Hereford Base

5:46 AM

Derek POV:

you woke up this morning and for some reason you felt better than usual, probably cause you was able to release anger on a few recruits and not getting anything held against me by Harry. You get out of bed and into your casual clothing and head to the cafeteria for breakfast. You grabbed a tray and sat down at you table. This time though instead of being left in thought, a group of people started walking to your table.

Derek: What can I do for you guys today.

Ela: can we talk?

Derek: Got nothing better to do.

Ela, IQ, Valkyrie, and Blackbeard sit down at the table.

Derek: So, what is it you guys want.

Ela: We just wanted to say thanks for standing up, and sorry for treating you like garbage.

Derek: It was really no big deal.

Blackbeard: No big deal? Those recruits were lucky I was in the gym, you defended my girlfriend without the intent to showboat.

Derek: I mean I guess, I just saw them approach and overheard the convo so I took action. Again it was really nothing.

IQ: But still we want to apologize for treating you so poorly because we just always thought every recruit was the same.

Derek: That's ok aswell, if its happened so many times, then it's understandeable why, just next time, dont judge someone immediately.

Speakers: Could Nokk and Recruit Locust come to briefing room 1.

Derek: Well I have to go, it was nice talking to you guys. But please, don't feel like you have to force a convo or feel sorry, it happens.

IQ: We didn't try to force the convo though.

Derek: I know, I'm just saying, I'm a recruit, you're operators. Shouldn't be talking to you guys right now let alone be in this cafeteria. I'll see you later though.

You walk out of the cafeteria and go to briefing room 1. You arrive there and go inside to see Nokk and Harry already.

Derek: You needed me sir?

Harry: Again with the formalities, just call me Harry. And yes I did.

Derek: Sorry sir, just useed to calling my superiors sir and ma'am.

Harry: Its excused, but please do just call me Harry.

Derek: Noted.

Harry: Anyways, I called you two today for a stealth op. Nokk with you being stealthy already it should be a walk in the park. Locust, it might be alittle more of a newer area for you.

Derek: I've done stealth ops before sir, not trying to cloud my ego but I am efficient.

Harry: That's good to know, you're going to the Alder Swamp in Denmark. there's a cabin there that may contain info from the WhiteMasks.

Derek: May, sir? Like as in we don't know 100 percent that this place has info?

Harry: We know the place holds info, we just dont know how much.

Derek: Any info even if its small helps.

Harry: You're right about that, you guys have 30 minutes to get ready before Jager takes you guys. You're dismissed.

You walked out of the breifing room with Nokk and before you could turn to head to your dorm Nokk stopped you.

Nokk: Meet up at the cafeteria alright.

Derek: Noted.

Nokk walked towards the cafeteria, she didnt exactly have to gear since she always wears her gear and veil. You headed back to your dorm to gear up. However the place is a swamp, so isntead of your normal outfit you decided something more different.



Derek: this should work fine i guess.

You headed out of your dorm with your weapons and headed to the cafeteria. You opened the doors and saw Nokk at the girls table so you started to walk over.

IQ: New outfit?

Derek: Only for today, Nokk we leave in 5, you almost done?

Nokk: *Nods*

Derek: Alright, I'll be outside with Jager.

You leave to start heading outside towards the chopper that Jäger is waiting at.

IQ POV:

You: you ever notice that he's been alot more assertive?

Ela: Yea, more like seeming more in charge?

Mute walked up to the group since he overheard the conversation. As Mark approached the table Nøkk stood up and left the group to go meet up with Derek and Jäger.

You: Hey mark, whats up.

Mute: not alot just heard your conversation.

You: you have something to say about it?

Mute: In his file, we didnt get much since Harry blacked out most of it for his privacy.

Frost: Yea, and it's a bit odd aswell because the only other person he did that with was Nøkk but even so we still no more about her then we do with Locust, just a basic recruit.

Mute: Yea, but with the little info we got from him on his file, it said he's really good at thinking on the spot.

You: What are you trying to say?

Mute: I'm saying that he shows leadership capabilities and that he was like this since he first enlisted.

Ela: So he was judt a natural born leader?

Mute: Think about it, whenever he was in situations that looked like no one in his squad would survive, he comes up with a plan to save them all. Almost as if, something happened in a past op or in his past happened that made him not want it to happen again.

You: Well we cant exactly just ask Harry for his file that isnt blacked out. For all we know we dont even know his name, let alone his age.

Mute: He did snap when that recruit touched your shoulder.

You: anyone would snap if there friend was getting harrassed.

Mute: but he didn't know you yet was the thing, he didnt talk to anyone at all. The only person he actually spoke words to was mainly on the op that he was back up on and Timur also stated that he took a leadership role after Ash and them got captured inside.

You: You can't possibly think that i can get him to talk more than we already have right?

Mute: im not saying to, im just saying, he has a soft spot for you is what im saying.

Dokkaebi: why not check his room for info.

You: That's intruding.

Dokkaebi: well yea, but come on.

You: not happening, Mark how about when he gets back we see if he wants to hang out for a bit. Get him to know we trust him.

Mute: That might work, we could always give it a shot.

You: We'll do that, instead of whatever Grace was planning.

Mute: yea, well see you guys later.

Everyone at table: Bye Mark.

Ela: He is right you know.

You: about what?

Ela: Him having a soft spot for you. I mean he would've probably still clocked those recruits if it was anyone, but he looked calm approaching until they grabbed your shoulder.

You: Ugh maybe you're right, but you cant always assume.

Ela: You do have to wonder though, he has all this leadership and skill but he's only a recruit.

Frost: Harry must have not seen him fit to be an operator?

Ela: that wouldnt make sense though, he has better leadership and gun skills than most of us and yet he's only a recruit.

You: Maybe he wanted to be a recruit.

Frost: You've got a point, it would also make him be less looked at.

You: You do have to wonder though what else he's hiding.

Derek POV:

You were in the chopper heading to Denmark to continue your stealth mission with Nøkk. The trip would take awhile, about 8 hours. So you decided to get some sleep since you would be raiding the cabin at night. You just didnt know what would be in store for you just yet. It gave you a little worry, but you had one of rainbows best stealth ops, so that made you feel alittle better. While in your thoughts, sleep started to take over and you were fast asleep.