Stained (Red vs Blue)

For He Is Now Lost

Before The Storm

"We may have found something," Omicron said, startling me out of my thoughts. I jerked my head to him, popping my neck in the process. It hurt. I grabbed my neck, and rested my head on the table. Iowa laughed, and patted my back.

I sighed, and staightened out. "Display a map, please," Michigan said. The map of the facility appeared, just above the table. A red, flashing dot appeared, along with a black flashing light. "The black is us. The red is the possible location," Kappa explained. I nodded, but sighed when I realized one particular part.

"It's completly across the map. This is going to royally suck," Iowa said, voicing my own thoughts. I nodded, stretching. This might be a long walk. "If we can keep to the back ways, we might be able to get there without much conflict," Zeta said. "How will we know the backways? We're not exactly familiar with this place," I responded, crossing my arms.

"That's easy. Just follow our waypoints. This is the facility where we were created, though it has chnaged quite a lot," Chi said. I sighed. "You should have told us this when we arrived here, guys. It would have been nice to know," Alaska said.

Iowa, Michigan, Alaska, and the A.I.s went on a conversation about something. I left to get prepared. I was about twenty or so feet away from the group, crouching down, and checking our equipment. Everything was fine. I just really want this mission to go by easily and quickly. I have a really bad feeling about this whole mission. A sudden headache caused me to double over. "Neva!" I heard Iowa's voice just before my vision went dark.

It turned into a memory.

"Tracer, Echo, we finally have what wehave been anticipating for years now. The one thing that will give our organization power over the Freelancers," I was looking through someone else's eyes, though I couldn't tell who. I looked toward a middle aged man, with greying black hair, and eyes that seemed like he had been through so much in his life time.

"Are you sure these will help us against the Freelancers?" My companion asked. "That is not entirely certain, Echo. It will all come down to who is more efficient at killing the other. Who is faster. Who is stronger. Who is smarter. I cannot predict how your conflict will go, or who will win. All that is certain is that the A.I. will help you best them," The older man said. I was Tracer, I realized.. well in the dream/memory/thing.

"Yes, sir," Echo said. "Show yourself," The older man, most likely the creator, ordered, and a small holographic spartan, in mark six armor, appeared. He, or she, shifted from different shades of blue, and black highlights drifted through every few seconds. "At first I considered naming him Solace, for specific reasons, but then reconsiders and named him Epitaph, for a reason which you will never know," The creator said, looking at both Echo, and myself, Tracer.

"Hello," Epitaph said. The voice surprised me. It had two voices mixed together. I shuddered. "This A.I. was designed for both of you. it was based on both of you. It is two A.I.s put together, creating the strongest A.I. with the most potential." The creator said, and the memory faded.

My eyes snapped open, and I looked around, the memory still remaining. Now I had more insight into the A.I.s past. Epitaph... That must be what Zeta and Eta were called before they split. "You okay? You kinda collapsed there for a few minutes," Iowa asked, extending a hand to help me up. I took it, and stood up. "A memory, I'm guessing?" Zeta asked, appearing on my shoulder. I nodded.

"What did it show?" Alaska asked. "Just the time when Zeta and Eta were introduced to the Vanguard agents, Tracer and Echo," I responded. 'But weren't they one?" Michigan asked. I nodded. "And did it say a name?" Iowa asked. I looked towards Zeta and Eta, who were floating side by side. They nodded. "Epitaph," I said.