Chapter 6: Break In
Down on Corneria, a blue hover car heads towards a laboratory only to stop at the security gate first. There was two guards stationed at the gate, one was a dark furred hound and the other being a gray hare. Neither recognized the car to belong to any of the other employees that worked there. The dog guard went over to the car and lightly tapped on the window on the driver's side. After the window rolled down, a coyote in a lab coat greeted the hound.
"Hello, is there a problem?" The coyote asked with an innocent smile.
"I need to see some ID." The guard answered.
"Oh, right." The scientist said pulling out his identification card and handed it to the canine. The dog looked at the picture of the coyote and the name Christian Anders.
"Well…Dr. Anders, are you new around here?"
"You could say that." The scientist chuckled, "I was transferred here from Zoness."
"Zoness huh. I'll have to run a check on this, it will only take a few minutes." The hound said before heading over to the security station where his hare partner was stationed. The hare checked through the file database and found the name of the coyote and the file also showed that he was to be transferred to work on a special project, which happened to be the same one as Beltino. At that, the canine hurried back to the car. "Sorry for the delay Dr. Anders." The canine said handing back the card.
"That's no problem." The coyote smiled. The hound nodded to the hare to open the gate. Once the gate was opened, the blue car went on its way to the labs. "That was almost too easy." The coyote thought to himself taking a deep breath, "I can't believe security here is so easy to get by."
----
Fox and Falco had returned to the Great Fox before the ship left Fortuna. The two hurried towards the medical bay room. When they reached the room and went in, they found Slippy working connecting cables on some machine and Krystal was standing to the side.
"What is that?" Falco asked pointing to the strange device.
"And where's Kazufox?" Fox questioned, "Were you able to find him?"
"Yes, we were but…" Krystal started to say.
"But what? If you found him then where is he?" Falco wondered. Krystal pointed over to the machine Slippy was working on. The two looked over and inside the capsule device. "I don't see anything." Falco said, "Nothing but water."
"Hold on, I think I see someone inside." Fox said staring through the glass.
"Let me finish hooking these last few cables. Then you'll see." Slippy said.
"Hurry up Slippy!" Krystal said out of worry.
"I'm almost done. Just a few more connecting these wires and…got it!" Slippy shouted out, "It should be working now." And Slippy was right, the capsule became active and a small light illuminated from inside the pod showing the body inside. Fox and Falco looked inside to see that it was Kazufox and that he had what seemed like an oxygen mask on his face.
"What is thing and how'd he get in it?" Falco asked.
"This was how I found him." Krystal answered.
"Can we take him out of there?" Fox asked.
"We can't. This machine is the only thing keeping him alive right now." Slippy added.
"Kazufox…"
"But there's more to it than that." Krystal mentioned.
"What do you mean?"
"When I tracked it down with the Landmaster, it didn't even show up on radar. And what's even stranger was I found it hidden in an underground hideaway."
"No way. But who'd want to do that?" Falco wondered.
"Someone that knows what he's capable of." Fox said outloud to himself.
"What do you mean?"
"Guys, there's something about him I have to tell you about him. And it might have something to do with our mission."
----
Back at the labs the coyote under the name of 'Anders' walked through the hallways. He saw many other scientists all around him were working on notes, checking files, or heading to the next room to work. The coyote looked around and knew after wondering around that he was soon lost.
"Wow, I can't believe how big this place is…" The coyote thought to himself. He knew the only way to get around was to ask for directions. He went to the receptionist desk and found a female light gray-feathered pigeon behind the desk. "Excuse me miss, I'm trying to find the records room and I'm a little lost. Could you please tell me where it is?" The scientist asked with a smile.
"Do you have clearance to be there?" The bird girl asked.
"Yes, it's on my card." The coyote said showing his identification card.
"Sure, all you have to do is head down this hallway over here, then follow the signs leading to the C level area and from there, you head over to the 50's area."
"Thanks, but...could you please write that down?"
----
Outside the gates pulled up another car. The dog soldier went over to check to see who the driver was. It was none other than Beltino Toad.
"Oh, hello Dr. Toad." The soldier said.
"Hello, sorry but I'm in a bit of a rush." Beltino said handing the guard his security card.
"That's okay Dr. Toad."
"Just call me Beltino."
"Right, Beltino. Whatever it is you're working on must be important if you're calling in someone all the way from Zoness."
The amphibian looked up at the soldier in surprise. "But I never called in anyone from Zoness."
The hound and the hare both looked at each other with looks of shock and surprise, "Are you sure? His file showed that you wanted him to help work on some project with you."
"Yes, I'm absolutely positive."
"Should we call a search?" The hare asked ready to contact the main building.
"No, no. That won't be necessary. It could have been one of the others who called him in. Or it could even be a mistake or something. But tell me, what did he look like?"
"Well, he's a desert coyote with short brown hair and fur."
"A coyote? What was his name?" The toad asked slightly worried.
"Uh…I believe it was Christian Anders. Why?"
"No reason. Carry on."
The gate was opened allowing Beltino to pass through.
"Hey, contact security anyways." The dog called out to the hare, "Tell them to keep an eye out for a desert coyote in a lab coat."
"What for?" The hare asked, "It could just be that someone else called him in like Beltino said."
"I don't think so, but just tell them to just keep an eye on this 'Anders.'"
As Beltino continued driving thinking about what the guard mentioned about the coyote.
"A desert coyote…" The toad thought to himself, "But it couldn't be him, after all this time? And if it is, then why?"
----
The coyote continued searching the labs trying to find the records room. He soon found a young male rabbit socializing with a female mouse.
"Slacker…" The scientist thought to himself, "Take care of dating arrangements on your own time. I mean this is a place of work not romance. These new scientists today…no wonder things are still as bad as they are." He continued searching until he finally found the room. He slides his card through the card swipe and entered a code.
"Let's see…if I remember this correctly then…" The scientist said to himself. The locked then clicked showing that it was opened. He opened the door and entered checking to be sure nobody else was there. The coyote saw the room was empty except for the main computer. "And I thought this room would be busier than this. Well I'm not complaining."
The coyote pulled out a disk and inserted it into the computer. He began running the program on the disk wiping out the firewall and other security systems. After the program had finished loading, he pulled out his PDA and linked it up to the computer and started downloading information including blueprints to the facility, but then a thought of the mouse girl earlier came to mind, "But…she did look cute. Even the receptionist girl too." The coyote said to himself then shaking his head, "No, no, no! I've got to keep focused on the plan, besides I wonder what Cassie would say…'how I got suckered into marrying you, I'll never know.'" Thinking about what his late wife would say only made him heave a big sigh knowing that sometimes he'd wonder as well. Once he finished downloading the information, he places his PDA in his lab coat but leaves the disk still in the computer as he exits the room. "Now all I need to do now is find a private place where I can then plan my next move…" He thought.
"Hey, you!" A voice called out.
The coyote nearly jumped out of his fur when he heard that. He looked back only to see a bulldog security guard. "Oh, y-yes? Is there a problem?" The coyote asked.
"I've noticed you've been wondering around. Are you lost or something?"
"Oh, well, you see…I'm just looking for a bathroom. That's all."
The dog groaned. "Down the hallway and make a right. It's at the end of that hall on your left."
"Thank you so much! Well, I'd better be on my way, bye!" The coyote said as he quickly walked off.
"There's something really odd about that guy." The guard said to himself. He looks over at the door to the records room. "And I don't like it."
----
In a desert field, Jetters stands alone without wearing his shirt and garb, against the seven winged dragon alters surrounding him. The leopard too was an alter user. The leopard's body began to glow about to form his alter as the dragons rushed in. In an instant before the dragons could strike, Jetters charged in at them! When Jetters crashed into the alter dragons, he caused a massive explosion wiping out those alters with no problem and had already returned to his normal form with plenty of energy to spare.
"End simulation." The leopard ordered.
The room then grew bright except for a dark window. Jetters soon exited the training room and an avian soldier hands him a towel.
"That was amazing commander." The soldier said, "You just keep getting stronger and stronger!"
"Well of course I am." The leopard boasted wiping himself of his sweat, "But these simulations are far too easy, the old refined alters' combination are no match for me."
"My apologies. But it's just that you've gotten to a level that puts all the others to shame! You're probably the strongest alter user out there, next to the general though."
"Yes, I know that." Jetters said before leaving the room. He walked down to his room to freshen up and get back into his uniform. "And soon to be the most powerful in the galaxy with the strongest army in history." He walked thinking to himself. His thoughts were soon interrupted by footsteps.
"Excuse me. Commander Jetters, sir." An ape soldier called.
"What is it?"
"We have some visitors."
"Who is it?"
"It's Suichi and Darian."
"What did you say!?" The Leopard roared.
"S-Suichi and D-Darian." The scared soldier stammered.
"Where are they!?"
"T-they're over in the waiting area."
Jetters threw down the soldier and hurried over. "Those fools!" The leopard soon found the room with a mouse sitting down and the horse leaning against a wall. "You idiots! What do you think you're doing here!?"
"Well that's a nice way of welcoming guests." The mouse said sarcastically.
"Shut up you rat!"
"Hey, I'm not a rat!" The mouse said getting up shaking his fist.
"Calm down Suichi." The horse said.
"Don't you fools realize that this is where we must stay out of sight? If we get discovered now the entire plan fails!"
"We weren't followed okay? And for your information Jetters, it was the general that sent us here."
"General Thomas?" Jetters blinked in surprise.
"Yeah! If he never told us to be here then we could care less if you freeze your tail on this snowball of a planet!" Suichi yelled out.
"Our general decided to go into recovery on his own. And he sent us here to make sure you don't try anything." The horse explained.
"I see, so you don't really trust your own so-called 'bodygaurds'. I wouldn't really trust these two myself." Jetters thought to himself. "Well since you're here, I want you two to rest up while you can. Once I come back out I'll be keeping you two busy, got it?"
"Yes sir…" The two said reluctantly.
----
A husky scientist walks into the restroom. He heads for the stalls but when he tries to open the door, it was locked.
"This one's occupied!" A voice yelled out.
"Oh, sorry about that." The scientist apologized as he went into another of the stalls.
Inside the locked one was the coyote sitting on the seat checking his PDA. He searched through all the information that he had downloaded.
"I can't believe this place!" He said to himself, "It's is like one big maze, the younger generation are too busy flirting to get any work done and worst of all…a guy can't get any privacy in a bathroom! What has this world come to?"
The coyote soon found something that he was searching for. "Okay…it's located in the D level the lowest area, no surprise there. D…105. Now to check the blueprints and…"
The PDA displayed how far the room with whatever he was searching for was in and his current location. "Good, it's not too far away. I'd better check if he's here too." The coyote checked through the PDA files and didn't find any recent test subjects even in the restricted files. "Good, at least he's safe…I hope." The coyote said hesitant to get up. He sits there for a moment lost in his thoughts with a sad look in his eyes. "Better not waste any more time."
----
Beltino knew that he was late. And after talking to the guards at the gate was even later. He rushed into the room D105, where the weapon Slippy had sent him earlier had ended up.
"Sorry I'm late everyone." Beltino said trying to catch his breath.
"Beltino, you're here. Don't worry about that." An older gray fox said.
"Yes, now then…tell me the details you have about this special blaster I've heard about."
"According to the information your son gave us, this thing contains a highly radioactive energy source." Informed a raccoon scientist, "But as to what it is we don't know yet. That's why we had this transferred over to this building."
"I see. But have you been able to find a way to extract this energy?" Beltino asked.
"No, we've tried various methods but we can't even dent the thing let alone take it apart." The fox said.
"Let me see this blaster."
"It's right over here." The raccoon pointed out. Beltino went over to take a closer look at the platinum colored blaster. "As you can see, it's perfectly sealed tight so nobody can take it apart."
"Hmm…"
"What is it?"
"This thing has the name 'Kite' engraved into it." Beltino noted.
"Yes, we're running a search for anyone named Kite that this weapon may belong to." The fox informed.
"Show me the data we have so far pertaining to this energy source."
----
The bulldog security guard walked back over to the place where he found the coyote. He went over to the records room and used his security key to get inside. He saw that the computer had been recently accessed.
"Lost my butt! I knew that guy was up to something." The guard said to himself. He then noticed a disk still inside the computer. "I'd better take this as evidence." He went to eject the disk and when he did, the computer suddenly began flashing all sorts of colors and random files as it overload itself then it explodes shaking most of the building. The explosion sounded off the alarms.
----
Down in the room Beltino was working in, they too felt the shock of the blast. The three left the room. There was an announcement telling everyone to evacuate the building.
"What's going on!?" Beltino asked one of the running scientists.
"A bomb went off!" The raven answered before he continued running with the others.
"A bomb!? Beltino, we have to evacuate now." The fox said.
The three ran out along with the main group towards the exit. Then it came to Beltino that he forgot something.
"Wait, we have to go get that blaster!" Beltino exclaimed.
"No, it's too dangerous." The raccoon said.
"Still, I have to get it. Slippy and the others are counting on me with it." Beltino said running back to the room. He eventually reaches the room. The toad searched around for the blaster but had no luck finding it. "Where is it?" He wondered until it finally hit him, "Of course! That's what they were after all along!"
----
The blast caused an explosion that the two guards outside even noticed.
"Aw shit! Are we under attack!?" The hare asked franticly.
"I hope not or else we're-" The dog started to say, "Contact security! Tell them to look for a desert coyote!"
"Are you sure it's him?"
"I can feel it!"
----
"A desert coyote. Are you sure?" Asked another security canine, a German shepherd breed, on his radio inside the parking garage. The other scientists were being loaded up into armored transports to be taken to safety.
"Yes." The hare's voice answered, "He goes by the name of 'Christian Anders.'"
"Understood." The dog said before disconnecting transmission, "Okay everyone listen up. Be on the lookout for a desert coyote. He goes by the name Anders."
"Right!" The other guards shouted in unison. They began their search looking around for the coyote. Some looked through the crowd of other lab coats while they were going inside the transports. Others searched the parking lot but it wasn't long until one car flashed its lights on a swine guard. The blue car pulled out nearly hitting the pig and a few others as it heads towards the exit. A robin soldier stood in front of the car's path and began firing his blaster but it didn't even dent it. The bird jumped out of the way before the car was about to hit him.
"The suspect is on the move!" The hound yelled into his radio, "And he's heading in your direction. Close the gates!"
----
The large steel gates were soon tightly locked down with the two guards out in front. The blue car soon came into view and was heading straight for them.
"No way that guy is getting through." The hare said drawing his blaster.
"Get ready." The dog said also taking out his gun. The car continued its path until it was close enough for them. "Fire!" The guard yelled as he and the hare began shooting lasers at the car. As they fired, the hare noticed the shots were just bouncing off.
"Our weapons aren't denting it!"
"Aim for the windows!" The dog ordered as he fired at the windshield, which shattered easily. The coyote then pulls his head up enough to see the two guards and aims the stolen blaster at the two firing back. He manages to hit the hare in the chest and the dog in the side taking them both down. The car speeds up as it heads towards the gate.
"Alright, let's see if this baby can hold up." The scientist thought to himself as he ducked back down giving a short prayer. The car went it and smashed through the gate with full force but surprisingly, had managed to break through! The hound looked up and saw the hole in the gate.
"No way…" He said staring in disbelief.
"This is the Cornerian defense unit." A voice called out over the radio, "What's the current situation?"
The guard weakly reached for his radio communicator. "Desert coyote…blue car…armed and dangerous."
"Roger that, we'll take him down."
----
The blue hover car continues down the small road near a forested area. The car is still working properly even though it had all of its dents and cracks and looked smashed up mainly because of crashing through the gate.
"That was a close one." The coyote breathed with a deep sigh of relief, "For a second there I didn't think this armor could stand up to that gate." He then heard engines coming from overhead and looked out the side window and saw five Cornerian defense ships following close behind him.
"This is the Cornerian defense unit. You are under arrest, pull over now or we will open fire." A voice called out over the speaker.
"Dammit, they're more persistent than I thought." The coyote cursed. He then puts his foot down on the gas and tries to get away.
"Hold it!" The voice yelled out. It was obvious that the car wasn't going to stop. "Open fire!" The pursuing ships began firing at the car as it swerves trying to avoid the lasers. But some of the shots hit the car and tear through the roof of it.
"Crap! This thing can't handle large laser shots like that!" The coyote said to himself. The scientist hid the blaster in his lab coat then opened a compartment on the dashboard and inside was a small red button. He hits the button and while pulled over near the forested area, jumps out leaving behind a spare lab coat and his fake ID. He rolled around with his body curled up but after going through some bushes tried to stop on his own. He tried to grab some branches or tree roots but was stopped by hitting a tree with his abdomen making a loud crack. The coyote tried his best not to scream but gave a loud yelp before blacking out.
The car continued driving on its own still under fire. Soon enough, as a few more shots hit the car, the bomb inside it detonates and explodes. The ships hovered over the wreckage.
"We need a medical team out here!" One of the soldiers radioed in. The squad commander landed his ship as well as two others and went over to the destroyed vehicle. The commanding canine saw the burning lab coat and the burned fake ID but no body.
"What do we do now sir?" A female dog soldier asked.
"We start a search. This guy obviously thought he could outsmart us by making it look like he's dead. Have security check the scientists. He could be hiding among them."
----
Back on Fortuna, Colonel Summers heads into the large Katinan battleship that he arrived in. Summers arrives in his office. He then activates the monitor on his desk and Pepper's image appeared.
"General Pepper sir, you said you wanted to speak to me in private?"
"Colonel, what in the world were you thinking!?" The old hound asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Giving out an order to ground all ships? That's just absurd! If that happens, then nobody will be able to receive the supplies they need!"
"But general, we have more important issues to deal with in regards to that weapon."
"What could it possibly be?"
"According to McCloud, the weapon wasn't found on Fortuna."
"What does this mean?"
"I'm not sure but I suspect that the ship that destroyed Hudson and his troops may have the device on it. But because of the recklessness of McCloud's team, the base that was on the planet ended up being destroyed and so was all the information stored."
"So what you're saying is that the weapon is mobile?"
"Yes, and to isolate it I had to land all ships in order to search for it."
"But how could it be possible? It would need an enormous energy source to control Solar."
"My sentiments exactly general. We also happened to come across the spy you sent in. He also confirmed the weapon doesn't but now that I think about it…I believe that the weapon is more of a person than a machine."
"Just what are you getting at colonel?" Pepper asked narrowing his eyes on the wolf.
"The soldier informed us that the attack from Solar, was just an illusion created by alter users who were under the command of O'Donnell."
The general looked at the wolf with a surprised look on his face. "W-What did you say?"
"Alter users?" The hound was still in shock to hear about that to speak. "General? Is there something wrong?"
"Colonel, your soldiers have encountered a being with an impenetrable arm. Tell me, was it a fox?"
"Why yes, yes it was."
"So…they're now fighting back…" Pepper thought to himself.
"General?"
"Colonel, I want you and your men to leave Fortuna at once and hand over any evidence and information you've found there to the Cornerian military. And I want you off this assignment."
"What? But general! You can't do that!" The wolf protested getting up from his seat.
"That's a direct order soldier. Follow it." Pepper said before the screen went blank.
"General? General Pepper! Dammit!" Summers cursed as he slammed the desk.
Meanwhile outside his office, two soldiers walked by and noticed someone outside the door to the colonel's office.
"Hey isn't that…" One soldier began to ask.
"The lieutenant? You guessed it." The other responded. The two went over to the feline who had her back turned to the two and her ears on the door.
"Lieutenant."
Greyson quickly turned aiming her blaster at the two. "Don't try and sneak up on me like that. And could you guys try to be quiet?"
"Sorry but, won't the colonel be upset that you're eavesdropping on him?"
"No, he won't even know I'm here." She said giving a mischievous grin.
"Lieutenant, I know you're out there." Summers voice said from inside, "Please see me inside my office now. And bring the other two soldiers with you also." The feline went in with the two nervous soldiers. And find the wolf sitting at his desk. "So what do you have to say for yourselves?"
"Y-you see colonel, we were just passing by."
"Yeah and we saw the lieutenant eavesdropping on you."
"Okay, but would you mind telling me why you two are on the ship and not outside? And don't bother lying to me."
"Well sir, we were busy out digging and…"
"And we got a little tired so we took a short break."
"Last time I checked, I didn't issue a break." Summers said calmly. Greyson couldn't help but smile. "And lieutenant, that goes for you as well." The felines smile quickly tuned to a frown.
"We're sorry sir!" One of the soldiers apologized.
"Yeah, won't happen again."
"But since you're here, I want you two to inform everyone to stop and get ready to leave."
"Huh? We're leaving?" One of the soldiers asked in surprise.
"Did I stutter? We're moving out as soon as we can, understood?"
"Yes sir!" The two answered before they proceeded to walk out of the room.
"Man, that was close." The one soldier whispered.
"Yeah, I thought we'd get in some trouble or something?"
"Oh and by the way, for slacking off, you get to spend time doing laundry when we get back to base."
"Yes sir…" The soldiers said before leaving.
"And as for you, lieutenant."
"Do you plan on making me do your laundry?" Greyson asked with a smirk on her face.
"No. And how many times have I told you not to listen in on my conversations?"
"I'm sorry but sometimes I can't help it."
The wolf sighed. "But I'm glad to see that you're feeling better."
"I didn't exactly hear everything but would you mind telling me why we're just going to leave like that?" Greyson asked with a more serious look on her face.
"They were General Pepper's orders. There's nothing more I could've done about it."
"But why would the general do something like that?"
"I'm not sure. So how is our patient?"
"He's still comatose but his condition has become more stable."
"Good, once he wakes up we'll know more about this. Jennifer, something big is going on. And I suspect the general has something to do with it."
The cat looked at Summers with shock. "Don't you know that you could end up in trouble for saying something like that?"
"I know but there's something going on. I only know that. Lieutenant…Jennifer, will you help me find out what's going on?"
The feline looked down for a bit going silent before looking up at the lupine with a warm smile, "Wesley, you know I'll help you."
"Alright. But this mission will be dangerous and won't be on the records."
"I know that."
"And I believe that the general is going to be keeping an eye on me so I won't be going anywhere. You'll have to do this on your own, and if you're caught, you'll be court-martialed under the accusation of treason, are you sure you want to?"
"I already said that I would and I mean that."
"You know you might end up running into that kid again."
"Don't worry about that. He caught me by surprise with that arm of his but I'll be ready next time."
"That's good to hear. Your first assignment is to head to Corneria and find anything you can about 'alter users', understood?"
"Yes sir colonel." The feline smiled giving a salute.
"I wish you good luck."
"Don't worry, I can handle it."
"I also wish you would take this more seriously."
"And I wish you would learn to lighten up. If you stay serious like that all the time it's not going to do you any good."
"I guess that means you're ready to head out?"
"Not yet, I need to pack a few things first." Greyson said as she was leaving the room. Summers looked on watching the gray cat walk off but couldn't help but feel uneasy, he knew he was asking too much, but he knew it had to be done.
----
It wasn't long until the coyote began to regain consciousness. He slowly staggered to his feet holding his stomach coughing. He lifts up his shirt and looks at the armor he had under his regular clothes and saw that the part on his abdomen was cracked and falling apart.
"It's a good thing…I still have this…ha, some security…" He chuckled to himself before nearly falling down groaning in pain, "I guess…I am getting too old for this…" The coyote checks his lab coat and find the PDA slightly dented but the blaster was still in tact. "Looks like I've got some…more work to do…" He coughed. "That kid had better appreciate what I'm doing for him. Crap, I'm going to be sore in the morning…" He complained as he limps off through the woods holding his side.