Chapter Text
Jake tosses a ball up at the ceiling of his room, catching it as it falls to toss it back up again. Money is tight as fuck this week, and with few odd jobs available under the police radar close to the city he’s been actively looking for better employment. Thanks to one of his friends at the college, he may have found it too. He recalls the conversation with Coen a week ago about joining a special branch of agents that more personally handle the terrorism threats. Jake couldn’t have cared less since it had nothing to do with him, but the promise of medical care for himself, and his sickly mother changed his mind.
From where she worked for some shitty pharmaceutical company she ended up being exposed to a virus that takes time to manifest itself fully, and when it does it can kill you easily within a few years time. So far no luck on finding a cure since it adapts so quickly. His only option is to help pay for an expensive medication being made by some underground dealers, but the recent price hike has made it nearly impossible to afford them.
“So where do you go for the rest of the day anyways? I saw some kinda military helicopter pick a few of you up. Is the military nagging students to go after B.O.Ws now?”
“DSO needs agents on the field to get the job done against the bio -terrorism, tuition is fully paid, medical care for you, and family is covered too. Plus the pay isn’t too shabby either. I almost have enough saved up for a new car soon.”
“Seriously?”
“Yup, it's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Plus it's helping to keep me in great shape for when I go into the military full time. They’re a bit choosy on agents most people are lucky if they even glance at your application for more than a few seconds. The DSO are usually sent after targets of interest so its deadlier than joining a group like the BSAA especially with fewer numbers.”
“Out of curiosity, how does one sign up for this?”
“Don't tell me you're actually considering. Your mom will kill you. What about your football scholarships?”
“Yeah, well I won't have a Ma much longer if I can't find a way to afford her medicine. Fuck the sport honestly, only reason I even did it was to give my mom a little hope that I won’t end up like my dead beat father with some kinda hobby.”
“No worries, I’ll put in a good word for ya, just go to the library, and enter your info on this website.”
“Thanks, I’ll get it done now since I have free time.”
“Another thing, major Krauser is a huge asshole, expect the worst if you even get as far as to meeting him.”
Jake catches the ball one final time, and checks his mobile phone emails scrolling through the spam to find nothing. He was starting to lose faith these people would ever get back to him. Sure he’s not the hero type like they want he bets, but he’s quite strong. In fact, Jake has beat even the wrestling coach more than once in hand to hand. His strength alone is almost inhuman compared to most people. His mother just calls it good genes, but Jake isn’t so sure.
Coughing coming from the next room over fills his heart with dread, despite being on deaths door his mother never would put a cigarette down. He has to do something now, today. Maybe he could sneak on the helicopter, and throw a few punches at this major Billy always complains about to prove his worth. As his alarm next to his bed goes off, Jake gets up to grab his things, along with his personal handgun just in case.
“I’m heading out Ma, are you taking today off?”
“Hell no, I have to work a double today so I won’t be home until midnight,” A rough voice says through coughs on the other side of the door. Jake clenches his fist slightly at that. The damn pharmacy really is trying to work her into a early grave.
“I know I can’t talk you out of it, but things are going to change soon, I promise.” Jake says softly. “Just hang on a little longer for me yeah?”
“You better get going before you’re late again, stop acting like I have a foot in the grave.”
Jake chuckles, and shakes his head at that. She almost has both feet in the grave at this point. At least her working at an office like place would get her out of the heat since the air conditioner in this dumps been broken all summer. Next month would be the start of fall, so he won’t have to worry too much about the heat making her sick when she is home at least.
The drive to campus was peaceful for the most part. Dark clouds looming above threatened to down pour at any given moment, but the one in charge up stairs must have cut him a break this morning. Driving a motorcycle in the rain is doable, but for his old faithful it required extra caution with the breaks. He doesn’t hesitate to park under the only available spot under the canopy, and locks his helmet to the bike seat to grab his bag.
Jake feels the cold drips of rain atop his head as the rain finally starts, his walk to the door turning into a jog before his favorite jacket gets soaked. As his hand touches the door, the sirens of an ambulance speeding down the highway grabs his attention momentarily, the sounds fading as the lights soon disappear down the road. Jake shakes the thoughts of that being his mothers fate too soon if he can’t afford her medicine.
As Jake enters the building, he already spots Billy in his usual uniform likely heading off to the training facility. Jake hurries his pace to catch up to him, and places a firm hand on his shorter friends shoulder to slow him down a little to talk.
“Damn dude loosen the grip a bit,” Billy complains.
“Is your instructor around today? Thats where you’re going now aren’t you?”
“Yeah, Krauser usually doesn’t pick us up. Everyone just meets at the locations to be flown over past the mountains.”
“Well, I’m coming with ya,” Jake says putting his arm over Billy’s shoulders to weigh down his pacing again.
“No way, if you didn’t get accepted they’ll just kick you off!”
“Well see, I did bring a little something to convince them to let me stay,” Jake says confidently patting his pocket.
“Are you out of your mind? You’ve really lost it if you think threatening them is going to get you what you want. These people aren’t normal in fact I’m halfway convinced some of them may be experiments created by the government.”
“Nothing about me is normal either, I’ll take my chances. She’s getting worse, I have less than two weeks to buy her next round of medication. She’s stretching it thin right now.”
“Fine, I’ll help sneak you on just don’t do anything stupid to get us killed.”
Billy sighs pushing Jake’s arm off his shoulder, his pace picks back up as he heads to the north side of the campus to the larger parking area usually used by aviation students. Jake follows after him, hoping his plan works, otherwise he may end up in a jail cell instead of on a flight to a new career path. Luckily most people in the hallway moved out of their way as the two hurried across campus. Jake towers over everyone, and nobody was stupid enough to get in his way for the most part.
“Be cool, let me do the talking,” Billy whispers.
The two exit the glass doors looking out to see a man smoking in the rain by what Jake recognized as a huey helicopter. The same thing thats been picking up Billy the past few times he spotted them leaving. He follows behind Billy who leads the way, and the man smoking puts it out right away, and holds a rather large rifle close to himself spotting Jake right away as the two approach.
“No stragglers, you need to get back within the confides of the campus sir.”
“He’s with me, new guy lacking any brain cells that don’t involve not using his fists. He will have the proper badge next time around.”
“Sorry, its a badge, or no ride.”
“Look, Krauser chose him as an agent, I think for the sake of not pissing off that nut job by making you call to verify it would be better for all of us. Unless of course, you want to interrupt Krauser when he’s busy.”
The man waves off Billy, and unlocks the back opening of the helicopter motioning for them to get inside. Jake smirks a little, this guy must be a real pain in the behind if they would rather not deal with him. He follows after Billy, and sits across from him dropping his bag to the floor to put the seatbelts on.
“I would rather stick my head in a blender than deal with him, you just get that damn paperwork done so I don’t lose my job kid.”
“He will, thats a promise.”
“Yeah, thanks old man I’ll take a pretty photo for you to look at for next time.”
The man scoffs, and flips a bunch of switches at the top of a panel above him in the pilots seat. Jake relaxes against the uncomfortable chairs as the helicopter begins to take off with the two of them. It was a bit odd how it is just the two of them. Jake could have sworn a few other students accompanied Billy before this.
“Where’s the rest of the party? They call it quits?”
“No, they were killed during a raid, both of them.”
“Raid?”
“They got cocky, and disobeyed orders entering a small umbrella lab not far from here. Some nasty creatures got unleashed that ripped them apart. The bullet proof vests did nothing against whatever got them.”
“A vest stops bullets, not from monsters ripping your head out of them. Sounds like they died being stupid then,” Jake comments.
“Basically, B.O.Ws are nothing to snuff at. I’ve only been doing this for four months now and I got to see a nasty one. Luckily the sniper in our party got it before it got me.”
“I don’t plan to go down easily, I’ve had my fair share of nasty fights,” Jake waves off confidently.
“A human is one thing, these infected monsters are an entirely different story Jake. You’ll see assuming Krauser doesn’t kill you when he shows up.”
“What about the others? Anyone I should watch out for?”
“As in not to piss off besides the major? Everyone kinda has a circle they belong to, but everyone gets along for the most part. You get trained in close combat, medical, all that fun stuff. I’ve never had an issue with anyone there, but I also keep my mouth shut unlike you.”
“Fair enough,” Jake says leaning against the window to look out of it as rain pelts the glass. The world looks so small from up here, a bit scary to think about if a terrorist organization shot a missile at them right now he could easily plunge to his death if the missile didn’t kill him first. Of course, Jake Muller doesn’t die that easily. He knows it, the enemies he’s made knows it too. Jake half listens as Billy starts talking about the various members of the organization. His ears only picking up keywords, and a few names since most of the information is useless to him.
Oh well, he isn’t doing this to get buddy buddy with people. He’s here to kick some ass, and get paid hopefully well while doing it.