"Hey... wake up... wake up quickly... Sleeping Beauty..."
Suddenly, I woke up because I felt someone pat my right cheek quite hard. I woke up and tried to focus. It turned out it was Simone who had patted my cheek.
"Hurry up and take a shower and eat breakfast. We have more important news. I'll be waiting for you in the meeting room like yesterday." Simone said in a rather stern tone and immediately left the bedroom, leaving me.
I saw Robbin and Larry still fast asleep. The sky was starting to show its dawn. I immediately took a shower and ate breakfast, wondering if they already had a plan to end that one portal.
I then entered the meeting room again. Inside, Simone, Col. Peterson, Imelda, and several middle-aged men who appeared to be high-ranking military officers were already present. I became very nervous about the current situation.
What were they planning to do? What would my role be?
I asked myself this as I sat down in the empty seat between Simone and Imelda, which seemed to have been prepared for me.
"Alright, everyone have gathered. First, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Gen. Lorentz, and I'm here to represent the Army Generals. We've invited you all here to discuss the planned operation at a large portal located at the Lazar Nuclear Power Plant. We'll explain the details of the plan." Gen. Lorentz said as he opened the meeting.
General Lorentz stated that the only large portal at the Lazar Nuclear Power Plant remains under surveillance, as it was last night. No one has entered or exited the portal, which is under constant watch by surveillance aircraft. Even more curiously, no monsters have been observed roaming the nuclear power plant.
He has received reports from several officers, including Col. Peterson, that special intervention is necessary to investigate that matter directly. He also received directives and suggestions for an immediate operation to infiltrate, identify, and find a way to destroy the portal once and for all.
The Army will send a special forces team to enter the nuclear power plant. A strong defensive perimeter will be built around the nuclear power plant, armed with adequate combat equipment in case the portal breaks and the monsters return to Earth. The Air Force will also help monitor the nuclear power plant from the skies, occasionally sending in its jets.
After the general finished explaining, Simone suddenly raised his right hand and expressed his desire to become the team leader. Simone requested Johann's inclusion in team.
I was immediately shocked by Simone's statement and glanced at him. I'm not a soldier and can't even act like a special forces one. They are chosen soldiers for highly trained to carry out operations in any warzones.
I instinctively turned to Imelda to ask her about this in a whisper. However, I saw Imelda silently looking down, her eyes closed, her hands clenched, and trembling slightly. I could tell that Imelda sensed something was amiss with Simone's words.
The generals seemed to be whispering to each other and occasionally asking Col. Peterson questions. I could hear what Col. Peterson was saying. He said that Simone was a highly accomplished soldier, despite his younger age. He had been deployed to armed conflict zones several times as a team leader.
Col. Peterson also said that Simone had been recommended for special forces, and one of the generals had nodded because he had recommended him. I could understand why Simone seemed confident in proposing himself as team leader.
Then why he wanted to partner with me on a mission whose true danger level was completely unknown? Col. Peterson then openly revealed that the root of his idea was Johann's deep knowledge of the current catastrophe, which was closely related to a video game.
Honestly, if I had reached that portal, there wouldn't have been much I could have done. If Hellraiders were truly trapped in hell forever, as per The Mayhem lore, the portal should have closed.
I was still confused and wanted to convey this. But then again, I was in a position of insignificance. Deep down, I thought perhaps this was a fitting punishment for my pending criminal charges. I had resigned myself to what would happen next.
"Alright, everyone. We'll decide on the final outcome and make an announcement tonight regarding this operation. Thank you for coming. You may leave the meeting room," Gen. Lorentz closed the meeting.
That afternoon, I ate lunch alone in the great hall. I didn't approach Imelda because I thought she was still as shocked as I was by Simone's opinion during the meeting. Suddenly, Larry arrived, carrying his lunch tray, and sat across from me.
"Why are you suddenly so gloomy, Johann? I heard from Robbin that you were in a meeting with the generals this morning, right? Was there anything strange about that meeting? Just tell me, I already consider you my friend," Larry said.
Inwardly, I was a little touched by this. Our friendship had only been cut short by a disaster like this, and Larry had already admitted that I was already his friend. I began to tell him everything from the problem of the large portal to the generals' plans and what Simone had said during the meeting.
"WHAAATT... seriously...?!?! He's completely insane... He even wants to involve you in that operation...!!! This is a suicide mission, you know?!?! I heard he was your high school friend. Could it be that he's a bully and you were once his target?!?!" Larry scolded.
I was speechless hearing this. How could Larry conclude that I was once the target of Simone's bullying, even though it rarely happened in my high school time? There were two possibilities: Larry had been a victim of bullying, or... he had been a bully himself in school.
"But there's not much I can do, Larry. Simone is a military officer. If I refuse him, it would be like defying the country's military. In a situation like this, the military holds the highest hierarchy," I said with a slightly resigned tone. Then Larry suddenly fell silent.
As I walked through the quiet hallway back to my room, from quite a distance, I suddenly heard a woman angry with someone. It seemed they were around the right turn in the hallway.
Wait... this voice... it's Imelda and Simone. What's going on? Why is Imelda so angry with Simone? Maybe... Imelda's angry because of what Simone said during the meeting earlier.
Driven by my immense curiosity, I then took the opportunity to eavesdrop on them right behind the wall of the bend in the hallway.
"How could... how could you actually trap the helpless Johann into your crazy idea!!!! Do you still hold a grudge against Johann from the beginning of high school?!?! He doesn't even hold a grudge against anyone anymore!!!" Imelda said, her anger exploding and a hint of tears audible.
"It's the state's duty to protect us all, Imelda. I don't bring any problem when we were in the beginning of high school to this time. It's clear that Johann is someone we know who only knows the core of this global disaster," Simone said in a flat tone.
"I don't know what ulterior motives you have for this mission. But remember this: if you ever want to do something bad to Johann again, bad karma will surely befall you too!!!!" Imelda said threateningly and quickly walked away from Simone.
I was stunned by their words. Imelda seemed to be genuinely defending me. Was it true that Simone's business with me wasn't completely resolved? I heard Simone walking toward me, and I quickly left the area to go around the back.
That evening, my group and I were asked to come to the main monitor room to watch a very important announcement regarding this mission.
Someone then stepped up to the podium to make the announcement. It was the Army Commander. He announced that the Lazar Nuclear Power Plant infiltration operation would be carried out in three days.
During that time, the Army would establish a perimeter around the nuclear power plant. He also named the assigned team.
This operation would still be directly led by the special corps captain of the eight-man unit. There would be five special forces soldiers. The names of the remaining three surprised me greatly when I heard them.
Simone, me, and… Imelda.
I had actually expected that I would be included no matter what. But Imelda, how could she, an intelligence agent, be allowed to participate in this mission? Did she complain and complain to Col. Peterson or one of the generals who attended yesterday's meeting? I'm not sure exactly what.
Even though I knew an intelligence agent was knowledgeable about survival, self-defense, and firearms, I was worried about her safety because she was the only woman on this operation.
That night, as I lay in bed again, I still wondered what would happen to the three of us on this mission. I sincerely hoped the operation would go smoothly without any terrible incidents. But I couldn't deny the possibility that something unexpected might happen during this mission.
Suddenly, someone slowly entered my room. I immediately got up and it was Imelda. She sat down on the bed beside me.
"Sorry if I disturbed your rest, Johann. I really wanted to tell you something right now, because starting tomorrow, you have to prepare everything for this operation," Imelda said in a rather serious tone.
"You're probably wondering why I'm participating in this operation, right? So, this morning after the meeting, I immediately called my father and told him everything. I strongly requested that you not be included in this team. My father, a major general, told me to try. This afternoon, I accidentally ran into Simone and immediately poured out all my frustrations to him. But he didn't budge. I left my resentful feeling toward him," Imelda explained.
I also just learned that Imelda's father is also a general. I think if Imelda's father had been in the meeting this morning, Simone might not have dared to reveal my participation in this mission.
"I also received a call from my father after my feud with Simone, informing me that you were included in this operation, but Simone wasn't the team leader, as instructed by the Army Commander. My father couldn't do much more because this was his final decision. I was very confused by this. I then met again with the generals who had attended the meeting to ask for a meeting with the Commander. At first, they were reluctant, but after I explained everything, including your relationship with Simone, I finally got to meet with the Commander. I've prepared a plan B: if you're still retained, I'll volunteer for this mission to monitor you directly," Imelda concluded.
I was speechless at Imelda's words. Was she so protective of me that she sacrificed herself to personally protect me during the operation? When we were in school, I couldn't even sense that Imelda liked me. I thought she was just a social girl.
"So, what was your father's reaction after the announcement just now?" I asked, wondered.
Imelda said her father had just approached her and personally expressed his disappointment with her reckless decision. However, she firmly stated that including me as a civilian in this high-level operation was extremely reckless, as it clearly violated military laws and regulations. She argued that in this emergency situation, laws and regulations were irrelevant, and that the only way to return to normal was to try and use any means necessary.
"Get some rest tonight, Johann. They've instructed you to undergo a brief basic military training. I've volunteered as your instructor. If I'm allowed tomorrow, I'll impart all my survival and self-defense knowledge to you," Imelda stated firmly.
"Thank you so much for everything, Imelda. I hope everything goes well until this mission and this disaster are truly over," I said, feeling touched.
"Yes, you're welcome. Remember Johann, you've already endured much suffering in your life. I assure you, this time you won't have to endure it alone." Imelda ended the conversation and quickly left my room. I just gave him a smile.