Taken Over: Sapphire of Hope

Frustrations of Being Second in Command

Jake arrived at the Death Trap headquarters in Minnesota, and walked over to Skullfire's room upstairs. When he got there, the door was open showing there was no one inside. Jake walked through the doorway and checked to make sure the room was empty. After he walked a few feet away from the door, it slammed shut. Jake quickly turned around and saw no one was there. Suddenly the room became dim, and a blue hologram lit up in the middle of the dimly lit area. It was a hologram of Skullfire.

"You said you had gotten word of my brother. What is it?"

The blue hologram spoke in the same raspy voice Skullfire did as it replied to Jake.

"Your brother has been shot by a member of T.C."

Jake looked at the hologram in slight terror.

"What do you mean he's been shot? Who did this? How did it happen?"

You could hear the frustration and anger in Jake's voce when he asked this. Skullfire quickly put him in his place.

"Do not become angry with me! I was not responsible for what happened!"

Jake backed away from the hologram as it said this because he was afraid it might explode.

"I'm sorry Skullfire, but I thought you said you had Death Trap soldiers watching them to make sure they were all safe and okay."

Skullfire responded with anger again.

"How do you think I obtained this information? They were watching them, but there was nothing they could do. Commander Perkbay of the N.D.S.P.D. tried taking the girl hostage. Your brother showed up and stopped him. Unfortunately, the commander wasn't unconscious. He waited for the right opportunity, and tried shooting the girl. Your brother decided he wanted to be a hero and jumped in front of the shot. There was nothing we could've done to prevent this. That shot was meant for the girl and he saved her."

Jake shook his head when he heard this. He knew his brother loved the girl, but he didn't think he would die for her.

"How bad is he?"

The hologram flickered a little, but continued transmitting.

"Well, you both will have something else in common."

Jake looked at the hologram in confusion.

"You both have two different colored eyes, and now you'll both have a scar on your left shoulder."

Jake looked at his bandaged shoulder and hoped Aiden wasn't hurting too bad.

"Now enough about your brother. Tell me what happened in Montana and give me an update on our progress."

Jake looked at Skullfire with slight concern, but told the man what he wanted to know.

"We had a little bit of difficulty taking over Montana, but after making our way to the walls main control station, we were able to put up the red wall."

Skullfire nodded.

"I know. That's not what I wanted to know. Were there any fatalities?"

Asked the hologram to Jake.

"Yes, there is at least one that we know of, but it wasn't from us or the Montanans."

The hologram flickered a couple times as Skullfire stood there staring at his first commander, waiting for him to continue.

"When I took a small squad to the control station, we took out a couple of guards. Guards that had T.C. tattoos on their arms. When I had gotten to the generals office, he was dead and Adam was there waiting for us."

The hologram of Skullfire continued to stare at Jake with no response whatsoever.

"Three of us were shot in the shoulder trying to resist him, but we left him in the building, as I knew you would want. He is unharmed, just unconscious."

"You have done excellent work Jake. I look forward to seeing what you do with your next assignment."

Jake looked at Skullfire patiently awaiting his next orders.

"I need you to split up Death Trap and send them to three other states to take over at the same time. I expect these states to be fully taken in two days."

Jake looked at Skullfire and didn't understand why his leader wanted to take over more than one state at a time.

"I thought we agreed to take our time with this national take over. Why have we sped things up?"

Skullfire answered with frustration.

"Because, T.C. is pushing their limits as I figured they would. They are trying to stay within the borders and cause a stir in our camps. They have attacked two of our camps in Idaho and are trying to retaliate. If we start speeding up this take over, then they will be forced to move back quicker and reposition, constantly causing their plans to be stopped at every turn."

Jake thought about this and completely understood why Skullfire hadn't told him about his change in speeding up the national take over.

"Okay. Where do we go next?"

"I want you to take a third of our troops and go to North Dakota. Send another third to Nevada, and the last third to Utah. When all three have been successfully taken in two days, I will contact you through a message for your next assignment."

Said the hologram of Skullfire.

"Why by message? Why not call or meet me here?"

There was a slight growl from the hologram as Skullfire answered.

"Because I am in the middle of enemy territory and I can't afford to get caught, or have my absence be noticed. You will hear from me personally after the nation has been taken over to the border we are putting at Pennsylvania. Good luck Jake and be careful, I will need you before the end, so no more getting shot. Be cautious."

After the hologram said this, it turned off and Jake stood in the room for a moment before leaving to go split up the Death Trap army to take over the three states Skullfire had told him.