Mission Start

One year later…

They had gathered in the command center for the briefing. Delaware stood off to the side with his arms clasped behind his back in his usual fashion with his legs spread shoulder-length apart. Alabama leaned up against a wall eyeing the map from afar. Montana and Virginia stuck close to Tennessee eyeing the map with extreme interest. Alaska came in last with York right behind him. The Director finished up his brief chat with the Counselor and turned to face them, "Gentlemen…and lady," he added nodding in Virginia's direction, "We have a very important assignment today, the Insurrectionists have been gaining the advantage in these coming months and we fear that they will be planning an attack or a break in to Freelancer facilities. Today you will be backing up Agent York as he attempts to infiltrate their base and uncover their files. Your team will be split into two groups, infiltration and recovery. The recovery team will be on standby until we decide otherwise. Do not fail me Agent Tennessee."

"Sir yes sir." Tennessee said, dripping contempt.

His team loaded up in the Pelican and checked their load outs. Delaware checked the extra ammo on his DMR and Magnum, Montana was doing a routine check of his armor's systems, his grenade launcher and dual SMG's set in his armor's holsters. Virginia adjusted the scope on her sniper rifle, and an ODST M7S SMG with suppressor and scope. "Why do you and Montana use SMG's…if you don't mind me asking?"

She looked up, "We were both in the same ODST unit, Montana was more…disorderly, and I was looking for something more challenging."

"I see." He looked over and Alabama was loading his shotgun and sliding a Magnum magazine smoothly in with a click. "Surprised you're choosing a Magnum."

"They wouldn't let me take a rocket launcher."

Tennessee couldn't tell if he was kidding or not so he turned to Alaska who was checking down the sights of his battle rifle. He looked at Tennessee and shrugged. Tennessee turned as York walked on board, "Good to see you again, heard you stood up to Wyoming."

"He's a dick. How about you, we were off on a mission when I heard about your eye."

"Eh, it's healing. Delta seems to think that I am not up to it. But hey, you learn by living."

Tennessee chuckled, "Well don't kill yourself on this one ok? Carolina will have my head."

"Agent Tennessee, it is highly unlikely that Agent Carolina will own your head." Delta shot back.

"Still learning humor this one." York replied, "What he means is that she would kill him."

"How will that reconstitute your body Agent York?"

"You know what Delta, don't worry about it. Let's just hop on the mission."

They descended in the Pelican towards the drop zone. "This is your pilot speaking, we will be entering the drop zone in about five minutes, you've been a pleasure to fly with and I hope you choose Freelance Air for your next trip."

"Thanks Four Seven Niner," Tennessee called. "Alright, York, Delaware and I will be on infiltration. I would like the rest of you to be on recovery with Four Seven Niner. Alaska will be your squad leader and you are to obey his every command." I stopped myself, "If it pertains to the mission. You know what I'm talking about Alaska."

Quietly from the back came his response, "Dammit!"

Virginia giggled and I looked directly at her; she went quiet. "Montana and Virginia you are ODST's you know how the squad dynamic works. Alabama…you are shark bait; Montana and Virginia outrank you so you report to them. Follow the mission! I don't want to say it again. We are on thin ice with the Director. I do not want to be reassigned to Sidewinder base. It's cold, and I don't get to sleep in my underwear. If we're all clear then let's get this mission going."

The bay doors opened and the wind whistled through. "We'll be jumping into the forest to infiltrate their base. Keep your distance and stay hidden. Bonsai!" Tennessee screamed as he jumped out of the Pelican.

His team looked out after him, "Is he crazy?" Virginia asked.

"No, he just really loves the armor ability he was given."

Tennessee enjoyed the air whistling past him as the ground became clearer and bigger. He could feel the adrenaline pumping in his body as he activated the sonic emitter and set the frequency at enough power to slow his descent until his feet gently touched the ground. "God, I never get tired of that!"

The Pelican set down next to him and York and Delaware calmly stepped off. "What took you so long?"

"Just enjoying the sights; like an idiot hurtling towards the ground at over 100 miles an hour."

"Wuss…"

Delaware stepped in, "So how does it feel to be the idiotic leader of a failing squad?"

Tennessee had had it with this guy's smug attitude, "I'm guessing it feels the same as being the guinea pig for the cloaking unit used by the Director's pet Texas…oh wait, did you want to be the Freelancer curled up in papa's lap."

Delaware was about to hit him, but Tennessee struck first. He shoved Delaware to the ground drew his knife and placed it at Delaware's throat. "A team is only as good as its weakest link. I would say that's Alabama, but even though he's insubordinate he has never questioned my orders or tried to make me look bad. My advice to you is this. I don't care if you were ONI before this, here, you are my bitch! And a bitch obeys its master. You are fresh meat and I have no problem throwing you to the dogs."

He helped Delaware up and patted him on the back before they walked off towards the base. Getting in was easy, because even if Delaware didn't like Tennessee he did appreciate York. He used the cloaking unit to move around and dispatch guards, while York sent Delta in to begin infiltrating the security systems and turning them to the Freelancer's advantage. York and Tennessee slowly moved up until they were finally inside the facility. It had a design like a Mayan temple, but on the inside it was all metal. It had three floors and then three additional basement levels. The team separated with Tennessee and Delaware taking the basement levels and York and Delta taking the upper levels. The infiltration went relatively without a hitch until an alarm was triggered on the second floor. "Dammit, York probably screwed up a lock again."

"Hey, I heard that!" York replied over the radio as gunfire and explosions were heard in the background.

"Four Seven Niner, deploy Alabama at the top of the temple…air drop him. Then deploy Montana and Alaska to rendezvous with the rest of us. Montana I want you with York. Alabama work your way down to them. Alaska help me and Delaware sweep the lower levels. Delta, tell me you have some good news."

"The central data storage is split between two storage units on the third floor and second basement level."

"Great. Alaska, scratch that. Rendezvous with us after you have received Delta from York and made your way back here."

"That is highly irregular."

"Fine, we'll lock down the second data center just make it back to us quickly!"

He heard a loud crash on what he could assume was the third floor of the temple as he heard the following over Alabama's radio. "Hey guys, how's your health insurance plan?"

He and Delaware ran through the lower levels until he had reached the data center. The Insurrectionists wheeled around but too late as Tennessee and Delaware fired their pistols and mowed down the line of enemies. "Watch my back, I'd rather pop the lock now than let York have a go."

The holographic lock appeared and it had two segments; rings that had to be lined up in the proper matching sequence, and a cipher key. He turned his attention to the rings first and solved that problem in no less than five seconds. The rings revealed the cipher key and he entered it in quickly. The lock went down and the firewall was disabled. Tennessee inserted a drive and got on the radio, "Delta should I drain the files or leave a back door in the system for you to access?"

"Agent York and I are in the middle of copying all the files…there is a lot of data to go through, so I would advise handling this yourself. We have our hands full."

Tennessee knew he was a lot less surgical than Delta, but he got every drop of data on that that he could see. "What now?"

Delaware walked up, "Now you watch my ass. I'm going to get anything they've hidden away and then fry their whole system."

"While Delta's in it?"

"I'm sure he'll be out in time."

"Delta, hurry up. Jackass over here is going to fry the system."

"Agent Tennessee these systems are separate. I will be fine."

Delaware did his job and soon Alaska joined them. "Guys Four Seven Niner can't really hold the Pelican in position for too much longer. I suggest we haul ass." They took off running to the top and rendezvoused with York, Alabama, and Montana. They hopped on board the Pelican and made their escape. "Well I think the Director will be pleased with the relative success of our mission." Just then, the base exploded. "Or he will chew us out…son of a bitch."

Tennessee didn't know how long he had stood there with the Director screaming at him about his incompetence. His team was to be disbanded and they were all to be reassigned. It was the end of the road, but if Tennessee knew anything about fate. It was that it had a funny way of bringing people back together.