I flip over onto my stomach, start crawling toward her, leaving a snail trail of blood as I go. I had always heard that a belly wound is the most painful, but I had no idea. I have to push past the pain, have to get to her. Where is my gun? This pain, how do I shut out this pain? I need to think straight, how do I shut it off? Where is my gun?

I hear Mason shout taunts at the succubus. She answers with a long burst of machinegun fire. He is hiding behind the engine block of a car; the rounds punch through the soft shell but go no further.

I reach Ashley. It is bad, she is breathing heavily, staring up at the clouds. The white of her uniform is rapidly turning red. I start inspecting the wounds, before remembering that I don’t have any medical supplies on me. Maybe one of the Untouchables has some, or maybe we can grab some off of one of the dead Délta agents. I will my IC to summon emergency services, the system reports that they are sending a tactical unit to deal with reports of a shootout in the vicinity, paramedics will be deployed when the area is secured. She will be long dead by then.

Baara sends another burst toward Mason and the surviving Untouchables, it sounds like it is closer this time. I slowly, painfully turn over onto my back. Sure enough, she is walking over to us. “I hate to kill one of my own, but she shouldn’t have been here,” she points the barrel of her machinegun at my face, “You on the other hand…”

The sound of engines are heard overhead. The succubus looks up, confused. The Ascended’s assault craft is bearing down on us. A hidden chain gun spins up as it is lowered out of the hull. There is a loud burp sound as the Gatling gun fires. The demoness is ripped apart in a blur of warped metal and a mist of blood.

Everyone that is still on their feet dives to the ground. The gun is discharged several more times as the craft swoops in. It stops, hovering a few feet off of the ground. The rear hatch opens, several motorcycles speed down the ramp and maneuver around the bodies. The riders are wearing the armor of the Ascended’s militia. They reach the goon that is holding Jill hostage. He tries to surrender, one of them casually pulls his sidearm and shoots him in the head. He covers the other rider while he grabs Jill.

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The motorcycles zoom away, the gunship staying over them. They got her.

I focus back on Ashley. Her clothes are completely soaked in blood; crimson runs away from her in thick streams. Her breathes are still labored, she turns her head slightly in my direction, “Promise me that you’ll save her.”

“I will.”

“And, and find someone to take care of my dog.”

“I don’t need to do that. You will see him soon. I will bring…” I trail off. Her chest has stopped moving, there is nothing behind her eyes anymore.

I look around frantically, as if anyone could do anything. Mason surveys the battlefield, searching for wounded. There aren’t many people left in his group; I can see it on his face, he knows that he has failed.

I lie there, the pain in my belly comes in waves. It is dulled by what is going through my head. Ashley is gone. A thousand fun days and nights sit there dead and rotted out. All joy is behind me. Why did I push her away?

I am dimly aware that I am being picked up and carried. The world becomes distant, as I am hauled into the transport and someone applies an anesthetic and an antiseptic, patches up the hole in my stomach.

An alert comes in, Alpha has kicked me out. That’s it, that’s the last one. Now I’m one of the Untouchables.

And then I see it through the haze of my despair. I can finally identify that thing that I perceived on Zachariah street, that thing that really makes Untouchables different from everyone else.

It’s the calm. They aren’t anxious, aren’t scared. The Untouchables don’t have to answer to anyone, don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing, having the wrong opinion. They have been exiled and in many ways that is their salvation.

I reflexively try to check the news, take my mind off of things. But of course, I can’t access any of it. I am blind, but when I think about it, maybe it is for the best. After all, it is all insidious fabrications and clever distortions. Maybe it is better to know nothing and be free of the lies. Besides, I already know what each and every one of them will say. I can predict how they will frame the battle back there on the road; I know who each one of them will blame for the violence.

I just wish that she could have felt this.

Mason walks over to me, “We have decided that we will try to get her,” he hangs his head, “Even if there are only a handful of us left.”

I don’t answer. He hands me my Stallion, which he must have picked up before we left. I feel its weight, examine its finish. I have to do this, I promised her.

“Toni says that they took her to their headquarters. I know that you two were close, I know that it hurts, but we need you,” he gives me a few seconds, I still don’t answer, “Well, are you with us?”

“Ya. Just give me a few minutes to make some arrangements,” I send out a message, “Anthony, I need your help.”