Conspiracy (1)

Paul Mack was a member of a four-person squad from the Federal Air Force 7th Wing's 4th Squadron stationed at Lackland Air Force Base. With over four years of service, he was enjoying a boring but safe career of domestic patrols, training, and escort missions. For an old soldier who had participated in the Iraq War and was already tired of conflict, this was more than enough. After all, he didn't have to run around the world on frequent missions; flying a sortie every day was sufficient.

However, the Black man in his unit, Captain Billy Felix, didn't feel the same way. He always believed that war and gunfire were what a soldier should experience and face. Thus, he would often complain in front of Mack, saying he would rust if he stayed like this any longer.

Mack would just smile at this, not telling Felix that war wasn't as glorious as he imagined. The moment missiles hit the ground, they killed not only enemies but also one's conscience.

Fortunately, despite Captain Felix's usual boisterous nature common among Black people, he was a good lad overall. Therefore, Mack wasn't too disappointed with his partner.

Yet, this bickering pair, the 'Black and White Twin Fiends', encountered an unprecedentedly shocking event and a crisis of faith during what was supposed to be a routine patrol and flight mission a few days prior.

It was a clear, fine day. Mack even remembered the exceptionally magnificent blue of the sky, as deep and vast as a crater lake. General Wicks, the base's highest commander, signed a flight and patrol order as usual.

What was slightly different was that the day's mission involved an armed patrol. This meant Mack and Felix were equipped with more than two Tomahawk missiles each, along with other gear. The firepower was sufficient to destroy a small town.

However, obedience was a soldier's duty. Neither Mack nor Felix questioned it further. They simply boarded their aircraft, took off, and followed the route given by the control tower, flying west along the state highway.

And it was this flight that led Mack and Felix to witness something that left them dumbfounded.

"Boom."

A burst of flames erupted, startling Mack and Felix, who were flying near California State Route 4. They reported to command in surprise.

"Reporting to command, near California State Route 4, we've discovered two groups engaged in intense combat. Oh, wait, they're actually firing Sidewinder Missiles! Command, is our military striking terrorists nearby? My God!"

Mack exclaimed, seeing two fully armed Apache Helicopters suddenly shot down by something. Subsequently, the armored vehicles and soldiers on the ground were also attacked and destroyed, massacred, leaving him utterly horrified.

"What on earth is that thing?" came the voice of his equally astonished wingman. "Hey, command, did you see that?"

"No," came the hurried voice of a liaison officer from command. "Falcon 2, your onboard cameras suddenly malfunctioned. We can't see the battle ahead. Please respond, what do you see?"

"Never mind what that is..."

General Wicks' voice suddenly cut in. He gave a direct order: "That's the enemy! Falcon 1, Falcon 2, in my capacity as commander of Lackland Air Force Base, I order you to launch two Tomahawk missiles at the center of the battlefield! Immediately!"

"But..." Both Mack and Felix had doubts at the time. After all, launching Tomahawk missiles domestically wasn't something that could be brushed aside lightly. No matter how valid the order was, they would have to write countless reports afterward.

But perhaps General Wicks had other ideas; he didn't give them a chance to think, forcing the order: "This is an order! Now! Immediately! Launch!"

"..." Mack and Felix exchanged glances.

With their superior's order, and the aircraft close enough to visually confirm the situation below, the two were also stunned by the incredible scene before them and involuntarily pressed the launch buttons.

"...Target acquired! Fire!"

As the viewers know, the Son of Krypton, who was reeling from the Tomahawk missile strike, angrily threw a wrecked tank at them. Fortunately, the Federal Air Force's ace pilot's skills were superb. He pulled back on the controls in time, dodged to the side, and under General Wicks' renewed command, launched a second Tomahawk missile. To their disbelief, the target remained completely unharmed.

"The target is completely fine, command, command... Damn it."

Coupled with seeing the group below, whom they initially thought were allies, immediately flee when the F-22 arrived, both Mack and Felix sensed something was wrong. Disregarding the order, especially seeing that the monster below seemed unharmed, this supernatural event that defied human understanding terrified the two Federal ace pilots. They urgently pulled back on their controls, ascended to a higher altitude, and fled in a hurry.

Upon returning to the base, Mack and Felix were shocked to hear that General Wicks, who had signed the flight order and commanded the missile launch, had died in a car accident. This frightened Mack, now a Major, and Felix, still a Captain, who had felt something was amiss from the very beginning.

Afterward, following two days of questioning and house arrest, even Felix knew he had been drawn into a terrifying conspiracy. Especially when the military personnel asking questions inquired about what they had deployed the F-22 to strike, both of them couldn't help but recall the figure possessing monstrous strength that was impossible for a human.

But neither the base personnel nor the military believed their account, dismissing it as utter nonsense. It wasn't until the troops sent to confirm the scene discovered that the situation was indeed as they described that everyone was shocked and exchanged glances.

After the message had been relayed through several channels, their punishment was finally decided: dismissal from military service and twenty years of imprisonment!

Regardless of how the Black man broke down and yelled upon hearing this news, the more experienced Major Mack, who had thought more deeply, knew things weren't that simple.

Yes, Mack absolutely did not believe that the head of a base, one of the Federal's Two-Star Lieutenant Generals, General Wicks, would be so easily run over and killed at the base entrance. That was too absurd. He was more inclined to believe that General Wicks had been silenced by the mastermind behind all of this.

After all, what happened that day was truly unbelievable. An invulnerable, incredibly strong... Alien?

"God, please protect all lost lambs... protect them so they may safely and healthily return to your embrace."

The Major, his faith shattered, prayed muttering to himself, regardless of whether he was praying correctly.

"In the face of death, God is nothing but a coward!" a sinister voice echoed in the darkness.

"Is that so? Then, Knight of Darkness, do you fear him?" another stern, deep voice suddenly said.

"!"