Somewhere In The Jungle Part of Heaven
"GAH!"
As we open this chapter. The sound of splashing was soon followed by a drenched Octavia shooting her head out of the water. With a loud gasp of breath. And, once she had surfaced. the owl is seen gasping for sweet oxygen.
With as much strength she could muster. Octavia managed to swim for the river bank. Once she was on the grassy surface of the land she had swum towards. She began to cough and splutter to get the remnants of water out of her lungs.
"Dex?" Coughing "Loona?"
"Over here!"
That was all the owl needed to hear. Seeing the hellhound coughing and by herself, however, was not what she wanted to see.
"Dex!?"
This causes Loona to wonder where the male had gone as well. She had the injured soldier with her when the three went over the waterfall after their whole squadron was captured earlier. Deciding to be the level-headed one of the trios, Loona shakes Octavia and tells her to 'get a hold of herself' before they even begin to look for Dex.
Luckily for the two females. They didn't have to go far when they heard a male groan next to the rock away from the river bank. Octavia had broken from Loona's grip and sprinted/limped towards the mechanic of the team.
"DEXTER!"
Dex, as shown when he looks at the owl and then the hellhound coming towards him, is seen to be woozy, and his vision is shown to be foggy as he has to focus his eyes to even see the two females walking towards him.
"Tavia? Loona?"
A wince of pain is what was needed to snap the male back into reality. The bullet that had clipped Dex's ankle. The metal object had made a mess of the appendage at the bottom of his right leg. The bone was completely shattered. And, a clean hole can be seen with pieces of bone sticking out from where the ankle once connected the foot and the leg.
The sight alone was enough to make the young owl throw up behind some bushes. While the owl was doing that. Loona had a look through her rucksack for any medical supplies she might have had. Unfortunately, she didn't have anything on her in terms of medical supplies. That stuff was always by Millie and Snow for stuff like this. She had to find something to work with.
"Take this."
This caused Loona to look at Dex like he was crazy. In Dex's right hand, laid his tank top that was under the armour he was wearing. Somehow, Dex had managed to take off the light armour he was wearing, without moving his right leg, to give Loona the piece of fabric.
"Use my tank top to stop the blood flow. It'll keep what's left of my ankle in place."
Loona nods. Setting to work on the male. Octavia manages to stop puking at the gruesome sight at the bottom of Dex's right leg long enough to bright red. She had copped an eyeful of her boyfriend without a shirt on for the first time in the daylight. And, well, it is almost comical how she tried to hide her blush and the blood dripping from her nostril holes above her beak.
This is something that Dex couldn't help but laugh quietly at towards the embarrassed owl. Despite being numb to the pain that was his blown-out and shattered ankle. Dex still found humour in his situation. And, with how he had the owl blushing while she was trying her hardest not to look at the missing ankle joint.
Later
In no time, thanks to Octavia getting Loona some wood to use as a splint and, Dex seeing something he could use as a crutch. The mechanic soon stood unsteadily back on his good leg. The three were soon talking about their next plan of action.
"The best we can do, right now, is try and find Blitz, Mox and Millie. We find them, we'll be one step closer to finding the others."
Dex says to the owl walking beside him. Loona is seen scouting ahead. While thinking In her mind. If they found Blitz, Millie and Moxxie. She would find Snow. That is If her husband was in I.M.P.'s general vicinity that is. Then Loona would have to think up a worst-case scenario if he wasn't there with her dad and the other two she worked with.
'You better be okay you big asshole.'
Clearing In Front of a Far-off Settlement
Knowing they'd be safe for now. Octavia placed Dex down against a tall rock while Loona's eyes were deep within some binoculars. From her spot in the shrubbery. Loona caught sight of the denizens they were rescuing first. With a smile on her face. Loona speaks when she turns to face Octavia.
"Three of our team are being held in the settlement before us."
However. Loona's eyes would soon clap their sights on something else. Something, that was glinting from the distance in the said settlement. Looking back again. Loona says.
"Hey, er, Octavia. I see something shining in that settlement in front of us."
Even though she had to squint to see what Loona had indicated was shining in the distance. Octavia, without a word and, with quick thinking, rugby tackled Loona down to the ground as she shouted.
"GET DOWN!"
The sound, and the impact, the bullet made. It had sent pieces of wood and splinters flying from the bullet that embedded itself within the palm tree. Looking back at the tree and then back to where the bullet came from. Loona and Octavia couldn't help but look wide-eyed in horror.
"Everyone OK?"
Dex asks. This leads the two women to nod and Loona to say.
"Hostiles."
Octavia nods. While laid beside the seated fallen angel. Octavia asks.
"Loona has practically confirmed Blitz, Millie and Mox are being held captive in that settlement among a branch of Raphael's Militia. Dex, how do you want to proceed now?"
Some time passed before the three decided on their next move. After confirming Blitz, Millie and Moxxie were in the settlement filled with snipers, and, after settling on said plan. Loona picks Dex back up over her shoulders and walks over to Octavia, who is seen now with Dex's rifle in her arms.
Knowing Dex was secure again. Octavia speaks.
"Least we know we are on the right path."
Dex nods from his position over Loona's shoulders while looking at Octavia. The easy part was over. Now, came the hard part. Getting inside.
Outside The Jungle Prison Camp
"Hold up. Guards ahead."
Octavia says in a whisper to Loona. Putting Dex's plan into action. He motioned for Loona to place Dex in front of the giant gates while the girls hid and awaited their moment to strike. It soon came when two grunts came out of the gates and shouted at Dex before dragging him inside. What they didn't account for was Loona and Octavia sneaking in through the front door without being seen.
Inside The Compound
"That's one issue solved. Now, what do we do to save the bait AND I.M.P.?"
Octavia whisper shouts at Loona who can only shake her head to confirm she hadn't thought that far ahead. She hadn't accounted for using Dex as bait to get inside to succeed. Now, the two women had to improvise. Loading their sidearms and getting into new positions behind some crates out of the merc's line of sight. They spotted two militia walking towards the two said crates the two denizens were behind.
"Come on, you son of a bitch! Come just a little bit closer."
Loona whispers. Nodding to Octavia to get her knife ready. And, awaiting the first idiotic merc to approach the crates. The plan was simple. Kill the two guys coming towards them, steal their outfits and, once the two are in the clear, retrieve Blitz, Millie and Moxxie.
Right on cue.
The unlucky angels had no idea what hit them. The moment Octavia stealth killed one guard before Loona snapped the neck of the guard who had foolishly wandered too close to her. The two had completed their phase one.
Seconds Later
Once the women were changed into their jungle camouflage militia uniforms. Octavia soon pipes up when she sees what she is wearing properly.
"Not my ideal colours, sis. But, I suppose it will do."
Loona chuckles. Tearing the sleeves off of her disguise and donning an army cap. Loona notices what Octavia looks like in camouflage for the first time. Since Octavia's disguise required her to undress. She put on the hooded camo vest top and camo pants before putting on heavy steel-toed boots.
When the guards noticed their comrades missing and were about to sound the alarm. The two denizens in disguise, who were now acting out phase two, appeared before the other angels. Once they stood in front of the guards, Loona spoke.
"Holy Hound and trainee, checking in sir."
Loona says in a gruff voice which if Balthazar had seen her speak like this while she was in disguise. He would laugh his ass off at the hell hound trying to sound like a gruff lesbian. Staying in character, she listened intently to the next words that the guards said to the disguised denizens.
"Sian was just wondering where you two went to! She needs someone to watch over those freaks down in the lower levels. She just got word that two females and an injured male have infiltrated this compound and wants all guards on high alert. She wants them shot on sight."
"Understood, I'll take my trainee and move to the targets. Thank you."
Loona says with a nod of acknowledgement. When they saw the guards leave and once they knew they were safe. The two entered the cave entrance elevator and, Octavia pushed the button to close the lift doors behind herself and Loona. Guns held at the ready in front of them.
Lift
"That was way too close!"
Octavia states while removing the militia cap she was wearing before checking the mini-map she had with her. Finding what she was looking for. She says triumphantly.
"Found them. Blitz, Millie and Moxxie or on the sixth floor. Dex is being held on the same floor."
Loona nods before asking.
"Can you patch into the communications and find what room my dad and the others are in?"
Octavia shakes her head which confirms Loona's fears when the owl says.
"Dex took the only bug that could get us access to the militia's systems. We might just have to go dark on this one."
The sounds of gunfire and bodies hitting the ground were what were awaiting the women just as the elevator jerked to a stop at their destination. Knowing about their stop, the two quickly pulled their guns back into firing position before the two exited the elevator and into the main control hub when their radios sparked to life.
"Bloodhound, Starfire. Loona, Octavia, do you copy?"
Loona and Octavia look at each other. That was one voice they were not expecting to hear over the comms. To be sure it was who Loona thought it was. The hound speaks.
"This is Bloodhound. Who the hell is this and, how do you know mine and Octavia's call signs asshole?!"
"This is Fallen."
The hellhound sighs in relief hearing her husband's friend on the comms. She had no time to react when Balthazar continued to speak.
"I have infiltrated the main compound at the same time you two and Dex did. I have managed to dispatch the militia that was on the floor you are on now while dressed as one of their researchers. I can see you on the camera the moment you exit the elevator. I have Dex with me to guide me through hacking their systems. I can provide visual support for you both. Give me some sign that you can see the camera."
The two women look around the room. The moment Loona claps her eyes onto the camera her husband was referring to. She gives the camera the middle finger. Leading to a laugh coming from the male on the other end of the radio.
"Cute."
"I'm Snow's wife, what did you expect? So, what's the plan, all-mighty overseer?"
"Funny. So far so good, it's still a retrieval mission to find your dad, Millie and Moxxie. Once you have done that. Get Octavia to signal when you're ready for evacuation. I will personally come and get you out myself."
"Understood Fallen. Bloodhound out."
Prison Block
This was going to be tough to do. Yes, they had entered the prison part of the complex thanks to Dex and Balthazar. But not one of the girls could find who they were looking for within the huge complex.
Talk about three needles in a haystack.
"So. How do we find Dad, Mox and Millie? Look for three demons that are begging to be freed?"
Octavia asks quizzically. While looking around the blocks with her gun at the ready. Balthazar pipes up over the radio when he spots the three in question.
"Or, we could just look for two bright red denizens and Loona's idiot pops being overdramatic within his cell."
This caught Loona's attention immediately and it drew her and Octavia to the furthest cell and, sure enough, there the three imps were and, just as Balthazar had described. Blitz was the one being overdramatic, because, it's just how Blitz is.
Approaching the cell. Loona knocks on the glass with the but of her rifle, leading to Blitz saying.
"Great. The mutt has come back to get me. I am not saying a damn thing until I see my attorney!"
This leads to Loona removing her hat and saying without a hint of care in her voice.
"Blitz, it's me you moron."
The three are soon quick to jump up from where they are sitting and immediately come to the glass door while Octavia is working to hot-wire the controls to the glass door.
"LOONEY! OCTAVIA! Oh, thank Christ you girls are safe. Have any of those freaks hurt you?!"
Loona couldn't help but roll her eyes at the imp. The minute the door was hot-wired. The green light appeared and the door was opened. Leading to Blitz, Millie and Moxxie hugging the hound when they could. They were hugging her as if she would vanish on them again.
"Okay, Sentiments aside. Is everyone okay? Any casualties?"
The three give Loona confirmation that it was only a few gashes that would heal back home. The comm-link sparks to life.
"Bloodhound, come in."
"I read you, Bal. I have I.M.P. with Octavia and me. we're ready for our evac."
That was the last sentence Loona got out before she was clobbered by a skyscraper-sized sledgehammer into the nearest wall. And Octavia was kicked back into the wall behind Blitzo, Millie and Moxxie.
The guard, named Judgement, had found the two intruders in his prison. And, he was about to bring the literal hammer down on the three escapees, and two intruders, before him.
With Balthazar and Dex
"Loona? Loona!"
His sentence was cut off by the doors behind him Dex opening and, Raphael's task force opening fire on the two who had managed to get into cover behind some of the desks, just to return fire on the task force.
"DAMN IT."
That was the shout from Dex when a bullet shot off his arm while he was firing back with his pistol. This leads to Balthazar having to move into the cover Dex was behind to return fire. He was doing his best to keep the angels at bay.
But, all seemed lost.
"Oh, Balthazar. Always getting into trouble. And, once again. I, have to bail you out again."
That was the voice that sounded over the comm-link in Balthazar's ear. It sounded so familiar yet, he had no idea who had spoken. He would soon get his answer when the sixty angels that were shooting, all fell front first to the floor with daggers in their skulls and a woman in just a grey tank top, tight black leather pants and high-heeled boots.
She boldly waltzed into the room full of the task force she had killed with a dagger twirling between her fingers and a small smirk on her red lipstick-covered lips at the sight of the guys who had now come from behind cover to confront her.
"Seems funny that I would find you, Raphael's brother, trying to rebel against the system in place by my twin brother. When I am searching for my little brother."
The minute realisation sunk in. Balthazar lowered his gun and stood shell-shocked by this discovery. Dex, however, once he is stood unsteadily on his good leg. He still has his pistol raised towards the unknown and unflinching angel before she speaks again.
"Good to see you too, Dexter."
Balthazar steps forward with his gun pointed downwards. He still couldn't believe his eyes the moment he touched the woman's shoulder to see if she was there. He got his confirmation when the angel before him, pricked his finger with one of her daggers.
Despite wanting her to reveal her name to the two. Dex looks out of the corner of his eye and sees Octavia, Loona and I.M.P. fighting the prison guard in the lower levels. Once he sees this, he grabs Balthazar's attention and, sure enough, Balthazar wants to get down there and help.
Turning to the woman, Balthazar speaks.
"Wanna help take down Judgement?"
The woman scoffs and holds three daggers between each finger. I realised it was a stupid question to ask. Balthazar facepalms. Now, the three, with Balthazar carrying Dex, jumped down into the cells below.
Back With Loona, Octavia and I.M.P.
We cut back to the four trying to dodge each swing of the guard's giant hammer, while Loona continues to fight off goons that had joined the fray with a few moves into the militia that was Judgement's backup.
Loona was too busy fighting. She didn't see a militia member try to attack her. Moxxie, seeing the first thing he could grab. And, seeing it was a metal folding chair, hit the unsuspecting militia member in the head, sending it flying across the room.
When one of them tried to shoot Moxxie in the head with a clear shot. Millie, using her natural agility, latches her legs around the angel's neck and, in one quick motion, puts her thick thighs to good use and snaps the neck of the angel. Once done, she jumped down and began mowing down Judgement's back-up.
While I.M.P were mowing down Judgement's backup. Loona and Octavia were busy trying to avoid the prison warden's hammer when they noticed a new creature with a bomb wick on its back. And it was going straight for Octavia.
"OCTAVIA!"
BANG
A loud explosion followed causing Octavia to look confused at where the gunshot had come from. She would soon get her to answer the moment her comm-link sparked to life with Dex's voice.
"Sorry, I'm late honey. Traffic is bad at this time of year."
Octavia looks up and sees who she wants to see with a sniper trained on the warden below him while two more people begin to take to the floor and get Judgement's attention.
"HEY, BLEEP HOLE."
With that shouted. A dagger on a chain is seen flying into Judgement's back. And, the woman Balthazar and Dex encountered earlier is seen jumping in to help Balthazar make the giant angry. She did this by drawing its attention away from the two women long enough for them to formulate a plan.
Octavia grew confused. Snow was the only one she knew who fought with a chain as his primary weapon of choice. Seeing the dagger-tipped chain was the major difference since everyone who knew the hybrid's chain had a spearhead at the end. Not a chain attached to a dagger handle with a ten-inch blade.
She had no time to enquire about the female when Dex sees a gunman in the distance and shouts.
"OCTAVIA, MOVE!"
Octavia heard the gun click and, she soon barely dodged a sniper bullet that narrowly missed her head by a split second thanks to Dex's shout. Despite the close call. She doesn't notice the two heavy militants heading towards her with chain guns spinning up. That was until she heard a sniper fire his gun and both of the lumbering behemoths fell in a heap to the ground.
Now we cut to Loona doing all she can to try and fight the hammer-wielding giant. During one missed swing of the hammer. Loona runs up the giant's arm and, once at the top of his head. She began to claw and bite into the giant's face before being grabbed and thrown into the waiting arms of Balthazar.
Despite the reprieve. Loona doesn't stop to think of her next move before she is seen trying to charge in again. Only this time, she didn't need to. The unknown female that had saved Balthazar and Dex had appeared in front of the behemoth with her back turned to it and, with the snap of her fingers. The giant's head comes tumbling off of its shoulders and down to the ground below.
This moment left everyone who saw it stunned. The giant's backup still kept trying to mow down the team. Only to receive the same fate as Judgement as their bodies were soon littering the floor where they once stood.
"What… just happened?"
This was said by Millie. Once the hooded female angel turned to face the group. And, without being prompted, she removes the hood to reveal snow-white hair that went past her shoulders. And, a dangerous set of gold eyes looking back at the demons and two fallen before her.
In this moment of reprieve. The woman revealed her identity to those who didn't know her. For Balthazar and Dex, however. This was their refresher course on who just fucked up an entire militia by herself.
"My name… is Athena Snow. I, am Lazarus Snow's sister."
You could have heard a pin drop at the revelation Athena had dropped on the group. But, with reinforcements on their way. Athena had no time for backstories when she clapped Dex on the shoulder and said.
"The charges set?"
Dex gives his head a shake from the bomb just dropped on him and the others and says.
"Set them the minute Balthazar freed me from the Militia in this facility."
That's all the female Snow needed to hear. With a look at Balthazar, the male knew exactly what needed to be done.
"Right. We need to get clear of this facility before the bombs wipe us out."
Later
Once the seven of Lazarus' team and Athena found a spare turret-mounted jeep and got inside. Balthazar turned the keys that were still left in the vehicle and, with his foot slammed down on the accelerator. The jeep did a wheel spin before tearing out of the facility and, once they sped past the militants, who had begun to open fire. An explosion rocked the jungle and the team had successfully escaped with three team members back in their possession.
After today. Their next plan was to retrieve Snow from his imprisonment. But, after today's revelation, one thing was for sure. They had a new ally. And, in the words of Final Fantasy.
Athena Snow, Zerachiel's twin and Lazarus Snow's older sister, has joined the party.