For the past few months, Sam and Zola have been living happily. Despite the ruthless missions and the blood on their hands, they felt content. As long as they had each other.
They would train under the stars and they would just watch them sometimes. It was truly a happy time for them. They would hold each other's hands and just watch the stars.
After another mission, they are lying on the grass by the lake, holding each other's hands. They had taken many more lives in the recent mission.
Zola had puffy eyes from the tears she shed. Sam wasn't much better, but he doesn't cry that much anymore. His eyes just grow dull when thinking about the lives he took.
After that, it's hard to find joy. So they just watch the stars in the sky. Yearning to one day be just like them. Free.
"Samuel…"
Sam looks at the girl lying next to him.
"I hate it here."
He sighs.
"Me too."
"Then let's go."
Sam snaps his head to look at her she is also looking him in the eyes.
"You can't be serious."
"I've never been more serious in my life… I hate this camp. I hate pale hand. And I hate having to dirty my hands in blood. I don't know how much longer I can do this."
Sam can feel her shaking.
He sits up and pulls her into a hug. She reciprocates.
"I would rather die and be executed, then keep living in this hell. A hell that I never wished to be a part of."
Zola was already crying again.
Sam looked down, saddened that he can't do anything to remedy the situation.
However, seeing her fall apart like this, was something he hated. He couldn't let this strong woman fall apart.
"Zola… I promise you. I'll get you out of here. We will see Japan. We will find my old home, I will work menial jobs and you will do whatever you want. As long as we are together, nobody can stop us."
She looked at Sam and grabbed his face and brought him in for another kiss.
"You better keep that promise, Samuel." She says with a soft smile.
Sam runs his hand along her braided white hair.
"I will… I promise."
They held each other close, smiling while imagining the new life they could live once they leave Africa.
———
"We will go to the Nyungwe Forest outskirts. There seems to be reports of retaliation against the Pale Hand. Sources confirmed they were just stragglers from a band of rebels we took down in Namibia."
Right now Sam and Zola stood before another of the upper echelons of the Pale Hand. They called themselves 'the fingers.' This man was a Brit, unlike Timo who was from Greece. His name was Wallace.
"Why would they be after the Pale Hand, and not the government of Namibia who hired us?" Sam asked.
"Apparently, they are especially spiteful about us because they blame our interference as the reason for their failure to overthrow the government."
"So, who will you be sending with us?"
Zola asked this time.
"You will be going with Unit 3."
Sam knew unit 3. They were some of the most heinous of all of the soldiers in the Pale Hand. Unfortunately, they were effective, but they were brutal.
Each unit is under direct control of a finger. Unit 3 is under the command of the most cruel of the fingers. Sam is lucky to have not crossed paths with this individual.
The child soldiers unit is unit 5, under the command of Timo. The other units are all special as well. Currently, Sam and Zola were apart of Wallace's unit, unit 2.
"Why send just us two, and not the rest of unit 2?"
"Because, only you two can keep those mongrels from unit 3 in line. The others aren't much better. Make sure they only do the mission. No pointless war crimes. Last thing we need is the UN getting nosey in us."
Sam nodded.
Zola didn't like being around Unit 3 but also nodded.
"Then get ready. You head out in 2 hours."
———
Fully geared, wearing his uniform and his bulletproof jacket, along with a hood, holding his guns, Sam was ready to accomplish this mission.
"Hey."
Zola came out of the barracks not long after him. She was wearing an identical attire, minus the hood, letting her beautiful, braided white hair out.
"You ready?" Sam asks.
"…No. But when were we ever ready?"
Zola checked her gear and they got to a Humvee. Over there were some members of Unit 3. Enough for this mission.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't canvas! And the little Whitesnake!"
One of them, a man with a lecherous and sadistic look in his eyes, was staring at them.
"Especially you Whitesnake. You look as enticing as always. How about you come with me and we could have some-"
Before he could finish Sam had his Glock to his head.
"You shut that mouth. Or else I'll put your ass in the ground."
Sam looked at him with a cold and ruthless glare, making the man back off.
"I'll take care of them, Samuel."
Zola put a hand on his shoulder to appease his rage, making him back off.
Zola stepped forward.
"I'm sure you understand that we must cooperate for this mission. We have stragglers of the Namibian Rebels entering Rwanda and heading towards the Pale Hand reservation. The mission is simple: Eradicate the stragglers. You will listen to me for this operation. If any of you talk back or even show a hint of treachery, I have authorization to kill you."
She emits a murderous intent at them, making them reconsider picking on her or hitting on her. Sam meanwhile smirked.
'That's my girl.'
"I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep killing scum like you. So please. Do me a favor and disobey. I'd gladly end your miserable existences."
""No, Ma'am!""
Just like that they were orderly and at her command.
Sam sighs seeing this. Not even shocked at how she commands respect anymore.
"…very well. We move out. Now."
They all get into the Humvee. She drives and Sam sits up front with her.
She starts it and once she confirms everybody is in, she floors it.
"How do they fear you more than me?"
Sam asks.
Zola smiles and shoots him a quick glance.
"Well, Samuel, I guess I'm more terrifying than you. After all, how could anyone be afraid of you when you have the cute puppy dog face?"
Sam blushes at that.
"I'm not a puppy…"
He mutters feeling embarrassed.
Zola scoffs.
"Samuel, you are a little puppy looking boy. If you want to command respect with a face like that, you need a scar… but don't go getting a scar because I said so, or else I will break every bone in your body."
"…yes ma'am."
She smirked and they continued to the Nyugwe forest outskirts.
It took one hour to get there. The rebels were said to be hiding within the forest and on track to exit the forest by nightfall. They still had some daylight and were all positioned outside the forest.
"Listen. They will exit the forest in a few hours. The moment you see movement, you light them up. This is the projected direction they will go towards of which we got from the Pale Hands intel. Now we wait. Position yourselves behind the Humvee, use it as a barricade. Me and Samuel will go behind that rock closer to the forest, so we can pick them off easier from a closer range."
She barks her orders and they all comply. She takes Sam behind the rock and they begin waiting.
They wait. Wait. And wait some more.
Finally nightfall hits. They have their lights off and are ready to fire at the slightest sound of footsteps coming from the forest. The men behind the Humvee also have their weapons loaded and ready to go.
Sam and Zola are waiting with their AR-15s locked and loaded, ready to kill at any moment.
It would be any moment that they would come out the forest.
At least, that's what should have happened.
After waiting for 2 hours, long into nightfall, no men arrived out of the forest.
"Why hasn't anyone arrived?"
She asked Sam.
He looked closer and concentrated closer and could not detect anything.
"…I don't know. Do you think the projections were wrong? They might have waited or are going from another route within Nyungwe."
"I don't think so. This is the effective route. It's discreet and if not for the superior intelligence of the Pale Hand, they would have caught us completely off guard if they came through this route."
Sam looks at Zola.
"So what should we do?"
Zola thinks for a bit.
"We are retreating. I don't like this. We need to-"
Bang!
"Ahhh!!"
Bratatatatatata!
"Arrghh!"
"Rahhhh!!"
"I-I'm hit!!!"
Sam and Zola immediately hide behind the rock. They glimpse towards the forest, but to their horror there is nothing coming from the Nyungwe forest. Instead, a smaller forest across from the projected spot, had soldiers popping out with gunfire.
"Shit! We were wrong! Fall back!"
Bratatatatata!
More and more gun shots fired and more and more of Unit 3 fell.
"Help!!"
"I don't wanna die!!"
The others were afraid and tried to run, but were mowed down. Sam and Zola ran into the forest and hid behind some trees and could only watch as the men of Unit 3 are mowed down.
After most are killed, Sam and Zola realize they were already seen. Gunfire was already coming at them.
"Fuck you! I'm gonna kill you fuckers!"
3 survivors of Unit 3, got behind the Humvee, sustaining some injuries from the back attack.
They immediately begin opening fire on the rebels coming from the forest. Which appears to be more than 30 men. All armed.
"Kill the men by the car! Now!"
"By the trees! Fire!"
Two of the rebels commanded.
"Shit! We have to destroy them."
Zola says as she immediately begins firing back.
Sam does too.
While the rebels may have been clever to initiate the sneak attack, they were just rebels, and they were nowhere near the skill level of Sam and Zola.
They kept firing from the cover of the trees of Nyungwe and did everything they could to keep them away.
"Samuel! I'm running low! We need to return to the Humvee. The rest of the ammo is there. Damn it. I didn't think there would be this many rebels. Intel is almost never mistaken! There are more than 3 times rebels than anticipated."
Sam felt nervous, but he and Zola could do this.
"I'll cover you. Run to the Humvee and get the ammo."
She nods and waits for Sam to give her a signal.
Sam lightly steps out for a second, making them focus fire on him and he returns fire.
"Go!"
They all focus on him.
Bratatatatata!
"Grr!"
A bullet hit his leg.
Zola was already running towards the Humvee.
But before she could get the Ammo, they caught her and tried to shoot her. Sam decided to do something stupid.
He ran out of his cover and ran right towards the enemies that were aiming at Zola.
They returned to focus on him as he was picking them off more and more the closer he got. They started firing at him again. He dropped behind an inclined hill that just barely gave him enough cover.
His leg hurt, but adrenaline was making it all feel like nothing.
He kept hiding and the hill began to become smaller from the gunfire shaving it apart.
"Shit!"
Another bullet hit as his guard was finally compromised. This time, he was shot in the arm.
The hill only covered the front of his body now as the sides of the hill were shaved off by gunfire, making his arms easy targets. Sam decided to do something even more stupid. He tossed a grenade over his cover and heard them scream to take cover. But Sam didn't pull the pin. The moment they went to cover, Sam once again opened fire and mowed down more. He once again ran and found cover behind a tree again. Right between the two forests.
Suddenly, he heard more gunfire coming from the Humvee as Zola already locked and loaded.
Both her and the 3 men of Unit 3 were all fighting back, giving him support.
But Sam's heart nearly stopped when he saw them take an RPG that they hid away, and aim it at the Humvee.
"RPG!!"
Sam screamed.
Zola immediately runs away from the Humvee as quick as she can. The other 3 are not as agile and quick as she is.
Boom!
"Zola!"
"Argh!"
Zola made it out, but was still hurt by the concussive blast. It was strong enough to send her flying back to the outskirts of Nyungwe.
The 3 men of Unit 3, well, nothing remained.
When she hit the ground, she felt herself break a few bones. It hurt greatly, but for her it was nothing. Meanwhile, Sam decided to keep on his attack of the rebels. He opened fire on them as he was positive Zola would be fine.
'I trust you Zola. You wouldn't go down from that.'
Finally, after another 10 minute gunfight, Sam successfully put down the last one.
He assess's his injuries. A clean shot to his ankle, and another one to his forearm. Luckily, both went through, and missed vital nerves for his arm and leg.
He hurried over to Zola, ignoring his pain.
"Zola! Are you okay?!"
He saw her leaning against a tree and he saw that her arm was broken, and her ankle was sprained. He saw her examining them.
"Samuel… I take it you handled them?"
Sam sighed.
"I did… Will you be okay?"
Zola tried to stand up and barely did but her ankle wouldn't let her. She tripped but Sam caught her.
"Easy! Your arm is obviously broken, and your ankle is clearly sprained. You're lucky you got away from that blast quickly enough."
Zola smirked.
"Who do you think I am, Samuel? I sensed the danger. I didn't need you to voice anything out."
"I was worried though."
She sighs.
"Well, thanks for trusting me and finishing off those assholes."
She was happy that he trusted her enough to finish the enemy before checking on her. She felt a minor blush creep up her face knowing this.
"Let's get out of here. Mission complete."
Sam puts her good arm around his shoulder and carefully walks back to the remains of the Humvee. Also, the remains of Unit 3.
"Well, I would feel bad, if it wasn't for the fact Unit 3 is filled with war criminals."
Zola nodded.
"We need to head towards a nearby village. They can let us recuperate there before the Pale Hand comes and finds us."
Sam nodded.
He held her by the arm and they slowly but surely headed towards the direction of the nearest village.
Squelch!
Suddenly, Sam heard a sound. He looked to Zola and nearly had his eyes pop out.
A spear made of bone was sticking out of her shoulder.
Seeing her like that, made his heart stop. In that moment, a spine chilling dread filled him.
She didn't even have time to process it before a barrage of bone spears came raining towards them.
Sam grabs her and quickly dives away from them.
"Zola!"
"I-I'm fine! Shit! That was fast. I could barely move to avoid a vital point."
She looked at her shoulder and felt the agony. She looked closely and saw that the spear was thin and short but it was stuck in her shoulder. This was good news as it kept the wound from bleeding out.
They looked to where the enemies came from and saw that there were more rebels coming. But this time they came from Nyungwe Forest.
"It looks like… they only saw the normal soldiers when obtaining the intel. It seems that the quirk users have finally arrived."
Zola said.
Not long after noting that, Sam felt a wind blade hurl towards them.
He dodged again, with Zola held close.
They revealed themselves. 4 of them.
Sam didn't like this. He could tell they were very skilled with their quirks. From what he could tell, one of them had the bone spear quirk, one had a wind quirk and the other two are unknown as of yet.
Sam and Zola were both injured and tired.
They both felt grim about their chances of survival.
Sam shook his head.
"Zola. Can you still fight?"
She looked at her broken arm, her sprained ankle and the new piercing the bone spear guy kindly gave her.
She smirked.
"Always."
Sam smiled.
"I'll be right back Zola. I'll handle the bone guy and the one behind him. Are you okay with the wind guy and the man behind him?"
Sam thought that the bone quirk guy was the biggest threat. The wind blade, from what he saw was dangerous, but based on the effect it had on the environment, its damage is too mediocre to leave fatal injuries. For Zola, she could tank those attacks and get a solid hit in. Then focus on the guy behind him. But that's the part worrying Sam. He doesn't know the quirks of the last two guys.
As if reading his mind, Zola snaps Sam out of his thoughts.
"You're thinking too much again, Samuel. Leave the wind man and his little buddy to me. I'm trusting boney to you."
Sam smirked hearing her witty taunts.
'Even in such a bleak situation. You always keep that attitude.'
He thought to himself.
'I guess that's just what made me fall in love with you.'
Sam ignores all the pain in his leg and arm from the bullet wounds. Getting into his combat stance.
"Then it sounds like we have our jobs."
Zola laughed.
"You bet we do."
With those last words, they charged the enemy, right outside the Nyungwe Forest.