Their Final Sin

Based on how life-threatening the situation was, the adrenaline levels could vary. The average human’s maximum adrenaline levels could only reach ‘Stage III’.

With their highly efficient bodies, the agents were able to easily reach ‘Stage III’ and effectively use the high adrenaline levels to provide stunning results.

Normally, ‘Stage III’ levels of adrenaline would have been considered as the final stage or the limit of the human body. But since these highly efficient bodies outperformed any other human body significantly, Mr Kawasaki was confident that in a final life-threatening situation, not only ‘Stage IV’ but even ‘Stage V’ could be achieved.

No one knew, not even Mr Kawasaki could predict, how ‘Stage V’ would be like. With such high adrenaline levels in the bloodstream, would they get superhuman strength? How long would they last until the blood vessels burst open and the whole body breaks apart?

---

“This is the rebel-controlled territory in Afghanistan. We are still not sure how they are able to get hold of arms and other supplies. We estimate that there are around one hundred and fifty rebels in this specific camp right here.” the Director said as he pointed to a rural isolated village on the map of Afghanistan.

“We five need to completely wipe out the 150 Afghan rebels in the area. That way you are hoping that the situation can be life-threatening enough to allow us to reach ‘Stage V’ right?” John asked.

“Very straightforward...I see. I prefer it that way.” the Director cleared his throat. “Yes, you are right. We shall airdrop you right in the middle of the enemy camp and shall observe you through our surveillance drones. Once the job is done, the US Air Force will take the responsibility of bringing you all back home. IS THAT CLEAR?”

“YES SIR!” the agents answered in unison.

“Home huh…” John muttered. His gaze was fixed on the floor. He hadn’t heard that word in a long time. “Richard, after this, let’s party like crazy. Until we blackout.”

“Haha, yeah...”

---

The operation had begun. The agents sat on the helicopter that would be taking them to the enemy camp. Their parachutes were strapped to their backs and they held the huge Barrett M82 sniper rifles in their hands. The AR-15 rifles were strapped to their backs too, along with a Glock-9 handgun in their side pocket.

“The Director...I don’t think he has any combat experience. Forget about the adrenaline rush, with such high oxygen levels, our accuracy has indeed skyrocketed. I don’t think he realises how useful that is.” Jason said.

“Haha, he really thinks we are going to die in this battle.” John smirked. “We’re gonna make it out alive.”

The helicopter flew over deserts and barren lands and finally, the village was in sight.

“We have reached. The camp is right below us!” the pilot shouted.

“Roger that. Let the operation commence.” John announced and jumped off the helicopter. Jason and Richard followed him and jumped off the helicopter while Viktor and Brian took aim from the helicopter itself.

John, Jason and Richard grabbed their sniper rifles and took aim as they fell through the dusty grey sky. The sound of three gunshots pierced the silence in the air.

Three rebel soldiers fell dead.

The sirens rang and the enemy soldiers started shouting. They realised that they were being attacked.

The three of them opened their parachutes and landed on the rooftop of three different buildings.

“Go all out. Viktor and Brian have aerial dominance. They’ll cover for us.” John instructed.

“Roger!” Richard and Jason replied as they began to move.

Richard had already switched to his assault rifle. Even though he was on the rooftop of a building, he could hear them scurrying in confusion, yelling in a language he did not understand. He slowly moved down the stairs and threw the grenade.

-KABOOM!-

The shrieks of the soldiers sank back into silence with the noise of the explosion. Smoke escaped through the windows of the building as Richard jumped down to the ground and looked around for enemy targets.

From the thick, black smoke, a small boy crawled out. He was severely wounded and dust covered his whole face. He looked just like the sky, gloomy and melancholic. The little boy desperately struggled as he tried to crawl out of the smoke towards Richard while muttering something in a different language.

Another shot rang through the battlefield. Richard stood with his handgun pointed at the boy’s head. Smoke rose through the nozzle of the gun and blood from the boy’s head scattered everywhere. He had shot the boy without giving it a second thought.

Meanwhile, another building exploded in the background. The sound of the rapid gunfire ripped the atmosphere. The rebels had finished assessing the situation and had finally mobilized their forces.

Richard ran towards the epicentre of the gunshots. A rebel soldier had appeared from the side but was shot by him instantly.

Richard had reached the epicentre of the rapid firing gunshots. Probably fifty of the rebel soldiers were present in the building opposite to the wall behind which John and Jason were crouching. Richard managed to dodge the gunshots and quickly slid behind the wall, joining John and Jason.

“Things are already looking bad. There’s a machine gun in that building pointed at us. They have already mobilized their forces. They know our location too.” John shouted.

“What are your orders?” Richard replied.

John looked around and took a deep breath. “I’ll throw the smoke bomb, and then you move out from the right while Jason moves out from the left. I’ll take care of the machine gun at the top of the building. You both finish the remaining enemy soldiers.
“ROGER!” Richard and Jason shouted together.

John threw the smoke bomb. It exploded mid-air, covering the whole area in grey smoke. The machine gun began firing again as the gunshots got louder. John stood up and threw the grenade through one of the windows of the building.

The whirring of the machine gun ended with the bang from the explosion. John then ran into the building too. The soldiers inside the building were blinded by the grenade’s explosion, thus giving Jason and Richard enough time to make it inside.

The gunfire had begun again. Three bullets hit Richard on his left arm but he continued to push forward. His left arm began to bleed from the bullet holes formed in his arm. Ignoring his arm, he pointed his assault rifle at the enemy soldier with one hand and fired.

His breathing became faster as his heart rate increased. He could feel the blood gushing from his heart to his arms and legs.

-Stage III-

The same sound played in his head. He continued to fire multiple rounds of ammunition with only his right hand. Suddenly an enemy soldier appeared from the staircase and shot him in the back. Richard stumbled as he felt the bullets pierce through his body.

Jason moved in and eliminated the enemy soldier instantly.

“RICHARD! Are you okay? Can you hear me?” Jason shouted.

“Look!” Richard said as he pointed at his left arm. The wounds on his left arm had healed already. “It’s healed already. I don’t feel the pain at all. I can continue.”

“Roger that,” Jason said as he turned around and ran up the stairs.

“Don’t just stand there! Keep moving, Richard!” John shouted as he ran up the stairs too.

Richard nodded and followed his fellow agents.

They had reached the terrace. Most of the enemy soldiers in the building had been eliminated.

Suddenly a shot was fired from a distance. The bullet whizzed past the buildings and hit Jason in the leg.

“Enemy sniper! Hide!” John shouted.

They crouched behind a half-broken wall as John dragged Jason to safety.

“Jason! Hold it in! We are almost done with the operation. Reinforcements should come soon.” John shouted.

“The bleeding is heavy,” Richard said as he tore the sleeve of his shirt and tied it around Jason’s leg to slow down the bleeding.

“Don’t worry about me. This should heal in some time. Finish the operation!” Jason shouted.

“Alright. Just wait over here.” John said as he looked around, trying to access the situation.

“What are your orders?” Richard asked.

“We don’t know the precise location of the snipers. Just be aware of shots from the North-East direction. The remaining enemy soldiers must be-”

“Enemy soldiers in the West seem to be getting into vehicles and fleeing.” Viktor interrupted John through the radio.

“You know where to go now. Don’t let them escape.” John instructed.

“Roger!” Richard replied as he ran down the stairs with his assault rifle in his hand, ready to fire.

“Viktor, I’ll be heading North-East to eliminate the enemy sniper. Cover me.” John commanded.

“Roger that.”

The helicopter moved towards the North-East. John dropped his assault rifle and picked up his sniper rifle as he ran across the terrace. Gunfire rained on him as he made his way to the spot behind the broken wall.

A bullet deflected off John’s helmet, knocking it off. John tried firing in the same direction, but his rifle was jammed.

“Located! One sniper 30 degrees to your right.” Viktor reported over the radio.

“Too Late!” John yelled.

He ducked behind the broken brick wall and began to fix his jammed rifle. The bullet that was stuck in the gun wouldn’t come out. John struggled to fix the rifle but to no avail. During the whole struggle, he was too focused on the gun to realise that his head was popping out from the edge of the wall.

The enemy snipers took their aim for their final shot.

Even if their bodies were highly efficient with a much higher regeneration capability, a shot to the head would still be fatal.

The bullet that had been lodged in the rifle finally came out. But before John could turn back and fire, he heard a gunshot. It was too late.

The bullet had already been fired.