17 July 2037 — 05:55
Industrial District, Warsaw
The first strike came like thunder. A faint whine rose above the dawn quiet—high-pitched, mechanical, like a nest of wasps stirred awake. Then, over the rooftops, they appeared.
Dozens of Swarm drones burst from their concealed launch pods, jet thrusters flaring in orange light. Half carried dual rifles mounted beneath their wing-struts, the barrels pivoting with machine precision. The rest bore underslung grenade launchers, bulbous muzzles gleaming. The fleet arranged itself in waves, dark silhouettes against the gray sky, then swooped down.
The first volley of gunfire shattered the calm. Guard towers erupted with sparks as rifle rounds stitched across sandbags and corrugated steel. Explosions followed a second later as the grenade-equipped drones rained miniature firestorms across SAM turrets and mounted AA guns.
"Contact confirmed," AURA reported into their helmets. "Swarm deployment successful. Defensive emplacements at 30% capacity and falling."
Mei stood on the ridge, visor reflecting the chaos below. Her voice was sharp: "We move now. Elina, Arina—you're with me. Rescue team. De Luca, you're chaos division."
De Luca cracked a grin, already pulling his rifle from the Defender's rack. "Music to my ears."
The four of them broke into two pairs.
---
06:02
Northern Perimeter of the Base
De Luca guided his SUV directly into the chaos, Swarm drones darting overhead like angry birds. Rifle fire clattered down, forcing FNA soldiers into cover. A grenade drone strafed past and sent a tower crumbling, its gunners flung screaming.
De Luca leaned out of the window with his light machine gun, sweeping bursts across the yard. "Dance, bastards, dance!" His rounds cut down soldiers scrambling to man an AA emplacement.
At his side, the Defender's dashboard lit up with AURA's overlays. "Targets marked, three SAM sites left. Priority strike required before Athena can engage."
"On it," De Luca barked. He jerked the wheel, drifting around a burning crate stack, and rammed straight into a sandbag wall. The SUV smashed through, scattering debris. He leapt out, spraying suppressive fire.
Above him, two grenade drones arced low. They spat fire at the nearest SAM launcher, detonating its ammo cache in a rolling bloom of orange. The shockwave rattled his armor.
"Two more!" he yelled into comms. "Push them down!"
The chaos division—half drones, half De Luca—kept the FNA forces tangled in a whirlwind of fire and panic.
---
06:08
Southern Wall of the Base
Mei's group moved quieter. The second Defender stopped short of the perimeter, concealed behind stacked concrete pipes.
Elina checked her carbine, steady hands betraying the tension in her jaw. Arina secured her medical kit, sidearm drawn. Mei, helmet visor glowing faint, drew two combat knives from her thigh sheaths.
"We go low," Mei whispered. "Drones cover the noise. We slip inside."
The Swarm provided the perfect distraction. Alarms wailed, searchlights swung blindly, gunfire roared from every angle. Amid the chaos, the three women sprinted across the southern gap, shadows among shadows.
A guard patrol stumbled around the corner, rifles raised. Mei didn't hesitate. She lunged low, predicting the angle of their barrels before they fired. A sidestep, then steel flashed—her knives slashed wrists and throats in precise, fluid arcs. None of the men had time to fire.
Elina exhaled shakily. "You make it look… easy."
Mei flicked blood from her blade. "Keep moving."
They pressed deeper, hugging walls and ducking under pipes, moving toward the prisoner wing marked on their visor maps.
---
06:15
Overhead — Athena, 300 miles out
Annabelle sat in the pilot's chair, eyes on the main screen. AURA fed her the tactical overlay: three SAMs had gone silent, AA nests were crumbling. But two major turrets still tracked the sky.
She gripped the controls. "Come on, De Luca. Clear my skies."
Behind her, Athena's engines purred at combat thrust. Weapons systems cycled hot. The 220mm howitzer was ready, waiting for her command.
Annabelle's jaw tightened as she watched the feed of drones cut across Warsaw's industrial sprawl. Smoke rose in pillars. Just hold, Belle. Soon.
---
06:20
Western Courtyard, Cohen's Base
De Luca crouched behind a wrecked truck, brass casings hot around his boots. "AURA, give me something!"
"Final SAM lock: western yard, coordinates uploaded."
"Got it." He slapped a fresh belt into his LMG. "Swarm, on me!"
The rifle drones wheeled midair, converging like a flock. Grenade drones followed, their thrusters leaving trails of fire. Together, they swept the western yard, cutting down entrenched gunners. De Luca advanced behind the storm, a relentless tide.
The last SAM launcher rotated to fire—then exploded as three grenade drones hit it in unison.
AURA's calm tone filled his ear. "All anti-air defenses neutralized. Athena cleared for support."
De Luca grinned through gritted teeth. "Your turn, Princess."
---
06:22
Skyline Above Warsaw
"Athena, moving in," Annabelle announced.
The massive VTOL descended from the clouds, black hull glinting with dawn light. Its autocannons barked immediately, stitching fire into AA nests still stubbornly active. The 105mm cannon boomed, tearing open a bunker like paper.
FNA soldiers broke ranks, panicked at the sight of the monster in the sky. The Swarm regrouped under Athena's cover, striking precision targets while the howitzer hammered fortifications.
Inside the base, Mei's team heard the thunder above. Arina whispered, "Guess Belle's on the move."
"Then so are we," Mei replied, tightening her grip on her knives.
---
06:30
Prisoner Wing, Inner Compound
The southern corridor stank of oil and cordite. Elina led with her carbine, sweeping corners. Arina covered rear, pistol steady. Mei darted ahead, fast as a shadow.
Two guards blocked their path near the cell block door. One raised his AK. Mei moved before the barrel lifted fully—side step, knife slash, artery cut. She twisted into the second, knocking his rifle wide, plunging steel into his chest.
Both fell without a sound.
Elina stared a second too long. Mei snapped, "Focus."
Together they breached the prisoner wing. Inside, a dim room revealed four figures huddled in chains: Isabelle Watson, Saiko Takehiro, and their two bodyguards.
Elina's breath hitched. "Princess…"
The captives looked up, eyes wide with shock. Isabelle whispered, voice hoarse, "Annabelle?"
Mei stepped forward. "No. Her sister's outside, fighting. But we're here to take you home."
Arina moved to the chains, medical tools ready. Mei turned, knives dripping, visor reflecting the chaos.
"Hostages secured," she whispered into comms. "Chaos division, regroup."