“But by dusk, the few who are lucky enough to make it back are hauling ass with their tails tucked between their legs.” she added.

A silence fell across them both for several minutes, the sound of airships landing nearby as well as explosions in the far reaches of the landscape. A direct effect of the missiles seen only moments before.

“So. The Ancient?” Alicia asked with dedicated calm.

“Which one?” Nadia replied, bursting into laughter moments later as Alicia gave her a sarcastic, yet playful look.

“Certes came to us a little over two years ago.” Nadia added.

“Willingly? As in, to aid in our defense or willingly die?” Alicia asked.

“No. He showed up at the gates of the Berlin safe zone one rainy day, said he and a few others were against the innocent slaughter of any race. Provided us with a lot of important information. To be honest, none of us trusted them at first either. But, Certes has personally saved my life more than once.” Nadia replied.

“Them? You mean there are more of them?” Alicia asked, stunned at the idea.

“Yes. Close to two dozen of them live in Berlin and aid our military. Several more who are loyal to us remain in the ranks of the Ancients, supplying us with information. Trust me, once you see what they can do in a hand to hand fight, you'll understand why Certes escorted us here.” Nadia replied.

“I wish we had the same luxury here.” Alicia responded.

“It comes at a great price,” Nadia said. “The faction of Ancients who fight us for Berlin are a different monster. Your enemy at the gates wishes to enslave you, ours prefers the salty taste of Human flesh,” she added. “I've seen them do things. Terrible things,” Nadia said before pausing. “Watching the soldiers around me having their tendons pulled from the skeletal frame beneath during battle, only to watch them feed the hunger of the bastards who slay us...it's not something I signed up for.”

“I understand.” Alicia said, turning to Nadia for a moment as silence fell across the two.

There were no words to follow, only a gaze of exploration on the part of both women. Nadia reached out a bit, smoothing the bottom of Alicia's chin with her hand as they continued their stare of forbidden expression.

“I have not been introduced to beauty such as yours in a long time, if ever.” Nadia finally said softly, her lips seeming to command Alicia's every thought.

Alicia was attracted to everything about Nadia. Her gorgeous figure, pursed lips and even the thick of her accent. She could tell that Nadia was a woman of high standards when it came to physical attraction, her attention to detail the giveaway.

“And I've noticed your eyes on me. In me,” Nadia said. “Am I right?”

Rather than verbally reply, Alicia continued her stare, gently bringing her tongue across her lips, before leaning in a bit.

Less than a second after Nadia had leaned herself, ready to begin a kiss which would surely lead to much more, the concrete block directly to the right side of her head burst into compacted dust, the sound of an extremely loud gunshot hanging through the streets of their section in Washington City.

Alicia lunged to Nadia, knocking her to safety as they both lay on the rooftop, Alicia straddling Nadia in what quickly became an intense, yet awkward moment, lips nearly touching. Had the situation been any different, she would have taken advantage of the moment by feeling Nadia out with both her hands and lips. However, her insatiable lust would have to wait as they took fire.

Pulling her two combat pistols out, Alicia's arm was quickly grabbed by Nadia, who looked at her with embarrassment.

“It's Preacher.” she said as Alicia stood there speechless.

“Your own team shoots at you?” she asked in disbelief as Nadia walked to the ledge of the roof.

“What did I tell you about doing that!” Nadia yelled into the direction of Preacher as he stood with Calypso on the street below.

She too had longed for a kiss that nearly took place, cursing in her mind the grimy sniper who had shattered such a perfectly-sexual moment.

“I was just showing him what the...” Preacher replied, cut off in mid sentence.

“I don't give a damn, stop doing it!” Nadia yelled, turning to Alicia and making their way to the steps.

“Sometimes I feel like a broken record around these social rejects.” Nadia added in a much calmer voice.

“Again I ask,” Alicia said, her thoughts on the near kiss only moments before. “Your own team shoots at you?” Alicia added as both ladies made their way to the streets below.

“Damn man, I am impressed.” Calypso said, holding the Heaven-Six rifle for himself and admiring the beauty of the weapon.

Its huge size allowed the weapon to carry the kick of a bolt action rifle, while giving the range and semi-automatic capabilities of a less powerful weapon.

The defining trait of the gun, however, was its power source. The large stock of the rifle contained a small cell, which was an Ancient technology that was normally designated for their own weapons. The glowing yellow tube had all of the properties of a highly powerful battery, though the cell technology also contained a self-charging unit.

Because of the simplistic design of the weapon and its glowing power cell of concentrated steam, it could be used inside of Guardian Angel. And in the right set of hands, used well.

Preacher could either fire shots in succession, each burst doing a decent amount of damage. Or he could harness a majority of the cell's power to fire a single shot, and a crippling one at that. Doing so forced him to wait a short time for the cell to recharge by way of steam, but it gave the sniper one thing that every soldier needs. Options. And he was damn deadly with the weapon to say the least.

“I swear to God the next time you pull that stunt I will kill you dead myself!” Nadia yelled, her chrome Luger of German design in hand and pointed into the direction of the sniper.

“Alright, alright! Easy already, damn!” Preacher replied frantically, moving his body around in the event of a misfire by Nadia's pistol.

“And I thought we had our own problems.” Calypso said with a grin.

“Shut up Calypso.” Alicia calmly replied as she walked up behind the perfectly shaped body of Nadia, her attention on the rounded ass of the German knockout rather than the strongman of her team.

 

They had remained indoors for most of the day, resting and double checking their supplies.