0200 hrs (Capitol District Standard Time)
December 5th, 2062
Planet, Teffilin
Lake Rapture, 20 km W. of Capital City
Operation: BLACKLIGHT
CDR Andrei Tarkov
|-Callsign: Starlight
Zarethian Hand
Homeland Intervention Response Unit [HIRU] - GHOST Battalion JOINT OPERATION
Team: Onyx 0-1
Welcome to the Apocalypse,
Death to them all.
Living on the edge,
Im impressing them all.
Im on my grind,
Im not resting at all.
Look at all my time,
Im investing it all.
Tarkov looked around at his surroundings and took it all in. They were about 400 meters below the surface of the expansive lake getting ready to infiltrate the underwater stronghold dubbed "Rapture" by its creator. It had only been 6 months since the foreign crew crash landed on the lake shore, and since Tarkov was brought down to this very stronghold to meet the man he called "Mister Outside".
Tarkov examined the area again. It was dark with the only illumination coming from chemlights and the flame from the cutting torch being used by te team's engineer, Gunnery Sergeant Hotch and his assistant, Agent Kouch. Kouch looked back at Tarkov and raised up his index finger signalling that they had 1 minute left before they were in. Tarkov nodded in response ad looked over to the rest of his team.
He looked to his second in command -- 1st Lt. Foss, his close quarter's combat (CQC) specialist -- Agent Shepherd, and his medic, Staff Sergeant Scarselli. All three were standing by ready for the go to move in to the pipeline they were cutting into. Tarkov looked back at Kouch and Hotch right as they finished and Kouch was pulling the grate off, tossing it down to the lakebed.
Tarkov gave the hand signal to move in and all 6 proceeded to dine into the large pipeline.
"Onyx 0-1, this is GHOST Team 7. Teams 5 and 6 are at RZ Alpha and Team 7 is holding for Onyx 0-1 and 0-2 at RZ Bravo." the comms went off.
"Copy Team 7. No status on Onyx 0-2. 0-1 is 200 meters away from RZ Bravo. If 0-2 isnt there by the time we are, we go without them." Tarkov called back.
"Team 7 roger 0-1." a reply came back.
The team moved further down the pipeline until they saw 6 other figures in the distance. They stopped and Tarkov went in front of they flashing a strobe for a second. Teyu waited for a few seconds and another strobe went off in the distance. Tarkov looked back and nodded to his team and they proceeded forward. They swam and met up with the other group who were clearly identified as members of the GHOST Battalion -- A highly elite unit of the Hand, handpicked from Navy Special Warfare.
"Entry point is 50 meters ahead, and 20 up. Teams 5 and 6 are going to initiate with us from RZ Alpha." the Team 7 leader said to Tarkov on their local channels.
"Understood. 0-2 isnt here so we're going to prom without them." Tarkov said.
The GHOST leader nodded and both teams swam forward and stopped when they came to the bottom of a large shaft. The GHOST Leader pointed up to which all 11 nodded in return. 2 GHOST Agents when up and came back down 20 seconds later with 2 bodies which were bleeding from their necks, tainting the surrounding water with blood. Both agents gave an all clear hand signal to the Team Leader and both team ascended.
When they broke the surface, they hoisted themselves out on the edge and swiftly discarded their dive gear and checked their weapons. 2 GHOST Agents moved forwards to check a vent opening while 2 others pulled security on the only door way. Tarkov approached the GHOST Team leader and his second in command.
"Captain Blake." Tarkov greeted the GHOST Team leader.
"Commander Tarkov. Its been a while, sir." Blake replied.
"No need for formalities. Quite a team you have here, Captain." Tarkov said.
"The best we could send. Wouldnt want this big fish to swim away." Blake joked.
"Indeed... We should start moving though. Outside is going to catch on, and when he does he will flee." Tarkov informed to which Blake nodded.
Blake signaled for his 2 men to head into the ventilation system and for the other 2 to open the door. Both teams formed up on the door with the exception of the 2 GHOST Agents in the vents and the point-man waited for the tap on his shoulder.
Tap.
The agent flung the door open and Scarselli, Foss, and another GHOST Agents rushed in follwed by the rest of the team.
"Clear." Foss whispered.
"Next door should be a hall way. Corridor Mike Zulu if this intel is correct. We head 20 meters down and hang a right on corridor Xray Lima for 50 for yards. The signs should all point to the CO's office where our HVT is. We need to deal with 5 gaurds in the general HQ area, and another 2 posted outside of the office. Mr. Outside is to be considered armed and dangerous, possibly suicidal if he thinks he cant get out of this..." Blake informs everyone.
"Remember... Outside is to be taken alive. He is also to be arrested by the HIRU as to keep GHOST off the radar in this op." Tarkov added in.
"Teams 5 and 6 are securing us transport to the surface after we take Outside and we are going to be efilled by aerial transport. AM is going to be in effect once we breach the office, so that means no magic will be capable." Blake concluded.
The team members all nodded in understanding while Hotch and Kouch formed at the other door. Hotch signaled ready and the rest of the team formed up.
Tap.
Hotch flung the door open and Kouch followed by 2 GHOST Agents rushed in follwed by the rest. Tarkov's team formed on the left of the hallway while Blake's team formed on the right.
"20 meters, go." Blake said as both team moved at a fast combat pace down the hallway, quickly checking open doors and openings. They stopped at the corner and Tarkov signaled for his team to clear it. Scarselli and Shepherd whipped around the corner and fired 2 shots. Scarselli and Shepherd rounded the corner back to the rest of the team dragging 2 bodies with them, leaving a small trail of blood.
"Clear." Scarselli said.
Both teams rounded the corner in the same formation and moved down the hallway at the same pace. After about 45 meters they stopped and Blake's team shifted to the left side of the hallway behind the HIRU Agents.
"Office, 5 meters. Stack." Tarkov whispered.
The teams slowly moved forward and the point-man, Foss, stopped and waited for the tap.
Tap,
Foss flung the left glass door to the reception area open and Shepherd, Tarkov, and Hotch rushed in. 2 non-silenced shots were heard followed by 5 silenced shots.
"FUCK!" Hotch shouted as the rest of the teams moved into the large room. "Medic!" he yelled to Scarselli who rushed to him.
Blake snapped his head to 2 of his agents who nodded and rushed down a smaller hall way and fired 2 shots.
"Guards are down." a GHOST Agent said.
"Good. Scarselli, get Hotch out of here and patched up. Shepherd, take point. Kouch take the rear. Blake pull security on the parameter." Tarkov ordered.
Tarkov, Shepherd, and Kouch movd down the small hallway and stacked at the door with Kouch in front. Kouch stopped and waited.
Tap.
Kouch flung the door open and Tarkov followed by Shepherd moved in to face Mr. Outside. Tarkov stopped in the middle of the large office with Kouch and Shepherd on his left and right. They could clearly see Mr. Outside standing with his back towards them, looking out the observation window at the sealife, his hands neatly behind his back.
"Andrew Ryan!" Tarkov shouted. The man didnt move and Tarkov waited a moment before shouting again. "Mr. Outside! Otherwise known as Andrew Ryan, I am placing you under arrest under article 27....."
"And who are you, Agent?" Outside questioned in a loud, booming voice.
"You really dont remember me do you?" Tarkov asked. "Tarkov, Commander. Homeland Intervention..."
"I know who you are Commander... But do you?" Outside asked and turned to face them. "Is the dear Director really so afraid of me? Is the Council forgetting that they really have no authority over me?" he questioned.
"Once again. I am placing you under arrest under article 27 of the Post Plexan Treaty of 2056 under the authorization of Admiral Regis Hermitage, Director of the Zarethian Hand and Hand of the Council!" Tarkov announced.
"A treaty ratified only by you and 2 other empires? Really now..." Outside replied in a mocking manner. "Did the good Admiral also inform you that he and the Council never intends for either you or I to make it out of here alive?" He asked.
"What are you talking about!" Tarkov shouted.
"I guess they really are all so afraid... You and your comrades will die down here. They dare not expose me..." Outside shouted back and advanced towards them, stopping only feet away from the barrel of Tarkov's gun. "You're a slave, Commander. You all are!" he announced. "You blindly obey and believe who your commanders tell you! Men chose! You obey!"
Shepherd gritted his teeth in anger. "Lets waste this fucker!" he lunged forward only to be stopped by Tarkov.
"Explain... Now." Tarkov said as Outside gave him a huge grin.
(Part 2 soon)
(Note: Any and all parallels to Bioshock are purposeful as they are set canon by Zack's portrayal of Mr. Outside.)
