Chapter 262: Battlescars

The camera pans over a sandy crescent shaped island, with palm trees and ocean all around. CAROLINA is seen standing on the beach, facing towards the ocean.

Washington: Hellooooo? Carolina?

Carolina: (turns back to face WASHINGTON) Sorry, must have spaced out. Any luck?

Washington: No sign of Agent Illinois.This is definitely his place though.

Carolina: How can you tell?

Cut to a picture frame with YORK, CAROLINA, ILLINOIS, MINNE, NORTH, and WYOMING relaxing, all with drinks in their hands, minus Minne since he wasn't 21 yet. WYOMING is sitting on the side, his arm resting on a chair that YORK and CAROLINA are both sitting in, with YORK's hand around CAROLINA's shoulders. Minne is behind York giving him Bunny ears. Minne also has a Santa hat on top of his helmet. NORTH is in front of them giving the "peace" sign, with Illinois in front holding a bottle of beer. 

Washington: Really takes you back, huh?

Carolina: Sure does

Washington: (talking about York and Carolina) You two look cozy.

Carolina: Pretty sure I hit him for doing that.

Wash looks to Minne. "I miss him sometimes."

"Minnesota?" Carolina asks.

"Yeah, I mean we have Ash, but he's not Minne. Though parts of Minne's personality shine through his own."

The two walk back outside, towards the ocean.

Washington: Seems like our friend left in a hurry. The only thing missing from the place is his armor.

Carolina: But where did he go?

Washington: No note. Your guess is as good as mine. Good call in finding him here though.

Carolina: (turning towards WASHINGTON) What do you remember about Agent Illinois?

Washington: Demolitions expert, surprisingly better than Minne. He wasn't top tier, but he was a crack-shot with a rifle––

Carolina: I mean out of the armor.

Washington: Oh, uh...I never knew him.

Carolina: Illinois was always... different. He wasn't ambitious or competitive like the rest of us. He didn't fight for an A.I. or screw over his friends to get placed higher in the rankings. Instead, he was doing a job and dreaming up a life after. Of an island chain that stretched around an entire planet. A shack by the water, with a bar of spiced rum, and a tiny red sailboat. He did it.

Washington: I didn't realize you two were close.

Carolina: We weren't. He and York were drinking buddies though. I heard all about it hanging out with him.

Washington: Uh, York, huh? This must... reopen some old wounds. I-I'm sorry.

Carolina: Sometimes, I think York was my chance at a fresh start. I threw it down an elevator shaft.

Washington: You're being too hard on yourself. You've changed over the years, I've seen it myself.

Carolina: I've grown from being a dishonorable killing machine to an honorable killing machine. That's quite the journey.

Washington: Well... it's never too late to start over again.

Carolina: Do you really believe that, David?

Pause.

Washington: Well, I don't know if rock singer is really in your future... but yeah.

Carolina: It was fun to watch them squirm though, wasn't it?

Washington: I changed my mind, you are evil.

Carolina: (holding out in her palm) This is all I have left from York. From Freelancer. Just this and my armor.

CAROLINA starts to throw the lighter into the ocean. WASHINGTON quickly grabs her arm, stopping her.

Washington: You don't have to do that.

Carolina: What about starting over?

Washington: I mean, you don't have to destroy the past to have a future.

WASHINGTON works his hand into CAROLINA's, in which she accepts it and the two lower their arms and look out towards the horizon.

Washington: (softly) Take off your suit.

Carolina: (shocked) What?

CAROLINA quickly yanks her hand away.

Washington: I got an idea, take it off.

Carolina: (still somewhat shocked) Okay, uh, that's a little forward.

Washington: (stammering) No, eh, no... not like that. The recovery beacons. That's the key.

Carolina: Excuse me?

Washington: Every suit that belonged to Project Freelancer was special. They all had recovery beacons in them, so agents could be located if they were ever in distress. Personally, I didn't like the idea of walking around with an active tracking device.

Carolina: (understanding) So you turned ours off, I remember!

Washington: Well, maybe that's why we're still around. Whoever's been tracking down the Freelancers has a way of following the beacons.

Carolina: So we turn ours back on and lure the hunters here?

Washington: Unless you have a better idea.

Carolina: Can't say that I do.

A moment passes where the two Freelancers stare at each other.

Washington: So?

Beat.

Carolina: Are you going to turn around?

Washington: Ah! Yes, sorry.

Camera cuts to a Pelican flying towards the island and landing, whereupon the Reds and Blues and Blues and Reds (Christ) disembark.

Washington: (disbelievingly) Oh man, you are not going to believe this.

Carolina: Mercenaries?

Washington: Nope.

Carolina: Space pirates?

Washington: Dumber.

Carolina: Don't tell me, the Reds and Blues?

Washington: (scoping out) It's twice as bad as that.

Cut to WASHINGTON and CAROLINA walking up the beach to where TUCKER is standing.

"Let me guess..." Wash starts. "Sarge built robot versions of everyone."

"Guess again." Tucker says.

"I'd really rather not."

"Fine." Tucker says. "Wash, Carolina. Meet Temple, Surge, Zsh, Loco, uh, Robo spaghettie, Bucket-"

"Bucky!" Bucky yells.

"Whatever. And Donut 2.0."

"Washington, Carolina." Temple greets. "It's an honor to meet you both."

"What. The. Heck." Wash says.

"Could you explain why there's two of everyone?" Carolina asks Tucker.

"They're from another gulch." Tucker explains. "That's why they look like us. Look, the whole story is long and complicated and we need to get out of here ASAP. You really fucked up activating your beacon. That's how they're tracking us down."

"We were counting on it!" Wash states. "We're luring them here."

"Well, lucky for you, we can do the same thing."

"Yeah, Lucky." Carolina sarcastically says. 

"From our perspective, we set a trap and you all fell in it." Wash says.

"Well, your trap wouldn't have worked anyway." Temple states. "The UNSC has a nasty habit of nuking from orbit first, asking questions later."

"The UNSC?" Carolina asks.

"Oh, big surprise!" Tucker says. "You guys haven't figured out what's going on yet." He looks to Temple. "Score another for Team Tucker."

"You have? And Church?"

"He's alive."

"If you come with us, we'll explain everything." Temple states.

You are reading story The Weapons Guy at novel35.com

Cut to a conference room where TEMPLE, SURGE, GENE, ZSH, TUCKER, SARGE, SIMMONS, ASH, WASHINGTON, and CAROLINA are standing around a table.

"That's... quite a story." Carolina says.

"Temple only left out the part where Sarge feel in love with himself and Simmons realized he can't stand his own reflections." Tucker explains. 

"What about the reporter?" Carolina asks. "Did she leave?"

"No, she's around here somewhere." Simmons says. 

"We've been keeping her on a 'don't need to know basis.'" Sarge states. "Can't trust the press these days."

"You can never trust the press." Ash says.

"Why not?" Carolina asks. "She seemed perfectly trustworthy to me."

"Well, we don't, like, know what her agenda and stuff is." Tucker explains.

"But Tucker, she can get the real story out. She publicizes this insane plot by the UNSC to kill the ex-agents-"

"And Sim-troopers!" Temple interrupts. "We're people too."

Carolina continues. "If she can get the story out, it's game over."

"There's no easy way out of this. This ends with us taking the fight to those that would see us all dead. This ends in violence."

"What if it didn't have to-"

Temple interrupts again. "They killed your friends."

"They have Church!" Tucker says.

"And they need to be brought to justice!" Carolina says. "But what if for once it was in a courtroom or a court martial and not at the end of somebody's knife?"

"Are you feeling alright?" Tucker asks.

"Yeah, you're acting kinda weird, Carolina." Ash says.

"Our adversaries are too powerful!" Temple states. "If we come at them now with just accusations, they're going to turtle up and write it out. They're looking for us. They're poking their head out of their shell and I aim to chop it the fuck off!"

"Oh, yeah boy!" Tucker says.

"Anyway, we're getting ahead of ourselves. Strategizing can wait until breakfast at least."

Simmons: And breakfast is?

Temple: (reluctantly) Fish.

Everybody, minus Ash, groans in disgust.

Temple: (sheepishly) Sorry.

Tucker: Man, I'm gonna puke if I eat one more fucking fish.

"I like fish." Ash says.

Temple: HEY, there's not like there's any cows or chickens swimming around in our underwater lair–– uh base. (clears his throat) Anyways, how about I give our guests the grand tour? Want to come, Ash? They may feel a little better with a familiar face around.

"Sure." Ash agrees.

Cuts to an elevator door opening and TEMPLE, WASHINGTON, ASH, and CAROLINA walking down a dimly lit hallway.

"Just through here." Temple states. "Sorry about the mess."

"You wanted to show us... what?" Wash asks.

"My shoulder hurts." Ash says.

"Uh, we've just gathered some relics from Project Freelancer." Temple explains. "I thought you three would appreciate the collection."

TEMPLE stops in front of a doorway leading to a room where suits of armor can be barely seen. WASHINGTON, ASH, and CAROLINA continue forward.

Temple: Oh, lemme get the lights.

The lights turn on to reveal several suits of armor of warriors in various poses; some aiming their weapons at something, others looking as if they were about to fight something, and a couple of them looking as if they were trying to stab something or someone.

"Wow, these are cool." Ash says.

"Recognize anyone?" Temple asks.

"Oh man, that's Agent Arizona's armor isn't it?" Wash asks.

"I feel like I recognize a few." Ash says.

"And Maryland." Carolina says. "There's Alaska."

Washington: (gagging) Uh, I think you need to check your plumbing. That smell...

"I think I might throw up." Ash says.

Carolina: (slowly) That's... not... sewage.

Cuts a a view of a suit resembling Illinois', complete with a beer bottle.

Carolina: (slowly) I Don't think these are just suits of armor...

Washington: (bewildered) What...? That's...

"No..." Ash says.

They slowly turn to TEMPLE.

Carolina: (menacingly) You...!

Temple: (nonchalantly) Guilty.

"What did you do to them?!" Carolina asks.

"I killed them." Temple states. "I. MURDERED. Them. I set my vengeance free upon them and it felt so-hoho good! But not as half as good as this feels."

"Fucking asshole." Ash growls.

"Well, if it's a fight you want..." Wash starts.

"...Then I think we can oblige."

WASHINGTON and ASH draw and aim their weapons while CAROLINA holsters hers and sets herself into a defensive position

Temple laughs. "I could never best you in a fight. Anyway, don't they say that revenge is a dish best served- frozen?"

Temple brings out a toyish looking radio, something LOCO would use in his contraptions, and presses a button.

Washington: (as his armor locks down and freezes) Eagh...

Ash growls as his armor locks down and freezes.

"My greatest fear is that you would know me, Carolina." Temple states. "That you'd recognize my voice and the game would be up."

Washington: (with effort) Carolina. I can't...

Carolina: I... can't move... either. I'm locked.

"Why...? What's going on?" Ash asks.

Temple: Ah, the armor-lock technology was salvaged from Project Freelancer. Fate is not without irony, and the past, is not with its just dessert.

Washington: That yarn about the UNSC, they're not really killing Freelancers.

Temple: (cheerfully) Of course not! I am!

Carolina: Why...?!

Temple: Because of you did to us. For what she (gestures towards CAROLINA) did most of all. The record, for staying alive in this room, locked in your armor is eight days, and eleven hours. I know you've always been the most competitive of the Freelancers, Agent Carolina. So, do try to do better for me.

He moves to the front of the three.

Washington: The Reds and Blues... will come looking ...

Temple: The Reds and Blues will be dead before they even miss you. 

"Xi?" Ash quietly mumbles.

"I-I'm trying." Xi says through his helmet. "Give me a minute."

Temple walks to Ash. "But I wonder how you would feel to watch your friend die in front of you." 

"What are you doing?" Carolina asks.

"Just doing what you did to me."

Temple puts his pistol against Ash's stomach.

"Don't do it!" Wash yells.

BANG

A gunshot rings through out the room.