02/4/16 AN: Lookie here, more of this story! I haven't forgotten it. It just ended up sitting on the back burner for a while. Anywho, you may want to go back and re-read the second chapter (Vanadium) to refresh your memory on some of what is described in this chapter. I hope you like!
Canard bit his tongue as the crate he hid in was dropped, jolting both him and the canned goods within. The ride from the supply warehouse and into the zoo had not been a pleasant one. Maybe he should have listened to Duke and let him lead them through the sewers. Then again, a few hours of discomfort was probably preferable to the smell. They'd get plenty of that on the way out.
He tried to turn his head to look around, but the cans had shifted, preventing his beak from moving more than an arpen upwards. Sighing to himself, he focused intently on looking beyond the box and cans of food and into the room. Again, there was the disorienting feeling of another presence agreeing with him and shifting his vision. The red hued world swam and faded away until he could see drones moving back and forth, still unloading.
Where are the others? The Mask pushed further, opening the walls of the other boxes to show him three of his companions curled up and hiding.
Bico? One form glowed slightly brighter. Ailyssa? Bico faded and nobody else appeared. She must still be waiting to be unloaded or somewhere behind him. Damn it all, he wished he could turn his head around and see back there. A small feeling of remorse or sadness flitted behind his eyes before shifting into the always patient mode of waiting.
Got a name? He thought directly to the Mask. There was no response.
Are you real? Again, nothing.
Are you alive? Nada.
Where's Wildwing? Remorse, followed by calm readiness.
Where's the danger? The crimson world swam once more and solidified around the hunter drones, highlighting each of them as possibly lethal.
Settling down to wait, he watched the mechanical creations until they finished. Several crates were moved into another room and many others opened. The contents were dumped into several stock pots and one drone remained to cook whatever the poor slaves were going to eat in the morning.
Shit. It'd better not stay all night. If the drone stayed all night and more returned the next day, their cover would be blown and that would be the end of the Mask and the Resistance.
Canard had lost track of time long ago. He didn't even know how long he stayed in the crate, watching the machine cooking.
He was surprised, however, when he saw Duke's lithe form appear from nowhere. His saber made quick and silent work of the drone before he moved to the crate containing Canard. He looked up and down, observing the stack of crates on top of his. Returning the sword to his sleeve, he began uncovering the captain.
Cracking wood echoed through Canard's ears as the lid was pried off and settled sideways. He lay still, waiting for Duke to say something. After several moments of silence, he began working his way free of the cans.
"Duke?" he hissed.
The thief was as responsive as the Mask when asked if it had a name.
Canard freed himself completely and stood, falling to the side as his legs protested moving from their cramped position. He caught himself on the edge of the crate and eased himself to the floor, waiting for the circulation to restore itself. A quick glance around and scan with the Mask showed no signs of Duke. He squeezed his eyes shut, hating the jolting electricity running up and down his limbs as they awakened. Feeling more steady, he stood and freed his comrades.
"Canard?" Bico questioned as the lid was removed. "I thought Laysan was letting us out?"
"Turns out our gray ghost decided to show up."
"Huh?" He pushed himself up and climbed out of the crate.
"Duke." Canard steadied the young drake as his legs gave way. "Give yourself a few minutes. I'll get the others."
Once everyone was free, they looked to Big Deke for guidance on where to go next.
"Haven't been in this part of the camp." The detective scratched his neck, looking around. "We need to get outside before I can say exactly where we are."
"Ailyssa, you take point," Canard ordered. "Let us know if there's anything ahead we need to avoid."
They walked through the dark halls, guns at the ready. Twice, Canard and his group dodged into an empty room to avoid patrols.
Finally, they made it outside. Their breath misted in the frigid air. Frost had already begun to cover the paved walkways, making them slick. Unfortunately, the frost wasn't solid enough yet for skates, so they had to walk slowly and carefully. Walking in the muddy areas to either side of the path would leave clear footprints.
"I know where we are now," Big Deke whispered as they turned a corner. "Take a left. It's about a kilm ahead, down a small hill to the right."
"I don't remember this zoo being that big," Laysan complained. This was going to be tough.
"No drones around." Canard offered what assurance he could. "Maybe there aren't many out patrolling?"
"They typically don't," Big Deke agreed. "Most are stationed around the gates in and out, with a few scattered around the perimeter. Only three or four walk around at night, making sure everyone stays put. We were typically too tired to try anything. Trust me, when you're stuck in factories, manufacturing drones and weapons, all you want to do is eat and sleep when you get back."
"Quiet," Laysan hissed. "Let's get those parts and get out."
They all fell silent and worked their way through the still darkness as quickly as they could.
Canard was afraid they stood out too much. They had planned on just laying down and pretending to be sleeping slaves if any drones showed up. Problem was, they were all in armor and carrying weapons. If luck was with them, they'd just be able to make it to the right exhibit, and then get out of there.
Sleeping ducks filled every animal enclosure available. Many huddled together for warmth in the cold. Canard stared at them in horror. It was only Septen. In a few weeks, the truly bitter cold would set in. How could they be expected to survive, sleeping out in the elements like that? Every bit of him cried out to blow up the drones and free the entire encampment. Take them all to Vanadium. Revolt against the Saurian rule and take back their home. He hated walking right past them, unable to take even one of them out.
"This way." Big Deke turned down a dark side path.
Canard had to wonder how he could find his way. The Mask gave him heightened night vision; he could see the path clear as day. But, everyone else? The moon was dark, providing no light. It was amazing that no one fell.
"This is it." Big Deke stopped outside a large, blue building. It's angular structure jutted out like a shark's tooth towards them.
"Safe to go in?" Ailyssa spoke for the first time since she climbed out of her box.
"Yes." Canard reached for the door handle and was pleased to find it unlocked. He saw no signs of alarms or drones within.
Big Deke again took the lead. The hallways were crammed full of sleeping slaves. They moaned as the soldiers stepped over them, trying to avoid the occasional yelp as a hand or hair was stepped on. Surprisingly, nobody bothered to look up at who was moving or where they were going. Everyone stayed right where they were, shifting to the side if they were kicked or trod upon.
The air inside the aquarium stank of mold and rotten fish. How anyone could actually sleep in here was beyond Canard. Then again, considering the alternative was outside with no protection, maybe he could understand it. No heat had been turned on in the building, but it was well insulated enough that the water hadn't frozen. Creatures more suited to warmer climates had long ago died, their rotten corpses drifting on the bottom in currents from still moving jets. Dim, blue lighting filtered through the water. The power was still on, even if there was no actual heat running.
Big Deke led them down many twisting hallways and under what must have been a spectacular, glass walled tunnel when the exhibits were alive. Now, it was cloudy and foreboding. He led them into a large, open room. The walls surrounding the tanks were patterned to look like stone. He guided them to a corner and began climbing upwards.
Canard watched him scurry up the facade before vanishing over what must have been a false wall. He followed suit and was surprised to find Big Deke waiting for them on a catwalk above the tanks. The reek was even worse directly over the water. Canard's eyes watered from the pungency of it and he was forced to hold back his coughs.
Their boots echoed far too loudly on the metal structure, despite their determination to remain silent.
They made several turns from one tank to another before Big Deke found a ladder leading down. At least the concrete floor was dry. They didn't have to deal with possibly falling and breaking their necks in the dark. In the very back of a storage room, they found what they were looking for.
Ailyssa flipped on a small flashlight and held it up, inspecting the labels on the sides of boxes. She selected several, handing them off to her teammates. They fit as much as they could in their rucksacks, even taking the unused products out of the boxes to fit in more when Ailyssa gave them the okay. Several things she swore were too delicate to make the journey without the protective packaging.
"That's it," she declared as she finished combing the shelves. "Got more space?"
"I do," Laysan whispered. "Maybe three or four more things."
"Matre Grande! How?" She'd thought she'd already handed them more than their bags could possibly carry.
"I'm good at packing."
"Okay…" The dark haired duck grabbed a few things off another shelf. "Back ups."
Laysan unboxed them and carefully arranged the four new parts in her pack. "Two more."
"Doo?" Surprise colored the question.
"Yup."
"Ooooh, yeah." Ailyssa smiled and grabbed some tools. "Gonna need these."
Laysan somehow managed to fit them into her pack and tie the top closed. The top flap barely stretched down to secure.
"Seems like there should be a pretty big drain around here somewhere." Bico looked around in hopes of finding one nearby.
"Outside," Deke assured. "Just behind the building. Might be tricky getting the cover off; but, we can make it."
Canard checked the timer on his com. "We need to hurry. Dawn's in forty minutes. I don't know when the work day starts, but I can't imagine they let slaves sleep in long and I don't want to be caught in here."
"Nobody comes back here." Big Deke headed to the right down a hallway instead of the way they'd come from. "Nobody knows how."
Canard narrowed his eyes. Why hadn't Big Deke shown anyone when he'd figured it out? Surely, he would have tried to let as many as possible sleep inside. How many ducks had lost their lives because he was hiding in the background?
They crept through the dark hallways, making their way through the blue glow of tank lighting. The concrete floor shimmered with the movement of the water, lines of light dancing across the cold surface in undulating, interconnected waves.
Big Deke opened a back door. Just outside was what appeared to be an employee parking lot, closed to the public and fenced off from the rest of the entrapped citizens. He led them straight to a manhole cover in the middle of the paved lot.
Again, Canard found himself wondering just how Big Deke knew exactly where to lead them. Duke's warnings echoed in the back of his mind. Don't trust the cop.
Giving in to temptation, he scanned the duck. Big Deke appeared exactly as expected; he was avian and not some shape shifter; no weapons other than the ones he'd been given had been hidden anywhere on his body.
Danger? The Mask showed nothing about him that could pose a threat.
Bico had removed the cover and already lowered Laysan and Ailyssa into the smelly tunnel. Big Deke went next.
"You coming?" Bico asked.
He nodded once, snapping from his reverie.
"Something seem off to you?" Canard clasped a hand to the younger drake's shoulder and gripped it tightly before entering the hole himself.
"Why?" Bico looked confused. "What's wrong?"
"Can't put a feather to it yet, but something's not right. Probably just that thief messing with my head."
"Keep your eyes open. I've got rear."
"Hey, who's captain here?" Canard laughed as he vanished from the surface. Sewage splashed as he dropped into the ankle deep water.
Flashlights were turned on as soon as Bico pulled the heavy cover over the entrance and hid them from view.
"Oh, g'dess this reeks," Laysan held a hand over her nose, trying to block the smell.
The stench was overpowering, crawling into the backs of their throats and worming its way through their sinus' before squeezing their stomachs into tight knots. Ailyssa openly retched, dry heaving in an attempt to expel the fetid odor from her body.
"Then let's move." Canard didn't want to be down there any longer than necessary. He moved to the front of the group and began guiding them forward, scanning the tunnel for hidden dangers and making sure of each step.
"Careful here," he warned. "There's a drop off. Move left." The sludge was already calf deep and seeping its way into his boots. He didn't want to think about how difficult it'd be to get them clean after this ordeal. If he hadn't seen the underwater drop off with the Mask, they'd have all ended up chest deep in frigid, fecal water. Fortunately, there was a narrow ledge to the left, allowing them to step up and out of the slimy fluid.
They turned down another tunnel and Canard looked upwards. The Mask showed they were still under the zoo. Fastest way out? He waited while the relic somehow carried his mind forward, flying down myriad tunnels and back at dead ends before settling on the fastest route. Several hidden explosives were highlighted along the way as well as a nearby pack of Hunter Drones.
"Follow my steps exactly," he ordered. "We've got five explosives ahead."
They nodded their silent assent.
Canard wove through the booby trapped section of the sewer, guiding his teammates along by pointing out where the danger lay hidden.
They made it through the most dangerous section of the sewer and were nearly to the planned exit when Canard's stomach did a strange flip. He paused, listening to that feeling of dread building just beneath his heart. He turned a slow circle, scanning for hidden dangers.
Shimmering vapors solidified into cloaked hunter drones under the vision of Drake DuCaine's Mask. Four lurked on the other side of an explosive, moving with a silence he'd yet to encounter with any drones before. Ten more lagged behind.
"Get down!" He barked, swinging his launcher around and aiming for the buried explosive closest to the four drones. His single shot hit its mark, creating a deafening detonation and burst of fire-hot air. Pieces of the ceiling fell, crushing drones and threatening a cave in.
Canard and his team rushed forward as the remaining drones de-cloaked and charged forward, lasers firing. Bico turned around and ran backwards, firing his own gun and taking out several drones before a blast caught him in the leg. The drake fell with a cry, his leg now useless.
"Get up!" Ailyssa shouted, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him along. She threw his arm across her shoulders and helped the much taller drake hobble away from danger.
"Told ya bunch to look out!" A shadow detached itself from the walls and ran towards the drones, golden sword held out in a blaze of light. He leaped at the drones, dodging shots aimed at his head and torso. Three drones fell to his sword and another lost all mobility to a bola wrapped around its arms and legs. "Go on, run!" He shouted.
"Fat chance!" Canard stopped and fired, standing his ground.
"Give him to me," Laysan moved to Bico's other side and took his weight from the tech. "I'll get him to the surface."
"Those bots going die," Ailyssa smiled ferally before pulling out her own gun and firing.
Under the combined fire of four trained soldiers and one expert swordsdrake, the robots fell into pieces.
"Come on," Duke ran back to the group. "We've gotta move. They know where you bunch are now. More'll be on the way."
"Thanks for saving our tailfeathers back there," Canard said around gasped air.
"Ain't outta the fire yet, kid."
"Little help here?" Laysan pushed against the heavy cover high above them, trying her best to dislodge it.
"I got it," Big Deke climbed the ladder behind her and added his strength to it. Even combined, they were unable to budge the cover.
Canard looked through the ceiling to find a massive pile of rubble over their location.
"We've got to find another way out. That way's blocked."
"This way." Duke knelt next to Bico and pulled his arm around his own shoulders, leading them down another dark passageway.
"Not that way," Big Deke complained as he jumped the rest of the way, making a splash with his landing. "There's more explosives down that tunnel."
"How do you know that?" Canard demanded. "How could you possibly know where the traps are?"
"No time arguing," Ailyssa kept glancing both ways down the sewers, expecting an ambush at any moment.
"I ain't waitin for you bunch to make up your minds," Duke growled as he continued to haul the injured soldier in his original direction. "Come with me or die, your choice."
Canard made a snap decision and followed Duke. Who better to know the secret ways out of a trap than an experienced thief? Everyone else followed suit.
Duke led them down another tunnel, making two sharp turns before finding another ladder leading to the surface. Impending doom echoed through the dark underground. No longer concerned with ambush, drones stopped moving carefully and sped forward, trying to trap their prey before it escaped.
Bico held onto the ladder for support while Duke climbed to the top and pushed aside the cover with ease.
"This is going to be fun," the currently one legged duck quipped as he began trying to haul himself up. Giving up, he hopped off. "The rest of you go first."
Ailyssa shot up the ladder much faster than one would have assumed her short legs could carry her. Big Deke followed suit.
"You next," Laysan told Canard. "I'm the medic, I stay with the injured."
"Fat chance," Canard refused. "You get up there. I can carry him better."
She paused, deciding if she wanted to be insubordinate or not, but reluctantly climbed out.
"My turn to carry you," Canard turned his back to the injured duck. "Grab on."
"You're nuts, Thunderbeak."
"Hey! Quit yer lallygagging down there," Duke yelled down. He lowered a rope with a loop tied at the end. "Tie this around him and I'll get him up."
Canard pushed the loop over Bico's arms and head before turning to the ladder. When the youth began rising upwards thanks to the combined efforts of Duke and Big Deke, Canard climbed as well, making sure to stay just underneath him in case the rope slipped.
Laysan grabbed Bico's arms as he came through the hole and helped haul him out with Ailyssa's help. Canard poked his head through a moment later.
"All good?" Duke asked, looking them over. "Besides the smell."
"I think so," Big Deke nodded. "Now what?"
"Now, we blow this joint." Canard pulled an explosive puck from his pocket and armed it with a thirty second delay. "Duke, can you carry this?" He removed his pack of parts and handed it to the thief.
"Maybe."
Canard again turned his back to Bico. "Hop on."
"Aw, Canard," the soldier teased. "This wasn't what I meant when I said I wanted a piggy back ride earlier."
"I know," he laughed. "Be happy you get this much."
Bico wrapped his arms around Canard's shoulders, making sure not to choke him. Canard grabbed his legs and bounced the weight of the younger drake around to get more comfortable. He threw the puck down the sewer and they all ran, following Duke's lead by default.
The gray drake led them down several alleys, miraculously avoiding a pack of searching drones twice. He stopped not too far from the warehouse where they'd originally met. Two bourica stood outside, saddled and ready to go. One carried a large pack of supplies on its back, no doubt the goods that Duke had looted earlier. The other had a padded blanket strapped around its chest. Stirrups hung from the girth, indicating this particular creature could be ridden.
"Wait a minute," Laysan stopped in her tracks and stared at the animals. "You ride?"
"There's a lot bout me nobody knows, beautiful." He dropped the pack Canard had given him and set to undoing the straps holding the stolen goods to the pack animal's back. "Any of you ride?"
"No," Ailyssa shook her head. "Nobody does!"
"The rich do, from what I hear," Big Deke scratched the back of his neck. "Looks like we're about to learn."
"Only two of ya. Bico, get on. Who's got the best balance?"
"Doesn't matter, I'm going with him." Laysan stepped forward. "And I used to raise bourica, so I can ride."
Canard stood next to the massive animal, wondering how to move the soldier from his back to the beast's. Bico made the decision for him by releasing his shoulders and grabbing hold of a strap wrapped around the creature's torso. With a little help from the tan drake, he managed to get on.
"You're up behind him." Duke interlaced his fingers, offering Laysan a leg up. She stepped on them, accepting the help.
"First lesson, hang on," Duke instructed. "Laysan, you keep Bico up there. Grip with your legs, lean forward, and keep your heads down. She gets antsy, she tends ta throw them antlers back quite a bit. Don't need either of you getting knocked out or stabbed."
"Ooh, boy." Laysan leaned forward, wrapped her arms around Bico, and took a firm grip on the harness going around the beast's chest and torso. Bico, for his part, hunkered down as much as possible and gripped the same strap firmly.
"Where are you going?" Canard looked up at the mounted Duke. "How do we meet up again?"
"You bunch hide over there," he nodded towards a falling down building. "I'll be back for you when it's dark."
"You're going to let this criminal cart off half our team?" Big Deke glared at Canard. "He's a no good, lying thief!"
"And he saved our lives. That counts for something. I'm trusting him."
Duke didn't bother hanging around to argue more. He took the reins of the pack bourica in one hand and goaded his mount on. They walked forward before picking up the pace to a trot and then into their famous bounding leaps that carried them away faster than anything else on land.
"Now what?" Ailyssa picked up the packs that Duke had abandoned.
"Now we stash all of this and wait." Canard began gathering what he could carry. "You too, Big Deke."
The detective grumbled under his breath but followed orders.
0000
It was well after dark when Duke finally returned. The strange galump-galump followed by a pause and another galump-galump signaled the approach of two bourica. Their gate changed to a steady click clack of their hooves on pavement as they neared the building Duke had suggested they hide in.
He rode right in, completely at ease on the large, black beast and leading the smaller, brown one.
"Glad ta see you waited. I'd hate ta have to rescue you lot again." He slid off, gracefully landing on his feet and dropping the reins to the floor. "Hope you got some rest?"
"We did," Canard stood and stretched. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."
"You've got DuCaine's mask; you bet I'm coming back."
"Who said anything about DuCaine?" Big Deke stood and hefted his pack onto his shoulders once more.
"Never said this was DuCaine's mask," Canard evaded. "I just like to protect my face when I'm in battle. Don't want to loose an eye."
"Touche." He eyed the stolen goods and the soldiers before him. "They can't take that much weight. You bunch take out whatever you broke inta that camp for and leave it here. I'll come back for it after dropping you off with your friends."
"No way," Big Deke growled. "I'm not trusting you with anything."
"Fine," Duke shrugged. "Find your own way back ta Vanadium."
Canard crossed his arms, watching the gray drake. How did he know about Vanadium? Did he know where it was?
"Stop puffing," Duke laughed, poking the soldier in the chest. "I ain't gonna steal whatever it is you already took. Don't need it. Look, the sooner I get you lot outta my hair, the sooner I can get my goods and disappear again."
"Why are you helping us?" Canard had questions and he was going to get answers.
"Why? Because you've got DuCaine's mask. Because we need the Resistance. Those of us fighting on our own, we need the hope that you guys being around gives us. Hell, not everyone believes you exist. You guys are almost as elusive as me. And, because I like you, most of you. I might even help out that meat-eating screw."
Canard once again scanned Duke for any hidden weapons or danger. The Mask showed him to be clean.
"How's Bico?"
"Sleepin' like a baby last I left him. That girl 'o yours did a real nice job patching him up." He moved next to the brown bourica. "Now, you guys coming or what?"
"Okay. Empty your packs of all but the essentials." Canard knelt and began removing the parts he'd crammed into his bag, making sure to keep the ammunition, remaining food, and medical supplies. "Big Deke, give me your stuff; we'll combine packs and leave yours here. That should help Duke with carrying everything when he comes back."
Big Deke glared at the leader again, but followed orders.
"Alright, sweetheart," Duke looked to Ailyssa. "You're riding Petty Theft here. The screw'll ride with you. Canard, you're with me on Larceny."
Canard nodded and waited his turn while Duke helped Big Deke and Ailyssa mount up. "Hang on ta this strap here," he pointed to the one around the torso, "And keep your heads down. Sweetheart, you be sure to hunker up real close ta the neck, kay? And if this meathead tries anything, feel free ta kick him off."
"You're pushing it, L'Orange," Big Deke glared at the thief from astride his mount. He was uncomfortable enough sitting on a creature that he'd never seen in real life, much less ridden. He'd have been far more comfortable on a snow ski.
"Apparently not far enough." He threw a cocky grin at the detective before patting him on the leg and moving over to his steed.
"Upsy-daisy, leader-duck." He bent down and interlocked his fingers to help Canard up.
"I'm riding in front?"
"Nah, I am. Someone's gotta steer. They pretty much know the way home, but I still gotta guide them."
"Then you get up first. I can hop on without any help."
"Suit yourself." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head sideways in amusement. This was going to be interesting. With an easy hop, he leapt onto Larceny's back and scooted forward. He offered a hand down to Canard.
Canard clasped his forearm and jumped, landing belly first on the furry hindquarters. Larceny danced to the side, sending the soldier to the ground and almost sending Duke there with him.
"Hahaha!" Duke laughed deeply at Canard sitting on the ground, wondering just what had happened. "Warned ya."
"Okay. One more time." Canard stood, dusted himself off, and tried again. This time, he managed to get further up and swing a leg around the animal's hindquarters before sitting upright and scooting forward a little. The backbone dug uncomfortably into his posterior.
Duke leaned down, keeping his head near the thickly furred neck. A quick glance showed Canard sitting too far back. "Scoot up." He pulled the drake closer and made sure he had a good grip on the neck strap before urging the hoofed animal forward.
Canard only made the mistake of lifting his head up too high once. He dropped it again when an antler from the trotting bourica brushed the top if his head. Any closer and he'd have had a nasty hit. No wonder so few chose to ride these animals; motorized transportation made much more sense.
Duke eventually led them out of the downtown district and into the richer part of town. Despite the obvious wealth, the Iron Range neighborhood was in shambles. Elegant townhomes hunched over in faceless rubble. Some were intact, others only suffered a missing roof, and many more had been reduced to nothing more than piles of brick, drywall, and lumber.
They trotted up to a garage and stopped just outside it. Duke pressed a series of buttons on a keypad next to the door and waited patiently as it rose into the ceiling. Once inside, he allowed Canard to dismount before hopping off himself. Big Deke and Ailyssa didn't wait for any help and half slid, half fell off.
Canard looked around the spacious garage. Hay had been strewn across the floor and a couple of bales were stacked against one wall.
Duke began stripping the gear from his bourica and gave them some water.
"Gonna let them rest for a bit, then I'll get the rest of the stuff."
"Need any help?" Canard offered. He hadn't enjoyed the ride at all; the animals were too wide and bony for his comfort. However, this mission was his responsibility and he would help if needed.
"Nah," Duke shook his head. "Can carry more without anyone else along."
"What's to stop you from taking everything and leaving?" Big Deke glowered.
"Other than my word? Nothing." He turned his maroon clad back to the officer and opened the back door. "You coming in or what?" With that, he stepped through and left the door open.
The townhome was completely dark inside. The only light came from a small sliver of moon creeping in a window. Chairs and a table hovered in the darkness, their shapes as obscured as the shadowy thief that led them through the kitchen and to some stairs. Golden light from candles in the basement peeked out from under the door.
"Lights don't work, so don't even bother trying any switches," Duke said as he descended. "Don't bring anything that gives off light upstairs. Don't make noise upstairs. Keep it down while you're here. Drones don't hit this area much; most everything's been looted or destroyed and people don't try hiding out here. Idiots think the big high rises are better hiding spots." He made a scoffing laugh, "Dumb-asses always get themselves caught staying in the inner city like that."
Canard nodded, then hummed an agreement when he realized the one-eyed drake wasn't looking his way.
Bico lay comfortably on a mattress in the basement and Laysan sat next to him. His pants were off and she was inspecting his injured leg.
Canard whistled sharply, insinuating they were doing something far more romantic than changing bandages. "If you two need a minute to finish up, we can go back upstairs."
"Laysan," Ailyssa made a approving clicking sound. "You and Bico. Hot stuff. Next time, I join?"
"I like the sounds of that," Bico looked up, smiling. "Guess I'm in the middle tonight when we share the bed?"
"In your dreams," Laysan tightened the bandage a little tighter than necessary.
"Oof." Bico grunted, then rubbed his leg. "Glad to see everyone in one piece. So, where we at?"
"No drones spotted all day. We laid low, waited for Duke to come back. He's returning to the warehouse later tonight to retrieve our gear."
"Eh." Duke sat on an overturned bucket and crossed his arms. "We've got a few things ta discuss afore I head out."
"I've got nothing to stay to you," Big Deke growled. He stood above Duke, arms folded and glowering down.
Big Deke could have been a gnat for all the attention Duke paid him.
"Ci, Thank you," Ailyssa sat next to the bico, studying his muscular leg. "You walk?"
"Haven't tried yet. Doctor's orders to keep the weight off it." He lifted himself with his arms and shifted his weight to the center of the bed to give her a little more room. "So, what'd you want to talk about, Duke?"
"First off, what were you lot doing, breaking into a slave camp in the first place? Nothing you took was worth anything. Nobody in there warrants rescue."
"It's a classified mission," Canard spoke up, trying to keep as much of it a secret as possible. He didn't like how much Duke already supposedly knew, or was trying to pretend he knew.
"Stealing parts for aquariums is classified? What's the Resistance going to do, drown the Saurians? Nah," he shook his head. Pulling a toothpick out from some inner pocket of his maroon cat suit, he stuck it in his mouth and chewed on it. "You guys have a bigger problem. It's got ta be desperate if you're breaking in somewhere like that. Buncha amateurs." He paused, his one good eye considering each duck before him. "No… My guess is, you guys got a water problem."
Ailyssa leaned against a support beam and shrugged noncommittally.
"And if you got a water problem," Duke continued, "Then you've got a real problem with the numbers your hideout can handle. How many's Garganey gotten rid of so far? How long do you think your little repairs will last?"
"I'm not saying there is or isn't a water problem," Canard spoke for the group. "But those parts we took are important. What's your angle? Why are you trying to get at?"
"Honestly? I'm trying to figure if I should join your team or not."
"You? HAH!" Big Deke burst out into a deep, mirthless laugh of mockery. "The only thing you're interested in is getting in there and selling whatever information you can to whoever will pay the most. And we all know the Saurians are the ones with the deep pockets these days. I'm not letting your sorry tailfeathers anywhere near that base."
"Big Deke?" Canard spoke with a warning calm.
"Yes sir?"
"Sit down and be quiet. This is between Duke and me. Any quarrel you have with Duke can be settled on your own time."
The white feathered detective grumbled something unflattering before turning his back to the whole matter and going upstairs.
"You're the tech, right?" Duke looked at Ailyssa.
"What if?" She stared right back at him, refusing to be intimidated by his directness.
"Something tells me those parts you took are only a makeshift measure. You're doing what we've all had to for the past year, making do with what the Saurians haven't destroyed or don't want. If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be?"
"Nice massage, bout a million credits, and my homeworld back."
"I meant parts-wise." He glossed over her joking list.
"Little taller," she shrugged, ignoring his directness. When he said nothing, she continued. "Four Telcer 500 filters, bout a dozen Gasus couplings, and fifteen Lohk tubes."
He nodded to himself, mentally locking away the information. "Where would you normally go to find these things?"
"What are you planning?" Canard asked.
"My own business." He once again looked to Ailyssa. "Where would you go?"
"Used to be a parts store on Ninth and Southwing St. Trash now."
Duke stood. "I'm off. The Bourica should have had enough time to rest up. If I'm not back by sunup, wait for me; I'll be back tomorrow night."
With that, he vanished up the stairs without a sound, leaving a group of very puzzled soldiers behind.