A Rough Road Home --Red Vs Blue AU

1- Eyes Open

~There's so many stories where some brave hero decides to give their life to save the day, and because of their sacrifice the good guys win, the survivors all cheer, and everybody lives happily ever after. But the hero... never gets to see that ending. ...They'll never know if their sacrifice actually made a difference. They'll never know if the day was really saved. In the end, they just have to have faith. ...Ain't that a bitch?~

I had my head tilted back staring at the ceiling of the Pelican as I listened to two of the other new recruits bicker about their new state names. My long blonde hair was pulled back in a tight bun as a faint jangling sound was heard. I unconsciously played with new dog tags that stated that I was Agent Kansas of Project Freelancer with an ID number on it, unlike my uniform's patch over my right breast that said I was Alex Briggs. I don't think I'll ever be called that again after today and hopefully I won't.

As the sound of the Pelican's engines drones on, my mind wandered back to the day that I was picked for this Project. It was just two days ago, after my squad and I came back from a training session in a city on some planet I didn't care to remember. My CO called me up to his office to what I assumed would be a meeting on how well the team did, but when I arrived a dark man was seated in the CO's chair. In shock at what I was seeing, the man stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of me and cleared his throat.

"Captain Alex Briggs I presume?" He asked, his voice low and almost soothing as if he was talking to me like I might explode, which I wouldn't have.

"Yes Sir." I replied as he motioned to a chair.

"Please, sit Captain Briggs. We have a bit to discuss." He said it like he wasn't asking me but telling me too which irritated me a little bit seeing as I couldn't see anything that would identify him as being higher ranking than me.

"Can I ask why I am here, sir?" I say after I sit down and place my cap in my lap. He sits down in the CO's chair behind the dark desk and makes a small smile.

"I am here to inform you of an opportunity to do good and right wrongs." He said calmly but there was a look behind his eyes that said he knew what I did, and I hated him even more for it.

"Sir?" I asked a little confused but also as a way to tell him to keep talking.

"Captain Briggs, have you heard of Project Freelancer?"
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And I agreed almost as soon as he finished. They split my team that I was in charge of, which I do regret making happen but I had no voice in the matter no matter how many times I said that would fuck the team's relationships and the way work up.

I was still staring at the ceiling when I felt a hand close around mine a little roughly. My head whipped down to my hands in which my tags were hidden in. An armored hand was closed around mine almost completely engulfing it and that made me mad.

"What the he-" I started but was cut off by the sight of a woman in a light purple and green armor that was glaring at me. Her mouth was set in a frown as half of her face was covered by almost white blonde hair.

"You wouldn't stop messing with those damn tags of yours." She almost spit at me before I ripped my hand out of hers.

"You could've just asked me to stop." I snapped back at her as I let my tags fall against my chest.

"We did bitch! You were just so zoned out that you wouldn't answer when I fucking told you too." She said harshly as she looked down at me. I'd stand up, but just by the way she was standing so still as the Pelican rocked was that she was wearing grav-boots, and if I stood up, I go flying most likely.

"Why couldn't you just mind your own damn business then?" I replied which was a bad move. I swear I thought I steam pouring out of her ears before she pulled back her arm, getting ready hit me.

I closed my eyes bracing for the impact but it never came. I slowly opened one eye and then the other when I saw a man in darker purple and green armor holding back the woman's arm. He was glaring at her as he pushed her arm back down.

"South, you know what the Director would do if you hurt her." He said to what I assumed was South and judging by the similarities in their features, his sister.

She just glared back at him as she turned and before she sat back in her seat a few seats down from me and started to pout. Lips and crossed arms with her head down, almost like a kid. Very professional. I was interrupted from my thoughts when I felt a hand on my shoulder and I look up South's brother.

"You probably shouldn't have egged her on like that, she can be a bit....quick to anger." He said with a slight disapproving tone and look. He must have practice with his sister.

"Yeah, I guess so. And thanks for stopping her. I don't think it would look good for me to come in with a fresh bruise on my cheek." I said as he moved to take the sit next to me. He was a few years older than me, I could tell by his bright blue eyes but the lines around his eyes and the way he sagged a little bit in the seat told me he's seen enough for a lifetime.

"Yeah no problem, she does need to know when to just leave though. Still working on that with her." He said with a chuckle which made his eyes crinkle at the corners a little bit. They stayed there as he stuck out his hand to me and and smiled. "I'm Agent North Dakota. And the agent you've already met is my twin sister of bitch, South Dakota."

"Captain Alex Briggs." I replied as I shook his hand which was firm and confident. When we let go, he looked at my tag where my assigned state name is and picked it up to look at it.

"Kansas huh? You know we are supposed to introduce ourselves as this right?" North informed me after letting the metal drop back to the middle of my chest.

"Yeah I know. I guess old habits die hard." I replied a little sad as I looked back at them dangling there as a reminder that I have a fresh start with this program. One where I'd be able to fight without anyone knowing about what I did to them.

I started to zone out again at a memory, but before I got too into it, a finger tilted my head up and I was met with kind blue eyes.

"Cheer up, Kansas. Whatever you did in the past is in the past. And we won't judge you here." North said which made me smile. I was about to ask him something when a voice came over the intercom.

"Hello hello passengers! I know we have three new recruits onboard with us today so I'd like to be the first to welcome you to the sight of your new home!" A female voice, the pilot, announced over the speakers cheerfully and I looked out the front windshield of the aircraft and felt my jaw drop. "Welcome to the Mother of Invention and home to Project Freelancer."

I stared at the large spaceship as we approached and the pilot began the docking sequence which end in a bit of jolt to which she apologized. As she powered down the Pelican, North and South stood up and walked to the end of plane at which North turned around with a smile as he held on to his helmet. He motioned us to join him as he and his sister started to walk off and I quickly followed as the other female recruit tried to stand but failed after she began to throw up. I guess spaceships and flying isn't for everyone.

As North stepped off we were greeted by the Councilor and who I knew was the Director. He was tall but not as tall as the Freelancers and he had a neatly trimmed beard where the agents didn't. Neither had a smile on as we approached and the Twins broke off to say hi to others as me the two others joined the Director, North shooting me a wink before turning away. South just flipped me off. The Director squinted at us before he spoke in a thick Southern accent.

"Welcome new recruits to your new home."