I walk the desert, once again.

I used to feel weak, tired. Now with all those months of training and fighting, I feel like a new man. I lifted my ripped map, getting a grasp of what I'm at. The map circled the area at the entrance of the Grand Canyon. I head over with the hope that I'll see an ally. As the cold night starts, I hear a fight from afar. Gunfire, screaming, and inhuman sounds. I walked up the sand dune to see a parking lot brawl between the NRF, Desert Demons, and Miller Corps. I slide down, running into the lot. I shoot at the Demons and NRF. I don't have any special rounds, but normal shells still get the job done. I slide into cover. The soldiers look like they've seen a ghost. I smile and pull out my SMG to help.

After another hour of fighting, the Demons are the only opposing group standing. I was low on ammo, So the arm sword was up to bat. I went over the barricade to slice at the tough-skinned lizards. They had spears, they had knives, but I had to fight. After killing the first four, the last one kicked me in the chest. I was sent to the ground and the monster was ready to kill me. Suddenly, its head was blown to pieces. I turn to see Kyle Tann with a smoking gun. Kyle's hand was rusted but still usable. He had a full beard and his hair reached his shoulder at this point. His face had a scar over his right eye, most likely due to the Demons.

He turns to me. "Dopeman?!"

I kick up and ran to hug him "KYLE! Oh my God, I missed you!"

He hugged me back. It seemed like he needed it. "Me too, It's been Hell out here. Where did you go?"

I let go, sighing. "Long story. You got a camp?"

A trip back to the base, and I'm drinking good water in Kyle's tent. I tell him of my jailhouse odyssey. Tann listens, looking at me the whole time. "Hmm. It explains why you look tougher. And it explains the somewhat new getup. But I'm glad you're free."

"Thanks, Kyle. So what happened? Where's Sam and Sera?"

He adjusts a bit, sighing. "After that major loss, we lost pretty much everybody. I rounded up as much as I could. I thankfully found those two, but we couldn't find you. That sandstorm was too rough to turn back in, so we had to head in a direction. Then, the Desert Demons attacked. They were ruthless. They kept getting at us. During one fight, a bad sandstorm rushed through. When it stopped, Sera was gone and so were the Desert Demons. We had to push deeper. We found this spot the Demons haven't touched. We had no word with HQ in Nevada in months. Just when we thought we had it bad, a few days ago NRF joins the fight. Yesterday they captured Fisher. I was terrified. I thought I couldn't have the manpower to even save the man. Now that you're here..."

"Yeah. I'll do it. Alone."

Tann shakes his head. "With me, brother."

I shake his hand and smile.

"About Sera..." Tann starts.

I stop him. "She's alive. She's in that canyon, I know it. So what's the plan?"

"We save Fisher, Kill the NRF in Arizona, Save Sera, and get to the top of that canyon to find a signal that'll reach Nevada."

I smirk. "I'm in. Got a name for this Op?"

"Operation: Grim Savior."