Author's Note: All properties are the rights of their respective owners, Marvel, Respawn Entertainment, and others. This is a not for profit work and I own nothing.

This was inspired by the excellent Titanfall 2 and the ability to play as 'Spider-Man with a machine gun' and what would happen if that was thrown into the equally excellent Spider-Man by Insomniac Games to interact with the Webslinger himself. Because the only character brought in from Titanfall 2 directly is BT-7274, I'm considering this to be more of a Spider-Man PS4 AU than a true crossover. If you're familiar with Crysis Effect it's the same line of reasoning. But this my first story and if this is incorrect then I will reupload this story as a crossover.

(4/15/20: That has now obviously changed and this is now in the crossover section. For those arguing it should have been here since the beginning, you're probably right. Though if you are a Titanfall fan that found this story, it isn't set in the Titanfall universe but rather in the world of Spider-Man with next to no Titanfall elements but the dual protagonists of Titanfall 2, at least for the first 40 some odd chapters.)

Feedback is welcome as this is my first rodeo, the clearer and more precise the better, and I hope you get some enjoyment out of this story about a Superhero, Reporter, Thief, Pilot, Marine, and 40 ton killing machine.

(8/14/19: This Chapter has been updated to a slightly different format and now includes a Logbook entry at the end.)

(1/20/19: Thanks to mrGoodCat2277 on DeviantArt for granting me permission to use the cover image.)

And now for our Feature Presentation.

Power Without Question - Chapter 1: Renegade

The jig is up, the news is out

They finally found me.

The Renegade who had it made

Retrieved for a bounty, nevermore to go astray

The Judge will have his revenge today

On the Wanted Man

Matthew Cooper was returning home for Christmas. Not long out of college and having started work at an engineering firm, it had been his first extended time in 'the real world.' Suffice it to say it wasn't what he had been expecting, and the prospect of home was relieving. Driving along the freeway in the dead of night the lyrics of the song he had playing seemed to be almost prophetic.

Twelve o clock, I gotta rock

There's a truck ahead, lights starin' at my eyes

Oh my God, no time to turn

I got to laugh, 'cause I know I'm gonna die

Why?

A drunk in a pickup truck had swerved and crossed the center line at the last possible second, plowing into the student in a head-on collision and sending his car tumbling in an accident that killed the student.

What he didn't expect, was to wake back up again.

The Texan slowly opened his eyes, once he registered that he was alive he sat up quickly, flexing his fingers and toes as he looked around. "Hello?" he ventured as he picked himself up off of the hospital style bed he was laying in and took his first tentative steps on the seamless tile floor.

He looked around at the rest of the space and furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out just where the hell he was. Despite the bed, it clearly wasn't a medical facility of any type, the walls were a wood paneling with softer lighting that was more akin to a private office.

He looked around for anything he could use, he was wearing the same pair of jeans and t-shirt he had been, though they were miraculously undamaged. Other than that, there was little. His mind raced when he heard what sounded like a door opening behind him, though he had seen no such devices on his initial inspection.

Spinning around he saw the responsible party, an older woman wearing a formal business suit, a head of shoulder length grey hair framed a wizened looking face. Her piercing grey eyes locked with his softer blue ones. "Good, you're awake" she said as he prepared to ask a question, only to be cut off. "Come with me young man, time is against us" she said as she smiled reassuringly and pulled a pocket watch from her suit jacket and looked down at it. "It always is."

With that she spun on her heel and left the young Texan alone for a brief moment before he made up his mind. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire then" he grumbled as he was resigned to at least see where this went. Jogging off to catch up he saw the passageway was similar to the room he was just in. "So, what exactly am I agreeing to?" he asked tentatively as he caught up to the mysterious woman.

"To help me" she answered simply. "Yes, you did die, you can never go home, you will never see anyone you have previously known ever again" she said flatly. The man alongside her stopped for a second as those words sunk in before quickly catching up. "But where that door has closed, I can open a new one for you" she explained.

The man beside her tried and failed to keep the bewildered expression off his face. "And who the hell are you?" he asked gracelessly as she stopped and pressed on a wall that opened to reveal another room and hit the lights.

"As for who I am? That is a difficult question, as for what to call me…Ms. Griffin will suffice young man" she said as the lights revealed a seat that reminded him of the 'Cradle' from Crysis. "Now, let us begin, please, have a seat" she said. "You must understand, the universe is far bigger than you know, far bigger than you can comprehend. I will pull back the curtain ever so slightly, because in that vastness there are many threats, threats I need individuals like you to counter" she explained as he sat down and felt the chair power up. "But I don't like to waste the lives of those who help me, so few agree to do so" she admitted as an array of blue holographic displays flickered to life.

"You will face perils, you will face danger, but the trials ahead of you are not ones you are incapable of overcoming" she allayed as she saw the look of trepidation on his face.

"You sure you got the right guy?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. "It sounds like you wanted a badass, you got a college nerd who wishes he was one" shot back the man from his seat.

The woman stuck her head out from behind the screens and offered a consolatory smile. "I got exactly who I wanted, the only question is if you will be who I need" she answered calmly, her voice cooling the nerves of the man in question. "I have selected you for a very specific set of reasons, if there is any doubt you will fail to live up to my expectations, it lies with you, and you alone."

Minutes passed by in silence as Griffin finished her work. "Rest easy young man, when you wake up, your journey begins. I will be following your progress with great interest and will assist as needed. Good luck" she said before leaving the room.

Even before she had left him alone, the Texan could feel his body relax, his eyes struggled to stay open, and his mind seemed to numb as his world descended into an unfamiliar blackness.

The next thing he felt was an unnatural shaking wracking his whole body. "Come on Cooper, wake up" said a grizzled male voice. "We have time for another round of training before we hit Typhon. Let's go" he encouraged as Matthew opened his eyes to see a grey-haired man with a similarly colored stubble on his chin. He was wearing olive colored fatigues and his torso and shoulders were covered in armor. Over his heart was a name tag: 'Lastimosa'.

Below that was another logo the newly revived Matt Cooper knew instantly: Militia Special Recon Squadron, Marauder Corps.

He was in Titanfall.

"Talk about shit creek" joked Cooper weakly as he looked down at the torrent of rushing water below. To say that things had quickly got horribly wrong would be the understatement of his new life, and it had only been 24 hours. After getting in a brief training lesson with Lastimosa after waking up, Matthew had found, to his delight, that he was pretty good with the Jump Kit and quickly got a hang of wallrunning and double jumping in the simulation. Even more fun was getting to play around with all of the guns, and his proficiency with 21st century firearms had translated, and by the time he had his fill of running the gauntlet he was posting a respectable time of 48.59 seconds. According to his instructor he was a 'golden arm, a born natural' at it.

While they didn't have time for Titan training, the Captain had assured him that this trip was going to be a milk run and they would be back in the simulators tomorrow. No sooner had the words come out of his mouth than everything went to hell. The fleet came under attack and Cooper had made for an escape pod before dropping down onto an active battlefield. After an intense firefight, his memory went a bit fuzzy, he remembered a Titan and Lastimosa's voice, but nothing had stuck.

Which meant he got the shock of his life when he came to the following morning to find the veteran Titan Pilot on deaths door and then heard him use his dying words to give him his Titan, BT-7274. Only then did it really dawn on him that he was the main protagonist of the game. Even if he had little attachment to the Captain, having to strip him of his gear was a gruesome task, and if Matt had any food in his stomach then he would have thrown up on multiple occasions. But he finally managed to follow the mans instructions and donned his helmet and jump kit before covering the body in small stones, stuffing the man's rifle in it to serve as a grave marker.

Now, barely 10 minutes after that, he had been given a task by BT, to find a battery in the wreck of the ship that had brought him there. Not only did he have to negotiate the rough terrain, with its cliffs, chasms, and waterfalls, but dangerous wildlife also. To make matters worse, if he dawdled, then the group that had shot the ship down might descend on them. Passing by a pod not unlike the one that he had arrived in, he swallowed his fear and stepped back, taking an angle that would allow him to wallrun along the sheer rock face in order to cross the gap. If he didn't, then…at least death would be instant. "You can do this Cooper, you can do this" he chanted before running headlong at the wall and jumping up, planting his foot as he sprinted along it, eyes screwed shut the whole way.

Repeating the process a few more times, complete with chants and closed eyes, the scared Texan heard a very unwelcome sound. "Militia Intruders, this is General Marder of the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation" droned an authoritative and haughty voice from a speaker somewhere, "you're in violation of sovereign law. I am offering you a brief amnesty. Surrender yourself to an IMC officer or force. If you refuse, you will be eliminated."

"Awesome" deadpanned Matthew as he tried to quell his trembling hands and ascend a cylindrical cave, stopping to catch his breath and let the jump kit recalibrate at a few rocky outcrops. The higher he got, however, the more he was certain he wasn't alone. He could hear voices, and not ones over a PA. Clutching his rifle tighter, he leapt across the last gap and came to a stop next to a burning piece of wreckage as he saw the source of the voices. A man standing with their backs to him, clad not in Militia Green, but the white of the IMC. "C'mon Matt, you got this" he whispered as he tried to sooth his nerves as he raised his rifle. Emptying his lungs as he set his sights on the man, he pulled the trigger.

Only for nothing to happen.

"The fuck?" he hissed as he looked down to see that he had forgotten to turn off the safety, angrily flicking the selector on the gun to 'full' he shouldered the bullpup weapon and squeezed the trigger. This time he was met with a satisfying report as the gun kicked against his shoulder and sent 7.62x39mm rounds into the enemy soldier, four slamming into his back and through his body before the impacts sent the man falling face first over the cliff.

As Cooper saw the man vanish, the gravity of what he had just done set in as he began moving forwards. He had just killed a man in cold blood, maybe he could have captured him, or snuck by or something. The guy had a family, sure he would have done the same, but he wanted to be better. What would become of him if he just killed everyone he…

A loud 'snap!' right next to his head knocked him from his moral conundrums as the sounds of more bullets caused him to immediately drop to the dirt in reflex as a second IMC trooper opened fire, spraying his own weapon wildly. One of he bullets slammed into his gun, knocking it from his hands as Cooper rolled away frantically and out of panic, ran himself up against the cliff face, leaving him nowhere to go. The IMC soldier saw his predicament and leered at him evily as he slowly reloaded his own weapon. "Next time you have the chance to kill someone" he growled as he slammed the mag home while Matt slowly inched his hand closer to the pistol in the holster on his right hip, "don't hesitate."

For some reason, as Matt's eyes stared at the muzzle of that strange, futuristic rifle, the man's words caused a clarity to manifest in his mind, and when he saw the man take his eyes off him to work the charging handle of his gun, Matthew acted. Going off instinct, he performed a move he had thousands of times, smoothly drawing his sidearm, flicking off the safety, bringing it up, and pulling the trigger. Only he didn't pull it once, or twice, or three times, he kept firing as fast as he could until the gun was empty, 10 holes in the mans legs, abdomen, chest, and even one in the head as he fell back and slammed into the ground, dead as a doornail. Breathing heavily, Cooper slowly got himself standing on shaky legs as he looked down at the dead man, blood seeping through the white of his uniform and pooling beneath him. Unlike the first, this time he felt nothing as he mechanically went through the motions of reloading his pistol before reliving the dead man of his rifle to replace his damaged one. Taking his ammo and grenades too, he looked down at the man's dead eyes and realized he had to take his words to heart. "Thanks for the advice" he told the corpse honestly as he picked up the blood-spattered gun and continued forwards.

"We should make camp here Pilot" warbled the mechanical monotone of BT as the Titan came to a stop and set the Pilot down on the flat ground in the middle of the rocky terrain. Looking around, the Pilot saw nothing but rocks and dust illuminated by the setting sun, the only exception was the dead tree at the edge of the flat. "I am detecting no signs of hostile activity within a 60 kilometer radius, we will be safe for the night" assured the Vanguard Class Titan. Nodding, Cooper slung his SMG over his shoulder and removed his helmet and running his gloved hand through the stubble that had grown over the three days he had been on this hellhole.

His glove also came back covered in grime and sweat that had accumulated there as well from the constant fighting he had done in that time, in which he had come to, among other things, trust the green machine implicitly. "Hey BT" he called out as he pulled his flask out and took a sip of water before deciding to pour some on his face before shaking his head violently in an effort to wash the grit from his skin and hair. Once that was done, he turned back to the 40 ton bipedal mech, which was still cradling the 40mm cannon like a body pillow, and asked, "any chance we can get a fire going?"

The machine took a moment to ponder his request, singular blue eye pulsing before he got an answer. "Affirmative, we could use that tree as fuel for a fire. It is unlikely there will be any IMC aerial reconnaissance units patrolling such rugged terrain" reasoned the machine. "Shall I proceed with this tasking?"

"Please do" answered Cooper as the 25 foot tall robot began wrenching the dead tree from the desert while Cooper began undoing the straps on his armor and gear. As he worked the heavy armored vest off he winced as it dug into a bandaged wound on his stomach. Slowly stripping away the fatigues beneath, he could see the blood soaked bandage and tennatively pressed a hand to the site and grit his teeth as a spike of agony shot through him, "definitely going to leave a mark" he grunted as he picked up his first aid kit and dug out a tube of paste. Dobbing it around the wound, he let out a sigh as the cool sensation replaced the sting, the salve was a localized painkiller, according to the label, and even accelerated healing somewhat for the smaller wounds.

Sadly, the tube was nearly empty, used on the half dozen smaller and newly acquired nicks and grazes that marred his chest, the raw pink standing out against his moderate tan. "Well, chicks dig scars at least" he consoled himself as he replaced the tube back in the kit, "I hope." He also hoped that he would get the chance to test that soon. As soon as he got out of here he would be heading down to the club, down a few strong beers, perhaps so strong they were called whiskey, and get himself laid.

"Except I can't do that" he realized sadly as he slumped down.

"What can't you do Pilot?" asked BT innocently as he returned with the tree, roots and all, and began wrenching it apart to work for their purposes. "You have proven yourself an able Pilot in all respects. Our efficiency rating is now up to 83%" informed the Titan flatly.

Matthew swallowed hard as he numbly pulled out one of the cardboard like ration bars and began gnawing on it. "I can't go home" he answered honestly. Only now had he realized he hadn't thought about that for the last four days since his 'death', worried instead about what he had to do right now. Which, usually, was running, shooting, reloading, or some combination of the three.

"I do not have access to your personnel record Pilot Cooper" informed the Titan bluntly, "where are you from?"

"Texas" informed Matthew with more than a tinge of pride, which was dampened somewhat by the confused way the machine spun its eye at him. "It's…a long way from here. Not even sure it's around anymore to be honest" he explained as he finally gave up on using his teeth and pulled out his knife to lop off a chunk of the bar and plop it into his mouth. "Great place, good folks, weird ass whether" he recalled with a chuckle, though only thinking about it caused a pang of regret in his gut. "My friends, my family…I'll never see them again. I don't have anyone."

"That is incorrect Pilot" countered BT instantaneously and with a certainty that gave Cooper pause. "Protocol 1: Link to Pilot" repeated the machine, "you are my Pilot, you have me" informed the Titan firmly.

Mulling over BTs words for a moment, Matthew began to nod, "you are right buddy" replied Cooper to BT as he looked at him and smiled, "I do."

60 Hours Later…

"BT! Cooper! Our ground teams can't make it in time" reported Sarah Briggs. "You've got to find a way to destroy the Fold Weapon from the inside. There's no other way!" shouted the veteran Titan Pilot as Cooper felt the massive bulk of the Vanguard class Titan struggle to get to its feet.

But BT managed it, the punishing the Militia machine had faced mirrored that his own body had taken in his baptism by fire on Typhon. The joints of the machine moved jerkily as the optics flickered in and out of function, the screens Cooper was looking at were static every other frame as his window into the outside world struggle to keep up. "Commander Briggs" began BT in his mechanical monotone, "I believe I have a solution."

Cooper knew what was coming, with a deep breath and nerves he would have thought were long gone, he guided the battered machine towards the breach near the platform, passed the fallen chassis of Sloan's Ion. "In its exposed state, my reactor core may be able to destabilize the Ark at the center of the Fold Weapon."

Cooper felt one of the legs of the Titan falter as it staggered and barely managed to catch itself on the frame of the target. "What are you saying?" asked Briggs as the collective willpower of the man and machine caused the Vanguard to begin climbing up the frame.

"We can blow it up" answered BT instantly. "I'm sending you coordinates for a dropship rendezvous."

Cooper felt his heart drop as the voice of his companion faltered from the damage the chassis had sustained. "Coordinates received" responded the Commander, "We'll be there, but I don't see how you can."

The machine pulled itself up and braced its feet on the IMC creation, one leg sparking as its joint struggled to hold together. "Trust me. I have done the math" answered BT, causing the man inside to crack a mirthless smile, he was going to miss the Titan.

There was a sigh on the radio. "I sure as hell hope so. We're on our way. Good luck – both of you. Briggs out" said the fiery woman before the line went dead.

With that, the panel the Titan had clambered onto began to move up and into line with the barrel like structure overhead as the Titan fought to stay steady on the moving perch and shaky joints. "Don't worry BT" said Cooper as he sat back in the tight hugging pilot's seat and patted one of the control panels, "I'm not going anywhere" he assured as he readied himself for the final charge of Cooper and BT.

"Copy that pilot" responded the Vanguard, even if the voice was the same one he had been hearing for nearly a week now, but the newly minted Pilot could have sworn the machine was speaking in a tone of despair.

The lights in the barrel of the particle accelerator lit up until they were fully illuminated, and the mass of the Titan was shot forwards towards the massive glowing power source at the center of the weapon.

Matthew Cooper prepared for the hatch in front of him to open and the arm of the Titan to reach in and pull him out. Only the seconds crawled passed and the Ark got closer, Cooper realized that this wasn't like the game, the arm came up to try reach him, but the hatch failed, trapping him inside.

"End of the line" he said to himself as he closed his eyes, the blinding light of the Ark encasing the two as the ancient power source destabilized and surged within the Titan before the two completely disappeared.

"Ah fuck. Dying sucks ass" growled an irate Pilot Matt Cooper as his eyelids lazily and was immediately rewarded with a splitting headache that pulsed inside his skull like a jackhammer. The next thing his mind registered was that he was most definitely not back in the care of Griffin, not only was the pain unexpected, his environment was different too.

He was still wearing the ad hoc pilot's gear he had been issued once he had rendezvoused with Briggs and the helmet that once belonged to Tai Lastimosa. He looked up as he realized the machine was on its back and saw the display.

Power Overcharge Rerouted to Self-Repair Functions

Critical Systems Restored

Secondary Systems Repair Underway

His headache beginning to subside, Cooper banged on the side of the cockpit. "Yo buddy, you awake?" he asked as he heard the echo of the action fill the cramped space.

"I cannot fall asleep pilot" answered the comforting monotone of BT-7274 dryly.

Matt couldn't help himself, laughing heartily at the response, ignoring the bite of pain from his bruised ribs as he helped himself to the moment of levity. "Of course, BT" replied Cooper. "What's our status? And most importantly, where the hell are we?"

"Unknown Pilot" answered the Titan as Cooper made himself busy making sure his body still worked. "External sensors are not operational at this time; advise you disembark to conduct reconnaissance of the terrain."

"Alright BT" answered the pilot as he activated the light attached to his helmet and found the smart pistol he had tossed somewhere in the cockpit and replaced the mostly spent magazine. "Crack the hatch and I'll have a look see. Assuming I won't die as soon as I step outside" finished Cooper with a chuckle.

"That is unlikely" answered BT instantly, the dry monotone oddly comforting. "Atmospheric sensors indicate the air is of an ideal oxygen-nitrogen mix and within a survivable pressure range" explained the machine.

Cooper shook his head as he found the manual release for the hatch. "Great" said the pilot wryly as he pushed on the hatch. "Anything else I should know?" he asked as he strained to open the partially repaired access hatch.

"This chassis is a significant upgrade over my previous one. It has the ability to maintain a state of readiness in the field, linked to an advanced prototype phase supply network" rattled off the Titan in the same deadpan he always talked with as Cooper forced the hatch open.

He looked up into a starlit night sky with a full moon. "Hope you like the new toys" said Cooper as he looked over the damaged Vanguard chassis, not the expected olive, but the dark grey of its replacement.

"Attached are several items of use to you pilot" added the Titan, causing Cooper to stop and look down on the single pulsing 'eye' and cocked his head. "The Militia has developed an advanced prototype for a Pilot's combat exoskeleton to further enhance your strength and mobility. It is located in the storage compartment on the left side of my chassis."

Thoroughly intrigued, Cooper clambered down and found the dented compartment and forced the latch open and pried the bent panel off to reveal the contents. "Well, what have we here" said Matt to himself as he unfolded the suit and saw the intricate additions over his current kit.

The components that made up the exoskeleton were obvious, the dull metal standing out against the Olive drab of the rest of the suit, they ran along the arms, legs, and back of the suit, and were connected to the jump kit on his waist. The armor was a different make too, comprised of an intricate honeycomb that covered his chest and back, the multiple layers ensured maximum coverage while maintaining flexibility.

His joints had more traditional protection, ceramic plates on his shoulders, pads on knees and elbows. The armored gloves were also of note, with integrated 'brass knuckles' featuring an electrical discharge capability, probably meant to stun Specters and Stalkers mused Cooper as he slid them into place.

His stomach and waist were covered in pouches and clips of half a dozen varieties, able to hold anything he might need to keep with him.

But most importantly, the kit featured every tactical ability a pilot could have, Cloak, Stim, Phase Shift, Pulse Blade, A-Wall, Grapple, and Holo Pilot. The modules that enabled them had been slimmed down and streamlined, the result was seamless integration into a single unit.

The helmet was a modified version of the standard M-COR affair, the x shaped blue visor was very familiar, as was the Marauder Corps logo, an eyepatch wearing skull, which adorned the side of the helmet and the chestplate.

Packing his old gear into the compartment, Cooper noticed a fine envelope lodged in a bit of netting sealed with an old-fashioned wax emblem that he didn't recognize as he turned it over and examined it. "Well, what have we here?" he asked aloud as he took out his data knife and sliced open the envelope and pulled out a rather high-quality piece of paper and unfolded it.

Hello again Mr. Cooper

I Hope you enjoyed your time on Typhon. As you might have guessed by the altered ending to your run through the jungle, I intervened to send you to where you are most needed. You might have also noticed a few other items I have added for your benefit in the coming months.

This is a different world than any of the previous ones you have experienced, you will have to continue to adapt. But you will adapt Mr. Cooper, I do not know exactly who you have to defeat, but you have my full faith and confidence.

Attached is the location of a warehouse you may find useful.

Good Luck.

Ms. G

"Tricky bitch" mumbled Cooper as he tucked the letter into his armor and picked up his last bit of kit, a small combat axe he had grown fond of during his time on Typhon, that found its spot on his left thigh. "BT? You seeing my feed? What do you make of this?" asked Matthew as he found the other piece of paper in the envelope.

"Calculating possible outcomes pilot" answered the machine quickly as Cooper held the set of longitude and latitude coordinates in front of his visor for BTs benefit. "I suggest you scout the immediate area; I will be fully operational in three hours. To maintain unit integrity, it is best we move together."

Cooper mentally conceded the point as he tucked the note away and found a few spare magazines for his Smart Pistol. Next, he noticed something he wasn't so sure he was happy to see. Picking up the playing card sized object, Cooper looked at the horned skull logo of the Apex Predators. He thought of discarding it but decided against it and shoved it into a pouch as a souvenir. Only then did he have chance to look at where the duo was.

They were at the bottom of a shallow crater in a wooded area, there was a thin layer of frost visible at the crest of the crater, and there was a chill in the dusk lit air. The trees had no leaves on the branches, and it seemed that winter was fast approaching. "Well, let's see what's waiting for us out there BT."

In a set of maneuvers the pair had become proficient at during their time on Typhon, Matt found a small road nearby where the Titan was still repairing itself. So, when the two moved out a few hours later, they did so by moving parallel to this unknown road, going by the logic that if someone built it, it should lead somewhere.

Only Cooper couldn't have predicted where exactly it would lead. "You have got to be shitting me" he said in utter shock as he looked at the skyline he had seen so many times before. "BT, am I mistaken in thinking that's New York City?"

For one of the first times he could recall, BT seemed to take a moment to fully analyze the situation. "You are not pilot" replied the Vanguard after a pregnant pause. "That appears to match New York City on Earth in the early 21st century" answered the Machine.

The pilot absorbed the revelation that he was back at least near his original time. "Any chance you can find us a route to those coordinates?" ventured Cooper as his mind raced through the options.

"The location is an abandoned port facility on the far side of the city, to the North" explained BT-7274, pointing off into the distance. "I advise we split up. This chassis would be conspicuous inside the city, I will move around the perimeter and meet you at the rendezvous."

"While I go through the heart of the city and get there first" finished Matthew knowingly as he agreed with the logic, even if he didn't like splitting up. "Alright pal sounds like a plan, I'll see you at the RV" said the Marauder Corps pilot.

"Pilot" said the Machine suddenly, causing the man in question to stop and turn to look up at the eye to see it was blinking, almost accusingly. "We are in an unknown situation with no backup. Keeping a low profile would be advantageous" he said in a 'suggestive' way.

"Yeah BT, sure thing" answered Cooper as he eyed the urban playground before him and had to stop himself from licking his lips inside his helmet. "Low profile, no problem."

Half an hour later, Cooper was running along the side of a skyscraper nearly 20 stories up in the dense urban jungle. Using his pilot's traversal abilities to move through Manhattan like only a pilot could, he was having the time of his life. "Pilot, I do not believe your current actions to be 'low profile'" chided BT over the comm link.

Cooper chuckled, "Lighten up BT, just having a little fun" he answered as he jumped across to the building opposite. With his jumpkit hissing, pressing him up and into the wall, he fired his grapple at the corner of the structure and pressed off, slingshotting himself around the corner before disconnecting the line.

"I cannot change my mass, pilot" responded the Vanguard dryly, nearly causing the pilot to miss his next jump and forcing him to stim to make up for lost speed.

He could faintly hear police sirens in the distance as he slide hopped across a rooftop and leapt off to continue his charge. "Just an expression BT, means to not be so serious" he explained. "What's your status?" he asked. Cooper had never been to New York before, and was relying on the waypoints BT had been giving him to make his way to their destination, but the marker on his HUD changed suddenly. "We got a problem buddy?"

There was a worrying silence as Matthew cut over towards the marker he now realized was moving before the Titan answered him. "I am making good progress pilot, but I have intercepted local radio traffic. Be advised that police are engaged with several armed gunmen; I'd recommend avoiding the area" informed the Titan.

"Or maybe lend a helping hand" answered Cooper. The idea of missing a fight didn't sit right with him. Too many times on Typhon he had found the bodies of Militia soldiers, every time he couldn't help but wonder if he could have made a difference. "Let me hear those transmissions and don't wait up for me, got it?"

"Acknowledged pilot" responded the Vanguard, "Good luck" said the 40 tons to metal before the line went dead and was replaced by another.

"This is 3-6 to dispatch, suspects proceeding north on Madison in a silver BMW sedan" reported a gruff sounding officer before the familiar staccato of gunfire could be heard. "We have officers down at Madison and 97th, I repeat, officers down!"

The response was instantaneous, both for the Police and the SRS pilot. "Attention all units" altered the dispatcher, "We have officers down, suspects are considered armed and dangerous at this time, proceeding northbound on Madison Avenue, all available units please respond" she ordered as the calls came in.

There was one other who did not respond to the radio call, but his mind had been made up. "The gloves are coming off motherfuckers." The vow snarled by the Pilot to himself inside the confines of his helmet as he made a left onto Madison and saw the silver sedan below shoot past. With grit teeth, Cooper felt the surge of the STIM, the chemical cocktail enabling a burst of speed as he ran down the car.

With one final effort, Cooper leapt from the second story and began slide hopping along the street, dodging gunfire from the car for the final twenty or so yards as he closed the gap before making one final leap through the air, the jump kit pushing him along with its distinct blue exhaust as he drew his combat axe and switched it to his right hand, flipping it around as he came down on his target.

With an exoskeleton bolstered swing, Cooper brought the axe down and buried the pick in the roof of the car. The Pilot came to an immediate halt as he picked up his feet as he fought to hang on, looking down on the occupants with his glowing visor as the rear passenger shoved out an SMG and let loose a burst that missed completely.

The pilot operated on instinct that Typhon had drilled into him, his left reached out, grabbed the UZI, and slammed it down into the window frame. The hands that held it caught between the two pieces of metal, enabling Cooper to rip the weapon from the wielder as he cursed in pain and rage.

Matt then turned his attention to the driver, punching out the window to the surprise of the wheelman. A split second later the driver received a blow to the nose, stunning him as he let go of the wheel to bring his hands to his very broken nose. While clutching his face, Cooper fumbled around inside until he found the door handle and pulled, the driver's door flew open as the Marauder Corps pilot looked at the fear in the man's eyes.

Grabbing him by the collar, he noticed that the man had forgotten something as the Pilot dug his boot heels into the paint. "Buckle up" he growled as he pulled the man from the driver's seat and tossed him out of the moving vehicle, the audible 'thunk' as he slammed into a lamppost that signaled his fate reverberated through the street.

That was the least of Cooper's immediate concern. The driver had been hanging onto the wheel as he had been extracted and the car was stuck going hard left towards a traffic light. Eyes wide, Matt leapt off and crashed onto the asphalt, rolling a few times before coming to a crouch as he could hear the tearing of metal from the Beamer's impact.

He fared far better than the car, the front end buckled and steam emerging from the engine as he saw the three men remaining in the car stumble out. Drawing the smart pistol, he slowly approached the survivors of the crash. "You killed Dion you son of a bitch" called one of the thugs as they drew their own weapons. "Now you gotta deal with all of us" he threatened.

Cooper waited patiently as the MK6 linked with his suits sensors and locked on to the three thugs as he smiled behind his visor. "Anytime" he said confidently just before he squeezed the trigger.

The weapon coughed three times and the pilot was rewarded with the gunmen crumpling to the road, the bullets burying themselves in their skulls and ensuring they were dead before they hit the asphalt. Holstering the weapon, Cooper moved towards the crashed car as he heard the first police sirens approach. When he ripped the axe out of the roof and replaced it on his thigh as he saw the first cops get out of their patrol car.

The Militia pilot offered a salute before he turned and ran towards the nearest building, his jump kit flaring as he leapt onto the building, activating his cloak and vanishing into the night.

Cooper's Logbook – Pilots

Before or after I died, nothing I had ever seen or heard of comes close to what a Pilot can do. I may have only lasted a week on the Frontier but there is no way to describe the experience of being a Pilot in such a way that can do it justice. Nothing moves like a Pilot, thinks like a Pilot, or fights like a Pilot. Fast, agile, graceful, and utterly devastating, only one word can come close to describe the power of a Pilot: Dominant.

Unlike everything else, we're not restricted to ground level. Pilots prefer to run on walls. Fewer obstructions grant higher speed and a different approach angle means you can hold the element of surprise. Speed is life, fire and maneuver is our mantra.

But when combined with a Titan, 20 feet and 40 tons of armored bipedal fighting robot, only then is the full might of a Pilot unleashed. And my Titan, BT-7274, is a Vanguard Class, smarter and more adaptable than anything else ever created. Nothing else mixes mobility, survivability, and firepower like a Vanguard Class Titan. They are the greatest battle implements ever devised.

On the Frontier, it was truth that only two things can match a Pilot and Titan team: Overwhelming Force or an Equal. Now I find myself in a place without Titans, Pilots, or the technology to create them.

I am at the top of the food chain, the Apex Predator.

Author's Note: That's the revised first chapter, most of it is the same, but a few new sections have been added and the formatting has been cleaned up to be more consistent with later chapter. I wanted to go back and give Cooper a few more bits to develop his character a bit more and make things make more sense for those who haven't played or aren't familiar with Titanfall 2. I don't want it to tell Cooper's whole story since he gets more development later on.

As for the song, Renegade, well, I hope it should be obvious. Cooper will be following a lot of old western film tropes and I like classic rock songs. Hence, we have a rock song about an old western outlaw to open the story. If, somehow, you haven't heard this classic Styx tune the you should go find it on YouTube or Spotify or whatever right now.

Next Chapter will likely go up in a day or two. Stay frosty, Misfit Delta out.