Meanwhile

June 24, 2075

0935 CDT

Central Winner, South Dakota

Rachel Cooper's Point of View

“Still no word from them?” Lieutenant Grey asks Private B. Cooper in a slightly worried voice.

“None. I don’t think being in this indoor parking garage is helping either, ok?” B. Cooper responds in the same tone.

“Yeah yeah,” Lieutenant Grey answers in an agitated tone.

Time to cheer her up!

“I’m sure they’re aight y’all! I just know that we’ll be reunited in no time!” I say.

“Thanks, Rachel. Your optimism is always astounding,” Lieutenant Grey replies with a blah expression.

“Nooooo problem. We all shouldn’t be gloomy all the time like my pal Drew here.”

Drew is so cute and easy to tease. Gosh. Walking up and up the ramps of this indoor parkin’ garage sure is takin’ forever. Lieutenant Grey said it was best to stay off the streets. Her instincts are correct, given what we witnessed, but anyway. It’s a bit dark in ‘ere, but the sun is providin’ some sort of light. We’re surrounded by several abandoned cars, but danger can appear from anywhere, therefore I. Must. Stay. Sharp-eyed.

Oh God. I’m-I’m so tense! Ruby’s too quiet, and Drew is even fainter than usual! Ah! You’re so dense, Private Rachel Cooper! Be more empathetic of their feelings. Do something, anythin’ to ease your nerves! Wait. You’re chewin’ on bubblegum, silly.

I popped my bubblegum. Now I feel much better.

“Rachel” Lieutenant Grey glares at me.

“Whoops. Sorry. I-I’m just nervous,” I say.

You’re still supportin’ me even though you’re not ‘ere, Young. Gosh, get your act together, Private R. Cooper. Look at their faces! Now isn’t the time for conversation. Gasp!

“Guys, two uglies at twelve o’clock!” I say.

Remember what Captain Duy said. You have the best vision in the squad, which means they’re all counting on you to see the threats before any of us.

“Ok, me and Billy will-,” Lieutenant Grey ord-

“Let me whack these two. Please, I need it,” Redheart brazenly interrupts Sonya. “Let me borrow this, Drew,” she requests in a stern tone.

Gasp! A crowbar? Oh my! I’ve never seen her this furious before, but I understand her emotions.

“I’m already sick of you smelly motherfuckers!” Redheart blasts in anger as she whacks the two uglies with the crowbar.

Oh, my goodness! She’s goin’ in! Two dynamic swings to the head made them drop tango uniform.

“Fucking vanish!” Redheart screams in rage as she continues to hit them.

I-I want to feel sympathy for these creatures, but they have caused so much pain. I can’t feel sorry for them, even while they’re hopelessly flailin’ their arms at Redheart, desperately clingin’ to life as they lay defeated.

They’re dead for good.

“Ruby Redheart is a-ok guys,” Redheart affirms. “I needed to cool off. These fuckers are terrible, and they smell like shit! I swear, their scent will kill me before their bite does,” she notifies as she returns Howard’s crowbar.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

“Woah! Holy shit!” A hostile man’s voice yells out from above.

Get behind cover and aim! Wait! I-I don’t want to shoot!

“Quiet, Zachary,” a hostile woman’s voice demands from up top.

We were expecting uglies, not people! Maybe they’re friendly. No, no, don’t be stupid, Private R. Cooper. Ah! I don’t know what to do! I’ll ask Lieu- she’s gone.

“Sis,” Private B. Cooper whispers as he cautiously advances towards me.

“B. Cooper! Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?! Where’s Grey?!” I ask.

“She said she wants us to distract them while she sneaks up on them,” B. Cooper answers nonchalantly.

“WHAT?” “You gotta be kidding,” Redheart protests. “They could be Olympians, and she’s gonna attack them?! I knew she was crazy!”

“You’re the craziest one here, Ruby,” Drew chimes in.

“Oh hush, Drew,” she responds, annoyed by his tone.

“She’s our current leader, and I don’t want to kill strangers, so we need to trust her!” I say. “She’s got this, k?!”

You could’ve warned us before you decided to turn into a ninja, Lieutenant! Gulp. Oh boy. We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, as Young would say. Oh no. Who’s in charge?! Ahhhh! Wait! J-just breathe. Calm down, Rachel. Um, resort to the process of elimination, as the Captain advised you. Howard is a higher rank than me, but he despises social interactions. Redheart prefers to act before thinking and will unknowingly endanger us. B. Cooper is too timid and soft-spoken, so that means…

“Identify yourselves!” I say.

Good. I yelled out loud enough to communicate with them, but not loud enough to attract any nearby uglies.

“You first,” the woman calmly answers. “You’re at a strategic disadvantage, so get to talking before we light this place up,” she sharply demands with full intent in her words.

Why, why, why, why is this happenin’?! Try to think like Lieutenant Grey! How would she handle this? She would disappear. Ok! Maybe she isn’t the best choice. What if I try to predict scenarios based on my provided data and knowledge? There’s a chance that the enemy is black on ammo, but she’s right. They do have a better angle on us, and Private Young warned me of the crappy dangers that come with assumin’. Gosh! I can’t risk that; people will get hurt!

“Rachel, I don’t like how she’s talking to us,” Redheart softly reports, undeterred by the circumstance. “Send me up there. I’ll pretend to be their “friend” and then beat their asses with Drew’s crowbar.”

“Quiet, Ruby. Let Rachel work,” Drew quickly urges.

Work?! I surrender!

“Wait! Don’t shoot! I’m Private Rachel Cooper of Squad Zeus. We’re members of the Olympian army!” I say.

T.M.I, dummy! They could be bandits or Black Scorpions.

“Well, what a coincidence. We’re Olympians as well,” the woman confidently reveals.

Hooray!

“You could be lying, though, so send someone up now! I’ll ask a few questions that only Olympians know. This will protect both you and me,” she demands in a grim tone.

Me? There’s a high probability that you are the trickster, then again, your actions are just as rational as ours. Oh lord. This equation contains too many unknown factors!

“Rachel, girl, send me up there,” Redheart politely asks. “Look, if things go south and I get killed, then you’re the other’s best chance at victory. I doubt it’ll come to that, but it might, because Sonya is taking all freaking day. And before you deny me, I promise that I’ll keep my mouth shut… for a few minutes. We’re out of time to think of a better plan, Rachel!” She explains in haste.

I don’t like this at all!

“Just be careful, Ruby,” I say.

“Drew, I need ya crowbar again because I’m definitely gonna bust their asses with it, first chance I get,” Redheart requests in a menacing tone.

“Ma’am, we are sending someone up. Don’t shoot!” I say.

*

End a human life? As if…

“Relax, Rachel, we got this,” B. Cooper affirms as always.

“Yeah, totally, we got this,” I say.

We don’t got this.

“They could’ve shot us when we were out in the open, so we’ll probably be ok,” Howard explains in uncertainty.

“From above!” B. Cooper alerts in shock.

Lieutenant! Do my eyes deceive me? She appears to be kicking butt!

“Unbelievable!” B. Cooper shouts.

She incapacitated one hostile and put the other in checkmate in less than a few seconds! She truly is invincible. Gasp! I lost sight of Ruby. She already turned around the corner.

“We need to help Ruby!” I shout.

Please be ok. Please be ok. Please be ok!

“Don’t fuck with Squad Zeus,” Ruby chuckles as she celebrates over the fallen unfriendly.

Wow! Ruby and Sonya are so talented at delivering butt whoopins’! Ruby must’ve won based on how much pain her groveling opponent appears to be in, and the way he’s clenching his privates!

“Here’s your crowbar, Drew. Sigh. Turns out, there was no ass for me to bust,” Redheart reveals in disappointment as she returns the multipurpose tool. “Now, as you can all see, Sonya kicked ass, and yours truly came in with the assist,” Redheart excitingly informs. “To accurately describe it, he was waiting around the corner to get me, but he got distracted by Sonya’s secret agent skills. So moi used the crowbar to smack the gun away from his hand, and then I kneed him where it hurt! He got got! You guys should’ve seen it! I mean, what did you think was going to happen to the amazing Ruby Redheart?”

Oh, I’m gonna cry!

“You could’ve been had, you reckless girl. You’re always so reckless, k?” I say as I hug her.

“Hey, I was only gone for a few minutes, ya big baby,” Ruby laughs in false confidence. “Besides, if you start crying, then I can’t help myself, and I’ll start-”

“Cryin’. I’m just happy you’re safe,” I say.

“Talk or your head goes flying,” Sonya threatens the woman with murderous intent in her voice.