Six's PoV:

I spotted Texas about to enter her room. I grabbed her wrist. "Texas. We need to talk. Meet me in my room at 0000."

She gazed at me curious and I left without a word. In my mind, Chi checked the Freelancers off my list.

Chi: Tex, check. We've still got to get:
York
North
Maine
Zona
And their AI.

I nodded. Right. Sigma will need some persuading.

Chi: You've got it, Six.

I entered the cafeteria to see York, North, and Zona sitting together. I walked up to them.

York smiled at me. "Hey, Wisconsin!"

"We have something important to discuss. Meet me at my room, 0000. Make sure no one knows."

They looked at eachother, then at me. "What about our AIs? Should we pull them?"

"No. They need to know."

I left without another word. I tracked down Maine and pulled him aside. He growled at me and Sigma appeared, frowning.

"What do you want, Wisconsin?"

I gazed at the AI. "Meet me in my room at midnight. There is something we need to discuss."

Sigma looked at Maine, then at me. "And if we don't want to?"

I gazed at the firey AI. "Trust me. You do."

Sigma sighed. "Very well."

I left and was headed towards my room when Carolina grabbed me by the arm, her fingers digging into my skin. I glanced back at her.

"What do you want."

She shoved me into her room and locked the door on us. The red head stormed right up to me and glared at my visor.

"Carolina. The hell is this about?"

She yelled in my face. "This is about you! Me! The board!"

I stood there, taking it.

Carolina glared at my emotionless visor. "THE FUCK DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?!? DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT THAT SPOT MEANS TO ME?!?!?"

I closed my eyes. "Carolina. I-"

"Don't you DARE say that you're sorry! You're not! You train, every. Single. Fucking. Day, just in order to spite me! You ALWAYS get all the points, ALLWAYS show that you're better than me!!!" She shoved me as hard as she could, but I didn't budge. She continued screaming. "THE HELL DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?!?"

"I'm-"

"WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!?"

"Carolina. I'm not who you think I am."

"Oh, I know EXACTLY who you are! You're a little bitch who thinks he owns the place!"

"I don't. Carolina. Listen."

"Ooooh, I'm listening, asshole!"

"I was never better than you."

Carolina stormed off a bit. "The hell is that supposed to mean?!?"

"It means I'm a Spartan."

She froze. "What?"

I said nothing and stared blankly at her. She turned to look at me, fear in her eyes. She once again repeated "what", but this time in a quieter tone.

I watched as Carolina backed into a wall, fear in her eyes. I let out a sigh. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just know that I'm a Spartan and I never wanted first place."

I left without a word as Carolina broke down. There was nothing I could do for her, but end this god-forsaken Project.

————————
Timeskip provided by Six explaining to those he recruited how they are being played!
———————

One week later....

I was on a Pelican enroute to a station that had gone dark. In the Pelican with me was Carolina. She had two AIs implanted into her head several days ago and after a major accident, Tex had knocked the screaming Carolina unconscious. Once she awoke, Carolina had forgotten everything that had happened the week prior, except for her memory of why she ended up wanting two AIs and the after math of that. Thus, she had completely forgotten the talk I had with her, but she seemed to be... nicer.... to me.

"Alright, this is your stop!"

Carolina stood up. "Let's go."

I nodded, then shouldered my DMR. The two of us lept out the Pelican and entered the midnight station.