Mr_DC
Been a while
"Listen to me, One!" Jamie was the favorite criminal of Mobville police. Someone who throws around so much bribe money has to be loved in a city as corrupt as Mobville. "I didn't know you'd be pissed! I meant to give you the bigger cut, I swear." Jamie was in his usual office at the Mobville Chariot - the fanciest hotel in the city. He was on his knees, sweating in his cream two-piece suit. Being almost fifty, Jamie learned all tricks of the trade. Who to sell to, who to buy from. Who to belittle, who to beg. But greed is what brought down bigger criminals and Jamie was just another name on the list.
"That's the point. It's not about getting a cut."
One was leaning on the door with his arms crossed. His deep voice rumbled and bounced around the quiet room. Picking a single white thread off his usual black suit, he continued. "I let you deal drugs in my city even though my people don't do so. I even let you transport things through without checking for content." One moved away from the door behind him. He was one of those people who seemed calm regardless of the situation. "Then I learn you sold weapons in my city. Not even Mobville Arms weapons, not that I'd allow those either." One stopped in front of Jamie, hands in pockets. One had a way of intimidating people. Not his calmness or legendary cruelty but the fact no one knew how he actually looked like.
A man covered by black bandages, not a single inch of his skin visible. Most unnerving - his eyes - covered as well but had some way of seeing.
"It was just a rifle, One." Jamie clasped his hands. "He offered me a lot of money. Please, One." His big, blue eyes teared up.
"And that one rifle was used to open fire on my soldiers." One turned his back on Jamie. "You know no one sells guns in my lands..." One stepped towards the door. "Regrettably for you, my lands are everywhere." One pushed the double doors open. Two men entered wearing combat gear. Their full body armor was ice white, matching the rifles in their hands. Glancing at his reflection in their dark tinted visors, One smirked. "Your family will get flowers from the corporation." One said, pulling the door closed behind him.
"Could have made a bigger message. Maybe blow up his office." A woman said, standing by the door. Her back was straight and head tilted back, looking at the ceiling.
"You do know Mobville Corporation owns this hotel, right?" One's bandages shifted as he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Firebomb? It would even leave a nice charred corpse to parade around the streets." The woman shrugged and followed One down the wide hallway.
"We need to get that replaced..." One tapped on the small dents on her shoulder plate. Unlike the two soldiers who entered the hotel room, she wore red armor with black details. Her plates were also thicker in places and arranged in a slightly different way which, alongside the different color, was enough to make her stand out.
The pair entered the elevator and took it down. "We're not thugs, Wolf. The right people will know what happened to Jamie." One lazily walked to the door, his hands behind his back.
"I want to keep it like this. Slight damage makes me seem more threatening." Wolf said calmly, examining her armor. "Like a soldier with scars."
"Scars are a proof of experience and toughness. They also show the soldier couldn't avoid getting hit. Do you want it to seem like you don't know where to stand when bullets start flying?" The elevator doors opened and One smirked, not looking at her. "Besides, it hurts the structural integrity of the suit."
"Point taken." Wolf said after a short pause. "Time to return to the base, sir?" She looked at One who stopped in front of the front door.
"They said it is going to rain tonight. A storm." One looked up at the night sky, the thick black clouds stopping all but smallest streaks of moonlight.
"I'm training tonight anyways. Don't have a mission." Wolf shrugged, watching One while holding the door open for him.
"Storms at night make me tense..." One sighed, still watching the sky. "You're driving tonight." One walked out of the tall building into the well-lit streets and opened the door of a town car parked by the main entrance.
"Where am I driving tonight?" Wolf asked, getting in after One.
"I'll explain everything. Just a quick delivery job for me." One rested his head on his fist as he looked out the tinted window.
"I see." Wolf nodded, looking out her window as well. "I'll get some pills from Gazelle. I don't feel tired." She said halfheartedly.
A gate to a massive cleared portion of the forest opened as soon as a soldier took a good look at the vehicle. The patrols were thick with groups of soldiers covering every inch of the fenced-in area. The car drove to one of the many bunker entrances. This one had a wide closed blast door. "Do we really need to be checked twice?" Wolf crossed her arms on her chest as the door started sinking into the ground.
"Imagine if someone got past the first gate. If they get into the motor pool and the soldiers in there don't stop them..." One smiled at Wolf until she interrupted him.
"Yes, it would be a boo-boo." Wolf sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Wolf." One turned his head away and spoke slowly. "How about you keep that behavior for someone who's not your superior?"
"I apologize sir, Director, sir." Wolf said, suppressing sarcasm and looking out her window until One focused his attention ahead.
The car started driving down after the door opened. The motor pool indeed was a security danger. Everything from tanks and artillery vehicles to trucks and limousines were parked there. "How much money did you pour into Horse's little project?" Wolf asked, scanning a massive tank in the back which seemed half finished.
"I'll see you in the main room in two minutes." One said, pushing the door open and walking away.
Wolf did the same and leaned on the car, her eyes stopping on a camera which seemed to be fixed on her. Raising a middle finger to the camera, she walked away from the car. As much respect and admiration she had for One, there was something she couldn't put a finger on that made her want to disrespect him.
"Bear." Wolf nodded slowly, looking up at a huge man who stomped over to her side. His armor was gray and bulkier than hers with no piece thinner than the other. "Come on, we have to visit the recruits." Wolf motioned her head at the door and started walking. She didn't have to look back to know he was following her. It wasn't the slow thumping of his steps. If there was anyone who would listen to her orders when not on a mission, it was Bear. A faithful bodyguard.
"I asked Lion what he thinks of the recruits. Most of them are either criminals or soldiers. Only a handful from the Academy." She snorted, relaxing her stiff posture for a moment.
"Fashionably late, eh prom queen?" A voice came through Wolf's radio as she stepped into the main room. The large room was usually filled with benches, some vending machines, the occasional plant, and several TV's, serving as a place for everyone to relax. Now, however, it was empty and a raised platform occupied the furthest part of the room. The middle was taken up by a square group of people, all watching the soldiers on the platform. Like Wolf, these soldiers wore different styles and colors of armor. In the middle was One.
Wolf looked at the soldier in green, staring back at her. The woman was wearing green armor with a small number of armor plates, most of the protection coming from the dark, rubbery material which connected the few plates she had. "How about you say that out loud." Wolf spoke into her radio as One started his speech. She knew well whatever they say doesn't leave their helmets.
"How about you listen to the boss..." The woman in green chuckled, facing the crowd, keeping her hands behind her back like everyone else. "Or did you finally give up on learning from him? After all, it's impossible for you to learn what charisma even is."
"After all these years of being picked on, Mantis, how come you don't know what a good insult is?" Wolf sighed, scanning the crowd who listened to One's every word.
"I know you two are arguing on a private channel. Show some respect and listen to the Director." Another voice came through the radio and Wolf glanced at the man in golden armour further down the line.
"Not your problem, Lion. Besides, what makes you think we're arguing?" Wolf growled.
"It would be true even if I said it in the middle of the night. Your chest plate is moving unevenly. Who else would you be talking to? Having a monologue with Bear?" The soldier turned his head to face her. "Don't answer, listen to the Director."
"...from the army know me as the person whose soldiers are taking your jobs." One nodded and received a few chuckles from the crowd. "Those of you from law enforcement know me as the person you're unsuccessfully trying to pin crimes on." He chuckled to that one himself. "I am the person who will train you. Make you the best soldiers in the world. The best may be good enough to become agents of the Beast project." He raised a hand and the soldiers by his sides saluted in unison. "Agent Cow is going to escort you to the barracks." One nodded. "Dismissed!" He raised his voice, a smug smirk surfacing on his face.
"Go easy on them, will you, fatass?" Wolf shot a private comm at Cow. "Some cannon fodder always comes in handy." She scoffed. "Why do you think we bring you on missions?" The asked, rhetorically and turned her attention to the small group of red-armored soldiers approaching her and saluting on arrival.
"We have wounded incoming from the Mexican campaign." One of Gazelle's many assistants read of an electronic pad in his hand. "They've all been stabilized but should be re-examined upon arrival." The medic gave the brown-armored Beast an apologetic look. "Director's orders. He doesn't trust the medical staff we have there."
"It's fine." The woman raised her hand dismissively, looking around. "We have a stable situation here anyway. This might be a good teaching opportunity..." She paused, crossing her arms on her chest, and looking into the distance. "Make sure the new medics join me on the examination." She ordered and the assistant made a quick note.
"They must be so scared." Lion said in a paternal tone, leaning back on a wall and watching the recruits. With a smile, he looked at the Beast by his side, seeing his own golden reflection in Crow's dark gray visor. "Do you remember your first combat situation?"
Crow laughed, looking at the recruits as well. "Of course I do. Clipped a tree with my chopper and ended up being chewed up by my CO back at base. Everyone remembers their first time."
Lion shrugged, still smiling. "Do you remember mine? Choked on the retreat... I'd be dead if not for you." Lion commented quietly, giving a slow nod to the older Beast.
"I've got your back." Crow gave Lion a friendly nudge. "You up for drinks tonight?" He grinned under his helmet.
"You know it." Lion took the offer with a pat on the shoulder.
0stinato
"That's the point. It's not about getting a cut."
One was leaning on the door with his arms crossed. His deep voice rumbled and bounced around the quiet room. Picking a single white thread off his usual black suit, he continued. "I let you deal drugs in my city even though my people don't do so. I even let you transport things through without checking for content." One moved away from the door behind him. He was one of those people who seemed calm regardless of the situation. "Then I learn you sold weapons in my city. Not even Mobville Arms weapons, not that I'd allow those either." One stopped in front of Jamie, hands in pockets. One had a way of intimidating people. Not his calmness or legendary cruelty but the fact no one knew how he actually looked like.
A man covered by black bandages, not a single inch of his skin visible. Most unnerving - his eyes - covered as well but had some way of seeing.
"It was just a rifle, One." Jamie clasped his hands. "He offered me a lot of money. Please, One." His big, blue eyes teared up.
"And that one rifle was used to open fire on my soldiers." One turned his back on Jamie. "You know no one sells guns in my lands..." One stepped towards the door. "Regrettably for you, my lands are everywhere." One pushed the double doors open. Two men entered wearing combat gear. Their full body armor was ice white, matching the rifles in their hands. Glancing at his reflection in their dark tinted visors, One smirked. "Your family will get flowers from the corporation." One said, pulling the door closed behind him.
"Could have made a bigger message. Maybe blow up his office." A woman said, standing by the door. Her back was straight and head tilted back, looking at the ceiling.
"You do know Mobville Corporation owns this hotel, right?" One's bandages shifted as he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Firebomb? It would even leave a nice charred corpse to parade around the streets." The woman shrugged and followed One down the wide hallway.
"We need to get that replaced..." One tapped on the small dents on her shoulder plate. Unlike the two soldiers who entered the hotel room, she wore red armor with black details. Her plates were also thicker in places and arranged in a slightly different way which, alongside the different color, was enough to make her stand out.
The pair entered the elevator and took it down. "We're not thugs, Wolf. The right people will know what happened to Jamie." One lazily walked to the door, his hands behind his back.
"I want to keep it like this. Slight damage makes me seem more threatening." Wolf said calmly, examining her armor. "Like a soldier with scars."
"Scars are a proof of experience and toughness. They also show the soldier couldn't avoid getting hit. Do you want it to seem like you don't know where to stand when bullets start flying?" The elevator doors opened and One smirked, not looking at her. "Besides, it hurts the structural integrity of the suit."
"Point taken." Wolf said after a short pause. "Time to return to the base, sir?" She looked at One who stopped in front of the front door.
"They said it is going to rain tonight. A storm." One looked up at the night sky, the thick black clouds stopping all but smallest streaks of moonlight.
"I'm training tonight anyways. Don't have a mission." Wolf shrugged, watching One while holding the door open for him.
"Storms at night make me tense..." One sighed, still watching the sky. "You're driving tonight." One walked out of the tall building into the well-lit streets and opened the door of a town car parked by the main entrance.
"Where am I driving tonight?" Wolf asked, getting in after One.
"I'll explain everything. Just a quick delivery job for me." One rested his head on his fist as he looked out the tinted window.
"I see." Wolf nodded, looking out her window as well. "I'll get some pills from Gazelle. I don't feel tired." She said halfheartedly.
A gate to a massive cleared portion of the forest opened as soon as a soldier took a good look at the vehicle. The patrols were thick with groups of soldiers covering every inch of the fenced-in area. The car drove to one of the many bunker entrances. This one had a wide closed blast door. "Do we really need to be checked twice?" Wolf crossed her arms on her chest as the door started sinking into the ground.
"Imagine if someone got past the first gate. If they get into the motor pool and the soldiers in there don't stop them..." One smiled at Wolf until she interrupted him.
"Yes, it would be a boo-boo." Wolf sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Wolf." One turned his head away and spoke slowly. "How about you keep that behavior for someone who's not your superior?"
"I apologize sir, Director, sir." Wolf said, suppressing sarcasm and looking out her window until One focused his attention ahead.
The car started driving down after the door opened. The motor pool indeed was a security danger. Everything from tanks and artillery vehicles to trucks and limousines were parked there. "How much money did you pour into Horse's little project?" Wolf asked, scanning a massive tank in the back which seemed half finished.
"I'll see you in the main room in two minutes." One said, pushing the door open and walking away.
Wolf did the same and leaned on the car, her eyes stopping on a camera which seemed to be fixed on her. Raising a middle finger to the camera, she walked away from the car. As much respect and admiration she had for One, there was something she couldn't put a finger on that made her want to disrespect him.
"Bear." Wolf nodded slowly, looking up at a huge man who stomped over to her side. His armor was gray and bulkier than hers with no piece thinner than the other. "Come on, we have to visit the recruits." Wolf motioned her head at the door and started walking. She didn't have to look back to know he was following her. It wasn't the slow thumping of his steps. If there was anyone who would listen to her orders when not on a mission, it was Bear. A faithful bodyguard.
"I asked Lion what he thinks of the recruits. Most of them are either criminals or soldiers. Only a handful from the Academy." She snorted, relaxing her stiff posture for a moment.
"Fashionably late, eh prom queen?" A voice came through Wolf's radio as she stepped into the main room. The large room was usually filled with benches, some vending machines, the occasional plant, and several TV's, serving as a place for everyone to relax. Now, however, it was empty and a raised platform occupied the furthest part of the room. The middle was taken up by a square group of people, all watching the soldiers on the platform. Like Wolf, these soldiers wore different styles and colors of armor. In the middle was One.
Wolf looked at the soldier in green, staring back at her. The woman was wearing green armor with a small number of armor plates, most of the protection coming from the dark, rubbery material which connected the few plates she had. "How about you say that out loud." Wolf spoke into her radio as One started his speech. She knew well whatever they say doesn't leave their helmets.
"How about you listen to the boss..." The woman in green chuckled, facing the crowd, keeping her hands behind her back like everyone else. "Or did you finally give up on learning from him? After all, it's impossible for you to learn what charisma even is."
"After all these years of being picked on, Mantis, how come you don't know what a good insult is?" Wolf sighed, scanning the crowd who listened to One's every word.
"I know you two are arguing on a private channel. Show some respect and listen to the Director." Another voice came through the radio and Wolf glanced at the man in golden armour further down the line.
"Not your problem, Lion. Besides, what makes you think we're arguing?" Wolf growled.
"It would be true even if I said it in the middle of the night. Your chest plate is moving unevenly. Who else would you be talking to? Having a monologue with Bear?" The soldier turned his head to face her. "Don't answer, listen to the Director."
"...from the army know me as the person whose soldiers are taking your jobs." One nodded and received a few chuckles from the crowd. "Those of you from law enforcement know me as the person you're unsuccessfully trying to pin crimes on." He chuckled to that one himself. "I am the person who will train you. Make you the best soldiers in the world. The best may be good enough to become agents of the Beast project." He raised a hand and the soldiers by his sides saluted in unison. "Agent Cow is going to escort you to the barracks." One nodded. "Dismissed!" He raised his voice, a smug smirk surfacing on his face.
"Go easy on them, will you, fatass?" Wolf shot a private comm at Cow. "Some cannon fodder always comes in handy." She scoffed. "Why do you think we bring you on missions?" The asked, rhetorically and turned her attention to the small group of red-armored soldiers approaching her and saluting on arrival.
"We have wounded incoming from the Mexican campaign." One of Gazelle's many assistants read of an electronic pad in his hand. "They've all been stabilized but should be re-examined upon arrival." The medic gave the brown-armored Beast an apologetic look. "Director's orders. He doesn't trust the medical staff we have there."
"It's fine." The woman raised her hand dismissively, looking around. "We have a stable situation here anyway. This might be a good teaching opportunity..." She paused, crossing her arms on her chest, and looking into the distance. "Make sure the new medics join me on the examination." She ordered and the assistant made a quick note.
"They must be so scared." Lion said in a paternal tone, leaning back on a wall and watching the recruits. With a smile, he looked at the Beast by his side, seeing his own golden reflection in Crow's dark gray visor. "Do you remember your first combat situation?"
Crow laughed, looking at the recruits as well. "Of course I do. Clipped a tree with my chopper and ended up being chewed up by my CO back at base. Everyone remembers their first time."
Lion shrugged, still smiling. "Do you remember mine? Choked on the retreat... I'd be dead if not for you." Lion commented quietly, giving a slow nod to the older Beast.
"I've got your back." Crow gave Lion a friendly nudge. "You up for drinks tonight?" He grinned under his helmet.
"You know it." Lion took the offer with a pat on the shoulder.
0stinato