Chapter 5 Along came Lexi and Texas
Six was chilling in his quarters brooding alone playing with Emile's kukri to lessen how far down the depressing rabbit hole until he saw on his visor someone trying to contact him through his personal contact. At first, he thought it was a wrong number call or a scam until he saw the caller's name. IronMaiden38. Six decided to pick up and see if she was going to rip him a new one or give him the silent treatment.
"Nathan? Please tell me that's you and not some Elite that stole your number as a trophy of some kind." hoping it was really him and joking to make sure it stings less if it's not him.
"Yes, I'm still kicking Lexi, for reasons beyond my understanding." This got a chuckle out of Lexi knowing it was six but also still had some of the wit she always found charming, though not as good as it was during their time in the Spartan three program. "What have you been doing? Last I heard you showed a Brute that your hammer is better than a gravity Hammer."
"That was years ago, at least a year since you went to Reach, remember?" Six did remember all innocent's deaths, the sacrifices of his brethren, and -, on the planet of Reach. "Six? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Lexi. I've been working at an ONI project training younger soldiers for the past few years." Lexi smiles at this since she always felt he would make a good teacher especially if he let go of the baggage that holds him down like anchors.
Lexi had a young-looking face outside a few small scars and dirt covering her face as she was messing with a Warthog where she is working. Her hair was black and spiky but curled ever so slightly with emerald-colored eyes. Her attire was a green tank top with black sweat shorts. So they don't get caught on anything. However her most eye-catching was her robot arm that took the place of her missing left arm. It was a basic design made for casual stuff compared to her favorite combat-ready arm.
"Well if you want to know what I've been doing to keep myself busy it is simply a mechanic for hire." Six was far from shocked about her doing this after what he guessed retiring from being a spartan three, "I should probably end the call before my "boss" see me on the phone while working."
"That's fine, take care Lexi," she said the same back to Six as she ended the call, and once more Six was alone in his room.
Raising to his feet Six left his room and walked around to clear his mind. Six left his room but stopped, standing a few feet in front of his doorway around the center path of the hallway his room was in.
"Are you the one that my little blue friend took control from me to save?" not looking in the direction of the once-cloaked black armor chick with a reddish-orange visor.
"I think you got me mistaken for a dude." Six just smirks under his helmet as he turns to her examining her and her well-built physique more muscular than Carolina who was more athletic in her physique.
"Nice try but you are certainly a female and that was for sure you on the back of Wasp." The fully black armor agent let out a silent growl along with clutching her hand into a fist that could bend still like playdoh.
"Whatever, watch your back spartan. There's not going to be enough bodies to keep you above the abyss." Six watched her walk off and before she was fully out of earshot he said to hear.
"Were you trying to threaten me? Or warn me?" Tex kept walking and wondered how she meant it as well? Why was Six this person she had to surpass and put out when no longer of any use to bring out conflicting feelings in her mind and soul?
Six walks in a different direction than Tex as he looks around the Mother of Invention enjoying the view of the vast space outside, also checking his hiding spot for weapons in case of invasion on the ship or when he eventually needs to make his escape when the Director tries to have his head. He is always one to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Six failed to notice groups of white troopers running past him as he was lost in his mind thinking about what to work on today? Grapple hook upgrade? Portable freeze ray?
"Hey teach, what are you doing?" Six exits his mind and returns to the real world before turning to the one who spoke to him which was North with Washington by his side.
"Just pondering stuff to work on in the workshop. Where are you two going?" Six best guesses was to see a match, likely Carolina vs South since most people, even girls like good old catfights.
"To see a new recruit that puts up against Maine, Wyoming, and York all at once." Wash and North still see that the recruit likes going to get tossed around like a punching bag unless the new person was as skilled as someone like Carolina or to a higher extent Noble Six.
Six guessed it was that girl he talked to earlier and thought it would be a good time to actually see if this gal is as important as Alpha claims her to be. Washington and North Dakota follow the Spartan to the viewing room for the training room.
Meanwhile, with agent Tex, she was practicing swinging around a pugil stick to get a feel of it. While she was the Director was giving her direction on what to do and get her mind straight.
"Remember you are here to show off your effectiveness and also learn some moves from the three, though not much to learn compared to the spartan." Tex had to agree as she glanced at her foes and saw they were kind of idiots.
Maine was swinging around the stick like it was a bat, Wyoming was trying to balance the stick horizontally on his hand but failing at it pretty badly. Lastly York who was spinning the stick around pretty well but not great.
"I understand sir. Does this mean I'll be taking out the black and red bastard soon?" Director smiled at her desire to kill Six but he was still unsure if she's ready for him, especially with Alpha's attachment to Six meaning he likely would not be a huge help in ending the Ghost of Reach.
"Not yet. But it may come sooner than you expect." Tex expected to have been given the task of slaying the black and red fuck last week since she feels more than ready and the Director is just being paranoid.
"Three. Two. One. Round begins." The three agents all charge towards Tex preparing to overpower her with their combined might, only to get smacked away by a single swing of her Pugil Stick sending them flying back.
Now heading up to the viewing room for a good viewing of the training arena we see the Dakota's, Washington, Illinois who was enjoying a beer, Six was examining Tex trying to get a read on her. The last person was Carolina who just enter the room,
"What's happening down there?" There are no training sessions on the schedule." South answered by saying it was done without it being planned to happen, "Who the hell is that in black."
"Well, it seems to be some new recruit, though clearly not someone who is green." taking a swig of his drink, "Carl you need to take a few chill pills and acting like alpha worrying for anyone to challenge your title."
Carolina rolled her eyes at his comment but Six agreed with Illonis comment about her getting very aggressive towards anyone that dared to attempt to take her number one spot. Back with the two white boys with one having some orange in his armor and EVA visor, and lastly, the gold and silver armored one got to their feet and tried chagrin at Tex once more and this time she decided not to send them flying once more, she wanted to flex that's all.
For Maine Tex blocked his overhead swing like he was using a hammer and just gave him a mighty Sparta kick sending him flying by the force behind her leg. For York she parried his low sweep trying to get at her legs, and using the momentum she swung high hitting him in the head also sending him flying back onto his back.
"Well, that dude doesn't fight like he is a recruit." Everyone agreed with the gray and yellow armor agent, except,
"Why did you assume she is a he? She is a girl Wash." This caused Wash to be embarrassed and say the following while tripping over his words.
"Oh. I-I didn't mean that he… I meant it… I mean her.." South gave a sarcastic right and slightly enjoyed his bumbling words, "Sorry."
"Just be quiet, Wash." wanting to focus on the beat down she's enjoying but got Carolina telling her and Wash to be quiet and focus on the beat down the three boys are experiencing. "Sounds to me like someone is being threatened by the newbie."
"Hey, South! How about you pay attention to the match and not run your mouth, maybe you will finally learn something." South growl and return to watching the match or more fitting a slaughter.
Tex was facing Maine and York who was trying to get back to their feet. Meanwhile, Wyoming was struggling to get free from his neck being pinned between Tex's bicep and pugil stick and it was not she who was struggling to keep him in place.
Tex let him free and swung hard to smack both Maine and York before returning her wrath to the British sniper who tried to hit her but she dodged it and sent a fury of blows sending him falling to his side. York tried to strike her in the back but she was too quick to turn around and sent him flying back with two powerful strikes with her stick.
Maine tried to do mighty swings but the first one was out of range, but his second got blocked by Tex and struck both of his sides with each end of her pugil stick. Maine tried to do an upper swing but the black armor agent sidestepped before thrusting the end of her stick into his EVA helmet and rapid blows before knocking him out with a swing so hard breaking one end of her stick.
"Round one, over. Pugil sticks training is complete. Point awarded to Texas." Tex tosses her broken stick as she stretches a bit to get ready for the next round which she hopes it's a good old fistfight.
"Agent Texas, huh?" Six ponder on this since the more he learns about Tex the more he is reminded of his sister, he remembers she often played cowgirl when she was younger and Halloween for many years, so sad how she left this world.
"I guess that explains why it was reserved for so long," Carolina commented as Wash pointed out obviously she has some nice moves which were familiar to them especially to the Spartans. "Could be luck. We'll see."
"Beginning Hand to Hand Combat. Round two begins in five…" Tex smiled as she was ready to beat her meat, her meaty punching bags before her. "Four. three. two. one. Round begins."
"Alright, guys this should be easy, let's play this by the book. Maine, you try to flank left and then-" Maine ignores York charging towards Tex who once again sends him flying back with another Sparta kick. "Or just charge in and get knocked out. Okay, Wyoming. Let's stick together and…"
"Sorry chap going to kick someone-" Wyoming got cut off by Tex punching him so hard to send him flying back onto his back. "Aw fuck."
"What's the story, guys? Am I the only one here willing to talk with one another?" while he was looking down and in the direction of Wyoming which caused him not to see Tex get up in his grill.
"I don't think your talking is the problem." York realized how close she was as the black armor agent punched him hard in his chest before kneeing Wyoming in the face as he was trying to get to his feet to fight once more.
Maine tries to do a powerful blow on her stupid head, she was too smooth and avoids it and punches him right in his face before sending another to his chest. Maine tried again but Tex hit in the chest and head causing him to stop his attack. Maine's rage reaches a boiling point as he sends two mighty blows that break Tex's guard, or at least cause her to step back.
He tried another punch to her face area but she ducks and gets under him and his arm and throws him over her shoulder before doing a roundhouse kick sending him towards Wyoming leaving her to brutalize York, which she did but elegantly.
"Wow! Okay, that's impressive." all agree except Illonis who left since there was only so much ass-kicking he could enjoy for a day, "Hey teach, have you been giving the gal in black some private lessons?"
"What makes you say that North?!" Carolina got pretty annoyed by this since Six was someone she was close to and thought he gave her special treatment, not just this random chick who came in and thinks she can take her spot on the rankings.
"No North, I think she's been studying my moves." as they watch Tex dancing circles around the three boys casually, "She's playing with her food which is not something I approve of doing."
"Round over. Point Texas. Hand-to-hand combat is complete." Cub pillars rise from the floor breaking the sightlines for the next round, "Setting the floor for lockdown paint scenario."
"Ah! I hate that paint." The rest agree with Washington as the South says.
"Tell me about it, Wash. They sting like a bitch." Which North agrees with his sister.
"Makes your armor hard as a rock." Carolina felt like flexing and being a bit smug bitch as she says,
"I wouldn't know." the other agents turn to face the cyan agent, "It's not bad if you don't let it hit you."
"Oh Carl, you know it hurts. I recall you screaming on the top of your lungs when I hit you with one." This causes Carolina to blush under her helmet as the rest let a chuckle slip their lips.
"Shut up. You caught me off guard." trying to make it sound less embarrassing,
"You literally told me to hit you." Carolina sighs and gives up trying to downplay it.
Meanwhile, the match already began with the three boys taking cover behind a pillar each and York tried once more to get the other two to use teamwork,
"Maine. Maine! I'm gonna move left. You go…" seeing Maine just run ahead and he heard shots fired and guess Maine was taken out, "Or you just run in there and get killed. Ready? Break. Good job, everybody. Oh, man, it's going to be a long day…"
As York got out from cover past the now Immobilized Wyoming. Tex stalks around York like a cat hunting a mouse knowing it will be a swift kill, but they want it to be the right time to strike. Eventually, she did paw away York's weapon from hitting her before kneeing him right into his dick launching him back clutching it in pain. As York looked up he got shot in the face with a pink substance encasing it.
The following matches went not much better even when Maine and Wyoming finally decided to use good old teamwork, Tex still outplayed them like it was nothing. They were playing checkers while agent Texas was playing chess- no 3D chess.
This eventually leads to the ninth round and people watching this worried getting bored since it was clear Tex was better than York, Maine and Wyoming combined, but Six noticed something was off when Maine and Wyoming did not pick up a fresh clip of pain rounds, which York also noted.
"Hey. What the hell are you guys doin'?" York sighs and stands with Maine and Wyoming and about to fire with them when Wyoming and Maine's magnum did not shoot simple paint rounds but actual live rounds, however, Tex was avoiding the shots using the pillar as cover but they were breaking through them pretty well.
"WHAT!? Are those two using live rounds on the training floor?" South said it looked like that, "That's against the rules, they're going to kill her!"
"Probably." CT. said but Six doubted it due to her performance in the past matches, Washington said they should get the director about this, "The Director? Who do you think gave Wyoming and Maine the ammo?"
"Watch your mouth CT!" clearly being defensive of her dad and CT just rolled her eyes beneath her EOD helmet, "Wait?! Six where are you?-"
She asked the Spartan who left the room and headed to the training floor to stop this bullshit. After a few minutes, he reached the entrance but it would not open up when it would normally open automatically.
"F.I.L.S.S. open the door." Not really in the mood for playing cute with the dumb A.I.
"I'm sorry Noble Six but a match is happening right now and it's the protocol for me to keep close unless something critical happens." clearly just following orders like usual which was not helping in this situation.
"There will be a critical issue if you don't let me in and smack the shit out of Maine and Wyoming.'' Six had in mind an override key to develop since he hates when dumb A.I. does this to him.
Meanwhile, Tex was avoiding Maine and Wyoming shooting that was very sloppy especially for the called sniper, probably due to his rage taking the driver seat. She heard someone approaching behind her so Tex turned around and aimed her magnum into the chest of York.
"Hey. I'm tryin' to help." Since he is not going to help a bunch of cheaters who are also willing to kill a fellow agent in a training session, "Also don't want the wrath of a spartan."
"I Don't need your help! Never abandon your team! Six wouldn't know that so not surprised you don't either." York was confused on how she knew Six and possibly his past, in fact, all they know he was one of the last members of the Noble team on Reach that was still kicking.
Meanwhile, Wyoming tosses a grenade to Maine as they nod and prepare to kill this bitch as they charge with Wyoming hopping on top of the cub pillar Tex was using as cover and try to shoot her. Tex avoided the shots and booted York out of harm's way and smacked Wyoming who tried to jump on her.
Hearing Maine coming she raised an arm to block his strike before delivering a jumping kick right into his stupid face. Leaning to the side to avoid Maine's next swing, Tex elbow slammed into him so she can shoot a paint round and pin Maine to the pillar while she deals with Wyoming.
Six meanwhile was tired of arguing with F.I.L.S.S. so he grabbed the bottom of the rising door and started to force it up and let him in, due to being a Spartan it was even possible but it was for sure not an easy task.
Back to the match the white armor agent Wyoming got to his feet and landed a lucky shot that grazed her elbow as sparks of electric energy came out from it. Tex got angry by this and gave him a brutal beat down forcing him onto his knees.
York tries to calm Tex but it fails causing him to get the shit kicked out of him for like twelfth time with her alone, along with his gun being taken by her. With both magnums she unloads many shots into Wyoming turning him still as a statue and about to fall to the floor, Tex came in close grabbing his head slamming it right into the pillar behind him in an act of pure rage.
Tex took this moment to collect herself she looks at Maine thinking he still pin to the pillar, so she walks towards York thinking the round is over until she heard something happening behind her, so Tex glance back and saw Maine got his fist free from the pink stuff and charging slamming into the pillar that Tex slam Wyoming into.
This caused the top of it to be launched towards Tex and York which only hit York rocking his world, Literally. Tex got into Maine's grill shooting many shots into him, sending him back into the pillar she pinned him to earlier, but he was not immobilized yet. He held the grenade in his slightly movable arm and pulled the pin and tossed it to the best of his abilities. Tex learned to avoid it pretty easily but it landed near York who was still dazed from the rock hitting him.
Six finally got inside by forcing it open he saw the grenade toss and think what best to do since he knows he be unable to get there on foot, however, he saw Tex shoot York forming pink stuff to shield his body which gives Six an idea, he picks up a piece of the pillar that was destroyed earlier and he skipped it across the floor hitting the grenade. This causes the grenade to be further away from York and any blast that would hit would be part of his body that would be extra hardened by the armor lock and pink stuff for extra shielding.
Six ran to check on York and made sure he did not die just to be sure. It took a while but soon the medical people along with the other agents arrived finally worried for their friend,
"York? York! Get your ass over here!" Carolina shouted at the medical team as she was worried for the person she loved most in this world, "Hang in there York."
"It will take more than a grenade to take him out." Six said to Carolina as he rested a hand on Carolina's hand to comfort her as both were still crouching down to their wounded friend.
"I can't believe she shot his armor like she was sacrificing him." South commented but Washington respond to her comment,
"Lockdown hardens your armor, with that and Six moving the grenade likely saved his life, leaving him mostly like with broken bones at worst."
"That was some quick thinking on both of their parts," North commented and Carolina commented once again it was really quick thinking from agent Texas.
"Everyone! Stand down, now." all the agents stood up right away but Six delayed in rising to his feet since he refused to listen to the Director like some lap dog. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I expect you to act as a team."
Six wanted to respond but decided to keep it in since he did not want to give the Director any sign he can control him even emotionally, but he would so love to beat the ever-living fuck out his self-righteous up his own ass face.
"Sir Wyoming and Maine Used live ammunition in paint round training which is against regulation-" the director then stop his walk and got into Washington's face and yelled,
"Do you think our enemies will give a shit about regulations on the battlefield, Agent Washington!?" Washington was shocked he was not going to be punishing Maine or Wyoming, Carolina also saw Six looking at the director in that way she knows it's not going to be pretty, "Ingenuity and Adaptability are admirable traits. You all should learn from-"
"FUCK OFF you high mighty weasel!" Six got right into the Director space about to run him over if the director who did any sane person would do when an angry spartan approaches them, they step way the fuck back and prepare for what comes next, death or many broken bones, "Last I check you haven't bleed on the battlefield have you?! Or guzzle down the blood of our enemies to feed your lust to kill them!?
He waited for a response from the director he knew would not come. The rest were terrified, the counselor stepped far away fearing Six more than the director on any day. Carolina mind told her she should step in and get Six off her dad, but she was agreeing with Six more so in her heart.
Tex as well was conflicted about walking up to the spartan and beat the shit out of him for threatening the director at all, however, her damaged arm would make it impossible for her to do real damage, and this feeling in her like when she read his mind, she has a connection him more than a simple killer and their victim type.
"NO!? Then don't talk about shit you don't know about. Director." Six then turned and walked away but before he left he turned and spoke some more, "Also it's not ingenuity or adaptability if it was handed to them. The question is who would be dumb enough to give them live ammo in the first place? I have my money on ONE!"
"Watch your tone Spartan! You work for me." Six just rolled his eyes and walked off, not even remotely threatened by the Director's words, he gritted his teeth and headed out a different way from the training floor, "Dismissed."
The agents did not spread out as they were still shocked by what played out and all collectively agreed never to piss Six off, even Tex knows now her best chance of killing Six would be when Six is calm and has his guard lowered.