FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I pulled out the map we had been handed and flattened it out on a large boulder. The two points were highlighted, but there were no trails marked. The only indicated path was a small access road which I immediately ruled out. The weather station was an extremely defensible position. It sat above tree line, and was built into the mountain side. The only approach I saw, other than a two hundred foot dash across an open field of fire, was from the opposite side of the peak, and attack from behind and above. Unfortunately, that side of the mountain was guarded by sheer cliffs.

"Hey Trestan, how much do you think you can lift?"

He looked down to see where my finger was tracing a line on the map and got my point.

"I might be able to carry someone like Curry or Lewis, but probably not you or Simmons, and defiantly not Tank."

"Well then, who's up for a climb?"

I laid out my plan for the others. I still wasn't sure what we would do once we got there. But, we had a few days to plan that. They agreed. We would inspect the cliff face and if it looked too impassable, we would take the short hike around front and rethink the assault. I drew in what I thought to be the best rout up the mountain, we shouldered our packs, slung our rifles and headed out in a ranger file.

We didn't know what was in the woods around us, or if we would run into any enemy patrols, but we didn't take any chances. Trestan, who had the best eyes, took point. I walked behind him watching the left. Jessica followed me guarding the right, then Tank who also watched left. Teague brought up the rear, covering our six. In this way, we moved silently through the trees for five hours.

We reached a small clearing by a spring and decided to stop for lunch. Rather than breaking into our limited quantity of MREs, I brought out the apples I had taken this morning. We sat there eating, the sun now high above our heads, surrounded by the smell of pine trees and hot granite. We talked quietly as we ate.

Tank spoke up, "I've been thinking."

"Sounds difficult."

"Oh ha ha. Why don't we take the bunker at night, when it's dark, and most of the inhabitants will be asleep. I know it's hard for you to travel at night Harper, but since we're already coming in from their blind spot, why not take every advantage possible?"

"I was thinking the same thing." This from Jessica. "Why don't we find a good base of operations today? Spend all day tomorrow scouting, and then..."

We all fell silent. The others must have heard it too. I had distinctly heard the sound of a careless foot breaking a branch. I pulled out my rifle. I motioned Teague and Jessica to the left and right. Trestan walked with me straight towards the sound. Tank stayed behind, rifle in one hand, pistol in the other, guarding the gear. I kept my gun leveled, eyes sweeping left and right. Trestan held up a hand in the stopping gesture. Then I saw it. An ACU clad coyote was creeping towards the location of our camp, unaware of our presence. I was about to aim my rifle and say something when Jessica burst from cover and tackled the usurper. I ran forward and covered him as Teague retrieved his weapon.

"He's from one of the junior squads."

I slid his sidearm from its holster, laughing inwardly at the expression of fear on his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Please, my commander told me to find you guys and find out your plan. Let me go, I won't tell them anything."

That wasn't a risk I was willing to take.

"What should we do with him?"

"Well, we can't let him go back. And I'm not dragging him off this mountain so..."

I leveled my rifle and shot him once in the neck. The puff of compressed air barely audible over the forest noises.

Teague bent down to collect his radio and canteen. Other than that, he had been traveling light and had no more useful equipment. Teague called in his location to the chopper for pickup. Trestan striped his ammunition and we left him to go check on Tank.

We walked back to our gear to find Tank still standing there.

"What was it?"

"An upper classman spy."

"There you go," called Jessica as she tossed Tank the spare rifle.

After that, we decided to move on. I collected my gear, fell back into line, and we resumed our trek. Before sundown, Trestan spotted a small grotto of boulders. I joined him to examine the place. The rocks were the remnants of some ancient slide and all of them were easily over ten feet tall. They rested against each other so there was one way in and out. I figured a better spot to work out of couldn't be found. I went back to get the rest of the squad and we set up camp.

We rotated watch that night. I had second watch and soon Teague was waking me up. I climbed atop the largest boulder and stat there watching the surrounding forest. There were no more disturbances though and I woke up Tank three.

The next day, I stayed at camp with Teague and Jessica. Trestan had left while it was still dark so he could get high above the compound without being spotted. Tank had also gone to scout. He was going to sit below the tree line and look for anything that Trestan couldn't see from the sky. More importantly, he was there to watch out for any of the other squads trying to make a quick go and beat the rest of us. For being so large, Tank could hide himself extremely well.

I spent the day practicing with the new gun. Soon I could arc the round to pick off a pinecone a hundred yards away. Hopefully we would be in close quarters and I wouldn't have to rely in that shot, but it was good to know that I could if we needed it. I returned to the ring of boulders the find Jessica on one side, tampering with the captured radio. I relieved Teague who was on lookout. He dropped to the ground and began doing something with a cartridge for his pistol.

I pulled out my radio. "Tank what's your status?"

"No movement from the other squads, wait..."

"A sophomore was sneaking by, but I think they have a sniper, cause he went down pretty fast. There are more coming, I have to go."

"Trestan, do you have eyes on Tank?"

"No, but I see the disturbance. There's a group of cadets moving up the slope in V formation. They've stopped. They're going back, I think they know what happened."

"Alright, let me know if you see anything else."

"Roger."

I put down the handheld and went to my pack.

"Got it!" exclaimed Jessica.

I looked at her curiously.

"I've boosted this radio so we can pick up the communications from the weather station. Hold up"

"So it's confirmed? Yes, two squads have been eliminated. Alright, any other news. No, anything on your end? We had one guy run by but Ramon got him. Alright, keep us informed, Reese out."

I sat on top of the rock ring, listening to the radio for the rest of the day. I didn't learn much but we could keep track of guard rotations. Two of the four squads had already been eliminated and the fourth down a man.

In the afternoon, Jessica relieved me and I slid off the rock to join Teague.

"Hey Kirian, check this out." He said after a while.

I walked over to him. He held out a mass of duct tape wrapped around a strange contraption containing the air cartridge.

"What the hell is this supposed to be?"

"It's a grenade. The narcotic from the darts requires large doses when injected, but is extremely potent when inhaled."

"So."

"So, using an air cartridge, and the tranquilizer from three darts, it will effectively work as a smoke grenade that sprays a fine mist of the knockout juice into the air."

"Brilliant."

"I was only able to make two because it requires the spring from a ball point pen, but it should help when the time comes to infiltrate."

"Stand to, I've got movement." Jessica whispered from above my head.

I grabbed my rifle and looked out from a small opening under the rocks. Teague took the entrance. I waited for a minute and then saw a large from coming straight for our encampment. I switched off the safety. It stepped out of the woods and I recognized Tank. I still didn't relax my grip on the rifle.

"Hey," he whispered, "any one got a toothbrush?"

I let out my breath. To some that statement might sound like gibberish, but to us, it meant all clear. If he hadn't used the word toothbrush, it would mean that he was under enemy control and that we should stay on guard.

"No but we have a coke."

Tank lowered his weapon and came up to the camp as I extricated myself. I pulled out my radio.

"Trestan, what's your six?"

There was a short pause.

"Coming in fast with a stolen toothbrush."

"Roger that, there's cold coke waiting for you."

I turned my rifle to the sky and searched for him. A small dot appeared above us. It rapidly grew into Trestan's diving form, wings locked to his sides. Just when I though he was sure to smash into the ground, he flared his wings and landed softly in the middle of our holdout.

"Show off."

"What do you guys got?"

The two scouts told us everything they had found. From what they had seen, and I had heard, the structure had one main room, a kitchen, bathroom, small bunk, and a second back room where the captive was supposedly being held. There were seven, possibly eight defenders in the bunker, and a sniper and spotter on the roof. The doors were covered by cameras. The only time anyone ever left the building was when the snipers rotated themselves out. Trestan said that the rear approach was a difficult climb, but worth it. There was still snow on the upper slopes which would give me cover. Also, both of the teams who had been eliminated had attacked from the front.

"Where do the defenders usually stay?"

Tank answered. "From what I saw, there is never fewer than six in the main room watching monitors and out the windows. Their weapons are all more powerful than ours though."

"Hopefully this will be a close quarters fight and that won't be an issue."

I was beginning to form a plan.

"Teague, show the other's what you made."

Teague explained his knockout grenades. Trestan and Tank were intrigued. I sat, listening to radio chatter. I occasionally picked up stuff from the remaining squad, it sounded like they were having troubles though. They shouldn't be too much of a threat.

"Let's get some sleep guys. We have a long journey ahead of us."

I took first watch that night so I could keep thinking about my plan. Yes. That might just work. If the information and my assumptions were correct, we might just be able to pull this off.