“Do you think our enemies would do the same for us?” Adar critiqued.
“No, which is exactly why we need to take this route.”
Nusaybah expected Adar to lash back, but he had said his fill. Malik and Hamza did not challenge the line of thought, either. She was amazed at this in itself.
“I had no idea you could be such a softie,” Nusaybah teased.
“It’s actually harder than being an asshole,” Jacob laughed.
***
“What’s this about Halsey?”
Will was beyond irritated at the moment. He did as the captain asked and followed him back to their barrack, but that didn’t stop him from voicing his complaints. At this point he wasn’t sure the man had listened to a single one. Even once they got to the door, he kept right on with it.
“I should be watching Unit 37 at all times, not here bullshitting. What could possibly be more important?”
Halsey stepped inside, leisurely, checking something on his phone. Instead of replying to anything Will had to say, he strolled over to Will’s nightstand and set the phone down on it. The cyborg refused to humor this anymore and didn’t step any farther into the room.
Seeing this, Halsey finally acknowledged his friend’s temperament.
“You going to leave the door open? You know I don’t really like this damn cold,” he said plainly.
Will relented and shut the door. He gave it a gentle push, but with his strength it still came off as a loud slam.
“Thanks. Now, first off, tone down the prissy bitching. Does not suit you at all. Second, you don’t have to do it all. That’s what being part of a team is all about, or do you find everyone on this entire base your inferior?”
Will didn’t have a retort planned for any of that and let go of his anger somewhat. “Point taken.”
“Glad to hear it. Finally, I brought you here for a reason that to me is just as important. It should be just as important to you, too. Now, Alfred, play ‘Hey Porter.’”
Will and Halsey listened together as a song started. Despite the size of the phone, the guitar and vocals sounded spectacularly clear. The lyrics told the story of a man on a train, ever anxious to reach his destination. Again and again he asked the porter if they’d made it yet, and as they drew closer his joy built and built. When at last he’d made it, he felt the earth of his homeland beneath his feet and savored the very air.
The cyborg was struggling to reconcile why, but the song had a deep-seated effect on him. No logic could be ascertained as to why. A visceral feeling of delight and sadness enveloped him. Will was ashamed to look at Halsey because of this, but he mustered the courage to do so. However, it seemed it affected the captain even more so. Tears ran down his cheeks.
“Who sang that?” Will asked.
“A legend by the name of Johnny Cash. From what I’ve read, they used to call him the ‘Man in Black.’”
“That song…I’ve heard it before.”
“I know you have. Julissa told me about it during our last fight together, but I’d never gotten the chance to listen to it before. Your daughter said it was you two’s favorite.”
Will sat on the bed across from Halsey, mesmerized. Now that the music was gone, a morbid quiet roamed. Will forgot all about Unit 37, his anger, and even the Chancellor, all in search of something else.
“Did he have other songs?”
Halsey chuckled. “I guess we’ll start from the beginning.”
***
Marisol strolled around Alex’s workshop casually, inspecting the tiniest of objects. A group of soldiers watched her from the stairwell but kept their distance. What 37 really wanted to see was the draped vehicle off in the corner. Its size and shapes were quite unusual, and it was the only excuse she needed to step closer.
“A kid in a candy store, are we? Either way, don’t touch.”
Alex was seated at the table, at work on what was to be 37’s upload link cable. Bored, Mari decided to stand and watch the man.
“So, Unit 21 refused to give up his?”
“Actually, I never asked him. When we gave that to him, it was meant to be a gift as well as a tool. Doesn’t feel right just giving it away to a…excuse me, stranger.”
“Oh, a sentimentality thing. As long as it doesn’t take considerably longer, then I guess I can accept.”
“It won’t take long. I just need to check the port on your arm to make sure it’s not damaged from that ass-kicking you took.”
Though Mari played it off with a smirk, inside, the jab was a lot more painful.
“That reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask, does that leg come in handy on the battlefield?”
“That would need more testing,” Alex answered, “though, being what you are, I bet you could tell me a lot about what’s it like to be a cripple.”
“You people are insects compared to me.”
“Will used to spout the same garbage. So far, in my experience. it’s a running gag with you super soldiers to forget what you once were. You look even younger than Will, too. How old were you when you had the operation? Eighteen?”
Mari was left in silence at that.
“Now be seated. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
She sat obediently at the table. In his favorite chair, Alex used his good leg to roll it over in front of her.
“I’m gonna need you to remove the jacket.”
Alex noticed a change in the cyborg’s face. She looks embarrassed. She actually hesitated before proceeding but went on with it. Mari removed the hoodie, its damaged left arm barely remaining, really. Underneath, as Alex suspected, was that familiar armor and, just like Will, there was a black shirt underneath. The left sleeve was mostly tattered scraps, and the skin and flesh were no different. Only her gloved hand had seemed to escape any of the damage.
“I know you don’t really need it, but we could still treat these burns.”
Mari no longer looked him in the face.
“I’ll deal with it myself.”
Alex knew it would be pointless to fight her on it. He began to inspect her forearm, just as Gabby had done with Will a long time ago. The battered skin still could split for the cable to enter, thankfully. The fresh wounds bled as he examined the port. Alex could feel her wince.
“Marisol is your full name, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
Alex chuckled as he worked.
“What?”
“Marisol, like in A Fistful of Dollars. It’s a great movie, probably one of my favorites.”
“A recommendation coming from you? It’s probably terrible.”
“You’d be surprised, actually. Your port is intact, but a few circuits look damaged.
“Will it be a problem?”
“I’ll test the connection.”
Alex reached over and grabbed the ULC.
“Now my turn for a question, right?”
“Sure, what’s the harm?”
“You and Will both seem to have a thing for bandanas. Why is that?”
Marisol’s sarcasm and embarrassment were dropped in favor of cold formality.
“This belonged to a great man who served with me. He was a friend. He would hate me for the things I’ve done.”
“I don’t think he’d hate you for trying to save yourself.”
“All I’ve done is add to the chaos.”
“There’s one thing you seem to be forgetting in all this—your family. Imagine how they’ll feel when they see you.”
Alex could see the legitimacy of Marisol’s plan now, even though she herself didn’t seem to. He also felt something else—fear. Not for himself, but for her. This was all too similar to the events Will had experienced. If anything could be learned from that tragedy, he knew it as this:
“If no one else, your family will fight for you.”
***
September 9, 2050 - Kyoto, Japan
Thousands of people surrounded the tall building. They kept their distance as the situation unravel
ed. The news reports going on at the moment suggested a terrorist attack was going on within the structure, creating all the more panic. The full ensemble of the police and their blockades ensured the threat was all too real.
“The assailants have held siege to Mafune Corporation headquarters for six hours now. Prime Minister Takarada has assured the public the altercation will end within the next hour. UNR forces are said to be joining up with local police inside to squash the threat.”
Little did they know, the real action was taking place below on the lowest floors of the building.
Inside, far beneath the lobby, Will and Luis were at work. The pair were situated in what was usually a conference room. Today it served a different purpose. Today it was the arena for a battle that had finally begun to simmer down. The bodies of mercenaries lay everywhere, even on top of the large circular table in the center of the room. Many of them were still alive to certain degrees, which meant the two cyborgs had to carry out the dull work of putting them all down.
Will approached a man whose stomach bled out without end. He was one of the much livelier ones Will noticed, the man attempting to crawl backward on his back as Will closed in. His saber was ready, even if the poor soul himself was not.
Luis called out to him in a cheerful fashion: “Hey, Will!”
Will knew better but still looked to see what Luis was going on about. Luis was about twenty feet away, in one hand his sword and in the other a decapitated head. Both eyes were still wide open, staring at the carnage.
“Something tells me this guy’s seen better days.”
Luis went into a side-splitting laugh. Though Will fought the urge to laugh, he did smile. The soldier on the floor even halted his retreat. He began to whisper in Japanese, unable to stop observing the horror before him. Will got ready to continue, which annoyed Luis. Per usual, he didn’t quit.
“You wanna know something I noticed about you on this trip? With that bandana you look like you’re trying to impersonate Rambo John Jay.”
The mercenary put up his hand in a last plea, and Will obliged kindly.
“If Kane sees you fucking around this time, you’re on your own.”
“Don’t be like that, Will. If you’re going to be that sensitive about the rag, I’ll lay off.”
“Sometimes I enjoy a gag, but today is not the day, Luis,” Kane said as he entered the room with Mitch and Hans. The remains of the doors were kicked aside.
“Sir,” Luis said as he bowed and tossed the head. With everyone now present, they all walked up to the massive blast door on the other end of the room. The last to enter was Dr. Krenzler with more soldiers surrounding him. The large area was a graveyard now, which was something he wasn’t entirely comforted by. He stopped once he reached the table.
“I thought you guys were inside already,” he complained.
“In just a moment,” Mitch replied. Hans was busy working the security keypad. Will and Luis were the only ones who remained close as the soldier finally cracked it. The giant door began to slide open, the two cyborgs with sword in hand expecting a greeting of gunfire. None came.
Inside was a medical examination room of some sort. Will assumed this innately due to the white walls and floor. The abundance of medical operating tables also backed this up, each one with a patient on it. The only non-patients were the many men and women in lab coats standing with terrified faces.
Hans and Mitch rushed the civilians, guns pointed at them. With a little intimidation and shoving, they were corralled into a corner of the room. Will was busy analyzing the four walls of the place. No other door, so somewhere in here is what we came for.
Luis passed one of the patients and then stopped altogether. Will decided to join him, only to nearly drop his sword. The patient who lay on the blood-stained operating table was dissected in multiple locations, including the chest cavity and skull. A tangle of wires were still planted in each of his limbs. The man’s pale face was looking up at the lights.
“What the hell is this place?” Luis asked.
“A place hell bent on mimicking our tech,” Kane answered. He counted six of these poor souls, and Krenzler needed to inspect each one. The other soldiers were bagging anything of value: folders, computers, anything that detailed what had occurred there.
Will gawked at each experiment before talking to Kane. The commander had never seen his face so pallid.
“Was this a government-funded operation?” Will asked.
“According to Takarada, no. Mafune Corp. has been this country’s biggest arms manufacturer for decades. We just never thought they’d get desperate enough to send a mole after what they needed.”
By now Dr. Krenzler was about wrapped up, packing up his briefcase.
“How close were they?” Kane asked him. The scientist appeared calm about it all.
“It looks threatening, but the work is still a way off. If I had to guess, whatever files were stolen they were those of the early prototype designs. Not a single subject got far into the process. I need these specimens bagged for transport.”
Kane considered calling the doctor on his use of the word specimen but figured it would be a waste.
“You heard the man, move! Get those HITs set in place!”
Luis watched as the mangled corpses were sealed up and carried off. The medical staff, eleven of them, were still huddled in the corner next to a large book case.
“And them, Dr. Krenzler?”
Krenzler was supervising his prized cargo out of the room when Luis addressed him. The man only dedicated a few seconds to overlooking the captives, clearly uninterested.
“The Chancellor said maximum one prisoner for interrogation. The rest can be taken either D.O.A.”
Krenzler left the room, and Kane almost wanted to scold him. He should know better than to get Luis all riled up. However, it was Will who was now pacing over to the cowering men and women. Hans and Mitch stepped out of his way without haste. The only thing Will could see were his targets. Many of them began to cry as they realized what was about to take place.
“You people know so little about the blade and the wonders it can work.”
When it was said and done, the things that had taken place in that room were best left to ashes. To ashes they went. The room was ignited into churning flames as each bomb went off one by one, burning everything within to cinders.
***
Will shuddered as he woke. Goddamnit. The past few weeks he’d only wanted to dream of his family, but all he’d been seeing were constant blood baths, over and over. All had been at his hand, he acknowledged, but it was always for the advancement of the mission. Nothing mattered above completing any task he’d been given. Many faces in that dream, though, he’d known so well and they too had fallen by his hand. You appointed that mission, no one else. You sought out that blood, no one but you.
Chapter 6 - Evil Warning
October 20, 2065
“Folks, it is a wondrous day,” Oswald cheered. “Today the Chancellor has announced the official day of the International Summit! This historic event will be held on October 22 at the former headquarters of the United Nations in New York City. Once again, all countries around the globe are invited! It will be a legendary night for not just the UNR, but humanity as a whole.”
Alyssa watched the announcement and appreciated the gravity of it. She was seated on her couch cross-legged, a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal in her lap. Its heavenly smell was an old friend to her. Could use more milk, though. On the small stand beside her couch, her phone vibrated. Without looking away from the telescreen, she picked up her phone and typed in her password. Alyssa stared at the text she’d received as she ate a spoonful of oatmeal.
Reading that one message, she felt a surge of urgency that she was unfamiliar with. She typed up a response and hit SEND post haste, frightened at how fast she’d texted back. Frightened, but relieved.
“Cassie,” she said with joy.
“Yes, ma’am?” the machine replie
d.
“I’ve Got Something on My Mind,” Alyssa replied.
“Done and done,” Cassie said.
Like that, Steve Martin Caro’s vocals filled the room. It was such a short and simple song, but she loved it all the same. She’d listened to it a thousand times, and for her this was the perfect time to go for round one thousand and one.
***
In the cold morning frost, Will practiced with his sword as soldiers jogged by. His 1840 Cavalry Saber diced the dummies to shreds.
“You seem on edge today,” Halsey joked.
Will stared at the cut up dolls closely, marking every angle, every cross section, the very length of each slash.
“This summit finally has a date, shouldn’t we all be?”
“It’s a big deal, for damn sure. Still, two days from now isn’t really a lot of prep time for something that fucking big. There are other ways to shit on Venloran’s day.”
“One thing has been on my mind cornering that,” Will said as he trained.
“Which is?”
Will cut a dummy in half at the waist.
“Going straight into the Chancellor’s position is a hell of a risk. Tell me, honestly, do you ever consider if they’re using you and your Crimson Angels as meat shields?”
“Maybe so, but I have one clear mission that supersedes any fear I have within me. It drives me to this day.”
“And what is that?”
“That I must liberate the UNR people. They deserve to be as free as they used to be.”
Freedom, a quaint notion. Will did not trample on Joe’s vision. Instead, he moved to take down the last target. Just as he was within striking range a hira-shuriken flew into its face. They both turned to see Marisol. The dead leaves flowed in the wind beautifully around the three. Before either of the two could say anything, Unit 37 beat them to it.
“Just because no one outright tells me, doesn’t mean I haven’t heard. With the summit location decided, you people must be getting antsy.”
Noah, Kurt, and Saskia emerged from the tree line, all of them short of breath. The three of them pointed their weapons at Marisol.
“I’m sorry, Captain” Noah apologized, “We lost track of her.”
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