Chapter 13
Just before the man could fire on Kai's APC, a bullet went right through his skull, killing him. The shooter was a GM trooper getting out of the other APCs along with several others. The AIs began to get out of their APCs in a timely fashion and began opening forming a perimeter around Kai's APC. As this was happening, Kai's group was either panicking or getting ready to get out there and fight.
"I really hate how much this job leads to situations like this." Thought Kai as he saw Erika and Merc preparing to leave the APC with several others.
"You two stay here and protect Kai and his crew." Ordered Merc two GM troopers. "Kai, I know you can fight, but stay here. Don't be a hero." He got no argument from Kai, much to Merc's approval. "Alright, let's get out there and kill some terrorists." With that, he opened the APC door and went straight into the fight with most of the GM troopers the moment the doors fully opened. Pursing her lips, Erika soon got out of the APC with the combat AIs and was soon in what she could only describe as an active warzone.
Bullets flew everywhere as Erika went outside her APC and into the cover of a destroyed one. From a relatively safe spot, Erika could see that the AIs were scoring near-perfect hits on the terrorists whenever they popped their heads out. It seemed most of them were disorganized rabble with only a few being veterans from the One Year War, making them easy targets for the machines. Unfortunately, there were more of them than were robots. And it seemed that the actual former soldiers of the lot had access to weaponry that gave them a much easier time to destroy the GM troopers. Like rocket launchers. The AIs were focusing on the biggest threat to them and the remaining APCs, but there were just so many that they couldn't get them all in time before someone fired a shot and destroyed a GM trooper. It was only a manner of time before all their AIs were destroyed.
Fortunately, Erika had called in for assistance the moment that they were attacked. Soon help would arrive and they'll be able to get out of this place. Of course, they had to stay alive until the reinforcements arrive.
Though she was armed with only a pistol, Erika wasn't going to sit this fight out. Aiming at the nearest terrorist, who was about to fire a rocket at an APC, killing him. She then waited for another opportunity to fire again, knowing that she only had a limited number of shots. When it presented itself again, she shot a man with a rocket launcher about to fire on a GM trooper. And she did it again when a man was about to throw a grenade at her position. The pin must have already been pulled because the grenade exploded and took out a few others with him.
By now, a few noticed what Erika was doing. Combined that with the feelings of indignity they were feeling at seeing one of their own fighting for the Federation, focused their attention on her. This was noticed by a few AIs, who then aimed their guns at those attacking Erika.
That wasn't enough, however, as one man slipped them and fired at Erika as she killed a man that tried to launch a rocket at Merc as he kept suppressing a group of terrorists with his shoulder cannons.
Erika grunted as she was shot in her left shoulder. Dropping her gun, she remained behind the destroyed Federation vehicle. Putting pressure on her wound, Erika wondered when those reinforcements will arrive when she heard an explosion and robot parts flew past her. Before she could act, a dog came barreling towards her, teeth bared out. Crashing into her, the dog tried to bite her, but Erika kept it at bay. Unfortunately, due to her injured shoulder, Erika was slowly losing the fight. As the dog's teeth were nearing her throat, a gunshot was heard and the dog whined a bit before falling over dead. Looking to where she thought the shot came from, she saw Kai with a pistol, still, in the APC she left him in.
"Can't let a beautiful girl like you be scared by a crazy dog." Said Kai with a smile. Before he could continue that witty remark, he suddenly went back into the APC as bullets hit the side of the APC, forcing him back inside. Wanting to check if he was fine, Erika pushed the dead dog off her and was about to move to him when she was tackled to the ground. Looking at who attacked her, a former Principality of Zeon soldier, judging by the uniform, pinned her to the ground and had his prosthetic hands over her throat, glaring at her with hate.
Gasping out loud, Erika tried to not panic and go for the knife that she had on her. Unfortunately, the man found her knife first and placed one of his thighs tightly around it, preventing her from grabbing it. Desperately attempting to grab her knife, Erika grew weaker and weaker as her vision began to darken. Before it could completely go black, she heard a gunshot along with some yelling. The pressure in her neck lessened as the man above her took some bullets and then a push as Kai made himself known. Though she was pretty sure that Kai wasn't the strongest person out there, the bullets along with the surprise he had over his opponent, ensure that the former soldier was off Erika when he pushed the man off her. After firing a few more bullets to finish him off, Kai tossed out his empty gun and picked up Erika. Before she could protest, Kai walked back to the APC as fast as he could.
"You idiot, stop this!" Yelled Erika as bullets and explosions occurred all around them. Kai just ignored her as he made his way to the APC, ignoring everything occurring around them. "My life isn't as important as yours! Just drop me and save yourself!"
"No way I'm going to do that!" Yelled Kai as they neared the APC. "I let someone a long time ago. I'm not going to let that happen again!" Before Erika could make a comment on that, the two finally made it to the APC, and Crick closed the doors. Once they were safe inside, Kai looked at Erika's wounded shoulder and asked Tick to get the first-aid kit. Once he got it, he went over to Kai and gave it to him while he sat Erika down. With the first-aid kit in hand, Kai began patching her wound. "Don't say anything. Just let me patch you up and once we're in the clear you can start to complain and argue with me over what I did just a few seconds ago." Erika just frowned in annoyance at that, but nonetheless allowed Kai to patch her up. As he did so, Erika noticed that he was bleeding from his thigh. He must have been hit while on their way here.
"You're bleeding." Said Erika as Kai patched her up.
"Yeah, I know." Said Kai as he began to feel the bullet wound on his right thigh. "Adrenaline is starting to go away. Starting to feel the pain from the bullet. You don't mind patching me up, right?" Erika resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Kai finished patching up. "Luckily the bullet went right through so I didn't have to pull anything out, though I can't say the same for me. Think I can feel some metal lodged in there. Crick, can you patch me up after I patch up Erika?"
"Yes, I can." Said Crick as he hovered around Kai. "Just finish up with her and I'll patch you up." With that, Kai continued his work. Erika, after a few seconds, asked a question.
"You risked your own life for mine?" Asked Erika as she winced when Kai applied some disinfectant on her wound. "Why the hell would you do that? After all, I've said to you and after all, you've been told about your importance? Why?"
"Guess, I'm a little too reckless for my own good." Said Kai as he finished up bandaging Erika's wound. With that done, he took his own seat and watched as Crick took over. The AI then tore up the section of Kai's pants where the bullet was and began working. As he did, Kai spoke up. "Plus, I didn't want your kid sister to grow up without her sole remaining family member." Upon hearing that, Erika passed at that. "Both of you lost most of your family in the One Year War. I don't want her to lose more. I may have lost my parents when I was just a teen, but that's enough to make me know that the loss of one's parents is something that no child should ever face when they're that young. Right?"
"…Yes. Yes, you're right." Said Erika as Crick took out some forceps and placed them it into Kai's bullet wound.
"I'm sorry about no anesthetics, Kai. The first aid kit didn't have them for some reason." Said Crick as he went to work.
"The Federation is cutting back on things, isn't it?" Commented Slick as he spoke up, sitting next to Erika.
"Wouldn't be the first time. Damn Earth council is spending too much money on the military and rebuilding everything lost in the war, they're cutting back on things they deem unnecessary in the grand scheme of things." Said Kai as he felt the forceps going into his flesh. He ignored it as best he could, but it was kind of difficult to do with how cold the forceps were. "Anyway, talking is helping a bit. Mind if we continue, Erika?"
"If it'll make you squirm less then yes." Said Erika as she heard bullets impact against the APC. The fighting still seems to be continuing on it seemed. The AIs and Merc must be doing a marvelous job in keeping the Principality of Zeon loyalists from destroying this APC. "Even still, there must be another reason for saving me. Even you wouldn't have risked everything an entire Side just to save one person with that reason alone. There has to be something else. So tell me what it is." Seeing that she was determined on knowing what else Kai had for saving her, risking his life in the process, Kai sighed before telling her.
"You remind me of this girl." Said Kai. "A girl that sacrificed her life for the White Base during the One Year War. A girl that did everything she did because she was making sure her siblings, her younger siblings, were cared for. Just like you." Erika widened her eyes upon hearing all that. Before she could implore him to talk more about this girl, she heard the muffled sounds of mobile suit feet crashing into the ground. She also heard explosions that were louder than the ones before. Then Crick spoke up.
"Federation reinforcements have arrived!" Yelled out Crick. "The enemy is running away." A wave of relief filled the APC as everyone realized they get to live for another day.
"Guess this means our plans for the day are dashed, huh?' Asked Slick, knowing that he was absolutely correct in his question.
Few hours later
Federation main garrison base
After being rescued from the Principality of Zeon loyalists, Kai and his surviving security team were sent back to the main garrison base as it was deemed too dangerous for them to continue their mission after what happened.
So, with nothing to do, Kai was waiting for Erika to arrive. After arriving back at the base, Kai told Erika to come to his room so he can tell her about the girl from before. When she agreed to come to his room after she was done reporting to her superiors as well as Lombard, Kai went to his room, both to do his article as well as to wait for Erika. Although he wasn't sure what to write considering what the hell happened today. So, he was left with a half-done rough draft that he was sure was only good as a bookmark. He'll have to talk with the commodore later on about this. Until then, he had a meeting with Erika to do.
Soon, Erika arrived. Opening the door to this room, Erika closed the door before speaking.
"My apologies for arriving so late." Said Erika. "I had to do a full report of what happened to both Lombard and my Side 3 superiors."
"It's alright." Said Kai as he sat down on a sofa in his room and motioned for Erika to do the same in a leather chair next to it. "How's the shoulder?"
"It's fine." Said Erika as she touched her bandaged shoulder, now with freshly applied bandages. "Like you said the bullet went right through. You did an admirable job patching it up."
"Thanks." Said Kai. 'And before you ask, the thigh is fine. Docs disinfected it and everything. Just have to take it easy for a little while."
"Good to know." Said Erika as she sat down. "So, are you going to tell me about this girl? The one you told me about being similar to me?" Kai sighed at that before telling her about Miharu.
