Playing With Fire (R6xOC)

Chapter 13

"Mission report, Firebreak."

"The mission was successful, our objective was completed. We had eight casualties, and a run in with Rainbow."

"And you killed them?"

"...No, sir."

"What do you mean 'no?'" He turned to me with a fire in his eyes. "You are here for one reason only, you incompetent whelp! That is to kill. Rainbow. What stopped you, I wonder? Was it some circumstance out of your control, was it some sort of divine intervention, or was it your inability to kill them out of the kindness of your heart?"

"We had no time, sir." I replied, teeth clenched.

"I highly doubt that, Kötz. What happened was you felt sympathy because you were friends with them and you couldn't bring yourself to kill them." He spoke condescendingly in a patronizing tone. I wanted to take a swing at him but I couldn't bring myself to. Couldn't even form a fist around him.

"One of them was my brother."

"And? Is that supposed to elicit sympathy from me? You are loyal to me, you filthy mongrel, not him! You're nothing but a whining pup to me, unable to kill the already dying cat. You are nothing but a failure!"

He took a deep breath from berating me, before turning around facing the numerous large screens of occurring attacks worldwide.

"You disappoint me, Krystof."

I lowered my head, disappointed. In myself, my ability, and my compassion towards the enemy.

"I'm sorry, Mason. Give me another chance, give me a team. I'll take the fight to them. I failed you, and it will not happen again."

A chuckle escaped his lips, masked by the bandages that covered his scars.

"I know. Which is why I haven't punished you for your failures." He turned around, placing his hand on my shoulder. "In fact, I've decided to reward you. I took the liberty of getting your armor repainted."

He motioned for a couple of White Masks to step forward, with my armor. I examined it, running my fingers along the freshly painted chest. It was all black with a white handprint on the center of the chest at an angle. As I was putting on the armor, Mason continued to talk.

"Also, I've thought long on your request to have Nero work with you and Reaper. After some consideration, weighing the pros and the cons, the benefits and the setbacks, I've decided. Not only is Nero going to be joining you, Spectre will too. When I don't send him on stealth missions, that is."

He waved at the doors, which opened to reveal three figures. On the left, my teammate which I knew I would have a sure spot on my new task force, Reaper. He was painted all black with the same white handprint on the side of his head.

In the middle was Nero, who wore the standard White Mask outfit with a long white poncho. His mask was black with a matching white handprint. He stood almost a head taller than me, and was heavily tattooed all down his arms and hands.

Lastly, on the right was Spectre, who retained his standard look, except for a white handprint on his left pectoral plate. He had a knife on his belt which he held as he walked in, most likely from years of experience.

"Damn, we look good." I whistled, as I looked at my new team.

"You will spend the next coming week training together, learning each other's style. You will eat together, you will work together, you will kill together. You four are my ace in the hole. When all hope seems lost, you will be there to show the White Masks what it truly means to hope." Even through his wrappings I saw his smile stretch ear to ear.