Author Notes: Sorry to say this all but......I'll be relocating tomorrow so, this will be the last Shattered Hopes chapter for a short while. However, I've sent Crafty Lefty chapter 11 for editing, so that once I can get back on I'll be able to submit the chapter. As for anyone wondering about it I have another chapter of Love Potion and Relaxation almost ready to submit, so that I can hopefully make up for my inevitable absence. Don't forget to R&R, and thanks for the constant support...

The Footsteps in the Darkness ~ SkullFox

……Chapter 10……

Mika suddenly sat up. Vixy had taken up the lookout for the night allowing the pale furred minx some much-needed rest for the night. She was happy to find that there was still food left over from the night beforefor breakfast. However, something did bother her…it was late in the night when Randy had left them, and he still wasn't back. She was certain that something was wrong, however she realized that without any sort of clue on where he went, there was no way of knowing where to look for him. It was as the entire group seemed to wake up that Mika found herself worrying the most…

"Anyone seen Randy?" Lia asked.

Mika thought for a moment. "I did last night. Said something wasn't right about the footprints he found yesterday and just walked off. Couldn't have been anything good though, he took his weapons."

"Maybe he sees something we don't…" Vixy said. "Living with Fox's father I learned that people that train themselves for certain situations can often see things that can escape normal eyes."

"Well hopefully he's safe and not getting himself into trouble that he can't handle."

***

A ways away, the human looked out over a small camp. It seemed to be a new development as several buildings were still under construction. There were several different types of Saurians there, the majority of them being large Sharpclaw soldiers. It was one individual in particular that stood out as he stopped, somehow speaking with several of the Sharpclaw soldiers. It was a human, slightly shorter than Randy himself. His skin was darker than Randy's like Alex's, and his build was slightly heavy though quite muscular for his size. Randy's hand seemed to tighten around the handle of his sword involuntarily before he removed the small telescopic lens from in front of his right eye. His feet were practically frozen. For some reason this area of the Snowhorn Wastes were covered by a perpetual blizzard of some kind. It was as the human stood there that he shot about driving his sword into a nearby tree. His eyes instantly met with a pair of familiar looking green eyes. The point of the blade had missed the animal's head so slightly that were there not so much snow, he'd have seen the few white hairs of fur fall from the animal's face…

"What are you doing here?" he sneered before looking back to the small base, disappointed when he could no longer spot the human among the ranks.

"Terya was worried…"

"Either way you may not want to sneak up on me like that again…" he replied. "You blend in really well with all this snow."

The white-furred minx suddenly stepped into view. "Why did you run off like that?"

"It's personal…besides that…" the human said. "Krystal told me that there was a group of Cerinians that were living here right?"

"Yes but they were all killed," Mika replied.

Randy sighed. "Wrong. There are several survivors in that camp. Not to mention someone I have to say hello to."

"Is this really something that we need to be concentrating on when this planet could be under attack at any moment?" Mika asked.

Randy sighed again handing the Minx the small monocular he was using, which she used to look at the base. "You see a human?"

As she looked about the base Mika stopped. "Yeah……he looks kinda like Alex, he's just shorter."

"He's been working for Omni…" Randy pointed out. "This place is already under attack."

Mika thought for a moment. "That's him isn't it? Victor."

"Yeah…that's him."

Mika sighed. "You're gonna fight him aren't you?" she asked. "What about the others?"

Randy took back his monocular. "Just go back…"

"What is it you hate so much about this guy?" she asked.

"If I answer that will you go back to the others?"

Mika sighed. "Couldn't hurt your chances any…"

"Fine……" Randy replied. "That piece of shit killed my family, took the sword that he's carrying, which was my father's, and I'm pretty sure he used it to kill my family. He betrayed my best friend turning our team into outlaws in the eyes of everyone on 3rd Earth, and……"

"And what?" Mika asked.

Randy sighed. "Nothing more that you need to hear."

Mika tried to reply, but before she could think of a reply, the human vanished into the blizzard. She sat there for a moment, contemplating whether or not to rush after him. Something in the back of her mind told her she should follow after him even though her common sense told her she should head back and join the others, but what if he was right? What if there was no attack? That would mean the transmission they'd intercepted was a fake, which would mean someone in Omni wanted them to split up. The pale minx growled in frustration before pulling herself along behind Randy. She wasn't sure why, but something about this whole thing told her that it was where she needed to be. It was as she finally approached the small compound that something slammed her to the snow covered ground. She attempted to yell out but found a hand wrapped around her muzzle and a familiar voice from behind her…

"Shut up and stay down," the familiar voice whispered. "You should have gone back. Just stay right here they won't see you. Once the patrol passes head for the trees over to the east."

Before she could reply the human was already gone. He was right though; her fur made for a perfect camouflage in this dense snow. It was as she lay there that she could see several armored Sharpclaw soldiers clattering their way toward her location. It was as they finally stopped just a short distance from where she lay that they began chatting in a strange language…luckily however, after determining that they'd be on Sauria, Krystal had suggested downloading the translator that Slippy had developed long ago into their communicators…

"You sure you hear something?" one of the green-scaled animals asked.

"Yes…" the other complained.

Suddenly the two turned toward a sound in the bushes just a ways away only to see a small white rabbit leap out onto the snow. The small creature sniffed about, but retreated at the sight of the two lumbering Sharpclaw…

"Idiot!" the taller one yelled punching the other in the face. "It just bunny! Back to post or human have your head!"

Mika slowly pulled her face from the snow. "Krystal wasn't kidding…these Sharpclaw guys really are stupid."

She didn't waste any time in making her way to Randy's location. At first she didn't notice him, but eventually she did find the human perched in a nearby tree. He seemed to have his eyes fixed on something even though he managed to reach for Mika's paw pulling her up into the tree. As Mika looked out onto the base she noticed what it was that Randy was watching. It was a Sharpclaw much larger than the others. He was tall with dark-green scales and wearing what seemed to be some sort of tribal armor. He was missing his right hand, which was replaced by two metal hooks on a round metal base…

"I don't like the look of that one," the human said passing his monocular to Mika.

"He is kinda big isn't he?" she asked looking through the small spyglass. "He could be trouble if you go in there."

"He's no concern to me…" Randy said. "He's half lame…and his left leg is injured. My question is…who injured him?"

"Good question," Mika replied pausing for a moment. "Aren't you the least bit worried sitting out here like this?"

"Not really…" Randy replied taking the monocular from in front of his eye. "Hey Mika…"

"Yeah, what?"

"Sorry about this…" he replied quickly shoving the minx out of the tree, who plowed face first into the thick snow. "Just stay put, don't move."

Before Mika could make a sound the human impacted the snow just a few feet away from her, digging into the snow himself. When only his face was barely visible to her, Randy placed his index finger over his lips causing her to nod slightly. After a few moments they could hear the light crunch of snow under a bit of body weight. Two figures stepped by that Mika couldn't really make out considering she was buried in the snow. The two stopped some small ways away. It was the large Sharpclaw that was missing part of his arm, and the human they'd both spied on. As they stood there Victor looked about the area carefully…

"Are you certain?" the large reptile asked. "I see and hear nothing at all. Perhaps the puny human is simply paranoid," he chuckled only to be cut off at the point of a beautifully crafted sword.

The weapon's design was like that of Randy's though it possessed a golden tsuba and a long white wrapped handle which ended in a long white ribbon extending from it's pommel…

"Scales, need I remind you who is in charge here?" the human demanded, quickly swiping the tip of the blade across the animal's face leaving a bright red streak behind. "Let that be a warning…next time you question me…it's your head."

The reptile snarled. He measured high above the human and was much larger in build, but he clearly feared something about Victor. "My apologies. What is it you want me to do?"

Victor took a moment to sheath his weapon. "I just don't like this…feels too familiar. Like he's here…watching me," he said scanning the area again. "Double the guard around the base, set a patrol of five soldiers to circle the perimeter. And back away from me. Your breath smells like death himself."

"Why do you worry so much over one of your own?" Scales asked.

Victor sighed. "Because he's the only thing alive I've ever been afraid of," he admitted. "If he's here, you'll see why soon enough. Then again, maybe you won't. Chances are you won't even see him until it's too late. Not unless he wants you too," he said turning and leading the large reptile back toward the base.

After they were out of sight Randy quickly sat upright shaking the snow from his head as he looked toward Victor in the far off distance of the base. "That's the second time that prick's walked away with my sword…there won't be a third."

Mika suddenly sat up shivering as she rubbed her own arms. "I've got snow in my underwear…and I'm freezing my tail off."

Randy scoffed, "Don't know what you're complaining about……" he said slinking away. "You've got fur."

Not wanting another run in with the base's personnel, the two fell back away from the place a bit further, where Randy slowly began thinking up some way of getting to the human that was leading the Sharpclaw…

***

Gate Station…

***

Fox shot upright and found himself in the same cell he'd been in before. The same two guards stood outside the room. It had all felt so real. It couldn't have been a dream, it was simply too vivid. He looked about. His father was there, he'd seen him, heard his voice. The animals that had died; he felt the warmth of their blood flowing over his fur. Was there a possible way that it was all fake? It was as he sat there that the answer literally stared him back in the face from the shadows. He could only see the creature's shining smile and deeply unsettling eyes. There was a light chuckle…

"It was you…" Fox said. "The whole time. There was nothing real about it at all."

The creature suddenly displayed its conceptual grasp on reality as it seemed to walk up the far wall of the room. "You seem to still fail to grasp your position Fox McCloud. You should have found reason not to trust your little dream right away. After all, there are no pacts between gods and mortals."

At this time Fox noticed that the two guards had been trying to say something to him for some time, but their voices were as silent to him as death itself. "Why use the image of my father like that? Why torment someone that already wishes he were dead?" he asked. "What do you want from me?"

The shadowy creature cackled madly. "I want? What can it be that I may want?" it replied. "Is it not obvious enough for you yet?" it smiled. "I want you to hate; to utterly and unequivocally despise every creature in this universe. Show me the seething hatred that I know you carry in your heart for all the things that can have the things that you cannot," it said. Fox found himself suddenly lost in the creature's soulless eyes as it stepped up to his face. "Hatred is the only answer Fox McCloud……there is nothing but hate. Every creature is capable of great good, true, but how many actually choose that beaten path? As life predicts, humankind struggles to keep from destroying itself…and like mankind, you people have the same chaotic nature; always killing and destroying anything that's even the slightest bit different than yourselves. You and the humans are truly creatures after my own heart," it said. "Question time. What do you think may happen when those guards finally open this door? If you'd like the truth, that little sedative or tranquilizer they keep using on us will only work so many times before the body simply rejects it. Though your body is veritably indestructible at the time we are together…you are still only mortal." It smiled demonically. "I intend to change that, but only in time. I will show you the true nature of your existence McCloud…before our time is done, you will know just what your kind is truly capable of."

Fox felt a bit strange as he staggered and felt that he was being forced to sit down. "You think you know us so well?" he replied. "You don't know a god damned thing. I've ended more lives than I could ever count…I've done things that I'll never be proud of, but despite what you say, my people and the humans, even after what they did to us, are still finding a way to work together…to stop a common enemy."

"Oh yes…the bold coalescence no?" It chuckled beginning to pace about the ceiling. "Do you really thing such a union can truly exist? I doubt even you believe so. As naïve as you are, you cannot possibly believe that a race that conceives itself as the only intelligent thing in creation could possibly cooperate with a race that they believe is inferior. What I showed you earlier was no coincidence either…though your father was only an image that I've extracted from your mind. Even one as great as he was never fully free of corruption. Whether or not you choose to believe me Fox McCloud, I've had my eye on you for some time now…I've also taken it upon myself to look into your history, and your father's…as well as Omni's while I was disguised as that fool Arlex. Did you know he was working for them just before he died? Your father?"

"That's a lie…my father would never work for someone like them," Fox replied still not quite sure why he felt so weak.

"Ah…but say your father wasn't the animal of righteousness you thought he was…" the tormenting animal said walking down onto the wall where he began to circle the room slowly. "Perhaps there was a chink in that divine paladin's armor that only he and a few others knew of," it said.

"Blackmail isn't the same as being bad in nature," Fox argued.

The creature stopped with his muzzle an inch or so from Fox's ear. "No? Then answer me this. If your father was so good…" It seemed to instantly appear in the same place at Fox's other side. "What secret was he trying to hide so badly that he would go to his own enemies to keep it from getting to the ones he loved? What could he have possibly done?" it asked, this time stepping down onto the bed that hung from the wall and sitting beside Fox. "Truth be told…you know absolutely nothing about the animal your father really was. True he attempted to make up for his sins in the end, but if one so great as James McCloud could fall to darkness, if even for a moment, is there really hope for the huddled masses?" it said finally standing up. "I will show you the truth just as I opened it to Arlex's eyes McCloud. You will learn that in the end……you cannot even trust yourself. I suppose I can leave you with these last brooding thoughts of all the ones that have done wrong by you and your little family…"

Though he didn't want to, his mind forced him to think of all the problems he'd seen. As much as he hated the thing that kept tormenting him, he realized that it made a point, one that he really didn't want to consider. He knew there was a reasoning behind the thing telling him all of these things, but he had no way of knowing what its cause was. As he sat there thinking about it all, his mind rushed from one thought to the next as he lay down. He had no idea why he felt so weak, but it seemed like the only thing he could do at the moment was lay down and keep to his own thoughts…

***

Titania…

***

Nick and Silver stood at the entrance of a large crevasse in a massive rock face, standing guard as the others lay down attempting to rest off their long hike through the night. It was much cooler inside the large nook that kept shade on the small group. Neither had a clue how long they'd been running, but they still stood guard…

"Why is it you don't get tired?" Silver asked the lengthy human.

"Ladiasmeladona. Lung disease…" Nick replied pulling up his shirt to show a small mesh of scars across the sides of his ribs. "My lungs are both Polyphnumatic, an electronic system that works off my brain's higher impulses. Basically they're artificial like Creed's arms, but they work like real lungs. My muscles eventually tire, but I can run as long as I like and never get winded." Nick chuckled.

"You're really smart." Silver said.

Nick laughed only to quiet himself before waking the others. "No I'm not…Jeff has just told me the details so many times that I've memorized them. When I look back on the way the human race used to be, I'm sort of glad Earth was destroyed. If not we never would have discovered all the medical breakthroughs that we have…and I wouldn't be standing here."

Silver looked out at Sol setting over the horizon. "It'll be dark again soon," he said. "I know where we might be safe though. It's where I've been leading us."

"Really? Where are we headed?" Nick replied sitting down.

Silver thought back, "When Roxy and Fox first found me, we came to this planet looking for a human artifact called a Pai-Yao dragon…it was really pretty."

"An authentic Pai-Yao Dragon?" Nick asked in amazement. "Wow…Jeff'd give his left everything for something like that…"

Silver smiled. "When we came to find it we found it in a large base down here. Fox said it was home to pirates. We were attacked by something Fox called an assassin there. It tried to kill Fox…but Fox fought better."

"You think these pirates will help us?" Nick asked. "Pirates in human history have never really been too trustworthy."

"No. I read history on the word 'pirate', and didn't really like what I found…" Silver said. "But right now they have the same problem we do. They'll want to protect their home…if we help them they may help us…"

"And if not we can at least find a place there where we can get a hold of a communicator…" Nick finished for the young vulpine. "You know what? From now on I'm gonna follow Alex's advice and take my Keizer with me whenever I leave a ship."

"So you'll always have a communicator on hand?" Silver asked.

Nick started fanning himself in hopes of cooling himself off. "NO!" he replied. "They've got on board cooling systems."

Silver laughed at the odd joke. "You're a very unusual person, Nick."

Nick smiled. "Hey, thanks."

"Very strange…" he finished to himself. "Well I think we should wake the others and get going…"

"You're right. It'll be dark here in a few minutes."

Silver made his way to the sleeping animals and shook Roxy attempting to wake her. The pink-furred bunny however simply swung an arm around his neck pulling him to the ground as she started to roll over. Silver took a moment before shaking her a bit more violently…

"Roxy wake up!" he called her.

The pink-furred rabbit groaned, "What?"

"We have to go."

Roxy sighed as she stood up. "I miss my bed."

Not long passed before the four found themselves continuing their trek through the vast desert landscapes of Titania, ducking behind a random rockface or sand dune to keep from being spotted by random sweeps the Omni ships came overhead now and again. It was confusing for all of them. What could they possibly be looking for? Nick stood up and signaled for the others to stand as well after another fighter shot by overhead…

"You think they know we're here?" Roxy asked.

Nick looked out over the horizon, which was pitch black as Sol had set so long ago. "Probably…I'm sure they've found our drop ship by now. Maybe they're actually here looking for us. After all you guys pretty much broke one off in their asses…I'm sure they aren't too happy about it." Nick chuckled.

"Broke what off?" Silver asked.

Nick sighed. "Sorry he's not too clear on that kind of metaphor…" Roxy explained.

Nick simply laughed to himself as they continued through the desert. The place was so much different than it was in the daytime. It was almost frigid, and there were a few creatures about that weren't seen during the daytime as well; spiders, snakes, and other small nocturnal creatures. As the group finally came over a large sand dune, Nick was quickly pushed back down the side of the hill. When he stumbled down he turned to yell at Silver, only to find the young vulpine's paw over his mouth while he signaled for the human to stay quiet. In another moment, Nick found that the silver-furred vulpine was already back up the dune and slowly waving for him to come up. When the human finally climbed to the top of the dune he realized why he was thrown down the hill and why at the moment they were both laying belly down in the sand. They had found the old base that Fox, Roxy, and Silver had been to before. It was overrun with Omni class ships. Several, including the one that had recently flown by overhead, were landing out in front of the place while a long list of animals were being still lead out of the base, each chained at the ankles to the one in front of him or her. It was as they watched this that a familiar sound caused the two to look off to the nearby dunes where an armed raccoon stepped around scanning the area…

"What do you think they're looking for?" Silver whispered.

Nick thought for a moment. "Well…they have the base…could be looking for a runner. Last thing they'd want right now is for this got get out into the open. If I didn't know any better I'd say they were trying to take this place so that they have a closer hold on the Lylat system just in case the fighting breaks out anytime soon."

Silver looked to the base and then to the animal below. "I have an idea…keep Roxy safe," he said sliding down the dune. "Sia, I want you to come with me. Roxy you stay here."

"Wait, why?"

Silver placed a paw on the concerned lapin's shoulder. "Because I've seen Sia move and she can be just as stealthy as I can…she can stay out of sight."

Nick slid down the dune behind the vulpine. "That's not the half of it…" he said putting away a small spyglass. "They've got our drop ship over there."

"Even better…" Silver replied. "Listen, Sia and I are going to go and check the place out. Once we get a feel of the place you may hear some commotion because I intend to let the pirates go. If I can get them all armed they may help us…and even if they don't, Roxy, you and Nick can get to our ship and call the others…Krystal first, and tell them what's going on here. I agree with Nick; I don't like the look of any of this."

Though she was hesitant, Roxy agreed, hugging and kissing the young vulpine before watching him and Sia fade into even the sandy surroundings just as easily as she'd ever seen him blend into his surroundings. To Roxy, he seemed like a chameleon at times, blending into his surroundings completely until he was nothing but a void of empty space waiting for an enemy to drop it's guard.

Silver and Sia headed off across the dune. Even the young husky was impressed with how agile the young vulpine was, moving about the dunes with ease as he seemed to leave no traces, not even a footprint to prove his presence. Of course Sia managed to keep pace, having grown for an unknown amount of time in the wilderness of the planet Fox had found her on, she had grown realizing that one false step could spell the difference between life and death. As they finally approached the base, Silver and Sia stopped, looking over the vast area. There were masses of small ships lined up in large square formations like you'd find at any star port. There were several animals maintaining a large drop ship, each of whom had bound ankles and paws. It was as he watched these animals that Silver got an idea. He and Sia quickly rushed off toward the ship as soon as they were certain that the coast was clear and dropped, sliding under to the grounded vehicle. Silver signaled for Sia to watch the front of the ship while he crawled over to a pair of feet of one of the forced laborers. In an instant he reached out grasping at the chain and pulling the animal under the ship with a quickness that didn't even allow the surprised slave a chance to scream before she found Silver's paw locked around her muzzle…

"Calm down…" he demanded to the young canine. "We're not going to hurt you."

The animal slowly stopped fighting as she realized that the two under the ship were hiding from Omni…

"Are you one of the pirates that live here?" he asked.

The animal simply nodded. "Good then I'm going to let go of your muzzle…just don't scream or they'll kill all of us."

As he let go of her muzzle the young collie looked about. "Who are you?"

"Someone that Omni hates very much…" Silver replied causing Sia to chuckle a bit under her paw. "Where is your leader?"

"Red escaped through the hills…there was no way we'd let them take her," the collie replied. "They were gonna kill her, just like they did most of the others. They kept our mechanics though…god only knows why."

Silver turned toward a communicator on his wrist. "Roxy…keep an eye out. The leader of the pirates is out there…she ran from Omni. She's the one they're looking for, I'm sure of it. Don't answer though…if you hear me just end the transmission."

There was an instant of silence before the communicator displayed that the link was lost. "Alright, where are they keeping the others?" Silver asked. "And I need to know where you all keep your weapons."

"Don't worry about the weapons…" the collie replied. "Just stick with me after I'm done here. They'll send that sick bastard Mavyn up here for me soon. He's never too far from the one that has the key to all these shackles…he's got a real brown nose."

A voice and footsteps suddenly caught her attention. "Stay quiet you two," she said pulling herself half out from under the ship. "What do you want, fuck'n prick?"

The animal that stood at the side of the ship rather roughly kicked the collie in the side of the head. "Hey, shut the fuck up!" he shouted. "You done with those fucking repairs yet?"

"No, I'm not!" the collie shouted back. "Now if you're done being a total fuck, hand me that number six box wrench from that tool chest over there so I can get this done."

The animal moved for a moment before returning with the wrench. "I got your fucking wrench right here."

The collie took the wrench. "Eat me you fuck'n dick…" she replied pulling herself back under the ship.

"Oh…any fucking time sweetheart," the animal replied.

The collie scoffed, "Honey…I'd rather do it myself. You wouldn't know what to do with a real woman anyhow."

There was a moment in which the animal knelt down. "Hurry the fuck up, it's cold out here."

The collie nodded to Silver before reaching out from under the ship, pulling herself up to her feet where she was led off toward the base by the rude animal…

"She's really tough isn't she?" Sia asked.

"Yeah…I don't like that other guy though…" Silver replied. "Stay here. If I'm not back before it's light outside again, head back to the others."

Silver had decided to keep a cloaking device on him at all times since the first time he'd been here on Titania, deciding that there were simply times in which there would be no places for him to hide. Running about the place seemed both familiar and different at the same time. There were guards posted everywhere this time, each dressed in Omni Corp. outfits and carrying Omni brand weapons. The tunnels led down into the bowels of the planet, it's interior spiraling down as Silver followed behind the collie, whom her Lupine escort pushed roughly every now and again, apparently just to remind her that he was in charge. They traveled until Silver was certain that they were at the very bottom of the place. There were sounds in this part of the base that he was certain he didn't want to hear. Both cries and moans filled the air, some pained while others weren't so lucky. The more he heard the more he was convinced that he absolutely hated everything to do with Omni. There were several moments that the collie was forced to stand by while Mavyn approached a door, which soon after opened, Silver took this moment to his advantage, moving his invisible muzzle to the collie's ear…

"Should I kill him?" he whispered.

"No…not yet," she whispered back. "Wait until we're in the room. That's where the key to all the shackles is."

"What was that?" Mavyn demanded shooting about.

"I said FUCK YOU!!"

The wolf took a moment, pulling her hair forcing her to look at the ceiling. "You'll get your turn," he said. "All these soldiers need some sort of entertainment."

Silver forced himself to keep from killing the animal right then and there. Though there were still a great deal of things he didn't know about life in the Lylat system, he knew enough to place what Mavyn was talking about. He followed the two into the room, where he found a thick layer of smoke covering the ceiling. Three animals sat at a small table covered in cards as well as several drinks and such. At the table sat a well dressed white-furred feline whose uniform bore a gold badge on his right breast, a younger looking dark brown-furred rat who sat across from him, and next to the rat, a slightly older canine sat who's smoky gray fur nearly blended into the smoke that covered the room. What angered Silver the most however was the sight of an avian woman chained to the far wall. Her feathers did a good job of hiding the blood that ran though them as their color seemed nearly of an equal hue. Her head hung lifelessly against her bare chest, while her rather well toned arms held her up by her chained wrists, and there was a dark scar on her beak. He was only happy that she seemed to still be wearing some form of pants. As he stood by, the three animals at the table looked to Mavyn…

"Nice choice there Mavyn," the white feline said.

Mavyn pushed the collie forward. "Thank you sir. I thought you'd like this one. She's got an attitude though."

The feline smiled. "Good…they're not really that fun if you don't have to fight a little," he said snuffing a cigar against the table they'd been sitting at. "Well then…are you going to be the lucky one that tells me where the other base is?"

The collie simply turned her head and spit on the floor…

"Thought so…" the feline said looking to the gray-furred canine across from him. "Jess, did you get anything on her?"

The canine lay a folder down in front of himself. "Jordan Wilson. Parents Mathew and Tanya. Two sisters, three brothers…all known relatives living on Papetoon. Left her family when she was 16 and flunked out of the flight academy on Corneria."

"So then…" The feline snickered as he stood up. "Are you going to tell me what my superiors want to know? Or do we need to get family involved in this?"

"If this fucker really did his homework, you'd know that my family disowned me…" Jordan replied. "I have no family. Why would Omni want to know where our real base is anyhow?"

"I believe your little motto says, 'Take what you can…give nothing back'," he replied. "Our intelligence has come to the conclusion that your little family of thieves just might have something that my boss wants, especially after seeing what Fox McCloud did to that hospital on Corneria."

"You seem to know a lot for a lowlife," the collie smiled. "It's just too bad this room is full of smoke."

The feline stood up making his way slowly toward her. "And why is that?"

The feline suddenly froze as he felt a set of sharp claws bite slightly into his neck. "Because then you would have at least smelled me…" a light voice echoed into his ear.

The remaining three animals sat up while Mavyn stepped back, pulling a blaster and moving toward Jordan. However he was stopped as the white feline rose a paw. "He'd have you dead before you ever pulled the trigger…" he said. "Isn't that right, Thirteen?" Silver paused. "What's the matter? Surprised? I'd recognize that voice anywhere. After all, the first time you damn near escaped the facility you nearly took my fuck'n arm off. I've still got the scars if you'd like to see them."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Silver replied. "I have a name…and it isn't a number."

The feline sighed. "Really now? Then what is it you want from me?" he asked. "The truth? You want to know about the others like you? Or are you here for this rabble?"

"Others?" Silver asked himself.

"So you didn't know?" The feline chuckled. "Why do you think it is I called you Thirteen just now? There were twelve animals in the Silver Fox project before you…you were the first successful project. After your success, Syler began developing more and more projects until he was certain that he'd gotten the process right. Is that what you came here for?"

"No…but thank you for the information," Silver replied with an invisible grin. "Now let them both go and give the key to all the prisoners to Jordan."

"Do it…" the feline said nodding to Mavyn. "You of course realize that you'll never leave this base alive."

Silver thought for a moment. "Maybe…" he replied. "But a good friend of mine once told me that there's no point to guessing at things when nothing is ever certain," he said. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can let any of you live."

Not a sound left the hall, as the only sight of the brutality that ensued was shown as no more than a small seeping puddle of blood that flowed from beneath the door as Silver and Jordan made their way out, carrying a limp, red feathered avian with them…

***

Papetoon City slums…

***

In a dim, lost alleyway, a drunken homeless rat stumbled toward his wet, dank home somewhere among the forgotten and the refuse. He peered down the neck of a dark bottle in his paw before groaning in disappointment and lobbing the empty container into a nearby wall. It was however, as he staggered down the alley that something brilliant caught his eye, causing him to pull his forearm over his eyes. It was then as he moved his arm that the source of whatever mysterious light came into view. It was a young vulpine with a medium build, and his musculature was well toned for one his size. He had light chestnut-colored fur with patches of white in the traditional vulpine places, along with a strip of white fur between his ears. The white patches of fur on his body seemed to actually borderline on luminescence, lighting the darkness of the alleyway. In a drunken stupor, the rat was certain that it was the angel of death coming to take him away before the bare furred vulpine stopped in front of him. The vulpine looked into his frightened eyes for a moment before smiling and then heading out into the city.

***

In the deep confines of a massive ship, a light red-furred vixen sat alone, her only means at avenging the death of her only family left far away. She could not stand idly and wait for another chance, but she knew of no way of ending the miserable animal's life. If six rounds from a .44 couldn't end his life…what would? Jade wandered about the large ship that she'd called home for a short while. Her cousin Bill Gray had always seen her as more of a little sister than a cousin…she loved him for wanting to make losing everyone easier on her, but she was certain that it would not do any good. There was no way. She refused to bring a child into a world harboring the same creature that had taken John away. It was as she moved by the door that led to the bridge that she heard an odd transmission being debated by the captain and another animal on the other line. She could only tell that one of the voice was Bill's…

"You can't be serious…" Bill half shouted. "I was there…I personally escorted Fox McCloud into the Gate Station."

"Well clearly there must be some mistake…" the captain's voice added.

The third voice was one she'd never heard before. "I'm telling you both that I know Fox McCloud, and this guy is him. I have no idea how he got here, but there's something odd about him," he said. "Look…if you need confirmation then send someone here that can give us a positive ID on him. This could just be a case of mistaken identity or something, but he even claims himself that his name is Fox McCloud."

The captain sighed loud enough for Jade to hear it, "Bill…though you're still under close observation because of your contact with Omni, I want to send you to Papetoon to made an ID on this joker. You know McCloud better than anyone else on this ship."

Jade thought for a moment before rushing off down the halls toward the docking bay. "Papetoon…" she whispered to herself. "I don't know how you got down there, but you're mine."

Her thoughts were clouded with the image of Fox McCloud slowly dying for what he'd done to her and her child. Because of the vixen's intelligence with computers and their systems, not a soul would know when an Arwing came up missing from the ship's docking bay. The animal that ruined her life deserved nothing less than what he'd done to the only family she had, and though she had no idea how Fox McCloud had come to be on Papetoon, she'd find him. And if the animal was who he said he truly was, he'd be paid in spades…