Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 153: Phases Of Conquest

Flashback: Five Months Ago

-----------

The military transport plane sliced through the stormy night, its engines roaring defiantly against the turbulent skies.

Ethan sat by the window, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the armrest, lost in thought.

Across from him, Gunnar remained silent, his scarred face illuminated by the dim cabin lights, sharp gray eyes fixed intently on a tactical map glowing between them.

The seven members of Aegis-7 were scattered throughout the cabin, each immersed in their own preparations, checking gear, reviewing mission parameters, or simply bracing themselves for what lay ahead.

Suddenly, the pilot's voice crackled over the intercom.

"Approaching LZ. Prepare for landing."

Ethan leaned forward eagerly as the thick clouds began to part. What he saw made his breath hitch in his throat.

------------

Before him sprawled a military base that resembled a slumbering beast,a colossal complex of reinforced concrete and steel fortified with cutting-edge defense systems.

The perimeter walls towered fifty feet high, lined with auto-turrets and motion sensors designed to evade satellite detection with their radar-absorbent surfaces.

Six expansive runways stretched out like open arms ready to embrace heavy bombers.

Rows of next-generation fighter jets,stealth-coated with sleek angular wings,sat neatly under retractable hangars like sentinels awaiting orders.

In the Vehicle Yards stood dozens of armored tanks gleaming under floodlights alongside personnel carriers and mobile artillery units ready for action.

Anti-air batteries dotted the landscape like vigilant guardians, their barrels aimed skyward while drone patrols circled silently above in methodical patterns.

Ethan exhaled sharply; Arthur hadn't been exaggerating. This was no ordinary military base,it was the heart of a war machine.

----------

With a jolt, the plane touched down; its tires screeched against tarmac as it rolled to a stop.

The cabin depressurized with a hiss as the ramp lowered and cold night air rushed in carrying scents of fuel and metal.

Gunnar was first to rise; his combat boots thudded against steel as he strode toward the exit.

Ethan followed closely behind him onto the runway,and immediately felt an overwhelming weight settle around him.

To his left sat an imposing squadron of VTOL gunships at rest; to his right loomed heavily modified armored trucks reinforced with experimental alloys that hinted at advanced technology.

Straight ahead stood a command bunker guarded by two soldiers clad in full tactical gear, their faces obscured by black visors that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.

One soldier stepped forward and saluted Gunnar.

"Commander. The war room is ready."

Gunnar nodded curtly. "Move out."

---------

Inside was a maze of steel corridors illuminated by sterile white LEDs that cast harsh shadows along their path.

Security checkpoints lined every corner manned by armed guards who scanned biometrics before granting passage.

Ethan's mind raced as he walked alongside Gunnar, each step bringing more questions than answers.

"How long has the Family Head been building this?" He pondered, curiosity spiraling.

Little did he know, Arthur had bought this entire military base from the system mall, and Ethan's thoughts turned to legality.

"How much of this is even above board?"

As they approached a massive blast door, intricately etched with the Osborn phoenix sigil, a retinal scanner flickered to life.

With a hydraulic hiss, the door slid open, revealing an impressive war room,a cavern of technology flooded with the glow of holographic displays.

Real-time satellite feeds showcased the raging conflict across Varenya's war zones.

Dozens of analysts murmured urgently, their voices a backdrop of intensity as they relayed critical data.

At the head of the table stood an imposing figure,a man Ethan didn't recognize. Tall and broad-shouldered, he had a cybernetic eye that glowed faintly blue.

"This is Colonel Vex. He runs this facility" Gunnar introduced, his voice steady.

"Ethan. Boss speaks highly of you," Vex replied with a curt nod.

Ethan felt the weight of the situation settle as he focused on the hologram that projected a live feed of General Dravik's forces clashing violently with Colonel Veyra's troops in the northern oil fields.

"This is real. We're really doing this,"he muttered deep within his heart.

Vex tapped a console, zooming in on Dravik's beleaguered position.

"Current status: Dravik holds the oil fields but is losing ground. Veyra has better equipment and more men. Without intervention, Dravik collapses in three weeks."

Gunnar crossed his arms, his brow furrowing. "What's our play?"

Vex smirked with a glimmer of confidence.

"We make sure he doesn't."

A new overlay popped up,detailing supply routes, weapon caches, and enemy patrol patterns.

"Phase One: Sabotage." Vex pointed at Veyra's supply lines. "Aegis will hit his convoys, destroy his depots, and make it look like rebel attacks."

"Phase Two: Reinforcement" The display shifted to Dravik's camp. "We funnel him weapons,just enough to keep him fighting, not enough to win outright."

"Phase Three: Control:The hologram morphed into a political map. "When Dravik's desperate, we offer him a deal. He gets full Osborn backing. We get Varenya" freewebnøvel.com

Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice steady as he said, "And if he refuses?"

Vex's cybernetic eye flickered, a glint of resolve in its mechanical depths. "Then we activate Protocol Cinder."

A heavy pause filled the space. Gunnar's voice sliced through, cold as ice. "The syringe."

Vex nodded, an air of certainty surrounding him.

"Exactly."

Ethan exhaled slowly, the weight of Arthur's meticulous plans pressing down on him.

Later, on the observation deck overlooking the base, Ethan stood transfixed as a squadron of stealth helicopters powered up, their rotors slicing through the midnight air like whispers of impending chaos.

Gunnar joined him, offering a steaming cup of coffee that radiated warmth into Ethan's fingers.

"Nervous?" Gunnar asked, a hint of concern veiled in his gruff tone.

Ethan took a moment before responding, "Just calculating risks."

"Don't," Gunnar replied with a grunt. "Hesitation gets you killed in our line of work."

Ethan smirked, his resolve hardening. "Noted."

Beneath them, Aegis-7 operatives busily loaded crates of weapons onto a transport. The mission would commence at dawn, and Varenya would have no idea what was coming.