img] It felt strange. The dying of the light, and the ultra-ultra luxurious private yacht marina in front of Tahlia's scope, sitting perched within the luxurious loft-like pad that sat on the harbourside, thermal optic on, bolt-action, sub-sonic MacMillan CS5, chambered in .308 Winchester subsonic, the black sniper rifle so compact it fit in a large suitcase, but right now, expanded out into Tahlia's shoulder. A posh little place, costing at least half a thousand euros a night, but a perfect place to base herself in, the Kiwi in a tight-fitting vest, prosthetics at stumps, and rifle stationed in against a ground-anchored mount. Nothing on the wealth in the harbour, there was an absolute flood of various mercenaries, of whom barely weeks ago, Rose would have happily let die. Spectre had pulled himself from his hide hole to here, trying to broker deals. Save his skin, that was thoroughly, truly fucked. And Oracle's little tip off had worked rather nicely for herself, and for Eloise to get to work. "Archer, you copy?" Adjusting the rifle, the Kiwi watched as she got to work, knowing Eloise preferred quiet, but she'd get at least an acknowledgement. "Path's clear. We've got Christian Hansen, Spectre himself on that super yacht....The Scalpel. Former Artemis bigwig for the taking.....and your friend. Spectre's going to need a bullet, arrow or knife. But if you want your acquaintance, he's there. I'll let you decide what his fate is." Tahlia simply uttered, as the headset buzzed with another frequency. "Hey, Tahly. Is she on the job at the moment?" "Yeah, sorta. Can't really speak." Tahlia replied, as the voice excitedly returned. "Okay, cool. Just let me know when." The voice replied, as Tahlia watched Eloise move, smooth as ever, losing her in the Marina, back on another comms channel. "Viper's sorted out the CCTV. I'll keep a coffee free for you both when you're done." Tahlia snickered, watching a guard move towards Tahlia, a silent shot splatting the man's head and him straight into the water, sinking as salt water filled hole in skull. "Clear. All you, Archer. Show me how a professional does it." [hr] [center][h1]Somewhere on Hvar, Croatia [/h1][/center] [center][h2] Two and a Half Weeks After Return, 1000 Hours [/h2][/center] [img]https://rentaboathvar.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/shutterstock_1933811489-1-scaled.jpg[/img] The beach had lapping waves, aquamarine water, and an unusual peace. Calming, quiet. It was silent, empty, the tiny village on the Adriatic coast having a few boats in the harbour, a Taberna that was off the beaten track, and amazingly, no tourists around. The Croatian island was paradise, and this beach in particular had to be known to someone to get them there. It was a perfect place to relax, and Eloise had gotten the recommendation from Tahlia. The Kiwi sniper was unable to join, instead flying home, off to see her dad, and spend a moment off things. She'd been so zoned in, so focussed on looking after Raven, that she was the first to go when things stopped. On the job so much, so in the cobbled Kotor, she said goodbye to Eloise, and Purna did too after a lovely brew and a round of greasy Italian food. And headed home. Home to her dad, Andrew, and the farm, the beautiful valley in rural Otago with deer, sheep, dairy cows and chickens the life she realised she was beginning to miss. Firing a gun felt satisfying, it felt like service, but now that service was done. And well, she owed Skye that much. Live a quiet life, back to herself. Purna had been happy to stay, but a job had come up. And so he was off too, but he'd be happy to work with Eloise whenever needed. For some weird reason, as much as he didn't like having a partner in the game, he knew she was more than capable of being that backup. The game was clearly evolving, and there were always targets that needed removing from the chessboard. Between them, Purna knew they'd be ready when those days came. After saving the world, it must have felt strange, but Eloise had the world in her palms. But she was here, the few chaises on the beach, and after all of the talk of the team, was now alone once again. Not for long though. Spotting her, the giantess grinned, the waves carrying her in as she emerged from the water, as she stood above them crashing into shore like a column, her brisk swim across the bay giving her a chance to dive amongst old Yugo shipping wrecks, the pocket rebreather hanging out of her mouth, goggles peeled around her neck. Athena cast a shadow, the teal blue bikini hanging on for absolute dear life contrasting with her mane-like wet blonde hair, left to run riot, like an exploding mirage past her shoulders, bruised, battered, but recovering. Yet that was barely a stain on the statuesque, bronzed, carved as if from marble skin, water falling from her as she cleared what seemed like a big gap to absolutely nothing to reach where Eloise was on her chaise. She whipped her hair, salt water brushing out like some sort of retriever, although of course, Athena knew *exactly* what she was doing, looking at the smaller, black haired infiltrator she wanted to spring this surprise on. "Well, hello you. Fancy seeing you here!" Athena giggled, holding back her own excitement, though turning into a light jog that seemed like she was clearing yard with her long legs. "I mean, I thought I'd just take a teeny, tiny, little break from social media....I mean I can see why you thought I was dead! Did you think I was off grid forever?" Athena grinned, barely needing a stride more to bring Eloise into her arms, in an embrace, lips locked, the smaller girl squished into the endless volume of chest, both heartbeats almost wanting to bounce out of her ribs into Eloise. It felt like the smaller girl's was about to leap into Athena's. "A little bit of space dust, aren't you?" Athena softly giggled, her Mid-Atlantic voice, usually booming, loud, overwhelming, turning into a tantalising, almost crawling whisper, holding her tight still. And still talking. "You know, nearly dying in that....thing, it made me re-evaluate things. Going a bit quieter. I appreciate you waiting for me. Tahlia did well getting that cryptic letter to you to come here and expect something special....I'm glad you're enjoying it." Athena grinned, putting her down at last, casting a shadow over the tiny infiltrator, walking towards the chaises that sat on the beach, Eloise at an eye level where she'd likely realise where Athena's sister had some envy walking behind. Lifting for a twin-hearted giantess, and carrying the Warhawk around meant she frankly had legs that looked like they were chiselled from Carrara stone, let alone flesh. "So, we saved the world. You did. And here you are, being all quiet. How have you been? And well, what plans now? Because, I think it's time I stop being so busy and smell the flowers." She teased, looking down past her shoulder and her breast, bra barely able to keep up with the crackhead energy that she had, as they got to the chaises, setting down, Athena back to Eloise's level but her body sprawling out. She actually kept her trap shut, listening to Eloise, knowing the usually shy, quiet admirer had suddenly pulled her attention. Plenty were envious of Athena, but if anything, she learned something strange. Her beauty brought in the faces to Blue Sword, all eyes Athena, she was a little narcissistic yet knew what her confidence did. And now, she realised that who she wanted, she didn't see the appearance, she didn't want some burly man, she didn't want someone who would worship her. She wanted someone who loved her for what she represented, and more than all, she wanted that quiet, sweet, small love in a world that from her own viewline, was bigger than life. It was something she appreciated, because while she'd come back, louder, bigger than ever before, the gym calling, she had enjoyed a bit of quiet. Spending time with Freya in that final moment, so she thought, made her realise that. Crash landing into the North Sea and washing up in Denmark, the wreck was one sis was proud of, but Athena was just glad they'd survived. And glad they'd gotten a ride back out of, Athena letting her mother take over work for a little bit for her to unpack the much, much more terrifying near death experience she'd had. Even compared to having RPGs fired at her, that uncertainty had made her feel alive, and the adrenaline in her had been plenty used up by that. But it would be back. And #AdrenalineAthena was going to make her name known once again. Except this time, behind the biggest of names, would be someone she'd give all of her to. Turning over, Athena giggled, shaking her head, head rested on the pillars of forearms she had, her heart-shaped face over her shoulder looking to Eloise, longingly. She'd been quiet for more than five minutes. "Uhhh...are you just going to sit and ogle like everyone else? Let me turn bronze like I belong on Mount Olympus? Or are you gonna put some sunblock on me? Because I think I only need one squirt and I've got you covered. Me? You're gonna need the rest of that bottle. You looked up at that blimp of mine with some envy.....how about you get to see what that blimp feels like. No small gestures anymore." Athena grinned, a deep, broad smile, as if for a moment, work was left behind. The constant pressure to impress, show herself off, and yet on this private beach, of all the people that perhaps would have landed hands of sun-tan lotion on Athena Kaantario's back, and maybe beyond, she certainly wouldn't want anybody else. [hr] [@Starlance] [center][h1]Somewhere in the Australian Outback, Perth, Australia [/h1][/center] [center][h2] Two Months Later After Return, 0300 Hours [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Purna Gurung [/h2][/center] [img]https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sunset-australian-natural-landscape-near-600nw-2251859907.jpg[/img] The Chinook drummed, as the recruits lept out of the back. The bear pitch darkness made it impossible, but using the limited starlight they had, the recruits had a target on their backs. A pretty big one. In the early morning of the outback bush as the orange haze lit the horizon, it wasn't just all of Australia that wanted to kill them, but hypothetically, two Blue Sword instructors. Beasting them had been one part of it, weapons training, infil/exfil, dealing with a variety of threats, so far, the operatives were the alpha predators. The modern battlefield demanded it. Now, they were the hunted. An hour later, the stoppage of the electric quad bike made it easy to crawl through the bush. "So, we hunting game? You got Team A, I have B?" Purna asked, chambering an AR-enabled dummy round into his Mk14 from the rack on the front of the quad, picking up the first group. "They're working together. For now. Shall we see how they fare by dawn? Then execute a sweep?" Purna asked, rifle in hands, the boonie-hat wearing, MTP fatigues wearing infiltrator aware that he might not have been the original best pick for an instructor, but a contract was a contract. Blue Sword offered him something to tide him over, and between jobs, and after it all going down in Porto Montenegro, Purna wondered if Ebrima making the choice had brought him here as well. It was strange, to call someone he wanted to slice open a friend. Strange even. But life changed. And Tahlia was right. It was worth literally, burying the Kukri in this one. Ebrima had more than earned it killing Rose, and in a strange way, he had little to lose being here. Buying time to think of his next move. Family always enjoyed the remittance, especially with the bulk up in pay from Blue Sword, cousins building houses, significantly improving things from their near silent benefactor. But he needed to see them again. Remind himself of his roots. He was getting comfortable, far too much so, but Purna knew that life wasn't about suffering and hurt. Even if living it was comfortable, he was ready to carry on. There would be plenty more private contracts, and his unique set of skills would be getting plenty more use in time. It was a job he'd been unsure about, but somehow, he enjoyed teaching. Maybe Skye made him realise that. And Eloise too. He was a good mentor, a rough, but fair person to make sure others delivered to the top of their game. For now, it was time to hunt some PMC candidates, and put them through their paces. [hr] [@LadyAmber] [center][h1]Somewhere in Ouray, Rocky Mountains, Colorado [/h1][/center] [center][h2] Two Months Later After Return, 1000 Hours [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Adam Kajtanowicz [/h2][/center] [img]https://assets.goaaa.com/image/upload/w_2208,c_fit,q_auto,f_auto/v1683568288/overlooking-ouray-colorado-via-magazine-aaa-shutterstock_1872014908.jpg[/img] The small, old mining town sat as a tourist trap nowadays, sitting at the foot of the Million Dollar Highway, with lots of quaint and beautiful shops, cafes and souvenir shops before the road span south into the deeper Rockies, away from the hustle and bustle of society. Near ski resorts like Telluride, but far enough out of the way for someone who was waiting for the doomsday to hit within the continental US. Moving Aviators off face, the rustle of the large pickup truck in the distance made him perk up, putting coffee down, walking across to the window, out of the cafe, knowing that the two passengers. Adam knew it was likely surprising he'd done this for them, but then again, he was a man of his word. A tight-arse, but loyal to Skye's choices. A payback he gave to Ban, letting him settle scores in Japan. "Good to see you again." Adam's eyebrows raised at the big man, the former Raven operator clambering open the rear door, looking across to Chuck and Sam, tablet pushed forwards. Out of sound, out of sight as the door shut. "Recovering okay? Good to have you back, Chuck." Adam asked, the larger man's seat all the way back, as even Adam had to keep to Sam's side, knowing the situation. "I found what you were looking for, Sam. Looks like who you were looking for....they're best friends with Chuck's old CO. Colorado cell is....was a goldmine. Up in the Mount Hayden wilderness. They had a cabin. And they left intel lying around. And about five guys, including a former US Marine Major. They're good. But you'll do better." Adam tapped the tablet, breathing out, knowing what this had come to. "Everything on there that you needed. Convenient that you get to...how do you say in English, kill two birds, with one stone?" Adam chuckled, "But if you decide not to, then turn it over to the FBI, NSA, and I'm sure they would like to look at it. Though I mean, between us...I think you both would go through them like tissue paper. Oracle owed me a favour to let me get some justice done. He has the same for you. Perk of the job." Adam added, as he slid across his FiveSeven onto the centre console, silencer attached. "Skye trusted you, believed in you, needed you. You don't trust Oracle. But after this, if you're looking for that life, it's still there." Adam added, breathing out as he leaned back. "You're right to trust nobody. But there's a family beyond this. Keep in contact. No matter what happens, Sam Dalton. And you too, Chuck. Freya will do right by you. I have a free calendar, so when we need to sort out your pre-wedding drinks....we shall make it like old times." Adam's polish rang out, as he chuckled, opening the door after their replies, looking in. "Happy hunting, both of you. Go show them they made the wrong enemies." Adam gave a smile, before shutting the door, and like that, disappearing off. [hr] [center][h1]Camp Hannula, Poysjarvi National Park, Finland [/h1][/center] [center][h2] Two Months Later After Return, 1500 Hours [/h2][/center] [center][h2] Sophie Keller, Vincent Cisse, Javi Garcia, Raphael Cohen [/h2][/center] The slow shutdown meant that the support team were packing away a lot later than most, It had been hard for the team. Stuck in Hannula, winding down with reports, documents and work, but they'd been getting leave at least, before then returning back to help the packup. The rapid mobilisation left a mess. Sophie in particular sat in the Doctor's mess. Putting her bits and pieces into her medical bags, a part of her always wondered what on earth Skye meant about this whole system. Many higher ups had told her to stop. And from the fact she'd died for it, maybe that was best. Some stories didn't need more digging. The medical reports were all stripped out of the system, and Sophie wondered if somewhere, someone had wanted to look inside Skye Rosalind Lyons. They likely had bodies of her still. It hurt thinking about that. But then again, she'd volunteered. And knew that Skye, somewhere up in that blue oblivion, had died in service of humanity, of a greater whole. And that was something Sophie knew was part of who her boss happened to be. She'd saved her life, so perhaps in that way, Sophie realised she owed it to Skye to live hers. She wanted to go home. A lifetime of working as a field surgeon and doctor was taking its toll on her mentally, and she was ready to go home. Back to a quiet clinic in St Moritz, a private one where she'd be working on skiiers and rich billionaires more than anyone else. She took the bags, and with it, took one last glance, breathing out an exhale in the summer heat at where Freya had rehabilitated her arm, Ebrima had been medicated up, and half the team had come in hurt, wounded or feeling under the weather, and she'd put them back together, through the power of everything she could give. Vincent had been thinking about what next. Blue Sword had offered a contract, flying V22s again for a living, but he still wasn't quite sure. He fancied a break, given how intense everything had been, go travelling, see the world a little. The world nearly ending put things in perspective for him, and as wild as the journey had been, he wanted to go home, hug his parents hard, and see his cousins, nieces and nephews. And then he'd figure it out. Losing Skye hurt him a lot. But family, that mattered and he was grateful for what was to come. A well earned break. Packing his last bags, Peltor headset away and gone, he knew that piloting was off his radar for a while, but would come back when he felt that burn for close fire support. Javi in the meantime sat fixing the Toyota Hilux that had served them for trips out into the wilderness, caused by Antti. With the leak pulled, his future was similar to Vincent's. A job back in Blue Sword was interesting, but he worked best at the edges of things. He'd go where Raven went. He wasn't leaving. He was staying, and the replacement team already needed a vehicle tech. A site in the Azores, at Lajes Airbase. He wondered how they would compare to the redhead's fiery demands, and the rest of Raven. He was missing them already, but back home, there was nothing he wanted to go back to. Nothing that wouldn't leave him facing demons he didn't want to live by. Even at the end of the world, an event nobody outside of Raven's tiny management and team knew about, things had altered. Raphael had the same, the data from Raven's systems requiring a comb. He followed Javi, loading his bag into the back of the pickup truck, knowing that Enri still gave him evil eyes, but well, they'd at least amicably agreed that once the work was done at Reunion, they could call it half-even. They'd never be the same, but at the least, Raph left Enri on better terms than they'd arrived to, knowing she'd likely leave behind all of this. For him, going to see family wasn't so tempting, and while it would be nice to catch up on affairs, the state of the world's chaos never seemed to sleep. He had enjoyed the break, the slow packdown, but it was time to start a new project. Maybe even get a new team so he could focus more on the strategic side of things. The satellite weapon that Artemis had commissioned had been knocked out given their actions in Chile, but Raph knew he had plenty to do to make sure it never could be reactivated, and that was his project for the foreseeable, one of the few that could be trusted to delve into it. With the pickup truck fired up, Sophie, Vincent, Javi and Raph were ready to leave, and prepared for the journey ahead, on their various paths. [center][h2] Antti Järvinen [/h2][/center] The air felt a little tricky, as sitting inside of the Raven's Rock, Antti realised he was nearly the last person left. Until he had heard the large Russian wonder over, if not a tectonic plate moving. Natalie, Natalya, Natalia, whatever spelling some poor bastard had decided to use that would offend, stood almost regal, her red blouse and tights screaming under the sheer amount of Russian mother that they had to deal with today. Athena got it from her, but so did Freya. Shorter, of course, and in age, fighting harder to stay like this, but she aged as gracefully as the Alsace winery she seemed to breathe out. "Antti. I wanted to say thank you." Natalie almost felt like she was ordering, as Antti shrugged, barely phased by the half Russian, half Frenchwoman's pleasantry. Not because he was rude. But because he was Finnish. "A pleasure, Colonel. The team did what they had to. We're packed up. Did you keep any of the Raven team?" "Yes. Purna and Ebrima stayed on, as contractors. Helpful for training. And given my daughters wanted a break. Silly girls. They re-enters the atmosphere, and thinks that business will stop....I thought I raised better children. At least Jamie still gets to work. And you work hard, Antti." "That's why you hire me, Boss. Are you not happy they are alive?" Antti got a rare chuckle out of Natalie, as she leant in, the Matriarch leading the way still, wanting to keep conversation with the Finn. "Me and Victor didn't raise weaklings. And did not skimp on the heat properties of their titanium. Yes, as always, I am right to hire you. I have a wedding to go to. My oldest daughter has decided she has wanted to take the hand of another giant. And my husband thinks this is a good idea. Hah. I feel sorry for him already. Freya will never bend to any man." Natalie chuckled with almost an evil intent, walking through the armoury, her heels clicking on concrete, before talking in the Finn's quiet. "What about you, Antti? What will you do?" Natalie asked, as Antti took a moment to think that over. What wouldn't he do that any Finn would? "Fish. Hunt. Drink. Enjoy retirement. And come back when you need me. And you, Mrs Kaantario?" Antti simply stated, keeping it simple, as Natalie appreciated that plenty. The armoury doors opened, as Natalie walked on in, looking back to Antti over her shoulder, shrugging. "I came here for a fitting. Because now one daughter is engaged, and another is....enjoying herself, and my son is now alone. I think it's about time I check he has help. And I'm not talking about the wedding dress for my eldest daughter. Leave a woman alone, would you?" Natalie chuckled, as Antti looked confused, holding before the door where the Heavies had geared up, hearing nothing but a quieting voice, as heels came off, blouse dropped as Antti let the matriach keep her modesty, albeit her voice didn't stop even alone in her little temple. "Now, Miss Zeiss. I suppose because my youngest can't be bothered....I shall enjoy the fruits of your labour a little." Natalie seemed to almost revert to a historical state, and with it, gave a hearty laugh, the bare feet on floor turning into an ocean of grunting. Followed by the sounds of strapping boots on the other end and an awful lot of rustling. Standing outside, he sent an archaic encrypted message as he leant against the wall, smoking a cigarette, finally loaded from the server that he'd been responsible for dismantling. Antti had thought about this a while. He was normally loyal, obedient, to a point, and blunt. A well earned rest was on his mind. But even in the short period they'd spent here, he wanted to make sure he paid back the team what was owed. Skye had bonded well with him, away from the rest, and through Tahlia, he understood full well what that meant. So, he left a final message, while the boss was busy clearly trying to fit into something that was made for a very different giantess. "I found Skye's last messages on the server. She tagged them for you. Sending it across. Good luck, Raven Squad. You are always welcome for tea, sauna, and sausages on a stick." That send was pinged, as he looked out at the green forest out of the armoury door, before looking back and up to see Natalie in that THICC suit of Laura's, an earth-destroying grin on her face. "Perfect fit. Victor's going to want a divorce when he finds out, but I think....when he sees it he might change his mind. This was what I came for." Natalie gave a playful flex, chuckling. Any slowness stopped because it was exactly where it had left off. A muscular-based exoskeleton in the hands of a 50 year old? It was like the years rolled back. And well, Laura's bust was not far off Natalie's....and she was absolutely back to feeling like she was in her younger days again. And she felt incredible doing it. "Make sure to bring a helmet. A sniper will get you." Antti pointed out with barely a crack or grin, though Natalie knew that full well, and would riff on that. "Field generator will cover that. I prefer the improved vision....this new fangled technology, I think...it would be rude not to try. Thank you Antti. I'll leave you to it." Natalie smiled, walking away, indulging in just how silly this thing was, like her old armour but turned up to 11, and well, it brought out everything just how she wanted. Both her daughters had nothing on this. With her phone buzzing inside one of the pockets, linked to the suit's network, she picked up, Antti watching on at the base's new quiet, but the quietening. Now this was something she hadn't done in years. And my....the years just disappeared in that moment. And Victor would soon be won around. When she saw his wife's figure in this thing. Shit, maybe this was why Laura was so crazy....even Natalie had to admit, this made a siren of her, if that siren had six inches of liquid armour, titanium and dragonskin plating. The voice from Antti's perspective quietened. "General Lawrence. Yes, I'm aware. I thought you might ask, but my daughter is unavailable. But we can deliver on that contract. I will see to it personally with my son. Yes. No, no, Victor...he's tied up with some other affairs for now, and he'll understand. And so will my other daughter. But we're a company of our word. I'll talk when we have it bagged and tagged...." The voice tailed, as Antti looked at his phone, knowing it had been received by the team, as the message pinged. The voice in the distance changed, with a barrelling laugh as she connected another call. "Freya! Oh, you'll never guess what your mother found...." [hr] [center][h2] Sometime Before Reunion [/h2][/center] Sitting at the laptop, Skye sipped down her coffee, looking at the deployment regime, following the EVA training for Ark Angel....if it came to that. Skye hoped not, but then again, best to cover Rose off if she was trying something. Another fucking horrid day of it. For them. She'd already put herself through that usual hell. She updated, a few things, checking her phone's private calendar once again. It was that time again. She didn't like ever doing this. It felt a bit archaic, but then again, things with Rose had made her go on edge a little more. So, she cleared her throat, and with it, set up the camera. She had a few more things to say. [b]Soundtrack: [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvGLjYdMzJs]Ed Sheeran- Fire[/url][/b] There were other clips in there. But the first was the most recent. "Hey. I guess I'm not really meant to do this....and given I'm a ghost I suppose I usually kept the same. Given I'm not really a person anymore either, after all of this, maybe this is stupid. But we will kill her. We will end this. Whether or not I end up on that other end. If you're hearing this, there's a good chance I didn't. Fuck, I've tried to record this a few times already. So, it's hard to know what to put into words." Skye stopped, looking down, almost as if wondering what the point was, her words confused. "And if so....I guess this overwrites my usual message. That I expect to die in this game, that one. And I know all of you have that message too. But given we're at the end....well, of perhaps what Rose, a sister wearing my face has done, seen things, done things that none of us could ever be trained for, I suppose I may as well alter what you hear." Skye's voice seemed stoic, yet drifting in thought, in memory. "I didn't deserve anything special. My usual message would tell you to bury me at sea. Forget I existed. Remove the slate....because I've just been a tool in the service of the team I work with. And it always was there. Nothing else. Makes things easier for you to move on with your lives." Skye started, as she sighed, breathing out, her thoughts wild on this before the trip to Reunion. "But I thought about it. About her. About all of it. And....to be human is to die and know it." She added, as she leaned back, eyes up, before looking back at the camera. "So, given how things are going, the mission being kill her or humanity dies...if something were to happen to me.....there's a quiet alcove in the Isle of Skye. In a place called Fairy Pools, under the Black Cullin, you'll find a braid off the footpath from where the stream's waterfalls pour under the mountain at a blue looking rock. It goes through a rocky braid of the stream, up a teeny little wee valley. You can't really miss it. And behind that, there's a small tuft of wildflower, almost a strange looking circle of grass, with a stone circle. I'd like my fiddle left there at the front of it, and a rock with my name on it. I never had a request before, for any of this. But if this is the one that kills me, knowing that you lived to kill Rose....I'd like solace to know I existed." Skye started, knowing it was a strange request. "My dad took us there once, and I remember it just being special. So, I suppose if I don't get to show you there myself....I'd like you to leave the memory of me there." Skye stopped, the serious face turning to a chuckle, shrugging her shoulders. "I understand that's something from The Big Lebowski, but....I'd appreciate it." Skye added, exhaling, thinking hard about what she wanted to say next. "This world is flawed. But if you're hearing this, it means you're capable of going back to it and doing some good, beyond all of what you just saved. There won't ever stop being threats to everyone, people who want to take away everything from good people. But that's why you're here. And even if you don't stay....know that it was a pleasure, and you'll do the same beyond Raven. If you're getting this at all, it's been a few months. Antti probably held onto it, and I'm hoping that he got told by me to delete it when we get home. And I made sure you all got some well earned leave, from me, from Raven, from saving the world. But if not.....and if there's an afterlife, or...well, I suppose pragmatically, a better place to put an overpriced instrument than my office, I'd appreciate it. One last memory I can leave you with. Thanks, team." Skye signed out, cutting the recording, breathing out. "Fuck me." She said to herself, tapping the desk. "Fuck me sideways. What was that....getting bloody emotional shit." Skye chuckled, shaking her head, still unsure why she'd done that. It wasn't to be thought about much. The redhead adjusted her hair, closed everything down, and shut her laptop off, standing out of the desk and looking at the evening, hearing the noise of the team below through the partially open door. She took a deep breath in, and headed back out, knowing she best not miss dinner again with work.