Ta Region, jungle.
It was already 2:00 am.
By now, the search periter had shrunk to about 300 square kiloters.
All the forces were concentrated in this small area.
Colonel Jas looked at the troop deploynt map on his laptop, then glanced at his watch.
"Give the order to all groups, have them speed up the search, I want to see results before dawn!"
"Yes, Commander."
The communications sergeant quickly picked up the radio and started calling the various groups, preparing to issue the orders.
Suddenly, the lights in the tent began to flicker, dimming and brightening intermittently.
Jas couldn't help but look up towards the hanging light above him.
Soon, the lights returned to normal.
The communication sergeant then refocused on his task, about to issue the orders when the lights flickered again.
"What's happening?"
Jas shouted to another subordinate in the tent, "Go check, what's wrong with the generator? The voltage seems unstable!"
For the command post, power supply was one of the key logistical supports.
Without power, aside from laptops and radios that could still operate for a while on battery, many other devices would be inoperable, significantly affecting command efficiency.
Before Jas's n could leave the tent, the entire command post suddenly went dark.
"A blackout?!"
Jas stord out of the tent, furious.
"Freddie! Freddie! Where are you?!"
"I'm right here."
Lieutenant Colonel Freddie quickly appeared in front of Jas.
"What exactly is happening? What's wrong with the field generators?!"
"I don't know…"
Freddie feigned surprise, spreading his hands.
"Colonel, don't worry, I'll go check it out myself."
After speaking, he summoned two subordinates and went to check the generators.
Once the power went out, the whole command post was plunged into darkness, with only the laptops still glowing from their battery supply.
"What are you standing around for?!"
Jas was cursing inwardly.
This mishap at a crucial mont seed like an ominous sign.
"Hurry up and send out the order, tell the search troops to speed up! These lazybones! I see many groups moving sluggishly, are they falling asleep?!"
The communication sergeant promptly opened the communication channel, repeated the order, and notified all groups to intensify their search efforts.
A staff mber approached and whispered to Colonel Jas, "Commander, we have received urgent intelligence."
"What intelligence?" Jas asked, turning his head.
"The highest Commander of CCOPE is missing," the staff mber said.
"What?!" Colonel Jas was genuinely shocked this ti, turning to face his subordinate, "When did this happen?"
"Half an hour ago. According to intelligence, he was supposed to co to the Ta Region personally but disappeared off the radar ten minutes after his plane left the airport. No one knows his whereabouts now. Our intelligence departnt analyzed that he might have been kidnapped by the ELN."
"Kidnapped by the ELN?!" Jas was first stunned, then cursed, "Damn it all! How could soone be kidnapped on a plane? He wasn't in a car! Since when does the ELN have pilots?"
The staff mber continued, "This information is indeed reliable. Prior to this, the director of the Intelligence Bureau, Gonzalez, was also kidnapped. Since last night until now, a large number of officials and their family mbers on the Colombian governnt side have been kidnapped, and attacks have occurred at military camps, police stations, and administrative buildings in various places, all under the pressure from ELN, who likely have found out that Morins is still alive."
"Stupid idiots!"
Jas was furious again.
"If it wasn't for Freddie's n carrying cellphones, we would have had at least three more days!"
He paced back and forth restlessly, then stopped and added, "It appears that the situation is deteriorating much faster than I anticipated..."
Jas's gaze returned to the troop distribution map on the laptop screen.
"No, it seems I have to go into the jungle myself."
The staff mber cautioned, "Colonel, although we are military advisors and now authorized to command this operation, we are still outsiders going into the field..."
Seeing the anger on Jas's face in the moonlight, he hesitated to continue.
So he reminded with so difficulty, "I'm not saying we are overstepping our bounds, but is it worth doing this?"
"Hmph! What do you think the Pentagon sent us here for? ELN and FARC are both leftist guerrillas that must be eradicated, as they pose a great threat to the current governnt. This concerns the cooperation between our two countries, understand? That's our mission! Otherwise, why do you think we train their Special Forces?"
He paused then ordered, "Arrange a helicopter imdiately to take to where Mars and his group are. I need to join them."
Mars was currently the commander of the frontline search team, one of four jungle combat experts, leading an AGLAN squad.
"Alright, I'll go handle it imdiately."
The staff officer had just finished speaking and was about to turn around when he ca face-to-face with Lieutenant Colonel Freddie, who was hurrying over.
"Colonel! I have an urgent order."
"What urgent order?!"
Jas sensed sothing unusual.
Lieutenant Colonel Freddie said, "The Joint Chiefs of Staff just called, ordering us to imdiately cease the search operation."
"What?!"
Jas was like a stepped-on old dog, nearly bursting into furious barks on the spot.
"Stop the operation?! Impossible! We're so close, just a bit more and we would capture Morins. Didn't you inform your superiors? Didn't you tell the people at the Joint Chiefs of Staff?!"
"We all know." Freddie said, "The Joint Chiefs are aware too. They are very grateful for your cooperation and assistance, Colonel. We will submit a report to your superiors explaining all this and propose to award you a dal..."
"Bullshit!"
Jas exploded, "Who wants a damn dal?! I am a professional soldier! I am responsible for military operations, and since you asked to take over, we must see it through. My dictionary doesn't include the word 'quit'!"
Suddenly, he noticed the expression on Freddie's face.
It was an expression of relief.
Jas was greatly puzzled and frowned, "Lieutenant Colonel, you seem quite relaxed..."
"?"
Freddie was imdiately embarrassed.
"Relaxed? Not really... I just feel sad that the operation has co to this..."
"Go to hell, you sad?! Do you think I'm a three-year-old child?"
Jas pointed at Freddie's nose, almost poking his bridge.
"You seem quite happy that the operation could stop. Tell , Lieutenant Colonel, have you been bought off too?!"
Freddie hurriedly defended himself, "No way! It's the decision of our superiors, I'm sorry, Colonel, I truly can't influence it. A soldier's supre duty is to obey orders."
"No way! I don't agree!"
Jas was still insisting when the staff officer returned to his side.
"Colonel, the aircraft is ready."
Upon hearing this, Freddie looked terrified, "Colonel, what are you going to do?!"
Jas began donning his individual equipnt handed to him by the staff officer, while sneering, "I'm going to the jungle myself, can you stop ?"
Freddie's face turned pale instantaneously.
Jas was a Colonel in the United States Special Forces, the military advisor sent here by the US Departnt of Defense, representing the United States.
Indeed, he had no way to deal with him.
Seeing Freddie frozen in place, Jas scorned, "I finally understand why you have been unable to eliminate the anti-governnt ard forces and drug trafficking groups over the years. It's not a matter of capability, but attitude."
This remark completely infuriated Freddie.
Even a clay figure has three points of fire.
This insult to the Colombian Military was unbearable for him.
"Colonel, you can insult , but not our country and military. Why the anti-governnt forces and drug trafficking groups have survived nurous encirclents over the years, who do you think has been providing them with supplies? Do you think our Intelligence Bureau doesn't know?"
This comnt essentially tore off the facade.
It was true that when the relationship between the old Colombian governnt and the US was poor, the CIA covertly supported those anti-governnt forces, supplying them with arms and even helping them oppose the governnt.
These were public secrets.
Previously, everyone kept silent and said nothing. Now at this point, Freddie was not holding back anymore, confronting him directly.
"I am a soldier, I don't question these things."
Jas knew he was in the wrong and didn't want to continue the argunt here.
He turned and walked toward the helipad.
"Colonel, I will order that the aircraft not be allowed to take off!"
Freddie's voice ca from behind.
Jas turned his head, his face full of fury, then scoffed, "Good..."
He gave Freddie a thumbs up.
"Finally showing so spirit, a far cry from your earlier self, Freddie... but don't forget, my n and I can fly helicopters. Do you dare stop ? Would you dare shoot at ?"
After speaking, he walked toward the Black Hawk Helicopter with his two staff officers.
"Damn it!"
Freddie stamped his foot behind him and shouted, "Colonel, I will order my n to pull back entirely. You will get no support, just back down!"
Jas completely ignored him and boarded the Black Hawk Helicopter with the two staff officers.
"Order our team to imdiately establish a tactical channel and command system, cut off communications with AGLAN, build a mobile command post if there is no power. They're faltering, we'll do it ourselves! It's just two people, pin down their last position, notify Mars and the others, regroup with us three to form a seven-man combat team, which I will personally command!"
"Yes, sir!"
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