Earth - approximately 9 months ago - POV Unknown

  "This was supposed to be a simple extraction. You know, get in grab the target and get out. So, what the fuck happened"

  "Somebody must've tipped them off that we were coming" answers the female soldier beside him. "The whole fucking operation was tits up from the start."

  "Looks like It" calls a red-haired youth some feet away looking at blueprints for the building they are currently in. "According to our intel the target should be just below us in the basement. Of course, that was before we knew that they knew we were coming."

  "It doesn't matter" yells the unknown soldier "we've never failed a mission before, and I don't intend to start now. Besides if we give up now then Hightower will have died for nothing"

  "Aye Sir" they both say in unison. "Sir" Pipes up the redhaired soldier. "Even if they knew we were coming the basement is still the most secure place in the building so we can assume the target is still there. It's just that the amount of security we need to fight our way through is a lot more than we planned for."

  "Well, what are we waiting around for" says the unknown soldier while motioning for the female soldier to toss out a few smoke grenades. She does just that and a moment later they exit the room firing at anything that moves. Soon enough they make their way to a set of stairs. The redhaired soldier then proceeds to toss a few flash grenades down the stairs. He would have preferred using frag grenades, but he couldn't risk collateral damage. They then rapidly descend the stairs taking out any hostiles they see. Luckily it seems like the majority of them were guarding the only way into the basement.

  Unfortunately, not all of the enemy was caught off guard. One manages to get a few shots off before he is taken down. One of those shots manages to hit the unknown soldier square in the chest. Because of his bulletproof vest, he ignores it at first. Choosing instead to guard the stairs while the other two begin untying the children. "No wonder command said we know what the target was when we saw it" he thinks to himself. A small group of little kids ranging in age from six to ten was the last thing he would have guessed though. Fortunately, they were able to rescue them.

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  As they start to ascend the stairs, he realizes that he is a lot more sluggish than he should be. Still, he decides not to say anything but by the time they reach the top of the stairs the others have noticed something isn't right. He waves them off and radios in for a hot pickup knowing there's no way they can make it to the extraction point. For the next few minutes, the night is surprisingly peaceful all things considered. Then the sound of a fire fight informs them that their ride is here. Wasting no time, they lead the children out towards the bird and the redhead starts helping them climb aboard while the female soldier and the unknown soldier lay down cover fire with help from the gunner on the bird.

  As soon as the last kid is loaded up the pilot yells back that they're already over capacity, so they'll need to either wait here for another ride or make their way to the original extraction point. As they watch the bird take flight, he orders the other two to head to the extraction point. "What about you" the female soldier protests.

  "I'm not gonna make it. That AP round went through my vest like it wasn't even there" he says motioning to his chest. "Besides somebody has to stay behind and cover your asses and I'm not exactly feeling up to 5-kilometer hike. So. you two best get going, that's an order." "But sir" the redhead starts to protest. "No buts, and if you even think about trying to carry me, I'll shoot you myself" he says knowing that the extra weight of his dead body would only slow them down.

  "Aye Sir" he says while picking him up in a fireman's carry position. "What do you think you're doing" the soldier protests "Disobeying a direct order, Sir" he says as they make their way into the wilderness.

  He wants to protest but at this point he knows it's pointless. Besides which he can already feel his consciousness slipping away. His last thought before the darkness claims him is one of gratitude. Both that they were able to free those children and that his family will have a body to properly mourn. At least they won't have to wonder if I'm somehow still alive and being held prisoner somewhere he thinks to himself as the darkness claims him.

  A moment later he finds himself being squeezed through a dark tunnel. Odd there weren't any dark tunnels along the route. Deciding to open his eyes and look around the first thing he notices is that everything appears blurry. Then he tries to stand up and notices his body isn't responding the way it should. Forget standing he apparently can't even sit up right now. He tries to protest, to demand answers but after several attempts all he can manage is to cry out in frustration. With real tears no less. Ah well it's time for a nap now anyway he decides.

  Clyde POV

  Me and Luna have been waiting as patiently as we can manage for any news of what's happening in the bedroom. It's been hours now since we were told to fetch a healer. I'm even tempted to ask Chandra to sneak in and see what's happening. That of course would require first locating Chandra, besides I don't actually want to risk interrupting the healers just in case. After what feels like an eternity the midwife emerges carrying a baby boy. The fact that she is covered in blood doesn't exactly feel me with confidence. As she hands over the baby, the first thing I notices is that the baby is much larger than I was expecting. I then look over the baby much more thoroughly and decides that the baby appears completely healthy.

  Looking up questioningly at the midwife, she seems to guess what's on my mind and assures me that Lily will recover. "The baby's size caused some issues during delivery, but everything should be fine now" she says before making her exit. A few minute later the healer comes out and tells him that she is fine, but she'll need to rest and let the potion do its job. He then tells Me I should probably give her another potion in a few hours just to be safe.