Chapter Text
~
Everglow
You'll never know
The beauty I see when you open your shadows
Everglow
They'll never know
The worlds that I see in the darkness you don't show
Everglow - Starset
~
Checking around every corner and slowly making her way through the hallway, all of Carolina's stealthy tactics were thwarted with Caboose saying 'I am sneaking' at every step and Church's angry clomping.
"God Dammit Caboose!" Throwing his head back as the soldier stopped behind him.
"Both of you quiet!" Under her breath, she cursed Washington. "If we survive this, I'm killing him."
"You can kill him now, here-" He tried to hand her his service weapon, "Use my gun. I think Command has been waiting on me to snap on Caboose anyways."
With a grunt, "Not him! I'm going to kill Washington."
"Oh well...offer still stands." He peered around the corner and noticed a dented door to his left. "I think this is it."
"How can you tell?"
"Well," touching the door, "It looks like it belongs to someone with a volatile temper. And since you're not living here, my guess it's Tex's.
She arched her eyebrow and glared even though none of it translated through with her helmet on.
Breaking the scanner off the wall, Caboose began to affix the little board wires to the exposed circuitry. "Well, you do like to hit things when you're angry."
"Then don't make me angry!" She said too loudly and began to anxiously looking around the hall for any soldiers. Remarkably, they were all gone.
This didn't feel right.
After breaking the door lock, Church peeked inside the sad little room. It held no personal effects like clothing or pictures like the others did because she really didn't own anything. A tablet was on the bed and a little rock on the nightstand was the only things standing out in the empty space. Taking off his helmet, he took in the subtle scent that belonged to her. He wanted to say fire and brimstone, but that would be an understatement. He missed his hellcat.
Picking up the tablet, he began to look at her history list, turning his insides cold. "Hey...um...Filss?"
"And I'll have your guts for garters!" She manically cackled into her radio.
"Filss!"
"Yes Church?" Giving a nervous giggle, "Sorry, torturing a prisoner at the moment. How can I be of assistance?"
He sighed looking at the horrible images from his files. "Can you locate Tex?"
After a few quiet seconds, she informed him of her being held in the informatory that morning and now in the training room with the Counselor.
"This isn't good."
Carolina peered over his shoulder. "Those dates...That was right before I was captured."
"And these pictures are from a year before but the dates have been changed. The Director told the UNSC that I died and the cloning project was a failure and since Beta was put into Freelancer, they overlooked her." He threw the pad down and began to curse. Pulling at his hair, he looked at the little rock on the stand. He touched his chest plate where he kept the matching half of the stone. She found it on one of her little adventures, giving him one part and keeping the other for herself. The outside of it was blue with a white inner layer giving way to a bright purple middle. He was tempted to analyze the crystal structure, but refrained to keep her out of trouble. It was bad enough that she came back with allergy attacks; he didn't want her to be punished for breaking the rules too.
Grabbing the other half of rock, he looked over to Caboose who stood outside watching carefully. "Filss said she's in the training hall, but I have a really bad feeling."
"Grendel has been buzzing all morning. Even Wash was feeling weird." She rubbed the back of her neck. "It would be informative to know what Texas is."
Caboose was toeing the floor, "Mean girls are like dragons."
She heard him say this multiple times before and it never registered. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She grit between her teeth and grabbed Church's chest plate to shake him, "She's a dragon?!"
His head lolled back and forth. "If I told you! You wouldn't help!" He wiggled out of her angry grip, slapping away her hands as he tried to keeping his distance.
She sighed, "I would have helped if I knew or not. Despite being a giant bitch, she's still one of our own. Just would have been nice to know so we could plan for it."
Putting his helmet back on, "The only thing you have to worry about is her allergies and her helmet filters everything and keeps the flames down."
Great, not only was she a bitch, but a fire breathing one at that. Fucking peachy.
"Please tell me she isn't allergic to pine tree pollen?" The planet they currently inhabited was nothing but pines. Her mother suffered from pine allergies, but with the yearly injections courtesy of the military, they were manageable. The Director had no problems cloning them, but he couldn't be bothered with simple DNA adjustments?
"They never tested her, but if that is what Allison was allergic too there is a good chance that's the culprit."
"This just keeps getting better and better." She breathed in deep. "Grendel?"
He manifested next to her, but his image was shaky.
"What can you tell me about dragons?"
"Nothing mistress, they are before our time. The last dragon died out a hundred years before the age of shifters."
She lowered her head and groaned.
"Well, look on the bright side." Caboose interjected, "At least you both have been declared dead. Maybe they'll throw you a surprise party for being alive!"
"You heard the brain trust. Let's go throw a party!"
Carolina made her way to the hall and headed down towards the training room grumbling under her breath. She heard the others following, granted not as fast as she wanted.
Caboose was walking slowly behind Church almost to the point of scuffing his feet like a child going to time out. This worried her. The small amount of time she knew him, he never showed her this level of fear. It was as unnerving as her familiar hiding beneath her shadow in fright.
She breathed in a shuddering breath and exhaled slowly to get a grasp on her nerves as she stood in front of the door. "Alright, you two stay here as I assess the situation inside. If I need help, I'll give you the signal." They both nodded and watched her back as the door opened up.
Throwing her shoulders back, she stepped through as the Counselor looked up from his data pad. He either didn't notice the ominous glow from Tex's helmet or just didn't care as he was interrupted during his session.
"May I help you?" His eyes narrowed.
"I'm here for Agent Texas." She held her breath as Texas didn't flinch at the sound of her name.
"As you see, I am currently in the middle of an evaluation with her. She isn't cleared for any duty till I say so." His hand shifted, showing the button on his wrist cuff.
All Carolina heard was a snarl as Texas grabbed him by his arm and lifted him single handed off the ground. She felt Grendel shudder in her mind.
"Texas! Release him!" She uncloaked her armor as she drew her weapon.
The glowing face turned towards her as she heard the sickening crack as his radius and ulna were crushed in Tex's hand. She turned to look at Carolina, opening her bloody fist releasing the man to the training room floor. His screams filled the room as he grabbed at his limp arm and scooted away from the agent towering over him.
"Carolina..." Tex's familiar hissed. The voice was dark and deep as if it echoed through a cavern. She stood straight, cracking her neck. "You're supposed to be dead. Omega will rectify that." There was a scary amount of glee in its tone.
Harnessing her gun, she put her fists up and circled her opponent. "Grendel, it would be a good time to suit up buddy." He spoke no words of encouragement as he formed over her armor, snake skull forming over her helm. "Okay Carolina...just because we never beat her and she always messed with your missions don't mean we can't take her now." She tried to psych herself up as the monster in black armor stalked towards her.
She had no time to plan as Texas charged right in with a haymaker. Carolina threw her arms up to protect herself from the offensive attack leaving her belly open for the left hook that plowed into her ribs pushing her back. Air hissed out of her lungs as she grabbed at Tex's left arm still pushing her into the wall and twisting it inwards for a joint lock. With a deafening roar, Tex kicked high and clipped the side of Carolina's head twisting out of the lock and rolling across the floor out of reach. Smoke vented from Tex's helmet as she twisted her head looking up at her opponent who waited on her to stand.
"Come on your fire breathing bitch. I don't have all day." She bounced from foot to foot.
"You do know it isn't good to piss off a dragon?"
Scoffing, "I'm sorry Grendel. Next time I'll bring flowers and chocolate."
Texas charged and pushed her shoulder into Carolina's midsection, knocking her off her feet to the ground. Taking the mount, Texas began to land crushing blows on her helmet as Carolina rocked her hips up to knock the agent on top off balance and gaining her the mounted position. She wrangled one of Tex's hands to the side as the other wrapped around her throat. Carolina raked her clawed hand across the woman's abdomen, her slash bit through the under suit to show unmarked black scales.
A deep chuckle met her confusion as Tex bucked from underneath, throwing Carolina overhead landing her in front of the door that opened to Church and Caboose.
Active camo off, Church looked down, "You um...need help yet?" Her bone plating over her armor was cracking to pieces, Grendel was holding on to the avatar form with an inch of his life.
"Nope. Got her right where I want her." She grunted as she tried to stand only to have Texas kick off the wall, throwing her across the room bouncing off the opposite wall. Tex turned and looked at Church.
"Hey...um...honey. How have you been?"
Growling, Texas grabbed his chest plate and heaved him over her head, he landed upside down next to Carolina.
"I told you I had her!" She bit out.
He wiggled his legs in the air and landed on his side, "And my ass to the breeze said otherwise C." He grunted as he finally climbed on all fours to see Caboose squaring off with Texas.
She ripped his gun from his hands and slammed the butt against his stomach.
"Caboose! Tank Test!"
Holding his midsection, he looked over towards Church, "But there is no tank!"
"Aim for the goddamn wall!" He pointed and shrieked.
Nodding, Caboose wound up his fist and hit Texas as hard as he could right into her chest piece, crushing it with the force of his punch. She flew through the air and bounced off the wall.
Getting off the ground, Church ran to her flinging his helmet off and unlocking his chestplate to get to the little stone duct taped inside. "What the fuck is this wall made off? We put Wash at least two inches into the side of a tank!"
Carolina sided up to him, "Really? You get your ass handed to you by a dragon and you're worried about the quality of our walls?"
"Not the walls, the tanks! Seriously?" He scoffed and knelt down next to Texas, taking her helmet off gently and cradling her head tenderly. "Beta? C'mon, wake up!"
She growled and uppercut him out of instinct.
He fell backwards, lifting his arm half heartedly, "She's awake." He grunted.
Carolina hefted him back up to a seated position as Tex got to her knees, abet wobbly. Her glowing violet eyes narrowed as she looked at Church. Her tongue came out, black and forked tasting the air much to Carolina's revulsion.
"Al...pha?" She cocked her head and crawled closer, her black scales flicking under her skin in uncertainty.
"Hey Beta!" He leaned out of Carolina's touch and handed Tex her little rock. She rolled it in her fingers and looked up as Church held up his half. She pressed her little stone against his and it fit perfectly.
She made a soft sniffling sound and put her arms around him, "I thought they killed you!" Squeezing him tight, she petted his hair and inhaled deeply, not believing he was real.
Carolina stood to contacted Filss informing her that they secured Agent Texas; she turned her back on the happy couple as Texas began to pull at Church's cheeks still not believing he was real. What she didn't see, was the pale faced Counselor coming up behind them.
His movements were slow, but deliberate as he held out a taser stick right in the middle of Tex's unprotected back and released the high voltage. The current flowed through her to Church making him shake in her arms. His limbs powered down, twitching twice before going limp. His left eye went red and blinked off as the air hissed from his lungs in a death rattle.
She placed him on the ground and listened to his heart which held no beat. With a growl, she stood up and looked over towards the Counselor. She roared as he tried to run backwards holding out the baton as it no longer discharged. Her dragon form enveloped her, lengthening her body into its serpentine form. The dragon's head and wings hit the high ceiling as her glowing violet eyes narrowed looking down on the man that killed her Alpha. Claws scrabbling on the floor, she encircled him as he screamed for help that wouldn't come. She crushed his body along her scales, tongue flicking out as she tasted his pain and panic. Opening her jaws wide, she bit through the Counselor's torso. Bones crunching, she choked him down and bellowed loudly.
Caboose pulled Church's body straight on the ground and put his hands over his friend's chest. He took a deep breath and pushed as gently but firmly as he could. A soft beep caught his ears and he leaned down to listen for the heart beat. There was a soft start-up chime and the heart reset. Caboose then sat him up and smacked his back eliciting a loud "oof" from the downed man.
"Fuck! That always hurts like a bitch." Inhaling deeply, he looked over to Carolina and Caboose kneeling next to him, backs to the giant fucking dragon crunching away on her prey. He flinched as she bellowed. "Hey! I got a headache woman!"
She turned her gory face towards him, small tendrils of smoke escaping her nose.
"Yeah yeah...takes more than that to kill me." He thumped his chest moaning a bit.
"How'd you know what to do Caboose?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "I read the manual. He gets staticky every so often."
"Bullshit! You electrocute me like once a fucking month!"
"No one is counting."
"I am you team killing fucktard!"
"Guys! How about we argue this another time and worry more about the dragon in the room."
They looked up to the large black dragon staring back down at them.
"Hey...um...you- Omega is it? Can I have my girlfriend back? You look like you belong on the front of a Viking ship right now." Church was helped to his feet much to his disdain.
Scales fluttered and dissipated, revealing Tex underneath. Her body fell lightly to the ground as her familiar left her. Caboose lifted her up lightly and put her prone form over his shoulder. Church followed behind as he held her hand while Carolina gathered their discarded helmets, ignoring the bloody stumps on the floor.
Yup...leaving those for the clean up crew.
They came across Filss's team down the hallway.
"Hey guys! We...er...were going to see you but-"
"The roaring kind of stopped us in our tracks."
Turning around, Caboose showed them Texas. She dangled from his shoulder, hand clutched in Church's. "Yes, that was Agent Dragon Lady!"
She let out a loud burp in her sleep.
"What did she eat? Heard the chili was foul today." Grif waved the smell from his face.
"Oh...she ate the Counselor guy. Yeah, he killed Church and I brought him back!"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"It's my job."
Looking up at the taller blue in anger, "Is that why you're always fucking killing me? It's your goddamn job security!?"
Groaning from Caboose's back, Tex smacked at Church's face. She grunted out 'head ache' and began to snore again.
Ignoring the banter, Carolina made her way to Filss who was rubbing her arm in a nervous gesture.
"I can't COM Wash's team, what is going on?"
"The General captured them. Agent Washington was kind of hoping he would, but not before getting the information."
She didn't know what emotion hit her first, anger or fear. "Do you know where they are?"
"He sent them to Rat's Nest to be killed by Maine."
Cold. She now felt cold. Her heart was bleeding out from the frosty fingers crushing it.
"I got all the information from Reinhardt, the UNSC is sending ships to take command of this planet. But he put Agent Washington, Private Tucker and Private Sarge in armor lock and put them on the first Pelican out."
The phrase 'armor lock' elicited a snarl from the slumbering agent.
Filss continued, "I have a message from Sarge, before we left." She pressed a button on the side of her helmet, omitting a small blue light.
The hologram showed the silhouette of Sarge leaning down and pressing a button on Filss helmet to record.
"I swear to god if he is asking for Obi One's help, I'm out of here." Grif snorted.
The light flickered as he stood up, "I'm calling in my favor little lady. Just don't be mad at him. That's all."
The hologram turned off leaving Carolina incredibly angry and completely heartbroken.