Chapter III: Rightful Reward, Priceful Vengeance
"As much as one's soul is removed by circumstance
There's no way to escape some feelings...
And not even the coldest, most logical of men
Can truly escape the grasp of rage..."
-Codename: Omega, Ghost Agent 502331
Omega's POV:
As the marines of the Alpha squadron surrounded the heroes of Backwater Station, the good general began surveying around us, taking time to measure each one from head to toe. Magnetic shackles were attached to our hands and legs as we were directed to a nearby shuttle, one by one, going to end up on some cold prison ship ready to deliver the poor fools that acted on common sense to a security prison, for a life of torture with the Confederate jailors...that is if noone was condemned to neural resocialisation which would simply laser-drill into your head to turn your brain into popcorn. Well... I guess it was all over now. It would be simply pointless to even attempt to fight back, with all those barrels pointed at our foreheads, and on top of that more bad news came from a frustrated Magistrate, now that he knew we were just going to be left to die here, by command of noone else but the same old geezer standing right now in front of me, smiling evilly at what appeared to be his triumph over the fools who dared defy him.I was used to dogs like him at the Academy but unfortunately the trace of psionic power my inhibitor left me with was nowhere near enough to prevent the death of everyone around at a wrong step. All I could do was comply, adrenaline pumping as we marched to our doom, the instinct of survival preventing me from trying anything at all. And then, it was my turn to board...
As I was preparing to board the shuttle with the others, my arm was grabbed by Duke himself, funnily chuckling to the other marines as they looked confused:
"Not this one boys. The Academy requested that the freak be shipped back to the Circus! They have other plans for the traitor..."
Without a sound, a peculiar-looking steath gunship silently landed in proximity to my position doors opening to reveal a couple of scientists and two marines there to escort me to what would probably be a "tough reeducation". The ship was somewhat different from the usual Wraiths of the Confederacy, bearing more towards the design of a helicopter of sorts. By the looks of it and that on the faces of the marines standing around, the ship was probably a prototype.
With a quick nod a scientist descended to grab me and force me to walk on the narrow ledge that led to the belly of the so called ship, while we were already beginning ascension for the long way ahead. The inside of the ship was mainly covered with circuitry and computers, the cold metal floor and dimly lit corridors making it rather inhospitable. I was escorted through a series of walkways to a larger room with a strange structure that appeared to be a wired sarcophagus in the middle. In a second, under the barrel of a rifle of course, I had my cuffs removed and was forced to step into the strange contraption. The scientists began connecting wires that ended in long needles to my suit, paralising my motory functions as soon as the needle penetrated my flesh with shockingly agonising pain, my body incapacitated by electrical current pulsating through my muscles. I could feel pressure inside my mind as they inserted the final wire through a small plug that lead to my inhibitor, basically temporarily frying my brain and preventing as such any form of psychic powers. As a mask was attached, I was put to sleep in stasis, and with a few breaths, all went black...
Confederate Space, proximity of Tarsonis - ETA: 3 hours;
I was awakened by the soft hum of my mask coming off, thus cutting the supply of gas causing my state of stasis. This caused a dizziness that quickly faded as I became more concious of my surroundings. We were still on the ship, in the very same chamber. In front of me stood the scientist from before, a rather short, slim man with grey hair and a 5 o'clock shadow on his face. His face was branded with some shallow wrinkles ,while the bags under his eyes suggested that he hasn't been sleeping the other side of the room, at the only exit, stood a lone marine, ready to shoot me if I tried something. The scientist began slowly releasing my upper torso from the clutches of the machinery, removing the wire from my head that stopped me from tapping into my psionic potential, as well as the wiring leading to my spine. It hurt like hell, but it was nothing compared to the rigurous training in the Academy, so I didn't move a muscle as he completed the process. With a raspy voice, the old man spoke:
"Hello, Agent. Can you hear me? Good. In about three hours we will be arriving at our set destination, and as such I have been instructed to make sure your psionic potential remains intact. I am now going to conduct a few tests. Please use your mind to move this ball, if you will."
Offering me an object of distraction, it was obviously clear that if there was to be any chance of escape from here, then this would be it. But first, I'd have to buy some time to think of a strategy. After some short delay due to awakening sickness, I lifted the ball with my mind and threw it into the hallway. The scientist, disapproving, proceeded to pick up the ball without any further speech. I took the few valuable seconds to analyse my surroundings. The room was circular and there was only one guard. On my sides there were two tables, each bearing some tools for operating the hinges and wiring of the stasis device I was strapped to, as well as some screws which had to be disengaged upon the removal of my breathing apparatus. Faking death or loss of conciousness was standard practice in the special ops training and I was sure I could fool the scientist into releasing me in order to investigate, but in order for it to work, I'd first have to get rid of the guard. The fool was way too busy keeping eye contact to notice I began using telekinesis on a small screw on the side of the table on the right. Moving slowly, I began sliding it over the floor surface, low enough but making sure it didn't touch the floor in order not to make any sound. I placed my object of distraction just between the armored legs of the marine, making a mental map of its location while hiding it from the now approaching scientist. Dropping the screw silently, I awainted for the return of the said scientist. As he arrived, he looked at me and calmly asked:
"Let's try that again, shall we? Only lift the ball, please."
Faking an attempt, I slightly moved the ball before beginning convulsions and then faking loss of conciousness, while mentally grabbing the screw strategically placed once again, waiting for the right moment to trigger my escape plan. The scientist worriedly began releasing hinges and removing wiring from my body, asking the guard to help him move my inert but free body on one of the tables, now cleared of tools, for proper examining. The guard, leaving his gun on the other table, proceeded to help. Just as I could feel my back touching the cold metal table, I sprung the trap, mentally tossing the screw as hard as I could down the corridor, trying to make as much noise as I could. I could feel the marine tensing inside his armour, causing a calm response from the scientist who was now looking for the release hinges of my suit:
"Go ahead and check it out, son. The Ghost is out cold, so there's nothing to worry about."
Reluctantly, the marine began moving towards the exit in search of the noise. After the footsteps seemed far enough, I sprung into action just as soon as the scientist reached for the zipper of my suit. Using telekinesis to immobilise his hands, I grabbed his neck and used my free arm to cover his mouth to prevent screaming. Standing up I carefully reached for the sedative he tried to reach for when I grabbed him, and injected a healthy dose into his neck, causing him to pass out. Using telekinesis to slightly bend the metal of the device I was once strapped to, I managed to quickly strap him to the device and screw the mask on his face, ensuring he won't bother me again.
In a split second, the guard was back only to see me finnish strapping the scientist to the contraption. He tried to reach for his gun but I was quicker, jamming the needle in his face through the opening in the suit and injecting the rest of the sedative. He fell unconcious, and I proceeded to search the nearby lockers for my gear. I didn't have to search long, finding my rifle and knives in a locker on the left side of the room. Taking no chances, I slit the throats of both the marine, and the scientist.
Engaging my stealth drive I began exploring the hallways of the ship until I got to the same room I saw the scientists enter as the guards and the older scientist were dragging me to my "prison". Silently entering the already open door, I noticed a plan of the ship strapped to a nearby wall. Inside the room, there were three scientists, probably the last of them, and the final marine. According to the plans, right across the room was the cockpit, so I decided it would be wisest to take out the pilot first, in order to both stop the ship before arrival, and cut communications and thus requests for backup. Sliding to the other side of the room, I entered the cockpit and quickly jabbed a knife in the back of the pilot as he was reaching for a cup of coffee. Dragging the now lifeless body away, I proceeded to press a few buttons, disengaging the engines.
I returned to the other room. I knew that I'd eventually have to keep someone alive to get safe passage should it come to such a point, so I had to take a hostage. Since the marine was out of the question, I had to take a scientist. The opportunity, however, revealed itself as one of the scientists left the room towards the exit with the sign "Restrooms". Taking a chance, I knew I'd most likely have to be very quick. While the marine was the deadly threat, both scientists probably had the same sedatives as the other one so turning my back on them would be a mistake. Going in for the kill, I jammed a dagger in the marine's face, my stealth disengaging in the process. As soon as my silouhette became visible, both scientists began charging me with needles in hands. I had to be quick! I kicked the limp marine in the chest to perform a backflip over the two scientists, throwing daggers while in the air. While the first one was a success, delivering a killing blow, the other one was merely stabbed in a leg, now crawling towards the alarm. I quickly put him down, slitting his throat and engaged stealth once again. In a few moments, the other scientist returned, face pale with horror upon seeing the masacre. She tried to make a run for it , but I was quicker...
As I was tapeing her to a seat the scientist was watching me in horror. She was pale, sobbing loudly as tears were pouring like a river from her eyes. The scientist in question, named Rose McArthur as her tag would imply, was a young woman in her early twenties, with brown hair reaching the upper end of her back. Her eyes were golden-brown, watching me with horror as if I was some kind of nightmarish monster. Hell, maybe I was, but the Academy accepts no less than cold blooded killers from their graduates... Leaving her in the "conference room", tied up to that chair, I proceeded to the cockpit to access the computer. Despite my cold heart, a sudden desire to see my wife, the woman I still loved despite forgetting her name in the years of torment I spent at the Academy, overcame me the moment I realised I was no longer bound to any of this. Not to the Confederacy, not to the Academy, not to anyone, anyone but her. I couldn't search for her due to my impossibility to remember her name, but, knowing as this was an Academy dropship, I knew I could access the Academy records for the Ghost agents files... Access restricted to head of the science department. Damn It! It had retinal scanning identification...I returned to the girl asking coldly:
"Who's the head of the science department?"
"T-that would be A-a-arthur C-c-cogsworth...He...he was the one supposed to check on you..."
Finally the old man proved of some worth even dead. I proceeded back to the body in order to remove his left eyeball, careful enough not to damage it. Returning to the main hall, Rose began sobbing even more than before, seeing an eyeball dripping with blood in my hand. I ignored her and went back to the cockpit, using the eyeball on the retinal scanner.
"Access Granted!"
"Open file number 502331"
"Ghost Agent 502331. Codename: Omega
Status: Rogue
Marital status: Married
Relatives:
Father: Johnathan Hugh
Status: TERMINATED
Mother: Sarah Hugh
Status: TERMINATED
Wife: Cassandra Hugh
Status:TERMINATED
Children:Andrew Hugh
Status:TERMINATED
"
That filled the glass to the brim. I couldn't help it! I was exploding with rage and the only thing that could sate my thirst for vengeance was unattainable. One man couldn't possibly hope to break into...unless... Then it struck me!
Rose's POV:
I couldn't believe it! It was all a bad dream! The Academy said this would be a simple retrieval mission! They said he was harmless and now all turned into a mess and everyone is dead. I'm strapped to this chair, probably going to get killed myself, or worse... I can't help myself but cry... I knew the Academy's methods were somewhat unconventional but this, THIS is insane...Oh my god... he's coming towards me, and he has a knife... I'm dead!
And then he cut me lose, removed his helmet and pointed at a plug in the back of his head.
"Remove this. NOW! Or you die... And don't try anything"
"B-but... it is a complicated procedure. you need anesthetics and..."
"Just remove it. I don't need shit."
"B-but you could risk permanent damage and...and..."
"DO IT!"
Omega's POV:
I didn't trust the girl, but anger got the better of me. I was in shock and wanted my vengeance complete, so I couldn't think straight. Silently, I sat on a chair and held myself tightly, teeth clenched as the girl stuck a scalpel in the back of my head and pulled...AAAAAGHH the pain! Blood flew out and the removal caused internal hemorraging... I bled through my eyes...
The girl quickly sewed the wound as best as she could and then came running to face me... As she looked me in the eyes, I could see she went pale again...
"Y-your eyes...blood vessels broke inside your irises... your irises will forever be dyed red..."
I stood up, carefully trying to regain balance after the traumatising shock. It didn't matter, nothing mattered now... I could feel power surging through me unhinged yet again... Finally... I could see the Ghost Academy BURN for what it did to me...
A/N:Hope you liked it folks. I tried to make this one a more active scene. Sorry if you found it too you liked it or have suggestion on writing techniques feel free to review:) I'd love to hear your opinions on the plot so far
