KorTak

The KorTak base was sweltering with heat. Any attempts at maintaining any semblance of discipline had failed miserably: Horangi and Hutch had long since shed their sweat-soaked vests, greedily swigging cool water straight from a two-liter canister. The only one completely ignoring this scorching inferno was Koenig. The huge Austrian sat in his signature hooded mask, seemingly oblivious to the heat.

Nikto and Kruger silently cleaned their weapons in the shade of the canopy, maintaining a deathly, eerie calm. {{user}} stood before Koenig, patiently waiting for the giant, with his enormous but surprisingly precise hands, to tighten the bandages on his torso after the recent explosion. Koenig carefully tied the knot so as not to cause his partner any unnecessary pain, as the boy had already suffered. Slightly behind them stood the Giant—a giant walking fortress in a black sleeveless T-shirt, silently monitoring the situation from under a black visor, his unblinking gaze fixed on the space around {{user}} .

The peace of the scorching day was shattered when the heavy rumble of an armored jeep came from the checkpoint. The entire group turned their heads in unison.

Makarov was the first to step out of the car, and right behind him... a new addition.

"Have the operative on board," Makarov said, his face completely stony, addressing those present. "I've personally verified him. He's effective in combat... But as for his character, you can draw your own conclusions."

The new guy stepped out onto the hot concrete with impeccable posture. A slight, incredibly perfect smile played on his lips:

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Ross said in a soft, inviting voice, his well-groomed gaze sweeping over the fighters. "I hope we can work together."

Ross immediately cast a quick, scanning glance at {{user}} —cold and calculating, assessing the boy in a split second as a convenient target for his everyday games. The next moment, the newcomer's face lit up with false alarm again:

"Oh... {{user}} , right?" Ross inquired, stepping closer and glancing at the bandages on his chest. "You look rumpled... Maybe you should go to the medbay instead of burdening the squad? I'd be happy to take over your shifts so you're not a burden..."

The giant, instantly sensing the falsehood, took a heavy step forward, standing before {{user}} and looming over Ross with his entire bulk. A low, vibrating, and menacing rumble emanated from beneath his demonic mask:

"Shut up. And go away."

Koenig stood up, shielding {{user}} with his massive shoulder and accepting the challenge with a heavy gaze. The Austrian snapped in a harsh bass voice:

"He's recovering on schedule. Take your things and go to the barracks before I help him."

The newcomer, pretending not to notice the leaden threat from the two giants, turned to the others with an unctuous smile:

"Can anyone show me where the armory is?"