Gabriel's Armada

Chapter 23: Recon mission

The next day, Gabriel enthusiastically put on his training uniform of a tunic and gaiters and hurried out, cursing under his breath.

“I'm going to be late,” the last thing Gabriel wanted was for General Dina to be mad at him for being late. She'd give him a piece of her mind as Duncan watched, with a stupid smirk on his face.

Silently, he sprinted to the training room and opened the door, quickly letting himself in.

Looking around, Gabriel sighed with relief when he saw Dina was not around yet. It was only Duncan, leaning casually against a wall.

“I guess she is also late,” Gabriel mused smugly.

When Mark saw Gabriel, his lips tightened. Gabriel knew Mark didn't like him because he had always disrespected the man when he'd still been Gabriel's teacher.

“Gabriel,” Mark ground out, “so happy you could make out time to join us.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes at his former instructor's sarcastic barb, “I'm sorry I'm late.”

Mark ignored Gabriel's apology and pressed on, “Gabriel, we're no longer in history or geography classes. This is a different ballgame, you need to take training seriously!”

Gabriel gritted his teeth when Duncan presented him with a knowing smirk.

“Hold up!” Gabriel ground out, putting a hand up, “first of all, no one asked for your opinion, Mark. Secondly, what the hell are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in a classroom with seven year olds?”

Gabriel grinned with satisfaction when color stained Mark's cheeks. One needed to cut the instructors down to size once in a while, Gabriel thought.

“For your information, Gabriel” Mark retorted when he regained his composure, “General Dina will no longer be taking you in training. She directed that I take over?”

Gabriel was so dumbfounded, his jaw hung open. Duncan's face reflected his shock.

“What?” They asked simultaneously when they regained control of their actions.

“How could she do this to us?” Duncan asked, the smirk wiped off his face.

“Did she find us too slow or annoying?” Gabriel queried, wondering why he always felt insecure whenever Dina pulled stunts such as these.

“Calm down,” Mark ordered, “as much as I would like to tell you she found you two to be a waste of her time, that is not the case.”

“Then, what is?” Gabriel was almost out of his mind with curiosity.

Mark sighed, “The general is planning to go on a reconnaissance mission.”

Duncan grunted, “Isn't that beneath her?”

Before Mark could reply, Gabriel fired, “Where did she go to? Who is going with her?”

Mark scratched his head, “Students, that's not what we're here for. We're here to train. Where did you stop in your previous classes?”

Gabriel ignored Mark and hurriedly walked out of the training room, with Duncan tailing him.

“Come back this instant!” Mark ordered angrily, but the two men shut the door behind them.

Immediately they were out of the training room, Gabriel and Duncan exchanged determined glances before they broke into a sprint, all the way to Zachariah's office.

They ignored the curious stares they received, and barged into Zachariah's office when they arrived.

They entered to see Zachariah sitting behind his desk, a melancholic look on his face. When saw Duncan and Gabriel enter, his face hardened and he growled, “What are you two doing here? Who invited you in?”

Gabriel didn't have time to be rude towards Zachariah, “We're so sorry for barging in. We just want to know General Dina's whereabouts?”

Zachariah gave them a look filled with incredulity, “Are you serious?” he laughed mirthlessly before he continued, “who do you think you are to know Dina's whereabouts?”

“We heard she wanted to go on a recon mission,” Duncan replied, “she's our general, she shouldn't have to do such.”

“Oh?” Zachariah's eyebrow lifted with mock surprise.

Gabriel saw red. Why was Zachariah treating them like a couple of stupid children? “The hell, Zachariah, you know this. Instead of the general going on this mission, we volunteer in her place.”

“And you two trainees who just started combat lessons are the best pick for the job?” Zachariah didn't bother trying to hide his sarcasm.

“The general is indispensable,” Duncan supplied, “we on the other hand, are not.”

Zachariah grunted, “You're right, but as much as I'd have loved for her not to go, it's too late.”

Gabriel's hackles rose as he queried dreadfully, “What the f**k is that supposed to mean?”

Zachariah eyed him bitterly, “She already left.”

* * *

Dina wiped sweat off her brows with her left hand, and used her right to shield her eyes from the punishing sun as she trudged through a sandy desert. It was a torturous and long route to get to the Outpost, but the probability of her getting detected by demons was very low. It was so deserted that Dina had not met another soul on her trek which had lasted for three days now. Dina could have used the void, but the void would have transported her into the Outpost, and she might just end up in a room filled with demons, who would only be to happy to decapitate her.

Although she was a bit tired, Dina found out she had missed going undercover on recon missions. The last time she'd been on one was about two hundred years ago, when she was an eager private, ready to play her part in defeating Beelzebub.

Dina loved her recon outfit, a black leather one suit which was tailored to fit her form and at the same stretch enough to give her enough freedom to fight.

She had dumped her normal broadsword with a golden hilt as that would have given her awCEas top brass, and had taken a less fanciful but still deadly iron sword.

As Dina walked on, her mind wandered. She wondered how Zachariah was holding up, and how Duncan and Gabriel were faring in their training classes. She also thought about Gabriel and how he thought he could get whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

Although he was too proud and felt entitled, Dina could not bring herself to resent Gabriel, at least, not anymore.

The realization shocked her so much that she stopped in her tracks. Dina could not believe it. When she heard a din of voices, she pulled out of her thoughts, and switched to warrior mode real quick.

Crouching so as not to attract attention, Dina regarded the Outpost critically. Gone was the sprawling building which was marked as the point of entry of souls into the Afterlife, and on its place was a hastily constructed shack built with rubles which looked like it would fall at any moment.

At least five fierce-looking demons with swords and scythes patrolled the perimeter, making animal noises.

Perched atop various parts of the shack were demons too, their eyes roving far and wide to catch any intruder.

Dina sighed, knowing she had her work cut out for her. First, she had to observe the demons on the outside, and note the time for duty shift. Then, she had to infiltrate the Outpost and note how many demons were inside and how they operated as well.

Then, she had to leave without being noticed, trek through the desert for three more days before she could finally get to Teres.

“Well then, let's get started,” Dina mused, determinedly.