(A/N) Hey guys, NicKenny here, bringing you all the latest installment of Phase Two: Betrayal, written by the always-epic StormBlue, from North Dakota's perspective. Hope everyone reading has had a great Christmas, and hell, even those not reading. I'm feeling charitable. Just a quick reminder, also, that we're looking for more writers for the second half of this fic, but that applications will be closing on the 1st of January, so if there are people interested, I urge them to apply immediately!

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty – New Faces

Agent North Dakota

Written by StormBlue

"And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about." – Haruki Murakami

The atmosphere around North's table in the mess hall was mixed, and difficult to define. There were curious glances to the rookies' table and a few awkward attempts at conversation, but the table was mostly immersed in silence as each person picked at their food, focusing on their own thoughts. It was noticeable that not everyone was in the group, with a few of them already having eaten and were off doing their own thing or settling back into the MoI. But it was the absence of others that was more noticeable.

It was kind of refreshing to be back with Project Freelancer, with the team assembled again. It was good to have another chance to get back at the Insurrectionists and finally end the war between the UNSC and the Unified Revolutionary Front. North could only hope that his teammates felt the same way that those who had been struggling the past few weeks would have been able to find their sense of direction and purpose again. He had worried about them; not only Georgia and Cal, but everyone else as well. South, at least, was eager to get back into the action.

But then again… being here again would only bring back memories for those affected most by the loss of their teammates, dead and otherwise. Even with the Freelancers together again and the new recruits around, the team had been broken. The wounds were still fresh, he knew, and it would take time to heal. Even now, Georgia didn't hang around as much as he used to and Cal was silently brooding, picking at his own food to the side. One time North had heard him muttering to himself but was unable to make out the words, and when he asked about it, Cal simply denied having said anything.

Still, North tried to be positive and look out for his friends as best he could. After all, he could only do what he knew how to do, and that was offer comfort to those who would accept it. Memories of the many times he had comforted and held his twin as a child despite his own pain flashed through his mind, the kind words he would whisper to her and the bedtime stories he would come up with to cheer her up. This wasn't a lot different from that, except that none of them were kids and it didn't really work like that anymore.

Where he couldn't help his old teammates, he could focus more on the new ones. They hadn't been there when the project had been disbanded and would likely stumble upon sensitive subjects and get confused as to the reactions of the first and second wavers, as he doubted many of the agents to be open to conversation about that.

Taking a bite of his potatoes, North looked over to the other table again. The rookies, in their assorted armour colours, were all eating and talking - or arguing - amongst themselves, reminding North of his own first day at Freelancer. With the new people and their skillsets added to the team, they would have a better chance against the Crimson Sun.

Hopefully.

Wyoming broke the silence, following North's gaze and watching the recruits with an amused expression. "They look like a jolly group of misfits, same as the last group that walked in."

"And the one before that," York added with a grin.

"Look at them," came Cal's voice from the end of the table. "They have no idea what they're doing here," he said, not in a friendly tone.

Sota had a scowl on his face. "They probably won't last very long," he muttered, agreeing with his roommate.

Florida sent a worried glance over in their direction. "Now it doesn't seem right to go about judging them now," he said. "Most of them haven't even been able to show what they're capable of yet."

"They will," Carolina said from where she was seated next to York.

Now that they had conversation going, York wasn't about to let it stop. "So this looks familiar," he noted.

"What does?" South asked, pushing her tray away as she had already cleaned it off.

York gestured. "Well if you look over here at this table, with us… then over there at all the rookies," he shrugged, leaving his sentence unfinished.

North smiled, understanding where he was going. "It reminds you of when you guys were the senior agents and we were the rookies."

Wyoming chuckled. "Yes, I remember sitting here while the lot of you looked around like baby birds waiting to be fed."

South glared at him for his comment. "I seem to remember you all staring at us like you had nothing better to do," she retorted.

North glanced at her, smiling slightly. "It is a little different being over here for a change."

York suddenly smiled, as if he remembered something. "So what about that one-on-one with Colorado? She almost had you there North," he teased.

North leaned back. That had been an interesting match. Colorado certainly had given him a challenge. "You saw that?"

Wyoming nodded. "We saw the whole thing, mate. Watched it from one of the viewing screens."

Carolina thought back to the match and 'Rado's strategies. "Colorado's technique could use some improvement, but she has potential."

"Clogging your shotgun was a good move," Sota admitted.

South scoffed. "But she still lost," she said.

Cal grunted in agreement. "A simple shot to the head would have been more effective. You've still got the person to deal with even if you've take out their gun."

North glanced over at Cal. He missed the more light-hearted person he used to be. Turning back to the subject, he had to agree with York. "She was smart enough to change her strategy. During that last round she almost did get me." He rolled his shoulders. "I'm still sore from the second round," he added.

York chuckled. "Yeah, you'd think they'd come up with something a little less painful than that lockdown paint."

Carolina shook her head. "The training battles are designed to be as close to the real thing as they can get, including the added effect of pain," she explained. "It's to teach you to not get hit in the first place."

South snorted. "Yeah, it still sucks though."

Wyoming looked over at the recruits again, his gaze focusing on the white one. "So who's the big fellow? Not another anger-fuelled brute, I hope?" His gaze darkened as he undoubtedly thought of the traitor, Penn.

"Who, Utah?" Florida asked, shocked. "He might be big, but I don't think he's nothing like that. He seemed more gentle than anything else."

North nodded. "I wouldn't-" he was cut off by the raised voice of one of the rookies.

"We'll break his legs!" exclaimed the green and blue agent excitedly. "With EXPLOSIONS!"

This had shocked all the seasoned agents as well as the rookies. Carolina looked disapproving, Wyoming amused, Sota had an eyebrow raised and Cal's expression was unreadable. Florida muttered about how that wasn't the nicest thing to say even if he was talking about someone who wasn't the nicest person. South looked over, annoyed.

"Who is that?"

"Kentucky," Florida replied. "He's a little more… easily excitable."

York looked like he didn't know whether to start laughing or running. "Should I be worried?" he asked North.

North was a little taken aback by that, but didn't think Kent would actually do extreme. Probably. "It's like when you get Georgia around any heavy machinery," he guessed. "Hey, maybe they'll even get along. Kent might be able to distract him from...other things."

"Who do you think they're even talking about?" Carolina was puzzled.

Wyoming chuckled. "If it's any of those blasted Insurrectionists, I'll get behind that," he said.

"I think all of us would. Especially from the Crimson Sun," Sota added with a dark expression.

At that mention, the joking mood turned sour and the smiles vanished.

York sighed. "We've got a tough fight ahead of us. Penn was pretty much unbeatable, and when Ark disabled F.I.L.S.S., there was nothing we could do to stop him."

South frowned. "He caught us off-guard then. This time we'll be ready for him," she said.

North looked back to the rookies again. "The Director recruited a couple more hackers. I'm sure they'll be able to make sure he won't be able to do anything like that again."

"Not to mention we've also got Harper to deal with again," Sota pointed out.

Florida nodded. "He was hard enough to catch the first time."

Cal curled his fingers into a fist. "We won't be aiming to capture him," he growled.

Carolina fixed him with a glare. "We will follow our orders to the letter. If they're wanted alive, we will bring them in. Alive," she said with finality before standing up and taking her empty tray away.

Wyoming watched her go. "Let's hope the Director doesn't care about bringing them back alive then," he said darkly.

Silence fell, and Florida looked around, a little uncomfortable. He stood and stretched. "I guess I'll go and see what Al is doing," he said, and sent another troubled glance at them before walking away.

North stared at the table, immersed in his own thoughts. The betrayal still stung him despite all the time that had passed, but he didn't outwardly show it because he still felt like he needed to be there for anyone who would let him. But Penn and Ark had chosen their side, and now Project Freelancer was back and had targeted them.

"Even if the new recruits aren't seasoned agents yet, they give us an advantage because Ark and Penn don't know what they're capable of. They know what to expect from the rest of us," North pointed out. Likely, they would need every advantage they could get.

South grimaced. "But will they compare? Can any of them replace the agents we lost?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized what she had said. She glanced over at Cal.

Cal didn't even look at her. "No one would be able to replace Mich," he said, so quietly they almost couldn't hear him. "Or Massa."

"It shouldn't be hard to replace Penn and Ark," Sota had his fists clenched, fury in his eyes.

York shook his head. "Shouldn't be hard at all," he noted sourly.

Each of the first and second-wave Freelancers had a personal score to settle with the newest organization of Insurrectionists. And it was all in the memory of two agents. They'd better start watching their backs a little more closely. They would never allow themselves to make the same mistakes again.