by Britt Ayers
I blinked. Maybe I was hearing things in the wind.
The metallic whoosh of a hatch door came from the camp below. I clipped my optics and honed in on the old house. The Militia Kat was sharpening his claws on the outside wall, leaving deep grooves in the wood at least five feet long.
My head began to pound.
“Wingback Battle Plan X477.9.” The voice echoed again, consuming my thoughts.
What’s happening?
“Help us.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. The leaves rustled above me as a shook my head, trying to figure it out. Bad move.
The Militia Kat stopped mid-scratch, turned around and scanned the hillside with his pale yellow eyes. I rolled behind a boulder and held my breath as he raised a scanning device my way. My gut was about to bust when he finally shut the thing off and hung it from his dark vest.
He was on edge, all right. So was I.
The giant feline let out a screeching howl, gave the wall one last scratch and headed back inside.
“Please no,” I whispered, as the gruesome sound carried up the ridge.
The Kat just performed their ritual of war.
CHAPTER 7
“Sniper two-oh-four…”
The hairless humanoid sneered as he tapped the black box beside his bunk. “Go.” His chest stirred with excitement, the way it always did when a new assignment came in.
“Confidential operation…”
“It always is.” Sniper204 rubbed his chest and inhaled the smell of victory. He’d never come back to base without accomplishing his mission.
“Confirm please.”
“Confidential mission…” He sat up and did the required speed search of his room. “Confirmed…”
Five images popped up on the screen hanging on his wall:
One Militia Kat – ugly as sin – looks capable, not an ounce of fat and twelve-inch claw capability.
One male adult civilian – a scientist type - couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag.
One child – no real issues there – a possible ankle biter.
Three dogs – a scraggly looking bunch.
Sniper204 was almost insulted. This operation looked too easy. He sneered at the black box. If this was a set-up, they’d pay with their lives. “What’s the catch?”
“The operation must be completed within twelve hours.” The display on the screen adjusted, locking in on a location.
“Earth?” Sniper204 raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t been sent on an assignment there in years. The planet was child’s play. “You’re not getting a discount,” he snorted, “my fee is still the same.”
“Agreed.” The photos disappeared from the screen. “Prepare to transport.”
Sniper204 strapped seven deadly weapons to his muscular frame.
“Which one is to be eliminated?” He requested target confirmation.
“Kill them all.”
CHAPTER 8
“It’s just not working.”
Dr. Harlan Gray dropped the cell-scan unit in his lap and picked up a towel. He lifted the cloth to his forehead, rubbing it back and forth with a jerky motion. Sweat seemed to be coming out of every pore on his body.
The pressure was too intense.
He’d already tried to explain that to the ignorant Militia Kat. He needed better equipment and a quiet, calm place to think. The muscle-bound feline couldn’t have cared less.
Harlan glanced over at his young son. Benjamin was rolling a ball across the floor for the young German Shepherd mix. The boy was oblivious to the danger hovering over them. Harlan was grateful for that.
The doctor squeezed his eyes shut for a quick second to clear his mind before picking up the scan unit. He tried again for the fifth time. There had to be a way. There just had to.
The bedroom door burst open.
“Do you have something yet?” The Militia Kat stalked in, circling around Harlan like it was stalking a mouse.
“I, I, I need more time.” Harlan choked back the fear.
“We don’t have time!” The big Kat swiped a paw, its sharp claws ripping the front of Harlan’s button-down shirt.
“I, I, I’m only a veterinarian.” Dr. Harlan stuttered. “I’ve only worked with the King Kat’s special forces hospital my entire career.” He was grasping at straws. “I’m not a brain surgeon.”
The Kat jerked its head towards young Benjamin and hissed. “You’re not going to be a father for much longer if you don’t figure it out.”
Harlan had to lie. “I’m getting closer.” He glanced at the boy and blinked. “I, I, I should have something within the hour.”
In truth, Harlan wasn’t even close figuring out the equation. Even with the proper technology, he’d need at least three weeks. The guilt was almost as bad as the Kat’s breath. Harlan’s ex-wife had warned him at least a million times to stay away from the double-crossing King Ferocious. She’d divorced him because he chose the money over the family’s safety.
What a fool he’d been.
The Militia Kat put a claw to Harlan’s throat and stared into his depths with fierce yellow-green eyes. Dr. Harlan prayed the Kat would believe the lies. Maybe he could try again to find a way to escape.
The Kat finally hissed and pushed away. “Come on Benjamin, you stay with me while daddy works.” The muscular feline stretched a front leg, gripped the back of the boy’s shirt, picked him with one motion, and planted him on a furry hip.
The Kat shoved the doctor aside and stalked out the door, slamming it behind him.
Harlan broke down in sobs.
“I should’ve never taken the money.”
CHAPTER 9
Captain Remington pounded a fist on his desk. “I should’ve filed an appeal for reconsideration,” he muttered. “Interacting with the Mink Kats was a bad idea.”
“You requested me, Sir?” Commander Atta entered the Captain’s private quarters and snapped to attention.
The Captain’s com-unit blurted out an urgent code.
“Go ahead,” the captain pressed the com-unit button on his chest.
Lieutenant Preston Wesley’s voice filled the room. “A Cripoid Sniper warship has entered Zone 624.”
“Follow me.” Capt. Remington commanded as he hurried to the bridge. “They’re sending in a hit team.”
The hatch slid open. “I’ve tried to warn Lt. Barks, but all signals are being blocked.”
“Try again.” The captain commanded.
“There’s a com-lock in place.” The engineer spun around in his chair. “It has to be Militia Kats.”
“That’s against our new treaty.” Cmdr. Atta stated the obvious. “They kept the agreement less than twenty-four hours.”
“Why did fleet command insist on sending Lt. Barks down there?” Cmdr. Atta stepped forward toward the engineer’s screen. “They put her right into the Militia Kat’s hands.”
“Contact fleet command and request to break previous orders.”
“Aye, sir.” The ship’s fleet liaison turned her back and did as asked.
“Beam me down with a team of fighters,” Cmdr. Atta requested, motioning for a group to join him. “Lt. Barks has no idea what’s coming at her.”
“We’ve been scanned,” the engineer called out, “the Cripoid ship knows we’re here.”
The liaison looked at the Captain and shook her head, no.
“Stand down, Cmdr. Atta.” The Captain ordered. “No one is beaming down. Not yet.”
“Sir?”
“By order of Fleet Command.”
CHAPTER 10
“Wingback Battle Catalog X477.9.”
I squeezed my eyes tight. The demanding voice was getting louder, ricocheting back and forth in my mind as I raced down toward the house.
Am I going crazy?
I had no time to worry about that, now. Something was going down in this house. Whatever it was, one thing was for sure. I needed a lot more weaponry.
Darn it.
This would’ve been
the perfect situation to employ the new K9 team.
An interior door to the house slammed so loud that the window shook. I dove behind a thick grove of brush and clicked my specs, checking the side windows of the home.
The Militia Kat had a hold of the boy from the back of the neck – a textbook hostage position – as he paced back-and-forth. The humans were not here voluntarily. Holding a human hostage had to be a violation of the new treaty.
Where’s the adult?
“Wingback battle catalog X477.9.”
“Aaugh!” I held my head, trying to make it go away.
It was now or never. If the hairball decided to perform another scan, I’d be dead meat. Hopefully, the kid would keep the Kat busy for the next ten seconds. When the feline turned and paced toward the far wall, I made my move, sprinting two hundred feet to the back corner of the house.
“Wingback battle catalog X477.9”
My head was about to explode.
A figure appeared in the window right above my head. I glanced up and a shaggy brown dog was staring me straight in the eyes. His big eyes locked into mine.
“Wingback battle catalog X477.9.”
Holy Sh... They’ve got a dog with telepathy.
Judging by the looks of it, the Militia Kats don’t want anyone to know about it. No wonder they insisted on visiting my K9 program. They wanted to see if we’d gotten a hold of the same technology.
But why hide out here with human hostages?
I needed to contact my ship and get help.
“Ruff!” The dog barked.
I plastered my body to the side of the house.
“It’s okay, I’m working with him.” The human inside called out. He sounded absolutely petrified.
I had to get to the Kat ship and disable that com-lock.
CHAPTER 11
“Lock on… transport.”
Sniper204 disappeared from the Cripoid ship as he was beamed down to earth, one hundred feet from the front door of that house in the woods. There was no reason to be too clandestine. This would be the easiest gig he’d had in years.
He pressed his wrist unit.
“Scan verified,” The robotic voice echoed in the earpiece. “One Militia Kat, three canines on all fours, and three humans within requested range.”
“Three humans?”
“Confirmed.”
“That’ll cost an extra five hundred grand.” Sniper sneered as he tucked his scan safely under his shirt sleeve.
The front door of the house burst open.
The Militia Kat got a partial shot off before Sniper204 cut into the beast with multiple rounds of fire. After a quick succession of howls, the mound of fur dropped to the ground.
The sniper laughed. It wasn’t even a contest. He lowered his weapon, raising an eyebrow. That was odd. Kats normally preferred the stealth approach.
This one might have rabies.
He shrugged, stepped over the ball of fur, secured all weapons, and moved inside, ready to extinguish his next target.
CHAPTER 12
I belly crawled along the side of the building as laser fire broke out.
The Militia Kat fell hard as a Cripoid’s laser cut him up. The Kat had no chance – what a foolish thing to do - Kats were always too cocky.
The sniper entered the house through the front and I used it to my advantage and made a run for the Kat’s shuttle. I’d done virtual training on their fleet in the academy and hoped the information would come back to me. I blew out a breath, calming my mind enough to focus. The thirteen step maneuver came back to me and I silently went through the procedure to shut off the com-block.
I put a hand on the Kat’s shuttle hatch and tapped my com-unit.
“Captain Remington” I whispered.
“Lt. Barks, take cover, you’re in danger.”
“There are two humans here, I believe they’re kidnapped.”
“That allows us to assist.” The Captain issued orders to some people in the background.
“S-S-Sir,” I stuttered. “A dog is talking to me.”
“Repeat that?”
“In my head….” I tried to explain. “It’s like our dog command technology in reverse.”
“That must be why fleet command….”
“Sir, the dog keeps saying, ‘Wingback battle catalog X477.9.’”
Smoke billowed from the open door as the sounds of a laser attack rose from inside the house.
“It must belong to Dr. Strategist...” The captain’s voice was muffled as he ordered the backup team to beam down.
“Sir?”
“Lt. Barks, your mission is to save that dog.”
CHAPTER 13
Dr. Harlan Gray’s throat caught as stinging zaps of lasers echoed in the house.
My son!
He pulled the bedroom door open and found the young boy huddled against the wall. Harlan reached down, gripped Benjamin’s arm, and pulled him into the back bedroom. The dogs were clawing at his legs as he wedged a dresser and bed against the door.
There was a momentary silence.
“It’s okay, you can come on out.” Heavy steps approached the room. “I’m here to rescue you.”
Harlan cowered behind a mattress with the boy and the dogs.
“It’s safe now.” The voice called out. “The Militia Kat has been extinguished.”
“Sshhh.” Harlan pleaded as Benjamin whimpered.
One of the dogs let out a low growl.
Zap! A hole burned through the door.
The three dogs climbed over themselves to huddle close to the humans.
A laser pointed through the opening, then disappeared.
“Make it easy on yourselves.”
Another laser blasted through the wood, essentially disintegrating the door.
“It’s the dogs you want,” Harlan shouted as he cowered deeper in the corner. “You can have them.” He pushed the animals out of the cubby. “Just leave my boy alone.”
CHAPTER 14
I grabbed the only weapon in sight from the Militia Kat’s shuttle and raced toward the house. The weapon was a lot larger than I was used to but lighter than I expected. My feet flew up the front steps and I ducked down beside the open front door.
The sniper is engaged, pushing furniture away from the bedroom door.
“Take the dogs,” a shaky voice called out. “I guarantee they’re worth more than a hundred times what you’re getting paid.”
That stopped the sniper for a split second. I raced through the house, weapon raised. The sniper turned and shot as I ducked behind the living room wall, the wood splintering in flames above me. My right arm burned from the lingering effect, and I switched the weapon to my left hand.
The Sniper grabbed the brown dog, holding it out in front of him like a shield. He aimed the gun at Harlan. “Why are these mutts worth all that money?”
“Dr. Strategist downloaded military plans into the dogs before he was killed.” The human cried out. “Every piece of weaponry information for the Justice Fleet is hidden in their minds. You can name your price within the galaxy.”
Dr. Strategist?
If the brown dog could send messages he might be able to receive.
I engaged my K9 com-tech and sent a silent mental telecast. “On three, dogs attack the sniper’s legs from the back. Brown dog in his arms, duck your head.”
Benjamin let out a soft whimper.
I gave the mental count. “One…two...THREE.”
Both dogs on the floor suddenly lunged forward, ripping the back of the sniper’s legs to shreds. The brown dog’s head yanked to the side as I shot left-handed.
The sniper got hit straight between the eyes.
CHAPTER 15
Captain Remington watched the screen as his backup unit beamed onto the scene.
“You can clean up that mess,” I pointed over my shoulder from the front stoop.
Then three K9’s surrounded me, but just one communicated the past three days’ worth of even
ts. Evidently, Dr. Strategist had just enough time to download the military documents into one of the dogs. He chose the brown one, his personal pet.
I pressed my com-button. “Request to beam up.”
The dogs were beamed to the ship with me.
Captain Remington greeted me with open arms. “
“With this additional technology,” I ruffled the brown dog’s fur, “there’s no telling what we’ll be able to accomplish.”
A small group gathered around and the captain made an announcement.
“Eco-RECON officially welcomes Lt. Andi Barks, assigned as DOG TEAM 1”
Get updates on new Eco-RECON adventures here: Newsletter
AUTHOR NOTES – BRITT AYERS
Thanks so much for reading the first book in the Eco-RECON series. I appreciate you!
Here’s hoping you enjoyed the story and it gave you a chance to escape into adventure for a few minutes today. There’s more on the way…
If you enjoyed the book, please consider giving it a customer rating on Amazon.
Have a great day,
Britt