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Maine

Rebel Mountain Resort, 0230 hours

Maine was stepping through the halls, Brute's Regret in hand as his massive form towered above all else. He'd kick in doors, searching for signs of life, and move on with a growl. Motion sensors were dead, and the area was silent. Maine growled, and a second later, the lights flickered back to life.

"Lights are back up, Delta's taking to the cameras for the search." York said, voice lowly, then a shout echoed and York grunted. "Got another one."

Delta spoke up over the comms. "I've found the target, he's inside a hotel suite twenty meters ahead of Maine's position. I'm sending it to your HUDs." Maine smiled grimly, then approached the area, making sure Brute's Regret was loaded and ready.

"I'm there, going now." He said, then checked the other rooms.

He stepped up, and with a growl, activated his time-distortion unit. He kicked in the door with a roar, and fired as soon as a couple grunts opened fire, the bullets travelling slowly, as did the grenades Regret sent their way. Maine stepped deftly as he let time speed up, the two cronies flying with the explosion. Maine charged in and sliced across the chest of another henchmen with the backside of Regret, then looked to see the target crash through the window. Maine growled. "Target has escaped out the window, he's heading south, towards the cable cars."

He looked to the bed to see a couple of scared girls half-naked on the king-size bed. He shook his head, then started out the window, sliding his weapon onto his back to vault over the rail. He landed in the snow and clambered out, his motion sensors followed the resistance leader's movement as he broke into a run, firing a pair of SMGs at the huge Freelancer, which simply bounced off. "Target armed with two SMGs, slightly armored. He was getting ready after we went loud."

"Keep on him. We'll be there soon." York said, "Exiting the third level now."

"There's more coming to meet with him." Maine noted as a small squad of snow-mobiles lined up, the leader taking one from a man who opened fire, along with six others that started to shoot, and sped off with four more, still heading to the cable station.

Maine ducked behind a pile of cut trees, cursed with a growl. "I'm pinned down, target is out of range."

"Yeah, but your friends there aren't." North said, "I'm up on the roof, firing now." As soon as he spoke, his rifle sounded, and Maine peeked quickly to see a man on the ground. He shot a grenade over his cover and heard them spread out in yells of warning and panic. Maine smiled as he switched to a pistol, then stood and took aim. "Far left is mine." He called his shot, then fired twice, the rounds going straight through the man's head.

"Confirmed kill, Maine, taking off his right friend." North said, and another one's head exploded. The rest dove into cover, and Maine grinned. "I've got this." He growled, then took Brute's Regret in hand and launched grenades over the henchman's cover to push them out, and North sniped those that moved out.

"Bogies down, York. Now there's the leader. I assume he's got a plan to escape?" North asked.

"The cable car's upper station has a helicopter pad. That must be what he's going for." Florida informed them. "I suggest we hurry, we can't call in a ride and have it arrive before he gets away."

"He won't escape." CT said with certainty.

"And why's that?" North asked.

Three snow-mobiles raced into Maine's view, and he grinned as the one carrying York sped towards him. "Let's go, ya big lug." He chuckled as he pulled the brute ono the bike. Behind them, North had leaped down and joined CT, reloading as he went. Florida also sat behind South.

"Let's move." York ordered, and they tore off after the leader and his men, racing against the clock to catch up.

They were gaining ground. Maine could tell because he could see the light's on the enemy vehicles coming closer. He reloaded Brute's Regret and the magnum, then saw them stop at the cable station. York gassed the ride and Maine stood on the back, firing the magnum in the general direction of the blips on his motion sensors. Behind him, North did the same.

When they pulled in, the Freelancers rolled off their bikes and into a run as the vehicles slowed to a stop, firing at a small force of men, some probably meeting here to all try and escape. They opened fire on the Freelancers.

"Take cover behind the snow-mobiles." South shouted, and Maine sent a few grenades their way before crouching behind cover.

"York, give me some covering fire, I need to take out that cable." North called.

"Can you make that shot?" South asked doubtfully.

North turned to glare at her through his helmet, then gave a bark of laughter. "Can I!"

Maine shrugged. "Can you?"

"Of course I can!" North cried. "York, give me some damn cover fire!"

York stood and fired his BR, and Connecticut joined him with her two pistols, Florida helping by firing his MA5B-style rifle with grenade attachment. North waited for a second, then somersaulted onto one knee, taking aim. Maine stared at the cables, and saw no difference.

"You missed, dumbass!" South cried.

"Damn this wind." North grumbled, then Maine stood.

"My turn." He growled, picking up one of the snowmobiles and throwing it at the offending cable, then shooting the vehicle with Regret. The snowmobile collided with the cable and shortly exploded, destroying the transport.

"He's got nowhere to go, get him!" York ordered, leaping towards the forces with Firestorm's Dawn in double-blade mode, twirling it into the chests of three men, kicking a third, and then drawing his pistol to shoot two more. He slid Dawn onto his back, drew his battle rifle and shotgun, and began to deal with the others.

Meanwhile, the others had charged in, Maine crashing into his foes and even completely crushing the head of one man against the ground. He turned and fired a grenade at the feet of a trio of soldiers, then dashed forward to finish them off.

"Maine, duck!" North cried, and the brute obeyed, looking to see a stream of smoke from North's rifle collide with a man about to shoot C.T. in the back of the head. He rose and grabbed a rebel by the throat, then slammed him into the ground, snapping the masked man's neck.

"Target is in custody. Flowers, call for our ride!" York called, and Maine looked to see only a few rebels remaining, all on the ground in surrender.

"Good work, team." York said.

"Freelancers are back in business." Flowers cried.