Jerri was with control. She was the one November would be in radio contact with during this operation. Right now she was leading Privates Madsen, Tanner and Devlin across a courtyard in Jacinto to two Ravens which were waiting to take off. A large, black figure was handing an ammo crate up to a tan woman who loaded it into one of the Ravens. Both of them wore the COG soldier armour; they were seasoned Gears. The few visible scars and makeshift maintenance on their armour were testament to that.

The three recruits stopped a few feet short of the Ravens and Jerri continued up to the Lieutenant.

'Lieutenant Henry, these are the new members of November squad. Private Benjamin Madsen, Mikaela Tanner and Uriah Devlin.' As she said their names, she indicated each with her left hand and they stood at attention and responded "Sir!" in turn.

'They so green they need you to help 'em find us Jerri?' Henry prodded.

'Well… they all passed basic, but beyond that - let's just see if you're still joking when you get to the dropzone.' Jerry poked back.

'Speaking of which,' the woman loading the Raven tapped an invisible watch on her wrist, 'we'd better move.' Then she disappeared back inside the Raven.

'Right; they been briefed, Jerri?'

'No, you know what these assignments are like. Have to move quickly. I'll brief them on the way.'

'Alright, thanks Jerri.' Lieutenant Henry continued to watch for a moment as Jerri started walking back, then standing up straight, he shook himself out of his stupor and walked up to Madsen. Madsen was shivering with nerves but still standing at attention. He had to look up to Henry who towered an entire foot taller than him. Henry looked at Madsen up and down then said, 'Welcome to November-four, son.' And grinned wide, baring his teeth.

'Thank you, sir!' Madsen was taken aback and his voice was shaky.

Henry then repeated the process with Tanner. She stood firmly at attention and responded dutifully. She was trained well and had the confidence of a soldier, but this wasn't a true test. She was eager to see how she would perform on the battlefield.

Lieutenant Henry was half a head taller than Devlin, although he sported a lot more muscle. Devlin would have been a match for him two years earlier, but since the end of the Pendulum Wars, E-day and the COG counterattack… still, he wouldn't have liked to come up against a man like Lt. Henry in close quarters on any day. Devlin let the thought go as Lt. Henry said, 'you've seen combat before.' It wasn't a question, so Devlin remained silent.

'Welcome to November, Devlin.'

'Yes, sir.'

'Alright, this is Sergeant Rodriguez my second in command, so do what she says. Devlin, you and Rodriguez are in KR-Two-Zero. Madsen, Tanner; you're with me in KR-Two-One. Climb aboard Gears.'

The three recruits responded with, 'sir!' and moved to their assigned transports. Rodriguez took a seat next to her secured lancer and strapped herself in. Devlin situated himself facing out the other side, and strapped in. He dropped the ammo from his lancer and smoothly reloaded it, before securing it next to him. As the Raven's began to take off, the crackle of static came over the communication radio followed by Jerri's voice.

'November-four can you hear me?'

'We hear you, Jerri,' came the reply from Lieutenant Henry. He was standing up in the other Raven with two fingers over his earpiece. Madsen was stationed at one of the mounted guns, rechecking that it was properly locked and loaded. Tanner was sitting down, strapped in and checking her sidearm.

'Charlie-two and three have been separated by the locust. Charlie-three is currently occupying the dropzone where you'll be landing. Charlie-two is approximately two miles down the road from them. Both squads are reporting injured as well as low ammo. November-four, rendezvous with Charlie-three at the dropzone, re-supply and assist any injured. Then proceed down High Street and extract the remaining members of Charlie-two.'

So Charlie-two had taken casualties, Devlin thought. Tanner took a moment, but stiffened at the realization. Everyone was silent.

'Roger that, control.' Henry ended the transmission.

As they neared the dropzone, Rodriguez stood up and said, 'Come on, Rookie.' She'd said the last word with an almost icy edge. Sergeant Rodriguez must have seen Devlin's file, which meant the Lieutenant had as well.

Rodriguez moved to the machine gun turret on the side of the King Raven. Devlin followed suit and he could see that Tanner had moved to the second turret on KR-Two-One. The Raven's began their decent into the city streets with KR-Two-One taking point. Devlin spotted locust movement in the buildings a moment before he heard Lieutenant Henry's shout.

'They're using Mortar's!

KR-Two-One banked left to avoid the two curtains of mortar fire that closed over the street. KR-Two-Zero began banking right when there was the sound of an explosion followed by the pilot's voice.

'We're clipped!'

Suddenly the Raven sped up as it began to fall. The cabin flashed red and green as warning lights went off and sirens wailed. Devlin's knuckles whitened as he desperately held onto the mounted gun. Then the Raven hit the ground. Hard. Devlin was thrown with the force of the impact and everything went black.

Rodriguez stirred and, attempting to shake off the shock of the crash, began climbing into the Raven's cabin. She spotted Private Devlin lying sprawled on his back over the rubble. Then she noticed a burning smell before Lieutenant Henry's voice in her ear broke through the stunned silence.

'Come in Rodriguez, what's your status?'

The Lieutenant's voice brought Rodriguez back around and she groaned sharply with the pain that now registered. Clutching her side with one hand and placing two fingers over her ear with the other she responded.

'KR-Two-Zero is down, sir.' She paused for a moment and moved over to Devlin, then continued, 'Devlin is out,' she did a quick check of his vitals, 'unconscious.'

Rodriguez began tapping at Devlin's helmet and saying 'Private Devlin,' in an attempt to command him back to consciousness. Lieutenant Henry continued over the radio.

'The drop zone is only a couple of blocks from your current location under heavy fire; we're going to reinforce this position. Get Devlin and gets your asses over here, girl. That's an order.'

'Yes, sir,' Rodriguez responded. He didn't have to remind her that it was an order, they'd been together long enough for her to treat it as such, anyway. But it helped her to focus on what needed to be done.

Bullets started ricocheting off the Raven's hull and Rodriguez attempted to wake Devlin with more desperation. Through instinct Devlin removed his snub pistol as he came to and started to sit up when Rodriguez' caught his chest to stop him.

'Private Devlin, secure your weapons and as much as you can carry from the crates, also bring that mulcher.' Rodriguez indicated the heavy weapon. Devlin responded with 'Yes, Ma'am,' holstered his snub and dragged himself up into a crouching position in the Raven.

After removing his lancer from its holding position on the Raven, Devlin started poking around in the crates. He stashed as much ammo as he could into his various pockets and pouches and hooked some bolo grenades to his belt. He slung the lancer and a gnasher over his shoulders and made ready with the mulcher. Rodriguez was already crouching next to him, holding her lancer, when he finished preparing.

'Okay, I'll provide fire support, make your way over the cockpit and stay inside the building. Then cover me while I move inside. We can then secure Coup from the cockpit,' she paused for a moment, considering, 'if he requires it.'

Devlin was curious as to the pilot's fate, but he would find out soon enough. He was about to respond to Rodriguez' order when she stood up and started peppering at the locust in the streets and opposite building. Devlin didn't hesitate and moved with practiced agility over the Raven. As he passed over the cockpit he peered in through the shattered glass to see the pilot's head in a similar condition and continued moving. Once inside the building, Devlin dropped the mulcher, removed his lancer and started firing from a window overlooking the street. He hit a couple of drones that were beginning to move forward to discourage them from overrunning the Raven. They quickly ducked behind cover, and Devlin kept them pinned long enough for Rodriguez to get inside. It wasn't until he was reloading that he noticed Rodriguez was standing to his left. She had her head bowed and whispered 'Coup.' Devlin knew the feeling and felt a twinge of empathy as he realized she'd lost a comrade. Immediately after she'd said it, she looked at Devlin, readied her gnasher and gave the order to move out.

Devlin picked up the mulcher and followed Rodriguez into the next room of the old apartment building. Rodriguez moved quickly through the building and took out a drone with a single gnasher burst as they came to an intersection. The two crouched down and Rodriguez took a look outside.

'Looks like Charlie and November are getting hit hard from this side. Use the cover; get that mulcher and yourself in that building on the next bock. Go.'

"Ma'am,' Devlin responded and began moving along the makeshift cover in the streets. He was combat moving from cover to cover as he made his way to the next block, when bullets started to fly past overhead. When he arrived in the other building, he took out his lancer and provided cover, firing at the windows overlooking the streets while Rodriguez made her way to his position. She didn't stop but kept moving up the stairs. Devlin shouldered his lancer, picked up the mulcher and lugged it up the stairs after her. They were moving fast through this building now, Rodriguez heading the charge and deftly dropping the drones with the gnasher.

Suddenly Rodriguez stopped and took cover by a window. Devlin squatted down next her as she peered into the streets.

'All right Devlin, cut 'em down.'

'Yes, Ma'am.'

Devlin hauled the mulcher onto the windowsill and started turning the crank. The spray of bullets instantly turned three drones into a bloody mess. The locust had been in cover from Charlie-Three's position so they were forced to try and gain cover from this flanking strike. Lieutenant Henry saw the opportunity and called out, 'Give it to 'em gears!' The street was a mess of bodies when the remaining locust forces slipped away. Rodriguez and Devlin made their way down the stairs and into the dropzone.

'Sir,' Rodriguez said as she approached Henry.

'Perfect timing as usual, Rodriguez, thanks for the assist.' Henry said smiling. Then his tone turned somber as he added, 'sorry about Coup.'

'Yes, sir. Orders?' Rodriguez asked.

KR-Two-One was providing cover for Charlie-three who were repelling a drone offensive at the forward position of the dropzone. Now that the locust had been routed, it turned and landed behind Lieutenant Henry.

'See about patching up these survivors, Sergeant. Devlin, leave that with Charlie-,' he pointed to the mulcher. Rodriguez moved off to carry out her orders as Madsen and Tanner returned from cover and awaited theirs.

'… then the three of you unload this ammo.'

'Sir!' Madsen acknowledged.

There were four remaining members of Charlie, three covering the front, one at the back. Devlin went to the gear still crouched behind cover at the back and dropped the mulcher for him. He noticed blood pooling on the floor. It was coming from the soldier's leg.

'You all right, soldier?'

'Yeah, we all been hit, mine's not too bad,' he said as Devlin bent down and started to wrap the leg. 'Just get Charlie-two back here so we can leave.'

'You got it.' Devlin said and he walked back to the Raven. When they were done unloading it, November formed up in the middle of the dropzone and Lieutenant Henry began.

'Charlie-three lost radio contact with Charlie-two just before they got hit here. Don't know what their status is. Control's been updated but our mission stands, so let's move, gears. Watch for snipers while moving down the road, lots of open ground and tall buildings. Keep an eye on the windows and especially the rooftops.'

The immediate threat of locust had been removed. It wasn't until they got halfway to Charlie-two's location that November encountered some minor resistance. A few drones in the middle of the street. Madsen was getting more accurate as he became more confident, but it was Tanner who took down the two grenadiers as they charged forward. Lieutenant Henry took out a drone with his lancer and Rodriguez switched to the longshot to finish the last one.

Lieutenant Henry was the first to spot Charlie-Two and ordered everyone to stop. It was quiet here. They began to proceed cautiously to where they could see the gears in the middle of the street. Madsen, Tanner and Devlin covered the windows while Henry and Rodriguez continued to move forward, their eyes fixed on the gears. They all passed through the remaining cover when Rodriguez noticed the large amount of blood that surrounded the inanimate figures of Charlie-two, propped up in a seated position in the middle of the street.

'Sir-,' Rodriguez began, but Henry knew what she was going to say. He cut her off saying, 'Yeah,' then began shouting 'everyone back up into cov-'

His orders were cut short by the whirring of a bullet punctuated with the sound of high speed impact through flesh. Rodriguez was on the ground before her gnasher fell, and the buildings flashed with the fire of Hammerbursts.

'Dammit, Rodriguez,' Henry was saying as he scooped a hand under her left shoulder. Devlin moved quickly to her right, picked her up by the armour and the two began dragging her back. Madsen had fallen back to cover behind one of the destroyed buildings, he'd taken fire and a bullet had gotten through his armour somewhere. He could feel it but he was still alive so he kept up the cover fire. Tanner was standing in the middle of the street firing at whatever locust she could see. As the trio moved past her, she backed up with them. Then, sighting a grenade she called 'Incoming!'

The force threw Tanner back past Devlin and she slammed hard against the cover of a fallen pillar. Devlin felt the initial force against his back, before some shrapnel knocked his helmet clean off. He faltered a moment but kept up the pace until they were behind the cover of the pillar. Lieutenant Henry continued to move Rodriguez into the adjacent building but Devlin stopped and crouched down. Removing his lancer, he stood up and began firing, then reached one hand over the pillar and started to haul Tanner to her feet. As she realized what was happening, she kicked out and slid over the top of the pillar.

'Thanks, Devlin-' she began but she caught her breath as she saw his face. He had a scar on his left side that extended up from his top lip, giving it an odd twist, through a blind eye and up into his hairline. His hair was cut short in military fashion, making him look even more the hardened warrior.

'…I dropped my lancer though, dammit.' Tanner finished.

'Take mine.' Devlin handed her his lancer and turned around making his way into the building, where Lieutenant Henry was wrapping a bandage around Rodriguez' middle. Tanner resumed firing at the surrounding locust and Madsen began slinging insults as he killed one of the drones.

'I need to borrow your longshot.' Henry looked up at Devlin. If he was shocked, he was hiding it.

'Keep them alive until I'm finished here.' Was all he said.

Devlin nodded. He was looking at Rodriguez. She didn't say anything but moved one arm and slowly worked the rifle off her back, handing it to Devlin. He took up position in the nearby window and started scanning the area for the sniper.

A flash. That was him, he'd fired again. A distant rooftop, looked like an old bell tower. Devlin squeezed the trigger and waited till he saw the satisfying fountain of blood spewing from the snipers torso. He put the sniper down next to Rodriguez, said 'thank-you, ma'am,' then took up position again next to Tanner. She was firing sporadically, as though trying to take out the entire locust horde in every window at once. Another lancer was lying at her feet so Devlin picked it up. She was good. She'd managed to move over the pillar, recover her lancer and make it back in one piece.

'Madsen's hit.' She told Devlin as she reloaded. Devlin glanced past her and he could see the boy lying on the floor of the building on the other side of the street. He'd taken his helmet off and looked like he was having trouble breathing. The kid was only eighteen. The same age as Devlin when he was in his first firefight; and doing about as well, he mused.

Devlin sent a few rounds into a nearby window, realized he may have even managed to tag one of the grubs and then dropped down again.

'Cover me,' he said, placing one arm on Tanner's shoulder before charging across the open street into the opposite building. He looked down at Madsen. The boy's eyes were pleading for Devlin to help him, but he couldn't talk. Devlin bent down, quickly pulled something out of a pouch on his belt and drove it into Madsen's chest, under his armour. Madsen gripped Devlin's arm at the pain, then breathed a relieved sigh.

'Grubhole! Two of 'em!' Tanner's voice sounded over the gunfire, as two emergence holes opened up on either side of Charlie-two. Devlin hung his head thinking, what next?

'When you feel out of breath again, just flick this switch. It'll do till we get back to Jacinto.' He patted Madsen on the arm, picked up the kid's lancer and handed it back to him. Madsen just nodded dumbly, took his lancer and slowly moved back into position in the window.

Lieutenant Henry had moved into cover next to Tanner. He had a Bolo in one hand and raised the other to the radio in his ear.

'Think you can hit that grubhole closest to you, Devlin?'

Devlin gave him a nod.

'When they close up, you and Madsen get over here and we'll retreat to the dropzone together.'

Devlin responded this time by readying one of his own grenades. Lieutenant Henry moved around the corner of the pillar, Devlin was a half a second behind leaning out from the building wall, and both men threw their grenades. The earth, mixed with locust blood, erupted from both holes as they collapsed with the explosion of the grenades. Lieutenant Henry didn't wait, but removed his lancer before the grenade landed and was already firing on the remaining locust.

Devlin had to drag Madsen from the window as he started running across the street. Madsen caught on and started limping as fast as he could. Devlin was running so fast, he had to use the wall to stop himself. Madsen collapsed on the floor in front of Rodriguez, who was propped up next to the window, cradling her boltok pistol.

The five of them were now inside. Lieutenant Henry looked around. Rodriguez wasn't looking too good, she was just barely able to hold that pistol and she was sweating. Madsen hadn't got up off the floor and he looked like he was still bleeding. His breathing was laboured. Damn.

'Alright,' Henry began, 'Tanner, think you can help carry Madsen back?'

'I'm okay, sir, I can make it.' Madsen croaked out before hitting the switch on the device in his chest again. He slowly dragged himself off the floor, picking up his lancer as he came to stand at attention.

'Okay, I'll carry Rodriguez. Devlin, you and Madsen are on point,' Devlin knew he'd just been given the task of keeping an eye on Madsen. 'Tanner, you bring up the rear. Let's go, up the stairs.'

Devlin prepared his gnasher and charged up the stairs. At the top lay a dead drone; it appeared to have been taken out with one headshot which Devlin attributed to Rodriguez and her Boltok. He took up position against the wall next to a doorway and Madsen, a couple of steps behind, got into cover on the opposite side. The two of them waited until Devlin saw Henry and Rodriguez ascend the stairs. Rodriguez spat on the dead locust and said spitefully, 'that's right, bitch.' Lieutenant Henry pressed two fingers to his ear and started talking. 'Control, come in. This is November, requesting assistance. Charlie-two is KIA. We were ambushed. Need extraction.'

There was interference coming through on the radio,

'Roger that… ber. Can you make it… extraction poi… Nemacyst… area.'

'We're attempting to move back to the extraction point. Could have used a lift, though.' When there was no reply, Henry said. 'Damn, must be cut off.'

Devlin and Madsen had already checked the next room and now moved through the doorway. It was clear and there were stairs leading down. As Devlin reached the bottom of the stairs an unsuspecting wretch came hopping through the door nearest him. It stopped and considered when it spotted Devlin, then it started screaming. Devlin cut the cry short with a gnasher bolt before calling 'wretches!' Suddenly the little room was surrounded with hopping little wretches that began jumping in through the broken windows. Devlin had moved in to allow Madsen down the stairs after him and the two began firing at the wretches. Lieutenant Henry didn't slow down but kept moving Rodriguez down the stairs and removing his snub, provided some support. Tanner was the last down the stairs and took out the last wretch as it made a leap for Rodriguez.

'Keep moving,' ordered Lieutenant Henry, 'there'll be more coming.'

They attempted to pick up the pace as they moved through the remaining buildings. Devlin charged in; instead of checking rooms before entering he just moved through smoothly taking out any locust he came across, until they came to an intersection.

'Damn, looks like locust reinforced this position.' Devlin cursed. 'Should have gone through the buildings opposite,' he said to Madsen, pointing across the road where there was no break in cover.

Henry sat Rodriguez down against the wall and surveyed the outside area. Tanner made an entrance, taking out a drone as she entered the room walking backwards. She squatted down, remaining in cover looking out the rear door. The locust occupying the street had heard the gunfire and were starting to investigate, looking in November's direction.

'That Boomer's moving over here,' said Henry as he ducked beneath a window. 'This is where they hit us on the way in, probably figured they could cut us off, if the situation called for it.'

'Looks like they were right, sir.' Madsen said.

'Booooom!' A deep voice rumbled from outside. The whistle of a rocket could be heard before an explosion overhead. The room shook and debris fell. The window above Henry shattered and he called out as he was showered with glass.

'Back up!' Henry gave the order and then proceeded to pick up Rodriguez and drag her as fast as he could into the other room, keeping low. Tanner did a quick flip through the doorway and began providing cover from a window in the other room. The exchange of fire had begun. Devlin stood up and returned fire as Madsen moved; with Tanner and Madsen providing fire from the next room, Devlin proceeded to rejoin the squad.

'Tanner, take this.' Henry had seated Rodriguez and was extending the longshot to Tanner. 'Get upstairs and see what you can do about that Boomer.' On queue, another explosion rattled the building.

'Yes, sir!' Tanner sounded excited as she checked the chambered round in the longshot. She had already placed her gnahser on the floor below the window, now she shouldered the longshot, removed her lancer and proceeded up the stairs. It was unnecessary, no locust here, so she switched back to the longshot and took aim out of one of the windows. She sighted the hulking locust and took aim. He raised the boomshot to the window Tanner was looking out as she squeezed the trigger. The shot penetrated the boomers left eye and blood spewed out. Twisting to the left with the momentum of the bullet, the boomer managed to pull the trigger as he fell to his knees. The rocket flew in through the window next to Tanner and exploded inside the room. The force knocked Tanner into the wall next to her and she slid down to the floor.

'Damnit, that's twice…' Tanner said, shaking her head clear of the dizzying state. She got back up and continued to provide sniper support.

In the room below, Madsen had stopped firing. His breathing was laboured so he flicked the switch and sat there attempting to catch his breath.

'You all right, private?' Lieutenant Henry asked.

'Not good, sir.'

'You hear that?' The sound of a mounted gun filtered into the room. 'It's KR-Two-One, we're getting out of here, just hold on private.'

'Yes, sir.'

Lieutenant Henry moved to pick up Rodriguez and called, 'Tanner!'

'Coming, sir.' She called back a moment before appearing at the staircase holding her lancer.

The Raven had torn the locust in the streets to shreds and now hovered above the intersection. Devlin took up point, his eyes to the sky searching for any Nemacyst. The rest of November was in close step behind him as they moved to the Raven's location. Down the street two Nemacyst began moving fast towards them. Devlin called, 'Nemacyst!' before attempting to destroy the forward one with lancer fire. The King Raven delivered a volley of fire that easily took them both out and then landed in the street.

'Good to see you, Charlie. Thanks for the assist.' Lieutenant Henry said as he helped load Rodriguez into the cabin. Tanner and Devlin stepped in after the lieutenant and sat down; Madsen climbed in and remained lying on the floor as they were taking off.

'Hang on gears,' came the pilot's voice over the intercom, 'we're gonna high-tail it outta here,' and with that he began the top-speed flight back to Jacinto.