(A/N) Hey guys, time for another slightly delayed update for Phase One: Genesis! This time featuring the warped mind of Agent California and the writing skills of BrambleStar14, this chapter will make the wait worthwhile, I swear! Also, some big news coming up in the shape of a new fic which will be going up in a few weeks! Keep your eyes out for it! Not going to give any hints, but I'll just let slip that several of our writers have been working on it, including some that you haven't read anything from before! Bit of infighting here, as we see that not every team in Project Freelancer runs as smoothly as it should, as we continue to approach the end of this fic.

Again, I'm going to remind people that we're still looking for writers for Agent Carolina, so, if you're interested, please PM me as soon as you can and I'll send you the relevant info and application form! But please, get a move on, because the clock is ticking. Applications will close in under two weeks time, so if you're interested it's important to get started ASAP.

Enjoy!


Chapter Ninety-Four – Impasse

Agent California

Written by BrambleStar14


"Whoever battles with monsters had better see that it does not turn him into a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche


California slowly slid the machete off of the sheath on his back and stared at it with a grin, studying the wicked sharp edge that could cause untold damage against unprotected flesh. He drew out the other one and held them both up to the light, examining them closely. They would have to do for what he had in mind. Not exactly a full interrogation kit, but he was certain he could get the information they wanted out of the Insurrectionists that they had captured in minutes, maybe without even opening a cut on their bodies. He'd done it before.

He also had a pistol now clipped to his belt, another perfect tool for the task ahead, for inspiring fear or for-

Well, for causing pain. Cal was very, very good at causing pain.

This was their perfect chance to end the damned Insurrection. They knew that the general and Harper were here somewhere on this godforsaken rock, but they didn't know where. An entire planet really wasn't that specific. Luckily they now had four Innies they could get the information out of, whether they used the easy way or the hard way. Cal wasn't sure which was which.

Personally, he wasn't even sure which he'd hoped they'd choose.

He could faintly hear South arguing with her brother about whether or not to torture the group, but Cal would do it either way, he didn't need North's permission. He didn't even need the Director's. This was what he did best. He was then brought into the conversation as North decided to involve Cal.

"But look at him for god's sake!" he nearly shouted, pointing at Cal. North always nearly shouted in arguments, he never quite shouted. That was the kind of person he was. Actually raising his voice would be too aggressive for him. Cal raised an eyebrow at North's pointing finger.

"If you want to say something North, just say it."

At this point, Georgia decided to cut in. "Cal, you're standing there staring at your knives, it's a bit creepy and they won't even be used, we won't be torturing them." Georgia was wrong there and Cal knew it. South knew it too, united with Cal for once.

"That's bullshit! We don't know where the Innies are and we don't have time to waste. Those jammers are blocking all of our transmissions, and even though we've got the planet sieged, their anti-air defences means that we can't land our damn ships! I say we get the info out of them and end this ourselves!"

Cal agreed firmly with South. Something that he doubted he'd ever say again.

"We do need the information quickly!" he urged them. "Every wasted second is another second Harper and the general could use to escape!"

Georgia considered this, before speaking carefully and deliberately.

"Are you certain this is for the information or so you can catch up with Harper? Or, even worse, because you just enjoy this sort of thing, Cal?" The others turned to him, looking surprised. Cal's eye twitched slightly as the voice in his head started to laugh.

Oh, he's got you there Cal!

'You shut up'Cal told the voice, prompting only more internal laughter, before tuning back into the conversation.

"This isn't about Harper, this is about ending the Insurrection, or aren't you interested in that? If these men can tell us where the leaders of the terrorist organisation that has killed millions of innocent people, then we have a moral obligation to get that information and end the killing!"

"No."

The voice spoke only one word, and yet it drew all eyes to Ark, sat on a pillar of to the side in the wreckage of one of the buildings in the infernal swamp. They were outside now, to ensure privacy. The Innies had been locked inside and were now waiting, expecting and waiting for the inevitable. Cal couldn't wait.

"Ark-" he started, trying to convince him.

"I said no." Ark's voice was final. "We do this and we sacrifice our morals. And don't say that only your own would be on the line if we let you do it, since you're so keen about it. If we take this line of action, then we're the monsters here. Is that what you want your legacy to be?" he asked slowly, his eyes locked on Cal's, hard and uncompromising. "Is this personal Cal?" His voice was calm and emotionless as he stared at Cal, who stared back.

"But we have to get the information! We are being jammed!" South was indignant now, furious at Ark, who was ruining everything once again with his high and mighty attitude, just begging to be-

Interested in some help? The voice whispered seductively.

'No thanks. I'd rather not let you out.'Cal retorted mentally.

"And we can always wait for the jammers to be taken down." North suggested calmly, ignoring his sister as she spun on him, snarling. "Then we can radio for orders. We don't have to do it ourselves."

The voice in Cal's head sneered at North's nice tendencies, until Cal firmly pushed him down. South was clearly unsatisfied with this suggested approach.

"North," she started. "That won't work, we have no time!"

"Ark," Cal pleaded. "I can get the information out of them without even touching them, I swear."

Ark considered, before shaking his head again, infuriating Cal beyond belief. Would the stupid idiot get them all killed one day with his stupid morals? Ark was clearly extremely dangerous. Cal would have to bring this up with the Director promptly before any more damage could occur.

"I don't trust you," he said calmly, further raising Cal's ire. "I think you'd get in there and be unable to stop yourself. Worse, Cal, I know you wouldn't. Control has never been your strong suit."

Are you sure you don't want me? I could always-

Cal firmly ignored the voice and faced Ark. He clearly wasn't fit to be in charge. He would drag them all down.

"I vote for waiting, if it helps." Georgia offered, unaffected by the two death glares sent his way. Cal glanced around the small area, at each of them.

South Dakota would be his ally in this case. She was on his side for once and she believed that they would get the information more effectively than by waiting for orders.

But North clearly didn't like the idea of interrogation, he backed down and gave them another, more wasteful and pointless task. Cal would get no help from him in this particular case.

Georgia was the same as North. He didn't like interrogation or shied away from it. He was happy to wait for the jammers to be taken down, not truly caring, then, if the Innies got away or not.

Ark was clearly driven by his precious morals. He didn't want to stoop so low. He wouldn't do what he had to in wartime to survive and to win. Cal had wondered when he first met Ark if he would do what needed to be done, when the time came for it. Here was his answer. He clearly would not and that would kill him in the end. Cal just hoped it was sooner rather than later.

But every second they wasted arguing now was another moment that Harper could be escaping off-world this very second.

Not this time. Cal would not let him get away.

He stood up, Ark's eyes following him all the way. He turned slowly, towards the door behind which cowered four enemy combatants who wouldn't hesitate if it were the other way around.

"I'm going to do it." Cal said calmly, just as calmly and quietly as Ark. Instantly, North and Georgia began to protest sharply, while South just crossed her arms and nodded and Ark-

Ark was just sat there watching, expressionless, emotionless, unmoving.

Cal turned and walked towards the door.

"Cal," Ark said. "Please don't force this. We are waiting and that's an order from your superior. We wait."

Cal snorted loudly. Who did Ark think he was? He was nothing but a liability here. Even if the Director had placed him in charge of this team, he had clearly made an error over Ark's ability, an error that Cal would not allow to compromise their mission.

"I don't know many things Ark, but I do know this. You are not my superior. You never will be. Never."

Cal put his hand on the door handle.

Then he heard the unmistakable sound of the safety catch of a gun click off behind him, and he paused.

The entire scene froze. Cal turned slowly around to see Ark, no longer sat on the pillar, but instead stood opposite him, a magnum aimed directly at Cal's head, held in a steady and unwavering hand.

North and Georgia stood at the side, staring at Ark in open shock. And South snarled, before pulling her own gun out and aiming it straight at Ark, who glanced at it with little surprise, ignoring it.

"So, Ark." Cal spoke calmly, not showing the anger boiling within him. "Finally decided to team kill, huh?"

"I didn't want to do this!" Ark yelled, calm demeanour finally broken. "But you've left me no choice! None! I will not let you do this. You have received your orders, and if you dare disobey me here, I will shoot you down, and more, I will be within my rights Cal."

The gun twitched slightly as Cal simply stood there, watching. Ark's finger tightened imperceptibly on the trigger and South clasped her own magnum even tighter. If Ark fired, Cal had little doubt that she would retaliate.

North and Georgia made to move forwards and South twitched her hand towards her other gun and they fell back, looking worried and uncertain.

"South!" North murmured, warningly. "That's Ark you're pointing your gun at. The guy who saved your life multiple times. Your teammate!"

"It's okay, North, she knows exactly what she's doing," Ark replied dryly, still staring at Cal while he spoke, as if glancing away would end the moment and cause all hell to break loose. "You sure you've got what it takes to pull that trigger, South? Wonder how far the Director will knock you down the board for shooting your team leader? You might even get kicked out."

South didn't reply, but her gun wavered slightly, and Cal knew that if he didn't speak up now Ark would take full control of the situation.

"Real Mexican standoff we've got going on here Ark. If you fire, she fires and we lose two Freelancers. If you don't fire, I go in and interrogate them. It's your choice. Go ahead. Shoot. But I won't wait forever."

To emphasise his point, he showed Ark his hand, which was clearly resting on the gun on his belt.

"I might shoot before you do. I might choose to shoot anyways. Can you shoot first? Or will you sacrifice your morals. Choose now Ark, before I choose."

And time slowed to a halt as Cal's brain furiously calculated various outcomes.

He gave in to the voice in his head, letting it fill his mind. The gun flashed up from his belt and fired and Ark gasped as the bullet punctured his chest, shattering various bones and puncturing organs. He fell to the ground gasping as He walked over, gun in hand.

"We're relieving you of your command Arkansas." The Voice said, before turning and entering the room, leaving South to cover the dying man. He drew his knives and stepped forwards, grinning.

By the time he left the room, information in mind, Ark was already dead.

The Director accepted South and Cal's story of Ark's holding the mission back and simply commented on the necessity of their action.

And so they won.

Cal considered the outcome, before moving onto another.

He went for the gun and so did Ark. Ark fired first and he fell to the floor, gasping as he felt the bullet ruin him as Ark walked over, a sad look on his face.

"You left me no choice," he murmured sadly and crouched besides him, speaking to him until his eyes finally closed and he became nothing but an empty locker and a faded name at the bottom of a leaderboard.

Cal mentally scowled at that outcome, before moving on, countless possibilities flashing before his eyes in seconds.

They fired together and nothing was accomplished.

South fired first and the Insurrection was ended. North never spoke to her again.

North intervened.

Georgia intervened.

Ark submitted.

He submitted.

Possibilities flashed before his eyes. He knew which one he'd go for. He knew what he'd do if he had to. He did have to. Ark was not only endangering the mission, but the countless lives the Insurrection would take if they continued on their rampage of terror.

He would let his other side take over. He would shoot Ark. And he would complete the mission. And then he might hope to seek forgiveness. His hand brushed the gun as time seemed to speed back up to normal and nothing existed in the world but Ark.

They stared straight into each other's eyes, silently daring the other to make their move first. Cal prepared himself. Any second and he'd fire. Any second now.

And as he was about to fire, Ark smiled.

"Alright," he said, and returned the gun to his side. South stared. North and Georgia stared. And Cal just stared into his eyes, wondering what the hell he was doing.

"I'll let you interrogate them. But only after I've spoken with them. If they don't speak within five minutes, I'll let you loose."

He pushed past Cal, opened the door and entered the room with the four Insurrectionists, as the four other Freelancers turned and stared at one another, not quite sure over what had just happened.

Cal stood there, looking at the others, who were all frozen in various states of shock, watching the door in rising tension. They could hear talking coming from within, but not one of them could make out the words.

"Cal?" asked South. "Would you have done it? If you had to?"

Cal glanced over at her, unable to answer the question, even though he knew the answer.

Yes. He would have done it.

Somehow, she knew the answer and turned away, smiling slightly.

Cal glanced at the internal clock on his helmet. Five minutes. Ark's time was up. Smirking, he stood up and headed over, with the others' eyes on him. He reached out for the doorknob-

And the door opened and he came face to face with a grinning Ark.

"Done," he smiled inanely. "Got the information. I tied them up but they're still alive. Let's go, we need to get to higher ground and contact the MoI."

Cal stared after him, stunned beyond all belief. There was no way- Ark must have cheated- But how? As though reading Cal's mind, Ark's grin widened.

"Cal," he said condescendingly. "I grew up in a place like this. These huts are essentially hovels, with walls of corrugated iron or thin plaster. They heard every word we said and begged me not to let you in the moment I walked in. The rest of the five minutes was just the transfer of information. So sorry for your loss."

And he walked off, leaving the others behind, stunned into inaction until their brains kicked back into gear and they hurried after him.

Cal trailed behind at the back of the pack and caught a scowling South's eye. He gave a significant twitch in Ark's direction and she nodded, scowl deepening. They were allies now. How strange that sounded.

Watch your back Ark. You've just made two enemies who won't hesitate to end you if you ever falter again for your precious morals. Do that ever again and one of us will ensure that we put you down.