Soldier Part 5: Invasion

Soldier threw Raven to the floor and before a massive explosion tore through her room, destroying most of the stuff in it. Fire, dust and debris clouded her vision and choked her lungs, making her cough violently. The back wall of her room was blown away; a massive hole of exposed wires and shattered concrete, she could see the hallway outside and the burn marks on the other side.

She looked out of the window and saw Slade bots climbing in. Her vision was blurry; she hurt all over, cuts and bruises covered her body and couldn't move her right arm; or her left for that matter. She couldn't move, the Slade bots loomed over her now; one drew his laser pistol and pointed it to her head. Raven's life flashed before her eyes, she was paralyzed with fear.

A string of hollow thumps came from the behind them; sending sparks and mechanical bits flying as their heads exploded from the impacts of silenced .50 Desert Eagle pistol rounds. Soldier cleaned them out with ruthless efficiency; he reloaded halfway through; slamming the fresh magazine home just as he fired the last round from the previous magazine. There was no break in the string of shots, he stood an arm's length from the last bot and put the pistol his head and fired. It dropped to the floor like the others; lifeless, cold, dead.

10 enemies, 10 rounds fired, 10 enemies downed. He reloaded his pistol again, and stretched out his hand to Raven to help her up. 'You ok?' he ask worried.

'I'll live. What the hell is happening?' she coughed.

'Ambush and a big one at that; they put an RPG or something similar through the window,' Soldier got on the Titan radio frequency, 'Soldier to Robin, you there over?'

'Soldier, are you ok? We can't find Raven, have you seen her?' he shouted over the sound of a heated fire fight.

'I'm ok Robin, I'm with Soldier. What's happening at your end?' Raven asked.

'Slade bots are trying to take the main computer terminal, we're defending it but that will be pointless if they take the server room. Can you secure it?' Robin asked.

'Have that, we'll take care of it.' Soldier replied professionally. 'I need to get to my room and pick up some weapons.'

Raven cast her magic and teleported them to Soldier's room, it took him a second to register what had just happened. He grabbed all the ammunition and magazines he needed and then some. The Jackhammer shotgun and UMP were flung onto his back out the way. He heaved the M60 out of the flight case and about 5 links of ammunition; he fed one into the beach and forced the top down. He jumped up and down to see if he rattled with all the kit he was carrying; he did but not much. 'Ok you ready?' he asked.

'As I'll ever be,' she flipped her communicator open, 'Robin we're on our way to the server room now.'

'Ok Raven thanks for the heads up. You must hold it all costs guys.'

'Don't worry if there is a chance that they'll succeed I'll rig the place to blow. They won't get control of them, not on my watch.' Soldier answered picking up some C4 explosive just in case.

'We're facing pretty heavy resistance up here, but it won't be long before they decide to go direct for the servers, move quickly. Robin out.'

Soldier heaved the cocking handle on the M60 back and let it slam forward. 'You lead the way, you know the way it would be a bad idea to teleport straight into the server room, and we might end up totally surrounded if we do.'

Raven nodded in agreement, she went out of Soldier's room and moved quickly and cautiously through the halls and corridors. The server room was down towards the basement. Robin was right the Slade bots hadn't changed their tactics yet and tried to get to the servers, but it was only going to be a short amount of time. Soldier set to work setting the booby trap so that if anyone tried to access the servers the C4 would detonate destroying them. Raven set about creating makeshift barriers for them to fight from behind. Del had spare C4 and made a set of defensive lines they could fall back through if necessary. He popped the bi-pod out on the M60 and got himself into a comfortable firing position and waited.

She didn't want to bring the subject up, but things were going to have to be said and they might not be alive in an hour's time to talk about it.

'Soldier, are you ok?' Raven asked.

'Yeah, I'm ok. Been in a lot worse situations and lived.' He replied.

'Soldier, before when we were in my room and we were heading towards...' she didn't want to say it, 'would you have gone as far as we could go?' she started to blush.

'If you wanted to, yes and despite you willing that to happen I wanted it too. If we get Xana, I might consider staying so we can get to know each other better. You're not as dark and cold as people suggest. I know you don't open up much and are a bit of a shrinking violet but,' he placed his hand in hers, 'but you've managed to capture me.'

'What's your real name? If you don't mind telling me. All I got from the files you left was Sgt Major D. Mine is Rachel.' Raven asked shyly. He smiled and saw no harm in it.

'Yeah I will Rachel. My name is... oh fuck contact!' he bellowed, pulling the trigger on the M60 spat into life shredding the Slade bots to pieces.

'Robin we're in contact down here, we'll hold out for as long as possible but you need to find away to repel this invasion and do it fast!' Soldier instructed.

'Resistance up here has lessened but we are still pinned down. We are working on it though.' Robin replied.

Soldier was firing off bursts of 3-5 rounds but would soon run out of ammunition, he needed more. 'Raven can you collect more ammunition from my room? I know I only have live rounds left but I think this qualifies as an emergency.'

Raven knew he was right, if they were to stand a chance to hold the server room he'd need to keep the M60 spitting fire. She cast a simple spell and a flight case appeared with ammunition in it and not just for the M60 but for all the weapons he was carrying. The Slade bots really stepped up their assault on the server room, Soldier and Raven had dropped back to the second defensive line and watched the pursuing bots get eaten up by a Claymore anti personnel mine.

'We've re-gained control of the upper floors of the Tower and fighting our way down to you.' Cyborg informed them over the radio, 'back up is on its way guys, but they know we're coming for you it's not going to be easy.'

'Just do what you can.' Raven replied, she cast a spell and tore bots apart from the inside. They were almost over whelmed again before the retreated to the last defensive line. The Claymore failed to detonate this time and they were hit hard by the enemy.

Soldier had been in enough fire fights to know he was slowly ending up on the arse end of an arse kicking and the only way out was for reinforcements to arrive or some CAS (Close Air Support) to arrive and start blowing shit up. He knew he didn't have CAS and reinforcements may take longer than they had left. At least they don't have anything bigger on hand than their pistols he thought to himself but he was wrong. 'Oh go fuck yourselves; RPG!' he screamed. Soldier grabbed Raven for a second time and took the brunt of the RPG hit again. This time it really hurt him, he was knocked out cold. The roof of the corridor collapsed, partially blocking the bot's way. They started to claw away at the rubble to get through. Raven did what she could to keep them at bay, but she also figured that she was fighting a losing battle. For a second time she was outnumbered and out gunned and for a second time she was saved. A green energy bolt tore through the air, accompanied by a blast of blue energy. The cavalry had arrived.

Raven picked Soldier up and dragged him out the way to let the others fight. He was still unconscious but didn't seem majorly hurt. He'd saved her life twice now. The fight raged on behind them, Soldier slowly came too. 'Am I in heaven?'

'No you're still alive, just.' Raven replied, smiling softly. Soldier slowly got on to his feet, clinging onto Raven for support. He was still feeling the effects of taking the full force of the massive shockwave from the RPG explosion that's designed to rip holes in tanks twice in one night. They staggered through the rubble; Beast Boy finished off the last bot whilst the others beat a hasty retreat.

'Raven, Soldier! I trust you are both unharmed?' Starfire asked.

'We're fine Starfire. Soldier has taken several big hits though.' Raven said.

'I'm fine,' he insisted changing his posture from leaning on Raven to taking hold of her, 'I'm fine.' He collapsed.

They rushed him to their med-centre, one of the few places that were relatively undamaged. Soldier lay on the bed, the prognosis wasn't promising if you were a normal person. 'He's got 5 broken ribs and God knows how many fractured. His right lung had 2 punctures as a result, but now only one puncture thanks to the Nano-bots running through him, he has a broken nose and left wrist, sprained ankle and a cracked knee cap. Dude took one hell of a beasting out there; he should be dead. You say he took the brunt of 2 RPGs? Those things tear apart tanks.' Cyborg said looking at the screen in front of him.

'How long before he's ok to talk?' Raven asked, she had a hold of his hand but no one could see she was.

'Whenever he decides to wake up, he's in similar state to what you go in to when you're recovering.' He answered, 'I'm going to get some sleep, you should too we've all had a manic day or two. He's fine here on his own.'

'I know you go I won't be much longer.' Raven lied; she didn't leave after Cyborg did. She wanted to go to bed and go to sleep, but she couldn't pull herself away. In her sleep deprived and battle worn state she got up on the bed and laid beside him, again not really knowing why.

'You know most people would constitute this as an invasion of personal space you know.' Solder spoke weakly.

'Maybe so but you invaded mine before and you really don't mind.' She whispered back.

'How do you know that?'

'If you had minded, you'd have shot me by now and wouldn't be thinking of putting your arm around me.' She answered, tapping the side of his helmet and the front receded. She helped him to take it off and put it aside. He put his arm around her and she pulled herself closer to him. He kissed her again and drifted back into unconsciousness. Raven joined him.

The hours past and they slept next to one and other late until the next day. Both of them took the time to sleeping to heal what wounds they had.

Starfire went into check on Soldier and found them both lying on the bed. She covered her mouth to snuff the sound of the gasp. Starfire slowly stepped away to and went to find Robin.

'Star, are you not over reacting?' Robin spoke calmly.

'No. She was in his arms on the infirmary bed; cuddling. It'll explain why we couldn't find her before. She must have been with him.' Star chewed on.

'Look, we didn't meet up with them until much later after it all went mental. Maybe things happened and they've become closer because of it, but at any rate, Raven will tell us when she's ready. No point in pushing her to answer and neither will Soldier, he'll not crack under pressure either.' Robin reasoned, but he knew it was odd for Raven to do that, she was always a distant person even with her friends.

'Pushing Soldier to answer what?' Beast Boy asked.

'Nothing Beast Boy.' Robin answered sharply.

'Dude don't lie to me. What are you talking about?' he replied frustrated.

'I went to check on Soldier and I saw Raven lying next to him. Actually lying on the bed with him in his arms.' Starfire said calmly.

'Come on is this a joke?'

Star shook her head. 'Beast Boy I am afraid it is not.' She tapped on the consol and the CCTV image appeared on the screen. Beast Boy's heart sunk inside his chest. Fuck, was all that crossed his mind.

'Hey guys I've got something! I know where Slade is operating from.' Cyborg boomed.

'What where?' Robin demanded

'Downtown. We need to move fast. God knows how long he'll be there for.' Cyborg stated.

'Ok we move now, Cyborg we'll meet you in the garage fire up the T-car.' Robin ordered, 'We leave Soldier and Raven, they can follow us when they are ready.'

'But surely it'll be better with more of us going to fight?' Star asked Robin.

'Not this time, Beast Boy was clearly pissed off. I need his head in the game not looking for a way to get at Soldier. We move now.' And Robin stormed off.

They stirred some time later, Soldier still feeling the effects of surviving 2 RPG hits. His head was pounding or maybe that was the drink from last night, it could have been both. All he knew was; his head hurt. A lot.

'We'd best make a move before we're found out.' Soldier whispered softly.

'Yes, your right. Your surprisingly comfy.' Raven said back.

'Considering I wasn't built for comfort I was built for speed I don't know if that's a compliment or not.'

'Oh it's a compliment. I don't give them out often, so cherish it.' She teased.

They wandered through to the main room finding no one around. Raven's communicator beeped; it was a distress signal. She immediately began to track it down through the main computer system. The system froze and the screen changed; it was Slade.

'Now I have your attention Raven, you can listen to my offer; I have your friends and I also have a Chronoton Bomb. Turn yourself in to me or it goes off. Simple; you have 3 hours. See you soon' and Slade cut the transmission.