And just like that, she was there, right in front of you. Her feet are close together, her hands are in the pockets of the hoodie and she curiously only peeked up at you instead of raising her whole head and looking up that way

“Larissa”
>I'm not Lily anymore? 
“I'm honestly not sure who you are anymore”

That line of words hurt her in an especially bad way

>Please, I'm not here to fight. I don't want to fight you
“Not wanting to fight is an interesting thing to say after your actions”

Lily was usually extremely good at concealing her emotions. But her facade was starting to crumble

>I sincerely regret doing what I did
“Okay. Cool. Still did it”
>I could expla-
“Let me guess, it's gonna take half an hour and end up with you being innocent?”
>I'm sorry… 

You actually felt you were pushing her further towards her breaking point. Did Lily even have a breaking point?

“You better be! I brought you in, I'm mostly responsible for getting the Jagdtiger back into fighting condition, and probably for a lot of the self confidence you didn't have a year ago. And you left me to die in a car park! In Detroit!”
>I'm sorry, just listen to me! 

She pulled her hands out of the pockets and gesticulated a little, probably entirely subconsciously. She had probably hidden them for a reason until now.

>Anon…?
“Your hands”

Lily immediately hid them in her pockets again

“They were shaking”
>I'm fine
“As a colleague, you should-”
>To a colleague, they are perfectly fine
“Right, no one gets under your armor”
>It doesn't have to be like that. Let me explain, please
“None of what you can say will change what actually happened. For all you know, you will end up in exactly the same situation, except I feel sorry for you. From a distance”
She exhales slowly and takes two quick steps towards you. Sure that your death would come, you tried to swing the axe. But no one is as fast as Lily is. Not even close. But there came no gunshot, or a knife. Instead came two arms, wrapping around your waist. You were quite stunned by it, and didn't react until she had taken a step away again.

>I had to do that. If you really don't want to see me, tell me to go and you never have to hear from me again. Whether that is four days or forever. Because you can te-
“Shush”
>W-what? 
“Shush!”

You stood still for a second, looking straight into her face riddled with confusion and a touch of fear

But you turned around, walked over to the radio and listened. It played something that you neither remembered nor thought you would ever hear again.

The tunes danced, sang and flowed in such a way none could even replicate the sounds. They were happy, cheering, encouraging. A reminder of when times were much simpler. It brought you back in time.

You're lost in the flowing melody for almost three minutes before the radio falls silent. Did you blink during this time? Breathe?

>Anon, are you okay? 

Right, Lily. She was right behind you. Somehow her voice with the music had drained all energy from your body, along with all will to fight.

>What's happening? 
“I never thought I'd hear that again. Don't know what the name was, I can't hum it unless it's playing, but it brings me back”

Lily raised an eyebrow, anticipating you to go on. You didn’t. You turned to her, felt a wave of sleepiness hit you and eased you way down on the garage floor. Sitting down you looked up her and chuckled a little

“You’re pretty shit at this”
>…?
“Augh. Uhh… No stabbing, no shooting, no running around, no moving quickly at all. I’m tired. Okay?”
>I didn’t bring a weapon
“Good. Come sit down”
So there you were. After two months she was there, with you. You had planned what you would say, how you would say it a hundred times in your head, even if part of you didn’t even want to.

And you couldn’t say a thing.

>Cigarette?
“Yeah”

She took a pack out from a pocket, took two out and then put the little paper box back. And then for the lighter. One, two and three times her thumb failed to get the sparks to ignite the fuel in the lighter.

You gently take it from her, not touching her hand, and flick it on in front of her face. She moves the cigarette closer, making sure the tip gets the orange glow and a little smoke. As you light your own, she takes a deep breath, exhales and lowers her hand

>I don't like cigarettes much
“Not?”
>They taste awful

You shared a moment of serenity. It was quiet outside, quiet in here. It felt like the whole damn world was far away or sleeping. You were almost done with your cigarette before you spoke again.

“So why did you bring them. And smoke?”
>It felt right

She tossed the remains of the cigarette on the garage floor as you took the last breath on yours. During all this time, you both looked straight ahead and not towards each other. Into the endless night. Or the house right over the street anyway. The silence got a little painful after a while

“Another?”

She didn't answer. But she brought two new ones up from her pocket. You took one, put it in your mouth, lit it and then helped her to the same.

And once again, silence engulfed you. Why did you even sit here? She said you could tell her to leave and that would be an end of it. Go, leave, go away, get lost, fuck off. Anything would have worked.

“You came here because there isn't much time left, right?”
>I could have waited two weeks. Maybe. And then you showed up at the base
“Two weeks?”

She held her pale, shaking hand up

>A month if there was nothing happening
“Ah”
Another little while passed. No way to tell how long it was. You just sat there, slowly smoking the cigarettes you had. It felt as if the whole world was just busy doing something else. Something far away. Lily finished hers before you did, flicked it away and took a deep breath. As if she prepared for something heavy

>You didn't tell me to go
“Nah”

What you did was actually something called suppression tactics, or ruler tactics. The other person would come up with something above just normal conversation. If that was a suggestion, or in this case, something that was difficult for her to say. And you responded short and dismissively.

Lily was of course very well aware of this, suppression tactics was something she had turned into an art form during her education and training. But she also knew she didn't have the upper hand in this discussion, so she had to start talking again, even after being dismissed.

She took a few deep breath to calm herself

>I'll try to explain this mess and you tell me about that song. Okay? 
“I'm kinda tired… “

More suppression techniques. She now has to come up with another time for her to explain herself, which is an attempt to an apology

“It's two hours to drive back to Wendover”
>Mhm

That could be interpreted as either she should get going right now, or that it was too late for such a drive. That, together with the extremely slow pace of the conversation meant nothing would happen in a rush

“Do you have the time?”
>Nah
“Me neither”

And then it all fell silent again. As far as semi-awkward conversations went, this had to take some kind of price.
“Damnit, I need to sleep. Do you have a car here?”
>Motorbike
“Augh. I can't guarantee everyone here sees you as a friend right now”
>Are looking after me? 
“You said you were unarmed. And I'm getting more and more interested in seeing how you would explain this mess… Tomorrow”
>And now? 
“Brush your teeth and go to sleep? Or don't? I'm not your mother”
>Do you have a spare toothbrush? 
“Augh. Sure”

And with a quick change of pace, you both went up to the apartment. And just as agreed, Lily borrowed your spare toothbrush. However, her shaking hands persisted. She couldn't hold it still.

She held it out in front of her. It kept moving, kept shaking. She put it in her lap and buried her face in her hands. Lily took a deep breath. Another one. And still one more. Then she tried again. Took the toothbrush in her hand and held it out. She couldn't keep it still

“Come on, something isn't right”

She had been so engulfed in her hands she didn't even notice you in the doorframe

>I haven't explained anything to you yet. That means I'm still a backstabber in your eyes. So, right now we are still colleagues at best. You're concerned about the war, which is a subject I happen to be an expert on. Not me. Or the short version: I'm fine
“Okay then. Tomorrow, we'll uhh…”
>Yes. Tomorrow is the day we, erm-
“Mhm. Sounds good”

You fell down on the couch and Lily just took her shoes off and rested against the wall. No goodnights, just a reassuring nod to each other. The mood was awful, but you were both tired and you were even exhausted. Sleep came quickly. And being this exhausted, you could sleep until the sun was in your face or something loud interrupted you. Like a log.
Lily however, more closely resembled a very finely tuned and very powerful bear trap. She could wake up from a fly being in the same room as she was, and more than a few times had she jolted awake and bumped her head into your nose.

It was a reflex that had saved her life on more than one occasion. But among all the sounds that woke her up, there was one that was especially deeply rooted as something that was death. Worse than the fast breathing, the opening of doors, the artillery fire, the gunfire and the one time someone tried to put a knife in her throat. Which she heard, woke up and managed to turn around.

No, worse than all of that was engines. Worse the bigger they got. She could hear the gigantic formations of American flying fortresses and liberators in the day, and Lancasters. But those are strategic bombers. They lay waste to cities and civilians. Their bombs were addressed “to whom it may concern”.

The two worst engine sounds like could imagine was from the ones that powered Jabos.

>Jetzt aufstehen! Jabos! 

She reacted on pure instinct. She had flown out of her light sleep and stood in the middle of the room. She was on full alert on a threat that didn't exist

“What are you on about…?”

Her screams had woken you up. The sun was just about the peek over the horizon, and you really would have wanted to sleep

“Fucking hell, Lily you look like you've seen a ghost”

You called her Lily. Not because that was a conscious decision, but because your brain was still booting up. Deep down, maybe that was her real name?

>I don't see them, i hear them
“What?”
>Listen… 

She was right. When everything went completely silent, you could hear a buzzing sound. Distant, but definitely there
“I hear something I guess?”
>One engine you can always tell apart from the others. That is a 2800
“Eh?”
>Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Radial engine
“How the hell can you tell that from the sound”
>It's muffled. As good as all common aero engines, apart from this one has tiny exhaust stubs. Which are loud. This one is turbocharged, which gets rid of much of the noise. Know what that means? 
“I don't think so”
>P-47 Thunderbolt. A Jabo. Jagdbomber. A plane which addresses its payload to me directly instead of to anyone that happen to be under them

In a very character-breaking move, Lily just sank. She ended up sitting on the floor.

>Why did it have to be thunderbolts…
“You're a mess, we're having this talk right now. Couch. Sit. I'll get food”

And so you did. You were back with food and coffee fifteen minutes later, in which time Lily had moved five feet and climbed up in the couch. It felt a little too much like Nürnberg, but it had to be done.

She told you about her education, her training. How starting at 6AM and ending way past midnight was common. About the indoctrination, the studies, physical exercise. How she learned a system, learn to follow it to the point where it flirted with worshipping. And how she was, due to improper understanding of what she actually was and a very well sealed mouth, taken out of this system before it fell. Never de-radicalized to use that term. And an outside force who even stood above Lily in terms of manipulation had changed just enough to make a bad decision. Irma, the caretaker to the Elefant had actually saved your life by convincing Lily to use a knife instead of a gun. A knife, that if one has very good knowledge on human anatomy and is very skilled with knives, could be put in someone in a non-lethal way. And now that she had absolutely no one that she actually trusted, the burden of the mechanical nightmare known as Jagdtiger took its toll on her. How she was starting to break down, and needed to make amends.
She had spilled her beans, put her cards on the table. This was as vulnerable as she was ever going to be. And Lily hated being vulnerable. Because that meant putting her own safety or even her life in someone else's hands. Which was against not only everything she was taught, but her personal rules as well

“Really?”
>Yep. That’s it
“Well, that’s a story i guess. Apart from one thing”
>Ask what you want, i have no intention of hiding anything
“You still haven't said who”
>Who?
“Who…uhh… revived these old ideas of yours”

She sinks a little in her chair.

>I won’t lie to you, but i’d be really happy if you didn’t run around and told everyone about this
“it’s the caretaker for the Maus, right?”
>Yes
“It can’t be that bad, can it?”

They eyes that look back at you are empty. There was a grim inevitability to them

>If it is that bad, you tell me about the song
“Sure. I still can’t see how it can be that horrible that no one can know”
>It’s Heinrich Himmlers daughter. Gudrun.
“...”
>Yeah…
“Soo… that song”

You tell Lily about the small town hot summer nights the night you got your driving license. About doing handbrake turns in parking lots and general automotive misbehaviour, partly to get away from what Lily said and partly because it was a time you really didn’t think about much. It wasn’t even long ago

But all things, good or bad comes to an end. In your case, the discussion with Lily gets rudely interrupted just as Helen slams the door open.

For Miranda, it was exactly 21 seconds after she woke up next to Natalya and realized she didn’t have any clothes on


=============================


‘This is a little unexpected’
>Good morning Helen

The tension in the room was thick enough to be cut with a knife. You could probably defuse it if you played this well. For the greater good, the best would be if you and Lily appeared to get along. As if water had gone under the bridge, amends had been made, apologies accepted and forgiveness given.

But the fact of the matter was Lily didn't really deserve that. Not right now anyway. However, the fact of the matter was you were small cog in a very large machine. Important maybe, but still very small. And this once you had to swallow your pride to make sure this machine kept working

“Don't worry, Helen. Lily isn't here to cause a stir. Rather the opposite in fact”
‘Is that so’

Helen's voice was cold and carried a lot of weight

>Yes. We have to organize our defense
‘Our?’
“She managed to swallow her pride so she could get here and make this a possibility. And I've tried my hardest not to punch her in the face. Because that's necessary”
‘I can't do that right away. And by the way, you're not working with the reds?’
>Not the word I would use, and no. But Natalya is there
‘Is that so?’
>Yes
‘Think you could get her or one of the red over? If we're doing this, we have to do it properly’
>Sure, I can do that
‘Good. Common room here, 1400 hours. Which is about three and a half hours from now. Okay?’
>Okay

Helen leaves the room and the two of you alone

“Just want to say you're not forgiven yet. But messing with you is my thing to do and not Helen's. Anyway, get Natalya here”
>Mhm

Lily got her phone out and made a call. She could keep it in a very professional tone. Short an on point. Afterwards she fell down on the couch with a thud.
“You have to be serious with me. Himmlers daughter?”
>Yep. She's can't have been old when stuck into that machine. 15-16 maybe
“So, like, who's in charge over there?”
>Officially, one of the guys that tried to put the Maus back together. In practice me or Irma can ran raise our voices and they will listen
“Tried to…?”
>Yeah, the fucking thing doesn't work. We have tried dual power plants but something always goes wrong
“You don't seem very happy about it”
>Let's put it this way. What advantages does it have overhead Jagdtiger? Increased armor and a turret
“because they have the same gun, fair enough”
>The turret doesn't matter since we are doing defense warfare. And the armor on the Jagdtiger is still enough for a class 5 frontally
“Yeah, but there aren't any more jagdtigers around. One more very big gun, another bunker on tracks”
>Yep
“A bunker I can fix…”

Lily turned her face to you.

>You can fix the Maus? 
“Well, you just needed an engine. Which we here have”
>You have an engine that will…
“It might. It's very big”
>Where is it? 
“Think about what you're asking me to do. Can you see why I'm not too sure about this?”

Lily lowers her head down and let her composure sink a little.

>Yes. I can… 
“It's not like we can ask Wendy either”
>I didn't even know she was here. And why not?
“Because she is terrified of you”
>Really? 
“Benson told her to shoot me, and she refused only because she didn't want you to come after her”
>Oh
“Just don't get any ideas. And I changed my mind. I haven't promised anything, but let's hear with her. At least to see if she needs the engine or not”
You walked out of the apartment building into the cool March air. Lily was closer that she had been earlier. Why is she closer? You can’t like her. you shouldn’t like her

~ ~ ~

Miranda lay in someone else's bed. She didn't know up from down. Her head was a buzz with feelings, emotions and a disturbing lack of memories. Until a moment ago Natalya had been sleeping, but a phone woke her up. She had answered, listened and put the phone away. Then she had turned around and used Miranda as a pillow.

But the little one was scared. Her heart was pounding like she had ran a marathon.

What happened? Where are the clothes? What does one even say now? Is Natalya going to be mad?

She calmed down a little. Natalya was probably not mad. She seemed rather peaceful in fact. But the little one was too scared to move. To say anything. Then again, that fear would imply something did happen last night. What happened?

Miranda went over what she remembered from last night. Went to bed, same nightmares again. She knocked on Natalya’s door. She had fallen asleep next to Natalya before, but that was either by mistake, or not in a bed! And not like this! What was she going to to? What are-

¤ We have to leave within an hour…

Natalya sounded sleepy, as a teenager reluctant to leave the bed on a saturday morning. Which was rather unlike her. Miranda was now even more confused as she was hugged tightly.

Miranda was slowly melting away. She was so close, and she was… was this happening? Was this actually happening?
She was too nervous, too frightened to enjoy the moment. It felt to surreal. And yet so soul-crushingly disappointing when Natalya eventually got out of bed. The rest of that morning happened without Miranda really noticing. She was more or less spaced out for an hour and didn’t really come to her senses until an hour later when the Ural truck roared to life. The truck that was going to take them to Salt lake city. Natalya was speaking to some people. In russian.

~ ~ ~

>I didn’t knew she had that respect for me
“Respect is a nice term”

You sat with Lily on a bench outside a room Wendy used as an office, or a command central or whatever she called it. You had gone to see her about the engine. It had always really been intended for the Maus. The initial plan had been trading it with the germans, but now the focus was just getting the huge machine to work at all. It was the only engine big enough to power it, and it was the only thing with a large enough engine bay.

>What do you mean?
“I mean she will sit pretty if you tell her to”
>Uhh…
“You have to be aware of your reputation”
>When it suits me

Lily smirked a little

>All jokes aside, i didn’t know it had that weight to it still
“Really?”
>Really!
“Reaaally?”
>Yes!
“Calling it, you’re bluffing”
>I’m not, i really didn’t know it!
“Liar, i said you should stop that if you want to see me again”
>I Promise, i didn’t… oh come on!”
“Pffffff”

You scoffed and giggled for yourself

>That was uncalled for. Seriously
“Nope. I reserve the exclusive right to tease you”
>You ass
“You can go away if you want. It’s a free country”
>A free country at war

You turn to her. She was staring at something else. Not the wall in front of her, but more like the kind of stare one would look at the horizon with

“Is that the only reason?”

She keeps looking ahead of her, takes a deep breath- and the door next to you opens
‘Lily, Anon’
>Wendy! how does it look?
‘Engine won’t be of use to me or mine, so you can have it. If it goes in something really big, i’d like to have something back if we live through this, as a token if nothing else’
>You have my deepest gratitude today. I will see what i can bring you when this has been won
‘You seem confident’
>I was taught being able to learn from your mistakes and not die because of them is a privilege. And i’ve lost one war already
‘Y-you know you’re supposed to smile, laugh, smirk or even raise an eyebrow after a statement like that. O-or even move’

Lily’s kept her stoneface on

>It seems you have mistaken my mood as a joking one. I can assure that is not the case

Lily shifted mood in a way which was nothing short of frightening. From being a teased little girl to an ice cold killer. All of it because someone else entered the room. She wasn’t going to let anyone else see her soft side

Wendy swallowed and slowly backed away and back into her office. Satisfied with what she achieved, Lily stood up from the couch.

>Let's go then
“I have to ask one thing. No, two actually”

She could tell the tone was a little more serious

>Mhm? 
“You are doing this split personality thing. Is one of them more real than the other?”
>Oh

She thought about it for a little while. She didn't seem very troubled by it, but it wasn't pleasant either
    >Maybe this is shooting myself in the foot, but I think this is the point where I should be honest
    “Yeah”
    >Well… I've been called many things over the years, even numbers at times. To make it easier, let's say there is two of me. Lily, which you know. They know Erika, probably because they don't think flower names are intimidating or nationalistic enough
    “Okay, fair enough”
    >When you came and uhh… found me Lily had been gone since the mid 1930s. Before that I had been a pretty average girl, a little cynical maybe. I did well in the school that was available to me
    “You? Cynical? imposer! what have you done with Lily?”

    She looked hurt

    >I'd like if you laid off the sarcasm while I'm telling you this. Please. 
    “I'm sorry. Go on”
    >That Lily studied, played with her friends… augh, maybe I'll tell you more about that later. But one day a man in a uniform came to my school. He spoke with the teachers, which all seemed greatly honored to have him there.

    She remained calm and collected as she went on

    >The teacher said he was looking for girls and boys who were 13 or 14 years old and did well in school, to take to a great school in Germany. She told us this was just the greatest thing ever, basically a palace with teachers. How this was a once in a lifetime chance, and the chance to become model citizens. 

    She kept being calm. Trying to be calm. But her facade was cracking up

    >I had the top results for most testing my class and was a prime candidate. I actually said no at first, because I knew my parents could need my help at home, especially with my younger brothers. But the man in the uniform assured me that my family would receive compensation. And I bought it. Truth be told, I don't have a goddamn clue what happened to any of them after I left. Which also happens to be when Lily’s tale ends
She looks up to you and shrugs.

>I was made into someone else. Something else? Problem was, i was much better at being who they wanted me to be than i was at being me
“Oh”
>This is going to sound weird, but i was perfect
“You’re modest as well”
>Modesty has its place. And i was modest at first, naturally. But it all turned into a game
“A german school, during this era? A game?”
>Oh yes. I can explain it to you later i guess, because it's a long story, and telling half of it is no good. But i got very, very good at playing that game. One of the best 80 in the span of 8 or so years. Out of probably a hundred thousand. Top of the crop. Crème de la crème
“Okay…”
>I was just so good at it, i forgot who i used to be. Lily got lost somewhere deep in me, and i couldn’t find her

Finally, she lowers her head, let her shoulder hang a little lower

>But you could
“I could… find old you?”
>Yes. Old me. Someone you call Lily. Truth be told, i’m much worse at being Lily because of all the feelings i can allow myself to feel. Or maybe it’s just difficult? The point i’m trying to make is… i like being Lily.

You were just about to reply but there was a little too many people around

“Come. Let’s walk”

You stood up, and set a brisk pace out. She follows you for a minute until you find a corner away from any eavesdroppers. The atmosphere had changed for the more serious

“So, you like to be Lily”
>Yes. I’m just not very good at it
“Good. Now, it just so happens i like Lily as well. Trouble is, her friend has caused me a bit of issues”
>Oh
“This shouldn’t come as a great surprise. Either of those things”

She didn’t say anything. Just a slight nod of acknowledgement
“In every reasonable way, what i am about to do is stupid. You very nearly killed me for some century old bullshit. And it’s not i got an apology or an explanation with any less than another goddamn alien attack”
>I’m sorry…
“On top of that, you are rolling around with a bunch of people with would probably be put in some kind of registry unless the world was on fire. In tanks”
>Yeah…
“And despite all of that…”

The rest of that sentence didn’t want to come out.

“Augh… despite all of that-”

You looked at her. Her eyes were the same hazel ones you fell for back then. Why was this hard to say? Where were you even going with this?

>Yes?

You couldn’t speak. The way the light fell on her, how she just looked a little worried, but her eyes were alight with hope

Ignoring all form of rime and reason, you took a slow step forwards. Your heart was speeding up, as wrong as that was. Lily was nothing short of poison. But as long as you kept your distance, you could go back.

And yet, you take her both her wrists, lift them up above her head and pushed her gently to the wall behind her. Right now, she was vulnerable. Defenceless. And if it was anyone else, she would have done something about it. But she looked up at you and the only movement was her chest heaving up and down a little with her breath.

Her breath… it was slow, and deep. You felt it on your neck through her slightly parted lips. It kept getting harder and harder to do the right thing

“Lily…”


=====================


ou had done exactly what you shouldn't have done. Rolled the die, crossed the Rubicon. Let go and a step back, the taste of her lips still lingering. And it was just as predicted, a poison. Something you get hooked to.

Her arms fell to her sides, knees together her beautiful, soft chest moving up and down. Her lips were still parted. To regain her breath?

“W-we should see the engine”

You turn away from her, afraid that the poison you had learned to love and fear was gripping you again. In fact, she took a firm grip on the collar of your jacket and yanked it back with force

>You are SO not walking away from me now
“Ech!”

You were pulled backwards, and turned around to Lily, who had done one of her famous 2 second mood changes. Now, anger

>The demands of honesty and the teasing I can take, and wake up every day with the guilt. I can take that, if just barely. But I'm not a fucking doll you can play with and walk away from as you please
“Wait, Lily-”
>No! I am not asking anything of you that you don't ask of me. You can't kiss me and then walk away. I can take hellfire but not this uncertainty. Please
“You want-”
>Honesty! I just want… honesty. About me

You took a deep breath. One of those people take before saying something difficult

~ ~ ~

Miranda was dropped off a mile away from the city center, the Russians argued that would be less suspicious than jumping out of their trucks. She walked the last bit, tired out of her mind because of the lack of sleep and the withdrawal of adrenaline that had been flowing through her an hour ago.

Her feet hurt. Mainly because her shoes, her second and favorite pair were a pair of thin red leather shoes intended for motor racing and not walking. They had soles so thin she felt the little pieces of gravel sting her feet.

She was tired, irritated, confused and longing. But she thought the future looked too dark to be optimistic about.
Approaching the center, two armed guards by a checkpoint tried to halt her, but staying true to the troubled teenage look, she groaned inaudibly at them and and kept up her slow pace. It took her another ten minutes of walking before she saw the familiar turret shape of the M60A2. Miranda smiled a little, since the Starship had been the one and only stable part of her life. She crawled up on it, on a custom ladder on the back because of her small frame, climbed in and fell asleep immediately.

Two hours later noon had turned to afternoon. You sat in a second story window overlooking a large street. Or a boulevard? Didn’t matter much. On the other side of the street was the building selected as a headquarters with just the instruction to make sure “nothing funny happened”

Truth was nothing at all happened. People milled about, trucks drove around. More fuel, spare parts, more food. A lot of people needed food and if there was one thing that wasn’t in short supply, it was food. The army was strangely happy with sharing, since it meant not putting their own men at risk.

‘Anything?’
“Yeah, i got one Kaiju, the seventh fleet and a roman legion”
‘Really?’
“Of course not. Nothing is happening”
‘Augh…’

Alex, the guy who was supposed to watch the window looking east sounded disappointed over there not being a roman legion outside. He had just been included into the old guard, and had previously worked with analyzing things. He had however been in a fight with some kind of boss and was now watching a road from a cold building with you

‘You heard man, there are the nazis coming’
“Oh really?”

You put conscious effort into sounded as little interested as possible. You really didn’t want go over all this with someone else. Not now
‘You know they got like, slave workers, right?’
“Eh?”
‘Yeah, and concubines. Like hundreds!’
“No they don’t”
‘How do you know?’
“Why would they?”
‘Cause they can? Duuh’
“Just shut up”
‘Why man? I’m trying to get you up to date here!’
“You don’t have a goddamn clue what they are on about”
‘Pff, i worked in analytics’
“That means you have absolutely no idea about anything”
‘Says you of all people’

You stare at him. You’re fueled by the desire to prove him wrong and make him look like a retard. Lily was still a touchy subject. But she was your touchy subject, and not his thing no babble about. Interrupting your plans was the arrival of a row of 4 big cars

“Okay, mister analyst, come here”
‘What?’

Alex join you by the window

“These cars, tell me about them”
‘They are SUVs’
“My grandma can do better than that. She is dead. The star in the front, come on”
‘Mercedes?’
“Good analyst. Do they look military?”
‘They are big and boxy, yeah’
“Military vehicle doesn’t have 20 inch bling rims. Try again”
‘Civilian then’
“Man, you’re pretty sharp. Any more?”
‘Tinted windows are for shady types’
“You’re shit at this”

The time had come to impress a stranger you had no idea of continuing a friendship with information you had learned from roaming the internet sleepless nights years ago

“Those are four Mercedes G65 AMGs. Not the little diesel engines are the baby petrols. V12s, all of them. Know how i can tell they are V12 G65s and not V8 G63s?”
‘I don’t even know what that is’
“Easy to see it’s an AMG with the big rims and body panels, But the only thing that tells a 65 from a 63 is the chrome grille”
‘Why do you know this’
“Too much time and not enough friends. Know why that makes a difference?”
‘Absolutely no idea’
“There is basically no difference between the two, performance wise. But the G65 is 70 thousand dollars more”
‘Where are you going with this?’
“Fucking hell, you are slow. Seventy grand seems a little much just for the little V12 badge on the side, right? They did this because the could. Not because they had to. Means they have money. Shitloads of it”

Alex looks somewhat confused at four black SUVs stop outside the “headquarters”. Three people walk out of each car. You could recognize Lily, Irma and one of the men immediately

‘Definitely nazis’
“I’m taking anything that comes out of your mouth at shit after your “analytic” performance”
‘Dude, look at their uniforms’
“Sexy”
‘All women in uniforms are either ice queens or sluts. Then again, the brunette-’
“Will tear you in half before you get within arms reach”

You watched in silence as the group walked into the building. Fifteen minutes later two large three axle Ural trucks rolled in. Only five people left the vehicles. Natalya being one of them.

‘Speaking of ice queen…’
“Little scared, are you? Just because she is taller?”
‘She aint’
“Those legs definitely say 6 feet or more. Which you aint”
‘Fuck off’

You chuckled for yourself. He was genuinely angry with you. It made you a little happy inside. Nothing of what was going on there was visible from the outside, you found entertainment in a stack of old magazines. Unsurprisingly, they were a bit awful all of them. Not interesting, but just enough to pass the time. And time did, pass, but very slowly. They sure were taking their time in there.
It was a big hall. A long table in the middle with a lot of people sitting around it. Important people. Those who make plans. Those who listens to what someone else says, furrows their brows, put their chin in their hand and thinks. Analyzes, thinks, ponders. And then replies. With a sharp, direct response. More thinking ensued, more quiet murmuring, more discussion among peers. It was a game. On how much they dared let other people in, how much they would share. No one wanted the world to end, but wanted the best possible situation when or if the battle was won.

The old guard of course sat on a very big advantage, being the second largest force after “Minuters” which Wendy decided to call the mass of M60s and M551s, because of the two nuclear shells. Granted, they were very small as far as anything atomic went, but they made a considerably larger bang than a normal high explosive round.

The germans were reluctant to leave Wendover, since they had two slow machines and one that didn’t work. This also meant the Russians stayed in Wendover, since their intention was doing what the Germans did, but better.

That was what you thought anyway. Maybe these two did cooperate under the table? And if they did, why would they keep it a secret? Sure it was a lot of pride involved but surely they wouldn't let that get in the way of the greater good.

The greater good. It was a term used a lot in this meeting, this gathering. Resources were pooled up and redistributed. Resources included all kinds of machines, fighting vehicles, scout vehicles and everything in between. It also included munitions, fuel, various other equipment and even food. And personnel.

And then there was the question of where to actually position the defences. And then there was the question of…

~ ~ ~

‘Yo, Anon’

Who had the audacity of waking you up this early? A very quick blink of the eyes confirms that it is still dark outside. Why did you have to leave bed when it was dark outside.
And then it hits you. You never went to bed. That meeting dragged on for so long and…

‘Dude, you have to wake up’
“Uhhh?”
‘Yeah, sounds like you’re in shit’
“What? Because i slept?”

You jolt up from the sofa, sending the rifle flying. You flail after it, manage to catch it but the momentum carries you into a wall

“I’m awake! Fuck, what’s happening?”

Alex looks you with tired disappointment

‘I don’t know man. But boss called you down’
“Shit…”

Speaking to the Boss usually meant something bad. And so you went down the stairs, out and over the the headquarters. Two of the black SUVs had already left, as had the Ural trucks. Helen stood outside with a cigarette in her mouth

“Did i miss anything?”
‘Pack up’
“What?”
‘I’ve sat and argued back and forth for eight hours. Just a few days, you’re going away. Pack your bags. And get back here as soon as you can’
“Can I ju-”
‘When you’re back. Bags’

A heavy sigh escapes you as your shoulders hang even further to the ground. There was little else to do but to get the bags. One duffel bag filled with things slung over your shoulder slowed the pace down on they way back. Helen was in exactly the same spot as she was about 20 minutes ago

“What is it”
‘You’re gonna help our new friends’
“This is still not a military organization. I cou-”
‘Yes you could and ruin everything from the rest of us. They asked for you specifically’
“Who is “they”?”

Helen nods towards the remaining two G-wagens

“Zhe germans…”

Lily came walking towards you and Helen. You have had a long talk with her just before this meeting about what was happening between you. The name of the game was making sure anything, if that be good or bad, doesn't get visible to anyone else
“Long time no see”, you lied to put up that appearance to Helen
>Indeed

The air between you was so uncomfortable even Helen felt it.

>Is that all your luggage? 
“Yeah”
>Good. Come with me. And to Helen, my sincerest gratitude for tonight. We might live after all
‘Maybe’
>If so, I will see you soon. Good bye
‘Good bye’

Lily smiled politely and then turned around. You followed a step or two afterwards. Two men were sitting in the front of the big Mercedes and the rear doors were open. But to your surprise Lily only asked you to throw your bag in

“Why?”
>The red car. It's here I assume?
“Yeah, by the garages”

Lily said something in german to the driver of the SUV.

>The bag will wait outside your room. We will take the other car
“Why?”
>I've never driven something like that. Might be my last chance
“Whatever”

The bag is tossed into the big car which then leaves with a subtle growl. And then it all went quiet. Like the entire world went somewhere else.

“Come on then”

She followed you in silence. The garages were just a few minutes away. She didn't say anything. Why didn't she say anything? The old supercar stood where you had left it. Still shining red, still breathtaking to look at, still striking.

Wonder what Lily would look like in that dress?

The lock clicks open and the door slides open in classic Lamborghini fashion.

“All yours”

But she didn't step in. She went around and sat down on the right side

>Come in? 

But it wasn't that simple. You had a sizeable battle rifle with you. There was no storage space to speak about, meaning the only place the rifle could go was on Lily's side of the cabin. It was the only weapon you had, so leaving it behind wasn't an option. Neither was leaving Lily.

The options were giving it to her with or without a magazine. If you left it in you would show you trust her.
>I can take it. If it makes you more comfortable the car isn't big enough to point that thing around anyway

And since she said that, there wasn't much to do besides handing it to her and getting behind the wheel. The process of climbing in was uncomfortable and undignified, and you looked a little silly reaching for the door to close it. But just as your hand reached for the key-

>Wait
“Hmm?”
>I’m gonna try a bit of this honesty stuff, so bare with me
“Very happy if you do”
>I requested you to help us out
“i could have guessed”
>Augh… i thought it was easier to go if you said you had no part in it
“There was actually thought behind that?”
>Yes

You had reached for the key again. It went one click. The dashboard lit up. In the centre, a oil pressure gauge. It was an Italian car after all. To the left of that, a speedometer graded to 320 km/h. Could it really go that fast?

“Hey Lily?”
>Mhm?
“i…uhh...”

Starting down the gauge cluster, it looked almost bottomless. You should look at her.

”It’s us again, right?”
>if you will have me
“I will”

You smile as key moves another two clicks, and the tired starter motor cranks the engine around. And soon Salt Lake City was filled with with the trumpeting sound of a big, angry engine. Right now, everything was well