Mind Riot chapter 2

Sector 2: Down Memory Lane…  A Confrontation Arises

Location: Just outside Matheson, NJ
Time: 13:47 PM

         “Quick, in here.”  Alex leads Destiny into what used to be a headshop, but has since been abandoned.  The two made their way into the building and survey all escape routes and other precautions- in case more troops were to trap them.  Alex continues looking around and spots a trap door in the floor.  Alex opens the door, and a wooden staircase leads down to a basement.
         “Destiny, over here!”
         Destiny runs over to the discovery, and is lead down the stairs by Alex.  The basement looks like the typical male hangout: a dartboard adorned one section of the wall, while posters of Led Zeppelin and other classic rock bands complemented it.  The dartboard stood behind a bar covered underneath a bed of empty alcohol bottles.  Alex sat down on the couch perpendicular to the bar, and appeared to be meditating.
         The two sat silently next to each other for a while, then Destiny yearns to ask the question.
         “You know, you promised to tell me what’s going on with you as soon as we were safe, and as far as I can see, we’re as safe as we can get right now.”
         Alex was almost reluctant to talk about it, but knew that Destiny was involved in this charade as much as he was, so he had no choice.  “Back in 1991, I was incepted into the ranks of the Order.  Along with others, I was bred, conditioned, and trained in the art of warfare since as long back as I can remember.”
         “What’s ‘the Order’?”
         “The Order is a secret organization within not just the United States government, but all governments worldwide.  They claim dominance over everything and everyone.  They control everything we see, everything we hear, and everything we say.  They are the real ones in charge of everything.  They hand-pick newborn candidates and brainwash them into perfect killing machines.” 
          “You were one of them?”
         Alex sighed, and then continued.  “I had no choice.”
         Destiny looked as if she was about to puke.  “Is Alex your real name?”
         Alex shook his head.  “The Order doesn’t use names for their soldiers.  They use ID numbers instead.  Mine was 85505-63.”
         Destiny nearly choked on her next question.  “Did you ever kill anyone, besides today, when you were a soldier?”
         Alex had the same reaction.  “I had to.  Insurrection is punishable by death.  We had no choice but to follow orders- of course, back then all thoughts of mutiny were erased from our psyches.”
         “Then how did you escape?”
         “I don’t know.  Before my ‘expulsion’, I felt like something was inside me.  Something that yearned for freedom.  Something that yearned for…
         Destiny leaned closer.  “For what?”
         “… Something that yearned for blood!”
         Destiny gasped.  This was starting to become too much to bear.
         “I don’t even remember what exactly happened.  All I remember is fragmented images.”  Alex chuckled.  “I guess I should be grateful, huh?”
         Destiny reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand.  “If it means anything, I’m really glad I got to know you.”
         Alex looked into his friend’s eyes and saw that she wasn’t lying.  “You mean it?”
         “I really do.  Nothing is gonna break us apart.  I’ll fight these guys with you.”
         Alex looked closer on the verge of tears.  “You’d do that for me?”
         Destiny also looked on the verge of tears.  “Of course I would, Alex.  You’re my best friend and I love you.”
         Alex finally broke down in tears.  Destiny held him in embrace, reassuring him that she was his friend and that she really did care.  They broke the embrace and wiped their tears away, glad to be with each other…
Location: Vicinity of Matheson High School, on patrol
Time: 14:15 PM

         Two soldiers, looking similar to the ones who were slaughtered earlier, ran over to aid their comrade in busting down a heavily fortified door.  One of the soldiers held a shotgun and blasted the doorknob to nothingness, leaving the portal open to the intruders as they search the premises.  The building was all one-level, so tearing the building apart was no problem.
         “Location is clear.”
         “That’s what I thought.  Alright, let’s move on the next building, STAT!”
         The soldiers hurried out to their next objective with haste.  The building seemed abandoned, so one of the soldiers kicked the door down easily…
Location: Abandoned building; Outside Matheson High School
Time: 14:26 PM

         Alex and Destiny sprung from the couch in alert.  Alex knew what was happening, but Destiny had no idea.
         “Alex, what is it?”
         “It’s them!  They’re here, looking for us.  Destiny, climb in here.”
         Alex opened up a vent in the bottom of the wall.  Destiny reluctantly got on her knees and crawled through the claustrophobic portal to safety.
         “Wait Alex, what’re you gonna do?”
         Alex had only one obvious option.  “I think you know what I have to do.  I’ll come get you after it’s over.  Don’t worry about me.  I’ve done this before.”
         Alex cast a half smile-half smirk before Destiny crawled into the vent.  He went over and took a strategic position at the wall adjacent to the stairs.

         The soldiers weaved in and out of the building in a tactical manner, seeking out the targets and focusing on nothing else- yet still aware of their surroundings.  It was only a matter of time before the soldiers discovered the trap door. 
         One of the soldiers lifted up the rug, revealing the door.  He waved to his teammate to check it out.
         He opened up the door, and then the rest of the group surrounded the mouth while a lone soldier traversed the narrow staircase with his weapon drawn.

         Alex waited patiently for a victim to show up.  His heart was racing, but he kept his cool as footsteps plopped down the stairs.
         Suddenly, the soldier made the mistake of peering around the corner of the staircase wall.  Why?  Because he was greeted by a face full of fist and a neck-snapping headlock.  Alex released his hold from the victim before policing him into the shadows.
         More footsteps followed suit after Alex grabbed the dead man’s M-4 Carbine and his remaining ammo magazines.  He held up against the same wall and played the waiting game yet again.

         The remaining two soldiers descended the staircase with caution, as their first target was checking the vent- the same vent that Destiny was hiding in.
         Alex slowly stalked the troops and crept ever so nonchalantly.  As soon as the soldiers came close to the vent, Alex crashed the rifle onto the back skull of the trooper on his right- hard enough that a gush of blood seeped from the broken cranium- and tackled the remaining trooper to the ground.  Alex kept a continuous choke-hold on him until the victim stopped squirming.
         Alex walked over to the vent and opened it up.  “Destiny, the coast is all clear.”
         Destiny emerged from the vent and was helped to her feet by her friend.  Upon exiting the tight-knit cavern of a hiding place, she was horrified by the side of the dead men.  However, after witnessing Alex do the dirty deed several times today, she grew all the more apathetic to their common enemy.
         Alex reached down and took the H&K G-36K rifle and its ammo, and gave them to Destiny.
         “This switch cycles through auto-fire and semi-auto.  I’ve already switched it to semi-auto, so all you have to do is pull the trigger.”
         Destiny was in awe, on account of that this was her first time holding a gun- let alone an assault rifle.  Her hands trembled as they caressed the weapon. 
         “It’s tough, I know.”  Alex watched her anxious movements as she held the gun.  “It wasn’t easy for me to kill again, as I had just done.  Hell, it wasn’t easy for me to kill even today.”  Alex trailed off in a nostalgic daze, remembering all the violence he had committed in the past.  “I know exactly how it feels, but know this.  These people are going to hurt us.  They will harm our friends and our families just to get to us.  This is not murder, its war.  We’re vanquishing the enemy so they won’t harm anyone anymore.  You got that?”
         Destiny, still taking it all in, nodded in affirmation.  “Yes I do.”
         With that, they left the building hoping to evade any more of the Order’s troops- which there will definitely be more of…
Location: Vicinity of Matheson High School, outside
Time: 14:35 PM

         Alex and Destiny crept out of the building safely with stealthy precision.  Alex utilized the standard bob-and-weave type of movement making sure that it was safe for Destiny to move, and then Destiny followed suit, mimicking his movements.
         On and on they weaved through the debris caused by the helicopter explosions and stopped at the end of their trail: In an alleyway with more of the same soldiers approaching.  Alex turned back into the alley and hid behind the dumpster next to Destiny.
         “Alright, we’ve got more troops coming this way.”
         “How many?”
         “Depending on their movements, we’re facing 10 highly trained Deltas- working for the Order.”
         Destiny cast a defiant sneer, before agreeing to the confrontation and grabbing her rifle.  Alex geared up for the battle as well, remembering why he placed himself in this situation.

         As soon as the squad got close enough, Alex and Destiny made their move.  The soldiers put up a valiant effort to drive them away, but facing an ex-Aggressor and his loyal friend is a battle that they will surely not walk away from.  Destiny stayed back behind the dumpster firing precise shots, while Alex moved in with full-auto and plowed them down to scraps. 
         
         About 10 minutes later, the dead soldiers were sprawled across the road leaking blood out from their wounds onto the streets and into the gutters.  Alex surveyed the area to see if any more troops would surprise them.  Destiny poked her head out from behind the dumpster, but Alex signaled her to keep hidden.  All fell quiet for a moment, and then the sound of whipping rotor blades became more and more apparent.
         Alex shot his gaze upwards, and an MH-58 Kiowa helicopter dropped off the two passengers riding on each side, and then the chopper moved overhead.  The two figures slowly approached Alex, marching in unison.  One of the beings was a male with a completely shaven head, and the other was a female with blond hair that reached down her face.  Both were wearing tactical armor with the familiar crest on the front- the same crest that was on Gryphon’s uniform.  Alex stood ready, threw away his rifle, and grabbed a knife from one of the corpses- because he was to face off against two Aggressors!

         The male Aggressor brandished a broadsword, and the female drew a naginata- the blades on their weapons still flaunting the sleek design as seen on the knife Alex was holding.  The Aggressors waited patiently for their opponent to make his first move, which he did.
         Alex rushed at them with furious precision and started trading blows.  However, these Aggressors were not the same ones that Alex was a part of.  These Aggressors were much more precise, much more agile, and much more homicidal.  It was these attributes that allowed them to overpower Alex with a slash to the arm and a blow to the face with the staff of the woman’s naginata.
         Alex fell to his knees, and with that came another blow to the face- courtesy of the woman, and a kick to the jaw sending him down to the ground.  The Aggressors circled Alex like vultures to a carcass, and then forced their weapons down on him.  Alex grabbed the blades just a few centimeters away from his head and concentrated on forcing them away.  Alas, the Aggressors held their own.

         Destiny watched on, feeling helpless.  She knew she had to do something; they can’t kill her best friend, not now, not ever.  She then reminisced about the happy times they both shared in their youth: Summer camp, birthdays, playing games together at recess, hanging out on weekends and after school, ditching their respective dates at the 8th grade dance to go to the movies.  No, these were things that she can’t take for granted!  She had to do something, and that time was now…

         Alex was set to fail in this deadly “keep-away” game, and just in time came an ear-piercing shriek that distracted the Aggressors.  Destiny ran out from behind the dumpster, switched the gun to full-auto, and pummeled lead into her armor.  Practically emptying the clip, the female reeled back in pain.  The male, now acquiring a new target, grabbed his dying comrade’s naginata and prepared to run her through.  Alex watched the Aggressor close in on his friend, so he jumped to his feet- still hurting from the massive beating he received, grabbed the broadsword, and hurled it at the Aggressor who was ready to kill Destiny off.  The Aggressor whirled his head around at what was coming at him, and then his head rolled off his body at what came at him, blood flowing like lava from the neck. 
         Destiny did some surveying on her own, looking at the fresh new additions to the body count.  Suddenly she realized that one of the Aggressors wasn’t dead yet.  She traded her rifle for one of the sidearms found on one of the other dead soldiers, A Glock with custom rounds found on most N.A.T.O weapons.  She walked over to the dying Aggressor and looked deep into her eyes.  Behind those eyes, she saw hatred, violence, and even a hint of sadness.  Something told her that this killing machine still harbored some human emotion.  Whether it was an act of flat-out contempt or merciful sympathy, she raised the gun and squeezed a round off into the Aggressor’s head, leaving a finger-sized bullethole and an abstract blood painting on the pavement where she now lays.  Alex toddled over and placed his arm around her.  Destiny returned the embrace and buried herself on Alex’s shoulders, tears running down her cheek…
Location: En-route to Outpost Epsilon
Time: 15:00 PM

         The MH-58 Kiowa left the area as soon as Alex and Destiny killed the Aggressors.  Its tiny chassis raced back towards the Outpost to deliver information to Commissioner Beckett and Director Gryphon.  The co-pilot took the initiative to drop them a line concerning the situation…
Location: Outpost Epsilon
Time: 15:01 PM

         Gryphon was at his desk immersed in the book The Catcher in the Rye when he got the call.  He used one of the many documents on his rather unkempt desk as a bookmark before picking up the phone.
         [Director Gryphon, Transport Alpha Whiskey-99-Delta reporting on combat situation.]
         “This line is secure, Alpha-Whiskey.  How are our troops progressing?”
         [They’re dead, sir.  85505-63 capped them off, although he did have help.]
         Gryphon moved closer.  “Who helped him?”
         [I don’t know.  It was some girl.  I managed to get a visual of her.]
         “Send it to me, ASAP!”
         [Yes, sir!]
         Gryphon hung up the phone and waited anxiously by the computer.  A window popped up on the screen, loading a picture of Destiny firing the G-36 rifle at the female Aggressor.  Gryphon opened up an identification program, cropped the face on the picture, and loaded it into the program.  Within seconds, the face of Destiny Holme was identified.

Name: Destiny Holme
D.O.B: 10/17/91
Address: 13 Mazerati Ave.
School: Matheson High School
City: Matheson
State: NJ
Known affiliates:
•          Janet Holme (mother)
•          David Holme (father)
•          Ariel Holme (sister)
•          Gregory Lauden-Holme (uncle)
•          Suzanne Lauden-Holme (aunt)
•          Daniel Lauden-Holme (cousin)
•          Scarlet Lauden-Holme (cousin)
•          Mr. Robert Kristovsky (English teacher)
•          Ms. Greta LeBron (History Teacher)
...
•          Alex [last name unconfirmed] (best friend)

Gryphon finally reached his enemy at the bottom of the list.  His fingers danced on the keyboard as he sent the data to the Pillars’ Data Helixes within the Psyche Chambers…
Location: Psyche Chambers, Outpost Epsilon
Time: 15:06 PM

         The Aggressors’ eyes collectively shot open.  In the computerized windows of the pods displayed information on Destiny Holme, who is affiliated with expelled Aggressor Subject 85505-63.  Their eyes didn’t blink; the nodes attached to their heads kept them open while they consumed the information presented.  The Aggressors concentrated their gaze on Destiny’s innocent face; she is now an enemy of the Order…