HCS

Cecilia remained silent, listening to the conversation between John and Hugo through the communications system. The words were distorted by the electromagnetic storm surrounding City M, but every time she heard John's voice, her mind returned to that last moment before everything changed.

She knew that leaving John and his team in City M had been a difficult but inevitable decision. The portal they were fighting to seal couldn't be closed permanently, and when she received a new mission, she had no choice but to trust John and his team to handle the situation.

What she could never foresee was the storm that would break out afterwards, trapping them in the city, cut off and isolated. Since then, there had been no way to establish contact with them, and each day that passed, the uncertainty grew heavier. The guilt remained, though she knew she had done the right thing by delegating that task.

Flashback

They had been together at the edge of the city, just before the new mission arrived. The portal was destabilizing, and the Horde was slowly advancing, getting closer. John gave her a tired but determined look. He knew what was coming, and so did she.

"This portal is different from the others," he had told her, with that calm tone he always maintained, even in the worst situations. "It's not going to close easily."

Cecilia nodded, aware of the weight on her shoulders. They had received orders to seal it temporarily, contain the threat until a more extensive operation could be executed. And she had full confidence that John and his team would complete the mission.

Then came the order to leave City M for an even more urgent mission. She left them with clear instructions and a quick farewell, promising to return when she could. But John had seen the look in her eyes: a mixture of guilt and resignation.

"You know what you have to do, John," she said in a low tone, close enough for only him to hear. "You're more than capable of leading this. I trust you and the Wolves. Don't let anything stop you."

And with that, she left. The team stayed in City M, with the responsibility of stopping what seemed to be an uncontrollable portal. The first days without her were chaotic. Despite the solid structure of the team, Cecilia's absence left a palpable void. There was no time to process the loss of their leader; the imminent danger gave them no respite.

"We won't let her down," said Oliv, gritting his teeth as he adjusted his rifle. "We'll do this, and when we succeed, the next round of beer is on her."

"We'll handle this," was all John replied, with that resolute tone that always reassured her. They said their goodbyes with a simple nod. There was no time for unnecessary words. Every second counted.

They had no idea what was coming. Just a few hours after she left, the storm hit the city. What should have been a high-risk but manageable task became a suicide mission. From that moment on, communications were cut off, and Cecilia was left powerless, unable to return or know what had become of them.

Cecilia was at the HCS headquarters (Horde Containment Squad) shortly after leaving John and his team in City M. The fluorescent lights of the headquarters shone cold and sterile, a violent contrast to the emotional turbulence that had plagued her since she left. She hadn't had time to process what had happened; the new mission absorbed her immediately.

She entered the strategy room, where several high-ranking leaders of the HCS were already waiting for her. Among them was Edward, the leader of the Sentinel squad, with his always rigid posture and implacable gaze. Edward was known for his radical approach, prioritizing the elimination of any Horde threat without hesitation, which often put him in conflict with Cecilia's more tactical and humane approach.

"Cecilia," Edward said as soon as he saw her enter, not bothering to hide his usual disdain. "So you left John and his team in City M? Not surprising, considering the nature of the portal. That storm has sealed their fate. You should have known it was a lost mission."

Cecilia ignored him at first, focusing her attention on the holographic table where a projection of the global map hovered. Beside her, other HCS leaders were studying the critical points where the Horde was concentrating its forces. The storm in City M appeared as a huge swirl of static in the projection.

"We know the storm trapped John and his team," she finally replied, directing a cold look at Edward. "But before the storm hit, I made sure they knew exactly what to do. The Wolves' team is capable of completing that mission. What worries me now is what we've discovered about that sect."

Edward let out a dry, humorless laugh. He crossed his arms, dismissing her words.

"The sect? Those fanatics are just going mad with the chaos the Horde generates. They're nothing more than a nuisance. If you ask me, they should be eliminated immediately, before they spread more chaos. You're losing sight of the real problem: the Horde keeps expanding, and every portal that opens only makes the situation worse."

Cecilia, unfazed, maintained the calm that always characterized her, but internally, the weight of the decision to leave John and his team still weighed on her. She knew Edward wasn't entirely wrong; the fanatics who worshipped the portals were unpredictable, and what she had discovered before leaving City M gave her a bad feeling. That sect seemed to have more control over the portals than they were willing to admit.

"Don't underestimate the sect, Edward," she replied, locking her gaze on him. "They don't just worship the portals; they've found a way to control them, to manipulate the energy they emit. If we don't stop them, they could create even greater chaos than what we're already facing with the Horde."

The tension in the room was palpable. The other leaders watched the conversation closely, aware of the rivalry between Cecilia and Edward. Although both were great leaders, their divergent approaches caused constant friction.

One of the HCS leaders, a man with graying hair and a face weathered by years of battle, intervened.

"You're both right," he said, trying to calm the situation. "We can't let the fanatics interfere with the portals, but we also can't lose sight of the Horde. Ideally, we should attack both fronts, though we know resources are stretched thin."

Cecilia nodded, partly agreeing with the assessment, but she couldn't stop worrying about John. She knew there was no turning back. Now, everything depended on her ability to lead the operation against the sect while her team in City M dealt with the storm and the portal.

Edward, impatient and always seeking the more aggressive route, slammed his fist on the holographic table.

"Then let's end this once and for all. Let's go to the sect and finish them off before they can do more damage."

Cecilia tensed for a moment but finally nodded. She couldn't remain stuck thinking about the city and what John was facing. She had to move forward, fulfill her mission, and trust that he would do the same.

"Very well," she replied firmly. "Then let's eliminate that sect. But make no mistake—if I find out you had anything to do with the situation in City M, there will be no place for you to hide."

The room fell silent for a moment. Edward met her gaze without an immediate response. The other leaders exchanged tense glances, but no one else spoke up. They knew the situation was critical, and there was no room for further discussions. The mission had to continue.

With that, Cecilia turned on her heel and left the room. However, as she walked towards the transport platform, she couldn't shake the image of John in the storm, fighting to close a portal that might never shut.

After the meeting, Cecilia found herself walking through the corridors of the SCH headquarters, unable to get the image of John and his team facing the uncontrollable portal out of her head. She had left them with the promise that she would return as soon as possible, but she knew the situation was unpredictable. The storm that broke out after her departure had worsened things, and now uncertainty followed her like a constant shadow.

She entered the break room, where Marcus and Alicia, both members of the HCS and trusted companions, were already waiting for her. Marcus was sitting, visibly tense, with his hands clasped on the table. Alicia, calmer, was reviewing reports on her tablet. As Cecilia entered, Marcus immediately stood up.

"What happened in City M?" Marcus asked without wasting a second. "Where are Carlos and John? What's going on over there?"

Cecilia let out a sigh, knowing that this conversation would not be easy. She owed them an explanation, but she also understood that what she was about to say wouldn't be what they wanted to hear.

"John and his team stayed behind to try to seal the portal," she began, her voice firm but weighed down with emotion. "The situation was complicated, but he knew it was our best option to buy time. The portal is different from the others, it's destabilized, and we needed to contain it until the SCH could mobilize more resources."

Marcus looked at her in disbelief, his hands balling into fists.

"You abandoned them?" he asked, raising his voice. "How could you leave them there? You know they don't have enough support. John is one of my best friends! And not just him... Carlos is with them too. My brother."

The fear in Marcus's eyes was undeniable, and Cecilia felt a pang of guilt. She knew that if she'd had another choice, she would never have left John and his team in that situation, but the orders had been clear. Besides, she had trusted John's skill and leadership.

"I know, Marcus. It wasn't an easy decision, but there was no other option," she replied, her tone firm, but her eyes betrayed her own worry. "John is the best leader we have. If anyone can keep that team alive and make this mission work, it's him."

"And when do you plan to go back for them?" Alicia interjected, trying to mediate, though she was also worried. "What's the HCS's plan to rescue them?"

Cecilia lowered her gaze for a moment, searching for the right words. The reality was that she didn't have a clear answer, and that uncertainty was eating away at her.

"We still don't have a window to return to City M," she admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "The storm that formed after I left has blocked any attempts to approach the city. We can't get through it with our ships, nor can we send reinforcements by land."

Marcus slammed his fist on the table, furious.

"Damn it, Cecilia! You're saying you've left them to die. My brother is there, and you can't do anything. You can't just abandon them. John trusts you, but... what have you done?"

Cecilia felt the weight of every word Marcus spoke, and though she maintained a controlled facade, her emotions were churning inside. John, Carlos, and their entire team were still on her mind, and the thought that the storm had trapped them with no way to rescue them was unbearable.

"I haven't abandoned them," she said quietly, her gaze fixed on Marcus, trying to make him understand her position. "I didn't abandon them. I left John in charge because I knew he was the best to lead that situation. I can't go back for them now, but I'm working on ensuring we can do it soon. The storm won't last forever."

Alicia, who had been silent, spoke up.

"We know you did the best you could, Cecilia. But we also know they're trapped there, and every day that passes without us doing something, their situation worsens. Isn't there any way the HCS can come up with something? Some plan... anything."

Cecilia nodded. She understood the desperation—she felt it too. But her approach had to be strategic. She knew other factors were at play.

"We're working on a solution," she finally said. "For now, the HCS is assessing the situation, and any rescue mission will depend on how the storm evolves. In the meantime, we need to buy time and ensure that other portals don't destabilize like the one in City M. If we can control the rest of the areas, we can focus all our resources on that city."

Marcus shook his head, clearly dissatisfied with the answer, but he knew there was nothing more to be done at that moment. He remained silent, his frustration evident in his gestures.

Alicia tried to offer some calm.

—The only thing we can do now is trust that John and Carlos will hold on until we can go back for them. They're strong. We know they're trained for this.

Cecilia nodded, though her mind was still filled with the upcoming missions and the difficult decisions she would have to make. But at that moment, even with the weight of the future on her shoulders, the image of John, Carlos, and the rest of the team trapped in City M haunted her.

Before leaving the room, Cecilia turned to Marcus, her eyes filled with a promise.

—I'll do everything in my power to bring them back.

Cecilia was once again in the strategy room of HCS headquarters, now surrounded by reports and recent analyses of the threat posed by the Portal Cult. The air in the room was thick with concern as the intelligence team presented their latest findings. At the center of the discussion was a man named Dr. Varell, a brilliant scientist who had achieved what seemed impossible: designing technology capable of sealing the portals permanently, something that HCS and humanity had been trying to achieve for years.

One of the HCS commanders, Colonel Mendez, spoke as a hologram of Dr. Varell and his research hovered over the table.

—Dr. Varell has been working in secret for years on his project. We believe his device has the potential to stop the opening of portals, even unstable ones like the one in City M. If we succeed in protecting him, we could change the course of this war.

Cecilia's eyes focused on the hologram of the scientist. She knew that if this technology worked, John and his team still had a chance. The storm in City M had cut off communications, and while she couldn't return to help them directly, ensuring Varell's device reached safety was the best way to try to save them in the long run.

—What do we know about the cult? —she asked, her voice firm but inquisitive, as her gaze swept over the faces of the leaders gathered—. We know they're fanatics about the portals, but their level of organization and technology seems far more advanced than we suspected.

Commander Mendez nodded, and the hologram changed, showing satellite images and intelligence reports. Several strange symbols and structures appeared on the screen, all linked to the cult.

—The Portal Cult has proven to be much more than a group of fanatic worshippers —Mendez replied, pointing to a series of underground complexes in remote areas—. Not only have they gathered advanced technology, but they've achieved something HCS hasn't even come close to. They've crossed the portals and come back. It seems they've sent explorers through to the other side, and those explorers have returned alive with information.

A heavy silence fell over the room. Ever since the portals were discovered, SCH had tried to send drones, teams, and even people through them, but without success. Anything or anyone sent never returned, and the few transmissions they received were filled with chaos, screams, and distortions. However, the cult had managed to survive on the other side.

Edward, who had remained silent until then, intervened in his usual sharp tone.

—And what have we learned from their incursions to the other side? If they've come back, there must be useful information we can extract, or better yet, we should intercept them before they do more harm.

Mendez shook his head.

—Our operatives have managed to gather some fragments of information. We know the cult has discovered something on the other side, something they're using to amplify the instability of the portals. Whatever they found has given them a power that makes them increasingly dangerous.

Cecilia remained silent, processing the information. The cult could not only manipulate the portals but was also extracting something from the other side, something that gave them an advantage over HCS. But what worried her most was the safety of Dr. Varell and his discovery. If the cult managed to seize his technology, the balance of power would shift drastically in their favor.

—We can't let it fall into their hands —she finally said, her voice clear with determination—. I need to take command of this operation. We're going to protect Dr. Varell and his technology at all costs. This is our best, and perhaps only, chance to seal those portals, starting with the one in City M.

The HCS leaders exchanged glances. They knew there was no one better than Cecilia to lead the mission, but they also understood the risks involved. The cult wasn't only well-equipped but now had knowledge about the portals that SCH had yet to attain. If they managed to seize Varell's technology, everything could be lost.

—Dr. Varell is at a high-security facility in the northern mountains —Mendez informed, displaying a map on the holographic table—. We know the cult has been tracking his movements, but they haven't yet discovered his exact location. However, we believe it's only a matter of time.

Edward intervened again, this time with a proposal.

—I propose a direct attack. If we eliminate the cult at its root, the problem disappears. Let's send everything we have against them and obliterate those fanatics.

Cecilia shot him a withering look.

—That would only create more chaos. If we attack without a strategy, we could not only lose Dr. Varell, but we'd also give the cult the advantage of knowing we're desperate. What we need to do is ensure the protection of the device and the scientist first. Once we have that technology under our control, we can take more aggressive measures. There's no room for mistakes here.

The room fell silent as the leaders absorbed Cecilia's words. They knew her approach was the most sensible, though not necessarily the easiest.

Finally, Mendez nodded.

—Very well, Cecilia. Take command of the mission. The Alpha team will be at your disposal to protect Dr. Varell and his technology. We need this operation to be quick and clean.

Cecilia wasted no time. With a firm nod, she began issuing clear and concise orders as the team mobilized. She knew the future of the war against the Horde and the Portal Cult hinged on this mission, and she wasn't going to fail.

As preparations moved forward, she couldn't stop thinking about what the cult had found on the other side of the portals. Something deeper and darker lurked behind those dimensional openings, and if the cult had returned alive, it meant there was much more to discover, perhaps something HCS wasn't even ready to face.

End of flashback

Back in the present, Cecilia gritted her teeth as John's voice faded into static interference. Guilt and frustration weighed on her. She knew she had done the right thing by entrusting him with the mission, but she couldn't stop wondering if there had been another way, if somehow she could have prevented what happened next.

Not a day had passed since then that she didn't think of him, of his team. But she had to keep moving forward. The cult was still on the move, and more portals threatened to unleash even more chaos. But her mind always returned to that final farewell, to the last task she had given them before fate tore them apart.