Fire at Will [Mech Sci-Fi Military]

OPERATION CONDOR

The dark caverns of the undercity were silent, absent the usual rumble of transport and grinding industry. It was barely pre-dawn, still dark, lights dimmed—and nary a living soul was out and about. But in one far corner of the headquarters of a newly arrived mercenary group, shadows moved silently, creeping toward the gate.

Will held his breath, his mech emitting a quiet hum as he crept alongside a group of armed mercenaries. Becca was beside him in her mech, also equally silent. The one leading them opened the gate and waved them through. Waiting for them on the other side were three trucks, engines idling.

Will climbed into the last truck and was greeted by Damian, who gave him a silent nod. Lawson watched him, steely-eyed, and directed him to a seat beside Damian. Becca followed after and sat beside her. The doors of the truck closed with a quiet clang, and Damian slammed his fist onto the divider three times. The truck rumbled to life. The three vehicles took off into the dark tunnel.

Inside the truck, metal seats lined the walls. Damian was fully clad in dark mech armor, helmet clipped to his waist. His usual twin blades were absent; instead, a submachine gun sat on his lap. Will, seated beside him, glanced across to where Lawson was adjusting her armor. It was nondescript, just like Damian's, with no markings to indicate affiliation. Becca sat next to her, fidgeting and tapping her foot. Her helmet obscured her expression, but it was clear she was nervous.

"Keep your wits about you, girl," Lawson admonished. "Have a brave heart and you'll do fine."

Becca nodded sharply, stopping herself from moving.

Damian bent low and dragged out a metal box from under the seat. With a sharp clang, he opened the munitions box and handed out guns to Will and Becca.

"Gear up. You know what you're gonna need," said Damian, handing a high-powered rifle to Lawson.

Will quickly scanned through the assortment of armaments and took out a couple of smoke grenades and explosives. He had already packed wire cutters and tripwires. He absentmindedly touched the kit attached to his waist and resisted the urge to check it again for the umpteenth time.

"Do you have the breaker?" Lawson asked in a low whisper.

Damian nodded.

"South flank will be weak," Lawson continued. "I need you to cover it. Will be tough."

Damian waved off her concern. "Transfer two out to take on the armory. You need them more than me."

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"Alright. What about the barracks?" asked Lawson.

"We're good there," said Damian, glancing at Will and giving his kit a once-over. Not seeing anything missing, he nodded.

"You know what you have to do?" he asked gravely.

Will nodded.

"Okay then," Damian turned toward him. "Let's go through it again. What's our objective?"

"Capture any of the Condor leadership or the Revenant liaison."

Damian gave him a pointed look, and Will continued, "All the while pretending to be from the Habal—one of the neutral factions in the gang war, eliminated by the Condors."

"That's our cover," said Damian. "Remember, this is a revenge run by the surviving members, and you're one of the lower-ranking ones."

"Right." Will let out a breath.

Damian continued, glancing between Becca and Will. "So, what are your specific roles in this mission?"

He turned to Becca, and she answered, "I'll be assisting Lawson as overhead watch."

He turned back to Will. "And you?"

"I'm rear lookout. Once the team clears the zone, I'm to move in and secure the perimeter. Booby trap the place and hold position."

"Good," Damian nodded, satisfied. "Stick to your tasks and there won't be any issue."

Will made a face, his grimace masked by his armor. "Our troop size feels a little small for this mission."

"This is a covert operation. We can't risk exposure," said Damian, giving his firearm a once-over. "Only the most trusted members are on this run."

Will clasped his hands in front of him. He knew the reasons, but it was of small comfort. Only four more days until the General Assembly began, and this mission might make or break it. Everything had to go perfectly today.

Lawson cleared her throat. "Don't worry too much about the plan."

Will's head snapped up to look at her.

"Plans go awry. That's the nature of them," Lawson continued. "It's up to us to adapt. Remember your training—it won't lead you astray. If things go wrong and you have to take action that satisfies our overall objective, do it. I can't micromanage you during a firefight."

Will and Becca nodded. The truck lurched to the side, and they held on as the vehicle took a sharp turn. A ping came from the tactical network, and Lawson immediately put on her helmet.

Damian followed suit, holding one hand over his earpiece.

"Copy that, Echo 1. Position confirmed. Over and out," said Lawson, before glancing at the two younger cohorts. "Look alive, boots. Prepare to move out."

The truck slowed to a stop, and Damian flung the doors open. They stepped out, rifles at the ready.

Troops streamed out of the other two trucks, and Lawson directed them to split up into teams with a few hand gestures.

Silent as shadows, the troops slipped through the dark neighborhood toward a walled compound. Sentries manned the perimeter—but were quickly neutralized by expert marksmen. Before they even hit the floor, the team was up the wall within seconds, securing the defense line.

Will's heart was pounding, witnessing the fast execution. The troops were already rappelling down the wall into the compound. Damian signaled to Will. Letting out a breath, Will gave a thumbs-up. He was supposed to be rear lookout. Damian clapped him on the shoulder and vanished along with the rest of the troops.

Will stayed put on the wall, pretending to be one of the enemy guardsmen manning the perimeter.

Seconds ticked by. He stood sweating, waiting for the signal. The troops were now nowhere to be seen, disappeared into the shadows, eliminating people swiftly and proceeding deeper into the compound.

He didn't have to wait long. A ping came over the radio and moments later, a coordinated set of explosions rocked the compound. Buildings were reduced to rubble, fires bloomed, and a siren blared within the walls.

Will let go of the breath he had been holding. That was the signal.

He leapt off the wall into the chaos below.

The mission was a go.