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Colonel Parker cleared his throat. "Mr. Emberweave," he began. Daniel glanced up from his tablet, his brow furrowed slightly.

"The fighting in Sumner City hasn\'t stopped yet," Colonel Parker continued, his voice strained. "I mean... Could you take a look at the intel? There are likely US citizens trapped within the city, and reports suggest hostages might be held in the City Hall..."

One need to know that, The Confederacy\'s disregard for treaties and international norms has long been a puzzle for many, including Colonel and senior officials within the US government. Despite their defeat in World War II and numerous violations of agreements, they have managed to evade significant sanctions and global repercussions.

The reasons behind this exemption remain shrouded in mystery, with only a select few individuals privy to the truth, and they keep it tightly guarded.

This impunity has allowed the Confederacy to operate with a blatant disregard for international law, resorting to tactics such as hostage-taking and terrorist activities without fear of significant consequences. There was hope that President Reginald\'s tenure would bring about positive changes, but the sudden drastic shifts hint at underlying turmoil within the Confederacy.

Speculations range from potential changes in leadership, such as a coup, to undisclosed events that have led to the current state of affairs. The uncertainty surrounding these developments adds to the complexity of the situation and raises questions about the true nature of power dynamics within the Confederacy.

"Don\'t worry, Colonel," Daniel reassured with a chuckle. "Our assault team has a specialist on the ground who will handle the hostage situation and ensure civilian safety."

Meanwhile, in Sumner City, the thunder of gunfire echoed relentlessly through the streets. Daniel had opted against deploying drones to minimize civilian casualties and losses among Confederate soldiers. This concentrated the enemy forces, but also made their heavily armored Rhino tanks unwieldy.

They became easy targets for the hulking Astral PMC soldiers clad in powerful autocannon-equipped power armor.

Inside the City Hall, lifeless Confederate soldiers lay sprawled across the floor. Their throats bore silent, precise wounds, a stark contrast to the usual brash tactics employed by Astral PMC soldiers. Those soldiers were like hammers, smashing through anything in their path.

This operator was the antithesis of that. Clad in a sleek, dark power suit that prioritized agility and stealth over heavy protection, a lone figure moved silently through the City Hall balcony. A holographic display within their helmet highlighted the next target.

This was Maria, a vampire in Daniel\'s service. Her unique abilities, particularly transforming into mist, made her invaluable for infiltration and intel-gathering missions.

Maria, a blur of motion, transformed into mist and slithered through the cramped air duct, emerging into the basement chamber – the last target\'s lair. The room was plunged into darkness, courtesy of Maria\'s earlier sabotage of the building\'s power.

But her vampiric vision cut through the gloom, revealing a tell-tale crimson flicker – a pounding heart betraying a panicked form within. This was the city hall\'s emergency safe room, a haven for high-ranking officials during times of crisis.

Her apprehension grew as she saw huddled figures. Not just the target, a Confederate officer overseeing the city\'s defenses, but also the Mayor, teachers, and worst of all, children. Capturing the officer alive for interrogation remained paramount.

Maria wasted no time. A flicker of movement caught the officer\'s eye, and a pistol roared. But Maria was a phantom – one moment there, the next a wisp of fog evaporating in the shadows. Reappearing with supernatural speed behind him, she landed a swift, vampirically-enhanced punch, sending him into a merciful oblivion.

Chaos erupted. Shrieks and whimpers pierced the air, especially from the terrified children. Maria, with practiced calm, produced a small flashlight, bathing the room in a reassuring glow. Her imposing figure, clad in a full-body suit and helmet, only amplified their fear.

Taking a deep breath, Maria unlatched her helmet, revealing a beautiful face. Silken black hair, tied in a bun, cascaded down her shoulders. Her eyes, a serene blue courtesy of contact lenses, masked the glowing red that signified her hunger and vampiric nature.

She crouched low, minimizing her silhouette. Softly, she spoke, her voice a soothing balm, "It\'s alright, children. The bad guys are gone." Her tentative hug offered to a trembling child brought a wave of relief washing over the Mayor and the other hostages.

With her immediate objective secured, Maria awaited reinforcements from across the Pecos. The scene beyond this room, the bloody aftermath of the battle, littered with the lifeless bodies of Confederate soldiers, was no place for innocent eyes.

Twenty minutes ticked by. The sounds of gunfire gradually faded, replaced by the rumble of a familiar engine approaching on the street. Maria\'s keen vampiric hearing picked it out instantly. Then, the comm system in her helmet crackled to life. It was Nicholas Sullivan, the gruff field commander overseeing the soldiers in hulking power armor.

"Everything under control there, Maria?" he inquired, his voice laced with a hint of anticipation.

"All wrapped up on my end," she replied through the comm device. "How\'s the cleanup operation at City Hall? Did you manage to clear out all the... unpleasantries?" Maria asked pointedly, referring to the trail of Confederate soldier corpses she\'d left behind. Some even bore telltale fang marks, a consequence of a sudden hunger pang.

A sigh of exasperation crackled over the line. "Give us a little more time, Maria," Nicholas grumbled.

"Such a slow pace," Maria teased, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Efficiency seems to be slipping, Commander. Are your boys slacking off?" She could practically picture Nicholas\'s scowl on the other end, his soldiers reduced from fearsome warriors to glorified janitors.

"That coming from you, the vampire who leaves a buffet behind?" Nicholas retorted, his annoyance barely contained. "Who told you to leave no survivors? And you have the nerve to snack on top of it! You\'ve made my job a nightmare."

"Apologies," Maria mumbled, the word lacking any real weight. "Just a bit famished, that\'s all."

Brushing it off, she continued, "Look at the bright side, it\'s far better than what those poor souls cleaning up after Dad gets to see." A hint of pride snuck into her voice.

Nicholas\'s face hardened. "Boasting? You think that\'s something to be proud of, making things harder for my men? Vlad\'s a maniac, leaving chaos in his wake. Are you implying you\'d follow in his footsteps? Because if you are, I\'ll be sure to mention that little tidbit in my report for Mr.

Emberweave." It was a clear threat.

Panic flickered in Maria\'s eyes. "No! Anything but that!" The thought of her beloved master seeing her as a bloodthirsty monster like her father terrified her. It wasn\'t that she didn\'t love Vlad, her adopted father. But if Daniel saw her as the same kind of carnage-loving creature, it could destroy his impression of her.

Vlad\'s presence in Europe, holding the fort for Daniel, isn\'t exactly peaceful. Thrill-seeking mages and vampires constantly test his might. They crash Sanguinis clan businesses, send in spies, or foolishly challenge Vlad to duels. Some even spark small wars.

All these challenges meet gruesome ends. Vlad ensures a bloody trail remains to deter future foolishness. He keeps Daniel out of the loop, believing his master deserves attention only for full-scale wars with massive casualties. In Vlad\'s eyes, hundreds of enemy deaths are mere skirmishes, unworthy of a report.

Daniel remains oblivious, but those like Nicholas, coordinating with the High Command such as Odysseus and Penthesilea, are well aware of Vlad\'s carnage. The men in cleanup duty dread their assignment, longing for a less bloody division.

While the two exchange some light banter, their communication channel receive another noticed that Daniel had arrived along with Colonel Parker.

— Outside City Hall —

Colonel Parker stared, flabbergasted. Invincible soldiers clad in power armor weren\'t meant to be glorified janitors. Yet, there they were, meticulously cleaning blood and corpses, some even spraying disinfectant across every surface. The scene was a comical juxtaposition of might and mundane tasks.

A figure emerged from a jeep. "Mr. Emberweave!" boomed Nicholas Sullivan, the grizzled field commander. He snapped open his helmet and saluted crisply.

"Everything under control, Commander?" Daniel inquired.

"Absolutely, sir," Nicholas replied. "We\'re on schedule. Our team is ready to move on, and the bridge is clear. The US Army can now use it for troop and supply passage. We\'ve dismantled all Confederate booby traps."

"Excellent work, Commander," Daniel commended him, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.

Daniel strode into the city hall, now transforming into the Astral PMC\'s field command headquarters. A VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) craft touched down on a nearby clearing, disgorging a futuristic-looking APC that rumbled out onto the makeshift landing zone.