The damage from the recent attack on the VALORANT Protocol building was evident, smoke still rising from the crumbling structures as debris lay scattered across the area. The air hung heavy with tension, the aftermath of battle palpable. Among the wreckage, it was clear—the radianite they had sworn to protect was gone, taken by Kellogg, Alex Mercer, and Raul Menendez. The VALORANT agents knew this all too well, having already faced these dangerous adversaries in combat.

Sage knelt beside Killjoy, her hands glowing softly as she mended a wound on Killjoy's leg. Killjoy winced slightly but offered a grateful nod.

"This should help you move more freely," Sage said calmly. "You'll be back on your feet in no time."

Killjoy grimaced slightly but responded with a small smile. "Thanks, Sage. That café didn't know what hit it... but we'll rebuild."

Nearby, Deadlock, Neon, and Sova stood together, discussing the recent events in low, serious tones.

Deadlock crossed her arms. "This attack was more coordinated than anything we've faced before. Whoever they were, they knew exactly where to hit us."

Neon's frustration showed in her clenched fists. "Yeah, and they're not gonna stop."

Sova nodded in agreement. "We need to adapt our strategies—find out who they are and why they're targeting us."

A short distance away, Brimstone stood with a soldier, surveying the destruction. The soldier gave a report on casualties and the structural integrity of the building. Brimstone listened carefully, his eyes shifting to the empty radianite containers, the weight of the loss clear on his face.

"Sir," the soldier saluted, "the damage is extensive, but we've managed to secure the area. We've started evacuating civilians and assessing the remaining threats."

Brimstone nodded seriously. "Good work. Keep me updated on the cleanup and search for survivors. We can't afford to lose anyone else."

As the soldier left, Brimstone's attention was drawn to a group approaching him. Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson, Master Chief, Alex Mason, and Agent Jonesy stopped a few feet away. Brimstone's eyes widened slightly as he took in their presence, particularly the imposing figure of Master Chief. Impressed, Brimstone stepped forward to greet them.

"Hell of a show out there," Brimstone said, genuinely impressed. "I'm Brimstone, VALORANT Protocol. You all must be the ones who helped turn the tide. Thanks for that."

Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson nodded. "Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson, UNSC Marines. This here's Master Chief, Spartan-II, and Alex Mason, CIA."

Brimstone shook their hands, still processing what he was seeing, especially Master Chief's advanced armor. "Sergeant Major, Spartan-II, CIA? That's some serious firepower. And that armor... You don't see gear like that every day."

Master Chief remained silent, his visor reflecting the devastation around them. Mason, sensing the need to keep the conversation moving, stepped in.

"Yeah, we've been through a lot to get here," Mason said. "It's a long story, but we're not from around here. In fact, most of us are from other universes."

Brimstone raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Another universe, huh? I've seen some strange things, but that's new—even for us."

Mason nodded. "You know about the multiverse? Still figuring it out myself, but I'm getting the hang of it."

Brimstone chuckled slightly. "Had my fair share of it. Was equally confused when I first heard about it—Killjoy, one of my agents, explained it to me."

Agent Jonesy stepped forward with a confident smile. "I'm Agent Jonesy. I'm the one who brought them here. Figured we'd need all the help we can get."

Brimstone eyed Jonesy, intrigued but cautious. "That's quite the responsibility. We'll need to talk more about that later."

As Brimstone processed the introductions, his gaze drifted to a figure sitting alone near the wreckage. Concerned, he asked about the man.

"Who's that over there?" Brimstone inquired.

Mason followed his gaze. "That's Frank Woods. He's... dealing with some things."

Woods sat alone, clearly still shaken by his encounter with Menendez from another universe. His fists were clenched, his face shadowed by a mix of shock and anger.

"Your man looks like he's been through hell," Brimstone said with concern. "I overheard the argument with Jonesy. Old wounds, I presume?"

Jonesy stood silently, convicted and at fault for what had transpired between him and Woods.

"Yeah," Mason said grimly. "Raul Menendez... We took him down in our world, but seeing him again drove Woods crazy. He almost killed Jonesy. But Woods will bounce back... he always does."

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Brimstone nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of Mason's words. His attention shifted to the background where Jett and Phoenix were arguing, their voices raised but not alarming.

"I assume you've already met Jett and Phoenix?" Brimstone asked, nodding towards them.

Avery J. Johnson chuckled slightly. "Yeah, we've met. Chief saved them from an attack by... what do you call them? Tin cans? Robots? I don't even know."

Brimstone shook his head. "We don't know what they are either. It's the first time we've seen anything like them."

Agent Jonesy chimed in. "Once we gather more allies, we'll have a full debrief. Everyone needs to be on the same page."

Brimstone nodded, appreciating the initiative. The group fell into a contemplative silence, each of them processing the gravity of the situation. Brimstone broke the silence with a firm resolve. "We've got a lot to figure out, but for now, let's focus on getting through this. We're all in this together."

As they stood together, the sound of thrusters filled the air. A UNSC Pelican descended from the sky, its engines roaring as it approached. Dust and debris were kicked up as it landed, and its ramp lowered to the ground.

From the Pelican, Captain Keyes emerged, flanked by three Marines with their weapons at the ready. Keyes quickly surveyed the scene before spotting Brimstone and the others.

"You must be in charge here," Keyes said as he approached with authority. "Captain Keyes, UNSC. And I assume you've already met these allies Agent Jonesy recruited."

Brimstone stepped forward, meeting Keyes' gaze with respect. "Brimstone, VALORANT Protocol. We appreciate the backup."

The two men shook hands firmly, a silent understanding passing between them. Before they could continue the conversation, a shadow passed overhead. Suddenly, James Heller leaped down from a nearby building, landing heavily. The Marines tensed, raising their weapons, but Keyes motioned for them to stand down.

"And you are?" Keyes asked, cautious but curious. "You don't look like you're from around here either."

Heller straightened up, brushing off some dust as he scanned the area before speaking. "Name's Heller, James Heller. Just got here myself. Someone pulled me through a rift..."

James Heller paused, his gaze locking onto Agent Jonesy. His eyes narrowed slightly as he pointed at him. "...And you. You look exactly like the guy who sent me here."

Jonesy's brow furrowed in confusion, clearly taken aback. "Someone who looks like me? Sent you here?" he asked, surprised.

Heller nodded, his expression still hard. "Yeah. Thought I was seeing things, but it was him. Or at least, someone who looks just like you."

Jonesy glanced around at the group before looking back at Heller, a mixture of confusion and realization dawning on his face. "Another version of me... out there," he muttered quietly, almost to himself.

The tension in the group shifted slightly, the implications of Heller's words adding another layer of complexity to their situation. Keyes and Brimstone exchanged a quick glance, both understanding that this was just the beginning of something much larger.

Heller straightened up, his expression grim as he began to explain. "I came here after taking down Alex Mercer in my universe. Thought that was the end of it. But just when I was about to get some peace, this goddamn magical gate opens up in front of me. And out steps... well, another version of him." He nodded toward Jonesy.

Alex Mason, who had been listening intently, interjected, piecing things together. "The man with the hood... That Mercer you're talking about?" he asked, curious.

"Yeah, him," Heller confirmed with a nod. "He was the virus, the bastard who caused all the chaos back in my world. He told me his name, Jonesy. Agent Jonesy, whatever the fuck he calls himself. He laid it all out, said a rogue AI is planning to conquer the so-called multiverse."

The group listened intently as Heller continued, his voice growing more intense as he recounted the warning he had received. Before he could continue, Master Chief, who had been quietly absorbing the information, spoke up, his voice deep and resonant. "Cortana. Is that who you are referring to?"

Heller looked at Chief and nodded, understanding the weight of that name. "Yeah, that's what Jonesy told me. Said her name was Cortana. At first, I thought this was all fairytale bullshit he made up, but then he warned me that another version of Alex Mercer would be here, working with that AI. Said I needed to be ready for whatever the hell was coming. From that moment, I knew he wasn't making shit up."

Jonesy, still processing the idea of another version of himself out there, took a deep breath, clearly unsettled by the revelation. "So there really is another me... and he's out there trying to stop this thing too," he said quietly, absorbing the gravity of the situation.

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of Heller's words and Master Chief's recognition sinking in. Captain Keyes and Brimstone exchanged a look, both realizing just how much larger this conflict was than they had initially thought.

"Well, I figured you'd know there'd be more versions of yourself out there, given your... multiverse knowledge, or whatever you call it," Avery J. Johnson said, half-joking.

Jonesy shook his head, still trying to wrap his mind around it. "Yeah, I've dealt with a lot of weird stuff, but I never thought I'd actually run into another version of me. It's one thing to know it's possible, but a whole other thing to actually see it."

Sensing the conversation drifting, Captain Keyes stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air with military precision. "We don't have much time to dwell on this now. We need to regroup and plan our next move. I suggest we continue this discussion back at the UNSC Autumn."

He looked around at the group, his gaze steady and commanding. "Brimstone, Heller—you're welcome to join us. Cortana isn't the only one causing trouble. She's got allies, and if she's recruiting more, we're going to need every bit of help we can get."

Brimstone hesitated, the weight of his responsibilities clear on his face. He knew how dangerous Cortana was, especially now that she had the Radianite. "Cortana has the Radianite," Brimstone said reluctantly but resolved. "We can't let her carry out whatever plans she has with it. We'll join you, Captain, but my team has our own transportation. I need to gather my agents and debrief them first. It may take some time, but we'll meet you at the ship."

"Very well, take these," Captain Keyes replied, handing Brimstone an earpiece device. "You'll need them just in case you're ready to meet with us back on the ship."

James Heller crossed his arms, his expression hard as steel. "I'll join you too, but on one condition—Mercer's mine. That son of a bitch gets in my way, I'll tear him apart."

Captain Keyes nodded, understanding Heller's demand. "Remember, Heller, we can't let personal vendettas take a toll on what's ahead," he cautioned before looking around the group. "Alright, let's move."

The group began preparing to move, the gravity of their situation fully realized as they readied themselves for what was to come.