The convoy approached the first Parthenon satellite facility, disguised as an abandoned mining outpost. Ten genetically enhanced warriors guarded the perimeter, their thermal signatures glowing faintly on the Crulʼs radar.

[All local communication frequencies are jammed, Master. External surveillance feeds are looping pre-recorded footage. We have full operational stealth. Ready for assault,] Crul reported in Ethan's ear.

"Understood. Falcons, clear the perimeter. On my mark," Ethan said.

He waited until the convoy was within striking distance. "Open Fire..!"

The two Falcon helicopters swooped low, their chain guns spitting fire. The reinforced fences of the mining outpost disintegrated under a hail of heavy-caliber rounds, tearing a gaping hole in the defenses. The convoy surged forward, armored vehicles plowing through the debris, their mounted weapons blazing.

The assault was swift and merciless. Ethan's men disembarked, moving with brutal efficiency. Guards were cut down before they could even raise an alarm. The genetically modified soldiers, though resilient, were overwhelmed by the sheer force and coordination of Ethan's unit. Those who regenerated were immediately hit again, a relentless barrage of gunfire keeping them pinned until they could be secured and loaded into specialized containment units in the trucks.

The team advanced, clearing the facility sector by sector. Each building was methodically swept, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They finally located the detention block—a heavily reinforced concrete structure in the heart of the outpost.

As Ethan's breach team blew the door, they found a grim scene. Several Scavengers soldiers were using terrified civilians as human shields, their weapons pressed against the hostages' heads.

"Stop! Or we'll kill them!" one soldier screamed, his voice cracking, clinging to the last sliver of hope.

Ethan didn't even hesitate. "Execute them all," Ethan said.

Before the Scavengers soldiers could react, Ethan's men opened fire. The guards were neutralized in a blink, their desperate pleas cut short by a fusillade of bullets. The terrified hostages were immediately secured and rushed out of the building to waiting medical personnel.

Meanwhile, a few doctors and administrative personnel, alerted by the chaos, attempted to flee the facility by land in their own vehicles. However, the waiting convoy blocked their escape routes, forcing them to halt. The Helicopters hovered menacingly overhead, firing warning shots ahead of their vehicles, leaving no doubt about the consequences of continued resistance.

Under Ethan's explicit orders, any remaining armed guards were executed on the spot. The medical and operational personnel, however, were taken alive, bound, and brought back to the convoy for future interrogation.

"First one down. Five more to go," Ethan said, watching the fires erupt across the outpost.

Ethan walked slowly toward the captured staff, his boots crunching on the glass-strewn floor. He stopped in front of a woman in a blood-stained white coat.

"What are you doing here?" Ethan said.

The woman trembled, looking away. "We... we are just medical staff for the miners. We don't know anything about those soldiers! We were hired for a mining operation!" she said.

Ethan let out a sharp, mocking laugh. He suddenly lashed out, a heavy backhand slap sending the doctor spiraling to the ground.

"Do these look like miners to you? Either you're more stupid than you look, or you think I'm the idiot here," Ethan said.

He pulled a sleek 9mm from his holster and pressed the cold barrel directly against her forehead. The metallic click of the slide racking echoed in the small room.

"Now, tell me what the hell is going on here, or I'll blow your brains out right now, you bitch," Ethan said.

The woman remained frozen, her mouth hanging open but no words coming out. Ethan's expression didn't change.

"You think I'm playing with you?" Ethan said.

He delivered another brutal slap that sent her back to the floor. Without a moment's hesitation, he aimed the pistol down and fired. A deafening BANG filled the room as a bullet tore through her thigh. She let out a piercing scream, clutching her leg as blood began to soak her pants.

"Tell me who the hell is in charge of this place right now, or the next shot won't be so merciful!" Ethan shouted.

Panic finally broke the group. Another staff member, a young man, pointed frantically at an older, gray-haired man standing in the corner.

"He is! He's the leader! That's Doctor Stephen Crown! Please, sir! We're just medical staff taking care of the patients! We haven't done anything else!" the man screamed.

Ethan slowly lowered his gun from the woman and turned his gaze toward the old man.

"Anything to say, old man?" Ethan said.

Doctor Crown straightened his coat, looking at Ethan with a sneering, arrogant gaze. Despite his situation, he still carried the air of a man who thought he was untouchable.

"Release me at once! Do you have any idea who I am?" Crown said.

Before the last word could leave his mouth, Jason lunged forward. A powerful side-kick caught the doctor in the jaw, sending him flying into a desk. Two of the old man's teeth skittered across the floor as he coughed up blood.

"Yeah, you're a bastard who abandoned his men and tried to run like a cowardly dog! Now, you tell my boss exactly what he wants to hear, or I'll shove a flagpole up your ass and hang you from the top of the hospital like a damn ornament, you son of a bitch!" Jason shouted.

Ethan stepped over the groaning doctor and crouched down, his purple eyes reflecting the cold fire of the burning outpost.

"Last chance, Stephen. Tell me about the 'Primary Laboratory' and what you're doing with those kidnapped civilians, or Jason gets to start on that flagpole," Ethan said.

The moment Ethan mentioned the "Primary Laboratory," the air in the room grew heavy. The look in Doctor Crown's eyes shifted; it wasn't just fear anymore, but a twisted, fanatical pride. He realized these intruders weren't accidental raiders or common thieves. They were hunters who had come specifically for the secrets buried in the ice.

"This is a center of the Scavenger Group. Do you have any idea how powerful they are? If you interfere in our affairs, everyone will die! You, your families, your children... everyone will perish! You goddamn idiots, you have no idea who you are dealing with!" Crown shouted, blood flecking his lips as he screamed.

Ethan didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. He simply turned his head and locked eyes with Jason. He didn't need to say a word.

Jason let out a growl and stepped forward. Without hesitation, he delivered a brutal kick to the old man's stomach, folding him in half and sending him crashing against the wall once more.

"I told you to watch your mouth, old man," Jason said.

Two of the Falcon soldiers stepped out from the shadows, grabbing Crown by his arms and dragging his feet across the floor. A third soldier followed behind, carrying a long, cold length of steel piping—a reinforced conduit taken from the wreckage of the facility.

Crown's eyes went wide as he saw the metal rod. The arrogance finally began to drain from his face, replaced by a raw, primal terror as he realized Jason hadn't been joking about the "decoration."

"Wait! Stop! I can tell you things! I can help you!" Crown screamed.

Ethan turned his back on the doctor.

"It seems the hospital is about to get a new ornament. Make sure it's high enough for the next Scavenger patrol to see," Ethan said.

"With pleasure, Boss," Jason said.

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