Seven hundred meters from the house, a fallen Littlebird helicopter sat on its side as three soldiers stumbled dazed from the crash. The pilots and their team leader were dead before they hit the ground, having had their lives snuffed out by the volley of 8mm mauser that had been sent their way. The soldiers belonged to a locally stationed special unit, and were armed with recognizable HK416’s with short barrels. What wasn’t obvious was the fact that these were American operators.

In short distance behind them was three ground vehicles that were in position and firing on the position of the house. One of the vehicles was a blacked out MXT-MV, an MRAP type of vehicle with four interior seats that looked much like a large bomb resistant pickup truck. Escorting this vehicle was a pair of Dingo-1’s, a pair of German armored trucks marked with Bundeswehr insignia, though the men inside were not conventional troops. While the black MXT was equipped with a Mk19 machinegun grenade launcher which was now in use, the Dingo vehicles were armed with MG3’s and occupied by a mixture of German commandos and some nonmilitary individuals.

The MXT had identified the targets around the destroyed house first, and had begun to place very effective fire on the position. One of the German vehicles took position next to the MXT and let out occasional bursts from its weapon as they identified ground targets attempting to flee. The third vehicle was making its way toward the downed chopper to rescue the survivors.

Meanwhile, Michael and Lani kept their heads down in the basement. There was three feet of earth between the surface and the concrete of the basement. The concrete of the basement, reinforced by metal plating and other structure enhancements was approximately two feet in thickness. As long as nothing came down the stairs, that basement was the only safe place within a square mile.

Lani on the other hand, had no idea. She pressed herself against the wall and looked around fearfully. The explosions were landing very close to the entrance, and she was not used to things being blown up directly around her. “Michael, what’s happening?” she cried out with a shaken voice.

“Stay the fuck put!” Michael shouted over the noise, “You’re in a goddamn bunker, and people outside are dieing!” He looked around with a smile, glad that he had invested so much in this structure. He looked back at Lani and saw that she was rattled and near a possible break point. Setting his weapon on its legs, he walked casually to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t be hurt in here,” he said calmly, “this room was designed for what’s literally happening outside right now.”

Lani stopped shaking. The sincerity in his words worked in calming her. “I’m not worried about me,” she said faintly, “I have to keep you safe.” She reached up and grabbed him by his vest and yanked him downward and stepped between him and the door. “My armor is better than yours,” she said with determination and a small hint of fury in her voice.

Still surprised at how capable she was, Michael let himself be moved about as he knew he had to learn to trust Lani as much as he had to train her in his seasoned ways of war. He placed his hand on the back of her armors collar and reached his other hand over her shoulder to point to his weapon. “Get me back to that,” he said slowly as if instructing a student. He had to resist the urge to move her and steer her like a shield and let her do what she instinctively knew how to do.

Lani walked back to the edge of the entrance and picked up the machinegun by the carry handle. With Michael following behind her, she stepped back into cover and handed the weapon back to him. Michael grabbed up the M60 and stepped over to the wall, pointing to the spot in front of him while looking at Lani with a seemingly neutral facial expression.

“We just gotta wait this shit out,” Michael said with seemingly deflated enthusiasm. He stepped in front of Lani after a few moments. “You have the nice suit,” he said assuringly, “but I know what to do to people breaching my shit.” Lani nodded, trusting his experience.

After about twenty minutes of hammering the structure, the barrage of fire finally stopped. As debris finished being thrown about, a large truck could be heard approaching and opening a door. It was one of the Dingos. The men who dismounted brought out the men from the fallen bird, guiding them towards the fallen house.

Quickly behind was the MXT and the second Dingo. Radio chatter kicked up over the secure channels, and men started stepping out of the MXT and second Dingo. One man, dressed in plain clothes and holding no weapon, ran quickly towards the basement entrance. He waved his hands downward at the other men, warning them to stay back. He slowly got closed to the entrance and waved his hand over it in hopes that he’d be seen and identified before anyone shot him.

Michael saw the hand, and gradually lowered his muzzle before yelling out to the man. “I still think Bernard is a dogs name!”

The man who turned out to be Bernard yelled back, “My parents liked it, fuck you!”

“You don’t deserve it bitch,” Michael said back, “Dog names are too precious for admin pencil dicks.” He tapped Lani’s shoulder and gave her a nod, letting her know that everything was okay. They began walking out, Michael glaring down Bernard. “You leave out some really important information?”

“Which part?” Bernard replied, “The part about us knowing where you lived,” he said as he looked around, “or about you not being a fucking highlander?”

Michael chuckled a little, understanding the movie refference about super people who had to kill all the other were the same as him. “So I don’t have to cut peoples heads off?”

As Michael cracked his joke, the figure with the amputated foot groaned. Michael turned and walked over to him. Recognizing his ankle from the foolish moment when he had got it shot off, Michael pointed his machinegun at his chest and held the trigger. A little more than thirty shots later, he stopped firing. The figure who would never be known about had no torso and no head left to identify. Bernard shouted loudly, though to no avail as Michael really didn’t give the slightest fuck about what he wanted.

“Are you out of your mind?” Bernard asked scoldingly to Michael. “He was no longer a threat!”

Lani finally spoke up. “Can you shut the fuck up?” she asked with noticable annoyance in her voice, “like, can you shut the entire, complete, whole way the fuck up?”

Bernards eyes went wide. Michael laughed loudly as he walked toward the MXT. “Bernie,” Michael finally said between chuckles, “You were always a nuisance.” He walked to the back of the big truck as Bernard and Lani followed him. “Is this thing my ride out?”

“Well, it wasn’t supposed to be,” Bernie muttered, “But your little bird got shot down.”

“So it’s my ride out,” Michael replied, “you’re so kind.”

Lani turned and went back in the basement and started looking for stuff to load into the truck. Michael set his M60 in the back and went after her, not fully knowing what she expected to be able to bring. She grabbed the bag of ammo for her VAL, and the bag of drums for the Saiga. Michael grabbed up a couple more cases of various equipment, while looking at Bernard with a look of disapproval.

“Is it hard to do work?” Michael asked as he tossed things into the back of the truck. While Bernard stood in complete disbelief, he couldn’t think of something to say. “Guess so, you were always worthless.”

“I just saved your lives!” Bernard shouted as he flailed his arms.

Michael looked up at the top of the MTX, chuckling, “hey, gunner,” Michael called out to the man standing in the turret, “Did you switch seats with this dickless thing?” The gunner shook his head, looking down from his hatch with confusion. Turning back to Bernard, Michael rolled his eyes, “I see you still try to take credit for other peoples work.”

“And you’re still a rude inconsiderate fuck!” Bernard snapped at Michael. “In case you haven’t caught on, you’re no longer the biggest boy on the yard.”

“So I’m in prison now?” Michael questioned as he smirked, taking a slight amusement in Bernards annoyance. “Yeah, I nearly got taken out by some tough fucks on the autobahn.” His eyes narrowed, “You knew about that?”

“Yes,” Bernard said in a slightly softer voice, “But not that they were after you.”

“When would I have been told that these fucks exist?” Michael asked as he crossed his arms, leaning his head slightly towards Bernard. “When would I find out that there’s enough of them that my housekeeper turns out to be my guardian angel?” He paused, waiting for a response. Not satisfied with the silence, Michael stepped forward to within inches of his face. “I might not be willing to hurt you, but you won’t disrespect me. Answer my questions.”

One of the men who were not in any kind of military uniform walked over from behind one of the Dingos. “Excuse me,” he said with a seemingly soft voice for a man travelling with a dual nation operations team, “He might not have the entire story.”

“Is that it?” Michael said calmly to Bernard. Bernard nodded slowly. “Say that shit,” Michael said with narrowed eyes. “Just eyeball fuckin me makes me think you’re an idiot.” Michael turned his attention to the gentle voiced gentleman. Lani looked around, noticing that two other plain clothed men were standing there watching.

The softer voiced man extended his hand, “I’m Tom,” he said, “I’m a type two enhanced. You’re the only one not given a type, but had you been around when the researchers figured it out, you’d be a type one.”

Michael nodded, shaking the mans hand. “You actually know something?” he asked, now speaking with tones of kindness as he no longer felt like he was being governmentally toyed with.

“I know a good bit.” the man said. “But this isn’t a good place to explain it.”

“What type am I?” Lani said with frustrated curiosity.

The man turned with an excited smile, “You’re Lani?” pausing, he let out a faint giggle, “You are a three, but lets get in a truck and get out of here and I’ll start talking.”

Michael nodded and turned to Lani. “You’re sitting next to me,” Michael said to her, “I know Bernard, these others are unknowns to me.” Lani nodded and climbed into the MTX with Michael. Before fastening seatbelts, he stuck his head out and pointed to the well mannered gentleman. “I’d like for you to sit with me please, I think I might have hurt Bernards feelings.”

The man climbed in, sat down and gave Bernard a shrug. “Sorry bud, yer kind of a bitch.” He latched the door and away they went. Bernard was left to organize the cleanup,

After rolling down the road for a few miles, the conversation was finally allowed to begin. Tom explained to Michael and Lani that there were repeated findings of power crystals that enhanced individuals, and that some of these individuals acted out before they could be met by anyone to make sure that they didn’t go insane and do wild acts of terror. Some were interviewed and decided to misuse their capabilities anyway, which lead to a special task force being assembled to hunt down enhanced terrorists. He also explained what the three ‘types’ of enhanced people were, even though it had nothing to do with who was stronger than the other.

Type 1 were the military applied individuals who were put to use in their respective nations and given further training as super soldiers. Type 2 were not military, but still did war things on occasion such as fighting and hunting. Type 3 were kids who stumbled into these crystals and didn’t take on either government or military duties and instead chose to simply ‘not be bad.’

“So,” Michael interjected after some long talking from Tom, “I was a prototype, but what improved since me?”

“So glad you asked,” Tom said excitedly, “For one, we don’t punch you in the face to show you how tough you are.” Michael glared, remembering the moment that a man had made this mistake.

Lani giggled. “I’m glad they didn’t do that to me.” She noticed that Michael wasn’t laughing or smiling about it. “Wait,” she said as she got serious and began to sound mildly irritated, “they hit you?”

“With brass knuckles.” Michael replied in a flat tone. “Felt like an open hand with bitch arms. Turns out the guy was some kind of heavyweight boxer in his spare time.”

“So,” Lani said in disbelief, “a heavy boxing dude, hit you in the face, with brass knuckles,” she paused as Michael nodded. “And you barely felt that shit?”

Tom chuckled as well, “Well, they did that to project number two and he lost his temper and went straight into a rampage. Lost half a facility that day.”

“Won’t lie,” Michael interrupted, “I almost did the same shit.”

“I guess I should explain why we’re taking you with us then.” Tom finally got to explaining that there were enhanced people committing open acts of terror, and that the deeply veiled secret was finally out. Michaels German house was not the only place that saw open gun battles and major property destruction. Some of the lesser governments were caught off guard because nobody thought to tell them that they might have super powered people living in their nations with the ability to do damn near whatever they want with too much survival instinct to be stopped by simple means.

Lani tugged on Michaels arm, leaning in to ask him quietly, “are you about to go hunt them down?”

Michael shrugged. “I think I might,” he said softly as he placed an arm around her shoulder. “Question is, do you wanna help me?”

Lani smiled, “Whatever you do,” she said as leaned closer to lay on Michaels chest, “I have to do, it’s my job to keep big brother safe.”

Michael had decisions to make, in regards to how he was going to go about his next move. Open conflict with enhanced beings, world destabilization a possible risk of inaction, the government trying to reel him back in, and now having a little sister to look after. He looked to Tom with a stern look. “If I do this,” he said in his serious tone, “I do it my way.” Tom nodded in response. “I have people I need brought in.” To this, Tom hesitated. “If I do this, I take information from you, not orders.”

“I understand entirely,” Tom answered. “My supervisors might not like it though.”

“Explain it this way,” Michael said leaning towards him, “If I’m keeping your hands clean, and solving problems, and saving lives, does it really matter how I do it?”

“I’ll advocate for you to have independent movement,” Tom said through a sigh, “and I’ll make sure to emphasize minimal interference,” as he set his head on his hands, “But please for the love of my sanity, be nice to Bernard.”

“He can get fucked,” Michael stated flat out, “but I can try to balance out how mean I am to him.”

For the next hour, they rode to a base where they’d eventually be given the chance to make final decisions and plan out how they were going to go from here, now that their world had changed so drastically. The future was fluid and unfixed, leaving room for many paths and outcomes. The only thing that they knew collectively was that inaction was not going to be their next course.