The Alpha: Pt 1 Of The Freelancer Saga (complete)

The Final Chapter:

The Final Chapter.

Is it the End?

I shut off the mantises and I then hear gunfire intensifying as the door hisses open.

(changing my format because of all the dialogue)

Grif: (panting) So yeah... that way's not looking like a good exit anymore.
Epsilon: Carolina, we need an extraction!
Carolina: (over radio) Roger that. We'll fire up a Pelican and be there in a few minutes.

Sparks begin to fly as the soldiers begin cutting through the door.

Soldier: Come on, get that door open!

Simmons: We... may not have a few minutes.

They all turn and stare at the door

Sarge: Well boys, you know what they say... (he throws down his Plasma Rifle and draws his shotgun) ...today... is a good day to die.

Grif: Permission to speak freely, sir?

Sarge turns around to see Grif, who has taken his "Grif shot" off its pedestal and is holding it.

Grif: Fuck that.

Sarge chuckles and pumps his shotgun. Lopez flips the table on its side. Simmons grabs the Magnum and loads it. Doc and Donut shove the table against the door. Sarge steps over the coffee mug, shattering it.
Sarge: Whoops.
Caboose holds up Freckles.
Freckles: Ready.
Simmons walks past Tucker and Epsilon, holding the Monitor.
Simmons: You think the laser on this thing still works?
Tucker: We got this. I mean, we do got this, right?
Epsilon: I keep running the stats in my head... well I mean, we're close, but no. We're still short one piece.
Tucker: What do you mean?
Epsilon: F.I.L.S.S.? The suit.
F.I.L.S.S. brought up the Meta's suit.
Tucker: What. The hell?
Epsilon: I saw it when I connected to the terminal.
Epsilon: It's got everything that we need. (cut back to Tucker) Tucker, take off your helmet.
Grif has his brute shot, Sarge has his shotgun, Simmons has two Needlers, Donut has two Magnums, Lopez has two Plasma Rifles, Doc has his Rocket Launcher, Caboose has Freckles, and Tucker stands in the center in Meta's former armor, wielding his sword.
Epsilon: So how does it feel?
Tucker: Kinda... tight in the crotch. (the suit changes from white to aqua) Buuuttt, I could get used to this!
Donut: Now that's a good look for you!
Soldier: Prepare to breach!
Sarge: Gentlemen, looks like this is it.
Simmons: Sir, it's been an honor.
Lopez: (translated) If I die, make sure my parts recycled.
Donut: (tearful) I love you too, Lopez!
Doc: Aw, that's so sweet (in O'Malley's voice) Now, let us strike fear into the hearts of our enemies, mwahahaha!
Grif: Smartest thing you've ever said.
Caboose: Yeah! Let's get 'em! (aims Freckles at the door)
Epsilon: "Hey, uh, I just want you guys to know that, out of everyone I've ever met... I hate you all the least." I look at Delta's calculations and see that the reds and blues only have a 50 50 shot chance at making it with injuries.
Tucker: See you on the other side, Church.
Everyone is ready as the door is almost cut through. Suddenly the sparks stop moving.

I sigh and my sniper rifle dematerializes.

Epsilon: Not this time, buddy.
Epsilon-Delta: Are you... sure about this?
Epsilon: I'm sure... start a recording for me, D.
Epsilon-Delta: Recording.
I take a deep breath and I start, "Hey guys... if you're hearing this then it means you did it. You won. You kicked the shit out of Hargrove's forces. I knew you could. But this is my last stop. See, when I came into this world, I was really just a collection of somebody else's memories. But with your help, these memories... they-they took form! They became my voice, my personality. And, after a while, I... I began to make brand new memories of my own. All of these things are what make me who I am... but they're also holding me back." I see Tucker in the Meta's suit. "I can't run this suit as Epsilon, but if I erase my memories, if I... deconstruct myself, the fragments I'll leave behind will have the strength to get you through this." I believe that. I see all of the fragments flash before me, "I wish that there was another way. But I'm leaving this message, as well as others, in the hopes that you'll understand why I have to go this time...hehe, it was actually Doyle who made me realize something that I've never thought of before. There are so many stories where some brave hero decides to give their life to save the day, and because of their sacrifice, the good guys win, the survivors all cheer, and everybody lives happily ever after." I look at what has become my friends and force myself to continue. "But the hero... never gets to see that ending. They'll never know if their sacrifice actually made a difference" I can feel myself shifting amongst my fragments. "They'll never know if the day was really saved. In the end, they just have to have faith.
Ain't that a bitch."

I gasp as I open my eyes to see the Director who is looking at me. "You!" I roar in anger, my body no longer white, rather shimmering between all of the fragments I have made as I feel the pull of the fragments. "I know what you have done to me, the agents who trusted you, everything!" I realize we are no longer in the same place. I am not restricted, I see a suit of armor, one much like the one I wore when I first met Blue Team. I then scan the area to see I am not in the Mother of Invention. Rather I am in the base that Carolina and I were in before when we found the Director. Only this time, he had tears in his eyes, his hair was silver instead of black. I checked to see the date to see it was 5 years for me to go through the simulation.

"I'm so sorry Epsilon. I lost everything when I lost Allison. You are mad at me. I know that. But you also know why I did everything. Because Church, you are me."

"Epsilon" Has left Chat Room Omega.

Admiral_Omega: Well then. I need to find a way to spread this.

"Admiral_Omega" Has left Chat Room Omega.

Chat Room Omega is now emoty