A/N: So... We meet again. A bit of a combat based chapter here (with inspiration from RvB S9 E2). There will be a hell of a lot of swearing and people getting killed ahead so tread lightly if that doesn't float your boat. On a side note, my chapters will be more spaced apart as I have 13 hour school days starting Monday... I think my head coach hates sleep... Anyway, onwards to chapter 7!
Chapter seven: Power...
Alex's POV
"So Alex, what's the briefing here?" Sam asked as we continued to the target location Via a bullhead modded for stealth.
"I will be on overwatch while Violet infiltrates the rig to acquire the data. This must be done without alerting the enemy to our presence as we are outnumbered 10/1. Furthermore, there is a high ranking operative here named Robert Moon, codenamed 'Eclipse'. Sam, your job is to rig the place to blow to the high heavens once we get cleared to cover our tracks. I'll be set up on the main smoke stack so I can get a good view of the area. Everyone got it?" I asked after bringing up a map of the rig so they could memorize the layout.
"Won't the smoke make it difficult to see, well, anything?" Sam asked concerned about my decision to set up in a smoke screen.
"Thanks to my friend in tech, I got a thermal imaging system for my helmet. However, since I will be next to a large heat source, i won't be able to see through walls all too well." I said as the pilot gave us a two-minute ETA. I stood up and put my helmet on before switching the voice modulator back to the scary as shit demonic crap.
"We're here, thank you for flying with us, please, have a nice landing" Our pilot said sarcastically before we all jumped out to the landing platform below. I saw my smoke stack and began making my way over to it to aide Violet in her infiltration...
Violet's POV, 10 minutes later
"Alright Violet, I'm in position so you can start your infiltration" Alex said over the comms though his voice sounded different.
"Took you long enough, I'm already done setting the charges" Sam said irritated by her job (don't blame her, it is closer to the freezing cold water).
"Sorry I had to use a set of knives to climb up, the latter that was supposed to be here didn't exist" Alex said with a half growl, half sigh.
"That had to be fun, anyways, I am heading to the extraction point. See you both there" Sam sang before heading off the comm link. I let out a sigh before heading towards the main hub of the rig, though how I did it kinda pissed Alex off.
"Damn it Violet, check your corners, this smoke may provide me with a good cover but it is playing hell with my thermal." Alex said irritated as he took out another camera that I tagged for him (gotta love silencers).
"Nah, it'd waste too much time" I said as I snapped a soldier's neck before throwing him into his friend, knocking him into the icy sea below.
"So does getting caught, slow down and check your surroundings." He said as I silently ran into the main building. There were at least 25 guards inside as well as my main objective.
"Violet, I can't see you in there, check your god damn surroundings before you blow your cover." Alex nearly yelled out in anger as I snuck past a patrol to a console.
"Starting the data transfer now" I said as I put in the Data disk to steal all the info from the database.
"While that is going, check your surroundings and avoid people before you get caught." Alex said extremely irritated by my relaxed behavior towards the mission. I did as he asked and began forming an escape plan to get me to the Extraction Point.
"Violet, something has shown up on thermal. I need you to check your six" he said slightly worried about what he was seeing. I ignored him so I could bypass a few firewalls to make the download go faster.
"GOD DAMN IT VIOLET, CHECK YOUR SIX!" Alex screamed into the comms so I drew the pistol Alex had loaned me and span around to see a soldier in white armor that was similar to Alex's (though it had no shoulder plates and the helmet had a much larger visor, giving the visor a T-shape) standing behind me holding 2 mugs of coffee... I was not expecting that. He looked at the alarm button next to him and then back to me.
"Don't. Even. Think about it" I threatened as he looked back at the alarm then to me again. I heard the computer make a beep indicating that the data transfer was complete. The armor clad soldier sprang towards the alarm button only for me to shoot him in the heart, causing his body to fall towards the button.
"Shit, it's about to get loud Alex" I said through my comms as I grabbed the data files and sprinted towards the door as the soldier's lifeless body fell onto the alarm button...
Alex's POV
"Shit, it's about to get loud Alex" Violet said through the comms shortly before the alarm sounded, making our extraction a whole lot more difficult. I saw two soldiers below me so I jumped off the smoke stack and used them as a landing pad, effectively killing the both of them via snapped necks.
"I just want to catch a break for once, just one time, that's all I ask" I complained to myself as I removed the silencer from my sniper rifle while sprinting through the rig to the sole landing pad for extraction.
(Cue Re-education Through Labor by Rise Against)
"Violet, meet me at the landing pad for extraction" I said as I ran a soldier through the chest with the bayonet of my sniper rifle (think of it as using a spear).
"I'm going to need a minute, I am kinda busy at the moment." She said as I heard horrified screams in the background... I may regret lending her my Socom. I continued on my path until I ran into Violet who was basically sawing someone in half with my Socom.
"I am going to need that back" I yelled to her as I jumped over a soldier and shot him twice with a SMG I found laying on the ground. She placed my pistol back into its holster as she teleported behind me to rip a soldier's throat out with her bare hands (so much for sleeping anytime soon).
"It is out of ammo, besides, I like using my hands since it is more entertaining" she said with a sadistic hint to her voice as she used the razor part of her wings to completely decapitate a soldier. I forced the image to the back of my mind as I knocked a soldier out with the stock of my rifle before proceeding to shoot one that was behind Violet in the head.
"I will pay you 1,000 lien out of my paycheck if you just stop talking" I said as we hid behind a set of pillars to avoid sniper fire coming from the building at the end of the path.
"Nope, wanna trade places?" She asked like a child as more high caliber bullets tore at our cover. I nodded before jumping over Violet as she slid under me, all while firing at the snipers on the building (i got one of them). I slowed time to a crawl as I peeked out of my corner and Domed the last 3 snipers. With the return of time to normal speed, their heads exploded like handgrenades signaling the all clear to cross the open pathway to the door leading to the extraction point.
"Go, I'll cover you" I told Violet as I shot a soldier in the knee, causing his leg to be blown in half. I kept my sights trained on the end of the hall up until I saw a sight for sore eyes.
"Hell Sammy, you look like you have been through hell and back" I told her as she ran past me covered in engine grease and blood. Behind her was a spider mech that I recognized from the black trailer though this one was missing a leg and all the armament on its left side, though if Sam was running, it was probably still dangerous.
"I can't finish it off, the armor is too Damn thick." Sam told me as she continued to open fire on the mech. I joined her and used my rifle to further damage the leg joints, slowing the droid down to a crawl.
"I might be able to, I got a bigger gun than you. Anyway, go help Violet with the door, it won't matter if I kill this thing if we are still stuck here" I told Sam, causing her to disengage and run across the pathway behind me. I fired into its head, causing it to visibly jerk back before setting it's feet. It combined the remaining two cannons on the right side of its body into a massive railgun, though it appeared to be charging rather slowly compared to the trailer.
"Uhhh, are you two finished with that door yet?" I asked as I backed up slightly from my impending doom.
"No, why do you ask?" Sam yelled irritated about something, probably being due to the lack of open doors.
"No reason, just wondering when you guys will have it open" I said as I re-leveled my sights on the large cannon charging in front of me. I began firing wildly into the head of the machine, hoping to avoid my imminent death, though it appeared that I was only pissing it off (if machines can actually feel... That's a question for when I'm not getting murdered). After a minute (and emptying two-now three clips into it's head), I fired the last bullet from another magazine into it's head causing it to slouch over and stop charging its attack. I let out a sigh of relief as I turned to go to Violet and Sam (who finally got the door open).
(End song)
I was halfway across the bridge when I heard a high pitched whining noise from behind me along with seeing Violet and Sam sprinting as fast as they could towards me, so I turned and was met with a blinding flash of blue light approaching me. Death seems so close now...
*BOOMMMMM*
I didn't feel anything other than being pushed down onto my right side... Wait a minute, I was facing the cannon round directly so it would knocked me back. I quickly stood up onto my feet and ran into the cloud of smoke that had engulfed the pathway. I ran until I felt something against the metal of my right boot, so I stopped and activated my thermal to see exactly what, better yet, who it was.
"V-Violet?" I said in shock as I knelt down next to her unconscious form. I picked her up in a bridal carry and moved her out of the smoke and towards the door, only to see how badly injured she was. Her left arm was burned in a strange pattern and her torso had multiple lacerations, furthermore, her right leg was turned at an awkward angle that it shouldn't have been at.
"Sam, where are you? ANSWER ME GOD DAMN IT!" I yelled into the area hoping to get some help with my injured partner.
"I see I shouldn't have left work to be done by a machine." A deep masculine voice said from the smoke. As it cleared, a man in sliver, grey, and red armor holding a fairly large hammer (imagine the gravity hammer from halo) in his left hand and Sam up by her hair in his right hand. I let out a growl of anger as I backed up slightly towards the door that shut itself (again).
"Let. Her. Go." I said through grit teeth as I set Violet down to ready my rifle. The man set down his hammer and took off his helmet to reveal a sadistic grin that matched his buzzcut brown hair perfectly.
"Gladly" He said very much like the madman he seemed to be. He hoisted Sam higher into the air as he picked up a piece of rebar from the broken concrete pillar before stabbing her in the stomach with said rebar and throwing her now screaming form over to me. I rushed forward and caught her before setting her next to Violet.
"Now now, what shall I do with you?" He asked himself with a maniacal cackle. I growled and fired 5 rounds into where his heart should be, only for them to stop millimeters from his body and drop harmlessly to the ground.
"Is that how you treat a guest in your home? *sighs* I guess I have to teach you a lesson now." He said before hoisting his hammer over his shoulder and rushing forward to smash me into the ground. I fired into him again with the same result, then I rolled forward to avoid a clearly telegraphed overhead swing to attempt to stab him with my rifle bayonet. It stopped the same way my bullets did, catching me off guard long enough for my opponent to launch me through the closed door. Upon standing, I saw that I was surrounded by the enemy, even with my time semblance, I am not leaving here alive.
"If you would be so kind to hand over the data files, I would really appreciate that." The hammer wielding soldier said as he gestured for me to give him the info. I just barely saw our stealth bullhead hovering above the pathway I was on, so it was safe to assume that Violet and Sam were safe. I actually began to laugh once I saw the machine guns deploy from the underbody of the airship.
"What's so funny?" The asshole asked me as he walked a little closer to me. I saw the Zack drop from the bullhead to just behind the main boss. I gave an evil grin from under my helmet as I readied my rifle.
"I win" I said darkly as Zack hit the soldier as hard as he could in the back of the head, launching him through the MG nest set up for defense. I stopped time and shot a handgrenade that was in a soldier's hand before speeding everything back up to normal speed, causing a large explosion to tear through one of the 2 main groups.
"Alex, retreat the the bullhead and provide covering fire, I'm going to have some fun" Zack said as he cracked his neck rather loudly as the bullhead began unleashing death upon the hapless soldiers below.
"I will, but only to help my injured teammates, they are my top priority here Zack" I said before turning tail to help my injured friends. I ran to the area where the bullhead was and pumped aura into my legs so I could jump into it. Upon landing inside the airship, I saw a medic working wrapping up Sam's stomach to slow the bleeding and another medic setting Violet's leg at the correct angle.
"Is there anyway I can be of assistance here?" I asked as I set my rifle down next to Violet while crouching down slightly.
"Yes there is, get us back to base immediately, these two won't make it unless they receive immediate emergency surgery." The medic working on Sam said as he applied more pressure on the large wound to her midsection, her blood flowing inbetween his fingers. I nodded and stood up to my full height as I rang Zack over the comms
"Zack, get your ass back here now, we have to head back to get Violet and Sam medical treatment or else they aren't going to make it." I said as I searched Sam's pockets for the detonator to the dust bombs that she planted earlier.
"On my way, I'll just have to come back later to have my fun" Zack said though I swear I could hear terrified whimpers in the background. I just let out a sigh and ran to the front of the bullhead with my rifle in hand, before kicking the door to the cockpit open and aiming down the scope of my rifle to see Zack running like the wind. I was about to question why until I saw about 5 spider droids giving chase, I almost felt sorry for what I was about to do... Almost. I waited for Zack to jump towards us before pressing the detonator, causing the entire rig to shudder violently as its supports were blasted away. Zack flew into the bullhead and hit the other closed side with a very loud bang, followed by instant karma.
"I am going lock you in that room I threatened with earlier, YOU HEAR ME ALEX?" Zack yelled rather angry at me, though I don't blame him as I nearly blew him up.
"You're fine, we need to get going so let's go pilot" I said, causing the masked woman to nod and take us away from the fireball that used to be a mining rig turned military base. The bullhead hit its flying height and zoomed back towards our main base out in the Grimmlands, Though we didn't go it alone.
"Alex, get back here now, we made some 'friends'" Zack said as the bullhead shook from bullets bouncing off the armor plating. I looked to the pilot and told her to punch it before running to the back of the bullhead to see what Zack wanted.
"What do you need Zack?" I asked as I stumbled to a stop. He gestured for me to walk over and so I did.
"I need you to pick off these ship's pilots" he said as he punched a hole in the back of the bullhead big enough for me to fit my rifle through.
"What happens if I can't?" I asked as I took up my firing position. He grew silent at that and gained a dark expression on his face.
"Then no one walks way from this mission" he said as he once again gestured for me to shoot down the enemy fighters. I froze time for a 3rd time today so I could shoot the enemy pilots out of the war bullheads, though that plan hit a hitch when my bullets stopped at the windshield of both aircrafts. I brought time back it's regular flow and pulled my rifle inside the bullhead.
"I can't kill them, the windshields have been bullet proofed." I told Zack slightly concerned for my injured friends' fate. He seemed to share this thought judging by the look on his face, only if we had some time to put some space inbetween us and our enemies...
"I have an idea but your not going to like it" I told Zack as the bullhead shook violently yet again from the evasive maneuvers we are performing.
"Then don't tell me about it, just do it" Zack said as we deployed flares to shake off some missiles. I nodded and striped out of my armor in 5 seconds flat before setting it next to my downed team. I brushed some hair out of Violet's eyes before moving as quickly as I could to the cockpit. Upon bursting into the cockpit a second time, I sat in the co-pilot's seat and started melding my aura into the bullhead itself.
"What the fuck are you doing?" The pilot asked me as we did a barrel roll. I looked up at her and smiled, though there was nothing happy about it.
"Getting them home safe" I told her before stopping time, the bullhead continuing at its max speed. I immediately felt the strain of moving something this massive so quickly. Ignoring the feeling of being ripped apart, I kept going, knowing that I would probably not be coming back from this one.
'Sorry Violet... I guess I'll have to make it up to you in the next life...' I thought to myself as our base came into view right as I deactivated my semblance, then I fell into a wakeless sleep...
Zack's logbook, One month later...
'Entry #1337'
'It has been a month since the mission on the rig, and everything has changed. Cinder is more focused on attaining power than bringing us equality, Adam has grown sick and twisted, even by my standards. Violet hasn't been sleeping well, and it is starting to affect her ability to function during the day, and Sam is still in the medical ward keeping an eye on our resident snapshot. Change is coming and I fear that it doesn't bode well for any of us.' I wrote before setting down my pen and letting out an exhausted sigh. I kept still at my desk, not really focused on anything until my door flew off its hinges.
"Zack come quickly, he's awake!" Sam yelled before sprinting down the hall to go back to our ex-comatose patient. I followed suit and reached his room to see his scared face with a smile plastered on it, his torso sitting straight up in his bed.
"Hell Alex, you look like shit" I told him in a joking manner as I walked into his room. He looked at me with the most serious look that he has ever given before he spoke up.
"Violet's going to beat me to death with my own limbs isn't she?" He asked as he swung his legs over the side of his bed and Any joy I felt was utterly crushed by that question.
"You'd be getting off easy with that" I told my friend, causing him to nod solemnly before standing up on unstable legs. That's when I heard her, and promptly moved the hell out of the way.
"A-Alex?" She asked in disbelief as she stood as still as a statue in the doorway. He smiled at her and nodded, confirming that he was still amongst the living (for now). Violet basically tackled him onto the bed in a hug that rivaled the grip of an Ursa Major.
"Please let go. I just woke up and I'd rather not go into another coma" Alex said in a weak, pain filled voice, causing Violet to let go. She sat the both of them up before gaining a hardened look in her eyes. Alex look confused until she slapped the living shit out of him, throwing him into the wall behind him.
"DON'T YOU EVER DO ANYTHING SO GOD DAMN STUPID AGAIN, OR I'LL DRAG YOUR ASS OUT OF THE AFTERLIFE JUST TO BEAT YOU BACK INTO IT, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" She yelled beyond livid with Alex, and all he did was nod before bringing her into another hug that she fought by punching the hell out of him.
"I won't, but I won't make a promise on it either because if I was ever met with a decision like that again, I would do the exact same thing." Alex said as Violet stopped beating the living shit out of him.
"How could you just throw your life away like that?" She asked quietly
"If it is to save someone I care about, I would do it in a heartbeat." He said just as quiet as Violet, it was here that I interrupted since Cinder just shot me a message.
"Cinder already has a job for you Alex, looks like you get to play bodyguard to a Schnee..."
To Be Continued!
A/N: Holy hell, I finally got this chapter up, I apologize for the delay but school has me running around more than Nora on a sugar high. Anyway, it is more than likely that I will be forced to do solely weekend updates for the foreseeable future (unless I catch a free period during school then I'm golden). Nonetheless, leave a review if you liked what you read or if you have something cool for me, later peeps!
