Arknights: When Hunters Meet (A Tacet x Projekt Red novel)

Chapter 9 - After Action Report

I heard the familiar rumbling of the Osprey aircraft with its engines raving at their maximum. And nothing else could be heard. It was the silence of a failed mission. My mind was a blur and I could barely think. But flashes came back to me.

''I... I am wounded.''

''That damn beast... got my face.''

-Aleksei...

-Alek-sei, do I still have my eye?

I spoke, but only silence replied, and it was infuriating.

-Answer me... you bastard.

I thought I could see his pale face hanging over me. His worried expression turning to one of relief. His lips moved, but there was no voice coming out. Something wasn't right.

-Wait... you're dead...

Torment grasped upon my soul and a vertigo suddenly gripped me with that realisation. It felt like I had suddenly fallen flat onto the floor of the Osprey. I was still in the same place, I could very well sense that. And I felt much heavier for some reason. The rumble of the aircraft was the same, but now I could hear sparse whispers and comments. It was different than what I was used to.

There were too many voices of women. My task force... consisted entirely of men. I felt as I was regaining more of my senses and I finally found the power to suddenly open my eyelids. The interior of the aircraft was very similar to that of the Ospreys used by my unit yet slightly different. And the people around me... no, not people, they were... different, and I couldn't recognise them. I first noticed a dark haired wolf girl. And the gaze of her orange eyes quickly turned upon me, so different yet still so human.

-''His heart rate is spiking.'' A voice spoke sharply.

Then like a rush it all came back to me. My past, the present, Rhodes Island, the mission, my new teammates, Texas, the incident that knocked me out, my real colleagues... were long gone. I realized I had to find a way to quickly calm down before I gave too much away. My gaze ran around and I found Mostima. A chuckle escaped me, followed by a laughter. Texas looked at the doctor besides me who was Silence herself.

-''His heart rate is normal now.'' Confirmed Silence.

-''What's so funny?'' Asked Mostima.

-Heh, I never thought I'd live the day that I'd see both an angel and a demon in the same person.

-I guess I am quite a rare sight.

Focusing on that ludicrous idea that was manifest and very much existing just a few paces away I derailed the demons of the past inside me. Managing to calm down. I rose slowly, looking at the soaked bandage on my left hand and I started to pull it off.

-Hey, lay back down. Don't pull that off!

-It needs replacing anyway doctor Silence.

-You're not a doctor Tacet, I jus-

She stopped mid-sentence, she was speechless.