Story - Welcome to Outlaw Country [Part 2]

[Author's note: I'm planning for this part and the next to have more dialog between Colonel Ridgeford and The Oligarch. I will be expanding upon their characters as well as Outlaw Country's lore] [Note: this scene takes place around the time our heroes were able to replace their SUVs flattened tires] The atmosphere in the elevator car is tense with displeasure and uncertainty. The Oligarch breaks the silence. “It is unfortunate that Revok's Federal Investigators were so easily overpowered by your former soldiers and...well, the test subject girl. I knew my scientists were close to something spectacular with that girl, but I never imagined her immense strength would ever be turned on us.” Ridgeford sighs with a slight hint of defeat in his displeasure “All actions we take have the risk of blowback, sir. This is a minor setback, I assure you. I have some men in Outlaw Country, acting as spies for us in the Federal Union. A few minutes and some phone calls and I can have them activated and looking out for our 'friends.'” The Oligarch sighs with relief. “That's good to hear, Colonel. I was wondering if you cou- Ridgeford interrupts his esteemed client. “Sir, we're at the point. I'll need you to scan your ID card when I scan mine. This way we can carry on to the 15th floor.” “...yes, thank you.” The two men apply their RFID chipped keycards to the card reader on the elevator's button panel. There is a satisfactory chirp and a green light activated near the card reader. With that, the elevator carries on. After a minute, the elevator stops and the doors open. The two men exit the elevator and continue on with their path. The Oligarch continues on with his questioning. “I was wondering, Ridgeford, if you could give me some more information on those two men you sent to secure the surrounding area of the black site my test subject was being kept at.” Ridgeford replies, in as formal a tone one could have. “Of course, sir. They were a two man cell I had formed some years ago. I had hand-picked them for infiltration and sabotage behind enemy lines during the Russo-Federal Union War. They went by the cell name “Wrecking Crew.” They were a two man cell, with Sergeant Major Addams being the leader and vehicle expert and Sergeant Morris being the demolitions expert. We would send them in, usually during the night, either by air or by land, into enemy forward operating bases, and they would covertly destroy enemy equipment and disrupt enemy supply lines. Their efforts were one of a few that helped convince the enemy to the negotiating table and an end to the war. Unbeknown to us, the Russo Confederation was already dealing with material shortages, so every vehicle they lost felt like a loss of five. They...ugh, they were damn good soldiers. It is regrettable they got mixed in all of this. If they had just stuck to securing the perimeter of the black site, as I had instructed, all of this mess could've been avoided...” The Oligarch smirks. “Good soldiers, Ridgeford? Well apparently those soldiers were a little too good. This baffles me, Ridgeford. These men, these good soldiers have too good a hearts for hardened killers. That one man, the Major...Addams, you said? Him. I've read over his file some, and I was surprised to see a man like him breaking protocol. He was a member of your ███████ Unit, wasn't he? Those men are far from what I would call “bleeding hearts.” Ridgeford jolts with shock and immediately snaps (with some restraint) at his client “SIR! PLEASE! I know you read the file I made you, but PLEASE do not invoke ███████ Unit! Ever! Yes, this is a secure building and the wing we're in is empty, but a key factor to ███████ Unit's success is that no one inside the Federal Union is to know about that unit. Hell, we don't even acknowledge the existence of Delta Unit. Back when Parliament held that damned committee investigation on alleged Delta Unit operations during the Russo-Federal Union War, our guys lied the entire time, under oath, even at points where it was obvious about Delta Unit's existence. If you invoke “that other” unit's name, it will put both of us in...very difficult positions and I 100% wish to avoid that.” The Oligarch takes Ridgeford's veild threat seriously and replies with a firm but consolatory apology. “My sincerest apologies, Colonel. That is a mistake, for the sake of our ongoing partnership, will not make again. You have my word, Colonel Ridgeford. The two men continue their conversation down the office complex. "Besides, he washed out of the program after a few months. He held out longer than most do. That particular unit has a 33% retention rate, but I had honestly thought Addams was cut out for the work. Still, even the wash outs go on to meaningful work in Gamma Unit's Special Forces and Delta Unit. 'Wrecking Crew' served under Gamma Unit." "What of the other soldier, the younger one? Morris? "Ah, Morris. Damn good explosives expert. Oh, you asked if he were ever part of the "other" unit? No. I had that unit's recruitment department run an aptitude test on Morris and he failed out almost instantly. His disposition is not cut out for that unit's line of work. The two men continued down the office complex, continuing their conversation.