The Start Of Something Great

Explosive Personality

Buck's POV: 0736, Jan. 5

The sound of my boots pounding against the cold metal floor echoed through the corridor, signaling that I was getting closer to my target: the reactor. Micky, Simmons, and I had been assigned to destroy the base, and this was the quickest way to do it.

"Red, you're on watch. Micky and I will plant the explosives," I ordered, keeping my voice low but firm. Red gave a quick nod, moving to position himself by the door, while Micky and I moved into the reactor room.

The heat shift as we crossed the threshold felt like walking from an oven set to 200 degrees into one cranked up to 300. The air was thick with tension.

Suddenly, a noise. My instincts kicked in, and I raised my R-201, scanning the room. To my surprise, there was a pilot in the room with us.

"Pilot, five o'clock," I whispered to Micky. Both of us immediately dropped into cover, waiting for the right moment.

The seconds dragged, feeling like hours, but it was only a few minutes before we heard him speaking.

"You want that kind of work done, you need to pay extra," the pilot said, his voice casual as he stepped closer to our position, stopping just short of where we were hiding.

Micky made a move to grab him, but I held up my hand to stop him. He froze, staying crouched as we listened in.

"I want you and the rest of Sentinel to head back to the Erberus base. Prepare for phase two," came a voice from the other end of the pilot's coms.

The pilot nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied, then turned and started to walk away.

As he passed, I couldn't shake the feeling that his voice sounded familiar. I couldn't place it, but it bugged me. The pilot walked toward a door at the far end of the room, and once it opened, we saw a Sentinel Dropship waiting outside. He climbed in and took off without a second glance.

We had to finish our mission, though.

"Heavy, let's finish this," I said, voice low but urgent. Micky and I got to work, placing explosives on the cooling vents—he took the left side while I handled the right.

I heard the satisfying click of the final charge locking into place and armed.

"Let's go!" I yelled as I sprinted toward the door. I could hear Micky right behind me as we bolted back down the hallway.

Simmons was already waiting for us outside the door, and without missing a beat, we all took off for the dropship.

Our boots pounded on the metal floor as we ran, the sound of our hurried footsteps drowned out by the adrenaline coursing through me.

"Arthur, Caleb, the charges are set—get out of there!" I shouted into the coms.

"Copy that," came Arthur's reply.

We were almost there. Just a little further.

Then, the unmistakable boom of a Kraber-AP rifle rang out. I spun around just in time to see the same pilot from before standing in his dropship, the massive sniper rifle raised in his hands.

He swung the rifle vertically with one hand and, to my horror, flipped me off.

Fury flooded my veins, and I brought my rifle to my shoulder, squeezing the trigger. But the dropship hatch slammed shut just as my rounds struck it, the metal casing absorbing the shots.

The ship shimmered, and before I could react, it disappeared, warping out of sight.

"No!" Micky shouted behind me, and I turned to see the horror unfold.

Simmons was on the ground, a massive hole torn through his chest. Blood pooled beneath him, staining the metal floor a dark crimson.

My heart stopped.

I ran to him, scooping him up despite the blood soaking through my hands, feeling the warmth spread down my back. His body was heavy with death, but I couldn't leave him there.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I ran, carrying him toward the dropship. When we reached it, I gently laid Simmons down inside. I could hear Micky close the hatch with a loud clang, and the sound of the seals engaging made everything feel... final.

I stared at Simmons' body, my hands trembling as I reached up to remove his helmet. It felt wrong—like it couldn't be real—but I did it anyway.

The moment I pulled it off and looked at his face, I knew. His eyes were open, but there was no life behind them. Simmons was gone.

I felt the weight of that loss crash over me.

A loud boom outside broke my stupor. I looked out the side hatch and saw the reactor go up in a massive fireball. Micky had triggered the explosives.

"They will pay for that," Micky muttered under his breath, his voice low and full of venom.