Chapter 158 The Intention

Chapter 158 The Intention

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"Sir...did you hear that?" Graves pressed his earpiece, reaching out to Richard.

"Yeah I hear it loud and clear, Specter-1," Richard acknowledged. "He said that the current civilian leader is the former vice president of the Philippines?"

"That is correct sir, request permission to engage in a diplomatic dialogue with them," Graves requested.

Richard paused, considering the implications. "Permission granted, Specter-1. Proceed with the negotiations. We'll monitor the situation from here and await your update. Eagle out."

With the transmission ended, Graves faced General Arthur Peralta and spoke. "Now I have received permission to speak with your leader, General. Can I have your permission as well?"

"I'll have to call her first," General Peralta replied, reaching for his radio. "But given the circumstances, I don't see why she would object."

Graves nodded, understanding the protocol. He watched as Peralta spoke into the radio, his voice firm yet respectful. After a brief exchange, Peralta turned back to Graves.

"She's agreed to meet. I'll escort you to her location," he said, gesturing for Graves and his team to follow.

As they walked through the makeshift camp, Graves observed the remnants of what used to be a well-structured military operation, now operating under survival mode. The soldiers, though weary, maintained a disciplined demeanor.

The civilians, however, were looking at him and his team inquisitively. Mothers would pull their children closer to them, eyeing the soldiers with a mix of fear and cautious hope. The children's eyes were wide with curiosity, clearly unaccustomed to seeing outsiders.

Graves could feel the weight of their gazes. He noticed small groups of civilians gathered around, whispering among themselves. Their expressions ranged from wary to hopeful, a clear sign of the desperation and isolation they must have felt.

As they neared a central building, Graves saw more signs of a community doing its best to survive. There were makeshift gardens, and some of the civilians were engaged in repairing what looked like salvaged equipment. Despite the dire circumstances, there was a sense of determination among them.

"Okay, this is where your men stay," General Peralta said. "You will go there alone. That won't be a problem right?"

Graves glanced at his team, then back at Peralta. "No problem, General. We understand the need for caution."

He followed Peralta to a modest building that had been repurposed as a command center. The structure, while showing signs of wear, was fortified and secure. Inside, the atmosphere was tense but organized, with several people moving about, coordinating efforts, and sharing information.

Peralta led Graves to a small office where a woman sat behind a desk covered with maps and papers. She looked up as they entered, her gaze sharp and assessing. This was clearly Maria Santos, the former vice president.

"Good morning ma'am," Graves said.

"So you were the ones the soldiers were firing at huh? I apologize for their reckless action. Please understand that we've been under constant threat, and they were merely acting out of caution," Maria Santos explained, her tone apologetic yet firm.

She added. "Not to mention, you spoke of yourselves coming from the government, but the government has been long gone since the President and its line of succession were lost in the initial chaos. It's hard to trust anyone claiming to represent an authority that no longer exists."

"I see..." Graves smacked his lower lip softly and then continued. "The reason we introduced ourselves as such is because we believe that people in the camp would be relieved to hear that there is still a government running around. I apologize...Anyways...my name is Graves, I'm a soldier of the Blackwatch, a private military company operating in the shadows..."

Santos scanned his appearance up and down and commented. "You are an American...it's rare to see someone like you...especially in these trying times. I'm Maria Santos, as General Peralta has introduced, I am the former vice president of the Republic of the Philippines. Why don't you take a seat and discuss your intentions of coming here..."

After saying that, Santos flickered her gaze to Peralta. "General, you may leave us alone for now. We'll call you if we need anything."

General Peralta nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Graves took a seat across from Santos. "As I mentioned, I'm with Blackwatch. We're currently evaluating strategic locations for potential bases, and this place, New Clark City, caught our interest. We initially thought that no one was living here but after our initial reconnaissance we conducted, there was a camp, so we chose to approach you directly."

Santos leaned forward, her hands clasped on the table. "Hmm...you are looking for one...where is your base then originally?"

"In Makati," Graves answered.

"Makati..." Santos repeated. "That's too far from where you came from."

"It's only thirty minutes by helicopter," Graves replied.

"How many of you are there?" Santos asked.

"There are about three thousand people...one thousand of which are military personnel and the rest are civilian," Graves replied.

Santos clicked her tongue softly. "That's a problem...I don't think we can accept you, Sir Graves. As much as we want to save as many as we can, there's not much resources to sustain that kind of number, including us. We are only five hundred and it's already hard. If we were to add your number—"

"You don't have to worry about their food and supplies, ma'am, as we already have ours. In fact, we have a surplus that we can share if you agree to let us move into your camp," Graves interjected, attempting to alleviate her concerns.

Santos looked skeptical. "Even with your supplies, the presence of such a large number could attract unwanted attention, potentially from hostile groups or even those... creatures. It's a risk."

Graves understood her hesitation. "We are well-equipped to handle any threats, ma'am."

Santos looked at Graves doubtfully, not believing his words.

"Okay...can I show you something? I have my tablet here that can show the latest pictures of our camp."

Santos nodded reluctantly. "Go ahead, let's see what you have."

Graves pulled out a sleek, military-grade tablet and powered it on. The screen lit up, displaying aerial images of a well-organized, fortified camp with various structures and what appeared to be advanced technological setups.

"This is our base in Makati," Graves began, pointing to different areas on the screen. "Here are our medical facilities, fully equipped. This section shows our food storage units – as I mentioned, we have a surplus. And this," he zoomed in on an area with various satellite dishes and antennae, "is our surveillance and communication center."

Santos leaned in, her interest piqued by the images. Graves took this as a cue to delve deeper.

"But we don't just rely on static defenses," he continued, swiping to another series of images. "Here are some of our mobile assets."

The screen now showed a lineup of military vehicles. "This is the LAV-25, an armored reconnaissance vehicle. It's fast and well-armed, perfect for quick response situations." He swiped again. "And this is the Abrams tank – very effective for heavy firepower and defense."

Santos raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. Graves continued, swiping through more images. "Here we have the JLTV Oshkosh, a versatile and durable vehicle for troop transport and support."

He then showed the MLRS and HIMARS, explaining their role in long-range support. "These are crucial for defending against larger threats," he noted.

Next came the Iron Dome system. "This is for missile defense. It's extremely effective in intercepting incoming threats."

The images of helicopters followed. "These are our Apaches and Vipers – great for air support and reconnaissance. And of course, our Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters, essential for troop movement and logistics."

Graves concluded with pictures of the AC-130, MQ-9 Reaper, and MQ-1 Predator drones. "These provide us with unmatched aerial surveillance and strike capabilities. With these assets, we can ensure the security of the area around the clock."

Santos couldn't believe her eyes. They are all equipped with the latest technology and weaponry. She was visibly taken aback by the sheer scale of Blackwatch's military capability.

"So...what is it going to be?"

Santos sighed. "This is not the decision I can make alone, I'll have to discuss this with the council. Is it okay if you can give us three days to make a decision?"

Graves nodded. "Three days is reasonable."

"Okay...great..." Santos smiled.