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[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.

---

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*

Edited by Overdose, 08 March 2008 - 13:24.

[Jok3r]

This looks promising. I don't entirely know a lot about CnC3, but this still looks promising. Please give my poor little poems some comments!
~SLG

[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.

Edited by Overdose, 28 January 2008 - 03:27.

[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."

Edited by Overdose, 28 January 2008 - 22:37.

[nova]

come on overdose make more these are good (and i think i may know the end)

[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.

Edited by Overdose, 02 February 2008 - 03:01.

[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?"

Edited by Overdose, 05 February 2008 - 09:04.

[Dauth]

I should have found this a while ago, sorry I didn't. It's a good piece and I await more.

[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.."

Edited by Overdose, 07 February 2008 - 04:38.

[Comr4de]

I didnt realize the above post was the last chapter you've written =(

I'm hooked, keep at it!

[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."

-- --

Edited by Overdose, 12 February 2008 - 14:06.

[Comr4de]

Looking good so far, eager to read the next chapter

[Jok3r]

Really great story, great writing. I like the style. If you get a chance can you check out my poems?
(Link in my sig)
~SLG

[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.

Edited by Overdose, 14 February 2008 - 20:05.

[Dauth]

You write characters with a grain fo insanity, something I like to see in people exposed to war, it makes them more real, very well done.

[Comr4de]

Very nice work, I can only agree with Dauth there.



I can has Flame Tank nao?

[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."

Edited by Overdose, 17 February 2008 - 22:52.

[Jok3r]

Another great chapter in a great story. You should really write a novel!
~SLG

[Comr4de]

T_T


You've done a good deal to make the characters lovable. WHY!

[Dauth]

A nice twist, very good sir.

[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.

Edited by Overdose, 18 February 2008 - 23:06.

[Dauth]

Hmm getting scary now, you've been playing too many video games young man

Btw you missed the h off hallucination in the last paragraph.

[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.

[Comr4de]

Well I must say, that escalated quicky.


Also ""


Great work so far Overdose!

[Dauth]

Never let the audience get comfortable, I do like how fast you're moving along.