"After you've confirmed that there are no humans in the ruined cities I want you to send Screechers down within twenty miles of them," I told Nico as he and I made our way from the shuttle bay where he had met me aboard the Phoenix. "If your people find any signs of human survivors send more down to evacuate them. I don't want to find out that we were sloppy and humans were left in Scourge Zones when Screechers came down. Make sure that the tech teams are aware that we're probably going to exhaust their Screecher supply and that I want more made for when we go after other planets. And let them know that I want them to up their production of any consumables that we use. I went through my explosive hatchets and my normal hatchets a lot faster than I thought I would; I can't imagine how everyone else is doing. With that in mind, send resupply shuttles down to where any Nephilim are so that they can grab some food, consumables, and anything else they need."

"I'll do my best sir," the Wing said as he tapped quickly at the tablet in his hands to make my orders reality. "Is there anything else, sir?"

"Yeah actually. When you send those resupply shuttles down send some filled with medical supplies; bandages, medicine, tools; and food; packaged and premade. I want those sent to the cities that have humans hunkered down in them and I especially want them sent to any military that's still fighting against the Scourge. I'm sure that more than a few of them need something to help them out."

"Not ammunition or explosives?" Alexander asked. "Most of what we've found out from our scans and the other Wings is that they're using grenades and claymores to kill Scourge and their bullets to slow them down while they set up for them. I think at last count it was something like one in twenty Scourge dies to bullets and the rest go down to explosives."

"No, none of that," I told him. "I want them focused on consolidating what they have and preparing for if we get pushed back by whatever's in the Ythnw ship. If we give them more ammunition and such, then they'll try to help out and get themselves hurt."

"Alright sir, medical supplies and food," Alexander said, "no ammo and grenades. What about food to other parts of the world? I remember that there were places that didn't have a lot in the way of that stuff."

"We need to focus on where the Scourge are," I told him. "If we let our bleeding hearts control us, then we'll end up making mistakes and spreading ourselves too thin. We can try to help out with that stuff after we've wiped the Scourge off this planet."

"Understood," Alexander said. "Is there anything else?"

"I'm sure there is but I can't think of it," I told him. "I'll be in my office, making contact with whatever governments take my calls."

"Good luck sir," he said before saluting and turning off, leaving me to make my way to my office alone. I wish I had the time to take a shower and change from my armor, but I needed to try to make contact sooner rather than later. It might give me answers and it would definitely let me show I was a friend.

"Demigod James," the Russian president said, "your people are a welcome relief to my frontlines. How can I thank you?"

This was the second call I'd made and the first to pick up. I'd decided to worry about the places that were actively fighting the Scourge and America hadn't connected at all. I'd sent a message to one of the Paladins on the ground in the area to make contact with whoever was in charge or find out who that was and where they were.

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"The best way is by helping to evacuate your people behind your lines and to slowly push forward after my people have gone through," I told him. "My Nephilim will clear the Scourge and your people can help to keep an eye out for any that manage to sneak by them. They aren't infallible just yet."

"That will certainly be easier than trying to push the demons back ourselves," he hedged, "but what about what we are to do with the people that have been displaced by the fighting? They will need food, medicine, shelter, clothing. I cannot be expected to supply enough for all of them; not in this crisis."

"I can take care of your shelter issues," I sighed. No need to fight him on this stuff just yet. "Maybe even your clothing issues too. But I won't be able to send food and medicine to anywhere that isn't the frontlines or North America. I have a surplus of shelters and clothing and need to put any food or medicine to use where they'll do the most good. That means where the fighting is heaviest and the places where people won't be able to get food easily. If you are having issues with your food and medicine supplies, I will be making contact with the other governments of the world and can ask them to send any excess they have to your displaced population. As emergency aid to your people."

"Thank you, that will be helpful, but I fear that they will not send any to us," the Russian president said sadly. "They will all be more worried about stockpiling their resources to prepare for any demons that make their way to their lands. I fear that they will not send anything to us."

"They'll send supplies," I assured him. "This is a crisis that affects more than just the Earth and her peoples; it's at times like this that we should come together and stand strong so that we prove to whoever caused this that we aren't so easily beaten."

"You speak the truth," he agreed. "Truth doesn't mean that others will agree or that they will help us without compensation. It is simply the way things are."

"I will strive to change their minds when I speak to them," I said. "I have sent orders to my officers to make preparations to send clothing and shelter down to you. They will make contact with your people and set down wherever you want them to. If you will excuse me, Mr. President, I have several other calls to make."

"Yes, yes, of course," he smiled. "It seems that I have preparations of my own to make as well. Thank you for contacting me and for offering such generous help."

"Of course," I said. "Good luck."

"And to you," he agreed before cutting the line.

"Cai," I said immediately. "I want you to make sure that everyone who flies the shuttles down knows to be careful. That didn't reassure me that nothing bad would happen."

"Of course Rickshaw," Cai said. "Shall I send orders to have guards armed with more traditional human weaponry be sent with the shuttles?"

"No, for now just make sure that they're wearing armor and that no one sneaks aboard after the shuttles have been cleared out," I told him. "I've never trusted politicians and so-called world leaders. They're always up to something and they expect you to read past what they say, where they've hidden their best lies."

"Shall I make the connection with the next governing body?" Cai asked.

"Give me another minute," I begged, "I knew I'd have to do this stuff but that doesn't mean I want to do it."

Nearly three hours after, when I'd finally finished contacting the various governments of the world, I made my way toward the armory where I needed to drop off my sword and armor. There I ran into Carrie, who was just making her way to that bath she wanted.

"What's up Commander," she greeted me. "How did everything go for you?"

"I hated it," I told her. "Everyone I talked you was a career politician or knew how to play their games and they all spent more time asking for help to be sent to them specifically for everything they could think of. This is why I hated my brother-in-law."

"You have a sister?" she asked surprised.

"Carrie," I said, massaging my temple, "I don't talk about my family because I don't want to. I have my own reasons for that."

"But aren't you ever worried about them?" she asked. "I can't stop worrying about my sister, my dad even. I don't know what I'd do if one of them was gone."

"I get it," I told her. "I worry, I just know that I have my own family problems and that they aren't going away just because I disappeared. It's going to take effort and actually talking with them about it all and I don't think I'm ready for that."

"But if you do find them, you'll make sure they know it's you right?" she asked.

"I don't know," I told her before stepping past her into the armory. "Make sure to get some sleep tonight. We're going down to the crashed ship tomorrow."