"Don't get shell shocked here," Dad said. "As your father, I command you not to die. Understood?"

"Yes... dad..." It was the first time he's really spoken to her directly... in such a manner?! Eliza turned to the rest of the people, preparing to breach into the next room, as a litany of gunfire echoed through the walls.

"I won't let that boy get you killed, but you have to do your part too."

Her eyes darted to the floor to avoid her father's judgmental gaze.

Eliza weakly nodded to her father's ferocious demands, fermenting a sense of authority with each syllable. "Good," he said.

"What did he even do to you?" Eliza asked, blurting her thoughts aloud for once. Then, she slowly raised her own gaze, settling on her father. "He's a friend of the family, wasn't he?"

The team began to walk, slowly, trudging through the hallways as father and daughter hung near the back. "There's so much you don't know, but that boy will get you killed."

Dad's words spat venom at Eliza's inquisitive mind; such a reaction nearly offended her, such disregard for someone she cared for so much.

"Then you're no better than the rest of them," She spat back, imitating some of Kazuki's spite and aggression in her voice before darting off forward to keep up with the rest.

The squadron kept running, even as Eliza fell near the back. Archius was visibly slowing down to help Eliza speed up, grabbing onto her arm and yanking her forward.

"Elizabeth, is this your first shootout in a while?" Delia playfully asked. "I must say, I do not miss this at all!"

Kazuki grunted for Delia to stop, and she did, merely sighing and turning. Eliza replied out of turn, "Well... yeah?!" she said.

As the words left her mouth, Kazuki rushed backwards, brushing past Eliza. Just then, did Eliza notice a trio of attackers behind them! Kazuki knelt, placing his shield upwards before weathering machine gun fire.

"Go!" Kazuki shouted back.

"Fuck!" Lorenza shrieked, as they were so close to the shuttle bay!

Lorenza shook her head, just as Kazuki shouted, "GO!" He snatched a pistol off one of the guards before providing covering fire. Plasma and bullets ricocheted off his armour and shield - as the group fled backwards.

Frederick grabbed Eliza and thrust her forth, keeping Eliza's momentum… just as a Blood Contractor ambushed them! The Maroon Guards behind faltered as Lorenza and Delia were in the way. Eliza was nearly bashed to the floor, but her dad rushed in, tackling the Contractor.

"Move it!" Dad bellowed, punching off the mercenary's helmet before crushing their head beneath a powered glove, red in his eyes momentarily.

Eliza followed through with her father's commands, rushing forward and past the chaos.

But when she did, she looked back… Kazuki's shield just then broke, as a litany of plasma scorched through the air and across the armoured plates.

Just then, as a bolt whizzed through Eliza's arm, the Maroon Guards and Lorenza slammed into Eliza by accident. Lorenza tripped over, and under the mass of bolts and explosions shaking the HQ, a cabinet fell right on top of Eliza.

A Maroon Guard swooped in, holding it back briefly for Lorenza to crawl out before scampering away. Just then, Lorenza tugged the guard, and Eliza's eyes froze with fear as the Maroon Guard released his grasp.

"Ugh…" Eliza groaned as she felt the weight of the wooden cabinet crush down on her. She tried to move, but with the bullet wound on her arm, she could barely move it.

Again and again, she tried, yet could only muster up a quiver from her injured limb.

"We need to move with haste!" Lorenza said.

Despair almost set in as she felt the weight bashed to one side.

Expecting to see Kazuki, Eliza was met with a furious gaze from her father. He pulled her up and threw her backwards, to the side.

The Blood Contractors reignited their assault, as Eliza saw both her father and friend fight side by side.

"Kaz…" Eliza murmured to herself, seeing his armoured coat plastered with bolts and plasma burns. Just then, Eliza realised how close to death she was…

If she had been accidentally bumped into a mere moment ago… Archius and Delia were glaring, however, at Lorenza? The door was sealed behind them…

"The fuck happened?" Archius asked, looking to Eliza's burn mark... It... stung... At first, it didn't really... But now that Eliza had time to breathe... It was painful! Archius applied gauze and a bandage before injecting Eliza with a stim.

"It's… an accident," Eliza murmured back. "Right?"

Archius' glare spoke the opposite, even as the rest of his face remained calm and neutral – a message hidden… only for her to read into.

Delia said, "That'll leave a mark, dear Elizabeth…"

"It's fine," Eliza said. "I'm fine, I think?"

Here, the gunfire from beyond was quiet...

However, the noise of a gun click turned all gazes to Kazuki. His pistol was primed, aimed directly at Consul Lonreza's head.

The Consul shook in place... All breaths clung to the ceiling, as another Ball Palace Incident was awaiting its debut at the pull of a trigger, a third person of importance, Kazuki, would dare to challenge…

First was Matt Oria-Tessie, the financier who had kidnapped Eliza and forced Kazuki's hand.

Second was Obadiah Cariana-Slynt, the robber baron that betrayed Noah… forced the Lady Antiar into becoming his pawn… and dared to hold Eliza for ransom.

A potential third, now… Second Consul Lorenza… Staring down the barrel of Kazuki's wrath.

∗ ∗ ∗

Guilty as charged. Assault & battery were the least of Kazuki's concerns. Eliza's life was threatened by a single action.

Kazuki kept the look of disdain from leaving. The Second Consul was no longer a politician, a private servant.

No.

Kazuki had decided then, in that very moment, that Lorenza must die. Kazuki looked upon her as if she were already a pile of rotting flesh.

"I saw that."

"See what? Hmm? Didn't know you were a schizophrenic as well... Makes sense, for a madman like you!" The Consul snorted at him, forgetting that she was just the scapegoat, a pawn.

Replaceable. Kaz, on the other hand, knew he could potentially get away with executing her here and now.

Who was there to stop her? Her guards? No. They'd be too slow on the trigger.

Kazuki's arm tensed up, freezing everyone around. Mutt. Worthless dog. Cannon fodder. Flesh to the blender, Kazuki thought, slowly teetering on pulling the trigger.

He pressed the muzzle into her head as the Maroon Guards awaited her command. They dared not act by themselves. Even here, these most skilled guards knew they'd be powerless to stop a speeding bullet if they made the wrong move.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Kazuki's grip tightened to the point that his veins bulged even through his combat gloves.

"You're insane… You won't shoot me!" she shrieked.

Kazuki then fired a bolt… It hit the wall directly behind Lorenza, as parts of her hair were cinged. "Your neck is next. Choke. Like your parents and sister."

Slowly, Lorena's eyes teared up. For once, this politician's bulbs widened in fear.

The Maroon Guard beside Lorenza pointed their muzzle at Kazuki. He scoffed. This was child's play.

Looking over at the other, Kazuki realised that the other Maroon Guard dared not aim. Kazuki's eyes scanned for an answer. Delia. She had placed her hand on the barrel, lowering it.

It seems that Guard wasn't willing to lay a hand on or disobey Iana.

A report came in from Martinez, 'Arbiter, Sato and me have lured a couple of dozen away, you guys got away, right?'

'Yes. And not now.'

Kazuki clicked his uplink offline.

"You shoved Eliza into the wall," Kazuki continued. That turned the gazes of those there to Eliza, slightly bruised and wounded from the burn and fall.

Lorenza rolled her eyes. "Superficial damage!"

"Says you..." Bernside jeered. "Maybe you don't know this, Senator, but plasma hurts! Even if it's just superficial."

Gunfire still raged throughout the HQ. Such distant worries were nothing to the palpable smog present in the small breakroom lobby.

Eliza murmured to Archius, turning to him, "Aren't you going to do something?"

Archius shook his head. "It's not often that Kazuki lets loose like this, even with his reputation…"

Blood will pay for blood, Kazuki thought. Then, Kazuki's side-eye caught Frederick, stepping forward.

SHIT. Kazuki readied his second hand to aim directly at Frederick. Frederick's hand moved. Go time. However, Kazuki sensed no danger. Peering at Frederick, he had pulled his pistol.

It was not aimed at him.

It was primed against the head of the Maroon Guard, pointing at Kazuki. More specifically, at the weak points in the back of the head.

"Enough," Frederick coldly demanded. "Either we all die, or we all live. Understood?"

"Commissioner, don't you dare get involved in all of this!" Lorenza raised her voice. Slowly, Lorenza looked at her guard and gave the nod. They lowered their muzzle.

That calmed things down. Kazuki found killing Lonreza… to be in distaste now.

Kazuki lowered his muzzle, placing his pistol back in his holster, before turning and walking away.

From then on, everything was calm. The Blood Contractors had seemingly relented in their assault on the HQ. That, however, was bad news too. This was an obvious distraction. Arriving at the shuttle bay, Frederick got a new update.

"Dammit, they're ramping up the attacks on the surface, we need the military!" Frederick grunted, Bernside nodded.

But before that could happen, Lorenza stuck her nose in. "No! I will not have that fool of a High Admiral save us… No, I veto this motion."

It was well-known knowledge that Kazuki's father had…. Eloped with his mother. After all, he was supposed to marry a wealthy senator. Secure alliances… before the whole Concert fell apart.

That woman was none other than Lorenza's sister… dead sister, Kazuki added on in thought.

Slowly, everyone rendezvoused at the shuttle bay. Sato and Martinez got back. The Senator, Consul and their guards left with the civilians… Kazuki watched as Eliza and Archius left. At least Martinez and Sato can protect them, Kazuki thought.

More police reinforcements arrived, filling in the gaps and pushing them back. Kazuki sighed.

Frederick shook his head. "We'll need to secure the HQ as a launching pad, then we can get to the surface."

"And leave the boots on the ground by themselves?!" The rear admiral butted in. Bernside despise the idea. "And what of the people? I will NOT see Anagora burn once again!"

"I was there, Bernside, it's not like that!"

"Then what is it?!" Bernside shouted before getting on one of the evacuation shuttles. "I'll just… Fine. I'll do what I can. I'll try to convince High Admiral Yamagata."

Frederick sighed as Kazuki kept his eyes on Eliza for a brief moment. Then, as the shuttle doors slammed and the evac shuttles scurried away, he turned back to Frederick.

"I will be the spearhead. I'll deploy a QRF. We'll clear an LZ for the rest," Kazuki declared.

The bloodied Anagoran sunset was in the distance. Bleeding orange, melting with the bleeding red on the surface below.

"You do whatever the hell you want," Frederick muttered. "Just get out of my sight, Contract-Breaker…"

It was good as glowing support for Kazuki.

A new set of shuttles roared into the shuttle bay, opening the doors for the few reinforcements to be brought to the surface. Kazuki stepped on one, with Quinn first to greet him.

"Hey, the others will be late, uh… I was the only one on standby when the alarms sounded!" Quinn remarked.

"Status on Vallé?" Kazuki asked. The shuttle soared into the skies, followed by a dozen more, careening down to the surface.

The doors remained open, allowing Kazuki to see the carnage below. Sections under attack were on fire… Tracers flickered throughout the air.

"Busy or some shit!" Amyé shouted, standing up before drunkenly groaning. "Lilly's out doing some summer photography or something..."

Didn't matter. She was off-duty anyway. The fact that even some managed to respond at the drop of a hat was good enough.

'Callsigns, what's the status on the ground? Any civilians left in the AO?'

A police officer called in, 'Civilians barricaded themselves with first responders in the District hall. ERTs can't reach them, we're pinned on all fronts by Seventy-Seven-Nineteen."

'Leave that to me,' Kazuki replied. 'All AGENCY Callsigns, secure a perimeter for evacuation near the main plaza. I'll lead a small team and secure the District hall for emergency egress.'

Kazuki's team was small. Just him, Zym, Quinn, Amyé and Claire. Evidently, the latter was administering sobering drugs to Amyé, still looking somewhat drunk even with a second injection.

Kazuki had predicted wrong, he thought, but he still needed his two best on his flagship… Just in case this was all a distraction.

The greatest distraction would be, though, a string of worry crept into his mind.

What if it was a distraction? What if the She-Wolf's target was truly the Phoenix's Fury? With such firepower, it could level the surface before the military could disable it.

What if Václavos and Nihara faltered in their duty?

It was a harrowing thought. But he was here, and Kazuki stared out the gaps in the shuttle doors, assuring himself that the She-Wolf was only interested in one prey.

Him.

'Arbiter, how copy on the ROE?' Another officer asked. 'Most of our command chain is fifty-nine-seventy. Shit, I hate to say it, but you're the CO.'

Kazuki replied simply, "ROE?" The Arbiter had to pause. For someone with perfect memory, he had to delve deep into his own database to recollect that these were not mercenaries.

They were police officers, members of law enforcement.

"Terminate them all. Do not attempt capture. These are Blood Contract Cultists. If you make contact with the She-Wolf Beamont, write your name in blood on any limb and run.'

It was a grim prospect, and Kazuki heard the grunts and worried mutters across the different channels. Everyone got the message.

"And... we're going to kill her, right?" Claire asked, nervously passing out extra stims to everyone, even strapping more to her Pharmassist.

She extended her hand out, passing Kazuki his helm mask.

"We will try. If we cannot, we'll bombard the AO from orbit."

"What if there are any survivors nearby?" Claire trailed off.

Amyé rolled her eyes at Claire's convictions.

"Arbiter, we're better than Clandestine."

"We are. But we cannot be slaves to convention. Isn't that why you joined me? To avenge everyone?" Kazuki answered, stopping Claire in her tracks.

Claire sighed. "Fine… Only as a last resort, though. I won't accept anything else."

It was at times similar to this that Kazuki… was frustrated over Claire's endless supply of empathy.

Zym cut in, "Hey, it's nothing we can't deal with, right, Arbiter?"

"She is a Seven Mercenary. Freyja survived Hartius once. She'll survive us," Kazuki remarked. "Think yourself high, and you'll fall like the rest."

Travelling down to the surface, Kazuki watched through the window slits as the bright orange and red skyline turned to fire and smoke.

'Arbiter! Kazu-kun! We can't get through; resistance is too thick!' Karl shouted, turning back to Kazuki in the shuttle compartment. 'I want to keep shuttle crashes to a solid one this year!'

Kazuki sighed. 'All shuttles, prepare for emergency landing.' Bolts whizzed around in the air. 'It'll be a hot LZ. Karl, lead us as close as possible to the plaza.'

'Fine!'

A stream of hot air entered, displacing the cooled environment within, as the surface came into view.

'ETA FIVE SECONDS! DROP AND FLY! YOU GUYS READY?!' Karl shouted.

Everyone scrambled to their feet. "Better give us a pay rise after this," Quinn poked at Kazuki.

"Done," Kazuki remarked. "And your tab, of course." He pushed to the front of the skeleton crew.

The moment the interior lights went from red to green, boots hit the concrete.

Gunfire raged all around them. The streets were littered with debris, and not a patch of brick, neon light signs, or concrete was left unmarred by blood or soot.

The police forces holding out behind burnt-out shuttles and makeshift barricades were relieved. A reprieve swept aside the Blood Contractors, for the mercs have arrived.

And to them, none shall be left alive.

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