The Reasons We Fight

The Match

"Fuck no."

Sapphire thought the idea was absolutely repulsive, and idiotic. Niko would get himself killed. The Director was a master chess player. Nope, Niko would be fucked if he went.

"1. You'd get yourself killed! 2. We've been tracking this asshole for five months, and then you just show up and act like some big hero? No! You're not going to take this from us, Niko. We've been working hard, and not only you making this deal so easily puts our efforts to shame, but also you'll piss everyone off. It's a terrible idea, Niko."

Niko had come up with a master plan to lure this guy out and it gets shot down! Niko was growing tired of taking things at a snail's pace. The longer this dragged on, the more likely the Director would've gotten further and further out of their reach. He knew a plan was needed and using himself as bait by playing a chess match with the Director with everyone ready and waiting to put a bullet through the man, win or lose, was way better than waiting around, killing anyone who'd have the guts to show up, then always finding a location that was an ambush, and then ignoring it due to past mistakes. Niko wanted this to end and how! He was impervious to bullets, now more than ever. He could take anything the Director and his goons could possibly throw at him.

Nevertheless, here Sapphire was, denying a plan she hasn't even tried. It wasn't like what's been tried previously, so its success rate was higher than any plan she could possibly dish out now, which was none at this point. Niko had had enough of waiting, sloshing through dead bodies, and other meaningless tasks. He knew action needed to be taken and taken now! So as he left Sapphire's presence he met up with Tails, Mina, and Caramel and the four took off towards the Kryptionas Caverns. Little did they realize Sapphire figured he would do it anyway and she and Garnet followed.

"Stubborn bitch," Sapphire muttered to herself as her, Garnet, Silver, Gold, and a few New Hesitance soldiers headed off, guns over their shoulders. She had to make the big announcement, and the people of the Insurgency were furious. Of course, it didn't take much to make them furious, but still. They had gone against the captain's (Sapphire's) wishes, which was bad enough as it was.

Meanwhile, in the Kryptionas Caverns, lines of X Insurgents stood, guns pointed at the entrance, ready to fire. The Director was an honorable man, so he kept his promise. They'd play chess, alright. His pawns were ready to face Niko's.

Niko sensed something was wrong and walked in alone. Just as he was about to call for the director but he instead got ambushed by X Insurgents soldiers. Niko without hesitation, summoned Chess pieces and looked at his queen.

"Let's go!" Niko said as she and the Queen took off slicing through the enemy like madmen. Niko hopped on the Queen's shoulders and the two launched a psychic blast that killed all that remained. He then saw that the Director wasn't there and he found a chess piece that doubled as a flash drive. He looked around and saw rouge.

"Rouge?" Niko asked. "Whose side are you on?"

"The side with the best morals." She replied pointing at Sapphire. "She's not that well-hidden from above. I'll meet you at HQ!"

"Well thanks for your help, your majesty!" Niko said and bowed. The Queen bowed and disappeared. He then turned to Tails, Mina, Caramel, Garnet, Silver, Gold, and Sapphire who were staring at him with shock.

"Fucking told you it was a trap," Sapphire muttered as she leaned against the entrance of the cave. She held out her hand, "I saw what you picked up. Hand it over."

As if Sapphire were that queen Niko just fought with, Garnet, Gold, and Silver raised their guns and pointed them at Niko as a threat, to say 'If you don't give it to her, you know what's happening.'

"I was gonna give it you anyway! DAMN!" Niko shouted. "Look I knew he pulled this but I did this to get exactly that! You see, Rouge was working alongside me. I had her go in while all the security was out here trying to kill me. When it was all over she delivered it to me." Niko tossed the device and jammed their guns with his Psychokinesis and walked away. He then stopped and looked behind his shoulder.

"Now you see I'm not as reckless as I was back then." Niko said. "I planned this one out and it worked too. I should have more ideas like this more often." He then walked back to the base. As he did, he looked up at the sky and sighed.

"Your move, Director" he said putting a stick of poky in his mouth. "Your move."