CH. 31
Secret Blown
"Are we there yet?" Zelos asked as he leaned back in his seat placing his feet up on the dashboard.
Max turned his head to his right, "No Zelos, we just left ten minutes ago, and why are you sitting in the passenger seat?"
"Because I'm curious how you use this 'Warthog'. In fact, why is it called that? It should be called, 'the great, four wheeler, monster machine'."
"Did you invent this?"
"No."
"Then you can't call it that."
"Why not? I'm the great…"
"Chosen or not, you're not renaming the thing. Besides, your suggestion is not to catchy."
"Then is Zelos' suggestion isn't good enough, what about 'The Metallic Speedy'?" Lloyd asked.
"No."
"What about 'Tough Ogre'?"
"No."
"Wood Worm? Mantis?"
"No! No! NO! Shut up before I actually crash this thing into something! So let me focus!" After Max's roar, everyone that spoke on the subject went silent leaving Shego somehow frightened of his human comrade.
As the ride went on, Raine and Lloyd then noticed Zelos was dazing off into the distance thinking about something, "Zelos, what are you thinking about?"
"My hunnie Sheena, I haven't seen that gorgeous body in a while now." Zelos then sat in a different position, no one knew what exactly he was thinking. Without warning the warthog came to a halt making the perverted chosen hit his head on the dashboard.
"We're here, and Zelos," Zelos looked up at Max rubbing the big bump on his forehead, "there's no fantasizing in the vehicle at all times or else I'll tie you to the tow cable and drag you a good 500 miles as an actual punishment."
"Is that really true?" Genis asked.
"Hell ya it is, cause this one guy in training was fantasizing to much in the jeep. After the 500 mile punishment he was this close to death."
"No it can't… me, the chosen of Tethe'alla will survive through anything. From Bug bites to… whatever kind of punishment you mentioned, will never harm me."
"If you ever have a costume party, I should recommend you wear the 'Road Kill' outfit."
Max then took a look around the warthog noticing everyone getting out before them, "Come on, can't keep the others waiting." Max leapt from the vehicle and turn to Zelos and watched him push random buttons right near the radar between the driver and passenger seat, "don't touch those please…" and
A few seconds later he then asks, "What does this do?"
"No! Don't…" it was to late, the button was pressed, and Max dove away from the Hog. Covering his head and lying on his stomach for at least a minute waiting for something, but it never came. 'what if…' Max looked back at the vehicle and sprung to his feet yelling, "Zelos you ass hole! That was the self destruct button! You're lucky that you didn't catch you ass on fire or else I would toss you off the fucking bridge that's as big as the Golden Gate Bride right there!"
"I did know, but I'm glad that I'm still alive to have more hunnies." Just then, Max removed his helmet and tossed it at Zelos making him fly out of the warthog.
"Max what did you do?" Raine asked as she walked up to Zelos who was still on the ground with his eyes swirling out of control, "he's lucky that you didn't cause a serious blow the head or else he might have been out for hours."
"Oh don't worry about it Raine." Max took out his canteen and poured water on to Zelos making him conscious.
"What… what happened?"
"On your feet, now Zelos."
"Fine, touchy touchy." After the group reunited, Zelos then began his speech, "well my hunnies, this is the great Tethe'alla bridge, the largest bridge in all of Tethe'alla. It can work by using over 3000 Exsphares."
Everyone stared at him with sad faces, "Oh my god." Max said first.
"3000…"
"3000 human lives."
Zelos then snapped his head at the in confusion, "What? Why are you all looking so gloomy?"
"There's something you should know…"
Minutes later after informing Zelos about what the group from Sylvarant encountered at the Asgard ranch, humans turned into stones, "Is all of this true?" the chosen of Tethe'alla asked.
"You think we're making this up?"
"No, what I think what you're saying is true. But it's not like the stones are going to come back from the dead right?" Max, Lloyd, and Genis stared at him on how he acts. Max was the one more pissed about it. Again he took off his helmet at tossed at Zelos' head again, but harder.
"Why did you do that for?" Genis asked.
"Making fun of the dead is not funny, ok? Now help me carry him back to the vehicle." Everybody looked at him and walked back to the vehicle leaving Max, Zelos, and Shego. The medic and the elite stared at each other for a few seconds, "you don't have to listen to me you know, I'm not your superior commander."
"I under stand." Shego walked off to join the others.
Max stood looking down at the unconscious Zelos, 'goddamn…' Max then grabbed Zelos' legs and started to drag him back to the vehicle speaking to himself, "right now… here I am… dragging your perverted ass… at least twenty yards… back to the frickn' vehicle… and I was supposed to be at a BBQ with some friends that I know from training… but noooo… the Covenant just had to come to earth on that very day… so now I'm stuck in this world for a month now…" then his Mana Carrier instincts kicked in picking up a smell, "… And what the hell's that smell! You sick bastard! You just had to go ahead and let one rip!"
Meanwhile…
"Sheena, do you know where we're going." Corrine asks walking beside Sheena.
"We're heading to Syback for some supplies that Mizuho doesn't have."
"Do you still remember the new orders that Tiga's gave to you?"
"Observe the Chosen's group and…"
"I'll take that as a yes, do you think Max, Lloyd and the others are ok on their own?"
"I hope so, or else they might accidentally get sent to the prison down in the arena."
"What about Shego's identity?"
"Let's hope his head isn't placed on a pike." Finally the two managed to exit Gaoracchia forest. Off in the distance was Syback, "If we keep going we could get there before dinner."
Meanwhile…
"Hey Max," Genis began as he sat in the back next to Presea, lightly blushing, "earlier you said making fun of the dead wasn't funny. What did you mean by that? Did someone you know die?" Max kept quite and focused on his drive across the bridge, "Hey, did you hear me?"
"Yeah I heard ya."
"Then can't you answer my question?"
"Sure… I'll answer it." Everyone except for Presea, Colette, and the 'knocked out' Zelos perked their ears towards Max's story, "about eight years ago, when I was thirteen. My dad was part of the UNSC. The ship he was on was called the "Fatal Chance", it was a battle ship that destroyed only two covenant ships they encountered. The third one, was a tough one, they sent a boarding party and destroy the ship from the inside."
"Your dad was part of the UNSC?"
"Yes, let me finish. Him and some marines were holding off the enemy in the fuel bay. I heard it was one hell of a nasty fight. That's all I can say for now…"
"Why can't you say more?"
"Maybe some other time." After driving the warthog down a small flight of steps, they were completely off the bridge. Reaching down underneath his seat, Max found a pair of binoculars. Gazing through them out into the distance was Syback. Zooming in, he noticed that the town looked like a university. And a sign saying 'Syback', "Guess that's it. Hold on tight, we'll be there in less three minutes and twenty seconds flat."
"Oh no." Lloyd spoke right before Max hit the gas.
Back in Sylvarant…
In the infirmary on the last MAC gun, where dozens upon dozens of Soldiers, UNSC personnel, and New Covenant units having their wounds treated, but for many others, they were placed in body bags. On one side of the room, a person stood looked out the window gazing deep into space. Then a female officer then came up to him with a tray of food, "So how are you feeling Fred?" she spoke in somewhat of an Asian accent.
"Just fine Haiyamaru …" Fred turned around examining the tray in his friend's hands and noticed it was enough for two.
"Do you want to sit down somewhere and eat?"
"Sure, why not." Fred and his friend walked towards a bench the was in a room with small trees (Know what I'm talking about? The first main level of Halo 2).
"So Fred, how are your wounds holding up today?" Haiyamaru asked as she took what seems to be a cheeseburger from the tray.
"I'll be up on my feet in a few days. And I was told never, ever do a suicidal finishing moves the next time a guy comes up and stabs you from the rear." Fred then picked up a plastic bowl filled with salad, and he tried to sneak a few fries, but had his hand poked really heard by his friend's spork, "Ow."
"Be careful on what you steal, or you'll whined up in bed again, but longer." The officer then took a bite from her food, "before I forget, have you seen your friend Max around lately?"
"Nope, in fact, I haven't seen him for almost two days now. The report for the casualties yesterday didn't show that he was KIA, and survivor list. He ended up as MIA. He's ether still being attacked by Desians down on the surface, or he's just walking around with the 'Chosen's' group aimlessly not knowing of the attack."
"Oh, well I'm supposed to give this to him." Haiyamaru then took out a yellow envelope, "It's from the General."
"From the general? What's it say?"
"I don't know, it's top secret."
"Since when did Max receive Top Secret missions?"
"Don't know." The officer put the letter in her pocket, and it was the right moment for Fred to snatch a few fries. Halfway back, Fred was then pushed off the bench making him land flat on the ground.
"First the spork and now this… what else could possibly happen." Just then, Haiyamaru dropped a different envelope from her pocket. It landed on the ground lightly, Fred then got a better look at and noticed a sticker the shape of a heart keeping it closed. Without asking, he opened it and began to read it out loud, "Dear Max… Ya de ya de ya da………………… Wait a minute…… this a-"
"Give that back!"
Back in Tethe'alla…
The group finally arrived in Syback, everything seemed to going ok, but for Presea, she was uncomfortable being there. The group told her that it won't take long and she'll be back in Ozette soon. Now they were standing in front of the inn talking about their schedule.
"So what's the plan today hunnies?"
"We're about to go over that and will you please stop calling us all hunnies"
"Will you two pay attention." Raine said making Max and Zelos shut up, "Thank you, Max I want you and Shego to make a reservation for us at the inn, get us eight beds."
"Eight beds got it."
"While you do that, the rest of us will follow Zelos to the research facility to try and cure Colette. Meet us there in one hour."
"Alright, come on Shego and keep your cloak on." Max and Shego walked into the inn. It was quite, in fact, it was empty. On the table in front of them was a small sign that says, 'out for a meal, be back later.'
The two stood there for seconds staring at the note in front of them, "Should we come back in a few minutes Matz?"
"No, we're going to wait the guy, besides, he can't be gone to long."
Fifty-Five minutes later…
Max and Shego sat on a bench waiting… waiting… and waiting, "Oh my god… what the hell… what's taking that guy so long?"
"Using the facilities?"
"No, but you know what? Screw this, I'm going to go look for our friends, do you mind filling out for me when the guy gets back, and remember, keep your cloak on."
"I will."
"Good, I'll be back with the others and maybe a cured Colette." After Max left the building, he wondered around looking for the research facility. As he was walking down the street, four Papal knights quickly marched passed him then into a building that looked almost like a museum.
"Hurry! We must reinforce our group on the Chosen's party." One ordered.
'What the? Where they all going? Are they heading where I'm heading?' Curious enough, Max followed the group till he came across a sign that says, 'Syback Research Facility', "Shit." Max whispered and went on in. Upon entry, he found the entire party getting cuffed, "What the hell is going on here?"
"Max!" Genis yelled.
"Seize him!" one of the knights came up behind Max and immediately placed cuffs on him as well, "Check them." Suddenly another one of them came up behind Lloyd, checked his ear, and then poked him with some kind object that's a cross between a needle and valve in his shoulder.
"He's normal."
"Ow! What are you doing?" Lloyd asked.
"They're checking to find Half-elfs. Half-elfs are wanted and they look almost like us and…" before Zelos could finish, two more knights were checking Raine and Genis till…
"Sir! We've found two! Two Half-elfs!"
"Genis! Professor!"
"Quiet kid!" one of the knights then squeezed Lloyd shoulder where the needle device struck, "Check him also." He pointed to Max. The knight that cuffed him took off his helmet and checked his ear, looked normal. Then came the needle, it poked his shoulder hard and he felt some pain with it.
"What the hell does this thing do!"
"It checks the blood to see if they're human, Half-elf, elf, or anything else." Zelos answered. The little thing on the end of the needle began to calculate, but then… its calculations revealed something completely wrong.
"Sir, look at this." A golden armored knight looked also, he was shocked.
"A Mana Carrier! Surround him!" all of the Papal Knights ignored the Chosen's Group and focused their attention and weapons on Max.
'Shit… it's blown away.'
"Sir what should we do? We have two Half-elfs and a Mana Carrier. We don't have enough men to keep them all guarded."
"We'll lock them in the basement with the others, and we'll escort these three to the bridge where we'll get more help to escort them to Meltokio." Then two guards took Lloyd, Presea, Colette, and Zelos into another room leaving Max, Genis and Raine with the knights.
"Where are you taking them?"
"I'm not telling you." the knight then put another pair of cuffs on Max for extra secure, "now walk."
Somewhere else in Syback…
"Can't wait to get in a nice soft bed, I felt like I was walking for days." Sheena spoke to her self. Now she was approaching the inn.
"That's because we've been traveling back and forth for hours, it's most likely that we're going to find Max and the others here."
"Most likely? How do you know?"
"You never noticed? I saw that vehicle that Max used to get to Meltokio."
"You mean the 'Warthog'? Where did you see it?"
"It was behind a large bush as we entered. They might be at the inn."
"I guess looking for them went easier then I thought it would be." Sheena and Corrine entered to find a familiar cloaked figure, "Shego?"
The cloaked figure turned to face her almost ready to attack, "friend of Matz…"
"It's Sheena." The ninja corrected.
"I apologize Sheda."
"That's ok, where's Max and the others?"
"At the Research facility, he's been gone for sometime."
"Sheena! Shego!" Corrine interrupted, "look!" the two looked out the window. To there surprise, the spotted Raine, Genis, and Max cuffed and being escorted by at least nine Papal knights. They then walked pass the inn and out of town.
"Shego, you said that they went to the research facility right?"
"Correct."
"I didn't see the others with them, they're probably still at the facility. We have to hurry."
A few hours later…
"We're sorry that we dragged you into this Max." Genis said.
"No, I think it's my fault that we're going to have more bastards keeping guard on us."
"But how do you feel knowing that we're Half-elfs?"
"Does it matter on how you're born? I mean, for my entire life up until now I didn't know that I was a Mana Carrier. Back in Luin after I had that building fall on top of me I some how figured what I was."
"But what are Mana Carriers?"
"What don't know is the history about it, but all I do know is that Mana Carriers can carry unlimited mana, have incredible instincts, and could do things no other race of man can do. What surprised me more right now is that how could Tethe'alla know more about it than Sylvarant."
"Still, how do you feel about us?"
"Come on, it's quite obvious that you're not like the Desians. You guys are the good ones. You shouldn't let what you are get in the way. And haven't you two notice something about some of the Soldiers in the UNSC?"
"That some of them have dark skin?" Raine said.
"And that some speak with a strange accent?"
"Yes, you see? No matter what your skin color is, what nation you're from, what religion you warship, and what gender you are, we're a team. Like us, we're a team."
"It was a nice speech while it lasted Max, but I think it's the end for us." Up a head at the end of the bridge were about twenty-one Papal knights armed with vary dangerous blades.
"To bad that I can't reach my ES (Energy Sword), but I'm not going down without a fight. Thirty against one, I think I can handle it."
"Max, don't do anything stupid."
"I think I am, on my mark, the two of you will run back across the bridge and back to Syback so that you can reunite with the group."
"But Max…"
It was to late, Max whipped around facing on of the knights. Quickly, he stole the big staff thing and thrust it into the knight's gut. The fell back with the staff stuck in him making everybody gasp, "MARK!" after the word was given, Genis and Raine began their run and got away from the battle as fast as they could. A few of the knights were about to go after them, but Max intervene their pursuit by hold the big staff with both of his cuffed hands.
"So you want the quick way eh?"
"I guess I do, or maybe I don't care… or maybe I'm doing this to protect my… friends." He then took the blade part of the staff to brake the cuffs. It felt easy, "My name is Max Demore, a Medical Lieutenant of the UNSC, and I'm also a Mana Carrier… and I'm already proud of it."
"Are you finished yet?"
'Gosh, these guys almost talk like the Desians.' The medic dropped the staff and reached for his back pocket to reveal his ES. As he squeezed the handle, it came to life with a strange sound that was unusual to the knight's ears, "when ever you're ready."
"Get him!"
"Omega Demon Fang!" the big bright form of mana traveled quickly across the ground striking the large group in half… well… striking any one in the center though. But the knights continued their charge, "alright then… Fireball Burst!" twelve fireballs shot out causing damage to the ones in front, "nine down, Shit load to go."
"There's still more of us, kill him!"
Now, Max charged in also. What lied ahead of him were knights holding their weapons in of them in a position that was supposed to be used for against a stampede of horses. But for Max, he easily ran past their weapons and into the group cutting one or two at a time. When he was in the center he had an idea for a move, "upgrade complete… Blade Whirl Wind!" he out stretched his arm that's holding his weapon and began to spin around ten times in less than three seconds striking the enemies surrounding him.
"Reinforcements have arrived!" everyone including Max looked out in the distance and spotted more Papal Knights on their way.
"Shit, this is going to be one hell of a fight."