Day 6
Location: Fallen Camp North-Northwest of Prague, Old Czech Republic, European Dead Zone
Time: 00:24, UTC+2
Soap grunts as he places the last explosive. "Alright. That should cause enough chaos to allow us to slip away undetected. Let's move"
Moving out from under the Fallen hover-bike, Soap raises his RSASS and scans the surrounding area. "My luck must be improving. Coast is clear for now" he whispers quietly to his Ghost. "Got that detonator ready?"
"Yeah. Once you get on the bike, I'll set off your fireworks. Any idea why there aren't more Fallen here?"
Soap thinks for a moment. "Someone probably found those bodies I sniped earlier, and started searching, looking for the intruder"
It was just at that moment that Soap felt a barrel bump against the back of his head. "Shite…" he says, raising his hands and turning around. A Fallen Vandal snarls at Soap, aiming a Wire Rifle at him. The Vandal snarls some more, and the tip of the barrel starts to glow a white-bluish color. Soap's eyes widen at the barrel, draws his pistol, and puts two rounds in the Vandal's head before the rifle goes off.
"Damn it all. No way they didn't hear that" Soap says, turning to run towards the Fallen hover-bike. "Ghost, get ready to blow those charges. On my mark!"
Another Vandal, accompanied by two Dregs, start firing at Soap. Six shots and one quick reload, and they lie on the floor, lifeless. "Mark!"
A series of explosions rocks Soap and the Fallen camp. Soap quickly climbs aboard the Fallen bike and guns it out of the camp just as one more explosion goes off – a big one
"Damn!" the Ghost cries out, just as Soap speeds out of the camp. Several Fallen start their hover-bikes up, to the Ghost's dismay. "Soap, looks like they're going to chase us!"
"How many can you see?" Soap asks, eyes focused on the trail out of the camp.
"About a half-dozen or so. It's hard to see them, out in this darkness!"
"Just do the best you can! Let me know how many are close!" Soap says, flattening the twin pedals against their holsters. The Fallen bike kicks up as it accelerates to it's maximum speed.
"Soap! Looks like two of the Fallen are catching up!" Ghost calls out. Bluish-white bolts start to fly past Soap as the Fallen open fire. Soap grits his teeth. "Ghost, hang on!"
"What are you – WHOAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the Ghost shouts, as Soap spins the hover bike around and opens fire on the Fallen. "Are you mad?!"
"Maybe a little!" Soap retorts, as one Fallen falls back and the other's bike explodes. "There! That should discourage pursuit"
Soap spins the bike back around, and guns it once more. "Ghost, what's our direction? Need to know if we're heading the right way"
A moment of silence, then "North-northwest. About to leave the main area of the European Dead Zone and enter the outer zones."
"I didn't realize we were so close to the outer zones."
"Well, the area I found you in was not that close to the core Dead Zone. If we went North-East? Yeah, we'd pass right through the central area of the EDZ. As it is, I'm pretty sure we're about to enter what used to be Germany"
"So, this Last City… is all of humankind located there, or are there other settlements around?"
"There used to be a few settlements around. Before the Fallen, Hive, and eventually the Taken showed up"
"Hive? Taken? What are those? Other races?"
"The Hive are a race of monsters. They worship the Darkness, and abide by it's principle Logic"
"That logic being…?"
"The Logic of the Sword. Basically, that existence is the struggle to exist, and those that fall are unworthy."
"And what is the Logic that we Guardians follow?"
"The Logic of Bonds. No matter how powerful you are, you are more powerful with others."
Soap ponders this for a moment. "Hmm. So, have we tried talking with these Fallen? Or have they not given us a chance to talk with them at all?"
"They've not given us a chance. Every interaction we've had with the Fallen has been violent. Twice they've attacked the Last City directly."
"Twice?" Soap shakes his head. "What the hell for?"
"They want to reclaim the Traveler."
Soap shakes his head again. "Sounds like a bad sibling rivalry…"
[-]
Day 6
Location: Outskirts of Chemnitz Ruins, Old Germany, European Dead Zone
Time: 04:12, UTC+2
Soap sits next to a crackling fire, a roast of rabbit on the stones surrounding it. The hover bike he stole sat behind him, deactivated. He takes a closer look at his rifle, the RSASS.
"What are you thinking about?" his Ghost asks, hovering over to face Soap. "Trying to think of a name for the rifle?"
Soap nods. "Yeah. It feels as if it's bound to me, as weird as that sounds."
The Ghost pulses her shell for a moment, as if examining the ancient rifle. "Probably because it is bound, in a fashion."
Soap raises an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"
The Ghost flits over to the RSASS. "It has a Light signature that's remarkably like your own. If I had to guess, I'd say it was imbued with a portion of your Light when we repaired it in Prague."
"And my pistol? I'm guessing it has a similar Light signature as well?"
The Ghost bobs up and down, as if nodding. "Yes. That may help explain why it survived for so long – a gun like that would've rusted away by the time I revived you."
Soap pulls out the pistol and looks at it. "Huh. Well… how about that"
"Have you come up with a plan yet?"
Soap nods. "We'll make our way to the French coast. Find some provisions along the way, find a craft that can get us across the ocean, and sail to Panama. From there, we'll make our way south, into South America, and towards the Last City."
The Ghost pulses her shell once again. "Wouldn't it be easier to sail to South America and make our way to the Last City from there?"
Soap shakes his head. "We'd have to cross the entirety of the Amazon Jungle. No. We'll dock at the ruins of Colón, make our way south, and hug the coast until we reach the Andes."
"Sounds like a plan. So, what names have you come up with?"
Soap rubs his chin. "For the RSASS, I'm thinking 'Lethal Gaze', and for the M1911, 'Tradition and Duty'. How do those sound to you?"
The Ghost chuckles. "I believe you're overcomplicating things. Have you considered naming the RSASS 'Honor', and the M1911 'Tradition'?"
Soap shrugs. "Was my first thought, but I thought it might be a little too pretentious, given my former life. Still, simple and easy usually beats out overcomplicated on any day, so let's go with that"
"Any thoughts on a name for me?"
Soap nods. "Romanov"
The Ghost flares with Light. "That sounds… perfect. Yes. Thank you, Soap"
[-]
Author's Note: Updated with further conversation. Starting work on Chapter 4 after I get back from work. Not a lot of action planned, just a bunch of journal updates from Soap's perspective, so should be done within a week ( Watch this take a month before next chapter. If not, hey, that's awesome )