**********************SEXUAL CONTENT WARNING*********************

This story contains consensual sex between a male human and a female Utahraptor. Read at your own risk.

CHAPTER 7

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RSH- Unity

Colonel Revedov stood outside his tent, puffing on a cigarette and holding up his collar to protect from the blowing snow. He normally didn't smoke cigarettes, but his stress level of today forced him into submission, and he had gone through a half a pack in the last three hours. The Colonel didn't like being put in second place, and he didn't like that monster Nymev either. Ever since the GRU colonel had come to his area of operations, there had been a blood trail that a blind man could follow across the countryside.

"Be careful with that Evgeny, the colonel was very specific that we didn't tussle this stuff." Revedov overheard from two soldiers close by, humping boxes down off of a supply truck. He watched them for a few more minutes as they carried several elongated crates marked 'electronics' to Nymev's command truck.

"I don't understand why he had to have so much of this shit sent here." Evgeny's partner complained as he pushed open the door to the vehicle, stubbing his hand on the door frame a moment later. The Spetsnaz colonel listened to the extremely energetic cursing, smiling in amusement. His jollies were only interrupted by the diesel roar of a set of Grad Multiple Rocket Launch trucks situating themselves on the far side of their little camp.

"Sentinel Six to Roman." The radio inside his tent crackled, forcing Revedov to snuff out his cigarette and answer it.

"Roman here, go ahead."

"Roman, I have something that may very much interest you."

"What kind of something sentinel?"

"One of your monsters. Meet me at the crossroads down Altberg."

Revedov dropped the headset, grabbed his weapon, and ran for the motor pool with all the speed contained in his person.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jay returned to the upstairs room, grabbing his body armor and securing it in place over his torso. He stood out on the porch for a while, staring off into the darkness and running the events over in his head over and over again. The Sergeant figured he might as well take the time to think now, for once the hunt for the Russians started, he would have to push those ponderings to the back of his head. It was only a matter of time before more personnel arrived. A quick trip outside relieved the tension, losing the sergeant in the snowflakes that surrounded him.

Redfield saw two shapes coming at him through the snowstorm, and he quickly produced his night vision for a closer look. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth as the infrared identifier that only a Utahraptor's armor had showed its unique triple slash pattern. Reinforcements!

"Sergeant Redfield, is that you?" A deep male voice called through the storm, seeing Jay's silhouette against the dark building.

"That's me. Glad you could make it. Come on in." He answered, opening the door to the building and showing the pair to the relative warmth of the chateau. The two looked tired, no doubt from having to navigate the storm and break brush to reach their position in such a time frame. These soldiers had been the closest to his position, and they had responded as quickly as possible despite all of the odds being stacked against them.

"Sergeant Redfield, I'm Staff Sergeant Dave Stear, and this is my partner Rachel." The brown haired man said, introducing himself before the Utahraptor stationed to his left. Jay noticed the Beta insignia on her chest plate and gave the respectful bow salute. He looked over the pair, taking note of their features. Sergeant Stear wore the same Interceptor body armor that he did, save a large pouch slung like a mausette bag across his right shoulder. Rachel was smaller than Meryl, but she had an amazingly fit figure, no doubt allowing for extreme agility. The new Raptoress had a rebellious energy surrounding her, one that made Jay smile to himself. Only one other Utahraptor he knew shared that kind of aura.

"Sergeant Redfield, my tracking skills are at your disposal." Rachel said in a voice almost as sweet and smooth as Meryl's own, though a little higher in pitch. The female gave a graceful bow, impressing Jay with her finesse. His analysis of her had been confirmed after all.

"We are glad to have you. We lost one of our Utahraptors in an attack about an hour ago, and we need all the help we can get."

"What hit you? Spetsnaz?" Sergeant Stear asked, looking at the extensive damage to the ground floor of the Chateau. He could feel the residue from CS gas in his eyes and throat, coming to the deduction a moment later that it hadn't been a pretty attack.

"GRU Osnaz, judging by the equipment. They were too well outfitted to be Revedov's Spetsnaz. He lost most of his attached troops in the assault last month." Learn announced, walking in from the family room with Jericho and Meryl in tow. She shook Dave's hand and saluted Rachel, who returned it with another display of her smooth grace. Jay looked his charge over quickly, noticing that her body language seemed more amped up than usual. No doubt her anger level was through the roof.

"Guys, this is Sergeant Dave Stear and his partner, Rachel. They are here to help us find Aud." Redfield gave an informal introduction, gesturing towards the two newcomers.

"Pleased to meet you both." Meryl responded before the others got the chance, giving Rachel a curious stare. I already know who you are. She thought with an inside laugh, remembering their rendezvous in the park.

Rachel noticed herself being studied and made eye contact with Meryl. The Raptoress looked at her with an eye that made the lesser-experienced female a little bit uncomfortable. Dave's voice drew her back to reality and away from Meryl's interrogative stare.

"Fortunately, we were close enough to get here on such short notice. The Russians have a decent head start, so I think we should get moving as fast as possible. Rachel here knows this area like the back of her hands, and she has a pretty good idea of where they will head." Her Guardian said, looking to her before glancing down to his map to get a feel for their exact position.

"They headed east." She confirmed after a moment in thought, peeking over her human's shoulder at the map.

"Very well, let's roll. I don't want to waste anymore time." Jay announced, grabbing his assault pack and swinging it over a shoulder. He

"Here we go again...same old shit again." Learn sang, ensuring a round sat snug in the chamber of her M16. It gave Jay an eerie flashback to the previous day's movement as he walked from the room and out into the freezing wind.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Aleksi Nymev stood just off the crossroads, watching as the UAZ slid to a halt in the shin deep snow. Revedov leapt out, grabbing his AKM by the sling and nearly tripping over himself. He looked at Colonel Nymev directly in the eye with a gaze that carried a thousand questions. Nothing was said between the two soldiers for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Nymev spoke.

"Come, this way comrade." He whispered, leading Revedov off the road and into a dense grouping of conifers.

Revedov had to duck under the long, sweeping branches of the snow covered trees, more than once getting a gigantic amount of snow knocked down on top of him from the tussle. The Colonel twitched with anticipation, not worried about the cold or the melted snow dripping down the back of his neck. In truth, the Colonel didn't know what to expect on the other side of this path.

"Here he is." Nymev whispered, coming to a snow-free clearing in the group of trees. The conifer branches interlocked above them, forming an enclosed sanctuary in the middle of the woods. It was a perfect spot for Nymev to conduct his business, and to hide them from any boots on ground infantry that may happen to wander into their AO. Unfortunately for the GRU man, the only bypass around the closed section of Route Eleven had been blocked by a blundering bunch of New Soviet Engineers, forcing him to stop in the only sanctuary he knew.

Revedov gasped as he saw the Utahraptor lying in the center of the clearing. A shaded-over propane lantern lit the area with an uneven orange haze. Scenes from Siberia played through the Colonel's mind as if it had happened just yesterday, forcing him to grab his head in shock. He could still see the ghastly shadow in front of him.

The Utahraptor, an obvious male, sported evidence of a fierce struggle that had taken place between the Osnaz and himself. The Colonel was quick to notice the bounds around his arms, ankles and snout. A tow cable was hooked to the Ural, parked not far away, securing the male's tail and neck to the ground in such a manner that was both effective and uncomfortable. Those areas were rubbed raw, but Nymev certainly didn't seem to care as he circled like a hawk around the motionless form. Revedov wondered if the GRU Officer bound him in this way on purpose.

"Has he said anything?" Revedov asked, getting closer and moving in for a closer examination.

"No, it is still unconscious. And a good thing too, this savage beast could have taken out my entire strike team. I couldn't get through the bypass, so I'll just have to deal with him here."

"Deal with him?" Revedov questioned, getting that same nervous feeling in his stomach that Nymev always seemed to bring along with him wherever he went. Up until now, it had been forgotten.

"Yes. I could care less about this male, I want the female." Nymev snarled, indicating to Aud with his gloved hand. So you mean to kill him? Revedov was disgusted inside, for enemy or not, this was still a sentient being, not a monster. What would Colonel Nymev want with Meryl? She was none of his concern.

Meryl is my responsibility. I owe that much to my comrades....

His thoughts shifted as the Utahraptor began to stir. Nymev quickly moved in and cut the tape securing Aud's mouth with a bayonet. Revedov noticed that the male's armor was thrown in a heap not far away, stripped during the forceful unloading process. Nymev wasted no time.

"Where are your friends?" The GRU man approached him, snarling in his demonic voice at the Utahraptor. Aud shook the stupor from his head, quickly analyzed his situation, and formulating a response.

"I'll never tell you, Russian!" The male growled back in accented English, looking up at the Colonel as he delivered a full booted kick to his ribs.

He's a German Utahraptor. Revedov Realized, tucking that information away. There were bigger problems at hand at the moment.

"You listen monster, I control whether you live or die. Spare me the Imperialist theatrics. Nymev yelled, lashing out at Aud in his already injured stomach and legs.

"My name isn't monster, it's Audwin!" He bellowed, roaring in pain as the butt stock of the AN-94 came down on his head, swelling up his left eye.

"Fine Audwin, why don't you tell us where that female is?" Nymev shouted into the male's ear, earning a quick snap of jaws attempting to latch onto his head. Several more vicious kicks followed this, drawing blood from numerous gashes on Aud's exposed stomach.

Why?

"You'll never get Meryl!" He yelled at Nymev, struggling with his cable restraints to the point that blood was beginning to collect on the ground underneath him.

"So, Meryl is it? When I find her, I will make sure I torture her extra long just for you." The GRU colonel mused, making eye contact with Aud.

"Go to hell, monster!" Audwin lashed, in a very human display of emotion that shocked Colonel Revedov. How could the most nonhuman creature seem so human in nature? To Gabriel, it was as if a human instead of a Utahraptor lay on the ground in front of him.

You'll never get her!

"You need a little something to calm you down." Nymev growled, switching his selector from safe to semi. Aud's eyes went wide as the Colonel aimed the weapon at his thigh and fired, sending a round slicing into muscle and bone. Audwin roared in pain, and Colonel Revedov turned away for a bit. The Russian, after hunting these creations from the onset of the war, felt sudden sympathy for this Utahraptor named Audwin.

"There, now that we got that out of the way, where can I find your Meryl?" Aleksi asked, slamming his booted foot down on the wound in Aud's thigh. He tossed a glimpse in Revedov's direction before turning back to Aud.

"I'll never give her up to you." He grunted through gritted teeth.

"Then our fun has only begun." Nymev laughed, moving away from his body and collecting the toolbox from the Ural.

"Colonel Nymev, a word?" Revedov motioned him over, wanting this cruelty to end.

"Yes Comrade?" Nymev asked, ugly tone gone, replaced with one that sounded almost normal.

"Comrade Colonel, this is not right. I want a chance to study him in a controlled environment, not kill him with torture. To kill in battle is one thing, but to kill while one is in a situation such as this is not right, especially when that creature is as intelligent as you or I!"

"Comrade, I'm going to deal with this monster the way I think it should be done. I am in charge of the hunt now, not you. To even compare this creature to us is ridiculous, and I should have you branded a traitor for even suggesting it." Nymev thrust his finger into Gabriel's face, giving the Colonel no doubt that he would kill him. The evil tone was back, and Colonel Nymev was making sure that his seriousness hit home in Revedov.

"Colonel Nymev, whatever you do, I just want you to remember that you were wrong." He said lightly, turning his back and distancing himself from the mad Osnaz Colonel.

"I trust you know what the penalty for treason is, Comrade Colonel Revedov." Nymev called after him, causing the Spetsnaz officer to pause.

"I'm sure you will find out soon enough!" Revedov responded, turning and making eye contact with the GRU Colonel. He watched as the man dug a tool chest from the oddments box on the side of the Ural.

"Whatever you say, Comrade." Aleksi said with a laugh, opening the toolbox and producing a MAPP gas torch. He flicked the igniter, adjusting the flame so that it was a cool blue. He approached Aud, smile present on his face as he bent down by the male's feet.

"It isn't a game anymore, my dear Audwin." Nymev almost whispered as he lowered the torch, working it like a professional mechanic. Aud roared in agony as he felt his skin melting under the intense heat of the flame, pitch increasing so that it was almost a scream. Snow shuttered off of the trees around them, and it was as if the earth shook with the force of the Utahraptor's convulsions. Aud knew he was in trouble when the scent of his own burning flesh overwhelmed his nostrils, throwing his body into an involuntary panic.

"Well, how was that?" He asked, killing the flame on the torch.

"By the Gods, I'm not telling you anything."

He closed his eyes, just wanting the pain to stop.

Meryl, please, help me!

Nymev opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by gunfire in his perimeter.

"Sounds like your friends have come for you after all." The Russian Colonel observed, looking off in the direction that the action came from.

"They're coming to kill you, Colonel." Aud Laughed, coughing from the smoke as he looked to the man that stood over him. The Colonel wavered, not expecting the RSH to get to him so soon. Aud caught a glimpse of Colonel Revedov in the background, unsure of what to do as the scene unfolded before him.

"They may be coming to kill me, but they will not be successful in rescuing you." The Colonel laughed one more time, raising his AN-94 up to Aud. The Utahraptor's eyes went wide as the muzzle tracked to his chest. Nymev squeezed his trigger, feeling the recoil as six rounds penetrated Audwin's exposed hide.

The Utahraptor opened his mouth as if to roar, but no sound escaped. He coughed, spitting blood out over the ground and writing in agony. Nymev turned away, walking past a shocked Colonel Revedov to the path that they came in on.

Meryl! Where are you?

"Have a good night Colonel." He cackled, disappearing into the darkness. The Spetsnaz Colonel was overcome with anger at the barbarism of his actions. The AKM came up too late however, and nothing but air filled his sights. Revedov wavered with indecision. He glanced between the dark woods and Aud, wrestling with his own morals.

"Shit." Revedov exclaimed as he lost to his better judgment. The Colonel found himself running to the Utahraptor and sliding down to the ground next to him. Gabriel felt a pang of regret as the once powerful creature now lay dying in front of him. The Colonel bent down to say something to him as the gunfire moved closer and closer.

"Audwin, I'm sorry that it happened this way. I have been searching for your Meryl since the beginning of the war. I know we are enemies, but you didn't deserve to die in the hands of a cruel coward like Nymev."

"What?" He choked out, blood pooling on the ground beneath him. Revedov glanced down; grimacing away as he saw one of the rounds had torn out the Utahraptor's spine.

"Your Jay Redfield and Meryl killed three of my comrades in Poland before the start of the war. I vowed to hunt each one of you down, but after the display I saw tonight, I don't know whom is more evil, my own people or my enemies. I will help you, but I can't stay long, your friends are here for you."

"Thank you." He whispered, straining to keep consciousness over the loss of blood. A battle that was being lost inside him.....

Revedov slid his first aid bag to his front and pulled out three syringes filled with clear liquid. The Colonel stuck them one by one in his thigh and looked to the male Utahraptor's eyes, which were staring back at him, deeper than any human ever could. Even in death, his goodness could be felt even by Revedov, whom had been surrounded by nothing but death for more days than he could ever hope to count. The look struck Revedov like a high powered rifle round, and he sensed a change within himself.

"Colonel... Meryl...She isn't evil, none of us.....none of us are...please, don't harm her." Aud gasped, eyes going to the sky as the morphine took hold, putting the already weakened Utahraptor into a stupor.

Meryl, please....don't forget me. I love you....

Revedov waited a moment, watching as the powerful creature lay still. His aura seemed to disappear, and as the Colonel rested his hand on Aud's stomach. Revedov felt the male's odd heartbeat stop as he finally slipped away.

"Goodbye Audwin, I wish I could've known you." Revedov said, standing up. He produced his bayonet and cut the tape restraints that were binding his legs and hands. Next came the cable from the Ural, which he loosened from around his neck and tail. Colonel Revedov stood and moved away, taking one last look at the Utahraptor before slinking off to his UAZ. No sense in being in the area when Audwin's friends discovered his body and subsequently retaliated.

If the Colonel had learned anything about Meryl and Jay Redfield in the months of hunting them, it was the mad devotion that they held for each other that made them strong. The Colonel did not want to see what was going to happen when that devotion was reinforced by anger. Their Unity was more powerful a weapon than anything he or Nymev could throw at them....

+++++++++++++++++++++++

"The Russians didn't count on the best tracker in the RSH to find them I think." Jay heard Rachel say over her radio as the pack came to the edge of the valley. Her cocky attitude was definitely warranted.

Jay had had doubts about the female's abilities in the foul weather, but after witnessing her work firsthand, those doubts turned to dust in a matter of seconds. Rachel could find the needle in the haystack, as her knowledge of the terrain so far had demonstrated. When the female spotted two bumps that weren't supposed to be there, she quickly identified them as trucks.

"Nobody parks trucks in my valley without me noticing." She laughed quietly, standing erect to get a better visual. Her tail swished back and forth as she thought, determining her position as if she was standing on the map itself.

"Why did they stop so close?" Jay asked, barely able to make out the shapes of the trucks silhouetted against a pine forest.

"Route Eleven is just to the north, but the blocked section stands between them and their command. The bypass must be blocked off by the storm, other words they'd be well within their lines by now." Rachel answered, looking to Jay and Meryl as they peered down into the valley.

"Sergeant Redfield, If I was a gambling man, I'd bet that they are holding your Utahraptor down there. We may be able to fight our way through those GRU spooks if we go now." Dave mentioned, making sure his M4 was ready to go.

"Agreed. Meryl, you and Rachel go and stir up the hornet's nest. Jericho, I want you to go around to the right and cover them. Those snipers may still be out there, so make it low and fast. Dave, you, Learn, and I will go behind them and get into those woods. If we get split up, get back to the Chateau and stand by. Is everyone clear?"

Dave gave him a thumbs up, motioning Rachel to him. She stood over him, bending down to his level and touched her forehead to his chest. After the good luck exchange, she joined Meryl on the crest of the valley.

"Let's roll." Jay yelled, catching both of them by surprise. The Sergeant stood watching as they all moved at once. He moved his right hand forward in a sweeping motion.

"Wood line, five hundred meters, rally point!"

"Meryl, you care about this male don't you?" She asked right before they stepped out, watching as the humans began a mad dash for the other side. Rachel knew when others were stressed, and she could see it in this female more prominently.

"Yes, I do." Meryl replied. Something about this new Raptoress made Meryl feel like she could be trusted. Perhaps it was due to the knowledge that the more experienced female already possessed about her.

"He isn't the only one, is he?"

"No."

"I didn't think so." Rachel laughed as she ran next to Meryl through the blowing snow. Meryl glared straight ahead, scanning the treeline for any sign of the enemy. Something about the knoll to her right triggered the knot in the pit of her stomach, and a flash of motion from it a second later shot both female's alarm bells ringing.

"One o'clock! Snipers!" Rachel yelled, breaking off with Meryl into a standard zigzag. The two females were out in the open with about one hundred meters to go when the sharpshooters spotted them, dialing in on their infrared scopes seconds later.

One of the snipers cursed as he dropped his spare magazine, losing his track. He watched through the scope as the two creatures reacted, tapping the trigger in response.

"Contact!" Meryl put through her radio as rifle rounds impacted the ground at her feet.

"Meryl, shift left. Let's get into those woods." Rachel yelled, hitting the ground hard with her right foot, sending her body catapulting in the opposite direction. Meryl followed in awe, marveling at the Female's agility. The snipers continued their fire, sending gouts of snow flying between the two females. Meryl got a face full of snow as a round impacted right underneath her, causing her to laugh uncontrollably as she ran for her life.

"Meryl, Rachel, moving in on those shooters. Get to cover." Jericho called over the radio.

He slid to a stop inside the trees, seeing the muzzle flashes from the Dragunov rifles as they sent rounds downrange towards the two females. Jericho bellowed, raising the snipers from their cover in fear. They produced their pistols, firing like madmen at him as he approached with fire in his eyes. The 9x18mm rounds struck his armor harmlessly, serving more to anger him than anything else.

"You've made your last mistakes!" He informed them just before leaping into the air and bringing all four of his appendages forward. He hit the first sharpshooter full on, disemboweling him with a killing claw. The man let loose a deathly howl, which reached his comrades ears soon after. Before the first kill hit the ground, they had already turned and ran, trying to get away from the devil that had penetrated their line. Jericho focused on the kills, for once enjoying the death he wrought. The male nailed another of the snipers in his jaws, taking his head off with a quick bite. Jericho leapt once more, latching himself on a particularly large tree and lodging the Russian's body horizontally onto a y-split. Meryl and Rachel came in from the opposite direction, making short work of the other two snipers.

"Snipers down." Meryl called over the net just as the three humans got to the woodline.

"Roger, we're moving through to the road." Sergeant Stear responded as the Guardians broke brush over to the unplowed trail. Their world erupted in gunfire as the GRU troops returned fire, now fully involved with driving the invaders back into the darkness from which they came.

"Alright, let's clear 'em out!" Learn yelled, summoning Jericho with a double whistle. He appeared at her side a moment later, clearing the road in seconds with Meryl and Rachel close on his heels. The GRU was putting up harsh resistance, ripping the trees on the opposite bank apart with massed fire in true Russian style. It would've been effective had they been facing normal infantry, but as they soon found out, the Utahraptors were anything but normal.

The raptors attacked the southern part of their perimeter while the Guardians attacked north, funneling them into a kill zone at the northeast corner of the four way and dissolving their base of fire. The three Utahraptors combined their bellows into one gigantic battle cry as they advanced, splitting the GRU troops down the middle in fear.

"Die!" Rachel screamed, running right through two Osnaz operatives with her handclaws extended, ripping their necks out with deadly accuracy. The bodies gurgled as she stepped over them, leaping at the last second to avoid a sweeping spray from automatic weapons fire from a machine gunner that had been close behind his comrades. She propelled herself up, using her strong arms to slingshot around a tree. One of the female's feet came down right on the man's back, crushing him as one would crush an insect.

"Move forward!" Redfield called, gut shooting a Russian that was attempting to reposition across the road. The GRU lines were breaking, and he could see their black-clad uniforms moving back and forth from tree to tree, lit only by the flashes from the muzzles of their weapons. The three humans exited the woods on their side and dove into the ditch, bringing their weapons to rest.

"Troops in the open!" Sergeant Sear yelled as the Osnaz broke from their positions and began an assault across the road. He opened his slung mausette bag and reached in, grabbing one of the many M67 frag grenades, pulling the pin with a quick jerk.

"Frag!" He yelled, letting the M4 drop on its sling. Jay watched in amazement as the man cocked his body like an all star baseball player and sent the grenade flying in a straight line drive, exploding head level in the middle of the GRU assault. The explosive detonated with a ground shaking boom, sending ruptured bodies and chunks of earth flying in all directions.

"Echelon right, clear the crossroads!" Jay yelled, Utahraptors already starting across. Several GRU soldiers wounded by grenade fragments threw their arms up in surrender, dropping their weapons on the side of the road.

"Spread out!" Learn called, keeping her M16 trained on the wounded. Meryl approached her, motioning her away with a shake of the snout. As Learn turned away, she heard the cries of terror from the soldiers as Meryl killed them one by one. In seconds, there were no more screams. The Raptoress walked past the Sergeant shortly after, blood trailing off of her killing claws into the fresh white snow.

"Vehicle!" Rachel yelled, hearing the turbocharged roar of a Russian diesel engine. A Ural sped around the corner loaded with more of the black clad soldiers, spitting ragged bursts of gunfire in an effort to keep their heads down.

"Take it out!" Shouted Jay as he raised his M4 to engage. Rounds spat from their weapons, ripping the windshield to shreds and destroying the transport's radiator as it flew past. The Russians in the back were spraying on fully automatic, throwing unaimed suppression at the pack. They were to hyped on adrenaline to notice their truck sliding off the road, driver dead from the first volley of gunfire. It hit the ditch and rolled, propelling the passengers out and under its multi-ton chassis without mercy. The truck burst into flames as the fuel spilled onto the hot exhaust, casting a surreal light throughout the woods as the vehicle and its passengers burned.

The firefight subsided, leaving the pack standing in the darkness, breathing heavily from the few minutes of hell on earth.

Jericho thrust his snout to the sky and inhaled deeply, trying to see if any scents made it through the thick snow. He caught a familiar smell on a gust of wind, automatically turning towards the thick stand of conifers.

"I smell him, through those trees!" He said with a start, moving across the road with the rest of the pack in tow.

"Make sure the area is secure!" Sergeant Stear called, facing the rear of the column.

"Jericho, Rachel, set up a perimeter and make sure it is safe for us!" Jay ordered, jumping in behind his female.

"Okay Meryl, take us through." He whispered, hoping against hope that Audwin was okay.

The Raptoress broke through the path, following the footsteps that could be seen in the snow. A lantern burned ahead, forming a point for the female to concentrate on. It only took a few more moments before they were upon it, weapons up in case another surprise was planned for them.

"Oh my god." Jay exclaimed, covering his mouth with a gloved hand as his weapon fell on its sling. He was standing over Aud's body, seeing the marks of a brutal torture and execution.

"Aud, wake up! Please? Aud!" Meryl nudged him, slipping into shock over the scene in front of her almost instantly. She delivered a roar that shook the trees, ramming him with her snout so forcefully that his half-ton body actually moved. Blood ran from her snout, evidence of how hard she had struck the motionless male. Her Guardian was quick to notice, jumping into action in a heartbeat.

"Meryl, get out of here. Go back to Learn now." Jay ordered, pointing his finger in the direction of the exit. His female looked at him, on the verge of a mental breakdown from what he could tell, but she did not argue with the orders. The female looked down to him one last time, whispering a goodbye before turning and leaving, not even bothering to look at her Guardian.

"Learn, Audwin is dead, executed. I need you to keep an eye on Meryl, she isn't herself right now. Just stand by while I get us some transport out of here." He called over the radio.

"Roger."

Jay bent down and pulled the AMS off of Aud's armor, knowing it to be the one important component that he may need in the future. The nameplate came next, going into his pocket as well. Redfield dialed the frequency in for headquarters.

"Pirate Six, this is Guardian Two-Two, priority, over." The radio channel opened with the press of a button, but static was all that answered the attempt. Jay looked about in frustration. He needed to get Aud's body back to RSHCOM as per protocol, but there would be no patronizing high command for a ride tonight if the Jumpstarts were down. He jerked two switches on his communications relay in frustration, trying to break through the noise.

"Learn, you read?" Jay called, opening up a private channel to his secondary. He paced back and forth in front of Aud's body, waiting as a confirmation beep sounded in his ear.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Jordan, the goddamn Jumpstarts are frozen and RSHCOM is off the air. Any ideas on how we are going to get his body out of here? Are those trucks operational?"

"Both of these Urals are shot to hell. Our friends made sure that they wouldn't be moving anywhere on their way out."

"We can't stay out here all night. I'm sure every Russian in Europe knows we are here by now, and it won't take 'em long to find us on foot. Can you reach anyone?"

"No, the air is completely silent." She responded, cocking her collar to the wind as it intensified.

"Pirate Six, do you read?" He flipped the switch to deactivate the filter, pressing the button once more.

"Any NATO unit in the area, this is Guardian Two-Two. Authenticate six three five zero. Please respond, over." After a few moments of silence, he repeated himself. The result was the same....

"Jay, the weather is getting worse." Learn muttered into her headset, knowing that they didn't have their shelters with them. Jay produced the AMS from his pack, looking at the thermometer that was subdued into it. It read ten degrees and falling...

"Jordan, it is ten degrees out right now. The Utahraptors will freeze before morning if we don't get them out of here."

"Jay, we will freeze before they do."

"I know it Learn, but I won't leave Aud's body behind for the Russians. If they get it they'll be able to find ways to kill Meryl and Jericho that we probably don't even know."

We cannot afford to..."

"Guardian Two-Two, this is Falcon Six Actual, good to finally hear a friendly voice, over." A distorted male voice interrupted her, automatically pushing through and taking over the channel. Jay lit up with hope, fumbling for his mic switch to respond.

"Falcon Six Actual, this is Guardian, thank God for you man! What is your makeup?" Redfield could barely contain his excitement.

"Convoy escort. Some asshole decided to block the bypass with trees, and we are stranded in the storm because of it." Falcon responded, keeping it brief for security's sake.

"Falcon, we are on special mission and require evac. We can assure that you will be given clearance for diversion of mission from the top of our chain of command."

"Whose chain of command is that Guardian?"

"That's a secret Falcon."

"Understood Guardian, shoot your coordinates. Understand, it is going to be a while before we can get up there. The roads are getting really bad. Over"

"Coordinates follow Falcon; make sure you have space for heavy transport."

++++++++++++++++++++

Jay looked upon his female and frowned, watching as she paced lazily through the snow. Her eyes were in a far off place, scanning the empty woods just as she had done so many nights before. She turned and headed off on a diagonal on her makeshift patrol route, losing sight of Jay in a matter of a few moments. He couldn't help but notice how sluggishly she was moving as she turned.

Her Sergeant shivered, shifting his hand warmers around inside his gloves in an attempt to gain what little warmth the teabag-like sacks had in them. He settled against a tree on the outskirts of the woodline, draping his poncho over his head in an attempt to block out some of the wind. Learn joined him underneath it, sharing the body heat between the two soldiers.

"We're about to cross the zero mark on the thermometer." She laughed, shivering violently against him.

"Bad night, eh?"

"Yeah, I can't imagine how Jeri is keeping warm out there."

"Jordan, this is only the beginning of the winter. We cannot have our missions halted just because the temperature gets low. We need to remedy this."

"And we shall, once we put Audwin and Richter to rest."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

An hour later.....

"Vehicles inbound." Rachel advised from her perch near a large tree that overlooked the crossroads. She watched as Learn and Meryl spoke quietly, body language taking the place of spoken words from where she was located. Past those two, Jay stood over Aud, just as he had been when she last checked in. The entire team had suffered a great loss....

"Sorry I couldn't see you out better Aud, but I'm sure you'd understand. Good bye old friend. I'm sorry." Jay knelt down, crossing himself and bowing in prayer as the rumble of the diesel engines broke the relative silence around him.

"Dear lord, I know that Audwin is not human, and that he was brought into this world by means other than natural, but I know as well that you are kind and forgiving. I hope that in heaven, you can find a place where Richter and Aud can be together once again."

Redfield regained his footing, looking one more time at his friend's corpse before he turned away. He would need to go to the third HMMWV to meet with Falcon Six face to face. A man with Captain's rank stepped from the truck and approached him. Redfield extended his hand to the Captain, whom grasped it in a firm handshake.

"Sergeant Redfield, I'm Captain Terri, Ohio National Guard. Pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you as well, Sir. Might I suggest we get out of here as soon as possible? The Russians have probably been tipped off to our location and are more than likely on their way." Redfield stated, scratching the exhaustion from his eyes to little avail.

"Sure Sergeant, what do we have to transport?"

"This way Sir. You may be in for a little bit of a shock, so brace yourself." Jay warned as Meryl came up behind him.

"Oh my god." Captain Terri exclaimed, mouth hanging open in disbelief. Meryl gave nothing more than a bow salute to the Captain before disappearing once more.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

It took ten people to manhandle Aud's body onto one of the requisitioned PLS loaders. The truck's previous cargo, a load of empty fuel drums, was dumped to the side to make room for their precious charge. A tarp was lashed down over his body, protecting him from view as well as to spare everyone the sight of his tortured corpse as they worked frantically to prepare for movement. Jay leapt onto the truck's flatbed as the two PFCs that were responsible for it slid the safety pins in place. He ran a gloved hand over the tarp before checking to make sure that the tie downs were secure. Satisfied, he hopped down.

"Learn, everything good?" He asked, looking back down the length of the convoy where the rest of what remained of his pack were loading onto trucks. No doubt the Ohio Infantrymen were getting an impromptu introduction to Meryl as she packed into one of their FMTVs.

"Yeah, both the Utahraptors are loaded onto trucks, those Army Guard soldiers are having a field day talkin' to 'em I think." Learn laughed, boarding the truck behind the PLS. Jay walked to the front of the convoy, jumping in Six's HMMWV. He gave the thumbs up to Captain Terri, who immediately brought his handmic up.

"All Falcon elements this is Falcon Six, green too green over. Prepare to move out."

"We need to get through to the Chateau, but the overland route will be impassable by now. Our only option is to head west down Altberg, past the armor graveyard, coming up and around to your RP. We'll stage there for about a half hour so that you can get reorganized. Once we get nearer to Berlin, Colonel Estes said he could get us some helicopter support."

"Roger that Sir, just be careful, the Russians are probably afoot."

"Just sit back and relax Sergeant, you've earned it. We'll call you if we need you." He called back after a few moments of briefing his troops on the plan. He smiled, seeing Redfield already asleep in the vehicle's comforting heat.

++++++++++++++++

"Why do I always have to be on the bottom?" Meryl giggled, spreading her legs in an effort to make herself more accessible for her Guardian.

"Do not question me." Was all the Raptoress got in response as Jay slipped two fingers into her, silencing any complaints that may have existed.

"I re...rest my case." She shivered, sinking back into the mat on which she lay. Jay's blankets lay in a heap around her, evidence of their wrestling match which had preceded the current festivities. The Raptoress arched her back as he drove his fingers deeper, running her two clawed hands between her legs in an effort to spread herself further.

Jay lowered his head between her legs, drawing in her scent with a deep breath. Her pheromones were enough to intoxicate him to the point of no return, but he stood his ground and merely toyed with her. He used his mouth for this purpose, kissing lightly around her sex before delivering a kiss right where it counted. Meryl shivered, relishing the pampering she got before the main event. The female had not expected the tongue quite yet, however, and as it entered she twisted in such a way that caused her back to crack. Her Guardian's tongue drove deeper within her, dragging along the length of her lips before flicking back for another sweep.

He's becoming an expert at this. Meryl though to herself as he pulled away, replacing his tongue with his manhood instead. The female purred, a low rumble emanating from deep in her stomach as she was given the full treatment by her guardian. He slid in and out of her, grabbing one of her clawed hands in his own as he pumped faster and faster. The female's hips rocked with his rhythm, and it wasn't long before his orgasm struck. The male settled down with her, enjoying the warmth that she offered to him.

"Jayson, listen to me. You need to stay alert. Remember what they used to tell you in basic? Stay alert, stay alive?" A voice interrupted them out of nowhere, distant seeming in a sense.

"Stay alive, stay alert." The Sergeant responded, witnessing himself standing over Aud's corpse once again.

"Those words hold more meaning now than ever before. The events of tonight are only the beginning of the most difficult struggle of your life, and for it you must be ready."

"Trust me; I already am."

"You do not know what is about to happen, for the Russian Colonel is up to something most mischievous." The voice finished, and the corpse beneath him changed. It was no longer Aud, but Meryl. Jay opened his mouth to scream.

+++++++++++++++++++++

"Sergeant Redfield, you'd better wake up!" Captain Terri called, shaking the Sergeant's leg with a panicked hand. Jay was automatically awake, looking to the front of the vehicle and out of the windshield. He didn't even have time to comprehend his situation before the .50 caliber machine gun on top of the vehicle opened up, tracing a path through the night. Jay frantically looked out the window, recognizing the destroyed hulks of tanks littering the barren landscape. A lighter caliber machine gun answered the .50 cal, flashing from one of the apparent wrecks.

"BMPs!" The gunner yelled down, lying on his butterfly triggers a moment later. Shell casings rained down from above as the gunner traversed frantically, hosing the vehicles in an attempt to suppress their fire. Sparks flew from the armored carriers as their armor deflected the rounds, more an annoyance than a threat. They swiveled in search of their targets, lacking the advantage of more modern thermal sights.

"Get the hell out of here!" Yelled Captain Terri, shielding his eyes as the lead vehicle answered the hostile fire with an AT4 rocket. The troop carrier detonated, throwing molten slag skyward and bathing the armor graveyard in white light. Troop carriers emerged from nowhere, advancing through the snow towards the convoy. Redfield heard the distinct thumps of several Mk-19s throughout the convoy escorts, and saw only the strobing flashes of the impacts as the HMMWV driver floored the gas, sliding sideways for a moment before regaining control. He was trying to catch up with the rest of the convoy as they cleared the danger zone further ahead.

"Damnit, that was close!" Jay shouted up to the front, getting a confirming nod from the commander as he got accountability of his forces. Jay had expected at least a collection of camped out infantry, but he had not expected the presence of light armor.

"An armored column just stumbled across a unit of similar consistency up north, and a patrol to the south has dropped completely out of contact." Captain Terri turned, delivering the grave news to the Sergeant as he looked at his map. Jay rubbed his forehead, knowing that this couldn't be anything good.

The convoy pressed on, though everyone noticed the speedometers reading a little bit higher than they had before.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Chateau......

Jay Redfield listened to Meryl as she paced back and forth in the Chateau's hallway, muttering the vilest of human curses with each step. Her normally silent footfalls were thundering, and the occasional snaps of her killing claws imbedding themselves into the hardwood floor were making him a little nervous. Redfield flinched as he heard a vile scrape of plaster, followed by several hard hits that made the walls seem to move with stress. The Sergeant got up from his chair, peeking down the hallway after his charge. He shook his head as he watched Meryl walking away for him, dragging her left hand claw down the once perfect construction. She was covered in plaster dust where her side had ripped chunks fom the wall, and blood trickled from a few small cuts as a result of the abuse.

"Meryl." He called, walking slowly down the hallway towards his partner. She turned, tears wetting the sides of her snout. Her teeth were bared, and a low rumbling growl uttered from her chest as her Guardian approached. The female stared with a deathly glare, causing a spot of worry on Jay's part as he approached closer still. His Raptoress' breathing quickened as he came to her, eyes glued shut with worry.

"Meryl, stop." He whispered, placing a shaking hand on her snout, drawing closer in an attempt to comfort her.

A tremendous quake rocked her body, sending the female to her knees. Jay went down with her, knocked off balance by her falling weight. She let loose a thundering roar, louder and more painful than Redfield had ever heard uttered. She subsided shortly after, sinking in a heap in the middle of the hallway. Jay held her neck in his arms, resting his girl's heavy head on a shoulder. Meryl sobbed heavily, displaying a human emotion that Jay didn't even know she was capable of performing. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulders as Meryl's claws clenched into them, causing him to contort in agony, crying out as it became too intense. She suddenly snapped to, looking down at Jay's bleeding back with a look of horror in her eyes.

"Jay, I'm so sorry!" The Raptoress cried, getting to her feet and shrinking back away from him in fear. She glanced at her claws, stained red with his blood.

"Meryl, it is going to be okay, do you understand me?" Jay whispered into her ear, pulling off his ruined blouse and throwing it aside.

"Let me help you." Meryl said, regaining her composure.

"I'll be alright." He muttered, feeling the punctures with his hands.

"Sergeant Redfield, do not argue." She commanded, turning him around and ripping his shirt straight down the middle with her forepaws. She examined the wounds she had caused, realizing that they were fairly deep. The female opened her mouth, running her tongue over them softer and with more precision than any doctor ever could. Jay squinted in pain as her saliva burned the punctures, then relaxed as the burning subsided. As Meryl watched, the bleeding stopped.

"They don't seem to be bleeding anymore. Thank you!" Jay said after feeling his back and bringing back a clean hand. He gave his Utahraptor a quick hug, letting both of them find comfort in each other's presence.

"Jay, what did we do wrong that Aud and Richter had to die?" She asked, catching the Sergeant off guard.

"Meryl, we couldn't have done anything to stop what happened. The Russians caught us with our pants down, and we paid a price."

"But what will we do without them? Our pack isn't the same anymore."

"Meryl, one of the most important things that this pack shares is each other. We may have lost two of our friends, but we are still united as one. Their memories will always be with us, no matter how much shit we go through. One thing is for sure, the Russians are going to pay for what they did to us tonight."

"Do you think it was Revedov?" She wondered. The Colonel had been hunting the two of them since the beginning of the war, and they knew of him well by the many sleepless nights he had caused the pack.

"Something tells me it wasn't. Revedov is a clever bastard, but this isn't his style. Besides, these soldiers were GRU Osnaz, and the last time I checked, GRU and Army Spetsnaz were not on good terms with each other. Still, it may be a good place to start."

"Perhaps the good Colonel can educate us further on this matter."

"Whomever did this will see our unity like they have never seen it before." He promised, giving his female a reassuring nudge. She returned it with an affectionate lick to the cheek.

"Don't start that again." He laughed, brushing her away playfully.

"Thank you for talking with me Jay, I feel much better." She muttered, laughing despite the weight of her heart.

"You know I'm always here for you. I need you to be ready now more than ever. Whatever you told the soldiers in the back of that truck, it must've made a good impression on them. Captain Terri said that his men won't stop talking about you." Meryl just smiled. He didn't bother mentioning his dream.

With that, Jay was off. The Sergeant secured the items from his rucksack, squaring away his uniform before anything else. Before he forgot, Jay reached into a pouch and obtained his E-tool. Sergeant Redfield had one mission until they could return to Friendly Lines. He had to bury one of his soldiers.

Meryl stared out the window as Jay drug Richter's body out past the temporary motor pool to where he was planning to dig the grave. The female felt a pang of regret, knowing that she had just lost two close friends. The Raptoress sighed, feeling the tears welling up in her again as the thoughts of what had happened to Aud resurfaced.

The female reached down, delivering a solid whack to her AMS computer module by slamming it up against the wall. A slight prick in her side signaled that it had worked, and Meryl laughed softly as the unit pumped unneeded morphine into her system.

"Unity."

Soon, her thoughts of sorrow were forgotten in a chemically induced haze. The radio on her chest echoed, but the female didn't bother to listen.

"Netcall Netcall, Russian attack inbound sectors four through seven, expect heavy dismounted and light armor contacts throughout your AO."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"The day has finally come, Comrade General Ambrosiov, to unleash all the forces underneath us to destroy the American threat once and for all. I request permission to implement the plan that I have outlined for you in the information packet provided."

"Comrade Colonel Nymev, the consequences of this plan are too grave for this council to approve. Think of the long term effects that it could cause upon the entire world. Have you gone mad with these American monsters? I ought to have you arrested for even suggesting such things." The General practically yelled, standing up from his chair in CinC-EU command and spilling the business of the chamber out into the hallway. The council was not present, and General Ambrosiov was not about to make a ruling one something that the contingent must approve.

"I was afraid you'd say something to that effect." Nymev replied calmly, reaching into his holster and drawing his Makarov.

"What are you doing? Guard!" The General yelled, all too late as Colonel Nymev put a round through his skull. The guards at the door remained there, incapable of moving as two black-uniformed GRU men took their place in front of the council chamber.

Nymev stepped forth from the room, smartly polished riding boots clicking as he strode past his men. They quickly stiffened, saluting their commander smartly.

"Carry on Comrades." He muttered, moving to the window as the massacre unfolded before him. He crossed his arms, observing his carefully orchestrated plan as it was executed.

The compound was a flurry of activity as the alarms sounded their harsh cry, rousing the quick reaction troops from their staging areas almost immediately. The prepositioned GRU soldiers were one step ahead, cutting the troops down in a swath of suppressed weapons fire from their rifles.

"All clear Comrade Polkovnik."

Later that evening, Russian State Television denounced CinC-EU as a traitor to the State, filled with details of the heroic GRU squad that stopped him from carrying out his evil plans. A GRU Colonel named Nymev was taking acting command until a suitable replacement could be found.

Thousands of miles away, intelligence analysts were already digging up any information that they had on this mysterious officer from the east.

++++++++++++++++++

Chechnya, November 1999

"Don't let them get through!" Captain Nymev yelled, thrusting his AK-74 through a broken pane of glass and firing a ragged, fully automatic burst into the darkness. The Chechen rebels had been pushing in on them for hours, and the Russian rifle team's situation had gone from bad to worse ever since the last of their disabled BTRs had been destroyed. The gunships were dedicated to a raid to the north, so that left the small contingent on their own against the insurgent fighters that were flocking to the area in droves.

"Russian dogs!" A rebel yelled from outside, firing erratically through the already-destroyed building. Nymev pinned himself to the floor as the bullets tore through like a swarm of angry insects, searching for anything that they could destroy.

"How are you doing down there Mischa?" He yelled over the din, changing magazines in his AK-74 and glancing through the dusk at the burning remains of their BTR-80 troop carriers. Shadows danced about in the flames, and targets presented themselves as the Russian situation became even more desperate.

"We have to get out of here, comrade!" Mikhail responded, chest wrapped with a large white bandage and bloody hands clutching his rifle. The burly Motor Rifle Sergeant barely had time to finish his sentence before gunning down a Chechen rebel that had decided to intrude on their place of shelter. The man's body fell to the floor, spasming like a fish out of water as the bullets tore through his spinal column. Corporal Timvulkin ducked back into the corner, helmet lost somewhere in the confusion. He remained calm as he swung around once more, squeezing his trigger methodically and listening as round after round struck flesh and shattered bone outside. The young man kept his machine like pace, forcing the majority of the rebels away from their position. He was fighting a losing battle as their numbers remained constant....

"We're trapped!" Private Sernoc shouted, standing and firing at the shadows, expending his full magazine through one of the destroyed windows.

"Get down now!" Nymev yelled, thrusting himself at the man's legs in an effort to pull him down. It was a second too late. Private Sernoc crumpled in a heap as a rifle round penetrated his helmet. The Colonel caught all of the gory details as the blood began to flow from the corpse.

He looked to the hole where the window had been, producing a grenade from his belt. The Captain pulled the pin, tossing one of the deadly eggs back through the opening just before it detonated. The explosion ripped the wall to shreds, raining gore and shooting shrapnel through the plentiful openings. Glass flew in all directions, forcing Nymev to dive for the floor. He could hear the moaning of wounded rebels from the other side of the wall, gunfire trickling down to nothing in a matter of seconds.

They must've had enough for now....

He looked towards his friends, and was met by a grisly scene.

Corporal Timvulkin's head had been crushed by a piece of the roof that had fallen from the force of the explosion. Pinkish fluid ran from his ears and mouth, signaling what the Captain had already known upon seeing him. Sergeant Mikhail was dead, hit by a flying piece of glass that was large enough to lodge itself in his eye.

After all the hours they had spent, and all the people they had lost, everyone was dead. Nymev sank to the floor, holding his rifle loosely and staring at the bodies of all that remained of his headquarters group. They had been his comrades, his family, and now the Jihadists had taken them away from him. His attention was drawn away by the cries of the wounded outside.

It is all their fault!

An evil smirk played over his face as a hand drew his bayonet from its scabbard. At least he would be able to seek his own retribution...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As the Colonel withdrew from the flashback, a sinister smile crept onto his face. The GRU man produced one of the dispensers from the stack of crates turning them over in his hands with all of the precision of a surgeon. Yellow letters and a skull and crossbones were emblazed on the sides of the cylinder, describing its contents in the strange manner that only the military could understand.

EBOLA/SMPX.

"For all of you I lost, I will show the world just how strong we really are."

Several hundred meters to his north, a lone Ural entered the camp from the expanse of woods. Immediately, the vehicle was swarmed by the black clad GRU soldiers, struggling to pull the long off-color crates from their resting place.

A gloved hand brushed the layer of snow, revealing words written in Arabic.

** Cyclosarin.**

To be continued.....