Cat was aware that Tate was awake, but neither were interested in moving from each other's arms. Despite the sun rays heating the black sheets of the bed in the middle of summer the two still felt a chill in the room as Cat recalled the memories of months passed.
None of the known gamers could return to normal lives after the game ended. Either from being too well known or from the genetic modification that had happened over the five year stay in the waste. Most considered them just modified humans while others had taken to seeing them as supernatural beings. Though the supernatural bits could be easily explained away by medical examinations, it did spark quite a stir in the modification industry as tests revealed what exactly had been done to get the results of stronger more dense muscle mass or other heightened senses.
Some Gamers had used their fame for money, despite requests from several governing forces. While others, like Cat and Tate, were more than happy to hide away from the nosy eyes of the public. Hopes of the disaster to be lost in time. Those who couldn't find work were offered high paying positions in the military and other forces, other than a list of rules and a single day a week committed to intense training the job was overall similar to military reserves. Cat, along with many others, knew this was more so to keep a constant eye on the gamers and their actions. Everyone who agreed to join the Gamer division in the military would be watched over by a leader, more commonly called a babysitter. Those who lived together as couples like Tate and Cat only had one.
Darik Meltor, he's family was full of ex-military and he himself had only just joined when he was chosen. For the first couple years he allowed them to isolate themselves as much as they pleased. Coming to them one a week for the full check in instead of making them go to the nearby base. Sometime around their third year working together he started putting his foot down, forcing them both to exit their simi-fortified apartment twice a week for training and therapy. Neither could disagree to it without losing their only income, so for a while they did as told with a boiling hatred. As years worked their way through though this did diminish to nothing more then a weekly occurrence that didn't warrant much of a fight. Maybe it was from Dariks personality ageing further past their own but the once younger man had surpassed them in both responsibility and stubbornness. Or possibly because they subconsciously knew he wouldn't be able to stay with them forever.
Laying there Cat looked Tate's body up and down, comparing it to hers. He was larger than most men, much closer to six and a half feet and his muscles were noticeably large under any clothing, a grown man. While her own body rivaled that of a preteen, her chest almost non-existence tested against her lack of height made it hard to convince anyone that she was indeed well within her thirties and older then the man she looked at.
A part of her missed the scars that had riddled them both in the game, a clear sign of someone who was so close to death so many times yet pushed themselves back up. Those easily convinced anyone that she was far from a child. But here, where they lay, her skin was as clear and unbroken as his. She knew others longed for things like that but it only ever brought frustration to her life.
A pounding on the door reminded her that the security of their private place was gone. Their living room turned into a base for the city soldiers after the official evacuation. Citizens moved to temporary compounds miles outside of any highly active areas after it was discovered that those places are where the mechs would often visit during attacks.
"You two have ten minutes to get out here dressed and ready to go." Dariks imposing voice threatened to break down the door itself. Despite his skinny stance he could easily make himself more intimidating by his tone alone.
Tate sat up first, slowly unwrapping his arms from Cat, the two separated did not motivate much more movement. For most of their time they were still and silent looking towards the flood of light that poked out from the curtains.
"Come on. Get up." Tate spoke softly, rubbing her arm. Acting as the left and right leg of the body the two get up. Moving together to dress in the clothes from the day before. For several weeks the power and thus the water has been down. Leaving them to impervice the important necessities and ignore the rest. As Cat strapped her sword to her back Tate was doing the same for his cross bows to his hips.
They both,along with many other games, had modified weapons specifically made to model the ones they used in game. it played to the skills they had developed over the course of it. Cat handled a large sword about two feet wide and four feet tall made of a mix of metals that made it both extremely heavy yet virtually unbreakable. While Tate carried a set of crossbows that strung themselves back after each shot, along with a wide range of arrows that rivaled comic book characters. Almost every
In the living room they were met with the rest of the Gamer group in the area.
Lucy Herim and her older brother Jake Herim along with their leader Hana Lugar. The fifth gamer in the group, Alex Tulim, had been one of hundreds to disappear with the mechs in the past months.
From the little information gathered the mechs were extrestiral, had little interest in the basic materials or ores,near english fairly well, and preferred to damage the cities they visited after acting out mass kidnappings. For a while the Government had tried to contact the mechs, questions of what they want and how to stop the attacks repaid with silence and continued actions. There were suggestions of humans being used as slaves or fuel for the mechs but most of those fell flat.
"Five hours ago we were informed of an attack in Asia then europe. At the current course they'll be at least passing by in a few hours." Lucy explained, laying out the main world map and pointing out the path take and the predicted one. "If they land we want to try your plan to bury them under a building, though getting one alone might be difficult."
"We'll need bait." Jake continued, "from accounts of survivors they have a higher interest in younger people in their teen years or lower. Ignoring the old and only taking adults when there's none else. I think Lucy and myself could distract one long enough for Catherin to lead the other into the trap. We'll have to leave our primary weapons behind so as to not draw suspicion."
"No." Tate spoke firmly, everyone knew why that idea was far from comfortable. But since this war started they were unable to even make a dent in the large mechs. As Cat looked over the plans of the city she spoke.
"Jake will stay out of sight of the mech while Lucy leads it off. Tate will do the same for me. You both should be able to slow it down until the rest of us can get there to help. You guys should be able to carry our weapons with you as well."
"Hana and I can wait with vehicles in case we need to fall back quickly." Darik spoke up.
"We should do a sweep of the area and make sure there's no lingering civilians as well." Hana joined in.
In minutes we were on our way to our posts. Readying for the possible attack.