Mind Riot chapter 3

Sector 3: Far Beyond Driven (It’s Over 9,000!)

Location: En-route to Richmond, VA
Time: 8:05 AM

         “Destiny, wake up.”
         Destiny awoke in the passenger seat of the Miyata, clean of the blood and gore that populated the chassis of the car. 
         “Where are we?”
         “We’re almost to Richmond.  I though we’d stop for a while and eat something.  I don’t know about you, but I’m famished.”
         “Strangely, so am I.”
         “Even after murdering a shitload of the Order’s troops?”
         “Yeah, weird huh?”
         Alex laughs it off and escorts Destiny out of the car.  The weather appears to be overcast, but the man on the radio said that the weather should clear up around noon.  The town looked like one you’d find on a postcard; tranquil yet busy.  The duo got to the edge of the road and watched out for traffic.  When it was clear, Alex led Destiny across to the diner that looked like a Panera Bread knockoff.
         The place didn’t look too busy, and the waitress seated them in no time.
         “I’ll be right back, you two.”  The waitress walked off to assist the other customers.
         Alex gazed out the window, watching the people carry on with their daily routines.  Alex admired them so, and yet he resented them as well.  He got the chance to be a normal kid after busting out of Epsilon, but now the past is back to kill him.  It hurt him deeply to have his life shattered in just a heartbeat, but with that he gained a responsibility to make sure that others don’t suffer as he did.  Also, he has the assistance, loyalty, and love of his best friend Destiny, who swore that she would help give Alex his life back.
         “Are you okay, Alex?”
         “Yeah…  I’m fine.”
         “How are you feelings?”
         Alex slowly moved some joints around and looked at the field dressing on his arm.  “Hurting like hell, but the bandages are holding up, thanks to you.”
         “No problem.”
         “Also, I don’t know whether I should thank you or slap you silly for what you did to that Aggressor.  You scared the shit out of me when you came sprinting out from the alley and took her apart.  Thanks for saving me, but please don’t ever do anything like that ever again.”
         “Hey, it worked didn’t it?”
         “Yeah, but one problem is that Aggressors can adapt.  They can survey that entire fight again, and pinpoint our strengths and weaknesses.  It might not be that easy next time.”
         “Yeah, but can’t you adapt?  You used to be one of them, so it could still be possible, right?”
         Alex thought of that for a second.  “You know what, I don’t know.  However, I do know someone who does.”
         “Who?”
         “Benjamin Grimoire.  He was the one in charge of watching my vitals and combat status.  His father is the one who developed the combat drug we Aggressors are shot up on before we start training.”
         “That’s great, but how do we find him?”
         “We could go find out after we eat.”
         The waitress came back to their table.  “Sorry I’m late, you guys.  Did you guys know what you want, or do you need more
time?”


         Alex and Destiny glanced at the menu for a quick second.  “What do you recommend?” they chimed.
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 16:10 PM

         “Director Gryphon, we’ve just got word that Zao has moved from the Quasar Sector to Vantage point Bravo.”
         Gryphon stood up from his regal mahogany desk and placed a bookmark at his place in The Catcher in the Rye.  He took one huge gulp of his coffee before he and the Monitor stormed out of the office and into the Main Console.
         The Main Console looked like a classroom one may find in college or a lecture room in a high school, albeit EXTREMELY larger, with the white-suited Monitors tapping away at their computers and barking into their headsets.  Gryphon peered over the shoulder of the Monitor, who sat at his computer at the top level, and witnessed the various blinking dots decorated on a silhouette of the world.  The Monitor zoomed in on Russia’s silhouette and in turn watched the different militarized areas within Russia light up with more blinking dots.
         “How can Zao move into Bravo?  Vantage Bravo is our De-Militarized Zone.”
         “I don’t know sir, but we did also get word that a group of their subjects defected.”
         “Either way, they knew that Bravo was ours.  Put me on a secure line through to Zao.  I wish to know their intentions.”
         “Yes, sir.”  The Monitor forwarded the order via his headset, and in no time did Gryphon enter a code on his cell phone and dialed the Zao Outpost in Russia.
Location: Zao Outpost- Novosibirsk, Russia
Time: 15:13 PM 

         Overlooking the castle that is Zao’s Outpost, a shadowy figure answers the call within the dim keep.
         “Salutations, Mr. Gryphon.”
         [What the hell is this I hear about you moving in on our territory?]
         “Your territory?  If I may interject, I believe that Vantage point Bravo is a De-Militarized Zone.  It isn’t de-militarized if you have forces stationed there.  As good a liar as your reputation states, you have a bad habit of stating major fallacies in your arguments.”
         [Fuck you!  As long as your cancerous presence is in our zone, you will pose a threat and-]
         “And what, Mr. Gryphon?  Do you really wish to jeopardize our alliance in a violent manner such as you’re referring?”
         [You lie pretty good for a fuck-ugly Frankenstein clone.]
         “You mean you lie pretty well.”  Heh, one of the most powerful and smartest men on the planet- next to Beckett, of course- and you still haven’t a clue about the basics of grammar.”
         [Touché Hyperion, very well played.  Always a whiz at semantics, and yet I heard you lost a group of your forces.  Hell, you’d probably forget about your cock if it wasn’t attached to your body- that is, if you even have a cock Mr. Frankenstein!]
         “You have a way of getting underneath people’s skin, Mr. Gryphon.  Now let me try: You let me find my troops, and I won’t have to risk emasculating you in front of your superior.”
         [Go fuck yourself!]
         “You have a nice day as well, Mr. Gryphon.”
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 16:20 PM

         Gryphon closed his cell phone and forced it back into his pocket in a huff.  He took a couple deep breaths before pulling out his cigarette case and lighting up.  He took one long puff of his cigarette before exhaling relief from his conversation.
         “What’s the plan, sir?”
         “Just keep your eyes on them.  If they try anything, they’ll pay for it in their own damn blood!”
         “Yes, sir!”
         The Monitor saluted Gryphon as he walked back to his office still puffing on his cigarette.  Gryphon closed the door and sauntered back over to his pooltable-sized desk to finish reading…
Location: Outskirts of Richmond, VA
Time: 8:30 AM

         After knocking for what seemed a long while, a scrawny man in his late 20’s/early 30’s appeared at the door wearing boxers and a white tanktop decorated with coffee stains.  His hair was short but messy.  Only his thick-framed glasses gave the immediate answer to who we was: Benjamin Grimoire.
         “What the hell are you doing here?  Wait, why the hell did I just talk to you?  No, this is all wrong!  You shouldn’t be here, man!  The Order has a hit on you, Sixty-Three.  Fuck, there’s even a hit on you too, girl!”
         Alex and Destiny helped themselves inside amidst Ben’s panic attack.  Ben didn’t notice; he just kept walking around in circles and cursing whatever.  He managed to calm down a couple minutes later.
         “Why the fuck did you criminals come to my house; my place of Zen and tranquility?”
         “For an expert computer hacker who can practically make himself invisible, you’d think he’d be smart enough to come up with an alias or some shit.”  Alex slapped a piece of paper he tore off a phone book before leaving the diner.  Ben’s name, address, and phone number was circled.  “If the Order does in fact show up here, which I don’t think they will, the blood will be on your fucking stupidity if we all die!  What the hell were you thinking using your real name, anyway?”
         Ben took a deep breath.  “I hacked into the Order’s database and listed myself as deceased.  It was the only way I could start a new life.”
         Alex and Destiny looked around Ben’s house, which was filthy and fairly dank.
         “I didn’t say it wasn’t a work in progress,” Ben responded in lieu of Destiny’s expression.
         “Listen Ben, I need your help.  I need to know why the Order wants me dead after so long.  Could you possibly use your talents to figure it out?”
Ben sighed.  “Okay, I’ll do it.”
“Plus, would it be possible if you did a check-up on my stats as well, for old time-sake?”
         Ben swallowed another lump in his throat.  “You got it, man.  I might be a little rusty, so bear with me.  By the way, who’s the chick?”
         “My name is Destiny, thanks for asking so politely.” Destiny sneered at Ben’s lack of manners.  It became apparent that he spent quite some time in a self-imposed exile, so obviously his social skills went to shit.
         Ben led Alex to a large metal chair, which Alex sat in as if he was an Aggressor again.  Ben skipped strapping him down and moved on to placing the electrodes on his head, arms, and around his torso.  Ben hopped onto his flat-screen desktop computer and opened up the appropriate program.  After the computer calculating his stats for a minute or two, the numbers that appeared made Ben jump.
         “What is it, dude?  What does it say?”
         Ben was speechless.  “My God, it’s over 9,000!”
         The statement made Alex and Destiny chuckle in irony.  The chuckles shortly turned to laughter.
         “What the hell is so funny?”
         “Nothing Ben, it’s just an inside joke.”
         Destiny composed herself and dialed down on the laughter.  “Him being over that, is that good?”
         Ben turned to face her.  “My friend, it’s more than good.  It’s god-like!”  Ben took the liberty to show her what he meant.  A diagram of the human body popped up on the screen.  “In layman’s terms, this is the average human body with average stats: muscle tension, heart exertion, all that shit.  Basically, certain receptors in the brain control all that, but when the body starts pushing itself and exerts more work, the receptors obtain the messages sent by whatever’s chugging along and adapts itself.  That’s where the body’s endurance comes from.” 
He replaces the diagram with another, except the stats are changed to that of an average Aggressor.  “Now, the body of an Aggressor adapt more quickly than the average human being.  The Xenobiotics they are inoculated with before inception help ensure that.  Whenever they’re in a battle situation, they learn the enemy’s tactics and store the information away so when they’re faced with that same situation, they can analyze what they did last time and strategically pwn their asses.  Battle endurance is what they call it, and a seasoned Aggressor like Sixty-Three over here has a plethora of battle data saved in his head somewhere.”
Ben replaces the data with Alex’s data and continues.  “However, it’s been rumored that an Aggressor can adapt to a combat situation and determine the outcome automatically- at a mere fraction of what a ‘normal’ Aggressor can process, but it’ll take even the most battle-hardened Sentinel-class Aggressor over 100 years to achieve these numbers.  Even if he fought the entire fucking world, there’s absolutely no possible way he could get these stats.”
Destiny soaked in the knowledge like a brick to the head.  “You mean he’s like a super-super soldier?”
“I don’t know, kid, but what I do know is that if the Order keeps coming after him and eventually do kill him, he would’ve already wiped out 99% of the fucking organization.”
Alex removes the electrodes from his body and steps out of the chair.  “Well, then let’s hope Gryphon is part of the 99% that dies.”
“Uh-oh, is Gryphon running extermination operations behind Beckett’s back again?”
“If having him coming after us at school and having our principal try to kill us is an illegal operation, then Gryphon is even more hopped up on bullshit that I expected.”
Ben scratched his head.  “I’m sorry, but could you run that by me again?”
Destiny took the liberty to recount the invasion, without much gusto.  “He came to our school with assassins trying to kill him.  Need I elaborate further?”
Alex stemmed off from that point.  “That’s why I need to know why I’m marked for death after several years.”
Ben typed up more information on his computer.  The typing lasted for two minutes before he brought up the Order’s mainframe.  He clicked around, and brought up a list of Aggressors. 
“I’ve been hacking into their mainframe for a few years now using a ghost account.  I had to make sure that you weren’t dead yet, but for the record that’s going to be a little tougher now, what with the info we just received on you, Superman.”
“Okay, so why are we looking at a list of dead Aggressors?”
“Here’s why: I checked the last log on this batch of ex-Aggressors, and you won’t believe this.  They were stated to have been expelled between 1996 and 1999, but as I checked the IP on the data, their files were updated with the expulsion status just recently.  When I say recently, I mean at most a month before they came after you again.”
Alex stared at the screen in disbelief.  The weight of the current situation gained on his conscience, causing him to sit down and hold his head. 
“What does all that mean, Ben?  Why are they now listed as dead?”
Alex answered Destiny’s question.  “The Order is conducting a massive holocaust and killing off former Aggressors.”
Destiny was shocked again, so she looked back at the list of dead.  The list stretched a long way down, which made Destiny feel horrible.  These kids fought tooth and nail to escape the clutches of this evil organization, only to finally end up on the dead list.  Yesterday was the first time she’d even heard of the Order, and today is the first day she really started to despise them.  She sat next to her friend and placed her arm around him, feeling empathy for the statistics who’ve died in vain…
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 16:50 PM

         As the Monitors continue to receive information from the world’s fronts, one Monitor has discovered something rather peculiar: a ghost account within the system.
         “What the hell is this, I wonder?”  He types and clicks his way into the unknown account, but receives little information as the other side has closed down.  However, the little information he received contains an IP address…
         He scurries away from his console and to the head Monitor in charge.  “Sir, you’d better take a look at this.  I think somebody has hacked into our network.”  He calls up the information again.
         “Where did you discover this ghost account?”
         “I found it in the ‘Expelled’ directorate, sir.”
         “Did the ghost account have any tags?”
         “All I found on it was an IP address, sir.”
         “Search the systems for any more of these pricks, while I inform Director Gryphon of our discovery.”
         “Yes, sir.”
Location: Outpost Delta: Medical Wing, Terminal Ward
Time: 14:53 PM

         “Mr. Gryphon, Ms. Larsen is ready for you now.”
         Gryphon is lead into Room 38-B of the terminal wing by the orderly.  She holds the door for him and closes it to give him some privacy.  He pulls a chair next to the bed, and takes the hand of the frail, dying woman lying in the bed.
         Her voice is but a gentle whisper.  “Hey, I’m happy you came, as always.”
         He leans over and kisses her on the forehead.  “I always try to see you when I can.”
         “I know.”
         “Are they treating you alright here?”
         She nods slightly.  “They treat me just fine.  One of the orderlies the other day said that the muscle atrophy has finally stopped.  She said to me today that the muscles have started to rebuild themselves, so I might have a chance.”
         “That’s great news.  I’m so happy for you.”  Gryphon kisses her hand that he’s been holding.
         “You look sad.  Is something wrong?”
         “It’s just that I’ve been so busy that I sometimes forget to come see you.”  He takes a deep breath.  “I even sometimes worry that you might be taken from me while I’m away.  I don’t want to lose you.”
         She frees her hand from Gryphon’s grasp and touches the side of his face.  “Sweetheart, you shouldn’t worry about me all the time.  You have a job to do, and I don’t want to be a distraction.  Besides, no matter what happens, I’m always going to love you Sammy.”
         They stare lovingly at each other in silence, until the orderly interrupts them.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Gryphon, but Ms. Larsen needs to take her medicine and get some rest now.”
         Gryphon was reluctant to leave, so he squeezes her hand once more.  “I promise I’ll make you well again.  I’ll make you well, and then things will change.  I promise you.”  He kisses her on the head once more, and then he leaves. 
         As he leaves the building on a breezy evening, the buzzing of his cell phone brings him to life again.
         “This is Gryphon.”
         [Sir, we’ve just discovered that someone has hacked into our system.]
         “Okay, I’ll be right there.”  He places his phone back in his pocket and queues his chopper for take-off…
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 17:00 PM

         “What have we got on this hacker?”
         “All we’ve got from the ghost account was the IP address.”  The Monitor recalls the information on his computer. 
         Gryphon looks over the information left by the mystery guest.  A smirk is cast on his face, as he might know who the hacker is.  However, it’s always best to make sure.  “Let me handle this hacker, gentlemen.  You just keep monitoring Zao’s positions, and let me know if they do anything.”
         “Yes, sir.”  The Monitors went back to their original duties while Gryphon headed back to his office.
         Gryphon woke up his computer and managed to call up the ghost info.  With just several taps and a few clicks, he sent a virus to the IP address left by the party crasher.  He snickered in the most ominous of manners before putting his feet on his desk and reading some more of The Catcher in the Rye…
Location: Ben Grimoire’s house
Time: 9:15 AM

         “Ben, were you able to hack in and figure out why the Order is killing former Aggressors?”
         “I tried to, Alex, but a good deal of their information is locked down tight.  It would’ve taken hours to navigate around just one firewall.  Plus, I’m stuck with the goddamn IP address on my ghost accounts, so I can’t hang around their grids for too long.”
         Alex stands up from his seat and begins pacing around the cluttered clusterfuck of a room.  “Why the hell would the Order want us dead now?”  He kept pacing, hoping to stumble across the answer.  All he stumbled on was a stack of pizza boxes.  He managed to break his own fall, earning a chuckle from Destiny and Ben.
         “Sorry dude, but since I wasn’t always the best housekeeper, that old habit is kinda hard to put to rest, y’know?”
         Alex stepped away from the pizza boxes and continued his rhythmic pacing.  The pacing was starting to drive him crazy, so he stopped and leaned against the wall.  “I was thinking about my unit.  Maybe they somehow escaped Epsilon after I did, or maybe it’s just wishful thinking on my part.”
         “Well dude, don’t count out that theory just yet.”  Ben started to chuckle again, but was cut short by Alex’s monster grip on his shoulder.
         “Ben, what the hell are you talking about?  You better not be jerking me around to get a rise out of me, or else I’ll rip off your shoulder.”
         “Well, at least let me tell you before you rip it off.”  Ben’s shoulder was immediately released from Alex’s grasp.  “Well, about two days ago, I had a girl come by my place.”
         “Pretty impossible, considering you’re such a shitty housekeeper,” Destiny scoffed.
         “Nevertheless, I answered the door, and she forced her way in while holding a gun to my head.  She asked if I set her up in any way, because apparently the Order showed up at the restaurant she was working at during closing time.  I said I didn’t, so she asked if I was still a part of the Order.  I said ‘fuck no’, and then she started asking about 85505-63.  She asked me if they found him and killed him already.  I told her if he was able to bust out of Epsilon, then it’d be hard for them to kill him.”
         “What else did she tell you?”
         “She told me she’d kill me if she found out I set her up, then she left.”
         “Who was she, Ben?  How did she know my number?”
         “Dude, she was in your fucking unit for Christ’s sakes!  Subject 63409-52 came here asking the same damn questions you two were asking me!”
         “Wait a second Alex; I thought you escaped with only the help of that ‘something’?”
         Ben was puzzled.  “What ‘something’?  What’s she talking about?  What happened?”
         “It’s nothing.  Anyway, did Fifty-Two say where she was going?”
         Ben shook his head.  “No, but somehow I’ve got this weird, Jedi intuitive hypothesis that she went to Outpost Epsilon.”
         Alex threw his arms up.  “WHAT!?”  He marched away in a huff.  “Goddammit Five-Two, why’d you go and do something fucking stupid like breaking into Epsilon?”
         Destiny hurried over to her friend.  “Maybe this is a good thing.”
         “Destiny, if she escaped from Epsilon, then breaking back in to Epsilon is a death wish!”
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 17:25 PM   

         Gryphon was distracted from his reading by a beeping sound coming from his computer.  He woke his computer again and found that the virus he implanted has received a name and location from the IP address:

Name
Ben Grimoire

Current Location
Virginia

Street Address
124 Pleasant Drive

         Gryphon copied the information and pasted it on an alert notice.  He placed the bookmark back in his book and sent the notice straight to the Psyche Chambers.  As he watched the progress bar reach 100%, he snickered ominously again.
         “Benny my boy, you should’ve learned a long time ago never to fuck with me!”  He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed the Psyche Chambers.  “Relinquish Saber-2 for combat command, STAT.”  Before he got a reply, he dropped the phone back on the receiver and hoped that his book will be finished…
Location: Airbase One, Outpost Epsilon
Time: 17:27 PM
         
         The air is cold, made more apparent by the whipping rotors of the Order’s “Valkyrie” fast-attack/transport helicopters, preparing to leave for Grimoire’s location.  Leading the Aggressors to the choppers was an Aggressor wearing a black beret.  After the Aggressors were split up into two groups, the Aggressors suit up in their dark green BDUs, load their assault weapons, apply ominous black facemasks, and place small devices onto their earlobes before taking off to execute the mission…
Location: Ben Grimoire’s house
Time: 9:30 AM

         “Benjamin, we need you to point us to the nearest Outpost.  We need to find out what the Order is up to.”
         Ben laughed hysterically.  “Hello, Earth to Alex, that’s a suicide trip!”
         “You think I don’t know that?  It’s risky, I know, but it’s the only way.”
         Destiny was hesitant with her rebuttal.  “Alex, I don’t think breaking into a base full of people trying to kill us is going to get us any closer than what we already know now.”  She turns to Ben.  “Can’t you hack into their files and see what you can dig up?”
         “I already told you guys before: I can’t hack into that section of the mainframe, because it’s too heavily guarded.  It’ll take days to break into those files.  Plus, what if this is just a routine thing?  Maybe the Order’s having problems again, like the old days?”
         “Yeah Ben, the Order does have one problem.”  He reaches behind his back and grabs the H&K USP pistol he stole from his battle earlier.  He yanks back on the barrel and puts it back.  “The Order’s problem is that they not only declared war on us, but they’re declaring war on the whole world.”  He paces again.  “Approximately six billion people are living here on Earth, and over half of them are in some way affiliated with the Order.  We have no choice but to fight back!”
         Something catches Alex’s attention suddenly, so he heads outside to pinpoint the disturbance.  A slight breeze picks up, waving through Alex’s long hair.  The eeriness of it all gave him goosebumps, and a saying he took to heart a long time ago came into his focus: “there are no coincidences.” 
         Destiny leaves the house and stands next to her friend, wondering what was to happen next.  “Alex, what is it?”
         “The Order is on its way here.”
         Destiny apprehensively fixed her gaze at the horizon.  “What do we do?”
         Alex saw the helicopters gunning across the horizon, wasting no time to obtain their precious kills.  “We have to get back inside.  Make sure you and Ben keep your heads down.”
         Destiny nodded, with a case of pre-“holy shit” jitters, and went inside.  Alex followed, while watching the gunships get closer and closer…

         Aboard one of the two Valkyrie gunship/transports, an Aggressor sporting a black beret tosses a “thumbs up” at the rest of his squad.  As soon as he did that, the Aggressors removed the Mission Data Uplink devices from their ears.  Via the intercom, the pilot issues the green light, and the lead chopper hovers in front of the house while the second chopper aims its nose and readies its weapons for a strafing run…

         The low rumbling of the helicopter’s rotors gives Alex the clue as to the attack plan the Order is choosing for this new threshold of blood.
         “Take cover!”  Alex, Destiny, and Ben hide under a sturdy metal table as a halo of gunfire from the gunship’s nose-mounted twin miniguns showers the entire house with titanium rain.  As the table was beginning to give in, the three managed to roll out from under the table and crawl away.
         The Valkyrie’s strafing run finally finished as Alex viewed an assault team of Aggressors roping in from another Valkyrie helicopter out of a gunned-down wall.  The Aggressors wasted no time, as they quickly closed in on the house in a 2x3 position with their M-8 assault rifles drawn.
         “Whoa, thank God we’re not dead.”  Ben was catching his breath after the massive adrenaline rush he just received.
         “I agree, but it’s not over yet.  You got a basement, Ben?”
         “Yeah, I’m lying right next to it.”
         “Destiny, you and Ben get down in the basement and stay hidden.”
         Destiny hesitated.  “What about you?”
         “I’ll be fine, now go!”
         Destiny and Ben hurried down to the basement as Alex quickly hopped to his feet while whipping out his pistol and firing on the assault team.  He managed to nail a couple in the head with that dazzling display of gunplay before finding cover from the automatic fire whizzing past his head.
         The remaining Aggressors blitzed through the room still on the alert for their enemy.  One peered around the corner, only to get face-fisted by Alex’s clothesline.  The others rushed to aid their comrade and subdue the opponent, but Alex was too much of a match for the super-soldiers.  He ducked and swept his leg across to one of the Aggressor’s thighs, tripping him, then grabbed his rifle from his hands and smashed his face in with the butt-stock.  The other Aggressor tried a curb-stomp, but ended up leaving his foot through the floor.  Alex got to his feet and quickly snapped his neck with the side of his hand.  He thought he was done, but was caught in a head-lock by the one he clothes-lined.  With quick thinking, Alex elbowed the trooper in the face and was set free.  The Aggressor threw a mean left hook to the side of Alex’s face, and was about to throw another with his right.  However, Alex caught the fist mid-punch and brutally twisted the arm, shattering all bones inside.  Finally, Alex delivered another swift chop to his windpipe and dropped him to the floor.
         The pop of a cocked weapon resonated close to Alex’s left ear, and he turns to find no one other than commanding Aggressor pointing a custom Glock-34 at Alex’s head.  Around them were four more Aggressors, poised to shred Alex’s body with automatic fire if he dares try anything stupid.  Another two Aggressors pointed their weapons at the heads of Destiny and Ben, who were in the same room at this time.
         Saber-2’s voiced sported an eloquent boom.  “Subject No. 85505-63, you have been deemed a threat in accordance to Sector 3-22 of the Order’s Law of Operations and hereby sentenced to expulsion with force.  Do you comply?”
         Alex turned to face the CO.  He held the cold stare for as long as possible.
         “Do you comply?”
         Alex responded with kicking him away after unsheathing two sleek-looking short swords, and slicing a hand off of an Aggressor that got too close.  Alex then ducked underneath the gunfire, and proceeded to cut off the arms of another Aggressor before a rifle stock to the head stunned him.  Alex reeled over on his back in agonizing pain before the barrel of an M-8 came into his view.  He kicked the weapon away just as it fired, and stabbed him in the side of the chest.  The final Aggressor drew his blades on Alex, but after one healthy clang of the swords did the Aggressor suffer a gruesome decapitation.
         As Alex was trying to catch his breath, the commander surprised him by taking the opportunity to strike first; delivering a roundhouse kick aimed at Alex’s jaw.  Saber-2 tried following up with a right hook, but Alex ducked underneath and struck a hard jab at his ribs.  Saber-2 sucked it up and delivered a left elbow just underneath Alex’s eye.  Alex was stunned, so he took another chance with a jump-kick.  However, Alex grabbed the leg and slammed him against the wall.  As soon as Saber-2’s leg was free, he used it again.  This time, however, he didn’t miss and the kick was firmly planted against Alex’s solar-plexus.  Alex reeled from the blow, and then Saber-2 came back with another hook to the face.  Alex blocked the hook, and gave the Aggressor a taste of that particular medicine.  They proceeded to duke it out, and soon their faces were covered in blood.  As soon as they regained stance, Alex took the first strike with a right jab to Saber-2’s face, but he locked the arm and jammed an upper-cut to Alex’s gullet.  Alex didn’t take too kindly to that, so he threw his left elbow and caught him in the nose, spraying blood everywhere.  Saber-2 utilized the same tactic, but caught Alex in the side of the jaw.  As soon as Alex thrusted his knee to the Commander’s kidney, he winced as Alex hooked him right in the mouth, reeling him around and dropping to the floor.
         Saber-2 now felt the need to adapt, so he got to his feet.  He reached for one of the M-8 rifles and attempted to take aim at Alex.
         Ben saw this and broke free of the Aggressors holding him hostage.  He tried to grab for the gun, but a series of loud cracks filled the room…
         A loud shriek of “no” came from Alex’s mouth as Ben fell to the floor, blood shooting out of his chest and mouth, and Saber-2 standing over him with smoke pouring out of the barrel of his rifle…
         As one shot started the American Revolution, this 3-round burst furthered the bloodbath in Ben’s tattered house.  The Aggressors readied their weapons and closed in on Alex and Destiny.  Alex ran into the path of Saber-2’s rifle, but the rounds careened into one hapless Aggressor’s face, ruining the skull with blood and bits of bone exploding outwards.  Alex took the initiative and pulled the Commander’s arm behind his back.  As Saber-2 struggled to break free, Alex took his elbow and shattered Saber-2’s left elbow joint.  Alex took the rifle from his hand and cleaned off only two Aggressors before the clip ran empty, and before Saber-2 sent a pissed-off fist into Alex’s jaw.  Destiny ran to grab a rifle, and finished off the remaining Aggressor before he could plant a bullet perfectly into Alex’s skull.
         Destiny looked over and aimed the carbine at Saber-2, but the gun was taken away from her before she was smacked across the face, leaving a long red line across Destiny’s right cheek.  Destiny lurched across the floor as Saber-2 made his getaway.
         Alex regained his senses after the hit, and managed to catch the Aggressor-Commander retreating back to the helicopters.  Still in rage, he grabbed another of the Aggressor’s assault rifles and fired at the chopper taking off.  To quell the insignificant foe, the pilot whipped the chopper around and fired a short spray of minigun fire at him.  Alex jumped away for cover, and finally caught a glimpse of the two supersonic gunships heading back to Outpost Epsilon...
Location: Valkyrie 1, en-route back to Outpost Epsilon.
Time: 10:35 AM

         [Valkyrie-1, status report!]
         The pilot, an Avian-class Aggressor, did not hesitate to tell Gryphon of the bad news.  “Subject Name: Ben Grimoire is hereby expelled.  Subject No. 85505-63 and Subject Name: Destiny Holme are classified Broken Sword.”
         A long sigh could be heard at the other end.  [Very well, Valkyrie-1.  Casualty Update!]
         “Xiphos team is classified as KIA.  Saber team is classified as Swept.”
         [Swept?  Who survived?]
         “Sentinel-class Captain 84333-19: Saber-2 is classified as Stranded.
         [Affirmative.  Return to base immediately.]
         “Roger that.”
Location: Ben Grimoire’s house
Time: 10:38 AM

         Alex and Destiny squat down next to Ben, still fighting against the cold jaws of death trying to devour him. 
         “Dude…  I’m…  Sorry…  I shouldn’t…  I shouldn’t have…”
         “Don’t speak, Ben.  It’s alright.”
         Ben kept his breath steady, although it was getting harder.  “Guys, listen…  You need to…  You need to get to Outpost Zeta…  It’s one state over…  In West Virginia…  You can’t miss it…  There, you might find…  You might find out why they’re doing this…”
         “Thanks Ben, for everything. We wouldn’t have got this far if it wasn’t for you.”
         “Don’t sweat it, dude.”  Ben clasped Alex’s hand in friendship.  He then turned to Destiny.  “Listen…  Don’t worry about anything…  You’re in good hands with this guy…  You’re not bad either…”
         Destiny also clinched Ben’s hand in friendship and squeezed it.
         “I’m…  I’m sorry for being an asshole…”
         “Don’t worry about it.”  Destiny wiped away the tears forming in her eyes.
         “Listen Ben, we’re gonna get these guys.”
         “I…  I know…”
         Those were Ben’s final words before staring lifelessly up at the sky.  Alex shed a tear for his fallen friend before removing his Coke-bottle glasses, closing his dead eyes, and reapplying the glasses on his face.  Alex drank in the situation without enthusiasm, and formed his plan.
         “Destiny, did you see any gas canisters while you were down there?”
         “Yeah, I saw a few.  Why do you ask?”
         “I’m gonna take the guns and whatever ammo I can find.  I’ll also need a shovel, so I can give our friend a proper burial.  What you need to do is bring the dead in here, and torch the house.  Do you think you can do that?”
         “Yeah…  Yeah, I think I can.”
         Alex went over to the bodies of the Aggressors and searched around for extra ammo for the assault rifles, while Destiny brought a shovel and the gas cans from the basement.  Alex slung two M-8 rifles around his shoulders and carried the ammo clips in a plastic bag before grabbing the shovel and Ben’s body to take outside.  Destiny also went outside and dragged the other dead Aggressors in with the others.  As Alex dug Ben’s grave in the earth, Destiny doused the bodies and every room in the house with gasoline.  As Alex was finished with Ben’s makeshift mausoleum, Destiny grabbed a book of matches out of one of the cabinets, lit one, then tossed it into the room before heading out the door.
         The house burned next to them as they paid their last respects.  In that time, Alex took one of the rifles off his shoulder and gave it to Destiny along with her share of the ammo.  They bowed to their buried friend before leaving…
Location: Medical Chambers, Outpost Epsilon
Time: 19:50 PM

         The Medic was finished attaching a metal cast to Saber-2’s elbow when Director Gryphon walked in.
         Saber-2 said nothing as he stood at attention.  Gryphon surveyed the commander as he entered. 
         “Saber-2, you are off-team until your injuries heal, understood?”
         “Yes, sir!”  He snapped a salute before returning to the Psyche Chambers.
         Unbeknownst to Gryphon, Commissioner Beckett just happened to be there as well.  “These kids are elusive, aren’t they?”  Gryphon jerked his head around to see him standing in the doorway.  “Yet another victory goes on their roster.”  Beckett chuckled at the ruse.
         Gryphon’s defensive tool against embarrassment was sarcasm.  “It felt really good.  Maybe you should have it done to you sometime.”
         “I was merely making an observation.”
         “Well, here’s an observation for you: The Aggressors I sent after him in that dinky, piece-of-shit town nearly killed him.  However, I brought one of the best assault teams to Ben Grimoire’s place, and this little cocksucker breezes through them with no problem at all.”
         Beckett was impressed, to say the least.  “Are you sure it was him?”
         “Yes it was.  I would know if it was…”  Gryphon flashed back to the day of Alex’s escape. 

Gryphon was preparing to ambush him in the corpse-flooded main corridor.  Gryphon aimed a tactical shotgun at Alex’s direction, but the weapon was seized from Gryphon’s grasp  and had the barrel forced into his mouth. 
Gryphon froze in terror as a face decorated with scars, cold blue eyes, and teeth that almost resembled vampire fangs bore its demonic gaze down onto the Director.
“I wish to suck the blood out of your intestines while I rip apart your brain with my teeth.  If you value your putrid existence, you will let us out of here.”
Gryphon never felt fear before, so when he complied with this entity’s demands, he couldn’t help but feel a little weird.
“Perfect, now SLEEP!”

         Gryphon was thrusted back to reality while Beckett mused for a while.  “I believe it was King Sargon II of the Assyrian Empire who said ‘coveting others skills in battle is weakness.  To grow strong, one must use their own skills to obtain victory.  If necessary, invent a new skill that no one else has, and use it to smite your opponent where he stands.”  With that, he pulled out a PDA device and handed it to Gryphon.
         Gryphon looked at the digital blueprints of a rather large soldier equipped with a minigun, a missile launcher, and a large hammer-looking weapon: “The Bulker-class Aggressor!”
         “We have sent a small garrison of Bulkers to every outpost across America.  If he and that little whore wish to attack us yet again, it will be no easy task if they have to face just one of these.  Fret not, my boy, for we will have the better hand next round.”  Beckett patted Gryphon on the shoulder before leaving.  Gryphon still mulled over the words of the Assyrian king, and with that still in mind, he left right away for the Psyche Chambers…
Location: Psyche Chambers, Outpost Epsilon
Time: 19:55 PM

         “Director Gryphon, what can I help you with sir?”  One of the Monitors greeted him as he walked in and took in the sight of massive pillars housing the Aggressors when they’re not out fighting, similar when he was a soldier fighting in this organization.
         “Is there a free pod I may use?  Saber-2 has some data that I wish to analyze.”
         “Yes sir, there’s plenty.”  No one liked hearing that, especially Director Gryphon.  Nonetheless, the Monitor played around on his console and brought down a pod for the Director.
         Gryphon applied the electrodes to his head while the Monitor strapped him into the pod.  The Monitor hustled back to his console and typed in more commands.  The pod closed and was sent back up to the third row.
         Gryphon’s eyes were half-closed with his eyelids twitching as the computer’s progress bar neared 100%, and Gryphon’s eyes shot open as soon as the sequence commenced.  Gryphon’s pupils were getting dilated as his painful encounter with Alex was being transmitted as information to be stored away in his brain, thus helping him adapt.  If 85505-63 wished to wage war on this organization- his organization- then he will fight him by any means necessary…