Bo grunted and groaned. What the heck just hit them? She had a splitting headache then realized while attempting to wipe her face that she was upside down. Confused, she strain to open her eyes and also felt really hot like she was near a
FIRE!
"Crap!" Bo jerked into consciousness in panic. "Kenz!" She tried to rouse her grabbing her shoulder but shooting a glance at her revealed a horror she didn't expect. There was her best friend and sister staring back at her with a vacant stare, lifeless and impaled by several rebar.
Kenzi was dead and her chi even at full capacity could not heal her in this state since she needed to be alive. Bo also realized that she had a bigger issues too, the entire front and now top side of the upside down truck was in flames and she needed to free herself fast.
Bo yanked at her seat belt and hit the seat belt release several times but it just wouldn't let go.
Several more yanks with part of her dwindling Fae strength, no go. The fire was just spreading too fast, the fuel must have all caught on fire.
Panic descend on her knowing that she could be burned alive any second now and she was about to use more force when she realized she had her dagger destiny sheathed on her right leg which just cut through just about anything.
A second later she sawed though the belt webbing and fell head first onto the roof of the truck which wasn't far since the roof caved in partly. Her window as well as all the other windows were already broken so she wormed her way out of the heap of searing hot nearly molten metal to a cold, damp and dirty asphalt construction road.
Bo began coughing up a lung due to the smoke and now on all fours, tuned out everything and glanced back.
KENZI. She didn't ask for this. Most of all she didn't deserve this death Bo realized with a pang of guilt.
"Fuuuuuuck!" Bo yelled to the sky while on her knees. She was ALONE. No sea of fae YET. They were probably still catching up with her and the truck that hit them also slammed into another part of the barrier crushing the cabin.
Several tears streaked down her face standing up painfully to view the pyre before her.
POP! POP!
Bo stumble back clumsily several paces and ducked lower. Apparently live ammunition was going off from in the truck.
But the succubus, and goddess in her own right was in shock hearing the angry mob of Fae approaching in a rumble but still out of sight
There was her sister and she deserved to not be left behind but Bo herself was really low in chi. She used most of it up helping Kenzi escape and then warding off the mindless Fae for as long as she did. She had no way to recharge and there was no way she wanted to get her love Tamsin involved.
Today was a good day to die straightening up and taking a deep breath.
The Dire Wolf compound was bustling with activity with the 2 level half circle chamber populated with Elders from all regions. As provisioned and outlined in the armistice, on the upper left and upper right, there were seats for one Aswang representative, and the Vampire representative. The Aswang seat to the left normally and as it was now was empty. The only time they showed up was when a major ruling with the Dire Wolf shifters would directly affect them. Being reclusive, they tended to stay out of other's internal affairs. As for the upper right, Spike was slouching down in his chair with head lazily nodding off. It was easy to do so since the chamber was barely lit as per their tradition. Direwolves preferred the darkness and Spike himself could see in the dark as a vampire.
The formalities for Spike were beyond boring as each Dire Wolf Elder introduced themselves. He kick himself for losing a bet to Angel, a friend of his.
Drool was about to drop from the side of Spike's partly open mouth until Buffy came up behind him and slapped his cheek from behind he chair.
"OW!" Spike shot up whipping his head around in annoyance to gaze and Buffy dead on, "I was having a good dream you know. Which is ANYTHING and ANYWHERE but here."
Faith then came up stealthily from the other side and lightly whacked him on his other cheek.
"WHAT is wrong with you people!" Spike stumbled out of his chair to twirl around and keep eyes on his assailants.
Buffy put her hands on her hips and challenged, "What do you mean 'you people'. SOUNDS pretty racist to me."
Faith stood next to Buffy and just said, "I think he means 'us AWESOME slayers' are just too much to handle."
Spike grumbled but just put it out there since they used to always be at odds with each other, "Don't you two have something else to do like be at each other's throats or something?"
Buffy put her arm around Faith's waist and Faith did the same to Buffy playing along pulling into each other. Buffy just replied with a shrug and rhymed, "We slay together, we stay together."
Faith was flattered and leaned into Buffy like they were an item and added glibly to jeer him on, "You just wanna jump her don't ya?" They had been pretty close lately and have not gotten into fights especially after visiting Doctor Lewis's place during peace talks with Direwolves and Aswangs.
"Been there, done that, but be my guest Faith," he retorted mockingly gesturing towards Buffy since he knew Buff wasn't know to be into women. 'WAIT, was she?' Spike mused to himself but held his all knowing expression. He could have sworn that Buffy and Bo had sex but then of course Bo was a hot succubus. Also the two slayers were awfully close as of late, but Buff has also been visiting him more, even even with his friend Angel trying to move in on his turf. What a cock blocker. Before he even had time to complete that thought crossing his arm triumphantly, Buff took her free hand and pulled him into her on the other side of Faith.
Buff was executing Bo's advice and did her best to defuse this situation, "Hey, I was just joking Spike, ok?" She then pulled Faith into her more and glanced at her expectantly.
As of on queue, Faith put in her practiced smile and added to appease Buffy, "Yea, we're family ok?"
It was then their bonding time screeched to an abrupt halt when a stone was rapped sharply several times onto a wooden table. All turned and it was a court transcriber, who was grey and seemed frail for a Dire Wolf. He coughed and just announced on a throaty voice, "Introductions are over and now that a quorum is present, I hereby decree the council is now officially in session."
Spike just shook his head and took a seat with Buffy and Faith taking seats behind him. Buffy and Faith were not part of the armistice, but being powerful Fae could attend. Oddly the seats behind each representative was reserved for their respective council and in a roundabout way for Spike, they were.
He just shook his head in disapproval but mused. Somehow, Buff and her BSFFN, Best Slayer Friend – For Now, were connected at the hip it seemed. Well it just looked like they all were to an extent for the past month or so. Buffy would hang out with him more and he also noted she also hung out with Faith a lot more as well. Buffy and Faith always seemed to be at each other's throats in the past but something changed recently he noted. In any case, he wondered what Buffy was up to since she was likely the one pushing this agenda, but it turned out she just wanted to hang out with friends who had her best interests in mind. It would be unfair to say he didn't have an agenda though. He was growing closer to Buffy and Buffy him he felt. Although they made love several times already, their situations they were in ultimately pulled them apart. Hopefully this time it would be right.
After Spike turned to pay attention to the floor, Faith fist bumped Buffy but playfully right after they made contact she grabbed onto and held Buffy's wrist and whispered into Buffy's ear leaning in, "What prank should be play on Spike today?"
Buffy smirked and fished out a deflated whoopee cushion from her pocket. She tossed it of Faith and they were on the same page. She liked Faith this way, they were working as one now.
Buffy took Bo's advice and tried to love them without limits. For Spike, he was a vampire and her enemy, but she was now past that. For Faith, she wasn't perfect and were at odds with each other most of the time, but she did final forgive her for her past. When that happened, both became closer to her more than she ever imagined. As for who to choose, she wasn't there just yet. She didn't know if and when she'd make that choice since all her serious relationships ended up in disaster. Making LOVE was supposed to be something beautiful and liberating, but from her experience, it was unfortunately the opposite.
Elder Julie with a cane which clacked sharply in the wooden floor with each step walked onerously to the center of the room.
The court transcriber furrowed his brow and squinted his eyes at the paper in front of him. He cleared his throat and said, "We hereby acknowledge Elder Julie on the floor. The motion we have before us today is the matter of Dyson Wolfbane and who this council recognizes as his life mate: Bo Dennis, the unaligned succubus and heir to the throne in Valhalla or…" he coughed then continued, "K…. K… Ken…. "
He trembled and his expression was one of disgust but continued setting the paper down to address the council before him, "the HUMAN … Kendra Marta Shaw, the Widow Maker, Captain of the repulsive and infamous cutthroats of the 69th district, and Leader of a band of ruthless Fae mercenaries belonging to the Burning Cypress clan, SLAUGHTER of our kind… GE-NO-CIDAL MANIAC with an unquenchable thirst for revenge .…"
Julie just sharply put her hand up and cleared her throat to stop his diatribe from continuing which looked far from over. There were MANY words to describe Kendra and they were all true to a degree. She, probably as well as everyone else, Elders and the Audience included could probably tell the court transcriber, Ralph, was going 'off script'. This however was NOT the time to painfully remind everyone about her misdeeds. She needed them to refocus to the matter at hand.
She just carefully addressed the Elders before her, "Elders, and representatives from other delegations such as the Vampires and Aswangs, I bring a motion forward to you for your consideration. It is not just a matter of Dyson and who his life mate is, but more broadly what our society, believes is sacred law and doctrine. I know what I am asking goes against thousands of years of tradition which am party to, but as everything around us changes, so must it. This tradition of one life mate is not in question, but a strict tradition which gives no leeway for error to correct that choice IS."
A female Elder lit up her clear crystal cylinder lying lengthwise and flat on the table, which emanated a white glow, "Elder, with the highest respect, the scope of this motion requires nearly hundreds of years of deliberation and with that many a plethora of council sessions. I think I speak for all of us in the regards that we, the Voting block of Elders are not equipped to make this hasty decision today."
Julie just took this calmly even though nearly everyone nodded and grunted in approval.
Spike just flippantly whispered back to Buffy and Faith over his shoulder, "Talk about DOG-ma."
Buffy and Faith just groaned at the joke.
"Then I propose we take measures steps toward this via precedent as it pertains to just Dyson and his life mate," Julie adjusted her stance on the matter. She knew that the person that framed or control the issue won it and she intended to. Kendra DID go into exile and DID obey the rules of a life mate to the T. She did just hear that she returned due to a raid in a human district but would depart soon after. Who was her source? Kendra oddly enough. She was at least making good faith efforts to telegraph her movements in a way that would make her actions as it pertained to those under the armistice less threatening. She didn't have to do this, but mused that she was doing this for Dyson. If Dyson had ANY chance of going back to them, he needed help in rebuilding that bridge. "At such I request this council to recognize Kendra Shaw as Dyson Wolfbane's life mate to supplant Bo Dennis since she is with Tamsin Jennings."
Another white light went off on the upper level and a much older male Elder spoke up, "Elder Julie, Dyson is in exile status awaiting trial. We can't rule on him at this moment."
Julie spoke with authority, "YES YOU CAN. You know as well as I do that RULES need to be malleable based on the CIRCUMSTANCE. This is the Dire Wolf Council is it not? This is something we can surely address without impacting or commuting actions, legal or otherwise as it pertains to Canal Street and the Armistice. Those action still can move forward."
Another lit his light up and replied in a deep growling tone, "There are rules which DEFINE us and our ways that ARE immutable and are considered dogma." He held his disdain on the topic.
Spike held in a laugh. Buffy glanced down and hastily covered her mouth while Faith just executed an eye roll.
He continued taking a more neutral tone regaining his composure, "Also in context you are in essence requesting for us to let one of our members in exile for nearly breaking the armistice and several laws thereof, power to move the laws officially which he willfully broke, but most of all, you opening the possibility that Kendra Shaw will have standing with us. That I can't do."
There was an uncomfortable silence that fell as Julie held her relaxed but stoic posture ever confident that she was still right.
He cleared his throat after glancing at the agenda on his table added, "Thank you elder," nodding with respect, "I vote to move on to other matters at hand."
Before others began to chime in an agree Julie raised her voice and proclaimed, "All of you know I want peace more than ANYTHING else, it's been my life's work and here we have a chance to have peace. Have you NOT noticed Kendra is currently follow all the rules required of a life mate?! Stepped down her attacks on us?! She is ALSO letting us know her movements knowing full well that we can send a death squad for her!"
The entire room almost erupted in heated yelling from those in the audience in attendance vying to be head.
"Kill Kendra Shaw!"
"Fuck Dyson! Kill them BOTH!
"She's PLAYNIG us. DON'T believe it!"
"Boo! Two HUNDRED… REMEMBER THEM!"
"She fucking attacked you!"
"Murderer!
"PEACE?! DECLARE WAR ON Kendra and screw humans!"
All the while the count transcriber wrapped then slammed his stone on the table almost breaking it to regain control of the room but was unsuccessful.
Finally a menacing roar pierced the room.
All cringed at what sounded like a predator that was going to unleash hell on all.
Julie finally regained control of the room and after staring nearly the entire room down for several moment, she said, "Let's get something straight right now! I ATTACKED Kendra Shaw first in the garden. It was Kendra who was trying to maintain our peace the entire time!"
The whole room took a collective gasp of surprise. Julie's actions were always beyond reproach, so it was just assumed that Kendra was the aggressor.
After the bickering of disbelieve died down to a lull, Julie continued, "I did it for US. OUR Kind and those under the Armistice. Dyson was just trying to protect his life mate after my initial surprise attack, but Kendra spared my life knocking Dyson out before his death blow. In doing so, she put her life in peril since she was unarmed. Grizzal made sure of that. SHE knew it too and her backup wasn't there. It was just a freak conscience that a unit that was close enough to hear her screams."
She turned to the audience and preached, "We were BOTH trying to protect the Armistice. Kendra reached out in peace and I reached out in hate. BAD peace is better than good war! Me killing her would've been more of the same where humans sooner or later discovered us and then try to WIPE US OUT. If not Kendra, SOME OTHER HUMAN intent on avenging her. We MUST break this cycle if we and those under the armistice wish to survive. The reason for Kendra's compliance is easy. She WILLINGLY chooses to follows our laws and our edicts. She is cooperating for the good of their life mate status. If we work together, we can do so much. Kendra is helping PROTECT us and all Fae of her own volition."
A woman elder who was silent this whole time spoke up with her light turning on, "What of her and Dyson breaking our laws, they need to be made an example of. We have weathered this far with our laws and have done well."
Julie smirked lopsidedly and responded, "Animals who do not change are hunted to extinction. Laws need to change or we will face extinction as well. As for the motion to pass sentence on Dyson and Grizzal, all in due time, it is out of scope of this conversation. We are here just to recognize Kendra as Dyson's life mate."
The same elder spoke again to clarify, "If Kendra were to become Dyson's life mate, she is subject to our laws and must comply with our judgments and actions against her. Is she willing to accept this risk? Dyson and Elder Grizzal both have to answer for their alleged misdeeds since they are one of us, so too will Kendra if this proposed motion goes through."
"Yes, she is, but," She paused to ensure that everyone was hanging on her every word, "that assumes that our motion to recognize them as life mate is ratified. As it stands now, she's OUTSIDE our system and hence justice."
A older male elder nearly yelled not even turning on his light since he was agitated, "OH She'll get justice all right! We can just kill her since she IS an outsider. THAT I'd gladly rule on. I don't even know if that exile status applies to her since it's a grey area. BETTER yet, we UP HOLD Dyson's life mate status with Bo Dennis here and now. Make that whore of a manic just a regular human without ANY protections of any kind."
Another shouted from the crowd, "Fuck her up like she did my Brother!"
"YEA!" was a cantankerous roar that filled the room. The audience wanted her blood and they wanted it now.
Julie roared over the grumbling crowd and also to the elders, "WHO HERE SPEAKS FOR LOVE! THAT is what we are ruling on! No more, no less."
"LOVE?!" another elder spoke almost incredulous, she had a raspy tone. She then leaned forward, "She killed our kind with impunity with the help of Dyson! She CAN'T love, Dyson is her bitch. We ALL know that.
"YEA!" the crowd chanted.
Julie added quickly, "I have SEEN love, known it and Kendra does love Dyson as her life mate. She's been following the ancient ways ever since my talk with her and had not veered….." but stopped as the crowd began to get up and chant.
"TRAITOR"
"It's a fucking pony show!"
Spike and crew looked on below them as the security team began to scramble around. Some more barged in via side door. The crowd was pushing forward to the stage with fist held high chanting hateful things. This wasn't good. This was going to erupt in a riot unless something was done quickly.
"Kill her!" rose above the yelling and drowned out the court transcriber slamming the rock into the table almost breaking it as it splintered the wood plank. Even several of the male elders also agreed with the rabid crowd even joining in to the chorus of deafening hatred spewing out into a fever pitch like a powder keg ready to be ignited at any moment.
At this stunning turn of events, as it went on for nearly a minute getting worse by the every passing second, Spike with lightning reflexes deflected an errant rock thrown at the elders but apparently was on target to smack Buffy square in the face.
The roars started to fill the air with the unmistakable sound of breaking glass when Spike yelled at Buff and Faith behind him who at this point ducked behind the desk for cover. None of them had weapons since it was forbidden. "Time to go Ladies! Never seen rabid dogs foaming at the mouth before … And now's not a good time to find out."
Buff knew it was a matter of time before all hell broke loose and hugged Faith into her tightly making her duck in cover with her. She thanked the heavens above for Spike's reflexes. She didn't see that projectile being hurled towards them since the room dimmed when Elder Julie began to talk.
Faith did mind however that Buffy was treating her like she needed protecting, but she was also flattered Buff worried and thought about her too. Spike may be a vampire, but a rock hurdle in anyone's face would have been a bad start to a day.
From his crouching position, Spike carefully peered over the desktop to the war zone below as people were up in arms, even elders yelling slanders to just kill Kendra in one form or another. Some of the audience were brave enough to step onto the elevated stage with Julie with the security team tackling them and pulling them off. The security team was being over run and Spike was quick to duck back down again just narrowly avoiding a glass that shattered into shards mere inches from his face had it still been there.
As glass and other objects were being thrown at full force and Elder Julie despite her load roar could not make a dent in the collective yells and chants of the crowd. She was now pushing people back with her cane as a nonlethal means to defend herself.
"PROTECT ELDER JULIE!" the elders near Spike order and then they themselves lept down to the stage area to help as security swamped Julie to extract her.
This was bad, really bad Buff knew since Spike always stated that he had the best naps here.
Spike bared his fangs and put on a mischievous smirk to the gang and rubbed his hand together like he was ready for a treat, "Sooooo we get the BEST seats in the house if we stay …. and I bet your BF and tool Angel couldn't even hack this."
Buffy would have a more witty reply about Angel, another Vampire doting after her, but she had to protect Faith who squirmed out of her hug and just shot back, "Buffy's fucking TAKEN ok?! SHE'S WITH ME!"
To that Spike rolled his eyes since Buffy was his and chuckled then shouted back, "We're not talking about your imaginary Buffy right?! Reality check, Buffy is with me and Iiiii got a sleep with her."
Buffy was pissed, out of all the times to vie for her love, it was NOW, in the middle of an all-out riot. "HEY!" Buffy shoved both of them, "Both of you focus, we need a fucking PLAN!"
Both Faith and Spike just glanced at each other just as vegetables splatted on the wall behind them.
"Hunker down!" Spike grunted, "I can see in the dark on this level and defend our position!"
Just then, like a powder keg of gun powered, the entire crowd shifted and charged Elder Julie's position, chanting, "Kill the traitor!" More were flooding into the room as well to join in this slaughter.
Buff whipped out Mr. Pointy and defected a rock and then a several daggers which were meant for whoever was in front it. They seemed like they were aimed indiscriminately.
"FUCK!" Spike and Faith yelled in unison as a sea of Shifters, like a wave charged then engulfed Julie. Although she was fully shifted and held her ground before, no one could stop a sea of Fae, and she was now drowning in the ocean. The other elders and security were all caught in it as well. It seemed that there was simply not enough security or elders to protect Julie and although they were not the target, they were in the way as other shifters stampeded past them.
Spike dropped kicked and bit a shifter that was obviously up to no good trying to vent on whomever got in her way. To them, they were elders too hence part of the traitorous elders. He was about to engage someone charging to the right of him when Faith swept then stabbed that shifter. Blood splattered everywhere. Meanwhile Buffy deflected what looked like a vial being thrown at them back into the rabid crown below.
"FLASH POTION!" Buffly screamed back towards her friends and everyone on queue hid under the desk to covering their eyes.
The blinding flash was ok. Since their desk shielded all of them.
"SHIT!" Spike grunted, "I'm… I'm blind." His eyes were more sensitive them most. But stammered a moment later, "I'm… I'm ok!. Get the freak out of here! I got this!" He then sharply pointed is the dark narrow side hall behind them. "Security team barracks that way and so is the exit!"
Faith kicked a no good shifter out of the way and another in the twigs and cherries but noted a couple security team personnel emerged from that same hallway to protect the elders. Spike's plan had merit after all. Not only would they be going away from the immediate danger, they'd also be protected directly or more likely indirectly but any more security guards that happened to pass. "Cover us Spike!" Faith yelled darting out into the hall pulling Buffy along.
Spike didn't like being ordered but he could see better than either of them due to the lighting which all of a sudden went partly out. He quickly like a cheetah sacked then just front kicked a low life shifter that tried to take a take him out jumping over his desk. Upper cut, control, toss him back into the rabid crown. One more down. Head butt and toss. Another one down. He now had no choice, it'd be a matter of time before he himself would be overrun unless this riot came under control quickly. Fat chance he mused. At least Buffy was away… and Faith too. He just hoped Faith didn't screw this extraction up. It was after all the easier job. He just needed to distract the shifted rioters long enough to pay attention only to him. Werewolves after all didn't taste bad, not bad at all, ripping the larynx out of another that just tried clumsily to bite him.
As if well-choreographed, Spike skillfully jumped up to the table fangs ready to attack blocking anything and everything that would dare over run or stop the Slayers escape route. They were his family after all, more of a family than his fellow vampires.
Faith paid no heed that Buffy didn't enjoy being pulled along but Faith's eye sight was slightly better than Buffy's but even then they were at a disadvantage since Dire Wolf shifters could also see very well in low light conditions.
Faith for her part lead the way to the exit with additional security teams sprinting past them. At least there were shuffling AWAY from the riot and not in the middle of it. Buffy body slammed than stabbed a shifter with Mr. Pointy through the heart when attacked while Faith ducked a wolf that dared to take her down. That wolf recovered to turn back to her when a shifter pounced out of the darkness in an easily identifiable security uniform hulked out bashing it over the head with a taser baton combination knocking it out. His uniform had marking on it denoting higher rank. Then he worriedly shot gaze past Faith and Buffy and then with his other hand blinded several rioting hulked out shifters with his sneeringly bright strobing flash light.
Not a moment too soon when more security flooded that area and literally charge through the now incapacitated horde who were all now tazzed.
"MOVE MOVE MOVE!" He barked an order to this team but hesitated following knowing that slayers didn't see well in the dark, that and he just blinded them too indirectly with his flash light attack.
With that, he ran up to Buffy, and slapped his flashlight into her opened hand, "That way!" he pointed sharply, "RUN! We're the last wave."
"Tell Spike to get out of there," Buffy requested to which he nodded before sprinting off into the darkness towards the riot.
Spike kept it cool killing whoever dared to get near him and bodies were piling up all around him when out of the corner of this eye below, he darted his glance to the security team who were trying to extract all the elders, they just didn't have enough people. Some who weren't part of the rioters also flood into protect them, but it was hard to tell who was who. This was going to go sideways and fast since couple elders were already dead.
A sadistic side of him wanted to jump down and join in the fun but that would surely spell his death. Not only that, his only objective was to get Buffy and Faith out of there. Elder Julie had the most protection around her and she was almost at an exit but she looked directly at him, as if to answer a question he had in his mind. She then gestured for him to leave pointing sharply to the exit Buffy and Faith took.
That was the last time he saw her alive when someone inside the circle, who was protecting her before, hulked out and tore away at her neck with her fangs. Blood and guts spewed everywhere.
Elder Julie was dead and it was time to go before he joined her too. Spike was no coward but THIS riot was their fight and not his.
From behind him he saw one of the security team leads curse and yell to his team rushing by him, "USE HARD Tactics!"
Then just before he dove into the sea of angry rioters, his eyes darted to Spike and warned, "Get out of here Spike, it's now or never."
Spike head butted showing signs of tiring out then kicked a shifter that nearly got the drop on him and jeered back, "Is that an order Ian?" He knew who he was after all since Ian was always the one waking him up when important items came up on the floor before.
Ian, swung then stunned a rabid shifter with what looked like a big cattle prod and just replied before leaping into the crowd, "Don't keep your girlfriends waiting."
"Har har," Spike pretend to be amused to himself but before he could turn to leave his entire elevated deck he was on suddenly shook violently and collapsed to one side hurling him head long onto the action below. His last thought before he impacted a top of a sea of rioters was Buffy. They always were the best of friends, but whenever his life flashed before his eyes, she was with him in his heart.
Sigun, mounted a top of her horse not only clung onto it with fierce determination so as not to be blown off, but she also had to adjust her gear constantly around her face since the rain was so bad, the no matter how she covered up drop would pelt her directly in her eyes and even her covered mouth. She even tasted hard bitter ice gritting her teeth.
Following Hildr in close formation proved to be futile and only knew where she was based off her obscured silhouette. She had no idea how Hildr or anyone of that fact could survive in the Bad Lands even for a couple minutes but push forward.
Even though Sigun knew she was now soaking wet, she pressed on and before she got the hang of everything, she heard the unmistakable sound of an arrow whizzing past her left ear. It was unique enough that even above the howling and roaring all around her she knew.
They were under attack.
At the same time, she heard Hildr over the link 'Ambush – left flank – FROST GIANTS!'
'What the fuck,' Sigun muttered to herself but also to Hildr then yanked her horse into the action and to charge. Charge who was the question. With only 2 of them, they should be expected by Tiffany's followers. Not only that their horses had a flag of truce on them. Any idiot could see that, even with the limited visibility. That question was answered when Hildr who was out of sight range urgently spat out over her Valkyrie War cry to confused the enemy. 'They're NOT Tiffany's! We ran into their rival's raiding party!'
'SHIT!' she drew her battle ax glowing bright blue charging head first into the arrows clanking and ricocheting off her and her horse's armor. She couldn't see anything but when the sheet of rain and hale cleared briefly, it revealed the horror hundreds of frost giants ready to slaughter her.
Sign knew Hildr was probably busy as well so she was on her own. Although the frost giants were on foot, they were STILL just as tall of her on her horse. She prodded the horse to charge and it surged forward running through anything that stood in its way. In addition she swung her battle ax with extreme skill and precision beheading and slashing all those to tried to get their hands on her.
Run after run, she charged getting covered in blue goo, which was their blood. Streaks of red began to seep out from her armor, and she knew she was injured too but the show had to go on. She had to team up with Hidr and while she was getting close, she knew the Hildr was surrounded too.
She did several war cries and even casted doubt to those close to her and was already running on empty.
In a valiant charge to get to Hildr, it didn't take long before she was surrounded and she did admirably well casting doubt and a war cry again. She even had her horse kick those trying to sneak up behind her. She knew she had to get distance pushing her horse to get free but before she could so someone grabbed her, yanked her off her horse tossing her high into the air like a rag doll. She saw her horse make a break for it before tucking herself into a protective ball since an impact to anything with her speed would break her.
She braced for impact and with a loud crack slammed through the ice with a big splash.
AIR. She need air sinking deeper and deeper into a murky freezing body of water. There was also an undercurrent sweeping her away and her eyes burned knowing the hole she enter was the same one she needed to exit to get air.
Try as she might, she kept sinking deeper into the abyss pulled along with the current by the sheer fact she her air bubble were fleeing up and away from her at a furious rate. No matter how hard she tried to swim up, it just wasn't any use.
In desperation she tried to reach out to Hildr using the link but there was nothing. Nothing at all as if something in this freakish hell hole was blocking her from using it while underwater. Sinking in this sea of putrid sludge.
Was this her end she mused?
Tick Tock.
Everything was fading away to black.
Tick tock.
Would the bell toll for her now?
What about Thor? She had him, heart and all but if she died here, would he blame Tiffany?
With siren blaring, Mia mashed on the gas pedal swerving hard onto the left shoulder to avoid cars on the highway. She noted that Kendra was busy spitting out orders into her vest mic for the entire team. Kendra was calm and almost prescriptive with her orders and her tactics made sense. It was a simple extraction, or a simple as can be. Get in as close as possible, setup a defensible position, send in an extraction team to pull both Bo and Kenzi out and then RTB (return to base) as quickly as possible. Also, Kendra was just about to don on her helmet, and she took a quick peek at her and she was beautiful and deadly. Just the way she imaged her wife would be. In any case the show had to go on.
Kendra just finished rattling off orders to the team to let Mia concentrate 100 percent on driving when she noted that Chica was in the back of the truck still securing her vest. Everyone had already done so except for her it seemed. It wasn't the fact that she was slow, but Clarissa had to have a reason why she was in the wrong truck and still adjusting her gear. She was about bark at her to hurry up but just toned it down since the team is a reflection of her and right now she needed everyone calm and collected.
"Chica," Kendra stated turning to observing her. "We we'll be there in 10. Will you be ready to deploy?"
Chica refastened her seat belt adroitly and quickly replied, "Ready now. Had to change out my shirt since I spilled beer on it earlier."
"Good," and that was that. Kendra just went on to check her gear to make sure she was locked and loaded.
This was it, Kendra and Mia noted, but both had a laser focus and didn't dwell on it. For Kendra, if it was her time, and it was her time. Maybe there was justice after all some would say. Mia said what she needed to say to her dad via text. She had prepared something to send him with a press of the button which she did right before they left. It was not like her dad could do anything about this since it was so sudden, but at least they'd have closure. Also by the off chance that Kendra survived and she didn't, it'll help move both of them forward. Oddly she felt that her dad knew something big was about to go down and insisted she carried 'special' ammunition for her backup gun and sniper rifle. Grizzal stated that the ammunition had tracer and GPS locators, but deep down, Mia knew that it probably had magical properties as well. As such, she remembered that she literally forced Kendra to use her backup weapon when she came back on duty.
Dyson stuck in his Dire Wolf form was in another SUV and pondered ways to keep Kendra and Mia safe. Other than kick some ass and keep a defensive perimeter around both, he was nearly out of options and Hail Mary's. He also needed to find Bo and Kenzi too and pull them out but he needed the support of the team to do that. Sure he was fast, but he was a sitting duck if he had to pull them back if they were injured. Even with his new body armor which not only had ballistic stopping properties, but was flame and knife resistant too, he'd still be an easy target in the open. What to do about the premonition showing his death? Fuck it. Worrying about it did nothing in the grand scheme of things. He wasn't going out without a fight. He shook the best he could even with the restrictive armor on. Long Shot who sat next to him in the back stayed on track to ensure he had the right first aid gear.
Meanwhile, up front, Jason drove like a mad man trying to keep up with the convoy. His truck carried 2 miniguns and ammunition which weighed it down. "FUCK she's got a fat ass!" he remarked to anyone willing to hear him out. The thought of Kara flashed through his mind. He just didn't have time to call her so he spoke into his vest mic. "Hey central? Carrot Top with the 69th …. Badge number 7845"
"Go ahead Carrot Top," a woman operator at the nearest precinct calmly responded.
"Call my friend Kara for me?" Jason requested in an almost question.
It was an odd request but at least they relayed his message that he was going to be late going to the cookout. He just wanted to knock this out quickly and see her. What of his supposed death? He had nothing to fear since Kara pulled some strings somehow to get him into the Hall of Warriors. As a matter of fact, death needed to fear him since he didn't have much to lose. The only problem was that Kara would never be able to see him with her current status among the sisterhood. He was looking forward to the cook out too but fate it seemed had plans for him and everyone else in the convoy.
They were all driving head long, willing into the clutches of death.
A/N: Hi! Remember this story? Yea life. Hmmmm 2.5 year update interval seems ok with everyone huh? What will Bo do next? Is Sigun going to a watery grave? Did Spike get to cocky for his own good? Will we ever get a smut filled chapter again? Who's gonna be next on death's list?
Stay tuned... hmmm so next chap in 2.5 years? Gimme a holler (aka: comment).