Mech vs Agent
JC tentatively stepped off the train. He knew Jock had left the park, and wondered what he would do now. According to his pilot, UNATCO troops had closed in on the area, and JC knew he would have to do something about them. One thing he didn't know was the situation his brother was in. JC had helped him fight off the MIB's who raided his apartment, but Paul seemed to vanish afterwards, probably fleeing the scene to find sanctuary in another city, maybe a different country.
The noise of the train door closing behind him jolted JC back into reality. He put all his thoughts behind him, as he was trained, built, to do, and focused on the task at hand. He took his trusty 9mm pistol out of his pocket, checking his ammo. 1 clip and 5 bullets left. Not exactly the ideal situation for taking on a squad of troopers. He pressed his back up against one of the columns supporting the structure of the station. He peered over his left shoulder. Nothing. He turned 180 degrees and sidestepped to the column on the right side of the subway. JC wasn't going to take any chances. He peered over his right shoulder. Nothing. JC spun out of his position and slowly approached the subway entrance, checking for LAMs on the walls. Nothing. JC ducked. A shot rang over his head. Assault gun JC thought as he rolled to his right.
'We had such hopes for you and your brother. It would seem you are not as loyal as we expected.'
Bitch
'Loyalty to what Simons and agent like you have made of UNATCO -- I would rather die.' JC replied.
'We are thinking the same thought.' was Anna's reply, echoing her comment from the last time the pair were operating in Battery Park. That time they were comrades, partners, operating together. But since learning of the conspiracy that is Majestic 12, he rejected the idea of working for an organisation that was just the puppet of a grander, evil group bent on world domination. Anna wasn't quite so moralistic. It was to be expected from a stone cold killer like her.
JC readied his pistol and sidestepped to his left, simultaneously turning around to face his adversary. He fired 2 shots, chipping the concrete of the pillar concealing Navarre. She replied by firing her assault gun over her shoulder, seemingly aimlessly, but still accurate enough to narrowly miss JC's leg as he vaulted into position behind one of the pillars. There was a tense moment of quiet.
'An agent is nothing without loyalty' Anna said, breaking the silence.
'What good is an agent if he can be ordered to behave like a terrorist?' JC said, the same argument he put to Sam Carter.
'You should've stayed loyal agent. Your death is now inevitable'
'Shame you won't be around to see it then'
After this exchange of words, the fight resumed. JC activated his speed aug, and raced down the left side of the station, firing a shot while a volley of bullets from Anna's assault gun narrowly missed him, before hiding behind a column, then he resumed his run while letting off another shot and taking cover behind the last column. Anna was furious with herself after missing JC and contemplated the situation. She decided to activate her thermoptic camo and sneak up on JC.
She donned the camoflauge and turned it on, advancing towards JC's position. As she neared the pillar, JC spun around to face her, and fired off a shot from his pistol. It hit her square in the chest, damaging the camo in the process. Anna ran away and took refuge behind a column.
'How did you...?' Anna started.
'I heard the noise of your thermoptic camoflauge initialising' JC interrupted 'and then it was a matter of timing. A shot to the head had too high a risk of missing, so I aimed for the chest. Guess they don't teach you advanced tactics in mech school'
'Those computers swimming in your veins wont save you from a bullet to the head'
'Good job that won't happen then isn't it?' JC felt pleased with himself after outwitting his foe. Wits don't win wars JC, don't get cocky he thought to himself. He knew that he now had the advantage, but the bullet hadn't pierced any organs, just flesh, so the battle would go on.
JC stepped out of his cover, letting go of all ideas of hiding. Anna did the same. The two former partners faced each other. Just a few hours ago, they were allies in a justice-seeking campaign against an evil band of terrorists. Advance a few hours and they were rivals, both above the abilities of an average human, both seeking to kill each other. One for the forces of good, one for the forces of evil. Anna dropped her assault gun to the ground, and revealed her handgun. Desert Eagle JC thought. Immense stopping power, slow refire rate. A good choice for a standoff such as this. The two stared each other down, deep in thought. Anna thought about how JC had shown promise, how she herself had nominated him for the assasination of Juan Lebedev. Not that it mattered now. He was a terrorist. Another Lebedev. Another Jo Jo. Another Paul. All terrorists, who should be exterminated. No questions, no arrests. Shoot on sight was the order of the day. JC thought about how quickly things can change in such a short period of time. He had such dreams of glory and success at UNATCO, but now that was gone. His only dream now was to stop Walton Simons from turning UNATCO into his own personal army. Anna herself had let Simons use her for his own gains. Naive bitch he thought. As soon as she fails, she is just another casualty for Simons. Mechs were ten-a-penny for him, and agents would soon be the same.
JC raised his pistol at just the same time as Anna did. He fired. Click. Son of a... JC's thoughts were cut off by the pain of being shot straight in the chest by one of the most powerful handguns in the world. He dropped to the floor. Blood spilled from his chest. Anna approached his still body. 'Augmentations are no substitute for experience and loyalty Denton. If only you and your foolish brother had realised that before we had to terminate you both. Your heroic crusade ends here' Anna raised her pistol and took aim at JC's chest. She fired another shot. All signs of life exited the agent's body. 'Mission complete' she said as she walked away. She walked up the stairs of the subway entrance.
BANG. A huge explosion rocked the subway station. A scream of death poured out of Anna's mouth as she fell to the floor. JC reloaded his GEP gun and put it back into it's position on the back of his trenchcoat. 'I think regeneration is a suitable replacement for experience' JC remarked coldly. He walked up the steps of the entrance, and was greeted by what he feared would happen. Gunther, a dozen UNATCO troops and half a dozen military bots surrouned the shanty town. 'There is no escape. You will surrender.' Gunther announced.
'Seems like your the only one who thinks that' JC replied, making reference to the troopers all with their guns out, ready for a fight. 'Another peace keeping occupation?'
'Not any better.' Gunther answered, 'they expect us to take you and Paul alive.'
'Here comes your chance to be a hero' JC responded.
'Good' Gunther replied, eager to finally kill the show-off. Gunther unhooked his flamethrower and proceeded to launch a stream of fire at JC. JC anticipated this and activated his speed-aug, side-stepping to his left in the process. He armed his GEP gun and fired it into one of the bots. It shattered with ease, and JC reloaded his GEP gun, taking cover in the subway at the same time. He ran back out and launched another missile, this time into Gunther. This attack took the mech by surprise, throwing him into a bot which shattered under the weight. The resulting explosion wounded Gunther and killed a nearby troop. JC then took out his assault gun and began slaughtering the troopers nearby. He surveyed the wreckage. Too easy he thought. He turned just in time to see a volley of flames heading his way. He activated his speed aug just too late, and was hit by the assault. It set his stylish trenchcoat on fire and damaged the agent immeasurably. He activated his regeneration aug. The drain of the fire wasn't as quck as the healing of the aug. JC fired his assault gun into Gunther's chest, emptying the rest of his clip. Gunther laughed.
'Pathetic agents relying on augs in a lost hope of actually surviving' Gunther remarked.
'Gunther, you don't get the severity of events going on around you. You never will. Once agents are fully functional, your killphrase will be activated by your commanders. You will be obsolete. Your walking junk, fighting for an evil cause you couldn't begin to comprehend'
'At least I can kill you' was Gunther's simple reply. And he was good on his word. He launched a continuous barrage of fire at JC. His bio-energy was depleted, and he was thrown to the ground after just two seconds. 'Nano-agents can't compare to the might of mechs' Gunther exclaimed.
JC woke up in what seemed to be a cell. His entire body was in pain. He felt a burning sensation all over him. The events of his battle with Gunther filled his mind. I'll get him next time JC thought. A window popped up in the top left corner of his view. 'I need you to escape. I can cut power to the door only a few seconds without being detected. Get ready.' Daedalus?. The door opened slightly. JC exited the cell...