Ch. 1- The Attack and Opportunities

I stared out the window of the black humvee. It was dark out now as we crossed 
the border into Wyoming. I turned and looked at Zero who sat in the drivers seat 
of the humvee. We'd just returned from our mission in New York City. It was a 
simple mission, assassinate a businessman who knew too much and held our DNA 
research files and steal back our files. Zero glanced at me and his ice blue 
eyes met my chocolate ones. I felt that familiar feeling of warmth that I get 
from his gaze and smiled softly. I turned my gaze to the small black box on the 
dashboard that held out objective. Screw Renfro's objective, that cold-hearted 
bitch didn't deserve my loyalty. Zero was loyal to her and I'm loyal to Zero, 
that's why I obey her. Zero's only loyal to her because he's afraid of what 
she'll do to me, Ralph, Fixit, Bullet, Ivy, Eve or Dani if he doesn't obey. Zero 
took occasional glances at me from the side of his eyes and I fought hard not to 
blush. I mean being in such closed quarters with the object of your affection 
for hours at a time is hard. Zero took one hand off the wheel and grasped my 
small hand in his. I smiled and knew I was blushing. I looked out at the open 
fields around us and sighed.
"Zero?" I asked softly not tearing my eyes away from the open and free land.
"Hmm?" he asked in more of a grunt.
"We don't have to go back."
"I know."
"We can turn around and drive to Mexico."
"Yea," he replied with a sound of longing in his voice, "but..."
"But we can't leave Bullet, Ivy, Eve, Fixit, Ralph, and Dani there," I finished 
my commanding officer's sentence, "I wasn't suggesting that we do."
"I know," he said in that soothing voice.
"I hate her," I said harshly, " and him too, but at least he recognizes us as 
humans and having bonds."
"Me too," Zero agreed.
"You don't say much," I commented smiling a real smile.
"Shouldn't smile like that too much, might freeze," he joked, "Renfro would love 
that."
I grinned and giggled. Zero smiled back at me, he was the sweetest guy in the 
world. As sweet as a genetically engineered assassin could be. I loved him. 
Love...That's the word that I've been looking for. I love Zero, I always have.
We arrived at the facility at 0443. We drove through the gates and found 
ourselves among chaos. Zero stopped the humvee and grabbed two FN P-90's from 
behind his seat. He threw one to me and I caught it with ease. We got out of the 
humvee and looked around. Zero grabbed a running guard by the arm.
"What's going on?" he barked.
"Who are you?" the guard asked, his eyes betraying his fear.
"X6-601. What is going on PRIVATE!" Zero barked again.
That's when I realized we still wore civilian clothes and could be mistaken for 
the enemy.
"Rogue X5's. They got in and blew up the lab. The X7's are out there trying to 
catch them. I can't waste any more time..."
"Let's go," Zero said to me and we ran off toward the woods.
We ran neck and neck through the dense forest. We stopped in a small clearing 
and I turned to him.
"What are we going to do?" I asked.
"As soldiers we should kill and/or capture the rogue X5's."
"As Zero and Kai?" I asked.
"We help them get out in exchange for their help in getting us out?"
"What happened to getting Dani, Ivy, Eve, Ralph, Bullet, and Fixit out?"
"Thing change. They could be dead now for all we know," he said grimly.
Suddenly, Zero fell forward and only his hands and knees. I saw a shape move, 
but ignored it. I fell to my knees beside the man I loved and fell out of my 
soldier mask.
"Zero?" I said quietly.
I examined his wound it was just a small shot in his leg, it would heal within a 
day. I looked up as the attacker came into view. I cradled Zero and watched the 
figure approach. It was a man, around 20 years old. I looked into his eyes and 
gasped. They were MY eyes. I could see the same reaction in his eyes. He was 
me...in some screwed up way.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I'm Kai...X6-711. Who the hell are you?"
"I though soldier's didn't ask questions."
"I thought X5's didn't come back willingly or shoot civilians," I countered.
I knew I was either amusing him or pissing him off. I didn't really care which 
one.
"I'm Krit."
"A rogue X5," I stated.
I grabbed my radio and his hand grabbed my hand halfway to my mouth.
"X6-711? It's Director Renfro. What's your position?"
I gave Krit a look that asked him to trust me and he nodded. That surprised me, 
that he trusted me so easily.
"X6-711 ma'am. X6-601 and I are securing sector A5. No backup necessary."
"Keep up the good work soldier," her icy voice said.
I turned off the radio I threw it to the ground. I grabbed my gun as a new 
figure approached, but Krit's face became a grin and I knew it was safe. I slung 
my rifle over my shoulder and knelt next to Zero. He looked at me as I helped 
him stand. He looked at our attackers and glanced at me.
"They're friends. They hate Manticore, we hate Manticore. I think that makes us 
on the same side."
"Who are you guys?" the short blonde girl asked us.
"I'm Kai and this is my commanding officer, Zero. Zero, that's Krit and..."I 
trailed off.
"Syl," Krit said receiving an icy glare from his comrade.
"We can't trust them..." Syl and Zero protested.
"Yes, we can," I argued with Zero, "trust me," I added.
Zero nodded, but not taking his icy blue gaze off of Krit's gun.
"You get us out with you, we'll get you over the fence unscathed," I stated.
"Agreed," Krit stated.
"We DON'T need help," Syl said angrily.
"Syl. If we got X5's and X6's we could get rid of X7's."
"I hate Math," Syl muttered, "let's go."
"Get down," Zero hissed and pushed Krit, Syl, and me to the ground as a bullet 
lodged itself in his shoulder.
I grabbed my rifle and aimed it at the origin of the shot. I ignored the shock I 
felt when I saw it was my own sister, Pez. Pez looked at me and Zero and then at 
the X5's. 
"X6-601, X6-711," she said coolly.
"Yes, Pez?" I replied and stood up my gun-in-hand.
"What are you-" she asked leveling her rifle at Krit.
I pulled the trigger before I could think and she fell to the ground bleeding.
"X6-711?" she asked surprised.
"My name is Kai," I replied and shot the killing bullet. 
I helped Zero up as Krit and Syl stood.
"Let's go," I said icily.
The four of us trekked through the woods. We came across a few conventional 
soldiers and took them out easily. It was obvious Zero was weakening due to his 
TWO gunshot wounds. The fence came into sight and we became to run towards it, 
or at least Krit and Syl did. Krit turned back and looked at me as Zero 
collapsed pulling me to the ground with him.
"Zero," I groaned and tried to pull him up again.
"Kai..."he said strongly despite his weakened state.
"We need to go now! Or else Max and Zack are gonna think us KIA," Syl said.
"Kai, now or never," Krit said standing beside his comrade.
"Kai. It's your freedom. Everything you ever wanted," Zero said as he sat up, 
slowly.
"Zero..." I said softly.
"Kai..." Krit said in a warning tone.
"One..." Zero murmured weakly.
I got to my feet and looked at Zero, who was on all fours trying to regain his 
strength. Zero, the man I loved, my commanding officer, my protector, Could I 
leave him like that? Then my chocolate gaze flickered to Syl and Krit. The X5's, 
the original rebels. The reason I lived in fear all my life to even voice my 
thoughts. The reason I was able to live independently, at least in mind. They 
were offering me what I've always wanted. The seconds were ticking and I was 
wasting them. I had to choose, Zero or Freedom. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing!! If I owned Dark Angel, or anything associated with 
it do u honestly think I'd be writing a fanfiction? No I'd be bringing Zackie 
back from the dead and getting Krit to play a stripper to "I WIll Survive (Right 
Ty and Cade?). I own Kai (who techinaclly is me so that don;t count) and I own 
Dani, Ivy, Eve, and Pez.