Decisions Among Chaos
#3 of The Great White Hunter
Jonathan summoned all of the knowledge from his days of training before making his escape. Picking the lock would be easy, because all of the new technology locks were actually less secure than the traditional key locks. He would have to climb the crane's chain, scale down from there, leave the courtyard, then meet a contact to get false papers, "Simple."
He extended a claw into the lock, "Just like old days..." This technique often led to pain and failure, but Jonathan made a point to master it. Every bump, every notch, every turn, all like they were old friends. The lock clicked after a few seconds, but Jonathan only let the door open past the lock. He examined everything he could from the crack, and when he was satisfied he grabbed the top of the frame and flipped on top before silently shutting the door.
Next was simply climbing the chain without it rattling, another technique he learned in training. Never give your enemy a chance to notice you before you notice them. The years of being at the top have reduced his endurance a bit, so the climb was more arduous than he had hoped. Jonathan survived, and crawling down the crane arm was much easier. He was a bit nervous to see how few Sisters were guarding the area, but then again, he was in a cell suspended high above a concrete surface.
He stuck to the shadows as he crept along the outer wall of the cathedral, making sure to take note of any cameras, spotlights, and patrolling guards. He only had to stop a few times, but only due to a Sister taking a break by leaning on a nearby wall. He was able to slip out through a hole in the fence, then bolted through a nearby neighborhood, making sure to make as many turns as possible to throw off any would-be pursuers.
"That was easy, guess I'm not so rusty after all. Now where would he be hiding..." Jonathan was still friends with a man known for his forgeries, and all Jonathan needed was a false document to get on a transporter to his base. The fee was steep, but Zavier owed him big.
Jonathan jogged through the neighborhoods using the cover of night to avoid being seen until he found Zavier's house. A run-down brick row home with the rusted screen door, just like always. Jonathan knocked three times, then twice, then three times.
The wooden door creaked open, "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"
"Cashing in a favor."
Zavier removed the heavy duty locks from the screen door and let Jonathan in, making sure to lock up after a quick scan of the surrounding area, "What do you need? And this makes us even."
Jonathan admired the small home. The outside was rough, but the inside held technology so sophisticated it could do just about anything you could imagine, "I need a fake ID. One to get me back to HB-24. Preferably as an unranked grunt, less suspicious. Also a uniform, guns are provided on base, and I have no doubt they are asking for more than they know."
Zavier sat at a large computer, "What makes you say that? You ain't always cryptic."
"Something is wrong, and I'm sure the Sisters are involved. They want more foot soldiers, that's why it'll be easy to get in."
Zavier waved his hand and continued typing. After a few second, a large machine kickstarted to life and began to hum, "Printing you up a uniform John Apple." He handed over a card, "That'll get you through all but the most secure checks. You better hope that what you think is right." The large machine dinged, and a replica uniform was standing, suspended in air, "That's convincing, but it can't beat the original stuff. Get shot and you will go down."
Jonathan wasted no time in getting dressed, "You're off the hook for now Zavier."
The pathetic man grinned, "How's your daughter?" Jonathan replied with a smile, then a solid punch to the jaw. He left without saying goodbye.
............................................
"Garrett, you know as well as I do that I cannot leave you be. Things are starting to happen, those in charge got lazy and let it happen."
He stared at the small bright dot in the sky, the only such light available since the world was killed. The satellite that was supposed to give surveillance only really provided security for the base, "False hope at it's finest."
Alice looked up, "Yes, that is also an issue." She was standing next to Garrett who happened to be laying on a roof, "Do you realize this is against the rules?"
Garrett gave her an empty glance, "When the people up top follow them, so will I."
The Sister let out an annoyed sigh, "You are just as stubborn as I was led to believe. Unfortunately, I am moreso."
"I'm starting to understand that part. Why me? Why not another soldier in your order?"
"Because you have proven that you are more worthy. The title given to you by your comrades is not one of weakness and friendliness, it is one of respect and power. Although, it may not be completely accurate. As I recall someone had just read a book and thought it would fit." She scanned the horizon to see a black ship settling in. This base had teleportation for individuals, but not items. A nearby planet was the destination for items, and a ship transported them where they were needed.
"I am no longer any good at combat, leave me be and find another."
"Ha, you are a terrible liar. A good trait to have, but a bad one in negotiations. I know you crave the war, you want their heads on a silver platter. You lost many, none of which was caused by you, but you survived. You pulled through it all, and now you have a chance to take it back."
Garrett was unmoved, though Alice tried to be persuasive. You can't convince someone who has made up their mind, "Please leave me be."
"You have your rifle, but I hear you haven't shot it since the civil war back on Earth."
He flinched. Garret was a young soldier, not even past his teen years, when he was called in to defend government buildings from those who wanted chaos and anarchy. He shot the young, the old, women, children, even former friends. His marksmanship earned him a spot in the interplanetary conquest division, when he moved on to heavy weapons. He learned after the second planet was "free" from the monsters that the civil war had no good sides, it was just one side. Governments were behind it all, and the worldwide civil war was just enough to thin out population numbers. Even worse, food and water were no longer problems, so there was no real cause. They were simply afraid of an uprising in which the weak would take over from the strong.
"Garrett, I ask you this not as a Sister, not as a soldier, not even as an ambassador, but as a woman. Please," She dropped to her knees and put her hands together like in a prayer, "I beg of you, accept my offer, become a Legatus. You know as well as I do that it's only a matter of time before they find their way to Earth, and you also know that these planets were better fortified before the attack."
He looked into her eyes and saw that she wasn't just saying things, she meant it from the bottom of her heart. Her home was on Earth, and technically so was his. He had just been the person on the front lines, fighting a war, not asking questions, but Alice brought up a point he hadn't considered in any detail before: the monsters came from somewhere, and it wasn't obvious, "I know you want me to lead some Sisters, but I doubt I have the killer instinct any more."
Alice found a weakness, "I can help you find it, and together we will do amazing things. Peace is always a goal, but there must be bloodshed to obtain it." She knew that Garrett would understand that. A career soldier lived on violence to end violence, "How can I make my allegiance known?"
Garrett sat up. For once, he didn't have an acceptable response. Alice grabbed his arm, "Follow me." He followed under his own power after he regained his balance. She was still a Sister, and did have the right to kill him. They ended up in the barracks, and to his surprise a long crate was on his bed.
Alice clicked the locks open, then lifted the cover. Inside was a state-of-the-art gattling gun, outfitted with plasma charges and reinforced to dissipate heat. Most plasma weapons used bulky magazines, but this one used small cylinders, like small soda cans. The base color was ash white, the barrels were pitch black, and the strap meant to go over the shoulder bore the markings of a Legatus, "I'm guessing this was your handiwork."
"I volunteered on this as well, custom made down to the screws holding it together. Every bit is hand crafted, the grip was made to fit your hand, and the weight and balance are perfect."
Garrett examined the weapon. It was certainly better than any stock model, and most likely would endure much more in close quarters than his previous weapons. After all, firing 1,000 rounds a minute did nothing when a monster was in your face. He used to carry a combat knife, but he switched to a makeshift "hammer" because of their hard hides. He was shoved onto his bed before he could think any more, "Uh..."
Alice took off her necklace and put it around his neck, "From this point on, you are Legatus, and I am your second, understand?"
"A second?" Garrett knew almost nothing about the inner workings of the Children of Iron, so he had no idea what a Legatus really was, or what a second was, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Simple, I am your second in command and the closest to you. I won't abandon you unless you do something like the others have been doing..." She drifted off and climbed on top of him, "Now, sit still while we perform the ritual."
......................................
Jonathan ran as fast as he could. His fake passport and uniform were enough to get him back to the base, but standing around would be a catastrophic error. The chaos of the soldiers was just enough.
The halls were crowded, making him more thankful than ever to be wearing a helmet with a mask, "Attention all personnel, the former general has killed both men guarding him during house arrest and is now in the base. He is to be shot on sight for crimes of treason."
Jonathan cursed under his breath, this was the last thing he wanted to have to deal with. He pretended to look around like the others, then slowly marched without drawing attention to himself. The Sister he saw was at this base, he knew that, not to mention that if she knew as much as she said his daughter would be her next victim. There wasn't time. He had to scour the entire base armed only with his fists.
.........................................
Jean was sighing loudly to anyone that would listen. Because of the lockdown, she was put on control and maintaining order. At the very least, she was allowed to carry a shotgun loaded with rubber slugs. Not fatal (sometimes), but enough to get the message across. She had Cassie and Lisa set up in the mess hall, Yuli and Greta were to patrol the barracks, making sure nothing funny was going on. She was in the hangars, where all the action was.
"No, you can't smoke near fuel. No, you can't use the outlets to charge personal devices. No you can't climb on the arms..." She had to say those things so much she just mumbled them as she patrolled, not caring if anyone was breaking the rules. Soldiers and engineers were no better than children here. Jean knew barely anything about regulations, but she could tell they were being violated, "No, you can't smoke near fuel. No, you can't use the outlets to charge personal devices. No you can't climb on the arms..."
Bill, the head mechanic, offered to help out. He was in charge of the engineers and mechanics, but his word only held so much power, "I swear, it's like the end of the world or something. Well..." He passed Jean and handed her a note, "I guess it's close..." His voice faded as he walked away to scold a group of new recruits.
Jean opened the paper:
'Hey, I know you aren't up to speed on everything, but something has got the Sister's spooked. I saw one of their dedicated transport ships arrive earlier today. Ten of them got off, then they had a ton of big boxes holding weapons delivered somewhere. That hasn't happened in a long time, you'd best be prepared. A shit storm is coming, pardon my language. I trust you, so I left you a box or two of actual shells. Check in your exoskeleton's cargo chamber. Good luck out there.'
"Uh... " Her mind received a nasty case of whiplash as she tried to comprehend what the note said. Any ammunition not sanctioned by the military or Sisters was illegal and earned you a dishonorable discharge and a hefty fine, "I suppose things have been a little off around here."
The influx of soldiers, the weapons being repaired and cleaned, new combat training drills, it was like another war was about to start. Jean also noticed something more peculiar, namely that the drills were more focused on person-to-person combat, not person-to-monster. She made a promise to herself to get the ammo boxes before nightfall, her unit would not fall victim to a coup.
As she pondered the situation and trained her own eyes to be more keen on her surroundings, Yuli jogged up to her, "Heyyyy, you'll never guess what I saw." Her voice was as lazy as ever.
"Well? What? And why aren't you at your post?"
"Greta covered it, this is funny. The Sister got it on with-"
A boom outside distracted them, and despite being on a scavenger unit, they both had their weapons ready in less than a second. Shouts outside confirmed a misfire of a missile launcher. One more thing that had never happened in the war with monsters. Missiles had always been fired from automated cannons and sentry guns, not by person. Jean lowered her gun slightly, "Listen, Yuli, go back to my room and get my large duffel bag, should be jammed in my footlocker. Hurry up."
Yuli nodded. She was a trained soldier before being placed into a scavenger unit, though nobody was really sure why. Some say she could never wake up with her old unit. Some say she was too accurate and made the others look bad. In either case, she was an asset. A sleepy asset, but an asset all the same. As she ran away, she didn't sling the shotgun across her back.
Jean looked up at the high vaulted ceiling, "What the hell is going on..." Another misfire rocked the hangar as it hit the side. Apologies and more shouting, maybe Yuli was right to keep the shotgun in her hands.
A soldier ran inside the hangar in a panic, holding his plasma rifle, "I'm not doing it man!"
Jean aimed her shotgun, "Put your weapon on the ground now!" The man was terrified out of his mind for some reason. He was only in the training area, and there were no alarms. Something did not make sense, "Put your weapon down or I will shoot!"
He just stood there, shaking in place. He growled, and before he moved Jean shot him in the head. His body hit the ground with a thud as Bill called in security. It wasn't a fatal shot, and his helmet would have absorbed most of the impact, but he was still unconscious, "That man was no soldier Jean."
"I can tell. Something isn't right at all. What's really going on? Everything was calm the other day."
Bill scratched his messy fur, "I wish I knew. I wish I knew." He walked away to deal with his own people, once again breaking rules.
Yuli ran up to Jean, "Here you go boss lady."
"Let's check the exoskeletons. I doubt there was damage, but that rocket hit near them. Just doing our duty." Yuli giggled, which made Jean doubt her maturity, then followed Jean. She shut the door behind them, "Yuli, help me load this bag." Jean jogged over to her exoskeleton and opened her cargo hold. It wasn't big, but it was usually enough for weapons and emergency supplies. Now it had two ammunition boxes inside. Yuli didn't question the order, and both of them emptied the boxes into the bag so they would fit better, "Here, take 16 shells. Keep them in your pocket, use them if things get too bad too fast."
Yuli filled her pockets, "Jean, something is wrong." Yuli noticed without the note, she was more perceptive than Jean had imagined, "Too many booms, not enough work. I don't like war."
"Who do you think we're at war with?"
Yuli put a finger on her chin, "Uh... each other?"
.................................................
Jonathan finally found his daughter's barracks. He felt ashamed for a while, as he should have known this as both a father and general, but still he knew nothing other than being up top. Luckily, he snagged a pistol from an officer running around without a destination, another ability he was thankful for.
Now the question remained: what should he do? He could find his daughter, but that was about it. He couldn't smuggle her away, he couldn't kill anyone threatening her. These thoughts came late in his planning, but at the very least he could ensure she was still safe.
He pushed open the door and stepped inside, "Cassie?"
"Jonathan, you really are stupid." Garrett was sitting on the bed, shaking his head from side to side. In front of Jonathan stood the Sister he first saw, then the one from his cell. Garrett was right, he made a mistake, one that was always fatal. He underestimated his enemies.
"We see all, we know all. Past, present, and future." Alice pulled the trigger of her sidearm. Jonathan saw a flash of light.
Then darkness overtook him.