Eve slowly withdrew her hand, and Isa sighed, noticing the obvious aversion from the TRACE team.
"I understand that you all harbour some animosity towards us PMCs, but I hope that you're mature enough for us to work together. And relax. I'm here on a commission. I won't do anything to you." Every word that came out of her mouth felt utterly indifferent and monotone, as if she were reading off of a script. The PMC turned her attention back to her locker before anyone could respond.
"What makes you think you could do anything to us?" Corporal Vian scoffed, narrowing her eyes. Eve raised her hand, trying to cut her off, but it was too late.
In a single instant, Isa's demeanor changed. Her eyes narrowed, and what the TRACE operators could see of her amethyst eyes glittered dangerously.
Isa's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "I've read your mission reports. Or, report, should I say. One single mission. Granted, one incredibly well done mission for a first try. However. You've never actually seen an enemy's face, have you? That look in their eyes when you pull the trigger. And if I may say so respectfully, the only one who did well on that mission was your squad leader, whose decisions were flawless." Her eyes lingered on Eve's face, then moved back to the others. "Your execution, on the other hand…"
While her team was seething, Eve focused on a detail that the others of her team overlooked. Isa had seen their files. How did she get access to our files? Eve narrowed her eyes.
"As for the others… too many mistakes were made. Don't get a big head just because you're tier one special forces. Mistakes will get you killed." Isa turned her attention back to her rifle, a sleek bullpup[1] akin to the one Eve found in her arms locker. Isa pulled back the charging handle, and tested the trigger, watching the bolt snap closed with a solid clack.
Eve couldn't hold it in anymore. Even if she is… eye candy, does she have to be such a jerk? Eve stepped forwards, obscuring the absolutely seething Corporal Vian from view. "Ms. Nymera[2], I think that's taking it a bit too far- and here I thought you wanted us to be mature enough to work together?"
Isa turned away, picking up her kit bag and slinging her new MOB 7 issued snow combat suit and helmet over her shoulder. "I'm just saying things as they are. However obnoxious I may seem now, I have no intention of someone going in with false expectations and dying within the first couple minutes. I've seen enough in my days back in the military as well as during commissions[3]."
Looking back at the TRACE team over her shoulder, she turned her unsettling gaze on Vian, who flinched but maintained an aggressive expression. Her expression was close to slipping, though, Isa could tell. Sooner or later, she'd know that what Isa said was only the truth.
And I'd rather it be earlier than later, Isa thought to herself. There was more she wanted to say but she held herself back. Even if I say anything, they could take it as a threat or ignore it all together.
"Corporal… Vian, was it? I apologize if I sounded bitchy." Isa's use of profanity lingered in the air like a bitter aftertaste, a stark contrast to the strict speech regulations imposed on Eve and the others.
"Though hopefully you take it to heart." Isa glanced at Vian, whose hands were balled into fists. "However mean I may seem now, I really don't want to see anyone getting killed. As for why you should trust me…" Isa slung her kit bag over her shoulder along with her uniform. "Each claw mark represents a successful commission."
Eve stared at Isa's bag, but at first, she couldn't see any claw marks or understand what Isa was talking about.
Then, with dawning realization, Eve realized that what she assumed was a pattern marking the outer pouch of Isa's kit black bag were dozens, perhaps even hundreds of tiny claw and tear marks, painstakingly embroidered in navy blue thread.
Isa's eyes flicked back up to Eve, who managed to maintain a neutral expression. "I'll see you later, sergeant. I hope that my point was made, and please. Don't let that get between us tomorrow." Isa started to walk off to the restrooms to change into her snow uniform.
Out of the corner, Eve could see Vian trying to come up with a retort, eventually giving up, defeated. Eve shook her head and turned to her squad.
"Look," Eve began, her voice firm. "As much as I might… disagree with her personality, what she said was right. Corporal, don't give me that look." She shot a pointed glance at Vian, who looked positively outraged.
"I don't want anyone getting shot because they got careless. We're not invincible- we can get hurt. I'll do everything I can as your squad leader to keep you safe and make smart calls, but I'm still figuring this out too."
Eve sighed, then straightened. "Keep your focus, Vian. Keep your head straight. That goes for all of you. And let me make one thing clear- anyone who messes with the Wolves answers to me."
Her usual demeanor hardened, and she turned an uncharacteristically steely glare at her team. "We're here to work with them. Any animosity- drop it. I'll try to do my best too. Just tough it out for this one mission. Odds are, we won't have to deal with them or see them again after this. If they cross a line, come to me. Don't give them any reason to escalate things."
Eve paused. "If we can't cooperate on something important enough to call us in on short notice, then…" Her words trailed off, the implication hanging heavy in the air.
"Is that understood?"
"Yes, sergeant!" Out of the three of her squadmates, Vian looked the most averse to this.
I'll need to keep an eye on Vian, Eve noted. Hopefully she has the sense to not do anything stupid…
- - -
[CQB[4] training grounds, underground, MOB 7]
Eve stood in the equipment room, checking over her new rifle. They were underground, where MOB 7 housed their training facilities, ranges, sensitive equipment, and so on. The bright LED lights illuminated the maze of thin wood walls that were the CQB training grounds, and gave Eve a heavy dose of nostalgia from her training days.
Eve had already swapped out her grey combat suit for the arctic gear MOB 7 had issued- insulated and designed for the numbing cold. She'd reattached her TRACE patch to the new outfit, as per standards. Eve inspected her rifle: a compact bullpup model with an integrated suppressor and a low power variable optic - or LPVO - perched on top. The scope could switch seamlessly and quickly between 0x and 6x magnification or anything in between, thanks to a slider rigged to her control strap. The same strap also managed her laser and flashlight, and the entire package was attached to the front end of the rifle's handguard. The LPVO was supplemented by a red dot sight on top, allowing Eve to be able to take close range fights without restricting her field of view.
The official reason for the switch from her old rifle? Close-quarters combat in the half-destroyed and caved-in facility of Cold weather outpost four, where the tight design of her bullpup would give her better maneuverability and control over her rifle. Supposedly, the rifle also handled the cold better. Eve had her doubts, as bullpups had fussy internals, but Lieutenant Nia had vetted the bullpups personally. That was good enough for Eve.
She racked the charging handle backwards and inserted a practice magazine, filled with washable paint cartridges. This would prevent the bullet holes in the mock buildings, while clearly marking where her shots landed in blue paint.
Eve's team was checking over their own weapons as well. They all had their combat gear on, including their helmets, along with the same camouflage and combat suits.
Tech corporal Seo shouldered her rifle- identical to Eve's, except for the red dot sight mounted on top and the shorter barrel, tailored for leading the charge into tight spaces. The tech corporal took her place to the left hand side of the wooden door that led into their part of the training grounds, and corporal Vian followed shortly after.
On Vian's upper thigh her same old short breaching shotgun was visible, and she carried the same new rifle. Similar to tech corporal Seo, hers sported a red dot sight as well.
Taeyeon followed after, still using the same PDW; it was good enough for close to medium ranges that the operational commanders felt no need to make any changes to it.
With her team ready and formed up by the entrance to the training grounds, Eve took her place as well.
"Are we good to start? The plan is to get in two or three runs before mess, then pick it back up afterwards."
"Yes, sergeant."
"Alright then." Eve tapped Vian's shoulder and Vian stepped forward, picking the lock on the wooden door and sliding it open. It slid open silently before bumping quietly into the cheap and replaceable panel wall. Seo didn't miss a beat and Vian stood aside as She rushed into the room, her rifle raised, scanning for any potential threats as she headed to the left of the room.
Eve followed soon after, holding her bullpup rifle close. As soon as she passed tech corporal Seo (to the point where she could raise her rifle without flagging her), Eve snapped her rifle up to her shoulder as she headed straight forwards, hugging the right wall as Seo did the same on the left.
A rigged combat dummy popped up from behind a couch, and Eve reacted quickly, squeezing her trigger twice. Two muted thumps could be heard as the paint bullets left her rifle and two bright blue splotches appeared on the center of the dummy's chest. The dummy dropped to the ground. Eve's spent casings scattered to the floor and rolled into collection grooves alongside the mock walls, where they would be collected at the end of the day.
Spec corporal Taeyeon entered the room after, with corporal Vian following, and the team scanned the room before they declared it clear and moved to the next door.
They continued until midday, clearing room after room, storming hallway after hallway, clearing the entire training facility with ease, like a well-oiled machine. Each step they took was geared towards silent operation, as that was what was required of them for the mission tomorrow. Vian lockpicked doors instead of busting them open, the team communicated over comms instead of speaking out loud, and they kept their footsteps light.
Hours passed by like minutes, and eventually the TRACE team was interrupted from their third run of the course by lieutenant Nia's voice echoing from the PA system.
"Good job, all. I thought I'd stop you all a bit early. You have 30 minutes until mess. I'll wait by the entrance. I have tomorrow's schedule for you all."
Eve nodded. Overhead, above the CQB training grounds, a network of railed walkways stretched from one end to the other- designed for instructors who needed a bird's-eye view when they weren't on the ground teaching. Attached to this steel framework was a medium-sized platform equipped with a PA system and a small lounge area for instructors. Looking up, Eve saw Lieutenant Nia standing on the platform, microphone in hand. She gave them a thumbs up and a smile.
"I'll see you all downstairs."
As her team began leaving the training grounds, Eve noticed something the rest of the TRACE team - and maybe even Lieutenant Nia - had overlooked. At the very edge of the platform, shrouded in shadow, a glimpse of something of purple caught her eye. She squinted, and her visor whirred as it zoomed in. Just then, she caught a glimpse of a black ponytail swishing and then it vanished.
Isa Nymera…?
[1] Bullpup refers to a gun where the magazine and the 'action' of the gun (the bolt, etc.) is behind the trigger. Probably the most iconic bullpup is the Steyr AUG. Another example is the SRS A2.
[2] Being a PMC, Isa doesn't have a rank.
[3] Essentially a mission for a PMC
[4] Close Quarters Battle