(A/N) Hey guys! It's time for the...Saturdayish update. :P This one is a little bit insane and a little bit scary, and I'll admit that when I finished it I was properly stunned. Another chapter from Agent Pennsylvania, or Penn, by his writer, the extraordinarily talented Jerem6401. Really, this chapter is on a different level entirely to our other ones. You'll know what I mean when you read it.
Bit more of an update on our next batch of applications. I'll be leaving a link at the end of the Author's Note, which will once again bring you to an image of a new canon Freelancer who we'll be taking applications for. The next two chapters will also contain these links, and after that I'll be announcing the re-opening of our acceptance of applications.
So not too long away! We'll still be taking applications for OC's too, so if you have any ideas for characters then hold out just a little bit longer!
Link: hddpp:/rvb,wikia,com/wiki/File:Character_Two,png
Once again, change commas to full stops, ds to ts and add another / after the :
Enjoy!
Chapter Thirteen - Something to Watch
Agent Pennsylvania
Written by Jerem6401
"I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best." – John Keats
The pelican's descent could be felt by everyone on-board as our guts dropped. I looked towards the solitary window at the back to see the blue sky give way to the crashing waves of an ocean. The entire ride to the battlefield had been filled with nothing but tension. No one spoke a single word, and I didn't dare look towards Alaska, and I assume he had a similar feeling. I wasn't going to let anyone outshine me in this training exercise. The mission was simple. Infiltrate the enemy base, and grab their flag. Capture the flag. Now the Director was literally having us play games with each other.
It wasn't as if we hadn't already shown him who the better team were. Yet here we are again, back in "Valhalla", having less than a day to recuperate after the last simulation mission. Back for a "rematch", the same teams taking part in a slightly different simulation. Not that it would change the outcome. The only thing that annoyed me was that nothing on that goddamn scoreboard had changed.
"Back door opening in 10 seconds!" our female pilot called. I looked towards the back of the pelican as I heard the rushing sound of it unsealing. It began to open and the light poured in.
"Let's go team!" Carolina ordered. Wyoming stood up and jumped behind her, his sniper rifle tucked securely in his hands. I looked up and got to my feet, which was exactly mirrored by Alaska's actions, who sat directly across from me. We stood for a moment, staring at one another as Carolina and Wyoming stepped off the pelican.
"I'll be watching," he said quietly.
"I'll give you something to watch," I replied. Alaska turned away, keeping his eyes on mine, before severing the contact and stepping off of the ship. I slowly followed, feeling the metal grating below me transform into dirt and sand. We were standing at a massive stone structure used as a base for a simulation blue team. Our job was to make our way across the valley in front of us, code-named "Valhalla" and capture the flag inside the other base. Several red simulation troopers were stationed at this base to defend it. We had been warned a countless number of times that they were using live ammunition, while our guns were just made to lock up their armour. I listened to the rules and played them over and over again in my head like a record… and nowhere in those guidelines did the Director say we weren't allowed to use lethal force.
"Penn, fall in!" Carolina called. I looked towards the others to see them standing in a tight group. Carolina was leaning on one knee, drawing into the dirt. Wyoming was scouting the area through his scope, and Alaska simply had his arms folded.
I walked closer as Carolina began making different lines towards a circle she had drawn, most likely to represent the enemy base."Here's the plan. Wyoming, you're going to set up on the rock overlooking the river, it should be high enough to give you a clear view to the enemy base."
"The hill in the centre of the valley will cut off my line of sight," he responded. "I won't be able to cover you until you are within reach of the flag."
"That's why on my order you are to move up to the centre hill," she replied. "I'm going right up the middle to clear a path for you. Understood?"
"Righto," he replied. She turned and pointed at Alaska, who seemed to have not moved an inch since we got off the pelican.
"Alaska, you're going to move up the right side," she ordered. "There's a large field there and I'm not sure what they could be hiding in it. Wyoming will relay you if he sees anything. Other than that, stick close to the river and hit the base from the right."
Alaska nodded and looked towards the river running by, which almost seemed to connect the two bases. Carolina finally looked at me. She was quiet for a moment and stood up to look me in the eye, even though she was much shorter than me. Carolina was really tense around me after my test on the training floor. I guess the sight of all the blood was a bit unnerving for her.
"Penn," she started, "you're going up the left side behind Wyoming's point. You're going to make your way through the caves. There's a point on the other side where we can meet up before you continue through the next cave and eventually reach the base. Then your job is to cover Alaska. He'll have the most cover after that point, so he's going in to grab the flag."
I looked towards Alaska. Was Carolina serious? She thought I was going to let him grab the flag? Not a chance in Hell.
"Penn? Are you listening?"
"Heard you loud and clear," I replied eventually. I looked away from Alaska and then towards the caves. Wyoming had already perched himself on the cliff and was scanning left and right. He looked towards us and made the OK symbol with his hands. It was time to move out. Alaska and I met eyes one more time, before turning and running our separate ways. I ran past Wyoming, stopping for a moment to check in.
"Everything look clear?" I asked him. He nodded and then looked towards the cave I was entering.
"Not sure about in there," he replied. "Could be a surprise waiting for you."
I pulled out my DMR and turned to the entrance. "Or I could be a surprise for them."
Wyoming chuckled a few times and looked back through his sniper rifle. "I almost feel sorry for them, Pennsylvania."
I walked towards the cave and looked into the darkness. I didn't turn on my light. Didn't want to give away my position. I began walking it, trying to keep a quick pace to stay ahead of Alaska. The cave was short and felt more like a tunnel than a cave.
"Tango down!" Carolina called over the radio. I cringed a bit, thinking that would score her more points than me. "Got another!" she yelled again. I hurried my pace, heading for the exit, but still there was nothing in the cave. Nothing to gain me any points. Nothing to kill!
"Got one!" Alaska called. I ground my teeth together. This wasn't fair! I had no enemies in front of me. I ran out of the cave and into the field. I saw Carolina in the middle, and Alaska making his way up the river. Behind Carolina were two simulation troopers. Their armour was completely locked and they were simply sprawled out on the ground, waiting to be taken away for their next session. Carolina looked at me and pointed towards the base, ordering me to move up.
She didn't have to tell me twice. I ran towards the next cave, fire burning inside of me. I was getting angry, angrier than I normally was. When I got to this cave, my own words were buzzing around in my head.
"I'll give you something to watch." I stepped into the cave and looked down at my DMR. I rotated it in my hands a few times, taking in its details, before dropping it to the ground.
It was just weighing me down.
As I continued into the cave, I could hear them, footsteps getting closer to me. A scout for the simulation troopers checking out the caves. He was just around the corner from me, his light casting onto the wall and moving up and down rhythmically with his footsteps. I knelt down and closed my eyes. I was still getting angrier and angrier. The thought of Alaska even thinking for a second he was better than me. This simulation trooper was going to be just another thing proving that wasn't true. I could feel him getting closer… I could smell the blood already.
"What the?!" he called out as he rounded the corner. I opened my eyes and leapt forward, smashing his weapon away from him. It flew around wildly, shining its light in all directions as it tumbled through the air. In the strobe of that light I raised my knee and jammed it into his stomach. Then I threw two punches, one into his chest, breaking one of the lights built into his armour. The second slammed into his helmet, smashing his visor into a spider-web of broken glass. I reached out and grabbed his throat. I lifted him off the ground with one arm and pressed his neck into the rock wall. I kept pushing and tightening my grip, still feeling myself getting furious. He grabbed my arm, desperately try to rip it away. The man was trying to scream… I could feel it, but nothing but a rasped whisper was escaping.
"Penn!" Carolina called. "Penn where are you? Report! We're about to send Alaska in to the base." I bore my teeth at the thought of him. My sight blurred in anger as the simulation trooper in front of me flashed between his true form and a vision of Alaska, covered in his own blood. I finally pushed with all my might, feeling the trooper's throat collapse. The inside of his visor suddenly exploded with a massive stain of deep crimson. His body fell limp, and as I released my grip, collapsed in a heap in front of me. I took some deep breaths, looking down at my handiwork. This wasn't my kill… it was the Director's. He didn't see me as the weapon I am. He didn't realize what making this scoreboard had done to me.
Now he would have to see.
I put my hand up to my helmet and spoke into the radio.
"Target terminated," I said quietly. There was a silence before Carolina's voice broke out.
"Terminated?" she asked. "You mean taken down? Right, Penn?"
"Sounds good to me," Alaska replied. "I'm about to head in."
"Like hell you are!" I yelled back.
"Penn, no!" Carolina screamed. "This is Alaska's mission, not yours. They have defences set up and you don't have the cover that he does!"
I didn't care. I needed this. I needed to show I was better. I ran for the exit of the cave and exploded into the light. The base was in front of me, with four enemies standing on top. One had a sniper rifle trained on me, while two others manned turrets that were turning to face me.
I froze for a moment when I saw the opposition, until the loud crack of a sniper rifle shot filled the air. I saw one of the soldiers on the turret freeze up as Wyoming took his first shot. Carolina began to light up the base as well, taking out another soldier armed with a DMR. The simulation sniper stayed focused and lined up his shot. I dove to one side as his first shot slammed into the ground next to me. He fired again, but I managed to roll to the left just before the trigger was pulled.
"Wyoming get that sniper!" Carolina yelled. I turned to see if he was responding… which was a mistake. I slowed down for a single moment, and the sniper took his opportunity. He fired and hit me square in the chest, on the right side. I felt my armour explode in the front and the back as the bullet sailed clean through me. Another shot cracked through the air which tore through my right shoulder. I dropped forward, falling to my hands and knees in the river in front of me. Blood was tricking down my armour and creating bright patterns as it swirled downstream.
"Penn is hit!" Carolina yelled. "Repeat Penn is down! Alaska, complete the mission. I'm calling an evac!" I fought the pain and lifted my hand to my helmet. The sniper was still reloading and it was like time was slowing down.
"Carolina," I growled, "if you do that to me… we'll be needing a new number one on that scoreboard!" There was a silence on the radio, and no one dared to make a call. Then her voice spoke back to me.
"Fine, Penn," she replied. "This isn't because you intimidate me, because you don't. This is so maybe you'll learn some respect for authority." I snickered a few times and looked up at the base. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Alaska making his way towards the base. I looked up, seeing the second turret getting in position to finish the job on me. "Wyoming! Hit that turret!"
"No!" I yelled. "He's mine!" I got to one knee and dug my back foot into the ground. I used all my anger, my fury, my pain, and drove myself into the air. I was above the man on the turret and came crashing down on top of him.
I put my hand around his visor as I slammed to the floor on top of the base. I smashed his head into the concrete and then quickly got to my feet. I ripped my arm sideways and threw the soldier clear over the edge of the base. He careened through the air and into a tree, shattering the trunk and sending splinters of wood in all directions.
I looked towards the sniper, who was the only remaining soldier at this point. He fiddled with his magazine as he tried to reload his weapon. I saw he was defenceless at this point and then looked down at the bullet wound in my chest. I looked back up at him and I could almost taste the fear. Believe me… I loved it.
"Wait… wait!" he yelled. I charged towards him and he lifted his rifle as a last defence. He crossed it in front of him like a shield. I threw a punch into the rifle, and I could feel my hand break through the barrel and all the inner workings of the weapon as my fist exploded through it. My punch hit him in the chest, sending him flying back into the concrete wall of the base. The two separate pieces of his rifle dropped to the floor next to him. I didn't hear them hit.
I couldn't hear anything.
The fury was filling me.
I hated everything. Everyone on my team, every one of these simulations troopers… that fucking scoreboard! I didn't realize I was walking closer to this soldier as he pressed himself further and further into the wall behind him while he looked for escape routes. He looked to my left and then made a run for it. As he passed I grabbed his helmet and pulled him back. I dropped to one knee and draped his back over my extended leg. I had one hand on his helmet and another on his hip as he bent backwards over my knee.
"Penn!" Carolina yelled. "That's enough! You can grab the flag! Just let the simulation trooper go! Lock up his armour, he'll be dealt with!" I heard her over the radio… but it was like she was right next to me. I looked up and saw her standing on the hill outside the base, watching the entire situation. "Director! Stop him! He's going to kill that sim trooper!"
There was a silence in the air, and absolute stillness. I could feel the anticipation in Wyoming as he watching, the complete terror of the man draped over my leg… best of all… I could feel Alaska watching me. I don't know if it was the Director's voices responding… or a little voice in the back of my own mind that spoke to me right then. All I know is that in a deep dark tone it said…
"Do it."
I pressed down with all my might, hearing the man cry a bloodcurdling, gurgled scream as I folded his spine in half. I could feel each vertebrae shattering as I made the soldier's own feet pass by his head. I rolled him off my knee and dropped the now silent and still body to the floor. I stood back up and looked down the body. The pain of my wounds was starting to grow, and I couldn't tell if I liked it or not. I turned around and reached out my arm, firmly grasping the red flag in my hand. I ripped it out of its stand and held it into the air as it waved proudly in the wind.
"Mission successful," the Director spoke in our radios. "Team B, you may proceed back to the Mother of Invention."
That it was, the anger was starting to lift. I had done it… proved I wasn't just a solider… I was a force. I didn't care how… but all of these so-called "freelancers" would know what terror is… what it looks like… what it feels like! The blood loss started to kick in, and everything around me split into twos and fours. Suddenly my vision blurred to black and I couldn't hear anything at all. I collapsed onto the ground. Falling into a pool of blood left by that simulation trooper.
Looking back on it… I guarantee that I was smiling.
