Asterisk
Cinder
Hello all, Asterisk here coming back from a very long time away from this site.
I've been roleplaying for a very long time. Maybe around 6-7ish years to date?
I'm relatively quick in my responses; however, academia rules my life with a very short leash. While I try to respond in a timely fashion, I do have bouts of disappearances. I'll try to give a heads up, but that's not always possible. Fair warning!
November 30, 1945
Washington D.C
Langley, Virginia
It wasn’t more than a few minutes before a car almost flattened Adrian. It was a darkened sky tonight. The wind was on the rise carrying the distant sounds of fighters from the American Air Force. Dressed neatly in a gentleman’s business suit, the world — for now — was unaware of the deed performed in this country’s most secure location. The director was dead. Or he would be soon. Adrian had seen to it. Like a true Zero, he left not a trace. Insidium Colakris would see to it.
In its true form, insidum colakris was nothing more than a harmless plant. Gods, even children could smell its sweet fragrance. However, the true poison was the nectar. Process that enough and you ended with the poison. It would burn the insides of the taker. It truly was crueler than the Intelligence Director deserved, but Adrian had no time to be picky. He had spent enough time studying the man. His deadline was tonight.
Rumors circulated of the Wehrmacht’s mobilization. Schneider, another Zero operating within Adrian’s parameter location, had passed it along. After the spill from last week, he managed to fix the damn radio. If the rumors were true, it would be any day now. The prospect was exciting and terrifying all at once.
“Jonathan!” That was Adrian’s alias. The act was nothing new. He had spent his entire life living an intricate lie crafted by those he didn’t know. “Got a moment?”
“What can I do for you David?” The man with neatly cropped brown hair was a jew. Funny how they were so free about it here. Back in the Fatherland, their kind had been expunged. They were a taint. Nothing more. “I do have arrangeme—“
“Just a moment.” Adrian assented as he stood to the side watching David shuffle through a folder. “Something interesting was intercepted. Since you’re part of the comm — here, we are. Have a look.”
“Misinformation,” Adrian said. It took him no time to preview the document. It concerned the invasion, and it was almost accurate from what he knew. “It’s the damn Imperials trying to confuse us. Throw us in a loop, no?”
“That’s what I thought at first,” David said. “But if we look at other messages intercepted, this is entirely ne—“
Both men looked away as a steam powered trolley moved on by. The steam — as poisonous as the smoke of coal — blew in their direction as both men covered their faces.
“We. Really need to get those things off the street!” David pawed the empty air. “Can’t figure out how the Nazis did it. Master steam. Clockwork works just as well. Back to the subject. We ca—“
David’s voice trailed off as the ground shook. Both men stood stock still as everything quieted. Blissful seconds before the madness. Adrian knew it far too well. An alarm began to wail from afar as it grew louder than quieter. It continued to repeat the pattern.
“Oh my god.” David pointed as he saw silhouettes full through the clouds. “The AAF isn’t … oh god, is this a joke?”
Adrian looked up as his heart leapt. Amongst the clouds, instead of the Allied star imprinted on the aircrafts above, it was the Eagle, spreading its wings in majestic glory. Transports rushed past them as the soldiers on board checked their rifles and the gears within each.
A soldier sitting on the end looked up and stared in Adrian’s direction. He knew not if it was directly at him, for the steam mask blocked the man’s face.
“Jonathan, we need to get back to Langley!”
Distant explosions rocked the ground as the booms echoed across the city. Gunfire and armor added into the destructive orchestra soon enough. His assignment had been completed right on time. “Come on then.”
As he followed David back, Adrian tried to mask his smile. Now the true assignment began. Cripple the machine by removing its key parts. That, was what he excelled at.
—
Kline stood within the makeshift command center housed aboard the central carrier. The place was doused in perpetual activity. Reports came in by the second as vox-chatter filled the large yet seemingly tiny space. “Leutnant, order the 4th Legion to push into sector 3 upon their landing.”
“Yes Mein Herr.”
“Gatz!”
“Oberst Kline?”
“What is the American’s state of response. Have we broke into their communications?”
Gatz, who was standing at the opposite end of the table, smiled. “Better than that. We’ve got a mole, Conrad.”
Kline’s, even with all the chaos happening around him, rose an eyebrow. “How? Who?”
“Here’s the ID.”
After reading the initial lettered sequence, Kline knew who the mole was. Those damn bastards.
“Coordinate with the asset on an independent radio. Set it up,” he said as he looked at the map again. Kline was with the 4th invasion fleet, which was meeting heavy resistance from the Americans. He expected no less. Washington D.C, the symbol of America, would no doubt be fortified. “Concentrate bombardment on the reported artillery positions.”
“Auxiliary Corps are reporting some gear malfunction, mein herr,” reported an officer. “They’re replacing the gears now. Thirty minutes.”
“Too long. Tell them to fix it immediately! We need those cannons!”
“Radioing them now!”
—
David was lying in a puddle of his own blood. Adrian heard his gurgled gasps for air as he chocked on the red water of life. It was kinder than the damn jew deserved. Admittedly, he had grown close to the man. In fact, it was his daughter’s birthday today. It was too bad David had to stop him today. If he hadn’t, he may still be alive.
Listening into the American Emergency Response Force, Adrian was able to ascertain where the invasion was taking place. Once he felt confident he understood the scenario, he began to transmit to the frequency he had been told prior to his departure. Taking the head piece, Adrian put them on when he was sure he was alone.
“Dark is the night,” he said in native german. He released the radio’s control and waited.
“Dawn with the Eagle’s flight,” came a crisp response in his mother tongue. “Well met, Zero. Situation?”
“Awaiting directives.”
“Understood. Stand by.”
If interested post here or send me a PM. Whichever way is fine. I'll update this thread accordingly!
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