Heroic New Era: New Beginnings
Chapter 7: Escape From Denver
Soon enough, the two choppers were flying through the air, as Doktor was piloting one that held Inuyasha, Allison, Rachel, Sakura, and Raiden, while the other was being remotely piloted, holding the defectors.
"At this rate, we should be out of Denver before much longer!" Doktor called back to the group. "You know, launches like this usually take days of preparation. Because we're not exiting the atmosphere, Solis says they can reroute today's flight no problem."
"We're not passing over the Karman line… If you want your lunar rocks, then you'll be waiting a while longer, Doktor." Rachel remarked as a joke, which Allison smirked to.
"And here I was hoping you might bring me back a monolith or two." Doktor answered back, before the radar beeped, as he directed attention to it, as he became worried. "Schiebe! Multiple bogeys, closing fast!"
"Are they-" Sakura was about to ask.
"What else? They're unmanned MQ-320s from their flight pattern, nasty for us in the transport choppers." Doktor stated.
"But we have the defectors in the other copter, surely they can-" Allison remarked, before two of the signatures disappeared with the sound of crackling thunder, as she looked out of the rear window, as Mei was using her power to neutralise the front two drone fighters, while Kiana and Bronya were already out to intercept them, void swords and guns at the ready. "Well, looks like we've got some fire support for us, Doktor."
"Ahahaha! This might turn out better than expected!" Doktor exclaimed, before two RPG shooters from below shot missiles at the choppers. "Eh? HOLD ON!" Doktor said as he barely avoided the missile, but the auto pilot on the other chopper wasn't so lucky, as that one got hit.
"Merde! We're hit! We're hit!" Mistral exclaimed through codec as the chopper began descending. "Hold on, everyone, this landing won't be smooth!"
"Damnit!" Raiden cursed as he and Sakura soon went towards their door.
"Raiden! Sakura! What are yo-" Doktor was about to ask.
"What does it look like?! We're gonna make sure they get out of this alive!" Raiden said, as he and Sakura leapt out of the chopper.
Doktor nodded, saluting them both. "Godspeed, comrades. Now, let's get these brains to safety."
The scene soon switched to below, as the defectors were making their way out of the crashed plane, as Boris was contacting them, while Raiden and Sakura landed pretty far from the crash site.
"Mistral!? Raiden Mei!? Anyone, respond!" Boris yelled in concern. "Goddamnit… someone give me an answer!"
"We can read…" Mei answered back, although her signal was slightly bad. "...But something is jamming our signals… You need to-"
Before Mei could finish, she was forcefully shut out of the CODEC call.
"This doesn't seem good at all." Sakura growled.
"Come on, let's find them before something bad happens to them." Raiden said, as he and Sakura began searching for the wrecked chopper.
They slowly made their way through the locked-down city, encountered several Desperado Patrols that were looking for them, as they were engaged and destroyed. However, as they fought, they could hear sounds of fighting in the distance, as they were getting louder and louder in a certain direction.
"That's gotta be them. Come on!" Raiden said as he and Sakura picked up the pace towards them.
They soon reached the plaza, as there was a big battle already underway, as all of the defectors were present, as Desperado forces were streaming from all entrances, trying to overwhelm them, although they managed to hold their ground easily, cutting through the approaching enemies with ease. With Raiden and Sakura added to the mix, pretty soon all the enemies were as holey as swiss cheese, as now codec calls could be restored since Raiden and Sakura had rendevouzed with the allies.
"Boris, it's Raiden, we managed to make contact with the defectors and they're all okay, albeit a couple scratches." Raiden said.
"That was quite a fall you all had. Good to see you all are okay." Boris said in CODEC call to the defectors.
"We are mostly unharmed." Bronya stated firmly. "But we probably don't have long before the rest of Desperado turn their attention towards hunting us down. We need to leave this city, if we're gonna make headway to our objective."
"Couldn't agree more. What we need is a set of wheels. We could reach Solis in two hours that way." Raiden said.
"Most cars have been abandoned in the city. But… the barricades, the soldiers…!" Doktor exclaimed.
"Even if one of those hits you it's nighty-night." Inuyasha said. "Dok, bring us back around, I-"
"No, you get to Solis. If we don't get there by launch time, at least somebody will be able to stall while we figure out another way over there." Raiden said. "And once you drop them off, Dok, make sure you get those brains someplace safe!"
"Nrrrgh… goddammit fine!" Inuyasha growled. "Just get out of Denver safely!"
"We understand." Sakura responded back, before ending the codec call. "There has to be a way around the blockades… let's move ahead, and try to find a vehicle that is outside of the blockades, or strong enough to endure ramming through it."
"Let's get a move on quickly. We are on the clock, after all." Kiana mentioned.
The group made their way through the streets, as they checked for a route that would take them towards the city outskirts, where they can exit the city without any risk of being impeded by military blockades.
It wouldn't be long as they cut up and shot up any enemies that got in their way, before spotting a couple sports cars and motorbikes on the outside of the city.
"Those should work." Raiden said as they hijacked the vehicles, Raiden and Sakura taking the bikes, and the defectors hopping into the sports cars.
An hour and a half later, and the group was riding towards Solis, with Raiden and Sakura leading the two sports cars.
"Alright Raiden, we're here. How far out are you guys from Solis?" Inuyasha would ask Raiden.
"'Bout a quarter of an hour out. We'll be there in time for launch, no problem." Raiden said. "How are things on your end, Dok?"
"Nothing on radar, I'm in ze clear!" Doktor said.
"Good." Raiden said, before he and Sakura saw something, as they began to hit the brakes, the cars behind them doing the same as they came to a halt, as they saw Blade Wolf and Blood Wolf being pet…
By Jetstream Sam and Fu Hua. The Wolves, noticing the group's arrival, walked back to Sakura and Raiden.
"Sakura, Raiden…" Blood Wolf began to speak.
"Having a little heart-to-heart?" Raiden joked.
"We have analyzed their words and actions. We cannot ascertain their motivation." Blade Wolf explained.
"...So you came this way, as anticipated." Fu Hua remarked. "Then again… your actions were evident at this point."
"And yet we do not find you in the midst of a bloodbath." Sakura responded back. "Should I be thanking you for that grace?"
"Well, not if you say it like that." Sam remarked, before noticing the defectors. "Well, I'll be, Murata Himeko and her own band of hatchlings. Not to mention Mistral as well. So, you decided to tender your resignation from Desperado then?"
"Well, Sam, do you intend to do anything about that then?" Himeko asked with a smirk, as if expecting the answer already.
"Nah, you always were a slippery little bird, Himeko." Sam chuckled. "But still, can't just simply let bygones be bygones… yet."
"Let's cut to the chase." Raiden said as he and Sakura kicked out the stands for their bikes, as they dismounted, as they gestured Sam and Fu Hua to the side road.
"But of course. We've heard enough about higher causes anyways. Even if your ideal has changed a little, Jack. It's not about protecting the weak anymore, is it?" Sam asked.
"Clever. No. I'm fighting now to give everyone a choice. For them to have the freedom to decide if they want the fate that's given to them or not." Raiden responded.
"Now that's an ideal I can get behind." Sam said with a smirk, as both ends of the fight waved those in the cars along.
"...Just meet us at Solis as soon as you can." Himeko said, before both vehicles drove off.
"Then is there really cause for this fight?" Blade Wolf asked, as he and Blood Wolf stood between both ends.
"Don't interfere." Raiden said as he flexed his fingers.
"Same here…" Sakura remarked, as she rolled her shoulders slightly.
The two duels stood at opposite ends of the roads, as they were still, letting the afternoon sun wash over their body, slowly inching towards their weapons.
"...I find it slightly fitting that my opponent is you." Fu Hua admitted to Sakura. "Considering that we are born from strife in different nations, it is only fitting that our fight would test both of our resolve towards our ideals. If Instructor Himeko was watching… she would have found it a fated match. I will tell you this: Hold nothing back, I come with the intent to kill you, even if you will not."
"Do not worry about that… Worry about yourself." Sakura responded back, before her armour glowed slightly, as the lines in her armour turned pink, and her eyes glowed slightly in a red colour. "...Because I intend to show you why I have my moniker."
"This is between us." Sam finished to the Wolves for the group, as both sides were ready, the sun continuing to set over their battle.
Suddenly, the wind kicked up, as Raiden's mask appeared over his face. "It ends here. Time for a rematch." He stated.
"OK… Let's DANCE!" Sam exclaimed, as his own mask snapped on.
~BGM: The Only Thing I Know For Real~
Raiden and Sam rushed towards each other, as they clashed blades, parrying in turns, as their attacks were swift and strong, slicing through the air easily, as they continuously shifted their stance to meet each other's attacks. On the other end, Sakura was using her blade to carefully cut through Fu Hua's blows, as her kicks and strikes were much faster and agile than Sam's swordsmanship, in exchange for range, as Sakura let a few blows glance on her armour and face, while Fu Hua twisted her body to minimise each and every slashes' effect on her own battle-suit.
Eventually, Raiden managed to find an opportunity to disarm Sam, knocking the blade out of his hands. Instead of being fazed, Sam merely let out a confident scoff, before then going for CQC blows, which Raiden was forced to block.
"You know, having a martial artist like Fu Hua has it perks. You should learn some of this 'Wushu', it does wonders in this era!" Sam remarked, as he brought down an axe-kick that Raiden managed to parry back, before Sam slid back towards where his blade was, and kicked it into the air and grabbed it. "But then again, I'm more suited to the blade. Let's see you push me further!"
Both Sam and Fu Hua pushed themselves further, as Sam streaked across the field with dashing strikes that Raiden redirected with the edge of his own blade, even going for the occasional mid-air swing strike, while Fu Hua crushed the earth with slamming blows, and even going for pin-point precise strikes that carried power enough to knock Sakura's blade back slightly, knocking her guard apart, and fast one-inch punches that actually splintered the air hard enough to blast Sakura back several times.
Eventually Sam jumped back, before he then dashed straight for Raiden with his blade dragging across the ground, intent on going for a splitting upwards swing that would severely injure Raiden, if not kill him. However, Raiden prepared himself for the attack, swinging down on the blade, as the critical blow was diverted, before Raiden went for a gut punch that made Sam collapse, his blade clattering on the ground.
Meanwhile, Sakura and Fu Hua kicked off each other, before Sakura readied her blade, while Fu Hua stood back, as she assumed a grounded stance. They soon charged at each other, as Sakura left a red misty glow behind her, while Fu Hua had golden trails under her feet. The two immediately clashed, as Fu Hua and Sakura attacked each other at sub-sonic speeds, as Fu Hua left illusions of her attacks, which were being cut apart by Sakura's frantic slashes, before Sakura swung her blade down, as Fu Hua caught it in a double-handed catch, although doing so, she was forced to kneel, before the attack slammed her into the ground, as Sakura slowly stepped back, panting after unleashing her flurry of attacks.
The two sides finished fighting, as Sakura had Fu Hua pinned down, as Raiden had Jetstream Sam at blade point.
"It's over." Raiden said, as Sam smirked at him.
"...So… are you going to finish us?" Sam asked with a smirk.
"Why? Why do that when it goes against my ideals. Something Inuga taught me thanks to Siege sending him down along with a couple others. I can learn a lot about someone by clashing swords with them. And just like the others we rescued, you didn't have a choice. You tried stopping Armstrong once before." Raiden said.
"Heh, clever boy." Sam said with a smirk. "I do have a rather hefty grudge with that guy." Sam chuckled.
"Hence my point." Raiden said, sheathing his sword. "Sakura, we're done here."
"Raiden! Sakura! You only have one hour! Hurry!" Boris called them over codec.
Raiden nodded as he and Sakura soon ran back over to the bikes.
"Hey!" Sam said to them, as he and Fu Hua were back on their feet. "...Give that Senator a nice little stab through the heart for me, eh?"
Raiden nodded with a smirk, before he and Sakura rode off towards Solis.