“That’s right, Craig. Follow me,” Peter agreed and continued towards the new faces.
Craig, his previous smirk now absent from his face looked down at Dwayne who was lying on the weight bench and mouthed up at him, ‘you are fucked.'
Craig turned to follow Peter. Behind his back, Craig flipped Dwayne off carefully working to keep his smirk from returning where Peter might see it..
Dwayne put the weights up and locked them down all the way. Sitting up, he grabbed a towel and starting wiping the sweat from his face. It wasn’t rare to find Peter down here, but Peter seemed to be on a mission. If Craig had caught his attention, then this was probably Peter taking the opportunity to hone Craig’s skills at the same time as providing an opportunity for others to receive a message.
Dwayne noticed another pair of eyes looking in curiosity over at him before nodding towards Craig. Dwayne winked back.
This should be good.
—
Shun entered the APA and stopped a few feet in, looking around in surprise. This room was significantly larger than he had expected!
It was easily a hundred and fifty feet long, by about ninety wide and at least thirty feet high. There were large areas to work out along the sides, but most of the middle was set up for competitive training and sparring.
Shun noticed the man, no probably Wechselbalg, to his left start to stare at him and his friends as they looked around the Active Participation Area and watched the different groups of men and women sparring against each other.
In one section, there was a wolf… a rather large wolf, in fact, with two humans holding guns fighting two Yollins.
“Craig!” Shun turned back to his left to see the Guardian’s commander calling to the one who had been looking their way.
Moments later, Peter stepped around this man, who had turned to follow Peter after a second and headed towards the three of them.
Shun relaxed for just a moment, content. He didn’t need to confirm what was going on around him because he could feel it. Zhu was watching his area behind and to his left and Jian the opposite side.
Shun was responsible for the front.
Like they were still in the jungles, those many months after Bai's death when every death of a Cat was celebrated.
Peter arrived and held out his hand, which Shun took.
“Good to see you again, Shun,” Peter nodded to the other two, “Zhu, Jian.”
“I would say the same,” Shun admitted, “But I think we might be in a little pain soon?” Shun grinned.
“Guys, I’m sorry, but Todd is delayed over in APA Delta with a large group action,” he explained, “So, you only have me this challenge instead of the two of us.”
Shun made a point of looking around the man at the rather large room, “Larger than this?” he asked Peter.
Peter turned around, “Oh, this is a smaller APA. Not our smallest, of course. This is our second smallest of the four core APA rooms not including some of the large Ship’s caverns they are clearing out.”
“Ship’s caverns?” Zhu asked from behind Shun.
“Sure,” Peter turned back to answer Zhu. “The engineering group is preparing for a ship's refurbishment to be accomplished inside the Meredith Reynolds. Our version of a dry-dock. That way, we can protect some ships if we need to, or finish them inside away from prying eyes. If they aren’t being used for active duty, we can use them ourselves for large troop actions. They can get pretty big.”
“Todd is the commander of the Marines; I’m in charge of the Guardians. Together we work both teams, and if a final decision needs to be made, I’ll decide who makes it. Occasionally, Todd is stronger in certain areas, and I’ll tell him to make the call. If it is within my area of specialty, I make the call.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder, “This young strapping volunteer is Craig. He is a Wechselbalg who is going to test your ability to work as a team.”
“I’m going to fight them, sir?” Craig called out from behind Peter.
Peter winked at Shun before turning towards his soldier, “Why yes, Craig. Are you up to three against one? I mean, I can ask for a couple of volunteers to back you up if you wish?”
“May I ask the parameters of the action, sir?” Craig replied, cautious.
“Of course. You will start at one end, them the other. Feel free to use all of your skills, and I’m going to give them equivalent to what they are used to using. Strictly standard effective sleep darts, so a couple of shots aren’t going to do much. Now, no killing and someone yelling ‘out-out-out’ are making themselves a non-combatant.” Peter turned back towards the three men, “If you need immediate medical attention, you need to let us know. Otherwise, you have to stay on the field of battle, understand?”
Shun, Zhu, and Jian nodded their understanding.
“So, three outs and the Wechselbalg wins?” Craig asked, not believing his luck. While he might be concerned if he had to deal with three of Todd’s Marines who had worked with his kind for a while.
Three obvious newbies like this? Freaking piece of cake.
Peter nodded, “You are released to go stretch, Craig,” he told him and watched as Craig turned and jogged over to the far side of the mat.
Everyone had figured out that another match was about to occur, so when they finished their current sparring match, each would step off and cool down, waiting to see what Peter was up to.
Those who had met the three Chinese men in All Guns Blazing or had heard a couple of whispered rumors all worked hard to keep a straight face.
No, let’s be honest, they were trying to not bust out laughing.
It looked like Craig was going to be taught a lesson. Those who didn’t know what was going on were working to trust their obviously crazy commander.
Because allowing a Wechselbalg of Craig’s caliber loose on three humans?
This fight wasn’t going to be pretty for the humans, for sure.
CHAPTER FIVE
EARTH
Around the world, a very sensitive, some might argue beyond sensitive, classified document was reviewed, shared, debated and argued.
In the end, for those who had been granted eyes to see it (it never went across the Internet or even classified military networks) all who reviewed the document arrived at the same conclusion.
TQB was leaving soon.
Level Five efforts to acquire TQB technology were approved regardless of their legality. That it was ‘good for the world’ was justification enough.
Two men in a small, non-descript office building in Washington D.C. made a phone call to New York.
One of the two said three words, no names shared, “Mouse trap approved,” then hung up.
TQB would not be leaving with their tech.
At least, not without speaking with them one more time whether the Queen wanted to.
Or not.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds - Active Participation Area
Craig looked around the sparring room, smiling externally, but internally his mind raced. While he could be arrogant, always a potential personality problem for any Wechselbalg, he wasn’t a complete idiot.
That Peter had volun-told him to spar with these three men gave him enough of a warning.
Now, Peter was explaining the guns to the trio. These were modified to shoot tranquilizer darts instead of bullets.
Designed to subjugate a Were once hit six or more times. However, Craig had an advantage.
He could get hit at least eight times before he would go out. He had been hit nine times two days ago, by the Yollins, but by the time the drugs nailed him, he had been able to win the fight. He was looking forward to this.
He started to remove his clothes, waiting for the three of them to check out the guns. Peter led the three to a range and was letting them run through a magazine of darts with no serum.
Craig paid attention, their shooting was good. The second guy in the group was messing with his sights, and Peter provided him another magazine.
Th
e shots from the next magazine were much closer to the center. Craig made note of the shooter, he would have to watch out for that one.
Soon enough, they were provided basic protection gear, and they were walking towards their side of the mat. Some sixty-five feet away.
Then, they pointed their guns down and formed a triangle, one man in the front, the other two behind him.
Craig smiled, then changed…
—
Peter sent the three on their way. He sure hoped Todd was right about this. The Marine’s commander had worked with these men and said this group of guys was just as good as any of the Marine’s.
If not a little better.
Peter had asked, and been told this team had been out in the bushes with the Sacred Clan, going toe-to-toe and taking their anger out in blood.
Not like the sparring matches here, but real, in the woods, in the dark of the night, men screaming in pain and agony, holding your shit together, operations.
They would, Todd promised Peter, be fucking amazing.
Looking around for a moment, checking on those that were paying attention to the challenge, Peter sure hoped so. Right now, Craig’s win over the Yollins was affecting his performance and he didn’t need Craig cock-strutting across the floor after wiping out a team a second time.
It’s times like this that Peter appreciated having Todd around. He settled down and allowed himself the opportunity to appreciate the experience Todd had.
Peter was going to enjoy this.
—
Shun looked his rifle over one last time. The additional sighting shots helped him the little bit he needed to feel comfortable with the weapon. Peter explained that for most Weres six darts would be sufficient to mark them a kill. Zhu asked him if that was true for the one they were fighting.
“Now that,” Peter had whispered, “was a smart tactical question, Zhu. Since you thought to ask it, I would recommend doubling the quantity.”
Jian raised an eyebrow at Shun, “Twelve?”
Shun pulled his magazine and made sure it was full, quickly followed by Zhu then Jian. All three rammed the mags home, took deep breaths and focused ... a peace came over them.
The peace before the storm of battle.
—
Craig’s wolf form cut a striking figure as he sniffed the air. His enhanced perception watched for any sign of nerves or discomfort the three men might exhibit when they were facing an obviously supernatural creature.
They glanced over at him as they walked to their side of the mat and then …
Ignored him.
Craig’s lips drew back in a snarl. His nose wasn’t changing what his eyes saw. These three were aware he existed, but they didn’t seem bothered by him at all. Didn’t they understand that death was just a few feet away? No? So fucking be it!
The stupider they are, the more it would hurt for them when he took them out of the game.
If the Yollins were the main course then he was going to have humans for dessert.
—
Jian whispered, “He’s not that big. I figured he would be as big as a horse.”
“You are just spoiled fighting the Sacred Clan and some of their older warriors. He’s young, he will grow yet,” Zhu whispered back.
“Always treat your enemy with respect,” Shun added, “right before you shoot them full of lead.”
“You mean darts?” Zhu asked as the three lined up on their side of the mat.
“Whatever works,” Shun nodded.
—
Peter had to admit, none of the three of them so much as flinched when they watched Craig change and start pacing, trying to win the fight through intimidation. So far as Peter was concerned, the score was Team China 1, Craig 0.
Waiting until all three of the team had their headgear in place, Shun nodded. Peter raised his arm and looked around the large group of spectators and ended up looking at Craig, who was watching Peter out of the corner of his eyes.
Peter dropped his arm, “GO!”
—
Craig bolted straight for the men but had to quickly dodge right as a dart came down the lane. He quickly dodged to his left when a second dart nailed him in his left shoulder. He turned sharply back the other way and was crossing over to the other side when dart number three nailed him.
He growled in anger. Lucky little bastards!
—
“Zhu, coming your way. I’m shooting straight down, but off his left ear,” Shun hadn’t finished when he sent his dart down the path. Shun heard Zhu’s rifle bark and then Jian’s when the wolf turned quickly to his side opposite the dart.
“That was probably the easy two hits,” Zhu remarked.
“It’s ok, only sixteen to go,” Shun said and aimed for a left reverse, “Bring him.” Jian’s rifle popped, and Shun waited for the twitch, then squeezed his own trigger.
—
GODDAMMIT! Craig felt the fourth dart hit him as he performed his switchback. He had been too obvious with his moves and had played right into their fucking human hands. Craig kicked off from the ground, leaping into the air and snickered when he heard a dart pass underneath him, missing him completely.
—
“Nice sucker shot, now make the landing count,” Shun muttered, as they all figured out the trajectory of the airborne wolf. When you had life or death fights with cats in the wild, the easiest way to shoot one, they had determined, was in the air. Cats couldn’t change their direction when in the air and if your reflexes were fast enough, and your gun had enough silver loaded, you could take one out.
If you could just get them airborne.
—
As Craig landed three darts hit him full on. He stumbled and in annoyance realized the only reason two more darts he heard streaking right above him missed was they expected him to still be standing up.
Craig rolled over a couple of times before getting up on all four legs and deciding a straight-ahead charge would work best.
No more Mr. Nice Wolf.
His paws and nails dug into practice mats specifically made for Werewolf claws and bolted from his position.
The men split up as they counter-charged him.
He knew enough not to go down the middle, so he turned and aimed at the man on his right.
—
“You win again, Zhu,” Shun called out. For some reason, it seemed most changelings went after Zhu. The team had never figured out if it was a right-handed mentality, they sensed something about Zhu, or perhaps, Jian commented offhandedly one time as the three discussed it
Perhaps Zhu simply smelled delicious?
“Shut up and shoot!” Zhu yelled, then smiled in relief when he heard the cracks of his friend’s guns.
Zhu heard a female yell “Shit!” from his left. He imagined she had come over to watch the sparring match and was now the proud owner of a dart stuck in her shoulder.
Zhu grinned in satisfaction, he could see when the additional darts started taking effect. The wolf was pretty damned close when it suddenly dove nose down into the mat twelve feet in front of Zhu.
Zhu braced a leg and lifted his other foot to stop the wolf as it started sliding toward him. The wolf’s weight caught Zhu by surprise, and the drugged wolf rolled right under him, knocking Zhu’s leg out and causing him to fall hard on the mat as the wolf slid past.
Shun and Jian smiled as they walked over to their friend, and looked down at him.
“Oooowwww,” Zhu said, “did anyone get the license plate of the car that just hit me?” he groaned as Shun reached down to grab his arm and help him stand.
—-
“Son-of-a-bitch!” Peter whispered. The three Chinese men had made short work of Craig. They worked together like a very well oiled machine.
They weren’t bothered by his enhanced speed at all.
Peter nodded to the three as he walked over to Craig and counted at least nine, no…ten darts on Craig’s left side. There was one in his left ear, which would have been annoying,
but wouldn’t have caused Craig any problems. Peter turned to look back to where Craig had fallen and could see three more on the ground that must have fallen out.
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