Chapter 29:
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Sly hissed as the lights came back on, pulling down his Binocucom as he heard Rattigan's repeated yell of his name. "CCCCOOOOPPPPPPEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!"
"Keep it easy Jim," the raccoon said, rolling his eyes as he looked over to Dr Silverfox and Jack at the controls. One keeping the control cabin steady in the centre of the advancing gantry beam, the other controlling the crane motor and hook below them, lowering it down and doing his best to dampen the swaying from the increasing speed.
"Still on target?" Jack yelled.
"Still on target," Sly said, what he'd previously seen in infrared all the clearer now in the visible up ahead and coming in. He looked back and down to a figure lying prone on the floor, peering through a small open hatch beneath the stairs down from the access walkway, eyes focussed on the crane hook and floor below. "Judy?"
"We're low enough," she yelled, looking up. "Brace!"
"Brace!" Sly repeated, right as they rolled fast over a large set of bundled up steel beams left strewn abandoned with the site, steel wire loops still in place for them to be caught and lifted. The crane rumbled over, its hook hanging behind and dropping down, snatching the centremost loop dead on and pulling taunt with a jarring clunk. The operators froze, breathless for a second as the pits of their stomach fell, awaiting the sound of fraying and snapping cable only to lift as a screaming squeal came up instead. Bracing against the shaking control cabin, thrown back by the drag, Judy gave a fearful look to one of the track rails lest the wheels be pulled off and the gantry derailed.
It held.
Everything held as they pushed on, dragging the massive beams with them.
The squealing stopped as the winches lifted the heavy steel off the ground. Raising it up, Dr Silverfox at the controls pulled it and themselves leftward, towards the centre of the crane's span. Raising up the beams close as Jack made sure they were pointing dead on, all the while picking up speed as they raced towards the end of the line.
Down below Rattigan's blood ran cold as he saw the advancing battering ram, swinging right towards the door to the Charging Hall. "Oh no you don't," he hissed. "Stop them! Shoot them!"
His mammals turned, raising their weapons and letting fire. Inside the four mammals hunkered down behind some of the thicker plating and beams, the glass of the windscreens shattering in front of them and the thinner sections of sheet metal floor popping up as bullets broke through. It didn't matter though. The only thing that stopped them was the end of the line as they slammed into the buffers with a crash, thrown forward, their steel beams with them.
Rattigan watched on, blood cold, as they swung out and slammed against the heavy steel access door to the reactor itself, the clang so loud he felt it hit him, followed on by the reverberations of the blast door. One designed to withstand an explosion, keep itself sealed no matter what cataclysm was going on with the reactor, to resist all manner of excess pressure trying to get out. And never ever intended or conceived to try and stop anything or anyone ever getting in.
The beam had hit true, echoing out loud as it bent in a segment of the door high up before swinging back with the crane. They pulled back and pushed forward again, a much smaller impact made. Rattigan looked on at the gap, at the void, that raccoon would have to race over amidst gunfire. He didn't like it, he didn't like it, but…
"Not going to work!" Rattigan scoffed, pulling up his own weapon and firing off a few pointless shots for his own satisfaction. "Not unless…" He turned to the captives, yelling out. "Oh Cooper!? You really want to do that?"
"My name's Carrots!" came a female voice from the cabin. "And no, I actually want to do this!"
They watched as the control cabin pulled back away from the mammals below, moving to the right paw side of the avenue, lowering down its load and dropping it down to halt the swaying, before picking it up slightly and then racing towards them, sweeping in fast and low. Yells to get down were called out amongst Rattigan's mooks but the rat's widening eyes could already see what was happening. There was a scream as a polar bear dived to the floor to get under only to be too large, a crack and scream coming out as his mass sent the beam spinning up one way and down the other. The lion and tiger threw themselves over it as it bounced back the other way, knocking out the guarding polar bears like skittles as the far smaller mammals comprising his leverage managed to dive down beneath it then leap back up, their guarding force swept aside.
"CUSS!" Rattigan yelled, trying to aim only to turn as he saw Carmelita racing towards him. He turned and scurried underneath her, the fox skidding to try and catch him as he reached for some kind of shelter. He dove into a hole only for a yell to cause him to turn, the other fox cop reaching his Felicity and tackling her, wrestling the shock pistol back and then working with the swift fox vixen, now holding a polar bear's gun, to push her on.
A shock pistol shot sent him scurrying back as gunshots rang out, the foxes re-arming themselves with dropped weapons, threatening and scaring the useless injured polar bears into backing down and making a break for it. Mrs Fox leapt in, grabbing Rowan and together they charged out back the way they came, covering themselves with gunfire as they left, Pallas cat dragged along with them.
Rattigan pulled himself out, paw clutching his head fur as he looked around to see his mooks wounded, stumbling about, disorganised, "USELESS!" All as the gantry crane began pulling back to take another ram at the door, his only conciliation being the figure riding the steel beams as they swung back, making his way to the cable holding them and starting to work his way up.
"Desperate times indeed," he grunted, looking over to the lion and tiger. "You know that stupid thing I discussed?"
They nodded.
"Well, turns out it's no longer stupid. Do it."
He turned over to where the miscreants had gone with his beloved only to pause, a snigger growing on him.
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"In, in, in!" Carmelita raced back in, Nick and Skye half forcing half dragging Felicity with them as they followed. Mr Fox, Mrs Fox and Kris were next, holding Rowan with them. The baby was screaming, only to calm down as Mrs Fox took him out of the carrier and held him to her chest. Kris, glancing behind, grabbed the large metal door and pushed it shut, grabbing the locking lever and fastening it tight. Some pawfuls of junk scrounged off the floor, he wedged them in to try and stick it closed.
It gave them time, time enough.
"I said get down!" Carmelita yelled, thrusting her shock pistol into Felicity's face, the pallas cat shaking and fighting as Nick got her cuffed, Skye withdrawing the oversized polar bear pistol from her back… For now.
The feline complied, kneeling and smiling. "Things are getting fun I see." She paused, looking over to Mrs Fox. "You're disturbing the baby."
Softly cooing him, Mrs Fox passed him gently to Kris, walked over, and slapped the cat hard enough to send her to the floor. "I think elaborating is superfluous."
"Good," Carmelita said, checking her weapon and pausing as the door shook, someone trying to get in on the other side. "Vama…" -She was cut off as she turned to see the way out blocked. Four mammals. Three of them polar bears, one of them…
"You," Kris said, voice emotionless as Sarrahson walked in, gun in paw.
"Me," she said, raising it up and pointing it at Skye. The vixen pulled up her gun and aimed it at Sarrahson, Carmelita turning to keep her shock pistol aimed at Felicity. Mr and Mrs Fox pulled their newly acquired guns at the newcomer too, the room quiet.
Sarah looked over before looking behind. "Shut the door behind me."
"You…" One of the bear's began as the serval cut in over.
"Yes I am," she said. "So unless you have guns you're not telling me about…" They followed her advice, closing the door and locking her in with them.
"Very risky strategy," Nick warned, teeth bared. His gun also pointed at her.
"Guess a corrupt cop would say that," she said. "You put that uniform on, knowing what those mammals do?" She pointed at Mr and Mrs Fox.
Nick stared blankly at her. "Siding with Rattigan, do I want to even know? -I mean, with standards that low, who…"
"Shut it Pelt!" she hissed, aiming at him.
"You're outnumbered," Mr Fox warned, walking up.
"Yeah, and you're trapped," Sarrahson responded. "My idea, I'll have you know."
"Your aim is wavering."
"You can thank your criminal brother-in-law for that," she hissed, her mouth open and a set of missing and chipped teeth visible. "Mrs Felicity, once this is over…"
"Oh be my guest," the cat said, the serval's tail swishing into overdrive as she said it. They were all cut off by another loud bang, the room shaking.
Carmelita glanced down at the pallas cat. "Sly is going to get in. You cannot stop it, a few more hits and you and Rattigan's dreams will be over. The ZPD is closing in, you have no time left."
"Then we fight and die as martyrs!" Sarrahson yelled. "Knowing it was for something good, knowing it was for something greater than ourselves…"
"Knowing literally nothing perra idiota!" Carm yelled. "Unless you're a genuine Clockwerk cultists all the time, truly…"
"Cultist! How dare you! You and your neopredist cannibals," the big cat snarled. "Ruining my life, my daughter's life, pushing Bellwether and forcing her into starting the nighthowler crisis, you… you…"
She looked around, eyes lingering onto Kris. "And the little fox the world revolves around at its centre."
"And the slave to her animal facing against me."
"Rather a slave to my animal than to filth like you!"
There was a jolt from the door to their side, the group looking over to see it start to open up, the lever squeezing the blocking junk. It held them back, only for a few rattles and shakes to start to move it. "Don't even think about it!" Nick warned, gun up. "Unless you want Rattigan to be very, very unhappy."
The room was quiet for a second, only for a new round of gunshots from outside and the bang of the gantry crane battering the door once more to ring out, shaking the room.
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"Cuss…"
Sly looked over to see Judy, peeking over the window as they began rolling back once more. Ducking back in as a few shots were sent their way, Sly brought out his Binocucom and spied the growing group of mammals around the door that the others had gone out through, only one reason for it coming to their minds.
"They're trapped in there. You'll need to get behind them," Sly said. "Once we're far enough back…"
"What about you?"
"Clockwerk," he said, pointing at the ever opening blast door. "Stopping him."
"There are other…" Dr Silverfox began, only for Jack to jump in, waving his paws and finger on his lips. He then pointed down below, miming a figure climbing.
The group looked at each other. They'd expected something, eventually, the group bringing up their salvaged guns, Sly with his cane. Ears focussing, Dr Silverfox glancing back as he tried to listen in…
Jack's ears swiveled down as he followed the floor, something below, swinging, a change in colour glimpsed through the newly popped bullet holes in the floor. Judy fired a trio of shots, her weapon clicking as she threw it away. A closer look, one at Jack as they began rolling forwards again.
Sly waved, guiding Judy back and up onto the open catwalk on the back of the crane, fixed to the gantry beam and bridging from one wall of the avenue to the other. Peering down into a small gap between the bottom of the lowered cab and the walkway, looking for… "SLY!"
He pushed himself back on instinct, kicking into a roll as a gunshot split passed him, his cane already coming out and his paw guiding it to smack into the gun-holding paw of the mammal peeking around the cabin's corner. The hare pulled his paw back only for the cane to be pulled to one side and back, scything into his wrist and sending the gun flying. Not that it dissuaded their attacker.
"It's Woundwort!" Judy yelled, the one eyed hare leaping out, a flying kick sent for Sly's head. The raccoon pulled back and turned only to see him hit the floor, bounce and leap right onto Judy. Seeing it coming, getting into a fighting stance, she met him, fist against fist. For a few seconds the air was filled with paw drumming as they boxed, wrist against wrist as they clashed until Judy buckled hard, a kick to her gut sending her almost out through the railings.
Sly dove in with his cane, sweeping it down and almost cleaving the hare in two, Woundwort leaping back and barely dodging it. He turned and smiled. "Wonderful." Then he leapt up close, too close. Sly ducked only to get a punch to one eye, sending him spinning so far a second one missed. Thrown onto his now aching tail, watching the once slightly smaller mammal now tower over him, he reached for his cane only for a foot paw on the end to halt him.
"Here I was expecting more," Woundwort said, disappointment dripping from his voice. "The Sly Cooper, slayer of Keehar over fields of fire, who…"
"Who's biggest thing was also not being seen, not the actual fighting" the raccoon shrugged, smiling as Woundwort approached. "Still, needs must." He shot his legs out, bringing them together like a snare, Woundwort jumping up and over them with a smirk on his face only for it to grow into a grin as he dodged Sly's sudden cane thrust and caught it on the back-pull. Tugging against each other, the hare drew it back towards him to lock it out, Sly smiling now as, with one paw pulling on the wooden staff another pushing him up from below, he let Woundwort drag him up somewhat before letting his legs kick him back and up.
Ripping the cane back from the hare's grip the raccoon stepped himself backwards into an upright position, short-held cane thrusting out suddenly to block Woundwort leaping back in with a punch, parrying to force him back, sweeping up tall to force him to duck only to give the hare an opening to charge in and kick off, headbutting the raccoon in the gut.
They sailed through the air, Sly hitting the gantry with his back and rolling, throwing Woundwort into the air just as the crane slammed to the end of the track, the raccoon thrown back against the side railing and the hare almost carried off and over into the void behind them. A paw grabbed the railing and the hare swung himself out and back down, right into a thrusting cane. Feet down, he planted them onto the catwalk's edge and pushed himself to dodge, flying off and down onto part of the winching equipment, out of range as they began rolling forward once more.
Sly's cane hit and rattled off the metal surface as the whole gantry rumbled as it picked up speed.. Sly ran forward into cover, meeting up with Judy as she shakily got up again. The bunny sported a bruised face and an ever more determined look. "Where is he?" She asked, as much to herself as to Sly as she scanned with her ears, trying to…
She looked up, seeing him climb onto the crane cabin's roof, Sly quickly leaping up there and Judy following in tow. The wind started to whip at their fur as they sped on backwards. Woundwort smiled, glancing between them, paws out. "I may be fighting Kehaar today," he boasted. "But this is a glorious appetiser." He then charged, aiming for Sly but shooting off in a new direction the second he committed with his cane.
Into Judy, the bunny now ready. Letting herself fall, kicking and punching up and using his own momentum against him, he flew on and over. Braking hard to avoid overshooting the edge, legs scrabbling then leaping up to kick off of her as she leapt forward to send him over, the pair collided and she kicked him back, both landing as Judy leapt again, kicking into him and sending him sliding towards the drop. He twisted, legs scrabbling as he switched direction and raced forward, pushing up and off Sly's cane as it came in to whack him. Body spasming mid-air he landed, he leapt again, grazing past the bronze tip and fists out to meet Sly. The raccoon braced himself, free arm up, only to see stars as the pummel of boxing hits drummed his front and face. He pushed back, knee up and fist down to try and force some space between them.
Judy did it for him, leaping in with another flurry of bunny boxing to his side to drive him off. Sly backed off, almost to the front edge of the cabin, all too aware of some hail mary shots being fired his way as they came from the front again and smashed into the door once more. The raccoon looked over at the growing gap in it, then down at the mammals down below turning to fire again regardless of how one of their own was in the firing line. Not that they were there for long, the crane pulling back once more. Sly had no intention of staying where he was for much longer either, diving forward with his cane and bringing it down onto Woundwort. Seeing it coming he kicked back from Judy, the bunny leaping over the falling weapon to carry on the assault.
Woundwort's eyes wide, his paws not quite in the right place, a furious Judy laying the beatdown for him, sending him stumbling back and teetering, about to fall until one paw then two grabbed hers, holding them tight, a wide grin on his face as he panted in and out before leaping up and back and past, Judy following as Sly swung in with his cane from behind him.
The hare sailed back through the air, landing prone on the catwalk below before racing straight into the control cab.
"JACK!" Judy yelled in warning. She raced down, leaping onto the catwalk, bouncing off the railing and landing prone inside the control cabin. There was a smash as Sly swung himself in through a window on the other side, freezing at the sight. Jack lay slumped and bloodied in the footwell beneath the controls, clutching bloodied bullet wounds in his chest and rear, shots from below breaking up through and ending him.
They had no time to mourn. Dr Silverfox had taken up the controls and Woundwort had gone for him. Both witnessed the hare getting kicked back hard by the fox, his eye wide open with shock at first before he smiled with glee, leapt in and bit the fox's incoming leg. The academic screamed, eyes wide, thrown off balance as the hare leapt up and released a flurry of fists in his face, committing to a kick just as the vulpine's paw shot up into his gut.
William was thrown to the ground, Woundwort into the roof, his spine hitting it with a thud, throwing the air out of him even as he complimented his opponent. "Impressive…" Landing down and running along the controls, kicking them and pressing as many buttons as he could. The crane jerked, their direction backwards halted and a new run to the door began, all as the cabin itself began moving towards the right hand wall, away from where Carmelita and the Fox family had gone and towards the other side. Bangs and shrieks rang out as the steel battering ram hit and spun against the wall and floor as they moved, the cabin shaking.
"Very impressive Foxy, and you two," He glanced back and forth at the pair, standing on the controls, smiling with his fists up. "But I'm fighting Kehaar today, and you can't…"
The panel below him shook, a blast of sparks and debris ripping up, shrapnel cutting into his legs and lower body, ripping up under his bulletproof vest and almost sending him flying. He blinked a few times, a shocked look on his face. A tiny little smile managed to crawl on his face. "Nice equalizer Savage." A second blast cut through, the hare yelling and clutching his side, stumbling backwards. He tilted somewhat, Judy seeing the slice cutting up his thigh and into his body above… And Jack below, alive and glancing at her for confirmation on what to do next.
Judy just let Sly race over, cane out and sweeping. Woundwort watched it coming, bracing himself, jumping up and leaping off of it, even as it caused him to scream. He broke through the shattered ruin of the crane windscreen and fell tumbling to the ground, the group hearing one last scream as he fell.
Dr Silverfox raced to the controls, doing his best to fix them, get them into the right position, and reorientate the steel beams. Their battering ram however had different ideas, tumbling around, spinning. They hit the end of their run and it swung out sideways, coming up short of the door as the fox grunted, pulling them into reverse amidst another round of now routine oncoming fire..
It was only then that he looked down at the striped hare, nodding. "Well acted."
Brushing himself off, Jack nodded. "Well fought."
Judy nodded, racing over and checking the controls. "They still working?"
"For now," the fox said, Judy waving Sly over and pointing at the growing group of mammals waiting and ready outside the door the others had escaped into. "They're trapped in there, we've got to help them."
Bringing up his Binnocum, Sly spoke in. "Status report on our friend's Bentley?"
"They have Felicity Pawker in as a hostage," the turtle replied. "But it seems they're trapped from both ends, and have an armed mammal in there with them."
"Cuss," Judy swore. Just doing another sweep with the beam wouldn't be enough. She glanced at Sly. "Rescue mission?"
He turned, nodding. "Rescue mission. -You two?" The hare and fox at the controls turned to him. "Hold fort, keep battering, but give those guys a sweep each time, got it?"
"Got it," they nodded. Dr Silverfox pulled off the controls and brought them to a stop. Jack, doing his best with the damage he'd done, lowered their ram and tried to pivot it back into position. A drop on the floor and then a raise up, they began rolling forwards again. The older fox had got the knack for the machine, he knew how fast it could get, how much of a run up it required, and so could get in more batterings in less time. Sly and Judy left them, racing out onto the catwalk and leaping out in a running jump before they reached the end, landing on one of the raised balconies on the left paw side of the avenue. They still glanced over to see the raised steel beams hit true again, bending and pushing the heavy steel door, a widening gap up in its upper corner.
Sly looked on. Pipes, catwalks, pawholds, he could reach that. Only for the errant shots of gunfire at the control cabin to remind him why he wouldn't. "-Sly, come on!"
He turned to see Judy racing on ahead and quickly followed, focussed on her… -Apart from when a few screams and yells came out as the steel beam dropped and swung at them again, causing them to scatter. The control cabin on their side of the avenue again, he gave the pair at the controls a salute as the crane pulled back once more, ready to reorientate, re-aim and reattack. "Keep it up with the Zoosha violations!"
He saw a pair of thumbs up before pulling down a set of stairs with Judy.
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The mammals glanced over at the door to the main gallery, screams raging out alongside the banging of steel on concrete as the beams came in for a sweep again.
"Don't try anything," Sarrahson warned, eyes lingering on the mammals in question, mostly Kris.
"I think I need to remind you of the same thing," he said, looking to the other mammals in the room facing off against her.
"Oh, I know that all I need to do is wait," she said. "More mammals on the side of good will be coming to rescue us, and…"
"-Oddly enough I can say the same thing," Kris spoke back.
"Don't give me that lip, convict." She marched forward, gun as ever raised on him, tail swishing behind. She paused, seemingly registering that she was exposing her back but glancing to Felicity, the pallas cat nodding and keeping an eye on behind her.
Seconds ticked by, Sarrahson slipping back.
"It seems your mammals aren't having a good time," Kris followed on, gesturing to the outside.
"You can't win this, you don't deserve to win this," the serval warned.
"Your side kidnapped my baby cousin."
"Yeah, so we could make sure he wouldn't grow up like you," she sneered, looking over to the fox. "We were trying to save him, trying to…" She paused, glancing around, counting the mammals in the room. Felicity did too, looking and then freezing.
"Where's the tailless wonder!?"
They glanced around, spotting Carmelita, Skye, Nick, Kris, Mrs Fox and Rowan. But Mr Fox…
"I don't know what you mean," Skye said, Sarrahson turning her gun to her.
"Don't think your sandy fur can save you from what you are or what you deserve," the cat warned.
"Don't blame her," Kris said, snapping her attention back to him. "You were so blinded looking at me you didn't even notice."
"WHERE IS HE!?"
He looked at her blankly. "Not telling."
She pointed her gun at his head, her expression blank. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just execute you for your crimes right now."
"Because Officer Wilde has a gun trained on you and Skye has one trained on our hostage. Your allies on one side are being bowled over, the others have to face off against a wild animal crazy fox who…"
The serval snapped back to the other door, looking up to see the cable tray up high, going through the wall. Down on the floor below were the odd scraps of fallen filling foam, the outer dust encrusted crust on one side with freshly exposed foam on the others showing out. She opened her mouth to yell a warning only to find herself frozen in place.
"What!?" She barely mumbled out, trying to move only to be unable to. Barely able to turn her head she glanced back to see Kris, two fingers pinching one of her own. There was nothing to stop Mrs Fox coming in, retrieving her weapon for herself and smiling.
"While you were being your awful self to my poor nephew, Officers Fox and Wilde gave my husband a quick boost up. Quite effective if I must say so. Now get down."
Kris released her as, paws up, she was made to step back with the other captive, face riven with rage as she glared over at the silver fox. "You tricked me, you dishonorable, cheating, lying…"
He walked forward and stared her down, his teeth baring. "I said it before, I can control my inner animal. But sometimes it gets poked so hard that while I can chose to not indulge it, I don't want to do so." He leant down, facing off against her. "And that's the closest I'll ever be to you. It's just good that I find being the better mammal gives me so much more satisfaction than going to that place."
"Oh shut up!" the serval hissed as the room rumbled again, shrieks of steel and yells coming out from the avenue side before gunshots and yells from their blocked escape route on the other side. Swears coming out, the sound of bodies falling, then returning fire, yells that they knew where the fox was, that he was not going to be able to play the same trick again. They'd be ready for him.
"Ha! That's it, your one chance, failed!" the cat said, before yelling out. "We need more reinforcements the other side, now!"
"Well," came Rattigan's grunt from the avenue side. "We have those now to make up for your failure."
"Fai…" the serval composed herself. "I'm outnumbered, I'm doing my best here, don't you worry. Don't you doubt me." She glanced over to Felicity, giving her a smile.
The other feline looked at her for a second before turning to the door, a smile growing on her face. "Whom do you have left dearest?"
Outside Rattigan smiled, knowing that tone. "Oh, those not bowled over, and a new set scraped from the bottom of the barrel." He turned, facing them. A few bears, the lion and tiger, Petey… -Who'd brought in the dregs. "Napoleon, Loxy, the prisoners from the youth detention centre. All armed up now." He glanced at them, his former allies wearing simmering but determined expressions. The inmate hare, still with his Jeffrey Deermer antlers, looked excited, and the wolf and groundhog trembled in terror.
It was Carmelita from inside who spoke. "Ha, fighting off the ZPD forces and dealing with us, you're so thin right now that's all you can spare."
"For now," Rattigan said. "Fidget has put out the order, my workmammals will be rounded up and coming in while those first bowled over are lumbering back into position." He looked around, large numbers of limping and bruised goons sheltered into places where the crane and its beams couldn't reach them, stocking him up on this side. And on the other? Looking up to the catwalks, already seeing a few groups marching up. Unarmed, yes, but enough muscle was still a good play. "Meanwhile we've abandoned the surface and will blow it up behind us. Your ZPD friends won't be getting here for a long time. My mammals WILL!"
"And if those you betrayed decide they want to get even with you first?" Nick asked.
Rattigan chuckled. "Well, tell me this. If they do, are you going to pat them on the back? Forgive them? Hey-ho, you can all go home now?" He looked over at each of them. "Truth is, mammals, you can't offer them anything. Me though. Oh, I can still offer them greatness. A place in power in my new evil empire, and in the end their greed wins out. It's just common sense."
Inside Nick scoffed, only to hold it back in. He could hear talks and barks from the exit-route side, more mammals coming in and being warned of an armed fox hiding about above them, ready to cause chaos. -Making sure he didn't give it away he glanced up from a corner of the room, seeing Mr Fox pinned up there behind the cable tray and just out of view, the bat and conveniently arm sized hole in the foam insulation block he'd shot through just off to the side.
"-Evil?"
Nick glanced down at Sarrahson, the cat confused for a second before shaking it off and glaring at Kris as if to block a retort before it even came. She shook it off and shrugged regardless. "-Ha, thought you got me there for a second," she said, glaring at Nick and Kris. "You were going to use a bit of mid-combat dark humour to try and break me or something. Well, fat chance, I know your tricks."
There was another bang from the ram impacting the charging hall door, more yells as it swept down to scatter the besieging forces, before it retreated once more.
"Oh, he was being serious," Felicity said casually.
Sarrahson gave a laugh, one repeated by the pallas cat. Continued by the pallas cat, louder, harder, leering at the now pausing, concerned serval. The mammals looked on as the smile dropped from the savannah cat's face, Felicity going so hard they could tell that were she not cuffed she'd be pointing hard at her admirer, going down to her knees as she mocked the savanna cat… The presence of her tail being pulled around, wrestled into a gesture to such effect despite what must have been the urge to let instincts sweep it around left and right, was just the cherry on top.
Sarrahson was strangely quiet as Felicity finally calmed down, pulling back her laughter with a snort. "Oh, you have been so fun," she sniggered. "I mean, while friends with such shared repugnant views can be a delight, and I'm certain that against the right targets," she gestured at the foxes around. "We could have had some real Grrrrrllll time indulging our forbidden instincts, you…" She shook her head, her smile increasing. "You were just SO stuck up under your own tail, how could I not? How could I not mammals!?" She turned, looking over at the others, smiling.
Sarrahson, blinking, shook her head. "What… What are you…"
"Oh don't act like the idiot you are for a change," Felicity snorted. "'I'm the good guy saving the world from the neo-preddist fox conspiracy.' -Nah, you're a filthy, violent, evil little thing just like me and Rattigan. Only thing is, you think you're such a good one, so high and mighty, honestly it makes even me a little sick!"
"I…" The serval blinked. Quiet. Her ears going down. "But, the cause, the…"
"The cause," Felicity leered, "was to inspire this city to riot so Paddy and I could steal tons of gold. And that cause was only in aid of something much greater. Reviving an ancient evil, taking control, and using its stolen powers to uh… -Rule the world, basically." She smiled.
"I, -that's what we've been forced to resort to, to stop them," Sarrahson said, glancing at the foxes, "to…"
"Oh will you shut up about the foxes!" Felicity yelled, genuine disdain seeping into her voice. "Evil foxy woxy doing dirty deeds and ruling the world and yip-yip-yip… Nah, there was one, we worked with him, he helped set off the massive riots with Rattigan and I. He's out there, fighting for us. That family there only got stuck into this as they were at the wrong place and the wrong time. But you?" She grinned. "You hate them so much, you were the easiest little rube in the world to play…"
"DON'T call me that," the serval hissed.
"Okay then, villain."
"I AM NOT A VILLAIN! I AM…"
"-A good person!?" Felicity snorted, laughing. "Look at yourself, look at…"
"You tricked me!" the serval hissed, lunging out. Carmelita held her back, wrestling to keep her under control and avoid a retaliatory bite. "Get your hands off me pelt, she…"
"Even now it's not your own fault," Felicity leered. "Even now, you're making up excuses. Oh, they did this, they tricked me. No, oh no no no… Did I tell you to join in in abducting a family, two teenagers and a baby kit, out of witness protection? Helping to kill…"
"They had nighthowlers, and chlorine and…"
"And you ran in cheering for the mammal who led however many wannabe heroes to their death," Felicity sneered. "After you should have known better, well after you chose to torture an innocent mammal whose only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time, because he was the wrong species and some idiot with something he should have never had got the wrong stinkin' locker."
"He…"
"You did it for the same reason I throw live mice who annoy me into the microwave or air frier and then munch on whatever comes out," the cat said, eyes suddenly alive, glistening, tongue coming out to lick the salivations off her sharp teeth. "Because it was cussing FUN!"
"I… I am a good mammal and…"
"No you're not," Felicity hissed, her grin growing. "And you NEVER were. And if you damn accepted that I wouldn't be doing this now. But oh, seeing you, playing you like a fiddle, making you and your little stupid gullible brain think you were saving the world? I've been plotting the moment I bring the truth crashing down on you for so, so long." Her wicked grin grew. "And now? Oh sure, it's not something as spectacular as my little kangaroo court for your favourite punching bag." She glanced at Kris, the fox's expression blank throughout. "But, for an improvised thing under quite strenuous circumstances…" Her smile grew. "I am VERY happy with how it's gone. Oh," she let a ripple run down her spine and to her tail. "This was good. Very, very good."
"I…" The serval was speechless, a tear trickling from her eye before she narrowed it, rage growing on her face. "No… No! You, you betrayed the cause! Mammals screaming out for help, you could have been their hero, but you wouldn't commit enough. Not to them…" She carried on, even as Felicity laughed harder. "Not to me!" Harder. "Not to Rattigan!"
Felicity choked a little, seemingly too taken back by that to even process it. Carmelita looked on, only distracted by a soft hum on her side, paw going down to grab a communicator and toss it over to Skye. Sarrahson didn't notice it, but the distraction was just enough at just the right time.
"I'M WITH RATTY RATTY RATT-I-GAN!" the serval screamed, leaping forward. Carmelita tried to pull her back only for the stronger enraged mammal to slip out, Felicity's eyes widening as the serval swept a free paw at her, claws out. Nick threw her to the side but Sarrahson turned, batting away a panicked defensive kick then taking another to the face. It didn't stop her as she gave one slice, then two, to the pallas cat before the others could wrestle them apart. The serval yelling, cursing, spittle flying all the while as the pallas cat just laughed and laughed at the rage and the tears and anger.
Racing over, Nick undid the cuffs on Felicity, keeping her under his control the best he could as he threw them to Carmelita, the fox doing her best to try and wrestle the serval into compliance. Other mammals came in to try and do it. From outside a few shots rang out, yells from outside before Mr Fox jumped back down again to join the fray.
"Ah, cuss you perra," Carmelita yelled, dodging a kick as they worked together to wrestle the serval down.
"I have a gun," Nick warned, holding it up. "And we don't need you as a hostage."
"Do it then, you cowa…" Sarrahson began before being thrown forward. She got up to swipe out at Carmelita behind her only for a flash of light and crack of electricity to hit her. She yowled, body springing up before collapsing to the floor, groaning.
Mrs Fox stood there, blowing on Carmelita's shock pistol before handing it back.
"Gracias."
"Pleasure's all mine," Mrs Fox said, turning to Sarrahson. "And as for you."
"-You pass the test," Felicity said out of the blue.
"W-what?" the serval asked, choking a little as she was wrestled up. One paw cuffed, Mr Fox, Carm and Nick tried to wrestle her into position. A massive bang and shake rattled the room, dust thrown down around them and mammals thrown off balance, the feral serval wrestling up and out as best she could. All while hanging on for whatever next would come out of the pallas cat's mouth.
"Loyalty test," Felicity said softly, a relieved look on her face. "And mainly an attempted distraction ploy with Ratty, which SOME mammals failed to jump on!" She yelled it out at the door to the corridor beyond. "Still," she said, a warm grin on her muzzle as she turned back to Sarah. "I have never seen someone pass with such…"
"Oh for Cuss' sake!" Nick groaned, "you can't really…"
"Ha, take that!" Sarrahson yelled.
Nick would have facepawed were he not busy trying to wrestle the re-invigorated cat into compliance. "She's playing you," he grunted.
"Can it fox!"
"L-look at that scat eating grin on her muzzle!"
Felicity tempered it down as Sarah glanced at it, not that seeing it at full power would have done anything. "You can't divide us," the sand coloured cat boasted, wrestling a paw free again. "You can't hold back, you…"
"-Kris, could you do the finger hold thing again?" Nick asked, looking up. The fox nodded, walking over, only for a yell and a scream to come out from outside.
.
.
"Here we go again!" Jack warned, ducking down again with Dr Silverfox as they rammed into the door. A little lower this time, hitting dead on against what must have been one of the hatch's main locks. Almost square on, the steel lip around their side bent, cracks ran along the concrete, the door pushed in but then settled somewhat. All as Rattigan and his mammals shot out at them, trying to halt their assault. Grabbing the controls, running through an increasingly mastered routine, the pair flipped the switches, their steel ram going down to sweep across the floor.
Leaning up and out, sparing a glance before ducking back in, Jack pulled at the controls, moving them back away from the access hatch a little. The beam struck a piece of debris as it moved, spinning and letting one end head straight into the wall not too far away from the door the others were stuck behind, burying itself in an otherwise sheltered nook and causing the lion and tiger to scatter.
The mammals around it, keeping guard around Rattigan, stepped away before leaping out and down as the whole crane began to retreat, the beam sweeping and scating along the ground where they'd been. A few hugged into alcoves, the ends of the beams brushing past them. -Until Dr Silverfox moved it closer, the pair in the control cab flinching as screams of pain and other unsavory sounds rang up and out.
A few wiggles, another move back out and in, shying the odd look and glancing back from the bullets being fired. And then suddenly they were yanked back, Jack turning up to Dr Silverfox as he drove them away. The panting mammal pointed over, Jack looked to see a few soldiers up, readying to board the gantry. A few with guns, pointing, shooting, others holding pieces of metal for smashing and beating down. The pair flinched down as a few wild shots peppered around them, Jack hissing as a hot bullet flicked off the steel ceiling and down onto one of his ears.
"They could have jumped on."
"I know," Jack said.
"Chances are they'll try next time, even if we do pull a fast in and out."
Jack nodded, looking down the avenue. A few other mammals were making a move, the crane driver doing his best to work out the best place to reverse direction so none would have a chance at boarding. Or at least an easy…
Jack's ears went up and he raised his gun, waiting for a second before firing into the ceiling. There was a scream and a jabber, a bat flying away yelling and screaming nonsense as a metallic thunk hit the ceiling. Their fingers already in their ears, an explosion ripped out on top, flecks of shrapnel coming down, slowed but still painful. The pair looking at each other.
"We're not going to be able to stop them," Dr Silverfox said.
"We can still…"
"I don't think we'll be able to get the door down either," the fox yelled, slamming the controls forward. "-Get it in line."
Jack raced over and began doing that, hurriedly trying to reorientate their battering ram as mammals raced in on them. "Come on, come… -Go!"
They began wheeling forwards again, the fox sighing. "We may not be able to stop them, but we could stop him."
"Him?" Jack asked.
"It's not just anyone who'll be doing this ritual thing or whatever, it's Rattigan," Dr Silverfox said. "Sly planned to remove this… -this talisman thing, but that's just one half of the equation. So is the mammal who plans to use it." He picked up his gun, checking how many bullets were left and not liking it. "We hit the door, I start the retreat, he'll think it's routine. He won't expect it."
"He's a rat," Jack said.
"Yes."
"He's tiny."
"I know," the fox replied. "I don't expect us to succeed. But nothing's changing there."
The hare breathed in and out, nodding. "Second time's the charm." He stepped back in the cabin, to an area under the small steps to the catwalk running along the beam. A small gap was present underneath it, giving them a view. The hare leant in carefully as they raced on.
"Ready…"
"He's… -He's under the yellow pipe!" Dr Silverfox instructed, bracing as they slammed into the door once more, a metallic shriek ringing out as it buckled. Amidst the expected peppering of stray bullets hitting their heavy steel surround, Dr Silverfox yanked back the controls and raced over, peering down and joining Jack as they looked on, finding the pipe in question and… Peering in… Ever so small, lining up their shots.
.
.
"Come on…" the rat grunted. "Come on, make a move." He glanced back over to that ever irritating crane, coming in for another ram and sweep. "You too," he waved at it. "Fidget, that damn hare, any…" He briefly noted that it wasn't going in for a swing at them again, instead straight out and in for another ramming, the rat beginning to fear that the gap was getting wide enough for Cooper to chance it. He turned, ready to order a few mammals to race up and guard the breach, when a few sparks caught his eye.
They blew up on the floor around and in front of him, whips of debris coming up, the wall above him popping. Eyes widening he covered his head and began to dive for cover only for a white hot punch to slice into his chest, the rat kicked to the side and the air thrown out of him fast enough to deny him the right to scream.
That came next as he took his first breath in, a side of his chest spasming in pure agony. He clutched it, limping up as Petey came up to retrieve him, one whole side of him jiggling about unanchored. A red crescent grew on his chest as he looked down to see a bullet rolling nearby, the front dented in hard but the flat rear outlined with a matching red semi circle
Paws came around to shield him and he held on, arm coming in to hold his slumped, hanging, tearing ribs in place to at least stem that agony. His lungs… -weren't working as they were supposed to. Even though he groaned, he hissed, he yelled. It was just the pain now. That and the panicked scream from inside. "PADDY!"
.
.
Felicity's grin was gone. Kris stood where he was, previously instructions seemingly forgotten. Even Sarrahson was frozen in place. The pallas cat spoke again, a worried nerve in her voice, the tone dropping as if a crack had appeared in her, wrenched apart to let them look in and revealing a shaky vulnerability that no mammal could have thought could ever be so. "Paddy?"
A few shouts came out from outside, none from the rat but from others instead. Hold still, bandage it up, he could get through this…
And then, ever so faint amidst all the other noise and tempered and laboured down, he spoke, half aghast half perplexed. "They shot me…"
Felicity blinked before leaping, screaming, hissing, a feral beast that went straight for Carmelita, wrestling at the fox and her weapon. The cop didn't even get a swear or curse out as the cat went straight for her arm with her mouth, the interpol vixen screaming. Nick began moving forward, holding his gun up, only…
"HYA!" Sarrahson leapt, grabbing the weapon in one paw and pushing the fox back against the wall hard. His head cracked against the concrete and his teeth bared and grit as her claws dug into the paw gripping the gun. The other was around Nick's throat, gripping tight as she looked behind her, eyes widening and turning, hoisting the fox in front of her and hiding behind him, shrinking herself down against Skye's and Mrs Fox's weapons. The swift fox vixen turned to Carmelita and Felicity, the two wrestling like mad, claws slashing, hissing, yowling, the cat screaming curses and threats of what she'd do to them, all of them, for hurting her Paddy. They flipped, one in front of the other at any one time, the tan furred vixen not confident enough to aim for one of them… From here at least. Skye began racing forward, she wasn't going to miss at point blank range, only for the jolt of the door to the side opening up to gather her attention.
"Get in and finish them!" Felicity screamed, Sarrahson leaping forward with Nick in her paws at Skye, throwing her off position. Mr Fox watched on, glancing at his wife, his son and the gun before turning to Kris.
"Get them off," he ordered, his nephew nodding as the two began racing forward to wrestle off their opponents. "Get…" They turned as they heard the door back out to Rattigan rattle, the mammals working on the locks, they didn't have much…
The door to the back corridor opened, Mr Fox turning to see a dozen or so bears about to race in, just as a blue beret dropped down into them.
"-Huh, who dropped hat?"
The hat exploded, the bears in the centre knocked out and toppled, those at the front hit and falling like skittles. Mr Fox saw the first one topple and raced forward, foot flying out and slamming Felicity in the chest, knocking her free from Carm. The pallas cat landed on all fours, hissing and yowling as her claws digged in, pulling her forward and leaping out, ready to slice the vixen once again. Paw raising up her shock pistol, she realised she'd be too late, then that it didn't matter. With a thud the bear crashed down onto her, Carmelita firing over top with a trio of shots, frazzling half of the bears that remained standing as Sly and Judy leapt from the cable tray to take care of the rest. The door to the atrium finally burst open, a shot or two from Mrs Fox holding them in position for long enough to buy them time.
Sarrahson was still busy, wrestling with Nick and Skye, a shot from the shock pistol racing towards her. Carmelita winced as the screams went out. Two of her own team for one of theirs. It didn't matter though. Her poise thrown off, Kris raced in and kicked the cat clean off the foxes, grabbing them with Mr Fox and yanking them off. A few more shots, shock and regular, kept the mammals from Rattigan's side out as they retreated, Judy covering, Sly doing his best to whack down the tumbled polar bears and keep them out of the picture as the mammals raced off and past.
Carmelita turned down, shocking one looking a bit too undazed, before grabbing Mrs Fox to help pull her and the screaming Rowan along, Skye and Nick taking up the rear as they passed by the last of the bears, shots fired back to try and hold back the inevitable chase. A few blind shots came their way, Kris flinching as a spark from a wall wicked him, only just hearing a jeer from Sarrahson about 'so much for being the better mammals.' He didn't dignify her with a response, the group charging down the corridor as fast as they could, up the stairs, Judy and Carmelita taking point as Nick and Skye, recovering, kept close at the rear. Up a few flights, down a corridor, approaching a door and…
"Do you have another hat?" Skye yelled, Sly turning back and nodding. "Take off the handle."
She pointed to an upcoming door, solid metal but with an off the shelf handle, Sly slipping a bomb hat under it as they raced through, pulled it shut and tapped his cane hard on the ground, the door shaking violently as the small explosion burst out on the other side. He was about to warn her they had no way of knowing it worked but then saw the handle on their side drop out. "That worked!"
They raced on, turning up the next flight of steps as the door banged and rattled, heavy bodies slamming into it and pushing it hard into its frame. A few bullets popped through but they were long gone, emerging out onto one of the catwalks along the long avenue. Shielded somewhat from potential fire below they raced along in full retreat, the gantry crane stuck in position just ahead. Looking up to the machine's rails up above, Sly saw a set of steel scraps thrown onto them on either side, wedging it in place. Further in, the electric motor was being spooled out, a quick look through his Binocucom revealed a small bat, wounded, frazzled, but excitedly cutting and spooling out wires. The crane was down but it had served its purpose, they all had, they just needed to get those still inside out. A glance along the beam's catwalk and they could already see a few bears advancing along, heavy steel plates in front of them providing cover from the mammals in the cab.
"JACK!"
The raccoon flinched as Skye yelled it out. Once, twice, giving away their position to them and… -With a whir the cabin began moving from the other side of the crane beam towards them, that motor still running, just as Carmelita fired down a few shots. The bears at the rear took it, a few who were armed with guns aiming up to fire only to get a few shots back down in return. More shock pistol shots, roars and screams ringing out as the cabin rushed past them to their side, Dr Silvefox and Jack racing out. Two bears, holding back away from the gantry, leapt to meet them, heavy metal pipes in their paws.
Sly, grabbing a mixture and rubbing it on the end of his cane, leapt down in front, bracing himself. The brief flash stunned them, enough time given for a set of whacks and hits with the cane at the right pressure points to bring them down. "This way!" Sly yelled, the duo rushing on with them. "You did good."
"We hit him," Jack said, panting.
"That you did," Sly smiled, guiding them up to a nearby ladder, up to where the rest of the group were.
"Did…" Dr Silverfox panted. "Did we get him?"
"I don't know yet," the raccoon said, pulling himself up with the others. Skye spared herself a quick embrace with Jack, Dr Silverfox with his son, before a call on from Carmelita had them turning and racing further down.
"They're running out of guns," Judy said.
Nick, up on point beside her, weapon out, shook his head. "Still too many, and lots of muscle between us and freedom."
"Freedom many of us can't squeeze through," Carmelita grunted. "Never mind, ZPD are on their way, we find somewhere to hole up and wait it out. We've won. We've won."
Sly nodded along, only he didn't feel quite that way. The long dark words of the dying beast, splayed out on the lake of molten rock, echoed in his mind. The raccoon couldn't help but wonder whether he had worked it out in the years after his father's death, the years after his ultimate revenge, a revenge misplaced. 'You will never be rid of me, Cooper!'
"We came in over there," Nick pointed to a room somewhat above them and to the side. "We hold out at the base of the airshaft."
"Are you…" Skye began before looking down. "BEARS!"
A trio emerged to meet them, workers with heavy tools and weapons. Mrs Fox turned away and shielded the screaming Rowan as they were dispatched.
Up ahead was the loading bay, dust and debris falling down, shots and bangs from up above, more and more bears and other mammals running down, arguing, bickering. The front could hold but it was crumbling. It didn't matter, more were being directed down, directed towards them. Looking back, the raccoon looked on as another force was coming up, already approaching the gantry crane. A dozen or more were crossing it from the other side across the catwalk, a flanking force no longer required, sent after them and to hold the line against the ZPD.
"Move it, move it, do you want to be trapped?" Carmelita began, waving, turning to him, only for him to wave for her to move on. Sly leapt out onto the railing, balancing himself as he leant over into the void, far away from any cover. He ignored the vixen yelling at him to get back. Binocucom up, zooming in. A scan left, a scan right, a…
"You'll be pleased to know I've hacked into their door system." Bentley said, smiling. "Full meltdown protocol. Complete core lockdown, they're stuck out away from Clockwerk, we've done it Sly!"
"Yeah, yeah," he began, zooming in closer, lingering over Rattigan. In Petey's hooves, limped over, clutching his side. Felicity was next to him, terrified, the rat looking up and shaking. A zoom in closer, a cough, red tinged liquid coming out. The goat was speaking a little, Bentley peering in.
"Running my lip reading script and…" He paused, his tone going lower. "Major blunt trauma to the side, severe internal bleeding and fluid buildup around the lungs, his risk of death without medical intervention… High. Chances are by the time they work out how to unlock the doors it'll be too late."
"No," Sly said, voice going cold. He followed Rattigan's and Petey's gaze, raising up over the steel door, over the catwalks, along the upper edge of the heavy doors and to the newly formed crack running down it. "No!"
"Sly…"
"I've done it again," he said, voice cracking.
"SLY!" Carmelita raced up to grab him. "Come on, there's mammals heading back, we need…"
"He's going to try and bring Clockwerk back!" Sly yelled. The others froze where they were, turning to him. Already he could see Petey grab the rat and move towards the door, clambering up the concrete walls to its side, up pipes and towards the catwalks, towards…
"It's too late."
"Sly…"
Carmelita pushed past him, aimed her shock pistol and fired. Once, twice, three times, the charges flew out fast but visible, Petey seeing them but guiding himself to the side and out of reach.
"We can't…"
She yanked him back as a few shots rang out from the approaching mammals, she and then Nick and Judy firing back in return.
"We need to hit the goat," Sly said, pointing down.
"Give me that gun," Nick said, pointing to a larger one they'd pulled from one of the polar bears in the middle of the fights. "Clear some space, hurry!" He grabbed it and lay himself down on the floor. "-And cover me, don't…"
He paused as he saw Mr Fox lay down next to him, another higher caliber weapon in his paws, resting on the steel lip of the catwalk and pointing out and over. Nick frowned for a second before smiling. "Let's get back at him for your tail. Now, seriously, brace yourself."
Dominant paw holding the grip and trigger, non-dominant as a backstop ready for the incoming recoil, they lined up their sights on the climbing goat. More shots were coming on, out and in, the two vulpines holding their breath and…
-One pair of shots out. A second or so and then another…
"One was too high, one too low," Sly said, looking through his Binocucom and reporting back. He watched on as Petey, rattled, began climbing faster, higher.
Nick fired, Sly responded. "Up and right…"
Mr Fox took his turn, the raccoon feeding back. "Bit to the left…"
Nick. "Up some more, he's climbing faster…"
Mr Fox… "Don't move, fire when I…"
Nick. "Grazed him. Again. Hold it Foxy, now Nick."
Nick. "In the arm!"
"I'm out," the cop fox warned, slipping back as Sly kept waiting, Mr Fox kept waiting, the others kept holding fort as best…
"-Now!"
Mr Fox fired. Sly cheered. "In the hip!"
He watched on as the goat stumbled, his climb halted, beginning to slip and then…
"He's falling!"
In seemingly slow motion he tilted back and then fell off the pipe he was on, just below the lowermost catwalk. A last action, he reached out, trying to grab it, hoof just a little too short and… A tiny figure managed to scrabble up and leap, crashing onto it before writhing, whimpering, only just getting up and starting to carry on, paw up to those below.
"Rattigan's on the catwalk," Sly said, breathing out.
"This is getting bad!" Dr Silverfox warned, hiding in cover with his son. More fire and assaults coming their way, they pulled back in behind a wall, into shelter.
Sly turned to them, to Carmelita. "Get them out of here," he said.
She shook her head, turning to the Fox family. "You," she said, pointing at them, then over to the other four. "All of you, get…"
"We're not leaving you to do this alone," Judy cut in. "We came here to stop them! We're going to stop them."
Peering out, giving a warning shot with a new pistol, Nick looked back to Sly. "We can give you cover while you make a run for it."
"There's too many," Carm warned. "We will need to make a full assault, at least until we reach the gantry…"
"-It's bust," Jack warned. "They totalled it."
"He can still cross over," Carm said, pointing at Sly. "All their forces are on this side, the other is as clean as a run as you can get."
"What about a vehicle from the motor pool at the front?" Skye asked.
Carm glanced at her. "I don't think they have anything fast enough, besides it's crawling with them…"
"If you're going to do something now's the time!" Nick yelled, ducking back inside.
Mr Fox stepped forward, glancing to Kris, his wife, his son, his brother in law. "Get them up somewhere safe for now, I'll…"
"I helped them do this," Dr Silverfox said… "I…"
"Enough with the charity!" Nick yelled, ducking back in. "Unless you have anything that can help us." He glanced to Sly, the raccoon only then noticing his Binocucom beeping. He pulled it back on, Bentley's face peering out.
"How close are the ZPD?"
"Pushing down, but it'll be the best part of an…"
"Well we don't have that. Rattigan is crawling up, he's going to make it. Do you have anything, can you do the lights again, or…"
The turtle smiled, his visage fading out as that of a slightly overworked looking silverfox teen came in. "Okay, everyone is in position?" He glanced up. "They know what to do." A wink and it faded out, replaced by a stern looking one eyed bat, glaring slightly at the raccoon. "My infiltration units have planted the devices, I hope for all your sakes they do as advertised. And be glad I hold Rattigan in far more contempt than I do you, Cooper." It faded out once more, replaced by an excited looking panda, rubbing his fists together. "Oh don't worry, they do more." Finally it fizzled out, a red fox looking in, giving a wink, stepping back and pulling back a bow. He let loose a flaming arrow, sending it flying.
Sly pulled his Binoccucom down, a smile growing. Stepping forward, peeking out despite the incoming fire, he looked back towards the loading bay, more mammals gathering and racing towards them. -Only to freeze as explosions rang out, bangs, fizzes, whizzes and other sounds. The large shutter door to the back of the loading bay shook, twisted, flashes and smoke pushing out from its top before, in a blaze of light, the whole upper winder fell. Falling down, ripping the shuttering beneath it out as it went, bright firework flashes and glows blazing as it came down.
A cloud of smoke was kicked up, and out of it an army emerged.