Editing City Series:Volume6e Chapter4 (section)

===Part 7===

Hazel ran along an elevated railroad.

She was surrounded by fog. The dome already covered the sky above and she could see wide gap of Tempelhof Airport through the fog past the east wall of the railroad.

Her running feet took her toward a German military truck collapsed with its belly toward her. The two trucks used by the vanguard had rolled on their sides, blocking the way ahead.

The people hiding behind the truck barricade were firing into the fog.

…''I thought it was odd things were going so smoothly.

She kept running, hearing the elderly unit commander’s voice from behind her.

“They lured us in. Everyone, we need to join the vanguard. Are you ready?”

She looked back to see the 20 soldiers who had been riding the third truck.

Seeing them all spread out across a decent distance, she nodded. She checked side to side and viewed the sides of the elevated railroad. Due to the proximity of the airport, the railroad was built about 15 yards high to allow cargo trucks and Heavy Barrels to pass underneath.

…''I can see armored trucks and special vehicles gathering below.

She saw the metal Lives moving around below them.

“Enemy soldiers will be climbing the support pillars soon.”

Before that warning from behind her was even done, they arrived at the two trucks blocking the way.

A few dozen soldiers were hiding behind them. Those were the four platoons who had ridden those two trucks.

A few were injured and being healed by the Tuners assigned to their unit.

“Situation report?” asked the elderly commander.

The man firing from behind the truck didn’t even look back as he replied.

“This is all of us now and they’re gathering over there. What about the rest? Were they taken out?”

Hazel looked behind them and realized she couldn’t hear the fourth truck anymore. A woman pulled headphones from her backpack and put them on, but she shook her head after a bit.

Gunfire and shattering glass could be heard from the other side of the trucks.

Bullets would not stop hitting the trucks.

Hazel sighed and then spoke her thoughts aloud.

“I need to do something.”

Her voice came out louder than intended and everyone turned toward her.

The gunfire suddenly stopped at the same time.

…''Eh?

She gasped and focused on her ears.

All sound had vanished from direction of Tristan. As had the killer intent.

She waited for three breaths.

But even then, she didn’t hear a single bullet hit the trucks or even whizz past them overhead.

The man who had been firing from behind the trucks tried firing into the mist.

Still no response. He crouched down and peered out.

“What’s going on?”

Then a somewhat higher-pitched male voice spoke from the fog.

“Is that you, Messiah?”

Hazel recognized the voice.

“Geheimnis Agency Air Force Division Chief Herbert Müller?”

“Indeed. I would much prefer you did not playfully bring down the railroad this time. We only ask one thing: to take the Messiah into our custody.”

<The view along the railroad is clear.>

The fog vanished from the railroad. As did the trucks Hazel’s unit was using as cover.

“An Erklärung!?”

“You are within Germania now, so this is a simple task for us.”

That voice came from atop the now-fogless elevated railroad.

A black wall stood about 50 yards away.

It was formed by armored trucks and black-clad Geheimnis Agency Neue Kavaliers.

They all carried swords or spears and their bodies were heavily customized with prosthetics.

The short, elderly man named Müller stood out in front of them.

“I borrowed some of the army division’s best troops for my vanguard unit. Our comrades are already closing in on you from behind and the rest of our forces should have left Tristan by now. And…”

He used his right hand to push up the glasses covering his squinty eyes.

Then he raised that hand skyward and snapped his fingers.

“Once your situation sinks in, I do believe you will accept defeat.”

Black figures instantly lined up along the concrete walls on either side of the railroad.

They were all Geheimnis Agency Neue Kavaliers. They all held weapons and directed their gazes down toward Hazel’s unit, but there was no emotion there.

Hazel gasped.

…''I thought they were still down below.

“I assure you this is no Erklärung,” said Müller.

Hazel responded while ignoring the walls of Neue Kavaliers to instead look dead ahead.

“If I surrender to you, will you let the rest of my unit leave unharmed?”

“If those are your terms.”

Hazel gave a satisfied nod and smiled with just her eyes.

“Everyone.” She took a deep breath and spoke to the group behind her. “I intend to fight, so that I can accomplish something. Do you have the will to fight as well?”

They didn’t respond, but the commanders of the three platoons there did slowly move.

The elderly man, the man who had been firing earlier, and a woman holding a Device walked out in front of Hazel. Then the rest of the unit formed up next to and behind her.

Tension filled the air. Müller and the Neue Kavaliers in front of them and the Neue Kavalirs on the walls crouched down a bit as they prepared to fight.

But the gunner man in front of Hazel ignored that killer intent and spoke quietly while still facing forward.

“The knight near the support pillar on the left has a sloppy stance. Focus on him.”

The Device woman to Hazel’s right nodded and whispered back.

“What’s the plan after we get down to the surface?”

The elderly man to Hazel’s left held his empty fists by his hips and answered.

“One of my men is from Tempelhof. We let him lead the way. But…no one here is going to say they don’t have the skills to jump down from this height, are they?”

Everyone’s bitter laughter was all the answer anyone needed. Hazel could see the yellow Lives of tension in that laughter, but she also saw the warm crimson they all formed.

The elderly commander pulled out a pocket watch.

“2:28. Another 7 minutes until the artillery and RB-21 arrive.”

“Another 32 minutes until the ACBS launches.”

“And about another 2 hours until the world changes.”

Hazel saw a brightness other than confidence in the three commanders’ voices. There was a calm composure there.

…''We can manage this, can’t we?

Hazel gripped Rein König in both hands and Müller asked her a question from up ahead.

“Is this your answer, Messiah?”

“No.” She looked him in the eye. “It’s ''our'' answer.”

“In that case,” said Müller, raising his arm and snapping his fingers.

Killer intent formed and grew from the front and both sides.