As Gates opened fire on their mystery attackers, Princess Luna deployed a magical shield around herself, Celestia, and Twilight for protection against the hail of bullets flying around them. Sipes ducked behind a loaded cart and hurled a Sensor Grenade to aid his team leader.

"Gates, I see them! On that building on the right side!" Sipes yelled over the Cross-Com. "They've got us pinned down!"

"Roger that! Trevor, Adams, get the Princesses out of here! We'll deal with this!" Gates ordered. The other two Ghosts sheltered Celestia and Luna as they moved the into an alley away from the ambush. As they took defensive positions, Gates moved up and switched on his Magnetic Filter on his Cross-Com.

As three hostiles appeared in pale blue in the gray background, Gates realized they were using Active Camo like they were. Gates slid behind a food cart and lined up his sights. Motioning to Sipes for a burst of suppressive fire, his fellow Ghost opened up with his Goblin PDR. Gates moved up and pulled the pin on a frag grenade, and hurled it onto the rooftop.

The grenade soon detonated, obscuring the hostiles in a cloud of dust and debris. As the bullets ceased flying and the two Ghosts breached the door, they ascended the stairs to find three hostiles, wearing black and yellow, lying dead on the ground and partially blown apart.

"Who are these guys?" Sipes asked. "I thought we were the only ones with Camo tech."

"Not anymore." Gates said, searching one of the bodies. Reaching into a pouch on the side, he pulled out a unit patch portraying a snarling jaguar on the front of the South American continent, and two words in Spanish.

Los Extranjeros

"Damn." Gates cursed. "Mercenaries."

"How can you tell?" Sipes asked.

"I know another Ghost team who took these guys on after Operation Kingslayer in Bolivia." Gates said. "These bastards ran the country for a few weeks and made Santa Blanca's regime look pleasant while doing it. They're elite rank, with expert training and tactics."

"Shit." Sipes said. "And how do you know all this?"

"I got a copy of that team's AAR when they toppled the Extranjeros' command structure." Gates replied, continuing to search the other bodies. "If they're here, that's a big problem."

"You think?" Adams said, coming in. "You figure these guys bombed the UN?"

"These guys? Well, maybe, seeing as they were officially broken up by the UN itself for human rights abuses when they were brought down. But they're just mercenaries, someone has to be paying them or controlling them." Gates said, snapping a few photos. "That doesn't explain the camo tech, though. Where'd they get that?"

"No clue." Trevor said from the doorway. "Celestia's brought her guards to clean up the site. We should report to Mitchell about this, and soon."

As the Ghosts helped drag the bodies down the stairs, Celestia and the other Princesses approached with a Royal Guard Platoon. As the dead mercenaries were covered under white tarps, Gates opened a connection to Mitchell.

"Aegis, this is Mitchell. What's your status, we heard gunfire over the cross-com."

"This is Aegis." Gates replied. "We were ambushed by Los Extranjeros mercenaries, equipped with Camo tech. Three KIA."

"Roger." Mitchell replied. "I'm sending you some reinforcements, Castle. Lock down the site and find any intel you can on the bodies. Hunter and Patriot Teams are incoming. I figure you'll need to introduce them. They'll be going by their callsigns, I suggest you do the same."

"Roger that." Gates said. "Aegis Lead out."

"So, if we're going by call-signs now, what are they?" Trevor asked as the Ghosts headed to Twilight's castle.

"What do you think, Skate?" Gates said. "Remember that I've read your files, gents."

"Right in one, Aegis Lead." Sipes said. "I've missed my call-sign."

"And what's that?" Adams raised an eyebrow. "Mine was Ivy."

"It's Domino." Sipes replied. "So, what's the plan?"

"We find out where those mercs came from, and we shut them down." Gates said. "We'd better brief the Princesses before Patriot and Hunter get here."

====

"So, these mercenaries..." Celestia asked once she, Twilight, and Luna were informed of the new threat. "They were disbanded for their crimes in Bolivia?"

"Affirmative." Gates said. "Problem is, that was five years ago. If they're up and running again, we'll need intel as to who got them out of the ground."

"Agreed." Luna replied. "But where do we start?"

"We've got two additional Ghost Teams incoming to help with that." Sipes said. "Designations are Hunter and Patriot. Once they get here, we'll start getting our plan ready."

"Alright." Twilight said. "How long should it be?"

"Not sure." Gates said, glancing at his wristwatch. "They're usually pretty punctual from what I've heard."

Then, Gates' radio crackled.

"Aegis Lead, this is Hunter Lead, do you copy?" a voice replied.

"We copy, Hunter. What's your location?" Gates replied.

"We've linked up with Patriot Team and we're moving to your position now." Hunter Lead replied. "We arrived in an apple orchard near the east side of the town."

"We'll come to you." Gates said. "Be advised, local royalty is coming in with us, so don't engage. We've got a lot to tell you."

"I don't doubt it." said another voice. "This is Nomad. Aegis Lead, it's been awhile."

"It certainly has been, Nomad." Gates said. "On our way."

As the Ghosts of Aegis Team, followed by Celestia and Luna, headed for Sweet Apple Acres, they didn't notice a second team of cloaked soldiers watching them through a sniper scope from atop the nearby hill.

"It appears that Team One has been neutralized." the sniper said, adjusting the zoom on his SVS Sniper Rifle. "Should we engage them?"

"Negative." the spotter replied. "We have our orders. The mercs were only the distraction. We rendezvous at The Cavern once they were eliminated. We've wasted enough time here."

As the two soldiers broke off and headed for the Everfree, the image of a wolf's head patch appeared for a brief moment on their shoulders before they vanished.

====

As the two Bodark soldiers reached the base of Whitetail Mountain, they pulled up a holographic mesh driven into the rock, revealing an abandoned mineshaft. As they entered the tunnel and passed the entrance, they soon arrived in the main atrium and command center.

As they passed by several teams of Los Extranjeros mercs and several more Bodark units checking supplies, moving crates, and monitoring radios, they headed for the barracks on the east side of the mine.

"So, how much longer do we have?" the spotter asked his partner. "The Americans and the locals will find us sooner or later."

"We have enough firepower here to take on a small army." the sniper replied. "Plus, if they do manage to infiltrate our defenses, we have the Tusker with us."

"Don't remind me." the spotter replied as they entered the garage, where a four-wheeled drone mounted with a minigun and grenade launcher was being repaired. The drone had wheels and clawed legs capable of walking alongside driving, and it boasted 5cm of armor plating. The Bodark logo was plastered on the front.

"And when those bastards come here..." one of them said. "It will be ready."

Author's Note

Yep, Los Extranjeros and the Bodarks are working together. But who's controlling them? That still remains a secret.