LIGHTNOVELONLINE RM Vol 2: National Development – Chapter 24: Section One
Deep into the night, a motorized convoy is driving deeper into a forest near Rostock, Belka. The convoy is a bit special for they're comprised of the newer generation of equipment that Belka has to offer. Ranging from lighter utility vehicles like the Enok light armored patrol vehicle, Eagle infantry mobility vehicle, HX or Helix tactical truck, to better armored and more specialized vehicles like the Fennek light armored reconnaissance vehicle and the Dingo MRAP.
Special as they are, they're also driving in a clandestine faction to perform a special task.
"Sir, we have just past kilometer 99." A Lieutenant reported after he analyze the terrain and corresponding it to the map he was holding. Strangely enough, he is unarmed and so does everyone in the convoy.
Sitting in the commanding vehicle which is a 4x4 Eagle, the Major in charge of this convoy then gives the order. "Stop the convoy!"
Per his instruction, all vehicles grind to a halt. The Major then steps off the Eagle to survey the surrounding, the same can be said for the dozens or so men and women that are dismounting their vehicles. With wary eyes, they await the arrival of their contacts to fulfill their end of the bargain.
After waiting for ten minutes and under the constant battering of the chilly night wind, the Major and the rest come to see shadowy figures landing just shy of the convoy's headlights. Understandably, the convoy crew is alarmed. With their honed instinct reaches for their weapons, the ones that they left behind before going here. Hence, they can only curse silently as they watch the shadows step closer and into the light. The bright light then reveals dozens of Tengus, dressed in black with each Tengu sporting a white featureless mask. Seeing the contacts in all of their glory, the Major grits his teeth before addressing the Tengu's supposed leader.
"We're unarmed and have brought a convoy loaded with arms and munition. Now, where the hell is my family!?" The Major's hatred for the group, though kept under a lid, could still be felt.
The convoy crew echoes the same sentiment with their gazes. Whatever these Tengus have done, they certainly didn't garner any fans. This, however, doesn't stop the leader of the Tengu to step forth with a laugh, their voice garbled into a genderless mess.
"I can see that you've obeyed your instructions and I am impressed that you're able to convince your cohorts to arrive unarmed. Unfortunately, I fail to see anything larger than those trucks you have behind you."
Scoffing, the Major replies. "You and I both know that the armored fighting vehicles are outside my jurisdiction. What you are seeing in front of you is what you will be getting, more than enough of a price for you to return them! Now, where the hell are they!?"
Shaking his head, the Tengu leader says. "A shame, it has taken us years to set up this exchange, befriending you and whatnot, and this is the best you can do?"
"Treacherous son of a bitch! Rather than continuing this pointless discussion, answer the damn question!" The Lieutenant from before cursed at the Tengu.
They've been betrayed, backstabbed, and quite possibly, bamboozled for years by the Tengu in front of them. Now, after kidnapping the Major's family and using them to blackmail the Major into betraying the Reich. These Tengus have the audacity to chide the Major!? Of course, the soldiers of Belka are livid. Unfortunately, they can not do anything else as the Major's wife and three children are in the Tengus' hands.
Raising their hands up, the Tengu leader exasperatedly says. "Mah~... At least we can get something out of this. Sooner or later, Imperial Japan will unravel all the secrets Belka is holding, much thank your sacrifice, of course."
With a mocking tone, the Tengu then waves his hand, continuing. "As a reward for your effort, I present you your family!"
Another Tengu steps forth before throwing a hefty sack over to the Major. As the sack lands roughly, the content inside rolls out. Much to the dismay of the Belkans and the horror of the Major, the things that rolled out are the decaying heads of the Major's family, encased in ice.
Stunned, the Major is only shaken awake when the head of his youngest child rolls to his feet. Robotically crouching down and with shaky hands, the Major lifts the ice-covered head up. Sadness, terror, disbelief, unwillingness, and regret... These emotions fight a bitter battle to show themselves on the Major's face. Unknowingly for him, his tears are falling slowly as his brain and heart struggle to accept the devastation he has received.
When the Tengu leader takes stock of the Belkans' horrid expressions, he let out a sickening chuckle. "Yes, yes, yes! Those are the faces I wanted to see! Hahaha!"
"Oh, man! It was such a great call to torture the living daylight out of your family before letting their rotting heads be presented before you! The look on your face when your hope was crushed was priceless!" The Tengu laughed at the Major's misery, taking pride in committing such foul deeds.
"Motherfuckers! You are insane! Your whole nine generations are insane! Your fucking Goddess is insane for employing a slaughterer!" Someone from the Belkan crew cursed out loud.
Because they all have strong bonds of camaraderie for each other, the crew steps forth to cover for their Major. The female members crouch to comfort the soulless Major while the burly men stand in a protective circle around them. With the situation escalated thus far, everybody knows that they will be leaving their life behind tonight.
The Tengu leader, seeing this shows brother and sisterhood, coos. "Aw... Aren't you all sweet? Sorry to ruin your parade though, time is ticking and it's best we get the show on the road. No witness and all that."
The leader is just about to raise his hand, signaling the other Tengus to kill the unarmed Belkans when the sound of bodies falling is heard, not from the Belkans though. Turning around with a sense of foreboding, the Tengu leader is shocked when the dozens or so subordinates he brings to secure the convoy are dead. They died either to decapacitation or a precise shot to the head, leaving behind a pool of blood that darken the dirt path.
Alarms are now going haywire inside the leader's head. So, ignoring the shocked looks from the Belkans, the leader unfurls his black wings and tries to make a hasty escape, mission be damned. Yet, right at the moment he is about to take flight, a flash of white light appears behind his back.
"Aiiieeee!!!" Accompanying by a painful scream, rivaling that of a banshee, the leader's proud pair of wings were cut off from the root.
As the pain is so intense, comparable to that of having their balls crushed, the Tengu leader falls onto the ground, thrashing about mindlessly with hoarse screams. The unknown assailant that made this happens reveals herself then, looking derisively down as leader as if they are nothing but a mere bug.
"A total scumbag that serves only to waste the precious oxygen of the world." Clad in a full-white robe, Alina spat out the venomous words hatefully.
"While I would love to end your miserable existence," Raising the silvery scythe she has in her hands, Alina continues. "It will be too easy for you."
Injecting a minuscule amount of energy into the scythe handle, its blade starts glowing white hot before Alina slashes downward, cutting off the legs of the Tengu leader while also cauterizing it. Though he isn't dead, the Tengu leader falls into a painful slumber due to the sudden traumas he received. After making sure he stays that way until extraction, Alina turns to address the others.
"All hostiles eliminated. Move and secure the area for extract." Alina said.
From the dark treeline, hidden figures start appearing one after another, kitted in special gears suitable for covert ops. They are operatives under Section 1 of the Office of National Intelligence, in charge of Belka internal security. The soldiers in black spread out to contain the site, securing all the evidence and corpses while the Captain moves to Alina.
The Captain of the team salutes Alina after slinging his integrally suppressed MP-9. "Ma'am, thank you for the assist." He then takes off his gas mask. "We would have been hard-pressed to bag them all without your help. Section Head Agent sends her regards."
Nodding her head calmly at the Captain, Alina responds. "I was in the area when I got wind of this situation. Knowing that Japan has backstabbed us like this, it's better that we secure all the evidence we can to burn them at a stake. Sadly..." Turning to look at the now dispirited Major, Alina continues. "The Major paid the ultimate price in his service for the motherland."
They both regard the shell-shocked Major with pity as his subordinates try to rouse the man back to the land of the living. The Captain, seeing the broken man, shakes his head. "For the loyalty he showed, the man deserved better than having his family slaughtered like animals. When forced to choose between the safety of his family and his loyalty to the motherland, the Major chose the latter by informing us of this transgression. Unfortunately for us, we were too late, damn Japs didn't even honor their end of the bargain symbolically."
Hearing the regret in the Captain's tone, Alina can only nod, not knowing how to react to this situation. She does, however, tell the Captain to relay this detail.
"If, and only if, the Major is back with us, tell him to come to Section Four. There's a program there that will be needing a man like him, especially if he is able to transform the despondency he is feeling right now into something more... Fiery. That's the best we can offer to him right now."
The Captain, knowing just what sort of program Alina is saying, nods. "I see, give him power and point him at his enemy, he will be dying to obey every command we give."
"That's right, it's a bit cruel but it's better than the Major choosing to commit suicide after this. In that case, Belka would lose a great soldier."
It's unknown whether the Major is able to hear their conversation or not but deep in the man's eyes, an ember of grim determination is morphing into something else.
Something much fiercer than a mere ember.