(A/N) Hey guys, I've got my internet sorted out again, so hopefully our update schedule can carry on without any further interruptions, for a few days at least. Bringing you our latest update, a little shorter than normal, written by the fantastic anna1795, and featuring Agent Virginia as she deals with her role as a leader. Hope you're all enjoying where we're heading now that we're coming up to about the last ten or so chapters. Just think, we'll be finished in under a month. It's been a long ride.

As I hope you have with every update up to this point, enjoy!


Chapter Ninety-One – Ambushed

Agent Virginia

Written by anna1795


"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well." ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows


"Does this seem too quiet to anyone else?" Wyoming asked the other three people as they tentatively walked through the alien temple, wading through knee-deep stagnant water and decomposing leaf litter. Massa and Sota both gave whispered agreements, while Virginia just hummed to herself. Wyoming did have a point, though; for the only possible base-like structure that they had come across in miles upon miles, the place was eerily abandoned-feeling. Not even the native birds and insects sounded in the area, in addition to the lack of humans swarming the tiered temple.

Virginia's foot connected with stone that protruded from the water of the swamp into the temple, and she stepped up onto the steps, walking beneath the threshold which heralded their entrance into a new, larger room, beckoning the others to follow. Brackish water flowed from the seams in her armour, and she resisted the urge to shake her legs free of the liquid. Massa clambered up after her, followed by Wyoming and Minnesota. There was still no sound from inside this room, even as they entered, exchanging wary looks with one another

"Once inside, we'll split up and investigate," Virginia instructed her team. "Keep your motion trackers set, and maintain radio contact. If something happens, send two pings over the radio, and we'll convene at your location. Sync?"

"Sync," the other three Freelancers answered as one, and they crept towards an opening at the far side of the room, two stone pillars forming the outline of an exit. Wyoming and Sota ducked on each side of the stone gate, drawing out their handguns and checking each side. Seeing that the coast was clear, they waved the women through.

The courtyard that it led to was empty of any design except for a few statues of robed figures and a large altar on a stone dais, the roof above them opening up to reveal the clear night's sky. Virginia gave the hand signal for them to separate, and the others moved elsewhere while she inspected the centre of the temple.

The floors of the temple rose up in a pyramid shape, leaving space at the top for a skylight with cracked glass. Even at the centre of the huge stone structure, there was no noise. Even the sounds of her own teammates' footsteps fell deaf on her ears. Only the silent chatter coming through her radio alerted her of their presence. A ping blipped on her motion tracker, and her head whipped around to look for the source of the alarm. She saw where it was supposed to have originated, on the second floor balcony, but there was nothing there. Her heart was quickening as two more pings came in; they weren't alone.

Virginia didn't hesitate as she prepped a comm. Link to Command while sending two warning pings over the radio to recall her team. They came running immediately and convened at her position at the base of the altar. "What's up?" Sota asked, his sniper rifle held firmly in his hand.

"Someone's here with us," she whispered softly. "Motion tracker's been going off."

"Are you sure that it wasn't some animal?" Wyoming asked sceptically.

Virginia raised an unseen eyebrow. "Have you seen any sign of animal life since we got here?" she retorted.

Wyoming shut up after that.

"What do we do now?" Massa asked, her voice betraying the barest trace of nervousness. Virginia didn't want to freak out her roommate/friend.

"We'll make a quick break for the door before-" She cut off as the sound of a finger on a trigger reached her ear. "TAKE COVER!" she yelled as she pushed Massa down. A bullet embedded itself in the rock right where Massa's chest had been seconds before.

Wyoming and Sota vaulted over the altar to the other side and ducked under the overhanging circle of rock while Virginia hunkered down next to Massa on their respective side. Wasting no time, she tore the sniper rifle from her back and met the rain of bullets coming down on them from the floors above. The sound of rapid rounds on the other side alerted her that Wyoming and Sota had the same idea in mind, taking out as many Innies firing on them before they were riddled full of bullets. Massa was drawing out her own assault rifle and, with a burst of gunfire, joined the other three Freelancers in the severely one-sided firefight.

There was no way of telling how many Insurrectionists were firing at them, there were so many bullets from so many different positions. "Command, this is Virginia. We're under attack!" Virginia shouted over the radio, patching directly to where she knew the Director would be monitoring their progress.

"What sort of attack, Agent Virginia?" the Director's calm yet sharp voice asked, but Virginia could detect a trace of concern in his voice, which surprised her.

"We've got tons of Innies firing on us from a temple that we were forced to take refuge in. I'd say we found the best place to hold them off, but we can't move an inch from our cover or not even our armour will help us. We need backup!"

"I have an assault team prepared, Agent Virginia. Hold out a while longer, and they'll be there shortly to assist-" A sharp outburst came from the other side of the altar. Virginia recognized Sota's voice, and he sounded in pain.

"We don't HAVE a while longer, Director," Virginia finished, her patience with her commander waning dangerously. She cut off the comm. and motioned to Massa. "Sota's wounded. We're gonna move a little ways so that you can patch him up. Can you do that?"

"I'm on it," Massa said determinedly, stowing her rifle temporarily. They crawled with annoying slowness to where Wyoming had Sota propped up with as much shelter as could be provided. Blood was gushing sluggishly from a wound in his shoulder, and Virginia was forced to look away. It looked bad.

Massa began her work immediately, with Wyoming and Virginia covering them both. At least they were having some luck as for every two bullets the two active snipers fired, an enemy shooter tumbled to the ground. Wyoming and Virginia had a respectable pile of bodies between the two of them, but their hopes were dimming. The fact that the rain of bullets hadn't abated just confirmed that there were a LOT of soldiers ready to kill them.

There came a pause in the gunfire, and Virginia dared to peak her head out and look around. Wyoming joined her, breathing from the adrenaline rush. "So…do we actually…have some backup on the way?"

Virginia gave him an affirmative grunt as she saw a figure stepping out onto a balcony. She recognized that maniacal face and the uniform. It was Harper.

"My, how the mighty have fallen. A couple of mice cornered by a herd of cats," the insane Innie Lieutenant cackled from his position above them, and she could just about make out the twisted grin on his face.

"Clowder."

"What?" Harper asked sharply, staring at Virginia.

"If you're going to get something right, at least call a group of cats a clowder," she pointed out.

"I would've expected that response to be more appropriate of whatshisname…California," the lieutenant mused, then shrugged. "Oh well, it makes no difference. You'll be dying, either way. So, surrender now, and I'll try to make it quick."

Virginia didn't need to converse with her other teammates. The response was instinctual amongst all of them. "Go to hell, Harper. We won't surrender."

"Suit yourself," the commander shrugged, backing away. "Finish them," he ordered the Innie gunners. Several lasers trained on the huddled group of Freelancers, and the four of them prepped their weapons (as Sota's injury had been bandaged and he could still use his arms, just about). It was going to be a fight to the finish.

Suddenly, the roar of rapidly-approaching engines sounded from overhead, and a Pelican hovered above the glass ceiling, ready to deposit their cargo.

"Looks like the cavalry has arrived," Wyoming remarked, and Virginia smiled slightly underneath her helmet.

Bullets started flying from every direction as the Insurrectionists began wildly firing at both the trapped Freelancers and the new arrivals, and Virginia's team retaliated harshly and with deadly accuracy. They were ready to pick off any soldier that dared to threaten their team, and they weren't going to let Harper get away with this.

They might have been momentarily down, but there was no way in hell that they were out of this fight yet.