Sorry that this took a while to upload, but here it is! Working on Chapter 13. Feel free to make requests for this story or any one-shots. I'm trying to expand my experience.

Chapter 12

"What the hell was that?!" the Director's scream of rage echoed across the bridge, but did little to shift the line of Freelancers standing in front of him, in varying states of disrepair. York and Wyoming were pretty much being held together with Biofoam until their debriefing was over and they could get to surgery. Carolina's head was wrapped in bandages down to her eyes, and she was being supported by a scratched up Maine and South. Texas, North, and Delaware were all slightly shaky from the AI disruption. Washington had taken a bullet to his shin and was holding himself up with a metal crutch. Only Virginia had escaped injury from the botched mission on Tri-Virgo.

"Your lack of organization allowed our objectives to escape us with vital Project information! I am quite ashamed of ALL of you!" the bespectacled man roared in his fury, sweeping papers off of a desk. The Counselor said nothing, merely taking notes on the injuries sustained by the Agents.

"Sir," North stepped forward. "The fault is mine-" but he had no time to explain himself.

"The fault is shared with your teammates, Agent North, but I expected much better results from you. Even with additional reinforcements, you were delayed in pursuing the targets!" North ducked his head in shame. It HAD been all his fault that the mission was a failure.

Texas came to the rescue. "Director, we were delayed by some piece of new technology that the Insurrectionists had. It incapacitated us by doing something with out AIs, like it was scrambling their signal or something."

"It's called an Electro-Disruptor Pulse."

All eyes turned to Delaware. "And how would you know about this?" the Counselor asked calmly.

"The technology was developed on Terra Beta. The Insurrectionists in those Outer Colonies began mass-producing AIs on their own, and it was wreaking havoc on our defense network. I proposed the idea of developing some form of coding that could incapacitate an AI like an EMP, but not destroy it. The lead scientist of the defense network started working on the EDP, and it was almost ready. I was notified a few minutes before…" she paused, "sneaking off that it had been stolen and had been detected in this system. The Innies messed with the coding in the computer, and would have done much more damage to our AIs. They took something like putting a magnet to a computer and multiplied that by about 50."

"Did you retrieve the coding?" the Director growled, but his anger was dissipating slightly. Delaware pulled out a storage drive and handed it to him.

"I used a tracer virus to disrupt the coding and mitigate its lasting effects. If you can back trace its residue from the computer system on that drive, you might have a chance at finding the objectives."

The Director stared long and hard at the drive in his hand before turning to the Counselor. "Counselor, you may update the board."

The electronic screen behind the Director blossomed to life, and the readings were shifted around.

TEXAS

CAROLINA

YORK

NORTH DAKOTA

WYOMING

MAINE

SOUTH DAKOTA

DELAWARE

They stared at the board. Not only were all of the active Agents on the list, but Delaware was considered…

"Congratulations, Agent Delaware," the Counselor spoke to the dark-haired woman. "Your status as an active Agent has been restored." She said nothing, only staring at the rankings impassively.

"You are all dismissed," the Director barked, walking off with the storage unit that Delaware had given him, and they all started walking out.

"Don't try to show us up like that," Carolina growled as she was supported by Maine towards the infirmary, following the other injured Freelancers. Delaware paused for a moment.

"What do you mean, show you up?"

"You KNOW what she means!" South snarled at the burgundy Agent, taking a menacing step towards her. "You had to go and be the hero today when we had everything under control, and then play Miss Smarty Pants with that Innie tech and play the Director's favorite, you bitch!"

"South, calm down!" North said, startled, but his sister continued on her tirade.

"You're an arrogant, self-centered Freelancer wannabe who does our cleaning, that's it! Just because you have a fancy AI doesn't mean that you're one of us."

"South, lay off!" Texas growled, but she was ignored again.

"And you know what, I bet that it was you that gave the Innies that tech to hurt us, just so that you could swoop in and save the day and everyone would think-"

South never got to finish her sentence before she was slammed into a wall with an almighty CLANG! Delaware held her shoulders into the wall, an infuriated look in her face.

"Just because I'm ranked lower on the list than you are, doesn't mean that I can't take you in a fight," Delaware hissed to South, who grunted as she tried to escape the vice-like grip on her shoulders. "You say I'm not one of you. Well, if you're what being "one of us" is like, then I'm glad I'm not "one of you." I've been on this ship longer than you have, South, and don't even THINK for a moment that I would do something to hurt others just for a power grab. I'll leave that to people like you." Delaware lifted her hands, and South fell to the floor. Delaware turned on her heel and headed towards the locker room at a brisk walk.

"Was that entirely necessary?" Chi appeared as a sand cat and prowled along besides the fuming Delaware. All of her host's happiness at becoming active again was gone in light of the argument with South Dakota.

"South doesn't need the ego boost of ranking higher than me, and did she really need to go off on me like that?" Delaware retorted angrily, stripping off her armor and shoving it into her locker. "If she thinks that I would do something like give something that I helped design to the people that are ruining my planet, she's got another thing coming!" She slammed her locker door shut and punched the metal of the door, denting it. "Damn it," she whispered, leaning against the locker and hitting her head against it.

"You're only going to hurt yourself that way."

Delaware whipped around. North stood in the doorway rather awkwardly, hands clenching and unclenching at his side. She relaxed slightly and leaned against the lockers.

"What are you doing here?" she asked tiredly, crossing her legs and arms.

"I just came to see if you were okay," he said quietly, coming in slowly. "What South did was not okay," he said in frustration, grimacing.

"She's your sister. You should know that she does this all the time by now, don't you?" Delaware was tired, and she felt irritable after the fight with South.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that-"

"Don't!" Delaware yelled, and North took a step back. She took a deep breath again. "I'm sorry. I can't stand people who apologize for something that they didn't do. You couldn't control your sister. You're not at fault." And she collapsed to the floor, shuddering and gasping.

North was completely at a loss. Was the woman crying? Was she angry with herself? Was she angry with him? He had no idea.

"Maybe you should go and talk to her," Theta suggested quietly inside his head.

"What if she doesn't want to talk to me? What do I do with this?" North questioned his AI as Delaware continued to gasp into her hands.

"Surprise her. She'll stop, I think," Theta whispered. On impulse, North crept forward and knelt down. He wrapped his arms around her gently and brought the woman to his armored chest. She stiffened slightly as instinct told him to rock her back and forth gently, cupping her hand under his chin. North then became surprised when something (not him) started pulling his body with puppet strings, tipping Delaware's head up with his hand and him bringing his face to hers.

Actually, it really wasn't a "bringing his face to hers" as smashing into it. Their cheeks rubbed together awkwardly for a moment, almost like grating sandpaper against a polished wood. The cartilage of their noses bashed together painfully, and North's teeth flew forward and caught Delaware's lips. She gave a slight yelp of pain, and her head crashed into his. They both fell backwards, Delaware nursing a bleeding lip and North holding his pounding head.

"I'm sorry!" North exclaimed in embarrassment, his face heating up as he blushed a wonderful shade of cranberry red. "I didn't-I mean, that wasn't-what I'm trying to say is…" he never had a chance to finish before a pair of bloody lips pressed against his quite soundly. The coppery taste of blood lingered as Delaware pulled back, wiping her sleeve. He gaped at her as her cheeks became quite rosy.

"If you're going to play rough, do it right," she mumbled silently, wiping her eyes of her shed tears.

"You're weird, you know that?" North finally managed to gasp as he spit Delaware's blood out of his mouth. She smirked at him.

"And you're a horrible kisser. Was it like this with all the girls you've kissed?" she asked cheekily, folding her arms as he clambered to his feet beside her.

"No!" he exclaimed indignantly, and she laughed quietly, unbelievingly. "Really, I'm not a bad kisser!"

"Yeah?" Delaware's eyebrow almost disappeared into her disheveled bangs. "Prove it."

York, Wash, and Maine chuckled as North finally made it into Recovery after their surgeries, his face peppered with bloody lip prints.

"Looks like someone got lucky," Wyoming remarked as North pulled up a chair with the other guys.

"Shut up," came the slightly distracted reply as North began wiping off his face with a napkin.

"Did you guys finally tie the knot?" York nudged his friend's shoulder. North looked up from his vigorous scrubbing.

"…No. We just had a kiss," he replied softly. Wash laughed uproariously.

"Just a kiss?! Dude, you guys were sucking some major face there," he crowed, and North punched him. Nothing was going to wreck his good mood right now. He felt possibly the happiest he had been in a long, long time.

"Blessed Victory, may I share words with you?" a voice demanded, and the green-eyed male turned around slightly. A taller, yellow-eyed figure in white robes raced to catch up with his brother's pace.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Burning Surrender?" Victory addressed his brother wearily, returning to his stately walk. Surrender snorted.

"Really, you should be happy to be in the company of an equal," he replied to Victory, an unseen nose wrinkling in disgust as a pair of patrolling Jackals passed through the hall. "These…Covenant," he spoke the word with disgust, like he was describing a particularly awful disease.

"Consider them well, brother," Victory rebuked his twin, who leaned back in shock at his harsh words. "One day, they may decide that you are no longer worthy of their worship."

"Fine, they're not ALL bad," Surrender conceded. "I especially like the brutality of the Brutes. That San'Shyuum, though, the Prophet of Benevolence…he is constantly scheming, and I do not like it."

"You were alive before the Great Cataclysm, brother, and you should remember revolt in the quarantine system before that. Did you expect anything different?" Victory replied while Surrender mused silently. "Now, what was it that you found it so urgent to talk about?"

"Merely to inform you that my next mutation ceremony is approaching and I would like you to attend." Victory groaned silently. He did not enjoy the mutation ceremonies that his father forced him to attend, and though he was happy that his twin brother was advancing mentally and physiologically, the whole process made him cringe. Victory was already through his fourth mutation; Surrender was quickly approaching his third.

"…I will see about attending," Victory replied sullenly, and he could feel Surrender grinning. "I do not know if I will be able to attend for long."

"When is YOUR next mutation ceremony?"

The question was unexpected and asked in a condescending, rude manner. Victory stopped and grasped his brother's shoulder, HARD.

"Be mindful, brother. I am of a higher rate than you and you will NOT insult me," Victory growled lowly, shoving his brother into a wall so hard that the metal dented slightly. Surrender brushed himself off and ran after his brother.

"Mother would be ashamed of your secrecy," Surrender snarled, and Victory smacked his brother across the face. Their cloaks whipped around violently in their scuffle.

"Don't talk about her as if you understand, Blood of Burning Surrender! You bring shame to us when you talk about what Mother would be ashamed of and what she would not-"

"Your mother was a fool."

They fell silent. In the hallway, taller than the both of them and red eyes flashing in annoyance, stood Father. Both brothers separated and bowed deeply, not meeting the burning gaze of those fierce red eyes.

"Infinite Night was a fool, a weakling, and a traitor, and I hope that she is burning in the ruins of the Durance," Father spat. "No kind words may be said about her, Blessed Victory. Burning Surrender has the privilege of speaking of her in that manner," he growled, and raked a clawed hand across his son's face. Victory tumbled and stood back up, stooped so as to appear less challenging to his father.

"Father, please! I ask your forgiveness for rebuking my twin!" Victory sunk to his knees, trying to appear submissive though his mind was racing with rage. His brother, Burning Surrender, watched as his twin kowtowed to their enraged father, who seemed larger in his rage. With one last kick, Father sent Blessed Victory to the floor again before stalking off, ignoring the pained moans of his son. With one last stare at his twin, Burning Surrender followed the footsteps of his father.

Blessed Victory rolled onto his back and felt the defined protrusion from his ribs where the third had cracked under the impact of Father's kick. He rubbed his face and pulled his hand back to see glistening blue blood on his fingers. A low growl emanated from his throat as he closed his hands and watched his blood trickle down his wrist.

"Father, you shall pay someday," Omen of Blessed Victory hissed under his breath. "You may have me for now, but someday, you will pay."

Things are really starting to pick up now within this story. I hope that it is to your liking.

Feel free to review or message me with questions, comments, and requests. I always look forward to reading what you guys have to say.

Peace to you all,

anna1795