["Fortress"]

[March 12th – 23:48:12]

[MAC-SOG]

[Solitas, Fort Arrowfell]

Anthony, Carlos, and Blake are gliding with parachutes towards the base in Solitas. Using night vision goggles while Blake has thermal, they guide themselves to an open area and Anthony and Blake kills the two guards with their silenced M18 pistols. As they land, their parachutes detach, and Carlos takes out an M416 Suppressed ACOG Sight.

Blake: Keep up or we'll leave you behind.

Blake grumbled as she and Anthony started to move quickly with Carlos following closely behind them. It's no surprise to the him that Blake is still upset that Carlos didn't tell his past, which cost Vincent's death.

They start their way through the castle grounds. Anthony sees two guards with flashlights. They hide behind a small wall.

Anthony:*via comm link* Get down.

He ordered, they immediately lay prone behind the edge of the wall as Carlos crouched next to them.

Blake:*via comm link* Get caught in those lights and we're done before we've started.

Blake gave a hand gesture behind her, telling Carlos to stay low. They saw the lights shone around them. They waited for a moment until the guards didn't see anything, they began to move away from the three. Anthony peeked out a little from the wall and slowly got up from the ground.

Anthony:*via comm link* Move.

Anthony told as the three got and began to move. They were following the guards for this moment.

Blake:*via comm link* Wait...

Blake said as they immediately hid behind another rocky wall.

Guard 1: How's life?

Guard 2: Cold, dark and humid.

Guard 1: Ha! Yeah, I'm not talking about your sex life.

Guard 2: Ha-ha. Very funny.

They saw an extra three guards coming out from their left and eventually linked up with the two guards they followed before. The guards are then going away from the two positions, seeing that they follow their routine of patrol to the south.

Anthony:*via comm link* This way. Now.

Anthony told as the three stood up and began to move quickly to the left. They move down to the edge of a area filled with vehicles and patrols. Blake glanced at Carlos, not fully looking at him.

Blake: When we're down there, you move when we move. Do as we do. Understand?

Carlos: Yeah.

Anthony: Let's go.

Anthony goes down first, then Blake, followed by Carlos. The three hid behind a transport truck in front of them. Anthony checked to make sure no one was around before they started to move. The sound of Dust engines on top of them and the weather helped them to hide the sound of their footsteps and movements.

Anthony: Hold...

Anthony said as Blake and Carlos stopped behind him and crouched, spotting a guard ahead who wasn't facing their directions as he passed by.

Anthony: Only shoot at what you can kill.

Blake and Carlos followed Anthony, ignoring the guard ahead who is almost out of sight. Anthony peeked out and took a look at the gap between the trucks.

Anthony: Go.

Anthony said as he, Blake, and Carlos passed the gap with their weapons aiming at the gap. There was a guard there, but it wasn't a concern considering he didn't look behind him. Looking around, Blake knew they were surrounded by security all over. They go prone, crawling under the trucks, hiding from several patrols. They reached the end of the gap but stopped when they spotted multiple Shadow Company and Atlas troopers near the light.

Anthony: Wait!

Anthony hastily whispered and plants a C4 charge under the truck.

Anthony: We'll plant C4 and drop IR strobes for the Navy to cover our escape. We'll burn this place down if we have to.

Blake and Carlos nodded as they waited for the guards to walk away from the small area. Only one SC was left blocking their way, standing in between the gap of a jeep and a truck. And moreover, he was shone by the light of the spotlight from the top left of the building. They crawled out from underneath the trucks and took cover near the jeep.

Guard 3: Damn, I don't get it. Why won't you see the doctor?

Guard 4: What will I tell him?

Guard 3: The truth! Or... something close to truth.

Guard 4: What if he files a report? I'm done then!

Guard 3: Well, it's better than... suffer like this? So what, does it still... change its color?

Guard 4: Not anymore. It's blue since Tuesday.

Guard 3: Well... maybe it's recovering?

Guard 4: Thanks.

Guard 3: Or maybe it will fall off soon!

Carlos: Take him out, but don't get caught in that spotlight.

Carlos said as he gestured a knife-hand at the SC ahead.

The spotlight moved away from the guard's location, much to Blake's luck. She moved silently, using her combat knife to stab the SC in the neck and covered his mouth so he couldn't alert the others. Blake quickly drops his body to the ground, and Anthony dragged the body and put it below the truck next to them. They then took cover at the front of the jeep as the spotlight moved onto them, but didn't get spotted.

Anthony: Wait for it...

Anthony said, after 2 seconds the spotlight moves away from them.

Blake: Now!

The three dashed across the area to reach a part of the base's ruins ahead consist of a big old wall. They managed to hide from one nearby.

Blake: Over here.

Blake ordered as Carlos follows her to the west. Hiding behind a few small barrels, they spotted several Atlas soldiers on the platform ahead. To their luck, they're not looking at their directions, and instead, they are busy with the supply crates on the platform. Anthony goes prone and crawls under the platform, with Blake and Carlos following behind. As they continue to crawl, One of the guards has a flashlight, which he shines through the platform.

Anthony: Stop. Don't move.

Anthony ordered the two as he gave an open palm to them, making them stop moving immediately. They were lucky as the guard stopped and moved on.

Anthony: Right ya. C'mon. Plant C4 on the platform.

Blake did as she was told and planted a C4 under the platform.

Moving to the end of the platform, a guard jumped down and was standing there, overlooking the area.

Anthony: Easy...

After a moment, the guard walks away to the right.

Anthony: Clear. Go.

They crawled out of the platform and kept moving straight, looking while moving. Carlos saw the security office on their right and pointed out the building

Carlos: There's the security office.

Blake followed Anthony and reached the door office.

Anthony: We'll handle this.

Anthony takes out his M18 Suppressed and Blake takes out her Tactical Knife. Blake knocks on the door. The guard opens it and Blake shoves in, knifing the first guard and Anthony silently killing the other three inside.

Blake: Clear.

Carlos: Jesus...

Carlos said as he enters the room and the door closes. The three approached the monitors in the room. Carlos noticed the area they needed to go.

Carlos: They've got cameras outside the command center. Both sides – here, and here.

Anthony and Blake saw what Carlos point towards the two screens. Seeing them carefully, they also took notes of the dead POW White Fang members in the cells.

Blake: Fuck. Well, we'll just have to knock on the door.

Anthony approached a gated door that was in the back of the room. He notice the biometric lock and carried the body of the guard and used the hand to the door which was secured using a biometric lock.

Anthony: Thanks, boi.

He mindlessly dropped the body's hand away and cocked his assault rifle. Following Anthony, Blake and Carlos entered the staircase. Right after they are about to go downstairs in a circle, they heard troops down below.

Anthony: Quiet... Night-vision on, Marston.

Anthony ordered as Carlos put on his NVGs.

Blake: I'll take care of the lights.

Blake told them as she quickly went down first. They quickly stack up beside the open doorway ahead. Blake got a hold on the light witch

Blake: Ready?

Anthony: Yeah, B.

Carlos: Ready.

Blake proceeded to slip the switch off. Shutting down the whole lights in the proximity of the building.

Anthony: Weapons free!

Blake and Carlos follows Anthony, shooting at the surprised troops. They went down quickly.

Blake: Sweep through this area fast. They won't know how few we are in the dark.

The three entered the cells where the captured dead faunus were. Knowing she can't help them, Blake keeps moving with a even angrier look. She took the path on the left by herself and stabbed an troops in the doorway, and nearly got shot by another, who blindly shoots out of his cover ahead of her in which Carlos shot with his pistol. With some being right in front of them, Blake got out a grenade and killed them all in one go.

Anthony: Oh dammit all! They're using flares!

Anthony shouted as the troops threw flares into the area where they were, making them visible. With their cover blown, they had to take them down quickly.

Anthony: Marston! Take your night-vision off. We'll do this the old school.

Carlos removes his NVGs and resumes engaging the troops at the halls. After a while, they manage to clear the cells.

Anthony: You're on point, B. Go.

Approaching another room, a Shadow Company trooper was using a alive prisoner hostage, Blake aimed and fired at the Shadow Company trooper with a headshot, killing him.

Perry:*scared* Whoa! I thought I was a goner-

Anthony:*to Perry* Get out of here! Go!

Perry:*scared* Yes, sir!

Perry scurried away. With the room empty, Anthony leads the two towards the back, where the door to the exit was.

Carlos: We have about ten minutes until they find their dead.

Anthony released the locks and slowly opened the door. With the snowy rain still falling, the three went up the platforms, looking around before moving. They approached the near bridge, facing it.

Blake: This bridge is the only way in or out of the base. Plant some more C4 on the column.

Approaching the column of the bridge, Carlos plants a C4 charge.

The three kept moving and ended up in a narrow cliff and the rain falling on them.

Anthony: This whole thing looks like it's about to collapse...so take it slow.

Anthony informed, who led backward and moved through the ledge slowly. They kept moving through, climbing the platform and ended up back in the fortress. Suddenly, Anthony stopped and began to notice an interesting part of the wall on their left.

Anthony: Hold on... Change of plan.

He said as he wired a bomb on the bottom and started on the sides.

Anthony: The control center is just above us. Looks like we won't have to shoot our way in. The thunder will hide the sound of the blast. Wait for my signal.

He gets by a window, away from the explosion. Blake, who received the detonator, waited for Anthony to give her the signal. As soon as the thunder hit, Anthony gave her the signal.

Anthony: Now.

Blake detonates the wall charge. The explosion has masked the right time when the thunder strikes. No one heard the explosion, which made them feel safe. They move in and see logs holding together between two walls.

Anthony: We can climb up here. C'mon.

Both Anthony, Carlos, and Blake began to climb up the command center with the help of the narrow space and woods. They kept climbing, and they ended up at the wall behind the control room, where the TV had Ghira Belladonna talking. They could see through the small holes in the wall. There were several Shadow Company and Atlas troopers, and on screen, Falcon Greene was walking around him waiting for him to talk.

Blake was the first one to finally speak as she covered her mouth and spoke softly.

Blake: Dad?

Anthony: Take explains why he was marked MIA.

Carlos: But why did they capture him? Don't they usually...y'know?

Anthony and Blake glance at Carlos as he was right.

Ghira: For the last... time... I will not bow... to the demands... of terrorist thugs! I will die before I surrender my nation and allies.

His voice was weak, most likely due torture.

Falcon: I see... This is what we are dealing with, people. A stubborn old animal, hopelessly out of step with the changing world. You too, will change.

A guard walks in.

Guard: Sir, still no response from the security room.

Atlas Specialist: Get down there. Find out what's going on.

Ghira: Just one question. Why are you doing this?

Falcon turns to him.

Ghira: The conflicts. The capturing of Faunus both either innocent or not. Imprisonment of the two former Atlas councilmen. The manipulating USMC General Austin Reeves. Killing many people including the troops in the Mistral Base, the citizens of Mantle, killing James Ironwood, killing my goddamn son-in-law Vincent Towson! And trying to put most of the blame on 1st Lieutenant Carlos Marston!! WHY!?

Anthony and Blake glance at Carlos who glances back now knowing he's innocent. Now everyone was wondering. What is Falcon-

Falcon:*chuckles* Hehe...

Falcon started chuckling, then he started full blown laughing.

Falcon:*eyes red* YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY!! BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO SUFFER, HOW I SUFFERED!! THE PAIN! THE LOSE! EVERYTHING!!!! ATLAS WAS MEANT TO RULE REMNANT!! FAUNUS ARE EITHER SUPPOSED SERVE US OR DIE LIKE THE ANIMALS THEY ARE!! And NATO? FUCK! NATO!! Every single man, woman and child there CAN ALL BURN IN HELL!!!!!

Falcon begins to breathe in and out after his rant. That everyone witnessed.

Falcon: Are you listening? Because that's why.

Falcon's chilling laughter echoes through the command center, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. The tension in the room is palpable, the air heavy with Ghira's strained breaths and the team's disbelief at Falcon's unsettling revelations.

Ghira, his voice filled with a mix of indignation and sorrow, attempts to reason with Falcon despite the palpable threat looming over them.

Ghira: You speak of suffering and pain, yet your actions perpetuate the very cycle you claim to detest. Your thirst for power has blinded you to the suffering of others, to the lives you've shattered in the pursuit of your twisted ambitions.

Falcon's eyes burn with an intense fervor, his rage barely contained as he stares at Ghira with a twisted grin, reveling in the chaos he's orchestrated.

Falcon: Power is the only truth in this world! Those who stand against it are mere obstacles to be eradicated. Your cries for justice fall on deaf ears, animal. The world will bow before the might of Atlas, and I shall be its ruler!

Ghira's gaze remains unwavering, a resolve flickering in his eyes despite his captive state. He understands the gravity of the situation and knows the battle goes beyond physical constraints.

Ghira: Your reign will be built upon the suffering of innocents, a throne of lies and deceit. True strength lies in unity, in understanding, and in the determination to stand against tyranny.

Falcon's laughter reverberates again, cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade. His expression twists into a manic grin, devoid of empathy or reason.

Falcon: Unity? Ha! Weakness! The strong shall rule, and the weak shall cower. You are but a pawn in the grand scheme of things, animal. Soon, your resistance will crumble, and your pitiful defiance will be forgotten in the annals of history.

Ghira remains resolute, refusing to yield to Falcon's intimidation tactics. His voice, though strained, carries an air of conviction and hope.

Ghira: History remembers not the tyrants, but the heroes who stand against them. No matter the outcome, the spirit of resistance will endure. Your reign of terror will meet its end, Falcon. The people will rise, and justice shall prevail.

The tension escalates as the confrontation reaches a critical juncture, each word exchanged between Ghira and Falcon laden with the weight of their beliefs and convictions, foreshadowing the imminent clash between opposing ideologies and the impending showdown between good and evil.

The feed turns off.

Blake and Carlos: That motherfucker.

Anthony: Time to go.*to the helmet cam* You guys got all this?

Mihaly:*via comm link* In 4k, son.

Just as they were about to leave, the alarm went off.

Atlas Specialist: What's going on there? Have you got the response from the security or not? Search the people, search the grounds!

Both Anthony, Carlos, and Blake looked back into the room to the Atlas Specialist ordering the soldiers around to find out what was going on. The troops were all alerted, due to what happened to the fortress.

Carlos: Well shit. They must have found the bodies.

Blake: This should buy us some time.

Blake said as she pulls out a HE grenade, pulls the pin, and tosses it into the control room. The Atlas Specialist and two guards soon notice it.

Guard:*scared shitless* GRENADE!!

A guard shouted as everyone in the room scattered to get clear of the impending blast.

Anthony: Going down!

Anthony shouted as he, Blake and Carlos slid down the walls and they landed on the bottom as the grenade exploded, shell shocking Blake and Carlos. The impact has knocked down a wall into the kitchen. Blake and Carlos pulls out their weapons and fires at the stove, burning one of the hostiles.

Anthony: On your feet! We are leaving!

Anthony shouted as they engaged the troops and moved through the kitchen.

Anthony: A, Ghira is in trouble! Make sure your fueled up!

Anthony quickly contacted Aoto, as Blake and Carlos followed him.

Aoto:*via comm link* I'll get there. Don't worry.

It didn't take them long to neutralize all troops in the area. They went through the cellular by rushing in as a group and shooting the members on their left and right without a problem and reached the exterior of the base. They were about to take the stairs when suddenly someone threw a blinding light.

Carlos: Flash!

Carlos warned. But Blake still manages to take out hostiles.

They immediately went up some stairs, did a U-turn in the stairs before reaching the top. After Blake took out a guard up ahead, Anthony got ahead of her, leading her into the other part of the building again. They continued down the corridor and reached the open doorway ahead.

Blake: C! Don't slow down now! Sort 'em out!

Blake shouted as they immediately took cover next to the open doorway, with Blake peeking through.

There were about five SC in the room, taking cover behind chairs and sofas. Blake throws a flashbang through the doorway, blinding them. She and Anthony immediately charged into the room and opened fire on them. She scored three headshots and Anthony took out the other two. As they were about to reach another doorway, an Atlas soldier pokes his head out and was about to shoot, but Carlos eliminates hims quickly.

Blake: Through here! On me!

Blake shouted as she got ahead and took a right turn toward another part of the building. They went into another office, clearing it out and went outside. That's when they saw an rocket coming straight to them and it hit a pillar on their front right, making it collapse in front of them.

Anthony: Rockets!

Anthony warned as they immediately got into cover. Blake decided to split up, as she took the upper route to the right. She took a small step of the stairs and turned right following down the parapet as she shoots at the troops on the other side on the left. Once she made a turn to the next parapet, she went inside the corner building in front of her and immediately aimed her M18 to her right and shot three in the back who were trying to kill Carlos and Anthony, who was in the area, through the windows.

She turned around and saw a SC about to shoot her. Blake was quick to pull the trigger and shoot him in the head. She then exited the building through the door to the left and searched another parapet. She advanced through the as she killed two more SC troopers ahead. When she entered the building and advanced through, she met up with Carlos and Anthony, who reached the floor she is in.

Blake: They're just in time.

Blake said as two APCs accompanied by medium amount of SC troopers, began to pass through the bridge below.

Carlos pulled out a detonator and waited for the signal.

Blake:*smirks* Dew it.

Carlos detonates the C4 on the bridge, making it explode as the two APCs falls off the bridge and into the river, exploding. They can see that the bomb didn't fully destroy the bridge, and it took away half the bridge underneath in front of the two APCs.

Carlos: Might as well activate the IRs!

Anthony and Blake: Right!

They entered the building on their left, before turning right in the building to reach the window that's facing the bridge.

Anthony: Jump!

Blake and Carlos jumps out the window and safely lands on the truck below, Anthony follows. They cross the bridge and engage the troops, a Bullhead, and a APC at the motor-pool are; blocking their way towards the gate.

Carlos: That APC and Bullhead is blocking our way out!

They had no choice, but to keep fighting against the troops with guns, Rocket Launchers, a Bullhead, and a APC. They don't have the weapons to destroy the APC, and the troops are swarming the area ahead. Suddenly, Blake saw an opportunity ahead.

Blake: On me!

Blake shouted. Not asking why, Carlos and Anthony follows closely, ignoring the heavy gunfire. The three get into a jeep, with Blake in the driver seat and Anthony and Carlos in the back, providing covering fire. They managed to get moving, at least without significant problems. But Blake drives straight towards the APC ahead.

Carlos: Detonating C4! Now!

Anthony:*looking up* Here comes the Tomahawk cruise missiles!

Carlos then detonated the C4 planted all around the are explode, allowing them to break out of the gates and escape and as the Navy missiles hit the base. As Blake drives, Anthony and Carlos returns fire to the troops behind them.

Blake: Hold on!

Blake shouted as she swerved the steering wheel to the left. The jeep drifts around the sharp left corner as the back of the jeep is on the edge of the cliff and destroys the wooden guardrail on the cliff.

Anthony: APCs!

Anthony shouted as Blake spotted APCs ahead along with a large number of Shadow Company and a Tomahawk cruise missile about to hit them. They're getting shot as the jeep's hood is burning hot in its maximum speed.

Anthony: Hope you're still carrying your reserve, guys!

Anthony hopefully stated. Blake swerved to the right and passed the massive explosion from their right where APCs and a large number of Shadow Company. Blake hits the gas hard as she wasn't aiming to drive through the that mess. But instead, she's going to drive the jeep off the cliff ahead.

Anthony: Get your chutes ready!

He shouted as they crashed through a guardrail off the cliff. They jump out of the jeep and open their reserve chutes just as the jeep crashes and explodes below them.

Blake: A, get us out of here.

Aoto:*via comm link* Roger. I'm on the way.

They glide safely across the river. The team adjusts their trajectory, steering towards the designated rendezvous point with precision. With the expertise of seasoned operatives, they descend closer to the ground.

As they finally touch down, they heard a noise in the bushes and aimed their weapons at it until Perry comes out with his hands raised.

Perry:*nervous* Uh... I h-hi? I guess we meet again?

The three lower their weapons with a annoyed sigh.

Carlos: Say A, we are also bringing in one more. He was a POW. From the Battle of Vale.

Aoto:*via comm link* Got it, be there in a all black HH-60G Pave Hawk.

Perry:*nervous* So... uh... my names Perry. What's yours?

Anthony, Carlos, and Blake:........

Perry:*nervous* Good talk...

The atmosphere at the rendezvous point remains tense. Anthony, Carlos, and Blake maintain a vigilant stance, their expressions reflecting the gravity of their recent mission, while Perry nervously tries to ease the tension with awkward attempts at conversation.

Perry's attempt to initiate dialogue falls flat, met with a stoic silence from the three operatives. They exchange glances, communicating a shared understanding without uttering a word.

Anthony finally breaks the silence, his tone firm and unwavering.

Anthony: Focus. We're not here for small talk.

Carlos nods in agreement, his gaze scanning the surroundings for any potential threats. Blake remains observant, her attention divided between the perimeter and their incoming extraction.

Blake: Stay quiet and stay alert. We're not out of the woods yet.

Perry, sensing the gravity of the situation, falls silent and adopts a more cautious demeanor, understanding the need for vigilance in the midst of a potentially dangerous situation.

Minutes later, the distant sound of rotors heralds the arrival of the HH-60G Pave Hawk. Aoto, their pilot, skillfully maneuvers the helicopter into position for extraction. The team wastes no time, swiftly boarding the aircraft, maintaining their readiness even as they settle in.

As the Pave Hawk ascends, leaving behind the site of their mission, the operatives remain composed, focused on the next steps of their operation. Perry, albeit apprehensive, finds solace in the relative safety of the helicopter, grateful for the rescue and hoping to assimilate into the group's dynamics, despite the lingering tension from their encounter.

Amidst the roaring chopper blades, the team silently contemplates the outcome of their mission, preparing for the debrief and the next set of directives that await them upon their return.