Chapter 76 - Emergency

"This is an emergency!"

It was around 6 in the morning when Team Delta and Team Echo were both summoned at the main meeting room of the Rayvix Special Forces.

Maj. Gen. Lucian was sitting in front of the head of the long table. Everyone's eyes were focused on the graph and pictures shown on the screen. Standing beside the screen was Colonel Arias McLean who was briefing them about the incident that happened just hours ago.

"This is the main base of our soldiers in the country of Agrana. As we all know, Agrana is a small and poor underdeveloped country located in the Northeast. Floods that often happened in the country led to famines and people often end up homeless due to the floods." Colonel Arias explained while showing them some pictures of the small country.

"Our soldiers fly there a month ago after receiving an order from the Defence Ministry. The Government of Agrana requested our country to help them in handling the terrorist who claimed some of their country's territory as theirs. As an ally, some of our soldiers were sent to the Rago District to maintain peace for the people there."

Displaying some pictures from the Rago District, the Colonel explained, "It is a small district in the North of the country and they often suffered floods and even cyclones. Besides, there is the base of an infamous terrorist organization at just a distance from the district."

"Now, let's get to the point." Colonel Arias glanced at the Commander who gave him a nod. "The base of our soldiers was attacked last night. They often faced the terrorists before but there were never casualties. It was different last night."

"Twenty soldiers were sent a month ago. Among them, 18 are the ranks of Private to Sergeant, one is a Captain and they are headed by a Lt. Colonel. At last night incident, five soldiers died in the scene while six suffered a serious injury and four were captured."

Captured? The expression of all the soldiers changed when they heard the word. Five died and even though they don't know who the five soldiers were and it happened often, it was always hurt to lose a comrade!

"How about the other five?" Captain Yelena asked right away.

"Three of them suffered a small injury and two of them survived unscathed." Colonel Arias paused a while and then continued. "The only Captain was among the deceased and the Lt. Colonel suffered a serious injury in the leg. The injured were admitted to the nearest hospital and only two remains. The complicated thing is that among the two remains, one is a Private and one is a Corporal."

"That means there is no one to take charge of the situation." Captain Eleanor remarked.

"That's right." The Colonel responded. "The enemies were large in number during the incident. Our soldiers reported that they were doubled compared to their usual numbers. But our soldiers managed to kill 6 of them and many of them suffered a serious injury too. They also managed to capture two enemies and some retreated with light injuries."

"The ones captured from our side and the enemy side are mostly injured but the injuries are not life-threatening." Colonel Arias informed the soldiers.

"Last night, our Government already talk with the leaders of Agrana. The Government of Agrana currently helps in looking after our injured soldiers. We received orders to go there as soon as possible. That's why we summoned you here."

"Two teams." The Commander finally spoke up. Rising from his seat, he narrowed his eyes at the soldiers in the room. "Team Delta and Team Echo will be dispatch to Agrana." He declared.

"Colonel Arias McLean." Maj. Gen. Lucian called for the Deputy Commander.

Standing in attention, the Colonel responded, "Present!"

"You will be leading the two teams for this mission. Prepare yourself and leave for Agrana after two hours." The Commander ordered.

"Yes, Sir!"

With that said, the Commander left the meeting room and all eyes were on the Deputy Commander.

Glancing at the members of the two teams, the Colonel commanded, "You heard the Commander. Let's move!"

"Yes, Sir!"

For soldiers, they need to be prepared all the time for an emergency like now. That's why all the members of the Rayvix Special Forces would always put all necessary things in their office, ready to be dispatched all the time.

Not even knowing when they could return to their homeland or if they could come home alive, every day could be their last. The five soldiers in Agrana would also be sent back to their country but it will be their corpses that reach their beloved family.

Only an hour had passed yet the soldiers were all set to leave but an hour still remains before the military helicopter arrived to pick them up.

In the Deputy Commander's office, Colonel Arias was sitting all alone with a fully packed tactical backpack on one corner of his office.

He seemed to be lost in his thoughts as he stared at the framed photo placed on the right of his desk. When he was aroused by the sound of the knocking of his office door, he responded, "Come in."

Captain Ella entered his office and stood before his desk. "Sir, the Commander wants you to meet him. He said that he wants to brief you on something." She informed the Deputy Commander.

"I understand." Colonel Arias replied while narrowing his eyes at the desk.

Captain Ella was about to turn around and leave the office but the Colonel's voice stopped her from doing so.

"Ella." Colonel Arias muttered and lifted his head to look at her. "Will you be okay?" He asked her.

Glancing at the photo on the table, Ella sighed. "Are you thinking of your late brother?"

"Yes. Tomorrow will be a month after his death but I... I won't be able to visit his grave for even a second." The Colonel's voice was low and hopeless.

"He lives in your heart and that's good enough. Your brother will understand. You know that he always support your career." Ella calmly said to him.

"Then what about you? You know this is a very dangerous mission." Colonel Arias made a deliberate paused and narrowed his eyes at the desk again. "This is why I don't want you to join the Special Forces. We will leave for Agrana today and we don't even know if we could return alive or not."

"Are you afraid?" Ella asked as she walked towards him and stood behind him, putting both of her hands on Arias's shoulders.

"I'm not afraid of dying but I'm afraid to lose you. You know, my brother already left me and you're the only one I have. If anything happens to you, I won't be able to live on." He turned his chair around to face her.

"Why do you talk like you're allowed to die but I'm not? Do you think that I will be okay without you? If anything happens to you while we are at Agrana, I will kill all the so-called terrorists." She responded with a determined face, proving that she was serious.

Colonel Arias can't help but chuckle at her words. "I never know that you love me this much. I bet it will need many efforts and patience to hide your feelings from me. You know, I'm super bad at that."

"Whatever." Ella huffed when she heard his victorious talk. "Go now. The Commander is waiting for you."

"Okay." Arias nodded with a smile. Forgetting all his worries that flooded his mind just minutes ago, he walked out of his office with a smile never leaving his face.

Meanwhile, Yelena was not in a good situation. She couldn't reach Felix the whole night. Why was his phone being turned off for so long? Did something happened to him?!

She pressed the side of her head with her left hand while nervously squeezing her phone with the other hand.

After a few minutes, she will leave for Agrana. Based on what she heard, cyclones hit the Rago District just days ago and connections were not stable in that area for now. Will she be able to contact him when she reached the destination? Nothing was guaranteed.

After thinking for a while, she decided to write a message so that it will be delivered as soon as the Prince's phone was on. She was in the middle of typing the message when Lt. Morris entered her office and informed her that the General was here. She just sent what she managed to type as she was in a hurry. She immediately rose from her seat and put her phone in her pocket and stormed out of her office right away.

Listening to the advice of the General in the large training ground, Captain Yelena could only stare at her grandfather from the line where she was standing. She missed the old man but she was a soldier for now and personal matters should come later.

As soon as they were dismissed from the ground, she tried to approach her grandfather but she noticed that the General was already making his way to her.

"Grandpa." She smiled to greet him but the latter doesn't seem to be okay.

"You just recovered. Can you do this? It will be more dangerous than you imagine, Yelena." General Logan Arista said as he furrowed a brow. He should have instructed Maj. Gen. Lucian to count her out.

"I want to do this. Grandpa, I feel alive when I work on missions." She took a step closer and hugged the old General. "I will take good care of myself so don't worry about me. Tell my parents about this and will you please put in a good word for me? I don't want my mother to over worry." She said with a light laughter.

The General raised a brow. It's the first time that she ever asked him to tell her parents. In the past, even if she was about to take a very dangerous mission, she never bothered to inform her parents! His granddaughter had changed so much!

"Okay." A genuine smile plastered the old General's face as he hugged his only grandchild. "Be careful and know that your family will be waiting for you. I love you, my granddaughter."

The NH90 military helicopter landed on the helipad of the base. Five soldiers from Team Delta, another five from Team Echo and Colonel Arias; a total of 11 soldiers took their backpacks, board the helicopter and depart for Agrana, bidding goodbye to their homeland.....