EPISODE 02: Operation Witching Hour 03 (Patreon)

// Theater of Operations: Republic of Esperança

// Mission Time: 1427 Hours

“Caralho.” Curses Maya under her breath. “I thought we were going to tango with smugglers, maybe even Russian soldiers baby-sitting the shipment but. This.” She points a finger down toward the truck on standby in the middle of the dirt road. “This wasn’t in the briefing.”

Luna could clearly distinguish the resistance fighters from the crowd. They were wearing standard forest camo BDU suits, berets and an emblem representing the Ashen Phoenix. She counted at least nine of them - Six of them looked dead and the other three were being held by gunpoint by a smaller group of unidentified combatants.

The unknown armored commandos were led by a tall and muscular blonde woman who barked orders in Russian. She walked ahead of the pack. Vest half open revealing two massive breasts that glistening with sweat under the jungle heat.

“Who are they?” asked Luna softly, doing her best to keep a low profile, crawling into a better angle.

“No flags. No IDs of any kind. Completely unmarked. But they are packing some expensive gear.” Answers Maya, as she takes a closer look with her rangefinder. “I’d say mercs of some type. Question … is what do they want?”

Unsure of what they were witnessing, the agents watch how the tall Russian drags one of the young female resistance fighters through the mud by the hair, shoving her down onto the dirt road away from the truck.

This girl seemed different and although half her face was covered by a black scarf Luna recognized her as the leader of the resistance from the surveillance photos - The Phantom of the Amazon herself.

Unfortunately it looked like the Russian woman was aware of this too, as she seemed hell bent in getting some answers from the Phantom. Pulling her prisoner’s head up by the hair she pressed a gun to her face and asked a question. Too far to make out.

The voices of the resistance fighters could also be heard, a mixture of fear, anger and desperation echoing through the trees. They too wanted answers. But neither camp was giving any.

Growing increasingly concerned Luna tightens her body, shifting her position into a half crouch, ready to charge. But Maya holds her back. “Wait …” she orders and Luna complies. Her heart filling with hesitation.

Suddenly, the Russian bitch barks another order and four shots ring out, silencing two more resistance fighters … permanently. Now only the Phantom remains and the tall blonde repeats her question.

But this time, Luna takes action.

Sliding down the hill ridge through the dense cover of foliage, Luna uses the element of surprise to her advantage, quickly gunning down two mercenaries before diving out into cover just as swiftly.

Maya springs into motion as well, extending the bipod on his LMG and mounting the barrel over a rock to provide a barrage of cover fire in the direction of the truck, forcing the remaining mercenaries to scatter into the green.

“Puta que pariu!” curses Maya once more, knowing full well that this was the beginning of a very hard the battle.

(To be continued.)