The Inferno Rages On

The Blacklight team had just finished securing their extraction point when the air around them seemed to thicken. The mission had gone as smoothly as possible, but something in the air felt different now. They were about to find out just how deep the rabbit hole went.

Vale scanned the surroundings, a low hum vibrating through his comm system. "Keep your heads on a swivel. Something doesn't feel right."

Zero, already on point, responded without missing a beat. "Got eyes on movement. Several targets closing in fast, about 300 meters away. They're not friendly."

"Hostiles?" Vale asked, his voice calm, but the weight of the situation starting to sink in. His hand went to his rifle instinctively.

"Definitely," Zero replied. "They're not just random patrols, either. Looks like they're moving with purpose."

Before Vale could give further orders, a burst of static crackled through the comms. Aegis' calm, calculated voice cut through. "Multiple hostiles approaching, weapons hot. They have heavy support units—machine guns, explosives. Prepare for heavy engagement."

"Understood," Vale said, his gaze flicking to the rest of the team. "We're making a stand here. We hold this position, we don't run. Kiera, you're on suppression. Zane, deploy drones. Aegis, stay sharp."

Zane nodded as he activated the AI-driven Drone Controller. His fingers barely moved over the console as the system interfaced directly with his neural link. The sleek AI interface—running a customized combat protocol—flashed to life, ready to deploy.

"Deploying drones now," Zane said, his eyes narrowing as he focused. The drones whirred to life, popping from their compartments in Zane's backpack-like Drone Deployment Unit and ascending into the air with precision.

Each drone's movements were perfectly calculated by the AI, which analyzed the battlefield and automatically adjusted drone parameters for maximum effectiveness. Crow's voice echoed through the comms, its tone a calculated directive: "Initiating EMP drone pulse. Engaging enemy tech now."

With a series of beeps and whirs, several EMP drones shot across the field, darting toward enemy positions. As the first pulse discharged, a series of explosive sparks lit up the horizon. Enemy tech flickered and sputtered, with several mercenary weapons suddenly rendered useless.

"That's one less thing to worry about," Zane grinned, his eyes reflecting the flickering screens of his controller. His drones continued to fly, flanking the enemy's positions and disorienting them further. Some drones deployed smoke screens, others dropped flares, and a select few launched smaller kinetic projectiles that slammed into enemy cover with pinpoint accuracy.

Suddenly, an explosion rang out close by, shaking the ground. A rocket-propelled grenade detonated near Doc, sending him flying to the ground with a thud. The mercenaries were closing in fast now.

"Doc!" Kiera shouted, but she didn't miss a beat. She continued to lay down fire, keeping the enemy at bay while Vale rushed to Doc's side.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken," Doc muttered, his voice gruff. He'd been hit, but he wasn't out of the fight yet. He pushed himself up and, with Vale's help, took cover behind a large boulder.

"Get back in the game, Doc. We've got a lot more coming." Vale glanced over at Kiera, who was still raining fire down on the advancing enemies. "Zero, take them out. Everyone else, keep moving forward. We've got a target to capture."

With the AI drones continuing their onslaught, Zero picked off the stragglers, his sniper rifle cracking with precision. "One down, two more left." His movements were flawless as he shifted positions, moving with practiced ease.

Vale glanced at Zane, who had his drones circling above, and then at Aegis, who was feeding him real-time tactical data. The team's synchrony was unmatched.

The moment the enemy leader came into view, Vale nodded to Zero. "It's him. Make it quick."

Zero didn't hesitate. The sniper's scope found the target. One shot, one kill. The enemy leader dropped to the ground with a muted thud, silenced by the precision of Zero's rifle.

"Target neutralized," Zero said flatly, before scanning the rest of the battlefield.

Zane's AI drones had successfully cleared the enemy tech, and the remaining mercenaries began to falter under the pressure of the Blacklight team's combined force. The drones continued to maneuver flawlessly in sync with Zane's commands, forcing the mercenaries to retreat.

"Now we push," Vale commanded, his voice unwavering.

Kiera fired once more, the last of her ammo emptied into the advancing enemies. "No more backup from me unless we fall back."

"Roger," Vale replied, his voice laced with authority. "Zero, take them out. Everyone else, move up."

As the team closed in on the remaining forces, Zane's drones swarmed over the battlefield. The AI-assisted guidance made their movements unpredictable, and the drones became a blur of destruction, disabling any final efforts the mercenaries tried to mount.

With the last of the enemy forces neutralized, Vale turned to face the team. He allowed himself a brief moment of relief.

"We held them off," Vale said, taking a breath and surveying the scene. His team was battered, bruised, and bloodied, but standing. "But this isn't over. We need intel, and I'm sure this won't be the last we see of these guys."

He stepped toward the fallen leader, flipping him onto his back with a firm boot. The man groaned, and Vale squatted down, his tone lethal. "Who sent you?"

The mercenary leader grinned, blood dripping from his mouth. "You think this is over? You have no idea who you're up against. This is just the beginning."

Vale's gaze hardened. "We'll see about that." He motioned for Zero to handle the interrogation.

Zero moved in quickly, calm and collected. "You'll talk. I suggest you make it easy on yourself."

The team began securing the area, the hum of Zane's AI-controlled drones the only sound left. They had completed the mission with expert coordination, but Vale couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something much bigger was coming. Something far beyond what they had faced today.

The mercenary leader's cryptic words still echoed in his mind. "This is just the beginning."

The storm was far from over.