Chapter 2- Highlands

[14:56, April the 4th 2094]

(A brief-note report of the service soldier on the day of the events)

"Status of the troupes: Alert

12:30-Kamir's meeting place has been revealed

13:00-The support teams arrived.

Waiting high command to proceed."

The Howlland Mountain is a quiet place where the soldiers are trained in two ways, the common way and the way of Rangers. The Rangers are known for covering every forest in the country as the green eyes and ears for the government, but they are not your average soldiers or spies: they don't take orders from the general, they are just reporting to the central headquarters. The faction has a simple power structure: there are 2 captains named "hoods", the red hood and the green hood. The green hood squadron maintains peace and order. The red hood makes up the commando and frontline squads. Any soldier in this faction has the choice of changing uniform at any given time, that is, if they want to break out from their daily – and night-time routine. They can simply turn their cape inside out (i.e. a red cape that can be turned inside out to be made green).

A soldier is rushing to the Hood Office, his steps sound loud in the concrete halls. The Office is half underground camouflaged by a thick canopy unique only to the Howllands. He knocks on the door and before he hears any invitation, rushes in.

"Hood Marshall, the central troupes are ready to charge at Kamir's camp, they are asking for support in case the fire intensifies."

Marshall, the Red Hood, is a man of most severe justice, his wrath is unimaginable, making general Silvian flinch sometimes because of his unpredictable moves.

On the right-side rests Vitter, the Green Hood, ironically being much colder than Marshall. He is the one who a peace maker and his sense of justice sometimes resonates with the government's goals, but sometimes he won't move a finger if he's ordered without a proper briefing.

Both Hoods look at the soldier, and Marshall takes him outside.

On the way outside the Hood opens his station and close it right away.

The soldier never knew what's going on with those two. Despite their less communicative side, the hoods functioned as a perfect clockwork. Soldiers from the Central weren't given a chance to find out what was the secret to such an efficient system. The young soldier simply walked in silence not knowing what to expect.

"Listen here, parrot. Are you ready to give your life for your mission?" asked Marshall.

"What do you mean – paused the soldier, then promptly answered: YES, I DO!"

"Good because it's going to be the blood of the criminals we use to wash our hands and faces in the morning. That's the secret to Hood greatness"

Marshall smiled, but at the same time his veins became visible, pumping ecstatically. You couldn't tell whether he's joking or he's actually telling facts.

[18:21, April the 6th 2094]

Somewhere near the Walt Cliff the troupes were restless and ready for action.

Central troupes of Captain Javier finally meet with the Rangers of Hood Marshall. There's still some time for a little chat before the attack.

"Hood Marshall, long time no see."

"It's been a while, Javier. May I ask you where the targets are located?"

"You talk like you don't know every inch of this forest. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you."

"Is this mission top priority? We'll get it done right on time for breakfast."

"There will be casualties. I fear …"

Before Javier could finish the sentence, Marshall cut him off with a spiteful tone

"Fear… That's not our go to feeling. We persevere and succeed. Death is also cloaked – the Black Hood…" said Marshall with cunning smile.

The time has come. When the moon rose, the revolutionary army was already surrounded by the soldiers. The first round of attacks happened swiftly – a clean cut into the rebels' throats. Undetected, Javier's troupes reach the door where the meeting was held, while the Rangers secure the area. The church is silent. The breaching team blow up the thick iron doors. Inside is pitch black. There is no one else left, only one person – Mustafa Kamir. His long black robe mask him in the darkness.

A solid cough echoes in the altar. The floor is damp and the air is unusually cold.

"Isn't it too cold for April? When temperatures are low it's hard to smell the gasoline, especially when it's frozen"

"Gasoline and liquid nitrogen. You know you'll die Kamir, give yourself up now!"

"Javier, you speak like a true man, it doesn't suit you. You ALL should pay a closer look to the situation. With a single matchstick we won't be here anymore, we'll be all over 100 meters square, the floor is covered with ~170 litres of Gas."

The soldiers hold still with cold sweat dripping from every one of them.

"Mustafa Kamir…"

A lower tone is ringing through. Marshall walks to the Revolutionary leader.

"Marshall Julian Brock…"

Kamir smiled with his broken teeth, making every scar on his face move cutting through his wrinkles. He looked awfully disfigured. He dropped the matchbox and grabbed a syringe from his pocket.

"If it was just them it would be easy, but you Marshall, you are bad news for my plans."

"Run! He's got an AG-shot!"

Javier and his troupes rushed to the doors, but they were sealed back. Up the partly broken ceiling of the pronaos stood a kid and a mountain of a man, respectively Said and Yuri, who were responsible for the deed.

The Red Hood was now facing his most despised enemy. The face of Marshall turned dark red, while Kamir never broke stance. Neither made a move.

"You took from me what I loved the most, my family" said Marshall dropping his coat on the ground.

"And you allied with the ones who stole my everything, my freedom."

Marshall body was steaming after taking of his shirt. This was it. He charged to Kamir. Kamir injected the AG-fluid. The punch was mended to be fatal, and it was. The power exercised to the head broke his skull and breaking close-by wall, tearing an opening for the soldiers to escape out of the church. Outside the Rangers and the rest of the soldiers were ready to kill. It was time for revenge, for Marshall! 12 years waiting for this very moment. 12 years have passed from the Riggs Town incident. Again, he charged at Kamir's stunned body punching again and again, but something was happening. His face was starting to turn into a dark red gooey substance, and suddenly, the melting head shook and regenerated Kamir back to his consciousness. A blind hit back at Marshall sent him 50 meters flying through rubble. The soldiers start fire. But Kamir stood unshaken, invincible as if the bullets didn't have any effect on him. After 742 shots, he kneeled and froze in a deep cold death.

[22:03, April the 6th 2094]

Marshall wake up.

Javier was taking care of Kamir's body to send it back to the base with a helicopter.

"HQ report: Mission was a success. Kamir was captured dead after opened fire."

"Dead? Are you sure?"

"Yes, thanks to your help, Marshall"

After hearing this Marshall passed out a little and smiled for the first time truly calm. The helicopters arrived. Everybody returned back to Howlland before going to the Centre. 7 helicopters flew in. The mission seemed to be accomplished but then… the first helicopter reported a sudden a strike and then collided into the rest of the helicopters making them fall near Wiesaln lake. In less than a minute, they were all burning on the ground. Javier was severely injured by a propeller that ripped off half of his arm. Marshall stood up and saw Kamir. All the bullets inside his body were now out. Recycled munition. The Rangers and the support teams both have taken heavy damage. Marshall rushed and launched his knee into Kamir's hard uppercut only to ricochet into an oak tree. Now, with a broken leg, Marshall couldn't stand long enough on his feet. The vision of the Red Hood was getting blurry. He could only see his allies dying and couldn't do anything to stop it. A dark fog started to intensify. Kamir got close to Marshall to end him but in front of him a human figure was starting to recompose from the fog caught this hand and almost kicked his guts out.

"Wake up Marsh, no time for dying on the front line"

"36. Right in time for the party. Remember now: this is the only time where I let you take the lead, Plague."