Chapter 1 - Prologue
"You listen here Doc, we are _not_losing her!" A well built Grey Wolf in a suit stands in front of a Leopard in a labcoat, who crosses his arms and sighs. "We barely managed to save her already, theres just too much damage.. Maybe next time you won't throw a girl into that kind of operation!" The Wolf bares his fist but is pulled back by an older Polar Bear in a torn and tattered tuxedo, who looks at the doctor and huffs, speaking in a deep, gruff voice, "You do what you have to do. But if she dies on your table and I find out theres something you could have done.." The Bear leaves it at that and walks away, pulling along his colleague...
Jennifer opened her eyes slowly, her... Well, everything hurt. She could hear beeping and reached up to rub her eyes... Nothing happened..? She tilts her chin down, groaning as she sits up.. A paw gently pushes on her chest, followed by a male voice, "Whoa there darling, I can't let you sit up.." Jenny looks over groggily and smiles some, seeing her lover intact. Her speech is raspy but understandable, "Hey Lover.. Can you sit me up..? I'm more tired than I thought.." The Wolf gently cups her cheek, "Jenny, theres something you need to know.." Her smile fades as she looks up in his eyes, "What..?" He slides a paw into hers, Jenny speaks more firmly, "Hunter what happened..?" He gently picks up her limp arm, pulling it into view. It was a prosthetic, a fake, augmented arm. Jennifer stared, tears rolling down her cheeks, sudden emotions welling inside her. How would she touch Hunter, how would she feel, how would she live!? It all comes to a boil before the Coyote bursts, screaming as loud as she can, tears pouring down her cheeks, dying down into loud sobbing as Hunter pulls her into his arms, holding her tight, "It'll be ok Jenny, I promise.."
Hunter and Jennifer had always been close, even in school as children they watched out for each other.
A large fat kid stood over the young wolf, a smirk crossing his fat face. "You stupid animals should leave our school. You aren't welco-" He yells out as a smaller Jennifer jumps on his back and bites into his shoulder getting him away from Hunter, him as his bully pals run away, leaving the Coyote to smile at Hunter, helping him up as they go off to the nurse to get him looked at.
Years later in middle school Hunter wanted to ask his childhood friend to the school dance with him, but was terribly shy. He walks over to her, "Hey, Jenny?" She stops and turns with a smile, "What is it Hunter?" He opens his mouth to speak but doesn't get a word out before the football captain puts his arm around her, "Hey babe, we're going to the dance together." She huffs and brushes his paw off. "Hunter, you were saying something?" The Wolf swallows and takes a deep breath, "Jennifer will you go to the dance with me?" The large boy scoffs but Jennifer moves closer to Hunter and gives him a hug, "Of course I will."
The pair only grew closer, always snuck around to get their classes together, sometimes not in the most legal way. In their Sophomore year of high school they went on their first real date. It was something neither would forget, going to see the new action movie together and going to a pizzeria after. What both would remember is when Hunter took Jennifer home, she had never known him to be outgoing, but the way he kissed her after that date, she would never forget.
It wasn't until he was bringing her home from their second date that Hunter realized a brutal truth about Jennifer's father when he drug her inside by her hair. The Wolf didn't think, he leapt onto the large male Coyote and did the first thing he thought of, he bit down into his shoulder, as hard as he could and wrestled him down to the floor and didn't stop punching until the Coyote didn't stop moving. Hunter moved over to Jennifer and embraced her..
In his senior year Hunter got a job at a hardware store, it was a well paying job, and he decided to move out once he was sure it was stable. Since that night Jennifer's father never laid a finger on her, but Hunter still invited her to come stay with him, and the Coyote accepted graciously.
As graduation drew near things changed for the lovers, Ever since attacking Jennifer's father Hunter tried his best to work out, so he could protect her. Jennifer had started working on getting into better shape, working out with Hunter when she could. But the best part of that year was on a cold night during a power outage. They shared a bed for convenience, but before then had never cuddled. Neither held regrets as they let instinct take over, consummating their love that night, neither would ever forget the night the power went out in Hunter's apartment.
After graduation they enlisted in the army together, but Jennifer did something stupid... She snuck into records and tried to get her and Hunter put together, and got caught. She was able to sneak away, thanks to Hunter providing a distraction. The next morning the Wolf was put on a bar as an instructor prepared a whip. When Hunter refused to tell who had snuck in the instructor drew back, but a gruff shout ran out, "STAND DOWN!"
Hunter was taken to a cell and thrown in, Jennifer was already there. A large Polar Bear stepped into the room and looked between them. "I have a job for you. I could use a pair that works as efficiently as you do, and can keep a secret, interested?"
The Anti Terrorism Assault Force, commonly called ATAF, was a gathering spot for skilled people. Snipers, Tanks, they didn't care. If they had skill, they were recruited. Hunter and Jennifer were signed as a team, and excelled at their training, leading them into the best, yet smallest, team. As they became a part of the team, Jennifer's looks and outgoing, strong personality earned her the name Lady, and Hunter, being more stealthy than most, kept the name Hunter, as it fit his role as a dark corner marksman.
The Polar Bear, normally called Tank, led Fireteam Foxtrot. They were a small unit of 6, himself, Jennifer and Hunter, a Sniper and her Spotter, and an Infiltrator. The fireteam always worked as just that, a team. The team never used their real names, the Sniper was a Coyote, like Jennifer, called Goddess. Her spotter, a Red Fox, was named was Crimson, and the Infiltrator, a lizard, went by Silver. They were at times more than a team, when you walk into hell and back out together, you tend to become more then comrades. It sounds cliché, but things like that make people family. Some people will do anything for their family...
_ 2 days after Jennifer woke in the hospital _
Goddess sat behind her Lynx rifle, teeth baring down on a chopstick. She was hidden beneath some brush, her hand holding a faux gun stock, squeezing the trigger aggressively. Crimson looks over and takes her paw, whispering to her, "Calm down, we'll get him as soon as Silver gets the package." Goddess lifted her head and glared. "That fucking package is why we nearly lost our girl." Crimson looked back and nodded. "I know.." He put his paw over his rifle's sight, pulling the sniper scope in front of his ACOG, sighting the target. "Just don't kill him." Goddess pauses and grins evilly as the small light on her glove blinks green to tell her shes good to fire. ".. Oh don't worry lover. I won't kill him, ... Yet.."
Inside the mansion the lizard talks with the mark, making small talk about the cartels the man intends to take over in mexico. Silver slides a folder off the table and puts it into his suit. "What are you doing?" The man asks, earning a dark grin from the lizan, speaking with a hint of lisp. "Revvvenge, amigo..."
A gunshot rang out, Silver could hear guards moving, he grabs the mark, minus a leg, stuffs a chloroform cloth over his mouth and tapes it on before hefting the cartel leader hopeful over his shoulder and taking off out the window. High on the hill Goddess trembled with glee, she was the interrogation expert for Foxtrot. She would enjoy this night more than the night she lost her virginity. ...Maybe, that night was pretty awesome too.
Goddess sat in her chair behind the glass, wearing her bodysuit, disarmed for safety, she stared with an evil smile, watching her target scream and yell at them from inside, his blood dripping on the floor from his uncaringly wrapped stump. The Coyote stands and walks out, entering the interrogation room and listening to him curse at her in spanish. When he finally gets tired of yelling she walks over to him. "You know you aren't leaving. That Coyote you blew up, we call her Lady. And she is a very dear friend of mine." He looks the stern Coyote in the eyes and grins. "Maybe I should have ruined her before that. Make it hurt more to know she was in bed before me before she died." Goddess swings her foot back and slams It into the prisoner's face! "How about you tell me who you've been sending all that money to, and why?" Goddess opens a small cabinet, a grin crossing her muzzle as she removes the lemon juice. She walks over and grabs the bandage on her prisoner's leg, ripping it off and opening the bottle. "When you hurt my friends I get violent..."
Crimson sat on an ammo crate outside his and Goddess' room. His Fox ears perk as he could hear screaming, he gets up and walks off, heading for the medical wing. The halls of the base were all metal and well lit, the Fox gently opens the door to Lady's room and steps in, he walks over to where Hunter is sleeping over her, the Coyote sleeping soundly, her cheeks damp from crying. Crimson sits down by her bed and sighs softly. "We got him, Lady. Goddess is downstairs with him now, we'll get the intel out of him." Crimson stands and gently holds her paw, "Lady, i'm sorry... I should have known, I should have had your back." The Fox looks up as he sees Silver come in, "How issshe?" The Fox shrugs, "No idea.. I just wanted to check on her.." He heads for the door and gently closes it, leaving her to sleep.
Several days passed, slow, dark, sad days. Lady had already started rehab to use her augments, and it was going well, it was just getting used to the new weight, pretty much. Her and Hunter were given some time to rest, and Foxtrot was temporarily taken off the duty roster. Crimson and Silver stayed with Hunter and Lady while she recovered. Tank knew he needed to keep his mind on getting the intel from their captive. He watched from the observation room. He knew Goddess was starting to lose her grip. Tank didn't want to admit it, but he wanted her to. He wanted to see the girl that brutally murdered and dismembered the man that raped and killed her sister.
Goddess panted, she hadn't slept since the day before. The prisoner sat there covered in a range of injuries, he had said several times his motive and who he paid, but until the intel came back positive she wouldn't stop. Regrettably the speaker comes on, Tank's voice filling the room, "Goddess, the intel is accurate." Her paw shakes as she grabs the door's lever and pulls hard, sliding the deadbolts into place. She stepped over to her cabinet and opened the chest beneath it, removing a chainsaw. "Do you know why they make me do this...?" She looks back, hearing no answer she continues, opening the Chainsaw's gas tank and pouring the fluid in. "My little sister. She was only 14.. Some gang banger decided she was pretty and went for her." She screws the gascap on and checks the oil level. "You see. She was a gorgeous little thing, the envy of her friends. You can't imagine my pain when I saw her body in the morgue..." The Chainsaw is hefted off the table as he looks up, eyes widening as he sees her, she sets the saw down in front of him to finish her story.
Kelly walked shakily into the morgue, why was she brought here? She was still in her paintball gear, a dirty 19 year old Coyote. As she walks over to the table, paling, turning off completely as she sees her own little sister laying on the table, the cloth tucked close to her chin. The usual questions followed, she did what she could to answer, and was released.
When the Coyote got home she picked up the Paintball rifle she used. She ran her fingers along the barrel, if it could be modified to shoot paintrounds. Surely it could be unmodified to shoot it's native ammunition.
The door opens and closes, Simon, Kelly's 19 year old Red Fox boyfriend, humming as he sets his bag in the living room. "Hey hun, you around?" He walks around looking for Kelly, when he finds her he starts to worry, Kelly never went into her parent's room after they died, but she was in the floor, her father's hunting rifle, and the Modified Lynx rifle he gave her both dismantled as she modified the Lynx to take the machinery from the hunting rifle. "Kelly..." "Shes gone. Some fucker killed my baby sister.." She twists the allen wrench, grinning as the bolt locks the barrel in. "Kelly, listen.." She raises her wide, bloodshot eyes to meet his, full of rage. "I won't. I won't listen, I won't stop." Simon looked away. The Fox steps over to the gunsafe and takes out a carbine rifle Kelly's dad left behind from his Marine career. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Kelly stands and rams a magazine in, admiring the new rifle. "Yes."
A bulky Jaguar lays on the couch with 2 women, bragging to his friends about the girl he took out several days before. He doesn't get far when his leg explodes, a .50 BMG round tends to do that. It felt more to Simon that this was like her father getting revenge from the grave. A Marine that got into big game hunting, gave his daughter a Lynx GM6 for her birthday, modified to fire paintball bullets, was this fate?
The ganger laid on the ground screaming as Kelly and Simon approached. The next several hours went by with nothing but screaming. Simon watched in horror as the girl he'd been dating, the Coyote he wanted to marry, tortured a grown man, and enjoyed it...
After everything was done, Kelly sat and cried, spotting a flame painted chainsaw in the corner, she picks it up, bringing it over. Simon grabs her arm, "No! He's had enough.." Kelly glares at him and shoves the Fox back, "NOTHING IS ENOUGH!" She grabs the chainsaw cord, chuckling darkly as she stared the man In the eyes, him being unable to scream anymore...
As the police arrive Kelly closes her eyes, fully expecting to be shot on sight. Simon sat beside her and takes her blood drenched paw. He embraced her as she cried, a fairly large Polar Bear comes over, looks over the scene and then to the teenagers. "You want a job?" Kelly looks up, The Bear smiles and kneels down. "Don't ever feel bad about taking a life of evil." Kelly nods, Simon squeezes her paw..
With her training Kelly received a proper GM6 Lynx, Tank taught her how to control herself. Simon received training on how to spot for Kelly, he wasn't one to be as brutal as her. But he would be there for her.
Soon Kelly was given the name Goddess, the name she registered in paintball tournaments under, as a sign of how on the battlefield she decides who lives and dies. Simon was respectively nicknamed Crimson, since he prefers suppressed weapons, leaving not a sound, only blood.
Goddess placed her foot on the chainsaw's body, grabbing the pullcord, faded flames painted on it. "So you see. Lady is like the little sister I lost. And you hurt her... Do you understand what happens now?" Goddess doesn't wait for ans answer, instead yanks the cable once more.
An hour later Goddess comes upstairs to Foxtrot's rec room and sees Lady laying on the couch with Hunter. She couldn't help but tear up, she looked at Lady as a younger sister, and she was laying there with arms and legs that weren't her own. Goddess walks over to where Simon is sitting and takes a seat, freshly showered. He smiles and puts an arm around her, Silver playing pool by himself.
Lady opens her eyes softly and looks around, she slowly sits up, getting some help from Hunter. "Hey Goddess, how'd it go?" The sniper smiles and nods, "I got the information out of him, Fireteam Delta will probably be assigned, since we're grounded." Lady looks down at her new paws, "I'm sorry.."
Hunter pulls his girl close and kisses her head, "Nobody blames you." Silver sits next to Lady and smirks, flicking his tongue and offering her a soda. She smiles and takes it, "Thanks."
Silver gets up and walks over to the long couch and tosses away the cushions, pulling out the bed and falling onto it, stretching out. The lizard had a reason he didn't talk. His voice was never used for anything good. The last person he talked to died...
A handsome Lizard steps up to the large doors of a mansion where a maid meets him. "Hello sir, you must be Marcus." The Lizard smiles and nods, letting the maid lead him to the mansion mistress' room. As he walked he looked around, admiring the décor and adjusting his tie as he's let into the master bedroom, where a beautiful female lizard is waiting. "Ah, Marcus! It's very good to see you, I was expecting you." Marcus couldn't help but lick his lips as he approaches, sharing a hug with her, Marcus rather enjoyed coming around to see the beautiful woman, he especially enjoyed the nights.
They always talked after intimacy, about his day, events in her life, it was always fun to be with her, most people didn't like the lisp in his voice, thankfully her, having the same lizard problem, understood. Marcus was always happy with her...
Two days later Marcus was on his way to a formal ball to meet with his lover, but when he arrived he found nothing but sirens, fire and screaming.. The lizard tried his best to find the woman, but couldn't. It wasn't until the full details were released that he found out that a terrorist bombing had taken place at the ball, where several members of America's congressional staff were in attendance. Being a well respected member of society Marcus' lover was invited with one guest. If he had been there on time he would be dead too...
It took time. Luckily Marcus was a very patient Lizard. He moved around, going place to place asking questions. It was here that he found he could manipulate his voice, and used it as best he could to impersonate federal agents, questioning anyone who might have seen anything. When he got all the information he could he talked his way into the FBI head office, and even to the records department. Marcus' photographic memory came in handy a times like this, simply scanning over papers related to the bombing and putting them back, turning around only to feel 2 pricks in his chest and losing consciousness in a shaking fit...
The Lizard woke up in a cell, stripped naked. He was strapped to a chair, with a female Coyote looking him over. "You aren't a terrorist. You're too thin, your eyes are too soft." Marcus tilts his head as the Coyote walks over to a mirror, "Tank, this isn't our guy." A voice replies over the speakers, "But he did manage to break into the FBI's head office." The Coyote looks back, she walks over and unbinds Marcus and points to a table. "Get dressed."
Once dressed he was led to a room with some couches, some games, and a pool table. Sitting at the small bar was a Polar Bear that turns to Marcus. "That took balls. If I help you find whoever you're after, would you be willing to help us?" The lizard flicks his tongue. "I don't even know you." The Coyote woman sits with the bear and stretches her back. "We're with the Anti Terrorism Assault Force. Our little fireteam does what people like the FBI won't because they would rather hug their paperwork. It pays well, and could benefit you." Marcus pondered a moment, flicking his tongue about...
Marcus never questioned why he was here. He had read the papers before being tazed, he knew this was the man the FBI was after. The Lizard carries a suitcase into the room, going through 2 guards who scan him and his leather case before letting him in.
Inside sits one man, he looks back and speaks in a thick middle eastern accent, "Did you bring the device?" Marcus places his briefcase on the table, looking over the 2 guards, replying in a Russian accent, "I did." Me opens the briefcase away from himself, gently taking the .44 Special in his claws. The guards fall over, not making a noise until they hit the floor, a male voice coming over his earpiece, "Crimson here, you're green." Marcus chuckles as he lifts the heavy revolver to the man before him, daring him to grab the radio on his desk. The Lizard's tongue flicks as he grips the handgun more firmly. "I suppose you want money, yes?" Marcus raises his eyes to meet the terrified eyes before him and lifted the gun to eye level. "No."
Lady sat on the bed, lightly scratching behind Silver's head as he had fallen asleep, he didn't have any fur to get caught in her new paws, but of course she found the Lizard adorable, and had even joked about adopting him. Lady turns away and looks at the paws, tearing up again as she stands, clenching her fists and walking away, she walks slow, and with a slight limp, trying to get used to the weight and feel of the new augments.
Hunter gets up to follow her, wanting to make sure she was ok, following her all the way to the interrogation ward. Lady takes a deep breath before stepping into one room, steeling herself as she sees the man that ruined her life in the center, both legs missing, wrapped in bandages soaked with clotting agent.
The Coyote walks over to him full of rage and grabs his neck, the prisoner tries to choke out a scream but Lady has his windpipe in her grip. Hunter steps in and walks over cautiously, "Jenny..." "Shut up.. I have to kill him..." Hunter stepped close to his lover and put his arms around her chest, "Killing him won't change things." Lady removes his neck, tears welling in her eyes.. She pulls away from Hunter and walks behind the captive and clenches her fist, a small blade extending from the back of her hand. "Then I won't kill him." She thrusts, burying the blade partially into his spine.
That night in the room she shares with Hunter, Lady laid in bed just thinking. How would she ever be able to live normally with Hunter with machines replacing her arms and legs... Would he even love her? The latter question was easily enough answered as Hunter slips into bed, freshly showered, gently sliding an arm under Lady's and pulling her close, putting his cold nose against her neck. "Goodnight Lady, I Love You." She tears up and smiles, taking his paw in her own, she hadn't taken the time to notice, she could feel him. The augment simulated a sense of touch to help patients transition, it was faint, but it existed, she could feel him. The Coyote rolls over to face her lover and smiles, putting her arms around him and nuzzling into his chest, "I love you too."
Crimson stretches after having a before bed snack and slips in behind Goddess and nibbles at her neck. "You know, Lady's recovering well." She rolls onto her back to look at him and takes his paw in hers.. "I should have been able to do something.. We should have been there, Simon..." The Fox moves in and presses his nose to Goddess' neck. "She was smiling today. Those augments aren't the heavy military ones we thought they would use. That model will give her back everything, it'll all be ok, she'll recover just fine, and we'll all be a happy family going out and killing terrorists again soon. Ok, sweets?" Goddess rolled back onto her side and curls up.. "I still wish she could have her own limbs back... Nobody deserves what shes going through right now..." "I know, Kelly..."
It would take time. Goddess knew it would, but Lady would recover. Still, part of her would die inside every time she had to look at those arms...