(A/N) Hey guys, time for the latest update of Phase One: Genesis! This time we take a bit of a break from all the action, from the POV of a character that you wouldn't really associate with that concept, Agent Maine.
As I mentioned before, we're still looking for writers for both our X-Ray and Vav fic, and for our sequel to this fic, whose name will be revealed in good time. If you're interested, get onto our forum immediately, or message me for more info. We hope for the sequel to be even bigger and better than this fic, if, indeed, that's even possible, so hey, why not try out? Got nothing to lose!
Enjoy!
Chapter Fifty-Three - A Monster
Agent Maine
Written by Jerem6401
"He's one of the most powerful and talented soldiers I've ever met. So I'd say I respect him. Oddly enough, did you know 'respect' is a synonym for 'fear?'" - Extract ftom the Personal Logs of Agent North Dakota, regarding Agent Maine.
"We're on approach," the pilot relayed over the radio system. "Everyone should make sure they take all their shit with them."
North leaned back and placed his hands behind his head. "I have to say, congrats again everyone!" he said happily. "I knew our team was unbeatable. Me and South alone are a great pairing, what with our recon and sniping capabilities, but having the opportunity to put Maine and Sota up front to guard the line. Perfection! No way another team could beat this one."
"Calm down, North," Sota butted in. "Even if we got a better time than Team B, we were still eventually overwhelmed."
"We'll get stronger," Maine mumbled. He was leaning forward in his seat, rubbing his fist into his palm. His white armour was still stained with dirt from the battle. Maine kept replaying the simulation battle over and over again in his head. What could he have done better? What weaknesses didn't he exploit? What didn't he do… that Penn would have done?
"Nevertheless, I think you guys did a great job," North finished. "I don't care what anyone says." North sat forward again and ran a hand through his hair. "I just hope the guys on the real mission came out successful."
"You kidding me?" Sota asked. "Did you see the soldiers on that squad? There's no way they're not all drinking in celebration already."
"That's York you're thinking of," South corrected. Maine remembered York. The one who tried to talk him out of his fight. The one who acted like a friend to him… maybe the first person to ever act like a friend to him. The first to see him as a human.
"Soldier!" Sergeant Reynolds screamed at Maine. Maine was standing at attention next to two other Privates. The UNSC had just wiped out an opposing army and was ready to move forward. They had just entered this village on the journey, which could be hiding an ambush. "Sweep these houses! We need to make sure no enemy is hiding out here before progressing."
Maine nodded and turned towards the first home. He slammed his foot into the locked door, which swing open into the home. The inside of the room was pitch black, only the light coming through the doorway gave any indication of what was inside. Maine's shadow was large enough to block most of it, making anything directly in front of him a mystery. Maine stepped inside, his weapon held firmly in his hands. Then he heard it, the door slowly creaking shut. Maine snapped around as an enemy soldier jumped from behind the door and swatted his gun away.
"Get out of my home!" he shouted.
Maine's gun tumbled onto the ground and disappeared into the shadows. Then there was a loud ripping sound that echoed through the home. The man stepped away from Maine, taking some deep breaths and staring straight forward. Maine slowly looked down to see the handle of a knife sticking out of him, on the right side of his chest. Blood was running from the wound and painting his dark green uniform a sickly red. Maine slowly looked back up at the man and titled his head. The man's eyes shot open as he stepped back.
"Wha… what?" He stepped back again, clipping something on the ground and falling to his backside. "What the hell are you?"
Maine grabbed the handle of the knife and ripped it out of his chest, sending droplets of blood flying into the air and landing on the terrified man's cheek.
"Something wrong with me?" Maine asked, a bit of anger in his voice. Maine knelt down and grabbed the man's throat. He stood back up, lifting the man off the ground. "So what am I?!"
Maine held the man tighter as he struggled for air. "Some kind of monster?!"
Maine had repositioned the knife in his hand and slammed it forward, driving it into the man's temple. The man fell limp and stopped struggling. Maine dropped his body to the floor and wiped some blood off his chest. The door slowly opened a bit more from the wind, shedding a little more light on the dead soldier. But that's what Maine noticed. This was no soldier.
He had no uniform, no gun, no badge. Maine stared at him as he caught his breath. Then he heard it. A small whimpering coming from the corner of the room. Maine looked in its direction while slowly opening the door more, so light would flood that area. There they were in the corner. A woman, clutching a small boy in her arms as tears ran down both of their faces. Maine looked at them and then down at the corpse on the floor.
"Leave us alone!" the woman demanded. "Why did you kill him?! Who are you?!" Maine looked at his hand and then slowly up to them again. He made his way to the door and closed his eyes. He stepped out of the home and quickly shut the door behind him, sealing the situation away.
"Monster…"
"Still," North began, "I see Sota's point. The freelancers that were here before us are incredible. Carolina, Alaska, York, Penn, Wyoming, Massa, Flor…"
"Quiet down back there!" the pilot shouted back at them from the cockpit, no longer bothering to transmit his messages over the radio system. "Gotta call us in!" He flicked a switch on the dash and waited for the static to fade into a light hum. "This is pilot Seven-Twenty-Six requesting permission to dock in landing bay 8."
There was a moment of silence, longer than usual.
"Request granted Seven-Twenty-Six," a voice responded. "Sorry on the delay. We've had a lot of traffic and scrambling over here." The freelancers on board all looked up at the announcement and slowly looked at one another.
"What's the cause?" the pilot asked.
"We've got another wounded soldier here," he replied. "Florida. He's banged up pretty badly." Maine slowly looked up from the floor and stared at the wall in front of him.
"Butch?" North asked. "What a shame. He's a good soldier, and a great guy. I guess they just got overwhelmed." The ship started to slow as it approached the MOI's landing bays. Maine lifted his harness and stood up.
"Not his fault," he growled. He turned his back to the others and put a hand on the overhead rack for stability.
"How do you know?" Sota asked. "We weren't there. I think North's assessment is probably dead on." Maine quickly snapped his head around to Sota. His helmet still firmly locked into place, while every else on the team had removed theirs. Maine's visor was just a shield that reflected everyone's looks… and thoughts back at them. No emotion escaped from him. Just a shroud of mystery.
"The Director," he spoke quietly. He dropped his hand off the overhead rack and clenched it into a fist. "We weren't utilized!"
"You think if we were there, it wouldn't have happened?" South asked. "I mean, think about it, Maine. That was an all-out war they were in. They were literally putting their lives at risk to protect some idiot general."
"And we're still recruits," North stated, finishing his sister's sentence. "I think we would have been more of a hindrance if we were out there, pal. At least until we do some more training with the guys a little higher up. Like Carolina, York, or Penn…"
Maine's full body turned to face North. His arm quickly shot out and ripped North out of his seat, severing the harness from the wall and sending sparks flying. South leaned away from them and Sota unlatched his harness, preparing to step in. Maine pulled North in so close his nose was pressed against Maine's visor.
"We're soldiers!" he growled furiously. "I'm sick of being just a rookie!" He threw North back into his seat and stepped back. He looked at the back of the ship as it unsealed with a rush of air. Before dropping down, revealing the landing bay of the MOI. Maine started towards the exit, before stopping and turning his head slightly to speak over his shoulder. "I am a monster."
