Cassim knelt down as they reached the chapel.  He motioned to Ermy to break the door down.  The bullhound nodded to his superior and readied his scutum.  With a quick thrust of the shield, he beat the door down.  it fell in front of him and the cohort entered, weapons at the ready.  Headlamps pierced the darkness, showing there was nothing but rubble and ruined benches.

Where once military congregations met, there was nothing but dust and debris.  Anubis knelt down and picked up an old book.  “The Holy Bible.” he said.

“Not so holy now... with demon spawn crawling over it,” Ceazen mumbled.

Anubis nodded and tossed the book away.  As it landed, it fell open and worn pages slipped out of it.

“So... this is rather empty and boring...”

“Be quiet.” Khelo hissed, interrupting Ceazen's next comment. He remained quiet, pouting.

Cassim lowered his peacemaker.  “Fan out and make sure the area's secure,” he said.  “Keep in radio contact.”

“Yes sir!” Ermy and Anubis said.

Khelo nodded and went her own way only to be followed closely by Ceazen. She turned and glared at him, getting a big smile in return. She mumbled curses to herself as she continued. He better keep quiet.

Ceazen continued to follow her in a puppy-like fashion. She wasn't sure what was more annoying, him talking or him quiet and following her.

“Over here!” Anubis shouted.  “We've got a way through!”

Khelo was quick to get as far from Ceazen as possible, running to Anubis.

Cassim walked over to him.  Anubis and Cerberus stood at the gap.  There was a gaping hole behind the dais of the chapel.  There was another part of the courtyard there.  The moon was still behind the clouds, but the landscape was illuminated by a few lights that had miraculously survived the centuries.

Lightning flashed in the sky again and Cassim readied his peacemaker.

“Echo-Two-Two, do you read?” the radio cracked.  There was nothing but silence on the other end.

“Great,” Cassim said.  “Team, stay alert.”

“Yes, sir,” Khelo and some others replied.

The cohort advanced cautiously across the other part of the courtyard.  Cassim motioned to the team  to keep their weapons raised.  They moved slowly.

“Centurion Vartus!” the radio cracked.  “Do you read?”

“Yeah,” he said.  “Loud and crankily.”

“This is Charlie-Four.  We're pinned-down outside the airfield and need support!  Over!”

“Let's go!” Anubis said. The team began across the courtyard a lot quicker than they had.  Cerberus was in front and saw a fellow legionnaire run around a corner.  There was a loud buzzing sound and he fell down.  Cerberus stopped and heard something turn around the corner.  It was a small, treaded vehicle with a large rectangular box on it.

The thing was about up to his waist and turned right at him.  The box had several holes on it.

Cerberus knew it had killed the legionnaire, even though it shouldn't have.  He roared and pulled one of his axes from his back. With a quick swing of it, he shattered the box and the treads.  It sparked as it shut down.  “They're TACs!” he shouted.

“They're supposed to be on our side!” Ermy shouted.

“Maybe the partisans hacked the communications!”

“No... the IFFs must be messed up...” Ceazen began searching through his pack. “I need to find the correct code so they recognize our signals as allies.

“Get to it!” Cassim shouted as a Minotaur turned the corner, carrying his vulcan cannon in one hand and a wounded jackalhound in the other.  Behind him came another legionnaire who dropped to one knee and fired his peacemaker.  Ceazen worked as fast as he could, setting up his equipment as fast as physically possible.  Khelo helped get the wounded and cover them.

“Keep him covered!” Cassim shouted.  There was another loud buzz that was a TAC firing.

The Minotaur lowered the wounded jackalhound and turned his vulcan on one of the approaching robotic drones.

Ceazen finally got everything set up, turning everything on and beginning to go through all the signals, trying to find the one that has the right code to get the TACs off their backs. He'll know when it happens because the machines will stop and retreat, that is after he hacks into them.

Cassim looked over his shoulder and saw a larger TAC approaching them.  “Kovin!” he shouted.

The Minotaur turned and leveled his vulcan with the thing.  It began spinning and blazed.

The bullhound went through the signals, until he shouted. “Got ya!”

The large TAC aimed one of two rectangular metal storm boxes at the Minotaur and buzzed.  Smoke flew from the barrels.  The Minotaur cried in rage as the bullets penetrated his armor and fell.

Ceazen winced as the Minotaur fell. “Sorry buddy...”   He pressed the last button, finishing the hack he created.

Cassim raised his own peacemaker and fired at the TAC.  Ermy moved in front of him and raised his scutm.  The machine fired at the bullhound and the storm of lead and brass overpowered the shield and Ermy fell.  “Damn it!” he shouted.  The TAC slowed and stopped right in front of the group.

“Don't worry... I demobilized them.”

“By the Emperor's Claws!” Ermy shouted.  His armor had been penetrated, but bullhounds, like him, were tough.  “I need a medic!”

“Well, sorry buddy. Ours got shot down when the Inferiors engaged us. We need to get you out of here.”  Ceazen got back on his radio. “I'll see if I can get through now.”

“Anubis, stay with him,” Cassim ordered.  “If we have to, we'll get to the control tower.

After a minute, Ceasen pouted. “No good... I'll need that tower's antenna to make the signals stronger.”

“Let's go then,” Voriku said.

He was already packing up his gear.

Cassim walked over to see just how badly Ermy had been hurt.   He saw blood stain the armor of the legionnaire and several holes in it.  The ceramic itself had been shattered partly.

“I'll keep him alive until we get evac here,” Anubis said.

Ceazen threw his pack over his shoulder. “I'm ready.”

Cassim nodded.  “Good,” he said.  “Let's move out then!'

“I am surprised you actually were useful...” Khelo mumbled under her breath. That just made Ceazen smile all the brighter.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Alysdir sighed as the Siren still clung to him for dear life. Unfortunately, he was slowly getting used to it. He looked over at Veryl. “We're getting closer to the surface...”

“Yeah,” Veryl replied, readying his shotgun.  “There might be someone waiting for us there.”

“Or something...” Hadassa added, still being forced to take up the rear.

“Goddamn grell,” someone said.

“Could be more of those... those things,” Ryan said.

Talia shuddered at the memory, cuddling closer to the male Drow.

Alysdir sighed again. This mission is not worth all this.

Veryl stopped as they neared a stairwell.  It was not much, but at the top of it was a door that was broken off its hinges.

“Oh lovely...” Alysdir mumbled sarcastically. “Someone opened the door for us.”

“And recently...” Hadassa added.

“On your toes,” Veryl said, pumping the weapon.

They all got out their weapons at the ready, even Talia.

“Ready?” Ryan asked.

“Veryl?” Alysdir looked at his friend, waiting for his okay to proceed.

The man nodded, raising his shotgun.  “Keep that Glock ready,” he said.

Ryan readied his XM8 and cocked it.  “Let's go then.”

The Drow male nodded and carefully began to ascend the stairs.  His eyes glowed as he watched for any unusual heat pattern. Talia was close behind him, watching and waiting. Eventually, they made it to the surface. The moon was high, but still partly covered by black clouds. They were close to the airfield, now.  There were several hangers that all lead to the air strip.  Some had been completely destroyed, while others were still perfectly intact.  Veryl sighed as they neared one of them.

“I hate flying,” he said.

Alysdir chuckled, knowing the story behind his friend's hatred of planes.

“C'mon,” he said.

He stopped and pulled the blueprint of the base out.  They were getting closer, but their goal was still a long ways off.  At the other end of the airfield was the control tower.  He looked up slowly, hearing a quiet buzzing sound.

“Never a dull moment,” he said.

“What?” Ryan asked.

“Siren,” Veryl said.

“Yes...” Talia said. She looked over to Veryl, knowing exactly what that sound was.

“Do you have any more of those grenades?”

Talia nodded, producing once quickly, handing it to him. “Here. I have three more.”

“Good,” he said.

“Everyone else, keep your guns close and aim for the treads to disable 'em.”

“What are they?” someone asked.

“Robotic drones,” Veryl said.

“I hate machines...” Alysdir mumbled.  “They don't bleed.”

“Unless you count the oil.”

“Still not the same...” Alysdir paused. “They seem to be occupied though...”

“Then let's take advantage of that!” Ryan said.

The male Drow simply turned to Veryl, like always.  The group moved quickly and soon reached a larger hanger.  One of the doors was open while the other had been blown apart.  Inside were two large bombers.  They looked like the archaic B-2 stealth bombers used by the Americans, long before their fall, but were far sleeker and larger.  Veryl looked at the vehicles for a second.

“Okay, so now what?” Hadassa was getting more and more agitated by the minute. The lack of control was starting to get to her.

There was a sound coming from one of the bombers.  The bomb bay doors of the vehicle fell open and a grell slipped out.  It was on its hands and kness, roaring in pain.  There was an unearthly light in its eyes as it crawled toward the partisans.  Veryl was quick to fire his shotgun at the thing, but it shrugged the blast off and continued crawling towards them.  “Damn,” he said.

“Great... spawn-possessed Grell...”  Hadassa aimed her weapon at the creature and fired.  Spinning saw blade after blade sliced through the creature.  One tore the creature's mandibles clean off.

Alysdir fired several shots into the creature in several vital areas.  It finally screamed as it fell onto the ground.  In a split second, its back began to swell and it burst as something slithered out of its back.  Veryl aimed his shotgun and fired at the creature, but it slipped away into the shadows before he could kill it.

Hadassa and Alysdir, though saw the new creature's heat as clear as day. They both began to fire at the creature.  There was a screaming hiss from it shortly after.  “One demon down... a gazillion to go...” Alysdir watched as the creature's heat faded, signaling its death.

“You said it,” Ryan said.  “Hope we have enough bullets.”

“So what does the map say?” Alysdir turned, glancing over to Veryl's direction.

Veryl pulled it out and looked it over.  “Well,” he said.  “We're close to another way into the silo complex.”

“What is it?” Ryan asked.

“There's an elevator that'll take us to the other side of the base.  That'll lead us to the silos.”

“Elevator? Would it work or will we have to try to find another way down?” Talia asked, taking a hold of Alysdir's arm again.

“Should.”

Veryl rolled the map back up and put it in his pack.  There was a buzzing like before, but it was much louder than before.  “Great.”  The thin wall of the hanger on one side became rattled with so many holes it collapsed as a pravagen fell through it.  Fluorescent green blood coated the creature so well, there was hardly any of its skin showing.  A robotic warrior, bearing the double-helix of The Breed Legions, rolled over the rubble on treads and over the dead pravagen.  It turned towards the group.

“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” Veryl shouted.

The Breed TAC suddenly fired its guns and the partisans quickly moved out of the way.

Veryl ducked behind the rubble the thing had created and readied the grenade Talia had given him earlier.  He pushed the button and threw it right at the TAC.  It crashed into the thing and detonated.  A flash of turquoise light penetrated the armor of the robotic combatant and its fuel tank detonated.  The box of the weapon flew into the air and clattered on the ground.

“Never a dull moment, eh, Veryl?” Alysdir winked.

He breathed a sigh of relief.  “Breed and Pravegen,” he said.  “Can this night get any worse?”

“Don't jinx it!” one of the partisans said.

“Well, I say let's get out of both their radars while we still can.” Hadassa suggested.

“Agreed,” Veryl said.  “I'll take the lead here.”

Both Drow nodded.

“C'mon.”

The group moved through the hangar a little more.  Ryan stopped.  “Veryl!  Get out of the way!” he shouted.  His friend looked up, just in time to see doors at the other end of the hanger open.

“Kill the inferiors!” a legionnaire shouted.

Alysdir cursed in Drow and begin to fire at their newly arrived enemies.

One of the legionnaires fell as Alysdir made a direct hit on the weak spot on the legionnaire's armor.  The others fanned-out and began to enter the hanger.  A peacemaker fired at Ryan and he ducked, but not fast enough.  One or two bullets found their mark and he fell down.

“Ryan!” Talia ran over to see if he was okay and drag him into cover. She was relieved to see that his vest took the bullets.

Ryan struggled to stand, but the impact from a flurry of bullets had knocked the wind out of him.

“You okay?” she asked, helping him stand again.

Ryan was still trying to catch is breath and looked at the siren.  Her face seemed genuinely concerned for his well-being.

He took a deep breath and finally recovered.  “Y-yeah...” he managed.

There was a burst of fire in front of them.  Ryan looked up and saw the legionnaires turn their guns on a group of pravagen.

She handed him his gun with a smile. “Now let's get out of her together, okay.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cassim dropped to one knee and aimed at the siren with his peacemaker.  He fired, but she noticed him before any of his bullets could find their mark.  “Kill the traitor!” he shouted.

“Yes sir!” Voriku replied, raising her magic rifle.  She fired, but missed.  The blast hit a piece of landing gear for one of the bombers and it lost its balance.

The bomber's wing collapsed, puncturing the wall.  Cassim turned his attention to the man in the cammo.  It was the same man from earlier and he ducked behind the wing of the craft.  “Kehlo!  Cover me!”

Khelo nodded. “Yes, Sir!”

Cassim dashed forward.  He aimed his peacemaker at another partisan and fired.  The M4 the human carried blazed at him.  Cassim ducked and had is back to the wing of the bomber.  He pulled a canister from his belt and pulled a pin from it before tossing it behind the wing.

“Shit!” the man shouted.

Ceazen wasn't fairing too well in his position. The male Drow partisan was aiming too close for comfort. “I hate Drow...”

“Get out of there! Now!” the radio cracked.  “Anomalies are moving into the area!  Get to the tower!”

Cassim heard the grenade go off.   He spotted the drow Ceazen was referring to and pulled another grenade from his belt before tossing it at him.  “Cover me!” he shouted.

Cerberus spun around and aimed his pistols at a pravegen, brandishing a huge demonic spear.  He roared and fired them both, blasting gaping holes in the corrupted elf.  “Let's go!”

“Kehlo!  Smoke!” Cassim shotued.

He got to his feet and fired at another pravagen with a demonic rifle in its hands.

Khelo quickly put on her mask, not ceasing her fire on enemy targets that were in sight. Ceazen took the opportunity to get to where Khelo was standing, offering some back-up to her as well.

Khelo instantly took the chance to retreat followed closely by the still-talking Ceazen. “This sucks... demons, drow and partisans... what is with this place. It's like some kind of crazy freak show, man!”

The smoke from the grenades Kehlo had thrown began to coat the hangar in white smoke.  Cassim pulled his mask up and ran through it.  “Cerberus!  Take point and clear us a path through those anomalies!”

“Yes sir!” the hellhound howled.  Cerberus leapt toward another pravagen, advancing on their flank.  He caught the spear of the pravagen in his mouth and drove the bladed edge of his handgun into the creature again and again, tearing it apart.  He shook his head and the spear went flying.

Voriku fired at another pravagen, backed-up by Cassim and the other two bullhounds.  “Let's go!” she shouted.

Cassim and the team followed the hellhound and they retreated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Alysdir was highly annoyed. “I couldn't get the loud one...”

“It looks like they are retreating... that's the control tower, right?” the siren said. Talia had worked her way next to the Drow male. He looked over at her.

“When the hell did you get next to me?”

Ryan sighed as he reloaded his XM8 and saw Veryl slowly getting to his feet.  Blood covered his left arm, but he didn't seem to mind it.

The Siren was instantly concerned. “Veryl! You're hurt!”

He turned away from her.  “I'm fine,” he snapped.

She winced.  “O-okay.”

He sighed and loaded his shotgun again.  “It's only a flesh wound.”

“Okay...” She walked over to Ryan and started to clean up his wounds.

Alysdir's eye twitched. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I am making sure Ryan doesn't get an infection... and that his bleeding stops.” She continued to care for the Human male.

Ryan blinked, surprised not only that the siren was helping him, but that the drow had shown some emotion toward the siren.

She smiled at Ryan. “Now, this will sting a little, okay. It's some antibiotic and it will numb the pain too. Ready?”

He nodded.

She applied the salve and sure enough it stung. But soon the stinging faded and the pain did as well.

Ryan caught his breath from the sting.  “Thanks,” he said.

Talia’s grin grew wider, as she began to bandage it. “You're welcome.”

Alysdir shot a glare to the Siren's back, mumbling in Drow.

Veryl sighed as he walked to Alysdir's side.  “You're jealous?” he asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“Of the siren giving Ryan medical attention?”

“Alysdir's gay... he's probably more jealous that she gets some more male quality time than him.”  Hadassa grinned, “He always had trouble with large parties.”

Alysdir's right eye was twitching again. He aimed his rifle at his sister and fired it quickly. The bullet grazed the tip of her ear. “Shut up or else I won't miss next time.”

Veryl grabbed Alysdir's M40 and pulled it easily out of his hands.  “This infighting is going to get us all killed!” he shouted.  “Do you not remember what I said earlier?”

“She started it!”

“Truth hurts, little brother.”

“I don't care who started it!”  Veryl shouted.  “I'm ending it!”

“IT WAS NOT THE TRUTH, YOU GUTTER WHORE!”

There was a roar from in the smoke.  “Look what you two did!” Veryl shouted.  “We've got company!”  He turned and through the smoke came another pravagen.  Veryl fired his shotgun at the creature again and again until it fell.

Talia blinked, now standing near Veryl. Ryan was all finished getting taken care of.  She paused, “What's going on?”

“Pravagen!” Eddie shouted.  He sprayed a hail of bullets into the smoke, one jumped out from it, to be blown apart by Veryl's shotgun.

Talia nodded, also shooting into the smoke when dark shadows moved.

Ryan aimed his rifle into the smoke and fired as well.  It was slowly dissipating.  Finally, the smoke cleared and groups of pravagen were in front of them.  “Damnit!” Ryan shouted.  He leveled his rifle at one of the creatures and fired.

Hadassa and Alysdir seemed back to normal as the shot insults to each other in Drow and killing the Pravagen at the same time.

Another pravagen fell down, but one got close.  Veryl threw a punch and an arc of turquoise energy slashed through the demonic elf.

“Let's go!” he shouted, making a run for the other end of the hangar.

Ryan and some of the other partisans followed quickly, firing at the pravagen as they did.

Hadassa and Alysdir stayed behind a bit, allowing the others more time to retreat before getting out of there themselves.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cassim fired at a pravagen upon entering the control tower.  A buzz of fire came from the peacemaker as a spurt of bullets tore through the creature.

Ceazen took this time to get to the command room, with Khelo in toe, making sure he doesn't get disturbed by the enemies trying come in.  He began to take out his gear, rushing and talking as always. “Man, this day just keeps getting better and better.”

“You said it!” Cerberus said, reloading his pistols.

“How about you do less talking and more work.” Khelo added.

“Cerberus, guard Kehlo while she sets up some explosives to keep the anomalies away.”

Cassim said.

Khelo nodded and did as she was told, thinking of the best way to set up the explosion.

Ceazen's equipment was set up, now he was trying to connect it to the equipment of the tower. “Damn... Demons sure know to ruin stuff...”

“Just get it working,” Cassim said.

“I'm getting there... perfection can only work so fast.”

Cerberus came up the stairs to the control room of the tower.  “Explosives set!” he said.

“Antipersonnel mines are ready, sir,” Khelo announced.

Cassim nodded.  “Good.”

He looked back at Ceazen.  “Any luck yet?”

“Well, just a minute or two and I think I'll have it...” he paused, “Ha! I win! We have a signal!”

Cassim nodded.  “Get Primus Agusta on the horn!” he ordered.

“Yes, sir!” Ceazen did as he was told, going through the communication circles until he was finally in contact with Primus Agusta. He handed his headset over to Cassim.

Cassim put it to his ear.  “Alpha, do you read?”  There was static and a shriek from the headset.  

“Echo-two-two, is that you?” a voice said.

“Affirmative!”

“Situation Centurion!”

“The place is crawling with anomalies.  What are our orders?”

“Hold position, Centurion, we're assessing the threat.”

Cassim nodded.  “Confirmed.”  He nodded and looked out the air control tower.  There was the sound of gunfire and he saw a number of pravagen running below them.  “Team, stay ready,” he said.

“Echo-Two-Two,” the radio cracked.  “Make your way to the dustoff site as given in the mission brief and make it fast!  Alpha Legion has authorized a nuclear strike!”

Cassim's face lit up with shock.  “Is it that dire?”

“Centurion, we've got you on satellite surveillance right now and the place is crawling with the things.  The area will be cleansed in atomic fire.  Get to the dustoff site!”

“We've got wounded here though!”

“Contact Echo-One-Two and tell them to evac them!  They have a different dustoff site!”

“Confirmed!”  Right at that second, one of the antipersonnel mines went off.

Cassim nodded.  “Got it!  Keep them out of here!” Cassim shouted.

“Echo-Two-Two, get to the silos!  Nuclear strike ETA, three hours.”

“Confirmed.  Echo-Two-Two, out!”  He lowered the headset.

“Well... this is peachy...” Ceazen mumbled.

Cassim nodded.  “Pack up and fast,” he said.

With a salute, Ceazen went back to work, re-packing his equipment yet again.

“Status Kehlo!” Cassim shouted.

“We still have some anamolies breaking through.” She responded before another mine went off.

He nodded.  “Voriku!  Surge!”

The seteshan nodded.  “Yes sir!” she replied.  Her eyes glowed behind the legionnaire's mask.  Pale blue energies crackled around her hands and walked down the stairs and past Kehlo.  “Get clear!” she ordered.  The energy in her clawed hands crackled and small spheres of lightning danced around her fingers.  Thrusting one out, they jumped to a pravagen who screamed.

The pravagen fell back and its skin burst open.

“Path's clear!” she shouted.

Cassim looked at Ceazen.  “You done yet?”

“Yeppers! All packed and ready to run again.”

“Good!”  He headed down the tower, followed by Ceazen.  “All Imperial Units, this is Echo-Two-Two.  Alpha has ordered a nuclear strike.  All cohorts get to your dustoff sites!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Do we have to keep on running?” Eddie complained, lagging a little.

“Do you want to die?” Alysdir snapped, having lost all his patience minutes ago.

“Do we even know where we are going?” Hadassa questioned after firing some rounds to those Pravagen still chasing them.

A voice came from the siren that was not her own.  “All Imperial Units, this is Echo-Two-Two.  Alpha has ordered a nuclear strike.  All cohorts get to your dustoff sites!”

The partisans immediately stopped and looked at Talia.

She looked at them and blinked. “Oh, fuck.”  

Veryl looked up.  He blinked and knew they had to move.  “Let's get to that elevator!” he said.

“We don't know the ETA! It could be minutes or hours!” The Siren informed as she and the others took off towards the elevator.

They crossed the field and soon reached the control tower.  Right next to it was an old maintenance elevator.   Veryl pushed a button on it.  “Work!” he shouted at the machine.  It groaned and came to life.  The doors opened.  “Let's go!”

Ryan turned around, seeing a pravagen run at them on all fours.  It leapt into the air and he fired his XM8 at it.  The creature took each shot and landed in front of him.  It stood up and raised a massive clawed hand.  Veryl grabbed Ryan by the shoulder and pulled him onto the elevator as it began to descend.  As they went into the earth, there was a buzz and Ryan saw the feet of the legionnaires.

*****

The elevator came to a stop and the partisans quickly left it.  Veryl pushed Ryan out first.  “Next time, don't shoot, just retreat!” he ordered.

Talia gave Ryan a little pat on the shoulder as she passed him.

“I'm sorry,” Ryan said.  “I thought I could...”

“You can't in that much time,” Veryl interrupted.  “Maybe if he was a few meters more in front of you and maybe if he wasn't running at you on all fours!”

He sighed.  “Look, let's go.”

“Where to next?” The Siren asked Veryl.

He pulled the map out.  “Give me a second.”

She nodded, smiling. At least he wasn't picking on Ryan anymore now.

Ryan caught up with Talia.  “What's his problem?”

Alysdir let out a slight growl, but the Siren didn't hear it. “He's just being hard on you because he cares. It was a bad decision at the moment and you know that now, especially after he got on your case.”

“Alysdir,” Veryl said.  “Take the lead.”

Alysdir nodded. “Which direction?”

He pointed down a hall where there was a flickering light.  “That way.”

With another nod, the Drow male did as he was told.

Veryl walked behind them, followed by one or two of the partisans.  There was a banging heard.

“Is that what I think it is?” Ryan asked.

“God, I hope not,” Eddie said.

There was a rumbling heard above them.  Veryl looked up and saw a tentacle spurt from the ceiling.  Thousands more followed.  “Lookout!” Veryl shouted.  He jumped forward and shoved Ryan forward, just as the ceiling began to fall.  Rubble fell onto the group along with dust.

They heard one scream before it was instantly ended with a loud crack.  Alysdir did a quick count, instantly missing someone. “VERYL!”

Hadassa chuckled, mumbling something in Drow on the lines that Alysdir just lost his lover.

The Drow male just didn't care. “Veryl, can you hear me?”

The dust slowly cleared and the sound of gunfire was heard.  There was a small hole in the rubble.  A rolled paper was slid through.  “Keep going!”  Veryl shouted.  “We'll make it over here!”

“We?” Alysdir asked, relieved Veryl was okay.

Another man screamed as there was a horrible gushing sound.  Veryl's face was shown through the hole.  “There's one or two more of us here,” he said.

“Okay. Take care of them. I'll take care of this for you.”

“Keep going and get the missiles fired.”  Veryl Nodded.  “I'll try and tap into the intercom and guide you to best I can.   If I can find a way to tap into it.”

“Here!” Talia slid a bottle of salve over and then bandages. “You'll need these.”

He noticed them, but didn't take them.  “You'll need those!” he shouted.

“I have extras... just use it.” The Siren paused, “Please?  Besides, we're all fine on this end.”

Veryl sighed and grabbed the bottle before turning around and firing his shotgun at something.  “Just move!” he shouted.

“You heard the man!” Alysdir grabbed a hold of Talia's arm and dragged her long with him as he took the lead. Ryan and Hadassa soon followed.

The Drow male handed the map to Talia. “Now, let's get the job done so we can pack up Veryl and leave.”

Ryan caught up with them, breathing.  “What...  what did he...” he said.

“...I think you meant 'pick up' little brother.” Hadassa added.

“Shut up or I'll make you,” was all Alysdir said in reply.

The Drow female shrugged and followed her brother and the Siren.

Ryan looked up slowly.  “Let's just go,” he said.  “This place is freaking me out...”  He looked back, hearing a single handgun fire.