Summoning America

Chapter 141: The Coup (2)

Author's Note:
I'm back from a rather lengthy hiatus! I've just graduated, completing a degree in mechanical engineering and was pretty busy the last couple of months. Now that I'm done though, I can resume regular uploads of Summoning America and begin work on Manifest Fantasy, as well as Liberty Reborn (sometime in the future). For updates regarding story schedules and content, please check out my discord server linked below!

Author's Note (Story and Patreon Updates):
I will be uploading 1 extra chapter for every $100 donated! Contributions will be calculated by the end of the month and the extra chapters will be applied to the next month.

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December 19, 1640
Somewhere in the Valkan Sea

A serene ocean stretched into the horizon, kissed by the golden hues of the setting sun. Above, a squadron of Gra Valkan destroyers cruised, their hulls casting long, ominous shadows over the water. The radio chatter of sailors echoed through the air, a symphony of mundane but diligent naval operations. Yet, beneath this facade of tranquility, danger lurked. Silent and invisible to the best Gra Valkan sonar systems, three dark shapes moved with a predatory grace - the USS Montana, the USS Michigan, and the USS Florida. Cloaked beneath the waves, they were the unseen sharks in a tranquil sea.

Inside the USS Montana, the atmosphere starkly contrasted with the peaceful waters outside. Here, the air hummed with the quiet intensity of focused preparation. Screens flickered with streams of data, casting a soft glow on the faces of the crew. In the command center, Lieutenant Jack Riley stood, his gaze flitting across the screens. With sharp, perceptive eyes and a stern expression carved from years of service, he embodied calm amidst the simmering anticipation. The weight of the mission rested on his shoulders, yet he bore it with a confident, unwavering resolve.

Beyond the command center, the SEAL fireteam operatives were a study in readiness. Encased in their tactical gear, they sat in silence as they focused on Riley's briefing. Their eyes followed Riley's finger as he gestured toward a digital map on the main screen. It was a detailed layout of Ragna, the Gra Valkan capital city, covered with a web of red markers indicating the martial law imposed checkpoints.

"Listen up," he began, his voice echoing in the hushed interior. "Our mission is to extract Emperor Gra Lux and his family and the loyalists with them. Tips from the Doves suggest they'll escape from the palace and emerge in this location: an abandoned office building," he said, pointing to a structure in an isolated district.

He clicked a button, and the screen shifted to display satellite images of the palace's secret tunnel exits, which were swarming with troops. "Marix's forces have anticipated this, so the extraction will not be a walk in the park."

There was a shared glance among the SEALs, a hardened determination sparking in their eyes. Their faces, lit by the cold, artificial light, were a tableau of grit and resolve. Though the Gra Valkans were technologically inferior, the circumstances of the mission emphasized the folly of overconfidence. Oceans away from dedicated military support, the experienced operatives knew that they could not underestimate the Gra Valkans.