Genesis Crisis IC

Snow's Garage

"I just bet you do." Lizzy remarked, rolling her eyes as she stacked pancakes onto her plate. "You might not like it so much if you ever buy me dinner though."

When she had a healthy serving of food to deal with, Lizzy took a bite, savoring the sweetness of it before taking a sip of coffee. "Feed me?" She asked blankly. Her mind couldn't process that thought properly, or at least it couldn't for a moment. After that, her cheeks flushed, and she shook her head to rid it of the thought that had been there. "No, there are some things you should just do for yourself..."

She cleared her throat and took another bite of pancakes, working her way through the stack of them with little effort. Every couple of bites, she worked in a piece of bacon as well, and after she'd cleared away the plate, she leaned back into Snow again, savoring the feeling of his fingers in her hair.

"So, what are we going to do for the rest of the day?" She asked before taking another sip of coffee. It actually wouldn't be too bad to just spend the rest of the day here, like this...

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Peterny

Keynes twisted to shaft his spear back into the blade while Raidon took a moment to pull the dart from his leg, and he tore it from the marble, sending up a small cloud of dust. His arm protested every movement, but Keynes ignored it, swinging the blade to his right with the broad side forward. The stunners were interrupted by the air coming off the blade, sending them spinning off course, although one of them landed on his foot, causing Keynes' stance to drop a little as it went numb.

That one moment kept him from getting his blade back around to guard though. The first of Raidon's slashes slipped across Keynes' other arm, cutting across it instead of down this time. He roared in a mixture of rage and pain as the blade came around to parry the second strike, and the third strike met Keynes' blade in midair, locking the swords together.

Without warning, Keynes ducked forward, viciously headbutting Raidon in the nose, and he pressed down on his blade, letting the weight of the metal and himself ride the edge into Raidon's shoulder, where it slowly sank into the skin.

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To his credit, Chastenay apparently wasn't bad with a sword, but that was far from being good either. As his blade sailed towards her throat, Alina flipped her wrist upward, smashing the basket of her rapier into the edge of it, sending it over her head instead of into her neck. In the opening that created, she pulled her own rapier back and jabbed it into the basket of Chastenay's, just above his fingers.

With a quick twist, his rapier soared skyward out of his hand, and she reached up with her free hand to catch it, still pointing her own rapier at him.

"My blade isn't just sharp. It's quick too." She growled, throwing his sword to the side, out of his reach. "And now, it will taste your blood..."

Prison Convoy

"Oh.. I don't know about that," Darcy said, smiling. Perhaps not for his longevity, but meeting Arya had done him a lot of good.

He had to laugh at her comment as she rested her head on his shoulder. Yes, undoubtedly he would have.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said quietly, though he knew she couldn't hear him anymore. "Sleep tight."

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Peterny

The policeman winced as James made a point of driving home the demand with the blade of his katana.

"I.. but Chief Raidon will.." he groaned, knowing that it was quite likely his life would be forfeit if he revealed the location of their prisoner. Of course, it was a definite that he would be killed if he didn't tell.

"The garage in the back of the building.." the man murmured, defeated. "She's in the car."

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Chastenay gasped, wide-eyed, as Alina managed to disarm him before he realized what was happening. Emptyhanded, he stepped back, watching as she tossed aside his rapier and pointed her own at him.

"How very unsporting," he muttered, eyes fixed on the end of her blade. "Did your father teach you to strike an unwarmed opponent?"

The comment was able to buy him a moment for Raidon's second-in-command, Officer Dekker, to move himself to protect Chastenay.

"I wouldn't advise trying anything," he said, narrowing his brown eyes.

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Raidon's blade locked momentarily with Keynes' before his opponent ducked forward in a sudden headbutt. The police chief bowed his head forward in a moment, saving his nose from being crushed. Instead, the other man's head smacked into his hat, the silver plate digging back into the chief's head in response. The pain momentarily blinded him, giving Keynes the opportunity to push his sword forward, the blade digging into Raidon's right shoulder and chest as blood oozed down his forehead.

With a grunt, Raidon disengaged their blades for a moment as he jumped back to gather himself together. Then, at the same time, the two men charged at each other, instinctively knowing that this would be the last round of the battle. Their blades met in a clash of steel, sparks flying from the contact as they both pushed with all their might against one another. Their bodies bled, their muscles ached, their breath caught in their chests, but still they struggled.

To Raidon, the fact that he was facing the quarry he'd pursued for so long, who had humiliated him with each escape, didn't even seem to matter any longer. Everything at that moment was eclipsed by one consuming thought.

"Why?" he growled hoarsely, his grey eyes flashing with regret, confusion, and rage.

The steel of their blades vibrated, groaned, protested against the friction. And still they pushed, their faces only inches from each other.

"Why was she able to smile like that?" he growled more deeply, pushing harder as blood died his the black uniform with every exertion. He grit his teeth, a fire burning white hot in his veins.

"TELL ME!"

With an almighty surge of power, he shoved his opponent back, closing in the distance in an instant. With a bellow of rage, he raised his katana high, muscles tensed to swing it down with all his might in one final attack. In a single moment, it was all over.

Snow's Garage

Snow drained the rest of his coffee and put the cup back on the table. "Well...," he started and his hands kept caressing her neck and shoulders, "Tony is making me race tonight since I haven't really done my job properly the past couple days," he explained lightly, even though he knew how dangerous those races could be, especially at night. He knew it was more of a punishment than anything else, a reminder that he couldn't afford to slack off.

"So, I need to get that bike up to speed, modify a few parts before the races begin," he said and his arms closed around her from behind. "But you're more than welcome to stay and maybe it's a good idea to take some heavy parts off the other bike to make it a bit lighter for you."

He leaned forward and moved her around so she was facing him. There was a slightly serious expression on his face, but it vanished when he leaned down to kiss and his eyes looked at her hungrily.

__________________________________________________

Peterney

The man broke and finally told them what they wanted to know. James exhaled in relief and pulled a stunner from his pocket that he picked up in the commotion earlier. He withdrew his katana and quickly jabbed it into the policeman's neck and he sunk to the ground.

He still didn't have the heart to kill him and left him there half-unconscious. "Go! Go!" he urged Alex and lightly pushed him in the direction of the garage.

Alexander Dranos

Alex nodded and moved quickly where the man stated Lisa would be; "I will get the car as well, I will have it running outside. You guys just make sure you all come out in one piece." Said Alex to James.

As Alex reached the garage that was mentioned by the man, he saw car. He quickly check for Lisa. "Lisa? You alright?" since they were in hurry, he shook her a bit. But there was no response. Alex quickly checked if she was breathing with pulse. "You are at least alive... that's good enough." he commented and went to the driver seat.

Alex started the car and drove it out where Aegis would be making their exit.

Snow's Garage

"Mhh..." Lizzy arched into Snow's touch, enjoying the feel of his hands on her shoulders. "You're probably right about removing some of the heavier components of the bike." She said. "I could tell that it had been heavily modified, but I hadn't taken the time to see what components were actually part of the frame yet. So, I'd just left everything in place to be on the safe side. If you can show me which parts it doesn't need, I can remove those though."

She'd kind of drifted off a bit, thinking about the bike, when he spun her around and kissed her again, and when he pulled away, she leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his shoulder. "You know, if you keep doing that, we're not gonna get anything else done today, right?" Lizzy whispered huskily.

Taking the initiative to not get drawn into that particular trap, Lizzy got up and raised her arms skyward, stretching. "I'm gonna go see if my clothes have dried out enough to be wearable yet. Meet you downstairs?" She asked playfully.

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Peterny

"I told you to draw your sword." Alina snapped back at him. "It's not my fault you couldn't hold onto it."

The moment she took to respond to him cost her though. She'd been prepared to run him through, but now someone had stepped in between them. Her eyes bore down on him with cold fury, and she flipped her rapier to the side, motioning for him to move.

"I wouldn't advise standing there." She said darkly. "Normally I wouldn't attack someone I have no qualms with, but if you stand between him and me, I won't think twice about running you through to get to him. Now move."

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Keynes' skull vibrated with pain from where he'd hit the cap, but apparently, Raidon had caught the worst of it, judging from the blood running down his face. Then again, if Keynes was bleeding from his own face, he wouldn't have known it right now. He was too focused on the fight, on ending the man who had just killed Jane.

Readying his blade, Keynes launched himself forward at the same time as Raidon, meeting the downward swing of the man's katana with the upward swing of his blade that sent a shockwave of pain through both of his injured arms. It was that pain that slowly wore on Keynes' hold, and the combined weight of his own sword and Raidon's push finally caused him to lose his grip on the weapon.

Cursing, Keynes reacted more out of reflex than anything else. The heel of his boot hit the marble floor at an odd angle, and there was a soft click as blades sprung from the boot on either side, pivoting to join into a single, razor-sharp point at the toe. Keynes' hands reached up to capture Raidon's wrists, stopping the slash before it could even get started. A fraction of a second later, the blade on Keynes' boot dug into Raidon's ribs with enough force behind it to send the Kaiser flying several feet before he dropped to the ground, leaving a bloody trail along the ground where he rolled.

"It's not something you can understand by saying it." Keynes said, leaning over to pick up his sword. "You have to feel it. In that moment right before you die, you'll either find frustration or peace."

Staggering slightly, he moved in Raidon's direction, dragging his blade along the ground until he was standing over the man. "Which will you find?" Keynes asked as he wrapped both hands over his sword and raised it, point down, over Raidon's head.

The section of the marble floor where Raidon was laying shattered under the force of the blow Keynes brought down, but when the dust settled, the blade was impaled only in the floor. Only the edge of the blade had even touched Raidon, leaving a shallow cut along the man's cheek.

"I don't have to ask to know the answer." Keynes said as he pulled the spear from the blade, leaving it behind in the floor. "Your face says it all..." Using the spear as more of a crutch than anything else, Keynes turned and shuffled away from Raidon. Jane wouldn't have wanted him to die. He knew that from the way she had spoken to him at the end, and despite his own wishes, Keynes wouldn't go against hers, not now... If Raidon chose to die, so be it, but if he chose to fight, to live, Keynes had given the man something that no one else ever could have... Fear.

Peterny

Pain. Yes, pain. Excrutiating pain.

The physical pain to his body is nothing compared to the agonizing damage to his psyche. He is Chief Samael Raidon of the Military Police - the Invincible Swordsman of Kaddath, the “Kaiser,” a weapon honed to cut down any opposition, a machine crafted for one purpose alone.

So why? Why did it come to this? When this one purpose fails, what is left?

Raidon collapsed to the ground several feet away, leaving a trail of blood behind. The soft thud of his body signaled the end of the conflict. The police chief gasped in pain, forcing his arms beyond their limits to lift his body from the ground. His chief’s hat slid off his head, clattering to the ground a few feet away. His traitorous limbs shook, then gave way. Lying in a pool of his own blood, he placed no curses on his enemies. No – “If you want to curse anyone, curse yourselves.” – he can only curse his own weakness.

“Go on. Finish it then,” the chief whispered hoarsely, grey eyes fixed on the ground beneath him.

“In that moment right before you die, you'll either find frustration or peace."

Frustration.. followed by a sense of hollowness. Everything.. he’d lost everything.

The shadow of Keynes’ sword moved, but after the sudden crash Raidon realized that his opponent, this man who had more reason to hate him than anyone, had spared his life. Raidon felt a momentary flicker of surprise; he never would have expected mercy from Aegis, particularly the man whose lover he had just killed.

In the end, however, this mercy was a hollow gesture. With his wounds, he would surely die. No, at this moment, Samael Raidon was already dead.

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All movement in the room stopped suddenly at the sight of Raidon lying defeated upon the ground. Chastenay moved back, clenching his hands tightly into fists, the nails digging into his palms.

"Orders, sir?" Dekker said tentatively, moving back as he kept his eyes on Alina.

"Pull back," Chastenay growled, his steps backing toward the exit. Dekker's eyes flickered over to Raidon.

"What about the chief?" he asked as the remaining policement fell back, exiting through the doors in the back.

"Leave him, Chief Dekker," Chastenay replied coldly, turning his back on Raidon and running through the exit. Dekker's eyes blinked momentarily in surprise before a smirk crossed his features and he followed after his boss.

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Rise panted, feeling the energy drain out of her as the policemen fell back. Her thoughts immediately turned to Jane, and she hurried over to the body that had remained mercifully undisturbed during the chaos.

"We.. we have to take her back with us," she sniffed, looking for help. Jax caught her arm, however, and helped her up.

"I think Keynes will want to see to that. Come on," he said gently, leading her toward the exit. "We need to get out while we can."

He paused, looking for Alina.

"Red, let's go! We need to pull back!" he told her, hoping she wouldn't be impulsive enough to rush off on her own.

Snow's Garage

"Yeah, you're right," he said and pulled away. He watched her stretch, admiring what he could see.

After she left, he stacked the plates and simply put them in the sink. He would deal with those later.

Once downstairs, he lit a cigarette, slowly exhaling the grey smoke and then decided to finally upright the couch again. Snow walked over to the two motorcycles, taking a wrench from a nearby working table.

First, he went over to his old, no... Lizzy's bike and took the casing off. He started removing all the heavy parts that had nothing to do with the actual engine or stability of the bike. Humming quietly to himself, he lit another cigarette and eventually started putting the bike back together.

He just tightened the last screw when he could hear Lizzy on the stairs and he moved to the tires to check the pressure before he turned around and tossed her the key.

___________________________________________________

Peterney

James nodded in agreement and watched Alex run off. After giving the unconscious policeman another glance, he headed back into the main hall where the battle was taking place. The scene had changed quite a bit and to his surprise he saw Raidon on the floor and Keynes walking away from him. On the other side of the room, the Commander was overpowering Chastenay while Will, Rise and Jax still dealt with the remaining policemen.

He hurried over to them. "We found Lisa, she's in a jeep out back. Alex is bringing it around so we can get away," he called and gestured towards the exit. He was relieved to see that Rise was fine and everyone else was still alive as well.

In an instant the battle had died and the police as well as Commander Chastenay pulled back, leaving Raidon behind.

"What about him?" he asked and gestured towards Raidon. "They're just leaving him to die." Even though he had chased them like no one else and despite having killed Jane, James still felt sorry for him. No one deserved to die in a hole and all alone, right?

Daemond (Tarsus Barracks)

"Family?" Daemond muttered, as he looked at Sasha rather bewildered with the fellow comrade looking rather regretful about saying that. Though, that peaked Daemond's interest even more, as he leaned in on the table with glowing curiosity.

"Did something happen to his family like Aera?" Daemond quickly related the other ensign sitting next to him, as he shifted his gaze over to Aera for a brief moment who only gave him a rather irritated glare in response, that made him feel like he stepped out of turn.

Aera (Tarsus Barracks)

"I'm done eating, goodbye." Aera briefly and formally muttered, as she pushed her chair back a few inches using her feet with her slowly getting up, as she put the wrapper from the sandwich in the brown paper bag. As she walked around the chair and politely pushed it back into the table, before formally walking away.

Daemond

"I probably shouldn't have said that..." Daemond muttered as he rubbed the back of his head, realizing that if they had been like Aera's family then impressing them wouldn't have even been brought up. Though, it's hard to believe any other reason that would cause problems in his family.

"Do you know what happened then? I kind of hard to believe that Lancar would ever need to impress someone with what he does..." Daemond stated in a deflated voice to Sasha, almost like it was a secret that shouldn't be said out loud.

Well, he didn't expect Sasha to say much, as she did seem really close to Lancar... but Daemond sort of had been doing a lot of snooping lately. It wouldn't hurt to keep this streak going after all.

Aera

"I can't believe him, why is he asking about the lieutenant behind his back like that?" Aera thought to herself, as she scowled a bit from Daemond's comment.

It wasn't the family issue that got to her; she had a lot more pressing matters with Xennox regarding that, but if he wanted to ask Lancar about something he should of done it himself. They are a squad, and trust is imperative, and that trust is broken when someone goes getting sensitive information without someone's permission.

"Whatever..." Aera mumbled, as she walked back in the lounge with her throwing the brown paper back into the blue and unkempt recycling bin that she had memorized. As she fell over on the squad couch exhausted, resisting the urge inside of her head to tell her to go study instead.

"I don't feel like using my angel eyes, I'll just catch up with my work tomorrow." Aera stated rather exhausted, as she turned her head towards the book shelf reaching out for the book that she had memorized that she wanted to read in her free time. It was one that her father used to read her when she was little that she had found in the library a few days ago.

It was weird, even though she had never seen it before when she was a child, the bright red and the brown cover still rang in her mind from when she remembered it.

"Hmm, how do the first paragraph go?" Aera wondered, as she turned to the first page of this nostalgic book and began mumbling the words in a rather fragmented order.

Peterny

His battle finally over, Keynes made his way back to where Jane lay on the marble floor. He retracted his spear and put it in the holster at his waist before leaning over and gently lifting her against his chest. His arms instantly complained from her weight, and his numb foot slid a little, but he kept himself from falling over by sheer force of will as he staggered towards the car where the others were waiting.

"Chastenay!" Alina roared at the man as he made a swift escape, and she drove her rapier through the air as a magic circle spawned beneath her. "Mabufula!"

Silence reigned for half a second, and then chaos ensued as ice sheeted the entire half of the building where Chastenay and company had run. She knew that it wouldn't hit him, knew that she was wasting her breath, but she had to try, for Jane... "Damn you..." The words came out as a broken cry, and tears of grief and frustration began to stream down her face. She had to leave if she wanted to live, if she wanted to fight another day, but every fiber of her being wanted to chase down Chastenay and run him through, no matter how many soldiers she had to go through to get him.

It was Jax's call that finally made the decision for her, and Alina turned on her heel, stepping towards the rest of Aegis as they made their escape. It wouldn't be today, but the cold fire in her eyes held the promise of vengeance to come... She didn't even acknowledge Raidon's existence as she stepped past him. As far as she was concerned, the man was dead, and if she ever saw him again otherwise, she would be swift to remedy the situation.

Will pulled open one of the doors of the car for Keynes, wondering if the man was really in any condition to be traveling. The cut over his own eye was bleeding pretty badly, but that's how all forehead wounds were. It wouldn't even leave a scar if he got Rise to deal with it before the end of the day. "Let's get out of here while they're scattered about and unable to organize a search." He barked as he slid into the seat.

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Snow's Garage

After checking her clothes to see if they were dry or not, Lizzy had thrown her pants back on top of the heater, and regretfully switched out Snow's shirt for her top while she waited on them to finish drying. When she was sure that they were finished, Lizzy pulled on her pants as well, and made her way downstairs.

At the foot of the stairs, she reached out to snag the key Snow had thrown her from the air. "You work quickly." She commented teasingly as she walked over to the bike and stretched her leg over it to see how it felt now. The frame was a lot more compact, but when she turned the key, the engine still had the same roar to it.

She revved it a few times, just to hear it before cutting it back off and getting back off to wrap her arms around Snow. "Thank you, for letting me keep it." She said, giving him a quick kiss. "Unfortunately, I need to get back to the base and check in. Otherwise, they might think I went AWOL." Lizzy gave him a wink and squeezed him one more time before moving back to the bike. "I'll be busy tomorrow morning, but if you want to swing by around lunchtime, I'll have the rest of the evening off."

Alexander Dranos

"Got it" said Alex and he stepped on it as everyone managed to get in. The car quickly drove away from the building that left a huge scar in Aegis' heart.

Another nightmare... this has to be another nightmare... thought Alex, but then he knew it so well that if Aegis wanted to move forward, they have to accept the reality and move on.

It was hard, but they have to try their best. Best was not enough though. They need to pull a miracle. Alex tightened his jaws, we cannot let this go on. We have to end this. thought Alex.

Taurus Barracks

Sasha bit her lip, wondering if she had perhaps overstepped her bounds.

"Well, Lancar's family is a pretty well to-do, capital one. You know how they can be, grooming their kids like they're proteges. Anyway, when he manifested his magic gene at uni, his parents cut off communication with him for ruining their aspirations. He tried his best to be an exemplary officer but.. they never so much glanced his way."

The analyst sighed and shrugged.

"Well, you know the way he can be sometimes. Now you know why," she finished. "I'd probably have a perfection complex too if I were him. At least it got him notice by Captain Colt, but.. I really thought it would get him the captaincy when Colt stepped down. Poor guy."

Sasha sighed and stood up, feeling her appetite go away. She grabbed her tray, giving Daemond a half-smile, half-grimace.

"Catch you later," she said before leaving him to ponder her words.

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Lancar entered the lounge, looking up in surprise at the sight of Aera.

"Oh, I didn't realize anyone else was here," he said, looking curiously at the book in her hands. She didn't appear to have her Angel Eyes activated, instead staring frustratedly at the page.

"Do you mind if I read to you?" he asked, sitting down next to her and carefully removing the book from her grasp. "I was actually hoping to distract myself anyway."

He smiled, even though she couldn't see it, and scanned the page.

"Let's see..."

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Bunker

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Was it the incessant sound of the kitchen clock, or the tapping of the nails of room's sole occupant on the table?

They'd been gone for some time now. She had to assume the worst. That meant there was a distinct possibility that they would be coming here to get her. She should be packing up her things and planning an escape. She should be ensuring her survival.

Instead, she continued to sit in this chair, slowly filling the room with acrid smoke. The end of her cigarette glowed faintly as she let out a puff of air, watching the smoke ring disappear into the haze surrounding her.

She was tired of running. Her life didn't have enough meaning to cling so tightly to life anyway.

So instead, Kokonoe continued to sit in the kitchen to await the arrival of whoever would return, eyes fixed on the clock as he free hand tapped away on the table.

Tick tick tick.

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Peterny

"You found Lisa?" Jax exclaimed. It was more than they could have hoped for at this point.

Letting go of Rise, Jax made sure that Alina was coming back to them after all - otherwise he would have had to chase after her - and followed her outside the building to the jeep. Rise paused at the sound of James' question, glancing over at Raidon's body, which had ceased to stir. It would have been the better thing to do.. to forgive him and try to save his life..

But she couldn't do it. She wasn't that big of a person.

As everyone hurried out of the building toward the jeep, Rise paused on the steps, staring out over the landscape. The sun was just beginning to peep over the edge of the horizon, casting a faint, dull light. It looked like it was going to be one of those dismal, grey kind of days, with the smell of rain heavy on the air

"Rise, are you coming?" Jax called, from the jeep. She gave a slight nod, her feet carrying her mechanically toward the others, as the first drops of rain began to fall like tears.

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Spoiler:

As the police forces pulled back and Aegis made its escape, a thick silence settled over the room. Only narrow strips of grayish light entered from the partially opened door to the otherwise dark room. In that room, beneath a spreading pool of blood, the once mighty Kaiser lay unmoving and alone as life escaped his grasp.

No..

Pain.. Yes, pain. This agony, this labored breath proved he still existed.

Moments that stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. In that time, his mind still hopelessly attempted to graspat unanswered questions?

Had he been wrong all this time? He'd discarded his humanity long ago, since the day he'd had to bear that scar - but in the end it had brought him to ruin, defeated by a man who by all rights should never have been able to defeat him. Had that man's passion been enough to overcome his skill?

Love.. Did finding someone dear to one’s heart really enable someone to overcome any odds? To give life to a heart thought to be dead?

He wanted to know. He needed to know.

“She’s going to die, Samael. Does that not bother you?” Jane had once asked.

She… Arya Tarsos. A woman he’d thought had finally understood him. That had proved a lie. In the end, she did what he could not – she chose with her heart.

And now she was being sent off to die. To die.. just as Aegis would have.

It did bother him. It did bother him. But it didn't matter. There was nothing he could do about it now. The answer was out of his reach.

Moments passed. Eternity passed. Raidon’s fingers twitched, digging into the cold, hard marble beneath him, sticky and wet with blood. No, he still had willpower. He still had resolve. That’s why it couldn’t end here.

Not yet.

Not yet.

His arms pushed, shaking and weak, to lift his body from the floor.

He wouldn’t collapse here. He couldn’t die in a place like this. Not without knowing the answer.

His legs shifted beneath his body. The hard stone dug painfully into his knees.

When did Samael Raidon ever waver?

His left leg rose, placing his foot firmly on the ground. The pain was nothing.

If he loses his blood, he’ll replace it with willpower.

His body rose from the floor, ragged breaths escaping his lungs.

If he loses his flesh, he’ll replace it with resolve.

He stood firmly on both feet, teeth clenched, and began to move to the exit. With every step his body quivered, his muscles protested, his blood ran freely – but still he pushed on.

To the answer.

To Caltha.

To Arya.

Chapter 3 - Revelations

Spoiler:

"Now then-"

A man spoke. He was wearing a strange mask, like a clown or some bizarre stage performer. He never spoke his own name, though people called him Pierrot. Of course, there are not many who say his name to begin with. He is the leader of a secret coalition, one that writhes in the darkest corners of Kaddath. That name must not be spoken carelessly if one values their life. One must never imagine what face lies beneath that mask if one values their life.

That man now began to speak to the one before him in this secret room of darkness, or could it be called an altar?

"Now then. Why don't I make an announcement? Of the continuation of the grand experiment, of the the continuation of profound cognisance, and the start of a new era. Death claims even the strongest among us. And it is only through the death of the old that the new can begin. At this moment, our great empire goes through its final death cries as the birth pains of the new sovereignty enter their zenith."

There was laughter in the man's voice. The one he spoke to was silent.

"This year and the age of old Kaddath come to a close, and the new era awaits. The final of our harbingers rides forth. 'I looked, and before me was a pale horse. Its rider was named Death, and Hell followed close behind.'"

The man stood from the sofa, arms extended wide to an unseen crowd.

"The final act is about to begin."

Bunker

Jax walked quietly through the hallways of the bunker, wiping his face with a towel. Despite the exertion of the previous day, he didn't think there was any excuse for slacking off on training. If anything, it just proved that they could never be too prepared.

As he passed by the kitchen, he suddenly froze. Someone stood at the stove, hair pinned back in an delicate bun as tresses hang loosely in the front.



For a moment, he thought he was seeing a ghost. But as she turned her head slightly, he saw that she was younger.. and yes, the hair was not the same shade of auburn but a light brown.

"Rise?" he said quietly, brows furrowed. Rise turned, giving him a smile.

"Morning. I was just working on breakfast," she said, so naturally that he almost felt it was just an ordinary day. Not the day after...

Rise seemed to read his thoughts and swallowed.

"Well, we still have to eat, right? Besides.. she wouldn't have wanted us to mope. And this is the best way I know how to remember her," she replied softly. Jax had to smile, seeing what a strong young woman she'd become.

"I'll let the others know," he said, backing out of the doorway. "But.. you sure you're okay?"

Rise took a moment before she nodded slowly.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to check on Alina. She was taking it pretty hard.." the Red Rider said sadly. "I'm always here for you though, okay?"

Rise's face fell somewhat, but she offered him a wistful smile.

"Can't be in two places at once," she replied before turning back to the stove. Jax studied her for a moment, surprised and confused by her words, before leaving the room and heading down the hallway, calling the others for breakfast. When he reached Alina's door, he knocked tentatively before clearing his throat.

"Alina? Is it okay if I come in?" Jax asked gently.

Prisoner Convoy

When they went over a rather high bump in the road, Arya woke up. For a second she felt a little disoriented until she realized she was still in the truck with all the other prisoners and that she still leaned against Darcy's shoulder.

Arya cleared her throat and sat up a little, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "How long did I sleep?" she asked and tried to look around. The light was still too dim to reveal anything about the inside or the outside. She could not even tell if it was still morning or afternoon already.

__________________________________________________

Bunker

James sat in his room on the bed, the blanket pulled around him. He didn't sleep. Actually, he hadn't even closed his eyes since they got back. His eyes kept staring at the opposite wall and his notebook was in his lap. The new page still blank, not a word written of what happened.

He still could feel the weight on his chest, the sadness of having lost someone that didn't deserve to die yet. Once again he realized that physical pain was nothing compared to what happened. Nothing could have prepared to him for that and he felt torn with emotion, still trying to process it.

Then he heard Jax's voice, calling them to breakfast and he got up. After putting the notebook back into his pocket and splashing some cold water on his face, he left the room.

"Smells great, Rise," he said to Rise, looking in the kitchen. "I'm gonna see how Lisa is doing and check if she's up for a bite to eat."

He didn't really feel comfortable with it, wondering what she had been through, but someone had to do it, right? Gently he knocked on the door and opened it after a few seconds. Lisa seemed to be still asleep and he walked over to the bed.

"Lisa?" he asked and touched her shoulder lightly. "Are you awake?"

__________________________________________________

Military Compound

Snow rolled through the gate of the military compound and came to a halt in front of the trainings complex. He paused a second to catch his breath before he reached over with his left hand to the right side to turn the motorcycle off. Slowly he dismounted it, clearly favoring his left side.

He still hadn't used his right arm for anything when he started walking towards the complex and kept his arm close to his body. Walking a little hunched over towards the right side, he tried to keep his breathing shallow to avoid the pain in his side. That kick in the side during one of the races had really taken the air out of him and he wasn't sure yet how far the damage went. The rest from the resulting crash afterwards, a few scratches and shallow cuts, seemed to blend into the background in comparison.

It was still early in the morning and the sun hadn't quite chased the morning fog away when Snow walked over to the dojo and opened the door. Tiredly he leaned against the door frame, surveying the inside.

Bunker

Stepping out of the freezer in the early hours of the morning, Alina looked terrible. Her entire body was shaking from staying in the cold too long, and there were ridges along her cheeks where the tears had flowed for most of the night while she worked. Encasing a body in ice without damaging it was hard enough by itself, but having to go back and start over every time a tear fell on the ice and invaded the purity of the water with salt... Honestly, her tears should have dried up long ago, but grief was heavy with her since her father's passing.

She looked at herself in the mirror when she got to her room, wondering who it was she was seeing now. Could this really be the same Alina? Wiping her eyes again, she thought back to a few hours before when she'd argued with Keynes. She would need to apologize for making such a scene when she saw him later. They had both been hurting...

"We should bury her in the field outside the bunker." He had suggested, but Alina had shaken her head in disagreement.

"No. She'll be buried next to her father." Her tone had been commanding then, and cold...

"And how are we supposed to find out who her father was? Let's be real here. Just because your family follows a tradition doesn't mean that hers do--"

"She was family!" Alina had cut in angrily. "My family!"

Keynes' mouth worked up and down, but no words came out. Alina took that as a sign of surrender and gently lifted Jane's body to take it to the freezer. She had to be preserved until Alina could give her a proper funeral...

Alina blinked at the sound of Jax's voice, but she didn't respond to it. She couldn't respond to it. Maybe all of the crying from the night before had robbed Alina of her voice, or maybe she just couldn't bring herself to start another day just yet, not while the memories were still fresh...

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Mhh?" Lisa tried to roll away from James' touch, and her eyes drifted open lazily. She blinked for a moment, recognition dawning on her face when she saw James, and Will, who happened to be standing in the doorway behind him.

"Oh geez... This is the best dream I've had since they shot me full of that stuff." She said weakly. "Although it kinda makes me wonder how bad my psyche is to be dreaming of the two of you."

Lisa closed her eyes again for a moment, wondering if they'd still be there when she opened them. To her surprise, they were, and she let out a sigh. "Please don't tell me that this is one of those emotionally repressed dreams and one of you is going to kiss me now..." She said darkly. "I'd hate to think that I spent all the time with you two and didn't realize that you were my type... Not that it would have mattered. James is head over ass for Rise and Will doesn't have feelings." She continued muttering.

Will raised an eyebrow at her musings and glanced at James for a second before stepping into the room. He crossed the floor at a steady pace and reached down to Lisa's collarbone, where he pinched the skin.

"Ouch!" She rolled away from his grip, reaching up to grab her shoulder with one hand and massage where he'd pinched it. "That hur--!" Her eyes widened as realization sank in.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?"

---------------------------------------------------------------

Military Compound

Lizzy and her three students had been going through their morning stretches in relative silence, although she could feel their gazes upon her, and their unasked questions. That was too bad for them. Her business was her own.

"One last deep breath..." She said, taking her own advice as she reached towards the ceiling with her hands. It was at that moment Snow appeared in the doorway, and Lizzy's mind immediately returned to the stretches he'd caught her doing the morning before.

The students must have noticed the flush of her cheeks, because all their heads swiveled to look at Snow, and when their eyes returned to Lizzy, they were all wearing stupid grins.

"She totally got laid..." One of the guys said, sounding shocked by the idea.

"I told you she'd find a guy eventually." The girl responded, elbowing him in the gut. "Now pay up. You promised me dinner if I won."

The other of the two boys looked from Lizzy to Snow and back. "Booty call?"

Lizzy's eye twitched in annoyance, but she tried to maintain her composure by taking another deep breath. "Why don't the three of you finish stretching while I attend to my friend here?" It was more of an order than a question, despite the phrasing, and before they could respond, Lizzy pushed Snow out the door, following quickly and trying to ignore the words that drifted after them.

"Yup, she totally got laid..."

Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Lizzy turned her attention to Snow. "I thought I told you that I'd be busy until noo..." Her voice trailed off as she realized he was wheezing from her slight push.

"The cigarettes finally getting to you?" She asked sarcastically.

Military Compound

Snow grinned at the reactions of her students. He kept the grin on his face for a few seconds longer when he saw how flushed Lizzy's cheeks were. She was either angry right now or pretty embarrassed.

However, his expression turned a little pained when she pushed him outside. "Yes, I'm happy to see you too," he said huskily and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Yep, she was definitely annoyed. Snow shrugged at her second question. Immediately he regretted the motion and grimaced in pain. Shrugging. Not a good idea.

"Maybe you can spare a few minutes for me," he asked softly. "I think I broke a few ribs," he explained and gingerly lifted the edge of his shirt to take a look. His side already looked purple and blue from the bruising that began to spread.

He looked at her again, dark rings under his eyes from a night with no sleep, and light flush that remained on her face from earlier made her look so beautiful that he ignored his tired body and pulled her closer to give her another kiss. His side protested at the movement and he closed his eyes in pain.

___________________________________________________

Bunker

James blushed deep red at Lisa's words and glanced towards the door where Will stood. Well that was embarrassing to say the least. He tried to push the feeling aside, hoping Will would ignore it and he turned back to Lisa.

"You're not dreaming," he explained. "How are you feeling? Are you up for a bite to eat? Rise is making breakfast."

She seemed to be doing okay right now as far as he could tell. However, realization of what happened to her, whatever it was could still sink in, so he thought it best not to overwhelm her with information about what passed here in the meantime.

Bunker
-Alexander Dranos

"Dammit" Alex eyes were opened and cursed, then soon his palm slammed hard onto his bed. "I cannot believe I couldn't do anything again!" Alex shouted in frustration; he was still incompetent fool, he was a hypocrite. "Darn you, Alexander, you promised her, you promised her you will risk your life to save her!" Alex soon jumped out from his bed and draw his katana, just slashing it in the mid air madly.

Alex was angry at himself; he was developing his hate. No, the hate was not directed towards the army, nor it was directed to Legion. It was solely directed to himself. Alex' Katana was turned, the sharp blade was swing aimlessly yet dangerously. Soon the swing met with the chair that stood nearby, the swing divided the chair into half, however, Alex anger soon spread to other furniture close by.

Alex panted, and looked at the mess he made. Will he lose everything? a sudden thought came to his mind. Just like how he lost his parents, will he lose the people who are close by? A question tightened Alex grip on his Katana, soon the sharp side of the blade made its way to the bed he just had nightmare. With a screeching sound, a blade left its mark on the mattress as well as to its frame.

The rage inside him was exploding, "What the hell was that training for!" Alex blade aimlessly slashed mid air vertically and finally meeting its blade to the ground with a loud noise.

Military Compound

"I never said I wasn't happy to see you." Lizzy whispered as she gently removed herself from his embrace. "I am, however, unhappy to see you in such a poor condition." She said coldly.

"Didn't the two of us discuss this yesterday when I said I wouldn't survive the death of you?" She growled, punctuating each of her words by jabbing her finger into his bruised ribcage. "I expect you to take better care of yourself from now on. I'm not a walking band-aid..."

Her fingers latched onto his side, not so gently feeling the ribs for breaks as a cold glow began to cover them, soothing away the pain. "I suppose I could spare a couple moments to patch you up though. Do keep in mind I'll be charging a service fee though. You'll need to pay that back somehow later." She commented, giving him a wolfish grin.

Military Compound

"W-what?" he asked confused when her voice suddenly turned cold. Pain exploded in his side and his fist hit the wall next to him in an attempt to keep himself from screaming in pain. Snow groaned and took a step back. "What the hell? That hurts!" he called out, sounding more indignant than angry about her treatment.

He exhaled with relief when she eased the pain a little. Walking a little more upright, he followed her. "It's not like I was trying to get hurt," he grumbled, still holding his side. "It's my job to put myself in danger. What do you want me to do? Sit on the sidelines?" he complained.

Snow rolled his eyes behind her back when she mentioned a service fee. He loved her dearly, but sometimes dealing with women was just exhausting. "Fine fine," he agreed tiredly because his mind was far too exhausted for a discussion now. Snow put his left arm around her shoulders and kissed Lizzy's temple. "Can I catch a few hours of sleep here?"

Peterny

Rise took a small taste of the oatmeal she was preparing before adding a sprinkle more of cinnamon, then moved over the omelets and checked to make sure they hadn't burned. Sighing, she brushed back a lock of hair as she let her thoughts wander.

"I don't know how you made it look so natural, Jane.." Rise mused, looking at her reflection in the spoon in her hand. The sight made her mind wander back.


"I'm no good at this," Rise sighed frustratedly, splattering her apron with batter. Jane giggled, and wiped a spot from Rise's face before winking.

“You know, I was worried you wouldn’t even know how to hold a knife properly. So really, you've exceeded my expectations," she teased. "Now, cut this black pudding into slices. I’ll show you how to make it later. This is really good when you cook it. Maybe someday we could try adding some wine too.”




Jane never gave her time to feel bad about her skills. She always kept her busy, putting new dishes to attempt in front of her. It was difficult, but she found she rather liked it anyway.

Of course, Rise had never made dishes like this before. When she had cooked on her own at university, it was almost always something simple like warming up a scone or instant oatmeal. Even when she decided she would try “real cooking,” the most she ever did was steam a potato. She’d never done serious cooking before. She had no such experience. This was the first time in her life she’d been taught by someone close enough to touch her hands.

A role normally filled by a mother..

“I’m impressed she can do such dishes so effortlessly. Almost like a professional chef. It’s amazing,” Rise thought. Perhaps her thoughts were obvious, as Jane smiled.

“Why do you look so surprised? Any housewife can do this," the high agent replied. That may be the case, but..

“Housewives… are amazing. So amazing…” Rise replied, shaking her head as she finished chopping the vegetables and slid them into the pot.

“Aren’t they?" Jane replied with an elegant laugh. "Studying is good, but once in a while you need to pick up a knife and cook something. Or it will rot.”

“What will?” Rise asked, puzzled.

“Your womanhood,” Jane replied with a wink. Rise blinked, both surprised and flustered.

“I know, in this day and age that idea seems very outdated. But someday you’ll understand what it means. If you can’t make anything good, you’ll be in trouble when the time comes…”

She gave Rise a look that made her squirm uncomfortably. Maybe her crush wasn't so secret, but that didn't mean it wasn't still embarrassing to bring up - especially in that kind of context!

“Making a meal for someone you love.. there's not many things more fulfilling than that,” Jane said. It was amazing to hear someone so accomplished, a high agent of Kaddath, to talk so highly about something so simple. Perhaps that's why she hadn't noticed.. that wistful look in Jane's eyes, as though speaking of a distant, unattainable dream.

“When the time comes.. fufu. Anyway, try making the things I’ve showed you when you feel like it. I won’t give you the recipes. You’ll have to remember it, okay? It’ll be our secret,” she said with a wink. Rise blushed but smiled and nodded, returning to chopping with the knife.

"But you did attain it, didn't you?" Rise whispered, smiling sadly to herself. "Right here, with us."

She wasn't sure how much was an act and how much was real, but she was sure that the Jane that liked to cook and teach her, the Jane that had prepared meals for them with care and thoughtfulness, was the real Jane. So she could look back on memories like that and feel comforted.

"Well, they'll be coming soon," she sighed to herself, turning off the stove and moving the pans and pots off the burners to set them on the table.

--------------------

"Red..?" Jax asked again softly, but he received no response. Well, she might hate him for this but..

The Red Rider opened the door tentatively, peering inside.

"Look.. I know you may want to be alone, but.. it's not good to be by yourself in a time like this," he said gently, closing the door behind him. "Trust me."

Yes.. he'd certainly been there before. And if it hadn't been for Aegis being there for him, especially Rise, he wasn't sure how he would have gotten through it.

--------------------

Prison Convoy

Darcy gave Arya an amused expression at her question.

"Oh, not too long. You've only been asleep since yesterday," he replied, grinning. "You must have been pretty tired."

The vehicles seemed to slow down and finally stop. There was some muttered discussion before the doors were opened and everyone ordered out. They seemed to be at a small Army outpost.

"Everyone move single file inside," the policemen barked. Darcy helped Arya out, looking confused.

"Why are we stopping?" he asked, causing the man to ram him in the side with the handle of his sword.

"No talking! Do as you're told," the man barked, waving them all inside.

Bunker

Alina looked at Jax with eyes that were red from a night of crying and no sleep as he stepped into her room uninvited. "Please... I don't want anyone to see me like this." She sniffed, pulling the sheets around her to hide her face, which she knew looked terrible.

It was a petty attempt at getting him to leave, and she knew it, but the truth was, Alina didn't have any defenses left right now. Last night had been hell for her, just like the night after her father had died. She would be herself again eventually, but right now, she couldn't be that strong, and as a Commander of... A Commander of what? She was just a normal girl now, right? Why couldn't she accept his comfort?

Cautiously, she lowered the sheets enough to look at him, sniffing again. "You told me you buried your sister once..." Alina said, unable to keep the wavering tone out of her voice. "Now, I know exactly how you felt..."

------------------------------------------------------

"I..." Lisa paused for a moment, as if she'd forgotten something and couldn't quite remember what it was.

"Arya!" She tried to throw the sheets aside and push herself from the bed, but it only resulted in her flopping to the side awkwardly.

"Damn it all!" Lisa cursed between her teeth, trying to push herself up to no avail. Her mind was working again, but her limbs were still completely limp, maybe from lack of use. "I have to find Arya. They're going to kill her..."

Her vision blurred as tears filled her eyes, and Lisa sobbed into the pillow. "Oh God, they could have already killed her. I don't even know how long I was under from the stuff they gave me." She looked at Will and James again, her eyes begging them to listen to her request. "Please, help me find her..."

------------------------------------------------------

Military Compound

"Don't pull that crap on me." Lizzy said, giving him an angry glare. "It may be your job to put yourself in danger, but it's also your job to keep from getting hurt too much. I know asking you to sit on the sidelines isn't any good, and I wouldn't want you to do that anyway. It's unlike you, but if you think you're about to take a hit, throw the first punch and end it early damn it."

She pouted, refusing to look at him while he wrapped an arm around her and asked if he could stay. "Here is a relative term..." Lizzy responded. "If you mean here, as in the dojo, then no, you may not sleep here. I could loan you my bunk if you don't mind that though."

Bunker

And then Lisa came undone. James watched helplessly as she started crying. He looked around to Will if he had any idea what to do.

"Please calm down, Lisa," he said carefully. "We'll do what we can. As soon as I can I will check the army chatter and find out what I can," he added and helped her up.

"But you need to rest," he said and got up.

"I'll see if we have anything in the kitchen to fix you up faster," he said and walked out the room and into the kitchen.

Rise was still in there, just finishing up preparations for breakfast. "Your hair," he said, sounding a little surprised and almost reached out to touch it. She looked so different, still beautiful though. "It makes you look so much like….her." He almost choked on the word and turned his eyes away.

There was a pause and then he remembered why he was here. "Lisa woke up. She's pretty upset and still under the after-effects of the drug. Can you maybe… I mean do you mind taking a look?" he asked, stumbling over the words. Clearly, he felt a little helpless, especially when it came to talking to girls.

"I don't know what to say to her," he finally admitted.

__________________________________________________

Prisoner Convoy

"Oh," she said in surprise. It hadn't felt all that long. "Yes, I was tired. I hardly slept the night before. I don't do well with sleeping outside."

They stopped and the doors opened. The guards ordered them outside.

"You okay?" she whispered when the guard attacked him. They walked inside. Arya could tell it was a small army outpost and she wondered just like everyone else what they were doing here.

__________________________________________________


Military Compound

Yes, she was definitely more than annoyed. Lizzy was picking apart everything he said. Snow sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Please Lizzy, don't be angry," he said with a slightly pleading tone in his husky voice. "It's already hard enough that now I have to try to not get killed. Please don't make this any more difficult."

His arm ran slowly from her shoulder down her back and he held her around her waist while they walked towards her room. "Anywhere is fine," he said, knowing he'd probably fall asleep as soon as he could lay down somewhere. "A bed sounds good though."

Bunker
Alexander Dranos

Alex sat on the floor, and sighed, still having his blade in his hand. The training definitely increased his stamina it seems; he wasn't panting much to his surprise. However, the rage inside of him was consuming him, little by little.

"Sorry, Jane.... I am so sorry..." muttered Alex as he let the katana dropped to the floor. It looked like he was making promises he couldn't keep, and all this situation made him to ask himself, "How are you going to stop this conflict when you cannot even save a life?"

==============================================================

Xennox Xylon
-In his room

Xennox sighed heavily and his eyes drifted to the window. Xennox stared at the blue sky with a blank look, he softly muttered. "Why is it so hard to remember?"

Xennox shifted his steps to his bed and soon he let his back rest on the comfortable bed. Xennox eyes were still open and wide. Slowly, Xennox was feeling something hollow; he felt like he was an empty vessel.

He did feel such emotion, and it was long time ago. Xennox thought that he had overcame such feelings; however, it was clear to him that he did not overcome such emotion, but forgotten about it. A lock that was forbidden to be opened, was opened because of his silly curiosity and it seems like the forgotten emotions are coming back to him.

Will this be pandora box? or will this be a good thing? A change he wanted, a change he was looking for?

Xennox slowly closed his eyes and expelled another sigh from his mouth. However, he sprang to his feet once again. Xennox again shifted his feet towards the window again. This time Xennox opened it, let the breeze greet him. Xennox thought he had forgotten how to smile, but he felt his mouth muscle move, "Funny.... I feel happy all of the sudden...." Xennox commented gently, then shook his head. "I'm an idiot..."

Bunker

"Yeah.. I did," Jax said quietly, looking at his hands. He could imagine the dirt, sweat, and blood on them as he patted the dirt over Miki's grave. He would never forget the weight of her tiny body, the smell of the earth and sea, and every shovel-full of dirt to fill that grave.

"You never forget," he continued, still fixing his eyes on his hands as they opened and closed slowly. "It would be disrespectful to, I think. But it does get easier.. a little bit every day, when you have people around who care about you."

Jax turned to look at her, his eyes tender as he recalled a memory very precious to his heart.. that night she managed to save him.

"A wise person once told me that friends make up for the strength you lack.. the strength to keep going, the strength to turn that pain and despair into resolve.. When you  have friends, you don't have to do everything on your own."

He understood better than anyone what she was experiencing. Not just because they both lost sisters but-

"You don't have to be strong all the time, Red," he whispered, wiping a tear from her face.

--------------------

Rise was still in there, just finishing up preparations for breakfast. "Your hair," he said, sounding a little surprised and almost reached out to touch it. She looked so different, still beautiful though. "It makes you look so much like….her." He almost choked on the word and turned his eyes away.

Rise turned around at the sound of James' voice, noticing the obvious attention to her hair.

"Yeah.." she said quietly, running her fingers through the loose bangs. "I realized that my usual hairstyle was supposed to seem cute, appealing, innocent.. But that belonged to someone different - someone who believed in justice and happy endings."

She swallowed, looking at him with resolved eyes.

"So until I can believe in that again.. until we can set things right, I won't wear my hair like that again."

There was a pause before James seemed to remember why he was there.

"Oh, Lisa.. I'd almost forgotten," she said, feeling a bit guilty. Since the food was all finished, there was no reason she couldn't go. Nodding to James, she headed out into the hallway and made her way to Lisa's room.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Rise asked Lisa, shooing Will out of the room. "I don't know if it'll work, but I can try a Posumundi spell to see if it clears up the toxins."

--------------------

Prison Convoy

"Oh yeah, nothing like being hit to wake up up in the morning," Darcy said, sounding slightly winded..

The policemen guarding the prisoners began to grumble as they sat around the outpost, speaking to each other about why they'd stopped.

“We haven't gotten any communcation from Commander Chastenay lately. And we're going nowhere without his order,” the head officer barked, glowering at all of them. He walked around the circle of prisoners, surveying them with a hard glare. The effect, however, was far less impressive than with Chief Raidon, as Darcy made a point of noting. That earned him a hit on the face.

“I’ve got to keep my mouth shut or I’ll ruin my good looks,” he muttered, rubbing his temple.

--------------------

Taurus Barracks

Lancar entered the squad lounge at the barracks, looking somewhat antagonized.

"The captain has requested our squad," he told them. "Apparently they have another mission for us, related to the supersoldier incident."

The twins shrugged and headed out, but Lancar paused for a moment, taking a deep sigh before turning and following after them.

Bunker

Will leaned against the wall, unsure of how to deal with Lisa's quiet sobbing until Rise entered the room and pushed him out. Maybe that was for the best. Crying women were a total pain in the ass...

Lisa looked up at the other girl, taking a few seconds to realize who it was. She looked so different now...

"Rise..." She sniffed, reaching out to take the other girl's hand. "My sister. They were taking her to be executed. Please..." She didn't seem to know what words to use, how best to phrase what was on her mind. It all just sounded like jumbled up words.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"But I'm not like the rest of you." Alina said, turning away from the hand that reached out to wipe away her tear. "I've never had friends to lean on." Her voice sounded so very sad now.

"At the academy, I had peers, but none of the associated with me unless it was in an attempt to become my superior. In the army, I had soldiers who followed me, but none of them were close to me. I don't think they allowed themselves to be because of my position... None of the other Praetorate members were my friends either. In fact, I probably could have called most of them enemies most times."

Her eyes looked up at him, asking a question she herself didn't even know how to phrase. "Who am I supposed to lean on?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Military Compound

"Oh, don't be such a wuss." Lizzy said as she reached up to scratch the stubble on his chin with her fingertips. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that us women make life difficult?"

She giggled softly, leaning against him when he wrapped an arm around her waist. Lizzy made sure not to lean too much though. His ribs would probably still be sore for the rest of the day, and there was no sense in causing him pain when he hadn't earned it.

When they arrived at her room, Lizzy slipped the key into the lock and opened the door, showing Snow the way in. It was fairly tidy, aside from the gym bag against the far wall that looked like it had blown up all over the floor. There was a desk just to the side of it, and a sandbag hung in the center of the room, only a few feet away from the bed.

"You'll be the first guy to sleep in my bed." Lizzy whispered softly, allowing a slightly teasing tone to invade her voice. "It really is too bad I can't join you, but I need to get back to my students."