A thick smell of dust and smoke hung in the air. It seemed to compliment the grey skied scenery of the war torn streets. Bombed out buildings and crumbling streets were a norm though and had been for nearly twenty years. This city, Anea, was hit much harder during the war, worse than other cities and it showed in the streets. No one lived here, not anymore, just the echoes of a once beautiful city, now a hollow shell. One could feel as though the ghost of its citizen still walked the empty streets. The silence was perhaps the most unnerving part. Even in abandoned cities, the sound of birds or just even the wind could be heard, but here, the air was silent.
In the bombed out ruins of a gas station, though, there was some life stirring, four people, soldiers, huddled for cover inside, waiting and watching. Near the window, two of the soldiers watched out over the street. One, a green manned wolf scanned an apartment building across through a pair of binoculars, a contemplative look on his face.
Beside him, a black haired fox watched further up the street that separated the two buildings through the scope of her battle rifle.
"See anything?" The wolf said, breaking the silence.
"Negative contacts." The fox replied.
Behind them, a blue furred lion sat leaned against a counter, his hand running up and down his heavy assault gun, an almost therapeutic habit for him, relaxing the nerves that would get to him when waiting.
"Are we good to go Bishop?" The lion asked, eager to get moving again, after an early morning infiltration into this city, trying to avoid detection by sensors and enemy patrols, they found themselves hung up by an overly cautious commander
"Not until Granite team gets on station." The Wolf named Bishop replied, garnering a grunt from his fellow squad mate.
"Relax Viktor," Another voice called from behind the counter. "You'll get your chance." A silver furred hedgehog said, popping up from behind the counter.
"Just nervous, some of us hate waiting Silver." The lion replied. "What were you even doing?"
"Setting a booby trap." The hedgehog replied, leaping over the counter and setting himself next to the lion, who jumped up and away from the counter.
"Hold on there, don't go setting charges while I'm still in the room." Viktor said.
"Relax, it isn't even armed." Silver replied, opening his bag, searching for an energy bar he had stashed earlier."
"Cut it out you two before you get us all killed." Bishop snarled.
"Hey Bishop, I've got movement." The fox said, causing everyone to snap into cover and out of sight.
"What is it Dora?" Bishop asked, also peering out into the street.
"One contact. Cat, purple fur, far end of the street." Dora replied.
"Hostile?" Bishop asked, turning to find the cat Dora mentioned
"Don't know."
"Armed."
"Negative."
The whole team waited for a moment for a reply from their sniper on where the cat was going. If they were discovered, they wouldn't have a lot of time before they'd have enemy troops raining down on them, they'd need to be gone and fast.
"Alright, she's gone." The fox announced, lowering her weapon.
"Ok, Granite or no Granite, we go on with the mission. Get ready to move." Bishop ordered. The team of soldiers began to pack their things up, making sure to take care they leave no trace of their presence behind, stuffing gear and ammo into their packs and reloading their weapons. Silver also made not to arm his trap, a nasty surprise for anyone unfortunate enough to trigger it.
"Alright, Viktor, you're up first." Bishop said. The lion lined up near the doorway with Dora and Silver at his back and Bishop behind them.
"Alright, let's move." Viktor declared, making his move across, Dora and Silver right behind him and Bishop bringing up the rear. Back out into the open, the team moved quickly across the parking lot and into the street, taking care to scan the surrounding buildings for enemies.
The four soldiers stacked up near another doorway. Bishop made a pat on Viktor's shoulder, signaling for him do go. Making a quick move around the corner, his gun drawn.
"Clear." Viktor said, the team following in behind them.
"Dora, Silver. Up to the Eighth floor and get set up. Viktor, room duty down here with me." The team split up, with Dora and Silver taking off down the main corridor, heading for the stairs with Silver taking care to set a few proximity mines on door frames along the way, a way of covering the backdoor, should the team be discovered.
Taking a right at the end of the corridor, the two went low to stay under windows that showed clear view onto the street. This sneaking around was not uncommon, especially for Silver and Dora. Neither were armed heavily, they had to use stealth and skill for their means of defense.
Once they reached the stairs at the end of the hall, they were able to stand back up, now out of vision and started their climb up a half demolished staircase.
"Looks like another milk run." Dora said, taking care to not fall on the crumbling steps.
"You never know with these ops, but if the convoy does pass through here, then I'd call it a lot more than a milk run." The hedgehog replied, following her lead.
"Cut the chatter you two." Bishop ordered over the radio. Silver rolled his eyes. Unsure if it was the mission or the day but Bishop had been a bit of a hard ass ever since they inserted earlier in the day.
The pair of soldiers reached the 12th floor after a few minutes, Silver made sure to lay down another proximity mine before the pair made their way down another hallway, stacking up on a door at the end. Taking care to open the door quietly, Silver lead Dora inside the bombed out remains of a living room. A quick scan around the room revealed a simple apartment, adjacent to the living room was a small kitchen, beyond it, a door that must have led to a bedroom. Silver motioned for Dora to move to her right and check the kitchen, while he took the bedroom.
Once they had made sure they were alone and that the apartment was clear of any surprises, Dora quickly got to work setting up her sniper's nest while Silver got to work on demolitions, placing on more proximity mine on the main door and arming it. He set his pack down on the couch and began to work on arming sequences for four demo charges.
"Team 2 in position." Dora called over the radio, now fully set up.
"Roger that, Granite has arrived across the street, we should have visual on them in a few minutes." Bishop replied.
"Is it just me or is Bishop a little on edge lately?" Dora said, making sure to turn her mic off this time, Silver doing the same.
"I don't know, I think that cat might have set him off. This place is supposed to be abandoned." Silver replied, continuing to work on arming his explosives.
"Well, I think he's just being paranoid, there are refugees all over the place. Dora replied.
"This place is supposed to be radioactive though." Silver said
"Only the east side. The Soli's left most of the city intact." Dora replied.
"Intact? Hmph, I hate to see what you call destroyed." Silver scoffed.
"You know what I mean." Dora replied. Silver had a point though, the ruins of a city were a haunting sight. Crumbling buildings of a metropolis, a testament to the advancement of civilized life, now a reminder of the costs of war.
"Check, Razor team this is Granite team, we're in position." A voice said over the comms.
"Took you guys long enough." Silver said before turning his mic back on. "Copy that Granite team. Dora and I are on the eighth floor, center of the building, do you see us?" Silver asked.
"We've got ya Silver." The voice said over the radio.
"Ground floor, near the lobby." Bishop said calmly
"Hey Rook, next time don't take so long." Viktor said.
"Sorry Viktor, we got hung trying to not be seen." The voice of Rook replied, a hint of sarcasm lingering on his words.
"Is that my brother?" Another voice said on the comm.
"Yeah it is Raptor." Viktor said over the radio.
"Not all of us are as eager to get killed as you." Raptor replied.
"That's what I've been saying to him." Silver added.
"Enough, all of you." Bishop ordered, ending the conversation. "One more peep Silver and we're gonna have problems." He added. Silver shook his head and got back to work on his demolitions charges.
Finishing the arming sequence on the last one. With all four charges ready, Silver walked up to the window and with a thought, the charges began to move up, off the ground surrounded by a green aura.
Silver motioned for the charges to move out the window, down towards the street below. Taking care to place the charges in an effective position. The first in the center of the street, between the buildings to stop the convoy cold. Another, near a gas station where enemy soldiers would most likely try and take cover when the ambush began. The final two were placed on the external corner of a buildings kitty corner to Silver's position to blow after the engagement began to trap the convoy in. Taking great care to set them down gently and remotely arm them was an easy matter with psychokinesis.
"Charges in position." Silver said over the radio.
"We saw, good work Silver." Bishop replied.
Silver went back to his pack and pulled out a spotting scope. Returning to Dora's side and getting himself set up, ready to pick targets.
"I've got movement." A voice called over the radio.
"What do you see?" Bishop replied.
"Purple cat, about three feet tall, far end of the street." The voice responded. Dora and Silver quickly swung towards where they voice said and sure enough, there was the lavender cat again. Getting a good look at her, she wasn't wearing anything special, just civilian clothes. She wasn't really walking with a purpose either, just walking along, seemingly in disbelief of her surroundings.
"Her again?" Dora said.
"She's gonna see the charges by the station." Silver said.
"Hey, what's that?" Rook said over the radio. The sounds of an explosion echoed through the city. Everyone's attention turned to the source, the sixth floor of the building across the street. Flames blew the windows out and the whole floor erupted into a quick fireball.
"What the hell!" Dora yelled. The cat below took off in a sprint across the street, away towards the explosion. Dora took a shot at her but the cat was too fast.
"Hold your fire Dora!" Bishop yelled. "Granite team responded."
"They're all dead." Raptor said over the radio.
"You're not. Are you hurt?" Viktor replied.
"I think my leg is busted. It was booby trapped." Raptor replied. Just then, the sounds of engines could be heard approaching in the distance, gunships.
"Soli's!" Silver said, picking up his scope and returning to his bag. "They knew."
"We've got to go!" Dora declared
"We can't leave him behind!" Viktor said.
"We don't have a choice, if those gunships get here and we're still around then we're all dead." Dora argued.
"We don't leave people behind, back me up Silver!" Viktor argued back.
"I can get us over there." Silver replied, packing up the things in his bag.
"Bishop?" Dora asked, hoping to gain some support.
"I'm not leaving without him sir." Viktor added.
"Are you sure Silver?" Bishop asked
"Positive sir, but you're all going to have to trust me." Silver stated, throwing his pack over his shoulder and slinging his gun.
"I'm with you Silver." Viktor said.
"Alright, get ready for Silver then." Bishop ordered.
"Dammit." Dora said, slinging her rifle and putting her pack back on.
"Everyone ready." Silver said, standing next to Dora by the window and wrapping his arm around her waist.
"What are we waiting for?" Viktor said.
"Go!" Silver said, taking a run and leap through the window, catching himself and Dora, holding them in the air with his powers. He then got eyes on Bishop and Viktor who were falling, reacting, Silver grabbed them as well and began to lift them up. Silver pulled all four of them along, towards the blown out sixth floor in the building across the street. His strength waning, Silver chucked his three companions a short distance into the building, all of them rolling to break their fall. Silver had just enough strength to get himself through as well, making a hard landing inside the building.
"Good work Silver." Bishop said, offering his hand to Silver and helping him up.
"Raptor, where are you at?" Viktor called, running through the burned out office they were in.
"In here!" Raptor called across the hall. Viktor rushed to tend to his brother, the others close behind.
Raptor had lucked out and was behind a file cabinet which shielded him from the blast though the force of the explosion still managed to throw him a ways through the charred hallway. Raptor was splinting his leg up before Viktor took him quickly and threw him over his shoulders.
"Can I have a minute?" Raptor said, still trying to tend to his leg.
"No time, what's the quickest way out?" Bishop asked.
"Old buildings like this had large sewer access in the basement, we can take that out." Dora explained.
"Alright, you heard her, to the basement, let's move like we have a purpose." Bishop ordered. The team made for the south staircase and got moving down towards the basement. Silver took point with the rest close behind through the destroyed stairwell. The gunships were heard getting closer, just outside the building.
"Silver, send them packing!" Bishop ordered. Silver reached for the detonator in his pocket and set to blow it.
"Alright hang on." Silver said, pressing the button. The charges set earlier all began to detonate, sending several shockwaves through the building. The sound of several gunships crashing could also be heard, caught in the explosions. The very foundations of the building began to shake as everyone began to lose a little balance. When the vibrations finally subsided, everyone stopped for a moment, no more engines.
"Guess I packed a little too much into those." Silver said meekly
"Let's move!" Viktor ordered from the back. The team was on the move again, heading for the basement. Silver kicked the basement door and continued to lead the way to a dark hallway, using a flashlight attached to his armor for light.
"There should be a sign saying sub-basement up ahead and another set of stairs." Dora said from behind him and Silver nodded, continuing forward. The team kept running down the corridor, they had a few minutes while their pursuers recovered from the explosions, if they were even still alive. Silver rounded a corner and was stopped by the sight of a person blocking their path, the cat from earlier.
"Silver, what the hell is going on?" The cat said.