I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 727

"...If I had known no one was coming, I should've just taken my time moving everything. Or at least looked for a tow truck," Logan muttered.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted. How many kilometers have we run around today...!" Laurentina sighed.

"Yeah, something definitely happened down south, but we ended up just running around all day," Logan said.

"Well, no one's hurt, and everything ended smoothly. That's what matters," Laurentina remarked.

Sweat poured down, and their breaths grew heavy.

The nine members of the assault team, who had turned into manual laborers, sighed in the now silent Hancock Field Air Force Base. The reason was simple. Their roles had suddenly switched from military pilots to manual laborers — tow truck operators, of all things.

But no one was complaining. This operation had resulted in Dagger Team successfully recovering about seventeen of the latest UAVs, each worth at least fifty million dollars. That alone was a huge success.

And the group that was the happiest about it wasn’t Dagger Team but none other than the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

"Really impressive work. This will help us stabilize the air defense system. Without Dagger Team, we would’ve been blind until the situation was under control."

"Within a few months, the allied forces will swarm us, so we need to stabilize the mainland air defense system before that happens. Please keep up the good work."

The person on the other side of the screen lowered their head, seemingly embarrassed.

It was understandable. Due to the Omega Virus disaster, NORAD had lost control of the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), and they needed to clear their name for their earlier inaction during the crisis.

At that moment, NORAD’s cooperation had allowed remote UAV operations from a TOC located hundreds of kilometers away.

Outside, it was eerily quiet.

The airfield, which had seemed like it would be overrun by large numbers of troops at any moment, was now silent, with only the sounds of grass and insects filling the air. Most of the hangar, once filled with various weapons, had long been emptied. Only a few Avengers, partially disassembled for maintenance, remained.

Dagger Team sat down on the ground, finishing off the last of their water bottles.

"So, do we head back to Central Park now?" Laurentina asked.

"Probably," Logan replied.

"Seems like we’ve been gone for about eight days. Not too long, considering how far we’ve come. It feels a bit like back in the Bronx…" Laurentina mused.

"Yeah, it feels about the same," Logan said. "How about our TOC team? Any major updates?"

Laurentina wiped the sweat from her brow as she muttered, though her energy wasn’t entirely depleted. But for most of the team, both mutants and regulars, energy reserves were low, with only the Eagle Team still going strong.

Although the operation hadn’t gone exactly as they’d hoped, it had achieved its goals, and that was what mattered most. Dagger Team wasn’t in the business of enjoying the process of putting bullets in people’s heads, but it was the most effective way to clean up the world.

"We've not detected any Artemis activity. However, we’re keeping a 24/7 watch on the key facilities near Syracuse, just in case," came the update.

"Key facilities, you say? Anything nearby?" Logan asked.

"We have the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Power Plant. The enemy might try something, so we’re preparing additional forces for a possible attack."

"What's the plan?" Logan asked.

"We’re preparing a Cypher cluster missile. We’ve just restarted production, and it looks like we’ll be able to meet the demand," came the response.

There was a moment of silence as the operation officer continued explaining, and the team exchanged confused glances.

It was hard to believe, but it made sense. The U.S. government had been using cluster missiles as their go-to solution for everything. The same kind of missile that had been used on Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Dagger Team, as an irreplaceable resource, had learned a lot about the new weapons the U.S. had been developing, including the specific details of missile systems.

The official name for the missile was the Multi-Purpose Cluster Munition (MPSM)-1, also known as Cypher, designed for base destruction and fortification neutralization with penetrating warheads or large-area explosive warheads.

"Was it already possible to restart production for this?" Logan asked.

"Well, with the defense budget increasing over the past decade, especially the weapon development costs, they’ve been able to try a lot of things and have seen plenty of successes," came the response.

"That’s true," Logan acknowledged.

It was a fact that Eugene found hard to understand. In this world, the U.S. had spent significant portions of their defense and development budget, and with several presidents facing lame-duck periods and even one being impeached, it was a different America from what she remembered.

Still, it was this very situation that allowed them to survive, and the U.S. was ready to unleash the new weapons they had stockpiled.

The UAVs launched from Griffith Air Force Base dropped multiple cluster bombs that wiped out everything within their range before returning to base. Meanwhile, the remaining MQ-20 Avengers at Hancock Field Air Force Base would soon be reassembled, thanks to Artemis giving up on them.

Dagger Team stared at the scene as they took a break, munching on some snacks.

Suddenly, a familiar aircraft began approaching.

"Looks like we don’t have to stay in Syracuse anymore," Logan said.

"Is that Photon 1?" Laurentina asked.

"Seems like it. Wonder when it got assigned to Dagger Team," Logan replied.

As they watched, a tilt-jet transport landed near them. It was a familiar sight, and sure enough, it was none other than the transport vehicle used for special operations.

The cargo ramp opened, and the pilot, wearing a helmet, stepped out.

"Long time no see, Dagger Team. Do you remember me?" the pilot greeted them.

"Can’t forget you. Looks like we’re being kicked out. It’ll take some time for Eagle Team to join, huh?" Logan responded.

"I’ll be the one to pick up Eagle Team. Artemis has completely pulled out. Central Park has downgraded the Syracuse threat to yellow. I’m here to pick up Eagle Team. There shouldn’t be any issues for now," the pilot explained.

"Last time I checked, the Syracuse threat was red. Anyway, I guess we won’t be heading back to the hideout," Logan said.

"You’re to be picked up by Central Park until dawn," came the response.

"Alright."

With that, there was nothing more to do. All their weapons, supplies, and critical data had already been packed into boxes, and any box left unattended for over 24 hours would automatically incinerate its contents.

The only remaining items were food and medical supplies, which were left outside. Once 24 hours passed, flare signals would be triggered for civilians to take what they could.

Unfortunately, the team wasn’t in charge of maintaining public order. That wasn’t why they were here.

The nine of them boarded the transport, and the aircraft took off smoothly.

The Valkyrie, expertly gaining altitude, turned southward and soon approached the waterlogged Destiny Mall rooftop. As the aircraft slowly descended, Eugene and Olivia, who had finished withdrawing their optical mines and were now waving from below, greeted them.

The transport ramp opened, and a reunion took place. It was familiar, but with a hint of unexpected warmth.

"Logan! Team Leader!" Laurentina called out.

"Good work, rookie. Let’s go home," Logan said, patting her on the back.

"Did you have fun down there?" Laurentina asked.

"Yeah. Thought I was playing Call of Duty. It was a blast," Logan said with a grin.

The small complaints and chatter continued as the remaining members boarded the transport. The cargo bay closed, and Eugene ran his hand along the slightly bent interior frame. It was a reminder of the makeshift zipline they’d set up earlier to lift the injured pilot and Olivia.

How many more of these reminders would he leave behind in the future? That was something only time would tell.

Dagger Team, and the United States, were slowly but steadily moving forward. What lay ahead was unknown, but it felt somehow familiar.

As the map, once painted red, began to turn blue, Eugene spoke.

"Let’s go. I really need a shower," he said.

"Your head’s all greasy, Team Leader Owens," Laurentina teased.

"Shut up, kid," Owens responded with a grin.

The aircraft began accelerating.

It was time to return home to Central Park. To their base. To rest.

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away at Central Park TOC, Laurentina, fiddling with a necklace made from the spent shells of the bullets Dagger Team had used, reflected on the day’s events. As she looked at the display showing Dagger Team’s achievements, she found herself questioning everything.

"Guess I never expected to miss Central Park this much... Wait. Why are there so many people here?" Laurentina said, seeing a crowd near the transport.

"Thank you! You’re amazing!" one person shouted.

"Wow, this is crazy," Laurentina muttered, her mind spinning as she tried to comprehend the unexpected scene.

As they disembarked, Laurentina realized she had never quite experienced anything like this before. The applause, the cheers... this was not what she had imagined would happen after a successful mission.

"…I never thought I'd miss Central Park this much… Wait, why are there so many people here?" Laurentina muttered as she noticed the crowd near the transport.

"Thank you! You’re amazing!" someone shouted.

"Wow, this is crazy," Laurentina whispered, still trying to process what was happening.

As they disembarked, Laurentina realized she had never experienced anything quite like this. The applause, the cheers—it wasn’t what she had imagined after a mission like this. She had seen similar scenes before, watching soldiers getting applauded in airports or on TV. But to experience it firsthand in this place... it was surreal.

"…What’s all this about?" Laurentina asked, still in disbelief.

"Surprisingly, these are all people who came here on their own to cheer you on. Back when you finished the mission in the Bronx, you returned to base in a few minutes, so we couldn’t prepare. But this time, we had an hour to get ready," the person explained.

"Well… this is unexpectedly overwhelming," Laurentina said, a little flustered.

But despite the surprise, Logan was smiling.

"Thanks," he said, stepping forward.

"Thank you? No, the ones who should be thanked are the people who supported you," came the response. "Anyway, it’s late, so let’s get inside. These guys need to rest. We’ve got a debriefing room set up, but do you need it?"

"Not today. It’s been a long-distance mission, and with our irregular sleeping schedules, I think we should just focus on getting some rest," Logan said, with a slight chuckle.

"Haha, I see. In that case, I’ll take you back to your accommodations."

"Sounds good."

As the cheers and applause gradually died down, and the crowd began to disperse, Logan added with a smile, "You timed your arrival perfectly, so while you’re on the way, bring one more person to the accommodation. I’m sure you know who I’m talking about."

"...You mean that mutt? Is it around here?"

"Yeah, he’s waiting over there."

"Oh."

From across the area, Laurentina spotted someone walking toward them, and sure enough, it was none other than Rapland.

The last time Laurentina had seen her was about a week ago, and based on her past training experiences, Laurentina assumed Rapland had been busy with weapons training during that time. As Laurentina focused on Rapland’s silhouette, she noticed one big change: her hair was now tied up in a ponytail.

"Ah."

"Well, look at that. A neat ponytail suits you. We don't have anyone else in the team who wears their hair like that."

"Not that it matters. Not hard to make someone bow out with just a little punch," Laurentina said.

"…Wait, is this how operators joke around?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Joke? I wasn’t joking. You never joke with someone’s life," Laurentina said, her tone serious.

With those words, Laurentina quietly moved behind Rapland, and in an instant, the 188 cm tall "shark" had already overtaken Laurentina with ease.

Rapland let out a startled yelp as she was caught off guard by the sudden movement.

"Olivia’s waiting for you to get your act together. Make sure to work hard," Laurentina added with a smirk.

"…I-I’ll try my best," Rapland stammered, her face turning red.

Though Rapland didn’t answer immediately, Laurentina could hear a soft, vintage-style laugh escaping from her.

As a fellow operations officer, Rapland likely understood that after the successful mission in Syracuse, there were no more major operations scheduled for the immediate future. So the expected outcome was clear.

Laurentina turned to Rapland and added, "It’s okay. You’re not struggling as much as you think."

"I know you’re not oblivious to what we did in the Bronx and Syracuse, huh?" Rapland shot back playfully.

It was an empty protest. For Rapland, the moment she returned to base was the start of a new challenge, and Laurentina knew the upcoming days wouldn't be easy for her.

The team was taking a brief moment to rest. They had completed the mission, and now, they could finally enjoy the quiet—though their future still held plenty of uncertainty.

And in the midst of this, they couldn't help but feel the weight of what they had accomplished.

The team took a brief moment to rest. The mission was completed, and now they could finally enjoy the quiet. Yet, despite the stillness around them, they couldn't shake the weight of what they'd accomplished. The future still held plenty of uncertainty, but they could take solace in the fact that they'd succeeded—at least for now.

As they looked around, the feeling of accomplishment lingered in the air. Syracuse was no longer a threat, and Artemis, despite their best efforts, had been dealt a powerful blow. But that didn’t mean the fight was over. It was only one step in what promised to be a long, grueling war. The battles ahead would require just as much effort, if not more.

"Let’s head back to the base," Logan said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, we’ve done enough for today," Laurentina agreed, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Time to rest and prepare for whatever’s next."

The mood shifted as they made their way toward the transport. The brief respite was over, and the team understood that even though they had won this battle, there would be more waiting for them. Every victory came with its own cost, and this one was no exception.

As the transport began to lift off, taking them back toward Central Park, there was a sense of quiet determination in the air. They were heading home—for now. But the fight was far from over, and they all knew that the next mission could be just around the corner.

"Let's just hope the next one doesn’t involve so much running around," Laurentina muttered, trying to lighten the mood.

"I wouldn’t bet on it," Logan replied with a grin.