Chairman: To the Director of Project Freelancer.

Fade in to the electronic storage area for A.I.s

Chairman: I write to inform you, that by the authority of this sub-committee, officers have been dispatched, to place you under arrest, and we expect your full co-operation. Congratulations are in order, I suppose. When they write the new morality protocols for dealing with A.I., I'm certain they will name entire sections of the doctrine after you. And how you killed our Spartan we gave you. He won't appear that way, because Spartan's never die, they're just missing in action. It seems that you will earn your place in history after all, dear Director.

Cut to the Meta fighting the Freelancer soldiers and winning. Then cut to the main characters back in the motor pool

Washington: Alright. Stick to the plan. Just run. Get Epsilon out of here. Turn it over to the authorities the first chance you get.

Simmons turns to Sarge. "Sarge, shouldn't we help him? He won't stand a chance against that thing."

"We have our orders, Simmons." Sarge informs. "We have to think about the mission."

"Finally, an order I want to follow." Grif says. "Run away and live."

"If Agent Wash wants to face him alone, that's his business." Sarge says.

"Yeah, but he doesn't want to face him alone." Simmons explains. 

Ash is on the gunner position 

Simmons looks to the Blues and Ash. "It's just that SOME people won't help him."

"Hey!" Ash yells.

"That's not our, business, either." Sarge informs Simmons.

Washington: Just drive. When the E.M.P. goes off-

Caboose: You mean the Emp?

Washington: Stop it. It will destroy Epsilon if you're not far enough away.

Caboose: You got it, Mister Washington.

Washington: Take care of yourself, guys. I know that's one thing you're good at.

Wash hits a button and a large door opens upwards

Washington: He's gonna be on you as soon as you clear the gate. Be ready to move. Protect the Blues' vehicle at any cost.

Sarge: Protect the Blues, right, yeah. We'll get riiight on that shit.

"At least, Protect me!" Ash yells.

Cut to the Meta, victorious, watching the two jeeps drive a bit and stop

Radio sounds

Washington: That's it. Lead the Meta as far away from the base as possible.

An A.I.: It's a trick.

Another A.I.: Get the A.I.

A Third A.I.: We need them.

Washington: I just hope there's enough time.

The Meta runs toward Wash and the base

Simmons: He's fallen for it, gun it Grif!

Grif: Hold on, everyone.

Cut to Wash running through some corridors, pursued by the Meta. Wash enters a large room

PA Voice: Warning. Security breach detected.

Counselor: Agent Washington. Good to see you again.

Washington: Oh, hello. Are you somewhere nearby, Counselor? Somewhere I can say hello in person?

Counselor: Sorry Agent Washington, but we were more than prepared for this... eventuality. I'm afraid we will not be able to see each other in person today.

Washington: Well then you'll excuse me if I don't stop to chat. I'm on a timetable.

Counselor: There is someone else here who would like to speak with you.

Director: Well hello, Agent Washington.

Washington: The Director himself, I should be honored. I 'should' be.

Director: Yes, I realize it has been a while since we've spoke, David. May I call you David?

Washington: No, you cannot. You gave me my new name, the least you can do is use it.

Director: I am certain you have a lot of questions, Wash.

Washington: Just one: How do I turn off this speaker?

PA Voice: Warning. Security breach detected.

The Meta arrives, and Wash puts up a containment field to keep him out

Director: Well. The prodigal son returns. Agent Maine, you've caused quite a few problems for us. You will not be leaving this time.

Washington: I think I've said that myself about twenty times in the last few weeks. Good luck holding him.

Director: You would be surprised what we are capable of, even from this distance. I suggest you work with us if you expect to survive this.

Washington: I'm sorry, did something about my actions indicate I expect to survive?

Cut to the Reds and Blues barreling across the landscape

Sarge: Still about half a click to go. Step on it!

Back to Wash

PA Voice: Clearance verified. The failsafe is now online. Awaiting activation.

Director: How did you get those codes?

Washington: You might be surprised what I know, Director.

PA Voice: Warning, this is a last resort measure. Activating the failsafe will destroy all electronic equipment in this facility, including this terminal. Please confirm.

Director: It was Epsilon. He inherited the memories, didn't he.

Washington: I've known about what you did since the moment you implanted him in me.

Director: Well, then I am very sorry, Agent Washington, but Project Freelancer no longer has need of your services. Program, disable interior shield.

The containment field Wash turned on turns off

Washington: What?

Director: Agent Maine, please kill Agent Washington.

They both draw their pistols

Washington: Nah-

The Meta shoots Wash, who falls

PA Voice: Alert: incoming recovery beacon. Level zero. Immediate response necessary.

The Meta advances on Wash, who backpedals toward the wall

Director: Agent Washington, I fear this is one recovery beacon you won't be responding to. Kill him, Agent Maine.

An A.I.: Where is it?

Another A.I.: Where is Alpha?

A Third A.I.: Where is it?

Director: The Alpha is not here. It has been moved far away. Attend to the matter at hand.

Counselor: Agent Maine, what the Director's trying to say, is we can discuss the Alpha later. What's important, is that you prove that you can be trusted again. We need to trust you before letting you meet the Alpha. Wouldn't you agree?

Washington: You know, Meta, why wait? Why don't you meet him, right now?

Church materializes over Wash's shoulder as an A.I.

Church: Hi there.

The A.I.s the Meta has accumulated appear around him

A.I. One: It's him!

A.I. Two: Alpha!

A.I. Three: Alpha!

Cut to the Blues and Reds escaping

Grif: Caboose, watch out for that rock!

Caboose drives into a big rock, spilling Church's body

Caboose: Oh no! Church!

Caboose stops the car.

"Caboose!" Ash says with a hint of fear in his voice.

"What the hell are you doing?" Grif yells at Caboose. "Why are you stopping? Move!"

"His body fell out." Caboose says.

"So what?!"

"He's gonna need it."

"It's just an empty shell." Simmons explains. "Now get going."

"Please!" Ash yells.

The Reds drive off

Grif: Caboose! Move it or we're leaving you!

Caboose continues driving, and we return to Wash, Church, and Meta

Church: You know I can see why you didn't want anyone else in your head. Got some pretty heavy stuff going on there. I think you need to talk to a professional.

Washington: That's too bad. I just lost my job, and we have great mental health coverage.

Church: How much time do you need?

Washington: Whatever you can get me. When the E.M.P. goes off-

Church: When it goes off, I'll be fine. It only affects computers, remember? And I am a mother fuckin' ghost.

Church enters the Meta, and all other A.I.s follow him in

Director: What's goin' on!?

Counselor: Agent Washington, please, there is time. If you would just secure Agent Maine we can discuss this situation, in a more civilized manner.

Washington: No, we can't.

Wash punches the button

PA Voice: Thank you, failsafe initiated. Activating Emp.

Washington: Emp? You have got to be fucking ki-

The E.M.P. goes off, we see the A.I. storage facility go dark, followed by the briefing room from Chapter 1, the jeeps in the motor pool crackling and sizzling, and finally outside to the edge of the compound.

Cut to Caboose and the Reds escaping.

Simmons: Here comes the pulse, don't stop!

The E.M.P. shuts down the Reds' Warthog.

Grif: Ah, shit, it stalled!

Sarge: Go go go!

Grif: Get Epsilon out of here, don't worry about us!

Caboose: Okay! I'm scared!

"ME TOO!" Ash yells.

Caboose plows past some sawhorses

Simmons: Watch where you're going!

Grif: No!

Caboose: Nnyaaaaaaaa-

"WEEEEEEEEEEE--" Ash yells.

Caboose drives off a cliff overlooking a river, and we fade to black

Director: Dear Chairman.

Fade in to a stream in the middle of the Valhalla canyon

Director: I am disappointed by your decision to press charges, but I am not surprised. My only hope is that the courts will see the matters differently than you have. You see, I never had the chance to serve in battle, nor did fate provide me the opportunity to sacrifice myself for humanity as it did for so many others in the Great War. Someone extremely dear to me was lost very early in my life. My mind has always plagued me with the question, if the choice had been placed in my hands, could I have saved her? The memory of her has haunted me my entire life, and moreso in these last few years than I could ever have imagined. But given the events of these past few weeks, I feel confident that had I been given the chance, I would have made those sacrifices myself. Had I only the chance.

Cut to the Reds, minus Ash, in front of their jeep

Sarge: Men, I just got word from our new Command. They said that thanks to our brave efforts in bringing Project Freelancer to justice, we can have full use of these former bases to continue our training exercises, until such time as they need them for more official purposes. Whatever the hell that means.

Simmons: Wow, that's great news, sir.

Sarge: We even got a shiny new jeep. Courtesy of the UNSC.

Grif: Yeah, but Sarge, what the hell is- uh, shotgun, by the way.

Simmons: Shotgun- fuck!

Grif: What the hell is the UNSC?

Sarge: Dunno, never heard of it. Sounds made up.

While the Director talks we cruise back up the river towards the other base

Director: I know that you disagreed with my methods, and that others will as well. This is beyond my control. However, I cannot imagine that any court would be able to convict me, no matter how low their opinion of my actions might be. You must understand one basic fact for all this to make sense, my dear Chairman. These A.I., they all come from somewhere; they are all based on a person. Our Alpha, was no exception. And while the law has many penalties for the atrocities we inflict on others, there are no punishments for the terrors that we inflict on ourselves. So you send your men. They won't find themselves a fight. They'll only find an old man. An old man tired, but satisfied he did his duty. An old man weary from a mind more filled with memory, than it is with hope.

We enter the base and find Caboose there, crouching over the A.I and Tex's body.

Caboose: Okay. Time to see if this works.

Director: Sincerely yours, the former director of Project Freelancer, Doctor Leonard Church.

Over in Ash's room.

Xi is on the floor and Ash is looking down to her.

"Play them, Emily." Ash orders.

"Yes, sir." Xi says.

Xi flashes a few times and she disappears and after a few seconds someone else is replaced by her, that's the same height as Ash.

"Hello, future me." Ash or shall we call him, Minnesota. "I hope you're still as handsome as your past self." Minnesota laughs.

Ash stares at the hologram.

Minnesota sighs. "Today I was transferred to this new place, they call it Project Freelancer. I met some great people. There's South Dakota. She's really hot, but don't let that distract you she's a big bitch. Her brother North is an awesome guy, really cool. There's York, or shall I say my new best friend. There's C.T. she's... difficult to say the least. Wash, is fairly skittish or naive at times, but he's a really nice guy. Then, Carolina, she's a strong character, she's the leader of everyone here practically. Me and her get along pretty well, I just think it's because I'm below her in the rankings."

"Is this really me?" Ash asks.

"The people here are great, and I think this project will really help with the war. I just hope Callie's doing ok."

"Callie?"

"Well, this is Spartan S-142, singing off." Minnesota says and he disappears and Xi reappears. 

".......What?"

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07-13-2022