EarthFall

Chap 13. Consequences.

The Chief lay on his back, unconscious. Carson pulled out his cuffs and bound his stunned former commander.

After their big heart to heart, the Lethal setting just seemed inappropriate. He pulled up direct links to Tucker and Cornelius.

"This is Carson. I'm assuming Command. Regroup immediately on my location." Before they could reply he cut those Links and opened one up to Brianna.

"Brianna do you read? I can't explain everything right now. But you need to come pick us up immediately."

"Carson!" He could hear her laugh. "What are you waving like that for? And what are you wearing?"

Carson's blood turned to ice in his veins.

Hadn't Cornelius said he had seen 11 hostiles? There had been only 10 accounted for.

She continued on in his ear "What do you mean pick you up? I can see you from the window right now. What's wrong?"

"Brianna! That's not me! Take off now! Take off now--"

The comm's cut out. Someone was blocking their signal.

"FUCK!" Carson screamed.

He tried to get through to Tucker a few times, but it was no use.

He paced about for a few minutes. He desperately tried to think of different scenarios, counter attack strategies, a solid plan of action for... anything. Anything other than curling up in a corner somewhere and waiting to die. How had everything gone so wrong?

After a few minutes of dancing dangerously on the fence of helplessness, a thought struck him.

He yanked his helmet and visor off, then grabbed Chiefs and put it on. He prayed she had re-inserted her Geo chip. There were so many extra settings and functions he had to navigate through... but there had to be... there! He saw Briannas geo chip on the display, she had re-inserted it at some point. Thank god... it showed her moving fast... Carson skipped a beat when a message appeared before his eyes. The sender name read "Chief" He opened it up.

Chief: See you soon

Then, as Carson was trying to figure out how to reply a second message popped up.

Chief: I've sedated your woman. She will be unconscious for a few hours, but she is alive. Next to her is a large explosive I've armed. I have the detonator. Do not try anything. I don't like killing women.

Carson pulled the visor off in a daze. How had everything gone so wrong? Tucker and Cornelius rounded the corner a few moments later, breathing hard.

"What happened? Is this a Mutiny?" Tucker stared at the chief laying on his side.

"You just... assumed command? You just shot the fucking Chief? Am I understanding this correctly? Is he ok?" Cornelius went on.

"He's fine. I need you both to focus, Cadets." Carson drilled every ounce of steel into his voice now. It was too late to turn back.

"I don't think this is a mission. I think this is a cleanup."

Confusion spread across their faces.

"You think?" Cornelius stared at Carson like he was speaking another language.

"What could we possibly have done that requires--" Tucker started.

"It's not what we've done... Tuck. It's what we are. But there's no time to explain. Right now we have a hostile coming in hot. He's incapacitated Brianna and is flying the phoenix over here as we speak.."