Andrew. The Keep. Headquarters building. 1 hour before the arrival of Eve's forces.
Andrew was in his office, relaying orders faster then he could think of them. He had maybe at best, an hour to prepare, worst case scenario was ten minutes.
"I want the hospital evacuated as fast as possible, use whatever trucks or CAV's we have in order to carry those who can't walk. Launch all vehicles in order to escort the convoy to the river outpost, and tell the Outpost to scramble the zodiacs down the river in a search pattern."
He flung papers around as he searched through the archaic defense plans put in place before him, the former Captains must've been out of their minds...
"Recall everyone outside the Keep and have them regroup on Pennsylvania avenue in the ruins." There were about four hundred to five hundred Knights outside of the East's territory, it would be impossible for them to beat Eve's troops here, but Andrew had a plan for these scouts.
When he recieved the confirmation that the order would be followed Andrew walked to the door and locked it tightly. He wiped a hand over his face and threw himself into his chair, messing with the radio's frequency.
As the number read 113.5, a pop of static was heard.
"Challenge: Lance."
Andrew waited for the proper response to come, the response that only one other knew.
Thatcher.
As the radio crackled, a familiar voice came over the airwaves. "Challenge accepted, Ivory Tower. Stand by."
After another minute, a rough, deep voice, a voice that sounded far too old for the body that housed it, came from the speaker.
"I just heard, Ivory Tower. You calling in the deal?"
"Screw the deal right now." Andrew responded. "I got something better for you, like the Northern assault force."
He sighed.
"Eve's decided to make her move. I guess she's on her period or something but the bitch has completely lost all sense of reason. I'm expecting her forces outside my walls within the hour. You know what happens when there's a firefight of this magnitude? Both sides wind up hurt, but I can assure you, she will suffer more loses then I. I can't make a promise on POWs, but if you ever needed a window of opportunity for your attack on the North, well, it doesn't get much better than this."
A pause.
"When has Eve had any sort of reason? She's as rotten as her father." Another long pause. "But I appreciate the call, Ivory. As soon as I recover something of mine, I'll be in a position to fully assault the Disciples. And believe me - that time will come very soon. Is there anything you need from me? Evac, passage - anything?"
"Just keep an eye out on the outpost by the river, there aren't as many soldiers there, it's mostly sick, wounded, children, and pregnant women heading there, about 700 non combatants to be guarded by 450 soldiers. If Eve hits there with any force it'll be a bloodbath."
Andrew sighed.
"Oh and Twitch has decided to dissolve the East-West treaty....have fun with him all you want. But you wouldn't happen to know anything about a missing scout of theirs would you? I had to go through a rather unplesant accusation."
Thatcher's grin came through the speaker, loud and clear. "I'll keep the buzzards off of your fresh meat, Ivory, don't worry. As for some missing scout - I fail to see how it's any of my business that Twitch can't keep track of his own men. Though, it's interesting that you believe one's so far down here. Interesting indeed."
There was a pause, and then Thatcher spoke again.
"Good luck, Ivory." His tone was gentle; clearly genuine. He didn't want to see his ally go up in flames.
"I was only speculating, perhaps it was Eve's troops that got him, who knows, but Twitch is content on blaming me for it, so I'm content with not warning him of a southern convoy walking towards his doorstep, should the occasion arrive."
He almost laughed.
"Well, Lance, here's hoping this isn't the last time we speak. I'll contact you with a status report on Eve's forces after the battle." He waited a moment before switching the frequency of the radio back to his operating channel.
"Jacobs, you read me?"
"A bit hard over all the other orders, radio is a damn mess, but I can hear you sir." That was Jacobs all right.
"Bring the package to the Wall, I want to have something to show Eve's troops when they arrive."
..............
Andrew and Preston. The Keep. Western Flank's Wall. Moment's after Eve's demands.
There was a long silence as Eve's speech came to a close. Needless to say every man on the wall gave each other a glance. Andrew stared silently at the ranks of the children, only tilting his head to his side when John approached him.
"Sir...when Tyler and I showed up at the Medical building....the girl you sent us to gather wasn't there....when we asked around....well....it seems Twitch took her...."
"And the gunfire from earlier?" Andrew's face had an unnatural calm, even for him.
"Twitch and his men tried to escape using the humvee...they crashed outside the minefield near one of the checkpoints and the Knights there were able to take a woman into custody, but...Twitch and the others got away."
"How many men did we loose?"
"Well..." John was beginning to become unnerved at Andrew's silence, he'd notice how well he got along with that girl....he would've thought he'd show some emotion. "About twelve wounded."
"I see." His radio crackled to life and he pulled it off his belt, telling John to fetch him a bullhorn. "Go ahead." He said into the device.
"Sir, It's Liza. Mike and I were setting up our mortar near the med bay when we were approached by that merchant friend of yours. He said he and that eye-patch girl wanted to help with the fighting. Mike thought you'd allow it and got them a couple rifles and some armor."
"Mike was right, let Matthias know that I'm grateful." In truth he had his reservations about letting Jessie fight, what with her being an asset. "At the first sign of a breach, I want them heading to the Outpost though. No excuses."
"I'll let them know." He heard the click of Liza turning off her radio and turned to Jacobs, who stood by his side, holding a certain someone by the arm.
"Jacobs....do you think I've done what a good leader should do?" He asked.
Jacobs was taken aback, even at the act of evil that they were faced with, Jacobs never expected this kind of question from the Captain.
"Of course I do sir."
"Do you trust me?"
"With my life."
"Good..." Andrew nodded as he took the bullhorn from John. He sighed a deep breath as he brought the speaker to his mouth.
"Evelyn Roan....I just want you to know that what I'm about to say is not for you." His voice echoed through the silence that took hold of both forces.
"I am speaking to your soldiers, and to mine. Men and women who are loyal enough to follow the orders of people like you and I, people who will burn in hell for the atrocities of this war."
He paused for a moment.
"This conflict isn't about us. For us, it's already too late. This war we fight is not for ourselves, but for them."
He jerked a finger to the ranks of children standing in front of a live minefield.
"It's to make sure, the the next generation does not have to see evil deeds like this. We are fighting to protect our children, and our children's children. We, are the last, best, hope for humanity, and I remind you I am not only speaking of the men and women with me on this wall, and within it but I am speaking to those that stand in front of us as well. I am speaking to you Disciples just as much as I am speaking to my Knights. Our lives, have already been decided, we have already failed our children, we failed when they lined up in between two armies. Our only hope of redeeming ourselves, of making it up to them, is to live, and to ensure that something like this never happens again."
He paused once more, giving a nod to Jacobs who pulled Preston forward.
"To the Disciples who are ready to give their lives attacking this place, I ask that you think about what I am saying, but I am aware that some of you bear a hatred of myself that will deafen your ears to my plea. And so I will present you with one of your own. Now I will not lie, he was interrogated, as we live in a time of war, but ask yourself, if the roles were reversed, would a Knight even be alive still?"
He handed Preston the bullhorn. "Go on, speak, your brother is out there isn't he? I know you are not like Eve, you have a conscious, think about what will happen if we fight here, do you really want to watch all those children die?"
Preston sat in the corner of a dark room shivering. His fingers bloody and mangled, distorted into unfamiliar shapes. The blood had stopped pouring out of his mouth, but the pain was still there. He couldn't eat or sleep. He couldn't even find a comfortable place on the cold concrete.
He'd no idea how long he'd been here and in pain now. Night and day were blended together now that he was in complete darkness. Time dragged by giving him no relief. The Knights didn't come by to check on him much. They just checked to see if he was alive. He couldn't escape even if he wanted to. He was too weak.
After what seemed like the pain and darkness would never end, the door opened and someone came inside, dragging the young boy to his feet and out into the light. Now it was time to die.
The light hurt his eyes and the person who'd grabbed him practically had to drag him. He was pathetic and useless. When he saw Andrew, he realized that everyone was surrounding them. There was utter silence. What was going on? The only thing Preston could think of was that they were going to make an example of him.
And then Andrew started speaking and Preston took a good look, horrified at what was happening. He was even more horrified when Andrew pushed the bullhorn into his hands. He yelped in pain, dropping it.
Through tear stained eyes, Preston waited until it was picked up again and pressed. "Wyatt." He paused in pain. "Get. Me. Out. Of. Here. Too. Please." He managed to say in pain. Andrew had tortured him for no reason. Eve wouldn't listen to someone like him. So he hoped that the only lifeline he ever threw to his brother would be taken. If they were attacking, hopefully Wyatt would feel sorry for him and come and grab him too.
"I'm willing to let you go to them." Andrew said, causing Jacobs to give him a questioning look. "Just, try and convince them not to do this, I don't mean Eve, I mean the others. You are one of them, maybe they'll listen to you. I'm aware that you may hate me, and I accept that, surely one day I will pay for my sins, but those children are innocent. Listen to me Preston, are you really going to let them walk across a live minefield?"
Preston stared at Andrew. Either way he was going to die. If he went back to Eve he was sure that she'd kill him for just being here. Heck, he was sure that Wyatt would kill him, if he bothered to try and rescue him. Then again, brothers meant nothing to Wyatt. Preston had only ever been an annoyance.
But he knew Andrew was right. The man that had allowed the torture of a fourteen-year-old boy now wanted that same boy to stop hundreds of deaths. Why would they listen to him? What power or authority did he have that would make them listen to him? If he stopped them, Eve would definitely kill him when he was back there.
The spike impaled in his mouth still was going to make this painful and drawn out. "They." A few deep breaths between each word. "Won't listen to me." It took him a while just to get one sentence out. Preston took a deep breath. "I can't just say stop. And going back will get me killed." He took another painful breath and looked at Andrew. He knew that he'd be screwed now. Nothing was going to save him from this. He'd either die at the hands of Andrew, or Eve.
"Well Preston..." Andrew sighed. He was really considering off'ing this guy in front of Eve's forces, REALLY considering it. But that would only enrage them. "It seems you're unwilling to even try and save those kids' lives, I have misjudged you, and so you will watch what is going to happen just as we have to be the one's to do it."
Andrew pulled the bullhorn out of his hands and brought it to his mouth once more.
"To my Knights and to you children, I am truly sorry and will be haunted by the memory of this day for the rest of my life. Knights, you are following a direct order from your Knight Captain, I do hope that offers some of you solace."
He paused, contemplating what he was about to say.
"Evelyn Roan, my response to you is this; Open fire."
And the guns of the East would deliver the message in turn.
