One winged hope

Private Zackary "Zak" Griffin a former member of a assult recon unit is sitting in a diimmly lit conference room observing the new mechanical mech limb A-3000 or as he knows it his right forearm and hand. He watched as the titanium steel alloy components of his arm moved almost as fluently as his once present muscles and tissue. He turned his arm to see the symbol, that has become burned into his memory. The symbol for his new military carreer a shield with a regular angle wing going one way and a robotic one going the other. Over the shield right through the middle of it a sword. And above all that a halo of fire is prominently shown.

He sat there observing it remembering the insident that put him in the position he is in being recuited into the O.W.A.. A organisation he knew about before it became as successful as it has. Remembering his fathers words as he spoke to him about the beginning of the O.W.A.. "This all started when this engineering Marine lost a limb during a mission... I think his name was if I recall from the news... His name was George F. Link." Zak shifted in his seat uncorfortably remembering the exact details as his father told him. "A scar ran from the middle of his forhead though his left eye and below his jaw. The scar was not clean by the look it was jagged and gnarly looking like something out of a horror movie. He was bald the only hair he had was grizzly like a survivalist on his face. He was built like a brick shit house. His biceps were at least 7 inches. Lookin' like Arnold from Terminator. A tattoo of his patrols nickname the One Winged Angels across his right bicep."

Zak remembered the rest very quickly how George soon after his injury was cast out of the military. George outraged that his Sergent First Class standing ment nothing to them and that his injury was too severe for them to allow him to continue his carreer. Then again that is what happens when you lose your left arm. A humvee an estimated 5 to 6 thousand pounds crush your arm right off, but he refused to give up. Using his engineering expertise and funding from a close friend of his he began work into advanced mechanical limb replacements. After 10 years of trial and error he created his first working mech replacement. The mech limb A-100 named that due to it failling 99 times before. Things all go down hill from there ,from legs to arms and even internal limbs like: lungs, hearts, liver you name it he probably made a mech version of it. That's when things got really interesting because the military just about did everything imaginable to acquire these "weapons".

   The world was afraid at first sight of these mech/man soldiers that became like gods to this world, and as time went by and life's we're saved they got pretty popular with the civis. They we're and still are talked about all over the world. I said it once and I'll say it again treated like gods, and they sure are close to a god if I've ever seen one. Now look at him soon going to be one of them. Zak snapped out of it as the general walked in, his face showed old age and his uniform had various types of metals and stars on his shoulders.

He looked at Zak and said " so...your the new blood to the O.W.A. hm?" Zak looked at his eyes, those brown eyes seemed to be glazed red with the blood of enemies and the blood of fallen allies.

Zak replied"Yes captain. My name i-"

   The general interrupted Zak "You can save it Private Zak, I've seen you files." He picked up said files and throwed them on the table. Zak saw his face, the brown hair and blue eyes that were once pure...but now had seen war and death for the last three years. His pale white skin seem to be out of place with the rest of him. The general continued "Your a rifleist with a excellent accuracy rate with assult riffles and hand guns, is this right Private Zak?"

"Sir yes sir." Zak said

   The general smiled "Well you'll do fine is the new division then. I have assigned you to the O.W.A. because you have talent and skill worthy of saving. So that your light doesn't burn out...like mine did." The old man looked sad only for a moment before snapping out of it.

   Zak payed no attention to this, every soldier has dead people they drag behind. Their bodies and memories like thick chains attatched to heavy weights...Zak was lucky enough that he didn't have to deal with this crushing burden....yet. "General? What are my orders?"

   The general turned away from him, searching for a file then turning around and putting it on the table. It was quite an impressive file at that at least seven or eight inches thick. "What I want you to do is read over these files, Private. That way you can meet your new..."family." The general put little air quotes and a little luster with that word. "Everything about them that's on your pay role is readable on there. I want you to get nice and comfortable with them, sence their going to your new 'family' for quit some time."  Yet again with the emphasis.

   "So your saying they might have a welcome party for me sir?" The general laughed and told him that wasn't a option. Soon after that Zak was getting up from the chair. He herd the general clear his throat and speak.

   He looked at him with eyes serious, "Private, good luck." As he finish he got up and shakes his hand. Zak smiled as he griped the general's hand, ready for this 'New Way' of combat.

   Zak walked out the office and into the hallway that lead to the main lands of the military compound. The thick file under his arm as he made his way to his bunks and grabbed his stuff. As he proceeded to acquire his gear he herd a engine of what sounded like a helicopter outside. Sure enough  he has right. Right outside he saw a greyjacket helicopter, much like a black hawk but with a slightly thicker tail and grey metel instead of the trademark black of a hawk good to know I don't have to hich hike it Zak smiled as he borded the familiar machine for he had ride in these many times before. As the copper pilot flipped a few switches and pushed a few buttons to get the greyjacket ready for takeoff Zak pulled out the files book now lets look at my new...family he laughed at this thought. As he opened it he saw that there was five files, each with it's own label and class...he knew about this, the O.W.A. did this so that the soldiers were evenly balanced in all aspects. The same strategic usages as in any fight, if there arised a situation one type couldn't get through. It would be simply solved by another class of elite soldiers. There were six as far as he remembered, the gunner, the assult, the scout, the infiltration, the captain and medic. These classes supported each other and filled out there weaknesses. Although they tend to get on each other's nerves.

   Zak opened up the medic class gift sence this person was most likely going to save his ass more then once. The medic was a brown haired green eyes man, with a clean shaven face. He had a small scare on his left cheak that seemed to go for five inches. well you look like fun. He thought Ashe read the medic psychology report, he was a little obsessed with spicy food but other than that...me was a OK guy, at least Zak though he was ok.

   Next was the infiltrator, and Zak had to admit... She was beautiful. Her hair was long and blond, and her eyes like sapphire they were so blue. She seemed alright in the head to...just shy is all. It also seemed she was a trained sniper, her skills at the top of her class. She sure is impressive, 550 yard head shots are not easy. she also had a small scare on her forehead but nothing noticeable.

   After that he looked at the Scout's file, he was slim with lean muscle. He had brown eyes and dirty blond hair, that was short. His psychology report said he had a very laid back joking personality. His skill in explosive weapons was also incredible. So will just let anyone hold a grenade now adays....greaaaat. Zak though as the mental image of this young man holding any explosive devices made him cringe.

   There was no assault file....so he assumed he was going to fill that role. Makes sence...but why me? I'm not exactly front lines material, what with this ONE mech arm. The assult class was ment to do one thing, charge in and do some damage. The only problem being that they were usually light in mech apartment. Why? Zak had no idea his limited knowledge on them as far as why was...lacking.

   Now for the captain, he was a median build and had light blue eyes that were very...well leader like. Zak took note that he had no scared tissue and had dark brown hair with a beard. Well you definitely look like a leader. At least from your picture. Zak looked at his psychology report and saw that he was top of his class in strategic planning. Also seemed that keeping the team together was at the top of his priority list as well. At least he knows what to do first...good man. Zak though as he looked at his records, he felt fine serving under this captain.

   Finally came the gunner, the largest of the mech soldiers. If the picture was anything to go by. His neck was thick and his face was wide. He had a large scare from the middle of his forehead to his left ear that went around his head. His eyes were a dark brown, and his hair a deep black. His psychology report said that he had real bad mute but did talk...rarely through. Big strong silent type...I can live with that. Zak thought as he saw his specialty was heavy weapons and jugernot war fair.

  Zak was startled as the greyjacket landed with a slight thoud. The pilot turned around and told Zak that they had arrived at his destination, the complex was, to say the least...A shit box. It was just a little shack nothing more, he turned around to see the greyjacket fly off... Greaaaat, just what I needed stranded in th-

   "Hey! Come over here you big dume ass." Zak turned around to see the scout standing there, a smile on his face.

   Zak walk towards him "Are you the scout? With the O.W.A tanswered suppose to meet?" As he approach him he noticed he had a cap on and standard military wear...but it had a different look to it. It was camo but black and grey...like winter camp but lacking any white.

   The scout smiled, "Well who the hell else am I waiting for in the middle of this god forsaken place?"  He laughed as he shook Zak's hand and told him to follow.

   As Zak followed, he noticed that scout went around to the back and of the shit shack. "Hey what you doing back there?" The scout answered "hold on damn it! I just...got...to- ah! There it is." As soon as he said this the shack folded down. To reveille a small elevator with a control panel on it, scout walked on, "So, ya gonna get on? Or do you want to take the stairs?" He said as he leaned on the side of the elevator. Zak looked at the recently discovered elevator... and didn't want to see where these steps were. As he walked to the elevator he noticed that it was quite old, and really scratchy.

  The scout noticed his eyes, "oh don't worry. Old reliance here has seen it's fair share of use...and if it can carry fat ass, it can sure as hell carry you." He said still leaning on it, Zak hoped he was rig- wait a minute.

   "Who's fat ass?" Zak asked as he stepped into the elevator.

   "Oh that's just my Nick name for Tank. Trust me when you see him, you'll know what I mean." The scout pressed a button and down they went. Deep into the earth they went, Zak saw the earth go from ground and mineral to rock.

  "I never asked your name." Zak heard scout say as the elevator descended.

   "My name is Zak." He said as he leaned on the opposite side of the elevator.

   The scout smiked, "Nice to meet ya, names John but call me Recon." He said as he smiled.

  Zak looked confused "Why not John? Why should I call you Recon?"

  Recon smiled as he looked at Zak "well we all get cool code names, you know like..." Reckon thought for a bit "like thorn, or breaker. Little nick names, that are easier the remembering then are real names. I assume you'll get your own later."

  Zak thought about this "so like...for your own protections?"

  Recon laughed, "yeah" he whipped a fake tear from his face "our own 'protections'" he laughed some more.

  Zak again looked confused "what do mean...'protections' aren't you all like...safe?"

  Recon looked at him "look... When your fighting what we fight, your never really safe. Your always in danger but..." Reckon broke into a huge smile. "I love my job, ha ha! If I had to pick between this and fucking anything else, I'd pick this. It still dangerous as fuck yeah, but it's better compared to like being a accountant or a fucking paper pusher."

  Zak agreed to that, he hated being a wossy, he cared more for a good fight than paper work. "So what happened?"

  Recon looked at Zak "what do you mean?"

  Zak referenced to his forearm "what...happened?"

  "Oh...well" he scratched the back of his head. "Ya see I was fighting in Afghanistan and ah old mine from the terrorist days goes of BOOM! and I loss both my legs from the knees down." He lifted his pants legs to reveille the titanium plates and artificial knees that were now his leg, they were seem less and looked like regular legs just made of metel. No other differences then what they were made of.

  Zak looked at the legs till he put the pants leg back down. Recon smiled "ya see, I've been in here for two years now. I've had the pleasure of meeting all of these guys for the first time and getting my new legs. If it wasn't for the One Winged Angles... I don't know where I'd be right now." He looked down but soon smiled "hey were almost there, grab your stuff and get ready...your about to have one hell of a bad case of D.J." he laughed.

   Zak looked at Recon "what do you mean D....J...." His jaw dropped open as the elevator came came to a end of rock on one side. Only to open up to to a entire underground civilization...but there was no civis just soldiers. Along with all kind of vehicles and test sites. Some were trying out new mech limbs and others were...wearing exo suits?

   Zak looked over to Recon and asked "why are they still using exo suits, aren't the mech limbs enough?" Zak turned back to the view and watched as they pushed heavy carts, jumped almost 50ft and ran around a quarter mile in repeat successions.

  Recon watched with Zak as he spoke "ya see, the mech limbs do give us a certain advanced physical trait but only to one part of our bodies." The elevator hit the bottom and then Recon walked out followed by Zak. "The exo suits are our little boost, mostly for lack of being completely made of metel and not being super human. We have to fight machines on a daily basis with no hope of going up against them with just are mech limbs." Zak thought about that makes sence I mean...I don't think this *one*mech forearm . As Zak and Recon moved through the busy sections Zak noticed that there were way more verity as far as exo suits went. Some were thicker the assult class, some were thin others were thick in some places and thin in others. All he could do was watch as they all did different things.

   "Pretty amazing right? I've only been here two years but the O.W.A. have been here for only thirty and look how far they've come." Recon gestured to the whole entity of the underground army. As they walked around Zak noticed shooting ranges and even bomb testing areas. Though Zak didn't see it, he could definitely hear it. After a twenty minute walk and a lot of talking from Recon, they finally made it to a bunker and Recon entered. As Zak looked up he saw a number a dash then another number. 1-1 The Fire Halos, was what he read as he made his was way inside.

   The building was messy to say the least, there was a ceiling fan going but that didn't stop the heat from making Zak sweat. Recon beckoned him in from a side room and told him to follow. Zak walked over there trying to keep from falling or tripping on anything. Zak made it to the room, only to see the individuals he was reading about in the files to be there...well almost all of them the captain and the gunner were absent.

  "This is the team, hey guys! The new guys hear!" They all looked at Zak, and he couldn't of fealt more out of place but...he noticed that the infiltrator had lost one of her deep blue eyes. It was instead a red glass eye or something of the like, her eye socket was rimed with metel not replaced but rimed. She was also missing a arm all the way to the shoulder, she was cleaning what looked to be a sniper rifle...but he had never seen one quit like it. Seemed to look like a DSR50 but it had modifications made to it, the barrel was thicker and the caliber seemed larger if the slightly larger hole was anything to go by. It had a slightly wider stock then usual along with a strange scope that had all kinds of gadgets on it. As she polished the barrel she glanced at him with he other eye...it was still deep blue just like her picture but her hair was cut. Most likely for safety reasons. He was startled when the medic wraped a arm around his neck.

   "Welcome young blood! Hope you enjoy it here, I was just cooking some good old military grub. Would you like some?" His voice was loud and smelled of hot sauce but Zak replied "well if there's enou-"

  "Of course! there's no reason to threat like that, just sit down and it'll come back with some food for ya." He walked out and Zak looked around. The room was decent in size and so was the table, as he looked around Recon decided to sit next to him. "So...how do you like it here hm? Doing alright I hope."

   Zak nodded "yeah it's alright a little...well never mind." Recon looked at him with a quizzical look "ah little...what?" He nudged him a few times "you holding back or something rookie?"

  "No no just...I thought that well...I thought you guys should all be..."

   "Antisocial." Recon leaned back "yeah well we're not like that...at least not all of us."

   "What do you mean?" Asked Zak

   "Well remember when I mentioned fat ass up there? Well he's...antisocial to the max I mean he's one loyal bastard but...he has something, something he's not telling use. I just wish the big guy could find someone to confide in, ya know?" Recon looked distraught as he looked around, only to smile as he looked towards the entrance. Zak turned around only to find the other remaining two soldiers from the files looking at him.

   "Hey Boss! This is the new guy I thought it be a good idea to come introduce him to the team." Recon said while wrapping a arm around Zak's shoulder. Zak looked at the two men, it was painfully obvious who was who. The gunner stood at least 6 ft 10inches and was built, not huge but he sure as hell wasn't gonna start a fight with him. His military outfit was the same as the rest of there's but his had it's arms torn off, fully displaying his mech arm and mech forearm. His left forearm has gone and by the mech foot on the left leg he seemed to be missing a leg or foot. His eyes were fine same dark brown, and his hair still deep black but...ah part of his neck was missing replaced by mech metel. Did he lose more then just his arm for it was that part that was missing, the one related to the mech arm. Who did he live through that?

   The captain had a missing hand...or part of a missing hand. His right hand was missing the top half and his thumb, pointed, and middle finger. His right foot was also mech so again must be missing it or the whole thing. He's hair was...gone and all that remained was a thick beard. His eyes were powder blue just like the picture, but they held more then just pain like all soldiers his held a sort of hope...like a true leader should. "So...your our assult class hmm?" The captain's voice was sterm but honest, smooth but a little rough at the same time...it reminded Zak of HIS father when he was young.

  "Sir yes sir!" Zak answered, only for the captain and Recon to both burst out laughing. The captain walked over to Zak and put a hand on his shoulder, now that it was not occupied by Recon's arm.

  "Look here rookie, I appreciate the sentiment but...were not like that here. We're family and when it comes to familys we look after each other, as far as I'm concerned your like my brother." The captain grabbed his hand and through it to the sky. "We're all brothers and sisters to the end and we fight even in death!" His voice was full of power and raised Zak's spirit high! The whole bunker raised there voice high with a mighty "HORAH!" that filled the home with morale. He swore he even herd the infiltrator speak in a soft but equally up lifted voice.

  Zak's hand was freed and they all sat down as the medic came from the kitchen and set out the food. Through the dinning Zak had a conversation with the captain, Recon and the medic. He learned that there names or code names were Boss, Laz, the gunner was Tank and the infiltrator was known as Shadow. He was introduced to them all only for Shadow to just look down and for Tank to ignore him. Once dinner was done Zak was shown to his room by Boss, and left to settle him settle in. As Zak looked around there wasn't much just a small dresser and a bed that looked like hell. He laid down not caring enough to take off his clothes and fell asleep. The last thought he had was I wonder what's gonna happen tomorrow?