Two weeks later Ana and Victoria walked slowly side by side through a deserted village around a two hours drive down from Anubis, Jack and Gabriel were in a village a fifteen-minute walk away from them whilst the others were roughly about half an hour the other direction.
"I don't like this?" Victoria told Ana.
Ana hummed as she looked over at Victoria more past her and through the hole that used to have a door, "GET DOWN!" Both women dashed to the other side of the doorway pressing themselves against the wall as a hailstorm of bullets flew out destroying the wall across from them.
Victoria had a feeling deep down this wasn't going to go well as she heard the clunking feet of the bastion walking towards the door, Ana signaled her to step back from the doorway as the bastions gun came out through the door. Victoria skated back on her jet boots, now the entire arm as Ana dashed back. Victoria launched herself up through the air, jet boots first slamming into the Bastions arm as the Bastion stumbled to the side knocking against the doorway she could hear the clicking sound of it trying to repair itself as Anas bullet zipped through Victoria's hair passing straight through the bastions circuits.
"Remember to check for bugs," Ana told her.
Bugs were the omnics system of spy cameras they looked like spiders around the size of your hand, they weren't a threat fighting wise however they can release a deadly toxin into the air if they felt threatened.
"Yes mum," Victoria grinned as she stepped over the unmoving omnic I to the house.
An uncomfortable feeling again washed over Victoria as she stepped into the house, not the feeling like it was being watched by omnics it was more she shouldn't be here it was wrong.
"Victoria we better get a move on I can hear some coming down the road," Ana said behind her placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder pulling her out of her thought process.
"We can take them from above," Victoria told her.
"Agreed," Ana started as they took the stairs to at a time, they crouched down under the archway which was meant to be a window.
Three Bastions were walking down the path guns trained on the doorway were the fallen bastion laid. "You think you can take out want as I jump out the window?" Victoria asked watching them draw nearer.
"Go," Ana told her as she lined up the shot.
Victoria was up and out the window, as quick as a flash she pushed off the window sill and tumbled through the air her whip cut through the air wrapping around the middle one's arm as she crashed feet first into the one on the end. The sound of Anas gun going off then preparing the next shot. Victoria tugged the whip back towards her the sound of the pure energy ripping through circuits and the metal as she sent the third bastion unit crashing throw the wall. Victoria coughed as dust and sand filled the area as she stood on top of the Bastion that whirled and beeped at her. The second Bastion fell behind her as the bullet shot straight through, the third one threw itself to the side struggling to get to its feet, Victoria threw her arm back over her head before bringing it down allowing it to slice through the bastions neck joints.
"You girls ok?" Gabriel's voice filled their ears.
"All good here commander," Ana answered over Victoria's coughing.
"Bloody dust," she muttered which earned a laugh over the comms from the other as she brushed herself down holstering the handle of the whip against her belt.
"Any bastions?" Jack questioned.
"Four," Victoria answered her hand pressed to the comm link under her hair.
"How much of the town have you two explored?"
"Not that much honestly we have not started on the south side yet," Victoria was cut off by the sound of a gunshot.
"Vic down!" Ana yelled.
"Call ya back," Victoria told them as she dropped down as she heard the scuttling sound above her and rolled across the sand as it jumped down. Victoria was able to push herself up into a crouching position looking at the bug omnic in front of her. The red glowing eyes scanned her as Victoria reached for her own pistol on the opposite side of her belt. Never taking her eyes off the spider as the loud bang of Anas rifle sounded off in her ears the spider scuttled to the left Anas shot missed it by an inch. The eyes now flared a brighter red and the hissing sound filled the air as it leaped into the air, Victoria's reflexes were luckily faster than the robot as she pressed the barrel of the pistol against the stomach and fired.
The purple gas filled the air Victoria pushed back on the jet boots putting a good few feet between herself and the purple gas cloud that now filled the air.
"You good?" Ana yelled.
"Yeah I'm good!" Victoria replied.
"Alright," Ana jumped down from the window rolling under the gas cloud and springing up to her feet on the other side.
Victoria tapped her heels together turning off the jets, she kept the pistol in hand her free hand rested on the handle of the whip. As they continued to traverse through the broken village, they couldn't hear the clunking sound but they heard more bastions Victoria and Ana pressed against the low wall leading into the large square in the center of the village.
"Grenade?" Ana questioned.
Victoria shifted through her jacket before her hands brushed across a box.
"Experiment Grenade," Victoria told her as she pulled out the small black.
"Ok, what is this?" Ana questioned.
"Something to give me a chance to get away apparently," Victoria laugh, "An area effect of stunning or frying the circuits of the Bastion little bit of EMP, a little bit of light."
Ana laughed, "Give it ago."
Victoria pressed the button on the side and lobbed it behind her she heard it smack against the side of the bastion. Both women shoved their fingers into their ears as they heard the bang and multiple thuds as they peered over the wall they saw the bastion units on the floor.
The red lights that normally glowed on their face were gone entirely black, "Wow it worked...?" Victoria was questioning as she stepped around the wall picking up the small black box a battery flashed on the top, "Though one use only."
"Well it's something," Ana stated.
Jack sighed as he slammed the butt of his gun into the Bastions body as he turned the gun around and released a hail of bullets into its chest.
The shotgun rang in his ears next to them, "Still nothing from the girls?" Reyes asked as he blew throw the omnics head.
"Silent their end."
"That was a few hours ago try again," Gabriel told him.
Jack brought up his system through his eye guards and tapped Victorias and Anas names, Bastion after Bastion laid at their feet as both men listened to the comms trying to connect. Anas flashed green, "Jack we are in the middle of something."
"WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY ALL COME FROM ITS LIKE THEY SPRUNG FROM THE GROUND LIKE DAISIES!" Victorias scream was only just overheard by the hail of bullets.
"Ana do you need back up we are all cleared on our end?" Gabriel asked.
Victoria's name then flashed green, the buzzing sound of her pistol sounded first, "Think so commander."
"It was quite Reyes and then suddenly we had a flood of them come in," Ana stated.
Reinhardt's voice broke through, "We have a big problem on the horizon our end, my friends."
Jack stifled a chuckle as he watched Reyes roll his eyes and groan, "What is it, Reinhardt?"
"There is a titan on the horizon commander," Laio stated.
"What about the Bastions?" Jack asked.
"All gone there not that many," Torbjion told them.
"Girls what your situation?" Reyes ordered.
The beeping cry that no one wanted to hear sounded through the comms Jack felt his blood run cold last time she nearly got hit with that she remembered being raped. Victoria was silent only her heavy breathing sounding in his ears, "Ana I am pinned... they are right..."
The sound of the explosion cut her off the sound of rock crumbling next to her comms.
"Victoria, has it charged?" Ana asked.
The rest of the comm links were silent waiting on a response Victorias line crackles and the beeping and whirling noise of the bastion shifting back into soldier form filled their ears.
"Victoria!" Ana yelled over the comms it echoed twice once in Anas and another in Victoria. A bang filled the links making everyone's name flash up as they breathed in deeply.
"Why on earth did you do that," Ana hissed.
"I'm alright," Victoria breathed.
"Girls status?" Gabriel demanded.
"Thirty... well twenty-nine now Bastions landed in the town center we just did two laps to make sure we hadn't missed one... they were flown in," Ana reported.
"Wait did someone mention a titan?" Victoria questioned.
"Yes our end," Laio snapped.
"Gabriel, Jack how are you?" Ana questioned.
"Cleared up our end," Jack answered, "How far away is the titan?"
"Few hours at least," Torbjion answered.
"It will be best if we call in air support and help the girls," Jack told Gabriel.
"Agreed, Girls how long do you think you can hold out for?" Gabriel asked.
"Not that long think they are rallying to our point," Ana answered.
Victoria's grunt sounded over the comms, "No they are rallying to our point."
"We will be there in ten," Jack answered.
"Commander Anu," Gabriel talked over the new line of comms, "Air support one of the titans have moved."
"Why didn't we know about this Titan?" Jack asked keeping a hold of his assault rifle and sprinting towards the village entrance.
Gabriel was two steps behind him as they made their way to the entrance looking down the dirt path towards the neighboring village, the girl's village was more north whilst the rest of the teams was further south.
"Remember our satellites in this area are out of order," Gabriel told him.
"A titan though Gabe someone should have seen it," Jack yelled.
Victoria slammed her feet up into the Bastions chest as she had slipped in the sand as she had tried to skirt herself away from the three bastions had chased her down Ana fully got separated from her now. Victoria rolled to the side as a hail storm of bullets cracked the stone which she was just laying on top of. "Come on Commander," the whirling sound of one trying to fix itself as the sound of an assault rifle filled the air above her. The three Bastions looked to the new sound, as one crumbled to pieces above her giving the blonde enough time to roll across the floor and reached for the handle of her whip that fell from her hand as she fell. The energy buzzed around her, "Tactical visor activated."
The black box beeped at her as she threw the energy of the whip forward wrapping securely around one of the Bastions legs and she pulled them out from under it making it crash hard to the ground. A blue gloved hand wrapped around her arm, pulling her up to her feet Jacks grinning face came into view as he brushed the sweaty blonde hair out her face. They had been at this for four hours now, "Titan?" She asked breathing deeply.
Jack nodded before he kissed her soundly, her mouth opened in a soft gasp as he pushed his tongue into her mouth running his fingers through her hair and free arm around her waist drawing her closure to him.
Victoria shuffled slightly pressing herself against his chest her fingers danced up across the armor on his chest wrapping around his neck drawing him in as she stepped up onto her tiptoes. Jack pulled away for breath resting his temple against hers, "You had me worried."
"I am fine," she laughed against his lips as he pressed the hand on the back of her head down to press her lips to his.
"Alright alright," Gabriel groaned, "That is gross and we have a job to do."
"Leave them alone Gabriel they look sweet together," Ana scolded her commander.
Victoria pushed back against Jack breathing deeply laughing slightly her cheeks tinted a pretty pink color. "Sorry... anyway Titan are they serious."
"We have called in reinforcements," Gabriel explained, the rumbling of engines sounded overhead.
"Commander Reyes we are ready when you are?" A voice came on line to the comms.
"Land in the middle village, we have a large horde of Bastions," Gabriel told them.
"We see sir we will land on the north perimeter unless there is anything you will prefer?"
"No that's fine, the rest of the squad move onto the south village."
"Yes commander," seven more jet fighters flew overhead.
Victoria picked up her whip and held the small black box in her hand, "Ana its charged..."
"Whats this?" Jack asked.
"Something as a fail safe, it sort of is used to freeze the Bastion units one of the scientists back at base wanted me to test it out," she answered.
"It's a small Emp bomb," Ana stated.
"Is it charged?" Gabriel asked taking the box from her hands.
She felt Jacks hand clench on her lower back as Gabriel took the box from her hand giving it a once over, "Rather small isn't it?"
"Best weapons come in small packages Commander," Victoria stated.
Gabriel threw the box back at Victoria watching her lean forward snatching out of the air, "We need to clear out the Bastions before we can go to the Titan understood?"
"How many are left?" Ana asked.
"Should be at twenty-five, what happened?" Jack asked.
"They chased us down the rest I don't know what happened," Victoria answered.
"We will head to the middle of the village," Gabriel told them reloading his shotgun and walking off the rest of the team followed him as Victoria stuffed the black box into her pocket and preparing her pistol in her off hand.
Jack kept one hand on Victorias lower back whilst the other was on the assault rifle, Victoria's hand clenched around the handle of the whip and the other on the pistol. Reyes shotgun fired three feet in front of them and Anas rifle bullet whizzed past their heads. Victoria's heels clapped together and the small roar of the engines filled the street they were on. Victoria shot forward and under Reyes outstretched arm running up the side of the wall, gun shots filled the air as Victoria pushed herself forward to land behind the Bastion units firing her pistol into the back of the bastions as she threw the whip out on her dominate hand knocking against the Bastions head as assault missiles blew up two units beside her. The bastion swirled the red interface locked onto her as she pressed the pistol against the red glass unloading a full energy clip into the bastions head. The bastion fell apart at her feet, as she twirled on the spot lifting the whip around her in a small barrier as the energy sizzle through the bullets. She ducked tucked in on herself rolling forward slamming into the Bastions legs. She threw her legs forward slamming into its legs sending it tumbling back.
Gabriel and Jack moved forward side by side bullets raining down on the Bastions tearing through the metal, Reyes jumped back as the gunfire returned to them as Jack threw down a biotic field both started feeling refreshed as Jack fired the three missiles back at the bastions. Ana was grateful that the rest of the team were mid to close range fighters, as she looked down the scope at Victoria and shot through the blonde's hair and shot again as the Bastion neared fired at the small woman ducked allowing both bullets to pierce through the armor of the bastions.
"Thank you," Victoria chirped down the comms as Ana reloaded she could see the brilliant wide smile as she threw her legs up in a pinwheel motion batting the bastions away slamming her feet into them.
Ana shoots down two more Bastions as Gabriel slammed the butt of his shotguns into the bastion in front of him, "So much for clearing them out."
"In our defense commander these were flown in," Ana told him.
Jack ducked behind the wall as the Bastions tank rolled past him, Jack fumbled with reloading, "Shit," he hissed.
"HEADS UP!" Victoria yelled, "Might wanna look away."
A bright light flashed in front of him and the sound of frying circuits sounded in front of him, Jack blinked a few times watching Victoria snatch up the black box stuffing it in her back pocket they listened to multiple shotgun rounds firing out on the other side of the wall, Victoria lifted herself up on her tiptoes kissing his cheek winking before she skated off.
The last bastion crumbled at Gabriel's feet, he felt exhausted as he brushed the dust off his coat. "Clear, Ana you see anything?" Gabriel asked her.
"All clear on my end Commander," Ana answered.
Jack and Victoria came out from behind one the buildings both covered in dust grinning widely at each other. Victoria pushed the blonde hair out of her green eyes the engagement ring glinted in the midday sun, "I swear if you two were canoodling I will have to start handing out punishments," Gabriel told them, "That goes to you and Reinhardt too, Ana."
The team turned and looked at Ana whose cheeks had darkened at the comment as she made her way to join the team, purposely bumping shoulders with Gabriel as she stormed past heading towards the small aircraft that sat at the entrance of the village.
Victoria would admit she was impressed at military grade aircraft in front of them, she snorted at the Overwatch symbol painted on the side. As had to duck to get into the small cargo hold, her eyes glanced over at the pilot who was tapping away at the bright blue screens, his fingers traced patterns and they were off Victoria peered through the windows at the front of the cockpit she could see the looming figure making the way to them.
"You don't think it could have been the bug do you?" Victoria asked Ana.
"Possibility, the bug would have sent a warning to the central hub and whatever is control of it might have sent one out," Ana stated.
"You came across a bug?" Gabriel questioned, "Why was I not informed."
"To be fair commander we were being attacked by Bastions when you called," Victoria retorted.
"Commander Reyes, what is the next course of action?" The pilot asked.
"How far is the titan off would you say, kid?" Reyes asked.
"a few hours at minimin sir, I have heard that it is possible for them to increase their speed however it makes their weapons immobile by doing so," the pilot answered.
"You on route commander?" Laios voice sounded in the group's ears.
"On route," Gabriel answered.
"Good Torbjion has a plan, though might be better to speak in person," Laio stated.
"Perfect timing," Reinhardt's voice chuckled over the comms.
"Landing Commander Reyes," the pilot told them.
The ground was slightly uneven when they landed the village the others had based themselves in was three times the size of the others looking like a small town rather than the villages the other four had cleared out, Reinhardt greeted them first swooping Ana up into his arms the group chuckled seeing Anas' face burn bright red under her dark skin tones. "Are you alright my dear?"
"Fine," Ana laughed brushing him off as he placed her down on her feet.
"Good, you had us all worried," Reinhardt told her.
Victoria hid a giggle behind her hands smiling softly at the pair, "I am really sick of the lovely doveiness of this team," Gabriel grumbled next to her.
She nudged her commander with her elbow laughing slightly, "Torbjion... you worked on Omnics before the war didn't you?" She asked him.
"Yes my guild we created the omnics, we were given the blueprints and was asked to craft the metal work all ours," he answered.
"So shouldn't you know how to?"
"Yes what I need however is for someone to get in close enough," Torbjion told them, "Titans are giant suits used for a normal omnic to fight in."
"So it's a giant suit and not got a mind of its own?" Jack questioned.
"No though an omnic is sort of attached to the titan for the rest of its life, it can not be removed," Torbjion explained.
"That is horrible," Victoria breathed.
"It is the way of war, Victoria," Reinhardt explained.
Victoria clenched her hands, as Jack spoke, "The way to take the Titan out?"
"Ah yes the Titan one of our finest creations, we spent years on those things," Torbjion mused stroking his blonde mustache. "You need to get into the cockpit and take the omnic out."
The team was silent before Laio stepped up, "we get in close enough I can be dropped onto it."
"You can not let him go alone," Victoria stated, "I can as well."
Gabriel was silent at that idea, he knew two people will defiantly argue no as he looked at Ana and Jack both of which were starring him waiting on his response. Victoria and Laio were the best chances of getting close to the cockpit, both close combat specialists, both brilliant fighters they were the frontline.
"What weapons should we be worried about at close range?" Victoria questions.
"Electric force fields, heat-seeking missiles," Torbjion stated.
"And at long range?" Jack asked.
"Similar to Bastions normal bullets though piercing ten times stronger than the normal bullets," Torbjion stated.
"Fine," Gabriel answered.
"WHAT!" the team excluding Laio and Victoria yelled who in turn grinned at each other.
"We keep the focus of Vics and Laio and onto us," Gabriel told them.
"Gabe you can't be serious?" Jack argued.
Gabriel raised his eyebrow at the blonde, glancing at Victoria who was tieing her blonde hair back as she spoke softly to Laio. "Laio and Victoria are close range fighters light on their feet," Gabriel stated, "We will be manning turrets of the fighter jets. Ana, Reinhardt and Torbjion will be taking the tank as Reinhardt has the license."
Jack scoffed, "Like the omnics care if you have a license."
"No, but I do," Gabriel stated.
"And how are we going to get them out?" Ana asked him, "You see what happens when Bastion units die to get destroyed they crumble."
"Titans don't do that dear," Torbjion told them, "I agree that Laio and Victoria are our best bet."
"EXTRACTION!" Ana yelled.
"When the fight is over we can easily climb down," Laio stated.
Victoria smiled softly, "We will be fine, Jack and Gabe can fly us in close enough and drop us in."
"And the electrical field?" Jack retorted.
Victoria smirked holding the black box up and passing it to Torbjion, "Do you think this could disrupt the force field and how on earth do you get into the cockpit?"
Torbjion took the box from her hand giving it a once over, "for a short time maybe the cockpit is enforced with bullet proof glass though there's a small hatch which is where they first get in."
"Good," Laio cracked his knuckles, "Let's get moving before the Titan gets in range of someone other than the army."
"Agreed," Gabriel stated. The roarings of more engines flew overhead more planes with the overwatch symbol, "We all understand the plan." The team nodded all eyes on him, the sound of gunfire sounded ahead as more planes flew overhead, Victoria looked over her shoulder seeing the form of the titan swinging its arms up in an arch and could see even from this distance the rockets that launched from the arms of the giant omnic.
"Good," Gabriel stated, "Victoria with me Laio with Jack, the rest of you in the tank."
Jack grabbed hold of Victoria's hand and tugged her back to him, "Be safe alright?"
Victoria giggled and waved him off before kissing his cheek, "I will be fine."
They parted ways Victoria followed behind Reyes twisting the black box in her hands, "You will be fine," he told her.
"I know," she breathed as she ducked into the aircraft before Reyes.
"Good you feel ready?" He asked as they took their seats, she heard the engine of the tank roar and watch it race off into the sand dunes.
"Yes..." she whispered as they locked the hatch and Gabriel passed her the parachute.
"Don't want you going splat," he chuckled which ended up him getting elbowed in the side as he took the small seat next to her.
"Thanks, Commander," she laughed as she slipped on the pack.
"Ana location?" Reyes asked over the comms.
"Ten minutes Commander we are ready," Ana answered.
"Pilot up," Reyes ordered.
Victoria held onto the bottom of her seat as they lifted up, her knees bumped with Reyes as they lifted up. Reyes moved down, he moved her feet to the side and opened a small hatch, she could see the artillery that was attached to the bottom of the jet fighter and Reyes pulled out a visor similar to the one Jack normally wore.
"Hold on," The pilot ordered as the plane turned Vertically sending them both back into their seats.
Reyes swiped at the interface in front of him changing the positioning of the guns, "We are close enough Victoria," he told her as they flew back forward to a horizontal positioning.
"Good," she said standing moving towards the hatch her legs wobbled slightly as she stood and grabbed hold of the wall wrapping the strap around her wrist as she looked through the cockpit windows, the titan was huge larger than the temple of Anubis. "Ready Miss Johnson?" The pilot asked.
Victoria rubbed her thumb of her engagement ring, "Gabe..." she looked over her shoulder at him.
"Don't tell you have cold feet now?" He joked before he watched her slip off her engagement ring and put it in his hand.
"Take care of it, I do not want to go combing through Eygpt sands to find it," she laughed.
"Victoria on your count," Laios voice sounded in her ears.
"On three," she told him, "One."
"Two."
"Three," her voice came out breathless as the hatched open, she didn't jump or push herself out the hatch she stepped before three falling. She tucked herself into herself and tumbled for a few moments, "Parachute!" She ordered Laio over the comms.
She pulled on the cord and felt herself being thrown up into the air as the parachute deployed. She glanced over seeing Laio doing the same, she glanced over at the titan that walked towards them the interface flashed bright red as they came into land, they both heard the beeps and whirling sound louder than the bugs, the bastions it echoed in their ears as the gun shots fired.
"Victoria we are close we need to drop," Laio told her, Victoria breathed as the bullets ripped past her.
"Right," she breathed out grabbing hold of her whip throwing it out to wrap around the large arm. She watched Laio drop his sword brandished out and dug into the Titans arm, the bullets ripped through her parachute allowing her to drop. Her hands felt clammy against the handle of the whip as she dropped.
"Victoria!" Laios voice rang through her ears as the wind ripped past her.