Chapter 11, Coming up!

Over in the sand dunes, Sarge and Grif, with Ruby and Yang, were on one side of the sand dune, while Tucker, Caboose, Weiss, and Blake were at the other end. Both sides were preparing to leave to go to the Reds and Blues' new base at Valhalla.

"So what's the base like?" Ruby asked.

"Well, it's got a waterfall, you already knew that." Grif replied. "But other then that, it's mostly just trees and two bases and other stuff."

"Cool." She mused.

Sarge grumbled.

"Hey, Sarge. What's wrong?" Grif asked.

"I don't like this, Grif." Sarge replied.

"What, the vision?"

"It's a waterfall! It's literally impossible to forget!" Tucker yelled from across the dune at Caboose. "Like girlfriend dick!"

"Yeah. I've never been what you call a "New Age" kind of guy." Sarge said.

"You don't say." Grif remarked.

"Not everyone adjusts to the times at the same pace." Ruby added. She remembered telling Taiyang that his favorite singer passed away 40 years ago. It-well, let's just say he took up half the tissues in the house.

"But this bowling ball seems to be on a heck of a role." Sarge said. "Pun intended. What, with the flying and the laser shooting and all."

"And he can lift stuff without arms. That's pretty cool." Grif added.

"That too." Sarge said. "What if there's something to this whole vision thing?"

"I'm sure that fighting you guys is the last thing on his mind." Yang assured him.

"Maybe so, but still. We need to call Simmons." Sarge replied. "Find out if he's seen anything out of the ordinary."

"How? Our long range radio here got destroyed, and we don't have enough signal power in the jeeps to reach him." Grif said.

"I think I have an idea how to fix that."

"Ow, my head. Oh!" Doc cried from inside Blue Base.

"Doc, you're alive! Oh good!" Simmons exclaimed.

"Yeah, no thanks to you!" Doc scolded. "Why'd you hit me?"

"I didn't hit you. They did!" Simmons said, gesturing to the mute brute and the Freelancer.

"Jerks! Who are they?" Doc asked.

"The dark one's Washington. He's a freelancer." Simmons replied.

"Great. 'Cause those guys are always such a blast to hang around with." Doc said sarcastically.

"The big one, we call the Meta." Simmons explained.

"But rumor had it those guys were disbanded." Doc said. "Everyone went to jail."

"Yeah? Well, I guess they got paroled." Simmons replied.

"You two. Quiet!" Washington barked.

"Why are you doing this, Wash?" Came a female voice from behind them.

Doc turned around.

There were Team JNPR, up against the wall, weapons taken away, and in wrist restraints.

"Huh? Who are they?"

"When I said quiet, I meant you as well." Wash said darkly to the four.

Pyrrha was adamant. "Where's South?"

Wash paused. "She was executed by firing squad after we were arrested."

Nora gasped. "That's bad, right?"

"Yes." Pyrrha replied. "But we can help you. Whatever situation you're in, just tell us."

Wash just said nothing. The Meta growled. It's cloaking device kept shorting out.

"Then you need to stop trying to use all of them." Washington said. "You just don't have the resources anymore."

"Meta killed a bunch of other freelancers. Took their equipment." Simmons explained.

"Like the invisibility?" Doc asked.

"Yeah, and the shield and the thing that slows down time." Simmons said. "He also stole their A.I. fragments, but those all got wiped out. Now something seems...I don't know...wrong with him."

"And A.I. fragment? THAT I remember!" Doc exclaimed. "Hey Simmons, remember that A.I. I had for a while? That thing was crazy!"

The Meta growled fierily, and turned towards Doc.

"Yikes!" Doc yelped. Simmons moved away, as the Meta slowly made its way towards him.

"Halt!" Washington yelled. "Meta, stop!"

"Wah! Simmons, help me!" Doc cried.

Pyrrha fiercely struggled with the restraints, but it was no use, as her aura was completely drained.

Washington walked over. "You. What did you just say?"

"Th-that I had one of your A.I. units?" Doc stuttered.

The Meta snarled and moved closer.

"Stand down!" Washington barked. "You said 'had'. Where is it now?"

"Gone." Doc said.

"Which one?" Wash questioned.

"Uh, uh, the mean one!" Doc exclaimed.

"Its name! Did you know its name?" Wash asked.

"Oh, O'Malley! I mean, uh, Omega!" Doc blurted.

"Well, that one's been accounted for." Washington said.

"I only had it for a short time!" Doc exclaimed.

"Well, then good. You know what to look for." Washington replied. "I need a complete scan of my friend here. And I would recommend you don't use any needles. He hates needles and we wouldn't want to make him angry, now would we?"

Back in the desert, Sarge and Grif had hooked Church up to the radio antenna.

"Alright, let's try this! You ready, antenna ball?" Sarge asked.

"I told you not to call me that!" Church retorted. "And hurry up! This metal rod isn't exactly in a comfortable place."

"Hey, do you want to find out about your vision or don't you?" Grif asked.

Sarge activated the radio. Ruby and Yang gathered around him to hear.

"Come in Valhalla outpost number one. Come in!" Sarge said. "Red base, do you read me? Come in!" He turned to the floating ball. "Give me more power, shotput."

Then, from the other side, came Simmons' voice.

"Uh, Sarge? Yeah, hi!"

"Who is this? Identify yourself." Sarge ordered.

"It's me, Simmons. Sorry sir." Came the reply.

"How's everything going there, Simmons?" Sarge asked.

"Here? Uh, fine, I guess. Everything's good. How about you guys?" Simmons replied.

"Mission is complete. We're preparing to head out soon." Sarge reported.

"What was that? Sorry, some static here. This radio's a little messed up." Simmons said. "Been a bit rainier here."

"I said we're coming back soon." Sarge replied.

"Oh, that's great!" Simmons said. "Hey, when do you think that'll be exactly?"

"Hard to say, Simmons." Sarge replied. "We'll let you know."

"Okay, Sarge. Sound's good."

"Over and out."

"Okay, good." Wash said. "Now get back over there."

He walked back over to Doc and Team JNPR.

"That was your Sergeant?" Doc asked.

"Yeah." Simmons replied.

"You think he'll come help us?" Doc asked.

"No, I couldn't say anything to him." Simmons said. "If they come, they'll be walking straight into a trap."

"Thanks for the help." Grif said to Church.

"Yeah, whatever, I'm not gonna fly straight for a week now." The floating ball muttered, flying away.

"Simmons sounded good." Grif remarked. "I guess he's got everything under control."

"Yep. Can't wait to see him again." Ruby said.

"Donut and Lopez are dead and someone has taken Simmons prisoner." Sarge blurted.

"Huh?" Ruby said, eyes wide as plates.

"Really?" Yang asked.

"What? Everything sounded fine to me." Grif said.

"Think about it. How do you answer the radio at our base?" Sarge asked.

"'Thank you for calling Red Base, this is Private Grif, how may I assist you today?'" Grif replied.

"And we've drilled that since day one!" Sarge exclaimed. "Simmons answered 'Hi!'. That was my first clue."

"So maybe he's just-" Grif started, but was interrupted.

"He also said the radio was in disrepair. When has Lopez ever let something go without the proper maintenance?" Sarge asked.

"Never." Grif said.

"Oh, maybe he's on to something." Ruby whispered to Blake.

"For the moment." Yang agreed.

"And look at the time." Sarge said.

"Can't Clock's broken." Grif replied.

"It's 17:30! And everybody knows that 17:30 is?"

"Donut's daily wine and cheese hour!" Grif exclaimed.

"I didn't hear any tinkling glasses. Did you?"

"You're right!"

"Wow! You're a real detective, Sarge!" Ruby said.

"Of course I am!" Sarge replied. "He also mentioned that the weather was rainier! And as we all know, Mount Rainier is the biggest land mass in the state of...Washington."

"We do?" Grif asked. "Uh, I mean we do!"

"How many washingtons do we know?" Sarge asked.

"Did he mean, Agent Washington?" Grif said.

"And who's the biggest mass we know, associated with Washington?" Sarge asked.

"The Meta!" Grif exclaimed.

"So, the Meta and Washington have teamed up to kill Donut and Lopez...and now they're holding Simmons and Doc prisoner!" Sarge summarized.

"We have to help-wait, Doc?" Grif asked. "H...how do you know he's there?"

"Please, Grif, it's so obvious. I don't want to insult your intelligence by explaining every little detail." Sarge said.

"Oh, uh, ok." Grif replied.

"Come on. We're going to Valhalla! It's time for a rescue mission!" Sarge exclaimed.

"Yeah, let's do it!" Ruby cheered.

"I'm in." Yang said.

"Rescue mission? How the hell are we supposed to fight Wash and the Meta?" Grif asked.

"Don't worry, I have a plan. How good are the seatbelts in this new jeep?" Sarge replied.

"Good, I guess." Grif said, as they drove of with Yang in the turret and Ruby running alongside them.

"Valhalla, huh?" Church said, before floating after the group.

"Wait, why?"