Artificial War

[cptflint]

"Becuase I know it's what you want," he replied. "As long as I'm there to protect you I don't see the harm in it. I'm confident in my and our unit's abilities, and I'm confident in your abilities," he explained. "As long as everyone is together and we don't split like last time, we should all be fine."  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

"And what if our unit gets attacked again?" Kim pressed, oddly enough getting a bit angry with Azm's casualness of the situation. Her life and career were at stake and he acted like it was just another day.

"What if they charge right at me, grab me, and run off? They know I'm with this unit now so there's no stopping them from attacking. And the others. They could get hurt, because of me now. The androids cared less about the people they captured today. They just shot them like dogs. All they want is me now."  

[cptflint]

"They way this information looks..." he started. "I think they have inside information. So switching units isn't going to help." When Azm thought hard about something, the faint sound resembling a ticking hard drive could be heard. Sometimes it lasted a half a second as he considered different ideas and variables, other times it lasted a bit longer. After a couple seconds of ticking he turned to face her. "What if we told the unit... asked them to keep it to themselves... we could even use you to set up counter ambushes."  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

"Great... A spy..." Kim sighed. It was easy for them to plant a double agent. With androids like Azm fighting for humanity, it was all too easy to slip someone in. And of course it was impossible for them. With only a few robots on hand, and most of them probably spies, it was hard to gather good information..

While Azm audible clicked for his thinking, Kim did so on a much quieter level. The situation was bad, for her and those around her. She didn't like it and not for her own safety. The others were on her mind. Four women died today while the androids hauled Kim off to their base, and that was only after she was captured. Many more died in town, not knowing why... God only knew how many more would die, because of her.

She almost didn't hear any of Azm's suggestions, as dark clouds loomed over her mind.

"Huh..?" She blinked, dazed and confused as she went back into reality. "...Oh, uh.. No.. No, no. We can't.. I can't..." She gave another sigh, heavier this time. "I.. I don't want anybody to get hurt.. I can't do it..."  

[cptflint]

Azm set a hand on her shoulder. "What do you want to do then," he asked. "the only other option is finding this informant," he suggested. "Then changing units."  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

"I... I don't know..." Kim answered, her voice barely louder than a whisper as she slumped her shoulders and head in defeat and sorrow.

"Where there's one, there's more.. I don't want to risk the unit's safety, but I don't want to give this up... I just wanted to be a soldier..." Between the exhaustion and the emotions, Kim stood no chance in holding back her tears. "I just wanted my life to be how it used to be... Before I was important, and was just another traveling kid, scavenging for junk so we could buy food for the next couple of days, that's all..."  

[cptflint]

For once Azm didn't know what to do. The person he was assigned to protect was breaking out in tears. Instead of thinking about the situation, he just pulled her into a hug. "I am a prime example of someone wanting to be something they were destined not to be," he said. "And here I am. Still trying to be human. No one has any right to say you can't be a soldier."  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

Kim couldn't give a response, let alone take a moment to comprehend (and possibly be surprised) by Azm's embrace. She had only joined the army a few months ago, and established a new life. She was just another faceless soldier (even with Azm's presence constantly towering over her) and that's how she was suppose to remain.

It was at that time, the rumbling of a truck engine could be heard rolling into the area. It stopped right where the survivors and Kim had been left in chains when the androids charged in at Azm. When it parked, six soldiers jumped out of the cab and back, weapons and drawn and tensed up.

"Everything alright, sir?" One called to Azm, noticing he was holding Kim.  

[cptflint]

Azm released Kim, and nodded to the soldiers. "Yes. We're fine. Lets load up these civilians and head back to DC. We need to bury the dead on our way back as well," he replied.  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

"Yes, Sir!" The soldiers lowered their weapons and went to the civilians, escorting them towards the truck. Normally, they would have gone for Kim as well, but seeing how she had her own assigned body guard they let her escort fall to Azm.

Kim gave a shaky is once Azm pulled away. She didn't feel better any better. The problems were still there and no good solution was around. But she needed to move.

"Come on..." She mumbled quietly, limping to the truck.  

[cptflint]

Azm looked a little confused. He wasn't used to soldiers calling him sir but he didn't question it. He followed her to the truck, and popped into the seat next to her's.  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

While the civilians took seats in the back of the truck, Kim had laid down on the bed of the truck. Pain and exhaustion were all he could feel, and she was hoping to catch some rest before they arrived back in D.C. Her body and wounds needed it, and she could hardly keep herself awake anymore.

"Wake me... When androids... D.C..." She murmured as she dozed off.

Once everyone was on board the truck, two of the soldiers went back into the cab with the other four went into the back, taking the seats closest to the end to make themselves shields against any possible debris or fire coming into the back.
As they headed back to D.C. the truck made stopping points, to bury the unfortunate civilians killed after capture, and give anyone breaks they may have needed. Kim had slept through the whole time, despite attempts to wake her.

It was late in the evening when the rescue truck finally arrived into D.C., between travel and burial time. Medical staff were already waiting once the truck had stopped at the army head quarters, taking the surviving civilians and Kim off in stretchers to the military hospital for treatment.  

[cptflint]

Azm followed Kim like a shadow, using the identification given to him by her father to get him past any hospital staff or security. He probably didn't need to be everywhere she was, but there was still a traitor in the mist, probably more then one and he wasn't about to let her out of his sight again.  

[Randomly Gone Insane]

Though Kim was struggling a bit, as waking up was never easy, she kept herself conscious as she was taken through the hospital with her shadow, Azm following. Through most of the trip, she watched him, giving a defeated sigh. He was never going to leave her now. It seemed he was dead serious on the last statement she had no place to complain about his behavior. While she may have still planned on throwing in her two cents on matters, she doubted it would seriously phase him. He looked dead set on being attached to her, regardless of whatever issues she or anyone had.

Though Azm had tended to her wrist on the field, there were other injuries to attend to. Fractured and broken bones all across his body, cuts, an some internal bleeding. Luckily, none of it was life threatening, but it was serious.
Serious enough that the Lieutenant had to make a visit...

"So," he sighed as he quietly walked into the room Kim had been placed in at the hospital. "The docs are telling me you had a rough ride with the androids, private." He frowned, grabbing a medical chart hung at the end of her bed, as he needed something to keep his attention preoccupied. He was always terrible with bad news...

"Going to be bed ridden for a while... Longer than I'd like to stay..." He looked Kim, searching for a reaction. She just glared at the wall, already angry and upset. She knew what was coming.

"...I can't risk taking you, Kim." He sighed again, setting the chart down. "Your in terrible shape and it won't do you any good to be out there fighting. But I can't just stop either. I have--"

"Leave." She growled, her glare getting harder.

The Lieutenant sighed once more, before looking sympathetically at Azm as he was going to be stuck with her, before he left the two of them alone.