For the next two days they assisted in looking for survivors. People were curious about the Gears, but the latter just ignored them for the most part. He found the boy's parents. They were burned alive but still held onto one another. The body count was officially up to the tens of thousands now and the numbers were still rising. A few more Armadillos rolled into the city, carrying relief aid and other supplies. The students had offered to help, but he didn't care if they did or not.
He had made himself acquainted with them but it was clear his focus was somewhere else. Velvet already knew him but she did want to know more about him seeing how her dad viewed him as a good friend. He had met with the people that were supposed to be Blake and Jaune's teammates. Although, he found the Ruby girl to be a tad bit annoying with how much she asked about the weaponry.
"Boss." A Gear called towards him. It was one of the ones from the settlement, who wore a boonie cap and custom armor. He didn't care if they customized their armor a bit, so long as they kept it within his regulations.
"How are the outer settlements?" He asked.
"Decent. A lot of folks are scared though. Those ugly bastards attacked the farming settlement but we managed to push them back." The Gear answered. He took off his hat to wipe the sweat off his second pair of ears before putting it back on.
"I see you took a Hammerburst." Walker pointed.
"Is that against regulations?" The Gear asked.
"No, keep it. Just don't let the Grubs take our weapons though." Walker shook his head.
"Nice. Thanks, Boss. This shit kicks like an angry mule." The Gear gave a thumbs up.
"No problem. I'm assigning you to Kilo squad." Walker said.
"Those younglings? No offense, but they're kind of arrogant." The Gear voiced.
"Exactly why I want you with them. You've been with us since the start and know how to do your job." Walker said.
"Alright, can't say that I'm happy... what's my position though?" The Gear asked.
"Squad leader." Walker answered.
"You sure?" The Gear asked.
"Yeah, go meet up with them." Walker ordered. He watched the Gear leave before continuing to lead the group to look for more survivors, he stopped at a dead Grenadier and sifted through its corpse, plucking a grenade off of it. The Gears did the same while the students just looked at them and made a face.
"You guys loot the dead? That's pretty messed up." Sun said.
"The Grubs would do the same. Plus we need the firepower." Walker responded, kicking the corpse a bit.
"Still... it's kind of messed up." Sun murmured.
"So is killing countless people. The Grubs don't care so neither should we." Walker said. He ignored their stares and the Gears just rolled their eyes. Their group didn't see the point in getting upset over looting for supplies. They had been told that the Locust did the same and found even more demented ways to use the spoils of war. A noise to their right made them look to see Red pop out of the alleyway and walk next to him. She just stared at the students with a bored expression before turning to the path ahead.
"There's more dead inside the buildings." She said.
"You find any survivors?" He asked.
"I found a suicidal father, but he killed himself before I could do anything." She said calmly. The students were taken aback by her lack of emotion, as if she dealt with that almost on the daily.
"..." He just stayed silent and sighed under his breath. Some people couldn't take it all and decided to end their lives on their terms; whether it be from depression or fear, it didn't matter.
"I did find a couple of survivors though, if that makes you feel better." She said.
"Not really, but thanks for the sentiment." He said.
"Well, I never claimed I was the best at comforting people." She responded. He gave a brief chuckle and it went quiet as they continued to search for people or Locust. The Gears collected the weapons from the Locust and loaded them into an Armadillo before watching the armored vehicle speed off. He heard on the radio that the council had requested his presence but he ignored them and decided to leave it up to Beacon and the General to deal with them. The most political thing he did was enforce the rules within the settlement.
They decided to head back to the refugee camp. The Gears talked with one another, throwing jabs at each other but usually went silent when the students tried to learn more about them. They were a tight knit group that forged companionship through their shared battles rather than with random people. It was how people were on Sera at times after the Hammer of Dawn strikes. While that shouldn't have been the first response to the Locust, he did understand why they did it.
He was thrown out of his thoughts when they all came across an area of bodies, mainly Atlas personnel. Their white armor was stained red and each one of them died in various ways, almost all of them killed in some inhumane fashion. The students from Atlas just turned away and one of them puked at the sight of the carnage.
"Avoid stepping on them if you can." He ordered. The other nodded carefully and watched their step as they made their way through the area of corpses. The decomposing scent met their noses and some of them gagged when it assaulted their nostrils. It took a few minutes, but they eventually made it through and were back onto the street. There were so many bodies and he could see some of them being loaded up into body bags.
Once they all made it back, he saw Blake entertaining some of the kids. A few of them laughed when she would erratically flick her cat ears or would read them a book she found. It was her idea to keep them occupied along with some of the others while his group looked around. She spotted him and waved at him while he did the same before heading to one of the medical tents to check up on Jaune. He left shortly after and went to another medical tent where the personnel checked up on him.
He winced when they applied some burn relief to his skin and tended to his cuts. There was nothing that could be done about the bruises for now and left shortly after tending to him. He just stood up and stretched a bit before heading to a cot and lying down on it, closing his eyes and falling asleep. His body was sore and the fatigue hit him like a train before he allowed himself to drift off.
No one bothered him since they knew he had been outside the safe zone for the longest.
A month since E-Day had passed and he helped load a few crates into the Bullheads. For the last week, he had been moving the civilians and their belongings to the new base out in the ocean. A couple dozen Gears were already stationed out there while the rest where here helping finish the last of the move. He went around to the different nearby settlements and asked them if they wanted. Some accepted the offer and accepted that they'd do their parts while other refused. The ones that refused to move had simply accepted the Gears stationed there.
He was approached by a few security companies and they offered their services. At first he was going to decline, but they came back with the proposition that they'd offer their operators in exchange for a place to stay. The head of each company would ultimately answer to him, as long as they received supplies and training. He knew that they were only doing it for their survival but nearly everyone was. So, he accepted the deal.
Three security companies were officially under the Gears wing and would do their part. In the nearby future, he'd effectively turn them into Gears themselves to combat the Locust. They'd train, learn about the Locust, and eventually fight alongside his original forces. For now though, until he got everything situated, they'd just be deployed alongside his active personnel.
"Is this the last of them?" Walker asked.
"Yeah. This base better be worth it if we're basically evacuating the settlements." Blake said.
"I certainly hope so. A lot of time and resources were put into this." He agreed.
"What about the inner settlements?" Red asked.
"They said they're staying where they're at. I don't blame them since the city is their main source of income and they're the main source of supplies for the city. A few of us are keeping an eye on them and helping train the locals." He explained.
"You think it'll be enough?" Blake asked.
"I can't say for certain. I'm hoping the council steps up their game and gets an actual military up and running like Atlas." He said, moving out of the way when a few Gears carried a crate.
"I heard those other companies are interested." She said.
"We worked out a mutual relationship. They're sending their units over and will eventually merge in time." He responded.
"I thought you were all about dominating the competition?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Things have changed. They realized that we're better equipped for battling the Locust and wish to join forces." He shook his head and started to walk towards one of the Bullheads.
"Hey, what about Michael's company?" Red asked as she flipped her knife between her fingers.
"Michael agreed to offer technology should we continue doing business with him. He'll be at the new base along with Abigail. Hal pulled the files from the company computer. It'll take a while, but he'll eventually get his own platform along with the people from R&D." He answered.
"I'm guessing Brock isn't happy about leaving?" Blake asked.
"Brock and Simon don't really care about the location of their forge, just their belongings. If anything, both were happy they had more space and better equipment." He said. The Bullhead started to take off and the three looked at the empty settlement one last time before he slid the door shut. There were still supplies here for anyone who stumbled upon it and needed a safe haven. It was mainly food, clean water, bedding, and a small stash of lien.
The representatives had managed to get the layout of the settlement and made plans to construct one that looked exactly like it. They'd have to hold off on that plan though. He received a text from Glynda and merely sent one back, stating that they were on their way. She seemed to be the more sensible one of the three and her straight to the point attitude earned her more respect from him.
Ozpin was too humble and... cryptic. He seemed to be too relaxed about another threat other than Grimm, but didn't seem to realize that this was how people got killed. Red knew it too because he smelled wrong in a sense.
Ironwood was just an asshole, he wanted to stick his nose into people's business but didn't seem to realize that was how he burned bridges. While he did respect the man for running the military for so long, he was too stuck in his ways and was too rigid to adapt. Both him and Walker were military men, but the difference was that Ironwood would break from the Locust while Walker bent around the problem; it allowed him to be flexible and adapt to certain situations.
He reminded him of the COG leadership when the Locust War first happened. They were too stuck in operating like it was the Pendulum Wars that they couldn't adapt to the new threat and suffered for it.
Blake just put her headphones in and read a book while Red constantly moved around the Bullhead, trying to find a comfortable spot. She didn't like being cooped up in small, enclosed spaces, but it was better with this remodeled version. Open spaces were more of her preference. He made a tapping noise with her knife and she did the same. A little rhythm was heard and he did it until she calmed down enough to sit still.
He knew nearly all of the little quirks about his Gears; it's what made him care about them so much. It also made the pain of losing them all the more hurtful. A part of him knew that he shouldn't get too attached because they could be snatched away instantly. It was the grim reality of the world they lived in.
The ride was quiet and he decided to nod off to sleep to pass the time. He had pulled another all-nighter and knew he should start getting more rest. The last thing he needed was to be tired when something happened.
The students at Beacon watched as a unique Bullhead model landed on the ground. It was larger and somewhat longer, while also being more armored to resist more punishment. There was a screaming skull with wings as its design and it was a dark grey color. The doors opened up and and Walker strolled out with the other two flanking him. Two more Gears stayed at the Bullhead, manning the guns on each side of it.
The three ignored the stares for the most part and just made their way towards the Headmaster's office. He asked a few students directions and thanked them before leaving shortly after. They entered the elevator and he pushed the button for the top floor, taking them to the office. It took thirty seconds to reach the top floor before the doors slid open and they walked inside.
"I'm glad you could make it, Ozpin had to step out for a council meeting though." Glynda said.
"How convenient." He commented.
"He'll be back shortly." She told him.
"It's fine. The documents regarding the Locust we all agreed on." He said as he handed her some files. It contained information about the different Locust types, along with pictures to help identify them better.
"Thank you. The payment for the information is in there. All of it." She said, handing him two briefcases. He took them and handed one to both Blake and Red, making them open it and look inside before closing the cases and carrying them by the handle. Red's stomach rumbled loudly and he looked at her, making her look the other way. He just told them to go get something to eat while he just discussed some things with Glynda. They nodded and left, leaving them alone in the office with the only sound was the cogs and gears shifting above.
"I'm guessing the council is panicking right now?" He guessed as he sat down in a nearby chair.
"Is it really that noticeable?" She asked.
"We do watch the news fairly often to keep ourselves updated." He said.
"If I may ask... how is Ms. Belladonna?" She asked.
"She's fine." He answered.
"She seems unhappy." She said.
"She's unhappy because seeing you all again had opened up some old wounds. It's not everyday that you come across the people that embarrassed you in front of a crowd of people." He said, making her wince.
"That wasn't our intentions." She sighed.
"You should probably work on that though. That usually causes some people to hold grudges, even people like Blake." He said.
"I've told Ozpin about that." She said to herself more than anything.
"Shouting would probably help." He suggested lightly.
"He's practically deaf from all the shouting I do." She responded.
"Hearing aids help with that then." He said.
"He is getting older." She said before sitting down. He just looked around the room and adjusted himself in his chair before relaxing a bit.
"There's another reason you called me here, wasn't there?" He asked.
"Ozpin wants you to train our students." She said.
"Sorry to say this, but I can't." He said.
"Why not?" She asked.
"Too much on my plate. Plus Huntsmen and Huntresses are still needed to deal with the Grimm." He answered.
"I'm glad we at least have the same thought process." She said.
"Not to mention some of them are too childish for my liking." He added.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"For example; during E-Day, some of them couldn't even stand the sight of a dead body. One of them got upset when I didn't let her fight alongside us because they didn't have the right equipment; then tried to take some of ours without permission. Saw a couple of them try to perform some flashy move when all it did was almost get them killed. I don't want that in my ranks." He shook his head.
"They said you were too serious and looted the dead." She told him.
"We may be serious, but we're focused on the task at hand. As for looting the dead, Grubs don't care so why should we?" He asked.
"What do you mean they don't care?" She asked.
"You leave any piece of equipment to them and they'll find a way to use it on you. People don't seem to understand that they're smarter than they look. You think it was a mere coincidence that they attacked during the festival, and when Atlas was busy moving a majority of their forces back to their kingdom?" He asked.
"Some of us do." She said.
"It was a coordinated attack. They've been watching and waiting for the right moment to strike and it paid off." He said. There was a small bead of sweat on her face and she just put her face in her hands. She knew this new threat was different from Grimm; they were ruthless, could actually think, and nearly killed everyone had they not been met with some form of opposition.
"What do you think we should do next?" She asked. It was better to ask him than anyone else since it seemed like he had a better grip on the situation. The more she looked into his company, the more she realized how dangerous he actually was. They were better equipped, trained, and had more information regarding just about anything. His forces were flexible, able to bend to any situation given enough prep time and information. While she didn't like dealing with a group that was slowly rivaling Atlas in terms of power, they didn't really have much of a choice.
"Consider this a gesture of good will." He said and put two bullets on the table.
"What's this?" She asked.
"Ammunition to help kill them better. I suggest you all start standardizing it." He said. It was simple ammunition. The Gears' ammunition usually detonated shortly after piercing their targets, which violated several human rights protocols, but he didn't care. He would do whatever it takes to win this war. Not to mention Brock was the only one who knew how to make it.
"We'll put it to good use." She nodded.
"Good. It's best not to burn bridges before they're formed. However, don't you dare use it against my men." He warned. She just nodded and decided to keep their end of the bargain. She wasn't like the other two who's paranoia often made more enemies than allies. The Gears themselves were neutral and could end up as their greatest allies or worst enemies and that's what made them so dangerous. All it took was one or a few incidents to determine their relationship with a party.
"Thank you." She said.
"I'll assist if I can, but don't drag me into your problems." He said before standing up and walking towards the elevator. While he knew she'd keep her word, both Ozpin and Ironwood wouldn't. That was alright, if they decided to use him then he'd use them right back.
Red's tail swayed side to side as she ate the cafeteria. She was a rare case that had both animal ears as well as an extra appendage. Her and Blake sat at a table and talked by themselves before being approached by a few students. Blake did most of the talking while she just sat there quietly. The food wasn't all that good in her opinion. It tasted stale and she'd rather eat the MREs that Walker would order. Despite her being a loner most of the time, she didn't have a problem with some crowds. The Gears she felt at home but the students bothered her for some reason.
Blake noticed her try to distance herself but she was sandwiched between two students from Vacuo. She noticed that her eyes would contract and the yellow color would glow brightly. It was a sign she was stressed and no one seemed to notice her tail stiffen and puff out a bit. In other words, she was about to go feral and Blake was almost close to bolting. Red's outbursts were usually rare, but it was like a bomb went off when they occurred.
"So, Red was it? What's your story? I usually dig quiet women." Neptune asked. He laughed lightly and leaned a bit closer to her. The Faunus at the table started to feel a sense of unease as they stared at her, noticing that she was stressed.
"..." Her lips just pulled back to reveal her sharper teeth.
"Neptune, bro... stop." Sun whispered.
"I'm just..." Neptune froze when he saw her staring up at him. The metal tray started to groan in protest from how hard she was squeezing it and it looked like she was about to rip it in half. She looked ready to pounce on him and sink her teeth into his neck; the scary thing was that Blake knew she would... she's done it before. It was deathly silent as the party just stared at the two and Blake's eyes snapped up to see Walker standing behind Neptune with a tray of food in his hand.
"Hey, Walker." She greeted.
"Hey, Blake." He greeted back. The horrible, terrifying feeling suddenly dissipated and they saw Red's expression return to its normal state. Her eyes dilate once more and her tail seemed to relax. It was like his mere presence was enough to snuff out the incident that almost happened just now.
"Holy shit..." One of them whispered.
"Scoot over." Walker said.
"R-Right." Neptune gulped and scooted over while Walker just sat down next to Red.
"You're lucky I got here. Red doesn't like it when people get close to her or try to touch her." He said as he tilted his helmet up to eat.
"I noticed." Neptune coughed. Walker just rubbed her hair and put her hood over her head, seeing one of her ears pop out before seeing her relax. The only people she allowed to have physical contact with was him, Blake, and Jaune.
"I thought she didn't like people touching her?" Coco asked.
"Only certain people can." He answered.
"So, Boss-" Sun started.
"Commander." Walker interrupted.
"What?" Sun asked.
"Commander. The only people who call me Boss are my Gears." Walker said.
"Right, sorry." Sun rubbed the back of his head.
"It's alright." Walker dismissed. People often got that confused, they heard certain individuals call him boss and then tried to do the same. He usually had to correct them in the end.
"I just want to say, you guys kick ass." Sun said.
"Thank you." Walker nodded. They talked to him some more and found out that he was more polite than he seemed. It was different from when they met him a couple of weeks ago. He needed to be that way out there because it was how war was. It was brutal and unforgiving, so he needed to be the same.
"How's the food, Red?" Blake asked.
"Terrible." She answered.
"It's not that bad." Yang said.
"The potatoes are gross, the meat tastes awful, and the milk tastes sour." Red responded.
"Oh, you just got the worst choice." Yang waved.
"No, it all looks awful." Red said. It was true, none of it really appealed to her. The stuff out in the frontier was better and she regretted not bringing something with her.
"She is right though... this stuff is kind of gross." Blake picked at her food a bit.
"Stop complaining, you've had worse." Walker said. They immediately stopped when he told them because it was true. Both have had worse, but they found the things they ate more appetizing for some reason. Blake's had nearly all types of food while Red usually ate the things no one else wanted; hearts, livers, even tongues.
"So how long are you guys staying?" Coco asked.
"We're leaving after we eat." He answered.
"So soon?" She raised an eyebrow.
"We have some things to take care of." He answered.
"Oooh, how cryptic." She teased.
"I mean, not really." His mouth twitched. Now he saw why Richard didn't like her very much, the girl was more cocky and he could tell she came from a wealthy background. He honestly pitied Velvet for being partnered with them.
"Hey, is there a chance that you guys can escort me to my family. I want to visit them for a bit. Mom's worried about me and dad hasn't seen me in a while." Velvet chimed in.
"How long?" He asked.
"About a week or two." She answered.
"Roundabout?" He asked.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Done." He nodded and sent a message from his scroll.
"Wait, hold on. Hold up for one moment... just like that? That's all we have to do is ask you?" Yang asked.
"No, the rest of you have to pay." He answered.
"What? Why?" Nora asked.
"I'm good friends Velvet's dad and she took pictures of the Locust for me." He answered. They all looked at her and she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Oh, that reminds me, we still have to pay you." Blake remembered as she opened up the briefcase and took out a small wad of lien. She counted it before tossing it to the other girl.
"N-No, that's alright." Velvet waved frantically.
"No. This information was vital and you honored your part of the deal. It's only fair you're compensated since the academy isn't going to reward you." He said evenly.
"Um... okay..." She said before accepting it and putting it in her wallet. It was full and it barely fit inside before she stuffed it back inside of her bag.
"What does it take to be a Gear?" Cardin asked. He had been quiet for the time being and decided to finally speak up.
"Not looking to be a Huntsman?" Walker asked as he stood up.
"Didn't want to be one in the first place." Cardin said.
"Then why are you here?" Walker asked.
"Mom wanted me to. Same with them." Cardin pointed to his team.
"Why speak up now and not before?" Walker asked.
"Didn't know who you were at the time." Cardin answered.
"Your parents are probably going to be mad." Walker said.
"They're not around anymore. They died in the attack." Cardin said. It went silent and Walker just offered his silent condolences while the two just stared at one another. Nearly all of the other students knew his parents died in the initial attack, but avoided saying anything.
"So you think joining the Gears will make them proud?" Walker guessed.
"I didn't care about my mom, she always had a problem with me. I'm doing this more for my dad than anything." Cardin said.
"... You understand that if you go down this route, you're essentially mine to command, right?" Walker asked.
"I don't care at this point." Cardin shook his head. The attack changed him and the academy wouldn't let him fight the Locust. It was either he dropped out and went on his own or stayed behind the sheltered walls and did nothing but fight stupid Grimm. Walker just made his way to him and stood in front of him, staring down at him with a neutral expression. He could see the flames of hate burning within the boy's eyes and nodded a bit.
"You got a problem with Faunus?" Walker asked.
"Some of them I'm not particularly fond of, but otherwise I don't." Cardin answered.
"Too bad, half our forces are Faunus and chances are you'll be assigned to some of them." Walker informed.
"I don't care anymore." Cardin shook his head.
"... You'll make a mean Gear. Let's get you situated then if this is the path you want to go down." Walker nodded then started to walk away with Blake and Red. Cardin and his team followed them and left everyone else behind, not bothering to look back.
Cardin and his team were shipped to the base. It took a lot of negotiating but he got them under his command and they ended their time at Beacon prematurely. He just decided to stay in the city with a group of Gears. Several dozen people were moving Taylor's equipment and were in need of an escort. It was a somewhat easy task, but they did get attacked a few times.
A safe zone was set up within the city, being made out of the nearby structures and materials. Abandoned cars offered cover while the buildings provided places to hide or flank. Bodies still littered the place and the council had asked him to provide security and offered payment. It was the only thing they could offer at this point.
He found more E-holes and sealed them up before looking around the area for Locust. His group had found several Locust stalking the streets, keeping a close eye on the safe zone to stage their next attack. At first, he was wondering why nobody went out and the dead were left to rot, but now he understood. The people told him that some Locust would drag people out of sight before killing them or laying traps to lure more out.
The council offered to pay him a substantial amount if he hunted the Locust and he almost told them he'd do it for free. They realized that he wasn't bending down to them and strictly stuck to eliminating the Locust and the occasional Grimm. The Gears were their own power and answered to no one but him.
They needed to secure a fuel depot, or at least get some, to keep the safe zone up and running. Generators were doing their job but it was clear that without fuel then they'd be useless. The Locust must have raided the nearby power plant because the place was ransacked and there was a large hole in the back. He sealed the hole up and guarded the group of workers as they collected the fuel.
It started to get darker and the workers started to quicken their pace a bit, getting as much as they could while glancing around frequently. One of them spilled some of the fuel on the ground and desperately tried to collect it. Walker just told them to leave it and grab another canister and fill it up. They nodded frantically and breathed quickly, doing their job the best they could. He didn't blame the workers for being scared. From what he's heard, the attacks were usually swift and brutal.
"That the last of the fuel?" He asked.
"Yes, sir. We got as much as we could." One of them nodded quickly.
"Good. Bravo, Delta, get these workers to the safe zone. Alpha and Charlie, you're with me." Walker said. The two teams nodded before loading the fuel onto the side of the Armadillos and the workers inside. The remaining teams watched as the vehicles took off towards the zone and left them in the dark city. Blake and Red's eyes adjusted to the lighting and they looked around while the rest of them slowly adjusted as well.
"What are we doing?" One of them asked.
"Setting traps. People are going to start becoming runners and won't be able to fend off the Locust all that well, not like us. This is so they have a better chance at survival." He answered, walking into an alleyway and pointing to a certain spot. They bent down near a dumpster and set some explosives, carefully drawing the tripwire and attaching it to the other side. An marker was spray painted and it soon disappeared, making him shine over it with a UV light.
The next spot contained another explosive trap, but it hung a bit higher and was powerful enough to either maim or kill a Boomer. The spray disappeared and he checked over it with the UV light to make sure it was there. Whenever they set up a trap, it was marked on the wall or ground then on the map. The runners needed to know where their traps were and memorize the locations if they wanted to survive.
"You think the Grubs will find these?" One of them asked. He aimed down the street and looked around carefully to see if there were any roaming around.
"If we hide them well enough then they shouldn't. I won't hold my breath on that thought though." Walker responded, shining the UV over another trap placement. Boomers and Wretches, he wasn't worried about. It was the Drones, Grenadiers, and Therons he needed to be careful about. The last one was probably the most dangerous and he's almost died on several occasions because he underestimated them.
"Why don't we go down to their tunnels?" Another asked.
"Without a mapping device means we're walking into a death trap. No point in going down there if we don't know where we're going." He responded. One of the final traps was a shrapnel trap that was meant to slow them down more than anything. He left it up to one of his Gears to set the traps since they had a better understanding of various explosives than him.
"You really know your shit about them." The first one said.
"This ain't my first rodeo." He commented before standing up and backing away. They marked it on the map and decided to head back, moving quickly to avoid any ambushes or firefights. After taking several twists and turns through the alleys and buildings, they finally made it to the safe zone and waited at the entrance. The metal gates slid open and they quickly got inside before helping close the gates and lock it securely. He dismissed the squads after complimenting them and looked at the safe zone.
Makeshift tents and shelters were seen on both sides of the streets. Clothes lines were seen spread and some peoples clothing was seen drying on it. There were lights spread throughout the zone and were connected to various generators. The Armadillos were seen parked nearby and locked so nobody could see them, but he had civilian trucks being sent here soon. It made supply runs able to be done faster and possibly safer.
City hall was seen to be the most fortified by some personnel from Atlas, but his Gears were stationed in front of the civilians. They would defend them against the attacks and guard them against whatever threat knocked on their door. It was only one of the safe zones, the other ones were smaller and less fortified, but he did provide supplies. The smaller ones would have to stay that way until he got more manpower to help defend them.
The council resided in the city hall and ran the state of the zone. They had a contingency plan to evacuate to Beacon should the attacks get more ruthless and they had no choice. Until then, they'd stay here until they all came up with a plan. It was honestly depressing to see thousands of people like this; not even a month ago they were all happily chatting and living comfortably. They reminded him of the Stranded, only less violent.
Sometimes he didn't blame the bitter civilians on Sera, they were people that lost their homes and way of life. There were times when he went out of his way to try and help them but backed off when he realized they'd just turn him away. He's lost count of how many times he's been called a fascist pig or how many times he's lost his temper and called them traitors. As he got older, he understood that some of their animosity.
It didn't mean he liked it.
He shook his head a bit before calling for a group of volunteer runners. They ranged from their late teens to late thirties. He gave them equipment to communicate with one another and each one a map of the city, where the traps were, and the best possibly route. There was no need to lie to them because they realized that he had an idea of what to do and how to handle the situation. While some of them were suspicious as to how he knew so much, they didn't dwell too deep into it and continued to listen.
Some of them breathed in relief when he said that a vehicle or two would arrive soon in order to assist in future supply runs. He showed them what Locust they could take and which ones to avoid at all costs. While he did want them to avoid all of them, there would be some cases where they needed to fight. Each one listened closely when he pointed out the weakest spots.
Whenever one asked a question, he answered it to the best of his ability before moving on. Wretches were dangerous by themselves, but were killed easily enough. The packs were where the real threat were when it came to them. He instructed that if they were ever chased by a pack then he wanted them to run into one of the traps without triggering it. Tickers would possibly be their worst nightmare though. Living landmines that were fast despite their large size.
More people gathered around and listened closely. It started out with two dozen runners before it extended to dozens of runners and civilians. That soon turned to his Gears as well. Each person carefully listened to the one person who had his shit together and made them trust him a bit more. While they did question how he knew, they knew that interrupting would mean he'd stop educating them about it.
He checked the time and shooed people away and told them to get some rest, ordering his Gears to switch shifts. Blake entertained the children like before often telling stories she read as a child and committed to memory. They sat in a group as she made shadow puppets while telling a story. It was the only type of entertainment right now and she found it necessary to take their mind off of the hopelessness of their current situation.
Despite her reserved nature, she did enjoy doing this. Becoming a teacher was one of her choices if she didn't get into Beacon or become an artist. He saw Red stand behind the children and become enraptured by Blake's storytelling. Although she didn't express it all that much, he knew she was enjoying it.
"You know, it's been a while since I've seen people feel this safe." A voice said. He turned his head and saw it was one of the councilmen, making his lips press into a fine line.
"Councilman." He nodded.
"Not at the moment, you can call me Douglass if you would like." Douglass said.
"That implies we're friendly." Walker raised an eyebrow.
"I suppose you're right. We've been too forceful when it came to your company." Douglass nodded.
"Yeah..." Walker agreed and the two of them just stared at the small shadow show Blake was performing.
"Is there a reason you're out here?" Walker asked. He was a little suspicious a councilmember would just walk among the lower class.
"My son is the boy sitting in front of your Gear." Douglass pointed. Walker's eyes trailed his finger and he saw the boy in front, laughing a bit before holding Blake's helmet and putting it over his head. It was too large for his small head and dangled around, covering his neck and sat on his shoulders.
"Ah." Walker said. He supposed it made sense that a father wanted to see his son.
"We can't have him inside the building unfortunately, despite my protests." Douglass said.
"I would have thought that the children would be closer to the city hall building." Walker said.
"We got them as close as possibly, but Atlas stepped in." Douglass said.
"..." Walker didn't say anything.
"Can I ask you a favor?" Douglass asked.
"I'm not into politics so it has-" Walker started.
"I'm not asking as a member of the government, I'm asking as a father." Douglass said quickly. It was silent and Walker saw the look in the man's eyes. There wasn't a trace of that confident politician, but of a worried father.
"What do you need?" Walker sighed.
"If anything happens to me... can you look after my son? Take him somewhere safe?" Douglass asked.
"You don't have family or friends to take him?" Walker asked. He wasn't trying to be rude, he wanted to know because he didn't know if he could. There was no point in promising the man in front of him anything when he didn't know what would happen.
"Most of them were killed in the attack and the ones I do trust moved before I could contact them." Douglass said. The silence returned and the two just stared at one another before he sighed and looked around.
"I won't lie to you and say that I will. We're not babysitters or caregivers and I can't guarantee he won't be sent to the orphanage." Walker answered.
"I... I understand." Douglass looked down a bit. He knew it was bit of a longshot to ask a mercenary to care for his son out of the blue, but he had to try. What kind of father would he be if he didn't try to do something for the only family he had left?
"However, if I can... I mean if I truly can do something... I'll work something out. It probably won't be me looking after him, but it'll be someone who's decent with children who will care for him." Walker answered truthfully. He wasn't going to lie to this man and there's a high chance the kid would be sent to the orphanage. There was no need to fill him with a false sense of hope, only to go back on his word later on down the road.
They looked to see the story time was over and Blake bid them a farewell, receiving a small series of claps for her performance. He watched Douglass grab his son's hand and smile down at him before bidding Walker a farewell for the night, thanking him for at least considering his proposal. Not many people would even take the time to listen to him and he thanked the mercenary for being a decent human being.
All Walker did was just watch them go; the small boy have a little bounce in his step and making several happy gestures with his free hand. Douglass just smiled down at his son as if his face seemed to banish all the troubles in the world.
"So what'd he want?" Red asked as she walked up to him.
"A favor." He answered.
"I thought we weren't getting into politics?" She asked.
"It wasn't political." He shook his head.
"So personal then." She nodded.
"Yep." He confirmed and just started to walk back to the tent.
"Are you going to take it?" She asked, staying close to him to avoid random people touching her. People made space for him and she took advantage of it.
"I haven't decided yet." He answered. They entered their tent and he saw Blake already lying down on her cot. She gave a small wave and he gave one back before taking off his armor. It landed on the ground with a dull thump and he groaned a bit before taking his weapons off and setting them to the side then lying down.
"You sound like an old man." Blake commented.
"I feel like one sometimes." He said. She laughed quietly and closed her eyes before opening them when she heard Red throw her armor on the ground and curl up into her cot. The other girl was a strange one indeed, but it was sort of welcoming considering the recent turn of events.
"You guys think Jaune is okay?" She asked.
"He's fine. I messaged him earlier and he said that they're starting therapy soon." He answered.
"Good. He'll need it." She said.
"Yep..." He was too tired to say anything else at the moment. His eyes just slowly closed and his helmet lights flickered a bit before slowly turning off. Just this once, he hoped that he didn't have anything too nightmarish. They started to go away recently and he hoped that he'd at least get a good rest. If he didn't then he hoped everyone else did.
That was all he could do right now was hope. Hope for better days and the Locust gave them time to recover a bit. Knowing them, they wouldn't so neither could he. He'd come up with a plan to hit them where it hurt so they had no choice but to lick their wounds. All he needed to do was keep a level head and think things through. If he planned ahead and used successful tactics the COG used against them, then Remnant might survive.
I won't lie to you all, I've been in a writing mood recently and I don't know why. Anyways, I'll keep it brief and short since there isn't much to say. I'd like to thank the ones who give this a read. Every chapter I'll probably thank people because it means they somewhat enjoy or enjoy my content a lot. It doesn't matter which one, I just want to show my appreciation for you guys.
PraetorianGeneral: I'll just be truthful and say I don't have one. It never really appealed to me despite the benefits it could bring. I simply do this because I enjoy writing on the downtime and I enjoy giving people something to read in their downtime. Your positive reviews and views are payment enough.
Jkdelta38: Thank you.
Janny092: It's fine, I sometimes just don't feel like addressing some reviews.
DOOMRAIDER: Precisely, your reviews are always a welcoming sight.
Ferno16: It was a lot better than the previous version.
OmegaDelta: Most likely not.
IX404: Yep.
Laplase: Here's another chapter.
David4796: Yeah, I make mistakes, but that just makes me improve each time. I am human after all. As for Walker, yeah, the old one was edgy and slowly got better when I realized how cringeworthy it really was. It got to the point where I didn't want to continue it and decided to start fresh now that I got better at writing. Sometimes I did consider deleting the old story but I guess I can keep it, kind of as a reminder how much I've improved over the years.
whatsupman: I want to capture as much as the darker aspects of Gears of War without coming off as edgy. It's difficult at times, and some things feel forced, but it's not as bad as the last version. As for plot armor, that's basically pushed away.
RedRat8: I mean, I didn't see it that way... but I guess.
Guest: I didn't realize it either.
fresh prince1: Saw that was the trope as I got older and decided not to do it this time around.
Austin: Ah, I wondered where you went. I'll just clear some things up and say that Velvet's mom aren't dead. I apologize if I confused you and I'll make sure to paint a better picture next time.
Laplase: No, I haven't decided. It might have some light moments, but romance and fluff aren't the main focus. Also, how the hell did you comment on the same chapter twice? I thought you couldn't do that?
Anyways, thanks for reading this and I'll be sure to improve if there are any problems. See you guys and gals later.