Scattered Memories

Chapter 2

Baird, still carrying Selene walked down the steps to where what he said was Delta squad were waiting. She looked at them to see four people which she guessed to be Delta. As soon as she had a good look at each of their faces, Selene also found them all familiar. One of them came striding up to them both, his hands in the air.

"Baird! Who loves you baby?"

Baird who rolled his eyes sighed.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Group hug," he said sarcastically. The person who had approached him, then turned his eyes to Selene.

"How you feeling girl?"

"Like a bag of shit," she replied, her face twisting into an expression of confusion as she tried to figure out where she knew him from. Baird then spoke up.

"She's got amnesia by the looks of it, just a heads up."

But this didn't put him off at all, instead he just grinned at her.

"Okay baby, since you don't know who we are let's start over. I'm the one and only Augustus Cole," he said with an air of enthusiasm. Selene nodded, once again knowing she knew him from somewhere.

"Those two over there are Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. And this guy here is Anthony Carmine."

Baird, who had chosen to stay quiet up until then looked around.

"Where's Rojas?"

Cole looked up to him and shook his head silently, the smile slipping from his face. Selene took the chance to look around, doing the same as Marcus was. Her eyes scanned the run-down buildings, coming to a stop at the debris that scattered the roads and pavements.

"What a mess... To think this is the world we live in-"

The rest of her words were drowned out due to the roar of the incoming Raven. As she looked up, a sharp pain shot through her head without warning.

-Flashback-

She was standing at attention in front of two men, one in COG armor, the other in a suit with medals strapped across his chest. She wore the same armor as the one who stood in front of her, a Gear necklace hanging from her neck.

"Congratulations on becoming a COG Gear Taylor. Your mother and father would be proud," the one in the suit said.

She nodded and didn't say a word. Her grip tightened on the Longshot she held at her side. The roar of a Raven was heard as it touched down somewhere.

"You will be joining Alpha squad, and you will protect the resonator with any and all means possible," the solider in front of her said, then continued.

"Do you understand?"

Selene nodded once.

"Yes sir."

"Then get it done, and don't make me regret giving you this promotion Taylor."

She lifted her left hand and formed a salute.

"I can promise you now sir, you won't regret it."

-End flashback-

When Selene regained her senses, she was being dragged back up the steps and back into the building she was in just a few moments ago. The door was slammed shut, and the others started barricading the door while Marcus spoke to control.

"Control this is Fenix, Lieutenant Kim is dead. We've fallen back into the tomb and we need a way out, over."

The voice which also sounded familiar, replied with what sounded like shock.

"Repeat Alpha, Kim is dead?"

Selene, who was at this moment sat on the floor with the wall supporting her, closed her eyes and started rubbing her head in circles to try and relieve the headache she had.

'That must have been a memory,' she thought, her face twisting into an expression of concentration.

'But does it really have to be so painful to recall a memory? That hurt.'

"Confirmed control. KIA."

Marcus paused before continuing.

"We have Taylor with us as well. According to Baird, a roof at their location caved in. She pushed him out of the way and got hit on her head. She was wearing her helmet fortunately. We believe she has amnesia and possible concussion."

His eyes turned to Selene, who still had her eyes closed.

"Right, get her somewhere to rest as soon as you can and if possible get her some painkillers. That should reduce any swelling she might have. Make her hang back if you run into any enemies. As for your way out, there's a courtyard at the other end of the building you're in. That's your best bet."

"Copy that control."

As Marcus looked towards the door in the hallway, Baird spoke up.

"Well we sure as shit can't stay here," he said sarcastically. Marcus turned to face him.

"You're Baird."

Baird turned around and glared at him.

"Yeah that's right asshole. Question is, who are you?" he said defensively, his glare never wavering.

As they both stared at each other, a sudden rumble made dust fall from the ceiling. Selene's eyes snapped open and she looked at the door.

"What the hell was that?" she said directing the question at no one in particular. She then found Coles hand over her mouth silencing her.

"Oh shit, quiet. No one move," Marcus said quietly.

Growling and more rumbling followed, and Selene found herself growing nervous.

"It's a Beserker. She can hear us and smell us," Baird said as quietly as Marcus did. As the growls got louder, Carmine started to panic, and rose from where he was crouched.

"Oh man... we're fucked... I'm getting out of here!" he said in a loud panicked voice, and with that ran around the corner into the hallway.

Selene made to get up to try and stop him, but lost her balance again.

"Oh shit!"

As she lifted her head up, her green eyes observed his shadow and another larger one that seemed to pull his body to pieces with awful tearing sounds. Blood then sprayed over the walls and Selene closed her eyes.

"Oh no..." this voice came from Dom who was slowly backing away.

"Control... we have a Beserker in the vicinity... Please advise..."

The same female voice replied to Marcus through the radio.

"Hold your fire Delta! Standard weapons won't work."

Selene who had just reached for her Longshot, drew her hand back.

"Well shit..."

"Do you still have the Hammer of Dawn?"

Marcus briefly looked down to his side at a strange looking device.

"Affirmative control."

The voice paused before continuing.

"Then you've only got minutes of satellite coverage left. Get her outside and use the Hammer, that's the only thing that will work!"

"Wilco, Delta out."

Marcus shut off his radio and turned to look at the group.

"Right, we came here to help and that's what we're going to do," he said and turned his eyes to Selene.

"Can you walk properly?"

She slowly picked herself up, waving away Cole's hand when he offered it to her. Her head was still pounding with the headache she had.

Using her Longshot for support she started speaking.

"Yeah don't worry about me, but if I have to run we're screwed."

Marcus looked at her for a few seconds.

"Fine, then you'll hang back with Baird and Cole. Me and Dom will be at the front and we'll try to get the Beserker outside. Stay inside until we've dealt with it."

She nodded and followed after the others when they started walking quietly through the halls, pausing every few seconds as not to disturb the Beserker as it wandered the halls. They soon all came to a dead end.

"Well what do we do now...?" Selene whispered to the others. Just a few seconds before the men had a chance to answer, the woman's voice sounded over the radio again only this time sounding on edge.

"Get moving Delta, you only have a few minutes of satellite coverage remaining...!"

Marcus and the others started discussing what to do, while Selene stood in corner quietly. And as she was thinking about what to do, an idea crossed her head. She backed away from the wall slowly and felt for her long shot which was strapped to her back.

"Talyor? What the hell are you doing?" Baird whispered as his eyes followed her movements. Once her back was against a wall, Selene motioned with her hand to get them all to move.

"If any of you don't want to get shot, move..." she said in a low voice as she took aim at the wall. All four of them moved, a look of unease on all of their faces. A gunshot sounded, followed by the roar of the Beserker behind them. It came barrelling through the walls, and through the wall they were all stood at a moment ago. Then using it's head, it headbutted the wall and it crumbled to the ground.

"Well, that's one way of doing it," Dom said as he gave a thumbs up to her. Selene nodded as the men all went through the hole, and hung back so she was the last one through. And using the same method that she just used, Marcus and Dom managed to get outside to deal with the Beserker. While they were outside, the ground rumbled and shook.

"I hope they'll be okay out there..."

Feeling a hand come down on her shoulder, Selene turned to see Cole with a grin on his face.

"Don't worry, they'll be doing more than just good."

She nodded as his words sunk in, and finally after a few minutes the shaking stopped. When Marcus radioed to them that it was safe, they stepped outside to see the dead burnt corpse of the Beserker on the ground.

"Control, this is Delta."

"I read you Marcus, colonel Hoffman is coming online."

Another voice Selene recognised now sounded over the radio.

"Report."

"We're here with Alpha and we have the resonator."

"Huh. Very good," Hoffman said sounding surprised. "Standby for new orders."

Marcus turned to face the rest of them as he finished speaking.

"You guys alright?"

Looking around in the sky, Baird walked past him and completely ignored the question.

"We need to get out of here, it'll be dark soon."

Selene looked up into the sky as well, and saw that the sun was beginning to set. Then a chill ran down her spine as she saw a bird fly across the sky.

"Um, I think we should go as well."

Her shaking voice brought eyes to her and the men all nodded. Before Marcus had a chance to reply to them both, Hoffman's voice came through on the radio to relay new orders.

"Delta. We have a secondary target, you will now deploy the resonator in the Lethia emulsion facility due west of your position. And as of now, you're in charge sergeant Fenix."

"Sergeant?"

The dumbfounded voice came from Baird who had turned around, and was now looking at Marcus incredulously. He ignored Baird and carried on speaking to Hoffman.

"Affirmative. Awaiting Ravens."

"Negative. The area is too hot for Ravens, so you'll have to find another way there. Hoffman out."

"Typical."

The voice again came from Baird who was striding around, and sending annoyed glances at Marcus.

"Don't give the smart guy a promotion. No, no, give it to a jackass instead."

Selene turned her green eyes to Baird.

"Am I missing something here? What's your problem with him?"

And as she posed this question to him, Baird gave her an annoyed glance and turned away.

"Fine, be an asshole then."

She huffed and turned away when Cole walked up to Marcus, the resonator still strapped to his back.

"So we gotta hump this to the factory or what?"

"Nah screw that, I've got an idea," Dom mused while holding what looked like paper in his hands. Again, Baird's sarcastic voice reached their ears.

"Oh yeah? What is it smart guy?"

"Enough."

This time, Marcus spoke up sounding fed up of the bickering and sarcastic voices.

"Lets move."

Nodding, they all followed Marcus as he walked off.

"Do you ever shut up?" Selene said, directing her words at Baird. He just glared at her and walked ahead. Cole chuckled at them both and Dom just rolled his eyes.

'I can see this will be fun being stuck with the sarcastic one. Joy.'

With these thoughts, Selene looked forward to see the empty street looming ahead of her.