The third patient legs were entirely crushed, bleediing profusely. At this point his only choice was tourniquets on both legs. He knew most likely upon arrival they most likely would have to amputate as their damage was quite severe. Quickly advising his second of the damage he then handed the patients over to his second aboard the chopper. As he did so they came under fire.
The pilot trying tio take off to save the patients had to make an emergency take off leaving Xavier in the dust…behind.
“I GOT THIS! GO!” he called back. She took a few deep breaths, readied her weapon and came out of her cover. She was spotted immediately of course and came under some heavy fire. Laser blast caught her across the forearm and she hissed in pain.
“FUCKER!” she snarled, returning fire as she ran to Rabbit’s side. His eyes were closed and he was bleeding heavily. She checked his pulse. It was reedy and slow, but it was there. She pulled out her radio.
“THIS IS ECHO 10 TO ECHO BASE! I NEED IMMEDIATE EVAC AT THESE COORDS STAT! RABBIT IS DOWN! I REPEAT, RABBIT IS DOWN! OVER!”
“ECHO BASE TO ECHO TEN, WE HAVE YOU LOCKED IN AND WILL BE ARRIVING IN 5! COPY!”
“ROGER THAT, ECHO BASE! ECHO TEN OUT!” she reholstered her radio and checked around her for mechanical enemies. Looked as if the surviving team members were thinning them out. “Hang in there, sir. Help’s on the way.” she urged. “Ash! Get over here!” She no longer had to shout to be heard as the last few Terminators were blown apart. She pulled out her field kit and ripped open Rabbit’s jacket to see how severe his wounds were. Her brother was at her side in an instant. There was a large gash at his temple that was bleeding profusely. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Caught a piece of rock to the head when I blew out one hiding behind a door. Another scar for the ladies to check out.” He waggled his eyebrows. She snorted before getting back to work. “How bad is it?”
“He took it point blank range.” She pulled out some bandages and gauze. “Press these down hard then help me wrap them. I can’t get the slugs out and he’s going to need medical attention ASAP.” Asher nodded and followed his sister’s orders and between the two of them, they got Rabbit’s wounds covered. “Have you seen Commander Grant?” she asked him.
“Not since we disembarked. Want me to look around?”
“Yeah. Just in case.”
“You got it, sis.”
She leaps up onto its back treads, making a grab for the back section, just as it senses being hit by something small like a human. Swinging its body around, she takes out an EMT destabilizer and attaches it to the tank, as it starts to shudder violently and then seize up; its treads coming to a complete stop. Working quickly, she uses her knife, to snap off the back panel on the dead of the tank, and quickly rewires the machine as its paused. With the correct wires in place, she snaps the lid back down and rips off the EMT destablizer and it soon powers up again. It’s lights power up a different colour and Clarissa jumps down off the back, as she watches it open fire…on its own. This gives her the chance she needs, to at least make it back to Rabbit and the others, as the new suicide Tank goes on its own mission, clearing the way for her.
Seeing Ash up ahead, looking for her, she races over between the laser fire, and then dives behind a burning car. “Where’s Rabbit? And what happened to your head?”
Once everyone was secure, they headed back to base.
Though Ash thought the injury may well have looked superficial, Clarissa knew that a strike to the head could lead to further complications, so it was a good thing the Medivac was on its way in. Crossing over to where Aleksis was tending to her Commander, Clarissa was shocked by the state of his injuries. It wasn’t till he leaned on her and spoke, that she felt the warmth of his blood seep from his injuries onto her hand and skin.
“Clarissa i want you to take the remaining members of the squad and board the next Medivac out with me its time we got out of here and figured out how the fuck the machines ambushed us…I don’t want to lose more then I already have if i have anything to say about it…”
Feeling his slump against her after issuing the orders, she got him into a good lock hold and started to drag/walk him towards the medivac that was landing just a short distance away. It was hard going and her fear that he will bleed out before they reached the craft was really getting to her. Clarissa yelled back at the remaining squad, in particular, Ash and Aleksis.
“We getting out. Order retreat, get your asses on that medivac. Get moving!” she barked, as Ezekiel collapsed to the ground and two other medics came from the medivac and helped him up. Clarissa kept her gun trained now on any possible machines that were going to try and attack as the squad made a run for it. The entire operation had been a shambles right from the word go, and there were bound to be a lot of questions when they made it back to base. Most importantly how did the machines know they were going to be checking that spot in the city?
With everyone getting aboard, Clarissa was one of the last to board, only when she knew everyone was on safely, and the medivac could take off finally, and ferry the injured and dying to safety.
~Hours later~
Back at base, the wait to see if the Commander would pull through his emergency operation had Clarissa walking the halls, pacing back and forth, her eyes darting up to the clock, that seemed today to be going really slow. Why is that? When you are in a rush, time speeds and then when you are waiting for something, it goes so slow. Finally she headed down to his room, to wait for him there, hoping…praying he made it.
Looking up as she stood outside his door, she heard the din of his footfalls, and her face brightened, before she stood to attention and saluted.
“Commander…you are a sight for sore eyes. Should you even be walking around?” Her voice riddled with concern.
<3>
“I love you Clarissa and I want you at my side. If you would agree to the promotion and allow me to court you I would be most pleased.”
Clarissa blinked, hearing this coming from her Commanding officer. He loved her. She let a gasp escape her lips, trying to take in what he had just said. Not only did he want her by his side, he wanted…her. Ezekiel waited, and then sat himself down behind his desk, with his boots propped up on the top of the desk. Suddenly, a smile crept to her lips, and she said simply.
“I thought you would never ask to court me. Yes…yes you may.” She leaned against the wall, and chewed her bottom lip.“I’m too shocked to sit…Ezekiel.”
<3>
