Charlie sat up in bed, sweating. She shook her head, and grabbed her armor, one of her bodysuits, and a towel. After drudging to the bathroom, auto-lock enabled, and stripping she looked at herself in the mirror. A few bruises here and there from when he took on Carolina and then Maine. She lost the first horribly, but the second was deemed a tie. Charlie traced some of the older scars, mostly in the stomach or heart region, but one or two in the leg.
She sighed and turned on the shower, thinking back to her nightmare. The Alphas had been killed, each I'm their own way. Then, the scene shifted to show them all laughing, muttering things while looking at her, one word popping out more than the others.
"...Failure..."
Charlie snapped out of her reverie and stepped into the hot shower. The thoughts anchored into her mind, but they disappeared for now. But at least for now, she had peace.
It was time run Hell.
Line Break
Charlie was chomping on her cereal when Wash and Indiana (she had gotten yelled at) sat down. She looked at her helmet less friends, and looked back at her cereal. Indiana nudged her shoulder, and she tilted her head. He engulfed her in a hug, whispering nothing's into her ear. "What's going on?" Wash asked.
"Nightmare. Kinda of bad," Charlie mumbled, coming out of her friends hug, and faced him. "We need to run Hell. Soon."
Indiana's face dropped. "You've noticed it too?"
Charlie's face contorted into an ugly scowl, "Of course I have! How have I not?!" She yelled, throwing her hands in the air. Indiana nodded.
Wash once again piped up, mouth full. "What's hell?" His eyes shone with curiosity.
Indiana looked at him. "It's a training exercise Delta and Echo came up with. It's designed to test teamwork between all of us. We call it hell because a little hard. The no talking part is the worst."
Wash's eyes grew big. "You all don't say anything out there?!" Charlie gave him a look.
"No, Wash, no we don't. Wanna watch us when we do run it?" She asked, facing him. She had to admit, she had a tini, tiny crush on the guy, and wanted him to come.
"Yeah, I wouldn't miss it for the world!" He said, and Charlie smiled.
"I'll go reserve the spot for the gang. See ya guys!" She called, and walked off.
Indiana sighed before turning back to Wash. "So Wash. What do you think about Charlie?" He asked, folding his arms on the table.
Washington looked at him with a cock of his head. "What?" He asked, shoving a portion of sandwich in his mouth.
India gave a groan and threw his hands in the air. "Wash, what are you're thoughts about?" He asked, and leaned in. "Do you like her or what?" Wash scrunched his eyebrows together.
"I'm... Don't know how to respond to that. She's just a friend. Why? He asked, cocking his head. India shook his head.
"Never mind, Wash. But anyway did you see th..." Charlie zoned out after listening from around the corner. She shrugged, and walked to her room. Along the way she saw a holopad light up for the briefest of seconds before returning to normal. Charlie looked around before shrugging it off. She continued to the training room before coming up to the main computer and entering in her group.
Charlie sent a message to each of the Alphabet's HUDs and one to Wash's. She smiled and danced around upon seeing his response.
"Just having some fun?" Carolina asked from the doorway, Charlie's helmet in hand. She spun around, and blinked at Carolina before standing upright.
"Yeah, sorry, Carolina. I need to wor-"
"Calm down, everyone needs to let loose once in a while," Carolina said, handing her the helmet back. "I think I'm going to watch. And you might want to get down there, it's almost time," She said. Charlie looked at her HUD before yelping and running down the hall.
"Thanks, Carolina!"
Line Break
Almost everyone was there when Charlie arrived. But who was missing immediately caught her eye. "Where the hell is Alfa?!" Charlie roared. Everyone looked around and shrugged. A person soon walked out onto the floor, acting like they were the thing. "Alfa!" Charlie yelled charging forward. "What the hell is up with you?" Alfa removed his helmet, and smirked.
"Get out of my way, cannon fodder. You've been promoted. You're going to be Green Team leader once your base is ready. You're leaving in a few weeks." Alfa said. Charlie paused, and growled.
"Where did you hear that?" She asked, grabbing the front of his armor and brought his face down to hers.
"From the Director himself. He said he liked your idea and the thought of a volunteer. Especially one who already had low test and field scores. Your mental and emotional stability made you a prime candidate..." Alfa egged on. Charlie's face contorted.
"FILSS, CHANGE TRAINING ROOM PRACTICE TO HAND ON HAND, AND ROUND BEGIN NOW." Charlie roared, spit going everywhere.
"Practice room purpose, altered. All non-combatants, please leave the floor immediately. Hand to hand begins when all agents are off the floor," FILSS said calmly. Everyone cleared the floor, and ran to the Observation Deck. "Round begin."
Charlie threw Alfa across the room. "I'll show you cannon fodder. I'll show you instability! Get up! Alfa, that is an ORDER!" Charlie raged, making her way over to Alfa. The man got up and smirked. Charlie continued to advance, laughing all the way. She brought her arm back, and swung.
Alfa's arm, however was longer. She was sent across the room, and knocked out instantly. Her world went black as voices merged together.
Line break
Charlie woke up later, feeling the groggiest she had felt in a while. A heart beat monitor woke her up, and she saw she was in the hospital wing, surrounded in various cards on her bedside table. "Hello."
Charlie looked around. "Hello? Who is it? Sierra, is that you? Hello? Am I speaking to myself here?"
"No quite the opposite really. I am the AI Xi. I have been appointed to you upon your friends requests. However there are a few things you should kno-"
"CHARLIE!" Indiana yelled, running up. He brought her into a crushing hug.
"India, what's up?" Charlie asked, feeling an impeding headache.
"Way too much, but first thing's first. You have an AI-" He began, and a small glowing, dark red person showed up on Charlie's shoulder.
"I know," Charlie said, smiling at the apparition. Holding up two fingers, she waited for a high-five. "Xi, can I have a high-five?" The small AI sighed... "C'mon, don't leave me hanging." ...and complied. "Awesome, thanks, Xi."
"Charlie. There are still a few more things... Uniform, Golf, Echo, Delta, Kilo, Mike, Papa, and Victor got promoted to Freelancers. Their new names are Utah, Georgia, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia..." Indiana paused, looking down.
"Oh! Good for them! Looks like Golf's lucky penny came in handy!" Charlie said smiling.
India drew in a breath. "Not, necessarily... There was an incident in a mission. A rocket hit Georgia's rocket pack, and she fly off course too far to reach her. She's been declared KIA. We offered her a memorial eight weeks ago."
"Oh my god, Indiana... I-I didn't know. And how long was I out?"
"Nine weeks. She died one week after you got knocked out. Then the Project began testing out prototypes to prevent things like that from happening again. Uniform... He suffocated inside a bubble shield. We held a memorial for him seven weeks ago," India continued. Charlie drew in a breath.
"I-India, this isn't funny. Okay guys you am come out now..." Charlie shakily said. Indiana took her hand.
"Then, on one of the more recent ones, Alfa,"
No.
"There was a problem,"
It couldn't be.
"The Mother of Invention sent a group down,"
Not him.
"Alfa was killed when he got buried beneath the rubble. Alfa Reverof Hood was declared KIA. We held a memorial for him five weeks ago."
Her cousin was dead.
"Al-fa? Uni? Golf? They're all, dead?" Charlie asked, staring blankly at the wall.
"Yeah. Let's get you out of here for right now. You need the air." India said, pulling Charlie against him, cradling her like a small child, and walked out the door. He said nothing about the tears silently slipping down her face. Xi just stood on the sage green shoulder, waiting.
The two passed several Alphas, but they only spared a glance and walked by. They were no longer the team they used to be. India paused outside the cafeteria doors, and walking inside without a thought. Wash, York, and North were having an intense talk by the looks of things, but India ignored them, setting Charlie at a table. Xi dove back inside Charlie's mind, and wasn't surprised to see it collapsing and tearing itself apart. He sighed and simply logged out. He could show the care it needed later.
Line Break
Charlie woke up a little while later, shaky and disoriented. The cafeteria was empty and she rubbed her eyes. "Good morning Charlie. It looks like you took a nice nap," Xi said, figure showing up.
"Yeah, I did. I'm hoping that it was all a dream, but..." Charlie trailed off. Xi nodded.
"The Director wanted to see you actually. He wanted you to go on one mission before your transfer. You'll be getting your equipment soon. I would recommend heading down there as soon as possible," Xi said. Charlie nooded, and looked at Xi. The small red AI was holding up a hand. "C'mon, don't leave me hanging," He said. Charlie laughed.
"Alright, little dude, let's go," She said, getting up. "Hey, do you know were he is?" She asked into the air randomly.
"Negative."
"Thanks. And you can answer anyway you want, I really don't mind..." Charlie said, walking out.
"Acknowledged. I may take you up on that offer, but let's wait. We have a meeting to attend. Ready?"
"Yep. Path clear?" Charlie asked, bracing herself.
"Yes. Clear for takeoff," Xi said, and disappeared. Charlie pushed off and dashed down the hall. Several other soldiers dodged, but she quickly arrived the briefing room. She slowed down before she ran into the door, and the door beeped open. The Director and Counselor were waiting inside going over schematics.
"Hello, Charlie. How are you feeling? I heard you had a little trouble adjusting earlier," The Counselor asked. Charlie lowered her head, but felt Xi give her mind a kick.
"I'm fine. Xi is a big help right now... Is he another AI fragment?" Charlie asked. The Director straightened his back and looked at her.
"Indeed, he is, Charlie. He is also going to be in charge of your new equipment," He said, pulling a medium, purple...thing. "This piece of equipment just came out of beta testing, and I think you are going to quite like it. You are to take very good care of the Gravity lift, do you understand?" Charlie stared him down from within her helmet.
"Understood, sir," She said grinning. Xi shivered from within her helmet. Her mind had reconstructed itself into a new person's mind. Charlie took the Grav Lift and placed it on her back.
"Good. Now report to the docking bay. Agents Wyoming and Florida are waiting for take off. Xi will tell you how to operate the Gravity lift. Dismissed," He said, waving her off. She stood at attention for the briefest moment, before turning and walking out. The Counselor looked to the Director.
"Sir, is it wise not to inform her of the stationing of her team? She could -"
"I do not care what will happen Counselor. She is getting moved after this mission anyway. She will just be another tragedy. I also do not need her distracting my agents. She will be taken care of. Now be quiet Counselor and focus on your job," The Director snapped. The Counselor lowered his head.
"Yes, sir," He said. A small figure flashed on the screen behind them. He looked around, stared at the two men, and flashed off the screen. There were better things he had to do.
Line Break
Charlie ran into docking bay, and three soldiers were prepping for take off. She slowed down and stopped in front of Florida. "Nice to see you again Flordia," She said, holding out a hand. Florida nodded and shook her hand, and Charlie nodded to the other two. "Wyoming. 479er. How's the bird doing?" 497er patted the side of her pelican.
"She's ready to fly, but just waiting for us, you three ready to get going?" The woman said. The three nodded, and sooner than they knew it, they were taking off. "Okay, you three, the area we're heading to has guns set in every directions with heat sensors. I'm going to be setting you all off a distance away from their base. From there, you all swim, got it?" She yelled from the cockpit.
"Yes, ma'am!" The three yelled. Charlie looked at Xi.
"Hey, are you going to be ok underwater?"
"Yes. The implantation is stored safely under the helmet, where it should remain dry. Or do you sweat an unnormal amount?" Xi asked, popping onto her shoulder. Flordia jumped, and looked somewhere torn between grabbing his gun or laughing, and Wyoming shifted awkwardly.
Charlie ignored them, "No, Xi, I don't sweat a crazy amount! I just want to make sure you're going to be ok!" She said, laughing. Wyoming still stayed where he was, but Florida relaxed some. "Now, can you run the tutorial for the Grav Lift?"
"Affrimative. Beginning tutorial for Gravity Lift..."
Line break
"OK, EVERYBODY OUT!" 479er yelled as she opened the back hatch to the pelican. The three (four) people looked out to the insurrectionist base that was roughly two miles away, and jumped into the sighed as the water broke her impact and she began to sink, and strapped her battle rifle to her back. She started swimming, and stayed behind the other, more experienced freelancers. She looked side to side, staring at various amounts of floating trash, until a large, sea urchin-like object on a chain caught her attention.
She clicked her helmet headlights twice, and waited. When the two turned around, she pointed to the sea mine. They looked at it and nodded, and continued on. There were no further incidients.
Line Break
A gunshot broke Charlie out of her thoughts, as well as a dead seagull landing in front of her didn't help either. Wyoming, Florida, and Charlie rose out of the water, as they watched the group of snipers congratulate the shooter on his hit. A chopper drew their attention as the three of them looked to it. "Well, the the third craft this afternoon. Let's see who else is arriving," Wyoming said as the helicopter landed. He looked through the scope, and continued. "There she is..."
Connecticut seemed to stare directly at them, and Charlie nodded to her. Wyoming placed a hand to his radio as he listened for the click. "Come in command. Tell the Director she's here," He said. The brown ex-lancer looked to the side, and seemed to nod her own head. Charlie smiled within her helmet. Whiskey, Lima, and Bravo are ok. Thanks, Connie. She and the other soldier she was with walked off. Now, we wait...
Line Break
Charlie grinned at the massive distraction the others were causing, but followed her team into the building she was to inflitrate. She and Florida checked the corners, clearing them before moving forward, but but seemed that everyone avaliable was out back. A final bridge was all that had to be crossed. "Four enemies detected. ETA, two minutes, Charlie!" Xi said, popping up. Charlie nodded.
"Gotcha, Xi," She responded, and she looked up. A small platform caught her attention, and she smiled.
"You will not be able to make it that high on the Grav Lift alone. It will have to be one of the others. They are lighter than you," Xi said, throwing a wrench in her plans. Charlie looked down, and growled. Florida placed a hand on her shoulder, and nodded. Xi looked at Charlie. "You know what to do."
Charlie nodded, and quickly set to work. The light pulsated, and grew exceptionally bright. "Setting to match designed area, go!" Xi said, and Florida flew up to the rafters. The moment her touched down, Xi deactivated the equipment, and Charlie grabbed it and hid behind the pillar beyond the one the white agent was hiding behind.
Four soldiers walked in a moment later, and walked down the bridge. Charlie took a quick opportunity to run across the other side to Florida's pillar. The soldier with the axes held up a hand, and they all stopped. Guns were pulled, and the leader pulled out an axe and swung. It flew through the air, and Charlie grit her teeth as it sunk into Florida's chest, knocking him off the platform. She wasted no time catching him, and pulled him behind the pillar.
"We've got company coming! Cut 'em down!" The leader shouted, loud enough for them to hear, as he saluted the two chain gunners. They giggled childishly as he turned, and they began to shoot at the other pillar's rafters. Wyoming popped out from the base of it, and managed to get in two shots, but they failed. The gunners continued in their onslaught, and Wyoming duck-and-rolled to the already crowded pillar.
The leader left as Washington and York showed up, taking Wyoming previous spot. "Well, about time..." Wyoming said to the new arrivals, an impatient, yet slightly joking tone in his voice.
"Hey, Wyoming! Did we miss all the fun?" York asked.
Wyoming replied through the fire of bullets between them "Hardly, chaps. Now where's our dear Carolina?" No sooner than he had said that, Carolina zoomed in on her speed boost and took cover behind a pillar further up. Charlie shrugged.
"YOLO!" She shouted and ran two pillars up, one past Carolina. The two shared a quick glance as Charlie ran by, and the teal soldier yelled back at the rest of the team.
"Wyoming, move up!"
"With all due respect, I'd prefer not to be killed. If at all possible," He replied, his voice revealing his deadpanned face.
"York! Got any ideas?" She asked, looking to her second-in-command.
"I don't know. Have we got any nukes?" He simply asked.
"You mean besides the one I'm going to drop on Wyoming if he doesn't move the hell up?!" Carolina yelled at the two of them.
"Yes, I can see everything just fine from back here. Thank you," Wyoming said, scrunched behind a crate.
Carolina looked at the gunners. "We need to get into that bunker. That's where C.T and their leader are holed up..." She said. Her future to the Director depended on it.
"How are we going to get through all of this?!" Washington asked from behind New York. That poor, poor soul, York for being used as a shield.
Wyoming butt in, "So far, we're not."
"Maybe Wyoming should try one of his knock-knock jokes," York suggested, humor dying as the words left his mouth.
"Oh, who's there?" The british man joked.
"Nobody, stop."
"Nobody, stop who? Shall I go on?" He asked, stalling
"Yeah, I was kidding. Now shut up," York replied, aggitation growing in his voice.
"Shut up, who?"
Carolinafinally snapped. "Both of you shut up. Okay, here's what we're going to do. Wash, you establish a line on that side. York and Wyoming, you-" A blur ran past Carolina, and drew the chainmen's gunfire. A black armored soldier's cloak staggered as they took their fist back. The chainman about to be punched staggered back, and the armor disappeared as they continued to go past.
"Dammit, no! Cover me!" She snapped at York before running out.
"Cover me"? That's the plan?!" He asks quickly as Wask ducks behind to the opposite pillar.
"Open fire!" Wash shouts as the two men and Charlie quickly step out to shoot, just as Carolina runs at the gunsmen, and one snags her on the leg. She cries out, but gets up and runs for cover.
York growls. "Carolina! Damn it!"
The gunmen quickly return to shooting at the three, and Charlie grunts as a bullet grazes her helmet.
Wash ducked behind his pillar, squaring on the rock, "Man, she really wants to win."
"Yep. But it's not them she's fighting against," He replied, and looked toward the doorway Carolina went through.
A/N: WELL! That was season 10, episode 9, and we're going to move into present time soon. I have a bunch of little parts all ready to go! And yes, 11345, I changed it back to WLB, just for you :P. Talk to you all later! REVIEW!