Girl's Frontline: Field Agent

by Johnny Wycliffe

Sometimes, life comes at you like an explosion through the storefront. A young man, Hadwin Galanis, finds this out the hard way as his life is turned upside-down by a PMC and Paradeus, forced to pick up a gun and fight in a war fought by machines.

12. Chapter 12: Saving Agent Hadwin

416's eyes glow dimly in the night, currently tracking the new arrival of Architect, but she still has me pinned to the bed by sitting on top of me.

The UMP sisters are both holding down M16, 45 pushing her namesake into M16's chest over her core and UMP 9 pinning an arm and planting her weapon in M16's temple, straddling the taller doll.

G11 has her weapon trained on Architect, crouched in the corner of the room.

It's a stalemate for all of ten seconds before Gager appears behind her subordinate, laser sword glowing and casting a pink hue on the entire room.

I watch the UMP sisters exchange a look, before UMP 45 breaks the silence. "Looks like we're slightly outmatched."

"Slightly?" Architect puts her hands on her hips.

"Yes, slightly." UMP 45 grins. "I seem to recall capturing you pretty easily a while back."

Architect whips out a weapon of some sort, but Gager grips her arm before she can fire. "Don't."

UMP 9 scratches her face with the hand not currently pressing her gun into M16's face. "Wait, I thought tall and white was ponytail's subordinate, not the other way around?"

"I guess getting captured comes with a demotion in Sangvis." UMP 45 responds. Before turning her one eye in my direction. "I wonder if there's a position below 'cannon fodder' in Griffin."

"Yeah." M16 grumbles. "T-doll."

Both of the UMPs pressed into M16 dig into her frame harder.

"What's going on?" Beak peeks around the corner. "Are they doing that sex thing you were talking about-"

416's weapon comes up and a bullet, impossibly loud in the crowded space, spits past Beaks head close enough to take off some of the hair in her pigtail.

"Ow." I groan.

"Halt den Mund, Dummkopf." 416 hisses at me.

"I don't speak German, traitor."

This seems to hit her like a slap to the face.

"Okay, before this gets any more out of hand-" UMP 45 gestures to 9, who pulls a grenade out of her pocket and pulls the pin, letting the ring slip over her thumb and dangle. "-let's have a nice, calm chat."

"What makes you think I care about that grenade?" Gager stares straight at UMP 45. "We have backups."

"Well, M16's not gonna survive it." UMP 45 maintains her calm expression. "And somehow I think she's slightly more valuable to you alive than dead."

Architect steps one step forward. "Whatever, you all are dead as soon as-"

Gager grabs Architect's arm and forcibly yanks her out of the room, sending her careening back into the hallway.

"Also." UMP 45's evil grin grows larger. "I feel like you might want this back intact."

UMP 45 carefully pulls out a small cube. I can tell it's not a T-doll core, but not anything past that. Whatever it is, Gager stares silently at it for a few seconds before she deactivates her weapon. "Okay. We will talk."

"What?" Beak sounds incredulous. "We have them right here! Let's just get rid of them!"

Gager glares at her subordinate. "Take control of the Dinergates. Make sure there aren't any more surprises waiting."

None of the 404 dolls react. Either we're alone out here, or they have good poker faces.

...They're androids, they probably have good poker faces.

"Uh." M16 mutters from her position pinned to the bed. "Can I get up now?"

"I dunno." UMP 9 snarks. "Can you?"

M16's hand flashes upwards into UMP 9's stomach, pushing the smaller girl into the air. M16 then grabs 9's gun with her other hand, whipping the weapon into the wall where it breaks into a bunch of pieces.

9 barely has the time to react with a surprised "Eh?" before M16 pulls her leg into her chest and unleashes a kick to 9's stomach that launches her into the corner of the room. Bottles smash where 9 lands, but I don't have the chance to watch to see if she's okay because M16 immediately goes for UMP 45.

45 lifts her gun before M16 can get a grip on it, leaping up and over the sweeping leg M16 threw to trip her up.

M16 makes it to her feet on top of the bed as UMP 45 pulls a pistol out of her bag and levels it. Undeterred, M16 bashes 45's gun arm upwards toward the ceiling even as stepping in to strike 45.

45 side steps, kicking her own boot out to try to trip M16.

M16 plants on the bed, not getting tripped, instead using her momentum to lower her shoulder and bowl into UMP 45.

45 trips over the bed railing and crashes to the floor, cursing in German.

"Looks like I can." M16 grins casually.

"Halt."

M16 looks back to 416, who has her pistol aimed right at M16.

"Or don't." 416 continues. "Give me an excuse. Just one, gottverdammt, excuse."

"...Okay, I give." M16 sighs.

"Owwww." 9 complains. "I almost let go of the grenade."

Gager's gaze goes towards the still overly casual M16. "Next time you risk the core-"

"Yeah, yeah." M16 holds her hands up. "Well, it was worth a shot."

UMP 45 gets to her feet, face furious for a fraction of a second before morphing back to pleasant with startling speed. "Well, now that we have that out of the way-" She raises her mechanical hand with the core in it, placing her pistol's barrel against the small metal object. "-I assume you very much want this. Next time I get annoyed, this goes up in smoke."

Gager nods. "Let's continue this in the main chamber."

"Take M16 with you." UMP 45 instructs. "We'll be out in a moment."

"Of course, but the human also comes with us."

"Wha-" 416's eye twitches, but UMP 45 cuts her off.

"Of course."

M16 leaves the room and, under Gager's watchful eye, 416 is coerced to let me up. By the time I leave the room, her lip is being chewed so hard it's drawn blood. Coolant. Whatever.

Gager grabs my arm and roughly pulls me out of the room, pulling me into the main room. There, probably alerted by Beak, are the purple visored dolls and the prowlers that had been keeping watch and guarding… which, now that I think about it, they kinda failed at.

Then again, 404. It's not Sangivs' fault they were caught unaware.

Gager doesn't let go of me and still has a very hard grip on my shoulder as 404 files out, 9's weapon hastily re-assembled somehow, despite the fact she also still has the grenade in one hand. Maybe someone else helped?

M16 notices the grenade and rolls her eye. "We're past the point of needing the grenade, aren't we?"

"I couldn't find the pin." 9 shrugs. "So it's here until I figure out how to diffuse it or I drop it."

G11 and 416 are flanking the twins, primary weapons out and held low. The point is clear: They're not shooting.

Yet.

UMP 45 claps her hands together. "So, we're here for something you have." She says at volume, drawing all attention her way.

"Yes, you want your human back." Gager's voice is filled with contempt.

"What? Scheisse, nein." UMP 45 laughs. "We're here for this." She holds up the cube.

M16 visibly tenses and Gager's eyes narrow. Architect just seems confused.

I can see 416's eyes shift to glare at her leader, but otherwise she doesn't indicate anything is wrong.

"So you're saying this human has no worth to you?" Gager asks.

"Nope." UMP 45 seems to think for a second. "Actually, isn't there a reward for retrieving his corpse?" She turns to ask this of her sister.

"Yep." 9 agrees. "I wonder if we'd still get paid if he's not dead?"

"We can always fix the alive part." UMP 45 muses. "But carrying the corpse all that way would be annoying."

M16 sighs. "Yeah, yeah, Grif's not important to you. So, you want the data on that core?"

"We do want the data you recovered from the KCCO, yes. See, we were already in the process of... 'negotiating' for it, and then you had to go and blow up half of the camp." UMP 45 elaborates. "Well, you saved me the trouble of getting it out of their clutches."

"Uh…" Architect's look of confusion grows. "What's on that core?" She asks, genuinely curious.

"Oh, just the KCCO's recent activity." UMP 45 casually smirks. "I can see how this would be very useful to a bunch of dolls on the run, but see, I need it too." She tosses the core in her hand. M16 tensing up like she's about to leap forward to catch it.

It must be delicate.

45 continues to casually toss the cube as she talks. "In fact, I have a client that's gonna pay so much for this, I would need a very good reason to part with it."

M16's frown deepens. "We can copy the data for you."

"Oh, sure. Except, we're being paid for an exclusive copy of the info, so we'd lose out on a large part of the bonus if we shared the data."

"Oh, I'm sure." M16's frown reverses into a rueful smile. "Would the bounty for Grif's 'corpse' be suitable as a replacement?"

"Well…" UMP 45 pretends to think it through for a second. "It might cover some of it."

Gager's grip on my arm tightens slightly, causing me to wince. "So, you do want this human."

"For certain values of want, sure." UMP 45 shrugs. "Right now, I want to leave with the data and myself intact."

M16 and Gager share a look. "We don't care about exclusive rights to the data." M16 finally announces. "So, we get the cube back, make a copy, and you get Grif."

"We'll make a copy, in front of you of course, and take the copy." UMP 45 changes the terms. "We get 'Grif' as soon as we hand you the copy and you let us walk out of here without getting shot."

"WAIT!"

All eyes turn to Architect, who's shout had startled the entire room.

She looks around at everyone in the room. "But, M16 and Grif are dating, right? Why are you just going along with this?"

Even from across the room, I can feel 416's rage starting to boil over. Her hands tighten around her weapon, the leather of the gloves creaking against the weapon. Her teeth grind and I swear I can hear a low growl.

"We're not dating." M16's eye flicks over to 416 for a fraction of a second before looking back to Architect. "We were pretending since Gager wanted to observe."

"What?" Architect's voice is filled with disbelief. "That's absurd."

Gager turns to her charge. "I did ask. The human asked if I was dating you, and when I expressed confusion he told me about dating. I wanted to watch and see how it's supposed to be done."

"...Hey, Haddy." 9's voice drifts over, and I reluctantly turn my head her way. "You're acting pretty casual for a prisoner. Enjoying playing matchmaker?"

"Well gee." I snark. "When someone can laser your head off in a second, you do what she asks, even if it's unreasonable!"

"'Haddy'?" M16 looks at me. "Your name is 'Haddy'?"

I glare at M16 for a second before looking away. "Hadwin."

"Huh." She thinks for a second. "Hadwin."

"In any case." UMP 45 rolls her eye and brings everyone back to task. "We're in the middle of negotiations."

"Yes, we are." M16 focuses on the other one-eyed doll. "I think we can agree to your terms."

Gager nods.

"Good, good." UMP 45 nods. "Can you provide us with a data core? We'll copy the data onto it and take that one, so you can keep the original."

"That's acceptable." Gager turns to Architect. "Grab a blank data core."

Architect grumbles, but carefully circles around behind 404 so she can head further in to grab a core.

"So…" M16 licks her lips. "How's everything going, 416?"

416 freezes before slowly turning to face M16.

"Really?" 9 sighs. "Can't you just drop this already?"

"I hate you." 416 states with a snarl. "I loathe you. I've been crawling through a forest tracking a dummkopf I want to strangle, and you were lying in bed with him."

"Oh." M16 scratches her face. "Sorry?"

"I will eviscerate you." 416 is still not yelling, but I half expected her eyes to start shooting laser beams.

"Ja, ja, hate boners for days." UMP 45 sighs theatrically. "M16, please refrain from antagonizing 416 any more than you need to, she's in a bad mood because her boyfriend was stolen."

"The Commander is NOT my boyfriend!"

"He's not your commander either." 9 responds to 416's shout. "Doesn't stop you from pretending."

"Interesting." Gager states, expression unchanged. "So, this human is more important to you than you let on initially." She shakes me a bit. "Maybe we should re-evaluate our deal."

Silence for a good ten, twenty seconds.

M16 finally breaks the silence with a low chuckle. "Well, I guess I can take another concession from you… how about, we verify the data before we release Haddy."

"Hadwin." I correct.

M16 turns to me with a grin. "Haddy."

UMP 45 shrugs. "I don't see an issue with that. Verify all you want."

"Hmm." M16 frowns again. "I don't like this."

"Why not?" Gager turns to her teammate.

"It's UMP 45. There's some weird trick going on."

"You mean, that they were pretending the human wasn't important?"

"If that was it, we wouldn't have found out so easily." M16 shakes her head.

"You know, I can hear you." UMP 45 says from across the room.

"I know." M16 shoots back, before returning to talking to Gager. "So, there's something we're missing."

"...I see." Gager's cold gave returns to UMP 45, who continues to grin.

Architect returns before much longer, handing the cube to Gager, who in turn hands it to UMP 9's outstretched palm.

UMP 45 and 9 share a look and then 9 closes her eyes, holding a cube in each hand.

Wait, is she already copying the stuff? It looks like it.

M16 watches the two sisters like a hawk, finger tapping the trigger guard of her rifle.

Personally, I'm with M16. There's something going on that I can't see. 404 has a plan. It might be a stupid one, but they have a plan.

When 9's eyes shoot open, she gives a tired looking smile. "Copied."

UMP 45 nods her head towards our group. "Hand the original to them."

9 carefully approaches and drops the cube into M16's outstretched hand.

"Huh." M16 mutters after a second. "Looks like it's all here."

"Of course." UMP 45 shrugs, "Do we look like the kind of people that would lie?"

"Yep."

"Yes."

"Well…" I scratch my face with my free arm.

G11 snorts at M16, Gager, and my reactions. "Old hag, your credibility is zero."

UMP 45 glares at G11 briefly but returns to her customer service smile quickly. "So, are you going to release your hostage?"

"...Yes." M16 turns to Gager. "Let him go."

Gager releases her grip on my arm, and I rub life back into it as I slowly approach 404. When I get to their line, 416 grabs my other arm firmly, but thankfully not enough to cut off blood flow like Gager.

9 grabs something from behind her, my backpack and vest. "You forgot these."

"Oh. Thanks." I stick my left arm through both of the arm holes, letting both dangle behind me awkwardly once I realized 416 would not be letting go.

"Ja. Very good." UMP 45 says out loud, but as if to herself. "Well then, we'll be going."

"..."

The Sangvis keep a careful watch as we all sidle our way around the edge of the room, never turning our backs.

It's only once we reach the entrance that the silence is broken.

M16 clears her throat. "Hey, 45."

"Hmm?"

"Next time, we have unfinished business to attend to." Her gaze grows cold, colder than I had yet to see it. It sends chills down my spine and 416 grips me tighter.

"Next time?" UMP 45 sneers. "Why wait?"

"Oh, I would love to finally finish the job."

45's eye narrows. "Want a second eyepatch?"

M16 shrugs. "It's better than replacing one sister with another."

Before anyone else can react, 45 rips the still-live grenade from 9's grip and hurls it towards Gager, Architect, and M16.

Instantly, everyone scatters, me practically being dragged out by 416, who looks very concerned looking back over her shoulder and readying her firearm one handed.

The grenade goes off a second later and I can hear Architect yell in pain.

M16 and Gager burst outside, chasing after us in the dark, eyes glowing fiercely up until Gager activates her blade and bathes the entire area in a pink glow. The light casts eerie shadows into the forest and we're heading there at full speed.

Which is when I remember the mines.

"H-hey!" I turn to 416. "There's mines!"

"Mines?"

"Yeah, AP and Anti-doll! We can't run haphazardly!"

Regardless, 416 charges into the treeline dragging me behind her, only to come to a stop once we're about five meters in and have a few trees obscuring the oncoming enemy.

The other 404 dolls come to a stop as well, each hiding a little ways away. Looks like 416 conveyed the memo.

416 looks at me after a second. "Where's your radio?"

"In my bag-"

She clicks her tongue and grabs me once again.

G11's weapon discharges, it's distinctive three round blast tearing through the night.

The pink light filtering through the trees shifts and jumps as Gager dodges around, avoiding the incoming fire even as we retreat.

Soon, M16's rifle joins the cacophony, along with the UMP twins' weapons.

Since 416 is still dragging me and my tac vest, which is still dangling from one arm, I have a hell of time pulling out my own pistol, getting it into my left hand awkwardly so I can aim it if need be.

416 is still looking back, glancing forwards only to figure out where she's going, which results in me being the first to see the Dinergate poking out of the bush.

I try to hit it, but my shots go wild with 416 pulling on my arm so hard.

416 herself shifts her attention to the Dinergate and with a quick trigger pull dispatches it.

I'm only given a fraction of a second to admire her accuracy before we come to an abrupt halt.

I look around, but I can't see what we're stopped for.

416 points at the ground with her weapon. "Mines."

"Oh, shit." I mean, I still can't see them in the dark, but… I turn around. The pink glow is getting closer and a tree falls down as Gager cuts the stuff in her way.

"HADDY~!"

I feel a chill as Architect's voice roars out. She's mad at me personally… Or possibly just calling for me.

"GIVE ME MORE EXPLOSIONS!"

As has become a worrying trend lately, my mouth shouts before I can stop myself. "We just gave you one, you don't seem too happy about it!"

"I'M GOING TO KI-"

G11's weapon fires from off to the side and Architect squawks as her shout is cut short.

I turn to 416. "Please tell me there's a plan?"

"The plan was to get out of there without exchanging fire." Her eyes narrow. "Or even being noticed, preferably. Schiesse, this is a mess."

"Agreed. So, do we have a ride out of here?"

She nods. "We have the buggy."

"Great." I look back at where 416 indicated the mine was. "So-"

Before I can ask where the buggy is, UMP 45 dashes past us, perpendicular to our intended path of travel, parallel to the front of the building.

416 yanks me into a bush and hides there herself right as a furious M16 tears past, rifle raised and firing at the fleeing UMP 45.

416 looks at me, saying "Stay here." before sprinting after M16.

"...Like hell." I mutter.

I quickly shrug on the vest and pull off the backpack, grabbing the radio out of it and then the flashlight, turning on the radio and sticking the earpiece in. No sound comes out, but I hope that means nobody is talking.

I hope the battery on the flashlight holds out. Since Architect has my goggles still, if this runs out of power I'll be walking blind.

Still, I can't use the M16A4 and the flashlight at the same time, so I go into the stance you see in police dramas or video games where the flashlight is held in a reverse grip and that hand is bracing the pistol. I don't have any 5.56 for the M16A4 anyway.

Right before I flick the light on, I consider that I'll be shining a beacon of light towards my position like Gager is with her weapon, but I quickly realize I'm currently standing pretty close to a mine, and I don't want to find out if it's an AP mine or an AD mine the hard way.

I turn the flashlight on and start sweeping around the area. Sure enough, there's a mine right in between two of the trees leading out away from the building. I carefully step over the mine, on high alert for more of the explosives.

I find two more, carefully maneuvering around them, constantly glancing back at the firefight between 404 and Sangvis that lights up the night with plasma and gunfire.

From what I can glean from the sounds and brief flashes of light, M16 is still chasing 45, and is being chased by 416. G11 and Gager are fighting… I think, and… where is Architect?

I get my answer quickly.

As I continue to scan the forest trying to figure out what's happening, the sudden bright lights are getting in my eyes, leaving small spots here and there. It's only when I realize that two of the red spots are not going away or shifting when I look around that I point the flashlight to find Architect.

She has a hole in her cheek, either from a bullet or shrapnel from the grenade I'm not sure which, has her custom rocket launcher, and has a creepy grin on her face. She also has my NVGs on her forehead for some reason.

"Found you~"

"...Yep."

"These past two days have been so exciting, wouldn't you agree?" Architect asks, her eyes unblinking and fixed right on mine. She stalks forwards, one step at a time, ignoring the pistol in my hands pointed at her head. "I have an idea, why don't you come back to us? We can do more explosions."

Even as she offers this, she's aiming the rocket launcher at me, leaving me with little doubt what will happen if I refuse.

"W-well, it certainly was something." I stall, my brain going a mile a minute to find me way out.

Slowly, I start backing up, trying to keep an even distance with her as she approaches.

"You agree! I see, I see. Come here and let's go back." Her eyes still haven't blinked and her rictus smile is growing wider and wider as she talks. "You can go back to dating M16, and we'll get to cause so many more explosions."

"S-sorry." I apologize, never stopping my retreat. "I'm not exactly the kind of person who wants to cause explosions for the sake of it."

Her eye twitches and the weapon in her arms swings my direction once again, having drifted slightly as she was talking to me. "Wrong ans-"

Click.

Despite the background of gunfire, the noise is clearly heard by both of us as she steps forwards. We both look down, me aiming my flashlight down at her feet.

Sure enough, she's stepped on her own mine.

"...That's not fair." She whines, her features returning to normal.

I take a few more steps back, hoping that those few steps take me out of the blast radius. "Well, I'll be going then-"

"W-wait!" She calls out. "I, I didn't mean it!" The stare and the rictus grin are back, but somehow more pleading. "Hey, we're friends, right? Help me disable this mine."

"..."

"Look, I'll put in a good word with M16. You can date her for real or something."

Honestly, I do want to help her. She's not that bad, especially for an enemy. I mean, I ate, drank, fought alongside them…

But I was their prisoner.

"Didn't Gager tell you?" I raise the pistol. "I'm the enemy."

Architects face twists through several emotions, from disbelief, to rage to… "Wh… WHAAAAAA!" She starts bawling. "No fair! I finally got my body back and now I'm gonna lose it again!"

The crying doll collapses to her knees, somehow keeping her foot on the mine so it doesn't go off.

The pistols started shaking and I realized I hadn't adjusted it down to follow her form, stunned by her sudden mood shift.

No.

She's just trying to manipulate me.

She's fully in control of this.

I lower my pistol to point at her head once more. My heart starts to beat out of my chest.

I don't want to do this.

She's… not been nice per se, but nicer than some dolls I could mention. If circumstances were different, we might have been on the same team.

That would be some interesting circumstances, but it's a possibility.

Still, I can't just let her go. I have to pull the trigger-

"Commander."

A hand clamps down on my shoulder and I spin around, gun leading the charge.

416 deflects my hand away, sending my aim skyward. "Beruhigen, Commander. It's just me."

"...Right." I take a few deep breaths to get my heart out of my throat. "S-sorry."

"Do not worry about it."

I glance back at the still crying Architect. "...Can we get out of here?"

"Ja, everyone else is already out. M16's still looking for us." 416 clicks her tongue and I realize she's talking through the radio as her jaw isn't moving. Hey, my radio works. "But if we go now, we'll probably be able to get away without issue."

"...Okay." I give one last look back at Architect, with her unblinking, red glowing eyes. "...Sorry."

"You're… going to leave me here?"

At her words, my legs suddenly refuse to move forwards.

"Are you going to leave me here to die?"

Suddenly, the forest is gone, and replacing it in my vision is the warehouse. Hostages tied up, one of them calling out to me for help as I run away from the incoming explosion-

416's hand grabs my arm again and she starts pulling me along, her face a mix of pain and determination.

"NO! Don't leave me here!" Architect yells, leaping to her feet-

And stepping off the mine.

The device explodes, though nowhere near the intensity I would expect. Instead, Architect suddenly collapses without a word, and 416 stumbles. We stop running and turn fully to look back.

"...Anti-doll mine?" I ask 416.

She nods. "Anti-doll mine."

"She'll be okay?"

416 gives me a look, but nods once again. "In all likelihood. Let's go."

"Yeah… yeah." I glance back once more.

She's sprawled across the ground, lifeless. My flashlight beam reveals that her eyes are still open, but they no longer glow.

"What does she have on her head?" 416 asks.

"Oh, those are my NVGs." I blink. "I should grab those."

"Hurry it up."

I step up to the Sangvis doll and gingerly remove the goggles off of her head. She doesn't react at all.

"Sorry." I whisper once more, before turning and heading back to 416.

"Ready?"

I nod glumly.

416 hesitates, but then grabs my hand and starts pulling me through the forest once again.

She's still helping me. Even though I ran away, yelled at her, and called her a traitor… I can feel the regret bubbling up inside me. Suddenly, I realize I need to apologize, right now. "Hey, 416?"

"Ja?"

"I'm sorry about calling you a traitor." I look down, my spirits crumbling. "I don't think you're a traitor, I was just trying to hurt you… because I was being petty. Both times, earlier and back in Sector 3." I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. "I-I'm sorry."

"...I understand." She replies calmly, after a brief pause. "I forgive you."

"...Thank you."

"I'm also sorry." She continues after a second. "I should have found a way to tell you our plan inside Sector 3."

"Nah, that's not your fault. You just wanted what was best for everyone, right?"

"Yes." She nods. "And I was sure you could handle yourself."

I sniff to stop the snot leaking from my nose due to the tears. "Thanks, 416."

"Anytime, Commander."

We didn't see any more mines as we moved through the forest. The next man-made object I spot is the buggy. For a moment, I think we might have gotten there first, but UMP 45, 9, and G11 all step out of the forest to greet us.

"You weren't followed?" UMP 45 asks 416.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" 416's eyes narrow. "I made sure to be careful."

"Excellent." UMP 45 turns to me. "I have a bunch of questions for you, but I think a bunch of them overlap with what Gentiane will ask, so I'll let her ask. I do want to get one out of the way though." She looks me square in the face, her own contorting into a mix of rage and incredulousness. "Are. You. Stu-"

"Um, 45-nee?" 9's voice is alarmed. "Hadwin's emitting a signal."

"...Huh?" I turn to 9. "I can't emit signals, I'm a human."

"There's a signal coming from you." 9 shakes her head. "It's a pretty standard Sangvis tracking broadcast."

Suddenly, UMP 45 reaches over and pulls the backpack off my back, rifling through the contents frantically. "It's in here. It's in here somewhere." She mutters, until she pulls out a slim black device I had never seen before and proceeds to toss it out into the forest as hard as she can.

G11 looks after the device as it flies a good hundred meters. "Do you think Sangvis is already tracking us?"

"Yes. In fact, you might say they've already found you."

I turn around slowly to see M16 standing on top of the buggy, weapon pointed straight at my head.

"...What? How did you-?" 9 asks.

"Did you really think you could throw me off that easily?" M16 chides 9. "I'm pretty good at guerilla fighting, you're going to have to try a lot harder to lose me in a forest."

"...Tch." UMP 45 clicks her tongue. "So, what now?"

"Now, I put all of you into the ground." M16 says, her tone cold. "Don't think I didn't notice all the data on the drive was a bunch of garbage. You copied it over and destroyed the original data."

"...Okay, fine." UMP 45 raises her hands in surrender, one of her hands holding the data core. "Can I convince you to spare us if we give you this?"

M16 barks a laugh. "No, I think I'm out of mercy for the night. I'll just take it off of your frame when you're dead."

"..." UMP 45's face goes blank.

416 bites her finger through her glove.

G11's still in battle mode, but her eyes are starting to droop.

9's still panicking, looking around wildly.

...I don't have a plan either.

"Okay, now, everyone line up against the jeep." M16 hops down and gestures with her weapon. "Not gonna ask twice."

Reluctantly, I comply.

G11's eyes are starting to fill with tears and 9 hangs her head as she falls into line.

UMP 45 is muttering curses under her breath, staring holes into M16.

416 steps next to me and subtly grabs my hand in hers. I give her a small fraction of a smile, but it quickly fades.

M16 steps around to face the five of us. "Well, I knew it would come to this someday." She shakes her head and readies her rifle. "Sorry, but you're all just a bit too much of a pain in the-"

M16 stops talking and all five of the dolls present tense up.

A motor can be heard in the background. No, make that two motors.

The next ten or so seconds are unbelievably tense as everyone silently watches the forest as the motors get closer.

It's only once the grey forms of the Sangvis units come into sight that any of us move.

"What's going on?" M16 asks as Beak pulls up on the bike, Gager driving the quad with Architect's unmoving form strapped on the back with bungee cords.

"It's the KCCO!" Beak exclaims. "I had to sic all of the Vespids, Dinergates, and Prowlers I could just to get the bike and quad out!"

"We're leaving." Gager informs M16.

M16 looks back at us. "I have some unfinished business."

"Do you have the data?"

M16 frowns. "Not yet."

"Get it and let's go. The KCCO is right on our heels."

M16 stalks over to UMP 45, ripping the cube out of her hands and turning away without a word.

"Fine, let's go." M16's eye tracks back to our group. "These five are no match for the KCCO anyway."

M16 climbs on the back of the bike with Beak and they take off, weaving between the trees.

"...We're saved?" G11 asks after a few seconds of silence.

"Nein." UMP 45 sighs. "Now we have to escape the KCCO." She turns to her sister. "9 Get the buggy started."

"Roger!" 9 leaps into the driver seat and turns the key, but the vehicle just coughs a few times and gives up. "Huh?"

The smell of fuel fills the air and 45 looks under the buggy. "Crank it again." 9 complies and 45 curses. "Verdammt, someone cut the fuel line."

"So…" I blink. "We're stuck?"

"We're stuck." She confirms.

"...Oh."

In the distance I can hear machinery moving, a sound that I think I will forever associate with the Hydras.

416 squeezes my hand before letting go. "We'll make it out." She announces.

"Ja?" UMP 45 sneers. "Gonna magic us up a helicopter?"

"Nein. I have a plan though." 416 narrows her eyes.

"Plans are good." 9 says, still looking around as if the KCCO are going to jump out at any moment. "What's this plan?"

"Simple." 416 checks her ammo. "We're 404." She gives us all a cool gaze. "We don't exist; we can hide in plain sight."

---

...Maybe I should give Architect and Beak a little credit.

Sure, their plans were stupid, but not this stupid. Though, I can't say I had anything better to offer… Though, I think the worst part about it is that it seems to be working pretty well, actually.

To put it charitably, 416 isn't exactly a tactical genius. She's really good at combat, but not at leading others. So her plan was less of a plan and more of an idea.

Since 404's motto is apparently "Those who don't exist" (which was news to me) it seems 416 took it to heart and decided that they could all hide. After some initial eye rolling that "hiding was the idea, or running" from UMP 45, 416 picked out an actually decent hiding spot for everyone.

The twins ended up in a tree, shedding their jackets to avoid the enemy seeing the bright yellow highlights. UMP 9 and 45 both have more natural colors on, if you don't count the jackets… or UMP 45's mechanical arm, but she said she'd wrap it up so it wasn't a bright red spot.

G11 was tucked into a tree root hollow and told not to go to sleep, but to keep a watch on the clearing. She's the one that blends in the most with the forest, her color's a mute green. Personally, I doubt how effective UMP 45's instruction to stay awake was, but G11 seems… oddly reliable, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt.

416, dressed in bright purple, is not exactly subtle. I'm not quite as bad, but I don't exactly blend in either. I still have my G&K jacket bundled into the backpack, so at least I'm not bright red, though given the plan in the end, it wouldn't have mattered either way.

So, 416 had the "Brilliant" idea to have the two of us pretend to be dead inside the vehicle.

It's not like we have stage makeup to make it look like we have wounds… but we'll have to make do.

For her part, 416 actually looks dead on the hood in front of me, eyes turned off and completely unmoving, staring straight ahead from where she's lying on top of the dash, out the window and onto the hood of the vehicle like she was thrown through the windshield. The rest of the vehicle clearly wasn't in a crash, but 416 fixed that by kicking the bumper in hard, actually activating the airbags on the aging vehicle.

She had to break the windshield as well to make this effect, and in a fit of inspiration, I took some of the freshly broken glass and pricked my finger, then smeared the blood down my face. Hopefully it'll look like I was driving and smashed my head on the steering wheel, or something.

And, like I said earlier, it seems to have worked. I think the fact that it's still dark is working in our favor.

The KCCO forces rolled through, humans interspersed with dolls and the occasional heavy unit bashing trees down to make itself a path. I briefly wonder if the twins will get knocked out of their tree, but they seem to be fine.

In fact, UMP 45 and 9 are giving us updates through the radio, telling us what the KCCO are doing.

"Hadwin, don't move, there's a soldier approaching to check the buggy. Be still."

"Four Cyclops' to the left of the buggy, scanning the perimeter."

"G11, pull your gun back, it's visible if they shine their flashlights your way."

Lights wash over my face multiple times and it takes every ounce of will, and the fact that I'm dead tired, to not flinch as the bright lights suddenly appear and just as quickly leave.

Now if this was all there was to the 'plan' I think we might have it easy, but this is only phase one. UMP 45 had added a phase two, which is a little bit more complicated than playing dead.

After what feels like hours of listening to the KCCO forces march past, UMP 45 finally says what we've all been waiting for.

"Okay, the rear guard is approaching." UMP 45 announces. "Everyone get ready."

I remain still. I don't know if anyone is looking, so I have to wait until UMP 45 gives the all clear.

A buggy rolls up beside our dead one, slowly rolling past. They're probably getting a good look at use without technically stopping to keep up with the convoy. The KCCO uses the same model as G&K, and they sound the same too. Still, I dare not open my eyes to find out.

"Descending." 9 reports and I realize the plan is in motion.

First, 9 will climb down the tree silently, getting behind the other buggy. 45 will jam any radio communications, and G11 and 416 are tasked with taking out the occupants of the vehicle.

I'm supposed to "sit still and look pretty" until they do everything. I'm not exactly thrilled with that description, but I resign myself to cooperating for the sake of not screwing up their plan.

I risk opening my eyes just a fraction and notice that while 416 hasn't moved, the light has returned to her eyes, the bright green somehow comforting.

A dull Thump comes from behind our buggy and the one next to us pulls to a full halt. That would be 9's work, probably banging her gun on the back of their truck.

The passenger door of the other vehicle opens and I can hear muttering in another language. My guess is that it's Russian, but I'm not a language expert.

Our buggy shifts as 416 starts slithering down off the hood slowly. G11 should also be approaching.

"Hadwin." UMP 45's voice suddenly carries a tone of urgency. "Something's not right. Get ready to grab your weapon."

I carefully grumble into the mic, moving as little as possible. "What's going on?"

"A forward group has stopped moving. I'm tracking their movements and they stopped just inside my sensor range." UMP 45 clarifies. "No reason for them to stop so far out, unless they know we're here."

"...Uh, then-"

B-B-BANG

G11's weapon fires.

"Too late now." UMP 45 sighs.

I open my eyes fully and grab my pistol, glancing out the shattered windshield just in time to see 416 aim her rifle through the front window of the other buggy and pull the trigger. Her rifle's report brings an end to the brief conflict.

The buggy starts letting out a wail as the corpse in the driver seat collapses onto the horn. 416 quickly steps around and yanks the corpse out, but the damage has been done. If the gunshots weren't enough of an indication, this certainly was.

"Multiple enemies inbound." UMP 45 reports grimly. "We need to move."

I clamber out of the first buggy to see G11 and UMP 9 dragging one of the bodies into the forest. I don't know what good hiding it will do at this point, but-

416 appears at my side. "Please get in the driver seat."

"Yeah, of course." I head around to the driver's side… it's covered in blood. Fresh blood, that was in someone else a second ago. For a moment, I stare at it, not wanting to touch it.

But, I have to. I'll feel disgusting until I take a few showers, but I have to.

I gingerly climb into the blood soaked chair, the wetness seeping into my shirt and pants. I try to wipe away as much of it from the controls as I can. Yeah, same control scheme as the other buggies… just labeled in text I can't read.

I turn the engine over, once, twice, and on the third try it starts. It's actually got a decent amount of fuel in it too.

"Hadwin, what's the status of the vehicle?" UMP 45 asks.

"Looks good to go." I say. "Let's move before the reinforcements arrive."

G11 opens the rear passenger door and scrambles in quickly, followed by 9. 416 once again takes the seat behind mine and UMP 45 climbs into the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" I ask the one-eyed doll.

"For now, focus on getting out of here." UMP 45 says. "We need to-"

A spray of bullets slams into the front of the vehicle, UMP 45 pulling me down by the arm to avoid the barrage. She glances at me. "Get ready to go on my mark."

"..."

"Mark!"

I sit up as fast as I can, throwing the vehicle into gear even as I turn the wheel. The hail of bullets had paused as 45 shouted, so I'm at least able to look out over the hood of the vehicle without being immediately shot.

However, I have a new problem.

"45? The headlights are out! I can't see!"

"Verdammt noch mal, here!" She grabs the steering wheel. "I'll steer, you just jam the gas! Get your gun out!"

I fumble my pistol out once again, letting go of the wheel as 45 reaches across. I still can't see for shit-

A bright streak blast past us, searing the image of the trees we're dodging through into my eyes. Looks like the KCCO found more Sangvis weapons.

In the rearview mirror, I can see G11 twisting around in her seat to shoot out the back of the buggy, her rifle braced on the metal tubing. 416 is aiming out her window and UMP 9 is fiddling with a tablet for some reason.

Then a shot from behind takes out the mirror.

I continue to press on the accelerator, hoping as hard as I can that UMP 45 can actually see as well as she claims with her one eye.

Another plasma lance shoots past us and an entirely new pattern of trees is seared into my vision temporarily.

I aim my pistol back and fire a few shots randomly, hoping to discourage any pursuers, maybe tag someone if I get lucky, but it's not in the cards.

Instead, I have to quickly pull my arm back inside as the following KCCO units start firing back.

Bullets shred the cloth canopy and I find myself ducking as low as I can to avoid getting hit.

"On the left!" 416 snaps and I glance out my window to see the single headlight beam of a motorcycle, racing through the forest beside us.

I pull up my pistol and start firing in the general direction of the headlight, emptying the magazine.

One of my last three bullets takes out the headlight, and the forest suddenly goes pitch black again, the motorcycle giving a sickening crunch as the driver crashes into a tree.

"More on the right!"

UMP 9 drops the tablet and whips out her own weapon, firing at some more lights that are chasing us through the forest.

UMP 45's voice sounds tense. "Okay, prepare for everything to get a lot worse."

"What?" I turn to the doll steering from across the car. "Why?"

"We're about to leave the forest." She says.

I look out into the darkness. I can't really tell- Oh. Spoke too soon.

We race out from under the tree canopy onto a meadow of some kind. Here, the first haze of light from the rising sun is illuminating the area, casting a cool blue glow onto the wide open field in front of us. The forest canopy must have been blocking all the light out.

"I… I can drive!" I grab the wheel from UMP 45. "You focus on shooting!"

She grabs her weapon and stands up in her seat, tearing through the remains of the cloth roof. She sprays bullets behind us. I would check what was going on back there, but the mirrors are all shot to pieces.

Okay, just drive.

"Left!" 45 snaps and I jerk the wheel to the left.

"Wha- Verdammt, go right, RIGHT!"

I swerve back, the buggie's right tires leaving the ground temporarily as all the acceleration tries to pull the vehicle over. Thankfully, it holds and comes down on all four tires.

"Next time," I shout over the wind. "Tell me which direction you want to go, not where the enemy is!"

"Less talk, more drive!"

I press the pedal harder. Now that I can see where I'm going, I'm more confident laying into it.

Gunfire rips back behind us and I just have to take it on faith that the dolls are doing okay.

UMP 45 occasionally has me swerve, but before long the firing starts to die down.

I risk twisting back in my seat. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're good." 416 reports.

"A-ok." 9 thumbs up. "They've stopped pursuing for the moment."

"Which means, they're planning something." UMP 45 says. "9, did you get the signal out?"

9 hands the datapad to her sister, who examines it. "Good."

"...So, are we clear?"

"Just keep heading north east." UMP 45 says to me. "The more distance we put between us and them, the better."

"Got it."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see 9 stretch and sag back into her seat. "Finally!"

"Eh?"

"I've been on alert for waaaay too long. I'm starting to run low on charge." She yawns. "I'm gonna sleep to save power. Wake me up if you need me."

UMP 45 purses her lips before twisting back to the other two in the back seat. "You two as well. Save energy for just in case."

"Verstanden." 416 replies shortly.

"Okay…" G11's voice trails off. "But the shocks in this buggy are worse than our old one…"

"Um…" I hesitate, but I turn to 45 all the same. I'm starting to get really tired and talking might help a bit. "What are we going to do about the data?"

She gives me a cold look. "What?"

"...The KCCO location data?" I turn back forward. "N-nevermind."

She sighs. "We never had the data to begin with. We don't need it either. I just had a spare cube on me and decided to bluff. The cube Architect brought out was the real one, I had 9 scramble it after copying it to herself, and then copy the scrambled data to my cube."

"...Uh."

"In the end, we have some of the data, whatever 9 remembers, and neither cube had good data."

"...You four are crazy." I shake my head in amazement.

"I can always drop you off here." She sneers. "You can walk back. It went so well last time."

"...Yeah." That's not what I meant… I decide I'll focus on driving.

After another fifteen minutes of driving, I spot a road. Relishing the idea of getting back onto a real road, I steer towards it and carefully climb the raised pavement onto the smooth surface. Well, relatively smooth. The highways haven't been properly maintained in a long time. It's better than going offroad though, that's for sure.

"Hadwin, how much fuel do we have left?" 45 asks a few minutes after getting on the road.

I check the gauge, before frowning. "That can't be right."

"Hmm?"

"It's reading as mostly empty, but we were at three-quarters tank back in the forest, the other buggy got way better mileage than this." I flick the gauge, but it doesn't look like it's stuck.

"...We might have taken a round to the fuel tank." UMP 45 rubs her nose in annoyance. "We're probably slowly leaking."

"Shit."

"My thoughts exactly." She pulls up the tablet her sister was using earlier. "I hope someone's awake at G&K."

"...Okay." I don't see how that has to do with the tablet-

My confusion must have been plain on my face as she rolls her eye. "They're supposed to be sending us a helo to pick us up. However, I haven't gotten a response back from anyone yet. 9 asked them to stay on standby, so why…"

She trails off into her own thoughts as I continue to drive, now eyeing the fuel gauge as it slowly, yet way too quickly falls closer and closer to empty.

Before long, the motor starts to hiccup and choke, and the buggy rolls to an unceremonious stop. The section of road we're on borders a farm, long since abandoned. There's other farms in the surrounding area, but nothing closer than a kilometer. I kinda wish we had an extra few drops of fuel so we could drive a little closer...

UMP 9 rubs her eyes, waking up since the engine shut off. "Are we there already?"

"Nein." UMP 45 opens her door. "We just ran out of fuel."

"...Oh." 9 frowns.

I get out as well, watching as 45 moves around to the back of the buggy and starts examining the back paneling.

"Scheisse, yeah, see this right here? The fuel tank is right behind here." UMP 45 taps an armor plate with a chunk cut out of it by gunfire. "Looks like they managed to puncture it."

"Lovely." I remark sarcastically. "So now we wait?"

"Ja, and hope G&K can field a helo faster than it takes the KCCO to catch up." She grabs her weapon. "I'm going to go check around that farmhouse, you stay here." She then opens the rear door and grabs 416. "Rise and shine. Time to go scouting."

I almost climb back into the buggy to wait as the purple clothed doll gets to her feet with a nod and heads out, but remember the driver's seat is soaked with blood. Instead, I climb onto the guardrail lining the highway opposite the farmhouse and gaze towards the rising sun.

Before long, 9 joins me. "What are you looking at?"

"The sky."

"Huh." she follows my gaze out towards the reddening sky. "Why?"

"I dunno. I like sunrises, even though I'm usually not awake to see them." A self-deprecating smirk crosses my lips. "Or, I'm too busy being shot at."

"Yeah? I never really thought about it." She ponders the sky as well. "To be honest, it's just kind of red."

I snort. "Well, yeah, but it's a nice red."

"I guess." She drums her fingers on the guard rail. "Say, Haddy, did my sister ever… well, I don't think she would've, but…" She trails off.

"You don't think she would've what?"

9 licks her lips nervously. "Back there, M16 said 45-nee traded one sister for another, or something similar, right?"

I think back. "Yeah, she said something like that." I blink. "Wait, that's weird."

"Yeah…" 9 seems to decide something and sits on the fence post next to mine. "I wonder who M16 was talking about."

I give her a sidelong glance. "Aren't you two twins? Shouldn't you know this?"

She shakes her head. "Not really… I-I'm not really 45-nee's sister."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. 9's being sincere right now. "Well, you're T-dolls."

"Ah, well… dolls that have the same or similar frames consider themselves family, usually." She shrugs dejectedly. "45-nee and I don't even have that."

"...Huh. I wouldn't have been able to tell."

She gives me a pained smile. "You would never mistake me for 45-nee, even if she had her arm back. We don't really look alike. If we were humans, then sure we might look different as twins, but if there's two IOP dolls from the same assembly line they generally look identical."

"Oh… I get it."

She kicks her legs back and forth. "45-nee rescued me."

Her seemingly random remark seems to be loaded with words behind it, so I remain quiet, listening intently as I continue to watch the sky getting brighter.

"I was actually working with doll traffickers when she met me." She laughs quietly. "I tried to knock her out like so many other dolls, but… it's 45-nee."

"Ah."

"Yeah, she turned the tables on me. She could've killed me, but instead she tried to set me straight. I guess I was kinda starstruck and I decided to become her sister. I found a weapon similar to hers, gave myself an over-the-eye scar like hers, and found similar clothes. I even abandoned my name."

"...Huh." I glance at her face, memories clouding her expression. "I think you got the wrong eye."

She smirks. "I did, but I think that's what made her allow me to continue travelling with her. It's what got her to laugh."

"...I can't imagine UMP 45 genuinely laughing."

"She doesn't do it often." 9 nods. "Anyway, 45-nee never talks about what happened to her before I met her. I've been pretending to be her sister ever since that day." She glances back at the dead buggy, where G11 sleeps. "I don't think either G11 or 416 know this story."

I blink. "So just the three of us? UMP 45, you and I?"

"That's right." She smiles at me softly. "Please don't tell the others."

"I… sure, I'll keep it a secret." I frown. "Why did you tell me though?"

"Well… I figured if I told you a little about myself, maybe we could go back to being friends." She slumps down a bit. "I know you don't trust us all that much after… you know."

"Oh." I straighten up. "Er, I should probably apologize. I realize you guys were just trying your best, I was just kinda… pissed off you didn't tell me."

"We were being monitored…" She frowns. "But that's not good enough-"

"No, I figured you were." I cut her off. "I wasn't thinking clearly. I really shouldn't have snapped at you back there." I narrow my eyes. "I still think UMP 45's a bitch, though."

She snorts. "Fair."

"Oh and I also figured out what happened that night."

"Oh?" Her attention turns to me. "What do you mean?"

"Remember I thought you did something to distract the police who were trying to kill me?"

"Ja, but that wasn't me."

"Right, I think it was M16."

"...Weird."

"I know. I'm still trying to figure out why." I scratch my head. "Might've been an accident, wrong place, wrong time kind of situation."

"I doubt it." 9 shakes her head. "Anti-Rain seems pretty competent."

"Well, then it's still a mystery." I shrug.

"Yeah, I guess." She clears her throat. "So, we're back to being friends, right?" Her voice has a desperate undercurrent to it.

"Yeah. Like I said, I'm sorry for reacting the way I did. I should've been more mature about it."

"I see." She nods. "Yes, that's good."

The sun finally rises and I reflexively squint as the blinding light reaches my eyes. 9 also shades her eyes.

"Maybe you have a point. Sunrises can be quite nice." She murmurs.

"Yeah." I climb off the post and stretch.

"Ah, one more thing."

I turn to look at 9 with a questioning expression.

She hops off the fencepost and leans in. "My old name was Reina."

"Reina?"

She blushes. "Yep. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Alright."

She turns around and heads back to the buggy, vaulting over the railing without effort.

...Well, that means I've made up with half of 404.

I have to spend some time with G11 and see if she can forgive me. UMP 45's going to have to wait until I don't want to strangle her.

Speaking of UMP 45…

"Hadwin."

I glance across the road as UMP 45 and 416 approach from the direction of the farmhouse. "UMP 45."

"Farmhouse is clear, but the barn isn't."

"...Okay. What makes it not clear?"

"Looks like this farm used to belong to one of those stubborn folks that didn't want to head to a safe zone when collapse fluid and collapse radiation started spreading in earnest." 416 informs me. "There's some weapons in the barn, we think."

"You think." I repeat her words back to her.

"Yes."

"Alright, do you want to get these weapons or ignore them?"

UMP 45 gestures back down the road the way we came from. "The KCCO are probably still following us and we're so low on ammo that we wouldn't be able to take out a single squad."

"Then let's go grab some." Something's clearly wrong that they're not telling me, or else why wouldn't they have already gotten the ammo? I voice my concern only to have both UMP 45 and 416 look away.

"There's a complication." 416's tone is full of annoyance. "Looks like the farmer's still there."

"...Then, maybe we shouldn't be stealing from him?" I blink. "I get that you want more ammo, but let's not drag him into our problems."

"I don't think he's in a condition to mind." UMP 45 turns back to the farmhouse, glancing back at me. "Follow us."

416 waits for me to hop both guardrails before falling into line beside me. "Be prepared." She mutters.

"For what?"

She refuses to answer, instead gripping her rifle tighter and keeps her eyes moving, looking around for any sign of an attack, for some reason.

UMP 45 stops about six or seven meters from the barn, turning back to watch as the two of us catch up. "Ready?"

"No." I answer, irritation creeping into my voice. "You haven't told me what's going on."

"We're going to meet the farmer." UMP 45 says and then turns around to the main door. Instead of opening it, she knocks twice.

Instead of a voice asking who we are, the barn doors suddenly smash outwards slightly, a chain rattling on the inside holding them shut even under the impact.

"Uh…"

"Oh, don't worry." UMP 45 smirks nastily. "That's just the farmer."

After a brief moment of staring blankly at the door, I pull my pistol out of my tac vest. I wish I had ammo for my M16, since I have a horrible feeling I know who- or rather, what- is on the other side of the door.

UMP 45 steps up to the door once more, this time pulling a knife-like object out of her hip pouch. She presses a button on it and the blade starts glowing a purple-red color as it also starts emitting a high pitched whine.

She jams it into the door and the old wood starts to smoke.

Beside me, 416 adjusts her body into a combat stance, bringing her weapon up. I do the same, holding the pistol ready to fire. Safety's off… I also keep it aimed over UMP 45's head so I don't accidentally shoot her. As hilarious as the thought of shooting her now and being done with it is, I don't think now's the time.

I can hear the chain falling to the floor behind the door and UMP 45 leaps away as the thing behind the door bursts out of the newly freed doors.

Grey, dried out skin, green puss leaking out of gaping sores, and what looks like rocky protrusions jut out from random places. It's dressed in overalls and a button shirt that are both faded with time, and, most worryingly, it has a hunting rifle in its hands.

416 opens up on the form immediately, gun roaring to life.

Despite 416's barrage, the form continues to stagger towards us, waving its gun around and moaning. It completely ignores the bullets riddling it's body.

After a brief moment of surprise, I start squeezing the trigger of my own weapon, a few extra bullets impacting the walking corpse as it continues it's implacable walk.

416 curses in german and swaps magazines, UMP 45's weapon joins mine in spewing hot metal at the creature.

Once it gets about four meters away, it stops moving forwards and lifts the rifle up with one hand in our general direction.

"MOVE!" 416 grabs my arm and yanks me to the side as the form squeezes the trigger on its own weapon, firing a shot roughly where I had been a second before.

"It… It can operate a gun?!" I ask incredulously.

"Ja, so keep moving!"

I run around in an arc, trying to get around behind it while firing blindly, but it turns to follow me. Once I reach UMP 45, I stop so as not to cross her line of fire. She only lets up once we see 416 finally finish her interrupted reload and dashes forwards, stuffing the barrel of her gun under the thing's chin and blowing its head clean off.

Well… not clean. Black sludge spews out and 416 has to backpedal rapidly to avoid getting covered in it.

I look down at my USP and realize the slide is locked back, signifying I was out of ammo myself. "Holy shit."

"Ja, they're pretty resilient." UMP 45 comments casually.

"That was an ELID?"

"Oh? You knew what it was?"

I nod absentmindedly, still staring at my gun. "I've seen… well, cartoon versions of that in school. They taught us what it was, but I've never seen a real one before." I shudder.

416 gives herself a quick inspection, and finding none of the foul liquid on herself, walks up to the two of us. "We should see if we can find more ammo inside."

"Ja." UMP 45 turns to face into the barn. "Weapons live, girls. Don't want to be caught unaware."

"...Does that include me?" I mutter, already loading my last magazine into my pistol.

UMP 45 leads the slow procession into the barn, 416 and I turning this way and that, looking around for more ELIDs. It's dark in here, but there's enough gaps in the roof and walls that the early morning light seeps in. There's even some stairs leading up into a loft area, but UMP 45 steers clear of it.

After we check a few old horse stalls, one of which has a horse skeleton, UMP 45 finally speaks up. "I think we're clear."

I lower my pistol so it's pointed at the floor, but I don't tuck it away. "You sure?"

"No." She shrugs. "But I'm reasonably sure that we're good for the moment. I saw some workbenches, a reloading table, and ammo casings back there. Let's see what we can scrounge up."

"Reasonably sure. Right." I shake my head. "That's not exactly comforting."

416 turns to me as we walk back in the indicated direction. "What's worrying is that we found an ELID at all."

"What do you mean?"

"If we were in a zone that was swept before, there wouldn't have been an ELID alive in a place this obvious." 416 explains. "So, there must not have been a sweep in this area."

"Meaning," UMP 45 picks up where 416 left off even while picking her way over to the nearest workbench. "There could be any number of them outside, since this area hasn't been purged."

"Well that's comforting." I add as much sarcasm I can to my voice.

"416, here's some 5.56 for you and Hadwin." UMP 45 pulls out a cardboard box, stained with oil, water, and grease but still holding some unpolished brass bullets.

It's… not a comforting amount.

"This is it?" 416 asks, echoing my worries. "I spent more than this to take down the farmer."

"Unfortunately." UMP 45 pokes around a bit more. "Ah, here's some 9mm."

"At least 9's set." 416 grumbles, pulling out a magazine and slotting the farmer's bullets into her weapon's ammo containers.

"My USP is 9mm, right?" I ask.

"It is." UMP 45 hands me another dirty cardboard box with substantially more ammo in it. "Take this out to 9. Prioritize her with ammo, fill yours after hers. We'll see if we can scrounge up more."

"Okay."

It occurs to me as I step out into the light, that I've been taking UMP 45's orders without question again. I really shouldn't just do what she says… but now's really not the time to question things. Maybe when we get back to base and have a few dozen T-dolls backing me. And a few energy shields. And maybe Gentiane-

UMP 9 pokes her head out of the buggy as I approach. "Everyone okay?"

"Yeah, just encountered an ELID." I can't help but shudder again. "Here, we found ammo."

"Oh! Nice." She climbs down off the vehicle and grabs the box. "Not the best quality. Looks like it was hand loaded."

"That's because it was." I say. "Also, there might be more ELIDs in the area, so keep a lookout."

"Alright." She pulls a bunch of her magazines out and hands one to me. "Help me reload?"

"Sure."

We sit down beside the buggy and start loading the ammo into the magazines, the sun shining and a brisk breeze making the repetitive task seem almost pleasant.

A few minutes go by before UMP 45 and 416 return, a few cardboard boxes and one ammo can held in their arms. UMP 45 also has an unfamiliar gun under her arm.

"What's that, 45-nee?" 9 asks, pointing to the new gun.

"A home-made MAC-10." UMP 45 sets down her boxes and produces the weapon. "Probably not legal, but who cares?"

"..." UMP 9 looks at the magazines we're loading. "Who's it for?"

"Unfortunately, this farmer never made any .45 auto." UMP 45 shrugs. "So I'm going to use some of those 9mm bullets in this."

416 sets down her burden as well. "We also found this sawed-off shotgun."

I scratch my chin, only realizing that I was getting grease on my face after the fact. "What kind of shotgun?"

"...Sawed-off." 416 repeats.

"It's a boomstick." UMP 45 starts rifling through some of the other boxes, pulling out more 9mm bullets. "Again, a home-made weapon."

"Who's gonna use that?" I ask, only to have 416 stuff it into my arms.

"You are."

"Oh."

UMP 45 nudges one of the boxes with her foot. "Here's some shells. Load as much as you can into your tac vest."

"If you're using that, we can let 45 and 9 use the 9mm, and you and I can have seperate ammo pools." 416 tells me. "At least, until I'm forced back into using my pistol."

"Good idea." I open the box UMP 45 had pushed my way and start loading the rounds into my vest's loops like I had seen in movies.

G11 pokes her head out. "...What's going on?"

"We got stranded." UMP 45 informs the youngest looking member of 404. "We expect the KCCO to get here soon and this area is probably infested with ELIDs."

G11 looks to 416, who gives a sharp nod in confirmation. "...I'm going back to sleep."

"Oh, no you won't." 416 snaps. "Get out here. I know you still have ammo left."

"B-but, I don't wanna fight ELIDs!"

"Do you think we do?"

I turn to 9. "What kind of ammo does G11 use?"

"Eh, some expensive specialized stuff. No chance of finding that here."

"I see."

Suddenly, both UMP 45 and 9 jerk upright, eyes looking at the same spot on the buggy. UMP 45 reaches in and snatches the tablet they had been messing around with earlier.

"What's it say?" I ask after the two stare at it for a few seconds, UMP 9 staring up through the back of the casing so clearly just connecting to it and not actually looking at it.

"G&K has sent a helo to our location." UMP 45 reports. "ETA is twenty minutes."

"...That's a lot shorter than I expected."

"It's because it was already on the way and diverted to our new location." UMP 45 says, throwing the datapad back into the buggy. "And I'm worried it's not going to be soon enough."

"Why not?" 9 asks, finishing loading her second magazine. "Has the KCCO shown up?"

"Nein." UMP 45 loads her new MAC-10's magazines with a new sense of urgency. "But I can see some ELIDs moving in the treeline."

I twist around and study the treeline behind the farmhouse, and sure enough, there's something moving out there. I can't tell exactly what with the long shadows cast by the morning sun, but from the way they lurch around…

I start loading the rounds into 9's magazine faster.

"They must have been attracted to the sound of gunfire." 416 notes. "I didn't see any wandering around before."

"We weren't exactly looking for them though." UMP 45 comments.

"Can we hide from them?" I ask.

"We could try to hide in the farmhouse." UMP 45 muses. "The problem with ELIDs is that they can perform some simple actions, like firing a gun or opening doors." She gives me a sarcastic grin. "Because aiming a gun is so simple a monkey could do it."

"Hey, I'm not the one trying to go into combat without a firearms core." I snap at her.

"It's a fire control core, and somehow I still aim better than you do." She snips back.

"I wish they were like the flying dead." G11 whimpers. "Those ones can't do anything but fly."

"About that." I turn to G11, who's still cowering in the buggy. "How exactly do the dead fly?"

"Well…"

"ANYWAY!" UMP 45 raises her voice over G11's. "We're going up to the roof of the farmhouse."

"We are?" 9 asks.

"Yes. From there, we can fire down on the approaching ELIDs, and the helo can get to us without risking the ELIDs grabbing onto it."

I swallow, my throat suddenly dry. I may not have seen G11's favorite show, but I have watched a zombie movie or two in my time. Escaping the dead is always a harrowing experience.

"Let's grab the boxes and get up there." 416 says, eyeing the treeline again. Now, there's more movement to be seen.

I scoop up as much as I can, grabbing my backpack as well, and the five of us trudge forwards towards the farmhouse.

I can see some ELIDs start filtering out of the treeline as we get closer. The ones that spot us with their weird eyes start heading our way and we put a little speed into our steps.

UMP 45 and 416 already cleared the house before, so we make a beeline for the stairs leading to the second floor, and from there 416 leads us to a balcony at the back of the building.

"Okay, Commander first." She indicates, setting down her burden and kneeling, her hands already cupping to boost me up.

UMP 45 rolls her eyes. "He's not your commander."

"He's our commander." 9 nods. "Haddy, hurry up."

I set down my box even as 45 glares at her sister.

416 boosts me up to the roof and I scramble up, fighting for a handhold. Once I finally get to my feet on the gentle slope, I look around at the surrounding area. It's actually a pretty nice view.

"Hey, 'commander'." UMP 45's voice is dripping with sarcasm. "Grab some of these boxes."

"Ah, right."

I grab the boxes as they lift them up, and once everything's on the roof I help them climb up themselves. For being made of metal, they're not really that heavy.

...S.A.T. must be half armor.

Once everyone's on the roof, the dolls start loading the 9mm ammo we dragged up to the roof into spare magazines and tucking it into pouches. I end up giving 416 my spare, empty magazines, so she won't run out so quickly. For my part, I sit down and pull off my backpack. I'm starting to get hungry and tired, but it's not like I'll be getting any of the latter any time soon.

"Don't open that up." UMP 45 commands as I pull out my second to last MRE.

"Why not?"

"The helo's coming in fifteen minutes and I need you on high alert until we're safely away."

"..." I tuck the MRE back into my pack without a word.

9's head suddenly twists around. "Uh oh."

"Hmm?" I turn to look the way she's looking even as the four dolls plaster themselves to the roof and aim their weapons over the ridge of the roofline.

"Helo!"

"...You said fifteen minutes."

"That's not G&K!" 416 hisses. "It's KCCO!"

I Immediately set the backpack down and lie down next to 416, watching the helo approach at a rapid pace. "What can we do?"

"Against a helicopter?" She shakes her head. "Small arms fire isn't likely to work. You'd have to score a lucky hit on the rotor or snipe the pilot."

UMP 45 turns to G11. "I hope you're ready."

G11 doesn't respond, eyes fully awake and sighting the helo through her weapon.

416 turns back to me. "Or, we could have G11 shoot it down."

"Wha-"

The helo flies over the buggy, and G11's weapon blasts to life, sending one, two, three bursts towards the helo.

The helo's motor starts whining, and it starts to veer to the side, before losing altitude at an increasingly rapid pace.

"Holy shit." I push myself into a sitting position. "Nice shooting, G11!"

"Eh heh heh." She smiles, returning to sleepy mode. "Thanks."

The helo crashes down, not exploding, but the rotor starts digging into the ground spraying dirt fifty meters in the air.

Then one of the blades snaps in half and is thrown into the side of the barn, crashing through the rotting wood with ease, tearing a hole clean through.

"Well, now the KCCO knows our position." UMP 45 says.

"Were there any survivors?" 9 asks, peering over the ridge.

"Not for long." 416's lip curls.

I watch as a pilot and another soldier climb out of the helo, only to have ELIDs start charging them. The helo has made a lot of noise when it went down, and for now they're the easier targets for the walking corpses. The two KCCO troops produce weapons and start firing at the incoming creatures, but there's too many of them for the two to handle and they're overwhelmed quickly.

Once the first ELID reached them, I had to look away, ducking behind the roof. I don't think I can stand to watch what comes next.

416 and the twins don't look away, but G11 also ducks down and climbs over to me, ending up burying her face in my shirt.

I pat her head absentmindedly, trying unsuccessfully to mentally block out the blood-curdling screams of the dying soldiers.

"More KCCO." 9 reports. "Look like a bunch of Cyclops, Aegis, and infantry. Oh, and a Hydra."

The screaming has stopped, so I risk looking over the ridge of the roof once more.

Sure enough, there's a bunch of forest green units marching down the road from where we came. The peak of the Hydra stands taller than anything else in the unit and I imagine the earth shaking with every step.

Looks like the ELIDs can also see the incoming enemy, charging from the downed helo towards the new arrivals.

The KCCO units hold fire until the ELIDs are within 10 meters, and then all at once they open up with their weapons. I don't know what the hell kind of firearms they have, but they chew through the ELIDs a lot faster than ours do. They barely pause their march to fire before continuing.

Though their ELID destruction is actually really loud, and this has the perhaps predictable result of drawing even more ELIDs out of the forest, and faster. They continue the push, eventually reaching the downed helo and the mangled corpses of their comrades.

Then one of the soldiers looks up and spots us on the roof.

I immediately duck down as a hail of gunfire is suddenly sent our way.

That's not to say they stopped firing at the ELIDs, gunfire clearly not directed at us still going strong, but a not-insignificant portion of them did redirect their aim.

Bullets rip through the air just overhead and I start to wonder if the roof will stop rounds punching through both sides and into me.

"Hadwin!" 45 shouts over the radio, once again forgoing actually speaking. "Prepare to return fire!"

"I have a shotgun!" I yell back. "Close range!"

"I know! Some of the KCCO units just charged this building! Get to the balcony and make sure nobody gets up here!"

"Roger!" I slide down the roof carefully towards the balcony we had used to climb up. I wasn't exactly paying attention, but there's only this one balcony, right?

I peek over the edge to double check and come face to face with a surprised soldier.

I jerk back as he brings his gun up and fires a burst of bullets, scrambling as the metal punches straight through the wooden wall and up through the roof.

I ready my double barrel shotgun and poke it over the edge and blind fire twice.

A scream of pain follows the twin blast and I figure that means I hit him.

I crack open the breach of the shotgun and the two shells pop out, rolling off the roof. I pull two new rounds off my vest and stick them into the breach before closing it.

"SCHIESSE! DUCK!"

I turn around in time to see all of 404 sliding down the roof at a breakneck speed.

Then, I see the Hydra's spire over the edge of the roof oriented in a way that means it's aiming at us, it's top cannons moving around to find a lock.

Then, the road-facing side of the house explodes.

I'm not sure if I mean literally, or if it was just a massive volley of fire that tore right through the building, but in any case, the entire building started to shift.

416 loads a grenade into the launcher she pulled from her bag and fires it in an arc over the roof, where it impacts the Hydra.

Aside from some scorch marks, the Hydra looks perfectly fine.

"The fuck!" I yell.

"We can't deal with that!" UMP 9 yells. "We gotta get off the roof!"

"Nein!" UMP 45 yells. "ELIDs are swarming this way, ready up!"

I peek over the top ridge at the Hydra and realize it's backing up.

In fact, all of the KCCO are retreating. UMP 45 and 9 are firing at them, but the bullets aren't concentrated enough to bring down any of the KCCO units.

It looks like they retrieved their corpses and turned around to leave.

However, the Hydra had made its mark. The entire front of the farmhouse has been shredded to bits and, as I stand on the top, I can feel it swaying underneath me. Among the debris is the ruins of the staircase. Normally, this would be a bad thing, but since we're waiting for rescue by helicopter, that just means the ELIDs would have a harder time getting to us.

And that would be true if that same debris hadn't basically provided the ELIDs with handholds and footholds to clamber up to us.

UMP 45 stops firing at the KCCO after a few more seconds, once the bullets completely stop impacting their intended targets. "Get ready!"

I grab two more shells off of my tactical rig preemptively and poke the gun over the apex.

The first ELID up gets a faceful of buckshot and falls backwards into another ELID. I aim at a second creature and blast it away as well, then quickly reload as the rest of 404 joins me in firing at the encroaching enemies.

The KCCO unit retreats down the road about a kilometer as we continue to fire into the growing crowd of ELIDs. It's only once I was reloading for the tenth or twelfth time that I noticed they had stopped retreating. The ELIDs are mostly clustering around us, so they're only firing when one of them gets close.

"...They're abandoning us to the ELIDs." I state out loud, realizing what's going on. "They want to watch us die."

"We did it first." UMP 45 comments, but unloading her MAC-10 into an ELID's face. "So, no complaining."

"Fuck. FUCK!"

I fire my gun into the next two ELIDs to crest the top of the roof and carefully reload. The barrels are starting to get really hot from my relentless firing.

The radio buzzes in my ear with a voice I don't recognize. "404, this is skyhawk."

"Skyhawk, we read you." UMP 45's responds quickly.

"We've got a visual." Skyhawk continues. "Coming in hot."

"We've got KCCO, including a Hydra, a klick out." UMP 45 warns the helo. "Better make it fast."

"Copy."

I glance around and spot a helicopter coming in from the northwest. It's indeed coming in fast.

However, I don't have the luxury to watch it come in. I go back to sweeping anything stupid enough to poke it's head over the roof.

Worryingly, the ELID corpses are starting to pile up and provide a faster route up to our position, meaning I have to load new shells into the chambers faster and faster, and the metal's starting to get really hot.

G11's gun stops firing. "I'm… out of ammo." She says, dread edging into her voice.

"Then guide the helo in!" UMP 45 snaps.

The helicopter's blades cut through the air, the sound mixing with the gunfire as it approaches.

We all back up to the edge of the roof, ELIDs cresting the top like whack-a-moles, only to be violently put down by UMP 45, 416, or me. 9 and G11 are busy guiding the helo down, waving it closer to the roof.

When it gets close enough, UMP 45 stops firing and steps over to her sister. 416 also steps up to G11.

They each grab their respective charges and toss them unceremoniously into the helo, where some more dolls are waiting to catch them. I think I spotted SV-98 among them, firing her rifle at some ELIDs I can't see from my position.

Fire out of the side door of the aircraft is helpful, but makes it harder for us three to get close.

I reload once more and watch as 416 manages to leap over onto the fuel pod.

So. Now it's just 45 and I.

I fire my shotgun once more, noting how the barrel has a slightly reddish glow. "45, hurry up and get on."

"Me?" She barks a laugh. "G&K didn't authorize a helo to get me back."

"Just hurry the hell up!"

"Hadwin, you're going first." She steps up next to me. "So just get on-"

"INCOMING!"

I'm not sure who yelled, but the helicopter suddenly veers away from the roof in a crushing blast of air that almost knocks me off the roof, and a missile streaks through the air mere meters from me, where the helo had been a second ago.

45 and I turn back and start firing at the ELID horde, which is now even larger and coming even faster. I load two more shells into the shotgun and fire them immediately, UMP 45 pulling the last magazine off of her belt to load into the home-made MAC-10.

The helicopter swerves back to the roof and UMP 9 pokes herself out. "Jump!"

"45, GO!" I yell, seeing she's exhausted her last mag. "You're out!"

UMP 45 turns back towards the helicopter and narrows her eye. "Well, if you're not gonna jump yourself…" I realize what she's doing quickly, as if the world had slowed down to give me time to think.

She's gonna push me out to the helicopter. 9 will catch me. But, she's gonna be stranded.

Yeah, no.

She sprints my direction, shoulder down to bullrush me off the roof and into 9's arms.

At the last second, I sidestep, grabbing the front of her blouse and using her own momentum to launch her back towards the helicopter.

"HADWIN!" Her anger reaches me through the earpiece and through the air, meaning she actually just yelled at me.

I glanced back and confirm 9 caught her properly.

Good.

Two more trigger pulls and two more dead ELIDs.

The helicopter swings in closer for one last pass.

I load the next two shells into my shotgun, aim, and pull the trigger.

For the briefest fraction of a second, nothing happens.

And then it explodes.

The shell, heated by the barrel of the shotgun, must have overpressured causing the gun to detonate. I involuntarily drop the gun, take a step back… and fall off the roof.

For a second, all I see is the sky and the underside of the helo, the next I slam into the balcony, two meters down. I landed on my backpack and inside something definitely went crunch. At least, I hope it was in the backpack and not in my spine. The wind gets knocked out of me and I curl up into a ball.

"Commander, get up!" 416 yells through the radio. "ELID's closing in on the balcony!"

"Pilot, go down!" UMP 45 orders.

"We can't go any lower!" The pilot responds. "The blades will hit the building!"

"Commander!" 416 insists. "Get up or you're going to get surrounded!"

"Ow." I grumble. I just want to close my eyes and go to sleep…

"Hadwin, get up or I'm leaping back out of this helicopter to get you!" 45 snarls.

Wait, that would be bad.

I slowly climb to my feet, still sucking air, but up.

I don't have my shotgun anymore, but I pull out my pistol and check my last mag.

One. Final. Magazine.

Better make it count.

"...Hadwin, listen carefully." 45's voice is cold as ice.

"Yeah."

"You have to get up to the top of the barn. The Hydra's trying to flank us and there's no way for you to get to the top of this building with all the ELIDs up there."

"Okay." I try taking some deeper breaths, but my lungs still hurt like a bitch.

"NOW!"

An ELID appears in the doorway leading inside from the balcony, before a bullet whips past my head and takes it out.

SV-98's voice comes through the radio. "Commander, I've got your back."

"Glad to... have you." I grit my teeth, take a deep painful breath, then charge through the door.

Of course, there's ELIDs all through the building. I charge past them, beating at the grasping claws with the pistol, firing at two that get in my way, staggering them enough to slip by.

By the time I reach the front half of the house, the helo's swept around and the T-dolls are firing out the side, clearing me a path.

I run harder than I've ever run before, stepping on the ELID corpses and almost falling down the mound in my haste to make it to the barn... one hundred meters away.

"I really should've taken track in high school." I say to myself, already feeling my legs starting to burn.

"Well, if we make it back, we'll add physical fitness to the training regime." UMP 45 snarks.

"Shut… up…" I gasp out.

"You've got this, Commander." 416's voice comes over. "Keep running."

I risk glancing up at the helo, which is sliding sideways, the doll's open door facing me so they can fire at the ELIDs closest to me. It's hovering up a bit higher, to avoid hitting the barn.

"Another rocket!" 9 shouts and the helo once more makes evasive maneuvers.

This removes my fire support.

Despite the ELIDs closing in, I make it to the barn.

As I enter, UMP 45's voice returns. "Don't stop, don't look back. Head to the back, there's a set of stairs leading up to the loft. Take them."

"FUCK FUCK FUCK!"

"I'll take that as an agreement."

I fire two rounds into an ELID that had wandered into the barn earlier, stumbling the ELID and running past. Because of that rotor that had crashed through her earlier, there's a lot more light than before and I'm able to see the staircase this time.

I'm also able to see that the helo blade from the KCCO helicopter crash had taken out a portion of the stairs up.

"The staircase is broken!"

"You've got no choice. Jump it." UMP 45's voice is perfectly cold and calculated. "You have ELID's on your heels."

"FUUUUCK!" I charge up the steps three at a time, turn at the first landing, and run as fast as I can towards the broken set of stairs.

My foot hits the last step before what looks like a five step gap-

And the board splinters under my weight. I barely get any height and instead continue forwards.

My hands scrabble in the air and I barely snag my arm onto the bottom step of the top half of the staircase. Due to the impact, I lose my USP, dropping it into the darkness below.

An ELID slams into my back, having charged off the staircase after me, but not having the presence of mind to stop itself from falling. The others stop, before turning around and heading back down the stairs.

I look down to see where they're going… they're all climbing onto the furniture and each other below me to get to me.

I desperately swing back and forth building momentum so I can swing my leg up and hook it onto the step. Thankfully, these steps don't have kickstops so I can hang off of them for a minute while I get myself up.

"Commander?" 416's voice comes through, a bit plaintive.

"Hold on, I'm working on it." I finally manage to wrestle myself up on top of the first step and glance down once again.

The ELIDs claw over each other to get to me, building a tower of grey, hardened flesh.

"Okay, don't look back." I mutter to myself.

I charge up the rest of the stairs until I get to a hatch that leads out onto the top of the roof.

I open the hatch to see the helo dodging a third incoming missile and I trace the trail back to the Hydra, which is closing in.

The door opens back up as it lowers down to the level of the barn roof, the UMP twins are standing there, both with one of their arms outstretched each, the other hooked around the helo's frame to brace themselves.

"JUMP!" 45 orders.

I sprint forward as fast as my legs will take me, bending down at the edge of the roof to try to catapult myself the meter's distance.

The twins each grab one of my arms, hauling me into the helo.

416 slams the door shut and turns to the pilot. "GO GO GO!"

I collapse to the floor, breath coming in short gasps.

"We made it." 9 starts laughing uncontrollably. "I- I can't believe it! We made it!"

The helo jerks as one last missile shoots past us and 9 is almost knocked off her feet.

"Don't jinx it." 416 hisses.

9 clamps a hand over her mouth and we sit in relative silence as the helo stabilizes.

Before too long, the pilot's voice can be heard. "KCCO just dropped off the radar, we're good."

The collective sigh of relief was palpable.

9 collapses into one of the chairs along the back wall. "I never want to do that again."

I open my eyes from my position on the floor. "So, same time next week?"

UMP 45 laughs. "No, no, let's not go dodging ELIDs. I've had my fill as well."

UMP 9 looks at her sister curiously.

"Good." 416 gets out of her seat and kneels down beside me. "Are you okay, Commander?"

"Yeah… just tired." I close my eyes again. "So… fuckin' tired."

"Here." She lifts my head and maneuvers her legs under to give me a lap pillow.

Normally, this would get my heart racing, but her legs are so soft and I'm sooo tired…

The real world fades away, and the world of dreams claims me as its own.

---

Author's note: Fuck Polarized Light. It's coarse and rough and gets everywhere and IT ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER. (Just like your chapters -Beta Reader)

How am I supposed to plan my story when they only give me five minutes of story at a time?

It killed like five of my plot threads too. I'm not bitter, you're bitter.

Also, this isn't the end of arc 2. This is just a step forward.

Beta Reader Notes: This guy finished the P.L. story in one day. ONE DAY.

I had to take a half a week to finish cause I totally wasn't lazy half the time and it TOTALLY was because of work and studies...