Jackals and Wolves

Shadows darted from one side of the desolated street to the next, two lone figures keeping a low crouch as they moved. They crept along a blown out building, their boots barely making a sound as they stepped over broken glass and rubble. They scanned their surroundings, listening, watching, waiting. A distant scream pulled their heads in it's direction, they were getting close. They had hunted their Prey for nearly two weeks, and it had hunted them in return, both Hunters and Prey trading places whenever one or the other got the upper hand. Now they were the Hunters again, it was their turn to try and take their Prey's life. The Hunters were forgiving at first, they had waited, watched, and hoped their Quarry would move on, simply leave the District and wander back to whatever dark part of Rapture had produced it, but it didn't. It stayed in the District and began hunting Splicers first, though they were scarce thanks to the Hunters, there were enough to keep the Quarry satisfied for a time. When there were no more Splicers, it got desperate, starved. It picked up the Hunter's scents by complete mistake, and attacked them in their home with so much surprise, they almost didn't make it out in time. It was then that they decided to Hunt the Beast and kill it.
Another enraged roar tore it's way through the air and the Hunters ducked inside the blown out store, they crawled beneath the collapsed roof and ducked behind a glassless window to peak out from, their hooded heads scanning the street for their Target. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard echoing off of the pavement as it made it's way toward them. They could hear it's powerful lungs taking in short breaths as it scented the air, trying to find the scent of Prey.

One of the two Hunters slowly lifted their rifle, massive in size, awkward to hold, and hard to fire. The Hunter laid the large rifle on the window seal of the destroyed building and aimed down the street. Now all that was left to do was wait, wait for their Target to come into view, wait for the chance they had been looking forward to for nearly two weeks, the chance to finally kill their Quarry and be rid of it's annoying presence.

"Don't miss, Archer." The Man said, his accent thick with the well known Russian pronunciations. His rolling R's practically pinging off the side of Archer's head as he taunted him.

"Shut up." Archer whispered back shooting him an annoyed glance from beneath his hood, he knew what his Companion was trying to do, it was the same thing he had done since they started hunting their Prey. The weapon in Archer's grip was a PTRS-41, a Soviet anti-tank rifle created during World War II. It weighed forty six pounds, or twenty kilograms, and it was twenty-one hundred millimeters long, or eighty-three inches. It was a beast of a weapon. They had come across it while searching the penthouse of a former Soldier and Businessman. The previous owner had purchased it as a collector's item and stored a handful of live rounds with the gun, mounting it in his private office just above his desk on the back wall. It made a very impressive back piece to his collection, but in the end, it didn't stop him from leaping from the top floor in the Building's lobby.

"Be sure to aim for the head, we only have one more bullet." A voice pulled Archer from his vigilant watch.

"I know." Archer said.

"And don't forget to adjust the sight. That Bitch could come from anywhere."

"I know." Archer replied, his annoyance growing.

"If you don't think you can make the shot, I would be happy to take it." The Russian voice droned on, poking at Archer's nerves.

"Tokerev, I know you want to shoot the last round but it's my turn! You went first, quit trying to take my turns." Archer whispered, his annoyance at the hounding clear in his tone. Tokerev sucked his teeth as he looked back down the street.

"Greedy American Pig." He whispered.

"Leeching Russian Dog." Archer replied, both Men snickering at the insults as they scanned the empty street for their Prey. They had been called far worse, and they had called each other far worse.

"I hope this one actually kills it." Tokerev remarked.

"If it doesn't, we go to plan B." Archer said, causing his Partner to nod in agreement.

"And if plan B fails?" He asked.

"Then I guess we go to plan C." The reply came.

"Plan C?" Tokerev asked, his eyebrow raising beneath his hood, he wasn't aware there even was a plan C.

"Yeah, we run like Hell." Archer stated, both Men chuckling again.

A distant crashing sound set the two on high alert, both of them going silent as the echo of a roar reached their ears. Archer pulled the large bolt of the rifle back and let it slide forward, the sound of a single massive round being chambered broke the silence. Tokerev clicked the safety off of his Thompson sub-machine gun and prepared to fire if needed. Massive footsteps stomping from an Alleyway down the street as their Prey came into view. It was a massive Beast, armored from head to toe with some kind of dense plating that jutted from it's thick grey hide. It was larger than a Big Daddy, and twice as fast. It's armored, lipless head looked up into the air as it sniffed, looking for the scent of Prey. The narrow slits in it's armor aiming toward Archer and Tokerev's position, it's mouth hissing as it noticed their presence. Archer took careful aim at the Creature's face, and fired.

The round hit it's Target and the Men could see the Beast take a step back, sparks flying from it's head as the bullet impacted and broke the armor of it's face, but the Monster still stood. It turned back toward them and let out an enraged roar as it began to charge full speed in their direction, intent on pulling them apart limb by limb.

"Shit!" Tokerev yelled as he stood, firing a hail of bullets at the charging behemoth, each expertly placed shot sending sparks off of the Monster's armor.

"Move!" Archer yelled as he ducked beneath the collapsed room, already heading for the exit of the destroyed building, Tokerev on his heels. As the two Men exited the building, a massive crash blew dust and debris from the door behind them, the enraged Berserker slamming into the already demolished building and wrecking it further.

"I believe it is time for plan B!" Tokerev shouted as they ran down the street.

"Yeah!" Archer replied, pulling his Thompson from his back to carry in his arms. Tokerev saw this and a look of confusion washed over his face.

"Where is Sera?!" He shouted, stopping to look back toward the broken building they had escaped from. He looked to Archer as he continued to run.

"Where is my Gun?!" He yelled, Archer ignoring him as he ran. Another loud crash causing him to glance down the street again, the massive Beast now standing in the road looking for the two of them. It turned to see them and roared again, charging in pursuit.

"Damn you, Archer!" Tokerev shouted as he sprinted to catch up to his American Ally.

"Shut up and run!" Archer replied, leading them through an Alleyway. They sprinted to the other side before coming to a sliding stop. They took cover around the corner behind the wall and waited for the Monster to follow them through the way they had come. Tokerev knelt down and grabbed a cluster of wires that led down the Alleyway, connecting to small piles of trash or trashcans. He waited, Archer just behind him as they prepared their trap.

They didn't see the Berserker, but they heard it. A loud crash could be heard and felt as the street was filled with rubble and dirt. The Monster came charging through a building just beside the Alleyway, avoiding their trap entirely.

"Bitch!" Tokerev yelled as the NeoSplicer charged again. The Russian Man pulled the wires as he and Archer ran, sending another plume of debris and smoke into the street to block the Creature's view of them. They took off again, as fast as their legs would carry them, ducking through another abandoned building, a small clothing store that held decaying garments for a more civilized time, they ran through the clothing racks and out the door on the other side. They stopped to breath and could hear the enraged NeoSplicer roaring after them. Archer reached into his pocket and pulled out a small remote device, he flicked the switch, and mechanical beeping indicated another trap. As the Berserker entered the store they had just exited, Sentry Turrets came to life and began firing from inside the circular clothing racks, a storm of bullets pelting the Beast in a shower of sparks. The bullets ripped through the clothes that hung in close proximity of the Turret's barrels as bits of cloth and feathers flew out toward the Monster. It roared, raising it's massive fists above it's head and bringing them slamming down onto one of the clothing displays, crushing the Sentry Turret in a small explosion. As Archer and Tokerev took off, they heard the second Sentry Turret go silent inside the store.

"This thing is really starting to piss me off!" Archer yelled at their failed traps.

"I have a surprise for that Suka!" Tokerev cursed, pointing his hand down the road to a large concrete and steel building. They ran, trying to put distance between them and the Titan that wanted their lives. The Berserker was already gaining on them again, stomping toward them like an unstoppable mountain of armor and strength, roaring with rage at it's Targets. The two Men turned into the building Tokerev had pointed to. Archer stopped and looked around. It was a hardware store filled with saw blades, nails, screws, bolts, and tools. Explosives were primed and ready in key points around the store, ready to turn every loose screw or nail into shrapnel when they detonated.

"Jesus Christ, Tokerev you crazy Russian Bastard!" Archer shouted, earning a laugh from his Mad Companion. Just as he started moving again, the Berserker slammed into the concrete piller of the doorway and reached for him, struggling to fit it's massive frame inside the tight doorway.

"Fuck!" Archer yelled as he ran the direction Tokerev had, through the store and into the back room. When he reached the room he saw a fire escape door slowly closing, light shining from the outside. Archer heard the NeoSplicer roaring as it tore it's way into the store, and darted out the back following Tokerev's trail. When he exited the store, Tokerev was waiting for him in the street, a detonator in hand, Archer joined his Friend and watched him flick the firing switch on the detonator.

"Do svidaniya!" Tokerev laughed as a massive explosion tore through the building knocking both Men to the ground and reducing the building to rubble. Smoke and fire engulfed the building as it collapsed, tons of concrete and steel giving way to fall into itself, debris launching out toward the Men as they were knocked to their backs. They slowly sat up blinking and coughing, their hoods covered in dirt.

"I may... have used too much." Tokerev coughed as he sat up, clearing his lungs of dust. Archer sat up and mimicked his behavior, a coughing fit overtaking the both of them.

"You think?!" Archer yelled through his coughing.

"It got the job done." Tokerev responded, both Men catching their breath as they coughed, watching the demolished building burn before them.

"At least we know how to kill them now." Archer stated.

"What, you mean dropping a building on them?" Tokerev asked.

"That, and a lot of explosives." He responded.

Both Men sat and watched the building burn, smoke billowing up into the large ventilation pipes overhead to be filtered and recycled. They had thought the Splicers and Bid Daddies were bad enough but these new Monsters… They came straight from the darkest nightmare. The smaller ones weren't so bad, if you had enough light and firepower, but the big ones, they were in a whole other league. They weren't very smart, but they were fast, strong, and highly dangerous. Archer and Tokerev had done well to keep all of the other possible threats away from their Base, but Splicers and Bid Daddies couldn't smell you out, nor could they climb on walls and through pipes. These new Monsters could, and they did. Both Men were highly adaptable, and highly trained, but no amount of training could prepare you for the horrors of Rapture.

As the Men sat and admired their work, they were pulled from their thoughts when a distant roar jerked their heads down the street. They picked up their weapons and stood up as quickly as they could, looking to each other as if they questioned hearing it.

"Is that what I think it is, Archer?" The Russian Man asked.

"Sounded like it, but I'm not waiting around to find out." He responded, earning a nod from his Partner.

"Let's get back to Base and start building more explosive charges." Tokerev said as they started jogging, another distant roar causing them to pick up the pace, still coughing from the dust and smoke they had inhaled.

"What are the odds of two of them being in the same vicinity?" Tokerev asked as they ran.

"I don't know, probably the same as two Human Survivors being in the same vicinity." Archer replied, his head shaking beneath his hood.

Both Men continued their mad dash toward safety, roaring getting ever closer. They glanced back and felt their stomachs drop instantly, the Beast was already chasing after them down the street, it's armored legs cracking the paved street bellow. It was fast, covering twice the amount of distance they could ever hope to. They cursed the Monster, trying to think of a way to lose it, to get it off of their tails. They turned down another more narrow street, scanning the area for a safe place to lay low, or somewhere to escape to that the Monster couldn't fit. What they saw made them stop, their eyes wide. They felt their heartbeats rise rapidly, their stomachs dropping practically to their shoes. At the end of the street was a massive figure covered from head to toe in black armor, it's fists clenched at it's sides as it breathed heavily. Two thin crimson slits blazed bright in the dimly lit street. It looked like a Demon, ready to pounce on them. A new horror cooked up by the dying City. They thought it was a Big Sister at first, but it was much too large, that led them to believe it was a Big Daddy, but it was too small. The Demonic figure was somewhere in between, and they knew that didn't bode well for them. Their minds did flips trying to think of something, anything that would let them escape the two Monsters they had become sandwiched between. Before they could even form solid thoughts, stomping caused them to turn their heads in the direction they had come from. The Berserker stood on the other end of the street, snarling, growling, enraged. A soul shattering screech split the air, both Men covering their ears and dropping to one knee as they turned to see the cause. It was the blackened figure, it's helmet and head staring directly at the three other living beings in it's path. It stomped it's heavy boot forward and the deep howling roar intensified. Archer and Tokerev's ears were assaulted by the howl, their vision blurred. Looking between the two Titans, they realized that they were focused on each other, and not them. They were gearing up to rip each other to pieces, which suited the two Humans just fine. Archer put his hands on Tokerev's back and pushed him toward the nearest abandoned building with the thickest concrete walls and they darted inside.

They turned just in time to see the two Monsters meet, slamming into each other. They watched the Berserker swipe it's claws at it's new opponent, but the armored figure was too fast. It ducked under the large arms and threw heavy punches at the Beast, one to the ribs, and another across it's armored jaw. The Beast roared and grabbed the new figure with it's arms around his waist, tackling him into the building the two Men were hiding in. A shower of concrete and steel flew through the abandoned building as the two Behemoths crashed in. Archer and Tokerev ducked behind the counter of the old store, diving to the dirty floor as the black armored Protector slammed into the back wall. It howled in rage as the Berserker threw it's fist toward it and dodged to the side just in time for it's fist to smash the wall were his head had been moments ago. The Protector threw another heavy punch to the Beast's ribcage with a loud echoing bang before returning the tackle. He shoulder charged the Monster into an adjacent wall before jumping back and throwing a heavy kick to the Berserker's chest, it's armor cracking from the impact as it was sent through the thick wall and into a connecting building. They watched the Protector let out another rage filled howl as it jumped through the hole, following it's Enemy.

"C'mon! We gotta get the fuck out of here!" Archer screamed as he and Tokerev jumped over the old counter, the sound of crashing and combat roaring from the massive hole in the wall. The two Men exited the store building and into the street, they looked back to the store building where the battle still raged and froze.

Two more armored Figures were running down the street, Big Sisters. They looked at the two Men before a massive crash from inside the store drew their attention away. They watched the two Sisters turn sharply, one of them jumping through the window of the store, shattering it. The other, smaller one darted into the doorway, the sound of the battle growing more intense as they entered the frey.

"Over here! Come on!" They heard a Man shout. Both Men looked back down the street to see a bearded Man waving his arm, beckoning them toward him. Neither Archer or Tokerev had ever seen the Man before, but between the four Monsters battling it out in the buildings, and Strangers... they would happily choose Strangers. They ran toward the bearded Man and inside the building he had been shouting from. Once inside they noticed he wasn't alone, a younger Man was crouching next to him, his gun raised out the window toward the sound of the fight.

"I don't know who you are but we have to get the fuck out of here now!" Archer yelled at the Man. Both of the Strangers were un-mutated, just like Tokerev and himself.

"Don't worry, Friend. They'll be done soon." The Man said, sitting down on a wooden stool to watch. He took out a cigar and lit it with a gold plated lighter that had seen better days, thick smoke rising from the cherry as the sound of the battle raged outside. Archer and Tokerev looked at each other, Tokerev shrugging.

"I don't think you heard me, Pal. We need to leave! Those things will come for us next if we don't get out of here. Come on, we have a Base not far from here, we'll regroup there and talk." Archer said, earning him a wave from the bearded Man.

"It's alright Mister, we know those 'Things' you're talking about, they're on our side." The younger Man said, his expression determined. He held a slight look of boredom and worry as he watched the street.

"The Kid's right, have a seat and we'll talk when they get done. Besides, we've been looking for you." The bearded Man said looking over to the two Companions, earning them confused looks as they gripped their weapons tighter, looking around the old building lobby for others, or traps.

"What do you mean you've been looking for us?" Tokerev asked, skepticism clear on his expression.

"Those traps you set for the NeoSplicers were good, damn good, but they were no match for our Protectors." The bearded Man stated, flashing them a small smile.

"Who the fuck are you people? What do you want?" Archer asked, his temper short from the events of the day.

"Here they come." The bearded Man said pointing his cigar toward the window. Both Archer and Tokerev looked outside at the street as a plume of smoke and rubble erupted from the building the Protectors had gone into. The massive armored form of the Berserker flew out into the street, roaring in rage and pain. It had deep gashes under it's arms, in it's elbow creases, and behind it's knees. Dark blood oozed from it's open wounds as it struggled to get to it's feet, it's movements noticeably slower than before. The black armored Protector walked out from the hole in the wall, stepping over rubble as it made it's way toward the Monster, the two Sisters on either side of him. He reached his armored hand down, grasping the Berserker's throat and pulling it's head up to look at him, it's armored face cracked and bleeding as it snarled. The two Sisters each grabbed one of the Monster's massive arms and pulled them apart, leaning backwards as they put all their weight and strength into the act. The largest Protector slammed his fist into the Monster's face, each hit sending a loud echo toward the onlookers.

"That's Omega. He's the leader of their little Pack, I guess you could call him the Alpha, and he's not someone you want mad at you. He was some kind of experimental Protector Lamb cooked up, a cross between a Big Daddy and a Big Sister... He's a Big Brother." The bearded Man said, pointing to the black armored figure. Both Men looked to him then to Omega as he slammed his fist into the Berserker's face again and again.

"That one in the other black suit of armor is Iota. She's his Mate, and second in command. She's got a temper on her too, but she's a little more approachable than he is." The bearded Man said, his cigar pointing from Omega, to Iota, and finally to the last armored figure.

"That there's Anna, she's the newest Protector to join our little Group. She's by far the most Human of the three... but that doesn't mean she's just Human." He explained. The four Men watched both Big Sisters twist the Berserker's arms backwards, loud snaps could be heard as the Creature roared and shook, trying to beak free. Omega placed both hands on the Monster's head, one under it's dense chin, the other behind it's head. He put his full strength into twisting the Beast's head to the side as it roared in anger. Once it's head had reached the maximum angle it could move, the Brother kept turning, finally, a loud crack could be heard, and the Beast was silenced. Both Sisters dropped the Berserker's arms as Omega looked down into the eye slits of it's armor. He roared in anger and victory before throwing the Monster back away from him. The three Protectors turned and began walking toward the four Onlookers, finally finished with their fight. Omega and Anna walked with slight limps, and the Men watched with bated breath as they moved, their limps disappearing by the time they made it to the building they were standing in.

Both Archer and Tokerev tensed, holding their breath, waiting for the three Monsters just outside to rip them apart. The only thing separating them from a grizzly death was a waist high concrete wall that made up what remained of the window seal. The Protectors stared at the two Men, their helmet lights switching from the deep horrifying crimson of danger, to the cautionary yellow of alertness. They weren't hostile... but they were ready to be, in a moments notice. The bearded Man turned to Archer and Tokerev, his hand extending toward them as he held his shotgun with the other.

"I'm Joe, and that's Mark. We got a plan to get out of this God forsaken City... and thought a couple of regular Humans... Like ourselves... would like to come with us." Joe explained, his lit cigar still hanging from his mouth. Archer looked toward the three Protectors, watching them intensly. Iota tilted her head and gave a small screech, reminding him of some kind of wild Predator. He quickly shook the Man's hand, followed by Mark's, and Tokerev followed suit.

"I'm Archer." He said.

"I'm Tokerev." The Russian Man announced.

Joe nodded to both of them with a small smile, a victorious smile, one that made them realize how gaunt his face actually was. He looked happy with the moment, but there was an underlying sadness in his eyes, a tiredness that the Men knew all too well. They watched him turn toward the three Protectors, his shotgun lifting to rest on his shoulder.

"Well come on you three, introduce yourselves to our new Friends." Joe said, a small eagerness to see Archer and Tokerev's reactions.

Omega nodded, simply stepping forward over the small window barrier between them, his heavy boots thudding on the floor and broken glass of the old building. When he stood to his full height inside the shop, Archer and Tokerev took a few small steps back on instinct, their eyes were wide and their hearts raced. Very few people had come this close to a Protector and lived to tell the story. They watched the Big Brother reach up, both hands unlatching the clasps of his helmet that held it to his suit. With a hiss of escaping air, he pulled the helmet up and held it beneath his arm as he watched the Men closely, running a hand through his short black hair. His glowing yellow eyes showering them in light. Archer and Tokerev felt their pulses quicken, they had never seen a second generation Protector without a helmet. They had seen fallen Big Daddies without theirs, their grey skin, balding heads with stray strands of hair falling down onto their faces, the skin sagging, lips receded with yellowed, rotting teeth. They wondered what Monstrosity they were about to witness from the behemoth standing before them.

As the Brother pulled his helmet off though, both Men looked confused. The Titan looked completely normal beneath his Helmet, aside from the glowing eyes, pale skin, and white fangs they had glimpsed in his mouth... He looked like a perfectly healthy, all be it massive young Man. He reached out his hand towards the two Men, his expression stern and determined. He was clearly not used to the gesture. Archer looked back at Tokerev and hesitantly took the Brother's hand. Archer was a decently sized Man, so was Tokerev, but the size comparison was unreal to them, they each felt tiny by comparison. After shaking the Titan's hand, he stepped aside and ushered Iota forward, and she began unlatching her helmet as well, following her Mate's lead. Both Men held their breath again, perhaps with even more anticipation than with the Brother. It was one thing to see the face of a Protector they hadn't known existed... but an entirely different thing to see the face of possibly the most feared Creature in Rapture's history. They watched the Big Sister pull her helmet from her head, medium length hair falling down to frame her face, the same black locks that Omega had. They recoiled slightly, not in disgust... but surprise. She too had the same glowing eyes that the Brother did, the same pale skin, the same fangs... but she was beautiful, even with the horrifying features of a Protector. She flashed them a small, awkward grin as she showed them the insignia on the back of her armored glove, the Greek letter for Iota. She reached out her hand to shake theirs, and they were far less hesitant to shake hers. The third and final Protector stepped forward, Anna. She too removed her helmet to reveal similar features to that of her Siblings, she reached out her hand and shook Archers with a stone cold expression, her eyes wide and insane looking. Both Men shook her hand hesitantly, her expression clearly creeping them out, they looked at each other nervously as her wide glowing eyes bored holes through them, they failed to notice Joe and Mark smiling slightly at this.

Without warning, Anna jerked her head towards them.

"BOO!" She yelled, both Men gripping their weapons and jumping back in response to the sudden gesture. Anna burst into laughter with Joe and Mark in tow, Iota chuckling brokenly, and even Omega giving a small amused smile at her joke.

"You can talk?!" Archer yelled in shock, looking back and forth between the laughing Humans and the Sister, only serving to make their laughter louder.

"You should've seen the look on your faces!" She laughed as she held her stomach with an armored hand, her white fangs showing as she laughed.

"That was not funny! I almost shit myself!" Tokerev yelled as he too began to laugh, his thick Russian accent filled with nervous joy.

"Jesus Christ... I never thought in a million years we would be talking face to face with Protectors... especially second generation ones... no offense." Archer stated as the laughter died down. All three Protectors shrugging slightly at the remark, it was true.

"That's understandable. We usually aren't the talkative type... more of a... rip your arms off and watch you slowly bleed to death type." Anna chuckled, the second joke clearly not as funny to the Men.

"Come on, let's get back to your Base and you can meet everyone else." Joe said, earning a nod from Anna as she and her Siblings placed their helmets back on their heads, locking them into place.

"If you thought you were safe before... with these three close by... nothing is a threat." Mark stated nodding to the three Titans in the room.

"I can see why... We saw what they did to that big Bastard in the street, it took us two weeks, plenty of explosives, and a building to just kill one of those things... They did in twenty minutes." Tokerev said, his eyebrows raising at the sheer power they possessed. Joe's expression took on a more worried look, they had come across not one, or two, but three of the Berserker NeoSplicers, not to mention the ones that Omega and Iota had let loose in their trap against the Splicers. The frequency of the large NeoSplicers was concerning to say the least.

"Come on, we'll talk more on the way... if more of those things are out there, I'd rather not be here when they show up... even if we have three Protectors with us." Joe said, nodding towards the door. Archer and Tokerev nodded in affirmation as they all began to leave the building they had taken shelter in. They walked down the street and passed the body of the Berserker the Siblings had killed, Tokerev spitting on the Corpse as he passed it with a curse in his native tongue.

As the Group walked through the City, Archer and Tokerev watched, still in amazement at the prospect of Protectors being their Allies, they still couldn't believe it. They watched them take up defensive formations around the Group, Omega leading them from the front, and his Sisters flanking each side, Iota and Anna carefully scanning the rear as they moved. When Joe had referred to them as a Pack... he meant it. They were completely in sync, totally focused and observant, ready to pounce on any threat that presented itself. They made their way past building after building, shattered and broken as they were, still holding a small amount of beauty even in their destroyed and abandoned states. The two Men had done everything in their power to keep the District free of Splicers and NeoSplicers, not knowing if or when they would breath their last. They had gathered supplies, set traps, even hunted the Enemies down when they came through close to their Base. They had even locked down some of the blast doors in the area to keep any unwanted Guests out, of course some had wandered in, but for the most part, they tended to avoid the are, and now they knew why. The two Men had heard passing Splicers talk about Reed Wahl, the Master of Minerva's Den, his super Computer, and their plans to capture and kill some Protectors and their Human Allies. They now knew that the Splicers were referring to Joe's Group, to Omega, Iota, and Anna. With the whole City hunting them, it was no wonder their District had been so quiet... at least as far as regular Splicers went. It was a different story with the "Berserkers" Joe was telling them about. They didn't shy away from light like the smaller NeoSplicers did, which made them even more dangerous than they already were. Their thick armor plating even covered most of their eyes so they could tolerate the light. Joe was explaining everything they knew about the Creatures, some things the two Men already knew, and others they didn't. He told them how much they had been through to get there, the many dangers they had faced, and the losses they had suffered, even with the help of the Protectors. He told them about Iota and Omega too, as much as he knew anyway, how they had been alone in the City before they found each other, how they had worked together to find the Human Survivors, as well as Anna, and Lizzy. They were surprised to hear of yet a fourth Protector in their Group, Subject Sigma. Not only had these People befriended three generation two Protectors... they had also recruited a Big Daddy to their cause. Archer and Tokerev exchanged worried looks between each other upon hearing how much trouble their Group had gone though, even with the Power of the Protectors.

The walk back was a fairly short one by Rapture's standards, and Joe had to skip over many of the details of their story, but Archer and Tokerev understood it for the most part. They had been through a lot just trying to stay alive and find Survivors sane enough to want to leave the City. When the Protectors joined the Group, they had been subject to even more danger as Reed Wahl got more and more nervous at their growing strength. He had tried again and again to kill them, failing each time thanks to a number of factors. Joe had even mentioned some of the horrifying things the Protectors had done in their most recent escape, in order to deter Wahl's Men from killing them. Archer and Tokerev listened to Joe's story patiently, gathering information was important in Rapture, especially for them, they had problems of their own after all.

When the Group reached Archer and Tokerev's Base of operations, they stopped just outside of the building. They had converted an old fire station into a small fortress, though you couldn't tell from the outside. Joe and his Group had gone for outright defense with all of their Hideouts, but sometimes stealth was the key. The building was unassuming from the outside, the windows were blacked out and boarded up, the doors were chain locked, most Splicers that looked at the building would have thought it was nothing more than a dusty old fire station, but on the inside, it was different.

"And here we are." Joe stated, looking back to the two men.

"This is your Base... right?" He asked just to be sure.

"Yep... This is home sweet home. How did you guys even find it? I thought we did a pretty good job of disguising it." Archer explained.

"We found it by accident actually... came out of the sewer drain just beneath it." Anna stated, her voice muffled by her helmet. Joe nodded.

"You two were prepared for the NeoSplicers if they ever got through, but Omega and Iota had to... disable... your traps for us." Joe said, thinking back to the bombs and turrets they had taken care of earlier. Archer and Tokerev were in shock at the explanation.

"Wait a minute. You came from the Sewers?!" Tokerev asked, causing Joe a bit of confusion from his surprise.

"Y-Yes?" He asked.

"The Sewers are crawling with those Monsters... How did you-" Tokerev started to ask, his mind flipping back to the trap Joe had mentioned earlier, and to the three massive Protectors they had with them, plus the one waiting inside their Home.

"...Oh..." The Russian Man simply said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yeah turns out not a lot can stop you when you have four Protectors watching your back." Mark stated, giving a nod to the three Siblings.

"We were just surprised... if you really did come from the Sewers... then you passed the Hive." Archer said, causing Joe and Mark to narrow their eyes in confusion.

"What's the Hive?" Mark asked, Tokerev looking to Archer before gesturing to their Home.

"I think we should get inside, we have a lot to talk about." He said, his thick accent hinting at something they had overlooked in their travels. Everyone agreed and headed inside, Omega stopping just before entering the building as the last one in. He turned and scanned the area once again. He saw nothing, but decided to stay on guard all the same. This District wasn't familiar to them, and he didn't like the fact that there had been two Berserker NeoSplicers in the same District simply wandering around.

As the Group entered the fire station, Archer and Tokerev jumped slightly when they saw Subject Sigma guarding the door, Gatling gun in hand behind a sandbag barrier they had placed in front of the door. He was standing where a Sentry Turret had once been, now reduced to nuts and bolts thanks likely to the three Protectors that accompanied them. The other Sentry Turrets they had set up around their Home hadn't fared much better. They had placed them in all four corners of the room, and a few upstairs in the bunk room, though they wagered those were now gone as well. Their Home was rather large on the inside, though it needed to be in order to accommodate it's former firefighting inhabitants, now long gone. The two Men had converted the fire station into a proper Base, they had set up a research station in one of the corners, with viles, beakers, and other scientific equipment. Just next to it was their planning area, they had maps with marked locations, pictures of different areas in their current conditions, and even a working radio, though it hadn't been used in some time due to Reed Wahl monitoring the radio channels for Joe's Group. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves, so they simply shut the radio down. On the opposite side of the room was the Kitchen area, fully stocked with supplies and food. All around the large room were weapons placed in specific places. They were clearly ready for any scenario.

"My Babies!" Tokerev yelled dramatically upon seeing his Sentry Turrets in ruins.

"Sorry about that... We didn't really have a choice." Joe said with a small shrug.

"It was impossible to go back through the Sewers with the NeoSplicers on our backs so we had to destroy them." Anna said, lightly kicking at the pile of metal parts with her boot.

"We'll help you rebuild them of course... We just couldn't have them firing at us and risking more casualties." Joe explained, pointing over to Seline. She was laying on the old red couch, just in front of a large iron heater, it's low orange glow illuminating her wounded form, sweat glinting off of her skin in the dim light. That's when they noticed the last Member of Joe's Group, an older Woman. The one that had formed their little Gang, and a name both Archer and Tokerev had heard many times before. Doctor Brigid Tenenbaum. She stood from her crouched position making her way to the Group. Lizzy peaking up from a nearby chair to sheepishly peak at the Men, Anna holding up a hand telling her to stay there. The little girl nodded and slid back down into the chair, coloring on some paper she had laid out in front of her.

"You must be Doctor Tenenbaum." Archer said as she reached them, both he and Tokerev removing their hoods so they could speak, revealing their short cropped hair. The Woman's face was tired and gaunt, it held a look of determination, with just a hint of permanent sorrow. She nodded to them.

"Yes, I am. May I ask who you two are?" She asked.

"I'm Archer, and this is Tokerev." He said in return, pointing his thumb back towards his Russian Partner. Both Men shook the Doctor's frail hand as a greeting.

"Well it would seem you've already made yourselves at home, so come in and have a seat." Archer said, gesturing to a long table in the center of the large room, like most things in Rapture, it had seen better days. A large light hung overhead, illuminating the table the two Men used as both a dining area and a poker table. As the Group gathered around the table, the Humans sitting in the worn chairs, and the Protectors gathering around. They removed their helmets and crossed their arms as they prepared to listen. Once everyone had been seated, and the Protectors were in place, the two Men began to speak.

"Now that we're all acquainted... I suppose I should say welcome to our Home." Archer stated wryly, still not very happy with the fact that they had just barged in and destroyed their defenses.

"We have been wondering if anymore Humans were out there in the City, struggling to stay alive and sane. Now we have our answer. We tried to look for other Survivors... tried to find a way out of this fucking shithole, but it hasn't been easy. I guess most People don't have the training we do at their disposal... aside from them." Tokerev explained, pointing to the Protectors.

"What do you mean? What kind of training?" Joe asked, wondering if they had been apart of the Family as well, though they carried themselves in a far more strategic manner, their body language practically screamed that they had received some sort of military training.

"Let's start over. I think if we're going to trust each other, then we need to be honest, and since you're the only other sane People we've come across in a really long time, then we're all too happy to talk." Archer explained, looking to Tokerev who nodded in agreement.

"My name is Archer Conway." Archer said.

"And I am Tokerev Volkov." His Russian counterpart added.

"I'm a special Agent for the CIA... or at least... I was." Archer told them. "Before they left me for dead in this God forsaken Hellhole." He added.

"I am a former KGB Agent for the Soviet Union." Tokerev nodded. Everyone except for the Protectors raised their eyebrows in surprise, the words meant little to nothing to the Titans, they didn't even know what a Soviet Union was, or what the strange letters represented.

"How is it that the CIA and KGB are working together?" Tenenbaum asked quietly, her curiosity peaking.

"They aren't. We are." Archer said.

"As I stated before, we're former Agents. We're just trying to stay alive like everyone else now." He explained, leaning back in his chair.

"We were both sent here for essentially the same mission. We were to steal technology, gather information, and extract... The last part proved more difficult than we could have imagined coming in." Tokerev explained.

"It wasn't easy keeping our cover, Andrew Ryan had eyes all over the City, Fontaine too, then Sofia Lamb. We found each other by complete accident, just as you found us. Once we figured out that two trained Agents were better off working together, even if they were from separate Organizations, we stuck together." Archer said.

"It was pretty complicated from the start, with neither of us trusting the other, there were times when we wanted to rip each other apart over ideals that really didn't matter anymore." Tokerev laughed.

"Those were simpler times, before Monsters crept around in the dark, and the City started to crumble around us." Archer said.

"There have never been simple times in this City, Gentlemen. It has always held Monsters in the dark, and it has always been crumbling, even as the foundation was laid." Tenenbaum remarked, earning nods from everyone present.

"I guess you're right. It's a good thing you found us when you did though... we had almost given up hope of ever getting out of this place." Archer responded.

"Joe says you have a plan to escape, to get the surface... is that true?" Tokerev asked, his hand gesturing to the bearded Man. Tenenbaum nodded in affirmation.

"We do... but it has proven... difficult... to execute that plan thus far." The Doctor stated, looking over to the couch Seline rested on.

"We must find a way into Minerva's Den. You know what that place is, yes?" She asked, Tokerev and Archer nodded.

"It's area that houses Rapture's Computer systems, right? I'm guessing that's where Reed Wahl is hold up?" Archer asked, earning a nod.

"Yes, if Arcadia is the City's lungs, and Persephone is the heart, then Minerva's Den is the brain." She explained.

"It's also our last, and only hope for escape. It's the only place left in Rapture with a working Sub that can get us all the Hell out of here." Joe stated, lighting another Cigar.

"So we need to break in there, and steal that Sub so we can leave this place." Archer said, crossing his arms in thought.

"If you intend to leave, then we would graciously accept any help you can offer to our cause." Tenenbaum stated. Both Tokerev and Archer nodded to her, of course they wanted to leave, who didn't aside from the wack jobs that prowled the streets, and the Monsters that lurked beneath them.

"Of course we want to leave, and we'd be more than happy to help reach that goal... but we have a far bigger problem, Doctor." Archer said.

"What is that?" She asked.

"Those NeoSplicers you guys have been fighting and running from... What do you know about them?" Archer asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Only that there are an unknown number of them dwelling beneath the City in it's dark corridors, and they hate light. They are mutated Splicers, ADAM has twisted them and forced them into some kind of advanced evolution." She answered, earning nods from the Men.

"Well that's not all. Those things are still mutating, they're evolving, and if we don't stop them, they're going to get out of the City and into the World... if they haven't already." Archer explained.

"The thought has crossed my mind, I will admit." She said lowly.

"They have an aversion to light and sound, and they're easy to kill, bullets tear through them like wet paper, but now they are changing, adapting so that isn't the case. Those big armored Bitches are the result of that evolution, they don't fear the light, and they have the armor of a fucking Tank." Tokerev said.

"If you want our help to get out of this City, you have to help us in return Doctor... We have to stop those things from reaching the Surface, no matter the cost." Archer said seriously, his finger tapping into the table.

"How are we supposed to stop those things, Archer? Do you even think we can stop them?" Joe asked.

"I didn't think we could before... but with their help, maybe we can." He answered pointing to the Protectors, Omega and Iota both tilting their heads.

"Those Creatures move in massive packs, Hordes even, as you already know." Archer stated, earning nods from the Group.

"Well we believe they're controlled by something, possibly a Hive Mind." He stated.

"Like a Queen Bee." Joe said.

"Exactly... If we can kill the brain of the Hive... the body should also die." Tokerev stated.

"The problem is getting to the Hive." Archer stated, his hand coming up to rub the stubble on his stern face.

"Those things are packed into the Sewers and Access Tunnels of the City... and we don't exactly know where the Hive is. We have a few theories, but no concrete evidence yet."

Mark had been glancing over to the couch Seline was resting on ever since the group had started talking, he began rubbing the bridge of his nose, a tired sigh escaping him as he stood up. Iota watched him rub the back of his neck as he made his way to the couch.

"Great... All we have to do is stop a Horde of mutant Demons from killing everyone on Earth... all while trying to keep a Madman from killing us..." The young man whispered once he had made it to the couch. Iota tilted her head curiously at the tone in his voice, as if he didn't like their objectives for some reason. Omega had heard it too and watched the boy from the corner of his eye, still listening to the rest of the group talk about the tunnels. He and Iota gave each other confused looks until Anna turned back to them.

"They aren't like us... They're tired of fighting... tired of losing... they just want to get out of here and be safe for once in their lives." She whispered quietly to them, it was impossible for anyone else to hear her. She spoke so softly that even if someone were standing right next to her they would have trouble making out the words.

The Elder Siblings gave one last confused glance at Mark as he knelt next to Seline, his absence was noted by the entire Group, but everyone there understood what he was going through, everyone there knew what it was like to lose someone dear to them. The thought caused Iota to bring her right hand up, scratching lightly at her right eye, memories of how she felt after she had thought she lost her Mate and Lizzy surged inside of her. They didn't last though, she felt her Mate's hand on the middle of her back, as if he were physically calming her nerves. The Big Sister took a deep sigh and turned into him, her forehead pressed against his cold armored chest, he hugged her back before they parted and she offered him a loving smile, her right eye still twitching slightly from the rush of memories. Everyone had noticed the scene, how unstable Iota had looked for just a brief moment... but no one would say anything, no one would dare get between two Protectors that cared for one another. Archer and Tokerev looked to Joe questioningly, and he shook his head ever so slightly, letting the Men know that some questions are better left alone. Joe knew, and trusted beyond a shadow of a doubt that the two Protectors were good, they were stable, and ready. They would do everything in their power to keep everyone safe, because that's what they had always done, even in their darkest moments, they had put their Charges first.

Archer and Tokerev barely knew these People, they didn't know every single detail of their story... but they were both very smart Men, and they knew the Group shared a bond, a deep one, just like the two Special Agents did. The two Men didn't even know if they could trust the Newcomers... but they wanted to. Anyone that was sane enough to form coherent sentences and thoughts were a rarity in Rapture, especially if they were un-mutated. These people had somehow, some way, and by some miracle convinced Protectors to not only spare them... but fight for them as well. Neither one of them were religious Men, but they couldn't help but marvel at the seemingly divine intervention of it all, especially since they had met them completely by chance. They didn't know if that made them extremely lucky... or extremely unlucky... only the coming days would tell.