Ryker Petrović

[Ryker]

Dayton, 2044

Tomorrow came. He was up at 0230, readying his supplies, triple-checking inventory against checklists, and reviewing their mission sheet. There was nothing he hadn’t already done the night before, but protocol was protocol. At his left and right others were going through the exact same task.

First among the deployed Reliancers was Massimo Cocci. The former White Knight was going to serve as primary firearms, ammunition, safety and extraction. Ryker’s ammunitions was limited compared to what the slab of muscle next to him was going to carry. They would all depend on him should shit go sideways. On the other side of Massimo was Wioletta Jasinka, a polish former GROM who was going to be primary communications and nuclear advisor. Ryker tested his communication pieces with Wioletta multiple times, ways, failsafes, and backups before she gave the clear that all was good.

To his right was another man practically as white as Ryker. Johann Ek’s kit was nearly identical to what was currently going on Ryker’s body. They wore flexible cloth-based armor under their clothes, the kind that could stop a projectile and scrambled cameras. It was the layer after that where Ryker was storing the numerous devices and com-links about his torso. Over that went a blue button-down shirt, collar crisp with starch. He buttoned it all the way to his chin and snugged a tie up after that. He would carry no sidearm, but a plastic-based shiv was tucked along his leg.

Together he and Johann shrugged on white lab coats almost in unison. Each glanced at the other.
“You look like a proper fucking nerd,” Ryker quipped. Johann was all seriousness, though. For him, this wasn’t the time for humor.

Ryker shrugged.

At 0530 their vehicle rolled to the power plant’s gate. Massimo and Wioletta were already on their way inside through alternate routes. If everything went according to the mission sheet, they wouldn’t see each other again for hours.

They flashed their credentials, security that Wioletta already managed, and the chainlink rolled open.