11:34 pm

Karen and I laid next to each other, naked. We had finished making love for at least the third time in as many hours. I just stared at her a few minutes admiring her incredible beauty ,and wondering how on earth I was so lucky to have her by my side. Karen kissed me on the cheek.

"Once more?" she said.

"I don't know Kare," I said. "think we need some sleep it's a big day tomorrow." Karen moved closer to me. She put her chin on my shoulder and kissed my neck, then moved to the shoulder blade. Then my belly, then lower. "I'll run on adrenaline." I said. And she took me in once more. I can honestly say that I never had felt more ecstasy than that night, I'm almost positive that we both kissed every inch of each others bodies, and I think we kept half the colony up.

November 10th 2007

7:23 am

I woke up the earliest of any member. Karen was still sound sleep covered only by the bed sheets . I kissed her on the forehead and walked outside. The crates were open and checked. We had a final count the other night. 7 AK's 7 M-16's and a total of 3,000 shots per person due to the fact that some of the ammo was FUBAR.

It was going to be a tough fight for team Scorn, I hoped they could neutralize the worst of the hostiles before going into battle morphs. There was an extra AK in case I chose to be with Scorn, I still hadn't decided what team to fight on I would have to make that decision soon though, in order to pass the time I checked the equipment again.

I put on a HUD and turned it on instantly 10 green dots appeared close together, these were the friendly HUD's any other person would register as a red dot. The HUD used a heart beat sensor so anyone with a heart beat would register on the screen. I walked towards a hut and saw a faint red dot a appear the system appeared functional . Any person with a heartbeat would either gave a red dot or a green dot on their chest red dot meant either a hostile or a non-combatant, and any one with a red dot would be killed. To avoid killing ally freed from the cages I equipped every M-16 we had with a chip that would make whoever held it appear as a friendly, anyone who didn't have one of our HUD's or M-16's could only be saved if they had an arm band that had the same chip as an the M-16, they would be given to freed Hork-Baijar or humans who wanted to find a weapon from a dead body.

I ran through the same test with each HUD once I was satisfied I went back to our cave and woke Karen up.

"It's time," I said. "get dressed I'll go get the others." I left and went to each cave. Everyone got up without a word the mood was somber to say the least. When I went to the Animorphs team I found Rachel already up.

"Bout time," She said. "I was afraid you'd gotten cold feet. I'll wake up the others I don't think you want to wake Jake up."
"Why?" I asked.

"Well one he's in there with Cassie, and two he's not exactly feeling rosy about your team since Fred put his imprint in the meeting hut wall if you wake him up from his winning the NCAA tournament dream he may get trigger happy."

"Didn't know the bastard knew how to aim a gun."

"Hey!" Rachel seemed a bit angered by that statement. "That's my cousin your talking about, I may not agree with his war-time strategy but lets not throw insults OK."

"Sorry." I said.

"It's OK, you'd better go and wait for us we'll only be a few minutes." I walked back to the overlook where my team had gathered.

"I've made my decision." I said. "I'm going to be on Scorn." Karen didn't look happy about that decision, there was little reaction to my statement however, most of the team were still lost in thought. After ten minutes the Animorphs showed up. After finding out what team I was on we suited up. Scorn was in full assault uniform, complete with black ski masks. Wrath had the C-4 hidden in book sacs that looked a like a back packers pack. Everyone was nervous even frightened, I decided it was time to rally the troops as it were. I cleared my throat.

"I know you're all scared. I'm scared too, this is a dangerous mission, the most dangerous we will ever face. I'm not gonna lie and say we're all coming home, that's not possible what we are trying to do will take lives. But that is the price we must be prepared to pay. In my 25 years I have seen things no human should see, and I have learned things no man should know, but I've learned this, people will grab onto anything to help them make it through a hard time.

"No matter how stupid, insane, or impossible it seems, they will hold on to it. That's what we are, we are what those men, women, and children down there in those cages hope for we are the reason that they don't just roll over and die. We may loose some of our men, but as a team we will survive, we will succeed we will win, because we are hope AND HOPE NEVER DIES!" While there wasn't the cheering and gun shaking I was hoping for I think I had the desired affect everyone seemed to be less nervous. Rachel walked up to me.

"I forgot to ask on your birthday, you're 25?" She said.

"22." I said.

"Yeah 5 sounds better." Rachel smiled

We stepped past the hologram and back into the woods. Waiting for us was an ATV each.

"Wrath go ahead and get to the station want you all in position. Becky, hand them the communication gear." Becky handed out the hidden mikes and ear pieces we had used on the mission that I had found Rachel on, ironically the same equipment I used at the start of this ordeal would be with us at the end of it. Ax went into his human morph.

"You already know how to use the equipment remember Wrath announce each successful plant of C-4 and once your spent run like Hell for the exits. Once all the C-4 is planted Scorn is to retreat like they've been defeated, and meet up with wrath at the same entrance we used to get in. Once we've reached the halfway point we'll detonate, understood." There were nods from Wrath. "Good luck guys, may God be with you." Each member of wrath got on the ATV's and rode away. After about an hour me and the rest of scorn got on the remaining ATV's and drove off.

The ride was rather bumpy since it was mountain terrain after all. ATV my ass I thought. I'm getting a refund from Erik the second I come back. It was a four hour ride to the city once I arrived with the rest of my team behind me I put on my mask but before I did I pressed the mike on my lip.

"Burning Cougar to Leaping Leopard, do you copy?"

"10-4 BC," Karen's voice said. "What's your 20?"

"On the outskirts Leopard your in charge of the mission OK get into position and get ready we'll be there in ten minutes. Cougar out." I looked behind me, and nodded. We all walked into the city, once we got to the station I turned around to say something then noticed something: there was a buzzard in the air, only one and I had seen the same one, or at least I thought it was the same one, before I left. I dismissed it as a coincidence, a decision I both regret and revere.

"Guys," I said drawing my AK and putting on my mask. "Lets go!"