The Departed

[guitarguy]

"Prep your ship for launch, and tell whoever your squadron commander is that you'll be gone awhile. Oh, and change your ship's ID and mark it as Navy." Jack turned to Mack "Where are we going?"
Mack continued "We'll have to move fast to...oh...we're going to the only people who can find your uncle."
"Specifically?"
Mack turned around, his voice lowered, as though he was hiding the sound from a microphone "Tell me what you know about the Order."

Michael leaned back in his cockpit and studied the ship's preprogramed flight path. It would intersect Officer Ryan's patrol path near a pirate base, where any accident would easily be explained. The LSF wanted more subjects for NHGEP, and Jack's DNA was similar to Tom's. His ambush was perfect, despite the fact he had only spent a few days planning it. It gave him a feeling of accomplishment to see an operation completed flawlessly, no matter what it's implications. He stopped his Avenger and waited.

"Look kid, just put down the gun, and..."

"Quiet!" Jack was trained to negotiate with terrorist, but he wasn't in the mood. The .45 projectile pistol was centered on Mack's chest. "You wanted to recruit me for your "Order" so for all I know you shot up Tom. Do I look like a terrorist to you!?!?"

"Yeah kid, I'm a terrorist like your government says, just like your government says your uncle's dead. You're smarter than that, so snap out of it and drop the gun." Jack was motionless for a few seconds, then he pointed the gun towards the floor.

Mack relaxed "Look kid, the world's not so black and white. We may attack Liberty, but it's because we want to protect them. Most of the Order is made of defected Libertonians. That's because they recognize what their government's doing, and want to stop it. The navy's doing Nomad experiments, like all the Rhinelanders say. We both know that's why the agent attacked your uncle. I know it's a big step, but you gotta make it.

"So I join your Order, and you'll free my uncle."

"No guarantees, but protecting people from Nomads is what we're about."

Jack looked down, he knew Mack was right, but his prejudice for those people would be hard to get over.

"Alright, I'm in."

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