Midori no Akatuski, (a C&C and Nod Fanfic) Options

[Overdose]

Made by Comrade

Introduction:

The story takes place a few months prior to the Third Tiberium War, takes you to through the sordid years that follow and leaves you at the end to come up with your own assumptions on how the war ends. The story contains many in-depth information on the Brotherhood of NOD and their modus operandi, including how the lives of the men and women that serve under its banner are behind the scenes. At least that's how I see them. I'll be giving a lot of my time to this new project and I hope you get to enjoy reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it.

Midori no Akatsuki (the title) means 'Green Dawn' in Nagase's native language japanese. In this Tiberium infested world the first dawn she remembers witnessing was colored green as she looked out the window of her home in her childhood.

Characters:

Nagase, Yoko:

Formely a resident one of the world's many yellow zones this young woman has spent most of her years with the Brotherhood. She was recruited initially as militia and had extensive experience as a partisan while she fought back against a rude GDI incursion into her home. Her left leg was severely injured in her last clash with GDI but thankfully due to technological advancements in the cybernetics field the damage wasn't too permanent. Since then she has avoided infantry combat and was eventually assigned to various other tasks until she found her home in NOD's Armored Division as a driver. She prefers to be called by her last name only. She's the main character of the story and most of what happens is seen through her eyes.

Silva, Lucas:

Lucas is a 18 year old that joined the Brotherhood as early he could be accepted into it's ranks. After seeing so many cool posters and recruitment videos he simply "couldn't keep himself from joining". He's like a child born purely out of Nod's propaganda work. Known mostly for having a loud mouth and for head banging to his headphones do not let the impressions fool you. He graduated out of his training 3 weeks earlier than his colleagues for having a natural affinity as a gunner. However he has never seen seen real combat, only assignments given to him by the simulator. Recently accepted as crew of a Flame Tank by a Confessor he hopes "Special Assignments" are as fun as they sound to be.

Jonsen, Mikkel:

A veteran of the Second Tiberium War he has seen and has been involved in conflicts globally. He used to be a mercenary working under the Brotherhood but with the lack of War these days has made him put on a uniform and to have an applicable rank. No longer working for the Brotherhood because they are always the highest bidders but also because he's been labeled a 'terrorist' by the rest of the world's media claimed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds and wanted by authorities just as fiercely. His fate is pretty much tied to that of Nod's. He's surprisingly loyal to the Black Hand faction within Nod and does not admire Kane as much as his other 'comrades' do. Having unusually high special forces background even for a veteran he was assigned to do "Special Assignments" strictly following the orders of Grand Confessor Wei.

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FAQ:

Here will be located questions asked by the readers related to the Story and Characters of Green Dawn. I'll keep this updated and post the questions asked and answer them as much as I can. Sorry but I won't be giving out spoilers this way.

1)What is "the Sertão"?

I could give you a paragraph essay but I'll let wikipedia answer this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sertao

2)When Nagase is eating at The Oasis she says "Itadakimasu". What does it mean?

It's basically is a polite way of saying "thanks for the meal" or "I humbly accept this" among Japanese people before eating or drinking. Nagase is very proud of her culture and of the way she was educated by her parents. She periodically behaves like so due to habit mostly.

3)Where does the story takes place mostly?

The story begins at city of Sao Paulo, then at the Sertão 'semi-desert'. When Nagase is captured she's taken to Schwarzes Prison somewhere within Black Forest, Germany. She's taken back to Sao Paulo again later.

4) Nagase was born in Japan?

Yes, she was born and raised there. After her parents got killed she eventually joined the Brotherhood however Japan became mostly a Blue Zone later on forcing her to leave her country.

5)What nationality is the Captain?

Mikkel hails from Norway but he has a little of a Swedish blood in him.

6)What of Lucas?

Lucas is Brazilian. Despite living at a Yellow Zone all his life he knows little of the harshness of it due that his family is very wealthy. Unlike the people who join the Brotherhood so that they can have better living conditions, Lucas joined only for fun.

7)What of Luis? Can you tell me anything about him?

*Transmission lost*

[Overdose]

Chapter 1: The Calm


"How it all began?" The young woman sits back against her chair. Her leather gloved digits softly rolling on the armrests. She closes her eyes ignoring for a second the officers seating ahead of her and a few meters away behind a large horizontal table. It did not take long. Her frame appears to almost cower slightly as thunder echoes the facility. "Rain."

She walked up the steps, her hand moved up to slightly cover her eyes and was immediately greeted by the surface. It had been a while since her last visit. The lively Metropolis bustling with activity as civilians went on about their daily lives. Large monitors and speakers mostly everywhere somehow might not seem to blend in for a stranger but these always have been a part of the scenery. She could almost recite the lines that the woman on the screen would usually say. "Peace. Unity. Brotherhood." She soon found herself mumbling the woman's speech.

A Venom, gently hovered on the skies ever so vigilantly. There was no need for police in Nod cities simply because there's no crime. At least in the civilian sense. She crossed the road as her fingers played with her dogtags. However there was no name on them only a serial number and a bar code. Names aren't important in the Brotherhood, everyone gets treated the same. In this futuristic city, even someone like her with a cybernetic leg can blend it's not unusual to see 'them'. Some people are forced due to accidents while some willingly give up on their humanity to become more machine than a man.

She was the same. She liked her new leg so much she had her body further customized to her liking. She got the whole package available to someone of her rank and that included neural implants that improved many things such as her eyesight and her reaction to time. Indeed it does come in handy in her profession. She still manages to look mostly 'normal' outside however. She turned her eyes to two soldiers seated at a table in front of the local bar, the sad beat of bossa nova could nearly mask the never resting speakers outside.

"With Kane dead we don't have a lot of options." As soon the man spoke he poured his glass back to full again. The other rested his shoulders onto the table and dropped his head while he shook it slightly. "But Kane dead? How is that possible?" The other soldier whispered while he stared blankly at his empty bottle. The young woman ignored them, it was not unusual to run into murmur among the troops at this day and age. It was a dark time for the Brotherhood. An global organization which preaches about "Unity" had broken into many factions. "We're easy targets right now" she thought.

She looked up at the large building down the avenue, the local Temple and Nod's center of command in the region. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she approached the start of the line at the first security checkpoint. Perhaps she should have gotten something to eat as this would take a while as usual. She grumbled, if only she was a rank higher than now she'd be saving a full hour out of her life right now.

After some time she successfully was cleared past the last security checkpoint. She immediately entered the building ignoring the zealous gaze of the guards at the front door. Once inside she headed towards the desk and saluted the man the Nod way by crossing her arm in front of her chest and gently knocked on her with the side of her first "Lieutenant Nagase reporting for duty, Sir." The man looked away from his computer's monitor and glanced at her momentarily. "Back from your leave so early? Not anything bad I assume." Failing to socialize with her he sighed and held out a small eletronic card. "Take the lift to level B. Grand Confessor Wei waits for your presence."

She reached for the card but immediately noticed the man pulling it back however she was much quicker and successfully took it from his grasp. The man frowned slightly in disappointment. "You types are no fun." Nagase headed to the elevator and stepped inside leaning her shoulder against the wall. As the door closed she inserted her card into the reader and listened to the soft cracking noise as it was disposed of. The double doors opened and she found herself in the Command Room it was actually her first time here.

The sounds of the computers nearly muffled the whispers given between officers and the light from the flickering monitors along with the dim red tone that seemed to be everywhere were the only sources of light here. Everyone seemed so busy and she was unsure how to ask for her directions. People here were many ranks above her she felt like she had suddenly dropped to the bottom of the food chain.

An unusually short man quietly approached her and spoke in a particularly irritating tone of voice "Nagase I assume. You are 10 minutes late. You are a disgrace." He rolled his eyes then chuckled softly. "Well you failure. Someone has been wanting to speak with you. Don't get lost now." The man lead her to the door of an office at the other corner of the room. "Now be a good girl and wait here mkay?" The man left her on her own. Her hand shyly reached up and she knocked on the cold steel door.

However before she was done knocking the door slowly opened aside, revealing the room inside. Behind a desk sat a caped man dressed in heavy combat armor his very large helmet sat on the corner of the desk. He beckoned her closer and once she was inside he then pointed at the chair. "Sit." She had never felt like this before, he had a very commanding presence. She rested her palms on her knees and tried to keep an eye contact. "Have you ever heard of the term 'Special Assignments' before?" He smirked despite the fact he seemed quite serious.

[Overdose]

Chapter 2: The Storm

Nagase regained her composture and rested her chin upon the heel of her palm while her eyes stared down at the floor. "There's two things I learned in this world. One is that the weak are oppressed by the strong. Second is that if the strong aren't careful or smart the weak will rise together to defeat their common foe. An Elephant has plenty of might but it's helpless against a horde of ants." The asian woman glanced up at the officers and smirked as lightning stroke again soon followed by thunder.

"I am." She spoke softly while she slightly nodded her head. "But why me? You could have picked thousands and thousands others for the job." She glanced up at Grand Confessor Wei as he stood up and walked over to a cabinet and poured himself a drink. "Because you are the best. Simple as rain." Wei quirked an eyebrow in surprise as he heard the sound of thunder. "The Brotherhood isn't a place for the modest. I suggest you start demanding the respect you deserve. It would do wonders to your career."

Taking a sip from his glass he walked back to his desk opening a drawer and pulled a small black case placing it before Nagase. Nagase looked at the black case with the symbol of the Brotherhood inscribed in Silver. "It's your choice. You can walk out that door right now and keep doing tasks beneath you or you can embrace a new fate." She bit her lower lip slightly and reached for the case without hesitating. "A wise choice." Wei sat again on his chair and reclined back slightly while he rubbed his hands together.

Nagase opened the case and found the insignia that would make her a first class lieutenant. She grasped it carefully and nodded happily with her accomplishment. "So when do I begin?" She pinned the insignia to her shirt. "Right now." He answered and pulled a small piece of paper with some notes. "Follow these directions and go meet up with the rest of your crew. Your first sortie is tonight." Nagase stood and saluted Wei being dismissed with a slight nod. She stepped outside without looking back while she took in a deep breath.

Nagase soon found herself in the vehicle yard looking for her destination. There were so many Raiders and Bikes it was hard to notice where she was meant to be. There were enough things here for half of the city's population it seemed. She stopped dead on her tracks accidently dropping the note while she stared up at the gigantic Avatar crossing the corner ahead of her. It was always a dream of hers to pilot one of these, not only these things were unstoppable but there's only one person in control. While she reached down for the note she suddenly heard a whistle coming from behind her.

"Your the driver I assume." The bearded man spoke with a heavy accent that seemed almost Nordic. "I'm Captain Jonsen. I'll be your commander from now on. Just 'Captain' is fine really." He adjusted his beret sporting the Nod emblem, she always thought those weren't used anymore at least until now. Mikkel crossed his arms and leaned to the side of the Flame Tank slightly covering the 275-A serial number printed on its side in the color red. He knocked on the armor softly and spoke "The other guy up there is Corporal Silva our gunner. He's so quiet right now I'm starting to think he died somehow."

Lucas peeked at the two down below "You wish. I was just admiring the design of this beauty." He slid down the nose of the tank and his boots made contact with the asphalt. Wiping his clothes he stared at Nagase and whistled softly. "Your right Cap'n. She's really hot despite all the metal parts." Mikkel's face turned red and he threw a can of beer over to Lucas' general direction but the sneaky rat took cover just in time. "Well, since you were late we have already completely the check ups. We have approximately 2 hours to reach our rendezvous point. I'll go over the details of our mission when we're inside." Mikkel shook his head at Lucas and pulled a small cigar.

"Affirmative. I'll go make myself comfortable in there then." Nagase opened the hatch and slipped inside taking the driver's seat. "Amazing. This is the first time this thing will be in service." She flipped a few switches as her monitor and panel lit themselves. "This promises to be interesting at least."

[Overdose]

Chapter 3: Crimson

"We had a purpose. We had a mission. We believed in our goal. That made us unstoppable." Nagase crossed her legs and rubbed her chin softly with the back of her hand. "Target after target instead of growing weary our resolve only grew stronger." She stared at the bright lamp up on the ceiling and made a light smile
"Vengeance. So bittersweet." She closed her eyes and became lost in her thoughts.

"Alright everyone listen up." Mikkel cleared his throat and displayed a map of the region for everyone to see on the center monitor. "GDI has started Tiberium harversting operations in the region. We have intel that they'll be using the resources to scale a major offensive in which they'll attempt to systematically control the area. If they are truly expecting us to simply watch they are terribly mistaken. Our target is a small town next to the frontline. It's currently under heavy fire, we'll be providing backup as the civilians are evacuated. Then we'll rally with the main strike force and wipe out the local GDI base. Understood?" Nagase nodded and slipped on her driving gloves "Standing by for cordinates."

Lucas grinned and gently rubbed the triggers with the tips of his thumbs "I always wanted to start a war. Vamos." Mikkel typed into the console the coordinates and the Flame Tank changed its heading. It's black paint under the stormy night at this tropical forest was the perfect camouflage. The heavy rain crashing down could be felt even inside. "Nagase, what's our ETA?" Nikkel looked down from his seat over to her, he could barely see her shoulder. "We can reach top speed in this terrain if we stick near the highway. I'd say 30 minutes." Nagase tapped the screen and switched views from the external cameras, looking out for possible threats.

Lucas rubbed his eyes then reached down for the small thermal bottle under his seat. He twisted the cap off which doubled as a cup and slowly drank down the steaming hot content. That was really good coffee, he reminded himself to thank his girlfriend later. "Holy crap!" He spilled his coffee all over his lap then held his headphone closer to his ear. "What's going on?" Nagase glanced to her left where Lucas sat. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! In-incoming G-GDI patrol at 12 'o clock. Ouch!" Mikkel rested his jawline against his knuckles then opened up a secure communications frequency. "They must've expected we'd circle around them first before attacking." Mikkel dropped the tone of his voice then spoke into his microphone softly "Omega. Beta. Alpha. 1-6-0."

Mikkel turned his microphone off and raised the tone of his voice again "Any second now." Suddenly a loud bursting noise could be heard from outside. Nagase's eyes widened slightly as she received a small warning from her monitor. "Cloaking field is online! That should buy us enough time." She sighed quietly in relief. "Evasive maneuvers. Let's hide behind that rock and wait for our 'tourists' to arrive. Having friends at high places can pay off." The Flame Tank quietly moved behind the large boulder and came to a full halt. They bided their time, those few seconds felt like an eternity." One of the external cameras could stretch out enough to look over their hiding spot revealing a small infantry detachment and a couple APCs.

"That's hardly something to worry about. Let's wait until they move past us, then we'll approach from behind and attack." Mikkel rested his shoulders onto the armrests of his seat and leaned slightly forward as his fingers from both hands locked into themselves. "Now." Nagase stepped on the pedal and slowly turned behind them. "Finally! It's time!." Lucas squeezed on the triggers sending a wave of flames that completely wiped out the rear guard of the formation. The soldiers who didn't die instantly desperately dispersed as their bodies were lit ablaze screaming loudly but they all eventually dropped on the asphalt lifelessly. "No prisoners. Kill them all." Mikkel sat back on his seat and slipped his cigar between his lips and lit it. Lucas was so thrilled he couldn't even respond.

The Flame Tank came to a rest as there was nothing left. They didn't even give them the opportunity of an escape, most of them died without ever knowing what hit them. "They'll probably notice one of their patrols turned silent. We should avoid the road for now." Nagase nodded slightly completely unphased by what just happened. "Affirmative. Heading 9-0 degrees. Full speed." Lucas slowly backed his hands away from the triggers and took in a deep breath. "Lucas you did a good job back there but remember to keep your emotions in check, they may get in the way sometime." Lucas looked back at Mikkel quite unsure of what to say. His blood was still rushing with adrenaline, he would only get to understand what Mikkel said minutes later. "Ok Boss. Sure thing." He still replied anyway.

[Overdose]

Chapter 4: The Oasis

"The Oasis." Nagase folds her hands on her lap and she gave a warm smile as her memories became alive again. "In this World a place like the Oasis would be considered crazy. But in reality it's the truth that is twisted." She tucked her hair behind her ear as she kept speaking sounding very excited about the subject. "Despite it's only a name I couldn't help like finding myself treating it like the real thing. After wandering in the desert for so many years alone it's like I had finally had found peace even if only for a moment." She closed her eyes and chuckled softly "In fact I still want to go back. Someday."


"Affirmative. We'll be parking here." Nagase made a turn into the next street and the Flame Tank slowly came to a full stop in front of an old warehouse. The monitors powered down and the interior was lit by the so familiar dim red light. "I'll go outside and discuss the evacuation of the city with the Militia. You two stay here and wait for further orders." Mikkel stood up opening the hatch and slipped outside holding his assault rifle, a relic of the last war. Lucas quietly watched Mikkel leave then leaned on the side of his seat looking at Nagase "You are really something Nagase."

She glanced at him momentarily then reached up and flicked off the comunications link switch. "You are so far away from your home yet you seem to take this very personally." Lucas reached over to his laptop, placed it on his lap and he turned it on. "My allegiance is ultimately with the Brotherhood. Regardless, this is my home now." She replied softly as her arms crossed at her abdomen. She stared down at the floor, her mind quickly wandering into parts unknown. "You are a local aren't you?" She quickly returned to reality and glanced at Lucas again.

"Yup. I didn't have it rough like the people that grew up outside the cities and the Sertão but I can't help feeling bad for these people." Lucas typed very quickly browsing for his files. "You know what..." He stared at Nagase for a moment then chuckled softly wanting to correct somehow what he just said. "...Nevermind." He shook his head slightly then plugged in his headphones. Noticing he was now listening to music she grabbed a small canteen from her pocket then slowly twisted off the cap. "Empty." She turned it upside down and shook it slightly. She stood up and reached for the hatch, proceeding to open it. "I'll try to get some water. I should be back momentarily".

Lucas nodded slightly then reclined back on his seat not really bothering to look at her, acting unusually childlish even for him. Nagase hopped off the vehicle then stared down the empty street. Nod recruitment flyers gently swayed in the wind as empty bullet casings rolled away. She could spot black smoke in the distance coming from a large apartment building but considering this town was being attacked for days now she wasn't really surprised. She pulled her handgun from the holster and held it at her side. She decided to look for a local and ask for the nearest potable source of water.

Noticing at the intersection a large sign displaying "Restaurante" she approached the glass door and pushed it open causing a welcoming eletronic chime to play. Suddenly she felt like there was finally peace in this insane world. She stepped over to the counter and looked at the kitchen window trying to find someone hoping this place had not been abandoned as well. "Welcome to the Oasis Restaurant Miss. How may I help you?" A man came into view as the service door swinged open the man spoke in the local language. "Hello. Do you have anything for breakfast?" Having spent over 10 years in this country she was quite fluent by now. She holstered her gun and sat on the stool. The old man smiled and replied "Many things actually. Would you like to look at the menu?" He held one out for her.

"Yes. Thank you." She grasped the menu and quickly looked through the breakfast section. "I'll have the number 12 please. Over easy." She closed the menu and pushed it aside. Her fingers reached up and she began to play out of boredom with her dogtags. "Coming right up." The old man stepped inside the kitchen and fired up the grill then proceeded to the fridge grabbing a pair of eggs. "You are the first customer I had in days. Everyone's either hiding or is fighting those guys." He spilled a light amount of cooking oil on the grill and broke both eggs. The contents sizzled on the hot metal soon flooding the small restaurant with a wonderfull scent.

Nagase was quite delighted with the atmosphere and was particularly very delighted when she served her pairs of fried eggs. She held her fork and knife and spoke softly "Itadakimasu!" then proceeded to eat it. Having no idea what she just said the man chuckled as he rested his kitchen cloth on his shoulder. "Best breakfast in town, Miss." She laughed then nodded very strongly in agreement. "Strong contender for best breakfest ever. Just the right amount of salt and spices." She looked at him again and said "Can you bake me two orders of buns to go?"

[Overdose]

Chapter 5: Rude Awakening

"War." Nagase stands up and holds her wrist at her back. She begins to pace around her seat nervously as unpleseant details enter her mind. "The Brotherhood can not be eliminated through war. But that fact doesn't stop them from trying. Not that I'm complaining. I looked forward to it actually." She bit her lower lip softly then tilted her head to the side as her long black hair cascated down her shoulders. "That town was going to be wiped off the map because it was an obstacle for GDI's harvesting operation. They were going to kill over one thousand civilians because they didn't want their harversters taking a 15 minute detour." She sits again on her seat and holds out her right hand with the palm up . "I wonder how would they react if I ever set foot into their precious blue zones?" She grins and closes her hand tightly into a fist.

"It's me open up." Nagase knocked on the hatch almost effortlessly. "What's the password?" Lucas yelled from inside with almost a sarcastical tone. "Open now or I'll make you useless to a woman." After a slight moment of silence the hatch opened and Nagase went inside making herself comfortable on her seat. "Here I brough you something for you to eat." She handed Lucas a hot bun wrapped in tissue. "Thanks. It smells delicious." Lucas humbly unwrapped the bun and took a large bite of this simple meal. A hot bun sliced into two with a light spread of butter. Very hearty for a morning like this one. "No sign from the Captain yet?" Nagase glanced at Lucas watching him eat.

"Negative." He replied with his mouth half full. Lucas made short work of what was left swiftly then threw the wrapper over his shoulder and served himself a cup of coffee that he always kept warm by placing it next to the inner hydraulics which happened to be directly under his seat. "I was expecting to return and receive a earful out of him for disobeying his orders." Nagase sat back on her seat and opened up a frequency. "Captain, what's your status?" She lowered her head slightly waiting for a reply. "Hey the Captain is on camera 2." Lucas punched the monitor somewhat killing the bad feed. "He appears to be running from something." Lucas blinked at what he saw just beyond "Oh shit..."

Nagase stood and reached over to the hatch opening it quickly. Mikkel came inside and yelled while he took his seat. "Move it or we are dust!" Nagase hopped on her seat quickly grasping for the wheel. The Flame Tank made a sharp turn to the right at full speed crushing a mailbox under its threads. "Hostile now in clear view at Camera 2." Lucas stared blankly at the screen. "Damn it! Hurry! Head into that alley." Mikkel braced himself for impact as a lound thundering sound of shells blasted from the distance. Apparently the large Mammoth MK3 Tank lumbering down the street missed them but that was enough to crumble down the small apartment building next to them. "That's some serious firepower." Lucas tapped under his chin with the back of his hand.

"We have the speed advantage. As long we're not in their direct line of sight we should be ok." Nagase assured them everything was in control as the Flame Tank appeared on the adjacent avenue. Nagase now turned to the left hoping this escape route was their blind corner. "That's enough of cat and mouse for one day." Lucas sighed quietly now more relieved. "Agreed. Regardless our mission here is done. Most of the town has been evacuated except some stubborn militia wanting to make a last stand." Mikkel held his forehead then looked at his console. "So Captain.. is it time?" Nagase looked back at Mikkel. He nodded slightly in reply "Yes. Our new heading is Devil's Throat. We'll put an end to this.."

[Overdose]

Chapter 6: Devil's Throat (Part 1)

"What an awful place." Nagase leans her head back and closes her eyes sighing softly. "Devil's Throat is a system of interconnected unnatural canyons in the Sertao region. Back in the Second War, there was a long and drawn out fight there which resulted into a massive Tiberium detonation apparently by accident." Her hand reaches up to her face and her digit gently rubs the ridge of her nose. "The ground started to collapse and crumble beneath the feet of Nod and GDI troops alike and hundreds fell to their deaths to never be seen again." Her eyes opened partially as she stared down at the floor. "That place still has the reek of death about. Unsuprisingly, that's where our final objective was...." The tone of her voice appeared to almost fade away.

"Devil's Throat in sight. Changing heading to 120. Full speed." Nagase's hands started to sweat cold once she saw those Tiberium canyons in the distance. She heard plenty of nasty stories about that place. It would take a complete fool to decide to build a base there even if it's seemingly endless amount of Tiberium were attractive. The canyons at night were rumored to howl the cries of their victims as they met their end at the bottom. That little information was enough to make her wish she was elsewhere right now.

"System check complete. Valves one through four are operational. Fuel mix optimal. We're green, Boss." Lucas held the back of his neck a bit nervously while his other hand pulled on the controls making the turret complete a full rotation. He nodded, very pleased with the results. "Cap'n, how do you want us to do this?" Lucas pulled a toothpick from his front pocket and inserted it between his lips. His teeth bit into it gently as the toothpick rolled side to side in his mouth. Not instantly getting a reply he looked back at Mikkel and raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, listen up Kids." Mikkel displayed an airborne picture of the canyon on the main screen. "This is a crucial foothold of GDI, it's destruction would be a severe blow to their control of the region. That's where we come in." A gold square appeared on the map representing the location of the base. "The base is protected with a line of Sonic defenses which they mostly use to keep Tiberium from spreading to their direct location. Those things can decimate us as well. So we need to stay sharp."

The map displayed 5 red dots west of the base. "We'll be using decoys to draw their attention and the fire of their Orcas. After wasting their ammo, they'll be forced to RTB and resupply. The 21st Night Wing, which is already on standby, will be making a bombing run. Taking out the Airfields while their Orcas are grounded and knock out their power. That's our window." A long line appeared in front of the gold square on the map and a large 'X' revealed itself on top meaning it was no longer a threat.

"We'll move in Cloaked past the defense line and position ourselves at their rear where we wait for the right moment to strike." The red triangle which represented them moved past the line and stopped behind the gold square. "Then we will be authorized to lay complete waste to the GDI base. Understood?" Mikkel spinned his cigar between his index and middle finger waiting for a response. "Yes, Sir." Nagase and Lucas replied in unison. "Good. Nagase, switch to low gear. We don't want to draw too much attention right now." Mikkel glanced at Lucas and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Kid, do not open fire until you are told to do so."

[Overdose]

Chapter 6: Devil's Throat (Part 2)

"Affirmative." Nagase replied as they slowed down. She reached up for her forehead and pushed her bangs aside. "Captain, we have arrived. Awaiting further orders." Nagase curled the fingertips of both hands, making their knuckles crack one by one somewhat in a rhythmical tempo. "Good. We'll be stopping here." Mikkel folded his hands in front of him and rested his chin on top of them as the flame tank quickly came to a full stop. "Captain, I can just barely see our objective on the main camera ahead of us. Just over the blurry horizon." Lucas rubbed his eyes while kept staring restlessly at the screen. "You two, all of your training will be put to the test. The odds are against us but we can win this"

Lucas blinked and looked back at Mikkel "Hey Boss, don't get all sentimental on us now. You'll be giving me nightmares." Nagase chuckled at Lucas' comment covering her lips with the back of her hand. "We'll be fine you two. Just you wait and see." Nagase's fingertips restlessly rolled on the wheel she felt as if she was being flooded with adrenaline. "It's time." Mikkel's eyes opened and he leaned his frame slightly forward. "Nagase, take us in. Don't stop for nothing in this world." Mikkel's index finger pressed against his headphone and he listened in carefully. "We'll have 30 seconds to slip inside their base unnoticed but that also depends on how good their response is."

Nagase gently bit down on her lip as she stared ahead. Suddenly she heard a loud explosion and noticed large chunks of metal and concrete being thrown upwards. The anti-air fired as if they wanted to tear down the very sky seeking revenge but all they achieved was finding more targets to shoot at. Absolute confusion. Soldiers panicked as bombs fell from the skies like rain and caused structures around them to collapse into rubble and smoldering debris. The sirens started to blare almost in vain warning of the attack that appeared to have already started long ago. The Flame Tank swiftly passed the curtain of Sonic Emitters and closed in.

"We're in." Nagase made a turn and came to a full stop. They watched quietly as GDI tried to regather itself after so much punishment. They listened to the screams of the wounded and the yellling of troops as they moved about the perimeter. Just in front of them, they saw a man no longer with his legs being pulled by two other soldiers towards the Barracks. A mob of angry soldiers started to run towards the Vertigo Stealth Bomber they had managed to shoot down and broke into the canopy. After some yelling they started to fire at the helpless pilot repeatedely. "War. That's some serious business." Lucas shook his head slightly.

"Lucas." Mikkel removed his headphones and sighed softly. "Yes Boss?" Lucas replied. Mikkel raised his hand and shut his eyes. "Fire at will. Nagase, support him as much as you can." Mikkel sat back on his seat and stretched his legs slightly. "Affirmative Captain." Nagase then smiled at Lucas and grasped the wheel tightly. "Tell me where to go." Lucas grinned and them pointed at the Barracks nearby. Nagase nodded and the flame tank was set into motion sneaking closer to the building. A soldier stepped out of the barracks resting his assault rifle on his shoulder. He could feel the ground shake beneath his feet. He looked down and noticed the shaking had stopped then he looked up again and found himself staring down at a barrel while he inhaled the inflammable fumes that came out of it.

"Here's your goodnight kiss." Lucas pulled the triggers sending the barracks ablaze and vaporized the man. Dozens of men screamed as they were buried and burned alive by the wrecked building set ablaze. "What's next? Let's see..." The Flame Tank quickly became cloaked again and sneaked up on a group of soldiers. The fumes ignited as the turret sweeped flames side to side schorching them down. "Fireflies." Lucas fell into laughter as he burned down everything on his path without discrimination.

[Overdose]

Chapter 7: Breaking Point

"Victory." Nagase's hand trembling with emotion reaches for the glass of water and tries to hold it propperly. "We tried to put our feelings behind us and headed back home. It was a good day." She accidently spills water on her lap and then takes a sip closing her eyes. "We were really living the moment. Lucas was talkative as ever. The Captain always trying to keep that 'in-control' exterior." She held the cold glass against her hot forehead and sighed softly. "A lot of things were going in my mind. I never thought there was something as doing my job too well but...I was proven wrong. We all were."

"GDI will think twice before they decide to meddle in Nod territory next time!" Lucas stretched out his arms and rested his boots on the console with his legs crossed. "Well Kids, job well done. I wouldn't hesitate fighting a war alongside any of you." Mikkel rolled himself a new cigar and sniffed it head to bottom. He couldn't wait until they arrived. "When we get back I'm taking a really long leave. I'll hit the atlantic coast and relax at the beach. I haven't seen the ocean in a while. A week would be great." Nagase wiped the sweat off her forehead and watched the auto-pilot do it's work. "I'll probably pass out on the couch as soon I get back home. Then I'll spend some quality time with my videogame collection, for great justice!" Lucas rested his head on his crossed arms as he slouched on his seat.

"Captain I'm picking up some strange enemy transmission." Nagase held her headphone. The communication interceptor they had installed had it's uses after all. "They appear to be searching for something. They also sound very angry. Sounds important." Mikkel placed the cigar in his pocket then shrugged slightly "It's not our job to find out. Forward it to HQ and let them figure it out. Keep our current course. The sooner we get back the better." Lucas opened his eyes then coughed slightly. "Hey what's that smell?" He then coughed again and rubbed his eyes. "My eyes are burning. What the hell is going on?" Nagase instantly made the Flame Tank stop and reached up for the hatch and tried to open it quickly. "We did take some damage but I didn't think it was enough to cause a leak." Mikkel started to cough as well, forcing him to cover his nose and mouth with the collar of his shirt.

"Everyone out! The slightest sparkle can make this thing blow." Mikkel slipped outside right after Nagase. Lucas came soon after grabbing his toolbox. They all ran from the Flame Tank desperately for some fresh air. Mikkel bent over and placed his palms on his knees while he tried to gasp for air between coughs. "Man, this sucks." Lucas crouched down becoming disoriented, he could see white spots everywhere. "We'll have to wait until it's empty. I think if we had took another minute to get out we would have lost consciousness and would've slowly intoxicate to death." Lucas growled in protest "But it's almost 50 degrees here! That can take as much as a hour to stop." Lucas tried to stand up but all he managed was to drop on his back. Mikkel regained his composture and slowly removed his jacket. "To fix that you'll be needing things like a welder. Though I'm sure the kit has something similar, that would spell your doom."

Some time passed. Nagase was in charge of the canteen, the little water they had left was supposed to be equally shared among all three. Mikkel covered the upper part of his body with his jacket while he sat on the ground attempting to reach someone with the communicator. Lucas kicked the toolbox aside in rage. This little incident would probably make his report not look as good as he had expected. Suddenly gunfire was heard. Nagase quickly pulled her handgun from the holster and hit the dirt. Mikkel flipped the safety of his assault rifle and looked around trying to find a threat. Lucas held his stomach then stared at his bloody palm. Gunfire was heard again. He fell on his knees and then to the side lifelessly with his eyes wide open. "No! Lucas!" Nagase yelled and tried to crawl over to him. "Damn it! He's dead, woman. There's nothing you can do." Mikkel grabbed Nagase's metal leg and pulled her back into the cover inside of the husk of a dead tree.

"But there must be something we can do!" A tear ran down Nagase's cheek as she finally realized the hopelessness of it all. "Don't move. The second you take a look outside they will snipe your brains out." Nagase kept watching Lucas as a round pool of blood quickly formed under him as speech started to elude her. "Of all places to be spotted! The enemy will come here soon for us. You better be ready." Those few moments felt like forever. All too familiar. Eventually they heard foosteps. "You two, come out. We could've killed you already if we wanted to. It's unwise to tempt me." A group of GDI soldiers approached them. "Now slowly throw your guns away. You only have a moment to comply."

[Overdose]

Chapter 8: Schwarzes Prison (Part 1)

Nagase slowly lost her conciousness. The last thing she sees is peoply hurrying over to help her along with the voice of a man to call a doctor.

Nagase found herself inside a GDI air transport. Her wrists and ankles shackled together preventing her from resisting her captors. She stared at the floor as if it reflected her mind that seemed to have gone blank. "It's no use, Cyborg. Even if you managed to break free, those will explode along with your limbs." The GDI solder seated across from her spoke. The aircraft shook slightly as it entered a blizzard, the violent ice giving it a rather rude welcome. "Honestly I think you'd be better left for dead in the desert like we did with that boy." The soldier spat on the floor and looked at the window as the ice started to crash against it. Nagase tried to speak but no word came out. Sadness, anger, regret. She clenched her teeth. Nagase had already thought of over ten ways of how to kill that man. She would've done it slowly, savoring every minute trying to squeeze the most pain out of him until he made his final breath.

"We're here it seems. Your new permanent home." He chuckled and placed his assault rifle on his lap as he prepared to stand up as soon they touched down on the ground. The aircraft made contact with the surface and rocked slightly. "Stand up." The man grabbed her by the arm and made her stand on her feet. He shoved her towards the exit and as soon the loading bay was open he kicked her from behind. Nagase was launched forward and then rolled down the ramp. Nagase remained there with her face covered with snow. The man put a black cloth bag over Nagase's head and got covered with it. "I got a stubborn one over here." Nagase heard more footsteps approaching on the snow and she begun to be dragged somewhere. She heard the sound of an automatic sliding door opening and her knees were now touching on a tiled floor. She remained the same for several minutes. She heard the sound of a heavy metallic door opening and the bag from her head was removed. She was now staring at her cell. She was pushed inside and the door closed behind her. She could listen to the sound of the men who dragged her laughing as they walked away.

She slowly walked over to her 'bed', it was missing a mattress and covers so it must double as a table. She sat down and sighed softly. Her eyes glanced up at the blood stains on the walls, probably by the last prisoner or the several others before him as well. She then looked to her right and noticed a small twenty by twenty centimeter 'window'. The only contact she had with the outside world in this small cell. Nagase's mind quickly wandered to the memories of just a day's past. Trying to figure out what went wrong but it was probably just a series of mistakes and events that lead her to this point. Her body was stiff and freezing. Her back still hurt from the kick she had received. They would probably kill her soon as well. This facility didn't seem like the kind that life sentences are served. The dry and cold air seemed to pierce her lungs with every breath. Her fingers and toes were becoming numb due to poor circulation. Things looked grim at best.

Lucas. Poor Lucas. She would never forget the expression on his face. She lied down and curled herself into a ball trying to keep warm. She closed her eyes and wandered about what had happened to the Captain. Was he in the same prison as her or somewhere else? He was probably a tough prisoner as well. She wouldn't be entirely surprised if he had avoided being taken all together. Though Nagase didn't consider herself bad in a firefight the Captain had a completely higher fundament than her. She heard heavy footsteps coming from down the hall. Suddenly a rather fat man opened the door, carrying with him a small case. "Welcome to Europe, Miss." The man spoke as he closed the door behind him. Two guards appeared to be waiting outside for him. "I am Doctor Stein. I'm the interrogator of this fine facility." He placed the case next to her and opened it slowly. "The cold. Such a wonderful thing, isn't it?" He put on his latex gloves, she heard both snap. "Your body throbs with pain. Your mind slowly shatters away. The world becomes a broken reflection in the mirror doesn't it?" Stein grabbed Nagase's face with both hands and he stared down into her eyes. "Yes! I can see it! You have already abandoned hope and accepted your fate! You have already lost the will to live didn't you? I like that very much."

He grinned and held her face stronger as if he wanted to crush her with his bare hands. "You will tell me everything I want to know. Now, you will be a good girl and do what you are told right? This way I can have a little fun and you'll have to deal with a lot less pain for the few moments of life you have left in you." He tilted his head to the side not getting a reply. He then slapped Nagase across the face. The back of her head hit back against the wall. She however just lied there without giving any response neither showing any sign of pain. It was as if her she had shut herself down. "Fine. We can do this the hard way." He pulled a large syringe from the case and a vial. He inserted the syringe into the vial and slowly drained away it's content. He ripped Nagase's sleeve off and searched a big healthy vein so that the chemical agent would reach her brain and nervous system rapidly."

"I call this 'Stein's Number Three'. For the next twelve hours you will experience absolute terror. Your body will think your allucinations are real and will react as so, but please, don't be like the three percent of subjects I had so far and not live through the experience. I can't do my job if you die on me, you see?" He tapped the vein and stabbed her with the syringe, the greenish liquid seemed to slowly disappear as it dispersed in her intravenous system. "Enjoy the few minutes of the tidbits of sanity you have for the time being." Stein removed his gloves and threw them aside and then proceeded to close his case. He stood up and watched Nagase for a moment with a faint smile on his face. "Sweet dreams." He cackled and then ordered the guards to open the door for him.

[Overdose]

Chapter 8: Schwarzes Prison (Part 2)

"Nagase." She heard a familiar voice in her cell. She slowly sat up and looked around trying to find the source. "Nagase." She heard the voice again. "Hello?" She timidly answered as her hands rubbed together trying to keep warm. "Why did you leave me, Nagase?" Suddenly she saw Lucas standing right in front of her. Two grotesque holes were on his abdomen and chest. "...Lucas..." Nagase stood nervously on her bed trying to stay away. "You left me all alone." Lucas coughed up blood and it splattered it all over her chest. Nagase screamed now in complete panic. His pale hand reached over and grasped her shoulder. "I thought we were friends." His other hand slowly brushed away Nagase's bangs from her forehead. "Hey Nagase, I have an idea. Why don't you come with me?" He now grasped tightly her wrist and began to pull her to the dark corner of the cell. "We can be together...forever." Nagase held tightly to her bed for dear life. "No! You are not Lucas!" Eventually the bed gave away and detached from the wall.

"Nagase, you say such funny things." Lucas smiled as blood started to flow from out of his lips in large amounts. Nagase screamed again as dozens of arms reached out reached out to her from the corner of the room. "Here, let me help you." Lucas held Nagase on his arms and then threw her to the corner. Nagase felt the could touch of countless hands as they dragged her down to the unknown. "Lucas....stop." Nagase slowly disappeared being swallowed by the darkness. Lucas stood there watching her with a blank expression on his face. "Now that wasn't so hard...was it?" Nagase felt even colder now as she fell down the dark abyss. After a while everything became still and the darkness started to turn bright. She found herself inside a broken down home. She could listen to the sound of a young girl crying. She slowly stood on her feet and walked to the bedroom. Finding a little girl with long black hair on her knees crying in front of a corpse. "...Daddy." The girl spoke in a soft voice in her lament. Nagase reached over for the girl but she couldn't touch her as if she was made out of pure air.

Nagase slowly walked around her and then finally realized. This was a night she had never forgotten. The roof the house collapsed partially in flames. Tears started to run down Nagase's cheeks as she looked at the body of her own father. Nagase collapsed on the floor and then looked at the little girl, she looked at herself in that deplorable state when she had lost everything that was important in the world to her. Suddenly she heard the laughing of men, from the other side of the house. "Turned out this was just a house after all. What are we going to say to our superiors about the civilians we killed?" A GDI soldier asked. "Who gives a damn about a few Yellow Zoners? It's not like they are even going to question us." The second man snickered. "What about that girl over there? Isn't she a witness?" The third one spoke now, the only one carrying a somewhat serious tone. "She'll probably just die of Tiberium poisoning in just a few days." The first one spoke again as they left the house. Nagase remained there seething with anger but she knew there wasn't much she could do as this was a dream of some kind.

Nagase eye's started to hurt and she suddenly found her herself cowering in the corner of cell again. Stein was checking her eyes with a opthalmoscope and he wasn't too pleased with the results. "Damn, she has gone catatonic. There's no way I can extract anything out of her now." He sighed and pulled a small PDA from his pocket. "Subject no longer useful. Time of death..." Stein looked at his watch. "...twelve past two." He put the PDA back in his pocket and removed a vial with a rather large warning from his case. Nagase headbutted the man's chin, he fell back almost unconscious. She then ran to opposite corner of her room, deciding to fight for her life with every ounce of strenght she had left. "You'll regret that." Stein stood up, spitting out a tooth. He then pulled a small remote and pointed it at her. "You go boom." There was a large explosion and Stein covered his eyes with a victorious grin on his face. But noticing she still stood there without harm, Stein looked behind him and noticed the wall had crumbled down.

A rather large man with black armor and a long red cape approached Stein and grabbed his throat. He put some more power into the squeeze until Stein's neck snapped and then released watching him drop on the floor. "Are you Lieutenant Nagase?" The fully armored man approached her. "Yes, sir." She nodded her head slightly. "I'm Black Hand operative Luis." He saluted her and then motioned at the way out. "We've come here to rescue you." Nagase blinked in surprise. "A rescue? That's not standard procedure." She tried to regain her composture before the man. "I know. However you've become a valuable asset to the Brotherhood. So getting you out of here is our top priority. By the way, where's Captain Jonsen?" Nagase shook her head slightly. "I do not know." Luis shrugged slightly and then lead her outside. Several other explosions were heard along with cheering from the other prisoners. "I have no idea how to remove those so you'll just have to live with it until we can find someone who can." Nagase chuckled as she stared up at the starry night sky "That's fine. I have actually become quite used to them." She held up her shackled hands.

[Overdose]

Chapter 9: Retribution

Nagase slowly opens her eyes and finds herself in a hospital room. She sat up on her bed and the humid cloth towel on her forehead slowly slipped off and drops onto her palms. She stares at it for a moment then hears someone approach. "You are awake." Luis enters the room and sits on the stool next to her bed. "The Council found your report very interesting and have confirmed your story was true. You've been commended by the Brotherhood due to your actions. They even praised you for not revealing anything to the enemy when they took you to Germany. They are still eager to hear that part from yourself when you feel you've recovered." He holds the back of his neck and quirked an eyebrow in amazement. "To be honest I have never seen the council actually excited about someone, usually they just grant death sentences to traitors and the like." Nagase gave a slight nod, slowly trying to absorb everything of what he had just said. "I see. Thank you." She yawns softly then proceeds to stretch her arms, feeling a faint pain coming from back made her remember she was still primarily composed of flesh and bones.

"Forgive my rudeness, I forgot that I need to call you 'M'am' from now on." Luis stands up and salutes her. "I believe you'll also be particularly pleased about certain decisions of theirs once you manage to be on your feet again." Luis heads over to the door then stopped halfway to look back at her. "Me and my men will be on standby outside waiting for your command." He saluted her again and left the room. "All this and yet I still manage to feel so empty inside." Her bare feet slowly touched down on the cold marble floor and she stepped over to window. "At least it's great to be back home." She leaned slightly forward, her palms pressing against the glass. This metropolis considered the heart of the South American continent feels cozy and welcoming as usual. The sunset turning everything it touched golden and orange. She leans off the window and walks into the small closet. There she finds a brand new uniform and a small case. She slips off her hospital gown and patiently puts on her uniform. She turned to face the mirror and flipped her long back hair behind her shoulder. She crouches down and put on her boots, quickly lacing them."What's this?" She reaches over for a black case and undid it's latch. It reveals inside a handgun and a black leather holster. "Must be a new model. I never have seen a silencer built into a gun before."

She straps the holster across her chest and wears the black leather jacket with metallic platings. On her left shoulder the new emblem of the Brotherhood is displayed. She looks at herself in the mirror one last time and she walks out of her room. The double doors of the elevator open before her and she walks inside pressing the bottom level button. She is greeted by the busy lobby of the hospital and she goes outside, dodging the taxis, as she makes her way across the street. Luis runs over to her approaching from behind. "Luis, I want an update of everything you know about what happened." She keeps walking down the crosswalk. "Yes, ma'm." Luis catches up to her and starts to explain. Almost a hour had passed, the local Temple over the hills, the symbol of Nod's power and control over the region looked as majestic as ever and that's exactly where they were headed. Nagase enters the Command Room, nothing had changed since her first visit. She heads straight for a door and then points at it while she glances at Luis.

Wei is seated behind his desk looking at a pile of paperwork. He holds them on his arms and walks over to fireplace, getting ready to dispose of them. Suddenly the door was brought down much to his surprise. Luis who busted the door down with a kick stepped inside followed by Nagase right behind. "You sent us to die." Nagase walks over to Wei and pushes him up against the wall. "You got my friend killed. The Captain might have had the same fate. You almost got me killed." Nagase pulls her handgun from her holster and presses it against his left temple. "This is for my comrades." She starts squeezing the trigger. "Wait! I can explain!" Wei tries to speak again but his head splatters all over the wall. The gun had barely made a sound. Nagase looks down at Wei's corpse holstering her weapon. Sheets of paper dancing the air before touching down on the black smoothed granite floor. "I 'forgot' to tell you about something. This will be your new office and center of operations." Luis beckons one of his men behind him with his index finger. "Find someone to clean this mess." Luis then dismisses him. "If you had told me about that earlier I would've spared the nice wallpaper." Nagase walks over to the large desk and sits down on the big cushioned chair making herself comfortable. "Luis you are dismissed for today. I appreciate your deeds." Luis salutes her "Yes, ma'm." then left closing the door behind him. Nagase sits back on the chair sighing softly then stares up at the ceiling. "In the end, we're all vultures." She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath.

[Overdose]

Epilogue

Nagase seating behind her desk holds out a small remote control. Her eyes looking up at the small monitor at the corner of her office. A live feed in space is displayed on the screen showing the Philadelphia. Suddenly there's a bright light and an explosion. Pieces of the space station are shattered appart and begin to fall towards Earth's atmosphere. She hears cheering coming from outside the room and the clapping of hands. "It begins." She spoke to herself and turned off the monitor. She places her palms onto the edge of the desk and stands. Her brown eyes turn towards the door and as it opens she notices a very familiar face. "That's only the first target. More missiles are on their way to the northern blue zones." Luis gives her a coy smile and leans his back against the door crossing his arms.

"Bold but effective." She leaves the remote control on her desk and walks over to him. "What of the invasion?" She stopped next to Luis, keeping her voice low. "We're leaving in the first transport. The big picture is to hit them pretty hard so that there's no chance for a counterattack. We'll be doing this by sea, land and air." Luis whispered back to her and leans off the door. "Peculiar. Surely they don't expect to win the war in under a year?" Nagase glanced up at Luis, their difference in height was apparent. Luis shrugged and replied "I just kill people. I leave the actual thinking to the higher ups." then he stepped out looking back at Nagase "You should pack your things, Ma'm. We're leaving at dawn."

Nagase watches him go for a moment then raises her voice "What of that new toy? Is it ready?" Luis stops between steps and replies softly "It's complete and entirely customized for your use. It will be shipped along with us. Also, you'll have a few hours to get used to the controls." Luis nods to her and then leaves. Nagase walks back to her desk and opens the drawer. "What an eerie sensation." Nagase thoughts were partially vocal while she pulls a small black bag containing her personal items then swinged it over her shoulder, resting it there. She sighs and leaves her office, soon exiting the Temple.

Nagase watches patiently as a crane lowers down a steel black container into the cargo bay of the battleship. Despite it's immense size the ship still rocks with the waves like a child on the arms of a caring mother. She isn't used to this, it makes her feel sick. Her gloved hand reaches over to the keypad and she presses six digits carefully. The container slowly opens revealing it's important content. Nagase looks it over with a gleam on her eyes then steps closer touching the armor. Her fingertips glide along the rugged surface feeling it's shape and curves. "We'll get along just fine, right?." The Avatar Warmech's shadow looms over her tiny frame as the lamps on the ceiling begin to swing as the ship begins to leave port.

[Overdose]

DP! Thanks for the support everyone! I really appreciate the nice comments that encouraged me to finish this project. Thank you for the picture as well GW, that's mostly how I pictured Nagase except the jacket would be zipped up. The last entry was the hardest for me to write so far (and very likely the one I'm the least pleased with) I had no idea how to put an end to the story. Not that it's actually over you see, as I'm already working on the next part!

The Vengeance Arc will take place mostly in the North American Blue Zones and it will feature once again Nagase as an Avatar pilot spearheading Nod's invasion. There will be a lot of character development and a lot of questions will be answered like: Who the hell is Luis? And why is he so loyal to Nagase?
What happened to the Captain? You can expect a lot more action and more character development. I'll go now get some sleep as I'm exhausted. If you guys have any questions don't hesitate to ask I'll gladly answer them tomorrow as long it's not spoilers. I'll also add a few definitions in the FAQ in case your not familiar with some of the terms and names used.

Thank you so much everyone!

-Overdose

[Overdose]

Made by Comrade


Introduction

Characters:

Nagase, Yoko: Our protagonist has changed since we first met her. She blames herself for the death of Lucas and carries it's burden constantly. She has gained a lot of respect and admiration from Nod troopers and earned the nickname 'Raven' for her exploits. Under that calculating and cool demeanor lies a woman who is just trying to survive in a world gone mad. A little satisfaction and payback along the way doesn't hurt either.

Costa, Luis: This man is the leader of an unnamed elite military infantry unit. Since they first formed over seven years ago, they have fought on several front lines while continuously earning victory after victory. They've been tasked with the protection of Nagase as she conducts her operation. Luis thinks she is a trouble magnet but gladly took this task. He's very close to his men and prides himself of the fact his unit has never suffered a casualty.

FAQ:

To be updated.

[Overdose]

Posted 03 March 2008 - 18:44
(Cold turkey has been slowing down my writing. You can expect the next chapters to come out faster than this.)


Chapter 1: The Landing

Nagase took in a deep breath, the devices attached to her head and limbs ready to mimic every body movement she made. Her right leg steps forward and the Avatar copies her motion. The stormy sea behind her. The battleship on the horizon with it's guns blazing, hitting off-shore targets as if there was no tomorrow. Her heartbeat raises it's tempo and stops resonating with her steps as she started to approach the city. The Avatar's feet still manages to step forward despite sinking very deeply into the sand of the beach.

Luis watches Nagase take terrain then signals to his men with his hand. “She'll be both our shield and our sword. Keep her alive and we may just live through this.� He then motions with his hand for his men to move forward. They closely follow her, the sandy beach soon gave way to a tiled crosswalk. The avenue had a lot of commotion. People amidst a traffic jam started abandoning their cars as the large black mech came into view. People scream as they run away in panic, leaving everything behind. “Luis.� Nagase spoke softly as she kept moving forward, crushing cars in her path. “Secure the perimeter. More forces will be arriving soon.�

“Yes, ma'am!� Luis made a circular motion with his index finger while it points up. “3-6-0!� He yelled as his six men move into a round formation around Nagase. “Hey there.� One of Luis' men finds a little boy stuck on his seat not being able to undo the seatbelt. He pulls a knife and stares at it for a moment, he then cuts it off and watches him run away crying. “All clear, sir.� Another soldier spoke, resting the flamethrower on his shoulder. “This is too easy.� Nagase glances down the avenue expecting to find a column of tanks and infantry coming to kill them, but all she could see is more abandoned cars. “I learned the hard way to always expect the worst.�

Luis nods as he takes partial cover behind a SUV. “I think that's a lesson everyone learns sometime.� Luis ducks as the pavement shakes under his feet. A large block of broken concrete descends down from the skies and crushes the car behind him. “What the hell?� Luis looks up at the large commercial building as it started to slowly collapse. “It's the battleship! These guys must not know the meaning of precision bombardment.� The soldier with a soft voice spoke, and runs away trying to keep a good distance from the buildings. “Stupid cape!� He holds it as he runs for dear life as the shells kept raining down on the city.

“What a waste of ammo. This town would have more strategical value if it was kept mostly intact.� Nagase looked back at the battleship, cursing under her breath. Luis wipes the debris off his shoulder and stands again as the battleship stopped firing. “Seems like they had enough 'fun'.� Luis held his ear piece and glanced up at Nagase. “What are our next orders?� She bit her lip as she saw something approaching from the intersection. “Incoming.� A few predator tanks roll over to them and stop in a straight line. The turrets slowly turn and aim up to Nagase. “I'll handle this.�

Nagase aims at the middle of the formation with her right arm and then squeezes her fingers slightly, causing the laser to fire and absolutely destroy the tanks on the center. She drops her arm and begins to walk over to the surviving tanks, shells were fired and hit her dead on but it wasn't enough to even slow her down. She crushes the tank on the right with her foot and then she rips off the turret of the left with her claws and she stares at the lone surviving crew member. “You monster!� The man fired with his assault rifle at her. Nagase quickly grabbed him and started to squeeze the man until she heard the sounds of the man being crushed alive and of his blood splattering on the pavement.

Luis made a faint whistle “Well, wasn't that impressive?� He held his ear piece and then signaled for his men to spread out. “The transports will be here any second now. “ He glances up at Nagase. “You're still there, ma'am?� He kept trying to get a response of her but there was none. Luis' men started cheering at the sights of Nod Carry-alls landing in the distance and unloading troops eager for action. "One vision, one purpose!" They cheered in unison.

[Overdose]

Chapter 2: Jackals

Luis and five of his men sat around a lamp. The evening was windy and slightly chilly. “That's when I sneaked up behind the guy and immobilized him.� The soldier with a soft voice drew in the sand as he told his story. “No way. I was on patrol with you that night. I saw none of that� The man with a coarse voice interrupted him then flicked a pebble at his general direction. “You were probably asleep by then or completely drunk. Possibly both. Remember how the local bar was the only building left standing?� The man with the coarse voice laughed then gave him a slight nod. “Yes. That much I remember. That place had some good drinks, man.�

The men were very disturbed by the sound of footsteps approaching them. They quickly grabbed their weapons and took aim. “Good evening guys.� Nagase came into view and walked over timidly. “Ah, good evening ma'am. Is there something you wish to discuss with me?� Luis stood on his feet and saluted her. “Not really. Just looking to pass time.� Nagase sat down, the ocean breeze blowing her long black hair aside. She grasped a handful of sand and released it slightly watching the breeze do the same to the grains.

“So 'Raven'. I heard you are a real demon sort of woman. The kind that makes GDI shit their yellow pants.� The soldier chuckled but was punished with a punch from Luis. “Allow me to introduce these very 'educated' men who are a 'source of pride' for those that wear the Black Hand uniform.� Luis pointed at the soldier with a soft voice, he always seems to carry a smirk on his lips. “That's Trevor. He's always got a story to tell. Whether you want to hear it or not.� Trevor wiped away his drawings on the sand and gave Nagase a nod in greeting. “Hello.�

Nagase nodded back to him, he seemed to remind her of Lucas somewhat. But her attention was quickly lost when Luis introduced the next man. “The one with his face on the sand and twisting in pain is named Alek�. Alek buried his face deeper in the sand then waved at her with his hand. It was all he could manage after receiving a punch from Luis. Luis then pointed at the quiet man who seemed to be minding his own business. “That's Sadir. He only talks when it's a necessity. That's something that ought to be learned here.�

Noticing his turn was coming up next the youngest man in the group stood up up and saluted Nagase. “I'm Roberto. I'm honored to finally meet you, Miss Nagase. Though I was present at your rescue it's a shame we couldn't meet face to face. � Nagase made a faint smile “Seems like I'm in debt to everyone here.� She then looked at the last man that hadn't been introduced yet. He sighed softly and replied with his coarse voice sounding somewhat annoyed. “Edgar here. Hello and stuff.� He waved to Nagase and then lied down.

“I remember there was one more. Where is he?� Nagase stretched her legs a bit, she was starting to feel tired. “Jean offered to get us some food. He should be back soon.� Luis was already getting worried, it had been a while since he had left. “So your unit, does it have a name?� Nagase glanced at them and was confused due to the fact she didn't get an answer right away. “Officially, we were part of Platoon Iris in Eastern Europe. But everyone else died.� Trevor started to scrabble on the sand again.

“The Brotherhood was still recovering from the last war.� Trevor glanced up at the man approaching them and waved. “Sorry, I'm late.� Jean walked over carrying a large supply of canned food on his arms. “The shop owner insisted in giving these for free. I guess the flamethrower and the uniform spooked him a bit since he didn't seem like a supporter. But it's all good since I'm not carrying the local currency.� He distributed the cans over to everyone then sat down. “Let me have the beef one.� Edgar forcefully exchanged his chicken with Roberto, who only watched in disdain.

“Thank you.� Nagase opened her can slowly and then breathed in the warm scent of meat and vegetables that was permanently warmed by the can. She pulled a small combat knife from the leather sheath strapped to her ankle and began eating. “So where was I?� Trevor wiped his mouth clean with his forearm. “We haven't really voted on a name or anything.� Alek drank down the meaty juice that was left in the can. “A name like 'Hyenas' would be cool.� Edgar sat up and shook his head “The only hyena here is you.� then threw a seashell at him.

“Jackals.� Sadir broke his silence while he stared at his unopened meal. “That's one mighty contender there.� Jean smiled. Luis raised his right hand “All in favor of 'Jackals'?� he noticed five other hands. “The majority are in favor. It's been decided.� Roberto stood up as the tide was getting too close for comfort “Even democracy has it's uses.� he then proceeded to wipe the sand off his cape.

Edited by Overdose, 07 March 2008 - 03:11.

[Overdose]

(Double chapters today! Enjoy.)

Chapter 3: Crossfire

Sadir sprinted inside the small bakery and jumped over the counter taking cover. The building shook heavily and the glass shattered into a thousand pieces glittering under the sunlight. He counted to five, stood up and ran up the stairs making it to the top floor. He finds a door that has been barricaded. He swings the flamethrower in front of him and shoots out a stream of liquid flame burning down most of the door and then rams his way inside with his shoulder.

Inside he finds a sniper that was very much surprised with his presence. Before the man could react he was burned down to the point of being no longer be recognizable. “Sadir here. All clear. Over.� Luis peeks over the wall over to the bakery and raised his hand. “Edgar, Alek. Proceed as planned.� Edgar shrugged then knocked on Alek's shoulder “We really need a raise.�

Alek nodded and ran into an alley, he was greeted by a spray of bullets. He hit the ground and rolled to his right and found protection under a truck. The front tires were shot and the truck lowered itself slightly. “I'm in deep shit here.� Alek covered his eyes with his forearm as the ricocheting bullets broke debris from the pavement and kicked up to his face.

Edgar had sneaked around the perimeter and found a small entrenched position with a high caliber machine gun placement firing down an alley. He jumped inside and grabbed the head of a soldier, snapped his neck and watched the lifeless body collapse on the ground. “Hello there, fascist bitches.� He commandeers the machine gun placement and begins to open fire at the group of soldiers nearby, quickly dropping like flies.

Roberto quietly approaches a soldier from behind pulling a large dagger from his chest. “Over here.� The soldier glanced around but could not see anyone. At the same exact moment, Roberto leaped off from the light post and thrust the dagger into the man's head. “Forgive me, but I cannot allow you to live.� He placed his foot on the man's back and pushed the dagger off, making the man fall over. Roberto made two upward slashes severing the man's arms. He stepped back as if time had slowed down avoiding the drops of blood descending upon him “One down.�

Trevor sat on the shoulder of the Avatar as it strides down the avenue. “That's a nice view you have up here Missus.� He stood up and jumped on the terrace of the building next to them. “You seem to be a big girl that can take care of herself so I'll find something fun to do.� He waved to Nagase and watched her go. “Now let's see.� He rested the flamethrower against his shoulder and held the back of his head while he inspected the area.

Nagase found a small GDI camp ahead, probably the heart of their resistance. “This is it.� She raised her right arm and took in a deep breath. She could probably put an end to this with two shots. Her mind became empty and everything turned silent. Even her heart seemed to stop beating. All she could see was the GDI camp and her enemy. She squeezed her fingers and fired the laser at the guard tower, detaching the small hut from the foundation. Then she took aim at the bunker and fired at the entrance, causing it to collapse. “This is Nagase. GDI position destroyed. I'll leave the clean up to you guys.� Nagase started to approach the camp.

“Hey Missus, you are so generous. Leaving all the fun to us and all.� Trevor was having a pretty good time killing the rest of the enemy. Leaving the camp into smoldering ashes, he sat on an ammo box and waited for the rest of the team to arrive. “Your late.� He smirked at Roberto. “I got held up.� Roberto sheathes his dagger. Trevor was feeling like starting a fight, but he decided to keep his mouth shut when Roberto dropped a bulk of bloody dog tags on his lap. “I believe that earned my Black Hand mark today.� He tried to recount the tags on Trevor's lap.

Luis approached them, being followed by the others. “Today you guys were exceptional. Even for the high standards I expect from this unit.� Trevor grinned and ran his hand through his hair. “It was nothing. I didn't even break a sweat.� Sadir glanced at collapsed bunker and cleared his throat before speaking. “I assume that was our main target all along.�

“Indeed. Intel warned us that place has tons of supplies that feed GDI's war efforts in the region. Even if they manage to regain this area it would probably take them months to dig themselves inside without causing a massive underground chain explosion. We've done quite some damage to them today� Luis glanced up at Nagase as she came closer to them.

“Luis.� Nagase seemed to hesitate. “Are you familiar with the Green Dawn Project?� The Avatar stood motionless. “Too familiar.� Luis crossed his arms. “Vazislokh Laboratory. That's a pretty dreadful place. The Brotherhood's dream to create superior beings, surpassing humans. Lots of research were done there. From cyborgs, to the mithrandir-class 'super humans' and tiberium infused troops.� Luis closed his eyes.

“Can you tell me anything more?� Nagase bit her lip, craving for more information. Luis shook his head. “I would but currently this is not the time or the place for such a discussion. Perhaps some other time.� Nagase sighs with disappointment. “...Alright.�

[Overdose]

Chapter 4: Blood Pact

Nagase was seated on the edge of a brick wall, her legs dangling with boredom. This small town they were located had been knocked out of power in the latest bombing. The moon was their only source of light. Most of the civilians got killed in the crossfire or managed to escape. This reminded her of her own hometown, that had been destroyed by GDI. How many parents had she killed up to this point? How many children suffered the same fate in her hands? A wave of futility and guilt washed over her.

She turned her eyes to the little ceremony being performed by the Jackals. Apparently Roberto passed his trial and was being commended by Luis. Vows were exchanged between the men, a chain pendant sporting the Black Hand symbol in red and black was given to him. “Marcion will show us the way.� She heard of that man before. Commonly called 'The Usurper' by those who didn't sympathize with his anti-Kane ideologies. Though she didn't like him either, she wouldn't dare to interrupt them.

She slips off the wall and her boots touch down on the floor lifting a cloud of cement particles. Nagase walks through the collapsed building, the bloodstains everywhere where still fresh and the corpses removed due to their smell. At a corner she finds her sleeping bag, a small red lamp and her black leather bag. She sat down on the soft fabric and placed the bag on her lap, opening it carefully. “You.� She looked up, hearing a voice and removed her gun from the holster.

“Who's there?� Nagase stood nervously, attempting to find a figure in the dark. “I've heard plenty of good things about you. It would be a shame to throw all your future away over some personal goal.� The voice spoke again, seeming to come from all directions. Nagase was beginning to get irritated. “Show yourself. You surely don't want me to come out and hunt you?.� Her bluff felt hallow even for her, she'd rather stay with her back on the wall where she felt the safest. “I know your plan. It's obvious once you add the numbers. Sadly you are very predictable.� The voice didn't sound it was intimated at all.

“Fine then amuse me. What is this 'plan' you claim to know?� Nagase bit her lip, she was already considering calling Luis for backup. “You've been tipped that Captain Jonsen was brought to North America. You fear that his trial will be neither fair or with a favorable outcome. You plan to go rogue and rescue him in some vain attempt at heroism and camaraderie once you get close to your objective.� Nagase chuckled, regaining her com posture. “You really believe that? I could care less about him.� This bluff had a far better amount of weight.

“I'm tired of this game. Just know that the price to pay for ignoring our orders would be too much for you to bear. You surely know our policy with traitors. You've dealt with them before. I honestly don't even know why I even care about you. Your just another worker ant—expendable.� As the voice turned silent, Nagase heard a soft beeping noise. She turned her sleeping bag over and found a small communicator blinking with a red light.

“Curses.� She grabbed it and threw it against the wall, much to disappointment of her rage that wasn't enough to break it. That only managed to make it bounce off the wall and land between her feet. “How did they figure it out?� She tried to discover the reason why. The only person that knew was Luis, but he was in this as deep as she was. It would not make sense for him to sabotage himself along the way. She storms off, seeking Luis.

[Overdose]

Chapter 5: Tiberian and Machine

Nagase watched Luis from a distance. He seemed to be discussing something with Edgar. The other one soon left, leaving her all alone with Luis. She walked quietly over to him as if she was stepping on clouds. “I know you are there.� Nagase halted between steps and crouched down. She places her palm down on the ground and leans onto it for balance. “Luis, I'm disappointed with you.�

Luis shrugged his shoulders and leaned off the light post. “Disappointed?�. Nagase ignored his question and sneaked closer to Luis. She could almost smell him now. She looked over the wrecked car and spotted Luis' back. He seemed oblivious to what direction she was approaching him from. She decided to end this quickly and silently. She wouldn't like to grab the attention of his men, she'd rather be very far away by the time they found out.

She takes in a deep breath and rushed him from behind, wanting to tackle him. However Luis was too much for her, she only managed to fall back on her butt. “What are you doing?� Luis looked down at Nagase. “The Brotherhood has figured it out. My plan is ruined. There's no way I can save The Captain now.� She quickly stood and planted her foot on his chest and stepped with the other foot on his left shoulder as if she wanted to climb him. She ascended almost past half of Luis's height and then descended with her leg stretched out trying to hit the back of his head with her heel.

“Impressive, but you'll need more than that to take me down.� Luis grabbed her ankle and held Nagase in mid air. She dangled before him, her nose brushing slightly against his knee. Nagase struggled like a fish caught in a net, except more enraged. “Now would you bother explaining to me, what the hell is going on?� Luis raised Nagase slightly, trying to get a better view of her face. “You are the only person that knew. The Brotherhood will be watching our every move now. This is all your fault.� Nagase tried to break free, screaming in anger.

“Ah, I understand now. But you are wrong. I have nothing to do with it.� Luis loosens the grip of Nagase's ankle and sets her down on the ground. He crosses his arms as he watches her stand again. “You see, I have my reasons for wanting to succeed in this as well. When I came to rescue you at Schwarzes Prison...� Luis held his forehead and sighed “...my priority wasn't really you.� Nagase wiped her uniform as if that would recover her lost pride.

“Me and Mikkel go a long way back. He taught me everything I know.� Luis turned his back to her and walked away. “Wait.� Nagase follows him. “I want some answers. I want everything you know.� Luis looks back to her and raised his eyebrows. “What do you want to know?� Nagase approached Luis and stood next to him. “The Green Dawn Project. Tell me where the laboratory is.� Luis shrugged and looked up at the night sky “Temple Prime. About fifty meters underground. As I told you, there's where some of our most confidential research is made.�

Luis pointed at Nagase's left leg. “You can thank them for all your 'parts'. They were all designed there. You'd probably not be walking on your own if it wasn't for them.� Luis stared at his palm then glanced back at Nagase. “About six years ago, the Brotherhood's dream took another step closer to their goal. They successfully managed to infuse human beings with tiberium. Granting the test subjects many improvement to their abilities with very few side effects. The research was considered a complete success. Many gone through the procedure including ourselves.�

Luis nodded “That's right. Me and my men were included. In fact, I'm even thankful for it. We'd probably not have survived this long if things had been any different.� Nagase bit her lip and stared down at the ground. “What is the Brotherhood trying to do? It feels as if they want to rid this world of humans.� Luis nodded slightly “I'm not surprised. I don't even consider myself human. I have different needs than a human and I don't even feel like one anymore.�

“You are different than me. You are part machine. Still, I believe you feel the same way I do.� Luis glanced at Nagase again, uncrossing his arms. “I prefer being called 'cyborg'. However, you are correct." Nagase seemed slightly insulted. “I don't care what you call me. As long it's not 'tiberium junkie'. Well, I'll get back to camp. The others are probably worried about now. Good night.� Luis tapped Nagase's shoulder with a faint smile on his lips and walked away.

[Overdose]

Green Dawn: Tiberian Genesis (A Midori no Akatsuki prequel)

The little girl crouched down on the floor. Her cheeks gone hot with the flow of tears streaming down her face. She looked down at the corpse of the man as a pool of blood formed beneath him. “Daddy!� She grasped his shoulders and shook them with all her might as if she wanted him to wake up from a long sleep. She shook him on and on but no avail.

She heard heavy footsteps approaching from the living room. A combat boot stepped on the family portrait, crushing the glass. “Turns out this was just a house after all. What are we going to say to Command about the civilians we killed?� One of the soldiers wearing a tan colored uniform chuckled. “Who gives a damn about a few Yellow Zoners? It's not like they are even going to question us.� The second man snickered.

“What about that girl over there? Isn't she a witness?� The third one spoke now, the only one carrying a serious tone on his voice. "She'll probably just die of Tiberium poisoning in just a few days." The first one spoke again as they stepped outside through the ruined entrance of the house. She looked back at them as they left. They wore a golden emblem of a bird on their left arm. She would never forget this.

She started feeling a very strong emotion she had never felt before. Her little heart started beating at a rapid pace as her face turned red as she was flooded with rage. A final tear ran down her left cheek and it hung stubbornly under her chin. She stood on her feet and walked over to the portrait of her family and attempted to remove the picture. She cut her finger with the broken glass. Wincing, she started to suck on her cut index finger and this time cautiously removed it with her other hand.

She placed the picture inside the pocket of her jacket then wiped her runny nose with her sleeve. She walked over to what was left of the front door then looked back at her ruined home. Part of the ceiling had collapsed in flames. Her father. Her mother was gone too. She took in a deep breath and she went outside. The sun was starting to hide behind the mountain, the sky eerily lit up in a greenish color due to the toxic fumes. The tiberium field in the distance shimmered with the sunlight.

She eventually found her way into town. Her stomach growled, she hadn't eaten anything the whole day. She noticed a bakery on the other side of the street and stared at the display filled with big, colorful cakes and pies of all shapes and sizes. Her little hands pressed against the glass as she carefully picked one. She went inside the shop. “Hello Lady. I would like that big white cake please.� She attempted to look over the counter. The cashier looked down at her. “You'll have to be more specific than that.�

“It's the one with many stories and has a lot of strawberries on it.� She crossed her arms as she got a good picture of the cake in her head. “That will be ten thousand Yen, little girl. Your cake will be ready in two business days.� She looked up at the woman while she searched her pockets. “Two days? I want the cake now. Also, I don't have moneys with me.� She was escorted outside by the cashier. Her brown eyes watched as the double door went shut.

She wondered what she had done wrong. It was night already and the air was chilly and she was weary from the journey. She went into the alley and found herself a big box. She crawled inside and was satisfied that it was a little warmer now. Her eyes closed and she dozed off. Sunset crept inside the box and she was woken up by a very loud voice coming from a speaker. She stepped out of the alley feeling a bit dizzy due to her hunger.

“Join the Brotherhood and fight for peace today!� Spoke the man standing on the back of a truck, holding fliers up in the air as he went on with his speech. Some of the fliers got knocked out of his hand by the wind. “Rise up and fight the oppressors! Peace! Unity! Brotherhood!� She was confused to say the least. Why did he have to be so loud? People could hear him just fine if he spoke normally. She overheard a conversation of two men behind her as they walked by.

She knew very well what they were talking about. A flier that got swayed in the wind became stuck between her ankles. She grabbed it and started to read it. The pictures that is. She slowly walked over to the man and she reached over and tugged on his knee. “Hey Mister.� She kept on tugging. “Hello there. Sorry, but I don't have any money with me.� He tried to make her go away. “I want to join the Brotherhood.� She replied almost in a whisper. “Aren't you a little young for that?� The man looked at her with a puzzled look on his face.

�I want to join the Brotherhood." She repeated herself, this time making herself very clear. “Oh boy...� The man held his forehead. “I'm a girl. Can't you tell?� She replied, clearly curious.


13 years later


The young woman slowly loaded a new rocket into her launcher. She could feel the ground shaking as it got closer to her. She could already hear the threads. She took in a deep breath and then ran towards the window and took aim. Pulling the trigger, the rocket was released, making a trail as it made it's way towards the Predator Tank. The tank rocked aside and black smoke begun to come out of it. The tank eventually came to a halt. Flames could be seen coming from inside.

Cheering filled the building. “Good shooting, Nagase!� She smiled and looked up at the hole on the ceiling. “All in a day's work.� She enjoyed the remnants of adrenaline pulsing her then she leaned onto the window looking outside. This village was the Brotherhood's humble foothold in the region, she would not give it up without a fight. “It's likely they will send much more than a little tank next time. They are probably wondering how they could have gone silent so deep in their territory!� She laughed when she pictured them being shocked by what just happened.

“You guys got some water left?� A canteen was immediately dropped down to her, she barely managed to grasp it in mid-air. She unscrewed the cap and got her throat wet. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and placed the canteen on the floor. She pulled her combat knife and started to draw the Brotherhood's emblem on the wall. They didn't have a flag and this was the only way she had to make the village theirs. Suddenly she felt as if the grounded was being pounded on. She saw a house across the street start to crumble into the ground. “We're being bombarded!� She ran away from the window.

She tucked her black strands of hair behind her ear and closed her eyes. If they wanted to kill her, they could at least give her the satisfaction of doing it face to face. Suddenly everything shook again. She could hear screams in the distance. People still lived in the village. What gives them the right to kill people that can't even fight back? She clenched her fists. She took in another deep breath and bit her lip trying to regain her cool.

“GDI incoming!� A militia man yelled. “Everyone hold! Do not give away our position until I say so.� Nagase loaded a second rocket into her launcher. This one had her family's name written on it. She was saving that for a special occasion like this one. She started hearing the sound of GDI boots, a familiar sound to say the least. “Now! Open fire!� She took aim and fired out the window. The rocket was very dumb with nothing to lock on but there were so many soldiers she still managed to hit them. A few GDI soldiers were throw lifelessly up on the air like rag dolls. She smirked and started to load another rocket.

That was when a grenade flew inside through the window and started to roll towards her. She attempted to desperately run away managing to drop her launcher in the process. Her ears burst and she could feel an extremely sharp pain on her leg. Almost a minute later she was conscious again. She was greeted by a militia man and he carried her out the building through the back door. “No more fighting for you, Miss.� He made Nagase to sit against the wall. “How bad is it?� Nagase knew that looking would just make it worse.

“I'm sorry to say this but...� He sighed. “...It's as bad as it gets.� He removed his shirt and wrapped it around her thigh then made a very strong knot. “We should be getting ammunition in a few hours. I'll make sure they don't leave you here. “Do I still have my leg?� She was trying really hard not to look at it. He didn't reply. “We have some more wounded upstairs. I'll tend to them and be right back.� He held Nagase's shoulder and then left.

Nagase looked up at the bright blue sky trying to distract herself from the pain. Hours passed. She could listen to the sound of engines approaching. A very familiar sound as well. However, this one didn't mean bad news. She was brought inside the Carry-all and she looked back at her friends. “You guys better be alive when I get back here. You hear?� She smiled as the Carry-all ascended and she looked at the village through the window. Her lips squirmed and she looked down at her leg. She screamed soon after.

Nagase found herself laying down on a hospital bed. “Miss are you awake now?� The doctor slowly removed the covers. “Yes. Where am I?� She slowly sat up and stretched her legs, she felt something really weird and noticed her new cybernetic leg. “Thanks to technological advancements you will able to have a normal life.� The doctor stepped back holding his chin. “Would you please get off the bed and stand up, Miss?� Nagase nodded and her bare feet touched floor. “Now walk over to me. Slowly.� She nodded again and walked over to him almost tripping on her first step.

“It will take some time for you to get used to it but in a week you should be as good as new. Welcome to Sao Paulo, Miss.� The doctor left her. She slowly walked over to the window and stared at the bustling metropolis. “What happened to Japan�? She spoke when a Venom flew by her window.

[Comr4de]

Good to see these o' writings here

Going to have to re-read a few of these I think.

[Shiro]

Japanese title is Japanese. I'll read this when I don't suffer as much from a neckache.

[Overdose]

Oh boy this fanfic was so cheesy. I had lots of fun writing it though. Those were the days.