LVI

Sturm

Dai pulled over the car as he parked it next to the warehouse, to think this was actually the place they were using for the time being as a makeshift short off base. He was glad that he had gotten the chance to leave the premises as a strict order had been given that all Saseba personal were to report to their stations, something big was going to happen and if it was what he feared then the real mess was just going to start. To think why they would foolishly go and execute something like morning star was a mystery to him.

"So Hirano you finally made it." Bando remarked in a snarky tone as he sat there on one of the many crates, working down some chow he signaled for him to keep moving.

"Nice to see you, is he here as well?" Dai asked as he had made it clear that he needed to see the both of them at once, it would be fruitless if Dreachon wasn't present as well. They all needed to be informed on what was going to happen.

"He is here alright and like me he is getting a little impatient." He jumped off the crate. "There had better be something that we can work with."

Oh there was something for them to work with but he had doubts if either of them was really so keen to hear it. "Yeah I got something important for us all."

"And what could that possibly be, I am anxious to hear what you have for us then Hirano." Dreachon stepped forward from beyond the shadows, already clad in most of the armor that Dai had seen him in during their raid on the DRI. A quick glance already told Dai that the damage it had sustained that night hadn't been entirely repaired.

"Operation morning star, it is going to be executed before this day is een over. They are still awaiting the final confirmation from command but I have no doubt that it could be given at any moment. Maybe even during the time that it took me to come here."

Bando raised an eyebrow at hearing him say that. "What the hell are you talking about kid and what kind of a daft name is that supposed to be?"

"A name created by fools for an operation that is foolish to say the least, it has been proposed multiply times and every time it has been turned down for obvious reasons. Though it seems that now the true fools have revealed their colors, honestly they are becoming quite the inconvenience."

Dai agreed with that. "This time it seems to be different, I don't know what they are going to use but they have something they believe that will provide them with the edge over what the DRI can field."

Bando understood what the man was saying but surely there was little that could provide an edge over what diclonius were capable off, it made conventional military forces useless. "They want to use biological or chemical weapons now? The fucking bastards are going to make an even bigger mess of this than those horned freaks could. This is just going to be one big pile of fucking shit."

Dreachon remained silent as if pondering about something that he had read before. "What leads do you have for this supposed edge, is it related to your recent visit to that facility?"

"Aye, you are aware of what they work on at Kiseba?" Dai answered him, yet he felt unpleasant about that having already been found out. "They specialize in vector based technology and they have performed multiple tests on trying to create artificial vector for military purposes."

"Artificial vectors, you telling me those bastards plan on using those freaky arms themselves!?" Bando shot up, that was just messed up. "This is just getting more fucked up by the second, I am telling you that nothing good is going to come out of that!" That was something they could all agree on; perhaps it would be good for them to take out that facility first lest the weapons developed there actually be used against them.

Any further discussion was stopped in it's track as a warning signal came from the cockpit of the craft, though caught unaware they all understood instantly what this meant for them. Something had gone wrong at the Inn.

Nousou watched as the kids were huddled against the nearest wall, the guns of the men assigned to him on this mission firmly trained on them. With the location secured for the time being he felt secure, knowing that these kids would offer no danger of any kind to him. "Do you all have a moment? We are searching for someone very special to us and we have been informed that you people are acquainted to her. " He asked.

Outside the sound of the rotor blades could be heard, armed helicopters were circling above the Inn. "We have already surrounded this house and the surrounding area. Don't try anything stupid and for your own sake, please cooperate with us. The sooner you come forth the sooner we can leave you alone. Tt is after all in your best interest to comply with us."

The woman wearing glasses cocked her gun moved out from behind him. "Are you blind!?" She interrupted him as she pointed towards one of their captives being held at gunpoint. She had already seen what they had come for well before he had.

Looking over to the one she was pointing towards Nousou saw to his own surprise and sheer excitement that it was none other than Lucy herself. "… She really is here…" There was a nervous laugh coming from him, this was rather unexpected and yet she actually was sitting in front of him. He just couldn't belief his luck to come across her so swiftly and yet there she was, truly a great opportunity was bestowed upon him.

He turned to face one of the clones who kept close to him, now was the time for his creations to show what they were truly capable off. He was going to relish to see them face off against Lucy. "Cynthia. Go seize Lucy for me. That is an order." He watched as she responded without hesitation, before he even knew it Lucy was lifted off her feet and violently slammed against the ceiling.

Nyu screamed and cried as something latched onto her throat, pain shot through her skull as her head slammed into the ceiling behind her. Not able to have anyway to move she struggled to break free from whatever was holding her. She was utterly terrified as she cried out for help from the others.

They watched in horror as something kept Nyu pinned to the ceiling, Kouta and Nana knew what it likely was but unlike him Nana was uncertain what these things were that stood next to that blonde haired man. "How did they? I can't even sense their presence, are they like Saeko-san?" What were they?

Nousou was feeling ecstatic, his chest swelling with pride as already a single one of his creations was proving to be more than capable in holding and subduing Lucy in her place and with no less than four of such glorious creations with him he would be as good as invincible. Truly he nothing less than a genius, possible the greatest in the entire world.

"You there!" He addressed two men who almost got too close. "Don't get any closer than two meters to her, not even these girls cannot protect you from vectors."

They acknowledged his answer and backed away quickly, all too keen to let these things do the fighting for them. It didn't make them any less tense as this was not something they were used to seeing.

Nousou unaware for a brief moment was suddenly grabbed by the collar of his coat, a violent tug caused him to look down as the kid pulling got a hold of him. Taken by surprise he had no time to react and was for now powerless to resist his assailant. Snarling in irritation he tried to struggle back but having been caught unaware was proving to be difficult.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ALL!? LEAVE NYU ALONE! I WANT YOU PEOPLE TO LEAVE OUR HOUSE NOW! I AM GOING TO CALL THE POLICE!" Kouta was mad with anger, to have these people just storm in here and threaten his family at gunpoint. He wasn't a fighter like others but he sure wasn't going to let these people just do as they pleased. Clenching his fists he was ready to hit the man.

Something cold was pressed against the back of his head. "Didn't he just tell you kids not to try anything stupid." A woman's voice sounded right before his neck cracked as the heavy blow took him out, lying there on the floor he could still hear her voice. "The next time you try another foolish stunt like that, I will really shoot you instead of giving you a slap."

"KOUTA!?" Yuka got up as she ran towards him, seeing him lying there she cried. "GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF KOUTA! KOUTA!?" Her face was rammed into the floor as one of the soldiers pushed the barrel of his gun into her neck. "BE QUIET, MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOVES AND I PULL THE TRIGGER!" She could feel his knee being firmly planted in her back. "KYAA!" She screamed as the man kept her on the floor. Even with her being in an excellent physical shape and knowing a few things about self defence she was nevertheless powerless against him.

"EVERYONE, DON'T FIGHT!" A powerful shout caught the attention of everybody in the room. Standing there guarding over a trembling Mayu and Nozomi they sized up their opponents. Tears in their eyes as they knew that they had to fight to protect their family even if they didn't want to fight anymore. They didn't want to go through with this but fate offered them no other choice, they had to fight in order to protect the ones they loved.

"Why… ?! Why?! Why?!" Nana cried. "Again… and again…!" These people were just the worst, to think they would just storm in here and threaten her entire family, holding them at gunpoint; she had never felt so furious in a long time. "How much longer... do you all have to degrade yourself... to threaten us...?!"

"Why is it… that you cannot leave us alone… ?! Master doesn't want me to fight… or kill. But I can't… ! Let my family get hurt by you!" Saeko stood there next to Nana, even if she couldn't do such much she was not going to run now, here was a chance for her to repay her newfound family for all of the kindness and warmth they had given her.

Nousou looked at them both with malicious interest, this place was becoming a treasure trove of diclonius alright, here were the other specimens he had been dying to experiment on and to find out what they could yield to his research. "Nr. 7, the silpelit who can't even harm another person and nr. 28, the silpelit who regenerated her lost limbs and survived an almost certain death. Shall I have you two killed as well?"

Standing there with all of these men at his side and four of his own clones these two minor silpelits were nothing to him, his confidence peaking he felt every reason to mock their futile little show of defiance. "Well, your spines might be of some use to my research after all. Especially the one belonging to you nr. 28, I can hardly wait to learn how you achieved such a remarkable feat."

He allowed his hands to rest on the shoulders of two more clones. "Arishia. Barbara. Teach those two insolent failures a lesson they-." Not even getting the time to finish his order both Nana and Saeko jumped forward and with blinding speed their vectors lashed out for the soldiers. Men screamed as they were catapulted into the garden.

Nousou cursed as he had not expected either of them to be so fast, he was impressed by how fast their vectors must have been in order to have taken out those men so fast. Truly it was fascinating to witness the control that nr. 7 displayed in the usage of her vectors, men were hurled in all directions and yet not a single one of them had been wounded or killed by the vectors themselves. And then there was nr. 28, amazing how she had managed to regain vectors, just thinking about it what these two silpelits could teach him once he were to get a hold of their bodies brought a wave of excitement coursing to him.

But it wasn't enough and Saeko was the first one to fall as she got caught between the overwhelming number of vectors that Arishia and Barbara could unleash, taking the full brunt of their attack she found herself crashing into the wall. She whimpered as she lay there, her body broken and beaten.

Just losing her focus for a second was all that was needed for the clones to take care of Nana as well, lashing out with all their vectors she was slammed even harder into another wall, the woodwork cracking and splintering underneath her impact.

Seeing her friends wounded like this Mayu crawled towards them, even with being held at gunpoint she couldn't just leave them like that. "NANA-SAN!? SAEKO-SAN!? PLEASE HANG IN THERE!"

"This isn't good, there is heavy radio traffic originating from around the Inn and I can see multiple airborne heat sources circling the area above it, likely they are helicopters." Dreachon informed them both from within the cockpit. "Police traffic indicates that the area surrounding it has been set off as well. Something is going on there and it can't be good."

Bando kicked over one of the crates. "Then those bastard have found out! Hirano get your shit ready! We are going out now!" Not planning on wasting their precious time he already left to get the stuff he needed, now it would pay off that he had secured whatever he had been able to. God knows that this was going to be one hell of a fight, no backing off from this time.

Dai straightened out on the spot. "Damn right we are, I haven't been with this since the beginning like you two have but I will be damned I am going to let those bastards just get away with this! You have enough ammo for this!?"

"Like hell I would need extra ammo, I have been stockpiling whatever I could have lay my hands on! Just let me go grab the bag. You just make sure to get the car ready!" Bando grinned as he pulled away several sheets and revealed a couple of bags, as they were lifted Dai could hear the distinctive sound of ammo.

They both got called back by Dreachon, seems there was something else going on as well. "We have a situation of our own, scanners show that multiple heat sources are approaching this location at high speed. It is doubtful they are part of the regular traffic that this area sees."

Bando was quick to realize what this meant. "Nice work Hirano, you led them to us you fucking idiot. Want to bet it is going to be government or your buddies from Saseba. Likely they want to take us out first before going through with that stupid invasion plan of theirs."

Leaping from the cockpit again Dreachon approached them. "That would be the most likely course of action, so far we have been a considerable thorn in both of their sides but even with the Inn under attack we cannot just leave this threat and risk them stumbling upon it as well. We need to stop them here and now, as much as I hate to admit it, they will have to deal with on their own until we can meet up with them."

With a heavy look Bando and Dai agreed, as much as they wanted to go and make good on their promises they were painfully aware that leaving this place would lead to causing them more problems, they just hoped there was still enough time for the kids. I they were going to find out about the Inn as well than it would be all over, this situation had to be deal with here and now. There was simply no other option.

"I am going to make them pay if they have hurt her!" Bando grumbled as he pulled an assault rifle from the bag, he was getting in a really bad mood now. "I swear to god I am going to kill them!" Clicking in a fresh magazine he removed the safety, this was going to it, finally a chance for him to kill. How ironic that it was going to be against the very men who a year ago he would have taken orders from, fate had some twisted sense of humor.

The approaching noise of engines and men shouting started to come ever closer, crap they were going to get caught in the middle of a goddamn invasion alright. "Well this is going to be it, any last requests?" Dai joked as he began to see what they were up against.

"Shut up Hirano! Try to make another flippant remark and I will shoot you myself on the fucking spot!"

"Some people just can't be pleased." Dai sighed at hearing that, Bando almost lost it and was ready to jump over to strangle him. "When I'm done with those assholes your next!"

It felt remarkably satisfying to see the two upstart silpelits being brought down like that. "You see now, that was rather foolish of you. You could have avoided this if you had just followed our warning." Ah his clones were performing even better than he could have imagined, truly they were nothing less than works of art. "Surely you must have known that a couple of defective beings like yourselves couldn't possible win against my creations." Now without further annoyances he could turn his attention back to Lucy who was still being held in place, much to his satisfaction, by Cynthia.

"It doesn't… IT DOESN'T HURT AT ALL!" Nana screamed as she struggled to get back up on her feet. Pushing aside that pain that was racking her body even now she stood back up, putting herself between the clones and her family.

Stopping with nibbling on one of his sweets he was annoyed that nr. 7 refused to just give in, with that ugly demeanor of her she stood back up. Well at least nr. 28 knew her place like the scrap that she was.

"It doesn't hurt at all no matter what you do to me! YOU HEAR ME?! IT DOESN'T HURT AT ALL!"

There she went again, oh she was becoming boring now, a simple order to the clones and she would understand her place.

The sudden look of fear for not understanding what had happened was most pleasing to him. "I just had my clones cut the nerves that control pain in your shoulders, now please behave like a good silpelit and stop making a fuss about this all or I will have them cut even more nerves in your body."

"UWAAA… UWAAA… UWAAAA… UWAAAAAAAA!" She screamed in agony as she rolled over onto her back.

He laughed at her newfound misery. "Well isn't that surprisingly painful, well that should make you understand where you belong, you defective piece of filth!" Allowing her to waddle around he finally had enough of her screams. "Arishia, go and recover nr. 7." With just a short myu sound coming from her she took a step forward.

Saeko was in pain, she was being torn. She wanted to help Nana and the others so badly but she couldn't , she was still too weak just like master had once told her. And now she had to watch as that thing grabbed a hold of her, there wasn't anything she could do about it. She had never been able to use her vector and even now having gotten them recently and training with Nana she was nothing compared to those who had theirs for years. "Nana-san I am so sorry for being so weak." She whimpered. "All of you, I'm so sorry but being weak and useless."

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" Nana kept on crying and screaming in despair as the flaring pain wouldn't disappear.

"Nana-chan!" Mayu and Nozomi screamed out as they saw her limbs coming apart, Mayu knew about but to Nozomi it was a shocking and horrifying sight to see what they were doing to poor Nana. She didn't want to see this, she couldn't believe this was all happening in front of her eyes. Closing her eyes and turning her head side to get away from the horrible sight that was taking place she started to pray.

Her prosthetic arms and legs lying uselessly on the ground and her body paralyzed by the pain Nana was unable to fight any longer as she was lifted up by one of these girls. Even if she wanted to fight back her body now utterly exhausted and immobilized by the pain wasn't willing to respond, her body was broken and defeated even if her will still wanted to press on, to keep on fighting, to protect her family and most of all her best friend Mayu.

Grabbing her by the hair Nousou lifted her torso up, he gloated to finally claim a prize he had been waiting for. "Well it looks like I can finally collect your spinal cord. Now be a good girl and stay compliant. Felicia go and collect nr. 28 for me as well."

Turning his attention back to the soldiers who had recovered themselves from their earlier struggle he made it clear what he wanted to have done with the others. "Arrest them all as well, we will figure out what to do with them later once we have secured the real prize we have come for." He had no idea what the chief would do with them but it was of no concern to him, their importance to him amounted to exactly less than nothing.

The men wasted no time in carrying out his order as one by one the girls were violently brought under submission. Mayu had her face pushed against the floor as the soldier twisted her arm behind her back. She cried and screamed for somebody to come help her.

"Do something about that obnoxious screaming of theirs, it is giving me a headache." Nousou remarked as he was becoming annoyed with this operation, this is exactly why he did not wanted to go out in the first place. Looking over his shoulder he took note of the woman who was assigned as his bodyguard, she hadn't really done all that much so far.

"Care to make yourself useful, you are here for a reason remember." He remarked to her.

"NO! PLEASE STOP! Yuka cried as she saw what was happening to her family. "PLEASE STOP WITH THIS VIOLENCE! P-!" A quick whack over the head silenced her, the soldier making sure that she was going to keep her mouth shut. "Shut up bitch!"

"Yuka-san! Yuka-san!" Nozomi watched as her former senpai was lying there on the floor, her head drenched in blood from the blow she had received. "Please sen-!"

"Guuu….." She nearly choked as one of the soldier wrapped his arm around her throat and squeezed tight, she could barely breathe."…Yu… ka…" The man squeezed even harder at her refusal to lie down and be quiet.

"Shut up! We don't care about your pleads!" Another soldier snapped at her. Despite her struggling she couldn't break the hold the man was having on her, every attempt just led to him tightening the hold, her throat felt like it was being crushed.

Regaining her consciousness Yuka screamed in dismay as she saw what was happening to Nozomi. "NO!... I AM... BEGGING... YOU... PLEASE STOP… NOZOMI-CHAN'S ... THROAT!" After all she had been too it was to cruel to even think that her throat could be ruined, it was to cruel to even think about. "PLE-."

"I SAID SHUT UP BITCH, YOU WANT A BULLET THROUGH YOUR HEAD!" She was slammed face first into the floor

Nyu still left dangling against the ceiling watched as her family and friends were being abused in this way, why were these people doing this to them. "YUKA-SAN! NOZOMI-CHAN!" she cried as she them both going down. "NANA-CHAN! SAEKO-CHAN!" Both of them were lying there on the floor, it was awful to see what they had done to poor Nana.

Taking it all in Nousou was left asking himself why Lucy in all of this had not yet retaliate or even made the slightest modicum of fighting back. It was strange to him but under the circumstances he was grateful for it, without her and the other silpelits these people posed no longer a threat to him. "Contact the helicopters and tell them that we are ready for the extraction, we got what we came for."

Darting from the cover Wanta sped forward and sank his teeth into the arm of the soldier holding Kouta down. "GUAAA!" The man screamed and cursed as he tried to get the mutt of his arm, his pistol dropped to the floor. Kouta understood what had to be done and seized this brief opportunity before it was too late.

Not aware of it in time or reacting slow Nousou was swept off his feet as Kouta tackled him, looking up he found himself staring into the muzzle of a loaded pistol.

"STEP BACK! I MEAN IT! EVERYBODY NOW STEP BACK!" His hands shaking he kept it aimed for the man's face, never fired a gun before in his life he guessed that even he couldn't miss from this distance.

Seeing the boy tremble Nousou made his move. "What do you think will happen if you go through with this? I am sorry my dear boy but the police won't be able to help you with this." He smiled seeing the hesitation in his eyes. "Stop this already, we both know that you are not the murdering type."

Kouta's hands started to shake even more at hearing the man's words. "You're right." He sighed as he grip on it relaxed a little. "… But… I'm ready to blow your chin of your face."

Nousou grew nervous as the kid pulled back the firing pin, surely he wasn't serious about this but as he looked in his eyes again he saw nothing but determination. "I get it… they say once you're in a safe place, you won't be able to save anyone…"

"SHUT UP! LEAVE EVERYONE ALONE!"

A single gunshot silenced his threat, his body rocked back as the bullet easily went through his chest, even with everything moving in slow motion he watched in disbelief as his sweater started to take on a reddish tone. Pain tore though his chest though to him it didn't feel like anything more than just a small sting. He body became so weak all of a sudden, the pistol he had held so tightly moments before just dropped from his hand.

Yuka, Mayu and Nana were at a loss for words as they watched with horror edged on their faces as Kouta fell over, his blood staining the floor.

Her eyes wide and her face covered in his blood Nyu watched him fall over, no this couldn't be, this couldn't be happening. "AAAAHHHHHAAAAAHHAHAHAHHAH… AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAA… AAAAHHHHHHAAAAAAHHHHAAAHHH!"

Mako hushed for the girls to stay quiet and to keep out of sight as she left the car. "I am going to see what the holdup is over there, don't leave the car no matter what, alright?" Not saying a word but agreeing to it both Kyou and Ryou watched as she left the car, having a bad feeling about it Kyou nevertheless kept it to herself.

Even after walking for a few meters Mako already started to notice that it was far more crowded than what she had expected but as she asked other people what was going on they also seemed not to be aware of what the cause was the delay up ahead. Pushing forward she started to make out the flashes of police lights, had there been an accident? Had an incident happened?

Finally she made it to the front and found there was a blockade erected and maintained by the police, already they were busy in redirecting people into other directions but the one she needed to go to was blocked. Somehow it seemed rather suspicious to her for the police to already be busy with redirecting the traffic while nothing had been reported on the radio thus far, even more odd was that nobody else seemed to know what was happening.

"Excuse me madam but this area is off-limits for the time being." An approaching officer informed her. "I am not at liberty to inform you the reason for this blockade but suffice to say it is for your own safety. Now please move to the back of the line and follow one of the other directions."

Disgruntled and not satisfied with his answer she went back through the ever in creasing crowd that had been gathering here, there was a reason for that roadblock and she would be damned if she couldn't get a decent answer. She didn't believe a word of what the man had jus told her, it just didn't add up.

"My own safety my ass." She mumbled as she walked back to her car, luckily the twins had been kind enough to listen to her. "I'm sorry girls but I won't be able to drop you off were I am supposed to, some assholes are blocking the road ahead of us." Already she was reaching for her phone, it would be best if she could call those people and tell them what was going on, maybe they could help her. If not just having the chance to tell them that it was going to take a little longer for the twins to arrive already made her feel better.

As the phone kept on ringing there was no response much to her annoyance; surely they would have picked up the phone by now. Sighing she put it back in her purse. "Would either of you two know of a different way to get home? Just as long as it gets us close enough that the two of you could walk home safely." She wasn't going to betray the trust of these people by using this situation to actually go to the house, if the girls could get close enough then that would suffice for her now.

"... N-Not really, we haven't really left it much. ...But we can sense one of our sisters and follow that..." Ryou informed her but it was Kyou who alerted her about something that felt like a bad omen.

Looking in the direction she was pointing at Mako could hear the sound of helicopters, well those were certainly nothing special and it was fairly common to see them, but these were different as they kept circling around one spot and what appeared to be searchlights all pointed in the same direction.

"Tell me, does the place where you girls live anywhere in that direction?" She pointed to the helicopters in the distance, already she was starting to get a bad feeling about this all.

Seeing as both of them nodded it only confirmed her suspicion, the DRI had likely come for the girls. "Okay I need get the two of you away from here quickly, for the time being you will have to stay at my place." Getting in quickly and buckling her seatbelt she left the area, the only place she could go to now was her own home and once she had gotten there she would call Dai for help.

The first victim had died without even being aware of it, her body violently severed in half in a single blow, blood splattered across the room. "CYNTHIA!" Nousou cried as she saw her toppling over, her helmet falling off and he could see the frightened look in her eyes. "NOOOOO!"

How was it possibly that one of his creations could have been mutilated in the blink of an eye, what had happened? Not thinking about it he ran forward towards her.

Men cried in horror moments before their remains where smeared across the room, with disgust he looked at the blood drenched walls as a dozen men had died without even knowing what had happened and in the center of this maelstrom of death stood she, the queen herself.

Looking upon her was like staring death in the face itself and Nousou for the first time in his life felt doubt; he needed to get out of here and fast. His eyes glancing at the chopped remains of the men who had just moments before been standing there filled him with dread. "Impossible! Even though they were more than two meters away from her! Don't tell me it is possible… that her vectors… have expanded!?"

Dropping the torso of Cynthia he felt grief over seeing another one of his precious creations perish but there was little he could do for her now. "SHIT! RETREAT! PULL BACK NOW! EVERYBODY PULL BACK!"

Those that had been fortunate to survive the initial onslaught did not waste a moment to follow that order as they made for the garden with all haste.

"PULL BACK! RETREAT!" Men scattered as they sought refuge and shelter, their initial assault had failed and for the time being they needed to regroup and come up with a new strategy in the face of Lucy's sudden retaliation.

Seeing them vanish into the shadows her body started to ease down but her heart ached for revenge, revenge for what they had done to her and her family. Revenge for what they had done to Kouta, revenge for them having hurt him, wounded him.

Behind her back she could hear the desperate breathing of Kouta and the anguished cries of Yuka, he had been shot and all because he had wanted to keep them safe. Why had he done such a stupid thing, why had he been so reckless?

"KOUTA! I'M CALLING AN AMBULANCE!" Yuka shouted, already next to him his head was resting on her lap as she tried to help him. "KOUTA! HANG IN THERE! KOUTAAAAAA! KOUTA! STAY WITH ME PLEASE! DON'T GO! KOUTAAAAAA!"

She could feel her grief and pain, she shared it as well and as he was lying there fighting for his life she could feel nothing but anguish, grief, pain, anger and hatred.

Mayu had already run off to grab whatever she could have found on their first aid kit.

Regaining part of his consciousness he looked at her. "… It… has… been… a… long… time…" He coughed at seeing her, he coughed up his own blood as well.

"… Kouta…?" It was all she could say to him now, with him looking like this she couldn't find the courage to face him.

Straining his body even further Kouta used what strength was left to him. " …It's been… a long time… since I last… saw you… the things... I… wanted to say to you… back then." They all looked at him, what was he saying and why was he saying them to Nyu.

Worried that he was already losing to much blood Yuka cried again to call for an ambulance.

She felt ashamed, she had seen that look in his eyes. There had still been a sense of anger for what she had done so many years ago but even now she could not find the strength to say it to him. Nor was she given a chance as Kouta suddenly collapsed.

"KOUTA!" Yuka yelled as she desperately tried to bring him back, there was no response from him. "KOUTA! PLEASE DON'T DIE ON ME! HANG IN THERE! KOUTAAAAA! DON'T YOU DARE TO DIE ON ME! I NEED YOU! WE ALL NEED YOU! THIS FAMILY NEEDS YOU! KOUTAAAAAA!"

She had seen and heard enough, a wave of guilt came over her as it had been her fault in the first place that had brought these men here. They had come for her and her alone. Getting back on her feet she walked towards the broken window, outside those men were likely still waiting for them. No doubt they would came back and attack this house again, she couldn't allow another member of her family to get hurt in this.

Pausing at the broken framework she gave one last look at Kouta, so this was how it would most likely end up for her. Guess what she had been worried for was going to become true, maybe he had been right from the start. Now it pained her that she hadn't taken the chance to tell him her name. For all she knew this might have been the last time the two of them would get to see each other. Even so there was no other choice for her.

"I will leave Kouta with you. Please leave here and find a place with people, then call an ambulance. Don't let him die."

Yuka watched as Nyu stepped outside. "NYU-CHAN!? WHERE ARE YOU GOING!?"

Kaede sighed in response. "… I am going… to protect you all."

The crates in front of him splintered as the rounds tore through them. "Dammit, these guys meant it!" Dai yelled as he got himself behind cover, "Where the hell did they come from!?" Their enemy didn't seem to lack numbers and right was making considerable advances.

Bando had gotten off a few shots but whenever he opened fire it seemed their assailants simply took shelter behind the jeeps and armored personal carriers. Taking another peek he noted that these were Komatsu LAV and type 96 APC, these were military grade vehicles.

The heavy machineguns opened fired again tearing great chunks out of the concrete walls. "Fuck those are JGSDF! We have the fucking JGSDF on our hands! The guys are likely from the eastern army if I'm not mistaken, why the fuck are they here!?"

"Likely because they want to get rid of us. As for their shooting I believe that has something to do with you answering their request for surrender by opening fire on them first." Dreachon pointed out. "Somehow Saseba must have gotten control of a detachment. Hirano does this commander Shimada carry that kind of authority with him?"

"No, only the supreme commander can make such a request and even he has to get the approval of the joint chiefs of staff and the prime minister. I can't believe they actually approved this action." Judging by their looks neither Bando nor Dreachon felt the same.

Raking the arming slide Bando opened fire again but using the cover offered by their armored charges his fire only managed to pin down some of them, others were already advancing using the vehicles as a shield. The rounds bounced harmlessly off their armored hulls.

"Fuck!" He yelled as he discarded the rifle, he needed something with more punch. "You stay here, I am going to get something I had been saving for that horned wretch!"

"We need to get moving, draw them closer into the area. We cannot match their firepower in the open, we lure them in and break them into smaller group. Then we pick them off!"

To Dai that was absurd, the three of them taking on a detachment of the JGSDF supported by armor. "Have you lost it!? We can't take them one! This is not like the DRI!"

"No it is not." Dreachon started to grin. "This is even better, this is what I exist to do! Prepare yourself Hirano! For tonight I will show you how sauronicans do battle! Now prepare yourself for combat in all of its glory!"

At that moment Bando appeared again carrying what was unmistakably an RPG. "Time to take care of some of those pesky vehicles, guess they won't see this one coming." He laughed as he braced himself. Dai's ears were left ringing as the warhead took off.

Seeing it speeding towards them the most forward drivers frantically made a hard turn to try and evade it, one of the type 96's collided with a Komatsu flipping the vehicle over. Spotting it Bando wasted no time as he already loaded a second warhead.

The driver of another type 96 screamed as his vehicle slammed sideways as the warhead punched through the armor, the superheated core ignited the vehicles fuel and cooked off it's ammunition, blowing it apart in a greasy black fireball.

Men where scythed down by the hot shrapnel but as they lay there screaming for help Bando fired again, his sights set on the two vehicles which had crashed into each other. A well placed shot dispatched them both as the type 96 exploded taking the lighter Komatsu with it.

"Well that should make them think otherwise, now come and get me you bastards!" Bando watched as the supporting armor started to back away, firing their smoke dispensers in order to cover their retreat. Those men not wounded in the initial explosions started to fall back.

"I did not expect our military to fall back from such a blow, surely they aren't considering retreating are they?' Dai asked, he had never had much military training and to him it seemed odd that the soldiers so quickly were giving up when they had the momentum and the number to push through. "Why are they pulling back now?"

Bando had already noticed it as had Dreachon. "They are bringing in backup." They pointed further up ahead on the beach. Dai could see it as well now as he picked some bino's. "Regrouping for now and then they will come back in greater force.

Lumbering and making its way towards them across the sandy beach was a type 74 tank. "Fuck!"