Everyone scrambled to their feet after hearing Michigan's announcement of the main vessel landing.
"They're going to hunt for us." Sarge huffed.
"We have no way off this planet, unless we hijack their ship? Or fix our own?" Tucker suggested.
"There's no way we'd have time to fix it without going unseen." Sarge sighed.
"There's too much damage. We need another way out of here." Oregon agreed.
"What if we hijack their escape pods? Then we could fly outta here!" Caboose called out.
The group went silent, and then exchanged looks.
"It's kind of a good idea?" Tucker shrugged.
"It's our only option." Sarge added. "We can't radio for help. Long range is all scrambled!"
"Great... we sneak back onto the ship that we initially sneaked on to and sneaked off of." Grif sighed. "We're going to die."
"Unless we jump one of their planes when they land to search for us?" Carolina suggested.
"Let's try that as Plan A." Wash suggested, not liking the idea to board the 'Gears of Time' vessel again.
"Alright, it's settled." Tucker said as he got to his feet.
"Now, the only issue is trying to get one of their ships while they're not around, and make sure we don't get followed!" Doc stated. Some of the team groaned.
"Nothing is ever easy, is it?" Grif sighed.
The team slowly crawled out of the cave's mouth and stood upon the boulders.
"How you feeling?" Carolina asked Wash.
"Like a new man. I think that drug finally wore off." Wash replied as he stretched his arms. Grif looked at Simmons, noticing how he was unusually quiet. Grif would remember all the times they would banter, due to his excessive talking... but now Simmons silence was bothering him.
"Alright everyone, stay low and keep quiet." Sarge directed as he led the way towards the beach. Everyone followed his position and lined up along the jungle brush to peek out at the beach.
Their ship could be seen, nose still deep in the sand, with the massive hole facing them. It finally stopped bellowing smoke, and just looked like a useless shell.
A few other ships had landed on the beach, but further along the beach was the 'Gears of Time' ship, standing several miles tall and wide, nearly consuming the view of the sky. It surpassed the height of the jungle trees and looked like it could as big as the mountains that peeked over the jungle.
"What if we draw their attention to somewhere else? Once their backs are turned, we board a ship and get out of here." Ten suggested.
"I like that idea." Wash admitted. "Anybody have any suggestions on what to do?"
"I think I can think of something." Michigan chimed in as he cracked his knuckles. "You all sit tight. I'll be back in a jiffy." Michigan took off running into the jungle.
The group peered out at the beach, seeing several soldiers going through the wreckage that used to be their ship.
"There's about 20 of them." Carolina counted. "I can take 'em."
"Oh, I'm sure, but can you take the giant laser gun attached to the ship?" Tucker asked, nodding his head to the tip of the laser that jutted out of the belly.
"...Maybe." Carolina said.
"You're crazy." Tucker shook his head.
"Hey, what's that?" Donut pointed up to the sky. Everyone looked up to see black smoke rising up from the jungle.
"Ah, that must be Micah." Oregon chuckled.
"Look over there!" One of the black armored soldiers yelled. He waved his arm, motioning for the other soldiers to follow them as they charged into the jungle in the direction of the smoke.
"Perfect! Let's go!" Nevada urged. Everyone scrambled out of the jungle and ran to the nearest ship. The side entrance was slid open, so everyone quickly boarded.
Ten reached the piloting seat and began to flip on the switches.
"It's going to be a tight squeeze." Wash grumbled as everyone adjusted into the small backing of the ship.
Michigan suddenly appeared at the entrance of the ship, huffing.
"I think... they... didn't... see me." He huffed as he collapsed into the ship.
"Nice job, Micah." Oregon chuckled as he slapped his friend on the chest. Michigan gave a thumbs up as he focused on catching his breath. Oregon slid the entrance doorway shut and turned to Ten.
"Alright, we're all aboard." Oregon announced.
"Good. Let's get the Hell of this island." Ten said as he pulled on the throttle. Carolina squirmed her way to be next to Ten and started fiddling with the radio.
"What are you doing?" Ten asked as the ship began to rise.
"Radioing for back-up. If we could get word to the UNSC or any nearby space military that will help-," Carolina began fiddling with the nobs as she began to transmit her message.
"Good call."
"May day, May day! This is Agent Carolina with the Reds and Blues-," She began to cry out. She kept her tone stern as she explained there whereabouts and gave their coordinates.
The ship quickly darted upward into the atmosphere, heading to space. Everyone in the back held onto what they could to ensure they didn't fall over.
As the ship rose towards the clouds, it suddenly halted mid-air. Everyone jerked with the ship as it stalled.
"What the...?!" Ten boosted the power, but had no luck moving the ship.
"What's happening?" Wash asked.
"We're stuck!" Ten replied.
Carolina got off the radio after sending her message. As soon as she was off, a transmission began to come through.
"Do you really think you'd be going anywhere with one of my vessels?" Came the voice of Mr. Caine.
"Listen, you son of a b-!" Carolina began to hiss.
"Uh uh. Language like that isn't becoming of a lady." Mr. Caine said. "I will see you all very shortly."
The transmission died and the ship began to go backwards.
"This isn't good." Caboose murmured.
"They must have some kind of beam locked on us. I don't have control of the ship!" Ten slammed his fists, frustrated.
"We're boned." Grif sighed. Simmons jerked from his seat and forced his way over to the door and drew the katana. "Whoa, what do you think you're doing?" Grif asked, concerned.
"I'm going to make them pay." Simmons replied, his voice heavy with anger.
"Say what now?" Tucker asked. "Do you even know how to use that thing?"
Simmons stood quietly, facing the door, and Grif knew in that moment that Simmons didn't care if he lived or died in this situation. He knew that Simmons was just focused on revenge.
Sarge pumped his shotgun and stood next to Simmons.
"Today is a good day to die."
"How about no?" Tucker yelled. "Nobody's dying today!"
"But Virginia died yesterday!" Simmons screamed. Everyone tensed up at the sound of Simmons scream. His voice sounded shaky. "Both Virginia and Lopez are gone. We can't get them back!" His hands could be seen trembling. Sarge placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to steady the soldier.
"I know, son. It hurts." Sarge whispered to him.
"We're not going to let them get away with this." Nevada said, standing next to Simmons. Simmons glanced over at the Freelancer and gave an approving nod. For once, Nevada and Simmons were at an agreement on something.
Silently, everyone stood and faced the door of the drew their weapons and swallowed down their fear. It was in that moment, they were starting to accept fate.
Maybe this was their last fight...
Maybe this was where it was supposed to end...
The ship touched down on the platform, and everyone could hear the metal clicks and clanks as the ship became situated.
Ten stood up from the pilot seat and joined the rest of the team.
"You best come out with your hands up in the air. We are all armed!" Yelled a soldier through the wall of the ship.
"Think we can take them?" Wash asked Carolina.
"I'm thinking with all these extra Freelancers, we could mow down quite a few of them..." Carolina replied. A wave of worry swept over her when she began to think of some of the less capable fighters of the Reds and Blues... Inside, she prayed that they wouldn't lose anyone.
The door began to slide open, and everyone's body tensed. Several red dots appeared on them from all directions as they became visible to the soldiers.
Everyone soldier was dressed in their black armor, weapons pointed up and deadly quiet. They were waiting for word from their leader.
"You know, you're not making this easier for me." Mr. Caine stepped out of the shadows, his hands by his sides. The surgeon walked alongside him. "You killed several of my men, destroyed a few vessels and attempted to steal one of mine?" He shook his head and sighed, sounding like a disappointed parent.
"You kidnapped us against our will!" Carolina snapped. "You are making us computer A.I's without so much as asking us! You put us through horrific mental torture!" Carolina took a few steps toward Mr. Caine, when two soldiers stepped in front of him and aimed their guns at her. Carolina froze in her tracks, growing angrier by the second.
"We would have thought you'd be honored to help the revival of Project Freelancer." The surgeon asked.
"And who the Hell are you?" Tucker asked.
"I'm Dr. Raini."
"He's the bastard administrating all those tests." Carolina grumbled.
"And why would we want the revival of Project Freelancer?!" Wash snapped.
"Well, you'd be helping perfect the galaxy's greatest soldiers. The strongest A.I's paired with the best fighters. A.I's of previous Freelancers just seem ideal to power the new suits." Dr. Raini explained. "Dr. Leonard Church had a great vision, but splintering the A.I's into fragments was a poor idea on his part. If he could have made them copies of someone more... strong... powerful... capable of battles and intellectually savvy as a fighter..." Dr. Raini rambled on, giving an occasional nod as he thought of his wording.
"Project Freelancer died with Leonard Church." Carolina growled. "And it's going to stay dead!" She flinched and the guards were ready to fire.
"You're not going to shoot us." Nevada mocked. "We're too valuable."
"But your friends in their pretty colored armor don't have any value." Mr. Caine pointed out, raising his bushy eyebrow. "I think it's best you cooperate, unless you want their blood on your hands." Mr. Caine stepped passed his guards and began to approach the Freelancers, who stood in front of the Reds and Blues. "Drop the weapons." Dr. Caine urged.
Nevada gulped, feeling a rise of panic within his chest. Ten was the first to drop his guns, as he grumbled angrily. Oregon unholstered his weapons and dropped them onto the floor. Nevada cursed and removed his weapons, and then Michigan.
"You don't have to save us..." Tucker whispered to them.
"We... we can't let you all suffer because of us." Michigan said as he slowly raised his hands, signaling that he was surrendering.
"He's right. It's not your fight." Ten added as he raised his hands.
"There ya go. Nice and easy." Mr. Caine smiled. "Now if the people would behind you would also drop their weapons." Mr. Caine insisted.
"Dammit." Tucker cursed.
"I'd rather die with my shotgun in my hands, thanks." Sarge straightened his back, looking proud as he kept his shotgun up.
"Sarge, don't be foolish!" Donut pleaded as he dropped his gun.
"I'm a pacifist! I'm not here to fight!" Doc whimpered.
"But I'll make you all my bitch!" O'Malley laughed.
"Oh, that was NOT me!" Doc cried.
The guards stepped closer to the Reds and Blues, closing the distance between them. They noticed some of the guards raising the stun net guns, having the cartridge in and ready to fire. The Freelancers stepped in front of the Reds and Blues, trying to form a circle around them.
"It's quite noble you want to save your friends. If you turn yourselves in, we'll let them go." Dr. Raini insisted.
"How can we believe that?" Oregon asked.
"Yeah, we could go run our mouths and tell the UNSC on you!" Donut cried out. In that moment, Dr. Raini's eye twitched.
"My patience is drawing thin." Dr. Raini said flatly. "Net them all. We'll weed out the useless ones." He ordered the guards.
The Freelancers stepped into a fighting stance as the guards aimed their guns.
"Sobre mi culo robótica/Over my robotic ass!" Announced a voice over the loud speaker.
"What the heck was that?" Mr. Caine looked up at the speakers, and then turned to look at the bridge. "Who is in the bridge?!"
A mechanical arm used to move crates suddenly jerked and swung, sending a fleet of guards flying through the air.
The Freelancers, Reds and Blues all rolled, picked up their weapons and began firing.
"Get them!" Dr. Raini screamed.
A few guards launched the stun nets at the team, and as it flew at them, O'Malley fired his rocket launcher at it. It exploded on impact and shattered the remains to dust. O'Malley let out a victorious laugh.
The mechanical arm swerved again, chucking a crate of unknown origins at the crowd of black-armored soldiers. The splintered pieces went flying, and everyone jumped out of the way. Simmons fell onto his belly, accidentally releasing the katana from his grip. He watched as it swiveled across the ground away from him. His fingers stretched out to it, filling with tread at the thought of losing his only memento.
It slid to a stop as Mr. Caine placed a foot on it. He glared down angrily at Simmons, who was now scrambling to get to his feet.
More guards were being knocked out by the mechanical arm in the background, and they were surrounded by the mass chaos of bullets firing and yelling.
"If you want this, come and get it." Mr. Caine beckoned. Simmons huffed angrily as he clutched his fists.
"I'm going to need that back."
