- All clear, Kurosaki in, can you read me? – said a male voice speaking into a comunit.

- Reading you loud and clear. – A soft female voice answered.

- I'm in as well. – A male voice said as adjustments were heard in the background.

- Got it. – said a deep male voice.

- OK, target is at delta-oh-zero-eight, Uruyu do you have visual on it? – The young man asked again.

- Seeing him clearly, target is on the move though, current position is delta-one-nine-nine.

- Copy that, keep us updated. Alright guys, let's get this show on. – He said as he stood up and armed his weapon. – Going in.

- Kurosaki, remind you that this is a teameffort, so don't dare to mess this up by pulling some of those wild solo actions.

- Just keep an eye out will ya. I'll be fine; Chad how is your position?

- Ok, just reached the junction, planting drone... good to got Ishida.

- You heard that? What can you see?

- A moment, I'm slicing as fast as I can. Right... alright you are green to go but remember...

- Teamwork I got that the first time, Hime, Chad...

- We're on it, moving up now. – Hime anwered as she and Chad prepared for the climb.

Kurosaki moved in walking slowly and steady along the wall, the corridor was dimly lit and the wents were hardly working but still caused a quiet rusty squeak as they circulated the air. Due to the lack of light upon entering the facility he activated the nightvision in his helmet and the visors turned green giving him a clear view of the dark corners and ends.

- Status? – He ordered.

- Nothing on my side, quiet and cold, over. – Ishida said with a stern look on his face; however his helmet covered it from view.

- We're on top and almost in, but I don't think Chad will fit in the vent... I-I mean with all that gear and stuff, y-you know. – Hime blushed under hers.

- No problem guys, Chad take the stairs instead and wait for Ishida to give you green. Hime, once you in keep us updated and… be safe. – Kurosaki hesitated on the last part.

- Ok. – Chad answered and was on his way.

- Will do and thank you. – Hime said as she removed the cover.

- Ishida…

- I know… Chad there is a blindspot between the sixth and fifth level, there you can prepare. – Ishida navigated Chad while looking at the screens that popped up before him via holo.

- Good work, ok continue. – Kurosaki said and moved ahead but he got cut off by Ishida.

- Wait! Kurosaki I got news, target is on the move, he is leaving to the upper floors fast.

- Escort?

- One… three… six. Group of six, all armed, standard energy weapons, armor: none.

- Damn it. – He hissed and started to run along the wall. – Can you do anything about it?

- Ich… I mean Kurosaki, we have a situation here. – Hime whispered into her com.

- What now? – He huffed as he was running.

- More company at the main entrance, I saw two gunships fly by and land, I don't think they are ours. – She whipered and stopped for a second waiting for a patrol to pass by.

- I see them too. – Ishida commented. – Heavy armor, anti-personell turrets, classic.

- Stall them. – Kurosaki ordered as he reached an elevator and smashed the call button on the panel.

- Kurosaki, if I open fire hell will be unleashed, are you positive about this? – Ishida asked.

- Positive, permission to open fire is granted. – Kurosaki entered the cabin and he as on the way up.

- Chad… you are green to go. – Ishida said as he turned the holo screens off and aimed his gun to fire. – Let's hope this will work out smooth. – He aimed at the head of the first target and pulled the trigger.

As soon as he took out the first target the alarm went off Chad moved as quickly as he could, his armor was bulkier than his comrades but it had built in mechanic joints to help the wearer to move smoothly. He needed this extra power, the heavy firepower he carried requiered every muscle in his body and now timing was eveything.

Hime exited the vents at a closed storage area, she looked around before jumping down completely, arming her weapon she managed to force the mechanic lock open and was ready to randevou with her squad mates.

- Guys, I don't want to sound like a bitch but they seem to figure me out soon, also the target is moving up, Chad you are the closest, target is at Alpah-two-oh-five, and moving fast.

- On it. – Chad nodded. – Guys…

- I heard it Chad, I'm right behind you on this, everyone move we can't lose it. – Kurosaki runned across the hallway, the patrols were busy with Ishida so there wasn't any resistance. – Hime, what's your status?

- I'm at the third elevator, I'll be… - She huffed before the door but got cut off when the cabin arrived revealing an armed group. They were surprised to see her standing before them, one of them aimed to fire but he was too slow. A flash blinded all of them while Hime ran back to find an alternative rout.

Once their eyes got clear a rapid volley of shots were fired down the hallway towards her. She was far to get hit but most of them were close enough to grase her armor. She found cover at a maintance shaft but the door was closed and needed time to slice it. The group caught up to her too soon and shots flooded the shaft barely missing her.

Returning the fire from her own she contacted her squad.

- I'm pinned down, can't move further without risking to get killed. – She tried to over shout the blasts that hit her cover.

- Hime what is your position, Ishida can you do something? – Kurosaki shouted as he just dealt with a patrol.

- Beta-six-seven-seven. – Hime said as she returned another series of shots.

- Ishida?

- Sorry, the goons got smart. One of them managed to lift off I think it is going to pick up the target. I am hiding right now, those guns will rip me a few new holes if I move.

Kurosaki cursed under his helmet then looked at the projection of the map in his helmet, he saw Chad's position still moving towards the target, with that he saw Hime's position as well and it didn't changed.

- More are coming this way… Kurosaki I… I don't think I can hold out much longer now. – Her voice was pleading a bit.

- I'm on my way, just hold them for a little longer, Chad can you handle it by yourself?

- I'm at the extraction, I have visual on him, go. – He said.

Kurosaki dashed towards Hime's position, he didn't waste time or cells on the grunts that stood in his way, and instead he used his sidearm to force them into cover.

- Hime is three levels below than me, shit. Can't afford the elevator or the stairs; come on Ichigo think, think. – Kurosaki thought to himself while dashing. Then he came up with an idea, ahead of him was a lookout with few guards. He gave everything into his speed and fired down at the two men, bracing himself he jumped and smashed through the glass.

The view of a dark cityscape and the side of the building greeted him and in a second he started to fall, time seemed to slow down for him. He quickly detached a claw from his back and while falling he counted.

- One… two… three. – He threw the grapple at the ledge, with luck it got stuck and stopped him from falling to his death. He stopped a level lower he intended and a few men saw him through the window. The glass bursted when they tried to shoot him down but he janked the rope and climbed up in record speed.

- Hime! – He called out and ran towards her position. He saw marks of shots on the walls and doors; they must have been chasing her through here. He found the corridore to the maintance shaft and the sound of energy weapons fiering got louder. He didn't hesitate to open fire from his own, attacking them from behind he managed to supress them.

His advantage was soon overtaken when they managed to fire back, for that he pulled another bold attempt.

- Hey assholes, catch! – Shouted out as he tossed something at the herd of people. He hid behind his cover and waited the explosion that soon came breaking several windows out and rubble flew everywhere.

- Hime are you there? – He tried to reach her on com. No anwere came though. – Hime, come in! – No answer again then he got out from cover and ran towards her's. His grenade left a pretty mess but he hoped that she didn't get caught in it.

He saw her half limp body there at the nearly destroyed cover, he almost panicked. He kneeled down and gently shaked her a bit saying her name a few times.

- Damn it; don't do this to me, not now or ever! – He cursed as she still lied there not moving.

He took her helmet off to see of she had an injury on her head, detaching the helmet from the armor and lifting it off it revealed a suttingly beatifull young woman. Her burnt orange locks fell to the shoulderpads of her armor and her eyes were shut. Kurosak put his index and middle finger on her neck to see if she had a pulse.

- Fainth but still alive, thank god. – He sighted in relief.

- I- Ichigo you… you… - She managed to open her eyes revealing her shining grey irises.

- Don't talk, Hime. I'll get you out, just don't move.

- What… about the… others? – She asked weakly.

- Chad is on him, Ishida is… Ishida is ok too. – He said as he lifted her up and tried to carry her to safe distance.

As soon as he managed to make a few steps with her, searchligths blinded both of them; it was a gunship from below. It seemed a second one managed to take off as well and it was now aiming all three of its turrets at them.

Their armor was designed and created to withstand harsh enviroment, bullets and small volley of shots from energy weapons, but those guns were far too much for them to handle and Hime's helmet was removed so there was nothing to cover her head.

The ship hoovered before them and aimed the turrets to maw both of them down, then a burst of light blue blast hit the left engine causing the vessel to shacke a bit. Soon a second one followed destroying the engine and the gunship spinned down, crashing into the groud loudly.

- I told you to not pull another act like before, Kurosaki. – Ishida gloated through com. – I'm getting tired saving your ass.

- Hey no harm done yet, I owe you one for this. – Kurosaki smiled under his helmet.

- Don't say that, you already owe me big time and haven't paid any of it back. I'm heading inside; with luck we can get to Chad and wrap this mess up.

- Go on, we'll meet you there. – Carrying Hime Kurosaki walked down to the shot up hallway towards the elevator and called it down.

- Hey, you OK? – He asked.

- H-Had worst before… sorry I couldn't stay safe. – Hime smiled at him weakly.

- Hey, no problem, at least you made it out alive.

- We aren't done yet… Chad must be having a hard time. Ha- Have to get there quick.

- We will, princess, we are on the way now. – He smiled back at her and she did the same.

As the elevator stopped at the level Chad was on Ishida managed to catch up with the two of them. The reunion started by a raw remark on Ishida's side mentioning that he overloaded his sniper rifle just to take that ship down leaving the weapon useless for half an hour. As they were walking in a series of explosion were heard from the distance.

- It must be Chad. – Kurosaki stated.

- Move, no time to waste. – Ishida said as he ran ahead.

- Wait, what… - Hime yelped a little as Kurosaki put her down. – I'm coming to.

- You are in no shape to fight, patch up and then cover our backs.

- But…

- Please. – Kurosaki looked at her then left to follow his teammate

The extraction was a complete mess, the whole bay was shot up and smoke filled the air, three fallen men of the targets escort laid on the ground at the front and one in the middle blewn to pieces. The enemy took cover at the far side and the second gunship was closing in. As both Kurosaki and Ishida entered the dreaded vessel opened fire at their position, the volley tore massive chunks out of the floor and both of them rolled out the way to cover.

- Chad! Chad, can you read me? – Kurosaki tried to contact him. No answer was given however but instead someone flashed "Positive" at the other end.

- Good to see you alive, what's the status?

- "Have them pinned down." – Chad flashed. – "Ship is problem though." – He morsed.

- Ishida?

- My guns is useless because of you, we need to lure that tin can away so one of us can flank.

- So one of us has to be bait.

- I guess so. – Ishida said then dashed out of cover.

- What the… - Kurosaki almost yelled.

- Just run you idiot! – Ishida yelled back.

Not wasting time he got up and dashed towards Chad position and opened fire, he managed to get one of the escort and since their fire stopped for a sec enough for Chad to head out too. The two of them were close to acquire the target.

Chad managed to jump on the last escort and Kurosaki pinned the target to the groud just after Chad finished his.

- Alright, now make them stop. – He pulled him up ordering him. The man vanished in thin air leaving Kurosaki wide eyed. – Hologram!?

- Kurosaki it's a trap. – Chad looked up at him.

- Guys… - Ishida wanted to point something out while drawing the ships fire, but it was now visible for all of them.

- Hime!

At the entrance Hime was on her knees and their tartget close behind her holding her own sidearm to the back of her head.

- I'm sorry. – She managed to stammer out.

The masked man pulled the trigger and everything freezed around them, like when someone stops a recording. The target, gunship froze, all but them.

A little cliffhanger for the first part, I know I hate it too when it happens but it sometimes it has to happen.

Sorry for spelling or/and grammar errors in this fiction. Also please review, any comment or idea can help me develop and progress.

Remember this is just a fiction, all future names and locations are created by me, if any of them exist out there that is just the work of coincident.

Some character names belong to Kubo Tite: Bleach

The AU and OCs are creation of my imagination.

Tune in next time as well. :)