I toss the knife up in the air, catch it by it's blade and threw it at the target on the other end of the room. It hit the bullseye. Just like the last 25 times.
I've been working on my Knife Combat forthe last 3 hours. It's harder training by yourself without anyone to really guide you and make sure that you're doing the right thing. Beta is a big help but her help can only go so far.
I slowly walk over to the target and pulled out the knife. I gave the knife a quick check over to make sure nothing was damaged.
"I'm surprised that the knife held up for the many times you threw it at that target." Beta smirks.
I sighed and made my way over to the cleaning station. I took off my helmet and started cleaning the knife. Beta appears in the real world, standing on the table. "Are you not happy with the training today? You had a 11.7% increase in Knife Combat."
"It wasn't the same."
"Pardon?"
I wipe the blade with a clean cloth, running my thumb along the yellow stripe. "Usually, I would always train with Wash with I did Knife Combat training. Training without him, feels so-"
I had a strange feeling that I was being watched so I looked behind my shoulder. I looked at the door and around the room but I saw no one.
"-weird."
I look back to find Beta flickering red and black uncontrollably. "Beta, what's wrong?" I demanded.
"Some.. one.. in.. syst-"
Beta then disappears, more like shatters, from my sight. I turned around and got into a fighting stance with the knife's blade facing downward.
"Beta, you still here?" I tested.
No answer.
"Well.. looks like I'll have to do this the old fashioned way." I muttered to myself.
"Actually, there is no need for violence in this matter. We just want to talk."
I quickly turn to the right only to be met by a familiar green A.I. fragment.
"Delta?!"
"Hello Agent Alaska. It's good to see you again." He greeted.
"But you- Wash destroyed-" I stammered.
"Agent Washington only destroyed a copy of myself." He explained. "I am still Delta."
Beta managed comes back online and yells at Delta, "Was that really necessary to attack my programing like that?! I'm already in bad shape so please don't make it worse."
"My apologies Beta, it wasn't my idea to attack your programing."
I look at Delta. "Who's idea was it then?" I ask seriously.
"Seriously D? You're throwing me under the bus."
"Huh?" I loosen my stance and grip a bit at the sound of the voice.
Because that was the voice of my sarcastic brother.
But that was a mistake because York comes up from behind me and grabs my knife. His helmet was off so I can see the mischief look on his face. He still had his Freelancer armor too which is surprising after what Wash told me about blowing it up.
"Hey! Give it back York!" I tried grabbing it back but he held it out of reach.
I am NOT going to lose that knife because if I do, Wash will be pretty mad at me.
"What? No 'Hi Big Bro?' or 'I missed you?'"
"Ok fine. Hi Big Bro. I missed you. Now can I have my knife back?"
He brings the knife to his eye level and studies it. "Isn't this Wash's knife?" He questioned.
I start blushing and looked away. "Used to. Now it's mine."
"Did something happen to him or..?"
"He recently got shot in the throat." I simply say. "He's ok but still recovering. Besides, he gave me that knife during the Project."
York holds out the handle to me so I reach to take it back. But right before I do, he pulls it up slightly and says, "Do not tell anyone that we met."
"Are you seriously leaving?" I say in annoyance. "You just got here."
"Relax Kid Sister, I'm not leaving yet. I'm just making you know, a deal with you. Like back when we were kids. Shotgun lessons for Sniper lessons remember?"
The last part made me smile. "Fine. I won't tell anyone."
He smirks and gives me back the knife. I put it back in it's sheath and said. "FILSS told me that you were killed by Wyoming."
"FILSS? How did you find her?"
"A secret Freelancer base. The Director was hiding out there. Carolina and Epsilon were on a mission to kill him. Then Wash, the Reds, and the Blues came as backup. And finally I joined in the fight." I laughed to myself. "There were so many Tex bots I couldn't believe how many times the Director was trying to bring her back."
"Is this where you tell me that it's a long story?"
"Pretty much. There's a bunch of things that you need to catch up on. But for real: how did you survive?"
He rubs the back of his neck. "Well.. let's just say.. Mom got me bad into working order."
My eye widen. "You found Mom?"
"More like she found me."
"How though?" I ask confused.
"Distress signal." My brother explains. "If an Agent falls on the field, their beacon goes off and a Recovery Agent would go and investigate."
"Wash was a Recovery Agent before he EMPed the Storage Facility.."
"He WHAT?"
"That's one story he'll have to tell you himself." I laughed.
"I hate to break up the reunion but we have a friendly contact heading our way." Delta interrupts.
"Delta's right." Beta says. "It's Wash."
"Ok now I'm leaving." York says.
"You mean we are leaving."
"Shut up D. She knew what I meant."
I just laugh and ask, "When will I see you again?"
"Hopefully soon. I'm waiting on the date and time for my appointment with President Kimball." He replies.
"Why do you need to see Kimball?"
"It's.. complicated."
"T-minus 60 seconds til Agent Washington's arrival." Delta reports.
"Stay safe Kid Sister. See you soon." He smiles at me before using an invisibility unit to disappear from my sight.
"You too Big Bro." I smiled. I picked up my sniper rifle and loaded in a fresh clip into the gun. I aimed it at one of the targets, right on the bullseye.
"MISS!"
I lose focus and miss the bullseye by less than a centimeter. York laughs in my headpiece while I just roll my eyes in annoyance.
"Oh my gosh York. I hate you."
"No you love me."
"No, you're very annoying."
"Who's annoying?"
Wash walks into the shooting range. He had his helemt off so I can see his electric blue eyes.
"I swear if you tell him I'm in the room because he's your boyfriend-"
"Hm? Nothing, just a little annoyed with training." I lied. I gave my invisible brother the quick "You-need-to-chill" look.
"I'm just going to shut up."
"That would be a wise decision York. You might give away our position."
"Not now D."
I tried holding back a laugh while Wash looks over at the target I used for throwing my knife. "Did you use-"
"Wash, I swear I can explain-"
He says nothing but skillfully steals the knife from out of it's sheath. I don't even try to grab it back because at this point, I accept that my brother is a pain and my boyfriend can easily beat me in Knife Combat.
"You shouldn't have broken Rule #2." He smirks.
"Washhhh that's literally my only knife." I pout.
He just chuckles and pulls me by the waist to kiss the top of my head. "Don't worry, you'll get it back soon."
I just laid my head on his shoulder enjoying the moment until I heard my annoying brother on my headpiece again.
"Awwww, you two are so cute together." My brother teased.
"The heck?" Wash pulls away from me and looks at me strangely.
"What?" I asked alarmed.
"I swear I just heard York in your headpiece." He says.
Gosh dangit York, you always have to make things harder for me.
"I didn't hear anything." I lied again. "And York died years ago.."
"Oh yeah right. Sorry I didn't mean-"
"Hey it's ok." I assured him. I slip my hand into his and squeezed it. He gives me one of those small smiles that reassured me that he understands that I'm ok. "Anyway, where is Carolina? Wasn't she with you?"
"Yea but she's at a her apartment right now. She told me to come find you and I just so happen to know where I could find you." He winks at me and I can feel my cheeks turn red.
"Let me just grab my stuff and I'll meet you outside."
"Alright but down take too long." He gives my hand a final squeeze before walking out.
I waited for Beta to tell be that we were in the all clear before yelling at York. "You nearly gave away your own position! What's wrong with you?!"
"Well sor-ree. I guess someone should turn down their headpiece."
"And someone should learn to shut up."
"Touché."