2065
Specialist HQ
"What are the boundaries of these capabilities" Anthony asked her.
"We don't know anything else other than that they are more resistant than the average human body." She said as he stepped away from his seat, his back turned.
"What is it that your not telling me?" He mumbled. There was silence for a moment. "Say it!" He turned on his heel and lifted her by the collar of her blazer. "You knew..." his tone returned to a whisper. "Didn't you."
"I needed to know. You are this world's last chance." She spoke carefully, still holding her composure.
"What else are you lying to me about?!" He slammed her against the wall.
"I have been nothing but honest with you. We are all that you have left. And we realize that you could leave us in an instant if you really chose to. I would not jeopardize your trust with lies. I'm not stupid like your other friends were."
"They weren't my friends."
"But we can be."
"Why shouldn't I just kill you now..? You want to use me, just like they did."
"You could. But then you would be left with a major problem on your hands. You, alone in a slow dying world with no clue as to how to fix it while everyone around you slowly decays away, until it eventually reaches yourself. The only reason this place has held out so long is because the hunt for your chamber had given us hope. It has given me hope, Commander. Thats why I have prepared a mission for you and the others."
"And what is that?"
"Come and see." Her feet returned back to the ground. She straightened her jacket and led him into down the hall where she put in her hand print. The door slid open revealing a massive lab. It stood to what seem many feet tall, almost like a hangar bay. They walked past the scientists at work.
"Ever since the outbreak, they've been short staffed. These men and women have been working day and night trying to create this." She said, leading him to a metal chamber atop a stage. It looked almost like a life size test tube.
"Mason... what is this?" He asked, skeptical of his surroundings.
"A portal."
"You mean like time traveling?!" He scoffed.
"Yes and no. This allows a group to hop not only back and forth throughout their own time but also into timelines of other Earths."
"Another... Earth." He mumbled.
"Yes." She responded.
"So why wouldn't you just settle for the normal, stereotypical time travel? Why did you wake up one morning and decide you wanted to cross into different universes and time periods?"
"If we only traveled throughout our time... in case our own time lacked what we needed."
"So who's all been through there?" He stood, observing the workers put together what seemed like its final touches. "Mason?"
"Nobody."
"And you want me and the others to travel through it, don't you?" He sighed.
"Yes."
"I knew there was something else."
"We just don't have time or the resources to spend on trials."
"Where all would we travel?"
"The most pivotal places in time. The second world war, the first cold war-"
"My time.." he cut her off. She could see his mind wandering behind his face.
"Don't be afraid of them. These people aren't going to be exactly how they were in this timeline. Plus we don't have a reason to see them all. Just get what they have and get out."
"What would happen if someone got left behind?"
"In their timeline?"
"Yes."
"Then they would then occupy that new universe and timeline. But we have chips inside everyone's armor to insure that you would all travel together. So what do you say, Petrov?"
"Fine." He agreed.
"We'll gather the others."
Specialist Briefing Room
2065
Samantha explained to the team exactly what she had told Anthony. They were soldiers. And soldiers were born to be called into duty. "We've been tracking the numbers. They're spreading faster each day, its only a matter of a few days before they start closing in around our walls."
"You saved us Mason." Ruin spoke up, referring to the incident years prior to the outbreak. "I'd lead this team to the ends of the Earth if thats what it took."
"Glad to hear." She nodded.
"Wheres our first stop?" Firebreak asked.
"Stalingrad 1943. Theres a particular someone that I feel will be a great addition to the team. She pressed a button on the circular table a holo image of a woman appeared. Lieutenant Polina Petrova, of the second world war. You must be careful when approaching her especially on her home turf. mission. You must chose your words carefully, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure every last Nazi burns."
Anthony shook his head. "No. There has to be somebody else we can go to."
"There isn't."
"Why.. not?" He gritted his teeth.
"Because the math of these scenarios has already been done. Every person already selected has been selected for a reason."
"Once you have her in your possession contact me. The workers in the lab will show you how to do that along with everything else you'll need to know. This mission will only require three members. Commander Petrov will lead this op, Castillo and Reaper you both will tag along for backup. The rest of you will be with me at the control panels. Once their mission is complete I'll send the rest of you to meet up at the next destination."
"Are we going to have any suits?" Outrider asked.
"A small chip. It will cloak you with armor and clothing of whatever time period you step into to help you blend in. You'll also be able to change it manually with your cyber core if you desire. On your wrist will be a timer of how long you have before you will be shot into the next destination. You will be traveling back through our own time, so events will play out as they have been recorded. Any questions?"
The specialists shook their heads.
"Good. Lets get to work."
A group of Mason's workers planted their chips on the inside of their forearms. "Heres your watch." One of the men strapped it around Anthony's wrist. "Regardless of where you are, you'll be brought to your next destination. Theres no pausing time so whatever you do, do it with haste."
"How long do we have?"
"A day and a half. More than enough."
"And how long is that here?"
"An hour and a half." The man could see Anthony's face grow pale. "Don't worry. You have a better chance at survival than they do."
"How did you-"
"It was a need to know basis. Your secrets safe with me Commander." He lowered his tone.
"Clear the pad." Samantha came over the loud intercom. The three stood side by side in the tube as it sealed air tight shut.
"Don't worry Commander." Reaper read the man's emotions on his face and reached for his hand.
"Why.. are you holding my hand, bot?" Anthony looked to his right at the machine, giving him a look of confusion.
"It is a small part of my programming that Prophet had installed during our time surviving together, before Samantha found and saved us. It was programmed under the tab, friendship."
"Well we aren't friends yet, Reaper." Anthony snatched his hand away, returning back to his own mind to calm himself.
"Launching in 10"
"9"
"8"
He wondered what he is supposed to say to her. He doesn't even remember her, much less know about her. He had heard his parents discuss her name on a few rare occasions. Most of the time her name was always associated with his mother's side of the family and his own anger issues. Funny how those "issues" helped him survive his darkest days. His parents, well really his father, whenever he felt like being around, always scolded him for losing his temper. His father found his blind rage to be an act of stupidity. If he didn't have it then his life would have ended way back on the air plane strip in Turkey.
"4"
"Black Ops," Samantha voiced over comms alongside the count down. "We know you won't fail us."
"3"
"2"
"Well thats certainly encouraging." Anthony quipped.
"1"
A beam shone down on the three of them, encapsulating their entire bodies. He felt lighter than a feather. He felt himself falling as the blinding light took him. Suddenly his companions were no longer visibly beside him. He called out for Reaper but his voice became an echo that didn't return.
Stalingrad
1943
Earth: Home
He opened his eyes to feel a brush of cold air rush onto his face. He sat up. Snow. Run down buildings. Barricades off in the distance. Stalingrad.
"This looks like the place." He spoke. There was a sudden drop in his stomach. He felt ill. He sank down on his hands and knees as easily as he had stood up seconds prior. After vomiting, he stood back up and walked his way towards Stalingrad.
"Outrider, you there? Come in. This is Commander Petrov, come in." He paused for a moment to hear no response. "Reaper, come in. Reaper are you there?"
"...-Petrov.." The signal was weak.
"Mason?" He asked.
"Yes."She replied, her signal becoming stronger. "We've lost contact with the others. The readings shows their still alive but they must have damaged their comms in the landing. Speaking of which how did yours happen?"
"I don't know. I remember going in the tube and feeling the beams hit us. After that I woke up here."
"Interesting. Your vitals appear to be normal, so thats good."
"Were they not supposed to be?"
"Well there was a possibility that you could have suffered from ruptured organs and internal bleeding."
"And you didn't mention that because." He wanted her to finish his sentence.
"Because we had faith that you would survive."
"Right." He rolled his eyes. "Well I'm currently walking towards the site. I'll contact you again once I've found her and if I find the others."
"Copy."
He felt his holster to find he had his Redeemer on him. "Glad at least you made the trip." He patted his trusty weapon. He wandered until he stumbled into the trenches. He looked between pieces of barbed wire to get a better look at what he was seeing. His DNI enhanced his sight, making binoculars pointless. He watched the Germans guarding their acquired grounds. Suddenly a man came into view, one with a trench coat as be saluted to another man. Both dawned coats and hats.
"Nazi-" he didn't have time to finish his sentence before he felt a sharp pain in his side. Then another and another. A hand covered his mouth as his attacker caught his body, leaning him against the cold snowy walls of the trenches.
"Nazi scum!" The woman spat.
"Polina." Another man called out behind her. The brother he thought to himself.
"In a minute." She said, inching her knife closer to Anthony's neck.
"Polina you want to see this."
"I said-" she grew frustrated.
"Its Steiner!" He grabbed her attention. He handed over the binoculars.
"What..." Anthony felt his wounds on his side, his hand stained red. His face growing pale and feeling lightheaded. He looked down at his clothes to see that he was dawning German soldier attire. Shit.
"And who is this?" The man wandered over, towering over a wounded Anthony.
"I'm not here to hurt you." He said weakly.
"Well not anymore." He quipped.
"Misha, who is that other man?" Polina asked.
"Which one?" He returned by her side.
"That one." She handed the binoculars back over to him.
"Ah. I don't recognize him he-"
"Sniper!" She shouted tackling her brother to the ground. He cried out in pain.
Anthony watched as he regained himself once more. His color returned and the bleeding stopped. "Dyadya..." he mumbled to himself as he watched Polina apply pressure to Misha's sniper wound.