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Storyteller 2013: This chapter contains Language, gunplay, stylized violence, blood and mild gore. Viewer dis..
** Fay knocks down ST mid-sentence**
Fay: Get on with it! I want to see how it ends!
Chapter 8
Macbeth Part III
Revelations
Krystal ran along the rooftop of the warehouse. She knew she was running out of time. Katt and the others had been captured by Crane and that every second lost, each minute that passed would bring her friends closer and closer to death. Come on Krystal faster, don't let the fear slow you down they need you. She thought, as she found her way back to the club she stopped and ducked behind an air conditioning unit.
Two eagles in street clothes paced back and forth along the roof's edge, Krystal looked over the edge of her hiding place evaluating this threat. She knew that in this part of Macbeth gangs used the rooftops to trade drugs, guns, and, on occasion, to kill their rivals.
However, the way these two carried themselves and the way they held the weapons in their feathered hands she could tell that these where ex-soldiers or highly disciplined bouncers, either way they were in her road and they were about to become road kill. Quietly as she could she took out her staff and equipped the ice blaster, then she peered over the edge, the eagles had stopped their pacing and were facing the club.
Perfect.
Krystal leapt from her cover, extended her staff and swung. The blow caught the first eagle in the head, killing him instantly; his corpse fell into his comrade knocking him off balance. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she twirled the staff and knocked the blaster out of her foe's hands then threw herself into a flip, kicking her foe in the head. The avian fell hard on his back knocking all the air out of his lungs Krystal spun her staff, rested it on her shoulders then froze him where he lay.
Krystal collapsed her staff and put back in its holster then walked over to the first eagle's corpse and looked it over. She found a two-way radio in the corpse's ear, using her headset she hacked its frequency then took his rifle, only to grimace at what she saw. It was a sniper rifle and the scope had been destroyed when its owner fell."Damn it's useless, wait my headset I can use it as a rifle scope."
Quickly she activated her head set and synced it to the rifles mainframe. "Activate radio." She commanded then she set herself up to fire. The radio crackled for a moment then she heard blows landing and some voice saying. "Enough, heal them up and sit them down I need to know what they know about our operation." Krystal scanned the room and what she saw shocked and enraged her. Leon and two of Cranes' bodyguards were beating Katt, Cyrus and Whitefur mercilessly, while Miyu was forced to watch at gun point if she looked away, her face shoved back in place by a she-wolf that looked like someone she knew but she couldn't put a name to it.
Crane sat at his desk a cruel smile on his lips, behind him were Wolf O' Donnell and a black bear wearing a red and blue uniform with the Andross logo. Andross's image shrouded in darkness on one side, the other, white as if being bathed in light from heaven. In the corner, looking on with disapproval and a little boredom was someone she knew all too well, Panther Caroso.
Leon looked down at Cyrus who was trying to stand up and gave him another kick to the ribs. Over her comm's speakers, Krystal could hear Cyrus's ribs crack from the blow. Cyrus fell to the ground holding his ribcage and gasping for breath. "Leon set your ass down or I'll teach the torturer master what true pain is!" Crane shouted.
Leon backed off, sat down in one of the black leather armchairs and absently toyed with a switchblade took out two healing regenerators and looked over at the she-wolf. "Lupa stop being a bitch with Miyu and give me a hand with this." He tossed her one of the med tools, Lupa caught it and walked over to Cyrus and went to work on him while Wolf worked on Katt.
"Try to hold still, you're smart mouth really screwed you and your friends over." Lupa said Cyrus rolled his eyes or rather one of them the other was almost swelled shut.
"If I had known that the grandmother stab would set Leon off like that I would have tried a different approach." He replied wistfully. Lupa lifted up his shirt and winced as she ran the regenerator over the large red blotchy bruise. "I'm sorry this should not have happened." Lupa said as she moved on from his repaired ribs to his eye he smiled at her.
"Don't be, a job's a job when you're a merc, what happens on it isn't your fault."
When Lupa was finished, she helped him to his feet then went over to Whitefur turned and shouted at one of the bodyguards, "YOU LIMPDICK SON OF BITCH! You went too far on him get the med kit in the panic room and bring it to me!"
"But he's L.S.S ."
"I don't give a fuck! Just bring it or I'll rip off your balls and shove them down your throat!"
He turned and left the room and brought the kit to her when it was in her hands she cracked him right in the temple killing him, "That is for talking back at me you sack of shit."
Lupa quickly opened up the kit and started to work on Whitefur, Lupa set up a small life support unit and began to heal him. "Will he be alright?" Katt asked worried. "He took a bad blow to the head, he's got a severe concussion if his falls asleep he could die. If I work fast enough he be on his feet in five or ten minutes but I can't be interrupted."
Cyrus turned and looked at Crane and made no attempt to hide his hatred for the avian as he sat down in a chair, "I'm going bring you down Crane. Either by helping Whitefur arrest you or by ending your life myself and that is a promise." His voice was filled with such malice and conviction that Krystal didn't doubt the words Cyrus had spoken.
Crane, on the other hand, just laughed thinking that the tod was simply blowing smoke. "Ha, am I supposed to be scared? I've faced bigger challenges than you and the infamous Star Fox team. Are you surprised I know that? It's no big secret that Whitefur's closest friend is Fox McCloud, if he ever needed help Fox is the most logical choice for him to go to."
Krystal growled. So he was expecting this and I was so focused on getting Miyu out of here I didn't even notice! Cyrus you and the others are in danger. If you have a plan use it fast he's got something up his sleeve but I can't tell what it is. He's blocking me somehow and don't underestimate the black bear.
She felt his acknowledgment. I know I can't get a reading on him either it's like he has been stripped of emotion and yet he is still himself. Anyway I've got one last card to play I just hope I can play the part right. Cyrus replied.
Crane stood up from behind his desk and approached his prisoners. "Now my associate and I are placed in a rather awkward position you see, my new emperor has called upon my services to restore his empire. I promised him that I would do whatever he wants whenever he needs me and I would handle the task with absolute secrecy."
Cyrus chuckled. "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep Crane your reputation is one that has everyone knows who you were in your past and that attracts unwanted attention wherever you go."
Crane grinned at the young tod. "You may have a point young one, but still the point remains the team you represent is still is going to give me a bad name. Now you and Miss Monroe are going answer some questions for me."
"And if we refuse?" Katt challenged.
Crane walked over to Whitefur and calmly kicked one of Lupa's instruments over. Alarms rang out on her console Lupas' fingers flew over the screen as fast as her foul mouth started running.
"No, you sick bastard haven't you done enough to him? Why did you do that?!" Miyu shouted and rose to her feet but was shoved back to her seat by a bodyguard.
Crane shrugged as if it wasn't his problem. "Death can be a powerful motivator that can cause even a mule to speak I know that I can't threaten you or miss Monroe with death, I can't get information out of the dead and if I threaten the other tod," He gestured to Cyrus. "he might lie to me. But he is also your weak link. If Whitefur is his friend he won't waste my time or risk his friend's life. Now I know that you are working for the L.S.S or have their technology, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to get on my computer, but no one can get to one my computer files unless I want them to, now who gave you the codes to my computer?"
"How do you know I'm not that good? I'm a pretty good at hacking." Myiu said.
"I have the Retcon series seven, the most advanced computer on the market, ten letters are all I need and it will cycle through in hundreds of combinations every day. You couldn't even hack it without the letters of the code, now who gave you the my code?" Crane said
Cyrus looked at Whitefur then back at Crane. "Come now, are you going let your friend die over some letters?"
He bit his lip then lowered his head ears and tail drooping in defeat. Here goes nothing. "Alright, you win, I'm sorry Mark but I need Whitefur alive. Your so called friend here is with us, he's an agent of the L.S.S."
Crane turned to the bear with hate in his eyes.
"He's lying! Crane I'm not a spy you've seen my file, I uh I knew all the passwords and I passed all the tests you thew at me." The black bear cried his voice filled with dismay Cyrus kept up his little half-truth charade.
"A file that was put together by the brightest and the best of the L.S.S and passwords were intercepted by the L.S.S. anything else can be looked up. Mark gave us the codes and set you up for the fall. Face it Crane you've lost it all. I think that you can kiss that spot in the resurrected empire good-bye. "
Crane turned toward the bear a blaster in his fist, this action prompted the bear to draw his own blaster. The two faced each other one furious the other frightened for his life. "You lying son of a bitch! You thought you could double cross me?"
"Crane, Listen to me Andrew sent me; I swear I can contact him…"
Krystal looked on with concern. This was you last card? Cyrus what are you thinking there all worked up and ready kill each other! Cyrus chuckled, That is the whole idea now, if you would be so kind, could you send a plasma round in here so we can get this party started and Whitefur can stop pretending that he is close to death Don't worry it's all part of the plan. Krystal set her rifle to stun, took aim at Leon's' chest and fired.
The shot had just the desired effect that Cyrus had hoped. As a certain burned spy once said and please note I'm paraphrasing, "When you're in a tense situation and everyone has a gun, the slightest thing will set you off." Crane shot the bear in the belly and chest the bear fell to the floor life fleeting from his body with his dying breath he fired at Crane grazing his ribcage.
At the sound of the blasters Whitefur leapt to his feet and tackled the bodyguard by Miyu. The moment she was free Miyu threw a kick right in Lupa's surprised face then jumped on her only to be kicked back on to the couch as Lupa counter attacked.
Katt went for the guns on Crane's desk only to be stopped by Panther. "Ah ah ah Katt I don't want to hurt you but if you- Arugh!" Katt planted her fist in his right eye, but Panther absorbed the blow and tackled her spilling, the guns and Cyrus's shor` mu blade, to the floor.
Cyrus and Crane faced each other with a pile of weapons at their feet; both of them dove for the pile at the same time. As they fell Cyrus got an old feeling from when the days when his little sister would jump on his back, and right now he could feel someone closing in on him. Crap I forgot about Wolf and now he's going to drop on my back I have to do something.
Your Reflector, use your Reflector to get some breathing room! Krystal said. As Cyrus landed with his hand on his blade'shilt then flexed his right wrist. A blue hexagon flashed outward zapping the two five feet away from him. Cyrus brought his feet together and pushed off the floor with his left hand while his right gripped the ornate sheath of his chaos blade by the time he landed on his feet Crane and Wolf drew their guns and squeezed the triggers.
But no high energy bolts flew his way. "Uh-oh looks like I shorted out your blasters now what you gonna do now?" Wolf and Crane drew their own knifes and attacked.
Krystal watched the whole scene before her unfold as Star Fox fought Star Wolf for their lives.
Miyu threw a round house kick at Lupa's head Lupa blocked the blow and slid her fist up Miyus' leg in a hammer fist and struck her in the face, Miyu fell down into one of the black leather armchairs with Lupa on top of her Miyu shot her left knee up in to Lupas' pubic bone Lupa screamed in pain as Miyus' knee connected, Miyu brought her head smashing into Lupas' forehead and pushed her off.
Panther and Katt danced about the room exchanging fierce blows. Katts' fists shot out into quick jabs followed by quick kicks placed in the weak points of Panthers' body. Panther blocked what blows he could but took kicks to his knees, head and stomach. Panther fell back from Katts' onslaught then struck back at her by deflecting the blows, redirecting her attacks, and using her own speed and strength against her.
Katt charged Panther who dropped down to the floor and tripped her with a swing of his tail. "Krystal was right about you, you really are something else Panther." Katt said she picked herself up from the floor Panther grinned suggestively. "Perhaps you would like to be reminded what she meant by that kitty Katt."
Krystal rolled her eyes and shot Panther in the head with a stun bolt. "Freaking womanizing perv." She said. Katt looked out the window and mouthed, "Thank you."
Whitefur blocked a punch from the bodyguard, grabbed his wrist and pulled him into a knee strike then followed it up with a kick to the face using the outside of his foot the guard staggered back stunned. Whitefur spun and back-fisted and brought his opposite elbow into his opponent's in the jaw and chopped him in the neck. The guard fell back then charged at Whitefur head on and drop kicking him. Whitefur fell on his back and rolled backwards on to his feet and kicked the avian in the chest.
" You need a hand Super Spy?" Cyrus called out.
"No but you seem to have your hands full with those two would you like some help?" Whitefur teased as Cyrus dodged a slash from Wolf.
"If you have the time that would be nice by the way your buddy is back on his feet." Whitefur turned just as his foe charged him, Whitefur caught him by the sides, picked him up, and fell backwards, and dropping him onto one of arms on a chair Whitefur put his hands on the bodyguard's head and snapped his neck.
Krystal shook her head. "How can they joke at a time like this? I'll never understand men. But if Cyrus needs help I'll be glad to…" Krystal's train of thought stopped as she watched Cyrus duel with the chaos blade, every step he took, each blow he blocked, and every strike he made, she had seen them all before when she was younger when her foster brother would train with her and her sisters and Cyrus was copying him as if he had been trained by him.
"Cyrus you and I need to have a little chat when this is all over." She growled and shot Wolf with a light stun. When Wolf fell to the ground Crane and Cyrus went all out bringing kicks and punches into their knife fight, Crane slashed at Cyrus's neck Cyrus ducked under the blow and slammed his hilt right into Crane's injured side and followed up with a kick to his ribs Crane shifted his weight took hold of the young tod's leg and spun.
Cyrus dropped his blade and grabbed the avian's neck and relaxed as his support foot left the floor his back collided with something hard as Crane threw him into a wall Cyrus let out a shout releasing all the air in his lungs he landed on his side, got back on his feet and readied himself for Crane's next attack.
Crane brought his fist up to punch Cyrus in his jaw but his arm was caught in a firm grip and as a result Crane took a hook kick to his jaw his head snapped around to see Whitefur smash his fist right under his chin, stunned, Crane fell back right into a right hook from Cyrus then was flip kicked by Whitefur.
Crane rolled over the top of his desk stunned, slowly he rose to his feet practically passing out from the force of the blows he received from the two vulpine warriors. As he turned to face them Cyrus and Whitefur the duo had vaulted over the desk and kicked Crane in the chest, the blow sent Crane flying out the window and down on to the club below.
Myiu caught hold of Lupa's arm and trapped it behind her back. Lupa fought and struggled to get free then tensed and fell to the floor. Miyu leaned against the window to catch her breath. "Well I see you've cannibalized the wrist panel I gave you," Katt said. "Is that a Taser?" The lynx nodded. "Yep among other things."
Whitefur and Cyrus fell back from the broken window as green plasma bolts flew at them. "Time to go, Crane is too well protected down there for us to get at him, we need to fall back now!" Whitefur shouted Cyrus picked up his Cerberus pistols then shot out the window. "Anyone care to join me? I think it would be a good idea to get out of here." Cyrus said as he jumped out the window.
Krystal disconnected her headset from the rifle's mainframe, dropped the sniper rifle on the ground, and joined, Whitefur and Cyrus in the alley. Whitefur nodded at her. "Thanks for your help back there Krys I don't think we could have gotten out of there without you."
"You're welcome Whitefur, what are Katt and Miyu doing? Are they alright?" Krystal asked worried that one of them was hurt. "Miyu is "borrowing" Lupa's pants, aside from my jacket, and she has practically no clothes on." Cyrus said anxiously, he looked back up at the window tapping his foot, he could hear the sound of sirens in the distance and they were getting closer. Katt and Miyu jumped from the window and landed next to their friends with all the grace you would expect to see from a feline then the group fled down the alleyway.
As they ran Krystal reported that the city had been put on high alert. "About half way back to the port our headsets picked up chatter on the police band, saying that terrorists allied with Andrew had taken over The Red Light club and that more of them were on the streets, shortly afterwards the cops started to follow us so we blended into the crowd but then Katt shoved me down and took off."
She looked over at her best friend. "The cops chased her and eventually captured her so I found a private place then turned off my disguiser and made my way back to the club." Miyu side stepped a dumpster then asked, "So Crane cashed in a few favors to make sure we don't get off this rock. With all these cops in the street we can't make it back to port that way."
Whitefur stopped in his tracks. "Are you saying there is another way back to the ships?" Miyu stopped to explain. "There is a whole labyrinth of old side streets that go through the city but the only problem is the cops have patrols down there, which means someone needs to draw them off ." Then continued running after the others.
The team came to a corner and quickly ducked out of sight Whitefur pulled out his headset. "Set the headsets to tactical mode and your boots to combat mode." All pulled out their headsets save for Miyu, as she did not have one, and followed Whitefur's orders as Cyrus knelt he remembered what Whitefur had told him about the headsets features.
The headset had four modes Medical, Combat, Scanner, and Tactical. The Medical mode was for identifying any injury, how serious it was, the best way to treat it, and the odds of survival. Combat activated the holographic H.U.D or Heads Up Display, showing all enemy targets, ammo levels and had a targeting system that was at least ten years ahead of their starship counterparts.
The Scanner mode replaced hand held devices years ago because of its enhanced scanning capabilities picking up all geological, biological, and meteorological things twice as fast and bringing it to the user all at once. Finally, Tactical gave the user information from the planet's public central database, including but not limited to, city maps, geological formations, forests and things one could use in a strategic way.
"There's an entrance to one of the side street's five yards from here I use it to get to my Arwing. How are you planning on getting rid of the cop patrols?" Miyu asked.
"One problem at a time, uh-oh we got trouble cops just pulled up, alright let's go I've got some of the old maps here we'll able to double back in after we lose them."Whitefur led them down to the side street, which was ten feet from wall to wall and was paved in black cobble stones, garbage cans and grime lined the sides of the street making the whole place rather creepy.
"Katt, I want you to keep track of everyone with the G.P.S chips in the headsets hardware I don't…"
Whitefur's thoughts where interrupted by blaster fire the others ducked and drew their weapons but the deadly bolts did not fly at them or down the alley.
"Who are they shooting at... wait has anyone seen Cyrus?" Krystal asked.
Cyrus fired his Cerberus blaster pistols as he ran behind the club. "OVER HERE YOU SONS OF BITCHES COME AND GET ME!" He shouted as he climbed the fire escape to the roof of the Red Light Club then ran and jumped to the rooftop of a neighboring warehouse, he broke his fall with a roll then ran as fast as he could, each step adding to his speed thanks to the Exo boots he wore and the lesser gravity of that planet.
As he ran his headset communicator chirped as a call came in, "Cyrus here."
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING WE NEED TO STAY TOGETHER!" Whitefur shouted.
"Miyu said you need a diversion to get back to the spaceport consider this me volunteering and I'm not going to come back just because you order it!" Cyrus jumped to the rooftop of a theater, slid down the roof and landed on a dumpster.
"Just don't take any unnecessary risks keep your headset locked on to us that you can find us later."
"Copy that Whitefur I'll see you later." Cyrus signed off and ran out into the crowd, "Lock on to Krystal's comm signal and track." A small blue screen covered his eye and a mini map showed up, pointing to his allies. "Activate G.P.S. And show me the best courses to get to Krystal." Cyrus left the alley and did his best to blend in to the crowd. As Cyrus walked, he eavesdropped on the police to see what their plans were, "All available units, silver fox matching the description from Mr. Crane was spotted on the corner of D street and Newton, intercept and detain lethal force is not authorized repeat lethal force is not authorized. Proceed with caution, suspect is armed."
Cyrus sprinted through the crowd, turned to his left and ran into the street. He vaulted over the hood of car on to the sidewalk, shouts and curses followed him as he sped into the alley hover cars pulled into the alleyways entrance. "This is M.C.P.D Stop where you are." Quick as a cat, Cyrus jumped up onto the wall and free climbed up till he came to an open window and quickly clambered into an empty bed room, blaster bolts peppering the wall as he entered.
Cyrus quickly ran through the apartment finding things to help buy him a few minutes so he could get some more ground or to shake them of his trail. This was not a good place to try and shake the fuzz, how long has it been since I last did this? I've missed it maybe when I get back home I'll give the local cops a run for their money. Opening a closet he found a red sleeveless coat and put it on then went in to the kitchen and found a microwave oven, quickly he pried it open and removed the surge inhibitor then gathered some cleaning supplies and silverware and put them in next he found some duct tape and sealed it shut then set it by the door. "Show me the layout for the building and where the cops are now."
His headset showed him a scale model then showed him that the cops were on a floor below him, "Show time." Cyrus plugged in the microwave and set the timer for popcorn. Cyrus left the room as quick as he could to the nearest stairwell just as he reached the door he heard the sound of exo boots behind him.
"Over there I've got eyes on the target!" As they passed the apartment he had left the door part of the wall exploded knocking his pursuers to the floor just as Cyrus slammed the door to the shut and used a belt, that he had pilfered from the apartment, as an improvised lock then ran up the stairs to the roof and out into the world.
The first thing he saw, as he opened the door, were two jackals lying in wait for him dressed in black and armed with stun batons. Cyrus drew his chaos blade and went on the offensive. The first jackal thrust his baton at Cyrus's chest but Cyrus ducked under the arm of his opponent and slashed open an artery then spun to avoid a jab from the other jackal, and then stabbed him in the back of his neck the sharp blade went through the bone as if it was butter.
The jackal went down without a sound but his friend fell to his knees, his left hand pressed against his right armpit but red tears leaked from between his finger as his heart pumped out liters of his blood, he staggered for a moment then fell reaching out at Cyrus. "Please don't let me die like this, like some beast meant for slaughter. Kill me like a man please." The jackal pleaded. Cyrus stood there not sure of what to do he started to turn away, "Please don't go, your with Star Fox you're like me, a soldier fighting a war for change."
"How can you fight for someone like Andrew?" I can't leave him like this but I can't just kill him. Cyrus thought.
"As a warrior it's not my place to question my emperor or whether his cause is just or righteous, I am prepared to die for him that's all I can do." The jackal coughed. "But only the gods know whose cause on the side of justice, righteousness, and order, they will aid him in battle. You are the victor in this battle, you are the one the gods favor, I must now atone for my sins so let me die like a solder you owe me that. "
Cyrus turned back to the jackal and slowly pulled out his blaster, he took aim. "I'm sorry. This shouldn't have happened." Was all Cyrus could say then he shot the jackal in his head. Cyrus felt a tear roll down his cheek, "I am sorry." As he started to run away then fell to his knees and retched. As he whipped his mouth he found himself weeping uncontrollably. He felt sick, ashamed and disappointed. What have I become?
Suddenly a voice came through his speakers startling him out of his mixed emotions. "He's on the roof hee hee I'm going to make him dance for me!" From a above green bolt's plasma peppered the ground at Cyrus's side. He jumped to his feet and ran but Leon fired in front of his escape route, forcing him to jump and doge all over the roof top and then, unexpectedly, it stopped just as abruptly as it began.
Cyrus looked up saw a hovercraft in the air. The hover craft looked like it was about 48 feet long and 11 feet high two six foot long wings helped stabilize it and were equipped with four laser cannons and bomb launchers, the nose and cockpit was a glass bubble that could hold two the on in the front, which was the pilots seat controlling weapons and flight, and one in the back, controlling the radar and communications. But right now Panther was climbing down on top of Leon's head, "LEON STOP, CRANE WANTS HIM ALIVE!"
"GET OFF OF ME YOU BASTARD I CAN'T SEE! HOW CAN I TORTURE HIM IF I CAN'T SEE?"
Cyrus took advantage of the moment and ran to the edge and jump to a building across the street but fell short, he reached out and his hands caught hold of a ledge Cyrus dangled for a moment then pulled himself up and took hold of a railing and climbed into a level of a parking garage. Cyrus looked about himself and cautiously walked about the garage looking for a way out.
Hover cars of all sizes and shapes filled almost the whole room and in any one of them could be Crane's bodyguards or cops maybe even Crane himself. Cyrus calmed himself down and reached out with his mind looking for anyone that was looking for him or his two levels down he could sense the presence of the police. They were close closer than he had thought, they must have called for backup while he was in the apartment.
Cyrus ran to a stairwell and once again began to climb but down below him he heard the footsteps he look down and saw Wolf and group of assorted anthros coming up the stairs farther down canines were trailing after them."Damn it!" Cyrus said and dashed up the stairs as fast as he could be for too long he had made it to the top floor. As soon as he shut the door a beam of blue energy shot over his head, burning a hole in his hood.
He turned in the direction of the shot and saw the she wolf Lupa standing there with a Castle 454 disruptor in her hands. He started to run away from her but was blocked by the hover craft from earlier, as he backed away from that Wolf and his group came through the door. I'm trapped there is no way out. He looked about the roof and noticed the ledge. Oh no, that would be too dangerous but I don't have a choice plus it's just too much fun not too be had.
"Give it up pup you've had your fun but now you've no way to escape." Wolf said scowling with his good eye, but Cyrus just smiled.
"Sorry Wolf but that is where you are wrong."
Cyrus turned and ran toward the edge of the building, blaster bolts of every color flew through the air as he ran but he ignored them and bust into his maximum speed the edge came closer and closer.
"NO WAY NO FUCKN' WAY!" Lupa shouted in disbelief.
Cyrus jumped straight toward a warehouse down below him he heard a few people shout in surprise as he flew in an arc through the air. As his feet touched the roof of the warehouse he broke the fall with a roll and got up and ran.
"WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?" Panther shouted.
Cyrus flipped over an air conditioning unit and landed perfectly but as he went on his way the roof gave way beneath his feet and he fell down a few feet then landed on his on his feet and collapsed down on a catwalk . "Ow, well that went and put a crimp in my plans I wonder where … What is this?"
Cyrus climbed over the side of the catwalk and dropped down to the floor where large machine parts and boxes filled the room he was in stacked against the walls. He walked over to a box that had a insignia panted on its side, "Scan and match this insignia to any company on Macbeth," he thought for a moment then added. "Cross reference any thefts that have taken place over the last month." A minute later a match was made, the boxes, and probably the machine parts, were all property of Space Dynamics. "This must be the particle smasher that Crane is selling to Andrew. That means that this will be shipped out to him soon and if that is the case."
Cyrus took off his headset, switched on the emergency beacon and tucked it inside one of the large machine parts then ran down the rows of boxes and smaller parts hoping to find an exit. About fifteen minutes later Cyrus heard something drop to the floor with a loud clang somewhere behind him he spun around, ready to face… nothing. Suddenly someone wrapped an arm around his neck and kicked his feet out from under him Cyrus fell to the floor too surprised to do anything but curse his stupidity.
"Cyrus it's you, your alive!" Cyrus looked at the face of his attacker.
"Katt! What are you doing here?"
"When your headset went down Whitefur sent me too look for you. I thought might have been captured or worse, come on the others are wating for us."
Katt led Cyrus back through the boxes to an exit that led into one of the old side streets from there they made their way to an old warehouse that looked like it should have been condemned. The roof was rusted from years of rainfall the old wooden walls were gray with multiple shades of paint peeling slowly away from time's constant pull the large doors where wide open, reveling boxes and tarp covered machines but his attention was focused on the faces of Krystal, Whitefur and Miyu.
"Cyrus, you crazy son of a bitch, you made it through." Whitefur said walking toward him glad that he was alive. Krystal ran to Cyrus and embraced him like he was her long lost brother.
"Your alive, Krazoa be praised, I feared the worse are you alright?"
"Yeah all in one piece and ready to get off this rock."
"Good" Krystal said calmly then punched Cyrus in his face, "Don't EVER do that again." Then she turned and marched back to the warehouse.
Miyu started laughing in a clear musical voice as the others walked by her she followed them striding close to Cyrus, who was wiping blood from his mouth.
"Well that went well."
"Yep."
"Did you have fun?"
"Yep."
Miyu nodded her head and stopped Cyrus as they entered the warehouse. "Thanks for what you did you bought us enough time for us to escape you've got guts I like that. I think you'll fit right in with Star Fox or you could come and work for me Fay, my partner, and I are always looking for new talent."
Cyrus looked at her, a surprised expression on his face. "Thanks I'm glad you think so and if things don't work out with Fox I'll let you know. OH I have something for you." He started to reach into his pocket then froze he ears perked forward and fear in his eyes. "MIYU LOOK OUT!"
Cyrus pushed Miyu to the floor as Crane stepped forward from the shadows, brandishing a knife, as Crane brought the knife down Cyrus stood in front of him blocking Crane from his pray. "CYRUS NO!"
Crane's knife sank into Cyrus's chest, he hissed in pain as the razor sharp blade entered his body. "You stupid kit, thinking you could bring me down but in the end you die just like all the others!" He pulled his arm back but his arm did not move he tried again but his arm still did not move. Crane looked down to see his wrist in the grip of the young fox he look back into the eyes of Cyrus, hoping to see the life fleeing the tods eyes, instead his saw pure rage as Cyrus crushed Cranes right wrist as if it was a twig.
Crane screamed but it was cut short as Cyrus's left hand shot out, sized his lower jaw, pulled it out and stabbed Crane's own beak right in his forehead and thus it was, that Hudson Crane's days of crime, blood and death were fell to the floor lifeless blood gushing out from the ragged hole in his neck, a look of utter shock in his eyes as if he was asking "How? Why?"
"I told you so, you evil festering motherless prick, it was a promise." Cyrus said to the corpse at his feet, then noticed the knife his chest. "Hey, when did that get there?" He asked as shock set in.
Miyu and Whitefur led Cyrus deeper into the warehouses shadowed depths and set him down gently on some creates. Whitefur looked at Katt, "See if you can find a med kit in this dump, Krystal do you have your staff with you? Good then I need you over here, Miyu your on patrol, keep an eye out for trouble!" Whitefur switched his headset to medical and scanned the injury, "You're lucky Cyrus, if that knife had been about an inch or so longer you would be dead." He turned to Krystal, "I need you to use your staff and sear his wound shut as soon as I pull this knife out."
Katt came up with a med kit in her hands. "You're going to what?"
Cyrus spoke up, His voice was low as it hurt to breath. "It can't be helped Katt I can't move that well with this knife in me. I'll only slow everyone down and then this whole mission will be in vain."
"Before we begin," Krystal spoke up. "I'd like to suppress as much pain as possible."
"How?" Whitefur asked.
"By creating a psychic bridge between our two minds, I'll take the pain of the burn while he'll feel just the heat." Whitefur started to protest. "Whitefur don't argue with me we don't have time for it!" She snapped.
"Fine but do it quickly we are, as you said, running out of time."
It took Krystal only a second to set up the bridge then she charged up her fire blaster then nodded at Whitefur. Whitefur took hold of the knifes hilt and quickly pulled it out then Krystal set the tip of her staff on open wound the smell of flesh burning rose sharply in everyone's nose's, for a moment Cyrus felt the searing pain spread through his chest then it just faded away as Krystal took it all she whimpered and dropped her staff out of instinct and feel to knees gasping. Katt ran over and applied a hypo to Krystal's neck then ran over to Cryus and did the same to him. "So your chest won't bother you as much later." She explained then sprayed some cooling gel over the burned area.
Cyrus sat up slowly then walked over to Krystal and helped her to her feet.
Thank you Krystal but it doesn't quite feel right that…
Cyrus its ok it's not your fault. She replied kindly.
Whitefur looked up and called out, "Miyu come on we're getting out of here I've picked up a warp pad at the back of the building!"
"But you'll never get it to work without a member of Star Wolf."
From out of the shadows came Wolf O'Donnell with Miyu trailing after holding a heavy blaster with a curved bayonet.
"What are you doing here Wolf?" Whitefur asked, his voice had a hard edge to it Wolf raised his hands in surrender, "Relax I'm on your side and besides I should thank you for doing my job for me."
"What do you mean by that?" Cyrus asked his ears flat against his skull ready to spring into action despite his injured chest.
"Well after my team and I ripped off the Hubble system scanner Andrew sent us here to meet with Crane and one of his top lieutenants on Macbeth to retrieve the particle smasher and some files that he had stolen, get him to ship the goods that he stole, swipe the files and then kill Crane as soon as the opportunity arose."
"However he disappeared before I could ask where the files were so I came here to meet up with him so I could finish my mission but someone on your team killed him. I know that be I found his corpse. I started to look through his pockets, hoping to find the files on a flash drive and that is how Miyu caught me."
"You're not alone though you never come here without back up I remember this place when we smuggled those plans for Peppy." Krystal stated, "I can sense your team mates out there."
"Yes the others are waiting for me to give the order to storm in here and back me up, but I won't call them I owe you Krystal so I'll let you go this time. Now come on I left Leon in command and he is not one to wait for long when it comes to killing someone."
Wolf led them to the back of the warehouse to the warp pad. "Get on it will dump you at the spaceport you have got hurry the cops know about your ship! get there and get off this rock ASAP!" Wolf placed his hand on the wall and a dark blue orb lit up underneath his hand. "Good Luck you're gonna need it." As the team vanished Wolf shook his head. "Ahh I'm turning into a big softy."
The away team landed right where Wolf said they would inside the spaceport. Whitefur ran to a console and cursed. "Damn, we're on the wrong side of the port. We need to be in the west side not the east and to make matters worse someone is guarding the ships."
Cyrus looked over the arctic fox's shoulder and noticed some bulls milling about the yard. "They don't look like cops or feds for that matter, maybe they're private security."
"Well whoever they are we, they are blocking our way. We have no choice we're going to have to fight our way through them." Miyu said in a determined attitude.
Krystal handed her heavy blaster to the lynx, "You'll need this then don't worry I'll use my staff."
The group made their way down the hallways to the west side of the spaceport, stopping as patrols came by or taking down other guards that stood about in the halls. As they sped along Katt looked over at Cyrus he was falling a little behind and his brething was labored.
"You going to make it Cyrus?" She asked concerned Cyrus nodded his head. "Don't worry I'll be fine." But in truth Cyrus wasn't as sure as he sounded.
Twenty minutes later they made it to the port they were looking for inside a bunch of bulls stood around guarding the ships. Whitefur switched his headset to combat and scanned the room. "We need to take them by surprise if we want to get out of here. What I wouldn't give for a flash grenade right now."
"There is a fueling station in the far wall that would make quite a bang if can you hit." Miyu said.
Whitefur aimed at the wall and put his finger on the trigger but before he could take the shot the fueling unit exploded throwing the bulls off their feet.
"Great shot Whitefur!" Cyrus shouted.
"Didn't take the shot, they must have had a few surprises for us if we tried to refuel. Let's get the hell out of here before they recover!" Whitefur shouted.
The group charged into the room running for their ships. Miyu was the first one to make it to her Arwing she touched the side and entered her key code instantly, her ship began to power up.
Krystal, Katt, Cyrus and Whitefur were about halfway to the shuttle when a blaster bolt flew through the air Cyrus spun, dropped to the ground and returned fire. Behind him were Venomien troops filling the entrance dressed in black tactical armor.
"Katt get onboard and prime the engines we'll cover you!" Whitefur shouted over the sound of the blasters fire he and Krystal joined Cyrus in covering their escape. As the engines of the shuttle roared to life a large transport ship hovered overhead kicking up dust as the crew fired up its retro jets then shot into the sky. The blow back knocked most of the warriors to their feet and threw Miyu from her star fighter, she slid a few feet on the floor and stopped in front of the enemy lines. Cyrus, fearing that she might be unconscious, dashed to her side firing two charge shots into their ranks he switched the firing mode to full auto then crouched by her side spraying them with white plasma bolts.
Miyu sat up grabbed the blaster and fired at the recovering foe. "Get back to your ship I can take care of myself!"
"Get to your Arwing before they overwhelm us and I'll think about it!"
A blaster bolt grazed Cyrus arm spraying Miyu with his blood. "GO WE DIDN'T COME HERE TO RESCUE A CORPSE MIYU!" Another bolt hit him in the side he fell back a little but kept on firing. Miyu looped her free arm around his side and helped him to his feet led him onto the shuttle. Together with Whitefur and Krystal they ran up the ramp on to the shuttle as soon as they were in Cyrus fell to the floor and Krystal slammed her hand aginst the door panel.
"Katt Get the hell us out of here!" Whitefur shouted.
Some time after they left the space dock Cyrus sat in the small corridor right in front of the airlock when he saw Krystal and Miyu coming to treat his wounds Cyrus smiled as he saw them approaching, then from the shadows, like some black demon rising from hell, came the black bear the one that Crane shot to came forward with one goal to kill.
"Look out behind you!"
The bear raised a blaster and without a word he shot Miyu and Krystal.
Cyrus saw them fall to the floor their eyes screwed shut from pain as the bear aimed at him Cyrus sprinted forward, caught the bear by his face and slammed him to the floor and threw punch after punch into his face holding nothing back in his fury. Krystal sat up and saw thowing punch after punch in the bear's face which was nothing but a bloody pulp she struggled to her feet and ran to him. "CYRUS STOP IT HE'S DEAD CYRUS CALM DOWN!" Krystal screamed, as she caught him from behind and forced her way into his mind.
Red blood death, no I won't die but you must. Die, die, and stay dead this time you killed them now pay the price DIE!
His mind is filled with hate, blood lust, and rage. he's in full fight or flight mode shock isn't helping matters. Krystal let her thoughts fall like rain on his fevered mind.
Cyrus I'm here I'm fine so is Miyu. We are fine. He's dead, we are safe the enemy is fallen. It's time let go of your anger and your fears they will only darken your path. Come back to us Come back to me.
Slowly Cyrus stopped struggling then looked down at his hands and the corpse of the bear he beat to death and looked back at her with fear. "Am I going insane?"
"No you're just tired. Rest now we'll be home soon."
He's eyes closed and his blood stained face rested against her breast. She rocked him back and forth till he fell asleep.
Fox and Falco ran to the sick bay. It had been only two minutes since Whitefur's team had returned with Miyu's Arwing in tow requesting an emergency medical transfer.
Please don't let it be Krystal or Whitefur. Fox prayed as the wide open sickbay doors came into view. The pare bust into room to see Slippy treating the minor injuries of the group Falco ran over to Katt, "Are you.." whatever he was going to ask was cut short as Katt nearly crushed him with a hug. Fox looked about the room and did a head count Whitefur was sitting at one of the bio beds looking nervous absently scratching his forearm, Krystal was sat with Miyu talking in low voices and Cyrus… where was Cyrus?
Krystal stood up and walked over to Fox and gave him a hug. "Fox you are a welcome sight!"
Fox could smell the metallic odor of blood in her fur he pulled away from her and gasped. Krystal was cloths and fur were stained with blood, "It's not mine there was a stowaway on our ship, a black bear one of Andrew's lieutenants tried to kill us but Cyrus.. Cyrus stopped him."
"Where is he now? Cyrus I mean."
"Amanda is trying to heal him up right now." Miyu said her voice quivered a little. "He saved my life twice down there Fox, he took a knife for me and... " She clenched her blood stained hands and growled.
"Are you ok Miyu?" He asked concerned.
"I want in Fox, I want to kill Andrew for this whole mess that his made! He tried to Kill me and my best friend, nobody gets away with that!" She said angrily.
"I'm sure that can be arranged."
At the other end of the room the doors to the surgery bay opened and Amanda walked out with R.O.B 64 trialing after her. All eyes turned to her she put her yellow bow back on her head. "It's over, he's stable but he's lost a lot of blood he needs a transfusion before I put him in a healing tank R.O.B said that his blood type is A positive."
Fox stepped forward. "I'm O positive I'll gladly volunteer."
"Aright he just woke when I finished, he's asking for Whitefur if you'll come with me…"
"Actually if you don't mind could we speak with him in private?" Whitefur asked Amanda nodded her head. "Okay I'll just get the equipment together and then come in later."
Whitefur and Fox entered the surgery room and there they stopped Cyrus was laying propped up in the bed dressed in a swimmers speedo and looking like a human. Whitefur eyes widened in wonder at the true from of Cyrus. "So this is what you look like without the disguiser."
Fox turned and looked at Whitefur. "How did you know he was in disguise?" He asked.
"His sent was slightly different from that of a vulpine but I thought that I imagined it, I had just come from flying an Arwing. Then when he was stabbed and I scanned the wound I saw that his skeletal structure was different from ours so I put two and two together."
"Well now that the skeleton is out of the cupboard out what are you going to do now?" Cyrus asked weakly trying to sit up, Whitefur just shrugged. "Keep the secret of course if all Lylat found out about you there would be chaos. Right now there is enough trouble with Andrew on the loose. Now what did you want me for?"
"Well since I killed Crane I realized you're going home empty handed."
"It happens a lot more than you think. Don't beat yourself up over it. We didn't have time to look for those files and I couldn't have brought him down without them." He replied doing his best to encourage the young human. Cyrus raised his arm and pointed at his jeans that were lying on the floor.
"Check the right pocket."
Whitefur reached in and pulled out Crane's gold necklace. "I took that from Crane during our fight and after that Crane wanted to take me alive which I thought was odd because he kills his prisoners. That plus the fact that he had the most advanced hacker proof computer and chose to keep the files elsewhere got me to thinking 'What do I have that is worth keeping me alive?'" Cyrus said with a weak smile.
Whitefur looked the necklace over then set it down and ran a med scanner over it. "Crane you crafty bastard the necklace is a fiber optic flash drive Miyu will have a field day with this!" He turned and looked back at Cyrus as Amanda walked in and drew blood from Fox. "Thank you Cyrus this just might help us put Andrew down for good."
"Oh stop your making me blush your welcome go get the bad guys for me on this one it was nice to meet you Boniface Whitefur I hope we meet again one day."
"Likewise Cyrus Blaze now if you will excuse me I have work to do. By the way, how did you know that bears name was Mark?
"I didn't, I just picked a name. He looked like a Mark."
Whitefur smiled and waved farewell, "Well, until next time…" And with that Whitefur left the room off to do great and wondrous things for Lylat.
Fox went back to the sick bay after the operation was over and sat down in a chair and looked about the room which was empty save for Krystal and Amanda.
"Will this work Amanda?" Fox asked Amanda walked over and handed him a glass of orange juice. "It's hard to say his physiology is similar to ours but his DNA markers are different. For now all we can do is wait and watch."
Krystal walked over to him she put her arm around him and kissed his cheek. "Don't be so hard on yourself he knew the risks when he decided to join us on this mission."
"But I'm the one that let him go before he was ready. Krystal, he told me how he killed Crane and how he "stopped" the bear on your shuttle. He's ashamed and scared."
"I know but he wasn't himself I can't explain it but it was like something was controlling him or rather something snapped in his mind."
Fox looked confused, "What do you mean?"
Krystal opened her mouth but was cut off by Amanda.
"Wait, this can't be right forget that it's impossible!" Amanda cried in confusion Fox and Krystal walked over to her. "What's wrong Amanda?" Krystal asked in response, Amanda pulled up a hologram of Cyrus's body in the healing tank. "These," she circled five points on his body, "are off by varying degrees as if someone removed the middle of his spine, right forearm, his left arm and both his knee joints and then reattached them but it was so small that I didn't even notice. Then there is this bruising on his veins and muscles consonant with someone sticking multiple needles into him, but the biggest mystery is this." She zoomed in on his brain and highlighted his frontal lobe. "This here is a section of his brain has the same mutation that Krystal's has that allows her to communicate telepathically but it wasn't there when we picked first picked him up. I think Cyrus was experimented on."
Storyteller 2013: DUN DUN DUNNNN! Now before I go I would like to thank Whitefur for being my guest.
Whitefur: My Pleasure I had a good time.
ST: And if you would like to see a bit more of Whitefur you can find him here s/9616593/1/Star-Fox-Blood-Feud Click or copy and paste to read more of the works of general whitefur, One of the best Star Fox Authors out here and my personal favorite. Thank you for letting me barrow him for this part of my story you are the best. Now as always let me know what you think, I like to hear from you, please review tips and thoughts to help me help you enjoy it better. See you next time!