EMILY P.O.V.
The breeze that flows throughout my hair stirs me awake. My vision is a little blurry as I try to get my eyes to adjust properly. The trees pass by me in a blur just as quickly as they were there they're gone again. It takes a few moments before I am fully alert and well aware of the situation.
Looking to my left I see a clothed chest, is this Z? I ponder briefly before I look up and catch the smooth jawline that meets her neck without any flaws. They look down at me and I notice it isn't Z holding me, rather Natasha is holding me bridle style as we race through the trees.
She must sense that I am awake now because they all come to a complete stop. Natasha looks down at me and smiles before letting my legs down so I can stand.
"Well good morning champ, " Natasha picks as she places me down.
"Champ?" I asked confused.
" Yes, champ" Nicole reassures.
" What are you guys talking about?" I remark again.
" Z told us how you took on Neese and damn near kicked his ass." Natasha clarifies.
I look between the both of them until I notice a familiar figure standing by himself in silence behind them Rolands bald head and white beard haven't changed in the months since he betrayed us.
"Hi Roland," I wave at him using my I know you're there tone.
Natasha and Nicole separate revealing Roland completely. Shame fills his eyes and he doesn't quite keep eye contact with me. His shoulders slump and his head is tilted down like a child that had just been scolded.
"I know you might not want me here after everything I have done, but please let me help you." He asks pleadingly.
" He helped save us, well all of us" Natasha adds.
" I take it if you're with me and Z isn't here. She has chosen to give you another chance or you would be dead by her hand, " I respond.
Roland nods in agreement.
Part of me wants to hate him. Part of me wants to lash out at him, scream at him as loud as possible, call him every crude name in the dictionary, punch him, push him just everything wants to explode on him. But, I can't, there is also the part that wants to forgive him, to trust him again. To have him as a friend and ally once more.
"I can't say I fully trust you just yet, but I am willing to give you another chance, " I say patting his shoulder.
"Thank you, " he replies in a low whisper.
"Let's get a move on, Z wants us to put as much distance between us and them." Natasha interrupts.
"What is she doing? And what happened to Neese?" I ask now that I'm thinking about it.
"Z is holding off the army that surrounds the F.O.G. headquarters so we can escape and get you to safety. Now, as for Neese, I don't know."
"Army?!" I exclaim ignoring everything else Natasha had just said.
"More moving, explain later." Nicole grabs me bridle style as they break into a sprint.
Dashing through the woods all the scenery zips by me in a blink of an eye. I hold on as tight as I can, Nicole must be breaking at least 90 miles an hour right now.
"Why did you leave her?" Frustrated, I glare at Nicole.
With a wide smile, Nicole looks down at me slightly. " Yee of little faith."
"What the hell does that mean?!"
" Z has a second form, a more fierce, strong, and violent form, When Leona and Z shift into this form, all bets are off, "Nicole's smile grows wider.
" Second form?" I say the words out loud and they still shock me.
"Even with that second form though, how can she take on an army by herself, she's not immortal!" That's the best argument I can come up with. Again Nicole smiles.
"In second form her hide becomes so tough that the blaster fire doesn't pierce her, she will be fine, with her speed out matching them also she has all the advantage she needs."
Her words begin to put my mind at ease, I've known Z for months and I had thought I knew a good bit about her already but today loves there is so much more that I don't know.
"Worry about Z less and more about the enemy, and for the record we didn't leave her behind, once we get on the Luxious we will go back for her."
I nod in compliance and my worried mind to rest, well mostly to rest.
Z P.O.V.
My feet hit the hard cement breaking it into pieces beneath me. Chunks of the broken concrete go flying in all directions bringing up a small cloud of dust that surrounds me and some of the enemy. I bare my teeth at them unintimidated by their vast amount of numbers.
It's a staredown between me and the serpent and reptilian scum. Who is going to make the first move was anyone's guess, they think that they have me surrounded and that they'd win. They indeed and wholeheartedly couldn't be more wrong.
"Surrender now and die a quick and painless death, " a serpent calls out.
As he steps forward he wears a red blaster proof vest with two stripes that are yellow going down the left chest. Assuming based on this he is the commander.
"Don't make me laugh, you must be a fool if you think I would ever surrender, " I mock him.
My mockery instills him with more anger and I can see just how well it bothers him.
" Come now don't be upset you will die soon, I promise, " I continue mocking him.
His fists clench together and his golden snake eyes squint showing just how angry he is becoming.
"What's your name?" I asked tilting my head to the left a bit.
" I am lieutenant commander Thorax, and I am going to tell you one last time surrender now or die where you stand." He says sternly pointing at me with his scaley index finger.
I laugh at him.
He still believes that he is intimidating me and that I find most humorous. With my second form two hundred against me is nothing at all. Well since they've decided that there is no surrender and that they want to fight.
I shrug after a moment and cross my arms looking at him. I grin. Thorax lowers his hand and glances to the reptilians and serpents behind him.
" Retreat or die Thorax, this is your last opportunity before there is bloodshed and it won't be mine." Thorax turns back to me.
"Kill her!" He shouts.
A hail of blasted fire comes at me like a giant avalanche rumbling down a mountain. With my speed I manage to miss every shot that is aimed at me. Missing me they end up shooting each other. I leap and vault to the left and right. Jumping up over them I get to the back of the force.
Stunned they try to shoot me but still miss. I grab two by the throat and with all my strength I feel their necks snap like twigs in my palms. I throw their lifeless bodies at their comrades. Some show fear others are even more enraged.
Green blood colors the cement and soon looks like a small stream flowing down. Bodies begin to get tossed around and decorate the ground of the right side of the F.O.G.
"How hard is it to shoot the Lycan witch!" Thorax shouted angrily.
The rest of the army swoops in and bombardes me. About ten of them pounce on my back assuming that they'd be able to bring me to the ground by the force of their weight. I grab two at a time one in each of my paws. I stretch out my arms and spin around using them as weapons taking out the others that surround me. Letting them both go they sail through the air like limp noodles and fall to the ground head first.
In no time at all and without breaking a sweat more than half of the army is left standing. Thorax eyes me, pure hate written across his reptilian face.
"Your move" I taunt him.
"You think you have won?! I'll show you! " he charges towards me.
Using his tail as a whip he snaps it at me grabbing my forearm and jerking me towards him. He delivers an uppercut to my jaw when I get within range. My head knocks back making slight popping sounds. He throws me around lifting me up and pulling me back down slamming me into the cement. I feel the blood trickle across my tongue and some rolls down the sides of my mouth.
His tail still wrapped tightly around my waist I grab hold of what I can and dig my claws deep into the remainder of his tail. I keep pushing further and further in until all you can see is the back of my paws. Thorax withers in pain and cries out.
His tail releases me but I still have a tight hold on him. Closing my hands I feel my fingers tear through muscle after muscle, nerve after nerve. He falls to his knees and places his scale hands on the concrete.
" Mercy, " he whispers.
"Mercy? Why should I show you mercy?" I open and close my hand in his tail.
"I beg of you please!" He bows down. Burying his face in the ground behind his hands.
I look up at the remainder of his army; they have all fallen to their knees and bowed. There were two hundred when the battle started and now there are about fifty or so left. The one's still alive would be the smart ones since they have all claimed defeat. I must admit I am taking great joy and causing the scum of the galaxy so much pain. It isn't as near as enjoyable as when I get to do the same to Solarious.
"What use do I have of you?, your loyalty lies with Solarious and the rest of the serpents and reptilians." I release one paw from his tail just so I can make him face me.
He peers into my eyes, desperation cloud his and he is breathing heavily.
"Information, let me live, take me and let the others retreat and I will tell you all I can." He whispers.
'Having information from one of his lieutenants would be invaluable Z. Let him love and take him' Leona's voice echoes to me.
'I agree'
"Call the retreat and I'll take you as my prisoner, " I tell him sternly.
He nods with approval. Getting to his feet he looks at what is left of his men.
"Retreat, we have lost, all survivors retreat back to base!" He orders.
Surprised they begin to walk backwards slowly, keeping their eyes trained on me. A loud engine sounds in the distant sky. Just above the horizon I can see the Luxious approaching me.
"Looks like our ride is here." I tell him as I stare up at the ship.
The Luxious is right on top of me in no time at all. By now all the enemy has retreated and out of sight. Lowering the ramp the Luxious hovers closely above me. I release my other hand from the tail of Thorax and jump up onto the ramp.
As we board I place his arms behind his back and grip them together tightly. Natasha looks at me mostly amused and goes to the small closet we have on the deck and pulls out some restraints.
"Do I need to know, " she asks, giving the restraints to me.
" Thorax here is going to be our intelligence on Solarious.
I pat his back and he nods complying.
Emily steps out from her seat and looks at me and looks to Thorax and then back to me.
"I haven't seen you in second form before, " She touches my arm.
Then she slowly brushes her hand up to my shoulder and then my neck.
"Pretty badass" she continues removing her hand and smiling at me.
Once I finish restraining Thorax I revert myself to the normal weak form everyone has come to know as my "human form." Thorax looks at me with his mouth agape.
"You can close your mouth. I am still strong and violent as ever."
I walk over to the co-pilot chair and sit down, Nicole is focusing hard on the clear black and violet path ahead of us.
"Where to?" She sighs.
" The tiny planet of Numir." I reply.
Typing in a few coordinates we jump into the F.J.S. and are on our path to the next hideout we can find.