Hey guys Price here and welcome back to California Chronicles. In this chapter, there will be MORE ACTION! I promise. Hopefully. If I find an excuse to add it I will...maybe incorporate the Bjørndal Cryogenics Research Facility and the 110-story Insurrection Building as well as a non-canon fight. Yes. I shall do that. I will definitely do that. Also, I hope you guys enjoy the story so far, I know I am. Sorry if you find certain parts *cough the aftermath of Cali and North's sex last chapter cough* disturbing or awkward...trust me I take no pleasure *he he* in writing that scene...or the upcoming ones...but I am merely trying to make the story feel more like a Red vs Blue one instead of a friendly, warm, and inviting one like CYPHR of Beacon was near the beginning. I am also aware that by including the Bjørndal Cryogenics Research Facility and the 110-story Insurrection Building that I am retconning the story, but just pretend that that part in chapter 1 never happened, or just ignore it. Also, last one I swear, this story officially passed the one it was based on in it's first chapter, oh, and the Non-Canon battle will take place after the 110-Story one but will be in a flashback. Anyway! To the story...which will begin now!
"My name is Project Freelancer Agent #41, also known as Agent California, but my friends call me Cali. This entry journal series was suggested to me when I first joined Project Freelancer by my brother, James. Also known as Project Freelancer Agent #11, or Agent New York, but he prefers just York. He said it would give him, our family, and any friends I made at Project Freelancer to remember me by if I died in the field. Another reason I agreed is to tell my story to anyone who finds this. It started out as a woman my bro met at some place called Club Ererra. The next day, we were at the gym when the same woman came up and, after a...heated argument, she dragged us out the door and asked us if we wanted to join this new super soldier experiment. We accepted, naturally, I mean, who doesn't want to wear Mjonlir...they never told us about the augmentations. They knew we would all leave if they did. Now, onto the real thing. This is the story of why I need to kill her. She was skilled, and I trusted her. But she lied to me. She betrayed, and stabbed us in the backs, and used us! Manipulated me for her own purposes, and for what? For this? This...vendetta?! She needs to pay. I won't be used anymore. Even is Connie was right, I won't let her kill her father. Carolina needs to be stopped. One way or another, and I'm the only one brave enough to do it.
-Not as huge time gap to be explained in later chapter-
"This is ex-Project Freelancer Agent #41 signing off...forever."
"Hey new girl! Get in here!"
"Yes Sarge!"
-(Beginning of story)-
Cali didn't think her day could get any worse. She was currently on the Bjørndal Cryogenics Research Facility with North and South, and South was being the whiniest woman Cali had ever met. Ever. Of all time.
"South! Set your trackers. I don't have eyes in there!" North commanded, South, once again and, unsurprisingly, ignoring North's orders.
"Just trust me North, I got this." South said, Cali scoffing at South's obsession with getting a good time.
"North, your sis is the whiniest woman I have ever met. Ever. Of all time." Cali said, North complaining that she wasn't "as bad as she seems."
"Slut." South said, making Cali grind her teeth together.
"I should have you know your brother is the only man I've ever slept with." Cali said, making South try to stifle her laughter, but having to turn off her helmet's speaker so she wouldn't be caught by laughing.
"I find that incredibly hard to believe, what with the way and volume that North moans." South said, chuckling at North's flustering attempts to rebuke her.
"Some people are born with gifts South, you were obviously one of the unlucky that weren't." Cali shot back, South grinding her teeth and muting her speakers so she could swear loudly.
"South talk to me." North said, obviously worried for his sister.
"Not right now North. I see the objective, going to initiate transfer." South whispered, her speaker back on.
"While it's loading set your trackers. There's bound to be some...South I've got something odd on thermal. Two small dots." North said, Cali getting ready to jump onto the patrol beneath her, sliding her Combat Tomahawks into her hand, and then, when the alarm sounded, she jumped, landing on the back two men, crushing their spines and killing them immediately, slicing the other two's throats, then putting her Tomahawks back into place and pulling out her SMGs and running down the walkway.
"North. South. I'm on my way to the rendezvous, meeting little resistance, so I guess I'll meet you there." She said, making her way to the helipad and waited, hiding on the support beam of one of the platforms.
After waiting for a few minutes, she finally heard the sound of fighting, seeing someone fly back onto the helipad from the walkway leading to it.
"Cali, we're here, where are you?" North asked, looking around.
"Don't look. I'm on your left, on one of the support beams." She whispered, North looking at the men on the walkway up above her, but she knew he had his eyes on her.
"Attention, stand down! You're surrounded!" The mysterious soldier said, unaware tat Cali had moved below his platform.
"Well, out of the frying pan and into the fire." North said, continuing to look around.
"Eh, think I could take about fifty of 'em. How 'bout you?" South asked, joking lightly.
"How about you save your jokes until we get out of this?" North said, frustrated that South would joke in a life or death situation.
"Where the hell is extraction?!" South asked, getting serious again.
"Attention, stand down! Your surrounded! Give us the data file now! You will be taken into custody! We can do this the easy way or the hard way! There is no escape, so give us the data file!" Someone on a mega phone announced, Cali getting ready to attack.
Suddenly, someone jumped down from the crates and attacked the soldiers, shooting the support beams on the two platforms, kicking the turret.
"It's her." North said, having been asked what was happening by South.
"What? What's she doing here?" South asked, angry that the number one Freelancer was sent there.
The Freelancer jumped off the catwalk, doing a backflip and landing, her colors changing from black to a light blue.
"Okay, my turn." She said, running forward and attacking the soldiers, followed by Cali who jumped off the beam and pulled out her Tomahawks, throwing one which embedded itself into a soldier who had been aiming at North.
"Thanks Cali." North said, grabbing her Tomahawk and throwing it back at her, where she caught it.
"No problem." She replied, pulling out an SMG and shooting another soldier a few times.
Cali swung her Tomahawk, decapitating one soldier and embedding it into another's neck, ripping it back out and shooting a soldier above her on the catwalk who got up.
Suddenly, she heard North call out.
"South, look out." He called, pushing her out of the way as the man on the turret fired at him, hitting his chest and visor. "Ah!" He exclaimed, falling to his knees.
"North! No!" South and Cali exclaimed at the same time, Carolina firing her grappling hook at the turret.
"What the?" The soldier said, Carolina yanking her grappling hook, which caused the turret to face down and shoot the support beam that was holding it up, making it collapse and the soldiers fall into the water down below.
Cali watched as South helped North walk to the edge, quickly regaining from her horror and shock to help.
"I got you. Move." South said, her tone implying she was terrified, and tossed him against the edge, the three of them firing their weapons at the remaining soldiers. "Come in, command! We have wounded, you need to get us out of here right now!"
"Come on you three. We're leaving." Carolina said, grabbing South and North and jumping over the edge, followed by Cali who shot one last soldier, landing on a Pelican.
"Sorry about the mess, fellas." Carolina called to the remaining soldiers, walking into the Pelican from the top through a ladder. "Package is secure. Everybody on board." She said, walking into the cabin and getting into the co-pilot's seat.
"Somebody call for a ride?" The pilot asked, looking at Carolina.
"You're late." Carolina said sternly, the pilot sighing lightly.
"Ah well, you can take it out of my tip." The pilot said, turning back to the controls and flying off.
As they continued to fly, Carolina asked South to check their six.
"Heads up, we've got company back here." South said, Cali standing up to look to see two Longswords flying behind the Pelican.
"Who are your friends?" The pilot asked, looking towards Carolina.
"Just some people we met at the party." Carolina replied, shrugging slightly.
"They seem nice." The pilot said, the Longswords firing missiles, which the pilot maneuvered around.
"Nice moves, firing missiles." Carolina said, firing the missiles, but missing the Longswords.
"Can't you get us out of here?!" South asked, looking towards the cockpit.
"I'm working on it." The pilot responded, pressing buttons that, although Cali had been in multiple Pelicans, she did not understand.
"What's that noise?" South asked after the missile lock warning began flashing.
"They have missile lock." The pilot answered, making South and Cali tense.
"That's bad." Both South and Cali responded at the same time, each looking at the other.
"Yeah, that's bad." The pilot said, getting slightly annoyed.
"Take evasive maneuvers!" South shouted, Cali getting fed up with her attitude.
"I'm trying." The pilot shouted back, ready to kill South by the tone of her voice.
"Well, try harder!" South yelled, Cali groaning and sitting down, strapping herself to her seat.
"Hey South? Do me a favor, would ya?" the pilot said, looking back into the loading dock.
"What?" South asked, the pilot suddenly sealing the door between the cockpit and loading dock.
"Thanks." The pilot said, Cali silently agreeing.
"You stupid bi-" South was interrupted when the Pelican moved to the side to avoid a missile, making South tumble.
"Releasing flares." The pilot said, her voice transmitting to Cali by the radio.
"I hate flying!" South shouted, the Pelican getting hit and tumbling, South being knocked unconscious and hitting Cali, dazing her and locking her seat by jamming a bar on it sideways.
"Hey, everyone hold on back there. Things are gonna get a little um..." The pilot said, pausing to grab the right word.
"Bumpy?" Cali asked, trying to un-jam her seat.
"Yeah, well I was gonna say crashy, but bumpy works." The pilot responded, Cali suddenly grabbing her harness and gripping it in a death grip.
"Countermeasures depleted. North, get moving. I'm clearing you for equipment usage." Carolina said, Cali pausing to look up to see North beginning to get up.
"Whatever you're gonna do back there, do it fast." The pilot said, flying into an ice canyon.
"Stay safe, kiddo." North said, strapping South into a seat.
"North, North!" The pilot shouted, Cali watching North turn around and look at her, taking off his helmet and walking to her.
"North. Please." Cali said, taking off her helmet, revealing the things he loved about her, other than her personality of course. Cali was a Caucasian female with short dark brown hair, deep green eyes, and a, in his opinion, perfectly sculpted face.
"See ya in a few Cali." North said, kissing her and making his way to the ladder, climbing it and going on top of the Pelican.
Suddenly, the Pelican was flung downwards from the force of the explosions and the sheer number of them, Cali panicking and knocking North into the Pelican.
"Pull up, pull up!" Carolina shouted at the pilot, who eventually managed to level out the Pelican
"There's the rendezvous point, if we're gonna make it, you better punch it." Carolina said, the pilot complying and taking the Pelican into full speed.
Suddenly, a yellow beam of light shot past the Pelican, making Cali jump in surprise.
"Whoa!" Carolina shouted, the MAC round having destroyed one of the pursuing ships, another destroying the other as it tried to flee.
"Mother of Invention, we're inbound." The pilot said, Cali huffing in relief that the mission was finally over.
"We will have medical personnel waiting for you in the landing bay. Welcome home, Four-Seven-Niner." FILSS said, Cali finally hearing the name of the pilot.
"Thank you FILSS. Good to be home." Carolina said, Cali still stuck in her seat.
After they arrived and boarded the Mother of Invention, Carolina called Maine to help Cali out of her seat, his solution being to rip the harness apart until she could move free. After which she thanked him and ran off towards the Medical Wing, making sure to grab her helmet and put it on. After arriving at the Medical Wing, she noticed Wash was also there, along with Florida, South, and York, Carolina being busy with debriefing the Director about the mission.
"He gonna make it?" Cali asked, trying to sound and act calm, even though they all knew she was bordering on breaking down right there and crying.
"Yeah. Although he won't be able to go on missions for a little while." South said, shrugging and sounding nonchalant.
"Why do you sound like you don't even care?" Cali asked, her voice cracking slight, Wash, Florida, and York taking a few steps back.
"I do, I just think he was stupid to get hit." South said, Cali taking off her helmet, pretending to inspect it, suddenly throwing it at South, who caught it. After South caught her helmet, Cali brought her leg up and kicked her codpiece, South dropping the helmet in pain, after which Cali punched her into the ground, straddling her.
"You. Ungrateful. Little. WHORE!" Cali shouted, punching South which each word, suddenly punching her in the visor repeatedly, ripping off South's helmet and punching her face.
"Should we intervene?" Florida asked, whispering to Wash and York, earning looks from them.
"You wanna keep your dick?" York asked, Florida gulping and nodding, taking another step back. "Thought so."
Cali continued to punch South, screaming at her until Carolina walked in, took a look at Wash, York, and Florida against the wall by that point, and sighed, tapping Cali on the shoulder and, when Cali stood and turned, Carolina round house kicked her in the head, her head hitting the window and knocking her unconscious.
"Why didn't you guys intervene?" Carolina asked, looking at the others.
"Hey, you don't have a dick to lose." Wash said, Carolina tipping her head like she was perplexed.
"I wouldn't say that." York said, earning a death glare from Carolina. "I-I just mean you have a big set of brass balls, 'Lina." He said, moving to the corner with his hands raised as if to push something away.
"Leave us." Carolina said, Wash and Florida grabbing Cali and South and dragging them out, taking South to the Infirmary and Cali to her room.
"AAAHHH!" They heard York scream as they passed the room to take Cali to her's. Maine, who was walking by, looked at them in questioning.
"You don't want to know." Wash said, earning an eyebrow raise from the helmet-less Maine. "'Lina got angry at York...I don't think it's pretty." Wash said, earning a grunt of agreement from Maine, who took Cali from them and took her to her room, Florida just staring at Maine as he walked away.
"That doesn't seem physically possible." Florida said, Wash giving him a confused look. "To do what he does. He lifted a Warthog once with barely any difficulty."
"Ah." Wash said, seeing what Florida meant.
-TIME SKIP TO HIGHWAY BATTLE, TEAM B'S PERSPECTIVE
Cali shot at the soldiers, hitting some and glancing at Reggie, who was bleeding, then shooting a few mode soldiers, a stray bullet appearing from nowhere and hitting her, a few more connecting with her shoulders and upper torso, knocking her back with the force of the bullets, one a Sniper Rifle bullet, impacting her.
"CALI! NO!" North shouted, dragging her behind a car and holding her. "Cali, stay with me Cali!" He shouted, thinking about the previous mission that had forced them here to this point.
-Flashback to before mission but after South's comment-
"Will Agents Maine, Cali, Washington, York, Florida, Connecticut, and Carolina please report to the Bridge?" FILSS asked, making Wash and Florida sigh.
"Great. Just fu-"
"Sorry Wash, orders are orders." FILSS said, Wash agreeing with another grunt in response.
They made their way to the Bridge, Maine carrying Cali and York staggering in clutching his codpiece, followed by Carolina who, when everyone looked between York and her, shrugged and told them about what he said about her, which she took as a compliment, or at least that's what the by then conscious Cali took from it.
"So he's NOT clutching his codpiece because you ripped off his balls?" Cali asked, tipping her head.
"No. She just gave me the most painful sex ever." York said, gasping in pain when 'Lina walked past him, lightly punching his codpiece.
"Agents. Your mission is to retrieve a list of encoded documents from the Insurrectionist-controlled UNSC Frigate Hades, as well as help the surviving Marines take back their ship. The Mother of Invention will be on standby if the Marines are all dead or die while fighting as to destroy the ship. If that happens, you will have as long as it takes to charge a MAC Cannon to find a secure anchoring point to hide from the vacuum of space, at which point you will use jetpacks to return to your Pelican and get back before we use what we need to to destroy the ship. Am I clear?" The Director asked, the Agents all nodding.
"Sir, might I suggest that we split into two teams. One team to find the ships' Control Room and disable the engines as well as gravity if the need arises, and another team to rescue the Marines and take the ship." Cali suggested, jumping when Lambda appeared near her.
"Might I suggest that Team B also take what data they need before the ship is destroyed, if it is required. But also even if it isn't. One thing you learn when working with Cali is that you don't take chances. The chance here is that one day the UNSC could turn against us. So we should learn everything we can."He suggested, the Director agreeing to both their terms and startling Cali at his apparent ruthlessness.
"That was cruel." Cali whispered to him, Lambda shrugging.
"Merely suggesting what Sigma would." He said, smiling lightly, his orange-red glow eerily similar to Sigma's, as well as his behavior around other AI.
"When will you stop?" Cali asked, Lambda shrugging and disappearing. "Now that that's over, and as much as I hate to say it, but he's right. Learn what we can, but kill any Marine that finds out."
"And I thought you said Lambda was cruel." York whispered, Cali glaring at him from behind her helmet. "I'll shut up now."
"Before we go, I'd like to speak with the Director about something. But the questions you may be having about the teams, me, York, North, and South will be Team B. Carolina, Maine, Wyoming, and Florida will be Team A." She said, smiling under her helmet when Maine grunted in surprise.
"No offense, but why put the best and the worst Freelancer on the same team?" Wash asked, not realizing he wasn't picked until he thought about the teams. "Wait, why am I not on a team?"
"Florida would be better fighting with you guys as, and I say this with all truth, but he's horrible at stealth." Cali explained, everyone shrugging and murmuring in agreement, except for Maine who merely grunted. "The reason you aren't on a team is because we don't want you ending up like Georgia. You worry TOO much about equipment, and that causes you to make mistake like Georgia and, even if you are a bad fighter, we still need you."
"Wait, what DID happen to Georgia?" Wash asked, everyone looking at Cali.
"You really don't want to know. All you should know, is that he was never found, and may be dead or alive. We don't know." Cali answered, everyone agreeing.
"I kinda do though." Wash said, throwing out his arms as the others left, reluctantly walking out and to his room.
"What is it you wished to discuss Agent California?" The Director asked, looking towards her.
"Why does Lambda do what the others would? With Delta, he becomes more analytical. With Sigma, he becomes more cruel and ambitious. I thought he was the Strategy and Pleasure Fragment, not the Copy-Cat Fragment. Plus, his glow also becomes lightly more similar in hue with the AI he's near. I can't imagine if he was around Omega, and any other ruthless AI like Sigma, as well as others like Delta and Theta. Those four combined would tear each other apart because of their differences. If you add Lambda to the mix, something will die." She said, the Director showing signs of shock at her knowing about an AI they hadn't created, as well as Omega.
"How do you know anything about Omega and Theta? Theta hasn't even been created yet." The Director proclaimed, his surprise evident in his tone.
"You don't join an off the books military program without doing a little snooping." Cali responded, shrugging and walking away. "That will be all Director...oh, you may also want to change your Beta program's password, kinda obvious." With that, she walked out, the Director and Counselor confused.
"Will she be a threat?" The Director asked, looking at Aiden.
"No, she's merely trying to get inside your head." The Counselor responded, marking down Cali as someone to be watched.
After talking with the Director and Counselor, when she was confident that she had rattled him enough to be taken seriously, she walked down to the Pelican and met up with everyone, surprised to see Wash there.
"What are you doing here Wash?" She asked, surprised to see him there.
"Just saying my goodbyes in case someone doesn't come back." He responded, chuckling lightly at the horrible attempt at a joke.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll all come back." She said, her tone implying she believed it, but, if he could see her face, he would know she didn't, especially after North had been injured.
"I'm just glad at how fast North recovered, it's almost like hearing that you beat the living crap out of his sister for making a stupid remark helped. Speaking of which, why would South say something like that?" Wash asked, obviously confused how someone could say that about their own brother.
"I don't know. All I know is that I don't regret it." She said, Wash understanding she was serious.
"Me neither." He said, meaning that he didn't regret not intervening. "Not stepping in, I mean. And not just because I got to keep my dick." He said, Cali chuckling.
"My bro tends to exaggerate the details. I didn't rip a guys balls off." She said, Wash looking like he had a great weight taken off his shoulders. "He did." She said, smiling under her helmet when he groaned at the information. "He also made the guy eat them." She said, Wash groaning in disgust.
"What for?" Wash asked, horrified.
"The guy trued to hit on me. When that failed, he tried to rape me. I could've taken him myself, James just beat me to it." She answered, Wash, clearly surprised, pointed to the Pelican and James, to which she nodded. Afterwards, he pointed to the door.
"I think I'll go now." He said, his voice a little squeaky as he ran out the door.
Cali laughed and walked onto the Pelican, South moving down a seat when she sat down next to her, a seat which North took.
"South, what do you say?" Cali asked, looking towards her.
"Sorry North." South said, looking towards the ground.
"You're forgiven." North said, chuckling lightly at South's seemingly fearful response. "Just watch what you say. Next time a certain someone may not be held back."
"Understood." South said, sounding sincere enough to Cali.
The rest of the trip was made in silence as the other Pelican split off, both requesting permission to land by making it seem that their radios wouldn't work and they could only use their lights.
"It's an age old trick that has worked ever since the creation of Pelicans and ship boardings." Cali explained to the pilot, who grunted in surprise when it did work and they were given permission to land.
"Alright, when the door opens, act friendly, say we left Project Freelancer because we disagreed with some things, then we ask for a tour of the ship. When Team A is, hopefully, debriefing why we left, Maine will act like he is a traitor and attck the rest of yo, making it seem like he knocked you out and will kill everyone else, and when everyone's dead, the rest of them will get up and will begin attacking the prison room, hopefully we can be in the Engine Room to disable them so the Hades can catch up. If not, we fight our way there. Is this understood?" Cali asked, the others nodding in agreement. "Ooh rah!"
"Ooh rah!" Everyone else yelled, Cali smiling under her helmet.
"Alright, we're landing. Remember, act friendly and don't shoot back if they attack, just hold up your hands and throw them your weapons if they ask you to." Cali reminded the others, everyone nodding to show they understood.
They landed and were immediately surrounded, the loading dock door opening and everyone stepping out hands raised, the soldiers clearly surprised to see Freelancers.
"What are you people waiting for? Shoot them!" A soldier Cali recognized from the Bjørndal Cryogenics Research Facility shouted, Cali tensing up.
"We're friendly! We left Project Freelancer because we found out what they were really doing! We just ckecame to the nearest ship we could find. All we want is some food and something to drink, and then we'll be on our way." She said, putting her weapons on the ground and sliding them to the other soldiers, the others following suit.
Suddenly, the soldier's head turned, and she assumed that he was talking into a radio, which was confirmed when he looked back.
"Alright, your second group has been escorted to the Control Room to tell the story to the captain. I've been ordered to take you to get the necessary provisions for your journey to the nearby UNSC Frigate Hades. From there you will be taken to a star system or planet in this one of your choosing." The commanding soldier said, Cali letting out a quiet sigh of a breath she had been unconsciously holding.
The group was then escorted to the Mess Hall and were left to gather what they needed, as well as entertain the bored soldiers if they could.
Cali gathered a few cans of frozen peas, and was interrupted from sneakily grabbing some chocolate ice cream by York, who just shook his head.
"I don't have to always eat salads and other healthy foods! I can indulge in junk food and stuff if I want. Plus I like chocolate ice cream." She admitted sheepishly, looking away. York merely sighed and walked away to gather some more food and water, while she managed to sneak the ice cream into the bag.
"Hey, what's this?" Someone said, Cali feeling them grab the miniature Pugil Stick off her lower back, and she turned around quickly, startling him and making him drop it.
"That is a miniaturized Pugil Stick. Something Freelancers use in combat practice against any other Freelancer of their choosing, as long as it's cleared by the Director. Wanna see how it works?" She asked, spinning it in her hand, the tip crackling.
"Y-yes." The soldier stammered, moving back into a clear space and pausing. "Wait, it's not a fair fight with your armor." He said, Cali shrugging and taking it off, much to the soldier's surprise.
"Ready?" She asked, the soldier getting into a combat position.
The soldier charged, Cali tripping him and hitting his head with the Pugil Stick, knocking his helmet off and knocking him out. The other soldiers looked at the fight, laughing when the soldier was knocked out, mainly that he thought he had a chance.
"What the hell Cali!?" York shouted, running up to her while she put her armor on, surprising her.
"He'll live, he just got knocked out." She said, winking when the soldiers turned away to signify he was actually dead.
"Good, wouldn't want to get killed just because of an accident." York said, catching on to what she was doing.
"No we would not."
The rest of Team B milled around until the alarm went off and the soldiers looked around.
"Warning, Agent Maine is a traitor and has killed everyone in the Control Room, we need every available soldier to come and help!" The soldier from the Hangar announced, Team B managing to act surprised.
"What!?" South shouted, North taking off his helmet and shaking his head in false disappointment.
"We'll help you guys. We owe you." North said, the soldiers shrugging and agreeing, giving them their weapons back so they could help. "Thanks Jones."
"No problem. Although it's pronounced Jo-en-es." Jones said, North, busy looking over his Sniper Rifle, didn't notice and merely looked over for a second.
"Uh huh, alright Jones." He said, Jones merely sighing and walking out.
"You realize his name is pronounced Jo-en-es, right?" Cali asked, walking up to North.
"Of course. Doesn't mean I can't have fun does it?" North responded, looking at Cali, who smiled.
"Of course not." She said, chuckling and walking out of the room, attaching her Tomahawks to her forearms and catching up with Jones.
"Hey Jones! You may want to stay out of Maine's way. He's a brute. No fear. He actually once lifted a Warthog without his armor, which is a sight to see when you're drunk beyond all cognitive reasoning." Cali said, Jones looking at her surprised.
"You? Drunk?" He asked, clearly unable to believe she had been drunk at one point.
"Yes. Soldiers gotta drink some time." She responded, Jones tilting his head in surprise.
"You were a soldier?" He asked, shocked.
"Of course! I was an ODST in Gamma-Six. I was left on Sargasso after taking a plasma round to the upper chest, right next to my heart. The plasma round passed so close it tricked my bio-scanner into thinking I was dead, and I was left because another wave of Coveys was coming in and they had no time to carry me. I was left and eventually managed to get in contact with the ship and was evacuated." She said, Jones scoffing in surprise that that had happened.
"And I thought He was lucky." He said, Cali agreeing. "You have a name?"
"Well, my Freelancer name is California, but I was called Cali by my friends. My real name, however, is Ciara." She answered, Jones nodding.
"Does North know that? You two seem pretty close, judging by how you approached him." Jones said, looking at Cali, who merely cleared her throat and nodded.
"Yeah, we are." North said, sneaking up behind them and startling them, Cali jumping and accidentally shooting Jones in the head, his helmet catching most of it.
"Ow! Oh God my head!" Jones exclaimed, clutching his head in pain.
"Oh God sorry Jones." Cali said, sounding sincere to North, who was surprised.
"It's fine, I'll live." He said, chuckling. "Man that was close, huh?"
"Jeez I almost killed you." Cali whispered, sounding convincing to North and actually seeming sorry.
"It's fine, happens all the time. Actually someone was accidentally killed yesterday when someone dropped a shotgun off a pile they were carrying." Jones said, Cali chuckling at the idiocy of the soldiers.
"We have people like that too. Well, one person. We can't allow him to carry live rounds otherwise he will just end up shooting everyone." Cali said, Jones laughing at the comment.
"Oh Christ, what about missions?" He asked, laughing hysterically, while Cali merely looked towards him.
"No person in their right mind would allow him near them with live ammo, especially when they need help. His version of help is to shoot that person." Cali explained, Jones looking mortified. "Exactly."
The rest of the walk was in relative silence, even Lambda not making an appearance until they were near the fighting.
"North, I suggest you find a sniper's nest on a catwalk or somewhere Maine can not reach you. Cali, you need to stick to your Pugil Stick if possible. We need him alive to question him." He said, Jones jumping in surprise.
"Whoa, are you one of those AI Fragments?" He asked, Lambda turning to face him.
"Yes, Jones." He said, Jones sighing.
"It's pronounced Jo-en-es." He said, Lambda chuckling.
"I am aware. I'm just having some fun." He said, Jones sighing in relief.
"Good. Wait, what about me?" He asked, nervous that the stronger fighters were given places of relative safety save for Cali, while he was left with no idea what to do.
"You do what your other guys are doing."
"Oh." Jones said, his shoulders sagging.
"I'll cover you." North said, handing Jones a FOF tag, Jones sighing in relief and thanking him.
"Now, let's go get this son of a bi-" Cali was interrupted by Maine charging around the corner and slamming them aside, grabbing Jones and snapping his neck, Cali continuing the act by tackling Maine and slamming him into a wall, while Maine brought his fists up and slammed them into her back, while North pulled out his Sniper Rifle and aimed it at Maine, who dodged it and slapped it out of his hands, grabbing his throat and choking him, Cali getting and and slamming the Pugil Stick into the back of his head and breaking the tip off, which only made Maine stumble and shake his head, growling and turning towards her.
"Son of a bi-" she was again interrupted by him slamming her aside and running down the hall, knocking her out right as more soldiers came running around the corner.
"Get up! We need to go get him!" The ODST style soldier from before ordered, North shaking his head and looking around.
"No. No no no!" North shouted, running over to Cali and dropping, feeling for a pulse, and feeling nothing. North just sat there, with Cali in his arms, apparently dead, as the soldiers murmured to each other and one took off his helmet and dropped to one knee, placing his gun on his back, mimicked by a few others who walked over to North and sat with him.
"Sorry man. I didn't really know you guys, but I knew you were close judging from the way you two talked." One of them spoke, North nodding and the ODST scoffing and walking off down the hallway after Maine, followed by a few other soldiers, the rest staying to avoid offending North.
The rest of the soldiers sat there for a little while, before standing up and leaving North to be alone, who, to their surprise, stood up and followed them, climbing onto a higher catwalk and getting into position to snipe Maine.
Maine was currently laying waste to the soldiers, when North fired his rifle, the bullet grazing Maine and bouncing off the floor, killing another soldier, while Maine acted like it had hit him and fell to one knee, and the ODST style soldier walked up and put a Magnum to his head, ducking when SMG fire sprayed the soldiers around him, killing everyone.
"What the fu-" He was interrupted by a fist connecting with the back of his head, sending him stumbling forward, while Maine walked over to the sidelines with North, who climbed down to watch.
The soldier turned around to see Cali standing there, in a fighting stance and ready to fight.
"I thought you were dead!" He exclaimed, aiming his Magnum at her, which caused Maine and North to aim their guns at him.
"Come on, you didn't actually believe we left Project Freelancer did you?" Cali asked, the soldier chuckling lightly. "Now are you going to fight or not?"
"With pleasure." The soldier answered, throwing away his Magnum and, after waiting for a few seconds, charged at Cali who simply dodged and tripped him, jumping back with surprise when he rolled into it and brought his fist up to punch her. Cali then swung at him, engaging her Mag-Locks when she felt herself become lighter, surprised when the other soldier also engaged his. The soldier then jumped at her, tackling her and slamming her into a gravity-less Warthog, which floated away and allowing her to bring her knee up and into his crotch, making his gasp and allowing her to kick him away and reattach to the floor, running and kicking him into the wall, knocking him out.
"Show off!" North shouted, Cali walking over to him.
"The struggle was real North." She said, North shrugging and following her into the hallway, surprised to see a large group of soldiers standing there aiming their guns in their general direction.
"Son of a bi-" North was interrupted by the soldiers opening fire while Wyoming dropped from nowhere, using his Time Distortion unit to slow the bullets and allowing Cali to consult Lambda.
"Lambda, give me a pattern to allow North and Reggie to switch Armor Abilities at the same time, and then for a way for us to fire out of the Bubble Shield but keep the enemy bullets out." She said, Lambda complying and routing the different possible delays and the other variables.
"Alright, done. Routing the information to North's and Wyoming's helmets and their individual AI for confirming and applying." He responded, doing so and disappearing, the Time Distortion cutting out and the Bubble Shield opening, only one bullet making it's way through, which was caught in the shoulder by Cali.
"Ah!" She shouted, North and Reggie shooting, North stopping to look at her wound.
"I think you can still shoot." He said, his head tilting quickly as he shrugged lightly.
"That's not what I'm worried about." She said, North looking at her and laughing lightly.
"Even when shot you still have you're sense of humor." He said, shaking his head and standing to continue shooting.
"Wasn't joking." She said, standing and aiming her SMGs and firing, killing multiple Marines and throwing her Tomahawks, hitting one Marine and the other curving back and decapitating another.
"Nice to know." North said, looking at her questioningly when the soldier was decapitated, to which she merely shrugged.
"Soldiers down chaps. Going to rejoin my team." Reggie announced, running down the hallway and stopping to retrieve Cali's Tomahawks and fold them, then toss them back to her.
"He is so strange sometimes." Cali said, picking up her Tomahawks and reattaching them.
"Agreed." North said, turning to walk down the hall to the Engine Room. "Wait, where are South and York?"
"That is a good question." Cali answered, opening her Comm channel. "York, South, report in. Where are you two?"
"We were the ones disengaging the Gravity, thank you very much." South answered in her normally angry fashion.
"Oh. I was wondering who that was." North said out of no where, surprising Cali.
"Oh and the Marines on our side are dead." South announced, Cali sighing and telling her to continue.
"Anyway, report that we are ready to come back. Tell the pilots to get out and the MOI to fire, then get yourselves to a airlock or out the impact wound. We'll meet you there." Cali said, York and South agreeing and doing as requested, Cali ringing the other members of team A. "Team A, where are you? The MOI has been contacted and is ready to fire. Secure yourselves and hold tight."
"Roger that ol' chap, securing and holding tight." Wyoming responded, Cali rolling her eyes and telling North to engage his Mag-Locks again, which he complied with.
Suddenly, the alarms of a hull breach sounded, followed by an immediate rush of the familiar vacuum of space coursing through the halls and almost sending Cali and North down the hallway towards the breach at a very concerning speed.
"WARNING: hull breach in Sector 7! Closing Blast Doors!" A robotic voice rang out, Cali looking at North, who nodded and they both took off down the hall to get ahead of the Blast Doors.
They managed to get past the first ten with ease, the next ten becoming increasingly challenging until they were finally separated by the last one from the breach.
"Cali! Quickly! Find a way around!" North shouted to her, turning around and continuing when he heard her turn and run, kicking off the door to let him know she was doing as requested.
Cali made her way through the various rooms and cutting her way through the ones not interconnected with a welding torch. She finally made her way into the adjacent hall to see the Blast Door already closed, but a Scorpion Tank and Missile Pods across the way.
"Let's hope that works." She mumbled, walking over and beginning to work on connecting them electrically to fire on the same location, and for the Tank to have an increased rate of fire.
"Alright Cali, I hope you're on you're way back, we're all here and waiting, fending off the rest of the Marines." North said over the comm, Cali telling him she was and hanging up to fire and not deafen him, having to turn off her helmet's external mics to shut out the sound of the tank and Missile Pods firing and making a hole big enough for her to jump through.
"I can not believe that worked." She said, climbing out of the tank and shrugging, stretching herself and running, jumping through the hole. "Now to cut my way back."
Cali began cutting through the rooms until her torch ran out five rooms from the other side.
"Dangit. North, tell Maine to begin busting walls. I'm about five rooms from you guys."
"How can you tell?"
"I can faintly here you guys fighting...as well as the guys unlucky enough to go hand-to-hand with Maine." She answered, a scream of absolute and total agony filling the comm. "Kinda like that."
"I see...I'll get right on that." North said, telling Maine what Cali asked, to which he looked at the wall, then back to North as if unsure. "Look, you want to face the wrath of Cali, be my guest, but I will be claiming that I told you and that you refused." He said, to which Maine grunted and positioned himself to run at the wall. "Cali, you may want to move."
"Moving." Cali said, stepping to the side as the wall caved in and Maine was tripped by her to stop his momentum making him run all the way to the other side of the ship. "Why thank you kind gentleman." She said, bowing mockingly and walking out the hole in the wall, Maine eventually standing and walking out himself.
"Alright everyone, I'm going to tell the MOI to punch through a few hundred feet that way," she said, pointing to the left of them, "so stick over here."
"Sticking over here." North said, which was repeated by everyone but Maine, who merely grunted in acknowledgment.
Cali informed the MOI of her request, and waited a few seconds before disengaging her Mag-Locks, telling the others to do the same, which they did.
Suddenly and quite violently the side of the ship was once again ripped apart by a MAC round, causing the Freelancers to be sucked out into space, Florida almost turning off his air supply in surprise.
"Vittoria Agli Project Freelancer!" Cali shouted, everyone but Maine shouting it in response, Maine merely grunting again. "Maine you really should speak more often."
"No." Maine responded, the comms becoming deathly quiet when he spoke.
"Oh my God he actually can talk." North said, screaming in surprise when the Pelicans appeared from nowhere by turning on their lights.
"Hello you guys, somebody order Pelican with a side of extraction?" Four Seven Niner asked, Cali chuckling and rolling her eyes.
-END FLASHBACK-
"Come on Cali, stay with me! Come on Cali! Please don't leave me!" North shouted, shaking Cali lightly to keep her awake. Cali however, was already heading towards unconsciousness, and was barely even conscious enough to hear the sounds of a Pelican engine roaring overhead before she blacked out.
So. Much. Retconning. For those of you wondering about the beginning Author's Note, I wrote a majority of this before I realized that the chapter mentioned was not uploaded so the references you are lost on will be explained in a very short rundown. Cali found out she was in line for implantation, got emotional, ran down a hall and was found by Sarge, who gave her a very odd pep talk(?) and she was given Lambda, who she calls 'L', sort of like how York calls Delta 'D'. After she recovered from implantation, her and North had sex yet again, revealing to North that Lambda is the Strategy and Pleasure AI, and is an Orange-Red coloration to symbolize the color codes of those emotions. Afterwards, some things happened and Cali challenged York to a Paint fight(in Latin, the lines were; Cali:"Ite nunc."((I challenge you.)) and York:"Suscipiam certamine"((I accept your challenge))) which she barely won. And even more backstory to Cali was given, which included that she was a surviving tester of the Archon AI Fragment made by the UNSC as an experiment. Also she knocked Carolina out by surprise with a Pugil Stick when Carolina questioned her about the comments South made before the fight, to which Wash made a joke about South getting knocked up...into the ceiling that is. Also, I apologize about the retconning, but I really wanted to add the AI before the story really took off. And, I hate to say this I really do, but I feel kinda disappointed that Chapter 1 only got one review. I guess I just expected it to do better because the Prologue got three. I'm not disappointed in you guys, I'm disappointed in myself for expecting more than one review. Also, I developed the entire Greek alphabet worth of AI in a list. It will be submitted after this chapter as it's own chapter but will not contribute to the story and will only be a list of ALL AI known in the story's PF. I was also wondering, how would I type Lambda's first letter as his nickname? Would it be 'L, or L'? Or just L? Oh and for those wondering how North recovered so quickly, the time between South's comment and North being hit was a week, I just forgot to add that in, since I was wanting to get to the action. Sorry for not explaining it in the chapter. Also, just real quick, Cali also carries a miniature Pugil Stick if she is disarmed in combat, of uses both her Tomahawks and can't retrieve them. Also her real name is pronounced like Sierra. Oh and the 110-Story Building will be the last event covered in this story in the PF timeline, and the story will have her recovering, then cut to Wash finding her right before they find North and South, and a few chapters later is when the story will end. Word count: 8,076
CANON AI+THEIR AGENTS~
Beta/Texas is the Failure AI and belonged to Meta
Sigma is the Creativity and Ambition Fragment and belonged to Carolina/Maine/Meta
Epsilon is the Memory Fragment and belonged to Wash, but is now known as Church
Theta was the Trust Fragment and belonged to North/Meta
Gamma was the Deceit Fragment and belonged to Wyoming/Meta
Omega was the Rage and Anger Fragment and belonged to Beta/Texas/Meta
Eta and Iota were Unknown Fragments and belonged to Carolina/Meta
Delta was the Logic Fragment and belonged to York/Caboose/Meta
NON-CANON AI+THEIR AGENTS
Zeta was the Love Fragment and belonged to Ali/Alabama
Kappa was the Greed Fragment and belonged to Ken/Kentucky
Lambda is the Strategy and Pleasure Fragment and belongs to Cali/California/Ciara
Mu was the Happiness Fragment and belonged to Mary/Maryland
Nu was the Fun Fragment and belonged to Arky/Arkansas
Xi was the Humor Fragment and belonged to Ten/Tennessee
Omicron was the Animosity Fragment and belonged to Indi/Indiana
Pi was the Cruelty Fragment and belonged to Oreo/Oregon
Rho was the Grudge Fragment and belonged to West/West Virginia
Tau was the Torment Fragment and belonged to Monty/Montana
Upsilon was the Fear Fragment and belonged to Vermin/Vermont
Phi was the Sensitivity Fragment and belonged to Rhodeo/Rhode Island
Chi was the Nervousness Fragment and belonged to Nev/Nevada
Psi was the Submissive Fragment and belonged to Whiskey/Wisconsin