Project Genesis

Part two:

Sun

Author's note: Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to Part two! The exciting continuation of the Project Genesis series. This will be a novelization of Tiberian Sun, with some fun changes.

First off I want to address the Firestorm expansion. That will be its own separate short story (similar to Operation Final Justice) that will obviously come after this is finished.

This is the second of three fanfictions, so I hope everyone has been enjoying so far!

Don't forget to leave reviews.

And as always, a big thank you to Ian Otter for being my editor. Check out his stories in the Halo Fanfiction section. And thanks to Augustrad for reviewing, check out his stories in the Starcraft and the Path of Exile Fanfiction section.

Prologue

Global Defence Space Station Philadelphia

August 27th, 2030

0900

The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the large office. It gave an almost homely sense to the room, a nice offset to the sterile metal walls and floor. A large carpet of intricate patterns helped to brighten the dull room, but only by a little bit. Other décor included several potted plants, though they served a more mechanical purpose than aesthetic, being used to help filtrate the air. The rest of the office was composed of wooden bookshelves, a large oak desk, and a small reading nook. The fact that all the furniture was made of real wood was a sign of unnecessary expenses, given how difficult it was to transport heavy materials into space, and the growing scarcity of trees down on Earth.

However the Global Defense Initiative had felt it imperative to lavish the office of the Commander-in-Chief of GDI's military with such privileges. General James Solomon found it arrogant and wasteful, but regardless, kept such objections to himself. He took a sip of his coffee, which unlike the rest of the office, was not real coffee. It was synthetic, like a vast majority of food stuffs nowadays. Given that valuable farm land was rapidly dwindling, focus was more on vital crops like wheat or corn, not coffee beans or other 'non-essential' foods.

Solomon sighed as he ran a hand through his thinning white hair. The world was dying and there was little GDI had been able to do to stop it in the 30 years since the alien substance known as Tiberium had infested the planet. He pushed the grim thoughts from his mind as he reached down for a framed photo on his desk, a smile creeping onto his face. It was a photo of three young men, standing on a beach in Estonia, at the beginning of the Tiberium War. One man was himself, just a young lieutenant back then. The other two were the late Colonel J.C Carter, and the now retired Commander Mark Lancaster. Solomon smiled at the memories of simpler times, back when Tiberium infestation didn't threaten half the globe, and the only thing he had to worry about was fighting the Brotherhood of Nod.

Solomon's reverie was interrupted by a chime from the laptop on his desk, indicating his Electronic Video Assistant wanted to talk to him.

"What is it EVA?" Solomon asked as he took another sip of synth coffee.

"Major Volkov from Intelligence Operations has requested your presence. He claims it is urgent." The faintly female voice reported.

"Tell him I'm on my way."

Solomon closed down his laptop and struggled to his feet. He was an old man now, no longer in peak physical shape, but it was mostly the adjustment from Earth's gravity to the much lower station gravity that often gave him troubles. He left his office behind, the door locking automatically and the single GDI marine posted to guard him giving him a sharp salute. Solomon returned it half mindedly and made his way through the space station. The Philadelphia was the heart and mind of both GDI's civilian government and its military. While they did have several key installations planetside, the station was where GDI sought to maintain order and security across a collapsing world.

He made his way down the dull, sterile, and grey hallways of the station, having to remind himself not to go to the main lift that would take him to the control room, but instead, to a small access corridor that led out from the center of the station to the dark little corner InOps had claimed for itself. He entered into one of several small rooms set aside for the intelligence agency, where several officers in drab InOps uniforms worked at their stations. One man stood hunched over a computer terminal set near the front of the room, and he quickly turned around and snapped a salute when he heard Solomon enter.

"General. I apologize for the abrupt call sir." Major Volkov said.

Solomon just grunted in response. He had never liked Volkov; the man was too focused on advancing his own career and inflating his own ego. Plus the fact that he was an Intelligence agent, meant the man was always secretive. Volkov was, however, very good at his job. Which was why Solomon had entrusted him to handle GDI's… unique relationship with the Brotherhood.

"What's the problem Major?"

"A call for you sir. From our friend: he seems quite upset."

Volkov moved away from the terminal as Solomon stepped over. He pressed a button on the screen, replacing the diving eagle symbol of GDI with the face of General Hassan: Supreme Leader of the Brotherhood of Nod. The man stood straighter when he saw Solomon, in an attempt to look more dignified, but Solomon could see the man was very uneasy.

"I have trouble." Hassan said reluctantly.

"Just tell me Slavik is dead."

"Escaped."

Solomon fought to control an angered outburst. But he did not hold back on the angry glare he gave Hassan. Anton Slavik posed a very big risk to the delicate arrangement Solomon and Hassan had created between GDI and Nod. With him still alive, it could lead to a full on war.

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Framing him as one of your spies was a big mistake. He has more support than we thought!"

Solomon leaned closer to the screen, and in a very calm tone, said.

"Well then, cover it up and kill him before the truth comes out. And, Hassan? If he gains more power, you will become useless to us. And useless things have a way of… disappearing. I don't need to remind you of Juhziz do I?"

"No. I'll deal with it." Hassan said through clenched teeth.

Solomon ended the call and let out a long sigh. Things were starting to get difficult. A potential full scale war with Nod would mean he would have to deal with the Board of Directors. And that could be worse than having to deal with rats like Hassan…or Volkov.

"Do you want me to send someone to deal with Slavik?" Volkov asked, ambition clear on his face.

"No, we'll monitor the situation for now. But alert local garrisons. I have a feeling something much worse is coming."

Chapter 1

War is a biological necessity of the first importance, a regulative element in the life of mankind which cannot be dispensed with. ... But it is not only a biological law but a moral obligation and, as such, an indispensable factor in civilization.

"Germany and the next War" by Friedrich von Bernhardi.

Benghazi, Libya

August 28th, 2030

1200

The cold winter air bit down into his bones, causing him to shiver to the point it hurt. He was naked, save for underwear, while his attacker was in full body armour. The cold wasn't the only thing that hurt, about half a dozen broken bones and twice as many bruises from the relentless 'training' left Anton Slavik wishing for death.

No eight year old child should have to endure the pain he suffered through. The brutal training, the relentless classes on war and politics. There had once been two other students with him, other possible candidates. They had been lucky and died while Slavik had endured, driven by some force he didn't understand. Spite? Determination? Or some divine intervention?

"You are distracted! Pay attention or I will break your legs and make you crawl home!"

His instructor was cruel, relentless. The perfect embodiment of the Blackhand. Brother Higgs lumbered over to the still shivering Slavik and was about to deliver a back handed slap with his armoured glove, had Slavik not rolled out of the way. He smiled triumphantly for dodging the attack, only to have a fist slam into his stomach. He fell to the ground, crying in agony as blood seeped from his mouth.

"Get up you useless fuck!"

Slavik just laid in the snow and cried. He wished Higgs would just kill him, like he had killed the other two students, like he had killed Slavik's parents.

"I said get up!"

Slavik prayed to God. He prayed to Kane.

"I SAID! GET! UP!"

Hoping the darkness would finally take him.

"Get up Commander!"

Slavik bolted awake, no longer in the Serbian snow, but instead in some kind of infirmary. He looked up to see a woman staring down at him, the beautiful face of Oxana Kristos.

"Dead and back Commander. Dead and back."

She smiled at him and he felt his beating heart slow down, no longer threatening to burst from his chest. The phantom pains of childhood had faded away, and Slavik finally took notice that they were moving.

"Where are we?" Slavik croaked out, his throat painfully dry.

"Back on the Montauk. Safely away from Hassan. It was quite the execution Commander, sorry I had to ruin it." Oxana's smile grew larger, but Slavik didn't have time to joke around.

"Get me back to the bridge." Slavik said as he stood up, nearly fainting from dizziness.

"I don't think that's wise sir."

"Just do as you're told." Slavik snapped.

"Yes sir."

Oxana helped Slavik steady himself as the Nod transport raced through the underground tunnels. When he felt sure of his own footing, he made his way towards the bridge. With every step he felt his strength return, and he felt his anger grow hotter.

When he entered into the cramped bridge of the Montauk, the two pilots turned to face him, with one man bolting to his feet.

"Sir! It's good to have you ba-"

Slavik shot him in the chest before he could finish, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Traitor." Slavik hissed.

Moving as if nothing had happened, Oxana took the traitor's seat, while Slavik eased himself into the command throne. He watched out the main window as the Montauk raced through the underground complex of tunnels the Brotherhood had built over the years. Built mainly to move goods and people without fear of Tiberium radiation or deadly Ion storms, the tunnels also served with the added benefit of being able to hide from GDI.

However Slavik could not calm his burning rage. Hassan had tried to kill him, and even dared try to label him a traitor to Nod! He was going to make the man pay dearly for his heresy.

"CABAL. Status report."

The blue disembodied head of CABAL appeared on the main terminal, a look of perpetual disdain on the AI's 'face.'

"Hassan spreads his propaganda to the Brotherhood through a nearby TV station. With the Brotherhood in chaos, the opportunity to divide Hassan from his followers presents itself. If we capture the TV station, those once loyal to Kane's technology of peace will return to the fold. The probability of a favourable outcome would be increased, if we take and control that station.

"Define 'favourable outcome', CABAL."

"They all die."

"That'll do." Slavik smiled, as a wolf would before striking at its prey.

"Prepare our forces. It's time we bring the heretic to light."

"Yes sir." Oxana replied eagerly.

"Just don't fail." CABAL said before disappearing from the terminal, although Slavik knew the machine was still there, listening, ever watching. But he pushed those thoughts from his mind; he had a battle to win.

… … …

Slavik stood outside of the Montauk, now on the surface. He stared out into the blasted and twisted landscape that had once been Libya, now deformed by Tiberium. Further out there was the TV station, and the base of Hassan's most loyal forces. Slavik turned to see his own troops arrayed around the massive command vehicle. They were significantly smaller than Hassan's troops, but what they lacked in numbers they made up with training and devotion, for the elite Blackhand of Kane were unmatched by any.

His force consisted solely of infantry, at least a platoon's worth. But he would need much more than that if he was to assault Hassan's base. Fortunately Oxana had devised a plan for that.

"You are sure it will work?" Slavik suddenly asked.

Oxana looked up from studying her wrist mounted tacpad, a small computer that both GDI and Nod used frequently.

"Of course I am. The forces guarding the station aren't Hassan's Elites. They are regular troops, and Hassan does not have as much support as he thinks he does. Once I get inside the station, and broadcast the message of truth, they will follow us."

"I trust you Lieutenant, so this had better work."

Slavik moved away from his perch to address his gathered forces. Each soldier was busy checking over their weapons or armour, but all turned when their Commander approached them.

"Brothers and sisters of the Blackhand! Today we shall show the rest of the Brotherhood that we have returned from the shadows! Today we shall expose the lies of the heretic Hassan! In the name of Kane!"

"Kane lives in death!"

Slavik's forces moved forward, warriors of holy vengeance. They moved towards a large bridge that spanned over what once may have been a river, but was now simply a large Tiberium patch. CABAL had warned him that the bridge would be well guarded, but Slavik knew it would pose no real challenge for his Blackhand.

Slavik shouldered his weapon, a standard issued Nod OFB Excalibur rifle, and followed behind his men. They passed by a dilapidated bridge house, unused in years. At first it seemed as though CABAL had been wrong, that the bridge was left undefended. But they soon quickly encountered Hassan's men further down the bridge at a makeshift checkpoint.

One soldier moved around the sandbag barricades to greet them, but immediately stopped when he noted the large force. Before he could retreat back, someone fired a burst that caused the man's head to snap back in a spray of blood. A split second later all hell broke loose as both sides unloaded on each other.

Slavik, along with Oxana and two Blackhand soldiers, took cover behind the traffic barrier. More of Slavik's men dove for cover, but countless more were cut down by gunfire from the barricade. However they dealt as good as they got. At least a dozen Nod soldiers had been cut down in the opening salvo, creating a clear gap in their defences. The right side closest to Slavik was now exposed. If he could get around the barricade, he could wipe out the heretic forces with ease.

"Brothers! Show the heretics no mercy!" Slavik cried out.

He was met with frightening war cries, as his men once again unleashed their fury on the enemy, keeping them pinned down. As the bullets flew, Slavik and Oxana moved down the bridge towards the enemy barricade. They were nearly there when two heretic soldiers popped up, clearly having noticed the gap, and raised their weapons to fire. Slavik was faster however, as he snapped up his rifle and fired two quick bursts. Both heretic soldiers collapsed, and Slavik leaped over the barricade, followed by Oxana and their two Blackhand troops.

Now behind the enemy barricade, Slavik could see what remained of the enemy defenders. Two squads of light infantry were huddled behind the barricade as the Blackhand continued to fire at them relentlessly. Slavik brought his weapon to bear, as did the others, and targeted the enemy.

"Kill them." Slavik commanded.

As one they opened fire, the enemy caught completely off guard. They barely had time to react before they were cut down.

"Cease fire!"

The sound of gunfire stopped immediately, allowing an eerie quiet to settle over the bridge. Slavik moved through the dead heretic soldiers, occasionally firing a shot into a soldier's head to make sure they were actually dead.

With the first checkpoint secured, he was about to order his forces to advance, but stopped when he heard a familiar sound.

"Attack Buggy! Into cover!"

The Blackhand forces quickly took cover on the opposite side of the barricade, just as a Nod Attack Buggy and four more squads of light infantry raced towards them. The Buggy's heavy guns opened fire, ripping through sandbags and thin sheet metal with ease. Slavik watched as a Blackhand soldier was bisected by the heavy calibre rounds. Slavik's forces tried to return fire on the enemy, but the Buggy kept them firmly pinned down. However he had planned for the possibility Hassan's heretics would deploy armour against him.

"Take down that Buggy!" Slavik had to strain his voice to be heard over the roar of the heavy guns.

But his men heard him, as a soldier armed with an all-purpose rocket launcher stood and took aim. The missile streaked through the air, leaving behind a thick contrail. It slammed into the Buggy, causing it to explode violently, sending burning debris cascading through the air. Slavik smiled as he witnessed several heretics be cut down by the burning debris, or be blasted off the bridge entirely by the concussive force.

The destruction of the Buggy was all that was needed to break the heretic's morale. The enemy squads attempted to retreat back down the bridge, but were mowed down by the Blackhand with ruthless efficiency. Slavik urged his men forward, stepping over or around burning debris and dead bodies. The bridge tower on the far end was the exact opposite of its counterpart: it was fully operational and well defended. The heretics were now firmly aware of his presence, meaning Slavik would need to move faster.

"CABAL, have you hacked into the heretic's servers?"

"Of course I have. Do you take me for some second rate EVA?" The machine agitatedly replied.

Slavik ignored the arrogant AI and pressed on.

"How long before we see a response from the Libyan garrison?"

"They've already sent a detachment of troops to the TV station. You have roughly twenty minutes."

"And what is the probability they will turn to our side with Oxana's message?"

"The base itself will undoubtedly join you. They seem to have no love for Hassan."

Slavik detected something off in CABAL's wording.

"And the forces being sent to kill us?"

"Oh, they will probably still try to kill you. I do hope you can handle it. You dying would be most inconvenient."

Before Slavik could reply, CABAL ended the call, leaving the Nod commander to mutter obscenities to himself. He had to focus on the task at hand, worry about the rest later. His forces drew closer to the final bridge house, and he could see the enemy was much better prepared for him. He called for his men to halt just outside their effective range and they all dispersed into cover. Taking the second checkpoint would not be easy, and time was not on his side.

"I'm open to ideas Lieutenant." Slavik said as Oxana sidled up next to him.

"The enemy has several machine guns in the bridge house. Assaulting them head on would result in a slaughter."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Oxana thought to herself for a moment before she replied.

"Use our rocket launcher to destroy the building. It eliminates the machine guns and should create a large enough distraction for our forces to assault the rest of the barricade."

"That would leave us without any anti-tank support. And CABAL as reported that the enemy is sending reinforcements, doubtless with armour support."

"It's our only option sir."

Slavik knew she was right, but still, he did not like leaving himself exposed. However a good commander knew how to operate with limited options. Coming to a decision, he called over the soldier carrying the rocket launcher.

"Sister Joyce, I have a task for you."

"As you command sir!" Joyce spoke with absolute fanaticism.

"Target the enemy building. Use what ammunition you have left. The Lieutenant and I will cover you."

"My life for Nod!"

Slavik nodded approvingly as he readied his own weapon. When he received nods from Oxana and Joyce, Slavik issued orders to the rest of his men. As one, Blackhand soldiers rose and moved towards the heretic barricade, firing on the waiting enemy troops. But before the heavy machine guns could open fire, Sister Joyce let loose with her rocket launcher, quickly firing and reloading.

In the time it took Slavik to target down and kill a single heretic, Joyce had fired two missiles, both of which blew massive holes into the bridge house and sending debris raining onto the barricade. Joyce then reloaded and fired her last two rockets, reducing the building to ruin, while also depleting their only anti-vehicle weapon. Joyce dropped the spent weapon and withdrew her own Excalibur rifle. Now she, Oxana, and Slavik all moved forward to join the other Blackhand forces pushing through to the barricade.

Hassan's heretics again broke upon seeing the Blackhand's ruthless efficiency. Many soldiers abandoned their post and fled down the road towards the TV station. Those brave enough, and foolish enough, who stayed behind were gunned down, leaving only dead bodies and spent casings on the bridge.

"We don't have much time. Onward brothers and sisters!" Slavik urged his forces.

They made their way down the road, and after a few minutes, Slavik could finally see the TV station. An old building pockmarked by bullet holes from various looting attempts. All of the windows were boarded up with Tiberium resistant barriers, to help keep the green crystal out. However the array of antennae on top looked brand new. As far as Slavik could tell, there were no outer defences, but he had no doubt there were plenty of Hassan's heretics waiting inside.

"Once I'm inside, I will deliver our message to the Brotherhood. The truly faithful will stream to our cause." Oxana said with an air of reverence.

"I hope you are right Lieutenant. Or else our crusade will be very short. Go, take who you need."

"Yes sir."

Oxana left with a single squad of Blackhand soldiers, leaving Slavik outside with the remainder of his forces. They did not have much time to prepare for the heretic reinforcements, but he would make do.

"I have a clear view of the force being sent to the station right now," CABAL abruptly reported. "Two platoons of infantry, plus a single squad of Hassan's elite guard. As well as an Attack Buggy, and a Scorpion tank."

"A Scorpion? Are you sure?" Slavik asked, now less sure of his chances.

"Of course I am. My calculations show a loss of 100% casualties, yourself included. You could always retreat. There is no shame in that, other than the utter humiliation." CABAL stated arrogantly.

Slavik just gritted his teeth and held his ground. If he was to die, then it would be in service to the Spirit Hand of Kane.

"Blackhand! No enemy shall stand before us! No heretic or blasphemer shall be allowed to live! We shall stand and fight! And if we die, it shall be in the name of Kane!"

"Kane lives in death!"

His men were ready, as was he. But that did not stop him from offering a prayer to Kane that Oxana's plan would work. He would need a miracle at this point.

… … …

He checked over his weapon for the umpteenth time, making sure it was ready. He also recited another verse from the Book of Nod in his head, perhaps the hundredth verse he could remember. Yet none of this would help calm his nerves. How could he be calm when they were about to face down the arch traitor himself: Anton Slavik.

Realizing that there simply was no way to calm himself down, Wade Tabok instead decided to keep his mind distracted with something else. He at first focused on the Scorpion tank they were following, an old rusted hunk of junk that was over thirty years old. At least the thing could still fire it's main gun. Then he looked to the Buggy, a newer model built to be survivable in Tiberium infested areas. Tabok felt slightly better, knowing they had vehicle support, but still the stories he had heard of the Blackhand gave him great anxiety.

With the Blackhand having been missing since the end of the Tiberium War, following the death of Kane and General Gideon Raveshaw, they only had recently resurfaced, and immediately proclaimed General Hassan a traitor. The whole thing was well above Tabok's pay grade, but even he knew Hassan's leadership was destroying the Brotherhood. If only the Messiah would return to them, and save them like it had been promised.

"TV station is just a few klicks away. Ready yourselves: the traitors will no doubt be waiting for us."

Tabok was broken from his thoughts as the leader of the group spoke. A soldier of the Elite Guard, Confessor Al-zawahri was an arrogant and prideful man who treated anyone not in Hassan's Guard as second-rate filth.

"Any news from our brothers inside the station?" A regular Nod soldier asked.

"We lost radio contact with the station. We have to assume the traitors have full control. But that is not our main objective: death of the arch traitor is." Al-zawahri growled back.

Tabok gripped his rifle tighter and offered another prayer. As he did, he noticed his squadmate and friend stepping up next to him.

"Can you believe this brother? We could be the ones to kill Anton Slavik! Imagine the glory!" Private Aaron Innes said enthusiastically.

"I wouldn't be so naïve Aaron. Do you have any idea who we face? The things he's done?"

"Of course I know. That is why we would be greatly rewarded if we were to kill him."

"Faith is its own reward. To want anything else is mere pride, and that dear brother, is a sin."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't have to get all preachy with me."

The two fell silent as they began to crest a small hill. As they did, the TV station came into view, as did the hastily made defences of the traitors. The Blackhand forces had entrenched themselves around the outer perimeter of the station, using abandoned vehicles and other debris that had littered the parking lot for cover. It would do little against a tank, but it did leave the Loyalist forces without much cover for themselves.

Without warning the Scorpion opened fire, blasting apart several rusted cars that had been pulled together. The Blackhand returned fire, firing precise bursts into the Loyalist ranks. Tabok and Aaron both dove for cover behind the tank, along with the Elites. The Loyalists began shooting back as the Buggy opened up with its heavy gun. Tabok couldn't see much of what was happening, even as he stepped around the tank to fire a burst. He could, however, see a Blackhand soldier take aim at him, so he quickly emptied the rest of his mag in a wild spray. It sent the soldier into cover and allowed Tabok to get behind the tank to reload.

Aaron was there again as well, and was about to say something to him when the tank fired once more, causing Tabok's ears to start ringing. He ignored his friend and stepped out again, hunting for more targets, but stopped when he noticed the smoking hole in the side of the TV station. The tank again fired, aiming higher this time clearly trying to hit the antennae array at the top of the building.

Confused, Tabok looked around for Al-zawahri. He found the man crouched behind a series of rocks, shouting into his radio while the rest of the Elites were trading fire with the Blackhand. Tabok darted over to the Confessor, dodging stray bullets that impacted nearby. When he slid into cover beside Al-zawahri, he received an icy glare from the man as he continued to shout into the radio.

"…I don't care! Bring the whole thing down if you have to! I will not have my order questioned again."

Al-zawahri returned the radio to his belt before finally turning to face Tabok, anger still contorting his face.

"What do you want Corporal?"

"Forgive me sir, but why are we destroying the station? Our orders were to retake it. We could have brothers and sisters still trapped inside!"

Tabok's voice was pleading, hoping the Confessor would be understanding. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"Our orders have changed. The lives of anyone inside is inconsequential. We are to annihilate the traitors, no matter the cost. Now I am tired of having you people questioning my commands! Follow your orders or be branded a heretic."

Tabok recoiled at Al-zawahri's anger. He solemnly nodded his head and dashed back towards the Scorpion, where Aaron and the rest of his squad were still taking refuge. Aaron gave him a questioning look, but Tabok simply shook his head.

The Loyalist forces were slowly gaining ground, with the Buggy making short work of the makeshift defences. Meanwhile, the Scorpion continued to pound away at the station, but with its fire now drawn away, the Blackhand seemed emboldened to fight back. Tabok watched several comrades be shot dead, only for the Blackhand soldiers be torn apart by the Buggy.

Something didn't feel right, like a pit had formed in the middle of Tabok's stomach. As he looked around to see Nod fight Nod, brother kill brother, he knew this was not what Kane had envisioned. But what could he do? He was just a simple man, a lowly soldier. What could he do to end the madness?

"Hey are you okay?"

The question came from Aaron who gave him a concerned look. Tabok was about to reply when a grenade exploded nearby. The other men in Tabok's squad peeked out to return fire, but he found himself rooted in place. Something was telling him that this was all wrong, that it had to stop. He felt sick to his stomach.

The Scorpion fired again, this time much closer to the antennae array. Tabok wanted to scream for the crew to stop.

"Wade! Get a hold of yourself man!" Aaron shouted.

Tabok merely nodded his head and stepped around the Scorpion with Aaron. He sighted a Blackhand soldier in his scopes and readied to pull the trigger, but he nearly dropped his rifle when he saw who it was. The arch traitor: Anton Slavik, was in Tabok's sights. All he had to do was pull the trigger, and this battle would be over. But he couldn't do it: it was if someone was controlling his body and preventing him from shooting. It felt like he was wrestling with his own soul, and at the last moment, he shifted his aim slightly to the left and fired a burst.

It obviously missed, and Anton Slavik dove for cover. Whatever had taken hold over Tabok suddenly vanished, and he himself jumped back into safety behind the tank just as Aaron finished reloading his weapon.

"Push forward you dogs! The traitors are nearly finished!" Al-zawahri bellowed.

The Loyalists began to inch their way forward, encroaching on the Blackhand's crumbling defences. But they all stopped dead in their tracks when a new voice suddenly crackled over their radios.

"Brothers and Sisters of the Brotherhood!"

The voice was female, and oddly familiar, like Tabok had heard her from somewhere before.

"For too long we have suffered under the inept rule of Hassan. The time has come to unite under a new leader."

Tabok looked around and noticed other Loyalist forces were stunned by the broadcast. Many had stopped fighting to try and listen, something that greatly angered Confessor Al-zawahri.

"What are you doing you spineless dogs!? Ignore the heretic's lies! Fight or die!"

"Rally to the banner of the Blackhand! Rally to Anton Slavik, he who has been chosen by the Spirit Hand of Kane! Peace through power!"

Tabok was stunned and felt like he couldn't move. His doubts about fighting the Blackhand had doubled and now he didn't know what to do. He looked around, and could see others likewise were struck with doubt. This all very clearly upset Al-zawahri as he pointed his rifle to the closest loyalist soldier, his voice booming over the radio.

"To anyone who would dare defy General Hassan, the true leader of the Brotherhood! You will all die heretics' deaths! You will obey and you will fight! Now shoot back, damn you!"

Most of the Loyalist forces remained still, unsure of what to do. Tabok once again felt a strange presence fill him, and he realised he had lifted his own radio to his face. He steeled himself as he knew what had to be done.

"Brothers! We have been touched by the Spirit Hand of Kane! Down with the traitor Hassan!"

At first it seemed as though no one would follow his lead. He even received an astonished look from Aaron. But the world quickly exploded into chaos when the Scorpion suddenly rotated its turret, and fired on the Attack Buggy. The violent explosion from the buggy sent the Loyalists into a frenzy, as those who remained loyal to Hassan found themselves fighting against those who had allied with Slavik. The only problem was, no one could really tell who was who.

However Tabok decided to ignore that and focus on finding Al-zawahri and the rest of the Elites. They would be easier to spot with their blue markings over the traditional black and red of the Brotherhood. He found the squad of Elites huddled by a cluster of rocks, now surrounded by dead Loyalist soldiers. Tabok darted over to a small ditch, quickly joined by the other members of his squad.

"Impressive Corporal. You caused everyone to turn on each other."

The scathing remark came from the squad's sergeant, a man named Damien. He was nearly in his fifties, yet still remained a lowly sergeant, despite having survived through the Tiberium War and the ongoing Reunification War. Tabok had come to respect the man, even if he was as sociable as a Tiberian Fiend.

"It was the right thing to do Sergeant Damien. And you know it."

"Still made a bloody mess of things." Damien growled back.

"What do we do?" Aaron asked.

Tabok and Damien peeked over their cover, only to duck right back down as bullets impacted around their ditch. Al-zawahri and his Elites were still crouched by the rocks, now trapped by former Loyalists. However it would be no easy task to dig them out.

"Any bright ideas Corporal? Maybe another divine inspiration?" Damien scoffed.

Tabok didn't reply as he tried to think of a solution. He eventually came upon an idea, but it wasn't an ideal one.

"We need a diversion, so half the squad can sneak around and flank them." Tabok tried to sound confident; he could only hope he succeeded.

"I was thinking the same thing. Alright, listen up people! Corporal Tabok and Private Innes will flank the arrogant bastards. You two will stay and help me. Don't mess this up Wade."

Tabok just nodded in response, then moved further down the ditch with Aaron in tow. Damien and the other two members of their squad readied themselves to attack. Tabok found a good position to flank around the enemy, then knelt down and bowed his head to pray. Aaron quickly followed suit, and Tabok began to recite a common Nod prayer.

"Blessed be the Messiah Kane. Grant us the strength to carry out your will and offer us protection against the heretic, the defiler, and the unclean. Peace through power."

"One vision. One purpose." Aaron finished.

The two exchanged a look: they were as ready as they were going to be. As if on cue, Damien and his men rose to their feet and opened fire, bombarding Al-zawahri's position with a hail of bullets. However the much better armed and armoured Elites returned fire and quickly drove them back, but they were distracted enough for Tabok and Aaron to dart across the scarred field towards a large boulder that would let them flank the Elite's position.

Tabok quickly checked over his Excalibur and took a deep breath.

"Kane lives in death!"

He rounded the corner and sighted the first Elite he could see. He held down on the trigger and sprayed the area with bullets. The elite Nod soldier was cut down unawares, but the others reacted faster diving for cover. Tabok and Aaron retreated as the return fire pelted the boulder. Tabok reloaded and readied to attack again, but stopped when he felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed to the back of his head.

He looked to see Aaron pointing his rifle at whoever was behind Tabok, but he was clearly scared about hitting Tabok. He tried to turn to see who was behind him, but the assailant pressed the gun harder against his skull.

"You damned traitors. You filthy savage fucks! You couldn't just follow your damn orders like good obedient servants."

Tabok instantly recognized the voice as Al-zawahri, only he seemed more frantic than usual.

"You should surrender brother. The Spirit Hand of Kane clearly protects Slavik. He will be the one to reunite us, not Hassan." Tabok said, trying to placate the man.

"Shut up! You damned fanatics are just all blind idiots! Kane. Is. Dead!"

"Kane lives in death!"

Aaron's shout startled both of them as he fired a single bullet. It passed through Tabok's shoulder and into Al-zawahri's chest, causing him to stumble backwards. Tabok fell to the ground, half to avoid the final shot from Aaron into Al-zawahri's head, half from the pain that exploded though him.

He turned to see Al-zawahri's lifeless eyes staring into the sky. Tabok just hissed in pain and thanked Kane above. Aaron rushed over to him and looked over his wound, panic set in his eyes. Tabok quickly silenced any apologies and pulled out his radio to call for a medic. Moments later Sergeant Damien arrived, along with the other members of the squad, as well as a Nod Apothecary. The Apothecary set to work on Tabok's wounded shoulder, while Damien stood above him with a small smirk on his face.

"Not exactly part of the plan. But I suppose that works; good job."

"Thanks Damien." Tabok growled as the Apothecary prodded his wound.

The group grew quiet as the Blackhand soldiers swept through the former Loyalists. Many bowed down out of respect, or fear. Others simply stared, awestruck. Tabok spotted the familiar figure of Anton Slavik as he climbed atop the Scorpion and looked down at the assembled crowd.

"Brothers and Sisters of Nod!" His voice carried across the now silent battlefield. "You have proven your devotion to Kane and true loyalty to Nod. But this battle is not yet won. Hassan's Elite Guard must be removed! March with me now, and fight for the Brotherhood!"

The crowd cheered as Slavik raised his arms like some great conqueror. Tabok felt a wave of devotion flow through him as he was swept up by Slavik's words. He would fight for the true heir of Nod, and he would relish in bringing the arrogant Elites to their knees.

… … …

Oxana had a scowl on her face as she read through the stack of papers that had been handed to her. Slavik suppressed a smile at the sight of her so frustrated.

"How this garrison was even allowed to function is beyond me!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "Five Scorpion tanks, all without replacement parts. Eight Buggies, well, seven now, most with damaged Tiberium filters. At least we have six Attack Bikes in working order, but the list of problems just goes on. CABAL won't be happy about this."

"When is he ever happy?" Slavik replied.

"At least he picks on you more than me. Still, Hassan's base is well defended, and we don't have much to work with."

"It will do. Go and marshal our forces. It's time to finish this."

Oxana saluted then trotted off into the base proper. Slavik just leaned against the hull of the Montauk, now parked beside what passed as a command centre for the garrison. They would need to end this battle quickly so they could move against Hassan's headquarters in Cairo. CABAL was very particular about his timetables. He sighed and walked into the vehicle, making his way to the bridge. Once there he settled into his command throne, where he would organize the final attack.

"We are ready to move at your command." Oxana stated over the radio.

"Hassan's Guards will be waiting for you. I do hope you don't fail." CABAL chided from above Slavik's head.

"They will suffer for standing against us. Begin the attack."

Slavik watched as his forces began to mobilize. The Buggies and Bikes would race ahead to probe the enemies defences, while his infantry would move up with the tanks. Hassan's men were bound to be better equipped than his own forces, but he could win with less.

His forces eventually came upon the bridge that connected the Elite's base to the mainland, as it was built in the heart of a man-made lake. Slavik watched the visual feeds from the lead scouts, and had his assumptions confirmed. Defending the bridge were two Tick tanks; powerful Nod tanks that could burrow into the ground, essentially transforming themselves into fixed turrets. They easily outmatched the outdated Scorpions.

The scouts quickly turned back before they could enter into the Tick tanks' effective range. Slavik knew that getting past them would be no easy task. But there was simply no other way than to meet them head on.

"Deploy our tanks to the front of the formation. Engage the enemy Ticks, and use our Attack bikes as support. Once the defences are down, have our Buggies move forward to clear a path for the infantry." Slavik ordered calmly.

He watched as his commands were carried out. The five Scorpions rolled forward to meet the entrenched Ticks, while the Bikes moved around them like flies on a carcass. Together, they moved towards the bridge, where the Ticks were now patiently waiting for their prey. Without warning the Attack Bikes surged forward, launching missiles from their side mounted pods as they did. The missiles streaked across the rugged terrain, and many slammed into the thick armor plating of the Ticks. However the vast majority of the missiles instead impacted into the earthen barriers surrounding the vehicles, leaving the tanks still functional. Both Ticks began to fire back at the small Bikes, destroying several before they could escape.

Slavik's Scorpions then took the Bikes' place, and began unloading on the Ticks. However, like before, most of the shells exploded harmlessly against the entrenchment. The Ticks fired back, and one of the Scorpions went up in a brilliant fireball. Despite the Ticks advantages, the overwhelming numbers soon took their toll. One Tick was destroyed from a combined volley from three Scorpions, while the second was disabled by a lucky shot from an Attack Bike that came in for a second run.

Slavik wasted no time and ordered his men across the bridge. The Buggies went first and raced towards the enemy base, and Slavik watched as they reached the front entrance, where two oddly shaped defensive turrets guarded the way. Bright red lights erupted from the turrets and immediately turned two Attack Buggies into burning scrap. The others continued on unhindered and entered the base, whereupon they began mowing down the defending Elite soldiers.

Following up behind the Buggies were the four remaining Scorpions, one of which had its treads melted by another volley from the turrets. The other three made short work of the laser turrets, and moved into the base where they began attacking the main command center. Last to enter the base were the Bikes and the joint Nod infantry. Slavik watched as his men forced their way inside the hand shaped barracks, while the Bikes targeted power plants and the Tiberium refinery.

Hassan's Elite Guard would not be so easily defeated however. They quickly mounted a counter offensive, pushing forward with more Ticks in their mobile configuration, along with more infantry. The tables quickly turned against Slavik's forces. The Scorpions were barely put up any resistance before being wiped out by the technology advanced Tick tanks, while the Elite infantry found themselves forced to storm their own buildings. The only advantage Slavik had left were his smaller vehicles still moving swiftly through the enemy base, causing as much damage as they could.

"Is this all being relayed to Oxana?" Slavik asked almost disinterested.

"Of course it is. And it is being broadcasted as we speak. Would you like to know how many viewers we have in Cairo?" CABAL asked smugly, as he always did.

"No; I know we have the attention of our most important viewer."

"Then I assume it's time for the main event?"

"Yes CABAL, it is. You can let your pets loose."

… … …

Tabok ducked his head behind the doorframe just as a hail of bullets passed through. He and the rest of his squad were trapped inside the enemy Hand of Nod, tasked with defending the entrance while the other two squads cleared out the subterranean structure. Everything was fine at first, until enemy reinforcements arrived and began driving out the Blackhand forces.

"And to think we could probably be relaxing in the rec room right now if Corporal Saint Asshole hadn't gotten all sanctimonious." Damien shouted angrily as he jammed a new magazine into his rifle.

"It was the right thing to do." Tabok argued for the hundredth time.

"Agree with Corporal. This is right path. Kane approves."

The words of support came from Private Sun Phong. A quiet man who rarely spoke, and when he did it was usually to offer religious advice.

"Of course the mighty prophet Phong approves. Spoken with the Messiah himself have you?" Damien chided.

"Kane speak to all of us. His hands guide us." Phong said reverently whilst tossing a grenade through the door.

"Bah! Just shut up and shoot."

They all followed orders as they attempted to shoot back at the advancing Elite troops. But there were simply too many of them, and the rest of the Blackhand forces were being overwhelmed. Tabok wasn't sure they would be able to survive this one, so he offered a prayer to Kane for safe passage into Heaven. Feeling reassured about his impending death, he stepped out of cover and fired wildly, as there was no shortage of targets.

Tabok held down on the trigger until his rifle clicked empty, then quickly jumped back into cover. In that brief time he had managed to see Elite troops storm into the command center, retaking it from the Blackhand forces. He also was able to see an entire company's worth of troops heading their way.

"Getting low on ammo Sergeant." Private Jet reported.

"Here!" Aaron tossed her a spare magazine, which she caught and slammed into her rifle.

Tabok once again stepped out to fire, firing three precise bursts which killed two and wounded a third Elite soldier. Phong tossed another grenade, the explosion taking out an entire squad. Yet the enemy continued, unhindered.

"Sergeant Zorvich! You better get your ass back up here, now!" Damien shouted through his radio.

"On our way up! Give us five minutes!"

"We don't have five minutes!"

Damien angrily tossed aside the radio and fired several sporadic bursts into the advancing enemy. Tabok loaded his final mag and noted the oddly calm faces of his companions. They knew they would die, but at least they would die in the true name of Kane.

"Peace through power." Tabok said solemnly.

The others echoed the Nod mantra and readied themselves for their last stand. In unison all five fired their weapons, killing nearly a dozen Elite soldiers. But when the enemy would not stop their advance, and five rifles clicked empty, Tabok knew he had met his end.

"Kane lives in death." Tabok whispered to himself.

Wade Tabok did not die however, as the enemy did not fill him with a hailstorm of bullets. Instead the ground itself shook as if it would rip open. The Elites lost their footing and looked around, confused, as did Tabok and his squad. Then like a whale breaking through the surface of the ocean, two Nod subterranean APCs burst forth, their large conical drills tearing apart the earth, and any unfortunate soul who was standing nearby.

Before anyone could react, the APCs ramps lowered, and unleashed a true nightmare. Tabok stood in shock as waves of horrific creatures marched forward and began firing on the Elite forces with arm mounted weapons. They were a hideous combination of flesh and metal: some still had human heads while others bore eerie metallic skulls. Tabok had heard rumors, but never thought them to be true, just GDI propaganda. But in front of him were Cyborgs, and they were decimating the enemy forces with ease.

Elite soldiers fled before the monstrosities, while others attempted to fight back. But it was a futile effort as the Cyborgs ripped through them. Other Cyborg units totting large anti-vehicle weapons began targeting the enemy Ticks. In a split second, the battle had once again shifted in favour of the Blackhand, and Tabok was left dumbfounded.

The sound of running feet behind them caused Tabok to turn in time to see Sergeant Zorvich and his two squads finally return from the lower levels of the barracks. Zorvich took one look outside and immediately grew pale.

"What in the name of God is going on out there?" He asked in a terrified tone.

"The will of Kane." Was all Damien said in response.

The Nod soldiers stood and watched as the Cyborgs annihilated the Elites, leaving nothing but carnage in their wake.

The wrath of Kane was truly awe inspiring as it was horrifying.

… … …

The fires had finally died down, casting the late evening sky in harsh reds. Slavik stood atop the ruins of the Elite's command center, as CABAL's Cyborgs picked through the ruins. He was slightly unnerved by the machines, but they had been created by Kane himself, and only recently brought to life by CABAL. He just had to remind himself that they were merely tools of the Brotherhood, and nothing more.

"There isn't much left to salvage. But we did gain some vital information about Hassan's troop movements." Oxana said as she stepped over to him.

"Then we are ready to make our final move. We will bring the traitor down once and for all." Slavik stated more to himself.

"It's been a long time coming. You will lead us to victory."

Oxana patted his shoulder before moving off, leaving Slavik alone.

Well, not entirely.

"You have done well, so far. But a greater test still lies ahead." CABAL said through Slavik's radio.

"Then I will complete this test, as I have always done."

"Indeed. Just remember that he is watching."

Slavik would not fail. He had been training his entire life for this exact moment. The hour of the Brotherhood's reunification was finally at hand.