Now that I have my armor on, I'm heading for the training floor. It's time to show them what I'm worth. I guess that means beating South. Wait, I'm about to fight South. How is this a good idea? I can't go back now, or South will get her way.

I step onto the floor, and South is on the other side. Damn, she looks really mad! Alright Xi, I guess this is it.

I'm ready, let's do this

The others are on the observation deck. North calls out over the speakers.

"Alright, it's free for all a combination of paint, and basically anything else. Please don't kill each other."

"Oh don't worry about me North." I hear South say.

Stone pillars slide up from the floor, blocking my vision of South. Okay, this is fucking scary as shit.

Tracking her a few rows to your left

Thanks Xi. I slowly move left, my paint pistol raised. She jumps out in front of me, and fires. I dive behind I pillar before the first shot even gets close. I'm going to say that was the hydraulics in my armor that let me move that fast.

I roll out from behind cover, but I can't see her. Xi, any hints?

Try your right, two rows down.

I walk that way, waiting for South. I don't see anything, but this is where-

Watch your six!

I drop to the floor, as three paint shots wiz over my head. They are followed by a loud curse from South. Rolling onto my back, I jump onto my feet. She is gone again. I keep moving forward, hopefully she is still close.

I round a pillar and look for any signs of her. She has to be here somewhere, right? I hear two more shots, as I hit the floor again. I can see her, running to my left. Using my leg hydraulics, I jump up and I'm instantly running at her.

She keeps firing at me, but I zig zag faster than she can aim, so each shot misses. I get in close, and grab the hand holding the pistol. I twist downward, forcing her to drop it. She tries to punch with her opposite hand, but I catch it in the air.

Using the momentum of having both of her fists locked, I drive her back ward. She slams against a pillar, before kicking me in gut. I stumble back, letting go of her hands. She recovers quickly, and charges at me.

I dodge punches, and block her kicks. She can't touch me. I have to say, I'm really liking this hydraulic system!

I land a jab to her visor, putting all of my force behind it. Her head snaps back, and she leans on a nearby pillar. I go to land I strong hook to her helmet, but my left arm won't move. Xi what's going on?!

Hydraulics malfunction, it's locked your arm up.

Can you fix it?

Not here, no.

Damnit!

Watch her!

In my conversation with Xi, I wasn't paying attention to South. She lunged at me, but I duck under her arm. I can see a glint of steel as her passes over my head. She has a combat knife?!

It looks like it. You pissed South off, what did you expect?

I jump back, as she swings the knife again. I keep dodging the sharp blade, until I manage to get to where I dropped my pistol.

South slices at me, but I back step. I keep doing this, until I'm close enough to the pistol to grab it. She stabs again, but this time I jump sideways. Expecting me to go back again, South stumbles forward. I try to grab the pistol, but my hand locks up before I can grab it.

Hand has been locked up

Thanks Xi, I can see that! South turns around, and charges at me again. I try to kick her before she gets close. My foot connects to her abdomen, and hard. She falls back, and lands on the ground. Xi any luck with my arm?

I'm trying, but no!

South gets up quickly, and comes after me again. She tries to thrust the knife into my chest, but using my unlocked arm, I bat her hand sideways, and the knife clatters across the floor. South punches me in the visor, causing me to go back.

She continues landing punch after punch. She gets me against a wall, and just unloads it. I can feel each fist connecting with my helmet, chest and stomach. She backs up, and I fall to the floor, out of breath.

Using my good arm, I push myself back onto my feet.

"Want some more?" South asks, before charging again.

Wait, I still have power in my legs! I kick forward, using the hydraulic power, and it connects with South's chest. She stumbles back, and I advance. I throw punches with my one arm, aiming for her visor. I land multiple hits, before she sweeps my legs out from under me.

I hit the ground, lying on my back. I push myself into a sitting position, but South sends her knee under my chin, knocking me back again. I look up, and can see South pointing her pistol at me. She fires, but I roll sideways.

She keeps firing, but I keep rolling. Eventually, I'm able to get back on my feet. But as soon as I do, South nails my left leg with a paint shot. I hobble behind I pillar for cover, before thinking of a plan. Aw shit, South's pistol is against my head. I hear a dark laugh, before she pulls the trigger.

I duck, and she misses again. I bring my locked up hand under her chin, in a powerful uppercut. She goes back, but recovers almost immediately. She raises her pistol at me. There is no way I can dodge this one.

I can feel the sting as the paint round connects with my visor, and my vision goes black. I fall to the floor, as FILLS calls over the loudspeakers.

"Round over, Agent South Dakota wins."

Well that could have gone better, huh Xi?

We could have beat her, if the damn hydraulic system hadn't malfunctioned

Maybe, but I doubt we would have done very well without it.

Good point. We need to modify the system, make it less likely to malfunction.

How would you suggest we do that?

I have a few ideas.

My conversation with Xi is interrupted by the paint being washed off of my helmet. My eyes are flooded with light as the pink substance comes off. A team off people in white clothes is standing over me. Im going to guess it's their job to wash the paint off.

Now I can feel the paint washing off of my leg. The team walks away, and I sit up. Xi, any luck with getting my arm unlocked, or my hand?

No, we need to fix it manually.

Ugh, why does this stuff always happen to me?

Could it be because you talk to yourself?

Shut up. I slowly start to get up, which is hard when your hand and arm aren't able to move. After I finally stand up, I look down. My hand is locked into a fist, and my arm is locked to my side. How do we fix it?

Considering you have no control over either hand, we need some help.

Why not just tell the Director?

He might see fit to take it back. You need this enhancement, trust me.

Is that a stab at my combat skills?

Do you really believe you would survive in battle without it?

Why are you always right?

Intelligence is a beautiful thing, isn't it?

Whatever, just how exactly do we fix it?

Until I can scan its internals more closely, you will have to sever the connection between your arms, and the main unit in your mid-section.

Well that sounds easy. Now we just need to find someone willing to help….

I walk down the hall, arm and hand still locked up. I finally reach the observation deck, where most of the others are still waiting.

"Did you actually just survive a round against a pissed South?" Wash asks, as I walk in.

"I lost, but yes. I am still alive." I look to him.

"You did pretty well against her. Until you stopped using your left arm, why is that?" Carolina looks at me, while asking the question. I guess I should tell them about the upgrade.

"Part of my armor upgrade was a prototype hydraulics system being installed into my armor. My left arm locked up due to a malfunction. The same happened to my right hand."

"Do you know how to fix it?" Wash asks me. Xi what is our plan?

We need an area with a lot of tools. Like a storage bay.

"Yes I do, but York? Can you come with me?" I ask the tan freelancer.

"Sure?" He responds, sounding unsure. I figure he is the only I can trust enough to get me into the storage bay. We walk outside the door, and York turns to me.

"Okay, what is it?" He asks.

"I need access to the storage bay, and you're the best lock picker here…"

"You want me to help you break into a restricted area?"

"Basically."

"Fine, but you owe me one." Now York is leading me to the storage bay. We reach two large blast doors, and York goes to work. He finishes in about forty five seconds.

"There ya go. Would you mind me asking what you need in there?"

"I'm not really sure, but I need you to come with me."

"What? Why?"

"I can't move my left arm, or right hand. What do you think?"

"Point taken."

We walk into the dark room, and activate or helmets flood lights. The room is huge, with crates stacked upon more crates. York helps me get some of the things Xi says we need. The whole place is like a maze of boxes and forgotten objects.

Finally we get the right tool, so York can unlock my right hand and arm. It looks almost like a small pen, but it isn't. Xi appears on my shoulder, to give York instructions. Hey this is your first time showing yourself Xi!

I can see that

Xi is light blue, almost white color. He looks a lot like Sigma, but without the flames and creepiness.

"Agent York insert the tool in between the hand plating and arm plating. Then press the button." Xi's voice is smooth, but also has a small edge to it.

Oh really, it does?

York presses the button, and a small electric shock emits from it. MY hand falls limp, before I start moving it.

"Thanks York."

"No problem, is that all?"

"Yeah, you can go."

"Alright then, see ya." York walks back through the maze, and leaves me alone.

So all I need to do is unlock my arm, right?

No we need to modify the entire system to hopefully not have this happen again.

Oh great. This is going to be a long night.