Chapter Text
Cassie froze as she heard gunfire, currently in the middle of loading up the refugees into the truck that Red had retrieved.
Lizette jumped out of the passenger’s side, eyes wide. “Wolves?”
“Red, Liz…” She gestured to the remaining Foxes other than Coral and Reaper. “Get the refugees back to Thirteen. Now.” Cassie breathed, putting her helmet back on to re-establish the comm with Command.
“Cassie–there’s too many—”
That is a direct order. Coral, Reaper and I will assess the situation.” She said sharply.
Red nodded, motioning for the others to jump in and guard the truck.
Once they had driven off towards Thirteen, Coral picked up a rifle from one of the unconscious Peacekeepers that they’d neutralized. “...able to get my hands dirty.” Her tone was deathly grave.
Cassie gave her a slight nod. “Use the trees. Keep close.”
They darted towards the treeline where the fighting had become eerily quiet.
“Cassiopeia—not—-engage—” Coriolanus’s voice cut through the helmet speakers, but it was a bad connection, mostly static.
“...this is Fox Team Leader, we will be assessing the casualties…” She replied, completely calm. “Going quiet.” Cassie flicked off the comm, feeling her heartbeat in her chest as they approached the scene.
She reached back, freeing a escrima stick from her armor that she expanded into the length of a bo staff. Cassie didn’t do blades or guns, she wanted complete control of the damage she was inflicting.
Half of the Wolves and three of whatever this advanced Capitol strike team was lay bloody amongst the leaves. The survivors from Thirteen were surrounded, weapons drawn on them as hostages.
“I know you’re out here! You slippery little fox…that’s what they call you, isn’t it?” The apparent leader sneered: a hulking man in shimmering white armor, armed to the teeth. He had blood smeared across his chest plate, and there was something about his voice that Cassie recognized.
She clenched her jaw, spotting Silas amongst the survivors, bleeding from his lower abdomen.
Cassie looked over at Coral, gesturing for her to climb into the trees to get a better vantage point for her sharpshooting.
“If you don’t come out here…and show your face…I am going to start putting bullets into these bad boys’ heads.” He turned, shoving a gun into Silas’s face and breaking his nose with a terrible crack.
Reaper nodded at Cassie, moving back into the woods to get behind the enemy. The trio was outnumbered, but Cassie still felt good about their odds.
She straightened up and removed her helmet, cocking her head a little as she moved forward, stepping into view.
The leader turned, chuckling darkly once he saw her. “Oh, yes , sweetheart. I’ve been looking for you for years…”
He reached up, pressing several buttons on his own helmet before removing it. The face that was revealed was mangled, sunken in on the right side, but after a moment Cassie recognized him.
“The Peacekeeper that found us at Twelve.” She breathed, realizing how badly she’d struck him with the cast iron…it was actually surprising with that level of damage that he’d survived. But the more she looked over him and his group, she could tell there was something greater than human about them. Enhanced, almost.
“...Captain Leeth…at your service.” He sneered, the expression haunting with how distended his lips were. “We followed you back to your hidey-hole, after your little show at the Hob with Snow…he slaughtered those District scum.” He chuckled, gesturing back to the other soldiers. “But oh how surprised were we when you helped him clean it up!”
“You almost ruined me, girl. Cassiopeia Tempest… but Dr. Gaul knew I had special knowledge about the Rebels. She saved me. Made me stronger. Strong enough to haul you back to the Capitol where you can be paraded around and executed once and for all.”
Cassie gripped her staff tighter, spotting Reaper through the trees. They were in position.
“You’ve got quite the glorious purpose now, don’t you…” Cassie sounded completely and utterly unamused. “I think that skillet did irreparable damage to your cognitive capabilities.”
He laughed, bitterly unhinged with his most dire adversary so close he could grab her.
“You’re laughing now. But you won’t be soon. I think you’ll find that we are not like other Peacekeepers.”
“We’ll see. I can tell you’re just itching to get your hands on me. But…wouldn’t it be even better if you beat me at my own game? One on one. Talk about glorious purpose. ” Her voice was sweet like honey, dripping off her fangs.
- - - - - - -
“What is she doing?!” Coriolanus snapped, panic flooding into his lungs as each breath felt like a dagger. He watched as Cassiopeia stepped forward towards the now helmetless Capitol goon.
“Buying the others time.” Felix said, moving around his station rapidly, deploying his other drones.
The group watched as without warning Cassie and her adversary leaped at each other, weapons clashing. The former was much faster than the latter as she struck him multiple times before he could even get close to her. Once he did, though, his strength was clear as he nearly broke the metal staff with his bare hands.
“Send everything, Felix. Everything!” Coryo snapped, eyes glued to the screens as he watched his Cassie exchange blows. As they fought, Reaper moved in, engaging a lone soldier in the back as Coral killed another with her rifle from an unknown location.
Two dropped into a heap as a vicious battle broke out again and the surviving Wolves leapt back into combat. Cassie dealt and received some brutal strikes, but she was wearing him down. He’d gotten his hands on her twice, left her mouth bloodied and her previously injured arm somewhat limp, but she was still in her element.
“Beta recovery team deployed, the refugees and Foxes are out of the danger zone.”
Coriolanus leaned forward, vision almost blurry with fear despite the tide turning in favor of Thirteen.
He watched as Cassie goaded her attacker into a particularly wide and ferocious strike, and she caught him in the upper left ribs with her staff. He folded like a chair and she staggered a little herself, moving back and out of sight beneath a particularly dense section of foliage.
“Regain visuals, now!” Coriolanus practically shouted, looking over at Felix with vicious anger.
As he frantically piloted the drones to another part of the canopy, a voice came through the comms.
“...Command center, this is Fox Team Lead. We have suffered heavy casualties…requesting Beta team for extraction.”
Cassie’s voice was calm, but Coryo could hear discomfort in it. She was hurt…
“Fox Team Leader, Beta team has been deployed and is headed to your location. Move to a secure area for extraction.” He said, voice almost shaking in relief.
“How many casualties…?”
“...many.”