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As I sat on the Spirit of Silence, being shuttled to Allan Air Force Base, my mind began to wonder. My thoughts had been unusually active and I tended to speculate and contemplate past experience. I was thinking about the last week of training. Factors that seemed random at the time made sense now. Putting us on the NWO job must have been in the books for a while because we had all received service warrants.

The armor of my comrades now bore the bar and pip of a Warrant Officer. Until then we had never officially had rank. I had received a commission as at Chief Warrant Officer. I didn't understand it at the time. We had never needed ranks. I had always taken the lead and they had always accepted that. The rank hadn't changed a thing. Now however, I understood why we needed it. If the situation escalated and I was to be placed in tactical command of troops, I would need rank.

I sat in silence for the duration of the flight. My thoughts continued to wander but I didn't pay much attention. I was starting to get into a combat mindset.

Soon we were on the ground. Our plane was getting a lot of curious looks. I instructed the team of airfurs who had come to secure our gear where to take it. They loaded the large crates on a cart and wheeled them towards one of three large transport jets waiting on the tarmac. I slung my rifle, shouldered my gear and walked across the pavement to our designated aircraft. To keep our cover, we were traveling south using more... conventional means.

Columns of soldiers were formed up, waiting to board. I saw the eyes of a few of the les disciplined ones follow us as we walked in front of them. A pronghorn, wearing the insignia of a corporal, was waiting at the lowered bay door. He saluted me as we approached.

"Sir!"

I returned the salute and he led us into the plane. There were four rows of seats, two on the left and two on the right, facing each other. The seating was separated by cargo. Each of our seats had a locker above it where we were required to store out firearms and explosives. I secured my weaponry and sat down. Soon, the soldiers who had been outside filed in and took their seats. I overheard a few of them talking quietly amongst themselves.

"Did you see those guys?"

"Yeah, what was with those outfits? Is it Halloween or something?"

"I don't know about you guys, but I was checking out the marten."

"Did you see those guns she was packing?"

"Yeah, she was packing more than guns."

"I wish she'd pack some of me."

I ignored these comments. Soon, the large bay door was closing. A voice squawked over the intercom instructing us to dawn masks in preparation for takeoff. I reached below my seat where I found an oxygen mask similar to the ones on the Spirit of Silence. I strapped it over my head and switched to a private channel for our team.

The sound of talking was silenced by the roar of the aircraft's engines. I felt us begin to role forward. We taxied for a while before stopping. Then the behemoth lurched forward and began a rapid acceleration. With a jolt we were off the ground. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot once again increased velocity. I felt the force pull me sideways and then the familiar jerk and moment's nausea as we went supersonic.

I sat in the back seat of an SUV as we bumped down one of the many dirt roads of the region. The flight out had been a time for contemplation and planning, now it was all action. Intelligence believed that the enemy didn't know where the deserter was located, but it was only a matter of time before they found him. Assuming nothing went wrong, yeah right, we would simply drive to the pre arranged location in town, find the informant, secure him, and then drive back to the airfield where he would be placed in the hands of our government.

Like I said,if nothing went wrong. I had several contingency plans for alternative exits already laid out. Depending on the situation, we may have to use one of them. We hit a bump and my head nearly slammed into the ceiling.

"Damn Teague, where'd you learn to drive?"

"On roads which weren't perforated from IED detonations."

Our SUV which had been refitted to look like a trans-national delivery truck and reinforced with armor plates on the interior slowly bounced into the town. The locals took no notice as we navigated the cobblestone streets. They were used to seeing vehicles like this delivering goods and packages to local businesses.

Teague pulled to a stop in a small, unassuming courtyard surrounded by houses. I stuck my head into the front and looked out the window. The cellar door which had been described to us sat along one wall, closed. Jessica, Trestan, and I piled out of the back hatch. Teague and Tank stepped out of the front seat. They were wearing the standard coveralls and hats for drivers over their armor. These' they quickly removed and tossed into a duffle bag. We crouched cautiously by the cellar entrance.

"Blue Five, go up, two minute recon, and then come back. Make sure we don't have any unwanted company in or approaching the town. I don't want to get trapped down there."

Trestan spread his wings and leaped off the ground. I watched as He quickly became a small dot. Soon, he was back in the courtyard with us.

"All clear."

"Alright, let's move. We don't know how long it will stay that way."

I slung my rifle and drew the modified pistol. Tank helped me lift the heavy wood doors to reveal a stone staircase leading down, beneath one of the houses. Teague took point and began descending the stairs, his carbine trained in front of him. Jessica followed and I climbed in after her. After a six meter decent, Teague stopped and motioned me forward. There was a steel door blocking our way. I had expected this. A keypad sat on the wall next to it. Jessica tapped me on the shoulder.

I stepped aside as she pulled out her data pad which she stretched over the keys. Less than a minute later the lock beeped and the door slit open. She rolled up the device and resumed her position in line.

We continued forward into a small room. There were no lights down here, but with my enhanced night vision I could see everything clearly. I looked around and spotted a side passage leading towards the town center. I motioned to Teague who headed that way after completing his scan of the room. I swept my weapon as I passed through the chamber and into the narrow passage. It was just wide enough for two furs to walk abreast. Trestan had to tuck his wings tightly to his back. We continued moving on, my gun trained for any sign of attack.

The tunnel came to an abrupt end at the bottom of a staircase which spiraled along the walls of a tall interior space. I guessed that this was the base of the tower we had seen in the town square. I wasn't sure about this, but our instructions were to continue forward until we reached the end, so I motioned to keep going. Teague began up the stairs carefully, his rifle pointed upwards towards the top, far above our heads. As we moved, we hugged the wall, each covering a different direction in the vast open space.

The stairs seemed to keep going without end. Finally we came to a small landing blocked by a solid wood door. We could go no further. This had to be what we were looking for. I walked up to the door. We had been given a challenge and counter response for this. I knocked on the wood four times. There was a pause. Then, from the other side of the door, I heard two knocks, a break, and then five more.

That was the supposed all clear. I still didn't relax though. One of the first things we had learned in training was to never trust a potential enemy. He could just be giving us the proper signal as a trap. I gave a short series of hand signals to the team. I backed down the stairs a short way until my shoulders were level to the ground. I aimed passed Jessica's legs. She had one of her SMG's drawn and shouldered, sighted directly at the door.

At my signal, Teague opened the door which swung smoothly outward. I tensed, half expecting an attack. None came. The room inside was expansive, and mostly empty. In the center, facing the door, was a lion with his arms held over his head, paws open and facing us. He was much too trusting for his situation. If we had been enemies, he would be dead now.

The deserter looked to be in his late forties. He was very muscular and had the look in his eyes of a hardened warrior. His fur would have been golden had it not been matted and dusty. He was covered with an array of battle scars including two distinctive streaks in his mane.

We entered the room slowly, surrounding the captive. I kept my gun trained on him, watching for any threatening movements. Once we had him circled, I gave the second challenge.

"Roadmap?"

"Hurricane."

I relaxed slightly, lowering my weapon, but keeping both hands on it. I gestured to Tank who was standing behind the lion. He stepped forward.

"Sorry sir, but for our protection, we will have to bind you."

"I quite understand," he replied with only a hint of an accent.

He slowly lowered his hands and placed them behind his back. Tank reached out and snapped a pair of field manacles over the lion's wrists. With that complete, I called into command.

"Trebuchet, this is Long Bow."

"Go ahead Long Bow."

"Captive secure and prepared for extract."

"Roger that. You are clear for extraction."

I acknowledged and was preparing to leave, when Trestan signaled to me.

"Blue One, come look at this."

There was a sharp note of urgency in his voice. He was staring out of a window in the side of the room. I walked over to him and looked for what he was talking about. I saw it immediately, and my heart stopped. Ten black APCs were approaching the west entrance.

"Shit!"

I turned to the other three who were still guarding the captive.

"We've got company."

We hurried from the room, Trestan taking the lead followed by me. Tank and Teague were covering the lion and Jessica took the rear. We ran down the steps as quickly as we could without risking someone going over the open side. When we reached the bottom, Trestan lead us back down the connecting passage. I halted the movement at the base of the stairs leading back to the courtyard.

"Blue Three, get visual on the courtyard."

Jessica crept silently up the stairs. A minute later she returned. She handed me her data pad. I saw a view of the courtyard from a fiber optic probe she had placed beneath the cellar door. At first I only saw the SUV. Then a four man fire team walked into view. Two proceeded towards the vehicle, the others stayed at the entrance to the square. I closed the pad and gave it back to her.

"Blue Two and Three, eliminate the armed personnel then cover the car. Blue Four, secure the vehicle. As soon as we're clear, Blue Five, I need you in the air. I'll secure the objective. Acknowledge."

They signaled their understanding. We moved slowly up the stairs. Jessica and Teague moved up in front. At my signal they threw the cellar doors open. Jessica drew her SMGs and stitched identical lines up the bodies of the two combatants at the vehicle. At the same time, Teague sighted down his carbine and dispatched the two at the entrance with well placed bursts. They both signaled all clear at the same time.

"Alright, let's go. Someone will have heard that."

Trestan leaped from the stairwell and into the air. I heard bursts of gunfire from somewhere else in the town. They must have been shooting at him but he nimbly evaded and was soon out of range.

I lead the lion to the back of the car and helped him into a seat. Tank revved the engine as Jessica climbed in with us. Teague took shotgun. I heard Trestan's voice over my earpiece.

"Get out of there. They're moving in on your position fast."

Tank turned us around and we were soon speeding down the back streets to the main road. We fishtailed around a sharp corner. I couldn't see anything from the back where there were no windows but I heard Tank shout.

"Shit that was close. We're being pursued by three vehicles."

I heard a series of loud impacts on the rear doors.

"Taking gunfire!"

"Get him back!" I shouted to Jessica, indicating the lion.

I crawled out of my seat and climbed to the rear. There were two doors which opened independently. I un-slung my rifle from my back and opened the right hatch, using the left one for cover. The stone street flew past beneath me. I looked back and saw three armored personnel carriers close behind. One of them had a gunner on the roof who opened fire on me as soon as the door opened. I ducked into cover hearing bullets pierce the SUV's light skin and clang against the added armor plating. I silently thanked the genius who decided to add the extra protection.

I stuck my head out and quickly sighted on the gunner. I squeezed off three rounds and saw three spurts of blood before he fell back inside the pursuing truck, dead. I took advantage of the momentary break in enemy fire to unload a round into the forehead of the lead driver. The passenger, who moments before had been trying to shoot me from the window, grabbed at the steering wheel. He was too late though as the tires lost control on the uneven road and the APC flipped.

The other two were able to avoid wrecking though and I began taking fire again. I saw a reflection from the rearview mirror of the passenger in the right vehicle leaning from the open widow, shooting at us. He paused to reload. I used the opportunity to quickly kill him before swinging my sights smoothly across the interior and dispatching the driver. It swerved left and smashed the corner of a house.

"Good shooting back there!"

I heard gunshots from the front. Quickly turning, I saw Teague hanging out the window, firing upon the final tail. I shifted into the open, ready to shoot, when a line of rounds smashed the pursuer's windshield and the driver went limp.

"Thanks for that one!"

"I couldn't let you have all the fun back there," Teague laughed.

Bullets pinged off the side of our SUV. Just then a fourth enemy vehicle swerved onto the road from an ally, a gunner on the roof unloading from a small mounted machine gun. I quickly placed my crosshairs on his head while he focused on Teague and was about the fire when Tank hit a large pothole. My shot went wild. The ammo counter on my glasses HUD flashed zero. I tossed the rifle to the side, knowing I could switch weapons faster than reloading, and drew my TM-S machine pistol. I squeezed the trigger and unleashed a controlled 15 round burst at the gunner. Bullets passed through vital organs as they yawed through his body, leaving gaping exit wounds and ensuring his removal from the battle.

Knowing the 9mm rounds didn't have the power to penetrate the reinforced glass of the APC's window, I lowered the concentric sights to road level. I fired a burst and the left front tire shredded. As the driver lost control, Teague lobed an explosive from his rifle's mounted grenade launcher. The projectile impacted the road directly in front of the vehicle, detonating its engine.

I sat back inside the back of our car and swung the hatch shut. I panted my fur damp with sweat.

"How's the package?"

"He's fine," Jessica responded."

"Red One, we have a problem."

I turned to see what Tank was talking about. Ahead, at the entrance to the town, two vehicles were blocking the road with easily fifteen furs covering behind them, rifles trained on us. That was a problem.

"Do you have another grenade up their?"

"Negative, I dropped my first when we hit that bump."

Just then I saw a steak of smoke from the sky and exploded in the midst of the obstacle. Both trucks went up, the blasts killing all nearby enemies. I wondered at what happened for a second when Trestan's voice came over the line.

"Don't worry down there, I've got you covered."

Then I understood. Trestan had fired a rocket from above. Thank the Gods he had brought that launcher.

"How are we looking?"

"Good so far, but I'd floor it if I were you."

I felt the acceleration as Tank grounded the gas pedal. We slammed through the wreckage and bounced out of town. I sat back in my seat and breathed deeply, closing my eyes for a minute. Teague whooped from the front seat.

"Red Five, are we clear?"

"No pursuit coming from the town. I think we lost them."

"Do you want a pickup, or are you good back to base?"

"I'll stay up here and keep an eye out. We don't need any more surprises."

"Roger that, see in an hour."

I sat back, my heart still racing from the escape. The lion turned towards me. I looked up at him.

"Who are you guys? You're crazy."

"Damn straight!" Jessica replied with a laugh.