Thanks for the reviews guys! As always, they make me smile. Please review; they help me make Spirit's Life better!
Hassingthecoolone: I'm not trying to make anyone cry! Not yet, at least. (; Thank you so much for your kind words; they definitely make me smile.
HextheDayDreamer: Hehe! When you're tired and just don't give a crap, that's how I would react in Spirit's place. (;
()()()()()()
I made my way through the crowded hallways, pausing frequently to help move rubble out of the way or to give comfort to a Joe that had been injured. I must have looked a mess myself, covered in blood and gore, but the Joes smiled when they saw me; they must have seen my performance as a T-rex in the Pit. I honestly didn't see what it was that I'd done, but if it made them happy, I wasn't going to complain.
When I realized that Duke was in the infirmary, I slowed, ears pinned. Doctors and nurses darted everywhere, causing me to shrink back into a corner. That familiar coldness swam in my gut, reminding me of its presence; it could destroy all the doctors. I growled to myself, pushing it down until it sat like a rock in my gut. Forcing myself to my feet, I stalked slowly through the antiseptic smelling halls, searching for Duke's scent underneath it. When I finally found it, I moved swiftly through the hallway, keeping against the wall so that I was out of the way and so that none of the doctors would notice that I was limping. Thankfully, I managed to make it to the room without any issues besides having to open the door. Remembering my old habit, I reared up onto my hind legs and grabbed the handle in my mouth, giving it a sharp twist and simultaneously pushing inwards against the door. I fell back down onto all fours, using my nose to help push the door open a little more as I slipped inside.
"Spirit," Duke said, surprised at my entrance. He frowned when he noticed my limp, which was instantly replaced by guilt. "Right. Sorry about that; I wasn't expecting Ana to do that."
'Yeah, about that . . . ' I started, but then I took notice of someone bandaging Duke's shoulder and the figure of General Hawk on the bed, attached to all kinds of machines. I growled softly, backing up until I was in the corner again.
Duke made a hand motion to me, and I instinctively slid down until I was laying on my belly. "No one will hurt you, Spirit," he assured me, noting how I looked at the officer with distaste.
'Tell that to the ones who did this to me,' I grumbled. I watched Duke's face, noting how his eyes got a little glassy. I gave a sharp bark, snapping him from his thoughts. He gave a faint smile, looking exhausted.
"That ought to hold you," the doctor said, nodding towards Duke and then to me. I warned him away with a growl, flashing fangs. Getting the message, the doctor just nodded and then left me alone with Duke and Hawk. I got up and slunk over to Duke, resting my head on his lap. He absently stroked my head, looking at the still form of Hawk. After a few moments, he stood up, looking over at Hawk.
"Graveyard dead," he says before walking out of the medical wing. Confused, I hurried after him, relieved to find that I wasn't limping as bad as I had been earlier.
'Duke . . . ' I started, looking up at him, having to trot to keep up.
"Not now, Spirit," he said firmly, eyes focused on what was in front of him. Knowing that I wasn't going to get an answer from him, I followed, moving deeper into the medical wing.
We joined up with the others a few minutes later, some kind of projection one of the dead soldiers that had attacked us visible. I came to sit down next to the others, curling my tail over my blood stained paws. Snake Eyes was just pointing to a small scar behind the soldier's ear, and I curled my lip in distaste.
"Nanomites," Scarlet said. "I wrote my thesis on the theory behind them at Oxford. They've been surgically implanted behind the ear, all programmed to accomplish different tasks."
And I zoned out. Scarlet gave me a sympathetic look before continuing; I didn't bother trying to pay attention.
"Theoretically, the possibilities are endless. Increase their speed, agility, resilience. You program, they perform. That's the genius of nanotechnology, it can do pretty much whatever you want it to," she said.
"Like mind control?" Duke asked. Now that I did respond do. I growled softly, lips peeled back into a snarl; I'd had enough mind control to last me a lifetime.
"I don't see why not," Scarlet responded, giving me a wary look.
"We need to get that case back," Duke said, turning on his heel and starting down the hallway. A little startled by his abrupt takeoff, I turned and followed after him, the others not far behind. We'd gone a little ways before Duke started talking again. "Their weaponry, financing, intel, it has to be McCullen. Doing an inside job on his own warheads."
'It makes sense,' I said. 'How else would they have the brains to make the nanomites?'
Duke looked at me weird, and I wagged my tail at him in response.
"You may be right," Scarlet interrupted. "Maybe he needed NATO to pay for his RD."
"The weapons case!"
Everyone turned to look at Ripcord, most of them looking at him like he was nuts. I just gave a slow wag of my tail, catching on to what he was saying.
"Remember he had us open the case for him. Remember that?" he asked, grinning at his discovery.
"What about it?" Scarlet questioned.
"I'll bet that code he gave us re-activated the tracking beacon or something."
I wag my tail a little faster, giving a toothy grin towards Ripcord. 'Nice thinking, Rip,' I said.
"Thank you, Spirit," he said, reaching down to ruffle the fur on my head. I give myself a shake, conscious that I'd yet to clean myself of blood from the battle.
"And who says you're not a thinker," Duke teased. I barked a laugh before turning my head when I heard footsteps and heavy breathing.
'Breaker,' I greeted. He waved his hand in response, looking at the others.
"I think I found her," he said.
()()()()()()
We stood in the control room, looking at a picture on the screen. I recognized the woman in the picture as Ana; the man next to her was a complete stranger. They were wearing fancy clothing, like they were at a party or something.
I turned my head to see Duke from the corner of my eye, watching how he gazed longingly at the woman. 'I'm sorry,' I told him, keeping my thoughts to him only. He only nodded in response, his eyes never leaving the woman.
"Her name is Ana DeCobray now," Breaker said. "Baroness, if you're feeling formal."
"Wow, she traded up," Ripcord mused. Duke turns to look at him, and he quickly adds, "I mean . . . financially."
"Who is he?" Duke finally asked, though I could tell that Ripcord's comment had hurt him a little.
"Baron DeCobray. Big shot French scientist. Runs a lab in Paris," Breaker responded.
"Lab?" Scarlet asked, taking a step closer to the screen. I growled, ears going back at that word.
Breaker nodded, pulling up a visual of the lab with some weird machine. "Particle accelerator," he said.
I looked over to Scarlet when I felt her stiffen. "They're going to use him to weaponize the warheads," she said.
'I take it that's not good,' I said, standing up. I sighed quietly to myself when Scarlet shook her head.
"That's where she's going," Duke voiced, turning and starting out the door
Heavy Duty chuckled. "Who likes croissants?" he asked, following after the others as we filed out the door.
'What's a croissant?' I asked, starting after them.
()()()()()()
Happy Humpday, guys, and have a great rest of the week!
ML out