Chapter 59 - Dark Hour Gambling

"...and that was before we learned that the SF blockade had already set up a Jupiter Network. By the time HQ had the teams scrambled and ready, I was one of the last commanders with active Dolls." Bryant said, absently recounting war stories with HK 416 while waiting for UMP 45 to return. G11 was still charging, and UMP 9 fiddled with her gun nervously. "We managed to take out enough of the cannons for the relief teams to take the command post - "

"So you're the one responsible for the 'Deathrun' tactic?" She asked curiously. Bryant sighed and shook his head, even if she couldn't see it.

"No, but I was the one that got pinned with it. Looking back…maybe I was too brash. Maybe I was too stupid. That's one of the reasons I left Griffin, you know."

"You left because of some rumors?"

"I left because my idiotic orders destroyed so many dolls. Hell, I'd wager that Griffin still hasn't replenished their numbers from that little stunt."

"But now with modern Neural Backups, it doesn't really matter, does it? And if what you tell me about the ECHO system is true, even dolls like me don't need to worry about 'death'." Bryant shook his head.

"Only if you take a backup and nothing happens to it before you wake up." He sat down and pulled on his beard for a bit. "In the event of an EMP, bombing, or plain bad luck, you'll die just the same. I'd rather not trust it to chance, and bring everyone home in one piece." Bryant gently pat the head of the T-Doll that sat with him in the small cubby. Even though it was just a dummy, it smiled happily. An MG Doll, AAT-52, had delivered the Black Box to him. It…took her awhile. She wasn't the fastest, probably why 404 sent her away. Despite being useful against armor, the covert team didn't have the resources to spare.

"... understandable. 45 would charge you double if she gets so much as a scratch."

"Speaking of sis….do you think she's coming back?" UMP 9 asked. She sounded unsure, worried. 416 huffed and woke up.

"She's your sister, trust her a little bit."

"I mean…we're all family, right? It's only normal to be worried."

"Don't be, I'm here." 45 said as she walked into the outpost with a Griffin Doll behind her. "Kommandant, fire up the conference Room. Ladies - to Level II." The Dolls stood motionless in the room as they connected to a special Zerner network room designed for mission briefings. Squad 404 appeared, including a wide awake G11. The Commander appeared shortly after, looking rather haggard from spending the last few hours in a hole.

"Tactical map coming online….now." a map of the sector appeared, overlaid with the information they had gathered tonight as well as additional scout reports. The other doll stepped forward and added her information to the map, filling it out further. "Please introduce yourself so I can add you to the mission." Bryant said, addressing the new doll. She gave a snappy salute.

"SPP-1, sir. I'm part of the GK Reconnaissance division, specializing in covert insertions and amphibious operations." Flippers. Swimsuit. Diving Goggles. It made sense, in a way.

"What happened to your bodyguard? Helian told me to expect two of you tonight." SPP-1 looked down.

"She…didn't make it. Their new Ringleader…she…." All eyes turned to the doll and the Commander rubbed his chin.

"New Ringleader?" 416 asked, leaning forward, "What do you mean? Pull up her specs." The Doll complied, and a face appeared over the tactical map. It was blurry, in motion, but clear enough. Eerie pale skin, oil-black hair, modern armaments that definitely violated some wartime laws and…

"What the hell is she wearing?" Bryant muttered with a small chuckle. "And I thought Griffin's dress code was lax." His good humor quickly faded as he seriously began looking at the projected specs. SPP-1 had to guess at most of them, but the ones that she could confirm were anxiety inducing. UMP 45 shook her head.

"Thoughts, Kommandant?"

"Our objective is the jammer, not this Ouroboros. Let's leave this snake alone." With SPP-1's data, the exact position of the jammer was added to the map. Along with the personal guard of said jammer - the modification Ringleader Executioner. The team reviewed the combat data and G11 went pale.

"She's…so FAST?! And you expect me to hit this bitch?"

"Watch your fucking language!" 416 said while smacking G11's head.

"Ladies. Focus." 45 and the Commander paced around their respective rooms until he spoke first.

"Do we still have Hunter's body?" UMP 45 nodded, then a sly smile. It wasn't a complete strategy, but a good enough plan to get 45's tactical module running simulations. Bryant nodded and sat back, letting the leader of 404 take the chair so to speak.

"Here's the plan," 45 began, pulling up maps and troop formations, "the dummy units 'donated' by Griffin will be sacrificed to Executioner. During that time, they will focus on slowing her down enough for G11 and 416 to blow off that talon of hers. Once that sword is gone, her combat potential drops by about eighty percent. 9 and I will help the dummies not immediately get torn to bits, and then we can turn off that tower and collect our paycheck."

"What about Hunter?" 416 asked, still bullying G11, "where does she fit into all this?" 45 shrugged and started the countdown to close the meeting room.

"It's a bargaining chip." She turned to Bryant. "Pack up and start making your way to the following coordinates. I'll be there once the jammer has been dealt with."

404 returned to the dark, cold outpost in the center of Sector 06. The Dolls took a slow breath and began preparing to move out. "I don't like this plan. We're taking a big risk with this. It took four Griffin teams to take down a dummy of Executioner, and there is a good chance this is a main unit. G11's core is already unstable - I'm worried she might crash on us." 45 returned a signature grin, almost completely ignoring the other doll's worries.

"I believe the two of you can do it. I trust you." The words were absolutely dripping with sarcasm. HK 416, Elite Tactical Doll, simply huffed and dragged the whining G11 out of the room. UMP 9 stayed behind.

"...what are our odds?"

"About sixty." She nodded, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder. "We'll be fine, 9." The two dolls nodded before grabbing their supplies and heading out.

— — — — —

Executioner sat against the jammer, her blade in her lap. Watching the distance for any signs of life. The only sound that accompanied her was the grinding of teeth and the occasional beep of the plastic explosives that had been rigged to the tower.

"Executioner. 404 is on the move. I want those rats killed and their cores brought to me."

"Yes, Ouroboros."

"Are the explosives set?"

"Yes."

"Good." The call was terminated. Executioner tightened her grip, her larger and specialty designed claws tightening around her blade. Hunter had gone dark. Not the kind of disappearance that meant defeat. The one that meant death. The last Backup had been taken before the hunt for the AR Team. How much memory and experience would she lose now? Would Agent simply write her off as a loss? It was possible. 404 would have hell to pay for that.

Once the 'rats' had been dealt with, and once Ouroboros had been dealt with, she could find Hunter and set this right. For now - she had killing to do.