To the South of Fortress Alpha, the Phasewalker and York convoy moved across the open field. In one of the Leopard APCs, a Security Trooper tapped his black Deflector Shield in boredom. His face shield was lifted up, revealing a young face. 

The Deflector Shields was an addition made to the Regiment Security Platoon not long before Caity started her trip to Camp York. These were long rectangular, half a meter long shields made up of a special alloy in World Alpha. The Phasewalkers confiscated, though looted would be a better word choice, over two hundred of them from Fort Sentinel and took them back to Earth to be examined. 

The studies yielded impressive results. These shields were even stronger than the Guardian IV armors, capable of withstanding a decent amount of punishment before breaking. Even better, it was lighter than most shields on Earth. But what really made them stand out was its ability of kinetic absorption: the ability to take in kinetic energy and change it to something else. 

If you shoot a Gauss Rifle at the shield, the bullets would touch the shield, lose all energy, and then collapse on the ground. It wasn’t perfect and a cannon round could easily snap it, but it was something impressive nonetheless. 

A number of these Deflector Shields were left on Earth while 70 of them were handed out to the Regiment Security Platoon to be tested out in the field. If they proved practical against the Mutants, then Section X would devote more resources to studying the material and duplicating the shields. 

“So, what are we even supposed to do with them?” He suddenly wondered out loud. “I mean...energy absorption is good and all, but it does no good if it’s not in the proper spot.”

“Then put it in the proper spot!” Another Security Trooper shrugged. 

“Yeah? You’re such a smart guy, aren’t you?” The first trooper retaliated. “You try reacting to a Gauss bullet in time!”

“You don’t have to react. Just put the shield in front of you and cover yourself.” 

“And keep my left arm occupied?” The Security Trooper lifted his Defender Rifle. “Have you tried shooting a Defender-II with one hand?”

“Well, use your brain, dumbass!” The second Security Trooper sighed before raising his left arm. The others in the APC could see that instead of gripping onto the Deflector Shield with a handle, that trooper used some cloth to strap the shield to his left forearm. This way, he could set his left arm out horizontally, hold his Defender Rifle with both hands, and still have his upper body protected by the Deflector Shield. 

“The thing inside your skull? It’s a good thing. Use it.” The second trooper grinned. 

Most of the Security Troopers in the APC just watched this bickering with a smile. In the end, they were just teenagers. Even in a vicious world with a hundred dangers coming from all sides, they could still find fun in the tiniest openings. 

Suddenly, the APC came to a stop.

“It’s the bathroom break, boys.” The driver said through the mic. Well, at least they weren’t under attack. The Security Troopers got out of the APC one by one. A few of them moved toward a set of bushes in the nearby area. They chose a distance not so far away that they would be ambushed without being seen, but not so close that things could get really awkward. 

In the Humvee in the front, Caity got out of the car as well. She stepped toward one of the bushes. It wasn’t exactly the best bathroom she has been to, but in the middle of nowhere, she didn't have too many choices. 

Suddenly, Caity heard the ruffling sound of something moving. She snapped around immediately, a Defender-C Gauss handgun in her hand. 

Defender-C. Sidearms designed for UEC officers and non-combatants. Small, but packs quite a punch. 

“Identify yourself!” Caity demanded loudly. She was cautious, and rightfully so. God knew what horror might be lurking in the surrounding. Of course, her words served a greater purpose than it seemed. A distance away, the Security Troopers that heard her voice quickly approached with their weapons raised.

Suddenly, the bush moved, and two short figures walked out. 

Caity frowned and lowered her weapon slightly. They were two girls. The older one couldn’t be over 15 years old. The younger one was just 8 or 9. Both were in rag-tagged clothing. Their faces were pale. Their exposed arms and legs covered in cuts and bruises. Seeing Caity and the weapon in her hand, they held onto each other in fear. The older one, although also being terrified, stepped forward and shielded her sister from Caity’s weapon. 

The Security Troopers have arrived as well. Aside from 20 Troopers that stayed behind to cover the vehicles, the others were all here. Aryan and a few York Troopers also came over for a look. 

“Sir?” Commissar Charlotte glanced at her Commander. 

“Probably some random survivors.” Caity frowned. The girls didn't feel like threats. She wasn’t omniscient, but chances were the two girls were nothing more than members of the many survivors in this world. 

“What should we do with them?”

“They’re none of our business.” The Colonel quietly made the decision. She was on a mission, and it wasn’t rescuing the innocent. 

Before Charlotte or the others could answer, the older girl took a step forward. Fear was on her face, but a fear greater than the one caused by Caity forced her to speak up.

“Please! You have to help us! We are being hunted!” 

The girl knew nothing about this woman in a black suit, but she could still remember a time in the past. It was a time where there were justice and order. A time where if you did something wrong, hurt someone, or broke something, you would be punished. It wasn’t too long ago, but somehow, everyone around her seemed to have forgotten about it. 

And at that time, men and women in black suits and dark helmets, people like the woman in front of her, stood for justice and power.

Caity frowned. 

“Sorry, Miss, but we can’t help you. We just don’t have the time. Look,” She stood up and pointed at the North, where her convoy came from. “Keep walking down that direction, and you will find people like me. They will take you in and protect you.” 

Indeed. The Phasewalkers have encountered quite a few survivors. They took care of the hostile ones with bullets and grenades, but they also took care of the friendly ones in a much nicer fashion. The information these local survivors possessed, no matter how basic, was desperately needed for the Phasewalkers.  

The girl looked in that direction before snapping back to Caity. 

“We won’t make it there! It’s too far! Please! There are people after us...bad people! If they catch us…” She lifted up her shirt, revealing grey, beaten bruises all across her upper body and her breasts. “they will hurt us and kill us!” 

Caity wasn’t moved. She was well aware of what lawlessness could do to people. She could never forget the dungeon she saw in Kaneton, where innocent, ordinary townspeople decided to imprison their own mothers, sisters, and daughters for sexual pleasure. The poor girls in front of her must have gone through a similar thing. 

If Caity was alone, she would be more than happy to carry out some swift justice with fire and fury, but she was equipped with a task. One look at the calm and unmoved expression on Aryan’s face suggested he wouldn’t be too happy with some deviation from the plan. 

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She turned back around and channeled the spirit of Ryan through her. 

“Look, girl. What’s your name?” She suddenly asked, realizing that if she wanted the girl to follow her instructions, she might as well know her name first. 

What the girl said next made Caity freeze. 

“Katherine. My name is Katherine.” 

All of a sudden, it was as if lightning struck Caity. 

Katherine. 

That was a name she could never forget. 

It belonged to a girl who Caity rescued from her monstrous tormentors. It belonged to a girl who showed Caity she could be a bringer of hope and salvation. It belonged to a girl who stole Caity’s kiss, and it was the same girl who was mauled to death by Mutated Wolves on the way back to Fortress Alpha, mere hours later. 

Alone. Afraid. Helpless and in pain. 

For more times than she could count, Caity cursed herself for not being there for the tormented girl. If only she decided to make the trip back too...if only she decided to lead an escort...but a thousand ‘if’s couldn’t change the fact that she couldn’t save a girl who loved and trusted her. 

Now, another Katherine was here. Equally hurt. Equally tormented and equally scared. The only thing different was this time, Caity could actually save her. 

Stand up. Walk away. Be strong! You are Colonel Caity Hunter, Commander of the 1st Phasewalker Regiment! Be strong! The good of the cause is greater than the life or death of one girl! An alliance with Camp York is so much more important than this! Do the smart thing! Damn you!

The Colonel inside her screamed for her body to move, but the woman, the human, inside her stopped her in her tracks. 

“Colonel,” On the side, Commissar Williams raised her voice. “we should get moving if we want to reach Camp York before it gets dark.” She warned. 

When Caity didn't answer, Charlotte sensed what was going on in her head. 

“Colonel, this girl holds no value to us.” She reminded Caity. “She’s not even one of us!” 

Not one of us. Not a member of their world. Not someone they were trained to protect. 

Caity snapped back to Charlotte. Her eyes were cold. 

“Stand by, Commissar. That’s an order!”

“Colonel, I implore you to do what’s best for the cause…”

“And I implore you to be quiet.” Caity wasn’t scared of Charlotte. Ryan Carlson had the power, the authority, and the will to threaten her position as the Commander, but it would take a lot more than a mere Platoon Commissar to do the same. 

Charlotte backed off with her head lowered. 

A few more moments passed. Katherine looked at Caity with hope in her eyes. She knew if Caity abandoned her, then she and her sister would be as good as dead, if not worse. Suddenly, the sound of motor engines across the field made her heart sink. 

“It’s them…” She whispered, knowing all too well that it was too late for her.

A distance away, six motorbikes approached. They came to a sharp stop in front of Caity and the others. Caity could see the bikers exchanging concerned looks before one of them dismounted and walked up with his hands raised.  

All the bikers had weapons on them, but they had no intention of using it. Only fools would draw guns when it was 6 against 40 with the group of 40 having standard uniforms and better weapons.

“Howdy? We are just coming through! We mean no offense!” The man announced loudly before his eyes landed on the black uniforms. “Ah...brothers in arms, right? My boys and I were in the 391st Marine Regiment! Where were you all stationed?”

Oh...so these bikers were former UEC military? Not her problem. Caity took a step forward. “None of your business, now get lost!” 

The biker leader gulped. It was obvious there was some anger on his face, but he pushed it down. It would be a shame to be blasted to pieces by Gauss Rifles just because he couldn’t keep his head cool. Suddenly, just as he was about to leave, his eyes landed on two figures trying to cower behind a Security Trooper.

“Ummm…” He turned back to Caity. “actually, we were looking for someone. Two girls.” He gestured at the pair. “If you can hand them to me, we will be very thankful.” 

Caity turned back and glanced at the girls before making her position clear. 

“Fuck off.” 

“You bitch…” 

One of the bikers stepped up and reached for his weapon, but the leader pushed him back, along with the rest of his curses, but it was too late. Immediately, all 30 Security Troopers had their weapons aimed at the bikers. Charlotte pointed her Defender-C right at the biker leader. She didn't quite agree with Caity, but as long as Caity was still in command and she wasn’t a threat to the cause, Charlotte would still carry out her to the last dying breath.

The biker leader held his hands up in surrender as he made one last attempt. 

“Please...those girls are the properties of the Colonel. Colonel Hendrick.” He paused. “We’ve got over 200 men and twice that number of guns. If you are willing to return the girls to us, we will gladly pay for them in whatever resources you and your men may desire.”

The girls turned to Caity. The younger one still had her eyes open in hope, but Katherine was already cursing herself for trying to talk to Caity. They should’ve run the very chance they got. At least then they would still have an opportunity of making it out. Now, this woman in black would surely sell them out, if not for the reward, then for the threat. In this day and age, 200 fully armed military veterans were a force to be reckoned with. 

She shouldn’t have followed her instincts.

“Pay for them?” Caity said quietly, not even looking at the girls. “Like they’re some sort of commodity?” 

Her voice was low, but the fury inside was undisguised. 

The biker leader knew he said the wrong words and pushed the wrong buttons. Now, it wasn’t about getting the girls. It was about leaving this place in one piece.

“I’m sorry, madame! We will leave at once!” 

He turned around, but it was too late. Caity raised her Defender-C and opened a hole in the man’s chest. 

A single round of gunshots from the Security Troopers sent the other five bikers to the ground. Four of them never got up, but just as the Security Troopers turned their attention away, the fifth one suddenly jumped onto his bike and tried to make a run for it. 

If he escaped, this Colonel Hendrick would surely retaliate! A few sharpshooters raised their Defender-III, but someone was quicker. An ice dagger flew across the sky and buried itself in the last biker’s neck, almost beheading him. 

The bike moved on for a few more seconds before collapsing. 

Caity turned around to Aryan. After the brief moment of fury, she had to admit her decision likely wouldn’t go well with the Fort York Mutant. If nothing else, it betrayed some information about her. Someone who has survived a full year in the apocalypse of World Alpha probably wouldn’t be so emotional about things like this. She just hoped Aryan didn't catch onto that. 

Aryan didn't seem annoyed by what Caity did. In fact, there might be a sense of intrigue in the man’s eyes. 

“I know where they’re from.” Aryan pointed at the bodies on the ground. “They were the Marines stationed on a Victory-class Destroyer in the UEC Space Fleet. When the ship was taken down, they were the only survivors. I’m fairly certain they ended up holding out in the wreckages of the starship, living off whatever supply they could salvage.”

Caity frowned. “And the thing he said about there being 200 men, is that true?”

“I think so.” 

This sent the Colonel thinking. She only had 50 Security Troopers. Now, among the Phasewalkers, they were the best of the best, but she had no idea how they would fare against UEC Marines. These Marines were stationed aboard spaceships! They had to be highly trained, right? It would take a lot more than some half-trained teenagers with salvaged weapons and a lack of numbers to defeat them. 

If she really wanted to handle them, she should send a message back to Fortress Alpha and deploy armor and artillery units, coupled with large groups of infantry. Even then, there would be risks and probably losses. 

But if she had to ignore these UEC Marines, she wouldn’t feel settled either. These Marines had no conscience or remorse. They would always be a threat.

That was when Aryan took a step forward. 

“You know what? The day is getting kinda late and I don’t think we can get back to Camp York today. We are in need of somewhere to rest anyways, so...what do you say we work together and take out that Marine settlement?”

Caity turned back to Aryan, slightly surprised by the offer. They did waste some time here, but it shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. It wouldn’t make that much of a difference, which meant...Aryan saw that she wanted to take out those UEC Marines, and he was willing to put aside his plan and lend her a hand!

But...why? After seeing the monsters the locals have turned into throughout the last year, Caity had a hard time believing Aryan was just a philanthropist. 

But her doubts weren’t a reason to deny the offer.

“Yeah, that sounds good.” She said quietly before turning back to the Security Troopers. “Let’s get back to the convoy and get ready for combat. Mr. Aryan, please tell me as much as you know about this settlement so we can devise a proper plan of attack.”

“Yes sir!” 

“Very well.” 

As Caity moved, she suddenly felt someone pulling her clothes. She turned around and found herself staring at Katherine. 

“Yes?”

“Thank you, madame,” Katherine said quietly to Caity, who couldn’t be any more than a few years older than herself at most. “We owe you our lives, madame. We will make sure you don’t regret it.”

Caity sighed. “Yeah, don’t mind it.” She whispered before walking away. 

Behind her, Katherine looked at her figure with nothing but admiration in her eyes.