by John Davis
“Yes my queen, and the humans?” Tahian asked, still bowing with a single knee.
Turning to glance from the rooftop, her focus becoming one of the horizon around them, she nodded.
“They will be dealt with in due time,” Queen Karie replied, her elegant smile turning to a sinister grit. “And accordingly.”
**
As she walked quickly into the hospital tent, Alicia's heart continued to beat frantically. Though it was a smaller tent, everything seemed to resemble a world before Ancients. Lights, nurses and even a couple of certified doctors. She found herself impressed with the detail of things, though her heart and soul were tied into the outcome of only one.
“Where is he?” Alicia demanded to know as she entered to see an empty spot where Jackson had been fighting for his life.
The bed was vacant, having been readied for the next patient. The small window that remained overhead, which was simply screened in to welcome the flow of fresh air, gave chills to the skin of a concerned Alicia Lucard..
“I'm sorry, he's gone.” the nurse replied.
Oh God. Alicia thought, trembling to the point of tears as she immediately sat in a nearby chair. No, no. Not Jackson too. I've lost everyone who has ever been important. Please, not Jackson too. Please God, I will do anything.
“He left for Washington City an hour or so ago. Wanted me to give you this.” the nurse said, handing Alicia an envelope.
“You mean he's alive?” Alicia asked.
“Of course. Well, as much as he was before anyway. Spouting off wisecracks as he left.” the nurse replied.
“I'll kill him.” Alicia commented, her facial expression turning from grief to the sarcasm of a lover.
The nurse just responded with a grin, handing Alicia a handwritten letter from her lover, slowly easing herself outside of the tent into the fresh air of a German countryside.
Dear Alicia,
Thanks for trusting me. Every single time I've told you I loved you, every word of it was the truth. I hope by now you believe that. Just to show you how much I do love you, I've decided to fly ahead to Washington City. I'll have a surprise waiting in the same place we spent our last night there together.
There's a C-17 waiting for you guys. Bit of a bumpy ride, but it beats walking back I guess. Get a hot meal, and make sure everyone else does the same. Then it's a date.
I love you with everything inside of me Alicia. See you soon.
-The Ranger
The Ranger my ass. She thought, smiling to the point of near-tears. Tonto.
His signature painted a smile to her face that calmed her every fiber. He was certainly alive, and they were the only two people still living who knew of that night. And he was certainly in good condition, his joking a clear sign of that.
So Alicia began to look forward to an official date. Whatever it meant, whatever it was to include; Alicia truly looked forward to the magical moment when she and Jackson would reunite. And she began to prepare herself for the string of bad jokes that would surely follow.
**
It took no time for the Ancients loyal to Queen Karie to run down those who had tried to take Berlin. Hours, possibly even less. Their numbers overwhelming and their escort a small group of harvesters.
The defectors had planned to return to Washington City for safe haven. But word had spread of a shift in control over the city, a brand new flag had risen. The Ancients who had proven themselves traitors to the queen were simply stuck between a new alliance of humans and an approaching force of Ancients loyal to the queen.
They simply had nowhere to go. No home...no chance for survival. On that crisp morning, only a few miles outside of Berlin, a fight took place that once again solidified Queen Karie as the supreme ruler of her people.
Alicia learned of the battle with her own eyes, watching from the skies above as Ancients lay slaughter to one another. And though her large cargo liner jolted violently several times, the pilots were trained well enough to keep it under control.
She also learned of the slaughter of those who occupied the hospital she had just so recently left. As the radio transmission came in to their plane, Alicia became a bit overwhelmed with sadness. Though she didn't know the people on a personal level, they were human.
After speaking briefly with Perk and his budding lover, Alicia found herself torn apart. Quickly making her way to the rear of a large plane filled with survivors.
Nadia Jacobson was dead.
Alicia hadn't faulted her American friends in the least, knowing they had come to save her. Still, a part of her cared deeply for the German woman. Loved her perhaps. And a part of Alicia would forever remain in Germany, buried along with a woman who had captivated her emotions for such a long time.
Though the Ancients had not claimed Nadia directly, Alicia still blamed them. This damn war and it's consequences on those who fought to become liberated.
As she began to sob uncontrollably, a single question went through her mind.
Is the struggle worth it?
Alicia slowly glanced down, her sidearm close by. A single action which could bring an end to every ounce of the pain. For every day of loss, and regret. For every loved one taken away and every morning of being forced to wake up, only to fight a seemingly-losing battle. All of it an uphill effort against a far-superior foe.
She could have easily grabbed her sidearm and ended the suffering thrown onto her by the Gods.
And, sadly, Alicia had decided it was to be. Her reasoning for pushing forward had seemed to be exhausted. And, with shaking hands and a heavy heart, she began to pull her pistol from its leg-mounted holster.
“It's amazing how a man can come into your life and give you new reasons for living.” Gretchen said, quickly sitting down beside the struggling soul of Alicia Lucard.
“Excuse me?” Alicia replied, as though Gretchen were a psychic.
“Perk,” she replied with a grin. “I honestly didn't know if I had it in me to continue on. And I cared deeply for Calypso, I truly did,” she added. “But in the short time I've been around Perk, it has truly been amazing.”
“That Perk?” Alicia asked, pointing to the bandaged man who lay snoring, his beaten body taking up several feet of sitting space aboard the plane.
“Yea,” Gretchen replied, turning to him with a smile of true happiness. “He's great, isn't he?”
“Give it some time.” Alicia said, wondering what the man had to offer outside of being a soldier.
He was by all accounts, the rudest man she'd ever known. An alcoholic, womanizer, foul-mouthed and known for starting fights. Still, he had been a good friend.
“He's a damn good soldier, I'll say that much.” Alicia commented.
“You should have seen him and Certes just moments before you arrived in the chopper. They nearly killed one another.” Gretchen said.
“Come again?”
“Certes tried to kill him for putting an end to Nadia. Said it wasn't over. But Perk never backed down. He's pretty much the bravest man I've ever seen,” Gretchen said, smiling a bit. “Anyway, just thought I'd come over and share that with you. I dunno, it's like a voice inside of my head told me to or something. Total blonde moment.” she added, standing to her feet once more and making way back to Perk.
Stop that! Alicia thought, scolding herself for giving a prolonged glance to Gretchen's ass. But it afforded her the opportunity she needed to spot Certes. Or rather the stare he cast toward a sleeping Perk.
Then, glancing down once more, Alicia slid her pistol back to a fully-holstered position, securing it tightly. Today simply wasn't her day to die. And when that day came, it wouldn't be by her own hand.
Standing to her feet and giving a few moments to settle nerves, Alicia began to walk toward the Ancient who continued a stare onto the human who had sent his friend into the afterlife.
“Bumpy ride huh?” she asked, sitting down beside the much larger alien.
“Indeed.” he replied.
“You need to know that if you intend to fuck with my friend then you are fucking with me.” she blatantly warned.
“Then consider yourself fucked with.” Certes replied, turning to look directly at her.
She saw a fire in his eyes, one that she'd never seen before. It was as if his restraints were gone and he lived for a single purpose.
“Because I assure you, the time will come.” he added.
“I hope for your sake it does not,” she warned once more, standing to her feet. “Take care of yourself.” she added, effectively ending a friendship.
“You would be wise to do the same.” Certes replied with a demonic grin.
“It's what I'm known for.” she said, walking toward her friends, who sat on the opposite side of the plane's interior.
“So, let me tell you some things about Calypso,” Alicia said with a smile, taking a seat beside Gretchen. “The best way to honor his memory is to do so by giving you some highlights of his life.” she added, grabbing the attention of a woman who couldn't shoot worth a damn, but more than made up for it with the skill of listening to a friend.
As their plane began a deep descent for landing several hours later, Alicia gripped the cargo straps around her, as did everyone else. Certes seeming to hold on with ease, while Perk clinched tightly enough to help secure Gretchen as well. Though he cursed the pilot while doing so.
The final count was nearly thirty souls aboard, and word of three more planes like this one following behind, each carrying survivors from the Berlin countryside, along with any weapons and supplies that could have been quickly grabbed.
Many had stayed behind in order to give the planes a clean escape, knowing well they would not live to see the sunset. True heroes by every definition.
Alicia began to think of all of the true heroes she could remember. Her way of respecting those who willingly paid the ultimate price for those around them.
Glancing out of the thick window of reinforced glass, her first thoughts were on the look of Washington. It seemed different. Much less of a war-torn city than before. The Rise of Allies were certainly there in force, as were their flags.
But the city seemed to be more beautiful than before. She imagined it was largely because of her time spent in and around Berlin, which had become nothing short of a rubble field.
The Guardian Angel was online, but Alicia suspected they would land the planes in Arlington, Virginia, once famous for housing a booming airport. And she was right, her guess cemented by the slight tilt of the plane's wings.
It was just across the Potomac River from Washington, and she could see a large ferry waiting for them. She only hoped the Ancients would fight themselves long enough for her group to gain a clean entry into the city.
***
And as Alicia stared from the deck of the ferry, her attention remained focused on the skyline of such a once-proud city. She remembered what life had been like before the invasion. Her family, her job, the daily commute.
She had been an accountant for God's sake. Confined to a cubicle while crunching numbers, day in...day out.
She never dreamed that one day she'd be ferrying across the river in hopes of running to the arms of her lover, racing the clock against an alien race of murderers. And she never dreamed of fighting for any flag other than the United States.
But while the idea of freedom was similar, the flag was indeed different. Three large stars of white, outlined in red and firmly planted into the middle of a blue square. The Rise of Allies.
Humanity's last hope.
The ferry trip across the water was nothing short of serene. For a few minutes, everything seemed right. The water crashed softly against their boat, waves jolting them back and forth slightly. The smell of fresh air seeped into their nostrils, providing each of the survivors with a sense of vacation. If only for a few minutes.
There was no battle at hand. No enemy at the gates. At least not in this singular moment in time, which was quite alright with Alicia. She sat there, arms draped across her knees as her pastel blue eyes worked quickly to take in everything around them.
The Guardian Angel system was overhead, proving air superiority, while providing them with a bit of comfort. And to most aboard the boat, knowing their security blanket was overhead eased tensions.
But for Alicia, it provided her the breathtaking view of a sky-canvas painted with the glow of so many different colors. All of them vivid and each one unique. She simply remained in awe, acknowledging the fact that she was experiencing something truly beautiful. Feeling completely blessed in doing so.
Her blessings subsided however, as Alicia once again caught the glance of Certes. His commanding stare returned this time, however, by the determined eyes of a pissed-off redneck. Bandages or no bandages, he was a man who simply refused to back down.
Turning her attention across their boat a bit, a couple of the American loyal soldiers nodded to her. They understood what was to be done, and let her know through the most subtle of motions that she could count them in.
But it would have to wait a few more minutes as she turned to once again breathe a sigh of freedom. True freedom. No mortar shells. No screams of dying soldiers. Just the ringing melodies of birds around them, many swooping down low enough to investigate a group that looked human enough.
As the boat eased into dock, a long path of boards along the riverbed leading them to shore, each survivor left the serenity of nature for another shot at survival. For they had arrived at the gates of Washington City.
“Certes. You and your soldiers lay down your weapons and march away.” Alicia demanded, joining her soldiers in turning their weapons onto the group of revenge-fueled Germans.
“What is this?” he demanded to know.
“I will not allow those who seek retribution against my friends entry into this city.” she replied.
“You flew us all here, put us on a boat to bring us to your gates...for this? To take our weapons and turn us away like dogs?” he asked loudly.
Several heavily-armed soldiers bearing the insignia of the Rise of Allies rushed to intervene, though it wasn't necessary.
“I've no intentions of killing you...but don't push me.” Alicia warned, her rifle pointed directly to the Ancient.
“Fuck it, I'll kill him.” Perk replied.
“Perk! Put that damn gun down!” she yelled, though her weapon remained on Certes.
Alicia knew in her heart that he was a friend, and he had killed Nadia in self-defense. But she still fought feelings of bitterness as she thought of Perk. The man who ended Nadia's life.
“I have saved your life,” Certes said. “I even saved the life of that foul-mouthed swine. And this is how you repay me?”
“It's nothing personal.” she admitted.
“Nothing personal?” he asked, his words growing fiercer by the minute. “I disagree. It is personal. In fact,” he growled. “I want you to understand this. This entire area which surrounds your beloved city, it belongs to me now. And should I ever catch you away from the safety of your city,” he added with truth. “I will kill you. The both of you! And I'll do it very slowly.”
“I'm hearing lips smacking, when I should be hearing boots cracking. Get your asses moving.” Perk said tauntingly, holding his own shotgun to the ready.
Though the Ancient was hesitant, eventually he turned to walk into the countryside surrounding Washington City, as did the soldiers loyal to him.
And as several minutes passed, eventually the group could be seen no longer, disappearing into a backdrop of trees along the edges of a nearby mountain.
“My queen, we've eliminated all of the traitors as you requested.” Tahian said, kneeling before his queen.
“Good,” she replied. “Very good. Now on to the last remaining city of humans.”
“We are working on a plan to gain control of the city without taking heavy losses.” he replied.
“I am not worried about loss,” Queen Karie commented sharply, turning to face
her prized general. “And I care not for controlling the city. Mass our army at their gates and level it to dust. This has went on long enough. Now they will truly learn of our power through their own eyes.”
“Of course my queen. I'll have our troops pull to the front lines.” Tahian replied, kneeling a bit lower before turning to execute her orders.
And Queen Karie looked upon the city skyline just as Alicia did upon arriving. Two women, both of them insatiably beautiful, as well as capable in battle. One hellbent on destroying the last remaining gem of humanity, while the other prepared to defend humanity's last hope with everything inside of her.
**
Alicia could see the glow of lights mirroring from the stairs as just a few remained, the rooftop entrance in sight. They weren't cast from the Guardian Angel grid above, but rather multiple strings of colored lights which wrapped nearly the entire edge of the rooftop. The same rooftop which had served as her home for so long, once upon a time.
“Christmas lights?” Alicia asked with a smile, slowly approaching Jackson.
“It's the best I could do on such short notice.” he replied with a smile of his own.
He obviously still hurt a bit from his gunshot, but that hadn't stopped him from dressing to impress. Wearing one of humanity's last tuxedos.
“I could kill you.” she commented, stopping short of his waiting embrace.
“You wouldn't be the first to try it today.” he replied, stepping the distance himself, placing their faces just inches apart.
