Contingency Initiative Squad 4

Author Note: This storyline is a precursor to the Yeling Mah storyline, but depending on the direction of this, I might end up purging the canon following this regarding Yeling's character as well as his comrades after the Danny arc. The main reason is because I am still new to writing stories and in my opinion the Yeling Mah story had a good concept, but poor execution. The purpose of this storyline is to flesh out some of the characters, including the members of Squad Four before Yeling joined the gang, in particular the relationship between Maika and Matt, the first members of Squad Four.

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Prologue

This isn't the life anyone would have asked for.

It certainly wasn't the type of life I would have imagined I would be living four years ago.

But it also wasn't the type of life I would not have expected. Considering I had already predicted it.

Level 1 Dogma: Prophecy. The ability to predict the future through cryptic subconscious visions. Even if I didn't know it myself, my Dogma had already predicted that this was the type of life I was destined to live.

"Contingency Initiative, Squad Four Mirage reporting." I pressed my hand against my coms unit.

"Contingency Initiative, Squad Two Eagle acknowledging. What is the status of the targets?"

I slowly turned around, assessing the trail of blood and entrails that had decorated the walls of the highly esteemed Ito Family.

"Only one target remains. The last son of the Ito Family that lives, Ito Kintaro."

"Do you have the information on his location?"

"Yes. I will be finishing this Elimination Operation very soon."

I heard the sound of the phone shifting across fabric, the faraway voice of Eagle cursing to his Squad Members.

"This fucker actually finished an Elim Op all on his own again. What in the actual hell."

"Is it Mirage?"

"Yeah, him. The only person in Squad Four."

"He won't last long, being a lone wolf like that. It's called a squad for a reason."

"I swear to god, this guy thinks he's all that. The nerve of him to decline joining any other squads."

I small smirk creeped up on my face.

"I won't work for any squads that can't even keep their shit talking under wraps. Instead of bitching about why a single one man Squad is outperforming you, why don't you take a minute to hold a team meeting to figure out why."

"You little shit!" A member of Squad Two shouted into the phone. I gently pulled the unit away from my hear.

"Don't get a big head! You're still in your probationary period, ranked sixth in the entire Contingency Initiative. We outrank you."

"Not yet." I replied.

"Are you stupid? Are you saying you're going to climb up the ranks all by yourself?"

"Judging from the way you're overreacting, I can imagine it's not going to be that hard to climb past you."

"HUH?!"

More scuffling across the coms link. I switched the unit off and turned to the bodies. One of them was still breathing.

"So why don't you tell me, Ito Haruki, why you're so eager to give me the location of your son, Kintaro."

Haruki breathed heavily, blood sputtering from his mouth, but his eyes were glued to mine, a fierce and desperate look.

"Are you... Japanese, Mirage?"

"No. I'm Half Chinese."

"I see... China, Japan. Despite our differing political stances... we still abide by similar principles."

"And what's that?"

Haruki coughed again.

"Honour..."

"Honour?"

Haruki shifted his weight. His body was still leaking blood intensely from where I had impaled him with Senkaku.

"Kintaro... that disgrace of an Ito, he got one of our kunoichi from the Scarlet Rose pregnant. After finding out his girlfriend was one of our assassins, he tried to give her a miscarriage."

Shift shift.

"Great warrior Mirage... you bested all of us and the main Scarlet Rose assassination group singlehandedly. Even if you have... shattered our bloodline... our honour must never be broken. What Kintaro had done, he cannot continue soiling our name. Kill him... eradicate us. I would rather he die, than letting him go and ruining our reputation..."

I knelt before the head of the Ito Family.

My assignment was to eradicate the Ito Family and their business, taking the Kira drug and allowing CI to control the production for internal use. I had already killed all of the Ito Family, Ito Kintaro was all that remained.

And soon once I had finished this assignment and reported it to Master Taras, I would receive a promotion for Squad Four. Climbing up the rank once more.

And once I've surpassed the current top ranked Squad, Squad One, I can finally prove everyone wrong.

That even a stupid, naive, Stormwatch member, could have what it took to become the top killer in New Ulysses as long as they worked hard enough.

SLICE.

Several attackers within the building that Haruki had directed me to crumpled to the ground.

"An attacker? That mark..."

"It's the Contingency Initiative symbol!"

"Call for back-"

SMASH.

"How did he-"

I spun around, planting my foot against one of the assassin's hand, preventing them from calling backup.

"Where is Kintaro." I asked.

The henchmen ignored me and attacked, but within seconds I had dispatched them all.

Where would Kintaro be located? There was really only two options. Down or up. If he was up high, he would have risked an aerial assault or a sniper. If he was downstairs, not only would he be safe from long distance attacks, but escape could have been much easier through underground.

However, before I could continue formulating, my vision flashed.

A wolf, stalking its prey. It was alone, and from behind, a predator had jumped from the trees.

I gritted my teeth.

Level 3 Senkaku

My left arm exploded into darkness, summoning a black blade which impaled a kunoichi who had tried to ambush me from behind.

I cursed. I had been saved by my Level 1 Dogma again. I swore to never use it willingly, but nothing stopped it from manifesting on its own.

I turned around and glared at the kunoichi, ripping her mask from her face.

"Where is Kintaro." I snarled.

The kunoichi returned with a sneer.

"As if I would tell you, Mirage."

I brought her closer until we were face to face, my glare becoming so sinister that her face began to tighten up in discomfort.

"You made my Level 1 Dogma manifest. I swore to never use it again. Because of that, you've done what your dead comrades haven't been able to do thus far. And that was to get on my bad side."

I slowly lifted her body into the air, watching as she kicked her feet in agony. Her breaths became laborious, attempting to keep herself from passing out.

"This was what happened to your colleagues while I was in a good mood. But now I'm pissed. You wanna keep up your little brave act?" I asked.

The kunoichi took a deep breath.

"He's in the cellar. With his wife. Chances are, he's about to kill her. I heard she had escaped her cell and also started killing a bunch of us before you even got here. If anything, she's a bigger target for Kintaro than you are."

A bigger target?

I dropped the kunoichi head first. She wouldn't survive the amount of lost blood anyway. I had to hurry and get Kintaro eliminated before the other Squads could take my prize.

I ran down the steps, when suddenly, my coms buzzed in my ear.

"Squad Four, this is Squad Two."

My eye twitched in irritation.

"What do you want, Eagle."

"I overheard your conversation with that kunoichi. Kintaro has a hostage?"

"Kintaro is the target."

"I know that, but what are you going to do about his wife? Apparently she killed a lot of the Scarlet Rose assassins. I'd be careful if I was you."

"Her involvement means nothing to me. This is an assassination, not a rescue operation. Also, I know about Kintaro's wife from the briefing file. If she gets in my way, I'll kill her too."

"Jesus, Matt. You do realize she's a girl right?"

I slashed down a door and decapitated a shinobi with Senkaku.

"She's a potential threat. Man or woman. I don't discriminate."

According to the file, the wife of Kintaro was a kunoichi herself. Trained at the age of 14, she had learned to kill, assassinate, manipulate, and deceive, fighting to pay back her younger sister's debt. She had been working in this industry for seven years, meaning she was 21 now.

If she had the power to take down several of her colleagues like that, it meant she was dangerous, but at the same time, there was Kintaro after her as well.

I'd have to formulate a strategy once I got down.

"Well, whether or not she lives, it's not up to you to decide, anyway." Eagle said.

"What?" I choked.

"Coming down!"

"What the hell do you mean coming-"

SMASH.

Several assassins collapsed from the roof before me. On top of them, was Harrison "Eagle" Wyatt of Squad Two, along with two other operatives.

"Thanks for giving away Kintaro's location. We're going to finish this mission now. You can be Squad Two's accomplice."

"Huh?!" I growled, grabbing Eagle.

"This is my operation!"

"It's a free for all. After all, you basically don't even count as a Squad. It's just you. We're going to be the ones to kill Kintaro."

"Like hell you will."

One of Eagle's operatives kicked a door down.

"Found him."

Before the operative could say anything else, he was suddenly swarmed by assassins left and right.

From the distance, I could make out a man with a katana, about to strike down a woman who was sprawled on the ground. She looked horrible, and bleeding in multiple places.

But the one thing that stood out, was the region that was bleeding the most... was between her thighs.

"What the hell..." Eagle muttered.

I stared at the woman.

Kintaro... that disgrace of an Ito, he got one of our kunoichi from the Scarlet Rose pregnant. After finding out his girlfriend was one of our assassins, he tried to give her a miscarriage.

Just how long ago was her pregnancy? What kind of stamina and endurance did she have, to go into labor and fight all of those Scarlet Rose agents right after?

Suddenly, my body moved on its own. Kintaro was my prey.

Mine.

Not Squad Two's.

Level 3 Senkaku - Switch Teleportation.

My body warped, focusing on the space where the katana once was, and swapped places with it, to the surprise and horror of Kintaro, who stumbled back.

"What the-?!" Kintaro shouted.

I spun around and summoned a Senkaku tendril, which latched onto the katana that had pierced Eagle's collarbone.

"Mirage you PIECE OF SHI-" Eagle growled, as I ripped the sword out of his body, while simultaneously locking Ito into a death hold and slamming him into the ground.

"Who the hell- Contingency Initiative! Why are you here?!" Kintaro gasped, panicking for his life. The blade of his own katana was an inch away from his artery.

"Wait!" The girl gasped, her hand outstretched to me. Blood was pouring from one side of her face.

"Please... just let me kill him. I have to..."

I slowly got to my feet, lifting Kintaro into the air with one hand.

"No." I replied, as I decapitated the last member of the Ito bloodline, blood spraying all over the ground.

"MIRAGE! YOU BASTARD!!!" Eagle shouted, as the other operatives moaned, covering their faces with their hands.

"He got the kill! Oh my god!"

I turned to Squad Two.

"Kintaro is MINE. This Elimination Op is MINE." I slammed the katana onto the ground, lodging it into the cement.

"He was mine to kill. If you continue to get in my way, I'll add you all onto the list as well."

Eagle glared at me and gave me the finger.

"Whatever. Have fun doing the paperwork all on your own, Squad Leader Mirage."

Squad Two left, until it was just me and the woman, who slowly got to her feet.

"Y- You.... who are you...." She muttered.

I ignored her and picked up the head, sifting through my belongings and wrapping it into a cloth for proof of kill.

"Wait..." The woman said, her voice trailing away.

I walked off.

"I said stop!"

Suddenly, a wall of spikes appeared before me, approaching me fast. My eyes widened.

I leapt out of the way, but from every direction, swords and spikes came flying.

What in the world?

Since when did the files mention that the wife had an evo?!