Because of the great reviewers I have, and the free time i found, I present you chapter twelve. Thanks to all who reviewed, it truly inspired me to write another chapter quickly. I hope you enjoy.
"I…I can't walk any further, my leg is locking up." Nicolas said as he leaned against a tree. "I'm sorry."
Everyone stopped, "It's ok, we all need a rest." Ulrich said holding his throbbing head.
They all stopped and sat in silence for a little while. For a moment the peaceful silence of the night lulled the squad into a sense of safety. A piercing scream and a series of shots shattered the serene night.
"What was that?" Chance asked, jumping up from the log he had been sitting on.
"Don't know, we should check it out. Nic, how's your leg doing now?" Ulrich asked.
"It's better, but if we get in a tight spot, I can't run, just remember that."
"Don't worry, we won't leave without you."
The squad limped its way towards the wails that continued to pierce the night. After thirty minutes of slow hiking, they came to a small village. It was actually the remains of a village. The houses, and shops had all been burned out, and bodies were strewn everywhere.
"My God." Ivan gasped at the sight. "They…they killed everyone…women…children."
The squad slowly worked its way into the village that was lit by small flames in the rubble that cast ghostly shadows over everything.
Nicolas sat down propped up against a small wall while the others scouted the area. The soldiers soon returned.
"The village looks clear, everything's burned out or burning, I don't see any movement." Jesse reported, as he and Chance came around the corner to meet with the others after scouting the far side of the village.
"I can't believe…." Odd stopped as they all turned at a sound.
Artur and Vladimir moved slowly forward with their rifles ready. A small figure emerged from the rubble of a house a few yards away and ran to the two nervous soldiers.
"Au Secours, au secours!" The figure yelled running up to Vlad and wrapping its arms around the young man. Vlad looked down to find a girl no older than six, wrapped around his legs.
"What did she say?" Vlad asked picking the girl up, and turning to Ulrich.
"She was yelling, help." Was Ulrich's sad reply.
The little girl looked at Ulrich and spurted off another sentence.
"C'est trop tard." Ulrich replied in French.
Odd looked away from the girl, tears in his eyes. Chance walked over to him.
"What's wrong?"
Odd wiped the tears away, "She…she was asking us to help her parents."
"What did Ulrich say?"
"He said it was too late." Odd said pointing to two bodies lying way too still in the rubble.
"Damn…now what?" Chance muttered as he looked around at the carnage that was once a peaceful village.
The two walked back over to Ulrich who was busy holding the girl and trying to console her. The little girl sat weeping with her head buried in Ulrich's shirt.
"A new member?" Ivan said pointing at the girl.
"What do you mean?" Ulrich asked, looking up from the girl.
"I mean is she a new member of our squad, is she going with us?"
"We can't leave her here." Ulrich replied.
The rest of the night was filled with watching and searching for any other survivors. None were found. By morning, Ulrich was able to get the girl to tell him her name. Janet Jentien Pierre was now a member of Omega squad.
"I'm calling her JJ." Odd said when he heard the name.
JJ perked up at the new nickname and laughed when Odd asked if she liked it.
The rest of that day was spent in the unpleasant task of burying the dead. AMEA's army had moved farther into France, and it seemed that they were bent on killing everyone in their way.
JJ's mother and father were buried last and the squad held a small funeral for the two. As the funeral ended, everyone except Ulrich and JJ walked away.
JJ stared at the two crosses made of the very house she had once lived in. Tears streaming down her face she clung to Ulrich's hand.
"JJ, we have to go."
The young girl looked up with sad eyes and nodded, she glanced one last time at the graves and ran to Odd who was cleaning his gun and jumped into his lap. The blonde soldier hugged her and held her close, handing his gun to Jesse who finished the cleaning for his comrade.
Ulrich looked at the grave. "Don't worry, we'll take care of her." He said, he laid a flower on each grave and walked away with a heavy heart. Omega squad left the village behind and headed towards what they hoped was still free France. JJ walked a ways, but soon grew tired, the members of the squad took turns carrying her. Nicolas even tried, but his knee locked up and JJ jumped down apologizing.
"It's ok, I'll be fine." Nic laughed and the girl seemed pleased and continued walking along side her new guardians.
"Xana, I know you can hear me and I know you have heard of the war, I'm here to offer you a deal." Yumi shouted as she, Hiroki and Millie walked in the desert region of Lyoko.
Two crabs appeared over a sand dune and then a large swarm of hornets buzzed by.
"Don't shoot." Yumi said, "I think I know what this is."
"What!" Hiroki hissed as the monster drew closer.
"His honor guard."
Sure enough, once the monsters were a few yards away they parted like a curtain and Xana walked down the middle of them.
Millie gasped at the sight of Xana, he had changed over the years. His human like form had grown even darker. His skin had turned a menacing gray with red symbols tattooed all across it. He wore a dark black cloak and his eyes glowed an evil yellow.
"Why would I deal with you after what happened last time."
"What the hell are you talking about." Yumi screamed, "You were the one who trapped Kasey and almost killed her and Odd."
"And I was almost killed because you kids decided that I had betrayed the truce. I did no such thing, we agreed that we would be enemies again once the mutual threat was destroyed."
"Why you…." Yumi was held back by Hiroki, and Millie stepped forward.
"As it may be, we have another mutual threat."
"Ah little one, you are so wise for such a new member of the gang, a pity you don't join me."
"Not today, bud, do you want to deal?" Millie said, a little perturbed with the virus's new attitude.
"Right to the point," Xana sighed, "Takes all the fun out of the mind games doesn't it?"
"We don't have time for the mind games." Yumi snapped.
"Easy, your temper won't help you here." Xana said waving a mocking finger at Yumi. Yumi's anger rose, but she kept it inside. 'how the hell did he learn to mock us?' She thought.
"What do you propose?" Xana asked turning to Millie.
"We need your help fortifying the factory, we need your monsters to help defend. We in exchange will not throw the switch and kill you in the middle of the war and with our help, we may save the factory, thus save you."
"Ah, but what if I don't want to be saved?" Xana asked.
"What?" Millie asked in confusion.
"I tire of this endless game we play, why don't I let you die, and in my death bring about yours."
"Well…I ….I don't know?" Millie said stunned.
"Because it would not be a victory, it would be a draw, no one would win." Kasey's voice said from the sky.
"Ah…now that is why I chose you to be my servant." Xana laughed.
Kasey cursed at the computer.
"Fine I will do it, but under one condition." Xana laughed again, ignoring Kasey's furious voice coming down from above.
Yumi looked at Xana, "What is that?"
"I want to be materialized like Aelita was."
"What?" Everyone gasped.
"I'm tired of this prison, I want out!" Xana yelled.
Kasey came over the headset, "It will be arranged, once we are all safe."
"Very well, you may have your monsters, but if you don't do as we agreed, my monsters will exact my revenge for me."
With that Xana disappeared and the monsters began pouring out of one of the scanners. At first they just crowded around, looking bored. However, when Kasey told them to guard the factory, they all snapped to some sort of attention and set up around. The crabs and blocks remained inside, while the hornets flew overhead and the krankelats hid in the bushes to shoot any trespassers.
"Damn it!" Jeremy cursed as he tried again to call Ulrich.
"Still no response?" Jeremy's commander asked. Usually the commander would have been furious at such a blatant violation of orders, but the cell phones were the only mean of communication working, or at least trying to work.
"None, I'm going to try a text message."
Ulrich was carrying JJ when his vest started buzzing, waking the small girl who was asleep in his arms. Ulrich sat her down and grabbed his phone.
Ulrich tell me your ok
J.
Ulrich typed back quickly, he wrote that he was ok, and that they were on their way to Kadic to rendevouz there. Jeremy wrote back saying he would try to meet them there, but that the enemy was swarming towards Kadic and the others.
A loud beep sounded and Ulrich's phone's battery died before he could respond.
"Ahhhh, stupid phone." Ulrich yelled as he put the phone up frustrated.
"Well at least they know we're alive." Odd said.
"Yeah but, how are we going to meet up with Jeremy or anyone else, when we have a whole army between us?"
"I don't…where did Jeremy say they were heading?" Odd asked, suddenly serious.
"Towards Kadic." Ulrich froze.
He and Odd both looked at JJ and everyone else caught on. If AMEA would burn a village they wouldn't stop at a school.
"We got to get there now." Odd said grabbing his gear.
"Hold on!" Ulrich shouted. "First off, we need rest, we won't last if we try to make it there in one day. Second, we are going to need our strength to fight once we get there."
Odd nodded and sat back down. They set up shifts for keeping watch, and everyone took turns getting some sleep.
It was four in the morning when Yumi's phone rang.
"Don't tell me Xana screwed us again." Yumi muttered into the phone.
"Yumi this is Jeremy."
"Jeremy! What's wrong?" Yumi gasped sitting up straight in her bed.
"Ulrich and the others are alive, I thought you would want to know."
Yumi smiled wiping the tears of joy away, "That's great, where are they."
"That's the bad news, they're trapped behind enemy lines. By the way, are all of you at Kadic still?"
"Yeah why?"
"AMEA will be marching through there in the next week or so, I was hoping to talk you out of staying."
"I can't leave without Ulrich." Yumi said stubbornly into the phone.
"Do me a favor will you?"
"Anything Jeremy."
"Tell everyone, I'm coming, and so are the others, but we may not make it until after you are under attack, so hold on, we are coming."
Yumi choked on the lump in her throat, "They are coming straight here?" She asked.
"I'm afraid so, be careful."
"We will be." Yumi said, but the phones had cut out already.
Yumi jumped out of bed and grabbed Hiroki and ran for the school, she had to warn the others of what was coming.
Ahh, so many twists huh, Omega squad has a six year old to watch, Xana wants to be human, AMEA is killing everyone in sight and marching towards Yumi and the others. I know I know...update soon. LOL, the next chapter may be a little longer in coming, I really want to make it good, so don't dispare if you find i haven't posted another in three days, it may be up to a week. Please review, cause that sometimes makes me want to write faster. Hope you still like the story.