The journey through the ARC was more horrific than any other Reaper had taken. There was always this feeling that something evil lurked within the heart of the ARC, something that only he could see. He could never put a name to it, but this time it was worse. The evil was not longer faceless, but an Imp staring back at him. Its deformed flesh was covered in blood, shrieking at him. The Imp disappeared in a flash, replaced by Goats mutated form. He growled at Reaper, drooling blood. Sarge took the place of Goat. His half mutated face the same as Reaper remembered. He charged at Reaper, passing straight through him. Portman came next, mutated as well. His flesh was charred around his face and right arm. His teeth had become jagged and bloody. He shrieked at Reaper, clawing through him. Duke followed Portman, mutated as well. His body had taken a different form. Reaper assumed it was due to how Duke died. Duke was a deformed pile of flesh, but there was no mistaking Duke's black beanie morphed into its head. Duke faded away, replaced by Mira. She was lying on the floor in the hall of the lab complex, gasping for air. Her bloodied lips were tinted blue. Reaper nearly reached out toward her, but he remembered she wasn't there. None of them were. Destroyer's fallen body came into view. His eyes were open, staring up above him. The Kid followed Destroyer, drowning in his own blood on the ARC floor. Mac's severed head lay amongst the rocks of the dig site. Then came a face Reaper hadn't seen in years. The top of his head was fragmented from the guerilla's mag clip. Jumper. They had been his friends for years. They had his back. And he'd let them die.
Reaper felt the pull of the Arc, slowly assembling him. The images in front of him vanished in a bright white light. Reaper was hurled onto the floor of the ARC. He leaned over the platform. At one time he would have felt his stomach trying to crawl out of his body, now he left nothing. He looked up to see Mathiss and Cal off the platform. Mathiss was crouched over the ground, wiping her mouth. Cal looked pale, but he kept his stance. Reaper straightened and walked off the platform, joining his soldiers.
One by one his team passed through. Gale followed after him. She dropped to her knees, gagging, but to her credit, she didn't vomit. She gasped and managed to walk off the platform looking professional. Sweets came next. He doubled over and staggered off the platform. Cal walked over to him, helping him to his feet.
"Make the planet stop spinning." Sweets moaned.
Cal chuckled. "Don't be a wuss."
Another orb reached the ARC, transporting Bio into the chamber. He immediately dropped to the floor and heaved what had been his last meal. He couched and spat the remnants from his mouth. Bio wiped his mouth clean and staggered off the platform, but not before vomiting a second time. Mathiss turned her head. She had managed fairly well, but if Sky and Hazard did the same as Bio, she would lose it for sure.
Sky transported into the chamber. His eyes closed tightly as the chamber spun around him. His stomach churned violently inside, but he managed to keep himself together. He straightened up and walked off the platform to Sweets and Cal. Sweets muttered under his breath.
Hazard entered last. The flash of transport signaled his arrival. He landed on the platform and walked down. Reaper frowned and watched Hazard carefully. He didn't pale, he didn't double over. He simply walked off the platform as if he stepped off the surface elevator without a second glance. No person, experienced or not could ever step off the platform as Hazard did. Not even scientists that frequently travelled between facilities. What Hazards display meant, was that Reaper would have to keep a very close watch on him for the future.
"ARC travel complete."
"Sargent, you're late." came a stern, female voice.
Reaper turned toward the ARC controls. A tall, fit woman stood at the controls. Short black hair was cut at an angle around her angular face. Her cold grey eyes glared at him. Another one of Taylor's men, making sure nothing goes wrong. Reaper walked toward the controls. "Next person who dictates my punctuality, gets a bullet to the head."
Her eyes narrowed. "Hostility isn't becoming of a Sargent."
"When I want your opinion of a becoming Sargent, private, I'll ask for it." Reaper replied.
The woman took the hint and continued with the assignment. "All remaining staff are awaiting transport back to Earth. We're simply waiting for your arrival to begin." She looked at Reaper coldly. "We wouldn't want any unnecessary distractions here, would we sir?"
"Where's your designated liaison?" Reaper asked, ignoring her attempt at pissing him off. whatever shit Taylor had fed his men, he was certainly doing his best to remind Reaper who was in charge. Any further interfering from Miss Bitch in front of him, and he'd have serious subordinate issues from his team. And maybe that was exactly what Taylor was playing at.
"The atrium." Bitch motioned her head toward the chamber door. "Waiting for you."
"Move your people out." Reaper ordered. "Sweets!"
Sweets stood at attention. "Sir?"
"Stay here and make sure every staff member is evacuated." Reaper ordered. "Keep the ARC secured at all costs."
Sweets nodded. "Yes sir."
"Men on me, move out." Reaper ordered. He marched past the bitch, ignoring her point glare until he stepped out of the chamber. The door still held the massive hole a Hell Knight had cut out. There was no chance of repairing that entire door in a few days. Reaper led them up toward the atrium, feeling a disturbing sense of deja-vu.
They came up the steps into the open atrium. There was only a handful of men and women, all wearing their military and U.A.C. uniforms. Reaper came to an abrupt stop. Each one turned toward RRTS as they approached. Taking their arrival as their cue, the second unit began their departure, not once sparing RRTS 2 a second glance. Reaper kept his eyes ahead, focused on their liaison. He swore to himself he would kill Taylor once the mission was finished.
Waiting where the U.A.C. and marines had once stood, was Sam. From her position, Reaper analyzed his sisters state. Her skin had gained much of its color, but was still on the pale side. She wore a long sleeved, dark grey shirt with black pants. Something that must have been borrowed from the soldiers. Her hair was pulled behind her head and she stared toward the labs. Her eyes seemed vacant of all her surroundings, yet blazing as they stared toward the labs. As if she was realigning the memories of hell. She sat confined to a cyberchair, similar to the model Pinky had used, but Sam's was only temporary. If it wasn't, there would a place in hell with Taylor's name on it.
"Sam." Reaper called. She turned toward him, nearly killing whatever control he had left. Sam looked up at him, her eyes fearful of their surroundings, but hallow of anything else.
Without asking the question, Sam spoke. "Taylor's soldier's came back not long after you left. He said they needed a liaison who had the best knowledge of Olduvia."
"So the bastard dragged you along for the ride." Reaper finished. "You shouldn't be moving for another two days. Why the hell didn't the doctors stop him?"
The looked in Sam's eyes told Reaper that she was thinking the same reason he was. Reaper sighed heavily and shook his head. "I'm gonna get us out of this, Sam. I swear."
Sam nodded slowly. "I know."
"Gale."
Gale stepped forward. "Sir?"
"I want you with Doctor Grimm." Reaper ordered. "She's under orders to retrieved company data."
Gale gave her XO and unsure look.
"Some servers may have been damaged in the repairing process." Reaper explained. "You're skills may come in handy."
Gale nodded. "Understood."
Reaper turned toward the rest of the unit. "Hazard, take Sky and sweep the east corridors and Weapons. Bio, Cal, Genetics and the West corridors. Mathiss, you and I'll cover the north and south corridors. I want constant radio contact. Understood?"
A chorus of bobbing heads met his statement.
"Move out." Reaper ordered.
sorry it's taking me a while between updates, writers block comes and goes.
okay, so for the beginning of the chapter, there is actually a part in the book that talks about reaper seeing things during transportation to mars. I thought i'd link this with everything he's been seeing. and don't worry, that'll be explained. whether in this fanfic or the next one...I'm not sure yet.