Chapter 3: The Hunter or the Hunted Part 1

Note that this is a 3 part chapter

Two days later-Ghost camp

"This was the only map you could find?" Joyce asks, trying to keep the disgust out of his voice.

"No disrespect sir, but I can't go to a gas station and buy a map, and besides this was the only thing they had in storage," Swans responds.

Joyce sighs before glancing at the brochure at their feet which said 'Welcome to Jasper Park!' in big happy letters. Since they can't have any ties to the USA, they were only allowed to bring supplies that weren't manufactured by the US, which included military graded maps. They couldn't even use GPS technology should a Fed or Canadian find their equipment and find the source of the site was set up by the US military then the mission was a bust. Though Joyce knew their resources were limited, he was hoping for something better than this.

"Archangel also thought it could help sarge, he was the one that suggested it," Swans said.

"And I bet Archangel is laughing at us right now," Joyce said while resting a hand on his friend's shoulder, showing he doesn't blame him for their miserable excuse of equipment.

The only link they had to command and support they could count on was supplied by a soldier call signed 'Archangel'. Walker tried pleading with command to give Ghost Team Comanche support, but all they got was an old radio link to an unknown person, every time they call each other, Archangel's voice would be disoriented, making it tough for them to distinguish the persons gender (not that's it important). So far all Archangel was able to do was air drop a duffle bag full of MRE (Meals Ready to Eat), and an attack dog vest (it has been the team's joke that it would be pretty useful if only they had a dog) and some spare clothes. Archangel also gave them their map, data, coordinates and ever since landing, been giving nonstop tips about living in nature, something the Ghosts already know how to do.

The only thing that Archangel does that Joyce finds useful is that he supplies them with Intel from spy birds, but for the past day, there has been no major movement made by the enemy, making this a waiting game for the window of opportunity.

Joyce glances around their camp site as he thought. It was quite primitive; they each slept in the trees, hiding in the folds of their branches. There was barely enough room to walk in the cluster of trees where they were temporarily living, but like how they were train, they left no sign they were there. The only time they were on the ground was when they were planning how to attack the enemy base. For the past two days they've been living off cold rations, not daring to risk making a fire that could signal their position. So far no one was able to find them, even the local wildlife seems to be leaving them alone.

Gordon was checking his equipment for the hundredth time; Joyce had no doubt that the grenade launcher could shoot almost anything with the accuracy of a sniper rifle. Falkner meanwhile was drawing images in the dirt with his knife, ranging from stick figures to 3D animals. The sergeant glances at Swans and saw him going prone on the ridge they were close to as he gazes through his binoculars; watching the enemy camp that was three hundred yards away.

Ghost Team Comanche was bored and edgy. The special warfare operators were the best and the brightest, but they soon lose the "twitch" when they aren't in combat. The commandos were like athletes, being told they're going to play in the big game but will have to wait for until the referee calls game, and he doesn't call it for days. As they wait, they kept themselves busy with their own small hobbies like any other person. However despite this, the Ghosts were a taunt string, ready snap, prepared turn anything into a raging firestorm, never think a Ghost is vulnerable.

Sighing a bit, Joyce sat next to Falkner and asks, "What is that?" gesturing to the image Falkner was currently drawing, "Mickey the mouse?"

"Ha ha," Falkner said sarcastically, "it's supposed to be Laura."

There were a few moments of silence before he asks, "How's she and Diana doing? You haven't spoken of them for a while."

Falkner was quite before responding, "They're moving north to Seattle with the Keelsons."

Joyce looks at his friend, but his expression was hidden by his mask and his eyes wouldn't meet his. The sergeant now realize this mission was personal for Falkner, to lose to these guys would mean possible death to his family. Joyce felt instant compassion for his friend, the anxiety of knowing that his loved ones are at stake, their very lives resting on the choices he's about to make; that was enough pressure there to make any grown man crack, but not Falkner, not when he knows there's a job to do.

Joyce started wondering how his family was doing, or whether they were even alive. He had aristocratic parents, both their lives revolved around the companies they work at and the social media. They were people who live normal lives, who despises anything out of place, whether it was a new brand of coffee, a new development in stocks or a patriotic son.

Joyce supposes he wasn't always patriotic, he did believe in protecting the one nation under God, but when he was younger he wasn't all that serious. He was one of those kids who like to play in the mud, go someplace new and always popping 360s on his bike. He had an adventurous spirit, one that his family tried to squash out through lectures and a one-time visit to prison. Honestly he wasn't doing anything bad, unless making your mother a mud pie was against the law. Having a fascinated child who always fell asleep during speeches and preferring to listen to rock than classical music drove Joyce's parent nuts.

He was seventeen when he drops the bomb shell, he was going to enlist in the army, he wasn't thinking of going career, just something to try out and see if he's really interested in it. Neither of his parents liked it and left the house to go to their jobs, treating Joyce, their own son, like a coworker. Frustrated at their setting of the world, Joyce stayed home and started watching old war movies to get him in a patriotic mood. He must have fallen asleep at one point, because the next thing he knew, he woke to see the floor collapsing beneath him.

What woke him was the thunderous boom, then he felt the ground shake, finally without warning, the house tilted and he, along with most of the expensive furniture, fell through the screen door in the back. Joyce hit the glass door with enough force to cause cracks to appear like the door was ice, he was gasping for air when a large armchair came crashing down and landed on him, adding enough weight to bust through the glass.

The backyard where he usually played basketball was gone, it was as if a giant came through, grab the ground like a plate, and wiped everything off of it. Where the next door neighbor's house use to stand was now gone, replace with a gorge that lead to a bottomless pit. He would have fallen through but was able to save himself by grabbing the patio chair, which his paranoid father nailed to the ground.

Using the muscles he earn from all his bike stunts, he grab whatever hand hold he could find, grass, unmoving boulders and the garden hose. He pulled himself back in the house and stood on the wall like it was the floor. It was then he looks out the door.

There was a huge hole where South Central uses to be, all the buildings, all the people, were gone. He watched as another blue ball of fire fall on the other side of the city and felt the tremors. The house was starting to collapse, so he jumped over the doors and windows until he made it to a window that lead outside. He jumped and landed hard on the street, he watched from there as his home sunk into the pothole and disappeared forever.

That night, like the other thousands of homeless families, he fell into a fitful sleep, dreams of falling balls of fire haunting him. He spent the next few days moving from refugee camp to refugee camp but to this day, he has yet to find his parents.

Joyce shakes his head clear of the horrible day, remembering the tears he shed, the boiling rage, and the grim determination to join the army, stronger than ever. First he joined the militia, where he made his first kill, then he join the Rangers after being drafted, finally he was selected for Ghost screening and he passed. Now was the time for payback, to deprive the enemy of an important victory like this would be considered a major achievement.

"Hey Sarge," Swans voice shook him from the flashbacks he was having. The sniper was gesturing for him to come and look at what the sniper was gazing at. Noticing the frantic movement, Gordon and Falkner got down low and skulk forward, straining to hear any news.

The Ghost sergeant got down on his stomach, crawls up next to Swans and looks at the enemy encampment through his binoculars. The camp was the same as always, the only thing that changed in the past few days was that the Feds stop constructing whatever it was they were building. The Ghosts judged from their waving hands and yelling that something has happen that halted their progress, perhaps they were missing some essential gear for the contraption.

As Joyce scans the area, he then see's what Swans noticed. Two armored technicals, were in front of the command building, each holding only three troops, and strutting out of the building was Colonel Estrada. The Ghosts haven't seen him since that night two days ago, he was dress for the field today, he wore a camouflage suit with the Federation flag sew on his arm, a black beret rested over his bushy eyebrows and he had a pistol shoulder strap on his side. He was talking to some soldiers but it was obvious he was planning of going off the base today.

Feeling his excitement beginning to rise, Joyce reaches behind him and waves towards the radio. Someone handed it to him and he quickly speaks, "Comanche 1 to Archangel, do you copy, over."

The whole team held their breath until the static filled voice of Archangel answered, "Yeah Comanche go."

"Archangel, we have eyes on enemy HVT getting ready to leave base, confirm visual over," the sergeant asks.

"Copy Comanche, give me a minute," Archangel Answers.

The team waited for a minute, and then Swans alerts the sergeant, "Joyce, they're moving out."

"Is HVT among them?" asks Joyce.

"Confirm, he's riding in second vehicle…they're heading out of the valley sir."

Feeling their chances of success slipping, Joyce said, "Archangel, we are moving out, direct us will you?"

The sergeant leapt to his feet and turn to his men. They were already set to go, Gordon had his grenade launcher on his back, Swans picks up his rifle and Falkner's LMG was locked and loaded. Feeling their game faces coming into place, Joyce unslung his rifle, loads it and said, "Let's catch us a rat boys."

Five minutes later

The caribou calmly chews the grass as the sun slowly rises into the sky. The canyon it was in was narrow as it stretches nearly five miles as it leads the way to the other side of the forest. The wind lightly blew the needles in the trees northward. The scene would have appeared lovely, but for some reason the caribou was oblivious to the threat of being alone.

The caribou's head snap up when it heard the sound of pounding feet and watch as a light brown, almost golden colored wolf runs at chagrining speed towards the animal. The caribou turns to flee, but was brought down when a light red fur wolf sneaks behind it and clamps its teeth on the creatures rear right leg. It fell in agony but before it could let lose a sound of pain, the golden wolf grabs it's prey around the neck and ended the poor creatures suffering.

Kate let go of the Caribou's neck and smile at the kill, it wasn't much but it'll keep the pack from starving. She looks up at the lip of the canyon's rim and nods, knowing that Humphrey was up there and watching. He always likes watching Kate hunt and she would always try and do her best to give Humphrey a good show.

Garth notices and felt a longing in his heart as he wishes Lilly was there, not that it matters, he just miss his mate. Garth then spoke, bringing Kate back to the world, "Come on Kate let's hurry and get back."

Kate smiles and asks, "Miss Lilly already?" she teases, but she knew he did, just like her whenever she was away from Humphrey.

"Humph," Garth said as he stoops to pick up the caribou but stops. He cocks his head as if he was listening to something so Kate pauses and listens as well. She heard something familiar, yet she could not place it, it was like the low growl of a creature and the crunching of multiple fast feet. She sniffs the air and smells smoke mix with something else that made her nose cringle. She dug deep into her mind, trying to figure out what it was when it came to her.

She quickly turns to Garth and said, "Move, now." Before he could question her, she ran into a thickest of trees that were growing on the far right side of the canyon. Once within shelter, she turns and was glad to see that Garth has followed her, despite the curiosity on his face.

"What?" he asks but Kate shushes him and they listen as the noise begins to come closer. A few moments later, they saw what was causing the sound.

Two cars drove on the grass, heading straight down the canyon. These cars were different than the ones that Kate has seen before, these were huge, made more noise, and what made them even fiercer were the large guns in the rear. She recognizes the people driving as the humans in the secret valley, the ones that her father had called soldiers.

Kate felt her fur stand on end and fear begin to enter. She has faced humans before, but if what her father says is true, then right before her and her brother in law is probably the deadliest creature's she'll ever see. She glances at Garth who was having a similar reaction, despite him trying to put on a brave face.

The strange cars continued down the way before coming to a halt next to the Caribou the wolves just brought down. The humans got out of their vehicles and begin inspecting the creature, pointing their guns at the carcass and kicking it. Soon they begin making strange noises, laughter the wolves suppose. One solider brought out a black thing and was holding it in different positions around the dead animal. The wolves became even more confuse when the humans, the soldiers, began standing still in front of the object, some stood in front of the Caribou, over it, holding its head, and one put its foot on the carcass before holding up his gun, causing the others to laugh at his antics.

Suddenly there was a shout in a language that the wolves haven't heard before. Out of the last car strode a man that for some reason put Kate on edge. The soldiers also look uncomfortable as their smiles disappeared and they look at the ground as the man walk among them.

He was dress the same as the other soldiers except for some strange object that was on his head that she thought she once heard the humans call a cap. He didn't have a gun as big as the others, but he still looks deadly, the tall human with a thunderous voice, he must be their leader, maybe he's a human Alpha. The thought was disturbing for Kate as she tried to imagine her or Garth being like that to the other wolves.

The human Alpha stood in front of the soldier with the black thing in his hand and spoke calmly to him. Suddenly like a frighten bird breaking from cover, the man, the leader, threw his hands in multiple directions, hitting the poor soldier. The soldier squeals in pain as he tried to avoid the blows, but this only enraged the attacker who begins landing heavier punches until they make a thumping noise on the soldier's skin. The unfortunate man fell to the floor and curls into a ball to protect himself, but then the human Alpha begins delivering vicious kicks.

The wolves and the other soldiers watch in horror as the man on the ground began to bleed and his pained cries were becoming weaker and weaker. As quickly as it started, it was over. The Alpha walks back to the car and spoke over his shoulder in the same calm voice he used before the beating. All the soldiers said something in unison, two walks after the Alpha and reenters their car, while the other two lifts the injured soldier and carries him to the back of the first car. They return and picks up the carcass of the caribou and put it in the back of the second car. When they got back inside their vehicles, they took off again, continuing their journey down the canyon.

Kate lets out a held breath, "that was horrible, why did he do that? Do you suppose he was an Alpha and the others were Omegas?" she asks, shuddering at the thought of abusing the fun loving wolves of her pack, particularly Humphrey.

"Uh, Kate," Garth said in a small voice.

"Yes?" Kate replied, still watching the dust clouds that follow the retreating cars.

"Turn around," he said in a calm voice, like he was coaxing a reluctant pup to play.

"Why?" she asks.

"Because you might what to see this," was the reply.

Kate growls at the poor answers and turns to scold Garth but froze at what she saw. Standing just two meters in behind the wolves, gun aimed at them, was a human, a dead human.

It's one of them, a horrified Kate realized, Humphrey and Garth spoke the truth, he does look dead. The human was crouch in front of them with a large weapon pointing at them, wearing a black attire that was opposite of the humans they just watch go by.

What got her attention was its face…it didn't have one. In its place was a human skull, like the skin and the eyes have been removed, leaving only the bone exposed. Its sockets were devoid of eyes, yet something sparkle in them, but she didn't dare look into them, for fear this dead hunter would attack.

They stood still for what felt like hours, the weapon pointed at the two wolves while they tried to remain as still as possible. The dead human copies them, not moving either; it doesn't even seem to be breathing. Kate was wondering what to do, what does it want, is it going to kill us, how did it get so close without us even smelling it?

Very slowly, the dead human moves. It kept the weapon on the wolves at all time as it partially crawls and walks out of the trees, staying close to the shadows of the canyon wall. Additionally rustling got their attention, the wolves look around and were astounded as three more dead hunters appeared from the cover of the tress. They surrounded the wolves without them even realizing it, all the skull headed humans slowly move around the wolves, weapons still pointed in their direction as the Alphas continue being as still as stones. When they left the trees, they look forward and follow the path of the departed cars.

The wolves let out held breaths as relief floods within them. They gave each other uneasy looks as they slowly walks backwards, wanting nothing more than to get out of the canyon before meeting any more surprises.

There was a loud crash behind them that made the wolves jump. They turn around, teeth bared, claws at the ready when they pause as they recognize the mass heap of fur and they both said, "Humphrey!"

Humphrey was out of breath, he was panting hard as he stood and explained, "I saw them! The dead hunters! They were coming this way so I came to warn you and…oh," his voice died as he looks beyond the Alphas, who followed his gaze.

The dead hunters stop what they were doing and turn again, pointing their guns at the three wolves.

Garth swallows before saying, "We are so dead," together the mates and their friend waited to be shot, but it never came. The dead hunters watch them for a while longer as the wolves look at each other and Humphrey said in a fear filled voice, "Uh Kate, what's that on your chest?"

The female Alpha looks down and saw some a red dot on her chest. She thought it was blood from the Caribou and made to swat at it, but the dot stayed in place. She let out a gasp as her paw went through the dot, and having it appear on her paw before jerking it back. The males watch in semi amusement, before they notice that they each had individual red dots centered on their chests. They waited for what will happen next, but the dots disappeared as the dead hunters turn and walk away.

The wolves watch as the first dead hunter they saw turns and give the wolves a final glance before moving on. The near death experience left the wolves speechless before Humphrey snuggles up next to Kate, "Wow, that made me realize we need to spend more time together, no telling when we're in that big forest in the sky."

"Humphrey!" Kate exclaimed in an embarrass voice but snuggle up with her mate anyways.

Ignoring the mated pair, Garth looks after the dead hunters, "What do you suppose all those humans are going?"

The Alpha was surprise when Humphrey simply said, "No idea, but do you want to have a look?"