*I had this chapter in draft form, I guess I forgot to release it. So here you go. Sorry everyone!

  Ratatata! My auto-pistol burst forth a frothing spritz of death at the Gelly Deacons. It shook in my hand; the recoil shaking my whole arm as the muzzle bsts lit my face with each shot. I watched as several of the Deacons dropped to the floor, their limp bodies rolling down into a small crater.

  Other Deacons crouched and spun, their reflexes saving their asses from a hail of bullets. They immediately returned fire at me. Rock chips and dust kicked up all around my little heap of debris. I covered my face as I holstered my pistol, grabbing the second one as bits of rock kept raining down on my head.

  “Fuck!” I could’ve thought this through a little better.

  A Deacon charged over the pile, aiming his gun right at my head. I gnced up, waiting for him to send my soul floating into the ether. Static energy coursed around me; my hair started to stand on end.

  Shooooo! A shockwave rippled through the air, bsting the Deacon backwards, flipping through the air at his comrades. I peeked over the edge to see them scrambling to cover.

  “Get your ass over here, dumbass.” Sucker came rolling to a stop next to me. A small cannon was protruding from the front of her pod-car, “I can’t keep saving you if you’re always throwing yourself into danger. Get behind my shields!”

  A shimmering field enveloped the pod. I tapped it with my pistol and a shockwave rippled down the shield.

  “Nice.”

  “Don’t do that.” Sucker gred at me, “Just follow me, stay behind the shield.” Sucker zoomed forward, zipping over the rubble.

  I jumped forward to keep up with her. She was headed for the trapped anthros, keeping a wide arc from the Gellys. I could see the Deacons through the shield. They aimed at us and fired, peppering us with gunfire. The shield rippled about like violent waves in the ocean. Bullets gnced off and ricocheted off nearby buildings.

  “Shit,” I ducked my head to avoid any grazings. I put my pistol above the pod shields and fired back, taking single shots to suppress the Gellys.

  “You better come up with a pn when we reach them. They can’t all hide behind my pod.” Sucker gnced at me.

  I could see the fear in her eyes. She wasn’t used to field combat. At most she sat back and provided support from the safety of her ship. It was my dumbass that got us involved in this mess. I had to get us out.

  Boom! An explosion ran out behind us, bsting us with more debris. My purple skinsuit was covered in white and brown dust now. I could only imagine my face now. Why was I worried about that now? The Gellys rose and tossed another fist sized object at us through the air.

  “Grenades? Dammit!”

  “Get down!” Sucker turned her pod car on a dime, the cannon sprouted from the shields. Air whipped up around me as I hit the dirt. Her pod car jumped into the air, bsting another shockwave at the grenade.

  The small object immediately was returned to sender. The Deacons scrambled to run away as the bst rocked their cover, sending them flying into the air, tumbling about the bst zone like ragdolls.

  “Wow.” Sucker was more capable than I thought. I crawled my way up to the alcove where Ash was hiding. I sat up as I looked at the scared faces of a human and a few anthros.

  Ash jumped up and hugged me, grabbing onto my neck tightly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, I’m so gd you’re still alive. I thought we were the only ones.” She started to cry as she held me.

  “Please, it’s fine. Bottle it up, girl, we got to get the hell out of here.”

  She sniffled and nodded, wiping her eyes clear. “Oh, I need to show you. This here is my brother, Cinder.” Ash grabbed the hand of the other Anthro-Bunny that looked identical to her. “This is Vixie. A badass. She’ll get us out of here alive.”

  The Anthros looked at me with hope in their eyes. Ash just put me in a bad spot now. I was just pying this all by the moment.

  “Nice to meet you, but for now, everyone shut up and listen to me. Do exactly what I say, alright?”

  The Anthros nodded at me.

  I was racking my brain for some way out of here, someway that the Gellys couldn’t gun us down in their dropships. There had to be some way out. I peeked out of the alcove. Sucker was zooming up the small slope, gunfire was smattering across her shields. More Gellys had joined the fight. More ptoons were filtering in towards us.

  This was bad.

  Sucker’s wheels crunched down on a small vial. My brows furrowed as I could see some yellow liquid pour out and mist away into the air. Huff. My mind raced to the subway we took on the way here. The underground passage would be great to escape, if it was still standing.

  “Sucker, scan the area for any subway access. See if it’s still usable.”

  “Scanning.” She began to tap away on her computer, flinching as bullets ricocheted off her pod.

  The building shook, rocks fell as an explosion bsted above our alcove. Chunks of building smashed into the ground around us. The group shouted in terror, trying to keep as quiet as they could. A young Anthro-Cat was clutching to an older Anthro-Dog, who was trying to console the child. They were covered in dirt, dust, and blood. Others were all the same. Different anthros stuck in this situation. Their families probably dead. Now, they were all on me. I had to get them out. I had to make a better difference in this world. If not for me, then who?

  “Sucker, any news would be good news.” I reloaded my pistols. I was on the st bit of ammo. If we didn’t get out now, we’d all be bloodstains and history.

  “Got it. Down the street, there’s an access. Away from the Gellys. If we get there, we can get the fuck out of here.” Her squeaky voice was quivering now. “I’m not sure where it goes, but it’s away from here.”

  “Ash, take everyone and head for the subway access. I won’t take failure as an option.”

  The Anthro-Bunny nodded at me, holding her gun tight in one hand, and her brother in the other.

  “Sucker, give them cover. Help them get in and make sure they get out safe.”

  “What about you?” Sucker stared at me, knowing the answer, but not wanting to hear it.

  “I’ll distract them the best I can. I’ll make sure they don’t get past me. Giving you guy enough time to get out.”

  Another explosion smmed against the building. Bullets dug into the concrete surfaces around us. The engines of dropships could be heard closing in on us.

  “No. you can’t.” Ash stepped in front of me. “We need you.”

  “What did I say? Bottle it up, shut up, and do exactly as I say. You guys need to get out so you can fight another day. I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me. I can go invisible, remember?” I pushed them out behind Suckers pod-car, “Now, go!” The group ran off down the street, hiding behind what cover they could. Gunfire immediately followed, peppering the ground and buildings around them.

  Sucker gave me one st look. She knew what I was doing. “Take this,” She tossed a small object at me. “If you need to make it a quick end.” She raced off after the group, shielding them as more explosions rang out on the building. The whole thing started to shift about, groaning as it was starting to colpse under its own weight.

  I held a small, grey grenade in my hand. It would end me in an instant. She was right. I didn’t want to be captured by the Gellys. It was a fate worse than death; being stripped away of everything that made you an individual. I gripped the grenade tight and attached it to my belt. I hope it wouldn’t come to that.

  I readied my pistols and charged out into the street, making my way back the rubble pile. I fired off my pistols, spraying the Gelly line as I ran with all my might.

  Probably a hundred Gellys were out now. Some advancing, while others gave them covering fire. Another rocket raced towards the building, nding straight in the alcove we were all just in. Fire spewed out, bsting me forwards. I tumbled about, rolling down a small crater and nding in a puddle of dirty water.

  I coughed as I stood, checking my ammo. I was half empty now. Another explosion rang out. I crawled to some cover, hoping a stray bullet wouldn’t hit me. The engines of a drop ship drowned out all the other noise as it lowered to the battle zone. The ground shook as something emerged.

  I could feel the stomps of something approaching. I risked a peek as all gunfire ceased. Twenty feet away was the worst thing that could happen right now.

  Twelve feet tall, cd in bck armor and white robes was a Missonary. Light glinted off his polished armor. His visor looked right at me.

  His voice was a thick metallic pang, “And now, sinner, you will die for our Lord and Savior.”

  I slumped back behind my small cover. I grabbed the grenade from my belt. It was a fun ride, but it looks like this was the st stop. I pulled the pin and took a deep breath.

  *Please consider donating 3 a month to my Patreon. Every bit helps! You get access to early chapters and artwork!