Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 18: Insurgency for the artifact

[Scott's pov]

Walking through the thick bushes and trees, we eventually arrived at the outskirts of the military base of the New Order Alliance. The Protogen wearing a cloak gestured me to stay low, and I crouched down. The heads-up display of my visor displays the exact time, and it is a few minutes before four. The skies are still pitch black and the surroundings are dark. The military base is well lit, as well as the fences. The gated entrance is heavily guarded by several Protogen wearing what appears to be a high-tech armor, and are equipped with LMGs. Searchlights are scattered around being emitted from the four towers, and each towers on the four corners of the fences.

"Ghost, how do you propose entering that fort?" I asked and the cloaked Protogen turned to look at me. "Want to hear a story so it won't bother you later? It will be proven useful for later, don't worry." Ghost asked and I stared at him for a couple of seconds before giving him a slight nod. "Geez, your stories appear out of nowhere. Make it quick." I stated and Ghost lies down on the grass as he brings out his sniper rifle.

Ghost looks through the scope, presumably scoping the surrounding area of the military base. "Cloning is an interesting yet horrifying scientific discovery. Many were in disbelief and suicidal because of inability to accept that they were born from a laboratory without having real biological parents. Their lives feeling worthless because they are treated as experiments, tools from the day they were born until the day they die. What do you think about cloning?" Ghost asked as he occasionally moves and tilts his sniper rifle lightly to scope out more of the military base.

"Cloning can be both beneficial and destructive at the same time. Most notable effect would be to the cloned person itself. To be cloned all alone without knowing your origin is quite sad. Why bring up this topic by the way?" I asked and Ghost gets up from the grass to sit upright and look at me. "I am a clone of a human soldier who's time is dated back decades, and I weren't by myself. There's also another Ghost within the New Order Alliance. They call him Lieutenant, and he's by the same origin as mine. We were twins, or brothers in a way, but the rivalry completely severed the ties. He's superior in the ranks, and I'm inferior, but I refuse to accept that. You wanna hear more?" Ghost asked and I gave him a nod.

"Good. We should refer to this other Ghost as Lieutenant from now on, to avoid misunderstanding. The Lieutenant kicked me from our home after we had an argument regarding the artifact. He wants to keep it, to know more about what lies with the artifact. He refused to take note of the dangers the artifact may have, as if he doesn't care about the safety of anyone, everybody. It's only a matter of time before his science experiments finds the right subject to unlock the true nature of the artifact, and we have to put a stop on this project by destroying New Order Alliance itself and rebuild it back from the ground up. Not as a mad science military group, but a true nation to serve and protect everyone."

Ghost then looks at me before handing me a glowing red knife. "You dropped this on our way here. You'll need it through the entire mission. We extract Lui, kill the Lieutenant, and burn the place to the ground. The only one that can kill a ghost, is a ghost. You copy that, Scott?" Ghost stated and I gave him a smirk followed by a chuckle. "Roger that, but may I suggest an additional task and a possible entry?"

[Lui's pov]

I stood still as the Lieutenant stands from his seat before making his way towards me. The Protogen stood in front of me, his eyes glaring at me. "Super soldiers are being developed thanks to you, but that's not why I brought you here. At your state, you seem to be capable of wielding mass genocide. You are a walking weapon who stumbled itself into a planet filled with chaos, and that is why I want to propose a deal that will both benefit you and us. I want you to work for me, and you will have your way out of this planet with a little something extra from us. Take the deal, and tell something you desire, then we proceed with the instructions. Deal?" The Lieutenant proposed, and I stood here in silence. I thought deeply about the offer, until my failsafe spoke through my right ear.

"Accept the offer, and tell them you want to see the artifact in return. Do it, as it is the only logical thing to ask for apart from escape." At first, I refrained from speaking it out loud, but I eventually followed with what the failsafe asked me to do. "I will work for you, and in return I get to see this artifact before leaving this planet." I stated as my heart races in my chest, and the Lieutenant chuckled before he pulled out a paper with a picture in it. The Protogen in the picture looks exactly like him, with only the main difference is the skull painted directly on their visor, and not a mask over the visor.

"This traitor is leading an insurgence against the New Order Alliance. You may have seen this Protogen around, and may know them, but I want you to forget that. I want you to turn your back against them, and destroy them. You have to be careful with who you trust, Lui. The Protogen you know can hurt you the most." The Lieutenant then turns and walks back to his office desk before sitting on the office chair. "You may go now." I then turned around and walked back from where I came. I stood in front of the elevator doors as I wait for them to open.

"I don't want this. I don't want to murder someone I know. I just want to go home."