The Commando

First Shot

"One"

Major Abis Soymon's fist closed. For half a heartbeat, time itself seemed to stop. Then, almost inaudibly he uttered the words "Move... Move."

All hidden shadows came alive. Not a single branch cracked. Not a single pebble rolled.

The commandos flowed through the darkness with uncanny precision, each man instinctively knowing his place without looking toward another. Months of rehearsals and years of operating together had transformed each individuals into one living organism.

The forest swallowed them. Within seconds, the assault formation dissolved into multiple specialized elements.

The Observation Team under the disposal of second in command remained hidden on the ridgeline. The Bomb Disposal Unit silently peeled toward the outer walls.

The Assault Teams disappeared into the dense vegetation surrounding the abandoned research complex.

Every movement was governed by silent communication. A clenched fist. Two fingers. A flat palm. A slight nod. No radio traffic. No whispers. Only discipline.

The four enemy sentries never realized they had already been marked. Corporal Levin Hoss adjusted the bipod of his rifle against an ancient tree root. Beside him, Sergeant Niran Vox settled into position overlooking the eastern watchtower.

Both men carried the newest precision rifle developed by Targovia. Arkimolokov-241 Noise Reductive Precision Rifle. In short AR 241 NRPR sniper rifle. Nicknamed the Ghost Whisper among SREF operators.

Unlike conventional sniper systems, the AR 241 NRPR sniper rifle was engineered for covert rescue operations where secrecy mattered more than range.

Its elongated composite barrel housed an advanced acoustic suppression assembly concealed beneath a heat dissipating shroud. Instead of producing the sharp c***k associated with high powered rifles, every shot emitted little more than a dull whisper.

At the muzzle... Only a tiny orange spark appeared. No brighter than the glowing tip of a cigarette. No thunder. No echo. No warning.

Levin exhaled slowly. His breathing disappeared. The crosshair settled. One controlled press. A faint flash. Nothing more. Almost simultaneously...

Three additional sparks flickered across the surrounding hills.

For a brief moment, the four sentries remained standing exactly where they were. Then... Almost gracefully... They collapsed into the darkness. No alarms. No shouting. Only silence.

Outside the compound, three armed patrolmen continued their routine circuit, completely unaware that the outer security ring had already vanished.

One laughed quietly at something his companion had said. Another swung a flashlight carelessly across the gravel path. The beam never reached the tree line.

Three tiny flashes. Three soft whispers. Three figures disappeared into the shadows. The valley returned to absolute stillness.

Major Abis waited. Three seconds. Five. Ten. No reaction from inside.

Perfect. He raised two fingers. Advance.

The assault force surrounded the abandoned structure like rising floodwater. The ruined complex looked even larger at close range.

Cracked concrete pillars supported portions of the collapsing roof. Rust covered exposed reinforcement bars. Rainwater dripped through broken ceilings into shallow pools scattered across the corridors.

Nature had reclaimed almost everything. Almost. Fresh boot prints crossed the dust. Portable generators hummed somewhere underground. Electrical cables snaked through shattered hallways. Someone had transformed the forgotten ruin into an operational stronghold.

The Bomb Disposal Unit moved next. Their equipment appeared almost invisible beneath matte black coverings designed to blend into the night.

Small magnetic charges, known within SREF as Sentinel Charges were carefully secured to every visible entrance and emergency exit surrounding the compound. This sentinel charges are also developed by their own industries and it contains Pletorium, Magneporium, Ethanovaporum and Kostalium which combindly makes a devastating effect. Per ounce of this sentinel charges can make a two square feet hole in any five inch thick concreate wall.

Each device was no larger than a closed fist. Tiny indicator lights blinked once before fading into darkness.

Every placement was confirmed by silent hand signals. Within minutes...

The building had become completely isolated. No one inside would escape unnoticed. Abis studied the digital floor layout one final time. Room after room appeared across his wrist display. Twelve rooms. Twenty-five hostiles. One hostage.

He looked toward Captain Farguson's overwatch position. A single green light blinked once through the trees. Dr. Zaaps tracker is visible as tiny green dot in the screen.

Ready.

Abis acknowledged with two fingers. Then turned toward the assault element. Eight pairs. Sixteen operators. Each pair had trained together for years. Each man knew exactly how his partner breathed, moved and reacted under pressure.

One operator focused forward. The other continuously watched the opposite direction, protecting the team's blind side. Without speaking, every pair tightened into formation.

The first breach point came into view. A weathered steel maintenance door, half-hidden beneath tangled vines. The lead operator slowly tested the handle.

Locked. He glanced toward Abis. Abis gave one short nod. The lock was defeated without noise with a micro Sentinel Charge composition. A large two square feet hole appeared in the locking system area of the door.

The ancient hinges moved reluctantly. Millimeter by millimeter. The darkness inside seemed almost alive. Cold air drifted outward, carrying the smell of rust, damp concrete and diesel fuel.

One by one...

The commandos disappeared into the building. Flashlights remained off. Night vision optics painted the abandoned corridors in shades of green. Broken machinery cast twisted shadows across cracked walls.

Water dripped rhythmically somewhere in the distance. Every doorway looked identical. Every corner concealed uncertainty.

Room One. Clear.

Room Two. Clear.

A slow advance continued deeper into the labyrinth.

Suddenly, A metallic clang echoed through the corridor. Not loud. Just enough. Every commando froze instantly. Abis' eyes narrowed. Somewhere ahead...

Footsteps. Running sound. A voice. Another. Someone had heard something. The silence shattered. A shout erupted from deeper inside the building. Then.....

A brilliant flash burst from the darkness. The first gunshot echoed through the abandoned old building. The rescue operation had begun. And there was no turning back.

The gunshot echoed through the abandoned installation. Then came another. And another.

The silence that had ruled the valley for hours shattered into controlled chaos. Major Abis Soymon moved first.

His rifle remained steady as he crossed the narrow corridor, every step measured, every glance calculating the next threat before it appeared. All movements are quick and prompt.

The assault teams advanced room by room. Each doorway revealed another uncertainty. One room contained abandoned laboratory equipment covered beneath thick layers of dust. Two armed enemy. Firing. Skybreaking shout. Enemy down.

Another room had been transformed into a crude barracks. One group got inside. Enemy. Fire. Shout. Enemy Down.

The third contained radio operators who barely had time to look up before the commandos overwhelmed the resistance. Firing. Enemy Down.

Concrete dust drifted through the stale air. Fragments of broken ceiling rained onto the floor. Emergency lights flickered as power cables sparked overhead.

One group tried to enter one room. But enemy fire came from the room. Private Rayan pressed the Tharmo T&T Granade and throw inside the room. Counted upto three. One... Two... Three...

A huge blast occured. Door flew away just like a paper.

Fire burning abruptly inside the room. Rayan looked inside the room. Two burned and melted enemy body was there on the floor.

The entire structure trembled with the violence unfolding inside. Yet amid the noise, discipline never disappeared.

Abis' voice remained calm, "Clear...!!?"

Another operator answered, "Clear."

A third team emerged from the western corridor, "West secure."

The commandos converged deeper into the building. Every cleared room reduced the enemy's options. Every corridor pushed them closer to their objective. According to the reconnaissance map...

Only one room remained. The reinforced chamber. Where Dr. Nabori Zaap is being kept.

Abis raised a clenched fist. The teams halted instantly. Beyond the heavy steel door came muffled voices.

One sounded frightened. The other... Cold. Confident. Abis counted silently. Three... Two... One...

The door burst inward. The room exploded into motion. A floodlight illuminated the interior.

Dr. Zaap sat tied to a steel chair in the center of the room. His clothes were torn, his face bruised, but his eyes still carried the determination of a man who had sacrificed everything for his country.

Standing behind him was a tall figure dressed in black combat clothing.

His face remained hidden beneath a dark tactical mask. Only his pale gray eyes were visible.

Commander Viktor Drazen. The architect of the k********g. The man every intelligence agency had failed to identify.

For a single second... Major Abis and Drazen locked into each others eyes.

Neither moved. Neither blinked. Then Drazen smiled, "You are too late."

The words had barely left his mouth. A single shot rang out.

Dr. Zaap jerked violently. Crimson spread across the front of his shirt. Before anyone could react, Drazen disappeared through a collapsing side passage, swallowed by smoke and falling debris.

"After him!"

One commando rushed toward the hidden exit. Seconds later he returned, "The passage has collapsed, sir!"

Abis looked once toward the tunnel. Then toward the scientist. There was no decision to make.

"The Doctor comes first" He sprinted across the room.

Knife in hand. The restraints fell away. Dr. Zaap's body slumped forward. Abis caught him before he struck the floor. The scientist struggled for breath.

Every inhale sounded heavier than the last. His pulse weakened beneath Abis' fingers. Without hesitation, Abis lifted him onto his shoulder.

"Withdraw!" Abis shouted before the team.

The commandos formed a protective ring around their commander as they moved back through the ruined corridors.

Within minutes they emerged into the moonlit forest. Fresh mountain air replaced the suffocating smell of concrete and smoke.

The rescue force regrouped inside a concealed clearing several hundred meters from the compound. Fifteen minutes had gone.

Abis carefully lowered Dr. Zaap onto a tactical blanket spread across the forest floor. Dr. was still breathing. Though it was very slow. Blood loss has drained him a lot.

The scientist's breathing had become painfully shallow. Blood stained the fabric beneath him. Even in the dim light, Abis understood. Time was running out.

Dr. Zaap slowly opened his trembling hand. Inside rested a small metallic object. It was unlike any conventional storage device. Smooth. Rectangular. No visible ports. No display. Its dark surface shimmered faintly beneath the moonlight.

"This..." the scientist whispered with great effort, "...is a Type-K Quantum Archive..."

His voice almost disappeared, "My life's work..."

Abis leaned closer. Dr. Zaap pressed the device into his hand.

"Read it..." A painful breath interrupted him, "...and... when you understand..."

"...destroy it..."

His eyes searched Abis' face.

"No one... must... possess... this..."

Abis tightened his grip around the device, "I give you my word."

For the first time since the operation began... Dr. Zaap smiled. A faint... But peaceful smile.

"The future..."

"...belongs..."

"...to..."

His voice faded. His chest rose once more. Then slowly... Stopped.

Silence settled over the clearing. No one spoke. No one moved. Major Abis gently closed the scientist's eyes.

A cool wind drifted through the trees. Somewhere overhead, the clouds parted, revealing a field of silent stars.

The mission had succeeded. Yet somehow... It felt like defeat.

A pair of boots approached. Sergeant Darius Kane removed his helmet, "Sir."

Abis looked up, "Report."

"We've completed the sweep"

A brief pause, then Kane reported, "Twenty-four enemy bodies confirmed."

The words hung in the air, "One hostile remains unaccounted for."

Abis already knew who. Viktor Drazen. The man had escaped. One of the most wanted intelectual criminal of the moden earth.

Somewhere beyond the mountains... He was still alive.

Captain Farguson stepped forward, "All assault teams are present and accounted for, sir."

"Perimeter secured?"

"Yes sir. Awaiting further orders."

Abis stood slowly. He looked once more toward the dark silhouette of the abandoned military building rising above the trees.

The place had taken one of Targovia's greatest minds. It would never be used again. He raised his hand. A single.

Far across the valley, the demolition team acknowledged. Several seconds passed.

Then.....

A deep rumble rolled across the mountains. The abandoned complex collapsed into itself. Dust rose above the treetops like a gray storm before disappearing into the night.

The valley became silent once again. Abis remained motionless. In his gloved hand rested the Type K Quantum Archive.

It felt impossibly light. Yet it might carried something which could be the weight of a nation's future. He closed his fingers around it.

His expression hardened. Somewhere in the darkness Viktor Drazen was already planning his next move.

Major Abis Soymon lifted his eyes toward the distant mountains. His voice was barely audible, "You took a scientist... You murdered a patriot... You escaped tonight."

A long silence followed, "But I will find you. No matter where you hide. And when that day comes. This war will end."

The wind carried his words into the darkness. Far away... Unseen by anyone... A lone figure stood upon a distant ridge. Watching. Then vanished into the night.