Born of Ice

Prologue

   A deep sigh slipped from his lips as he woke yet another day in his bleak life. He felt nothing inside anymore, barely registered anything around him unless he was on a mission. He peered out the window in silence before standing to head to the bathroom. Centuries he had woken up each day, losing a piece of himself each time he woke. Now, he just felt empty inside.
   It had been weeks since his last rescue mission, the only reprieve he had from the enclosing emptiness of his life. He turned the shower on to warm up while he stood infront of the mirror to peer at the reflection staring back at him. His soul piercing blue eyes stared back at his empty expression as he scanned his face. He growled at himself before stripping and stepping under the spray of his shower. He relaxed slightly as the heat of the water seeped into his bones. He began to clean himself when he heard his phone ringing. Where had he put that blasted thing again? He shrugged to himself as it stopped, imagining himself tossing it out of his window so he didn't have to listen to it ring. He longed for a time when they didn't have all this technology to keep track of. He understood the need to advance, he just didn't have to like it. He learned how to use the technology, even silently admitting to himself that a lot of it was rather useful but he could do without that little bastard device that the para rescue team had made him get to get in contact with him easier.
   He was drying off when it started to go off again. He was going to smash the damn thing as soon as he remembered where he had put it. He wrapped the towel loosely around his waist, water still dripping from his hair down his back as he padded out to his room to find the source of the ringing. He found it on the floor next to his bed stand, still plugged in. He unplugged it, answering the call with slightly more force than necessary putting it to his ear to answer.
"This better be important."
"Morning to you to sunshine. Your presence is requested at base."
"For what now Darrick?"
"There is a mission that they need you for. That is all I am permitted to say so get your ass in here ASAP."
"Fine. ETA is 30 minutes."
"Roger that. Don't eat anyone on your way in. I know you get pissy when you're hungry."
   He grunted at Darrick before hanging up on him, his snickering still echoing in his head. He yanked the towel from his hips aggressively to dry his hair as he walked to the closet to get his uniform out. Finally he would have something to focus on other than how empty his life seemed to have become. Running these rescue missions was all he had left in life to keep him from leaving this world to go into the next.
   As he was dressing, his mind wandered to happier days before his life had been stolen from him heinously. A small smile broke on his face as he pictured his wife and daughter. How had it been so long ago that they had been taken from him? He had nearly died with them, some days wishing he had rather than being saved. The para rescue team existed even back then, going by a different name then. They hadn't made it in time to save them. They had turned him to save his life ultimately allowing him to seek retribution for his family. A large part of his soul had died that day when he woke and had found his wife and daughter being prepared for their burials. He screamed, cried and struck out at anyone that tried to get close. He held their lifeless bodies in his arms, rocking back and forth praying for the gods to take mercy on him and end his life to be with them. The team had approached him, offering him a purpose to keep moving, and to help prevent someone suffering as he had suffered.
   He had run thousands of lone missions since, not caring if he returned in a body bag or not. Thousands of families reunited because of him and yet he felt no joy in it. It was the only thing left to him since then. He had accumulated wealth in the years since, using it for his missions rather than living a life of luxury as they say. He lived a modest life in a small house set away from others that he had designed himself. He had bought the house, a vehicle and basic necessities to live on, not caring of any of the money he was getting from each mission.
   He exited the house, still deep in thought as he headed towards his old vehicle. He kept it maintained, still looking like the day he had bought it new years ago. The drive was spent in his head, almost taking out a pedestrian on base that decided running out in front of his vehicle at the last minute seemed like a good idea. He swore at them as they shrugged at his obscenities continuing on down the sidewalk. What happened to using the damn crosswalks where they could be seen instead of darting out from behind a vehicle? His mood was sour as he parked at the main building. He slammed his door with unnecessary force, walking towards the door with a scowl plastered on his face.
   Recruits, para rescue members and other various agents jumped out of his way as he made his way to the conference room. He knocked firmly, not waiting for an answer before entering, grabbing a seat and dropping himself into it with the scowl still planted firmly on his face. Darrick snickered as he slid a candy bar across the table to him before turning back to his boss who waited until his antics was over. He slid a blue folder across the table to him, waiting for him to pull the packets out before beginning to speak.
"Now that you have arrived, I can begin the meeting. Eric, in front of you is the information for the mission. The first packet is the information on your target. Her name is Tisha Rivers, an elite that was caught behind enemy lines while on a recon mission. She is going to need to feed when you get her extricated. Her team indicated that she is quite strong willed, preferring to work her recon alone. She is not going to be thrilled about needing rescued so you were the prime pick to extricate her."
"Why me? It doesn't seem like I would fit this mission."
"You were specially requested for one. Two, you don't feel the same as the rest of us. Her strong will won't hit you as it would any of the other teams and three you prefer to work alone and this mission is going to require someone who can get in and out. A team will be noticed but one lone man can go unnoticed for at least a short time. You also have abilities that the other team members do not have that will be an asset on this mission. Now, the second packet is the information we have been able to gather on where she is being held. On the map included you will notice several x's marking where she could possibly be inside the building. Changing of the guards, patrol patterns and which set of guards don't always complete their rounds have been included in there for you to go over as well. This information was transmitted before she went dark. Now the third packet is your decisions packet as usual.  This is virtually a suicide mission. You will be going into the belly of the beast so to speak. As usual you will need to fill out what you want done in the event you are unable to get out or any other such incidents and sign it. I will need it prior to you leaving. You leave at 0600 tomorrow from hanger B. Pack only necessities, you know the drill Eric. Now do not forget the objective of this mission you understand? I don't want 2 agents returning in body bags. Hell I don't even want one of you returning in a bag so keep your head together, I know you have been getting worse so don't make me regret sending you. You know where the packet gets filed and I will see you at 0600 with the gear you'll need."
    He watched his side get up and leave the room, followed shortly after by Darrick as he filled out his packet to drop off before leaving to go back home. Who would request him to take this mission in the first place? He made himself a mental note to find out after the mission, which meant he would have to return alive. He filed all the packets he needed to read over back into the folder before getting up to leave. He filed the remaining packet with the records department before leaving the building to head home.