CHAPTER 14: Downtown Chaos.

To be honest, I did not expect her to be interested in engineering, but since she liked bikes, that actually makes sense to me. There were no doubts. She liked bikes, and she will learn more about it. What surprised me was she didn't think of applying somewhere far away. She decided to enroll in the same university that I had chosen.

No matter, maybe this will benefit me in the future. For now, let's just see what happens.

"Bro, estas bien?" She asked.

"Yeah yeah I'm fine. I choked on my coffee."

She looked at me while I was cleaning myself and the table. She had something she wanted to talk about.

"What is it?"

She was surprised by my sudden question.

"From your reaction, I think you either don't want me to enroll in that university, or you're going to that same university as I am. Am I correct?"

I gave her a slight nod. Before she could continue, I said "That girl I fought before chose that same university."

This time it was her turn to choke on her coffee.

"COUGH!!!"

"Yep." I mumbled while nodding.

After she recovered, we discussed and chatted for a few more minutes until we came to an agreement that I would teach her how to fight for a price. What price? I don't know, we hadn't decide what it is, but Sylvia said she will think of it later. After that we exchanged numbers and she went back home on her bike.

My school was only ten minutes away from home, so I walked with Clara. Now is maybe the moment where Clara and I have a conversation. We walked for a few minutes and arrived at a bridge. Below the bridge there's river that is used as a transportation for boats. It's quite big itself that it allows even cargo ships to pass through below. It was evening so it was quite busy. People walked pass us minding their own business. They're either listening to music, calling their friends, chatting on social medias, posting pictures, taking pictures and there's even buskers on the bridge sidewalk. The wind blew gently from the west, and Clara's hair swayed a little bit.

"Anything on your mind Clara?" I asked.

She looked at me while walking next to me.

She took quite a while to respond.

"I feel different than before." She said.

"Different how?"

She shook her head. This time, her face shows a little bit of emotion. A sign of confusion.

"Ever since I lived with you, I started to feel and think more differently. This has not occurred when I lived with my former master Mr. Warren. I'm learning something new every day, while at Mr. Warren's mansion I stayed indoors doing what I was tasked to do. I hardly ever go out. Only once every two weeks to buy groceries, then I had to go home and do my tasks as an android maid, but with you, I have the chance to go out often and find out more about the outside world. It is something that I never had the chance to do before." She explained. I can't help but think that this time her emotions seemed more human.

I thought of a response for a while, then I answered.

"For me, you're not just an android. You're more than that. I won't treat you like a property." I said, and gave her a slight smile.

Clara was lost for words. She seemed like she was about to cry.

"Damien... Can I hug you?" She asked.

"Sure."

She then hugged me tightly, and buried her face on my chest. I can tell, that this is what she really wanted. She wants to be..... More human.

.....

Downtown Dallakh, Dahke( Felkra's Neighbouring Country)

Hundreds of gunshots can be heard. Screams of the people echoed throughout the city. Police choppers are seen flying above the city, providing air support for the police force.

What's going on you might ask? Well, seems like the biggest gangs in Dallakh decided to start a "war" in the city and for now a number of innocent lives has been taken by them. They've taken control of the main buildings in the industrial sector.

Our police force are having a hard time fighting against these wannabe gang members. Casualties on our side are rising, while their numbers hadn't dropped for now. The Bank, corporate buildings, factories, parking lots are taken over by them, and we can't take them back with them defending hard.

My thoughts are abruptly interfered when someone called my name.

"Dallas! Hey Dallas!!!"

"Oh uh yeah Sergeant?"

"I need you and your team to provide support to the advanced tactical team. They were just deployed by the military 30 minutes ago. Reckon you can do that?" Sergeant Lane asked me.

"THE advanced tactical team? Yeah sure." I simply answered.

Advanced Tactical Team. The operators were trained to create members that are able to adapt to every situation possible. Raids, turf wars, even large scale battlefields, assassinations and so on. There are currently four known members that have been exposed to the public. Each of them have their own unique skillset. Like this one woman, her specialty is tracking, hunting, and everything related to stealth.

A moment later, I met with the leader of the team, he was a big guy, like bigggg. And he's tall too. He was covered in armor head to toe. How can he still move in that?

"You Dallas?" He asked me with a deep voice.

"That's me."

"Well, I ain't got nothing much to say, but can you and your team just stay back and provide support while we take em on?" He asked me confidently.

"Wh- uh.... Yeah.. are you sure about this?"

All of his team members chuckled. They think this is funny?

"Don't worry buddy. You'll see. For now, just cover us eh?" One tall guy from their team spoke. On his back, there was a hilt, but no blade. Weird.

Later, we were already equipped and ready to move to the nearest building where the gangs are holed up. As usual, I would equip myself with a SCAR-L, and a Glock 17 for sidearm. My loadout also carries a zipline kit, and a few grenades.

We moved under the heavy fire between our side and the enemy, trying to move in between whichever cover we could find. Eventually, we arrived at the side of the building, which is a corporate building. A 40-floor building. Intel says the gang members are staying in the parking lot and the lobby, which is where the entrances are located.

Dwayne( the big guy's name) ordered the woman( The tracker) to scan for the building with her equipment. She had a wrist mounted device, and wore a pair of goggles on her head. She fiddled with the wrist device and...

"20 hostiles located. Each floor has 10." She informed us.

"Wait how did you...."

"Sonar goggles." She answered before even letting me finish my sentence

Dwayne called everyone to listen to his next plan.

"Alright Dallas, you and your team of ten is going to split up. Six will come with the two of us, while the other five will go with these two." He pointed to the tall man and the other dude who didn't talk since earlier. He had the features of an eastern man.

"Alright, then what do we do?" I asked Dwayne.

"Well, do any of you have any experience in rapid movements during close quarters combat?" He asked.

"Wait, the tactic where an operator moves erratically to avoid enemy fire while shooting? No, we don't do that. We just do it the old fashioned way." I answered.

"Then your team are going to provide cover while we rush in. Don't worry, we won't die. Worse that could happen to us is getting scratched haha!" He laughed, and slapped my back.

"Oo-oh. Then what's with the other team with your two other guys?"

"Oh I forgot. We're going to rush the underground parking lot while they're going for the lobby. Don't worry, my guys can handle 10 people even without help." He said, while grinning.

Later then, we commenced our operation , and Dwayne's team(us) quickly moved down using the stairs at the side of the building quietly but swiftly. The other team, Hans' team(tall guy with blade) moved after us to the lobby above. We met a dark hallway heading to the parking lot. Before we moved in, Grace( tracker girl) activated her goggles once more and managed to scan two claymore charges set at the side of the hallway. If we didn't see it, we could've died.

We quickly defused it and moved forward, with Dwayne at the front, with his big body.

Just then, shouts from the enemy side can be heard.

"Our guys at the lobby are being attacked!!!"

"What?!"

Dwayne ordered us to move at a slow pace, and then we saw two silhouettes of human, and I ordered one of my men with silenced weapon to shoot them both. He finished them quickly and we moved forward.

We can already see the lights of the parking lot from here. Dwayne ordered us to hold.

"Grace, report."

"10 armed, one unidentified. Could be hostage."

"Weapons?"

"All ARs."

My team was in awe listening them communicating. With one sonar, they're able to identify weapons and number of armed men that easily? Who are these people?

"Hey Dallas. Can you do us a favour?" Dwayne asked.

"Yeah, what?"

"Watch our backs."

After that, Dwayne and Grace immediately charged in, guns in their hands.

BLAM! BLAM!

Two shots, and now two dead. By now, the gang members already noticed us and are starting to shoot us. My team and I took cover behind cars and returned fire. I observed Dwayne and Grace moving in, with their rapid movements technique. Slide, shoot, dodge roll, shoot again. Rinse and repeat. They make us trained men look like loosers! My men managed to take down three while they already finished five?!

The remaining enemy were now focused on those two, so I took this advantage to provide heavy cover fire for them. I ordered my men to focus fire on where the enemies are hiding. Dwayne took out a grenade, pulled the pin and threw it behind their cover.

"AAAARGH GRENA-"

BOOOM!

And then it was over just like that. In the span of less than three minutes, 10 men were brought down easily.

"Grace, check if any of them is still breathing. I'll check on the hostage." Dwayne said.

He went to the hostage which is a man, all tied up near the corner of the parking lot, sobbing. Dwayne went to comfort him and help him, and that's when I saw it on the hostage's chest.

"DWAYNE!!!"

I ran to him as fast as I can, pushed Dwayne, pulled the man with me and jumped far away from the others. I spun the man's front body down facing towards the floor, and he screamed because he knew his death was coming!

"AAAAAAAARGHNOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Beep.

KABOOOM!

I felt the blast push me back a few meters, and I landed heavily on the concrete floor. My ears were ringing, and parts of my body were numb. My eyes are blurry. I tried to get up, but my body won't let me. I see Dwayne running up to me, turned me facing upwards. He placed his huge hand behind my head as a cushion. I lifted up my head and that's when I see it.

My legs, are gone.