DISCLAIMER - I don't own Digimon, but then again, if I did, you'd get very confused and very bored, as you'd have to wait a week for each new part of the story, instead of just a day or two, like you do with this one. ^_^
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Author's Notes: Action at last! This is my first bit of Digimon-action writing, so do tell me how you like it! There'll be a lot more to come when everything is revealed! Also, I realised that I didn't make a note as to what the kids are wearing in the story (always helps the readers to visualise it, I feel), so this is what they're decked out in:
Joe, Mimi, TK and Kari are wearing the outfits they commonly wear in the 02 series (That is to say, Joe's grey-blue suit, Mimi's sexy little blue t-shirt/mini-skirt and platform boot get-up, TK's silly sun hat and shorts, and Kari's pink spandex thing).
Tai and Sora are wearing the outfits they were wearing in "Choices" (my Taiora fic, because I couldn't be bothered to think up anything new). That is to say: Tai's wearing blue slacks, a navy blue t-shirt, and a blue overshirt. Sora's wearing black jeans, a white tube top and platform shoes.
Matt and Izzy have the honour of wearing new stuff. ^_^ They both have their haircuts from 02. Matt is wearing a pair of blue jeans and a green, long-sleeved shirt, and Izzy is wearing a pair of olive-green slacks, and an orange shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
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Ascension
Chapter Five - "Desert Storm"
By Chris McFeely
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In his office in Washington, Alexander Reitman sat at his desk, and casually flipped through two plain brown card folders that lay on the polished wooden surface. He picked up a sheet of paper from the first, depicting the blueprints of the Digital Inhibitor, which was now complete. There had been no more power spikes at the complex since the shield program had performed its function two days ago, and Reitman had been able to supervise the final few hours of the Inhibitor's construction. It was being shipped out from Washington to Nevada as he sat, and he would follow it soon.
He set the blueprints down, after scanning the notes scribbled around them, and turned his attention to the other folder... the folder the president had told him to destroy. He traced his finger across the photo of the transmutated surgeon, circling that man's forearm, and grinned.
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Area 51? Mimi echoed.
Th... that place... with all the aliens and the flying saucers? Joe struggled to speak.
That's merely public speculation, Izzy chided. Area 51 undoubtedly does exist, but what goes on there is merely kept secret.
But... that... that means we're in America! Tai exclaimed.
Nevada, to be precise, Izzy told him.
But... how did we get here? Patamon wondered.
Agumon said, putting a claw to his lips. Do you hear that?
The kids and other Digimon listened intently.
Yeah... yeah! Patamon said.
I hear it! Palmon agreed.
Do you hear it, Matt? Gabumon asked, as his ears pricked up.
I... can't say as I do, Matt admitted. Can you guys?
Don't hear a thing, Tai said.
The kids all shook their heads, while the Digimon craned what necks they had to listen more closely.
What is it, Tentomon? Izzy asked. What do you hear?
It's... like a dull throbbing... Tentomon told him. I can... feel it, at the centre of myself. The Digimon nodded in agreement.
It's drawing me toward it... Biyomon whispered.
Tai spoke up again. I... I do hear something...
Yeah, I'm gettin' it too... Matt agreed.
Uh, Tai...? Izzy ahem-ed, and pointed at Tai's bleeping DigiVice. The Digimon all sweatdropped.
Tai coughed. He unlatched the small gadget from his belt and studied it. Hey, it's picking up a signal!
Just like old times, Sora commented, as she and the other kids, reached for their DigiVices, to see that they were reacting in the same way.
Tai spun on the spot, and pointed. That way!
Agumon yelped. That's where the noise I can hear is coming from!
Tai then took the time to actually look where he was pointing, and realised he was indicating beyond the signpost... into the restricted military area.
Matt said again.
Mimi squinted and peered out beyond the sign. I can't see a single thing! she wailed.
Joe said, putting his arms around her, ...we can hardly just stand around in the middle of the desert, can we?
Mimi looked to be on the verge of tears. Not again! she cried. We're not going to go trekking across miles of sand AGAIN, are we?
We're not equipped, this time, Izzy noted. We have no food, no equipment, no supplies...
Mimi reached breaking point, and started crying.
Oh, nice one, Izzy, Joe scolded him.
But I was just... Izzy started.
Stow it, Matt snapped. We need to work something out, here!
Izzy muttered something under his breath, and turned away.
Just like old times, alright, Sora mumbled.
The Digimon, meanwhile, were champing at the bit to get on the move, and find the source of whatever was drawing them in. Let's move! Agumon whined.
Well, like Joe said, we can't just stand around here, Tai rationed. And there's got to be something out there, he paused to point, and then went on, 'cause this sign's here for a reason.
I don't wanna waaaaalk! Mimi sniffed.
Well, maybe you don't have to, Tai said, turning his DigiVice over in his hand. Agumon, you wanna give it a try?
Give what a--? Agumon started, then realisation dawned. Whatever makes things easier for you, he said, with a grin.
Tai exclaimed, thrusting his arm out, the DigiVice held firmly in his hand.
The bleeping device screamed into life, and a beam of the purest light rocketed from the small screen at its centre, striking Agumon. Swept up in the familiar light show, the small lizard began to whirl on the spot, glowing like a miniature supernova, as he proclaimed the familiar words:
Agumon, digivolve to... GREYMON!
The light imploded, dazzling the kids for a fraction of a second, and when they looked again, standing in Agumon's place was the towering form of Greymon.
Greymon roared. It's been too long! He flexed his spindly forearms, and stomped on foot, shaking the ground, and almost causing the kids to fall over. Climb aboard! He knelt down, as Tai clambered onto his back.
Back in the saddle! Tai whooped, as Greymon reared up with a pointless yet exhilarating roar.
Let's go! Matt said, holding out his DigiVice.
Izzy and Sora chorused.
Gabumon, digivolve to... GARURUMON!
Biyomon, digivolve to... BIRDRAMON!
Tentomon, digivolve to... KABUTERIMON!
Joe, Mimi, Takeru and Kari looked at their Digimon, as the other three Champions stretched and got used to their new bodies, after years of going without their use.
My overland speed's not exactly somethin' to write home about, Gomamon told Joe.
I couldn't carry you, Mimi, unless you want to wind up looking like a pin cushion!
Uh... no offence, Kari, but I think you're a little big for me to carry, now... Gatomon said.
Same here, TK, Patamon said, apologetically.
It's okay, Takeru replied, picking Patamon up, but stop callin' me that!
Mount up, guys! Tai called down from atop Greymon. Kari, you can ride with me!
Yeah, TK, get up here! Matt called to his brother. Takeru grimaced - that was twice that name had been used in as many freakin' seconds. Couldn't they take a hint?
Plenty of room over here! Izzy told Mimi and Joe, as Kabuterimon flickered his wings.
Looks like I'm going it alone, Sora said.
Ah, you know we love you, honey, Tai said, wryly. Now, everyone, let's get moving!
The kids climbed onto their respective Digimon, and held on tight. With a swirl of gritty desert sand, they were off, tromping and stomping their way across Nevada.
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A technician tapped the main gauge on the console, and turned to his superior, the technician who hung about with Reitman so much when the general was on the base. Hey, Sam, this thing's acting up again.
The head technician leaned over. It's not a power spike... he said. Some sort of... outside interference, I think. Sam nudged his companion over and typed in a series of commands. On a small computer screen off to the side of the gauge, a radar-like map of the area appeared. In the south-east quadrant, eight red lights blinked brightly.
What the hell...? the other technician breathed.
Sam looked up at the circular construct on the wall, as the lasers burned away in its direction. It, too was throbbing a dull red, the same colour as the lasers. That effect had been expected as the final stages of the penetration were reached. The Digital Inhibitor sat in front of the gaping construct, having just been delivered from Washington about a half-hour previously. Reitman was already on his way.
Sam told his fellow technician. It's more of the creatures.
Max exclaimed. But... but how? And they're coming here? Oh, SHIT! Shit, shit, shit! What do we do?
I don't know, it looks like it, and we deploy the Digital Protocols, Sam answered the questions one after the other.
Why are they coming? Max asked, panicked.
My guess would be that they're being drawn by the surges of digital energy, Sam said, jerking his thumb at the glowing circle. Now, no more questions!
Sam hastily grabbed a microphone out of the alcove in the console in which it rested, and spoke into it. Attention, troops! he said. We have an approaching class eight situation. Prepare to deploy the Digital Protocols. Sam flicked a switch on the console, and somewhere in the base, klaxons began to blare. Negate the threat.
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I see something! Kabuterimon growled, from his vantage point, flying even higher than Birdramon above the desert.
What is it? Tai called up.
It'd be safe to assume it's the much-debated Area 51! Izzy yelled back, over the buzz of Kabuterimon's wings. You should be able to see it soon!
Izzy was right. A few minutes later, as Greymon forged onward, a huge, gun-metal grey building came into view. It was little more than two stories high, but surrounded by a massive barbed wire fence, with searchlights and gun emplacements mounted at various positions along it.
That's it! Greymon roared. That's where the feeling's coming from!
He's right! Gomamon agreed. Whatever it is, it's in there!
Sora looked down at her DigiVice, which bleeped in the direction of the base. They're right, Tai! she told him.
Looks like there's a welcoming committee! Matt informed everyone.
As the kids looked on, soldiers began to pour out of the base, and train their weapons on the approaching monsters. A voice crackled over a loudspeaker. it said. You have entered a restricted area. If you do not leave now, we will be forced to employ violence.
Mimi squealed.
We can't give up now! Tai said. We're close to getting our answers!
Greymon snarled his approval. When they were about a hundred feet from the base, Greymon screeched to a halt, and the other Champions followed suit. Everybody off! Greymon ordered, and the kids didn't need telling twice, immediately dropping to the ground.
You were warned, the voice said again. Open fire!
The soldiers let loose a volley of ammo, which rattled against Greymon's hide like pebbles. Kabuterimon swooped down low. You want to do things the hard way? he inquired.
Kabuterimon clenched his fists, and tensed his arms, allowing the air to fill with an electric hum, as the soldiers wondered what the insect was doing.
ELECTRO SHOCKER! he roared, hurling a crackling ball of blue-green electricity in the direction of the soldiers. With an assortment of yells, they all threw themselves to the ground, as the energy ball exploded just in front of them, hurling a few of the troops back, but doing no-one any serious damage.
It's the kids! one soldier was heard to roar. I've read the files on them, it's the KIDS that are the ones! In response, rifles were levelled again, and targets were chosen.
Say bye-bye, kiddies, one soldier - a big man, with a crew cut - snarled, taking aim at Joe and Mimi.
two voices chorused.
Palmon, digivolve to... TOGEMON!
Gomamon, digivolve to... IKKAKUMON!
NEEDLE SPRAY! Togemon thundered, spinning around and blasting a set of razor-sharp prongs in the direction of the soldier, who squawked in surprise, and tried to move out of the way... but instead, found himself pinned to the spot as the needles impaled his loose-fitting army suit, holding him fast to the desert floor, but not even scratching his flesh.
Your turn, Patamon! Takeru yelled, hoisting his DigiVice into the air.
Patamon, digivolve to... ANGEMON!
In an explosion of light, the muscular frame of the holy warrior appeared, soaring towards the soldiers, as Gatomon darted along underneath him, tackling one of the soldiers and dicing his gun barrel to bits with her Lightning Claw attack.
There were some shrieks from the more religious soldiers as Angemon soared overhead, and a lot of Our Father's and Hail Mary's rose up from the battlefield, among the Nova Blasts and Howling Blasters. HAND OF FATE! Angemon yelled, firing off a beam of white energy from his fist, detonating the gun emplacement nearest to him. The soldier manning it leapt clear at the last second, as the ammo and weaponry were consumed in a fireball.
METEOR WING! Birdramon called out, unleashing the flaming orbs, which sailed through the air, and smashed into the roof of the military complex, shattering it utterly.
This way, everyone! Greymon roared.
Tai checked his DigiVice. Yeah, it's this way! he said. Whatever's making this signal is down there! The Champions whirled about, scooping up their respective human companion as best they could, and diving down into the depths of the complex, into massive underground tunnels easily big enough to accommodate their forms. The truth was near.
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Reitman muttered as his cell phone went off. He tugged the small gadget out and put his finger in his other ear, yelling into it over the sound of whirling chopper blades. He was on his way to the Nevada complex, in his personal helicopter.
he yelled.
There's a situation developing out here, sir! the voice of the technician, Sam, came through.
A situation? Reitman responded. What sort of situation?
It's... it's those kids!
The DigiDestined? Reitman inquired.
Sam confirmed. They're here, and they have their monster companions with them!
Reitman roared again. How in the hell did those freaks get into our world?
I believe it's tied to the power spikes and the shield program, sir... Sam started.
I don't have time for your theories now! Reitman screamed. Deploy the Digital Protocols!
Already underway, sir, Sam informed him. The children and the creatures are inside the base, but when they get into the main chamber, here, the Protocols will be waiting for them.
Penetration must occur! Reitman barked. At any cost! Even if it means killing those miserable punks!
But... sir...! Sam started.
NO BUTS ABOUT IT, SOLDIER! Reitman screamed. I'll be there to finish the job, if you're to goddamn chicken-livered to do it yourself! Reitman snapped his phone shut and stuffed it back into his jacket. He leaned forward, and yelled into the chopper pilot's ear.
What's up, general? the pilot asked.
None of your concern, flyboy, Reitman retorted. Get me to Nevada, YESTERDAY!
Yes sir, general, sir.
Reitman collapsed backward into his seat, a scowl written across his face. It can't happen now... he muttered, under his breath. Not when I'm so close...!
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Oh! Oh, oh, OH! The truth is so close! And if you want to find out what it is - make sure you're back for the next part, where all will be told! What are the military up to? What are the Digital Protocols? What's that circle-thing, as if you haven't figured it out already! And what is Reitman's plan? FIND OUT NEXT TIME! But for now - WRITE A REVIEW! I know, I know, I shouldn't use the caps so much, but - eee, I so exciiiited!! ^_^
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