Jack, Be Quick.

A loud growl erupted as the metal was pulled out, Duncan hit the floor beside him cracking the tiles. His heavy breathing showing his pain.

Duncan grabbed Jack's hand after the medical treatment and in a melodramatic voice said, "Jack, in case I die, just, "sniffle," just tell me... you love me." He then smiled and chuckled in a mixture of pain and amusement.

"You know I can find that shard and shuv it back in right? Though I may choose a more painful location." Jack said half jokingly.

Duncan used a crumbling piece of wall to pull himself up and test his weight on his leg. It seemed to be ok but he made sure to favor it to avoid additional aggravation, well less than he was about to put on it from engaging enemies.

"For real though, we gotta move. That tank is tearing through this building. We should engage one of the groups outside hard and fast and get in to a different building."

He looked at the groups on either side in their path to a different building. Trying to spot which would be easiest to plow through.

"That Gart is crazy trying to toy with that tank. If he is with you tell him to get over here and then we can evac the hell out of here."

There was a bright flash,

and everyone's ears were ringing.

The tank had a large crater in the front armor now, the entire body pushed back, steam rising off from the hull. What used to be the front machine-gun was entirely melted, and the side guns were no longer moving.



Uso, meanwhile, had cleared their way out, having found some smoke grenades and an assault rifle of her own on the bodies of the men she'd just killed. The smoke grenades would provide a bit of cover to either side to secure the escape root, as Uso called out from where she was,

"LETS NOT STICK AROUND!"

Her bodie's stealth was slightly disrupted now, due to bullet wounds from close range... but she could walk that off.

Creature and Anne, on the other hand, were not so lucky. They would both hear something snap. Creature's legs weren't going to be of any more use, his armor was chunked and burning, and the girl he had come to save had an arm turned at a very odd angle.

It was nothing new for him. Creature pulled out another syringe from his stash and administered some of high powered pain killers. He then took his hands and fumbled down his legs and popped them back into place one by one. It probably wasnt the healthiest move, but who cared. His body had always healed fairly swiftly even with out help, and he often enough could repair his equipment(Or terrify somebody into doing it for him. Creature was up and on his feet, and began dashing towards Ann. He grabbed her, and carried her, vanishing off down a nearby ally way.

There was a loud crash as he put an elbow through a window, and He and ann entered. He laid Ann down and flopped down her to her, one of his legs re-breaking. "Uhhh. I'm pretty beat to shit. I'd give you some of this Narco. But." He then juiced him self up some more, this time with the combat stimulant. He then took the last of his medical back, and did a full nano treatment into his broken bones. He felt this.

Creature then looked over to Ann and in his stupor opted to "Fix" Her arm. With his super strength now even more enhanced he forced her arm back to normal. Or what he though should be Normal. Creature then waited for the nano bots to do their Job. It was slap dash at best, but enough to get him back into the fight if needed.

Duncan had watched the tank crumple and be reduced to a new monument in this crap hole of a city though what drew his attention was the hideous Gartagen bounding through the area with some poor flailing woman in his arms. He was no doctor but he was sure that her arm was not supposed to bend the ways it was.

That thing was going to get her killed and he wouldn't just stand by. He gave the floor they were on a quick once over finding almosg exactly what he needed, maybe more so. He limped quickly over to a small pile of rubble and tossed some of the debris away revealing a tall gun safe door that had been blown off it's hinges. He bent, lifted the door though not with ease and turned to the others, "Jack, grab some of your guys and stack on me. I'm going for those two out there and could use some shooters."

With only a slight pause Duncan moved out of the building holding the door as a makeshift shield against the cartel thugs sure to be shooting at any moment.

Creature lay there for a moment motionless. His bleeding had stopped. "Oh man. I probably should take care of...my...flowers..." He said fading out. His body was not the only thing battered, but so was his mind. The battered and hole filled armor was shot. The EMP has drained the batteries of his weapons.

"Things that stay still don't live long. Get up. Now." Her black hair, and angular face matched the sharpness of her words.

"Fuck you. You left me. I'll die if I wanna!" He growled, his voice being gravely. "No you won't."

Creature felt movement. A soft pair of hands patting him all over. Grabbing at him. He opened his eyes and saw that stupid fucking kid. Shit on her face, wearing tattered clothes that left her chest bare. Creatures good hand wrapped around her throat He rushed up. "You little sewer rat!" He shouted. The child's face contorted to caricature of a wounded pet. Her bare feet hung limply against Creature's thighs and shattered armor. "I was fixin your gun mista..." She said fighting back tears and trembling as she raised the weapon up. The red light was blinking. She had switched out the battery. Creature put the kid down. "Great. Wonderful. What am I supposed to do to a fucking tank and hundreds of goons?" He snarled holstering the weapon. Creature looked down and saw the child had gone through his now empty medical pouch that he kept his stash. Now. Fucking. Empty.

He looked at his Grenade case, and found he still had a few of those left.

"Heya Sude! I got some of those blow up rocks off a dead man to him kill the bad people!" Another thin alien child called out from a service tunnel hatch. Judging by the smell, these kids fled into it to avoid being roasted alive. Chances are they probably started fleeing the moment they heard commotion. Creature turned his head right so that the good part of his face flashed to her. "I'll take the bombs, get me more narco...anything I don't give two assholes what it is, and get her to safety. Got it?" He rumbled low. He then saw movement out side. "I can't fight bad people with shitty tanks and bombs with bitch guns."

Sude smiled, flashing some life in her black eyes. She reached down, lifting her soiled tunic, revealing a leather strap against her bare torso. A crude slingshot almost as big as her was pressed against her bare back side. Creature took it, and set the girl down. She immediately grabbed Ann and began pulling her to the service tunnel, and anchored her down. A moment later the child vanished. Creature could smell the fire, but the tunnel air felt cool, yet drafty. Different net work, the sewers were fucked, but this local tunnel net work would prove to be a nifty escape hatch if needed.

Creature snarled loading one of his grenades into the sling shot. Holding he replaced the battery of his sword. "Fucking dicks." He said hitting the button on the small egg like grenade and putting it into the cradle of the sling shot. With his right hand he drew back the elastic band till it was stiff, then aimed down the fork of the shifty wooden sling shot, well made by the hands of a child.

"ASSHOLES! I JUST WANTED TO GET LIT! You fucked that up! FUCKED UP ONE OF MY GIRLS SO I'M GOING TO FUCK YOU UP!" He roared as he dove down for cover.


"Why didn't you go for cover the first time?"

"Because watching that fuckin tank fold up like tin foil was coolasfuck!" He yelled seemingly to no one.

Jack stacked up with Duncan, with Sarah behind him. Jack rested his M3 on Duncan's right shoulder as Sarah did with her rifle with Jack's shoulder. The other four Saber member did likewise on the opposite side of the door way they would exit.

"Alright set to go, once we are out this door eliminate all hostiles with extreme prejudice. After they are dealt with, form a half circle around that alley. If we identify as friendly to the HVT's, they may hopefully decide to come peacefully, remember they are blue assets and need to be protected. If worse comes to worse, everyone will cover Duncan and I and will knock that Gart motherfucker out. Duncan on you, we got your six." he said giving Duncan's left shoulder a light pat.

"Come on lover boy, we don't have all day, dumbasses to kill and a couple migraines to bring home. Let's go already." Sarah said clearly irritated and a tone of boredom saturating her voice.

Duncan nodded and continued forward as he felt the tap on his shoulder. The gun safe door was heavy and it took all his strength and concentration to ensure it stayed up and effective.

He has always been one of those rare people in this crazy universe that thought of others before himself. Even now his only thoughts were of getting to those two out in the alley. Of course it didn't make him blind and so he kept his head moving this way and that looking for threats. He moved the doorshield slightly every so often to block as much as he could.

Of course he wasn't overly thrilled when the people he thought they were trying to save shot a grenade at them out of a, was that a slingshot? Seriously?

"That crazy hideous thing just shot a grenade at us. Picking up the pace so we can get clear," he said as he moved a little faster. His goal was to move out of the radius and let the grenade detonate harmlessly (to them) behind them all, that is if it didn't go wide and miss them anyway.

They quickly quickened their pace to an almost jog, now only twenty feet from the alley, "To the dumbass slinging grenades from the alley, hold your fire, we are friendly! We are here to extract you, now hold fire so we can come in!" Jack shouted down the alley. He hope he wouldn't receive a grenade to the face plate for his trouble, ruining a perfectly good day.

There was a loud rumble as the grenade detonated beside on of the structures, sending drywall and stone showering down on everyone.

Then there was a second, lower, rumble, as the engine of the tank kicked back on...


"...... ....... . .. ..... .. ..... .... ..." Frank Said,

"....?" The left side gunner asked,

".... .... ... ........!" The right side gunner shouted.

".. ....! ... .... .. ... ....!" Frank replied. The entire inside of the tank was ringing, the loud blast had literally deafened everyone inside of the metal box. With how hard his own bell was rung Frank could barely tell people from buildings outside. He took aim at something and fired,

He could feel the motion of the tank rocking back, but it was like watching a silent film. Part of the building infront of the tank exploded, sending more rock and wood flying about, a thick haze of smoke and debris starting to fill the area as they worked on bringing their tank back to life.

It appeared that there were two distinct groups. Though creature could hardly tell them apart. Their guns made different noises. The tank was shooting at them, but some were breaking towards him. Choices. That fucking tank was damned near invincible, and it popped off another round deafening the area and causing Creature's ears to ring. He could take another shot at the dudes rushing his way or take out the tank. Creature couldn't take those assholes on. He was beat to shit, even doped up...they would just take him in a rush. That tank on the other hand would bring down the whole building on him when it was finished with the other one.

Creature popped up and cradled another grenade. He put that tank in the forks and released the egg sized object at it. He then dashed over the service tunnel entrance. Creature looked down, and his tail curled in annoyance. But at least in the tunnel he could drive them mad and pick them off one at a time.

"I think the other guys are here to help you. That little girl. Sude. We'd have a child her age..."

"Yea but you fucking left asshole! Now I have to do this shitshow alone!" He yelled, his harsh voice reverberating into the warrens below. He was standing over his escape.

"That's right, sit there screaming, scaring those kids like a psychopath."

"Don't you gas light me! Hiding behind the kids, they just helped me!"

"Of course, you'd be saved by children, Idiot."

"How the fuuuuuuucccck! This is my head lady, I'M SUPPOSED TO WIN THE ARGUMENTS!"

"How is that working out for you?"

"NOT SO FUCKING GOOD!"

Sasha was walking inside the service tunnel, when she thought she heard men arguing. Her original plan was to enter the building through the service tunnel with a whole squad.

Problem? The 'whole squad' were seem to be to busy fighting outside, or even knew about her plan, so there she was, inside a sewer, with her trusty gears and weapons.

"Dammit, they're going to tear the whole damn building down.... "


She spoke to herself as she heard the whole intense gun sounds and tank sounds. Then, as she approached what was seem to be the tunnel's entrance, she heard Creature's argument with..somebody.


" ....Please not be a machine gun... "

She prayed as she began to walk toward the Creature, then, as she had quick peak on him, she managed to quickly point a tranqulizer gun (which she thought was her pistol) at him and put a dart on him before realising who he was.

" Oh God damn it. "


She swore as she quickly ran toward the Creature and helped him up.

The Dart struck Creature right in his neck. Sasha would see him not even register the hit except when he rested to the puff noise made by the gun. He stood up and turned around to see her standing there looking at him. His ey s drew wide at her.

"Is it worth it? Lemme work it, I put my thing down flip it and reverse it...." He said as he wobbled, swayed and fell into the service hole behind him. He landed several feet below the ground with a dull crunch.

" Aw, crap... "


Sasha murmured as she saw him falling into the service hole. She quickly ran to him as fast as she could, but wasn't fast enough to grab him.

As she saw him landing on the ground several feet below, she quickly peaked her head at the hole then began to yell.

" Hey! You alright down there? Are you dead? Crap....Uso'll have my ass for dinner when she finds out..."

Jack and the team had entered the alley after no answer and surrounded the broken window from which the Gart had bashed through earlier,"We're coming in, if you shoot, your ass is grass!" he said as they prepared to storm in. Jack leaped in through the window to roll a few feet into the room, coming up with his M3 checking the room and finding it empty. There was a service tunnel entrance in the corner that stood open, and had a slight blood trail leading to it. "Room clear, tunnel entry point in West-eastern corner, circle and prepare for entry." he said into his helmet's mike, with his external audio switched off. Jack took a quick head count as the others entered the room, "Hey wait there is only four of you, where the hell is Sasha?" Jack asked looking to Sarah with a peeved tone as she was last in.

"Um, she was behind me, but after the tank fired, she disappeared. Probably splattered on the concrete outside some where." Sarah answered with little care in her voice.

"You know, I'm starting to wish they had aimed ahead of her a bit, then I wouldn't have to listen to your smart ass." Jack said with irritation as this worried him for more than one reason, it seemed everyone he had been close to at some point. Whether intentional, or not had died, Jack inwardly knew it would be another face he would be seeing from now on, condemning him with the rest. "Fuck! Come on we need to catch that motherfucking Gart, we need to make that loss worth something." he said trying to not let his emotions show audibly.

"Not like you too were close, or something, relax she wasn't good enough for this team apparently. Besides we can just activate her backup at home." Sarah added clearly annoyed that Jack didn't like a KIA on the team.

"Shut the fuck up, or she won't be the only one being revived." Jack barked at her. They circled the tunnel entrance and synchronously moved to the edge and looked down into the dark tunnel, flashlights illuminating an unexpected sight. "Trooper how the fuck did you get down there, and ahead of us at that. You were outside a moment ago. Wait is that the Gart?!" Jack almost stuttered from the confusion and relief.

" Well...magic. Looks like y'all have finally found out my true identity..! The MIGHTY Kasha the magician! "


Sasha still had a nerve to crack a joke before turning her serious mode on.


" Well, I entered through the sewer, or service tunnels...whatever they're called. And yes, that's the Gart we were lookin' for....the problem is...he might be the corpse of the Gart we were looking for if we don't come down there fast. "

Creature lay at the bottom on his shoulders and dishiveled. One of his feet was dangling limply. It has been rebroken again and Sasha could see that the greasy hue of his pants around the break was moist.

He twitched slightly. Sasha would see a smudge covered small olive colored face peek into view. The bony protrusions from her head were very noticeable. Her creasy matted hair gave her away as street rat of this world. The kid gasped at Sasha and started pulling creature as best she could.

"Oooooh. I don't wanna go to work...." Creature slurred.

"The other guys all make fun of me.....hey...." Creature said touching the kid. "You are gross as fuck....."

"Let's go mistah the humees are gonna kill us!" She squeeled out loudly beginning to panic.

" Aw hell no.... "


As she saw the girl trying to take Creature away, she mumbled then quickly pulled a rope out from her black bag pack then gave a end to the squad while throwing other end into the service hole.

" You ain't takin' him nowhere ya brat! "

She yelled at the girl as she began to climb down the hole, hanging onto her rope tightly.

"Fffuck you! She ain't a brat! Just smells like a dick...."


Creature aides the child with a push of his "good" leg. "Come on bby." Creature said as the kid frantically tugged. He was sluggish and slurring . His vision was blurry and his eyes were heavy.

Creature drew his gun. He held it up but his arm dropped. He drug the gun up his body. "Ay. Kid. Take thissss. Shoot him in his assssss...."

The Girl stopped tugging. She took the large weapon and aimed it at Sasha's rump. THWOOM!

Sasha would feel the air on her right side collapse. A nice dint was in the bulk head next to her.

Creature grumbled. The Child screamed and squeezed the trigger again. THAWOOM!!!