(A/N) Hey guys, here, as promised, is our Monday update, and our second update of the day, if you've come on straight to here without reading the previous chapter. As I mentioned earlier today, I'm planning on announcing our new writers on Thursday, so please, please get working on your application if you're interested. Or at least message me so I can give you some more time. This chapter is brought to you by Jerem6401, who's lucky enough to be attending RTX at the moment, damn him. What I'd do to be there...
As always, enjoy!
Chapter Sixty-One - Wake of Destruction
Agent Pennsylvania
Written by Jerem6401
"It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets." ― Voltaire
We trudged through the overgrown grass and large rocks in this forgotten area of space. The UNSC had set up a bunker here years and years ago, but it had since been abandoned. The demolition team originally scheduled to destroy the bunker, as is custom with any deserted property of the UNSC, were all taken out by Innies before they could get the job done. Now intel suggested this bunker was holding some very important plans. Plans that would allow the Insurrectionists to pump out sets of armour that rivalled our own, if not surpassed them. I was out front as we stepped over the last boulder on a massive hill. I looked out and saw the top of the bunker clearly visible in the plain ahead of us, the rest of it buried securely under the soil. I had never been in this particular base during my run in the UNSC, but if it was anything like the others, this was going to be a labyrinth of metal hallways and chambers.
"Hold up, squad," I spoke as I lifted my fist up. Alaska, Arkansas, North and South held up behind me. I strapped my assault rifle onto my back and turned to them. I pointed to North and nodded. "Display the layout."
"Yes, sir," he quickly replied, like the respectful soldier he was. He pulled a small device out of an ammo pouch hanging at his side and knelt down on the ground. He set it in the dirt and pressed a button on its side. The top of the device began spinning at an extremely high speed, before lighting up with a brilliant blue and projecting an image into the air above it. It was a 3D hologram of the bunker's interior, graciously provided by choice members of the UNSC. I stepped forward and glanced over the layout.
"Listen up, team," I began. "Our mission is straightforward, but not easy. We have two objectives, and neither one of these can be screwed up. Take a look at this." I stepped forward and put my finger on the hologram, making a section in the centre of the layout glow red. "This is the reactor core within the bunker, standard in all UNSC facilities stationed away from populated areas. It powers this entire base. Intel suggests the Insurrection have set up some kind of manufacturing plant within that bunker, which they're using to churn out this new armour. Agent Arkansas, that where you come in. You're on demo duty. Get to the core, plant the explosives, make your way out, and detonate them when the team is clear."
"Roger," he agreed. "Got enough plastic explosive here to take down a whole city block."
"We want this Insurrection plant stamped out, but not before we take this information for ourselves. Project Freelancer can surely benefit from whatever improvements they've made to the armour. That's objective B." I pointed to another area, making it light up red also. "This is the main data storage for the bunker, where they program the machinery running the manufacturing plant. We'll have to download and retrieve the data before exiting."
"So we'll hit that first," South stated. "It's closer to the exit. Plant the explosives, download the information, and get the hell out."
"Negative." The team all looked at me as I shot the suggestion down. "Would take too long. We need to get that retrieval started immediately. Arkansas, you're going straight to the core. I want that bomb set to blow in ten." He nodded and quickly checked his charges, making sure everything was good to go. "North and South, you two will be on escort duty. Get Arkansas to the core and make it quick. South is good on recon, so she can scout ahead, while North provides support from behind. Got it?"
"Yes, sir," North agreed.
"Good. Now get moving. We'll rendezvous back here after the charges are in place." The three of them stepped over the hill and quietly made their way to the base. Suddenly I felt a hand punch me in the shoulder. I stumbled forward for a second before turning around to see Alaska staring at me.
"Just planning on leaving me here?" he asked. "Is that it?" He was so smug. Stubborn. Headstrong. Just what I needed.
"Alaska, you're with me," I stated. "We're going to the data storage to retrieve that info."
"What?" he asked. "Why me? Why didn't you take South?" I knelt down and deactivated the hologram. Tucking it away into my belt.
"She's better off working with her brother," I replied. "Besides, I need someone who I know will get the job done." I stood up and nodded to him as I pulled out my assault rifle again. "Someone I can trust." Alaska took out his DMR and stood next to me as we both looked at the bunker.
"Alright, I'm with you, Penn," he said. He started walking and turned his head back. "But if I were you, I wouldn't get so cozy trusting me just yet." I smirked and joined him in approaching the base.
"And if I were you, I wouldn't consider this understanding a friendship… dick."
"Asshole."
We slowly walked through the dim, metal hallways, keeping our lights off to avoid detection. We would stop at every intersection to check our corners, before clearing and moving on. No sign of Innies anywhere, but the bunker was definitely alive with the sound of machinery. Up ahead we could see a section of the hallway made of glass, revealing it was traveling through a much larger room outside of it. We cautiously approached it and stared out of the windows. The massive room around our small hallway was filled with huge machines. They showered sparks down like rain and stayed at an even pace as they pressed metal together and bolted gadgets of all kinds into place. They all had large conveyer belts that fed into their heated core, making the strange metal they were using malleable.
"The data storage is nearby," I whispered to Alaska. "They can't keep this amount of machinery too far from its main programming. We should get moving before we get spotted."
"It looks like some form of steel, only lighter," Alaska muttered. "No, I've never seen anything quite like it. Some kind of alloy I suppose. What? I mean… of course I'm interested. Aren't you? No, Moi, I'm not ignoring the mission."
"Hey, clueless," I called out. "What the hell are you doing?" Alaska shook his head and looked at me.
"What?" he asked. "Oh, sorry… wasn't talking to you." I titled my head and stood up straight.
"Not talking to me?" I asked. "Then who…" Suddenly the hallway erupted into the sound of a pulsing alarm, and red lights flooded every inch of the world around us.
"Damn!" I yelled. "The others must have tripped the alarm!" Then we noticed that at either end of our small hallways were two huge metal doors. They began lowering towards the ground, to trap us in place. "Quick! Let's go!" I ran to the door, seeing there was no way I could get there in time.
"Watch your left!" Alaska yelled. I leaned to my right just as his DMR came flying over my shoulder. It spun in the air and went straight for the small gap remaining between the door and the floor. It wedged itself in that space perfectly, stopping the door for a moment. We used to the opportunity to slide underneath it, Alaska grabbing his DMR back on the way by. We stood up again just as the door slammed down.
"There they are!" someone shouted from down the hall behind us. We turned and saw three Innies, armed with SMGs and battle rifles. One was pointing directly at us, while the other two turned in attention. "Waste 'em!"
I looked down and saw a grate on the floor in front of me. Alaska saw it too and looked up at me.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked. I slammed my boot down onto the ground right in front of the grate, rocketing it up into the air in front of me. Then I pulled my arm back and smashed my fist into it, launching it down the hall at the Innies. The two on the outsides dove to the ground, but the soldier in the middle took the heavy grate directly in the head. I guessed I punched it harder than I thought, because his head just kind of kept going with the grate… while his body fell flat where he was standing.
Alaska chuckled as we pulled out our weapons. "I was thinking about escaping down through that grate," he admitted. "So in answer to my previous question… no."
We took off down the hall, lighting up the other two soldiers and giving them more holes than a pool table. We stopped at the next intersection in the hallway. We spun towards one another and fire at each other. The bullets went over our shoulders and eliminated soldiers trying to run up behind us.
"Good shot," I complimented.
"I know," he replied. I turned my head to the large metal door in front of us. The layout showed the data storage hiding behind it. I nodded to Alaska as I reloaded my assault rifle. I took a deep breath before slamming my boot into the door and rocketing it into the room. We both stormed in, searching for any soldiers guarding the place, but there were none in sight.
"Alaska," I started. "Get that download going." I tucked away my rifle and walked towards a massive console in the centre of the room. I wanted to see if this terminal held any other information inside of its storage. However, as soon as I started to access it, a voice rang out behind us.
"I would step away from that if I were you," he spoke. We turned to see a man standing in the shadows. He had on a black suit with a red tie, his arms folded behind his back. His face was old and thin, with no hair and sharp rectangular glasses that hung off his pointed nose.
"Really?" I asked. "And who are you to make that claim?"
"Gregory Markus," he replied, quickly. "I watch over this facility and the machinery it holds. We figured it was only a matter of time before you came here to try and destroy it, Agent Pennsylvania."
"Well better start looking for a new job," Alaska began, "because we're blowing this place to kingdom…" He stopped as I put my hand up. My eyes were locked on Gregory's. He was staring right through me, with a small smile on his face.
"How do you know who I am?" I asked. He reached up and fixed his glasses while he shook his head.
"Oh, please," he started. "You're famous among the Insurrection, now, Agent. Ever since your little meeting with Mr. Allen, and the messages that relayed back to us before he died. We heard your whole conversation with him. So tell me, Agent Pennsylvania, have you considered what he said?" I ground my teeth together and started to walk towards him.
"I hope your corpse will leave enough of a response," I growled. Suddenly a bright orb of red light appeared behind him and surged through the air towards me, bending the oxygen around it. It slammed into my chest and knocked me backwards onto the floor. Alaska ran from the terminal and pulled out his DMR. His device left sitting on the floor as next to the console as the download continued. He stood next to me as I pushed myself off the ground. We watched as two soldiers stepped out of the shadows behind Gregory.
"That's a shame, Pennsylvania," Gregory spoke. "You could have been more. Look at Flint and Steel here. They are simply examples of what the Insurrection has become." The two appeared to be wearing ODST style armour, but it was thickly padded with the strange metal we saw earlier. Steel grey, which helped them blend into the shadows. Flint had red paint splattered across his, while Steel had gold. Flint's gauntlet was still glowing a bright red, and it soon became clear it was outfitted with a laser blaster by his wrist.
"Penn!" Alaska yelled. "That's the armour. The stuff they're trying to build."
"Trying to build?" Gregory asked. "Or built?" He stepped back and through a doorway behind him, hidden by the shadows. As soon as he passed the frame, the metal door slid down into place, sealing him away.
"Well, look at what we got here!" Flint yelled as he put his hands on his hips. "Two of them Freelancer types!"
"Not to mention the one with the highest bounty on his head!" Steel added. "The one who killed Colonel Allen!" I stood up and clenched my fists.
"Yeah," I muttered. "Killing isn't that hard, guys. Alaska… prove it." Alaska quickly lifted his DMR and fired two shots, each hitting the two soldiers right in their foreheads. The bullets sparked off their armour and clinked harmlessly to the floor. They widened their stances as their gauntlets started to glow, charging the attached laser blasters, which appeared eerily similar to the plasma pistols used by the Covenant infantry. No doubt the technology had been lifted from Covenant weaponry. Suddenly the backs of their suits began changing and two thrusters emerged. They lifted off the ground and hovered in the air. I had never seen suits like these… they could do everything.
"Well then let's do this, big guy!" Steel yelled.
"YEEEEEHAWWWW!" Flint screamed. The two took off through the air and charged straight at us. We jumped out of the way, dodging shots from their blasters in the process. I rolled to my back and started unloading my assault rifle at the two flying men. The bullets riddled the ceiling and rained sparks down over us.
"Penn!" Alaska shouted. "Watch the shooting! We're not done with the download yet, and we can't risk damaging the computers!" I got to my feet and looked down at my gun. Alaska was right… but what was I even thinking? Sure these guys were flying around… but we were in a small room… this gun was holding me back.
I dropped it to the floor and looked forward. Steel was rocketing straight towards me. He held out his arm and a blade extended along his gauntlet, making his forearm into a deadly weapon. I had to time this exactly right. Just as he got to me, I lifted my arm into the air and leaned to one side. He slashed at me, cutting a gash into my chestplate, but not catching my skin. As he was passing me, at chest level, I dropped my arm back down, slamming my elbow into his back and smashing one of his thrusters to bits. He spun out of control and crashed into one of the computer consoles, before falling back to the floor.
"Hey!" Alaska called out. "You using that gun?" He pointed to my assault rifle on the floor. I jumped forward and kicked it like a football, it tumbled through the air and landed perfectly in Alaska's grip. He wheeled around, firing both weapons at Flint. Flint covered his visor from the barrage and started to fly in more of a zigzag pattern. He got low enough to the ground where Alaska could run forward and leap through the air, landing on his back. The two tumbled to the floor in an all-out wrestling match.
"Come here you!" I heard from behind. I turned and dodged a punch thrown by Steel. I threw my own, snapping his head to the side. The armour might have been bullet proof, but it could still feel force. I grabbed his chest plate and lifted him off the ground. Suddenly he threw his arms out and his body started to shake. A massive sonic wave erupted from his suit, knocking me backwards and taking my breath away. Steel jumped onto me and pinned me to the floor. He started ramming his fists into my helmet. My HUD was flashing red and I could see my own vitals spiking. My visor shattered into a spiderweb, obscuring my vision. I freed my left arm and threw it up, smashing it into Steel's chin and knocking him off me. I turned to my side to see Alaska take two shots from Flint's blaster straight in the chest. He chest armour was smoke and glowing a bright red as he crashed to the ground.
"Penn!" a voice shouted over the radio. "Come in, Penn. This is North. The charges are in place and we're just about out. What's your ETA?"
I looked at Alaska again as Flint stood over him. He reached down and grabbed Alaska's throat, before lifting him off the ground and holding him in the air. I could see Steel getting back to his feet and shaking off my last attack. Blood was dripping into my eyes and mouth from the cuts on my face. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Alaska's device in the corner, downloading the last of the info we needed. This was it. I had to do something. I couldn't let my team fail. Either my name would stay high on the leaderboard… or be erased completely.
"Do it," I commanded.
"What?" Ark asked. "Where are you guys? You're not at the rendezvous location yet."
"Detonate the fucking charges! That's an order!" There was a small silence, where even the massive machinery near us couldn't be heard. This was almost instantly broken by a massive explosion at another location in the facility. Flint stumbled and dropped Alaska down to the ground again. Alaska quickly pulled out a grenade and gripped it tightly.
"I didn't get a say in this?!" he yelled. He jumped up and slammed his boot into Flint's chest, who flew back into the wall behind him. Alaska threw the grenade and then quickly pulled out his pistol. He fired and cracked the grenade just as it hovered right in front of Flint's visor. It exploded, burying him into the metal wall. He peeled himself away and shook off the explosion. I pushed myself to my feet and turned to meet a punch from Steel across my helmet. I coughed and dropped to one knee.
"No say, Alaska!" I yelled. "We have a job to do… we're going to do it!" Alaska grunted as Flint came back and began his attack again.
"I wish I was on Carolina's team!" he yelled. "She's way better at leading than you!"
I felt it… that twinge of pain up my spine. Was he serious?! Carolina was not better than me! Were these Insurrectionists afraid of her? NO! I was the feared one! I was the powerful one! Steel loaded up another punch and threw it down at me. I looked up and grabbed his fist out of the air. I stood up and torqued my arm inwards, spinning his whole arm around. Then I rammed my knee upwards into his elbow, shattering it and cocking his arm in a direction it should never go. Steel jumped backwards and grabbed his arm in distress. There was another explosion and the entire bunker began to shake as more and more machinery fell apart in the next room.
"That place is going down in three minutes!" Ark yelled. "Get your asses out of there!"
"I'm going in!" North yelled.
"No!" South chimed in. "It's suicide!"
"Stay at your posts!" I commanded. "Al and I will be fine. Don't worry about us!" I ran up to Steel and grabbed his chest, thrusting him into the wall. I pulled my right arm back while my left held him in place.
His armour turned teal in my eyes, and his stressed appearance gave way to arrogance and superiority. I started ramming my fist into his helmet, over and over and over again. I could feel my knuckles shattering, but I didn't stop. The bullet-proof metal began to dent inwards, more and more each time. He struggled against the attack as his helmet got tighter and tighter to his face. I continued to lay into him, until I felt it, the helmet stop moving as it pressed against his skull. I pulled back one more time and put all my anger behind it. I felt the bone within my forearm split with the pressure, but Steel's helmet caved in and a shower of blood erupted from the seams along his neck. I pulled my arm away in pain and dropped the corpse to the ground. Suddenly a massive piece of machinery came smashing through the wall in an explosion of metal and fire.
"Alaska," I yelled. "This place is collapsing! Let's go! Grab the data!"
"Busy!" he replied. He continued to fight with Flint, both exchanging the upper hand. I looked at the machinery behind me, seeing the conveyer belt feeding in to a twisted concoction of broken metal and fire. I ran towards the two and grabbed Flint by the shoulders. I held his arms back and left his chest vulnerable to attack.
"Grenade!" I yelled. Alaska tilted his head as Flint started to struggle. "Grenade!" Alaska ripped out another grenade and threw it. Again he jumped backwards and fired his pistol, detonating it in the air in front of us. Flint and I went flying backwards, him landing on top of me. I used the momentum to throw my legs up and launch him back into the machinery. The conveyer belt wrapped around his wrist and started to drag him into the machine. Flint clawed at the metal around him, trying to fight against the metal monster.
"NO NO NO!" He disappeared into the mouth of the machine as metal and flesh tore away from him, before the entire piece of machinery erupted into a massive fireball, knocking Alaska and I back.
Alaska quickly grabbed his device off the floor and ran to my side. He pulled me to my feet and we took off out the door. The fire and shards of metal followed right behind us in hot pursuit as the base began to collapse in on itself. We could see the exit coming up. The fire was wrapping around us, heating our armour to the point that they were burning the skin on our backs. We jumped as we reached the door and cinematically flew from the bunker in an eruption of fire, crashing onto the dirt and rolled a few times before stopping and lying motionless. Alaska shook his head and few times and pushed himself to his knees. He coughed some blood onto the inside of his visor as Ark, North, and South ran to us.
"Meh… not so bad," he muttered. I also got to my knees and held my right forearm to my chest. The pain was starting to set it now that the adrenaline was wearing off. But we did it. We had the data, and the base was destroyed. My place on the leaderboard was still intact. Speaking of which. There was still something on my mind.
"Hey… Al," I called out. He looked at me, both of us taking deep breaths and definitely covered in sweat under the armour. "You really want to be on Carolina's team instead?" Alaska turned his head away from me and shook it. He laughed for a bit. Not chuckled… not snickered… laughed. Then he dropped backwards and laid flat on the dirt.
"No… I just said that to get you pissed off. Trust me. Working with Carolina… wouldn't be nearly this much fun." I nodded and got to my feet. I walked to him and reached out my arm. He took my hand and I pulled him to a standing position.
"Killing stuff," I muttered. "To be honest… it's all I really know how to do."
