Logan Mann watched as one psion fell down the far side of the slope, dropping its rifle in the process. The gun tumbled down the hill just enough for Angel to lunge out and grab it. She rolled over, scoping in on a headhunter and sniped it first. She got up to shoot another, but Logan, after seeing a psion aiming at Angel, pulled her leg out from under her and caused her to fall just in time to dodge the bullet. Three more shots echoed and the last three psions fell.     “That was close,” a voice said. Angel and Logan looked up the hill to see Aurora standing with five other people. She was dragging a dead psion by the foot with her grapple.     They walked down the slope and joined the two prone Guardians. Three tended to Angel and checked for any broken bones; surprisingly she didn't have any. One of the medics gave her a pill to ease the pain in her stomach. Aurora and the other two medics helped Logan. One of them placed splints around his wrist, the other opened an octahedral container and sprinkled nanites on the wound; the nanites scanned Logan's DNA then began healing the bite.     “That's a pretty nasty cut,” Aurora said as she placed her boot on the head of the warbeast that tore up Logan's leg.     “Could be worse,” Logan replied, denying the severity of his wound.     “I suppose death is as bad as it gets,” Aurora stated while crossing her arms.     Logan rolled his eyes and huffed. “I guess this is the third time you've saved us. I suppose a proper ‘thank you’ is in order.”     “I'll say ‘second time’; all I did was light your little campfire last night.” Aurora patted the warlock's shoulder then walked over to Angel. “Is she gonna make it, doc?”     One of the medics sat up on her knees and turned to the huntress. “We gave her some painkillers to hold her over, but once we get her back to the company, she'll be on her feet in no time."     “Aurora, I'm sorry for last night. That was uncalled for…” Angel said guiltily.     “Apology accepted,” the Awoken said while crouching down so she could look Angel helmet to eyes. “But I can't blame you entirely. I guess I was overstepping my bounds.”     “They're patched up,” one of the medics declared.     “Good. We need to get moving,” Aurora ordered while standing back up.     As the sun set again, the second day of Cabal occupation ended; also, the Guardians arrived at the camp that Aurora spoke of. It was quite the camp--tents scattered everywhere, people walking from one to the next, and fires were lit all around the area. “Welcome to [i]tu casa[/i],” Aurora said as she gestured to the base.     “If you’ll follow me, ma’am, our aid tent is this way,” one of the medics said as she led the titaness away from the group.     “I'll come along,” Logan said as he joined them.     “I'll send a get-well-soon card,” the huntress said as she waved them bye.     Logan paced back and forth while Merlin and Alice watched. Every time the warlock passed by, Merlin produced a new holographic number in front of him. When Alice saw this, she hit the ghost in the back of his shell. Merlin glared at the shimmering ghost as he adjusted his wizard hat. “That was unnecessary,” he said.     “So is counting his laps,” Alice replied.     “I would beg to differ…” Merlin griped.     “Why would you need to know how many laps he's done?” Alice asked.     “When he faints from exhaustion, I'll have a reason of why,” Merlin answered as he displayed a new number. Alice squinted, but decided to not argue anymore.     A man walked out of the tent while pulling off his gloves. Logan stopped walking around to hear the doctor's report. “How is she?” the warlock asked.     “She’ll be fine. No ribs were broken, but she does have some severe bruising and light internal bleeding; nothing fatal,” the man replied.     “How long until she's healthy?”     “A few days--a week at most. She's capable of moving about now, but I wouldn't recommend any strenuous activity.”     “Is there anything that will heal her quicker?” Logan asked, impatience laced his words together.     “I'm not a Guardian like you,” the medic replied coldly. “These things take time for people that don't have the Light.”     The warlock dropped his head. “Yeah, I'm sorry about that. That was rude.”     “Save your breath,” the man said as he placed an arm on Logan's shoulder. “We've all been there. She fell asleep inside--completely exhausted--so we decided to let her rest.” With that the man walked away.     The Guardian and ghosts entered the tent and looked over Angel. Even though Logan knew she would be fine, seeing her wrapped in bandages seemed devastating. He spun a chair around and sat down, and fiddled with his fingers as the minutes passed.     “Master Silajir?” Oliver asked as he flew inside.     “Um, yes?” Logan said back as he turned to the ghost.     “The mistress wants to speak with you,” the ghost declared.     “What about?”     “She wouldn't say; just to tell you to meet her at the pond.” Oliver spun around and flew out of the tent.     Logan wiped his face then stood up. “Merlin, keep an eye on her. And for the love of God, don't say anything insensitive.”     The ghost looked at him with concern. “Oh, okay.” He opened a holographic list in front of him and scrolled through. Logan grabbed his trench coat and threw it over his bare shoulders and vest, then stepped out of the tent and followed the black and white ghost. “E-E-E… Silajir, I don't have an empathy spell--Oh, he's gone…” Merlin turned to Alice and forced a smile. The other ghost rolled her eye and scanned Angel a few times.     Oliver led Logan away from the camp, then he hovered to the side as to not be in the way of the Guardians. “My, you two returned a lot quicker than I expected,” Aurora said as she walked out of the water, allowing the moonlight produce a silhouette of her figure, prompting Logan to look skyward with a long sigh. “Now that you are here--I have a proposal to make.”     “Is that so?” Logan asked, still looking up at the stars.     “Don't flatter yourself--that’s not what I meant.”     “That's not what I thought you meant,” Logan replied matter-of-factly.     “Is this better?” Aurora asked.     Logan looked back to see the Awoken wrapped up in her gold cloak. “Better than nothing, I suppose.”     “Funny. Most men would prefer it the other way.”     “What did you want, Aurora?” Logan asked, growing tired of this prolonged conversation.     “All right, all right. It goes without saying that we need all the fighters we can get if we're going to survive out here. Unfortunately, Angel just can't fill that role at the moment--don't worry, she will soon. But [i]soon[/i] isn't [i]now[/i]. If you didn't notice from your little ‘sneak-peak’, I don't have a scratch on me, but I do have some reserved Light left over. It's not enough to heal Angel, but it should fix that wrist of yours.” Aurora pulled back her silver hair, then crouched down to pick up her under-armor, which rendered her wrapping useless; Logan looked away once again, shifting around awkwardly.     “I'm sensing it's my turn to do something in return,” Logan said as he crossed his arms.     “It's like you know me,” Aurora said sarcastically as she hid behind a tree. “I'm a girl of simple taste, I'm not going to ask for some personalized gift basket. All I want is for you to take a break.” Logan raised his eyebrows out of confusion. “Once everyone is safe and your little hero complex is satisfied, you should just relax, enjoy being a man. You are a person after all, like me.” Aurora emerged, donning her huntress armor.     “Sounds like a small price to pay for your Light,” Logan stated.     “Yeah, but it could have a big payoff.” Aurora walked by, brushing her hand across Logan's shoulder. “And maybe once this is all over, you could eventually return the favor. What do you say? Couldn’t we be friends… with benefits?… I'll let you think about it.” Before Logan could repudiate, the huntress vanished in the night.