Aiden had visited Oslua City on two separate occasions, not including his most recent and current expedition. He'd visited the city once for a Consignment Day, some odd years ago back when he was a fairly new soldier. The other time was on an old mission that Aiden and Virgil had completed together. Looking back on it now, it was a pretty minor mission, but back then, it was the most important thing to ever happen to two boys fresh out of the Recruitment Centre. He and Virgil were seventeen at the time, and had successfully completed their admittance exam. They were assigned to a quarantine management patrol in the city, as Oslua had been hit pretty hard by a new virus sprung from the wastelands of Creatan. It had been Aiden and Virgil's job to do regular virus checks on civilians by knocking from door to door on each of the homes in their assigned areas. The disease had been particularly rampant in the poorer sections of the city, where the slums were dirtier and people couldn't afford their vaccinations.

From what Aiden remembered, Oslua was a glassy and urban landscape of skyscrapers so tall, they stretched far into the sky as if they challenging the very clouds above them. The glass structures were often blinding in the midday light, and the streets below were organized into tidy grid patterns. Houses dotted the city all over. Aiden could see Oslua's radio tower and power plant located beside the Government Building, as well as long strips of farmland far beyond in the countryside. Oslua City was one of the largest cities in Second Unit's sector, which made it one of Creatan's key agricultural producers.

But now, the city was in ruins.

Smoke plumed from buildings, once glossy and mirror-like, now cracked and blackened by recent fires. Orange flames wildly licked up debris on the streets and in houses that once stood peacefully. Now the homes were reduced to ash and rubble. The entire city looked tired and dark; not at all like the city Aiden remembered from his past. Just as Zariah had said, the nano-tech had targeted everything from the electrical to the gas in every building within the city. The damage was noteworthy, but the logic of it made sense; reducing the collateral damage of a certain area offered by traditional nukes or missiles and filling them with tiny robots that would create a series of smaller explosions all at once. At least the cities would be somewhat intact. Xylem had described the whole ordeal as cleaning up Scarlet Cross Squadron's mess, but now Aiden was starting to think it might be the other way around.

Aiden noticed with a burning anger that the farmlands of Oslua were completely untouched, along with the farm workers that tended to them. The rolling hills of corn and other crops swayed gently in the breeze. Aiden spotted hundreds of farmhands working away in the fields. It seemed that not even an air strike allowed for them to have a day off. The sight made Aiden feel sick to his stomach.

From within the helicopter, Aiden looked around to see that his friends had come to the same conclusions as him. Virgil's fists clenched and unclenched, as if he were thinking about punching something, while Farley and Darius wore grim expressions. Jace shook his head in disappointment,and Zariah stared down at her feet.

"Oslua was my Consignment Day assignment last month," Farley murmured absently. He folded his arms across his chest, remembering the city in its former glory. "It's a shame seeing it like this."

"And there are three more cities like this?" Darius asked quietly. He was the youngest of the group; only seventeen. The same age as Aiden when he'd visited Oslua for the first time. Jace patted him on the back.

"Wasn't always like this," he sighed. "Not even close."

"How many fatalities were reported?" Virgil spoke. The tension was prominent in his voice. He hadn't stopped clenching his fists. It seemed that Xylem's proposition of letting him go out into the field hadn't pacified Virgil for long.

"Too many," Zariah put in, her voice barely audible. "The numbers say a few hundred, but how many more went unreported, I have no clue."

A mournful silence swept through the helicopter.

They landed swiftly. Their pilot, an Official by the name of Leif, wordlessly dropped them off at a hangar in the city's Program outpost. They traveled to the centre of the city by military jeep, arriving at the city square in just a few minutes after their arrival. The city square had once been a place buzzing with activity, but instead of its usual populated manner, it felt empty and silent. A few civilians shuffled around to emergency centres. Aiden could only guess how full the city's hospitals must be by now.

Aiden's group watched helplessly as a few of the city's Medical Officials carried the body of a small boy on a stretcher. He lay still and unmoving, a piece of metal lodged deeply in his chest.

"Come on, team," Aiden cleared his throat after a few moments. "We've got a job to do." Five pairs of eyes focused on him.

"He's right." Farley stepped up beside him, nodding respectfully. "Let's start with the worst section of the city. Keep an eye out. Never know who you'll find out here."

"The other teams should be arriving here soon as well," Zariah added.

"What's the worst section of the city?" Virgil inquired.

"Looks like... Fifty-sixth Block through to Ninety-third Block," Jace reported, analyzing their digital map. "That's this way." He pointed to an area west of their location.

"Alright, looks like we've got a plan. Let's get on with the mission then," Farley ordered, walking in the direction Jace had pointed to. The others followed closely behind him.

Within a few minutes, Zariah and Farley had taken up the front of the group. Jace stuck with Darius, chatting quietly with him about the history of Oslua City. Aiden couldn't imagine how shocking and strange this must be for Darius. The young boy was stunned into silence from seeing the terrible sights. He would nod and ask a few questions regarding Jace's story as their group walked, occasionally deciding to ask him a question about some unrelated topic. Virgil and Aiden brought up the rear, but neither of them felt like talking much.

They searched the blocks between Fifty-sixth Block to Sixty-fourth Block for an hour, directing any stragglers to the nearest emergency care centre. Some had families, others lingered by bodies, and some scavenged off of the dead that lay strewn throughout the streets. They still had dozens of blocks to go through, and Aiden was growing weary of seeing the hopeless expressions of the locals. Virgil's face was grave and serious the entire time. Farley did most of the talking when it came to the citizens. No one objected, as none of them seemed willing to contribute. 

Eventually, they came across an alleyway where they saw a young man - around Aiden's age - holding a young child in his arms. She was small; possibly from one of the poorer sections of the city. She looked unconscious, but Aiden could see the little girl's shallow breathing from where she lay in the man's arms. The man holding her was average height, and had a dirty appearance with chiseled features. He look tired, as if he hadn't slept properly in years. His clothes were ratty and torn. His muscles tensed to run at the sight of Aiden and his comrades. Farley stopped him before he could move.

"Halt, civilian," Farley barked. "We mean you no harm. Our only intent is to aid your city."

"Aid?" the man snarled. "You sent the nano-tech that destroyed our city. We don't need you, Programmers."

Zariah stepped forward with a collected expression. "Sir, please," she spoke in a calm and sympathetic tone. Her influence was strong. "The attack was completely inexcusable, and many of us do not agree with the actions of our higher ups. We can promise you that there will be repentance from this most unfavorable event." Farley began to shoot her a look of both anger of opposition, but Virgil stopped him. Aiden didn't blame Farley for his outcry at Zariah's statement. What she had said went directly against the supposed morals of General Xylem, and Farley, being the loyal soldier he was, would have supported the General any day; just as he should.

The man hesitated. His eyes flickered with hatred and distrust.

"Please, listen to her. She's right," Aiden agreed. "We're all here to assist and help in any way possible. We're protectors, and we will not abandon the impacted cities until order is restored," he promised.

"How do I know this isn't some sort of Programmer trickery?" the man narrowed his eyes.

Aiden placed his handgun, which had been sitting securely in its holster at his side, on the street pavement. He raised his hands in the air. "No tricks."

As if on cue, Virgil and Zariah followed Aiden's lead, placing their weapons on the ground. After a few moments, Farley, Jace and Darius reluctantly gave in, also putting their guns down. The man looked them over disdainfully.

"Tell me your names," he demanded.

"I'm Lieutenant Farley Nikolaos," Farley answered. "Beside me is Lieutenant Blanche, Corporal Elroy, Private Alton, Lieutenant Aeriona and Lieutenant Lycroft." He gestured to each member in turn. Everyone nodded respectfully.

"I'm Roman," the man replied simply. "This is Sarris." He looked down at the small girl in his arms.

"Your sister?" Virgil guessed. Roman shook his head.

"She lives in the same area of the city as me. I'm not sure where her parents went. I've been looking around the streets and helping people towards safe houses and care centres," Roman explained.

"What's your occupation?" Jace inquired. He maintained a steady eye contact with their civilian acquaintance. Roman adjusted his hold of Sarris.

"I was a power plant worker," he said. His jaw tightened.

"We must advise you to the nearest emergency care centre," Jace told him, eying the young girl in his arms. Roman's eyes darkened.

"Respectfully, Corporal," Roman began, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll escort Sarris, but after that, I'm out in the streets again, doing the exact same thing you are. Civilian sweeps. Arrest me, if that's what you need to do, but I'll leave that in the hands of your four Lieutenants."

The Programmers flashed each other quick, elaborate glances. Eventually, all eyes fell on Aiden, who faced Roman and dipped his head.

"We have neither the means nor the authority to arrest you, Roman," he decided. "That's in the power of your local Crime Officials. However, it might be extremely beneficial for you to assist us in our civilian sweep. You know Oslua City far better than us. You have knowledge that we, together, can put towards aiding your city."

"Good to know somebody in the Program has some level of sensibility," Roman muttered. "Usually you lot are force fed information to spew. It's annoying. Let's go."

The boldness of this civilian took Aiden by surprise. Usually, from his own experiences on Consignment Day, the city folk were particularly polite, and didn't say much other than the occasional "thank you" or "pardon me". This one, however, was far more outspoken. Aiden knew that Programmers were not meant to be opposed by the people, but rather embraced. The more he compared Roman to the other people Aiden had met... they seemed almost intimidated by the very presence of Programmers. He hadn't thought of that idea until now.

They escorted Roman to a civilian drop off area, where he laid Sarris on a bench aboard one of the rescue aircraft. The group watched as her and a few other civilians were escorted to one of the many emergency care centres strewn throughout the city. Aiden's group attracted a bit of attention from the civilians, but they didn't say anything. Roman turned to the Programmers after he ensured Sarris's safety and wordlessly began leading them back through the streets of Oslua City.

They trekked in silence among the barren streets, twisting and turning through bends and stretches of road and debris. Aiden swallowed his emotions and focused on the task ahead. Even the very air smelled of death, decay and ash. It made him nauseous. He wasn't completely sure of his decision to let Roman remain with their group, but his comrades certainly hadn't outright rejected the idea, which reassured him. However, his uncertainty was clouding his confidence. Aiden was skeptical about how much information Roman had relayed to Aiden and his friends. But for now, he would have to put his faith in this civilian. Roman definitely wasn't the typical street lurker.

They spotted a young woman struggling to get by on foot. Farley and Virgil immediately stepped forward to assist her to safety, Virgil murmuring words of assurance as she trudged along. Aiden lips tugged upwards in a small smile. Still a big flirt, it seemed.

Once Farley and Virgil returned, the group continued down a street that looked fairly clear of people. Attached to the street was a thin alleyway, piled high with the rubble of the two ruined buildings lining it, and closed off by a tall, rusted chain link fence. There was a hole in the fencing, indicating that people often commuted in and out of the alley. Despite all the debris, it was okay to navigate through, but not in a large group like theirs.

"Hey," Roman glanced at Aiden. "I'm going to check this alley. Bad for you lot to join me. Street folk in and around here don't care much for soldiers. Plus, it's small spaces to get by, and I'm scrawny. I'll be back in five minutes." He pointed to the alleyway, wiping his grimy hands on his pants.

Aiden narrowed his eyes. "Alright, but I'm timing you."

Roman raised a hand in acknowledgement before ducking through the gap in the chain link fence into the entrance of alley. He disappeared behind a large piece of cement. The building to the right of the alley was leaning precariously to the left, making Aiden anxious. He and the others waited patiently for Roman to return. Farley drew his lips into a hard line.

"Do we even know if he's coming back?" Farley mumbled.

Aiden shrugged. "We've gotten farther with him in the last fifteen minutes than we have all day. It was worth it to bring him along."

"I have some faith in him. He'll be back," Zariah added. Virgil didn't say anything, but nodded his head in agreement.

"What do you think of him?" Jace looked at each of the group members briefly.

"He certainly knows what he's doing. He's a rowdy one, though," Virgil shrugged. "Don't get many talkers like him at Consignment Day pickups."

"He's just recovering from the strike." Aiden chimed in. "Just like all the others civilians in the cities."

"Yeah, weren't you guys in one of the cities when the strike happened?" Jace questioned.

"What the hell is that?" Farley said quickly, spinning around abruptly.

Aiden and the others froze in their tracks. A rumbling sensation gripped Aiden's legs, shaking him to the very core. He instantly sprung for stable cover, the rest of the Programmers not far behind him.

"A damn earthquake?" Farley hissed.

"Stay under cover! We'll wait it out!" Virgil hollered.

"Where's Roman?" Zariah yelled warily.

Aiden looked at the alleyway Roman had gone into, putting two and two together. Their acquaintance had not yet returned. Initially concerned that Roman had fled once the earthquake hit, Aiden began to understand with a horrible realization that the second building to the right of the alley was beginning to cave in. His eyes widened. He'd spotted the structure leaning earlier; he shouldn't have allowed Roman to go into the alley.

"Roman! Get out of there now!" he called out into the debris-scattered alley. Within seconds, the building collapsed, spilling even more rubble into the alleyway. Aiden was met with silence aside from the trembling ground beneath them. Cement pieces toppled onto the ground around them, a large piece from the building falling and flattening the chain link fence. Aiden covered his eyes as a large cloud of dust rose from the alleyway. The earthquake continued to rage on, relentless in its wake of destruction. Aiden counted in his head, remaining calm as he waited for the shaking to cease. There was nothing he and his friends could do until it stopped. He shielded his face and body from falling debris.

After what felt like forever, the rumbling stopped. Eerie silence followed in the moments afterwards.

Once they had recovered, the Programmers looked at each other in shock, surging forward towards the alley where the chain link fence was and attempting to move large pieces of rubble with their combined strength in order to save Roman. After a while, they stopped, shouting the man's name in hopes of hearing some sort of response. After a a few moments passed, none of them could detect any sign of life. They stared at the alleyway, looking defeated.

"I'm honored that you care so much about me," Roman called. The Programmers looked up in surprise to find Roman on the roof of the other building, peering at them casually. He made his way down to them with ease, using the ruins of the buildings to his advantage by maneuvering through the debris and onto the ground safely. Aiden observed him carefully, making mental notes of every movement the civilian made. He joined the six soldiers coolly.

"That was more than five minutes," Aiden said meekly, once the young man walked up to them.

Roman smirked wryly. "Shall we keep going, then?"