RPG FQFG2: Counter-Terrorism Unit

[Guest Copycatalyst]

[url=http://www.chromosomecowboy.com/mitchmusic/M%20-%20Paradox%20Box%20of%20Treason.mp3]THOU ART ATTACKED[/url]

^is clickable bomb to explode in your faces

[Engel]

[color=crimson][size=1] I listened to the speech of Shades'. It was rather convincing, but I spoke slowly, trying to figure out how to best say what I had to say. Leaning back against the wall, I decided to abandon the carefully structured words I'd picked out and said it outloud.

[b]"Regardless of what you say, and I do believe you, no one in the Terrorist Unit ever spoke of Japan. Not in insult, nor in terms of comrades. I find it hard to believe that the feeble minded terrorists, like those that were executed, wouldn't of let something slip to me."[/b] Gently standing up straight, I looked at the group.

[b]"What I'm tryin' to say is, we can't be too sure. It could be any one of those three. Hell, I don't have an idea on who it is, but I'm just saying - to settle on one person would be to forget others. What other time would be best than when our back is turned for one to stick a dagger in it?"[/b][/color][/size]

[Shy]

Suddenly nonsensical, lyrical poetry began blaring through the CTU speaker systems.

?[b]?The separated is endless, the darkness CLEAR!!! Did you ever put aside the turmoil put inside??[/b]?

?[b]What in the hell in going on?[/b]? I shouted into my comm unit.

?[b]We?re being Mitch-slapped, sir![/b]? Ploppy said, his voice being overwhelmed by that of Copycatalyst?s, ?[b]Give me a moment and I should be able to override the signal.[/b]?

?[b]Allow me![/b]? Gadget said as he reached into his pocket, ?[b]Go-go Gadget Signal Scrambler![/b]?

The agent quickly withdrew a small remote control and began entering a seemingly random combination of buttons. Within an instant the speakers grew silent, and things were back to normal.

?[b]Excellent work, Gadget. Now that that?s settled[/b],? I said as I reached for a bottle of water, ?[b]It?s important that we reach a final verdict. Someone needs to stand up and say something definitive.[/b]?

[Nerdsy]

[color=deeppink]I was livid.

It was the second time in as many days that my security had been compromised by hackers; to make matters worse, one of my very teammates had been one of them! [i]Could he not have just [u]asked?[/u][/i]

But I had to forget about that for now; the team was in trouble. I could see the fear on their faces. Mother was only part right; the team was indeed afraid of accusing innocent team members. However, the problem reached far deeper than that. The entire building was permeated with a sense of helplessness.

I know I felt it; the feeling of uselessness was driving me insane. Finding traitors was not among my list of skills. This was why I resorted again to my forte: intel. I had discovered the identities of the suspects after hours of meticulous searching, for whatever good it did. Even with the identities revealed, I felt no closer to discovering the truth.

But I could not sit idly by and watch as almost the entire team, including our spokeswoman, remained indecisive. Somebody had to take the initiative, and it didn't look like anyone else was going to.

[b]I do not wish to do this, as I feel it is too much responsibility for one member to bear. However, war requires action, and I am forced to do this.

Shades and Gadget have been the only ones to truly put forth an argument regarding any suspect's guilt. The rest of us have either simply said "but what if you're wrong?" or ignored the situation entirely. Both of stated that they primarily suspect Japan.


If I were to go with my gut, I'd agree with them. She has done nothing to further our cause, and her friendship with the terrorist leader has been well documented.[/b]

I paused, dreading what I was about to do. [i]Could I truly take on the responsibility of what I'm about to do? What if I'm wrong?[/i]

I breathed deep and steeled myself as best I could.

[b]In the absence of an active spokesperson or a consensus among the team, I feel that I have no choice but to declare a decision.

Japan is the mole.[/b][/color]

[Shy]

Japan entered the conference room holding a tray of hummus proudly.

?[b]What was that poetry all about?[/b]? She said, ?[b]I figured you guys were so busy in here that I should try my hand at making Afghan food for dinner.[/b]?

Her fellow team members held their mouths open in awe. It seemed obvious that Japan was the traitor, but it seemed that she wasn?t even trying to hide her allegiance to the terrorist movement.

?[b]Aren?t you supposed to be a [I]secret[/I] traitor?[/b]? Gadget asked, glaring at the girl.

Platypus covered her nose to protect herself from the smell of Japan?s cooking.

?[b]And that doesn?t smell like hummus should! I think I?m going to be sick![/b]?

Platypus knocked Japan aside and ran out of the conference room door.

?[b]What is all this talk about me being a traitor? What gave you that idea?[/b]?

?[b]It?s simple deduction, my dear terrorist,[/b]? Shades said in a condescending tone of voice, ?[b]Your known affection towards Charles and your lack of involvement in our missions stand out like a sore thumb.[/b]?

?[b]Mmm?. Terror, anyone?[/b]? Ploppy added.

A single tear rolled down Japan?s cheek as she finally realized what everyone was talking about.

?[b]You? you think I?m the terrorist?[/b]?

Mother locked eyes with Japan, a look of disappointment on her face.

?[b]We don?t think. We know, dear.[/b]?

Japan threw her hummus onto the ground in a fit of rage.

?[b]That?s not right. If you knew what I was put through as a child?[/b]?

She paused for a moment.

?[b]I didn?t think I would have to share this information with you, but your lack of trust has left me with little choice. When I was a child I was kidnapped by OtakuBoards terrorists. It was there I met a man named Charlie Bin Laden, a man I developed feelings for. It wasn?t until much later that I discovered my love wasn?t real, but a result of the Stockholm Syndrome I had developed as a coping mechanism.[/b]?

?[b]Stockholm what?[/b]? Peacock asked, sipping a martini.

?[b]Stockholm Syndrome is a psychological response sometimes seen in an abducted hostage,[/b]? Webster said as he reached for one of his psychiatry textbooks, ?[b]The hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger in which they have been placed. [/b]?

?[b]Yes,[/b]? Japan said with a nod, ?[b]That. While I still loved to my OB, I found the life of a message board terrorist exciting. However, over time I became disenchanted with the violent methods they used to achieve their goals. On the night before my arranged marriage to Charlie Bin Laden I escaped, vowing to fight against those I once knew as my friends.[/b]?

?[b]That would explain the burka you were wearing when I recruited you for the CTU.[/b]? I added.

?[b]But you?ve openly expressed sympathy with the terrorists![/b]? Sanguinius shouted, ?[b]This is absurd![/b]?

?[b]No more than letting a former prisoner join our ranks.[/b]? Mother replied.

Japan ran her fingers through her hair and sighed.

?[b]While I admit that I still? yearn for my beloved, my belief in the CTU is far too strong. I would never betray any--[/b]?

[i][size=6]?--WHAKKOOOMM!!?[/size][/i]

A loud explosion rocked the halls of CTU headquarters, knocking several of us to our floor.

I stumbled to get back on my feet as the room broke into chaos. Treu entered, his face covered in ash.

?[b]We?re under attack! There was an explosion near the vending machines![/b]?

"[b]What?[/b]" Shades asked, "[b]How can that be?[/b]"

I knew.

?[b]Platypus?[/b]?

[Aaryanna_Mom]

Everyone seemed to be stunned, they thought they had found the traitor in Japan but in the end it was her who had been betrayed. Mother knew she wasn't the one to give orders, but the appalling lack of concern or refusal by others to speak up still had her feeling frustrated a bit. Enough that she finally snapped at the others, just a tiny bit.

She fixed all of them with a glare even as she moved to put her arm over Japan's shoulders protectively, "[B]What are you waiting for? Get moving and stop Platypus![/B]"

But either they were going to already or they didn't hear her as many of them took off before she was even done speaking. Mother sighed and then hugged Japan tightly before letting her go.

"[B]It's all right, even if you were a terrorist, it's not your fault. I'm sorry for doubting you.[/B]"

"[B]How can you say that?[/B]" Japan asked her, "[B]You seemed so certain before.[/B]"

Mother just smiled a bit. "[B]It's simple really, I know that everyone has good in them, even Charles.[/B]" She sighed a bit. "[B]I only hope that eventually he realizes what he's done and puts an end to this foolishness. Besides, even if you were one you're not anymore and that's all that matters.[/B]"

Mother walked over and started cleaning up the food that Japan had fixed. A moment later Japan started helping her.

"[B]Now, if you'd really like to help out with the cooking dear, I'd be happy to give you cooking lessons.[/B]"

"[B]That bad huh?[/B]" Japan said with a laugh.

"[B]Well...It's a start.[/B]" Mother wrinkled her nose, "[B]But yeah, it was a little too strong.[/B]"

Mother smiled kindly, and then frowned a tiny bit. Even if they figured it out, what was Grape Ape going to do with Platypus when they caught them?[I] Oh honestly! These kids need to grow up and stop all this nonsense! [/I]Then with the ruined food in hand her and Japan headed for the kitchen.

[Sandy]

Peacock grinned as others rushed after Platypus. He was in for some good drama! He honestly had had no idea who the traitor was, but now that it was revealed, it became crystal clear.

He got out of his seat, put his martini glass aside and walked to the "secret" backdoor (in quotation marks because everybody in the building knew about it). There he met the desperate Platypus, trying to get the massive door open.

[B]"You pulled an old one, mate"[/B], Peacock said. [B]"You got everybody to rush to the explosion you set up. Your clever tricks don't work on me, [I]terrorist[/I]."[/B]

Peacock hissed and took a martial arts stance.

[B]"We'll see if this does!"[/B] Platypus growled and pulled out a gun. Peacock got scared and lost his balance - a mistake that saved his life, as the bullet only scratched his temple.

Slowly losing consciousness, he watched as the traitor got the door open and made an escape. A few minutes later, Mother and Japan found him lying in the corridor, passed out and wounded but still smirking.

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma]I ran back to the room after our group split up and noticed some commotion in one of the hallways, the explosion took us by surprise but half way to the location we decided it best to spread our ranks out more. I saw Mother and Japan standing there over a fallen body, I couldn't make it out at first but I rushed in anyway. I stood over a concerned and near weeping Mother who had her hand in Peacock's hair.

[b][i]'Shit...'[/b][/i] I thought to myself. It didn't look like Peacock was seriously hurt, but that was hardly the point considering the case.

[b]"Dammit, what happened!?"[/b] I asked in a concerned tone.

Japan was speechless, but Mother looked up to me while placing her hand on my wrist. [b]"He's fine, the wound is shallow. I hear the shot seconds ago, Platypus can't be too far."[/b] she said. I took off without a moment's hesitation and ran into Gurt and Birmingham halfway through.

[b]"It's Peacock, the traitor pulled a gun out on him. We need to find him."[/b] I said, catching the two off guard as they stopped in their tracks.

[b]"Son of a bitch, this was all planned out afterall. Well I for one refuse to let some dirty terrorist get the best of me."[/b] Birmingham exclaimed angrily, Grape Ape entered the room only seconds later.

[b]"What's the problem?"[/b] he asked, fiddling with something in his hands.

[b]"Platypus is trying to escape after taking a shot at Peacock, I intend to find him."[/b] I quickly reported, awaiting Grape Ape's go ahead.[/FONT]

[Engel]

[color=crimson][size=1]I nodded at Mother and turned around, taking the left hallway out of the room at a steady run. Narrowing my eyes, I sighed and thought to myself, shaking my head as I ran, jumping over a fallen trash bin that had been knocked down by someone running ahead of me. [i]They're in such a hurry...[/i] I thought to myself, and quickly amended it. [i]Though, Platypus needs to be stopped.[/i]

[i]I shouldn't of said that about Japan. My allegiances were once to the Terrorists, even if I didn't totally believe in their ideals. I should of realized that a terrorist wouldn't shed a tear over being accused. They'd most likely flaunt it. I should apologize.[/i] These thoughts floated through my confused brain as I leaped over the fallen obstacles in my way. Suddenly, I realized that it wasn't someone in front of me that had put them there, but Platypus himself. On the way, I found Peacock on the floor, unconscious. I had the urge to help, but reminded myself what had to be done.

Rounding the corner, I reached into my pants pocket, I pulled out the only thing that could be qualified as a weapon. An ultrafine point pen, red in ink color. Pulling it out carefully, I removed the cap - which happened to be from another pen, as I'd lost the original cap, which wasn't really the point - and held it in a loose but firm grip as I caught up with my target.

[b]"Stop, now! We've got you surrounded!"[/b] Yelling out, I looked at him and grit my teeth. I didn't know for sure if he actually was surrounded, or even if someone had followed me in this direction. In any case, I was going to prove my worth to the CTU by capturing the mole.[/color][/size]

[Nerdsy]

[color=deeppink][i]This is all your fault.[/i]

I stared at my monitors, but nothing was registering. I simply could not silence the judgemental voice that had taken residence inside my head, blaming me for what had just transpired.

It was right.

[i]You made the call. You tarnished the good name of a compatriot. It was you who allowed the mole to wreak this havoc.[/i]

The guilt was unbearable. I imagine what our leader, Gape Ape would say; he would probably tell me that it wasn't may fault, that if I hadn't pulled the trigger, somebody else would have.

I smiled. [i]Even when I fail him, he's still supportive.[/i] But whatever comfort that though brought, it vanished instantly. What did it matter if someone else would have pulled the trigger? I was still the one who actually went through with it. I was still the one who pulled it.

I hadn't listen to the voice before, when it kept insisting that Japan was to obvious. I was too cowardly to defend my position.

And it cost the CTU dearly.[/color]

[Treble]

Although I was not seriously injured from the explosion, I felt too weak to get back onto my feet. I could not bare the truth that had just been revealed. I was wrong, dead wrong. I knew something wasn?t right when I accused Japan of being a terrorist. All of the clues were just too obvious to be true. Because of me, Japan was wrongfully accused and was forced to reveal a dark past.

Suddenly, a fierce voice interrupted my guilty thoughts, "[b]Platypus shouldn?t be too far away ![/b]" Mother exclaimed to the rest of the unit.

Mother was right, this was no time to be thinking of our mistakes. Our main priority right now was to capture the filthy traitor for causing this tragedy.

I gradually rise up on my feet and locked my eyes onto Japan, who was standing closely by Mother and an injured Peacock. I wanted to apologize to Japan, but I knew a simple apology would not be enough to make up for my mistake. The only thing that I could have thought of to make up for my error was to catch Platypus and bring back justice to her.

I bowed my head in shame, and swiftly turned around and ran out of the room. Whether it was to catch the traitor or escape from my guilt, I wasn?t sure, I just had to get out of the room.

While running around the corners of CTU, there were many different obstacles scattered all over the floor. Things didn?t look to good, I needed to hurry up and catch up to one of my comrades who were chasing down Platypus.

[Boo]

[size=1]There was most certainly someone chasing me. The yelling sort of made me aware of that.
[color=#EDEDED]___[/color]'Stop, now! We've got you surrounded!' It didn't sound like I was being surrounded at all, but of course I couldn't be too sure of that. My best bet would in all cases of course just be to keep running. So I did, hopefully outrunning the voice behind me, which sounded scarily much like Engel.
[color=#EDEDED]___[/color]A second pair of footsteps joined the other. Though they were still a bit farther away than the first pair, I knew I had to fasten my pace.
[color=#EDEDED]___[/color]Thoughts rapidly crossed my mind as I ran faster than I had ever done before, tightly holding my pistol with my right hand. [b]I missed![/b] [i]I knew they would duck, right?[/i] [b]I had the chance, and I blew it![/b] [i]How will Peacock be doing right now?[/i] [b]Next time I'll aim less shaky.[/b] [i]Did I overdo on the explosion?[/i] [b]They had it coming.[/b] [i]I didn?t mean to harm anyone? did I?[/i] [b]I?d do it again given the chance.[/b] [i]Would I want a next opportunity?[/i] [b]I?d take any opportunity I could get.[/b] [i]Will I forget about it in time?[/i] [b]No.[/b] [i]Is the cause worth it?[/i] [b]Hell yes.[/b]

My feet abruptly stopped and as if my mind and body were working separately, I turned around in a flash, with my gun raised at chest height. The bullets had all left my gun before I even realized what was going on. Without seeing what they hit, I continued my sprint, feeling fully recharged.
[color=#EDEDED]___[/color]I couldn?t hear the footsteps anymore. But then again, I doubt I would be able to hear anything right now. With big steps I ran towards the point where I?d meet my fellow Terrorists. With big steps I ran away from a part of my past, my old friends, my colleagues - leaving nothing more behind in that base than a faint memory of a conscience struggle that only I would know about.

[color=#EDEDED]___[/color]? Crap, I also left my socks.
[/size]

[Shy]

[b]"Where is Platypus? Ploppy!"[/b] I shouted furiously, trying to clean the hummus off of my pants with a rag.

Ploppy looked over the set of monitors before him. He was obviously still distracted from the guilt of accusing Japan. We had a 50/50 chance. Given the information I know I would have made the same choice.

"[b]I can't find him on any of the monitors,[/b]" he replied, "[b]But to be honest I'm checking for casualties right now.[/b]"

"[b]Casualties. You don't think..?[/b]"

"[b]It was a BOMB, Grape Ape.[/b]"

"[b]Right, right. Inform me once you find anything.[/b]"

Birmingham entered the room.

"[b]It appears we have some visitors.[/b]"

"[b]Not another attack![/b]" Ploppy exclaimed, "[b]They just got the vending machines. What more could they want?[/b]"

"[b]No, no,[/b]" he replied, "[b]They're from OB Central Command. And they're carrying clipboards.[/b]"

[i]Oh crud.[/i]

---

That's right, kids, we have several more new recruits. Please be sure to welcome them into the RPG with open arms, and continue to survey the damage done to our base by this most recent attack.

New players: Please write an introductory post for yourself and come up with a clever callsign that we can call you.

The next challenge will begin in the next couple of days. Be prepared for anything!

- [b][color=purple]Grape Ape[/b][/color]

[Sandy]

Peacock woke up at the infirmary, with Mother sitting beside his bed.

[B]"Aww, you didn't have to..."[/B] Peacock said quietly, startling the senior agent.

[B]"Oh, you're awake already! How are you feeling?"[/B] Mother inquired.

[B]"Uh, dizzy. And my head hurts like he...ck"[/B], Peacock muttered, minding his tongue. He knew Mother's take on profanities. That must be one of the biggest reasons she joined OBCTU - to fight the profanity.

Then Gurt entered. [B]"I saw from the monitors that you were awake. I have bad news: Platypus got away."[/B]

[B]"I know"[/B], Peacock sighed dramatically. [B]"It's my fault for not being able to stop him. He was standing there in front of me, and I got scared by his watergun."[/B]

[B]"Now now"[/B], Mother hushed. [B]"That was not water that almost pierced your skull! You're one lucky feller, you know that?"[/B]

[B]"Yeah, a real Gladstone Gander!"[/B] Peacock huffed. [B]"I think I need some more sleep now..."[/B]

Hist final thought before sinking fast asleep was that he was going to hunt down Platypus if it was the last thing he would ever do. Which it probably would be.

[Wondershot]

"Well, I will admit that this is more disheartening than I had envisioned."

Webster was currently seated on the floor, fretting over a small wound inflicted to his left arm by Platypus' barrage of bullets. He would have been more concerned with the shots that had flown directly to his heart were they not stopped dead in their tracks by the hardcover edition of The Merriam-Webster Dictionary that he kept inside his breast pocket. Once again, the English language had saved him from certain death. Sanguinius was next to him, tending to similar wounds, and some of the junior agents were busy assessing damage and tending to some of the others who had been more severely injured. Sanguinius tied down a bandage and looked at Webster thoughtfully.

"Than you had imagined? How so?"

Webster, adequately convinced that the bullet had not caused any severe damage, took the gauze from Sanguinius and began tying it off himself.

"Well, if one thinks about it logically, there was Mother who was least likely to have been the mole, and Japan, who was the most. In essence, Platypus was the one on which only so much doubt was cast, and was therefore, according to laws governing reality and irony, the obvious traitor."

"Laws governing reality and irony?"

"Namely, the one in which the most likely situation or answer is most often the one that lies in between two more extreme situations or answers."

Sanguinius pondered this for a moment, then spoke his mind.

"That makes no sense."

Webster sighed heavily and got to his feet, still tying off the bandage and cutting it with a pair of scissors.

"Unfortunately, you are absolutely right, but it was all I could come up with to explain this turn of events. It's the only way I can justify my inaction during the previous mission. I should have attempted to better analyze the situation, and I failed."

Sanguinius rose as well.

"Besides, I thought interrogation was your specialty, why are you so down on this one situation?"

"Interrogation is a battlefield, and the greatest rule of any battlefield is to know your enemy. With three anonymous suspects whose responses could not be definitively tied to their identities until the very last minute, I had no chance of compiling an adequate psychological profile based on the responses. In all, I did not know enough about the people we were interrogating to make a difference."

Sanguinius began to walk away, but called back over his shoulder.

"You do know an awful lot about your own job, though, so I think that if you put your mind to it a little more next time, you'll be able to handle it."

"I also do not doubt your ability to catch the traitor when next you confront him, Agent Sanguinius."

Sanguinius continued his walk away...Webster muttered as he left.

"Thank you."

Webster began to shuffle towards the lobby, head hung in shame, when Ploppy the Spaceship's voice issued over the intercom.

"Oy! Agent Webster! Word is that we have new recruits coming in at any moment, you ready to give them the tour?"

Webster's head snapped up, and suddenly the meaning all seemed to return to him. Perhaps he was useless on the last mission, perhaps his interrogation skills left something to be desired in such a situation, and perhaps they had let a terrorist slip away in the ensuing chaos, but so long as everyone was alive and he was able to do what he did best, there would always be further opportunities to win the day back from the terrorists. Webster began his long, determined strides to the lobby.

"Affirmative, Agent Ploppy the Spaceship. I should also inform you that I will break the record this time."

"You say that every time. What makes today any different?"

Webster stopped and faced the nearest security camera, pointing a finger at it.

"I will, and that's all that matters!"

Webster then strode off, fountains of fireworks erupting behind every footstep.

[Ozymandius Jones]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkOrange]I hear the sounds of pennywhistles and harmonies at all times. Perhaps not quite actually [I]hear[/I] so much as [i]fell[/i], like a psychic connection at the back of my brain [though I still don't understand people like Shirley MacLaine, who wear crystals you buy at the mall]. I can't help it. Perhaps it's heritage. Perhaps it's in the way I was raised. But I can never stay in one place for long.

'S why I call myself [B]Wanderlust[/B], see? But you can leave the lust out - I've got none for you - I call myself [B]Wander[/B] just fine. I come, I go...

And now I was here, backpack full of books and posters of certain Scots, hoping there would be a wall to hang said posters on as I eyed the building, thumbing up the volume on my iPod dramatically, hoping for some fittingly Dark or Triumphant music for these strange times -

Squonk the iPod whirred and offered its soundtrack for this epic and important moment: [i]We Will All Go Together When We Go[/i].

...

[I][CENTER]"Oh, we will all burn together when we burn!
There?ll be no need to stand and wait your turn!
When it?s time for the fallout
And Saint Peter calls us all out,
We?ll just drop our agendas and adjourn!"[/CENTER][/I]

...

Needless to say [though I thought it anyway] this was not promising. I found myself singing under my breath in a very fake accent as I slid through the door, letting it close behind me. "You will all go directly to your respective Valhallas; go directly, do not pass Go, do not collect two hundred dollahs!" The door slammed louder than I had hoped, shaking the glowing exit sign above my head. I just glared at it, fixing my backpack and wandering down a hall at random, singing louder now.
[I]
[CENTER]"And we will all go together when we go!
Every Hottentot and every Eskimo!
When the air becomes uranious,
We will all go simultaneous!
Yes, we all will go together
When we all go together,
Yes we all will go together when we go!"[/CENTER][/I]

I rounded a corner to find people there, my [incredibly poor] singing echoing off the walls and fading into [blessed] obscurity. The people just stared. Tom Lehrer has that effect on people. I just thanked my lucky stars that Squonk hadn't picked "Smut," or "The Masochism Tango." This would be awkward enough as it was.

"Erm. Hello."

Just on time, the Squonk whirred, clicked and switched songs.
[I]
Stumbling In.[/I]

I swear that thing is psychic.

I disapprove. D: [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Shy]

I feigned a smile towards Agent Wanderlust. It was good to see her, but any more reinforcements and we weren't going to have enough living quarters to go around. She smiled back, withdrew a lipboard from her tote bag. Even from a few feet away I could hear the music blaring from her iPod speakers. Wander's love of music was infamous. She had even attempted to travel back in time to meet The Beatles, or so the legend goes.

"[b]It's very good to see you again, Oz-- Wanderlust,[/b]" I said extending my hand to greet her.

"[b]Yes,[/b]" she replied absently, "[b]It is great weather we're having here.[/b]"

She scribbled a few notes down and smiled at me again.

"[b]But this isn't the time to talk about the weather. We are in the middle of a war, and OB Central Command isn't satisfied with the results. I hope you don't mind if I take a few notes to send back.[/b]"

"[b]Right, right. I can have one of the others show you to your quarters if you'd like.[/b]"

I signalled towards Webster and Sanguinius, who were standing nearby. Wander continued writing furiously. A bolt of fear shot through my spine - [i]what could she be writing about so soon?[/i]

Wander began to giggle to herself for a moment.

"[b]Oh Squonk! That's very innappropriate right now![/b]"

Confused and slightly annoyed a started to slowly walk away from Wander. If all of these reinforcements were going to be so... eclectic, we had a serious problem on our hands.

"[b]How about we let some of your new teammates show you around?[/b]"

Sanguinius and Webster greeted their new teammate and began escorting her down the hallway. About halfway down she suddenly stopped, and began sniffing around.

"[b]Is there a barbeque today? I smell burning...[/b]"

[Flash]

The sun never sets here. Not in the endless desert--Crisscrossed by the occasional highway, green signs above the road pointing to far off cities scrawled in a strange and foreign script. Dotted across the landscape are pockets of ruins; some little more than piles of rubble and debris, others are clusters of tenements and shops with the scars of war showing clearly. So many wars had been fought here, it's hard to believe that it was once populated.

OB Central Command started a "Cleanse and Purge" mission here long ago, and it was finally drawing to a close. Operation "Rage of the Inferno" saw countless battalions of elite OBCTU soldiers deployed to the region to stop an encroaching Terrorist threat, which had become a breeding ground for the worst kind of god-awful extremists this side of 4chan. This wasteland has gone by many names; but in the native tongue they called it [i][URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/otakupedia/?p=35]"AE Boards"[/URL].[/i]

I had been stationed there for more than a decade--Some call me the best. Sergeant Major Flash Ramirez--also known as "Sour Candy". Why did they call me Sour Candy?

Because Sour Candy is [i]f***ing awesome[/i].

"SERGEANT MAJOR CANDY! DUST-OFF IN 30 SECONDS!" screamed the pilot of the MH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, over the deafening roar of the spooling rotors. I removed the gnarled cigar from my mouth and spat onto the desert sand.

"[i]Sour[/i] Candy, Corporal. Don't you forget it." I hissed through gritted teeth, a prominent vein appearing on my forehead. The Pilot's left eye twitched as he stuttered a fearful response.

"Y-y-yes Sir!"
I slung my weapon over my left shoulder and grabbed my backpack. This was the first time in over ten years I'd been called away from the desert. This didn't bode well for anyone.

[b][i]Fifteen hours later...[/i][/b]

The Blackhawk touched down at OBCTU HQ, and upon departing the helicopter I was immediately approached by a man I recognized as the enigmatic and colorful Grape Ape, leader of the CTU.

"Sergeant Major Flash Ramirez." said Grape Ape, extending his right hand. "It's an honor to finally meet you; I hear you've been in the desert for more than a decade."

"Yes Sir," I said gruffly. "Out there killing me some s*** eighteen hours a day. There's only two hours of darkness a night. Know what that does to your sleep patterns? That s*** will f*** you up. Drive a motherf***er [i]crazy[/i]. Some say I'm crazy... But I don't think so. If I was crazy, I'd kill everyone. Take them out to the jungle, bleed 'em real slow, leave 'em there.."

Grape Ape and his entourage were now standing a few meters away from me, eyes transfixed and walking backward slowly.

"Yeah, uh, that's great, [i]Sour Candy[/i]." Grape Ape said cautiously. "Let's... go inside."

I grinned like a madman and followed the Commander inside HQ. I had come here to do two things--Chew bubblegum and kick ass.

And I was all out of bubblegum.

[Shinmaru]

CTU headquarters loomed large in the distance, a towering monolith representing all that was right with the world. Namely, intelligent Internet posts, anti-Communism, and leadership roles for minority gorillas. This was where it all went down; hundreds of agents were in there, scrambling to and fro like pillbugs in a flaming shoebox, doing their best to counteract dangerous, scummy terrorist activity. Only these bugs didn't exist, at least as far as the trusting citizens of America were concerned.

Vague government agencies pouring boatloads of taxpayer money into officially non-existent military agencies for the sole purpose of blotting out retards on Japanese animation-related message boards. God, I love it so, almost as much as I love saluting the flag before my boy's Little League games.

A fresh, cool wave of air flowed across my face as I walked into HQ. As I understood it, we were already pretty deep into the war, which didn't surprise me in the least. They never called on me until the saps at the front lines were all wasted away and they had nobody else to do their dirty work. The Mitch-slappings alone claimed a few good drinking pals of mine. The poor bastards.

I'd make certain those terrorist SOBs got what was coming to them - a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the State as dictated by the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. [i]And they damn well better appreciate it.[/i]

If I were speaking to an actual person, and not just insane with patriotism, you might be wondering who I am, whoever you are. My mother taught me never to talk to strangers, but she's in a better place now somewhere in Florida, God rest her soul, so she'll never know if I disobey her just this once.

I go by many names, mostly due to the fact that I have various forms of less-than-legal identification, but they know me best as [b]El Kabong[/b]. Why El Kabong? Because Quick Draw McGraw taught me that on the battlefield, if you can't play the kabonger, then the next best thing to do is smash someone over the head with it. That life lesson has stuck with me for many years; perhaps I'll have it written on my tombstone after I die a glorious death in the warzone.

Plus, I like cartoons. Sue me.

After being momentarily distracted by a delicious slice of apple pie, I stepped into the elevator and waited for it to take me to my destination. Five minutes later I remembered to press the button, after which the elevator lurched skyward like an Addams Family butler. A shock ran through my hands, and once I recovered from the static zap I received from touching the metal panel on the wall, a tingle ran through my fingers. This was it - there was no turning back now. The terrorists wouldn't know what hit them, at least until the trial, whereupon I'd be forced to abandon the anonymity of the Internet in order to testify against these anarchists in a court of law. I made a note to get my hair done to match ID #33 if that happened.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open, revealing agents running around the room as though a traitor had been discovered in their midst only fourteen posts prior. It was time to step up; it was time to take action; it was time to [i]kabong[/i].

... Now where the hell is my kabonger?

[Horendithas]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Indigo]indifference was beginning to wonder if the traitor affair was finally going to be finished. With a sigh of relief she left the terrorist headquarters to head for her appointment. She had been worried that she would miss it altogether. It was a pity that things had not turned out as she had planned. Still it did not matter, soon that would be behind her. In no time she was finally to the meeting place, a very nervous Mother waiting patiently for her. indifference as always looked carefully for any signs that someone had detected that they had been meeting for over a week but other than a man wearing dark glasses, and eating waffles and some other members enjoying breakfast food at a quick stop near the OtakuBoards Newspaper thread. Nothing was amiss.

"[B]Ah, indifference,[/B]" Mother said apprehensively , "[B]I was beginning to wonder if you really were going to show up.[/B]"

"[B]Unfortunately I was delayed,[/B]" indifference replied. "[B]Still it won't be long before Charlie realizes what I am up to. The sooner we leave the better. It's too exposed here in the OB Anthology and I do not want to end up like 2007DigitalBoy and Preminition.[/B]"

Mother nodded sadly. "[B]Then lets get going then.[/B]"

It didn't take them long to get to CTU headquarters but before they could quite reach the main doors the alarms went off.

"[B]Oh dear,[/B]" Mother said. "[B]I was afraid of that, Ploppy's been feeling pretty bad since the traitor got away. Ploppy's been practically glued to the surveillance cameras to keep an eye out for further problems.[/B]"

A moment later the intercom to the entrance of the CTU came to life. "[B]Hold it right there you terrorist scum! Get away from Mother![/B]"

Only moments later agents poured out of the building, some of them pulling out their mod-rods as they moved to cut them off. indifference sighed and pulled out her own, placing her right arm across Mother's shoulders. The mod rod held carelessly in her hand.

"[B]Allow me to take care of this,[/B]" she whispered to Mother. "[B]Don't worry, I won't harm you.[/B]"

Then placing her right thumb just over the ban button she yelled out. "[B]Either you stop right there or I'll ban your precious Mother![/B]"

The agents came to a reluctant halt, glaring at her.

"[B]You do anything to harm mother...[/B]" Gurt started to say..

"[B]Shut up.[/B]" indifference growled. "[B]I came here to talk to Grape Ape. Once he comes forth and talks to me you can have your precious Mother back. Now back inside all of you.[/B]"

Reluctantly they complied piling into the front room just inside the main doors with indifference and Mother following closely behind them. Then once the doors were shut indifference spoke up again.

"[B]Now, bring me Grape Ape![/B]"

Moments later Grape Ape charged into the main room. "[B]What's the meaning of this indifference! Hiding behind Mother like the coward you truly are? Let her go![/B]"

indifference shrugged. "[B]Fine.[/B]" She removed her arm from across Mother's shoulder and put her mod rod away. "[B]I only wanted to get inside the building before talking to you. I had no intention of harming Mother. But I had no desire to be shot in the back while discussing things out front either.[/B]"

She paused for a moment and then continued. "[B]It's simple I wish to defect, to join the CTU.[/B]" indifference just smiled inwardly at the gasps of surprise as well as Grape Ape's stunned expression.[/COLOR]

[CENTER]----------------------------[/CENTER] [B]
OCC: [/B]Before anyone picks up on this...Aaryanna_Mom is going to post to cover the next part. So please, wait for her post.[/SIZE]

[Aaryanna_Mom]

Mother didn't waste a moment, quickly stepping forward to hand Grape Ape a slip of paper. With all that had happened she couldn't let people's emotions get the better of them. They needed to hear what happened first before making a decision.

"[B]I've been meeting with indifference for over a week now. I didn't dare say anything until the traitor was found since I knew that doing so would only make me look guilty when I was not.[/B]" Mother looked around at the rest of the agents. Their expressions one of being stunned over her words.

"[B]I told Japan that everyone has good in them even Charlie, this is something that I know is true. And after talking with indifference for over a week I believe that her desire to stop being a terrorist is genuine.[/B]" She looked back at Grape Ape who was still reading the paper she had given him. "[B]Please show that to the others.[/B]" Grape Ape passed it around:[QUOTE=indifference][COLOR=Indigo]Mother...I need your help...

It's simple really, when I first joined the Final Quest For Glory I was but an excited recruit, eager to do well. But as you have seen the quest for fun has been anything but fun. Instead of attempting to liberate OB the group I once trusted has turned out to be raving lunatics who are willing to do anything to take over OB and turn it into a grounds where they reign as Gods. Debasing the boards with their smell and unholy threads on Porn.

At first it seemed so harmless, but the merciless slaughter of Prem and Nonentity, even though I did not care at the time, clearly shows they do not care who stands in their way. And the attempts to assassinate both Dagger and James only showed that one slip and I will be their next target. After all, I did not post in the thread about Hentai, it was so ludicrous, since such an addition would hardly be fun and would exclude a fair number of members.

So I implore you Mother...Once we are done trying to find the traitor in our midst, which to the best of Charles/Baby Girl's knowledge is not me, I only just now decided I can no longer side with the terrorists. I wish to defect and become a member of the CTU. If not that at the very least throw me into one of your cells and protect me from being cruelly assassinated by those I once trusted.

I await your mercy Mother.

~indifference or as I would prefer to be known...Crystia[/COLOR][/QUOTE]Grape Ape looked at with indifference with distrust. "[B]How do I know you aren't lying?[/B]"

"[B]Why don't you ask your mole Gavin? I did my best to convince the others that I'm Not Noruma was the traitor, if that idiot hadn't failed to log off his computer Charlie would have thought I'm Not Noruma was the traitor. Seriously[/B]" indifference said with contempt, "[B]Gavin a terrorist? Not likely.[/B]"

"[B]Please,[/B]" Mother pleaded. "[B]indifference has already said she's fine with being put in a cell until we determine if she can be trusted or not. We have to give her a chance.[/B]"

"[B]I don't know,[/B]" Grape Ape started to say.

indifference tossed her mod rod to Grape Ape who caught it with surprise. "[B]If that won't convince you I don't know what will. If you can't trust me then at least put me in a cell. You can give me my mod rod back when you've decided whether or not to trust me.[/B]"

"[B]One other thing, if you do, then I prefer to be called Crystia, indifference the terrorist is no more.[/B]"

[Arcadia]

I've always been a little slow to [strike]post[/strike] arrive. Fashionably late, and all that. Sometimes I don't even show up. Too easily distracted, I suppose. But I knew the moment Shy contacted me (or two weeks later when I checked my inbox, either one) that I couldn't afford to wait around on this one. People counted on the CTU to keep order and by golly, that was something to be a part of. I quickly made my way over to headquarters, eager to help save the boards, one thread at a time.

Well, okay. By "quickly" I meant "eventually." There's was a little confusion with the directions (in that I forgot them), and then a Starbucks waylaid me and so there was caffeine to be consumed. Then I became distracted by a shiny gold bug playing in the flowers, but I did make it there eventually.

Which, of course, brings me to the now. I paused outside, sipping occasionally on my iced grande vanilla latté, and wondered if the smoke I saw pluming out of a window was intentional. Perhaps they were having a bonfire? If there was any roasting of marshmellows, I would so have to get in on that.

The lobby area was much more crowded than I would have thought. Not much of a bonfire, apparently. I continued to sip quietly in the back for a few more minutes, listening half-heartedly to the heated conversation going on. Something about defected crystals?

Someone handed me a slip of paper then and as I started reading about slaughter and unholy porn, the person paused and asked, "Wait, who are you?"

I blinked and sipped. Good gravy, I had been gone a long time. "New recruit."

"Code name?"

Good question. There was a moment of thought, and then I held my drink up in victory. "You may call me.... [b]Starbucks[/b]!"

This got the attention of the others in the room. Grape Ape sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Christ, not another one."

[Wondershot]

Webster, having given the lightning tour yet again, as now on the warpath for Commander Grape Ape's office. Almost too much had happened in the briefest amount of time, and there was about as much to report to the upper echelons of the OBCTU...a nagging dread was also gnawing at the back of Webster's stomach, as he was fairly convinced that Commander Grape Ape would not like the news, but it had to be known lest Webster give his superiors any reason to think him incompetent or, worse yet, disloyal. Webster knocked tentatively on the door of the Commander's office, and a weary "Enter" issued from within. Webster did so, closed the door behind him, and assumed the "at ease" stance, hands folded behind his back.

"What is it, Agent Webster?" Commander Grape Ape demanded wearily. Webster just noticed a bottle of aspirin on the desk...along with a few medications for maintaining wakefulness and sports drinks. The man was definitely under pressure. Webster began slowly.

"Sir, I understand that we have a supposedly reformed terrorist in our midst who has offered her own detainment in exchange for our trust. With your permission, I would like to begin my debriefing of her as soon as possible so that we might achieve mutual cooperation in the near future."

Commander Grape Ape leaned back in his swivel chair. As per proper form of someone heading an organization, the chair was specially built to be taller than the head of the commander, so that his head would be masked ominously if the chair were to face away from the door when someone entered.

"Agent Webster, It is my understanding that your previous interrogation methods landed you in an altercation with Agent Mother, as she believed that the only way you got Agent Sanguinius to join our ranks was by deceiving him unnecessarily. Furthermore, your utter lack of participation in our previous mission leads me to doubt your ability to undertake the debriefing."

Webster remained stiff as a statue. It would be an exaggeration to say that he was not expecting this comment, but the Commander's bluntness was somewhat off-putting to say the least. Webster's retort remained calm and deliberate.

"Sir, if I may, the reason Agent Sanguinius even trusts us is because of my interrogations, regardless of the methodology involved. Though I made a mistake that caused a debate regarding my ethics, everything I did was in the interest of securing us as many allies as possible, allies whom we could trust implicitly. Furthermore, while I do not deny my failure to assist in the previous mission to apprehend the terrorists' mole, I have to reiterate that the nature of the mission was not something that I was trained for, and that I have been able to carry out my regular assignments to date successfully."

Webster stopped as abruptly as he started, and Commander Grape Ape glared at him, not so much with anger or contempt as with fierce determination.

"Be that as it may, Agent Webster, this Crystia came to Agent Mother for assistance, therefore I am in the unenviable position of deciding whether or not I should allow her to head the debriefing instead. However, your comments are duly noted."

Webster, still unmoving, watched as Commander Grape Ape took a swig of a purple energy drink (the color being likely coincidental) and looked him over, head to toe.

"Is there anything else, Agent Webster?"

"There is, sir. I have a suggestion regarding our next mission, a Community Event that we might establish."

The Grape Ape, in a moment of curiosity, leaned forward and placed both fists on the desk blotter. Webster continued without waiting.

"The nature of many OB Community Events, as I have read, involves some sort of a competition, something which sparks emotions of excitement and the desire to prove aptitude and potential in the minds of the everyday board-goers. However, there are also events revolving around creativity or the desire to write or create in some fashion, to generate something unique and interesting so that even non-participants would have a reason to take active interest in the events. My idea involves taking these concepts just a little further."

A long, long pause followed, as Webster was attempting to achieve just the right level of drama in the pause. Both Webster and Grape Ape then spoke simultaneously.

"What is it?"

"The OtakuBoards Talent Night."

Another pause, not quite as long. Grape Ape stared into Webster's eyes.

"Talent night?"

"Yes sir. Think about it, instead of just writing or competing with images or written witticisms, the people of the OtakuBoards could come together to sing, dance, act, play music, create videos, a multitude of possibilities. The nature of the event would be open to the possibility of people collaborating on making a movie, or perhaps designing music with lyrics or the like. I think it's an idea that has a lot of potential.

"Where does the competitive aspect come in, though?"

"It's part of the nature of the event itself. Sure, people would just do as they please, but a talent night is something that people go to to assert their place as a talented individual, to be the one that is really being talked about after the event is over. It would give them a stab at immortality on the boards, and that's really what many people here desire, in the end."

"How would people make the fruits of their labors available to the denizens of the boards?"

"I'm sure there are a number of ways, not the least of which include sites like YouTube for video or sites to which one could upload music or image files so that they may be viewed publicly. The sheer amount of data transmission that occurs today does make it possible.

Grape Ape reclined in his chair pensively, and the longest pause yet followed. Webster was careful not to show his reaction, but he couldn't help but be overjoyed at the sight of the Commander's tiny smile.

"I'll admit, the concept is not without merit, but we will have to create something absolutely amazing in order to counter the event being cooked up by the terrorists. I'll take your suggestion into consideration."

As the Commander looked down to take note of the suggestion, Webster allowed the quickest smile to crease his face. However, it fell within moments, as he remembered that the worst news remained undelivered. When the Grape Ape looked back up, Webster's face remained devoid of color and dead serious.

"Sir, I do have one last thing to caution you about, though."

Grape Ape acknowledged the agent's somber look with his own.

"What would that be?"

"The likely scenario is that I will be unavailable to participate in this event myself, as well as any other activities that the CTU engages in, for the next few weeks."

"Why is that?"

Webster struck his feet together and placed his arms at his sides, he was now assuming an attention stance.

"I am being transferred to Portugal on special assignment for two weeks, starting after the weekend."

Grape Ape leaned forward further over the desk, now half of his body was hovering over it. A multitude of emotions cascaded through him, not the least of which was confusion.

"Portugal, Agent Webster?"

"Yes, sir, the [i]Guarda Nacional Republica[/i] have detained a suspected foreign terrorist and will require my translation and interrogation services immediately. I was given the assignment some time ago, and it, unfortunately, conflicts with our mission. I'm sorry, but I will not be able to participate in the event planned by our group unless it goes past two weeks, and even then my participation will be minimal. Though I will be able to observe the events pertaining to the OBCTU from abroad, my contact with the organization will likely be restricted and any messages I send will be short and probably less coherent than normal."

The Grape Ape, power drained from his legs, dropped back into the chair, and reached for the aspirin on the table. Taking two of them in a single gulp, he returned his eyes to Webster.

"What is the meaning of this, Agent Webster?"

"As you should know, sir, my services as a translator/interrogator extend beyond the reach of the OBCTU alone, and sometimes my contract extends to realms other than the OtakuBoards themselves. It's unfortunate, but my summons have already been confirmed, and I will be on a flight to Portugal after the weekend is over."

The longest pause by far followed, and the Grape Ape, disappointment apparent, motioned to the door.

"If that is everything, Agent Webster, you are dismissed."

Webster, in a single motion, turned and opened the door behind him, and stepped out into the hall, where he was confronted by a multitude of other agents who had been eavesdropping, ears pressed against the door. Agent Sanguinius, being at their forefront, looked at Webster inquisitively.

"Portugal?"

Webster hang his head.

[i]"Sim, e verdade. Eu vou partir para Portugal para duas semanas, immediatamente. Desculpe."[/i]

Webster turned to leave, and the rest of the agents remained in the hallway, attempting to decipher what he had said. As he was leaving, Webster called down the hallway.

"What I had just said, in Portuguese, was that what I had told Commander Grape Ape was correct, that I am leaving for Portugal, for a two week period, very soon, and the last word, [i]'desculpe'[/i] can be interpreted as either 'excuse me', or a more heartfelt apology, 'I'm sorry'."

Webster, having reached the door of his own dormitory, turned to face the crowd once more.

"I'm sorry, everyone."

He entered the dormitory, and, taking one last look at the halls of the OBCTU, closed the door quietly behind him.

[Shy]

I ultimately decided to let Crystia roam the premises freely. Mother was a strong judge of character, and I figured that if we hadn't turned anyone away from our organization we might as well not start now. More importantly, the mere thought of a terrorist defecting made my mouth water. Was our message of peace and freedom really coming across as we had hoped? [i]Now only if I could convince the inspectors...[/i]

Gavin, on of my CTU spies, and I were sitting in my office. We had been able to pick him up from the desert sands earlier that night; a lesser agent would have surely perished while trying to escape. After a long shower and a shave Gavin was ready to discuss the next phase of our plan.

"[b]I hope you don't mind sharing a room with someone else,[/b]" I said, offering him a cup of coffee, "[b]It appears we've got more agents than bedrooms at the moment.[/b]"

He chuckled as he added an excessive amount of sugar and cream to the brew.

"[b]Not at all. As long as I don't have to worry about being clawed in my sleep I should be fine."[/b]

It had been a long time since the two of us had a chance to speak like this. Too long, in face. Between the failure of the Legionnaires and the battle over Community Events it seems we had fallen out of touch. Even if things were a bit louder than usual, it was comforting to have so many friends and allies nearby.

"[b]"So... the events forum?[/b]"

"[b]Yes, yes. We have a very strong suggestion from Webster, I only fear that it will fail without his unique vision to guide it. Perhaps you have some thoughts of your own to contribute?[/b]"

Gavin stirred his coffee and thought for a moment.

"[b]Nothing at the moment. But I'll work on it.[/b]"

"[b]Good, good,[/b]" I said as I stood up and headed towards the door, "[b]Care to explore our headquarters a bit?[/b]"

Gavin nodded, and followed closely behind.

"[b]I figured you were hiding in your office from the inspectors.[/b]"

I rolled my eyes.

"[b]Not exactly. It's more to stay away from Japan's cooking. She should be asleep by now.[/b]"

"[b][i]Japan[/i]? That's not much of a code name, Grape Ape.[/b]"

"[b]Said the pot to the kettle. You need to think of a code name for yourself before you start commenting on someone else's...[/b]"

[Guest DBSAIYAN8675309]

helloo im new here..:D is this about the wari n iracq??? :animestun :animestun

my brother isn in the war rite now he is fiting terorists to :animeblus :animesigh