Icon: Angelic Phantom (editing/rewrite)

Chapter 11. The Edge of Existence

Ghost's Story:

Ahra Father Civilization and Icon Control had finally gotten a hold of the S.O.S mayday crash of the Alexandra and the crew which now was known that survivors were out there; making there way to the Icon Outpost, closer in reach than the entire week and few days. “ Razor, how are those thermal scans coming in?!” Asked Commander Ghost, while he and the crew pushed through the exhausting terrain of the jagged but grass covered mountain edge of wilderness. The crew had all together been pushed in away. It built them to become closer. They had reached the gates of the Icon Outpost, coming up to a intercom mic and a small monitor. Ghost pressed a button and attempted to speak into the mic. “ This is High Commander Ghost of Icon Delta Space Station, our craft has landed roughly eighty- four miles dew north of this location.” “ We sent a mayday from our ship before the crash but no one has officially responded.” Said Ghost  “ Agent. Seg, Icon Outpost Ranger, we received your mayday and informed Icon Control.” “ Sounds like Icon Air Support will be flying in tonight to retrieve you.” Said Agent Seg. The gates made noise, and opened slowly while the now excited crew were happy to enter and rest.
Opening the compound door, Icon Ranger Seg came out with three other Icon Rangers all inspecting everyone.  “ Well I’ll be Dammed it sounded like you guys didn’t make it but here you are!” Said Seg as he walked around them. “ Ranger Coz, Ranger Doom, and Ranger Brig, meet our new guests for the day.” Introduced Ranger Seg. The four Rangers did a sweep inspection of Ghost, Razor, and the crew before opening the door and letting their fellow Icon Agents into the Outpost. Lights turned on in the old building as it looked grunge and dim. “I’m sure you all are looking for a shower, and meal!” Stated Seg, leading the unit of people through the Outpost and its corridors. Opening the door to the shower room, the lights flickered as Ranger Seg turned the switch on and the room appeared.  Happy to see, they stripped out of their beaten uniforms and ran to the stalls.
After a bit sitting down to a meal Seg and Brig, overviewed scan-readings and thermal reports, keeping an eye out on the terrain around from their digital tablets. One by one Ghost and the others came from out the wash bathroom, and sat down to the table and ate the meal packs made for them. “ So how long do you guys station out here?!” Asked Ghost finishing his meal. “ Mostly we don’t come out this far, Outpost this old don’t see a lot of use anymore,” began Ranger Seg. Looking up from his tablet and broke into conversation with Ghost now cleaning off his gear and equipment. “ We’ve been sent out here to do some investigating on the wildlife, as you saw very few animals out here but the ones you see have been infected with Virus twenty-six radiation making them Farrell, killing and eating each other.” Continued Ranger Seg, as in came Ranger Doom from his watch on the roof of the compound. Ranger Brig was filling out report charts and keeping records of here readings off her tablet. “ So the carcasses we’ve been seeing laying about are from the virus.” “ It seems like all the wildlife is dyeing still after the Vegetation came back to Earth now seventy years later, God that’s crazy!” said Ghost.
“ We Reached a location about ten miles out from here where the trees are turning black and grass isn’t growing well, it’s about late summer time here, and nothing in that area has grown, instead the virus spreads out and contaminates everything.” Interrupted Brig, while she looked up at Commander Ghost. “ Is it an Undertone?” Asked Razor walking into the room looking to pull into the small briefing. “ We don’t know, most likely yes, but no Lepers come out this far, and nothing but wildlife live in this region, not people.” Said Brig, while she got up from her chair, and moved over to a board on the wall loaded with tracer notes and ideas containing information. 
Continuing to gather Intel, Ghost looked at Razor who was staring out a port window of the compound looking far beyond. Ghost walked up to Razor and rested his hand on his shoulder, letting him know he was there.
Brig was busy with Coz overseeing blueprints of the compound for layout information, and where to find more storage units in the facility. “ There seems to be some underground tunnels to another compound half a mile south of here!” Announced Ranger Brig as she and Ranger Coz studied the  blueprint deeply. “ Access to the tunnel is from the basement but the blueprint doesn’t show the connected compounds layout or structure!” Said Ranger Coz as he passed the blueprint to Ghost and hoping he could make some since to the outdated paper. “ I don’t know looks like something to go check out!” said Ghost while he finished whipping his scope to his machiena rifle and reconnecting it to the slide.
“I'm up for it!” chimed Ranger Doom walking in. He was tall and ducked a bit to get into the room.
They had less then ten hours before Icon Air Support came in and they all seemed bored, not wanting to sit or stand around all day. “ Ranger Seg. What do you think of it?!” Asked Brigs as she seemed determined to go check out the tunnel and the connected compound. “If you want to go scavenger hunting in a creepy tunnel and see what lies underground I suggest bringing our guest for entertainment till their departure.” Said Ranger Seg with a smile.
They began to gear up and set up a CR-Bot or floating recording robot that also could scan, and read air pressure, and also measure oxygen. Razor, Commander Ghost, Ranger Brig, and Ranger Coz and Ranger Doom were ready to set down the tunnel as they got to the basement. The air was damp, and the smell of an old rust carried through the tunnel. “Flash lights on,” Commanded Ghost as the other four took to his lead. They began to walk into the tunnel, flashing light all around them and ahead while the CR-BOT floated forward reading scans and sending feed back to Razor who downloaded the readings and projected out of his robotic eye a complete map of everything ahead. “ Razor held a Z47 Machiena shot gun as Ghost and the others held rifles along with a side hand gun. “ Razor is Sandra Org. Prototype, he’s the sharpest Cyborg unit Icon has ever had and not yet does he fail to deliver a solid report back.” Said Ghost to Ranger Brigs while they pushed through the tunnel. “I almost feel better an AI is with us right now, this place is kind of creepy!” said Ranger Brigs as her, Doom, and Ranger Coz continued to follow Razor and Ghost. “ We’re getting close to the next compound, the CR-BOT is alerting a oxygen drop, everyone masks up!” Commanded Ghost while the team continued to move slowly to the next compound. Finally reaching the compound a set of giant cement doors bared the way. Bio hazard logos and stay out signs were put up by the door. The team looked at each other as everyone started to feel their nerves kick. “ Creepy,” said Ghost while he walked up to the CR-BOT and set settings on it now to turn into a stealth drone. “ I’ll send the Bot in first and let it get a full scope of the area, and send us footage back so we know what’s on the other side.
Opening the cement door and signaling the CR-BOT In to get footage, out of Razors eye, was a view of what seemed to be an old lab facility. Cyrotubes lined up and down row after row them all with dead humans in them floating lifeless, waterlogged and rotting. “ What the fuck is this,” asked Razor as images of dead men and women could be seen in every direction. The CR-BOT floated farther into the compound as soon voices could be herd conversation beyond. “ No no no, I said to put the Subject 76 in the Freezer, and continue searching every body in cyrotubes for the Arch symbol, that’s the body holding the viruses auto booster, so we can control the spread.” Said a man in Sun Soldier uniform to a lab technician that scrambled back to work. “ That’s Major Rage, a highly wanted war criminal in Queenshire!” Announced Ghost as he looked at the Rangers and Razor. “ What is he doing in a connected Icon Outpost?!” Asked Ranger Brigs now understanding that this was  going to turn out ugly if Ghost attempted to pursue his capture. “ What do we do? Asked Ranger Doom while the others stood ready to react. “ Commander Ghost to Ranger Seg come in!” Announced Ghost through the ear piece. “ Go ahead!” Replied Ranger Seg. “ You won’t believe this, but verification and sighting of Major Rage has been spotted in the connected Icon compound and is an active threat!” Reported Ghost while everyone prepared to enter the facility to apprehend the highly evil Villain. “ Commander Ghost we need him alive, but you know as well as any Icon Soldier to place him under arrest.
“ Understood!” Replied Ghost as he looked at his team ready to charge in and confront Major Rage. “ On my count we barge in and surround the target.”
They merged into the room and rushed toward the CR-BOT which had a full visual on Major Rage. Posted and ready to move Ghost walked from out the dim light now revealing himself to Major Rage. “ Major Rage, what a weird thing to find you here In an Icon Outpost!” He said beginning to pull the trigger on while holding his machenia Rifle up to his target.
“ Privet, Commander Ghost, it’s funny I could say the same seeing your Icon Delta Space, not Icon Ground Control.” Smerked Rage with his Russian accent, drawing out his sword. “ Your under arrest, or do you wish to go quietly or will I be dragging you in?!” taunted Ghost as he signaled for his team to step in. They drew near Major Rage until they could get no closer. “ I feel you’ll have to have more than your squad to bring me in!” laughed Major Rage, conjuring a magic and then releasing a heavy electric wave out of his hand, as a bolt of lightning struck Ranger Doom dropping him instantly. “ Doom!” Yelled Ranger Coz. Doom shook and violently his body tightened as the electrical current ran through his body. “ It’s been some time since I ran into you Icon pukes, I almost miss the fun we have!” Taunted Major Rage. “ That’s it! Yelled Ranger Brigs as she pulled out her sword and ran up to Major Rage, striking at him with her blade as followed Ghost and the three began to fight clashing swords against each other. Razor fired shots at Major Rage who blocked them all in-between the midst of sword play. Kicking Ranger Brig hard in the ribs she flew back into a cryotube and was knocked unconscious. Razor came up to him swinging his war blade that met Rage’s blade as Ghost took at him not seeing Rages coordination was absolutely impressive, continuing to fight them all so skillfully. Rage continuing to duck and block his oncoming attacks moved around the floor with swiftness, while Ghost felt him gaining the upper hand.  Major Rage picked up Razor by the shoulder and flung him at Ghost as they both fell piled up on each other. “ You Icon Soldiers are weak,” he said as over saw the sight of wounded Icon Soldiers laying beaten up on the floor before him. Ghost brought himself to his feet but again was knocked back by an electrical bolt that struck him hard in the chest. “ Nooo,” Yelled Razor as he saw Ghost sprawled out on the other side of the room. The team lay defeated looking up at Major Rage. Rage walked up to Ranger Coz grabbing him by the neck. He began suffocating him as Ranger Coz struggled to be released from his grip. “ Nooo Rage, put him down,” Commanded Ghost half beathed, while Rage continuing to squeeze the life out of him. He was all smiles of evil until the sound of hover choppers could be heard up above the surface. Soon the lab technician came running In with blood vials, “ Major Rage, Icon is coming, we need to leave. “ Have you found the booster?!”  “ Yes Sjr.” Said The lab technician as Major Rage released Ranger Coz and both of them took off. Just then from the opposite way came a flood of Icon Soldiers guns drawn and ready to kill any others of The Shine. “ Commander Ghost we’re here now, your safe!” said an Icon agent as others checked out the rest of the team. Hover gurneys came in and medical units while other Icon Agent retrieved the footage from the CR-BOT. Ghost looked at Razor one eye open, then he closed his eye and breathed in relief they survived. Lifted on to the hover choppers Ghost looked at Razor laying next to him and reached out to grab his hand. Embraced, Razor squeezed Ghost’s hand back as they were now being flown back to Icon Control Base. “ I can never lose you Razor!” Said Commander Ghost softly then he closed his eyes and rested himself.