"Agent Carolina, if you would be so kind as to leave me your pistol." The Director reached out and stopped Carolina, his hand resting on her arm. She looked down at the man as a video played in the background of a woman dressed in a UNSC Marine uniform. Carolina drew her pistol and set it on the table beside her. She leaned down and kissed the man's head before standing up and walking out of the room. A cobalt hologram of a Spartan stood opposite of where Carolina stood, watching as she walked off. This was Epsilon, the memory unit of the original AI, Alpha, but he went by his name, Church. The Director looked down as he replaced his glasses. "You...were my greatest creation." Church looked at him. "Like I care. After what you did to me, to us, you don't deserve any sympathy." The Director barely moved his head toward the hologram. "I wasn't talking to you." Church looked at him and shook his head, walking out of the room following Carolina, and leaving the broken man. The Director looked up at the screen of the woman and sighed. "Play it again Phyllis." A voice spoke with the sound of a young woman. "Beginning playback." He watched as the video started again. "Thank you Phyllis. I want you to erase all the files in our data bases except this one." Phyllis spoke with a slight shock in her voice. "But Director, that will also erase me." He nodded. "I am aware Phyllis. Do it." She accepted his command. "Of course." He then reached over and took the pistol in his hand. "Also...I want you to shut down all systems in the facility." Phyllis spoke with concern. "Director, this is a secure facility. If I shut down all systems, you will be sealed in." He spoke without worry. "I am aware. Proceed." As she spoke, the door began to close. "Yes sir. Did you find what you were looking for?" This time, he shook his head. "No. But I came close. Maybe...in the next iteration." Phyllis spoke with sadness in her heart. "It has been an honor working with you, Director." The Director loaded a round in the chamber and lifted the pistol, placed the barrel on the bottom of his chin, watching as the woman spoke. "Never say goodbye. I hate goodbyes." He closed his eyes and a single tear ran down his cheek as the pistol let out a single roar, and he felt no more pain.
Attention: Director vitals: 0
Status: Deceased
Searching Files...No Files Found
Searching Emergency Files...1 File Found
Running File...Initiating Arctis Protocol
The words ran across a screen, bringing an AI to life on the small column. She stood only three and a half inches tall. Blue and green data ran up the curves of her body, and her hair was long, reaching the middle of her back, with a single strand swaying along the left side of her face. She brought up a holographic screen and ran her fingers over it. With a touch of a single button, she turned and watched the cryo pod near her open. Inside was a large man, standing close to seven feet in height. He wore Spartan armor, colored a blood red with black highlights along the trim. His face was exposed, showing multiple scars on his face. His hair was cut very short, barely showing his black hair. His eyes fluttered open and he looked down at the AI with the deepest of blue eyes. He stepped out of the cryo tube, the ground crunching under his weight at first. He rolled his neck and then walked closer to the column. "Omicron, why did you wake me up?" The AI looked up, her face and tone serious. "The Director is dead. The Arctis Protocol has been activated." The man barely cringed. He only knew the Director very little, but he knew what the Arctis Protocol was, and his mission it entailed. "Are there any surviving Freelancers from the project?" She nodded. "Yes. Two. Agent Washington and Agent Carolina are still alive and active. Records show that they made contact with others who have significant, if not complete, knowledge about Project Freelancer." He nodded. Omicron wouldn't give him false information. She was always reliable. According to his orders to his last mission, any and all persons with knowledge about the project were to be removed, as well as any living Freelancers. He picked up his helmet and sealed it shut, locking himself in his suit. "I trust my weapons and equipment are all accounted for?" Omicron nodded. "They are in the storage bay, prepared and ready for you." He walked up and transferred the AI into a chip, removing her from the column and placing her into his helmet, connecting her to him. "Then lets clean up the mess." Her voice spoke through his speakers. "Let us find my brother and destroy him. I am ready when you are, Agent Alaska."