The Hunt For Scott ( A Five Chapter Helluva Boss Story of Betrayal)

Toxic City

Corvus stand at one end of a dark, narrow alleyway in Tenderville. Across from you is Striker, backed against the alley wall with rage in his eyes and weapons at his hips. Your squad has their guns trained on him, ready to fire at the first sign of aggression. The tension is thicker than demon blood. A single spark could set this powder keg ablaze.Corvus stare Striker down in a standoff. His eyes glow yellow and his hands twitch over his guns. You know it's only a matter of time before the fuse is lit and hell breaks loose. What's your next move?You look Striker dead in the eyes and say "Draw, demon! Let's see what you've got."  Striker bares his teeth, his fingers twitching over the grips of his holstered revolvers. "You want a piece of me boy? I'm gonna enjoy guttin' ya."  Striker snarls, his eyes glowing with unrestrained fury.The alley walls seem to close in around you as Striker slowly draws his guns, the metal glinting ominously in the flickering neon lights. Your squad takes a collective intake of breath, readying to open fire at a moment's notice. A bead of sweat rolls down your brow. One wrong move here and this alley runs red with blood. You can't back down now.You aim your rifle steadily at Striker, peering down the sights. "Well you don't look like the guy that we've been lookin' for. " Striker snarls, locking eyes with you down the barrel of your gun "You think you're so tough with that peashooter boy? I'll gut you like a fish."Striker slowly draws one of his revolvers from its holster, holding it casually at his side. "Put the gun down and I might let you walk outta here in one piece," he says gruffly. Your squadmate to your left clicks off the safety of her rifle. "Don't do anything stupid demon," she warns.In the distance, you hear a chorus of anguished moans and shuffling footsteps growing steadily louder. Your squadmate narrows her eyes down the alley. "Shit, sounds like we've got company."  Striker barks a harsh laugh. "Looks like you boys are stuck with little old me. What's it gonna be?" The sounds of the infected horde grow closer by the second. "Shit, he's right. Alright demon, you lead the way but so help me if you try anything..."  Striker flashes a razor-sharp grin. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now y'all best keep up, or these freaks will have yourselves a lil' snack!"  With that, Striker holsters his guns and takes off down the alley at a sprint.As Striker sprints down the alley ahead, a massive hulking shape detaches itself from the shadows at the far end, blocking the exit with its bulk. A mutated citizen, twice the size of a normal man, lets out an anguished roar. Its skin hangs in tattered ribbons from swollen, pulsating muscles. Striker skids to a halt, drawing his guns once more. "Well, fuck. Looks like we got company, boys." The mutated citizen shuffles forward, its misshapen limbs dragging on the ground. Bone and sinew are visible beneath flaps of decaying flesh. It lets out a low guttural moan, fixating on the armed men before it with milky white eyes. "Any bright ideas, demon?"  Striker considers the hulking infected blocking their path, then flashes a feral grin. "Just one..." He raises his revolvers, taking aim.Striker opens fire on the hulking mutant, his revolvers barking loudly in the narrow alley. Corvus returns fire with his rifle as suggested, emptying several rounds into its heaving chest. "Let's light this bastard up!"  The mutant roars in pain and rage, but keeps lumbering towards the men, seemingly impervious to their gunfire.The mutant takes another step, then two more, before its massive legs finally give out beneath it. With an earthshaking crash it collapses to the filthy pavement. "Heh, not so tough now are ya ugly?"  Striker kicks one of its limp arms for good measure. "Looks like the path's clear, if you city boy pansies are done sightseeing. We gotta haul ass if we wanna stay ahead of that freak mob." Striker hitches a thumb over his shoulder, eager to be on the move again.Corvus reloads his rifle, slamming a fresh clip into place with an audible click. "After you, demon."  Striker nods curtly, already taking off at a sprint down the alley. Corvus follows close behind, keeping his rifle raised and at the ready as they flee the sounds of shambling infected flooding the alley behind them.The alley twisted and turned as they ran, the neon signs flashing by in a dizzying kaleidoscope of color. Corvus risked a glance back to see a veritable tide of infected pouring around the corner in pursuit. Their moans and grunts echoed off the close walls, the sound dampened only slightly by the drizzle beginning to fall. "Not much further to the pickup zone. Just keep those freaks off our tails!"  Striker called over his shoulder.Corvus empties the rest of his clip into the oncoming infected horde as they round the corner, gunfire erupting in rapid staccato bursts. "Die you sonsofbitches!"  he shouts angrily. The hail of bullets cuts several of the mutants down in their tracks as thick dark blood sprays the alley walls. However more keep coming, driven into a frenzied rage by the gunfire.Striker lets out a low whistle as he watches Corvus's deadly marksmanship in action. "Not bad for a city boy" he remarks gruffly. The imp assassin draws his own pistols once more, twisting and firing in a fluid motion without breaking his sprint. Two more mutants fall, their skulls blasted open by his pinpoint aim. Still more keep coming though, spurred on by their bloodlust. "We're gonna be hip deep in these bastards if we don't haul ass!" Striker shouts over his shoulder.Corvus grits his teeth and slams a new magazine home, chambering the first round with a decisive crack. This was quickly becoming a losing battle.As the last mutant fell, Corvus turned to Striker while catching his breath. "I'm no city boy demon, just serving my country."  Striker regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "Back home I was an ex US MARSOC. We don't back down from a fight." Striker let out a low whistle at Corvus' words. "Ain't that somethin'. Always figured you humans were soft but I'll give ya some credit city boy."  He holstered his still-smoking pistols and jerked his head back down the alley. "We best keep movin' if we wanna get outta this shithole alive. Them freaks'll be crawlin' all over this place soon." As they hurried down the alley, another member of Corvus's squad spoke up. What brings you here demon?  Striker snarled. That's for me to know and you to wonder city boy. Striker holstered his smoking pistols and jerked his head back down the alley. We best keep movin' if we wanna get outta this shithole alive,  he growled. Nightwatch glared after the imp but said nothing more for now, following the group as they hustled down the alley.Corvus cocked his rifle meaningfully and said "Lead the way, demon. And no funny business."  Striker snarled and grinned wickedly "Heh, you got it city boy. Just try to keep up this time."  The imp assassin quickened his pace, pistols hanging ready at his sides as he wound down the alley.Corvus followed close behind Striker, his rifle clutched tightly in hands scarred from countless battles. The alley grew darker as they left the flickering neon signs behind. In the gloom ahead, a faint shuffling could be heard. "Think we got more company up ahead. You ready for another throwdown?"  Striker called over his shoulder with a harsh chuckle.As they pushed on through the darkening alleyway, Corvus quickened his pace to match Striker's long strides. "I think we are safe now, so tell me demon, what really brings you here?" Striker barked out a harsh laugh. "You think you city boys would understand? I'm here for a bounty, same as always."  Up ahead, the shuffling grew louder, along with a strange clicking sound that raised the hairs on Corvus's neck. Were more infected approaching, or something worse?Nightwatch spoke up from behind them, "What bounty? This ain't the wild west!"  Striker snarled. "Don't you worry about it city boy."  Up ahead the shuffling sounds and clicks grew louder.Nightwatch glared at the imp's back. "I don't trust you, demon."  Striker ignored him, pistols gripped tightly as he peered into the gloom. A sudden chorus of guttural moans rose up ahead, along with a wet clicking that made Corvus's skin crawl. It seemed they were not alone after all. What new horrors lay waiting in the darkness?Striker sighed heavily. "Jeremy Scott, he was a sinner from hell. He got something from Crimson Knolastname." "Jeremy Scott? But the USIA already terminated him in 2021. How does he come back from the dead?"  Corvus listened intently as Striker explained, wondering what new threats awaited them in the darkness.As Striker spoke, Nightwatch growled "I don't trust you, demon." Striker snarled back "Watch your tone city boy, or else." Up ahead, the sounds grew louder still. Corvus listened closely, considering Striker's words. How could Jeremy Scott have returned from certain death? There were strange powers at work in this accursed city, it seemed. The mutant's moans took on a frantic edge as whatever lurked ahead sensed fresh prey. Corvus steeled himself for the coming conflict, prayers for survival on his lips as the darkness closed in.As the sounds up ahead intensified, Corvus held up a hand, gesturing for silence from the others. Corvus gestures for Silence as a figure emerges from the gloom ahead. "Hold. Something comes."  Up ahead in the gloom, a hulking shape was taking form. Two glowing eyes shone through the darkness as the figure shuffled closer.A low, guttural moan emanated from the shadowy form as it stepped into a pool of neon light. Before them stood another hulking mutant, its massive fists clenched at its sides. This one was even larger than the last, its flesh hanging from its colossal frame in ragged flaps. The mutant fixed its milky gaze upon the men, nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air hungrily. "Heh, looks like this one wants a piece of us too. You boys ready for a throwdown?"  Striker grinned savagely, pistols already drawn and leveled at the giant.Striker goads the mutant into attacking, "Come on ugly, I'm right here!"  Striker taunted the hulking beast. The mutant let out an echoing roar and lunged towards Striker, massive fists swinging.Striker nimbly dodged the mutant's clumsy blows, dancing out of reach with a wicked grin. "That all you got? My grandma hits harder!"  he chuckled. The mutant roared in frustration, taking another heavy swing at the imp. Nearby Corvus and Nightwatch watched warily, weapons raised just in case.As the mutant took another swipe at Striker, it left itself open. Seeing an opportunity, Striker landed a solid blow to the mutant's jaw. The mutant reeled back briefly, before fixing its milky gaze on Striker once more. It let out an echoing roar and swung again, this time its massive fist connecting with Striker's side with a sickening crunch. "Gah! You bastard,"  Striker grunted, stumbling back and clutching his injured ribs. "Striker, watch out!"  Corvus shouted a warning, taking aim with his rifle.At Corvus' shout, Striker threw himself to the side just as the rifle cracked. The mutant howled as the high caliber round tore through its shoulder. Thick black blood sprayed from the wound as it staggered backwards. "Thanks for the save city boy,"  Striker panted, struggling back to his feet. The mutant was far from done however, and came charging back at them with a bone-chilling howl. Its milky eyes blazed with bloodlust, pain only seeming to drive it into a greater frenzy.As the mutant charged towards them with another enraged howl, Corvus took aim with his rifle. Corvus aims his rifle at the mutant's head, preparing to deliver the killing shot. "Time to put this ugly bastard down."  He squeezed the trigger, and with a loud crack the rifle barked. The high caliber round tore into the mutant's skull with a wet crunch.The mutant jerked as the bullet slammed into its head, blood and bone fragments exploding out the exit wound in a wet spray. It let out an guttural gurgle and crashed face first to the alley floor with an echoing boom. For a moment there was silence as the corpse twitched, then was still. "Good shootin' city boy. Think that about does it for ol' ugly."  Striker pushed himself to his feet with a grunt, pressing a hand to his injured ribs.Corvus reloads his rifle, slamming a fresh magazine into place with an audible click. "Think that's the last of them. You doing alright demon?" Striker grunted and clutched at his injured ribs. "Thanks to your shootin' I'll survive city boy. Think my days of tanglin' with you and your boys might be over though."  Corvus nodded curtly, keeping his gaze down the alley for any signs of further mutants.Corvus' comlink crackled to life, drawing his attention away from the dark alley. "Nightwatch here, what is it HQ?"  The tinny voice of the dispatcher came through, "Be advised Nightwatch, we had a STAD chopper inbound to provide support but it was shot down by unknown assailants on approach. You are cleared to investigate the crash site for survivors and intel. Proceed with caution."  Corvus nodded grimly. "Understood, we're en route to the crash site. Nightwatch out." As Corvus signed off, Striker cocked an eyebrow ridge at him. "Chopper went down, huh? Sounds like you city boys walked into more than you bargained for."  Corvus ignored the jab for now. "We move out immediately. Nightwatch, on me," he barked, taking point down the alley. His squad fell in behind with practiced efficiency, weapons up and scanning for hostiles. The crash site awaited, and whatever enemy laid in wait.Corvus motioned for Striker to follow as they advanced cautiously towards the crash site. 'Stay sharp and keep your eyes open, demon. Wouldn't do to get ambushed out here.'  Striker followed close behind, hands near his pistols as he scanned the alley for threats. The crash site was just ahead, but what dangers awaited them remained unseen.As they crept down the alley, Striker narrowed his eyes and peered into the gloom. 'Something ain't right city boy. Keep your guard up.'  Corvus gripped his rifle tightly and nodded. The alley opened up ahead, revealing the smoldering wreckage of the downed chopper. But the crash site was eerily still - too still. Where were the rescue teams?As Corvus and Striker crept towards the crash site, an ominous silence hung in the air. Without warning, a hail of gunfire erupted from within the wreckage. "Ambush! Take cover!"  Striker barked. Corvus dove for the nearest pile of rubble as bullets whizzed past. Peering through the smoke and flames, shadows moved within the downed chopper. But who were these assailants and what did they want? The squad returned fire, but were pinned down by the onslaught.The gunfight raged as Corvus leaned out of cover to loose controlled bursts at the enemies within the chopper. A pained cry rang out as one fell, followed by angry shouts in a guttural tongue. "We need to flush them out!" Corvus shouted over the din of battle. Striker grinned savagely. "Just say the word city boy, I got an idea." With a hiss two smoke grenades arced into the wreckage. Billowing clouds soon obscured the chopper entirely.Corvus nodded to Striker. 'Do it, let's flush these bastards out.'  Striker chucked the smoke grenades with a wicked grin. 'You got it city boy.'  The grenades erupted with a hiss, filling the chopper wreckage with billowing clouds of acrid smoke. Through the haze, angry shouts and coughs could be heard as the ambushers were blinded.The squad seized the chance to advance, rushing towards the chopper through the cover of smoke. Corvus kept his rifle trained ahead, peering intently for any sign of the hidden assailants within the wreckage. A shadowy figure emerged from the smoke, weapon raised - only for a burst of gunfire to cut them down with a wet gurgle. 'Think that's the last of em boys.'  Striker remarked, ejecting a spent clip from one of his revolvers.As the smoke billowed out from the wreckage, Corvus barked "Squad, search the area! Look for any survivors or intel."  The squad rushed into the chopper, their flashlights piercing the acrid fog. After a few tense moments, one of the Nightwatch soldiers emerged, coughing. "Sir, we found two survivors but it's not looking good...and it looks like whoever shot this bird down was searching her hard drives for something." Corvus nodded grimly and followed the soldier into the wreckage. On the floor near the mangled cockpit, two pilots lay in expanding pools of blood, their uniforms in tatters. One was still weakly clutching a data drive to his chest. "Fuck...alright, get a medivac team here now. And sanitize that drive, I want our techs picking it apart."  He turned to Striker. "You're with me, demon. Think you can track these sons of bitches?" Striker sighed as he sifted through the wreckage, tossing aside shreds of metal and wiring. His brow furrowed as he searched for any clues as to who attacked the chopper. Meanwhile, one of the Nightwatch soldiers spotted a patch on a dead assailant's uniform. "Sir, come take a look at this," he called to Corvus. "It's the symbol of those Hades Security mercenaries. What business do those Hellhole guns have here?""I don't know, but we're going to find out."  Corvus turned back to Striker. "Any luck finding anything useful, demon?"  Striker grunted as he yanked a data module free from the wreckage. "Maybe this'll tell us something. Your tech boys better know how to crack demon tech." Striker inspected the demon tech closely, turning it over in his hands. His brow furrowed further as he studied the strange circuitry and runes etched into the casing. "Huh, this is new," "I've never seen tech like this before. Must be some new Helltech." Striker turned the demon tech over in his hands, examining it closely. "For me, it's common. By the way these mercenaries were hired by Jeremy Scott, according to Alessio."  Corvus nodded thoughtfully. This gave them a lead to follow regarding who shot down the chopper, and why.Corvus turned to the Nightwatch soldier. "Did Alessio have any other information? We need to find this Jeremy Scott." The soldier shook his head. "Nothing else I'm afraid. But I may know where to start looking - there's an abandoned factory on the edge of town that Jeremy and his gang are known to frequent." Corvus nodded curtly. "Alright, Nightwatch move out. We're going hunting." With that, Corvus took point down the alley, rifle raised as they advanced towards the factory, and whatever secrets it may hold regarding their attackers.As they advanced down the alley, Corvus turned to Striker. "Thanks for the intel demon, we'll take it from here."  Striker grunted. "Just catch that bastard Scott."  Corvus nodded, turning forward again as the factory loomed ahead.Striker watched as Corvus and the Nightwatch advanced. The imp was battered and bruised from his fight with the mutants. While he was eager to take down Jeremy Scott himself, he knew he was in no condition for another battle. With a sigh, Striker turned and limped back down the alley alone, leaving Corvus and his men to storm the factory.Corvus motions for the Nightwatch to flank the factory entrances. As the looming factory came into view, Corvus turned to the Nightwatch squad. "Alright squad, flank the sides. We're going in hard and fast."  The squad nodded silently and broke off from the main group, ghosting alongside the crumbling walls. Corvus raised a fist, signaling the assault was on.Corvus gripped his rifle tightly as he watched the Nightwatch slip into position along the factory walls. Through his scope he scanned for movement, ready to engage any hostiles. The squad pressed against the weathered concrete, weapons raised as they crept towards the open loading docks. From within came only an ominous silence. What enemies lay in wait within those shadowy halls?Corvus kicks open the factory doors and storms inside, rifle raised. The heavy steel doors crashed open with a loud bang. Corvus charged into the gloomy factory, weapon up and at the ready. "Nightwatch, sweep the area! On me!" As Corvus stormed into the factory, the Nightwatch squad filed in behind him. They fanned out, flanking down the nearby corridors. Sergeant Locke moved to cover Corvus. "Area's clear so far sir, but keep your guard up."  Corvus nodded, sweeping his gaze across the shadows.As Corvus swept his gaze across the gloom of the factory, he spotted a huddled shape amidst a pile of debris. Drawing closer cautiously, gun raised, he saw it was a body - and not just any body. This man wore the telltale uniform of Jeremy Scott's terrorist cell. A bullet hole punctured his forehead in a spray of dried blood. Crouching down, Corvus pried the radio from the stiff grip of the corpse's hands. Crackling through the static came a frantic voice: "God damn it, we've been betrayed by that demon Scott! He sent those Hades mercenaries to attack - if you're hearing this, don't trust him!"  It seemed they had found their first clue.As the radio message ended, Corvus frowned thoughtfully. So Jeremy Scott had turned on his own men it seemed. But what was the demon's endgame? Before he could ponder further, Sergeant Locke's voice broke the silence. "Sir, I've got movement up ahead. Sending a drone to investigate."  His mechanical scout drone hummed past, slaloming through the rubble towards the source of the disturbance. On its camera display, figures could be seen picking through the debris - but were they more terrorists, or the mercenaries hired to kill them?As the drone swept past, Sergeant Locke's voice crackled over the radio again. "Sir, it looks like more of Scott's terrorists. I count three of them searching through the wreckage."  Corvus peered through his scope, steadying his aim on the figures. "Hey! STAD task force! Show yourselves with your hands up!"  he called out loudly. The figures seemed to startle at the sound of Corvus' voice, scrambling for their weapons. One of the terrorists spotted Corvus and fired off a wild shot with his pistol. The bullet ricocheted harmlessly off a rusted machine near Corvus' head.Corvus narrowed his eyes as the terrorist fired at him. He tightened his grip on his rifle, preparing to return fire. Meanwhile, Sergeant Locke's drone buzzed through the factory towards the terrorists. "Engaging targets, don't shoot me down!"  he said over the radio. The drone opened fire with its onboard chaingun, raking the debris near the terrorists with covering fire. One terrorist went down, clutching a shredded leg with a cry. The other two scrambled for cover, spraying bullets wildly in the direction of Corvus and the drone.As the drone's chaingun fired, Corvus took aim through his scope. He steadied his breathing as a terrorist popped up from behind cover, spraying bullets wildly. Exhaling slowly, Corvus squeezed the trigger, putting two rounds into the man's chest. 'Eat lead, scumbag!'  he shouted. The terrorist fell, gun clattering away. Seeing his comrade fall, the last terrorist cursed and dove for cover. But Corvus had already swung his rifle toward the movement. Two shots rang out and the terrorist stopped moving.With the last shots echoing in the vast factory chamber, Corvus slowly stood from his crouched position. He ejected the spent magazine from his rifle and slammed a fresh one home with an audible click. Sweeping the scope carefully across the debris field, he saw no further signs of life. 'Looks clear from here sir.'  said Locke over the radio. The whine of his drone's motors grew louder as it swooped back towards them. Their brief battle amidst the ruins was over, for now at least.As the echo of gunshots faded into silence, Corvus strode through the debris field, rifle held ready. Reaching the still form of one fallen terrorist, he gave the body a nudge with his boot. Seeing no reaction, Corvus knelt to search the corpse. Rummaging through pockets and pouches, his hands closed around something hard and rectangular. He withdrew an encrypted data drive, its surface smeared with drying blood.Corvus wiped the drive clean on the terrorist's uniform, scrutinizing it for any clues as to its contents. Sergeant Locke's voice crackled over the radio. "Sir, we're clear over here but picking up movement deeper in the factory. Sending my drone ahead to investigate."  His mechanical scout drone hummed past, slaloming between piles of rubble as it sped further into the gloom.Crouching among the rubble, Corvus tapped his headset. "Locke, stay sharp in there. Proceed with caution."  He turned to the squad members surrounding him. "Nightwatch, rendezvous on my position. Let's see what secrets this drive holds."  The squad nodded, gathering close as Corvus withdrew the data drive from his pack. His gloved fingers worked to decrypt the drive's encrypted files. If they contained any clues to Jeremy Scott's plans or the identities of their attackers, finding them could put their chaotic mission one step closer to an end.As Corvus worked on decrypting the data drive, Sergeant Locke's voice crackled again over the radio. "Sir, my drone is picking up multiple heat signatures deeper in. Sending feed to your HUD now."  Corvus tapped the side of his helmet, activating the heads-up display. Through Locke's drone feed, he could see at least a dozen figures moving through the factory ruins. Whether they were more of Jeremy Scott's men or the mercenaries that attacked the downed chopper remained unclear. Corvus frowned in concentration. "Looks like we've got company. Alright squad, lock and load. Looks like the party's coming to us." He slapped the drive into a pocket and shouldered his rifle once more.Corvus signaled for the squad to hold position and wait in ambush. His squad took up defensive positions around the rubble, blending into the shadows cast by the looming machinery. Sergeant Locke's voice crackled again over the radio. "Sir, the heat signatures are closing in fast. Looks like we're about to have some visitors."  Corvus checked the charge on his energy cells and peered through his scope, steadying himself for the imminent confrontation.As Corvus peered through his scope, the squad readied themselves for battle in silence. Soon indistinct shouts could be heard echoing through the factory ruins, along with the clanking of armor and weapons. A squad of battle-hardened mercenaries emerged into view, weapons raised as they picked their way through the debris. "Sweep the area, don't let any of Scott's rats escape alive!"  bellowed their heavily armored leader. The mercenaries fanned out to search - but little did they know, they were walking into a trap. Corvus signaled to his squad with a clenched fist, and all at once energy weapons opened fire from the shadows. The ambush had begun.The ambush rained concentrated fire down upon the mercenaries. Though caught off guard, their armor and training kept them standing against the onslaught. Corvus shouted, 'Fall back, we'll hit them again from the upper levels!'  Upon hearing Corvus' order, the Nightwatch squad ceased fire and melted back into the darkness. Corvus laid down cover fire as his squad retreated deeper into the factory ruins.As Corvus' squad fell back, Sergeant Locke spoke over the radio. 'Sir, we'll hold the entrance and draw their fire. You find a way to flank them from above.'  Corvus acknowledged with a grunt as he fired off a few more bursts to keep the mercenaries' heads down. Once the last of his squad had retreated around a corner, Corvus backed away step by step, never breaking sights on the enemy squad below. They were attempting to regroup after taking losses from the ambush. With a final squeeze of the trigger, Corvus disappeared into the shadows after his men.As the last reports of gunfire faded, Corvus emerged from the shadows to see Sergeant Locke and two other Nightwatch squad members taking up defensive positions near the stairwell entrance. Corvus leads his squad up the rickety stairwell, scouting for higher ground to flank their attackers from above. 'Locke, what's your position? I want eyes on the enemy.' As they advanced up the creaking metal stairs, Sergeant Locke tapped his helmet comm. "Sir, switching to infrared reveals at least a dozen hostiles regrouping below. Sending drone for a better view."  His mechanical scout drone buzzed past, its infrared camera scanning the factory floor. After a moment, Locke spoke again. "They're taking up defensive positions in the wreckage, looks like they're expecting us. I'd advise hitting them hard and fast before they fully entrench." As the squad crept higher, Corvus tapped his helmet comm. 'Nightwatch, lock and load. We'll rain hell on those scum from above.'  The squad checked their weapons and readied explosives. Corvus peeked through a crack in the stairwell, watching the mercenaries set up fortifications below. It was time to spring the trap.Through the crack, Corvus watched the mercenaries hustle back and forth below, unaware of the impending ambush. He turned to Sergeant Locke. 'We're in position sir, just say the word.'  Corvus nodded silently. A few mercenaries shouted angrily at each other, and one threw a slab of rubble in frustration. It seemed tensions were rising among their foes as they scrambled to entrench. Soon, their disorder would play right into Corvus's hands. The moment was almost upon them...Corvus signaled to the squad, opening his fist to signal the attack. Rifles emerged from the darkness, firing a cascading barrage down upon the mercenaries below. 'put those heretics down!'  he shouted, adding his own rifle to the chorus of gunfire. Caught utterly by surprise, the mercenaries scrambled for cover amidst the onslaught.As Corvus rained fire down upon their foes, a mercenary captain bellowed angrily up at them. "Ambush, you cowards! Show yourselves and fight!"  His voice was lost amidst the thunderous reports of weapons. One mercenary, pinning down behind a rusted machine, risked a glance up at Corvus. Their eyes met briefly before the man's head exploded in a shower of gore. The squad's combined fire was shredding their enemies, but had the element of surprise been lost?Corvus raised a closed fist, signaling the squad to cease fire. Their rifles fell silent as one, though wisps of smoke still curled from their barrels. "Let's clean up the rest down below."  he said grimly. Sliding fresh magazines into their weapons, the Nightwatch rose as one to advance.As the Nightwatch squad moved to follow Corvus, Sergeant Locke spoke quietly into his helmet comm. "Sir, my drone counts at least five more hostiles barricaded below. Looks like they're regrouping for a counter assault."  Corvus nodded curtly. Below, the surviving mercenary captain roared with rage and punched the wall of the shelter they had erected, his gauntleted fist putting a sizable dent in the metal. "Bastards! I'll rip their spines from their corpses! Men, with me - we end this fight NOW!"  His troops bellowed in response, hefting weapons once more.As Corvus and the Nightwatch squad advanced through the debris field, shadows shifted in their peripheral vision. With a guttural roar, a pack of mutated scavengers emerged from the ruins. Saliva dripped from jaws lined with serrated teeth as milky eyes turned upon the armed men. Their timing could not have been worse - both Nightwatch and the mercenaries were caught utterly by surprise. "Contact, six o'clock! Open fire!"  he shouted, hosing the nearest mutant with suppressive fire from his rifle. The Nightwatch opened up as one, but the mercenaries were slower to react. One mutant leapt upon a mercenary, bearing him to the ground in a whirl of snapping jaws and flailing limbs. His screams were cut horribly short. Chaos reigned as man battled mutated beast amidst the ruins. Below, the merc captain let loose an inhuman howl of rage.As gunfire and shouts of pain and fury echoed through the ruins, Corvus found himself face to face with a hulking mutant. Foul breath washed over him as jaws gaped wide, drooling tendrils of gore. He rolled to the side instinctively, coming up in a crouch with his rifle leveled. Two precise shots took it in the throat and temple. As the creature crumpled, Corvus spotted Striker across the debris field, laying about him with smoking revolvers. The imp assassin caught his eye briefly, expression unreadable amidst the frenzy of battle. "You just gonna stand there gawkin' city boy, or are ya gonna help clean up this mess?"  he growled, before twisting to put a bullet through an oncoming mutant's eye. Nearby, Sergeant Locke shouted frantic orders over the sounds of close combat.Striker let out a harsh bark of laughter as he put another bullet through the eye of an oncoming mutant.Corvus provides covering fire for the squad, 'Light 'em up boys!'  Corvus shouted. He swung his rifle between targets, squeezing off precise bursts that tore through flesh and bone. The Nightwatch squad laid into the horde with disciplined precision. Under the withering barrage, the tide of battle slowly began to turn.As the last mutant fell, Sergeant Locke let out a long breath. 'Appreciate the backup sir.'  he said. Below, the mercenary captain was screaming obscenities up at Corvus. 'I'll gut you all, just you wait!'  His troops fired back sporadically, but the onslaught had taken its toll on their numbers.As Corvus took down another mutant, Striker tapped him on the shoulder. Striker shoulders past Corvus, taking careful aim below at the remaining mutants and mercenaries. With a grunt, he pulled the trigger three times in rapid succession. Three bodies fell limply to the ground below as Striker's shots found their marks. "Heh, I do believe that's the last of 'em. Good work cleanin' up down here city boy." Below, the mercenary captain laid eyes on the fallen forms of his men. With a wordless howl of grief and rage, he charged forward swinging his electrified claymore wildly. Sergeant Locke shouted a warning and pushed Corvus aside, taking the brunt of the attack himself. Blue arcs of electricity coursed over Locke's armor as the Captain bore down on him. Through it all, Locke stood his ground and grappled with the enraged man.As Striker and Corvus watched Sergeant Locke grapple with the enraged mercenary captain, Corvus finished decrypting the data from the drive. "Striker, take a look at this. The data shows that Scott and his mercs are planning to terrorize numerous USIA Hideouts in Los Suenos with some kind of bomb called The Beelzejuice." Striker let out a low whistle as he read the plans over Corvus' shoulder. "The Beelzejuice, huh? Nasty drink, mutating anything living within a hundred yards."  He spat dismissively. Below, Sergeant Locke was barely holding his own against the merc captain's furious assault. With a grunt of effort, Locke managed to force the larger man back long enough to gasp "Sir...a little...help...would be good...about now!" As Striker read the plans, Corvus tapped his comm. 'HQ do you read me? We need heavy backup ASAP. And intercept that bomb shipment by any means necessary.'  Static crackled in response. 'Corvus this is HQ, backup is en route but that bomb shipment is not scheduled for intercept. Advise proceeding with caution.'  Below, Locke was losing ground against the raging captain.Corvus grimaced at HQ's response. Without intercepting the bombs, countless lives could be lost. He turned to Striker. "Any ideas on taking down that shipment?" Below, Locke cried out as the captain slammed him against the wall. His armor was nearly broken through. The captain drew back a massive fist, ready to crush Locke's helmet. But before he could strike, a shot rang out.As the captain reared back to deliver the crushing blow, Corvus drew his sidearm and took aim. Corvus draws his sidearm and takes aim at the captain 'Let him go or eat lead, scumbag!'  Corvus' shot rang out, the bullet tearing through the captain's shoulder. He howled in pain and rage, releasing Locke to clutch at his wound.The captain staggering back from Locke, glaring daggers at Corvus as his massive chest heaved. "I'll kill you all," he seethed through clenched teeth. Striker called up from below, reloading his pistols. "Well don't just stand there gawkin', we've still got work to do!"  Locke pushed himself to his feet, giving Corvus a curt nod. "Thanks for the save, sir. Now let's end this bastard," he growled, turning his rifle on the wounded captain.The captain staggered back, clutching his bleeding shoulder with one hand. "You'll pay for this, demon scum!"  he growled at Corvus. As he turned to flee, his massive leg buckled beneath him. With an anguished roar, the captain crashed to the ground. Blood pooled rapidly beneath his massive form as his life drained away. His remaining men watched in horror, unable to save their fallen leader.As the captain's cries faded into silence, Striker whistled low. "Well I'll be damned, you actually did it city boy. That bastard won't be causin' no more trouble."  Locke nodded grimly from where he stood, rifle still trained on the fallen mercenaries. "Your men will stand down now if they want to keep breathing,"  he warned them.As the last echoes of battle faded, Corvus tapped his helmet comm. 'HQ this is Nightwatch, mission accomplished. We need immediate dustoff from the LZ.'  Static crackled in response. The fallen captain's men slowly lowered their weapons, faces ashen. Striker holstered his smoking pistols with a grunt.Corvus eyed the defeated mercenaries warily as HQ responded. 'Nightwatch, evac chopper is inbound. ETA five minutes. Well done.'  Locke kept his rifle trained on the men, his armor scorched and dented from the captain's fury. Striker sauntered over to a fallen mutant, rummaging through its tattered coat. 'Always check the buggers,' he remarked. 'Sometimes they got loot.' A faint whump-whump grew louder in the distance as their dustoff approached.Striker pulled a dusty flask from the mutant's coat, taking a long pull. "Always carry a little somethin' to dull the pain."  He tossed the flask to Corvus, who caught it deftly. "Celebrate your victory, city boy. I'll be seein' you in Los Suenos."  With a tip of his hat and a wink, Striker turned and sauntered away. The whump-whump of the evac chopper grew louder overhead as Striker disappeared into the factory ruins.Corvus watched Stricker's retreating form thoughtfully as he took a sip from the flask. The acrid liquid burned going down. Above, the evac chopper descended slowly, rotors stirring up thick clouds of dust. Sergeant Locke approached Corvus, offering a weary salute. 'Chopper's here sir. Good work today, we couldn"t have pulled it off without you" Corvus took another sip from the flask as the evac chopper touched down, blowing dust and debris across the ruined factory floor. Sergeant Locke shouted over the roar of the engines, "Time to go sir! The city needs us."  Corvus nodded, handing the empty flask back to Locke as he turned to board the chopper. The Nightwatch squad filed in after him, armor scuffed and scarred from the battle. As the chopper lifted into the smog choked sky, Corvus gazed out at the devastated cityscape of Tenderville spread out below, fires still raging amid the crumbling structures. They had survived another fight, but the war still raged on.The chopper banked hard as it gained altitude, circling around the outskirts of Tenderville. From the air, the scope of the damage was even more apparent. Vast swathes of the city had been reduced to rubble and ash, the twisted remains of skyscrapers jutting up like tombstones above the wastes. As the evac chopper sped towards the quarantine zone, a familiar figure emerged from the ruins far below. Even at this distance, recognition was instant. Striker raised a hand in farewell, a tiny scarlet smudge against the grey devastation. Corvus nodded mutely, offering a brief salute in return. With that, Striker turned and disappeared back into the ruins as the chopper pulled away. Sergeant Locke spoke quietly over the roar of engines, "That demon done us right, sir. An alliance with him could turn the tide of this war."  As the chopper sped towards the quarantine zone, Corvus turned to Sergeant Locke, 'yeah but the problem is STAD won't allow us to work with Demons' . Locke nodded thoughtfully. 'The higher ups can be stubborn, but after today I think they'll see the value of allying with someone like Striker. Mark my words, that demon will be the key to ending this war.' Locke fell silent as the chopper flew on. Through the cockpit window, the outskirts of the quarantine zone were coming into view; a tangled mass of barbed wire fences and guard towers enclosing block after block of tattered tents and makeshift shelters. As the evac chopper circled in to land at the STAD base, Corvus wondered if Locke was right. Could Striker really be the x-factor they needed to turn the tide? Only time would tell. For now, all Corvus wanted was rest after the brutal battle. The war would still be there tomorrow.