"H..how the hell did you...how are you alive? What are you doing here? Where's York?" There were a million questions CT wanted to ask the glowing AI. And no matter how happy she was about seeing a familiar face in this middle-of-nowhere civilization, her heart was in pain when she thought of about how he could have ended up there. And it wasn't like she wasn't ready for answers finally, since that was what she had been looking for for seven or eight months at this point. Maybe, she thought, now would be a time when everything would finally become clearer to her. Maybe, finally, she'd be taken out of the dark.
Delta, still looking the same as he always was, stepped forward so he was standing on the edge of the podium. "I was not aware that you were on this planet, Agent Connecticut," he spoke in his normal tone. "I was also unaware that you had survived the fatal wound dealt by Agent Texas back on the Insurrectionist ship. Any questions you have, I am willing to answer."
Take a breath, CT. Don't overwhelm yourself with questions. She took a breath and collected her thoughts, figuring out exactly what she wanted to ask him. "Where's York?" she began as a multi-parted question. "And what about Carolina and Wash and Tex? All of them What happened to Freelancer?"
Delta didn't answer for a while, as if he had frozen and couldn't speak any longer. Like he was broken. Did she break him already? She didn't want to say anything, just in case he was processing it. And it took a while, but he responded, not as vibrantly as his words were before.
"Agent Florida, Agent Maine, Agent North, Agent South, Agent Texas..." Connie stopped listening after the first few names. She didn't want to listen to all those who were dead because of what happened on that ship. There were so many ways that she could have prevented it. Explaining to Carolina instead of saying what she did. Trying to stop Allison before she shot her hologram. Before all the fighting broke out she could have escaped. If she explained or attempted to at least get them over would have maybe changed everything.
Maybe everybody wouldn't have died.
She felt like she was going to be sick. With the stench in the air and images of her teammates, friends, dead on the floor, it was a vile mix. It was the light of the green fragment that eventually got her attention back in the real world. A coolness swept over her face, tears that rolled down her cheeks allowing the cold to stay. She wanted to believe they brought it upon themselves. That they were the stupid ones who didn't want to join her and see the truth of it all. In a way, that was how it was. But if she tried harder, maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't be all gone. CT stood in a bitter silence, the only noise coming from the AI flickering in front of her.
Crying wasn't an option at this point. When she was alone or drunk out of her mind, then she could cry. Then she could just let it go, but right now she was still on her mission. Connie wiped away the tears from her cheeks and looked down at Delta who seemed to be curious as to why she was crying. "Did anybody survive?" she asked, thinking why the hell not. It wasn't like she couldn't get worse than now. Delta stood back, silent for another moment, perhaps to prepare her. Then his familiar voice chimed up again.
"Agent Carolina and Agent Washington are still active," he said, almost relieved to say so. CT looked at his, skeptic of his words. She hadn't listened to him all before, too ingrained in her own thoughts. If they were alive, then maybe there was a chance for redemption. There could be a chance to make things as right as they could be.
If they were alive, she needed to find them. "Where are their current locations?" she questioned, hoping that they were at least in the local system. It was too hopeful a thought, but better than any, she figured.
"Agent Carolina is located on the planet of Ariel. Agent Washington...is missing strangely."
Oh no.
"What do you mean missing?" she questioned, getting closer to Delta. "I thought you said he was fine."
"I said he was alive. There is a difference, Agent Connecticut."
"Don't get snarky with me now Delta," she warned. "Where the hell was he last?"
"Allow me to check." Delta was silent a moment and the stench seemed to start flooding back into the room. "Agent Washington was last seen on Chorus. It is a mostly unexplored system with few UNSC colonies spread out through the system and on the planet as well."
"Then that's where we're going."
"What was that, Agent Connecticut?" the AI asked, slightly confused. "I noticed you use the term 'we' inside of 'I'. Was that intentional?"
She nodded. "I need you to come with me Delta. I'm not letting you stay here on your own where the UNSC can find you." It's what York would want. That's what she had to tell herself. While everything was wrong with the way Project Freelancer went about, York and Delta were still close, if that was the word for it. If Delta got into the enemy hands then...she didn't know what she'd do. She'd probably feel worse than she did already. Everybody's death was because of her; because she couldn't think quick enough to get them out of there.
"The sentiment has been noted, Agent Connecticut, but I must reject."
"You don't have a choice here, Delta. You're coming with me and I'm getting you out of here. Enter your storage device."
He didn't want to. Last time it happened, he was, well, it wasn't a pleasing time. But he obeyed orders and flicked away, storing himself in the chip device of the podium. CT pulled him out, storing him in her helmet. It was a strange feeling, a little headache starting to rise as the AI got comfortable, or equivalent thereof. The room was now silent, minus her own breaths. She was surprised the UNSC hadn't been able to get in there, yet, but that was a question for another day.
Now she just had to find to get out of there.
*-*-*AUTHORS NOTE*-*-*
Sorry this took so long to get out. I've been having a lot of trouble trying to get through this chapter mainly for the reason that I'm excited for what I've got in store for this. Anyway, thank you for all the reads and all the love you guys are giving this. I'll have a lot more time to write now that school's ending and everything's settling down for once.
Also, it doesn't help that the TF2 update was yesterday and now I'm trying to recover from that and HTTYD 2. Been a crazy time.
Anyway guys, I love you and hope you keep reading!
Aerista
