Aurora lay on the narrow cot in the base's guest quarters, her eyes closed and she was drifting somewhere between sleep and waking when the knock came. Her body reacted before her mind did.
"Captain," Jace's voice came through the metal. "It's time."
Aurora opened her eyes. She rolled off the cot and hit the floor, dropping into a set of rapid push-ups.By the time she reached fifty, the fog in her head was gone.
She rose, pulled on her undersuit and opened the door.
Jace stood there, waiting. "You ever wake up like a normal person?"
Aurora stepped past him into the corridor. "Normal people don't get deployed to war zones before sunrise."
They walked side by side, Director Wallace was waiting near the armory entrance. "Captain Cross." he said, stepping into her path.
Aurora just looked him in the eye and walked right past him.
Wallace sighed and followed her into a sterile roomwhere the rest of the Clyck Squad was already waiting.
On the central table lay ten sleek, shimmering cases.
"These are your new combat suits." Wallace said, gesturing to the gear. "Nanotech. The most advanced tactical armor we've ever produced, designed specifically for the Clyck Squad by our lead developer, Dr. Aris."
Layla let out a low breath. "Holy shit."
Man in a lab coat stepped forward. "These suits interface directly with your nervous system." Aris explained. "What you think, the suit executes. It also enhances your natural speed and physical power tenfold. And the best part – the nanites can solidify into a weapon based on your mental command."
"Don't overuse the weapon-forming though." Aris added. "Your bodies still have limits. Ignore that and the feedback will hurt."
Aurora stepped forward, her suit stood apart from the others.
Aris noticed her stare. "Yours is command-optimized, Captain."
Aurora nodded. "Of course it is."
They suited up, the nanotech flowed over her skin and she felt it link to her nerves, a quiet hum settling into her bones.
Layla raised her hand experimentally. And the suit shifted, metal flowed outward, folding into a scythe.
"Whoa." she grinned, swinging the weapon. "I like this."
Wallace stepped forward one last time and cleared his throat. "That's all from us. Good luck, Clyck Squad."
Aurora turned. "Let's move."
The transport waited on the runway, the ten of them boarded a high-speed vehicle – a rectangular shaped craft designed for stealth and rapid deployment.
As the engines hummed, Jace slumped into a seat. "Gosh." he muttered. "This is about to be a long flight."
"I'm thinking of sleeping through it." Aurora said, leaning her head back against the vibrating hull.
Mike smirked at her. "Sleep is for the dead, Captain."
They lifted off and the world blurred beneath them. Continents passed and time slipping by in fragments of half-dreams and quiet thoughts.
When Aurora woke fully, the sun began to peek over the horizon. They landed at a Russian forward camp on the edge of a ruined European city.
As the ramp lowered, two figures walked out to meet them. A man in a European Council uniform approached. "Captain Aurora Cross. Director Mark Henderson."
And the one in Russian uniform approached after. "Colonel Aleksandr Viktor." he said, giving a salute."Russian Ground Forces."
Aurora inclined her head. "Captain Aurora Cross of Clyck Squad."
Viktor offered a faint smile. "Everyone knows humanity's greatest hero." he said, turning sharply. "Follow me."
Director Henderson hurried alongside them as they walked toward the command tent. "I'm glad you decided to come here and help, Captain."
Aurora kept her pace steady. "It wasn't really a decision I made, Henderson. I was forced here but... it doesn't matter now. I'm here and I'm going to help as much as I can."
"Thank you." Henderson said, looking relieved.
Inside the briefing room, the map came alive. Colonel Viktor took over immediately.
"Right. Let's start with the search and rescue." Viktor said, pointing to a map. "The objective is to reach the civilians trapped in the emergency tunnels and escort them to this extraction point." He circled a spot on the map. "From there, they will be safely evacuated."
Mike studied the map. "That looks like a 6.3-kilometer distance."
"It is." Viktor replied.
Mike grimaced. "So, you're saying we have to protect hundreds of people for forty to sixty minutes in open territory?"
"Our ground troops will also be there to offer support."
Mike opened his mouth but Jace stepped on his foot. "There's no complaints, sir." Jace said firmly. "Please continue."
"For the data retrieval." Viktor moved his finger to a different sector. "From the retrieval site to the pick-up point is a 5.6-kilometer walk if you go straight but there is a nest on the straight way through. So you will have to take the long way, which makes it 6.2 kilometers. Though either way, you should reach the pick-up point before the rescue team. And we'll be assigning nine of my men and one European specialist to assist your squad."
Layla crossed her arms. "What exactly are we retrieving?"
Director Henderson stepped in. "The details are classified. Your job is to make sure my man gets to the site and comes back."
Viktor shut down the display. "That is all."
As the two leaders left the tent, Layla turned to Aurora. "I don't like going in blind, Captain. Classified usually means suicidal."
Aurora patted Layla's shoulder. "All that doesn't matter right now. Let's just make sure all of us make it back here."
Layla nodded and smirked. "Oh and I hope that confirmed to you that I'm coming with. Me, Knox, Dave and Diego. We're the retrieval team."
"Alright." Aurora agreed. "The rest stay with Jace for the rescue."
A Russian soldier entered the tent and saluted. "Clyck Squad. It is time to go."
They followed him outside to where two large armored transporters were idling. The soldier gestured to them. "Search and rescue is on the right. Data retrieval on the left."
Aurora and Jace stopped between the two vehicles. They looked at each other for a long moment and shook hands.
"Good luck, Captain." Jace said.
"Same to you, Jace." Aurora replied. "See you at the extraction point."
Aurora climbed into the left transporter with her team. The doors sealed shut and the vehicle lurched forward.