FSE

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She never forgot her homeland. Her homeland never forgot her.

Chapter 27: Glacial - Request of assistance

"How the Retaliation class is doing...?" The muscular tiger asked idly and calmly as he leaned backwards comfortably in its enormous throne, sipping slightly from a golden goblet as his golden eyes looked up to the screen with glacial tranquility. It was a look, anyhow, that carried in itself a threat... and the officer on the other side of the screen had to suppress a shiver of fear before forcing a smile on his features and giving voice to his thoughts.

"The new ships are really impressive, majesty. Their artillery is devastating, and we aren't having problems of sort... we can confirm that the speed even exceeded our previsions, going past the 40 knots during sea trials, and so far the weapon system proved to be the deadliest ever designed, Lord Raja." The officer said with pride in his voice, his image being replaced on the screen by a series of photos and movies of the immense Trimaran warships at sea and several graphics with the results of the tests. Raja paid little attention to that, looking bored as he stared idly to the whine in the goblet, rolling it idly in front of his eyes.

"Now Wyvern knows, anyhow." Raja suggested gently, before grit his fangs and squeeze violently on the goblet, the gold surface of it bending and denting where his fingers touched it. "The world knows." The orange, black striped tiger clad in royal purple tunic growled in rage, his mood shifting rapidly and violently and making the officer shrink a bit away on the screen. "I said I wanted you to avoid the reconnaissance of our kind friends that always have a so attentive eye for everything that happens up here..." Raja continued, his voice teasing and almost playful, but the rage still there as he nearly gritted his fangs even when well faking a smile.

"I apologize, majesty, but it was impossible to avoid detection... we tried, but by now their coverage is far too crushing and continuous. There's an Ire satellite looking down on our ports every 6 hours, since there are two satellites in different orbits, each with a 12 hours time of revolution... And Kesteven has been building up and launching in the space several satellites in the last months. We can confirm that one caught us in its eye and obtained images of the first three Retaliation warships at the sea trials. I'm immensely sorry about this failure, but our only chance was either destroy the satellites or keep the ships at the docks." The officer quickly explained, worryingly looking over Raja to try and caught sight and sign of his mood, of the rage that could explode so violently at times and mean so many terrible troubles... But the king just made a bit of a grimace and nodded slightly.

"I guess it's true, isn't it...?" Raja softly murmured, grinning. "Wyvern won't drop his guard... But we can't renounce to sea trials if we want crews efficient and prepared. And we cannot destroy his or Ire's satellites... not yet, at least." The king spook more to himself than to the officer he was glaring at, but this one either don't noticed he was being ignored and pretty much looked across or either he was all too happy of going away with so little punishment. "I suggest you to make the schedule of the naval plans gain a month of progresses within a week's timeframe to gain my pardon..." Raja said idly, smiling mischievously even if the officer in the dark blue uniform gaped and mouthed wordlessly a bit in front of that request. "And of course, put the fleet and all the military commands and base in pre-alarm state... Now that Wyvern saw the new ships we are building up, he'll want so badly to know where and how we build them up, and what else we may be planning." The huge, bulky and powerful tiger nodded and grinned, joining the tips of his fingers idly in front of his chest. "He'll try with every possible mean to discover our secrets... and I don't want it to happen. Intensify every patrol, send our sonar-ships out along the shores... Do whatever it's needed and possible and even what's impossible, for what matters. But keep him out of our territory and far from our facilities."

The officer snapped a rigid and disciplined salute, but Raja all but ignored that as well, tapping a few buttons in the console in front of himself, the image of his admiral vanishing from the screen to be rapidly replaced by Riaku's one. "Good morning, Black Lightning. I call to share with you my new... suggestions." Raja said gently, faking kindness with an ability that he had used, abused and improved so much along the years. His own weren't suggestions, but orders... orders for his most precious and yet most despised draughtsman. The one he had deceived in believing he was the head of the alliance... the one that had so far done all the dirty work... the one that had given to Raja the most precious information about Wyvern and his power... the one that had given him even his precious DNA, the precious Huxley code, with all the powers it carried... And the one that recently was trying to use an authority inside the alliance that was only a mirage to try and change the moves of the RA, to make each move gentler, to reduce the use of the sheer and brutal strength... The one that was starting to doubt seriously of the real aims of the RA... and that had to be manipulated in the right way to be brought back on the right tracks... or, alternatively, abused until it was possible, and then erased efficiently and definitively.

"I'll listen, Raja." Riaku answered politely, but Raja don't missed the mistrust in the tone of the black tiger... after the events of the war in Kesteven, the young king of Mottram was a lot more difficult to manipulate and trick. The orange, sly tiger only put more of his talent to use, anyhow, smiling a kind and cheerful smile on his usually so dark features. "I think that Wyvern did it again... a merchant ship of Ire was torpedoed and brutally sunk at sea yesterday night while crossing Abukirk bay. It probably was one of those new nuclear submarines of Wyvern's empire, the Unseen class... And I'd like to point out that's the second ship sunk in less than a month." He explained quietly, faking with enviable talent a disgusted expression to underline his disapprobation for the act of violence of sinking a "civilian" ship... well skipping on the fact it was a shipment of weapons and explosives and technologic equipment.

"Last time it was a shipment of military stuff destined to the New World Order Army... I'm sure it was so once more." Riaku said back firmly, nodding a bit as he crossed his arms and relaxed backwards in his chair. "I think we all should be happy of that happening... the NWOA is a threat to all of us."

You don't know how wrong you are... "Maybe, but we are never going to obtain a stable and durable global peace if there's people using hunter-killer nuclear subs in a so unbiased way... and I think we should really stop Wyvern from acting this way." Raja answered with a kind nod, smiling encouragingly. Possibly killing him as soon as possible...

"That may be true... But Wyvern knows what he does... and I'm sure he's the first not liking the way he's forced to act. But I fought against the NWOA myself... I fight it as I can even now... and I know that it's an organization cruel and efficient. I saw what they did in the school of Kesteven..." Riaku's voice died down as he dropped his head for a moment, shaking it slowly in disgust and pain at the memories that crowded his mind. "I really can't blame Killer for using such methods... they are the only one possible. And the NWOA deserved such treat."

Raja nodded and clapped his hands together softly, smiling widely. "We all trust your judgement, Black Lightning... but I'd still like to know your suggestions in the case we ever needed to fight against Wyvern. He might be a trouble and an obstacle when New Dawn starts... and I guess we could be ready soon enough for it."

"We have to hope he doesn't acts like an obstacle, Raja. Otherwise, it'll be hard, very hard." Riaku answered firmly, looking off to the distance and nodding slightly. "We'll not consider the strength and technologic level of his armed forces, which we all know and fear... I'll limit my analysis to Wyvern himself." Riaku sighed slightly and closed his eyes as he leaned his head backwards comfortably against the seat. "Wyvern has a sharp mind... He has an instinctive and normally-correct vision of the situation of any battle, and a seriously uncommon knowledge of any kind of weapon, tactic or technique of combat. He can foresee the moves of a rival strategist with amazing precision, with a mistake margin very, very reduced... so that he always knows what to do to win a battle. In close combat, he is to be avoided like death itself... especially if Wyvern is in his hands. Because of his titanic strength, he is absolutely mortal in close combat, while his aim and ability with ranged weapons is as much impressive." Riaku paused, smiling a dry and ironic smile. "I may have fought at his side, then against him so many times... but still I can't see in him a weak point to aim at, nor can I express thoughts more detailed about his power. He has technique and experience, and can improvise any sort of move... and every time, I'm left surprised of his abilities, just like he could somehow automatically overcome any difficulty I can cause him. That anyone can cause..."

Raja nodded with a serious expression now, listening with great attention as he let Riaku's words fix in his mind for later consideration. His information about Killer had always proved correct, and Raja don't doubted they were this time as well.

"Of course, a major weak point exists in Killer... and that's Alexis. Absurdly, Alexis Archer is also one of his strongest points. The princess of Glacial is specialized in stealth operations and reconnaissance, but she has strong abilities and skills in hand to hand. Her strength is absolutely devastating and her agility is unmatched. She's probably the best sniper ever... if unarmed she is an apocalypse, give her a rifle and she is one of the most lethal and feared weapons of all wars. Now, besides, she's reported to have developed a series of special abilities and amazing "superpowers"... for what I know, she has a vision, a sixth sense, if you want to call it that way, that let her see in her mind the world as a sum of energies. Since every living being as an aura and everything has some sort of energy, she can see EVERYTHING." Riaku nodded as he raised his arms to the sky a bit. "She cannot be ambushed, pretty much... she can see even behind herself, and from the twists and changes of the energies around herself, she is capable to foresee events and movements of a rival, recognize if someone is hostile or not or see the attacks well before they come. And she has apparently a strong form of telekinesis that allows her to attack with her mind thanks to slashes of psychic force. And she can move things... she is reported to have a feeling with bullets, of all things. Pretty much, her mind guides each round she fires to slam into the wanted target." Riaku paused and nodded before frowning a bit as he stared idly to the console in front of himself. "I heard she went through very painful days before fully control her powers, anyhow... the first days, she had terrible headaches practically all day long, and she wasn't able to focus her attention on things because of the new and always changing vision in her mind. But now that she has learned, she is... like... invincible. Hurt she or he in presence of the other may be counterproductive... I saw Killer furious once... And gods, there's no way you can stop him when he's in that state. Besides, Newbury and many other towns and bases stand as signs of what his rage causes." Riaku nodded and paused and soon Raja politely moving his hand to invite him to continue. "But if we could... take one of them, of course we could lure the other in a trap... Or possibly blackmail. But what's certain, it's that when Alexis and Killer fight together, they fill in each other's abilities and moves so well that they truly are impossible rivals for anyone... Did you heard of the attack they faced some time ago on the highway for Kendrew...? They wiped out of existence an army of terrorists, Alexis forced the feared Suicide-Maker to flee and Killer slaughtered Vulcan... Damn scary." Riaku underlined as he shook his head firmly, leaning backwards in his seat.

Indeed, I know that all too well... "It was surely impressive..." Raja answered with a nod, his tone relaxed. "But I think that what he did later was worse. He invaded Brunei and conquered the Chattam fortress." The orange tiger said coldly, showing a little part of the rage he proved for that action of Wyvern.

"I'm still trying to understand how he could take over that fortress... I saw it a couple of times, and it was an Armageddon-Day complex. All bunkerized and underground, even the fucking airport... missile batteries, artillery... We all saw it as an unassailable place, from always. I think we should seriously wonder if there's a single, secure place he can't take over."

Do you love him or something, you moron...? It's already nasty enough as it is... "Yeah, but that's not the point. I'd like to underline that Brunei is our allied and comrade in the New Dawn project, and that Wyvern all but attacked a neutral nation without any sort of war declaration or warning. And I think he should pay for such acts of violence and domineering nature."

"Hmm..." Riaku mouthed idly, making a bit of a face as he expressed his doubt. "I don't know what Duke Kennan was doing in that fortress, but I doubt it was something entirely clean, since he always got so silent and evasive when I asked... and anyway, I'm not of the same idea. I'll try to talk with Wyvern as soon as possible... but I think that fighting him, or worse try to kill him as I think you are about to suggest it's the wrong way to deal with him. Besides, there's no worst enemy to have in the world than Wyvern of Kesteven."

Raja knew everything of what had been done in Chattam, instead... he had been the one designing the whole operation, choosing the place... and now, the X57, one of their most advanced prototypes, was in the hands of his enemy, together with the whole fortress. Raja was furious about that failure, even if it was only a marginal problem, unable to cause any delay at all to New Dawn... and now Riaku was all but adding to his rage. He wasn't going to make any progress with such fury rolling through him, anyway. "Fine, Black Lightning... as I said, we all trust the judgement of the next lead of this world." Raja smiled his most forced, and yet most sincere-looking smile as he bowed his head slightly. "We'll wait and see what Wyvern does next... and we'll be all very happy if you talk to him and bring him to reason."

Riaku nodded and rapidly dismissed himself, the screen fading dark and empty as Raja stared at it... and his faked smile rapidly turned to a snarl of feral rage as he punched the nearby showcase of massive wood and crystal so hard to all but pulverize it, the armoured glass shattering in little, sharp shards that don't even managed to scratch his body as he growled in fury and the massive warhammer that had been exposed smashed on the floor.

"Vera!" He shouted irritably standing to grasp a massive chunk of wood left by the showcase, breaking it in two with a bare flex of his huge, powerful biceps as his fangs gritted, grinning ferociously as the Suicide-Maker entered the room.

"You should not do that, you know... rage is bad for your veins." Vera observed idly as she walked inside, grinning a bit... but Raja wasn't in the mood for any antics, and walked towards her with the speed of a lightning, his huge body a blur as he reached her in the time she used to twitch in surprise and fear... And he slapped her face hard to the side, the female releasing a soft, surprised cry as she raised a hand to her reddened and pulsing, wounded cheek.

"You won't be the one teasing, bitch... not today." Raja growled, grinning tauntingly as he grasped her shoulders and leaned down threateningly over her. "You failed two times, already, you worthless whore... It's not of you."

"In fact." She growled back up at him, trying to break backwards free. "You were the one organizing the raid at the dam... I much prefer preparing my assassinations on my own, without that much big asses to care about. I work alone!"

Raja grinned, before idly pushing the powerful Suicide-Maker backwards, almost making her topple over as she growled, furious of how he could play with her, how he was always stronger now that the genetic program had started... "Then work alone." He said teasingly, his grin cruel. "Whore yourself out to him as you dream to do, for what matters." He added tauntingly, and she shook her head slowly, trying to look away. "Oh, I see it in your eyes, you slut. But I don't mind how you do... Try again if you want. He'll be dead soon anyway... no matter what you do."

Vera stared up at Raja in surprise, and then grinned. "For what I saw, he's not a target at your level. He'll have your ass for starter if just he wants."

Raja just coldly laughed as he walked back to his desk, tapping away at a few buttons on the console. "I don't have any hurry... he may be strong as you claim, bitch, but he's not as smart as I am, it appears. He cannot stop me... And soon my transformation will be complete and a God will descend from the sky and step on this Earth... and there'll be no Wyvern capable to restrain me. I don't mind if he doesn't dies now, or tomorrow... even if you would whore yourself to him, still you two together would not know a quarter of what he needs to learn... And the dawn I'm preparing, he will not see."

"Anyway..." Raja added after a short pause, grinning widely from over his muscular shoulder as his eyes mischievously and cruelly gleamed at her. "You'll find him in Glacial, if you want to try one more time to do the job that you was supposed to get done already long ago..."

Alexis awakened quietly, her sapphire eyes snapping open as she felt her hand clench on the sheet and not on the solid, muscular body of Killer, who she had been hugging and clinging to when they had curled up in bed the night before... but she smiled softly as she understood and looked up to see the door leading to their children's room half open. The enchanting queen elegantly slid down the bed and on her feet, wearing a orange and fine kimono on her bare, beautiful body as she walked quietly into the room herself, sliding gracefully past the door... And stopping for a moment on her steps, tilting her head with an amused smile as she caught sight of her beloved husband.

The giant, muscular male was sitting on a chair that was a bit too small for him, wearing only black boxers on his fantastic body and leaning forwards on his muscular, crossed arms with his head, leaning on the side of the bed of their cubs as he snored quietly. The little Anubis, their son, was instead snoring delicately with his mouth half-open, a bit of spittle puddling on the massive, chorded muscles of Killer's shoulder as the cub rested on the huge male's arm... and she approached with an amused smile, taking gracefully Anubis in her arms and whipping gently away the little bit of drool from the rock-hard, chorded muscle of the male as Killer gave a soft grunt.

Alexis walked silently and gracefully around the little bed to set the sleeping cub down near Mriya, their wonderful daughter, currently curled up on her side and angelically asleep... and she looked over both with an adoring, protective smile before turn to Killer as he opened his eyes and silently yawned.

Alexis immediately slid back to him as he straightened, looking tired and sleepy but smiling widely as she drawn closer and leaned down to kiss his lips lightly, taking his cheeks softly in her hands. "You look tired... and I swear I never saw you looking this way, neither after a couple hours of duel." She amusedly observed, pushing her nose against his as she pecked softly and affectively at his lips.

"It's fine... Anubis would not sleep, and Mriya was fairly pissed off at him, since she wanted to rest, instead." He said softly, giving a loving look to the two cubs before wrap his arms around her wonderful body and pull her closer, kissing back with passion as he grew more conscious and less sleepy. "And you don't cry nor pull my hair during a duel... nor do you duel me when I want badly to sleep. You just kick me... and that helps a lot keeping me awake. Sore, but awake." He playfully added, making her snort amusedly and roll her eyes upwards a bit as he pulled her kimono slightly open, pushing his muzzle down to lick and teasingly bite down her neck.

"Tonight it's my turn, at least... so you'll hopefully recover and rest." She breathed softly, smiling as her hands squeezed his broad, powerful shoulders, fingers lovingly tasting his strong muscles as her palms traced slowly downwards, touching lightly over his masculine chest and down to his sculptured abdominals as she ground against him with passion, their mouths kissing passionately as their breaths grew hot and heavy.

"We are gonna wake both up, this way..." Killer breathed as their lips departed for a short moment, Alexis teasingly, softly biting at his upper lip as she gently clawed at his muscular chest, grabbing his powerful form for dear life as she sat down in his lap, legs on either side of him, naked crotch grinding against the massive bulge in his strained, crammed boxers as she wrapped her arms and her kimono around his strong shoulders, grinding her bare, enchanting body against his sculptured musculature, making him murr in awakened desire and pleasure as their mouths met again.

He moved a hand down her back to grasp firmly a taunt, perfect buttock, squeezing her hot flesh, loving how muscular and toned and firm her body was as his other arm wrapped around her neck, squeezing her gently against his body as he flexed powerfully, Alexis moaning in his mouth as her hands squeezed his explosively bulging muscles with lust. He stood up, easily lifting her with a bare flex of his musculature as he walked towards their bedroom, pushing the door closed with his back carefully before reach the enormous bed and put the queen down lovingly.

Alexis gracefully slid out of her kimono, pushing it away as she lay on her back, her bosom heaving with lust and legs eagerly spread wide for the huge male she grinned up to... And he climbed on the bed himself, grinning as he knelled down between her welcoming, long and beautiful legs, hands reaching down to tear his boxers away quickly as he started to grow powerfully towards erection.

Alexis moaned softly when his immense length of thick, veiny flesh was revealed and freed, falling on her belly with a loud, meaty slap. She stared hungrily as his gigantic penis twitched a bit and rapidly grow up, throbbing powerfully as he rose to his full glory, the gargantuan member rising to tower over her, casting a long and threatening shadow over her form as she licked her lips and worked her sumptuous breasts gently together, her enticing and suggestive gaze fixed in the eyes of the male. He leaned downwards over Alexis, grasping his enormous length with a hand and quietly bending his huge member, pointing it at her lips, the femme fatale eagerly nuzzling his hard flesh with a gleam of desire in her sapphire eyes... and then she stretched her tongue out, giving a long, drawn out lick at the gargantuan flared head of his cock, purring in pleased, urged want and murring in appreciation when she was rewarded by a thick, abundant gout of sticky, clear pre. Alexis hungrily lapped at the musky essence, savouring it in her mouth like a precious and rare nectar as she guided her huge, firm breasts on both sides of his length, squeezing his steel-hard shaft in a sweet, loving embrace of her flesh, rolling her swells gently along the massive length as she lightly suckled on his colossal penis to get more of his tasty pre as reward.

The huge male flexed in pleasure, murring in lust as he arched his powerful back slightly, starting a quiet thrusting between her breasts as his hands reached up to squeeze her bosom adoringly, fingers teasing skilledly on her hardened nipples.

Alexis then moved her hands to his gigantic length, loving his hardness of titanium, the feeling of finger-thick veins pulsing in her hold, its burning heat, the sheer power he seemed to irradiate and the fact that both her hands were unable to wrap around his massive girth, her long, clawed fingers still spread inches apart as she took strokes that went as far down his length as her arms could reach... And yet it's not enough...

"Who's on turn as alarm clock, this morning...?" Alexis asked teasingly, grinning up at him as she softly kissed down his thick, massive shaft. Every morning, Nike would come around half past six and awaken the king with a blowjob... and that would often be followed by other amiable games if the day was calm enough to allow it. And from a bit of time, Nike was accompanied daily in the task by another of the females of the pack, a different one every day... An idea of Alexis, that she had rapidly and efficiently changed into a solid reality and loved habit of palace, and something that drove Killer wild.

"I dunno. I think it's Electra's day." He answered with an amused grin as he bent his head to lap teasingly at her breast, planting soft and gentle pecks on the firm swell to reach her nipple and suckling a bit of her delicious milk. "We'll know soon, anyway..." He added as the door slipped slowly and carefully open to reveal Nike and Electra quietly walking inside, wide smiles on their features as they took in the scene on the king-sized bed and elegantly, swiftly approached, Killer and Alexis grinning welcomingly.

Later that morning, soon after breakfast, Siegfried had come to Killer and Alexis's apartments to report the news of the day... and unfortunately, as it often happened, it wasn't a good one.

And so, after ensuring that Athena and Joy were there to take care of the children, Killer and Alexis had quickly dressed up and followed the commander of the Predators to the enormous command post of the palace, the "Map's Room".

"Report and situation." Killer said sharply as he entered the room, walking across a double set of arm-thick steel shutters and into a true bunker, built with walls of Cementitan fitted with an internal layer of copper that ensure the security of the precious data exchanged in the command post from any micro-spy or other spying equipment. The room itself was kept in soft darkness, the only light coming from the tens of computers screen and from the soft blue neon mounted all along the top of the walls. The computers and the consoles were manned by tens of REMFs in light and simple uniforms, and in the middle of the room stood a massive table with a flat screen covering all the flat of it... And Killer and Alexis sat down at two technologic thrones fitted with their own computer consoles, mounted on a raised platform of a few steps, allowing them an easy sight on the table below and placed in front of them.

Siegfried stood nearby, wearing the visor of the Predators and a wrist-mounted micro-computer. "Fifteen minutes ago, we received a communication on the emergency frequency. Weak signal, and only a few seconds of transmission with a second-rate portable satellite terminal with a plain frequency-jumping encoding... I just hope the enemy doesn't managed to locate it and decipher it all the same, since it was so short." The mohawked little bro of Killer explained calmly, almost coldly in his professionalism. "The important fact is that it was a desperate request of assistance... and it comes from Glacial."

Alexis's hands tightened their hold on the armrests with such strength that Killer was sure to see them explode in crumbles as her expression darkened in a mix of horror and fury. "From where, exactly...?" She asked, keeping sharp control of herself, her voice cold in the maximum expression of her own professionalism of warrior.

Killer gently reached out a hand and placed his large palm on the back of her hand, squeezing her fingers lovingly and soothingly as he could manage, the female turning to him for a second with a grateful smile before fix her attention on Siegfried as he talked again.

"Aran Heights Mountains, not very far from the H4 highway." Siegfried said neutrally, giving the queen a supportive look. "It comes from the Resistance Movement that we already supported in a few occasions with airdrops of weapons and supplies... but this time, the tone is much more urgent." As the tall tiger speak, the table turned on, a map of Glacial drawing itself on the flat screen and two lines crossing themselves in a point of the mountains known as Aran Heights, signaling the exact source of the message. Alexis's sapphire eyes never changed from their usual prideful and icy expression... But Killer could notice the apprehension and the sadness hidden behind as she looked over the map of her lost and never forgotten homeland with the terror of being late, of being a traitor for never managing to get back before to fight for her people and home.

And the huge male closed his eyes for a moment, hit by the very same wave of dark sadness and feeling of guilt as he urged Siegfried forwards. "Let us hear the message, bro." He said simply...

And a REMF somewhere immediately accomplished, the request of help coming from the loudspeakers in the room. And Killer did not miss Alexis's wonderful eyes opening wider, almost in shock, as she whispered idly to herself: "Colonel Murray..."

"Glacial's Liberation Front requires immediate assistance. We are constantly under attack from robots, troops and soldiers... we will be whipped off in a matter of a few days at the most. Please, help. We are fucked without your help... it'll be our final Twilight. LZ available for VTOL or choppers at coordinates ZULU..."

Followed a rapid sequence of numbers... the precise coordinates of the Landing Zone and the date and hour for the meeting, fixed for the 02 am of the following day. Then, static and silence filled the line.

"We need to give them the help requested." Killer said firmly, turning towards Siegfried. "There's the possibility that the enemy intercepted the message...?"

"I cannot be sure." Siegfried said sadly, shaking his head once. "But there's good chances they did not heard it. It was too short, it was compressed and sent on a frequency-shifting protected satellite UHF channel... it should be secure enough. But it's not impossible to intercept this kind of signals... a longer message would have had seriously high chances to be heard, at least in part, assuming that Riaku has in Glacial units of electronic espionage. But this...? They should have missed it."

"Good enough. We'll use the new stealth VTOL prototypes, the Night Spirit... and we'll use recon drones to ensure that we are not heading into a trap-" But Alexis steamrolled Killer with a sudden, sharp statement.

"This IS a trap." She said coldly, and he turned to her with a frown of surprise. "The one talking was the colonel Murray... my old protector and the one that become my mentor and brought me in the Special Forces. And I know him..." She nodded with a cruel grin, closing her eyes for a moment as she shook her head slightly. "Did you heard...? ‘We are fucked', he said... But the point is, he'd never, NEVER say anything like that. No matter how hard the situation is, no matter how angry he can be, or scared, or anything. Hell, I saw him with my eyes walk calmly all along a field that was plowed continuously by mortar's barrages, and he just marched his way calmly between the explosions like he was walking in the park after breakfast. He ignored even the snipers firing against him and trying to take him down as he reached a soldier that was laying down on the ground, curled up in terror, and used his officer's stick to knock on the spade the guy had at his belt. ‘You should use this tool and dig yourself a hole, if you want to hold this position.'" She said, her voice amused as she recalled the words of Murray. "No way. He is too calm, cold and perfectly-behaving to ever use a word like that... He never did it in years."

"What's the point...?" Siegfried asked interestedly, but looking over Alexis questioningly as Killer nodded thoughtfully, getting her point.

"The point is that he sent that message with a gun aimed at his head, most likely... and he used that terrified tone and that term to awaken my suspects. He knows me... and he knew I was going to be here listening to get his signals." Alexis answered with firm, serious voice, giving a slight nod. "Besides, the term Twilight it's not casual. We used that word for a good bit of time into our military code in Glacial... and it was signal of mission failed." She finished her statement coldly, her eyes deadly in their icy shining... and Killer nodded softly.

"But you trust Murray, right...?" He asked gently, and Alexis nodded without the minimum hesitation, grinning as she tilted her head upwards a bit. "I trust him as I trust you or myself." She confirmed firmly. "And the fact he used these smart countermeasure to let me know that's a trap it's only a further confirmation. In reality, the situation is worse than even the one depicted in the message... he, and possibly many others, are prisoners."

"Then we need to go there and help them out." Killer concluded firmly, nodding as he closed his eyes for a moment in affirmation. "Where's the landing zone they signaled...?"

"Here..." Siegfried answered immediately, tapping idly at the small computer at his wrist, and immediately the image on flat screen of the table zoomed down on the Aran Heights and gave a perfect, high definition satellite image of a wide and mostly flat clearing in the forest: too small to be suitable for a parachute landing or for landing with any kind of aircraft or even for an aerial extraction from the back of a cargo plane... The only chances were a chopper or a VTOL cargo, like the new Night Spirit that Kesteven was rolling in production in that same period. A couple of Night Spirits could have landed there no problem... and thanks to their stealthness, they had reasonable chances to reach the area without being detected.

Killer looked over the image of the peaceful, desert clearing: it was a shot old of just four hours... But he knew all too well that in four hours, a lot could change, during a war. Victory or defeat often is decided in much shorter time...

"So. Call Brize Norton base and warn them to have the Night Spirits ready in twenty minutes. Me and Alexis are going to reach the base with a helicopter. Who's in High Readiness state, currently?" Killer asked quickly, already planning the operation to come in his mind and typing it on the console in front of him, sharing the file with Alexis to work together with her on the details.

"The First Predators Division is in current service as Rapid Reaction Force. Alexander is guiding them in a major exercise against the Seventh Armoured Cavalry Division near High Wycombe base in Kesteven, and they can so both be ready for the action in a few hours. The Second Predators Division could be ready to join the fight in three days, eventually, and so could do the Third... But the latter are young and inexperienced elements of divisions put together by a short month only." Siegfried calmly explained, nodding slightly as he read down the pages of data on its wrist-computer, the REMFs in the wide room working on their own consoles to prepare and collect the data for him. Killer nodded calmly, looking thoughtful for a short moment before look up at his brother again. "They will never become experienced veterans if we don't give them a chance to fight... Order to them all to prepare for the action, and set on pre-alarm the rest of the army. I don't know how complex the operations in Glacial will be, and how much strength we'll need to use. For now, since we are heading straight into a trap, I want only the two Night Spirits in the Tactical Cargo mode and the Gunship one plus a couple of AS50 Whirlwind attack choppers as escort. We'll take with us only 8 Sections from the 1° Brigade of the First Predators Division, 80 men only."

"Agreed. Better not to bring too much people with us into an ambush... even if we have the advantage of knowing what we are going to face." Alexis remarked from her side, nodding slightly as her mind wandered on so many different feelings... worries, for the condition of her friends back in Glacial, starting from Murray himself. Guilt, for the situation her homeland was in... Impatience at the perspective of returning in the kingdom she had so loved, that she had so valiantly defended and that she doesn't saw from so much time... Battle lust at the thought of the battles to come... Dark satisfaction and hunger for the revenge she was going to take, and sadness, for the awareness that she had to leave her children, her loved cubs to charge into the battle. She could not know how much time it would have taken... and the thought that only minutes ago, everything had been so wonderful made it harder yet.

She had feed Anubis and Mriya at her bosom, sitting in Killer's lap as he gently hug her from behind and leaned his head on her shoulder to look at his son and his daughter, kissing her neck every now and then, nuzzling her lovingly...

Before, she had shared the huge male with Electra and Nike and he had been powerful, sweet and wonderful as always. He had easily dominated all three of them, yet he had been so sweet and gentle that even Alexis had purred under his touch, headless of the other two females, that anyway likely missed that "weakness" she shown, lost in their own clouds of bliss... And he had gladly, entirely fulfilled their desires, filling their bodies entirely...

"...Then, I guess we are done. I want a helicopter ready to ship me and Alexis to Brize Norton ready as soon as possible. All the orders sent immediately... And bro, please send Derik and Serene to me in my room. And follow them there."

Alexis awakened from her thoughts at the voice of Killer and at his gentle touch on her shoulder as he stood up, the blond femme fatale following immediately, easily and gracefully stepping round the seat to reach his side, the two exchanging a slight nod and a soft gaze that carried the same feelings as they headed back for their bedroom. There was no need to exchange words to share the sadness of having to leave their so young cubs... despite the fatigues and the troubles and the worries, they loved being good father and good mother for Anubis and Mriya. They loved to share that so important task, to be a family complete and alive with the deepest love...

They walked silently into the children's room, reaching the bed of the cubs and smiling despite the sadness as they gazed to Anubis and Mriya, curled up together and quietly sleeping, snoring delicately as they rested so close, hugging themselves as Alexis and Killer did every night... And the two tigers stared lovingly at every small movement of the two little cubs, listening to their soft breath and regretting and loving at once that they had already fallen asleep: it made easier to say goodbye, but on the other hand, Killer and Alexis would have loved to see the bright, smart sapphire eyes of their children.

The huge male bent first over the two, quietly nuzzling both cubs and kissing delicately their heads before step backwards a bit, smiling softly to Alexis and taking her hips gently in his large, strong hands as she kissed the two as well, lovingly tucked in the sheets as she smiled softly, filling her eyes with the image of her cubs.

When they walked back into the bedroom, Athena and Joy smiled supportively from where they stood, waiting patiently beside Siegfried, the general Derik standing a slight bit departed, on attention. The once General of the Army, once second in command of Griagas, the one that Killer had looked at with distaste when he took the place of king, despite the impression of weakness he always gave to Wyvern, was still in charge. He had learned at least Killer's confidence, showing always a supreme dedication, an admirable will and showing to be faithful to the extreme. He was not as strong as most of the soldiers of Kendrew, he was ways weaker than Siegfried and neither comparable with Killer or Alexis, but he had experience and courage and never backed off... And Killer could surely appreciate that. Derik wasn't anymore the General of the Army, charge now held by Alexander, but he was now general of the Queen's Hussars, the unit that granted security to the royal palace and the royal family itself.

He was old when Killer had become king... and obviously he did not look any younger, but that only added to his aspect of peaceful, calm and respectful warrior. He was a wise man, another thing that Killer appreciated... Derik's fur, a time surely of a shining orange, now was dark, almost black, and even darker than the day he had first knelled before Killer. His body was still powerful-looking anyway, his body wrapped by toned musculature covered of scars almost everywhere... And he was wearing the red uniform of the Hussars, with the black, golden decorated helmet with the long ponytail of blond fur going down the back and the shiny armour of silvery steel covering his chest, white pants and long black combat boots covering his legs.

"Your majesties..." He greeted calmly and respectfully, bowing deeply in respect and renewed submission, Alexis smiling kindly and gesturing to him to straighten and ease himself as Killer nodded quietly, a slight smile on his muzzle as well.

"Derik, as you know, Alexis and I will be away for an unknown amount of time... And I fear attacks here. Useless hide it, I fear that our enemies might exploit our absence to strike a blow here. Maybe, the request from Glacial has been forced to lure us away on purpose to hit our children... I can't exclude this chance." Killer explained firmly, his eyes staring at the much smaller general with firm command, reminding him that he was responsible for the life and safety of all the females living in the immense palace and furthermore of the prince and of the princess.

"We want the surveillance to be brought to the highest levels... we want our people and our children safe as we are away fighting. This is your responsibility, Derik. We trust you... And in the same time, we remind you that a failure is not to be accepted or excused in any way." Alexis completed for the king, her smile gone now, her features cold with professionalism and the greatest of seriousness.

"My life will stand between any and all enemies and the people of this kingdom, Majesty." Derik said, bowing with a respectful smile and closing his eyes for an instant in submission and maximum seriousness both. "I can ensure that the safety of the princes will be ensured, no matter what kind of sacrifice it'll require from me."

"Siegfried, bro... You will help him. By whatever means needed, ensure the safety of everyone here." Killer added, nodding as his implacable, icy gaze turned to Siegfried... And both the white tiger and Derik snapped a tight and perfect salute before bow and leave as they were kindly dismissed.

"Athena, Joy... my two loved angels." Killer said softly as the two females approached, smiling softly in support for the sadness that, as mothers, they could recognize in the two ligers as they prepared to leave their children... and for an unknown amount of time, practically without chances to see them during their period of absence.

The two young tigresses elegantly slid to Killer, hugging his huge, muscular frame from both sides, muzzles nuzzling at his rippling, rock-hard abdominals lovingly as their hands soothingly stroked along his sculptured musculature, their eyes gazing lovingly up at his own as he smiled and wrapped a huge, muscular arm around each girl's shoulders.

"You two will take care of Mriya and Anubis, as you already do so gently every moment me and Alexis are away." He said softly, bending down to nuzzle each girl lovingly, smiling in their eyes as they looked at him adoringly. Their love for him had never faded... just like he still adored them both.

"We know that our children are in good hands." Alexis added softly, affectively hugging the two smaller girls, then squeezing them at her sides as she grinned up to Killer. "And we can surely work out something as ‘thank you' when we'll be back... Isn't that so, lover...?" She asked teasingly, now Athena grinning seductively as well as Joy smiled and blushed slightly, her eyes cheerfully gazing up at Killer as he amusedly grinned and gave a nod.

"Of course we can..." He answered softly, then leaned down over the three females and whispered teasingly at ear's level. "I once promised to ride you two on old Sigmund's counter... While the bar is open." He grinned wider, looking from a female to the other as they smiled widely, looking pleasurably surprised as their eyes burned with lust and anticipation, Alexis grinning predatorily with her own eyes gleaming as she squeezed Athena and Joy against her sides, licking her lips hungrily.

"That's sure an incentive..." Athena breathed hotly, licking her own lips before kiss Killer's muzzle lovingly... And Joy, from the other side, jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek affectively. "Be back soon, Killer..." She breathed lovingly.

"Of course we'll be... Nothing can stop Alexis and me, you should already know." He grinned, taking her in his powerful arms and kissing her on her lips, flexing his huge, muscular form against her as additional gift... And then he kissed Athena one more time, saluting her as well, before he and Alexis picked up their weapons.

Athena and Joy, laying on the king-sized bed, stared in awe and adoration as Killer threw away his black shirt, giving them a fast, teasing flex of his massive, godlike body before slid into his black armour adorned by the neck of black fur that had once covered his rival Dark... They had stared with a soft moan as he had lifted and shouldered the massive and terribly-heavy Wyvern with an almost idle movement of his hand, his bare, massive bicep bulging explosively... And they had attentively looked as he picked up Cobra and holstered a Desert Storm at his belt, where his three other swords were already in place, and Alexis put on her Osprey tactical combat vest, Blue Vixen on her back with the massive X13 sniper rifle and the Desert Storms at her seductive thighs...

And as Killer and Alexis put on the tactical visors of the Predator's gear, Serene stormed into the room, the little Ewan in her arms.

"So, it's true... You are leaving...?" She asked sadly, walking to Killer as he smiled gently.

"Yes, we must go... I'm sorry." He answered calmly, advancing of a couple of steps and bending to hug tightly the much smaller panther, who smiled up at him reassuringly as she kissed his muzzle lovingly.

"Don't be sorry. Kick their asses hard, and be back soon." She said firmly, grinning as she nuzzled his muscular, armour-covered chest.

"Yeah, you are learning, Blackie." Alexis amusedly observed, grinning widely as she nodded. Serene would have never dared to be so direct or use such words a year ago... But she was by now learning that Killer was a different king, a different kind of sovereign... not just an invincible warrior and a rivalless lover.

Killer grinned and nodded amusedly himself, before slowly, lovingly nuzzle Serene and kiss her for a long, passionate moment. "You know I'll do..." He said softly when their lips departed, and he lovingly kissed Ewan on his forehead, the cub looking cheerful and amused of that, raising his hands in search of his enormous father and pulling on the finger that Killer offered with a loving smile.

Salute everyone was impossible, and several minutes passed when Nike, Trine, Electra and the sisters of Alexis and many others charged out of their rooms to greet the king, hug him, get a kiss... And when finally, after all the preparations had been finished and salutes had been exchanged, that afternoon Killer and Alexis climbed on the white and green camouflaged Kite transport chopper, most of the pack was gathered up behind the platoon of Hussars giving the military salute to the departing sovereigns...

But finally, they were flying the short route to the huge airbase of Brize Norton, to the north-east of Kendrew, where they landed in perfect time to find the Night Spirits and the Whirlwind attack choppers already waiting to take off, engines running at low regime and pilots at the ready.

The Night Spirit was still a prototype, but it promised to be a true revolution for the armed forces. It was the first successful example of Vertical Take-Off and Landing VTOL cargo plane, and besides it was designed to be stealth and therefore extremely hard to detect and attack. Its dark grey fuselage had been designed to offer slopes of 30 or more degrees everywhere it was possible, so to drive radar waves away and disperse them without generate an echo. Its design was clear and accurate, aggressive in its essence of inclined panels... Radar-Absorbing materials and paints had been used, as well, and the tail, over the large Roll-On Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) ramp had double rudders inclined outwards as well. The wing was high, on top of the fuselage, resulting in a very wide cargo bay inside, and had air intakes in its front for the two huge, powerful turbofan engines in the root of the wings themselves and upwards-pointing winglets. The wings could bear weapons under four pylons if needed, but that was used rarely because it reduced the stealthness by altering the complex game of wave-reflection... The engine's thrust could be turned downwards for the landings and take off and eventually steered in every direction thanks to a complex system of ‘shovels' of titanium capable to deviate the jet's thrust. The plane also had two lateral sliding doors that hid deadly Minigun on pintle-mounts ready to fire to defend the Night Spirit from any threat, and four powerful, armour-piercing 30 mm guns were arranged in couples in the muzzle. The plane also had navigation and meteorological radar plants for the flight direction and a Search and Attack radar in a rotodome under the muzzle, with a complete system of Infra-Red Thermal vision in a swivelling turret in the front to have a capability of vision unmatched, day and night, on the 360°. Heavy loads could be hang from cables under the belly of the plane, and a vehicle MTRV500 could easily be took into the cargo bay. The plane was fast, very fast to be a cargo: it could fly at nearly supersonic speed, reaching comfortably the 980 kilometres for hour, and it could reach a range of operation of more than 3200 kilometres, with a loitering time on station of twenty minutes carrying four full sections of fully equipped soldiers and additional equipment.

That advanced prototype promised to be a future, precious element of the Predator's capabilities... and both the aircrafts so far built and completed were now parked along the 3 miles long runway, waiting for the order to take off for their first, real mission, crews already in position in the cockpit, behind the armoured, tinged windshields.

A third Night Spirit was ready, parked further down along the runway, and although it looked absolutely identical to the other two, Killer knew it deserved its name of Cyclone. Hidden into the spacious cargo bay, behind ports in the fuselage ready to be electrically opened when it was the right moment, there were two mortal, seven-barrel Gatling guns MK38, terrible weapons capable to fire more than 4000 40 mm armour-piercing bullets down on the target in one short minute. Those rounds were capable to tear holes into mostly any kind of armour... And near the tail of the gunship there was an even more devastating weapon: a Metal Storm grenade launcher with nearly 50 launcher-tubes, each stacked with ten grenades. It could fire the whole barrage in a second, if needed, and create a true hurricane of fire and steel powerful enough to destroy any kind of target. The weapons were all aimed to the left side, and the gun ship Cyclone was meant to fly at low, constant speed in a circle, firing on the enemy constantly, literally plowing the target to shreds with the colossal volume of fire it could unleash. It was like unleashing hell itself... And it was smart, as well. The weapons remained hidden inside the sealed fuselage until the moment to fire come... so that the Cyclone was just as stealth as its calmer, cargo brother, and it could pop out of nowhere to drown the enemy under a pounding rain of high explosive.

The Night Spirit was going to become a constant, for the Predators and for the armed forces in general: thanks to its exceptional features and possibilities, that conjugated the unmatched tactical mobility of a chopper with range, payload and speed of a plane, it was suited to cover a wide range of roles. Two further prototypes were under construction in the immense facility near Brize Norton's base: the first one was a new Aerial Warning And Control System, an AWACS fitted with the most advanced radars, sensors and communications suite, so that it was capable to keep under complete and merciless control a zone of battlefield as large as 500 kilometres in each direction while intercepting enemy communications and working as a flying command post. The other was an Anti Submarine/Surface Warfare version fitted with radars, a sophisticated sonar and with a payload of sensors and sonobuoys to detect ships and submarines, even submerged. The new AssW aircraft was going to carry appropriate torpedoes and missiles to deal with its enemies at sea in the most effective way.

Anyway, the display of power along the runway was closed magnificently by two aggressive, slender and powerful-looking AS50 Whirlwind, the newest attack chopper of the Northern Empire. It was an implacable hunter, stealth as well, at least as stealth as a chopper could be, with a two-seat tandem cockpit and two powerful engines sitting side to side on top, just under the huge rotor that was surmounted by a dome that protected the sophisticated attack radar. Two short wings protruded from the sides of the chopper, ending with a stealthy launch system that held inside a couple of air to air CAAM missiles ready to be fired, while the rest of the impressive, heavy payload of explosives was hidden into the spacious fuselage, so to remain hidden to the eye and, especially, to the radars. Two doors in the fuselage would open and a system of rails would extract the weapons and move them to fire position under the wings just when they were needed... And there was a stealthy turret under the muzzle of the chopper that hid a deadly, triple-barrel Gatling gun of 30 mm of calibre.

Killer and Alexis walked calmly down the runway towards this, soldiers and technicians lining up with sharp and perfect salutes as they passed by, Killer's eyes wandering on the wide, flat surface of the enormous base. Brize Norton was the main base of the Transport Command, the unit of the air force that serviced the cargo planes and the air tankers for aerial refuelling, so it had three long and very wide runways, between the greatest in the world, and gigantic hangars built with Cementitan and fitted with metre-thick doors, also of ultra-reinforced concrete, that were installed on rails and closed by powerful electric engines. The base hosted also an enormous underground depot of palletized supplies ready to be moved around with planes to support forces deployed anywhere in the world with short or no notice... The new organization that Killer and Alexis had studied and readied for the armed forces after the lessons of the battle of Kesteven, was centred on the continuous presence of an Amphibious Landing Force, three Predators divisions and possibly of a few others units in addition ready in every moment to respond to a crisis anywhere in the world within a very short time, possibly measurable in sheer hours.

To support such a deployment capability, they had strengthened a lot their capability to move supplies, troops and vehicles by the air, by acquiring whole new fleets of cargo aircrafts. The most impressive and newest of those cargo aircraft was the Atlas, the biggest plane in the world: a massive and stealthy winged-body aircraft with colossal winglets at the extremity of the wings and with four blocks each with three huge turbofans jet grouped up to supply the thrust needed to move such giant of the sky. It had a huge Ro-Ro cargo bay with a loading ramp at both extremities, and that space could fit easily ten MTRV500 and several other lighter vehicles like jeeps and trucks and trailers or containers of ammo, while carrying almost 300 passengers. The Atlas was so enormous it carried also a great amount of fuel that could be used to refuel other planes during the flight from five refuelling probes. The Atlas was the heavy lifter and the support point of the whole operation of deployment of the troops in a crisis zone: it carried most of the personnel and material and refuelled and supported the smaller cargos and the fighters of the escort.

Currently, three Atlas were parked at the ready, one on each runway, loading ramps opened and lowered and trucks and workers going back and forth to load on board vehicles and pallets of ammo and supplies. Behind the black-painted giants, several smaller cargo planes were being loaded as well... The three fleets of planes were being readied to deploy and support up to three divisions of Predators to Glacial in the next hours. Meanwhile, Typhoon fighters were roaring in large circles in the sky over the base, ready to protect the vulnerable operations going on below from any kind of threat.

"It's nice to see that our plans and ideas have turned into something that works... and that is so impressive." Alexis said softly, looking over the frenetic activity of the base as the noises of voices, trucks, cranes, low-regime growls of jet engine and the full-scale thunder of the flying Typhoons pressed in her ears.

But Killer, walking at her side, heard her and nodded with a slight smile, his eyes roving with satisfaction and pride on the display of efficiency and power that the base was giving: even larger superpowers, like Ire, that had much greater armies, couldn't be as effective on the global chessboard, since they had the soldiers and the vehicles in enormous amounts, but missed an equal capability to move them rapidly where they were needed.

Then, Killer's eyes widened with a gleam of cheerful pleasure as he caught sight of a well known tiger running towards them by nudging his way in the active and noisy crowd of technicians and workers.

Roger Nellis, clad in his blue uniform of work as technician, took rapid steps towards the sovereigns, waving cheerfully a hand over his head as Killer smiled in amusement and shook his head slightly at the complete lack of formalism... something expected, between two old comrades and friends, anyhow. He would have been almost hurt of being saluted with a sharp "Sir, yes sir" by Roger, of all persons in the world.

Nellis wasn't a Predator anymore. Not officially, at least... because, as the same super-soldiers were used to say, "Once a Predator, always a Predator". He had quit the fighting units to join his true, supreme vocation: the Development & Testing branch, the place where he could use all of his experience of fighting and all sorts of warfare in conjunction to his amazing ability to repair, maintain and build up stuff of any sort, from a radio made up by metallic junk to high-technology components that were a part of even the Night Spirit or the MTRV500 vehicles. Roger had started building things and joining electric cables when he was a cub... and had pretty much never ceased to study mechanics, electronics and computer science to continue producing advanced stuff to ease the life of the soldiers and, possibly, make them return to their homes alive and safe.

He had been a parachutist... and had served with Killer in the jungles of Sarawak and in a thousand other places. He had been one of the very first Predators and had been one of the five "diamonds", the five men more feared and the most deadly section of the Predators, teaming with Killer, William, Ken and Riaku. He had fought against the NWOA and all the way up to Wycherley... he had fought during the battle of Kesteven... and for all the time, he had been the one listening to Killer's ideas for new weapons and equipments; the one studying them up and building them in first place. And now he commanded the so called "Q Section": the laboratories and research teams of the Northern Empire, the ones with the task to design and roll into production all the material the Predators used. The laboratories were hidden deep into a mountain in the southern Kesteven, and were enormous... and with all the sharp-minded technicians and scientists working for him, Roger Nellis was literally building up a whole new army with its new systems and equipments.

Roger was a white tiger standing around eleven feet tall, with fair muscles on his toned and athletic body: he still liked to keep himself in shape, and pretty often he followed the Predators in the training that once had been his daily bread... Just as still he had habits from the trainings of the special unit, especially the ones from the course of espionage: Killer and Alexis had been out with Roger pretty often, going out for a beer or for a dinner... And they had always been extremely amused of the fact that, every time, Roger would chose a table in a corner from where he could look over the whole place without being eye-catching... and possibly, that table had to be near to a window or a door to give a chance of fast escaping if needed... and he cared to have always something heavy, like a chair, at the ready to be launched or anyway used as a weapon. Needless to say, Roger's eyes were smart and bright, gleaming with intelligence and they could fill up with sheer cheerfulness when he heard someone praise his stuff... And sometimes he may turn around to hide a tear of deep relief, happiness and satisfaction every time he heard that his inventions and productions had saved a life. He was an excellent warrior, and a guy that you'd always want on your side during a gunfire... but he liked a lot more saving life than destroying them.

As Roger come closer, his eyes immediately went to the Desert Storm handguns in the leathery holsters tied at Alexis's thighs, and he smiled a bit as he looked up to her and to Killer. "Do these work well...?" He asked with quiet and hopeful voice... He had been the one making them possible and real after he, Alexis and Killer had put the idea together, and he brightened like a kid on Christmas when she grinned and nodded firmly.

"They are delicious." She said gently, stretching her hand out to meet Roger's one, shaking it firmly and friendly as he happily smiled and bowed his head in respect and submission.

Killer smiled as he looked over that, then coughed in amused embarrassment as the smaller male embraced him firmly. Roger looked up in slight surprise at his cough, and Killer grinned and lightly ruffled the fur on his friend's head, making Nellis half-jump backwards out of reach as he combed his hair back and the two shared a laugh.

"You never change, Killer... King or soldier, you are the same bastard you always were." Roger exclaimed playfully, and the huge white liger faked a growl for an instant as Alexis slipped to his side and wrapped softly a hand around his waist, grinning of the antics of the two long-date comrades.

"So... It's a serious subject...?" Roger asked with a slightly ironical tone. For the urgency and the sheer width of the operations that had been started, it obviously was.

"Yeah..." Killer said with a nod. "Damn serious. We are going to get back Glacial."

Roger's eyes turned to Alexis, who closed her eyes for a moment at the mention of her war-torn homeland... but when her eyes focused back on Nellis, they were icy and determined even more than usual, all the pain she felt inside well sealed behind the screen of glacial pride and confidence that the femme fatale always had in her glance.

"I know it must be hard for you, Alexis... But at least, this will be the last time your home is violated. You'll be back, you'll be queen, and it'll be alright." Roger said softly, smiling gently... And while coming from most people, such words would have made her feel almost weak, causing a cold and possibly violent reaction from her, she smiled affectively and nodded in front of the sincerity and gentleness that Roger always had.

"I'll make sure it goes so." Alexis firmly announced, leaning against Killer's side lovingly. "And he's with me. Nothing can stop him... and nothing can dream to stop us when we are together."

Killer gazed at her in amused and almost embarrassed surprise, touched of the supreme and total confidence and faith she had in him... And he gently squeezed her around the shoulder with his arm as they traded a grin under the amused glance of Roger.

"I was at his side for years... and I know you aren't exaggerating." Nellis said with a slight nod, smiling amusedly... then he looked back to the Night Spirits, getting back to seriousness and professionalism. "I gave you the best crews of the Test Fly Squadron, making sure to have on board the guys with the greatest experience and the most hours of flight on the Spirits... they are still so new that I don't want to run any risk, and I want people ready for anything that might happen, and since Talon and Maverick are busy... But these new beasts of planes have done so good during all the tests that we are all enthusiast. It'll be all perfect."

"I trust you, Roger, you know that. If you say they work, they'll work." Killer said with a quiet nod, and then he grinned a bit as he added: "But I'll chase after you forever if it crashes for a fault or something."

Roger snorted and rolled his eyes upwards playfully before crossing his arms as Alexis asked where Talon and Maverick were. "They are out for a test flight on that X57 superfighter prototype you stolen from Chattam... Damn fine machine it is."

"How are you doing with that...?" Killer then asked with a frown of seriousness and interest.

"Fine. We managed to copy every single part and we replicated the whole plane, building up a couple of new prototypes. It's a damn complex work, but the boys are wonderful: they are replacing the NWOA technology and changing it with our superior equipments... while improving and adapting to our standards the most advanced stuff. The engines, for example... they are fabulous, and with our advanced control computers they'll suck a 15% less fuel. We are also integrating our software and our weapons into the system. We are effectively building up a whole new fighter, pretty much..." Roger paused, grinning a bit as he gave an amused snort, half-looking up to the sky. "The truth...? It's not really my field... far too advanced stuff, I don't really manage to follow the evolutions of the technology there. It changes to fast for this old tiger here. And planes have never been my field anyway."

"You are useful in any possible field, Roger." Alexis said kindly, smiling and nodding as he looked pleased.

"I just help out as I can and make sure that they do a good work... But Talon and Maverick are helping a lot: with the experience they have, their suggestions will turn the new plane into the best fucking fighter ever. They say it makes the Typhoon look old... and it's still like... Tip-top of the state of the art."

They walked towards the first cargo Night Spirit in line, exchanging quick salutes as they stood by the open Ro-Ro ramp on the back... and finally, Killer and Alexis walked into the cargo bay and sat down on two of the crashworthy armoured seats lined along the walls on the sides of the hold. Alone, for now, if not for a few soldiers and technicians that had to be transferred to High Wycombe airbase, in Kesteven. The few tigers in uniforms, anyway, sat well far from the two sovereigns, leaving them their space and privacy after a short and kind conversation. In the middle of the cargo bay, the floor had rails studied to hold in place pallets and vehicles, but currently, ensured to the outer rail, there were only three night-black small objects that looked almost like short torpedoes with a squareish section.

Killer and Alexis knew well what those were, anyhow: Dominator drones. They were advanced loitering ammunitions equipped with a thermal imagery sensor and a laser tracker system in a swivelling turret on the nose. They had a composite warhead made up by a powerful high-explosive charge and three top-attack Multimission submunitions ready to be fired, and each Dominator had an electric engine with a foldable-blades propeller and foldable wings.

After the launch, both were deployed, and the Dominator was effectively a small unmanned armed scout plane: it flied thanks to batteries and solar panels mounted on the wings, giving it a virtually endless time of flight, even if in reality it was only rarely used over the 20-24 hours timespan. During all this time, it worked as a virtually invisible spy in the sky, searching and tracking enemy forces... and eventually attacking them with the submunitions. At mission ended, the Dominator could be used itself as a bomb, with its built-in explosive charge... or parachuted safely to the ground to be used again later. Besides, the Dominator could be launched in countless different ways: from planes, from catapults mounted on jeeps or trucks or ships, from the new Rail Guns, from missile and rocket artillery launchers and even from the torpedo tubes of submerged submarines, thanks to special capsules designed to surface and launch the drone in the sky. That night, the Dominators would have been their silent guardian angels... their means to avoid being trapped in the ambush ready for them at the meeting point.

The flight was mostly uneventful: the ride was almost as comfortable as one into an airliner, thanks to the low level of vibrations and the quiet hiss of the turbofans, much less invasive than the ruckus of a chopper's rotors. The Night Spirit proved to be an excellent plane, like the one that Killer had dreamed of in first place... And that was obviously an immense satisfaction.

At twilight - Twilight. Failure. I never used that code word during my service in the Special Forces... and I will not use it tonight, Murray. It's a promise...- Alexis found herself staring out of the gunner's window to the High Wycombe base a few hundred meters below the Night Spirit as they approached the runway for the landing. And it was a landing smooth and different from the others: the Night Spirit slowed in midair until hovering on the spot like a chopper as the control-shovels of the thrust system located at the exhaust of both engines pushed downwards the flames and the power coming out the turbofans, the hiss of the jets growing louder and louder as the stealth plane descended slowly and surely, until the wheels of the undercarriage safely bumped lightly on the concrete and the hiss began to fade away when the crew brought the engines in rest mode.

The big ramp in the back of the plane opened, lowering itself to the ground with a quiet buzz as Killer stood up and idly rolled his shoulders, stretching with a bit of a yawn as Alexis walked back to his side. The two tall ligers walked down the cargo bay as the other passengers stood up and snapped a perfect salute, and when Killer and Alexis stepped down the ramp of steel and on the runway, hundreds of powerful, bulky soldiers in full gear stood at attention, their fist beating on their chest once before snap up in a perfect, choral salute.

Killer and Alexis smiled and raised their hand in answer, looking over the magnificent display of training, discipline and power: the whole First Predators Division was lined up at attention along the runway, ready to step in battle as soon as the order came.

After the union of Kesteven and Kendrew in what was now called Northern Empire, the structure of the Predators had been changed and improved: each of the three divisions, soon to become five, was now made up by three Predators Regiments. Each Regiment counted two companies, one from Kesteven and one from Kendrew. Each company was made up by ten Sections of ten men each, plus a Heavy Weapons Platoon equipped with ten heavily armed WMKRV jeeps, five of which carried the new automatic mortar systems developed and rolled in service from barely a month. The huge jeeps were lined up behind the soldiers, the crews standing at attention as well... And the strength of the division could rise further with the addition of armoured companies of MTRV500 vehicles, units of attack helicopters, expeditionary wings of the Air Force or anything else the mission could require. And the mix of technology, superior strength of the massive soldiers and sheer, huge volume of fire that the division could unleash, made of those 600 soldiers the deadliest formation ever seen in warfare.

Alexis turned her glance to the side to see the other Night Spirits and the Whirlwind choppers making their landing as well, putting up tidily behind the cargo they had just leaved, professional members of the air force guiding the operation with sharp gestures, holding in their hands luminous red sticks to be seen in the darkening evening as the hiss of the engines and the rumble of rotors filled the air, clouds of dust rising all around...

And then her attention turned back as she heard Alexander talking to Killer.

"...they are all ready. How many do you need?" The younger Huxley asked to his older and bigger brother.

"Eight sections from the first company, for the first wave." Killer answered simply, his deep, booming voice easily heard even in the chaotic noise of the moment. Alexander looked surprised, but nodded in a show of confidence for the strategic ability of the brother, and he turned and leaved to jog in the direction of the soldiers on attention. A few short moments, and the sections requested marched to the two cargo Night Spirits and walked up the loading ramps to sat down on the seats inside, putting their rucksacks under the seats in the apposite space, ready to the mission.

Teams of the air force quickly worked to refuel and check the planes of the assault group to ensure that everything was ready and perfectly working, while Killer and Alexis rapidly saluted Alexander... And then Killer looked curiously to the side as Alexis grinned and said playfully: "Stop playing, Ken. I know you are there, you moron."

The huge white liger turned back with a blink of surprise, just in time to see Ken stop in the middle of a step where he had been trying to sneak up on him and Alexis unnoticed to do one of his dumb jokes, most certainly.

The white tiger huffed and straightened, crossing his arms, the sophisticated robotic one and the "original" one, trying to pout but all in all grinning amusedly nonetheless despite himself. "You are such a fun-killer, Alexis."

"Try to pull down Killer's pants is funny only for me. You would have made a lot of people here feel inadequate." Alexis replied airily, smiling amusedly as she idly looked at an old fashioned map of Glacial. She doesn't needed to watch to know what everyone was doing around her... not anymore.

"It would have gained you a punch." Killer added, crossing his own muscular arms and looking plaintively down his muzzle at Ken, who shrugged and rubbed a hand in the loose, long fur on his head.

"It's not like you never punched me before. It hurts like hell, but I can survive." Ken grinned, nodding slightly.

"At least until you keep it gentle." He added with a suddenly fearful and submissive look up at the giant liger, who had traded a fast grin with Alexis and flexed his mighty musculature, rising a fist playfully and preparing to strike.

Alexis finally turned to Ken herself with a quiet and relaxed smile, luminous with true amusement from perhaps the first time after the request of help from Glacial had come. And that made Killer feel extremely grateful somehow to his old friend and comrade.

Ken, differently from Roger, had never even dared to fantasize about quitting his work as first-line sniper in the Predators formations. Neither when he had lost his right arm during the battle of Kesteven, during the bloody fight at the airport. The idea of retire scared him... And he had been happy as a kid on Christmas when the doctors and a team of technicians had managed to replace his lost limb with that sophisticated robotic one that was latched directly to his nervous system and that he could control just as well as it was his own fleshy arm of always. The project of the arm and most of the technicians had come from Mottram, sent by Riaku as the black tiger had promised... One of the very few steps that the son of Killer had made to gain his forgiveness.

Ken had never granted that, so far... but when Killer had talked to the sniper and explained him the talk he had had with the black tiger on Diana's grave, and shared his thoughts about his son, Ken had at least let a few walls fall and promised to value the efforts of Riaku with attention and understanding, to maybe forgive him, one day.

Meanwhile, he had trained himself furiously to learn using to perfect efficiency and precision his new mechanic limb, so that he had rapidly got ready to face a re-admission test for the Predators, that he had brilliantly completed. In a very short time, he had gained his old position as the best sniper of the whole unit... and he also managed to position himself in a higher rank as hand-to-hand fighter: the robotic arm gave him strength much greater, something he was ridiculously happy of.

Ken was still a very important and precious element of the Predators. He was always the first to offer himself volunteer, for whatever was needed at the moment... and he accomplished any task with admirable professionalism. Besides, he was a friend to everyone... and always managed to keep up the mood of the comrades, in any circumstance. A joke, a word, even playful insults at times... He had that rare and so precious ability to be likeable to anyone. The fact he could actually make even Alexis laugh with some commitment, was a clear sign of his skill.

"So... The rumours along the division are that we are heading straight into a trap." Ken observed with a smile, tilting his head upwards a bit as he scratched idly under his chin, his helmet resting under his arm and his beloved and customized, ancient bolt-action Enfield rifle in his robotic hand.

"Indeed, we are. We'll be giving you all the details during the flight." Alexis answered with a serious nod, and Ken all but grinned, looking up to Killer.

"So, it just like our old days of glory, huh...?" The sniper asked, his grin spreading a bit wider.

"Just like the old days." Killer nodded with his own grin, Alexis smiling amusedly to the two males... And as they walked up the ramp to enter the cargo bay of their Night Spirit transports, Ken sang cheerfully a very distinctive part of the Predators hymn: "...First into the fight..."

"...and last out." Killer and Alexis completed, nodding, before all the Predators in the hold repeated it in a proud roar.

And shortly, they were flying again.

Alexis quietly rested in Killer's muscular arms, leaning softly against his armoured chest and idly caressing his bulging, toned bicep as they rested silently. They had spend a good thirty minutes going over the details of the mission with the Predators that crowded the cargo bay, exploiting the visors of the gear to share the briefing with the soldiers that were into the second Night Spirit, flying beside theirs. They had made well clear the fact that they were heading straight into an ambush... that there would have likely been friends and enemies mixed up in the same group, making things further complicated... that they would have been well behind the enemy lines and that their arrive was expected. They had explained to the Predators that as soon as they landed, they had to run out of the Night Spirit and create a perimeter of defence... but holding fire. They would have carried out normal after-landing LZ clearing to see how things evolved... and they would have deluded the enemy, making believe to their ambushers that they had fallen into the trap. Alexis would have rapidly spotted with her powers who was an enemy and who not... and the Dominators drones would have spied the whole area from the sky, discovering the enemy positions. From ambushed, the Predators would have turned into ambushers.

Killer was glad that the Night Spirit was stealth as it was. A very real risk was that the enemy wanted to just lure them in the air space of Glacial and then blow them to shreds with a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) without even making them reach the LZ. He would never admit it, but he hated infiltration phases of that kind, because they weren't under his control. He was in the hands of the pilots... and in the aiming sight of batteries of SAMs deployed in all Glacial. And while in a battle he could fight, against a missile hitting the plane, he was powerless.

The guess, anyway, was that the enemy was expecting them at the LZ, in order to be sure to have both Alexis and him in their net... in order to be sure to kill them both. Paradossally, they hoped it was the right hypothesis... nor they were really scared of this perspective that at least gave them chances to fight their way out.

The worries of Killer and Alexis were different. They both knew that if the main plan of the enemy was to simply use a missile and take them down, Murray could have already been dead from long time... And Killer could feel all the crackling, almost electric mix of fury and worry that made Alexis shift uncomfortably in his lap every now and then. It hurt him to the core... but he tried to hide that, knowing all too well that if Alexis felt his sadness, she would have felt only worse. He nuzzled her softly instead, squeezing her lovingly against his chest and whispering soft, soothing nonsense to her ear as she smiled affectively, touched of his good will, if nothing else.

And Killer had also another stinging worry burning in his chest: Glacial was under the control of Riaku, after all... and even if from the very first times there had been a powerful movement of resistance against him, he had been a wise and good king that had granted to the population of the conquered kingdom a life fair and peaceful. But from some time, the resistance movement had extreme difficulties in communicating with the Northern Empire, and the few reports that had come in the latest periods talked of nothing more than disasters, hunger, cruelty and ruin.

I trusted you, Riaku... What the hell are you doing, now, again...? What I have to do with you...?

Killer closed his eyes for a moment, lowering his head tiredly... but he hid the heavy, dragged out sigh that he felt coming to his mouth as Alexis gently squeezed him around the shoulders. He was worried, of course... Glacial had been turned into a warzone and a sort of fortress: all the major towns had been surrounded by tall and thick walls of protection, and ample zones of the few plains of the mountainous kingdom had been flooded with the use of locks along the rivers and torrents. The flooding was one of many measures took to make Glacial impossible to attack with a parachutists landing... but had also deprived the population of most of the cultivable lands and caused a frightening shortage.

Why, in the name of all gods, did you have to do a monstrosity like this...?

"Majesty, sir...?" One of the four members of the crew of the Night Spirit had emerged from the small door that leaded to the cockpit, and now was standing on attention, in patient waiting. Killer blinked once and straightened, but Alexis was far faster, turning to face the young officer.

"Talk." She said simply, and perhaps a tad more sharply that usual, even if she still forced kindness on her features, despite everything that was crowding and torturing her mind.

"We'll drop you at the LZ as forecasted, and then we'll go away and loiter at a kilometre or so of distance. We have more than enough fuel to stay in zone... If things get too messy and complicated, give a call and we'll turn back and come at full afterburner to recover you all." The lieutenant said firmly, giving a nod and a slight smile.

Killer and Alexis both felt touched of that: they had not even thought to ask a similar attention by the crews, and their spontaneous offer was extremely touching. After all, at times, it's believed that the guys of the air force are just drivers of luxurious taxis that bring you from Alpha to Beta point... But that's not true. They are integral part of each operation... and they don't lack the courage of the soldiers. After all, the Night Spirit was always a big and imposing machine. Return to the LZ and challenge the enemy fire would have been a terrific risk for the entire crew.

"Thanks... but I really hope we'll not need an emergency retreat, in any case." Killer said softly, giving a quiet nod... and the young officer smiled and walked back into the cockpit as Ken snorted amusedly. "Like you had not enough risks to go through, kid... always searching other ones. Continue on this path, and maybe one day you'll be crazy enough to be a Predator as well."

And everyone laughed along the plane, for a moment forgetting the danger and the trap they were running towards.

There were a few more moments of peaceful flight... then the loudspeakers in the hold of the plane gave a simple, sharp message. "We are flying over the border."

Everyone on board shifted on his seat, taking a nervous breath. Out in the sky, the Typhoons that had escorted them turned away: they weren't stealth, and their presence would have meant a secure engage by the enemy air defence. But now, the three Night Spirits and the two attack choppers were alone...

And the crews started to really deserve their ranks and salaries.

The two gunners at the Miniguns at the lateral doors started to shift nervously their weight from leg to leg, looking out of the window of the sliding ports to spot any possible threats, hands grasping tightly the double handle of their weapon, the seven barrels of which revolved slowly and silently. The two gunners looked almost impatient to press the button that would have rapidly opened the doors and allowed them to start firing... but their professionalism was evident in each little move.

"Turn off the radars, or they'll detect our emissions and find us." The calm voice of the pilot come from the cockpit, followed soon by the "alright" of the co-pilot as the Night Spirit made a fast and violent descent.

A moment, and they were flying at almost 280 knots at barely twenty meters from the ground, to become further invisible to the enemy radars. They were doing it without the support of the numerous radars on board, using only the night vision goggles and the Thermal sensor in the turret under the nose of the plane to find the right path in the labyrinth of hills, trees and electric cables that crowded the area.

The exchange of information between the gunners and the crew was constant. Their voices quiet and relaxed, almost if they were into a flight simulator. The co-pilot kept his eyes on the instrumentation, the navigator at his console used the thermal imagery sensor to detect any possible threat and in the same time locate any and every obstacle on their way, the fourth officer helping both looking out of the cockpit and keeping under control the screens of the sensors, the gunners giving indications while the pilot flew the plane visually, relying on the info given him by the crew.

The quiet sound of their continuous conversation was almost relaxing. It spoke of professionalism and confidence. Everything had been studied, prepared, tested.

Co-Pilot: "Electric cables, one mile."

Pilot: "Alright. Electric cables, I see them. Climbing to 70 meters."

Gunner: "Overcome."

Pilot: "Alright, I'm descending."

Co-Pilot: "50... 40... 30 meters."

The Predators started giving the last check to their rifles and weapons in preparation to the imminent landing. Killer looked over their expert moves with pride... And Alexis studied the firepower they relied upon.

Each Section was made up by ten soldiers: three of them were Rifles, armed with the advanced AMASR9, an assault rifle capable to fire 950 rounds of the deadly calibre 12.70x99 in just a minute. The rounds were fired thanks to an electric pulse, so there were no chances of jamming. The rounds were encased ones with combustible shell, so there was no bullet case left. Each weapon had also an underslung grenade launcher tube loaded with three grenades ready to be fired, and each tube could be replaced in a few seconds.

Two more soldiers were equipped with the Fire Support version of the rifle: it had a longer and heavier barrel, and could be feed from normal 30-rounds clips or with belts of ammo. Normally, they used plastic boxes that contained a 180-projectiles belt, and they could fire with a rate of more than 1200 shots for minute.

Other two were snipers, armed with deadly composite rifles that were modified AMASR with a different, much longer barrel, adjustable checkpiece, bipod and rear monopod, plus obviously much more powerful sights. They were still serviceable as assault rifles if needed on the short distance, and they could be set on single-shot mode to take mortally accurate head shots on a distance of two kilometres. They also were dressed up with the Death Cloak: a special nanomachines-made camouflage that was able to act on the reflection of light and images, recording the surrounding wall and screening the image on the opposite side of the uniform. The soldier wearing it, in this way, become invisible to a casual observer.

Then there was the Assaulter, the real specialist in explosives. He had a modified AMASR9 that had a revolver's drum-like rotating grenade launcher mounted around the barrel. It was made up by six replaceable launcher tubes, each with three grenades inside, which could be launched even in a single, deadly and fast barrage. He also carried mine-detection equipment and a special rucksack that contained the so called Viper, a system of mine-clearance. Basically, a rocket that pulled an explosive linear charge rope with several grenades attached, that detonating cut passages in the barbed wire and made explode mines.

The last one was the Section Leader, equipped with an AMASR9 and with sophisticate communication and command & control systems.

Each man was dressed up with a full Osprey Tactical Combat Vest, capable to deal efficiently with bullets up to the 7.62 armour-piercing. The armour covered the entire torso and had protections for the groin, the thighs, knees, elbows, a collar covering the neck and shoulder pads. The Osprey was also equipped with an internal, wearable water reserve and had a temperature conditioning system that could cool or heat the soldier up as needed. The helmet they were wearing was the so called MK2 Heavy Duty, because it offered a complete protection of the whole head: it resembled an integral motorcycle helmet, but it was capable to resist to a 7.62 round no problem. Even the visor, that worked also as tactical screen, was bullet-proof, and the helmet could be sealed and filter the air to protect the soldiers from gas and other forms of pollutions. The uniform they worn, and the camouflaging clothes that wrapped the armour and the helmet were made with the latest nanomachines, making the cloth bullet-proof to the lower calibres and making it capable to change its colours to automatically match the surrounding environment. Their combat boots had a small electricity-generator in the heel, capable to supply current to all the advanced sensors they worn with each step. The systems included an Identify Friend or Foe IFF, a suite of microscopic microphones set on the Osprey to detect and locate enemy fire sources, the personal radio, a Health Monitoring System and the tactical visor, that had between its many tasks the vital one to show the images coming from the camera in the aiming sight of the rifle, so that the Predators could aim from behind a cover exposing only the rifle.

Each of them had also a single-use rocket launcher suitable to destroy tanks, bunkers or hovering choppers, and the assaulter carried the Javelin missile launcher of the section, while everyone had a few missiles, sealed up in their launching tubes, ready to use.

Always in contact thanks to radio and visors, capable to share data, voice and images, to hit enemies while staying covered and equipped to engage any sort of target, the Section had a firepower absolutely unmatched, despite its limited sizes.

Killer and Alexis then stood up and entered the cockpit, approaching the navigator. He and the fourth officer sat in two consoles just behind the two seats of pilot and co-pilot, side to side in the dark cockpit, where only soft green light came from the countless screens. Every man of the crew was wearing the modified Joint Warriors tactical visor used by the air force, using it in Night-Vision mode to look out of the windows in their visual navigation. The screens and pilot lights and every source of light into the cockpit had been studied to be compatible to the use of night vision goggles, so there weren't disturbs of sort. Now, at least, they had overcome most of the electric cables and obstacles of their low-altitude flight, so the pilot was a bit more relaxed.

"Your Majesties, look at this, if you like... It's pretty interesting." The navigator said respectfully, calling the attention of the two sovereigns as he looked on his screen.

Alexis rapidly approached, her glance going immediately down to the images on the console coming from the thermal imagery sensor in the turret in the nose of the plane: they were stabilized perfectly, and the focus remained locked on the target even as the Night Spirit flew rapidly past.

The image was clear almost as if she was looking with her own eyes, if not for the fact it was in black and white only, forming the image by the contrasts caused by different temperatures. Currently, the sensor was looking over what was clearly a large SAM site.

Several huge missiles SA1 were ready to launch on their single launch turrets, each solidly mounted over a platform of reinforced concrete and surrounded by a low wall that offered some protection to the delicate missile system. Killer could count at least twenty missiles, scattered on a large field, with several soldiers on patrol here and there and a few jeeps roaring around the perimeter... And he half-bit his lower lip. He knew well the SA1 system: very common in most of the world, it was a fixed area defence SAM type, capable to intercept enemy aircrafts with a range of 80 kilometres and up to 25 kilometres of height from the ground. Its weak point was that the missile was guided passively by a ground-based radar... so that an ALARM anti-radar missile could make a whole battery powerless by destroying the radar that worked as eye for the missiles. It was a system to reckon with, anyhow... And besides, they hadn't any ALARM, currently available.

"They spotted us...?" Alexis asked calmly, crossing her arms as she looked over the images with attention, half-waiting for a missile to take off from its ramp... But the navigator shook his head with a kind smile.

"No, majesty. Their radar illuminates us regularly every few fractions of seconds, but they can't see us. They have no return echo... After all, if this plane it's stealth to our radars, theirs can't see us, as well." The officer answered, and then his hand moved easily the little joystick on his console, making the turret in the nose of the plane turn as well, the thermal sensor searching over the forest they were rapidly flying over, until he stopped when he reached a precise angle and rapidly zoomed.

"That's the landing zone we are going to." The navigator announced as a clearer and clearer image come to the screen, with always more details as he zoomed.

"Pretty crowded already." Killer observed coldly: several soldiers, armed with various assault rifles and submachine guns, were standing all along the clearing... and surely much more were hidden in the forest around, covering a very large area, because they could see stains of heat on the image... But the thick wood hid well what was in waiting on the ground.

"Murray is there, at least. Alive." Alexis said, smiling softly as relief filled her voice, her finger pointing at a standing figure that had a man on each side as she traded a look with Killer. That gaze was worth a complete conversation to them, and they shared an imperceptible nod as the huge male softened and smiled as well. Alexis had confirmed she had identified Murray detecting his aura and feelings... and he definitely hadn't tricked them or double-crossed them. She could feel his determination... His worries... And the sincere hope and conviction that his hidden warning had been received. Yes, colonel... I understood you. We both never changed, after all.

"This is our waiting point. Ready to help at the first request." The crews of the gunship and of the Whirlwinds said on the radio network. The attack choppers and the gunship stopped their run, hovering in waiting behind the cover offered by a ridge of the mountains. They were only a couple of miles away from the Landing Zone, by now, a range easily covered by the weapons of the Whirlwind, and a distance that the Cyclone could cover in a moment, if needed. But at least, their aces remained covered for now. The bluff could begin.

"Alright." The pilot of the cargo responded quietly. "Let's drop the Dominators, then. Majesties...?"

"Launch authorized." Killer and Alexis said in unison, nodding a bit. Immediately, the pilot pushed a button, and the loading ramp in the back opened itself slowly, the rail on the floor of the hold starting to move with a soft buzz, bringing the Dominators backwards towards the exit without any hesitation.

The Predators idly watched as the three drones reached the end of the ramp one after the other, slammed out of the cargo by the violence of the winds and the momentum of the speed of the Spirit. The black painted Dominators reared up for a moment in the sky, caught in the turbulences left by the passing cargo that had just dropped them, and then the wings of the drones switched out and reached their position as the blades of the propellers in the tails opened.

A second, and the drones were stabilized and flying silently over the forest with the strength of their own engines.

"Waiting circle. Let's carry out a well done reconnaissance." The pilot commanded, all the rest of the crew communicating their affirmative as the two cargo Spirits started to loiter in a lazy, slow circle, closing up the door of the hold as the navigators on the two planes taking the command on the small swarm of three Dominators.

The small drones were little and made of plastic composites, a combination of factors that made them invisible to the radars even more than the much larger Night Spirit. Besides, the small electric engine was so silent that the Dominator could fly just over the tip of the trees without being heard by the men below.

The navigators easily guided the unmanned scouts over every single one of the suspect stains of heat they had detected with the thermal sensors and the Dominator used its camera and sensors to look down and identify every single element. The images were clear and accurate, and Killer soon could see on the console that all around the clearing there were snipers scattered in fire positions on the branches of the huge trees... And soon they discovered that three Gatling machine guns and a few grenade-launchers kept the whole area under their aim, together with tens of soldiers hidden in the vegetations and ready to fire on every square inch of the clearing.

"Start mapping the enemy positions." Killer commanded simply, and the navigator started to feed data into the Network: suddenly, the map projected in a window in front of the left eye over the visors of everyone on board started to display red icons. Red, enemies... and there was an icon for any kind of threat: sniper, soldier, gunner, tank, artillery and so along, so everyone started to know what they were going to face... And the Predators had now the awareness of the precise position of every enemy, several of them using their visor to see in real time the images coming from the Dominators.

"Slow down. They aren't all enemies, in the clearing." Alexis said firmly, placing a hand on the shoulder of the navigator as she concentrated, closing her eyes and putting all of her energy into catching sign of every aura, of every feeling.

Her finger, meanwhile, pointed at the screen on the console, aiming one after the other every man standing in the open even if she don't watched.

"Friend... enemy... enemy... friend... enemy..." She listed, and the navigator quickly tapped the buttons on his console, putting a blue icon on the not-enemies as Killer looked to Alexis with an admired and loving smile, the entire crew of the plane sneaking glances at the queen with amazement on their features. "...And obviously the ones around Murray are enemies keeping him under aim." The femme fatale concluded coldly... And the navigator nodded in confirmation as he put the right icons on the last two contacts. "We'll keep the area monitored with the sensors of the plane and the Dominators, so you'll know exactly every move of every single enemy in the area, minute for minute." He ensured calmly, and Alexis grinned coldly.

The ambushers are ambushed.

The reconnaissance continued, the Dominators flying around the clearing in always larger circles. The result was amazing: at less than a kilometre away from the LZ, tanks and armoured vehicles were ready, along with hundreds of other soldiers. More and more troops were deployed all around the area, ready to intervene as reinforcements... And last, but not least, four kilometres away, ten large pieces of artillery were ready, supported by five deadly Multiple Rocket Launchers and completed with tall piles of ammunitions at the ready. It was a massive force ready to give battle to an entire army... And it demonstrated that the enemy, this time, was taking no chances against them. No undervaluing...

But yet, Alexis was only grinning cruelly. Her greatest worry had faded... she could still save Murray and many more of her old friends, now members of the Resistance. And that was all what she wanted.

"Transmit the data to the Whirlwinds and order them to take aim at the enemy artillery." The femme fatale commanded firmly. "A Brimstone missile for each artillery piece, ready to hit as soon as we give the order."

"Sir, yes sir." The navigator answered, easily sharing images, data and orders with the task force of combat choppers waiting in second line.

Alexis nodded, and then turned to Killer with a slight grin. "There's no more we can do from here, I guess."

"Indeed." Killer nodded, grinning himself as he closed his deadly fists, feeling the thrill of the battle rising in him and burning down his veins, pumping raw, brutal power in his huge muscles. "Approach the landing zone." He commanded, and the pilot immediately turned the plane and launched the Night Spirit towards the last stretch of their path.

Two planes, two sovereigns and 80 Predators jumped straight forwards into battle.