1258 HOURS, NOVEMBER 9, 2554 (UNSC MILITARY CALENDAR)

HALO INSTALLATION: SIRCA-UKNOWN COORDINATES-PRESUMED FREELANCER BASE

Following the black Chupadore with red hair that walked, talked and behaved so similar to Allison was... haunting. His eyes simply could not stray far from her. Every time she spoke, it brought memories and took everything he had to not quip back. Every time she questioned something about him, Tysiac had to put effort into hiding information.

She asked about Church. Whether Tysiac knew much about the Chupadore, how did he encounter him, and where he learned to fight the way the man did against a Werewolf.

The name on the latter question was enough to bring him back to focus. Telling her he had learned through military basics seemed to impress her. Though, there were enough similarities between this Chupadore woman and Allison that Tysiac could tell she didn't believe him, that or she was trying to figure what he was hiding from her. Allison always had that burning curiosity.

One question came up the most... "You sure you're 'fine', tin can?"

His answer had been the same for the past hour, "As fine as I can be."

She stared at him again, continuing to lead him towards the showers. Tysiac could tell she knew something was up, but as long as she couldn't put either the tail or tongue on it...

It almost felt like a blessing to find the showers separate by gender and seeing no other Chupadore men in the men's shower. She made one last curious look at him before disappearing to her side as Tysiac forced himself to go through his.

Now alone, and with no one nearby... Tysiac leaned heavily against the wall. One knee crashed against the concrete before his shoulder, and then his head. His breathing became heavy as he closed his eyes and tightened his fists.

This is too much. Just... It's too. Much.

It wasn't enough he had the twisted luck to see Constance in alien form. It wasn't enough to pull York from the dead and put him in a shirtless and fuzzy body of an alien the UNSC had never encountered before. But Allison? Tex, Agent Tex or Texas, he didn't give a shit. It's still the same woman he knew, worked together with and saw die.

His twisted sense of luck had always pulled something like a monkey's paw on him. The missions he pulled alone, or with another who ended up dying. The Spartan augmentations, the armor, his training...

But this? This was the furthest twisted luck he had ever encountered... He didn't even wish for this. Tysiac grieved, but he learned to let the fuck go, which was a marked difference between him and Allison's husband by several miles. There was nothing in the galaxy that would've made him make a monkey's paw curl a finger over!

So why...

He didn't know how long he'd been leaning against the wall, battling the urge to break down or start racing off, trying to find either of those three ghosts. He didn't even know what he'd do if he did.

But after Tysiac had spent time avoiding hyperventilation, keeping himself propped against the wall, and just... Exist for a while, Tysiac pulled himself together. He pulled back the memories, the emotions. There was a time he wondered why Spartans of earlier generations held so much of themselves back from the rest of the world and even from each other... Though, over time and especially now, there was a wish he could've shared that level of restraint. He was a Spartan-III, he shouldn't be burdened like this...

Leaving the wall, Tysiac began fiddling with his armor. Ordinarily, Spartan required special equipment in order to get in and out of their armor. There were emergency procedures that allowed one to rip their armor out, though they would need the same equipment and machinery to put them back on.

Tysiac, among a few growing numbers of Spartans, found a way taking them on and off without the machinery. The only issue that Tysiac had yet to hear from the few who shared some of their knowledge was how to not look ridiculous when putting it back on.

However, even though a Spartan's body could remain clean under the armored undersuit and the armor could handle body waste, Tysiac felt the need for a shower.

His armor placed to one side where he could find it within a turn of his head, Tysiac leaned against the wall as hot water poured down. The ONI Spartan didn't waste time and sulk or brood under the water for long, just enough to push around his memories and try to remind himself. These were not the friends he knew. They had died and his twisted luck was playing its game with him once again.

The sound of York's voice came to him. Not the Chupadore, as Tysiac's eyes immediately went towards the entrance of the showers. It didn't carry all of his voice, but enough of a memory as the Freelancer had said, "Hey. There's nothing wrong with making new memories with new friends. I'd be trying my luck talking with other Spartans if I could."

A small snort left his nose as Tysiac continued cleaning himself before he heard York again, this time it was the Chupadore. His eyes flitted to the entrance to see the yellow furred alien come around the corner and, almost as quickly, saw the human.

He didn't hold it against the Chupadore, nearly jumping back at the sight of a near pale human looking back at him. The man couldn't presume to know what 'York' saw in his eyes.

The Chupadore recovered as he said, "Geez. I had figured you were strange, but not alien strange." He seemed to give a small flinch before walking over to a nearby bench where Tysiac laid his armor down at.

Tysiac kept his eyes on 'York' as the large and furred Chupa looked over the armor. He gave a small whistle before moving slightly away and began undressing. Having no interest in humoring the ghost of his past, the human turned back to finish up as he heard the Chupadore pick his own showerhead.

  Silence did not last, as 'York' perhaps looked over and ask, "Everything alright, Tys?"

The human's shoulders slumped slightly as his voice moved before his mind did, "No."

"....Feel like sharing?"

Tysiac shook his head, keeping his eyes off of York, "No."

York's claw came to rest gently on Tysiac's shoulder, "Hey. It ain't healthy hanging something on your back like that. And it ain't gonna get better keepin' it there."

Tysiac simply moved his hand up and knocked the claw away, "Some secrets are better left festering, York." Having finished up with a quick burst of cold water, the Spartan moved away to dry himself off.

However, York didn't seem to want to let it go as he placed a claw back on his shoulder. His voice was a lot less gentle as he demanded, "Turn around, look me in the eye and say that again."

" Damnit, York! Can't you-" Tysiac growled as he turned around and locked eyes with the matted down Chupadore. The ghost of an old friend, almost in plain sight within his two brown-green eyes. Even with the face of an alien, it wasn't hard for Tysiac to recognize York concerned for his friend over something he didn't want to tell.

The two continued to stare at each other, and the seconds became longer. Tysiac could swear Agent York was almost possessing the Chupadore in front of him. That same level of worry and nobility the Freelancer had as the man felt the instinct the squirm away. The Chupadore's eyes changed from brown to an unfamiliar green, revealing a hint of worried curiosity as Tysiac shoved York's claw off his shoulder with more force than he should've.

He had to leave. He wanted to return to his armor and its anonymity before more questions arose. Tysiac didn't glance at the Chupadore imitating York's name, voice, and traits while donning the undersuit. Quickly applying the armor without securing them until a later point in time, Tysiac grabbed his helmet and left the shower. He didn't see her waiting nearby. He didn't want to.

=-=-=+=-=-=

An hour passed after his encounter in the showers with York. During that time, Tysiac had secured his armor on properly and began avoiding many of the Movement's people. One particular place he found was in a janitor's closet, as there were barely any Chupadores coming and going through the corridor that it allowed him to lurk about.

Though, finding a set of bedding plus a pillow with a suitcase inside the closet was not what he expected to find. Giving a quick rummage through the suitcase, Tysiac could fish out what appeared to be a box of crime novels, a toothbrush, and a photo. One good look at the photo revealed a familiar and grumpy Chupadore child holding a cat in his arms.

Seeing the black fur and yellow hair, Tysiac gave another look around before carefully resetting Chupadore Washington's poor choice of a bedroom to how it used to be. Better to not let him know someone found his... 'Room' and had been going through it.

Having a firmer control over his memories with that slight surprise, Tysiac left the closet quietly. Encountering one Chupa that looked exhausted, he asked where the med bay was. Finding out where Church was being held, Tysiac mentally braced himself as she was more than likely there.

His suspicion was confirmed, as he turned the corner and encountered both her and York, who had arrived just before him and were keeping the still unconscious Church company. The white Chupadore's appearance was much less animalistic and, as she performed a small check and opened one of his eyes, he no longer had the yellow coloring in his eyes, returning to a deep blue.

York's eyes locked onto Tysiac and gave a look of curiosity and slight worry. Tysiac merely shook his head and turned his attention to... Her...

She looked just as worried back when she found out that the military camp in Jericho VII was destroyed, and that Leonard was part of the evacuation... The same worried look appeared on her face as she sat down in a chair before realizing Tysiac was there.

She looked up and said, "There you are. Was wondering what happened to you."

"Needed a moment." Tysiac said as he came over and leaned against the counter that York was sitting on, "What happened to him? What was that aggression he had earlier? I heard something about a 'werewolf'."

She gave a sad sigh, "That's basically what happened. He turned into a Werewolf, and something from his friends triggered him into it."

Speaking of friends, Tysiac's motion tracker brought up an IFF as one yellow 'friendly' and an unknown. Turning towards the door and getting curious looks from the other two, Tysiac found the Chupadores Tucker and Washington show up. The former with a curious look as his eyes first found Church before registering everyone else.

The turquoise saw her and said, "You're Tex, right?"

She gave a nod and asked, "You're one of Church's friends?"

"Wouldn't exactly call us friends, but we've been looking for you."

She gave a questioning look, "For me?"

"Well, Church has. I mean, the rest of us were kinda along for the ride." Tucker explained as he gave a slight gesture towards the Chupadore woman, "You are his crazy ex-girlfriend, I take it?"

"That's... One way of putting it," she intoned, "Tell me... Did you know your friend here is the last Alpha?"

Apparently, this was the very first time she spoke about it, as even Wash and York looked at her in confusion. Wash was the one to speak up, "He can't be. All of Alpha Pack is..." Something seemed to cross him as his eyes turned towards York, who additionally looked away and almost seemed deflated and defeated before Wash continued softly, "Accounted for... I thought Alpha-XIII was a myth."

Her own expression softened as she shook her head, "No. It wasn't. Church is the last Alpha..."

"You knew this whole time, Tex?" Wash asked.

"Yeah. I knew all about it." She said before crossing her arms, "Could say it was my fault for it."

Both York and Wash looked at her incredulously while Tysiac listened intently to her words. Leaning forward, York asked, “It's your fault your ex-boyfriend was turned into a werewolf?”

"Wai-wait, wait, hold on." Tucker complained, "What's Alpha? Somebody mind explaining this werewolf shit to me?"

York put a claw to his chin as he thought about how best to explain the whole concept, with Tysiac waiting and his eyes flicking towards the recorder on his HUD, showing a minute of recorded footage. Finally having an idea, the Chupadore asked, "You ever heard of 'sleeper agents'?"

Tysiac was the first to answer, having a sneaking suspicion already forming in his mind, "Is that what it is? A sleeper agent program?"

Tucker, however, didn't seem to understand or have a clue, "You mean what those spy movies do?"

"In a way, for the both of you." York nodded, "The gist of sleeper agents is when a normal guy gets taken and either programmed or controlled into doing something, carries that out then wakes up and doesn't remember doing any of it. With me so far, kid?"

The turquoise Chupadore gave a huff as he complained, "Yeah, but I'm not a kid."

"Yeah, well, Project Werewolf is where ordinary soldiers get drafted into the Director's pet project. He'd use brainwashing, chemical treatments and turn them into monsters to set loose on a battlefield."

Tysiac raised an eyebrow as he asked to clarify, "By 'Director' you mean the-?"

"Director of the Freelancer Division, yeah." York nodded as more consideration came to Tysiac's mind, which aided in clearing out much of his memories from distracting him, as he could stand to glimpse her without grimacing.

Tucker was unhappy as ever about hearing the explanation, "And this entire thing seemed like a good fucking idea to him? Soup up a bunch of soldiers into crazy, bloodthirsty creatures he couldn't control?"

"The point of the project," Wash interjected, "Was creating werewolves they could control. Every soldier was programmed with a unique aural code that'll set em off and put them in a trance."

Not hearing the word correctly, Tucker was quick to give a cheeky grin, "Hella kinky, your Director."

"It's Aural, not oral," Both Tysiac and Tex corrected him, with her making a glimpse towards the Spartan. He avoided doing the same, not letting her eyes get the chance to do the same thing to him as York had before.

"Audio triggers, just about any kind of noise." Wash clarified for Tucker.

However, that didn't comfort the Chupadore in the slightest as he asked, "Wait, so that'd be like farm animals and shit?"

"Farm animals?" Tysiac asked, looking over to the still unconscious alien, "Is that what set Church off in the base?"

"Yeah!" Tucker said, snapping his claw at Tysiac, "Every time one of us talked about some animal like a chicken and made noises, Church was instantly on a rampage!"

Almost like clockwork, the word of the animal made Church give an instinctive, low rumble. Every Chupadore and Spartan quickly looked towards him as he began settling down and slumbered on.

York slowly explained, "Yeah, that sounds like we found his. But there's also another code that takes them out of the trance, otherwise they'd keep going 'till they pass out or die."

"What settled him the first time?" Tysiac asked, looking towards Tucker.

"Uhhh... OH!" Tucker exclaimed as he said, "Caboose had a bell on his collar, and every time it made a noise, it made Church un-werewolf!"

The other Freelancers looked towards Tucker again before York gave a sigh, "So now we know how to settle the guy and what sets him off."

"Can work around with that, though telling everyone else to not get eager with animals and animal noises is gonna be something." Wash replied, ignoring the immediate growling that Church unconciously made.

She had gone over to Church's side and stared almost longingly at the unconscious Chupadore, "I thought he was dead..."

"And I thought he didn't exist," Wash added, putting a hand on his hip, "Wasn't there only twelve in Alpha Pack?"

"The fuck is Alpha?" Tucker muttered.

"Alpha's the name of the first group in the Werewolf program. They were followed after by Beta Pack, Gamma Pack, Delta, and so on."

Tysiac's head slightly bumped up as he looked over to York, "That's why you asked about a mark or tattoo. My serial made you think there was an Epsilon Pack of these 'Werewolves'."

York snapped his claw tips at the Spartan as Wash continued, "Alpha Pack was considered... well, they were considered a failure. While they were a test group, the Director and Counselor wanted to see how far they could push the experiments. And... a lot of them didn't survive."

The yellow and shirtless Chupadore gave a sad nod and sigh, "It was brutal... The first four died from hypnotoxin, which their bodies couldn't handle. Three died in field testing, where they were thrown at a bunch of soldiers. Alpha-VI killed over a hundred before she finally died. But..." York seemed to almost deflate and shrink as he continued, "One thing for certain was that Alphas were the biggest and baddest mothers in the whole program. Director never made more werewolves the same after that."

"Couldn't afford to." Wash nodded, "Too risky of an investment and the House was stingy as hell about their sponsorships."

"All this." Tysiac criticized with a hand wave over Church, "For super soldiers? There's better fucking methods than playing games with hypnosis and brainwashing. I doubt even half of Project Werewolf would've passed by ONI."

All the Chupadores looked at him in curiosity as she asked, "ONI?"

"Office of Naval Intelligence. What I work at." Tysiac explained with another hand wave, this time across one side of his helmet, barely thinking of what he was revealing to the others, as their voices were too familiar and he was still in consideration over the whole Werewolf prospect, "We're also in charge of special projects, one of them being me and this armor. I can't tell you the details over any of it, but I'm confident in saying I'm twice the super soldier than this project seemed intent on making. And from the results of my fight with Church, this project wouldn't even find funding."

Tysiac fell deep in thought as he compared both this Werewolf Project with the Spartan Programs. The S-IIs would've easily laid waste on the entire project from Alpha to Delta. S-IIIs would've needed more numbers and equipment, but with some time it's doable. S-IVs.... They would've required more troops and equipment, maybe even a few vehicles and a strategy meeting. Losses would've been anticipated, but it was still doable.

What a waste of resources and manpower, Tysiac softly snorted, all that for turning soldiers into hypnotized animals with increased strength and durability. Parangosky would've skinned the Director alive if this had been suggested against the Covenant.

"So..." Tucker slowly asked, "What happened to the rest?"

Having attention brought back to the Project, while she gave a long look over towards Tysiac, Wash answered sadly, "They all died out in a year. Two in action, and the last three from the werewolf disease."

Tucker looked at Wash and repeated the words, making the male nod, "The hypnotoxin they used to turn people into werewolves is self-propagating. Once it's in your system, it'll replenish itself every time you fall out of the trance. Overtime, the toxin builds up until you get sick from it all."

Great. More likelihood Parangosky would've torn the fur out of the Director and turn into a fancy rug... That might actually work as a gift, if he could get the chance... It'd certainly make her day.

York picked up on explaining more, "It'll turn your fur white, make you sterile, all kinds of nasty things. Eventually," He gave a wave of his claw, "you just keel over, poisoned to death."

"And all that's gonna happen to Church?"

"It's already happening." Wash shook his head, "We've been looking long and hard for a way to neutralize the toxins, even reverse the effects while we're at it."

"Though never got our hands over an Alpha." York gave a thoughtful smile.

Wash turned to look at York incredulously, "You can't be thinking of recruiting this guy..."

"Why not?" York said, smiling, "We found an Alpha, we got him here and we know what sets him off and what turns him off, why's that not something to recruit and celebrate about?"

"We found the runt of the litter." She muttered sourly, her arms crossed as her eyes never left Church's body.

"So what?" He argued, "You saw what the 'runt' did. It took you and Tys to handle him. That's stronger than anyone we've recruited! It's the shot in the arm we might've needed." York did have a point, if one had asked Tysiac. Church was still here and registered as one of these 'Alphas'. Better to have one surviving runt than have none, or have a worse werewolf that could cause problems...

"Yes, but didn't you see how dangerous he is? We can't even control him!" Wash snapped, "That's what undid Alpha Pack in the first place! Somebody was killed here!"

"Would've had two somebodies." Tysiac added, "If I wasn't there." During his time alone and trying to avoid people, he overheard about that one Chupadore trying to find him to thank him.

She shook her head, "I just... still can't believe it. Getting assigned to Alpha Pack was a death sentence, even for the best conditioned soldiers... And Church..." She sulked and leaned over the bed railings to rest her head against her arms, "Church was the furthest from that. I don't even know how he survived. I was just told he was dead." Her voice softened and started bringing back memories from Tysiac as he tried to mentally not focus on any of it, "Like everyone else."

"Then..." Tysiac stated, hesitating as he had to fight off the instinct to put a hand on her shoulder, "Your Director lied. And your first mistake was believing him."

Wash shook his head gently, "It's not the first... All the more reason to keep the Movement going."

"Wait, wait." Tucker interjected as he asked, "You guys Freelancers or Movement? Juwo told us to go look for you guys."

"Matches what Tys said, then," York commented, "Would explain Andee snooping about." He shuffled around before explaining to the turquoise Chupadore, "We're pretty much both. Well, some of us are. When we found out what was happening to the packs, a few of us banded up and left. Some of us stayed though, but they're good people. They work out how to scout werewolves and tell us about 'em."

Tysiac looked over to York and, with some part of pride, he could lock eyes and not see Agent York's eyes, "How many of them are out there?"

York gave a shrug as he eyed Tysiac, "Hard to tell. Most of the failed test subjects were just tossed. Either put back in the regular army or just put down like dogs."

Wash gave another nod, "Part of the mission is recovering them."

"Y'mean recruiting them." Tucker objected.

"We try and rehabilitate any werewolves we find. If they want to help us in return, all the better."

"And if you can't? Or they don't want you to?"

Wash's eyes glared at the turquoise Chupadore as he nearly growled, "Not everybody gets what they want." Tysiac didn't need to look at Tucker to know that a little tidbit soured his perception on everything. It wasn't without good reason, however. Given the situation, if you hadn't joined or settled with the Movement, you were a liability who could betray the entire Movement to the 'House' or the Director. ONI had an efficient method of dealing with that problem, and hopefully the Movement had a similar stance. Otherwise, it might come down to him.

"Our recovery teams doing their best bringing them here alive. We just want to cure the disease and take the project out of commission..." Her voice faltered as she stood up, "Failing that..."

"We'll have more troops on our side." Wash finished, "Werewolves that'll turn against the Director, if we have to."

"So that's your goal?" Tysiac asked, "Just kill the Director?"

She gave a wince as Wash said, "Part of the mission. The Director gave us our start, but he's not the root of it all. In the long run, we're hoping to stop the war altogether."

One may as well have told Tucker he was being put in a dress, "You're going to stop a holy war?"

"Or die tryin'!" York said with a grin, "Well, hopefully less on the dying part."

"You fuckin' serious?" Tucker complained, "And what about the House? Pretty sure they're not gonna be happy with you guys doin' that!"

"The House of Omega is..." Wash started before giving a sigh, "We'll... get to them when we get there. For now, we're underground and under the radar. It's why you and your friends are in custody for now because we can't let anyone get outside and alert the army or the Director about us."

"So we're prisoners." Tucker nearly growled at the Freelancer until the sound of a claw slightly sharpening a knife came from her.

She gave him a sly but deadly look at him, "C'mon. Don't sound too ungrateful. Could always kill you all instead."

Tysiac gave a small chuckle at her threat, making her give a small pout at him as Tucker took that as a sign to leave and not ask anymore questions, to which York had commented that was a good call.

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.