TOMMY: CHAPTER 22: The Missing Platoon
It was the day after the Battle for Jackson. It was now official, soldiers outnumbered the people of Jackson. It was all thanks to the 3rd Battalion. No orders had been given so that the battalion may return. The planes of the battalion were now refueled and are awaiting the order, if it would ever come.
Some are now speculating that Texas will make Jackson Hole Airport an FOB against the Fireflies. No one is sure though. The airport is now claimed to be cleared of infected. All of this would make sense to make an FOB. No soldiers have been moved to the airport, yet the platoons sent yesterday remain there.
During the Battle for Jackson, one platoon was reported completely missing. The platoon was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, not the Jackson Encampment. Now lots of stress rest on both Commander Jett, and Tommy.
"Where could they have gone?" Tommy asked Jett.
"Not sure. One thing is certain though, it was Ajax's platoon. General," Jett looked at Tommy right in the eye. "We should check the communication uplink center, to see if any recordings of Ajax's platoon are present."
"Let's go then." Tommy agreed to Jett's idea. Both headed for the uplink center.
"Surround the center." Jett informed a platoon of soldiers through a hand-radio.
"Yes sir," the platoon's lieutenant said. "Commander, we are position."
"Good on my command, Lieutenant."
"On you sir."
Tommy looked over at Jett.
"Is this all necessary?" Tommy asked.
"General, we must secure the uplink center. Can't have anyone trying to hide anything."
"I guess that makes sense, Jett."
The two were standing right outside one of the uplink center's doors. Jett carrying his rifle, was now ready to give the order.
"Make sure not to kill anyone, Commander."
"Don't worry, General, I've done this sort of thing multiple times." Commander Jett gave Tommy a reassuring look and went back to looking at the door. He pulled out the hand-radio from his vest and gave the order, "Breach!"
Jett kicked opened the door followed by Tommy. They entered the center only to find two friendlies in there. The two soldiers turned around to see both the General and the Commander. The soldiers put their hands up with even one of them saying, "Friendly sir."
The platoon's lieutenant came from the other door with two other soldiers.
"Sir, the rest of my platoon is outside," the lieutenant said pointing his thumb to the door.
"That will be all, Mendieta." Tommy informed.
Commander Jett looked at the lieutenant for a second.
"Lieutenant, you're welcomed to join us; however, your troops have to wait outside."
"I understand," Mendieta turned back at his two escorts, "Brown, Gonzales, leave us, seal the door and join the others."
Baker nodded his head at the lieutenant and signaled Gonzales that they had to go. Both kind of jogged out, and sealed the door.
"Now we can get on to more oppressing matters." Jett stated. Jett then pointed to the two soldiers working at the center. "You two look through the transmission history." Jett said as he pointed to the soldiers in the chairs.
"Yes sir," one of the soldiers said as he started looking through the transmission history through a computer.
"Care tell to give me a briefing Commander?" Lieutenant Mendieta asked.
Commander Jett turned around to look at Lieutenant Mendieta. "Well Lieutenant…" Jett began, "during that battle yesterday, Ajax's platoon went missing."
"Oh," the Lieutenant said beginning to feel bad for his fellow lieutenant, "I hope he is not in the hands of the Fireflies, even death is better than being held by the Fireflies."
"I doubt that Lieutenant."
The five began to go through the transmissions.
"Sir! It's the 3rd Battalion! Reinforcements at last!" one of the transmissions said.
"Forward the transmissions." Jett ordered.
"Yes sir," the soldier said as he began to forward the transmission.
"This is Lieutenant Ajax! Requesting reinforcements, we are being surrounded!"
"Forward it a bit more."
"…lay down your weapons. They're too many of them."
"So…" Tommy began, "the platoon surrendered?"
"Make sense," Mendieta began, "they weren't accounted from the dead."
"Sir!" it was one of the soldiers in the chairs, the soldier turned around to look at the officers. "We're getting a live transmission!"
"Have you tracked where it came from?"
"Unknown," the second soldier in one of the chairs began, "We're tracking now."
"Place it on the screen!" the Commander ordered.
"Yes sir," the first soldier said as he clicked a button on the keyboard to place the transmission on screen.
"Johnson!" Tommy yelled.
Alex Johnson was now on screen, by the looks of it, he was in the parking lot at the hospital. With a legionary standing behind him, standing guard.
"Greetings. We have Jett, a deserter, two soldiers, and a lieutenant, by the looks of insignia on your shoulder."
Mendieta took a quick glance of his shoulder and then turned back at Johnson.
Jett then got involved, "Have some respect for the General."
"General? Didn't know they made deserters generals, Tommy."
Tommy then look back at Johnson to answer his insult. "I left your legion because I was tired for fighting for a loss cause."
"Whatever Tommy. Anyway to let you know, my bureaucratic leaders have agreed to consider your actions as an act of war."
"Now…" Tommy began, "how does invading a town where Texan soldiers are based, an act of war?"
"Your soldiers were involved by interfering in Imperial Affairs. It is clearly stated in our constitution." Johnson grabbed a long piece of paper, at least three feet long. "…if a nation gets involved in Imperial Affairs, then we are required to take it as an act of war."
Tommy then looked at Jett, "Do you guys have a constitution?"
"Back at Austin." Jett replied.
"Anyway Johnson, what do you want?"
"Oh I just wanted to let you know of this act of war. And… I have your missing platoon."
"What?!" Jett yelled.
"Yes, right here." Johnson turned the camera at the platoon of about 12 soldiers. One of the soldiers was Ajax. The soldiers had been removed of their equipment. The soldiers were on their knees with their hands tied behind their back. Some of the soldiers bruised. "Got anything to say Ajax." Johnson said as he lifted Ajax's gin towards the camera. Ajax was bruised, with a couple of his cuts tried up, some still flowing.
"Commander…" Ajax began, "I didn't want to risk my whole platoon. I did it for my men. I hope-"
"That's enough!" Johnson yelled as threw a punch to knock out Ajax. Ajax's head was now just looking at the floor, looking lifeless.
"No!" Jett yelled.
Tommy then needed to try something with Johnson. "Maybe we can do some kind of prisoner exchange. I mean we have a platoon amount of Fireflies, which we captured."
"Nah, keep them. Serves them right for surrendering. No Mercy for the Legion." Johnson then pulled out a .44 magnum from his holster and began to point it at Ajax. The conscious, captive soldiers then look at the revolver as if they were staring at death.
"Don't do it Johnson." Jett begged.
Johnson then moved the magnum from pointing at Ajax to the nearby legionary standing guard next him. He then pulled the trigger. Hitting the legionary in the chest and then falling back.
"You see, I don't kill prisoners of loss causes. That legionary…" he looked back at legionary he just shot, "he ordered the retreat. No Mercy for the Legion."
"You have a twisted mind!" Tommy yelled at Johnson.
"I don't, I just have a different way of thinking Tommy. There is a difference. We are now at war with your 'Republic.' If Texas gets in the way of me getting the vaccine, so be it! No Mercy for the Legion." From there the transmission ceased.
Lieutenant Mendieta who had said nothing throughout the entire transmission now looked at both Tommy and Commander Jett, who were still staring at the screen. "What the hell was that?"
Commander Jett then gave Mendieta an expression of sadness. "I am afraid it was a declaration of war."
"Sir!" one of the soldiers in the chair interrupted, "we have their location."
"Where!?" Jett asked.
"Salt Lake City, Utah."
"Damn it!" Tommy said, "That's way too deep in Firefly territory."
"Any rescue mission will have to be halted until this coming war progresses." Jett admitted.
Soldier then barged in through the door Mendieta entered in. The soldier paid his attention to Tommy. "Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Doctor Cole informed me to contact you once Joel had awoken."
"Joel is awake?" Tommy asked.
"Yes sir, and Doctor Cole wishes to speak to you. He says its urgent sir."
Tommy looked and pointed at the soldiers as he began to walk out. "Save that recording and send it to Austin."
A/N: Looks like I have made it to the deadline. Anyway…what exactly is wrong with Joel? Will the Fireflies attack again? Will Texas send reinforcements to Jackson, or will they take another approached towards the Firefly Empire? Where is Ellie? Find out next chapter of The Last of Us: Texas Rising.