Freedom Fighters League of the Exiled

Shredded

For once I thought our luck was finally turning around. I saw the sunshine bouncing off the rubble up ahead and thought finally we are out of this hell hole, but of course not. Of course, it isn't that easy. The second we had stepped foot near the end of the tunnel and our eyes started to readjust to the lighting we heard several rapidly approaching footsteps and gunshots in the distance.

I didn't even bother giving myself false hope hearing the footsteps. I knew they had to be guards. There was no way this was going to be more survivors or people from our teams coming to help.

"Be ready to fight," I said without hesitation.

"But what if they're friendly?" the lady behind me had asked. I get that she wanted to be optimistic but now isn't the time. Right now we have to expect the worst and be ready for it rather than hope for the best and be caught off guard.

"No Eren's right," Levi stepped in backing me up, "they definitely aren't friendly. "Stay behind us. I'll do what I can to stop any bullets from getting by me."

Levi looked at me and I nodded. He wanted me to make a gravity field in front of them just to be safe. I did just that. No more innocent civilians will be hurt on my watch.

We didn't have much time to get anyone else out of the line of fire. Rico was up near the front; she was still trying to get behind us when we saw the guards in front of us. Quinn and Alastair were still out in the open as well.
"These guys are really starting to piss me off," Quinn groaned.

Alastair put his wings in front of Quinn and I tried to make another gravity field in front of us but I was a second too late. They had already managed to fire a few shots before I managed to get the field up.

I winced and grabbed my arm. I'm lucky the bullet only seemed to graze my arm. I realized Xander wasn't as lucky. He fell to his knees struggling to take a deep breath in at first. I ran over and pulled him closer to me and Levi so we could defend him.

"Where was he shot?" I asked Levi and Levi pointed to his lower abdomen. "Did it hit anything major?"

"I don't know," Levi said, just worrying about keeping pressure on the wounds.

"Nanaba?" I heard Rico ask. "Nanaba?" her voice was even more desperate this time.

"I looked up to see what was wrong and saw Nanaba's Jaw nearly blown clean off. All that struggling to keep her alive was for nothing.

"Nanaba!" Rico screamed again seeing all the blood on her shoulder. She quickly laid Nanaba down to get a look but I jumped up and the second she laid Nanaba down I covered her eyes.

"Let go of me if something's wrong I have to help her I have to-."

"Rico!" I cut her off, "we did everything we could, she's gone. I'm sorry but she's gone."

"She can't be. She can't be. I'm dreaming. This is just a nightmare. I'm going to wake up and she will be okay. I just have to wake up," Rico sounded absolutely desperate. She didn't even realize her arm was bleeding. I only realized when I saw the hole in her jacket. The blood was barely noticeable on her black jacket; it just looked like a wet stain.

"Rico's been shot," I said, calling out to Levi who was still trying to keep pressure on Xander's wound. Xander was still conscious and he seemed to be breathing just fine now. I think the pain is what had him struggling to breathe.

"Bring her to me I can help," Xander wheezed out through the pain.

"I'll hold them off, just keep working on them," Quinn shouted at us when she saw my focus being split between holding off the approaching guards and tending to their injuries.