Chapter Six
Charlie
I stood in front of the old house door. Frowning, I checked the message on my phone to see if I was at a correct address. Hm. Seemed I got it right. I thought Michelle sold the house to that soldier guy, and he collected the keys a couple of days ago. She called me all excited, describing the guy in detail, not missing one bit of his 'battered, yet chiseled face' and the fact that he somehow managed to crash his car on a usually empty S-72 road, the only one connecting Frozen Falls to other few cities in the continent. How did he do it? The road was always clear, not a bit of ice or snow on it.
I shook my head. The doctor's accomplices were not my problem. I had a goal— and she had valuable information that would help me achieve that goal. I couldn't allow myself the benefit of the doubt. Last time I ever heard of Colin's whereabouts was just before I decided to leave the army. I was briefly informed that he was sent on a classified mission and that they will contact me when he returns. Shortly after that, I received a laconic email notifying me of Colin's current status— MIA— and that was the last thing I knew about him.
The doctor claimed she knew something and that she was ready to help me find him. The whole situation was fishy. I supposed she wanted something in return, people like her rarely are selfless and compassionate— but how could I ignore the fact that she was a first person connected to the military to offer me at least some hope to find Colin?
He's probably dead, Charlie. You know that. Don't get into this. It's suspicious at best.
I closed my eyes for a second. Michelle's advice resounded in my head, with emphasis on Colin being dead. She was probably right. It was too long with no contact from him or from the army. They were probably just waiting for the procedure limit of time to go by so they can mark him as KIA. The chances he somehow survived whatever happened to him were small, but I had to take them. I just had to. Even if it was just to find his body, I had to know.
I knocked on the door.
What if Michelle's right? What if the doctor is really doing something illegal here? What is she going to ask of me? What if—
The door opened and a familiar figure of the doctor appeared. She offered me a strained smile.
"Good morning, Sergeant Walker."
I nodded in greeting. She stepped back, extending her prosthetic arm to invite me inside. I took a deeper breath to compose myself and entered the house.
"I don't believe I introduced myself yet. I'm Catherine Halsey."
I shook the offered hand and curiously looked around the room I found myself in. It nearly lacked basics— there was only a table with two chairs next to it, some papers spread in a hasty disorder on the metal surface. The doctor eyed me cautiously, I could almost feel her inspecting gaze on my back. I shifted under her observant cold eyes. I didn't like it when people gave me their undivided attention. I much preferred staying to the side.
"Stop staring, doctor", I snapped finally, turning to face her. She looked surprised for a second but quickly masked it with a careful smile.
"Sorry", she said, somehow apologetically, "old habits."
I nodded and folded my arms on my chest, a typically closed position. I'm sure she made note of that, too. I raised my chin higher.
"What is the deal?"
"Sergeant Walker—"
"I'm not a sergeant anymore", I interrupted her. She rose her brows. I noticed a bit of annoyance, this time not so carefully covered with indifference. She shrugged, seemingly not caring about my preference or not of being called sergeant.
"Very well. I shall call you Charlene."
"I prefer Charlie."
"Charlene suits you better", she decided dismissively, getting closer to the table. She fished out one of the loose papers and presented it to me. I extended my hand to take it, but she held it back where I couldn't reach it. I frowned.
"It's highly confidential information", she pressed. "I hope you know that whatever we speak of in this room must not leave it."
I shrugged, nodded sharply and waited for her to put the paper in my hand. I glanced at the headline.
The employment contract between UNSC and Charlene Walker
"What? Employment?"
"Paperwork", she dismissed my worries. "Had to call it something in the documents."
"So you are a part of UNSC?"
She only smirked at my question.
"Read the contract, Charlene."
I went through the complicated document filled with difficult lawyer phrases. I understood what it meant— I was supposed to carry an AI unit designed to contain the rampant AI Cortana. I was supposed to save the worlds.
Shocked, I raised my eyes to Catherine.
"Why do you want me to do it?"
"You are perfect for the job, Charlene. Nobody will suspect what you're doing. Cortana will not feel threatened by you. Your only job is to deliver the AI close to Cortana and connect their systems."
I shook my head, staring at the paper. My heart beat so fast and hard I could almost hear it.
"I don't know who Cortana is."
"You don't have to. Your only job is to deliver the AI", she repeated in a strong voice. I looked at her.
"I need to know more. Where is she, for instance?"
The doctor folded her arms on her chest and leaned back on the table. Strangely relaxed pose, I noticed, and it didn't fit the stern woman. At least not from what I already observed of her.
"She's currently hiding from my sensors. I wasn't able to locate her, but do not worry. You will travel with a guide. He'll find her." Cold eyes watched me with lack of interest. "Anything else you'd like to know, Charlene?"
I moved my hand through my hair. Something was wrong. I felt it in the back of my head, like tingling, but inside. To stop my hands from idly fiddling, I wrapped my arms around myself.
"Well, yes? How am I supposed to carry the AI? Besides, if you're sending your man with me, why can't he do it? Take the chip, I mean? Or you? Why can't you go with him?"
Catherine again gave me that annoying little smile. I suddenly wanted to punch it off her face.
"She knows me. I made her."
She leaned closer. She was shorter than me, but I felt even more uneasy than before. Her icy eyes bore into mine when she spoke quietly.
"Besides, you have an interest, too, isn't it right, Charlene?"
I rose my chin higher.
"It was your bait to get me here, Catherine. I think you know that I have an interest."
She moved back and folded her arms behind her. She smiled again, but this time didn't try to hide the predatory gleam in her eye.
"Ah, yes. I know. Lieutenant Colin Hunt and his mysterious disappearance. When did that happen, hm? Three years ago? Four?"
"Two", I managed through clenched teeth. Catherine nodded a couple times as if she was wondering about something and tapped her metallic finger on her chin.
"Yes, that's correct. Two years. Two long years. And the military? Didn't they inform you at least about where they sent him?"
"No", I practically growled. "You know that they didn't."
"I do. And on your behalf, I allowed myself to dig a little deeper into that particular case."
She turned to the table and moved her fingers over files laying there. I curled my fingers into fists. A drop of sweat traveled down my spine. Could it be— Can he be so close? Oh my god, I have to—
"Ah, here."
She made a theatrical of presenting the thin file to me. In a hasty handwriting, the name of my fiancee was scribbled in the middle. I reached for it and this time Catherine didn't try to take it from my reach. I really would have hurt her, badly, if she tried.
I pried the folder open, nearly tearing it apart. My fingers were shaking when I moved them over the documents inside. It wasn't much. Fuck. It was just a little more than what I already knew. Bitch. I felt a pang in my heart as Colin looked at me from the attached photo. I pressed my fingers to his face and tried to swallow a sudden burning lump in my throat.
"I'm coming for you", I whispered soundlessly. Catherine remained respectfully quiet.
The documents involved only an employment contract and a short information about his missing and therefore, the termination of the aforementioned deal. I went through the contract— more carefully than I did through mine— and found what I was looking for.
"He was stationed near a Halo Array", I read out loud. "Installation zero-nine." I turned my face to Catherine. "What the hell does that mean? Where is this Installation? How do I reach him?"
"Slow down, Charlene", her voice was ice cold. "I said I have information for you and that is true. This", she pointed to the opened file, "is a peace offering. Don't expect me to give you more in exchange for nothing."
I shut the folder closed and straightened up.
"I'll do it."
She nodded curtly and took a small tablet from her pocket.
"There's your contract. Sign it and then you'll officially be employed by the UNSC. We'll get to work at once."
I grabbed the tablet from her and pressed my finger under the contract, leaving my fingerprint confirming my acceptance of the rules involved in the document. Catherine took the tablet back, pressed something and the device blinked a light. She glanced up at me.
"Thank you."
"Now what?"
She turned her back to me, laying the tablet down on the table. Her arms slouched a little.
"I wish there was another way", she said, her voice hesitant. I frowned and opened my mouth. The tingling in the back of my head became even stronger and I took a step back.
A wall of muscles was there, blocking my way. I whipped around, but strong, giant hands grabbed my arms and kept me in place. I struggled, strained my every muscle to get out of his grip, but it was like fighting a storm. A mountain.
"What the— what is the meaning of this?! Halsey, what— LET ME GO!"
"I'm sorry", she said curtly, stalking towards me. I noticed a syringe in her hand.
"No—", I growled, thrashing against the man's hold. I kicked at him, pretty sure I hit something because he made a low grunt in his chest, but all my effort was for nothing. When Halsey got closer, I swung my leg at her, hoping to at least bruise the bitch's stomach, but she swiftly dodged my kick.
"Hold her to the wall", she ordered the giant man and the next second I flew against the wall, pressed immobile from head to toe by the strong, hard body. I screamed, tried to hit at him with my head, I would fucking bite him if he only let me move a little—
A pinch in my neck and all of the sudden the world went black.
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Hello! Another chapter for you. Hope you enjoyed it! Thanks to JaegerGipsyDanger for proofreading!