Before long, they arrived at the pavement where eight black SUV's are prepared on the move. She quickly realized that the precious cargo seen earlier was also stowed within one of these SUV's. As it seems also, they were the last to arrive as they enters one of the unmarked vehicles. True to Abel's words, her only passenger other than herself, is the one that she dreaded the most, the bawdy Colonel himself.        

         "Well well well...if it’s not the beautiful Katrina again, I'll be damned." the colonel smiles.

         "Nice to see you again Katrina." blushed Ajax.

                 At that moment, the convoy exited through the main Halos checkpoint and sped across the Freeway 47 as Katrina felt a slight tingle prickling down on the back of her spine with his gawky words before she quickly regained her composure.

        "You too Colonel." she lied. 

        "I wasn't hoping to see you so soon." she confesses.

        "Nah...don't be silly Katrina, you know how fond am I towards you since we first met at Avalast, did you not remembered?" the colonel blushes again.

        "Oh...is it? Am I supposed to respond back in some manner?" 

        "Well perhaps you could reward me with a date tonight, how about a steak with wine at downtown? I know a lovely fine place to dine." 

        She took a moment of pause without answering him as she looks out of her window, surveying the urban landscape as a barrage of cars sped across the freeway in both directions. The Colonel instinctively notices her admiration.

        "Its magnificent isn't she? The city of Vintorch. I am aware that this is the first time you are here. Do you even know why you are here in the first place mademoiselle?"

        "Kato needed me to lead his men." Katrina answers proudly.

        "Well that's true...but don't forget that I was the one who vouch for you to Kato."

        "Then I am grateful for it."

        "Well...you can thank me over dinner tonight." The Colonel persists.

Katrina can't help but noticed two cars have been tailing them closely from the left. She saw the same on the convoy's right flank. Instinctively she knew something wasn't right. She tries to beckon to the Colonel…when without warning, a RPG flew right across and struck the vehicle in front of them. The SUV somersaulted through the air before it crashes loudly in front of them. Their driver immediately slam the brakes so hard that Katrina and the Colonel was flung forward by the emergency brakes. Their skilled chauffeur managed to halt in time before hitting the overturned SUV; its mangled burning mass obstruct their path ahead. Momentarily, a second RPG hit the last SUV on the back of the convoy, this time completely blocking all exits of the remaining convoy from escaping.

                "What the hell is happening?" the Colonel appears shaken as he rubs his bruised head.

        "We are being attacked sir!" Abel responded frantically.

        "By who?" damn it! Who dares to attack us!"

        "Who else? Of course it’s the rebels." Suggested Katrina.

        "Call for reinforcements, immediately! Call for..." shouted Ajax.

        Men from the attacking automobiles got out and open fire with their kalashnikov rifles at the unsuspecting convoy. Five more red corvettes appeared from behind with more men joining the assault. The military escorts within each SUV retaliate by opening fire with their submachine guns but they are certainly outnumbered by the 30 rebels attacking them. Soon the scene become a bloodied blood bath.

        "Black hawk...this is black hawk calling to Foxhound, our convoy is being attacked by rebels, I repeat...our convoy is under attack! Requesting backup immediately!" Shouted Abel through the intercom as bullets struck their armored SUV from all sides.

        A female operator responded through the radio.

        "Black hawk...this is Foxhound. We are aware of your current situation and we have already dispatch Tarragons to your location. Just sit tight and enjoy the show."

        Abel couldn't believe what he just heard.

        "You want us to sit back and enjoy the...”

        A stray bullet managed to bore through its way through the bullet ridden window and hits the panicked driver squarely on his chest - killing him instantly.

        At that instant, Abel couldn't resist the urge anymore and draws his Berretta 92FS pistol as he speaks hastily to his commanding officer.

        "Stay in the vehicle Colonel...I am going out."

        "Wait!" shouted Ajax.

        Without hesitating, Abel got out of the SUV as he joins his comrades in the ongoing battle from a vantage point. However, from this angle, Abel sees that they will soon be overrun by the rebels.

        "This is it. We are going to die...we are all going to die!" screamed the Colonel as he cover his ears from the loud barrage of gunfire from all angles.

        A series of explosion rocked the tarmac as more gunfire erupts around them. Katrina stares at the Colonel in disbelief of his cowardice despite his high rank.

        "That's enough...I am getting out."

        "No you do not…that's an order!

                Katrina kicks her door open wide as she draws her double desert eagle. The colonel rushes forward to close the side door as she opens fire and kills a nearby rebel, and then another as her aim was swift and deadly. She let her .50 Action Express bullets fly as they hit 3 more targets accurately. The colonel watches in utter disbelief at Katrina's bravery and prowess as he thought to himself.

        "Man...you certainly do not want to mess with this flamingo."

        Discharging the empty mag with grace, Katrina quickly reloads them and opened fire again at the unsuspecting rebels. The loud BANG from her trusty pistol is certainly deafening, but she already gotten used to it since from her first killings in the olden days.

        As Katrina keeps knocking off the rebels one by one like bowling pins, her enemies begin to feel concerned with her threat. One of them hastily pulls out a 50 cal. machine gun from the corvette boot, loads the long magazine and fires at her direction haphazardly. The high velocity rounds tears through everything in its path as Katrina managed to duck behind a SUV just in time as the bullets struck the side of the armored vehicle harmlessly. Hiding behind the SUV door, she became powerless to stop the onslaught of the machine gunner as he laughs manically. Through the bullet ridden holes on the side door, she found a weak spot of the crazy gunner. As she held her breath and prepares to dash out, a large winged beast swoop from above and fire its large cannons on the unsuspecting machine gunner. The explosive rounds fling him across the opposite direction of the freeway and got him SMACKED right in the middle of a speedy car. 

                The highway, seemingly congested for now as many onlookers got out of their cars to spectate on the onslaught. Katrina looks on in disarray as her pinned comrades cheered loudly of their aerial reinforcements that has just arrived in the nick of time. Two Tarragons, large but certainly not the largest breed of the winged reptiles; was first inducted into the military service at an early age of their lifespan. They were docile and one of the easiest to be domesticated by The Vector science and weapons division of Kanos. As they became more receptive to orders, The Vectors division are able to equip the Tarragons with high powered cannons and install saddles for a rider to control them; making them truly a fearsome beast that rules the skies. So far not only the Kanos dominion are able to tame these wild majestic beast but the rebels had recently succeeded too to some extent.        

                  As the Tarragons pressed on their attack at the rebels, they realized that this is one battle that they are going to lose soon as they were not able to fend off the aerial and frontal assault. One of the rebels, apparently the leader, holds up a tracking device as he frantically scans the interior of the SUV's, one by one. Suddenly the device emits a loud and constant ping as he points towards one of the abandoned SUV. He immediately shouted orders to his men.

        "We found it guys...set up a perimeter over here!" Jackson Hargreaves beckons to his men as they rushes forward to form a defensive perimeter on their prize.

        "Lucas...remove that crate now, hurry!"

        Lucas nods as he grabs the small black crate and dashes off. It seems not heavy after all since Lucas still managed to sprint away quickly with it. With the precious cargo now confiscated by the rebels, Jackson ordered his men to retreat as more bullets flew about.        

                "Let’s wrap it up guys, we'll fight another day."

        The rebels retreated back to their red shiny corvettes as they prepare to flee; but not before a .50 AE round hit the back of Lucas shoulder. Lucas screams and grimace in pain while still clutching on the black crate, he turns to face his shooter and was surprised to see a beautiful blonde woman instead. Katrina and Lucas held their gaze momentarily as if a spell bounded them momentarily by first love kiss. Katrina didn't know why she didn't pulled the trigger again as Lucas managed to jump into one of the racing car with the help of his accomplice. The corvettes quickly accelerates away in the opposite direction of the traffic with the Tarragons are hot in pursuit above them. One of the Tarragon riders received an order from his helmet.        

         "Do not let the rebels escape with our precious haul or I will have your heads on my table this afternoon."

                 The rider acknowledged in unison and trembling with fear. 

         "Yes Sir Kato, we will get it done."

         Sensing no more danger, colonel Ajax finally disembarks from his comfy vehicle as he walk towards Katrina while she looks on; powerless to react on the fleeing rebels. 

        "Dont worry my dear, our Tarragons will catch them." 

        "I certainly hope your men will succeed colonel, for Kato will be very upset if they failed." answered Katrina.

        Colonel Ajax Horface sneered at her insulting remarks.