Together, you and Kurt made your way through the abandoned buildings until you finally made it to your destination: a huge shopping centre that was never finished.

The roof was high enough to optimise the range of the anti-aircraft missile and avoid interference from other roofs and structures. It was also flat and you could aim from up there.

You took a quick look at the sky. The cargo ship was only a length away from the stadium. There were maybe twenty minutes left until it crossed the border into Militech territory.

With a motion of your head, you motioned Kurt to follow you and took the main entrance. A rookie mistake, as you had to admit yourself.

No sooner had your optics acclimatised to the darkness than the first shot rang out. Everything happened so suddenly that your legs froze in shock. The bullet whizzed past your head, tearing a trail along your temple. The warmth of blood dripped over your skin.

Air flickered in the corner of your eye, a hand grabbed the back of your neck and not a second later you fell to the ground in the shadows in a completely different place.

Gasping, you immediately jumped up again, a sharp pain spreading through your shoulder. Breathing heavily, Kurt pressed his back against a pillar next to you. Sweat glistened on his forehead. A trail of blood ran from his nose. Eyebrows drawn together, he wiped his face with the back of his hand.

"Bad timing.", he growled, glancing over his shoulder.

Bullets rained. Chunks of concrete were blasted out of the wall by the force.

A warning appeared in the corner of your eye. Kurt's vitals were fluctuating, something was straining his circulation, threatening to burn his neurones.

The Sandevistan. It strained his cells.

"Don't use it again.", you gasped, finally waking from your stupor to pick up a gun.

The first shot hit a soldier in the eye. An explosive device that blew his head off. Blood and brain matter scattered across the floor.

Kurt tried to get back on his feet, to support, but stumbled and sank back.

"I'll take care of this.", you proclaimed.

Your eyes lit up red and the next second a mobile machine gun was under your control. A hail of bullets poured over the enemies.

Voices shouted wildly, men stumbled on the stairs and ran for cover. Bullets punched deep furrows into benches, pillars and the floor. A cloud of dust swallowed up the clear view of the battlefield.

The smell of gunpowder and heat mingled in your nose. With a sweeping movement, you turned the rifle in your hand and rounded the corner. Blood spurted up and a soldier collapsed on the floor. Another warning appeared in your field of vision.

The machine gun had run out of ammunition. Hastily, you threw your head round. An enemy had made it close enough to Kurt to become a threat. And you weren't quick enough to turn round and fire an accurate shot.

A window opened before your eyes, numbers and letters flew past. But the seconds slipped through your fingers like sand.

Not fast enough. You wouldn't be fast enough.

Sweat dripped from the tip of Kurt's nose. His chest rose and fell with rattling breaths. He had his eyes fixed on you, one hand on his chest.

Suddenly the fingers twitched, closing around Fang's grip and pulling it out with such deft precision that you almost didn't register it. In one swift movement, the blade had twisted in his grip and he rammed it into the soldier's neck, right into the gap between the helmet and the breastplate.

He winced with a choked gurgle, blood gushing from his throat, covering the colonel's hands and colouring them red. He hit the ground with a thud, rivulets pouring out.

It smelled of iron.

Silence fell over the battlefield. And Kurt was still looking at you.

"I prefer to fight with my hands.", he gasped, a smirk on his lips.

Exhausted, you let out a frustrated growl. For a moment, you really thought he might be lost.

Shit, why did the thought alone feel so shitty?

You hated it. Hated it and loved it.

Throwing your head back, you gasped.

"Back on your feet, soldier.", your voice was hoarse. "There's no more time."

He nodded in agreement, pulled himself up against the wall and wiped the blood from his face once more. He looked briefly at his fingers, which were now dripping with red. It covered his boots, soaked his trousers.

Perhaps it would have been appropriate to ask if the air defence missile was still intact, but you weren't thinking about that right now.

"Sandevistan should be our last option.", you insisted.

His eyes narrowed.

"We work with what we have.", he replied.

You snorted. Anger constricted your throat.

"Don't.", you warned him.

He bowed his head, his breathing still heavy.

"We have to go.", every step took a lot out of him and yet he managed to climb the stairs to the second floor with a quick stride.

Hastily, you cracked open a staff only door. The building plan showed that there was a staircase leading up to the roof. Dust was beating against you.

"Yuri, report!", you demanded over a phone call.

"Second tank is on its way.", Yuri informed. "Close to the border of the neutral zone."

"Gunshots?"

"Kept within limits."

"Prepare for more resistance.", Kurt ordered. "We've encountered resistance."

"Yes, sir!"

The call ended.

You burst through the last door made of steel that separated you from the roof with full force. Screeching, the metal gave way and you stumbled out into the bright light.

Confused, you looked around. The ship was nowhere to be seen.

"Wrong side!", you gasped and took a turn.

Kurt followed as quickly as his legs would carry him. You analysed him for a second. He was still out of breath. The Sandevistan slowed his regeneration by a few minutes. At least his neurones had calmed down and he was no longer on the verge of a circulatory collapse.

"Aiming for eight o'clock.", you dropped to your knees at the edge of the roof.

Kurt unpacked the air defence missile and connected you to the cable you offered him. Your eyes glowed red, searching the sky for the ship.

"One shot.", the colonel reminded him.

You smirked.

"If I want something I won't miss my target, Colonel.", you chirped and sent the missile on its way.