Author's Note: I will take liberties with locations. Some locations from games other than MW3 and DMC 5 will be used to mesh the story together. For example, the locale used in this chapter will appeal to COD: Ghosts fans.

~Hunted and Hunter~

April 27th
0:30 am
Northern Alaska, Nightfall Research Base (Decommissioned)
Jeremy "Dirge" Dakol

"Commander," Angel called over to me, from inside our harrier. "Can you tell me again why my hot ass is out here freezing over?"

"Our orders are to investigate the anomalies that were detected at the old research base. Since we've already dealt with these more than any other squad, we've become the go-to strike team for these missions." I replied, loading another slug into my gun. In truth, there had been four more attacks on U.S. soil alone since the incident at the Pentagon. And we'd been there for all of them.

"What did they used to research, anyway?" Raiden asked. "I mean, it was abandoned for a reason, right?"

I shook my head. "Some say it was aliens. I honestly don't care. There are still a few soldiers posted there to defend viable data, and have the base act as a fallout shelter for VIP's." Raiden shrugged in response, loading a fresh clip in his ACR. "We're dropping just outside the base, as the inside is covered by anti-air guns. In this snowstorm, we could be mistaken for hostiles and I'd rather not take that chance."

"You're reaching your destination, team. Get ready to drop." I heard Sonata say over the comm. My squad was already ready to drop when the hatch opened up, letting the harsh winds of the north blow inside.

"Ladies first." Raiden said, looking at Angel. She blew a raspberry at him, then proceeded to jump out the back of the harrier. Skye calmly walked to the edge, saluted, and fell backwards out of the harrier. "Oh, come on, you show-off." Raiden called, before thinking he had to do better. He ran towards the exit, stopped for half a second to turn around, and back-flipped out of the plane.

I laughed, before following suit and diving out of the plane. One quick wingsuit flight later, and I caught up to my team outside of the tunnel leading to the Nightfall research base. "Skyrunners, this is Sonata. Your orders are to enter the base and find out what those anomalies are. If they're the damn demons again, kill them and save as many of the base's guard as possible."

"Roger. We are now entering the base." The tunnel to enter the base was long and dark. I could barely make out the other end. At least we didn't have to deal with the wind while inside.

"Why can't these things happen in the Bahamas or something? Why did it have to be in the dammed cold?" Angel complained.

"What, did you want to kick demon ass in a bikini?" Raiden asked.

"Dream on, loverboy. I'd never trade my uniform for something that skimpy. At least when I'm in front of you." Skye chuckled to himself at the comeback. I simply rolled my eyes as we made our way to the tunnel's exit. A high, chain-link fence greeted us. It blocked all entrance to the base.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" A voice called out. It belonged to a base guard, and he ran up to us with a Maverick assault rifle in his hands. The new weapon was issued only to the Nightfall guards and other northern bases so far, as it handled better in colder weather. "Are you guys the response team?"

"We are. What's the status of the base?" I asked as he opened the gate for us.

"Not good. Those things that have been popping up everywhere are here too. Thing is, there's two new ones we haven't seen before." He ushered us to a smaller office. Angel thanked the deities above for the indoor heating. "For some reason, they won't leave the main lab. However, the two new ones are making things difficult for my team. There's one with twin swords able to deflect bullets, and a very large one that can disappear into the shadows."

"Able to block bullets?" I asked. A nod in return. "Then we'd best be prepared. What do you have in terms of melee combat?" The soldier walked over to a cabinet, and withdrew a small duffel bag. Unzipping it, he pulled out the standard combat knives, some with better grips, and some designed for throwing. Among them was a medium-sized machete and a few butterfly knives.

"I'll take those." Angel claimed, grabbing two of the butterfly knives. She tested them out, opening and closing the sharp blades with ease. "My daddy used to teach me how to use these. To ward off unwanted men." She said the last line while looking directly at Raiden, who was too busy playing with sharp objects to notice. He strapped as many throwing knives as he could to his armor, the exact number escaping me.

Skye simply shrugged and reached behind him. From a sheath on his back, he pulled out a very large, serrated combat knife. It looked almost as big as the machete on the table. "Snipers are always prepared." He said matter-of-factly.

I myself grabbed a single combat knife. Wouldn't do me much difference; my gun was designed for close-range combat, so I'd have trouble adjusting to using a blade. "Thank you for the info and the weapons. We'll be heading out now." The soldier saluted, and the three of us crossed the courtyard to the main entrance. Sounds of combat could be heard inside, and the screams of multiple creatures (human and otherwise) reached my ears.

"Alright team. Scans show a large hostile force inside the base." Sonata informed us. "However, a larger life form, larger than any other we've seen, is located on the north- no, wait, the south… the west..? It's jumping all over the place. Be careful, team."

"Roger, Dirge out." I said through the comm. "Alright team, listen up. Raiden, the other guards are in there somewhere, I want you to find them. Angel, you're with me, we'll keep the bastards off him. Skye, do what you're damn good at and cover us from higher up."

"Ooh-Rah!" Raiden cheered. "Let's kick some ass!" Angel and I ran in first, guns blazing. A few of the human-like ones, called 'stygians' by Sonata, took the full frontal force of a few shotgun shells and fell backwards. Two of the fliers, named 'archangels' by Sonata, aimed their crossbows at us, only for Angel's rapid flurry of bullets to rip them to shreds. Skye had climbed a ladder near the side of the room, and proceeded to take out one or more hostiles with each shot.

"MoRe FoOlIsH mOrTaLs… WeLcOmE tO mY dEn Of ShAdOwS…" A deep, menacing voice called. "YoUr KiN hAvEn'T gIvEn Me A gOoD hUnT…" a shadowy aura filled the room, encasing it with a dark purple mist. Angel and I turned on our feet, to go face-to-face with the ugliest son-of-a-bitch ever. It opened its mouth with a smile. "TrY nOt To DiSaPpOiNt." It pulled out the biggest blade so far, complete with brass knuckles in the hilt to have a better grip.

It swung, and Angel and I barely managed to roll out of the way. Skye shot bullet after bullet, until his magazine ran out. "Skyrunners, that isn't working, he's bulletproof."

"How the hell-" I started, dodging another knife swipe, "Did you figure that out?"

"Skye's MSR fires .300 Magnum bullets. If that thing isn't bleeding after a single shot, it's got to be bulletproof. Try to find a source of fire; that usually works to soften up armor." Sonata called over the comm. Frantic, I searched around, stowing my shotgun for better mobility.

"How are you doing with those soldiers, Raiden?" I practically shouted over the comm.

"I found the guards. Most of them are dead, but two are still breathing. One of those sword-things we heard about showed up, though." I heard. "Don't worry, I've got this motherfucker." Several gunshots could be heard, controlled burst fire of an assault rifle echoing in the room.

"YoU wIlL dIe HeRe… PiTiFuL hUmAnS." The giant creature said. The problem? I believed him.

~End of Segment~

Same Day
Outskirts of Limbo City
Dante

"So, this is what a Rage's nest looks like?" I asked as Kat led the way into the small cave. "Seems creepy enough. Definitely got the décor right." I pointed out a few human skulls in a corner of the room.

"Eew. Dante, please don't point out stuff like that." Kat said, visibly shaken by the sight. She righted herself, seemingly sensing the air. "I do feel something… a disturbance, perhaps…"

"In the force?" I asked, receiving an actual, genuine smile from the girl.

"Actually, yeah. The ley lines of the world… as a witch, I'm magically attuned to the natural frequencies of the planet." She said, going into 'lecture mode.' "Those ley lines let me- or rather, used to let me- find the portals to limbo. Now, I feel a bigger disturbance than that… almost like another world entirely."

She walked along the wall of the cave, stepping over the remains of various creatures. "And… here is where it's strongest. I'm not sure, but I think I can open up a portal here." She turned to me. "Should I?"

I thought for a second. "Kicking demon ass in another world? Sounds like a real party to me. And a party just ain't a party without me." Kat laughed a little, then unrolled a piece of parchment from her bag. She shook up her trusty spray can full of squirrel semen and other ingredients (odd that I'd remember that one specifically) and sprayed down the spell.

"Alright, that should work. You sure about this? You might not be able to come back…"

"Then come with me. You can open a portal back from the other side, right?" She nodded. "And I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you. Promise."

"…okay." She said. Kat walked over to me, and I grabbed her in a hug and stood on the portal. It flashed with the magical aura it did any other time I used it, and the next instant, I was in some sort of building. A purple haze filled the room as two humans, a guy and a hot girl, did battle with a hunter demon.

"Well, mind if I cash the party?" I shouted, reaching behind my head. "'Cuz it's time for a little Rebellion!" only, something was off.

Rebellion wasn't on my back.

~End of Chapter~