Assemble a team to go finish off their dying and collect gear.”

“At once Lieutenant.” a soldier replied with haste.

“I'll report our victory to Commander Snelling at once.” Lieutenant Forsberg said, turning to personally deliver the news.

Though it was not necessary. Snelling had been watching the entire battle through the large, atrium-styled window of his office. Hoping with every moment that the Ancients would finally win them over. There was a place for him in an Ancient-controlled Earth. He had been promised more power, more prestige. It was the reasoning behind his move to the Ancients' side, and he had expected a swift defeat of Washington City after doing so.

But, just as the Ancients had done so many times before, Commander Snelling underestimated the will of those who wished to remain free. Free of slavery, free of horror and free of fear. For they were the lions of Humanity, and their most ferocious was on her way back to Washington City by way of caravan, her thoughts saturated with revenge.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5

“Looks like as good of a place as any to hold up for the night.” Jackson said, his horse galloping slowly beside Alicia's.

“Agreed. Going to be dark soon, and we need to be well out of sight.”

Jackson responded with a nod before galloping forward to the stagecoach which led their caravan, relaying the plan as he pointed to an overhang of cliffs in the near distant.

Meanwhile, Alicia slowed her gallop, falling back to check on those citizens of New Kinneston who had made the journey. As she looked into their eyes, she saw one universal sign. Shock. The children had been pulled from their homes, left wondering if they would ever see their fathers again.

That said, the women seemed to have the glow of defeat. None of them expected their husbands to survive through the night, and they were trying to accept the defeat of their lovers.

Alicia wanted to comfort them, wanted to somehow let them know that all was not lost. But how could she? She had not lost her lover to the Ancients. All she had known since Invasion Day was war. At least, that was the case until she found herself in the arms of Lieutenant Jackson Ayers. He had given her a sense of comfort, a sense of normal that she had not felt in a very long time, if ever.

The caravan collapsed under the cover of cliffs, circling in close as every available body spent time covering the exterior of their vehicles with any brush that could be found. Austin, who remained in a decent amount of pain, had started to wonder if infection would now overtake his injury.

None of them dared attempt to pull the Butcher's blade from the spot it was embedded, between his shoulder and inner chest. Washington City had doctors well capable of such a feat, assuming they made it there in time.

They just wanted to arrive as quickly as possible. For his sake, as well as the sake of all of the children who sat inside the confines of the circled caravan with him.

Certes sat on the ground, his back leaning against one of the transport trucks as he held a massive shotgun. Preacher had climbed to the top of the cliff above them, laying under a blanket of camouflage with his eye to the scope of his sniper rifle. He would watch the horizon while Calypso sat nearby to watch Preacher's six.

That left Alicia and Jackson, who lay against the side of a ravine near camp. It allowed them to watch the caravan's flank, while being close enough to further discover the spark which had carried them so far.

“So,” Jackson said. “When we get back to Washington City.”

“Should be tomorrow as long as we keep the caravan moving.” Alicia replied.

“No, I mean when we get back,” he said. “I mean us.”

“Us?” Alicia asked.

“Never mind, I feel like such an idiot.” Jackson replied quickly.

“Don't,” she said with a slight laugh. “I want us too.”

Jackson and Alicia sat there, a night sky above them as their eyes, their very souls, connected.

“I just wanted to be clear about my military commitment being in Norfolk. I'm a Navy pilot, it's my job.” Jackson said, finally breaking what had become a beautiful silence between them.

“And my commitment is to killing Ancients, defending Washington City...and loving you.” Alicia replied.

Immediately they held one another, sharing a kiss of magnetic importance as she stared into the cornflower blue of his eyes.

“Love is a strong commitment,” Jackson said, his fingers holding her chin up just a bit as he searched her heart. “Are you sure you're up for it?”

“I can't walk away from the feeling you've given me. I can't walk away from that.” she replied softly.

Their full intention was to kiss again, but it would be put on hold as the blinking light of Preacher's scope alerted them. Ancients approached.

As the two lay in the ravine, backs against the moist dirt near the roadway, they both heard coming sounds.