Alistair had just got done explaining everything about Lincoln to the guests that showed up and proceeded to walk them out. However before the completely made it to the backdoor Alistair stopped and said "If you want to see our guests before they leave I insist you come out to see them."
Nick, Jerry, and Samson came out from where they were hiding to see who these guests were and were surprised when they saw who it was. Nick's eyes just grew wide, as Samson just stood there with a stone face, and Jerry just gave a smirk. Nick just spoke up and said "Sir aren't they the-" Before he could finish Alistair interrupted him.
"Yes they are Nick but do remember they have names. And they happen to be Charles, Cliff, Walt, and Geo." Alistair said.
"I know who they are sir. I just want to know how they got here and why you're telling them everything."
"Ah yes. I forgot you were on a mission when they pulled that stunt. Long story short the kids found a little dog and began to shower him with affection causing these four to get jealous so they came up with ways to get rid of him. Eventually they called a pound to come and take him. Now they originally thought it was a pet sanctuary but when they found out it was a pound they launched a rescue and managed to get him out. They had a close call with a dog catcher but in the end they got away."
Nick just gave an impressed look. "Wow sir, I didn't think they could do that." He replied.
"Remember what I told you guys? Never underestimate anyone. Now excuse me while I let our guests out." Alistair said as he walked the Loud pets out.
"I didn't expect them to be that smart. Heck they could even be one of our agents." Nick said.
"It's like Alistair said never underestimate anyone." Samson replied.
"Personally I think our animal agents should wear fedoras." Jerry said.
Samson just rolled his eyes. "You would think that Jerry." He said.
"Now what are you three talking about?" Alistair asked as he walked back into the room.
"We were just talking about how the Loud pets are smart enough to be one of our agents." Nick replied.
"You're right about that Nick but their family is the most important thing to them and I would never take them away from that. Speaking of our animal agents by the way Walter called and asked if I could send one for the survival trip he took Lincoln on."
"Which agent was sent?" Nick asked.
"I seen the area and there's only one that's perfect for the task." Samson said.
"You mean-"
Before Nick could finish Alistair cutted in. "Yes, he's the one I sent." He said as in walked into his office.
MEANWHILE WITH LINCOLN
Walter was currently teaching Lincoln accuracy and precision while throwing knifes a sign with a huge bullseye painted on it. For the pass two days Lincoln has been learning how to survive in the wilderness from how to tell which berries were edible to which plants could be used as medicine. "Okay now it's your turn." Walter said as he threw his final knife and it landed in the center of the bullseye with the other knifes he threw.
"Wow! I can't believe how good you are at this! I mean you manage to land all of your knifes right in the center without even hitting the outside." Lincoln said.
"Well I'm a master marksman kid. I never miss." Walter said as he was pulling out his knifes from the sign. Lincoln just stood there and thought for a moment but quickly snapped out of it as Walter handed him a knife. "Here you go. Now you try." He said.
Lincoln tossed the knife and managed to hit the target right in the center. Walter just gave an impress and shocked look as Lincoln was completely shocked that he manage to hit the center on his first try. "I did it! I hit the center!" He shouted.
"Don't get distracted! Stay focused and concentrate. See if you can do it again." Walter said. Lincoln listened to Walter and started throwing more knifes with all of them hitting the center. As soon as he was out of knifes Walter walked up to him and with his hand on his shoulder he said "You did good kid. Let's eat some dinner and rest up for the night. Tomorrow is your final lesson." As they were eating Lincoln noticed a rustling noise coming from the bushes nearby. "What's wrong?" Walter asked.
"I heard a noise coming from those bushes over there." Lincoln said as he pointed to them. "I think it's hill people."
"I go check it out." Walter said as he got up and went to take a look. About a few seconds later he came back. "It was just a rabbit. Nothing to worry about."
Lincoln gave a sigh of relief. "For second I thought it was hill people. I mean I only encounter them when I go camping with my family at the Scratchy Bottom Campgrounds and for some reason I feel like they're after me. No one believes me when I try to tell someone about them. You probably don't believe do you?"
"Kid there's stuff in this world we don't even know exists. Just because no one else has seen them doesn't mean that they don't exist so I believe you."
Lincoln looked at Walter and gave him a small smile. "Thank you Walter. I feel so much better that at least someone believes me." He said.
"Don't mention it. Anyway you better go get some sleep because when you wake up your final lesson begins." Walter said as Lincoln just nodded. Lincoln then went into his tent and went to sleep. Walter then waited a bit to make sure Lincoln was asleep and walked back to the bushes Lincoln pointed out to. He then pulled out his phone and made a call. ""Yeah Alistair. It's Walter I need you to send a clean up crew."
"What for?" Alistair asked.
"It seems that there's hill people running around."
"I see. Okay then." Alistair said as he hung up.
Walter then looked down to the ground at the body in front of him and said "I'm sorry that your life had to end this way but I promise you. I will put him in the ground."
THE NEXT DAY
When Lincoln woke up he noticed that he laying against a tree that was near a stream. He realized he was no where near the campsite. He then notice a small backpack laying next to him and a note sticking out of it. "What's this?" He asked to himself as he picked it up and began to read it.
Dear Lincoln, You're probably wondering what's going on. Well the answer's simple. This is your final lesson. I want you to use everything I taught you and make it back to the campsite. In the backpack next to you is some water and jerky just in case you get thirsty and hungry. Now be sure to ration it wisely. You'll also notice that you don't have your knife on you. Well that's because I took it. I want you to do this with out your knife. There's also a few things you should now before you start. I notice that there are traps set out around the area. The work of hunters obviously, so be careful. Also I thought I heard some of wolves howling but that's impossible seeing how there hasn't been any wolves around this area for a long time but just in case be careful. Anyway I know you can make it back so you better get started now. Your friend, Walter.
Lincoln just folded up the note and placed it into the backpack. "Well I better get started." He said as picked up the backpack and began walking. About a few minutes into the woods he heard a rustle coming from the bushes. He stopped to look at the bushes he then began to hear something growling. Lincoln took a few steps back and asked "Is someone there?". Just then a grey wolf came jumping out of the bushes landing a just a few feet away from Lincoln. The wolf just looked Lincoln in the eyes and Lincoln just looked him in the eyes as well and could tell one thing. He was hungry. "Easy boy." Lincoln said as began backing away. The wolf just slowly stepped towards him. Lincoln then started running with the wolf running after him as well. Lincoln kept running until he heard the sound of something snapping followed by some whimpering. He stopped and turned around to see that the wolf stepped into a trap. Lincoln looked at the wolf and sighed. "Lana would never forgive me if I just left you like this." He said as he walked up to the wolf. The wolf began growling at Lincoln but Lincoln just stood his ground at looked him in the eyes. "Knock it off. I'm trying to help you." Lincoln said. The wolf just gave a small whimper and nodded. Lincoln then began to pry open the trap allowing the wolf to move his leg. Lincoln saw that the wolf was bleeding and tore off a piece of his shirt. "Hold still. I'm going to bandage your leg." Lincoln said as the wolf nodded again and Lincoln began to wrap the piece of his shirt around his leg. "There all done." He said as he then began to dig through his backpack and pulled something out. "Judging by the way you were chasing me I have to guess you're hungry so here you can have this. You need it a lot more than I do." Lincoln said as he gave the wolf the jerky he had. The wolf began devouring the jerky as Lincoln got up. "I have to go now. Try to watch out for those traps." He said as he began to walk only for the wolf to begin following him. Lincoln noticed this and said "You can't follow me." Lincoln then looked at the wolf and could tell that the wolf was going to follow him no matter what. "You want to come with me and you're not going to take no for an answer am I right?" He asked only for the wolf to nod. "Okay then. I know a losing argument when I see one. So let's go." Lincoln and the wolf began walking towards the campsite.
Walter was currently packing up his stuff when he saw Lincoln coming up to him with a wolf walking right next to him. "Hey Lincoln. I see you made it back and you happened to meet a friend along the way." He said.
"You're not going to ask me about the wolf?" Lincoln asked.
"The way I see it that's your story to tell if you want to tell it." Walter replied.
"Well I'm going to tell you anyway since you don't want to ask." Lincoln said as he began to tell Walter about his encounter with the wolf and the events that lead the wolf to follow him. "So do you think I made the right choice?" Lincoln asked.
"Kid, that's something I can't tell you. You see when you make a choice you have to accept what comes with it meaning the good and the bad. Do you understand?"
"I think so."
"Good. Now go ahead and finish packing up for me while I take the wolf to the car. If he's going to follow you we might as well get him checked out at a vet." Walter said as he led the wolf towards the car and left Lincoln behind to pack. When they got to the car Walter asked "Well Wulf did Lincoln do good?" Wulf just gave a grunt and nodded. "That's good. Now let's take a look at that wound."
After Walter patched up Wulf and Lincoln finished packing they both got back on the road. While Walter was driving Lincoln began to think about something he heard Walter say yesterday. Walter noticed Lincoln was deep in thought. "Something on your mind?" He asked.
"Yeah. It's something you said yesterday." Lincoln replied.
"And what was that?"
"You said you were a master marksman."
"Yeah I am. So?"
"The day we met. You shot two men in the head and then you shot the third one in the arm. You told me you failed to kill the third one but you didn't did you? You let him get away on purpose. Why?"
Wulf sat up from the seat behind them and looked at Walter while he just gave a groan. "I forgot how sharp you are." He said as he gave a sigh. "You deserve the truth and I'll tell you when we get back to the cabin." Before Lincoln reply he noticed that there was a SUV blocking the road ahead of them. Walter immediately stopped the car while Wulf just gave a huge growl. A man then got out of the SUV. He was wearing a black short sleeve shirt and green military pants. "Crap!" Walter yelled.
"Walter what's going on? Who is that?" Lincoln asked.
"Get out of the car Walter and don't even think of trying to call for back up. Your phone is being jammed." The man said.
"I don't have a choice." Walter said to himself as he looked at his watch and pressed a button.
Suddenly a voice came out of the watch "Walter what's the emergency?"
"Alistair we've got a big problem. Arthur Keller is right in front of us." Walter said as Lincoln just stared confused by what's going on.
"How many men are there?" Alistair asked.
"I just see him but I wouldn't be surprised if he has back up." Walter replied.
"I've locked on to your signal and I'm on my way. Keep Lincoln safe." Alistair said as he then hung up.
"What's going on?" Lincoln asked.
Walter just looked at LIncoln. "Lincoln just stay in the car. I'll explain everything after this is over. Please just stay here." He said as he then got out of the car as walked towards the man outside.
"Hello Walter. Long time no see." Keller said with a small smirk.
"It hasn't been long enough. Still being a dumb ass mercenary?" Walter asked.
"You seem to forget I am a soldier not a mercenary."
"You're not a soldier! You're just a killer for the right price! So how much is he paying you?"
"I'm offended you think I'm working for Grant just for money. No the reason is much more than money. Grant will lead this world into a new age and he just needs one thing in order to do it."
"You must be really crazy to follow a lunatic like Grant."
"Don't you dare speak ill of him!" Keller screamed out.
"Make it insane. Anyway I'm curious. How did you find us?"
"We've updated the crawlers with a special chip that let's us know when one dies. When we saw that all of the crawlers in the area were dead we figured out the target was nearby. Which is why I am here."
"So that's what you call them crawler."
"Yes I suppose you have a different name for them."
"Yeah we call them hill people."
"Hill people huh? I guess that is a fitting name. Anyway let's cut the crap. You know why I'm here Walter so be a good boy and stand down."
"Not going to happen Keller. The only way you'll get to Lincoln is over my dead body." Walter said as he looked Keller dead in the eyes.
"So be it." Keller said as he pulled out a small remote and pressed a button. Screeching and howling could be as deformed human like creatures came crawling out. Their bodies covered in scars and burns while they carried animal like appendages like tails and sharp claws and teeth. Their clothes fused into their bodies like they were burned into them. Keller then screamed out "Kill Walter and grab the boy!"
As several hill people gathered around Walter the others were surrounding the car getting when Wulf jumped right through the back seat window and began to lunge towards one killing it by ripping out it's throat. Walter just gave a smirk and shouted out "Wulf you take care of the hill people over there! I take care of the ones here." Walter then pulled out a knife as one of the hill people ran right towards him. He quickly stepped to the side getting behind it and slashed it's throat. Two more came charging towards him he threw his knife right in one's head as he thrust his palm right towards the other one's head hitting it. The blow was so powerful that you could hear it's neck snap as it's head tilted backwards. Walter then pulled his knife out of the head of the dead hill person as he was doing this another hill person was sneaking behind him as Walter then pulled out his gun and shot it point blank in the head with out even turning around to look. "Well would you look at that. I don't have anymore hill people to fight." He said with a smirk. "Give it up Keller. There's only one way this going to end and that's with Grant ending up in the ground."
"Grant trusted me with this task and I will not fail him!" Keller then ran towards Walter knowing that Walter wouldn't shoot him because Walter wanted him alive to be interrogated. Keller then knocked the gun out of Walter's hand sending it flying and then tried to hit him in the face. Walter blocked his punch and punched him right in the face breaking his nose in the process. Walter then punched him on the right side of his face and then his left side. He then punched him right in the gut making Keller puke. Keller stepped back and pulled out a knife. "IT'S TIME TO SKIN A LION!"He shrieked out.
Just then a gun shot was fired shooting the knife out of Keller's hand. Walter and Keller turned to see it was Lincoln. Walter saw the look in the boy's eyes and knew that the boy didn't know what was going on or who to trust. "Great shot Lincoln." Walter said as he then turned to Keller and said. "Stand down Keller. Lincoln's the one in charge now."
"I want to know what is going on now!" Lincoln screamed out keeping the gun aimed on Walter and Keller.
Walter saw that Keller was about to walk towards Lincoln and said "Don't do it Keller."
"Screw you Burke!" Keller spat out as he continue to walk towards Lincoln. Only for Lincoln to shoot the gun again this time the bullet landing right in front of Keller.
"Told you not to do it." Walter retorted as he then said to Lincoln. "Nice shooting Lincoln. You're obviously a great shot. It's your first time with a gun right?"
"Yeah it is and luckily I had a good teacher now somebody tell me what's going on!" Lincoln yelled.
Keller seeing an opportunity spoke up. "I'll tell you what's going on. I was sent you by your father. Your birth father to bring you home to him. That bastard over there kidnapped your mother when she was pregnant with you and your father has been doing everything he can to get you back. Now why don't you give me the gun."
Lincoln just looked at Keller didn't know what to think of what he said and then looked at Walter. "Now I suppose you're going to tell me to you the gun am I right Walter?" He asked.
Walter just sighed "I can't tell you what to do Lincoln. That's a choice you have to make but I will tell you one thing. I knew your birth mother."Lincoln gave a surprised look." She was my best friend in the whole world and even though she wanted to raise you she couldn't due to circumstances beyond her control." Walter just glanced at Keller and gave him an angry glare."But there's one thing you should know she loved you with all of her heart and she made me promise to protect you no matter what. Whatever you decide to do I won't hate you."
Lincoln just thought to himself for a few seconds and then walked over to Walter to hand him the gun. "After everything that's happened so far I shouldn't trust you yet for some reason I trust you. You listened to me when I needed someone to talk to and you agreed to train me even when I asked you to. I believe you Walter." He said.
"Thank you Lincoln." Walter said as he took the gun and pointed towards Keller. "Okay Keller get down on the ground. I'm bringing you in to answer some questions."
Keller just started to laugh. "I've got a better idea." He said as he took out a vial containing something.
"Keller what the hell is that?" Walter asked.
"Oh it's something Grant gave me. To make me into a perfect soldier. You see Walter I refuse to betray Grant and the greatness he will lead this world into." Keller said as he then began to drink it ignoring Walter's protests in the process. As soon as it was all gone Keller immediately dropped to his knees. He began screaming as his body began to grow expanding his muscles in the process transforming himself into a giant hulk like ape creature. Keller then began to speak barely sounding human. "Behold. I great soldier. Now destroy you!"
"Shit! Lincoln get in the car now and stay there!" Walter shouted as Lincoln just nodded and ran to the car. Walter then shot at the mutated Keller only to see the bullets didn't pierce his skin. Keller just gave out an ape like laugh. Walter just sighed as he put his gun away. "It looks like I have to do this the hard way." He said as he pulled out his knife and then ran towards Keller. Keller swung out his right arm but Walter dodged it and threw his knife straight into Keller's left eye. Keller let out a painful shriek as Walter ran behind him and jumped towards his head grabbing his neck in the process. Keller shrieked and and tried shaking Walter off as Walter pulled his knife out of Keller's left eye and jammed it into the left side of his neck. Walter then began to drag his knife across Keller's throat as Keller's shrieks began to gurgle. As soon as Walter was done slashing Keller's neck from left to right he then grabbed his head and began to pull it back until he heard a snap and blood began to spout out of Keller's body like a geyser. Walter then just down to the ground as Keller's body fell to the ground.
Lincoln got out of the car and ran to Walter. "Walter are you okay?" He asked as Wulf came running up next to them.
"Yeah I'm fine considering I'm covered in this idiot's blood." Walter said as he kicked Keller's dead body.
"I think now is the time to tell me what the hell is going on!" Lincoln shouted.
Before Walter could say anything several helicopters began to show up. "It's about damn time!" Walter shouted.
One of the helicopters began to land with a man who was wearing glasses and a black suit getting out of it. "Okay start containing this area and proceed with clean up. I don't want anyone getting in. Now go!" The man shouted as everyone began to follow his orders. The man then began to walk towards Walter and Lincoln.
"It's about time you got here Alistair!" Walter shouted as Lincoln just watched.
"Did you really have to make a mess Walter?" Alistair asked.
"Well seeing how Lincoln was watching the whole thing I didn't see the need to do it quietly and decided to go all out." Walter responded.
"Of course you did and I see Wulf got involved as well." Alistair said as sighed. He then asked "So where's Keller?"
"Right there." Walter said as he pointed to Keller's corpse. "The idiot decide to drink something Grant made."
"Well there goes trying to get Grant's location."
"WILL SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Lincoln yelled.
"Yes. You deserve answers Lincoln but first allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alistair and I happen to be Walter's boss. I also happen to be the one who trained Wulf here." Alistair said as he bent down to pet Wulf. "Now as for your answers. It's a bit of a long story so I suggest we go back to the cabin to tell it. Is that okay?"
"Yeah it's fine." Lincoln said
"Okay then where's you car?" Alistair asked as Walter and Lincoln to pointed to it. He then gave an annoyed and disappointed look as he saw it. The backseat window was smashed and the car was covered in blood. To top it off there was a dead hill person on the hood. "You do know that car's a rental right?" He asked.
"So?" Walter said shrugging his shoulders.
"Figures you wouldn't care." Alistair said as he then looked at the SUV Keller drove in. Seeing that it was in good condition he then shouted out to the nearby men. "Check out that SUV over there and make sure it has no bugs! If it does get rid of them!" He then looked at Walter and Lincoln. "I don't think Keller would mind if we take his car." He said.
"It's clear sir!" One of the men shouted.
Alistair smiled and turned to Walter. "Okay then Walter go ahead and pack everything into the SUV while Lincoln, Wulf, and me wait for you to get done."
"Why me?" Walter asked.
"Think of it as your punishment for what happened to the rental car and because I said so. Now move Agent Burke." Alistair said in a calm but threatening tone while Walter just nodded and started putting their stuff into the SUV.
TO BE CONTINUED