The God of War's Secret Mission

“There can be no mistakes. One false move and we could all die,” Captain Andreas muttered in a voice as sharp as a knife, his eyes staring intently ahead. His team, seven elite soldiers with bated breath, stood in the shadows under the pitch-black night sky. Everyone knew that there was no place for fear. However, the tension felt real, pulsing in the air like a time bomb ready to explode. At any moment. Captain Andreas leads a team on a high-risk rescue mission in the middle of the Middle Eastern desert. Their target is a scientist kidn*pped by rebel forces with ties to Shadow Ares, a shadowy organisation that poses a global threat. With proven combat and strategy skills, Andreas guides the team through minefields and heavily guarded enemy outposts. The night sky was dark and moonless. The sound of sand rustling in the wind was the only sound that accompanied them. Andreas raised a hand, signalling them to stop. His team froze in place, breath held as he crouched to examine the ground in front of him. A small flash from the mine scanner in his hand showed that there were signs of danger. “Anti-personnel mine,” Andreas whispered. “We're moving slowly. Follow my lead!” he ordered. One by one, they moved forward with great care. Each step was like a last breath before a deadly explosion. Cold sweat ran down Andreas' temples as he navigated the narrow path between the death traps. Ahead of them, the enemy outpost was faintly visible with the flames of the campfire illuminating the shadows of the armed men. “Three guards at twelve o'clock,” said Dante, a long-range rifle specialist. He leaned his rifle, ready to pull the trigger. “Let me clear it.” “Negative,” Andreas replied firmly. “We must not trigger the alarm. Choose a detour to the east side. Quiet and fast,” he advised. They crept along the stone wall, breath held as the enemy guards laughed loudly. A single voice broke from one of the enemy's walkie-talkies, freezing the team. “Movement on the perimeter. Keep an eye on them!” In the next second, the first shots rang out. Their position was beginning to be revealed. Andreas immediately gave a hand signal. “Sanctuary! Fire if necessary!” His command voice was calm, but filled with authority. Bullets rained down on them from all directions. Andreas ducked, jumping behind the rubble with his breath catching. Pulling out a throwing knife, he threw it right at the neck of one of the approaching enemies. “Hang on! We're too close to retreat,” Andreas shouted to his team. However, a massive explosion shook the ground near them, sending waves of heat and metal flakes in all directions. Andreas looked ahead, seeing the scientist they were looking for tied up in the burning enemy tent. “Top priority: take out the target and get out now!” As Dante and the other members covered their positions, Andreas charged forward, knife in his right hand and gun in his left. The nearly collapsed tent in front of him was filled with thick smoke. With a single move, he was able to cut the ropes binding the scientist and drag him out of the flames. “You're safe now, Professor,” Andreas said, though his voice was filled with tension. ”Hold on!” They began to retreat towards the extraction zone that was only a few hundred metres away up the rocky hill. Breath held in each step, the pulse of time seemed to slow down as they got closer. However, the sound of roaring engines sliced through the night. “We're in big trouble,” Dante muttered. “Everyone fall back! Now!” Andreas shouted over the sound of gunfire. But one of his team members, Lucas, fell to the ground, his leg riddled with bullets. He couldn't move. “Leave me!” Lucas said in a breathless voice. “No one should be left behind,” Andreas replies, his face tense. He couldn't bear to leave his team in the danger zone. The rescue helicopter hovering low above them finally arrived, waiting for the final signal. Andreas holds the emergency detonator in his hand. The choice is at his fingertips: save his team or destroy the explosive-filled vehicle that could end all their lives. A massive explosion shook the earth, thick dust covered the battlefield, and voices faded away in a roar of destruction. *** The sound of Andreas' footsteps echoed along the narrow corridors of the headquarters. The grey concrete walls felt increasingly oppressive around him, as if adding to the weight already hanging on his shoulders. The fluorescent lights on the ceiling cast a dim glow, casting long shadows every time he rounded a corner. A steel door labelled ‘SECRET’ stood at the end of the street-cold and uncompromising, like the summons he had just received. Andreas knocked once, then the door opened with a mechanical hissing sound. Inside the room, General Sinclair sat upright behind a nearly empty metal desk, accompanied only by a thin file labelled ‘Shadow Operation’. His hard, time-streaked face showed no emotion, but his sharp, hawk-like eyes scrutinised Andreas's every move. “Captain Wilson,” Sinclair's voice was heavy and piercing, “we don't have much time. Sit down!” he ordered. Andreas wasted no time. He took a seat opposite Sinclair, his shoulders squared, his gaze straight ahead, ready to listen to orders. “The Middle East operation was the first step,” Sinclair said, looking at him sharply. “But it's only the beginning. Shadow Ares is moving faster than we anticipated. They have new weapons-prototypes that could ignite global tensions in a matter of days.” Andreas clenched his hands on his thighs, his muscles tightening at the name that had haunted his every step. “So, what are the orders, General?” Andreas couldn't wait to hear the rest of General Sinclair's story. Sinclair shifted the file towards Andreas. “An infiltration mission. The information is top secret and not even your team members are allowed to know. You will undergo this operation alone.” Andreas opened the file, his eyes sweeping over the location map with red lines marking enemy lairs. An arrow pointed to an underground facility in an area not officially recorded on military maps. “The risk is very high,” Sinclair continued. “But if we fail, the world will never be the same again.” Andreas took a deep breath. “What about my team, General?” “They remain in place. You are not to leave messages or give explanations. This is a direct order from the supreme council.” Andreas clenched his jaw. He knew that stepping away without explanation would undermine years of trust. But in the world of shadows, absolute obedience was the only way. Andreas stood up and was ready to carry out the order. “I understand.” *** The windy night sky enveloped the base as Andreas walked out with firm steps. In front of the hangar, a helicopter with propellers that had started spinning waited to take him away. Dante and his team stood at the edge of the runway, their faces full of question marks. “Captain Andreas Wilson!” called Dante, approaching him with a look of confusion. “What the hell is going on? Why did you suddenly leave us? Explain to us!” Andreas stopped, not turning around. “This is none of your business, Dante.” His voice was low, but firm as steel. “None of my business?” Dante gritted his teeth, his temper exploding. “We fought together, risked our lives together. Then, you just walk away? At least give me a reason or any answer!” he demanded, dominated by emotion. Andreas remained silent. Every word felt like a thorn in his throat, but he knew that an explanation would only make things even more dangerous. “Save your energy for the next battle,” Andreas said finally, then he strode away towards the helicopter without another look at his team. As the propellers began to turn faster, the wind carried sand and dust around the team who stared in disappointment. In the distance, in the shadows of an empty warehouse, a man stood still. His black eyes reflected a dim light, filled with hatred and dark plans. As the helicopter began to disappear over the horizon, his lips curled into a thin, lethal smile. Who was that man? How did he get in undetected?