Chapter 14

I ducked my head down as I pelted through the underbrush, death-gripping Snowpiercer as I created distance between me and the gunfire. In stride, I planted a hand on a fallen tree and vaulted over it before wheeling around to slam off two bolt-action shots. One nailed a pursuer in the head and the other caught one in the chest, but both dropped all the same slowing down the group behind them. I tucked my rifle back into my shoulder and turned to continue running, at least twenty yards, and closing was a drop or maybe it was a slope. From where I was I couldn't tell and I didn't have time to change direction. I ran hard and the moment I stepped foot near the edge I threw myself down into a sitting position sliding fast and slightly bouncing down the surprisingly massive hill, gunfire now began to tear up the underbrush and grass around me. Thinking quickly I kicked my foot out into the dirt ahead of me, my body was sprung into the air and for a brief moment as I somersaulted through the air I got a good look at my attackers. I skipped along the ground landing flat on my back but I had the advantage now, I pulled my rifle aside with my left hand and drew my Automag with the right. An adrenaline-fueled calm steadied my aim as I unloaded, each silenced pop cracked a skull and dropped a body tainting the foliage with red. The slide locked back and I shoved the pistol back into its holster.

"Jersey! Where-" I hit the bottom of the hill finally, head first and thankful for my helmet, I tumbled head over heels and rolled to my feet. I slammed off another shot back over my shoulder at a trot before turning heel and sprinting. "Where 'in tha' fuck are ya girl? I got hella fuckin' assholes shootin' at me n' shit!"

"And what the fuck," There was a loud crunch on her end of the radio and a hiss of silenced gunfire, then the roar of a warthog engine. "Come on Jackie, stay awake- The fuck you think I been doing? Twiddling my goddamn thumbs? Make some noise, I'll come to you!"

-A FEW HOURS EARLIER-

I exited the room first in a huff, helmet pressed against my side.

The nerve of that bat- what a-

I turned just in time to catch Jersey walking out after me with a smirk on her face. "Can you believe that? I can't believe he just cursed me out-"

"Don't take it too personally." Jersey patted my shoulder and began leading the way. "He's like that to everyone. A little ribbing is healthy. He didn't do it to Aries though. Probably wise. Aries doesn't seem like the joking type. He's like... a more aggro' Tex."

"He's still a dick. You happen to catch what we're supposed to be doing? I was busy... Arguing."

Jersey chuckled. "I know, I was there. Far as he described, a simple trade-off. They hand over the goods and we hand over the shit he left in the warthog for us to give them. What, what's with the look, kid?"

I hadn't even realized I might've been making a face, I could see the warthog sitting ready for us. I didn't realize just how far we had walked, I shifted uncomfortably. "Are you... We should get Aries."

"What? Why?"

"Listen, now I ain't knockin' Andee's planning... But I'd rather Aries headin' something I'm doing. Aries is-"

"You don't trust Andee, do you?"

"That's not- I- I just want Aries here is all."

Jersey's typical sarcastic gaze softened for a moment and she rested a hand on my head, pushing my mane down over my eyes.

"Look, I know you miss him but he's still on injured reserve. Painkillers keeping him from going and injuring himself more, ya know? Miranda doesn't want him tearing the burned skin as far as I heard from York. Even if he was mobile, I don't think Wash would let him."

"You think Wash could stop Aries," I mused, thinking about the last time the two chupas fought. "I think York could stand a chance if he's lucky."

"You can take Aries' dick outta your mouth any time you want to, Snowy," Jersey chuckled, putting her helmet on, the female climbed over the passenger seat and dropped herself into the driver's seat. "Jackie! Sound off!"

"We're bringing Jackie?"

"Yeah, Andee says Jackie can verify the contents of the shit we're picking up."

"If you say so."

There was a hard thump from the bed of the hog before the sleepy blue-grey eyes of the Ailurus peeped over the side at Icarus, "Is... Is it time to go yet, Jersey?"

"Yeah it's time. Hop up front. Icarus you ride in the bed. Jackie, I need you awake. Got on the vest?"

"Yeah, it's really uncomfortable though."

I hopped in the back and sat cross-legged behind the two, Jackie held part of his coveralls open to show the kevlar vest underneath.

"It ain't supposed to be comfortable, it's supposed to keep you from being dead. Don't move it and you'll be fine. Capiche? Take this, you know how to shoot right?"

She placed a handgun in his hand, he looked very uncomfortable and a pit formed in my stomach. She proceeded to load the firearm for him and he just watched with wide eyes as the freelancer began pointing to parts of the weapon, it was clear he had never handled a real gun before. Maybe a drill gun at best with the awkward way he attempted to grip the pistol grip.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

"This is the trigger, that's the barrel. Pull the trigger to kill something, only point the barrel at something you intend to shoot. If you aren't shooting keep your finger away from the trigger. Got it? But we shouldn't need to shoot anything as long as these fuckheads act right."

"Big thing to bank on, other people. They always have the potential of letting you down."

Jersey looked over her shoulder at me probably smirking under that visor of hers, "And Aries is somehow exempt?"

"W-wait- that scary dude who-" Both of us ignored Jackie.

"Yer' goddamn right he is. He ain't jus' some person offa' fuckin' street. He never let me down. He wouldn't."

"Whatever, get comfortable and be ready. Hope for the best-"

"-and expect the worst," I finished.

---

Jersey skidded to a halt just outside of a clearing that looked as if it were hacked out recently, I could only wonder why we couldn't just do this in an alleyway. I took Snowpiercer off my back and clutched it by the barrel with my left hand, Jersey's helmet turned to look at me and nodded. I jammed my helmet on and gave it a knock with my free hand before turning to our package, a wood-paneled crate that was sealed tight enough that I couldn't see inside.

What the fuck are we moving as to where me n' Jersey are needed to protect it?

I shook my head. It was none of my business. Andee needed it moved and I owed him, so that was exactly what I was gonna do. I grabbed it by the rope handle on the top and hopped out of the bed into the mud, just another reason I hated the jungle. Jersey and Jackie hopped out walking first, I tailed them with my head on a swivel. Nothing about this felt right, my heart surged but I couldn't spot any danger- at least not yet. My grip on both items in my hands tightened.

Aries would know.

The three of us entered, and were met by three armed chupas wearing bandanas. All of them toted automatic rifles.

Standard issue, Red and Blue army.

The one furthest in the front held a wooden crate similar to the one in my hand, I scanned his seemingly random clothes for markings but came up empty. I couldn't find anything wrong but my body was on high alert.

"Yo, you Niko," Jersey barked, hands resting on her hips dangerously close to her SMGs.

"That'd be me. You got the shit?" he asked.

"Ain't even a question, bro." It was silent for a moment before my comms crackled quietly. "Icarus, hand it over. Quick. I don't like this shit."

I did as I was told, gently tossing it over to Niko. He did the same with the one he held.

"Pleasure doin' business." I turned and began to walk away.

"Wait." Niko sounded irritated, I slowly turned around to face him once more. This time Jersey's hands were off her hips and hovering near them like an outlaw at high noon. The bandana-wearing chupa drew a knife from the back of his waistband and cracked the case open, then snarled. "The fuck are you trying to pull? The deal was for double this."

"You gotta take that shit up with Andee. We just deliver," Jersey scoffed.

"Where's the fuck anyway?"

"Not here, buttercup. You got us instead."

"Hell the fuck no. Deal's off, I ain't doin' business with a fuckin' midget and two fuckin' women."

If the situation wasn't what it was, I might've laughed at Jackie being called a woman.

That comment must have gotten under Jersey's skin, because her tail lashed for a moment, "Deal's done, brother. Tough tits."

"I says it fuckin' ain't. Matta' fact, me and my boys got half a mind to just take it back off your fuckin' corpses."

I watched their eyes. The bloodthirst grew as we backed away and they encroached.

"Jersey," I hissed through comms, moving closer to her as I watched chupas seem to just step out from the surrounding bushes and trees. "Astrid!"

"I know... Fuckin' shit."

Jackie raised his handgun and drilled a shot through the chest of one, and the tinderbox of tension exploded into a raging bonfire.

"Jackie what the fuck?!"

Jersey and I were first to react, her SMGs drawn as she dropped low to a crouch opening fire on both sides of her body. I had dropped the crate, standing up tall, and blasted a hole clean through Niko's bandana.

"The hog, go!"

Jackie had, smartly, pressed himself to the grass to avoid being shot. I grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him off the ground throwing him towards the 'hog, he scrambled for it while we provided covering fire. I grabbed the crate and bolted for the 'hog, looking up just in time to hear a rapid pop of gunfire that was way too close for comfort and Jackie dropped to the ground a few feet from the warthog. I picked up the pace only to be tackled to the ground, I lost my grip on the crate and tumbled with the red chupa now on me. I shoved Snowpiercer's stock into his throat, and he leaned back and helplessly clawed at his throat. I drew my legs back and kicked him off me, rushing to my feet and curb-stomping the guy. I turned back toward the 'hog, Jersey was still covering herself and dropping attackers but Jackie sat near motionless in the passenger seat with his coveralls riddled with holes and a dark red liquid. The crate sat in his lap.

"Run, Snowy!"

Jersey peeled out, and I tore off into the jungle.

-PRESENT TIME-

I took cover in a ditch, took a deep breath, rolled over prone then lasered a shot through one chupa. The bullet must have pierced through because the chupa behind him suddenly exploded.

That's why you don't wear a grenade bandolier, dumbass.

I re-chambered and took another head, then another. Jersey's 'hog came barreling in from the left, splattering a chupa against the grill and a few under the treads before skidding to a bloody halt in front of me. The freelancer leaped over her side and pulled Jackie out onto her back, piggybacking him over to me with a limping gait. She'd been shot in the foot. She tripped and fell into the ditch I was hiding in with a swift fluid motion, using her body to shield him from hitting the ground first. She carefully laid him down, applying pressure on his wounds.

"This is a right fucked mess. Who the fuck were these guys?" she shouted over the gunfire.

"Who knows?" I cracked off another shot, another kill. I reloaded and brought the bolt back to the front, "Who fuckin' cares righ' now? Keep pressure on those wounds and I'll-"

There was a sound - distant, but just enough that I could hear it.

"I gotta ho' lotta shit to say to Andee if we make it back-"

"When we make it back. Ain't no if, Snowy!"

The sound grew louder and louder.

"Is that a-"

I was cut off by the defiant roar of an engine, but it wasn't the warthog we rode in on. A motorcycle shot out over us and the warthog fishtailing as it hit the ground, the rider's long black mane tied up and flowing behind them with a white scarf trailing them like a beam of pure light. The rider swerved, pulling a handgun from their thigh holster and unloading shots as they did a few donuts and kicked up whatever mud and dust were in the area. A sound then greeted my senses, a sound I missed for so long. A sound that made my heart soar. A sound that made my ruff stand up. A sound that confirmed who the rider was. So many names danced on the tip of my tongue.

My Ringtail, My Rogue, My Hope... My-

"Aries..." I murmured absentmindedly.

A sword was drawn and the blade wielder stood clear, the dust was thin enough for me to see through with my helmet and I held my fire. Aries stood with a death grip on his katana and hellish fury in his eyes, my knees felt a little weak. His attire was different. His black bodysuit was replaced with a black jumpsuit with a zipper down the front and grey trim, his knife belt circling his upper thigh. His arms and legs were still wrapped like always, but the black leather harness was certainly new.

Aries sprung into action, he chased down his first victim. The midnight chupa jumped toward his target and sliced clean from their throat to their hip, letting out a frustrated or just plain angry shout. He turned sharply, taking two knives from his belt and nailing two more chupas who were trying to sight him. Another ran up behind him with a machete but never got the chance to swing, Aries turned the blade backward and impaled the attacker behind him. One other chupa stood in horror but Aries advanced on him, he raised his rifle but Aries expertly weaved out of the way of the barrel and with fluid motion sliced the guy's hands off clean through. He screamed but Aries wasn't done. He sliced again at the elbow of the left arm, drew the pistol shot him three times in the chest, then slit his throat. Aries put his sword away and took my old S7 sniper off his back and began firing into the treeline, screams of terror and pain echoed through. I'd never seen such anger in his face - it borderlined on hatred.

"Remember me next time you wanna fuck with the rebels," he shouted in a rasp. I'd never heard him yell before. He talked sternly sometimes, but never yelled.

The battle, just like that, was over. Bodies littered the jungle floor and nature was serene once more, and Aries was the equalizer. He stepped away from his carnage and made his way over to us, my mind went blank for a moment. He wasn't supposed to be here and here he is.

The ninja chupa knelt down next to Jackie who despite Jersey's efforts seemed out of it, his shirt was soaked in red and he reeked of that oh-so-familiar metallic smell. Aries removed Jersey's hands from the wounds and nudged Jackie's face to get his attention, "Hey, we're not gonna leave you here. We'll take you out of here, okay?"

"Where do you want to go, Jackie?" Jersey seemed to struggle to get out.

If the three of us hadn't been listening carefully, it might have been mistaken for a shuddering sigh as he quietly croaked out, "Home..."

"Jackie?"

I nearly recoiled at the tone in Jersey's voice, she sounded like a lost child. For the first time in the entire time I've known her, Jersey's tough exterior... Cracked.

"Jersey..." I started, reaching out for her but she shoved me away. "Astrid! It's okay-"

"Don't fucking touch me!" She barked hobbling to her feet. "Fuckin' fuck!"

She limped over to one of the corpses and took out her SMG shouting wildly as she unloaded what was left of the magazine into the body. When she was out of bullets she tore off her helmet and began kicking the body, but Aries seemed to be ignoring her. Jackie stared blindly and infinitely up into the mid-afternoon sky, mouth agape as if he were ready to take in another breath. An impossibility now.

Aries silently pressed his hands together, the right hand a fist and the left pressed against the flat part holding it. "Maybe we'll see you again, another lifetime, Jackie Oso."

Aries rose to his feet and approached Jersey, and she wheeled around and aimed a punch at his face. It never even made it close as he caught it, she threw another and he caught that one equally as unamused. Her face looked angry but her eyes were bloodshot.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Wh- what?" She gasped, struggling to get away from his grip to wipe her eyes but he wouldn't let her.

"It's painful, isn't it? To have someone you actually care about taken from you. I bet you hadn't even thought of the possibility of something bad ever happening to him. It's always the ones who don't deserve it. Before you asked if that op made up for Lamtha- This - This feeling, this pain. Feel it. This makes up for Lamtha. Now you know what you did to me. Pull yourself together, Astrid. Andee's delivery can wait, let's take Jackie home. One last time. It's the least we could do for him. Icarus, you still carry that medical kit?"

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.