Chapter 22 - M4

M4 ran as hard as she could. It wasn't far now. It wouldn't be long now. The enemy was getting closer. Never within striking distance, but always a threat. M4 stopped to catch her breath and refocus her map. She'd have to pass through the heart of S9. It would take her right to the safe house. And even though several Griffon outposts were nearby, she couldn't endanger anyone else. She was on her own. If she couldn't keep her own team safe, she couldn't endanger any more strangers. So she ran, avoiding SF and Griffon patrols alike.

"M4A1…" a rough voice spoke through her communicator. "I've almost caught up to you!" The Ringleader signature had closed in during her brief pause. "Be a good princess and DIE ALREADY!" The Ringleader was gaining. M4 was frozen.

"Do I run? How much longer can I keep this up?" She spoke to herself as she ran. Her mind and body were starting to wear out. She hadn't rested in days. She barely had any ammo left. And now a pursuit Ringleader had found her.

"Ah! Look at that, I can see you now. I'll deal with you first, then the bastards that did in Scarecrow." M4 glanced behind her and saw a small black figure on the horizon. She had hours before she'd be in combat distance. M4 swallowed hard and kept running dead ahead. Sangvis units began activating all around her.

"M16...STAR...SOPMOD...I won't give up...but where can I go? What can I do? I wish you were here…" she increased her speed and tried to put distance between herself and the enemy. That was all she could do.

Ursula jumped out of the helicopter as soon as it touched down and began to issue orders. She put on an armored vest and took a spare rifle. Not that she intended to fight, but she wanted to be ready. SAR21 stood close to her and linked up with the rest of her team. Sangvis forces were activating and gathering. Almost as if they were responding to something or someone. "SAR, intercept the scout units."

"Yes, Commander. Engaging." The combat team rushed off towards the enemy. A loud voice came over the communicator.

"Hey, hey, hey! Commander~" M9 basically yelled into the radio, "What are my orders?"

"Miss Thompson, please do your best to lock down the enemies long-range forces. The Jaegers specifically. Bryant always hated fighting them, and he probably had a good reason." A more calm voice replied to Ursula while M9 kept talking in the background.

"Yeah, got it boss. M14 and M21 will stay on overwatch. The rest of us will keep them inside the killzone." Thomspon cut off M9's protests. Ursula turned to the comms team she brought. All of them were dependable A-Dolls, and they were blindingly fast at distributing orders and information reports. USP was assisting them, along with the rest of the T-Dolls from Bryant's team.

"Alright ladies: let's take care of business. Open up a line with Miss Helianthus." The team nodded and got to work. The line was established. "Ma'am, were are ready to begin the operation." There was a click as the static cleared.

"Good luck and Godspeed. Bring M4 back home." Helian closed the line, but was no doubt watching from headquarters. This was probably just as taxing on her as it was on Ursula. The whole operation - and likely all of Griffon - rest on their shoulders. The operation had to go smoothly.

The sounds of gunfire picked up as SAR's team engaged the enemy. Thompson's team was holding one of the choke points, and the few combat teams Ursula could scrounge together were keeping SF busy. The communication Outpost was buzzing. Dolls looking for new orders, sitreps, and search reports: the amount information would have required dozens of humans to keep track of. The small team did their best and kept efficiency at seventy-five percent. Far above their average.

USP finished with a request for resupply when a private request came to her from Level I. She hesitated, but answered. "Um...hello?" There was a raspy breath on the other end.

"Oh. Hey. It worked." Bryant mumbled. He sounded completely delirious. "Been trying … to get ya….for an hour."

"C-c-commander!?" USP shrieked and stood up. "W-w-what are you doing?!"

"Commiting war crimes…" he mumbled again and put a marker on USP's GPS. "Dinergates...take Spectre...call me back…" he trailed off and she lost the signal. USP took a long look at the marker. It was close: almost ontop of them. USP ran out of the base and looked in the distance. A dozen or so Dinergates were bounding towards them. The defense team wasn't ready, so a small force of these drones could destroy the Command Center. USP ran back inside and grabbed Spectre.

The Submachine Gun doll was less-than pleased to stomp out a few Dinergates, but they were able to handle it nicely. The ones that survived turned tail and ran the other way, which was expected. USP called Bryant while Spectre poked a Dinergate with a stick. "Commander: the enemy had been taken care of."

"Huh? Oh? Yeah, 'gates." Bryant mumbled. He took a sharp breath and hissed out a jumbled curse. "Ah. Better-" USP yelped as Spectre shot the downed drone.

"Sorry, it moved."

"USP...open up a...wide range communication."

"Commander, th-thats r-really unsafe."

"It's okay, I have about two seconds…" she heard some slow typing, "now, love." He took a deep breath and USP opened the connection. After a second, Bryant spoke.

"Attention Tactical Doll M4A1." He said. His voice sounded significantly better, less weak. He was obviously putting on a show, but it was an impressive one. "SF forces are closing in. Zone 5 is being secured as we speak…" USP opened a set of coordinates Bryant had sent. "SF won't have the passcode for the safehouse, but they're close enough to follow you. Meet up with my team, and the team led by Commander Ursula at the coordinates and wait."

There was a pause so Bryant could breathe. "We're coming for you: don't give up." USP had to shutdown the channel. "Did we get it out?"

"I th-think so. C-commander?"

"Rejoin Ursula's offensive...I'll be...coordinating...from…" he trailed off and the line went quiet. USP sighed, but orders were orders. She ran off towards the frontline, quietly praying to avoid the enemy. Spectre was with her, at least. Neither of them had much combat experience.

They passed by the larger squads, leaving then for SAR and Thompson's teams. Instead, they focused on destroying the smaller forces of drone units. It was a good way to warm up for bigger fights. USP sent a copy of Bryant's message to Ursula, who decided it was best to follow his lead. She rearranged her squads and began a push towards the rally point.

USP slowed a bit as her neural cloud seized up. Something was wrong again. She was picking up several signals from well outside her usual range. Most were SF, there was one that was neither SF nor Griffon. Friendly, but not familiar. USP shook her head and willed herself to stand. She had a lock on the signals.

SAR made a call to Ursula as soon as USP shared the data. "Commander, I think we have a lock on M4A1's signal. We are closing in now."

"Right," Ursula responded, "I'm on my way. Keep her safe at all costs! I'll be at the rally point in sixty minutes." SAR acknowledged and ended the call.

"Miss USP, miss Spectre: please join my team until the end of this mission." The two dolls agreed and synced up with SAR. They hurried off and waited at the safehouse. The enemy was not prepared to make a move here, so the team set up defensive lines, barricades, and other countermeasures against SF infantry.

The drum of their overwatch faded as Thompson's team moved up to support them. Twenty minutes passed without incident. A T-Doll appeared over the horizon, coming into sensor range. An unknown doll, no doubt their rescue target. M4 saw the small encampment and changed course towards them. Another ten minutes passed.

M4 was nearly at the destination, when another figure appeared in the distance. As it entered sensor range, SF units began activating around SAR's team. Everyone paused as a call came through all open channels.

"Griffon Scum and the princess all in one place! It's my lucky day!" The enemy Ringleader picked up speed. More SF units activated and began to swarm the defensive tram. Orders were given, but help was still several minutes out. "I am Ringleader Executioner of Sangis Ferri! And today is your last day on Earth!"