[DragonKnight]

Kage held on as best as he could. Another hit from a Wyvern shook the entire shuttle. "They hit engine! We're going down!" The pilot yelled as Kage lost his grip. He clinged onto the floor, his body nearly out of the shuttle. Another hit caused Kage to lose his grip, falling from the shuttle.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"No!" Jasper cried, reaching desperately as Kage dropped through the open door. Shutting his eyes, the boy braced for impact. The pilot managed to land the shuttle on its belly, but not without barreling through trees and skidding across the ground, effectively leaving a deep trench in its wake. When everything settled, Jasper actually took the time to look around the cabin. He quickly realized he was the only breeder on board. In fact, he was the only person on board who wasn't a soldier. "Where... Where's everyone else?"

A soldier, Warden, unbuckled himself and stood. "You're the only one who made it, kid. Harbingers slaughtered the medics and hijacked the breeders. Beta Squadron got out with as many civilians as they could. We're the only members of Alpha Squad who didn't stay behind to keep fighting." He walked towards the pilot's chair. "Sanders! Any way to repair this bird enough to get it airborne again?"

[DragonKnight]

"Engines fried sir. Plus one of the wings was torn off in the crash." Sanders explained. "Alright. Looks like we're walking. We have to move fast though. Those Harbingers will no doubt be near." Warden stated. "Do you know how to shoot?" Warden asked Jasper as he pulled out a pistol.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Wh-What? No," Jasper replied as he struggled to unbuckle himself. "What about Kage? Shouldn't we wait for him?"

Warden stepped forward and helped the blond boy with the seat straps. "If he isn't dead, he'll join us at the safe house. First rule out here kid: If you stop moving, you stop living." He cupped his hand beneath Jasper's belly with a deep frown. "Damn, you're huge," he grunted. When first assigned to Alpha Squadron, Warden wasn't happy about it. He hated the idea of babysitting a bunch of slow, bloated boys while Harbingers hunted them like animals. He wouldn't dream of arguing with the General, though. "Sanders, I'll take point. You guard our rear. We're 19 kilometers from the nearest safe house and we need to get there before dark. If we get caught by the Nocs, we're fucked."

[DragonKnight]

The soldiers followed Warden's orders, grabbing gear and supplies for the trip ahead. Leaving the shuttle, the group found themselves in a forest covered by snow and pine. The air was chilling and the wind began to pick up.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

If under better circumstances, Jasper would've admired seeing the outside surface world for the first time. It was much colder than anything he felt before. There was hardly a sound in the forest other than the snow crunching under their feet. Not even the rustling of a squirrel or the flap of a bird's wings. Kage was right. Almost nothing survived down here. It wasn't long before Jasper started shivering, watching his breath come out as pale puffs.

"First time experiencing winter, huh?" asked one of the soldiers in a hushed voice. "Summers are a lot easier to tolerate. Temperatures are mild in this part of Canada." He pulled a thermal blanket from his pack and draped it over Jasper's shoulders. "That should help."

The sun was nearly setting by the time they reached the safe house. Warden uncovered a hatch buried in the snow and everyone climbed down inside. Detecting movement, the lights and heater clicked on. Jasper immediately sat himself on a cot. His ankles and back were killing him after so much walking. "Sanders, do an intake on the rations in this place. Cooper, weapons inspection. Make sure all the guns are in working condition and count the ammo. I'll get on the radio to see if I can reach anyone."

[DragonKnight]

"Yes sir!" Sanders replied as he went to check supplies. As Warden started the radio, a message was heard. "To any survivors who may hear this, make your way south to Old New York. Reach the city Bastion, one of the last cities. Latitude 43, 54, 40. Longitude 70, 67, 69." The message said before repeating.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"New York?" Jasper gasped. "Wait! No... No, how far away is that?"

"We're going on foot. A standard marching day is sixteen hours," answered Cooper as he started distributing grenades between all the packs. "So at that rate, maybe nine days."

Jasper shook his head. "Are you joking? I can't walk that far every single day. Look at me!"

Warden grunted again. "Kid's right. At the pace he walks, our marching day will be reduced to eight or ten hours. If that's the case, it could easily take us half a month to get there. We need to travel between safe houses if we're going to make it there alive."

[DragonKnight]

"If we could find a vehicle, maybe we can make it there." Sanders suggested. "It would only take a few hours to get there." He suggested. "Any survivors who can hear this message can reply on frequency 145.45." The message said.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Fingers crossed, men." Warden put on the head set and tuned the radio to the instructed frequency. "This is Lieutenant Andrew Warden stationed with Toronto Tower. Our base was just attacked and demolished. I have three Alpha Squad troopers and one breeder. We are currently occupying safe house Blue Delta. Requesting information about any available vehicles in the area. Over."

[DragonKnight]

Static was heard for a few minutes. "Copy that Alpha Leader. We have a friend in the area with a shuttle. 10 clicks south from where you are. Agent Beta will respond to the code phrase 'fowards it is heavy'. Godspeed." The radio instructed.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Acknowledged." Warden removed the head set and turned to look at the small party. "You heard him. Ten klicks south. We'll take half the rations and arsenal from this location. It's too dark to travel now, so we'll set out at first light."

Jasper pursed his lips worriedly. "Aren't any of you going to look for Kage?"

"What did I just say?!" Warden snapped. "It's too dark out there. You know which Harbingers come out at night? Nocs. They're expert camouflagers, see as clear as day in pitch black, and they run faster than any vehicle we've ever developed. Going out there would be suicide. I already told you: If Lieutenant McCollum is still alive, he'll make his way here."

[DragonKnight]

Sanders and the others didn't bring up the possibility that Kage may be dead. Surviving a fall is one thing, fighting off Nocs is another. They knew how good Kage was at fighting Harbingers but the night had dangers even Kage couldn't beat.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Jasper felt tears well up in his eyes. "This can't be happening," he muttered, hands gripping his long hair. "This isn't happening. This is a bad dream. This isn't happening."

Cooper could sympathize. Soldier training included simulations that prepared new recruits for being down on the surface, but nothing truly compared to being in the line of fire. Hearing the shriek of a Harbinger's war cry with your own two ears. Feeling its hot breath on your face before you blow its head off. Knowing you were more like an animal of prey and less like a human to the beasts. Cooper then finally noticed the heavy case Jasper had been lugging around with him since the tower. He opened it and found a stockpile of syringes and a case file about Jasper's pregnancy. "Shit, I completely forgot about him needing all these drugs. We don't have a medic with us."

[DragonKnight]

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Warden stated as he left to get some rest. Cooper went to Jasper, placing a hand on Jasper's shoulder. "It'll be alright. Just you wait."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Getting any sleep was hard, but pure exhaustion eventually took over. When Jasper woke up the next day, it was quiet. Too quiet. He bolted upright in bed and looked around, only to find himself completely alone. The soldiers were gone along with all their gear. Panic quickly rose in Jasper's chest. No... No... No. No. No. The only thing they left him was a map showing the current safe house and then circling all the locations between this one and New York. 'GOOD LUCK, FREAK' was scrawled in angry handwriting on the map as well.

"Freak?" Jasper muttered confusedly. What did that mean? He threw on the head set for the radio and hoped the frequency was still usable. "H-Hello? Hello? Is anyone out there? M-My name is Jasper Cowell. I'm a breeder from Toronto Tower. My Alpha troop abandoned me in... in a safe house. A b-blue safe house. I mean... Delta Blue? Blue Delta? I-I-I-I don't know. I need help. Can anyone come get me?"

Static and silence was all he got for a few minutes, but then a voice crackled over the radio. "Acknowledged. Unfortunately, all units are already in route to Old New York. There is no one in your immediate vicinity who can do a pick up. Stay where you are and help will come as soon as it can. Over."

"W-Wait! Didn't you hear me?! I'm a breeder! I'm nearly six months pregnant! I need medical supervision!" Jasper cried into the radio.

[DragonKnight]

Hours passed as help didn't come. After 6 hours, it looked like help wasn't coming.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

This was the absolute worst thing that could happen. Jasper desperately tried the radio again and again, but he never got a response. He wondered if they ignored him on purpose. Looking at the map for the location of the next safe house, he debated with himself if he would make it before nightfall. He very well couldn't stay here forever. The babies were due in nearly three months. No way he could still be stuck out here when labor began. Jasper made a decision.

The young breeder gathered up the remaining rations and the carrying case of drugs, shoving everything into a backpack. He couldn't find any spare warm clothes, which made it all the more vital for him to reach the next bunker by dusk. Jasper also grabbed a rifle. He didn't know how to use it, but he'd figure it out. With map and compass in hand, he climbed up out of the bunker and started on his way.

Unfortunately, Jasper was slow and got lost numerous times. Reading said map and compass were skills he never learned, either, and was paying the price. He swallowed thickly as the sun sank lower below the horizon. Eventually, it was just him and the stars. An otherworldly yipping made his blood run cold. The sound of snow crunching under multiple, fast-moving feet made his heart beat in his throat. Jasper pivoted, ready to shoot whatever demon was coming for him, but he was immediately pinned to the ground. The Noc was covered head-to-toe in pitch black, short, silky thin fur. Its milky eyes glowed faintly under the reflection of the moon. Its sharp rows of teeth dripped with foul-smelling saliva. Jasper was too scared to even scream. The Noc shrieked, reared back and about to sink its teeth into the boy's throat, but then it paused. Thin nostrils flared and began sniffing his huge belly.

[DragonKnight]

The Noc sniffed at Jasper for a good minute before pulling its head up, making loud yipping howls. Several other Nocs came out from the night. The loud yipping they made was maddening, like cackles to the young breeder. The Noc grabbed Jasper's legs, dragging him through the snow as they took Jasper away to whatever hellhole they came from. Before they could get very far, a loud bang was heard through the air. The Noc taking Jasper was killed as a mysterious man wearing pure grey, bulky armour came from the shadows. His revolver shot another Noc at a incredible speed, killing the Harbingers left and right. The Nocs were fast, but this man was faster. After a solid minute, the man in full suit of armour had wasted around 24 shots, but he made them all count. With a quick reload, he went to Jasper, freeing the breeder from the dead monster. "Hope I didn't scare you." The man said jokingly.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Jasper tried clawing at the snow as the Noc dragged him across the ground, but it was a futile effort. Just when he convinced himself all hope was lost, the Harbinger dropped dead, black and blue crystalline blood oozing from the bullet would in its skull. The blood even melted the snow while making a quiet sizzling sound. It only occurred to Jasper a few seconds later that another human came to his rescue. Once free from the Noc's jaws and back on his feet, he couldn't help a few tears dripping down his face. "Th-They... They... They s-said no one e-else was o-out here," he gasped. "I th-thought I was on m-my own."