Four heavily armored eight wheeled personnel carrier trucks were making quick work of leaving miles behind them as they proceed down the rail access road. The trucks were wide and tall with no windows except the small porthole that the driver used to see where he or she was heading. Each with a large 50 caliber machine gun mounted on the top, today however no mammal was standing at this gun, and the top hatch was sealed tight.
In the back of each truck were mammals all dressed from head to toe in drab green one piece exposure suits. Along with their normal gear of automatic rifle, ammo, flack vest, radio, and other gear. Next to each in their seat an air tank and mask for when they exited the vehicle. None of the mammals talked as each went about the checking of various components of their equipment. They had already mentioned that the suits were not like the ones they had trained with before in chemical training, these were a bit heavier and thicker. One of the soldiers had been thoughtful enough to review the tags inside his suit before putting it on and had read allowed what the top of the tag had said, 'Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear, or CBRN'. After this most had stayed quite until even now.
The tailing vehicle towed behind it a large armored tri-axle trailer. Inside which the mammals on the mission were told was all the equipment they would need for the job they were heading to.
The lead vehicle with the outfit commander had been fitted with a sealed pod that attached where the gun had been mounted, and one worker class mammal. That mammal was wearing a similar suit to that of the others, however his was of bright yellow in color and the way the skunk wore it was proved he was far more comfortable with it than any of the others. As he sat in his chair he fixated on the monitor Infront of him that had cables running from it, up the wall, and into the pod above through the open hatch. The monitor had video with a color gradient overlay. Most of the trip the overlay was a constant sea of contrasting grays. However recently that had begun to change through shades of green and into yellows. The latest time the commander looked over the Skunk's shoulder he noticed spots of light red starting to show up and that made him nervous.
"And what does all of this mean?" The Commander asked, a schnauzer with white fur around his muzzle making him look like he was wearing a mustache.
"Oh, umm, increasing levels of Radiation. Nothing deadly yet but enough to be of concern." Tapping the screen, the sound of electric motors overhead could be heard as the image on the screen rotated to the right. "This here is the worst spot so far." Pointing to a spot on the screen
"So the boys are right," the Commander frowning he pushed the screen away from the Skunk's face. "You know they don't tell us much. I was told a train issue, and a possible spill. I was ordered to put what ever spilled back in the containers they came in and that other containers have room in each to make up for any damaged containers. What are we dealing with here?"
The skunk watched as his screen was pushed then looked up. "Umm … commander you know I'm not .."
"Don't give me that bullshit. I'm bringing fifty of my mammals plus you into this, whatever it is. Now, unless you want to stand where my mammals are going to be standing instead of sitting here 'monitoring' and 'advising' then you are going to give me some answers." The commander growled in the Skunks muzzle. Ignoring the sudden increase in sent from the Skunk that left a slight burning in his nose, and made a number of the other skunks in the carrier chuckle. "Turn on the damn vent fan" He barked at the driver. Without a word a double vent system kicked in with a low hum. "Well start talking."
The skunk, embarrassed, looked at the now very attentive mammals in truck with him. "We had a train, two box containers, with Uranium fuel rods in storage. From the outer territories plant after the last refuel. They were being brought for fuel extraction and .. reprocessing." He started to slow down as the commander leaned towards him.
"You're telling me, we are heading into a possible disaster area, involving nuclear fuel." His voice a combination of anger and disbelief. "You damn workers can't figure out how to make a container that could hold a damn beachball." Grumbling, he walked up to the front to look through the shielded window. He knew pretty much everything was manufactured by the workers, including the shielded truck they were in now. He was just livid at the usual feed of need to know information and how much he apparently never needed to know. "Whats the deal then?" Still talking to the skunk behind him without turning to look at him.
"We lost contact with the soldiers in charge of the train. Satellite pictures show the train halted and … " Glancing down at his screen he could see the stopped train in the camera, and the deep red overlay troubled him. "She is definitely leaking, but .. the suits should be adequate."
"Yah, adequate. Tell me doctor, would you go out there and clean up this mess?" Looking at the skunk and seeing the fear in his eyes. "I thought not." Walking over to the coms he picks up a microphone that would link him to the other trucks as well. "All right, this is a nuclear spill. Limit contact with anything that is not the train itself or the surroundings. We have to clean up this mess so it doesn't spread. Some of our brothers and sisters are there, we will handle their burial as well." Looking to the doctor he hands him the mic. "Details on handling doctor."
The doctor cleared his throat and clicked on the push to talk, at first there was a loud squeal from the speakers before he spoke. "Umm … so everything in the area has been contaminated. Your suits will protect you but you must keep your mask on. Monitor your air level, we have a refilling station in the trailer. For those who will be handling the burial of the mammals the trailer has cement and lead vaults, the bodies must be placed in them, and once all are secure, we must poor cement around the vaults after. Monitor the levels and your time nearest the cars. It is best if any damaged containers are secured first, this will start to limit the exposure levels." Breathing. "We thank you for your service."
It took four days of work. Digging a large burial area, welding a repair to the cargo car where the broken fuel containment system had slammed against the car which is what broke the cask open in the first place, and then getting the train back on the move with the doctor and one of the newer recruits operating the train. They had left a half hour prior with additional air tanks to assist. Half of his personnel were ill as they packed up to make their way back. Standing in front of a screen and camera the Commander waited for the satellite video connection to go through. When it did the Video of General Gerhard appeared on the screen.
"General," failing to salute his superior partially because he was far too tired and partially out of contempt after this latest mission. What they had arrived to were soldiers lying around the train where they had succumbed to the disease that they probably had no idea they had been exposed to. "The clean up is complete, and the train is back on its way. We should be," coughing into his paw before looking back up with bloodshot eyes, "under way ourselves shortly."
"Very good commander." Watching as the commander coughed, noting the blood on the dogs lips when his paw came away from his muzzle. "You have done well. Your men will be rewarded."
He couldn't hide the sarcastic laugh but continued on after. "You should know sir, that many of my people are too sick to function. Judging by what we saw out here they probably will not survive the trip back."
"That is unfortunate Commander. Their sacrifice has ensured that our people are safe from further contamination." The general sat back in his seat, the sound of ice clinking on glass could be heard. This caused a snarl on the Commanders muzzle.
"General, we should have been told that this was nuclear fuel. We would have brought more equipment." He said.
Sighing, "Commander, I wish you hadn't said anything about that." Looking at something off screen and nodding. "While I know that it would have been impossible for you to not figure out what you were dealing with, you should have kept this quite." Smiling almost apologetically. "Thank you for your service Commander, yours and your men and women." The screen clicked off after that.
The commander just laughed as he walked away from the screen and back into the night air outside. Looking up into the air he could see three bright lights streaking in their direction at a fast rate of approach. Shortly thereafter all three rockets slammed into the ground, destroying everything in the area and setting the forest around them ablaze.
Back at the damaged enrichment facility, in the command trailer a mouse in uniform walked up to the General as he sipped from his glass. "Containment mission complete sir."
"Very good." The general said to her as he sipped again. "And what of our other active unit?"
The mouse looked down at a pad in her paw and tapped the screen a few times. "The agents are on site and have located their target sir."
"Good, we need to tie up a few more loose ends. Be sure to let our friend in the ambassador's office a thank you for letting us know where to look." Relaxing back in his chair he looked down at the amber liquid in his glass. This didn't go quite as planned but perhaps it went as good as could have been hoped. He at least now knew who he couldn't trust, and by the end of this he would know who he could.
*oOo*
Leon looked up at Jack after a moment. "Jack, if there is nothing else. I'd like to get some fresh air. I promise to keep the tracking device on." Fingering the thin disk in the collar of the suit Jack had provided to him.
"At this point, yes. We don't use collars anymore, unless you force me." Turning he made his way back to his seat.
Leon stood up and looked at the Wildes and managed a small smile. "Thank you for the evening. It was truly enjoyable." Leaning a little more heavy on his cane as he walked out of the conference room, his tail low as he made his way down the stairs. Even at night the main lobby was busy. Mammals in uniform coming and going, some coming in with individuals cuffed. He made it just outside before he felt a paw on his arm.
"So, you have a Sister?" Meredith had taken a moment to process what she had heard before coming after him. Her parents haven started talking with Jack about what the next steps would be.
Turning to face her. "Yah, younger sister, only family I have left." Trying his best to put on a more stoic face he straitens up a bit and smiles at her. "Care to come for a walk with a cripple skunk?"
She chuckles, seeing through his mask but not questioning it for now. "You are hardly cripple. But yes, I think I will join you for that walk." Waiting for him to start .
Leon walked down the stairs and randomly decided to walk to the right, down the sidewalk leading along the outskirts of a small park spotted with street lights to minimize shadowed areas. A couple, two young jaguars could be seen making out on a bench, attempting to stay on the darker side of the bench in some semblance of secrecy. Meredith followed next to him quietly waiting for him to start talking. "My sister was a happy kit when we were young, that was until our parents died in a car accident. I was twelve at the time and she was ten. The state took custody of us, but I made sure to watch out for her until I was 15 and had to take my place in my work for the mammals of my country. We stayed in touch as much as we could but, I don't think she did so well after I had to leave."
Meredith listened as Leon talked, they made their way through the park to the opposite side and now walked along one of the riverways. He stopped and leaned against a guard rail for a moment and she did the same next to him, close to his shoulder. "That must have been hard on you both."
Sighing, "There was actually a part of me that was relieved to not be responsible for my sister anymore. We did meet up again once she entered the military again. Ever so often we would meet for dinner and talk about what we had been up to. She did most of the talking, I couldn't really discuss what my work was. She was still, happy but that glow in her eyes was gone."
"I'm sorry Leon." Placing a paw on his arm. "It couldn't have been easy to realize that."
"Well at first I blamed myself for that. Then I started to realize, it wasn't me really. It was, everything else. That moment when you realize that your life is completely controlled you have a choice. You accept it, or you rebel against it. Most accept it, as she has."
Sliding her paw down his arm and taking one of his paws that held onto the railing she leaned a little closer, not quite touching him but she was close enough to feel the warmth from him in the cooler evening air. "But you didn't?"
"Oh, I did. I accepted that I had no control over my lot in life, and that I could enjoy the small things that I was allowed to. That was until Jack showed up," he chuckled. That damn rabbit knows how to put a wrench in things. He almost got us both killed and we ended up stuck in the situation together." Meredith knew he was specifically avoiding details, but she decided not to press it. "Anyways, we ended up spending a few days together just trying to survive. When the opportunity arose for me to eliminate him as I was supposed to, and still be able to get out alive, I couldn't do it." Shaking his head. "Would have been a lot easier if I had but sometimes once you plant a seed you can't stop it from growing."
"Leon, maybe … " she started but stopped as he raised his other paw to stop her gently.
"Meredith, I appreciate the optimism, but I sealed my fate that day I helped Jack escape. Stopping the enrichment facility was just the next action in a line of actions that would eventually lead me to this. It was more likely that the General would figure out that I was working against him and have me executed." Looking at Meredith, the light from a streetlight causing a hallow effect around her that gave him pause. "Thank you Meredith, for listening."
"Of course Leon," Meredith gave his paw a gentle squeeze. "Was it worth it."
"Meredith, my country is … well it's broken. The people however deserve better, and I still love my country for what it could be. The change that is needed requires sacrifices. So yes it is worth it, but it still hurts." Angling a little to lean against the railing while turning his paw to hold hers in his own. "Bright side I got to meet a beautiful Doctor and her insane parents." Chuckling.
"Hay my parent's aren't insane." Giving his shoulder a gentle punch with her free paw. Her eyes going wide when he winced. "I am so sorry I didn't .. "
Shaking his head, "Don't worry about it. I've noticed the females in your family are a bit abusive to males."
Meredith frowned at his words but then laughed with a smirk. "I guess you have a point. But only to the males we like."
Leon chuckled. "Well then I'm honored." Gripping his cane in his free paw. "Perhaps we should head back?"
Meredith nodded. "Perhaps we should." Keeping her paw in his as he pushed away from the railing. The street light they had been standing under flickered once and then went out. This got her attention for a moment but she thought nothing of it, until Leon stiffened. "What's wrong Leon?"
Looking around calmly, his stance changed, and his expression went from relaxed to serious and attentive. "That light just went out," they now stood in a shadow between the well spaced lights. "You need to go Meredith." Releasing her paw, "now!" Pushing her slightly he heard the sound of an airgun behind him, sliding his body slightly to the side he winced as he felt two sharp needle pains in the back of his neck. "Run Meredith."
The tranquilizer serum worked quick, but he resisted it as much as he could, trying to shield his female friend from wherever the darts had come from. He looked at her pleadingly as she finally turned to run towards the station. He heard the air gun go off again but the dart bounced across the ground behind her. He couldn't help but chuckle as he thought about that genetic mix and how fast she was, and perhaps how attractive that mix was. He found himself quickly leaning against the railing again as he looked around. Two figures coming out of the shadows dressed in all black. One was obviously female, and the other a male. He estimated the mail stood about a foot taller then himself, the female equal in height.
As the figures got closer his vision started to blur what was once sharp edges of objects became fuzzy and the lighting became more of a misty glow. The sounds started to have an odd echo that hadn't been there before as he heard the taping sounds of footfalls coming closer. He lifted his head to try and concentrate on the figures that were approaching him, on the edge of unconsciousness as the two mammals came up in front of him.
"Well brother, the General will be very disappointed to hear about this. He is however impatient to see you."
It took a moment for him to recognize the voice as his head felt heavy, and any motion of his head felt like he looked passed where he had meant to. It almost felt like he had to much to drink. "Elizabeth? Sister?"
"Yes brother, time to come home." She nodded to the larger male that had come with her. Shortly after that Leon felt strong arms lifting him up, and then darkness.