Fort Triggering

--An Advance Wars Fan Fiction by StarFoxRocks—

XXVIII: Requiem

General Ghramn stood up.

"God damn, you did nice, Brady."

Jack saluted. "Thank you, sir."

Nell looked back out the window at her retreating enemies. "Well, I think for once they may leave us alone for a while."

Lamondo had been killed by Grant's shot, but not Rayson. In fact, he seemed uninjured by it. The Sergeant stood up and observed the bullet wound. It has been partially stopped by his armor.

"Damn! Good thing I decided to wear this! I coulda been killed!"

Ghramn nodded. "You're a lucky one, indeed."

A gunshot rang out. Rayson screamed.

Jack turned around to see Cliff holding a gun. He seemed much like himself, with an angry expression upon his face. Nobody had seen him so angry.

Rayson stumbled toward the door to the balcony. As he did, Cliff shot the pistol again, hitting Rayson a full three times before the sergeant finally fell dead.

Cliff quickly reloaded his pistol.

Jack stared with disbelief. "Cliff, what the hell are you doing!?"

Cliff aimed at him. "Shut up!"

General Ghramn quickly stepped forward.

"It was you?! You're the spy?"

Cliff stared for a second, then pointed his gun and fire. Ghramn let out a cry of pain, then as he felt weakened, he fell over to Cliff, who held him up and shot him again. Throwing his now lifeless body to the ground, Cliff quickly pointed the pistol at Nell.

"I never should have let Grant go alone!" he yelled.

Nell was overcome with shot.

"Private Kinnear! Of all people..."

Cliff spat on the ground. "Shut up! I'm getting tired of you people spewing your disbelief at me. I was sent from Blue Moon to go undercover and eventually kill you. Here's my chance!"

He aimed the pistol at Nell.

"I'm going to honor Blue Moon by doing this!"

Jack stepped forward.

"Put the gun down."

"Shut the hell up, Jack!"

"I'm telling you, don't do this."

Cliff turned and pointed the gun to Jack's head.

"I'll shoot your god damn head off, too. Shut up!"

He turned back to Nell. And then, Jack threw himself upon him. The pistol fell to the ground as they struggled.

Cliff quickly grabbed a table leg, and broke it off from said table. He bashed Jack over the head with it. Jack saw stars, and rolled off him in a daze. Cliff stood back up, grabbing his pistol.

"You son of a bitch," he said as he spat out blood. "I considered not killing you, but your ass is pushing it!"

"Stop this, right now!" Nell yelled.

Cliff turned to her. "I'll deal with you later, missy."

Jack got back up and tackled him as he spoke. He dropped the gun yet again, but this time, Nell grabbed it. Cliff rolled over atop Jack, and they began wrestling. Cliff wrapped his hands around Jack's neck and began squeezing as hard as he could.

Just when all seemed over for Jack, a bullet struck Cliff. And another. And another.

Nell was firing the pistol unprofessionally at Cliff, but every shot seemed to hit. Jack threw Cliff off him against the wall, and watched as he died.

"Nobody screws with Orange Star," he wiped blood from his mouth. "Nobody."

Nell quickly threw the pistol to the ground.

"Private Brady... thank you."

Jack looked at the floor. "Don't mention it. We should get to the others and explain what has happened."

Nell and Jack Brady had left the HQ lounge to face a band of soldiers. When she explained what had happened, they seemed quiet and unknowledgeable of what to say.

Jack Brady was promoted to Corporal the following day. Captain A.J. Ferris and CO Andy's bodies were discovered on the very same day, and they were, quite in fact, dead.

There was a ceremony the following day to honor their deaths as leaders in Orange Star.

During that ceremony, Jack cried.