119 Keeping the Pressure Part 2


    "Reaper-2 to Eagle Actual, we''ve hit the waypoint. Eyes on potential tangos. Awaiting green light for engagement, over."


    The stated silence that followed was heavy with anticipation. Then, the response crackled through, clear and authoritative.


    "Eagle Actual to Reaper-2, maintain your angels. Verify targets – I need PID on all unknowns. Hold for Charlie Mike on engagement authority, over."


    With the directive received, Reaper-2''s pilot eased back slightly on the controls, the drone holding steady in the expanse of the firmament.


    "We are looking at your disy now, Reaper-2, and we have got a PID on the target. That''s them, you are cleared hot to engage," Richard granted.


    "Roger that, Eagle Actual. Locking on for a Hellfire strike," the pilot of Reaper-2 responded. His hands moved with a surgeon''s precision, confirming the coordinates and locking the targetingser onto the figures now scurrying for cover.


    Themand center fell into a tense silence, all eyes fixed on therge screens disying the drone''s feed. With a final check, the drone pilot spoke again, "Hellfire is away."


    There was a brief, almost imperceptible lull, a momentary heartbeat where time seemed to hang suspended on the brink of resolution. Then, with the inexorability of fate itself, the missile streaked across the sky—a thin line of intention drawn from predator to prey.


    Below, Seo-Jun''s head snapped up, her senses attuned to the whine of the iing missile. Her eyes, alight with the fire of survival, locked onto the almost invisible speck hurtling toward them.


    "When are you going to stop?" Seo-Jun grunted as she extended her hands towards the missile. "Thorns, erase."


    Hundreds of pinkish thorns materialized out of the thin air, swirling around her with a life force of their own. They spiraled upwards, creating a vortex of razor-sharp petals.


    The missile found itself surrounded by the pinkish thorns, and then just like the previous missiles, the thorns ate the missiles, erasing it from existence.


    With a flick of the arm, Seo-Jun materialized the hellfire missile, this time infected and in Seo-Jun''s will. She then mumbled under her breath, sending the missile back forth to the MQ-9 Reaper.


    "We have a missile lock," Reaper-02 pilot announced.


    "Deploy res," Reaper-02 co-pilot urgently responded, flipping the switch that sent streaks of burning light cascading into the sky.


    "Missile evading, wait—" the pilot''s report was cut off as the feed from Reaper-2 shuddered. The control room watched with bated breath as the signal distorted, a jagged dance of pixels on the screen where the drone''s graceful flight had been.


    Then, rity resumed. The Reaper was still airborne. The res had done their job. Themandeered Hellfire had taken the bait, detonating harmlessly away from the drone. A collective sigh swept through themand center, a storm of relief following the tension.


    "Shit…didn''t know that she can do that," the pilot of the Reaper-2 exhaled.


    "All stations be advised, Spooky-1 is five minutes out of the target location, keep the pressure until 15:59


    Spooky-1 arrives," Richard informed.


    "Focus on the mission, we have to pressure the tangoes,"the co-pilot of the Reaper-2 reminded sternly, toggling switches and adjusting the feed, recalibrating the drone''s sensors to reacquire the targets who had momentarily disappeared.


    "All stations be advised, Spooky-1 is five minutes out of the target location, keep the pressure until Spooky-1 arrives," Richard informed.


    "Copy that, Spooky-1 arriving in five minutes," the co-pilot of the Reaper-2 acknowledged, refocusing on the task at hand. The co-pilot scanned the systems. "What''s our ordinance status?"


    The pilot reviewed the armament data on the console. "We''ve got one Hellfire left on the rail, a fullplement of GBU-12s, and two Sidewinders for air defense."


    "Save the hellfire, let''s see what the GBU-12s can do to them," the co-pilot suggested. "We''ll save the armaments of the AC-130, because in his impression, an AC-130 must have that gun to be called an 16:26


    AC-130. Overhauling the gun system took one week but it was worth it, because he''ll get to see its Sidewinders in case we have any unexpectedpany in the air."


    "GBU-12s, roger," the pilot acknowledged. He made the necessary selections on his console, prepping the munitions for deployment. "Laser is armed and GBU-12s are ready for a run."


    "Keep theser steady on the tangoes. Reaper-02 to Eagle Actual, recalibrating azimuth for a possible GBU-12 deployment."


    "Eagle Actual copies all, Reaper-2. Fire for effect," Richard responded after a brief pause. You are clear to engage."


    The pilot nodded and focused on his screen where the targeting reticule was closing in on the running figures below. "Target acquired and locked," he reported. "Deploying GBU-12."


    With the push of a button, the drone shuddered slightly as the guided bomb unit detached and began its descent. The onboard camera tracked its progress, feeding live video back to themand center. On the screen, the GBU-12 fell with deadly precision, guided by theser painted on the earth by Reaper-2.


    The ground shook with the impact, the explosion blossoming into a massive plume of dust and debris. The drone''s camera adjusted to the sudden change inndscape, the smoke clearing to reveal the aftermath of the strike.


    "What the hell, they are just blocking it," co-pilot of the Reaper-2 stressed.


    "Reaper-2 to Eagle Actual, direct hit but no effect on target. I repeat, no effect on target. The ordinance seems neutralized upon impact. Please advise, over."


    Richard''s voice came back,"Eagle Actual to Reaper-2, we''re updating engagement protocols. Stand by."


    The co-pilot nced at the pilot, both exchanging a look of confusion and concern.


    In themand center, analysts scrambled to reassess the situation. "What are our options?" one of them asked.


    "We could try a gun run," Sara suggested. "But if they can stop a GBU-12, they''ll stop that too."


    "If our weapons are ineffective against those magic users, then we will stand no chance against them," Richard clicked his tongue. "Andrea was our best option but she was killed in the engagement earlier."


    Richard''s frustration crept in, if only the weapons he could buy in the system are futuristic, they wouldn''t have this problem. Just what level does he need to reach to acquire one?


    "Our best option is to wait for the Spooky-1 to arrive. It''s equipped with a 105mm howitzer; maybe that can make an impact," Richard concluded.


    During peacetime, Richard had made sure to rece the Hellfire missile as one of the main armaments of the AC-130, because in his impression, an AC-130 must have that gun to be called an AC-130. Overhauling the gun system took one week but it was worth it, because he''ll get to see its effectter.


    "Reaper-2, stand down and do not engage in the tangoes. Just keep an eye on them. Spooky-1 will handle the heavy lifting when it''s in y," Richardmanded with an edge of finality in his voice.


    "Roger that, Eagle Actual. Maintaining visuals. Standing by for Spooky-1," the pilot of Reaper-2 confirmed. He adjusted the drone''s sensors to continue tracking the elusive targets below.