With a creased map in hand, Percival trekked alongside Soren to a nearby abandoned mine.
At the mine's entrance, they stumbled upon a covert mark of White Tiger etched into the rock face, its meaning unclear yet undeniably significant. And there, scattered nearby, lay a cache of critical documents belonging to CK.
"Base, this is Soren. We've found the mark," Soren hollered into his headset.
A different voice crackled back, not Micah's as expected, but that of the HQ commander. "Copy that. Proceed underground."
Exchanging a glance, Percival and Soren strapped on their oxygen masks and descended into the bowels of the earth.
Markers bearing White Tiger's emblem appeared sporadically along the mine's tunnels-faded, but a trail they could follow nonetheless.
As they ventured deeper, the air grew thin, and a faint, metallic scent of blood wafted from the depths.
Suddenly, a clod of earth tumbled from directly above Percival.
"Run!" Percival barked, his eyes dark with urgency.
With lightning reflexes, Soren signaled to the team behind them, and the third squad retreated in a disciplined dash toward the exit.
Then, a thunderous collapse echoed from behind Soren.
"Captain!" He yelled.
"Get out of here. That's an order!" Percival's voice crackled through the headset as Soren could only glimpse his silhouette through the narrowing gaps in the debris.
"Captain, I'll get you out!" Soren halted along with a few others.
Percival's voice was icy. "Get lost. After you're out, find Vivienne!"
Leopold and Thomas, sensing the gravity of the situation, called out, "Captain, report your status!"
"Mine... Collapse... Get out..."
faded
down bullets like a hailstorm. Leopold and Thomas fought back while retreating to HQ. But unfamiliar with the terrain, the front
Leopold boosted their
at HQ, Micah shouted into the mic, "Wolf, unidentified
shouting to Soren,
knew staying meant certain
chance was to escape and return with reinforcements for
"Captain,
not without injuries-broken limbs and,
to life with Micah's voice urging Wolf to pull
comms are down. Send
to consider the consequences. They had to down
and relayed
the fight, downing two helicopters, while
casualties among them, they awaited further
his head hastily bandaged, relayed Percival's location to Leopold, insisting they had to go
mix of anger and resolve. "First squad, anyone who can still move, on
follow, dizziness from blood
to report and heal. Or the captain
with a cane, stormed over, nearly
there!"
who grew up with him. There was no
stakes but stood firm. "Look at your men. They're heavily wounded, and their lives
shoved Leopold aside and took Soren from Thomas. "Get him treated, then
with urgent news. "Deputy director,
grabbed the handset. "This
told you to wait for satellite confirmation before proceeding.
HQ to enter the mine. When were
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