Ch. 36: Stand of the three Spartans

A.N.:

Hey everyone.

Sorry about the wait. I had writer's block.

I wrote all of this today. I feel so bad that it took me so long to update. So, I posted it without looking through it. I shall read through it and make corrections as I go. Sorry about the length...once I started, I could not stop.

So, to the early readers, please don't hang me for the errors. Update: I think I got the big errors.

Reviews are always nice xD

Having cleared the first hallway, we moved through the building to the second one. The catacomb like interior amplified every sound that we made as we moved. For the first time since Titan Station, I felt on edge as I moved with my Patten in my grasp. It was not the silence itself that was putting me on edge. What had me on edge was that the building was so silent. Buildings made noises as a general rule.

Why was the power out? This building did not rely upon city power. I would have bet money that it had back-up generators on the premises. There was something very wrong here. Another thing bothered me. This had been too easy. Yes, Alpha 1 had been killed but losses had been expected. This was intended to be a potentially one-way trip. That was the thing though. There had been almost no losses. Titan 2 and 3 had been lost, but I had been expecting far worse.

Suddenly, when we were nearing the lobby, the whole building shook. I was thrown to the floor from the force of the shaking. As I got to my feet, my com link activated as the image of Foxtrot 1101 appeared in my HUD. Over the sound of gunfire, he said, "Commander, Akira's Forces are advancing on the compound."

Having stood, I asked, "How many?"

He replied, "Too many to count, sir."

After thinking for a moment, I said, "Foxtrot 1101, have Bravo 2 and your team fall back inside the primary mission objective. Inform Titan 1 and 4 to activate their Leviathan's and Titan 3's self-destruct program."

He replied, "Yes, sir."

His image left my HUD. I started to make my way to the lobby. As I did, I said to my team, "Akira's Forces are overwhelming the compound in a mass attack. We have to lock down the building and hold them off long enough to locate and terminate the NATO Commanders."

I spoke into my com link, "Delta 1, we have company. Enemy forces are overwhelming the compound en mass. Double-time it with your sweep. Targets are to be shot on sight. All sensitive data is to be destroyed outright. Dark Signal and Foxtrot Team will hold them off as long as we can. Get to it."

His image appeared in my HUD as he replied, "Roger that, sir."

Upon entering the lobby, I studied the room. There was a "U" shaped hardwood reception desk about twenty feet away from the main entrance. There was a collection of waiting room style chairs thirty feet to the left of the main entrance. Past the chairs, approximately forty feet from the main entrance, were the marble stairs that led up to the next floor. Above the desk was a balcony for the next floor.

I noticed two square slots on the polished floor about ten feet back from the main entrance. Above the main entrance, I also noticed that there was a lip that extended out from the walls around the edges of the doors. I looked over at Alpha 1 and then asked, "How much you want to bet that this building has a badass security system?"

He replied, "Give or take ninety-seven percent probability."

I nodded briefly and then spoke into my com link, "Miss Kwon, do you copy?"

Jin replied, "I'm here, Becket. Sergeant, you have a lot of enemy forces bearing down on you."

I said, "I am aware of that, Miss Kwon. I need your help."

She replied, "How can I help?"

I explained, "I am seeing indications of a security system in the building but the power is off. If I can get the power back on, will the system reactivate?"

I waited for a moment. Outside, I heard the Foxtrot Team falling back as they fired their assault rifles. I motioned for Juggernaut and Foxtrot 813 to set up defensive positions by the desk. As they moved towards the desk, Jin finally replied, "Becket, I managed to gain access to the building's schematics. From what I can tell, the building does have a very aggressive security system. I don't know why the power is not on. The schematics indicate that there is supposed to be a redundancy in the on-site power grid."

I asked, "Miss Kwon, I am a skull thumper, not an engineer. Tell me what needs to happen for that security system to come back online. We are going to die without it."

The building shook once more and moments later, I heard the Leviathans self-destruct outside. Already, I could hear stray rounds hitting against the reinforced walls of the building. I looked over at Point Man and said, "Point Man, run recon and ensure that all other entrances to the building are locked down." He nodded and then quickly made his way down the middle hallway with his G2A2 Assault Rifle in his grasp.

Jin informed me, "Sergeant, this will require some leg work."

I replied, "Lay it on me."

She said, "Okay, first thing's first. Get the generators online. They are in the basement. What is your current location?"

I replied, "I am currently in the main lobby facing the main entrance."

She was silent for a moment before she said, "Okay, you are going to need to go down the hallway to your left. At the very end, you are going to find a small side corridor that goes to a flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, you are going to find a door that should be marked as 'Basement access'. The generators are going to be at the far end of the basement. To get them online, if you are lucky, all you will have to do is press the 'fire' button. However, if you aren't lucky, then you will have to use your HUD's diagnostic tool to inspect the generators."

I replied, "Understood, Miss Kwon. I will contact you once we get the generators online."

She said, "Copy that, Becket."

Her image left my HUD. Almost immediately afterwards, the main entrance burst open. Bravo 2, carrying a wounded Foxtrot 1107, who appeared to have suffered shrapnel damage to his left leg because the armor was shredded and blood was dripping down the rest of the leg, entered. Behind him, I saw Foxtrot 1101, armed with a Patten Assault Rifle, and Titan 1, armed with a Seegert Pistol, on either side of the entrance firing their weapons at the massive amount of Hell soldiers that were charging towards them. As the two leaders fired their weapons, they yelled at the retreating members of their team, "Fall back! Fall back! Double time!"

I looked over at Alpha 1 and nodded towards the entrance. He nodded in response. We rushed forward with our weapons raised. I stood next to Titan 1 and aimed through my scope as I fired my Patten at the horde of hell spawn. I felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. There must have been thousands of them. They looked like an army of ants as they rushed towards us with barely enough space between them to fire their scorched assault rifles. The rumbling of their booted footfalls vibrated both the air and the ground.

Despite our covering fire, they continued to unleash their weapons on us. Rounds whizzed past my head, missing by what seemed like inches. Foxtrot 1105, 1109, 1115, and 1120 hastily retreated through the open entrance. After they had, I slapped Titan 1 on his shoulder. He went to go through the entrance, but, as he did, a round struck him in his right shoulder. I was sprayed with his blood and he tumbled onto the ground. With the hell spawn closing in, I released my left hand from my rifle's grip and bent down behind the collapsed trooper. I placed my left arm underneath his left shoulder with my left hand across his chest and then dragged him inside the building. Alpha 1 and Foxtrot 1101 covered me and seconds later, we had all made it into the building.

Seconds after we had all entered, Alpha 1 and Foxtrot 1101 closed and locked the main entrance. However, the ornate objects would not hold up very long against Akira's soldiers. We had to move quickly if we were going to survive. Foxtrot 1105, the team's medic, healed Titan 1's injury enough for him to be able to fight. However, Foxtrot 1107's injury could only be stabilized to prevent him from going into shock. Point Man returned and gave me a nod to indicate that he had locked the exterior access doors.

Thinking quickly, I asked Foxtrot 1120, the team's demolition specialist, "Can you make the other hallways inaccessible without compromising the building?"

As he was sitting against the front of the desk servicing his Series-3 Combat Shotgun, he looked up at me and replied, "Yes, sir."

I ordered, "Get to it."

He began to put his shotgun back together as he replied, "Roger that, sir."

I looked over at where Foxtrot 1105 had set up a temporary field hospital. Already, there was drying blood on the floor from where Foxtrot 1107 had been bleeding from his shrapnel wound. I looked over at Foxtrot 813 and Juggernaut behind the desk. They had set up the M60 Machine Gun that we had brought for fire suppression. Juggernaut was manning it and Foxtrot 813 was standing by with a spare barrel and additional ammunition.

I calmed myself. Then, I called out, "Okay, listen up." Everyone looked at me. I continued, "Here is the situation...we are surrounded in a powerless building by an enemy of superior strength. We are cut off from reinforcements and escape. Our primary mission objectives have yet to be achieved. I will not lie to you...it is very unlikely that we will survive this mission. However, we have a job to do and we will be completing it. I know this is not very motivational, but know this, we hold the future of the human race in our hands right here...right now...in this building...at this very moment...we hold the very future of humanity's existence in our tired hands. Think of your brethren back in Sparta...will you not sacrifice yourselves to protect them?"

The men, except for Juggernaut and Point Man, roared loudly with their modified voices. I continued, "Alpha 1 and I are going to get the generators running to get the building's security system back online. Point Man, Foxtrot 1101, 1105, 1107, and Titan 1 and 4, stay here and hold the line. Bravo 2, Foxtrot 1109 and 1115, go to the second floor. Bravo 2, establish a fire position on that balcony. Foxtrot 1109 and 1115, sweep and clear the second floor. Foxtrot 1120, demolish access to the other hallways, and then standby for when a team locates the building archives."

They replied, "Yes, sir."

I continued, "Gentlemen, today, we follow in the footsteps of brave Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans. Will you honor their memory by showing the same bravery and discipline or will you dishonor your brethren by showing cowardliness in the face of evil?"

Again, they let out a roar with their modified voices. Their war cry shook the very Earth to its core. I smirked and then yelled, "Spartans, hooah!"

They yelled back, "Hooah!"

Again, they shook the very Earth with their cry. Wanting to maximize their morale for the coming storm, I screamed, "HOOAH!"

They bellowed, loud enough to make my ears ring, "HOOAH!"

The main entrance shook slightly as Akira's soldiers began to assault it. I turned to Alpha 1 and nodded towards the hallway. He nodded in response. We left the main lobby and proceeded down the hallway. My earlier uneasiness had been replaced by the bulldog-like warrior spirit of a hardened soldier. It was almost comical how we proceeded down the hallway jerking our weapons whenever we passed by a door or window. I have never moved so meticulously yet so fast. An outside observer might have even gone so far as to suggest that the two of us were pumped up on methamphetamines.

Seemingly seconds later, we had reached the side corridor. Sure enough, we followed it and found a flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, we came to a simple grey door with the black letter label, "Basement access. Authorized individuals only." Not wasting time, Alpha 1 rushed forward and used his body as a battering ram. The door submitted to the assault and slammed into the ground a good foot beyond the doorframe.

As we proceeded into the dark basement, I heard Foxtrot 1120's demolition charges detonate. If Akira's soldiers wanted to get us, now they would have to funnel through the only remaining entrance into the building. However, there were thousands of them and we only had a limited amount of ammunition. As if to taunt me, the image of Foxtrot 813 entered my HUD as he reported, "Akira's Forces have compromised the main entrance. Here they come!"

With a deafening uproar of thunder, I heard my men discharge their weapons at the invading hell spawn. I could only imagine the carnage of endless swarms of armed humanoids funneling through a doorway straight into the waiting fire of entrenched Special Forces level soldiers. I would guess that it mimicked the bloody carnage of World War 1 and its trench warfare.

With renewed urgency, I moved through the cramped confines of the basement with only my rifle's flashlight to navigate through the darkness. Suddenly, my HUD became distorted as I saw my rifle's flashlight flicker. Moments later, I heard Akira taunt us, "What's the rush boys?" Ignoring her, I continued forward. There was a second room in the basement. When we reached it, with the flickering light of our flashlights, I saw the universal warning sign of "high voltage" on the door.

I kicked in the door. As it flew open, I flinched slightly as I was met by Akira's manifestation. She was only there for an instant. When my flashlight flickered back on, she was gone. Unfazed, I moved into the room. Inside, I found three huge generators that were taller than a man in the center of the room. They looked like they were in decent shape and I could see no indications of foul play. In front of the middle generator, I saw what looked like a control panel with gauges, switches, and levers on a raised platform.

I ran to it and began to try to understand how to make the generators work. I was not an engineer but I had read books and other resources about random topics when I was a child. I saw a large round meter that had a needle and numbers. 'Okay...I know this...that is the voltage meter. The needle is on zero because the generators are not running. Now there should be a centralized starting switch or lever to start the generators.' Moving through the confusing array of switches and levers, I tried to locate the one that would start the generators.

My flashlight continued to flicker so I was having to identify the items in sporadic moments of light. 'Come on, old man. You can fucking start some generators can't you?' I located another meter except this one had a needle with "plus" and "minus" signs on opposite ends of a line. 'That is probably the fuel gauge. The needle indicates that there is almost a full supply. No problems there.' Surely, they did not make it so that only geniuses could operate them. Was I overlooking something?

I finally located two buttons that were placed close together in a column. The first one was grey and the second one was red. Beside the grey button was the phrase, "Push to close". Beside the red button was the phrase, "Push to fire". I paused as I read the phrases. 'Push to close? What the Hell does that mean? I am fairly certain that the red one starts the generators but what does the grey one do?' At first, I thought that the grey button shut the generators off, but I quickly dismissed the assumption because the generators were supposed to be emergency back-ups and therefore were supposed to automatically turn on and off as they were needed.

Perhaps the grey button was intended to be pressed first as some kind of protective mechanism that prevented the generators from overloading the building's power grid by dumping a massive amount of energy into it all at once. I noticed some writing on the surface of the button. I squinted and, even though the letters were worn from use, I saw that they spelled out, "HOLD". I examined the red button closer and, sure enough, the word, "PRESS" was written on its weathered surface.

I said, "Alpha 1, illuminate these two buttons for me." His flashlight began to illuminate the area on the control panel. I placed my rifle across my back and then reached up with both hands. With my left gloved hand, I pressed down the grey button and held it there. Then, I mentally prayed quickly and then pressed the red button. I was slightly startled when an ear shattering sound ripped through the air as the generators simultaneously thundered to life.

I continued to hold down the grey button until I was certain that the generators' energy spike was contained by watching the voltage meter. After a moment, the needle drifted back to the middle of the number range and stayed there. Confident that the generators had been successfully restarted, I released the grey button. The light fixtures in the basement had turned on, so I felt that it was safe to assume that the power in the rest of the building had been restored.

I turned and looked at Alpha 1. In mutual celebration, we grasped each others left hand and then smashed our foreheads together once. After I retrieved my rifle, I spoke into my com link, "Miss Kwon, I have restored power in the building. What's next?"

However, I did not receive a response. I asked, "Miss Kwon, do you copy?"

Akira suddenly said in a whisper as if she was inches from my right ear, "Do you always need that woman to explain things to you, Father?"

I grunted in annoyance before I remarked to my Brother, "Fuck it! We will do this the old fashion way."

I began to make my way out of the basement. Knowing NATO and SHAPE, the security system would be hardcore but several years old. The older security systems had to be controlled from a central network hub like a security office or perhaps in a secret central control room. Better yet, the building's network was likely running on one central server. There might be dummy servers to try to thwart hackers but the actual network was likely based entirely from one server. All I had to do was find a network access point and crack open the system like an empty peanut shell beneath the heel of one of my armored boots. Those offices that we passed in the hallway likely had access points to the network.

As I moved towards the exit of the basement, Delta 1 contacted me, "Sir, third and fourth floor cleared. No sign of targets. However, we did locate the building's archives. Foxtrot 1120 is on his way to our location to destroy the sensitive data." I was about to respond when I noticed something odd about the right wall of the first room in the basement. I stopped and looked at it. Delta 1 asked, "Commander, do you copy?"

I replied, "Affirmative. Delta 1, enemy has compromised the main entrance. Send Delta 3 through 8 to reinforce the main entrance. You and Delta 2 protect Foxtrot 1120 and ensure that the data is destroyed. This mission objective is to be achieved at all costs. Do you understand?"

He replied, "Yes, Commander. And don't worry, sir...I will save you a place in the line to get into Hell."

I smirked before I replied, "Appreciate it, Wolf."

He said, "Anytime, sir."

His image left my HUD and I returned to examining the wall. Next to me on my right, Alpha 1 asked, "What is it, Brother?"

I replied, "There is something odd about this wall."

He looked at it for a moment before he said in agreement, "I see it too." The wall was too clean for a basement wall. Moreover, it was too bare. Compared to the surrounding walls, it stood out as being artificial. I went up to it and hit it with the butt of my rifle's stock. It should have sounded solid but instead, it sounded hollow. Knowing that I was onto something, I felt along the surface of the wall with the bottom of my left hand. My suspicions were confirmed when I felt a slight dip in the surface of the wall just before it met the far corner. That could only mean one thing. This was not a wall at all.

I said aloud, "Sneaky...but not clever. This is the entrance to a secret area of the building. Come on, let's get the security system back online and then come back to this." I turned and headed towards the exit.

As I exited the basement, Akira whispered in my mind, "How long do you think you can resist, Father? Even you cannot face this many soldiers at once. Mother cannot enter this building right now because of me. This time, she cannot protect you from me. Poor thing...you should hear her cries. Why continue fighting? All it will do is cause more unnecessary suffering. My soldiers kill swiftly...your men won't even feel it."

I ignored her and made my way over to the nearest office. In my peripheral vision, I saw that the main entrance was a scene of carnage. If the hell spawn were normal human combatants, I had no doubt that they would have already clogged the doorway with a mountain of their dead bodies. However, whenever they were slain, they just dissolved in a cloud of smoldering ashes.

Upon reaching the nearest office door, I reached out with my gloved left hand and turned the doorknob. I opened the door and entered the room. I sighed in relief when I saw the computer sitting on the desk. I went around the desk and set my rifle down on the oak desktop before I sat down in front of the computer. The login was password protected.

Knowing people as I did, I quickly glanced around the room. Upon spotting the picture of two very young adults with a fancy university fraternity building behind them, I reached up and grabbed the photo frame. I opened the back and saw the date, "10-7-99". Knowing that office protocols dictated how a password could be worded, I used the keyboard to type in the word, "Br("at site" symbol-this site won't let me use it)therhood1999". The password was accepted and after a moment, the computer finished loading the main menu.

I smirked as I thought to myself, 'Technology is only as good as the laziness of the individual who operates it.' I activated my HUD's program and attempted to link it to the computer. However, I got pop-up notice on the computer's screen that said, "Third party devices have to be authorized by the administrator. Please, contact the administrator to continue." I smirked again as I thought, 'Aw, that's so cute. Who's trying to be a tough computer? You are. Yes you are.' I activated the hacking program of my HUD and after a little song and dance with the firewall, I casually strolled right past the security software to "authorize the third party device".

After my HUD was linked to the network hub, it was just a matter of finding the correct program file without the convenience of a cute little menu with pictures. Luckily, I was able to find the correct program file. However, when I accessed it, all I found was an empty file. 'Dummy server...aw that's adorable. I wonder if this network also calls its one-night stand the next day to see how work is going too.' I backed out and used one of my favorite programs on my HUD. Moments later, the computer screen turned black as a cartoonish laughing white skull appeared on the screen. In my HUD's menu, I was able to gain access to the real server.

I found the file again and accessed it. This time, I was allowed access to the building's security system. The system was screaming alarms at the network. After adjusting the targeting parameters of the security system, I activated the system. Immediately, a high-pitched alarm sounded through the building and I heard a heavy bomb door lowering into place at the main entrance. Meanwhile, I heard hydraulically powered elevators raise the sentry turrets up from their housing below the tiled floor of the main lobby.

I closed the menu for the security system in my HUD and stood. After gathering my rifle, I exited the room and made my way back towards the basement. As I descended the stairs, Foxtrot 813's image appeared in my HUD as he said, "Outstanding timing, sir."

I replied, "Sitrep."

He reported, "M60 has gone through its original barrel and is running low on ammunition. Universal report of low ammunition and overheated barrels. Running low on medkits and other medical supplies. Foxtrot 1109 and 1115 finished their sweep of the second floor and have rejoined Bravo 2. Sir, permission to speak freely."

I replied, "Granted."

He said, "We aren't going to last another wave. Once that security door gives out, we've had it."

Confused, I asked, "What about the turrets?"

He informed me, "The earlier shaking of the building must have been seismic in origin and cracked the building's foundation because the turrets are wedged in their housings. They aren't any good to us, sir."

I mentally cursed before I replied with a heavy heart, "Foxtrot 813 you know what has..."

He interrupted, "We will hold the line to the last man, sir." Then, he deactivated his com link.

I sighed. Without those turrets, the mission just went from suicidal to reserving a trip across the River Styx. The image of Amara's and Alma's smiling faces entered my mind once more and I pushed my own mortality to the back of my mind. If it was my day to die, then it was my day to die.

We had reached the false wall. I started to search for the means of opening it but quickly remember the security system. I opened the menu in my HUD and looked through the files. Finally, I located the controls for the security door in the basement. I commanded it to open and seconds later, the wall in front of us split in two and then began to slide open. When the entrance was completely open, I saw a narrow concrete lined path that led down to some kind of secret area.

With my rifle ready, I took point and descended the path. Upon reaching the bottom, I was shocked to find that there was a subway station looking area hidden in the foundation of the building. Before me, there was a single concrete pad with a railed tunnel to the right of it. Along the pad at regular intervals were unpainted raw steel supports with visible bolt heads in groups of four at the joints. In each of the corners of the area were what looked like giant spring coils. I had to admit, the design was ingenious. The springs kept the tunnel usable even if the building above was destroyed and/or its foundation shifted.

An armored train sat next to the pad. I smirked as I saw the uniformed NATO commanders boarding the train while five heavily armored NATO soldiers armed with light machine guns stood guard. Upon seeing us, one of the commanders barked, "Get us the fuck out of here!" The guards aimed their machine guns at us while the officials hastily began to board the train.

I activated my reflexes as the bullets began to fly through the air. I aimed through my scope at the closest soldier. I fired a burst into his head. He began to collapse to the floor. Moving forward, I snapped my aim to the next guard. I dropped him with a burst to his head. As their bullets moved through the air slow enough for me to see the lead projectiles and their trails as they cut through the air, I advanced on them. I snapped my aim to the next guard and, seeing the official running up the boarding ramp beside him, I fired a burst into his machine gun.

The soldier continued to pull the trigger as my rounds forced the barrel of his weapon to swing towards the official. The machine gun's rounds tore into the grey haired man and he collapsed onto the ramp. Meanwhile, I had closed in on the soldier. He was still in the process of turning his body in reaction to my shots. He was turned to the right so I placed the muzzle of my Patten against the side of his head and pulled the trigger.

As he collapsed to the ground, I targeted the next guard, who was still reacting to the official being mowed down. I fired a burst into his head and he began to collapse. I quickly made my way towards the final guard. As I stopped before him, I deactivated my reflexes. As I stood before him, the bodies of the other men finally hit the floor. He aimed his machine gun at my head but he was shaking in terror. I leaned in close and then whispered, "Boo."

He screamed and threw down his machine gun before he jumped down onto the track. As I watched, he removed his riot helmet and then threw it to the ground as he started running down the tunnel. He did not get far. I aimed through my scope and shot him in the back of the head.

I reloaded my rifle as I turned towards the train. The operator pushed the throttle forward and the train thundered to life. However, to everyone's, including my, surprise, the train did not move forward. Confused, I looked back towards the rear of the train.

I was stunned to see Alpha 1 holding the rear of the train up off the tracks and keeping the train in place despite the engine turning the wheels as fast as they would turn. One of the officials saw him too and stammered, "What the fuck?" Alpha 1 responded by laughing in his peculiar manner of repeated grunts. Moving quickly, I gunned down the operator and boarded train. I rushed over to the throttle and pulled it back down to neutral.

With the train not going anywhere, Alpha 1 lowered the rear back down onto the tracks. The officials tried to run but my Brother cut them off at the ramp. There were five of them. I could see that Alma had been right. Their eyes were wrong. In the low light of the concrete pad, they were glowing like dying embers. In addition, a strange black mist was radiating from their bodies. Akira had turned them before we could get to them first. No matter, she did not get to use them. We quickly cut them down.

With the primary mission objective compete, I contacted Foxtrot 1120, "Foxtrot 1120, report."

He replied, "Sensitive data has been destroyed, sir."

I said, "Outstanding. I want you and Delta 1 and 2 to return to the main lobby."

He replied, "Roger that, sir."

The mission objectives had been completed. Now, we had to find a way to get out alive. Luck was on our side that there was an armored train below the building. The tunnel likely ran for miles beneath the hordes of Akira's soldiers. On the other end, I had no doubt that there was another means of transportation to somewhere safe.

I spoke into my com link, "Gentlemen, congratulations we are going to live through this. I have terminated the targets. I also located an armored train beneath the basement. Titan 1 and 4, get down here and operate the train. Foxtrot Team, move the wounded and equipment to the train. Wolf Pack, fall back to the train and provide protection for Foxtrot Team. Dark Signal will act as rear guard."

They replied, "Yes, sir."

My Brother and I exited the pad and returned to the basement. As I moved towards the exit to the first floor, Akira whispered, "My dollies! You killed my dollies! You're mean Father. I have no choice but to punish you. When you are bleeding out on the floor with me sitting on top of you...remember that you brought this on yourself. This hurts me more than it does you, Father."

I ignored her threats as I exited the basement. I made eye contact with Titan 1 and 4, then the Foxtrot Team, and then finally Wolf Pack as they passed us. I could not help but imagine myself being at Thermopylae; being one of the mighty Spartans as the other Greeks passed them as they went to the relative safety of the convoy leaving the area while my Spartan brethren and I returned to the front line in their place. If history was to repeat itself, then I was but a mere pawn in the game of history and time. I accepted my powerlessness to somehow magically avert what fate had in store for me. I remembered reading once that the Ancient Spartans were said to have been descendants of Hercules. Well, it was time to see if we lived up to that legacy.

Upon entering the main lobby, I was struck the scene of devastation. The walls were bullet ridden. Empty shell casings littered the floor like a carpet. The desk was shot to Hell. The upper balcony was almost unrecognizable; its marble railings were pencil thin from the rounds that the Hell soldiers had fired into it in an attempt to silence Bravo 2. The turrets were cocked sideways in their housings and could not fully ascend. However, I could see that they were M61 Vulcan Gatling Guns.

The powerful M61 Vulcan was a minigun on steroids. Typically mounted to aircraft as air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons, the M61 was infinitely more deadly than its smaller cousins. Instead of the 7.63mm round fired by the typical mingun that was popularized in movies, the M61 fired powerful 20mm cannon rounds. While the typical minigun fired its 7.63mm rounds at a rate of approximately three thousand rounds per minute, the M61 fired its 20mm cannon rounds at a rate of approximately six thousand rounds per minute.

Typically, the aircraft that carried the M61 did not actually carry enough ammunition on-board for a full minute of shooting due to the weight of the projectiles. However, according to the security system, the main entrance turrets were belt-fed and had enough ammunition for up to ten minutes of continuous firing. Due to the sheer weight of the weapon, I had to assume that the version used here were M61A2 Vulcans. The M61A2 was a modified version that was mounted in the F-22 Raptors. With thinner barrels and stripped of any unnecessary metal parts, the M61A2 weighted approximately two hundred pounds. The thinner barrels also allowed the increased fire rate of sixty thousand six hundred rounds per minute.

My com link activated. Titan 1 reported, "Commander, the train's transmission appears to be in need of repair. I have located the problem. I should have it repaired in approximately ten minutes."

I looked over at Alpha 1. We silently looked at each other for a moment. Then, he said, through our link, "Akira is after you, Brother. Not them."

My thoughts started racing. He was right. Akira was no longer interested in the building or its previous inhabitants. Without Alma, I was a mere mortal, a very strong and powerful mortal, but a mortal nonetheless. She had me cornered, and she knew it. Without me in their presence, she would likely ignore the other Spartans in the area.

Titan 1 asked, "Commander, do you copy?"

I replied, "Affirmative. Make the repairs and get out of here."

He said, "Yes, sir."

His image left my HUD and I looked at my team. Amara would need them. She would be an outstanding leader. I should have died in Fairport as I had been meant to. It was time for me to stop running. I could not save my mentor, but I could save my men. I said through our link, "Alpha 1..."

He interrupted me, "Negative, Brother. I am with you until the very end."

Foxtrot 813 joined in, "I owe you my life, Becket. I should have died in Fairport. I am the last remnant of the evil of Paxton Fettel. The world is better off without me. My death will erase the stain that man left on my brethren. I am with you until the end as well."

I felt a sense of happy sorrow in their refusal to leave my side. I lied to the rest of my team, "There's no way we can hold them off for ten minutes. Come on, let's fall back and reinforce Wolf Pack."

Except for Point Man and Juggernaut, they replied, "Yes, sir."

We left the main lobby and entered the basement. Delta 1 was just beyond the entrance to the escape train pad. Upon our approach, he reported, "Commander, we have the pad locked down. With your team, we should be able to hold them off long enough for Titan 1 and 4 to finish the repairs."

I nodded and motioned for my team to go ahead through the entrance. As they did, I removed the skull mask. Delta 1 looked at me and I casually remarked as I placed my HUD glasses back into position, "It gets hot wearing this thing." He nodded slightly. I looked at it for a moment before I sighed. Then, I said to Delta 1, "I need you to do something for me."

He replied, "Anything, sir."

I thrust the mask into his chest. As he reached up with his left hand, I said, "Give that to Amara. Tell her that she will know when she has earned that. And tell everyone else to make it count."

He grasped the mask, and, upon realizing what I had given him, he cried out in alarm, "Sir, no!"

He and the rest of my team rushed forward, but I used my access to the security system to close the false wall. The wall locked back into position. I deactivated my com link and adjusted my link to the other Replica Troopers to be a "one-way" type of connection. Then, I turned towards Alpha 1 and Foxtrot 813. They nodded in response. I turned and exited the basement. When we returned to the main lobby, the security door was beginning to bevel out and there were cracks in the marble walls surrounding it. Akira's soldiers would be compromising the main entrance once more within moments.

The building shook again. I noticed a crack form in the tiled surface of the floor. Foxtrot 813 had been right. Whatever was causing the shaking was likely seismic in origin and was causing the building foundation to shift. I put the observation at the back of my mind and focused on the coming horde.

After I placed the two proximity mines that I had brought beyond the door, we took cover behind the desk, or what little remained of the desk. The M60 was still in the center of the "U". When I examined it, I saw that it was down to its last box of ammunition. Alpha 1 manned it while Foxtrot and I trained our assault rifles on the main entrance. We waited. The seconds ticked by at a snail's rate. Periodic thuds could be heard as objects continued to strike the exterior of the security door.

As I watched, with each successive thud, the cracks in the marble surrounding the door grew and grew. In reality, it was only about a minute but to me, it felt like hours. Finally, with one final thud, the door and a large section of surrounding wall fell forward onto the ground. In eerie silence, the horde of hell spawn charged through the opening with five of them side by side with each layer. The first two layers, ten soldiers, were destroyed by my proximity mines. However, the explosions did not faze them as they continued to charge towards us in a single-minded manner.

I targeted the glowing eyes of their gas masks as I fired my Patten into them. There was so many of them that I could not keep track of how many I had dropped. Because they dissolved upon being slain, it looked like there was a constant cloud of ash in front of them. Alpha 1 fired the M60 in bursts to conserve ammunition. Its thumping as it fired was the only comforting sound amongst the whizzing of flying bullets and 7.8mm rounds being fired.

I ran out of ammunition and yelled, "Reloading!" As I reloaded my rifle, a burnt frag grenade landed between Foxtrot 813 and me. Foxtrot quickly grabbed the grenade and threw it back into the incoming waves of hell spawn. The grenade exploded and took out three whole layers of soldiers. I finished reloading my rifled and started firing again.

To conserve my ammunition, which was down to one hundred and fifty rounds or five clips, I maintained trigger discipline and only fired a single round per Hell soldier. I only needed one shot. Again and again, my rounds hit their mark in the humanoids' heads. Due to the close proximity of the soldiers, our rifle rounds were penetrating the front targets and exiting into the soldiers directly behind them. They were not gaining any ground on us, yet they continued their relentless bonsai charge. Luckily for us, Akira, like Alma, was tactically inept and was relying upon the nearly endless amount of soldiers at her disposal. Foxtrot yelled, "Reloading, cover me!"

I yelled back, "I got you!" I picked up the slack for Foxtrot while he finished reloading his Patten. I was struck by a 7.8mm round that penetrated through the side of the desk but my armor absorbed it while my armor bar decreased about a quarter. Still, I maintained focus and my trigger discipline. Meanwhile, I noticed that Alpha 1 had been struck by several rounds but they simply ricocheted off his heavy armor. Unfazed, my Brother continued his controlled, meticulous firing of the M60.

Foxtrot finished reloading and I yelled, "Reloading, cover me!"

Foxtrot yelled back, "I got you!"

As I reloaded my Patten, I noticed that its barrel was glowing with a dull crimson color. The PK470's ruggedness was legendary so I did not worry. After I finished reloading my rifle, I firmly whacked the side of the scope with the palm of my left hand. As I started to fire, Foxtrot yelled, "Hey Becket, I've been meaning to ask, why do you whack the side of your rifle's scope?"

I smiled slightly before I yelled back, "For good luck!"

Alpha 1 yelled, "No offense Brother, but that is really stupid!"

I heard Foxtrot laugh in agreement. As I continued to aim down my rifle's scope, I yelled, "How about both of you kiss my ass?" Moments later, I saw Foxtrot 813 get hit in his chest, but his armor absorbed it. We continued to fire our weapons. Again and again, I dropped the hell spawn with a single round but their sheer numbers were eating through my ammunition.

Suddenly, Alpha 1 yelled, "I'm out!" He released his grip on the M60 and switched to his Vollmer Ultra92 Automatic Shotgun. The absence of the M60 allowed Akira's soldiers to gain slightly more ground, but they had still yet to reach the turrets. However, that day, the Ultra92 proved its worth.

As the hell spawn charged towards us, the shotgun's tight shot spread cut them down two or three soldiers at a time. I would even go so far as to say that it was even more deadly than the M60. The only times that they gained any ground was when Alpha 1 had to reload his shotgun. When he did, Foxtrot and I kept them back with our PK470s.

The building shook again, this time more violently. The crack in the floor spread to the walls. The building was settling as if the ground beneath it was turning into a sinkhole. Shortly afterwards, Foxtrot yelled, "I'm out of ammo. Becket, you got any spare clips?"

I quickly retrieved my fifth clip with my left hand and tossed it to Foxtrot as I yelled, "Make it count!"

While I was turning my head to look back towards the compromised main entrance, Alpha 1 yelled, "Brother, we've got a problem!"

I looked up to see a large brute similar to the large creature that we had encountered in the Armacham Headquarters in South America. It was wearing a burnt bomb disposal suit that made a stretching noise every time the creature moved. While Foxtrot 813 was reloading, Alpha 1 and I concentrated fire on the brute. Our rounds ripped into its armored hide but failed to stop its advance. Suddenly, it raised a charcoal black Andra SR5 Missile Launcher.

I yelled, "Look out!" We jumped over the sides of the desk just in time to avoid the warhead. The missile annihilated the desk in a cloud of fire and flying wooden splinters. As he slid along the tiled floor on his right side, Alpha 1 retrieved his own Andra SR5 Missile Launcher and fired a response. His missile screamed through the air and hit home directly in the creature's head. The brute dissolved in a large cloud of burning ash.

As I started to get to my feet, the rubble piles that blocked the other hallways exploded. Akira's soldiers began to charge through the new openings. Meanwhile, I saw Akira herself manifest at the beginning of the hallway that went to the basement. She smirked at me before dissolving into a cloud of ash. As she did, a black vortex opened up behind her. More waves of her soldiers began to charge out of the vortex. We had been cut off from escape.

I felt cold as I realized that I had judged Akira's abilities incorrectly. She had purposely waited for us to eat through our ammunition and then sprung her trap. Without the cover of the desk, being completely cut off from escape, and now surrounded on all sides, we were not going to last very long. History had indeed repeated itself. Now, all that was left was for the Spartans to make their final stand.

The three of us quickly regrouped in the center of the room and stood back-to-back. Alpha 1 took the enemies coming through the compromised main entrance, which was still where the majority of the enemies were coming from. Foxtrot took the hell spawn coming from the hallway with the vortex and the ones coming from the rear hallway. I took the soldiers coming from the other hallway and the rear. As we fired our weapons at the soldiers, I yelled, "It's been an honor, gentlemen!"

Alpha 1 yelled in response, "Hooah!"

Foxtrot 813 and I yelled back, "Hooah!"

I activated my reflexes and continued to drop the incoming soldiers with a single round to the head. Even with my reflexes, it was too much. I could see the walls of lead flying at me. Within seconds, my armor bar had been depleted and their rounds tore into my flesh. My "slow-mo" meter ran out and I was left with only my normal movement speed. My vision became red but I use a medkit to refill my health bar. Refusing to yield, I continued to maintain discipline and to drop the incoming soldiers with a single round.

Alpha 1's Vollmer clicked. He let out a loud roar that shook the entire room, caused my ears to ring, and even caused the soldiers to halt momentarily out of fear. Then, he threw his empty shotgun to the ground. Afterwards, he calmly walked over to the nearest jammed turret. Ignoring the rounds ricocheted off his armor, he forced the turret all the way out of the hole in the floor. As I watched in utter amazement, he ripped the M61A2 out of its turret housing. He ripped the electronic mechanism that was over the Gatling gun's controls off, causing a cloud of sparks to fly. Then, he gripped the M61A2's controls with his right hand and reach up and grabbed a piece of the turret housing that was still attached around the middle of the massive weapon, that was bigger than he was, with his left hand.

Moments later, all Hell broke loose as he fired the M61A2 at the hell spawn. The 20mm rounds did not mow down the soldiers, they annihilated them. Creating enormous clouds of ash, Alpha 1 beat them back. Meanwhile, I loaded my last clip into my PK470. Foxtrot 813 discarded his Patten and drew his Seegert sidearm. He activated his reflexes as he began to fire his pistol. I activated my reflexes and began to fire my final thirty rounds.

Even with the cover of the M61A2, the hordes of enemy soldiers was overwhelming. Rounds continued to rip into my body. I used my second medkit to refill my health bar. Gritting my teeth as I fought to maintain focus, I used my reflexes to drop thirty soldiers with headshots. Even with my reflexes, their rounds had nearly depleted my health bar once again. I used my final medkit to replenish my health bar.

The building shook again, this time very violently. The crack running in a line along the walls and floor widened greatly. Foxtrot's sidearm clicked and his reflexes returned to normal. One of the soldiers came close. Foxtrot discarded the spent pistol. As the enemy tried to bayonet Foxtrot, the Replica Trooper high kicked him in the face. As the enemy staggered backwards, Foxtrot ripped off his helmet to reveal the face of Paxton Fettel and rushed forward. He bashed the hell spawn across the face. The soldier fell to the ground. Foxtrot pounced on him and held his helmet like a large rock in his right hand as he beat the hell spawn to death with it.

Then, he stood and left his ash covered and dented helmet on the ground. As his body was enveloped by a red aura, he let out a long-winded maniacal laugh that was the mirror image of the one that Paxton had been known for. Shortly afterwards, he began to send waves of psychic blasts to reduce the incoming waves of soldiers to ash as he continued to laugh in Paxton's evil manner. I could not help but smirk as I saw this. I knew that it was still Foxtrot 813 but some of Fettel's personality must have been imprinted in him while the Second Origin Prototype had been possessing him.

I threw my spent PK470 to the ground. Then, I drew my .44 magnum from its holster. As a red aura enveloped my body, I yelled with my demonic voice so loudly that I killed several of the hell spawn, "I'LL KILL YOU! ALL OF YOU!" Then, firing my magnum with my right hand and sending psychic blasts with the other, I beat back the enemy soldiers. When my revolver ran dry, a red aura enveloped it and I used it to fire super concentrated psychic blasts.

Having been firing the M61A2 the entire time, Alpha 1 said through our bond so I could hear him, "Michael, The Hammer!" I looked down at his right leg and saw the .50 caliber revolver that had once been Paxton Fettel's personal sidearm in its holster. I quickly retrieved it with my left hand. Then, dual wielding with The Hammer in my left hand and my .44 magnum revolver in my right hand, I made my stand like something out of those old western cowboy movies.

Despite our second wind, we were still being overwhelmed. There were just too many of them. They just would not stop charging at us. They were fucking everywhere. It was like the building itself was manifesting them or something. Even still, we held off all of Hell's denizens turned Hell soldiers for another two minutes. Each of us must have slain at least a thousand of them during that time.

Suddenly, one of those brutes appeared before Foxtrot. His fatigue showed and before he could annihilate the brute with a blast, the creature fired his missile launcher. The warhead struck Foxtrot square in the chest. The Replica Trooper howled in agony as he fell onto the ground beside Alpha 1 and me. I yelled in unimaginable anger, "FOXTROT!" Then, I fired The Hammer and my magnum simultaneously into the brute's head. It dissolved into a cloud of ash.

I looked down to see Foxtrot covered with soot and coughing up blood. He weakly pointed behind me and said, "S-si-sir...lo...o-ou-out." I swiveled around just in time to be impaled in the chest by a hell soldier's bayoneted PK470. My health bar shot down to nearly empty. Red shrouded my vision as I sent out a shockwave of psychic energy that annihilated all of the nearby hell soldiers. I swayed slight as I fought to remain standing. I could hear my own shallow breathing and laboring heartbeats as my body fought to remain alive.

I heard Alpha 1 roar so loudly that it once again shook the room and even shattered the crimson lenses of the Hell soldiers' gas masks, "MICHAEL!" He appeared at my side and began sweeping the barrels of the M61A2 back and forth in wide arcs like someone operating a yard trimmer with a string trimming head at the end. However, even the deadly M61A2 could not push back the tide. Two more brutes appeared and before he could swing the barrels back in their direction, they fired two missiles. The warheads stuck him and he let out a loud grunt as he fell to the ground. Meanwhile, the M61A2 flew from his grasp and hit the ground about a foot away.

Seconds later, I felt a 7.8mm round pierce the left side of my chest inches from my heart. I collapsed onto my knees and dropped the two revolvers. I felt like I was drowning with a distinct taste of iron in my mouth. I hacked up blood when I tried to breathe. I saw the soldiers surrounding me. I let out a demonic roar that annihilated all the soldiers in the room. However, the cloud of ash had not even settled when the same amount of soldiers had once again surrounded us. They fired rounds into my body but I let out another demonic roar, though this one was less powerful and only killed the half of the soldiers that were closest to us.

Again, the ash had not even settled when the soldiers had replenished their numbers. More rounds ripped into my body. However, I continued to remain defiant and let out another demonic roar, but this one was more of a whimper and only killed the soldiers that were very close to us. Before I could try again, one final round struck me in the chest and I collapsed onto my back.

I managed to laugh painfully when I realized that we had fallen in the same spots that we had been when we were standing back-to-back. I taunted my brothers, "I killed more than you pussies."

Foxtrot replied, "B-bl-blow...m-me..."

Alpha 1 replied, "Li-like...H-Hell...y-you...d-did. Yo-You...not...see...me w-with...minigun?"

I laughed painfully before I replied, "That was pretty damn sweet bro. I give you props for that one. Die like a boss..."

Foxtrot commented, "H-hell y-yeah!"

Within seconds, there was a gun barrel in my face. I stared the hell spawn down as I waited from him to pull the trigger. I whispered, "Amara...please...forgive your Father. He loves you."

Suddenly, a voice said sternly, "Enough!"

The barrel left my face and I heard the soldiers retreat a few steps back. I managed to lift myself up enough with my elbows and back to see Akira walking towards us as the soldiers parted for her to walk between them. She stopped and picked up Foxtrot's discarded helmet. She walked over to him and placed it next to him as she said with a sweet voice, "Foxtrot 813...I think your helmet suits you better than the face of my homicidal Brother. You are stronger than him...yes...you will make a wonderful dolly."

He spat, "Go...to...Hell."

She giggled before she leaned down and kissed him on his right cheek. Then, she walked towards me. She taunted, "I told you that you have only yourself to blame Father."

Before she could reach me, Alpha 1 spat, "Don't touch him! I'll break your neck if you do!"

She smiled brightly and rushed over to him. As she kneeled over him, she said, "Uncle, I am so glad you are alive! I have never cried so hard when I saw you die earlier."

He pushed her away with his right arm as he replied, "I'm not your Uncle you abomination!"

She smirked and then straddled his waist. She said with a whisper, "Ah...the mighty Alpha 1...a fighter until the end." Then, she taunted, "It's just not your day is it dear Uncle?"

She grasped his right wrist and then slowly dragged his right hand along the contours of her small frame as she said, "I can make your day better." I heard him dry heave in response. She lowered his hand back down to the ground as she pouted. When she had lowered his hand back down, she stood as she commented, "A prude just like dear Father. No matter, you will both learn to love me."

I inched my bloody right hand towards my magnum. However, suddenly, Akira was straddling me with her knees on top of my hands. She reached up and removed my HUD glasses. As she tossed them aside, she said, "No more of that Father. It is over. I won...you're mine now."

I replied, "Ne-never..."

She taunted, "Sergeant Becket...Medal of Honor recipient for the incident in South America prior to being transferred to Dark Signal ..."

I interrupted, "I turned it down. I mailed it back to the President. Those medals are for heroes."

She ignored me and continued, "Outstanding in all Harbinger Categories...Paragon Scores third only to Paxton Fettel and Alma Wade...Commander of the Spartans...and my future husband."

I laughed in her face before I said firmly, "Never."

She smirked in an ominous manner. Then, to my horror, she started to lean in to kiss me. I tried to move, but my body was too badly beaten to respond. Just as her lips were inches from mine, the building shook one final time. Akira suddenly retracted from my body and stood. She looked up towards the ceiling with a look of bewilderment on her face.

The building continued to shake and seconds later, the crack in the floor and walls widened even more. Red mist began to flow up out of the crack in the floor section. Moments after that, the section of the building on the other side of the crack, we were on the side that included the main entrance, began to rise up above our section.

Akira suddenly shrieked as if someone had burned her. She vanished in a cloud of ash. Before anyone could react, the other section of the building tore away from the one that we were on and sank into a sinkhole that had been opened up. I smiled despite the pain it caused me. Then, I whispered in a happy tone, "Al-Alma."

My vision began to fade as my injuries and fatigue took their toll. I saw my love manifest before us and then kneel over me. I reached up with my bloody right hand to cup the side of her face but I did not have the strength to keep my hand there. She grasped my wrist and held my hand against her right cheek. She said with a soothing voice, "I'm here Michael. I'm so sorry..."

I interrupted, "The others..."

She interrupted with an assuring tone, "I took care of them already. They are in Fairport, Michael."

I begged, "I just want to go home."

She nodded and I could make out a slight smile. My vision failed and I was left in darkness. However, I felt her transporting us all home. We were finally going home. With my mission complete, I submitted to my ordeal and passed out.