An Old Rival
"Is that really you?" Yumi asked.
"Yes, it's me, in the flesh." His face was unmoving, not a tear dropped from his face, but I could see the look in his eyes. He was a changed man. A rock in comparison. What had the Blackwatch done to him?
"You know why we're here, don't you?" I asked.
"Yes, your intentions became very clear when you opened fire on the roof," He said. Then, as he looked across the roof, he added, "and splattered most of my unit across said rooftop."
I lifted my gun up, staring at his face through my scope. "What are you doing?" Yumi yelled at me.
"Capturing a P.O.W." I said. Then I turned my head to her, keeping the rifle trained on William. "You keep watch of him, I'll go join the others." She nodded, then made her way over to him. I turned and placed my hand on the door. My hand pressed against it a little too much force, causing it to bounce off the wall. The hallway below me was echoing gunfire up and down. A few assorted corpses dotted the hallway. I took a few heavy bounds, then ducked in a door. Bullets whizzed by the open doorway. I turned around to face my unit. Two corpses were lying on the floor. The woman from the hospital was lying on the bed. She was breathing heavily. Blood was pouring from her gut and into her trembling hands. Jim was standing over her, holding her hand. I walked up, asking, "What happened?"
Jim turned to me, answering with, "I'd rather not talk about it."
Odd placed a hand on my shoulder before saying, "Several soldiers were in the hallway. We caught them by surprise, but had to duck into a room, which also had a couple Blackwatch. They only got off a couple rounds, but as you can see, one hit."
"I got one!" Emily said as she ran over to the woman. In her hands was a basic medical kit. As she began working on her, I peeked my head out of the door. Bullets came flying down the hall at me. I rolled into the other room, where a Marine corpse with a grenade launcher was spread across the bed.
I grabbed it up, checking the clip. Five left. I then rolled into the hallway. Popping onto one knee, a grenade sailed through the air before the first bullet. Papers, splinters, and shrapnel were scattered amongst a thick cloud of dust. One man was standing over where it landing, and his limbs were left lying about. The other three were thrown around the room. I clicked the safety and slung it over a shoulder. With rifle bared, I called back to the others. Odd and Jim answered. "I want you two to take the injured to the roof. Yumi will watch over her."
"Yes, sir." Odd and Jim answered unanimously. They ran back into the room as I trudged across the suddenly quiet hallway. The site of the bang smelled of sulfur and death. I turned into the next room. A single soldier was accompanied by 3 Gentek scientists. The scientists were crouching on the ground, rifle pointed on them. The Blackwatch fired, scattering the brains of the first two on the floor. The third stood and ran to the corner.
"I'm not ready to die!" He screamed out. Another gunshot. This time though, it came from me. The soldier stood like a statue for a few seconds, then slumped against the wall. My hand came out, grabbing the Gentek scientist's collar. He whimpered loudly and squirmed. My fist silenced him. Slinging him over my shoulder, I made my way down the hall. Bullets echoed behind me, but Emily, Jim, and Odd covered my retreat. I heard cries of pain, then silence behind me. Reaching the rooftop, haphazardly slapped the unconscious form to the ground.
"Status report." I said. Yumi grabbed out a small computer. Opening it up, a digital version of the hotel appeared on the screen, as well as a live chat of status reports.
"The first three floors are secure. Should I report the top floor as secure?"
"Yes, thank you. Plus, tell them we have two P.O.W. and an injured squad mate."
"Done. Medevac ETA 20 minutes." She closed the lid of the computer.
"Why so long?" I asked her. She shrugged her shoulders.
"If I had to guess, I'd say most of the choppers are either in combat or already on medical trips." I turned, then re-entered the building. My unit, minus Yumi and the other woman, were at the doors to the stairs. Emily pushed the door open. I ran down the first flight, followed by the others. I opened fire into the small gathering of Blackwatch at the bottom of the steps. Picking ammo off the corpses, I could only wonder where the site was.
Looking down another flight, I could see several cords that led up the steps. Thick cords, as if they were carrying a lot of energy. My hand came up to my headset. "This is Stern to HQ. The wires lead up to the 8th floor of the hotel. Converge as many as we can on the 8th floor. My hand then left my headset as the information spread across the network. My unit entered the hallway, and was quickly met with at least a dozen troops, who fired simultaneously. Odd and Jim immediately ducked into separate rooms on either side of the hallway. Emily however, was almost surprised by the gunfire.
My hands came out, grabbing her shoulders and taking her to the ground with me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of Blackwatch coming around the corner. I grabbed Emily's pistol from her holster and fired three rounds. The first two popped in the chest of a solider. Arms spread wide, he dropped to his knees, then to the ground. A second soldier caught one in his trigger hand. The gun clattered to the ground as he ducked around the corner. I stood up, with gun trained on the corner, and started walking down the steps. He dashed out from behind, knife bared. A round struck his leg. Down on one knee, he glanced up at me. My knee bashed the bottom of his chin, sending him off the ground. Landing on his back, I planted a boot on his hand with the knife. Bang! His brains stained the landing below him.
Handing the gun back to Emily, I ran back out into the hallway and duck to the right, joining Jim. Emily ducked left, joining Odd. I peeked around the corner and gasped. While we were sorting things out, the Blackwatch set up a pair of guns. One was a Gatling gun, the other a M-150. A single round from the M-150 punched through the paper thin walls, busting my calf wide open. The bullet didn't stop till it struck the mattress. Sprawled on the ground, I grasped the new hole in my body, wailing.
I then reached for the grenade launcher. Already feeling the wound heal, that didn't mean it didn't still hurt. Actually, the involuntary movement of sinews and bone actually made the pain escalate. After I stood up, propped with my rifle, I then looked up to Jim. "Alright, I've got a plan."
"Listening." Jim said.
"I'll roll across the hall, launch a grenade, and in the confusion, get Emily and Odd, and rush the turrets. Whether the grenade killed them or not, they'll be distracted, and you'll take over the guns."
"Wait!" Jim said, but I had already rolled across the hallway. The guns both jerked upwards after the grenade. Jim ran out into the hallway, motioning for Odd and Emily to join them. The three ran down the hallway as the ceiling was futilely filled with lead. The grenade struck between them, knocking them apart, and destroyed the Gatling gun. Odd and Emily both stopped to execute the soldiers while Jim grabbed the M-150, and I took point. Two men came out of the hallway, but Emily and Odd took them out. I chunked a grenade into the room, blowing out another body and followed with yelps.
A few more steps, then two missiles whipped through the hallway. A launched a grenade down the hallway at the area they came from. Jim fired the M-150, taking out both missiles mid-air. Both men came out from around the corner. Jim squeezed the trigger again. One round punched through one's knee cap, and he began to fall. The second round struck his skull as he fell, tearing a chunk of brains with the bullet. The third struck the other soldier in his gut. Three more bullets spliced the man in two. His torso struck the ground, intestines strewn across the hallway. We followed the cords around the corner. They ran all the way down the hall, past three pairs of rooms, and into an shut door at the end of the hall. At least a dozen Blackwatch came running out from around corners. Bullets, missiles, and grenades chased us back around the corner. I could hear footsteps all over the floor. Marines were coming. A hand touched my shoulder. Whipping around, I saw a brazen man with short stubble beard, dark shades, and a gold star on either shoulder.
"Sitrep son." My commander told me.
"Several dozen Blackwatch are waiting around the corner. They're armed with heavy machine guns, as well as grenade and missile launchers. It appears another hallway crisscrosses with the hallway where the power hub is rooted to."
"Alright." He turned his head and beckoned over someone. A woman came over with a Silver Star plastered on her shoulders.
"Yes sir?" She asked.
In almost a whisper, he said, "I want both of you," He pointed at both her and I. "to keep your com channels live and ready for my orders." Pointing at me, he said, "You, stay here and keep the enemy distracted." Then, pointing at the silver starred woman, he said, "You take your squad and head down the hallway and approach them from the right on my command." Then he turned and started to walk away.
"Sir?" I asked. "What are you doing, sir?"
"I'll take my squad and approach from the left. Listen for my order to attack." Then, he turned and started for the next hallway. I aimed the grenade launcher down the hall, then let the last one out of the chamber. Soldiers started skittering for the rooms, but 5 were caught in the blast. I could hear gunfire through the paper thin walls of the motel. "Now!" I heard over my headpiece. I looked back at my unit and nodded. Then, with two steps, I was almost to the first room on the left. Several came out to blast us away, but gunfire from behind splayed the soldiers' blood on our uniforms. As corpses dropped to the ground, I had this sudden urge within my body. A thought entered my head, saying Take them. Drain their minds, their bodies, their very souls. If you take them in, you'll only become greater.
"No." I whispered to myself. "That's just what they want." I stepped over the bodies, joining my two far superiors. The Silver starred woman motion to one of her troops. He walked over, then slung a sledgehammer from his backpack. He lined himself up with the door, then put one hand at the end of the handle, then the other near the head. He reared back, then slammed the door. A large scar was left in the door, but it still stood firm. As he reared back again, I laid a hand on the handle. "I got this."
Taking the hammer from his hands, then got into his position. I reared back just as far as the first guy. Tendrils crawled about, just beneath my skin. With a heavy sigh, I swung the sledgehammer directly into the same spot. The door splintered wide open. A large gaping hole formed where the hammer struck. It fell back, struck the wall, and fell off its hinges. Everything next happened what felt like slow motion.
I passed the hammer back to the other soldier. Before it reached him, my rifle was up. Peering down the scopes, I plucked off two men waiting at the door. I captured the room with a glance. Directly to the left was a hallway closet with a man slowly coming around the corner. The hall went about 5 meters back, then opened to a living area. A lamp was against the wall, a couch was tipped over, probably with people behind it, then a partial wall left only a small entrance to the area where the bed is. A large bay window was in the back of the room. The assorted dressers were scattered throughout the room as cover. I took a step forward, ramming the butt of the rifle in the first Blackwatch's teeth, sending him to the ground. Now behind cover, I got down on top of him and fired into his head at blank range.
With the adrenaline having slowed back down, I watched several Marines run up through the room, taking cover behind one of the two dressers. Bullets ripped through the air both ways. Looking back, I saw 5 Marines drop like flies while Odd managed to get behind cover with me. "Dude, this is insane! I'm really starting to regret this decision."
"Just hold in there." I told him calmly.
"How can you be so level at a time like this?" Odd asked.
"It's all in the head." I said, pointing at my head. Inside though, my mind was on fire, racing like a freight train.
"I don't think I'm gonna make it." Odd said.
"Just keep yourself together. We're almost done here." I reassured him, but even within myself, I thought, Am I gonna make it? Then another involuntary thought entered my head. Not unless you release. Give it up, you're only restraining yourself. "No." I whispered, but Odd still heard me.
"No to what?" Odd asked.
"Nothing." I said. Then, suddenly, the bullets stopped. A Marine ran by, motioning us to move in. I got up and ran towards the corner. A group of Marines had stopped at the entrance, hands in the air. I could hear someone laughing hysterically on the other side of the crowd. Odd and I came up behind Emily and Jim. Between heads, I could see a Gentek scientist. Brown slicked back hair with thick rimmed glasses complemented his disturbingly contorted smile. His lab coat was dirty with grimy blood. It was opened wide to reveal C-4 strapped to his chest. In his right hand, a trigger was held tightly with the thumb trembling over the button. Behind him, I could see several monitors and large towers. Data was running across the light blue screens. He was giving a monologue.
"That's right fools, one press of the button, and I go down. But not just me. This button's connected to more than enough explosives to take the entire block with me." His face whipped around madly after that statement, scanning the crowd of stunned faces. Carefully, I lifted my rifle up between the shoulders of Emily and Jim. Bang!, and the trigger flew from his hand. His left arm came down, grabbing his shoulder. When he looked back up, another Marine's fist met his face, and he was down.
OOOOO
We were standing on the rooftop of the hotel complex. Gunfire echoed under us, as it would until the day the infection died. I stood facing my General. He had a gruff face and voice. A chopper with a news camera was hovering overhead, covering a story on the massive shootout and the aftermath. They could actually do that, now that most people had access to electricity once more. A few, mostly under Blackwatch or in the Red Zone were unable to get it, because that meant the Blackwatch would have it. Firefights were erupting out all over France. So far, Marine resistance was starting to shrink back, but this victory lead to several other consecutive battles afterwards. I had no word on the condition of the injured or the three POWs we managed to capture.
My hand shook the General's as he congratulated me. "Your unit pulled outstanding feats today. Congratulations." He handed me a manila envelope. "You get the ones separate from everyone else's." I opened it and checked the number of medals and accolades.
"Sir, there's only enough for five." I said.
"Everyone on your squad was given accolades, though some are post-humorously, and are not included in the envelope." I swallowed deeply. Who died? I thought. I was about to ask when he dismissed me. I turned and walked across the rooftop to my unit. I opened up the package, donning medals over the heads of each of my squad mates, except the one from the hospital. I prayed she was only injured. Then, I gave each one a promotion to Private First Class. Ending with Yumi, I then handed her the package. She pulled out the symbol which made me a Sergeant. She placed it on my chest. I then turned around, and saluted. His men returned the salute. We turned at once and marched back into the building, immediately breaking rank when out of the view of the cameras.
Yumi came up behind me. "Remember that woman on our squad?"
"Yeah, what about her?" I said with anxiety in my voice.
"She bled out before a chopper could get to her. I'm sorry." She sniffled behind me. I would've turned around, but I was nearly in tears. The voice echoed in my head. She tried to rat you out. As an answer, I thought, yeah, but she was under my command and I let her die.
"Nothing could've been done." I told Yumi. "You did what you could." Then a light bulb flicked on in my head. "What about William?"
Odd answered. "They're trying to pry information from him, but Blackwatch are trained to die before they submit to torture."
"Maybe I can help them out." I said. They looked at me strange.
"You don't mean to use your powers on him, do you?" Jim said.
"Only if necessary. I don't want him dead you know." I answered with.
Emily then chimed in, "If you want to help, he's being interrogated in the conference room on the first floor."
"Thanks." I said. "Fall out." With that, we went our separate ways. I went towards the conference room and they separated. Entering the elevator, I then dropped to the first floor. Upon the doors opening, I could see a pair of Marines standing at a door. I walked up to them.
"No entrance." One said in a stale voice. The door opened, and a pair of Marines came out. "Has he talked?" The same guard asked.
"No good. We're starting the torture." They began to walk off, but I stopped them.
"Let me take a try." I said.
"And what good would that do?" They asked.
"I know him from my past. If anyone can get to him, it's me." I told them. They looked at each other, then nodded. The two guards stepped aside, and I opened the door. At the end of a long table sat a chair on wheels. The others had been removed from the room. In the chair sat William. His mask was off, and he had a black eye. His wrists were cuffed and his hands were balled in tight fists. A solemn expression was painted across his face. His eyes glided up to me upon hearing the door open. His eyes squinted slightly, and without a word he looked back down. "So, I hear you might know something."
Without looking up, he answered, "Ya heard wrong, old pal." My eyes darted up into the corners of the room. No cameras, no witnesses.
"You know, I have ways of making you talk." I told him.
"Yeah I heard. You're a freak turned by some other freaks." He looked up to me. "And, I've killed people like you before."
"I don't think you're in a position to be calling the shots." I said. Tendrils crawled out from under my suit.
"You keep that shit away from me." He said under his breath. One touched his shoulder. He burst from his chair, his hands grasping at my throat. My other hand stopped both of his fists.
"I didn't want to hurt you, but now I have no choice." With a bit of extra oomph, I punched him with his own fists. As he collapsed back into the chair, the first hand grappled onto his face, digging towards his brain in any way possible. The image was hazy, and the sounds distorted slightly. William, with mask on, stood across from a Blackwatch that appeared to be his superior.
"Alright, shit for brains." The voice started. "You're gonna stay here for about another week. Then, your unit's gonna join a top secret mission."
"Yes, sir!" William barked back. "May I have any specifics on my new job?"
"Not at this time, maggot." The voice answered. Then the image faded away. Another image surfaced. This time, they stood in a solid concrete room. Only the two of them. They sat in plain steel chairs that sat on either side of a white table. A manila envelope sat on the table between them, closer to the superior. "Alright, tomorrow your squad is moving to a new location. I brought you here to give you the basics of your mission."
"That is?" William asked. His eyes darted down to the envelope, but only for a beat before his eyes returned contact with his superior.
"Your going on a search and capture mission for Gentek. They believe that something of immense power is soon to rise on the earth. Something important. You, and about another platoon of soldiers are specially tasked with finding out where it is, and to secure it."
"Anything more, sir?" William asked. The superior's right came down and touched the manila envelope. With one finger, he pushed it across the table to William.
"Everything you need to know is in here." Then their radios crackled to life.
At once, the same message blared over their speakers. "Reports are that the Prototype has destroyed the Watchtower. We repeat, the Watchtower is down. Prepare for possible invasion."
"Let's move." William's superior said. They both got up immediately. William opened the door. About to step out, his superior tapped his shoulder, then handed him the envelope. "You forgot something." He said in an almost sarcastic tone. With a light smile, William took it, then the superior said, "Keep it somewhere safe. You'll need it."
"Thank you, sir." William answered. Then, he tucked it beneath into a pocket inside the suit. The image jumped to black. Immediately, light grasped my eyes again. William sat in the chair, eyes wide. Not with anger, but with horror.
His lips parted slightly, wanting to speak, but his head had no words. Finally, after a minute of sitting in a state of paralyzed fear, he whispered lightly, so that only us two could hear. "It's like you violated my mind." His hands came up to his face. "Like, I'm not my own anymore." Tears started to stream down his face. "I've been through hell and back, but that. That was disturbing."
"Give me the envelope." I said in a stern voice. Without voicing any rebellion, his hands reached underneath the suit, and grabbed the envelope. As if clockwork, his arms stretched back out, revealing his latest assignment. He was trembling. I hand swept it from his, and his immediately dropped to the table with a thud. Like a corpse stripped of life, he slumped back in the chair.
I opened it up and pulled a paper out. His picture was attached to the assignment sheet by a paperclip. I removed the picture to reveal the name of the operation. It turned out he had two options. His superior had just been trying to push him towards a specific one.
Operation 1
Codename: Warhorse
Description: Gentek has discovered the possible presence of a Hive Mind. The selected units are ordered to locate the source of this presence, and to capture it for further testing to assure or deny the presence. In case of hostility, use of lethal force is permitted. This 'presence' is needed captured, dead or alive. In the event of failure of mission, all units are to be submitted to Gentek testing.
I switched the pages.
Operation 2
Codename: Good Shepherd
Description: Due to recent shortages in research test subjects, as well as growing signs of rebellion, several refugee areas around the country are hereby ordered to be liquidated for testing procedures. The selected camps are to be completely evacuated, then torched to remove all evidence. Any stragglers, or those that otherwise disobeyed, are permitted to be shot on the spot. All units available are being requested to ensure quickest liquidation of all civilian camps and continued success in the recent testing of Gentek. Below is a map of camps that you will be deployed to that are marked to be liquidated A.S.A.P.
Peering closer, I noticed that these shantytowns were in the Yellow Zone, in fact, they were practically on the frontline border. Better to liquidate the camps than risk the hideous secrets revealed. Then I realized something, Millie, Hiroki, and the others all were moved to camps on the Blackwatch side of the border.
"And both of these operations are to go into effect tomorrow?" I asked him.
In an almost weak and raspy voice, he answered, "Yeah." I turned and started for the door. I could feel my grip tightening on the papers as rage built up in my body. Upon stepping back into the lobby, several Marines stood around me.
"Did you get him to talk?" One asked. With rage in my eyes, I only stepped past him, slapping the papers against his chest and walking on. As I crossed the lobby, I could hear heavy footfalls behind me. Turning around, Yumi was running towards me.
I felt the rage almost melt away as she made her way to me. She stopped a few steps away. "Yes?" I asked.
Her sweet voice returned, "I have news on Ty and Jen." I was trapped in a moment of dazed love. Blinded by sudden affections, I didn't take into the full account the next words she spoke. "Jen has something growing inside of her."
Still in a state of blurred reality, I answered, "Don't we all. I call it life."
Yumi, clearly caught off guard by this answer, said frantically, "I mean like a child, but without any physical contact between Ty and Jen. Or Jen and any human for that matter." Still not paying attention, I only nodded vaguely.
I didn't understand why I was so confused, I just was, but a swift hand quickly returned me to reality. Feeling the hand shaped burning sensation on my face, I said, "What was that for?"
"Jen's pregnant!" She hissed loudly.
"What?" I yelled. People started looking at me. After turning 50 shades of red, I then whispered, "What do you mean?"
"What I mean, is that as if by Satanic intervention, she's carrying twins. A boy and a girl. The doctors have no idea what's happening, and we need to get over there now!"
OOOOO
The hospital in the Yellow Zone had been cleaned up nicely. It was later in the evening. Jen was strewn across the bed, nearly unconscious from exhaustion. Her stomach swollen slightly. That's impossible. I thought to myself. Just earlier today she was perfectly fine. Tyler was sitting in a chair next to her. One hand was holding Jen's, the other holding back tears with tissue paper. A doctor was standing staring at medical records, bewildered. The doctor walked over to Jen, who slowly pulled her head around to face the doctor. The constant drone of a heart monitor echoed in the background. "I've got news."
"What?" Jen said flatly.
"After DNA, it was shown that you are not the mother."
"What do you mean? How's that possible?" Tyler asked aggressively.
"Calm down now." He told Tyler. Then returning his attention to Jen. "The DNA doesn't even begin to match up with yours or his." With that, Jen groaned loudly in pain. Rolling slightly to the edge,
"Whoa." I said as Ty and I both stuck out a hand to stop her. Mine planted firmly on her belly. At the moment of contact, a voice rang through my head, as if spoken from the child to my mind. The Mercer Virus will reign again. This time, nor Hell 'er high water will keep me from my destiny. "Hell 'er?" I whispered to myself. No, not Hell 'er. Heller. And who did Heller kill? I thought. In a stern, yet truly frightful voice, I whispered, "Alex Mercer."