"Don't move!"
Tex struggled momentarily against the hold of her captor, but it didn't take her long to work out that she wasn't going anywhere. She concluded that the whole innocent child thing had just been an act to lure her into this position. Speaking of which, why does my captor sound a lot like her? And the blade at my throat...no, it can't be... Tex allowed all the muscles in her body to slacken, until she was practically slumped against her hidden assailant. I've seen that blade before...
"Would you stop making that sound? It is driving me crazy!"
The Freelancer bit her tongue as she became aware that all this time, she had been making a low hissing sound. She felt the blade press closer to her throat. Any closer, then it would slice through her throat. Where have I seen that damned blade before?
There was no time to dwell on any thoughts, however. Tex could feel her captor's grip loosening and she knew it was now or never. Steeling herself, she quickly delivered a swift kick to what she thought was her captor's shin with the sole of her left boot. Her attacker jumped back and yelped in pain, releasing Tex from captivity. Without hesitating, she drew her rifle to face her attacker...only to find they had gone again.
How the hell? The Freelancer scanned around her quickly, the muzzle of her weapon following her line of sight as she turned. As she came back around to her original position, something knocked her rifle from her hands and the blade from before was pressed to her chest, poised for her heart. Despite her predicament, Tex somehow managed to remain calm and look her assailant – who was an older version of the girl she met previously – in the eye.
"Tell me why I shouldn't just impale you now." She hissed, eyes glaring at Tex.
The black clad warrior did not reply. Masked by her visor, her green eyes darted from the girl's face to the blade at her chest and back to her face again.
"Answer me, bitch!" The blade pushed further against Tex's chest, leaving a small dent in her armour.
But her attacker's anger only served to amuse the Freelancer. Underneath her helmet, she was smiling. "Tell me, have times really changed that much?" She asked calmly, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"What are you blazing on about? Just answer my damn question! Why shouldn't I just kill you?"
Unbeknownst to her attacker, Tex's smile broadened. "Because...well, if you did that, you'd kill the only friend you have left, Cal."
The girl visibly stiffened and stared at Tex with a wild look of disbelief in her eye. For a moment, neither moved, not even to speak, before the girl moved her weapon away from Tex's chest and turned away from the Freelancer. Another brief period of silence followed before the girl's voice emerged from her, slightly unsteady and in a different tone from before:
"Well. Now there's a name I've not heard in ages." There was a pause, before she added, "Texas."
Tex let out a snort. "Mutual."
There was a sudden shimmer of light, and the girl faded into nothingness, a mere illusion, and in her place stood a six foot tall warrior clad in black and crimson armour vaguely resembling Tex's. The breastplate was more ornate looking, though, and the two mismatched crimson shoulder pads were vastly different from the other soldier's own. The helmet was what was completely different – it was slightly more grey coloured and had a more knightly appearance to it. The visor of it resembled golden eyes glittering in the night.
"So, how have you been holding up, Cal?" Tex asked, putting her rifle away.
"First of all, it's not Cal anymore, and damn me to hell if I ever associate myself with them again. It's Huntingdon – Hunt." The other Freelancer (or rather ex Freelancer) replied slightly bitterly, withdrawing her wrist blades back into her armour.
"Sorry. I forget about your new name."
"Tch." Hunt waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. Anyway, to answer your question, I'm all right as can be, I suppose. All right for a warrior on the run, anyway. What about you?"
"Hah, you know me. Always getting into danger." Tex allowed herself to laugh, before she became serious again. "But...this is not what I'm here for."
"I didn't think you were coming for a social call."
"You didn't? Well, truth be told, I wasn't really looking for you, either."
"Not consciously, you weren't." Hunt nodded knowingly. "But subconsciously, maybe."
"What do you mean, exactly?" Tex questioned.
"Well, I had this idea. About the both of us." The other soldier cleared her throat. "You see, I didn't think you'd find me out here. I didn't think anyone would. Should've known, really...that if anyone was gonna find me, it'd be you, Tex. And you finding me here, right now...I guess that just proves my theory, huh? No matter where we are, how lost we are or what state we're in, we'll always find each other, somehow. No matter what they throw at us. We're just...bound together, it seems. No-one can ever drive us apart, no matter how hard they try. Tex and Hunt...We'll die together, you and I. That's what I believe. And they'll remember us, Tex. We'll be immortal, someday." There was another pause as Hunt shook her head. "I'll let you think on that one later. But back to the topic in hand. You're here because of the Alpha, aren't you?"
"How did you...-!"
"Because anything but just isn't your style." Hunt interrupted Tex before she could finish. "And had our roles been reversed, I'd only be finding you for the same reason."
"What's this about Alpha?" A new, masculine voice echoed around the pair, startling them both, Tex more so than Hunt.
"Rho? Is that...you?" Tex stuttered slightly in disbelief.
"Hmph. Tex. Glad you remembered me." A small, glowing being clad in grey armour floated nearby Hunt.
"Still not in your good books, I see."
"It's not you, Tex. It never was. It was O." The A.I. admitted. "Say, that chaotic freak isn't with you right now?"
"Nope. Sorry, Rho." Tex shook her head.
"Huh. Shame on us all, then. I sure wish I could show O a thing or two..."
"Hey Rho, deactivate. Tex and I...we need to have a private talk." Hunt interrupted her A.I. sternly.
"You know, nothing ever stays private in that head of yours long, Hunt."
"You know what I mean. I'll call you if I need you." Rho nodded and faded out into nothingness, before Hunt turned her attention back towards Tex. "What?"
"How on earth do you still have Rho after all this time?"
"It's a long story. Remind me to tell you it later. Anyway, have you learned anything more about Alpha?"
"The corruption in Project Freelancer runs deep, Hunt. Deeper than anyone can ever imagine." Tex bowed her head and sighed. "I haven't been able to find out much myself, but some other rogue Freelancers and I have been piecing together each other's notes and we found out this: Project Freelancer was only ever given one A.I. to work with. What they did to it...are still doing to it...it sickens me. They tortured it to fragment it into the A.I. units that we were all given..."
"I heard about that in my travels, too, but I had always doubted the truth a little. What they've done...it disgusts us. Both Rho and I. That's why we left. We couldn't stand working for something so...immoral." Hunt shook her head.
"You've been hunting for information too? What did you find out?"
"Nothing we didn't already know. We can't even get close. Every time we do, our goal just snaps out of reach."
"Well, I and the other rogue Freelancers managed to fit together a few things, and we worked out where they're experimenting on Alpha. I'm supposed to be going to meet the others at a rendezvous in a couple of days from now." Tex paused. "We are then going to attempt a rescue of the Alpha."
"And you need mine and Rho's help." Hunt finished for her. "There's a catch, isn't there?" Without waiting for a reply, Hunt requested that Rho grace their presence once more. "I think Rho should listen to this, too. If this works, what happens next?"
"We'll fix the Alpha. Hunt, I'm sorry, but that means...It's the only way we can do this."
Hunt and Rho looked at each other momentarily. Beyond her visor, the former wore a pained expression. She knew this might happen one day and yet...she rather liked Rho and his sense of justice. But she also knew that this couldn't go on...
"Please, Hunt, Rho. Whatever happened to bringing justice? I mean, I know your personalities have changed radically, but deep down, you still have those morals. Are you just going to stand by and let them torture Alpha more and more? I can't imagine what it is like for it, but I can't imagine it being pleasant."
"I just don't know, Tex." Hunt let out a defeated sigh.
"Come on, Hunt!" Tex punched her lightly on the shoulder. "Some of your other friends are there, too. Like York, for example."
"York's there?" She smiled when Tex nodded. "Well...you are right, I still have morals. This mission is bound to be dangerous too, and I've never shied away from a good challenge...All right, count us in. Let's give these fuckers hell and what for!"
"I agree with Hunt. For justice and all that, right?" Rho punched the air.
"That's the Hunt and Rho I know. I'll let you guys get ready. We'll leave as soon as."
Hunt nodded, and Rho faded away again. "Oh, and Tex?" She held out a clenched fist.
Tex immediately recognised the age old gesture. Some things never change.She obliged gratefully and pounded Hunt's fist with her own before she watched her old comrade vanish into the darkness.
We'll die together, you and I...And they'll remember us. Tex and Hunt...We'll be immortal, someday.
Inside her helmet, Tex smiled, and in that instant, she believed what Hunt said would eventually be true.