Chapter 7

Pov

Linda

I have just left the J.A.T.F. situation room. That’s where we hand down orders during operations, survey the operations area through satellite feed, or a UAV. From there we can destroy a building, kill a person or save him, with just a word. Provided that we have personnel on ground or they are within range of our missile systems.

I have always been someone who rather lead on site, rather than from a distance. Just ten minutes ago there was an explosion in the L-building, that’s the building that holds our captives and was holding Calla. Now she is at the medical quarters next to the L-building. Our first response team tasered and sedated her when they came in contact, believing that she was the cause of the disruption. We replayed the camera feed of the corridor where the explosion took place and where we were holding her.

We are lucky that our security cameras are in wall, covered by bulletproof glass. But the assailants managed to hinder us by disrupting our network, so we couldn’t access the feed right away. But that did tell us something. They managed to get to our network without setting of alarms so they must have been familiar with our systems to a point. But not familiar enough, as our analysts changed the security protocols we got the feed back.

The feed showed how two of our non-commissioned officers set a charge at the cell next to Calla’s, and warned the inhabitant by knocking his cell door and saying something before detonating. We do not know what they were speaking as there is no microphones installed. They talked for about a half a minute in the corridor with the inmate after releasing him, and then Calla came out of her cell with a wound on her forehead and a small steel bar on her hand.

Honestly, I was worried at first that she was involved with the men as the men said something to her, and didn’t show any aggression towards her. But then I was worried for a different reason. She stabbed the man passing him, reminding me of the scene which she showed me when we first met. The one strike, with no wasted movements was impressive and sad at the same time. She went straight for his vital spot.

He took his gun and from the cover of his body he incapacitated the other soldier with two shots while pulling the improvised knife out of the first soldier’s throat. The inmate was trying to say something to her when she shot him dead and shot a third bullet to the other soldier who was trying to get to his gun.

At that point I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. There were no more threats to her so she would be fine. I knew she was good but seeing is different from believing. In the safehouse we met I didn’t really get to observe her fighting capabilities. It’s like she has an on and off mode, when in combat and when not. There were no hesitation in her as she secured the corridor, the cute girl was nowhere to be seen as it was replaced with a veteran warrior wearing the skin of an innocent looking girl.

But then she did something I didn’t except. She was just standing next to the guy she had already shot thrice, when she nonchalantly shot the left knee of the man, leaving him in a wheelchair probably for the rest of his imprisoned life. She barely even looked at him when she shot! And I can swear I saw a smile of accomplishment flash on her face. What was she thinking? Doctor Lenz said that she was rational, but that was not rational at all.

After the man passed out, our team came in. When a rock fell, and the girl reacted to it, our men tasered her. Well, I can’t blame them considering the situation. Apparently the last word she said before passing out was distraction. We concluded she must have heard something and when we raised our networks security protocols one more level and ran a threat diagnostic, we found that the security feed was disturbed in the high security facilities located next to the barracks. That’s where I’m heading now.

They are probably trying to get to the VAULT. It isn’t a real vault, but a computer that isn’t connected to any network and it holds our most sensitive intel. Mainly the identities of our operatives that are undercover. It would be a disaster if they were to leak out.

I see the building in question in front of me. Our teams have already entered and are heading for the VAULT which is below ground level.

With me there is only one man, Aatos Salmi. He is of Finnish origin, he has dark brown short hair and blue eyes. He has an athletic body and charismatic face. He looks to be mid-twenties but it’s hard to tell. He isn’t wearing a military uniform but a black suit with long jacket. But the most important factor of this person is that he is an operative, and highly valued one at that.

For the moment, he is under my direct command, appointed by general Raven. We enter the building where the soldier in command of the team that came before us salutes me.

“Major, Lieutenant Brody reporting. As we thought there were other traitors. Two of them, they somehow smuggled in an armed group of six and are now in the hallway before the VAULT. They are trying to get in, but they clearly thought they had more time before we take notice. They are now trapped in between the security door of the VAULT and my assault team.”

“Good work lieutenant. What are their weaponry? Any explosives?” I ask

“They have automatic rifles and side arms. We saw them planting explosives on the doors but they didn’t have time to finish the job before we interrupted. We are now locked in a firefight.”

I listen to his report as I note the sounds of gunfire from beneath us. I start heading towards the VAULT and the sounds become much clearer.

“Do not use grenades. In this closed space, there is a chance that there will be no survivors and we will be wanting to interrogate them, at least some of them.” I tell him while heading down the stairs.” I can now see our soldiers shooting from a large door opening. I walk next to a soldier by the door and tap his shoulder.

He understands my meaning and steps to the side. I take a quick peek from the door, missing the hail of gunfire fired towards me. Damn, I should have brought gas with sleeping agent but there is no time for that now, not to talk about that we don’t have our masks with us.

Aatos also takes a look from the corridor.

“Like the lieutenant said, eight men in total. Two of them wearing our uniforms, one of them wounded. Six wearing basic camo, two of them are KIA”

They do not have much shelter from where they are shooting so he was able to confirm the enemy count with just a glimpse. So they have six men left with one wounded.

“They probably don’t have any operator class fighter with them, because our body count is still zero.” He continues.

It may sound smug coming from an operator, but he speaks the truth, and that’s why he was ordered to come with me. He will speed things up considerably.

“So they have a fighting force of six with one wounded. Aatos, make it three, with one wounded. Do not kill the traitors.”

“Yes ma’am” He promptly answers. He isn’t really required to call me ma’am or major as he is a high-class operative, and usually only takes orders from colonels or above but he does it out of courtesy and to show the men that there is a clear chain of command in place.

He takes a pistol from under his jacket and stand next to the door opening.

*BAM*BAM*BAM*

He fires three quick shots to the assailants in rapid succession before returning behind cover.

“Done ma’am.” He informs me of his success.

“Lieutenant Brody if you will, inform them of their last chance of surrender.” I tell the lieutenant who is gawking the operator with amazement.

Coming back to present, he shakes his head, unbelieving of how effective Aatos was:

“Drop your weapons, and lay down on the ground face facing the floor. This is your last chance!” He yells to the men.

The gunfire cease and we hear as they drop their weapons to the floor and lay down. I’m glad they had the sense to surrender. Three of our men goes before me, and I’m followed by Aatos and the lieutenant. As we are five steps away from the surrendered men, one of them draws a pistol he was hiding, raising it towards me.

*BAM*

Before he had the chance to even aim, Aatos had drawn his gun once again and fired to his head. He dies instantly. He was the wounded man, who betrayed our organization so he probably feared that he will never gain his freedom. The other men who surrendered are smarter, and remain unmoving. They already witnessed Aatos’s skills so they probably won’t try anything anymore even if they were planning it. Not to mention they are severely out numbered.

Our soldiers pat them down and found a hidden knife and pistol from them. They also take their phones, and practically everything they have on them except for their clothes.

“Take them to L-Building and prep them for interrogation. Do not let them speak to each other” I put emphasis on the last sentence. It is crucial that a group about to be interrogated are separated from each other and denied communication.

“Yes major.” The lieutenant answers for his men as they start escorting them away.

I also exit the building with Aatos. That was way easier than I thought, and probably not what they had planned. Did Calla's intervention throw a wrench in their plans?

“Thank you for your assistance.” I sincerely say my thanks to Aatos. Not only did the situation ended quickly thanks to him, he also saved my life. Operatives are not some superhumans, they are just men who are trained superbly. But the training doesn’t make them the assets they are. The training just gives them tools to operate, and it’s up to them how they will use it. In other words: experience is everything, especially in the case of operators.

I once saw a recording of a battle between two very skilled operators. It was an amazing show of skills on both parties. One would think they can even dodge bullets, but in fact they dodged the aim of the other person before they managed to pull the trigger. No matter how well trained, nobody can move faster than a bullet.

Calla already has good training and some experience and she isn’t even seventeen. Her future prospects are frightening if she really enters the operative training and gains more experience. We are not going to force her to the training, but we have to make her understand that it would be best for her, and us.

“Just doing as I was ordered.” Aatos replies with a charming smile. Is he hitting on me? In this situation? I never begged him to be a playboy.

We part ways in front of the building as he heads back to the administrative building and I go for the medical quarters.

Pov

Calla

I wake up from a soft bed, my first time in lying one of them. I see a white roof and walls, with cabinets and a sink in the corner. Hospital?

The soldiers used a stun gun on me and apparently sedated me, because as far as I know, getting tasered doesn’t cause loss of consciousness. I try to sit upright but something is stopping me. I’m strapped to the railings of the bed by arms and legs, and a belt goes over my chest to hold me down.

“Let me take those off. They were a precaution as we weren’t sure of your part in the incident.” Linda says to me, as she rises from her seat and starts releasing me.

“You woke up fast. Usually it takes hours to wake up from the sedatives we use” She continues.

I sit upright and massage my released wrists. I note that I’m no longer wearing the orange jump suit but a hospital gown.

“Does this mean I’m being released?” I ask while inspecting the white gown I’m wearing. I’m happy at not being considered a threat anymore, but it somehow irks me that somebody changed my cloths without my knowledge. Though, I do not know why that is. Perhaps it’s because of the scars, that I don’t fancy the idea?

“Not exactly.” She says, and my expression darkens. So they do still think I’m a threat?

“We have decided to put you to the J.A.T.F. academy…”

She explains to me what they intent for me and briefly explains the academy to me. It is located near this base, and they share part of the training grounds with each other.

Basically, it is a military school where they train their officers and special troops, for example the cyber unit, who maintains their networks and responds to cyber threats.

But the training they want to put me is the operative training. I know what an operative roughly is. That’s what my trainers called themselves, so I think they were training me for that before too.

Do they intent to continue my previous training? Is that why they spared me? I do not know how to feel about this. The training was tough, unimaginably so. I do not wish to continue that.

Perhaps my thoughts showed on my face as Linda eases my worries:

“It isn’t what you think. It is humane training whereas your previous one was not. You will be subjected to pain and harsh conditions in training simulations, but nothing like the one you have been through. What do you say?”

I have a choice?? I have never had one.

I do not know what to respond. The question itself isn’t difficult but the meaning of a choice is hard to wrap my head around. And this choice will probably set the course for the rest of my life. The life which I thought was ended when I got caught.

I think about asking her what she thinks I should do, but I decide against it. It is my first choice, my first crossroad and I intend to make the decision myself. If things go south, I can only blame myself for it was my choice to do so.

The silence stretches out for minutes, I think Linda figured out that this is a bigger deal to me than one would think, as she just silently waits for my answer.

After I got over about the shock of the meaning of a choice, I started thinking about the actual question. So, they want to use me as a weapon too. Or operative, as she said, but it’s the same thing in my book. An operative is just a very versatile weapon with a mind.

But I understand the J.A.T.F.’s reasoning. I’m already halfway through to become an operative and there aren’t many places where I could fit in I think. Though, I doubt I will fit in in anywhere perfectly.

And I do not have a problem with the job description. Plus, the J.A.T.F. has treated me well.

“I’ll do it.” I answer her. I feel relieved. Is it because I made my first decision concerning my life and future or is it because of the smile that appeared on Linda’s face when I answered? Perhaps a little bit of both.

“Now that we settled that, I’d like to ask you some questions about the incident. Why did you think it was a distraction?” She asks me.

“Well, they used the big ass explosion to release one inmate, when they had the keys. And they were going to release more of them had I not stopped them” I voice out my thought process during the incident.

She is silent for a few seconds. She probably is going through the same thoughts as I were when it happened.

“It is a good thing you stopped them then. On behalf of the J.A.T.F. I thank you.”

I’m speechless yet again. No one has ever thanked me. Thanking is gesture of expressing a grateful feeling or acknowledgment of a benefit, favor, or the like, expressed by words or otherwise. I have thanked people before, I just have never been on the receiving end. Is it because I have never done anything to be thankful for? Well I had little chances for that.

“Now my other question. Why did you shot the left leg of an enemy who was no longer a threat?” She asks while raising an eyebrow. Damn, so there were cameras. I didn’t notice any but logically thinking of course there would be. I don’t know how to answer that. Let’s go with the truth.

“On a whim.” And there it is, the truth. I had already done it before I realized I did it. I just glanced his only limb left unhurt and the asymmetry of it all brought the whim which I acted upon immediately. It wasn’t really my intention or a planned act, it just happened so calling it a whim seems correct.

“…” She just looks at me now with a neutral expression

“Pfft” She laughed! Or almost laughed but suppressed it but I still count it as laughing. I smile at the thought that I can make her laugh.

She regains her composure quickly though.

“It caused needles pain to an already suppressed man. We will need to reprimand you somehow.”

“But you laughed?!” I ask unbelieving. I mean she laughed, doesn’t that make it okay?

“So what, you think you are off the hook now that I Almost laughed?” She puts emphasis on the word almost. It still counted in my opinion.

“Off the hook?” What a curious expression “Does that refer to some kind of torture mechanism I have yet to experience?” I ask, intrigued. I have experienced many techniques and was trained in some, but that one is new.

“…”

Once again, a silence reigns. I can hear footsteps of people walking outside of my room, the birds singing behind the window and the fighter jet flying somewhere in the sky, far from us.

“Perhaps we can let it go just this once considering you upbringing.” She finally breaks the silence.

“Okay?” I say tilting my head. I don’t know what changed her mind. Perhaps she realized that I was right, that’s got to be it.

We do some small talk and she informs that general Ravens daughter, Annie is going to take me to the academy and help me get started the day after tomorrow. After that she excuses herself by saying that she has to report to the general to inform him of my decision.

My decision. It was mine and mine alone. The fact that I just chose my first decision sinks in yet again as Linda leaves me alone in my bed.

‘…It’s actually pretty comfortable… But I still prefer the floor.’ I think, and slip from under the covers and sit on the floor against the corner of the room with my book, which Linda was kind enough to bring with her.