RED vs BLUE: SECOND GEN - THE REVIVAL OF PROJECT FREELANCER

Agent Montana's Fall

They all thought that this mission would be like the rest.

They all thought that the Director wouldn't lie to them.

They all thought that at the end of the day, they'd come back home with a new victory, stacking it on top of the countless others they had collected over the years and years of their hard work.

What they suspected meant absolutely nothing.

❈ ❈ ❈

Montana watched the holographic map with interest as the Director explained the mission objective. Him and his fellow leaderboard agents were there: Nebraska, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Virginia, Oregon, and of course Maryland. His best friend.

He had been through thick and thin with the younger agent. Even if their first reaction had not been on good terms, time had eased their hatred towards each other. They had saved each other's lives countless times.

"Extraction will be there as soon as Agent Nebraska radios in to command. All of you have your partners and assignments. I expect you all to live up to my expectations," the Director finished, lifting his hands from the table.

The Freelancers nodded and murmured in agreement with one another.

"In that case, I expect all of you up and prepared by oh five hundred. Anyone who does not report in will be disqualified from the entire program. Understood?"

"Yes, Director." All the agents agreed in unison.

"You are all dismissed."

As the Freelancers dispersed, Montana stayed put and further studied the holograph of the map. It was a disclosed location just under the ground. They wouldn't have a hard time getting in, but getting out would be the real issue. It seemed to be mapped out in fair detail.

A hand on his shoulder made him turn his head. Nebraska was there beside him. Even if he couldn't see it, he knew that the other man was smiling underneath his dark green helmet.

"It's been a while since we last got a mission. You excited?" Nebraska asked, his voice jubilant. 

"When am I ever excited about anything?" Montana shrugged, keeping his eyes intent on the map.

Nebraska was silent until he realized. "Are you still pent up about what happened last year? You'll be fine, Trenton."

He stiffened beside the agent.

Many, many months ago, before he had gotten his A.I., him and the rest of the soldiers had gotten a mission. The objective had been almost impossibly similar to the one they had gotten today. Only minutes after they arrived in the abandoned quarry, they were ambushed. Him and Kansas couldn't manage to escape their captor's hands. When Montana refused to give answers, they had dug a blade into his skin, carving out an atrocious mark into his face as a memory of his mistake. The scar scaled from his eyebrow all the way down to his mid-cheek. It had left his right eye half-blinded.

Both him and Kansas were different after it happened. He was quieter, Kansas was much more short-tempered. The other Freelancers had always looked up to them as examples of what they could've potentially become. They were stronger, more precise. Cunning. Ruthless. True soldiers, if you will.

"Hey. You okay?" Nebraska's voice brought him back to reality. A couple other agents were eyeing the two.

He turned away without even glancing at Nebraska. "I'm fine."

Montana ignored the countless pairs of eyes that followed him as he exited the room, his hands curling into tight fists. Zeta's thoughts mingled with his own, and soon enough the A.I.'s voice echoed around his head.