***

--- Sadera ---

Date: April 22nd, 2028

Watching the Valor helicopter leave the helipad arms of the Republican Army headquarters, the other one began to land. Legionaries, CIA agents, and Military Police gather to extract the prisoners that were collected at the forest outpost. It was another good operation with no causalities.

Watching the transfer of the prisoners. It was a surprisingly large batch. The Oprichnina and Haryo Tribe have been a hard group to capture so Sharpe hoped this would result in something of value.

"Finally, we are back," Marly said. "I am ready to take a shower."

"Not yet," Rory said. "We have to report in."

"But…. Shower…," Marly slowly replied.

"Job comes before pleasure," Sharpe said.

"Nice catch."

Hearing the Empress of the Republic voice, Sharpe said, "Fancy seeing you here."

"It is a big day," Pina said as he watched the tranquilized pigmen be transported away. "We have to be getting close to the end of the Oprichnina and Haryo."

"We have to be," Andrew said. "We have been hammering them hard recently."

"I take it you want to debrief now?" Sharpe asked.

"Of course," Pina said. "And Yang wanted to plan the next phase."

"Alright. Andrew, get the men taken care of."

The two left the helipad and headed inside. The modernization of the Republican Army was beginning. It was decided to focus on communication and logistics first before changing the style of warfare as that would take longer. Some specialized units like the Rose Knights had been given modern rifles to help maintain the peace and joint operations. However, the hope is that within two decades they will meet NATO standards.

That applied to the rest of society. The capital city of Sadera and Rondel was still going through heavy reconstruction after the battle with Valker/Zufmuut. While everything was still being repaired, other modernization programs had started. Such as bringing electricity to the city and an airport next to many of the key cities.

"How are the brats?" Sharpe asked.

"Good," Pina replied with a exhausting but happy smile. Since the wedding and taking the throne, the two so far had one son. "Domestic life has proven harder than I expected."

"Yup," Sharpe said. "A lot of little sleep."

"Tell me about that. On top of running a nation."

"Could always quiet and live in the woods."

"Only if I can bring my mattress. I like my comfy bed."

As the two laugh, Sharpe looked down the hall. "Yeah, but the kids are worth it. Beefeater mentioned that you guys want another?"

"At least three," Pina said. "I hope we can cut out the family betrayal storyline."

"Good luck with that." With a short pause in the conversation as the two walked down the hallway, Sharpe asked as he noticed a tech team installing wiring. "Are people embracing this stuff?"

"A little," Pina said. "It will take time but it will work. I think people are just happy that peace has returned. I will say though, the Merchants like the Internet Markets."

"Saw that coming. Who wouldn't like the ability to sell your goods at a moment notice anywhere?"

"Yeah, but the problem is getting those goods to the seller. That has proven to be the next challenge."

"It will all be fixed over time. Rome was not built in a day."

As the two reached the Operation Room door, Pina stopped and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Jackson, I do want to say thank you. I really do enjoy that we continued our friendship."

"No problem," Sharpe replied. "I do intent to bill you on the hours though."

Pina shook her head. "Always the smartass." She then pointed her figure at him. "Be careful, if I have a daughter next, maybe your son and her would get married."

Sharpe stared at the Empress, silent for a moment. "You been taking to my wife to much."

Pina laughed and opened the door. "Maybe. But if so, that means were family and you cannot bill family."

"Shit...," Sharpe mumbled, realizing women are masters as scheming.

Entering the main Operation Room, Sharpe saw Yang, Krysist, and other supportive officers throughout the room.

"Hello Sharpe," Yang said. "Good job on the mission."

Pina walked over and gave Sharpe and the two Apostles. "Nice to see you three. It has been a while."

"Too long, Empress," Rory said.

"Surprised to see you here," Sharpe said.

"We have other leads," Pina said. "And I want this thorn out of my life."

"If you don’t mind, let's get at it," Yang said. "Sooner we get this briefing done, the sooner you all can take a shower."

Quickly sniffing his uniform, he heard Marly bragging about how she was right to take a shower first. He shook his head and then stared toward the Empress.

"I was not going to say anything," Pina said as she plugged her nose as a jest..

"Where is O'iloiat," Sharpe asked.

"He left for Ticaret," Pina said. "It seems that their civil war is coming to an end and left to help with the peace process. Hopefully a agreement can be forged and the fighting will end"

"Our side won?"

"It seems like it. Falson faction finally defeated the dwarves."

Thrilled by the news, one of the last legacy pieces from the last War had finally wrapped up.

The group gathered around the digital table. Above it was a large, decorative lamp that was built in Rondel. Partnering with Earth companies because of their needed knowledge, some low-value production has bene started up in key cities for protection like light bulb manufacturing. Right now this technology is primary for the government, people are slowly adopting the new light source as they grown use to the artificial light.

"This is where your team strike," Yang said. "The size of the resistance lead Intel to believe that this was a hub. There has to be other bases in the region so we will want to focus our efforts here."

"I don't need to explain how serious this is," Pina said. "Last week, my staff found out about an advisor in Rondel who was sowing rebellious propaganda."

"You think people would be tired of that conversation," Rory said.

"There are many who still blame Sadera for the destruction of their city," Yang said. "If it was not for the fact that Pina here also helped save the city from Darlko and the Demons, the city probably would be in full succession."

"Healing will take years," Pina said. "But I am committed to that cause."

As Pina spoke, Sharpe saw Beefeater enter the room and walked directly to Pina, bypassing many regulations. The only reason someone would do this was because something serious just happened.

"I wonder what it is," Rory whispered.

"Could be many numbers of things," Sharpe replied. "Probably the Oprichnina conducted a retaliation for our raid."

"This quickly?"

"Don't know."

To Sharpe's confusion, he saw this horrific facial reaction from Pina.

"Shit," Sharpe said. "Good chance someone just happened to O'iloiat."

"Then why is she staring at you?" Rory asked.

Confused, Sharpe only just noticed that the Empress was staring at him with that look. "Empress?"

"Jackson...."

***

--- Underground chamber, Dumas Mountains ---

Date: April 23rd, 2028

Hearing the annoying crying nearly drove Svenhard Lupus Moon crazy. Being the head of the Oprichnina, he had a large amount of tolerance. Very few things could get under his skin and that was by design. His job required him to do the worst to people. A job that he grew to love. Every barbaric act was always for the greater good of the State, for Sadera, for the Royal Family. That was until it all came crashing down.

"NATO seems to be successfully hunting us down," Bouro said.

"It does not matter," Moon replied. "If we cannot rule then we will destroy."

"You state that it has already been done," Bouro said. "Even our creations have not had the strength to fight their technology. At this rate, we will never declare dominance over this world."

Moon couldn't help but chuckle at Bouro’s statement. After everything that had happened over the past few years, he and the rest of his kind still believed that they would replace all other races and rule overall. Apparently, this had been the dream of these pigmen for centuries.

For Moon, this only proves that Bouro’s people are nothing but a failed race. Their only strength had been hiding in the shadows and while they dream of something greater, their own nature proved that they would never replace Man, let alone the other races.

“You state that you have a plan,” Bouro said. “All we have done is kill a few people here, a few assassinations there. Nothing that would allow us to claim this continent.”

“Because I do not intend to reclaim the Empire,” Moon explained. “I fully understand my day has come and that the world will move away from my ways forever. I will just seek vengeance against all my enemies and make this great transformation as bloody and painful as possible.”

“You complain about my words,” Bouro said. “Always complaining that I am too high and yet, for all your talk you have no real accomplishments. Your sister still marches forward with her new allies.”

Moon smirked. “That is the problem with your kind. You think it's too small. I learned much from one of my formal enemies. Defeat can be a path to future victory. And now, after months of waiting, I finally accomplished one of my greatest goals. Vengeance for my wife.”

Noticing his son walking into the room, Moon asked, “Skotadi. Did everything go well?”

“Yes, Father,” Skotadi said. “Politia and her dark elf friend had arrived. I am pleased to report that their mission was a complete success.”

“So, they have the boy?”

“That is correct.”

Bouro looked at the two men with confusion. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Simple my good friend,” Moon said. “With much careful planning. Spending months studying our enemies and setting up distractions across the region. I set the stage to where I have the Hero of Alnus' son.”

The plan was bold and daring. It required careful planning and putting his own daughter in great danger. Politia and her elf friend would join Sharpe's wife's school for children. During his time within the Oprichnina, he learned how soft women's hearts could be and wanted to exploit that as much as possible. How men and women of most races would blindly accept a cute young girl who needed help. Sharpe's wife being a big heart, he realized that with the proper backstory, she would embrace his daughter into the school without question.

From there, they would act like any other student, building their reputation and trust. Find Sharpe’s son and establish a trust to allow for phase three to begin. Once the time came, the two would find the son. The elf would use her sleep magic to put the baby asleep while Politia made the switch with a shapeshifter. Once the switch was made, the two would head outside the city and meet Skotadi, and head here.

With the shapeshifter, Moon wanted it to start in the baby form until he found Sharpe and from there, attempted to assassinate the entire Sharpe family. With the high number of free bunnies within the city, Moon did not expect this to happen but that was ideal. If caught, cause as much damage as possible.

***

--- Alnus, Alcatris, Falmart ---

Date: April 23rd, 2028

Sharpe quickly stepped off the Boeing Uros Transporter, an aircraft designed based on the old Douglas DC-3. Being a class Classical-era civilization, it was decided the jet propulsion was still to advance for the people on Falmart so older designs were upgraded with modern technology and sold to the Republic and Elbe.

There being no US cargo planes at Sadera airport at this time, Sharpe, and everyone else used Pina's VIP aircraft to quickly reach Alnus Airport. The flight between the two cities had been the longest and hardest fight in his life, being mostly cut off from any updates and was forced to hope the situation had improved.

A Humvee was waiting for them and transported them to the 8th Division headquarters. Throughout the drive, Rory and Pina continued to reassure him while Yang and Krysist debated how to respond. Marly asked Frayen questions on the situation, trying to figure out why someone would do this. Sharpe refused to respond until he got more information.

Once at the HQ, Sharpe got out of the Humvee and saw his wife standing outside. She quickly rushed over and hugged him, crying. He wrapped his arms, trying to comfort her.

Following up behind was Lelei, Noriko, and Selina. To his surprise Bailey, Scott, Delilah, Persia, and other past Vanguard-7 personal that lived there were there.

"I am sorry, but we have to go," Yang said.

"Please, just find him," Sarah said. "And kill the bastard."

As they head into the HQ, Bailey and Scott followed.

"Hey Sir," Bailey said. "I can give you guys the rundown."

"Now or never," Sharpe said.

"Apparently, two young teen girls kidnapped John," Bailey said. "They used a Shapeshifter to trick everyone. My wife realized it when they ran into Sarah at the market. There was a brawl until Scott here drove a truck into the bastard, knocking him out."

"Smart," Krysist said. "So, it is still alive?"

"That is correct," Bailey said.

Sharpe stopped and looked at Scott. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, sir but Delilah did most of the work," Scott said. "I've been making calls so the band should be getting back together."

"Did you guys learn anything from the prisoner?" Rory asked.

"Right now, no," Bailey said. "He is being stubborn."

The group moved through the facility and were escorted to where the prisoner was being held.

Inside a reinforced room with a bullet proof glass window was this monster staring at them. Sharpe stopped at the window, staring back. He knew that the glass was a one-way mirror, but he could tell that the beast knew he was being watched.

"What do we do?" Sharpe asked.

"They are probably close by," Yang said. "It has been a day but because of how isolated Alnus Hill is from other towns they couldn't get far. Plus, we still have a monopoly on motorized vehicles so that option for them is out. Wagon could only go so far.”

“We already ran the report on who left the city,” Bailey added. “There were no matches from any CCTV. We did catch a recording of them in the residential area however by the time we responded they were already gone. The shapeshifter ruse bought them a large amount of time.”

“It is clear that this was professionally done,” Yang said.

“Point is, the people who kidnapped my son did it right under everyone's noses,” Sharpe said. “But how do we find him?”

“I can do it,” Frayen said. “I will read his mind. It will not be easy as I filter through his memories, but it can be done.”

“Can it?” Sharpe asked. “I can only assume this was done by Svenhard Moon and I doubt he would be that dumb to leave a trail like that.”

“You forget,” Frayen said. “Mind magic is not common, hidden in the vaults of Library of Elaish from the rest of the world.”

“Do it,” Sharpe said.

Frayen stepped forward and looked at the glass. He placed his hand on it and began phasing through the wall, freaking the shapeshifter out. In response, the shapeshifter transformed from a large beast into a small neko girl, rushing over to the glass banging on it as she cried, begging to be saved.

“Damn,” Rory said. “That even affected me.”

“It does not matter,” Sharpe said.

“It might be best if we leave,” Pina proposed. “We do not have to see this.”

Sharpe felt Rory place her hand on his shoulder. He watched as Frayen grabbed the little girl and forced his hand on her head. Rory was correct, the crying and tears are hitting his gut deeply. The mind knew it was all fake, but the heart wanted to save her.

Krysist noticed that Sharpe did not respond so he turned to face his friend, “You should go. There really isn’t anything you can do right now. Me and Frayen will get an answer.”

“We can go prepare while we wait,” Rory said. “Besides, your wife and daughters need you right now.”

Taking a deep breath, Sharpe nodded and walked out of the room, followed by Pina and Rory.

Heading to the lobby, Sharpe saw Sarah, Lelei, Selina, many of his formal Vanguard team and others. All hanging around the lobby. Some seem to just arrive.

Alicia, Scott, and Andrew approached.

“So, when are we going?” Alicia asked, still wearing her machine shop clothing. Behind her was her boyfriend Jalin as he waited for orders.

“Just say the word boss,” Scott said. “We got your back.”

Most of Vanguard-7 had retired from the Army after the war, choosing to enjoy their lives and settle down. According to regulations, none of them would be allowed to go on a mission. Seeing the determination and brotherhood in everyone's eyes he thanked God that they were on an alien planet and had a friend as a general.

The correct response to everyone would be to go home and tell them they cannot help saving their son. He decided to trust in them and accept their help without question. “Thank you all but right now, I have no information, but we have a prisoner. Frayen will get what we need. Be ready when it is time.”

The group left as they were itching to get going; however, Sharpe saw his wife sitting on a couch. She was surrounded by Delilah, Peria, Lelei, Hamilton, Noriko, and Selina as they tried to comfort her.

Based on Sarah's facial reaction, Sharpe already knew what was going on through her mind. How could he not notice that their son was not their son but a monster. There was no rationalization around that, and he knew that could happen to any parent. It just sucked that it happened to her.

“She looks devastated,” Rory whispered.

“I know,” Sharpe replied. “There are no words for this. I am honestly barely keeping myself together.”

“I know,” Rory said. “You two go talk for a moment. I will see what I can do on my end.”

Realizing that Rory was correct, he needed to be as strong as he could for his family, even though he had no idea how to do it. He walked over to his family. “Sarah, mind coming with me for a moment.”

“How couldn’t I have known?” Sarah asked. “He was my son, and I didn’t know.”

“She has been saying that for a while now,” Noriko said.

He nodded to Noriko and looked back at his wife. He walked up and grabbed her hand. “I said, I need you to come with me.” He then pulled her, making her realize that she needed to move.

The two left the lobby until they were alone in a hall. Sharpe stopped her and faced her, placing his hands on her arms, staring directly into her eyes. “It was not your fault.”

“But it was,” Sarah said. “I had that bastard for hours and I didn’t know.”

“I know,” Sharpe said. “No one could have known.” He then pulled her close and gave her a tight hug, allowing his wife to cry in his arms. After a minute, he continued, “Sarah. I will find him. I won’t stop and I promise I will find the ones who took him.”

“Okay.” Sarah said. “I know you will. This is just so hard.”

“That is okay. Now, let's go.”

The two walked back into the lobby and saw that everyone was waiting. Conversations were little as there was not much to say outside starting arguments or expressing anger. Rory mostly maintained the peace, not wanting anyone to express their frustration as it would only lower morale and cause infighting. Not that anyone really was angry at each other, it was more about sitting around and waiting when time was running out.

“Hey daddy,” Selina said. “What is the plan?”

“Once Frayen and Krysist figure out where the beast came from, we go in for the kill.”

Lelei walked over. “I heard it was Moon. Are you sure?”

“He is the only one who could pull this off,” Sharpe replied. “We have been hammering him a lot recently and he never forgave us for killing his wife.”

“Damn him,” Lelei commented.

“Right now, just sit down and wait.”

Over an hour had passed as everyone frustratedly waited for information. Everyone could feel the stress level throughout the room.

A man in a uniform walked into the room, asking for Lieutenant Colonel Sharpe.

“Here.” Sharpe stood up and followed the man. He was led back into the room and saw Frayen informing Yang and Krysist about something.

Sharpe passed the prisoner's cell and saw the natural form of the shapeshifter. A fur-like humanoid. He lay on the ground, blood running down from his nose and eyes. “Is it dead?”

“Yes,” Krysist said. “It did not deserve to live for what it did.”

“Then I assume you have a location?”

“Yes,” Frayen said. “I cannot be positive that this is where they are taking your son; however, I can confirm that this was where it was trained. I can also confirm that the human girl that took your son was Svenhard Lupus Moon's daughter, Politia.”

“That is a good sign,” Sharpe said. “Was there anything else?”

Krysist and Frayen looked at each other for a moment, as they debated if they wanted to explain further.

“We also found out that the shapeshifter's primary mission was to try and kill you and your family,” Krysist said. “If it had the chance.”

“Then he should have,” Sharpe said. “Brigadier General, permission to-.”

“You had it when we left Sadera,” Yang said. “I already mobilized the other teams.”

"Where are they holding out," Sharpe asked, walking away from the prison cell.

"In one of the hideouts in the Dumas Mountains," Frayen said.

"What!?" Sharpe asked with great concern. During the war, the Imperial Army and their dwarf allies-built hundreds of underground tunnels and chambers, most of which are still undiscovered.

For the Oprichnina and Haryo Tribe, hiding out in that mountain range would be perfect. Close to their enemy's main base of operation while being almost impossible to detect.

“I hope we have directions?”

“I believe so,” Frayen said. “As I said, I know where they trained from so naturally that meant they would be close to there.”

“This mission would be too important to be regulated to a side outpost,” Krysist said. “Knowing Moon, he would want to oversee this.”

Seeing no other choice, Sharpe agreed to follow Frayen and Krysist's plan.