Mission I: Day 1
The crew stood in formation before the council—five regional leaders, Professor Steel, and Superintendent Jeremy.
Clad in military uniforms and ankle boots, with backpacks strapped tight, the youths stood firm as the Vatican president and head of the council began.
"You've all come this far," he said. "You've trained and prepared for this moment. And finally, the time has come to fulfill your duty to the world. The council, your nations, and most of all, your families are counting on you." His gaze swept across their faces; none dared to look away.
"Today, you will be led to the Vatican forest reserve most of you already know. The mission: eradicate the monsters. Though we will not be there in person, our eyes and ears will guide you. You will each be given trackers to locate the aliens, and you will report daily to the superintendent so your progress can be monitored."
He gestured to the professor, who stepped forward.
"On your wrists is a band," Professor Steel said. "It functions like a smartwatch. With it, you can communicate with Superintendent Jeremy. Tap the side button to activate it, then open the menu: call log, notifications, settings, and tracking mode." Click on tracking mode to activate your tracker.
The crew followed his instructions until a map spread across each screen having the four cardinal points highlited. Six green dots aligned together.
"These green dots represent you," the professor continued. "When you enter alien territory, red dots will appear." The crew exchanged brief, silent nods.
Then the superintendent stepped forward. "To simplify this mission, you'll need a team captain—someone responsible enough to report directly to me, and skilled enough to handle the unexpected. I trust you already have someone in mind."
The crew exchanged glances. A quiet understanding passed between them.
"Yes sir, we do" Kymani said, speaking for them all.
"Alright, soldiers!" Superintendent Jeremy barked. "Let's move out."
Led by Professor Steel and the superintendent, the crew filed into the fighter jet. Packs strapped, they sat facing each other along the narrow benches. The engines hummed beneath their boots as their leaders gave final instructions.
"Stay sharp," Jeremy said. "Watch each other's backs. When the mission is done, send me the signal and I'll pick you up. Do the same if you run low on supplies."
The crew nodded in unison.
Professor Steel added, "Once your trackers no longer display red dots, it means every alien has been eradicated. At that point, your mission is complete." He offered a brief smile toward Valtor, who caught it and returned a small nod.
"Any further questions?" the superintendent asked.
"No, sir," Lynx replied, raising a quick salute. Jeremy returned the gesture, his sharp eyes lingering on the boy for a moment.
Minutes later, the jet descended over the forest. Ropes were thrown down, and one by one the crew slid into the damp, dark soil. Behind them, the fighter roared away, leaving only silence and the looming wall of metal that marked the boundary between safe land and alien ground.
Rowynn and Lynx—strangers to the place—looked around uneasily.
"This place hasn't changed a bit," Kymani muttered, pressing his palm against the cold metal barrier.
"Yeah," Zara agreed. "But what we need is a plan." She turned to the others. "I believe we all know who our captain is?"
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Kymani said. "Valtor got us through this wall before and led us out of the portal. He's clearly captain material."
Valtor looked up at the sound of his name, expression unreadable.
"I agree," Orea said while Rowynn gave a short nod.
The group's eyes shifted to Lynx who remained silent. He shrugged at their questioning looks. "I'm not interested in being captain so let him have it."
The decision settled, Zara crossed her arms and faced Valtor with a raised brow.
"So, Captain…" she said. "What's our first move?"