Posts and runs away swiftly

*1 month later, Afuristan*

After Jack had left his own apartment he headed to his home in the Deciduous District and there he remained. He did everything he could to keep his mind occupied and off of the events that transpired with Vivian. But after a single month he felt like he had done everything he could. He worked with Blake, Savage, and Ben, he invented, he tinkered, anything he could think to do he did.

But unfortunately his mind was restless by nature. So exhausting all means of keeping busy at home he decided he would keep busy at work. Because of his flexibility as an "agent" it was quite simple for Jack to ask to go back to work and for it to be approved.

So approval in paw Jack was on a C-130 the next day flying back to Afuristan. Once he landed Jack reported in to a very surprised General Wolverton and Lead Whiskerton. Jack had given them a brief explanation on why he was back, most of it a lie. No way was he going to tell them he came back to an active warzone over vixen troubles.

Jack after reporting in was re-attached to Bravo's Bravo Platoon and they were ecstatic to have him back. Apparently Jack's replacement wasn't nearly as fun as him. Once he reunited with Bravo Platoon Jack then went and paid a visit to Micheal and Evelyn. Both were of course happy to see him but Evelyn being his therapist saw something was wrong.

So naturally she pulled him into her office. "Alright Jackson, what's wrong? Because I know you didn't just come back here because you were bored."

Jack proceeded to fully get her up to speed on what transpired with him since getting back to the states. Safe to say it was a lot to process. But once it was Evelyn naturally had some notes. "Okay so first things first. You're an idiot."

Jack nodded in agreement. "That's a fair assessment."

Evelyn started ticking off her points with a paw. "Second thing, Vivian's an idiot. Third thing, Mr. MO is an idiot. Fourth thing, everyone's an idiot!"

Jack tilted his head a bit to the side. "Everyone is a bit of a stretch."

"True, it's mostly you and Vivian." Evelyn remarked before sighing. "We got A LOT to unpack here and work through…so let's get started."

One two hour session later Jack left feeling a little bit better and having a slightly better idea on how he felt. Evelyn told him he was justified in being furious about Vivian intruding into his den. But, also did a good job of breaking down what Vivian was probably thinking in the moment that took away from the sting a little bit.

Evelyn also had told Jack that forgiving her wasn't necessarily required for the two to move forward. So long as Jack did want to keep moving forward. Evelyn also brought up the question of if Vivian's actions changed how Jackson felt about her which after thinking on it he had to admit it didn't too much. He still loved her, but maybe the extent simmered down a few degrees.

Evelyn had then asked the question if Jack was running away not because Vivian breached his trust, but because of what he told her. That Jack was running from what he assumed would be inevitable rejection from Vivian. It was a question Jack had considered multiple times but had always skipped over thinking on the answer to it.

But, in a therapy discussion with Evelyn there is no skipping over an answer. Trust Jack, he tried. But Jack inevitably had to delve into his mind and come out with an answer to the burning question. "Of course that's why I ran. I'm a coward, Evelyn. I worked so hard for so many years to not let anyone in because I knew it would never end well. But sure enough little Nicholas opened the door and Vivian wormed her way in. The thought of losing that love I just got hurts ways more than any physical injury I've sustained before. Not only that, if she rejects me…it will permanently be burned into my mind and I can guaran-fucking-tee that will join my minds greatest worst hits. So rather than have that added I'd rather be here getting shot at."

The session had ended with that statement. It had gone on an hour longer than it was supposed to anyways and Jack wasn't the only client that she was supposed to meet with. So Jack left her office with a slightly clearer head, but only slightly. But of course the universe can't resist throwing him through a loop.

Once he exited Evelyn's office Dr. Kashesh's door opened the tiger smiling at him. "Ah Lt. Hunter! I had heard you were back! Could I perhaps have a moment of your time?"

Jack looked around and shrugged, replying, "I'm not particularly busy so why not? Need to run another check up?"

Dr. Kashesh stood to the side allowing Jack to enter his office and said, "No, no nothing of that matter. I just need to speak to you regarding the tests I did last time I drew your blood. I had tried explaining some of this to you when I revealed you were a hybrid but you were a little…distracted by that fact."

Jack chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah I'm sorry about that. Searching my memory database I didn't even register what you said about the additional tests. So by all means fill me in, you have my undivided attention."

"Great!" Dr. Kashesh exclaimed. "Please take a seat then and I'll get started."

Jack took a seat in the offered chair and Dr. Kashesh took the seat opposite. Once seated Dr. Kashesh began. "Okay so as I tried to describe before I took a muscle sample along with your blood if you recall. Well in analyzing it I discovered your muscles are 83% more dense than that of a wolf's, that shouldn't be possible. This would explain your enhanced agility and strength Lt. Hunter."

Jack reeled back slightly in shock. "Okay…why do I feel like there's more?"

"Because there is. In your blood work I also saw major anomalies in your protein compositions, stuff I nor fellow colleagues I showed it to have seen before. Not to mention other anomalies including a substance none of the 30 doctors I've shown know what it is. Now it's nothing life threatening mind you but rather the opposite. It's theorized that these anomalies in your blood are very beneficial for a variety of things." Dr. Kashesh explained.

Jack opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally finding his voice. "You're giving me…a lot to unpack here doc. But what sort of benefits do you think these…anomalies are giving me?"

Dr. Kashesh reached into his desk and grabbed a clipboard with and pen and replied, "well if you'd allow me to ask you some questions we may just find out."

"Okay then, ask away." Jack agreed.

"Splendid! First question, have you ever been sick?"

"6 times, common cold five times, flu one time."

"How severe were your symptoms?"

"Minimal, and lasted less than average."

"You realize that would be categorized as abnormal, correct?"

"Didn't really think about it too much doc. Am now though."

"Okay, moving on. Have you ever broken any bones?"

"No. Only cracks and fractures, and I can see where this is going. In retrospect I definitely should have broken some bones, or had them broken. Like when that grenade threw me out a window."

"Exactly Lt. Hunter! Exactly! Your ribs definitely should have been broken, and the fact you fell two stories landing on your back and didn't break it baffled me! Your essentially a medical marvel Lt. Hunter and I'd give my stripes to do a comprehensive medical study on your blood alone!"

That last part got Jack thinking. "Would the study figure out why I am like this?"

Dr. Kashesh nodded several times as he leaned slightly forward in his chair. "That would be the hope. This study would include 11 colleges and the sole focus would be coming up with theories or finding the cause of your anomalies. Starting with that unknown substance."

"Okay. What would this study require? More of my blood?" Jack asked.

"Yes, several vials of it with more blood draws over time as needed." Dr. Kashesh affirmed.

Jack started rolling up his right sleeve and with a shrug said, "well in that case. You have my permission to do this study. Go ahead and draw what you need."

*two months later, Afuristan*

Jack was relaxing in Bravo Platoon's barracks with the mammals of Bravo Platoon after a long day of patrol. Jack had felt a real sense of comradery with Bravo Platoon even more so than his first time in Afuristan. Sure he went out with them the first time but he never hung out with them, preferring to keep his distance. But now the only thing Jack didn't do with them is sleep in the same barracks.

They were a good group of mammals and he could safely say he made friends out of all of them. "Echo! Pass me a beer!" Jack called out from his spot on a lawn chair in the middle of the barracks. Jack along with the rest of Bravo Platoon were wearing just their fatigues, and the only weapons they had one them were their sidearms and knives. The entire center of the barracks was a ring of chairs and makeshift chairs as Bravo Platoon shot the breeze with each other swapping a multitude of stories.

Echo, who was currently in the right corner of the barracks rummaging through a cooler in the ground, looked over his shoulder and called out, "lager or IPA?"

"What do you think Echo?" Jack replied.

"Well you are a pussy…so IPA?" Echo quipped.

The entire barracks erupted into laughter and Jack shook his head with a grin. "Oh being smart now are we? That's a first!"

Echo's ears lowered as he let out a "hey!" The barracks now laughing at Echo's expense. "You insulting my intelligence you red devil!?"

Jack shook his head as he crossed his arms. "There's not much to insult."

Echo then threw his paws up in defeat saying, "I can't think of anything right now so fine, here's your lager."

Echo then tossed the beer to Jack who caught it and cracked it open taking a sip. "Brain hurtie to much eh?" He remarked as Echo took a seat next to his brother, who was across from Jack on the right.

Echo promptly flipped Jack the bird before asking the group "alright what are we talking about?"

Polo, a large polar bear who was sitting on his locker directly across from Jack said, "I had just asked our resistant sniper here what his most impressive shot had been to him that he's taken."

Echo nodded. "Let me guess Jackson, it's the shot where you gave me a heart attack."

The assembled group chuckled at that but Jack shook his head. "No, not that one. Most fond of? Definitely. But impressive? No. My most impressive shot will have to be before you guys even got here. I was out solo when I heard over the radio that a SAS detachment was pinned down and one of their guys was isolated and injured by a sniper. I got there quick as I could and dispatched the sniper. 350 meters through a concrete wall with Sally, who I miss dearly."

It was then the entire platoon raised their drinks Bravo saying, "to the gun that saved our hides! To Sally!"

The room then chorused "To Sally!" Before downing their drinks.

One group refill later the next question for Jack came from Bravo. "What do you think of your new toy?"

"Oh my Kivaari Semi-Auto 338. Lapua? Well it's no Sally…but I think it's a good thing? Kiva as I call her has more range, can still drop anything I aim at in one shot, weighs a lot less, is a lot more portable, has a larger capacity, and I don't need to bring a secondary rifle out. But it doesn't make as much as a statement as Sally." Jack explained.

Decker, a gray wolf and Bravo Platoon's mammal with an EBR, chimed in saying. "Making less of a statement is a good thing. You take a shot with Sally and everyone knows what building you were in. With Kiva? I hear you take a shot and I can't place it. You could take your suppressor off and I'd say the same I think. Safer you're not using a cannon."

"I mean yeah, but the cannon was fun!"

*several hours later.

Jack was walking back to his room in the CIA barracks. Night had fallen and he and Bravo Platoon were due for a patrol in the morning so there were no late night hijinks to be had. It was good to feel like he had friends here and not just brothers in arms, and Jack decided he would be here in Afuristan until they got to go home themselves.

Because while they said they enjoyed the two weeks at home Bravo platoon told him they didn't feel right doing it. They were the only mammals that got to go home and the rest of the base had to pick up the slack. Then when they came back they were assigned a different PSC sniper and apparently Bravo Platoon was terribly fond of them. The oryx was apparently a LITTLE bit of a speciesist.

So no matter the fact that Jack wanted to go home and hear what Vivian had to say, now having the courage for it. He wasn't going to do it. He'd be here for the next two months and only then would he go home, riding the same plane Bravo Platoon was.

Jack rounded a corner now about halfway to the CIA barracks and froze drawing his sidearm. Because in front of him were three insurgents, a oryx, a gazelle, and a camel. They were wearing full face coverings wielding AK47s and standing near a pair of humvees. The insurgents looked shocked to see him and Jack started to raise his 1911 but he paused about halfway up.

Tilting his head he then lowered his sidearm and remarked, "Karma mammals fucking indentify yourselves next time! I almost shot you lot!"

The three "insurgents" looked amongst each other shrugging and then the oryx asked, "how can you tell we ain't insurgents."

"Well beside the fact you didn't immediately fucking shoot me? There's no break in the fence and there's no way you could come over the top. Also you're wearing military boots and still have your normal sidearms." Jack explained.

The three mammals then looked at their boots and the gazelle told his two compatriots, "I told you he'd notice the boots!"

Jack tilted his head even deeper at that and opened his mouth to ask a question when he felt two bullets rip through his mid back. The shots caused Jack to reel forward and he turned his hips, pivoting his upper half to see the threat, an ibex dressed as an insurgent but wearing military boots. "This is a hit attempt!" Was the brief thought that went through Jack's head before he double tapped the ibex and pivoted back forward.

Jack then felt shots rip through his left shoulder, right kidney, and right femur breaking it. Jack returned fire dropping the oryx with a headshot and hitting the camel all up their left arm starting at their hoof. Jack then tried to duck into the space between two storage buildings on his left. But due to his broken right leg he tripped falling face first to the sand, only his top half being in cover.

Bullets promptly began pelting his lower left half as he crawled forward. He felt a bullet hit his left buttocks, a bullet hit his left thigh, a bullet ripped through his left and right calf, and a bullet shattered his left femur in the time it took him to scramble for cover.

Jack's breath was ragged and deep as he forced himself to roll over and aim towards the opening screaming in pain as he did. He then heard the camel and gazelle share some heated words. "Fuck he shot my arm to shit! Gonzalez and Reynolds are dead! This is fucked! It wasn't supposed to go like this Adams!"

He heard the gazelle now identified as Adams coming closer as they yelled back. "Shut the fuck up Atkinson! If Reynolds hadn't shot him in the back this would have gone off without a hitch! Now I gotta salvage this and finish the fucking pelt! Just make sure you got the story straight!"

Critically injured and panicked Jack preemptively began firing as Adams turned the corner. Unfortunately so did Adams. Jack hit Adams four times with his four remaining rounds, striking him in the abdomen three times and once in his left hoof. For Jack's four Adams hit Jack for three, twice in his right forearm and once in the chest going through his right lung.

Adams dropped his AK and fell to the ground and Jack's back hit the sand once more. Both knew the fight wasn't over so Adams began trying to force himself up and back to his weapon. Meanwhile Jack was placing his weapon in between his thighs, grip up, and fumbling with ejecting and changing magazines.

Jack's paws were violently from adrenaline and fear but he knew he had to keep fighting or he was dead. Finally getting a magazine out of his pouch he slammed it home and grabbed the gun in his left paw bringing it up just as Adams retrieved his own sidearm, a M9 and taking aim. Both mammals squeezed their triggers.

*Bravo*

Bravo had just set into his bunk when he heard the sound of gunfire from an AK-47…within the base. He then heard the softer sound of a handgun returning fire and several more AKs opened fire. "Incursion! Incursion!" Bravo cried out as he flew out of his bunk retrieving his M4 from above his bunk. He then set it on the bunk as he ripped open his locker throwing on his vest over his shirtless torso.

Looking up he saw all of Bravo Platoon up and doing the same thing he was. Alarms then sounded throughout the base announcing what he had already called out. Vest on Bravo grabbed his M4 and ran for the door with the rest of his mammals hot on his heels.

Exiting their barracks with weapons up Bravo immediately turned towards where the gunfire was coming from. "Mammals let's move!"

They started out with a quick pace sweeping as they went when Echo made a disturbing question. "Doesn't NightOwl take this route!?"

Realization dawned as he finally registered it was a 1911 exchanging fire with multiple AKs. "Double time it mammals that's fucking Jackson!"

Bravo Platoon promptly took off in a dead sprint as they heard no other gunfire but the one spot. Jackson was apparently keeping the threat contained. Sprinting around a few corners they then came across the corpse of an ibex insurgent just as they heard a single round from a 1911 fire.

Bravo platoon promptly stacked up against the building they were next to and Echo knelt down to grab away the dead insurgents weapon. But Echo then paused as he reached down and instead pulled down the ibex's face covering. "Holy fuck this is Sergeant Reynolds! He's special forces!"

Bravo immediately let out a "what the fuck." Before feeling a paw squeeze his left shoulder meaning everyone was ready. Bravo platoon promptly stormed around the corner taking in the scene, their weapons quickly leveling on an injured camel in insurgent fatigues sitting between two humvees. The camel on seeing them threw his one good arm in the air and screamed "Eagle! Eagle! That fucking psycho fox opened fire on us! My name is First Sergeant Atkinson!"

Bravo then looked at the rest of the scene seeing two more dead "insurgents" and Bravo barked out, "Polo secure the first sergeants weapons and then him! I know for a fact we fucking heard AKs first! Diaz tourniquet his arm! Flazzo and Decker secure that Oryx and check 'em! Echo on me! Everyone else secure the scene!"

Bravo Platoon moved into action and Bravo and Echo moved forward swiftly, slowing once they came up to the corpse of a gazelle holding a M9, and a bullet hole in between their eyes. Bravo and Echo then looked down the alley the gazelle was facing and their hearts dropped to the sand as did their weapons. "Oh my gods Jackson!"

The two brothers promptly rushed into the alley screaming, "Medic! Fucking Medic!"

They then crashed into the sand on their knees on the opposite sides of Jackson and immediately began applying pressure to the wounds on Jack's torso. Jack was in terrible shape, a significant pool of blood forming under him as he took ragged and shallow breaths, his whole body shaking. Bravo began to count the shots Jack had taken and his face grew pale under his fur as he counted 10.

SSgt. Deagon came ripping around the corner with his trauma bag in paw pausing briefly as he took in what he saw, "gods damnit! Keep that pressure on him I need to tourniquet his legs!"

While SSgt. Deagon got to work Bravo and Echo looked at Jack who had just noticed them. Letting out a ragged laugh Jack ground out with blood in his maw, " .stupid fucker to take his .pistol off safety.":

Bravo shook his head at that and yelled, "shut the fuck up man and focus on breathing!" He then pivoted to Deagon "Brutus our paws aren't doing shit!"

"I'm working as fast as I can here!" Brutus shouted back as he placed the second tourniquet on Jack's left leg. Jack tried to look up at Brutus but found he couldn't, his head crashing back to the ground. " .the two my back is .what's fucking me." Jack spluttered out.

Echo then slightly lifted Jack and felt his back. "Fuck he's right he's got two more holes!"

Bravo looked at bloodsoaked clothes and said, "Jack, I said shut up!" He then looked in the direction of the alley exit. "I need more fucking paws in here now!"

Diaz, a bobcat, Flazzo a black bear, and Decker came running around the corner dropping their weapons and joining Bravo and Echo in the sand. "We need to put him on his side. He's got two in his back!"

Flazzo promptly jumped into action rolling Jack onto his left side, Deckers' paws replacing Echo's. Bravo then placed his paws on the two holes in Jack's back as Diaz, who was also a medic, placed a tourniquet on Jack's right arm. Deagon finally finished tourniqueting and splinting Jack's legs and ripped back into his bag pulling out hemostatic gauze and packets of quick clot handing it then had Decker move so he could directly treat the chest wound.

After about a minute the Calvary arrived in the form of damn near the entire base, including nurses of triage. "In here!" Bravo called as he clutched Jack's right paw tightly, Jack squeezing back as much as he could. The nurses and a few pjs came running into the alleyway with a stretcher and Deagon filled them in. "Lt. Jackson Hunter! 12 GSWs! Two back! One abdomen! One shoulder! One torso! Two right arm! One right leg! Three left leg! Tourniquets placed 1927 hours! Breath shallow and ragged indicating lung trauma! He's still conscious!"

The nurses nodded and then stabilized Jack for movement. Once that was done they put him on a stretcher and lifted him up taking off in a sprint towards triage which was only five minutes away. Jack's vision was red and swimming, his thoughts muddled and incoherent. Everything hurt, and he was scared. Only one coherent thought came through, "I hope I see Nicholas and Vivian again.."

Jackson then took in a ragged breath and his shaking stilled.