ER12-2 Rolling Snow
><i>"I was the shadow of the waxwing slain</i>
<i>By the false azure in the window pane"</i>
October 2160
Squad Three, report your position.
Arrived at target location. Floor 15. Awaiting further instructions.
There are no hostiles at your location. Remember, your mission is to search and rescue.
If there's another case of competitiveness like last time, none of you will graduate. Not a single one.
Several young faces crouched behind the door exchange uneasy glances at these words, then collectively turn toward a female cadet at the rear of their formation.
Her military cap fails to completely cover her red hair, with a few rebellious strands hanging beside her ears, much like the cadet herself.
Tch, as long as she doesn't go berserk, our squad won't have any problems.
Quite the opposite. As long as I'm here, there'll always be someone to back you up. You all understand the reality you're in, but all of you are too stubborn to admit it. It's actually quite amusing.
Quiet! Focus on the mission!
We breach in one minute. This is not a drill, I want everyone at maximum alert!
The squad leader's contemptuous scoff, along with the warning crackling through the comms, are completely disregarded by the red-haired cadet. She remains as she always is, wearing an expression of complete indifference.
Wipe that look off your face! Just stay at the rear of the formation and follow orders to the letter, got it—hey, Vera!
Oh, copy that.
The Squad Three leader hesitates briefly after seeing Vera's response.
...Why are you so obedient today? Normally by now you'd already be...
Meanwhile, a military whistle sounds from the lower floors of the building.
Tweeeeeee—
Squad Three! Move out! Breach the door!
Upon receiving the order, the leader immediately signals with a hand—the explosive charges on the scorching metal door detonate, blasting it to pieces with a thunderous boom.
Breach!
The damaged door is kicked open, and the entire squad rushes in with weapons raised, quickly slipping through the entrance one after another.
Is anyone here? It's safe now! Come out if you can hear us! The area is secure!
Everyone surveys the fire-scorched surroundings with weapons raised, tacitly following each other's footsteps while deliberately pushing Vera to the back of the formation.
...It's just a search and rescue. Do they really need to rush in like that?
Vera, you've been banned from frontline operations. If you mess up one more time, you won't be the only one receiving a dismissal warning, everyone in your squad will suffer the consequences with you.
All I can do right now is keep my eyes peeled and check the corners for survivors.
I suggest we spread out. Everyone should give each other space to search each corner properly. What's the point of bunching together like this?
—That's too bad, Vera. We're making sure you don't try to go solo again this time. We're...
Get out of the way!
Argh!
Before the captain can react, Vera launches a swift kick, sending him flying behind a nearby table.
！！
A split second later, a massive "hound" roars as it leaps through the space where the captain had been standing, its jaws snapping shut with a bone-chilling crack. Had the captain not been knocked down in time, it would have been his neck between those teeth.
With lightning fast reflexes, Vera takes down the massive hound and immediately unleashes a hail of bullets toward the area ahead.
The captain's eyes widen in shock amid the frenzied barrage—he sees something flooding toward them like a tidal wave.
He can't find the right words to describe "them," managing only to shout a single alert code into his radio.
..."MONSTERS"!!
Fall back! Everyone fall back!
Vera continues firing while yanking up the captain she had kicked to safety, leading her teammates in a tactical retreat.
Wasn't this supposed to be just a standard "terrorist attack"? A "rescue" mission?
Don't tell me you concealed the mission's true nature and led the team straight to the frontlines just to get back at me?!
That's bullshit!!
We're just a bunch of students who haven't even graduated! At most, we're backup for the rescue operation. How are we qualified for high-security missions like this?! Besides, even if I hated you with all my guts, I wouldn't put my own life at stake and die with you!
Think about it, this place is a biotech company building, and these unplanned "monsters" appear... if you ask me...
All I can say is they're hiding too damn much! These money-grubbing people have hearts as black as coal! We're screwed! I knew missions with you, never end well Vera. Last time was bad enough, but this time we're totally done for!
The captain speaks through gritted teeth into his radio, describing the crisis Squad Three has encountered.
Instructor! Investigate this place! Please investigate! This company is conducting illegal experiments!
We're looking at them right now, dogs with three heads and fish with legs! They're extremely aggressive and charging straight at us!
The radio crackles with static. No response.
Tsk, something's gone wrong.
Fall back for now!
Vera covers the retreat, sliding out through the main entrance while firing every last bullet at the "monsters" inside.
But from the corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of something hidden in another secluded corner.
...!!!
It's only a split second of hesitation.
A "dog" lunges at her, clamping down on Vera's shin and knocking her to the ground.
She crashes into the corner, hitting her head in the process. Her vision instantly goes dark as the world spins around her.
She senses something changing within her body, but has no time to investigate further.
Through her fading vision, she glimpses... a fragment of an unfamiliar world.
