There was a flurry of activity aboard the Barrier Gate. The arrival of an Order battleship, especially at Crayter's shipyard in Coronado, and accompanied by such a bloody battle with ships of various identities... For many, this was a pretext to spark numerous rumors and debates about what exactly the Order was doing in Coronado. A terrorist organization, simply appearing on the territory of another state... This would have alarmed many of the Order's opponents, both among humans and among the Nomads' minions.
Be that as it may, the battleship accomplished its task: with a moderate escort, it arrived at the shipyard, effectively beginning a repair operation whose outcome would be disastrous for the Nomads. After what happened in Ontario, Atum is as thirsty for revenge as its longtime rival, Wyoming. The two ships, with their immense histories, took up positions, preparing for a new bloody confrontation. And it won't end until one of them falls.
...
Alfred was already standing in the corridor, waiting for Waldemar and his men to appear. Koji and Andrea were nearby. Nothing had happened since the 341st Wing's departure. Nothing at all. Koji continued to take notes on his meeting with Scott, working through various theories about Earhart, and pondering how to counter him. Alfred acted as a protector for both the Brigade scientist and the 411th Wing's sole agent, Andrea D'Arce. She, after meeting Andry, was still reeling from a slight shock. However, things were improving: no one had bothered them in days, and she felt calmer.
The door to the corridor swung open. The first thing the trio saw was Waldemar's red and sweaty face. He had just removed his helmet, lifted his head, and inhaled the fresh air. At least it was fresher than what he'd been breathing for the last few hours, risking his life for Atum. The other pilots of the 341st Wing followed him, heatedly discussing something and waving their helmets as they spoke. Their sweaty faces also left much to be desired. Alfred had already received a message from Otto that Atum had accomplished his mission.
Having reached the trio, Waldemar stopped and turned to face the rest of his wing.
"341st Wing, stand." He commanded calmly. Everyone immediately formed a single line, despite having just been racing to the death. He stood in front of them, looked at each of them, made sure he could see all the pilots who had taken part in that battle, and then continued. "Okay, you have an hour and a half to get ready. Then we'll meet in my quarters to discuss the next steps. That's all. Dismiss."
Everyone, looking tired, went to the common quarters where they had been huddled for several weeks, ever since their first arrival in Coronado. A hot shower, clean clothes, a wash of their uniforms, and many other perks of military service in the Order awaited them. Protecting humanity requires a clean and tidy appearance.
...
Waldemar sighed and turned to Alfred and company. Yes, Order has won. And yes, there was reason to rejoice. But today he didn't feel like celebrating. He just wanted to get things done as quickly as possible and smash his face into the pillow.
"So... What do you have?"
"Without incident. And you?" Alfred answered.
"Well, I see six people from my wing, including myself, alive, so everything's fine. They tried to pin us down, but we got out. I really don't have the energy to talk about anything else right now, Alfred. I don't know, I'm really not in good shape today."
"Are you sure zat there's noffing to tell us about?" Andrea asked.
"I'm always fine when I see you, meine fleur." Waldemar smiled. Andrea understood him. Andrea got his joke, but rolled her eyes and sighed. She wasn't in the mood for jokes. He chuckled. "Hey, relax, it's just a joke!" He patted her shoulder, trying to lighten the mood.
Waldemar, scheise!
"Okay, sorry, my fault!" He raised his hands, still holding his helmet, in apology. Trying to get out of the sticky situation, he decided to change the subject. "Look, we're having a conversation in an hour and a half. I'll need everyone. You, Koji, Andrea. We need to make a plan for the future and discuss a few things about Andri. You said you had some ideas?" He looked at Koji.
"These aren't ideas, but rather conclusions from the Expedition's experience. But more on that later. Let's meet in an hour and a half, as you planned. I'll get ready."
Waldemar turned toward his cabin. Andrea still followed him with a disapproving gaze, her arms crossed. Waldemar's cabin was near the exit door. As soon as he opened it and took his first step, Andrea noticed that the exit door was open. And there stood a man. She had never seen him before. But she sensed a threat. Something so familiar, something that had happened just recently...
He wore a standard Order flight suit, with the appropriate insignia of the 341st Wing.
No abrasions, no signs of exhaustion. Nothing at all. It was as if he had never disappeared during the Expedition. As if he had been here the whole time. With the Brigade.
Lieutenant froze in place, with only her eyes running circles around the man on a doorstep. Let it be that his uniform looked just like any other pilot from the "Tau" wing, let it be that by himself the unknown man didn't look wrong.. Yet she felt it. She felt a threat, she felt something alien and wrong just by looking a him. A drop of cold sweat ran down by her spine, accompanied with a wave of chills.
Andrea focused on the man's face, trying to make something out of it, to remember it, at least, as much as it was possible. And as she stopped a little bit closer to a door leading in her own room, she spoke, adressing the man infront of her:
"The wing recieved reinforcements, huh?"
She was speaking quietly, cautiously. Being ready to scream for help and running off for a gun inside her room. At least, ready to try so.
Alfred looked at Andrea, and when he heard her question, he turned toward the exit door. There was no one there.
While everyone else was dispersing to their places, he and his companion from wing 411 were in no hurry to return to their rooms. He was thinking about what to do next, hesitating to go to his cabin, wanting to give Andrea orders, to share his thoughts with her, but when he saw what she was doing and what question she was asking, then...
“Nein, Andrea, no reinforcements... Waldemar!”
“What the fuck else?!” Waldemar left the room, and Andrea could see the figure of an unknown man blocked by the figure of the commander of the 341st wing. He was walking quickly toward Alfred. "So, should I apologize to her for this stupid joke? Okay, Andrea... I'm sor-ry... What the hell?"
...
When Andrea saw the stranger again, he was looking straight at her. Straight into her eyes. He smiled as if he was proud of her. What was he proud of?
"Andre-aa!" He put his hands behind his back and slowly entered the corridor, measuring each step. "Don't even try it, girl. I came here with other intentions. Alfred won't let you do what you're planning." His smile grew wider and wider. He enjoyed every second of the time spent together.
“Andrea. Whatever you see, don't move,” Alfred said. “Listen to me. Stay right where you are.” He also began to slowly approach her, ready to pounce on her at any moment. He knew perfectly well how such situations ended. But now the situation was not in his favor.
“341st, everyone get out into the hallway, damn it!” Waldemar yelled.
“Otto, is this some kind of joke?” came a voice from the cabin.
“Didn't I make myself clear?!”
Five people rushed out of the cabin where all the pilots of the Tau wing had been huddled together, each of them half-naked and getting ready to tidy themselves up. Some of them still had their pants on. But they all had their weapons with them. There were clicks. You could only hear those when weapons were switched to stun mode.
And the stranger was getting closer with every step... Slowly at first... And then...
It was impossible to explain in words. In video games, they call it “lag” when a character suddenly changes their gait for no apparent reason.
She whispered, not even looking at the commander. The voice in her head made her clench her jaws. Yet.. The recent help wasn't in vain. At least, she wasn't loosing it now as hard as it was.
"Zen what the hell are you here for?"
Andrea asked the stranger once again. Then she heard clicks. And with the last one an idea came. An idea she suppressed with one thought, a thought that fitted well with her surroundings.
"A gun on the table. Just seconds away."
Her hand slowly reached to the door's control panel. She was making herself ready for this run, mentally, feeding up her defiance to a monster infront of her. A moment later - she rushed to it. Just a moment, and people around would have to decide to shoot or not. To play along a scheme in her mind or not.
"Don't shoot anyone!" Alfred shouted and lunged at Andrea. It took only a few moments before the agent from 411th Wing wasn't able to break free from his grasp. Waldemar took the initiative next.
“Drag her into the room! Quickly! Everyone else, enter the room, now. Koji!”
When Yasu heard the commotion in the hallway, he was already standing at the door. Seeing what was happening, he ran after the others into Andrea's room.
"Close that damn door! Close it right now!" It all happened too quickly. One of the pilots pressed a button, and the door closed with a hiss, then he switched it to manual control. Now no one could enter until the owner of the room decided to let them in. All pilots of the 341st Wing aimed at the entrance, Koji stood behind Alfred, who was still holding Andrea. Waldemar quickly scanned the room and took her gun, which was conveniently lying on the table.
"How did you guess?"
"As if you don't know." Alfred loosened his grip, allowing Andrea to escape from his embrace. "Andrea, get on your knees. This is not a request, it's an order. And it's for your own good."
The room itself differed a bit from how it was in the moment they got this apartment as their base of operations. The furniture was moved: bed stayed beside a wall, with a clear view at the entrance, the table was moved with the same manner, the cupboards were beside it, as if Andrea was ready to be sieged here. With a smart approach, or with paranoia pressing on her. Perhaps, both.
"I don't see him now."
She noted, taking a glance at the closed door, just to reassure herself in her own words.
"I hoped you would shoot me. Hard to control an unconsious body, isn't it? But zat seems worked out."
Lieutenant added, with a bit disappointed tone to her voice, as she complied to the order given: getting on her knees, with her hands behind her head.
"The pillowcase." Alfred looked at Waldemar. Without hesitation, Waldemar removed the pillowcase and handed it to Alfred. "And find me something to tie her hands with."
"Wait..." Waldemar tore off the sheet and quickly cut it so that the resulting piece was long enough to tie Andrea's hands. He moved Andrea's hands behind her back and tied them together. Alfred put a pillowcase over Andrea's head. Waldemar sat behind her and took her hands.
“It's cold, ja? Whatever happens, remember - we're here. I'm here. You can feel my hand, right? It's warm. Hold on tight and tell me everything you see or hear.”
Alfred turned to one of the pilots from the 341st Wing.
“Get behind Andrea and aim for her head. Keep the weapon set to stun.” Although the pilot's weapon was already ready to put Andrea to sleep, he double-checked it and then stood clearly behind her, to the right of Waldemar.
All eyes turned to the door.
...
The footsteps became slow and measured again. But now... They were heavier. The sound seemed to shake everything in Andrea's head, growing louder and louder with each step. Andrea couldn't see, but she could hear and feel.
She heard the mechanical lock turn in the right direction. The door began to open. She felt something eerie and terrible enveloping her mind. Cold.
She fell silent, as chills rand down her spine, along with the cold permeating her mind. From just hearing the lock turning. From hearing door sliding metal on metal. From hearing footsteps closing in. Feeling this cold.
"..knock me out.."
Andrea spat her words in whisper, clenching her jaws and her fingers around Alfred's hand.
The footsteps grew louder. Andrea could hear someone passing through the threshold. She could see their dim shadow even through the pillowcase.
The cold was getting closer.
Why weren't her comrades trying to cut her off? What were they trying to achieve? Was this really for the best? Trying to feel the warmth, she realized Waledmar's hand holding her was gone. At some point, she felt, somehow, a hand touch her cheek. As if there wasn't a pillowcase. The cold was intense, but she felt it... She felt it...
She shook her head, almost as if she was trying to shake off the cold hand touching her cheek, trying to she what was touching her with this gravely chill. Andrea tried to reach out with her arm and shoo away this something. Yet this rush was stopped with the bindings on her hands, making the agent twitch on her place, helpless but not broken.
"Get away from me! Don't touch me, you enculé!"
Andrea screamed into the darkness of a pillowcase, that obstructed her view.
Defiance.
Despite thoughts and feelings of betrayal, that her colleagues were committing right here right now. Giving her out.
