Ophidia Dies

Chapter 3 : Fate

An operation within an unstable region wasn't unusual, but using the chaos to take over the underground networks was a rare occurrence. Rowdy Sisters were specialists in sowing discord in the populace, from learning of the current discontentment to the major actors, they took months to find the right buttons to push so that riot would happen. When Eldest Sister Treves arrived in the region, there had already been clashes with the civilians and the police. As Observant Sisters, Cupcake and Seven Three were tasked with monitoring the activities of the major players, taking them out if necessary. Given the unrest, it was common to see militias openly carrying weapons as they protected their neighborhood, which allowed the Big Sisters to move around without being to suspicious. These clones were deployed en masse in the new region, fully kitted for combat. Plate carrier vests with combat webbing, combat rifle and enough magazines to sustain prolonged firefights.

"Morning, Sisters," Cupcake cheerfully greeted her combat siblings who were donning their balaclava in the locker room. "Eldest Sister Treves said that we'll be doing a show of force with the local gangs by wiping out the most dangerous one. Seven Three and I will cover your back!"

The bubbly Sister received various acts of acknowledgment, from cheerful cries of Karen's clones to the quiet grunts of Epsilon's agents. They all still wore the colored wristbands, all the seven colors were present within the group of twenty Big Sisters. Despite the covert nature of the organization, a discreet black patch was sown on the plate carrier, depicting a snake biting a skull.

"Speaking of Seven Three, has anyone seen her?" Cupcake asked aloud.

A Big Sister with a yellow wristband shrugged, "Have you looked in the armory, Observant Sister Cupcake?"

With a chuckle, the bubbly clone slapped her forehead. "Of course! Thanks, I'll look there!" she declared before jogging to find her sibling, making the Big Sisters look at her with intrigue.

"Aren't Observant Sisters supposed to be patient and detail oriented?" one of the Big Sisters with a red wristband asked to the woman next to her.

"Cupcake is... a special case," another one chuckled, wearing the same color as the bubbly clone: blue. "Name's Muffin by the way."

In the armory, Seven Three was busy browsing the types of ammo for her precision rifle, seemingly hesitating between hollow point and armor piercing. The cold clone was startled when her cheerful sibling whispered a "boo" in her ear.

"What in the Matriarch's name was that?!" Seven Three exclaimed, struggling to stifle her surprise.

Cupcake chuckled. "Since when are you using Treves' expressions now?" she laughed. "I've notified the girls about the mission for today, Sveta."

Seven Three raised an eyebrow, "Since when did you start using my alias instead of my real name?" she retorted.

"Sveta is cute, and it rolls on the tongue," Cupcake proudly declared, hands on her hips. "Never mind that, what are you doing?"

Waving at the ammo types with her hand, Seven Three looked quite bothered. "I don't know if I should take some hollow points or some armor piercing. I read the reports and the gang we're against has some combat cars, they're pretty much a small army."

With a friendly hand on her sibling's shoulder, Cupcake smiled gently. "You've always been straightforward, why are you worrying all of a sudden?" she asked, sensing that something was amiss.

"We're going to an overt combat situation. The last time it happened, I lost two Sisters. I can't allow that to happen again," Seven Three declared, resolute.

Sensing the slight knot in her throat, Cupcake hugged her sibling. "That was a freak accident... We are Sisters, it'll take an explosion to take us down," she reassured before extending her left pinky to her friend. "Let's make this whole operation casualty free, no Sister will be hurt under our watch."