Born of Blood

Loss

He could only focus on her.

The wind rushed past the side of Raiden's face. His hand gripping a cloth handhold tightly. His body swaying with the movement of the plane. He stood over her. Sitting Yorha, 2B, looked to him. Both of their faces covered by respirators. Neither could see the look on each other's faces but that didn't matter.

"Ja- Raiden. I'm okay."

Her voice came through his earpiece. Her slip of the tongue was a mistake that years ago would have been impossible for the girl to make. 2B's left hand slid past the harness strapping her body in and rested on her slightly protruded abdomen that in most cases was slightly visible. That won't be the case in a another week, soon it would be far past just noticeable... It reminded him that regardless of her reassurance, his anxiousness would continue to grow. Raiden's heart thumped loudly. His other hand resting over the handle of his suppressed Beretta M9A3.

This was her last mission, his last mission. After this... the paradise lost army, Solidus, their fights would be discarded to the past. Yet even knowing that dream that was just in reach, it gnawed at him. Something bit his stomach, twisted his organs, screaming at him that this mission was wrong.

"..."

His thoughts quieted once her hand reached out towards him. He had no other choice but join his with the one offered. The warmth of her palm, the slight thump of her calmed heartbeat, the strength in her grip. A deep slow breathe came from Raiden, his body finally relaxing.

*Krrchz* "Approaching Drop Zone."

The interior of the plane bathed in red light. The pilots voice in their ears spurred the two into action. 2B unstrapping herself was hoisted by Raiden's assistance. The two slowly walking towards the edge of the plane's cargo ramp. Below the rapidly moving dessert flow had been hidden by the night. The jump just a few steps away looked more like an abyss each second their gaze lingered.

*BBBBZZZZ*

A loud buzz caught their attention driving both from their thoughts. The red light flashed a brilliant green and with their hands still locked they jumped. Diving through the air the two departed, the sounds of the cargo plane that carried them getting all the more distant. With their arms and legs straight they looked at the militarized base underneath them. The base hadn't noticed their approach something both he and 2B were grateful for.

As they descended from 35,000 feet in the air, the warm night wind pushed against their halo suits. The altimeter on Raiden's wrist quickly decreased in number, the hand making its way round. 35,000 quickly became 30,000 to 25,000. Each time the hand got lower in counting the maximum feet the more Raiden's and 2B's legs and arms spread slowing their dive by adding wind resistance on their bodies. The security of the base made a direct approach impossible. Their objective was not an all out confrontation, espionage was, the only goal was to infiltrate the base, get the information they needed and exfil before anyone knew what happened.

The base gotten even closer than before. Looking to his wrist he quickly followed the numbers before holding his hand towards 2B and counting from 3, they pulled the cords of their parachutes once all of Raiden's fingers fell.

With the parachute shooting open Raiden and 2B felt their bodies being forcefully pulled, their legs now pointed downward. Their pitch black parachutes matched the dark sky as they neared the base. According to their intel, the west side of the base was the most unprotected. The mountain terrain inhibiting proper defense systems to effectively detect most presences and the blind spot between the two guard towers was wide enough to slip past. Landing on the ground, the pair quickly unstrapped their parachutes and removed their respirators, dropping them to the floor.