CHAPTER 55: THE OPERATION DAWNLIGHT

"How’s the camo preparation?" Gideon asked quietly.

"We’re working on it now. It should be done in about three hours," Lyra answered.

Gideon cleared his throat. He also left a message for them to bring their gear later, but only if the scout shift really changed and the place was clear. If not, they would be forced to go with the second plan.

He stayed lying flat on the ground, eyes fixed forward. From time to time, he glanced around, staying alert in case wild animals in the forest attacked him.

For several hours of surveillance, Gideon reported every event to his team. Lena also kept Gideon updated on the camo progress. Fortunately, Gideon’s team managed to finish their work quickly.

Lyra had returned from the Wolf Village to collect her laptop and drone. The charge was at half, but that was more than enough to conduct surveillance when the negotiation happened.

They had to be ready tonight in case the initial reconnaissance plan was executed. That would save them time.

"Team prepares to move," Lena said, speaking through the mic connected to the radio.

"Roger that. Move in silence. No contact."

"Understood, Captain," Lena and the others replied.

All the gear was ready. The three of them moved to meet Gideon in the forest. He kept updating them on the scouts’ condition in the eastern woods, where none of them had returned to the rebel base.

The night grew darker, the forest and the open field for the negotiation completely covered in shadows. Drowsiness hit, but Gideon fought it back, refusing to slip during his duty.

"Team on site."

"Go prone. Stay silent. Focus at one o’clock."

Lena and the others nodded. Lyra and Luke went prone and looked through their NODs scopes, while Lena helped Gideon with final preparations.

She tucked mags into his vest pockets and belt holster, then helped him wear the camo cover that had been shaped perfectly, making it hard for enemies to tell him apart from the ground.

"Movement spotted," Luke reported.

Gideon quickly dropped down, not yet fully ready, but what Luke said was true. The scouts moved into the forest right at midnight. The shift rotation had begun.

"Falcon Two. Move out. Secure the place," Gideon whispered.

"Copy!"

They stood and ran crouching, avoiding dry grass and keeping noise to a minimum. Lena hurried to finish attaching Gideon’s gear when she saw Falcon Two already moving.

"Calm down. Our position is in the field," Gideon told her, noticing Lena’s rush.

"Sorry, Captain."

Luke reached the scouts’ area and took the best position to cover the ground near them. After spotting the place, Luke reported back to Gideon.

"Falcon Two in place. Ready to recon!"

"Situation, Falcon Two?" Gideon asked.

"Falcon Two. No targets. Area clear. You’re ready to go. Over."

"Falcon One. On move."

"Done," Lena said.

Gideon signaled Lena to move out with him, leaving the forest for the field near the negotiation site.

Luckily for them, the color and shape of the bushes were the same as those in the field, making their position hard to detect even in daylight.

"Falcon One on station. Holding position. Stay quiet."

"Copy, Captain."

Both Gideon and Lena fixed their eyes forward, on the open field that would serve as the negotiation site between the rebels and the Kingdom of Moko.

The troop placement mission was successful. No firefight, no accidents. Their first task was complete. The next task was to hold position from this night until the following night.

No movement. No food. Only relying on isotonic fluid from a tube connected to a bottle in their camo.

They had to endure the cold night wind, rain if it came, or the scorching daytime sun to keep their mission safe.

All of this was important to keep Princess Alanar safe.

"Are you all right, Gideon?" Lena asked softly, turning her head to the side and speaking through the radio.

"I’m fine. Thanks."

"Stay focused on the mission," Gideon said.

Lena cleared her throat and kept her eyes on the front, NODs scope fixed on her helmet. Not only Lena, but Gideon and the others did the same.

"Stay in position. Wait for the Tango."

"Copy, Captain."

Before long, the rebels’ next scout shift arrived. Luke and Lyra stayed alert, not moving, not making a sound.

They wanted to report the scouts’ arrival to Gideon, but speaking could give away their exact location. Luke refused to risk the mission failing because of carelessness.

Gideon shifted his eyes slowly after lying prone for hours, using the corner of his NODs to spot them. He clearly saw the incoming scouts. But since Luke and Lyra were not too close, they were not easily detected.

They’re back. Hold your ground, Luke, Lyra.

Time passed from night to morning. The scouts rotated again, the second shift change Gideon had observed.

He concluded the scouts switched every six hours. That gave them a chance to talk when the scouts pulled out.

"Stay quiet. I see everything," Gideon whispered.

"Understood, Captain," Luke replied.

The scouts returned with different men, watching and sometimes leaving their posts. They were much more relaxed than usual, not knowing Luke and Lyra were there.

By daytime, the sun burned hot against their skin. Gideon and Lena sweated under the blazing heat in the open field. Some insects bothered them, but none of the team feared such things.

The sun set, fading into the glitter of stars under the moonlight. More movement was detected. The scouts rotated again. The situation grew tense.

Representatives from the Kingdom of Moko arrived in the field. Gideon and Lena turned their eyes. It was Earl Ashfield with Viscount Duncan.

Not only that, two wagons full of gold and weapons stood at the southern city gate, ready if Gideon’s mission failed.

Norton grew anxious. Gideon and his team had vanished since last night, without him or his six squads knowing their location. Norton was beginning to worry about Gideon’s mission.

Several soldiers raised a negotiation tent in the field previously agreed upon. Norton and Liam stood there, unaccompanied by soldiers, since the rebels had clearly demanded no troops be present.

Norton pulled his forces back, though not completely. They stayed in position at several points, waiting for Gideon’s signal.

Not long after, the rebels’ group arrived with their cavalry. Dressed in black clothing and face veils, they looked mysterious and carried the aura of rebellion.

"Eyes on package," Gideon whispered.

"Copy," Luke and Lyra replied.

Gideon glanced sideways, Lena responding with a nod, understanding his look. She clicked her rifle’s safety off, ready to act to save Princess Alanar.

Princess Alanar was clearly visible inside a caged wagon like a hunted animal, dressed in rags made from old sacks that barely covered the front of her body. It was a pitiful sight for a royal princess.

He gestured for Lena to attach her scope. Lena obeyed without question. The scope was set with NODs, able to track target and enemy positions clearly.

Five people stood around the tent. Two were Norton and Liam, three were rebels. Among them, there was no Princess Alanar.

Gideon could tell because he had been keeping his eyes on the package all along, and Alanar’s short posture was easy to identify through the NODs image.

She was separated in a different tent, far from the negotiation site and guarded tightly by five men, three in front and two behind.

Gideon acted fast. Lena was assigned to the back of Alanar’s tent, while Gideon went to the front. They both knew the exact procedure for a hostage rescue.

Seeing the favorable situation with Alanar alone inside, Gideon and Lena moved and threw flashbangs. Gideon tossed him to the front, Lena to the back.

The white flash burst, stunning the rebels. Gideon and Lena went prone and ducked their heads to avoid the blast effect.

The rebels were disoriented, ears ringing, eyes blinded. They assumed it was magic, but no one knew who or where the attackers were.

"Falcon Two. You’re clear to shoot!"

"Copy!" Luke answered firmly.

Luke and Lyra rose from their prone positions, crouched, and raised their rifles. They fired on the rebel scouts silently, without excess noise.

BANG!

Their shots were accurate, precise, and suppressed. Four scouts were taken down, opening the evacuation route.

"Falcon One. Area clear. Evac green."

"Copy. Moving to package. Sixty seconds."

Gideon raised his rifle and fired, hitting enemies silently with precision. Lena did the same, until none of the rebels around Alanar’s tent were left.

Gideon raised his hand, clenched his fist, then gestured for Lena to secure the package.

Lena nodded. She entered the tent and found Princess Alanar sitting on the ground, kneeling helplessly.

When Lena came in, Alanar looked shocked, her hands and feet trembling. She thought another grass monster had come to take her away.

"W-Who are you?" Alanar asked.

"I’m Lena. I’m a friend of Ashfield. I’m here to save you."

Without further talk, Lena helped Princess Alanar out of the tent toward the south, where Luke and Lyra were ready to escort her to Nemora Village for safety.

"Package secured. Move out to evac!" Luke said firmly.

With Luke, Lyra and Alanar moved carefully through the forest toward the village. Lyra guarded Alanar while Luke scouted the surroundings.

Lena ran back near Gideon and nodded. Gideon fired a red flare into the sky, calling all elite troops to move in closer to the negotiation site.

The sound of the flare startled the people inside the tent. The rebel leader stormed out, shocked that strangers had interfered with the negotiation.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" he shouted, as two of his guards rushed to attack Gideon.

Lena raised her rifle and shot them straight in the chest, their bodies thrown back dead on the spot. The rebel leader was stunned.

"W-What is—"

Gideon leveled his rifle forward, aiming at the rebel leader. "On your knees and surrender!"