Chapter CLXII: You Know What They Say About Progress

November 28, 2548 (UNSC Calendar)/seven months later

New Alexandria, Viery Territory, Reach, Epsilon Eridani System

"Progress is a nice word. But change is its motivator. And change has its enemies."– Robert Kennedy

Never in my life had I felt this elated before a deployment. The last dozen times that I had gotten the news telling me that we were about to deply I had sunk into near depression. I don't know why it happened, I honestly didn't like civilian life that much, but it still felt like they took something from me when I was called back into action.

But not this time. After we had returned from LV-426 victorious, both fleet and ground forces, I hadn't been able to stop feeling triumph. I knew most of my colleagues felt the same way. Lots of Marines seemed to have a 'we're going to kick their asses' attitude as opposed to the usual 'here we go again' one that all veterans usually had. It was a nice feeling. I liked it. Winning was good for a change.

"Frank, over here!" Dom greeted from the back.

I smiled and waved, examining the bar. It was a lot different than the Grenadier back in Eszterghom, but it still had a definitive military feel to it. New Alexandria might've been the hub of commerce and economy in Reach, but it was still neighboring one of the largest naval bases on the planet and in turn was a city with heavy military presence from Marines that came and went.

"Where's the girl?"

"Hanna went out to meet some friends she hasn't seen in a while," I explained. "We're meeting later for dinner."

Dom nodded. "Well, that means you can be my wingman."

Dom was thirty-six years old; I didn't know that he was allowed to use that word. For that matter, I probably would look weird as well. Not for the first time I wondered how old I was biologically speaking. Time in cryo and slipspace meant that my body didn't age as much. I knew I was in good shape for my age (or any age, for that matter), but I had no idea how old my body was. There are a couple of gizmos that can tell your age, but I honestly never found the time.

"Wingman? You're telling me you need help?"

He shrugged. "Not many people believe me when I say I'm a Helljumper. I know I don't look the part, with me being so short and all."

"Hey," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder with a serious face, "it's not the size that matters."

He pushed my hand away and laughed. "I can tell you that I'm not short in that particular department."

"Keep telling yourself that," I said. "Fine, I'll help you."

"Great, thanks."

"Want me to make up a story about how you saved my ass some time?"

"Sounds like a plan. In a couple other years you probably won't have to make one up."

"If we get another couple of years," I said. "But that doesn't matter right now, does it? Who do you like?"

"Hmmm," he hummed, looking around the bar. There were a couple of girls that were obviously Navy and another group of young girls that looked like they were celebrating their boot camp graduation in the oldest of fashions. "Let's go for the Navy girls. Shall we?"

I groaned and stood up. "Let's go."

One hour later I didn't know whether to high-five myself or shoot my own kneecap. Dom was leaving the bar with a pretty girl in each arm and left me sitting in a bar stool all by myself. I had just helped that guy get into a threesome that could've certainly been mine.

"Goddamnit," I grunted, slamming my head against the bar.

"Relationships suck sometimes, right?" the bartender asked me, nodding at the closing door. "Thinking about the possibilities?"

I nodded, not raising my head. "I would give a lot of to be in his place. You do realize I put him there?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said. "I heard all of it. Did he really save your life like that?"

I shook my head. "No, he's a great Marine, but we've only been deployed together once."

He whistled long and loud. "Damn, that man owes you a lot of favors. I mean, did you see those girls?"

"I know, I know!" I said, finally straightening up. "One glass of your finest whiskey."

The bartender paced a glass and grabbed an old-looking bottle from under the counter. "One," he said, pouring whiskey halfway through. "And another one on the house for helping a man out."

I chuckled. "Thanks."

"For the record, I wouldn't have been able to keep it in my pants with those two beauties."

I glared at the guy.

"Fine, all right," he apologized. "Sorry."

I shook my head and drank half the glass. I glanced up to see Schitzo wearing a dirty apron. "You know," he said. "Normally I'd give you shit for thinking about anybody other than Hanna, seeing as you had sex with someone else while you were dating her."

I groaned quietly.

"But," he continued, "those two girls were hot. I'd understand and even encourage it if you jumped into bed with both of them."

I groaned loudly.

"Easy there man," the bartender said. "It'll pass."

I raised my glass slightly. "Here's to that."

It had been a very long time since I had last been on a bar by myself staring at the bottom of an empty glass. Whenever I was on the Grenadier there was usually someone there to chat with, and Captain Montgomery was always there if any of the regulars were missing for some reason or other. Right now I was by myself with a bunch of Marines that I didn't know and didn't seem interested in anything to do with me. Oh, there was also the bunch of giddy girls getting themselves drunk and, by extension, ready for the aforementioned Marines. Now that I think about it, it was incredibly depressing.

"Refill?"

"Please," I told the bartender. "On second thought, just half the glass."

"Really? Why's that?"

"You ask a lot of questions for a bartender," I told him.

He shrugged. "It's been a slow day," he admitted. "And honestly, I'm bored."

"I'm going out with my girlfriend later," I told him. "She's not a fan of booze."

"Daddy issues?"

I sighed. "I wish, it's even weirder than that."

"Women."

"Amen," I agreed. "But seriously, too many questions."

He shrugged again. It was beginning to annoy me. Hanna was supposed to get here soon. As per usual, she was the one that got to keep the car that the military issued to us. I needed to buy myself a car; frankly, it was getting annoying the way that I needed to keep asking for someone to drive me around when I was in my thirties. It was embarrassing.

My phone rang.

"Thank God." I answered the call. "Hello?"

"Frank, I'm just around the corner."

"Oh, hey Hanna, how you doing?"

"Fine. Had a lot of fun."

"Good, good. Where are you?"

"Just around the corner, I just said that."

"Oh, right."

"…"

"What?"

"Are you going to come out?"

"Oh, right."

"Did you make the reservations?"

"Yeah."

"Did you?"

"No, but I know a guy."

"This guy isn't this girl that you used to have sex with, right?"

"Um…"

"Wow Frank."

"Come on, we're friends. Besides, she's going to be intimidated when she sees how beautiful you are."

"You make a fine point, mister."

"You know I do."

"I'm right outside the door."

"Right, on my way."

I slid my credit card over the counter before downing the second glass of whiskey and leaving the bar. The Grenadier was ten times better.

"Hey," I greeted Hanna, kissing her. "How are you?"

"Good, good," she said, smiling. "Hey, you'll never guess who I came across?"

"Claire."

"Wow, how'd you know?"

"Claire? Really? It was just a wild guess." I rubbed the stripe of hair that ran along the middle of my head. "What's she doing here?"

"She got drafted back into action."

"Wow, that… that sucks." Someone should crown me the King of Understatement.

"I know, she was so angry."

"And Marina?"

Hanna shrugged. "I don't know. She did mention her being pissed as well, so I think she didn't get drafted back into service."

"I just saw them three weeks ago."

"And you didn't tell me?" she asked, mock offended.

"Well yeah, two girls are hard to handle, a foursome would've been beyond me."

"Ha-ha. Like Claire would ever have sex with you."

I opened my mouth in a comeback but closed it immediately. Hanna had a very good point there. "Touché."

Hanna then got one of those self-satisfied smiles that women seem to get whenever they win an argument. Damn her.

"So, can we afford the food in this place?" Hanna asked.

I chuckled. "Hanna, I live in a house you own, don't drive a car, and wear the same clothes I bought five years ago. I don't spend any money, I actually think I'm about ten months' pay from being a millionaire."

"A simple yes would've sufficed," she replied, smiling. "And seeing as you're so rich, I'm going to stuff myself with lobster."

"You know they bring their lobster all the way from Earth?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's crazy," I said. "I mean, they probably reproduce or eat each other on the way here."

"Frank, you're the weirdest person I know." Hanna paused. "And I love you."

"Love you too, honey."

"Geez Frank, stop yawning."

"What are you going to do about it, Banana?" I asked Hanna, squeezing both of her her buttocks. "Spank me?"

Hanna twirled around and pressed my hands to her butt a little bit tighter. "I might just stop allowing you to do that."

"Wow, smooth." I kissed her and gave her butt a couple of extra squeezes. "You know, you've been getting a lot less shy."

"Not like I've got much of a choice, with you groping me publicly every chance you get."

I shrugged and nodded. "I'm slowly corrupting you."

"I thought that I was slowly making you better."

"Nah, I don't think so."

"You two guys are disgusting," Pavel groaned.

"Oh come on, you're like that with Amber all the time," I said.

"Yeah, sometimes it's worse. Think about poor Lavvie;" Hanna seconded me. "You're going to scar her for life if you keep on going like that."

"She's four years old," Pavel said. "She's not going to remember any of this when she grows up."

"Damn, she's probably going to grow up into a serial rapist or something," Hanna suggested.

"Or worse, one of those people that don't have sex until their twenties."

"Very funny, Frank," Hanna chastised me.

"Ok, I'm going to stop you right there," Pavel interrupted. "Last thing I need is to be a bystander to you two guys arguing."

Pavel did have a point. The three of us were standing in line waiting to be processed and sent to a Pelican that would take us to the Flawless. I didn't know any of the guys around us, but they were all pointedly looking away from the two big Helljumpers and the pretty corpsman. I understood that, Pavel and I could've beaten any of those guys' faces in with little effort and Hanna could sass anybody into submission if it came down to it.

But mostly it was Pavel and me that scared them.

Once on the ship we all had jobs to do. I was an officer now, and I was supposed to handle a lot of paperwork after a mission. Pavel, as my second in command, would make sure that everyone in my platoon reported for duty. Hanna had to report with her own unit, but if all went well we might meet before the day was over. I kissed her goodbye before everyone took off in different directions.

The ship's systems were already aware that I was inside, but I still had to report to my superior officer. Hayes barely raised her eyes when I walked inside the room, but she acknowledged my presence with a grunt and dismissed me with a wave of her hand. It could've been a lot worse. In response for her behavior I failed to salute before leaving. She didn't say anything, she was beyond the point of caring. After that I made my way towards one of the briefing rooms, Pavel was there, sitting down in a chair while playing a game in his datapad.

"Pavel," I said, slapping his shoulder. "How are we?"

"Your squad already reported for duty, Grigori as well. We're still waiting for the rest."

"My whole squad?" I asked, surprised. "At the same time?"

"No, Miri showed up later. With Grigori."

"Huh," I mused. "All right."

I slouched on a chair behind the podium and pulled out my datapad. We had a replacement coming, for Reeves. I sighed and started reading through his file. A decent section of it was covered with black ink, but I promptly used my clearance to read about his past deeds. Like Reeves he was a trained medic, seemed capable with weaponry, and had more balls than your average alligator wrestler. He was a corporal, one full rank higher than Reeves had been. All in all, the guy seemed like a model ODST. It was up to Recon Squad to confirm that.

Corporal Jin Han would do.

"Hey Gunny," someone greeted Pavel. "Sir!"

I looked up to see PFCs Ramirez and Lizzo saluting. I gave them a half-hearted salute and told them to be at ease. They complied and promptly reported for duty with Pavel. After that the rest of my men came in groups of twos and threes, saluted and reported for duty. When Corporal Han came in I took the time to ask him a couple of questions before sending him off to Grigori to get better acquainted with the rest of his squad. He seemed like an all right guy, treated me in a matter befitting an officer and didn't engage in any of the usual ODST dick swinging.

"That's all of them," Pavel told me.

"I can count."

"Not very well."

I laughed. "Anything else in the schedule?"

He glanced at his own datapad. "Not for me, no."

"Are you going to do the usual thing?" I asked Pavel.

"Yeah, I was just about to start the call."

I smiled. Pavel liked calling his family one last time before we left orbit. I hadn't been able to spend much time with Lavvie or Amber, but those calls usually allowed me to intrude and say goodbye before Pavel did the same. My current calendar wasn't going to allow me to say goodbye to them, I had a briefing with Captain Hayes and the rest of the platoon leaders.

"Tell Lavvie I said goodbye, will ya?"

"She's going to be angry that uncle Frank wasn't there to say goodbye."

Lavanya was four years old already. She could walk like the best of us and was beginning to master the art of running. I loved hearing her talk.

"You know what? Tell her that I'll get her a puppy as an apology."

"Amber hates dogs," Pavel told me.

My smile turned into a grin. "But you don't. She can't say no to a beautiful puppy if I give it as a gift to her daughter."

For a moment Pavel's face reminded me of his daughter whenever she saw that Uncle Frank had brought gifts for her. "Don't let me down on this one Frank. I want a dog."

"Soon as we get back," I assured him. "Well, gotta go."

"Hey Frank," Pavel stopped me. "Just keep your cool with Hayes, a'ight?"

I sighed. "I will. It just pisses me off."

"We let her cousin die, Frank," Pavel reminded me, standing up.

"You think I don't know that!" I turned. "I still have nightmares about that place. I still see her face sometimes Pavel. I hate myself for it, but war is war."

"She was her family," Pavel tried to explain. "And she can't blame the Covenant for killing her."

"Not as long as we're here."

He nodded. "Our fault or not, in her eyes, you killed her. Try to see it that way."

"I see it that way Pavs, I just understand why she does too."

Pavel sighed and shook his head disapprovingly. "Fine. Just don't give her any reason to… well, you know."

"Fine, I won't."
"Thanks. She hates me too, you know?"

"Lucky you I'm the higher-ranking one of us."

"Lucky me," he agreed. "Off you go, you're going to be late. Sir."

I slapped Pavel's head on my way out. As good friends as we were, I still liked to take advantage of my officer status on occasion. He didn't mind, he got to hit me back and I didn't report him. That way he could impress everyone else when he told them that he punched an officer and wasn't reported. He liked telling that story. It pissed me off.

"Lieutenant."

Jen was walking towards me. "Hey Jen. And call me Frank, please."

It had been almost six months since I last saw her. I had met up with Dom and Yas a couple of times during our leave, but I had herd nothing from Jen.

"Fine," she relented. "Frank."

"Didn't hear from you. How you been?"

She shrugged. "All right, I guess. Catching up with my family, met my two new nieces. They're adorable."

"You have siblings?" I asked.

"Two sisters."

"Wait, but what are they doing in Reach? I thought you were from Cygnus."

She nodded. "Parents live there, but one of my sisters married this Army big-shot and they live here. Mom was visiting, so I got to spend quality time with her."

"That must be nice."

"It wasn't."

"Oh. Why is that?"

She sighed. "She thinks I'm old."

I laughed. "Old? Jen, you're four years younger than me. And look at me."

She raised an eyebrow, it made me notice that she had let her hair grow quite a bit from the buzz cut she usually sported. "She thinks I'm past marriage age."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"She try to set you up or something?"

She nodded.

I laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing, just the thought of you going on a blind date." I shrugged. "You're an intimidating woman Jen."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Oh boy. "Just that I can't see many guys being…"

"Being what?"

"I'm going to shut up now," I told her. "And let's forget this ever happened."

"You just insulted my womanhood," she said.

"I'm sorry, I'm not good with words. Besides, English is not my first language."

"Frank, you're thirty years past using that as an excuse."

I laughed. "Sorry, ok?"

"Whatever."

When we crossed the next corner we saw Yas coming out of a bathroom. "Oh, hey," he said, zipping up. "Hey Jen."

"Did you wash your hands?" I asked him. Why else would he be zipping up outside the bathroom?

"No," he admitted. "But unlike you, I can take a piss without getting urine all over my hands."

"Gross," Jen said.

Sometimes I forgot that we were all people before Marines. It was interesting to see Yas behave like a thirty-something slacker and Jen like a proper lady. I already knew that Dom was human, considering his excitement at the threesome I got him yesterday. Dick.

When all three of us walked inside the briefing room Dom was already there. He still had a huge grin on his face form last night. Jealous as I was, I couldn't really blame him for it. I looked at him and shook my head.

"Well someone was lucky last night," Yas said, catching the glint in his eye. "Do tell."

"Don't," I stopped him. "You're better off not knowing."

Dom was opening his mouth to say something when Captain Hayes walked in. Civilian life was good for her, she looked relax, fresh, and there was actually a ghost of a smile on her face. Sometimes it would've been easier to hate her if she wasn't so goddamned attractive.

"Sir," we saluted in near-perfect synchronization.

"As you were," she dimissed us. Normally a superior officer would ask a couple of polite questions regarding his or her subordinates experience during leave, kind of the typical 'what did you do during summer?' deal that most schools in Jericho VII had. If Hayes did that it would imply interacting with me more directly than any of us would've liked. Fine by me. "Sit down," Hayes ordered.

We took the front row seats in the briefing room and Hayes lazily walked up to the podium and turned on the screen behind her as well as the holo-tanks to the sides. "First order of business is checking that everyone reported for duty. I assume you have all done that so we'll skip that."

Behind her the screen showed several closed folders, all of which she would open in turn. "You'll be glad to know that the armories on the ship have all been updated with the latest BR55 model. The BR55HB SR, as its name indicates, is a heavy-barrel variant that supposedly has increased accuracy. The materials used to build it mean that it weighs the same as previous models despite the heavier barrel."

I raised an eyebrow. That was good news. I didn't have any particular attachment to the BR55 that I had been using for the last year or so, and a new one might prove useful.

"The MA5-series assault rifles have all been outfitted with the newest technologies to reduce recoil and jamming by half a percent or some ridiculously small number like that. Other than that we've gotten the usual replacements for older guns and a slightly larger-than-usual equipment supply."

Hayes' face actually lit up. "Now that I mention equipment…" The captain opened one of the various folders and the holo-tank displayed an object that looked like an egg with four spikes attached to its sides, pointing upwards. "New technology, straight out of the factory. Only Spartan teams have used it before us."

"What an honor," Yas quipped.

"For them?" Dom asked.

"Yeah, they get to beta test our equipment."

I laughed at that and even Jen allowed herself a small smile. Captain Hayes kept her professional expression.

"As I was saying, the PS-PC-012 is a very interesting device. My guess is that they reverse-engineered it from existing Covenant technology, although I've never seen anything like this before. The PS whatever, more commonly known as the bubble shield is exactly that. A bubble shield that protects anyone standing inside it."

The hologram moved when she said that. The spikes on the egg switched so that they were pointing downwards and a tube emerged from the egg, lowering the spikes further. A very realistic-looking Marine grabbed the bubble shield and threw it to the ground. A yellow blast came out of it and eventually settled into a sphere of golden hexagons. Plasma bolts from various weapons impacted the bubble shield, and it rippled slowly as it absorbed the blasts. After exactly twenty seconds the bubble shield collapsed upon itself and the device that created it collapsed.

"That's some cool shit, Captain," Dom noted eloquently.

"That is indeed some cool shit," Hayes conceded. "The bubble shield, however, still has downsides. The technology is new to us and we can only make the shield last for so long before it burns itself out. For some reason or other it's impossible to deploy for shorter lengths because then it wouldn't have enough power to start up a second time. One use, twenty seconds only."

I shrugged. I'd take what I could.

"Also, before any of you ask, the technology's power source needs to grow exponentially as the size of the shield grows in a linear way. That means that if you wanted to make a bubble shield big enough for a ship you'd need a power source the size of an asteroid. With our current technology it's just not possible, but apparently it will be in the future."

As I said, I'd take what I could.

Hayes went on. "These puppies are few and they are expensive. We have precisely one hundred of them on board this ship, and that's only because ONI was feeling nice with us."

I hoped that I had something to do with that. If I had, I could rub it in the captain's face in the future.

"That's all for the bubble shield, the files that show how to properly use it will be uploaded into the Company's netpage later today," Hayes said. "I regret to say that that's the only interesting piece of information that you'll be getting from me today, the rest of this is mostly routine."

And it was. Hayes went on and on about dull stuff that every one of us had to memorize or at least be able to remember at the mention. It included the numbers that Battalions One and Two had as well as what the AI overseeing both units thought about the replacements for recent losses and how well they would adapt. It was routine, and dull, and boring, but it was important. I did my best to put attention while trying to suppress the image of me yanking Hayes' head from her torso. I didn't have much success, and eventually I started dozing off, even if my face looked like I was giving her my utmost attention. Years of practice all throughout my teens had finally paid off.

"And finally…"

I blinked once, slowly sliding back into reality.

Hayes sighed deeply before going on. The screen and hologram both switched to display an image of the Milky Way galaxy in all its glory. I knew form school that it was a barred spiral galaxy, whatever the hell that meant. The hologram did a fine job of displaying our home galaxy. I could locate the arm of the galaxy where Sol System and the rest of humanity's colonies were located. The arm itself was colored in green with the regions of space that had been lost to the Covenant now colored orange. There was a lot more orange than green now.

"The Covenant is slowly but surely finding the rest of our systems," Hayes said seriously. "More colonies have been lost that the UNSC would care to admit, but that's beyond us now. ONI has taken into account the Covenant's search patterns and they have come to the conclusion that any of these four systems will be attacked within two years' time."

The hologram switched to display four different solar systems while the screen in the back displayed their names and the list of planets as well as the planetoids that orbited their stars and whether they were inhabited or not.

"Current estimates say that it is more likely that these systems will be found within a year, although it could stretch to the aforementioned two years or not happen at all." Hayes shrugged. "In order to prepare for what HIGHCOM believes is a highly-probable threat, several battle groups have been dispatched to these four systems. Their role, our role, is to stop the Covenant when they come and send for reinforcements, with readiness levels this high, any help should arrive quickly. Two battle groups will be sent to each system, one large for space combat and planetary defense and a smaller one to collect intel and dash back towards Reach to get reinforcements."

The holograms switched to display a destroyer surrounded by two corvettes and a small prowler.

"Working with us we have Battle Group Charlie. As you can see, they aren't exactly heavyweights."

Yas chuckled, but he was the only one. Jen didn't laugh very often and Dom was simply not amused. Some part of me liked to believe that they were more loyal to me than to Hayes, but I knew that wasn't true.

"The destroyer and one prowler and corvette each should remain to assist Flawless in defending our system."

Hayes waved at the display and the ships disappeared, giving way to Al-Hassani's hologram. The AI was covered in a long tunic and his face was hidden by a turban wrapped around his head. I could see leather boots underneath his tunic, and for a moment it felt so real that I felt like reaching out to confirm it. I knew that wasn't the case, if I squinted hard enough I could catch the hologram's flickering.

"Morning, ladies and gentlemen," Al said. "Good to see all of you again."

"Likewise, Al," I replied.

"Same," Dom said at the same time.

The other two lieutenants gave us weird looks.

"The situation regarding this deployment is an unusual one to say the least," Al started. "But being in close orbit of a system for an extended period of time means that men and women are going to want to set their feet down on solid ground. The admiral has deemed it fit that all ground forces be deployed to the ground and be placed under command of the local Marine branch. Your unit, as a SpecOps unit will be allowed to go down to the planet's surface in turns, a couple of weeks at a time each. The definitive schedule hasn't been decided upon yet, but rest assured that everyone will be getting some leave time."
I smiled, this was good. I would be getting paid for doing nothing. Sure, it was very likely that that wouldn't last, but it was better than nothing.

Al went on explaining the contingencies in case we were attacked before the entire unit could regroup, or in case we were on patrol away from any nearby planets, and several other situations that each seemed more unlikely than the last. Al went on and on until he finally stopped.

"Any questions?"

I suppressed a yawn.

"Yeah," Dom said. "You forgot to mention which system we'll be going to."

Al looked awkward and cleared his throat. "Of course, my apologies. Both battle groups are assigned to Paris System."

Shit.

"Seeing as Paris only has one habitable planet, the Flawless and Naverone will both be taking turns orbiting the planet while the rest of the battle group patrols it and sets various comms and spy satellites."

Shit.

Al droned on, giving a couple more details on the planet.

"Hmmm, sounds familiar, don't it," Schitzo said more than asked. "Oh! Right! Wasn't that the place where you met this pretty girl? You know the one, the one you fucked while in a relationship with someone else."

Shit.

"What was her name?" Schitzo asked himself, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "I can't remember."

Katie…

Shit.

Thanks to SilasWhitfield for proofreading this chapter.

So we've got the bubble shield, I love that thing and remember being so pissed when they took it out from Reach and didn't put it back on in Halo 4. Still, nothing to do about it. Other than that we realize that Frank is quite possible the best wingman in the existence of ever. Most of you know that he started out as an author avatar, the amount of sex is testament to my own teenage thoughts, but I've done my best to change him from an author avatar and believe that I have mostly succeeded, but I will tell you that I am quite possibly the best wingman that you could get, maybe not Frank good, but that little bit of story is based on something that actually happened.

So we set the stage for a huge battle. A battle of heart and mind. Frank is going back to Udinia in Paris IV and fate (read: casquis) won't let him avoid Katie and his guilty past. What will he do? How will he react?

Oh, and we've also got the Siege of Paris IV coming up, but that's hardly important.

I like the quote, at first you think it's about the new shit that Frank and Co. are getting, but in reality it's about the story itself progressing on one front in particular and Frank doesn't like that much, especially considering where he's progressing towards.

Don't think I'm forgetting anything other than to thank you all for your kind reviews, keep 'em coming.

creamofwheat2311: thanks for what you're doing, if you make it all the way over here consider this a big thank you for taking the time to review every chapter since the beginning. Here's to you for bearing through the first few chapters and getting here to the good stuff.

Everyone else, thanks again. Stay strong.

-casquis