Agent California: Retribution

Prologue

Prologue

Before we do this, you should know a bit about me. I'm a man of my word. A man of loyalty. A man of severe stubbornness. I have always been a bit of a badass too. I just never knew how good of one I was until I got hired to do it for a living.

I used to be a soldier. I resigned when my home was destroyed and the UNSC did nothing to stop it. I grew a severe hate for the military. For a while I thought I'd never pick up a gun again. I missed the fight.

Then project freelancer came to my door. They said they could make me better. They said they could give me a chance to fight for what was truly right. Nothing would get in the way of my mission. They gave me a home. A team, and a family.

I had no home to protect any more. I had jobs. There was no one who was so weak I had to defend them. Everyone I cared about was strong. So my first and only responsibility was to project freelancer. I had a new life, a new identity. I won't bother giving you my old name, because it means nothing. I'll tell you my new name, the only one that counts.

Agent California.

"Alpha team, report to the bridge immediately." The director's voice rang over the comms of the ship.

I rose up from my cot and set my data pad down. My quarters were quite small, but I didn't need much room. Just a place for me to sleep and to put my stuff. I looked into the mirror on the adjacent wall. I looked good, as always. I had spiky black hair and blue eyes. My features were strong and resembled that of a usual soldier. In my black Mark VI armor with orange detail, I looked pretty deadly.

"Are you going to the bridge or admire yourself all day?" The blue shimmery form of my AI, Beta, appeared next to me. The AI were meant to resemble that of the agent's personality. Beta was confident. And kind of an ass hole. I guess that reflected on me a little too.

I picked up my hoplite helmet and put it on. "I'm going I'm going." I stepped out into the busy halls of the The Mother Of Invention. That was the ship we were on.

"I swear. If you and Kansas weren't a thing, I'd say you were gay for yourself." Beta said.

"Hey, Kansas and I aren't a thing." I replied. "And I could do a lot worse than me."

"You could also do a lot better."

I walked toward the bridge and passed another fellow freelancer. He wore white and brown EVA armor and carried a large grenade launcher with a huge blade on the end of it. It looked almost alien.

"Nice piece, Maine." I commented as we passed each other.

He nodded in reply. He was never one for many words.

I stepped onto the bridge of the ship. It was filled with consoles and people running them. The entire front viewport had a beautiful sight of a distant sun. My team stood there, waiting for me.

Ohio, my best friend and probably most lethal member of the team. He wore black scout armor with blue detail and a red visor. It was often wondered amongst the team who was better, him or me. We never bothered to find out, both enjoying leaving it to the team's imagination. His AI was Pi, reflecting the cocky side of him.

Michigan was the only other member of the team who had an AI, Kappa. He wore dark green Mark VI armor and always gave the team a comedic relief to the situation. He was a broad to the end.

Kansas was one of the closest people to me. Aside from Ohio, and Beta, she was the one person I always went to talk to. Michigan and I were close on a team level. He and I could always trust the other to watch our backs, but we didn't talk too much outside of training or missions. Kansas and I spent a lot of time together (bowchickabowow). She had forest green recon armor.