The next morning Meredith awoke at the sudden sound of an alarm piercing through the otherwise silent room. Scrambling out of Leon's arms she fell over as she tried to get over him. Laying across him her arm reached out to silence the phone, at some point realizing that the male under her was chuckling. "The hell was that for?"
"To make sure we aren't late for your first day Meredith." Smiling as his paws wrapped around her waist. "It wouldn't due to be late after your impassioned argument yesterday."
"Well it seems someone arises quicker then others." Smiling devilishly at him as she feels something else lower on their bodies. Waiting while Leon goes from an expression of confusion to one of pure embarrassment before she chuckles and rolls away from him. "What time is it anyways?" Peaking out of the window and noting the first sliver of light coming from the horizon she groaned. "Ugh, I usually see this when I leave work." The mention of which has her curing herself. "Work!"
Leon just shook his head as he pointedly rolled in the opposite direction of Meredith before pulling his legs off of the bed. "Yes well, it will give us enough time to get a coffee on the way in. I don't know exactly what Jack has in plan for us so we should keep it light." Deciding on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt that he had picked up when he and Meredith had gone shopping. "Also, I think if you plan to be … umm … spending your evenings here we should get you some changes of clothes after today." Thinking for a moment as he pulled his pants up. "I'm not sure what to do about your work though."
Meredith sighed as she got dressed as well. "Well I guess I'll have to ask for extended leave or be dismissed or something." Grumbling
Turning to face her as she pulled up her own pants. "Well it's that or you stay?" Trying hard not to sound like he was encouraging her to stay, even if he was for her own safety.
Giving Leon a look as she walked over to him, her tail tip lashing from side to side. "Time to learn something about me right now. When I make up my mind, I do it."
Leon held up his paws in surrender, "Ok, just worried about your safety that's all."
Tapping his cheek before she walked towards the door, sliding her tail along his side. "While I appreciate it, lets just worry about getting through the next three weeks. I'll pick up some clothes later too."
The pair walked in relative silence on streets that were still lit by the streetlights as the first glows of light started to push back the darkness of the evening. They picked up coffee from the coffee shop before pushing on towards the ZPD building. During the walk she called the managing office at the hospital and was informed that they had been told she was required for an undetermined amount of time by the ZIA and that she had been placed on an 'unpaid sabbatical' status.
When they both walked into the front foyer of the ZPD Jack was already waiting for them in his characteristic pant and sport coat, button down white shirt and loose tie. "I'm glad to see you both arrived on time. Follow me."
"Jack did you call the hospital?" Meredith asked him.
"Yes, and yes the ZIA will be paying you a stipend for your work with us."
Jack led them into the back of the building to two doors marked for Male and Female locker rooms. On a bench outside were two sets of fatigues. "Get changed and then back out here. I was assured that your clothing will be left alone, just leave them in a corner."
Leon looked at Meredith then took the set that Jack handed to him and walked through into the Male's locker room. He heard the other adjacent door open and close as Meredith did the same as him. He quickly changed into the forest fatigues and left his own items, as requested, on a table in a far corner of the rows of blue lockers. When he exited he picked his coffee back up, which they had both left out with jack. "So whats on the docket for today?" Leon asked of the rabbit, just as Meredith exited from the female's locker room.
"Firearms instruction for Meredith in particular. Then course training. First though you need to meet the others." Jack led off to a set of stairs that led up two floors and to the same conference room they were in the night before.
Fitting the cap on her head, she found it uncomfortable how it forced her ears down. No mater how she situated the cap on her head she couldn't find a position that would not interfere with her ears. "Others?" Frustrated with the hat she took it off her head.
"Yes, others. And you will wear the hat." Jack looked over his shoulder at Meredith, noting that she put it back on her head before he opened the door and walked into the room.
Meredith squinted her eyes at Jack as she fussed with the hat before leaving it alone and consigning to the fact that it was never going to be comfortable. When her and Leon walked into the conference room there were, she thought, two others in the room. The first she noticed was a white furred bulldog with black patches of fur on his arms and muzzle. He wore a similar outfit to them, though he also had on a black vest from which Meredith noticed a number of silver pen top looking things sticking out of a chest pocket.
To his left turned slightly away from the door as they entered, was a tan furred female Kangaroo. She was also in the same fatigues as they were, when she turned to face the newcomers it became obvious that there was another mammal. On the Kangaroos shoulder was a red furred Eurasian red squirrel with a friendly smile on her muzzle, which contrasted the Kangaroos all business expression.
Jack leaned against a wall as Leon and Meredith entered the room. "Meredith, Leon. To my right the bulldog is Butch, explosives and demolition expert." The dog nodded at the pair, "to his right the Kangaroo is Zoe, sniper and small arms expert. On her shoulder is Evie, Zoe's spotter and our communications and tech expert." Turning to Meredith and Leon, "Meredith is a doctor and Leon is ops trained and will be providing us with intelligence. Questions?"
"Yah, why are we hauling the dead weight with us?" The kangaroo asked as she glared at Meredith.
"Excuse me?" Meredith's fur bristled.
"You aren't trained for this, and other then being able to slap a few Band-Aids on one of us if we get a sliver why are we bringing you along. You'll likely get us killed or slow us down." Still glaring the Kangaroo was obviously displeased by the situation.
"I'll hold my own thank you." Meeting the Kangaroos glare with one of her own. It was obvious Jack wasn't going to step in as he watched the pair calmly from his spot against the wall.
"Yah, ok. So you decided this sounded like a bit of fun? Cute little hybrid wants to come out and play because she's not getting enough excitement taking care of grandmas and grandpas? This is bullshit Jack."
"Zoe, calm down. I'm sure she has her reasons and we have three weeks." Evie said from Zoe's shoulder. "Besides if you bothered to look at her file she could become quite useful if we actually need her. She was the one out there with that other skunk remember."
"Evie, you are far to optimistic sometimes." Grumbling. Noting the glare, she was suddenly getting from Leon. "Got something to say their stink cat or are you just going to stare at me?"
"That was my sister you nearly killed." Leon said flatly.
"Well I sure as hell ain't going to apologize for it."
"Ok that's enough of that. Leon, she didn't kill your sister and she was protecting you from a threat. Zoe, knock it the hell off Meredith is coming with us if she qualifies by my requirements. You're the best I have but I will replace you if I must and it will be a pain to swap someone in your stead. Evie is coming either way."
"You wouldn't" The Kangaroo glancing at Evie for a moment with an almost pained look on her muzzle.
"I would and you know it. She's the best damn technician we have as well as spotting. So get your head out of your ass and get on with the program or get out." Giving the Kangaroo a moment to think before he moved on. "Good. Butch Evie, and Zoe go over the entry plan I want it zipped up by afternoon and think about what equipment you want to bring along. Remember we have to make it into the central province so keep that in mind. Leon and Meredith will be joining me on the range. After lunch scenarios." Jack pushed away from the wall and walked out of the room, expecting Meredith and Leon to follow.
Leon moved to follow but realized that Meredith and Zoe were back in a silent war of the eyes before he gently grabbed her arm. "Lets go Meredith, this isn't going to help." He half pulled and she half followed out of the room.
"How can you just," Meredith ripped the hat off of her head, "be so calm about all of this." she said as she looked at Leon.
"Because he has discipline, something you must work on. Put that hat back on." Jack said before turning back around to lead down the hall. "I told you this would not be easy, and I was not lying. Those three are the best at what they do, and part of that comes expectations that they will be working with the best. Part of this mission for you will be learning to work with them."
Meredith gripped the hat in her paws as she flexed her ears a little. Leon leaned over, "Best put that back on he seems adamant about that." Her response was a huff as she slumped her shoulders and put the hat back on her head.
Jack walked them down to the basement level of the building where there was an indoor small arms target range. Two lanes were already equipped with 45mm semi automatic 1911 handguns. Each sat on a felt lined bench, the slides open, and three magazines to the side. "Leon, since I know you can shoot I want you to help Meredith and then I want you to shoot at your target once you have her situated." Jack took a seat where he could watch both and see the targets as well.
Meredith put a paw on Leon's arm as he started to walk with her to the lane. Putting earplugs into her ears which had also been placed on the bench, she next picked up the pistol in her left paw, inspecting it quickly before picking up a magazine in her right paw. Sliding it into the mag well she used a pawfinger to unlock the slide, loading the first round and without missing much time she lined up her shot and gently squeezed the trigger. Landing a head shot on the paper target. She then squeezed off three more rounds before moving to target the chest area of the paper target and finishing the magazine. Gently she ejected the magazine, being sure to not let it fall out as she placed the firearm and empty mag back on the bench. Turning to see amused expressions on both males. "My mother and my father are both cops. What did you expect?"
Jack shook his head. "Not that. Continue."
Leon nodded approval before he went to his lane and the pair proceeded to shoot through their magazines. As the morning progressed, they moved to a different caliber pistol, then to rifles, Meredith's weakest point was when they moved into a higher caliber rifle.
Jack was critical of both throughout the morning even though he was impressed, more so by Meredith than Leon, mainly because of his expectations at the beginning. "Well, I would say that was productive. You both showed some improvement. Meredith I'm going to need to have a talk with your parents as to why you were so well trained, but I am impressed. We'll take an hour for lunch and meet back in the conference room. As jack returned the firearms to the armorer, he noticed Meredith start to take her hat off. "Keep that on." His voice was stern.
Meredith grumbled as she pulled on Leon's arm to leave the range. "I don't know what the deal is with him and the damned hat. It hurts to wear it, compressing my ears like this. He could have at least gotten a proper one for rabbits or something."
Leon shook his head. "I don't know." Adjusting his own cap unconsciously. "Lets just get some lunch and be ready for the afternoon ok?"
"Yah ok." Grumbling as she shifts her cap again trying to find some position where she could still flex her ears even a little bit.
After lunch they met up in the conference room, this time the other mammals were in full gear. Helmets, tactical vests, and their specialist equipment, or at least weights to account for the gear as was the case for Butch. Zoe carried a bolt action 338 Lapua Magnum with long range scope as well as a side arm. Evie carried a satellite com link as well as other pieces of coms gear including jamming and tracking equipment all packed into a size that suited her own mass. What would have almost been a laughable moment if it weren't for the seriousness of what they were training for, was when she put on a specialized headset that had antennas that were still dwarfed by her near devilish looking ears.
Two packs, as well as tactical vests were on the table waiting for Leon and Meredith. Leon's gear was slim, not even a side arm. His pack was weighted presumably to account for food supplies and basic communications like everyone else had. He did not however have any offensive equipment. Even Meredith was issued a side arm. "What the hell is up with that?"
"Meredith, that is part of this deal. I don't get issued any firearms. I'm a foreign national. It wouldn't look good on paper. I'm an advisor only." He smiled and leaned over to her, "We can talk about this a little later ok." Giving her a hopeful look, he hoped she would drop the complaint.
Though she did drop the complaint she did so while fidgeting with her hat which was becoming more and more of a distraction and a nuisance to her. Deciding to rummage through her pack to see what was in it, she was surprised to find a robust array of medical equipment including some military state of the art field surgeon equipment that she had only read about in journals. Slinging the pack, after putting on the vest, she found herself weighed down more then she had expected. Her small consolation prize was the helmet. Smiling she picked the helmet up and pulled off her cap. As she did that she watched Jack who was watching her intently. When he didn't make a sound about removing the cap she slid the helmet over her head to find it was fitted exactly like the hat had been.
"Oh for fucks sake Jack what the hell is up with this. You're a bunny too damn it." Growling in a much more fox like manor then the sound that a bunny would make as she slammed the helmet down on the desk.
"You will wear the helmet Meredith." Jack said flatly.
"Like hell I will, it hurts. Like the hat it keeps my ears folded down, I cant move them. Now they are cramped, and the base of my ears are in constant pain. I bet I'll even sleep like shit tonight because of it. All because you want me to wear a stupid hat or helmet."
Jack smiled. "That is precisely the point princess." Jack glared at Zoe when she chuckled before switching his attention back to Meredith. "You are not going to be comfortable out there. You may even be in pain at some point. But out there you are going to have to muscle through it." Jack got closer to Meredith as she tried to back up, her ears going flat to her head despite the pain of doing so now. "If you break a leg, you are still going to have to walk, if you get embarrassed by the situation you are going to be in, you are still going to have to stay in it. If for some reason Leon has to beat you because that is what is expected of him as your owner, you are going to have to take it." Jack was almost nose to nose with Meredith at this point. "Because if you don't then we are all found out, and then we are all going to be shot."
Leon put a paw on Jack's chest and gently pushed him back as he heard the slightest whimper from Meredith. "I think she gets the point Jack."
Backing up and standing straight he pulls the jacket taught by the bottom hem. "You will wear that helmet today. I'll get a properly fitted hat and helmet for you by tomorrow." Turning he walked to the middle of the room. "But if I for a moment think you've forgotten this, I will put you right back into the hat and helmet from today. Understood."
Meredith nodded, her outward appearance stoic but Leon could feel her shaking still next to him. The weight of the situation being dropped her harder and faster then if it had fallen from the tallest building in the city. Proper training might have exposed her to the hardships slower, building on each lesson with more and more until the full scope of what they were about was realized. She didn't have the time to learn things the traditional way, thus Jack was pushing it all onto her as quickly as he could.
Lunch for Meredith and Leon was spent in the first floor café in the ZPD and in near silence. Every so often between bites Meredith looked up at Leon before quickly looking back at her food, pushing a piece of macaroni around on the plate with her fork became more interesting to her by the second.
"You might as well ask whatever it is you are thinking." Leon said between calm bites of what tasted like military food back home.
"Would you really … beat me? I mean would it really be necessary?" Her eyes glanced up.
"No." Leon responded flatly. "I would not, but yes it does happen." Taking a sip of water from the bottle he had gotten with his lunch. "I am not capable of harming you. If it comes to it we will have to do a good job at faking it. You will have to be convincing if it comes to it." Thinking for a second. "I wouldn't want to harm a pretty face after all so nothing that would be unsightly bruising." Leon leaned back in his chair as he pushed his tray away from him. "The best thing to do is to not do anything that might cause us to be in that situation. Don't speak to anyone unless spoken to, and never look anyone in their eyes. That will be the best start."
Meredith looked up at Leon with a determined look. "I can do that."
Leon let a long breath out and smiled. "I hope so Meredith, because what Jack said was right. If at any point we cause questions, especially as we near the capital, they will take us into custody, and they will probably make us wish they just shot us on sight."
"You're serious?"
"Yes, I am. Look what you all are doing is espionage, what I will be doing is treason. There is no state or country that treats anyone captured of either kindly." Looking up at the clock on the wall. "We should get back." Standing up and picking up both of their trays he walks them to a trashcan, dumps the contents and puts the trays on the top before walking back to Meredith. "There's no shame in stepping out of this Meredith. I can only tell you how hard it will be, and Jack as much as I don't like his method is trying to show you."
"Yes, yes there is." A slight snarl grows on her muzzle before she calms herself down. "I committed to this, and I am not backing down. Let's go." Grabbing his paw Meredith led them both back upstairs.
The pair was the first to enter the room. Inside on the table was everyone's gear how they left it. Meredith couldn't help her interest as she walked over to the rifle that belonged to Zoe. It was on the table, supported by its own mounted bipod. The bolt was open enough to allow a yellow flag to be seen sticking out of the chamber with the word 'safe' printed on it and no magazine in the mag well. The entire rifle was black but it was, unlike the rest of the gear, not new. There were scrapes and obvious signs on the barrel of being touched up to keep the rifle from corrosion as well as to keep the color. What caught her eye was on the stock just under the cheek rest were tally marks clawed into the synthetic material. They marked out sixteen. As she ran a paw finger over it she heard a growl behind her.
"Paws off fox." The kangaroo walked in slowly eyeing her and her rifle.
Meredith pulled her paw away and backed away from the rifle as she watched Zoe move in quick large hops to the rifle before starting to go through it thoroughly. Meredith only watched until she noticed Evie motioning to her from the far corner of the table. When she walked over Evie smiled and spoke softly. "The rifle's a little precious to her." Glancing over at her partner with a smirk. "She doesn't like anyone touching it. Shes really quite nice once she gets to know you, fierce and protective really."
"Are you two?" Meredith was picking up on something more with how the squirrel glanced over at her partner.
The squirrel nodded. "Yup, but don't tell her I said anything. She actually gets embarrassed easily."
"I heard that devil ears." Zoe's ear flicked as she glanced up at the pair. "Little Red and I are together, don't make anything of it." Grumbling as she went back to looking over her rifle.
Meredith was about to say something when Jack came in, now in black cargo pants and matching black button front long sleeve shirt and black cap. "Suit up, and into the truck out back. Team training begins now."