Hey! bestknight32 here! due to unforseen circumstances the july chapter came out late im sorry about that and the fact their wont be a August chapter either. So i guess dont trust me with release dates. I also like to thank dahliingg for writing this chapter your the best! Alright thats all until next time! "Roses are red, Violets are blue, Here's the next chapter just for you."
There is an odd sense of familiarity that comes from the hug, as if he has felt it before but simply can't remember; it could have been true given the fact that most of the Doctor's life still remains locked beneath the treacherous lock of his own mind. There is something about Amiya that warms him as she hugs him tighter as if she fears that he may slip away, or that whatever present danger had been vanquished would suddenly appear behind him and pull him back into perilousness. He feels lame for the way that he reacts, with his hands hovering just above her back with flattened palms but no place to rest them. The Doctor can feel the team staring at them both but they don't wear shocked expressions. They act as if this is a normal occurrence, and although Amiya seems the type to get her affections away freely he can't remember what his typical reaction might be.
The Doctor is alive but he does not feel as if he is truly living.
"Alright, Amiya. Everything is fine. You can -"
His hands curl around her tender shoulders and tries to force her back but she's stronger, deceptively stronger than her stature would imply and the Doctor can't help but laugh as Amiya finally pulls away and takes a look into the joy in her face. He wonders to himself if he always managed that reaction or if this was a special occasion.
"Sorry!" Her apology is sheepish as she takes a step back with one hand rising to rub behind her neck.
"Relax and rest up. I have a feeling that isn't the last problem we're going to run into on our way to the extraction point," the Doctor advises with a strong tone. He feels good in this place, being in charge and having his decisions and words heeded without question - it feels like it reminds him of who he used to be.
Amiya's ears seem to falter, almost withering for a second as she looks around but the Doctor is quick to move past the moment as he shifts his gaze from the slightly embarrassed Amiya to the awaiting eyes of Melantha.
"I assume you have a map?"
"You'd … be right," she replies eventually even though there was some hesitance found with the shifting of her gaze.
"I'd like to see it? I need to find the best route to the extraction site as well as plan ahead for any more … diversions. I don't like being caught out," he explains with a no-nonsense tone of voice as he finds reluctance behind her purple eyes.
"I-I guess that's a good idea," she stammers out slightly.
The Doctor does not reply and simply waits, watching with his hand extended whilst Melantha let her gaze fall so that she could rifle through her bag for the map. He thinks nothing of how long it takes; he is far too interested in studying the scene behind him where they had only just managed to vanquish a rather formidable enemy.
Time passes and he realizes that he does not feel the weight of a map in his palm - it's only just hovering over top with Melantha still holding onto the neatly folded expanse of paper.
"Is there something wrong?"
The question is genuine but it lacks patience from the slightly confused Doctor.
"I-I just don't think it's a good idea," she begins with a solid inhale of breath as if the air carried courage. "Does it make sense to have the man we worked so hard to save plan the escape route? The same man who … who also can't remember who they are?"
Although he has the immediate reaction to push for her obedience he doesn't - one look around can see that she is not alone in her sentiments. The way they look at him is with quiet concern, with brows furrowed and shifting gazes as if they were previously afraid to voice their hesitancy. It angers the Doctor for a moment, like they no longer trust their leader, but any good leader would know that it is their job to assuage such concerns instead of invalidating them.
He straightens his spine and levels a confident aura towards Melantha, which seems to shock her for a moment.
"Well," he begins with a sly shrug tugging his shoulders towards the sky. "It looks like you can use the help." The Doctor's response contains a sense of levity that is not well received, given the blank expression that Melantha gives him in return, but he keeps the mood light which eventually causes Melantha to press the map into his awaiting palm.
"Just-just make sure it's safe. We don't know … don't know where they went."
The request is registered but it was unnecessary so the Doctor deems it unworthy of a response as he opens up the map in front of his face. There are pre-existing lines and routes already carved out, possibly the work of Dobermann or Melantha when they planned to rescue him in the first place. It was a worthy effort but it was predictable ; if he was able to ascertain the route without issues then undoubtedly their enemy would be able to do the same.
His concentration is obvious on his face, at least to him beneath his mask - furrowed brows, the subtle poking of a tongue between his lips as the Doctor tethers himself to his thoughts.
"What's this?" His pointer finger is pressed against a marking, a perfectly drawn star that is situated on the other end of the city.
"Oh! That is … " Melantha peers over the map to see what the Doctor indicated with his finger before she nods solemnly and tilts a violet gaze towards him.
"Scout's Team. They are - they are running a diversion. Hopefully that means Reunion forces will go after them instead of us."
"Hmm…" There is contemplation there for a moment - the idea is good, and clearly effective, but the Doctor does not praise them outright.
"And how do you communicate with the team?"
"Uh, we don't."
"What do you mean?"
The fact that Melantha seemed to only want to give just the bare amount of information was grating on his nerves, but to her credit she didn't falter or wither under the blank and silent reaction that he gave her in return. Communications with the team that was supposed to be supporting them seemed to be of paramount concern but no one else seemed to recognize the issue in this.
"The-the signal is jammed. Reunion must have done it before the rebellion started," Melantha explained with her eyes shifting to Amiya as if needing someone to back up her claim.
"It's the smart thing to do if we were them," Amiya chimes in with a nod and bright eyes being cast in Melantha's direction.
"We will meet up with them at the extraction site though!"
It's a hopeful addition to try and assuage the Doctor's mood, and although he seems unconvinced that this slight should be left so lightly it appears that he has no choice in the matter. The Doctor is about to suggest they move on before Amiya's pokes forward, or more so her ears do first so that she can assert her face between the conversation that he was having with Melantha.
"Is there time to heal anyone? Those Ursus soldiers bought us time and I think it's only right that we help them."
There were some of the soldiers still laying on the ground that had been discarded in the Reunion retreat; the very same men who were dragged forward from the place that they had stood as a diversion so that Rhodes Island could escape. They knew the risks but still they made their choice - although the Doctor wondered if they had the luxury of time he could agree that it was the right thing to do to ensure allies in the future.
The Doctor gives a nod towards Amiya as if he is in charge but he notes her eyes are waiting for a response from Melantha, the current leader of the group while he is still suffering from his inconvenient spell of amnesia.
"F-Fine. We should have time but … make it quick."
Amiya wastes no time, almost as if she is worried that Melantha would change her mind, and the Doctor takes a step back and watches as Amiya immediately begins to delegate. There is a sort of calm to her leadership as she instructs Ansel and a few guards to collect the wounded, an order they immediately follow as Amiya follows behind to supervise. It leaves the Doctor and Melantha standing in silence before he seeks to fill it with more questions.
"I assume we're on a time limit. We've spent more time in the city than I think is comfortable."
The Doctor can't help but look around, to look back to where they had just come and where they had put up a stand against the Reunion forces. They were lucky that they hadn't lost any of their own men in the effort but now their focus was on the Ursus guards that had been dragged as if they were not bodies of people but instead playthings. It was the first clear indication of what kind of treachery that Reunion was willing to perform in order to prove their point - unhinged, violent and without any remorse. It leaves a sour taste in the Doctor's mouth as he watches Ansel begin healing the wounded. There were some that weren't so lucky to receive treatment and his eyes immediately shifted to see Amiya's gaze fall. It was a wonder how she managed to fight this long surrounded by loss and carnage but perhaps that spoke to how willing she was to use her gifts for good - The Doctor finds himself admiring her qualities.
All Melantha does at first is look up to the sky, which prompts the Doctor to do the same. The sky is dark and heavy, with low hanging clouds a menacing shade of black and grey that he had incorrectly assumed to have been smoke at first. It is the weather.
"A Catastrophe is coming."
It is received ominously by the Doctor but spoken by Melantha like just another fact.
"A Catastrophe? Why do you seem so … relaxed by it?"
Her eyes fall from the sky and cast a confused expression before realization dawns, almost as quickly as the atmosphere above them begins to blaze a shade of orange.
"Oh! It's … sorry. I forgot that you - anyways, it's just what we call natural disasters. There's been … a lot of them recently," Melantha explains earnestly before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Some people think it's a blessing because after the storms it leaves behind Originium but … we-, we all know that isn't exactly a good thing either."
The Doctor looks up to the sky once more to see it's slow transition from grey to orange. The clouds rumble, concealing behind it's depths the coming of an angry storm, but before he can open his mouth to speak there is shouting heard from behind that immediately causes the Doctor to turn around.
"Stop! No! Get away from me!"
He squints to see a now healed Ursus soldier crawling backwards on the ground with a look of horror and anxiety skewing his face - his reaction, however dramatic and sudden, is trained upon Amiya who slowly begins to retreat.
"Don't infect me! Stay-, stay where you are!"
"Yeah! It's all your fault! You INFECTED are the reason for everything."
The Doctor feels a sense of rage bubbling up in his chest that results in his hands curling into fists at his side. They didn't have to heal them. They could have left and only cared for themselves but it had been Amiya who wanted to pay back their kindness, and this is the treatment she receives. The Doctor feels an odd sense of protectiveness rising and sparking electricity in his bones and it seems like Melantha feels that same sense as she takes a step forward.
The Doctor was prepared to allow Melantha to proceed and lecture them for their disgusting behaviour, which was to say that they certainly deserved it, but a large paw belonging to Ace holds her back when it is pressed flush against her torso. He gives her a look, nothing more, and it is as if the two communicate through glances when she backs down and instead is left to watch. He had heard about the vitriol that was placed in their direction from Amiya but it was a different beast entirely to be shown first hand. Amiya didn't deserve it, none of them did ; they were victims of this war just as much as Ursus was but instead they were treated like the enemy whilst the real threat was left to cause havoc through the streets.
"We don't have time," came his low and rumbling voice as he too gave a stern look to the scene that continued to play out in front of them. "It's not worth it."
The Doctor waited silently until Amiya walked back towards him with Ansel following shortly after. It was clear on their faces that they were shaken by the exchange but it was muted, almost as if they had endured such treatment before.
"Come on. It's clear they don't need us anymore."
The Doctor's words are heavy with venom - there is only one lingering and withering gaze given to the cowardice of the Ursus soldiers before he gestures for Reunion to regroup. He has the map tucked safely in one of his pockets even though he has it memorized, every street and every shortcut is now imprinted in his mind so that he can securely guide them to their extraction point.
Rhodes Island dutifully falls in line, either from their training or their distaste for what they had just witnessed - The Doctor leads their progressions through the once war torn streets using the alleyways and forgotten corridors that he had mapped out previously. The sky above them continues it's violent raging from orange to a deeper variant, something closer to red that may have signalled the spilling of blood behind them or what lay before them.
His diversion tactic was proven correct when he halts the progression without a word, nothing more than a raised hand is needed and they all stop in their tracks in the middle of a narrow and darkened alleyway. There is no sound but that which the residual rain provides, small and dirty droplets from the awnings of decrepit buildings that drip into the polluted puddles at their feet. In the distance and through the small opening at the end of the alley Reunion forces can be seen marching past them unawares.
Even though they are considerably hidden it was difficult not to tense up. No one dared to even breathe as they waited, every muscle was coiled and ready for some sort of attack but the Doctor's planning and their silence ensures that the enemy marches right past them and does not stop. It still is far too close for comfort and shows that Reunion continue to stalk the streets even after being bested by Rhodes Island - it was clear that they would not be so easily defeated and had other business in the city but them.
There was no time for questions now as he looked over her shoulder to find every pair of eyes meeting his own and waiting for their next command. The Doctor was not a coward, if it were up to him they would have met the enemy face on again but it has already taken them far too long to reach the extraction site that it seemed forever ago that he was rescued; any hopes that he would just magically remember himself in this journey was quickly dashed by the face of reality.
With a small tilt of his head he leads the progression through the street again but not before poking his head out first to ensure Reunion was gone.
"Come on. Stay close and be quiet."
They follow closely behind him with backs hunched and steps small and silent, trying to be as small and quiet as possible even though they are now fully exposed in the city streets.
"Adnachiel," The Doctor calls over his shoulder and waits until the sniper of the group speeds up until they are walking shoulder to shoulder. "Can you scout ahead?"
It is more of a courtesy than any real request if Adnachiel was capable - any sniper worth their salt would know how to see and not be seen.
"Of course I can," Adnachiel replies with a smile and something akin to a mock salute pressed against his temple before he swiftly moves through the streets and disappears into the shadows.
The fact that they have eyes ahead alleviates some of the Doctor's worries and causes him to walk straighter, less afraid that they would be found without a warning from the sniper that looks over them now. He hazards a look back up to the sky and notes it's deep orange quality, like a dying fire with it's coals still embering at its base - that is when it is the hottest, the Doctor notes to himself.
"Doctor!"
Adnachiel's voice can be heard through the communication's device, something that he had not known he was wearing until now but it must have been something that his captors had forgotten to take away from him.
"Not so loud," The Doctor warns after he presses the earpiece in order to make his command heard. "What is it?"
His words may have seemed pointed and irritated but the situation is cause for directness considering there are reunion forces creeping about the streets. At first, all the Doctor hears is static and interference - it would seem that Adnachiel is far enough away to have their communications scrambled by the contingency that Reunion has in place that keeps them from reaching the other team.
"Adnachiel?"
More static, but through the crackle are a few words that can be heard.
"Reunion … Crown … Slayer … Rhodes Is …"
Crownslayer is not a name that the Doctor is familiar with but it is one that causes Melantha to stride forward with a hand curling around the Doctor's shoulder. There is something hard in her expression. Eyes widen with a sense of urgency as she begins to hastily tug him into the abandoned depths of a dismantled shop. It's looted, canned goods and items are strewn about the floor but Melantha navigates it easily before gesturing for the rest of them to follow after. She doesn't even wait for the Doctor to issue the command and he feels some slight regarding her overstep.
"What are you doing?"
It's a hushed whisper as she forces them down to a hunched position with a vicious tug of his sleeve; the rest are quick to follow while making themselves as small as possible behind one of the display counters of the shop.
"Crownslayer is who we ran into before. The one with the red hair?"
Of course the Doctor remembers the exchange but he had not known what name to put the face that he had come up against. The red hair was an immediate source of apprehension as the Doctor catches sight of them leading a small progression down the street in front of them. There is no real fear from the sight but he does want to avoid a fight, if at all possible.
He ducks down again and presses his gloved finger to his lips, silently hushing those around him as the sound of heavy bootsteps pass by them loudly before dying with the distance. They wait for a moment, and then another, allowing ample time for any stragglers to passby before the Doctor stands up and begins to slowly creep towards the door.
"Come on, Dobermann is waiting for us."
"Doctor. Wait!"
There is something tense in Adnachiel's voice but there is also a stark difference in how clear his voice is - he is close by.
"Another group is doubling back. They're coming straight for you just -"
"Adnachiel? Adanchiel?!"
The sounds of shouts and screams from beyond the street can be heard slicing through the quiet haven they have created for themselves and all at once, Melantha and Amiya look directly at the Doctor with fear in their eyes. A loud crash sounds and the three of them immediately run towards the opening of the store - one door is completely gone and one is off its hinges, barely holding on by a few bolts but enough to provide adequate cover as they look out onto the street.
It was only a brief glimpse, but it was easy to see that the store was surrounded; either their communications had been tapped or they were not as silent as they had thought they had been. Hidden behind the fray was Adanchiel, trapped in his cover with no escape unless he wanted to alert them of his whereabouts and get caught out for it. Their eyes met for a moment as if communicating their chances, their next plan of attack, and it was with a small but fierce sigh that the Doctor pushed himself back from the nearly unhinged door and looked back at their forces.
They had just survived a battle with a formidable foe, and that was after they had rescued him from a compound that undoubtedly had heinous intentions for him - they had saved his life. The Doctor wishes things were different but it seems that, to save themselves and to free Adnaachiel from the gauntlet that he now finds himself in, they would be forced to fight again.
"Okay. Listen up." There was haste in his voice but there was also a certain tone of softness, almost like he was apologizing for what he was about to say and what he was about to make them do. Their eyes follow his, snapping in place in a mixture of adrenaline and proper training that clearly displays the kind of hold he still has over them.
"Adnachiel is caught out. We're surrounded. If anyone else has any ideas how to help ourselves out of this situation, I'm willing to hear it."
To their credit, a few look like they are trying to find methods and means that would have them escape unscathed and undetected. There is tension in the air, worsened by the way that they can hear several pairs of boots pounding just outside the door and crunching along the dirt and stones of the battle torn street. It grates at them, gnawing at their bones and causes their heart to pound which fills them with just enough adrenaline to pump courage into their veins. It's reflecting in their eyes and the Doctor looks around in wait, wondering if any of them can find a course of action that had them avoiding the inevitable. He felt something stirring in his chest, something ferocious but usable - maybe it was pride he felt.
"Alright then," the Doctor offers with a small downward tilt of his chin towards his chest. "Same as before. It worked against Reunion before and it can work now, especially considering the leader seems to be gone."
There is another nod, one carrying more finality which the other Rhodes Island members took as a sign to move - they all did, but Amiya lingered behind for a moment.
The Doctor looks down to see her small hand wrapped around the junction of his elbow, both holding him in place and giving him a tender squeeze. He wasn't sure if it was comfort or in solidarity but he took it in regardless.
"We're almost home," she assures with a fleeting smile before she takes her leave with the rest of them.
It finally gives the Doctor a chance to breathe, a chance to be alone for the first time since he was rescued. He still remembers nothing but he finds it odd that he was willing to trust Rhodes Island so freely and easily as his saviours and his rightful place. Could it not be that this was all some clever deception? He knew it wasn't. There is an overwhelming feeling of trust with them and it was the first ray of hope that he may have remembered more than he knew - although not an overly sentimental man, it seems that heart and the mind could be disconnected.
The Doctor steps forward under the final sanctuary of what was left of the store awning, close enough to action to observe how closely they follow his previous orders but far enough away to avoid an all out affront that was attempted on him last time. They were trained, which the Doctor already knew, but it was a whole new experience watching it without having to also orchestrate it. He is like a director watching a play, his life's work coming to fruition - there is a brutality to battle he will not deny but it was still beautiful to watch.
The Doctor watches without speaking, no further instructions are necessary when Rhodes Island are left to do what they do best - it does beg the question that they were probably not fighters in their former lives. Who were they? What did they dream for themselves before they were gifted with their powers, and therefore the target of such ire and mistreatment? They were not fighters, this much the Doctor can conclude - they were forced to fight in order to survive and there was heartbreak there, somewhere.
He is lost in thought by the time the battle concludes itself, and although slightly annoyed with himself that he had left so much of his concentration stray away it was welcome to know that he can trust them if the situation provides. Melantha and Amiya, and all the rest were capable enough to orchestrate his rescue so it was at no stretch of the imagination that they could dispatch a few Reunion members on the street. They were a force but less organized than the last, undoubtedly suffering from a lack of real leadership from their fire haired leader - whereabouts were still unknown which posed a potentially dangerous road ahead for them.
"Good work," he offers to Melantha who comes walking back towards him first. The Doctor strains onto his toes to see Amiya tending to the wounded, a place that he assumed she would be now that the fighting had stopped and Reunion has retreated … for now.
"It-it just feels … off? Doesn't it?"
The Doctor quirks a face of confusion at her, prompting Melantha to elaborate.
"The city is overrun. In r-ruins. How do they keep - they keep finding us."
It isn't something the Doctor has considered before this moment but she is right. Reunion have the advantage of their communication devices whilst Rhodes Island is left in the dark, suffering from the scramble of the signals, but they would still find it difficult to find anything unless they were being followed.
A look of realization dawns upon the Doctor's face which causes him to immediately move his gaze to Adnachiel who saunters over towards them.
"Were you able to contact Dobermann?"
Adnachiel lifts a hand and gives it a teeter.
"It's still short but she's still waiting for us. I tried to tell her that we're on route. No idea if she got the message."
The Doctor lets out a contemplative noise before sharing his grave hypothesis with the group.
"I think we're being followed, or at the very least we're being led into a direction they want."
"Why?" The voice of Amiya peeks out from behind the taller figures of Melantha and Adnachiel until the only part of her that can be seen are the tips of her ears.
"Whatever the reason, I'm sure it can't be a good one. Are we ready to go?" The question is posed to Amiya with regards to the wounded, but a small nod from her was all the Doctor needs in order to give a nod and the progression moves down the street once more.
He has Adnachiel scouting ahead, running through the rooftops acting as both scout and warning in case there should be Reunion forces up ahead, but if the Doctor is correct and there is no further diversion that must mean that they are heading in the direction of Reunion's design. The Doctor didn't enjoy the prospect that they were being ushered, nothing but sheep to the slaughter, but they were blinded by the orange sun and it's smokey haze just as much as they were silenced by a lack of communication.
They diverge upon a crossroads and stop to consider their next path. All the streets are empty, hollow. They are ominous in their vacancy but in this quiet the subtle sounds of boots upon dirt crunch like teeth gnawing on bone. The Doctor turns around to see a Reunion squadron lumbering behind them with Crownslayer leading the charge - even from distance there is no denying the look of satisfaction that is displayed on her face.
"Looks like your luck has run out," she shouts down the street as she continues an annoyingly simple saunter towards them. It displays no haste, no real care or respect for an approaching battle, and it irks the Doctor to be disregarded in such a way.
The Doctor opens his mouth to speak but a shifting glance from Crownslayer stirs him to silence, almost as if she is looking past him. He turns to notice a figure in the distance, the white of them just barely cutting through the smoke and the haze - the first and only thing that cuts the cloudiness is a set of piercing yellow eyes.
