June 11th, 2552, 7:20 AM

"Get up, already." I head someone saying.
My eyes remained closed but I coming to reality. My body started shaking and I opened my eyes to find one of the guards in my face shaking me.
"About time, god, took me eight minutes to finally get you up." he said laughing a bit.
I sat up and reached up to rub my eyes. My hands came in contact with my visor. I had forgotten I slept in my armor and I wasn't used to doing so. I looked around, Steve and Dave where gone.
"You are out of time from dropping in and that day." said the guard. "You can continue sleeping for the next six hours on your time for today." he stated.
"No thanks... I'm good." I replied yawning.
"Alright." said the guard.
He turned and started walking off to his post. I looked over at him.
"Wait." I said.
He stopped and turned toward me.
"Do you know where the two people who where with me are?" I asked him.
"The gunner and sniper insinginaed guys. Yeah, they're above you playing cards last I saw. I believe there still there." He answered me.
"Thanks." I replied and stood up as he walked back to the wall opening entrance.

I stretched out my arms and legs and removed my helmet. I wiped the crust that was in my eyes and looked around. I walked out holding my helmet. A cold breeze hit me and went down my armor, chilling me to the bone. I jumped back in so the walls protected me better from the breeze. The guards looked at me and laughed a little.

I put my helmet on and stepped out.
"To cold for ya here?" Asked the guard to my right.
I looked over at him. He was different from everyone I seen here. He was a normal marine. He didn't wear the mechanized armor we did, or the other guard to my left. His face and hands was exposed and he wore normal bullet proof armor and a light helmet.
"I'll get used to it." I replied and walked out.
He chuckled a bit more.

The ground was still mushy with snow and slick, but the snowfall had finally stopped. I headed to the upper section where the guard said Steve and Dave may be. I got there and was able to spot them easily. Steve wasn't wearing his helmet and was locked in a game of checkers rather than cards with steve and another man on the floor.
"Hey your up." said Dave looking across at me as I approached. Dave and the other man turned a bit and looked at me.
"Hey" said Dave. I nodded at him.
"Hey there." said the other man. I made out his insignia on the shoulder of his armor.
"Andy correct?" I asked.
"Dead on." he said and turned back to the game. "Unlike our intelligence staff." he stated, laughing a bit at his own stupid joke.

I glanced down at their game. It was different. There where the common red and black pieces, but Andy was using rocks.
"What are you guys playing?" I asked curiously.
"Its a three way." Andy said. "Everyone for themselves. We just used small rocks for extra pieces."
I smirked a bit about the way they where playing and sat on the ground by them watching them play. Andy came out as the winner. I then talked them into a game of cards. We decided to play war, we thought it seemed appropriate seeing as we were soldiers and all.

Andy was about to win when we heard a females voice come over the loud speakers.
"Fifth squad please report to the front gate, again, fifth squad report to the front gate."
I looked over at Steve then Dave.

"Ah, must be time for your briefing." Andy said. "You all better get going."
We said goodbye to him and walked off to the gates, talking a bit about Andy and what we thought of him as we went.

We made our way to the gates and found about seven others from our squad there. Our CO was there also. We waited as the others came up, after which we did a role call and everyone was accounted for.
"Alright, this way." said our CO.

We walked out of the camp and off toward a cave as a different squad walked in . Upon our arrival, we where told to wait outside and come in as our names where called. We all stood around and talked over things for a few minutes.

"Jason Hegemann!" a voice in the cave called out.
The soldier in his red armor stepped up and went in. After a minute he then came back out with a ammo and gun holster belt around his waste and a BR55 in hands.
"Must just be just issuing weapons to us." said Dave.
Another name was called and another person in red armor stepped in and came out with a BR55.
"I think they're doing basic infantry first." added Steve.
After awhile all the basic infantry had been called in and had come out, except for one.

"Steven Cruise and Jake Eversworth!" Called the voice.
I was wondering why two names where called. Steve in his brown armor and the man in his red armor stepped forth and went in. They where in there a bit longer than everyone else. They finally emerged.

The person named Jake had a tripod in his hands and ammo hanging around his neck, Steve had a M41 Mobile Machine Gun in his hands. Steve and Jake shook hands and said something to each other. Jake went one way to his friends and Steve came to us.
"Who is that?" Dave asked. "Jack Eversworth, my gunners mate."

Steve glanced over his turret.
"The M41." he said. "Just as I figured. Its the same as the stationary emplacements on the wall."
"Thomas Steel!" Came the call of my name.
I looked at Steve and Dave and then made my way in.

The cave had a small metal pole running along the top of it. Lights came out here and there that light up the cave. I made my way further up and found my CO and another man.
"Thomas Steel?" Asked my CO
"Yes, sir!" I said and snapped to attention. He chuckled a bit.
"Your a good soldier." he said and patted me on the shoulder.
I looked at him a bit sceptical, denying that he would call me a good soldier just for coming in.
"Your the only one thats snapped to attention." he said.
"Thank you, sir!" I replied.
"Thomas Steel is a member of a buddy team, the buddy team leader correct?" asked the other man.
"Yes." said my CO.
The man went into another section of the cave and came out with a MA5B Assault Rifle and gave it to me. He went back in and came out with a ammo and gun holster belt that already had ammo and a side arm attached in it. He again stepped back in and came out with two M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenades and handed them to me. I attached them to my my belt.

Someone else then stepped out from the other section of the cave. I glanced at his hands, my eyes got wide. He was carrying a T72-HE Nuclear Grenade. He handed it to the man and went back in.
"Almost forgot to give you this." he said and handed it to me.
He put it in my hands and I still dropped it, causing me to jump back. The man and my CO didn't even flinch. They laughed at my sudden shock of fear that hit me.
"As though that little hop back would have done anything to help you." said the man as he picked it up. He attached it to my belt himself.
"Don't worry." he said. "It won't go off unless you remove the safety cap and hit the switch."
"Of course." I replied nervously, looking down at it on my belt.
I had never even used a T72 grenade before but I had seen what it does during training, we all saw the amount of damage it could cause.
"You may go." said my CO. I turned and started to walk out a bit uneasy.

I made my out. It wasn't long before the others spotted the nuclear grenade and began to step back away from me, as though I where some reject psycho. I made my way to Dave and Steve. They too stepped back a bit.
"Don't worry." I announced outlot to everyone. "It will only go off if I remove the safety cap and flip the switch." I finished, trying to look impressive.
Still they kept there distance.

I soon caught a guy approaching me from the corner of my eye. I looked at his insignia, it was the war-hawk. He got beside me and keeled down, looking at the grenade.
"Oh man, do you know how many people you could send to oblivion with that thing!" He said excited. "You lucky dog, I wish I had one to play with!"
He flicked the thing, causing me to jump slightly, then stood up and walked off back to the others.

"Weirdo." my brother said quietly.
We sat around for a minute.
"David Steel!" Called the voice.
We looked over at David and he looked at the cave.
"Well, i'll be back." he said and headed off into the cave. He emerged a bit later with a S2 AM Sniper Rifle. He had the best marksmanship score during basics and went onto advanced marksmanship and became a sniper. He came out and back to us, our CO came out seconds later with a MA5B in his hands and his own ammo and gun holster as well. He to had a nuclear grenade on his belt. We where the only ones.

He glanced around at us for a moment, looking at everyone as they talked and joked around.
"Fall in!" He yelled and we all formed up in a two row column behind him.
We marched out back into the camp but turned left when we entered, away from the quarters. We stopped in a open area.
"At ease." the CO. announced.
Most sat down or took a knee. Steve, Dave, and I remained standing in the back.

"I am Ryan Smith, I am your new CO." He announced he paused.
I glanced at his tag, it hit me that it was a different commander than our previous one. I hadn't realized it before.
"... I am now to discuss why we are here." He gazed around at us. "Who here has heard of the meteor strike that happened here twenty years ago?" he asked.
Nobody raised their hand.
"I never heard of this." I whispered to my brother and friend.
"Me either." Steve replied.
June 11th, 2552, 7:20 AM

We looked listening in with interest.
"Seeing as none of you know. In 2532, before a few of you where even born, the people living here started having problems. Most had started to become crazy and where getting an unusual sickness. They began to riot all over the Antarctica. The EWCU Russian division was sent in under the command of a american named Max to restore control. After awhile he started sending reports back that his troops where becoming ill with this unknown virus. EWCU command sent in the French Division." he paused. "...A week after they arrived, the meteor hit Antarctica. After that we, the American division, decided to step in for the WWMF. That was when Fort Containment was established. Since then, we have not heard of or seen them. We believe they may all be dead."

This thought flew though my head. I now knew somewhat why we where here. Ryan continued.
"Our main mission here is basically for eyes. Strangely, after the meteor hit, there has been a massive magnetic shield in the atmosphere blocking view of satellite detecting over all of Antarctica and a bit more off land over the ocean. Its also caused strange weather patterns over Canada. Why way out there, we don't know."

"Sir?" a soldier asked out. "If this happened twenty years ago, then why are we still looking for them. If we can't find them then obviously they must of died right?"
"Good question." Replied Ryan. "We are not looking for them directly anymore, just any remains of a camps or supplies to show where they had been at. The EWCU won't tell us directly."

So that was our purpose here, to find any remains of the EWCU in any form. I thought everything a bit. How a meteor had hit here and I had never known.
"Thats about all I can say for now." Announced Ryan. "Our company, the 15th Airborne is designated as a recon team for now. Thats probably what we'll be doing for awhile." He paused and looked over us and stood up. "Any more questions?"
No one asked any.
"Thats all then. As for you weapons. Keep them with your or put them outside over by the guards. Until were further deployed men." He finished and got up and walked off.

Everyone began talking about what could be going on, about the meteor and the disappearance of the EWCU divisions. I stood there thinking about the virus. What were its symptoms, was there a cure for it now, was it known to be around this part of Antarctica. I stood there thinking about it. I figured everything was safe seeing as how we weren't given any shots, it must not be known in this area.
"This is insane." said Steve. "To think a meteor hit here and it was never on the news or anything.

What he said hit me like a grenade in my face. Something was wrong, it didn't add up. The female voice came over the speakers again.
"Eleventh squad, please report to the front gate."
I turned and started to head off toward the encampment deep in thought, Steve and Dave started to follow.