No POV
"Ready to disengage transport," Raleigh says, Stacker saying the same.
"Disengaging transport," the lead helicopter pilot says.
Raleigh and Laura brace themselves for the drop, the water slowing their descent before they touch down on the ocean floor. They stand and start walking toward the Breach.
"LOCCENT, front ports sealed, ready to submerge," Stacker says, Raleigh repeating.
The Gypsy goes completely underwater and they turn the lights on to see in the dark, murky water.
"Two active still in circle formation in one quadrant. Codenames: Skunner and Raiju. Both category four," Herc informs them.
"Rodger that," Stacker says. "We hold them off to the ocean cliff; we jump, then 3000 meters to the Breach."
Chuck agrees and then asks, "How are we supposed to deliver the bomb?"
"Visibility zero, switching the instruments now," Raleigh says, hitting the panels.
"Gypsy you have movement on your right, three o'clock, three o'clock!" Herc says. Raleigh and Laura look right, but can't see anything.
"Right looks clear, I got nothing," Raleigh replies.
"Left now and moving fair, that's a scheduled record," they hear Tendo say. Laura and Raleigh look to their left.
"I don't see anything," Raleigh says.
"It's moving too fast," Laura finishes his thought for him.
"Eyes on the prize Gypsy," Chuck says. "600 meters from the drop."
They keep their eyes open and reach the drop, landing pretty well.
"400 meters and closing," Chuck says.
"Striker, bogies are stopping, twelve o'clock," Herc says over the comms. Striker stops.
"Marshal, what are you doing?" Chuck asks.
"They're stopping, why the hell would they stop?" Stacker yells.
"I don't give a damn sir, we're 300 meters from the jump," Chuck yells back.
"Something's not right," Stacker says.
"Striker the bogies aren't forward; take the leap NOW!" Herc says.
"Don't do it, don't do it; it's not going to work!" a man's voice says in the background, but Laura can hear it with her better hearing, and Raleigh is in her head so, so does he.
"Move you bastards! Blowing up the Breach it's not going to work!" Newt says, Laura recognizing the voice now.
"What do you mean, what's not going to work?" Stacker asks.
"Just because the Breach is open does not mean you're going to be able to get a bomb through," Newt says.
"The Breach genetically reads the Kaiju like a barcode at the supermarket and then let's them pass," Herman says.
"Ok so you're going to have to fool the Breach into thinking that you have the same code!" Newt finishes.
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Raleigh asks.
"By making it think you are a Kaiju," Newt answers.
"You have to lock onto the Kaiju and throw it into the Breach; the throat will then read the Kaiju's genetic code and let you pass!" Herman says.
"If you don't do it the bomb will deflect of the Breach like it always has and the mission will fail!" Newt finishes.
"Alright, now that you've heard all that, Striker take the leap!" Herc shouts. "Third signature emerging from the Breach!"
"How big is it?" Stacker asks. "What category?"
"Striker," Herc says, "It's a category five, the first ever."
Raleigh and Laura see in the distance a Kaiju rise up out of the Breach, the biggest they've ever seen.
"Striker, we see him, we're right behind you about a hundred meters. We're gonna come around you're three o'clock, try and flank him. Standard two team formation, just-"
"Raleigh!" Laura yells and he stops midsentence to look at her when they're hit by Scunner.
They manage to grab onto the Kaiju and head butt it twice. It falls and they get on top of it, getting out the Chain Sword. They lift the Gypsy's arm to stab Scunner when they're hit again and Laura hears Raleigh yelling in pain.
"Raleigh?! Raleigh?!" Laura shouts.
"I'm… I'm alright," Raleigh answers and they get up, Raleigh still feeling the pain in his right arm since he was connected the Gypsy's right arm when it was torn off. Scunner is still right next to them and they take out their other Chain Sword and stab it in its head.
"Let's get this son of a bitch!" Raleigh yells and they move Scunner toward an underwater volcano. They burn the Kaiju's head, but it manages to push them away and get out of the flames. Scunner kicks at them blindly and the Gypsy fall to the ground, using the Chain word as a cane.
"Gypsy, coming up on your twelve o'clock, full speed!" Herc says and they look past Scunner to see Raiju swimming toward them fast. "Get out of the way!"
But Raleigh and Laura have a plan. At the last second they stick Gypsy's left arm in front of them, impaling Raiju. They use the Kaiju's momentum against it as Raiju just keeps going forward through their blade. They bend the Gypsy's arm and cut the Kaiju in half, killing it. They get up slowly, Gypsy in bad condition as well as Laura. Her side is throbbing, but she ignores it. She sees the Kaiju moving away.
"Raleigh," Laura says and he looks at the screen, seeing it as well.
"Both Kaiju, coming onto Striker, fair," Tendo says.
"Hold on Striker, we're coming to ya," Raleigh says.
"No, Gypsy, do not come for me, do you copy?" Stacker shouts.
"Hang on," Raleigh tries but Stacker talks over him.
"Stay back as far as you can," Stacker says.
"We can still reach you," Raleigh says, "We're coming for you."
"No Raleigh, listen to me, you know exactly what you have to do; Gypsy is nuclear, take her to the Breach," Stacker orders as Raleigh and Laura stop walking.
"I hear you sir, heading for the Breach now," Raleigh says reluctantly.
"Mako," Stacker says.
"I'm here," Mako's voice comes over the comms.
"Listen, I'm proud of you. And I'll always be there for you, you can always find me in the Drift," he says. Laura closes her eyes, knowing what they're planning. She looks at Raleigh and they share a knowing look.
"What can we do sir?" Chuck asks.
"We can clear a path, for the lady," Stacker says.
"Well my father always said, if you have the shot you take it," Chuck says, "So let's do this. It was a pleasure sir."
Raleigh and Laura exchange another glance, hearing Chuck and Stacker's last words. They know they would do the same thing if in Striker's position, they might even have to.
Then Mako's voice comes over the comms, "I love you, teacher."
They see the blast and stick their sword in the ground, going to one knee. The Gypsy shakes as the shockwave passes and there are sparks everywhere. It passes and they stand up, but they hear something behind them and look backward to see a wave coming at them and they get back down just in time. They're thrown around in their harnesses and things spark again. Laura takes a sharp intake of breath, feeling her stitches tear.
"Laura? Laura? How you doing?" Raleigh asks, feeling her pain through the connection.
"I'm fine," she says and nods, looking at him and he nods back.
"Systems are critical, fuel's leaking, our right leg crippled," Raleigh lists off, "Let's finish this."
Laura looks at Raleigh and nods once.
"LOCCENT, we have the Kaiju carcass. We're heading for the Breach," Raleigh says and its slow moving, the Gypsy's right leg is in very bad condition. "You guys better be right because one way or another, we're getting this thing done."
They're almost to the Breach when the category five Kaiju, Slattern, lands in front of them. They keep going, Laura knowing Raleigh has a plan.
"On my count, bring up the jets, three, two, one!" Raleigh shouts and they activate the jets. They drop the Kaiju carcass and fly at Slattern, hitting it full on. They grab onto Slattern and stab it in the back.
"Hold on!" Raleigh says and she nods. He drops his left arm and Slattern uses its tail to rip into the Gypsy's back.
"Hold on Laura, I'm going to burn this son of a bitch!" Raleigh says and hits one of the many screens. They see the light from the reactor and hear Slattern screaming before he suddenly stops and grows still. They close their eyes from the light of going through the Breach.
Laura feels the air getting thin and shakes her head. She retracts the Chain Sword and the pain in her side is worse than ever. She looks down to see blood on her armor again and mentally curses. Of course Raleigh, being connected to her, knows all this.
"Laura?" is all he says.
"It's alright," she says, but the toll of her losing some of her oxygen and the pain in her side blurs her vision. She feels herself starting to pass out and tries to fight it, but can't.
Raleigh taps the comms off, wanting to say something, but not wanting LOCCENT to hear. Laura is still just barely conscious and can hear Raleigh's next words.
"It's alright now Laura, we did it, I can finish this alone. I just have to say it out loud, that I want you to know, just in case, that I love you. I think I have ever since I first met you five years ago," he says.
He feels her pass out completely and takes the comms back on.
"Raleigh? Raleigh?" Tendo is saying.
"Yeah, yeah I'm here," Raleigh breathes, the air starting to thin now as he ejects Laura's escape pod.
"Oh thank god, listen, you don't have much time. Start the core meltdown and get out of there. Do you hear me? Get out of there now!" Tendo tells him.
Laura is ejected from the Gypsy and Raleigh hits the comm. button. "I'm initiating reactor override now."
The A.I says, "Manual Activation Required" and Raleigh groans.
"What's going on?" Herc asks back in LOCCENT.
"Trigger's offline, he has to do it by hand," Tendo answers.
"He's out of time, he has to self destruct now," Newt says to Herc.
Raleigh gets out of his harness and uses the walls to make his way to the manual trigger for the self destruct. As the Gypsy falls through the Bridge to the other side it's rocked and Raleigh loses his balance. He slips, almost falling into the gears, but manages to pull himself up and crawl to the manual override.
"Core override initiated, meltdown in T minus 60," Raleigh says, LOCCENT hearing him.
He goes back to his harness and ejects himself, about twenty seconds left until the meltdown.