Ch. 3 - Next Move

Michele, code named Proxy, would be standing up again, and would be tapped on the back by Trix. "Big guy... thanks for covering me."

"You too... we gotta work together if we wanna make it." He then roughed her hair up. By now he go a good look at her without her helmet and mask.

He also took off his and would then put his arm crossed. "Gonna head back now?" He asked.

"Maybe, wanna come?" She invited. "This trade will likely open up new paths for our camps... and with these many subway tunnels, we will be able to travel and secure more area and reach new places... maybe even leave the city." She expresses her thoughts to him.

"Leave the city...? I never though it to be possible... but who knows... could be intresting to see what other places are less fucked than here..." he thought. "I'll catch up with you next time... maybe we'll be able to even cohabitation could be possible between our places" he would stretch after. "I could use a bath." He turned and headed back.

"See ya!" She waved and headed back to her side.

However Proxy was stopped by second squads leader. "The captian wants to see you... we reported what we saw, but he wants a first account by you."

"Son of a... tell him to bother me after I bath..." he walked away. By now the tunnels were lit up by lights, and the black mist was gone, meaning no more black magic left over. He met up with his separate teams and told them the misson was complete and to go help the second team. He headed back and would he greetee by the captain.

"Nice work... my office." He said.

"Tch... I can't catch a damn break can i..." he complained, but knew why, what he did what they say likely on radar also. He was likely gonna be put to work like a horse and the thought only annoyed him. "My sister... where is she...?"

"With Amanda" the captian, surprisingly indulged. By the time they got out, the sun was setting.

He would walk behind the captian, all the while he got praised for his hard carry down in the tunnels. Once at main hq and inside his office he had gotten into position, and on queue was asked.

"Report." By the captian.

He then gave his report. And made sure to leave out one thing. The voice he wad able to hear, and how she told him. His was basically immune to mind altering type of magic of all sources. That he knew he had to keep to himself. He stated everything that occurred and the. Felt the force of other group leaders start to hassle him.

One man said. "Are you mocking us?"

He would stare at the man and ask. "Wh-"

He was cut off and yelled at. "You think we'll just believe your story?! One man, and woman, fending of a horde of Nightmares and Ghouls? Not to mention the death of a Wraith?"

"Go see for yourselves... I'm sick of being your lapdog... remember, I'm not fucking aligned to your settlement... or did you forgot I was a nomad with my sister before we arrived her... I'm so tired of you all your damn nagging and making me do the jobs you fail to complete." Michele shared his inner thoughts out loud. And he was clearly annoyed and sick it of. "I told you my accounts of the events... I don't give a damn if you think I'm telling the truth. You incompetent and arrogant afraid cowards owe me you lives." He said not letting the disrespect he had endured by them for months and a few years by now. "The proof is down there... and you should be lucky I allowed non of your men and woman to die... now I'll take my leave. Don't send me on a mission for the next month... I'm taking a leave of absence it's about due." He demanded and then left, tossing away any manners he had.

In the background, the captain chuckled to himself. "You heard him..." he then got up, not stopping Michele from doing what he wanted.

The other leaders then protect against the captain. "You can't keep a animal that won't listen around...."

"Oh? But what he said Is true... we as a settlement would be heavily crippled, if he never came to us 5 years ago." The captain defend Michele. "You seem to think, that giving orders is all we need, but you are all afraid to do any of the qork. Do not disrespect our soilders out there and what he just achieved... I know it may be unbelievable, but his report is true... second team even saw the aftermath, and no one was killed. Leave him be."

Michele would back to his house to see his sister final that night. "I'm back."

She was on the table, drinking what was valuable alcohol, and clearly she was still depressed about everything. He came over to her and grabbed her, picking her up to lay her on her bed. He would walk to his bathroom and look at himself in the mirror for once. He took off his gear, until he was top less and only covered at the waist from his pants. He saw his reflection.

A man in his mid twenties, albino, and showed signs of being somone of color, dreads that he soon put into half top and bottom. His hair color a shade of blond that was natural. As he examined his face and began to wash his face. He took a deep breath and held it. Then closed his eyes. The scratches he had were gone, the slashes of deeper cuts were new scars, and he would a new one around his abs that traveled down to his left side. He exhaled and opened his eyes as he was now all better and healed.

"That's unnatural." The woman he's been hearing said to him. And as he kept looking at the mirror his blue eyes were now black in the reflection. As she spoke to him though it.

"What?" He asked, but knew what she said.

"Your... Healing. Its... monstrous... I'd like to know what you hiding." She grinned.

He looked up from washing his face again and glared at her.

"But, I'd like to know more... how your not infected... with that clearly infected bite on your forearm... I think, I know though." She teased.

He would be queit. For a moment, before speaking up. "Luckily... your only in my mind... so no one can hear you... and doubt anyone knows about you." He would stand back up right. "If you know. I'm not about to spill my secrets openly then." He would step away and then though on a black long sleeve. That he would take off again later, and remain wearing his work pants as he grabbed some new pants and boxer briefs to wear for after a bath.

She would watch him through the mirror. Noticing the more critical scars over his body. She wondered how he was alive, which made her adore her host even more. "You know... we're practically soul mates now... why not be a little more friendly to me..."

"What do I gain from doing that?" He asked as he left his home to go to the shared bathing area underground.

"My power..." she said following him now in his mind.

"And what sort of power do you have." He asked humoring the idea for her.

"The absolute kind... of course friendship isn't all I ask... I want you to feed me..." she said to him.

"And what is feeding, when you don't have a body?" He wondered suddenly now into the topic.

"Your emotions... we feed on what your all feel. And I struck gold lucky enough to host you... so what will it be?" She asked.

"What power does your absolute entail?" He asked.

"You can warp reality as you see fit... but of course there are limits... like unable to Undo all this... believe it or not. This world you were born in, once was a flourishing planet. But you humans went and destoyed it. And I hate to say it, but I'm one of the weaker overlords... but my power is still greater than most." She chuckled. "Though... while I am asking for your life as a source of lofe force for me... you should know... this realm... my universe. Is currently trying to be overtaken... you could say... my brothers and sisters are trying to kill me even." She chuckled.

"This all seems to unreal for me to believe. Not to mention. I doubt your telling the truth.' He said, not really able to understand the situation at all. What she was saying was far above his intelligence. But also because of their sudden link, he felt like she wasn't exactly lying either. "Look... I rather enjoy my only time off while I can... so leave me." He said to her, showing the idea to the back of his mind, not wanting to even try and work out problems. Once he reached the bathing area underground. It was co-ed so men and woman had to share. Of course gaurds were also outside the space amd there were rules and regulation for everyone. There was an unspoken rule however. If there female gaurds only woman would go in, or if there were only male then only males for that time. It was an unspoken rule, or rather unspoken agreement. However it was never enforced because there was no rule or law about it in the settlement. And on the time he did go there were only men, so there no issue. He went in and stripper, wrapping a water proof bandage over his arm. He knew to wash area later or already had before he got there. He'd get into the water after stripping down and relaxed In the hot water, he sunk into it rather easily, and relaxed. He couldn't remember his last soak, and would be interrupted as a man from his team came over to him.

"Sir!" The man chimed.

"Huh." He was about to lay a wet hot cloth on his head but then looked at the man. "Can I help you?" Michele asked tired.

"Ah, you wouldn't recognize me, I was Alpha squads leader you appointed. And wanted to thank you, me and the other actually for leading us." He said with a firm excited tone.

"Your giving to much credit now... I just did my job, but, I'm curious about something... did you by any chance run into anything?" Michele asked.

"After you had us party with beta, we did run into some trouble, but nothing to bad, just those Nightmares. But, some of the guys and girl start to look around... you know those service paths that hold generators and paths around the main tunnel, well we took a look around for a second and noticed something. It seems the monsters we have been seeing outside there normal areas have been using the tunnels to make their was around. They even have a new monster... at least that a theory, we found holes in those walls." The man did his best to explain what they found, but it was absurd to think the dead are thinking.

"Did you report this?" Michele asked.

"I did, and it seems like they are gonna do a survey, I'm also gonna be lead on that mission when we start tomorrow, ain't that right boys?" He said and behind were the other men also with him at the time of the operation. Who all agreeded.

Behind his mind. Michele's thoughts, one seemed to have rung. 'They're gonna die.'

He rested the towel over his forehead and yes and he could only think now, if should go with them. But even though he had this though, he wondered if he should care. In his time here. He really didn't make friends. Amanda was exception, but she was never in the line of duty, and their only meeting were to pick up new ammo and gear, or for intercourse once in a blue moon. But, even that wasn't so much of a friendship, more like a mutual relationship of friends with befits.

He let out a sign and decided on what he would do. "If your going back underground... I recommend taking somone who can recon... and maybe shotguns with high ammo capacity. And maybe some explosives... to close up those holes ya know?" He offered just some advice and didn't get attached, as well to sort of feel like he cleared his conscious.

"Understood sir." He said and joined Michele as they relaxed in the bath.

After the bath, he had gotten up and began to leave the bath area in fresh clothes. He also much cleaner, since he knew he needed that. As he walked up and out, he noticed the more people around. It seemed in the span of a lest than a few hours they already established trade. It made him wonder how long the other side had been ready for something like this.

Shortly, he headed back to his place again, and met up with his sister that night as she was awake now, but very hung over. "Hey big bro." She said laying on her back on the couch. She was wearing just some plain blue shorts and a blue tank top.

"Your awake... good... why don't you drink some water." He told her going to get a cup and used water magic to fill it and give it to her. "You were black out drunk when I came home... drink..."

She sighed and then slowly sat up taking it. And began to drink. "Thank you..."

"How are you feeling." He asked.

She sat in silence. And then looked at him. "Empty..." she stared at the cup in her hand. "You were right..."

"About?" This sudden comment confused him and he waent amd sat beside her.

"I shouldn't have had a kid... I... wasn't ready for that... or to lose them like I did..." she felt cold amd sad. "I also shouldn't have been in love, I was clearly not ready, not to mention to young... God what is wrong with me.." she set the cup down and grabbed a hold of her face in her palms hiding herself.

"No... I was wrong kid..." he admitted. "When I learner my little sister was in love sure... I was mad... and to my own best freind too... I was clearly pissed... but, I saw it was real. Not just soon to be mistake. I failed in protecting him thay day. And what happened to my niece wasn't your fault... it was just a freak accident. But... we still have each other okay." He tried to be her brother.

"Hmph..." she chuckled, then went to hug him leaning her face into his chest. "Thank you... big bro for coming back to me like you said."

He then pat her head and confort her. "Hey, your not a kid... let go." He playfully said.

She shook her head no and leaned more pushing him down as she layed herself on top of him and cried softly.

"We're you scared... I wasn't gonna come back either?" He asked. But knew the answer. "Get some sleep." He said and sighed now relaxing and suddenly cuddling his sister as she cried on him ever so softly.

It was dark, and there were few lights going outside, but inside homes and tents fire lamps were used as lights. The very next morning soon arrived and so he got up from the couch first and would have to move her to lay her on her side. Tucking her in even in a blanket. He would walk out and would yawned as he rubbed his former with the bandage. "Hmm.... oh... today is the operation huh..." he thought.

The leader of alpha squad and beta squad from yesterday massive operation were now at the barracks most kept their submachine and machin guns, thinking having a shot gun would be unnecessary. However both leaders took his advice.

"You ladies ready?" The captain told them. "My daughter will be running recon with you all... since it was requested by you squad leader Mox."

"Yes sir. And she'll be in good care!" He said with his chest.

"Let your actions speak, now you have your orders." He announce.

"Pixie here... what's my order." She said to mox.

"Use your scanner and magic down the paths we clear and plan to go through... can you use cloaking magic?" Mox asked.

"It'll depend... in dark magic areas or of to much dark mist is around those monsters will notice me... but if it's clear even a bit more than needed, I'll be fine." She explained.

"Gotcha... leave the fighting to us... also, if anything goes wrong, we'll need you to make the report on our stead. So try not ot fight." Mox said, almost being to caring for her.

She kept looking at him in the eyes, both fancied to one another more than they'd like to admit. "You got it sir... but let's make it all home."

Mox smirked and nodded. "Gear up,we leave once everyone gathers up. Now move everyone." He led on and from a far, Michele would notice them.

Michele went ahead and walked to the armoury, where he met up with Amanda again. "Yo..."

"Oh, look who stopped by, heard about went down and what you did Michele. Gotta say, we need more guys with balls as big as yours... facing death head on" she smoked and chuckled looking at him like a piece of delicious meal to feast on.

He could feel her lust eyes and so he got up against her window and leaned against the glass. And looked down at her with even fiercer eyes. Not a word was said.

She felt her chest cave and as the ash of her cig slipped, she then exhaled. "My place later?"

"Sure..." he then leaned back and both suddenly calmed down. "I need new pads... most chest or even arms..." he casually now brought the conversation back.

"Hm... sorry, we haven't been able to produce either of those... but we can help you with ammo and guns... I heard you banged up the auto cannon I gave you... which by the by, ain't cheap to just get or make the parts for. So I hope your tab can cover the make up cost. We'll, you did do a massive op for us, so maybe I'll give you a discount." She chuckled and winked at him.

"Ah..." he groaned and side eyed the team as they left and were soon gone from his view.

She noticed and then grinned. "Tell you what... on top of spending the night with me. Why don't you take me dinner also. And I'll give you this." She then bended over giving him and any other guy nearby a good look at her ass. She turned around and set down as level action shot gun for him. "This is prime old fashioned... not exactly full auto like that one I gave ya, but this thing will do far more damage and probably terrorize the freaks. And as a bonus, just for you my favorite customer, I'll give you so ap pistol ammo and semi auto pistol of your choice...?" She really tried to sell the bundle to him all for a dinner.

He looked at her and then the goods and he got what she was hinting. "Hmm... how can I say no to that... of course I feel I'm also agreeing to something else I'll find out." He said.

"Oh yeah you are..." she smiled at him sincerely.

"Understood, when can I pick this up then?" He asked.

"Well, this one sadly is already being givin out, but I got a fresh stock here in about 7 hours. But the pistol you can take now... but I also recommend waiting, I know you don't wanna go without armour anywhere so I'll have those two things you want and more on your next visit later." She also explain.

"Gotcha..." he then agreed. If in that time they can't come back, he would have to go back to work early. "I'll stop by later... I'm gonna check out the other shops, see what else I can do around here."

She waved and sighed. "For a guy on a break... man can't just sit still." She chuckled. From behind he looked at him with nothing but respect and admiration. "What are you horn dogs doing, back to work!" She yelled. Showing a hard ass attitude to her team of weapon smiths a complete attitude change.

The men could hear whispering to themselves. "Why is she mean to us?" One whined.

"Don't you know?" Someone else said.

A woman spoke up. "That guy's the only one who's been to bed with her, she tends to pick on the famous one and drain them dry." She whispered.

"Yay! If you time to yap, you can work harder" Amanda yelled.

"Yes ma'am!" They all said.

"And that's not true..." she cleared up for them. She proves she was an open book if somone just talked to her normally. "I don't pick every tough guy... just that one... he looks me in the eye and doesn't break away... and meets me head on... him being a baddy ain't have bad too, a whole meal plus dessert ya know..."

The female worker agreed. "Oh yeah."

"Wanna know a secret." Amanda sat back and crossed her legs.

They looked at each other curiously and nodded.

"That's man. Was my first." She chuckled.

No one could believe what they heard. Their hard ass boss was a virgin the entire time before he came around. Not to mention, he was spoken for. "So are you like, dating? It don't seem like ya are."

"Haha, no were not, but something about him riles me up. It's like a fire I can't put out. Amd I can't help but want to take precious care of it instead of blowing it out... and I wonder... if he feels the same?" She suddenly had a beauty to her non had ever seen. Only it was taken away from her smoking.

"Ma'am..." the woman said.

"Yes?" She looked over.

"Stop smoking... It's kinda a big turn off... you looked good, just now saying that romantic stuff... but the smoking... kinda ruined it..." she pointed out.

Suddenly she was self conscious "wait... you don't think he dislikes it does you?!" Amanda suddenly also had a cute side, but then snapped back to herself. "Enough! Back to work...!"

"Ah! Right away!" They then left to work again as she was mad by the sound and look.

Amanda however, then put out her cigarette. And lifted a part of her top to sniff and smelled how bad it was on her. She suddenly was embarrassed and gloomy, hiding her expression behind her hair. "Awe man..."

Shortly after his meeting, he would soon be ran up by Trix, the same girl from the other settlement, Foreman. "Yo big guy!" She smiled as she had on little armour, but dressed casual and not for work it seemed.

"Trix right?" He asked.

"Yup, glad you remembered, anyways I wanted to come see you, amd say thanks for having my back." She said. "What are you up to right now?"

"It's really no big deal, we both had to look for one another, even though we seemed to be at each other's throat... but, yeah, I'm glad we made it out in one piece." He carried along.

"Gonna answer my question now?" She said sticking by him.

"Well... I planned to buy some meat, and pick up new gear once they stock up in some hours from now... but no, I don't usually got a lot planned." He shared.

"So you got some time off... cool, and really you got a sister? You won't mind if I tag along with you do ya? I'm kinda on a break too and since I'm here, why not show me around..." she said, having felt like she bonded with him after that wild fight.

"Nah, no way..." she rejected.

Which bummed her and her stubbornness made her whine. "What!? Why?"

"I'm not trying to babysit some kid..." he said.

She was ticked off as she knew her height was smaller than most girl for her age, and she wasn't very developed around her chest. "I'm not a little kid! I just turned 21 dammit!" She yelled.

"Right..." he sighed. "Look, I just don't wanna do anything remotely work related." He said, but then thought. "Screw it... if you can hook me up with a knife then sure... I'll treat you."

"Fine... if thats the only way you'll spend time with me." She agreeded and walked by him.

And Rick soon comes along as he noticed the infamous Michele was with somone in public. "Hey Mic... who's this?" He was just curious to stay away.

"This is Trix... she's from yesterday's operation and with Foreman." He explain.

"Oh, right... the operation. Glad your back safe... and I heard the captains own kid was there too. By any chance you heard about today's operation?" Rick asked.

Trix was curious. "What going on?" She asked.

"Well, it seems there are pathways likely from when the subways was used more... different and in better times. So we are sending some teams to look through. Though... I'm kinda worried about this. When your operation went public, we read up what you had to take care of and... we are assuming it's likely there are Stalkers down there..." Rick shared.

"Hmm... that might be a problem. But I'm worried about the holes." Michele explain. "One of the guys leading I had talked to mentioned they noticed holes in the walls even theorized something was digging." Michele explained.

Which trix then grabbed his arm. "We gotta go help them!"

"Why?" Rick asked confused.

But, Michele, was all to aware of the urgency.

"They are capable... but, why do you wanna help?" Michele asked Trix.

"You said holes. If they are holes... from something digging it's a Snatcher. My people love to scout around. So we've seen our fair share of undead, beast and monsters. And one in particular. Digs... it has serious sharp and dang blades that dig through the ground... and we call them that, because they stab, tear and take their hunt under ground. They are completely blind but their sense of smell is beyond just good. And with the earth element their bodies are serious tough, and they also have machine parts like the dark monsters... so they easily track for miles..." she tries to calmly explain the danger.

"Even if we wanna help... we can't jump into someone else job," Michele said. "Plus, I'm on a much needed break..."

"Kinda cold man." Rick said. "I'll ask the captain... and see what's up." He would take his leave to go check in with the captian.

"Your not going?" Michele asked.

"Do you not like hanging out with girls or something?" She asked.

"No, I have a date later with one, I'm just wondering why your staying around me..." he said honestly.

She didn't say a word after his comments. She just pouted and gave him a look.

"Don't give me that look" he sighed and pat her head. "There there, I said I'd show you around... let's go." He took his head away and proceeded to walk past her, to start a tour of their settlement for her.

She cheered up and followed him. But her worry of the danger she suppressed, hoping the soldiers were capable. No, believing they were.

Down back in the subway, Mox, Pixie and the rest of the team were now down in the walkways and it ended up being more narrow than they thought. They would look around door to door and would start pressing buttons to console with no power. However, they weren't aware of the sheer danger they would be in, as the killing began.

The place wasn't very lit at all still, and since the dark is home to monster, they would be slowly taken from the back of the party one at at a time.

A Stalker, came laughing out of it tunnel digging it claw into thee abdomen of one man, then it's spear like nose and face into the man's neck, striking straight up to his brain and dove right into another tunnel across its launch point. The worse part was how dark they were. Non realize, more were close. Some hid on the ceiling, even hiding in their shadows lurking. Panic rised when roll call came and one was gone. No one noticed. No one saw. And they wondered. How long ago did it happened, when did the enemy attack? What monster was around?

Mox would give orders. "Start bombing holes... toss those grenades and molotov's" he said. Doing just that making sure they wouldn't get ambushed. As those paths would be cleared and sealed right away.

But the threat was still there. And it was not just a single monster. Another soon began rush them they all heard the collective thumping in the walls, it got louder with each movement the monster made to get closer.

"Look at that wall amd get ready!" Mox said, however, there was a problem. The men with rifles and heavy machine guns couldn't prepare that well thanks to the narrow path, so they were left to their pistols.

"Once you see crask, fire!" Mox ordered and when there began too they collectively did, shotgun fire, and submachine gun fire were used as they made the connection for the monster as they soon would see it sword fish like nose and face, as it stabbed Pixie all the way through her arm and to the wall. The monster tried to bite her but she used her feet to keep its body apart.

The men used more ammo now up close as mox shove the barrel of his shotgun to its base along its sword to destroy its face and use of piercing and stabbing and then pumped fireing again into its face. His team rallied, pulling Pixie away and the rest opening fire into the monster as they would ultimately obliterate it.

However, that first gaint was just a decoy, the as they soon heard the thumping again. Only now in every direction. Mox got down, and pulled out the monster sharp nose out of her arm and wrapped her arm in a bandage. "Go, now! Report to the captian we go something new!" Mox gave her an order.

Pixie groaned in pain, and looked at him. "No, the rest or you need to go! I can stay. We never seen anything like that" she then got up from the ground and looked at the monster.

It had such strong and large hands, it's fist had machine parts to dig and it's face was truly awful as its head was shapped oddly narrow, to help it's nose piece and dig through and strike in ambush like ways through walls. It had eyes, even though pale to mean it was blind. They were hallow and no sign of functioning eyelids. It was bleeding along its eyes and its body was slim making it more towering.

"No, I gave you an order... well come out once we find the hive nest of these things here." Mox said and grab his gun again keeping her behind him. "Clear some space and have her go through. We're gonna keep pushing." He said.

"Rodger that!" They said now hugging walls and looking down the narrow hall much more able to with there weapons. Their rifles and machine gun able to hold the bath down. Only they began to lose one and another against the walls over and over.

Pixie cloaked herself and ran off hurrying out if the tunnels and shoved and locked the door behind her. He stayed against the door a second breathing heavily as she just realized she left the team behind, but also mox who she seemed fond of.

Mox of course felt the very opposite. He was relieved regardless. He was here, and she wasn't. "Ready to die men? Were gonna kill every last one if them." He declared using his exploding talismans.

The others then used fire as they made the entire halls suddenly an openly space with the ceiling caving and crashing around them. They pushed on, not about to quit the mission. There messager was out to report, all they could do now is fight to till the end. They resorted to this, because shortly after she ran off and got away, door would be blocked as well locked from outside.

Evening was around by the time Pixie ran out, holding her arm as she yelled. "Captain!"

The entire populous looked, and even Michele and Trix as he was on his way to pick up his gear. He looked and then kept walking telling trix. "You should head back."