The next morning anyone close to the living quarters could hear a loud banging.
"GODAMMIT WHY DID I SHOW HER UP LIKE THAT?" Colorado shouted. It doesn't matter now I guess I will just have to work with it and hope she doesn't hate me. As he left his room he set his armor to look like the basic white armor like it was yesterday. Joining the other soldiers in the food hall he managed to learn the names of the freelancers along with what they were known for and how to identify them. After a 30 minutes Colorado heard F.I.L.L.I.S' voice "Agent Colorado please report to Training Room for initiation." Excusing himself he ran off getting a few curious looks from a few of the soldiers.
Colorado rounded the corner and stopped for a few seconds trying to remember his way. Realising he was lost he cursed and was about to head to a computer to ask F.I.L.L.I.S but heard a voice.
"Hey new guy!" looking back he saw one of the soldiers running up to him. "My names Andy and I was wondering where you were heading"
Colorado sighed "I was trying to find the training center"
"Want to watch the fight huh? What was the new freelancers name… Colorado? I wonder what he is like. Hopefully he respects those underneath him" he muttered the last part.
"What do you mean?" Colorado asked curiously as they walked passed a hanger where a female pilot was yelling at people.
"Most. If not all the Freelancers Agents
"Anyway I'll show you the way" walking through many corridors Colorado learnt about the history of project freelancer and about the type of work they do. As they reached the training room Andy realized something.
"Hey I never got your name." Colorado smiled slightly.
"Agent Colorado at your service" pulling a mock salute. He chuckled as he watch Andy faceplant.
"Thanks for the help Andy ill talk to you another time" with that he switched his amour to its original setting. Not noticing once again that his amour was mixed with blue for a few seconds.
When he entered the room he had a large sense of déjà vu. The freelancers were all conversing at the back of the room and only looked at him briefly for a few seconds before looking back and continuing their own conversations until the Director walked to the middle of the room.
"Agent Colorado will be tested throughout the next few hours in close combat armed and unarmed, Firearms, Agility and survivability" he announced.
"Each of you will choose how and when you are going to join in as his opposition. To begin we will start with unarmed close combat"
"Well we might as well get this over with…" York muttered as both Washington and Maine got up with him.
On a nearby screen their names flashed for a few seconds then disappeared.
"Round one begin"
Washington ran in first throwing a left hook, followed by an elbow strike. Both were easily dodged by Colorado stepping out of the way. Ducking down he swept wash off his feet and then kicked him back to the others.
Enhanced strength? Cool… Colorado thought as looked interested at how far a single kick could knock back a fully armored soldier.
After a brief look at each other York and Maine ran forward together. Each using different techniques.
"Ya know… if you guys worked as a team you may have a chance!" Colorado said. As he dodged most of their attacks his smile could be heard through his voice. By directing most of their attacks into each other he quickly wore out them both out. He ran forward spinning and slamming his elbow into York's helmet knocking him out. He then turned only to see Maine's fist in his face.
"Damn Maine! How are you so strong?" North called out
Colorado who had been knocked into a wall close by slowly got up. He had an idea, Running at the towering agent he through a left hook only to have it grabbed. As Maine twisted his arm (think the fight in season 10) he locked his legs and then jumped surprising the giant. By locking one of his legs around his neck and the other around his chest he managed to pull of an arm-bar on the surprised Freelancer.
The others looking on were shocked "No one has ever done that before…" Carolina said as they then looked on at the fight.
Colorado saw his arm-bar wasn't working so he swung himself around Maine jumping on his back and putting him in a tight rear-naked choke. As Maine tried to pull him off he turned his body so that they were back to back. He then grabbed the bottom of the giant's mask and using the suits strength he threw Maine over his shoulder into the ground, he then reapplied his choke knocking him out. Looking around he saw Washington who was just getting up and York who sighed before running up to attack Colorado, The fight lasted for a few minutes only because Colorado danced around each of York's attacks, he eventually slipped behind the freelancer and used another rear-naked choke causing York to fall unconscious.
"He really loves choking people doesn't he? North muttered quietly getting a nod from the others.
Walking up to Wash Colorado sighed before using his knee to knock him back to the ground.
"Next" Colorado joked as the others looked at him.
After carrying the others to the side C.T pulling out her knife volunteered up for his armed combat.
While this was happening South was lost in thought I Have heard his voice before… but where?
As C.T walked up Colorado laughed "A knife? This should be fun!" Both of the freelancers faced off. C.T holding her combat knife while Colorado only had one of his old knives out. Instead of waiting like the last fight Colorado rushed forward. Holding the knife in a reversed grip he feinted at his opponent's stomach causing her to lean back and fall into his trap. Sweeping her legs she fell over and felt something at her throat.
"I think that's one point to me" he said grinning beneath his helmet before pulling her up. Now more cautious C.T set up in a more defensive position. Deciding that his previous gamble wouldn't work again he pulled out his second knife and held it in a frontward grip.
Texas and Carolina both began to pay a lot more attention after seeing this. In all the fights they had seen it was very rare to see someone dual wield at all, let alone with any skill.
Going back to the fight It could be seen that it seemed like Colorado was playing with C.T. seemingly dancing around her, occasionally touching her armor in its vital points showing of his skill. When he finished toying with her he attacked properly.
Attacks coming from each direction seemingly interwoven and constantly changing. Pushing C.T against the wall he threw one of his knives at the wall she was backed against. Rushing forward he attacked, hitting her helmet with the back of the knife and then pinning her against the wall holding his knife to her throat.
"I think we are about done here" he said as he backed off.
"WAIT!" Carolina called out jumping up. She walked forward taking C.T's place. With a Nod from the Director she pulled out her Baton and waited for Colorado to be prepared. Deciding on something different he put away his knives surprising everyone and reached behind him pulling out one of his knew weapons. Deciding on a bo-staff he quickly changed the settings. I will need to adjust this later… it's too slow for quick changes in combat.
Once he was ready they heard F.I.L.L.I.S over the speakers
"This will be a close combat fight with weapons allowed. 3. 2. 1. Begin"
Carolina rushed forward using her speed to her advantage attacking quickly she managed to knock Colorado back a few meters before he got his bearings together. When she came at him again he swung the staff around and let it slide out so he was only holding it by the end.
Carolina then discovered how much a staff to the gut hurt. Deciding to pick up her game she began to move faster and faster. The Baton becoming a blur. Deciding on using a spinning heel Kick she turned only and her foot ended up near inches away from where Colorado's Head was seconds before hand. He quickly reach forward and pushed her leg around further causing her to lose balance. Ducking down he swung the staff at her feet knocking her to the ground. He quickly ran towards her and held the staff in front of her.
"We are done here" Colorado
The others somewhat shocked by the fight stayed still for a minute until Agent North Dakota got up for the firefight/precision test. It went smoothly with North just winning the test. Proving that he still was the best Marksmen in the team.
The final Test was a shootout with South, Wash and York against Colorado. The bullets were packed with a foam that solidified on contact. The match went smoothly each time with South's confusion growing. At the end it was Colorado and South as the last two standing.
Colorado had an idea. Quickly switching his armor to that of any other basic armour. He started to run as if confused. Bumping into South he jumped back seemingly scared. "Huh?" she mumbled confused. Bringing her gun up she went to shoot him.
As she was about to shoot she spoke angrily. "This is for interrupting a training session"
Colorado quickly knocked her weapon away before shooting bother her knees.
He pointed his gun at her head before letting his armor return to normal (to everyone's shock) "like I said last night. You need to control your anger. If you had you would have remembered that the door was shut after I arrived" He then shot her.
"Agent Colorado Wins. Colorado has completed the initiation to a high standard" F.I.L.L.I.S
"Th th That was you last night!?" Washington asked shocked.
"Don't sweat Wash I have no issue with you guys. To be honest I only came to watch last night. I never expected to actually be a part of the fighting.
There was a silence for a few minutes. "Well I suppose proper introductions are in order…" Colorado began as he took of his helmet and faced everyone. He had Black hair that fell over his face, blue eyes and a small scar on corner of his lip.
"Well I'm Colorado. I was found by the Director in a room full of slaughtered elites. I was believed to be killed there but obviously I'm not dead" he said laughing.
Washington began. "Well I'm Washington but everyone calls me Wash" as he began to point towards the others Colorado spoke before him "Carolina, Texas, North Dakota known as North, York, C.T, Maine"
I got some info about you guys from some of the other soldiers. They looked at him astounded.
"What? I wanted to know who I was going to be fighting with and working with"
"Where are you from?" Texas asked. His expression darkened. "A planet long since destroyed" he said looking each of them in the eye. "Where I grew up you either died or learn to survive. Death was a part of everyday life. As I grew up I got taken to another place that was no better."
He looked up at everyone daring them to doubt him. With that he walked towards South who had just finished getting her armor cleaned.
"I get that you might be angry at me but think through what I said" he said. "It may seem harsh or cheap what I did. But when you are in a life or death situation you want to be able to think calmly. Not fall to fear, terror, anger, hate…. If you do… you are more likely to die and at that point you will not care who is who. Their race, gender, your feelings towards them. You will only want to survive."
Everyone looked at him in shock including the director and counselor. The emotion he put into his small speech caused everyone to feel like he had actually experienced these emotions and feelings before. After that he walked off.
"I'm going to clean myself up" he said to everyone and walked off.
"Well" York said after a minute's silence. He looked at the director. "Is there anything you can tell us about him?"
The director thought for a few minutes. "I can't say much without Colorado's permission… But as you all know Colorado was a name reserved. What you don't know however is that it was not reserved for him… You all have heard of him, most of you feared him. A long time ago… some of you even worked with him before you became freelancers." He finished with before he left leaving the freelancers lost in thought. After a few minutes they began to separate. Washington, York and North headed to the Showers. When they arrived they saw Colorado as he was getting dressed. As he was putting his shirt on they saw the scars that lined his back and torso. There was also a large burn mark on his shoulder.
"Hey that looks like a plasma shot… You okay?" Colorado froze.
"Ill manage" With that he rushed off.
"I wonder what the hell happened." York said slightly concerned about the damage on the soldier's skin. "well I guess we will find out one day" North said. As they each thought about who Colorado might be.