Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2017 22:35:18 GMT -5
"I had a dream last night; that I was back in Iraq, and it was 2008 all over again. I dreamt that I was manning a checkpoint with my unit - Chavez, Ramsey, Ganzo, all my brothers."
We fade in to find "The All American Badass" Hannah Kristiansen standing on the side of a road next to a sign that reads "Welcome to Los Angeles". She's dressed head to toe in full US Army Ranger garb, complete with a collection of medals signifying rank and deed; her mane of long wavy blonde hair tied into a tight ponytail. Hannah gazes off down the road at nothing in particular - lost in memory.
"Among other things, we were tasked with spotting and eliminating potential threats. Now we'd seen and dealt with just about everything, but this one scumbag caught us off guard. Everything seemed normal at first. He came in slow, followed instructions, turned where he was supposed to, and we thought it was just another routine check. Nothing to worry about. That is, until he tried to bullrush us at the last minute. Or at least that's how it seemed, but instead he just blew straight through the checkpoint. We got our asses chewed out for letting our guard down, but later found out he was a terrified informant who lost his nerve. It was a valuable learning experience though, because we vowed never to make that mistake again."
Hannah turns to face the lens.
"Now in my dream, everything happened exactly as I just described it, except that he didn't bullrush us. No, he brought the truck to a complete stop and stepped out as instructed, only to detonate a suicide vest as me and my brothers approached - a massive fireball erupting in my face before I woke up in a cold sweat. Though it did make me think..."
Sighing, she turns away again, lowering her head. Hannah kicks a small rock across the ground with her steel-toed combat boot before continuing.
"Which one are you, Echo Blackwhisper? Are you the cunning little twat who likes to play it cool only to blow the fuck outta' everyone in sight? Or are you the genuine, innocent young woman who's sometimes a loose cannon?"
She turns back toward the lens again.
"Come the 26th though, Battle of Los Angeles, we're gonna' find out. Personally, I'm inclined to think this is some game you're playing. You don't jump somebody from behind and then expect them to turn the other cheek. Unless you're a fool, that is. But come the 26th, I intend to find out one way or the other."
Hannah reaches down, picking up a large pack and raising it up onto her back before turning back to face the lens.
"And make no mistake, Echo; this is not going to be a friendly affair. I'm coming at you just as hard as I did last time. There won't be a smile and a handshake to kick things off. It's you who's got to prove yourself to me, Echo; not the other way around. So I'm not gonna' go easy on you."
She shakes her head, ponytail swinging to and fro.
"Fuck no. I made that mistake nine years ago, and it should have cost me and my team's lives. So the kid gloves are off, and I'm ready for war. See, unlike that informant who lost his nerve, the only way you pass this checkpoint is by going all out, by giving all you've got. No bullshit games, Echo; no tricks up your sleeve. Come test yourself against me once more, Echo. Prove you've got what it takes to take a beating and live with it. Prove you can give as much as you take, and be satisfied. Only then can you regain my respect. Only then can you start to rebuild my trust in you."
She lifts an index finger up.]
"But mark my words, Echo; this is your one and only chance." You fuck this up, and there won't be another. As I said before, if at any point you make me regret this, then you will regret it. If you think I'm fucking about, you're dead wrong. And if you cross me again, it's on. No trickery, no chickenshit shenanigans; just straight up, balls to the wallviolence will be in store for you. Prove my instincts right, and nobody will trust you ever again. But prove me right?"
Hannah chuckles at the thought.
"Well, now that will be something truly special. So prove me wrong, Echo. Prove. Me. Wrong. PLEASE! Shock the shit outta' the world, myself included! Raise up that middle finger and shout "FUCK YOU!" at the top of your lungs! Prove to us all that you're not a predictable little cunt who likes to play head games; that you can bite your tongue, take your licks, and lift up your head to a higher purpose!"
Hannah turns to walk away, but then turns back once more.
"'Cause you know what, Echo? Getting past the checkpoint is only just the start. Beyond lies the promise of great things! So rise up, Echo! RISE UP! You want a tag team partner? Then prove me wrong! If you can do that, then I'll shake your hand, and call you partner. Just think, the Battle of Los Angeles could only be the start of something so much greater."
With that, Kristiansen turns and marches off down the road, past the "Welcome to Los Angeles" sign, until she is but a speck on the horizon and we fade out.
We fade in to find "The All American Badass" Hannah Kristiansen standing on the side of a road next to a sign that reads "Welcome to Los Angeles". She's dressed head to toe in full US Army Ranger garb, complete with a collection of medals signifying rank and deed; her mane of long wavy blonde hair tied into a tight ponytail. Hannah gazes off down the road at nothing in particular - lost in memory.
"Among other things, we were tasked with spotting and eliminating potential threats. Now we'd seen and dealt with just about everything, but this one scumbag caught us off guard. Everything seemed normal at first. He came in slow, followed instructions, turned where he was supposed to, and we thought it was just another routine check. Nothing to worry about. That is, until he tried to bullrush us at the last minute. Or at least that's how it seemed, but instead he just blew straight through the checkpoint. We got our asses chewed out for letting our guard down, but later found out he was a terrified informant who lost his nerve. It was a valuable learning experience though, because we vowed never to make that mistake again."
Hannah turns to face the lens.
"Now in my dream, everything happened exactly as I just described it, except that he didn't bullrush us. No, he brought the truck to a complete stop and stepped out as instructed, only to detonate a suicide vest as me and my brothers approached - a massive fireball erupting in my face before I woke up in a cold sweat. Though it did make me think..."
Sighing, she turns away again, lowering her head. Hannah kicks a small rock across the ground with her steel-toed combat boot before continuing.
"Which one are you, Echo Blackwhisper? Are you the cunning little twat who likes to play it cool only to blow the fuck outta' everyone in sight? Or are you the genuine, innocent young woman who's sometimes a loose cannon?"
She turns back toward the lens again.
"Come the 26th though, Battle of Los Angeles, we're gonna' find out. Personally, I'm inclined to think this is some game you're playing. You don't jump somebody from behind and then expect them to turn the other cheek. Unless you're a fool, that is. But come the 26th, I intend to find out one way or the other."
Hannah reaches down, picking up a large pack and raising it up onto her back before turning back to face the lens.
"And make no mistake, Echo; this is not going to be a friendly affair. I'm coming at you just as hard as I did last time. There won't be a smile and a handshake to kick things off. It's you who's got to prove yourself to me, Echo; not the other way around. So I'm not gonna' go easy on you."
She shakes her head, ponytail swinging to and fro.
"Fuck no. I made that mistake nine years ago, and it should have cost me and my team's lives. So the kid gloves are off, and I'm ready for war. See, unlike that informant who lost his nerve, the only way you pass this checkpoint is by going all out, by giving all you've got. No bullshit games, Echo; no tricks up your sleeve. Come test yourself against me once more, Echo. Prove you've got what it takes to take a beating and live with it. Prove you can give as much as you take, and be satisfied. Only then can you regain my respect. Only then can you start to rebuild my trust in you."
She lifts an index finger up.]
"But mark my words, Echo; this is your one and only chance." You fuck this up, and there won't be another. As I said before, if at any point you make me regret this, then you will regret it. If you think I'm fucking about, you're dead wrong. And if you cross me again, it's on. No trickery, no chickenshit shenanigans; just straight up, balls to the wallviolence will be in store for you. Prove my instincts right, and nobody will trust you ever again. But prove me right?"
Hannah chuckles at the thought.
"Well, now that will be something truly special. So prove me wrong, Echo. Prove. Me. Wrong. PLEASE! Shock the shit outta' the world, myself included! Raise up that middle finger and shout "FUCK YOU!" at the top of your lungs! Prove to us all that you're not a predictable little cunt who likes to play head games; that you can bite your tongue, take your licks, and lift up your head to a higher purpose!"
Hannah turns to walk away, but then turns back once more.
"'Cause you know what, Echo? Getting past the checkpoint is only just the start. Beyond lies the promise of great things! So rise up, Echo! RISE UP! You want a tag team partner? Then prove me wrong! If you can do that, then I'll shake your hand, and call you partner. Just think, the Battle of Los Angeles could only be the start of something so much greater."
With that, Kristiansen turns and marches off down the road, past the "Welcome to Los Angeles" sign, until she is but a speck on the horizon and we fade out.