Reagan
"For the love of Tyr! Pick up the pace soldier!" A Lieutenant screamed at me as we ran down the road towards the Sadamas center. I was being escorted to the center with two other soldiers, both privates and young enough to be my sons.
"I'm running as fast as I can!" I exclaimed while panting heavily for dramtic effect.
I was deliberately slowing them down to give Iris and Anders enough time to deal with the soldiers heading to the willow forest as well as the soldiers spying on the King's Glaive.
"You're normally a lot faster than this Rex." One of the privates said, his familiar tone and use of a nickname immediately got me on guard.
'This guy actually knows the guy who's face I'm borrowing.' I thought.
"Well you try running from that forest to the hotel?" I griped, hoping my indignation would make them back off. The soldier flinched visibly but didn't say anything else.
I muttered.
"We're almost there! Don't stop now!" The Lieutenant barked.
I took stock of my surroundings again, that Sadamas center was in view now as well as the large number of military officials form various nations. Though we were still a ways away from the center I could easily pick out which solders were from which country.
***
"Wait here!" The asshole Lieutenant ordered me, pointing to the ground in ordered to emphasize the order.
I was standing near the door of the Sadamas center, just inside the main exhibition hall. The two privates standing on either side of me. Since my outburst on the road here they'd acted suspicious of me, with good reason.
"Yes sir." I replied, saluting as I did. The Lieutenant nodded then disappeared into the crowds of people. I couldn't help but notice the two privates sharing a look when I saluted. Once the Lieutenant was gone the first soldier punched my shoulder.
"Rex, what the hell?" The first private demanded. I frowned and crossed my arms, looking at him.
"What?!" I snapped rubbing the spot where I was hit.
"Why the hell are you acting like this? Respectful? upstanding? That's not like you man!" The private grumbled.
'Of course I get a bad boy…' I thought with distain.
"I saw our people get slaughtered effortlessly by a evo freak! So excuse me if I thought that following protocol for once was a good way to honor them!" I growled.
This made the private shut up and looked away ashamed. I sighed and shook my head.
"They died so I could get away…I can be respectful…at least for this…" I muttered sorrowfully. While I was lying through my teeth, I was also recalling memories of two years ago when most of my squad died in St. Louis so the hurt and anguish in my voice was real.
"S-s-sorry." The first private stammered. The second private placed a hand on my shoulder.
"I didn't realize it was that bad." He said.
"Just need to get through this…" I said softly. As soon as I had said that the asshole Lieutenant returned and was looking rather frantic.
"Private Wills, come with me. NOW!" The Lieutenant barked then turned on his heel and speed walk further into the hall. I quickly followed after him, speed walking myself in order to keep up.
We weaved through the small crowd of people towards the staging center for Justice Technologies. As we sped walked I cast an occasional glance at the support beams in the ceiling above. Knowing full well that Chase's evos were scattered above, watching everyone and everything that went on inside the center. Iris' evo was nearby as well though I knew neither I or any other human would be able to see or notice it.
When we reached the Justice Technologies area I saw a sizable crowd but nowhere near as large a year's prior. It wouldn't take a genius to see what was the reason for that. President Justice was standing beside a large cardboard cutout of the evos that they were presenting. Oliver, Alex, Tyme and Cross surrounding him in a protective manner.
The Lieutenant made a beeline for Beaufort and I followed close behind. I stopped a few steps behind the Lieutenant as he stopped in front of Beaufort. He saluted the bloated bastard them motioned to me.
"I brought him, Mr. President!" He exclaimed. I saluted, playing the part of dutiful soldier again once Beaufort looked at me.
"This the lone survivor?" Beaufort grumbled. Didn't say anything, knowing full well he was simply making an observation and musing in order to make himself seem wise. "Make your report soldier."
"Sir! We were attacked by some weird gas at first. I didn't breath it in and climbed a tree once I saw the gas. I heard screaming and someone yelling about monsters…then…" I paused and shivered, for dramatic effect. "…I saw someone running towards my tree. He was slapping his head and screaming about bees and ants. He ran right into the tree trunk and started bashing his head against it."
"A fear toxins of some kind…?" Tyme muttered.
"So they were killed by this gas?" Beaufort asked. I shook my head.
"No it was…something else. The one he was under the tree, next something wrapped around his leg and dragged him who knows where! I could hear him scream, his bones breaking, then his screams go silent." I exclaimed.
"So you just stood there while your fellow soldiers were being killed?!" Private Oliver exclaimed. I gritted my teeth and shot the Private a glare, not just because I was already tired of the Logan worshiping shit but it seemed like the correct response for such a accusation.
"He made the right call." Cross said, surprising not only me but the other soldiers as well. "A mysterious gas coupled with an unseen evo that can attack from afar, if he had done anything either the gas could have got him or the evo. Then that bastard Kingston could've just continued on with whatever he was going to do with us none the wiser."
With Cross's insistence that I had done the right thing by prioritizing reporting to them over fighting evos, Oliver quieted down. I clenched my jaw, looking away from everyone.
"I still feel like a coward sir…" I muttered. This performance was not only for Private Oliver but the other soldiers who would think it strange or me/the guy into was impersonating a coward for just using Cross's insistence as a way out of accepting guilt or shame.
"Survivors guilt, deal with it. It won't go away." Cross said, his voice hard but also sullen. I nodded then looked down at the ground.
"How did you get back to the hotel without the gas getting you?" Beaufort asked.
"The gas didn't hang around for too long. Five minutes and it was gone. Once it was gone I jumped from the tree and kept running." I explained. Beaufort nodded at that explanation then turned to Cross.
"Cross, head to the auxiliary teams and give them instructions to follow plan R." Beaufort ordered. Cross nodded and left wordlessly. Beaufort then looked to me. "As much as I would like to tell you to head back to the hotel and recover, we have work to do soldier. I need you to dig deep and head to a small village near the eastern coast."
"Yes sir!" I exclaimed then saluted. Beaufort nodded then looked to the Lieutenant that escorted me here. "Take him to the village along with the privates that came with you."
"Yes sir!" Lieutenant asshole barked and saluted. He turned and started to lead me away.
I followed him back through the center hall. I caught a glimpse of Bone-lasher standing on a girder and looking down at me and the small group that was with me as we exited the center. Well look wasn't the right term, more like his head was pointed in our direction since he didn't have any eyeballs.
That brief moment made me remember that Iris' Rainbow Sparkles was supposed to be following me and observing everything I did and said. Which meant that he was reporting to Iris that we were leaving. Still I felt the need the check in. I shoved my hands in my pockets just in case the glow of the communication ring alerted the solders around me.
I asked.
Bo
Fifteen minute earlier
"CHASE GAVE YOU THE STRANGE MEOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!" I bellowed as I pointed at Indy.
He was standing outside the King's Glaive while the Strange Meow killed the two men that had taken him hostage. The Strange Meow was one of the mark ups that Chase made months ago. It had gone missing some time after we came back from the royal palace along with the Djinn Signifier. Chase hadn't been concerned since Sin had the Djinn Signifier and I just naturally assumed it meant he had the Strange Meow too.
"Yes! No need to scream!" Indy snapped, acting older than he was once again. It pissed me off when he did that.
I growled and clenched my fists, wanting to smack Indy across his head for not saying something earlier. I got distracted by Gadget however, poking the side of my head with his paw.
Gadget told me through our mental connection. A split second later Indy's strange meow perked up from its work and inclined it's head towards the woods.
Iris and Anders stepped out of the woods a moment later, the clothes they wore too big for either of them and sagged on their bodies. Iris regarded the strange meow, it's mouth and claws covered in blood then arched a brow and looked to Indy and I.
"I'm going to assume that this evo is one of you twos'." Iris said.
"He's mine!" Indy raised his hand and exclaimed. "That's Bizzaro."
Iris regarded Bizzaro with an arched brow then nodded and walked towards the King's Glaive. Bizarro licked his chops and cleaned some of the gore from his claws making Anders shiver and rushed to follow after Iris.
"More importantly you two…what are you doing outside the mana train?" Iris asked, her voice dropping to a frigid and dangerous tone. Indy and I flinched on hearing this.
"Ummm…." I muttered and looked away.
"We heard gunshots nearby and came to see what was happening. I accidently opened the door and saw those two outside the mana train." Indy lied Iris stopped in front of Indy, crossing her arms and shook her heard.
"Nice try. You're much too reserved and mature to try something like that Indy. Which means that Bo is the actual culprit." Iris said then frowned at me. I froze on seeing the look on her face.
"Wait I thought we left these two with Jade? Where is she?" Anders asked as he stopped beside Iris.
"Inside with Gargesh and the prisoners." I said and pointed to the door leading further into the mana train.
"By themselves?!" Iris said, sounding a little shocked.
"Gargesh is more than capable of dealing with anything those prisoners can think of!" I proclaimed proudly.
"Plus two of them are probably dead by now on your orders." Indy added. Iris frown deepened, then stepped into the control cae of the King's Glaive.
"Something doesn't feel right…" Iris said.
"What do you…" I started to ask then froze. I felt a sudden void in my consciousness. A section that I had reserved for my evos to talk to me suddenly go dark. Gadget noticed this void too and went rigid on my shoulder.
"Bo?" Indy asked, climbing onto the mana train.
"Mom! Gargesh!" I yelled then started running towards the door. I ran through each car of the train, fear and uncertainty gripped my chest like a iron vice.
I burst through the door of the storage car we'd kept the prisoners in, skidding to a halt. My mom and Gargesh were laying on the ground face down with the corpses of two of the three prisoners, the third was nowhere in sight but all I could really focus on was Mom.
"MOM!" I screamed and ran towards her side, shaking her furiously. "MOM! MOM! PLEASE WAKE UP! MOM!"