Amaranthine

Kennedy knocked on the door of Cottage #3. Kevin already knew she and Cait were there, she’d linked to him as soon as they’d entered range, but polite was polite.

Brittney answered the door, looking rough. Her mouth set in a thin line, she nodded tightly at the two Guardians, turning and going back inside to where Kevin sat at the kitchen table.

Cait’s big hand squeezed her own, giving just a little comfort.

“Fuck, babe,” Kennedy whispered, “It feels like we’re picking him up to take him to war. And we are.”

Cait said nothing, but sent a wave of comfort. It was empty, because Kennedy was right, but it helped anyway. She released Kennedy’s hand, and stepped through the door.

Kevin sat wrapped tight in his mother’s arms. He’d clearly been crying, but his face was stony now, trying to look brave for his friends. Kennedy knew it really was only a look, the kind of anxiety he was feeling would have been obvious even if she wasn’t an empath. He was dressed in rugged outdoorsy clothes, and a huge backpack sat against his legs.

“Lookin’ good, Champ,” Cait greeted with an easy smile. Kennedy appreciated that she met Brittney’s eyes, taking the brunt of a glare from her that definitely carried psychic damage. “You ready to go big man?”

Kevin nodded, standing and swinging on the backpack. Telling him he wouldn’t need it didn’t seem constructive, and from the way it looked as though Brittney might explode, it would be better to keep things moving.

Kevin walked towards the door, but only made it a couple steps before his mother grabbed his shoulder, spinning him and pulling him into a fierce hug. She laced her fingers into his near-white hair, fixing the Guardian’s with a look that was more promise than threat.

“You will bring him back.” She stated with finality.

All they could do was nod.

When she was done, she released her son, and he followed the pair out the door. Cait threw an arm around the boy’s shoulders, giving him a friendly jostle.

“Did good there, buddy. Your mom was right, by the way. We are bringing you back. Waves have a sense of humor, if I let something happen to you, dollars to donuts she gets a power that specifically kills hot people named Cait Smith.”

Kevin’s hangdog expression blossomed into a smile, elbowing Cait in the ribs.

“Why would you be worried then?” he asked, getting a shake of the head and a smirk from Cait.

“Sorry my guy, I am wayyyyy too good looking to question it any more. Have you seen who I date?” she inclined her head towards Kennedy, who hid her blush behind an eye roll. Her blush deepened when Kevin squinted at her, then nodded.

“Yeah, fair,” he agreed. Kennedy didn’t like that she got a burst of pride that Kevin found her hot enough that it tautologically proved Cait’s hotness, but not liking it didn’t stop her from feeling it. Instead, she just did her best to look unamused as they approached the Ready Station. Her false scowl blossomed into a grin as a big cuddly black bolt slammed to the ground next to her, and Rose padded into the building with them.

The rest of the Dawn Posse awaited them. Gwyn fiddled with the holo display, eventually projecting the map Director Swan had attached to their orders.

“Okay,” she started, once she was satisfied with the focus. She indicated the red line winding north out of DSM. “So, Swan has us taking the Interstates north to the Fargo outpost where ARMOR is mustering. That’s good, since those are the only roads that have been relatively well maintained post-waves.”

A model of an APC, similar to the one the team had ridden in to assault 801 Grand popped into existence, although this one had a fatter ass.

“Waves willing, we should be able to get all the way there in a Honey Badger. Worst case, we have to ditch the vehicle and go on foot, but that might be faster anyway.”

“How do we want to do security?” Cait asked, eyeing Kevin. “Kennedy could give us an eye in the sky, or I could boomsprint ahead? Easy ways to get some early warning.”

“Good ideas….” Gwyn said, thinking, “I can send out some nano-drones too. Qi, I think we want to keep you in the APC at all times, last line of defense for our precious cargo. You don’t have the ability to step on landmines that Cait does, or the senses of B-Man or Rose.”

Qi nodded, leaning back in her chair and by all appearances looking forward to a relaxing road trip.

“I think we should be able to make it there by tonight,” Gwyn continued, glancing at the clock, “but if we have to camp Samsara can portal us supplies. As it stands, grab weapons and ammo, other essentials are already loaded up.”

“And snacks!” Qi interjected, drawing a glare from Gwyn, but appreciative nods from everyone else.

15 mintues later they were piled into the Honey Badger, finding it a lot more comfortable than the barebones assault transport they’d used earlier.

“Holy shit,” Cait said, plopping down on the plush leather couch along one side of the rear compartment. She sank in with a pleased sigh. “Does AEGIS rent these things out? We should take, like, an actual road trip.”

Breastman swung himself into the drivers seat, hissing when Gwyn picked him up and sat down in his place.

“Relax, feisty bitch,” she said, putting him back on her lap. “You can drive, just try not to isekai any more bimbos.”

“Honestly, given how much shit has changed since your BF rocked my world, I might as well have been isekai’d.” Cait said wistfully, disappointed no-one had taken her roadtrip suggestion seriously. “RIP Truck-Kun.”

MACKENZIE WAS A GOOD GIRL

Breastman’s body slumped a little, and Gwyn patted his hat in consolation.

“It’s okay babe. You can name this one! Its reinforced enough it would send that mean girl who stood in the way of your truck flying.”

“99% sure that isn’t how any traffic court would have described that incident,” Cait protested. She laid a hand on Kennedy’s stomach when the girl reclined against her chest. “Better be nice, B-Man, or I’ll file a Tort against your ass.”

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT A TORT IS

“YOU don’t know what a Tort is!” Cait fired back. He was right, but Cait was certain she was too.

“You’re actually using it right,” Qi said, settling in next to Cait and putting a strong arm around her shoulder. With a glance down at Kennedy, Cait allowed herself to relax back against the dragon.

“Yeah? And how do you know?” she asked, lifting her head to meet Qi’s ruby red eyes with a quirked eyebrow.

“Mom is a lawyer,” Qi responded, mirroring Cait’s questioning look. “What, did you expect an interesting story about why I know about civil injury law?”

“Probably thought you blew somone’s house down, Big Bad Wolf," Kennedy quipped, and Qi glared past Cait down towards a smirking Kennedy. The goth blew her a cheeky kiss and laced her hand into Cait’s, resting on her exposed stomach.

Gonna be an interesting trip.