"Why do we look different," the young, six-year-old boy asked. He looked up at his white-skinned, dirty blonde haired, brown-eyed mother with innocent green eyes. His dark brown hair and tan skin were quite the contrast from her.
"You took after your father," she said, not looking away from her food. The boy twirled his fork in his food a bit, before asking, "What was he like?" His mother glared at him. He cringed a little.
"All you need to worry about is your education," the mother said sternly, "How else are you going to become a world class surgeon?"
"Ok," the boy answered sadly.
"All he ever does is read books," one of the boys snickered in his friend's ear.
"What a weirdo," the other snickered back. The now eight-year-old, green-eyed boy overheard them, digging his nose deeper into his book to hide his embarrassment.
"George? What're you up to," the teacher asked sweetly.
"Reading," George answered, barely looking up from his book.
"You do that quite a lot," the teacher commented, "Why don't you try playing with the other kids?"
"I'm good," George answered, glancing at the boys snickering at him, "But, thank you." He smiled apologetically. The teacher frowned just slightly, before patting him on the head, "Ok, then. But you should try some other things out sometime."
"Bookworm! Bookworm," one of the boys teased. George, now ten, shoved his hands in his pockets, walking quickly towards home.
"George Boone? More like George BOOK," another boy cackled. Hitching his bag higher up on his shoulder, George Boone started to jog.
"I wonder how much those books will help you if you fall," one of the boys suggested. Another ran up next to Boone and pushed him. Boone hit the ground hard, scraping up his elbow. Barely even flinching, Boone quickly picked himself up and started running at a flat sprint to escape the group of laughing boys. Arriving home, Boone pushed the door open while gasping for breath.
"That you, George," he heard his mother's voice shout.
"Yes," Boone shouted back, still breathless. His mother appeared, frowning, holding out her hand demandingly. Boone removed his bag, handing her the strap. She quickly opened it, pulled out the papers inside, and began looking them over. Her frown deepened, "You got a C?!" Boone flinched, "It was just History."
"Just History," his mother exclaimed, nearly screeching. She grabbed a belt off of the table next to her, "You need a perfect grade if you're going to get into Johns Hopkins! A C will not cut it!" Boone tried to jump away from the belt, but was left with a new cut across his chest to match the scars already there, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Go clean yourself up," his mother stated, walking away. Boone dragged himself to the bathroom. Opening the medicine cabinet, he pulled out alcohol, gauze, and medical tape before proceeding to dress his wounds. He didn't even give his elbow any thought.
Boone turned his head at the old man's sigh. The gentleman was sitting at one of the chess tables in the park. His table was all set for a game, but one participant seemed to be missing. Boone walked over to the table, "Is everything ok?"
"Hm," the old man turned towards him, "Oh, it's nothing. I used to play chess here with my son, but he's become so busy lately, he no longer has the time. I'm simply figuring out how to spend my time now." Boone was looking at the table curiously. The old man noticed, "Do you know how to play?"
"No," Boone answered.
"Would you like to learn," the old man asked, a sparkle in his eye.
"I should be going to the library," Boone said nervously, scratching his head.
"Just one game," the old man urged. Boone thought for a second, "One game." One game turned into two, which in turn became five.
"Not bad," the old man commented, as Boone took his rook with a bishop. Boone smiled. "But, you must always keep track of who has access to your king," the old man said, moving his queen across the board, trapping Boone's king, "Checkmate." Boone's face dropped.
"I must say, though, you're figuring it out quick," the old man chuckled. Boone's face began to light up again.
"GEORGE," Boone's mother shouted, storming across the park. Boone quickly stood up, his shoulders hunched.
"What are you doing," his mother shouted, "You're supposed to be at the library. Studying!" Boone just stared at his feet.
"We were playing some chess, ma'am," the old man said gently. Boone's mother glanced at him. "If all he does is read, his brain won't absorb any of it," the old man continued with a slight wave of his hand, "But if he supplements it with something like puzzles, or chess, well, his brain will have the chance to reset while still fueling his intellect." Boone's mother stared the old man down for a moment, before huffing, "As long as it doesn't interfere with your studies. Be home before dinner!" The old man smiled, "Of course." Boone looked at the old man with awe as his mother left. The old man winked at him, "Now, would you like to go first? Or shall I?"
It was a Saturday morning, and Boone was waiting at the chess tables in the park, like he'd been doing for the past three years. "He's running late," Boone commented to himself. The old man, a Mr. Bell, hadn't made it the previous Saturday. Boone frowned, concerned. He sat for a few more minutes. A man sat down across from him, causing him to look up. The stranger looked like a younger version of Mr. Bell.
"You must be George," the man said, holding out a hand. Boone shook his hand gingerly, "Yes."
"My name is Richard Bell," the man continued, "You had been playing chess with my father." Boone nodded, a bit worried by Richard's wording. Richard stared sadly at the chess table, "My father became quite ill last week. He passed away on Tuesday." Boone just stared at Richard.
"Thank you," Richard said quietly, "For playing with my father." He stood up and left. Tears began to stream slowly down Boone's face.
It had been two years since Mr. Bell had passed away, yet Boone still spent his Saturdays at the park. Most boys at the age of fifteen would be quite tall, yet Boone was still on the short side, easily shorter than many girls in his grade. This morning found him sitting on a bench, staring at the clouds.
"What's a kid like you doing outside on this beautiful day," a stranger's voice said. Boone tilted his head in the direction of the voice. The man was dressed in jeans and a blue button up shirt, both of which were covered in dirt and grime. Boone raised a questioning eyebrow. The man laughed, "Most boys your age would be spending a day like today inside, playing video games. It's nice to see someone outside for once." Boone shrugged, turning back to the sky.
"Hey, actually," the man said, walking closer. Boone's focus snapped back towards the stranger. "Your hands are just a bit smaller than mine," the man pointed out, "Mind if I ask a favor?"
"This," Boone asked, pulling a ring out of the car's engine block.
"Yeah, that's it," the man, a mechanic, exclaimed, nearly jumping with joy.
"How'd it get in there," Boone questioned innocently.
"Well, Mr. Zimmer, I guess, was checking out his engine, barely got his hand out, but his wedding band got left behind," the mechanic answered. Boone looked at him questioningly.
"Big hands, big ego, big cheater," the mechanic clarified, in a disapproving voice.
"Well, I should be going," Boone stated, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Wait a second," the mechanic said. Boone stopped. "The name's Jim, Jim Wilkes," the mechanic said, offering a hand, "My wife's about to make lunch. Would you like to join us? As payment for the help?" Boone looked at the proffered hand for a moment, before grabbing and shaking it, "George Boone. And, I guess, lunch sounds pretty good about now."
"So, you're the one who was able to get the ring out," Jim's wife said cheerily. Boone nodded. "Thank you! Although, I don't think my husband should've even accepted that job," she said, setting down a plate of sandwiches and giving Jim a look.
"I don't like him either, but if I didn't take it, he'd spread word around town that'll sully the business," Jim shrugged, grabbing a sandwich.
"A man as disloyal as him should be taught a lesson," Jim's wife stated.
"Karen," Jim pleaded.
"That poor woman," Karen muttered, shaking her head.
"Why don't you tell her," Boone asked.
"I'm sure she already knows," Karen answered, then shaking her head, "She's just too scared of him leaving and cutting off her income." Boone frowned.
"Rich people," Jim scoffed, "They worry more about money than they do their family." Karen placed a sandwich on a plate and set it in front of Boone. Boone glanced at her sheepishly, before picking up the sandwich and taking a bite.
"What do you have for this afternoon," Karen asked Jim.
"Let's see," Jim responded, leaning back and closing his eyes in thought, "Mrs. Fredericks needs an oil change, and Gil blew another engine."
"Another one? When will that child learn," Karen commented. Jim noticed Boone's curious gaze.
"You're welcome to watch, if you want," he offered.
"So, you have to keep the top plug out," Boone asked, staring at the engine.
"Yep, or else it'll create a vacuum, and you'll never get the oil out proper," Jim answered from below the car.
"Hm," Boone responded.
"It's actually really simple once you learn," Jim continued, "Then you place the pan where the oil's gonna come out, and undo this here plug." Boone looked down under the car, where Jim was pointing. Undoing the plug, oil came gushing out into the pan. After a couple of minutes, the oil had slowed to a drip. Jim screwed the plug back in. Pointing to what looked like a can, he said, "This here is the filter. There's a couple of tools for taking it off. They're pretty efficient, but not fun." Boone raised a curious eyebrow.
"Wanna know the fun way," Jim asked, a mischievous grin on his face. Boone nodded. Jim jammed a screwdriver through the side of the filter. Oil drizzled out of the puncture holes. He used the screwdriver to unscrew the filter, then looked over to see Boone's astonished face.
"Knowing when something's gonna get tossed makes the job more enjoyable," Jim shrugged. He grabbed the new filter, and dipping his finger in the new oil proceeded to run it around the lip of the filter before screwing it in.
"All that's left is to fill her up," Jim said, sliding out from under the car.
"Seems pretty easy," Boone commented.
"As I said, this is simple once you learn," Jim stated, then shrugging, "But most people are lazy, so it gives me more business." Boone looked at his watch.
"Getting late for ya," Jim asked, wiping off his hands.
"Yeah, normally I'd be heading home about now," Boone said, with a disappointed sigh.
"Well," Jim said, clapping him on the back, "Come over anytime. I'll teach ya what ya wanna learn." Boone smiled, "Thanks, I will."
Boone closed the front door behind him. "What took you so lo-," his mother started, before staring in horror at his shirt.
"What—What were you doing," she stuttered. Boone looked down at his shirt, only just seeing the grime residue left on it, "I was helping pull a ring out of a car engine. See, it—."
"DON'T EVER GO NEAR A CAR!" His mother screeched, grabbing the belt. Boone backed up nervously, "I—I wasn't actually in the car, and it wasn't even turned on!" His mother cracked the belt across his chest, "YOU ARE TO NEVER GO NEAR THOSE THINGS!" She cracked the belt two more times, the final hit gouging across Boone's cheek.
"And don't even think about touching one again! Your hands will be destroyed. And if they get destroyed, how will you ever get a good enough job to support this family," his mother said, walking away and leaving him alone. Boone gingerly touched his cheek, wincing in pain. He hurt, a lot. Yet, he realized that he couldn't keep back his intrigue for cars. He'd find a way to go back.
"So, how's school been," Karen asked with a smile. Boone accepted the iced tea she offered, after removing his gloves, "Same old, A's and everything."
"By the sounds of it, you'll be able to get into whatever college you want, come next year" Jim chuckled.
"I hope so," Boone responded, smiling. The two-year old scar across his cheek arched with the underlying muscles.
"Oh, there's something extra with your payment this time around," Jim said.
"Extra," Boone asked.
"Yeah," Jim smiled, "Found that clutch cover you were looking for."
"Really," Boone asked, surprised, "How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing," Jim dismissed, "It's a bonus."
"But—," Boone started to argue.
"But nothing," Jim insisted, "You've been working hard on building that bike yourself. I wanna see it finished." Boone smiled gratefully, "Thanks." The phone in the house started ringing.
"I'll grab it," Karen sang, exiting the garage.
"I've never seen someone pick up mechanics as quickly as you have," Jim stated, turning towards Boone.
"You're just saying that," Boone responded, embarrassed.
"No, seriously," Jim continued, "You function as well as any mechanic I know, and you even built your own vehicle from scratch." Boone scratched his chin nervously, "I wouldn't say I was that good."
"It's quite ironic," Jim stated.
"Huh," Boone responded.
"Didn't you say your father died in a car accident," Jim asked.
"That's what my mom told me," Boone shrugged, "I guess it's why she doesn't want me to be around cars." Jim shrugged as well, "Sometimes we are drawn to the mysteries of those we are told we can't have." Karen came back into the garage, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong," Jim asked, jumping up in alarm.
Boone just stared at the now abandoned house and garage. With the passing of Karen's father, there was no one to care for her mother. They moved out to her to care for her, seeing as she couldn't travel. Jim had set up a storage unit for Boone's motorcycle, which he promised to pay for until Boone could take over. With the Wilkes couple gone, Boone no longer had an escape. He'd have to continue his studies without reprise now. Boone sighed, and continued on to the library.
Graduation had come and passed. Amongst the top ten in his class, Boone was just waiting for his acceptance letter. His mother was a bit peeved that he didn't get an early acceptance from Johns Hopkins, but he assured her he'd get it. It was a Wednesday morning when Boone checked the mail and saw it. The envelope was addressed to him, a rarity in of itself, and was sent from…
"Johns Hopkins," Boone murmured. He ripped the envelope open and began reading. His heart dropped into his stomach as he realized it was a letter of rejection.
"Anything good in the mail," his mother's voice echoed from the kitchen. A lump formed in Boone's throat as his heart began to race. How was he going to get out of this? He threw the paper aside, running to his room as his mother arrived in the entrance hall. Slamming the door behind him, he shoved the chair from his desk under the knob to lock it.
"What's this," he heard his mother's voice ask. He grabbed a backpack, and began shoving some of his clothes into it, panicked. Suddenly, he heard stomping from the other side of the door, and his mother screaming, "GEORGE!" He pulled a shoebox out from the back of his closet. From within he pulled out his chess set and shoved it into the backpack. The "Wilkes Garage" ball cap found itself being shoved onto his head, while he stashed his secret bank card and license into his pocket. There was loud banging on his door, as his mother tried to force her way in, murder in her voice, "GEORGE!" Boone grabbed his black zip up hoodie off his closet door, threw it on along with the backpack, and hopped out the window, hitting the ground running. He heard his mother finally crash through the door.
"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTING ME ONE DAY," she screamed out the window, as Boone ran down the sidewalk. He kept running, fearful that she would kill him if he stopped. In town, Boone rounded a corner, crashing into a UNSC recruiter. Papers went flying as both bodies fell to the ground. Boone picked himself up and quickly gathered the recruiter's papers.
"I'm sorry, sir," he said, shoving the papers into the recruiter's hands and taking off.
"Wait, son," the recruiter shouted after him, "Have you ever thought of serving in the UNSC?"
It had been a week since he'd run away. Having barely gotten any sleep, Boone was sitting behind a tree in the park.
"What do I do now," he asked himself quietly. He sat and thought to himself. Suddenly, a thought came to him, "I could still save people if I joined the army, right?" He thought about if for another minute.
"At least, that's what I can tell them, seeing as I have no better options," he muttered to himself, shrugging. Boone stood up and snuck over to the recruiter's office, still terrified of his mother's potential wrath.
"Welcome to the UNSC," the recruiter said cheerily. Boone was slightly taken aback, having just walked in, "Aren't you going to ask why I want to join or something?"
"We used to, but we need soldiers. Bad. So just head on to the back, and we'll get you started," the recruiter commanded. After the papers were filled out, Boone was ushered into another room, where a couple other new recruits were waiting.
"Alright, maggots," another soldier shouted, entering the room, "I'm in charge of ye until ye get to yer posts."
"Don't we go to training camps or something first," one of the other recruits asked.
"All training will be done by yer assigned posts," the soldier shouted into the recruit's face. The recruit looked as confused as the others felt.
"That's… New…," Boone thought to himself.
"Now, when I call yer name, ye will enter that room to have yer hair cut," the soldier ordered. He looked at a list, "Andrews!" One of the recruits jogged into the room. After a few minutes, he came back out with his new military cut. The soldier looked back at his list, "Boone!" Boone jumped a little, feeling the sleep deprivation hitting him hard. He rushed into the room, sitting down in the chair in the middle. The barber started his work, and Boone found the sound of the clippers lulling him to sleep.
"WAKE UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY," Boone heard the soldier shout in his ear, jarring him awake. He looked up, and in the mirror saw that they had cut off more than the standard military cut, leaving him with a warrior stripe.
"Fall asleep without permission again, and ye'll lose more than just hair, Twinkle-toes," the soldier shouted, directing him out of the room. After everyone had gotten their hair cut, they were ushered into a Humvee, where they were driven to a UNSC space elevator.
"This is where ye will be split up and sent out," the soldier stated, "My work is done. Now, get in there, get yer suits, and get going, Fodder!" The recruits hurried into the building.
"Line up! You will each get the same set of armor. When you put them on, the colors will change to your preference automatically. Any further modifications will need authorization from a superior," another soldier announced. Boone's group lined up with the others already there. When Boone got his armor on, it faded from grey into brown and green, less vibrant than the blues, reds, and yellows around him. There were a noticeable number of black armors as well. As everyone got their armor, they were ushered into the space elevator. Once it was full, the group was sent up. At the top of the lift, except for a couple of recruits who were having difficulty stomaching the ride, the group was pulled in different directions. Boone found himself aboard a jump ship, just big enough to hold them and be able to jump through slip space. Suddenly, the hatch closed behind them.
"Hold on," the pilot called back. Boone grabbed a handle next to him. The ship suddenly jumped forward, sending the recruits at least a step back. As the ship hit slip space, one of the recruits asked, "Where're we going?" The ship exited slip space after a few minutes, and the pilot looked back at them.
"Say hello to your new home, The Divine Comedy," he said, indicating the giant vessel before them.
"Welcome aboard The Comedy, recruits," a soldier in blue and gold announced to the group, "I am Captain James King." The group just stared at him. King indicated the soldier to his left, who was wearing all red armor, "This is Second Lieutenant Skye Redding. We'll be getting you all set up here." Redding stepped forward.
"First things first," she announced.
"I'm just one of the grunts. Nothing special," Boone thought to himself, preparing to hear a spiel about rules and safety and such.
"I have a challenge for you all," Redding continued, smirking, "To prove yourselves. Or not." Boone's interest was piqued. Redding held her braid out for everyone to see, "If you can grab my braid, I will acknowledge your abilities and—." Boone lunged forward. Redding dodged, turned, and connected her foot with Boone's spine, sending him sprawling towards the wall. As he collided headfirst, everything went black.
"Wow, you did quite the number on him," Boone heard a male voice say.
"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting one of them to react so quickly," Boone heard Redding's voice say.
"That's one hell of a start, though," the mystery voice said.
"Indeed," King's voice responded with a chuckle. Boone slowly opened his eyes.
"Ah! Welcome back to the realm of the living," the owner of the mystery voice said, arms spread wide. He was wearing a gray shirt and slacks under a white doctor's coat.
"Do you have to say that every time a patient wakes up, Thumper," Redding questioned.
"Well, maybe if you stopped knocking people out so much, I wouldn't sound like a broken record," Thumper complained.
"Hey! I haven't done it in a while," Redding huffed, crossing her arms.
"I should start using an 'X days since last accident' sign for you," Thumper muttered.
"In any case, stay here and rest a bit, Private," King said, "Redding's hits are pretty powerful." King left as Boone frowned to himself.
"Hey," Redding said, patting the bed Boone was on, "Keep it up." Boone gave her a slight glare. Thumper sat down backwards in a chair.
"I anticipate seeing how far you'll go," Redding said with a smile and a wave, before leaving as well. Boone glared down at the bed.
"Huh, I think you impressed her somehow," Thumper stated, looking at the door with his chin resting on his fist. Boone looked at him confused.
"Normally, she'd point out where you fucked up," Thumper continued, then looking at Boone, "Although she'll never admit it, I wonder just how much you actually caught her off guard."
"That makes nine," Thumper said, marking nine lines on a chalkboard titled 'PVT BOONE'S RIBS'.
"You started a tally," Boone asked, glaring, quickly pulling his shirt over his wrapped up abdomen.
"I like to keep track of my regulars," Thumper smirked. Boone looked around the room. There weren't any other tally systems around.
"Ehhh, you're my first," Thumper shrugged cheerfully, "Anyways, what happened this time?" Boone crossed his arms with a huff.
"We were having a little tussle. Someone dropped a toolbox, and one of the wrenches went skidding across the floor," Redding started answering, slightly embarrassed.
"And right underneath short stuff's foot, I take it," Thumper finished.
"Hey," Boone exclaimed.
"Well, if you're gonna be flying teams out, you need to be more situationally aware," Thumper shrugged, "Or is that too tall to grasp?" Boone growled, before suddenly standing up, "I'm out."
"That's it," Thumper asked, feigned disappointment in his voice.
"Whatever," Boone sighed, discontented. As he left the room, he missed Thumper flinching as Redding gave him a look.
"You've got quite a skill for flying," a soldier in black with red armor said, patting Boone on the back.
"Thank you, Captain Sands," Boone responded politely.
"I'll let Alpha Team know. They might need your flying for a few of their extracts," the captain stated.
"Hey! Sandman," someone shouted from the other side of the bay. Sandman gave Boone a thumbs up, before taking off.
"Why is he all chill," one soldier whispered to his buddy, who responded with a shrug. Boone walked past them into the locker room.
"I mean, his mom just died. How doesn't he react at all? Not even a little," the first soldier questioned. The locker room was empty. Boone sat down on the end of one of the benches.
"Why don't I even feel sad," Boone thought to himself, "I shouldn't feel happy." He'd found out that his mother died of some disease she'd recently contracted. Boone sighed. Suddenly, the bench jostled just slightly as someone sat down behind him. He glared at the wall in front of him.
"I don't want pity," he thought furiously.
"Thank god that bitch is dead," Redding growled. Boone looked over his shoulder, shocked.
"I may not know the details, but I can spot the scars. Even the invisible ones," Redding stated, "No parent has any right to do that." Boone didn't answer.
"I came to let you know, it's ok to not be sad," Redding sighed, "If you're not sad, there's a reason." Redding looked over her shoulder at him with a cocked eyebrow, "Personally, I'm happy." Boone was confused, "Why?"
"Because you're free from her now," Redding said. She stood up, patted Boone on the shoulder, and left. Boone stared after her, still shocked. After a moment, he realized a few tears spotted his cheeks. Not tears of sorrow, but relief.
"Hold them back," First Lieutenant Smith commanded. The rebels had already cleared out besides one or two individuals, who realized their buddies were gone and decided to split as well. Boone glanced into the room, only to see blood everywhere. Redding was on the ground, with Thumper and a soldier in blue and black named Teddy hunched over her. Boone took a step forward and noticed it. The missing leg.
"No," Boone muttered under his breath.
"I've already lost the Wilkes's and Mr. Bell, I don't want to lose anyone else," he thought to himself. He couldn't hear anyone's words, but he could tell Thumper was freaking out. Boone looked down at the still hot machine gun in his hands, before rushing into the room.
"Why don't you want anyone to know," Thumper asked.
"Do I need a reason," Boone asked back, annoyed.
"But, you're a hero," Teddy stated.
"I'm not a hero. I didn't do anything special. If anyone asks, it was a simple patch job that had nothing to do with me," Boone said, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking away.
Boone was sitting in the corner, eating lunch, by himself. The usual. Suddenly, Teddy plopped down across from him.
"Uh, can I help you," Boone asked, unsettled.
"This seat isn't taken is it," Teddy asked.
"I, uh, guess not," Boone answered, an eyebrow raised.
"Good! So, how do you like today's lunch," Teddy asked jovially. Boone just stared at him.
"What? Is there something on my face," Teddy asked.
"Why are you over here," Boone questioned.
"To eat lunch," Teddy answered with a smile. Boone gave him a look. Teddy realized he couldn't act innocent, "Well, we're on the same team now. So, we might as well get to know each other!" Boone sighed, "You don't have to do that."
"But—," Teddy argued.
"I promise I'll have your back. I mean, what else am I gonna do," Boone stated, "Besides, I don't need anyone to be buddy-buddy with." Teddy looked downtrodden. Boone sighed again, "You don't have to move if you don't want to."
"Ugh! You totally called it," Teddy exclaimed, pointing his fork at Boone as he sat down with his tray.
"I told you, an injury like that takes a lot longer to properly heal than he gave it," Boone responded.
"My fantasy football team is gonna tank now," Teddy sighed. He looked at Boone curiously.
"How did you know that," Teddy asked. Boone shrugged, "Just do."
"And yet you're up to, what, twenty-three broken ribs now," Teddy questioned.
"You know, I like working on engines, but those wrenches are becoming the bane of my existence when I'm fighting Cappy there," Boone stated, crossing his arms. A mug bounced off the wall above his head.
"What was that," Redding shouted. Boone leapt away from the table, smirking, "You heard me!" Teddy pulled his tray closer, protecting his meal from the tussle that was about to ensue.
"Hey, I've been meaning to ask for a while now," Boone asked.
"Yeah," Teddy asked back.
"Is it just me, or did Redding change her armor colors," Boone continued.
"Oh, that. She changed that a while back," Teddy answered. Boone tilted his head, curious.
"She said someone pointed out that her name references two colors, so why did she only wear one," Teddy continued, "Or, something like that." Boone quietly recalled one of his taunts during a fight a while back, realizing who made the suggestion.
"Shit! We gotta get her calm," Thumper commanded.
"She's pretty erratic," a soldier in white and green, Austin, stated.
"If she wasn't so strong, I'd say just jump her and hold her down, but," Thumper said. Boone rushed forward.
"What is he doing," Austin asked. Teddy rushed after Boone. Redding had fallen into another one of her rages and was thrashing all about.
"Hey! Redding," Boone shouted, skidding directly in front of her. Redding turned her enraged face towards him, pausing momentarily. Teddy tackled Boone to the side, away from Redding. At the same time, Thumper was able to plunge the hidden syringe in his wrist into the back of Redding's neck.
"ARE YOU INSANE," Thumper shouted at Boone.
"How many times do we have to tell you? Redding won't hold anything back when she's like that," Austin stated.
"And with her new leg, Sis might accidentally kill you," Teddy added.
"Well, it worked, didn't it," Boone muttered.
"Ta-dah," Redding announced, gesturing to the pelican behind her.
"That's a ship," Austin said.
"More specifically, its our ship," Redding stated.
"Ours? I thought ships were assigned per mission," Austin wondered.
"Redding insisted we should have a dedicated ship, so we worked together to pull a few strings," Thumper answered.
"Now we can have our own stashes, so we won't need as much prep time for missions," Teddy exclaimed joyfully.
"Exactly," Redding said.
"So, maintenance will still be taking care of it for us, right," Austin asked.
"No need," Redding responded. The group looked at her, confused.
"From what I gather, we already have someone with mechanical know-how," she continued, before looking at Boone.
"Oh, yeah! Didn't you say you wanted to work on the pelicans at some point," Teddy said, excitedly elbowing Boone. Boone just stared for a moment, taking it in.
"What's the name," he asked.
"Hmmm, well, seeing as it'll be our angel in the sky," Redding thought aloud, "How about Beatrice?" Boone shrugged, holding back a smile.
"She was originally supposed to be scrapped, so it's gonna take some work to get her back up. They already disarmed it, so that's probably gonna take the longest," Redding pointed out, "But feel free to modify her however you like."
"Why does she keep hanging around us," Boone asked, annoyed.
"Who," Teddy asked, confused.
"Her," Boone said, pointing to a girl in green and white armor.
"Oh, her! Don't you know? That's Houston's lil sister, Ashley," Teddy answered, laughing.
"So, we now have two Houstons? Great," Boone retorted unhappily.
"Xi apparently likes her," Teddy pointed out.
"How do you know that," Boone questioned, "Xi's an AI who doesn't even talk or show itself!"
"Sis explained that already," Teddy answered, "He hasn't figured out a voice or appearance he likes yet. But she told me that Xi likes Ashley. Sis also said she's really nice!"
"As long as she's not like her brother or Thumper," Boone sighed.
"Still mad about the other night," Teddy asked, eyebrow raised. Boone growled, "Why? Why did he have to take pictures and post them around the ship? I swear, the makeup was bad enough! I've been triple-locking my door since then!"
"Well, Sis gave him a good beating for it," Teddy said.
"And him and Thumper were still laughing about it after," Boone growled again. They noticed a quick exchange of awkward smiles between Thumper and the girl.
"Hmmm," Teddy thought, a twinkle in his eyes.
"How the hell are we gonna get in there," Thumper asked, frustrated. From Beatrice they were looking at a fortified base.
"They've probably fortified the other ways in as well, expecting a surprise attack," Redding contemplated out loud.
"And they probably have anti-aircraft weaponry within the walls," Austin commented.
"Shit, man," Teddy muttered.
"Why not go in the front," Boone suggested.
"I'm seriously debating your sanity," Thumper said.
"Reason," Redding stated, putting an arm in front of Thumper.
"If they expect us to come from a different direction, they'll make sure the other areas are covered," Boone explained, "But they probably only put enough on the front to make it look fortified." The others thought it over.
"Front it is," Redding confirmed with a smile.
"So, what're you up to today," Teddy asked nervously. Redding stopped and gave him a wink, "Just gonna toss the old skin around."
"Isn't it called pig-skin," Teddy asked. Boone dropped from the ceiling vent. Redding stepped back, grabbed his ankle, and threw him to the side.
"Nope," she responded, nonchalantly.
"Aw, shit," Teddy murmured, rubbing his head.
"Might want to work on your deception skills," Redding shrugged to Teddy.
"I was that obvious," Teddy asked, shocked.
"You were very see-through," Boone added weakly.
"Fuck man, my bad," Teddy apologized.
How he wasn't dead yet was beyond him. He might not have been able to save Teddy, but he was able to protect someone. Boone felt weak, his neck throbbing from the bite.
"Still breathing," he chuckled.
"Boone," Redding said sadly.
"I'm done for," he shrugged.
"No, no, we're gonna fix this," Redding scrambled to say.
"No, you're not," Boone sighed.
"Boone."
He grabbed her chest piece with his left hand and pulled her closer, looking her in the eye. The USB device was secretly in his hand.
"I could use it," he thought, "Then part of me would survive. I just wish I could truly keep going."
"You can't," Boone said.
"Boone!"
Redding tried to stop the bleeding from his neck with her own hand.
"No pity, please," Boone thought. He grabbed her braid with his right hand without letting go of his pistol.
"I've got to distract her," he thought.
"Heh, I finally got it, Cappy," Boone chuckled, clicking the device into a slot on his glove. Redding smiled sadly and gently grabbed his right arm, "Yes, you did." Boone smiled, "Just don't die." Everything turned white. There might have been a flash of light blue. Boone wasn't sure. It sounded like Xi said, "I've got it from here."
"So this is death," Boone thought, "It's terrifying!"
"BOONE!"
"WHAT?!"
Boone's hologram looked over from his projector cube next to the bed. Redding had propped herself up on an elbow on her pillow, shadows plaguing the underside of her eyes, "What are you doing?"
"I'm thinking," Boone answered.
"Enlighten me," Redding pressed.
"Do you ever wonder why we're here," Boone shrugged.
"Could you shed some light on that," Redding asked.
"Like, how we got to where we are in life," Boone answered, "I was just recollecting some memories."
"Uh-huh," Redding said, slightly annoyed. Boone looked at her.
"Shouldn't you be asleep," he asked.
"Yup," Redding answered. Boone looked around, noticing the lights were on, "Turning off the lights would help."
"I know," Redding asked, still annoyed.
"Then why haven't you," Boone argued, get annoyed as well.
"I've been," Redding answered, "Someone keeps turning them back on." Boone looked at her, confused. After a slight pause, he pointed to himself. Redding nodded. The lights suddenly shut off.
"Ok, Boone, you can hop in," Redding said to the cube. Boone suddenly appeared on her shoulder.
"Are you ready," Redding asked.
"Let's just get this over with," Boone responded.
The office was straight and neat. Redding stood before the desk.
"Did you sleep well," the man behind the desk asked.
"As well as I could, sir," Redding responded.
"Hmmm," the man frowned. He turned his attention to Boone, "Do you know who I am?"
"Colonel Steele, sir," Boone answered.
"Good," Steele responded, then to Redding, "How much of your brain do you allow him access to?"
"Enough to perform functions, sir," Redding answered.
"Wait, how much can an AI access," Boone asked, confused.
"If allowed, an AI can access memories and, in the extremely rare case, take control of the brain," Steele answered, looking curiously at Boone. Boone stared back, uneasy. Steele shrugged, "Rabbit explained the details of what happened already." Redding was taken back, "He did?"
"Yes," Steele answered, "He said that you were exhibiting symptoms of fatigue, and felt it best to allow you some more rest. Now, the question is what we do from here."
"We find a way-," Redding began. Steele cut her off with a wave of his hand, "I meant for your team. Two of your men are dead and a third is an incorporeal AI." Redding looked down, clenching her fists. Boone looked at her.
"I hear Houston's sister played a vital role in stopping the man responsible," Steele stated, "I suggest bringing her on. I also suggest bringing on someone to pilot your pelican. It's against policy to allow an AI to have control unless absolutely necessary."
"That's a more difficult request than you think," Redding stated.
"RT should be able to do that," Boone suggested. Redding looked at him, a little surprised.
"He helped me with a few of the modifications," Boone shrugged.
"Good," Steele said, "And for your last one, I'm thinking Daniels would be a good idea." He raised an eyebrow, waiting for a response. Redding sighed, "I don't have much choice at this point, do I?"
"It's settled, then," Steele stated, clasping his hands together, "Do what you wish in your free time." Boone raised an eyebrow curiously.
"Yes sir," Redding said, saluting before dismissing herself. Thumper was waiting outside, "So, how'd it—." Redding tapped him upside the head.
"What was that for," Thumper stated, grabbing his head out of reflex.
"I'm fine," Redding answered, then with a sigh, "Let's gather the team."
"All right," Redding announced, "You are all here today as the newest members of Alpha Team." Houston glanced at Thumper, who gave her a small thumbs up.
"We are," the soldier in purple and orange armor, RT, asked.
"This should be interesting," was the response from the soldier in yellow and white armor, Sergeant Rodney Daniels.
"Interesting," RT questioned.
"Yes," Daniels responded, "I get to see how she uses her prosthetic in action."
"You really love robotics that much, huh," RT sighed.
"Well, it was my major," Daniels pointed out.
"But, they do the dangerous shit," RT said, his shoulders slumping.
"You can keep an eye on the ship," Redding said.
"Huh," RT questioned.
"We need there to be a ship to bring us home when we're done," Thumper stated.
"But—," RT started arguing.
"Are you really going to argue with that," Boone said, annoyed, suddenly appearing on Redding's shoulder.
"Your AI finally figured out a look? Cool," RT exclaimed, a little caught off guard, "Xi, do you realize you look like Boone did?" Boone glared at him, "If I had a body, I'd—"
"Easy," Redding cautioned, then to RT and Daniels, "This isn't Xi. He's with my dad's team."
"Then, who is this," Daniels asked.
"Are you guys serious," Boone questioned.
"You look like one of the guys who just died," Daniels pointed out.
"It's a bit complicated," Redding quickly butted in.
"Boone… Didn't exactly die die," Thumper tried to explain.
"How do you not die die," RT asked, confused. Redding, Thumper, and Houston pointed at Boone.
"He became an AI? Now, that's interesting," Daniels said with an adventurous look. Redding's leg suddenly caught his attention, "What's also interesting is your new prosthetic." Redding, Thumper, and Houston stared at him.
"How could you tell," Thumper asked.
"I'm the robotics guy. You can't get changes like those past me," Daniels shrugged, then excitedly, "You've gotta let me have a look. Please!"
"Maybe later," Redding answered, "First, we have a job to finish. You'll be going with Thumper and Houston." Thumper turned to her, "I take it you're taking Beatrice?" Redding nodded.
"All right, lets go get our ride," Thumper said solemnly to Houston and Daniels, "If we're lucky, we can get Cato or Dante III. Just as long as we don't get stuck with Virgil."
"Let's go," Redding said to RT.
"Here we are," RT announced.
"Good. You can stay here," Redding commanded.
"Okay," RT responded as Redding left the ship.
"So, this is the planet Teddy grew up on," Boone stated.
"More specifically, the city below us," Redding pointed out, entering the space elevator. The ride down was quiet, along with the trip through town. Redding paused in front of the two-story, light-blue house.
"What do we tell him," Boone asked.
"We don't say anything. Just me," Redding answered, "You are to stay out of sight."
"What? But—," Boone argued.
"This is a delicate enough situation as it is," Redding cut him off, "I don't need any additional questions." Boone dropped the subject, his hologram vanishing. Redding walked up the steps to the front porch. She raised her fist to knock on the door and paused. Redding felt Boone's internal look. She clenched her fist and knocked.
"Hello there! How may I help you," an older gentleman answered the door. His dark brown skin perfectly matched Teddy's. As soon as his eyes saw Redding, though, the exuberant smile on his face dropped.
"Mr. Walters," Redding asked.
"Every time I opened the door, I feared it would be you," Mr. Walters answered, looking down at the floor.
"I'm sorry," Redding said. There was a long, awkward silence.
"I hope my son was able to make a difference," Mr. Walters said.
"There were many missions we would've been unable to finish without him," Redding responded. Mr. Walters nodded.
"Sir," Boone said, suddenly appearing on Redding's shoulder.
Boone, Redding yelled internally. Mr. Walters looked at him, caught off guard.
"Teddy was the first person to approach and talk to me. Normally, he would talk about sports, which I'm not really into," Boone sputtered nervously, "But it was nice to have someone to talk with. And he pulled me out of quite a few sticky situations. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here." Boone averted his eyes, before glancing at Redding with a cringe. Mr. Walters began to tear up, then with a smile said, "Thank you." Redding nodded, before leaving. Redding and Boone refused to look at each other while Redding walked. Halfway back to the elevator, Redding stopped. Boone could sense her frustration.
"I'm not going to apologize," he stated, believing she was about to explode on him.
"Wasn't going to ask you to," Redding said with a sigh. Boone looked at her, confused.
"I didn't know what to say," Redding said, shoulders slumped, "My mind just couldn't put anything good together." She glanced at Boone, "But next time, just stay hidden." Boone nodded, still shocked.
"How'd it go," RT asked as Redding re-boarded.
"Likely better than what Thumper and Daniels are facing," Redding shrugged.
"Huh? Oh, good point," RT thought aloud.
"Let's just head back," Redding said, sitting down.
"I can't believe that's all he had," Private Matthew Johnson, wearing blue and red armor, stated. Redding took the box being held by his buddy, Private Garrett Fredericks, who was wearing purple and red armor.
"The quantity doesn't matter," Redding answered, tucking the box under her arm, "Thanks for sneaking this out, though."
"Of course," Fredericks answered with a salute. Redding gave them a wave and walked away.
"Not like she wouldn't've kicked our asses if we didn't agree," Johnson muttered under his breath to Fredericks, who nodded in agreeance.
"Who did that stuff belong to," Boone asked, as they reached Redding's room.
"Who do you think," Redding responded, sliding the box under her bunk. Boone scratched his hologram chin as he thought, then shrugged, "You set that up without me. How am I supposed to know?"
"Everyone's stuff is being sent back to their families," Redding explained.
"Yeah. Well, except mine," Boone responded, "No where and no one to send that to. By the way, what will happen to my stuff?"
"Normally, the procedure would be to incinerate it," Redding answered.
"Incinerate it," Boone exclaimed, "What?!"
"I said normally," Redding answered, "But your stuff was snuck out." Boone glanced down towards the box, "Oh… But why go through the trouble?"
"What do you mean," Redding asked.
"I'm dead," Boone answered dryly.
"No, you're not," Redding responded, "We're gonna fix this."
"Fix this," Boone asked, incredulous, "There's nothing to fix. I'm just an apparition, a ghost. I'm not worth wasting your time." Redding glared at him, "Never say that." Boone sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever. While you're in fantasy sci-fi land, I'll be over here not being able to touch or do anything." He waved his arms in front of him as he spoke.
"You're not a waste of time," Redding muttered.
"How're you holding up," Redding asked.
"I'm fine? Why," Daniels questioned. Him, Thumper, and Houston had recently returned.
"With your recent assignment," Redding indicated the pelican behind him.
"I just stayed in Virgil while we were there," Daniels shrugged, "Shouldn't you be checking on Houston?"
"She ran straight to her quarters and locked herself in," RT said.
"Thumper," Daniels asked.
"He's fine," Redding answered, "He's figuring out how to help her."
"Oh," Daniels responded.
"So, there were no issues," Redding questioned further.
"Well, I wish Virgil wasn't so slow," Daniels thought out loud, "The trip back was awkward with Houston crying in the back."
"Fair enough," RT stated.
"Well, if that's all," Redding said, "I've got a job for you." Daniels cocked an eyebrow, curious.
"So, Xi never even mentioned this," Daniels asked, working on the back of Redding's armor. He had removed his helmet, and his blonde hair shimmered in the light.
"Not at all," Redding shrugged.
"To be honest, he was kind of strange," Boone said, projecting from a row of consoles in the small workshop.
"I never did get the chance to study him," Daniels said with a small frown, then grinning, "But there's a new AI to study." He glanced at Boone.
"No," Boone responded.
"It's nothing big," Daniels urged.
"I said, no," Boone answered again, crossing his arms. Daniels frowned, then turned back towards Redding's armor with a shrug, "So what happened to your other prosthetic?"
"It got smashed," Redding shrugged.
"Something was able to smash your leg," Boone asked, incredulous.
"It can happen," Redding growled.
"But wasn't the old one made by your dad," Daniels asked.
"Yeah, but he made me this new one," Redding answered, patting her leg.
"Oh, ok," Daniels said, then brushing his hands off, "All done. Should work just fine now." Redding reached her hand towards Boone, who reappeared on her shoulder. Daniels stepped sideways behind her back a few times.
"We have readings," Boone stated.
"Good," Daniels said. Redding stood up, "Thanks for the fix."
"Not a problem," Daniels said, then ushering them out of the lab, "Now, I've got a project to work on." He returned to the consoles, sitting down and starting to sing to himself, "As the blackbird, in the spring…"
"Finally, a mission," Thumper exclaimed, stretching his arms. It had been a few weeks since their return. Redding turned to the others, "Intel indicates a possible rebel base. It's up to us to confirm, and if possible, eliminate it."
"If possible," RT questioned from the pilot's seat.
"So, we're just being sent to confirm intel," Thumper sighed, looking at Redding.
"Not a bad mission for our first as a new team," Redding shrugged. Houston just looked calmly between them, sitting next to Thumper. Daniels was next to Redding, typing and drawing on a tablet.
"What are you doing," Boone skeptically asked him from Redding's shoulder.
"Squeezing in some more design details," Daniels responded with a grin. Boone shrugged, vanishing.
"Get ready for slip space," RT announced. He threw a switch, causing Beatrice to suddenly start making a worrisome grinding sound. Boone suddenly reappeared on Redding's shoulder.
"Turn off the lock," he shouted angrily at RT. RT flinched, "Right, forgot about that." He moved the switch back, pressed a couple of buttons, then threw the switch again. The pelican started to enter slip space. Boone huffed, before vanishing again.
"My bad," RT said over his shoulder. Thumper shrugged, "Still short fused."
"I heard that," Boone's voice announced, annoyed.
"We'll radio you when we're done," Redding stated, before exiting the pelican behind Thumper, Houston and Daniels. RT nodded, then closed the hatch before taking off to hide and wait.
"So, where abouts are we checking," Thumper asked.
"According to the intel, the entrance should be hidden in some cliffs not far from here," Redding answered.
"So, we're looking for a cave," Thumper thought aloud.
"No, we're looking for a grand palace," Boone said sarcastically, "Of course it's going to be a cave, genius!"
"You don't have to be an ass about it," Thumper said, discontented.
"You brought it on yourself," Redding shrugged, heading towards some cliffs in the distance. Daniels followed, along with Houston, who paused and looked back at Thumper. He sighed, before catching up to Houston, and the two began to follow the others.
"There," Houston announced, pointing halfway up the cliff. Daniels shielded his eyes, looking up, "Looks big enough to squeeze through. How're we getting up there?"
"Did you bring the rope," Redding asked.
"Yep," Daniels said, handing it to her. Redding took it, before charging at a tree. Using her speed, she ran up it, before pushing off with her right leg. The top half of the tree crashed to the ground, while Redding went flying backwards towards the cliff. She did a graceful backflip before landing on the ledge in front of the hole.
"Showing off," Boone asked in a bored tone from her shoulder.
"Maybe," Redding grinned in response, before glancing down next to her. She kicked at something, which caused a rope ladder to come tumbling down.
"Ok, who's first," Thumper asked.
The rock walls seemed to indicate a natural formation, while the embedded lighting said otherwise. Redding led the group, all of whom had their guns cocked. A few hundred feet in, the hallway widened into a giant room. Redding, Daniels, and Houston all aimed upwards as they entered. Thumper brought up the rear and whistled, "Now, look at that."
"Clear," Redding announced. The group dropped their weapons in response.
"It looks like a dead end," Redding said, unconvinced.
"Tsk, I hate searching for secret entrances," Thumper scoffed.
"What's that sound," Daniels asked, walking towards a section of wall.
"Whatcha got," Redding asked.
"Sounds like whistling," Daniels answered, putting the side of his helmet to the wall. He listened for a moment before pulling back, "There's definitely air flowing through here."
"Well, that was a lot quicker than I expected," Thumper shrugged.
"There must be a trigger around here somewhere," Daniels muttered, searching the wall. Redding walked over, shoved her hand in the crevice, and pulled the fake rock from the wall while chucking it across the room. Daniels looked at her, speechless.
"I didn't like their door," Redding shrugged.
The walls were covered in metal, causing there to be no doubt that they had indeed found the base.
"It's quiet," Thumper stated, the team's footsteps echoing, "Too quiet."
"We must've missed them," Redding responded, "Stay on guard, though. We don't want any surprises." They continued down the hall, checking each room they passed. So far, everything was simply cleared out. They came upon a pair of double swinging doors on their left.
"I've got this one," Thumper stated. Redding moved out of his way. Thumper passed through the doors, gun cocked. The group stepped back when he rapidly back pedaled back through the doors.
"How many," Redding demanded. Thumper dropped to his knees, coughing and sputtering.
"Are you ok," Houston asked, extremely worried.
"The-the-the," he tried to say.
"Spit it out," Boone said.
"The smell," Thumper wailed. The others just looked at him.
"It can't be that bad," Boone complained.
"Like you would know," Thumper argued.
"We'll check it out," Redding stated. Thumper watched as her, Houston, and Daniels entered the room. He wasn't surprised when the girls rushed back out.
"My god," Redding said, exasperated. Houston was breathing deeply, trying not to gag.
"I told you," Thumper exclaimed. Daniels casually walked back out, "All clear." The group looked at him while breathing heavily.
"What," he asked.
"Um, how are you able to breathe so easily," Thumper asked, finally calming down.
"It doesn't smell that bad," Daniels shrugged.
"Um, what," Thumper questioned.
"Can't you smell that," Redding asked.
"Kind of," Daniels said, pondering, "But I guess I've always had a weak sense of smell." The others glanced at each other, before shrugging.
"It looks like there's only one room left," Redding stated, regaining her composure.
The group walked into a room that appeared to have once been the console center. Once because every single computer was shot up.
"Tsk," Thumper scoffed, looking around.
"Think you can recover anything," Redding asked. Houston knelt down and examined one of the towers.
"No," she said after a moment, "There's nothing usable left. They knew exactly what they were doing." Redding frowned.
"Now what," Thumper asked.
"There's nothing left here for us. Time to head back and report," Redding shrugged. Daniels cocked his head.
"Now what," Boone asked in annoyance, disappointed in the results of the search.
"Do you guys hear that? Or is it just me," Daniels asked.
"What do you hear," Redding commanded, her voice laced with concern.
"A clicking sound," Daniels answered, then pointing at the wall, "There." Redding rushed over to the wall. Finding a panel, she through it open. Inside was a flashing red light labelled "SELF DESTRUCT".
"EVERYONE OUT, NOW," she yelled. The others didn't need to be told twice. As Thumper led the group down the hall, with Redding bringing up the rear, they heard a rumbling sound. Halfway down the hall, the ceiling began to collapse behind them, starting at the room they'd come from. Thumper, Houston, and Daniels exited the hall into the cavernous room. Before Redding could reach the opening, a boulder dropped in the way, forcing her to stop.
"That's not good," Boone commented from her shoulder. Redding grabbed the boulder and heaved it behind her, as rumbling echoed from the other side. With the obstacle gone, Redding turned to discover that the floor of the cavern had collapsed between her and the others, who were huddled at the exit tunnel.
"And that's worse," Boone said.
"REDDING," Thumper shouted. Redding took a step and set her footing.
"There's no way you'll make it," Boone stated, "It's not humanly possible. You have to find another way!"
"No time," Redding replied, dashing forward. Boone's hologram cringed as Redding leapt, pushing off with her right leg. She sailed across the chasm, grabbing the ledge on the other side. Thumper reached out and helped her up.
"What happened to having faith in your captain," Redding asked.
"It's hard to get past being able to compute probabilities," Boone muttered.
"Way to sound like a computer," Thumper stated scratching his head. Boone huffed in response.
"At least we don't have to worry about the place falling on us from here on out," Daniels shrugged.
"Thank god," Thumper answered.
"Any luck," RT asked. The group was reboarding Beatrice.
"We found a base," Daniels answered.
"And," RT urged.
"And nothing," Redding sighed.
"What," RT asked, surprised.
"Nothing," Boone chimed in with annoyance.
"So, we came all this way for nothing," RT asked again.
"Yeah, unfortunately," Thumper said, shaking his head and sitting down.
"At least we all made it back," Houston added in. The others looked at her, Redding and Thumper were slightly wide-eyed. Houston fidgeted a bit, "What?" Thumper smiled, "Nothing."