03262090 EOD A-X-Ray

**- -[REASON : EXTREME ANOMALOUS SHIFTS OF TIME AND SPACE ENCLOSED, READERS HAVE BEEN WARNED]- -**

**- -[ACCESS GRANTED : USER - AUSTRINGER]- -**

[GB]: What's the plan here?

[AsM]: This is more than what we usually expect from even the toughest armed forces here.

[GB]: Who would want to deal with this heat, right?

[AsM]: See here's the thing, how are you not overheating right now?

[KF]: Quiet, you two. Stay focused.

[GB]: Right, sorry.

[AsM]: There's that Canadian apologetic-ness.

[GB]: Well, what else would you rather me say?

[KF]: This is really strange, never once have I seen more firepower than a Stryker or two on any of these roads. Yet, I'm looking at not only several tanks but some you'd recognize from Nocturn, Mason.

[AsM]: What?

[GB]: Huh? What do you mean?

[AsM]: Not only are those a convoy of Polish stealth tanks, but they got somethin' else there I can't quite make out.

[KF]: Those are near-field light energy manipulators of some kind, you can tell by the parts inside. It manipulates light somehow.

[AsM]: You do realize I can't see that, only you can.

[SDR]: Actually it was me, DI-

[KF]: Yes yes I understand, this is why I point this out.

[GB]: What's, what's that?

[AsM]: Huh?

[KF]: Oh, right. This is, well, this is Sweet Dreams. Requiem.

[SDR]: Hello!

[GB]: Is she, is she a ghost? She's not another person, clearly.

[KF]: She's, well, they don't really have a name. We just call them "abilities". They are like ghosts, but they're tied to a person's soul. They fight for you and execute your given commands, and supposedly eventually they'll ascend into their ultimate power upon the virtue of the person and become sentient.

[GB]: So she's like a ghost that fights for you?

[KF]: I realize you must have a lot of questions, but I actually have a more pressing one. *How do you see her at all?*

[GB]: What do you mean?

[AsM]: You have to have one to see one. It's a bit like tuning for one of those antique AM radio stations. Once you have one your body is permanently tuned to the spiritual frequency needed to see and hear them, but my wife has been working on a kind of eyewear that cheats it out for you over at Nocturn.

[KF]: That seriously can't go public.

[AsM]: She's developing it to apply on the HUD shades the units wear, but I hear she got three other people from across the world coming in to test giving them an ability each.

[KF]: Ok, that's a discussion I must have with you a different day. Right now we need to try and not freak Grace out.

[GB]: Wait, you can only see it if you're "spiritually attuned" to one naturally?

[KF]: That's a simple way of putting it, yes. The only way to naturally be as such is to have one yourself.

[GB]: So, Mason. You have one too?

[AsM]: What's that?

[GB]: You didn't freak out when you saw it.

[AsM]: Yeah I'm beyond that point.

[GB]: So that means you have one too!

[AsM]: Oh! Well, I suppose technically but not really.

[GB]: What's that supposed to mean?

[AsM]: See, mine was a gift from God. Not exactly a flying little ghost that beats bad guys up but more like personal enhancements.

[GB]: I don't understand.

[AsM]: You don't have to right now, we've been wasting a lot of time now.

[KF]: Seriously. There's more than just the polygonal matte black tanks out there too. I see exoskeleton suits, active camouflage, and even a couple of mechs. This might be too much for us right now, but this is serious. We need to know what they're hiding to need this much defense. Now would be a good time to refresh us on what some of these things' weaknesses are, Mason. I can only fill in on so many.

[AsM]: You know if we had Ren here, she'd know. She'd also hack em too, some of those bigger personal units have to have some kind of genetic recognition security measure tuned to each tech operator.

[KF]: Don't focus on what if and who else. Focus on us. What can *we* do?

Radio tower, incoming and outgoing air traffic control. From there we can halt any more aircraft landing and deal with anyone who was supposed to take off right there on the air strip.

From the tower we can use the blow torch to cut the glass, overkill I know, to shoot out any power boxes on external alarm systems and radio emplacements. Of course with that we'll need the M99, no ordinary sniper can do that. Since it's unsuppressed by any means we'll do that once they already know we're here.

First is the radio tower, then I can hit the gas tank next to the power generator to make it look like a freak accident. That will take out the lights, internal alarm systems, incoming and outgoing emergency alerts of any kind, and even any magnetic or hard pressed door locks and sliding blast doors thus holding them all open. We will have to act fast and switch rifle and rifle operators through the hole in the glass almost instantly, don't want to drag attention to us by making two holes. The torch is too bright despite its silence.

For you two, make sure you have proper optic enhancement on such as night vision. For me, I have the eye patch. Does the same job.

[GB]: You thought of all of this just now?

[AsM]: We had to think of something immediate, can't be prepared for a surprise that hit you.

[KF]: But you can be prepared to expect one when it does it. Let's not get caught off guard on this one.

[AsM]: Let's move, people.

[GB]: I've always wanted to say this.

[AsM]: What's that?

[GB]: "Bravo Six, going dark".

[KF]: Been hearing too much of Aaron's spec ops stories, huh?

[GB]: And how would you know that?

[KF]: His second in command is my boyfriend.

[GB]: Oh, right. Nate.

*The three stick to the shadows across the air strip making their way closer to the air traffic control tower. [KF] making a notion of not so much as giving anyone a hint of their presence, and as in stealth there is no time to argue. The three make their way up the tower unnoticed, and as [AsM] prepares the handheld blowtorch [KF] subdues the tower operator on the other side of the octagonal tower control center*
[KF]: Swift and accurate, one fell swoop.

*[AsM] takes the torch and does exactly that, however in just one whole second he made a horizontally wide oval rather than a circle in a glass pane facing towards the wide open military base; a large complex entangled with cutting edge equipment and expertly trained soldiers all within the middle of nowhere in the South American mountainside*
[GB]: Why an oval?

[AsM]: The brake on the M99 is too wide for a simple circle.

[KF]: I'm getting in position.

*[KF] assumes firing stance with her FN FAL, Dawn, silenced and muzzle far out of the breach in the window. In three quick trigger pulls the noticeably off-colored gas tank that seems to be conveniently close to the generator building of the entire complex explodes violently. With it the generator building crumbles in the explosion and all lights glowing in and around the base instantaneously black out, the base now shrouded in blackness.*
[AsM]: You take it.

[GB]: Oh, ok. I'm getting in position!

*Before anyone has a chance to react, [GB] swings the Barrett M99 Anti-Material Rifle precisely into the glass breach and locks the smart bipods to the window ledge just below the breach. At the spokes lock into the concrete, she pulls the trigger; then realizing she did not bring the barrel of the M99 far out enough, shattering the entire pane before herself, [AsM], and [KF]*
[KF]: Don't worry about it, pull the bolt back and exchange the spent round.

[AsM]: I'll deal with anyone on the airfield, someone's gotta have heard that.

[SDR]: Oh yeah this probably needs to go, too!

*[SDR] follows [AsM] back down the steps to the control center and detours into the airstrip's generator room. Before [AsM] can get a chance to shoot it, [SDR] simply shuts it off and breaks the switch to turn it back on with one hard punch*
[SDR]: They don't know we're armed-

[AsM]: Yet.

*As [GB] takes out the remaining external communications emplacements around the base successfully, with [KF] as a spotter, they both begin to proceed back down to move further into the base itself*
[GB]: Do we really need this rifle anymore?

*[KF] stops to think for a noticeable few seconds*
[KF]: No, we don't. But neither do they.

*[SDR] comes back and rapidly disassembles the M99 until it is nothing but parts, but destroys the screws, holding pins, sear, and barrel*
[KF]: Let's move.

[AsM]: That's everyone out here, silenced as you asked.

[KF]: Once we see what all this security is about, we'll judge exfil from there. For now avoid contact so units don't converge on your location, but take out the snipers. Don't split up, they should be on high alert but without help. Whoever's here is all we're dealing with, but don't underestimate them. Move.

*[KF], [AsM], and [GB] shuffle throughout the complex avoiding live fire confrontations with any of the armed units they pass by. Contrarily, as the armed units are helpless to it, [SDR] takes out anyone in the way or anyone collateral to diversionary tactics*
[GB]: What do we do about this one? He can't be CQC-ed like the others.

[SDR]: I have an idea, pass pass!

*[KF] fires a silenced round towards a heavily armored mech armor suit unit and in mid air the 7.62 warhead changes its trajectory 90 degrees left. Then just as suddenly, the round hits the mech suit on his left ear as he turns from facing away from the three to running to where he thinks the shot came from*
[KF]: Move up, let's go.

*The three eventually come up on a command center, dark as the rest of the complex, but with no one in sight*
[AsM]: This has to be a trap.

[KF]: Eyes open, feet moving.

[GB]: There's light ahead.

[AsM]: That's abnormal.

*The three make their way down a long hall, passing meeting rooms, communications equipment, and necessary supplies in the rooms, towards a feint glow emanating from behind a door ajar. Upon reaching the room they discover much more advanced communications and commanding equipment than what the complex should ever be expected to have. Light blue holographic projections and messages flood the room as [GB] is the first to notice a dead body*
[AsM]: What the hell?

[GB]: We didn't do this, did we?

[KF]: No, look at the uniforms. These are higher up in the chain of command of an entirely difference force than who's stationed here.

[AsM]: Someone else killed them?

[KF]: Suicide, all of them. Gunshot wounds.

[GB]: I don't get it, who were these people?

*[KF] moves her attention to the holograms on a large table in the middle of the room. On it she sees a black mass obfuscated by the holographic lights dancing around the room*
[GB]: What is it?

[KF]: This shouldn't be in this reality.

[AsM]: What *is* it?

[KF]: I can't say, but I need to return it to its proper dimension.

*[KF] stows the enigmatic object away. Just as that conversation finishes, a holographic message in a starkly colored red reading, "REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVED"*
[AsM]: Shit.

[KF]: You two are in way over your heads this time, we need to get out of here.

[SDR]: These guys look even more high tech. Infrared nightvision, heavier armor, more vehicles that look like shapes you see in 1990's club electronic 3D music videos.

[KF]: This artifact must not fall to anyone's hands here.

[AsM]: So what do you propose we do then, huh?

[KF]: A last resort, a bit closer to heaven.

[AsM]: You said that doesn't accelerate processes, just time itself!

[KF]: A sudden shift to day would be a nice way to make a lot of nightvision-wearing goons go blind. Everyone, outside!

*[KF], [AsM], and [GB] run back out the door they came in to see the central building surrounded by these aforementioned advanced units, converging inwards along side larger full-scale mech suits and many strangely shaped armored stealth vehicles. The ground units are taken aback by the three's sudden appearance and would surely claim murder rather than suicide for those left inside*
[KF]: Trust me on this, not all processes are ignored in *the acceleration of time itself*!

*Seemingly seconds before lethal force, the sun begins to rise over the horizon as the current time ceases to be late in the night. As the confused begin to process what is happening the sun shoots high into the sky instantly as time withing a few seconds goes from midnight to noon. Anyone wearing infrared nightvision is now painfully blinded. Any moving vehicles have moved too far, crashing into walls, explosives, and even running over ground units. Any aircraft has also accelerated its position in a linear path, most colliding with each other or the mountain face. Soldiers trip and fall, crash into walls, or even walk into each others' line of fire and kill each other. Fuses on grenades end abruptly and explode in soldiers' hands.*
[KF]: Only processes of which had already begun have accelerated. I can only hope that the rest of the world will not fall into chaos as it too has been affected. Never again shall I do something like this for such a selfish reason. Now don't waste it, *move*!

*As the three move towards the main gate before anyone can regain a sense of their situation, five stealth tanks from before suddenly appear, blocking their path*
[KF]: Damn it, active camo on tanks! Why didn't I realize that's what those devices in them were for?

[AsM]: Invisible tanks. I kinda want one now.

[GB]: We're about to be atomized by invisible railgun tanks and you're making jokes?

[AsM]: Who said we're going to be atomized?

*[AsM] runs fowards towards the five blockading stealth tanks and all begin to hurriedly aim the railgun main cannons all onto him. [KF] sits stalwart as [GB]'s face turns from concern to immediate worry, realizing the situation. Before she can react [AsM] drops his weapon and jumps up, face to face with the center most tank's main cannon and all five tanks fire on him. As the smell of ozone and sight of strangely blue tinted smoke fade away [AsM] remains unscathed bar his now singed clothing, standing on the center tank. He turns back and gives a thumbs up.*
[KF]: That's what he meant by physical enhancements from God himself.

*[AsM] and [SDR] rip the main cannon off of the center tank together and [SDR] turns the main controls into a bomb itself, destroying the center tank from the inside*
[KF]: Now hold onto something, I mean it.

*[SDR] grabs [AsM] and [GB] as the ground begins to shake*
[GB]: What's going to happen now?

[KF]: Don't look down.

*In an instant the ground itself shifts sideways, yet gravity remains the same, unsuspecting soldiers and their vehicles falling into the sky below them. [SDR] uses the side of a garage wall to set everyone down and look over the edge herself, them goes back to grabbing [AsM] and [GB] again. Then the ground becomes the sky, the sky becoming an endless void below them. [GB] then notices that [KF] and [SDR] are merely hovering in space as the immediate world around them rotates around, but before they knew it the ground is back to being the ground. Tanks, LAPVs, mechs, and people falling upwards into the sky*
[GB]: What-

[KF]: That one, thankfully, does not apply to the whole world like accelerating time itself does. Just where I want it to.

[AsM]: Now, let's get out of here finally.

*[KF] brings forth the AE86 from, to [GB], nowhere as it would seem. [KF] gets in the right side driver's seat and ushers [GB] to get into the left passenger's seat with [AsM] in the trunk*
[AsM]: I can never get used to how you drive.

[KF]: That's because I'm better than Aki.

[GB]: Who even *are* you two?

[KF]: Retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Ashton Mason and retired Special Agent Kari Frost, just using our abilities to do the right thing.

[AsM]: But according to her, you and I got into something a bit higher than our "pay grade".

[KF]: I understand if you need space after what just happened.

[AsM]: It's ok, I didn't know that was going to happen, too.

[GB]: Okay.

*end*