A/N Okay so I am finally writing the next chapter, it would be out sooner but the last one didn't do as well as I would have guessed. But no matter! I shall continue and I hope that this is at least at expectations and standards.
Upon arriving at the main base I could see that most of the mercenaries were gathered in the main hall, I walked in and saw Felix and Locus standing on a ledge overlooking the rest of the soldiers. He noticed me and shouted to me, "hey Moon! Nice of you to finally join us!" Every person gathered in the hall looked to me as I walked awkwardly to the crowd.
Everyone looked back to Locus and Felix as they began their briefing. "Okay, so listen up!" He began, "the Rebels are going to attack a Fed stronghold with pretty much all their forces. At this moment the Rebels are winning this war and if they win this battle then they may as well win the war, which is why we need the Feds to win, do you all understand?" He was met with grunts and nods from the room.
Locus then spoke up, "you will all be deployed around the outskirts of the facility and if necessary on the inside as well. The objectives are to ensure a high casualty count for both sides and ensure the victory for the Federal Army. Use cloaking equipment and stay away from the fighting."
"This is your first full combat mission people, don't fuck it up" Felix added.
After that we went to the armoury, I picked out my standard sniper rifle and headed to the vehicle bay for an ATV. We had to arrive before the attack began therefore we left early so we could ditch the vehicles and walk the rest of the way. As I sat on my Mongoose I looked to the others chatting to each other, I did not want to get attached since they were terrible people, but then again, so was I.
The cold snow crushed against my armour covered feet as I walked towards the Fed compound. My position was on a cliff overlooking the entire valley so that I could get a clear shot on anything. I walked closer to the edge and I could seethe base to my left and the snow covered valley to my right, the Fed base was dug into the base of the cliff so that it could see the entrance of the valley.
I laid on my stomach and pulled out my sniper to get a better view of the defences. Even with my armour and jump suit I could still feel the cold nipping at my skin, it was almost peaceful. The Feds had multiple turrets and rifles set up on the base's outer wall, they used vehicles as barriers and cover as soldiers that were not in the gunner seat rested their guns on the cars.
I looked to the right to see if the New Republic had arrived yet but there was nothing to be seen. So I continued to observe the Feds, when my helmet buzzed, "Moon, Felix gave us a heads up, the Rebels will get here in about five minuets." I looked across to the other side and saw the others sent here with me, we had six people on the cliffs and eight in the valley and base.
On cue the New Republic could be seen in the distance, they had tanks and warthogs but many of them were just marching alongside the vehicles. Once they got in range the tanks began to open fire on the base, bombarding the troops stationed on the walls. I watched as the bloodshed continued the Feds used heavy machine guns to mow down the infantry while their rockets attempted to counter the tanks. Unfortunately the New Republic were doing better than expected and the Feds began to fall back into the stronghold.
My helmet buzzed again, "All forces weapons free, take out New Republic priority targets." I looked back to the advancing army and took my aim on someone who looked like he was commanding troops, I pulled the trigger ending his life. Then I aimed at a gunner on a Jeep and with the same ease as before I shot him in the head. I continued to shoot people, one by one they dropped to the floor, almost losing myself in the killing.
Even with myself and the others taking out the Rebels they still kept on their march. I could not just open fire on a big group since the vapour trail will reveal my position and I could possibly be seen, so I continued to look for more targets then I saw him. A New Republic soldier with a different color pattern than the others, he was far away from the battle and surrounded by four regular soldiers. "He looks important," I muttered to myself. I shuffled to the right to get an angle on the target and took my aim. Within a second I pulled the trigger and he was falling to the floor, it was as if time slowed down, the people defending him tried to see where the shot came from while another attempted to catch his lifeless body.
Just then the Rebels began to pull back, many dropping their guns to try to get out faster some even leaving the wounded. The Feds attempted to follow them and shooting some of them in the back. Then the Feds could be heard cheering their victory. I looked to the retreating forces they left their fallen comrades to rot in the snow while they tried to escape with their lives, who is really the bad guy here?
I heard another buzz in my helmet then Felix spoke. "Well I would say that was a productive day. Everyone you have the next two days to do what ever you like and when you get back to base the first round is on me." I looked at the carnage as the Feds began to bring in their wounded and dead completely ignoring the Rebels. "Actually scratch that last bit you can get your own drinks."
I sat up and looked at the sniper rifle in my hands which had killed so many people. 47. That is how many lives I had ended within half an hour, many of them were innocent. Still cloaked, I slid down the cliff face to the war zone, blood stained the snow and vehicles were still burning. Minding my step of the bodies I walked to a particular soldier who was bent over a chain gun. There was a single hole in his armour directly on the helmet with blood trailing out of it. I lightly traced my fingers over the hole looking at the corpse, "I'm sorry," I whispered.
I remembered every person I shot, every hit and every life taken. I walked to a soldier sat in the driver seat of a tank he was leaning back in the driver seat and the canopy was blasted off. I sat on the side of the tank and looked at the driver, there sniper shot hit him in the collar bone and a steady stream of blood flowed through the hole in his armour. Suddenly his head jerked in my direction, I backed off in surprise I slowly waved my hand in front of his face.
"I-I s-see you," he stuttered. The wounded soldier reached his arm towards me and it brushed against my armour. I raised his helmet off his head exposing his face to the cold, he began coughing loudly. "W-who are you?" I remained silent as he looked at me expectantly. "I cannot tell you that." he coughed again this time blood coming out as well. My chest tightened at the sight, I stood up and began to walk away but I was interrupted, "Pl-please end I-it." Shaking my head I continued to walk away as he cried softly to himself.
Am I really the bad guy?
It had been just a day since the fight and I was trying to relax, I laid on my bed looking to the ceiling. Many thoughts rushed through my head, all those lives taken because of my greed, but one thought scared me more than anything I had seen. I enjoyed it. Hearing the gun shot ring out over and over in my head was like music to my ears but the fact that I was getting paid made me more happy.
After that mission I had kept the sniper for myself I did not want anything else it was as if it was my soul mate. I had it resting on my desk waiting for the next mission where I will kill more of these colonists.
I don't remember much after taking that first shot, everything after that point was a blur, but I remember ever kill, the impact of the bullet hitting them. It was haunting me the sniper shot repeating in my head like a drum beat, every shot getting closer and closer. I walked over to my sniper as the shots got louder and picked it up and looked down the sights the shots becoming unbearable.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a knock on the door, I put my sniper down, "come in," I said. Felix was standing at the door.
"Come with me," he said "Locus and I need to speak with you." I followed him down a hallway into a separate room used for interrogations, Locus' gaze unsettling me. "What we want to talk to you about was your performance yesterday." He sat down next to Locus while I sat opposite them.
Locus leaned forward resting his arms on the metallic table, "the fact of the matter is that you executed those people like a true soldier, you did it efficiently and showed now remorse. Unfortunately you also managed to kill the leader of the New Republic which is something we were planing to do a week from now. Upon hearing this Control wanted me to put a bullet in your head," I visibly flinched at this, "but he was willing to overlook this incident because of how well you performed and also from looking at your file I don't think he would want to lose a capable pair of hands over such a trivial issue. Even though do not make the same mistake again I doubt he will be a generous next time."
I nodded, "Understood sir, it will not happen again."
"Luckily for us all I managed to sweet talk the Rebels into getting a new leader, also because of the tragic loss of their leader most of the Rebels have been hiding out in their cave so the Feds have been keeping up their attacks." Felix said. "At the end of the day it is a win-win. We get a step closer to our pay check and you don't get shot."
"You are dismissed," Locus said. While walking back a thought came to my head.
Even if I am a bad person at least I am not alone.
A/N Okay, thank you for reading this. Same rule as last time if this gets a good reception then I will make writing it a priority but right now I have some Halo games to play :P. But in all seriousness please R&r it helps a lot (no joke).