Chapter 6 The Agents Of Project Freelancer

Mother Of Invention: May 30, 2550

Things have been going well for Project Freelancer.

Or at least as well as can be expected. I still think that most of the people who work here have a few screws loose. Just look at Florida, that guy is weird.

But all together I can't question their skills. It's a shame that the project still hasn't been approved for additional AI. Especially after how Church and I busted our asses to show what a good combo we made.

"Tell me about it." Church spoke, his hologram appearing with his voice. We've had a rough start, but I think we're starting to make a great team. Just don't tell him I said that, he has a bit of an ego. "You're one to talk."

That's not- necessarily true. "Is it really egotistic if it's true?" I asked, maybe a little arrogantly…

Or a lot.

It's not like I shouldn't be proud. I've been at the top of the leaderboard since I got here.

Carolina was not a big fan about that. She's kinda competitive... That's a bit of understatement. She's kinda competitive, like Church is kinda rude. Then again, those two are kinda related, maybe it's genetic…

I kinda use "kinda" a lot, don't I?

"Yeah, you 'kinda' do." Church answered smugly. "And yes, it's egotistical, not really fair either. You're a spartan, she's not."

I didn't really like the leaderboard that much anyway, it's not exactly encouraging cooperation when you're blatantly saying someone's good and the other one sucks.

Luckily, Carolina is the only one who takes it seriously. I guess she probably wants to impress her dad, can't really blame her for that. Impressing my parents was a huge part of why I became a Spartan.

Still though, she's been pretty pissed about it, and she's been working herself to death trying to one-up me. Might be time that she and I had a talk. Before she stops trying to glare me to death and starts trying to beat me to death.

"Good call, Nathan." Church smirked.

…

"Cal!" I heard someone call. Turning my head, I see the 'Triplets'. Or rather, Agents Ohio, Iowa, and Idaho, they're… cool. In their own, nerdy way. But I like these guys, they crack me up. Especially Iowa.

Man, poor Iowa.

If I had my armor cut off for twenty minutes, I don't even think I could even function. All things considered, he took it remarkably well.

Idaho is pretty fun too. He always comes up with this "Five Things" thing, it's pretty dumb, but it's surprisingly good for helping me with my adaptability.

And last but not least, Ohio. She's… determined. I know that these guys haven't had the easiest time adapting to the program. We're pretty elite soldiers, and I'm not saying these guys are bad, just…

"Looking for a polite word for fucking terrible?" Church, unhelpful chimed in.

"Don't be a dick." I tell him on our neural channel.

I get where they're coming from. They probably used to be pretty good soldiers in their own units. But Project Freelancer has been recruiting the best of the best, so "pretty good" just isn't as good here.

The new rankings definitely haven't been helping matters. For anyone really.

Making my way over, I take a relaxed posture before chatting with them. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"Quick! Name five things you hate doing!" Idaho challenged.

"Guys…" Ohio groaned.

"Waiting in lines." I started.

""One!"" Shouted Idaho and Iowa.

"Riding public transports."

""Two!""

"Uh, listening to elevator music." I'm running out!

""Three!""

"Doing improv?" Come on, I need one more…

""Four!""

I got it! "Taking the stairs!" I shouted in victory.

""Five!""

"You don't like stairs?" Ohio asked, bemused.

"I don't trust stairs." I emphasized. "They're always up to something."

That got a few chuckles out of the guys, and a sigh from Ohio. Then I heard a laugh from behind me.

"Good to know," Connie- C.T., started, sounding pretty amused. "If I ever need to hide from you, I'll just go up a floor."

"Oh, you can try C.T., but I'm a soldier willing to face any challenge. Even if I needed to travel up two floors. I promise I'll find you. Eventually" I argue, defending myself.

Unsuccessfully.

While the Triplets and I were chatting, it looks like two of my favorite agents have snuck up behind me, and two of my least favorite. Agents Connecticut, Washington, Georgia, and South Dakota

Fuck those last two.

They're pretty much the opposite of the Triplets, highly qualified assholes. I literally have nothing else to say about them.

As for the first two…

Well C.T. is someone that the Director recruited, Wash once told me her real name was Connie, but we don't really get to use our names. She's cool, kind of chill, a little competitive, but I think it comes from a good place.

As for Wash, he's managed to handle himself pretty well. He's come a long way from throwing grenades with the pin. Even managed to make it up to the leaderboard. Not bad for one of our "worst" soldiers.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Triplets." Georgia greeted, mockingly.

"Here we go…" Idaho sighed.

Georgia gave him a glare through his helmet. "Yo what'd you say, Spudnik?" He asked menacingly.

That's when Ohio intervened. "Oh, ah, he was just saying that you guys are so great, Georgia." She said, defusing the situation. Like a kissass.

Georgia turned to her. "Oh yeah?" He asked skeptically.

Ohio was more than happy to take the attention. "Oh yeah, I mean you are like total role models for us and maybe if we work hard then maybe we'll get called up like David and Connie one da– I mean uh, Wash and C.T." She trailed off awkwardly.

South decides she hasn't met her bitch quota for the day and speaks up. "Sure, good luck with that, kid." Then she and Georgia just kind of snicker away, like assholes.

I turn to Wash, while the triplets start up another round of five things, to the other's confusion and Ohio's embarrassment. "So, where are you guys off to anyway?"

"Training floor, we've got some upcoming missions we need to practice for." Wash told me. Wait, then where's…

"I thought Carolina was at the training floor." I said, the whole point was to talk to her.

"She left a while ago, and she did not seem happy." C.T. answered my unspoken question.

Well that's just great… I started to ask where she was when Iowa screamed. "SPIDER!" Then he started shooting the ground with his assault rifle. After a couple of seconds, he relaxed. "I got him."

I would have just stepped on it, but I gotta respect his style.

South looked at them, suddenly uncomfortable "Okay... uh, we're gonna go now…"

"Yeah, some of us have actual missions to train for." Georgia said hurtfully.

They walked away, heading towards the training floor. "Have fun cleaning our gear when we're done, Triplets." South called mockingly, before she and Georgia got out of hearing range.

"Assholes." I said to their backs. Turning back to C.T., I ask the question I tried to ask earlier. "Anyways, do you know where Carolina is now?"

"I think she headed to the briefing room to check the leaderboard." She looked at me warningly. "I don't think she's in the mood to talk."

"Is she ever?" I ask rhetorically. "Well my mission's in sight, see you later guys." I told the Triplets.

"See you Cal." Iowa said back.

...

Agent Carolina, as expected, was not happy.

She hasn't been happy since her mother died. At least not often, there were times she could hang with her friends, or with York, and maybe she could come close to happy. But for the most part, her life has been too demanding, too challenging, for her to ever calm down.

So instead of just giving up, she pushed herself. Every day. So that she never got overwhelmed or beaten, and she wanted people to know it. Her partners, her friends, her- her dad.

But it was never enough.

No matter how hard she pushed herself, no matter how hard she tried. She was never the best, never good enough. There would always be someone better. Today, that just happened to be Agent California.

Me.

I wish that I knew she was going through all this at the time. I didn't really understand how she felt, I just wanted to. She could be a bit tough to be around, but unlike some of the others here, I had nothing but respect for her.

She's not a Spartan, she's not some ODST trained soldier. She's just an incredible woman with a lot of passion, and a mountain of will power.

As I walked into the briefing room, to see her staring dejected, and frustrated at the leaderboard, I had no idea what to say. Church didn't either, but I could practically feel him watching. He's had a lot of memories come up that I haven't discouraged, feelings have been a part of that.

When he looked at Carolina, I could tell he felt pride… and sadness.

I'm not sure if it's his influence, or her character, but when I looked at her, I felt the same. Leaning against the opposite wall of the screen, I take a breath, and tell her as calmly as I can. "Carolina, I get that your frustrated, but there's more to this project than just-"

"Just what?" She asks bitterly. "Who's actually strong enough to test AI?"

Is that what this is about? "It's not like that, we're on a budget, and Dr. Halsey insisted-"

"Of course, Doctor Halsey. I wasn't aware all it took to get an AI was to be related to the people making them." She said snidely.

"If it were, you'd have one." I reply sternly, before taking a calming breath. "Carolina, I'm not trying to fight you, I don't want to."

"It's fine, I wouldn't want to fight me either." She told me, with a challenge in her voice.

Ignoring her, I press on. "I'm just trying to understand why you're so hung up on this. You're the most skilled fighter I've ever met, does the leaderboard really matter that much to you?"

"Yes, it does!" She shouted angrily. "I have given everything I have to Project Freelancer. I've trained until I collapsed, I've studied until I passed out, and when I wake up, I keep training and studying! I've earned my place here. You stole it!" She emphasized by jabbing a finger into my chest.

I just… look at her forlorn. Heartbroken. "I'm just- I just wanted to help you."

She looks even angrier for a second, before calming down. "I don't need help. I don't need you, I don't need the Director, and I don't need Allison."

Allison?

"Who's Allison?" I ask her confused, it sounds familiar, but-

AAGGHHH!

Carolina looks surprised for a second, before looking at me in concern. "Cal?" She questions. I start to respond that I'm fine- NEVER MIND! "CAL?!" Yup, I'm not feeling good.

The room is spinning, Church is glitching? I think, I try to think anyway, but my brain is on fire. Am I bleeding? Brushing my hand across my face, I see a blood stain on my palm. Yup, I'm bleeding. And tired, I should lay down…

"Cal, stay with me alright?!" Carolina asks me, helping me sit up. I hear her shout something into her radio, but it mostly just sounds like noise to me. No wait, static. Am I hearing static?

"Don't say goodbye, I hate goodbyes."

"I'm not going anywhere." I mumble. I rub my eyes a bit, before they start to shut on their own. "I just need a little rest."

"Cal? CAL!" Carolina screams at me, trying to keep me awake. But I'm just so tired. I just need a couple of minutes…

...

Mother Of Invention: June 3, 2550

My head is killing me! That was worse than the implantation, worse than my augmentation. But the pain's starting to fade now, a bit slower than I like, but I'll live. Giving a small groan, I raise myself to a sitting position and open my eyes.

It looks like I'm in the med bay, I guess they managed to haul me over here somehow. I try to stand, but I'm weighed down by something. Looking to my left I see Carolina laying down on me. It'd be cute… if she wasn't drooling.

"Ew." I mutter in disgust. Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I bring a finger to the side of my head and quietly talk to Church. "Church, what happened?" I whispered.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited…

"Church." My tone is less quiet now and taking a note of panic. "What is going on, what happened back there?" I swear, this better not be some sick game of silent treatment. "Church, say something!"

I feel Carolina shifting on me. Shit, I guess I woke her up. She blinks her eyes a bit and looks brightly at me. "Cal? Cal!" She jolts up, much more alert now. "You're awake!"

"Yeah, I'm awake." I say, disgruntled.

Carolina still doesn't look satisfied. "Hey, seriously, are you alright?" She asks, concerned.

"I've been better." I reluctantly admit, at her look. "So, what's up, thought you were pretty pissed at me?" I asked, a bit confused. We didn't exactly leave things at a good spot.

Carolina looks at me and sighs. "I was- am mad, but not at you. I get it, you didn't choose to outshine me. It's just, I've been trying so hard to be the best, you just seem to do it so easily." She hesitates for a second. "I-I'm jealous of you, alright?"

What? My confusion must have shown on my face because she gave a little giggle. One I probably won't tell anyone else about unless I want to end up back in the med bay. "Carolina, you have nothing to be jealous of." She just rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Hey, I'm serious! I'm not like you Carolina, your right. I had help, but you, you've done all this amazing stuff by yourself. You inspire me." I tell her sincerely.

She looks really touched. "Cal, I- Thank you." She says smiling. "That actually means a lot to me."

We spend a few moments talking when the Director comes in, quickly followed by the Counselor. "Agents Carolina, California." He greets in his southern accent.

""Sir!"" We respond.

"I'm glad to see you're recovering well, Agent California." Turning towards Carolina he spoke again. "Agent Carolina, thank you for overseeing your teammate. However, what we will discuss next does not concern you. You are dismissed." He brushed off his own daughter, focusing his attention to me.

Carolina looks reluctant but obliged him anyway. "Yes sir." She agreed with gritted teeth and left the room. Wish she hadn't, I'd appreciate the backup.

The Director turns to me and speaks. "What happened with the Alpha today was not expected, you have my apologies. We have pulled him from you while you were resting."

WHAT?!

"Sir-" I started to argue before he interrupted me.

"This is not up for debate, Agent. If the Alpha cannot interact with one of our operatives successfully, then our entire project has failed. Until such time that he can control himself, he will be suspended from field work." The Director ordered sternly.

The Counselor quickly reassured me. "Rest assured, when the two of you are ready, you will be reunited. However, in his current state, he could do more harm than good to you. Sometime apart will help the both of you process this." He chided calmly.

"Yes sir." I bit out, reluctantly.

"You will see Agent California, this is for the best."

…

Bull Shit.

The Alpha and I never reconnected like that again, despite what they claimed. I later found out that we were separated for more insidious purposes. Most of the Project was just hop and a skip away from borderline evil.

I'm ashamed how long it took me to realize that.

You know, I never saw those Triplets again. I was told that they "dropped" out of the program, it was pretty secretive. I gotta wonder how much of that was just a load of crap.

Project Freelancer wasn't a program made to end the war. They just used the war to justify it. The worst part was just how many of us fell for it.

A lot of people I respected, people I cared about, gave their lives to this project. I swear, one day, I'm going to bring it down.

If I ever get off this world alive…

I haven't mentioned it yet, have I?

Well…

Good, it leaves a story for next time.

Until then,

This is Lieutenant Nathan J. Halsey, Agent California, SPARTAN-B312 of the UNSC, signing off.

Journal Entry: 006