Choices

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen: More Than a Suit

"And the things you've done, Can you carry it with no regrets, Can you stand the person you've become." - Bastille: Weight of Living, Pt. 1

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"Mission #59392

Target: Black Dwarf & Black Order

Location: Alice Springs, Australia​.

​Possible Interests: Agent Clint Barton & Alex Matthews.

​Pick Up Time: 10:50 A.M.

​Mission Leader: Tony Stark (Suit required).

​Mission Co-Leader: Monica Potts (Suit required).

​Total # of Agents: 20

Drop off point: 23.7065° S, 133.8325° E

​

 We have received intel that an extraterrestrial group has been using the barren Australian desert as their earthly base. They seem to be associating with the Australian terrorist group to gain possession of Titan artifacts. We do not know why they are out to salvage them.

 We know little about the Black Order. They were originally under the leadership of Thanos. We have no information on who their new leader is. They operate out of an undetectable aircraft. Mr. Stark has infiltrated their ship and recorded a layout of the ship- layout on page 3. One of the members of the Black Order has been neutralized by Agent Potts, but they aren't to be taken lightly.

 Black Dwarf is anything but dwarfish. He is bigger than Thanos and a vicious fighter. He won't hesitate to kill you. His weapon of choice is an ax-like deterrent. Don't think of this as your typical woodsman ax; it is forged from an alien metal and is sharpened to pierce through the toughest materials.

 You are to penetrate their base located in a canyon of Alice Springs. Mr. Stark will lead Team Blue to the control area of the base. Agent Potts will lead Team Red throughout the rest of the base to secure it. You are to neutralize any human terrorists you are to encounter. If you are to encounter any members of the Black Order, take them as prisoner. Do not kill them unless it is absolutely necessary but as a last resort.

 As you clear out the base, look for Agent Barton and Alex Matthews. Agent Barton and his team were captured by the Australian terrorists. Alex Matthews was kidnapped by Black Dwarf. Their physical conditions are unknown. If you are to find them, please evacuate them to the nearest safe place immediately."

 I close my debriefing file. I sit on a metal chair in the cabin on the plane that is taking us across the ocean to Australia. The other agents sit or stand together in small cliques. Tony takes a seat next to me. "Not the most fun way to spend your birthday," Tony states.

 "Eh, a chance to get Alex back is the best gift of all," I acknowledge.

 "But the three of us still could have gone out and celebrated. No one wants to spend their big eighteenth working."

 "It's really not that big of a deal. I mean, if we celebrate it in a few days, possibly with Alex, there's no harm in that; that's almost preferred."

 "It's always more fun celebrating on your actual birthday. I know how much Pepper was looking forward to today. Honestly, I was too."

 "Yeah, I know mom wanted all three of us to be together for my birthday, but why you?" I furrow my eyebrows.