The Anomalous Researcher

I Liked The Movie "Frozen" Better Than The Real Life Version

[WARNING: BLOOD AND VIOLENCE]

Alita POV

"Fuck, what are we gonna do? Mission fucking starts in 20 minutes, but none of us have a clue what's happening.", Kyle says, exasperated by his lack of knowledge of the situation. A very cryptic email today told me to assemble my team and wait for instructions.

Just as I'm starting to get antsy about the lack of information, Director Light rushes into the room. "We've got a problem. Chaos Insurgency has set up in an abandoned warehouse in Nevada. They have an anomalous machine that's frozen the entire surrounding area, and two task forces are already trapped inside.", she says, her voice hurried. It's obvious that she is struggling to stay composed.

"Global Occult Coalition agents have already gotten on scene and are preparing explosives. You need to get in there, find the machine, and contain it before the Coalition can do that. Shoot to kill with the Chaos Insurgency, try to avoid the Coalition. Definitely don't reveal your anomalous traits in front of them unless absolutely necessary.", she explains.

We're armed and ready. I assume we'll be teleporting, but I need to visualize the area to do that. As if she's reading my mind, Director Light hands me a picture of a building covered in ice. The surrounding area is covered in a thick layer of snow, marred in some areas with fresh red blood.

"We won't let you down, ma'am!", Emily says, pulling herself together in a hasty salute. "Best of luck to you all.", the Director says, and I teleport my team to the location.

Immediately, I'm hit with a gust of cold air, freezing me down to the very fiber of my being. We're standing in a meter-high snowbank, and it's so cold. I don't take well to temperature changes, be they drastic or minor.

"C-come on. Let's g-get this done with.", I say, trying to get my teeth to stop chattering. My team readies their guns, and we advance. Several shots ring out, and we drop to the ground. "Where the fuck is Smokey!", a deep voice shouts in the distance.

"I don't know! Last I saw her, she was inside! We couldn't plant the explosives, we were chased out by those insurgents!", a higher voice yells back, coming closer and closer to us.

I crawl over to a sort-of fort, and I'm face-to-face with two small children. "Who-who are you.", one asks, as he curls up into a ball. His face is almost blue. The other doesn't respond, but she's still breathing. How long have they been here? "Don't worry. We're here to help. We're going to go fix this little snow problem, and then we'll be back for you. Don't move from this spot.", I tell him.

He's not dressed for this weather, but I am. I take off my outermost layer, a thick jacket, and give it to him. He drapes it over himself and the little girl, and I give them my hat as well. "Try to keep warm.", I say, and I run back over to my team.

"Let's go inside.", I say, and we painstakingly crawl to the entrance. We leave Daniel by the door. "Cover us from out here, Family Man.", Kyle says. "Do your wife and kids a favor and don't get your head blown off.", Kathy adds, before tucking her necklace into his hands. "In case I don't come out, keep this.", she explains, before taking off into the building.

Thick ice coats every surface, and it takes some effort not to slip. Blood stains some areas of the floor and walls, and steam vents in from an unknown area.

"I'm going to try and find where this steam's coming from. Go find that machine, let me know over the radio when you do.", I tell the rest of the team. They go up a staircase, and I turn left, following the steam.

I hear shots ringing from around a corner, and I take my gun out. My knife floats beside me, a loyal companion as always. I peek around, and see two Chaos Insurgents and another woman, who isn't wearing their insignia. One of them shoots at her, the bullet lodging in her leg. She takes off into the steam-filled hallway, seemingly having lost her gun.