Halo: Noble Freelancer

Part Thirteen: One By One, They... All... Fall... Down

"Counselor, is there any way we can triangulate where they are at this point of time?" "No Director, not unless one of them was carrying a tracking device when they left." "What about the helmet cams, was anyone wearing them?" "Checking... Only one, Agent Florida." "FILSS, I want you too use the camera's frequency on Agent Florida's helmet to narrow down their location." "Yes sir, starting scan now."

I leave the camera feed to the Mother of Invention and think in anger. He's already not trusting me. I'm one of his best agents, I never fail or near fail a mission. So why is that when I'm left to take care of the others he suddenly worries? I take a deep breath. Then I head through the door. As it opens, I see the others waiting. "Good morning Agent Berlin." Sigma greets. I walk past Maine and him into the center of the big, white room. Carolina moans as she keeps close. I stop and shove my open palm into her chest, she flies back stopping on the other side of the others as I shake my head, "I never said to follow."

Omega Aggressive, get ready to turn on the main deck? (Yes sir, just give me the command and I shall complete the task.) The room gets brighter by five percent as Omega Aggressive prepares for my orders. The others are in numerical order, according to the roster. "Today I will teach you to observe your surroundings, spot your enemies, and how to take their lives without the others becoming aware." I announce. Washington raises his hand slowly, not really knowing what to do. "Yes, Agent Washington." I acknowledge him. "Oh umm," he chooses his words carefully, "How are we supposed to train under these subjects in an empty white room...? Sir."

I nod my head. On my mark. (Yes sir.) I raise my hand and step to the side like I'm greeting them into a home. Mark. Buildings rise from the ground and civilians appear from thin air, talking on cellular devices and committing crimes all the same. The others all look around stunned at the sudden change. As people walk around them like we have actually been teleported to a city, I step back and disappear in the crowd.

"I presume you all remember the armory room from our short tour earlier." Omega Aggressive echoes my voice around the room. "Go there. Change armor, armor colors, even dress as a regular civilian. I don't care. As long as you use the things there, and only those things, do what you must... But know, if you use anything other than what's in that room you'll be sure to set yourself up as my primary objective. Also, when you return I will be hidden within the city limits, waiting for you find me. I will give you five minutes and then I will start to hunt you down one by one. If I silence all of you, you lose. If you can't silence me within the time limit, you lose. Get the picture?" "Affirmative." Sigma says in my ear.

I shake my head at the sound of the voice echoing through my ear canals. How the hell can he be doing that from over there? He doesn't even know where I am. (Checking...) Sigma watches Maine closely as he looks around the city. (It appears as though nothing is wrong with your robotics, it's like you just heard him really well.) Omega Aggressive says strange and nervous.

I send them to prepare for a beating and walk through the holographic figures. The buildings are like nothing as I step through walls and pretend to punch the faces of people. (Are you actually... Playing around?) I stop, realizing the smile under my helmet. No... I-I don't play around. The smile quickly dissipates. (You were... For the first time I seen you enjoy something.) You're mistaken, I don't smile, I don't have fun, and I don't... play around. (Right, because if you do we'll end up looking like a your nightmare.) How did you? (Small details Berlin, the others are probably to the armory by now.)

My mind can't get off Omega Aggressive knowing about that. He may be in my mind and all but he's never said anything. (I was never given the order.) Right. When I walk the perimeter of the once empty holographic room, having to walk through apartments and listen to multiple illusions scream at the dinner table, I find a picture in the far right corner. There's another in the far left corner of the holographic room as well.