Chapter Text
It was later on in the morning for the day. The B-Con’s spread of disdain crossed over multiple servers, branching out into empty areas fraught with both devastation and danger alike. Daisy was packed tightly into one of the vehicles, wedged between two other figures, Molly seated in the passenger's seat. A corporal chewed on one of his rations after skipping it earlier in the day, but her own appetite couldn’t fit well when it mingled into the reeking stench of diesel and gunpowder. Every bump rattled both her stomach and teeth, the feeling of her flak pushing down on her body, choking her shoulders. She gripped her lap heavily, waiting for something to happen.
Molly seemed as relaxed as she could be, but the rifle readied on her knee showed that even then, her attention was still high- still wondering if or even when an attack could happen.
“You seem a bit twitchy” Daisy’s voice raised over the sound of the vehicle.
“It’s because I’m aware” Molly replied, “We all signed up for the same shit- you get used to it or you don’t” Her voice was tinged with a matter-of-fact tone in her throat.
A pause was celebrated between the two before Molly continued.
“Daisy I know I keep pushing this alot but- You need to know that the Press jacket isn’t going to make you invisible. It’s going to be scarier for you.”
Daisy held her breath, she couldn’t argue with that reasoning; but even she knew when she slid on that white wording onto her vest that it had meaning for a reason. She made that choice for a reason.
The convoy slowed as it began to reach the entrance of its next destination, the hum dying away. Her head lifted just slightly to the silence outside. The road was empty, it shouldn’t have been.
“.. Something’s not right.”
An instant sound of pings alerted the group of the situation, Metal sang in her ears, the shot skipping off the top of her helmet with a dance of sparks as people were quick to duck. Daisy’s world tilted itself; the sound collapsing into a high, continuous shrieking ring in her ears.
She couldn’t hear the yells about the sniper, but knew too well what had just happened.
Molly’s hand curled into a fist, grasping Daisy’s vest as she pulled her closer to the floor. Another shot crackled, Daisy’s head turning just in time to see a round slamming her chestplate. Molly lurched forward, staggering as she covered Daisy deeper, her eyes burning with a ferocity.
“You’re safe right?” Molly hissed, breathing ragged.
Daisy’s face reddened, nodding without verbal reply.
The truck swerved against the gunners above opening up. Tracers began to cut into the air, the road ahead breaking into gunfire and explosions.
The leading vehicle ahead bit into a burst of dirt, smoke, and fire. It flew backwards, ramming into their vehicle as Daisy slammed sideways, her ribs aching from the jolt. The side of the car burst open, a wheel larger than her torso spinning past like a coin toss from God. Daisy’s head turned to see a haze of smoke from the vehicle ahead, a burning wreck. She couldn’t tell what had been in the smoldering mess, but there was blackness beneath the smoke, and a limpness in the people surrounding it.
“We need to help-”
“They’re DEAD, Daisy!” Molly’s voice ached, pulling her back as gunfire rattled, shattering a window behind them. Molly lifted her rifle, firing rounds back at the enemies, her bullets punching through metal and flesh alike. Daisy turned her face to the opening of the car just in time to see a round ripping into another. She was quick to recognize them as a reporter that offered her breakfast earlier that very morning. She opened her mouth to scream, but the vehicles surged ahead past the wreckage, drowning out whatever noise she made.
The sound of firefight began to die down- rapidly, as Molly pulled her aside to duck down behind the array of trucks, settling her into another seat.
“Shedletsky is taking care of it. Keep your head down.”
Through the dust, Daisy could peer past the small flashes. A man donned in armor, sword drawn past the barricade. It was them again… The second man and his hammer- swung into a wall, and in an instant the whole building was gone.
It didn’t take long with them out for the convoy to break free, engines and wounded alike screaming in a hail of fury.
When it finally died into a true silence, a moment of peace, Daisy began to realize that the loudest thing to exist in that moment had been her own heartbeat. It thudded rapidly into her ears, blood curdling at the slow realization…
When they finally made it to their first safe spot, all she could pull herself into reality for long enough was to take the helmet off of her head.
There’s a rule that many people in life follow- and it’s that in a car accident, you never look back at the wreckage. One could always assume that this may apply to other disasters as well. It may have even applied now, as her fingers trembled, sitting in her bed as her fingers traced the helmet in her lap. A thick gouge carved into it where the first bullet had hit. The metal split at the breaking point, a grave reminder that had they hit her again, that helmet would not have protected her just as it had the first time.
“Daisy.” Molly’s voice spoke sternly, asking for her attention.
Daisy’s lips opened to speak, but only quivered.
“How are you holding up?” Her hand stretched out, passing a bottle of water to her.
Daisy was quick to drink it, her stomach churning at the events that unfolded.
“... They weren’t dead were they?”
“... They weren’t going to survive.” Molly exhaled. “It’s an unfortunate truth.”
“My badge. My vest. My camera…” Daisy blinked rapidly, suppressing the wetness that grew in her eyes. “I thought… No. I knew that when I first joined that it was going to be rough. I thought that even if I couldn’t carry a weapon, my word would be important enough against the B-Cons.”
Molly’s hand outstretched, placing her palm firmly against her back, gentle circular rubs coaxing her.
“History.” Molly whispered in a low tone, her chest purring with a soothing sound. “History is always one of the first casualties in war. And it’s because it's the most important. They will utilize a lack of education. They will utilize a lack of knowledge and awareness. They will blind us from recognizing the warning signs. Because that makes it easier for them to grab power.”
“They start killing others by killing their memories, by burning their records. And by erasing those who bear witness. It’s because they only want the future to read their version of the events.”
Molly leaned in, sitting next to Daisy as her other hand pressed to the thick bruising on her ribs. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was grateful it was her plate that was struck.
“You handled it well, Daisy. I hope to help see you to the end of this.”