Roughly an hour of walking later. The trio reached a rocky plateau that has a low population of trees. Dull green grass can be seen in patches all across the bright dirt on the ground. Up ahead of the small group is an old elevated UNSC base. Surrounding the base are low, eroded cliffs to the north, east, and west. To the south of the base is a beach.
Of course the trio didn't swim to get here but traversed through the nearby cave system. The base is guarded by a huge concrete wall and thick metal door. Above the door seemed to be a metal walk way with a small concrete perch that has a mounted turret pointing forward.
On the wall's right side is what Ryan can guess is the sniper's nest. Over the nest is a tarp that acts like a roof. However the tarp is all torn up, most likely do to the elements. By his judgement, the place was abandon by the soldiers and staff that were once stationed here. Why he doesn't know. To their left is concrete bunker with a huge hole in it. It looked like something blasted right through it. 'Why did they put Church here of all places?' The sixteen year old teen asked to himself in his head.
"And you're sure this is where we can find this guy?" Washington asked to Caboose. The agent wasn't to certain when he first made eye contact with the old looking base. Turning to face the agent, "I think so. We all found out our new orders at the same time. He tried to hide his from me so I would not know where was." The Blue trooper explained.
Raising a brow under his helmet, Wash remarks, "Really? I can't imagine why." This caused Ryan to snort under his breath. "I said it was like a game of hide n seek and he said that was right. He was going to hide from me and the only way he could win, is if he dies without ever seeing me again." He said all of that with a smile under the orange visor.
Underneath his own visor, Ryan made a WTF face. 'Jesus, Church sure can get dark when it comes to not wanting to see Caboose again.' Washington asks Caboose does his friend know anything about Project Freelancer. The Blue soldier confirms with a nod of his head and says that he knows all about the A.I. program because he dated Tex.
Hearing this perplexed the agent. "Agent Texas? Umm, how does one..." Whatever he had left to say was cut off by a sudden sniper round hitting the dirt next to them. "Fuck! Sniper! Get down!" The Freelancer ordered as he hid himself below a piece of land that's sticking out. While Caboose and Ryan stood where they are.
Caboose because he's Caboose and Ryan because he knew who fired the round. "Ok, that was you one warning shot! The next one going right between your eyes!" Exclaimed an all too familiar voice. The teen simply crossed his arms over chest, clearly not impressed by the threat. "Private Caboose and Ryan! Get down!" Washington ordered the two again.
Scratching the top of his blue helmet, "Wait a minute... I know that voice. Church! Church it's me! Your all time best friend!" Caboose shouted in happiness. "Caboose? Caboose is that you?" Church asked to be sure. Deciding to speak up at this moment, "And I'm here to Church."
"Ryan?! The fuck is going on?!" He steps out from his hiding spot in the sniper's nest to reveal himself. Just like with Ryan, Church upgraded his armor to the Mark VI. "Oh my god you're actually here." The 'leader' of Blue Team said in horror. "Of course I'm here Church. I wouldn't I be, we're best friends. I've missed you!"
Suddenly four sniper rounds were being shot at around the Blue soldier. "Fuck! I missed him!" He said in distress. "I knew you did!" Watching the bizarre scene playing out in front of him. He turns his head to Ryan, "Please explain."
Slightly turning his torso to Wash's direction. "Don't worry, this is completely normal for this two. Church holds some bitterness towards my friend here for killing him roughly over a year ago."
"Wait what? That doesn't make any sense. He killed..." Washington's sentence was cut off by Church, "Hey! Who is that guy you're talking to, Ryan?" Caboose walks a bit closer to the metal gate. "This is Agent Washington! He needs to speak to you!" Soon both Ryan and Washington stood next to the Blue soldier.
"Agent Wha... you guys brought a Freelancer here? What's wrong with you two?" He pounded his gloved fist onto the metal railing in frustration. "Open this gate." The agent ordered sternly. Shrugging his shoulders in a asshole manner. Church tells them that the base is a secured facility and that nobody can get it or out and tells them to come back never.
Slightly looking off to his right, Wash says the following in a sarcastic tone. "Oh no... then I guess we'll have to just walk through the huge hole in your secure wall." Pointing to his left, Ryan says, "Or walk through that bunker with the huge hole in it."
The cobalt trooper looked between the bunker and the destroyed wall for a few seconds before looking back at his new arrival. "...Fine, I'll open the fucking gate!" He hissed. Moments later the three are now standing on the inside of the base and it looked like crap. Concrete walls are falling apart, the metal supports are rusting, and dirt is piling up in corners. "You're doing a great job of taking care of this place." Ryan quipped.
Flipping the teen off, "Up yours, If I have known you guys were coming I would've cleaned up the place just a little bit." Washington asks him how long has he been here. "How long? Hmm, what day is today?" Church asked to anyone. "Standard Earth time, it's currently Tuesday." Ryan answered the question. "I've been here for fourteen mouth months." He simply answered.
"What?" Both Wash and the sixteen year old said in surprised tones. "Over a year? By yourself? Alone?" Wash said in continue surprised. "Dude, we haven't even reached this planet's full year rotation." The teen stated.
The Blue 'leader' simply just shrugged his shoulders, saying how it's been great for him. Though his tone suggested that it might have effected him to a small degree. Just then Washington's radio went off. Letting him know he's getting a transmission. "You are really an odd group of people." He said to them. "Hey, I didn't do anything weird." Said Ryan, trying to defend himself. Though the agent ignored him and went on to take his call.
He informed command that he has gathered up the troopers who had encountered Omega. Now while the three soldiers couldn't hear the person talking to Washington. They can hear Washington talking to the person who's on the other end. And when he said Omega, it caused Church to perk up. "Did he just say Omega?" He asked to the two.
"Yes, and some other words too." Said Caboose. There's a long moment of silence for Ryan, Caboose, and Church. All they can do is wait for Wash to finish up with his call. With the Blue soldier. Caboose is simply minded his own business, feeling the warm joy within him as he is now reunited with his best buddy. Till he gets a feeling of them being watched. Looking up to floating catwalk, he sees nothing up there.
But he couldn't look into it more as in that moment Washington is finished with his call. The dark armored trooper turns to face the open gate and starts walking towards it. He tells the trio to follow him. "Follow you?" The cobalt soldier said in a perplexed tone and continues, "Hey, at what point in this conversation did you think that were buddies or something? I'm not going with you."
"Yes! You are not in our buddy club!" Caboose added to the conversation. Already getting sick of his old teammate, he tells Caboose to shut and then scolds him about his out of date armor. This caused Church to get into a one-sided argument with the Blue soldier who kept saying things that were not in context to what Church is saying.
"How do you guys get any work done if you just argue all the time?" Washington asked to the two. "It's part of their charm." Ryan answered. "Yeah! So quit fucking it up!" Church loudly said. Sighing heavily, "Look, this mission we're on is really important not to just me but to the UNSC as a whole. Something out there is killing top Freelancer agents and I need all the help I can get to stop it."
"Stop it? If it's killing Freelancers then I don't want to stop it. I should start a fan club for it, build it a website." Washington continued with his little rant, "And now that the ship from your canyon has crashed we think it's more powerful than ever before... it gains new abilities every time it can..."
The information the agent was telling to them got cut of by Church, "Wait, wait, whoa... you found Tex's ship?" Hope was starting to rise within him. Giving a single half confirmed nod, "We believe so."
The sniper wielding trooper asked where is it located. Agent Washington simply just told him to follow him and he'll show them all where. Now that he has a chance to find Tex, Church changes his mind and says his in. Caboose jumped in joy. "Yes! This will be the greatest road trip ever!" Though the mood was ruin when Church threaten the Blue trooper if he said one positive thing, he'll kill all four them in that moment.
Back at the base, on the side of the wall with the hole in it. A shimmering figure takes a step backwards and becomes visible to the world. It's the huge white armored soldier that was once at Rat's Nest. Always following behind the agent by several feet. Slinging his grenade launcher onto his back, he pulls out a folded up data pad from his hip and opened it up.
The one good thing about always following Agent Washington and having several A.I. at ones call. You can intercept the incoming transmissions. Using some clever editing skills he picked up from Sigma. He was able to chop up and put together the transmission Washington received moments ago. And he knew who to call. That teen's sarge back at Blood Gulch.
After a minute of tricking the Red Leader, the Sarge has declared war on Agent Washington and the Blues. But there was also a hint of distress in his voice. As he said that Ryan is most likely being held prisoner. Though before Meta can end the call, the Red soldier asked about robot nuts. With his job done, he looked off towards the direction where the four left.
A thought was brewing within him. Just as thought was forming, he could feel Sigma's disapproval but he didn't care. Opening the data pad again, he chopped up and put together another transmission and called Agent Washington. It took a second but the Freelance answered, "This is Agent Washington, go ahead." He said professional. At that moment Meta played the recording.
"This is Sargent." Spoke the Red leaders voice. There was a bit of a pause, as Washington was expecting more to be said. But he did say something. "Sargent?" It then clicked to him, "Ohhhh, Sarge, from Blood Gulch. What do you need?" He asked. "Hey, one sec." Said 'Sarge.'
This confused the agent. "Hang on? You called me." He pointed out. "Hey, one sec." Repeated the Red leader. "Look Sarge, I'm kinda busy right now." Washington informed, "I knew it! I knew he was a Blue!" 'Sarge' exclaimed all of sudden. Greatly confusing Washington, "What?!" Then the Red leader repeated the following words, "Hey, one sec."
"Stop telling to hang on!" Wash shouted in frustration. "Well you don't need to get all snippy." Having enough of this conversation, "Ok, I'm gonna hang up now." Though before could do. 'Sarge' says, "What about the robot nuts?"
"Go fuck yourself Sarge." With that the transmission ends. Leaving Meta greatly pleased. But suddenly he catches movement from the corner of his eye. looking towards the bunker. He sees a very familiar figure walking out of the huge hole.