November 10th, 2038
PM 01:31:04
"Because of his age and his cunning, because of his gripe and his paw,
In all that the law leaveth open, the word of the head wolf is law."
The command truck's cabin had little to offer in ways of comfort.
Its engines ravaged the inside, and small distortions of human life interrupted the trance.
Chris sniffed behind his helmet and cracked his neck. Grenier rolled his plated shoulders. Sage typed away on her wrist computer, leg swung up on an empty seat with her back propped up on Akane's side. She chewed gum and popped it, earning her an irritated look from her psychopath-for-a-pillow.
"You."
Your head snapped, finding the silent assassin watching you with a cat-like stare.
"Me?"
"Yes." She tilted her head, "I have a question."
Akane switched legs, balancing one on her knee and landing her boot on the floor.
"What are you hiding that Commander Martello had you travel with us rather than the other DPD fodder?"
Your neck snaked back, squinting at her in disgust.
"That's an interesting question coming from someone who's background is classified." You fired, "And we are not, 'fodder.'"
Tension built between the two of you before you finally broke and turned away.
"Ignore her." Sage yawned, looking at her nails, "She's rough around the edges, but she means well."
Akane jostled her shoulder, and a grunt came from the woman leaning on it.
You had your shield balanced between your knees, pinned between your boots; massaging your hands along the curved edges of the cutouts. You only stopped to unhook the helmet from your waist, watching it hesitantly in all its obsidian glory.
Anything would be better than feeding into Akane's instigating bullshit, the mechanical innerworkings of the loud truck, or the blaring sirens attached to it.
You wished Connor was there to settle you down; to put his hands on the side of your face and still your internal turmoil like he always did. You hoped he was safe. Hoped you were safe, wondering what waited for you when Perkins finished uprooting your life.
Nope.
"Can't think about it."
You pushed the helmet down to your shoulders, and the cabin wiped away. It still smelled like the manufacturing plant – of silicon, and carbon fiber. Your shuddering breath bounced back at you in the darkness.
And then the cabin came back as fragments of a digital imagination.
Your vision was framed in a blue, opaque outline of the visor. Numbers and letters scrolled at each corner as if you'd plugged yourself into a surveillance camera, spying on dimensions and data.
NEW USER FOUND
The alert flickered and chirped in the upper-left hand corner, followed by your identification, various GPS locations, your vitals-
[Protocol 1: Link to Specialist]
Yellow text floated on your HUD with a black backdrop as the automated program continued.
Establishing Neural Link…
A pinch formed in your mind. The pain shot from the left side of your brain to the other, and put you in a daze. Your arms clenched, your hands furled and unfurled.
Neural Link: Established.
Officer ID#5649 – you are now confirmed as Acting Specialist of MILITIA Unit 32-8.
Your thoughts were no longer your own. You felt another presence lingering in the deepest corners of your consciousness.
[Protocol 2: Uphold the Mission]
Your orders are to resume Operation: Para Bellum – Rendezvous with Captain Allen and control the riot situation in Grand Circus Park.
The helmet was its own system, syncing itself with its environment and the body it crowned. Lines formed the frames of every angle, breaking them down into known material. Everything was rearranged in reports and scans; calculated and analyzed, measured and weighed.
A guilty ounce of amazement galvanized you.
It was like you were seeing the world through an android's eyes for the first time.
[Protocol 3: Protect the Specialist]
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION…
BIOS 7.8 REVISION 0358
LOADING OS…100%
Loading Ocular Hub…
A/V Visuals: ONLINE
Initializing Vitals Scrub…
Results posted to DPD Medical Archives.
Loading Helmet Regulation Configuration…
Temperature control…ONLINE
Pressure control…..ONLINE
Air filter….ONLINE
Loading Laser Aiming Module (LAM)…100%
Smart Pistol MK6 Detected.
Pairing…
Pairing…
Pairing Complete.
Acquiring List of Hostile Targets…
Accessing CyberLife Data Archives…
Comparing results to DPD List of Acquirable Hostiles…
LAM Set-Up Complete.
MILITIA LED-Status Screen Set-Up…Complete.
MILITIA Mesh Network…100%
Patching in to Unit 32 Designated [MARAUDERS] Comm Line…
System Initialization: Complete.
All Essential Functions: Re-established.
All Nonessential Functions: Re-established.
Transferring Controls to Neural Link in 3…
2…
1…
MARK.
Reality imploded, solidifying your senses from the fluid horror of having them being ripped away.
CMILLER: "Hey, you alright?"
Chris's name floated on your HUD, his voice coming in disconnected waves.
LLASTIMOSA: "Easy, easy…She'll be alright."
LMILLER: "Hit hardest the first time, eh?"
CMILLER: "Not funny."
LMILLER: "Wasn't jokin.'"
CMILLER: "Don't you have a bird to land?"
LLASTIMOSA: "I'm not the one flyin' this damn thing. That was your job, if you recall-
CMILLER: "Anyway…Hey, wake up-"
He tapped the side of your helmet, and you blinked yourself awake. You were on your back, and when you went to rub your head, your hand slapped against your visor; the one you hadn't even realized was still lowered.
Each crystal-cut diamond had melded together and refocused into a seamless depiction of the world outside…minus the floating words, numbers, and meters.
JCOOPER: "She alright?"
LLASTIMOSA: "Yeah, Coop."
Liera turned to you.
LLASTIMOSA: "She's good."
She tapped the side of her helmet, and her visor popped open, "On your feet."
A hard tug jerked your forearm, pulling you upright. You stumbled in place, caught by the woman with a metal arm.
"Shake it off, soldier." She left you to stand by yourself, forcing you to catch your balance or fall, "You'll be fine."
The truck slammed on its brakes, and a shout came from the cockpit up front.
Liera grabbed a handle dangling from the ceiling, and you fell backwards on the bench.
"You're a shit driver, Jack-" She yelled, marching up the aisle as her boots let off heavy clanks on the metal, "Watch what you're doing!"
"FUCK!" Jack hit a pothole, and the truck rocked back and forth before coming to a halt.
SBRIGGS: "Credentials, please."
JCOOPER: "How's it goin' Sarah?"
SBRIGGS: "Was goin' good until I saw Big Red tearing up the streets…Those protesters are gonna shit themselves."
"We always arrive in a rather cavalier fashion, do we not?" Sage grinned.
Akane huffed, "Against all odds, we always find a way…"
"A way to another checkpoint…" Sage swung her feet around, sitting upright, "Aren't we there yet?"
"Don't start that shit again…" Grenier had Widget in his lap with a service panel cracked open, small tools in his hands, "We'll get there when we get there."
She grabbed him by the ear, yanking him to the side. He dropped a screwdriver in order to catch his robot friend from sliding off his lap.
"OW-WHY-"
"Knock it off. We're pulling in." Liera returned from up front, grabbing the handle closest to the deployment hatch, "Get your asses ready."
You tried to still your flipping stomach. Stumbled in place behind her, swaying on your feet with Chris at your back.
"Hey," He whispered, "Relax. All you gotta do is stand there with a shield and yell at people."
The heads in the cabin turned, their distinctive laughs coming through.
You tried not to be embarrassed, but it didn't work.
JCOOPER: "Popping the hatch."
A squiggling line accompanied a live feed of his eyes, and faded away when his message was finished.
LLASTIMOSA: "Rodger that."
Her intense stare replaced his.
LLASTIMOSA: "This is Specialist Lastimosa to all active units, Unit 32 is on site."
CENTRAL: "Copy that, you are cleared to deploy. Marking rendezvous location."
An orange marker flashed on your screen. The truck came to a stop, gears cranking in place as it parked. The scalding-hot hiss of the unlocking missile-proof door had your heartbeat on a rampage.
"Alright, Marauders. It's showtime." Liera pulled a lever, and light bled in the dark space, "Let them see your pretty faces."
…
It should've been cold. It shouldn't have been quiet.
When the sunburst from the opened hatch first exploded in your visor…
It shouldn't have given you such clarity.
But when it faded, and the ominous scene pulled itself back from sensory overload…
Being boots on the ground never felt more real.
The unified trampling of the earth under synchronized pairs of boots. The rattling of a shield, riot gear – zippers and straps from the armored stampede. The light sprinkle of snow that was swept away by wind before it could land. The chirps of police sirens coming from all corners of Detroit. The smell of despair and rage that had the hairs on your neck sharpen.
Liera raised a fist, not looking behind her.
LLASTIMOSA: "Hold position."
The line stopped in an instant, and you followed suit.
LLASTIMOSA: "Unit 32 on standby."
You took in a deep breath. Let it out, and creased your brow as defoggers kicked into overdrive to clear your frosted visor. Shuddered as the cold arms of winter hugged you over your thick sweater and padded armor.
Your helmet leveled with the battlefield, swaying back and forth on a weighed-down neck.
Civilians lined the sidewalks, kept at bay by officers in standard-issued uniforms using their bodies as barricades. One person tried to break through, and a man in a leather coat shoved them back in place.
"HEY!" Gavin barked, "What the fuck did I just say?"
The man swung, knuckles meeting Gavin's chin before the Detective kicked him in the shin and pushed him back. An armored handler let his riot-gear-bound canine off its leash, hulking in size; shoulders at his knees, even on all fours. The barks were loud, growling, menacing.
Its dark fur and sapphire eyes shifted into a blur as it tackled Gavin's opponent, wrestling it to the ground before the handler pulled it off.
But the rest of the dispute was drowned out by infernal chants draining through the microphones attached to your helmet.
"NO! MORE! ANDROIDS!" Said the mob facing two directions – one towards the line of militarized, mounted horses that the trucks parked behind; the other raging against the androids that shouted back.
"WE! ARE! PEOPLE!" Said the collective that remained calm, fists pumping in unison while each body stood perfectly still.
No, it wasn't the androids that had resorted to rioting – bandanas around their mouths and sunglasses to hide their eyes while they threw full water bottles at the saddle-bound officers.
It was the humans, and they'd lost their humanity.
But you'd also taken on a faceless identity to ensure the safety of the ones who held the blade of anarchy to their own wrists.
And still, no amount of MILITIA gear could protect you against fear.
It had your pulse matching the clicking hooves of a marching charger.
Solid black in color. Blue eyes glowing behind a clear, high-impact visor with the rest of the mask strapped along its snout. A bulletproof, full-body blanket labeled "POLICE" lined it's back underneath the saddle. Knobby leg guards protected its front and back knees, held secure even as it paced behind a row of horses smaller in size.
LLASTIMOSA: "That's Captain Allen."
CMILLER: "How do you know?"
LLASTIMOSA: "They always give Command the biggest horse so they get the best view."
Steam pushed through its nostrils, whether it was exhaust or breath – that didn't take away from the pure strength held by each crunch of snow under the beast. Those nightmarish bulbs for eyes almost gleamed as a loudspeaker screeched overhead, the horse's ears twitching and mane tossing in protest.
"You are ILLEGALLY, ASSEMBLED!"
Captain Allen pulled the reigns, turning around to walk the stretch again.
"You are to disperse immediately, or you WILL be SUBJECT TO ARREST!"
It didn't seem to do much except stir the hornet's nest.
Thundering claps had loose debris and dirt pluming off in different directions as a helicopter spun its tail around like it pulled an emergency brake.
LMILLER: "Snipers in position."
An armed soldier, who you guessed was Liam, gave your team a thumbs up with his feet dangling from the opened side panel.
You winced at the bad memories helicopter blades, command trucks, and blaring sirens brought back.
Captain Allen looked over his shoulder.
[CPT] DALLEN: "Glad you made it, Marauders. Took you long enough."
LLASTIMOSA: "What's the situation, Captain?"
He turned his horse, bucking with its front legs in a backpedal. He reached down to pat its neck, calming it as he slid off and landed on the street with a loud "clank."
He removed his helmet, clipping it to his belt as he walked through the steam billowing from a manhole.
"Follow me."
…
Different types of operators sat at multiple screens, all watching feeds from surveillance cameras jutting from the top of the monstrous truck. A larger monitor dropped from the ceiling at Captain Allen's touch, and he painted a red square along the gridded blueprint of the city with his finger.
"We've set a perimeter around the park, leaving these alleyways open for criminal disengagement." He made red X's, and switched the color on a touch-responsive palette to blue, "This is where we are – Central Command," He circled the truck, surrounded by others that formed a u-shape around the riot, "Our vehicles are the barricade that prevent progression downtown. The mounted officers pushed them back to the best of their ability, but the rioters are getting restless…"
He switched to yellow, and drew lines running along the side of the plaza, "Civilian bystanders, including the media, are being held to each curb by DPD's Android K-9 unit in conjunction with a heavy police presence."
"Looks like everything is under control." Mayumi kicked off the wall, uncrossing her arms, "What do you need us to do?"
"The androids at the northern end have been cooperative…almost too cooperative. Even though we have the rioters walled of on the south end, they're divided. Half of them are pissed at us, the other half are still trying to engage the other side. They're out for blood, and the androids have just enough to feed them."
He drew a line between the two factions waging different wars.
"Our first move will be a cavalry push from the flanks, widening no man's land…" He gave you a blank stare, "Otherwise known as the 'gap between mobs.'"
You smiled in appreciation.
"Once they're contained, your teams will suppress the rioters by simultaneous insertion; one squad entering from the east end, the other through the west. You will form a wall and push them towards the mounted-officer line, channeling the derelicts through these back streets."
Then he drew arrows pointing out towards the alleyways he'd previously marked.
"They'll hit the perimeter at the end of these corridors and be funneled out the other side. Our checkpoints will prevent the crowd from slipping behind us, or the androids. After that, we will disperse them in whatever capacity we need to."
"And the civilian bystanders?" Grenier asked.
"They'll be evacuated once the corridors are secure."
Talon cocked her head, "You aren't worried they'll get mixed in the shuffle?"
"As far as I'm concerned, they're no more innocent than the mob of assholes chucking whatever they can find at my team." His brows dug in a hard crevice, "If they get gassed? Well, they should've listened to me the first 30 times I told them to get the fuck out of here."
"Not so sure Command would agree, but I'm not the one in charge, either..." Jack tapped Widget on his wing, grinning as the scrutinizing bulb of the drone's eye lit his face up, "You gonna give us a good aerial feed, little guy?"
"Of course he will." Grenier huffed, "Don't ask stupid questions."
"We doing diamond formation at primary insertion?" Liera asked, elbow balanced on her wrist as she rubbed her chin.
She squinted at the board, eyes flickering between choke points.
"You know me," He gave her a confident smirk, planting his knuckles in his hips, "Always one for efficiency."
"Whatever you say, Diamond Dog."
"Save it." He held a hand up, putting her back in her place with nothing else but a look, "The front echelon will be composed of 10 shields, a 5-5 even split. Three Gas Officers will follow, Talon in the center position. Lastimosa will take the designated Team Leader spot at the heart of formation, supported by Grenier and any intelligence Widget as to offer. Cooper will cover left flank with Officer Chen from Unit 31, and Mayumi will cover the right flank with Officer Brown from Unit 29. The four of you will serve as our Arrest Teams…" He trailed off, "And remember to target the apparent leaders, this time...Don't go dragging everyone through the line just to rough them up."
Akane and Jack coughed, laughing at each other.
"The rear echelon will be each of the 10 shields' assigned partners. Rubber pellets only. No lethal force is authorized unless used against android intervention."
You and Chris weren't the only two bothered by the comment.
"So," Captain Allen pursed his lips, "Any questions?"
"Yeah, I have one." Liera flipped her hair, a hand on her waist, "Who's leading the other team?"
"Lastimosa…"
"It's Royal, isn't it?"
"Specialist Royal and his team will be entering from the west end, yes."
"Tch…" Liera looked behind her at her squad mates, "You know what I'm gonna say, right?"
"That we've gotta do it bigger and better than them?" Jack winked.
"Hell yeah we do."
A muffled transmission came through your helmet.
LMILLER: "Hate to break up the party, but things are goin' to Hell in a handbasket real quick. Not sure how much longer you expect the pony boys to take this kinda beatin,' Cap."
"Copy that." Captain Allen flipped his helmet on, his face disappearing behind the dark glass.
[CPT] DALLEN: "We're on our way."
He had a plan. A good plan.
But you'd learned an invaluable lesson from being shot twice, and having your life jeopardized more than that. From losing yourself, your husband, and your best friend in a series of unfortunate events. From falling in love with an android, and losing him in the end, too. From having a world-renowned FBI Agent remove you from WITSEC, taking on the responsibility of putting you down after Amanda and her CyberLife puppets failed.
You had a plan, in the beginning; and the lesson you'd learned, was that…
Plans never survive first contact.
Behind the Scenes
(Links on AO3)
Written to "Seven Nation Army - Glitch Mob Remix" by The White Stripes
Chapter 54's Reference List
Titanfall Protocols
Helmet mechanic descriptions taken from "Of Steel and Stardust"
Helmet functionality based on Pilot's Helmet in Titanfall
"Si vis pacem, para bellum" is a Latin adage translated as "If you want peace, prepare for war." The phrase is used above all to affirm that one of the most effective means to ensure peace for a people is always to be armed and ready to defend oneself.
A/N:
This one was unplanned; I split this chapter from the next one just to update faster since work is crazy. I hope you enjoyed it, and the final 14 chapters of Deviant Behavior!
