Wylde Fyre
By Stephen Doyle
All characters created by Stephen Doyle
Zee created by Chris Mills
This story may contain bad language and hard violence - you have been warned
Chapter Two
“Name your price”
Antherian year 1140
Firstholme National Bank
Not more than a short while later, the five, now introduced and on first-name terms sat in an empty corner of the resistance mess hall.
Like much of the base, it had been converted from something else – in this case a basement storeroom area. Several walls had been knocked through, but support pillars left standing. As a result, the area was now capable of seating many people at once. The room usually doubled as a mass meeting room, as well as a food hall, function room, for rare morale-inspiring events, and the like. However, like most of the base, it had that ‘not quite finished’ air to it, coming from its improvisation into a larger area.
The quartet of Antherians had sat in silence for a long while now, each mulling over the information they had been given in the confidential meeting, and not willing to be the first to break the silence, in case somehow the security forces would sweep down upon them from nowhere, clap them in irons, and throw them in the darkest recess of the resistance HQ.
Josh looked up at the faces around him, but quickly looked down at the tabletop again as he met Jessy’s eyes doing the same. It had gone on like this for some time, until Adam finally willed up the courage to speak.
“What do you think they will give us to do next?” he said, quietly.
There was a feeling like physical tension had been released, and the five of them all looked up.
“I’m not sure… I suppose we’ll be detailed to try and locate the scientist”, answered Jessy. It had become common now for the five of them to refer to Silverwind as ‘the pilot’ and Talian as ‘the scientist’ to avoid (they hoped) giving anything away.
“Do they even know where she is?” pondered Josh, resting his muzzle on one hand, elbow on the round table top. His other hands forefinger lazily traced the outline of a deep scratch on the wooden surface. The table looked like it had once belonged in a pub.
Taia shrugged the question away. “I have no idea… I don’t know if they even know where the pilot is either – I don’t think anyone does though”.
“I expect some Marek death squad rounded them up and either shoved them into a hive work-gang, or they got wasted, and sent to a recycler pit”. Answered Adam, frowning. “Something equally grim and unpleasant, I would imagine”.
The others all looked at him with raised eyebrows.
“Way to uplift the situation, Adam” murmured Jessy, resting her muzzle on one hand. The panther smiled sheepishly at her and shrugged, his ears flattened to his head in apology.
The group looked at each other again, before silence swept in once more.
Looking through the enhancements of her suits’ visor, the entrance to the resistance base wasn’t really that concealed at all. In all fairness though, she did know where to look, which made things a lot easier. To a casual observer, or to the Marek, the bank would appear like any other rusted smashed hulk of a building. Through the enhancements of her armour, she could see the heat patterns of people’s bodies, the minor fluctuations of the magnetic field of the area around them as they moved.
The cat hunched back behind the portion of wall she was hiding behind and considered her next move. She couldn’t just roll merrily up to the door and announce she was here to tell them something – they’d be more than a little bit suspicious. The resistance knew of Zee (or Spirit, as she styled herself), but they weren’t exactly on the best of terms. If she sneaked in, it would of course, only be worse. They’d probably be less inclined to ask questions too, and just start shooting, and while she was confident that she could take down a hell of a lot of them in the process, she knew she wouldn’t get out of there without any scrapes at all – if she did get out.
No, she thought, pushing her visor up. This would take a better idea.
Mandros frowned at the communications tech, as he replayed the message.
“Did she just say what I thought she said?” he asked, with a sceptical raised eyebrow.
“Ah, yessir, I think so. Shall I play it again?”
“Please”.
“This is Zee Carline, the Spirit, calling the Resistance – I have information you may find of use regarding Talian Sahram and her condition. If you want me to reveal more, I’m outside your base. Come up to the surface, and I’ll meet you there.
“That’s all?” asked Mandros, standing up from where he had leant across the back of the seat to hear more closely.
“Yes sir – it’s on a loop”.
The lion stood back and rested his chin in one paw, his tail curling slowly back and forth as he considered the message – it could be a trap, but then, nobody would know their radio frequencies. Also, it was common belief that the Marek had no knowledge of Spirit and certainly not of her real name. More than that, if she did have information about Talian, then it could be fatal to pass it up.
“Give me the microphone, trooper”.
The tech passed the microphone headset to Mandros, who clicked the controls to the right frequency.
“Spirit, this is Mandros, in command of the Antherian Resistance. We’ve received your message, and I will meet you myself on the front forecourt of the base building, in five minutes. Send a reply if there are no problems, over”
Mandros listened for a moment, as did the communications tech and most of the other personnel in the communications room.
“Roger. I’ll be waiting” came the simple answer, and the channel went dead again. Mandros walked away from the console, before addressing the room.
“I want full surveillance in every direction! Limited radar and IR sweeps, sonar, infra-red and ether-detection at maximum!”
A chorus of “Yes sir!” and “Right away!” came back, as the communications room became a hive of activity. As this went on, the lion moved to talk out of the room, heading for the upper levels of the base, and the outside.
In the Xerxes central hive, another man of power strode through the massive and twisted corridors, heading for the throne room at the apex of the construction, where Santomagh awaited the news he brought.
He was not a Marek, and neither were the three that flanked him. They were a few of the handful of Antherians that, rather than become slaves, had pledged their allegiance to the Marek in return for their lives – as well as secrets and information belonging to the Antherians themselves. It was people like them that had led to the destruction of the armed forces by seeding chaos from within and revealing plans and tactics.
More specifically, it was their leader, the renegade general Blackwind Strike that had done so much to defeat his own people. Now, with arrogance in his posture the wolf marched through the hive. At his tail were his so-called ‘comrades in arms’.
All were as traitorous and underhanded as their leader – a fact he knew well, and guarded against jealously, as he knew that they’d jump at the chance to deceive and replace him, just as soon as they’d obey his orders. It was only due to his intelligence and quick-witted nature that he stayed ahead of their games in the first place. It likely also had something to do why Santomagh not only tolerated his presence, but also actually seemed to value his input – something unheard of for any creature that was non-Marek.
The quartet reached the door to Santomaghs’ lair, and stood silent and still as it dilated open, like an iris, revealing the Marek overlord lounging on his giant throne.
“Ah” rumbled the monster, “Strike, and your cohorts. Enter”.
Blackwind and the others stepped inside. The three henchmen stood back, as he approached the throne. The trio shivered as they felt Santomaghs amused eyes upon them, and turned their heads away. The giant creatures’ eyes moved back to where Blackwind now stood at the foot of the steps.
“You have brought me news?” asked Santomagh, looking down in interest at the Canine.
“Yes, my lord. I was idly looking through the reports and information recovered by the worker gangs today, and found out that one was attacked”.
“That is of no consequence – the scuttling insects that call themselves a resistance always try our patience with such meaningless acts”
“I know, lord, but this was of more consequence – the gang contained a prominent figure”.
“Oh? And who might that be?” asked the Marek, more interested now.”
“A scientist, by the name of Talian Sahram. She had several… interesting theories, and was rumoured to have made several important discoveries before the invasion – some that may even be able to change the balance…”
Blackwind flinched, anticipating an outburst, his ears flattened to his head, and his eyes closed. After a few heartbeats had passed, and no tirade had emerged, he opened his eyes slowly, and looked up curiously. Santomagh was sitting quietly, his monstrous visage screwed up as if in concentration upon something.
“Lord Santomagh?” asked the wolf hesitantly, ears pricked.
“I am thinking, sub-commander. It may be a process that you are not familiar with”.
Blackwind controlled his anger at the jab, and nodded quietly.
“I believe that you are implying the resistance wish to get hold of this Talian Sahram, am I correct?”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Then they will attempt to attack again, and to rescue her, will they not?”
Blackwind nodded. He was bored of this already, and just wished the Marek would get to the point.
“And would they not also take any other slaves who were with her?”
“That is a likely probability, lord Santomagh. After all, they do desire the freedom of the Antherian people”.
“I thought as much… in that case, I propose we let them rescue her”.
“My lord…?”
Santomagh ignored the Antherians’ question as he mind-linked with one of the scientists.
*Scientist, how much progress? *
*Much, my lord. We have already determined the problems, and are correcting them at once*
*Excellent… do you think you can have a working subject ready? I have a plan that will require one*
*Very well, lord Santomagh. I shall make one available, and it shall not fail*
*It had better not*
The Marek overlord turned his attention back to the wolf that was looking up at him expectantly. “Blackwind, assemble a small unit of your forces, and be ready for battle at a moments notice… We may be able to crush the resistance once and for all, should my plan go well”.
Blackwind bowed, and then, dismissed by a wave of Santomaghs hand, the group left the great throne room, heading out into the corridors once more. As soon as they had rounded the corner, one of Blackwinds’ men spoke up.
The second in command – or as close to it as expected, in the murderous group – his name was T’ai, and his reason for defection was simple – he hated people.
“So, what did the ‘roach want?” asked the tiger, jerking his head in a nod back towards the throne room.
“I’m not sure,” replied Blackwind, keeping his eyes fixed ahead. “But nothing of consequence with us. He has a plan of some kind, to stop the resistance, perhaps destroy their base”.
“Excellent” said Sheen, one of the two female members of the group. Her vulpine eyes shimmered in wide-eyed excitement as she imagined the battle. “Finally we’ll put an end to them!”
“Bah!” said Blackwind, his muzzle contorted in a sneer. “I couldn’t care less about them. They won’t win, not how they are. They lack organisation, resources, and most of all, the means and vision to do anything. No, the real power is still with the Marek… but the resistance must be onto something, which is why they need the get their hands on Sahram… and whatever they want, I want. It could mean the difference to control, on this little planet”.
“You’re really into this power trip business, aren’t you?” said the other female of the team, Denzi. She was usually the most reserved and quiet of the four – she was neither as bloodthirsty, nor as power hungry or angry. She simply wanted to avoid fighting for the people that had cost her family and home, as well as much of her body and life. Cybernetics and scars marred most of the left side of her body, as well as much that was covered by her clothing.
Blackwind gave the cat a small grin of satisfaction and a nod, his tail swishing the air behind him as he thought of it.
“Power is everything… power can get you everything you need, and anything you want… and I want it!”
Silence reined the four of them for a moment, until Blackwind stopped, and they clustered around him.
“Listen, I have my own plans and agendas to follow, separate from that creatures. T’ai and Denzi… I have an errand for you to run. Sheen, you will stay with me. I want us to participate in any attack, should it happen, as a show of face”.
The three nodded, and headed off again, moving for their designated area of the hive.
Meanwhile, back at the resistance HQ, the meeting had been made. Now Mandros eyed Zee carefully as the cat sat on an armchair opposite him over a low table. She had removed her power armour in its entirety, relishing the opportunity to do so, and had accepted a cup of coffee from the lion. She had relayed the encounter of the previous day to him, and he now sat watching her as he mulled it over.
“All right” he said finally. “Thank you for bringing us the information. So, do you have any co-ordinates for us to follow this up on? Any location for Talian Sahram?”
The cat sipped her coffee with a cool expression on her face, before placing the mug back onto the tabletop, and crossing her legs one over the other.
“Hmm” she purred, “see; now here’s the interesting part. I want to get something out of this to make it worth my while”.
Mandros hissed his breath through his teeth in anger, his tail twitching in anger. “For some people, the idea of freeing others would be enough”.
“Yes, but we both know I’m not most people, am I?”
Mandros frowned. “That’s obvious,” he muttered. “Well, what would you like?” he said more loudly.
Zee stretched in her chair, and leaned back as she thought. What did she want? Money would be useless, as there was nowhere to spend it. She already had all of the ammunition and medical supplies she would need. She frowned, before breaking into a grin as she came up with something.
“I want to be part of it. Be part of the mission, the task, and the adventure. I want to have part of that respect and adoration. I’m-“
She stopped, and then looked away, cutting herself off, her expression now sullen and stormy.
“You’re what?” said Mandros, picking up the word left hanging in mid-air, leaning closer in curiosity.
“Nothing. It doesn’t matter. So, what do you say to my proposal?” she asked, changing tack entirely.
Mandros looked thoughtful, his head bowed in quiet contemplation, his hand stroking his mane thoughtfully. There was no question of her capability as a fighter – she had survived this long on her own, so she would be no hindrance in that way. But it was precisely that she had done it on her own that was also the sticking point – could she be depended on to come through for the rest of the people he would risk on this mission?
“I have no question of your abilities as a fighter, Zee, but I have to question one thing – can I depend on you if I send people with you? Can I expect you to come through for them when they need you?”
The cat was quiet for a moment as she thought on the lion’s words. It was true that she had worked alone, and it was by choice. She had never liked the idea of depending on other people, and of them depending on her… but… sometimes, it was true that you needed someone.
More than once she had experienced a close call, a near miss, and had no one to turn to. Could she expect these people to be there for her? To watch over her back and protect her?
“Can I expect the same of your people?” she asked quietly, looking him in the eye. The lion met her gaze with steel in his own, and nodded without hesitation.
“Of course. They’re soldiers, warriors, and fighters. They have to depend on one another. Whatever the mission is, it doesn’t come down to that – it’s all about the guy who’s standing next to you. It doesn’t matter about anything else”, he said firmly.
Zee looked into the lion’s eyes with a curious expression, slightly cynical and disbelieving, but swayed by the steel and calm in his voice. This was the sound and manner of a man who spoke the truth, surely.
Finally she nodded. “All right… I’ll play it like that. I’ll be there for them; I’ll fight for them and for you… I want to see this thing through”.
Mandros nodded quietly. “I can’t convince you of our ideals, or of our goal… but at least you’re starting to see some sense of why we fight together…”
Zee smirked. “Ha. I’ll reserve my judgment for now. All I want is a challenge from those things, and from whatever mission you’ve got planned”.
Mandros shook his head and simply shrugged, unknowing of what to say.
“It’ll help if you stay around here. I’ll need your help in the briefing when we begin, and you’ll need to know our plans if you’re going to be involved”.
Sensing that he’d finished, Zee stood and made to leave, taking the compact case her armour had folded down into with her. She paused in the doorway, as if to say more, but then shook her head and stepped out into the corridor.
As soon as the door had swung closed behind her, Mandros let out a sigh and settled back into his chair, his fingertips together in a steeple in front of him, and his eyes looking into the distance as he contemplated what lay before the resistance.
He had browbeaten, brain-stormed and revised the calculations, plans, mission briefings, tactical and intelligence information, and so on many, many times over, and had always come back to the same result, no matter how many times he had tried.
All factors accounted for, all variables considered and stacked, and all t’s crossed, and i’s dotted, it came down to the fact that everything hinged on luck. The indefinable, intangible and unpredictable quantity that so often decided the course of life and history.
Mandros laid his head back in the chair and closed his eyes, offering up a quiet prayer of hope, to whoever would listen.
A day later, Taia stood outside the base, at one of the less risky exits. The maze of tunnels, sewers, basements and service corridors led out to the parkland that had been at the centre of town here, via an old storm drain that was now well hidden by the overgrown bushes and grasses.
Alone, except for a few other people right on the peripheral edges of her vision, the cougar wandered silently among the plants. The sky was blue with the beginning of a new day, and she had slept restlessly. Her sleep had been filled with the dreams of their upcoming mission, and visions of the people she was set to meet had plagued her, leading eventually to those of people she had known and lost haunting her as well.
Waking early, she had come out to the park to clear her head, or so she had hoped. Instead, she had become lost in memories of the people she had known, and lost, and was now contemplating how few people she had known from before the war still remained. She was also wondering on how those gone would perceive her now – she had changed so much, from who she was. And if she was honest with herself, she admitted that the new person she was scared her.
“Couldn’t sleep?” a familiar voice said, and she turned to face its source, brought back to the real world.
Jessy stood a few feet away, smiling warmly. As always, Taia was surprised that despite her sometimes distant and quiet manner, Jessy still managed to appear concerned and kind. Taia answered in a nod, suppressing a yawn. Jessy fell into step beside the taller woman as she continued to walk.
“No, I couldn’t either… Too much on my mind” she said quietly. The bright-haired lynx looked off into the light early-morning sky as she walked at Taia’s side.
Taia gave her a sidelong glance and smirked. “Panthers part of that?” she said with a grin. Jessy gave her a good-natured slap on the arm, smiling wryly. “Shut up about that, that’s not what I meant,” she grinned and then raised an eyebrow. “Of course, not that it isn’t true...”
Taia laughed softly and smiled, her long tail twitching. “I can’t blame you… he’s a good looking guy, and I imagine he could be quite interesting, but-“
Jessy gave an irritated hiss, and Taia looked sidelong at her friend.
“You still don’t trust him, do you?” said the lynx, and Taia stayed quite for a moment, before she finally spoke up.
“I know I should, he’s had enough chances to prove himself, to cover my back… I don’t know, it must be all to do with my parents, and Blackwind, and how he’s involved…” she sighed, her tail lashing in agitation. “I don’t know, I…it’s stupid I know…”
“Getting onto the point”, said Jessy, all too happy to change the subject, “ -I meant… I can’t believe we’re doing this. It’s too bizarre to be true – we’re going to meet two of the most well known people in our society, and recruit them to hopefully fight by our side… How weird does that sound?”
Taia nodded quietly, slightly irritated by the other woman’s presence. She had been enjoying her solitude until now. Jessy appeared not to notice, and continued to talk, still not looking to Taia.
“It’s like… this is all a dream. All some kind of bizarre set of events, like a story. But… I’m here, I’m living and breathing it, so I know it has to be real… and I’ve got to admit to you, chief – it scares the hell out of me. I don’t know what I’m doing here sometimes…”
Taia gave a sideways glance to the other feline as she said this, her tail curling curiously in response, somewhat surprised by the revelation. Jessy always seemed self-assured, confident and calm, almost to the point of being blasé or arrogant, sometimes, from what she had seen of the woman so far. To admit to being scared was certainly unusual.
She wondered to herself on her words too – what were they doing here? She was fighting for their freedom, she knew that… but what purpose would their next mission serve… Talian Sahram had information, and Silverwind Blade was the greatest ace in history (she was disappointed in the sarcasm in that thought), but how much difference could two people make, she wondered.
But the more she thought, the more she thought she understood. She hadn’t signed up to be a soldier, like many of the people around her. She had been roughly and quickly trained to be a warrior and soldier by the resistance. This didn’t mean she wasn’t instilled with some of the moral discipline and drive that the soldiers she fought with had. After all, she was fighting for the same purpose – to rescue those she knew and cared for, and to reclaim what was left of their world from its invaders.
She knew what she had lost, and given up for this too – a life full with freedom of choice, and of the ability to go and make your own choices on who and what you fought for – if you fought at all. To stand up for your ideals and beliefs... This, she had learned, was a noble sentiment… but sometimes, there was no way you could maintain it. Sometimes, there was no room, no way, for negotiations, for talking and peace. Sometimes taking a stand wasn’t enough - sometimes you had to fight, as there was no other way open to you. No other way to go forwards, or to try and other option. When your enemy refused to allow you the right to even exist as a species, to have your life as it was given to you, and cared nothing for it, you, your circumstance your culture or choices, what else was there?
“We’re here because we have to be,” she said, finally. “Because if we weren’t, who else would be? We’re fighting for our right to exist, Jessy”.
The pair stopped at the base of one of the parks few standing statues. Like many of the others on the planet, it was of the race that had existed here aeons ago, the mystery builders who had left ruins that defied belief in their construction and complexity. They were thought to be some kind of evolutionary abnormality, or perhaps ancestors of the two races, canine and feline, somehow. They were bipedal, like both races, but had wings on their backs like birds (and definitely not like either species), but had canine muzzles and fox like bushy tails – nine of them, bizarrely. Their ears were like a combination of both – big like canine ones, but triangular and looked to be mobile like felines. This particular one was female, and she was reaching upwards, cradling a sphere made of marble in her hands, the rest of the statue was made of weathered granite. Time had left grimy stains on the stone, making it look like the statue held a pleading expression and was crying.
“Do you think this is what happened to them,” asked Jessy, as they both looked at the statue, which stood twice their height, the lynx leaning on the beaten up railing around it’s base.
Taia looked at Jessy, and then at the statue, folding her arms across her chest against the chill she felt suddenly. The short-sleeved T-shirt she wore was little protection against the cold.
“Perhaps… maybe they couldn’t change when they needed to… or maybe not. Perhaps they left, seeing what was coming. Perhaps… they turned to pixie dust. Anything, I don’t know, but I hope for their sakes, that they didn’t go through this”.
Jessy nodded softly and looked at the statue once more, before she turned her head back to Taia.
“I guess we’ll never know. But I do know that I could really use a coffee right about now. C’mon, let’s go back inside where it’s warm”.
Taia grinned and followed Jessy’s lead, walking back inside.
Behind them, the first few rays of the rising sun hit the statue’s face, for an instant giving the illusion that it was smiling.
Elsewhere in the resistance base, Josh watched as Adam circled the two vehicles they’d been given for this mission. Even though they hadn’t been given deployment orders yet, the pair of them had managed to weasel out what they’d be assigned from one of the resistance admin people, as they’d grown bored of sitting and doing nothing.
One was a slightly modified Rhino ATV, like the one Adam, Jessy and Taia had used before. The other was a Razorback helicopter. Well armed, it was able to carry around three people, as well as a pilot and gunner in a separate cockpit. Both were somewhat patchwork affairs, the results of several hasty repairs to keep the vehicles working properly and equip them with weapons there was still ammunition for, and people to maintain.
“So” said Josh as Adam stopped circling the two machines and stood next to him. “What have we got then?”
Adam looked at the fox and shrugged, his feline face amused. “Well… as far as the vehicles we have got available go… they are good. Perhaps the best”
Josh smirked and slid off of the crate he was sitting on, walking up to the side of the chopper. “So, they’re pieces of junk?”
Adam walked to join him, the panther gently thumping the side of the machine. A small piece of plating rattled and fell off, falling to the floor with a clang.
“Uh… yeah, I guess so”.
Both of them looked at the missing part, and then turned as they heard someone else enter the hangar.
“So, this’ll be one of our rides, I take it?” said a female voice, and both of them looked around.
“Depends”, said Adam eying the newcomer carefully, “if you are coming with us or not”.
The white cat walked over, smiling almost smugly as she approached them. Slim, but quite short, she came up to Adam’s chest. She also seemed to be wearing a suit of combat armour – a rarity in these times.
“Obviously, I know a lot more than you at the moment, something that gives me endless satisfaction, and you a lot of confusion. You see, I’m definitely going with you, as I’m the one who knows where you’re actually going”.
Josh and Adam exchanged glances, and Josh shrugged in confusion.
“Um,” said the blue fox, “excuse me, but who are you?”
The cat grinned, and turned her eyes on him. “I could ask you the same question. I’m Zee Carline, or, as I prefer to be known when I’m in this armour, Spirit. Who are you?”
Josh raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. “My name’s Josh… and uh… that’s it”.
“Why is it that they call you Spirit?” asked Adam, folding his arms in front of his chest, a curious expression on his face.
“Because even after you think I’m gone, I’m still there haunting you,” Zee said, grinning as she did, her tail twitching.
“They could’ve just as easily called you ‘B.O.’ then” sounded Taia’s voice, as she and Jessy entered the hangar.
Adam and Josh cracked up, and Taia and Jessy joined them where they stood by the vehicles, a grin evident on Taia’s muzzle. Zee stood with her helmet under one arm, stuck for words before finally sighing and giving a slight smile in acknowledgment of the joke.
“So” asked Taia, after recovering her composure. “You’re coming with us then, to help rescue Talian?”
Zee nodded silently, eying the cougar and measuring herself against the rebel fighter. Both were of similar height, though Taia probably had an advantage in muscle – she was wirier and looked more ‘built’ than Zee, though Zee thought she would be faster or more agile than the older woman. As Zee’s blue eyes, hidden behind wrap-around shades, met with Taia’s green ones, they held each other’s look, each getting the measure of the other, before Zee nodded silently, and Taia gave a small smile.
“Well then” said Josh, breaking the sudden silence. “We know how we’re going to find Talian now, but what about Silverwind?”
Adam nodded in agreement, and Jessy also looked intrigued.
“Well,” answered Taia, leaning against the helicopter’s side with one arm, “We’ve got some recon data to go on, thankfully”.
“Recon?” said Jessy, raising an eyebrow. “From what?”
Taia smiled as she produced a disk from the back pocket of her combat trousers, and slotted it into the handheld computer she had. Sliding the screen out to full-size, she beckoned the others around her as the screen rolled to show satellite images.
“A satellite?” remarked Josh in disbelief, “but I thought they were all destroyed?”
Taia nodded. “I did as well, during the invasion. Apparently some survived though. Because the Marek can detect their specific frequencies and transmissions, it’s dangerous to use them, as they might reveal the location of the receiver, or the satellite itself – however, this time there didn’t seem to be a better way of doing it”.
The five of them studied the satellite images as Taia replayed them on her palmtop. It showed a very hilled area, covered in thick deciduous forests. At the current time of the year, the spring, the leaves were thick and the forest was beginning to bloom again. A few overgrown roads, used for logging trails in times past wound their way up through the hills and trees, and there were a few dilapidated looking buildings as well – probably tourist attractions.
“What are we looking for?” asked Adam quietly, but Taia shushed him, as the screen continued to scroll upward, before she darted her hand out and paused the scroll.
“There” she said, and tapped the screen with a stylus, making a circle around what was spotted. From the distance the satellite had taken the picture, it appeared as a dot. She tapped the area of the screen, and it zoomed in, revealing more detail. Again, and more was revealed, and a further two times, until the definite shape of an Antherian fox was revealed, walking confidently across the clearing.
“Okay, so it’s a person. What makes you believe it’s him?” asked Jessy, looking over the picture. “It could be almost anyone”.
“Deductive reasoning I suppose you’d call it - all of the last reports we have from anyone saying they’d seen Silverwind said he was heading for the mountains and forests. The video shows us a fox, and we know he’s one of those. With enhancement, it’s also possible to make out weapons and equipment he’s carrying, and all of it is military issue… but even so, it’s still pretty sketchy”.
“It is the best we have,” said Adam, firmly. “We will find him, no matter about it”.
“No, Adam. You won’t be finding him” answered Taia, looking up at the panther. “We’ve been given our orders, at last”.
Adam looked up, as did the others. “What are they…?”
Taia looked around at the other faces, the other people taking a couple of steps back, and giving the cougar their attention. No whispers or comments were exchanged – this was the moment.
“We’re going to split into two groups. Adam, Zee, and Josh – you’re going after Talian Sahram. Jessy and I… we’re going after Silverwind Blade. You three are taking the Razorback, and we’re taking the ATV. We’ll be in contact via burst-transmission radio at three times in the day with each other and with base, to avoid the Marek picking up our signals. We leave ASAP, so stock up on weapons, ammunition, and other supplies and equipment… and good luck, naturally”.
Taia looked at them all, and they all looked back. Josh was nervous, but smiled. Zee looked a little smug and confident. Adam’s face was unreadable, and Jessy looked eager, but still professional. The cougar tried hard to imagine her own expression, but sighed and shook her head. She wanted badly for this to succeed, but there were a lot of odds piled against the little group.
“Let’s go,” she said simply, and they quickly dispersed. The game was on.
To Be Continued…