Chapter 5

I didn't expect to finish chapter 5 so soon. :-) I am loving the reviews I'm getting thank you all for following me, waiting for my chapters and continuing to reviw. I never expected to be recieving so many reviews so quickly. Thank you Thank you Thank you

Chapter 5

Col Hoffman for some reason felt on edge, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He had been up well befor ethe sun and no matter where he went, the feeling never went away.

A cup of 'tea' was pushed under his nose and for once it actually smelt good. He took it with a mumbled 'thanks'

After taking a mouthful of the hot herb water, he looked up to see who had given him the drink.

Anya Stroud stood there, wearing the complete armor minus the helmet for the first time. Her once long blonde hair was now cut just above her shoulders.

He remembered suddenly that he did promise her time on the front line, but WOW. At first she swore he saw her mother.

Anya looked so much like her mother Helana Stroud. Now that was scary.

"There is a large group of people waiting outside, Sir."

"Stranded?"

"I belive so."

"Well, then let's get this started."

Slowly he stood, his bones cracking from sitting for a while. Streaching, he followed Anya down the long hall to the large waiting room where Delta Squad and a few others waited.

"Alright." Col Hoffman said. "Let's just get this over with already."

"Are you sure this is a good idea." Dom asked.

"Not really, but it's what the chairman wanted. Come on..."

They made their way past the growing crowd inside the fence, gathering Gears as they ewnt. Several sivilans were muttering about letting scum into their camps and the vets weren't happy either.

A rather large group of stranded emn wemn and children stood together waiting to be let in. In the very front, Rob stood with his arms crossed over hsi chest.

Everybody seemed confused, many inside the fence were angry, many inside the fence were angry to share anything with those stranded bum.

Col Hoffman slowly approached, trying not to look too threatening, but at the same time, being cautious. He noticed all the stranded watching his every move.

"Welcome. " he said. "As you know the human population has continued to dwindle down. This is our last effort to keep from going extinct."

Nobody spoke for several minutes.

Just inside the fence, sevearl vets, old men shouted prfanity and demanded that the bums not be let in. Hoffman made a personal note to sooth them.

"I need all of you to line up." Hoffman spoke loudly. "We need to make sure we won't have any trouble while you are in our camp. If you don't like it, then you can leave now."

Several long minutes passed. Nobody said a word or even moved. All the Gears prepaired themselves for all hell to break lose.

Then slowly the stranded begain to line up. They never made a sound as the line seemed to streach on forever.

Behind Hoffman stood Marcus, Dom, Anya, Cole, Bernie and Sam. They watched with trained eyes for any out of the ordinary movement. He knew that if he missed anything, they wouldn't.

There was a quick flash of familure blonde hair and quickly he turned but only saw that it was some blonde women. No matter how annoying Baird was, he missed him.

Hoffman let out a long breath.

Well, it was time to walk down the long line of people, making sure that none of them would be causing any troule. He knew the instant he started walking that Sam was right on his heels.

She wouldn't say it, but she missed Baird. A small part of her still hoped that he was amng the stranded and they were takng care of him.

Startling from one end, Rob watched the two slowly walk down the line, glancing at each personcarefully. It was so qiet that you could hear a pin drop. He remained still, but his eyes continued to follow them.

Cole stood at the gate, watching solemly. Any blonde haired male he had seen, there had been a spark of hope. With each passing moment, of each each our of each month he missed his little budy more and more. It was just wasn't the same without him.

Marcus stood with Dom on his right and Anya on his left, his most loyal friends he has left. They were always there, willing to help even though he had been stuck in the slab for several years.

Marcus' skilled eyes slwoly went down the line of people studing their faces. Nobody he had seen since before they had left the main land, but that didn't mean anything.

"Marcus." Anya's voice pulled him back to the present and he turend to lok at her.

"Do you think..." she didn't want to believe that Baird could be dead.

"I don't know Anya." His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

"Only time will tell." Dom said.

Dom still believed. If his Maria could live all those years before he had found her than so could Biard.

Marcus sure hoped so.

It looked like this was it for mankind. With pirates, stranded Locusts and now Lambent it was looking pretty bad.

Sam now walked beside Hoffman, glancing at each face carefully, each one seemed pinched with worry. They were getting much closer to the end now.

Maria stood beside Adam, watching the Gears slwoly getting closer and closer. Worry and panic filled her. She glanced at Adam who didn't seem worried at all.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, don't worry."

How could he not worry. She looked almost terrified and she was covered in sweat. Was she not feeling good?

The sound of approaching boots got closer. Without making any quick movements, he took her hand in his and linked their fingers.

Maria gave him a small smile.

Sam hadn't truly been prepaired for that very moment. She couldn't tell how many stranded there was, but by the time she and Hoffman got tot he end, all hope had disapeared.

Hoffman had noticed her shoulders sag in defeat. He didn't want to give her any false hope, but still he hated to see her this way. The fire in her eyes were gone.

He made a mental note to talk to her later when they could be alone.

She moved a little slower now as hopelessness begain to take over.

She would never see him again...never his annoying voice as he constantly complained.

They passed by several more people, they were getting closer to the end. There wasn't too many people left now.

And then...

He stood there looking ahead, looking like he always have with that same stupid frown. He had more scars now, but it was him.

"BAIRD!"

She couldn't help it! The words came out before she could stop them. Suddenly she was throwing herself forward and wrapping her arms around him tightly. Tears of joy and reliefe slid down her cheeks as she fell to her knees, pulling him with her and almost taking down Maria with them.

Everybody watched with wide eyes...

TBC...

Another chapter down. I'm also working on a short story maybe a two parter, Things have been a little...difficult at my house lately and there are quite a bit of changes gonig on so things are a little slow going. Thanks for reading and reviewing.