Loud thuds echoed around the command room, and everyone turned around and saluted them, looking at the exit leading to the helipads.

  "Good luck to you two, not that you need it." said the commander as he opened the door to the outside. The siblings walked outside on the thick snow, heading toward the helipad where a giant tandem rotor transport helicopter was parked. The pilot got into his cockpit as soon as he saw the siblings get outside. The pilot smirked, seeing how intimidating the pair looked.

  They hopped on the helicopter, sitting on the side, holding the handlebars as they didn't need to be seated or wear seatbelts. The radio from the sibling's visors turned on as the pilot spoke.

  "You two ready?" said the pilot as the siblings heard through the radio, him lighting up a cigarette.

  "Aye aye, cap!" said Omen as Blood Noir stayed silent, looking at the windows of the command room where everyone saluted. In the barracks, the soldiers were just staring.

  The helicopter made a charging noise as it got louder and louder. Suddenly, the rotors spun incredibly fast, and the snow was thrown in all directions. The buildings started to shake from the power of the prototype engines.

  "Taking off." said the single pilot as he took off at a fast pace, heading toward the mission. The acceleration was so incredible that the transport helicopter reached 400 km/h in mere seconds. The siblings sat down on the sides, looking outside, Omen holding his shoulder as she stood up.

  "When was the last time you two had a mission?" said the pilot, putting it on autopilot, his legs resting on the other co-pilot seat, smoking his cigarette.

  "Was a while ago, still confused over why we didn't get deployed to handle the 203 complex raid," said Omen as the pilot responded.

  "Well, it wasn't much of a threat, no nuclear weapons involved, not our biz."

  "But the complex did have nuclear weapons, what if the raiders upgraded their arsenal?"

  "Good point..." said the pilot as Blood Noir responded unexpectedly.

  "Planned government attack, what else."

  Omen looked down at him, commenting.

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  "You seriously think that NURO, which IS controlled by IARO, planned to attack their facility?"

  "So much for restraining anarchy, Blood..." said the pilot as Blood Noir added.

  "Just a thought."

  After a couple of minutes filled with silence, they arrived pretty rapidly.

  "We entered the Barrens. Omen, do an area scan." said the pilot as Omen lifted her arm, looking at the large holographic display. In her visor, everything shined purple, and some small dots were red—those were heat signatures.

  "I see a lot underground... and some near the vicinity, they are moving quite fast."

  "That is them, get off and handle it. Same pickup point tomorrow right here." said the pilot as the siblings jumped off the helicopter. They landed with a thud, running full speed toward the area where the scans showed movement, and Blood Noir followed. Upon arrival, they saw no one, but the scans said they were moving in front of them.

  "Decoy... how?" said Omen, looking around the area and making more scans. Blood Noir climbed on top of one of the mountains with his blades with ease. He saw the entire maze and enough to see if someone was running around, but still, he saw nothing.

  "They are long gone, sis—"

  "No! It is impossible, no one should be able to put some sort of decoy. I would've seen it if it was a decoy! It says we are right behind them on the surface, not up in the air, or underground."

  "What could they possibly have to do whatever you said they did?"

  "Either they have hacked my systems, messing with my scans, or..."

  "Or?"

  "Or they have a highly advanced Assault Robot. It would explain the nuclear signatures we got back at the base."

  "Can we somehow find where this Assault robot is? Tracks?" asked Blood Noir as Omen responded.

  "The sand covered the tracks already. Worst-case scenario, we need to raid the villages around to destroy it."

  "Let me contact the commander," said Blood as he changed the frequency of the commander's communications.

  "Blood Noir? Status?"

  "We found the place. It seemed they used somewhat of nuclear firepower to close off the entrance of the subway."

  "And did you find the culprits?"

  "Omen scanned the area, but it's a bust. The only cause might be a highly advanced Assault Robot. Would explain the nuclear firepower."

  "Hm, can you track them down?" asked the commander with a serious tone, as Omen replied, not mentioning the options of raiding the nearby villages.

  "No, the sand covered the tracks. It looks like the place is untouched." said Omen, as the commander added.

  "Raid the capital."

  "You're kidding, right?" commented Omen, as it was exactly what Blood did not want.

  "They will see you as a threat and use nuclear firepower. From there, you annihilate the threat. You can handle it, no?"

  "Yes sir, we can," said Omen, sighing as the commander left the frequency.

  "Shit, exactly what I didn't want..." added Blood as Omen replied.

  "Well, we have to do it unless you want to retaliate like how you said it back at base?"

  "I am considering it."