"We have a contingency," Sandeep replied. "The secondary Black Hawk will remain airborne. If the rooftop becomes unusable, we'll regroup at the main courtyard, where there's a larger open area suitable for a quick extraction."
Advik Bhardwaj crossed his arms, scanning the room. "Any more questions?"
The room remained silent, the soldiers exchanging glances but offering no further inquiries.
"Good. Gear up and be ready in fifteen minutes. We lift off soon," Sandeep ordered.
The soldiers saluted before breaking off to check their equipment. Sandeep turned to Advik Bhardwaj as the room emptied.
"Looks like everyone's locked in, sir. We'll be ready to move soon."
Advik Bhardwajnodded. "Good. I'll head to the helipad and summon the helicopters."
Advik Bhardwaj stepped onto the rooftop helipad of the Leela Palace Hotel. The helipad was expansive, large enough to accommodate all three helicopters with room to maneuver. It was a good thing the hotel was designed for high-profile visitors and emergency landings—this would make operations smoother.
Accessing his system interface, Advik Bhardwaj navigated to the Military Hardware tab. He selected the helicopters one by one.
[Summoning: UH-60 Black Hawk]
A pulse of blue light shimmered at the center of the helipad as the first Black Hawk materialized. Its matte-black fuselage gleamed under the sunlight. Within moments, the rotors began spinning slowly as the system summoned the crew—two pilots, a crew chief, and a door gunner—all dressed in combat flight gear. They stepped out momentarily to confirm the helicopter's condition.
Advik Bhardwaj repeated the process:
[Summoning: Second UH-60 Black Hawk]
The second helicopter appeared adjacent to the first, its crew already in place and performing pre-flight checks.
Finally, Advik Bhardwaj summoned the AH-1Z Viper:
[Summoning: AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopter]
The iconic, dual-rotor attack helicopter formed in a burst of light, its reinforced armor and weapon mounts imposing. Twin AGM-179 JAGM missiles, eight Sidewider missile pods and Hydra rocket launchers were secured beneath its stub wings, while the 20mm chain gun hung ominously under the nose. The Viper's pilot and co-pilot remained in their seats, already running diagnostics on the targeting and navigation systems.
Sandeep walked over, inspecting the helicopters. "Looks perfect, sir. Crews are fully staffed and seem experienced. They're ready for briefing."
Advik Bhardwaj nodded and approached the lead pilot of the Viper. "Report."
The pilot saluted before speaking. "All systems green, sir. Armaments are fully loaded—two AGM-179 JAGM, eight Sidewider missiles, twin rocket pods, and the chain gun ready to fire. We'll maintain overwatch from an altitude of 1,500 feet and engage any threats within your designated perimeter."
"Good. Stay sharp," Advik Bhardwaj said before turning to the Black Hawk teams.
"Pilots, your mission is critical. The first Black Hawk will insert us on the rooftop of the university building, while the second stays airborne for rapid evacuation. Keep communication lines open at all times. If anything goes wrong, I want immediate updates."
"Yes, sir," replied one of the Black Hawk pilots.
Sandeep stepped forward to address the crew. "We'll be under heavy pressure once we're inside the complex. Timing is everything. We can't afford delays, so be ready to adjust based on how the situation unfolds."
Advik Bhardwaj gave one final nod. "Alright. Everyone, mount up. We're wheels up in five."
The soldiers quickly boarded the primary Black Hawk, securing their weapons and strapping into their seats. Advik Bhardwaj climbed aboard, sitting near the open side door where the door gunner adjusted his M240 machine gun. Sandeep took a seat across from him, checking his radio and weapon one last time.
"Radio check," Sandeep said through the comm system.
"Loud and clear," Advik Bhardwaj replied as the pilots acknowledged as well.
"Let's come up with call signs for this operation," Advik Bhardwaj said as the Black Hawk's rotors gained momentum, the powerful vibration thrumming through the cabin.
Sandeepnodded. "Agreed. Got any preferences, sir?"
Advik Bhardwaj thought for a moment, recalling his role as leader and strategist. "Call me Cobra. If things get chaotic, I'll be Cobra Actual when commanding."
Sandeep grinned slightly. "Fitting, sir. Sharp-eyed and dangerous. Works for me. I'll go with Shadow 1—coordinating ground movements."
Advik Bhardwajchuckled. "Shadow 1 suits you. Silent, precise, and deadly."
Sandeep nodded in approval. "Alright. We'll stick to those. The two Black Hawks will be Hawk 1 and Hawk 2. The Viper will be Viper 1."
Advik Bhardwaj activated his radio to relay the assignments. "All units, this is Cobra. Assigning call signs for the mission. Hawk 1 is the primary Black Hawk for insertion, Hawk 2 for evac support. Viper 1 will provide air support. Shadow 1 is ground team lead. Acknowledge call signs."
"Hawk 1, copy," the pilot of the primary Black Hawk confirmed.
"Hawk 2, copy," came the voice from the second Black Hawk.
"Viper 1, acknowledged," the Viper's pilot reported.
Sandeep adjusted his headset. "Shadow 1, ready and standing by."
Advik Bhardwaj smirked. "Good. Maintain formation and stay alert. We don't know what's waiting for us at the university."
As the helicopters lifted off the helipad, Advik Bhardwaj glanced out of the open side door. The city below stretched endlessly, pockets of destruction visible even from this altitude. Smoke billowed in places, remnants of chaos caused by the apocalypse.
"Shadow 1, this is Eagle. ETA to target?" Advik Bhardwaj asked through the comms.
"Approximately fifteen minutes," Sandeep replied, checking the mission timer on his wrist.
Advik Bhardwaj leaned back and tightened his grip on the overhead handle. In fifteen minutes, they'd be on the ground—hopefully retrieving any survivors and getting out them alive.
"Eyes open, everyone," he reminded the team. "The mission's just getting started."
The sound of helicopter rotors slicing through the air filled the cabin as the Leela Sky Condominium complex came into view. Advik Bhardwaj leaned toward the open door, gripping the handle tightly as he scanned the area below. His heart sank at the sight.
"Shadow 1, this is Cobra. Eyes on the rooftop. We've got a situation," he said over the comms.