In Randall's office, already in a foul mood due to the disappearance of his subordinates and a string of operational setbacks, Randall snapped at Lyle the moment he answered the call.
"Listen, my patience isn't infinite. Spit it out, what is it?" Randall demanded sharply.
"You think I have time to burn?" Lyle retorted. "We've got a guy dressed like a Scav here who claims to be one of your subordinates. Lucy ran a check and found out this guy is supposed to be dead, yet he insists he's the real deal. Get over here and identify him. If it's really your man, come pick him up right away—we don't have time to babysit him."
"Hello? Can you hear me, Commander Randall? It's me, Timothy Wright. We're still alive!"
Despite his simmering anger, Randall immediately recognized the voice as belonging to one of his missing men.
"That's great! You're alive," Randall said, his tone shifting. "I'll send a team to pick you up right now. We'll talk about the details when you get back."
Lyle gestured, handing the communicator over to him.
"So, you've confirmed this guy is your man, right?" Lyle asked. "Do you want us to drop these fellows off at the small factory to wait for your extraction team?"
"Thank you so much. I really appreciate the trouble."
"No need to be so polite," Lyle said. "Just bake us some of your homemade pizza next time."
"Haha, of course!"
Inside the Villa, having confirmed the headcount in the bedroom, Ariel crept silently to the bedroom door. He pulled out a tube connected to a hand pump with a spherical chamber in the middle. After pulling the safety pins off two gas grenades, he tossed them into the sphere, sealed it shut, and quickly slid the other end of the tube through the crack in the door, signaling Muse to stomp down hard on the pump.
Inside the bedroom, due to poor ventilation, the poisonous gas quickly filled the space. At first, Dopp and the others thought it was just a hallucination brought on by their own nervousness. But as the gas grew thicker, they began to gasp for air. Dopp was the first to collapse, losing consciousness. The White Wolf Company adjutant held out a little longer, but not much, and soon passed out as well. Now, Dopp and his White Wolf adjutant were nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered; once the gas cleared, the Valley would have a new leader.
When the men finally woke up, they found themselves bound hand and foot.
"What? You found Randall's missing men?" Ariel said into his comms. "Perfect. Bring them back to the Villa so we can get our gear back too."
"Got it," Lyle replied.
Hanging up, Lyle turned to look at the four men who were devouring their food like starving wolves.
"Let's move," Lyle told them. "Tell Randall we're changing the extraction point to the Villa."
"Holy shit," Timothy Wright blurted out, "if I remember correctly, there are only six of you in total, right? Two of you provide remote support, and the other four took on an entire squad's worth of troops?"
"Let me correct you," Lyle said. "Four of us provided the firepower, while the Commander and the adjutant went in and completely wrecked the White Wolf Company."
A Black Gold operative muttered, "Holy shit... no wonder you guys dare to talk smack about Keira."