Good luck...

'Move to the adjacent building.

Downstairs there is a team waiting for you and upstairs they have already entered your home.'

Mark listened to the voice coming from his phone, looking over the ledge of the building and saw some armed men taking formation and ready to storm up the building to look for him.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck…'

All that was going through his mind was getting as far away from those hunting him.

With no other option, Mark moved back and gave himself some space for a run up, before bolting hard for the ledge and vaulting himself over, flying through the air for a couple metres before he landed hard on the second floor of the adjacent building.

Mark barrel rolled on his landing and pushed himself forward to keep the momentum going in his legs so he wouldn't stop.

.

'Cut through the two buildings to your left and head down to the rail tracks, from there you will find a bike with the keys hidden under the seat…'

Mark had no option but to continue listening to the voice and sprinted down the narrow alley between the two buildings.

He could hear some yelling and sounds of a great deal of people shuffling tightly which alerted Mark that they weren't too far behind him.

Give it his all, Mark dashed down the alley and soon reached a steel mesh fence which block his access to the train tracks but in the corner of his eyes, he saw the dirt bike with a helmet to the side.

Not wanting to wait any longer for the people behind him to catch up, Mark ran over and quickly put on the helmet before search for the keys under the seat.

Just as he found the keys, the last message from the voice came through before the phone cut out.

'Get to the Fairmont on the Nile.

Somebody by the name of Brock will be waiting inside.

Good luck.'

.

Mark had no time to curse the caller or his luck and instead turned his bike on before heading to the small bridge up ahead which was built for people to use so they could cross over the tracks, but Mark decided to use it for his getaway.

Speeding down the narrow alley with the steel mesh fence to one side and housing blocks to his other, he heard some screams coming from behind before some gun shots.

Not wanting to be shot, Mark lifted the front of his bike and directly launched the bikes onto the stairs without having to stop first and continued to drive up and across over the bridge, creating further distance from those behind him.

While on the small, partially closed bridge, Mark was weaving in and out of the people that were going about their day, trying his best not to slow down, or hit anyone, but there were a handful of times the back wheel clipped someone.

There was no time to check and see if the people were ok as Mark continued to speed away through the crowds, eventually enough of a distance for him to finally make his way to the Fairmont hotel.

Though he didn't drive straight up to the front, he'd made enough noise with the bike to attract enough attention to him as he walked over from the side of the hotel, discarding the helmet and bike.

.

"I'm here to meet Brock…"

One of the staff members of the hotel led Mark towards the back of the hotel where the pool and open bar were located with some people spread out everywhere, either on the deckchairs, enough the sun and view of the River Nile, while some were enjoying the food and refreshments.

In the corner, a bit to the side of the pool, away from prying eyes, were some of the more exclusive members of the hotel enjoying their peaceful time to relax.

Mark was walking through the exclusive area, not overly caring about how those with wealth behaved.

Instead, what bothered him was the old man attempted to grope a young girl who was also relaxing in the exclusive area.

Before the old man's hand could even touch the young woman's buttocks, Mark had a tight grip on the old man's wrist, pulled him away from the lady and flipping him onto the floor with his arm on his back.

"Touch someone with your grubby hands, you sick fuck, and ill make sure to rip it off and shove it up your ass."

A loud snapping and crack sound could be heard echoing through the partially enclosed space, leaving the old mans screaming on the floor while he held his hand, and the others packing their things, leaving as fast as they could before they were next.

The staff member who'd brought Mark along to meet Brock and left him to attend the old man instead, making Mark wonder where to go next, however he didn't need to wait long to know where to go.

"Over here…"

Mark could make out a white man in the corner, sipping on his straw while he was reading a film in his hands.

Seeing a grown man drink from a straw made Mark want to 'educate' the man with his fists how someone should drink, but as he got closer, he finally made out the face that called him.

Someone he didn't wish to see again, even believing they were long dead, however here they were, sitting before him, drinking through a freaking straw…

.

"Still the darling hero of justice and good, aren't you…

Ahh… *sigh* It's been a long time… Captain…"

Just seeing the chilling smile from his old squad member who should have died long ago, made Mark tightened his fists, clenching them tight till they nearly went white.

"You should be dead Karl…

How are you even alive… and fucking healthy after that night!"

"Ohh Marky my Captain, did you really think all the years we were part of the Korps Commandotroepen for nothing…

It's just you weren't ever someone who could do what was necessary… back then anyway…"

.

Karl, a former member of Marks squad and most like his successor to leading the group when they were part of the Royal Netherlands Army and worked in the special forces, Korps Commandotroepen.

That all changed when they were sent alongside American, British, French, and Canadian special forces to attack Al-Qaeda once information reached a number of nations about an impending attack on their sovereign soil.

Problem was, everything was a ruse set up by Al-Qaeda leaders and instead they focused on creating an ambush within Afghanistan to attack the forces of the Allied nations.

During the attack, Marks squad was pinned down and taking heavy fire both the front and behind of their location within the caves of the mountains.

With ammo running low and the enemies getting closer, Mark planned to get his squad out and stay behind to attract the attention of the enemies, instead though, he was forced out with the rest of the squad as they elected Karl to stay behind to deal with the everything, being the luckiest out of them.

It was a joke that had run in the squad for years, since Karl could escape from any situation, so in the case of the attack going wrong, Karl decided to stay behind because he was the squad's lucky child.

Everyone laughed and let him stay back, though they all felt it would be the last time they saw their brother in arms.

.

"How did you get out Karl?"

"Sit down Cap, then I promise to tell you…"

Mark begrudgingly sat down, however Karl started to annoy him further when drinks and food started to appear before him.

"Enough!

Fucking hell, I went to your damn funeral!

Your mother, your father!

Ahh… fuck it, not like you care anyway, right Karl?"

There wasn't a smile or any hint of happiness on Marks face, instead he felt a little delighted in his heart seeing some guilt and worry in Karls eyes when he mentioned his parents.

They were an old couple that needed plenty of help and care, which was done mostly by the community of the town they lived in, but generosity doesn't last forever…

Karl knew that better than anyone, but it was too hard for him to go back and live a simple life by their side.

.

Ignoring Marks attempts to try and get him all riled up, Karl spoke about what happened that night and what came after for him.

"… *sigh* Well my luck practically had run out to tell you the truth.

I was shot and practically dying out, however… someone came and saved me.

When I passed out from blood loss and the serious injuries, most of my memories were gone and all that was around me was amazing landscapes and beautiful horizons, but I came to realise later that those who saved me… were those we thought our friends.

From the first day I awoke, I became Brock, another agent who worked for them… but with a little freedom that helped me eventually realise who I was…

Anyway, that's all in the past now… instead I'm here to talk about something important."

Mark wanted to ask about who those were to take Karl in the past, but the seriousness in Karls voice made him realise what he wanted to say wasn't something simple.

.

"Some of the crew from 'that' mission are being recruit…

No idea who is behind it, but one thing I can say is for sure.

'Buck' is somehow involved…"

Marks eyes were bulging from his head, unable to contain the fury he felt after hearing the codename of the bastard that sent him and his squad to that damn cave which nearly ended everything for him, even losing a dear friend for a long time…

"Do you have any idea-"

"Yeah… some of the old bastards from the KCT are thinking of joining.

Bucks been active recruiting, so much so that it's attracted the attention of many eyes wondering what he is up to."

"Then why have you come to find me?"

Mark knew he was an exceptional tracker and soldier who was unrivalled in his hay day, however the only person that could be considered even close enough to his level was sitting before him.

So, he had to wonder, why was Karl asking him to do this job.

"You're the best person, beside myself, for the job… also… find out who has recruited them."

"Then why not go by yourself if you think your just as good for the job…"

"Who said anything about you going alone in the first place Marky…"

Karl got up from his seat and handed over his phone and a file with all the mission information to Mark while he went off to find a waiter to come and serve the two of them another round.

…

..

.

֍ Back in the Spatial Ark Land ֍

.

..

…

"How far away until everything is complete?"

Esmond was relaxing in the cabin while snacking on some food he'd prepared while Carter was building the mainframe for the servers that would house EDI, but the way Carter explained it was the previous Artificial Intelligence had some changes made to it once it entered the space.

Problem was, Carter couldn't figure out what they were and whether they were actually helpful or not.

'Still some time away…

By the time your done with the meeting, everything should be ready…'

And with that, Esmond began to get ready for his meeting with his teacher and close family friend, Uncle James…

'Halo will just have to wait…'