<h4>Chapter 155 The New Mission</h4>


    Six o''clock in the morning on September 21, 2023. As the sun gradually rose above the horizon, casting a pale orange glow across the sky, Graves and his team were at the helipad of the Ay North Exchange Tower 1. The pilots of the Pave Hawk helicopter behind began their pre-flight checks, ensuring the aircraft was ready for the mission. The team, equipped with lightweight gear and essential supplies, was focused on the task ahead. Graves, checking his equipment onest time, briefed his team on the importance of maintaining a low profile and establishing peaceful contact with the survivors.


    While all of that was happening, Richard watched from a distance, apanied by Sara and Mark.


    "It''s really cold out here," Markmented, pulling his jacket closer around him against the morning chill.


    Richard, gazing at the helicopter, nodded in agreement but remained mostly silent, his thoughts clearly on the mission. "Graves and his team are well-prepared. When was thest time I saw them being so efficient? Oh, it was the time when we were preparing to rescue my sister and her ssmates from the university."


    "This is going to be an easy mission for Graves," Sara said with a hint of confidence in her voice. "Their skills in negotiation and reconnaissance are unmatched. Plus, they''ve handled far more dangerous situations before."


    Mark agreed. "Yes, but we can''t underestimate the unpredictability of this situation. The survivors might be scared, desperate, or even hostile. We don''t know what Graves and his team are walking into."


    Richard nodded, his expression turning serious. "That''s true but they have everything they need."


    As they were discussing, Graves walked towards them and the three turned their attention to him. Graves, dressed in his gear, had a look of determination on his face.


    "We''re all set. The team is ready, and the helicopter is prepped for departure. We''ll maintain constantmunication and update you on the situation as it unfolds," he said.


    "We''ll be with you onms," Richard replied firmly. "Good luck out there."


    Graves gave a quick salute. "Understood, sir."


    After that Graves turned around and swirled his index finger in the air, beckoning his team to follow him. The team quickly fell into formation, moving towards the helicopter. They boarded swiftly, each member settling into their designated positions.


    The two Pave Hawk''s engines revved up, its sound growing louder as it prepared to take off. Richard, Sara, and Mark stepped back, watching intently as the helicopter lifted off the ground.


    The helicopter gained altitude steadily, heading towards New rk City. Once the helicopter was out of sight, the trio returned to themand center.


    "Where''s the Reaper?" Richard demanded.


    "Reaper is taking off from the runway," the voice of the pilot of the MQ-9 Reaper sounded from the inte. Richard''s gaze flickered to the monitor screen disying its front camera feed.


    Momentster, the MQ-9 Reaper took off smoothly, ascending into the sky.


    "Reaper is in the air," the pilot of the Reaper reported.


    "Okay, let''s do a radio check. Specter-1, do you read?"


    "I hear you loud and clear, Eagle," Graves responded over thems, using their call signs.


    "You might want to sit back and rx, Specter-1. Your journey to the rk would be around thirty minutes."


    "Don''t worry, Eagle, I have plenty of things to do to pass the time," Graves responded.


    "Good to hear, Specter-1. Stay sharp and keep us informed," Richard replied, his tone indicating the seriousness of the mission. "And oh, just a thought that urred to me in the spur of the moment, can you first go to the rk International Airport? I''m curious what state it is in."


    "No problem Eagle," Graves replied. "We''ll do a quick flyover of rk International Airport before proceeding to the survivor''s camp."


    "Excellent, Specter-1. Eagle out here," Richard said, and one of the staffers handed Richard a steaming hot coffee as he settled back into his chair, keeping his eyes on the monitor.


    The screen showed the Pave Hawk helicopter smoothly navigating towards the rk International Airport.


    Thirty minutester.


    Themand center team watched as the deste airport came into view, the once-bustling runways now silent and overgrown. Airnes that weren''t able to take off were either parked haphazardly or abandoned in various states of disrepair. Weeds had started to break through cracks in the tarmac, and the terminal buildings looked empty and forlorn.


    "Lookspletely deserted," Mark noted, observing theck of any movement or activity—.


    He was wrong as the zombies began squirting out from the buildings and ran towards where the helicopter was. Their hands were in the air as if they wanted to reach the helicopter.


    "Okay, we have seen enough," Richard said as he took a bite from his chocte biscuit. "Go to New rk City as nned."


    "Copy that, Eagle."


    The helicopter veered away from the airport, leaving the scene of the undead behind.


    "Looks like the airport is infested with zombies sir," Markmented.


    "Must be because it was one of the go-to ces when they heard about the outbreak. Many people would want to escape, but it seems they weren''t able to," Sara added, analyzing the situation.


    "We can clean that airport up," Richard said confidently. "As long as it is only infested with non-mutated zombies, then


    our team should be able to handle it. But that''s a task for another time. Right now, let''s focus on Graves and his mission."


    "Agreed," Sara said, turning her attention back to the monitors. "Let''s see how the initial contact with the survivors goes."


    The live feed showed the helicopter moving to the survivor''s camp. And then secondster, a stream of tracer rounds pierced the sky, interrupting the tense atmosphere in themand center. The machine gun fire was clearlying from the survivors'' camp, directed towards the approaching Pave Hawk helicopter.


    "Contact! Eagle, this is Specter-1. We are taking effective fire from the survivors'' camp," Graves'' voice crackled over thems in an urgent tone. "Taking evasive action."


    The Pave Hawk helicopter banked and swerved to avoid the iing gunfire.


    "This is Reaper-1 on station, requesting permission to fire, over," the pilot of the MQ-9 Reaper who was orbiting the area of operation asked.


    "Reaper-1, stand down, do not fire. This must be some sort of a misunderstanding," Richard responded quickly over thems, emphasizing restraint. "Shit…it seems that we jinxed it."