The beginning

"You have yet to tell me anything about this man, Five," Soren pointed out patiently. "Do you believe he is using Cala to gain something?"

"I don't know what he's doing with Cala, alright? But it's probably not serving tea and biscuits." Five tried lighting another cigarette with his trembling hands. "Dammit! Let's just go see what he's up to. I don't have a damn choice."

"Very well." Soren left the alley and headed for the main gates, making sure Five was following. "If it will allow you some peace of mind, we will step outside the camp and meet them outside the gates." He nodded at the soldiers at the gate and stepped outside, keeping a wary eye out for threats.

"You really don't get it, magic man." Five walked ahead, looking towards the city, mumbling to himself.

Soren turned to Five, leaning tiredly against his staff. "Five, do you know what it is like to see a world rise and fall time and time again?"

Dakota tossed his bags off the carriage and jumped out while the prisoner and the others moved on. He looked around before picking up his bag and walking towards the center of the camp.

Zander noticed a boy near the middle of the camp as he made his rounds. "Hey!" He called. "You lost? You don't look familiar."

Dakota held out his hand and smiled brightly. "I'm Private Lark. I just transferred."

"The new field medic?" Zander shook his hand firmly. "Sergeant Ibsen. Good to have more men; we're gonna need them."

Dakota nodded and took out his transfer papers to hand to Zander. "This is the training I have and the training I'll need. I've only had posts inside the city, but I'm ready to learn anything you're willing to teach."

Zander took a brief look at the papers, his brow furrowed as he read. "Hm...It's a good start at least. Experience in the city's a plus." He folded the papers and gave them back. "A lot of what we have going on here is defense. Attacks are getting more frequent, which means tighter control. I'll show you everything I can, but I expect you to catch on fast, got it? I need soldiers and I need 'em ready."

"Yes, Sir," Dakota saluted and confirmed the order. "I'll do my best."

"Better than your best, soldier," he replied. He shouldered his gun and began walking. "Your shifts will be the same as mine. A lot of graveyard shifts, patrol, basic action. If you hear the sirens, our station is the front gate. The river's a natural barrier, but it's shit protection from the Misers. We just took care of a moderate attack yesterday, so we're still on edge around here."
He stopped to help an elderly man lift a sheet of plywood. "We don't get a whole lot of bandit or looter attacks anymore, and the other things living in the city don't bother with us much. Once you get the hang of things here, you'll assist with scouting missions and supply runs for the camp. We're low on medicine specifically, so it's good you have more training with that; other than you, me and the new doctor, we don't have many people with medical knowledge around here."
The elderly man thanked him and continued with his work. Zander continued walking towards the main gate. "We have bird's nests on either side of the gate and set every 100 feet along the perimeter. Our rifle teams are posted there, so we don't usually have to worry about them. Well...unless a Miser gets up there, but they usually go for easy prey on the ground. Us." He leaned against his shotgun. "Make sure you're always armed. Make sure your medkit is completely stocked and ready for action. Make sure you help out where you can when things are quiet. Any questions?"

Dakota followed and listened intently. "Just two, Captain. Where are the shelters for the women and children during an attack and what are the escape routes for emergency evacuations?"

"Shelters are in the center of the camp. There's a secondary fence that runs the center blocks of the camp, with another unit set to station there in the event of an attack." He walked to a nearby shed near one of the lookout towers and pointed to a tattered map on the wall. "These blue lines show where the fence is in the center of the camp. This red line is the escape route out of the camp in case it's lost." He trailed his finger along the red line leading out of the camp to the southeast. "Hopefully it doesn't come to that. We lead the citizens out of the camp this way because most of the enemy will be attacking from the west. An alternative route runs this way." His finger trailed along a purple line running to the northeast corner. "People are assigned to a specific group of civilian soldiers if we have to evacuate. Both of these paths are optional if the groups are separated. We run drills monthly, so you'll get the hang of that too."

Dakota looked over the map and gave Zander a thumbs up. "Alright, got it! I'll remember all of this." He smiled and took a pad from his bag to write down some short hand.

"There'll be more along the way, but this is a good start for now." Zander waved to the guards on duty and continued walking. "What kind of experience did you get from the city?"

Aelius smirked and propelled himself up the walls of the two buildings in the alley and let Cala free. "That is why," he said casually while walking towards the next roof. "Shall we find Bion and put an end to this?"

"Well, wake up!" She replied gleefully. She jumped through the hole in the roof and stood on the edge overlooking the city. "The Dual Soul is moving, but I don't know who has her. I need you to find out who!" She fell forward off the roof and landed with a loud screeching crunch on top of a rusted out taxi.
"I'm going to the camp. There's a young Miser hiding there and we need him. Damn peddlers..." She jumped from roof to roof, slipping through broken high-rise windows and skipping over the remains of useless and dusty office supplies. She smiled excitedly. "Krios will be here soon...My Krios..."

"I'll find her. But what do you want with her now?" Moa leaped from the building and sniffed the air before walking towards the center of the city.

Tira slowed to a walk on top of a building. "A certain someone is looking for her, and that certain someone has something I need." She eyed the camp from her vantage point. "Once we make a trade, Krios is as good as mine." She spoke more to herself but allowed the words to pass to Moa. Her claws scraped the lip of the building before she dove off towards the camp.

Nut job, Moa thought to himself while following Cala's smell. He found her on the roof with another man. "I found the Dual Soul. She's with a white haired guy.

Tira frowned and transformed into her human disguise, an elderly woman. "Show me," she demanded impatiently, annoyed at the obstacle in her plans. She slipped into the camp silently through the northern barricades, stepping past the guards when their backs were turned. She ducked from alley to alley until she was able to merge with the crowds in the marketplace.

Cala huffed, embarrassed, and fixed her dress. "I can climb on my own, Aelius," she reminded him, walking behind him.

"Forgive me," Aelius laughed, whistling a tune to himself. "I haven't had the company of a lady in awhile. I may misbehave."