FLAG Ep. 11: Reunion Through the Viewfinder

The SDC returns to base and learns the shocking news that the UN headquarters in Subasci has been taken over. Shirasu asks Aqbal what’s going to happen and Aqbal tells her to go to the command center because they have to resupply quickly before deploying again. Inside the command center, no one is able to make contact with headquarters, and an officer notes to Su-Ming that the headquarters building has at least 1,000 personal terminals. Su-Ming mentions that they believe the insurgents dedicated 1,000 men to the mission. The command center receives feeds from news agencies with footage showing a Longku stationed outside the headquarters. Eversalt reports that they can launch in 15 minutes, but the senior officer wants to hold off since they’re completely cut off from Command HQ. Eversalt thinks that the enemy must know they know about the flag, and if they don’t launch an attack now it’ll slip away again. The senior officer debates whether they should prioritize getting the flag from Ru Pou Temple or liberating headquarters, but either way they need to find out what’s going on inside the headquarters. News agencies report that the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting over the recent attack. Akagi records footage of the empty streets and heads to the journalists’ bar, where everyone is working stories. They watch a video address from Ru Pou and spot the flag on display behind him. Lisa notes that the flag has been holding everything together, and if they lose that the country will fall into civil war. The hacker wonders if civil war is Ru Pou’s goal. Akagi captures video footage of UN recon helicopters flying above the Ru Pou Temple. At the SDC command center, Eversalt comments that liberating their headquarters takes priority over anything else. Shirasu talks to the UN inspector, who thinks that he’s lucky to have been there and not at the headquarters. The inspector thinks that Shirasu is impressive for being out on the battlefield at a young age to get pictures. He mentions that Eversalt taking Nikkanen out on a mission is a clear violation of military regulations, and Shirasu comments that the SDC is the only group capable of taking action right now. The inspector says they need to wait because orders to neutralize the Gelut will come from New York soon enough. He thinks that groups like SDC acting recklessly on their own are the biggest threat to the UN. Shirasu mentions that everyone in the SDC has something precious they want to protect and asks him if he has anything like that. He laughs and answers that it’s his family. At an SDC briefing, Eversalt tells the team that the Gelut have probably beefed up defenses. Su-Ming outlines that their main objective is to take control of the communications center.

In Subasci, the Gelut maintain their silence following the occupation of the UN headquarters. In the journalists’ bar, reporters work their sources to try and piece together what’s happening. Akagi thinks about everything that has happened and realizes that he’s missing a piece of the puzzle. Aqbal takes off in the transport heli with both HAVWCs in tow. Shirasu joins Olowokandi in his helicopter. Akagi wanders through Subasci at dusk and comes across the store owned by the former Kufura. She greets him from the rooftop and he heads upstairs to speak with her. The former Kufura comments that at this time of day she feels like she’s watching from the bottom of the sea. Akagi doesn’t understand, so she explains that long ago this area was the bottom of a sea. She comments that people are frightened, but all they can do is offer up prayers to the Kufura. Akagi hears a noise and spots the SDC helicopters approaching the city. He snaps pictures of the HAVWCs as the transport heli passes by. Smoke grenades are deployed to provide cover for the HAVWCs as they land on the ground. Ichiyanagi opens fire and takes out several insurgents who were shooting at him. Akagi rushes through the city in the back of a rickshaw. Snipers open fire from the headquarters, but Eversalt and Ichiyanagi take them out. Olowokandi warns them that two Longkus are heading their way, and he reports that the front entrance is blockaded. The two HAVWCs head for the front of a building and engage the Longku. Akagi reaches the hotel and starts taking pictures. Eversalt enters the building and kills multiple insurgents in a room where UN personnel are being held hostage. Outside, Ichiyanagi continues to engage a Longku. Two attack helicopters approach and buzz both Aabal and Olowokandi. The helicopters open fire on the HAVWCs, but Aqbal in turn opens fire on them. The right arm of Eversalt’s HAVWC takes damage, so Ichiyanagi moves forward and opens fire on the helicopter until he runs out of ammo. The enemy helicopter turns away as many UN attack helicopters arrive. UN tanks roll into the hotel complex and assist with the liberation of the headquarters. Akagi enters the hotel despite it being off limits and is able to get footage of the HAVWCs. As Shirasu takes off in Olowokandi’s helicopter, she spots Akagi on the ground and they each take pictures of each other.