Rogue Fox Spare Your Soul
XXXVII
Seized
SyxxFox

Syxx's eyes shot open as his entire bed seemed to shift, startling him awake. He lifted his head off the pillow seeing a black duffel bag settled over the quilt. He bared his fangs as he closed his eyes again, lifting up his arms and pressing his paws to his face and growling a little bit under his breath. He coughed and let out a small groan as he drug his paws down his face.

He could hear a snicker; the one of his raccoon comrade who was zipping up the front of his jacket. "Radiation poisoning really does a number on the body. Even a Slayer."

Syxx took his paws off his eyes, uncovering them just in time to be blinded by the light from Pyro opening up the curtains. He growled from the back of his throat again, letting out a low rumble. Before he could say anything he put his paw over his muzzle to catch his rough cough feeling it rumble in the depth of his chest. The truth was that he did feel a lot better. Photonic radiation caused to body to kill itself essentially, and the only way to combat it, was rest. With the enhanced night vision that each Slayer had the sudden blast of white light was blinding for longer than usual.

Pyro looked down at the black fox in the bed, half covered by the sheets. "We've got work to do."

Syxx cleared his throat, as he propped himself up on one arm, tilting his body to the side. He put his other arm up to his muzzle coughing into it. He stared at the bag for a moment. "What have you been up to?" Syxx glanced around the room, seeing that the glass TV, that overlooked the bedroom was still turned on. It was just a the local news station, showing the weather, and a threat level on the bottom corner.

Pyro was in the kitchen. The familiar sounds of bottles clanking against one another filling Syxx's ears as the raccoon rummaged through the fridge, bent over with his head in it. "A Slayer, is only supposed to need four hours of sleep a day. Since you've been out for the past twelve, I've had lots of time to 'get into things'."

Syxx turned himself in the bed, putting his bare paw pads on the floor as he placed his feet down at the side of the bed. He ran a paw back through his hair, combing it back through his fingers. He stood up, clad in a lose fitting pair of boxer shorts, throwing the duffel back over his shoulder. He walked past the kitchen, and into the bathroom, tossing the duffel bag on the floor and turning on the water to the shower. When the water was the right temperature, he stepped in, finding himself in a state of immediate bliss, as his feet hit the cool tile beneath him and he submerged his head in the steaming hot water, resting his arm against the wall, and pointing his nose downward with shut eyes. He let the water flow over his face and he found a moment of silence in his head, even from the constant whispers of the Krazoa Spirit.

He took his time, enjoying the shower, but before long. Even he knew that it was time to go to work. What he didn't know was what Pyro had in store for them. He knew a lot more about the other man now, and because of that, he had a pretty good idea of what they were going to get into. He appeared in front of Pyro in the new gear that the raccoon had gotten for him. His hair and fur so clean it slightly poofed making him look soft, from the hot water of the shower and clean, soapy feel. He ran both paws through his hair, as to neaten it up, before resting the sun-glasses on his head. From the bottom up, black boots with laces half way up to his knees covered his feet, with black jeans half covering them. He pulled down at the edge of the white t-shirt before zipping up the dark hoody and shrugging his shoulders to snug it over them.

The fox looked down his body. "Ya' get the feeling that I like black?"

Pyro leaned up against the side of the counter, with a brown bottle in his paw. He half smirked as he crookedly showed one of his fangs. "I just tried things on that I liked. I figured we're pretty much the same size, except uhh, you're a little taller, and less good looking." His goofy smile turned into a grin.

Syxx pulled down at the edges of the zip-up hoody. He couldn't remember the last time that he had worn something so casual. He narrowed his eyes at Pyro. "You know what the stuff does to a Slayer, right?"

Pyro simply responded by tipping the bottle in his paw, and looking down at the label.

Syxx laughed in a short pant of air. "Remember Basic? The Metabolic boosters? Strength enhancers? All that other sh-t that they tested on us? We metabolize alcohol a lot faster than anyone else."

"Means I can drink twice as much."

"It means the hang over kicks in early."

"Means I can drink twice as fast." The raccoon grinned. "That's gonna win me a lot of bets someday. Now, ya' good to go?"

Syxx pulled at one of the cuffs of the hoody feeling a little uncomfortable in it. He nodded. "Yeah, what did you have in mind?"

Pyro pushed himself off the counter, and stepped toward the door. "That depends on how long you want to ride this out for." He paused as he spun around still holding onto the bottle of beer, pressing his back the door. "You know they'll come for us."

Syxx pulled the sunglasses down over his fiery blue eyes. "We have a job to do. We shouldn't go too long. I'd kinda like to go back to the military before they find us."

Pyro smiled crookedly again. "Amazing how much a good night sleep changes your mind, eh?"

Syxx just nodded once. As he saw Pyro turn around and wrap his paw around the door knob. Syxx noticed something. Two clear-brown bottles in his back pockets, one inside each of them. Pyro was wearing similar things as he was. Except blue jeans, and light orange and black jacket over his shoulders.

The vulpine raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"

Pyro looked over his shoulder as he stood half way out the door. "Are you looking at my butt?!"

Syxx rolled his eyes keeping back a subtle smile. "Let's just avoid getting thrown in jail alright? At least for the next forty-eight hours or so." Syxx followed Pyro out the door. "What's the plan?"

"Something small. Just big enough to let us relax for the next couple days. I've got just the thing."

With that the Slayers left the room, leaving behind only a few empty beer bottles and dirty, raggedy army clothes, and quickly disappearing onto the streets on Wesetna.

X

"All I care about is that we find him."

Krystal lowered her head, as she bit onto her lip. It wasn't the call that she wanted to hear. The call from General Peppy Hare that Syxx had gone missing. She rubbed her arm with the other feeling a little bit ashamed as Peppy scolded her. She let out a mighty sigh. "I'm sorry Peppy."

Peppy was on the desk, standing there as a fuzzy blue hologram, pacing in small circles around the table top. "It's stunts like this that make me question his loyalty to his own race, and how much he really wants to undo everything that he has caused."

She nodded once and cleared her throat. "I understand Peppy."

"Quite honestly, I'm questioning everything we've gone through to redeem Fox, especially if this is how he is going to act after all this."

Krystal bit down on her lip harder. "I'll bring him in, Peppy. I'll find him."

The hare crossed his arms. "I know you still feel strongly for Fox, Krystal. He is not the man he once was. I think its best that none of us become attached to him. He is an asset to us, nothing more. I've alerted Wesetna authorities and issued an APB for his arrest. I also have a Spec Ops team searching for leads on his location. The squad is at your disposal if you need them. Find him. Bring him to me. Peppy out."

The hologram on the table flashed and went out. Krystal reached a paw forward and took the little communicator into her palm and gripped it tight. "Damn it Fox…"

Katt had been watching from the corner of the room. She couldn't help but have a little bit of a smile curl up the edge of her face. "Well so much for a little time to rest."

Krystal leaned back into her chair, and crosses her arms over her shoulders. "We're in a war. We shouldn't be sitting around as it is."

Katt nodded once and walked over. She sat herself down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with her paws set down on her lap. "So then what's the plan?"

Krystal took a long sigh rubbing her head with her paw. "I'm going to have to go after him. He's not far. He is in the city."

"Well I'm coming with you."

X

The day was long. The Slayers had managed to keep themselves out of trouble for most if it too. Lucky for Syxx, Pyro knew a thing or two about sliding under the law. They silently rode the elevator upward. Pyro was propped up in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest. Syxx didn't have to look back to notice Pyro was staring at him with a little smirk on his face from the back corner of the elevator.

Syxx glanced back, turning his head slightly and looking over his shoulder with his eyes. "What?"

Pyro snorted with a chuckle. "You saw the office girl looking you up again, right?"

Syxx closed his eyes, rolling them as they were shut. "I never noticed."

"Yeah well you never notice! I guess a guy kinda catches onto those things, when it isn't him, and it's his best friend."

Syxx sighed with a semi-smile. "Pyro…"

"I'm the ugly one!"

"Moving on." As the door opened, Syxx stepped out and Pyro followed behind him. But in the first few footsteps Syxx froze, standing just in front of the elevator doors. His eyes glanced around. He took a few more steps forward, to look down the halls of the hotel.

Pyro walked past Syxx, bumping his shoulder firmly with his own before looking back over, watching the vulpine stumble forward. The raccoon spun around, taking a few steps backward. "What's up?"

Syxx looked up and down the halls, as he licked his fangs in his closed mouth, and narrowed his gaze, taking another glance around. "Nothing."

Pyro motioned his head. "Well then let's go. I wanna get in the hot-tub before seven o'clock. That's when all the drunks like to hang out there. You gonna come with me?"

Syxx's eyes dashed around, looking from door to door as they passed each one. "No."

"Come on. You a gotta' loosen up sometimes Syxxie!"

"And if they see the tattoo on your shoulder?"

"You think that a tattoo in the shape of a star on my shoulder, will tell them what I am."

"I think if you search the Slayer's Star on the network it will be posted all over it."

"I'd think less than half of people buy into government conspiracies."

"Slayers aren't a conspiracy anymore Pyro. We're not under the carpet. Not anymore."

Syxx followed Pyro down the hall. They stepped light in their boots, only uttering a slight tapping at they walked down the halls toward their room. Something didn't feel right to the black vulpine. As they neared their door Pyro reached into his back pocket, pulling out a little white card. He reached to press it to the panel at the door look, but before he could put it down against the surface, Syxx grabbed his arm, wrapping his paw around the other man's wrist, stopping him from pressing the card down and unlocking the door.

Pyro tilted his head before he glanced at Syxx and raised an eyebrow.

Syxx narrowed his eyes. His lips slid up and he let his fangs show. He whispered to the other Slayer. "We are leaving."

Nothing else needed to be said, Pyro nodded once as he backed away from the door slowly. He slid the key into his back pocket again as Syxx let go of his wrist. The Slayers both turned, taking a few steps down the hall way where they had come from, but just as they did, two figures appeared from the elevator doors. Two large men, taller than either Syxx or Pyro, wearing blue jean pants, black boots, and black jackets walked toward them. Two large German Sheppard's with their paws tucked into the pockets of their coats approached. Taking large steps as they closed in on the Slayers. The Slayers froze in their steps, and turned around, spinning on their heels.

"Stairwell." Syxx whispered.

The Slayers turned their backs to the figures. It was only a few more steps they were able to take until two more large shadowy figures appeared at the other end of the long hall wearing the same thing. The Slayers froze again in their footsteps. They looked for any sign of an exit. An open room door or a fire exit, but before they could choose their path a quiet 'click' resonated through both their ears, followed by a subtle squeak of a door. Syxx grit his fangs through his maw before he turned to see the door to their own hotel room open up, with a bright blue vixen standing in the door way.

The vulpine let out a long and frustrated sigh, while Pyro slunk back into his own shoulders with a nervous smile on his face, as his ears splayed out to the side. Syxx closed his eyes, and turned to the side to face Krystal, before he opened his eyes again. Their gazes locked with each other but Krystal was the first to speak as her sixth sense combed through Syxx's head. Reading his every thought, she crossed her arms over her chest, binding them tight around herself. Her lip curled up a little more, showing more of her pearly white fangs.

"Don't try it. Whether you like it or not, you're going to stop this war. I didn't go through hell and back for you to turn your back on this system. Peppy needs you now Fox. The system needs you." She spoke through gritted fangs, almost grinding them together as she hissed at the black vulpine.

Syxx just stared at Krystal with his glowing blue-fire eyes. He didn't say anything. He just tried to stare her down. No movement, and barely a blinking eye.

Krystal returned his gaze. "Well?"

The raccoon put his paw on Syxx's shoulder, and cleared his throat. "He'll cooperate."

Syxx didn't like to lose. He hated it. The way his opponent stood her ground, and took a stand against him filled him with rage, but he couldn't show it. Even to someone he had loathed so much. His claws sunk into his palms, almost enough to make them bleed as he did. He took a long deep breath in, as the soldiers surrounded them, forcing them down the tight hall way. He leered at Krystal until the last possible second, before turning his head back over his shoulder.

Syxx could hear the faint sound of a communicator clicking. One of the large built soldiers put his paw against his ear as he spoke. "Sir. Package is secured."

Syxx's sharpened ears could even pick up on the reply. It was Peppy. He could tell by the voice tone, even as it whispered through the air. "Well done. Escort them to the Flight Center. We'll meet you there."

Krystal kept her gaze locked onto Syxx as the men escorted the two Slayers down the hallway. Her eyes closed as she felt a shiver run down her spine. It even made her head turn as if the black fox was right there beside her, speaking in her ear. The warm breath felt so real as Syxx invaded her mind with his. "This isn't over."