I yawned as I woke up from my nap. I can hear Sarge and Lopez talking to someone in the distance, so I walk over that way. I just rounded the base, when I see David of all people standing in front of Sarge.

"Fuckin' brilliant." I mutter as I stand up and walk around the edge of the canyon. As I am passing the Blue base, I hear laughter and the sound of breaking glass. "There shouldn't be anyone here anymore." I walk up the ramp and the first thing I see is not the makeshift DJ stand, nah it's my eldest children laughing with a figure in yellow armor.

I raise an eyebrow as I leaned against a wall. I was still encased in my armor and had my helmet on, so the chances of them recognizing me were high. I see the yellow figure pull off their helm to see a female Grif. I watch as she walks out and yells at David about being a cop, then comes back. They all share a laugh at that. I smirk as I slowly clap, walking out of the shadows. I laugh as I stand behind Rex.

"Well, ain't this a lovely thing?"

With Washington.

Wash was getting tired of Sarge's shit.

"Oh, another person like you was here not too long ago." Sarge said as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Did they give you a name?" Wash asked as he gripped his Dmr. 'Please don't say-'

"Maryland. But he told us to call him Avery." Sarge said as he pointed his shotgun at Blue base. "He headed over that way as we were talking."

Several people could be heard screaming in the distance. A green blur shot off, but was soon dragged back as a solid thwack could be heard, then a whimper.

"Ah hell."

With Avery

I dust my hands off as I finish tying a titanium cable around Rex, tying him to a pillar. I sigh as Leo tries to sneak out of the back. "Avery?"

I look over to see David standing there. I sigh as I stand up "Let's be off to rat's nest. That's where Caboose is."

"How did you-?"

"I've been watching these guys for years, I know where they transferred. Besides, I have a few bones to pick with the Meta." I walked over to the pelican I came in on, and we flew off to my garage. "But first, we need some wheels."

How many trucks do you have?" David asked as he looked at the never ending lines of trucks.

"Yes."

"Let's take the second one and put a Mongoose on the back." David said. I grinned as I grabbed the keys and put a mongoose on the back. I also picked up a few ammo cans and put them in the back, feeding the chain into a compartment.

At rat's nest

"Oh, no!" Lt. Miller said as he walked down a ramp. "Hell, no. Excuse me sir, but no Goddamn way!"

"You must be Lieutenant Miller." Wash said as he stood there unchanging. I leaned against my truck, cigar in hand. I took a puff as I watched them interact.

"I've got reds coming out my ass here, boss, and you show up and take away one of my men for a..." Miller paused. Lambda gave the man a quick scan. Like Sarge, the man had brian damage. Not a severe as Sarge mind you. "...what did you say this was for?"

"Secret mission sir!" one of the several kiss-ass reject Simmons prototypes said.

"Aw, you've got to be... a what?!" Miller shouted.

"I think you have bigger issues than troop assignments, soldier." I said as I took another long inhale. "How about calling in for a proper mechanic. Not some brain dead ox of a man." David looked at me and I waved my robot arm.

"And who the fuck are you?" Miller asked.

" Major Avery Johnson, former member of Delta squad deployed on earth during the war." I said, like a liar.

"Well damn, My apologies sir. Nice arm." I nod as I crush the burnt out cigar and put in an ashtray in my truck. "But still, you sent us the new guy, said he was good with vehicles. All he does is talk to them... TALK to them! What the hell is that all about?! And now look at the damn things!"

"I don't-" I cleared my throat. "I mean, WE don't have time to discuss your problems. We have orders, and those orders say that I need Private Caboose, and I need him now. He has information that is vital to the security of..."

"TO cut to the chase, We need the dumbass child." I said as I pulled another cigar from the compartment in my prosthetic, cutting it, and then lighting it with the blowtorch in the middle finger.

"Wait a second... Caboose? You're taking Caboose?" Miller asked. "And I don't have to pay you or anything like that?"

"Is that a problem?" David asked.

"Problem? Heh heh! Hell, no!" Miller said as he started to sound a lot happier. "It must be Christmas month and no one told me! You stay right there and I'll get him for you."

I sighed as I puffed my cigar. "You're going to want a hit David. This guy can be a headache."

David just scoffed. "I need a clear head. And I want to live a long life. Unlike what those are doing to you."

"Bitch please, we both know I only have a decade or two at best with what's going through my veins. Yours too."

"Private Johannas!" Miller called. "Johannas! Johannas, where the hell are you?!"

"Sir, for the millionth time, my name is pronounced 'Jones'" one of the soldiers said.

The soldiers had a small debate before Miller interrupted.

"Johannas, I need you to go down to the brig, untie Caboose and bring him up here." The frightened soldier had a face of sorrow as he put down his gun.

"Looks like Caboose is continuing his habit." I said as I pulled my hat down over my eyes some more.

"You keep him in the brig?" David asks in shock.

"We keep him tied up in the brig, I'm not taking any more chances." as Miller said that, a gunshot was heard, and Jones cried out in pain. "You'll understand soon enough." Caboose walked up the ramp, coming to a stop.

I sighed as I got back in my truck, and lowered the mongoose on the back. I was not letting Caboose in my truck. I revved the engine, catching David's attention. He and Caboose got on the mongoose, and we took off.

Lambda popped out of the truck's systems. "Sir, we are being watched." I look in my rearview to see the meta standing there.

"So it would seem. Prime the turret incase he chases after us." I said as I pushed a few buttons, and I heard the mechanical whirring in the bed of the truck. ".50 cal AP bullets. Loaded, secondary RPG loaded with high explosive, Battering ram protocol activated, all systems are green. How's the tracker Lambda?"

"He is investigating the blue base. Wait, no now he is slaughtering blue base." Lambda said, voice void of emotion.

"Damn shame. I'll send it up the chain, put the blame on Caboose." I said, pulling up the kill count for Caboose. "Ctrl+F+U x10"

I drive off as I start to play some music.

https://youtu.be/Auuqlcom6tM

"Let the Hunt begin."