Emi sat alone at the cafeteria table. She wasn’t an outcast and got along with her track teammates just fine. It’s the first day of high school. By choice, Emi didn’t want to get close to any of them. She wasn’t sure what made her feel like they weren’t worth befriending. Ever since she moved school zones, Emi has been distant to others around her. The last time she had a true friend was when she knew Tomio. But they are several miles apart now. Her parent’s divorce ruined everything on top of her brother Claude injuring himself in an accident. She wonders why she has to deal with all this. Everyone around her, despite being dumb freshmen like she is, are having the time of their lives. Do they have problems like her? Are they better at hiding it? She chomps on the school pizza and almost gags from the cold texture that makes it taste more like milk than a real pizza. She downs the food by chugging water from her bottle. The noise from the cafeteria is starting to irate her as more students wait in line for their trashy food. “I’ll just go to the library. I haven’t seen it for myself” She approaches the entrance to the cafeteria which is guarded by a school guard, dressed like a cop and armed with some kind of sub-machine gun. As if this place didn’t feel like a prison enough.
“Where are you going?” The security guard sternly asks, making Emi feel like she’s being tried as guilty before proven innocent.”
“I’m going to the library. I need to check out a book.”
“Where’s your student ID?”
Emi hands over her student ID, she’s not smiling in her photo that she was supposed to take when they had them taken a week before school started. It has her fingerprints index along with her full name: Emilie Cadieux. Freshman. He scans the card with a device that quickly discloses her biometrics, her academic performance which is determined by her grades since middle school and her behavior score which is in good standing. The security guard hands her ID back and lets her go through. She printed out a map of the school but insisted on finding the library by her instincts. She wouldn’t want to make herself obvious as a freshmen to the upperclassmen who are having a field day picking on the newcomers. A lost freshman would be easy prey.
She turned a corner into a quieter hallway lined with OLED bulletin boards flashing club announcements and the weather report. The cacophony of the lunchroom faded behind her. That’s when she heard it. Not the usual hallway noise, but a specific, annoying kind of laughter. It was followed by a voice, sharp with intellectual snark.
“What makes you think you’re so smart just because you aced your tests in middle school? You should be in the cafeteria with the rest of your dumb ass freshmen peers! You think you’re one of us? Ha!”
Emi stops in her tracks to investigate the noise. She makes a turn around the corner and sees three lanky looking upperclassmen talking down to someone huddled down on the ground near the lockers. It’s two guys and one girl talking down to a meek pale, red-haired girl with round thin framed glasses, wearing a sweater vest and a skirt. “Hey. What’s going on here?” Emi didn’t think before speaking but something inside her wanted to intervene before she could think clearly about her actions or why she’s putting herself in their situation.
“None of your business. You track people are always running your mouth off more than your feet.” The tall lanky guy with an ill fitting tracksuit with “Honor’s society” labeled on the back and front. His two companions—a girl with severe bangs and another guy nervously adjusting his glasses—nodded in agreement, their posture radiating a sense of intellectual superiority. They were all members of the same academically gifted club, a clique known for its ruthless social hierarchy.
Emi didn't budge. A cold anger washed over her, pushing her own anxieties aside. Their pettiness was almost impressive. They saw her running clothes and made the same assumption everyone did. “Excuse me, but I don’t think it looks like she’s causing any problems. I think you’re just picking on her because she’s a freshman.” Emi looks down at the girl covering her face behind her knees and arms.”
“Yeah, what about it?” The other guy snorts, fixing his glasses with a middle finger. “You don’t get it do you? Typical athlete. All stamina, no mind.” He points towards the red headed girl on the ground. “She’s a freshman who thinks she’s on the same level as us. Just because her parents persuaded her councilor to bump her up a grade level. How do you think we feel about her disrupting our mojo!”
“She’s nothing but a fake prodigy!” The girl in the group added, leaning over to the girl menacing. “I don’t even think she wants to be in our classes. She’s just a puppet for her parents. Unlike the rest of us who have intelligence and motivation. Stop acting like a damn coward and get up!” She commands the red headed girl on the ground.
“You…” Emi mumbles behind her teeth which are clenching in disgust. “You call what you’re doing, intelligent? Antagonizing this poor girl who has done nothing wrong to you! You should be ashamed of yourselves!”
“And who the hell are you supposed to be huh?!” The lanky guy barks back. “Why do you care about this worthless freshman?”
“Hey! Cut it out! I’m a freshman too. Why aren’t you talking me down huh?! Am I too intimidating to you?!”
“A freshman? Intimidating?” The group of sophomores burst out into laughter.
The last thread of Emi’s patience snapped. In one fluid motion, she grabs the lanky guy and slams him against the locker with a loud thud. The bullies’ laughter was cut. The sophomores recoil from her actions and the shy red headed girl lifts her head up, revealing her teary blue eyes which now look on in surprise at her tormentors being roughly handled by this tan freshman girl. “I told you to cut it out! I bet it would look real good for your group if the rest of the upperclassmen found out that you got beaten the crap out of a single freshman girl!” She raises her clenches her fist close to the face of the lanky guy. He flinched, squeezing his eyes shut as he trembled and whimpered. “Don’t tempt me, sophomore. Just because you’re a grade level above doesn’t change the fact that you’re just a dork with an ego bigger than his brain! ”
“Hey! What’s the meaning of this?! A security officer’s stern voice interrupts the scene. The sophomores make a run for it leaving their lanky friend behind screaming “Help! Help! Assault!”
Emi, now understanding what she has just done, releases him, letting him run away from justice. From the school security guard’s perspective, it seemed like Emi was the aggressor. He grabs Emi by the arm with a sharp pull and handcuffs her on the spot. The red headed girl watches on with a look of guilt, Emi says nothing as the security guard pulls her towards the principal's office. The bullies were gone, but this fellow freshman with nothing to lose, is now being punished for protecting her.
An hour has passed since the altercation. Emi was released from custody, left off with a stern warning. It could have been a lot worse. Emi’s educational future in this high school would have ended there. It wouldn’t have to be that way if the school faculty did their job and protected the new students. But that was out of Emi’s control. She had no say or voice in that matter. She exited from the principal’s office, revealing at first that none of the track girls had seen her. She doesn’t need rumors going around. But she noticed quickly that the red headed girl was waiting for her by the outside of the principal’s office. Her tears had dried up on her pale cheeks but she still appeared to show some signs of guilt.
“You….you didn’t have to do that.” She quietly murmured to Emi. “You got in trouble...and it’s my fault that you did. I’m really sorry...”
“Hey. Don’t say that.” Emi began to speak to her as if she was her younger sister. “I don’t need you to act like a burden because you're not. Those sophomores were being dicks to you. I can’t stand those types of people. Somebody had to put them in their place and I’m all happier to do that for you.”
“But you took a bit too far.”
“Well...yeah...maybe I did.” Emi noted dumbfoundedness in her actions. “Sorry, I get a little heated if I see something that isn’t right. It’s just how I am.”
“You can’t be violent like that.” The girl spoke up, now sounding like she’s lecturing Emi back. “You’re going to ruin everything you worked for...but…” Her voice softens up a bit. “I can’t thank you enough for protecting me like that. I wish I could stand on my own two feet sometimes but...it’s just like what those sophomores said, I am a coward.” She sighs heavily.
“Now you’re letting what they say about you determine who you are.” Emi shakes her head. “You can’t live like that either. You must have been pretty smart to get classes at the sophomore level. Your parents really must have your best interests in mind.”
The red headed girl looks down at the ground and says nothing. Almost as if she’s declining that statement she said about her parents.
“Look, the point is…” Emi continues. “You have to ignore what everyone else thinks about you before you can be independent and stand up for yourself. People are going to dislike you for the most moronic reasons. That’s just how people are.”
“Do...do you dislike me?” The girl asks hesitantly.
“Huh? Of course not!” Emi says with a hearty snark. “Why would you ask such a question?”
“Because I got you in trouble.”
“And? It was totally worth it.” Emi smiled, placing her hands on her own hips. “Those dorks will have to think twice before belittling you again. Don’t worry, if nobody will stand up for you, I will.”
“You mean that?” The shy girl questions with skepticism in her voice. “But...I’m just…”
“A friend.” Emi finished her sentence for her. “It’s the first day of high school. Why not start the year with a new friend. Do you have any other friends?”
The girl shakes her head solemnly. Emi nods her head, understanding the girl clearly.
“I see...well me neither.” She offers her hand to the red headed girl. “I’m Emilie Cadieux, but you can just call me Emi. I’m on the school track team.”
The girl hesitates for a moment, not sure what to make of Emi’s invitation. She offers her hand towards Emi, her hand hardly gripping with her shake as she speaks with a quiet but gentle voice. “I...I’m Chiara Lorenz. I’m a piano student that’s supposed to play for the orchestra pretty soon.”
“You know how to play the piano?” Emi's smile widens. “No way! That’s pretty sick! I can’t even play the maracas in tempo. You must be really good at playing. I’d love to hear from you.”
“Thanks. But I don’t think I’m that good.” Chiara humbly admits to Emi. “It just takes practice to learn the basics. Probably like running in your case.”
Emi nods her head in agreement. Seeing Chiara smile like that after what she went through with those bullies, it was enough to give Emi some hopes for the future for their friendship.
“Hey Emi…”
“What’s up Chiara?
“Maybe someday, I’ll stand up for you just as you did for me...if that will ever be possible.” Chiara’s optimism of course had to die down with a subtle realization of her own physical limitations.
“Hey, no worries about it, Chiara. You don’t have to think of this as some kind of debt. Trust me, I may not care about getting in trouble, but I wouldn’t want you to risk your academic life either.”
“In that case, try being less violent, Emi.” Chiara suggested.
“Yeah. I’ll try being more civilized next time if we run into trouble.” She pats Chiara’s shoulder and laughs with Chiara.
Hikari, Kimberly, Fio, and Mai return to the living room were they first spawned in at the start of the match, what was once a room with the finest of tastes is filled with white phosphorous smoke, broken glass by the windows overlooking the front balcony, and dusty footprints stain the fancy velvet carpet of the room. Hikari advances to the jewel gun case and opens it. “Aha! It’s still here!” She takes out Chekhov's gun from the case and inspects it.
But that’s a relic, Hikari!” Kimberly explains with concern in her tone. “What if we break it?”
“This is an emergency. I left my weapons behind.” Hikari inspects the cylinder. “What the heck? It’s already loaded.”
“Imagine if they sold it to him like that.” Mai snickered. “The poor guy didn’t realize the auction was breaking the law.”
“How many rounds does that nugget revolver or whatever you call it hold?” Fio asks.
“That’s weird. This revolver holds seven.” Hikari counts while rotating the cylinder. “I thought revolvers only hold six.”
“That Nagant is an exception, Hikari.” Mai added. Looking over her shoulder at the revolver. “This is my first time seeing one. They aren’t as common in the real world anymore.”
“Wait...are these...blanks?” Hikari takes out a round from one of the cylinders to show Mai who is more knowledgeable with antique firearms.”
“Uh...no. I clearly see the slug. That’s just how the round is seated.” Mai scratched her blonde hair under her helmet. “I really have to study my Russian historic firearms more. I never knew the 1895 had a cartridge that looked like that.”
“Is that something you can handle, Hikari?”
“It’s a revolver, Kimberly.” Hikari says with an unconvincing voice of confidence. “You just pull the trigger until it goes bang. Right Mai?”
“Hey. Can someone check on the status of Ramirez and Emi?”
“Gimme a sec, Kimberly.” Mai tunes her radio to Emi’s frequency. “Emi. Are you there? Helloooooo?” Mai shakes her head and looks at Kimberly distraught. “It’s no good. Her channel is offline.
“Fuck. Try calling Ramirez.”
Mai tunes her radio to a new frequency, the one Tomio had instructed them to call in case he was eliminated from the match. Again, dead silence. “No….nothing from Ramirez.”
“Then what are we doing here wasting our time!” Hikari cried out. “They’re in trouble and so is Mortimer!”
“You heard the princess. Let’s move it! On me!” Kimberly takes the lead of the remaining band of her team out of the room. Her rifle stayed on sight and everyone used their nods in the dark hallways of the second floor in a wing formation. Mai follows suit, still lucky to have her rifle and ammo with her despite ditching her Hi Point early. Fio has coverage on the opposite side of Mai and Hikari stays at the rear, ready to offer her medical services with only 7 rounds to work with Mortimer’s antique auction piece.
“Agh ... .yeah whatever you say your highness.” He releases the “Push to Talk” button on his radio after receiving the news from Asura. “She found Mortimer, but I didn’t tell her we’re a complete mess!”
Lilith finishes patching Vlad’s knee but he’s only able to limp. He kicks the P320 away from the other pile of weapons they collected. “Piece of shit!” He grabs Tomio’s rifle from the pile. He hears footsteps coming up head and readies his new rifle. Lilith takes the AN-94 from the pile and does the same, waiting to open fire until they see Kaz carrying Trisha with a makeshift stretcher being dragged behind him. Trisha is barely hanging on from her injuries.
“Kaz! What the hell happened with the rest of your team? Where’s Chiara!”
“She ran off to find Mortimer, what do you think?” Kaz carefully lets go of the stretcher made from a dining room cover down on the ground. “She’s seriously injured. Please tell me you have a spare med-kit.”
Lilith and Vlad look at each other, realizing they used the last of their med-kits on his knee. “Sorry, we’re all dry.” Lilith answered dryly.
“Useless teammates! She’s as good as dead now. He plops down on the floor next to his dying comrade. “Dammit...I’m sorry Trisha.”
“Don’t lose your nerve, Ninja.” Vlad snapped. “Asura has Mortimer. I don’t know what the hell your squad leader is doing but if she’s giving Asura support. Victory is in grasps.”
“You got to be kidding me. This match is falling apart. We lost the ammo, we lost Rena, we’re losing people left and right! You’re complaining about me losing my nerve? What happened to your squad, Vlad?” He points to the rag doll where Lucius lies.
“Hush it, Ninja. We only lost one member. That’s more than what could be said for your squad. I knew your team wouldn’t hold up without your old squad leader.” Vlad directs Kaz to the pile of weapons. “Go make yourself useful. We’re holding our position here and using what we have confiscated so we can secure the escort route and get this match over with.” He waves over to Lilith for his next order. “Lilith, look for some valuables in these rooms. We’re going to barricade our position and deny the prey any chance of rescuing Mortimer. ”
“Since when did you become squad leader all of a sudden, Vlad?”
“Because neither of our squad leaders are around and Asura’s second in command is dead. So you better listen to me, Ninja. It’s about time I start moving things in the right direction around here. Do what I say and I’ll override her Highness’ ruling and let Kael back into your squad after this match.”
“But Vlad, isn’t her highness’ orders absolute?”
“While she’s in charge.” Vlad schemes to Lilith and Kaz. “But I’m frankly tired of this circus she brought upon us with her poor execution of this match. All because of that Chiara girl. I have a gut feeling about that girl and it isn’t good. I have my own plans for her highness once this match is over.”
“Absolutely disgusting.” Kaz protested. “She’s your squad leader.”
“You’re fed up with her too. Don’t deny it. She’s the reason Kael was on the other team. Her plans are nothing more than her emotions driving her into a fantasy of winning this tournament her way instead of through logic and reasoning. It’s what cost her the last summer tournament with her old squad. It’ll cost us this tournament if we keep indulging her and her little recruit.” He glances over at Lilith who’s stunned by all that she's hearing from Vlad. The AN-94 hangs limply in her hands. She knew Vlad had his disagreements with Asura, being the only one in the squad that was skeptical of her ideas; never afraid to express his doubts to her unlike the others. “Lilith, It was my idea to glide into the mansion with our wing suits. I think it’s fair to say my tactical prowess is more sound than anything Asura has implemented from the very beginning don’t you think?”
“Vlad…” Lilith attempts to make her arguments with uncertainty. “Vampire Squad...is Asura’s squad. It was her idea from the very start. We’re all just subscribers to her vision.”
“Her vision is a disaster, Lilith. Look around you!” Trisha and Lucius’ rag doll lay dormant and lifeless on the dusty carpet floors of the hallway littered with bullet holes. Vlad is barely able to stand with a 9mm round crippling his leg. It’s bad enough they destroyed countless expensive relics which their client will make them pay severely from their credit pool once this match is over, regardless if they win or lose. “As vampires, we’re supposed to be silent, quick, and professional. The prey should not be fighting as ruthless as they are now. They are hunting us down to the last. If we’re taking losses like this against a bunch of amateurs, we don’t stand a chance against the better teams coming up after this. We do it my way, or we face the consequences. Now go! Fetch every expensive vase, statue, and painting you can carry! Ninja, you help too! We are building a barricade and turning this hallway into a fortress. I’ll… repurpose our fallen comrades. Their bodies will make our position look more formidable.” It was a horrific, calculated tactic using the corpses of their former teammates as props to fool the enemy
Ramirez comes back into consciousness. The stars hover above with the glimpse of the mansion from which he fell from. He pats his chest carrier, feeling the holes from where the buckshot has struck him. His fingers can feel the dents on the ceramic plates which have no signs of penetration. “What a good investment.” He sighs in relief throwing himself off a neatly trimmed shrub from where his fall was cushioned. He grabs the SPAS 12 from his sling. Some of the buckshot has hit the side of the receiver but the damage is cosmetic. “Looks like I’m going to owe Vicky after this.” He looks up at the window from where he fell from, realizing the situation immediately. “No….Emi, Mortimer!” Ramirez rushes back into the mansion from the shot up dining room area in the first floor, vaulting over the debris of shredded tables, chairs, and broken dining wares. “He picks up his radio to call Emi but there’s no response. Realizing she’s in critical danger, he switches to Longhorn Squad’s channel. “Tomio! Are you there?!! Tomio! Fuck...he’s not answering either…was it something I said?” His anxious attempt at humor is getting him nowhere. He has to communicate with someone. “Kimberly! You’re still alive.” He hears an exchange of gunfire in the background.
“Ugh...barely.” Kimberly casually whines over the radio “It’s just Hikari, Mai, and Fio. Tomio is out. We’re trying to reach the staircase but they set up a barrier.
“There’s too many of them!” Mai’s voice can be heard shouting in the background. “They are hiding behind a bunch of expensive shit. That was supposed to be Fio’s idea!”
“They are using our weapons against us! My AN-94!” Hikari shouts in the background.”
“Could you...come and save us or something, please!” Fio asks over the radio. She can be heard firing her P90 in bursts.
“I’ll try...hang on!”
Chiara stands at the entrance of the secret room, her hands gripping the Sand Viper 2011 pistol at the low ready position. Her face pale even with the dirt and dust on her face and body. Asura, not expecting Chiara to leave her squad behind, is not pleased with her being in the same room with the client cowering in the corner and Emi bleeding out on the floor. “Chiara! Where is the rest of your squad? You were supposed to be hunting the rest of Team Van-Helsing.”
“Did you really mean all of that Asura? Am...I just...leverage for your plans.” Chiara’s voice strikes a chord with Asura. She lowers her AA-12 down, looking down at Emi who’s clenching her teeth as she tries to hang on for as long as she could. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to try to intimidate Emi with the idea of using Chiara temporarily instead of admitting how she really feels about Chiara.
“No. I wouldn’t do such a thing to you. It’s like what I said, you and I are a lot more similar than we realize. It’s just…”
“She’s a fucking liar, Chaira!” Emi blurts out in a strained voice on the floor.
“Shut it!” Asura snaps at Emi. “Are you really going to make me explain everything! It’s called tactical deception!”
“That’s bullshit….don’t listen to her, Chiara! She’s a complete psychopath. She’ll do a Kael on you too…”
“As if! Kael was a liability! The worst kind!” Asura’s voice softens and she offers a hand from a distance to Chiara. “Not like you. You...are anything but a liability, Chiara. I would not make you a liability like your old squad leader here.”
“She was my friend! You know nothing about Chiara! Nothing!”
“Tsk. Do you believe anything she’s saying, Chiara?” Asura gestured dismissively at Emi. “Look at her. Even when she’s at the end of the line, she expects you to listen to her guidance. She doesn’t think you can be independent. You’re like a little sister to her.”
Chiara’s breath hitched. The pistol in her hand felt impossibly heavy. A million thoughts, memories, and emotions are plaguing her mind. She stays standing, but not tall.
Asura sees the conflict as obvious and pressed her advantage, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “The match is almost over. We have the client. Help me secure him and do the honors of winning the match for Vampire Squad.” Her whisper gets more soothing and quiet, a small small forming on her lips. “I promise...you’ll be rewarded and spoiled...at my expense.”
Emi can see the hesitation in Chiara’s eyes as the flicker between her and Asura. “Chiara...you have to do what your heart believes is right...and….and..” It gets harder for Emi to speak as tears start pouring from her eyes. She does her best to be strong and positive in her situation despite clinging on from her injuries. “I’ve always been there for you Chiara. When you were afraid to stand up tall. Not because I thought you were weak but because you were my friend…” Asura rolls her eyes in disgust but says nothing. Chiara quietly listens. “If….you think this is the way you want to go with your future...just...please...give us a chance to be there for you, Chiara. We missed you. I missed you so much…”
Chiara’s breath shuddered. The slick grip of the Sand Viper felt less like a weapon and more like a weight to a reality she’d been trying to escape. “Emi...I missed you too...I…” Chiara starts to sob when she speaks.
“Sentimental fools,” she spat, the words like venom. “Chiara, she’s holding you back. Ah...forget it.” She aims her AA12 at Emi.
“Asura! No!!!!” Chiara lunges at Asura, causing her shot to miss Emi when she fires. She wrestles the shotgun away from Asura but she’s too weak. Asura pulls the shotgun away and shoves Chiara against the wall with the shotgun pinning her against her chest. She pulls out a knife from her belt and draws it on Chiara.
“I….I trust you Chiara! I promised you a future where you could have everything you wanted and more.” Asura’s voice strained with fury and anxiety from having her recruit turn on her. “And this is how you pay me back! You disappoint Chiara…” She raises the knife to Chiara’s throat, getting ready to put her down once and for all. “You leave me no choice Chiara...you proved to me you are nothing but just another asset...you never believed in me…” Her hands suddenly start to tremble with the knife. She feels hypnotized by Chiara’s crying face. Asura’s stomach starts to feel tight and her face burns not with rage but with something else entirely. Whatever it is, Asura wants nothing to do with it. She forces herself to draw the knife closer to her neck but it feels like an invisible barrier is keeping her from doing so. Her hands twitches and she could drop the knife at any moment. For Asura, looking at Chiara is like looking at her own reflection; an image of what Asura once was. “W...why can’t…..I do it…..” Asura’s voice trembles with a borderline whimper.
Emi, seeing the situation Chiara is in now, feels helpless for a moment before realizing she has her broken radio still on her pouch. Using her only good arm left, she takes it out of her plate carrier with what little strength she has. She takes the radio and throws it with all her might at Asura, striking her in the head.
The handheld radio impacts the back of Asura’s head. She drops the knife and stumbles on her feet. Chiara now has her chance. She snatches Asura’s Luger from her holster and fires point blank into her chest, emptying the magazine before shoving her lifeless body onto the ground. The concussion of the gunfire has come to a complete dead silence. Only the quiet whimpers from Chiara’s sobbing remain until Emi calls upon her. “Chiara...”
“E...Emi…” Chiara falls onto her knees next to Emi on the floor. Chiara places her hands over the wounds but it’s already too late. Emi is clearly on her way out. “This...this is all my fault….I’m….I’m so sorry, Emi.” Chiara sobbing is quiet but evident from all the pain she’s feeling in her heart. “I’m such an idiot, Emi.”
“Chiara...it’s okay...it’s okay…” Emi comforts her through her weakening voice. “You did the right thing, Chiara. You stood up for your real friends. You stood up for me.”
“I...I did?” Chiara wipes her tears with Emi’s sleeve.
“A...a little late...but better late than never, huh.” Emi weakly smirks through her lips. “Chiara…”
“Emi...you’re…”
“Yeah. I’m going to be hanging out at the lobby soon. I don’t think I could protect Mortimer or my squad for much longer. I was hoping...you could give it another chance.”
“But Emi...what if I…”
“Chiara...you can never disappoint me. Whatever happens in this match, you’ll always make us proud. You know that. Emi points to the radio in Chiara’s carrier vest. “Let me borrow it...for a second. I don’t have long.”
Chiara pulls the radio out of her carrier and gives it to Emi. With one good hand, she tunes the radio to her team’s frequency, addressing everyone who’s left on Team Van-Helsing. “Everyone. Asura is gone, but I’ll be going soon. Mortimer is safe for now. I’m putting the command of Armadillo Squad on an old friend of ours. I hope you put your trust and faith into her to lead you to victory. I’ll see you all at the end of the match. She hands the radio back to Chiara and looks over at her rifle on the floor. “Chiara...take my M4A1 and my gear. I didn’t get a chance to use it in this match.”
Chiara nods without hesitation, taking a hold of Emi’s rifle and unzipping the plate carrier off Emi’s body. She also slings Asura’s AA12 over her shoulder, carrying what she could. Emi grabs her arm to speak to her one last time. “Get rid of that stupid patch while you are at it. You’re an Armadillo now. Team Lonestar. Team Van-Helsing.”
“Understood. I’ll do my best Emi….I’ll….see you soon.”
“Hah. That’s what I like to hear.” Emi smiles weakly. “Good luck, Chiara.” Her eyes close and her breathing starts to slow down. Chiara gets up from the ground and wipes her tears, now feeling a sense of purpose and determination. She pulls the Velcro Vampire Squad patch off her shoulder and slaps on Emi’s Armadillo Squad patch. She takes her Vampire Squad name tag from her old carrier and places it next to Emi’s name on her carrier. She loads a Magpul magazine into the M4A1, pulls the charging handle back. Chiara checks her equipment one last time, before calling on Mortimer. “The tides are changing in your favor.” Her voice is calm and commanding, devoid of its former meekness. “Stay close to me. Let’s finish this.”