Silver and Natalia - Hunter prt.3

The silence of a city is a hunting thing, desolate, almost mystical, but it’s that mystical feeling that brings about fear and worry. I can’t explain it properly, but I felt…scared around here. Prior to us embarking deeper into this city from the Convoy, we had been able to draw Mike and Vix inside without any more suppressive fire from Whiteout. Mike’s wound, though deep, was actually not as bad as first thought; Whiteout had landed a non-leather shoulder shot, hitting at the flesh below the shoulder, usually were little pain could be felt. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t as if Mike would simply get up and walk from that, but I can guarantee it didn’t hurt as much as it could have been.
Once we left, Silver noted that there may be something afoot here, Whiteout could have easily killed Mike, yet it seemed that the assassin had other plans; non-lethal shots are a very unusual circumstance for this kind of situation.

We had left the Convoy and made our way into the side-streets of the once proud city of Yeilds. Everything seemed…so open, so empty. Anything of value was looted, any material not bolted down was salvaged for scrap; there was a faint smell of death in the air.
“Almost one million people use to live here. Yeilds was the most prosperous and developed city in this region before the collapse” Silver muttered as we made our way through an abandoned school. I could swear that the sound of children playing still lingered, their bodies long since gone, but the spirits…..it got rather creepy.
The streets were oddly quiet, I soon realized that we haven’t even taken shots form whiteout; Silver knew it too, and soon we would be able to test it. Outside the school building was an open field, no cover for at least a block before reaching the row of ruin structures across from it.
For a long moment, Silver studied the opening…he didn’t like it
“Too exposed” he muttered “if the assassin had been waiting for a clear shot, he won’t get any clearer than that” he added. I sighed “Well there isn’t any other way?”
The wolf shook his head “Sadly that is the only route I can detect that will get us deeper into the city.”
Our target, or were are target was believed to be, was in a tall structure in the financial district, it overlooked a good range of the city and a level shot with the road we arrived in. Getting there was the problem, for the last hour of walking, we came under zero fire from whiteout, so now, with this open field, and it would test if we were lucky…or just really good at hiding.

The courtyard ahead was a square dirt field, surrounded by a concrete walkway, each side with 3 benches. There were no trees, no grass, just emptiness. Silver eased out first, not far just enough to poke his front to check…nothing. He moved further, going into the walkway just before the open field…an eerie silence rose around him as he moved further still, just to the edge of the concrete path and the dirt. He stood there, in plain view now, eyes gazing about the high-rises around him, catching a large building in the distance that went high up into the sky.
“That’s our target” he says pointing to the building. He then ushers me forward, no one had taken a shot, so it seems we were safe…or whiteout was just waiting.
“I…I don’t know” I admit I was scared, Silver was a robot, maybe whiteout knew that, maybe they were waiting for the weak fleshy thing to come. I sighed, creeping slowly under the careful eye of Silver. I was tense, my movements very cautious; each step I would stop and scan around before moving further until I eventually got behind a bench and ducked. I counted 4 times Whiteout could have clocked me, but none had ever touched me, in fact, not a single round came. Again, I felt that something wasn’t right, but my thoughts were quickly put down as I saw Silver walk into the center of the field
“You see me whiteout?” he calls “Then shoot me” he extended his arms, opening his full body to the sniper…but…nothing came, after several tense minutes I watched in awe at Silvers bravery…or sheer stupidity. After that tense moment I came up behind him
“What they hell are you doing?” I exclaim, grabbing him and pulling him back
“I think the sniper wishes not to kill us”:
“Well duh!” I reply “had several clear shots at me and nothing…maybe he moved?”
Silver shook his head “No…I don’t think so, there is little places here for suitable vantage points.

We stood there, this got rather confusing, why had whiteout engaged us at our convoy, but not now…something wasn’t right, but our thoughts were quickly silenced again, this time by a revving motor and the sudden crash of the wall furthest from us. From the dust roared a heavily armoured truck.
“Scavengers!” was the call both me and Silver shouted as I duck behind the nearest bench for cover. Silver, already engaged with his heavy weapons laid fire upon the van with little effect. Soon several scavengers piled out, armed with an assortment of guns. Like those before, they wore makeshift armour plating, hid their faces behind mask with cloth covering their bodies. It was then Whiteout made himself known, firing two clear shots into the heads of the Scavenger drivers, killing them instantly through the only vulnerable spot on the truck; the windows. The scavengers were quite bewildered, some kept shooting at us, and others began to peck the few buildings around us. It seems whiteout was on our side…for now. I wasn’t too keen on why at this point; I just kept shooting along with Silver.

The battle went quick; Scavengers were no match for us, as well as a sniper hidden beyond. When everything subsided, we quickly made our move to the buildings
“It seems Whiteout hasn’t moved as thought, he supported us during the conflict from the same vantage point.” Silver said slinging his heavy machine gun to his back as I nod
“Yeah…I'm surprised he did.” I was concerned, why was he helping us now?


The financial district…if the city of Yeilds was something, the financial district was like heaven, during the past it was a sprawling business sector, many people made a lot of money here, success and power was ripe. Nothing more than a derelict zone, the tall and powerful structures now littered with debris, some even falling from the perilous heights they once were built up from. The only remaining building, and the one holding the sniper, was one tower that rose high into the sky.
“100 floors, the sniper is located on the 100th” Silver said his scanners easily able to pinpoint the targets location”
“100 floors…wow, how did he get there?” I say, gazing upwards towards the massive structure “it’s…insane”
“Power causes people to build big to prove it” Silver replied “that is why they built this; the largest and richest people were here…”
“…and yet now look at it” I add as we enter the building.

99 floors later, we stop, we aren’t tired, but something has been bugging me and Silver for the past 98 floors; no traps, no sensors, nothing. This sniper had completely left his position open to any intrusion from below. Was he that precise in his skill that no one would even get to the building, or was there something else? The questions continued to mound as to the whole ordeal. I went first, slowly creeping up the last flight of stairs to the large door marked 100 in bright yellow letters, fading steadily as erosion took the paint of bit by bit. Taking one side of the door, Silver aimed down in front of it, tensing, and weapons ready. I gently touch the handle, seeing if there were any extra weight, a possible sensor or body trap, sliding down the handle and the crack I clear the door, nothing…not even a simple trip wire. We stepped inside scanning our sectors and getting the entire room in view. The room itself was empty…except for the sole figure propped on their stomach, sniper extended over an open wall down at the convoy. We stepped forward, weapons aimed and ready as the figure tilts their head.
“So you came” they spoke in a feminine voice “good…you sure took your sweet time…its…good to know your friends are alright”
She slowly stood up, easing her rifle up with her and then laying it against the wall before turning slowly,
“Its…good to see you Silver” she said with her soft tone voice.

“Damnsel” Silver replied “I figure it was you”
Damnsel as she was called was a white wolf; she stood around my height of 6 feet tall, and like me, was built rather well…especially in the chest area. She wore a black skin suit beneath an armour piece on her chest, shoulders and ankles. She smiled
“I was waiting for you…sure took your time” she said, her blank, white eyes glowing slightly as she turned to me “and you must be Natalia?”
I nod in sheer awestruck at this…this female was the sniper that had shot mike, cleared two scavengers in the head inside an armoured truck, and was able to cause so much trouble for anyone passing her. I admit I was impressed…but…it was still something else.
“Yeah…I'm Natalia….so your Damnsel…and how do you know Silver…and me?”
Damnsel smiled “take a seat child….Silver and I go back longer before you were even created. I was, like him…a genetic experiment. We went on many operations together, and had been assigned during the early years before the collapse to defend this area…it seems however that the usefulness and riches behind this are long since extinguished.” She paused “I did however venture away once I realized it was futile, and learnt many new things about this world” she turned to the window
“I had…missed you, so when I heard of your sudden return and exploits, I had to find you, but…I was only one girl…and I had no real way of doing so”
“So you staid here and hoped I would come?”
She shook her head “I knew your kind heart would help those you see, and when I heard of those two exploits in sending refugees through Scavenger territory and this city, I knew soon enough you would come”
“How long have you waited?” I asked
“Several years….I…lost count”
She turns back to us “but now that you are here…I am happy” she walks over to Silver, gently easing close and….hugging him. I growl…I don’t want this girl on my tuff with Silver
“I see…I make your friend rather uneasy” Damnsel suddenly notes turning to me “well…I will not waste your time then” she stepped back
“Why don’t you come with us?” Silver noted “I’m sure Natalia will understand how useful your skills are” Silver looked at me, I wanted to rebuttal, say I didn’t want this bitch with us, but….I felt I couldn’t, maybe it was me being selfish, but something with girls like this didn’t…feel right. Maybe Silver was right, her skills were useful…but not now. Damnsel seemed to figure this; her expression was at first upset, but turned understanding. She turned away and walked to retrieve her weapon
“Well…my task here is not complete, I cannot leave just yet, but…when you do, find me at the settlement of Culdina, and I shall wait for you there”

--

“You seemed rather…uptight about Damnsel” Silver asked as we began to trek back from the building. Damnsel had told us a shortcut and we were making good time back to the Convoy. I blushed a bit at the question “well…I…just don’t like her, being with you so long its hard to figure that there were any other Genetic experiments that looked….” I stopped
“So good?” He finished, I blush redder
“HEY! I’m not implying anything with that! Just saying I don’t trust her!” I huff hard, Silver seemed to keep something else in mind, he chuckled a bit
“She isn’t that bad…I worked with her, she is very skilled”
“but aren’t you the sniper of us?” I ask
Silver shakes his head “I’m…heavy weapons specialized, Damnsel is markswoman specialized, I do snipe for you, but she is far superior. I had seen her skills first hand, and now, with what we have seen, so have you.”
I growl a bit “Well…I still don’t care, so she’s got a good sniping skill, so she has attuned senses, so she has bigger boobs than me…” I stop eyes wide and go bright red
“I…didn’t just say that!?”
Silver nods “So…its jealousy of her form”
“GAHHH!” I yell hard falling to the group “FINE!!! She looks prettier than me, THAT’S WHY I DON’T LIKE HER!”
I whimper a bit on the ground, pounding a fist into the dirt, but a few moments later I felt myself lifted up into Silvers arms. I fidget, blush brightly as I look at him
“Form is nothing to what the heart holds…Nat, you have a pure heart and that’s all I care for you to have” he carries me the rest of the way, I cant help but feel warm and fuzzy with him…like this…so…safe.

--

“Well….I thank you two for that” Vix remarked as the Convoy finally reached the settlement in the city center, it was a relatively quiet trip after Whiteout was “Dispatched” according to Silver, he didn’t mention who are what she was, only that they “removed” her from their worry, which was enough for Vix and Mike to be pleased about, convoys could go through easier now without the worry of a mad sniper killing people.
“How is Mike?” Silver asks, Vix smirks
“He’s fine…a bit sore, but that comes with the territory, he thanks you for helping him, and I thank you for getting my own butt out of the fire”
She sighs “When…I saw Mike go down, I felt we would end here, but…but you seemed to get me to my senses, and I thank you” Vix bowed before Silver as the wolf smiles “No need Vix…It was an honour to assist you.”
“Are you planning on staying?” Vix asks
I shake my head “We have places to go, and its best we get going on our own mission”
Vix nods, she turns away for a moment, calling to someone and then back “well…your free to get supplies here…but before you do go, take this” A figure she had called to came rushing up, he was pulling a cart with a large rifle atop it as well as an SMG.
“This is the Black Widow, a very powerful Anti-material sniper rifle…we found it awhile back but it cant be used by any normal creature, its too big and heavy to carry around, but seeing you wield those heavy guns of your own, we thought it would serve you better Silver.” Vix then turns to me “as for you Nat, we got you a pair of Rapier SMG’s, they are a bit old, but they are one of the most durable weapons around, I’m sure you will see much use with them”
I bow “Thank you Vix, we will not forget this”
With weapons in hand, we say our last few goodbyes and part…our mission was still to stop this creature, but…with Damnsel’s request to find her in Culdina, Silver and I had to make a quick detour there, who knows what she had in mind.