CHAPTER 17 EYE OF PROVIDENCE ...

“I thought I'd see someone different.”

Crownslayer said with a slight curl on her lips, snug in her seat as her tail curved away from the backrest and unto the side of her thigh, slightly brushing it

“I thought so too, until they said I was the perfect man for the job.”

“The perfect man for the job sleeps on duty?”

“Sometimes, you just do what your brain tells you to do, even if that big ol’ duty is looming behind you, staring at you. Like the shadow of the Boogeyman.”

“Huh, can't imagine that's a good work ethic.”

“It's a fine life ethic if you want to truly live, and life is bigger than work, isn't it not?”

“But work controls your life.”

“Maybe so, but that kind of mentality won't get you anywhere will it? Once, someone said to me that thoughts like those are of the devil, like a trap to control or a lie for manipulation. Remember, only the people who expect hope, can have the drive to find it.”

Crownslayer looked at the man with a judging yet also a profound, contemplative look.

“People your age sure do speak a lot, big talks, speeches about hope and all.”

Alberto laughed.

“What? Do I remind you of someone?”

“Nothing, let's just continue with what we're doing here.”

Alberto nodded his head. He placed a plain but paper-filled folder atop the desk. “BFMC-2” was written on it, with what seemed to be a plain marker pen.

“This is what we will offer to you, and your Reunion.”

Slowly, he pushed the folder to Crownslayer’s side of the table... She looked at it with an inquisitive, curious and expecting look, like a child on the Christmas gift exchange. Shaking and wondering what that thing is inside their little gift box.

Crownslayer pressed her fingers softly onto the folder, ready to uncover and shed light to reveal the contents of the mysterious folder presented to her. She was as careful as an archeologist slowly excavating away a valuable fossil or gem trapped in its stone, but before she could even move her hand upwards to open the cover, Alberto interrupted.

“Wait.”

Crownslayer raised her head.

“What?”

“Can you promise me something?”

“A promise?”

Crownslayer sighed in response.

“Hey, I don't like keeping promises, but I'd do it, just this once.”

“Thank you.”

Alberto smiled.

“Anything and everything that you have seen, heard or experienced here, never happened, never existed.”

“What? Wait, you're telling me to keep silent over you and your organization?”

“Yes. Unless, of course we say otherwise. I also assume you understand why, right?”

Crownslayer's eyes narrowed, a peculiar gaze thrown and caught by Alberto.

“Hmmm. When word gets out that there are foreigners that mysteriously appeared with mysterious tech, equipment and appearances, the entirety of Terra would be on your organization’s tail. Not that you have one, but I’m sure you understand. Terra is a cruel world, and I'm sure some factions with not so stellar ideas would try to take advantage, or even worse, try to purge you all.”

Alberto was taken aback by Crownslayer’s analysis. Did she really think they were that helpless or something? Even if that was the plan in the first place, he didn't know how it worked so well. But at the same time it was their fault, they barely showed anything, not even a mere sliver of their prowess after all. The drone flyover before wasn't a plan to intimidate, but a plan to show they have something that they didn't have, to display competence so that she may think of them as a future benefit, and to gauge her reaction in a way that sentences of nouns and adjectives that simply described what they could do, couldn't.

To show her a glimpse of their capability and disguise it as their best.

She was also only confined, almost imprisoned, not that she noticed, to a very small part of the residential district and some buildings and offices of the intelligence districts, more than 90% of the entire facility was off limits for her, and the truth was the same for most of the people working in the 555 as well.

The only other people she’d seen walking around her and the building she'd been using as a residence were the trained security forces of the Diamond Group, not that she knew of course.

Being that they disguised themselves in civilian clothing and acted meek or very friendly in front ront of her. Maintaining their disguise as some sort of generic white collar worker while hiding a fully loaded lead shower makers covered under their pants and suits.

As for actual soldiers that she'd seen, there's the Squad 1 of Task Force Monad, who had now been reorganized countless times to now hold nothing less than 12 active and deadly squadrons, ready at all times, all men specializing in rapid reaction operations and other specialized tasks.

The Task Force also had recently been renamed to simply, Ground Branch Group 1, nicknamed Monad. With the other Ground Branch Groups being quickly formed and organized to create a small, but capable army made of the most capable Tier 1 or 2s of the Organization’s best blood river spillers.

Crownslayer did not know this as she was clued into, but not outright told, that the first squadron was the few spare elite combat capable units they had.

“Hmm.”

Hummed Alberto, not showing any signs of agreement or disagreement with Crownslayer's analysis.

“So, would you keep the promise?”

The Terran sighed.

“Siracusa taught me that no matter what, you should pay your debts.”

“Ah, a code of honor, I would wager?”

Crownslayer nodded.

“In Italy, there's something similar… Have you heard of Omertà?”

The word sent shockwaves of bolting electricity to Crownslayer, almost immediately recognizing the code of silence.

“How the- How does your worl-”

“Let's talk about that later.”

Said Alberto, cutting her off and using his eyes to point to the folder sitting graciously and untouched on the desk. Even if he was also interested in this discussion, the important parts must come first.

Crownslayer caught his signal, and shut herself up. Her mind now once again preoccupied the now seemingly mystical folder. Curiosity now overriding her senses, she folded.

Alberto leaned back and closed his eyes as she opened the folder, and within a little less than 4 seconds of viewing the contents, her eyes bulged into total shock and surprise.

Alberto knew that sooner or later, he was going to be bombarded as if he was getting stormed by a B2 bomber's heavy load of heavy loaded questions, but for now, the still silence carried the room.

““How should I answer her questions?””

Thought Alberto, thinking of a plan of action. Lying is a powerful tool at face value, the only problem was, if you are caught doing the deed, your character would immediately dwindle and fall like a crumbling stone tower. And that same person who caught you doing the deed would never trust you the way they trusted you for the first time ever again.

That is the reason why the Agency mainly used the better, improved version of lying, Half-truths. A type of lie that comes in many forms where instead of saying false information, you would say the truth instead. Of course it isn't really The Truth, but an alternate, replacement truth wherein its purpose is to hide the real, actual truth.

“W-Where- I mean, how did you get, all this?”

Crownslayer said, finally sputtering out some words of total disbelief, placing down the multiple paper documents, graphs, maps and captures of BFMC-2 onto the table.

The documents scattered all over the table, revealing all the sinister pieces of information that no man was meant to see.

Multiple extremely detailed aerial captures of BFMC-2 on a height that one cannot even dare imagine. Streets, highways and roads all laid out and labeled in a bird’s eye view of all and every part of the city's surface, it was like a legendary bird or a flying dragon took the pictures themselves, but that was not even a single scratch of all the info collected unto one piece of a compiled set of documents under the folder.

The drone operators, analysts and other specialized experts didn't sleep a single second the past few days, and their efforts showed and shined like polished gemstones.

Suspected LGD storehouses, armories and secret bases all marked out in red marker, circled out and brought to light. Ever since the fiery situation in the outskirts of Lungmen, the LGD had been extremely active, and the eagle's eye saw it all. All vehicles of the LGD, even suspected undercover vehicles, were immediately tracked from their out of order behavior, like going into suspicious routes or the simple fact that they can always see where they end up after a drive.

Cars, trucks and even some other specialized vehicles were followed by the eye even at the darkest hour of the blindest night. Eventually some of these vehicles would go to random buildings at sparsely populated locations at night, from hidden warehouses or inconspicuous houses, and sometimes, they even delivered massive amounts of cargo, rations, supplies, armor, weapons, medical equipment and more, and this is where they're marked as potential hidden governmental controlled facilities.

Even other buildings were suspected to hold entire crates of explosives, the LGD probably expected a future all out attack and raid from the Reunion in the near walking future, making that reason for trying to transport and hide all the stuff situated at smaller military bases that they couldn't properly protect to these hidden warehouses in hopes that the Reunion wong aquire them for the time being. How unfortunate that every single movement of their plan was already being watched by something they couldn't even see with the naked eye.

Even if most of the flow and storage of their supply and logistics lanes were exposed and recorded, the eagle's eye never ceases its watch, its vigil, its search. For everything shall be uncovered and laid bare before the eye of providence.

And so, the SIGINT offices and the Technology and Science Department went to work. Some of the guests that came at the day of Exodus were the NSA’s very own SIGINT technology experts and specialists, and with some time, a small incarnation of the fabled “No Such Agency” formed within the ranks of the SIGINT teams, and with a collaboration with the Technology and Science Department, they worked a way to intercept and decrypt radio waves from Origium based technologies.

Modified RQ-180s, MASINT, SIGINT and ELINT capable, would start by detecting signals from various governmental buildings that looked important to small guard towers that held communication apparatuses, then after some analysis to determine if they're civilian or if they're LGD by their encryption levels, the message would get recorded, and either decrypted by cryptologists with their code breaker machines, or for unprotected audio messages, would simply get listened in to. Normally, this type of brute force method would be extremely hard to do even on earth, but to the agency's surprise, a lot of the signals weren't even encrypted, just coded, was this world still not used to information warfare? And so with multiple clues about the encryption methods by comparing it to similar past experiences and some other hints by getting info from unprotected channels, the agency successfully brute forced through encryption keys, and stole mountains worth of communication data with it, from simple text messages to full calls of LGD officials. All recorded and all archived.

They were not beginners in terms of Originium, the construction of the portal and the other many prototypes of it proved that. So with a little bit more research, understanding with deconstruction and reverse engineering of Crownslayer's Originium radio communicator, and some other relics gathered by the first expedition, a signal interceptor of some of the RQ-180s drones was slightly modified to capture Originium Radio signals, not that there were that much difference, as both were extremely similar in theory with the only difference being the extremely unnatural power source which lead to the weird looking internal mechanics of the devices, but the agency had already adapted to their antics.

If the declassified, current day and use NSA technology can monitor every single piece of technology that can give of signals and location services of a country of more than 300 million people plus some millions more from other countries at all times and have every single mili-second of it recorded and and analyzed by systems and computers, with the addition of decades of wiretapping experience, then they sure can decrypt the signals of this alien hong kong look-alike city and make it look like nothing more than walk in the park, even if the technology is slightly different.

“Hey, are you listening? How would you prove that these are real?”

Said Crownslayer, specifically pointing out a supposed transcript gathered in a radio transmission between a high ranking LGD official giving permission to assault a recently discovered Reunion Hideout somewhere in Lungmen, a major one too.

Crownslayer's voice was like a snap of the finger inside Alberto's head, noticing he somehow was stuck in a daze thinking about the intensive data privacy violation operation that the CIA was doing, weird.

Waking up from his thoughts, he addressed Crownslayer with a wait sign using his hands, then pulled out a phone from within pockets.

“His name is Officer Arthur Ritter, you know him?”

“Arthur, Ritter? Yes, I have heard his voice once before, a despicable officer… An elitist who’s known for advocating to keep the Infected stuck to the rat-ridden slums of Lungmen.”

“If you have heard of his voice, then this shall be easy.”

Alberto said, pressing play on the phone.

Bzzzzzt

Bzzzzzt

“This is your Commanding Officer, Arthur Ritter! All LGD Leaders under the 5th Guard Squadron! Do not spread this message yet. Just yesterday night, the mole we placed in the ranks of the Reunion had given us the long awaited intel!”

Bzzzzzt

Crownslayer's tail stiffened, her eyes froze and ears raised upon hearing that a mole was in their company.

Bzzzzzt

“A massive Reunion Hideout had been found on Sector GH#-7801! An entire army full of those wicked Infecteds! So my brothers and sisters, sharpen your weapons and get your men ready, a night raid shall be done sooner or later! For now the exact date would be kept confidential, but do not fret, we shall free Lungmen from this scourge, and return the peace that the infected took from us! Remember what they did to Chernobog, do you want your families to be harmed as well? Your properties burned and home ruined? No, that won't happen here in Lungmen! We will defend it from those brutes! So prepare your men for battle and a night raid, we’ll show these Infecteds the duty of the LGD! That is all, I'll be updating you all soon!”

Bzzzzzt

Crownslayer was left frozen by the recorded message. It was as if time froze like Antarctic ice around her because of how still she is.

“So? That's his voice right?”

“Y-Yes, that is his voice… But, how did you get that transmission?”

“That's something I can't answer for now.”

Alberto said, politely while his face showed signs of regret, which Crownslayer caught.

“T-That's fine, Old man I know you're not in control of everything here, and besides, you revealing this information is good enough!”

Alberto's eyes brightened. “Oh? So what he was was accurate?”

Crownslayer stood silent for a while. She was hesitant, but then relented with a sigh.

“I- I shouldn't be saying this but, yes the information should be correct. We planned to target Lungmen way before Chernobog, steadily building up forces, saboteurs and sleeper agents, and one of the hidden bases was located in that same sector he mentioned.”

“Then that should prove our information's credibility, or would you like to hear more?”

“Yes! No wait a minute! I need to somehow deliver this info to Talulah! There's a mole inside the Reunion! You said that 555 was pretty near Chernobog right? I'm asking if it is possible to- uhhh, go there?”

Albero nodded calmly, maintaining his composure in front of the undoubtedly anxious Crownslayer.

“Yes, we can. It would also give us the opportunity to finally cooperate with your leader, doesn't it?”

“Then when can we go? I'll do my best to advocate for your information so that we could help you in whatever you need in return!”

“I think I need to inform Command first, then we could go immediately, if that is what you wish.”

“Are we driving at night then?”

“You shall see, but first let's fix these papers, shall we?”

…

The Director's Office

“The expedites were a success, Director Sir.”

Oswald said, before walking forward in the simplistic yet elegant dark wood themed office of the Director. He sat in the small lounge area on the side of the office where red cushioned chairs and couches surrounded a small coffee table holding some fruit tea in flower decorated tea cups with the Director himself also sat in the area. Oswald observed and let the aroma of the fruit tea enter through his senses, it was truly calming. Now that he thinks about it, the only personal thing he knows about the Director was that he enjoys tea, but everything else was null.

““I wonder if I will ever get to know what his favorite movie is or something…”

Oswald shaked his head, banshing those useless thoughts to focus on the very important matters at hand.

“A helicopter would be going off anytime soon at night, the small team would arrive for negotiation at Reunion Territory. Another hidden helicopter would approach from a different way and deploy Ground Branch first group, First Squad as unseen security for the diplomatic team. The diplomatic team themselves would be introduced as members of Liberty Logistics and are composed of men from the Political Action Group (PAG) who have experience in combat. Even if they are dressed as diplomats and citizens, they're true intentions are to be the Orange’s, and Orange’s handler, Case Officer Colosseum’s bodyguards.

A first line of defense before First Squad could properly get into proper position using stealth. We will be deciding where we meet so we won't accidentally walk into a part of the city where our First Squad would be put in any kind of disadvantage. If chaos still ensues, the Reaper still holds its vigil in the night sky.”

The Director places his tea cup down to the small round table, making a small thud sound.

“Then, that is good.”

Oswald slouched a bit, getting more casual with the Director.

“Sir Director, What exactly do we need from them? The Reunion? They're a paramilitary terrorist organization, not a factory where we can ask for some extra steel or something, and more to that, they're hated.”

“Everything has something to offer, we will just see how it goes.”

“I understand, Sir Director.”

Sighed Oswald.

“By the way, apart from the other weird signal, we've located Snafu's location, he's stuck in Rhodes Island, an ally of the LGD.”

“Then, that would make communicating with the LGD much easier.”

“And also, that same Rhodes Island VTOL Aircraft that we have been tracking over the hours is also making its way to BFMC-1. Its- Well, it's our only unknown variable so far, we strongly suspect they are going there for some sort of covert action, but we don't know how they will act.”

“Then, you should have prepared Second Squadron as an emergency force, right?”

“Yes, Director Sir.”

“Unknown variables only bring in more opportunities, if the operation gets negatively affected by them, then we just failed to adapt to the situation, but with you holding the wheel, that will not happen.”

Oswald tilted his head.

“I am not aware of what you plan for this chess game, Sir Director. I know that we'll also trade some of the Reunions Hideout locations to the LGD. Orange doesn't know that, she doesn't even know how we got all that information, making her oblivious to the fact that we’ve also marked out suspected Reunion Hideouts, at least on the surface or even the fact that the voice recording back there was nothing but a product of synthesis, recreating that officer’s voice to whatever we want from actual recordings, just to make turmoil within their ranks, I just want to ask, what do we achieve from this?”

The Director's head finally turned to Oswald.

“We aim to gain the most from conflict.”

The Director's tone wasn't cold, nor was it commanding or loud like that time he was making a speech. The tone instead was plain, devoid of emotion but also didn't signify indifference or boredness. It was just that, plain. As if this conversation was nothing more than just a conversation about passing the salt grinder.

“I know we're secretly playing both sides of a conflict to gain from both The Reunion and the LGD, but what's the End Game?”

“End Game?”

Questioned the Director.

“You need to stop thinking about all this as chess battles. They're not.”

“I understand, Sir Director, but my inquiry remains”

“Hmm. I don't know what happens at the end, Oswald. Unlike a Chess game, the world is unpredictable. That's why I keep saying this. There is no chess game at the top of the world.”

He took a slight sip from his berry tea before continuing.

“The world, unlike a chess game, starts unfair, lawless and senseless. One side may start with eight pawns, and the other, a hundred. Or maybe the knight somehow moves like a queen, and sometimes, the king gets treated as nothing more than a pawn. Do you get what I mean?”

Oswald nods.

“Yeah, the gist of it. Unlike chess, anything can happen in the world, even if we take every single atom by account and let a super AI analyze its future movement at plank size, the unexpected would still happen.”

“That is right. That's why the CIA never plays chess games, we instead put holes into our opponent’s back then hang him in his room and call it suicide, then the game would be cancelled.”

“Haha, that's funny. Alright, I get it. One more report, more case officers are now ready, we could try to finally creep inside Lungmen with all the chaos running around in its outskirts, and Snafu, I immediately thought of trying to extract him, but that's probably not what he would want. After some thinking, we'll assign him to be buddy-buddy with Rhodes Island. I heard they are a company full of unexpected opportunities.”

The Director Nodded.

“Good, I'll leave it to you."

_____ A/N

Quite late so extra words, send me what you think so far, thanks for all the support!