Max looked at each of them with a levelling gaze. "Do I even need to ask who's idea this was?" He asked as his eyes landed on Issy, who winked at him in response. She simply shrugged back, and he sighed, stepping aside. "Go on then." A few of them snickered as they walked past, squelching all the way.

It was a few days after Lilah's announcement when her little buzzy thing attached to her work keys went off quite later into the day. Slightly confused, she raided her patrol jacket and pulled it out. The garage flashed across its screen. With a frown on her face, Issy quickly slipped her boots on and picked up her jacket and phone as she walked out of her apartment. She shoved her phone into her back pocket before she slid her jacket on and pressed the button for the lift. The doors opened a few seconds later and she got on, the doors closing behind her. She and her squad should be off for at least another week, so she wondered if it had anything to do with the raids that were happening on the outskirts of the factions.

The lift stopped suddenly, and the doors opened to reveal Red. His hair was all over the place and if one was to look close enough they'd see his top was on backwards.

"Just got up?" She questioned and all she got was a grunt.

The lift continued on until they reached the ground floor and Issy pushed Red out of it. They were almost halfway across the Pit when someone shouted her name. she turned to see Uriah across they Pit holding up his own alarm. From where she stood she could only just make out garage even as he jogged closer.

"You too?" He said in concern.

She and red both held up their own, the same messages on each of them. "Apparently so."

Red's eyes were wide now, and he seemed more awake than before. Having the same message as someone from another squad made it seem a hell of a lot more serious and so they took off in a quick jog. As they went more and more people joined they journey and Issy recognised most of them from when she tinkered on her bike.

When they got to the garage door, it was wide open. Probably one of the most secure doors within the faction was just wide open. They poured in with their fellow squaddies before splitting off to find their own squad mates. Uri clapped her on the back as he went off to find his own squad as Red led the way to find theirs. It didn't take them long despite having every squad member present as once a whole squad was present, they stood in formation in parade rest. All of their squad was already there, facing the Leaders present warily. Red and Issy took their places in the practised formation with Red, Issy, Hec and Bulldozer on the back row with Rainbow, Billy and Geek in front of them. A place was left empty for Captain, who, with all the other captains of the squads, were stood around Max and Harrison.

The captains and the Leaders chatted some more, some of them were gesturing wildly and others, like their own stood quietly shaking their heads. Once all of the squads stood in formation, they stopped chatting and the captains joined their squads. Captain took his place next to Billy stood in parade rest.

Max yelled something Issy didn't catch, though her gaze was already on the Leaders. No one spoke as he looked to Harrison and nodded once. Even though Max was the Head Leader, this was Harrison's department and he was in charge now.

"Okay then! Some of you will already know but for those of you that don't, there have been a few raids and attacks on the factions." Issy tensed. If Harrison didn't have their attention before then they definitely did now. Surprised looks where exchanged between the squads and Hec caught Issy's eyes, mouthing raids? She shrugged back. She knew about the attacks, some on Amity and the fence but raids? That was a new. Issy held her breath for what was to come. "Due to this, the other Leaders and I have decided that a few squads will be grouped together and sent to the barracks around the city. It is unclear how long the chosen squadrons will be away for." He paused. Uriah caught her eye from a few squad diagonally to her left and he grimaced. "The remaining squads will have longer hours to cover the routes other squads normally would until the selected squadrons come home. Your captains will be notified within this next week about the schedule. Until then, prepare yourselves. Dismissed."

Max and Harrison quickly stride out of the garage and its not until they're gone does people break into chaos. The captains all quickly take the places of where the Leaders were. Shouts start as formations break and the squaddies all turn to their captain for answers.

"What the hell?!"

"Why weren't we told of this sooner?!"

"ALRIGHT!" One of the captains shouted, Issy didn't know the guy's name. "Okay! I know that's a bombshell to most of you –"

"The hell it is!" Someone shouted from the back of the crowd. "I wasn't even aware there were any raids!" Issy murmured in a collective agreement with most of the others.

"It was kept quiet because we didn't want any one panicking!" Her own captain shouted back, and Bulldozer growled.

"That's bullshit Clark and you know it! What's really going on?"

He sighed, looking to the other captains who nodded, before looking to the crowd. "The reason why it was kept a secret was because the Leaders aren't all that clear of who is behind these raids. Yes, we know its Factionless, but someone has trained this group how to fight. From what we know the Factionless are currently split into two groups: the ones that are raiding and attacking the factions and the rest. It was kept a secret because we didn't want the rest of the factions knowing that we're not quite sure what's going on, who this group is or what's their aim. This decision was made so that one of two things are pressured into happening. A: the raids and attacks die down and the group withdraws for a few months, leading us to be no further than we were with knowing who's behind this. Or B: the group feels threatened and attacks. Hopefully then we'll be able to capture one of the fuckers and bring 'em home." Clark rubs his face. "Now if you have any other questions, please wait until the morning or ask Harrison. Its late. I'd advise not telling anyone the whole truth about this meeting. The Leaders want to keep it quiet until we know more." And that was it. Clark walked out of the room without another word.

xXx

For the next couple of days, Issy had been readying a bag just in case. All of the squaddies had been. Sometimes Rainbow and Hec had came to hers to ask and see what Issy had been packing. They hadn't a clue of what they'd need, not that Issy did either but she guessed logically. She had had to buy a larger bag because her others were just too small. Issy had packed the necessaries, clothes such as extra patrol gear and off-hours clothes, extra weapons and ammo, and a few knickknacks like a few books to pass the time. If her squad are one of the chosen to leave, she'd pack more personal things like her speaker and headphones. The bag now lives by her door.

Honestly she hadn't seen much of her family either. Between buying stuff that she may need to pack and meeting with her squad what may or may not happen, she hadn't really had the time to do much else. A few messages had been sent back and forth through the job chats asking her and Hector about what's going on. It wasn't exactly the biggest secret that something big was happening within Harrison's department, others just didn't know what it was. She thinks Declan knows though. By the unrelenting stare he shoots in her direction every time the subject of Harrison's department come up, it definitely seems like it. As a higher-up within the Leadership department Issy wouldn't be surprised.

Now, Issy sits on the metal stairs that climb up the side of her apartment wall. Originally, she had only meant to open her bedroom window to freshen the room, but she had gotten distracted by the setting sun. Oranges, pinks, blues and purples blended together, and she sighed, feeling her muscles relax. Despite it being June and the days being a hell of a lot warmer than they were, it was still chilly in the evenings. She was wrapped up in one of her woollen jumpers and a pair of thick leggings, perfectly warm even as the wind made goose bumps rise on her skin. She was leaned against the wall next to her window, contemplating whether or not to cook something there or go to the cafeteria for a late dinner when her thoughts were interrupted.

Her patrol alarm was going off in the other room.