After my night shift with Captain Pierson, I had barely slept for three hours, but he woke me up. I got up, rubbing my eyes and began to look at him.
"What?" I said as I rubbed my left eye.
"You are not going to believe it." He said with straight eyes.
I understood and began to smile. Sleep left me.
He took a deep breath, looked left and right, and rubbed the back of his head. "Well…Yes. It was a trap."
"See, I told you." And I began to smile.
He moved sideways. "Okay, no time to joke. Wake up your squad and come to General Yarna's office. Hurry up."
"Okay," I said and got up.
Ferry, Alfred. Wake up." I said loudly.
"What?" Alfred said as he rubbed his eyes.
"We got a mission. I am going to General Yornus's office. Get ready, it's highly urgent." I said and left.
I hurried to his office. And in there, Colonel Yornus, Captain Pierson, and a major of the special corps were present. They were standing around a table and devising plans. I walked to them and saluted. The colonel and the major nodded.
"I will make it short. In the meeting, they presented us with three options. One to give up all our natural resources, second to give up our status as an independent nation, and become a colony of the Phoenix Empire. And the third was to get trampled by their army. The supreme commander chose the third option. And as a part of that open war, they attacked his convoy on the way back." The colonel spoke.
I looked at him with a weird and shocked face. But the colonel gave a light smile, barely noticeable. For Arkania, it was the dumbest decision imaginable. But for the two of us, it was perfect. The colonel may get the throne. And my chances of revenge were alive.
"According to the last message, they are present 20 kilometres east of Egnisk, and are under heavy fire. 2 out of 3 brigadiers are dead, and out of 20 soldiers, only 11 remain. They are demanding immediate support." The major informed us. "Now, here is the plan. Captain Martin, you and your squad, alongside five of my men, will be dropped to their position by the air force."
"This is an attack on the supreme commander, so of course, we will not sit quietly and launch an offensive on them before they act. Using that window, you will be sent to their position." The colonel said. "Just like two weeks ago, it's a dangerous mission. But unlike then, you have no choice."
The three of us saluted the colonel and left his office. Ferry and Alfred were waiting outside. I geared up, and on a jeep we went to the airbase. The Arkanian offensive has begun, as I heard many tanks and artillery firing. On the airbase, it was the same hustle and bustle. The aircraft were refuelling, and some were taking off. A tactical airlift stood ready for us. We rushed towards it.
"Martin," The major called me, and opened a map. "As you are leading the operation, you must know about the terrain. The area is forest and hills. There are plains as well. You have five paths leading to point A3. At that point, 15 soldiers of the special corps will be present. They will clear the area up to 5 kilometres. Your priority is to bring the supreme commander and your team alive. Avoid as many casualties as possible. Go now…Good luck."
I nodded, and then we boarded the plane. We numbered eight. Alfred, Ferry, five soldiers of the special corps, and I.
"Welcome, captain," The crew chief said and shook my hand.
We sat, and after five minutes the plane took off.
"I have heard a lot about you. It is an honour to fight alongside you." A lieutenant of the special corps spoke.
"It is also an honour for us to fight beside the special corps," I responded, and he chuckled.
Michaela's decision was the dumbest I have ever heard. We had gotten only one chance for peace, and he wasted it. I know that the ceasefire won't last long, and they will still attack us. But he could have chosen the option to sell resources and demand blood money for all the civilians killed, and rebuilding of the country in exchange. But he didn't. He became too overconfident.
After 20 minutes, we were near. The crew chief signalled us. It was time. We aligned for the landing. The crew gave us the parachutes. We wore them, and the jumpmaster checked our gear. After two minutes, the tailgate opened. The jumpmaster gave us the signal. He counted to three, and on the affirmation of the crew chief, he signalled us to jump.
We ran and on the edge we jumped. I jumped first, and the rest followed me. We shrieked through the air, the wind slowing our fall. Our altitude was 25,000, and we began to cover it rapidly. Even from there, I could hear the faint sound of guns and artillery.
At 3000 feet, we opened the parachutes. We glided for one and a half kilometres and approximately 300 metres from Michaela's position landed. We were safe, we weren't spotted. We closed the parachutes, got out our rifles. We checked our gear, and on my signal, we began to advance. This was the furthest I have ever been into enemy territory.
I don't know whether Argen will be there or not. But I would be on my guard. He knows me, he knows who I am, he knows how I move, and what I can do. It was time for the showdown.
But the thing that delighted me the most was the condition of Michaela. This was my best chance to get revenge on him. His life depended on my strategies. The same supreme commander who was mocking me was now at my mercy.