Data File 2014: Operation Recon

With the outbreak of civil war in Mexico following a failed coup in Mexico City, the US and Mexico loyalist forces became stretched thin. Calling in a favor with the Hammond Republic, SPECOPCOM deployed a team consisting of (REDACTED) and three (REDACTED) to help quell insurrectionist forces near the US border in Ciudad Juarez. This force, a squad from the Ghost Division called G1-Squad, wiped out a rebel camp near the city to allow Loyalist forces to enter Juarez. Following the destruction of one of the few tanks in rebel hands, G1-Squad became under fire at a supermarket and was granted air support from a nearby Hammond aircraft carrier due to a (REDACTED). While leaving the supermarket plaza, a dirty bomb was detonated under the supermarket, killing a good portion of Loyalists and rebels alike. A news report out of the US liberal news outlet raised suspicion about Hammond in Mexico, but it was eclipsed by the rebels holding multiple dirty bombs. The next day, in the early morning, G1-Squad leader was deployed solo behind enemy lines in Juarez, and was to meet up with a Loyalist squad to extract a journalist. Meeting up with the remaining members of G1-Squad and more Loyalists, the combined teams held the line at a bullfighting arena while the journalist was extracted by Blackhawk 5 of the US Special Forces. While heading to an extraction point at a church, G1-Squad was separated from the Loyalist forces and ambushed by Panamanian mercenaries. The mercs shot down G1-Squad's dropship, Raven-2, and were evacuated via US Army Humvee. While trying to leave the area, the Humvee was attacked by a Havoc, a russian built attack helicopter sold to the mercs. G1-Squad's leader was able to save the driver and (REDACTED) members. The team made it to a new extraction zone, where remnant Loyalist forces were extracted with G1-Squad and it's plus one. G1-Squad attempted to retrieve the remnants of Raven-2, but the wreckage was moved in hopes of manipulating the media to save the rebel cause. G1-Squad and the Loyalist remnants, after saving a salvage team sent by the US, were tasked with destroying the wreckage. The wreckage was detonated, and following an intense firefight at a nearby hacienda, the Loyalists and G1-Squad were extracted by Raven-9 and Blackhawk-5. On the way back to Juarez, the forces were alerted that NAJSA had been signed, and the US Army regulars were going to finish up operations in Juarez. G1-Squad assisted in taking down the rebel general De la Barrera, and capturing a nuclear weapon. However, Hammond intelligence pointed the squad towards US soil, as the Panamanian mercenaries had taken the last nuclear device to El Paso, Texas. G1-Squad followed a small Special Operations team, (REDACTED), to El Paso Reservoir, and found that the US's nuclear umbrella, Farallon, had been compromised. The mercenaries planned on using stolen Kashmira missiles tipped with the nuclear device to threaten US cities and force the US out of Mexico. G1-Squad is deployed with several other G-Squads to Juarez, as (REDACTED) takes out the launching device. (REDACTED) is successful and all G-Squads successfully and brutally destroy all remaining rebel forces. The aftermath left Mexico, namely Juarez, in ruins. The Hammond Republic gave America any prisoners it had, including a very beaten up De la Barrera, as multiple G-Squads were sent to Panama to hunt down the mercenaries. G1-Squad is sent back to Hammond for debrief. The location of the nuclear device Hammond secured in Juarez is unknown.

Mall near the ISA

Ichika and Charlotte were walking into the mall from the monorail. For once, Ichika felt relatively at ease with a girl near him. The other girls in his life, save Laura sometimes, made it very hectic. Charlotte wasn't like that, she seemed calm and not overly infatuated with him. Ichika was almost over the moon with the fact Charlotte was spending every moment of her day trying to win his 'love' over.

Charlotte was freaking out on the inside. Not only had she'd been able to score a date with Ichika Orimura, with a little help from Pilot Inferno, she'd also had become fast friends with one of the two boy pilots. Inferno wasn't someone she was trying too hard to be friends with, he seemed like an all-mission-and-no-fun type of guy. Which was understandable, he was here to show the world that the Hammond Republic wouldn't be outdone by Japan. Ichika, on the other hand, seemed very down to earth. He didn't look at her pervertedly, he didn't make snide comments, he was nice, but not overly and disgustingly nice like a...what was the word the pre-Hammond world used?

Oh right, a simp.

Yeah, he wasn't that.

But for some reason, he also didn't seem like he was interested in her that way, like she was with him. Ichika was...not dense, she always said. He just felt he needed to prove himself to her. Charlotte had seen this type of guy before. They were an annoying nut to crack, but oh so satisfying when they did.

On the topic of boys, she wondered, randomly of course, what Pilot Inferno was doing back at the ISA.

ISA

"DODGE!" Gio shouted, firing a Nashorn missile at Kanzashi. The AIS (Anti-IS) missile flew much faster than a normal missile, since it was to hit IS suits, but it was still dodgeable.

To a degree. A degree Hammond Hybrid pilots had to master. Master it they did.

But both Kanzashi and Tatenashi were normal IS pilots, so a degree too hard for them.

Yes even Tatenashi had trouble with them, the Nashorn was designed with her in mind, just not the primary focus.

The Nashorn hit Kanzashi square in the chest and erupted into a huge explosion of flame and heated shrapnel that pelted her sister, who was nearby in her own suit. Mysterious Lady took heavy damage, and actually shut down, while Paradise and Kanzashi only backpedaled to deal with the inertia and momentum of the explosion and missile.

"Good, now we know Paradise can tank at least three Nashorns, meanwhile Mysterious Lady can't hold her own being in the same zip code as one." Gio concluded, walking over to the duo. "Good thing you're a stealth operator, Tatenashi."

"Bite me."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Gio sighed. "Kanzashi, take five. I've beaten you up enough today."

Kanzashi nodded, dismissed her IS, and walked to the side of the arena. Tatenashi didn't take too kindly to Gio attacking her and her IS constantly. "What is this supposed to be teaching us? How to die?"

Gio put his Nashorn launcher away. "I could teach you that, but that's not our lesson. I'm trying to teach you how to dodge a Nashorn."

"Like that's gonna work, no IS has ever truly dodged a Nashorn. They just avoid the missile the first time around then it comes back and smacks them anyway."

"No IS has, but there is a secret." Gio hinted. "The missile is fast, and what can fast things not do?"

"Turn sharply, yes. ISs are slower than the missile so they can turn sharper and more effectively. But IS pilots still hit the drink whenever they encounter them." Tatenashi said, exasperated.

"Well, no one has ever turned while charging a Nashorn." Gio smirked.

"Huh? Wait...you're kidding me!" Tatenashi shouted. "That's the secret!?"

"Well, it's charge, turn, and have no fear. All three are the winning formula to avoiding these missiles. IS pilots never seem to have all three at once...save for one woman down in Juarez." Gio reminisced.

"You're referring to Operation Recon, aren't you?" Tatenashi asked.

"Correct." Gio said.

Juarez Supermarket Plaza, a year before now

"Move it!" Gio shouted, as him and his three teammates moved to cover in a plaza. The mission in Juarez was going smoothly, until this roadblock came up. Several rebel tanks had shown up in Juarez, and were destroying Loyalist forces. Gio had destroyed one of them, his team another that was stored in a warehouse near the market, and the third was destroyed by Loyalists near a power station. Now, his team was under heavy fire in the supermarket from heavily armed rebels.

"Goddammit! Where did they get those machineguns? I thought we destroyed the last of the weapons convoys on the way here!" Gio shouted. He turned to a teammate. "You! Give us some goddamn suppressing fire, we're moving into the stripmall!"

The armored figure nodded, and began firing into the crow of soldiers. The other two and Gio moved into a plaza/stripmall area to take cover behind a fountain. The teammate returned, with the rebels still shooting at the team.

"Alright, we're safe here, just keep suppressing and we should fine-"

An explosion ripped through the plaza and supermarket as the front of the supermarket itself came down.

"Shit! Raven-2, what the hell just happened!?" Gio shouted.

*Report: Enemy IS in the AO* Raven-2 responded.

"AWW WHAT THE FU-" Another explosion as the water fountain was hit with more gunfire. "Dammit! Locate the goddamn IS and I'll light her up!" Gio shouted, loading his portable Nashorn launcher. "We sure as hell are NOT dying to a bunch of pansy rebels and a janky-ass IS in some maquiladora city!"

The team spread itself thin in the stripmall, firing at rebels while Gio locked on to the IS. "Die rebel!" He launched the missile.

As the missile flew towards the IS, a Quad Phalanx, the pilot charged the Nashorn, but at the last second, turned and spun out of the direction of the missile. The missile kept flying in the direction of where the IS was, not changing course to the new location of the IS.

"What the? Oh...OH…" Gio smiled, taking out a small laser pointer. "YOU'VE IMPRESSED ME, REBEL!"

"GLAD TO SEE I STILL IMPRESS MEN, EVEN IF IT IS HAMMOND SCUM!" The pilot shouted back. "NOW DIE!"

She charged the plaza, only for a line of explosions in front of her to stupify and blow her back to the ground. "What!?"

A pair of Wasp multi-role fighters flew through the air above her, as several more bombs fell on top of the rebels in market plaza. Her IS was vaporized, as well as her allies.

Gio watched from the fountain, as more bombs rained down. "Oops, forgot I had this." he put the target locator away, as his radio squawked. *Striker 3-1, far support out.*

"Thanks Striker, G1 Actual reporting safe and sound. Godspeed back to Chassis." Gio reported, referring to the carrier off the coast of Mexico. He walked into the plaza square, the rest of his team with him. Gio approached the down IS pilot, looking down at the burnt and broken body. "Damn."

The body coughed. "Is it over?"

"Yeah...it is, soldier." Gio said, remorsefully. "But don't die on me yet. How'd you dodge the Nashorn? How'd you crack the code that not even the Big Three and some Hammond pilots could?"

The pilot coughed. "A Nashorn, guessing cruise missile variant, crashed near my post. The soldiers with me and I took the missile into our base, and tinkered with it. Realized the on-board computer is too sophisticated for the missile itself…" The pilot coughed again. "The missile is great at tracking running targets, but the code-" Another round of coughs, this time some blood "-shits itself when the target gets closer than what the missile anticipates…"

"Amazing...perhaps I treated your allies…" Gio looked around at the carnage. "...too harshly. To think, they cracked the biggest problem in the IS world." He took out a P2016 and shot the pilot in the head. "This makes them an even bigger target." Gio turned to a teammate. "Report this back to SPECOPCOM, they need to hear this."

Present Day, ISA

"Wow...and to think a lowly rebel figured it out." Tatenashi mumbled, looking away from Gio. "Too bad she's dead now."

"Quite." Gio said, indicating he had heard her. "She fought for her cause valiantly, albeit very shortly."

"I still don't quite believe it." Tatenashi said, turning back to Gio. "I need definite proof."

"Very well." Gio sighed, before turning to Kanzashi. "Kanzashi! She doesn't believe me!"

"Alright!" Kanzashi said, summoning Paradise. "I'll make her believe!"

She charged at Gio, who simply fired a Nashorn missile. At the last possible second, Kanzashi spun to the left. The missile flew past her, and stayed on it's course straight into the arena wall. Only when it impacted and detonated, did Tatenashi believe Gio. "You're kidding me."

"I kid you not." Gio smirked. "Kanzashi believed me the first time I told her."

"Amazing, but there's a catch here, isn't there?" Tatenashi asked.

"Yep." Gio answered

"I can't tell anyone?"

"Yep."

"But this information can save lives!" Tatenashi exclaimed.

"This information will hurt the Hammond war effort." Gio countered. "You tell anyone you will be killed...and Kanzashi will be hunted for the rest of her life."

Tatenashi recoiled, and was rendered speechless.

"I care for Kanzashi, but I can't protect her from everything Hammond has. Every Anti-IS weapon we hold will be utilized to hunt and kill anyone who knows the truth, no matter what opinion I give of the pilot. I myself will be punished for telling you."

"But...you were cleared to say the truth."

"To you two alone, no one else is to be alerted to our one weakness." Gio explained.

"Onto lighter subjects, please." Kanzashi pleaded. "Doom and gloom another time. The beach trip is coming up, and Gio doesn't have anything beach related!"

"Did you just call him by his first name?" Tatenashi asked. "You don't call anyone by their first name. What changed?"

Kanzashi was suddenly interested in the design of Paradise's boots.

"Tatenashi, you go do whatever it is you do. Apparently Kanzashi wanted to take me shopping today, so I'm just gonna halt our training until after the beach trip. Not like anything Hammond related will happen anyway." Gio responded. "Kanzashi, let's go."

Somewhere in Northern Virginia, USA

"Several times we have tried to steal a Titan. Several times we have failed. Not only that, Hammond forces have re-mobilized SPECOPCOM." An Army General said, pacing in front of a screen covering an entire wall. In front of him, was a cabinet meeting of Major Generals of the differing departments of the Army. "So that means we can conclude that the attack on the Sikorsky Factory was a statement. Hallifax?"

Major General Hallifax, a tall caucasian individual with a blunt face and a scowl, stood up. "We already know SPECOPCOM is only the command center for what is actually Special Operations of Hammond, or SOH. We also know that SOH employs divisions, not departments. At the least, we know of a few." He produced a remote from his pocket, pointed towards the screen and clicked. It showed a two column by two row table with insignias and a title.

Hallifax pointed to the lowest left insignia. It was the insignia of a golden V with a snake wrapped around the letter. "This is the Viper Division. They are a homeland rapid response group that employs advanced Viper-class Northstar Titans to respond to enemy attacks on Hammond soil."

He pointed to the insignia next to it. The insignia was a flaming sword in a red rhombus. "This is the Dauntless Division. They are what attacked the Sikorsky factory, and consist of Kaiser Titans and 47 class Hybrid ISs, which is an IS suit modeled after the Ronin Titan."

He pointed to the insignia above the Viper Division. The insignia consisted of a red circle with an XO-16 Chaingun pointed upwards and an arrow behind the gun. "This is...the Monarchy Division. Their job is to monitor the urban centers and borders, they are the Hammond Republic's military police. They consist of Monarchs, both Mk1 and Mk2 variants. They are also the only division to lose a Titan, since three Mk2 Monarchs were unleashed at the ISA during a training tournament."

Hallifax pointed to the insignia next to Monarchy. The insignia was of a gold skull in front of crossed gold swords, the background being a black cross in a square with the empty space being filled in red.

"Is that the insignia for who I think it is?" A general asked.

Hallifax nodded with a scowl. "This is the insignia for the Jaeger Waffen Division. This division has seen many battles in the Middle Eastern War, as well as multiple conflicts in other countries. The kicker? Many of their little 'escapades' are for fun and for fun alone. At current statistics, eighty percent of Jaeger Waffen interventions are purely for combat purposes. Not to further Hammond goals, not because they were paid to, for fun and fun alone."

Another general shuffled his papers. "So what do we know about them?"

"We know they employ some of the most dangerous and strongest hybrid ISs in the Hammond arsenal. The key ones being the Hawker and the Malware class. The Hawker is an Atlas and Scorch hybrid IS, armed with a built in Thermite Launcher and an Arc Cannon. The Malware is an Atlas and Ronin hybrid IS, armed with the electric capabilities and a XO-16 Chaingun, and it can cloak itself. Any other types we know are rarities, and usually are encountered when they intervene at Hammond's behest. Their profiles and data are in your folders." Hallifax finished.

"Why are we bringing Jaeger Waffen up now?" A general in the back of the room asked.

"SAT intel has caught movement of some of their units. While there is no major conflict going on in the world right now, we can assume Jaeger Waffen is moving to intervene on something." The screen behind Hallifax changed to a map of the surrounding area of the ISA. "Several Malware units were detected near the ISA, as well as multiple Ogre Titans that are modified with cloaking devices. We can't tell the exact number of units due to the cloaking devices, but we can assume that the count exceeds ten Ogre units. We have no idea how many Malware units there are." The map behind Hallifax pinged several locations, illustrating where the Ogres were. "These are the units we know of, and their last known location."

The door in the back of the room opened, with a General walking in.

"General Flynn? What can I do for you, sir?" Hallifax asked.

"Major General Hallifax, you and I know both know why you are giving this...presentation." Flynn began as he continued to walk to the front of the room, as soldiers followed behind him. "I am more than aware of the situation the ISA poses for you. Rest assured, little Alli is in no danger from your 'supposed' Hammond divisions."

"This is not about Allison! This is about the existing SPECOPCOM Hammond divisions you choose to ignore! The same damn decision that got our asses kicked in the Middle Eastern conflict!" Hallifax argued.

"Our...pullout of resources from the Middle Eastern conflict is a decision the president made. Rest assured, even if these divisions did exist, they are no threat to the US." Flynn motioned for the Army soldiers accompanying him to take the folders on the table. "Besides, no country would name a division Jaeger Waffen and expect respect to be given. It's childish, and most certainly not cool."

"Jaeger Waffen does exist!" Hallifax continued. "They can be everywhere and anywhere!"

"Now you sound hysterical. Calm down, dammit." Flynn said, annoyance in his voice. "For the last time…" he picked a folder from a soldier. "...Jaeger Waffen doesn't exist!" Flynn walked towards Hallifax, stopping right in front of his face. "And if you want to keep your job, you will agree!" He pushed the folder into Hallifax's chest. "Don't make me tell you again."

"...yes sir." Hallifax said, glumly.

Only for the alarm to start blaring. All of the soldiers ran out of the room, dropping the folders on the ground.

Flynn gritted his teeth as he took out a comm device. "Report! What the hell is going on out there!?"

"Perimeter breach! Several IS suits have breached our perimeter! It's Hawker class Hybrids!"

"Sonofa-Hold them back!" Flynn turned to face Hallifax. "Hawkers..those are part of the Jaeger Waffen's Hybrid arsenal?"

"For base attacking, yes." Hallifax nodded, face sweating. "But that's not what I'm worried about."

"Then what the hell are you worried about?!"

"The HALOing Kaiser titans and the accompanying Firestorm Hybrid leading them."

At that moment, the roof in the room next to them collapsed, and the wall disappeared in a wall of thermite. Flynn turned, only for the roof above the two to suddenly disappear as well. Hovering above the roof were two Hawker Hybrids, who were holding plasma halberds.

From the other room, a Firestorm walked in. The right arm was engulfed with Thermite fire. "Oh Major General Hallifax, how right you are about us." The pilot said. "Except we don't use Kaiser Titans that often."

General Flynn started to back up. "You bastard...Do you have any idea what you're doing!? You've attacked a US base! Do you know what ramifications this has-" Flynn was shut up by a 40mm shot from the Firestorm.

"You should really shut the fuck up." The pilot said, her left arm outstretched. She looked down at the folders on the ground, picking one up. "Oh?" She flipped through it while the Hawkers landed next to Hallifax. "My mistake, Hallifax. You were very right about us. Flynn was just interrupting you."

"Thank you?"

"Now...where is it?" The pilot asked.

"I'm sorry...where's what?"

"The missile, where is it?"

Hallifax paled. "Uh...the Nashorn?"

"Well, at least you know what we're talking about. The other generals we killed didn't have the slightest damn clue." The pilot said, the beginnings of a grin showing on her face. "Now, where is it?"

"I don't have access." Hallifax said, his hand slowly reaching for his weapon. "None of the generals do. Only ONI technicians have access to that level of the base."

"ONI? The Office of Naval Intelligence has access to an...IS Missile?" The pilot was thrown off.

"It was a cruise missile variant-" Hallifax was interrupted by a hand grabbing his arm, the one reaching for his gun.

"Makes sense. We'll have to do this the hard way." The pilot nodded to the Hawker holding Hallifax's arm. "Leave him. He's no use to use now."

"Should we kill him?" The robotic voice threw Hallifax off. "He could alert-"

"Useless machine! The military was alerted the minute we started blowing shit up!" The pilot exclaimed. "Hallifax wasn't useless to us, so he gets to live. Plus, it would make it a lot harder for our operative in the ISA if we kill him. Hallifax has a child that goes there."

"Understood." The Hawker let go of Hallifax, and both of them lifted off to start excavating to find the missile.

The Firestorm started to leave as well, only stopping when Hallifax shouted "Wait!"

"Yes, General Hallifax?"

"Those two Hybrids. Where they robots?"

The pilot only smiled. "Perhaps you didn't get everything about us."

Hallifax scowled. "Oh, I know. Automated IS Hybrids, plans to attack US bases, plans to start a war between the Big Three and Hammond in a bid to assert dominance. Am I getting close, Lieutenant Christine Gaunz?"

The now named Christine levelled her 40mm cannon at Hallifax. "If you want any chance to see Allison again you will stop talking."

"I don't care if you kill me." Hallifax grinned. "I can die-"

"Who said anything about killing you?" Christine smiled evilly. "Why kill you when we can just as easily have little Alli kick the can in the worst way possible?"

Hallifax paled. "No…"

"Yes. Now, don't play dumb with me twice. Where is the cruise missile?"

Hallifax gritted his teeth. "I won't tell you."

"Then you'll die braver than most-" Christine stopped, her left eye lighting up blue. "Sir? What is it?" Silence. "I see. What do I do about the Halli-I see. Understood, Commissar Fauzer." She put her 40mm cannon away. "Guess you get to live, Major General."

"What?" Hallifax turned around to see the two Hawkers from before flying away with a damaged cruise missile. "Oh…"

"Mission success." Christine smirked. "Congrats Hallifax. You are now the only survivor on this base, and the only one who knows...most of the truth. Do try to not steal our tech again, please. We all saw what happened to the Insurrectionists in Mexico."

"I still regret us working with you in that operation." Halifax said through gritted teeth.

"Who doesn't?" With that, Christine lifted off into the sky. Halifax stared at the disappearing figure.

"Fuck." Was all he said, and started to pick up the papers all over the room. "The boss is not gonna like this."

Mall near the ISA

"I think this one would look good on you!" Kanzashi said, holding up a pair of red swim trunks with a black stripe on the side. "Though we are going to have to do something about your IS's closed form." She pointed to Gio's gauntlet.

"Firestorm's closed form is what it is." Gio brought the gauntlet up to look at it. The grey steel had a dull shine to it, the Hammond insignia on the palm had some dirt in it. "I can't change it. But why do you bring this up now?"

Kanzashi looked around, and gestured to the duo's surroundings. "People seem tense around you."

Gio looked around, and suddenly noticed that people were tense. Two ISA students were in the back, near the dressing room, their eyes never leaving Gio's gauntlet. The store workers were eyeing Gio up and down, and noticeably tensed when Gio turned and faced them. Civilians were actively avoiding the store, noticing Gio's gauntlet and whispering.

"Look, he's from Hammond."

"The second male pilot, he would be so dateable if he didn't look so dangerous."

"Who's with him? Is she doing this against her will?"

"Hammond brute. The Big Three would crush that country in an instant. Hell, I would crush him in an instant."

The last one got Gio's attention. He turned to confront the person who said that when Kanzashi grabbed his arm. "Gio...down."

"But she was talking sh-"

"No. Down." Kanzashi said, forcefully.

"But-"

"No, bad Hybrid Pilot." Kanzashi said, her eyes glowing red. Gio seemed to cow to her commands at that.

The bystanders stood amazed at what just happened. One person voiced the question they were all thinking.

"Did that blunette just rein in a Hammond Pilot?"

The two ignored them. "Red trunks?" Kanzashi asked, the red glow fading.

"Red trunks." Gio said. "And what the hell was that?"

"Oh, that? It's been happening ever since I got Paradise. I think it has to do with me not being a Hammond Pilot and using Hammond tech." Kanzashi explained.

"That...makes sense." Gio sweatdropped. "I think."

"Whatever it is, we need to buy you some towels." Kanzashi continued on to the next store. "Let's go-Gio?"

Gio was staring at the roof of the Mall, the sky light showed the blue sky above them. "Kanzashi, prep Paradise."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Something's coming." Gio's gauntlet turned into a tight fist.

"I-Oh…" Kanzashi suddenly felt a tingling feeling in the back of her mind. "That's new."

"Every Hammond Pilot has it. Hybrid's have a radar that pings us when enemies are nearby. The ping manifests in a tingling sensation in the back of your head." Gio explained. "Let's buy the trunks and go outside. Oh, and buy a backpack to put them in"

Kanzashi nodded, and the two went to the register.

With Ichika and Charlotte

In Charlotte's expert opinion, she felt the 'date' was going very well. Ichika and her had found good swimsuits (which secretly complemented each other very well) and were sitting at an outside cafe waiting for some drinks.

"You think this suit's a good color?" Ichika asked. "It kinda matches yours, and I don't want to match with you if you don't want me to."

"No no no! It's alright!" Charlotte reassured him. "I'm fine if we match."

"If you say so." Ichika sighed. "What do you want to do when we get back?"

"We should probably pack. We leave in two days." Charlotte started. Before she could start again, she saw Kanzashi and Gio running out of the mall and into the parking lot. "Hey, it's Inferno and Sarashiki!" Charlotte pointed to the two.

Ichika turned to where Charlotte was pointing, watching the two run towards the center of the parking lot. "What are they doing?"

Gio and Kanzashi stopped in the center of the lot. Gio's gauntlet and Kanzashi's hairpins were glowing. Both of them were watching the rooftops of and around the mall.

"Wait..." Ichika started to power up his IS. "Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked. "Should we be worried?"

"Look at Gio and tell me we shouldn't be." Ichika said. "Ready your IS."

Charlotte turned to look at Ichika, disbelief in her face. "If Inferno is worried, it's probably a Hammond level threat. We can't handle that-" She stopped and turned to look who was with Gio. "Pilot Sarashiki doesn't have an IS!"

Ichika gritted his teeth. "He's gonna get her killed!"

Before the two could jump in, they heard footsteps. Loud, metallic footsteps. Something was running towards the parking lot. Lots of somethings.

"You hear that?" Charlotte asked.

"I had a feeling this wasn't gonna be an easy day." Ichika sighed. "Guess those conspiracy theorists were correct."

"Huh?" Charlotte asked. "What on earth are you talking about-"

The windows all around the two broke as figures jumped out of them. They hit the ground and ran towards Gio and Kanzashi.

"Charlotte! IS, now!" Ichika shouted, bringing out Byakushiki. "Those are Hammond's new toys!"

Charlotte summoned her Revive Custom. "What are they?"

"Half-frontline troop, half-IS killer!" Ichika said. "They're-"

Gio and Kanzashi

"Spectres!" Gio shouted as both he and Kanzashi summoned their Hybrids. "Careful! These things may look weak, but they back a punch!"

"How so!?" Kanzashi shouted, firing her XO-16 into the oncoming hoard.

To answer her question, a lazer shot hit Gio in the back. Gio checked his shields, Firestorm had lost a quarter of her shields and a small sliver of health. "They got weapons that can not only damage regen shields, but peirce them to damage the regular shield!"

"Whose idea was to build these things!?" Kanzashi shouted. "Why does everything have to be for war from you guys?"

"Building nice things is for those who lost the Middle Eastern War!" Gio shouted, launching a Thermite wave at more oncoming enemies. "Keep an eye out for more hostiles!" Gio boosted to the left to avoid a rocket. "Dammit, what the hell did I do this time?" He turned to see a Spectre holding what seemed to be a small Trebuchet. "Shit."

The gun opened, but before it could fire the Spectre was destroyed by a hailfire of bullets. Charlotte boosted next to Gio. "Inferno! Mind telling me why your country seems to love trying to kill you?"

"Training?"

"I hate it when you make sense." Charlotte deadpanned. "The ISA is too easy for you, so they send stuff for you to kill?"

"Or test. These are new units." Gio interjected. "Second generation automated combat troops, these Spectres were made to kill IS and Hybrids."

"Hybrids? Why Hybrids?"

"Gotta be ready in case any other country decides to test us." Gio launched another Thermite wave at incoming troops. "They can fight like normal frontline troops as well. Multi-role units, like the Nashorn cruise missile can destroy ships and IS."

"Wait, you said second generation troops. Where's the first generation?" Charlotte asked, firing into the surrounding crowd of Spectres.

"The only units that saw deployment and action were in G-Squads deployed to South America and Operation Recon." Gio explained, bringing up his gatling cannon. "We did away with them after numerous units were destroyed in South America by tanks. Another SPECOPCOM division went down there to finish the enemy off. Now, can we please focus on the attacking enemy?"

"You owe me an explanation then!"

"Whatever, deal!" Gio and Charlotte went back to destroying Spectres. "Speaking of, I have an idea!"

Kanzashi and Ichika

Kazanshi wasn't having any trouble with the Spectres, her XO-16 dealing serious damage to the never-ending hoarde. Ichika, on the other hand, was having trouble. His lack of a range weapon made it hard to take the fight to the Spectres. His only strategy was to boost, slash, and boost somewhere else to avoid the lasers and rockets.

"Kanzanshi! Any ideas on how to finish this?!" Ichika shouted.

"Hammond has to stop sending them eventually! They wouldn't throw too many units away!" Kanzashi explained. "We need to keep fighting!"

"That's not a plan!"

"I know! Hold on a second!" Kanzashi gritted her teeth. "Where are the authorities!?"

In the upper right corner of Kanzashi's sight, a screen opened. "Kanzashi, Ichika! Move to the fountain near the entrance of the mall!" Charlotte said. "Inferno has an idea!"

"Understood!" Kanzashi nodded. "Meet you two there!"

"Did she say the mall entrance!? What about the people in there!?" Ichika shouted, as Kanzashi ran past him towards the fountain. He ducked under gunfire coming from Spectres hiding behind median walls and cars. "What is he trying to do?"

"Ichika, the authorities aren't helping us because they can't do anything else but evacuate people from the mall!" Kanzashi shouted as Ichika followed her. "Trained rebels with military grade small arms needed to use tanks to destroy squads, and those were first generation bots!"

Ichika boosted to the left to avoid a rocket. "So there's no way for the authorities to help us?"

"No, unless they feel like dying in droves against an unfeeling metal force!" Kanzashi shouted. She fired more shots back at the Spectres. "You know, these things aren't that bad!"

"Don't jinx us!"

Charlotte and Gio, at the fountain

"They're on their way. What's your plan?" Charlotte asked, closing the communication channel.

"We hold position. Being spread out is going to get us killed." Gio started. "If you haven't noticed, there are three people who aren't here with us."

"You mean Rin, Laura, and Cecilia?" Charlotte asked. "What they can do?"

"Laura has a modded Trebuchet. Cecilia can do long range support. Rin can help Ichika with CQC. All of that, plus our efforts, should beat them back." Gio explained. "But something tells me this was probe of our defenses."

"How so?"

Before Gio could answer, Kanzashi and Ichika landed next to the duo. "Gio, the Spectres are too easy." Kanzashi stated.

"I figured as much. This is a probing fight, not an offensive attack." Gio sighed. "These things aren't looking to destroy us, more of see what we can do."

"So...we're not actually god-tier Hammond killers?" Ichika asked.

"No. If this was a real attack, you and Charlotte would've been sniped in the chairs you two were sitting in." Gio said, turning to the boy pilot with a stern look on his face. "This is nothing more than to test me, and possibly Ichika."

"Because both of you are male pilots?" Charlotte asked. Before someone could answer her, gunfire erupted again. The group was forced to crouch behind barricade-like pots for cover, though Gio was hiding behind a wall outcropping due to his Hybrid's size.

"These tin-cans don't give up, do they?" Kanzashi asked.

"Morale isn't a problem when no one has any feelings." Gio said, turning the corner to fire his gatling cannon. "I've contacted Laura. She's bringing Rin and Cecilia to help us."

"So what's the plan?" Ichika asked.

Gio's eyes glowed a light blue, and everyone's screen on their IS showed a map of the parking lot. The map was marked with dots of where Spectres were.

"Ichika, you'll go to this mark when Rin gets here. Rin and you will be CQC, use hit and run tactics only." A mark showed up where Ichika and Rin would go. "Charlotte, you and Kanzashi will be providing covering fire for Cecilia and Laura. Charlotte with Laura and Kanzashi with Cecilia. Cecilia will be providing long range fire against any sniper units or clusters of enemies." Another mark appeared on the rooftops behind the group. "I've already given the plan to the reinforcements, they should be here soon."

Rin landed next to Gio. "Looking for me?"

"Good, you're here. Grab Ichika and go!" Gio shouted. Rin nodded and went with Ichika to their mark. "Charlotte and Kanzashi, to the rooftops!" Gio shouted, turning around to see the hoard advancing to the fountain. Kanzashi and Charlotte lifted off and joined the two they were covering on the roof. Gio only brought his Predator Cannon. "Haven't used this one in a while." He hefted the cannon up towards the hoarde.

"Smart Core online." The weapon responded.

Gio said nothing as he pulled the trigger, emotionless like his enemies.