I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 725

"...It's been only a few hours since the operation ended, and now we have to go straight back in? It feels off, even though I can rationalize it," Eugene muttered.

"On the flip side, if we don't strike now, it'll be awkward later. We can rest, it's fine. In fact, it wouldn't be a problem. The mission we've been given is technically reconnaissance. If we can recover the UAV, we will, but that's secondary," Solomon replied.

"And I think we can recover it, that's why we're going," Eugene said.

East Syracuse, Green Lake Golf Driving Range, Dagger Team Hideout. 7:30 PM.

The sounds of small clicks, the scraping of boots on the floor, and the rustling of clothes filled the room. On the table lay hundreds of magazines and an assortment of explosives, most of which were unrecognizable in both use and purpose.

Magazines filled with seeds of death barely fit into bulletproof vests, grenades, sticky bombs, and various other explosives were stored away.

Though it had been nearly a week since their arrival in Syracuse, it was only now that the Dagger Team, with serious expressions, were gearing up for the real fight.

Olivia, still wearing the same combat gear she'd been wearing for days, lay back on a folding cot with her eyes covered by an eye mask. She was finishing up the much-needed rest as the team prepared for their next mission.

It had been only three hours since Eagle Team returned with the dismembered body of the Artemis Technologies cyborg executive.

"So, how's the prep coming along?" Eugene asked.

"The remote control module was delivered by drone while Eagle Team was resting. We need to open the MQ-20 Avenger at Hancock Field Air Force Base and swap the module. Check the schematics for the upgrade," Solomon explained.

"The method for swapping it, as well as the updated schematics for the Avenger, are in the system. You'll confirm it with the Icarus Gear and run the simulation yourself later," he continued.

"Seems like a lot to do...ugh, I’m so tired…" Olivia sighed.

She removed her eye mask and slowly rose from the cot. Her body was still full of energy, but the fatigue wasn't gone, especially with another operation coming up. But she understood the importance of the mission, so she started preparing.

The target, as they had mentioned earlier, was Hancock Field Air Force Base. The goal was to retrieve the MQ-20 Avengers stored in its hangars. This was the reason the Dagger Team had come to Syracuse.

"What’s Artemis up to?" Eugene asked.

"We’ve already extracted all the data, but we suspected they’d do this. They’ve cut off Carlton's access codes from the network. I’m sure they’re taking action now," Solomon replied.

"After the horse has bolted, they’re locking the stable door. But it’s the perfect time to strike. They’ll probably be planning an assault on the air base by now," Eugene concluded.

Indeed, it was true.

Only three hours had passed since Eagle Team literally kidnapped Carlton, and now Dagger Team was moving into another operation. Artemis had started reacting.

Although Dagger Team had already extracted all the data, Artemis had invalidated Carlton’s access codes as soon as he was captured. That had disrupted their plans to recover the Avengers.

They couldn’t predict exactly how Artemis would react, but one thing was certain: Artemis was aware that someone was systematically attacking their company, and Syracuse was their headquarters.

As time passed, Artemis would grow more reactive. The fact that Carlton had been captured indicated that an unknown enemy was targeting Hancock Field’s drones.

In other words, delaying things for too long would only work against Dagger Team.

"The missile with the directional EMP warhead will take about 10 minutes to reach Syracuse from Redstone Arsenal. The launch will begin as soon as we leave the hideout," Solomon said.

"The drone pilots at Griffith Air Force Base are ready, and thanks to the junkyard that is Carlton, we know exactly how Artemis’ power structure is laid out."

"Alright, so now we just have to bomb them. What about the others? Everyone ready?" Eugene asked.

"As long as the rookie and you are good to go, we’re ready to leave," Solomon replied.

"...I’m feeling a bit dizzy, so give me something sweet," Olivia said.

She grabbed a piece of candy from the table and started chewing on it. The sweetness filled her mouth, helping her shake off the drowsiness.

After stretching and sipping a sweet drink, Olivia felt her mind clear. She then checked her weapon, confirming it had been thoroughly cleaned.

Watching her, Laurentina added, "She was so deep asleep that I couldn't bring myself to ask you to clean it before the operation. I had to do it myself. The sight’s still fine, but I hope you don’t mind."

"...Next time, just wake me up," Olivia replied.

"I will," Laurentina promised.

Olivia reluctantly took the freshly cleaned gun and checked it. After confirming it was working, she slung it around her neck.

Eugene and Olivia, armed with Titan Railguns, were preparing to eliminate any troops that weren't disabled by the EMP. They were also ready for any Artemis drones that might still be operational.

The countdown on the laptop kept ticking down, now at 03:33.

"While you were out and about, we’ve been busy too. For example, we taught the civilians in Syracuse how to set up Faraday cages," Solomon explained.

"...Faraday cages? Wait, so this means..." Olivia began.

"Yeah. In addition to what we discussed, there’s already a missile headed this way. It’s an EMP bomb. I’ve already landed the reconnaissance drones to keep them from breaking down," he continued.

"...Looks like night is turning to day," Olivia remarked.

The EMP bomb, as accurately calculated, meant a low-yield nuclear device would detonate in the sky. If the EMP blast didn’t destroy everything, the pulse would still be minimal.

And the only ones that would be affected would be the Artemis drones in the air above Syracuse.

But even so, the choice seemed extreme.

"You could have chosen a less drastic way than using a nuke," Olivia thought, feeling her focus waver again. The impact radius and detonation points loomed large in her mind.

Despite the EMP being weak, the impact on Artemis was devastating.

"After the EMP missile, the ground troops will be next," Eugene noted.

"Let’s get ready. We’re going to hit the drones and grab whatever we can. Start moving," Solomon ordered.

As Dagger Team geared up for the operation, a final check on the countdown was made, and with it, a reminder that they weren’t going to make it back to the hideout once they left. The operations were set, and the team was ready for the mission ahead.

"The missile with the directional EMP warhead is about to hit Syracuse. We’ve confirmed deceleration, external insulation removal, and guidance system activation. The estimated stay time is 30 minutes," the command center reported.

"We've detected Dagger Team signals. Control sharing confirmed. EMP charging complete in 1 minute 23 seconds. Pulse reflector diameter adjustment in progress. The task force will attack the requested defense point in 1 minute 30 seconds," another voice chimed in.

"Syracuse's residual radiation levels are at X-ray levels. The NPP nuclear power plant is unaffected," the technician added.

"Dagger Team, 500 meters to Hancock Field Air Force Base. EMP radiation begins," the report concluded.

After staying in the air for about a week, the reconnaissance UAVs, protected from damage by the EMP, finally descended to the ground and took off again. Meanwhile, the nine-man assault team crossed E. Molloy Avenue.

The asphalt road, about 1.7 km long, was cracked, with grass growing in between the gaps, and the surrounding buildings—such as tool shops, truck dealerships, and repair shops—had long since lost any sign of life.

As Dagger Team crossed the road, moving swiftly and efficiently, Rapland, who had been learning all sorts of necessary information under Captain Park during the day and acting as a trainee operations officer at night, observed the scene.

Separate from the reconnaissance drone launched by Dagger Team, aircraft under the dark sky of Syracuse hovered, periodically releasing pulses toward the ground.

Thanks to Carlton's interrogation, Dagger Team had already identified the locations of the UAVs that had yet to be moved. The pulse was being used to probe for any potential threats while avoiding hangars.

Observing this, Rapland commented, "By the way, are those planes refueled? If not, they can't fly."

"Surprisingly, they're fully fueled. Right before Dagger Team arrived in Syracuse, Artemis itself refueled them. They tried to launch them but were interrupted by civilians gathering after seeing the UAV take off," Solomon replied.

"So, Artemis had people kidnapped in that area," Rapland remarked.

"Exactly. And since Dagger Team took out the reconnaissance teams spread around, there's no way the UAV recovery operation could proceed properly. We picked the perfect timing," Solomon said.

As the chain of causality unfolded, the operation officers' expressions grew more incredulous.

But that wasn’t the most important part. Dagger Team had now reached the perimeter of Hancock Field Air Force Base. They quickly realized there were no guard posts, watchtowers, or turrets—nothing.

In fact, the turrets were stiff, as if they'd been frozen in place, and the watchtower soldiers who should have been manning the Artemis observation posts were nowhere to be seen.

It wasn’t that the soldiers had disappeared. They had simply been knocked out by the EMP blast and were now comfortably resting in death.

The locked gate presented no problem. Dagger Team confirmed the power to the barbed wire and fencing had been cut, and they drew their plasma blades. As the blades pierced the wire, it began to melt away, leaving a hole large enough for the team to pass through.

Two of the mutants were able to move alone, while the remaining seven divided into three groups—two groups of two and one group of three.

The hangars, not visible on normal maps, were their main target.

"We’ve detected movement southwest of Syracuse. The drones? No, it looks like a large mechanized infantry unit," reported a team member.

"It’d be nice to hit them with a thunderstrike, but we can’t risk civilians hiding in the area. We’ll have to improvise. Change the trajectory of the UAV. We’ll tie up their hands while we’re at it," Solomon ordered.

"We’ve shared the situation with Dagger Team. Changing the UAV's route now," came the reply.

With a soft hum, the drone, equipped with the same reactor as Icarus Gear, sped up without worrying about fuel. It began its turn, moving toward the southeast and then heading north, reaching altitudes of 30 km in just seconds.

The UAV, traveling at Mach 8, began to decelerate as it approached Syracuse, having faced harsh conditions beyond even the capabilities of cutting-edge materials.

As the lock-on signal was released, the UAV began to descend from a distance of several hundred kilometers, preparing to fulfill its mission.

In the meantime, Dagger Team had already arrived at the scattered hangars on the airfield.

As the data link was established, five of the thirty red lights on the main command center’s screen began blinking green.

This clearly signified that the hangars were open and clear for operation.

"There's no interference, so this is pretty smooth. Artemis even did some free maintenance on the UAVs. It should be fine for flight, so I’ll open the hangar doors. There seem to be some surface-to-air missiles in the southwest, so be careful," the commander said.

"Got it. We’ll need a tow truck. Is that okay?" someone asked.

"Tell DARPA to make UAVs that can move without needing a tow truck next time. I’ll look into finding one myself. If not, we’ll drag it out ourselves. Don’t worry," came the reply.

"…What?" came the confused response.

"They’re already doing it," the commander chuckled. "Laurentina and Logan are handling it."

At that moment, a few personnel in the TOC noticed something on one of the many screens on the wall.

Without any proper equipment for towing, the team had wrapped the fuel line around the front wheels and began pulling the UAV by hand. Despite the UAV weighing over five tons, it was pulled without resistance.

"If a strongman can pull a 36-ton plane 25 meters in 44 seconds, what can an Alpha-class mutant do with Icarus Gear?" one officer commented.

The result was soon clear for all to see.

"Even someone at Walmart wouldn’t be able to pull a cart as easily as that," one of the officers said.

"Who’s to say they couldn’t?" someone replied.

"Laurentina, can you do that too?" one officer asked.

"...I don’t think I could," Laurentina admitted, wide-eyed.

Though they were all mutants, it was hard not to marvel at the overwhelming strength of their comrades. Laurentina couldn’t help but feel dazed by the incredible feats unfolding before her eyes.

And so, the strange and extraordinary day continued, as Dagger Team moved on to their next objective.