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Description
FIRECASTER PROLOGUE 0:

It was almost half past midnight when the black stealth chopper called Postman passed over the borders of the abandoned district, Nanotech V. It didn't seem too long ago when this was the country's capital of technological advancement; with all industries related to communications settled in to mass-produce both hardware and software for top corporations both here and abroad.

Now it's a dead district.

Everything that made it breathe were taken out by a horde of Caplan drones - creatures cloned from a demon infected military officer. These clones did not feed on humans, for they were not cultured to feed at all. It was in their artificial nature to kill whomever their mother commands them to.

And that mother is Damona, the former senator Constancia Damillon; the demon-witch, as revealed by the NBI, after the brutal assassination of President Carvajal two years ago.

The chopper hovers over a wide stretch of ruins with only the muffled whirling sound of its special propellers breaking the morbid silence of the landscape. The district is dark and cold, much like the twelve passengers of the Postman.

David and Therese sat across each other, staring blankly into each other's weary eyes, both clutching their nearly discharged M46 rifles. The rest of the allied military forces who accompanied them were still overwhelmed by the bloody attack on Metro Manila twelve hours ago. That was put to a shocking halt by this one special passenger they were about to drop off in the middle of Nanotech V - a young lady named Lia, the Firecaster, as she was popularly called. She is strapped and enclosed up to her neck in a vertical thermal regulator pod, eyes shut, while receiving doses of Lucifine serum thru several intravenous drips attached to various parts of her arms and neck. She breathes heavily, taking in as much oxygen as she can from the mask. David glances over to her and pity burned his heart. This could be Lia's longest day in hell.

This rush mission was triggered by a last minute intel report that the drones were cloned and raised in a Mutagene lab hidden under one of the old buildings. Lia was sent to penetrate an unknown frontline and destroy everything. It was a desperate tour of duty that Dr. Burke, her handler, reluctantly agreed to take, in order to cripple Damona's evil plans to overthrow the government and put the country in total chaos.

"David?" asked Dr. Burke thru David's earpiece.

"Yes?"

"I'm about to wake her up. You're almost there. Therese?"

"Dr. Burke." replied Therese.

"Make sure she's stable before you drop her."

"This is too much."

"I know. But this is our last chance; our only chance, Therese. She can do this. I know she can."

Therese sighed. Deep inside she knows the doctor is right. The Caplan drones are like a swarm of killer bees, and Lia can take them out with a flick of her fingers.

Only now Lia looks so worn out, encased in that pod. Therese is not even sure if Lia has fully regenerated her battered body from the previous battle, let alone take another beating.

Dr. Burke announced, "Administering spinal shock in three… two… one…"

With a vibrating hum coming from the pod, Lia's body jerks back with an "Uhhh!", and then drops her head forward, face wretched with pain. "FUCK!!!" she screamed, her voice muffled by the oxygen mask. "FUCK! I hate it when you do that, doc!"

The soldiers were obviously startled by her wake as they tightened their grip on their assault weapons.

She opened her eyes, finally revealing her white, glowing pupils. Breathing heavier, she scans the faces of her posse, and lands her sight on Therese. "Well?" Lia asked.

Therese stood up to unlock the pod. David moved to stand up but Therese motioned him to remain seated. After pressing a few buttons, the pod doors swung open, revealing Lia's strapped, half naked body.

"Look away." David ordered the soldiers. They all did except one, who seemed to have managed to lock his eyes on Lia's breasts. "I said, look – away!" said David behind gritted teeth. The embarrassed soldier looked down, and then turned his head the other way.

Therese removed the Velcro straps that held Lia's body in place, and Lia immediately dismounts from the pod and irritatingly pulls out the IV's from her arms and neck. She zips up her micro-insulated suit, shakes her arms to her side and brushes the dust off her thigh and legs with her hands.

David and Therese looked at each other, unsure whether or not to engage Lia in a concerned conversation. Therese offered the empty seat beside her. Lia refused with a scowl. "I'm good," she said.

"Are you ready, Sparks?" asked Dr. Burke over the radio and into Lia's internal receiver.

"Just open the damn door," Lia replied as she approaches the hatch.

"Hey," called out David. He grabs the Multi Visual Goggles from the seat beside him and hands it over to Lia. "In…"

"…and out, I know." Lia said without looking at David.

"Be careful out there." David said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever." she said while putting on the MVG.

"I mean it."

The hatch opens, and Lia jumps out.

Description
FIRECASTER PROLOGUE 0:

It was almost half past midnight when the black stealth chopper called Postman passed over the borders of the abandoned district, Nanotech V. It didn't seem too long ago when this was the country's capital of technological advancement; with all industries related to communications settled in to mass-produce both hardware and software for top corporations both here and abroad.

Now it's a dead district.

Everything that made it breathe were taken out by a horde of Caplan drones - creatures cloned from a demon infected military officer. These clones did not feed on humans, for they were not cultured to feed at all. It was in their artificial nature to kill whomever their mother commands them to.

And that mother is Damona, the former senator Constancia Damillon; the demon-witch, as revealed by the NBI, after the brutal assassination of President Carvajal two years ago.

The chopper hovers over a wide stretch of ruins with only the muffled whirling sound of its special propellers breaking the morbid silence of the landscape. The district is dark and cold, much like the twelve passengers of the Postman.

David and Therese sat across each other, staring blankly into each other's weary eyes, both clutching their nearly discharged M46 rifles. The rest of the allied military forces who accompanied them were still overwhelmed by the bloody attack on Metro Manila twelve hours ago. That was put to a shocking halt by this one special passenger they were about to drop off in the middle of Nanotech V - a young lady named Lia, the Firecaster, as she was popularly called. She is strapped and enclosed up to her neck in a vertical thermal regulator pod, eyes shut, while receiving doses of Lucifine serum thru several intravenous drips attached to various parts of her arms and neck. She breathes heavily, taking in as much oxygen as she can from the mask. David glances over to her and pity burned his heart. This could be Lia's longest day in hell.

This rush mission was triggered by a last minute intel report that the drones were cloned and raised in a Mutagene lab hidden under one of the old buildings. Lia was sent to penetrate an unknown frontline and destroy everything. It was a desperate tour of duty that Dr. Burke, her handler, reluctantly agreed to take, in order to cripple Damona's evil plans to overthrow the government and put the country in total chaos.

"David?" asked Dr. Burke thru David's earpiece.

"Yes?"

"I'm about to wake her up. You're almost there. Therese?"

"Dr. Burke." replied Therese.

"Make sure she's stable before you drop her."

"This is too much."

"I know. But this is our last chance; our only chance, Therese. She can do this. I know she can."

Therese sighed. Deep inside she knows the doctor is right. The Caplan drones are like a swarm of killer bees, and Lia can take them out with a flick of her fingers.

Only now Lia looks so worn out, encased in that pod. Therese is not even sure if Lia has fully regenerated her battered body from the previous battle, let alone take another beating.

Dr. Burke announced, "Administering spinal shock in three… two… one…"

With a vibrating hum coming from the pod, Lia's body jerks back with an "Uhhh!", and then drops her head forward, face wretched with pain. "FUCK!!!" she screamed, her voice muffled by the oxygen mask. "FUCK! I hate it when you do that, doc!"

The soldiers were obviously startled by her wake as they tightened their grip on their assault weapons.

She opened her eyes, finally revealing her white, glowing pupils. Breathing heavier, she scans the faces of her posse, and lands her sight on Therese. "Well?" Lia asked.

Therese stood up to unlock the pod. David moved to stand up but Therese motioned him to remain seated. After pressing a few buttons, the pod doors swung open, revealing Lia's strapped, half naked body.

"Look away." David ordered the soldiers. They all did except one, who seemed to have managed to lock his eyes on Lia's breasts. "I said, look – away!" said David behind gritted teeth. The embarrassed soldier looked down, and then turned his head the other way.

Therese removed the Velcro straps that held Lia's body in place, and Lia immediately dismounts from the pod and irritatingly pulls out the IV's from her arms and neck. She zips up her micro-insulated suit, shakes her arms to her side and brushes the dust off her thigh and legs with her hands.

David and Therese looked at each other, unsure whether or not to engage Lia in a concerned conversation. Therese offered the empty seat beside her. Lia refused with a scowl. "I'm good," she said.

"Are you ready, Sparks?" asked Dr. Burke over the radio and into Lia's internal receiver.

"Just open the damn door," Lia replied as she approaches the hatch.

"Hey," called out David. He grabs the Multi Visual Goggles from the seat beside him and hands it over to Lia. "In…"

"…and out, I know." Lia said without looking at David.

"Be careful out there." David said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever." she said while putting on the MVG.

"I mean it."

The hatch opens, and Lia jumps out.