The male skunk walked in proper fashion up to the general and snapped a salute, to which he held until the General saluted back. Sparing only a glance at the female skunk who followed to his right and slightly behind. The Weasel however stood next to his counterpart paws stuck in his pockets and being a little more relaxed in his glance over Private Forest.
"Minster Fairchild, always a pleasure." His muzzle expression showing he was anything but pleased to be working with the weasel.
"General, it is always a pleasure to have such an esteemed representative in my province. I only wish it was under better circumstances."
Pleasantries over he turned to the Warrant officer. "Chief, any update beyond what I was provided for the trip here." Smirking as Fairchild's expression went from one of false respect to one of being insulted.
"No sir, we have accounted for most of the personal who were on duty and off except for three." Watching as another body was removed from the wreckage. "Make that two sir."
"Any word of Lieutenant Forest?"
The chief looked over papers on his clipboard for a moment and shook his head. "Assuming that was not him being taken out, then no sir. First Lieutenant Forest is listed as missing in action at the moment."
The general suppressed a smile when he only just heard a breath of relief from his right. Just like her brother, she was in control, a professional. "Very good. Once you've identified that poor soul give me an update who we still have missing." Without another word he saluted back to the chief before leaving him and the fuming Workers Minister.
As they walked in the direction of a trailer that he knew would have been set up as the command center for the area. Large electrical lines leading to and from the trailer connecting it to an array of portable antennas, dishes, and of course the generators.
"Sir if I may, it may not be for me to say, but the Minster looked as if he had something to say." Matching his step, and maintaining her position relative to him as they walked.
"Emmm … I'm sure Minster Fairchild did have something to say. However, that miserable weasel is minster of this province for a reason and was not in charge of the factory for the same reason." Chuckling.
"Yes sir."
"The good news is, I seriously doubt your brother is dead." Smirking to himself. Thinking that skunk doesn't know how to quit, and he was too well trained. "If we haven't found him yet, then he's alive."
"Sir, then why has he not reported in? Lieutenant Forest is not of the habit to act in such a way." Her voice showing only a little bit of the emotion that she was feeling.
"That, private, is a good question." Walking up to the door of the trailer, he walked in without bothering to knock. Inside the small space was crammed radio equipment, tracking radar systems, and on the far end a defensive measures system. Each station was occupied by mammals all wearing fatigues. The general rumble of communications from all of them into their headsets could be heard and proceeded without even a moment of delay at their entrance. As they entered a wiry white mouse in glasses, wearing her blue uniform with an impressive amount of citations over her left breast, walked down the table that the operators worked along and saluted him.
"General sir. Communications blocking has been set up and all blockades have been deployed. The aircraft net is also up and the area is secure."
"Very good." His ear perked up as he heard a soft knock on the door. He gave Private Forest a nod towards the door to indicate she should answer it as he turned back to the mouse.
The private walked the two steps to the door and opened it, a large polar bear standing outside holding what in comparison was a ridiculously small device. "For the general." His gravely voice spoke in low deep tones. Handing her the device he turned and left. The phone was on, the call timer still ticking as she held it, the large antenna deployed to maintain signal.
"Sir, sat phone for you." She said, interrupting his conversation with the mouse without hesitation.
Taking the phone from her paw. "This is General … "
"Deep intel sir. Your code please." The female voice said on the other end of the phone. This had his interest quickly.
"Alpha, Romeo, Bravo, eight, niner, niner, fife, one."
"Thank you sir. The Lieutenant was found alive by operatives monitoring chatter in Zootopia. He is in a hospital and was last designated as critical but stable." This news had a scowl growing on his muzzle.
"How the hell did he get there?"
"Currently unknown sir." The females voice flat and unchanged even as the tone of the General became agitated.
"You tell me the instant we have more information. I don't care if you have to come here personally to deliver the information."
"Yes sir"
In a rare show if anger, he slammed the phone onto the table, snapping the large antenna at the base of the phone before leaving it on the table. It was quickly whisked away to be repaired after his paw left it. "Well Private, your brother is alive." Taking a deep breath as he calmed himself.
"I'm sorry sir, but how?" This time her confusion was plane on her face, she couldn't hide it.
"I don't know." The general grumbled. Satisfied that at least she didn't know what was happening but could this all have been some accident and somehow, he had ended up to the south. He'd seen things happen that were hard to explain, and with Forest's record he wasn't going to write him of just yet. But caution was needed. "I am going to find out."
*oOo*
His last dream was a pleasant one of sharing a lime flavored jello with his doctor and having pleasant conversation about something he was not meant to remember. A noise had started him to wake up slowly. His nose twitching a moment before his eyes fluttered open to look to a rabbit seated in a chair to his left, under the window. Had he left the window open?
The rabbit was white, with an odd set of black striping's on his face and ears. He was alert, ears held high, black suit and tie, over white colored shirt. Though his attention was quickly diverted from the rabbit to the Walther PPK in the rabbit's paw, pointed directly at him. "Good to see you again Leon."
His expression went cold, not out of conscious control but out of deep seated training. "I'm sorry I don't believe you and I have met before."
"Come now Leon, lets not play this game hmm. You're on my soil this time, and the least you could do is show me that little bit of respect."
Part of him questioned some of the thoughts that processed quickly through his mind. The gun, the caliber, decent for short range, large enough to do some damage. Practiced paw, comfortable on the firearm, finger on the trigger is light but ready. "Far be it for me to disrespect the mammal with the gun, but I do not know you."
Jack's head tilted to the side in thought as he gave thought to what was going on in front of him. "Hmm, well you do know me, but apparently you don't remember after all. For now, I'm Jack." The firearm quietly being replaced inside his jacket. "I know the Leon I know is in there somewhere. He needs to know that we will be watching. Closely."
More of those thoughts, telling him not to relax just because the gun is away. The rabbit is dangerous when he wants to be. The way he holds himself, the way he moves. "If you say so Jack." He noticed a flick in the rabbits left ear towards the door.
"Be seeing you Leon." Before he hopped up onto the chair he was seated in and then out the window.
Leon made his way, as quickly as he could which admittedly was quick for someone in his state. Fast enough to grab the black rope that was falling free from above. Looking down at the rabbit ontop of the awning over the entry way to the hospital. The near setting sun making the rope hard to see for anyone not looking for it. When the rope didn't immediately fall the rabbit looked up with a smirk which for some reason caused an annoyed hiss from the skunk. That was until the door behind him opened.
"Mr Forest, what the hell are you doing leaning out of the window." The familiar vixen's voice causing him to let go of the rope, and before turning see the rabbit give him a quick salute.
"Oh sorry, I umm." Glancing at the window. "Wanted some fresh air."
"So you leaned out a window, in the middle of winter?" Her ear twitched in an obvious tell of disbelief. "But, it does seem your moving around a bit better." Putting a pair of hospital sweat pants on his bed. "Put those on."
He tilted his head and looked at her. "Umm .. sweatpants?"
"Well if you want to join me in the café for dinner then I'll not have you showing your ass off to all the patients." Thinking even if it is rather nice. Having gotten another good look at it as he was leaning out of the window.
"Ahh yes .. right." Blushing a bit as she turned around.
"Well lets go, I'm starving." Her foot paw tapping on the floor. More out of the thoughts flittering through her mind then any real annoyance at his slowness.
The foot taping on the floor actually caused him to chuckle. "That's cute." He had one leg into the pants when before she was right in his face.
"Don't call me cute." She had inherited her mother, and most bunnies', disdain for that word.
"Whoa" putting up his paws. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."
"Just .. don't use that word ok." Her ears were laid back against her skull as she turned away again.
"I won't, promise." Slipping his other leg into the sweat pants. Walking over to her slowly. "Ready when you are."
Her ears perked up and nodded. "All right lets go. How I've got to warn you, stay away from the eggplant parm."
"No good?" His eyebrows raised with a smirk on his muzzle.
"Well it tastes all right going down." Shrugs, "On the way back up not so much."
"And they are still serving it in a hospital?"
"Job security Leon." Giving him a sly smile and laughing when the male rolled his eyes with a groan. Leading him to the elevator she watched him closely as they walked. Taking mental note of his posture and impressed with how well he was coming along. Some obvious stiffness, favoring the side with his IV poll. Whatever pain he was experiencing was either light or he was at least dealing with it. The records indicated he had only been taking the smallest amount of pain reliever possible. They would probably discharge him within a day or so as long as he could demonstrate the ability to take care of the burns on his back. This thought made her ears droop a bit before she corrected it.
"Penny for your thoughts?" He had noticed her mind wandering as they approached the café.
"Oh." Her ears shooting up. "Well I was just thinking that with how well you were doing, they'd be ready to discharge you sooner then later."
"Ahh, that is a good thing isn't it? I mean no need to take up the room with a patient that doesn't need it. Plus you said yourself the sooner a patient is up and about the better."
"Did I say that?" Winks at him before leading them into the café. "As far as hospital cafeterias go this one is halfway decent to at least edible." Walking over to pick up a tray and sliding it along the line. Taking a small salad.
Leon did the same also takin a salad as he looked down the line of items ranging from vegetable to fruit. He took a small fruit cup on the way by causing a chuckle from Meredith. "What's so funny."
"You look like you can't decide what to take." Smiles. "Come on over here. If we're lucky they might have a few fresh items over on the other side. They keep them separate so we don't offend anyone." Walking around to the other side of a dividing wall was another small section, with seats in the room as well. "We need to make sure your diet is balanced for you after all." Looking over a small array of items for predators. Locking in on a bowl at the end. "Ahh yes." Moving to the bowl she picked out two hard boiled eggs.
"An egg?" Looking shocked. "You can have eggs?"
"Yes." Smiles and picks out two more, putting them on his tray. "And since I've heard you like jello." She nods over to a desert area as she walked over to the cashier and paid for them both before walking over to a table.
Leon grabbed two of the lime jello cups and awkwardly made his way over to the table she had selected. Placing one of the jello cups on her tray after sitting down. Looking over the tray he picked up a fork and dug into the salad. Though his eyes did drift to the two eggs on occasion. Looking up to Meredith, "So, how did you end up being a Doctor?"
She smirked and took a bite of her salad as well before going through the story of having an allergic reaction to her father's attempt at a birthday treat. How that had piqued her interest in medicine and eventually lead to her going to medical school and now the ER. It was nice to talk to someone who listened. "So that's how that happened. Mom and Dad I think were a little disappointed, but hay my brother is starting in Precinct 5 next week."
Finishing his salad while he listened to he speak between eating herself. "Oh well congratulations to your Brother." Then a thought hit him. "Wait if your allergic to chicken. Should you be eating those." Watching as she pealed one of the eggs. Taking note how it was done as she did.
"Oh well these I've not had any issues with, and if I did." Leans forward. "I'd probably just dose myself with epi and eat them anyways."
His nose twitching as he caught sent of the now open egg and finding his mouth watering at the smell. He picked one of the eggs up and gingerly opened it as he had seen Meredith. Ever so slowly taking a slow bite out of it and savoring the flavor. His eyes glancing up at the giggle from the vixen who sat in front of him. "What?"
"Never tasted an egg either hmm?" Shaking her head. "I don't get them often, but you can usually get them if you want them." Contemplating him for a moment as she ate the rest of her first egg. "Do you remember anything from your home?" Genuinely interested. "We really don't hear much about your country, pretty tight lipped, no border crossing. Oh and absolutely no news."
"Well, bits and pieces really." Taking another nibble. "I can tell you that most of our food items are ration packs. I seem to remember having a few things that most people back home don't get to have but I can't fully remember why." Thinking more. "We do what is best for our country, and we go where we are needed based on our abilities. We don't really get to choose what we want to do so much as it is decided for us."
She listened as he described parts of their society. It was very ordered, structured for productivity. "It's not my place to judge but, that sounds. Boring." Cracking open her second egg. Watching as Leon did the same. "I mean it sounds like it works but, what do you do for fun?"
Nibbling on his second egg. "Well we play sports, we do have movies." Thinking for a moment as he tried to remember anything to share.
"What about, a girlfriend or a boyfriend?" Asking oft handedly.
Not catching how the question was asked he just thought for a moment. "Well, having a mate is a privilege and there is a selection process."
That caused Meredith to cough. "So pairings are selected for you? You don't get to meet people and develop a relationship?"
Cleaning his fingers of every bit of egg that was left, barely resisting the desire to sniff along his tray for any bit he might of missed. "Well, yah. They make sure that genetically the pairing is desirable."
"So, hybrids aren't allowed?"
That caused him to look up and blink. Obviously to her that set off a mini war in his mind. She was right, some of those returning memories screaming of course not. However, the individual in front of him was creating an opposing, dangerous, opinion. So when he responded it was actually with a feeling of shame. "No, hybrids would not be allowed."
Meredith knew that it was a belief in some places, if an incredibly closed minded one, and apparently their neighboring country took eugenics to an entirely new level. "Well we can add that to one more thing we have here that you don't." Picking up the little cup of jello. "Like jello."
"Emm, yes." Moving the jello in front of him. "But perhaps we miss out on more then just a sweet treat." Giving her a genuine smile as he enjoyed a sample of that very sweet, along with that feeling of déjà vu when you remember a little bit of a dream.
A/N – Another thank you to GhostWolf88 for reminding me that it is BRAVO not Beta.