Program #1013A-C3
Stage Start: Alpha 4:05 XX
Onyx Detachment
Location: 1121 Bleakwood Drive, Rise Elegance Estates
 
Fate has a way of manifesting to be plainly seen in times of great vulnerability; as if all time slows to a crawl and your life choices leading up to that very moment are strewn about in front of you like a losing hand of cards in an unwinnable game. It’s in those moments that you realize all the mistakes and all the wasted time that could have been spent bettering yourself or helping others. But what if your entire life has been spent as a model of decency and good moral standing? How many times must you sacrifice so much in order to save others before fate deals you a better hand?
 
Those were the thoughts running through the mind of Onyx’s leader, Portland, at this most inopportune moment. Everything about this mission had felt off since the moment they were called into action to attempt to rescue a mother and son. Never had he felt the kind of ominous dread that was slowly splitting through his heart and core. This was the first time in his entire career as a Special Operations member that he felt completely and utterly vulnerable; and it terrified him to no end. The fear of death was never something he had to confront and even now it was not the overriding thought in his mind. Instead, he cared more about the lives of his team. They trusted him completely and yet Portland knew that he had led them to what was likely going to be their final mission; perhaps also their demise.
 
His knees almost buckled under the weight of that realization; how could he have failed them so greatly with the first inkling of something nefarious eating away at him before they ever stepped foot off the helicopter? His entire career, his entire life, was defined by being an incredibly adapt leader and brilliant strategist. But he knew for an almost certain now that he had been fooled into leading his troops into this undeniably certain failure. His worst fear would now become reality and there was nothing he could do about it. The weight of those thoughts must have actually caused him to bend a bit as Cordova tightened her grip on his shoulder.
 
“You okay, boss?” she asked in a whisper over the comms.

Program #1013A-C3
Stage Start: Alpha 3:30 X
Onyx Detachment
Location: Rise Elegance Estates
 
Moonlit clouds hung in the night sky like great, stoic warships on the eve of battle. However, these were not the only warships in the sky tonight. A fully loaded H22M transport helicopter carrying the elite Onyx Detachment of the worldwide anti-Terrorism unit Spearhead could be heard making its approach over the sound of the police radios, panicked shouting, and sporadic gunshots. These were not the sounds that normally emanated from a wealthy subdivision, but on this evening they threw out the norm. A group of armed, masked men invaded the mansion-like home of a wealthy CEO and took his wife and son hostage. When neighbors noticed the fervor, they called the local police, who quickly realized that they were over matched in shear firepower and ability when the responding units were all efficiently taken out. The CEO, a Mr. Patrick, held very deep ties with the local government and called in a well-paid favor to the leadership behind Spearhead.
 
Due to the sensitive nature of the situation and the demands being made by the leader of the invading hostage takers, the Onyx were mustered and sent on high priority to the scene from across the country. They were the most-well known of the top secret detachments, for better or worse, and were relied upon by governments throughout the world to handle such dire situations as this. Onyx’s leader, known only by the name Portland, had time to brief his team on the situation during the long, but efficient flight to the scene.
 
It wasn’t known just how long he had been in charge, but he always was. He had the kind of personality that corralled others into listening and following his lead. He wasn’t sure just what exactly it was, but he always had the unwavering conviction from the other members of his team. They knew that he took the time to ponder each and every situation and try to find unique paths to the goal or obstacle set in their way. His reputation was known throughout the special operations community and even to some of the more established terrorist organizations that had experienced firsthand just how good he was at tactics and leadership in the harshest of situations.