The Pegasus lands close to Bellerophon’s next target. This one is close to an active war zone; in the near distance he can see missiles launched between buildings and hear gunfire rattling across steel walls. This is his twelfth interception, with the previous ones in relatively quiet areas Bellerophon decides to take extra precautions with his landing site. The maneuvering on Pegasus is staggeringly precise as he bring her to rest under the cover of a building with one wall blown out. She sits comfortably between the floor and ceiling of an abandoned coffee shop.

Bear jumps out and grabs a cookie still sitting on its plate. He brushes some of the dust off and takes a bite, “Mmm, chocolate chip.” He quickly finishes as he makes his way across to the door opposite and drops his helmet back down. The readout comes to life and points him in the direction of his next target.

Maneuvering over the debris of destroyed buildings, it is obvious the battle came through this area. There are bodies lying about, military and civilian, causing Bear to shake his head and grit his teeth, “What could possibly be worth all this?”

A few more seconds of moving through rubble and he comes upon the target. As is normal there is a small squad of four guarding it. Two men and two women dressed as civilians looking shell-shocked but determined. They must have kept their post while the battle moved through. Bear admires their bravery, but he must disable that hack and get them to interrogation.

Carefully moving forward he is able to get behind one of the guards. He tosses an EMP and grabs the woman in front of him. By the time the others have recovered from the shock of the detonation he has a gun to her head, “Drop your weapons and take two steps back. I don’t want to hurt any of you, but I will.”

“Shoot me, Slaver. Save your masters the bullet.”

“You are all very brave, but the device has been disabled and there is nothing for you to protect here other than your own lives. If you surrender you will not be killed.”

The guns waver slightly but do not lower, “You guarantee our safety, Ghost?” Frightened eyes look at his black visor as Bellerophon holds a struggling captive.

“You will be interrogated and charged with your crimes of betrayal, but you will be safe until judgement is passed.”

“You’re either a liar or a fool! They won’t let us live. I’m so sorry Sarah.”

Bear feels his captive relax as bullets start soaring at her from her comrades’ guns. The EMP had no affect on the mechanical rifles, his enemies are learning. Bear dives sideways opening fire at leg height, dropping all three of them in squirming agony. One of them tries to pick their weapon back up, but Bears’ oversized fist knocks him out clean. He drags them together and begins to tie them up, “What were you thinking?! You killed your friend!”

“We’re all dead anyway, Ghost. Unnngh! You’re just delaying it by a few minutes.”

“You’re going to be picked up and interrogated. If you cooperate you’ll probably get a deal. You just killed a woman for no reason.”

“We spared her from what is coming.”

“Captured infiltrate team for pickup, beacon activated.”

<Copy. Team inbound.>

“You still think we’re infiltrators? We’re Upper Levels, just like you. We just saw the truth and grew a spine.”

“You fight against everything we have ever stood for.”

“And you live a lie. Go, unngh! Go fuck yourself, Ghost.”

Bellerophon leaves them and heads back to Pegasus. Climbing in he reads the comms, Jupiter wants a report in person at the Bridge.

<<Arrive as Bellerophon in regular Pilot gear.>>

Firing up the engines he pulls out of the coffee shop and elevates above the battlefield. The pickup team moves in beneath his silent ascent. He watches them close in on the captives and open fire on sight. They close the distance and check for vitals then return to the battle. Bellerophon can only watch in enraged shock.

He heads to the Bridge to report.