Killing Us Slowly

Chapter 1 Part 2: Eye Of The Storm

3rd June 2037

Military Base. Washington D.C.

X-Ray, Texas, Gamma, Riot and Eden are now inside the Control Room, analyzing telemetry from recent missile launches.

Eden's POV

"It just doesn't make any sense. This data must be corrupted, the launch site can't be in the middle of the sea. The math doesn't add up." I exclaimed, abhorrently staring at the numbers. 

"Are you sure you are looking at it the right way? The coordinates might have been switched. 

"No, it couldn't, then the target location wouldn't be Vancouver, it would be in Washington State. The numbers are too close to have been swapped. It must be correct." I proclaimed, insistent on my answer. 

"Have you tried to check that your two coordinates for longitude and latitude? That may be the problem." 

I turned to see who in their right mind would dare to stand up against my judgement. 

Oh. North and Dex. What are they doing here. 

"What are you two doing here? Aren't you two supposed to be busy with..."

"Please sit, North. Dex would you mind helping X-Ray with the decoding?" The general stated as flatly as he could without piquing my interest. 

"No worries general, I will have it sorted in two minutes." He quickly walked over to the table where X-ray sat and instantly started to type away, revealing more lines of code that was processed immediately by the large computer that dominated the room. 

"North, have you extracted the necessary information?" The general asked, all the while typing away at his datapad. 

Dex answered for him, not looking up from his spot. 

"Yes General. All tasks have been placed under extreme care and completed without any setbacks."He spoke confidently. 

"And yet, you have two day old scars that indicate your supposed, uneventful encounter with the enemy at hand." A strange, masculine voice broke out over the clatter the electronics made. Dex fell silent and scoured the area for the body that spoke. 

"I can also deduce from your lack of armament, that you had recently washed and dress the part. So you had not recently arrived from your successful mission. Thus I can conclude that you had taken the initiative and completed your mission under the pretense of entertaining your superiors so that they may reward you as so."

A handsome man, wearing the usual drab olive green the Army passed as such a delightful and inspiring color. However, he was accompanied by a tight-lipped Sierra, who looked worse for wear. 

"Whoa, looked who the cat dragged back from training. If it isn't Sierra, how nice of you to finally show up. And you are?" I said, not intending to lose my position as the rightful owner of my own intellectual prowess that I so rightly deserve. 

"Well, if you must know, I am Dallas, old friend of the general and Sierra here. you must be Eden. Your reputation precedes you. I must say that you have demonstrated that you have the skill to match Gamma and Texas in hand-to-hand combat. Both at the same time apparently." He spoke with such great gusto, I would very much like it to smack the smile off his cute face. 

"As much as I am sure you want some of the prize I have garnered from my peers, I'm sure you would expect no less than a rejection, pretty boy."I retorted, smiling indignantly. 

" Well, I didn't ask. I would very much like to place a wager against you. I'm proposing to challenge you Eden. One on one." Dallas purred, smiling slyly. 

"No challenges, I thought?" I looked over at the general, who seemed to not take into account what Dallas had said. 

"Dallas, you are allowed this one chance to take on Eden, but I don't think that she could stand a chance at beating you if you decide the challenge as well as the terrain. So I will hand the decision to Dex and Sierra, who will work in tandem with X-Ray to set this small arena up for the two of you specifically." The last  voice spoke out, clear as day. The last man walked in, followed by a slight nod from the general. 

"Ah, I see you have made yourself known Karma. Nice to see you again." The general took Karma's hand in greeting. 

"And I you, General Blade, if I am still allowed the chance to address you as such." 

"Oh, I think you are still able to, Karma. I still am, so why not?" Dallas spoke out, his voice ringing. 

"Yes, I understand you have been allowed this gift of informality, but this peace we have cannot last. If the enemy gains the next piece of the puzzle, the serenity cannot be maintained. 

"Dallas, this is Commander Karma, or as his real name would reveal itself," The general motioned toward Karma, who stepped forward and spoke in a sultry, cold voice. 

"I would be known personally as Nero, but I am a true-blooded American. None of us would use any of our real names, I am divulging this information to provide some levity between us." Karma said, making me raise an eyebrow. 

"What is your SAT score?" I asked Karma. Dallas answered for him, but I think both their scores were the same. 

"Apparently we have the same SAT score, Dallas. Well done!" Karma shook Dallas' hand. 

"Enough talk, let's discuss business. We have the rest of the information . We can finally triangulate the Insurrection's major bases. Each has been located in every  major country, such as India, Indonesia in South East Asia, one in Russia, Europe will be England. Two in Africa, One in SOuth AMerica, right near our doorstep." The general rattled off the list quickly, while Sierra took down the different location.

"All of this is classified information, sir?" Scythe asked. The general shook his head, sighing while smoothing out his uniform.

"Unfortunately, the public has caught wind of the presence of the Insurrection, so now protests are occurring everywhere around the different state to organise a huge mounted assault to eliminate the rogue group." He said sullenly. 

"If I am permitted to speak sir," Sierra spoke, then the general nodded his head, and with that small motion, Sierra walked over to the displays in front of X-Ray, turning on their intensive tracking software. "We have detected at least a salvo of nuclear warheads, in each country you have listed sir. The Insurrection are intent on destroying whatever is left of us. They want a world without military or diplomatic presence." 

Furthermore, I decided that it was more than likely I would be separated from Texas when we would be regrouped, so I had personally asked Gamma and Riot to take care of her while I was without her. Gamma agreed, but decidedly didn't want to look me in the eye. Riot cares too much for Texas, so I don't think I have to ask him to do that. 

It's time. 

We left Command and headed toward the training module that was installed when we expanded the Base. As long as we stayed here, we could be certain that we would be ready for anything. Almost anything. There we regrouped with the rest of the people that were supposed to join our large team. 

"We have decided to split you guys into two teams, for larger, more intense missions that requires more people. These two will be Dark Force and Anarchy. Secondly, we will change your teammates to fit three different squads, Red, Blue and EXO." The general rattled off. 

"I had forwarded your position and assigned groups. Please, would everyone stand together as their group would be." 

Almost immediately, everyone coalesced into two different groups. 

"Well, I'm not with Texas for the small squad, but I will be with her in Anarchy." 

This marks the end of the first chapter, The Storm Approaches. Chapter 2 will be coming in hot on the 7th of April 2016. With Part 1 and 2, and will start with Mission 1, which will have the two big teams going on a high-octane, heavy-powered action!

Sierra Helianth III/Argenite~~