●　● Monserrat District, Buenos Aires, Argentina, SAU

The scenery that was mostly block after block of apartment high-rises and other such larger structures suddenly widened into several blocks of open plazas as the truck Sam and Kerry were riding in pulled into one of the nearby sidewalk parking zones and came to a stop.

"Is this where we change off or something?" Sam asked, seemingly exhausted from the situation simulations she kept running through her head over the last hour, stuck in and out of traffic since they avoided the more exposed highways.

[Kind of,] Eryx responded as he continued checking the area for anything suspicious. He then looked to his accomplice and ordered: [Can you scope out those rooftops behind us? I'm going to connect and check with boss to see if we're in the clear.]

[Sure thing,] he answered as he pulled out a set of oculars and popped open his door, setting one foot out to steady himself as he began scanning.

"Devin always liked being parts of bigger things that felt more like extensions of the individuals rather than corporations," Kerry commented, looking around while fidgeting with her bag's shoulder strap. "I think I can kinda see what lured him into something like this."

Sam hesitated to comment, knowing she'd likely say something unnecessary despite her empathetic intent. She does have a point, though. I never had my safety compromised with Enrai so far.

[Repeat that!?] Eryx fussed out to everyone's surprise. Everyone was now looking at him now, waiting impatiently for a hint. [Monserrat- at the plaza block… No. Nothing so far… They're in the back… Incoming, across the bay… Yes, sir.] The more Eryx continued responding to whoever it was on the line, the more his leg began to wiggle from his anxiousness.

"Shit… you know what this usually means," Kerry commented, this time under her breath as she looked to see what Sam's reaction would be.

Sam shrugged, not fully convinced it meant they had to launch or anything of that nature. "I don't know. I'd still be shocked if Bishop moved first. Normally…" No… wait… we were supposed to be the bait to draw them out. Does that mean something else is being confused for us or something?!

"Sam, you hear that?!" Kerry whispered, giving her a nudge to snap her out of her thoughts.

Taking a second to tune her ears in over the noise of Eryx and his accomplice talking, she realized sirens could be heard echoing from a distance. Ambulances?? "You were right. That means something's already gone down."

The two then turned to the front to listen back in on them.

[They should be here… Yes… Understood. I'll stay with them for the hand off, make sure there's no foul play,] Eryx spoke before hanging up the call and opening his door all the way. [Let's go,] he spoke to everyone with a sweeping hand gesture.

And like clockwork, Kerry was already quickly and quietly slipping her pistol out of her bag and into her cross-draw holster under her jacket while the two in front weren't looking, but when she looked over to see Sam doing the same despite never having discussed such preparations, she further confirmed she still hadn't seen the extent of the changes Sam had gone through since Manila.

[Alright, you two,] Eryx called out to the two pilots as he shut the door, checking to see that they were ready. [Enrai changed our plans. Rex has his scout team here to take you to your call site.]

Rex's scout team?! That's a big change.

[Once you're clear to join the network, you can reach me at any time.] He turned to look across the other side of the parking lot to find a pair of men approaching them, both dressed in black hoodies and shouldered smaller equipment bags. [Oh,] Eryx continued, remembering a detail he didn't want the others hearing. [Cruella, remember that Guarani phrase you used back at the container yard? We still have that big, I don't know… complicated weapon of yours ready to launch when you need it. You saying it like that lets us know it's really you.]

"I do, and thanks," Sam nodded, now shouldering her bag as well, signifying she was ready to go. "Kerry," she then spoke as she noted the expected tense nervousness upon hearing Rex's men being directly involved. "Go dumb."

"Pray for me," she replied with a tense raising of her brow and a huff, joining Sam as the two walked off toward the approaching men.

Eryx turned a confused, worried look after hearing their exchange. He thought to ask the meaning of it, but sighed, shrugging his shoulders. [You see anything on the skylines?] He asked his partner who was still scanning the area.

[Nothing. I think whoever might have been out here's too focused on the shit going down at the 'Hall- wait, hold on…]

.

Sam walked beside one of the benches nearby, slowing to a stop as she let Kerry take a seat to adjust something inside of her bag, but kept her eyes on the two approaching men. "So, where you taking us?" She called out to them, loosely arms crossed.

"We never arranged for a second pilot," one man spoke up, coming to a stop about three meters away. He turned to his partner and nodded, signaling the other to walk up toward Kerry. "Tell her to look up."

Kerry heard the approaching footsteps but she kept her face buried in her bag, digging around as if frantically searching for something.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Sam ignored the command, squinting and tilting her head as if insulted. "I'm supposed to lure out Reaper by myself?"

"Rex will tell us what is what and who is who. Tell her to look up, now," he firmly insisted, hinting toward impatience. Sam noticed his hands both behind his back now.

Fuck. Just as I feared.

Sam had her right hand hidden behind her left arm crossed over the top, hiding the fact it was slipped inside her open jacket. Her pistol was never locked into place, either, making for a quick draw and an equally smooth target acquisition. No hesitation came when the red dot from her sight glowed over his chest, and she squeezed the trigger once, releasing a deafening bang.

"Hey!" The other screamed out as he turned around, hearing a second bang which he witnessed send a mist of red out the backside of his partner's neck.

Sam felt the need to turn and take aim a second time, but her confidence in the plan kept her from budging. A third bang had her jump naturally, squeezing her eyelids shut tight as if she were the recipient, only to breathe in heavily upon hearing a body hit the ground nearby.

"I swear I'm never going to get used to this crazy ass bullshit," Sam fussed, shaking off her heart-wrenching nervousness as best as she could, turning to see Kerry checking the body of the one she just took down right after holstering her sidearm.

"Motherfucker… His comms are open." Kerry's words sent a much stronger chill up both of their spines, freezing in place, too panic-stricken to-

"Augh!" Sam screamed the instant she heard and felt a thud from not too far behind them, dropping to the ground with her hands over her head.

Kerry bit down, winced, thinking similar thoughts before realizing the echoes of the shot sounded like they carried off a separate direction than theirs. Looking up and behind her, she saw Eryx with a rifle propped over his door and his partner looking to the sky with his viewfinder. "Who…!?" Unable to finish her sentence, she ran back and reached for her bag to take out her own viewfinder, fruitlessly scanning the same skyline.

Sam hurriedly grabbed Kerry by her arm, pulling the two behind the public restroom building nearby, panting as she asked: "Let them handle that! Rex must already be on to us!"

Kerry knew that was the better option, but something earlier caught her attention. "I get that, but I was just- I saw-"

They were interrupted yet again by another shot from the truck as both covered their heads for a split second in a knee-jerk reaction before realizing they're still covered. "Sam! One of those older concrete buildings I just saw looked abandoned! If there are snipers, wouldn't it be that one!?"

It ALWAYS is! Sam didn't care to think any further back to her own biased experiences, trying to think what to do in their situation. "How do you think we'd- Hey, wait!!" Sam hollered angrily as she heard the sound of a truck pull off in a hurry. "Hey!?!" She ran over to the other corner, just about to wave her arms at the truck before realizing it was pulling around to their side of the parking lot. "Kerry! Hurry! This can't be good!"

.

Upon scurrying back to their previous seats in the back, huffing and panting, catching their breath, the two remained silent as they felt the scornful eye of their driver.

[What the hell happened out there?!] Eryx scolded, tearing out of the parking area and back onto the empty side street, avoiding traffic as best possible. [I turn around and you shoot Rex's men dead! Then you almost got taken out by their sniper with ZERO cover for yourselves!]

"It's my fault, I forgot to calculate that part!" Sam quickly admitted, unable to make full eye contact. "But since that's more than once you've helped us out, especially now, I need to let you in on a big detail."

[And?!]

"Rex wants Chalmette here dead. I wanted to keep her identity hidden even if just by a tiny bit, but they already are on the lookout for her face. They asked to see her face, which I was ready for, and when they got persistent, I pulled the trigger."

[How'd you know they'd be looking?] Eryx's partner pondered aloud, suspicious of the description.

I have to be open. What choice do I have? And who else was willing to risk their lives to save ours? "I killed both of Rex's men that captured her that night."

If the two in front had coffee to spew out in shock, they would have, judging by their reaction. [You did WHAT?!] Eryx blurted out, almost rear ending a slower car just in front of them. [Never mind! What's been done is done. But how the hell did you plan on- never mind! Ugh, I swear!]

Sam allowed Eryx to gather himself, hoping he could ask once he got them safely to wherever it is he had them headed.

[Look,] he finally spoke with a clearer head. [It's only a matter of time before one day soon Rex decides to turn on us. I got their sniper but I missed the second shot on the scout. They have one or more survivors and their word has to be out on us, which means we might only have a day or two before they get fed up. I'll see how I can cover for the slip up but you two need to get in your LTAC's ASAP.]

"But what happened earlier, by the way? Before we got handed off," Kerry spoke up, still trying to add things up for herself. "I'd like to know since I'm still apparently on a live wanted-dead list."

[Since we're being open and all, a bunch of protestors at the Hall just got gunned down by SAU troops.] Eryx's flat, honest reply left both Sam and Kerry in shock, hearing something far beyond what they had assumed. [It was even the ones supposedly supporting Bishop's plans, too. Got stopped from forcing their way into the main lobby.]

"They're trying to draw us out in the sickest way, aren't they," Sam mumbled to herself, trying to make sense of the news. "An alliance military targeting their own citizens?! Who in their right minds…!"

[They wanted you, they got you,] Eryx continued, keeping his own composure. [So, that's why we're rushing you to a spot to receive your LTAC's and respond as soon as possible. Infinity's models aren't equipped nor even allowed to fight back.]

Sam shot Kerry a glance, knowing she had to be just as shocked, but was shocked more by seeing a different reaction.

"My country was built on twisted shit like that," Kerry replied to Sam's expression, shaking her head. "Speed is the key with this one. The longer it's allowed, the more it takes root."

[Right,] Eryx chimed in. [We're almost to the loading dock- an empty space just big enough for yours to land. When we get there, hurry and suit up. We'll have the jump route drawn up for you in the meantime.] He then put a finger up. [One thing, though. Go ahead and connect to the network and see if Rex gives you a call. If there's anything to air out with him, now's the best time while we got your backs.]

Right, I bet by now he's as pissed off as he'll get. I wonder if something similar happened with… No… never mind. "Doing so right now." With a push of the power button on her mobile, she then looked over at her watch, awaiting any form of a notification.

[And don't worry about us,] Eryx added, coming to a stop at a red light near the harbor. He then gave the two a look of confidence. [Whatever he says, we'll deal. But once you get a move on, just remember the SAU has always treated us like terrorists. Nothing new for us.]

Sam's mobile started glowing just like before, both confirming Eryx's prediction as well as interrupting their conversation. And as she looked down, she realized this was the first time she prepared to answer without feeling the usual sense of paralyzing fear. Something was different, and the conviction she had felt ready to show.

"Samantha Knight," Rex's trademark voice boomed over the speaker Sam had turned on before picking up. "You might want to make up for the damages incurred this instant before you become my target rather than my ally."

"Hey, Rex" Sam curtly responded as she looked up at Kerry with a smirk.

"Bite me."

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