SPECTRE

CHAPTER III

“So the commander gots me sitting locked up while you go off on a fancy mission.” On the bed, Sev lied on his side with his back facing AJ.

AJ stood outside his cell. “Yeah, she said it was attacked by Russian Spectres.”

“So you’re going to fight them?” Sev asked.

AJ shook his head. “No, I’m just retrieving something they didn’t get their hands on.”

“Which is?”

“Commander didn’t tell me.”

Sev groaned. “The mission is very important then,” he said.

AJ glanced around the area. It was a large hallway with open caged prison cells. The bars were rusted and open busted pipes ran across the ceiling above head. Unlike his room, these cells had windows. Well some of them did. The lights jittered on and off occasionally. This was do to the lack of power to the base.

“So, do you have any tips for me?” AJ asked.

Sev glanced over his shoulder at AJ then looked back at the wall. “Not really man. If this is a simple retrieval mission then you should have to fight. Just avoid combat, grab what you need and get back here A.S.A.P,” he said.”

AJ just went on his first mission today with Sev. Now he’ll be heading on another one the same day but by himself. He wasn’t tired but he felt it was going too fast for him. He felt that he still lacked true combat experience to be put on such a crucial mission.

“Hey AJ, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

AJ smiled. “Thanks, I’ll try and get back as soon as I can.”

“Hey, before you leave. Can you ask the commander when I’ll be let out of here?”

“I’ll make sure to talk to the commander before I leave.”

Outside the front gate, AJ’s spear was being prepped to go by the few technicians present in the area. They wore orange jumpsuits stained with motor oil and dirt. AJ walked over to his spear and saw his reflection in the black frame. It had been polished while he was away. It had been a long time since he had seen it cleaned like this. He rubbed his hand over it and felt it’s slick finish.

“Ya like it?” a voice asked.

He looked back and saw a man standing behind him. A gritty middle aged man with brown hair covered in grey strands. He used a dirty rag to wipe the oil from his face, but it didn’t get it all.

“Oh hey, thanks for fixing up my bike,” AJ said.

The man smiled. “No problem, the boys and I love fixing up heaps of old junk.”

“It’s not junk and it’s not old,” AJ corrected.

“Well have you seen what the new Canadians got out there?” the man asked. “Compared to what their spectres are riding, ya might as well be riding a bicycle.”

AJ chuckled. “So what’s your name?”

“The boys back at the garage call me Mac.”

“That’s a generic name for someone like yourself.”

“It’s not my name, just what people call me,” Mac said. “I’d tell ya my real name but then...I’d have to kill ya.”

AJ hopped up onto his spear. He kicked the stand back and planted his foot onto the ground to keep it up right. It felt lighter for some reason. What did those guys do? he wondered. The spear started up and he twisted on the throttle. The engine sounded cleaner, less jitter and there was also less rumble. “Hey, this runs really nice.”