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Tanner's POV

I wasn't sure what to make of Firedrake's story,but he had the scar to prove it. From his neck down was just one big,yellow,brown and red burn scar. It covered his entire body. It was the most pain full looking thing I'd ever seen and he even said it still hurts him sometimes.

As for us,it didn't take long for us to completely recover from the wreck. I had the hardest time of it,because Firedrake had said that bone in my leg was basically powder,but even then it only took about a week to heal up completely. One morning,we were sitting around the fire eating when Firedrake asked.

"So where were you guys headed when your jet crashed?"

"Echo Headquarters",Tyro replied placing his paw on a piece of meat and tearing a chunk off.

Firedrake looked up,"That's not that far off,about a ten minute walk or so."

"Well then we need to get there." Taro said,"we got a job to do."

"What's the job?" Firedrake asked.

"Were supposed to track down an arms dealer known as The Jackal",Taro replied,"he deals DK ammo to the Taliban and Al Qudea and has most of the Russian and Italian Mafia at his beck and call."

"Worse than Holland.",Firedrake said.

"Much",Taro said.

Firedrake stood,"I've got your stuff in the armory,get it and lets get going."

We stood and firedrake led us down a hallway to a steel grated door. Inside,I could Tyro,Shadow and Taro's weapons vests as well as Firedrakes 105 and my and Mnerloth's kits. Firedrake undid the lock on the door and steped inside with us folowing closely behind. He quickly strapped on his vest,whichcarried a Hotchkiss 105 millimeter cannon and a Russian PKP Pencheg as opposed to the usual SAW. It was Sahara Desert Cammo and suited his tan and whitewrappings perfectly.

I quickly slipped into my Under Armour suit,battle fatigues,gloves boots and vest and slung my firearms over my back and sliding my belt knife into it's sheath. Mnerloth was helping Tyro into his vest as well.It was sporting a Hotchkiss 105 with a longer barrel and a muzzle brake. I recognized his sidearms as the usual SAW and a MK-48 General Purpose Machine Gun. His vest was jet black,as well were his combat fatigues. A white patch with a Raven in the center,with gold emmbezzlement on the edges and bearing the words,Strike Force Raven was stuck on his chest.

Shadow's vest was similar to Tyro's in color and sidearm,but sported a 20mm LLR that had a short,32 inch barrel instead of the normal 40 inch. Taro was using a standard 20mm and the usual SAW. His vest was desert digital,with selves going down to the pads of his paws,half way up his neck and all the way down his tail.

Mnerloth tightened a few things on Tyro's vest before giving him a pat on his back and grabbing a custom made M27-IAR,L96 A1 and a desert cammo painted AK-47 as well as a Sig Sauer P226,suppressed Glcok 17 that looked like it had been in a huge explosion and a large Bowie knife.

"Everyone got everything?" Firedrake asked?

I quickly ran through my vest,"I got everything." I said.

The others quickly ran through there kits.

"I got everything."Tyro said.

"Me too",Taro replied.

"Same here",Shadow said.

Mnerloth just nodded.

"All right then",Firedrake said stepping out,"lets get going."

We walked out of the armory and Firedrake locked the door behind us before stepping infornt and taking the lead. As we walked out of the cave,I pulled on my sunglasses to keep out the blindingly bright light and Firedrake and the others did the same. We followed Firedrake through the desert for a couple of minutes before the faint crack of gunfire began to echo in the air.

"Sounds like target practice",Taro said,"remember when Blitz would sneak up on us at the range and then let go that Gatling of his?"

Firedrake laughed,"and then we would take turns thumping him on the snout and I vaguely remember him running from Faline and her chasing him for five hours before collapsing."

Taro laughed,"She slept like a hatchling that night."

Taro's remark caused us all to laugh. We went on walking. Taro and Shadow were following beside Firedrake and talking softly with one another while Tyro and Mnerloth walked beside each other and I wasjust focused on the walking. After a few more minutes,Tyro turned and saw that I was falling behind.

"Pick up the pace Tanner!",he shouted.

I quickened my steps and quickly caught up,walking beside Tyro. After about thirty seconds or so,he nudged me.

"Miss your parents huh?" he asked.

"Yeah",I said,"I can take them being away on deployment,but the real kick in the face was when I finished Basic at the top of my class and they weren't even there to see it."

"I know what missing your family feels like",Tyro replied,"when Nolan called me up for this job,"I was playing with my kids and my mate."

I sighed and we continued to walk on. After ten more minutes,Echo came into view,I couldn't see much,but I could see that it was quite large. As we approached the base,I could see that it was surrounded by a huge wall. We went up to the gate where two men met us.

"Firedrake you ugly bastard",one of the men said,"how you been?"

"Same old.",Firedrake replied.

"Who are these guys?"

"Strike Force Raven",Firedrake replied,"they were recently transferred here from Romeo."

"General Mason is waiting for them",the man replied,"take them on in."

The man stepped aside and Firedrake led us into the base. I now got a good look at it. It was huge,even for a permanent base. I could see twenty four huge 200 mm cliff cannons,six on each side of the base. They were large and imposing,sending a message of superiority to anyone who dared to attack. I could also see a hanger that housed six warthogs,two Apache AA-87s as well two

Predator drones that were packing Helfire missiles. Beside the hanger was the motor pool. Inside I could see six M79-R4 MBTs,three hummers,five MRADS and a APC. On the opposite side of the base,I could see the infirmary,hatchery,wash room and armory. Six guard towers lined the base walls. One in each corner and two at the entrance. Snipers armed with Barrett M82A1s were posted in each tower,they'd see any threat years before it reached the base.

"Right uphere is the command building",Firedrake said,"General Mason is on the top floor."

Firedrake lead us inside. The HQ building was nearly identical to the one back home at Romeo,with the compass tile floor and soldiers moving in and out. Firedrake led us to a large lift which took us up to the fourth floor. He lead us down the hallway to a room marked,"General Mason." Firedrake knocked on the door.

"Come in",a deep voice called from inside the room.

Firedrake pushed the door open and led us into a sunlit room. Large windows lined the back of the room and small trees stood in each corner. There were two couches and a coffee table to my left and a counter and a coffee maker as well as coat rack to my right. The carpet in the room was thicker than what Nolan had,and was a tanish color. A wooden desk sat in front of us with a man in a chair looking out the window with his back to us.

"General Mason." Firedrake said,"I have recovered the survivors of the crash,they are the team that is hunting the Jackal."

"That's good",the General said,"we need all the help we can get with this one."

The general turned to face us. He looked to be about mid thirties,early forties. He had jet black hair and was dressed in a well decorated General's uniform. His eyes were bright green,with slit black pupils and inhuman flecks of bright blue threaded into them.

"I am General Johnathan Alexander Mason",the man said,"it's good to have you under my deployment Raven."

"Your the man who rescued Firedrake?" Taro asked eyeing him.

"I am,"John replied.

"Then I have question for you",Taro answered,"how did the irradiation not kill you?"

John leaned back in his chair,"I am not a normal human Taro,I can take things that would kill even people like General Scott."

"Regardless",John said standing,"I may have a lead on The Jackal's location."

"Where?",Tyro asked quickly.

John smiled and held up the folder. "I believe he is going to sell a shipment of M14 rifles to a Russian Terror network known as the Ultra's.' John continued. "You will insert via V-66 SPG and make your way three clicks north to an abandoned hotel that over looks the area that it is believed the weapon's deal will take place in. "This man is heaviliy armed and well protected",John said,"so go to the mess hall and get some food in you and then rest up,dismissed." "Tyro I need to talk to you,so you stay here."

I turned and left the room with Firedrake and the others and walked to the barracks where Firedrake showed us our rooms. I slid my door open and walked inside. I lay my weapons on my bed before striping off my vest and combat gear and placing it all in the locker in the corner. I then slipped on a blue Under Armor shirt and tan cargo pants and walked to the mess hall,taking a seat next to Mnerloth.

"Nervous much?" A female's voice came from behind me.

"Like he..." I began as I turned around,only to see Mom and Dad standing there.

"MOM,DAD!!" I yelped running to them and hugging them both.

"Easy son",Dad said laughing,"were all on the same side."

Mom and Dad hugged me tightly. How I missed that. After what seemed like an eternity,they let me go and we walked back to the table.

"Have you met the other's son?" Dad asked.

My Dad was mostly black with dark brown scales on his neck,chest and underneath his tail. His two horns curved backwards on the top of his head about a foot or so and he was very well built.

Mom on the other hand,was brightly colored,with bright blue scales and tan ones on her neck chest and tail as well as her wing membranes. She didn't have any horns,but she made up for that with her claws,which were sharper than razors.

"So why are you here son?" Dad asked.

"I got assigned to hunt an arms dealer known as The Jackal,have you heard of him?"

"Everyone knows who he is",Mom said,"he sells to every terrorist and criminal in the world,take him out,the supply line goes."

After a few more minutes of talking,Tyro joined us.

"Hey Syralth,Tess,how you guys been?"

My Dad put Tyro into a soft headlock.

"Same old brother",he replied.

Dad released Tyro and he sat down beside Taro.

"John called Ator and the other's in from the preserve",he said,"there on the way here as we speak."

"All of them?" Taro asked.

"Everyone",Tyro replied,"Adelind,Nina Faline,Ator Rolland,the cubs,everyone."

"Why is he getting our kids involved in this?" Shadow asked growling a bit.

"He doesn't think there safe at Tacoma",Tyro replied,"he said he had a gut feeling that something was wrong."

As Tyro talked,I shot a glance at Firedrake,his blue eyes were wide.

"You okay Firedrake?" I asked

"Yeah",Firedrake said wiping his eyes,"I haven't seen my daugther in eleven years",his crying increased,"she probbaly thinks I'm dead,she's going to hate me when she finds out I'm not!!"

"No she won't",Shadow said,"she'll be overjoyed to see you,I was."

Firedrake laughed as the cooks brought us our food and we began to eat. After we were done we all returned to our rooms. I quickly showered off and fell into my bed. I was happy that Mom and Dad were here at the base and knowing that I was working with Raven on hunting The Jackal made me feel like I had nothing to worry about.

I was dead wrong.