Chapter 2: Invasion
Neon District
Day 25 of quarantine
Military forces drop down onto the roofs, locked and loaded. "Twenty seconds." a man shouts, "Roger that Eagle two." another answers and they were ready.
90 minutes ago…
They stood in the debriefing room with Moya at the head and she showed them an image of the Conduit. "Her name is Sasha, and she got powers in the same blast as MacGrath and O'Connell. She excretes a powerful hallucinogenic. It immediately induce seizures and any contact with it can be fatal." she informs them and pulls up all three of the reaming prime Conduits in Empire city.
"…Really has a thing for MacGrath, so we won't move against him. MacGrath has a teenager with him by the name Cassandra O'Connell, seems to have taking a liking to her, so we can't touch her as well. Not until we have Sasha in custody." she informs them.
She ten turns to them, her hands on both of her hips, "Intel suggests she's reconstituting her paramilitary, the Reapers. I want this done by the book. In and out in ten minutes. Understood?" she orders them.
Present…
The soldiers busted through the door, "Entrance breached." one calls out, "Eagle Two, advance one, in position." the other said over the radio. And the advance into the building with guns ready. Headed down the stairs to the lower floors.
They went to go further, but the Reapers took them by surprise and fired, taking a few of the soldiers down. "Contact! Find cover!" one orders and they hide.
The soldiers did fire back. But the Reapers were outgunning them. "Requesting heavy fire, danger close, ninth floor, east side." a man said over the radio. "Copy that. Firing danger close." another said over the radio and a chopper came and fired through the windows and took out all the Reapers on the ninth floor. "Good kill, eagle two, good kill. Maintain position." the man said to them through the radio, "Copy that." they answer and stayed close to the building.
They advance forward and step over the Reapers bodies, "Keep it tigh-!" one said, but was cut off as a blast came out of nowhere. Knocking them to the ground, then Sasha steps out and glares at them as her tentacle tongue was sticking out and they look at her, "I know what that bitch's plan is, what she wants. But I'll never betray my love." she growls at them and spits out more tar, making the men on the ground choke on it, the other stood around her and readied the stun shots. "Use the Z000v!" one orders and they were shot right at her.
Sasha screams as she shrieks from contact, but then she still kept fighting "Cole will find you… he and that child… they'll kill you, all of you…" she growls at them as her body weakens and she collapse onto her knees "Hit her again!" one orders at they were standing over her. "…You'll see…" she mutters and was out. Sasha was rolled onto her back, a bag place over her face. "We got her, mother." one informs Moya as he pulls out the wires. "Well done, sergeant." she congrats him.
~8~8~8~
Moya stood at the head of the ship with two files tuck in her arm, "Two down, two more to go." she mutters and looks out at Empire city. "won't be much, longer now, Cole…" she mutters.
Then clutches the files in her grip, "Not much longer now."
~8~8~8~
The Warren
Zeke kneeled in front of a van as he was working on the engine, trying to get it to work, then Cole and Cassandra walk up behind him, "The Warden said you needed out help." Cole calls out to him, Zeke nods at him, "Yeah, got some batteries that need charin'." he answers and Cassie walks up and looks at the engine.
He then looks at her, "One this van and a few other cars are runnin', the Warden gonna start patrols. You know, places where you both can't be." he tells her, she nods and looks at Cole. "Stand back." Cole orders and he sends out electricity into the engine and recharges it. The two then back away and Zeke cleans off his hands, "Anything else?" Cole asks him and Zeke shook his head, "No man, that's it. Thanks." Zeke tells him and Cole went to walk away, but he stops as he held a look in his eyes. Then he looks down at his hand electricity course over it, Cassie looks at Cole's hand, "What I told you last night, you believe me?" Cole asks him, Zeke turns back and looks at him. "About you and Kessler?" he asks and Cole nods at him, Yeah." he answers him. "Course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Zeke asks him, "Because it's insane." Cole answers him, "Take a look around you, man. Sane went out the window weeks ago." he informs him.
Cole then drops his hand and press it to his head. Cassandra walks over and press her hand to his arm, he looks at her and she nods at him. Then he looks away, "I'm not eating, not sleeping, can't think straight. It's like Kessler's everywhere and I can't shake him." Cole states and collapse onto his knees, but Cassie quickly grips his arm and went down to hers as well and places his arm on her shoulder. "He's dead, Cole. It's over." Zeke reminds him as he ran to the two conduits. Cassie looks up at him, wishing he was right, then shook her head. "See that's the thing. It's never going to be over. He took away everything that made me what I am, Cassie was never meant to have these powers and she does." he states and then looks over his shoulder at him, "And I don't think I can rebuild myself." Cole informs him and laid his head on Cassandra as he was so… broken.
Zeke nods at him and looks down at the two, "When I went with Kessler, he locked me up in a room. Just a bed, T.V, and a piss bucket. But a couple of times he came stumblin' in, drunk off his ass. And he'd just sit on the floor and started at me." Zeke informs him as the two look up at him. "Sometimes he looked like he was gonna say somethin', but never did. After an hour or so, he just give up and leave. Then one day, he comes in and tells me goodbye, thanks me for being such a good friend all these years. I figured he was nuts, you know." he states as the three were sitting down and Cole was leaning forward and Cassie sat in Indian style. "Had no idea what he was going on about. Now it all makes sense." Zeke mutters the last bit and Cole leans against Cassie's shoulder. "I don't understand, why are you telling me?" Cole asks him as he didn't want to argue with him.
Zeke then looks over at him then shrugs, "Hell, I don't know, man. Maybe because at the end of the day, you got to remember that he was just some guy. He wasn't nothin' special. And because that just he did this, doesn't mean he controls you. You're your own man, Cole. Always will be." Zeke tells him, "He's right, you know." Cassie agrees with him and Zeke looks at her in surprise. "You and Kessler may have the same person, but you two are nothing alike, he destroys, you save. He ruins, you restore. You could of taken the Ray Sphere for yourself, but you destroyed it so no one can use it ever again." she informs him and Cole sniffles a little. "You even saved me a couple of times and that's enough evidence to tell me, you're nothing like him, Cole. You're someone else, a man of good intentions." she tells him, he sighs a little.
But then they all heard something flying over their heads. Cole pulls his head back and they look up to see something in the sky "You hear that?" Zeke asks them, Cassie nods, "Un-huh." she mutters "Yeah." Cole answers as well. Then not too far from them, it crashes into the ground and went… KA-BOOOMMM! Knocking the three right off their feet and smacks them against the ground.
Cole coughs as he lifts himself up, Zeke pulls himself onto his knee and covers his ears, Cassie coughs and Cole looks down at her as he shielded her from the blast. "Are you alright?" he asks her, she nods and looks up at him, "Told you. You're not like him." she mutters and rolls onto her side. Cole exhales and looks over at Zeke. "What… What the hell was that?" he asks and Zeke shook his head. "Damn ear are ringin'." Zeke shouts and they look up again and saw planes flying over them, military soldiers were being drop out of them. The three stood up and sighs. "You've got to be kidding me…" Zeke questions. "Looks like Moya was serious about invading the city." Cassie states as she dust herself off. "Go get the Warden. We don't have much time." Cole informs him and Zeke took of running.
~8~8~8~
Neon District…
Soldier were being drop everywhere, but back at the house where David retreated, he could smell the soldiers coming into the city. But looks back at his wife and daughter. -I won't be long now, I promise.- he whispers to them, then smell Cole as he and Cassandra were ready to fight the military. -No, he can't hurt you here. The Lord has blessed this house.- he mutters as the two were laid perfectly on the bed, candles light, petals scattered everywhere.
Their hands place on their chest and the wife held a flower under her hands. -It's our sanctuary.- He whispers then thinks of his little girl as he would play with her, letting her ride on his shoulder and she shoulder smile and laugh. David was pulled out of his memory as he then raises his head at the sound being caused outside. He could smell the men as they were dropping outside of his house. -And anyone who dares threaten it will be struck down.- he swears to them. The soldiers then raise their weapons, ready for anything and walk up to the houses. "Overwatch, Talon two. LZ secure starting sweep and clear." soldier one informs command. "Roger that Talon two. Report first contact." command informs him. Copy that, Talon Two out." he answers and they walk over to the house David was hiding in, but one stops as he looks up at the drawing on the side of the roof of the Ray Sphere and the symbol of the First Sons, "What the hell?" he mutters, then they were at the front porch, aiming their guns at the door, "Get your ass out here!" the leader orders.
The door then slowly opens and David steps out of the house as he was growling at them. They stagger back a little in fear of what they were looking at. "This is your last warning!" the leader shouts as he kept his cool. But David snarls at them, then lunches forward, wrapping his tentacles around them. "OH MY GOD…" one shouts and he drains their neuro-electric energy, rage boils inside him. -Trespassers! Defilers!- he shouts and showed them no mercy. One makes a run for it as the other cowards on the ground. "Overwatch, contact-! No!" he shouts but was cut short as David wraps his other tentacles around their necks and drags them right back to him then inside the house. They scream, kicked and struggled to break slamming the door shut. -The Lord judges and punishes the wicked. No one can escape his gaze.-
~8~8~8~
Steel Habor, Empire City…
Back at the Warship where Moya stayed at, she was standing room where it was pips and wires. "Struggle all you want, you're not going to escape." Moya informs the captive as they continued to show resistance. "I'll never help you." Sasha snaps right back at her as pumps were attach her to her body.
Moya smirks and leans over a bit as she press her hands to her legs. "You see, that's where you're wrong. First we're going to suck you dry. And we're going to use that goo of yours to capture your boyfriend Cole and his side-kick, Cassandra." Moya informs her and Sasha laugh a little at her. "You have no idea of all the rage that, that brat has bottled up inside her, and you don't want to know either." she states and Moya pulls back and cross her arms, "I'll take my chances." she tells her, then Sasha glares at her, "There's not stopping what's coming. The world's changed and there's no going back. It's only a matter of time." Sasha informs her.
Moya just looks over at the man by the lever, "Turn it on." she tells him, he did so and Sasha shrieks in pain, sticking her tentacle tongue out."Goodbye, Sasha." Moya said to her and left her as her tar was being pulled right out of her body.
~8~8~8~
The Warren…
The cops, Harms, Zeke and the two conduits fought back against the military, Cole jumps onto a chopper as Cassie threw out Hammer to the ones on the ground. "Don't take this personally." Cole informs them, then short-circuited the chopper, firing at the tail as he jumps off and did a Thunder slam, knocking the soldiers off their feet, then they ran right for him, "Shit!" Cole swore and Cassie ran right for him, "There's Cole! Cover him!" Harms calls out as he and Zeke fired at the soldiers Cassie stood behind him and raise you her shield.
Blocking the bullets from touching him, Cole fires bolts right at them and makes their equipment explode, then a heavy arms Chopper came flying right at them, Cassie drops her shield and fires at the blades, knocking it right off balance, then the tail. It flew away and crash somewhere along the docks, then the two look around and saw they were outnumbered, electricity courses onto their arms and growls. "This has gone on long enough." Cole said in a low tone and then they both summon lighting from the sky and fries all the soldiers as there was nothing but their smoking corpses.
Zeke whistles at that, "Glad their on our side." Harms mutters. "Yeah, it's pretty awesome." Zeke agrees as the two walk over, "Don't get to comfortable, it's not over." Cassie informs them as the electricity on her arm dims down, "Moya's going to send more troops. This is just the start of it." Cole informs the two as well. "Yeah, I'd say that's a safe bet." Harms states. Then looks at Cole and Zeke. "Look, we need to figure out what we're going to do. Let's head in." he tells them, Cassie took one last look out at the sky, knowing Moya was up to something and then turns and followed after Cole.
~8~8~8~
Sewer Canal #23J7. Under the Warren
Four people were gathered at a burner as meat was roasting over it the fire, "Soldiers came through here an hour ago. Barely got away." Fred informs them as he turns his rat on a stick over, "I don't understand what they're doing. Why are they keeping up here?" Danny asks him. "They want the Electric-man and Electric-fox. Cole and Cassie what's-their-names." Sara answers them.
Then an image appears into David's mind as he could smell Cole's neuro-electric energy. -His stench his overwhelming. Not much longer now.- he whispers. "Then maybe we should help them. They'd have to let us out then, right?" she asks and looks back at them. Danny chuckles a little at her as he took his rat. "No one's getting out of here. Not alive, anyway." he states and takes a bite out of his rat, "What're they going to do? Kill us?" Fred asks him, he nods, "Yeah, probably." he answers and the other take bits out of their food as well. "That's the craziest damn thing I've ever heard." Sara states as she didn't believed him, he then looks at her, "Where's the food the promised? All of those doctors?" he asks her.
She shrugs at him, "Maybe they dropped it, but those Reapers or someone stole it." she suggests. "The hospital has been running for a while, then all of a sudden it's shut down. Why do you think that?" he asks her, "Because someone doesn't want us getting help." Matt spoke up. But then something in the water moves, getting all four of their attention, "What the hell?" Sara asks, then it burst out of the water, wrapping it's tentacles around the four and drains them of their neuro-electric energy. David then drags them all into the water along with him and it stills itself.
~8~8~8~
Neon District
The trooper were scattered all over Empire city, with weapons and military arsenal, "We are here to help you. Please cooperate will all." one calls out through the mic.
Troopers down into the sewers and blowing up tunnels into the sewers.
People were being shuffled around like animals, being rip away from their friends, families and loved ones.
Historic District
Other were being forced onto their knees being at point blank range, they beg to let them life, to let them go. Loved ones were being restrain from protecting the ones they loved, begging not to hurt them.
But the trooper showed no mercy to anyone that opposes them. They will blow up anything and everyone that stand in their way of their mission.
~8~8~8~
Quarantine line, Stampton Bridge…
Back on the warship, Lina stood in front of the General as they were live. "…Getting reports of military activity int the city, General. Care to comment?" Lina asks as she held the mic right back at him. He just smiles and looks into the camera. "This morning engineers started to demolish some of the most severely damaged structures in the city. We couldn't risk collapsing on their own." he states and the camera grimes as the general was saying nothing but horse-shit.
"We are also relocating citizens, on a voluntary basis, into security camps. It's for their protection. Now if you excuse me, Linda, I have a meeting to run." he tells her and she pulls back the mic. "Thank you for your time, General." she said and they were off the air. He walks off and the camera leans close next to Linda as she sighs. "You know that's a load of crap, right?" he asks her. She nods at him and sighs. "We report what they want to report, Troy. C'mon, lets finish this and get the hell out of here." she tells him and they both left the quarantine line.
~8~8~8~
The Warren…
Cole and Cassandra watch as the Cops were trying to clean up, "Lets get those posted up front." Harms orders his men. They went to help, but stop as Cole's phone went off. He hesitated for a moment then answers it. "Hello Cole." Moya said on the other line, Cassie clutch her fist, but Cole held his arm out to her and she drops her hand.
"If you're calling to gloat, Moya, you're a tad premature." he informs her, "I've never believed in gloating. The loser always known when he's beaten." she informs him, then Cassie cross her arms, "What was that you said about, not believing in gloating?" Cassie questions her. "I'm calling to make a proposition for you. You'll come in, and we'll put all of this behind us. Refuse, and well, things will get interesting." she offers them and Cassie arch her eyebrow. "We can handle anything you throw at us. Just ask your soldiers." he tells her and Cassie looks down at one that was dead and kicks him onto his back. "I saw what you did. Pretty impressive. But their primary mission is locking down the rest of the city. I just want you two know how serious I am about this." she informs him.
Cassie shifts in her spot as she places her hands on her hips, "If you're so serious, why don't you come down here so we can settle this once and for all." Cole growls at her. "You really need to drop the macho bullshit." she informs him. "Sleep on it, Cole. You have until tomorrow morning. Then the gloves come off." she informs him and hung up as she was standing in the lab where the experiments were still in the tubes.