(A/N) Hey everyone! Happy Valentine's Day to y'all! Sorry this update is coming to you a little late. I've had blinding pains in my teeth for the last few days, think I've gotten about four hours of sleep in the last three days, and eventually found out that I'll probably need a root canal. Yay. But at least I'm pretty doped up on some pretty badass painkillers right now!
This chapter was written by the wonderful Avalanche Wolf, and here we finally get a look at Agent Alaska. Enjoy!
P.S. When I said action is coming soon, I mean soon soon.
Chapter Six – First Sign of Madness
Agent Alaska
Written by Avalanche Wolf
"We work in the dark - we do what we can - we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art." – Henry James
The smooth floor felt cool against his cheek. Alaska's eyes fluttered as he muttered to himself. "Ah yes. I see. Everything is so clear to me now." His hand gently stroked the floor as he spoke. He felt something hit the floor. Feet. Someone standing just shy of 6 feet landed near him. His roommate, Florida. Alaska heard his cheery voice, but tinged with a slightly worried tone.
"Um...are you okay?"
Alaska shushed his roommate softly and continued his mutterings. "Oh yes, I see. That is very interesting. You don't say? Oh my, he should be more careful. An engineer could get in very big trouble for something like that." He felt that Florida took exactly seven and a half steps down the room to grab his armour and equipment and leave the room.
Alaska sat up and looked at the door. A soft woman's voice spoke to him. "I think you scared him off." Alaska looked up and saw a woman with long auburn hair and silver eyes. She wore a tight fitting grey suit.
Alaska shrugged slightly. "The weak minded are always terrified of the brilliant. But let us not dwell on insignificant events, Moi. Tell me more about yourself."
The woman knelt down. "My skin is some of the toughest material known from Earth. I would tell you more about my engines, but I'm afraid they are still considered classified information."
He pouted. "Aw Moi, why must we keep playing like this? You know I know that you know I will find out eventually. Why not just tell me?"
"A woman's prerogative." She stood up and walked towards the door. "You know you will see me around the ship."
A smile crossed his face. "Of course. I look forward to it, sweet Moi. I do hope we can continue this conversation later." He stood up and watched her walk through the door. He sighed and walked to his locker. "Parting is such bittersweet sorrow." He pulled out his armour. Blood red with black as its trim. This was his new uniform. He put it on, making sure that everything was properly secured and appeared right. "Yes. I believe that I could get used to this."
Alaska grabbed his helmet and walked out of the room. He looked around at the walls as he walked. "Why yes Moi. I do think you look very lovely today." He noticed that a couple of the crew looked at him with odd looks. As he approached the mess hall, he stopped near the door, listening to the other members talk.
"I'm telling you, the guy gives me the creeps." Alaska knew this voice. Gruff, slight intelligence in the voice. Agent...York. Creepy? Alaska was called many things. Psychotic, paranoid, manic, insane. Sure, maybe he was all these, but creepy? That was new to him. Another voice spoke. This one was a woman. Feminine, yet a strength in her voice. A strong determination. Carolina. That's the one. He listened as she spoke. "I'm sure that he's not all that creepy."
"When a guy is lying face down on the deck and talking to the ship, that has to come up on somebody's radar. I just hope this guy isn't some major freak."
Freak! He forgot that one. How many times has Alaska been called freak? He lost count. He walked in and noticed that at his first step, all conversation stopped. He walked to the food servers and grabbed a tray. "A large leg of mutton and a flagon of meade."
The servers looked at him with a shocked looked. "Um, we don't have any of those."
Alaska sighed. "My, what is this world coming to? Very well. I will take what you have." Once the food was on his plate, he took the food and walked back to sit with the other members of the program.
Alaska looked around at the others and smiled. "Hello my companions and compatriots. I do hope that all of you are well and happy." He looked down at the food and knew exactly how it was. All UNSC food was the same. They looked like what they were supposed to, but they lacked the taste. The only thing that tasted right was the drink. He heard another voice. Soft. Caring. Almost...motherly. Massachusetts. "Mutton and meade?" Alaska took a drink of his juice and spoke once he set down his glass.
"In the ancient times, warriors in the Norwegian area would feast on mutton and meade. It was considered the food and drink of champions and heroes. It seemed appropriate." He paused and took another sip from his drink. "You all may think I am insane or...creepy, but I am very much intelligent, and I know things about all of you." He looked at each member and said something he knew was true, starting with Massachusetts.
"You took exactly thirteen and an eighth steps to leave your room. It only took you eight and a half to leave, but you moved to look at something before you left." He moved to Pennsylvania. "You left your water running for four minutes and twenty seven seconds before using it. Waste not, want not." He then turned to Virginia. "You woke up exactly three minutes later than you wanted to. Restless sleep? A nightmare? You tend to toss and turn before you awaken."
The Counselor walked in and everyone turned to him. He spoke as he looked out at the Freelancers. "Good morning. I trust you all slept well. Today will be the first of many challenges you will face. Please report to the training room for a full briefing." With that said, the Counselor left the mess hall. Alaska stood up and took his tray in hand. "I will see you all soon." He got rid of his tray and walked out down the halls of the ship. "This seems to be a unique opportunity."
"How so?" Moi appeared next to him, walking the same pace as him. Alaska smiled and kept walking. "A trade for a trade, Moi. Are you ready to tell me more about your engines?"
"You know I can't do that."
"Always with your games, Moi. Very well. It is like the ancient times. Brothers against brothers. Sisters against brothers. Brothers against second cousins. It is a competition our dear Director is setting out for us."
"Very ambitious."
"Not ambitious. Brilliant. It is almost like he wants so much internal strife that soon we will be ready to tear each other apart. It's delicious." Moi stopped walking and stood still. "Arrogance is most often followed by failure." Alaska turned to look at her. "Moi, you have such little faith in me?" Moi lowered her head, looking at the floor. "I just...I don't want to see you rise so high, just to fall farther than anything anyone has known." With that, she turned and walked through a wall.
Alaska stared for a while longer before turning and continuing his walk to the training room. As he walked into the room, the Director was finishing his talk to the others. He looked at Alaska. "Agent Alaska, I will not tolerate lateness on my ship."
Alaska smiled and shrugged. "Dear Director, I am never late. I arrive exactly when I mean to."
The Director kept his stare. "As long as you serve on this team, you will arrive when you are told."
Alaska gave a bow. "As the Master commands." He walked over and sat on a bench while the Director explained what exactly this training exercise involved.
"This will be the first of many tests and training. In this training room, there are eight security personnel patrolling. Your objective is to eliminate the threat of the security. Pillars will be up to provide cover and concealment. You are to eliminate the threat as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Are there any questions?"
Alaska saw Pennsylvania raise his hand. "What are the guards equipped with?"
This time, it was the Counselor's turn to speak. "They are standardly equipped. Pistols, grenades, automatic rifles."
Pennsylvania coughed a bit. "A bit more than standard."
Virginia spoke next. "Are we able to take any weapons and equipment with us?"
Before the Counselor answered, the Director spoke. "There are weapons waiting for you on the training room floor, similar to the weapons you saw yesterday in the armoury, but for one fact: they're loaded with paint that will send your suit into lockdown if you are hit. I hope I'm correct in assuming none you will have to experience this for yourselves?"
He looked around the room, into the impassive visors of the assembled Freelancers. Silence filled the room for a moment, until the Director appeared to grudgingly accept that his point had been made. "Good! Ingenuity, originality and resourcefulness will be heavily rewarded in this test. Is there anything else?" When no one spoke up, he continued. "Very well. Let us begin."
