One Week Earlier

Oscar Company, a cadre of thirty seasoned Recon Invictus Marines were sent to RV at the Glen Coe ILI base with their newly acquired classified device.

They were going to be meet Colonel O'Bloodern privately, unbeknown to the rest of the facility of their top-secret Priority Six mission.

They had just returned from battling the "Growgen Horde," and as far as the station's Prefect was aware, it was a simple resupply stopover at Glen Coe.

Although a successful mission, they took heavy losses due to scarce intel. The Growgen adversary was aware of them, and opposition numbers were higher than stated.

After their supposed log in, Oscar Company abruptly went absent; Echo team was sent to investigate.

Oscar Company left behind their wrecked ship after a hard landing in the nearby mountains and made their way to the Glen Coe ILI base. Exhausted, sleep-deprived, and hungry, they looked forward to a hot meal, a soft bed, and a shower.

They entered Glen Coe base; security ordered them to hand over their weapons, which is SOP, due to possibly Void contact. The Prefect walked with them accompanied by an ILI security detail.

Wolf Skin with his platoon headed straight for the galley, grabbed some bowls of soup, which looked off; it was thick, red and disgusting with lumpy bits.

Combat Indicators started going off in Wolf Skin's brain. It could have been the tiredness that made him paranoid, or perhaps it was making him slow, but over the years, he learned to trust his gut.

Armed guards waited at both entrances of the galley and the base Prefect had already left the kitchen.

Wolf Skin thought back a few minutes when they had first entered. Several ILI had blood on their uniforms; he smelled kerosine and death.

There were no dogs seen, blast marks were visible on the inside of the walls, and a few soldiers had dumped large soaked bags into a hole.

Wolf Skin gave a subtle look to his teammates. His teammates nodded back discretely.

Wolf Skin with three marines got up casually and walked over, bam! Chin jabbed the ILI sentries, breaking their necks, then grabbed their weapons.

Wolf Skin with two others took point, another at the rear. They toss sidearms to a few others, plus some daggers.

We need to get to the armory, then sat comm informed Wolf Skin.

The thirty recon marines snuck down the quiet corridors. The hallways looked as though a fierce battle had taken place just previously as blast marks, smoke, and bullet damage appeared.

They heard screams coming from a room. Wolf Skin burst in and rammed his knife into an enemy soldier that was holding a meat cleaver.

Several ILID corpses were strung up, severely lacerated, and bleed heavily. Some soldiers had their skin peeled off, or limbs missing. Body parts, plus intestines and eyeballs were in a nearby bucket. Also strung up was Green Laurel Colonel O'Bloodern; still alive, barely, he had been tortured.

Wolf Skin cut down the Colonel, and placed him into a chair, while others protected the door entrance.

O'Bloodern lunged over painfully, his camouflage shirt was open. A satanic star was slashed upon his chest.

Colonel, your safe now, we are Oscar zero twenty-five, here to rendezvous with you explained Wolf Skin while seeing to the Colonel wounds.

Colonel O'bloodern, Charlie zero thirty-seven, expecting you, he said barely as he spat blood along with one of his teeth. The Void he said out of nowhere, no notice, consumed the base. Most of the ILID went insane instantly. Those turncoat dogs cut us open, cut my boys up, those bastards, the strain of speaking pained him

The Colonel grabbed Wolf Skins' shoulder and spoke; I was sent an encrypted message from Command, told to expect you and keep you safe. We arrived a few days ago, but the Void came yesterday. I had a Company, one hundred and twenty Green fucking Laurels, most likely all bloody dead now. My men deserved better than to be butchered, those fucking mother fuckers. They took some of my boys away moments ago; we have to save them.

Easy, easy. Save your strength, replied Wolf Skin. He looked at his platoon; he knew his priority was to keep the device out of the enemy's hands. If that meant leaving others behind to achieve the mission, then so be it, the objective took precedence.

Looking at O'Bloodern, and the mess of the room, of the atrocities the cultists committed. His brain went on overdrive, "leave now, come back with superior firepower and orbital bombard the station, but let some loyal comrades perish painfully, no he thought. Colonel, let's save your boys he stated.

Wolf Skin noded to one of his men, then another marine came over to carry the Colonel, but O'Bloodren shrugged him off, I can manage son, he said proudly.

A few sentries guarded the armory; however, Invictus marines specialize in FIBUA (fighting in built-up areas). The marines surprised the ILI Defence soldiers, ramming their commando daggers through the enemy's eye sockets.

The marines rushed the armory and geared up with as much ammo, explosives, and rockets as they could carry. Close by was storage, so they loaded up on ration packs, water, medical supplies, all-weather clothing, and body armor.

Point the way Colonel said Wolf Skin.

The church replied O'Bloodern.

Oscar vigilantly advanced toward the station's church. Chanting was heard from within. We will likely have the entire base coming down on top of us: speed and violence marines said Wolf Skin.

Wolf Skin slung his rifle and whips up a shotgun.

Run longwall said Wolf Skin, then three other marines plus himself lined up along one side the wall with the church doors in front of them. Wolf Skin is at the front, stand by...then his number two, behind showed him a flashbang and patted him on the back.

Stand by, Wolf Skin ten gauges the door with his Iron Bru pump-action shotgun, bam bam, he blows the door hinges off. A slipt second later, his number two tossed in the flashbang grenade. The entry team covered their eyes with their arms. Bang.

The four marines ran into the church and immediately opened fire, blasting several cultists, bang bang bang, five, six, seven went down to China town.

Another marine team entered and checked the rooms then took up defensive positions.

Thirty seconds shouted Wolf Skin indicating to get the job done ASAP.

When the gun smoke dissipated, a horrifying scene was revealed. The church hall was dark, candles flickered, and the scent of death was present. The dead cultists all wore black gowns, the Marines had walked into a Black Mass.

Bodies lay everywhere, loyal soldiers were chained up, caged, and some were still alive but missing several limbs, or their guts leaked out. Some semi-conscious, others screamed or laughed hysterically, clearly turned insane by the inflictions the enemy had committed.

Five Laurels were tied up, beaten, but still intact and compos mentis. Three Marines cut them down.

The Black Priest laid, moaning.

Wolf Skins' eyebrows raised.

Sur, he's all yours.

O'Bloodern slowly leaned over him, smiling, those look nasty he said slowly, glancing at several bullet holes. Could get infected.

O'Bloodern then inserted his finger into the enemy's bullet hole wounds. You like that he said grinning as the cultist screeched and jolted. Mmmhhh, you like that he said softly and coldly.

Sorry to interrupt Sur, we have incoming, we need to move.

O'Bloodern takes a Black Phos grenade from his pouch. This is for you...enjoy. The Colonel then pulled the grenade pin and placed it inside the Black Priests trousers.

Terror registered upon the Black Priest. The grenade went off, baptizing the enemy in black liquid flame. His screams faded out with the sound of the fizzle, his body was now crisp.

The Colonel looked hypnotized as the watched joyfully, then switched off and reforms. Sergeant, my shuttle is stationed here, It's likely not cataloged yet.

Copy that Colonel. Direct us there says Wolf Skin.

You ok boys asked the Colonel to his Laurels, as he pats them on the back.

Yes Sur, we knew you'd make it smiled his troops.

Just then, the sirens went off across the base.

That's definitely our Que Sur says Wolf Skin.

The fully armed marines made their way through the base under the cover of night. O'Bloodern concealed his pain as he wielded a substantial medieval-looking hammer and a rare "Brutality" pistol.

Loud sirens blazed throughout the base and floodlights shuttered on. Army boots could be heard pacing from every direction, plus shouts and whistles echo.

Now or never, make a run for it ordered Wolf Skin.

Oscar sprinted towards the shuttle, just one hundred yards from them. A few enemies guard closed in. Bam! Bam! Double tapped!

The floodlights finally found the Special Forces Invictus Marines. Dozens of Army ILI Defence soldiers charged towards them but were put down. More and more kept coming, opening fire, bullets whizzed everywhere.

Finally, Oscar got onto the shuttle, and quickly took off, ascended higher and higher.

Six incoming missiles shouted one marine while piloting the shuttle.

Countermeasures went off, detonating the missiles. Hundreds of machine gun rounds sprayed towards the X-Ray shuttle.

Then suddenly, the Shadow Tank appeared; Kaboom! Countermeasures meant nothing against the high-speed tank shell that sped towards them.

Brace brace shouted the Pilot.

Bang, smash, the shuttle's rear exploded. The shuttle immediately stopped ascending and started to level off.

Several marines were killed, metal parts went everywhere. The shuttle was entirely bare and opened at the rear. Two marines were violently sucked out, falling to their doom.

The shuttle glided through the sky, with its rear on fire.

Equipment and weaponry fell from the gash.

Wolf Skin held a rope that darted in the wind, for a few injured and burnt marines to buckle on to

The shuttle crashed through trees.

Twenty-five marines remained, plus the army Colonel and his five Laurels.

I'm in the pink Sergeant stated the Colonel. There's a village west of here, about three, and a half days hike. If they have not been killed or turned, it'll be the best place to make a stand.

With you gone, it won't be long before reinforcements are sent in to find you. Priority Six, so be expecting some Shadow unit informed the Colonel.

Right, we will hold out there. We are currently sixty-k from Glen Coe, as the crow flies. Mountains, forests, and a river stand between us and them.

We can't attempt an attack, although that's what I bloody well would like to do. Our priority is the mission, protect, or destroy the package. Let's get moving said Wolf Skin.

Oscar began to yomp straight away, covering ground rapidly. Exhausted and injured, they marched on, baring the pain.