VGCH6

[Author's Note: Chapter 6, where we get a little closer to the truth, and a plan is made. Thanks for reading and enjoy! Foxmerc]
CHAPTER 6
Hot Trail
Emayn, Main Square
0912 hours

    As usual, Gage was already awake out by time Fox staggered out into the square, his arm raised to block the bright morning sun. The day before had exhausted him, and it seemed like every muscle in his body ached. He wasn’t sure if Gage felt the same way, but he suspected not. The battle was just another day at the office for him. Falco would still be snoring away, of course.
    Two things Fox noticed that were major improvements from the previous day were Gage and the square itself. The clean-up crew that had done an incredible job last time Fox was there apparently hadn’t lost any of its work ethic. The injured were moved to the now-freed hospital, and the bodies were either buried or moved out of site. Had it not been for the overturned truck and a few blast craters, it would’ve appeared there was never even a battle.
    Gage seemed like his old self too, the usual grim expression, constantly glancing around as if he was expecting the entire Venom army to come charging over the wall at any second. No sign of the little talk he and Fox had the night before.
    Fox groggily walked over as Gage saw him and beckoned. “You two are up bright and early.”
    “I haven’t gone to sleep yet,” Jay said, and now that Fox was closer, he looked it. “I just went inside to get changed and cleaned up.”
    Gage opted to skip the small talk and got right down to business. “Fox, the officers that arrived with the reinforcements finished interrogating the prisoners. It looks like we were wrong.”
    “Huh? Wrong with what?”
    Jay took over. “Last time they invaded, it was because they needed to build a relay tower here for Overlord, right?”
    “Yeah. Isn’t this the same thing?”
    “Doesn’t look like it,” Gage continued, glancing at the road. “The Venom sergeant had the official orders on him. It said that they were to attempt to take over Emayn, but if they did not do so within four days or had any sightings of outside help, then to get an ID and pull out. When we asked them about any building materials or shipments following, they seemed as confused as the interrogators.”
    Fox hesitated, trying to piece it together. “Wait…so you’re saying they weren’t planning on building a relay tower. Why the hell did they invade then?”
    Gage and Jay shrugged in unison, and the fox continued. “Well, it said to pull out if they got an ID on any outside help. Almost as if they were testing the water to see if it was safe. Testing for you maybe?”
    The idea was disturbing, but also oddly flattering to Fox. Had the Venom army gotten smarter in the past year? Was this merely a test to see if he would come running in blindly? Or… “Wait, if they pulled out, that means that they don’t get a tower here, like last time. That means Overlord will only be half effective.”
    “That, or Overlord doesn’t need relay towers anymore,” Gage cut in. “I called General Pepper after I found out about the interrogation, and he says there have been no reports of attacks on the other sites that were used for relay towers last time.”
     Fox didn’t like the sound of that at all. Overlord could be anywhere, and they had no leads or places to look without Venom activity. “So we’re right back at square one,” he mumbled.
     Gage nodded, a flicker of disappointment showing in his expression. “Unless you know someone who’s buddies with the commander of the Venom army.”
     Fox scoffed and turned away, but stopped short. An idea popped into his head, an idea he thought he would never have again. ‘No way, that’s crazy,’ he thought, shaking his head slowly.
     “Fox?” Jay said behind him. “Are you ok?”
     It was their last chance. As much as he didn’t want to, they had to do it. “I think I may know someone.”

* * *

Two days later
High-security military prison, just outside Corneria City
1533 hours

     Fox took deep breaths to slow his heart down as he paced the small, windowless metal room. A nondescript table occupied the center of the room, four chairs surrounding it, one of which held Gage. Falco had decided to skip the meeting, which made Fox feel somewhat better. His friend’s emotions and temper were never very stable or predictable.
     “You sure about this?” Gage asked, breaking the pressing silence in the room.
     Fox shook his head, taking off his gloves and rubbing his sweaty palms on his pants. He wasn’t sure about anything. “I don’t know, but we have to do this. Just keep an eye out. If it looks like things might get out of control…do something.”
     “Like what?”
     “I don’t know, just step in.”
     Gage shrugged and leaned back in the chair. Seconds later, they heard a series of clicks on the heavy metal door and Fox turned towards it, bracing himself for what he was about to see.
     The door creaked open, and in stepped a brown feline security guard. He held the door open for a figure in orange prison garb, secured with handcuffs and leg-irons. A black jaguar…Stefan Chuzie.
     The expected surge of hatred boiled up, but Fox was ready for it and managed to keep an expressionless face. Stefan stepped in, looking first surprised then the same hatred that Fox was feeling took form on his face. The guard motioned to the nearest chair and Stefan cautiously moved forward with a slight limp in his left leg and sat in it, looking untrustingly at Fox and Gage. With a gesture towards the security camera to let Fox know they were watching, the guard quickly exited the room and clicked the door shut behind him.
     Fox realized he was shaking slightly and took a few more deep breaths before speaking to the source of his hatred and suffering. “Stefan…” was all he was able to get out.
     “McCloud…long time.” Just hearing Stefan’s voice again made Fox’s pulse race. “You come here to gloat? Doc says I’ll have a slight limp for the rest of my life, which isn’t too long anyway. Another few months. I knew I’d see you before the execution.” His eyes shifted to Gage. “Who’s your pal here?”
     “Captain Gage Birse, Cornerian Army,” Fox replied, finding his vocal chords in working order again. “We’re not here to gloat. If it were up to me, I’d be perfectly happy never seeing you again. Instead, we’re here to make a deal.”
     “A deal,” Stefan scoffed. “Why the hell would you want to make a deal?”
     Gage cut in. “There’s a new Overlord being built, and you’re the only person we know who as either seen or spoken to the commander directly. You would’ve had to in order to get the Arwings you used to frame McCloud.”
     Fox gritted his teeth, the events of the false accusation playing again in his mind, the surreal environment surrounding it again clouding his thoughts. Everything had happened so fast, just one battle and one frustration after another. Everything except seeing Vixy torn apart by Stefan’s laser. That had happened nice and slow, with Fox in front row, center. His teeth ground harder as he again saw her body heave forward, the blood spraying on Fox…holding her in his arms, seeing the once vigorous life slowly drain from her eyes…the ring, her engagement ring, the small band of gold that signified so much, rolling from her limp hand onto the bloody carpet.
     Fox shook his head hard and brought himself back to the present. He had just begun to get over the dreams, and seeing Stefan was not the healthiest thing to do. Fate had not been on Fox’s good side in a long time, but it seems it had a larger plan, and he was in it whether he liked it or not. Many times since his victory over IceStorm, Fox had wondered what stayed his hand up in the Cornerian Grand hotel. Why had he not killed Stefan? What force had made his lasers hit Stefan in the leg and shoulder instead of his chest or head? Maybe this was the answer…Stefan still had a part to play.
     Fox decided to save the deep thinking for later and to find out whether Stefan really did still have a use.
     “We’ve already talked to the general, and he’s made the arrangements,” Fox continued, barely believing what he was about to say, avoiding the jaguar’s eyes for fear he would lose control. “The deal is that you tell us everything you know about the commander and Overlord, every contact you ever had with him, and if it leads to something…then the death penalty will be lifted.” He stared at the floor, mentally pummeling himself for making the offer. He knew he wouldn’t like it when they talked to Pepper, but it would be the only way to make him talk.
     Stefan didn’t seem any more overjoyed by the offer. “Come on, McCloud. Some days, I almost wish you did kill me in the hotel. What kind of life is this anyway?”
     “You’d still have hope,” Fox replied angrily, leaning on the table and staring directly at his enemy. “Isn’t that enough? What kind of hope did you leave Vixy? What kind of hope did you leave me that I would ever see her again? At least you still have a chance. That’s the offer, take it or leave it.”
     Stefan’s expression melted somewhat and he leaned back, taking his time to think. After a minute, in which Fox half-hoped he would decline the offer, the jaguar said, “Alright, fine. Ask away.”
     Gage nodded and began. “When was your first contact with the commander?”
     “About half-way through the completion of Overlord. He offered IceStorm two-hundred grand to capture a few spots for relay towers and to guard Overlord until it could be used. Of course, you fucked that up pretty well.”
     “So you’ve seen the commander?” Fox asked, ignoring the comment.
     “No, not in person. Wolf O’Donnell made the offer to us, but I met with the Venom high staff during one of their monthly meetings on Macbeth. The commander was there, but he stayed back in the shadows. Never showed himself. That was after Overlord, when I told him my plan to frame you and asked for the Arwings.”
     “Did they ever say anything about another Overlord?”
     Stefan shook his head. “Not that I heard.”
     This wasn’t getting them anywhere. After a minute of silence, Gage leaned forward with a thoughtful expression and said, “Let’s go back a minute. What are these monthly meetings you were talking about?”
     “On the thirteenth of every month, the Venom high staff meets on Macbeth to exchange status reports from the posts all over Lylat and to plan new stuff, from what I saw anyway. I went to a couple of them. They’re in a civilian office building, on the, uh…thirty-second floor.”
     “And the commander was there for all of them?”
     “Yeah.”
     Gage looked at Fox, eyebrows raised, and Fox knew what he was thinking. They now knew where and when they could find the commander. Fox nodded and the captain continued.
     “Could you tell us the location of where they meet?”
     Stefan hesitated, then slowly said, “I could…but I want some kind of witness protection thing. If they find out I squealed…”
     “It can be arranged,” Gage said, taking a pen and small pad of paper from his pocket. “Besides, if you’re right, they won’t be around to know you told us. What’s the address?”
     Stefan reluctantly told him, and Gage pocketed the materials again. “Well, I think that’s all we need.” He waved towards the security camera, and the guard appeared seconds later. Stefan stood up and looked at Fox in a kind of amused way. “I guess we’ll never see each other again.”
     “If God has any mercy left to spare,” Fox muttered, staring at the wall. Stefan was led out and Fox let out a sigh, as if a gun pointed at his head had just been lowered. He prayed he would never see that face again, the face of the demon who destroyed his love and his life.

     * * *

Later
White Flame Café, Corneria City
1707 hours

     “I don’t know,” Fox said, his first grin of the day spreading across his muzzle. “You just don’t seem like the milkshake type.”
     “What’s that supposed to mean?” Gage replied, taking another sip of the thick chocolate beverage in front of him. “What ‘type’ am I?”
     Fox shrugged and munched on another onion ring from his plate. “You know, the raw red meat type, rough-tough. You look like a kit sipping that thing.”
     After one of his “whatever” shrugs that Fox had become accustomed to, Gage said, “Hey, I like milkshakes, sue me,” and took another long draw from the straw.
     Fox sat back in the booth and gazed out the small diner’s grimy window at the passing vehicles, the pedestrians hustling home from work or shopping, or getting ready for a night in the big city. The sun was already blocked by the massive skyscrapers, but the orange and red blaze of the sky still brightened the crowded street.
     “Thanks for doing most of the talking in there,” Fox suddenly said, still staring at the beautiful sky. “I probably couldn’t have done that myself.”
     “No problem,” Gage replied between sips, “We got a pretty solid lead from it. Today’s the tenth, which means this meeting is in three days. Perfect opportunity to get info on Overlord and possibly take out this commander also.”
     Fox nodded, his eyes stuck on a feline mother holding her toddler son by the hand, the latter joyfully hopping down the street. The city and its inhabitants had seen so much strife and felt so much stress in the recent years. The war had devastated the city, and it had been a hotspot for terrorism and battles ever since. Had it not been for the first Overlord’s destruction, the city might not even be there. And somewhere out there, once again, was a threat great enough for that potential.
     “You hear me?”
     Fox nodded, tearing his gaze away from the window and to his crumb-filled plate. “Well, that’s the obvious plan, but it’ll be a happy trick to pull off. How’re we getting close enough to do all that?”
     “We aren’t getting close to anything,” Gage said, taking one last sip followed by the airy slurp of an empty glass. “I am going in on this one alone.”
     “Like hell you are. If we hadn’t been together on Emayn—“
     “Yeah, I know, but we were expecting combat on Emayn. Fox, this is what I do best, it’s my job. I go in there, record the meeting, and get out. If the opportunity presents itself, I take out the commander. Maximum of one shot fired, disappear without a trace. No sense having two people do the job of one, and you’re not exactly the stealthy type.”
     “I could be,” Fox replied a bit defensively. “Pretty confident in your skills, aren’t you?”
     “They haven’t failed me yet. All I need from you and Lombardi is to pick me up when I’m done. Leave the rest to me.”
     Fox hesitated. Deep down, he knew his partner was right, but he hated sitting out of anything. The tenseness was worse in the wait than in the fray. He reluctantly nodded. “Alright, but I want to know the exact plan.”
     “Fine,” Gage replied. He slid the rectangular napkin holder into the center of the table and placed a salt shaker on top. “This is the building, and I’m the salt. I get onto the roof and rappel down to the window outside the thirty-second floor. You or Lombardi can take a look from far away and direct me.” He moved the salt shaker down and held it around the middle of the napkin holder. He then slid a small bottle of hot sauce to the end of the table. “Now, you’re the hot sauce—“
     “But I hate hot sauce," Fox cut in, picking up the pepper shaker and twirling it in hishand. "Is this the general?"
     Gage rolled his eyes and continued. “From outside the window, I’ll use a laser microphone to record what they’re saying. When we have enough info, I’ll see if I can get a clear shot, and I’ll take it if I do. You have to be ready to haul ass to the roof,” he moved the salt back onto the top of the holder and slid the hot sauce over. “Where I’ll be waiting.”
     “You’re counting on a lot of luck. What if they see you through the window?”
     “I’ll stay off to the side.”
     Fox shrugged. Gage would be counting on his training and instincts, and he hoped that would be enough. He didn’t like being in a position where he wasn’t immediately able to provide backup. “It’s your ass on the line, if that’s how you want to do it, then ok.”
     Gage nodded. “Alright, let’s head for Macbeth then. I want to get a look at this building before we do it.”
     A cute female wolf brought the check and gave Gage a wink, which Fox rolled his eyes at. The captain picked up the check, gave it a wide-eyed glance, and slid it to Fox. “Here, you’re the one getting paid fifty grand for this.”

     * * *

Two days later
Rogara Outpost, Venom
1328 hours

     Charon noticed that the sun never seemed to grace the commander’s office with its warmth and light. As he gave a quick scan of the empty room, he felt that was appropriate. The beauties of life, those things which had long forsaken Charon, were reserved for those who deserved them. The cheetah knew he was not at the top of that list, but much higher than the commander.
     He turned away from the dead room back into the corridor and saw a reptilian soldier walking the other way. The crimson sash around his shoulder marked him as an aide, so Charon called to him as if calling after someone who had just punched him, “Hey, you!”
     The lizard spun around and nearly lost bladder control when he saw the owner of the voice. “Y-yes, Sir?”
Charon slowly stepped closer, his red eyes boring into the aide’s frightened face. He was frustrated and scaring the hell out of the pitiful aides always brightened his mood. “Where’s the commander? I need to remind him of the meeting tomorrow.”
     The lizard raised a shaking hand and pointed down the corridor. “He went…t-to inspect the, uh…progress of…of…Overlord…Sir. In fact, he-he just left.”
     Charon sighed. That bastard was supposed to tell him things like this so he didn’t waste his time running around looking for him like one of these damn aides. The presence of the lizard started to get on his nerves, so he waved him away, much to the aide’s relief, and strode down the hall towards the elevator. Maybe he could catch up to him at the subway transport.
     As the doors to the elevator slid shut in front of its sole traveler, Charon looked at his reflection in the shining metal. He didn’t know if he liked what he saw, but that didn’t matter. He would have plenty of time for soul-searching and deep thinking once this was all over. Once he was free of Overlord and the damn commander, once he was in safety with his father.
     His thoughts floated around and came to rest on the aide upstairs. It was amusing how all the soldiers feared him…except t he commander of course. After what he had done, it would make a battle-hardened warrior weep like a baby. That day months ago…
     Charon had been fueled by pure hatred and adrenaline. It flowed through him, as thick as his blood, taking over his actions. He knew they had his father…the entire Cornerian Army scouting squad had been captured when they discovered the outpost. He and his father were as close as parents and sons could get, and the rest of the army dispatch retreated when they didn’t hear back from his father’s squad. But Charon would not…there was no way he was leaving his father on that God-forsaken planet.
     When he arrived at the outpost, he didn’t want to kill the guards at the gate…he wanted to rip them limb from limb; anger management had never been his strong point, and this time his recklessness got him in trouble. Using the shadows of the night and his own stealth abilities, Charon was able to get close enough to where he didn’t have to break the silence with a gunshot. But it had been in vain.
     Seeing the hated Venom insignia on the guards’ uniforms broke the shred of self-control he had clung to. With an inarticulate roar, Charon leapt from the shadows with amazing swiftness, knife in hand. Before he knew what was happening, the first guard fell to the ground with a gaping neck wound, his head on the edge of decapitation. The second guard stumbled backwards, trying to bring his rifle up, that scared glint in his eyes that Charon liked so much. The cheetah kicked the gun to the side, continued into a circle spin and slashed the knife across the guard’s chest. He slashed again and again until the guard’s torso was a mess of red ribbon.
     The scuffle had attracted a patrol of four soldiers from inside the base. Charon dove to the side of the gate as it slid open to a grinding halt, the four soldiers cautiously moved through, rifles shouldered and covering all directions, none noticing the dark figure in the shadows of the wall beside the gate. One of them bent over the second guard corpse and examined it, the desert wind and shard breathing the only sounds heard.
     Charon saw his chance and took it. With a sharp flick of his wrist, the knife shot through the air and dug itself to the hilt in the back guard’s neck. The next guard spun around in time to see his comrade’s body crumple to the sand to reveal a very angry-looking cheetah run out of the shadows, his pistol blazing. His first two shots took the guard in the chest, his third piercing the second guard’s head.
     The guard who was inspecting the dead soldier dropped prone from his kneeling position and returned fire, the lasers from his rifle kicking up sand and deflecting from the metal wall as Charon dove to the side, firing six shots before he landed prone on the ground. The two that connected with the last guard were all he needed to silence the firing.
     Barely even out of breath, Charon gave a last angry glance over the six bodies and turned to enter the base…but he let his guard down at a critical time. As he entered the gate, a rifle butt swung from the side, from the very shadows he had used to hide in, and struck him in the head. With a blinding flash of white, Charon fell to the ground and groaned. His head felt like a grenade had exploded inside it, but he forced himself to open his eyes and stand to face the attacker. With a shake of his head, he scrambled to a kneeling position and opened his eyes…and froze.
     At least thirty soldiers stood across the base’s courtyard, all with their rifles trained on him. Charon didn’t know how long he kneeled there, his hand hovering over his pistol, the guards’ triggers millimeters away from fully pulled. Neither had to make the first move. Instead, a very slow clapping broke the silence. The owner of the applause stepped forward from behind the soldiers, looking down at Charon with a humorless grin.
     “Amazing show,” he said, ceasing his clapping. “I’ve rarely seen such skill with a knife or pistol. Do you have a name?”
     “Charon Bond,” the cheetah answered with a low growl. “And you better get to know this face, you bastard. It’s gonna be the last thing you see before I rip your heart out.”
     The figure cocked an eyebrow, not seeming to notice Charon’s threat. “Bond, eh? There was a Bond in a scout squad that happened to drop by today.”
     Charon bowed his head as the unidentified person chuckled at his new-found knowledge. “I think I see. Well, Mr. Bond, it seems that you are in luck. Had anyone else done this, I would’ve already ordered them killed. But I like your way of combat. Instead, we’ll make a deal.”
     The pain in Charon’s head throbbed, and he had trouble thinking straight. A deal? He’d rather die than make a deal with that piece of shit.
     “The deal,” he continued. “is simple. You work for me, be my bodyguard and the guard of a little project I’m heading. Once this project is done, with me alive to see it, I will release you and your father. If not…” the evil grin returned to his muzzle. “Not only will you die, but your father will also be tortured and killed. Very simple, as I said. What’s your answer?”
     ‘My answer…’

     With a ding, the elevator door’s slid open, Charon’s reflection vanishing and being replaced by the underground transport docking bay. His memories faded as he looked around the platform and finally spotted the commander waiting with a squad of guards. It pained him to think of walking over towards his enemy, to be again in his presence. It pained him to think that any time he could probably just walk out the gates and never see the base or the commander again. But he couldn’t, or the bastard he was serving would kill his only family. Never before had a prisoner been so free and yet so trapped.
     With a sigh, Charon stepped out of the elevator.
     “My answer…fuck you.”

    -Chapter 7 coming soon!-