by Tom Jones
Bocchino remembered back to when Arcades first started looking into the Foundation, “But Kurt managed to find those facilities like two weeks ago.” The Prince replied, “Perhaps, but did you ever check how long that information was posted? What if Omega is purposely leading people in the wrong direction? Or worse, Omega could be setting a trap for somebody. They obviously know their security has been compromised since they lost at least one of their secret facilities. -- Well, now two.” The cat sighed as he considered what the Prince was saying, “So, I guess that means you wouldn’t be able to help us out with finding the other Omega compounds?” The human shook his head in response, “I’m sorry, lads. I won’t be able to do that for you.” Bocchino leaned up against a wall, and he shook his head as well. Bocchino looked over to Jim, “Well, at least Kurt didn’t get taken by the Omega Foundation.” The cat was completely unaware of what had truly happened to Arcades. Jim nodded in agreement, “Yeah. It wouldn’t be too good for him if he was captured by Omega.”
Bocchino became curious, “So, what exactly would happen to Kurt if he did get captured by Omega?” Jim’s eyes widened for a moment, for he knew what Omega did to the anthros they took, “Well, one thing that always happens is that the captured anthros are supposed to be broken down mentally and physically. The ISG is supposed to verbally and physically abuse the anthros they take in. The reason why they do it: I mean -- It’s something that they’ve taken up from research done on mind control. You know, it’s the MK Ultra CIA kind of stuff. They’re trying to make the anthros feel as if they are completely powerless. If they’re in such an extreme state of being powerless, then many anthros will eventually just stop resisting what the Foundation does to them. It truly is a terrible experience. I’ve seen some bits and pieces of it while doing my job, but I can’t imagine what it’d be like to actually experience it.”
The attention of the anthro and two humans turned over to Jackie, the vixen, and the three could definitely tell that she was troubled by what Jim said. Jackie buried her head into her legs, and she covered her face with her arms as well. Bocchino did not quite understand why Jackie was distressed, but Jim knew the issue was related to the Foundation. The human leaned closer to Bocchino’s ear and quietly spoke, “She’s been through it. That shit fucks people up on the inside. It’s not just something that you can forget about.” The cat sighed again, “I can imagine… Fuckin’ shit… Can you even imagine that?” Jim replied to the cat, “Well, I am just a pilot after all. My job was just to bring the ISG units in and out so they can do their missions. However, I did get to witness some of the shit unfold when they did bring in a few anthros. The Foundation likes to call it ‘training’, but in reality it is mental conditioning and mind control. They start that shit the second they have control of an anthro, and they progressively make it worse for their victim. They start with humiliation, and they completely strip the anthros of their… Is humanity the right word to use for this kind of thing?”
Bocchino shook his head as he turned away from the vixen, “Whatever works, I guess. I really don’t fuckin’ care.” The Prince was listening carefully to the conversation the entire time, “Say, what ends up happening to the anthros anyways? What is Omega’s endgame for the anthros they take in?” Jim replied to the other human in the room, “Omega makes a profit off of selling their captured anthros to the financial elites of the world. These anthros can be trained in any such way that the buyer requests. The degree that the anthro resists is measured as a tier. The tiers themselves are color-coded, and these colors are displayed on the collars that Omega makes their anthros wear. Red is the initial tier that all anthros start at, and anthros in red tier are treated the worst to soften them up. It’s mainly done this way because anthros are too used to living an actual life that’s not the Omega Foundation. The Foundation makes sure that the anthros immediately recognize that they no longer have any such freedom.” The Prince spoke when Jim stopped speaking, “This shit’s quite a lot to take in, mate.”
Jim replied to the Prince, “I didn’t like working for the Foundation, and a pilot was all that I ever did. I only know about all this shit because I hear some of the ISG guys talking about it when they’re on the helicopter. The Foundation does have a hard time gathering enough people to be in the ISG. The main reason is because nobody wants to do that kind of stuff in the first place. Also, all employees have to be thoroughly checked and verified to make sure that they won’t run the risk of leaking information and spying on the Foundation. Omega has been looking into replacing their human ISG with anthros that can do their task for them. What they’ve done with select green-tiered anthros is that they’ve been giving them limited access to some facilities. Facility Five started doing this, but I didn’t ever ask Kurt if he ran into one of these guys.” The Prince spoke during another pause, “What exactly are these anthros doing?” Jim continued speaking, “I was just about to get to that. These anthros are given these bodysuits that are supposed to mask their features and make them appear less individual. If that makes any sense… They’re only green-tier anthros, so the Foundation believes that it can trust some areas of security in the hands of these anthros. They do some work that humans would otherwise be doing. Of course, the anthros don’t get paid for any of it.”
The Prince scratched his chin as he listened, “Interesting. So, what has Omega been doing to replace the humans and these trusted anthros?” Jim replied, “What Omega wants to do is to fully replace its ISG with anthros. Omega does not want to have to worry about any… More humans from defecting.” The former Omega pilot thought about himself when he mentioned defectors. The human continued, “Anyways, the Foundation is trying to internally produce anthros to carry out this function.” The Prince’s face grimaced, “You lost me, mate. What do you mean when you mention ‘internal production’?” Jim began to explain this to the other human while Bocchino listened, “Omega is trying to breed anthros at their facilities in order to eliminate the need of gathering them from the outside. They’ve been looking into trying to produce anthros by themselves that can be potentially genetically modified to carry traits that potential buyers would be looking for. I don’t know too much about the genetic modification stuff. I didn’t hear much about it from the ISG.”
Bocchino sighed yet again, “This shit is just fucking crazy. What is this supposed to be? A motherfucking clone army of anthros?” Jim looked over to the cat, and he then could notice that Jackie was peeking through her legs to view the spectacle. The human could see that the vixen was indeed paying attention, “You don’t have to stay here and listen to this if you don’t want to.” Jackie shook her head, “I’m alright with staying here.” Jim took a deep breath before saying, “Well, if you say so yourself. I’ll let that be your decision.” The Prince directed the other human back on track, “Jim, I want you to elaborate. What are they doing with these manufactured anthros?” Jim started to explain more information, “Omega is planning to replace all of its human staff with said anthros. Due to recent scientific advancements, this outcome is becoming more and more possible in the foreseeable future. Omega is going to replace it’s entire ISG force, and then they are going to practically breed these anthros from birth to fill the needs of their clients.”
Bocchino shook his head in disgust, “This shit’s fucking unethical!” Jim replied to the cat, “Omega doesn’t care what is and isn’t ethical. They’re just there to make the elites happy by selling them anthros that are willing to do whatever they want.” The Prince asked Jim another question, “What’s stopping them from rolling out these manufactured anthros now?” Bocchino looked up at the pilot since he was also eager to hear an answer to the question the Prince presented. Jim answered the question, “They’re essentially looking for a template. They need an anthro they see as desirable to use as a basis for an anthro they can manufacture.” The Prince was intrigued when he considered the context, “Which anthros do Omega see as desirable? Also, how do they obtain the DNA from the anthro to do t
his kind of -- manufacturing?” Jim began to answer the Prince’s further questions, “Race is a big part of the deal for Omega. Believe it or not, red foxes are the most sought after by Omega.” Bocchino was confused, “Why red foxes? Why them specifically?”
Jim tried to answer the cat’s question the best way he could, “Omega is deeply rooted in occult practices and similar traditions. They believe that red foxes hold the most sexual energy, so to speak.” The Prince chuckled and gazed to the floor, “Hah, you lost me there, mate. What type of shit is this? This is all sounding like bullshit to me.” Jim continued to speak after the Prince finished, “Believe it or not, like I said. I didn’t make this stuff up. The Omega Foundation did. Anyways, the elites who buy these anthros seem to think the same way. Red foxes are in high demand, and they’re very expensive.” Jim then began to think about Arcades, “You know, I wonder if the Omega Foundation would consider Kurt as a potential candidate.” The Prince was then curious about a different subject, “How does the Foundation extract the DNA they need for this?” Jim looked over to Jackie, and he was reluctant to speak since he knew that the vixen had spent some time in the Omega Foundation. The human decided to ask the vixen first, “Do you mind if I tell them what happens?” Jackie stared at the human for a moment before she spoke softly, “Go ahead…” The human took another deep breath, “The Foundation forcefully extracts both blood and sexual fluids from anthros they take in. Their potential template will likely be extensively ‘milked’ as they call it for such fluid.” The Prince and Bocchino both looked with surprise. The Prince was the first to break the silence caused by the surprise, “Fuck... ”
“This is Kite 1, we are approaching the target area. Over,” the pilot of a MiG-35E spoke as the squadron was converging on the location of Facility Nine. The pilot toggled the digital night vision on his pilot HUD, and he observed the ground while trying to visually locate the compound. Night missions were not always the easiest to accomplish, for visibility was exceedingly poor even with technology to enhance a pilot’s sight. The pilot finally received a response from another member on his frequency, “Copy, Kite 1. Take out any anti-air defenses to allow for the landing force to come in. Over.” The pilot of Kite 1 promptly replied, “Affirmative. Beginning bombing run. Out.” Kite 1 then looked outside of his Super Fulcrum, and he could see the other three MiG-35Es in formation with his aircraft. The pilot looked back at the ground, and he could now see Facility Nine. Though the pilots could not see any anti-air defenses on the ground, they would still drop their KAB-500 bombs on the compound.
The Kite squadron was now descending on the complex, and they were all preparing to drop their bombs on the building. Kite 1 waited until the trajectory properly lined up with the complex before giving the other aircraft permission to deploy the armament, “We’re cleared to engage.” The pilots of the other MiG-35Es immediately began to deploy their bombs, “Pickle,” sounded each pilot as they released their KAB-500s from the Super Fulcrum’s hardpoints. The bombs detached from the aircraft, and they flew through the air as they descended on their targets. Since the MiG-35Es were not absorbing radar signals emitted from Facility Nine’s anti-air network, several turrets began to emerge from the roof of the building to engage the attacking aircraft. However, the turrets were not able to fire many rounds at the squadron before the bombs impacted the turrets and effectively put them out of commission. The Kite squadron performed evasive action to avoid the incoming anti-aircraft fire, but they soon were able to level out their Super Fulcrums since the defense turrets had been destroyed.
Kite 1 looked over his shoulder and out the window, and the pilot could see fire and smoke on the roof of Facility Nine, “This is Kite 1, we have a positive effect on the target. All anti-aircraft guns appear to have been destroyed. Over.” The same voice from earlier answered the pilot, “Affirmative, Kite 1. Heliborne assault is now cleared to commence. Return to base. Over.” Kite 1 replied to the operator once he had adjusted his course accordingly, “Solid copy. Kite is returning to base. Out.” The operator changed his frequency to speak with an Mi-35 Super Hind that on approach to Facility Nine, “Rattlesnake, Kite squadron has eliminated AA defenses. Proceed with the attack. Over.” The pilot of the Super Hind replied to the operator, “Copy, Vertex. This is Rattlesnake, we are beginning the assault. Standby.” The pilot of Rattlesnake spoke to the gunner who was sitting directly below the pilot seat, “Make sure the MiGs didn’t leave any of the AA guns left for us to deal with. They would be able to down our chopper fast.” The gunner acknowledged the pilot, “On it.”
Nine felt the building shake as he heard the sound of jets passing by as well as distant explosions. He was then quickly contacted by the Security Chief, “Sir, CDI is here; they’re attacking the facility!” Nine replied to the Security Chief as he stood up from his desk, “I felt that from where I’m sitting. Get me out of here, and order the ISG to kill all of the anthros before CDI can get to them. Leave none of the anthros alive.” The Security Chief was not entirely sure where Nine planned on meeting him, “Sir, where are you planning on going?” Nine replied as he pulled a Smith & Wesson 629 from out of a handgun safe right below his desk. The human opened the cylinder of the revolver to ensure that the revolver was loaded before he looked over to the female gray wolf who was still in his office. The human pulled the hammer back with his thumb, and he spoke to the Security Chief one final time, “Meet me at the hangar. Make sure you’ve got a vehicle ready. I don’t wanna be kept waiting when CDI’s getting inside.” Before the Security Chief was able to say anything else to Nine, the human had already disabled the computer.
Nine walked up to the bound female wolf who was blindfolded and kneeling on the ground, and he walked right behind her. The wolf had no idea what was happening, but she was not even able to speak since she was still muzzled. The human spoke to the anthro as he aimed the weapon’s barrel at the back of her head, “You were fun while it lasted. Oh well, I guess it’s time for you to join your other anthro friends where you belong.” The wolf instantly knew what was about to happen, and she attempted to plead for her life; However, her pleas fell on deaf ears, for the human placed his right ear on his right shoulder and placed a finger in his left ear to compensate for the lack of hearing protection. The female wolf continued to cry into her muzzle, but she was soon silenced as the .44 magnum round tore through her skull and brain, killing her instantly. The wolf slumped forwards on the ground, and blood began to rush from the small opening she could make with her muzzled mouth as well as the main wound in the rear of her head. As the lifeless wolf lay limp on the ground, Nine opened the cylinder of the revolver, and he removed the hot brass from which he had just fired a round from. The human moved back over to his desk, and he retrieved extra ammunition which he had kept for his handgun. Nine inserted a new round into the empty slot of the cylinder of his handgun, and he spun the cylinder as he pushed it back into the frame of his revolver. The human took a few filled speedloaders, and he placed them in his pocket before stepping on the body of the anthro wolf on his way out of his office.
Several ISG units ran up to the roof in order to assess the damage, but they were immediately gunned down by the Super Hind which was flying about half a kilometer away from the compound. The helicopter used its 20mm M693 autocannon to fire upon the infantry on the roof, for the gunner wanted to save the rest of the armament for a potential encounter with a larger hostile target. As the gunner dealt with the infantry targets on the roof, the pilot began to strafe around the building with the Super Hind to make sure that there were no other hostile forces remaining on the roof. Though it was completely dark outside, both the pilot and the gunner were wearing third generation night vision goggles which somewhat helped them see the features of the building’s roof. As the gunner continued to watch the roof for additional threats, the pilot looked to his left to see a group of four Mil Mi-17 Hips approaching the compound.
An ISG member stood outside of one of the sections of Facility Nin
e which housed anthros, and another member was already preparing to enter the unit. When the first ISG member noticed his colleague approaching, he said, “We’ve gotta kill all the anthros. Did you hear that?” The second member nodded, “Yeah, CDI is going to bust in here any minute. We don’t have any time to lose, let’s go.” Both ISG members entered the unit, and they began to fire upon any anthros which they could see. The unarmed anthros had no means of protecting themselves against the incoming gunfire, and they were all quickly executed by the ISG. Many of the anthros were blindfolded, so they were unable to even see the humans which came in just to end their lives. The anthros were also restrained in cages as well, so they had even less of a chance to extend their lifespans by even mere seconds. As one of the ISG members depleted his XMP-1’s magazine and began to reload, he spoke, “Come on, mop ‘em up! Don’t leave any more of them alive!”
The Mi-17s were now hovering directly above the roof of Facility Nine, and two ropes deployed from each helicopter. CDI operatives quickly began to fast-rope down from the helicopter and reach the roof of the building. When the last operators from the helicopters were on the roof, the pilots waited for a moment before they all began a synchronized egress from the landing zone. As the helicopters scattered in all directions to avoid getting shot down by one attack, the Mi-35 Super Hind descended upon the compound to provide the infantry with close air support. The leader of the CDI platoon announced, “Get in there! Let’s move, move, move!” The CDI platoon split into their five squads of nine, and all of the operatives began to move about the roof trying to find a different way in. They did not want to bunch up and risk being taken out by one ISG member.