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            Jalen Natara could hardly believe his luck. He hadn't been chosen to help attack the capital of the country! He wasn't afraid of dying, since he knew that the Aoran would ensure a bloodless victor -at least for their side.
            There was one downside to this, though: only half of the Termination Demons had gone. Jalen knew that he couldn't get rid of even one Termination Demon -much less four hundred! But his plan just had to work!
 
            A beeping noise interrupted the gaping shock of the TV viewers.
            “I'll get it,” Vanar said, jumping to her feet and hurrying off.
            The walkie-talkie in David's hand crackled.
            “Are you there, Home Base?” came Jordan's voice.
            David lifted it to his mouth and replied, “Yes, we're here.”
            “Get Garrett to the cave,” Jordan ordered. “We'll be there within the hour.”
            “What's going on?” David asked, but Jordan was already gone.
            He turned to Kerry. “We need to get a hold of Brynn and Kinalo, fast!”
 
            “What now?” groaned Brynn as she hurried to the radio. “Yes, Home Base?”
            “Get Garrett over here -fast,” came David's voice. “Don't ask any questions. Just do it.”
            “Kinalo!” Brynn yelled.
 
            Vanar dashed back to the communication room. “That was Jalen,” she said breathlessly. “He needs help.”
            “Jalen?” Kerry asked.
            “Don't ask,” Vanar said.
            “Tiertze and I can go,” David offered.
            “Take the coral darts,” Vanar ordered. “I'll explain everything to Jordan.”
            Tiertze and David nodded and hurried off.
            Vanar turned to Kerry and DJ “Set up the cots in the front back here. I'm going to keep an eye on the news.”
            The pair hurried to obey.
 
            Garrett stepped out of the small room and called, “Vanar?”
            Vanar stuck her head out of the communication room. “Good, you're here!” she exclaimed. “Jordaned just warned us that she's coming with several victims in need of medical help.”
            “I see,” Garrett replied as he ran to the front room.
            In a few minutes, Jordan arrived.
            Kerry took one look at three of the victims and sank to the floor, against the wall.
            Garret knelt beside a chest at the back of the room and opened it, pulling out clean, dry cloths and several salves and ointments.
            He saw Kerry. “Are you okay?”
            She covered her mouth and shook her head. “Those three -” she pointed to the nearest victims, “-are some of my siblings.”
            Garrett blinked. “Oh.”
            Vanar helped Kerry to her feet. “Come back and help me get food for the group. Don't stay here if you feel sick or something like that.”
 
            “Jalen?” Tiertze whispered.
            Jalen Natara stepped out of the shadows. “Oh, good,” he whispered back in a relieved voice. “You're here.”
            “What's up?” asked David in a low voice as he came out of the small closetlike room behind Tiertze.
            “The guard of the Termination Demons has tightened, if that's at all possible with half of them gone,” Jalen shook his head. “Their senses of hearing and sight have sharpened to the point of certain death if they hear and/or see you.”
            “Which means we're going to die,” Tiertze looked at the poison blow dart she held gingerly in her hand.
            “The few prisoners we have are closely guarded,” Jalen explained. “We have about five. That's a ratio of eighty Termination Demons to one of the prisoners.
            David grinned. “Let's get this over with.”
            The trio cautiously headed off.
 
            “Garrett, how are they doing?” Vanar asked in a hushed voice.
            “The younger two -a girl and a boy -are in critical condition. For them, at this point death seem more likely than life.”
            “Isn't there anything we can do for them?” Vanar asked in despair.
            “My skills are limited,” Garrett explained. “We need a hospital at this point, but the Mafia have skillfully obliterated all the nearby hospitals, aside from the capital city.”
           “They're ruthless,” Vanar looked at the ground as she folded her arms and leaned against the wall. “Now that Reule is gone -”
            “Where's his replacement?” Garrett interrupted.
            “Jordan?”
            “No, his brother.”
            “Brother?” Vanar stared at him, puzzled.
            “Jason -his twin,” Garrett looked at her. “He hasn't told you?”
            “No,” Vanar replied, turning as someone came through the door.
            It was Tristan.
            His face, almost unrecognizable due to the blood streaked across it, was twisted with pain and his vest was ripped and dirty. His left hand was held tightly under his right arm.
            “Help.”
            He fell to the floor.
            His hand came loose.
            Or what was left of it.
 
            Jalen ducked behind a corner and beckoned for David and Tiertze to stop.
            They peered out.
            Four Termination Demons stood outside the cell of the prisoner that Jalen wanted to rescue. The were alert and completely on their guard. Only their red eyes were visible, their black-dressed forms outlined from the faint light from a dim lantern hanging nearby.
            Tiertze silently handed Jalen a blow dart.
            They knew that the Demons had winded them already.
 
            Vanar and Garrett quickly lifted Tristan onto an empty cot and began tending to him.
 
            Tiertze, David, and Jalen boldly leaped out from the corner as three of the Demons rushed at them,, blowing out two darts apiece in quick succession. Five of the six darts hit their targets, and the Demons fell back.
            Tiertze faded back into the shadows as the two others engaged the four Demons in battle.
            She ran to the door of the cell and slyly picked the lock.
            Damien Pacer was quick to leap out.
            Tiertze dashed into the midst of the battle and rand for her life, beckoning for Jalen and David to follow.
            They somehow made it back to the teleportation room that Jalen had create.
           
            Kerry silently watched as military bases and major U.S. Cities burned down.
            Garrett and Vanar joined her.
            “Half the military has been wiped out,” The reporter announced. “Many of the remaining soldiers are helping U.S. allies with disputes, and the remainder are trying to fight off attackers and failing.
            He fell silent as another reporter handed him an update.
            “The President has fled the country, and Washington D.C. is in flames. America is in chaos.”
            Another report came in.
           “All of the military personnel in the country have been wiped out. Thousands of civilians are dead, and the rest are trying to hide.”
            Another reporter rushed in.
            “The building is burning down, Chris, and our connect -”
            The TV died at that instant, and in that instant, Kerry, Vanar, and Garrett bowed their heads.
            It was over.
            America had fallen.

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