How to Catch a Fish (ManxMan)

Chapter Thirty-one: Lieutenant in Action - Part One

~Chapter Thirty-one: The Lieutenant in Action~

The mission briefing is, well, brief. I already knew exactly what we are going to be walking into, as that was part of the email Koa sent me, but my team was only given the basics, so I greeted the rest of the team - taking note of a couple vaguely familiar faces from my training days - and quickly gave them a rundown of the plan, as well as the backup plans for when the main plan inevitably falls apart. And while, in all likelihood, those backup plans will fall apart, too, it is still important for them to know, as it gives them a solid foundation for any plan that has to rise up from the ashes of the originals.

And then we were on the move.

-

"We will be breaking into four teams - two of five, two of six. The target may be six floors, but the first two are solely occupied by a human-run business. The top four are what we will be attacking. Team one has the third floor, team two has the fourth floor, and so on. Because of this, in order to avoid bunching up, team four will be the first to enter, and then three after exactly three minutes, and so on. Take the stairs; we do not want to keep the elevators occupied, and all it would take is someone trying to use it at the wrong time for this to go sideways. Clear?"

-

My team, team three, is the second to enter, and though we have our swords and look ready for war, the humans in the lobby barely bat an eye. Since the fourth team received the same reaction, it comes as no surprise to my team, but it still makes me wonder if they are under a spell or if they really do not care.

This building is on Hollywood Boulevard, so maybe they are used to this sort of thing.

Since no one tries to stop us, we reach the stairs in under a minute and start up them at a controlled but fast speed. I glance behind me at my team as we near the fifth floor landing, and they look nothing but determined. There is no fear, no hesitation; they are just ready for whatever is going to greet us the moment we walk through those doors.

-

"According to our sources, the lead witch of this branch is on the fifth floor. I will be leading that team, and after clearing the other floors, that is the floor we will meet on. However, should our source be incorrect or if the lead witch is on another floor," I pause to pass around a photograph of the target - a male witch, "I want to hear about it immediately, and everyone will converge on that floor as soon as it is safe."

-

Skuure, I missed being a Hellion.

There is just something so enjoyable about Hellion missions. It could be the adrenaline, or maybe it is the feeling that comes from actually doing something that just feels right, but in the months of inactivity, the only thing that has measured up to this feeling was finding Nero. Well, okay, maybe he found me, and maybe being with him is a little more pleasant than preparing to engage in a bloodbath, but still...

"Everyone is in position," Koa says in my ear, speaking through the earpiece that everyone is wearing. He is outside the building, as the spies - even the spy captains - are not meant to engage in battle; they simply do not have as much training for it. Their skills are better suited for providing technological backup and ensuring that the witches cannot call for reinforcements or sneak out.

"Swords," I murmur. And, in complete unison, I hear the hushed hiss of metal against leather fill the stairwell, as the demons on each level pull out their swords. I wish Nero could be here to see this, but I am also glad Koa talked him into waiting behind.

There's a reason no water demons were picked for this mission.

If we were near water or even a humid area, Nero could have helped, but it is just dry and hot outside, and it is only marginally better inside. He could probably use a weapon to aid in the fight, but with all the magic that will be flying around, I will feel better knowing that he is safely out of the area.