Rise of the Phoenix

[La_Reina]

Koda nodded. She turned to the door, before she turned back to John and kissed him passionately. Now was not the place or time, but she didn't care. She turned back to the door and lowered one leg down onto the first rung. She waited. Nothing happened. She lowered her second leg down to the 3rd rung and waited. Nothing happened. She kept going down until her feet touched the ground. She brought her gun up and around looking in a 360 degree view.

"It's cle-" It went dark. The electricity snapped off. "John?" Koda called quietly her voice filled with tension and worry. She felt something behind her and she turned thinking it was John. The stench let her know it was not. She was grabbed, a cloth over her mouth and nose, the room went fuzzy, black, she felt herself being dragged and hauled as she heard John on the ladder calling her name.

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

The lights in the basement went out, he knew it was not good.

"Koda?"

No response

"Koda!?"

Still no response

"KODA!!?"

He knew something went horribly wrong, but he tried one more time

"KODA!!!?"

Something screamed a warning and he ducked to the side, the metal bar slammed into the ground and would have brained him. He was in his feet in an instant, rifle pulling a bead on the Contam, who just stood there grinning at him.

"Come on John, are you going to kill me? You should know me."

The words made him frown,

"The fact that you were human once does not really tell me who you were."

He spun and fired, a contam that tried to sneak up on him toppled to the ground, John whirled back to cover the first one who did not move at all, just stood there with that leering grin on his face.

"You have gotten faster I see, "Snailus", but you will not get out of here alive."

Snailus, it was a name that one of the squad members during basic training gave him, that meant that this was either one of them or a training officer. He narrowed his eyes,

"I doubt that."

The Contam laughed,

"Doubt all that you want, your woman is taken, soon to entertain the boys and I have you here, time to..."

John did not wait for further words, he whirled, fired a shot and jumped down the hole as an explosion rocked the building. His shot had hit the booby trapped door and all the explosives went up. The landing winded him slightly and he took precious moments to get his breath back, his ears picking up sounds, basic lay out would place the closest light switch...he found it and the lights flickered on. There was four standing over Koda, they were busy getting out of their camo fatigues. The sudden lights blinded them and he opened fire, sending 5.56 death into them, toppling them like wheat under a schythe.

 

[La_Reina]

Koda struggled to stay alive. She was coming in and out. She saw some things standing over her then there were gunshots. She was being dragged. She saw John's face in anger and terror. She heard more gun shots. She was being dragged again. She was dragging her nails into the wall to leave a trail. She didn't see John. She was being dragged again. It was light out. She was being dragged.

Koda awoke in a cell. Her eyes burned and she closed them. Her throat was parched and she coughed hard. Fuck, her head hurt. She rolled to her knees and sat up. Her hands were cuffed. "What?!" She jerked and realized she was being watched. That weird Contam and some man were standing next to her. Koda realized this was probably the doctor her and John were going to kill, but why was the Contam with him. That scary smart one. Koda sighed. She didn't know how to get out of cuffs.

"We're going to kill John. But we need you as bait. I want you to know that we're going to drag you out into the center of this base and leave you for the contams to rape and kill. Than after your dead I'm going to kill John. I want that fucker to hurt. Bring him pain. Unbelievable, unimaginable, horrific pain. I want him to hurt and I'm going to do that with you."

Koda opened her mouth to ask why, but the contam was walking away leaving her with a leering doctor. The doctor unnerved him as he just stared with that weird smile. "John, where are you," she mumbled to herself.

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

He ran closer and found that it was not Koda, what had they done to her? Keeping his weapon trained on the female figure he prodded her with the rifle, there was a moan and she turned onto her back. It was another female, human and he could see no marks on her. Shit a brick...now what? He looked around, he could not leave her here, he could not carry her along with his gear and he had to find Koda...then he noticed the marks on the wall...scratch marks.

"Koda."

He knew it was her, she left a trail for him to follow, but now he had another to look after. He heaved a sigh and knelt down next to her,

"Ma'am...ma'am can you hear me?"

Then her eyes snapped open and John barely had time to move as she came at him with much more speed than humanly possible. He shoved her away, but she landed on her feet and came at him again, the rifle fired three rounds, all three missed and then she was on him. The weight of the gear along with the impact toppled him, he did not use his hands to break his fall as her teeth aimed for his throat and her hands trying to pull the rifle from his grasp. The impact again rushed wind out of his lungs, but he had one advantage over her, strength. He pushed her away and as she came again she ran straight into the .50 barrel of his pistol, no chance to duck as the slug shortly afterwards blew half of her head over the floor and wall behind her. John slowly got to his feet and then started to follow the trail left by Koda, he hoped that he was still in time to save her.

 

[La_Reina]

"What's your name?"

Koda wasn't sure she had heard right. Hell, she wasn't sure if she was losing her mind and thought that man finally spoke to her. He hadn't moved an inch and his eyes stayed glue to her. She sighed softly. "Koda."

The man's eyes brightened. "Code-ah." He seemed to like it. He repeated softly to himself. "We're meant to be together. I'm Cody. Code-dee." Koda looked at the man with wide frightened eyes. She wasn't a child, but he was stressing the similarities in their name. "Which means the plan must change. You can't die. No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Koda didn't realize she was crying as she scooted further back from the man who was screaming no over and over. She was suddenly happy she was in a cell. She couldn't wipe her face or anything. She was beyond scared. This doctor was fucking crazy. "Yes!" He suddenly stopped and stared at her. "I can save you. I'll make you like him. Dead, but alive. Dead and hurt the one who hurt my friend, but alive to be with me. Forever. Yes. I'll kill you now." He nodded vigorously and left saying something about keys.

"Fuck, no! No!" Koda looked around the room. She could handle herself. She could get free. She had learned alot with John. She just had to be strong. John will find her. Right?

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

As luck would have it, he passed an armory, inside was tactical flashlights that could attach to the rifle, he picked up two, fitting one to his rifle and keeping the other. He will find Koda, she was depending on him. He took some ammunition and left, following the trail Shaundi left. The corridors was eerily quiet, then he heard a door open and a man's voice came echoing down the hallway.

"Coo-da, hehe what a puppet she'll make, what a soldier indeed. Has the build, has the will. Now where did I put that syringes?"

The sound was moving away from him, deeper into the complex, John followed the retreating sounds and as he peered around a corner he found that it was the detention block and a Contam stood at the door armed with Koda's katana of all things. He took a deep breathe, let it out, slung the rifle onto his back and stepped into view. The Contam's head swiveled to him and a wicked grin spread over it's face.

"Hey Corporal,"

it started to run towards him, lifting the katana up. So these were some of the people that had known him at a later stage. Fuck just how many did this bastard convert? The hand with the katana came down, John moved into the stroke, taking the Contam's hand on his shoulder, a sharp jab with an open hand to the throat and the Contam staggered back bug-eyed, trying to breathe, but John followed it, pulling it close to slip behind and with a yank broke its neck. As the body slumped to the ground John picked up the katana.

"No matter how big you are, the Atlas stays weak."

He pushed open the door and found Koda inside of a cell, her gear stashed in an open cell next to her. It was standard cells, nothing was done to make it better or stronger. He motioned for her to stay quiet and then moved closer, his rifle at the ready now, still nothing. Seemed like the mad man wanted her alone with him and that he should use to his advantage now. Taking out the last of the explosives he had, he cut off two small pieces, pushing them against the hinges, he formed them to direct the blast sideways, to break the hinges, setting the fuses he motioned for her to back away as far as possible, then lit them and stood away. There was two loud thumps and the door crashed to the ground, it's hinges melted and torn off.

"Are you alright?"

 

[La_Reina]

Koda could hear him saying Koda and Cody in the distance as she struggled to her feet. She was looking around for any sort of weapon as she mentally formed an attack plan in her mind. What the hell was going on? She didn't want to die. Why did the contam know John? Koda had to take 3 deep breaths to calm herself. Working herself into a panic was not going to solve anything. She had to breathe, keep calm, and used her agility and speed to her advantage. Maybe she could kick the needle out of Cody's hands, kick him in the face, and not stop until he stopped moving. Then she'll just need to find the keys to unlock herself from the cuffs then find a way out. Koda slumped. That was a lot of hoping to this plan. Hoping and luck.

Koda heard a door squeak and all training momentarily left her. She wasn't a soldier. Just a girl who had been trying to survive and learned better fighting skills from a soldier. She just knew that crazy bastard was coming back for her. Koda almost screamed her surprise and gratefulness when she saw it was John. He had found her. Thank the gods he hadn't abandoned her. He motioned for her to get back and Koda flipped over the bed and crouched behind it. There was a loud boom and Koda was running into his arms.

"NO. We need to leave."

"What?! Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine," Koda turned to see Cody staring at them. The explosion must have made him curious. He ran back down the hall he had came screaming mine and a few seconds later there was a loud alarm ringing.

"We need to get these cuffs off me John. Find a key or something." Koda knew her voice was sounding desperate and panicked. In a bit contams were going to come barreling towards them and she wouldn't be able to fight with her hands cuffed behind her back.

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

"What the fuck is that guy all about?"

He pushed her arms away from her, pulled out his pistol and leveled it at the chain between the two cuffs.

"This is going to sting like a sonofabitch, so brace yourself."

He pulled the trigger and the massive .50 round ripped through the metal bounding Koda, he started to set up the M-60 system that he had used when they were trapped in the cave.

"Grab your gear, this is going to be a tough one to get out of,"

he turned to his work and when the M-60 and sensor was ready he started to link the rest of the ammunition together. Finally he stood up, cradling the gun and sensor with firing mechanism.

"Take point Koda, do the sweeps like I taught you, we go right, left, right and up the ladder. If I tap your shoulder you run for that tank and keep that position until you see me, then you sweep the inside of the tank, anything that does not look like me inside that tank you kill."

He nodded at her,

"Move."

 

[La_Reina]

Koda didn't even bothering answering that question. Cody was something she was going to have nightmares about for a long long time. She closed her eyes and hoped that the bullet didn't ricochet and hit her. She knew John knew what he was doing, but that didn't stop her from tensing up. She heard the pop of the gun and then felt like cursing. Her wrists felt like a giant had come and smacked them both. They were tingling and she wasn't sure she could fully hold the gun that she was taking from John.

Koda nodded at John and tried to grip the weapon better. Her weapons were gone and she hadn't figured out John had retrieved some of them. She took a step forward and heard a lot of feet coming down the hall. "John..." It almost felt like an earthquake that was coming towards them. "John, let's not engage and get the fuck out of here!" Koda couldn't help how scared she was becoming. She thought she could handle this, but this was too much. She was ashamed of her limitations.

She turned to John and wanted to run down the hall. There wasn't enough bullets for them to engage them in. Koda turned back and quickly went down a side hall. She swept her gun to the left, right, and then forward before continuing forward. After 3 minutes and they were still in the halls she turned to John. She was happy they had encountered only a few contams and the hallways echoed so it was hard to determine where the bullets were coming from. "I'm lost. I'm not sure where the ladder is, but I thought it was somewhere around here." Koda looked up and there was a manhole, but no ladder. "What do I do now?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

He remained as calm as he could, he was sure that with him remaining calm Koda would remain as calm as she could manage. It became obvious that she was starting to panic.

"We have not moved far enough yet, there still is a huge room down this hallway, there we will find the ladder. Keep moving."

He gently pushed her shoulder and they were off, soon they got to the room that they had entered through. The lights was still on, revealing the Contams that John had killed earlier. In front of them was the ladder, John tapped her shoulder and watched her head for the ladder. He pulled a pistol and took up a position close to one corner, placing the M-60 on a table he secured it and as he sat up the monitor he killed any Contam that came into the room. Rushing he pulled two containers with fuel for the tank to the ladder and activated the scanner, the firing mechanism cocked and he knew that the gun was activated.

He started dragging the containers up the ladder, first one and then the other, for a while he thought that they have shaken the Contams when the M-60 started to fire. Just in time. He grabbed the two containers after sheathing his pistol and started to drag them out towards the tank. A sound made him stop and he ducked just in time as a Contam in camouflaged gear flashed over him. He drew his pistol and fired, killing it, holstering the pistol he moved as fast as he could, feeling that they did not have a lot of time to get the tank ready as some of the Contams were still outside.

 

[La_Reina]

Koda nodded. She had been out of it so she only remembered this room. She trusted John. If he said there was another larger room, there was another larger room. She walked on and sure enough after a few moments they made it to the ladder. Koda glanced around nervously. She didn't want to be taken again. She steeled herself and went up the ladder. "Clear," she called down quietly as she took position with her back to the wall and her gun out.

John came up shortly holding two cans of gas. She easily grabbed one and then the other helping him up. She wanted out of this and fast. She heard his gun go off and she looked at him with question. "Are we going to leave the M-60 down there?" Koda waited long enough to get the answer before she grabbed one of the fuel cans and hefted it. It was heavy and she wouldn't be able to move quickly, but she could still jog and shoot. That's all that mattered.

They came to the tank and John being stronger than her she suggested he pour and she take up position. She was already moving and took one of John's other guns, an M-4. She couldn't really tell the difference between all the M-guns. She placed the butt of the gun into her shoulder and looked down the red dot sights. She smiled. It had a happy face as a red dot. It made her feel better as she saw a contam and pulled the trigger. She heard a woosh and realized the gun had a suppressor. Meaning it wouldn't make as much sound and she couldn't fire as long distance as usual. Koda smiled wider. She had learned a lot from John. Koda fired again and again.

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

He poured the two cans into the half-full tank, he knew the beast inside and out, as he had come here often to get the tank in working order. He never understood why and today was the day that he realized why he had spent all those afternoons working on this beast. After replacing the fuel cap and the cover plate he tapped Koda on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Scan the inside of the tank, if it's not metal, shoot."

He placed a fresh clip on the M-16 she had dropped and took up covering position to free her up to scan the inside of the tank. The Contams that came at them now were the original deals, mechanics, guards, officers. For now it seemed like the others have pulled back and he knew now for sure that the Base was the Head Quarters for that sick fuck that called himself Cody. First he had to answer for what he had done to these former comrades of John's, not that the information would save him, he'd die anyway if he gives the information or not.

 

[La_Reina]

Koda nodded. She climbed up the tank and opened the hatch. Immediately something came at her. One shot to the head and it went down. She wasn't even scared or worried anymore. She was calm, serene, detached. She dropped in and swept the inside. She found 2 more and easily took care of them. There was a hatch under the tank that she wasn't aware of. She opened it and nothing came at her. She pulled all 3 bodies to the hatch and pushed them off. She banged on the tank signaling it was clear for John to came. She closed the bottom hatch and made sure it was secured tightly.

Koda was sitting in the passenger seat with her gun seemingly pointed at nothing, but it was pointed at everything. One of her legs was on the control and she was sitting back. "I almost died back there. We're going to die, huh?" It wasn't really a question more of a statement. She accepted it and she felt much better. Like she didn't care about anything.

She turned a key that was sitting next to her foot and the thing roared. Koda smiled. "Let's go run over some crazies."

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

"That is what I'm trying to prevent to be honest."

He slipped into the driver's seat and looked over the gauges, there was bangs and groans from outside, but the thick metal didn't give an inch and John grinned at her.

"You want to kill crazies and I wanted to get crazy, strange really."

He chuckled and gunned the engine, slipping it into gear and the machine lurched forward, crunching anything that came into its path. John gave her instructions on how to operate the weapons, the self loading main gun, the machine guns. The gun on the gun turrent could only be reached by opening the hatch and he was not going to allow that just now.

"Right, now we go in there and kill some of these fuckers, I've been aching to kill that rat bastard who've turned all of these soldiers."

 

[La_Reina]

Koda couldn't help, but laugh at John's joke. She was happy he read her so easily and knew she needed that pick me up after that bizarre and scary cell time. She soaked up all the information on how to operate the guns and she had seen enough movies and played enough video games before all this happened to know about the gun on top and how to shoot it. She didn't want to expose herself, so she happily ignored that gun as well.

"Sounds like the best plan of my life."

Koda set up shop at one of the gun stations and began spraying. She liked how the bullets tore into the bodies and she was feeling better by the second. It was like this was her revenge and if she could kill that crazy fuck Cody she would be even happier.

"Lock me up. Try to kill me." Koda was reloading. "Want to make me yours, some mindless doll." Koda began firing again. "Oh hell no. Come out and get some. I dare you!"

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

With Koda wiping out almost any further resistance, he drove on, the turbo driven diesel engine growling as it drove the tank forward.

"Koda use the rhermal scanners, if there is anything hiding on the fringes blast it. Those smart fuckers is just using the others to cover their own useless hides."

He flicked off the inside lights, leaving only the operational lights on, using the map he had in his mind he picked out a route and drove with it. Soon they crested a hill and the base stretched out under them, he brought the tank to a halt and perused the area through his own scanners. He saw it almost too late,

"Shit!"

He threw the tank into reverse and gunned the engine, scant seconds later a shell exploded where they were.

"Howitzers, how in hell did they learn to use those."

 

[La_Reina]

Koda was having fun. Maniacal fun. She could feel hysterical laughter trying to bubble up her throat, but she kept choking it down. In her mind she was screaming 'die, die, die', but outwardly she seemed calmed; if her irises weren't just a tad too wide. Koda had no idea what he told her to use so she flipped switches just trying to see in the distance and kill anything that move.

It was the shit that had her hesitating on her next shot. She fell back onto her butt as the tank went in reverse and she heard a huge boom. Was that them? She looked at John. "What the hell was that and can that destroy us?" She had a sinking feeling it could. Than she had a better thought.

"Is there anyway we can kill who's using them without destroying those rocket thingies. Than you go out, and blow up that building, with those crazy fucks inside?" Sounded like a good kill-them-all plan to her.

 

[DeathsKnight]

"The M198 howitzer, 6.1 inch round...yeah it will toast us if it hit us."

He looked over at her,

"I am not leaving you alone in here with those fuckers around, the best way is to try and figure out where they are all situated and for you to take them out. Better strap in babe, this is going to turn into a rough ride now."

He gunned the engine and turned in a rougly 45 degree turn and moments later they barreled over the ridge, more rounds exploded behind and around them, but he twisted and turned the big vehicle as best he could. Alternating speeds at times to throw off aim he searched for the tell tale puffs that would signal the guns' position.

"Got them! Koda just type in the numbers I give you, they should appear on your scanners."

He called out numbers as he kept twisting and turning, racing closer to get within range of their own main gun.

 

[La_Reina]

John spewed some things that went over Koda's head. She didn't understand the words that were coming out of his mouth. She did understand 'they were toast if that hit us,' so she got the jist of things. Big boom bad. Koda liked her idea, but wasn't opposed to John staying with her in this huge thing. She didn't know how to drive it and she wasn't sure if she could let anyone banging on the top or bottom in. She didn't want to go back and she sure as hell didn't want to be fucked to death.

Koda kept firing, but John wanted her to type in some numbers. She almost screamed 'where', but saw a panel. She hoped this was right. She kept typing numbers and when he said 'fire', she pulled the trigger. She knew when they hit when he got excited and she knew when they missed when he cursed. She couldn't see or understand shit. It seemed almost like a video game back before. It was only when they stopped moving and were slowly turning in a circle did she have hope that they won. She tried that halograph sigh thingy the one that looked like everything was black and white, but made people stand out in clear white shapes. She wasn't seeing anything.

"That just leaves Dr. Doom and that crazy smart Contam that wants you dead." Koda took a deep breath. "We can split up. I'll find Dr. Doom and you find Crazy Contam?"

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

They were running dangerously low on ammo and he was running out of maneuvring room when Koda's lasst shot hit the target and he could bring the tank to a halt. He gave her a grin and then shook his head,

"No, they are seemed to be bound to be together, you are not going in alone."

On impulse he swivelled and grabbed hold of her, pulling her out of her seat and to him, lifting her up and placing her on his lap.

"Well my plan is shot to shit, no stealth mission now,"

He gave her firm ass a playfull slap,

"So how about it Koda? Want do something really crazy?"

 

[La_Reina]

Koda was trying to prove she was brave. Though knowing he didn't want to split up either made her feel infinitely more better. She gasped when he pulled her down onto his laps and she snuggled close forgetting for a moment they were surrounded by the enemy and in a war. She laughed at his words. "No, your plan could still work if we had some bait or something or a distraction."

She playfully looked stern when he hit her bum and she kissed him soundly before pulling back. "Okay what did you have in mind?" She paused for a moment. "And it better not be me as bait. I was fucking joking."

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

In response he pulled her back to him, kissing her hungrily and then when the kiss ended he grinned at her.

"We took out the big guns, they have not many soldiers left to really make a dent in this big guy."

He gave her a grin,

"So let's do something really crazy."

He slipped her weapons from her and undid her top, pulling it open, his fingertips teasing over her firm abdomen.

"See? I did listen to you back in the cave. So how about I drive my gun up your grotto and see where that leads?"

His hands stroked her naked skin, waiting for a response for her.

 

[La_Reina]

Koda returned the kiss just as greedily. She glanced around knowing that for now they were safe. John said so. She arched a brow as he repeated doing something crazy. She was curious when he took her weapons. He wasn't going to use her as bait and without her weapons was he?

When he unbutton her top than she realized where this was going. She laughed and straddled his lap. She pressed her breasts into his palms and kissed him. After all the terror she had been through this was what she needed. To feel alive, loved, and above all safe. Suddenly she couldn't get enough of John and she pulled at his shirt hearing it stretch a little and she had to be more cautious or threaten to rip it. She finally got his shirt off and her lush body pressed against his hard body.

She stood up and pulled him to his feet as she unbuttoned his pants. She pulled him from his pants and couldn't wait she slipped him inside her hot mouth. Her tongue swirled over that pulsating vein, her lips wrapped tightly around his member. She bobbed on his cock going deeper and deeper moaning with every thrust. She wanted him down her throat, gagging on his huge cock. She wanted it now!

 

[DeathsKnight]

John Collins

In the end her reaction was more than he had hoped or even bargained for, her tongue swirled over his cock's head, her mouth sucked firmly on his shaft and he was quite amazed that she fitted so much inside of her mouth, from her movements she wanted more. He curled his fingers through her hair and pushed forward, the tip bumpimg against the back of her mouth, he looked down at her and pushed forwards slowly, allowing her to adjust to his cock invading her throat.

Pulling back slowly he held her in place as she kept working on his shaft, he had to admit, having her sucking on his cock just made him wanting to plunge deep into her tight pussy and fuck her to a shuddering orgasm, he slid his cock back into her mouth, using the leverage to force his shaft down her throat, making her gag and swallow around his shaft, sending shivers of pleasure over his back before pulling back.

 

[La_Reina]

Koda moaned like she always did when he got a little rough with her. His fingernails scraping her scalp as he balled his fists into her hair before forcing her to go deeper on him. She could tell he was going to push her deeper and deeper the way she enjoyed with him. She rolled her eyes up to stare into his eyes as she feasted on him. She wanted his seed.

She never wanted to stop. She didn't care if he came right there and then they continued the mission. She just wanted him like this, his cock in her mouth, her mouth wrapped tightly around his hard, warm, pulsating cock. She loved his cock thrusting deeper and deeper demanding she take more. Right now Koda was his and readily available to do whatever he wanted.