Masada
Disclaimer: I own neither Kingdom Hearts nor GI Joe or the X-men Evolution. The Misfits were created by Red Witch. The characters of Captain Julie Atkins and Harold Maitland are my creation.
Red Witch and all Misfit writers – How about the lot of us creating a Misfits C2 Community? We need a compilation of our lot.
"Since we long ago resolved never to be servants to the Romans, nor to any other than to God Himself, Who alone is the true and just Lord of mankind, the time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice...We were the very first that revolted, and we are the last to fight against them; and I cannot but esteem it as a favor that God has granted us, that it is still in our power to die bravely, and in a state of freedom." – Elazar Ben Yair at Masada, 73 AD.
The hot sun of the Judean Desert baked everything under its rays. Most of the few tourists in the area sought shade, but the sun was all but ignored by the lone figure who roamed, seemingly without aim atop the plateau. He stood, blinking in the harsh sun despite the sunglasses he wore. Throughout his life the ruins of the fortress atop the plateau of Masada had been an odd comfort of sorts. He drew some sort of meaning, some purpose from the ruins.
Israel had practically become home for the man since his ninth birthday. And now, because of a tempting offer from that Nick Fury guy from SHIELD, he could repay a debt many years old far more fully. But then he did not want to leave Israel, his adopted homeland. As Harold Maitland mulled his options he watched a group of Israeli Defense Force (IDF) non-coms preparing an area for a ceremony. He knew what was coming at sunset. By torchlight procession a group of IDF recruits would be taken atop the plateau, here at Masada, to swear their allegiance to the nation of Israel.
Harold Maitland closed his eyes for a second, imagining that he was one of the zealots walking the perimeter of the old Herodian fortress, watching the vast Roman army encamped on the desert below, building the siege ramp with hundreds of slaves. He imagined it was the final night on the fortress after the wood and earth wall (The more the battering rams struck the wall, the stronger it became) which the Zealots had erected after the Roman battering rams breached the stone one had burned down. The Romans were set to enter the fortress that night.
He imagined he was one of the ten Zealots selected to kill the others in the fort, rather than permit them to fall into the hands of the Romans. After the ten men carried out their grisly task, one of them would be chosen to kill the other nine and he would fall upon his own sword as soon as his task was completed.
He could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as he killed his fellow defenders, as he had been ordered to do. The last speech of Elazar Ben Yair was but an hour old when the bloodshed began. Now ten men were left alive, blood from their victims staining their robes. The lot was cast, it was he who was to kill the other nine. With a heavier heart, as if his heart could have weighed more since the killing of the other occupants, he set about his task, killing men he fought alongside with since the start of the Jewish Revolt.
"Maitland?" came the voice behind him, "It's time."
"I accept." Maitland replied, as he looked into the face of Nick Fury.
Captain Julie Atkins walked into the Infirmary/Medlab of the Pit, alongside the blonde nurse, Bree. She was still fighting the effects of jetlag, having been flown in from Washington DC. Anyone glancing her way would have seen a woman in her late twenties, with a slender build and short brown hair in the blue Class A uniform of the US Air Force. She was more than just another pretty face, she was an intelligence/counter-intelligence expert from the Pentagon, assigned to this new duty station after General Hawk stated he needed additional intelligence personnel, particularly where the Misfits were concerned.
She wasn't entirely fond of the transfer. Sure she was great at handling intelligence and being assigned to GI Joe would certainly bolster her career, but why assign her to the Misfits? Frankly mutants gave her the jitters. They could do some really amazing things, walk through walls, bench press pickup trucks, and levitate jets…What if they decided to turn hostile on humanity?
She was so lost in thought that she blundered right into a man in his early thirties, with short black hair, intense gray eyes, and the swarthy complexion of one who spent a lot of time in the sun. He was in civilian clothes but had a pass clipped to his shirt that had the word SHIELD written on it. Currently there was coffee covering the green t-shirt he wore.
"Sorry." She said.
"It's alright." The man replied.
"I take it you're here for the Misfits?" Julie asked.
"I'm sorry, I am not at liberty to discuss that." The man replied, from the sound of his voice he sounded like a Canadian, "And you?"
"Sorry, that's classified." Julie replied, "But I gather what you can't discuss and what's classified for me is the same."
"Perhaps." The man replied, "Harold Maitland."
"Julie Atkins." Julie replied and noticed the writing on the man's t-shirt, picking it out instantly as Hebrew or some Middle Eastern language similar to it, and said, "You've been to Israel?"
"You could say that." Hal replied.
"Guys, right this way. If nothing's changed from your last medical exams you two are in perfect mental and physical health." Bree began, "Though the former might be in doubt when you meet the Misfits…"
Duke read the two file dossiers on the latest additions to the GI Joe Team as he sat in the General's office with Hawk and Flint. "OK, I kind of see your point of needing an intelligence officer in a hurry." Duke said to Flint, "But why did you pick one that has a phobia of mutants."
"I didn't pick her, she was assigned here." Flint protested.
"Knowing my luck," Hawk replied, "The Jugglers assigned Captain Atkins to us just to make a point, they can make my life miserable whenever they want to."
"Not to play the devil's advocate, sir," Flint began, "But she is very well qualified."
As he spoke, Flint opened Julie's dossier and handed it to Hawk who opened it and read it. The information contained was:
Name: Atkins, Julie.
Branch of Service: United States Air Force
Rank: Captain (O-3)
DOB: April 13, 1975
Place of Birth: Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts
Specialty: Intelligence Officer
Misc: Graduate, top 1/3 of class at Stanford University in 1997 degree in Cryptography
Served as Intelligence Advisor for Pentagon 2001-2004
NATO Attache Office, 1998-1999
Advisory work for SHIELD 1999-2000
Advisory work for Mutant Affairs committee 2000-2001
"Our other guy seems to be a bit run of the mill. SHIELD recruited him but we just managed to sweet talk Nick Fury into turning him over to us." Duke replied, "However, my only complaint about Captain Atkins is that she has no field experience.
Hawk opened Hal Maitland's dossier and the information contained inside it was as follows:
Name: Maitland, Harold
Branch of Service: Israeli Border Guard (MAGAV)
Rank: 1st Lieutenant (Israeli equivalent)
DOB: July 14, 1974
Place of Birth: Nova Scotia, Canada
Specialty: Counterterrorism/Sniping
Misc: Served in PALSAR Golany (Israeli Pathfinder unit) 1994-1997
Served with Gaza YAMAS unit 1997-2004
Sniper Certified.
Mountain warfare certified.
Combat deployments from 1998-2004 to Gaza, Beit Lehem, Hebron, and Nablus.
"Well we have Roadblock, Cover Girl, Lowlight, Spirit, Blind Master, and even Shipwreck to bring her up to speed." Hawk replied.
The phone rang just then and Flint answered it briefly then hung up, "They've been cleared through medical, in perfect physical and mental health."
"It's their mental health they should worry about." Duke said, "Get ready for the fur to fly…"
"Nervous?" Harold said.
"No." Julie replied. C'mon, mom taught you all about poise, keep it. It wouldn't do to fear the freaks.
The two were riding in the jeep with Cover Girl and the Blind Master, in company with quite a few bags of groceries.
"You guys have enough food to feed an entire squadron." Julie remarked as Blind Master made a sharp turn and a few potatoes fell onto her lap.
"Trust me, if you saw how much the Blob eats, our grocery load wouldn't seem that much." Cover Girl replied.
"Uh, why is the blind guy driving?" Harold remarked.
Cover Girl indicated her left had, which was in a brace, "I sprained my wrist yesterday. And since Blind Master and I are the only ones that aren't banned from ever entering Publix Supermarkets, he's the only one driving."
"OK, now I'm nervous." Julie replied.
"Actually, Blind Master is a much better driver than some people on our team." Cover Girl remarked.
"Such as yourself." Blind Master deadpanned.
"I tell you the Nativity Set was not my fault." Cover Girl remarked.
"So when you drove off the road and completely totaled a Nativity Scene and a Humvee, it was intentional?" the African Ninja master said.
"What?" Julie asked.
"Don't ask." Blind Master replied.
"Oh yeah, I'm a better driver than Shipwreck at any rate." Cover Girl remarked.
"Polly drives better than Shipwreck." Blind Master remarked.
"Who's Polly?" Julie asked.
"Shipwreck's parrot." Cover Girl remarked.
"Who's Shipwreck?" Harold asked.
"He's the saltiest sailor to have sailed the seven seas." Blind Master replied, "He is also King Troublemaker…"
"I hope you didn't buy Mexican food this time, Blind Master." Cover Girl remarked, "You do remember what happened with BA's Mystery Mexican Mayhem…"
"Who is this Blob fellow?" Julie asked.
"His real name's Fred Dukes, his power is super strength and indestructible skin. Side effect is an enormous appetite and being slightly overweight." Harold remarked.
"How do you know this?" Julie asked, her apprehension growing.
"Easy." Harold replied as he was reading through the files on the kids, "They can't be that bad. I guarantee they are just like any other group of teenagers…"
"My friend, something tells me you might regret saying that." Cover Girl remarked.
The first thing Julie saw when she stepped out of the jeep was a fast moving silver streak, "Hi Cover Girl and Blind Master! Whoa, new people here!"
"Remember, just like any normal teenager." Harold said to Julie with a grin.
"Why I resent that remark?" Pietro said, "Did you call moi normal? I have never been so insulted in all my life and…"
"PIETRO!!!!!" came the shout from the front door.
"Uh oh! Gotta go! Nice chattin' with ya' doll…" Pietro said, giving Julie a kiss and running off.
"Oh no you don't…" a teenager with short black hair, wearing black jeans and a red t-shirt said. Julie's eyes widened noticeably when she saw the rosebushes uproot themselves and chase Pietro down the street.
Seconds later they could hear, "OW! OW! OW! OUCH! Wanda, did you have to bring the CACTI to life! OW OW HELP! SOMEBODY! SAVE ME!"
"Normal teenagers huh?" Julie asked, looking daggers at Harold.
"It can't be that bad." Harold replied.
Just then they were both ensnared by a weighted net that came flying out of nowhere. "AHA gotcha speedy!" came the shout as they were both drenched with a hose, "Speed is no match for cunning and Arcade's new and improved net launcher ha ha ha, whoops…Uh, sorry guys." Said a red headed teenager with glasses, "I kinda made a mistake."
"Let me guess, Pietro." Julie remarked.
"Yeah, I gotta get him back for his unkind remarks about my dead girlfriend…" Arcade replied.
"Dead girlfriend…" Harold said, "OK, so I relent you were right, these kids do have a few issues…"
"Let's get you guys settled, shall we." Cover Girl said, removing the net.
"Where are our rooms?" Julie asked.
"They're upstairs." Cover Girl said, "Down the hall and to your left."
Both of the new Misfit handlers walked upstairs and saw their rooms were adjacent. One of them was right next to the room of a teenage boy, as evidenced by the rock band posters, the crumpled t-shirts, and the amplified and electric guitar next to the bed. "I'll flip you for who gets the room next door to the heavy metal kid." Julie said.
"You're on." Harold replied, removing an Israeli coin from his pocket.
Julie stopped him and pulled out a quarter, "A two headed coin can be spotted a mile away. I call heads."
"Tails." Harold replied. Julie flipped the coin and it landed on heads.
"Damn." Harold replied, and looking enviously at Julie he said, "I guess someone's gonna get better sleep and a much better view."
Harold was referring Julie's view of the grove of plants that the Joes had planted ages ago. Her window looked right out over that and also she had good views of the sunsets. Julie closed the door, removed her clothes in order to prepare to shower when the green scaled creature with the lion's mane suddenly appeared in the middle of the room.
Julie screamed in surprise and hurriedly grabbed a bathrobe, "Wh-What are you?"
"I am Xi." Replied the creature, "I am pleased to meet you. I was practicing my invisibility…"
"Get out of my room!" Julie shouted, "OUT!"
As Xi complied, he stood outside and asked, "Why humans dislike being seen naked is beyond me. I have no such compunctions…"
"Oh God!" Lance said, as he walked out of the bathroom, "Xi, do I have to go over modesty with you again."
"You've got an interesting house." Harold remarked as he checked his IMI Jericho 941F handgun and put it into the small, concealed holster underneath his untucked t-shirt.
"You have no idea." Lance said, "Lance Alvers, also known as Avalanche."
"Harold Maitland, just call me Hal, I'm one of your new 'handlers', though I dislike the term." Harold replied, "The lady whom your buddy walked in on is Captain Atkins, the other new handler."
"DINNER IS SERVED!" echoed through the house, as well as the clangs from a large, brass ship's bell.
Dinner went about as normally as it could be expected to go in the Misfit household with the usual insanity, explosions, Roadblock having a coronary, and food fights. Several hours later everyone in the house was asleep.
The target was young, not quite sixteen. He was the same age as Mokey, one of the kids on the multinational archaeological team that Maitland had grown up amongst since his boyhood. The AK-47 clutched in his hands seemed too large for his young hands and his slim body didn't seem capable of absorbing its kick. Hal Maitland wasn't that much older, nineteen years old, with his twentieth birthday two days away. His orders were to kill this person. From his rooftop hide he was providing sniper cover for an assault on a Palestinian stronghold. The M-14 sniper rifle was set on its bipod and he centered the crosshairs on the youth's head.
'So young, yet so dead…' Maitland thought as he made the final corrections of aim. He knew he couldn't allow a moment of hesitation, the boy had to die in order for the attack to be carried out successfully. 'Think of training, just aim and squeeze…'
Harold's finger tightened on the trigger as he let the air out of his lungs in a slow, controlled fashion. The break of the trigger surprised him as the rifle bucked, sending a 7.62 mm round downrange that split the skull of the boy apart. The attack commenced and Hal Maitland remained at his post, staring at the boy lying in the puddle of his own blood until the soldiers moved the corpse…
Hal awoke suddenly. It was just after midnight and sleep was not going to be a possibility for a few more hours at least. He grabbed his dog tags from the bedpost. On the chain was the standard single rectangular IDF dog tag that contained his vital information written on it twice (name, social security number, and blood type) that was designed to be broken in half if he was killed. The other dog tag was one that was broken in half, suggesting it's former wearer was no longer among the living. Also on the chain, unusual for an Israeli soldier since most of them were Jewish, was a crucifix.
Hal dressed himself, put his boots on and clipped his pistol to his side. He knew he was on base, but in Israel it never helped to be slightly paranoid. He put two spare clips in a belt pouch at his side and put on a jacket as he walked outdoors.
As he began his aimless stroll he heard a sound behind him of feet softly scraping the ground. He turned, drawing his pistol as he did so. What he saw behind him were three creatures the like of which he'd never seen before. They were black as night, save for their two glowing yellow eyes. Their antennae twitched as they reached for him with clawed hands.
Hal flicked the safety off his IMI Jericho 941F and fired five 9mm rounds that killed the first attacker. He turned the pistol to the right and squeezed off three rounds in a tight pattern around the chest of the second creature. He fired four more rounds, hitting the second creature in the head and hitting the third three times. He fired two more rounds after it, drilling the creature through the back. It disappeared before he reloaded a fresh magazine into the weapon.
"Stressful moving in, I see." Roadblock said, when he walked downstairs to find Julie rummaging through the fridge, "Burning the midnight oil, I guess that makes three."
"What?" Julie asked, "Oh, yeah, I saw Harold walk outside just now."
"They're good kids, I hope you see, because they'll grow on you." Roadblock said.
"Hopefully after teaching I won't need a brew." Julie remarked, and then glared, "How did you get me to do that?"
"Speaking in rhyme is a special skill." Roadblock said, "And it's not the result of some crazy pill…"
"Night time seems to be the only time for peace and quiet here." Julie replied.
"Yes it is, I do fear." Roadblock replied, as he put some water into the tea kettle. Just then he heard the sounds of gunshots.
"That better be night firing exercises." Julie remarked.
"I don't think so…" Roadblock said, running upstairs and grabbing his gun. Julie followed suit and both of them ran outside to see Hal Maitland crouched in a practiced firing stance, his 9mm Jericho pistol out.
"Thank God! I got two of those SOBs, the third one got away." Hal replied, indicating two dead creatures at his feet, each of them having been shot with three to five 9mm rounds.
"What are they?" Julie asked.
"Beats me." Hal replied, "It wasn't in the intelligence report. I just went out for an evening stroll and these jackasses just appear out of nowhere."
Lying at Hal's feet were two creatures, about half the height of a man. Both of them were all black, with antennae and glowing yellow eyes. Black blood lay in pools around them. There was also a trail of black blood leading away from where Hal had been strolling. Several 9mm casings and a discarded magazine lay on the ground.
"Call security immediately." Roadblock said, "And get those creatures to Lifeline and Airtight so they can analyze them."
TBC (Up next the other thread of the storyline of Invasion. What do Airtight and Lifeline find when they dissect the creatures Hal just killed? Don't worry I'll go into more detail on each of my OCs in due time.)