"Okay, we've got a Data Trap for Omega being set up in both of our bodies," Texas told Church as they moved towards Blue Base. "So we need to figure out a way to get him out of Caboose to start body-hopping. Any ideas?"
"Any reason why just ghosting into him the same way Omega did and ripping Omega apart until he bails isn't an option?" Church asked curiously.
Texas thought that over for a time. "Well, given magic's involved, that could work. The problem is we don't know how much control of Caboose's abilities Omega has by now, or if he's figured out how to tap Caboose's magic. If we tried to 'ghost in' and he saw us coming, it might be us falling into a trap."
"So we need to distract Caboose so he doesn't realize we're ghosting in, and in a way that doesn't hurt him or put anyone else in danger until after Omega starts body hopping?" Church clarified.
"About that, yeah," Texas agreed. "It would also be good if we could find a way to make sure Omega was at a disadvantage against us if he hops into anyone else-"
"Hey Maud!" Church called into his communicator. "Can you go up to everyone but Caboose and ask them to think about the future in an adorable fashion?"
"...I can do that," Maud responded after a time. "I'll get started."
"And...what will that do?" Texas asked curiously.
"If Omega's affecting Caboose's behavior and not just his actions, then he's inside Caboose's head," Church explained. "That means ghosting in will probably result in us entering his mindscape. So if everyone's thinking about their future as related to Maud when Omega tries to ghost into them..."
Texas stared at Church for a time. "That...could work," she admitted finally. "That's some pretty clear thinking."
"More pink thinking," Church allowed.
"Excuse me?"
"When I try to think about Maud like a parent, a lot of times my thoughts are pink," Church explained. "I'm not sure why that is."
Texas smirked under her helmet. She knew what thoughts being a different color meant. For someone with an AI fragment implanted, those were thoughts coming from the fragment. For Church...it seemed he wasn't as alone in his head as he thought. Those 'pink thoughts' were also likely why he couldn't curse properly. "So how about distracting Caboose?" she asked curiously, changing the subject.
"Leave that to me." Church confidently walked up to Caboose. "Hey Caboose!"
"My name is O'Mall-Dad!" Caboose interrupted himself happily. "You're back from the dead! And have new armor!"
"That I am," Church agreed happily. "And it sounds like you've got a headache."
"It says its name is O'Malley and it's really annoying," Caboose confirmed.
"Well, I think I can help you with that headache," Church offered. "Just face the canyon wall over there so I can massage your temples." He pointed to the wall behind Caboose, facing away from Church and Texas.
"Okay, Dad!" Caboose agreed happily, turning his back to them.
Church then reached forward and placed his hands on Caboose's temples through his helmet...and ghosted into him.
Clever, Texas thought to herself as she left her own body behind to dive in.
Church and Texas looked around as they found themselves inside a strange grey facility. Catwalks and pillars were the only features visible within, making it a natural battleground filled with perfect places to cover behind or find ambush positions within. "Looks like some sort of training facility-" Church began.
"A familiar one," Texas interrupted. "I was wondering how Caboose's strength and tech savvy didn't get noticed by the Freelancer program and he got stuck in the Blues. It looks like he did get noticed there, but flunked out of the Freelancer program because he couldn't fit the strict molds...either that or the higher ups considered him uncontrollable."
"What do you mean?" Church asked in confusion.
"This place...it's a Freelancer boot camp facility," Texas explained. "If someone's tapped for the program, they get sent here. If they pass, they go on to the main program. Fail, they get dumped in a canyon somewhere...or killed." She thought back to what she'd seen of Caboose and the others in the canyon. "...they probably tried and failed the latter before Flowers tapped him..."
"Uh...?" Church asked awkwardly, unsure what inquiry he should voice, if any.
"Hey!" an intense voice suddenly barked out.
Church and Texas immediately spun...to see Church, in his blue armor from when Caboose arrived in the canyon, aiming an assault rifle at the pair.
"I don't know who you two think you are," the new Church growled out angrily, "but the last fella who popped in here and didn't belong tried to take over, only to take hostages to try and make my boy cooperate! So you have five seconds to convince me you're not invaders before I blow your brains out all over his brains, because nobody hurts my son on my watch except me and the missus!"
"I like this version of you, even if he is pointing a gun at me," Texas observed to Church in sotto voice.
"Just wait until we see how Caboose sees you," Church countered mischievously...only to stare as another figure stepped out from behind the other Church.
The figure was most definitely human, or at least humanoid, though the skin tone was the same dark grey of Texas' Freelancer armor. The eyes glowed white, the teeth were steel...and a figure that could only be described as 'voluptuous' - or perhaps 'divine' - was barely contained and concealed by a very dark blue apron covered in pockets filled with everything from egg beaters to spatulas to hand grenades to a full tank somehow fitting inside. "Behave!" the figure scolded the other Church as she smacked him in the back of the head. "They're here to help."
"Sorry, sweetums," the other Church stated as he lowered his weapon.
"...I don't know how to react to that," Church offered finally, self consciously putting his hand to his chin to try and close his jaw...even if he didn't have one to drop just now.
"I have to wonder how Caboose knew what my new body looks like under the armor, except for coloration," Texas observed. "Which now has me worried Omega might have had something to do with the design once Simmons got drunk enough."
"Look, can you two stop ogling me long enough to give Caboose a hand?" the other Texas interrupted irritably. "We're shaped by his thoughts, so there's only so much encouragement we can give his inner avatar that can actually help. You two are the real thing, so you might be able to do more."
"I'm...genuinely surprised you're that aware of things," Texas responded awkwardly. "It...doesn't seem to fit that you're aware that you're just a mental projection, and not an entirely accurate one at that."
"Caboose sees you as a super smart badass who must be super hot if enough guys pursued you you started taking them apart to make Church," the other Texas explained. "Or at least, that's how he's interpreted what he's heard. Ergo, I'm the focus of all of his intelligence within his mind, so I'm way more aware of things than I should be. The only mental manifestation more aware of things than me is his perception of Maud, and I'm not entirely sure she draws entirely from his mind."
"Sounds about right," Church allowed. "Show us where Caboose is in here, and we'll help him kick some psychic asp."
Texas, the other Texas, and the other Church all grinned in amusement as Church briefly pulsed pink. "Follow me," the other Church directed.