Retake

Arachnoia was moving hastily towards a cave, with webbed Erik in her claws. From distant, Madelyn was keeping an eye on her. She was waiting for a moment to strike her. This place was near the jungle, with many corpse tied to trees with Arachnoia's web. Some missing eyes, some missing hands, some showing their ribs, some has open stomach where insects started residing. Madelyn was disgusted by seeing such sight, and was afraid what may happen to Erik if she fails. She grips her sword and moves ahead.

Madelyn takes out her smoke bombs and throws it on Arachnoia's eyes, blinding her for a second, then quickly dashes towards her legs and torso, slicing her skin and legs in the mean time. Arachnoia tried to catch her but Madelyn jumped and dodged, slicing her hand skin, flipping towards her abdomen region, throwing some explosives, then jumping and grappling towards her face.

Just when Madelyn was about to pierce Arachnoia's face with her sword, two shuriken landed on Arachnoia's face and an explosion occurred throwing Madelyn away. Before Madelyn touched the ground, she was caught by someone who was flying in the other direction.

"What the hell are you doing? I was about to kill her!" Madelyn screamed.

"Before you would've stabbed her, she would've used her web on you and you would've been captured as well like your brother did. I don't want my best soldiers to die without any reason." the person who caught her said.

Madelyn quickly turned her head to see who it was. She noticed it was Captain Lionel Ambrose.

Lionel and Madelyn behind a tree far from sight of Arachnoia while Arachnoia was struggling to see. "What were you going to do Miss?" Lionel asked.

"I was just trying to get back my brother!" she replied.

"What you were doing was reckless. You went against Parker, against Arachnoia, the one who killed my team, you yourself know how strong they were, did you?" Lionel asked back.

"I am very well aware of it..." Madelyn said while Lionel cut her off, "And your brother, Agent Lycan, she defeated him, he was stronger as well."

"I know that Captain!" Madelyn desperately replied.

"What you did was reckless." Lionel said.

"Don't lecture me. They were all your responsibility. My brother too was your responsibility. While they were fighting, where were you? Running away from your responsibilities?" Madelyn said in rage.

Lionel just stood silently and glared her.

"You want to save him? Go and distract the Tyrant, while I'll attack when it'll be off guard." Lionel said.

Madelyn stared Lionel for a minute then left.

She started running in front of Arachnoia, dodging her attacks, keeping her busy. She looked towards Lionel after a while.

"What's he doing standing and doing nothing? Is he baiting me or something? Grrr! Shouldn't have trusted him." Madelyn said to herself.

Suddenly, Lionel grappled Arachnoia's arm and dashed towards her, taking his sword out, making several scratch mark in her shoulder and arm and forearm, then going down, cutting her stomach region, and throwing his explosive shuriken which stuck in her abdominal region. Arachnoia tried to catch him with her other hands. He grappled one of the hands, slicing, making several scratch marks, throwing his explosive shurikens on her mouth region, catching her off guard, he grappled the neck, reached there, made a deep cut, attached few explosive shurikens, ordered Madelyn to cut Arachnoia's hand to take Erik and jumped before the explosion.

Arachnoia's lifeless body stayed lying on ground. Madelyn cut her hand to free Erik.

"Don't touch him. You'll stick your hand." Lionel said. Madelyn stopped.

"Let me take a sample." Lionel said taking some web piece in a test tube.

Madelyn nodded. She was still dumb. The Tyrant who Spec Ops team couldn't defeat, she couldn't defeat, was defeated by Captain alone. An S-Ranked Tyrant. Arachnoia, defeated, by one man.

"I've called Parker and others. Lets wait." Lionel said.

A few moments later, Parker and other Ops members arrived.

"I knew calling you was a right decision." Parker said.

"Clean up the mess. I'll go and study the web sample to find a way to free Agent Lycan." Lionel said.

Parker nodded and Lionel left.

A Few hours later, night time

Everyone was back in base camps. Erik was brought in the medical room and he would be staying there for a while until the webs on him are removed. Somehow Madelyn was convinced to go to sleep in her dormitory. Everyone went to sleep after dinner.

Captain returned to his Spec Ops quarter where all Spec Ops member used to sit and chat after dinner.

Flashback

"Ah! We are back after today's mission. Home sweet home!" Owen said.

"Looks like you're tired Owen." James asked.

"Yeah kinda." Owen replied.

"And tomorrow we have to do same chores again." Garrett said.

"Not you too Garrett." James said.

"So what? We get so much work. More than an average Ops member. Everyone says Captain cares for his soldiers, yet he never came to ask how we were." Owen said in an irritated tone.

"Lower you voice Owen, Captain is coming, what if he hears that?" Phoebe said.

"Hear what?" Lionel asked suddenly appearing behind Phoebe.

"Nothing Captain." Owen said startled.

"Whatever. Everyone sit here." Captain ordered.

Everyone followed.

"So how is everyone doing?" Captain asked.

Everyone was surprised.

"What?" Owen asked.

"I asked how is everyone?" Captain repeated.

"Uh we are fine, thank you for asking sir." James replied.

"Everyone?" Captain asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Fine. So tell how is life going? Anything you want to share?" Captain asked.

Everyone went silent.

"Oh yes I have something to share." Phoebe begun breaking the ice.

"Go for it." Captain said.

"You know..." Phoebe begun.

Everyone started participating in the conversation slowly.

Present

Captain was sitting on the same table with empty chairs surrounded.

"You can come out Parker. No need to hide in the shadows." Lionel said.

"You knew I was here?" Parker asked.

"You're still an amateur ninja." Lionel said without looking back.

"Oops. My bad." Parker replied, "So tell me, why you called."

"I'm sending Agent Lycan back to your team." Lionel said.

"Why?" Parker asked in shock, "I mean he's the only surviving member of Spec Ops, why are you sending him back."

"Because what his sister said was right." Captain replied.

"Madelyn?" Parker asked.

"Yes. She said that I'm irresponsible. I couldn't take care of my team. She's right. I can't. So I'm sending my only responsibility to more responsible one. You." Captain said.

"How can you say I'm responsible?" Parker asked.

"I haven't forgotten when you went to fight with the Tyrant with your team when I was under you. I was absent minded so you took the lead like a leader and tole everyone to be behind while I stood there. So who's the responsible one among us. Me or you?" Captain said.

"But Lionel..." Parker was about to say something when she was cut off by Captain, "So, Erik Spencer AKA Agent Lycan is going back to your team."

"You can't transfer your responsibilities to me Lionel." Parker said in an irritated tone.

"You don't know I assume. Looks like Emmett didn't tell you yet." Captain said.

"What?" Parker asked.

"He said he'll tell everyone so I can't say." Captain replied.

"Not to me as well?" Parker asked.

"No." he replied.

"Fine." Parker said.

"Now go to sleep. You need rest. We have a lot work from tomorrow." Lionel said to Parker, looking outside, towards a shadow of someone who was hearing their conversations.