Hello to all! As you can see, I'm Chubs. Now, this is a collab with my friend KZ, so I can't take full credit. He got me into Crackdown, and when he told me he was making a comic for it, I told him I could write a damn story to go along. So after about 3 days of planning, I'm getting started.
O
Two Agency Choppers glide over the ocean at night. Their blades stir up the water, leaving dual waves in it's wake. Inside the cockpits are pilots hopped on techno music and 5-hour energy to keep awake. But he's not too important. It's the Level six Agents in the tethered drop box who are.
Two men, taller than normally possible, are the only two inhabitants. And one's asleep, in an Agency casual uniform, lying on the cot in his walled-off section.
The Box is made to float on the water, and be anchored to the ocean floor. It's divided into three parts. Two are for the Agents who will be living there, the third is a common area, debriefing room, and mess hall all in one.
The other Agent is still in his armor, helmet beside him on the bench in the common. He rests his arms on his knees, letting his head hang low. He can't sleep. Especially after their debriefing only hours before, despite the advice to get some shut-eye.
He went over it one more tiem in his head.
The Two Agents, Nicholas Ralston and Jaden Clarke stood at attnetion at the Voice of the Agency came to life on the screen.
"Reporting for duty, Sir!" They belted in unison, saluting the screen. He saluted back, and gave them the order to relax.
"At ease, Agents." They spread their legs a foot apart, and crossed their arms behind their backs. Their stoic faces, unhelmeted, remained in a uniform look. "Ralston, Clarke, the two of you have been selected for this mission for many reasons. Your courage, endurance, and skill is one of them. If not more importantly is your companionship. We can't let one, much less two rookies go into uncharted territory. We picked you two because you cover the other's weakness, and bolster the other's strengths." Ralston and Jaden saw the Voice smile once he finished complimenting them.
"Now that that's over with, enough ego-combing. You know who you are. You are some of our best Agents. Your track record proves that. But this mission? Failure is not an option. You either succeed, or thousands can die. Freaks are beign reported in Port Torvus City."
"Permission to ask a question?" Ralston prompted.
"Accepted."
"Isn't Port Torvus City in Europe, Sir?"
"Good, you know your geography. That's one thing we can list down in Agent 101." He sarcastically replied. "Yes, it is. You'll be there as long as it takes. That's why we're sending you with a waterborne HQ, and a handler at the top of the class. You're going there because the Agency needs to expand into other countries. If you two make a good impression, then that's one big step toward eradicating the Freaks."
Ralston and Jaden exchanged an unnoticable glance. They saw right through the propaganda. The Agency wanted power, so needed a foothold in another country.
"Keep the civillian casualties to a minimum. Get the absorbtion units installed, drop the beacons, sizzle some freaks. You know the drill. Dismissed."
Ralston shook his head. Only two level six agents in this? They're skilled, yes, that's not up for debate, but this...it's crazy. Yes, the Agency is possibly power-hungry -in retrospect, is power-hungry- but to try and take Europe?
"Fuckin' Agency." Ralston muttered. He didn't like the Agency. Or...he didn't trust it. But out of all the Freak fighters, these were the most benevolent, and that's really saying something. It's a matter of the lesser of two evils.
Ralston was, first and foremost, a realist. He didn't like viewing the radical, like someone startign a nuclear Holocaust because of somethign petty. He saw the most possible outcome as the ne that wa sbound to happen. And the most likely outcome of this little adventure?
Ralston or Jaden dead. Maybe both.
Grim? Yes. But that's the price of realism. But that didn't make him sour. He did see an outcome of them pulling this fiasco off. But failure, while not an option, was possible.
But there was one thing he could do. He could leave a message. For the next Agents they sent into this shitstorm waiting to happen. So Ralston pushed himself up, and walked queitly to the cabinet, retirieving an audio tape.
He gathered his thoughts, cleared his throat, and transferred his wisdom to the tape.
"I go by Ralston. Never liked my first name. But if you're hearing this, I'm probably dead. And so is Jaden. But that's besides the point. I just need you to know what's been going on.
"The Agency, after the sucsess of the clearing Pacific City, slowly grew into Congress. They say it's just for advice, but anyone who can see past bullshit knows that the Agency has the first and last say in anything. CELL has been incognito for a few years now. Probably secretly recruiting. Hell, course their recruiting.
"So now they're expanding. Port Torvus City is the first location that Freaks have infected. Now that I think of it, it could be the Agency itself who put the Freaks there, just to get a foothold. But that's not important. Now now. What you need to know is that your job, as an Agent, is to keep the Civillians safe. So if that means furthering the Agency Agenda, so be it. But do not let any unnesseary death occur. World's a Shithole as is.
"This is Agent Ralston, and Agent Jaden. We're the first Agents inside of Port Torvus City. We're proabably dead. Hope the same doesn't happen to you. Good hunting. Ralston out."
He ended the recording. Played it back, once, twice.
It was good enough. Maybe it'd help shed some light on the corruption one day. Or atleast slow down the Agency's conquest.
The realist in him said it's be found and destroyed by the Agency.
But he ignored it and fell asleep, hopeful.
Hopeful that he doesn't regret getting his hopes up.