Prologue

Prologue

Somewhere in the jungles of Africa…

Hot, humid, and irritating. That's how most of the reploids stationed around the perimeter felt as they continued their patrols. The thick jungle canopy blocked out most of the sun, yet the horrid heat and humidity seemed to somehow creep in anyway. They detested being there, but their job was almost finished, so they continued to bear with it. Even now they could hear the sounds of machines working within the perimeter, excavating and boring deep into the earth.

The reploid guards protected a camp that stretched for half a mile in a wide radius. Various tents dotted the site, each containing various research equipment inside, these of which were in turn operated by various worker reploids and researchers. It was well hidden within the jungle, and that was exactly how they wanted it. What they were searching for wasn't exactly something they wanted anyone to know. In the middle of this camp were various digger and driller vehicles boring and excavating into the ground, working steadily to remove the earth from their objective.

Finally, the machines stopped as they uncovered a large, metallic hatch that sealed the laboratory they had been looking for so long. After clearing the area, a team of reploids went in and set up various high-powered explosives. Once the bombs were set, they all retreated from the blast area and hid behind cover. One pulled out a remote and clicked the red switch. A tremendous explosion that could be heard for a mile rung out, and dirt and rock was blown into the air.

Once everything cleared again, the team went back to investigate and were shocked to find that their explosives hadn't even dented the hatch. They all looked at each other dubiously, and then looked back at the sound of approaching footsteps. They all moved aside to allow their leader to walk past them.

Their leader was a female reploid; she donned red armor that contorted perfectly with her slender figure and had long blonde hair below her helmet. She had five blue crystals; one for each arm, the back of her hands, and one on her chest, and these glowed as she approached the door. She stood over the hatch, knelt down on one knee and extended her right hand, leaving it just inches above the hatch. Soon a small W began to shine on the hatch. She smiled satisfied.

"We're in the right place," she said. She reached down and held on to the wheel. She easily turned it and pulled the hatch open, much to the surprise of the surrounding reploids.

"Man, what was the point of the bombs then?" One of the reploids asked his companion. The other one just shrugged.

"Lieutenant," their leader called, and one of the more rugged looking reploids stepped forth. "Tighten security around the perimeter."

"If you don't mind me asking, ma'am, what exactly are we looking out for? It doesn't seem like there's anybody for miles around us."

"That explosion will no doubt attract unwanted attention," she told her lieutenant. "Besides, I have a feeling we are not alone here."

The lieutenant nodded, gave her a single salute, and hurried off to follow her orders. The commander then jumped down the hatch, followed closely by two others.

Meanwhile, far off in the south perimeter, a single reploid leered down at the patrolling guards from atop a tree. He was completely unseen, as he imitated the texture and color of the bark and surrounding greenery perfectly. Only the crest on his right chest was unchanged; it was a white crest shaped like a wolf's head with its maw open. It was the one thing he couldn't and wouldn't change. Just as the two guards disappeared into the jungle, the reploid known as Slith slowly began to get off the trunk and crawl on the branch.

"They've been tightening security," he said in a low hiss, his slit-like pupils moving around as his armor returned to its natural scale green color. "I think they suspect my presence."

He heard over the intercom of his helmet the general's voice, speaking as sternly as ever and seemingly unaffected at the news that his subordinate was risking a higher chance of detection. Slith simply sighed at all the love.

"Then be more careful, Slith. We can't risk having you discovered before we can surmise what these people are planning. Remember; avoid contact with the enemy at all costs."

"Yes, I know already," Slith replied, and began to jump from branch to branch, easily moving past the perimeter and avoiding the trip lasers that had been set up. "What is it I'm looking for, though? The mission objectives were oddly vague back at the briefing."

"You have already been told everything you need to know," the general told him. "There have been many strange attacks lately, most of which seemed to have been aimed at reploid centers around the world. Why this is happening, we don't know, and that's what we intend to find out."

"And no one has found out about the organization behind it? That is, assuming that there's any organization at all."

"These attacks are far too related and follow the exact same pattern; all reploids in the area, whether active or otherwise, are destroyed, along with the entire building and any humans that could be inside." The general's voice was noticeably grim.

"Sounds like something the Reploid Liberation Front would do," Slith said, stopping and camouflaging himself against another tree as another patrol walked by.

"Yes," the General agreed. "It would be great if it was that simple, but the R.L.F. had been disbanded after Marduk's death six months ago."

"Yes yes," Slith said as he began to move again. "I remember the newscast about the whole thing."

He finally arrived right at the edge of the camp. He stood straight and looked into the camp from up high the tree. He saw all the digger vehicles in the center and smirked. He jumped down from the branch unto the ground and crouched low.

"General, I've found the site. It looks like you were right; they've been digging up something here. I can see various digger droids and vehicles near the center of the camp. Whatever it might be, it looks like they're done. Might explain why they suddenly increased the patrols."

"Then you know what you have to do," the general said. "Infiltrate the camp and find out what they've been digging. If there is anything there of value to them, then it might just be dangerous to us."

"It sounds like you're already certain that these people are responsible for the attacks," Slith said with a small, amused smile.

"Isn't it like that always?" His general asked rhetorically. "Now move out, soldier."

"Yes sir."

Slith immediately went down to his stomach, and began to prowl the ground with amazing speed and fluidity, looking almost like a snake as he moved between the tents and past the guards. A full face mask began to cover his face, and soon his entire armor began to change, taking the appearance of the ground he was covering. He was so well camouflaged he was practically invisible, and this suited him perfectly.

In a matter of minutes he made it to the dig site, which wasn't that much protected. Obviously, no one expected that anybody could sneak in this deep without detection, and Slith chuckled at this small yet costly arrogance. He continued to crawl towards his objective silently, and made it all the way to the hatch before speaking over the comm again.

"I've made it to the dig site. It looks like they uncovered a hatch that leads underground. I'm guessing there's some complex inside that they're interested in. I haven't been seen. I'm going in to investigate. Over and out." He took a last look around his surroundings, and then leaped into the hatch down.

He landed down on one knee after a surprisingly short drop, then quickly lifted his hand and pointed his outstretched fingers in front of him. Each of his fingers opened at the tip, revealing small holes that served as his buster. He aimed at either side, and soon realized that there was only one considerably dark hall forward. Keeping a low profile, he began to move into the complex.

The first thing he noticed was the lack of any real paths; it was a very straightforward journey. He would press himself against the wall at each turn, but when he investigated he found no one. No one was patrolling. No one was lost. There simply was nobody around.

After four halls he finally came upon a fork on the halls. He looked at each one dubiously and wondered which he should take until he heard the unmistakable sounds of keyboard tapping. He turned his buster to the upper hall and began to approach cautiously. He could see a faint light from a door a bit farther ahead. He heard voices as well. He pressed himself against the wall, keeping low still as he looked into the room.

It was dark; almost too dark to make out anything accurately. The only things he could tell was that the room was large; a lab, it seemed, judging from the many old computer panels and much other laboratory equipment, including machines to build reploid parts. He could also make out the figures of three reploids, two of which were standing over one that was working on a computer. The one that caught his attention was the red one that was standing; she looked far too confident to be a regular grunt.

"Sir, I've infiltrated the complex. I think it's some kind of laboratory, but it's too dark to see anything properly. Damn it, if I had known I'd be somewhere dark I'd have taken those NV implants," he added with a frown.

"It's alright. Activate your camera so that we can see for ourselves."

"Roger that," Slith said. He pressed his index and middle fingers to a pressure sensitive trigger on his helmet. The upper right corner of his helmet opened up to reveal a very small lens. This small camera transmitted images straight back to Repliforce headquarters, where the general and his navigators all looked at through the large screen in front of them.

The general frowned, as the camera didn't show much of anything either. "Can you get closer?" He asked Slith.

"I don't think so. I'm too close as it is; I could be seen."

"In that case, get as much as you can and get the hell out of there," Stone told him. "I don't think they'll be standing there much longer."

"Alright, I'll—" He stopped suddenly as the lights of the entire complex suddenly lit up. His eyes widened horribly as he stared at the sight before him; a reploid, his lower torso and every limb missing, hung almost loosely from a mess of cables, all connected to his body. More shockingly, however, was the site of the massive W painted on the wall from which this reploid hung of.

"Holy shit…" Slith said in a low voice.

Stone saw it as well, and he had a look much unlike him; it was fear. Real fear. "It can't be!" He gasped his voice much unlike its usual stern tone. "Slith! Get the hell out of there! Do you hear me?! Slith!" The screen suddenly went black.

Every guard in the camp began to gather around the dig site, having been alerted via comm the presence of an intruder. They surrounded the entrance from up above the crater and aimed down with their weapons. They heard muffled explosions coming from within and steeled themselves. Suddenly, a green reploid jumped out of the hole very fast, and they all knew that was no one they recognized. They all opened fire.

Slith continued his ascent until he was well above the firing reploids. His armor was already cracked in various places, and blood poured from under the helmet. He opened up his finger tips again, this time from both hands, and swung his arms in a wide arc around him. The fingers all fired small beams of energy that headed straight for the enemy reploids, and the blast killed and critically wounded most of them.

He began to sprint for the jungle when he landed on the ground, and as he ran he tried to communicate with the general again, but to no avail.

"General!" He hissed angrily, dodging more incoming fire. It was strange how far the edge of the camp seemed all of a sudden. "General, goddammit! Answer! I need to send this footage to you before it's too late!"

He chanced a glance behind him and realized to his irritation that the red armored reploid was still following him. He looked back at the jungle and grinned. Well, if she insisted on fighting him, it would have to be on his terms. He jumped up into the nearby trees and quickly disappeared into the jungle.

In a matter of moments, search teams began to scour the jungle for him. It was eerie, the efficiency with which these reploids worked. He had never seen anything like it, honestly. As he watched, he realized that the red armored commander was among them. He chuckled, and hid away as his armor began to blend with the environment.

It didn't take long for him to make an impact on the search teams. He was quiet and methodical, killing the most isolated units with silent efficiency. A shot here, a cut there, and none would find anything but dead bodies. The search teams continued to peruse the jungle, but the deeper they went, the fewer they were, and the more nervous they got.

Only there commander remained frustratingly calm. She looked at her surroundings, accompanied by her personal bodyguards, not at all affected by the loss of her men. She stepped into a wide clearing; though there was grass that grew up to waist length, there wasn't a tree around for thirty yards. She looked around with narrowed eyes.

"He's here," she said. One of the guards gasped and they all raised their weapons at once, now standing around their leader protectively. Even though they tried looking around more carefully, they couldn't see anyone at all.

Then suddenly, something long and thin stretched out and wrapped itself around the guard's neck. Their commander was agile enough to turn and see for a second at it; it looked like an overstretched tongue. Before she could help the soldier, however, the guard was dragged down into the grass. Everyone could see the grass move as the screaming soldier was dragged away. Then the sickening sound of crushing metal and tearing flesh greeted their ears, and the screaming stopped immediately.

Her bodyguards all changed formation, and immediately the dozen of them stood in front of her in a wedge formation, keeping her close to the man in front as they all took aim. The figure of a reploid slowly rose from the grass, and he had the unfortunate bodyguard's neck clamped tightly in his fangs, blood oil running down the reploids mangled body and Slith's mouth.

"C-Commander Roll, he…" One of the guards said, but kept quiet at her glare.

"Ah, so you have a name then," Slith said with a small chuckle. "Good to know."

"Shit," Roll said in irritation. "Kill him!"

Slith ducked back into the tall grass as the guards began firing at him, bullets whizzing past him as he ran low. Soon, his armor began to change in front of their very eyes, and when the mask covered his face, he disappeared. The guards all changed formation again, the dozen of them standing around their Commander in two small rings. They didn't need the order again; they began firing into the foliage, hoping that the volume of fire would keep him at bay until more arrived.

This was not to be, however. One after another began to fall, dragged into the grass and dying the same gruesome way as the first one. They became so edgy they began to fire at the body parts that were thrown in their direction. Slith jumped out of hiding right behind another one when this happened, knocking him on the ground and crouching on his back. He grinned and reached down under the reploid's chin, breaking his neck with one violent pull up. When the guards turned to fire at him, he disappeared into the grass again.

"This can't be happening!" Roll said angrily as she realized her bodyguards had been reduced to five. These reploids were made especially strong, and they were able to fight regular Maverick Hunters in equal terms. That this one reploid managed to take down her men so easily was…

"I get it now," she said. She raised her hand, signaling her men to cease fire. They all did, lowering their weapons and looking around them wearily.

Roll walked past them. She tapped the gems on her arm braces absentmindedly, and then stood still in the middle of the field. Her men looked at her worriedly, but one glance from her told them that they were to remain where they were. She then turned her attention to the seemingly empty field around her.

"That's enough, assassin," she said. Her gems began to glow faintly as she spoke, and her expression was slowly hardening. "I'm not going to let you kill anyone else."

She heard Slith's voice as he laughed; it seemed to come from all around them, and her men raised their guns, aiming uncertainly at an invisible opponent. She merely stood still, ignoring the mocking laughter that had arisen.

"So, the noble commander steps forth to protect her men," Slith said, his voice noticeably nearer. "A futile gesture, but I'll play along."

My right! Roll thought to herself as she turned at the direction of Slith's voice. She pointed the gem buster forward and fired several small beams, saturating the area with explosions. She glared silently, and then gasped as she heard the soft sound of grass moving behind her. She turned quickly again, and sure enough, Slith was above her, pointing his fingers straight at her. He opened fire, and Roll dashed out of the way, the beams exploding behind her. Slith ducked under the grass again and disappeared.

"He can throw his voice too?" She wondered aloud, standing still and looking around her, her arms following her sight. She could hear Slith laugh again.

"Yesss," he hissed. "Sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. All can be fooled and none can be relied upon. To try to find me with those is like trying to find your own shadow in the dark."

Suddenly, beams shot out of the grass, and Roll did a roll to the side to avoid them. She growled as she fired in the direction the beams came from, once again hitting nothing.

"You could try burning the grass away if you like," Slith's voice told her. "Of course, you'd have to chase me around the jungle." He chuckled darkly. "I doubt you want that."

"Shit," Roll said. She knew he was right, and only now did she finally realize why he had dragged them out here into the jungle, into these grasslands. He knew they wouldn't leave this place, as this was the best place to kill him for sure. Out in the jungle, he'd vanish. He must want to stay to ensure that Roll herself would stay and fight.

He means to kill me, knowing now that I'm the commander, she finally concluded. And he's at a complete advantage here. Goddamn, he's good.

She sighed, standing back up and cracking her knuckles. "I'm just going to have to be better then," she told herself. She gripped one of her gems and pulled it off. "Let's go; round two!"

She suddenly turned and began to dash away, heading straight for the jungle. Slith watched her dash and tilted his head curiously.

"So she's finally lost her nerve," he said, grinning. "Very well; I'll kill her now." He kept a low profile still, and began to dash straight in her direction. Roll's bodyguards couldn't help, because Slith moved so carefully and quickly that the grass barely registered his passing.

Roll looked over shoulder, dropping the gem with as much subtlety as it was possible. She continued to dash, and the edge of the jungle was nearing. "Come on," she said, hoping that this would work.

Slith continued with his fast pursuit, and was so focused that he didn't notice as he stepped on the dropped gem. A red light began to blink from the gem, but it was too late for him to realize that. Roll, on the other hand, had been waiting for just that, and the signal it emitted told her exactly where Slith was standing at that moment.

"Now!" She cried, turning a full 180 and firing a charged up beam with her other arm. Slith gasped audibly, jumping up high to avoid the blast, but exposing himself completely. Roll could see his wide eyes as the assassin no doubt registered the kind of trouble he had gotten himself in.

"You're mine!" Roll shouted, jumping up to greet him. Slith cursed audibly as his fingers opened up again to reveal small sharp claws, but it was too late for him. Roll ejected a single beam saber from her back. Grasping it tightly with her right hand, she swung it down, cutting off his right arm and slicing into his side. Blood sprayed out as both reploids landed behind one another.

Roll put away her beam saber, then turned to face Slith, who was glaring at her while pressing his hand against the uncontrollably bleeding wound. He grinned, blood seeping down his lips. "Y-You're good, C-Commander."

"Your reputation precedes you, Slith, formerly known as Hidden Wolf."

Slith gasped, then coughed out and grinned again. "So… you knew."

Roll nodded. "I know about the Pack," she told him. "No one else wears that crest." She pointed at the wolf head engraved on Slith's chest.

"Yeah… It was my only real weakness. White isn't… good on a green… backdrop…" He chuckled as he began to wheeze. "Shame… you couldn't… figure that out… sooner."

Roll couldn't help but feel irritated at this reploid's apparent joy. Something was wrong. "What did you do?" She asked him angrily, pointing her gem buster right at him.

Slith laughed, and then coughed again. "All… I did… was… buy… some time…" He fell to his knees, grinning still.

"Time for what?!" Roll shouted alarmed. Then one of her guards called out with alarming news.

"Commander Roll! We found a long range transmitter hidden in the grass! It looks like it sent data, but it wasn't towards the Repliforce Headquarters! It's too encrypted to find anything else without the proper equipment!"

"What?!" Roll shouted, and then turned on Slith furiously. Now she understood. She had been tricked! "Who did you send that to?!" She asked furiously.

"W-Wouldn't… you… like to… know…?" He said. He coughed again, and with a final grin, fell on his face and died.

Roll growled furiously, and then turned on her men. "Get that back to base and see if we can trace the signal!"

As soon as she finished that sentence the transmitter crackled with electricity and caught fire. The guard let it go quickly, and Roll had to watch in suppressed fury as the only way to trace that signal vanished. She turned furiously on the dead Slith and pointed her gem buster right at the corpse. She charged it to full and blasted it to pieces.

"Not the calm kind of person, are you Commander?"

Roll suddenly turned towards the sound of the feminine voice that addressed her. At the edge of the grassland, sitting on a branch of a tall, thick tree, was the reploid woman merely known as Mother. This reploid looked like a healthy middle aged woman, with a very small wrinkle forming in her smiling face. She had long blue hair that flowed out from the back of her white helmet and went down to her back. Her armor was blue and white, and her strange silver green eyes gazed peacefully and amusedly at Roll. On her chest armor was the white crest of a wolf head; just like Slith's.

"Mother," Roll said. Her expression hardened quickly. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"I'm afraid I only just arrived," she told Roll very serenely. "It's a shame, really. I was hoping to save the child, but I guess there was no point. He's as stubborn as the other one."

"He just sent a heavily encrypted message through unknown channels towards an unknown receiver!" Roll said, having no patience at the moment for the woman's laments. "Do you have any idea where it might have gone?!"

"I might," Mother said, entirely unaffected by Roll's tone. "It wouldn't matter, though. You won't find him even if I told you."

"The hell we wouldn't! This could jeopardize everything!" She shouted angrily.

"Calm down, Commander. This will work to our advantage," Mother told her. Roll blinked confused.

"How will this work to our advantage?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as she watched Mother jump down from the tree.

"It seems that our leader has been watching everything, and has concluded that this will take us down the best course of action for our objectives. The ensuing chaos will undoubtedly bring us various opportunities to try out the new body for our guest and…" She looked at Roll with a smile. "Speaking of which, how goes the resuscitation?"

"It's going according to plan. All systems have gone online, and the mind's relatively intact. It's a matter of erasing his memories and getting him on his new body."

"I see," Mother said, looking away at the distant trees and folding her arms on top of one another. "As I was saying, the ensuing chaos will allow many combat tests to be done. Plus, Duo will be able to begin his mission."

"So, they finished repairing him?" Roll asked, now genuinely interested.

"Yes. We were able to finally suppress him and implant the virus." She glanced back and saw that Roll had decided to look away; there was a strange solemn expression on the young Commander. Mother chuckled.

"Besides, it will bring him to us."

Roll's expression hardened almost instantly. "I know. There's no doubt the Maverick Hunter would come. When he does…" She gripped her hands tightly.

"Yes, we shall greet him in the manner most befitting of him," Mother said, chuckling again as she looked at the horizon. The atmosphere around gradually got colder, and snow began to fall. Mother chuckled. "I love snow."

Roll looked at her questioningly.

"It is… pure, in every sense of the word." She stretched out her arms towards the sky, letting snow flakes gently fall on her face. "This world… needs that purity."