Lake Agloza
Matti Walder had not been able to shake the nightmare that had woken him up to start the mission. That face staring back was definitely Heigen, but was it his mind playing tricks or had the Neu Engollian actually been there that day on the Thal Fluss?
The incident itself was real. One of several skirmishes on the border between the two nations over the years, yet one of only two that Walder had personally been involved in during his time in the elite special operations forces of the Austrak army. Other times, they merely stared each other down through field glasses, but not that day. That day, directed fire had come from the Neu Engollian side, felling Corporal Eisenbild.
A sustained firefight had ensued and a few more were down on each side. When artillery and airstrikes were called for, they were promptly denied. Likewise, if the Neu Engollians were calling in strikes, their side wasn't complying either because the heaviest incoming ordnance to Austrakian positions was heavy machine gun fire. Neither nation wanted to escalate to that level. They found out later that it was likely DGC troops, the most elite forces of Neu Engollon, and certainly overkill on simply patrolling a border. They were looking for trouble and they found it. Eventually, both sides pulled back.
Now, he was convinced that Heigen was one of those past enemies. He had to be former DGC, special ops, or Alpen Regiment at least at some point. Likely having served the same time as the incidents. It wasn't that much of a stretch.
In a daze, he brought his pack up to the deck. He was super aware of where Noel Heigen was at all times. Strasburg, who he had befriended back in the hangar at Rikijdrottin, was trying to convey something to him. Vaguely, he tried to take in what Strasburg was telling him of the meeting he missed. Something about a bonus to ensure retention. Well, that was an easy raise and all they had to do was not quit in the first few hours. He wouldn't turn it down.
They would be in the same RIB, he and Heigen. Unfortunately, Strasburg, the one he was connecting to most on this mission, was in the other. He took anchor, which included attaching and running the motor. Not that tough for him, he'd done it plenty before on similar type jobs, as well as fishing trips with family. Though that meant he could only take fleeting glances at Heigen, the rest of his attention on course corrections. Twice, the Neu Engollian contractor looked back with odd expressions, like he felt Walder's eyes boring into him. There was a small pinpoint of light as they approached the beach. It blinked 4 times then was extinguished. A signal that Jakirsson had been waiting for. He'd almost forgot about the Yellowsian traitor, with his mental focus on one teammate, nearly to the detriment of the team. He gave himself a mental slap and shifted focus to the stretches of beach within their current vision on the horizon. Trouble could be waiting for them from any corner. When he felt the bottom brush the boat, he swung the motor up on its mount. He had a Steyr TMP on a sling, even though it was such a compact weapon, the sling enabled him to be more versatile. It was forward now and seeking potential targets.
