BXBX NOVEL Chapter 199 Touchdown
Chapter 199 Touchdown
Three hours and fifty minutes later, the Specters, having executed their high-altitude, low-opening (HALO) jump, approached their drop zone near Seoul, South Korea. The darkness of the night enveloped them as they descended in stealth, their figures barely discernible against the vast, starlit sky.
Specter-2, the team\'s lead jumper, checked his altimeter, noting they were nearing the optimal altitude for parachute deployment. He signaled to the rest of the team with a hand gesture. The team, in perfect sync, prepared to activate their chutes.
Each team member\'s parachute was a specialized HALO rig, designed to provide a controlled descent from high altitudes. These parachutes were less detectable by radar and emitted minimal noise, essential for covert operations…though it didn\'t matter in this operation but still a cool feature. As the altimeters hit the pre-designated mark, each Specter pulled their ripcords, and the chutes deployed silently into the night.
The sudden deceleration was smooth, their descent now a controlled glide towards Rally Point Alpha, just outside the urban sprawl of Seoul. Their eyes scanned the terrain below, darkened buildings and abandoned streets painting a desolate picture of the once bustling city.
Specter-3, tasked with navigation, relayed coordinates to ensure precise landings. "Two minutes to touchdown," he communicated over the radio calmly and clearly. The team adjusted their headings slightly, aligning with the designated rally point.
As they neared the ground, the Delta Forces Specters executed landing procedures expertly. Each member conducted a PLF (Parachute Landing Fall), rolling on impact to distribute the force and minimize the chance of injury, though it didn\'t matter as the suit would absorb the impact, it was a habit that they couldn\'t escape from. As for the Super Soldiers, they simply landed on their feet.
Once on the ground, they quickly gathered their parachutes, stowing them in compact bundles. Specter-4 activated his night vision goggles, scanning the immediate area for threats. The goggles\' green hue cast an eerie light on the desolate landscape.
"Area clear," he reported.
Specters 2 to 5 are the Delta Forces while the Specters 6 to 15 are the super soldiers.
Graves, as Specter-1, commanded his team at Rally Point Alpha like he was playing chess. The soldiers moved, checking their weapons, gear, and systems. Graves surveyed his team\'s movement using their GPS tracker from the monitor in the C-17 Globemaster, ensuring everyone was accounted for and ready to proceed.
"Specter-2, Specter-3, take points. Specter-6, Specter-7, you\'re on rear guard. Move out towards the progenitor\'s last known location. Stay sharp and maintain silence," Graves commanded.
The team moved out, their boots barely making a sound on the cracked pavement. They proceeded in a tactical formation, weapons at the ready, eyes and ears alert for any sign of the enemy. The city, once vibrant and noisy, was now a ghostly shadow of its former self, the only sounds were the distant howls of the wind and their measured footsteps.
As they advanced, Specter-5, the team\'s communications expert, set up a portable satellite link to maintain contact with the Blackwatch command.
"Specter-1 Actual to Eagle, we have touched down and are proceeding to the target location," he relayed.
"Copy that, Specter-1 Actual. Eagle is monitoring. Proceed with caution," came the response from the command center.
The team navigated through the empty streets and towards Gwanghwamun Square.
As they neared the progenitor\'s last known coordinates, the aftermath of the W-60 warhead became clear. A huge crater in the middle of the square and the surrounding buildings were either reduced to rubble or heavily damaged.
"Are you seeing this Actual?" Specter-2 asked.
"I can see it clearly from here," Graves confirmed. "What a mess…Eagle…are you seeing this too?"
"Affirmative, Specter-1 Actual. We\'re receiving your live feed. Proceed with caution in that area," Richard\'s voice came through the comms. "What\'s the radiation level in that area?"
"Copy that, Eagle. Specter-2, conduct a radiation sweep. We need to know the levels before we proceed further," Graves ordered.
Specter-2, equipped with a specialized radiation detector, moved toward the edge of the crater. The device, a compact but highly sensitive Geiger counter, was designed to provide accurate readings of ionizing radiation levels.
As Specter-2 approached the site of impact, the Geiger counter began to emit a rapid clicking sound, indicating increasing levels of radiation. He watched the digital readout carefully, noting the numbers that rapidly climbed.
"The radiation levels are elevated but within safe limits for short-term exposure," Specter-2 reported steadily... "We should limit our time in the hot zone and avoid direct contact with any debris."
Graves processed this information. "Acknowledged. Specters, maintain a safe distance from the crater. Let\'s not linger here longer than necessary."
The team continued their cautious approach, staying on the periphery of the high-radiation zone. Their suits were equipped with basic radiation shielding, but prolonged exposure could still pose a risk.
Specter-5 transmitted the radiation readings back to the command center. "Eagle, we have elevated radiation levels at the site, but they\'re within tolerable limits for a limited duration."
"Understood, Specter-1 Actual. Be advised, that long-term exposure could lead to radiation sickness. Keep the team moving and minimize exposure," Eagle advised.
Five minutes later, they arrived at the location of the progenitor. Specter-2 reported his findings.
"No signs of the progenitor over here…"
"Of course, you wouldn\'t see him there," Graves responded. "We need to fan out and search for any clues about the progenitor\'s whereabouts. Specter-2 to Specter-5, take the north quadrant. Specter-6 through 10, sweep the south quadrant. Be thorough but swift."
Specter-2 led his team towards the north quadrant, moving carefully among the ruins. Their eyes were keenly focused, looking for any trace or clue that might lead them to the progenitor. They checked every possible escape route.
Meanwhile, Specter-6\'s group advanced to the south quadrant. They proceeded with equal caution, their advanced sensors scanning the area for any unusual activity or residual energy signatures that might indicate the presence of the progenitor.
Minutes turned to hours as the team spread out across the devastated landscape.?The Specters combed through every inch of the area, and just as Specter-2 was about to report their findings, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He motioned for his team to halt.
"Wait," he whispered into the comms, "I\'ve got movement."
His night vision goggles picked up a faint movement in a partially collapsed building to their east. The movement was subtle, almost like a shadow shifting against the backdrop of destruction. The figure\'s face was covered in a hood and its body a cloak that blended with the ruins.
There\'s no mistaking it…that\'s the—.
"Welcome, trespassers, to my desolate dominion! I am the one you\'ve been hunting, the survivor of your futile attempts at annihilation. I am the harbinger of your end. Prepare to meet your doom at the hands of the master of the new world."