EXO Legacy

File 10: Ashes

[>--------------------------------------<]

File 10: Ashes

Location: Dead Sea Works Ltd, Israel

[>--------------------------------------<]

We called for emergency crews to help control, clean up, and salvage the facility. There was some major damage, but nothing that would put this place out for too long. Plus we would pick up the tab for damages as a gesture to the the Iraqi government.

Aside from that, all of the workers were safe and accounted for.

There were a few other burn victims but they were taken care of by paramedics and other medical staff who were flown in.

The small group of Iraqi East Ring militia that I had saved had been taken care of medically, under armed guard, and left to rest a while before they would be questioned later.

We treated them surprisingly kindly, I mean they were a local disruptive group. Well this is just another good example to show that the US army aren't just war-crazy soldiers just itching to spill blood. We afe human too.

The militia were traumatized at the loss of one of their friends in such a tragic way and were also grateful for my personal efforts. They weren't in the mood to gawk at my suit though. I understood.

We all treated injured or affected enemy as humanly respectable as we were able.

[>--------------------------------------<]

Location: Sierra Army Depot, California, USA

A few hours later and we were back at base in good old US-of-A.

As usual the squad dispersed into their own routine for R&R after some debriefing. I was included in the first part but afterwards I was told to stay outside for a while as there were sensitive matters to be discussed with Eric and particular ones in our squad.

I wasn't mad that I wasn't included, just curious about what was being said, but I knew better than to try to overhear special info. Heck, I was mostly here because of my dad, so it couldn't hurt to listen to his advice to stay out of long boring talks, hehe.

Soon most of them left while Eric and my dad were inside.

"Hey kid, good work out there today."

KONG was the strong yet playful type and I didn't mind getting called 'kid' by him. I replied to his comment with a fist bump and a smirk. I didn't want to let it get to my head, but... nah, better enjoy it before rougher stuff comes.

"Better get in there, there's important stuff you need to know about the last op. See ya later. I'm out."

I waved to him as he headed to the showers.

[>--------------------------------------<]

As I entered the same office I was summoned to the last time I found Eric and my dad standing near a table looking at some mission files. Onthe table I found a tray of ash next to a laptop hooked to some wires monitoring something in the ash.

"Hi Eric, Hi Dad. I overheard something on the comm about something to do with a paradox gate before. I didn't get a chance to ask what it was. It sounded cool though."

Dad would normally tell me things spontaneously that he would come across from mission to mission, and something that sounded that cool wasn't gonna escape my notice.

His expression changed when he heard me mention it. Surely it wasn't a problem, right? Oh, maybe it had something to do with the fire?

He probably was about to commend me for my work just like KONG but when I hit the nail on the head and went to a topic I think he'd rather not share... his countenance dropped.