Demons & Domes (IC)

[\/£in]

His rifle shined against the illumination of the sun above gleaming sparkles across the cliff side. His red and black military uniform stood out amongst the crowd of people, if the Arxen were as smart as a human...Vein would've probably been dead by now.

He looked cautiously across the cliffs marking the edge of the mountains, scanning for any movements or Arxen behavior in the area. Vein had begun to worry that something was terribly wrong, not due to the mass hysteria of others, but simply because not a single Arxen had been spotted since they left the dome. He wanted to believe that they were all occupied with ravaging D7, but there were millions of them and only a few thousand destroyed D7. That would have to mean that many more were still wandering the cliffside. Then only time that Vein could recall hearing about a certain area being low populated in Arxen was back in training.


"An Arxen reacts on instinct and knows only how to survive and kill."

"Arxen also follow pack behavior...like lions. They compete over being the alpha males. An average alpha male is usually tolerant of other males sharing the area. However, an extremely powerful Arxen will rid his territory of any males and force the females to stay in their den with him. This changes the role of the females usually being gatherers and the extremely powerful Arxen male will assume the role in order to protect the females."

Vein could feel the chill of his commander's words. That was one of the last training lessons given to him before the invasion and the day he watched his unit and his commander being ripped apart. He took his gaze off the cliffs looking to the people around him. It was now his duty to help bring these people to D9, maybe then he could forgive himself for not doing everything to save his unit.

His gun made a clank as he reloaded it. The people around him looked at him nervously, wandering exactly what he was doing.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne walked in fornt of the group keeping a close eye on the surrounding cliffs. After a while she found her way back to where Vein was and nodded in greeting.
"You feel it too,"she whispered softly,"that something isn't right. That they should be here in these cliffs. I want you to go to the back and cover our tracks if anything we need to be extremely careful... By the way Vein I'm glad your here I watched you in training. You're a good fighter. It helps to know I'm not the only one who can protect these people."
Vivienne smiled and patted Vein on the back in a friendly manner.
"I hope I can count on you,"she smiled,"I don't really trust some of these jarheads. They'd see a baby Arxen and piss themselves. So can I trust you?"

[nonangelic92]

Ace wastched as the two military officers conversed and rolled her eyes. She may not have militray training but she did know that conversing while on a mission can be a distraction. She shifted her gun to her other side and watched the cliffs, "Excuse me you two love birds, but are we almost to D9. I mean I may be just a civilan to you guys, but I'm also a civilian with a gun. I believe we should take a break and rest for a few til these other civilians get their breathes and energy back."

[\/£in]

Vein looked to Vivienne with a look of astonishment. She had complemented his training, even though it was little.

"Cover the tracks," he asked in confusion. "If I'm as good as you think...perhaps I should be in the front. From the rear I can't help anyone..."

Vein then watched as another girl approached. She had a smartassey tone and smelled of spoils with a gun. Although he kinda felt like he was jumping to a conclusion of judgment, he at the same time wandered what it was making this girl so edgy.

"Ladie," he began pointing to the far distance. "See those hills beyond the forest? Well beyond those hills is a lake and beyond that lake is god knows what...THEN we'll be at D9. Till then, remain calm."

[Totenglaut]

He sat on a rock just staring. There was no real apparent life about him. He could've been an amazing sculpture for all the movement the young man showed. He had a machete across his lap but he hadn't used it, didn't plan on using it.

"Hey! Januarie!" The young man's blue eyes slid to who was calling. Another Civilian. What did he want. "You gonna move...or DO something? It's kinda creepy" Januarie Morrise tilted his head to the side in curiousity but he didn't reply. "You gonna SAY something at least?"

Januarie met the man's stare evenly. "No." It was hard to tell what the No was too but it appeared to be the only thing Januarie was going to say. His voice was flat, lifeless almost as creepy as his earlier stillness. Perhaps the man took his No in the wrong fashion because he was fuming now. "Something wrong?" Januarie asked lifelessly. He didn't like to talk so much.

"Yeah. You you prick" With that the man slammed a fist into Januarie's side. Januarie didn't even wince he did rise and move to another spot. Or tried to. Because the man wasn't happy with Januarie's non-expressions. "Say something. Do something" He raged. Perhaps it was just cabin fever at being so close with the same people but no matter what Januarie did it enraged him.

[Anne Bonny]

"Hey! Hey! HEY!" Kay found her feet moving before she could even think of her next action. She scrambled up the rocks toward the two men who for some reason, had decided it would be a good idea to fight each other. As if there weren't enough on this planet bent on hurting people.

She took her position between the two, facing the one who was screaming, her green eyes leveled on his. "Just calm down," Kay said in a voice that she hoped sounded soothing. "Yelling out here won't do any of us any good. Why don't you sit down for a minute and have some water, okay?"

After fumbling for a moment in her messenger bag, her hand withdrew a small canteen. One that she had conspicuously dropped a mild sedative into. "We're all tired. Just take a few deep breaths and clear your head."

Kay turned back to the blond man who's expression had somehow remained serene through the whole encounter. "I saw he hit you. Are you alright?"

She ran a hand through her red hair as she crouched down next to him.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne nodded at Veins comment flicking her eyes around the cliffs cautiously. When a girl made a comment on what they should do she narrowed her eyes into a harsh glare. Before she could say anything Vein spoke up.
"Ladie," he began pointing to the far distance. "See those hills beyond the forest? Well beyond those hills is a lake and beyond that lake is god knows what...THEN we'll be at D9. Till then, remain calm."
Vivienne's mouth broke out into her trademark smile where you expected fangs to protrude from her gums instead of her normal human teeth.
"I couldn't have said it better myself," she chuckled,"and miss if you want to lead these people be my guest, but i'm not sure how far you'd get with all the Arxen running around. Now we'll keep walking at the same pace until we reach D9, Because if we don't we might lose alot of people. I don;t take that kind of stuff lightly, so if you will just keep your mouth shut and continue to walk."
Vivienne sighed and turned back to Vein.
"Go ahead and take a spot up front,"she sighed,"I'll meet you up there soon as I get some one on our tracks."

[nonangelic92]

Ace glared at the military girl, ignoring the commotion behind her , "Well excuse me Miss High and Mighty, I didn't know it was a rule I can't talk. And as for leading the group, I would love to, but I don't think Mr. military dude wants me to take his place of control." she smiled sarcasticly. She shifted her gun to the other shoulder, and turned behind her to see the fight broken up. She went over to a man and woman, "Is everything okay here?"

[\/£in]

Vein faced Vivienne with a half smile.

"Getting to know your peers," he asked jokingly. "I do believe that lady will grow to adooore you."

He looked around once more, still nervous about the low Arxen activity. After seeing that nothing had changed in the surroundings, Vein resumed his gaze on the woman.

"So what the hell is up with them fangs anyway," he asked with a cocked brow leaning in to see if he could get a better glance. "Are they even real?"

[Totenglaut]

Januarie watched Kay. As she crouched down he shrugged. "I'm fine" He said in the flat monotone that had gotten on the other man's nerves. The other man tooka drink of the water dropped Kay's water bottle and wandered off. Januarie reached down and picked it up for Kay. "There" He said seeming not to want to use words with more than one syllable.

He saw Ace approach. Personally, he didn't like her abrasive personality. But it didn't show on his face. Nothing showed on his face. To most it would've looked creepy to say the least the way he said things yet said nothing. "I'm fine" He reiterated to her.

[Anne Bonny]

Rising to her feet, Kay eyed Januarie suspiciously. The man just got punched in the abdomen and he didn't so much as cringe. She supposed everyone dealt with the stress of their journey differently, but this one seemed to have shut off all emotion.

"Well if he says he's fine, I guess he's fine," Kay said slowly. She pulled her eyes from her would-be patient to greet the girl who had joined them. "Thanks for the concern though."

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne chuckled softly at Veins remark and rolled her eyes.
"I highly doubt that," she chuckled,"I've never been one to have many friends. As to my teeth they are real. They became sharp not long after I joined the military. Beauties aren't they?"
Vivienne smirked and slipped of to the back of the group where she had one of the other officers cover their tracks. As she was heading back to the front she spotted Januarie and Kay and walked over to them.
"Hey,"she said giving them a small salute,"How are things back here? Silent as ever aren't we Januarie? You always were the strong silent type."

[Totenglaut]

People. Lots of people. Again nothing changed but he didn't speak. Didn't actually want to. He wanted to go back to what he'd been doing. That was possible with all of them surrounding him. He chafed at that.

"Don't bother" Someone said near by. "Januarie don't talk much to anyone"

It was true. And maybe the "strong silent type" wasn't entirely right either. He'd regressed into silence not chosen it. Just the "silent type" would fit better. He just observed the three women around him now. Vivienne was army. Ace was not but she might as well be. And Kay was...he hadn't even known she was with the group. Therefore he liked her best. She didn't draw attention to herself.

[Anne Bonny]

One of the other women, a soldier this one, called over to them and Kay shrugged in return. She adjusted her messenger bag on her shoulder and began to make her way down the hillside, away from this Januarie adn towards the main group. The man didn't want to chat, that was obvious. No point in pushing him.

The other soldier had known his name. Kay glanced quickly around her as the realization hit that she hardly knew anyone in their group. It wasn't that she was had been new to their outpost before the attack, or that she was a particularly shy girl, but she had been constantly stuffed away in the medical bay. Most of the wounded didn't last long enough to make long term friends, and the more minor patients would rather take her services and be free of the hospital ward. No one ever stopped by for a talk.

Well she knew one name now, and that was a start. Kay approached the soldier and her companion, a man she took to be one of the leaders of the group and offered a smile. "He says he's 'fine,'" she repeated. "So I guess I'll take his word for it. Will we be resting here a bit longer, or moving on?"

[\/£in]

Vein laughed as the woman walked to the back of the group.

"Damn right freaky they are," he mumbled shaking his head.

He had set his mind to take his position at the front and for the moment he was a little more at ease about the whole situation, but that was about to inevitably end. He stopped as he heard the sound of metalic blades chopping through the air, a sound not heard my man within a dome city. It was the sound of helicopter blades.

"Hey," he shouted as he pointed to the sky spotting a black spec moving closer to them from the distance. "It's a helicopter."

"Maybe it's D9 coming to the distress call."

As the words left his mouth the chopper howled like a screaming Arxen and began letting off chopper rounds on the crowd ripping through a few before it passed on over disappearing into the distance.

Vein found himself lying on the ground underneath an overhanging cliff, confused and dazed. It happened so fast, there had been little time to react, but now...he knew what the Arxen they were dealing with was.

[nonangelic92]

Ace had little time to react to the helicopter, which is why her forearm was bleeding from a bullet or two. She wanted to scream aloud as she looked down at her arm. She took out her knife and dug out the bullets, gritting her teeth as she did. She looked around to check out if the others were okay. "Anyone need help or anyone got some alcohol?" she asked in pain.

[Anne Bonny]

The loud booming of a helicoptor filled the air around them, but it extinguished hope as soon as it had brought it. Bullets flew everywhere, and Kay found herself covering her head and scampering away in frantic search of shelter.

One of the other women was screaming. Kay whirled around. Her arm was bleeding. The sense of duty that was now ingrained from years of training took over the instinct to hide from danger, and the medic sprinted back to her companion.

"Come on!" she cried, grabbing the girl's good arm and dragging her along to an outcropping of rock. The two crouched behind it, Kay flinching every time bullets ricocheted off the stones. She retrieved a roll of gauze and antiseptic from her bag and with deft fingers began to dress the wound. In a matter of seconds, she was done and glancing about in search of more wounded allies.

"Well they found us quicker than I had thought," Kay grumbled.

[nonangelic92]

Ace looked at the girl who fixed her arm and hugged her tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you, I like you, Im'm watch your back and that dude's over there for now on. Those stupid monster's have quite a sense of hearng or smell, well its one of the two I cant remember. Can I ask your name?" Ace looked around seeing if the otehrs were okay.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne heard the helicopter and had begun to climb the cliff face. As soon as it breached the top of the cliffs she cursed snd let off the cliff flace grabbing the nearest people and flinging them against the cliff face, but it was already to late. Bullets flew felling people left and right. Many where wounded and a few were dead. Vivienne wasted no time and began yelling orders to get every one moving towards the dome. Once everyone was running in the right direction Vivienne began running around administering help to the injured. When she finally got a minute she ran up to Vein.
"We need to watch out for that helicopter," she sighed,"but we also need to be wary of other types of attack. So if we hear anything that can be considered help I want everyone else behind something that can protect them from any fire that is thrown, shot, or dropped on them. I'll check it out to make surer it's not Arxen and let you know. Otherwise we stay hidden alright? We don't need to lose any more than we have."
Vivienne didn't wait for a reply and walked off to help more of the wounded. This was going to be a long walk.

[\/£in]

Vein looked to Vivienne and sighed, "It can't be helped Vivienne," he stated shaking his head. "The moment we left the dome with this large group it was already inevitable that many would not see the walls of D9."

He looked to the shaken people who seemed to be filled in tears mourning for their loved ones, or just plain scared beyond belief. "We'll save as many as we can..."

Vein turned looking to the crowd of people. "Some of you are going to die," he shouted with fury in his voice. "Some of you are going to watch your loved ones die. You are no longer civilians relying on militia to save your asses. This is just the beginning of our little journey. There is still hundreds of miles that we must walk and if you're not going to toughen up and accept that some WILL die. Then go back to D7 and let the hordes ease your ignorance. We will protect you, if possible. We won't let you just die if there is a chance your life can be saved, but your all going to have to start thinking like this is a battlefield. The dead laying here, I want you to put them in the back of your mind for now, let their corpses rot on these jagged slopes. We can't take them with us to D9...they're dead and when you get them to D9 wanting them to be buried, they're just gonna be burned in the incinerators. Don't let the dead weigh you down."

Vein then turned to Vivienne with the same glare in his eyes. "We can't afford to lose more than we have, of course...if we lose more than we have then that means everyone is dead. However, we aren't going to save everyone."

He passed Vivienne moving off to climb the rocks leading to a cliff overhanging their current position, the same he had hid under earlier. He walked ahead of the group a few yards coming to a view overlooking the plains below that led for miles before the connected with the forest. He could already feel the fear in his heart. Walking across that plain was open ground with no cover. The chopper could easily eat them up on this terrain. There was no hope of survival if they just crossed it.

"Damnit, I had everyone thinking there was help coming...I made them stand there in confusion as the chopper shot them down...Why can't I save anyone?"

He shook the thoughts as he walked back coming to the cliff he had previously climbed and looking over it to the group.

"Anyone who can carry and use a gun, I need you all to come up here for a second."

Vein knew what must be done, but it was going to be at a heavy price.

[Totenglaut]

Januarie had little warning when the helicopter came overhead. He didn't react to quickly the only thing that saved him was a dead body falling on him crushing him and saving him from the rest of the bullets.

He shivered trying to push the dead body off of him. The helicopter was gone as quickly as it had come. But somehow Januarie had been trapped under two or three dead bodies. He managed to manuever himself out from under the bodies. He had blood on him that wasn't his and he'd been caught across across his chest. Lucky to be alive.

But even then the only expression on his face was distant sympathy. When Vein spoke he listened he wiped some drying blood off the back of his hand and stood up. He looked the most like he was going to get over it though the incident had affected him more deeply than he would allow it to show. Damn, Arxen.

When he heard Vein ask for those who could use a gun Januarie walked over. He wasn't the best shot with a gun but he could use one. He looked a little scary probably and would have a scar across his chest where a bullet had grazed him. "I can" He told Vein expressionlessly. He meant I can carry and fire a gun but he didn't like to speak.

[nonangelic92]

Ace heard the annoucement, and went to go see what Vein wanted. She was the first to get to Vein, " Now before you say anything, I know I'm wounded but I can still fire a weapon and still kick ass." Ace rested her gun on her shoulder waiting for the others to join the little group.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne sighed and climbed the cliff after Vein. When she reached him she placed a hand on his shoulder comfortingly.
"I know what your thinking," she sighed,"and don't. It's not your fault. None of us could have know that helicopter was full of arxen. We learned a valuable lesson today. It won't happen again now that we know what we're up against."
Vivienne turned then to the assembled mass and cleared her throat.
"Get your hands on anything that can be considered a weapon," she called,"from now on arxen will be more likely to attack. You need to be able to defend yourself until we can help you. If you want to live you will have to attack without mercy. They may look human but they will kill you in a heart beat. Don't give them that chance. We will protect you as long as we can, but not all of you are going to come out alive. Some of you may even become arxen, but that's just the way things are we can't change that fact. Let's move."
Vivienne turned and began walking quickly towards the direction of D9. This was going to be a long battle.

[\/£in]

((Anyone who missed my post, or simply didn't post before I did this is more than welcome to play as if they joined in on this convo before it began. I wanted to go ahead and knock this post out of the way so that we can get on with what's about to be done.))

Vein looked to all the people whom assembled before him. The man who didn't say hardly anything at anytime even showed. It was a relief to see so many coming to the call for what he was about to propose. His eyes even focused on the wounded girl who claimed she could still fight. He wanted to argue her into staying, but that would be one less person along for this mission.

"I have bad news," Vein whispered trying to keep the civilians from hearing him. "The mountains slope out into flat ground not too far up ahead. The maps were wrong, there's no forest there anymore...it seems a fire has wiped out all plant life for miles."

He knew, for those who didn't understand the negative side of this, the statement was going to make them very happy. The jagged landscape was harsh and full of hazards, but it was alot more safe than where they were headed.

"That means that chopper is going to load us full of fucking lead before we get to the otherside of that open land. That's why I've called you few here. We need to leave the group for a day and track the Arxen to wherever he hides. It's going to be a bitch fighting into it's den, but we need to kill it before it can kill us."

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne sighed and nodded solumnly at Vein's statement. It was definately going to be a bitch fight. The Arxen were not a force to be reconed with, but frankly niether were humans. Though they were fewer, slower, and considerably weaker they were much more intellegent and much less likely to just lay down and die. This was going to be a tough fight, but they had to try, and for their sakes they had to win.

[Totenglaut]

Januarie blinked. Then he nodded. He would do it. At the moment he felt a distant sort of hate for the Arxen he couldn't bring himself to really hate them. What if Aprille had been turned? He couldn't hate his own sister could he? The thought of Aprille brought a troubled expression to his face the first real emotion he'd shown since this whole thing started. "Yes," Was his only comment it too seemed full of some kind of emotion.

[nonangelic92]

Ace smiled a smile of pure wickedness, "I'm game, besides I need some payback from one of them Arxen asses for my forearm." Ace checked her ammo of her guns and made sure her blade, was killer sharp. She looked at Vein, "So when do we leave, boss?"

[\/£in]

Vein looked to the girl who had a wounded arm and sighed. "I think we should leave ASAP," he stated pulling his rifle off his back and holding it in hand. "We'll need to track the bastard first. We saw his fly off towards the cliffs near D7."

He knew what he was saying was going to possibly put everyone in tension. "We're going to have to quickly run back to D7 and see if it has a den in that area. I'm thinking it's on the outskirts of the city."

[nonangelic92]

Ace hated going back the direction the Arxen just came, especially after all that way they walked. "Alright Boss-man, but what about these civilans. What if a few of those Arxens come from the other way? They won't have any protection, unless a few of us stay back and protect them?" she asked, her concern for the civlians showing that she may be a hard-ass but she does have a tough side.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne nodded at Ace's statement and looked at the group. Most of them were civilians or military personel of lower ranks.
"If we're going to do this,"she sighed,"we need at least one person to stay back. I can't because I have to make sure this plan goes smoothly."
Vivienne sighed again and ram a hand through her hair. This was the most idiotic and suicidal plan she had ever heard, but at the moment it was all they had to go on.

[Anne Bonny]

Kay had remained in silence during the conversation, taking inventory of her supplies as the others talked of suicide missions. If they were going to go charging into a next of Arxen, she was probably going to need more than she brought. With a deep sigh, the medic shook her head. It would have to do.

"Well I'm not going to be the one staying behind," she said as she got to her feet. "If someone gets hurt, I need to be right by their side."

Besides, Kay thought to herself, this might be a good chance to get some Arxen blood.

[AliceMalice15]

"Absolutely," Vivienne nodded,"this is definitely going to call for your services. So any volunteers to stay back?"
Vivienne looked around the group. No one really wanted to stay, but they didn't want to go either. Everyone had looks of indecision besides her, Vein, Ace and Kay. This was going to take all day if someone didn't start giving orders. Vivienne sighed and nodded at a gangly youth who had joined the group.
"You'll stay here,"she commanded,"guard these people as best you can until you reach D9. If you reach it and find it overrun also figure out the next closest dome and head for it. We'll catch up as soon as we're done. Got it? Move out."
Once the youth saluted and got everyone moving Vivienne turned to the assembled group and nodded.
"Are we ready to go," she sighed," we've got every thing? Guns knives ammo etc.? Good we need to get moving too then. Let's go."
Vivienne turned and began walking back in the direction of D6. This was insane!

[\/£in]

Vein looked after Vivienne and sighed. He didn't believe there was reason to leave someone behind. It was a known fact that the Chopper Arxen was so powerful that other Arxen feared his territory, meaning nothing would bother the group until they got out to the planes. Even then, would they be dumb enough to try crossing without knowing if the Chopper was dead or not.

Vein shook his head looking to the others and shrugging. "Lets get this over with."

His eyes focused then on the medic as he smiled. "You are more medical than combat correct? If you're confident that you'll be ok coming with us then I welcome your help, but no one is going to think badly of you for staying."

He offered one more nod before turning and lifting his rifle over shoulder following Vivienne.

[moabete]

As Leo was ridin on a motorcycle that he had found abandoned he noticed a group that was walking to the plains he quickly shut off his engines in case it was Arxen so he could just shoot them here and now. As he trained his scope he realized that they where actual survivors. So he quickly scanned the area for other people but all that was there where dead plants. In order to get there attention he fired a round into the air and started waving his arms to let them know he is not hostile.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne stopped when she noticed the figure on the motorcycle. When it pulled out a gun she threw herself to the ground and aimed her own gun at it. When it let off a round into the air and began waving she relaxed a little bit. It wasn't hostile and it wasn't an Arxen. Vivienne got up and dusted off her clothes before walking toward the figure. When she got to him she pursed her lips and placed her hands stubornly on her hips.
"Well well well," she chuckled,"look what the arxen brought in. Afternoon General, what brings you out here? I thought you were based at a dome."

[moabete]

As Leo noticed the girl walking toward him he was relaxed to know they weren't hostile towards him or at least they don't look like it but after hearing what she said he relaxed. Studying here he swore he had seen here before but not in person this was somewhere else but after a minute of thought he dropped the thought. "Mam" he said in an awkward tone "Have we met before?" But before she could say anything he started answering her question "I was but the whole dome fell" He started to raise his voice "One of those basterds got behind the perimeter and started to turn all the civillians into one of them." Then his tone got serious like it was the last thing he was going to say " They are getting smarter, or at least, this one was, it threw a horde at the front while it snuck in the back and done its dirty work, I personally put a bullet or 30 in its head."

[AliceMalice15]

"Yeah we just came with a whole group of civilians from D7," Vivienne sighed,"same thing happened to us. I'm Colonel Vivienne by the way. So where are you headed or do you have time to help us take out some trash back at D7?"
Vivienne pointed back the way they had come and smirked sarcastically. If he said yes she was going to think him crazy, but then again they were going weren't they?

[moabete]

As Leo heard the Colonel speaking of what happened he instantly made a connection and said sarcastically "by trash do you mean the chopper I have been tailing for the past 3 days or did you make a new friend?" With a smile he started his motorcycle and said "I bet I can beat you there."

[\/£in]

Vein drew his rifle nearing the man with it aimed and a aggravated look on his face. "Are you fucking retarded," asked Vein with a squinted expression. "You're going to drive a loud ass vehicle over mountain terrain? Did it not occur to you that the sound of that bike is going to set off alot more Arxen. We HAVE vehicles back in D7, we're not under advanced...but did it ever strike you why we haven't used them!?"

Vein looked to Vivienne and then back to man shaking his head. "Get rid of it now, or I will shoot you. Hazards to this group is unacceptable."

[Anne Bonny]

Kay ducked her head, pretending to reload her desert eagle. But the real reason for her movement was to hide a smirk that had suddenly crossed over her features. The other soldier had said exactly what she had been thinking. But she had held her tongue in fear of the general's insignia on the other man's chest. She had saluted when he arrived like a good soldier, but her first impression of the general was far from respect.

Firing a gun into the air? Revving that machine? He might as well give the Arxen a map to their location.

Easy girl, Kay scolded herself. No reason to be so judgmental. Humans had to stick together in this world. She cleared her throat nervously. It wasn't common for her to speak her mind unless asked, but then again, this wasn't a common situation, was it?

"Rank means nothing to the Arxen, sir, and this soldier seems to know what he's talking about," Kay said. "The less attention we draw to ourselves the better."

[moabete]

"Hey" Leo said in an aggravated tone "you people have been walking for a few days right, then tell me how many Arxen have you seen just then." Then getting more serious "Besides the louder you are the more scarred they are. I have been studying these guys for days and when they here noise they run. And if you don't believe me then ask yourself this. Why is only the chopper Arxen is around and no other ones? So in short they think I am one of them and a strong one and they don't mess with me." Then in a sarcastic tone "Unless I get close enough for them to smell me then I am in trouble, but as far as I can tell if you stay at least 200 yards away they wont smell you." After thinking things through in his head he realized something and said "Hey I have an idea how about I push this Motorcycle far away then start it again and then dart towards the Dome I will distract all of them so you people can deal with the hive nest or whatever you want to call it. But I probably will only distract a helicopter because he is their protector you see there are probably only females in there. So is it a good idea as long as you blow them to kingdom gone you should be fine." After he said this he pulled back his trench coat to reveal some C4 he had picked up off of a dead Arxen and smiled. Then he threw an earpiece at the one who yelled at him. "Since you seem to be there leader then take this I will scout until you get there. Then when you give me the word I will start the distraction."

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne sighed and grabbed the ear peice from Vein. Though she hadn't said anythuing she had also been about to scold the general, but had thought better of it and held her tounge. He had his reasons.
"If you say so Gen.," she sighed,"but still we really need to get rid of that chopper or are you planning on taking out yourself? Cause if you are your an idiot to think that I'm going to sit back and watch. You may have been tracking it for 3 days, but when it attack my civilians it practically painted a big red target right on its forehead. I'm going to take that bastard out if its the last thing I do."
Vivienne cocked her gun menacingly to show that she was dead serious and was not going to be persuaded.

[moabete]

When Leo heard of the wounded he started to get uneasy of himself worried he said "Wounded how so." Moa knew that if they have been shot with infection rounds then they where in trouble."If they are shot then you must tell me the means of the bullet was it a normal military grade bullet or did the chopper evolve to have infection rounds" He said uneasy but still demanding the answer.

[\/£in]

Vein looked to Vivienne even more aggravated. "I never claimed myself the leader of this group," he murmured before gritting his teeth. "But, no one elected you either. This is no man's land. We have no official leader, there's no rank here, not even this crack pot general has power over me."

Vein then looked back to the general and shook his head. "They're fucking afraid of noise you say? How about the bustling streets of the metropolis D7. They didn't seem too fucking scared of that. The reason the chopper is the only one for a few miles is simple, he's the strongest...alpha male status scares off the weakling male Arxen and I'm sure not even you are 'MALE' enough to scare the bastard. Also, what do we fucking do if you get infected? Then we have to fight a deluded Harley Davidson wannabe, mutated into the bike. I really don't want your tire marks over my dead body."

Vein lowered his gun now and shook his head. "Don't bring that piece of shit back to our group..."

Vein then looked to Vivienne whom he was still aggravated for snatching the earpiece out of his hand. "Yea, I said ours."

With that the soldier turned his back pulling the rifle over his shoulder and heading for the dome. "The rest of you can make up your mind however you think is best for you. I'm going to do this the safe way though, so either come with me or follow the biker."

He continued on, thinking to himself that he may have been a bit harsh, but at the same time this was a harsh world now. If he was weak, the world would overwhelm him.

[Anne Bonny]

Yikes, Kay thought to herself as she watched Vein stomp off towards the dome. He's right, but... yikes. She made a mental note not to cross that one.

The medic streatched and put her bag back over her shoulder. She glanced around at the others to see what their move would be, but she had already made up her own mind. With a shrug, she stepped forward toward the general.

"Don't worry, sir," she said. "I know an infected wound when I see one. If that girl had been shot with an infected round, I would have put her down straight away."

Kay grinned what she hoped to be a reassuring smile, and turned on her heels to follow Vein.

[nonangelic92]

Ace looked around in a daze, she had another black out episode. Those weren't as frequent when the incident happened but they were still as worse.. The last thing she remembered before enter the blackout stage was that military chick saying someone was to stay back with the civilians, and now she was in the middle of the group on its way bak to D7. Ace sat down, suddenly exasted, she rubbed her head. Stupid backout spells, they make me so tired sometimes, she said to herself.

[moabete]

As Leo heard that the medic knew what she was doing he relaxed and thought about what the guy said "Makes sense" He said with a smile. "Mabe I should go quietly instead of loud, oh well I guess I can have my fun another time but im still bringing my C4 no one is separating me from by baby" He said in a whisper. And so he found a nice spot to park his bike and he ran to catch up with the rest of the group.

[\/£in]

Vein looked over his shoulder as the man dismounted the bike and made haste to catch up. He sighed looking over his shoulder to the man and smiling slightly.

"Sorry bout that back there," he murmured. "This mission has me on edge and chances are just something I don't wanna take."

He looked ahead again this time focusing on the spire of the dome's force field emitter that had failed against the hordes of Arxen that invaded. D7 was now not much of a dome at all. From the distance he was he could already tell where numerous sheets of the dome's structure were fallen and broken. The city was just smoldering smoke now ascending from the tops of buildings. It was like looking into a nightmare from far away.

"We're almost there..."

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne shook her head and smiled. Same old Vein. He'd been that way since training. Vivienne followed after him without hesitation. When she reached him again she smiled and placed a hand on his back.
"I don't know what you want," she said ," but I can't think of anyone else I'd rather go into combat with. Your a good soldier Vein. Better than most. Heck probably better than me! I say if there's anyone leading this group it ought to be you... Come on we should try to get there by night fall. They may be mutated, but they still have to sleep sometime."
Vivienne smiled and picked up the pace. If this was to work they'd need any extra help they could get, and the element of surprise was one of the best.

[Totenglaut]

Januarie watched the scene with little interest. He didn't offer to pipe up though he did wince at the bike. Loud noises. Machinery. He hated both. Because it might be the only thing that was left of Aprille.

But he wouldn't go there. Couldn't go there if he wanted to remain sane. Once the party was off again he couldn't help the relief that went coursing through him. Vein's apology was taken in silence along with the rest of the happenings.

[\/£in]

Vein looked to Vivienne and sighed. "We really don't need a leader," he stated shaking his head and speaking in a calmed voice. "See, if we leave one person in charge...the entire group will trust that one person and every person makes mistakes. We could never oppose that one person if he decides to do something reckless."

The dome was just in the distance now. Vein could already feel the chills of walking through a city of dead.

[AliceMalice15]

"I know Vein, Vivienne sighed,"but I trust that you wouldn't make a reckless decision unless one was needed. That's all I was saying."
Vivienne became silent as the dome loomed into veiw. She would have never thought she would be coming back to this place after the attack. Guess she was wrong.

[moabete]

As Leo was walking with the group he saw a shimmer on the ground off in the distance being fascinated he walked over to find out what it is. As he got closer he realized it was a combat knife that was stabbed in the ground next to a pool of blood he then examined the blood and concluded it was human blood on the ground but the knife had Arxen blood on it. He talked over the earpiece "Hey I think there is something here worth checking out but tread carefully I think Arxen could be nearby."

[\/£in]

Vein nodded to Vivienne. "I know what you meant. I'm just trying to say that we should all lead as a group, not as a dictatorship."

The dome wasn't far now and the faint sounds of howls were already riding in on the wind. He could almost see the brightside in all this, at least their target wasn't in the city, instead it was only on the outskirts. Avoiding those ruins was obviously a good choice.

[AliceMalice15]

Vivienne nodded and listened to the howling coming from the dome.
"Like a thousand tortured souls,"she whispered to herself,"nothing like the wind that rushes through the grass in autumn. Your not safe here turn back or meet your doom."
A tear slid silently down Vivienne's cheek as she remembered the first time she'd heard someone say those words. She wished they had taken the advice that time...Vivienne furiously wiped away the tear and continued walking.