Hey guys. Yes, I know it took me a year and a day (ok not literally) to get this posted but hey, better late than never. The chapter's dedicated to Amy for all her help and ideas. Love you chica. Oh, and an early Congrats to Amy and Katlin on graduating. You did it guys!
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
6:00 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68
Nikki stood on a small dock, the water lapping at its sides, glowing with a slight orange tone; whether from the setting sun in front of her, or because of the fifty foot high flames eating away at the ware house behind her where she could hear the shouting voices of several of her friends and partners. However, she ignored this, concentrating solely on the black figure in front of her. She couldn't make out his face, but she didn't doubt that this was The General, and he was holding her friends captive: Ami who still bleed sluggishly from the back of her head, despite that the doctors had stitched it and bandaged it; and Kat, who hung limply in his arm, still deep within her coma, unable to do anything to protect herself.
In her own hands, she clutched a cold gun, aiming it straight at his head, demanding that he drop her two friends. She could barely hear the blaze now, or her own voice. The waves slapping the wooden legs of the dock seemed deafening, as the General turned to face her, his features catching light in the glow of the flames. He smirked at her, unafraid of the gun that was level with his brain, daring her to fire. She itched to pull the trigger, wondering why she hesitated, and yet, as she finally felt her finger pull it strong enough to fire, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Ami and Kat went flying over the edge of the dock as the sound of the gun being fired covered every other sound. Pain sprung from her chest as she dropped to her knees, staring up into the cold eyes of The General, who was holding the very gun that had been in her hand, aiming it straight at her chest, the barrel smoking from the fired shot. Nikki placed her hand to the gaping hole in her chest, letting the wetness roll over her hand as she gasped in shock, and the next thing she knew she was sitting up in bed, gasping for air, patting her chest to make sure it was whole, as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Haru groaned, and sat up beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "The dream again?" he asked her simply as she let herself be pulled back into his arms. Nikki nodded. She'd been having the same dream every night since Ami and Kat had been hospitalized. Everyone said it was stress, but she wasn't so sure. There was something wrong about the repetition of the dream. Each time it felt more and more real, the danger seemed worse, stronger. "Baby, its alright. Ami's being released tomorrow, and the doctor's think Kat's doing so much better. Now come, lets get a few more hours of sleep before someone calls with new orders."
"I suppose you're right," she mumbled, but she pulled her legs over the side of the bed, and slipped her feet into her slippers. "You get some more rest. I can't sleep," she told him, standing up. Haru just watched her, shaking his head, before collapsing back onto his pillow. He knew there was no arguing with her, so grumbling, he pushed himself out of the bed as well.
"And just how do you propose I sleep without you?" he asked, following her into the kitchen of the suite. Ayman was asleep on the cot in the corner, and Nikki went over, gently pulling the blankets tighter around him, running her hand across the boy's hair, as Haru began to put a pot of coffee on for them, and the other four adults who seemed to be sound asleep behind the closed doors of their bedrooms.
Ami had forced Tarak to return to the hotel and get some good nights sleep in case he was called away on a mission. Thus far, she'd somehow managed to avoid "the talk" he wanted to have with her. Ami knew she'd been hurt, hospitalized even, and yet, she couldn't wait to get back out and punish the people who had done it to her and to Kat. She loved Tarak, and respected him, but she wasn't going to stop.
Yul was also in his room, probably waking up in a few minutes to head over to the hospital. He was there from eight in the morning until midnight, usually. He only left her side because the others insisted he get some sleep, just like Tarak.
Bren and Trevet remained behind their door, sleeping, probably just as poorly as the rest of them. No one would be comfortable until Kat and Ami were both out of the hospital, safe and sound, and the General was behind bars. Big, thick, bars that shocked people when they tried to escape. No, even that was to good for him. They were out for vengeance, and they were all hoping that maybe they'd get the chance, the opportunity, to pay this man back for all the pain he'd caused.
Nikki slid into one of the chairs at the table, and laid her head down in her hands. "Why do I keep having this dream?" she mumbled, quietly.
"Because you're stressed, and worried. We all are," Haru responded.
"Yeah, well, I don't want to be," she argued, taking a mug of coffee from him, and sipping it as Yul's door swung open and the pilot stepped out, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, which had become his new usual attire, as it was too much work to get dressed everyday to sit in a hospital.
"Don't want to be what?" he asked, sitting down beside her, and accepting a mug from Haru with an almost silent thanks.
"Stressed and worried," Haru told him.
"Join the club. Anyway, thanks for the coffee," he told them, taking one more long sip and finishing the entire mug in under a minute. "I'm headed to the hospital."
He didn't really have to tell them, but he did anyway. Nikki nodded, promising to see him there in a little. Yul gave her a quick nod and disappeared. Nikki just plopped her head back down on the table between her hands.
"What are you doing?" Haru asked her.
"Pretending I never agreed to sign up for this stupid war," she mumbled. Haru just raised an eyebrow at her.
"Is it working?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Haru laughed a bit, as she stood up and walked back into their bed room, moving as if she were in a daze. Haru just shook his head as Tarak emerged from his own bed room, not dressed, but ready for Coffee. He knew Ami wouldn't be up yet, and she'd kill him if he got there before she was. "Now where are you going?" he asked her, laughing.
"To get dressed," she replied, disappearing into the room completely. "I want to get over to the hospital."
Haru just shook his head as Tarak poured a mug of coffee for himself and slipped into Nikki's abandoned chair. "You alright?"
"Yeah, Ami's coming home tomorrow. I just wish Kat was, too."
"I know what you mean. It'd put us all at ease. Especially Yul, Nikki, and Bren," Haru replied. Tarak just nodded. "She'll make it."
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
7:00 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68; Hospital
Yul walked into the same white hallways he did every morning, only to be greeted by the same nurses he saw every morning, holding coffee in the same type of paper cup he did every morning. It was a routine he followed each day; unfortunately it was a routine that he wanted to end.
He walked towards the two rooms where Ami and Kat were hooked up to the many monitoring machines. He knocked lightly on room 641, poking his head in to see if Ami was awake. The blonde smiled up at him.
"Less than 24 hours," she replied when she saw his face.
"I'm sure you're more anxious than Tarak is," he replied.
"How's Kat?"
"Haven't been in yet. The doctors said they'd call if anything changed, so I've got to assume it's the same."
Ami nodded. "Go to her. Tarak will be here in a few hours. I'm fine."
"You sure?" Yul asked her; he still hadn't entered the room completely.
"Positive. Go on," she replied, settling down into the pillows. Yul nodded, and drifted back out into the hallway, letting the door click shut behind him. He pushed the door to the room beside it, 642, and turned on one of the small lamps, as he was greeted by the constant beeping of her heart monitor. He slid into his chair beside the bed, placing the book he'd brought with him on the table beside it as well as his cheap hospital coffee, lifting one of her hands into his.
"Hey sweetie. Still not sure if you can hear me, but I love you. You're so strong, I know you can beat this." He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get an answer. She'll be fine. She has to be fine. Those were the only thoughts going through his mind as he sat back in the chair, picked up his book, turned to the page where his solid brown bookmark sat and began to read, not really following anything.
This is what he'd done every day for the past week. He woke up before dawn, downed a cup of coffee, sometimes greeting some of the others or leaving before any of them were awake, taking the bus to the hospital, checking in on Ami, and sitting beside Kat's bed until the other's got there. Occasionally there would be a conversation between him and Tarak if the other man got there before Ami was awake.
He knew later that afternoon the waiting area and Ami's room would be filled with the noise of their group. Nikki and Bren would occasionally drift into Kat's room. Sometime's he'd stay, and other times he'd give them time to be alone with her. Nothing ever changed. Ami got better and better each day; but Kat never changed. The beeping was always the same steady rhythm. The only thing he was glad about. It meant she was alive and her heart was strong, and her breathing was regular. She just wouldn't wake up.
Every few minutes Yul looked up from his book. The air around him felt wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on why. He peered out the window, wondering why it didn't seem to be getting any lighter out. He frowned, and stood up, placing the book back on the table and walking over to the window, staring out across the tops of the lower hospital roofs, as well as what could be seen of the sod lawns. A haze lay over everything, and he didn't think it was the colonies weather machine malfunctioning.
A strange buzzing sound filled the air around him. His frown deepened as his eyes darted around the landscape trying to pinpoint the exact source of the hum. A slight movement in the trees beyond the hospital caught his eye. A flash of metal, a low crumbling sound. Suddenly several objects shot out of the trees flying towards the hospital. He saw several land on the lower roofs, several fly higher, many entered windows, and one landed behind him on the floor of Kat's room.
Yul's eyes went wide as he dove at the device. He had no idea what it was, just that it needed to be out of there. He heard a shout from the room beside, remembering that Ami's window was open. She would know something was going on. Her screams for help were coupled with what sounded like stumbling. She must have been pulling herself out of the bed. Yul didn't hesitate, just picked up the device and sent it flying out the window as it gave a loud whistle. It exploded outside the window as he fumbled with making Kat's device's portable. Once her fluids, ekg, and pulse-ox were on the bed, he pulled the railings up and pulled the bed towards the door, shoving it wide open, only to see Ami on her knees, her arms dripping with blood. She'd pulled her catheters out in her attempt to escape. She was coughing hard as thick grey smoke poured out of her room, and several others down the hall. There were screams everywhere. Ami turned to look at him. "S-sm- smoke bombs," she told him, getting a nod from Yul in agreement as she struggled to her feet. He helped her, placing her hands on the railings of Kat's bed. "Why would he attack the hospital?"
"I don't know. But we've got to contact the others," he explained as they ran towards the nearest staircase which was already packed with hospital staff helping both bed ridden patients and those able to get down on their own. He and Ami looked at one another. He knew she wouldn't like what he was about to do, but he had no choice. Behind them were rooms where patients were still trapped. The enemy could be storming the hospital behind the screen of smoke they'd created. Many could already be dead. And why? Because they were there. Because Ami and Kat were hospitalized. Two members of the special force team that had been preventing their success countless times were trapped in the hospital. They were weakened. "Ami, take Kat and get to safety!"
"No! The hospital staff with get her to safety. I'm not letting more people get hurt," Ami argued.
"Listen to me right now. You're bleeding and you need to get out of here. You're the only one I trust to get her to safety. More people are going to die while we argue, and even while we don't. She needs you the most."
"I – I-"
"Go!" He shouted, pushing her and Kat towards the staff who began maneuvering them down the stairs. Ami tried to get away, but he shook his head, which caused the staff to pull her harder away. As soon as they were out of sight, Yul turned and ran back down the hall, grabbing his gun in one hand and his cell phone in the other, pressing the first button he could. All nine of them were on speed dial, so he'd get one of them, no matter what button he pushed. Kat's phone was in their room, and Tarak had Ami's. He just hoped they'd get there in time.
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
7:30 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68
Tarak was just finishing getting dressed when he glanced down at the clock. Ok, so he was running a little late, but he could still be at the hospital by eight, and Ami wasn't going anywhere… yet. He couldn't wait to be able to hold her in his arms tomorrow without having to worry about the wires getting in the way. Beyond the closed door of his room he could hear Nikki and Haru sitting in the kitchen, Haru begging Nikki to wait for him and Tarak before heading over to the hospital that morning. Nikki was as determined as ever. He smirked, and pulled his last shoe on, before heading out into the living room and grabbing his keys.
"You two ready? Or are you waiting for the others to get up?" he asked, grinning at them.
"I'm coming," Nikki responded, grabbing her coat and her purse, which started vibrating, the ring tone on silent, the moment she touched it. She frowned and pulled the cell phone out and to her ear without glancing at the screen. Who could be calling that early?
"Hello? What? Oh god! We'll be there!" She hung up the phone, threw her purse down and looked at the others. "Wake Trevet, Bren, and Ayman. The hospital's under attack!" Haru and Tarak didn't hesitate. Tarak dove passed them, grabbing the key for the hanger as he ran out the door. Nikki and Haru knew he'd have their mobile suits prepped and be gone before they got there. Haru catapulted over the sofa and began banging on Bren and Trevet's door, which was yanked open a moment later by Trevet who was already struggling to pull a T-shirt over his head while Bren rubbed sleep from her eyes with one hand and shoving pants on under her night shirt with the others.
"What's the mission?" Trevet asked, as Haru moved aside to let him out. He looked around, noticing the door wide open, Tarak and Yul missing, and Nikki in the corner, pulling Ayman to his feet.
"The hospital's under attack. Yul's there now. Tarak went to get the suits," Nikki explained.
"Do we want all of them?" Bren asked as she joined Trevet in the main room, pulling on her shoes as she ran.
"I want them there. But I want a ground patrol," Haru responded.
"I agree. Ayman, Bren, and Nikki join Tarak in the suits. Haru and I can find Yul and do ground work," Trevet agreed, as he grabbed a gun from their safe which Ayman had opened. The boy was passing weapons to each of them, handing Nikki a few extras since Tarak had run out with only the small gun he had at his hip. The boy made sure Haru and Trevet were well armed, adding a few extra to transfer to Yul as soon as they found him.
"What kind of sick bastards attack a hospital?" Bren asked them as they ran out the door and out of the hotel as fast as they could.
"Obviously The General," Haru responded, as Nikki gave an involuntary shudder. She couldn't think about her dream at that moment. It would cloud her judgement.
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
7:40 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68; Hospital
Ok, things were bad. Very bad. Several of the hospital's staff had some training in firing a gun, and lucky for Yul, the audacity to break hospital rules about not having guns on the premises. Together, a band of eight, including Yul, were facing a force of 25 foot soldiers, and two mobile suits.
"What do we do?" one of the nurses asked, holding his gun at the ready as they took a breath in one of the rooms not destroyed by the grenades that had followed the smoke bombs. They'd found 16 patients dead already, and 30 of them worse off than they'd been when the morning had started. The 30 were escorted to the stair cases where the staff was getting the last few patients that they could, out. There were several bodies on the stairs, both from staff and patients. Yul just hoped Ami and Kat had made it all the way down.
"We hold; and we wait and hope reinforcements get here," Yul responded, listening for any sound he could. He knew the enemy was out there as he took a head count. Three of their original eight were missing. Probably dead. Two of the remain five were bleeding, one of those being himself. He ripped his shirt and tied it across the gun shot wound in his arm.
"The colony defense won't get here in time!" protested on of the female nurses. She was tending the other injured man's arm. Yul took a deep breath. These weren't military people. They were used to helping people, not killing them; but they'd done just that. Yul was sure that they'd managed to kill at least ten of the original twenty five.
"I'm not relying on the colony defense," he answered, looking out the window as a loud crash echoed, followed by an explosion. A third mobile suit had appeared, and the faces of the hospital fighters went pale.
"Three? What are we supposed to do against three mobile suits?" demanded a third of their five. The only one that had remained silent was the other injured man. Yul was about to answer when he heard footsteps on the other side of the room as well as the cocking of guns. Everyone fell silent, aiming their guns at the door. Yul stepped closer, so he'd have the perfect shot, waiting for the door to open.
However, instead of a door opening a series of knocks sounded against the door. It was a risky move, but Yul knew exactly what it meant. He dropped his gun to his side, to the surprise of the other four, and opened the door, admitting two sweat and blood covered men. "Took you long enough," he muttered at the blonde one who was grinning at him.
"Sorry, got held up by a some idiots in the stairwell. They should know better by now," Trevet returned, as Haru just shook his head, closing the door behind him.
"This homebase?" he asked his friend who nodded. "And this is what we've got?"
"We lost three. Took out ten not including the…"
"Two," Trevet added. "How many were there?"
"Twenty five; so thirteen left," Yul responded.
"Well, I'd say our odds are good. The other four are with the suits." Trevet told him, pointing over his shoulder. Now there were six mobile suits. Yul smiled, relieved to see that his hope had actually come. One of the suits was already going down.
"No one messes with our girls and our colonies. Now… what's the plan?" Haru said, leaning into the group.
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
8:00 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68; Hospital
Bren took a deep breath and turned her attention right back to the battle. One mobile suit was down, but the second. The second was like nothing she'd ever seen before, and the pilot. Man was she freaking out.
First, the suit was bigger than anything she'd fought against before; but she had confidence they'd win out. The four of them had him surrounded. Problem was, for some reason, Tarak and Ayman were refusing to fire; her communication was jumbled due to it having been shot, so it was taking a lot to figure out what was going on. Not to mention that it all took place while dodging attacks from the gigantic suit.
"Tarak! I'm going to fire!"
"No! Y- can't!"
"What do you mean I can't?" Bren argued back.
"Bren- right, w- got - fire!" Nikki responded.
"No no no! W-e can't h- confused! - so c-fused!" That was Ayman, pleading. Bren could hear his sobs. What was going on?
"Ayman, the only thing this man is confused about was thinking we'd be easy targets," Bren addressed him.
"But its m- f-ther!"
"What?"
"It's – Father!"
"Ayman, listen to us, that's not your father," Bren proceed to explain, still dodging bullets. She couldn't quite understand how this was his father.
"It's –ot Quatre! –t's my –ther" This time it was Tarak. Wait a minute. How could this man be both of their fathers.
"Guys think! The pilot can't be both Mr. Winner and Mr. Barton at the same time?"
There was a pause in the conversation, when suddenly Ayman fired. Bren sighed in relief as Tarak's missle was next, followed by Nikki's, and then she let one loose herself. It was enough to knock the mobile suit off balance. They had him now. Bren grinned to herself when a bunch of screams reached her ears. "What now?" she grumbled, exasperated looking at her right side view screen. "Shit! Nikki you're closest, can you go?"
"On it!" was the response. Bren didn't waste time watching Nikki catapult from the back of her MS, sliding down the inside of the left leg. Instead she turned her attention completely to finishing off the mobile suit and the deranged, shape shifting pilot.
Nikki reached the ground and immediately began running to the group of unarmed patients. They'd been the last group, unable to get away before the general's forces had hit. Most were conscious, save one or two, who Nikki figured were already unconscious in the hospital. Her eyes fell on one of the unconscious faces. Kat! Oh god no! Her pace increased as she ran to her friend, dropping to the side of the bed. She checked her friends pulse, satisfied that she was alive and continued running, until she reached the front of the group as one more scream rang through, followed by a gun shot. Nikki watched as a security guard who was trying to protect the patients feel forward, a gun shot through his head, killing him instantly. Smoke for the firers caused by missiles, bombs, and grenades made it hard to breath, but she had to keep going. There was a group of two armed soldiers closing in on the patients.
She hid for a moment, as they didn't seem to be looking to kill each and every one of them. Instead they appeared to be looking for something in particular. She realized what was happening when one of the patients slipped toward the back of the group where she'd seen Kat. Nikki caught a flash of blonde hair; obviously the soldiers saw it too, and began pushing their way through. Nikki bit her lip, not liking what she was going to have to do, but had no choice. She trailed the two soldiers and used every ounce of training she had to grab the slower soldier around the neck, flicking her wrist knife across his throat and dropping him. Throw up later; throw up later. She'd never actually killed someone with the knife before, and very rarely had she shot someone outside a mobile suit where she could see it all. But for Ami and Kat, she would.
She continued trailing the remaining soldier who hadn't realized he was alone yet. He'd reached the two patients; Ami was standing in front of Kat, tears in her eyes. She knew there was nothing she could do, but it didn't stop her from protecting her unconscious friend.
"So you want do die first?" he asked her.
"Go to hell," Ami returned.
"So, the little princess has spunk. Time to say goodnight," he told her, aiming the gun. Ami heard it fire, as she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for pain. When it didn't come, she cracked her eye and then opened both of them to watch the soldier with a bullet hole through his head, fall forward, revealing Nikki behind him, her gun smoking, a deep glare on her face, the gun aimed where the soldier was.
Ami sighed and rushed forward, catching her friend as she fell forward, tossing up what ever bit of breakfast she'd had that day.
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
8:00 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68; Hospital
Seven to eleven. Trevet would say that those odds looked good. And yeah, he could convince Haru and Yul of the same, but the four civilians were a different story. All four had looked at him like he was crazy, insisting they attack, when they discovered the eleven soldiers discussing a plan for finding and killing "pigeon 1" and "pigeon 2". Apparently their two companions had gone to take care of them when it was discovered that their targets were still on the grounds. They figured the remaining mobile suit would be able to keep the four pilots busy, and the remaining eleven could take on the trio of pilots on the ground, and their "pathetic" followers.
The hospital staff didn't take to kindly to being called pathetic; in fact, they were furious and determined to kill each and every one of them. After all, these men had taken innocent lives to get to their "pigeons" as well as the lives of some of their co-workers.
"Plan?" Haru whispered to Yul.
"We've got to draw them away, bit by bit. There are too many for us to take as once."
"Agreed, but how?" Trevet asked, looking around at all of them.
"Distractions?" suggested the female nurse.
"Ok, lets do this."
Several minutes later two of the nurses were in a closet, making as much noise as they could, and praying this would work. Three of the soldiers looked at one another, and then at their commander.
"Go, could be our pigeons trying to hide. But, be careful," he told them. The soldiers nodded, and went off to investigate. They passed the first cross in a hallways, when the first part of the trap occurred; Trevet slipped a cloth over his mouth, with one hand, and stabbed his heart with the knife in the other, letting him fall. At the second crossing, both Yul and Haru threw their own belt knives directly threw their throats, instantly killing them.
"Thank god for all that martial arts training," Haru muttered.
Yul looked at the bodies on the floor. "My dad didn't teach me that," he returned. Haru raised an eyebrow. "Mom did."
It didn't take long for the soldiers to get curious. There were eight left. Time to take the plan into full action. The two nurses continued to make loud noises, rousing the soldiers attentions. The only way this was going to work was if they all got clean shots.
The fact that their three friends hadn't come back yet was very unnerving. They were all a bit antsy. Suddenly the sound of a bed pan crashing to the floor caused them all to jump, and the entire group went to investigate this time, not leaving anyone behind.
It was exactly what Trevet, Yul, and Haru needed them to do. The three emerged from their respective hallways and using all of their abilities of stealth, followed the soldiers silently. The eight men were crowded around a transport bed. On it was a patient hooked up to several devices, while an exhausted looking doctor stood beside them. It reality this was the male nurse and one of the hospital security guards. It was the woman and the injured man in the closet making noise.
"What's going on here?" the commander asked, as two of his men got closer to the "patient" and "doctor".
"Please! We weren't able to get out. We've done nothing. I've got to get this man to a surgery table," the "doctor" pleaded. The commander frowned but nodded toward to of his men.
"Escort them to surgery. We came for the "pigeons".
"But the General…"
"I'm not the General. And I will not knowingly kill them. Go; now." The two men took off to do as they were told. As soon as they disappeared from site, the commander began to give new orders, still gazing in their direction. His speech was cut off by one very loud gun shot, pain filling his chest. He only had a second to turn and see three men each with two guns in their hands, all smoking, and all of his men down on the ground. The man who'd shot him was gazing at him, his sleek black hair matted with sweat, his dark black eyes fierce. And then the commander saw no more.
The two soldiers who'd gone off heard the gun shots, but the moment they turned back to help their unit, their charges carried out the last part of the plan, and both soldiers went down like bricks, leaving two very nervous civilians. "Lets just hope every one else did well, and those that someone took out the two soldiers that went after their pigeons," the nurse said, helping the security guard off the bed.
"Come on, lets get the others from the closet."
Year: After Colony 233
March 14
8:30 am
Location: Colony Cluster L2; Colony 16NAK68; Hospital Grounds
"At least hospital batteries are well charged," Nikki murmured as she and Ami finished helping the last of the hotel patients to an underground safe house. She glanced over her shoulder at the last of them, Kat, who despite everything that had been going on, remained in her coma.
"You'd think she'd be upset to miss all the action," Ami joked a bit as the two of them turned to get her to safety as well, agreeing to go back and bury the bodies that littered the ground around them.
"Ami- I shot that man in the head. I killed the first with my bare hands."
"I know; but you did what needed to be done. You did it to save me and Kat."
"That's no reason," Nikki argued, as Ami threw her arms around her friend again.
"Listen to me; those men would have killed you if you hadn't done what you did. They would have killed you, and me, and Kat. And then what would have been left to stop them from killing all these innocent people?"
"I suppose you're right," Nikki replied, looking down at Kat and brushing her hair out of her face. "She looks peaceful," she muttered, looking up when she heard a distant yell, seeing three men walking towards them, followed by four of the remaining hospital staff. A smile swept over Nikki's face as she ran toward her fiancé and threw her arms around his neck.
"I take it you missed me?" he asked her, kissing her forehead and practically carrying her back over. Ami had immediately enlisted Trevet to help get the four employees down into the shelter, while Yul went to Kat's side.
"More than ever," she replied, kissing his lips, and turning to look at Yul. "She's the same Yul, no better, no worse."
"Well, a bit dirty, but that's from all the soot in the air," Ami corrected, giving Trevet and Haru each a hug. "Everything quite inside?" she asked them.
"We accounted for twenty three of the twenty five foot soldiers," Haru told her.
"Well, your fiancé got numbers twenty four and twenty five," Ami said, pointing over her shoulder at the two bodies on the ground. Haru looked a Nikki, and then silently pulled her into the strong hug he knew she needed.
"I'm proud of you," he whispered. She just nodded, nuzzling against the crook of his neck.
"Hey! Can we join the party?" A loud voice called over the roaring flames. The fire department had yet to arrive to put out the flames, but they could hear the sirens in the distance. Had it not been for Kat still needing medical attention, they wouldn't have been there. The less time they spent with the colonists, the better. Ami waved back at Bren as she, Tarak, and Aymen approached the group. She resisted the urge to run towards him like Nikki did, but really only didn't because she was down to her last bit of energy. Her arm had been bandaged when she'd reached the bottom of the stairs, but they were both heavily stained with blood due to her bleeding from tearing out those catheters. Yes, it'd been a stupid move, but hey, they hadn't had any time to waste. Instead she was just content to lean back against Kat's bed, and watch as they got closer. Six feet, five feet, four feet, three…
The surroundings were filled with one of the loudest explosions Ami had ever heard in her entire life. She felt her body being propelled against gravity, as she strove to cling to the metal railing of the hospital bed. She felt scraps of metal and stone ripping into her skin; her entire body felt like it was on fire, as her screaming voice mixed with those of her companions. For a moment everyone of them disappeared from her site as dust and debris filled the air and her field of vision. And then everything went black.
YAY cliffies, and I have no clue when the next chapter is going to take place… because I'm not sure where I'm going with it completely yet. Love you all, and thanks for the help again, Ami-chan.