1: The Heist
"Agent South will not be accompanying you on this mission."
South glared at her brother as he walked past. Of course he would do nothing. It was just like North, to act like nothing had happened, at least until she was calm. Her twin merely glanced at her, his tinted visor hiding whatever emotions that lay inside.
South doubted there was anything close to regret. North was known on the Mother of Invention for his kindness and calm. Many believed he was selfless, too. Ha! He was as obsessed as everyone else when it came to where they stood on the leaderboard. And North knew how to get higher. He showed off and stuck to the rules, using silence as his shield when his kiss-assing worked.
Four-seven-niner bustled past, already barking orders at the mechanics and other workers. It was an excuse for South to take her gaze from North's. Her eyes quickly scanned the rest of the soldiers and, with a quick nod to Connecticut, she walked off.
Some may think it odd, that it was her brother she blamed for this. South reasoned that of all people, her brother should stay beside her. Instead it had been Connie who had asked about her; Connie who had rushed to her after the briefing. And besides, Connie wasn't even on the leader board. She hadn't been for months.
2: Connecticut
"At least us ladies will be sticking together, right?"
"I've never said anything stupider!" South hurled the closest thing she could grab at the wall. North, knowing his sister, instinctively grabbed it out of the air before it hit. Many a valuable item had been broken due to his twin's anger.
York, who was leaning against said wall, gave a grateful glance at North (who was now twirling the pencil around his fingers) before speaking up. "South, calm down."
"Calm down? CONNIE JUST FUCKING BETRAYED US!" North and York winced slightly at the incredibly loud yell. Wash, who was just staring at the ground, seemed not to notice. "And then the Director decided now would be a great time to say I'm not going to get an A.I. for months!"
"Wash got rescheduled too."
Wash's face tightened at being brought into the conversation. "Well of course I did."
Three pairs of eyes turned to the grey-armoured man. Even South stopped whatever she had been about to scream at North.
"South and I were the closest to CT." He didn't look up as he said it. CT- he had to do at least that, right? He couldn't have helped her, actually listened to her and realised what she'd been planning. Maybe even have helped.. Calling her by the name she wanted was all he could do, now. "The Director will do anything to ensure no one else manages to give some rebel army access to his life's work. Betrayal makes you trust no one."
He was right, she found out later. Maybe more right than he knew.
3: Tex, York and... North?
"Who's the monster now, bitch?"
South had taken it badly when she heard the news about Tex. She didn't throw anything or yell, but everyone saw it. Even North was nervous to be around her whilst she glared at whatever was in front of her. Everyone on the ship understood the saying 'if looks could kill' the moment they stepped into her gaze.
Being told that she would never get an A.I. didn't help. It was what she had looked forward to the most throughout her time in Project Freelancer. It had been what had kept her going when the Director and the leaderboard hadn't seemed as special. An A.I. of her own. How many people in the world could say they had that!
She tried not to blame Wash. He hadn't asked for the insane one. Even so, she was pissed at him. She was pissed at everyone, but Texas more than any other. The Director had given her his best; armour, A.I., training -not that she needed it. All for his greatest soldier. In return, she ran off, beating up Wyoming on the way. South had lost a best friend and though much of her anger at Connie was subdued on learning of her fate, she still felt enough to be able to empathize with the Director.
When the command came through the speakers to find and restrain the intruder, South happily obeyed. Without hesitation she grabbed the biggest and deadliest weapon she owned, hurrying to where she suspected Tex would be.
She was right, judging by the explosions and yelling. The door opened at her command, revealing the black armoured woman, bodies scattering the floor.
"You think you're so fucking tough, don't you Texas. Well let me ask you something. Who's the monster now, bitch?" South poured her anger into her trigger finger, watching with a slightly sadistic satisfaction as Tex swore, already starting to run. Even she couldn't escape South now. You're going to pay for your choice.
North...?
Her brother held the two sniper rifles beside his head. South could almost see the cocky grin she knew was pasted onto his face. "Hello ladies, what seems to be the problem?"
Idiot! What the hell are you doing? "North, you know what the problem is! This bitch stabbed us in the back, and now it's time to return the favour. Whose side are you on, brother?" The question came out harsher than expected. Of course she didn't want to fight North. They were on the same side! Why, of all people in the project, did it have to be him who helped Tex?
"Tex, take a walk. I need to have a little chat with my sister." He held up the rifles, both pointed straight at South.
"North, you sure?" Tex's voice was concerned. As if the bitch actually cared.
"Go, this is a family matter." Tex obeyed, the last confirmation South needed that the two really were working together. Instinct caused her to pull the trigger, but shock still slowed her thinking; she only remembered her shield once North had activated his. Hurriedly she started up hers, realising that without an A.I., she could do little more than stand there.
He seemed to notice it too; he stopped firing at any rate. "North, what the fuck is wrong with you?"
"The Director's been lying to us. About everything."
4: The Director
The Director's betrayal hit the hardest, simply because it was the reason for all the others. Every time she was informed her brother and friends were better than her, that was him. Connie had known, apparently it was her who had given Tex the information. And she'd empathized with the fucker...
Sometimes North wondered whether his twin really believed him. She came with him, helped with recovery, but they never regained the level of trust they once had. She was hostile and quieter than before.
South wasn't sure anymore. Of anything. She just didn't know what was right, who was right. And to be honest, she didn't care anymore. A numbness towards the world coated her, like a shield to pain and loss.
5: Her turn.
It surprised South how easy it was. Once she had realised the Meta was more concerned about North's A.I., she knew what to do. That didn't mean it didn't hurt. When Wash came, she was almost in tears. But she kept strong. He was gone, like Project Freelancer, like Carolina and C.T., like Maine's sanity. Just one more person she had to remember.
South valued her life above the lives of others. Everyone did; most just denied it. So when it came to both her and North; later her and Wash dying or sacrificing them, she did what she had to.
And she lived. That's what she told herself. She was the one who survived. They would have died anyway; did it matter who killed them? With what she was involved with, what she helped do; how could she ever be a good guy again? So what was the point of trying?
She had seen her death coming a long time once she heard of Wash's survival. Our wrongdoings always catch up to us; whether as guilt later on, or in the shape of the revenge of those we've wronged. All South wished for was a quick death, so she wouldn't have time to regret what she'd done.
Her wish was answered. She remained brave, bitchy and headstrong right 'till the very end. She would always be remembered as a bitch that deserved what she got. It was better to fake it, better to be strong instead of weak. The dead can't be betrayed.
I was in a bit of a rush to finish this, seeing how long it took to write. I'll probably go over it later on and rewrite bits, but I'll put this out now. Hope you enjoyed.