While her fate was being discussed, Camdyn was finally catching up to the others. She was sure she must have been noticed by now, but everyone was too worried to bother with her. She was sure that Zoll had looked back at her once or twice, but she hadn't heard anything over the radio. They were nearing Breaker Island and the first thing that Camdyn noticed was the group of planes parked in the front yard. She saw a few figures walking around, but it was too far to see who or what they were. She also noticed a figure lying on the roof of the house and assumed it was Sable.
It must have been some sort of unspoken communication that told them to swoop in low and land. Camdyn followed suit and stopped. The hunters had all managed to get under cover so she had no use of the rifle. She picked it up anyway. As she dropped to the dusty ground she caught sight of Karnage staring at her. To say that he didn't look happy would have been an understatement. Camdyn was sure she would be horribly punished later, but shook it off and focused on the task at hand. The others evidently had a plan in motion which didn't include her. She hunkered down behind the trees and watched them. It was after a few minutes that she realized she had a clear path to the basement of the house. If she could get to it she could let the Ladies know they were here. The hunters were being kept busy by the rest of the crew around the side of the house. Camdyn decided to take the chance. She darted out and crossed the dusty yard, instinctively hopping the area where the children had started digging to China. She got to the doors without mishap and thanked her lucky stars. Tentatively she tapped on the doors.
"Open up. Please. It's just me. Camdyn. Come on, open." She said softly at the sounds of rustling behind the doors. One of them inched open a crack and Roxie's very frightened eyes appeared. She saw Camdyn and opened the door all the way.
"We can leave if you're quick about it."
"How? We don't know how to fly!" Kay whimpered. Most of the small group huddled at the bottom of the stairs. Several of them had been crying. Rayne looked stalwart. She didn't seem the least surprised to see the vixen standing at the top of the stairs holding a shotgun and demanding they all come out. Without a word she picked up Gertie and started up the stairs.
"No. Ve cannot fly, but Camdyn does. She can take der plane that Sable uses. Ve can all fit in that vone."
What Rayne said made sense and in short order they'd thought out a plan. Camdyn took the first group across the open ground and safely got them into the trees. The rest of them followed in groups of two or three. Roxie had the sense to shut the door into the basement as she dashed across. They could hear the shouts of the fighting on the other side of the house. Kelly whimpered.
"S'all right. They know what they're up to. Now, lets get out of here, OK? I'm pretty sure that Sophie can find something nice to eat when we get back to the Vulture."
This had the unintentional double effect of calming the children and reinforcing the idea that they would get away. Camdyn snuck along the trees until they reached the side of the makeshift hangar that Sable kept the rickety bomber plane in. Camdyn didn't want to risk going through the open doorway and instead helped everyone through one of the few windows. Naomi took her time, considering that she was carrying a double load.
"You all right?" Camdyn asked once they'd gotten into the plane.
"Sure. If I can keep up with Kelly, I can do anything." She smiled weakly and strapped herself in. There was a long bench alongside both walls with harnesses and seats for all of them. Roxie sat in the cockpit with Camdyn.
"How much room do you need to take off in one of these?" Camdyn asked.
"I'm not sure. Um...probably to the end of the trees would be enough."
"Good. 'Cause I think the guys are in the way."
"What do you mean 'good'?"
"Just hold on."
Roxie complied and let out a muffled shriek as they took off straight for the edge of the island. This side of the island was a large cliff that the children had been threatened never to go near. The plane had nearly enough speed as it shot over the edge. It dropped a few feet and then caught the speed it needed and was flying. The engines growled in protest of the rough takeoff. Camdyn looked at the controls nervously. She wasn't used to flying inside, she felt like she needed the air swooshing through her hair to be able to tell where she was going.
"Do you know how to read maps?"
"Yes. And a good thing for you."
"Wait..." Camdyn squinted through the windshield. "That's the Vulture. Let's go."
Back on the ground Karnage's crew had driven off the hunters and were now looking for their families.
"Diego!" Sable yelled from the roof. "That was a brilliant plan of yours."
Karnage looked up at his sister as she dropped to the ground from the porch roof. He wasn't certain what she was talking about.
"The plan. You know, sending that vixen in the back way while you had them distracted up here."
"I...yes. I am brilliant." he puffed his fur up a little. "Where did the vixen go?"
"She took my plane and headed toward the Vulture, I guess."
"Then that is where we go."
Most of the advance crew breathed a sigh of relief with the knowledge that their families were safe. On Sables' plane, things were a bit different. Naomi had just informed the group that her water had broken.
"Oh no...no, no no no!" Camdyn said.
"My thought's exactly." Roxie said. "I don't know anything about having babies..."
"Just get to the Vulture. I'll take care of this, ja?" Rayne said, calmly waving a hand for them to carry on.
"What if she has it before we get there?"
Rayne laughed.
"What's so funny about that?"
"It vill take a vhile yet."
"Well, tell her I'm glad!" Camdyn turned her full attention back to flying.
Arriving back on the Iron Vulture wasn't as big a problem as Camdyn had thought it would be. They saw them coming a long way off and were ready to let them land. Shaken, but otherwise unhurt, the Ladies, sans Rayne and Naomi climbed out and stood looking around. Camdyn was the last to get off the plane.
"Sophie?! Sophie!" Camdyn yelled. The tigeress started down to her.
"What is it? Someone hurt?"
"Not exactly..." this statement was punctuated by a shriek from Naomi wishing for her beloved Samuel on a platter.
"What's going on?"
"Urm...baby troubles."
"Oh...Mad Dog?" Sophie looked back at the mutt who was standing looking at the group.
"Oh no. I ain't helping you. Forget it!" the mutt backed away with his hands in the air as if warding off evil.
"I just want you to go get Sam."
In answer to Sophie's demand, Mad Dog turned and shouted down the hallway. Camdyn thought at first it was an echo but realized that the rest of the crew were passing the word along until it reached Sam.
"An' tell him his wife's having the baby!" Mad Dog shouted. He turned back to the group on the hangar floor and smiled serenely. "That good enough for ya'?"
Getting the children out was another challenge. They wanted to explore the ship as they'd never been on it before.
"Hey, that was fun! Can we do it again?" Will, the younger one, asked, swinging on a cable that was used to lift the planes.
"No. We are most definitely NOT doing it again." Suki said.
"Where's Sable?" Mina asked, descending the stairs to the hangar floor.
"Back at the island. It was Camdyn who brought us here." Roxie answered. Mina turned and glared up to where Mad Dog stood looking down at them. Suki saw him too. Mad Dog visibly gulped.
"What are you doing here? You didn't want to hasten to my rescue?" she called. Mad Dog started shuffling off as fast as he could given his injuries. Suki was after him in a flash. Mina laughed softly.
"You know they both really like each other, don't you?" she asked Roxie.
"I figured as much. I mean, if she'd track him all the way through his travels and he'd let her...obviously something is going on there." Roxie answered. Camdyn fidgeted nervously. She was certain she was going to be in very big trouble as soon as Karnage got back. She climbed onto the wing of her plane and sat there, watching for him.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Mina asked, turning to where Camdyn was sitting.
"I'm in so much trouble I couldn't dig my way out with a spoon."
"I think that about sums it up." Mina said. She turned at the sounds of aircraft arriving and knew that Camdyn had much underestimated how much trouble she was in. Karnage looked furious.
Roxie must have sensed it as well.
"If he didn't already have red fur, he'd still be red right now. Been nice knowing you, Camdyn."
Camdyn made a strangled whining noise. Karnage stalked up to her.
"I want to speak with you. NOW." He snapped and Camdyn jumped up and followed him. Mina looked at Roxie for a moment, and Roxie nodded. She'd go plead Camdyn's case. Meanwhile, Mina had some questions for the she-wolf now climbing out of Mad Dog's plane.