I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

"…You sent them to a resort, and they're out there stacking combat data using live ammunition. Impressive, to say the least."

"Well, they're doing their job. If they're off to catch some suspicious characters, they should be doing this much. But what really intrigues me is that the rookie beat Logan and Laurentina at least once."

"I wonder what kind of clever method they used to win. I heard they won with a skill, right?"

"That's what the data shows. Considering Logan and Laurentina are the core of the strike team, it’s a huge achievement. I don’t know what exactly they did, but at some point, we might need to learn something from the rookie."

"They’re all doing their part... if they survive, that is."

"Stop talking nonsense, you brat."

New York, Central Park HQ, Dagger Team Operations Room.

The headquarters was enveloped in darkness, silence, and an uneasy tension, but even so, someone had to do their job. This, of course, applied to Dagger Team.

Today, a few new recruits had joined – Edwin Sirkins and Carmen Mitchell. They were two newly assigned operators, selected cautiously and conservatively compared to other branches.

For them, it was a chance to gain experience, while for Dagger Team, they were filling a massive gap in power. So far, they were performing admirably in their duties.

Of course, for them, skills were an entirely foreign concept.

"It feels like everything we learned in the manuals is being directly contradicted. I didn’t think something like this would exist. I guess it’s lucky that Icarus Gear didn’t spread everywhere."

"The way the skills are combined in ways we didn’t expect is... fascinating. According to the report uploaded to the network... they say the rookie kept a separate notebook where they jotted down their experiments and tried them out one by one."

"Not many people are shocked by that."

"...I remember seeing that kid during the last quick meeting, but did they really manage to pull that off?"

"I know it’s a bit much to say, but they’re a talented kid. They’re good at using their wits... At least, I’ve never thought the gear would be wasted on them."

Naturally, the simulation battles in Florida had spread widely within Dagger Team.

Even the research team who developed the skills were shocked. This wasn’t surprising – they were in the development stage, after all, and hadn’t anticipated how these abilities would be applied during combat.

This was understandable. The researchers and the existing operators had grown so used to solving everything with firearms that they considered it the only method.

Only Eugene, unbound by these constraints, could think outside the box.

Olivia spoke up.

"The skills won’t bring a paradigm shift beyond firearms, and they can’t fully replace what firearms can do, but they could serve a role similar to that."

"So, does that mean we can just ask the rookie about skills from now on? I can already imagine them looking at us with a face full of reluctance."

"If needed, we’ll ask. The kid will get it. And if we’re going to do it, we should do it as soon as possible. There aren't any operators out there using skills ‘that way’ yet, so in this case..."

"Are you saying it could be a useful hidden card? It could, but…"

"Besides, this kind of application isn’t only relevant when fighting other operators, right?"

A brief silence.

However, there was no mistake in what was said. The Allied Forces had already made landfall in the northeastern U.S., and as the skirmishes continued, they would start to notice the Icarus operators and come up with countermeasures.

Until then, it was natural to extract as much blood from the enemies as possible, but if this kind of application method kept developing, it could render the enemy’s attempts at counteraction useless.@@novelbin@@

With that thought in mind, just like in Florida, it might be a good idea to try something ‘new’ in New York as well. However, sadly, the wall of reality was much higher than the ideals and needs.

As someone once said, surviving came first.

"The kids in Florida are building data with simulation battles, and we’ll be gathering real-world data fighting regular enemy troops. What’s the most urgent location right now?"

"Anywhere is urgent. How else could they have gotten this far? Since the British Fylingdales and the Greenland Thule Air Base were completely destroyed, they’ve been crossing the Atlantic like it’s their home. The truth is, the northeastern U.S. should have been completely evacuated."

"Let’s put that aside for now."

Clack.

With a wave of her hand, Olivia generated a hologram in the air.

"The Cheyenne Mountain Command has made neutralizing the enemy's air defense network their top priority. They plan to launch reconnaissance planes in droves, then launch ballistic missiles... but it won’t be easy."

"Some things just have to be done. If we delay any longer, the S-500s will be deployed in the main states and Massachusetts. The analysis shows the missile shot at Boston was also from the S-500."

"Huh, should we make talismans with feathers or something? I don’t even know how long we’ll be out there this time. It’d be nice if we came back in one piece."

"Well, if we're doing that, might as well give each of us a feather or whatever."

"You think they grow like hair? Unless they naturally fall out, you can't pluck them. It’s excruciatingly painful."

...This was the kind of atmosphere here.

As the two new operators looked on with awkward smiles, they watched Dagger Team continuing their conversation. The vast map of the United States unfolded before them, stretching from Boston, Providence, Hartford, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C., covering hundreds of kilometers of urban zones.

At this point, nearly 70% had turned into useless concrete tombs, but people still held a deep attachment to these cities.

Even when broken and crumbling, they could withstand, but losing them to an enemy nation was something no one could accept, both tactically and strategically.

It wasn’t just about the ‘enormous loss of life if we retake them later.’

There was something deeper, something that couldn’t be explained by numbers alone.

That’s why retreat was out of the question.

"I thought we’d be expanding the operator pool before the war started, but it looks like that’s not the case."

"On the flip side, that means the people who stand out now will start making a name for themselves. Let’s take that as consolation. In about three months, the number of operators will increase by two or three times."

"I just hope some decent people come in."

"Well, doesn’t that make us sound like we’re not exactly decent since we’ve only just joined?"

"There’s no one decent among those who get the gear. But we’re crazy in a good way."

"Enough with the stupid talk. We still have a lot to do."

Thud.

It was literally the calm before the storm.

The U.S. was doing its best to intercept enemy transport planes, but with the basic military capabilities of the U.S. military lost, they weren’t able to completely wipe out the enemies at their most vulnerable moment.

The enemies, who had hidden in large cities where bombings couldn’t be as effective, started to expand their forces, and large-scale clashes were not far off.

Everyone sat in their chairs or laid back, but the conversation continued.

Carmen Mitchell spoke up.

"...Come to think of it, I vaguely remember seeing something in the manual before. It mentioned that if there was an electronic warfare module with enough performance, enemy military assets could be used effectively. What’s that about?"

"Oh, that... it’s exactly what it sounds like. It means we can hack enemy military assets. Things like armored vehicles or tanks. They might have brought some with them, but we could probably hack T-90Ms or T-14s as well."

"...That’s pretty interesting. Have you ever tried it?"

"Olivia has used Artemis armored vehicles quite effectively. You can either ask her directly or read the Syracuse battle data."

Hmm.

As those words were spoken, Carmen fell silent, but her mind was racing. The true nature of the Icarus Gear was gradually being revealed.

The fixed ideas the new operators had – like the assumption that even special forces couldn’t beat tanks – were being shattered one by one.

A final blow to their preconceived notions.

"This isn’t an entirely unfamiliar concept. Do you know about the cyber cyclone training that took place in Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, in 2022? It was aimed at defending against hacking attacks on Abrams tanks, organized by the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle System Center (GVSC)."

"...I didn’t get that detailed with it."

"To put it simply, it was a training to see if a program called Bus Defender, made by Ferraton, could block hacking attempts on the U.S. military's MIL-STD-1553 network standard."

"..."

"In short, it was a training to see if tanks could prevent losing control from a cyberattack. But that’s not the key. The point is, with Icarus Gear, we can take enemy weapons through such attempts."

A brief silence.

As soon as they heard that, their minds, which had been spinning rapidly, came to a halt. Taking enemy weapons seemed like a perfectly plausible thing, but what Dagger Team was saying was one step further.

According to them, if Icarus Gear was used, they could hack enemy tanks pushing through defenses during intense battles, halt their attacks, and then take down the following enemy tanks.

Since it was Dagger Team saying it, debating the realism of it was meaningless.

It was just a matter of accepting it.

It was completely different from everything they had learned in the manuals... no, it was lightyears away from what they had been taught.

"...I’ll keep that in mind."

"When you survive thanks to this, bring us a nice drink."

"Haha, if it’s for saving our lives, I’d say it’s worth it."

Carmen chuckled lightly, but she had a faint feeling that this wasn’t too far off.

In less than three months, Dagger Team would actually be taking enemy tanks.

"...Feels like we’re far removed from the virus situation."

"Things aren’t exactly fine. Let’s go. It’s time to check if JTF Guantanamo is still functioning."

"Be more precise. It’s time to gather the pieces of the shattered base."

Meanwhile, Dagger Team arrived in Cuba with dozens of transport planes.

This was the first unofficial overseas trip after the Omega Virus outbreak.

-Please board in an orderly manner! Everyone will be able to return home! Don’t cause any chaos!

-Finally, finally, we’re leaving this place…!

-Please, Grace, just stay alive... please!

"...It’s a mess."

"You can’t expect a military base in a country not exactly on good terms with the U.S. to be fine during a viral apocalypse. And there’s probably no proper support either."

"Honestly, it’s surprising that the people stationed here are in decent shape. I expected it to be blown up from a terror attack. Have you heard of Guantanamo prison, rookie?"

"Uh... I’ve studied it and know what it is now, but I think I’ve heard of it before."

"Even those who have no interest have heard of it, which proves what kind of legacy this place has."

Guantanamo Naval Base, Reward Point Field Military Airfield.

Soldiers with duffel bags filled the runway. Along with them... well, it’s a bit sensitive for me to comment on, but if you ask about military discipline... let’s just say it was a scene that could make you wonder.

Even when their lives were at stake, they couldn’t hold a candle to the 107th Military Police Division, the true heroes, but one had to understand the nature of Guantanamo.

This was one of America’s most public embarrassments.

There was no need to explain in detail.

Guantanamo Bay was famous for interrogating Arabs suspected of terrorism, with innocent people being thrown in based on mere suspicion, not evidence.

When BRAC 2005, known for dismantling the entire U.S. air defense system, was in effect, hundreds of ‘suspected terrorists’ were taken in.

It was a pretty shady place.

Of course, as time passed, the detainees decreased, and the purpose of the base became obsolete, but when the virus hit, managing the base became even more difficult...

It wasn’t exactly a surprising outcome.

"Anyway, those guys are finally going home. Strictly speaking, it’s their rotation, so they would’ve been heading home soon even without the Omega Virus."

"Well, don’t worry about it. We’re about to track down those three operators who went missing after passing through Cuba... and we’re getting a 'signal'."

"Right. We’re picking up the enemy Icarus Gear 'signal'."

The two of them laughed lightly, and I closed my mouth slightly. I was getting tense.

We had conducted countless simulation battles before arriving in Cuba, but as always, training can never truly simulate real combat. Of course, given the intensity of the training they’d run, it was hard to judge...

Anyway, the transport planes gathered to take the soldiers back to the mainland, just like in Brooklyn, making repeated trips across the place to carry thousands of soldiers, but Photon 1, stationed separately, and we were watching the soldiers leave.

And after some time...

"Hello. I am Lieutenant Peterson, personal aide to Brigadier General McGuire, the commander of Guantanamo Base. The requested data is here, including conversations and movement patterns related to the operators who arrived earlier."

"That should be fine. I have a rough idea of where they went... So, what was the reason they came to Cuba?"

"They said they were going to check an unconfirmed antenna base in the northern forest of Kamaquey, Central Cuba. I remember hearing the same story from the three of them, so I kept it in mind."

"That’s enough."

A brief silence.

Then more words followed.

"...Are there any more mutants on the mainland?"

"Curious about something new, huh? If you had asked how bad the mainland is, I’d probably give a more detailed answer."

"I’ve heard some things. The rumors about the Third World War spreading around..."

The moment our gazes met, words spilled out.

"Come back safely."

"I will. There are many waiting for us."

With those words, Lieutenant Peterson, introducing himself, walked off towards a side of the runway where the transport planes were gathered, duffel bag in hand.

As he placed the Icarus Gear on a storage device, a hologram rose into the air. Behind it, Dagger Team stretched and relaxed.

Before long, the pilots of Photon 1 joined in.

"Are you ready to depart?"

"It’s time to move. The warm-up is over, pilots."

"Good. Where are we headed?"

"North of Kamaquey, about 330km northwest from here."

Crack!

Logan, who had twisted his neck and stretched, added...

"I hope we don’t need to take their wrists as trophies."

"Talking like a Red Squadron member who got thanked for some crazy stunt back in the day."

Well, it was a bit of an ominous thing to say, but as it went...

It was time to depart.

The weather today was surprisingly perfect.