A/N: I'm really sorry that this came out this late. Also sorry that this isn't as long as it should have been. I didn't have enough time I hoped to have.
Chapter 4
Inside the suv
Krystal sat in the middle section right side, Katt next to her. A pink furred feline who looked around Krystal's age. Katt wore a bright green zip up sweatshirt and some black sweatpants. She also had on a pair of earbuds as she scrolled through her phone. She softly hummed an upbeat tune that Krystal couldn't pick up on. Falco sat in front left drivers seat. He wore a white dress shirt and black dress pants. Under the arm that she could see was a black yet empty holster. She looked back at Fox and saw that he was wearing nearly the same thing save he also wore a black suit jacket. Fox saw her looking at him.
"Hey Krystal, do you need something?" Fox said with a caring voice.
"No,sorry. I was just looking around at the suv." She gazed around the vehicle trying to get away from the awkward stare that just occurred. Upon looking around she saw that the suv was clad in fine leathers and state of the art electronics. "How did you afford a set of wheels this nice?"
"Long story short we're borrowing it." Fox said.
"The person you're 'borrowing' from knows it's being borrowed right?" Krystal asked.
"No, I mean yes." Fox was visually struggling trying to find words. Falco noticed this happening and helped verbalize what Fox was apparently unable to.
"This is under a testing period and our outfit was selected as one of its test subjects. This thing is tested to stop bullets and resist cyber attacks." Falco said. A sign went by saying space port private hangars ahead.
"If it's already proven to do that then what do you need to find out?" Krystal asked.
"Testing the ability to blend in with other cars and to see how it performs outside of a trial facility." Fox answered back. "So far we haven't been getting the 'that's a cool car' look from anyone nor have we felt any bumps in the road so I'd say that the test is going fine." The suv drove up to a gate with a guard post. Falco lowered his window and pulled a badge out of his chest pocket and showed it to the guard. He examined it for a second then waved them through. They were at the hangar in only a few more moments. The main hangar door opened enough to let the suv in. It didn't stop though, instead Falco slowly maneuvered it past the tool chests and large star craft parts. Krystal took this time to veer out into the hangar.
Inside the massive hangar was the nearly put together hull of the Great Fox. Aside it were four nearly mint arwings but next to them were two arwings stripped of almost all their parts. On the other side of the Great Fox was a small sized transport craft. The transport resembled an old high wing jet with a flat rear end. The end of the craft had engines mounted over it in an archway. A ramp in the middle if the archway lowered as the suv got closer. The black garage area of the transport she could see looked wide enough to accommodate at two vehicles. Falco parked to one side of the garage and turned off the engine. Everyone started to get out and walk to the next area. All but Fox, he stayed behind and grabbed a large bundle of straps with hooks at the ends of each one. Krystal turned back at him as he knelt down next to the wheel hub. Fox was wrapping the straps into the wheel while Krystal watched.
"Fox do you need help?" She voiced with concern.
"Yeah I guess." He nodded his head toward the other side of the suv holding up one of the straps. "Could you take this and intertwine it into a triangle pattern on the wheel on that side?" He began twisting it inside the wheel before she answered. He made a triangle in the wheel and held up the hook part.
"Sure." She grabbed the hook area and walked it to the other side. Krystal knelt down beside the tire and put one side in. She tried to make the same shape as Fox did but couldn't copy his pattern.
"Here…" Fox's voice said startlingly from behind her. "... let me help you." She flinched a bit not knowing he had been there. He took the hook end and did what he did with the other tires. First through the bottom then the top, then down at an angle and wrap it back forming a triangle. He then hooked it to a latch sticking out of the floor. Looking over his work and after giving the straps a few tugs he stood up. "That should be good enough. We should go to the main area so we can take off." The pair left with Fox leading the way. The next area reassembled an apartment building more than a seating area. Two doors to the side of the entrance labeled staterooms. As the area marked as staterooms ended, a living area and a kitchenette came next. Finally was the cockpit behind another set of doors. Fox walked into the cockpit leaving Krystal with Katt and Builter. She walked over to a couch in the living area and sat down.
"Hey Krystal right?" Katt asked. Krystal nodded her head. "I have to know, how did Lylats shiest fox ask you out?" Builter, who was looking at his phone, gazed up at her with interest.
"I was waiting at a bus stop after getting fired from my job when Fox had pulled next to me in his truck."
"Sounds like the beginning to an old country song." Builter said. Krystal laughed but Katt gave him a glare that non verbally spoke 'not now.'
"Once pulled up, he asked if I wanted a ride back to our building since we were neighbors. He made some small talk with me but not much beyond that until we got back to our building. Fox walked up the stairs with me then asked me of I would like a free vacation for a few days. I didn't see a downside so I took him up on that offer." she finished.
"I'm sorry about your job but if your ever looking for work, Fox is always looking for hands around the Great Fox." Katt said. Krystal thought about this for a moment before coming to a realization.
"I would but I have no experience with machines at all. I don't even have a driver's licence."
"Oh don't worry about your mechanical knowledge. Falco and I have none and we still work there. It's mostly 'hand me this' or 'tighten that.' You'd get the hang if it quickly trust me." Katt said.
"I'll… I'll ask him about it later. Thank you." Krystal said. Builter walked away and into one of the staterooms.
"So what really happened that Fox asked you out?" Katt asked. Krystal was taken aback by that question.
"I didn't lie, that's what happened."
"Sorry If I jumped you with that but Fox is…" Katt shook her hand as she tried to come up with words. "not great around women is putting it lightly. Especially women as pretty as you." Krystal blushed. "So what are you wearing to the party. I'm only asking because if it's too showy then you might kill Fox."
"I honestly don't know yet." Katt stared at her. "I was planning to run out the night before and buy something cheap that would pass."
"That won't do, follow me." Katt grabbed Krystal me the arm and dragged her into the other stateroom. She pulled a suitcase out from underneath the bed and went through it. She laid out two folded dresses on the bed, one purple and one black. Katt eyed up Krystal, picked up the purple dress and threw it at her. "Here put this on." Katt shoved her into the bathroom. Krystal stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Eventually she changed clothes and put on the purple dress. Quickly she realized that this was not the cheap dress she had envisioned of purchasing. It exposed her left shoulder and part of her right leg. A knock came from the door. Krystal opened it and Katt walked in. "Oh yeah, that'll kill Fox."
Five hours later or 1700 Fichina time
In less than five minutes after they landed, the suv was on the cold streets of Fichina's largest city, Dutchport. Fox was in the front seat filling out reports for the vehicle. Falco drove, while not at Fox speeds, at a relatively fast pace with eyes hyper actively looking for cops. It wouldn't be as bad if they got pulled over on Corneria but if they got pulled over here, gangs had half the police force on their payrolls. To get seen with Builter would alert gangs to what car and what people to look out for. It would make protecting him that much harder.
They drove for half an hour before the suv made it to the eight story hotel. Fox exited first and opened the door with Builter. Fox walked within nearly an inch of Builter moving at a brisk pace as the two walked inside. The vulpine looked around for the front desk.
"Hello sir, may I help you?" A feminine voice said behind him. Fox turned around to see what he was looking for. A female wolf stood behind the desk
"Yes I have three rooms under McCloud." Fox said. The wolf typed away at a computer in front of her.
"Welcome Mr. McCloud, I do need to have a credit card for a security deposit." Fox reached in his pocket for his wallet. He pulled out his card for the wolf to charge it. Once done she opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out what looked like a phone charging dock. At this time the other three walked in. "Alright so this machine will link up to your phone so you can use it as your key." She held her hand out with her palm up. Fox took this hint and gave her his phone. She plugged it in and a notification came on his screen as the plug in machine made a low frequency beeping noise. She did this for the rest of their phones. "You have rooms eight ten through eight twelve. Your phones will allow you to enter them for the next forty eight hours."
Fox thanked her and walked on with the rest of his group. The five of them went on their way up the elevator and into their rooms. Builter took the first room and Katt and Falco took the second. Fox had miscalculated something as Krystal stood outside in the hallway before he walked into his room. "Hey Krystal, there's space in my room if you want to." Krystal saw an opportunity to have a little fun with him.
"My, my, I think I'd like to know you better before we sleep together." Fox's whole face went cherry red.
"No, no, no no, it's not like that. It's like there are beds and you can have a bed. Separate bed, and not in mine." Fox's hands were very animated the entire time. Krystal had a smile and fought her best to hold back the laughter that tried to escape her. "One that's like in the same room but not connected." Fox gulped. "Yeah like that." Krystal let out a small giggle.
"I guess I'll take the bed." Krystal waved her phone in front of the door and walked inside. Fox let out a sigh as she walked through the door. He stepped in after her and noticed an immediate problem. "Maybe we'll both have to take the bed." Krystal said as she and Fox looked at the single bed in the room. Krystal smiled again but didn't let Fox see it. She was almost excited to sleep in the same bed. Then she caught herself thinking these thoughts while she tried to justify why she thought these things. Was it because she was happy to be in such close quarters with Fox or was it because he was an attractive male. She quickly suppressed that last thought, she told herself she was happy to be close to the person who took away from her life for a moment. Fox walked up to a desk in the corner and set down his bag. He unloaded his gear, first his MRR, then his glasses, his earplugs and his blaster. Krystal stopped as she saw Fox holster his weapon. "Fox, what are the odds that something will go wrong?"
"Not very high." Fox looked at Krystal who had a mildly scared gaze. "Don't worry, there is a reason I come recommended to Cornerias elite. If anything happens, I'm prepared for it." This put Krystal a bit at ease.
"You promise I'll be safe, right?" Krystal asked.
"I promise."
A/N: I was hoping that this would come out sometime last week but I didn't get enough time to write what I wanted. I'm going to try to make sure the next chapter comes out sooner. Until next time, LONEW0LF out.