Blessed by Night

Malachi didn't know when this had become so routine to him. Discover hidden tales at empire

Running over every little thing in his mind before a big mission began.

The world had to be completely silent for him to really get his head on straight.

Even standing amidst the roaring hum of a helicopter, he wouldn't compromise his routine for anything.

He slipped on his chest plate. Strapped his knives to his thigh. Fastened his gloves and finally pulled on his sunglasses.

He left his boots off and listened to the sound of his clawed feet rap against the metal floor. It was the only thing that seemed to bring him some peace.

Today, his mind wasn't quite firing on all it's usual cylinders.

He wasn't ready to leave home again so soon. Especially since he'd just gotten Celeste to give him a chance.

If he closed his eyes, he could still vividly remember the face she made when he told her he had to go.

Luckily for him, and everyone else, she hadn't asked him to stay behind with her, or else he might've done it.

But instead, she smiled at him sweetly. She gave him a reassuring hug and a kiss that would be on his mind for days to come.

Along with some very heartfelt words that ran along the lines of 'If you get hurt, I'll kill you' and more of her colorful euphemisms.

He wanted to go home already.

"Thinking about turning around already?"

Malachi felt Anna rest her head on his shoulder. The sweet smell of her shampoo was like the missing ingredient needed to calm his nerves.

"If you're not joking, then that's pretty scary... It's almost like you read my mind." Malachi joked dryly.

Instead of further encouraging Mal's avoidance of the subject, Anna leaned against the wall with her arms folded and the knowing look that she tended wear a lot nowadays.

"What's the matter? You've been in here a lot longer than normal, you know?"

Malachi hadn't checked the time, but he was sure she was right. Whenever he stood still in a place for longer than 30 minutes, Serosh tended to lay down and go to sleep.

"I just... I want all of this to be over." Mal finally admitted to himself. "I'm tired of having to leave Cami. The girls. Our friends. I want this all to be over."

At present, Malachi was what circumstances had made him. If he had the choice, he would neither be a public figure, nor a soldier.

He wanted to be a dad. A husband.

These were the commitments he had made not out of necessity, but out of genuine personal choice. And they had transcended all else.

But Malachi was not arguing for the abandonment of his duties. And because Anna knew that, she had to make sure that Mal knew the underlying meaning behind his words.

"Seems like you have something on your mind there… Are you sure about going through with it..?"

Malachi smiled wryly. " I know it's crazy. I'm not asking you to do it with me."

"I will go anywhere with you." Anna said seriously. "But this isn't really about what we're really willing to do for each other. We have to honestly think about if this direction would be the best for not just us, but for everybody who is counting on us as well."

Malachi and Anna found themselves sitting on the back of the sleeping Serosh and staring into the ceiling.

It was a good thing they still had a bit of time before their plane arrived at their destination, because they had a lot that they needed to talk about...

- Two Hours Later...

The doors to the back rooms slid open and the members of Nightfall waiting for the drop all stood up at attention.

Morgan and Arias were near the very back, locked in their own deep conversation when Anna and Malachi returned.

It only took one look at their faces to notice that something had changed.

"Sorry, men, afraid we're going be making some last minute adjustments…" Anna began.

Needless to say, everyone in attendance displayed a more than healthy amount of curiosity.

Malachi pulled a piece of tech out of his pocket and gave it a squeeze.

A holographic display popped up that had three facilities highlighted on a map.

"From this point on, instead of hitting these agreed upon targets and getting the last of our people out... we're also going to be hitting these."

Malachi pressed a button a second time, and many more red dots appeared on the map.

As in, at least sixty.

"We're going to be hitting all of these facilities as well." Malachi finished.

Arias stood up with a noticeable crinkle in his brow. "Malachi... These aren't just holding facilities, these are active bases that we haven't even managed to get the plans for."

"Yea... I'm aware of that." Mal shrugged.

"So then why are you-"

"We can't unite the country if we just keep trading petty attack for petty attack. If we want to end this noise, we have to do it decisively. And quickly."

"Yes, but if we launch such a rapid string of attacks so quickly then we are bound to inspire fear in those we are trying to integrate with!

Not to mention the practicality of this, since you cannot begin to conceive the potential dangers that await these men if we are captured, or worse-"

"That's why I'm not mandating that here come." Malachi said firmly. "This mission will take longer than what everyone signed up for, so if it's what they want, I will send them home right now. No questions asked."

Anna finally decided to chime in to hopefully smooth some of Arias' concerns over.

"It's not like we're going to be lopping off the head of every soldier we find and turning buildings into rubble. We'll be launching attacks five in a row until the president admits the regime's loss and opens talks for integration."

Arias looked like his ulcer was growing an ulcer. And that ulcer was nearing a stroke.

Morgan wore a similar look, but his was also twinged with regret over having quit smoking.

"Listen here, bootleg Bonnie and Clyde…" Arias facepalmed. "The two of you cannot take on the remains of the U.S government all by yourselves. That is unbelievably dangerous and stupid."

Malachi and Anna couldn't help but stare at each other.

More than anyone else in group, these two had truly watched each other grow into proper, dignified adults and lovers.

It honestly didn't matter if the odds in front of them were terrible. There wasn't anyone who they might've wanted at their back more.

"We know it's crazy, but.." Anna began.

"We'll take our chances." Mal finished.

Instinctively, the two reached for each other's hands in a tender gesture.

…But Arias slapped their hands apart and broke up their rosy colored aura.

"SPARE ME that lovey-dovey Disney shit! You're both completely out of your fucking minds!!"

Malachi and Anna grimaced. It seemed this would take far more convincing than they thought.