Shiva kept Lilja cradled to herself, hoping the jolts and jerks of the humvee would wake her better than she could. All she had to hope for was that her heart was beating, she was breathing, and that she overdone her use of her abilities before. Just like then, Lilja always woke up. There was little the medics could do to help her. She was dealing with something far beyond their practice. To even begin to understand was not in a doctor's knowledge, much less an army medic. Shiva believed she was the only one to help her now.

Riley drove the humvee, keeping his steady pace with the rest of Scouts 84's convoy, and that of the remaining marine platoon. After the battle in D.C, they offered to come along. Passionate to finally see their efforts actually amount to something. Their unit was the only military advance able to provide that. However, their strongest weapon's state would counter that if Lilja could not wake up and heal in time for the next meeting with a tripod.

It had been over six hours since Lilja first fell, and the situation was becoming bleak. Riley asked from the driver's seat, "Maybe… a shot of adrenaline?"

"That wouldn't do anything," said Shiva dejectedly. "We just have to wait and see."

"Can't exactly do that if a tripod comes over the hill."

Shiva snapped back, "Of course, you see her as just a weapon out of commission. You know, God forbid we see her as a child. The only reason she's like this is because we pushed her passed her threshold."

"She just saved D.C. Saved all those refugees. If she didn't push herself then we'd all be dead."

"We're all gonna be dead anyway if she doesn't wake up." Shiva grumbled back, nudging her lightly. "So, was it worth it?"

"Even if we save just a few lives, it's worth it." Riley replied surely, "I thought you two understood that."

"I'm keeping a promise, Ken," said Shiva. "Not that you'd know anything about that."

Riley was quiet, but clearly, he heard it loud and clear. Moments passed in silence, and it was assumed the conversation had nowhere else to lead from there. Then he said, "I can't take back what I did… I can tell you that it saved your life."

"A life as a lab rat isn't one. You didn't save me. You did yourself a favour."

Riley looked up to the rear-view mirror, only to see Shiva's brown eyes glaring back. Strangely, the more she glared into his, the glare started to lean. Speaking with just a glance, and the words she wanted to say trapped behind jilted weight.

He sighed, "Shiva… I still…"

Then her small voice finally wheezed, "Shiva?"

Both Riley and Shiva alarmed to Lilja's voice, he craned his head back to see for himself. Her eyes were opening, but she wasn't moving.

"Lil?" Shiva animated then, moving herself and Lilja to get a clearer look at her face, "You okay? Hey!" Lilja started to open her eyes, and she shuffled up with a wince of pain. She achingly pried at her head that took most of the beating.

"What happened?" Lilja asked weakly as she sat up.

"Take it easy, hold on," said Shiva before grabbing a bottle of water. She handed it to Lilja who took a few small sips, blinking slow and spacing out like she had a nasty hangover.

Lilja mumbled, "I don't feel good." The headache accompanied nausea. She was doing everything in her power not to throw up.

"You took them all out, kid," smiled Riley in the rear-view mirror. "We left D.C last night. You collapsed. We were worried you wouldn't wake up."

"What did we lose?" She asked wary of the answer.

Riley replied, "A third of the unit. A few tanks and heavy mobilities."

Lilja sheltered inward then. Looking out the window vacant of expression and words. Riley amended, "We would have lost far more if not for you two. Most of the States aren't so fortunate."

"Where are we going?"

"New York." Riley replied. "They're plenty there. Best prepare yourself now. If you thought six was a lot, you're in for a ride."

Lilja took that time to look out the window. She could see towers of smoke off the horizon. Hamlets and farms abandoned. The world paused. She wouldn't have known it wasn't supposed to be like this. But Riley and Shiva did. The emptiness of the land was irking. Like the stillness of a forest when a predator comes close. Even so, the sun hitting off the golden treetops and auburn farmland was serene. Her first real introduction to the landscapes outside. Lilja couldn't help but wonder if it looked different before the invaders arrived.

Their radio chimed with Webb, "Lieutenant Riley, status report on Orlov."

"She's awake, sir. Just came to."

"Good. We need updates periodically of tripod threat. Can she sense the one closest?"

Riley stammered and said lowly, "Sir, she just woke up. She's out of it."

"Ask her anyway, Lieutenant."

Riley sighed and looked up to the rear-view mirror to Lilja. She gave a dry and apathetic stare, glancing out the window before veins spread across her jawline. She said quietly, "Far. Going east. Away from us."

"Miles?"

"I don't know what a mile is."

Riley sighed again and asked, "Are we in danger of running into it?"

"No."

Riley radioed in, "Nearest is going east behind us. We won't be running into it."

"How many miles?" Webb asked.

"She doesn't know miles. Just said we're safe."

"Good. Will be checking in soon. We'll be coming into bounds of New York City in an hour. Prepare yourselves."

As their convoy progressed through a barren rural community, Riley noticed a blue Plymouth Voyager up ahead on the curb. The radio chimed with one of the lieutenants, "Civvies up ahead, don't interact. Keep formation."

"Roger that." Riley replied indifferently, but seldom relieved to see someone with a working car getting to safety.

Lilja looked out the left window to see two men on the side of the road arguing. Visibly arguing, she gathered from their aggressive posture and animated movements. An older man in a leather jacket with brown hair. His mouth was moving fast, hollering at the other before him. The other much younger, closer to Lilja's age, wearing a baseball cap over shaggy brown hair and wearing a greyish sage jacket. Both soaked in the splash from military vehicles in puddles. Yet, neither seemed to mind. Their concerns were purely directed to each other.

Shiva asked, "What's going on there?"

"Heated family discussion." Riley replied.

"Should we stop and help them? Looks like they need help."

"Nah, we keep the train moving. They got a car by the looks of it. Far better advantage than the poor bastards in the city. Those are the ones who need our help."

The hour went by fast in fear. Their surroundings a harrowing show to what they were coming into. By that time, they were on the turnpike, and Lilja had alerted of not one, but over five tripods in their area. Surely to be more as they progressed into New York City. The city that never slept until today. Passing towering skyscrapers and once bustling streets was now desolate and destroyed. The tripod path of destruction was a signature of their power. Leaving the largest metros of human population likened to ghost towns. The world they now lived in. A constant firefight for freedom while they kept breath. Every moment was accepting death. That their work was small, but the last hope. To not do anything but accept fate, was to die in fear. For the Scouts 84, they'd rather die fighting.

Times Square was a battalion of tripod invasion. They marched together, bringing buildings 100 feet and higher crumbling to rubble. They were only bringing down the architecture for the sake of being thorough. They knew humans would likely be hiding, like pests, and they were executing ruthless precaution. Watching Times Square slowly turn into a sandpit for the creatures was quickening the convoy pace in panic.

Webb called over the radio, "You know the drill, people. We split into sectors. At this point, we have ten tripods to tangle with in Times Square. Likely more when we start our advance. Riley, Amani and Orlov will be recon in the centre, we will advance when the shield is delayed."

Just like in D.C., the Scouts started to veer off into streets off the main drag, all except Riley's humvee which pushed on ahead. The rush of adrenaline returned. The whir of tripods filled the humvee. They were back into the thick of it, and urgency and precision their priority.

Riley pulled up a hilling, a ravaged park just behind. It gave them a clear view of the tripods maneuvering in Time Square. Right away, they started to assess.

"They're all grouped together this time… not exactly sure how we're gonna do this." Riley said dejectedly, breathing heavy.

"We need to get them to split up." Shiva stated, "I can try something, but…"

"What?" Riley asked.

"They were strategic in D.C. They did split up a lot of the time. They corner their prey; they don't chase them. Only reason they're sticking together like this is because they have no prey."

"Yes." Lilja said flatly, "They're searching for survivors. If a crowd was to run past, they wouldn't stick together."

Riley understood and radioed Webb, "General. We got a plan. Shiva is going to make a distraction and…"

"Two." Shiva said, "Two distractions."

"Uh. Two distractions," corrected Riley. "It'll scatter them. Then we can assess our target. Stand by." He clicked off the radio. "You're up, Amani."

Shiva raised her stance. She was a stranger to D.C. streets, but in New York, especially Times Square, she was well travelled. A crowd of screaming civilians on each end of their gaggle was put into place. Auditory screaming, even hundreds of boots and shoes hitting pavement. Tactile, as the tripods felt even the vibration of their movement. Lilja and Riley noticed them one by one start to alert to the crowds on each end. But they didn't attack right away. Instead, they assessed much like they were. Planning on how to handle the crowds as efficiently as possible. Just as Shiva predicted.

They slowly started to separate into other streets, attempting a tactic to corner their prey. They didn't immediately open fire. Shiva was able to navigate the hallucinations more vivid now. Knowing the streets they would run through. She made sure to lead the tripods as far away from each other as possible. Without putting other units at risk, and without getting them too close to their position. However, given their quantity, they were doubling up. Condensing their advance to quadruple the laser rays and double the force.

"Shit!" Shiva hissed, "I wasn't expecting them to do that."

Riley couldn't help but silently curdle at the similarities of tactics they had to their own. He asked Lilja, "You were able to disrupt two tripod shields at once? You think you can again?"

Lilja was sure. "Yes."

"You're…"

"I can do it." She said flatly, glancing a small acknowledgment to Riley before facing the titans. She raised her right hand, focusing on two tripods going north.

"Keep the distraction, Shiva," whispered Lilja, following their movement.

Riley radioed Webb, "Two tripods going north, Lilja's targeting them both. Get ready to open fire."

"Copy that, lieutenant."

The air was sparse when Lilja used her powers. Riley thought it was just a coincidence, but happening again, surely it couldn't be. As if they were at the peak of a mountain. However, the winds would slow, and the air would become thick. Like an orb, making the hair on their necks' stand up. It channeled faster than in D.C. Stronger and disorienting. Seconds later, Lilja stated, "Fire now."

Riley ordered it through the radio, and apache rotors came storming over their hill. They diverted to north, keeping out of the other tripods ray distance. But an apache rotor is no quiet thing. One by one their pointed visors turned to the helicopters. Webb didn't hesitate in ordering fire as soon as they were in impact distance. The first tripod was struck, colliding into its comrade. Ground defence opened fire from below – creating a firework display of explosions from helicopters and tanks alike. The two tripods fell into each other – then collapsed into Times Square. It rattled the ground below their feet. The apaches quickly maneuvered back. Keeping distance between the oncoming tripod rays.

Shiva's distractions were no use now. Webb ordered through the radio in a break of static. His voice roaring. "Orlov! Priority first! The closest tripod engaging with us! Now!"

Riley translated, "Focus on the ones that are closest and firing at the apaches."

Lilja gave a subtle nod. Things were different from D.C. The muscle had grown in her rest. It ripped and healed faster. In just the span of one battle and one rest, her endurance was stronger. Stressing again wasn't debilitating. Instead, it fed a fire. It felt good. She exercised more of her focus into two more. Then she dared herself. Let's try three.

The climate was life or death, if she could push herself passed her resolve, then it was a necessity. She should never be comfortable. Not with the battalion of tripods that would soon surmount their unit to ash if she didn't. She focused it to the third, her abilities clasping onto each in a spiralling cycle. "Now."

Riley called on radio, "Those two are open! Fire!"

"Three." Lilja managed to say, her voice raspy as if she was holding her breath.

Riley confirmed, certain he heard it wrong, "Three?"

"Yes!" She hissed, clenching her teeth down as her face started to pallor. The white of her eyes were blood red, and pupils taking up the entirety of her iris.

"Three! The three closest to the apaches! Fire!"

The Scouts wasted no time. Not letting the few caught on Lilja's relay of the shield discourage them from firing all they had. Three tripods lit up, shooting their beams at nothing but debris and air as they panicked against the throttle. The pursuing tripods behind started a trek in the other direction. Quickly paced. Shiva smiled to herself; certain she was just thinking out loud. "They're fleeing."

Riley confirmed it, "They're fleeing." He smiled down to her, then moving it to Lilja. She remained still at the edge of the hill, both arms slowly coming to her sides as her three targets were taking heavy fire. Riley heatedly celebrated then, leaping in the air with his fist up. "Yeah, bitch! Woo!"

Shiva's mouth fell wide, unable to comprehend these colossal and indestructible adversaries were actually retreating from combat. Undoubtedly knowing their shields were being tampered with, leaving them vulnerable. Webb called over the radio, "You're making this too damn easy, Orlov! You too, Amani. They're giving up, but we're not. They're far past the luxury of a peaceful surrender. We'll mercilessly pursue just as they had our own. Orlov, the closest to Times Square. If you can get three at once I'm sure you can do it again. Our weapons are ready when you are."

"You got that, Lilja?" Riley called to her. Lilja's back was still turned to the both of them. He asked again, "Lilja?!"

Shiva stepped to her, "Lil…" She took her shoulder, "Lil, you okay?" Lilja was usually distant and quiet. As if she was living in her own world. Shiva was used to it. But given the situation, Shiva knew something was wrong.

"Lilja…"

Then Lilja turned around. Pale and distraught, but not from her powers. There was no pride or determination in her blue eyes. She gawked up at Shiva as if her whole world was soon to crumble around her. In her shaken eyes was dread. Pure and deterring. The look itself was enough to throw Shiva into fight or flight. Lilja whispered, "Run."

Then the ground shook, sending an earthquaking sound of the tripod horn just above. Their sights blinded by piercing white. The three were thrown to the ground. Catching their bearings only to see three lights glaring from above. So hauntingly close they could feel the whirring engine in their chests. The ground continued to shake as it stepped closer. So much larger than could possibly be imagined up close. The three froze in horror. It's eye centred on Lilja.

She kicked her feet and scooted away – it was all she could do. Screaming or crying was swallowed into her stomach. All she could manage was breath, and as the tripod lense came closer, she couldn't even manage that. It wasn't using its rays. At this distance it could easily lift its leg and squash her like the insect she was in comparison. But it studied her for moments that curdled into unimaginable terror. Playing with its food, she thought. Then limbs crawled from the tripod's underbelly. Swarming like worms but acting like tentacles. One limb stretched for her trembling body.

Why? Lilja glared into the lense in the multi-second of the limbs' extension. The intentions were clear. There it was hiding just behind. Waiting to strike when the time was right. Much like them. Solely for her. As it reached its limb to snatch her, she knew her fate would be worse than death.

Then Lilja snapped, pulsing the energy like a punch. The tentacle wiggled and struggled, persisting against her force. Slowly breaking down her thresholds with strength she never wrangled with. It summoned a few more. Lilja strained and cried, throwing her entire ability into keeping the limbs at bay.

Shiva could barely be heard crying her name behind her. The shock and adrenaline had blurred the world. Only her and the tripod's sounds were left. She could feel it's anger. Its desperation to not kill her – but take her. For a fate far worse than any laser beam. Against that desperation, she conjured her own. And the threshold of her abilities was nearly spent.

Then an explosion threw Lilja from its snare. It burned the hairs off her skin then plowed her into the ground with force. The tripod flew back, taking damage only enough to stun it. Riley had thrown a grenade, and being within the shield barrier, he was able to at least buy time. He picked Lilja up like a child and ran with her down the hill. Back to the humvee. Shiva wasn't far behind.

"Go! Go! Go!" Shiva cried, scrambling into the passenger seat. Riley didn't give time for Lilja to sit, not even time for Shiva to close her door. He slammed on the gas in a hurry. The humvee flew to high speeds, but the tripod charge was just behind. With every vindictive stomp of its leg would shake the vehicle and slow it down. Lilja looked in the back window and screamed. It was giving unhinged chase. Moving in ways they'd never seen a tripod move before. It was the speed of a sea creature, grappling onto buildings with such grace and execution. Yet, at the same time, unbridled rage. The three lights glaring directly into the humvees' tail end.

"Kenneth! Kenneth!! Faster! Drive faster!"

"What do you think I'm doing?!"

Shiva and Riley could barely make out their own voices over the chase of the tripop. Maneuvering through vehicles left behind and boulders of rubble was leaving them in the worst disadvantage. Riley barked to Shiva, "Can't you do something?!"

"Do something -?! Do what?! It sees us!"

Webb could see the chaos unravel from the skies. "Riley! Riley!" He couldn't see the humvee, but he could definitely see the charging tripod out for blood. Knowing they were exposed, there were few ways they could help them. Not unless the shield was compromised. In that helplessness, Webb and the Scouts 84 were doomed to watch. Pray that the three would find a way to escape.

The radio was lost somewhere between the seats. Every loose object in the humvee, including the three, were jumping and jolting against unsteady speeds. Against the pounding quakes of the tripod's stomp. It's engine fast and breathing down their necks. Riley was so lost in fear he didn't even bother to wonder why it hadn't shot a ray beam yet. Why it was so hellbent on catching the vehicle first. There was no time for anything to consider but escape. They were working with dismal odds.

Then the blaring static from the ray whirred and shot in the blink of an eye. Not at the speeding humvee, at buildings. Escape routes. It was blocking them in.

"You've got to be fucking joking!" Riley hissed, pulling at the steering wheel for a last-minute turn. This tripod was different. Far different than the ones they encountered in D.C. Than its friends in Time Square. It was faster, more agile – yet bigger. A bulky hood. It was the first they'd seen of having limbs to extract people. It was a beast, charging over 100 miles per hour. The only thing slowing it down, giving Riley, Lilja and Shiva the hairs length to evade were the buildings. It struggled through tight spaces, but it was surely problem solving through the chase. Clearing buildings with its winding and durable legs, zapping crevices to rubble. Throwing so much chaos just metres behind the humvee.

Riley made another last minute turn into an alley it hadn't blocked yet. The heavy vehicle plowed through dumpsters like a monster truck. There was a moment of unconvincing relief. The whirring engine had left, and the stomp had ceased. Shiva and Lilja paced their eyes up and around their surroundings. The tripod disappeared. He pulled another right past the alley into main roads once again. Still no sign of it ahead or behind them.

"Shit! Shit! Lilja! Lilja, where is it?!"

"Turn left!" She squalled back.

"What?"

"Turn left!"

There was only one left coming up, and he was seconds to it. Riley gritted his teeth. "Goddamit! Hold on!"

Both Shiva and Lilja screamed as the humvee drifted left. As it had, the alley behind them combusted. Bringing forth the wretched otherworldly engine. Its three headlights glaring into the back of their heads. Its size didn't quell the agility of the machine. They were like mice haplessly trying to outrun a barn cat. Every step they played, it would outsmart it. In size, agility, and power.

The chase raged down Hell's Kitchen. The tripod crushed through it like drywall. Lilja screamed, "Riley! Its gaining!"

"Screw this!" Riley pulled a turn, not into an alley or road, but a building. They broke through sheet glass and into an office. Then one of the limbs snatched the backside of the humvee. It sent all three of their heads slamming forward. Riley took the brunt of the impact in the bridge of his nose, where Shiva and Lilja were nearly unconscious from colliding into their foreheads.

He stressed the gas with all it had, pooling carbon monoxide into the office. The tripod sat and toyed with them just outside, pulling the humvee back against the spinning wheels. Riley ordered to both, "Get out! Get out!"

Shiva crawled out of the swerving vehicle first, helping Lilja out after.

Lilja raised her hand to the humvee and shouted, "Get out, Riley! Get out!"

He was certain he'd release the gas and go flying out the building and into the tripod's grip. When he did, the humvee kept spinning – the pedal didn't budge. Lilja had made sure of it. He jumped out and when he did, the humvee was lost in a matter of seconds with a loud crash through brick.

Riley ordered, "Run!"

The three darted with everything they had through the buildings. They could hear the tripod still meddling with the office, thinking they were hiding inside. Time was borrowed, and the tripod would advance through the building or tear it down completely. Stranded in New York, surrounded by tripod menace, and with no radio to call in for help, they sprinted to the pier. They didn't stop their sprint until they reached Hudson River, letting the current sweep them away somewhere safer. Even consumed in the piercing cold waters that would swallow them repeatedly. A constant fight for air and endurance. They would sooner be in it than face to face with a tripod ever again.