Guardian:
Sword and Shield
Authors Note: (Because people like to do this...) All characters and the story are mine. I figured I'd share a little something from a longer piece I wrote hope you all like it.
Sometimes things happen in the world we can't readily explain. Like for example the existence of powered human beings. Individuals who possess extraordinary abilities. Their kind is hated, feared and often exploited throughout the world. The treaty of Farixen forbids them from holding political office or joining an army. Some live impoverished lives in specialized communities, or in some countries forced into internment camps. Some would rather go to Farixen island in the south pacific, a virtual prison state maintained by NATO.
The powered aren't met with hostility from everyone. Guardian, a secret organization, that holds no allegiance to any governmental body, accepts the powered into their ranks with open arms. Guardian possesses advanced technology, hundreds of years more advanced than anything seen today. Where they got this technology from is a mystery, even to some in their ranks.
From behind the scenes, Guardian manipulates events in the world. All in the name of keeping the world from falling over the brink. To protect humanity... from its self.
Installation 212,
Combat information center:
Installations are technological marvels in the sky, which are more like cities than air craft. Guardian uses these air ships as bases of operations and look outs. An Installation has jurisdiction over an entire continent, and sends instruction to agents in the field. The combat information center is housed in a large glass dome; twenty operators and the installations’ virtual intelligence are responsible for managing the massive amounts of information that comes from all over the continent.
The level eight of Installation 212 is Madeline Williamson. Her skin was a bronze color, her long brown hair tied into a pony tail. Despite her hardened demeanor, her eyes were kind and a small grin always shown on the corner of her mouth. “Alright, so apparently you are all I can spare for this assignment.” Her voice echoed in large chamber. The combat information center was where she gave her orders and reports to the Director of Guardian.
“Pretty sad actually.” She said in a condescending tone of voice, a group of three lower ranked agents in front of her. “But you'll all do.”
“What’s the assignment?” An agent in front of her asked her voice cold.
Madeline stopped, looking at the agent in an approving gaze. “To the point. I like that.” She looked at the agents emblem, (a sign of rank) a sword surrounded by flame with an angelic halo above. The sign of a level seven.
“Name?”
“Hyden Nagoya, L7 combat leader.” She announced.
Madeline sized up the smaller agent. She was of Asian descent; her eyes were a bright green and had a steely look to them. She carried herself with a cool confidence that radiated around her. “What section do you hale from?”
“Nine.” Hyden answered quickly. Guardian divides regions into sections, a smaller country will have a number in the single digits. Larger countries with multiple bases are assigned numbers in the double or triple digits.
“Japan?” Madeline nodded, impressed by the agent. “Very well.”
A large holographic screen materialized on the side of the domed structure of the, CIC. A picture of a an older man, mid-fifties was on the screen. Behind him is a rundown compound, no sing of people being visible.”This is our target. Liam Wirth,” Madeline announced. “this man leads a cult of powered humans in the alps. Normally this wouldn't be a concern of ours, but something's come up.”
“What is it?”
“Do you need to know?” Madeline questioned.
“I guess not.”
“I want him and members of his compound extracted and brought here. With or without their permission.”
Hyden nodded. “Understood.”
“Then your transport leaves in an hour. You'll be given more information on the way.”
Transport,
en route to powered compound:
A Guardian transport is the primary mode of transportation for agents on combat missions. Its metal plating has light bending properties that render it invisible when an electric charge goes through it. Able to fit three fully armed Guardian agents. Hyden looked at the data pad. The compound's leader had a rather large profile. “Smuggling of Mutagen, harboring illegal powered, conspiracy to commit acts of violence... “ Hyden read on, going increasingly uninterested. “This is a crap assignment!” She groaned.
“I guess someone has to do it.” She picked up her rifle, checking it in an almost ritualistic fashion. She checked the sight and made adjustments to it. It wasn't necessary, being as the KI-11 automatic rifle could self adjust. She never trusted machinery, “too many variables to go wrong” she'd say. The KI-11 along with all other Guardian small arms use a “rail gun” type design. The projectile is lightened by an electromagnetic field in the barrel and through a system of attraction and repulsion is fired out of the barrel at velocities high enough to punch through all but the strongest armor.
She went in with a team of two. Both level sixes. The man that sat on the other side of the cramped transport flipped and shut a green zippo lighter repeatedly. He had long black hair and held a lit cigarette in his mouth. “So what skill set do you bring alone, except the very annoying?” Hyden spat.
He flipped the lighter shut. “I can control the heat around me and I can do nice things in the kitchen, if you like.” The man joked.
Hyden looked to the other man on her side. “You?”
“Jus'a plain'ol person. A few bio enhancements, here and there. Not special in any real way.”
“Oh, joy.” Hyden rolled her eyes. “Let’s just keep it real simple. Let’s go in clear it out and if the locals give a fight...”
Both men interrupted. “We know what to do.”
Hyden slouched in her seat and gave a loud exhale, looking up at the ceiling above her. “No need to explain then.” They each introduced themselves and where they can from. The man with the lighter's name is James, but Hyden nicknames him zip. The other man goes by the name, Art. After another hour of exchanging stories with each other, they circle above the compound.
The compound:
The compound is located in a densely wooded area at the base of a mountain. Several small rundown shacks surrounded a taller building in the middle of the compound. Armed guards patrol the area, walking in and around the buildings. For the most part the compound seemed empty, not a single entering any of the numerous shacks in the area.
Hyden and her team separated to cover more ground. They searched the shacks they came across for any people. They found nothing. “What kind of place is this?” Hyden whispered. She looked around the inside of the dusty shack. There wasn't a single sign of being lived in, like this compound was put up for show. Something wasn't right.
“Got movement on the compound's entrance.” Art warned.
“What do we got?” Hyden called on her communicator.
“Trucks moving in. Orders?” Zip said.
“Where is it going?”
“Center of the compound.”
“The get into position around the building.” She walked out of the cramped shack, stretching out as she made her exit.
“Who are you?”
Hyden looked to her side, two guards marched out of the shack next to hers. “Shit.” She dropped her rifle and put her hands in the air.
The two men walked closer, their weapons drawn on the Guardian agent. “Who the hell are you?”
The other man laughed. “Look at her, she's dressed like a damn power ranger.”
Hyden ignored the comments; their accents came under her notice. “Mercenaries?”
“The doc pays us better than home. So we come as the hired help.”
“Shut your 'ucking mouth.” The other man shouted. “We don't get paid to run'em.” The man doing the talking stayed back while the other one walked forward.
“You wanna tell me what's going down here?” Hyden calmly asked, not intimidated by the armed men.
The man circled around her.”Say what you want about her out fit.” The man chuckled, his hand running up Hyden's backside. “It shows off that sweet ass of hers.”
“You mother#%$&@!” Hyden landed a sharp elbow to the man’s ribs, doubling him forward. She whips around him, taking a knife he had strapped to his leg. In a single seemingly rehearsed motion she kicked the back of the guard's knee, making him fall forward and launching his knife into the throat of his partner. She picked her rifle back up pointing it at the lone surviving man.
“Now listen you shit! I need to know what's going on here.” She stood over him, giving his chest a stomp making him fall on his back. “Well?”
“How did you do that?” The man was terrified and breathing erratically.
Hyden stomped his chest again. “Practice. Now to my question.”
“The doc, has us smuggle mutants here and he brings them into the building.” He gasped trying to catch his breath. “ They don't come out.”
“Interesting.” Hyden lifted her foot and placed it over the neck of her captive. “Thanks.” She quickly dropped the foot, snapping his neck.
She headed towards the center of the compound, taking more care as to not get caught again. She's been on missions like this before. Putting down powered human smuggling rings or shutting down mutagen labs. But something was different about this one. There were no powered to find and not nearly enough mercenaries to guard them all. She thought of Madeline mentioning of `something coming up.` “What is this about?” She wondered.
“Ma'am the truck is in front of the building and unloading living cargo. Probably all powered.” Art whispered over the communicator.
“Standby. I'm trying to get a closer look.” She ran to the center as fast as she could, moving past shack after shack. She stopped, seeing a flash of green light ahead. “What was that?”
“If you mean the lights, then their coming from the building in the center of the compound.” says Zip.
Hyden stopped, being now thirty yards away. She had sight of the truck, people were still being pulled out from the back and put into a line going into the building. A dull green light came from the inside of they all seemed reluctant to go. As Hyden continued to watch any hesitation on their part was met with violence. A guard pulled a pistol on a child, Hyden took aim. She took a deep breath, squeezing the trigger, cuasing the guard's head to burst.
The guards scattered the prisoners, trying to find the shooter. Hyden ran took cover behind one of shacks. The guards took cover behind the truck, three were on the balcony on top of the building. The fired in her direction, pinning her down. “@#$&ing mercs. “ She cursed. She wasn't worried, Guardian issue body armor was made out of a ceramic like material, bullets would only shatter on impact. “Somebody take the mercs on the balcony! “
“On it!” She glanced at the balcony, the three mercenaries were picked off one by one in less than two seconds. The green light grew more intense and began to pulsate from the building. “Getting weird readings from that...” The building flashed, knocking Hyden on her back. She shook her head and slowly got to her feet. She stepped from behind the shack. Bodies of the prisoners were strewn over the area surrounding the building.
She walked towards the building’s entrance, her rifle at the ready. Everything became still even the wind wasn't blowing. “What the hell.”
“You alright boss lady?”
“I'm fine.” She heard footsteps coming from the building’s entrance, she took aim. “Come out slowly!”
“They told me I gathered the attention of those greater. But I see a fool.” The voice came from inside and got closer.
“Keep talking asshole!”
A man stepped on the patio; he was an older man, his hair patchy and gray. This was who she was looking for. Liam Wirth. He wasn't wearing any clothing, his skin bubbled and popped. “He made me better than I was. The powered are of godly decent, we shall be the inheritors!”
“Is there a batshit crazy clause that allows me to shoot this guy?” Zip said, sounding eager to finally get some action.
“Weapons free!” Hyden called, gunfire opened from behind her, hitting the man in front. Hyden turned around once the shooting stopped, her team behind her. She walked to the corpse, the smell of decaying flesh intensifying with each step. She kicked him to his back, his eyes wide open. “Oh, hell!” The man's arm shot up, still attached to his shoulder and gripped Hyden's throat. With a flick of his wrist he tossed the Guardian through a shack past her team.
Hyden was fine and got back to her feet. The team had started to engage the target. Art stayed a yard away waiting for a clear shot at their target; Zip was engaged in hand to hand combat with Wirth. “Bastard's harder to shoot than a nun on a bullet proof pew!”
“What?” Hyden said, not really grasping the nonsensical analogy.
“Exactly!” Art said back.
Zip landed a series of punishing kicks to the older man’s head. He kept coming, unaffected. Wirth catches the next kick and tosses Zip over to Hyden. Hyden and Art shoot at Wirth as he charged the group. Wirth out stretched his arms, making them elongate until he had their rifles in hand. He then quickly closed in on them, whipping himself forward. They let go of their guns, crushing the barrels with his grip. “I am a god you are nothing!” He proclaimed as he dropped, Art to the ground by sweeping his legs. Wirth raised up his arms to deliver a final blow to the agent.
An arch of flame amputated both his arms, before he could bring them down. “God... smelly powered... doesn't matter.” Zip yawned, flicking his lighter shut. “I just cut off your arms.”
Wirth's skin began to bubble and churn down the stubs of what were his arms. Hyden took aim with her pistol; she fired three shots into his skull; the bullets only getting wedged into his skin. Art got back up and sunk a knife into his ribs, only for the blade to be stopped by Wirth's skin wrapping around the blade. His skin continued to bubble and wear away, revealing muscle and bone.
Wirth began to speak but his words were barely audible; blood flowed out of his mouth and he collapsed onto the ground. The bubbling of his skin quickened until nothing but gradually decaying muscle tissue and bone remained. “Argh!” Art began to gag
“Danm.” Hyden whispered, keeping her distance from the bright pink puddle that had formed the remains of Liam Wirth. . A putrid smell lingered in the air from the decomposed remains of their target.
Installation 212,
CIC
“The powered are being rounded up as we speak ma’am.”
Madeline looked over the mission report. Everything went according to plan. Or at least it was what she was told. “Good,” She looked back up to the image of Hyden on her monitor. “a carrier will be with be with you shortly.” She cut the communication feed.
“Satisfied? Told you she was good.” Next to her stood a man, his presence was cool and also ominous.
“Seems like an ordinary grunt to me.”
Madeline rolled her eyes. “She participated in your little game perfectly.”
“She's got an attitude.”
“Sounds like your type.” Madeline chuckled.
“We'll see.” He looks at his watch quizzically. “I've gotta be mid-east bound in an hour. Send her along.”
Madeline nodded. “Sure. And try not to rock the boat to much, Griffan.”
He turned around and commenced to walk out of the CIC. “We're, Guardians...”
“If we do our job right it wont look like we did anything at all.”
End
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