Author's note: Okay, so here is the new story. The series is called the Dissension Trilogy and the first story is called Dissension. I have the names for the other two written down, and you won't get the name and summary of the next one until the final chapters of Dissension, and you won't get the name and summary of the last book until the final chapters of Book two.

I hope you enjoy. And anyone who is reading this that hasn't read the fifteen chapters of Our New Life, I would go read that.

Chapter One

Location: New York, New York
Time: 1656
Date: 02/09/2013

"Get off of 6th Avenue now! Lead them down West 37th, and then make a right on 5th. This 6th Avenue plan isn't going to work out. They have a small base set up just twenty yards away from your location." There was a faint typing sound in the background, then a groan. "Just hurry up and get to the Empire. We cannot afford to lose New York too, you hear me? Hurry up, and get the boys moving off 't get any of them killed, understand?"

"Yes sir." The Major replied. He retrieved his Neutrino from its holster on his hip, and turned around the face his team. "Listen up!" he half-yelled. "Commander Kelp wants us to move off of 6th. Load up your weapons, and head toward West 37th. Stay together!" He ordered.

The team gathered their weapons and headed south on 6Th Avenue. The team was wary as the traveled on the abused streets of New York. The scene itself looked like an apocalypse movie. Buildings had gaping holes on the sides, concrete, paper, and ash cluttered the avenue, and smoke from a nearby fire made the air foggy. They approached 37th Street cautiously. The traffic light was completely demolished and the only thing that remained of the street post was the ONE WAY signs and the street names. The Major and his team walked down the street for several minutes before they began to get the feeling of someone watching them.

"Verbil, do a thermal scan. Something's not right here…" The Major commanded. "Everyone stop for a minute." He turned to face the group. Verbil turned around in a full circle, doing a complete thermal scan of the street.

"No signs of any other life here, sir." The Major nodded, but did not advance any farther. His vision remained focused on a figure that was crouching behind a truck.

"Run anoth…" The Major was thrown to the ground as the high speed bullet connected with his right shoulder. He got to his feet quickly and sealed off his helmet. "Seal your helmets and get behind something!" He barked into his helmet microphone. "Now!" The rest of the team fled behind cars or various hot dog and churro stands. More bullets were fired at them.

The Major leaned over the side of the Chevy he was behind and fired several blasts from the gun, all of them landing on the chest of his attacker. Two more enemy soldiers came into view and began firing at the cars and stands in a vain attempt to find the officers. "We're gonna have to make a run for it sir. There's nothing we can do. We kill them, more are just gonna come." Verbil said into his microphone. He looked over to the leader of their group. He couldn't see the Majors face behind his helmet visor, but he could tell he was in pain by the way his muscles tensed. "Ash, you okay?"

"I'll live." He replied. Ash sighed into the microphone. "Listen everyone. Make sure your guns are loaded and ready. We're gonna run like hell." This, the major thought, may or may not work. Either way it goes, we're still losing officers. And then: Trouble is going to kill me. "On my mark, we get up and run toward the Empire. If I get shot down, keep going! Understood?" There was a chorus of "Yes sirs." and "Oh gods."

"One."

Everyone's breathing became heavy. The enemy soldiers reloaded their weapons.

"Two."

For a moment, the officers stopped breathing and the only sound was the fast whoosh as the bullets zoomed by their helmet sensors.

"Three!"

The officers jumped up from behind their hiding places and took off. Immediately after Ash turned the corner, he knew that some of his officers had been shot down. But it was too late to turn around now.

They were only a couple of minutes away from the Empire State Building when Ash's shoulder's muscles began to tense up and burn. He fell behind his last two officers, which just happened to be Verbil and the younger Kelp brother. Ash took a moment to wonder how Grub had made it through that, but the pain in his right shoulder was too agonizing, and any other thoughts were quickly thrown into the Think- About- Later file located in the back of his mind.

The trio approached the Empire quickly, but when they were just outside the building, a broken fire hydrant sprayed water everywhere and soaked the officers before they entered the tiled lobby. Grub was the first one in. He tripped over his wet boots and landed in a crouched position. Chix slipped in after him and ran into a random officer in the lobby. Ash was the last inside. He slipped on the wet tile, landing forcefully on his bad shoulder. He let out a shriek of pain. In seconds, LEP medics and officers were at his side. They gripped his elbows and helped him into a sitting position.

"What the hell happened?" Trouble Kelp yelled as he rushed out of the elevator, Captain Holly Short following close behind.

"Ash!" Holly shrieked, running to his side. She knelt down on the ground, immediately checking his pulse and responsiveness. "Oh my Gods, what happened?" She turned to face Chix, who was standing beside Trouble.

"We were ambushed." Chix replied simply. He removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his brow. "He took the first shot. He tried to get us through it, but we lost Hunter, Voss, Adair, and Lloyd."

Trouble groaned. He hated losing officers. Not only was it difficult for them to contact the families and tell them about their loss, but it's not like he had officers to spare. He sighed. "Get him up to infirmary. Have Artemis fix him up the quickest he possibly can. I need him back on recon duty."

Holly stood up, hauling Ash to his feet and led him to the elevator. The infirmary was only on the fourth floor, so it was a quick ride up. Holly was thankful for that because she didn't know how much longer Ash would be able to stay sentient. When the doors to the elevator opened, she called for Artemis.

"Arty! We have a problem here!" Holly hauled Ash out of the elevator and placed him on one of the empty waiting area chairs. That wasn't such a big problem; surprisingly, the whole waiting area was empty. "I'll be right back." He nodded slowly. Holly ran down the hallway and through the double doors of the ICU. She searched up and down the various hallways until she finally found the Mud Boy in the Surgery Zone, discussing something with No.1. "Arty."

Artemis looked up from his clipboard. "Holly," he walked over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Ash got shot. I think it punctured an artery or shattered a bone." They began making their way down the corridor, to the waiting area. "Trouble needs to get him fixed up as fast as you can. He needs him back on the field."

"I'll see how fast I can repair the damage. But he has to understand that these kinds of things could take time to recovery properly." Holly nodded and opened the double doors. Artemis jogged over to Ash and examined his shoulder. He placed two fingers on his upper arm gently, but Ash's muscles tensed and his took in a sharp breath. "He is bleeding too much for bullet wound. It may have punctured an artery. We'll have to get him cleaned up first, and then No.1 and I will have to do a minor surgery to repair it." Holly's eyes widened in shock; artery repair was minor surgery? But Artemis gave Ash a comforting smile. "You'll be fine. Don't worry."

"Oh, that I know." Ash claimed. "It's Trouble you should be worried about. If I'm not patched up in two weeks, he's gonna throw a hissy fit." He laughed softly, but then winced.

Holly checked her watch. "Well, I'd love to stay and watch you, uh, have surgery, but I have a battle plan meeting I have to get to. I'll be back later. If I'm not here by the time you're done, message me."

"Okay." Artemis leaned toward Holly and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She smiled and then headed for the elevator. Even when they had been together for a whole year, and had kissed plenty of times, Artemis couldn't get over the tingle that was left behind. He smiled, then sighed.

"Alright Major. Let's get you cleaned and prepped."

A/N: Good enough?

For all you Venus lovers (remember my OC) (And I know some of you are out there), she will be here, don't worry! She will probably be mentioned in the next chapter, near the end.

Okay, well, this is the new story and I hope you all enjoy it. I will have chapter two posted tomorrow. I have already started writing it.

Forever and Always,

The Black Rose 98