Rogue Fox Dark Dreams
Chapter VII
The Settlement Part II
~SyxxFox


Staring up at a Slayer, clad in black armour was like staring at a monster of metal. The rifle was at the ready, as the soldier took up the entire doorway. The child was frozen. He didn't move a muscle. He just looked up at the soldier clad in heavy black armour, as the figure stared right back down at him. There was a long period of silence as the little boy was confused as to be frightened or relieved. The small grey fox took a short gasp as the armoured monster turned half way, before looking back to him once again. The soldier held the grip of the rifle, and rested it up, over his shoulder, pointing the barrel to the ceiling as he began to walk away.

"Wait!" The young boy shouted out.

Syxx froze in his step, coming to a stop, just a few paces outside of the supply room. He half turned, to look back past his shoulder and far enough to see over the rifle the was rested over it. He looked back at the kit, not saying anything in return. His bushy black and white tipped tail flowed behind him, slowly side to side.

The boy spoke again. "You're one of those things. You're a robot! You're one of those robots that the army makes! Did you come to save me?"

Syxx turned his gaze a little bit, and opened a private channel, so that he could not be heard speaking outside of his armour. "Pyro. We've got a snag."

"I'm all over ya'."

Syxx could hear the silent footsteps as the other Slayer approached. It was like he appeared out of thin air, as he jogged through the room, making careful effort not to step on dead bodies as he made his way in.

"There's two of you! Wait. Can you robots even understand me?" The kid spoke.

Syxx spoke lowly into the microphone. "His mom is gone. He's the last survivor."

The Slayers both looked at each other for a short moment before Pyro spoke up. "Well, we're not leaving him."

The raccoon took a few slow steps, making his way through the doorway. He put his heavy rifle against the side of what was left of the door jam. The kid, scooted back on his rear a little bit, slowly on the floor as the massive hunk of metal approached him.

Pyro switch off his microphone so the boy could hear him through the small speaker near the chin of the armour. His voice was crystal-clear. "Hey. It's alright. We're here to help."

The fox boy was still hesitant. He stumbled over his words a little bit. "I'm- I'm Kay."

"Hi Kay. I'm gonna take off my helmet now, is that alright?"

The boy pushed his small nose into the plush. He took a long pause, and then nodded his head a few times, quickly.

The Slayer's right paw made it's way over to his left forearm. He hit a few buttons that were holographic, and glowing soft blue on his arm. He then reached both of his armoured gloves upward. He placed them on the bottom of his helmet, and started to lift. A soft hiss filled the air around them, as the Slayer lifted the helmet off of his head. He took a deep breath of air, and placed the helmet down to his side.

The small boy was face to face with the warm expression of a male raccoon. His grey-black hair was almost enough to cover his eyes, being a little longer on one side. Pyro moved some of the hair to the side of his head with his glove and smiled down to the boy. "I'm Pyro. This over here is my friend, Syxx. He doesn't talk much though."

"Hi…" The little fox said as he held his plushie.

"Hi Kay." Pyro smiled. "Now, this is very scary place. Do you want to come with me? We'll get you somewhere safe, where there's food and water. How does that sound? Wanna come with me?"

The grey fox nodded again. "Yes. But, I don't think I can walk. I hurt my leg."

The raccoon smiled warmly to the boy. "Okay buddy, I'm gonna have a look at your leg, is that alright?"

Kay nodded once more, dipping his head, as he leaned back a little bit. He pushed out his left leg. "It's this one. Right here." It was clear the kit was trying his hardest to keep from crying.

Pyro used his armoured gloves with the utmost of care. He placed one of them up by the boy's knee. The other, he slowly started to inch up his pant leg. The Slayer didn't need to get very far before he could see the swollen ankle of the boy, even through his grey fur it looked bloated, and red.

Pyro pulled the young man's pant leg back down. "Whoa, looks like you took quite a spill. I bet it hurts, but you're a tough little dude, right Kay?" Pyro smiled and rubbed the boy's head, making a mess of his hair.

The fox sniffled a little bit. He wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve, and was able to crack a little bit of a smile and a short nod. It was clear that he wanted to cry, but he was able to hold it back.

"That's my boy!" Pyro grinned. "Alright buddy. I'm gonna carry you. But you gotta do me a favour alright? You have to keep your eyes closed until we get outside, okay? I don't want to see any peeking!"

The boy hugged his stuffed toy. "And Fox can come with us?"

Pyro smiled even brighter than before. "Let's see here."

Pyro took the toy from the kit's paw to inspect it. It was true. It was a stuffed toy of Fox McCloud. Silver jacket, brown pants, and red bandana where all there. The red neck-piece wrapped around the chibified neck of the figure of Fox, while there was a bright smile on his face. Even his old communicator was stitched in around the back of the head and silver matched the toys boots.

Pyro turned and looked over his shoulder at Syxx, who glanced back to him as he surveyed the room. Pyro snickered a little bit. "Oh we wouldn't go anywhere without Fox McCloud."

Syxx opened his microphone so that he could be heard aloud. "We should get moving."

Pyro dipped his head. "Alright Kay. So here's what we are gonna do. I'm gonna help you up, and I'm gonna toss you on my back." He lifted his gloves in front of him. "Then I'm gonna hold my paws together like this." He demostraighted. "So that way I won't drop you. All you gotta' do is hold onto me, alright? Then I'll do the rest." The raccoon motioned his head. "Syxx."

While Pyro leaned down onto one knee, the black fox came around to help. He came up behind the kid, and lifted him from under the arms. For his might, the child was basically weightless. He set him down carefully, so that he chest was against the back of the other Slayer. The heavy Vortec armour made him bulky, and more difficult to hang on to, until Pyro put his arms behind his back. He locked his paws together under the legs of the grey fox. He waited until the boy could get a hold around him. His little head rested on Pyro's shoulder, right next to his own face. The kit quickly found a place to hold onto, where the helmet latch had released.

"How's that Kay?"

The kit nodded as he hugged around the Slayer. "Good." The toy was against Pyro's neck as the boy heald it with one paw and the armour at the same time.

"Alright buddy, you're gonna close your eyes, and be really quiet for me. No matter what you hear, just keep your eyes closed. Syxx is gonna keep both of us really safe. All you have to do is just hold on to me."

Syxx grabbed Pyro's helmet, and placed it on his hip, on the rifle hanger. He grabbed Pyro's rifle too, and placed it right next to the BR. He looked over to Pyro, who gave him a nod. Syxx returned the gesture, as they began to tiptoe through the massacre. Their boots landed softly on the hard floor, not making a noise as they stepped around and over all the dead bodies, making their way back to the set of doors that would lead back to the lobby.

Syxx was the first to go through the large doorway, with the heavy doors that he had simply kicked down. He stepped quietly, and put up his paw, flat, motioning Pyro to stop. The fox continued down the hall to the first doorway, checking the room, before moving to the next. He raised his paw again in a fist before pointing up a single finger, and spinning it. Pyro moved forward, with the small boy on his back. Things were eerily silent, with barely the sounds of steps.

Syxx moved to the next door, peeking in. His paw shot up again, boasting a knuckle. From the knuckle, two fingers came up. Syxx watched the two infected shadows in the room, walk back and forth, aimlessly. He reached out, wrapping his paw around the handle of the door. He inched it closed, slowly, until the door was against the jam. He placed his thumb on the latch as the door closed, only letting it out once it was shut, so it wouldn't even let out the faintest click.

They made their way further down the hallway, checking each door and each room as they moved on. It was about halfway to the end, when Syxx could hear faintly a whistling. He froze in place as the sound disappeared. They waited, and soon heard the noise again, this time a little bit louder, and accompanied by the rumble of engines. They both looked at each other. Pyro had somewhat of a concerned look on his face, which only got worse, when the entire building started to fill with the echoes of soft growling and screeches. The sound of the Aparoid-Lylatian Infected.

Syxx made his way to the next door way, and at the end of the hall near the lobby, he could see shadows moving around. The growls and screams of Infected Aparoids started to get louder, and the sounds of footsteps started to echo in the background.

The fox put his shoulder up against the corner to the next room, putting his gun forward. "Clear. Go. Go." He whispered.

Syxx repositioned himself, outside the doorway and as Pyro bolted into the office, Syxx did the same, and closed the door slowly behind him. It wasn't seconds later that they could hear rapid and multiple footsteps sprinting past the closed door, accompanied by quiet, but high pitched screams. The fox backed off from the door, keeping his rifle up to the entrance, as he watched and listened. He could see the shadows of passing figures, dancing under the doorway, when one stopped.

The Slayer tightened his grip on the rifle as he watched the shadow under the doorway. It moved back and forth in fast and twitching motions, making low grunts as air rapidly was forced from the monster's lungs.

Syxx looked back over his shoulder at Pyro, and made a motion with his paw. The raccoon understood and acted immediately. He moved to the corner of the room, and placed down the kit, where he wouldn't be able to see anything, under the desk. Pyro placed his finger over his lip and mouthed: "Shhhh," without actually saying anything.

With that, the raccoon made his way back to door, and placed his paw around the handle. His thumb pushed on the latch as slow as he could, not to make a sound. Syxx placed his rifle aside, and brought his knife to his paw, spinning it in place until it was at his comfortable stabbing grip. The fox held the knife just in front of his chest, in a tight knuckle and pointing it away from himself.

Pyro pulled on the door, yanking it half way open quietly and quickly. Syxx lunged forward with his left paw, wrapping that armoured glove around the neck of the infected civilian, a black cat, in an orange jumpsuit, with massive fangs, glowing purple eyes, and claws over six inches long, bleeding purple blood from its paws.

The doorway was open for not much longer than a second, as Pyro shut it again, just as Syxx drug in the feline by its neck. With his other paw, he twirled his knife, and stabbed it into the back of the cat, and twisted it. He quickly pulled it again, and forced the blade up through the back of the monster's head, getting minimal blood on any part of the Vortec. The fox quickly drug the dead Aparoid across the room and tossed it into the small closet, closing the door silently.

The rumbling of ships turned to whistling again as the floor shook. The familiar sound of Arwings dashed overhead.

Syxx spoke in a low and quiet voice. "They're early."

"So much for following orders."

"Falco, this is Asset Metal Zero-One. Come in." Syxx spoke into the communicator.

The reply was filled with static and completely unintelligible, the signal was still being jammed.

Syxx picked up his weapon once again. "Alright, the bots are chasing the clouds. Stick close. We'll leave through the lobby, and destroy the last Seeder."

Pyro shook his head. "Yeah, I figured you left that last one up for a reason."

"The sound of the bug falling off the wall would have been too much attention." The fox growled. "I guess it never mattered if they're just gonna' show up anyways though. Grab the package. Let's move."

Pyro scooped the kit up again from the floor and smiled at him. "You're doing great Kay. Let's keep it up!"

Syxx had Pyro open the door, leaving him to take point, heading into the long hallway. They moved a lot quicker now, making their way to the lobby. Syxx checked each and every single doorway and office, making sure that all the Aparoids had fled the building. As they made their way to the lobby, Syxx spotted two monsters standing in the foyer. He didn't hesitate to pull the trigger on each of them, taking them both completely off guard as they looked up toward the thundering sky. Each one dropped like a pile of bricks as the ACX sliced through the air.

The Slayers fast-marched through the broken doors of the complex, and before they could take cover, the fox pointed his gun to the side of the building. He swore inside of his head, knowing that with his next move, things were about to get busy. He double tapped the trigger of the heavy rifle, as solid plasma sliced through the air, contacting the last Hatcher that was embedded on the side of the building. The Apariod smoked and let go of the building, landing on the ground with a heavy crash of metal and purple blood.

It was like someone had just turned on a switch after that. Dozens of Aparoids, Infected, Walkers, Turrets and Dragoons alike filled the parking lot, and suddenly they were all looking at the Slayers.

Syxx spoke up into the comms, as he sounded a little more stressed than he normally would. "Falcon-One, this Asset Metal Zero-One. Fire mission. Fire mission. Vehicle depot, south parking lot."

Syxx paused, taking a few steps forward, as green plasma showered around him. He yanked a smoke grenade from Pyro's belt, and with all his might was able to get it halfway across the broad parking lot. The smoke spent so much time in the air that it detonated while airborne, before bouncing on the pavement. It landed near a group of Walkers, enveloping them in thick blue smoke.

Krystal's voice came over his communicator. "We're standing-by!"

Pyro was already on the heavy plasma machine gun that had been setup previously. He held down the trigger, making sweeps across the lot as the Aparoids all approached them.

Syxx got back on the radio. "Target marked with blue! Danger close! Engage all!"

Syxx took two grenades from his belt and smashed them together. The yellow and blue orbs began to glow as he tossed them down the stairs, taking out a wave of Walkers. As the frags went off, he went right back on his battle rifle. His finger went into the trigger guard, as he slid to cover at the opposite sides of the steps, getting out of the way of the plasma that scorched the wall behind him.

As the bombs went off, he stood over the metal deployed barricade. As Pyro sprayed the lot with yellow plasma bolts, Syxx made his shots more focused and precise. He targeted Infected in his sights, knowing they would be the fastest to close in.

The air around them rumbled loudly again when it was like the ground of the parking lot lit up. Right above the squad, a gunship hovered as its weapons unleashed their might. The plasma cannon scorched up the pavement, as there was a sudden loud whoosh from overhead as two Arwings made a low and fast pass, dropping bombs into the lot, before pulling up and back into the sky.

Krystal's voice filled Syxx's helmet. "There's a hole in their ranks. We'll provide cover."

"Falco here. Multiple contacts converging on your AO. Get outta there, Fox. Slip, Katt and I will cover the bugs in the sky. Provide close air support to ground team."

"Roger that."

Syxx growled into the mic. "Locate and clear a LZ. We need to get this kid out of here."

Slippy took his turn on the communicator. "Too many bugs here!"

"Fox, overwhelming forces are less than a minute out. I've marked a landing zone east of the village at a refinery. Friendly ground units are still fifteen minutes out! Get moving!" Falco barked.

The vulpine put his rifle on the only available hanger he had left. "On me. On me."

Pyro already had the kid on his back again. Syxx ripped the fixed plasma machine gun right off its mount and the Slayers made a break for it, running across the parking lot. Aparoid fighters screamed overhead, passing low as Arwings tailed them. One was shot down and the ground shook as it landed in flame and rubble. The sound of the plasma cannon from the gunship thundered over them as stray plasma bolts flew by Syxx and Pyro. Bombs from Dragoons landed all around them. Thier stealth mission had turned into an all out war.

"There's an old manufacturing building about a half click east of your location. The parking lot there is big enough to drop the Freon. We'll airlift the kid out!" Slippy said over the communicator.

Syxx ran with the large weapon, hip firing it as he needed to, to cut down any stray Aparoid that got in his way. Pyro was right behind him, with the kit holding onto his back as they ran.

Syxx marked out a target on his heads up display. The chain fence that surrounded the parking lot. "Destroy that barrier."

Kyrstal turned her head and spotted the red square that her visor placed over the fence-line. "Target acquired!" She flipped up the safety on her triggers and pulled them both in. Two bombs on the wings of the craft shot out together, dropping in the air shortly in front of the gunship before they took off, swirling around each other and landing at the base of the fence, where the entire ground lifted up. There was a red fiery explosion as rock, cement and metal flew into the air and rained down around them.

The Slayers ran through the smoke. Pyro could hear the kid cough as he clung onto his back. He watched the black fox in front of him, just a few steps, as they both ran across the following road. Syxx lifted the machine gun up to his shoulder and fired it to their left, and right, taking down single targets as fire rained from above.

"Set down the gunship!" Fox barked out.

They could see the next parking lot as they ran down the center of the road. Their boots stomped loudly on the road surface, which was all that could be heard besides the far off firing of the Aparoids. The Freon raced from overhead, rotating in the air and flying backward for a moment before setting down in the next wide parking lot of the industrial building.

"Hostiles! Converging from the woods!"

It was as if they came out of nowhere. Swarms of everything from Walkers, to Turrets, Dragoons and Infected swarmed from the trees around the building. Arwings made low passes, taking out as many as they could with their plasma cannons. The canopy of the Freon opened up, both Krystal and Slippy stood up on theirs seats. Krystal put one boot up on the controls as she fired her Blaster into the parking lot, taking down as many as she could. The yellow-green plasma from each shot splashed over Apariod armour as they screamed.

Syxx jumped through the air, landing setting his boots on a Dragoon, knocking the massive monster to the ground and unloading on what would be it's head before it went limp. When he looked up again, Pyro had already ran past him.

Syxx's eyes went wide "Pyro!"

The raccoon gasped out as he was face to face with two Infected, drooling their purple saliva, as claws and teeth glistened from each hound. Torn up clothes barely covered their bodies, and bots quickly separated him from the other Slayer. Syxx struggled to catch up as they neared the gunship. The heavy plasma machine gun barked out as Syxx took down everything he could in his way. His knuckle smashed the head of a metal and buglike walker as he fought his way forward. He was just in time to see Pyro throw an Infected Marine off of his body, as the kit he was carrying, was on the ground, crouched up against a vehicle, crying.

Pyro jumped up to his feet, stumbling. Syxx slid up next to him. As Pyro reached a paw down to the kit, the fox grabbed the raccoon's wrist, wrapping his glove around it tightly. The sound of metal lurched as his grip viced. Pyro froze as he looked down at his own glove, seeing blood on it. He turned his arm, seeing blood from a hole on his armour. As he looked up, Syxx could see a clear cut across the man's neck.

Pyro's paw started to shake, as the cut across the side of his neck started to turn bright purple. It was like Pyro was in shock, his breathing getting faster now. Syxx grit his teeth together tightly. The fox pulled the raccoon up by his arm. With one swift move, the fox lifted a boot, and kicked Pyro right in stomach, as hard as he could. It was with a loud bang as Syxx's boot connected with the other Slayer's Vortec, sending Pyro stumbling backward, smashing into a parked car.

He pulled Pyro's helmet from his belt, and slid it over the kit's head. Syxx grabbed the boy as fast as he could, simply throwing him over his shoulder. He held the machine gun up with one paw and fired as he ran the rest of the way to the gunship. Syxx nearly tossed the kid as he got closer, and Krystal acted fast, standing on the wing of the ship, catching the boy against her body, struggling to keep her balance as she held him. She lifted him up, and sat him down on her lap as they both got into the cab of the Freon. The canopy closed, as the vixen struggled to see over the helmet that the small boy was wearing. She looked out the window, but Syxx wasn't on the wing. He was gone.

"Metal Zero-Two is down. I'm going back for him." The air around the Freon turned hot as dust spun. The Fox watched it. He could see it turn in the air, pointing back down at him. "Falcon-One, do not engage Aparoid forces. Dust off. Dust off."

The fox had to fight his way back to Pyro's location. He jumped on top of a Walker. All four legs of the bug buckled at once, as Syxx's boot smashed down on the insect. When he got back to Pyro's location he could hear gunfire, he could see bodies of Apariods flying over cars and army trucks as they screamed out.

Pyro was going on a rampage. With no weapon the raccoon was just causing as much damage as he could. His metal fists collapsed Aparoid bodies, as the piles of them built around him. Syxx's run came to a stop as he neared the raccoon. He watched him, as his fist landed on the head of a Walker, simply taking it right off and the machine collapsed.

Syxx just watched for a moment as Pyro breathed heavily with his back to the fox. Syxx half lifted the heavy machine gun, putting his finger into the trigger guard, and the stalk against the cheek pad of his helmet. He watched Pyro hold his head with both his paws and growl out. He groaned as he shook his head quickly, slowly making his way from the fox.

The black fox growled softly to himself, showing his teeth from behind his helmet. He watching Pyro in agony. The fox shook his head, and lifted up the gun. He smashed it against the window of the vehicle next to him, making the glass crash out from the window.

With that loud sound, Pyro turned around. He was drooling, and his eyes lost their colour. He didn't say anything but a low growl and two loud throated barks. Syxx swore under his breath and muttered. "Alright. Fine."

Syxx tossed down the machine gun roughly on the ground. The heavy weapon bounced a few time on the road surface, and Syxx readied himself. He unhooked both of the ACX rifles from his belt and tossed them onto the hood of the car. He put up his metal fists and made the first strike. He knocked Pyro back with a hit to his chest, strong enough to make his teeth rattle in his skull and sending the Infected Slayer back against a parked car with enough force to make it shake as the door caved in.

The raccoon retaliated quickly, jumping back at Syxx. The vulpine turned, grabbing the door from the car beside him and ripped it right off, using it as a makeshift shield. He blocked the Slayer with the door against his arm, and tossed Pyro right over his head.

Pyro hit the ground in a roll, and before coming to a stop, he was already growling and snarling, as he clawed at the ground to make his way back toward Syxx. He ran right for him, and the fox put the door up between them again. As the weight of Infected Slayer smashed into him, Syxx was forced back on his boots, sliding back on the pavement. He was face to face with the raccoon as Pyro chomped at him through the car window. His teeth snapped at Syxx's helmet, as he clawed at the edges of the door. Syxx growled right back at him, tossing him aside once again.

The fox reached to his belt, and placed one of the EMP charges in his paw. He activated the magnet on it, hitting it with his thumb. He charged at Pyro, with the car door on one arm and the charge in his other paw. Before Pyro could recover, Syxx was back on him. He smashed the door into the Slayer yet again, pushing him back. With his other paw, he placed the EMP charge onto Pyro's armour, getting it right in the middle of his chest.

Syxx once again got at Pyro before he could recover. The fox tossed the door through the air, and it connected dead on with the other man, knocking him back again. Syxx didn't waste any time at all to throw his body over the closest car he could in the parking lot. His right paw moved to his left arm and tapped at the holographic controls that floated just above the surface of his armour.

There was a loud snap to follow, and a short moment later a blood boiling scream of an Aparoid. The optics on Syxx's armour bounced around from the electrical disturbance before his hud settled back into its original orientation. And with that, Syxx jumped the parked car, sliding over the hood, and seeing Pyro on the ground. He was still moving, still growling and barking. But the armour was almost completely seized up around him. He couldn't take a swing let alone get up from off the ground.

The fox acted quickly as he could hear the far off scream of another Infected beast. He took both of the ACX rifles up from off the ground, where they had settled after their fight. He holstered one of them on the rifle hanger of his belt, while he lifted up the other with his paw. He made his way over to Pyro, grabbing him by the leg, and started to drag him across the ground. While the Aparoid was screaming out, and squirming there was little he could do otherwise.

Syxx fired the rifle a few times, as he cleared the way of anymore Walkers that stood between him and his objective. As he drug the Slayer by the leg, the Vortec scraped across the pavement, leaving scratches on the surface as the ACX snapped at each pull of the trigger.

The fox drug Pyro a little farther, getting him close to an army truck that he had seen on the way in. Though the door was locked, the fox ripped it right off, throwing it aside. His placed his glove on the control and the vehicle whistled to life, starting to whine at a high pitch. The fox took his gloved paw off of the holographic control unit, and made his way to the front of the armoured SUV.

He cranked the free-spool on the winch, and started pulling at the cable. The winch hummed as Syxx pulled out the line from the front of the truck. He lifted up the legs of the Slayer, and held them together. He wrapped the line around both of Pyro's ankles, choking them together and clipping the hook back onto the cable. He gave the cable a yank and made sure it wouldn't slip off the ankles of the Slayer.

With that, Syxx walked back to the front of the truck, locking up the winch again. He tossed both of the suppressed rifles into the passenger seat and put the vehicle into gear. The large off road tires of the police vehicle ran over the winch line, and the cable yanked on the fairlead as it was pulled under the SUV. The cable lost its slack as Syxx started driving. The line was sucked under the front of the vehicle, rubbing on the underside of it as the end of the cable was connected to Pyro who was now being drug shortly behind the SUV

Syxx looked behind the truck, watching through the hole in the side of the vehicle. He could see Pyro swinging around from side to side behind him as he drove. It pulled on the front bumper, making the truck handle a little funny, as it drug the heavy piece of metal behind it. The Vortec sparked away as he pulled Pyro behind the vehicle.

"Control, this is Asset Metal Zero-One, Apex. Metal Zero-Two is down. Repeat, Metal Asset is incapacitated. Requesting heavy lift unit. Coordinates are as follows…"