“You’ve really done it this time.” The specs ops person wines.

“I’ve saved you from disaster.” The other officer inserts kicking at Corin’s gut. As if she were a mutt.

“I don’t know how he’s going to justify nuking things like that.” The lady states. Her voice you see it dominates the gravel of this vehicles destination.

Corin coughs. She’s in pain from the kick. She deserves it. Can’t really see anything from this particular location. Just gravel road and bouncing around. You know that sound. Leading them to what’s been found. It’s kind of exciting lets take a picture!

The black ops crew does their thing as black out bags become smoldering. Hyperventilating.

“Oh calm down!” She admonishes. Hits Corin beside her head not too hard but hard enough to notice attention… “there is nobody around to protect you right now. Nobody to say that something accidentally happened.. get my drift?”

Corin nods.

“Okay so, all of you, including you.” She states. (Brent is a true giant in the other realms so they’ve got him hooked up to a device that’s canceling it all out. Keeping him from growing. Shrinking him back to size right again before their eyes.) The commander continues. “When all of this is said and done you’ll be happy you weren’t here. Now we’ll debrief you. Then we’ll document you. Then we’ll discreetly put you back into the picture.” She explains vaguely as they drive. The other guards roll their eyes and some of them give the thumbs up. It’s a split decision.

“This isn’t a party. We aren’t here to self congratulate what just happened. You just made our boss nuke the gods something bad is going to happen. It’s going to get really busy and messy and crazy and it’s all their fault.”

Everyone returns to silences except for the gravel ground road they’re driving down.

“Now listen here… You’re not gonna remember most of this but I want you to remember this. I’ll fucking kill you you do this again.” They state.

Everyone in the group gulps. Even the guards are alarmed.

“We’re humans here we are not animals. We do not kill for no good reason and now we’ve got all these things mad at us. I’m really not understanding what the Generals angle is here..” she continues.

“Either way, I’ll make you stay. I’ll make you remember this. Don’t fuck up again!” She yells into Corin’s ear.

“Alright! Alright!” Corin replies.

“Yeah you remember that. Anyways I’ve like the sound of silence.” She finishes.

“Bad English.” Corin can’t help herself.

“What’d you say?” She demands pulling Corin’s covered head up again. She can feel the commanders lips by her ears.

“I said I agree.” Corin replies back.

Everyone in the vehicle snickers.

Nora is bewildered by the display though she really can’t see any of it. She’s stuck listening. She’s got these shackles on her hands that cancel out the power her mind demands to cast spells. Iron.

“Magic creature. You’re powers are for naught here. We’ve canceled them out. You might not know this but humans are very familiar with all this hocus pocus. So don’t think you’ll be able to cast anything while you’re here.” The commander continues.

“I’m only explaining all of this to save us all from suffering from unneeded resistance. You’re all going to have to trust me.” She finishes.

“Must we?” Tye calls out.

Of course.

“Shut up you fucking belligerent. I know your family and while I might not be able to touch you I’ll still kill you if you fuck up this operation.” The commander returns.

To prove a point she smacks Tye across the face.

“See, I didn’t kill you. I’m showing mercy.” She states.

“Anyway. I don’t need you to trust me it’s just easier that way. Trust me I’ll get what I want because he’s going to get what he wants. Then we’ll let you all go home.” The commander states aloud.

“What about me?” Atom calls out. He’s in this too ya know?

“Atom you’re only in the bag cuz we think it’s funny.” They all laugh.

“When are you going to join us? Reenlist?” The commander asks.

“I didn’t know it was an option.” Atom states.

“It is now. Good job my friend you found the package. I’ll put in a good word for you. You’ll be part of our team soon. I’m so excited.” She states pulling the black bag away from his head and nudging him on the shoulder.

“I really don’t have a choice do I?” Atom states aloud.

“Nope.”

“Cool, well then. Yes ma’m I guess I’m back again.” Atom replies though he lacks the enthusiasm you’d might expect.

“It’s okay. We all enter that way. You’ll see.” She pays him in his back.

“As for the rest of you. We seem to be on schedule for once. Obviously because of my efficiency. Huh…” she’s looking at her nails inspecting them.

“Welcome back to reality.”

The vehicles come to a halt and the doors fly open and men in white space suits come crashing in with syringes and lights and metal things on their heads. The crew can’t really see all of this but they know it’s happening. Or are they just imagining it all?

“The packages are secured and ready for delivery. Everything is on time. We’ll drop them in without anyone noticing.” The commander talks into her radio.

“Excellent.” The general’s voice can be heard. “Make sure they don’t recall what we did to them but let them remember everything else. I need her to get out of here as fast as possible if this plan is going to work.”

“I don’t understand why you’re being so risky?” She asks.

“Don’t question me I’ve got this all under control. I’ll fill you in on the details when you get here.” The general replies.

“Out.” She replies. Then she takes off all the bags form everyone and looks into their eyes. The wind is howling. A storm is brewing. It’s following them. But they’re in the eye.

“If you lot ever measure the courage to serve. Then I’ll have you. You’re all a bunch of idiots but that’s what we need.” She gives the thumbs up before leaving.

———-

“Sir I don’t understand how could you drop an atomic bomb on someone without the permission of the President?” The commander asks.

“We’ll you see, it wasn’t. I just said it was to freak them all out. It’s actually a time bomb. It’s gonna freeze everything in place till a portal crafter opens it back up. Our Corin.” The general explains.

“So we’ve got a portal crafter?” The commander asks.

“Yes, fuckin a finally something to hold over all those other assholes. Portals! Can you imagine? We can do anything with that.” The general chuckles as he drinks from his glass.

“Now remember. They don’t need to know I want it to sink into Nora what we could have done. I want her to understand we aren’t an evil people.” The general states.

“I understand now sir.” The commander replies.

“Yeah, I can do the politics to you see. It’s easy. Just gotta butter the muffin.” The general states happy with himself. “Now I got some new videos of those drone strikes we did on those terrorist you wanna watch em?”

“Of course.” The commander replies.

“Good old America. Just and not evil. Hahahaha” the general laughs.

The oven dings. The general runs to grab his random thing…

“Oh haha, my McGuffin is done. Hot out the oven. They sure are delicious. I’m surprised they don’t have a brand by now. Such a good idea.”

Obstacle Two. Vegas Fun