5 Weeks ago, Ebeom, U.C.A.
Gunfire rang out in the halls of a nuclear facility.
"Taz, get Emily out of here!" Dickhead ordered.
"But sir! What about you?" Taz said.
"Finish the mission soldier! Nothing else matters!" Dickhead demanded.
Taz had been carrying Emily's unconscious body for some time now. They had been tasked to break into a facility that was built under a nuclear plant. After a interference from the U.C.A., the Reactor became unstable.
"Tell Emily that I tried my best." Dickhead said before shutting the door behind him.
Emily Began to wake. She came to in Taz' arms. "What happened?" she asked calmly.
Unsure of what to say Taz stood silent.
Emily looked around to see who was still with them.
"Dickhead. Where is Dickhead?" Emily asked frantically.
"He- the-" Taz struggled to get the words out. "The reactor, Dickhead-." Taz confessed.
Realizing what taz meant she jumped out of his arms and ran towards the door.
She pulled on the door to no avail. Tried and tried and pounded on the door. "Come on!" she cried.
Taz grabbed her and pulled her back. "Emily, we have to go." Taz pleaded. She didnr listen and lunged once again at the door.
"Garetiaz! Help me!" Taz demanded. Hernando grabbed Emily, and the two dragged the sobbing Emily down the hall, away from the door.
"No! We have to help him! We got to!" Emily cried.
"Emily, there is nothing we can do! He made his choice. To save you! We have to go!" Taz said, teara running down his face.
Emily went limp as the trauma settled in. She stared at the door as The two dragged her away from it.
Then there was a click, and the door opened wide open. Revealing a coughing Dickhead.
In relief Emily wiggled out of taz' and Hernando's grip and ran into Dickhead's arms.
"I thought you were-." Emily sobbed. "I thought you were dead. Don't you ever do that again" she balled into his shoulder.
"I know. I'm sorry. We have to go. Now!" Dickhead said.
The team made their way out of the compound. A helicopter waited for them just outside. Hansel waited patiently.
"Surprised Grant doesn't have the place surrounded!" Hernando said.
"Grant isn't going to send his men into this. It would be suicide." Dickhead pointed out.
The group boarded the helicopter and it lifted off.
"What happened down there sir?" Hernando asked.
Before Dickhead could answer he was stunned by a bursting light. A deafening boom followed. The compound exploded, sending a massive explosion into air. The helicopter narrowly escaping the blast range.
Financial District, Utopia, 17:00 4/20/1046 A.T.C.
Booms could lightly be heard in the distance. General Grant waited inside his barracks for any infor in the battle that is taking place miles away.
"Sir." A U.C.A. soldier said, panting as he had just ran all the way to the barracks. "We pushed them back. You're plan worked sir."
"Like I said it would. Good work Private, think it's time that we join them. Think it's time for some morale support. Don't you think?" General Grant asked.
"Yes Sir!" The Private saluted.
Grant and his Trusted brothers in arms got in their Humvee and headed towards the front line.
They passed by injured surviving soldiers who were being taken to safety.
"Jesus, how are we going to rebuild all of this?" a soldier said from the back seat.
"One brick at a time Sergeant. All of this will be gone in no time." Grant said.
"Looks like it already is." The Sergeant said.
"What is important right now is that we win this battle." Grant said.
"Sir! Rumor has it that 48 hours ago, a group of Postier's men was seen on the battlefield!" Another soldier informed.
"Jesus private! Why am I just finding out about this now?" Grant demanded.
"It's been hell out there Commander. Communications has been disruptive." The soldier defended.
"what is that?" The Sergeant pointed.
A rogue missile was headed directly at them. The driver swerved and narrowly dodged the explosion.
"Holy fuck a duck in a truck that was close!" Grant said. "just get us there! Drive!"
The Humvee arrived at the front line. Bloodied soldiers could be seen limping away from the battlefield.
The Humvee came a stop. Grant and his men stepped out.
"How far did you say this building was?" Grant said.
"About a a mile that way." The soldier pointed. "We have made significant headway, but sir. The building caved in shortly after Postier's team evacuated." The soldier explained as he struggled to keep up with General Grant's pace.
"I want to know what it was they were after. Get me there men!" Grant ordered.
Grant was waltzed into the trenches navigating his way towards path to no man's land.
"General Grant. Glad you could make it. The enemy, sir. Seems that they are withering." A soldier informed.
"Good. I need to get to a building 500 yards in that direction. Think you can get me there?" Grant asked.
"Of course, sir. This way." The soldier said.
Grant was led to the front of the defense line.
"I was hoping that we would save this, but it suites our needs." The soldier said. What they stood before was what looked like a giant robot. "What we got here is a first generation M.A.W. She? She will get you there."
"It looks a bit beat up." Grant said.
"She took a beating during the laat push, but she's still got some Fight in her." The Soldier said.
"Let's get this done." Grant ordered.
The soldier waved a hand signal, and another soldier put on a headset and gloves. The M.A.W. activated and raised it's head and positioned itself towards the battlefield. Beams of energy whizzed overhead.
The M.A.W. stepped into range of gunfire and immediately was struck by a stray energy blast.
"Jesus! Come on!" the Pilot complained.
"You sure that thing can withstand?" The Private asked.
"It's coated with Collabrium. It will do the job." The General said.
"Why don't we have more? We could easily win the battle with these!" the Private asked.
"A majority of them were wiped out in the beginning. You have to think. Kassinger had them too. We no longer have the time, nor the resources to manufacture M.A.W.'s in mass production." Grant explained.
"Hey! Instead of holding a history lesson, how about you fucking go?" The pilot said.
"All squads. Operation Big Push is a go. Green light on Operation big push.
The M.A.W. opened fire with it turrets, and General grand ran up the path onto the flat earth that lay above. Burned and indented ground riddled their pathway, but Grant was determined nonetheless. Energy beams whizzed pass Grants head as he ran, positioning himself behind the M.A.W. so that it provided maximum protection.
The M.A.W. stopped in its tracks. The head could be seen looking down. The turrets opened fire with some gunfire in return. The M.A.W eventually stopped firing.
Fiery Fuel blasted out ports on the M.A.W.'s foot as it hopped over what seemed to be a trench. The trench extended in a straight path all the way to enemy lines.
"Holy shit! Look how close they were! General, if you hadn't shown up when you did, I don't think we would have a defense anymore." A Soldier said from behind Grant.
Grant dropped down into the trench. Grant looked to his side and noticed soldier's were beginning to out pace him. Some of the soldiers fell as they were hit with bullets.
Grant lifted his weapon and opened fire. A body tumbling into the trenches along with him. Grant ran over his body and stayed his course.
The M.A.W. was receiving much more attacks by this point, becoming a center of focus, as planned.
"Just a little more! Your target is on the block adjacent to you!" a voice called from Grant's E-Tap.
Explosions burst out from the M.A.W. as it was struck with rockets. Rockets ricochet off of the M.A.W. and explodes in the dirt and rubble, nearly striking Grant.
This is when large saucers flew overhead of Grant's battalion.
"Oh fuck they have those?" a soldier could be heard from behind Grant.
The saucer energized and let out a giant energy blast, raining down on Grant's troops.
Screams could be heard before immediate silence as the soldiers were incinerated from the beam. More saucers arrived and did the same to more soldiers.
The Saucers moved around at random. Grant juked out of the way of a beam that way crossing his path. The M.A.W. began opening fire on any incoming Saucers, decimating them.
Grant raised his gun in the air and began to fire. Saucers fell to ground in flames as Grant picked them off.
The M.A.W. was firing, when all of a sudden a giant Energy blast ripped straight through it, destroying it.
A loud rumbling shook the earth and grew louder as it came closer. A giant tank parked itself just ocer the lip of the trench.
The Thank then shifted its barrel to face directly at General Grant. Grant froze unsure of what to do. A man suddenly popped out of the hatch.
"No fucking way!" The Kassinger soldier said in surpise. "Sir, I am looking directly at General Grant. What are my orders?" The soldier said into his E-Tap.
"Fucking annihilate him now!" Kassinger's voice rang from the E-Tap. Before the Soldier could step back into the Tank, a bullet exploded his head.
"Dumbass." The private said, holding a pistol in his hand.
Grant noticed that he was the only soldier in his company.
The tank then moved and began sliding into the trench.
"This way!" Grant said as he ran up a path that led to a standing building.
The two ran as fast as they could but the tank managed to keeo up right behind them.
They entered the door of the hallway, which luckily for them was a straight path to the other side.
The tank crashed into the building as it began driving through it, ripping through beams, causing it to begin to collapse.
The two kept running as the building began to collapse around them.
They kept running and burst through the glass, and into the street. Dust filled the street as the building toppled over.
"The building is right over there!" The private called out. Missiles bouncing off the barrier.
There was a loud pop of something breaking.
Derrick looked back to see that a beam had lodged itself into The tank's track and snapped them.
Grant stopped in his tracks.
"What are you doing? It's right there!" The Private said as a came to a stop.
"No. The driver is switching to the weapons. We won't make it. When I say drop. You drop." Grant ordered.
The Private nodded in agreement and held his position, ready for the command.
The tank's Barrel wiggled as the driver touched the controls. It began to energize.
"Drop!" Grant yelled out and went prone.
A energy blast whizzed inches over Grant's head. Another blast from the opposite direction followed as the Blast was ricochet off of the barrier and directly back at the tank.
Half the tank was completely incinerated from the blast.
"Well, that was easy. What now?" the Private stated. All Grant did was turn his head towards their destination.
18:00 25,000 FT Above Chilean Terrain.
Booms of the Helicopter blades could be heard filling the air. Emily held her weapon in her hand, ready to accomplish their mission. A stressed look on her face, still emotional after losing her friend in her arms.
Emily's entire team was on board, even including Postier, who usually commands from Iklem.
"We're so high up! Taz exclaimed.
"25,000 feet. Don't fall out!" Postier said.
"Yeah. Wouldn't wanr that." Taz said.
Emily looked at the clouds below, she could faintly see the mountains through the bog below. "How much longer?" she asked.
"Just a few more clicks south. We are almost there!" Dickhead said near the front.
"Are you ready for this?" Hansel asked.
Distracted, Emily hesitated to answer. "As ready as I will ever be." She muttered coldly.
"You guys see this?" Weapons Specialist Jack Lehem said.
Emily squinted in the direction that Jack pointed. Another helicopter could be see at a similar altitude as theirs.
"Awe, fuck. Its them. Missy is on board." Taz said, using the scope of his rifle to get a good view.
The helicopter shook as it slowly began it's descent. "Shit." Taz said as he lost sight of Missy's helicopter for a second.
"Okay, there you are" Taz said. A moment passed "Wait, where is she? She was just there!"
Taz looked confused as he frantically searched for Missy.
Taz noticed something headed directly towards their helicopter. "what is that? A bird?" he said in confusion.
The bird got closer ti the helicopter. It was golden with blue stripes.
"So if I catch the bird. Can I keep it?" Taz said.
The bird was almost within Taz' Fingers when all of a sudden the bird grew in size.
Taz had no time to react. What stood before him was a half human, half Bird creature. The overgrown bird grabbed Taz and dragged him out of the helicopter. The bird held Taz by the wrist and then let go, sending him into a free fall.
"Dammit, Taz! I told you to not fall out!" Postier joked.
The Bird circled around and was headed straight into the helicopter.
"So unserious" Emily muttered, annoyed. She then herself jumped out of the Helicopter to a freefall.
Emily could hear a loud thud, and then alarms of the helicopter failing, but she didn't look back, only focused on saving her love.
She dove to catch up to Taz' flailing body. His screaming could be heard through the deafening wind.
Emily almost had her fingers on Taz' Foot.
She was suddently blind sided by The bird. The Bird grappled onto Emily. "You're going to watch him splat. You're going to pay for what happened to Hern!" The Bird Spoke.
Realizing that the bird was in fact Missy Rahn, she frantically struggled the get out of her grip.
Emily watched as Taz flailed in the air, screaming his lungs out. Emily began to fiddle with her E-Tap. She then pressed her arm against Missy's chest and activated the chosen canister.
Electricity surged through both Missy and Emily's body. Missy fell limp, letting go of Emily.
Emily found her in a free fall, unable to move. She was able to get a peek below her and saw the ground closing in on her.
She slowly gained control of her body and positioned herself to pick back up speed.
She collided with Taz, he wrapped his arms around Emily as soon as they made contact.
Emily activated her boots, but the massive momentum they had they were not slowing down.
The ground inched even closer as Emily upped the intensity of the Boots functions.
The two came crashing down into a pile of snow. Narrowly coming to a slow enough descent to survive.
A moment passes and the two laid in their imprint.
The two found themselves with their faces inches apart, Taz being the one on top. "Come here often?
Emily scoffed and slapped him on the side of his head. "Shut the fuck up and get off me." Emily demanded.
Taz immediately did so, and began brushing the snow off of him. "Where the hell are we?" He asked.
"Good question." Emily said and began searching her E-Tap. "Okay, we're actually not that far. Just a couple of clicks that way." She saod and pointed towards some mountains in the distance. "In fact. I think I see it."
In the sky above the two could see their helicopter spiraling out of control. Eventually disappearing behind a mountain, followed by a loud boom.
A figure shot up in the sky and circled around. Missy Rahn flew with grace.
"Think she sees us?" Taz asked.
"Get behind me." Emily demanded.
"Emily, I got this." Taz said and tried to step in front of Emily. Emily fiercely grabbed his arm and tossed him back.
"She's after you. Not me. I don't know why, but you are not prepared for this. I love you, I will not see you die." Emily demanded. A sincere look beamed from her pupils.
Taz obliged, submitting to her sincerity.
The Vault, Financial District, Utopia.
General Grant landed on the pavement as he propelled down from a rope that was attached above. Grant's companion followed shortly after.
"What is your name soldier?" Grant asked, realizing he didn't know the private's name.
"Hollander. Private Brett Hollander." Hollander said.
"Keep you're eye out, we don't know what we will find down here." Grant said. He then aimed his gun, turning the flash on for light.
The two marched down the halls of the lab. Light beaming through the glass and into separated labs. The two eventually came to a room with what seemed to be a surgical chair of some sort.
"What the fuck was going on down here?" Hollander said.
"No idea. But I don't think I want to find out. Lets move on." Grant said.
The two continued their search. They eventually came to a overlook, stairs leading to a floor below. Grant looked down to see a chandelier shattered across the floor. Bodies lay trapped under pieces of the chandelier.
The two descended the staircase. A light cough echoed in the Lobby, Grant and Hollander pointed their weapons at the direction of the cough.
Grant and Hollander eased their way towards the soldier. The soldier was sat against a wall. He had a gun in his hand, which was laying limp.
"Don't even think of raising your hand." Grant ordered.
The Kassinger soldier chuckled and wheezed. "You would love that wouldn't you? You know, I have tried pulling the trigger so many times, but my body won't will it. Maybe it is Kassinger's will that I hold on just a bit longer."
"Not likely." Hollander stated.
"What is this? What happened down here?" Grand asked.
"Kassinger said that this was the home base of a powerful team from a thousand years ago. They had technologies that would blow our minds. Kassinger also said that this team is also responsible for how the world is today. " The Kassinger soldier explained.
"What happened here? Tell me!" Grant asked.
"A prophecy fulfilled. Kassinger should soon have it, if he doesn't alread-." The soldier said, but wheezed as his lungs finally gave out. His head tilted over as he went limp.
"Fuck!" Grant screamed as he kicked a trashcan. "What was that even suppose to mean?"
Hollander ignored the question as he was still processing. He inspected the lobby to take in the architecture. "Could it be?" He lightly muttered.
"Could it be what, private?" Grant asked.
"The myth. The- the rumor. Of a artifact from before the war that holds the key to the future. What if this is it? What if the team he was talking about are the same ones that created the artifact in the first place. What if they left clues, left a map leading straight to it?" Hollander questioned.
"If what you say is true, and Kassinger gets his hands on the artifact, then I am afraid all hope dies forever." Grant said giving Hollander a concerning look.
Andes Mountain Range, Chilean Terrain.
Emily and Taz paced in circles as Missy circled around, waiting to get an opening on her prey.
Missy swooped down to test Emily's reaction. Emily threw Taz to the side and jumped out of the way herself.
Emily pulled out her Wakizashi's, one in each hand. She stood in a defensive position ready for Missy's next strike.
Missy however came to a landing. She morphed into a slightly human form, still partially bird.
Missed slowly paced towards Emily and Taz.
"You won't touch him! You wont lay a finger on him" Emily demanded, extending her arms to shield Taz.
"You're going to pay for what you did you my comrade." Missy spat out as she approached.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm afraid you have been misinformed" Emily denied.
"Don't play coy with me. You're going to watch him be torn to shreds. Garetiaz was my only friend!" Missy angrily spat out.
Emily, baffled, shook her head and said "Kassinger is the one that ordered Hernando to be executed. We had nothing to do with it." Emily deflected.
"Lies!" Missy said and then lunged towards Emily at an incredible speed.
Barely able to react, Emily brought her swords up to make contact with Missy's wings.
Emily was shocked to realize that her wings felt like metal. Emily shifted her weight and used Missy's momentum against her.
Missy was thrown into the snow where she rolled and immediately found her footing.
Missy shot up in the air and swooped down to make another attack. Emily once again deflected Missy's attack to which she was thrown to land in a skid.
"I told you. You're not touching him." Emily held her ground.
"Oh yeah?" Missy said and lunged once again. Emily braced herself but was thrown off when Missy juked and kicked her in the chest send her to her back.
Missy shifted her flight and then used her claws to slash a decent gash into Taz' stomach. Missy flew back into the air, ready to play with her prey some more.
Tas fell to the ground screaming in agony. Missy began to begin her swoop once again.
Emily stood up and jumped in front of Taz. Missy collided with Emily and was scooted a foot back.
"See. Wasn't so hard, was it?" Missy taunted.
"You'll pay for that." Emily said and threw Missy back. Missy swung her wing and Emily jumped over, narrowly dodging it.
When Emily landed she quickly shifted herself and used her blades to slice open Missy's Achilles. Missy screamed in pain. "You bitch!" she spat.
"I told you." Emily stated.
In anger Missy lunged forward. Emily tried to block but missed Missy's foot.
Emily yelped as Missy's flaw dug into her shoulder. Emily then began to feel herself lift off of the ground.
Emily tried to swing her swords at Missy but was disoriented when she came to what felt like a freefall.
The wind was knocked out of Emily. She rolled around as she writhed in pain.
Missy landed and began to approach Taz. Emily let a scream of anger. "No" She grunted as she struggled to move.
"Like I said. To shreds." Missy said and stuck Taz once more. This time across the face. Taz let out a scream.
Emily began to struggle even more, tortured to see her love in agony.
Eeny Meany miny moe can a tiger catch a arm?" Missy said sarcastically and flung her wing into Taz' arm. It cut clean through. Taz' screams intensified.
Now in tears, Emily yelled "Im going kill you!"
Missy didn't acknowledge this and knelt over Taz and began punching him.
Emily struggled but managed to bring her hand to her E-Tap. She aimed her arm at the back of Missy's heard. She fired a projectile and it exploded as soon as it made contact.
A ball of smoke filled the air, but Missy's body could still be seen, rising to a standing position.
Emily waited. Missy lunged quickly at Emily, in which Emily threw her sword at her, knocking her in the face. Emily followed with another projectile but Missy managed to deflect it. The projectile landed near Taz ' arm (which had been blown aside from the first projectile.) Taz' arm exoloded in a ball of guts and blood.
Surprised Missy said "Aww. Looks like there's no arm for your boyfriend." Missy said and then lunged at Emily. Emily grabbed her pistol from her holster and began firing. The bullets ricochet off of Missy's wings. Emily dodged out of the way and fired more rounds.
Missy swiped her wing again and Emily fell to the ground anx rolled. She returned with more gunfire, which wasn't doing much of anything.
Emily stood up. Missy scraped her wing in the snow and swung it at Emily's face, blinding her. Emily felt a searing pain in her side as Missy sliced through.
Emily fell to her hands and knees as she grabbed her side.
"Now you're going to just watch." Missy stated.
"Hey bird-brain." A voice called. Missy turned around to see Taz holding his foldable Rocket launcher. "Think fast." He said and pulled the trigger.
A rocket sped through the air and collided with Missy, the force knocking her off her feet and carrying her off in the distance, exploding in a ball of fire.
Taz laid his head back into the snow.
"Taz!" Emily called as she ran to her love.
She immediately took off her E-Tap and placed it onto the nub of Taz' arm. Emily pressed a option and the E-Tap sealed itself to Taz' arm, preserving Taz' arm for later surgery.
A moment passed as the two caught their breath.
Emily helped Taz get to his feet. "which way did you say it was?" Taz groggily said.
"That way." Emily said pointing and panting.
A couple hundred yard away, Missy laid in the snow, unconscious. Missy's Finger twitches, signifying that she is still alive.