The Insider System

Chapter 268: Captain Keel

Someone eventually came up to Donny and after they asked him a few questions he was told to go into the left group. Soon all of them had been put into a group and Master Rigbis started to talk again. "Alright we'll be doing the flip soon but it has been brought to my attention that there is someone here that deserves our attention."

Donny didn't like too much attention so he was really hoping Rigbis wasn't talking about him but when someone came up to him and asked for him to follow them up to the stage he knew he was about to be appreciated in the grandest fashion. "As a lot of you already know this is the man who led the group of survivors back to the fortress. What's your name, young man?"

"Donny." Donny just gave the first name because he didn't want anyone to bring up his family. "Well Donny I would like to thank you for everyone in the fortress for bringing us our friends back when we all thought they were gone. Everyone give Donny a round of applause." Hearing all the people in the room start to clap for him he wondered how he was supposed to be able to act like a normal person in his team.

All he had wanted was to go out and fight but now people would be trying to talk to him the whole time. He guessed he should let it happen before he started to worry about it. Once the applause ended Rigbis said. "I've heard the story from one of the people you saved so I would like to promote you to vice captain of team two. I know that if anything happens to captain Keel you'll lead the team back to the fortress like you did in the past."

Hearing that he now had a position with some authority he stopped worrying about what the other people in the team would do while they were out there because he could just tell them what to do now. Looking at the person that was at the front of his group Donny walked down to stand beside them to a second but smaller round of applause.

Once he was next to who he was assuming was Captain Keel Rigbis went back to talking. "Alright time for the flip. Would someone bring me a gold coin?" Seeing someone run towards the stage with a gold coin Donny knew he was about to see a time honored tradition in the Metal Domain, the blessed coin flip.

Once the coin was in Rigbis' hand the prayer to the God of Metal started. Bowing his head like everyone else he only looked up once the prayer ended to see the coin had landed on heads. "Team one will be the first to go into the city to start the extermination."

Donny wasn't sure if he was crazy but he would have preferred to have gone out first because he felt he would have been of great help to the first people to step out of the fortress in a couple of days but a blessed coin flip was final so he would have to wait. The other team would have people that could do the same types of things he could so they would be fine unless there was a situation where they would be wiped out no matter what they did.

Seeing the other team getting ready and that people had started to make some noise Donny used the opportunity to introduce himself to captain Keel. "Hello I'm Donny."

"I know, I asked for you to be my second in command after someone pointed you out to me when you walked in." Donny guessed that had been what had caused Rigbis to become aware of him as well so in a way it was caption Keel's fault that he had been clapped towards. Donny could forgive this though since it had put him in a better position.

"It looks like we'll have a chance to talk about what's happening to the other group while they're out there. Would you like to join me in the command room?" Donny felt this was a great way for them to get used to each other so when it came time to lead their team out into the city they wouldn't be complete strangers so he agreed.

Being led to the top of the fortress by captain Keel Donny saw that they had small slits that they could see out over the battle and was about to ask if he could look out when captain Keel said. "We'll be told when we can look when the fight is going on but they aren't out there yet so go ahead."

Walking over Donny looked through the various slots to see they could see the entire area around the base in this one spot with the use of mirrors. It was a cool system he had never seen before but he didn't spend too much time using it because more important looking people including Rigbis had started to enter the command room.

Walking back over to captain Keel Donny was about to ask about the view wall when he heard Rigbis start to give orders. "Open the side gate." Realizing everyone else was silent Donny kept his mouth shut and just watched. A few seconds after the first order the person who had been looking out of the view screen backed up and told Rigbis that it looked clear.

Rigbis took a couple of seconds to think it over before giving the order to move out of the fortress. After he said this Rigbis started to look into the view screen himself before backing off and calling out. "Captain Keel, come get a look." Watching Keel move over there Donny wondered if he could have gotten away with going as well but decided it was for the best if he just stayed in place.

"Do you see the building to the left?" After Keel nodded to Rigbis' question, Rigbis asked. "What do you think? Should we reroute?" Donny would love to actually see what they were talking about but he did his best to picture it himself. "Just warn them that something is moving on the inside."

Hearing that they were talking about actual enemies and not just a building the situation started to make more sense to him. "Can you hear me?" Seeing Rigbis pull out a communicator he listened for an answer. "Yes sir."

"The building ahead has movement, get ready for a fight."

"We have eyes on them. Thank you for the warning." Once that was done Rigbis sent Keel back and took his place at the view wall. Donny had a hard time not instantly asking Keel about what he saw but was able to keep his mouth shut since there was combat going on outside. After a while the communicator came back on. "Building clear. It was gargoyles and a few undead."

"Alright move to the next building down." This process repeated a couple of times before Rigbis said. "Donny, would you like to look this time?" Donny had no idea who would say no to an offer like that after being in almost complete darkness this whole time so he felt like he didn't even need to answer the question and walked over to look through the view.

Seeing the group from the fortress moving to a building that was on the edge of the area the fortress was in the middle of he was unable to see any movement from inside but he was sure every building out there had at least a few undead inside. Feeling someone pull him back Donny pulled his face away from the view window to let them take a look.

"There doesn't seem to be anything going on, maybe we were worried for nothing." Hearing what the guy who had replaced him at the view screen said Donny agreed but he really didn't think it was smart to assume everything was alright with them only being out there for 20 minutes.

He didn't say this though since the guy who had said it seemed important and he didn't want to step on any toes. "Alright lets give the order for them to split so they can clear two buildings at once." After Rigbis said this he pulled out his communicator and gave the order.

Realizing his turn to look was over Donny walked back to where Keel was and whispered. "When will we be going out there?" All seeing the outside had done was reignite his want to go out and fight. "When we're told to and if something bad happens we might never get to go out."

With how it was going for the people outside Donny guessed it could be hours before they switched so he just settled in and started to watch what everyone in the room was doing. He had never really seen this kind of operation since all his experience came from the field so this was a good chance for him to learn how a military operation worked.