The Final Confrontation

After the firefight, with the sniper eliminated, Team 12 barely had a moment to breathe before the real shock set in.

The extraction was a success. The asset was secure. But the instructors weren't done. They weren't just going to let the team leave without some explanation. No, this final briefing was far from ordinary.

As they arrived at the extraction point and took shelter in a secure area of the facility, Colonel Duvall and the other senior instructors entered, their faces grim. The mood shifted immediately. There was no celebrating their victory.

"Team 12, congratulations on securing the asset," Duvall started, his voice cool, detached. "But I'm afraid there's more to this mission than you were told."

Jiro furrowed his brow. "More? We've barely made it through this alive. What more could there possibly be?"

Vivian, always the first to question, crossed her arms. "Is this some kind of joke? We just secured the asset in hostile territory with enemy spies on our tail."

Aiden, ever the optimist, frowned. "What's going on? We did what you asked us to do. We didn't fail."

Desmond's face grew hard. "What's the twist, Colonel?"

Duvall stepped forward, his gaze sharp. "The twist, Team 12, is that you were never meant to win this round. You were only ever supposed to survive. It was never about being perfect—it was about seeing how you responded under pressure. How adaptable you are. How capable you are of thinking on your feet."

The realization hit hard, but the truth followed quickly. Duvall continued, his tone steady and unwavering. "You see, we didn't send you into that battle unprepared. We deliberately compromised your mission. The enemy knew exactly where you were and exactly when to strike. We fed them your position. The reason you survived wasn't just because you're skilled—but because you're more than just soldiers. You're a part of something far greater now."

Team 12 exchanged glances. The betrayal wasn't just from within their own ranks. It was a test from their instructors—one they had passed by mere chance.

Duvall wasn't finished yet. "The enemy you fought were prisoners of war. Their sentences were death. But we gave them one chance: kill the special forces candidates, and they'll be given a reprieve. They were desperate men, given a chance to prove themselves by killing you. They knew this was their only shot at survival."

Vivian's mouth went dry. "You sent us in there with criminals?"

Desmond clenched his jaw. "How could you trust them to follow through? To actually engage in combat under those circumstances?"

Aiden's voice was tight. "You manipulated us. And all the while, we thought we were fighting for something important."

Duvall nodded, unphased. "You were fighting for something important. You're fighting for Elias' safety."

The words landed with a heavy thud.

Duvall's gaze grew colder. "The reason you were chosen for this mission isn't because of your combat skills or your ability to follow orders. It's because you've proven yourselves capable of something far more important: loyalty and resilience. You've been selected as part of Elias' personal protection force. You will be under his command and answer only to him."

Jiro's eyes widened. "Elias? The same Elias who—"

"Yes," Duvall interrupted, cutting him off. "The same Elias. He's now your superior. The five of you will be relocated to a special research facility, and you'll be tasked with the one thing that matters the most: protecting him. From now on, you are Elias' personal bodyguard. His first line of defense. And from this day forward, you will have the authority to say 'no' to direct orders from anyone, even higher command. If Elias' safety is at risk, you are to act, no matter the consequences."

Bao's expression remained stoic, but inside, his mind raced. "You're telling us that we—we—are now assigned to protect him? For real?"

Desmond shook his head slowly. "No wonder things were getting strange. We're this important for him."

Duvall's tone turned serious. "You've earned the right to be his protectors. And the reason for that is simple: you are younglings, the best we have and not afilliated with anyone but your families and country."

At that moment, a door opened behind them, and the figure they had been waiting for stepped into the room.

It was Elias.

Bao barely recognized him. His posture was different. There was a confidence in his step, a kind of calm authority that radiated from him now. His uniform, freshly pressed, bore the insignia of a commanding officer, but it wasn't just any rank. Elias wasn't the man they had known. 

Elias smiled slightly, as if to reassure the team. "I suppose this is the moment where we officially meet each other, considering the circumstances." He walked up to Bao, who stood still, unsure of how to react. "I know this is a lot to take in. But I'm not asking I'm asking for your trust."

The room fell silent as Elias looked at each of them, one by one.

Finally, Bao spoke. "You've been promoted. To what, exactly?"

Elias nodded with a sense of calm. "I've been appointed the head of the research facility we'll be moving to. I will oversee the entire operation. But more importantly, I'll be the lead scientist there. You'll all be working under me directly, and the research facility will be the center of everything Im going to work on. Your mission is to keep me alive while I lead this effort. And I need you to be the best."

Elias' words weren't just about the mission; they carried a weight of responsibility that made the room feel smaller, more intense.

Bao was the first to speak after a long silence. "Understood, sir."

Desmond nodded. "We'll do what's needed to protect you sir."

Vivian smirked. "We've got your back, sir. Don't worry about it."

Jiro and Aiden both silently nodded their agreement.

Elias looked satisfied, but the gravity of the moment settled in his eyes. "I'm trusting you with this. With my life. You'll be the ones making the decisions that will determine everything. Let's make sure we're ready."

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