AN: I don't own anything apart from my OCs (Hope and Grim) and world - anything you recognise, probably belongs to someone else and I'm just playing with them :)

"Miss Fairchild-"

"Corporal Fairchild sir." The reminder was polite, but had a slight edge to it, as though it wasn't the first time the short figure had had to point out her rank.

"Apologies corporal. Whilst I am not convinced of your merit; you are still part of a military unit, and are the only one I can spare for this mission."

Hope Fairchild carefully schooled her features into military blankness to hide the deep irritation she felt. True, she was only an honorary corporal to give her job as a messenger 'official' status.

"The chopper on pad 3 will take you to Abel township. You have half an hour before it leaves. Dismissed."

Hope jogged back to her tiny bunk area and grabbed her slightly tatty backpack and nudged the dark grey-furred dog sleeping under the cot bed with the toe of her boot, "C'mon Grim, it's time for us to move out. We're finally getting to get back on the road."

The presumably GSD mongrel yawned and trotted after her.

When he spied the helo he laid his ears flat, Hope crouched and ruffled his fur. "I know you don't like flying, but tough. If you want to get home again, we just have to suck it up." Grim snorted and shook his head, sunlight glinted off the thick gold ring in one ear.

The pilot waved at them, "You my fare?" The woman was young, probably in her early twenties; 'Probably not far off from me.' Hope thought as she ducked under the rotors and pulled herself into the belly of the chopper.

A few minutes later, they were spiralling high above the countryside, the pilot was a chatty person and seemed to be enjoying playing tour guide, "So, you'll see the township as we loop round. Not much more than a few fences to keep the zoms out."

Hope peered out of the forward window as the pilot continued, "Tiny little island of humanity. I just don't know how they live like that. Well, I guess they won't be living like that much longer."

She turned to the skinny corporal and her dog, "So I expect you're not allowed to say what you're being dropped into the township for, huh?"

Hope patted her headset, trying to remember where the push to talk button was, but gave up and shook her head.

"Nah, I thought not. I know how it works. They don't even tell you till you get there." The pilot turned back to the main console, much to Hope's relief.

She turned on the radio, "Abel Township, Abel Township, this is Jolly Alpha Five Niner from Mullins Military Base. We're 5 miles out approaching from the east at one thousand one hundred feet, bringing in med supplies, some vac-packs, shelters and a temporary loan of one of our people. Abel Township Jolly Five Niner requesting permission to land?"

The radio crackled as Hope tried to spot their destination, the infamous Abel township.

A young male voice crackled out a reply, "Yeah. Got that. Er, I mean, roger that. You're clear to um...yeah you can come on in."

Hope listened with half an ear, and jumped when the pilot spoke to her again, "I can see clear as day we haven't got half the supplies we usually bring. That means we've lied to the township.

Yeah. I know. You don't know anything. Project Greenshoot? Need to know basis? Briefing to follow at Abel. Sorry, I couldn't help when you boarded. And then you'll find out what your mission really is. But you know if you and me pooled info maybe we could-"

She broke off abruptly and said in disbelief, more to herself than her passengers, "Someone's shooting at the chopper. What the hell...? They're shooting! That's not coming from the

township! Who the hell has a rocket launcher in this sector, who the hell has...?"

The chopper lurched abruptly and Hope clutched at the straps of her 'chute nervously. Grim scrabbled to keep a grip on the metal floor and Hope unbuckled her harness to try and grab him.

"We're hit. I've lost the tail rotor. Mayday Mayday Mayday. Jolly Five Niner is going down three miles east of the township. Two souls on board. Aircraft is grey with black lettering and trim. We're going in hard brace brace brace."

Hope grabbed Grim and tried to wedge them into a corner as the chopper plummeted toward the ground. She could still hear the radio operator in her ear, "This is Abel Township calling, this Abel Township calling. Supply copter can you hear us? They're going down fast, holy moly."

The pilot was slumped over the controls, Hope grimaced and yanked on the door, as it flew open, she grabbed Grim and shut her eyes before she jumped.

The chute opened just in time for her to see the trees were approaching far too quickly, but both hands were holding onto her dog so she couldn't try and steer to avoid them.

The silk tangled in the branches and Hope yelped as she hit the trunk. Hard.

The impact numbed her arm and Grim slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the ground.

"Fuck." She groaned and hit the emergency release, at least she was only halfway up the tree. As she fell, Hope missed the branch she had intended to grab to break her fall and she hit the ground hard enough to make her see stars. Her head cracked on something hard and her vision dimmed to blackness.