Several Resistance fighter jets came screaming overhead, multiple Ancient fighter planes behind them.

Nadia had never been this close to the Ancients' air superiority, having only faced their ground forces in the past. The small black ships blazed into the direction of Washington City, silver writing placed on them in what what resembled a tribal design.

Firing on the F-14 Tomcats that were in full retreat, the Ancient ships dispersed glowing yellow tracer rounds in mass quantity, pummeling one of fighter planes as it quickly fell into the far reaches of the horizon.

Moments later, the Ancient ships were forced to break pattern as the steam-powered Gatling guns which were mounted into strategic towers throughout the city began firing back. Man made lead retaliated, forcing the most dominant species known to man into a full retreat.

Small arms fire could easily be used within the safe area of Guardian Angel, however anything as large as an aircraft would fall right from the sky because of the constant electromagnetic pulse that was given. The Resistance had been intelligent enough to change the pattern of Guardian Angel each and every day, and their pilots had the magnetic blanket of protection plotted into their navigational systems. The Ancients didn't.

While the Human pilots could simply weave in and out of the waves of destruction, the Ancients would be in a virtual minefield and knew well enough to turn back when they had gotten this close. The pounding guns of steam power placed throughout Washington City just added to their reasoning.

Of course, the Ancients had tried to ransack Washington City by way of foot in the past, expecting to walk through the streets in force and conquer at will. Resistance soldiers had staved off more than one attack, usually led by Alicia's group. They had gotten close to taking the city on several occasions, even once taking a small portion of Washington City for nearly a week.

After suffering huge losses, the Humans eventually regained control of Washington City, keeping what Ancient weapons and supplies they could in doing so.

The city was actually in a lot better shape than Berlin. Although it was also under a shroud of protection from above, the Germans had fought off and on for nearly a year inside the city to remain in control. It was the help of Russian survivors that finally pushed the Ancients out, which was ironic if you follow the history of things.

There was no more United States, no more Germany, Russia or any other country that stood before the invasion. Now there were just those who had succumb to the rule of Ancients, those who survived day-to-day and by any means necessary and the Resistance.

As they all lay in their bunks for the night, Nadia and her team found it hard to rest. Slowly, it became evident to them that the thundering skies in the background were in fact explosions. She wasn't sure, but Nadia felt the noise must have been traveling all the way from the Norfolk base as she could almost make out the sounds of planes streaking across the sky, both Human and Ancient.

However, Nadia's thoughts quickly drifted to Alicia. Her body longed to be with the brunette, laying under the same blanket of warmth and sharing passion through the night. She wondered if Alicia slept, or if in fact, her own thoughts were on Nadia in the same fashion?

Either way, it didn't matter. She had been sent to do a job, and her work had to come first, even if it meant doing the unspeakable.

It seemed like a different world outside the walls of protection that surrounded Washington City. Out there, spaceships were locked into dogfights with near-obsolete military jets. While in here, citizens traveled through the streets by horse and buggy in a Victorian style that was reminiscent of three hundred years prior.

Forced to survive by torch and lamplight, while living in modernized skyscrapers was a bit strange at first. But they had all gotten used to it, though Nadia's thoughts remained on the cream complexion and welcoming lips of Alicia Lucard.

             

When they had heard the word caravan, the entire group had pictured something a bit, well a bit bigger. Instead, the six of them stood in the morning sun staring at a medium sized buggy. It looked more like a western stagecoach, complete with a steam powered engine and long wave radio which could be used once they entered into the wastelands.

Nadia began to think of the buggy as more of a time machine in the sense that it was taking them from a world of high rise buildings and into the despair of primitive living.

She had also hoped to spend a bit of time with Alica. Possibly get to know the brunette who currently fluttered her heart with glances across the room. Subtle looks, but looks that were blanketed in the yearning for more time alone.

Nadia returned them with a look of her own, smiling slightly and attaching it to her dedicated stare. The rest of the group had no idea of the mounting chemistry between the two bombshells, due largely to the fact that Calypso continued his barrage of bitching.

“You mean to tell me we got the backing of the Norfolk Naval Base, and yet, we gotta ride around in this piece of shit?”

“I think they mean to be inconspicuous,” Alicia replied, never breaking her stare with Nadia as if it were a two-way conversation. “They want to make sure everything is perfect before putting all of their cards on the table.”

“On the table my ass, this is fucking embarrassing.” Calypso replied.

“I disagree,” Nadia said, walking to the stagecoach which sat in front of them. “She's solid, and made of only the finest material,” she added, gently placing her hand onto the wood of the buggy as she slowly smoothed it across the fine grain. “I believe that no matter what she's put through, she will handle herself just fine.”

Alicia had picked up on the covert conversation, looking Nadia in the eyes as she once again rubbed the tip of her tongue to such spongy lips.

“Yep, looks to me like she could take a pounding if necessary.” Alicia replied, looking Nadia's perfectly trimmed body up and down.

“Why does the stagecoach have to be a she?” Calypso asked. “Everything a woman sees, she just assumes it's a woman too.”

“Oh, she's a woman,” Nadia replied. “I can tell by the rounding of her bottom and firmness of her top.” she added.

“I don't see anything but wood?” G added to the conversation, his violin secured tightly to his upper back.

  “Which is why it'll just be another trip for you.