Hello! It is great to have you here for the initial release of 'From the Shadows'. I know a small minority of you have been expecting this to release while a greater majority have no idea what I am currently talking about. Regardless, you all opened up into this because it sounded interesting enough to give it a shot. For that, I thank you for deciding to give my work a little look over.

As you might know, this is a 'human entering the world of Zootopia'. Yes, I know it isn't that unique of a concept. However, I hope to bring in ideas, concepts, and plotlines that are new to you all. I hope to have developed enough as a writer here to create a concept that is unique for the theme I like, and tell it in a more compelling way.

I shouldn't keep any of you who reads these authors notes any longer. I hope this introduction provides you with enough interest to carry you forward. Please, enjoy!

Chapter 1: Turbulence

Despite the night rolling over into the next day, the atmosphere in Bogotá was lively as ever. Music played and the crowds of younger people kept the party going as they moved from bar to bar. There were even some tourists moving through mobs as they looked with lively eyes to the various colored lights. The yelling echoed off the facades of the buildings, and their feet shuffled through the small puddles of the earlier rains. It didn't bother this crowd, however. They weren't even concerned with the incoming precipitation.

The lights and lively attitudes of many in the street were contrasting to the more depressed attitudes of some establishments. One of them, an old bar that seemed it would be in a small town in the country, held some of the more aged parts of the population. Instead of vibrant cocktail drinks that were sweet enough to drown out the burn of alcohol, many of the bargoers stuck with Aguardiente, rum, and beer. The dim lights shown through the dusty atmosphere yet seemed to not light the place particularly well. There was little to no talking in the establishment, even between those who were friends.

Many didn't stand out in the establishment except for a young man who looked to be in his upper twenties to early thirties. His shorter brown hair seemed to be blown back in the wind even though the day before was calm. He had a small amount of facial hair that was growing in from a week of not shaving. He wore a dark blue collared shirt under a black jacket. He also wore beige khakis and brown work shoes. His green eyes focused on the small journal in his grasp. It was information that he had written before, and none of it was helpful for what he was looking for.

The man grabbed the small glass to his side filled with rum. It wasn't his favorite drink by any means, but it was something that the Colombians were better at making than whiskey or brandy. Still, it managed to give him the buzz that was wanted.

A glass shattered in the background causing the man to turn around swiftly with a vigilant gaze. Others in the establishment that turned their gaze did so in a disinterested manner. Some people didn't even bother to turn their heads to look over. The broken glass laid at the bottom of a stool bathing in liquid where a drunken older gentleman fell asleep.

The door of the building then creaked open and another tourist-looking walked in. His brown eyes scanned the building before settling on the only other character that seemed to stand out. He had brown hair with gray starting to form along with the edges. His brown eyes were darkened, and he had a beard that covered his jawline. He was fit, and a bit intimidating to look at. However, he was also a little aged in the face with tired eyes and wrinkles. The man sitting at the bar looked over his shoulder to see who had just come in. He then let out a sigh in annoyance and turning forward.

He was approached and was addressed, "Mr. Ackerman."

The green eyes looked over at the older man before releasing a gruff response, "Jackson…" He motioned for Jackson to take a seat beside him.

Jackson looked over with little amusement at the younger man before speaking again, "I would like to keep this professional. I would prefer if you called me 'Mr. Martin'. Also-"

Mr. Ackerman responded sharply, "And I would prefer that you stick with 'Kanen'. I don't care about all of that formality bullshit." Kanen's gaze fixated on the older man. Irritation was easily present on his features, and even his body language seemed to be a bit tense.

Jackson let out a small huff from his nostrils before responding in a hushed tone, "I have a feeling that you have uncovered something in your reconnaissance of the Santa Fuego Cartel. What did you find?"

Kanen drank the rest of his drink before swallowing harshly. He then fumbled in his jacket a little as he worked to pull some papers out. Jackson looked over to see the black reflective surfaces of a concealed pistol holstered right at his waist along with the handle of a knife. By the looks of it, it was probably a Glock 17.

Jackson's eyes moved back upright as Kanen pulled out a few papers into view. He rotated his wrist and the papers snapped right against Jackson's waiting grasp. The older man looked around to see no one, in particular, taking an interest in their conversation. He focused back on the papers in his hand and unfurled them before reading them to himself. Kanen signaled for another drink from the bartender. The liquid was barely audible as it had to compete with the now-falling rain outside.

Jackson's eyes scanned the pages with a hunger. His expression shifted around a little from a narrow gaze, then to a more surprised one, and finally resting on something resembling deep thought. He let out one word, "Shit."

Kanen just huffed in agreement, "I believe that 'shit' doesn't even cover it. How much did you know about this?" He took a small drink from his filled glass.

Jackson took on a defensive tone, "I don't really know much-"

Kanen relaxed his arm and allowed the cup in his grasp to hit the bar top with an audible 'thunk'. He asked once more with a little more weight behind his words, "How much did you know?" He continued with a calmer tone, "You must have some idea of what happens here. You supervise more than just me in this area."

Jackson thought for a moment. He was unsure how much he needed to tell Kanen based on his hesitation. Finally, he released a tight sigh, "Look, I just know that the CIA was working with Santa Fuego in this area. Santa Fuego would provide the CIA with vital information on the other cartels in the area such as their leadership and where their influence was the strongest. In return, the CIA basically allowed the Santa Fuego cartel-free reign in the region."

Kanen rubbed some exhaustion away from his face, "The CIA wasn't the one taking out these cartels. I was used by the cartel to take out their competition."

Jackson's face scrunched in confusion, "What do you mean? Sure, some of the information that I used was from what was supplied to the agency. I would still say that a vast amount of your work was still due to you and me."

Kanen reached over and pulled one of the back pages to the front. He motioned to text messages that seemed to be sent between someone at the CIA and the leadership of Santa Fuego:

SF Contact: I have another target

CIA agent: When and where

SF Contact: La Casta at 9:00

CIA agent: We will have our asset take him out

It was a short conversation, but it spoke a lot to the two that sat at the bar. Jackson was actually taken aback by the conversation that Kanen managed to capture photos of. Kanen responded to the look, "It seems like you didn't know everything that was happening over your head. I should have been left to conduct my investigations to infiltrate and ultimately help neutralize these organizations. Instead, I am playing hitman for a murderous group."

Jackson nodded, "I understand."

Kanen continued, "It is not my responsibility to please the agency either. They give the green light to my activities, and that is it. This is the first time that they have told me to neutralize a cartel, and that is only because of how their actions led up to this point."

"I understand!", Jackson snapped before looking around to make sure no one's attention was on the two. He continued, "Just tell me what you want me to do."

Kanen pulled out a smaller booklet that was different from the one he was reading earlier. He handed it over to Jackson, "I can't stay in the area. The CIA should have realized that Santa Fuego was going to target me."

Jackson asked, "What is this, then?"

"It is everything I managed to get up to this point. You can hand that over to them in exchange for a ride back to the states." He took a final swing of his drink before continuing with a hoarser tone, "This is the last time that I take any direction from them."

Kanen turned around to get up, but his quick scanning of the surrounding stopped him for a moment. He stopped his movement before switching back into his seat. Jackson was still looking at the cover of the book before turning to Kanen. His tone showed he didn't see what happened, "I will see what I can do. Be expected to receive a text soon."

Jackson was about to get out of his seat right. Kanen grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back down. The older man looked over with confusion right as Kanen spoke, "It seems like you were followed." Jackson looked over at him with confusion.

He then processed the words. He began to look over his shoulder. Kanen responded to his action, "Don't do that. We need to keep the idea he is here without our knowledge."

Jackson asked, "Alright, what do we do?"

Kanen thought for a moment. He finally concluded, "While he is after me in some way, I am willing to bet that he wants what information I managed to uncover." With a little more thought, he came up with a plan, "You should head out first and I will follow behind. If he follows you, he is after the book. If he follows me, I can handle it."

Jackson nodded, "I understand."

Kanen nodded, "Good. Now, you should probably get going." Jackson got up right as Kanen said one last thing, "Keep your focus on the door. He might not know that we are on to him."

Jackson didn't respond as he walked towards the entryway. Kanen could tell that his eyes were glued onto the door in front of him out of fear to look anywhere else. He tried to walk normally, but Kanen could see the rigidness of his posture. It wasn't really surprising. Jackson had always been out of danger's way.

Kanen kept an ear and eye out the moment Jackson left the building. The door didn't even close when the form at the side of the room bolted up and headed for the door. Kanen only sighed before getting up and moving to the door. He walked smoothly, but quickly so he didn't lose track of who he was chasing.

Kanen was cascaded with rain the moment he walked through the front door. His hair was instantly matted down by the barrage of water droplets. He looked left to see no one, and then he looked to the right to see the guy move down one of the alleyways. Kanen moved quickly since he suspected Jackson was in some sort of trouble.

The slashes of Kanen's shoes against the puddling water on the cement were less than ideal for stealth. Kanen finally made it to the corner and looked around to see Jackson backing up with both hands raised in the air. The form of the other individual showed that he was armed with a gun. Jackson was unable to reach for his if he had one.

Kanen listened to the words of the cartel member, "I just want what was given to you." Jackson didn't make a move. The other guy was getting irritated, and his grip adjusted in his hand. "Come on, cabrón. I know that you were given something. Show it to me."

Kanen reached for his pistol, and the tips of his fingers brushed against the grip. He heard laughter to his back, and he looked over his shoulder. Some of the younger adults left one of the bars. They seemed excited to be in the rain. Their forms danced along the water as they moved down the street with one another. This caused Kanen to retract his hand from his weapon. He didn't fully understand why, but he wanted to do this quietly. Maybe it was because of the civilians enjoying themselves in the area, or perhaps it was him wanting to continue incognito. Regardless of what it was, Kanen wasn't going to go with a gun.

Kanen moved as quietly as he could on the pooling water at his feet. His steps weren't exactly quiet to his ears. He was betting that the falling rain was drowning out the sounds of his movement.

The Santa Fuego cartel member finally had enough by the looks of it. His grip tightened so that his index finger itched to pull the trigger. He spoke, "Whatever. The only good CIA agent is a dead one."

Kanen jumped forward, grabbed the top of the pistol. With one swift motion, he pulled it to the side and twisted it from the guy's grip. The gun flew to the side of the alley and clattered against a wall. The cartel member turned around with a shocked expression. Kanen then used his fingers and jabbed him in the throat. His adversary doubled over as he gasped for breath.

Jackson cleared his throat of his nervous demeanor, "You couldn't have been closer if you tried."

Kanen responded blankly as he moved over to the pistol, "You came out alright, didn't you?" Jackson seemed far from amused. Kanen brought the gun over to a trashcan and threw it in. He continued with a sigh, "I moved in when the time was right."

Before either of them could get another word in, the cartel member jumped up with a knife in his grasp. He lunged toward Kanen with the intent to kill. The agent caught his wrist right before his knife could make it to his gut. With his other arm, he punched at the elbow and broke his arm. Finally, he twisted the arm, elbowed the man's face, and used the knife that was still in the member's hand by embedding it into the guy's side.

A group of civilians walked by the entrance of the alleyway. Kanen caught the falling cartel member so that he wouldn't make a sound falling on the wet ground. Kanen's breath was caught in his throat as they moved by slowly. Once they were out of sight, Kanen lowered the man against a wall and some trash.

Once Kanen stood back up, Jackson joined his side. Kanen asked, "Will you be able to secure me a ride back to the United States?"

Jackson nodded with a disturbed look still on his face, "Yes… I should be able to arrange something."

Kanen grabbed Jackson by the shoulder and edged him away from the bleeding-out man. He spoke as calmly as he could in the torrential downpour, "I wouldn't think on that too much. I need to grab some things from my hotel room."

Jackson only nodded as he moved out of the alley. He ushered out a few more words, "I will keep you posted."

Kanen nodded as he watched Jackson move around the corner. His eyes then traced back on the form of the bleeding out cartel member. His thoughts were blank on the actual issue of him bleeding out. Instead, he just felt as if his paranoia of the whole ordeal to be well justified. It wasn't just because of the member being in the bar. It spawned more from the fact that he was used by the agency for their agenda. He just hoped he would be able to get out of this situation alive.

Kanen finally made it back to the hotel without any more hiccups. The walk through the rain was miserable, but he was able to monitor if anyone was following him. He didn't feel like he could relax until he was back in more familiar company.

Kanen walked into the hotel to find that there was no one at the reception desk. There was only a dull atmosphere devoid of anyone. His eyes narrowed at this. It was late, but there was usually someone around to greet newcomers and paying guests. Kanen's nerves were only elevated from the unusual circumstance.

He moved quickly up some stairs and toward his room. The halls were well cleaned, and nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Finally, Kanen made it to his place, Room 304. Kanen touched the handle and used his key to get through the door. He twisted the key to unlock the door, but the motion felt effortless. It indicated only one thing: His door was already unlocked. Kanen took his key out from the lock with a narrowing gaze. He always locked his door.

Kanen prepared himself by pulling out his pistol and putting his hand on the knob of the door. He grunted out in dissatisfaction, "There is always something, isn't there."

With a few calming breaths, Kanen twisted the handle of the door and shoved himself forward into the room. The loud actions were greeted with deafening silence. It was almost as if tense music building up to this point had silenced for the scene.

He quickly scanned the room to see that some cartel members were caught off guard looking through his belongings. It was a split-second decision to decide if they were an innocent person cleaning his room, or if it was an enemy. With a quick trigger finger, Kanen fired his pistol twice at the first person he saw. One impacted at the middle of his chest and the other his right shoulder. That person fell backward and hit the wall. He slid down the wall leaving two blood spots followed by streaks.

Kanen's attention moved onto the person beside the fallen form as he moved to fire at him. However, someone with a knife flew out of the bathroom with the intent to maim or kill. The agent managed to move back to miss the incoming form as they crashed right into the door. Kanen followed up by smashing the door in the guy's face. The knife dropped to the ground as the guy clutched his face.

Kanen looked back at the final guy to see him reaching for his gun. Out of impulse, Kanen reached down and pulled up the sicario from the ground. He pulled him right in front of him. It took a reasonable amount of strength to hold up the man as he continued to try and fall. Blood smeared down his face, and some even got on Kanen's antecubital space. Kanen then pointed his gun right at the other guy.

The stillness between the three starkly contrasted with the movement from before. Neither one wanted to make the first move. Kanen was hesitant to shoot this person. Besides the other two who were well into their thirties, this kid across from him couldn't be over fifteen years old. The fear on his young face was apparent. He didn't know what he wanted to do. Should he run? Should he try and kill Kanen? He just didn't know.

Kanen felt a pit in his stomach. He did his best to intimidate the kid, "It is your choice, kid. Just know that one choice is going to be your last."

The kid jumped at the words and contemplated what he should do for a moment. His gaze shakily shifted over to the dead man to his side. His gaze then looked to the guy within Kanen's grasp as he shifted in and out of consciousness. His eyes finally settled on as much of Kanen as he could see. The agent only glared lasers back at the kid.

His decision was finally made as his grip on the gun tightened and he swallowed. Kanen's alarm was noticeable in his voice, "Don't do it!"

The trigger was pulled, and the hammer clicked forward. Both guns fired at the same time. The bullet aimed at Kanen struck the doorframe centimeters from the side of his head. The bullet fired from Kanen's gun pierced the head of the kid. Blood and mushy brain matter sprayed the wall behind him. A red mist settled behind the kid's head. The body fell after a small jolt, and it thumped upon the ground.

Kanen's gun instantly turned the head of the one that he was holding up. He pulled the trigger, and the result was instant. A bit of blood splashed on Kanen's face as their body trembled out of his grasp. He was left there with a blank look and ringing in his ear. He didn't dare move as the hazy air-ventilated out of the room. There wasn't any noise other than Kanen's breathing as he grasped what he had just been through.

He blinked a few times before he turned to the bathroom without so much as a peep. He turned on the sink. The water that ran out of it gurgled a few times before flowing out from the nozzle. Kanen watched the water drain down the sink for a few minutes until a small vapor emitting from the water could be seen.

His hand reached over and grabbed a small towel as slowly cleaned the red from his face. The towel soon became stained from the blood, and it still wasn't cleaned from his skin. It seemed to stain deeper than it was. It only caused him to rub at his face harder.

This wasn't the first time he has faced a kid in a situation like this. There was Brazil, the Congo, Cambodia, even France, and Germany. They were always fresh recruits that weren't prepared for the world that they were getting into. However, time and time again they always decided to fight. It wasn't because of some belief in what they were getting into. Instead, it was always in fear of what the alternative would bring. A bullet or quick knife was always better than slow torture and mutilation.

Kanen's face was finally clean, and he threw the rag to the side without much care. The situation went to complete shit, and it wasn't going to end here. They know he is here, and they weren't going to hesitate in sending more.

Kanen rushed to his belongings that were scattered around the room. He started by lifting the mattress. Underneath it was a black case at the center. He peeled it out and opened it up to still see many clips for his pistol along with a backup one. He shut it close before moving it to his bag and placed it into the bottom of it.

He stepped over the bodies as he cleared the floor of his clothing that was thrown about. He gathered his clothes as quickly as he could and shoved them in the bag. The moment he got everything in his bag, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He dug down and spun it in his hand until he managed to see what the message was.

JM:A black car is waiting for you a block west of your hotel

Kanen didn't bother to respond as he pushed the phone back into his pocket. He grabbed his back and swung it over his shoulder as he moved toward the door. He looked back over his shoulder one last time at the bodies slumped around the room. With a snort, he opened the door and shoved a body out of the way as he did so.

Kanen moved down the hall as quickly as he could to make as clean of an exit as possible. He turned the corner towards the stairway and heard muffled yelling of Spanish coming from it. Kanen slid in his tracks and thought for a moment about what he should do. His attention moved to the entryway of each of the different rooms. It didn't provide much cover, but he could probably hide from sight while they move down the hallway to his room.

The steps up the stairs echoed against the concrete walls of the stairwell. It didn't leave much time for Kanen to hide further down the hall. Right as he got against the wall, the door to the stairs flew open. Once spoke in a raspy voice, "¿En qué habitación está?"

Kanen could hear the footsteps of at least one moving down the hallway in his direction. He got ready to pull his gun if things went south. Another one answered, "Ehh, 304."

The footsteps near Kanen stopped. His breath was caught in his throat. The top of the guy's shadow was in view, his head turned around to look at the other sicarios. All tension seemed to release right when the shadow disappeared, and the footsteps moved away.

A few seconds passed before Kanen looked around the corner to see the men getting closer to his door. Their weapons were heavy-duty compared to his pistol that he held. They definitely had submachine guns and shotguns in their grasps. That was a fight that Kanen was unsure that he would win.

Instead, he moved quickly and quietly down the hall to avoid their gazes. He opened the door to the stairs. He heard the door to his room crash open right as the door to the stairway slammed close. Kanen began to sprint down the stairs. It didn't take him long to make it to the lobby floor where one guy resided at the door of the building. Kanen was quick to the draw as the man noticed him coming to the door. He raised his Uzi as he got ready to spray Kanen, but he never got the opportunity to open fire before Kanen fired a few bullets into his chest.

Rapid gunfire exploded from the barrel of the cartel man's gun as he fell backward. Kanen flinched as the bullets hit the ceiling, and when debris fell on his head. It was a short burst, but it more than likely caught the attention of the men that went to the third floor. This only caused Kanen to sprint even more. He shouldered the door and looked out into the wet streets.

The rain seemed to have moved on as the only thing that was leftover was puddles and wet concrete. The sounds of sirens resonated off the nearby buildings with the signal of what was coming. This only caused Kanen to move even quicker. Kanen could see the black car residing near the next intersection. Kanen opened the back door of the vehicle and slid in a huff. His bag was placed to his side as he leaned forward to look out of the windshield. He tried to calm his breath.

The door to the hotel flew open and the group of sicarios looked around with anger and confusion. Kanen watched on as some police cars rolled up to the building. He looked over to the agent who sat at the wheel of the car, "Take the turn right. Keep the headlights off."

The driver nodded in understanding as he slowly moved the car around the corner. Kanen's last look between the officers and cartel wasn't one of conflict. The cartel was speaking toward the officers and pointing their fingers. It didn't take long for Kanen's vision to be blocked by a building.

A breath escaped his lips as he sunk into his seat a little bit in relief. The driver looked back with concern. He then cleared his throat before speaking, "Mr. Martin said that your departure was going to be at the nearest airport. He will be waiting at the plane when we get there. I thought that you should at least know where we are going…"

Kanen nodded before drawing in a deep breath, "Thank you…"

"My name is Jason." The younger man responded with a lighter tone. He let out few awkward seconds pass before speaking again, "I didn't think the rain was ever going to let up." Kanen could tell that he was letting off stress from the tense situation moments ago.

Kanen nodded, "Alright, Jason. I do appreciate the heads up about our destination. I don't want to be a dick, but I prefer this drive to be silent. Had circumstances been different I would be open to chatter. It has just been a long last twenty-four hours. Do you think you can do that for me?"

Jason's lighter expression disappeared, "Understood, sir."

"Thank you." Kanen's expression relaxed a little as he idly looked out the window. He never fully relaxed, however. That would have to wait until he actually made it away from this country.

The drive had been silent between the driver and his passenger as they drove over to the airport. There were few cars on the way there. That isn't all that surprising as it was only a few hours until sunrise. Kanen hadn't gotten a single wink of sleep, and he was starting to feel the effects of his fatigue. It didn't bother him too much, though. He had been awake for a longer period before this through his consecutive sleepless nights of data analysis.

Kanen's eyes glazed over the fence that separated the road from the airstrip to his side. He adjusted himself so he was ready to exit the vehicle for his trip back home. He was excited for the peaceful hours by himself for when he flew back to Langley.

Kanen looked back out the windshield to see a smaller private plane and a silver crossover with Jackson waiting on its hood. He looked over as the car approached with a blank face. Based on this expression, Kanen knew that Jackson wasn't pleased.

The car slowly came to a stop with the low screech from the breaks. The tires rolled slowly against the wet pavement until it finally came to a rest. Kanen looked at his driver after he opened his door. Kanen was going to say something, but he hesitated. Finally, he let out a sigh before exiting the vehicle altogether.

Jackson stood up to his feet as the younger man approached. He addressed Kanen, "I managed to read those documents in more depth. I just wished that the agency would have kept us in the loop a little better."

Kanen snorted, "No shit. This was all just a fucking waste of time."

"I wish I could disagree, but…" Jackson pinched the bridge of his nose. He let out an irritated sigh.

Kanen shook his head, "You can try, but it is hard to argue with the fact that the CIA was going to leave Santa Fuego alone as long as we had access to the region. The only reason I was here was to behead that beast, but I am leaving with this work unfinished. They already have their hand in the government, and I just confirmed firsthand that they have some hold over law enforcement."

Jackson let out an irritated breath, "That only adds to the fucked-up mess I have to deal with here."

Kanen looked at him with surprise, "Wait, you're not coming back to the U.S.?"

"No, I still have obligations to deal with here. Since you are leaving this area, I have to clean up a fucking mess." Kanen looked over at him with a critical eye. Jackson motioned towards the plane and they approached the stairs to it.

He continued, "I am not blaming any of this on you. The State Department is wanting to cool down relations between us and Santa Fuego. They are willing to recognize them as a political entity in the country just so we can continue to have access to the country's resource market. It isn't that far from the truth knowing that the cartel is spreading into the political landscape."

Kanen laughed a little and adjusted the bag over his back, "Fucking typical. It isn't surprising that the United States unilaterally decides what pieces of shit to overthrow and what pieces of shit to prop up. It has nothing to do with bettering the lives of these people."

"And that is what you are doing?" Kanen looked over at Jackson with confusion. Jackson elaborated, "You are only here to better these peoples' lives?"

Kanen shook his head, "No, but I am still doing what I can to improve the situation. That is what I did against the paramilitary groups littered through sub-Saharan Africa, and that is what I did against the criminal empires spanning through Europe. Life has improved for them there, and part of the reason I did it was because of that. I also know that the situation could improve for the U.S. as well."

Jackson got frustrated, "But it hasn't! Those governments don't take kindly to your unrestricted warfare, especially when they get money from those groups. Taking them down can also lead to something far worse!"

Kanen began to walk up the steps to the plane before turning around, "Things will only improve for these people through action. Sometimes that requires aggressive action. With groups like Santa Fuego, the only improvement that can be made is by said groups' removal. Things like protesting and speaking out do nothing against these groups, and it won't get better when we do nothing. That is why I am here, and that is why you should be here."

Jackson's facial expression softened along with his posture. He responded, "I am not saying that we do nothing, and I am not saying that we should give these groups a platform. I am saying that I am not here to help these people. I am only here because it is my job. You should only be attached to this area to the extent of it being a job. It will give you the clearest vision." He walked up the stairs and put a hand on Kanen's shoulder, "You will make a mistake someday if you become too emotionally attached."

Kanen brushed his hand off, "I guess I should have stayed in analytics then. At least then I would be detached enough to say I am doing good work when I turn in my findings. Other than that, a break from this shit would probably be the best thing for me."

Jackson sighed, "Just take care of yourself, Mr. Ackerman."

Kanen climbed the rest of the way into the plane. He turned around, "The same should go for you, Jackson. I can't imagine this area is very safe at the moment."

Jackson snorted out a laugh from the informal feeling when Kanen used his first name. He didn't care to correct the younger man this time. Instead, it was time he headed back to his hotel. He needed some rest after this chaotic night. Kanen looked inside the plane a little to only see the pilot and copilot already in their seats. He turned around, "What, no flight attendant?"

Jackson shook his head with a smile forming on his lips, "Nope. That is what happens when you organized a plane last minute."

Kanen made his way inside of the plane. He took a seat at a small table with a view out to the left-wing of the plane. It was the most stable part of the aircraft, and he was hoping to sleep the entire way back home. He placed his bag in the seat across from him.

The co-pilot managed to get a look around to confirm that Kanen had boarded. He said something to the pilot before getting up from his seat to close the door. When the cabin was sealed, he turned around and went back into the cockpit. The door to the cockpit closed as well leaving Kanen by himself. There wasn't a single word uttered between the two.

Kanen looked out the window to see both cars had already departed the area. A moment later, the plane began to roll forward to follow the lines to the runway. Kanen let out a sigh of relief to finally getting uninterrupted time for himself.

He placed his bag on the seat across from him while he adjusted himself in the seat as much as he could. He was just more comfortable with the knowledge that he was leaving what had evolved into a mess behind. It had also been a bit of time since he had been back home.

The aircraft began to speed up, and Kanen was pressed even more into his seat. The acceleration continued until the wheels of the plane left the tarmac and they were airborne. Kanen sighed in exhaustion as he allowed his eyes to close. This flight was going to be a good eight hours, so he was going to make the most of it. That was even past the slight turbulence from the storm that has just passed.

Shaking within the Cabin caused Kanen's eyes to flutter open with annoyance. He looked around with confusion as his eyes adjusted to the lights. His head was in a groggy, achy state. His eyes fluttered a little as he tried to get a view of his watch. An exasperated sigh escaped his mouth when he realized only a little over and three hours had passed.

His gaze moved to look out the window to see that it was pure darkness. Even though some semblance of the sun should be in the sky, there wasn't any light that Kanen could see. There was the occasional flash of lightning here and there.

The plane shook more violently this time which caused Kanen to instinctively grab the armrest. To him, it felt like they had dropped tens of meters out of nowhere. The lightning outside the window began to increase the further they flew. Some rain pelted the surfaces of the plane.

Kanen closed his eyes to censor out the feeling of the plane shaking and the large storm they were flying through. The plane moved to the right and then up all of the sudden. The shaking seemed to increase in vigor. He opened his eyes and looked out his window. A flash showed the sheer amount of rain they were flying through.

The turbulence seemed to be reaching an apex the moment a bolt of lightning struck the wing of the plane. Kanen covered his eyes from the sudden flash of lightning. After that moment, the shaking of the plane seemed to cease. There was no transition. The turbulence was all of the sudden replaced with smooth flying.

Kanen got up from his seat and got a good look through his window. Everything was still dark, but the ambiance seemed to have changed dramatically. A frost began to progress over the wings and windows of the aircraft. Creaking sounds around the cabin made it sound like the aluminum plating of the plane was going under increased pressure. Soon, the air temperature inside began to decrease to the point of Kanen being able to see his breath.

He approached the cockpit and knocked on the closed door. A muffled but panicked 'enter' was followed by Kanen opening the door. He asked, "What is going on?"

The pilot seemed to flick a few things around the cockpit with quick precision. He responded, "I don't know. Pockets of turbulence that severe don't usually disappear. Also, we don't know if the radio is out. We haven't had a response through the radio."

Right after the pilot finished his sentence, a bright flash illuminated outside the front of the plane. The severe turbulence returned without warning. Kanen almost struck his head on the ceiling from the sudden shaking. The pilot seemed completely occupied, but the copilot had enough focus towards Kanen to request, "Can you take a seat and close the door. We don't know when this turbulence will relax."

Kanen didn't respond through words, only action. He closed the door to allow the duo to focus on their job. He moved back to his seat and planted himself firmly in it. The shaking didn't cease, and the flashes of light only continued.

After a minute, metal grinding could be heard from the turbofan engines. Kanen's eyes widened, but he didn't get time to let that sink in. An orange glow permeated from below the cockpit door. Kanen didn't know exactly know what happened, but something was happening. The plane was descending rapidly.

The rush of wind pushed against the glass of the window to a terrifying degree. Kanen tried to remain calm, but it was obvious that these next few minutes could be life or death. Kanen made sure his seatbelt was securely fastened around his waist.

He managed to grab his bag with his food, and he brought it close to him. The belt wasn't exactly cushioned well for an impending impact. So, Kanen opened the bag and rummaged around before pulling out a jacket. He wrapped it around the belt to increase the cushion. While it wasn't going to do much, it might save him from massive internal injury since the belt is the only thing holding him in his chair.

Next, Kanen grabbed the belt of the seat to his side. He rationalized that the more contact areas he has, the less pressure he will feel when they, to his knowledge-based off time, hit the ocean. Because of this, he had to make sure he wasn't too tangled up as well.

Finally, since the Caribbean is where he is most likely going to end up, he looked around for where a raft might be located. His eyes quickly scanned around until his gaze fell upon cabinets with emergency equipment. He mentally prepared himself for the inevitability of what was to come, and what actions he was going to have to take.

Kanen closed his eyes and took a few panicked breaths. Nothing could have mentally prepared him for this. Once he calmed himself down enough, he looked over through the window to finally see the ground. Yes, the ground. Not the ocean as he had thought. He could see the rolling hills of trees and grass way below and the early morning sun that bathed it.

The panic that Kanen experienced was almost replaced with confusion. He couldn't possibly be over an area that fit this description. It looked more like the Midwestern United States more than anything, but not like Cuba or Southern Florida.

Fire erupted through the door of the cockpit in a fit of bright sparks and spoke. Kanen covered his face with his jacket to protect his breathing as much as he could. With another look out the window, the impact was going to be within the next minute.

The minute soon turned into thirty seconds, and then into ten seconds. The wings clipped a few trees with the tips ripping off. The body of the plane was then dragged onto the ground in a jarring display. Kanen was thrown around in his seat while he did his best to keep himself from harm. Finally, the plane jolted to the side, and Kanen hit his head hard against the wall. The fuselage of the aircraft bent and broke into sections. Once everything came to a rest, smoke filled the cabin even more.

Kanen shifted in his seat a little bit. He untangled himself from the seatbelt from the other seat before undoing his own. He grabbed his bag with a lazy, uncoordinated hand before getting up. Kanen almost tripped backward due to his dazed state of mind.

He finally began to walk toward the front of the plane. His eyes scanned the cockpit to see that little to nothing remained of the pilot or copilot. The seats were still on fire with charred remains sat upon them. The metal around the seats was warped beyond recognition. The heat bellowing from the cockpit was like a furnace. All Kanen could do was move out of the plane as well as he could.

The door of the airplane had been removed at some point during the crash, so it was an easy exit. However, Kanen stumbled from the wreckage with an absolute disregard to where his feet were landing. He fell forward and on his face the moment his foot touched ruined earth.

A few coughs escaped through his lips. The smoke had only disoriented him more when combined with him hitting his head. Kanen could feel a small amount of blood drip down his face, and he could feel a bruise settling over his ribs from hitting them on the table during the crash.

Even beyond his exhausted state, Kanen knew he wasn't quite out of harm's way. He was still near the burning wreckage, and he didn't even know where he was. He picked himself up from the ground while also grabbing his bag. He shuffled from the freshly expose soil onto the green grass. The air felt refreshing to feel and breathe. The coolness of it was perfect compared to the stuffy atmosphere in the plane from moments ago.

Kanen looked on to see a pair of headlights approaching him. He wasn't able to see through his blurred vision, nor was he ready to adequately protect himself. For some reason, the vehicle seemed to be a little small even though it was still approaching.

Kanen's vision began to blacken, and he fell forward on the ground. The last thing he saw was the vehicle stopping a little way away, and two occupants got out of it. Kanen didn't entirely know where he was, or who was finding him. It didn't quite matter to him. He was going to figure out what kind of situation he had gotten himself into soon enough.

That is it for chapter one. I hadn't really ever constructed an action sequence quite like that, so I do hope I painted a vivid picture of what happened. As you can tell, our protagonist is a bit serious about everything. Some parts of him you might like, and other parts not so much. That is entirely the point. He has moments to be a bit abrasive.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this introduction chapter. Please favorite, follow, and/or review for this story. Those are the things that really help it grow. If you don't feel like doing that yet, no pressure whatsoever. You need to see what happens for a few chapters before committing. I entirely understand that approach. If that was your feeling, just sit back and enjoy.

Also, no time to wait until Chapter 2 as this is the first chapter of the dual release. I know some of you have easily speculated who he is going to run into. Let's just see how things go with the first human entering this anthropomorphized world.

Until Next Time (turn the page),

Forsvaret-Komandir