Chapter 4
Adana, Turkey
September 2nd, 2011
0700
Hassan hated the cold, he hated the snow, and he hated the cramped van he was riding inside of. There were too many people trying to fit between communications gear and computer terminals, and despite the overwhelming number of bodies the inside of the van was somehow freezing. He tried to squeeze himself into a corner by the rear door to avoid brushing shoulders with the technicians who fiddled with their equipment as the van jostled it's way through the unpaved roads. He was utterly miserable, and the day only promised to get worse, given that he was to command a small force to attack a GDI airbase. And that the General still had yet to reveal what was even so important about this particular base in the first place.
To try and take his mind off things he looked out the rear window at the rest of the small convoy trudging it's way up the mountain road. Behind the radar van was two Nod BTR-80s, three Technicals, and two Rocket Buggies. They were making their way to a hidden outpost in the mountains where the rest of his forces were waiting for him. He could only hope that it would be enough, they had lost a lot of loyal forces back in Yemen.
Hassan was jostled violently as the van hit a large bump in the road, loose bits of equipment and empty food containers fell onto the floor, yet the other occupants looked unfazed. Hassan just grumbled to himself and prayed that they were almost at the outpost.
The van jostled again as it veered off the road and onto uneven terrain, Hassan tried to brace himself against the van walls as it struggled through the thick snow. Finally it drove back onto level ground and Hassan heaved a sigh of relief, then moved to look out the driver's window. Ahead of them was the small Nod outpost, a single Hand of Nod jutted from the mountainside, serving as both a barracks and forward command post. There was also a small supply depot and a makeshift Warfactory to help supply and maintain what limited vehicles he had. Arrayed around the base were Stinger sites and half-tracked Quad-cannons to help keep the base defended from GDI air patrols.
The van pulled up next to the Hand and Hassan hastily got out into the frigid air. He marched straight for the building, stopping only long enough to return the salutes being offered to him. He entered the building and pushed his way through soldiers and officers going about their duties and made his way into the control room, in place of where a chapel would have normally been built. Inside a handful of officers monitored archaic communications gear and quickly stood to attention when he entered, however he was more focused on a man standing off to the corner working on a high powered sniper rifle. He was a dark skinned man with a face etched in a permanent scowl, he was the Brotherhood's most lethal assassin, known to have killed both GDI and Nod targets with frightening efficiency. Jarmen Kell was certainly a man to be feared.
"So you finally made it. Maybe now we can actually get the job done." Kell said with distain as Hassan approached.
Normally he would have berated someone for daring to speak to him like that, but Kell was an oddity in the ranks of Nod, plus he would rather not find himself on the assassin's hit list.
"Of course. But first we must wait for the General." He tried to sound assertive but Kell was clearly not impressed.
"Why? He has already given me our objectives."
Hassan was genuinely shocked and a bit angry. Why would the General reveal his plan to Kell but not him? He quickly tried to suppress his shock and carried on as usual.
"Has he now? Very well then, what is our objective?"
Kell just scoffed as he placed his sniper rifle on his back with a shoulder strap.
"There is a GDI airbase nearby, he wants us to secure a precious package inside. GDI has been slowly dismantling the U.S. nuclear arsenal in the country, and this base currently houses one such nuke."
Hassan couldn't help but raise his eye brows in shock. Juhziz was after another nuclear bomb?
"And how exactly are we going to steal a nuke from a GDI base?"
"The bomb is currently dismantled into several pieces, to make it safe for transport. It is scheduled to be loaded onto a C-130 cargo plane today. The plan is simple, break into the base and hijack the plane. Actually pulling it off will be difficult. The base is very well defended and there seem to be no weaknesses in their defence." Kell finished his report and Hassan took a moment to mull it over. This certainly would not be an easy job.
"Our forces are simply too few for a full scale assault, it would be a total massacre. There must be some other way into the base." Hassan stated thoughtfully.
"Your concern for the troops is unnecessary and useless. They will die for the cause, and they will do so gladly."
A few of the officers nearby gave Kell unpleasant glares as he said that, but were quick to look away. Hassan however was not afraid to voice is objections.
"I do not doubt the conviction of our brothers, but I also do not intend to simply throw their lives away."
"Securing that bomb is our priority, nothing else. Our best strategy is to launch a frontal assault while we sneak in and complete the mission."
The two men stared each other down for a moment, both willing the other to break. Unfortunately Hassan could not see any other way so he backed down first.
"Fine, we'll do it your way. Let's plan our route of attack."
Kell gave a small smile and led him to a table with a map pinned to it by a combat knife. Hassan quickly studied over it and hummed in thought. From their outpost in the mountain there was a clear path down to the airbase. And a small town had sprouted up just outside it's perimeter. The only path would be across a bridge that spanned over a small ravine, which funneled into the town. It was not ideal to march in a straight line towards the enemy as it would leave them completely exposed. But if there truly was no other way, then all that mattered was securing the plane and getting back to Juhziz.
"We lead with the tanks and keep the AA in the back. That should help cover us in the event of an airstrike. Where is the bomb located exactly?" Hassan asked.
"According to our scouts the bomb components have been loaded onto a truck and is waiting to offload them onto the plane. Our main focus should be the primary runway then. But we must hurry, time is not on out side." Kell replied with a snarl.
Hassan nodded his head in agreement. He kept studying the layout of the GDI base and looked for the best way to achieve their objectives when a thought struck him.
"What does the General plan to do with a nuclear bomb?"
"What do you think he plans to do with it idiot? To strike at GDI." Kell waved his hand as if he was talking to an moronic child, and not the right hand of their commanding officer.
"Are you always this charming?" Hassan asked sarcastically.
Kell simply ignored him and made his way towards the door. Hassan sighed and reluctantly followed him back out into the cold mountain air. There his forces had assembled, five Scorpion tanks and twice as many Bradley light tanks. The vehicles had been extensively used by both sides during the war, but primarily had seen use by the Brotherhood. They were now ineffective compared to GDI's arsenal but he would have to rely on them for the upcoming battle. The rest of his force consisted of Buggies and Technicals as well as three Rocket Buggies, four Quad-cannons, and a host of infantry. It was not much, but it would have to make do.
Kell made his way towards a Technical and climbed into the front passenger seat. Hassan got into the back seat where another Nod soldier was already sitting. As he finished getting in the soldier handed him a SCAR rifle, Hassan quickly checked over his weapon and clicked the safety off, then reached for his radio.
"Hear me brothers and sisters of Nod. Today we have been given a great task, today we shall strike at our oppressors and take from them the weapons of their tyranny." Hassan had studied his whole life in the arts of war and statecraft, having been tailored by his father to rise through the ranks of the Brotherhood. "Our cause is just and our vengeance holy! We shall bring our enemies to ruin or die trying. Kane lives in death!"
"Kane lives in death!"
The chorus that came over the radio was reassuring, knowing that these men were true believers, it saddened him that many, if not all, would die today.
"Well spoken, now let's go." Kell said unceremoniously.
"All forces advance!"
The Nod force surged forward down the winding mountain pass. The sky gave warning of an approaching storm with a deep rumble. Fortunately it still sounded far off but that could change rapidly, he knew that this was no normal storm. Tiberium had brought countless changes to the world, one of which was deadly and awe inspiring storms known as Ion storms. They could swoop in and cause massive amounts of damage, it helped explain why GDI was dismantling the American bases in the region. Tiberium had it's sights on Turkey, and the Ion storm simply served as a vanguard for its invasion. The pure destructive forces brought on by Tiberium was truly a sign of its divine origins.
As they made their way down the pass, he suddenly became very concerned of GDI Orcas swooping down on them, he had already been at the receiving end of one and did not wish to repeat the experience. The convoy rolled on unmolested however and eventually came upon the bridge, a vast ravine stretched out below and the bottom was obscured by thick fog. The convoy had been forced to drive in a single line to navigate the mountain, but the bridge was wide enough to just barely allow them to drive side by side. Hassan had become so focused on watching the grey sky that he nearly jumped when his radio burst to life.
"Commander! Radar has detected an incoming air patrol heading right for you. ETA is about five minutes."
He cursed out loud, that wouldn't be enough time to avoid being detected. All they could do now was shoot them down and hope that would buy them enough time. He quickly called for his AA units.
"All Ballista units, be advised we have enemy air inbound. Bring the infidels down!" Hassan received a series of affirmatives.
He turned to look out the back window to see the large anti air guns bolted to the flatbeds swivel upwards in anticipation. The air seemed to grow tense as they waited for the enemy, concerned chatter began to fill the general radio frequency before someone silenced it.
It was just over five minutes later when they got the first glimpse of the GDI air patrol. Two Orcas were moving towards them slowly at first, but they quickly picked up speed when they spotted the convoy of Nod vehicles. Hassan clenched his fists tightly as he waited for the Orcas to unleash their rockets. But they never did as the Quad-cannons opened fire first, filling the air with thousands of armour piercing bullets, the bright tracers rounds clearly visible against the darkened sky. The fighters tried to desperately avoid being hit, but with the sheer amount of fire being thrown at them it quickly became a futile effort. Both Orcas were torn apart and bits of metal came raining down as the fighters were shredded apart. It was difficult to tell but Hassan swore he saw the bodies of the pilots plummet from the air and disappear somewhere amongst the rocky mountains.
With the patrol dealt with the convoy continued onwards. The road began to widen out further and the outline of the base started to become visible through breaks in the rock formations. Not wanting to be surprised again by any more patrols, Hassan called the radar operators.
"Brother Taylor, can you see anything on radar?"
The radio was silent for a brief moment before a reply came.
"Negative Commander, everything seems clear. But our scouts are reporting more activity on the runways. They must be preparing their Raptors."
Hassan growled in annoyance. GDI had reacted far quicker then he had hoped. Kell must have overheard the conversation as he turned around in his seat to face him.
"Time has run out. We need to attack now!" Hassan gave another curse.
"Everyone advance! We must strike at the infidels with unshakable fury!"
The convoy moved faster at his command. The tanks up front surged forward and finally came into view of the small town just outside of the base. When Hassan could see himself, the sight shattered his already weak confidence. The base was surrounded by low concrete walls augmented by sandbag barricades. Tall guard towers and Patriot missile batteries were placed at regular intervals, and could easily cover each other regardless of where an enemy attacked. If he had a full army it would be a daunting task, but with only a small strike force? It would be impossible.
He pushed his doubts down and focused on the battle that had just erupted. His Scorpion and Bradley tanks had opened fire on the defences guarding the main entrance to the base. If there was to be one flaw with the GDI base, it would be that the town gave them some decent cover. Missiles fired from the Patriots would slam into the buildings, causing some to collapse into themselves, or others to burst into flames. His Rocket Buggies fired a return salvo and managed to destroy one of the Patriot batteries, cracking the wall. But it wasn't long before the GDI garrison reacted, Orcas lifted off from their pads, and Crusader tanks rolled out from the main gate. His own tanks wouldn't stand for long, so he ordered his infantry to deploy while the Quad-cannons worked on clearing the skies.
Squads of faithful soldiers rushed into the buildings to use them as vantage points. Often he could hear the screaming of civilians as they were forced from their homes, many times those screams were silenced by gunshots. He watched several men armed with RPGs or Javelin missile launchers move to aid the tanks or help shoot down the Orcas. His forces were fully engaged, save for the Technical he rode in, the driver swerved behind a grocery store just as a trio of Patriot rockets tore up the street behind them. Kell pulled out his sniper and fired a few shots out the passenger side window. The sound of the .50 caliber sniper rifle going off caused Hassan's ears to ring, he clasped them and grunted in pain as another round was fired.
Hassan pulled out his radio and desperately tried to take control of the chaos. He wished he was back in a control room where he would have better command and control over the battlefield, and be safe himself.
He directed the tanks to focus on destroying the defensive batteries and create a hole in the wall, while focusing his infantry on providing anti-armour support. As he issued his commands he could see rockets streak from second and third story windows and reduce enemy Crusader tanks to twisted scrap. Kell's sniper rifle barked again, and somewhere out in the battle some poor soul had his heart replaced with a gaping hole. Hassan tried to ignore the ringing in his ears and gave out more orders, but more often than not he received frantic calls for help from his men.
The Technical moved again to avoid one of the Quad-cannons that was busy filling the skies with tracer rounds. As Hassan was busy giving out orders, he looked to see how the battle was faring. Poorly was the answer as the front entrance was littered with the burning hulks of Scorpions, Bradleys, and a couple Crusader tanks. His soldier were still holding out in the buildings but most of them were now riddled with massive holes from the Patriot missiles. The air battle currently was going in their favor however, as the Orcas couldn't risk staying in one spot long enough for a missile lock.
"We need to get inside the base now! Order the tanks to make an entrance." Kell yelled over his shoulder.
"If I do that then they will be torn apart!" Hassan yelled back. Kell turned to face him with a look of pure rage.
"Their lives mean nothing. Give. The. Order."
Hassan wanted to protest, to argue that the lives of these men were not to be simply wasted away, but the explosion of a nearby Rocket Buggy forced him to realize that time was staunchly against them. With a heavy heart and great reluctance, he issued the order.
"All armoured units…punch a hole through the wall. No matter the cost. Ascension awaits the faithful in death!"
"Peace through power!"
Like an angry giant the remaining tanks and artillery fired on the base wall. Tanks shells and missiles exploded with frightening force and sent up a thick dust plume. Hassan could barely make out a large hole that had been blasted through the concrete, and the hazy shapes of hangars just beyond. However while they were busy focusing their fire, the GDI Crusader tanks and Patriot batteries fired a final, lethal volley. Hassan watched in mute horror as the tanks were obliterated, and in a single motion the GDI forces turned their attention to the occupied buildings. Orcas fired off rockets and sent even more dust and debris up into the sky, obstructing the view of the Quad-cannons, and in turn obstructing their own vision.
"Now is our chance. Go! Drive!" Kell shouted unnecessarily loudly.
The driver slammed down on the gas pedal and Hassan was pushed back into his seat as they shot forward through the dust and across the open field between the base and the town. They drove past the devastated remains of his forces and barreled towards the opening, tank shells and missiles exploded behind them as the GDI defenders turned their focus onto them.
The Technical nearly tipped over when a shell exploded nearby, but they stayed steady as they drove over the rubble and into the airbase. As the smoke cleared Hassan could see the entirety of the base. Several hangars opened out onto short runways and were lined with helipads on all sides. Barracks, warfactories, and power plants sat on the farther side close to a large command centre. However they ignored all of that as they drove towards the primary runway where the large cargo plane sat waiting.
"There is our target. Go! Drive faster!" Kell shouted out.
The soldier who had been sitting silently beside Hassan opened the back window, letting a blast cold air into the cabin. He squeezed himself through and moved to man the large machine gun and began firing long, sporadic bursts. Small arms fire began pinging off the side of the truck as GDI soldiers reacted to their presence, several of the enemy forces seemed confused for a moment as they ran past, moving to secure the breach. Hassan even spotted squad leaders frantically shouting conflicting orders, some to stop the Nod Technical racing through the base while others were focused on the battle outside. On top of the machine gun, Kell continued firing his sniper rifle, showing incredible skill being able to handle the large rifle while riding inside a speeding vehicle. Hassan meanwhile tried to keep his head down and prayed that they would survive this ordeal.
The Technical raced over runways and paved roads built between the various buildings that comprised the base. In several cases nearly running over squads of soldiers that still desperately tried to stop them. They were roughly halfway to the primary runway when Hassan's radio signaled an incoming call.
"Commander! Apostle, Chaplain, and Deacon squads have breached the enemy base! Requesting orders!" A desperate soldier shouted.
Hassan was shocked to hear that not only had some of his men survived, but had made it inside the base as well.
"Move to the main objective, reinforce us there." Hassan ordered over the roar of the machine gun and bark of Kell's sniper rifle.
"Affirmative! For the Brotherhood!"
The radio fell silent just as the truck swerved violently to avoid a nearby explosion from a tank shell. The driver managed to regain control only to crash into a Raptor sitting just outside a maintenance hangar. Hassan crashed into the seat in front of him and his vision went black for a moment. When he came to, Kell was already out of the vehicle, having swapped his sniper for a G36C automatic rifle. Hassan turned his head to see the driver was dead, a piece of metal from the plane jutting from his forehead, the gunner fared no better, having been launched forward and now lay in a crumpled heap.
Hassan groggily got out of the vehicle and raised his SCAR, then ducked down beside Kell. The two fired off random bursts at GDI soldiers and airmen who were now trying to encircle them. More gunfire could be heard farther off, indicating the three squads fighting their way towards them. Hassan fired another burst which managed to kill a pilot brandishing an MP5, possibly the pilot of the very Raptor they had crashed into. He then tried to look around to find the cargo plane and the truck carrying the bomb components. He spotted it only a few hundred feet away, it was a fairly far run, but much closer then before.
"We need to move before we get bogged down." Kell hissed as he reloaded his weapon.
"How do you plan to take a plane with just the two of us?" Hassan yelled back, firing his own weapon until it clicked dry.
"Don't worry about it."
"I'm the Commander, I'm in charge of this operation. Of course I should be worried about it!"
The two men didn't speak for a moment as they focused on taking down a squad of grenadiers attempting to move on their position. When the four of them were disposed of, Hassan and Kell quickly moved away from the crashed Technical to a refuelling truck. They fired off a few more bursts from their new cover before Kell replied.
"Fine. The General managed to insert sleeper agents inside the base. They have already secured the truck and are waiting for us."
Hassan stared at Jarmen Kell for a moment, dumbfounded. There was even more to this plan that General Juhziz had kept hidden from him? Not for the first time since serving him, Hassan was facing serious doubts about the General. He was forced out of his thoughts as bullets impacted near his feet. He quickly glanced up to see another squad of GDI troops attempting to flank them. Hassan and Kell fired in unison, killing most of the squad, but were forced to find a new source of cover. Unfortunately the runway was devoid of anything they could use, save for short concrete divider blocks. But with no other options the two men ran across the tarmac as GDI soldiers chased them, firing as they went.
Hassan dove behind the block and huddled as tightly as he could to avoid being shot. Kell however was more daring as he exposed most of his upper body to return fire. A few enemy soldiers had been stupid enough to find themselves exposed on the tarmac, a few managed to make it back to the fueling truck, but most didn't. He fumbled for his radio as more bullets impacted around them, nearly dropping it as adrenaline and fear coursed through his body. Again wishing he was safe inside a control room.
"Apostle Actual, where are you? We need support now!" Hassan shouted frantically.
"We're working our way towards you but we are encountering heavy resistance." The soldier replied over the sound of battle.
"Kell, can't your sleeper agents help us out?" He asked as he turned to face the assassin.
"Not without revealing themselves."
Further conversation was cut off as a grenade exploded only a few meters away, followed by more bullets ripping up the runway. Hassan tried to fire back but was quickly forced back into cover, Kell likewise could no longer trade rounds with the enemy and instead had switched back to his sniper, attempting to make more accurate shots. He slowly peaked around the edge of the concrete block and spotted a Humvee roll onto the tarmac. More infantry hopped out as the gunner spooled up the chain gun, Hassan's heart fell, knowing that the heavy weapon would tear their pitiful cover to shreds, them along with it.
Just as the gunner was ready to fire, the Humvee exploded with a loud bang. Fire quickly engulfed the vehicle, and Hassan managed to watch as several GDI soldiers were cut down before they could react to what had just happened. Suddenly the fire slackened as the enemy turned their attention to the new threat, three squads of Nod infantry assaulting them from the rear. He nearly shouted out with joy but stopped when a Orca came into view. It fired a single missile into the clustered soldiers, instantly vaporizing most of the unit. The others scattered but most were cut down by the chin mounted autocannon, those that survived were now being hunted down by the enemy troops. It was horrifying to watch, but for a brief moment, Hassan and Jarmen Kell had been forgotten.
"Come on, now is our chance. Hurry!"
Hassan just nodded weakly as he continued watching his men be slaughtered. The two bolted across the runway towards the large cargo plane which sat unfazed by all the violence. Hassan had never ran as hard before in his life, sweat pouring down on his face, his legs burning as the cold mountain air still rushed around him. The sound of gunfire began to fade into the background, which he considered to be a good sign, as they shifted their course slightly to aim at a large flatbed truck with its contents hidden beneath a blue tarp. As they got closer to the truck he could see four GDI Rangers guarding the vehicle.
The Rangers immediately spotted them running across the open runway and brought up their weapons. The Rangers carried Polish FB Beryl assault rifles, rather then the standard M8, and quickly opened fire. Their first salvo fell just short of hitting them, but not wanting to give the enemy a chance to correct themselves, Hassan fired back. His fire was far more wild and mostly hit the truck rather then the enemy soldiers. Kell was still toting his sniper rifle and fired a single shot, blowing one Ranger's right arm clean off. The other three fell back and took cover behind the truck.
More bullets came flying towards them from underneath the vehicle, Hassan dove to the side to avoid being hit, while Kell went prone to get a better shot. It would prove to be unnecessary as the driver's cabin lit up with muzzle flashes, moments later the gunfire coming from the Rangers stopped, and the runway fell silent.
Kell picked himself up and jogged over to the truck. Hassan glanced behind him to see more GDI forces racing towards them. He quickly raced to join up with Kell and a man in GDI airman clothing stepping out from the truck. As Hassan approached he picked up the tail end of a very tense conversation.
"…time to get everything on board!" The Nod agent yelled, the name badge on his uniform read Korvich.
"In case you haven't noticed, we don't have time. Just get it loaded." Kell hissed back.
He then turned to face Hassan just as Korvich hopped back into the truck.
"Get aboard the plane, get it started."
Hassan just nodded and ran up the ramp and through the empty cargo hold. He made it into the cockpit and quickly began the process of bringing the aircraft to life. As he raced through the preflight check list he glanced through the cockpit window, only to see two Humvees and several squads of infantry making their way towards them. He decided to skip the check list and ran back into the cargo hold to warn Kell, only to stop and stare in shock as the flatbed truck drove up the ramp. He jumped back into the cockpit to avoid being hit as the truck slammed into the cargo bay. The entire plane shook violently from the impact, and the sound from the crash was deafening.
Hassan shakily got to his feet as the plane seemed to settle, he looked back out the window to see the GDI troops had stopped, seemingly startled by the plane's violent rocking as well. He turned and slowly walked back into the cargo bay, only to get shoved back by Kell.
"Get this plane moving now!"
"But the ramp…" Hassan started to protest but was shoved again and pushed into the pilot's chair.
"Move it!"
Hassan pushed down on the throttle and caused the C-130 to move forward down the runway. The GDI forces were broken from their stupor and began firing on the plane. The bullets impacting off the outside of the plane, plus the scrapping of the ramp off the paved runway created a hellish noise, and Hassan couldn't help but shout out a string of frantic prayers. Kell took a seat in the co-pilot's seat and strapped himself in as the plane started gaining speed. The enemy soldiers formed a blockade outside and continued to pelt the aircraft with hundreds of bullets, but when it was clear that it wouldn't stop they tried to dive out of the way. There was another loud crash as the plane ran over the two Humvees, and anyone unfortunate enough not to get out of the way in time.
Hassan then began pulling the plane into the air, forgetting that the ramp was still lowered. Frantic shouting came from the cargo bay, as did the sound of metal grinding on metal, before Hassan quickly flipped the switch that raised the ramp back up. Just as the bay was finally secured, the plane lifted off from the runway and into the sky. Hassan then banked the plane and flew over the base back towards the mountain. Down below GDI forces were in a total frenzy, confused and angry at how Nod had just stolen a plane loaded with a nuclear bomb. The small town just outside the base likewise was in chaos, several buildings had been demolished and GDI troops were busy clearing out any Nod soldiers who had survived the initial attack.
Hassan heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back slightly in the seat. Kell also seemed to visibly relax as he closed his eyes. Hassan focused on flying the plane over the Turkish mountains, he looked down in hopes of seeing the outpost, he quickly came to regret that decision. A flight of GDI Raptors flew underneath the C-130 by a few hundred feet, and unleashed a torrent of missiles. The outpost disappeared in a haze of fire and smoke, and if anyone survived the initial attack, then no one would have survived the avalanche that quickly followed. The Raptors peeled off and returned back to the base, seemingly unaware of the stolen plane. Hassan's heart fell as he watched the devastation unfold below him, quickly fading away as he climbed higher and higher.
"That was a job well done. You aren't half as incompetent as I thought you were." Jarmen Kell remarked casually.
Anger flashed through Hassan as he turned to the assassin.
"Good and faithful men died today. We almost died today. How can you be so unfeeling? Have you no soul?"
Kell opened one eye and regarded the Nod commander.
"The mission was accomplished. That's all that matters."
Kell closed his eye and that seemed to be the end of the conversation. Hassan remained silent as they made their way towards Kazakhstan. At some point the soldier named Korvich came in to report that the bomb was secured, but he paid him no mind. Instead he was lost in thought, so many brave soldiers had given their lives for a cause they hardly knew anything about, dying for leaders who didn't seem to care. Victory and vengeance were all that drove the Brotherhood now, it was no longer about freedom and faith. The Brotherhood of Nod would not survive for long, not unless he did something to save it.