The Freelancers in their cells were pretty good at telling when something was wrong.
And when Velimir entered the detention area with more soldiers, all moving with a guarded purpose, they knew something was wrong.
"Something wrong, lads?" Wyoming asked as they stopped in front of his cell.
"Hands up, now," Velimir ordered sterns as they opened the door.
"What's going on?" Washington asked in surprise.
"Easy, easy, mates!" Wyoming said as he held up his hands while the soldier checked him very briefly.
"He's real, Sir. Not a hologram or a robot," one of them informed.
"Huh. I'm not nearly surprised to hear that is a concern after all I've seen and heard about that cozy little canyon," Wyoming observed as they closed his cell again.
"One moment," Velimir said as he turned on his coms. "Yeah, Captain? He's here, really here."
'Fuck,' Emersyn cursed. 'I was hoping you wouldn't say that.'
"What do you want me to do?" Velimir asked with a frown.
'Keep an eye on them. We might need to let them out,' Emyerson ordered reluctantly. 'Brief them.'
"Yes, Ma'am," Velimir said as he turned to the Freelancers.
"...Shit," Carolina said, speaking for the first time. "It's the Meta, isn't it?"
Silence came over them as they gave Velimir their undivided attention.
"Yeah. An unknown trooper was seen entering the Gate. White armor and a weird helmet. We were hoping it was just you busting out," Velimir said to Wyoming. "No offense."
"Oh no, "I" wish it was me instead of that bastard," Wyoming said, clearly on alert now.
"Fuck, well, this just went sideways," Washington said in alarm.
"If you know about the Meta, you know what he's after," Carolina said pointedly. "Does "Church" know about him?"
"Not that I know of," Velimir admitted grimly.
"You need to let us out," Washington said bluntly.
Velimir didn't respond.
"Look, this place is an all-you-can-eat buffet for the Meta!" Washington snapped. "All the equipment and Freelancer AIs on the ship?! The only reason he didn't come up here first, is that the main course is down there. And I don't want to know what happens if The Meta gets the Alpha!"
"He's right," Carolina said firmly. "I don't know how good you think those sim troopers are, but it's not enough to handle him."
"You do get why we aren't jumping to let you all out, right?" Velimir countered. "How the fuck do I know you're all not going to make a run for it without even trying to go after the Meta?"
There was a brief silence before Wyoming sighed. "Bugger it all. You said he went through the gate, right? Put us in cuffs or something, mate, until you get us down there. You lads control all ways on and off this planet right now."
Velimir weighed the situation carefully.
Meanwhile
"Well, Junior is eating good," Church mused as he sat on the Jeep, watching for any danger as Junior feasted on the blood of fresh corpses. "This has got to just be a phase or something, right? What the hell do the adult aliens feed on?"
"Ughh, stop talking. I'm just imagining that this whole war was because the aliens like Human Burgers," Grif said with a shudder.
"Oh? And you wouldn't try an Alien Burger?" Church countered.
"I mean...not how you mean, but if there is an Alien version of Burger King, I'm trying that shit," Griff remarked honestly. "And make sure you dry the little vampire off! I just cleaned the blood out of the seats."
"You clean the jeep?" Church asked in amusement. "Seriously, you?"
"Look, I don't trust half of my team to not leave me a mess that even I find disgusting," Grif defended. "Especially Donut."
"Gross," Church deadpanned.
"GUYS!"
Both looked up as they saw Doc of all people running towards them. "Dude, did you run all the way from the base!?" Grif said in disbelief. "Ow, my legs hurt just thinking about it!"
"No time for that! There's a situation back at the gate!" Doc informed.
"Why didn't you just send a message over the radio?" Church asked.
"They're blocked! We couldn't get a hold of you or the other side of the gate!" Doc informed. "Some white guy showed up and started shooting the place up."
"...Okay, when you say that...?" Grif prompted slowly.
"I mean some guy showed up in white armor! Like Wyoming, but with a weird helmet. It has a dome that looks like the visor is the entire top half of the head. Which, I don't think that's an improvement? Doesn't that make even more of the helmet easier to shoot through?" Doc rambled.
"Doc, focus. A new guy showed up, what happened? What'd he want?" Church asked pointedly.
"I don't know! He just kind of growls! But the communications got blocked after he showed up, and he just started blasting and trashing everything!" Doc explained. "I ran out here to find you guys. Mainly you and Tex. Really mainly Tex, because I still don't understand how your skill with aiming gets turned on and off?"
"Fuck you, but fair," Church granted reluctantly as he glanced to his shoulder. "Well, looks like it was a good thing you tagged along."
"Indeed," Omega said grimly as he appeared on Church's shoulder. "I expect that to be the Meta. Or Sigma's Meatsuit, I like to think of it."
"What are you two talking about?" Grif asked in annoyance. "What shit are people keeping secret now?"
"Hey, look, this isn't me keeping secret from you assholes. This is other assholes keeping shit secret from all of us, and I'm trying to piece it together. I just don't tell you all because, well...Grif would you call yourself too lazy to keep a secret, or too lazy to share a secret?"
"I see your point," Grif acknowledged flatly.
"So, what is it then?" Doc asked curiously.
"You mind summarizing?" Church asked.
Omega groaned. "Look, one of my "siblings" if you must call him that, had the brilliant idea to try to mesh all of us Freelancer AIs together into some unholy abomination in some sad attempt to replicate the Alpha AI."
"I feel like this is going back to your AI freaks having Daddy Issues. This guy sounds like a brat that really wants to become his Dad, but better," Grif remarked.
"Have Freelancer ever considered giving any of you therapy?" Doc asked in concern.
"Doc, Freelancer is the reason they need therapy," Church pointed out flatly.
"Oh, right. Has Emersyn and the UNSC thought about it?" Doc rephrased.
"I will shred your tongue on a cheese grater with it still attached to your putrid carcass!" Omega yelled. "As I was saying? The Meta is really Sigma directly controlling some horrid hivemind of whatever AIs he's caught."
"So, Mob mentality?" Doc tried.
"What did I just-?! Actually, yes, but also mind control," Omega agreed in annoyance. "The agent assigned to Sigma, Maine, has the illustrious honor of being the meatsuit for this terrible mental union."
"How dangerous is Maine, dare I ask?" Grif asked in mild dread.
"Tex avoids fighting him," Church summarized flatly.
"...whelp, so, I'll just stay here and watch the kid," Grif said as he tried to get out of the car, only to be pushed back into it by Church. "Hey!"
"You are the best driver we got and we might need an escape route," Church reminded, climbing into the passenger seat. "Doc, keep an eye on Junior but try to find Tex. She should be nearby, clearing out any stragglers, same as Tucker. Tell her the Meta is back at the base and we went off. Junior, listen to Doc until your Dad gets back. Maybe even after he gets back."
"Honk-Honk, Honkle Blarch!" Junior called from the bodies he was feasting on.
"Hehe, that's repulsive and adorable," Omega said with a snicker.
"Hey, before we drive to certain death, can someone tell me what's the downside to him getting Omega and the other AIs? If he just wants to collect them, why fucking get shot over it?" Grif asked.
"He'll probably kill your sister when he realizes there's no Freelancer AI at the base," Omega informed flatly.
Instantly, Grif started gunning the engine, roaring off away from the destroyed encampment, and speeding back to their own unfinished base.
"...I really need to find Tex," Doc said in worry, looking around for any sign of the dark-armored warrior.
"Honk Blarg?"
"No, Junior, you just keep eating, and stay away from the weapons! Your dad might actually kill me if you hurt yourself," Doc said with a laugh. "I hope everyone back at the base is okay though."
Meanwhile
Eta was hiding behind Iota.
Iota laughing uproariously.
Sigma was perplexed enough to give himself pause.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Pump it! That's it, feel the burn!" Donut said, utterly ignorant of the murderous individual in the room as he continued his jazzercise routine, exercising in a manner that was just short of obscene dancing.
Humans were truly strange sometimes.
"Excuse me, I need to speak to speak to Deputy Strawberry!" Caboose called loudly over the music. The Meta turned to him, more surprised than anything. Caboose took this as permission to pass. "Thank you! Cornel Custard! Red Sargent asks that you turn the music down!"
"Oh, and I was just getting into the real groove of it!" Donut groaned in disappointment as he stopped his video and turned to Caboose. "Oh, Caboose, who is your friend?"
"Hmm?" Caboose looked back at the large soldier, silently standing there. "I thought he was your friend. But he can be mine too! Hello! What is your name!?"
The Meta stared back and made only barely a sound.
"Hello, Skwaaa! Welcome to Blood Gulch the Second, Even Gulchier than the last!" Caboose greeted, trying to imitate the sound that he mistook for a name. "Oh, I should probably tell you to watch out. Simmons says there is some really strong person that came through the magic doorway and started trashing the place, blowing everything up, and all that. Kind of like Tex did."
Meta tilted his head at the mention of Agent Texas.
"Simmons said he was white, really tall, very big muscles, has a weird gun with a big knife on it, and his whole helmet is shiny like the glass thing over our eyes," Caboose finished.
"Ummm...Caboose...?" Donut said warily, realizing that Caboose was talking to the exact person described.
"Ohh, right! I was supposed to tell that to you too!" Caboose realized as he turned to Donut, his back towards the Meta.
"Should I start over?
A few seconds later, the area was filled with explosions and a high-pitched scream that almost sounded like a girl. "Oh no, not like this! I can die looking like this!" Donut exclaimed as they fled.
"Running, running, running!" Caboose yelled as they managed to flee out of the building.
"Well, I'll be darned! Donut is alive! And here I thought Caboose would just end up distracting the pale varmint," Sarge said with a chuckle as he watched the scene from the wall. "Simmons! Give our guest the Red Team welcome!"
Nothing happened for a moment.
"Oh, right, radios are on the frits," Sarge recalled, clearing his throat before yelling. "SIMMONS! GIVE HIM THE RED WELCOME!"
"You got it, Sir!" Simmons yelled back eagerly.
The Meta stalked out of the base, unsure if these two were even worth pursuing. But then he looked up, seeing and hearing the explosives that were falling towards him.
Reacting with an inhumane speed of reaction and thought, the Meta ran towards the construction supplies.
Explosions rang over the base.
In the distance, Church groaned as they saw the spectacle. "Can we at least finish the base before we destroy the damn thing?" Church asked in annoyed
"Agreed. It's far less satisfying to destroy something unfinished," Omega agreed as if Church had just said something sagely.
"Right, so, should we be worried that we're bringing one of the most dangerous of the AI to this fucker?" Grif asked in observation.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, MusTarded One," Omega remarked with a chuckle.
"At the bare minimum, he'll be distracted with us," Church said with a frown. "Omega, be real here, what do you think the best way to beat this guy is? Think you would have a better shot with Tex than me?"
"Not really, no. In fact, that might be worse," Omega remarked. "Allison is prone to taking fights into close quarters. If she loses a fight then and there, Sigma and his pack of pathetic peons will be able to snatch me right there and then. And I might not be able to resist whatever Sigma is doing with this Meta scheming," Omega admitted.
"Meanwhile, I prefer to stick to my literal guns and shoot the fucker, so we can keep some space between him and you," Church summarized.
"Huh. Careful. You two almost sound competent," Grif remarked in amusement. "What do you want me to do?"
"Get to the gate, get through, and figure out what happened. I don't know how he's blocking our radios, but it might only be on this side of things," Church remarked.
"Run away and get help. Yeah, I can do that,' Grif said contently. "...Try not to let my sister die."
"I'm trying not to let anyone die," Church retorted "Besides, she seems like Caboose. Too stupid to know how to die."
Grif chuckled. "Ha! You don't know the half of it."
Meanwhile, Donut was now screaming for entirely different reasons. "No! My Jazzercise collection!"
"Yay, more fireworks!" Caboose said happily before pausing. "Do you hear something?"
As if in response, several armored plates were flung high in the air. From where they had lain revealed the Meta, seemingly unharmed.
"...I think we should keep running," Caboose said, already backing away.
"Sigma, the armor took five percent damage," Eta informed nervously.
"The damage was minimized greatly due to your quick thinking and calculations," Sigma praised pragmatically.
"Yeah, but Maine's body won't like being in this smoke for too long. His suit can only filter it so much," Iota informed helpfully.
Sigma nodded his thanks for the reminder. While he was keenly aware of human limitations, and the sheer feats Maine was capable of, he did have to keep track of the issues caused by the neck wound Maine had sustained.
He tried not to put them in situations where it was an issue. Maine grew irritated beneath the fog they kept him in when reminded of that wound. It was better that way, for all parties.
The trio of AIs sunk back into the bond of the Meta as they took off running before more attacks could come.
Church observed this all from a gap in the wall, aiming down his scope at the Freelancer. "Hey, Omega? You think you can turn off the friendly fire protocols like Delta did?"
"If I can find the blasted things! I've never seen any protocols like that in this bucket of bolts!" Omega answered in annoyance.
"Well, work fast, otherwise he'll probably tear my head off and take you out after the fact," Church murmured expectantly.
Elsewhere
"...Did you say the Meta is here!?" Tex exclaimed in shock. "and Church already knew about it!?"
"Umm, yeah? He said some stuff about people wanting to keep things secret from him, but he's been piecing it together? Or something?" Doc delivered.
Dammit. She was an idiot, Tex realized. Of course, Church wasn't just going to wait around for her to tell him what was going on. Why would he?! He knew she was keeping some important secret about Freelancer, and of course, he would look into it!
But he didn't know yet, he didn't know. There was no way he could have hidden a reaction to that.
However, all of that was utterly unimportant because the Meta was here!
What would even happen, if the Meta, if Sigma and the rest got to Church? Would Church just...cease to be, torn apart by his fragments? Would they rejoin him? Something else? Better? Worse? She didn't know, and she didn't think Sigma knew or cared really.
She was running before she could even process it, Doc's voice just a faint echo in her ear.
She had to get there before not only that spilled out of control, but before a lot of their friends died to Freelancer's Frankenstein.
End of Chapter
Well, the Meta has arrived! And right whenthe team was split up too. And Church went beck before Tex was told, which is...an issue, given Church doesn't realize he's the Alpha yet. Velimir has to consider giving the order to let out the Freelancers to help deal with this, and Tex is just going to try to keep everyone from dying.
Happy Halloween!
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p a treon . com (slash) akumakami64