Renegades Book 1: Mavericks

Chapter Eleven: Double Cross

“Company, LET'S TEAR IT DOWN!” General Wong shouted.

    “YAAAHHH!” the battalion cried out.  That moment was a moment they would never forget.  It was the day they would aid in the capture of Vita's most wanted.

    “COME ON!” Rīdā shouted to his squad.

    “LET'S GO!” Akira shouted.

    “LET'S GET IT ON!” Ryou cried out.

    Everyone cried out a battle cry except Katashi.  He found battle cries have no purpose other than to be loud and make yourself sound stupid.

    The interior of the mountain was vast, but the troop had no problem destroying it.  Cannons were going off, machine guns blazin', used rounds flying everywhere, etc.  It was an absolutely brutal fight.  Enemy units were falling and pieces of the ceiling were falling onto enemy MWAs.  It was complete and utter carnage.

    “Omega Squad!” Wong shouted.  “NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE!”

    “ON IT!” Rīdā shouted as he and the rest of Omega Squad turned around to respond.  Wong was just on the other side of the cave from what the radar indicated.  Then, from out of nowhere, a large boulder comes barreling down a slope rolling over the squad.

    “Can't...move.” Rīdā said.

    “Heh.  And you seriously thought we were going to take down Novi Órdinis.  I laugh at the thought.” Wong said.

    “Sir?  Why?” Rīdā asked.

    “You four were getting too close.  Base noticed you and Arata were doing some digging, so they put a tag onto your friend's terminal and monitored Arata's search history.  They saw he was learning things about Termino they didn't want him and you four to know.  So they paid me a visit and told me to take you guys out.  That voice you heard on the comlink?  It wasn't Termino.  It was me.  I had set you four up.  Now you will die for it.” General Wong said as he walked away.

    “YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!  YOU HEAR!?  YOU WILL PAY!” Rīdā shouted as he tried  to push the thirty thousand ton boulder off his back to no avail.  The boulder was so heavy, nobody could get out from under it.  In the distance, Rīdā could barely make out was he thought was other units that had been crushed in the past.  All their training had gone in vain.  They had failed.

    “So, what are we gonna do?” Ryou asked.

    “I'm not sure.  If we stay where we are the boulder will crush us, indefinitely.” Rīdā said.  He wasn't sure of anything anymore.  All hope was lost for the squad.  But then, a beam of highly charged energy cut through the stone, breaking it in two, freeing the trapped squad.  

    “Who are you?  Show yourself.” Rīdā demanded.

    “Very well.  I will show myself.” the unknown man said.

    “Termino.” Rīdā said angrily.  

    “You have me all wrong Omega Squad.  I'm not evil.  Base makes me out to be evil because of my wanting to recreate the world.  For years I have been living out here in the wasteland, hoping to see another Maverick.  As you can see, I'm piloting an MWA.  In the past, before I was known as Termino, I used to be a pilot for Base.  I never worked in Battlefield Command.  I was a pilot.  In fact, I was an elite of the highest class.” Hayato said.

    “So what made you come out here?” Akira asked.

    “Don't listen to him.  He's the enemy.” Rīdā reassured.