I don't own Gears of War, Its characters or locations. Though I wish I did. :)
Read, Comment, and Enjoy. And sorry to the subscribers who probaly waited so patiently to see what happens next, I really didn't have much Delta in this chapter, but I promise I will in the next.
Prescott's manicured hands slammed the desk drawer shut, a click of the lock broke the pregnant silence between the three. Elaine stared down the monster who ordered her creation. He stared back at her as Doctor Moira stood off to the side. The tension kept coiling it self tighter and tighter, waiting to spring back in a wave of backlash. "Thats an order Aine. Or we can relieve you of command and find some one else who is more qualified and better suited to follow direction." His voice was like silk on steel, as his fingers steepled together.
She gritted her teeth, it was hard enough to bite back the rage that was brewing in her with out a end for the man who literally sought a need for what she was, now ... She knew he was finding a means to cover it up. Make her and her brethern extinct. 'Fat chance Prescott.' She thought. Then looked to the Doc. She rememebered the woman from the drugged up haze.
Moira at one time was a beauty in a white lab coat; Elaine had always thought she was the voice of reason behind her creator, Adam Fenix. It was her eyes that casted another light. The tightly braided hair, the wrinkles, even the scowl. Moira was on the Prescott side of things. She was regal, and cold.
Elaine looked back to the desk. Biting her curt tone as much as she could. It was like being in the lab all over again. She was a child, but not in their eyes. She was a horrible mistake. 'At least its the one thing we can agree on.' Her jaw clenched as she spoke slowly. "And what is it we are suppose to do with the Doc?"
Prescott smirked, pushing himself out of the wingback chair that seen better days; and most likely the better side of all politicians. "I know your secret Aine. Or should I say Elaine. " He splayed his hands on the top of the wooden desk. He was staring at her with the calculated look again.
She mimiced his movement. Standing nose to nose. "What that I can't cook or sew? Or how bout that I can't produce perfect little C.O.G. Soliders to line up in the meat grinder Prescott."
He laughed like he was the devil himself. "Oh I have no doubt they'd be perfect little immiations if not something better." He watched her thru that same Fenix stare. Prescott had figured out who Elaine was after watching her spar with other members of the C.O.G. He even watched how she and Fenix were around each other. The pieces themselves fell in to place. With Hoffman becoming more of a risk, than an aly in his mind; Prescott needed to destroy all evidence of monsterous creations. That was what Moira was for. 'Who better than the same assistant who gave her own sweat, blood, and genes to destroy the evidence.'
Elaine smirked, her brow shot up, though her stomach pitched, and knotted. He knew. She hadn't given him much credit on how quickly he'd realize she was the one and same child who was created for the sole purpose of staving the tides of Locust. But her demeanor was cool, calm and collected as she let the silence grow a bit more. "If that were true Prescott, you'd of made more of me."
O-O
The bones of past lingered still; the putrid and rotten smells assualted their senses as the group disembarked from the K.R. Landing zone. The main land was not like what Elaine could remember. Nor was it like what the good Doctor Moira could believe. The rusted out metal rungs of the docks no longer waded in the salt waters below. They just oozed out the tell a tale red, choppy debris now. Their heels dug in with each step as they moved along to the once strandred fishing hamlet was not a burnt out skeleton beckoning them to wander down its ashes.
Terran grumbled low as Moira moved off to see if there was any thing she could find to decipher what had happened. He looked to Elaine; angrily. He could smell Baird's scent on her, but did not choose to voice his claim. He shouldered the rut sack they shared, and carried the modified weapons cache; the ease of distrust rolled off his muscular form like that of the high tide coming in. Tilting his head towards the direction of the doctor as Bob and Eric finally emerged silently.
Elaine let out a slow, and careful word in Locust. Simply meaning; where? She was met with a silencing growl from one of the three "brothers" before Moira let out a string of very choice words. Shaking her head, Elaine, pulled up the rag over her mouth. Breathing in and out the smell made her gag.
As the Moira's search party moved along the burnt out husks of shanty's and what was once there long before the Hammer of Dawn, and the war with the Locust's. Elaine sat against one of the burnt out luxury sedan's that littered the far edge of the hamlet. She stared out as Terran fell next to her. The uneased tense never disappatited. And now with the need to prove she was Alpha of him; it only seemed to increase his constant need to mark, humiliate, break her; and time was growing shorter.
"I don't trust her."
Elaine looked up at him. She felt small in his shadow, but the words were perfect Serain, though as shock quickly displaced back to the mistrust. She nodded, watching him thru slitted eyes as he pulled off the helmet. The very much locust face looked down at Elaine with the dark grimace, then back up again. The stench of death was closer now to them.
"Did you hear me git?"
Elaine nodded, forcing another swallow of the water. "I heard you Terran." She wasn't easily bated in to another verbal spare. 'I don't know how much longer I can hold on to this stoic demeanor.' Elaine barely slept the night before they were shipped out. She spent all of it at the beach before being recalled back to the office of the Chairman; finding out that their well guarded secret that they paraded out in front of Prescott was already figured out. His answer. And reply. Moira.
Terran rubbed her arms carefully; Elaine was cold to the touch, flushed borderlining a competion for the white face paints they were forced to wear to hide the grey flesh underneath them. He watched her with careful, calculating orbes. Elaine was guarded, stoic, and forcing herself to bite back each word he was trying to rise out of her. But slowly that fragile existance was going to crack. And then... then she would finally learn what it was to follow an Alpha.
Her hands forced him away, as she shoved the grey, metal canteen in his chest. Stepping away from him, 'Keep him at arm's length. Him and Moira.' Her blue eyes looked at him piontedly. The scowl she wore so easily back on the first island where she first encountered Delta squad fell easily back in to place. The only diference now she had weight, muscle, disacpline behind her.
"Don't touch me." Elaine kept moving. Taking the rut sack from where he set it down. Shouldering it when the first real burning sensation ripped thru her shoulder. Her eyes looked around as she let out a yelp, and fell to the ground. "No. No. No." She utttered as the sand craddled her closely. Her hands quickly went in to autopilot; assessing the trajectory of the wound.
Terran was on her quickly, kicking his helmet out of the way as he pulled the longshot from the cache. Scooping out the area when Moira's shouts were finally heard. Time had stood still between the two parties.
"Sargent?" Moira shouted.
"Blast it all to hell." Elaine already was field dressing her wounds as Terran kept his attention on the scope. "That woman is trying to get me killed." Elaine growled out as she finished up the wound. Three more shots rang out before they moved. Elaine grabbed the cache and moved to the trampled brick wall.
"Not till I have had my shot." Terran answered.
Elaine held back the growl that was growing at the back of her throat. "Dammit Terran!" She caught the flash of something reflecting off medal. Shaking her head, she quickly pushed her self. Even with the fire burning thru her wound she moved from one burnt out shell to another. Her roadie run finally finished as she slide in the wet sand near Eric. His chest was peppered with little bullet holes. Moira was close by but did not treat his wounds.
Eric's hand fell to Elaine's. "Hurts."
She frowned, and shoved the bag under his head as she started to pull off the individual chest plates. Moira was barking something at her, but Elaine could not hear it. The rush of blood filled her ears as her blue eyes watched the holes seep blood too quickly. Her hands quickly pulled open the gauze packages. Elaine wasn't the best field medic but she didn't want to loose Eric.
Eric just nodded at her when his hand fell away from Elaine's. He started to gurgle and tense when Moira finally pushed Elaine out of the way. Digging her knees in the bloody colored sand, she started to work at medicating for pain, then treatment when the heavy pounding of feet came across.
Elaine looked up with her retro lancer aimed, her eye starring down the sight when she saw Terran, and not far behind very well armed stranded. She slowly lowered, her jaw tightened when she glanced to Moira who stopped working. She's trying to sabotage us. Elaine dropped her lancer and started to work feverishly on Eric. She had responisblity to him, for him. She wasn't going to let him just die, drowning in his own blood.
Bang.
Eric's life was ended in a single shot, his blood smeared, splattered up side Elaine's pale cheek. She stared on, visibly shaken. She'd seen so much death, even at her own hand. It never afflicked her this way, when her eyes finally drifted down looking at the gaping wound in Eric's skull, she shuddered.
"Its better for him this way." She felt Bob's hand twist and pull on her arm as she slowly stood up as the disembodied voice crashed her shock.
"She's injured Ben."
Elaine looked up, her eyes were cold again. The mask she wore so easily on the island was back agian; she felt seperate from her body. Elaine paused long enough to watch Moira's tensed, uneased form, then Terran's control starting to wane; before she focused on the group. "I suggest next time you shoot down a C.O.G. Soldier that you kill the entire platoon."
Ben smirked, his weapon was still drawn on Moira. "Now there is an idea."
Terran let out a heavy stream of Locust under his breathe, putting some of the stranded at ease. When Elaine snapped back clipped, and short statement in reply she moved forward, rolling her shoulder out from under Bob's grip. Her boots kicked up the stand as she waivered forward.
"Your injured."
She smirked, her fists balled up. "I suggest either you kill us or leave us be."
Ben's dark brow arched up, curious about the small team. "That one there. Is she a doctor?"
Elaine nodded. "She is."
"How bout a trade? We let you go, supplied for what ever you came here for. But leave us her."
Terran and Bob's bodies started to relax. Giving them Moira does have its advantages. We can travel faster with out worrying about when she was going to put a bullet in our heads, or report back to Prescott. But can we trust them? A dark grin started to curl up on her blood coated lips. "Fine, you resupply us, give us some shelter, and medical attention. You can have her."
"Just like that?"
Moira sputtered. "Wha? Oh no you don't have the authority to do that Sargent."
Elaine's head rolled as she looked down on the once assisstant to her creator. "I just did. Now be a good girl and listen to your superior." Elaine's tone was double edge, as was her meaning. She was far superior to the good Doctor. When her eyes looked back to Ben; his hand was already extended. "Yes."
Ben nodded, taking her hand. "Good. Follow us."
Terran growled, taking his weapons back from the woman behind him. He was in her face when he spoke simply. "Get your hands off my things filthy human."
Elaine smirked as she picked up her staff halves, hooking them to her belt then took the tags from Eric's dead form. She bowed her head, her fingers dragging his lids closed before she got up walking at Ben's side. Moira was already starting to complain when two men grabbed her arms, dragging her along.
"The beach isn't a place you want to be in those." Ben stated as he held up the large palm that hide a well traversed path in to the dieing landscape. "Theres more than just us here."
Elaine nodded, her hand gesturing for the two men she could only trust to move with them. "So I saw."
Ben leaned closer to her, his voice went queit so that she could hear him, "Your good Doc shot your man."
Elaine nodded. She'd come to that conclusion when Moira did not tend to his wounds until some time after. Eric could of been saved. She's been sent to sabotage us. But what means would it be to ruin the science project now. "I know. His wounds were from her shotgun."
Ben chuckled a bit. He'd seen his fair share of death, and wondered how she'd come to that conclusion considering his group was there too. "And do tell, how you came to that conclusion?"
She looked to the man who was considerable younger than her. She tilted her head, and tapped her lancer to his gun. "Your men don't have shotguns. And my men don't either. Leaving the good doc. But she's your problem now."
Ben chuckled still and nodded. "Well the village's problem."
Elaine nodded as they trudged on thru the meager offering of a forest. She'd walked this trail before with Maria. Her heart ached to have her surrogate mother back again, but it was wistful thinking. The kind that would get her killed if she'd let it. Elaine's eyes watched the landscape change to a clearing with shanties, cars with their windows either shattered, but intact or filled with scraps of clothe blowing in the breeze. Fires burned low in the center of it.
"Welcome to our outpost."
"Quaint." She uttered and turned to Bob; the ghost of Eric seemed to linger with them as she looked to his twin. Speaking in Locust. Find water, medical supplies, and ammuntions. She turned to Terran, her tone turned darker, heavier that it left no room for him to argue. Find some where to camp, outside of the outpost. Food, and see if we can not find a enterance to the surprise cache the chairman sent us here for.
Ben doubled back; as most of Sera did now when they heard Locust speak. The language was harsh. "You – you spoke Locust?"
Elaine didn't regard the quest with a pause. Her switch between the two languages was an easy flow. "Yes. Why do you think we got sent here?" She looked to Moira who was being lead away from the group to a set up clinic.
"What are you?" Ben uttered softly.
As Terran, and Bob moved off she headed towards one of the traders, noticing the tanks used for welding. Tilting her head as she lifted some Locust tags, then looked at the armor. "A nightmare." She believed that statement more now than before. She started to haggle the trader to do something for her. It went on back and forth for a few moments before they'd come to an arrangement.
Elaine made it to the campsite after she'd dealt with the trader, she watched the two laying out the goods they found. She nodded at what was procured. Elaine stripped down her armor. Handing it with her C.O.G. Tag to Bob. "Take this to the trader on the southern tip, near the entrance of the outpost where we came from. Same with yours and Terran's."
Terran heard her as he handed her something to wear before she went to go get patched up. "Are you sure thats wise."
She'd look to Terran, tugging the tank top over her head. "If he does anything to it that I do not agree with; you can kill him if you like." She started on her pants when her arm started to throb again. She'd forgotten the wound easily.
Terran pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed. "Enterance is two miles out. West."
Elaine nodded, when Ben came by the group's little camp site. He brought a few extra things that the thinking heads of the outpost deemed that they could have. She nodded, and started to the clinic now. She needed to make sure the bullet wasn't in her wound first, then she can sew it herself if need be. She didn't wish to have Terran's chunky fingers in her shoulder. He'd just take the pleasure of inflicting more pain while he can.
Ben fell in step with her. "So..."
She looked to him, the face was soft, and cherub like. She let out a terse laugh. "What do you want kid?"
Ben shrugged. "Well information for one."
Elaine's brow rose, as she went to the medic that wasn't Moira. Sitting on the rickedy stool, her hands folded up on her lap. She was still a threatening person with the amount of blood that was on her skin. The gapping wound, and how she didn't take any of the morphine to numb the pain. She did not whince, or cry. She sat there. Thriving on the pain. "Like?"
"What are you here for?"
"Classified." She looked to the wound hearing the healer say it was a clean shot. Missing a vein, and the bone. She nodded as her eyes drifted back to Ben. " I can tell you, we aren't here to root any of you out. Or persuade you to becoming C.O.G. Citizens. But what we are here for is C.O.G. Property."
Ben nodded.
Elaine's head turned to watch the needle pull thru her flesh and muscle to close the wound. She let out a chuckle as she heard that it was the lining of some animal, dried, cured, treated. She was enraptured by the way the needle vanished, how it felt, everything. But her mouth was dry, and felt like she'd had sand in her mouth.
"Where did you learn to speak Locust?" Ben watched her, curiousity riveled with replusion at her being so ensnared by the sewing of her wound.
"I didn't learn it. Its an inherit response to use it." She looked up. She'd regain some color in her face as she used tailored speech. It was hard to keep a civil tone when speaking of things that some people could never fathom in their lives.
"Oh?"
She nodded as she watched Moira, her jaw clenched. He was pressing for more information. She turned abruptly. "Look you got the good ole Doc. Word to the wise kid. Don't let her near weapons." Elaine ended the conversation; she was already on edge with the haunting memories of Maria, the seige, being captured. It was all there looming. The cat gut thread pulled, but Elaine let no noise escape.
Ben didn't leave it at that. He remained silent for a moment before taking over for the person sewing her up. He had basic knowledge of what to do, they all did here. This was the life now, a small knit community that looked out for each other. "Tell me about this doc."
Elaine stared off. Persistant little buggar. Reminds me of Baird. There was that pang again. Shaking her head. "Shes a higher up in the C.O.G. If we don't come back from our mission. I bet you could ransom her off. Prescott wouldn't want one of his lackies to ..." Elaine paused.
Ben looked at her oddly. He was perplexed at the nature Elaine took. "Thats not what we are here for."
Elaine laughed as she tugged at the stitchs. "Look Ben. Its like this. We have no love for her. She's not a nice woman. She'll likely have you on a operating table, opened up just to see how much pain you can take."
Ben blanched as he watched her move away.
O-O
Terran shouldered the ammo, and cache as they headed for the forest. He looked at the trees oddly, then back to the stranded village. "Think they follow?"
Elaine shook her head. "Nope. If they do, let them. Meat shields are always a good thing."
Terran's face contorted as it vanished under the standard issue helmet. "You think like me. Good."
Elaine shrugged on her chest piece before snapping the staff together, reving them up to drown out Terran. The smoke billowed up from the two ends. She smirked darkly as they headed to the Locust enterance for the underground. A little side trip that they'd agreed to go on before the designated site.
They set out in to the forest with in the early morning, The mix of rot, and living blended in for the three of them. The scents of humans lingered barely past a mile out. Elaine's mind kept treking back to the islands. Her fingers tensed, twitched along the slowly warming metal shaft.
Their new armor ate the early morning rays up with the darkened metal. The welder definitely earned his payment of ammo, and Eric's rations. The mix of both C.O.G. And Locust armor was seamless, even the C.O.G. Dogtags were tinkered with, mixing the remants of the locust ones he had for sale. The remaining experiments felt like they were in their own skin.
Elaine imagined this was how it was suppose to be like, them trudging thru the jungles of burnt old growth, and the choking new. Flushing out the stems of Locust hordes. Now they were errand boys searching for what ever because Prescott had to save face infront of the people that believed him better than the Queen. Her arm swung the one half of the chainsaw staff as she moved thru, cutting the mutant plants that were strung across like silly string.
Terran lead the group towards the location. The warming effect of the jungles, and the ocean didn't improve his mood much. He did as Elaine ordered for now though the unease was catching; they already trudge a mile or so out from the camp. And eyes were following them.
The three moved in a single line, spread out when the first tell a tale sound of a ticker echoed around them. The ferns moved in various directions. Elaine snapped her staff together. "Move." She shouted as the ticker stopped in her path, she swung the staff trying to knock the explosive grub out of her way, the tell a tale flames, and the clicking increasing.
Terran turned to shoot at the flying pink thing, watching the fireworks before looking to Elaine. She slumped a bit as she moved quickly, pushing Bob to move faster. His hand grabbed the staff, causing her to stumble. He handed her the lancer. He moved ahead of her, the smell of infection was set in the wound, and less she used that arm the better. He swung the creatures as she skeet shot them out of the air.
"Huuuuummmmaaaannnnssss!" The raspy call of a Kantus.
Elaine's brow was already fevered, and sweating when she stumbled. Terran growled, his arm slinking around her waist, shouldering most of her weight. The two looked at each other; a silent truce in the dangerous jungle was formed, then they were off. They were some feet behind from Bob. They saw where he was headed, higher ground in the rocky terrain.
The rat a tat tat of gun fire, the call of fleeing birds, and animals broke thru the humid area, Terran pushed Elaine down behind an crumbling blouder as the ground started to be chewed up by bullets. He stood up behind the cover, peering around the corner trying to spot Bob.
Elaine's hands worked quickly to load, and ready the longshot, the pair switched weapons quickly, Elaine using the staff to distract as he lined up a shot. Bang the sniper rifle called out. He spoted Bob not too much further head, blindfiring to the shadows. Elaine took her lancer from where it was cradled on the back of her armor, then looked up at Terran.
"I'll cover you." She pushed herself up, pressing her back against the soft rock. She cocked the gun. And breathed out.
"No."
For the first time Elaine was actually shocked, she shook her head. "Thats an order private." She pushed him then moved from cover. Her lancer was spitting out bullets faster than she could change over a clip.
Terran hesitated for a slipt second than started to roadie run to the next over cropping of cover. He nodded to her as she ducked down behind the rock again. The two switched clips in their weapons. Then Terran, pulled out his hammerburst. He held the metal to his forhead, breathing out. "One." He shouted.
Bob could hear them getting closer, he was stuck too far with out support. Cursing that he should of stayed behind. He could understand the orders being called out as he waited for the two to catch up. He made his peace.
"Two."
Elaine already nodded to herself, tucking her tags, and Eric's inside her armor. Her gun cradled in her hands. "Three." Her foot pushed off, as she ran as fast as she could, the pinging of bullets nipping with each step. She tripped landing before Terran. Spitting out the dirt from her mouth, she squatted down. Breathing heavy.
Terran switched guns again, picking off the few locust foolhardy enough to peek their heads out. "Hurry."
Elaine nodded, the word sent her off to the next cover spot. She was behind a dam of broken, burnt down trees. She then covered for him as he ran to her. They were less than twenty feet apart from Bob when the genernade fell. Debris, dirt, and the three flew. The aftermath that rung thru their hearing and sight was disoreintating. They moved, slowly and bulky. Their own bodies couldn't adjust back yet, when the Kantus called out.
It was trying to call its fallen subordinates, the bodies of several snipers, gernadiers started to rise, pale yellow. Elaine felt the call in her blood, her body dragged forward, then lifted. She felt the warmth of the glow. Her blue eyes tried to find, in vain; Terran and Bob.
O-O
Elaine woke, chained, and bloody. Evidently she'd forgotten the way to wake up call; beat to a bloody plup. She couldn't open one eye, and her mouth tasted coppery. She spat, as she tried to get to her knees. She could hear the sound of metal scrapping rock. The sound was imprinted in to her very soul. Her hands were bounded, and she felt like she'd been thru the ringer.
Terran laid not to far away, caged with Bob. The smells of the hollow were the same, musky, and rotting. Though the Locust rot was like wet dog mixed with garbage. The sounds of the horde moving, and rushing of water was almost as bad as the aftermath of the sudden explosion.
Elaine tried to peace together what happened after the Kantus call, when she felt slender fingers curl around her chin. "She's awake." The Queen had Elained chained after they arrived with the half breeds. She was curious to see what the Kantaus had found. It was certainly worth the locusts, and tickers lost. Her features darkened as she sneered. Her eyes studied Elaine closely.
Elaine tried to turn her head away, but couldn't. The fact she was meeting the Queen face to face with the knowledge she had now. It humbled, and scared her greatly that the woman now had her and her kin.
"What did the good doctor Fenix call you?"
Elaine swallowed. "Elaine. He called me Elaine."
Mira nodded as she swept away from her, gesturing to two Theron guards to lift her up. "gently. Gently." She cooed them as the roughly dragged her to her feet. She sagged, and wabbled to and throw as they did. Holding her in place Mira walked around her now. Assessing what kind of threat she was. "You do know who I am?"
She nodded, her long black tresses that were freed from the braid, littered with blood and debris gave her a nun's mantle, hiding her features. "Yes."
The elder woman nodded, she looked worn, and tired. Evidently she opted out of her dressier gowns with extra tenticles for armor; much like Elaine's. Mira's fingers curled around a length of hair. Her brow arched up. "Clean her up. Then return her to me!"
Elaine tried to struggle away from the guards grasp. "What about Terran and Bob?" She stumbled forward only to be pulled back.
Mira turned, amused. Her laugh came out heedy and breathless. "Bob? Bob? What sort of name is that? And they will remain where they are." She nodded looking at her joint experiments fruitation. "They'll remain where they are.. and you will do as your told." Elaine brsitled, and nodded. Her lower lip jutted out. "Tsk tsk tsk. We have to beat that human trait out of you." Then waved off Elaine.
She looked over her shoulder to the cages, both men were no worse for the wear; but they watched her as she was lead away. Silence engulfed the area. The make shift prison and throne room in the hollow was ill light, and crowded with guards. Mira was back on her throne watching the way the two. Plotting how to use them against the too human princess.
She was everything that Elaine remembered, cold, calculating, and inhuman. The locust Queen now had an advantage against her. Before with Skorge he used Maria against her, and it worked for a time being. Elaine had spent nights wide awake in her bunk at New Jacinto wondering, if she knew, would Elaine still of been a plaything.
Unceremonously dumped on the banks, she did as she was told. It was a hard decision at gun piont. Bile rose up as she washed away the blood and debris from her locks, to only have them sheer most of it away. As she watched her hair dance upon the current, a yellow glow off in the distance. "Lambient." She looked quizicaly watching how it bobbed.
She got up, running her cut up hand thru the pixie like cut. She watched the Theron guards as they lead her back, then her eyes looked everywhere to see if there was any hint to the outside world. But as they moved, the hope of being back on the islands started to fade away.
Mira laughed delighted as Elaine returned, Terran was held up by chains and bloodied. "So I see the experiment returned."
Her fists curled at her sides as she stood poised to interceed. His growls and defiant glare were the only things keeping her in place. Mira stood up from the rock throne, tossing Elaine her staff. "Amuse me."
Elaine caught the two ended saw staff, she swung it in a cirlce infront of her, testing its weight; and how right it felt in her hand. She slung it back and glared at the donor of half her genes. Her pionted, blue gaze fixed on Mira's gestures as she waved two big, feral locust guards forward. She felt inferior to them as they stomped forward; the loud roaring around her as the blood rushed into her ears. Adreline started pumping with each revolution of the saws.
The first was on her left, using the same tatic as a mauler, the large chained gernade. Smashing it down hard in the ground. The effect was intimidating. The second on her right was just as massive, with two of the butcher's blades. The sound of the blades crossing over each other had the same effect as Bernie running her nails down a chalk board. Sweat started to trick down her neck; Elaine was worried now.
Bob was on the ground just behind the two feral locust. Elaine was thankful she could focust her survival. The first came at her, hard and fast; his maw was open and letting out a blood curttling growl. She bared her teeth, the surge of adrenalie pushed her forward, her saw staff an extension of her body.
The two clashed into each other as she used her staff to deflect the disoreintating hit. His fist shot out, as her knee moved upwards. It was a close quarters brawl as they hit, and defended. The second moved fast in taking the oppurtunity to break the plates on her armor.
She let out a gutteral growl with the pain of blade bitting in to her arm; Bob stirred, pushing himself up. No one bothered to stop him as he took the hammerburst from one of the gawking follower. He slide across the stone floor, aiming at the blades. The left one shattered as Elaine broke her staff free from the coiled chain.
Her and Bob stood close to each other as she broke the staff down. Swinging them in succession as she clipped her orders out to Bob. He was to play distraction while she free'd Terran. Mira sat at the edge of her seat, the darkened amused smile as she saw how her test tube daughter moved, and commanded the underling.
Elaine pained as she used one of the attacking locust to polvolt herself forward, giving her momentum to sling shot the half in to Terran's chain. Her feet slammed on the floor, she twisted her body in a rapid motion, bringing up the other half into the bare chest of the locust, reving the teeth. Blood and bone followed by grunts as she kicked him off.
Terran felt his body sway as the first chain was cut, his hand extended trying to grab the half from the dead sniper at his feet, while another dove forward. Terran used his legs. Curling them around the locust's neck. The crack and then lifeless body fell as he grabbed the half. Sawing himself free. Then moving to get a botlock pistol.
His grunt alerted Elaine as she somersalulted away from the injured feral guard her hand snapped up catching the mate to the half she had in hand, her quick assembly and rotation on her heel, only to block the downward movement of the blade. She grunted under the weight baring down on her. Using both her feet, kicking him in his gut.
"Oh gawd. What do they feed you?" She coughed from the sudden, offensive smell of his putrid breathe.
Terran and Bob worked together taking down the other. The sound of the hammerburst's rapid fire, and the deafing punch of the pistol riddled away at the one leg, then they worked on the kill. Elaine pushed herself up as she was staff to blade combat. Memories flooded her mind as her body numbed and went on autopilot.
The arena was dimly lit, and the cage surrounding it was in bad repair. Prongs stuck in, and half rotten bodies danged off them like worms on the fisherman's hook. The smell was still better than where they kept most of the tortured. The locust generals, and some of the higher priests tended to find places to sit and watch. They took pride in putting their pets up for the fight.
Elaine was lead in to the arena by Skorge, he unleashed her from his side. Pushing her in to face two humans who weren't so easily broken. Her arms were heavy, still bandaged and splintered from the last fight she was in. But she grunted, and moved, staggering forward.
They were faceless, and they had no weapons to use. Her blue eyes quickly calculated how to kill one, then toy with the other. The smell of sweat and urine eminated as one of them. He came at her, but she lowered herself. Tossing him in to the prongs. The other was already pleading for his life. But Elaine couldn't stop, the thirst to kill was there. Recklessly she continued. Only because she was promised Maria would come back from the cannisters.
No one kept their promise.
The two halfs came crashing forward on the broken locust, his body fell forward as the head flew, landing in Mira's lap. Elaine, hurt, and lost in her own mind went down on one knee as the final revolution of either saw stopped. The smoke and exhaust filtered slowly as Mira discared the appendage.
"Seize them."
Elaine growled, both Bob and Terran fell at her side, the three covering each other's flank; as the last of Mira's palace guard surged forward.
O-O
Dr. Moira had escaped clinic, and her constant babysitters. She had found a useable radio and imputed the frequency needed to reach the C.O.G. Time was short, and the ailing static was her only way to get to Prescott. "New Jacinto... come in." Her fingers moved the knob slowly till there was a crackle.
"This is a miltary frequency. Trollers..."
"Oh cut the crap!" She fumed. "Get the Chairman, and get him now. There is hostile's; I repeat there is hostiles at the K.R. Landing sight."
The radio operator hesitated as he turned to look at Prescott over his shoulder. "Sir."
He took the mouth peice and sat closer to the radio. "Doctor Moira .."
She breathed out a sigh of relief. " Prescott, they've found a way to escape. But there is a stranded base of operations seven clicks out. I repeat..."
"You don't have to repeat, I heard you the first time. Do you have comfirmation that they are dead?"
Moira frowned. Her fingers twitched as she lied. "Yes sir. Confirmed kills."
Prescott smirked, "Good."
Moira went to ask when, and where to meet the K.R. When static came thru. "Dammit Prescott." She tossed whatever she could, when her babysitters found her.
"Sir?" The operator looked at the chairmen.
"Send a clean up crew to retreive the data. Including the deserter."
The man nodded as Prescott took his leave, he felt chipper that his secret was kept. Now was only to figure out how to reproduce it. He tilted his head in a nod to Hoffman as entered the communications hub for all the islands surrounding New Jacinto. Briskly striding across the parade ground as he enjoyed the day more. His hand covering his breast pocket, patting the small key.
Hoffman regarded Prescott the same as he had since the incident to notify him about the just recently unclassified details of New Jacinto. Hoffman still woke up at night, heart pounding, cold night's sweat over what had been done to the orginal Jacinto. How many other lives could we of saved if we had known about this place? He shook his head, striding first to get himself a black, strong cup of joe, then to get the morning reports. He's up to something, I know it by that snarky little smirk of his. Like a bug crawling up the perverbial ass. He strode over to the white board used to update the higher brass of what teams were in status.
His face strained, as the red marker listed the entire platoon of Elaine's as K.I.A. With a question mark. Victor's hand gripped the already cracked coffee cup; stress and strain etched in his already battle weathered face. Between the constant pirate attacks, and trying to 'civilize' the locals; Hoffman felt as he were to break. "Whose handling the clean up details?" His gruff voice barked out.
A salute of a faceless communications officer snapped too. "I am Sir."
Hoffman nodded, "We rotate out in twenty boy." Slamming his cup down. Hoffman would personally see to recovering Elaine's body, giving her a proper burial was the least he could do for the poor child. But something about this was not right, it reeked of the Chairman.
Victor was soon joined by Bernie as he crossed the grounds, he was barking orders like mad. Her brow arched up. "Everything okay Vic?"
He shook his head.
"Where you going then?"
He stopped, Bernie falling suit a few steps later. When she looked at him, it almost undone him. Shaking his head as he spoke. "Hold down the fort Mataki." Then proceeded to get his armor, weapon and ride to the main land.
Bernie stood there dumbfonded as she knew something was up, and he didn't know the words to say it. Grumbling she trotted on her way to teach more wet behind the ear pups how to survive.
"Wheres Hoffman off to Boomer Lady?" Cole called out as he helped Baird fix one of the fisherman's trollers
O-O
Ben listened to his scout's recount of the attack right up until the bizarre details; about when Elaine and her two friends light up when Kantaus was reviving the locusts. He dismissed the scout, sending him to get some medical help first, as Ben started to walk around the table with some of the other fighter's of their stranded collective. His eyes traveled to the outpost. Watching the people going by.
"Ben we can't ignore the fact, she was lit like a lightbulb." Oron, the Tyrun mechanist turned handyman barked out.
He nodded. "We both know that there is natural gas pockets littering that area...it could be a by product of walking in to the gas..."
"She is C.O.G." Laine stated, as she took a seat at the mock up of the outpost.
"Oh yes lets not forget that fact!" Grumbled another. "What exactly is it they are looking for? Why not put out the fine china, and silver while we are at it too."
Ben sighed. "Look, we have their Doc; it will be a matter of time till another group is dispatched out here. When they come; what do you think the Doc is gonna say? Oh what a lovely vacation spot?"
They shook their heads one after another, before the collective. "No."
Nodding softly again as he squared his shoulders, standing straighter than before. "If Elaine is caught, our creditablity goes with her. I did not sacrifice what I have just to let the C.O.G. Take our freedom."
Oron nodded. "And what are you suggesting exactly?"
Ben turned to face the man, twenty years his senior. "I am suggesting that we go in to the Hollow, and get her, what is rest of her team out."
Some one through up their hands. "So basically suicide?"
Laine blinked as she listened. "What if we didn't have to go in until we had a clear path to them?" Ben looked to the woman, the way she moused up a suggestion. She looked around shyly to each of them, before rising up from her rickety stool.
Oron barked out laughing. "Look lady, unless you got some trained tickers in your knickers; I ain't gonna risk my ass for the C.O.G.; creditablity or not."
"We have the old drums of chemicals from the old emulsion refinery. We can use that, a few well placed Ryan bombs, and we are in."
Ben nodded as he looked to the group. "It could work. But we'd need to make sure that once we are in, that we get to them before we blast the enterance to the hollow shut."
The group nodded, before one of them spoke. "I'll prepare the other's for a mass exodus to the other outpost."
Ben nodded, as Oron folded up his arms. "We can give you and those who aren't staying behind a few hours to prepare and move out." Soon the tent with the group was a buzz with plans, theories, and a detailed layout of their plans.
Moira crept up, hiding behind the lockers as she listened to the extent of their plans. She frowned. This will ruin everything. And if Prescott...if the chairman finds out that she and those freaks are still alive, it'll be my hide. I don't think so. She went to move, knocking over a crate in the process giving away her hiding location.
Tegs was the first to ascend on her, grabbing her by the scruff of the clothes she was given in place of her armor. "Well well lookie what we have here! I believe its the good Doc, hey Ben."
Ben nodded, his one hand moving to his chin, the other propping up the arm by the elbow. A exasperated look washed against his sunkissed features. He grumbled about woman being the death of him as he gestured for her to be taken away. "Lock her up. This time don't let her leave your sight. We don't need her alerting ..."
She laughed as she was unceremoniously lifted up like a sack of potatoes on to Tegs' shoulder.. "Too late."
Oron looked around then cleared his throat. "You heard the bitch, meaning lets get our asses out of the sling and into gear."
O-O
Elaine glared up at Mira after the heavy hand came across her cheek. She spat the coppery saliva out on to woman's dress. Her tongue darting out across the swollen lower lip. "I ain't telling you shit!"
Mira's ire and frustration took hold of her, the ground shook and rumbled as she stalked away. Terran, and Bob hadn't broke under the constraints she'd place on them, but slowly she was learning more and more about the half breeds. Adam Fenix had hidden them for a long time, now; now she had them to herself. To torture, to mold, to make Locust.
Elaine's body sagged under the weight of the chains. She was tired, sore, and fuming. It had been hours since she felt the butt of the gun hit her head; hour since she'd seen Terran and Bob. She hoped that they'd kept the location of where the C.O.G. A secret, and the numbers. Even though Elaine hated Prescott, she had too much respect for Hoffman to reveal anything. Her thoughts seemed to sway away with the hunger as she wondered if she'd see Baird again.
It wasn't until the sickening crunch of bone being broken that snapped Elaine back, her arm was bent awkwardly as she screamed out in pain. The howls bounced around echoed, then answered by a growl like baritone scream. The corner's of her vision started to blacken, she felt sicker to her stomach, but there was nothing but dry heaves as her forehead hit the floor. Her good arm craddled the broken one. She fought against her attaker to keep it close, but it was all in vain. They broke it again, setting it back in alignment. Then left her, as she cried out. Tears fell from her cheeks as she tried to wriggle free. Hope was drowning slowly in the sense of being lost.
Terran looked up from across the room, he'd been out for several hours. It was almost a full day that they'd been captured, but he realized time moved differently in the Hollow. No sunlight, only laterns, and torchs casted a harsher life. He didn't want to be Locust now, even though it was in his blood. He reached a turning piont as his ears heard Elaine's woeful cries of agony. He surged against the bindings. Growling as his energy was spent quickly.
He wanted for so long, in the drugged haze with the recordings of Locust speak, and beliefs in the test tube. He was strong enough to survive bouts of torture, his nose broken, blackened eye, and countless other injuries; proving he was Locust. But the moment of breaking Elaine; her humiltation he'd dreamt of was robbed from him; he realized that they'd do the same to him. Repeatedly. He had never before felt so human.
"Elaine."
She pushed herself forward, her forehead scrapping against the rocky floor. She tried to hold back the sobs as she brought her knees closer to her chest, rocking herself to stem the tide of nasuea. "Ehmmm..." She whimpered.
"Elaine..." Terran called again. Their jailers passed as he looked to her again. Her sobs were defeaning as he realized, she was slowly giving up hope. "We will get through this."
She wanted to believe his words, but the disembodied hallucinations were too convincing. Even the percussion of booms, and Locust growls of retreat were a symphany she couldn't believe. But her world was off kilter. Debris from the ceiling above started to fall around, the clash of gun fire, and the smell of emulsion assailed their senses.
Ben lead the assault from above. He was armed to the teeth as three groups of volunteers set off the emulsion bombs. Opening a hellmouth to the underground. Locust filtered out, trying to get away from the fires, as humans pushed them back. Alerting both Locust and Lambient. There were many causalities as they pushed forward. Leapfrogging from cover to cover. Avoiding the cave ins as much as possible.
Bodies littered the path as the dwindling group found Bob; a bloody stump for a hand. Oron shouldered the half breed taking him to the extraction piont as the rest of the group moved forward. The echos of crashing, screams, growls, and cave ins were a symphony of destruction in the fast changing scene.
Mira growled as her palace guards escorted her away, Lambient were now across the river. Seemingly no longer at bay with staying dry. She growled, having to leave her test tube child behind to save her own skin. "Destroy the Lambent." She ordered, taking a gun as she made her hurried exit; only to stop a distance away to over look at the carnage. "I'll find you again Elaine."
Two of Ben's men were screaming as the yellowed, mutated Locust blood melted them. But he couldn't stop. Turning slightly as his finger rapidly slide across the trigger, giving them some peace. Every one knew the risk going down in to the Hollow; every one knew that they could possibly not return from it. Finding the C.O.G. Soldiers even if its just their bodies was their objective.
As Ben turned down a blackened bend, he tripped over Elaine, her sobs quieted themsevles. Her throat raw from fits. Some of the last group in worked at getting her free of the chains as her heard Terran's low growl.
They worked at a feverish pace, starting with thirty some men and woman. Dwindled down to fifteen or so. A group half carried Terran to the site, as Ben carried Elaine. Her body slack, and sagged in his arms. Her head bobbed with each step he took. As they reached the now dieing light of twilight, the extent of her wounds were visible. But with out pause they lifted her in a net.
She'd never felt so weightless, her eyes opened but everything was blurred, giving it a haloed finish too it. The sky painted in a wash of pastel pinks and purples upon a darkened blue canvas, Her body numb and hearing down to a fuzzied buzz. "I must be dieing."