Agent Rhode

Finding a Family

"I SUGGEST YOU EMBARK FOR THIS, PILOT," Scavenger said.

"Got it." I embarked my Titan, preparing for time travel.

A scientist powered up the machine, once a simple device to be worn on one's wrist, now a massive machine capable of sending people into the future or past by centuries. "Ready!" I yelled to the scientist.

He pulled the lever. There was a brief flash of blue and then it was over. I disembarked Scavenger, not having any idea where or when I was.

I noticed two figures out of the corner of my eye. One was pink and the other was purple. They were wearing armor of some kind. "Scav, duck behind that building. I'm gonna talk to these people." She complied. I walked up to them. "Excuse me, what year is it?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" The pink one said.

"It's 2549. Why?" The purple one asked.

"I'm... from the past. I volunteered to test some experimental tech. It sent me into the future," I explained.

"Are you a soldier?"

"Better. I'm a pilot."

"Big fucking deal. You can fly a ship." The pink one clearly wanted this conversation to end.

"Not that kind of pilot. Before I say anything else, who do you work for?" I asked.

The pink one pulled the purple one to the side. I listened in one their conversation. "You sure we can trust him?" The pink one asked.

"He doesn't look like Insurrection. Besides, I could believe time travel. We don't know where he came from, so they might have access to it. He looks like a promising soldier. Could make a good Freelancer. I'm gonna talk to the director." The purple put two fingers to the side of his helmet. "Command, this is Agent North. Our mission was a success. We also found a possible new agent, should you entertain the possibility, director. If you do, we'll need something bigger than a Pelican."

"Excellent work, Agent North. Bring your new recruit with you. Do not let me down," the director said over the comm before cutting the signal entirely.

North turned back to me. "You're coming with us. Now, explain what you mean by 'not that kind of pilot.'"

"Fine. Scav, come on out," I ordered. The Ion Titan lumbered over to us. "This is Scavenger. She is my Titan. Titans are essentially mechs that pilots fight with."

The pink one was caught off guard. North kept his calm demeanor about him. "South, it's okay," North reassured. I could tell from his body language that he was scared of Scavenger.

"I'll go more in depth later."

"Okay. Explain you're arm and legs. They're robotic."

Thanks, Captain Obvious, I thought. "My I had my legs amputated and replaced, now more durable and they have a firing mechanism built into them. Each kick is similar to pulling the trigger. My arm is a different story. Most Titans carry guns, but one, the Ronin class, carries a sword. I was separated from Scavenger and I fought a losing battle against a Ronin. It sliced my right arm off. I'm lucky to alive. My hand has a revolver chamber built into it."

"Interesting. Now, that suit... it doesn't look like armor."

"It's not. Pilot jumpsuits prioritize maneuverability and speed over protection. That's not to say I'm defenseless, oh no. My arm and legs are bulletproof and there's some metal protecting my chest, but it needs to be lightweight so a pilot can perform all parkour feats necessary. This suit has been specifically designed for cloaking."