Coordinates: 4° S, 55° E (British Indian Ocean)
Name: Minos Island.
Overlooking from the sky, Minos still looked like a tropical island.
Large areas were covered by primeval forest for the Spartans' wilderness survival training, and the bleached beaches were equipped with barbed wire and other training facilities.
It was surrounded by the azure ocean.
If it weren't for the cluster of Base buildings on the west coast, the island would look more like a resort.
Minos had been newly planned by Halsey; it was no longer as 'crude' and 'disorganized' as it was six months ago.
There were more laboratory-like facilities, and a cryogenic storage room specifically for reserving the t-virus and serums.
The Osprey carrying the Spartans had landed steadily on the high platform of the helipad and was currently being maintained by Ground Crew Personnel.
— — — — — — —
...
Inside the Command Center on Minos Island;
The layout here was similar to the Command Centers in other Umbrella military Bases, only with fewer personnel and less equipment.
Furthermore, the personnel responsible for operation and communication were all selected from the island's USS and UBCS units.
In the center of the Command Center, there was an electronic table with a giant screen.
Halsey, wearing a white lab coat, was adjusting something beside this table.
She... seemed to have reverted to her old'sloppy' appearance again.
The black short-sleeved shirt under her lab coat was casually tucked into her loose black pajama pants.
Her light golden hair, which she used to manage well, was just tied up in a ponytail.
Perhaps she only bothered to dress up when William was around.
.
"Swish—"
"Doctor, is there something important?"
As the automatic door opened, Kent's voice came from behind her.
Turning around, she saw Kent leading fourteen Spartans into the Command Center, surrounding her.
"Yes."
Halsey skipped the pleasantries and directly used the touch panel to activate the electronic table.
The screen lit up.
What appeared before everyone was a satellite blueprint.
In the center of the image was an extremely underdeveloped desert city, which was also the hub for the East, West, and North roads.
The far right side of the display also showed a file description.
Time: October 12, 2007.
Location: Dadaab
Content:
At 06:17 today, the Umbrella military Base stationed on the Kenya grasslands dispatched a transport convoy to Lamu Port to acquire supplies and food.
The objective was the border between Kenya and Somalia for routine humanitarian aid.
The convoy consisted of twenty Security Personnel, twenty drivers, and twenty medium-sized trucks.
At 07:45, the convoy prepared to load cargo.
At 08:31, the convoy encountered an unexplained blockage on the mandatory route to the border.
After reporting the situation to the Base, the convoy turned around, attempting to find an alternative route.
At 08:55, the convoy passing through Dadaab city encountered an attack by no less than six thousand refugees, intermixed with a large number of armed personnel.
At 08:59, the last Security Personnel lost contact with the Base.
It has been confirmed that all personnel in this transport convoy were killed.
After reading the file contents, Kent frowned slightly and looked doubtfully at Halsey across the electronic table:
"Doctor, incidents of African refugees scrambling for food happen often, right?
Also, the convoy from the Kenya Base was attacked; they should dispatch troops to resolve it.
What does this have to do with our Minos?"
"It has everything to do with it."
Halsey walked slowly in front of John, glanced at the super-soldier she had created with her own hands, and then asked Kent in a light voice:
"Major, I ask you, what is the current combat capability of the Spartans?"
"Combat capability?"
Kent looked around at the Spartans, pondered for a moment, and replied:
"The current Spartans possess endurance, physical strength, and power beyond ordinary people.
If they had more actual combat experience, they would be perfect killing machines...
Wait..."
Before Halsey could explain, the Major guessed her intention and said:
"Doctor, you mean you want the Spartans to participate in this incident?"
"That's right."
Halsey patted John's right forearm and asked with a benevolent smile:
"John, if you were tasked with assassinating the leader of the armed elements, do you have the confidence to complete the mission?"
John first looked down at Halsey, then looked up at his teammates around him.
Karl smiled and nodded slightly; Myron grinned foolishly and gave a thumbs-up; the rest of the Spartans also showed their support.
Then John deliberately puffed out his chest and said calmly: "We have confidence, Ma'am.
Just as you taught us, nothing can stop the advance of the Spartans."
"Good children."
Halsey was not at all surprised by John's answer.
Immediately after, she returned to the electronic table, her slender hand sliding across the touchscreen.
Halsey changed the content displayed on the screen.
It switched from the original satellite overview map to a close-up image taken by a high-altitude drone.
The downtown area of Dadaab only had a few high-rise buildings; most were brick and tile houses or simple structures made of sheet metal and wooden poles.
Garbage piles were visible everywhere, and the streets and alleys were overgrown with weeds.
Outside the city were large, large tent-like cloth shelters.
The people here were emaciated, looking as if a single kick could break their bones, and their clothing was merely scraps of cloth covering their private parts.
In contrast,
The city center was by no means an exaggeration when called prosperous.
At least the people downtown had various types of clothing, and there were even many cars from the 1960s and 70s.
"Everyone."
Halsey dropped her smile and said with a serious expression: "Dadaab city has a population of about 490,000, and 350,000 of them are refugees.
In Dadaab, whoever controls the food and water controls the power of life and death here."
As Halsey spoke, her finger slid across the touch panel.
The screen was updated.
The new picture displayed was of a luxurious manor complete with a swimming pool, a Villa, a garden, and a large number of armed personnel standing guard.
It formed a stark contrast with the broken shanties and brick houses outside the walls.
The most conspicuous feature was the twenty trucks, neatly parked inside the manor, bearing the red and white Umbrella logo.
Seeing this,
John leaned forward with his hands on the table, carefully observing the manor, and asked: "Ma'am, is this our target?"
"Yes." Halsey explained to the group:
"According to various data collected by the Kenya Base.
A warlord named Gerard Mahmoud fled from Somalia into Kenya with his troops four months ago, and half a month ago, he completely took control of Dadaab.
The reasons for his flight and the attack on Umbrella are unknown.
The Kenya Base speculates that the continuous fighting led to a shortage of food, causing Mahmoud to set his sights on our Umbrella.
Hah~"
Halsey let out a scornful laugh: "Reasons unknown, huh... It seems this little warlord has some secrets.
However, I really have to thank him.
He's giving my Spartans a chance to have an exercise."
-------------------------------
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