Hey everyone! Just wrapped this chapter up and hope you enjoy it! Things will probably start slowing down soon with Thanksgiving holiday being over. And if you have any suggestions or see where I slipped up let me know. I appreciate any feedback you can give. Thanks and enjoy!
Inside the small dugout cave there wasn't much room for luxuries. In a place like this the only luxuries that were permitted were the coffee pot and pictures that hung on the walls. On the old wooden table in the middle of the room laid a map. The terrain of the entire area depicted so that the user could tell the elevation of the surrounding mountains and how steep the sides were. Also on this map were markings which indicated the locations of Observation Post(OP). These were where the forward elements of each company were in 2 man teams which rotated out every few hours. They watch to see if the enemy made any threatening moves. Mostly they just watched an empty landscape and on occasion the stray traveler come to see the area known as the demilitarized zone. A place where neither side could enter. For the foxes, this meant stationary locations hidden in the side of mountains so they could watch the area and always have a combat ready force on hand to counter any attack that might be attempted. On the other side, an old fence with a road behind it. Which was used by the random patrol that would simply drive by and try to look menacing.
"Tell me captain, which OP currently reports the most activity?" Lieutenant Colonel(LTC) Van asked.
"OP 4, a short way west of here." The young captain said while pointing to the location on the map.
"What kind of activity? Anything specific?" Major Wilde asked while pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"Mostly just patrols with the only thing out of the ordinary is occasionally a few tanks will appear driving along the road the patrols usually use for that area."
"How often do the tanks appear?" LTC Van said. Raising an eyebrow to the puzzling answer he just received. Patrols almost always consisted of light duty vehicles similar to trucks. From time to time an armored personal carrier(APC) would appear but very rarely.
"I'll have to look over the reports and see if I see any kind of pattern."
"Sergeant Major would you mind giving him a hand?" The LTC asked the small fox.
"Hmm" was all he said before walking over.
"What do you make of it Wilde?" Nick now slowly sipping on the mud that passed for coffee in a field location.
"Sounds fishy. Why would they use tanks to patrol a fence line? They burn heavy amounts of fuel, aren't any good on mountain terrain, move to slow and are easy targets for anti-tank missiles in the wide open like that. And why send more than one at a time?" Now rubbing his chin in thought for several minutes.
"I think we have something sir." Sergeant Major(SGM) Fin said walking up to the table. "The tanks show up once a month. If you look at our satellite photos of the area north of the mountains you can see the various roads that lead from the DMZ to the training facilities that the tanks are coming from."
Staring at the photos the 4 foxes puzzled over the maze work of roads that almost zigzagged all over the place before combining into 1 road that lead to the training facilities.
"We need to know what route their taking." Nick stated.
"I'm afraid I don't' follow Major." The young captain looking puzzled.
"If we know the route we can calculate the distance. That might reveal some information as to why the tanks keep showing up."
"You think their planning something?" LTC Van looked at Nick quizzically. Knowing his Executive Officer(XO) already had a plan formulating in his head.
"Why else would they be out there? They've never sent tanks to these training facilities before, that we know of. They have tank courses in the south where the bulk of their army is stationed around our borders. Why waste the money sending them way up here?"
Everyone looked at each other and the map puzzled by the riddle of the tanks. Nick had made several good points. Spy missions had concluded that the facilities in the north were meant mainly for light infantry units to train in the hilly country of the valley. As far as they knew these training camps didn't even have a tank range to practice on.
"Foxton!" Nick said nearly shouting. "It has to be Foxton."
"But Foxton is on the other side of the mountains?" Fin grumbled. "And tanks ain't goin through them mountains."
"Yeah but what if they went through the valley and came out around the end of the mountains. Foxton is practically right around the corner."
"But they'd have to cross through bunny territory. That would spark an international incident." The younger fox pointed out.
"True but they also know the bunnies wouldn't be prepared to stop them. They've been steadily decreasing their military. For decades."
As two officers went back and forth with their arguments Van watched quietly to see how the two rationalized their points of view. Using this as an opportunity for his soldiers to learn how debate can help to narrow down a list of problems and find solutions. In the end though he knew it would take more than just theories to convince anyone at high command of Wilde's idea.
"Ok Wilde let's take a step back." Van now interjected. "Having a working theory of the enemy's plans may be great but we still need solid evidence of what their planning. Any idea how we're supposed to know how far the tanks are traveling?" Wilde turned back to the satellite image of the maze of roads that were meant to confuse anyone looking as to the route that the border patrol would take so they could show up at random locations.
"There!" He pointed at the main road that led out of the training base and towards the maze of border roads. "If we can get to this junction where the main road turns into a maze we can plant a tracker on the tanks."
"That means you'll have to find a way across the DMZ." The young captain now looking concerned at the prospect of a behind the lines type of mission.
"We could just walk across." Fin stated in a deadpan tone.
Everyone turned to look at the smaller fox as if he had just stated the sky was yellow instead of blue. Without even looking at the others he answered the question they all had.
"Just go to Burrowland. They have open borders with the howlers in the valley. Just get a bunny to drive us over, drop us off then come back and pick us up a couple days later."
The answer was so simple no one could believe it.
"Huh, you are smarter then you look." A grin slowly growing across Nick's face.
"Watch it clown."
"Well I think we've gathered all the intel we can from here." Van now stepping away from the table. "Captain, thank you for all your help. I'd appreciate it if you could have your radio mammal request a chopper to come pick us up as soon as possible. We've got a lot of work to do."
"Sir you can't be serious about trying this? It's crazy!" The captains face covered in bewilderment.
"They don't call us The Crazy 8's for nothing!" Nick chuckled. "Thanks for the mud." As he tossed the half empty cup of coffee into a trash bag. And with that they were gone. Walking back to the helo pad to discuss their plans further. Leaving everyone in the company HQ staring at each other with expressions ranging from lost to admiring.
At the Hopps family farm.
Judy sat on one of the many chairs that were at a small kitchen table. Lightly tapping her foot under the table waiting for her now awake and overprotective father to finish his usual lecture of why she shouldn't become a police officer.
"We're bunnies Judy we don't go running off to put ourselves in danger for no reason."
"What about the military?" She countered.
"Everyone knows there's no need for a bunny military any more. What military we do have just is just for ceremonies and things like that to look good on camera. Bunnies haven't been to war in nearly 100 years."
"Ugghh!" Judy groaned and dropped her head onto her forearm resting on the table. A small headache starting to form in her head. "Ok listen, you know this is what I've wanted my whole life dad. And I've finally been accepted. Can't you just be happy for me?" Judy now giving her dad the best puppy face she could manage.
Finally relenting Stu could only sigh. "Alright, head on out and finish your choirs. Supper should be ready soon." Judy stood up giving her father a hug.
"Thanks dad." She placed a kiss on his cheek and then ran out the door to finish picking blueberries before it was time to eat and help with her younger siblings. Her mind already racing with excitement knowing that soon she'll be the first bunny police officer.
2 week later
Vulpesian Joint Forces Headquarters(VJFH)
SGM Fin and MAJ Wilde sat outside one of the many large conference rooms of the VJFH building. LTC Van having gone inside several hours ago along with the 42nd Airborne brigade Colonel as well at the Crazy 8's division general and accompanying staff. The meeting today was to try and convince the arm chair generals of the Armed forces that a risky mission behind enemy lines during a time of peace was worth the risk.
"How much longer do you think they'll be?" Aggravation and anticipation welling up inside him. Yet his voice only conveyed a calm anticipation. The small SGM merely taking a death breath and heavy sigh as his answer. He had known Nick since he was a kid. He knew how to read him better than anyone. As a few more silent moments passed between them, Nick began to get fidgety. He started looking down at his dress uniform. His creased pants and jacket were quite form fitting. Making him look and feel more masculine than his fatigues ever did. Checking to make sure his medals were properly positioned above his left breast pocket. He checked over his beret to make sure it didn't have any unwanted fuzz stuck to the red material and that his bright gold oak leaf cluster, designating him a major, was in the proper place.
Their ears began to turn towards the door as the steadily rising noise of voices became more apparent. The meeting had ended and all the staff were now talking casually as they head to the door. The door swung open as a parade of every different type of fox imaginable began to file out. Catching site of LTC Van Nick and Fin quickly paced over to his side waiting for the appropriate moment to ask how the meeting went.
As they walked down the corridors LTC Van looked over his shoulder and tilted his head toward a door. The three made their way to an empty office, closing the door behind them for privacy.
"So, how'd it go?" Nick asked feeling the anticipation within him grow almost to the point he couldn't hold back any more.
"It's a go." Immediately Nick and Fin's ears went straight up their eyes gleaming with excitement and a smile growing on both their muzzles.
"But," at this both foxes' expressions dropped as their ears dropped back against their skulls. "We won't be going."
Fin began mumbling something under his breath.
"You're kidding, right?" Nick's tail went stiff as anger began mounting in the back of his mind. "We're the ones who came up with the whole plan. No one knows what's at stake more than us." The disappointment of being kicked out of his own plan beginning to swell almost to the point of an outburst.
"Wilde it took us two weeks to get to where we are now. All the evidence that we have at this point is just circumstantial. And it all hangs on the hunch that the tanks are using the roads at the border to see how long it takes to drive a certain distance. Now myself and the rest of the Division command staff pushed for you to be the one to lead the operation. However, given what's at stake, high command has chosen to use a special forces commando to complete the op. Before you say anything else," Van waving his paw in the space between them, "this cannot be discussed any further. Now that the operation is a go not even the Division commander has the security clearance to know any more details. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir!" Nick and Fin replied in unison.
"Good, now let's get back to base. We've got a lot of work to do."