Transporting the Payload

“You’ve got to… Got to get the payload here across town. I can’t… I’m not going to make it,” Sergent Petro said weakly. The Jackal’s leg had been blown off completely after the drone had exploded. He was attempting to dash through the stables door that he shoved the other two members of his team through and simply hadn’t made it in time. “You’ve got to get it to Gamma camp. It’s here, just on the west… West side of the city. They’ve already started invading from the East. And-“

He was interrupted by the titan deer 4611, who had been kept here for safe keeping. The giant deer had tears in his eyes as he nosed up to his Sergent, offering a knowing bellow in condolences and fear. It was this that finally caused Mica to crack and start crying herself. Tears stained the feathers on her cheeks as her teammate Koslov gave her a hug. 

Sgt. Petro took control of the situation like he always did with a harsh bark and a stare that could kill, causing the other three to calm down quickly as he gave his final orders. “The three of you need to silently get across the city and deliver the payload. Take that missile there and run. And Koslov,”

“Yes Sergent?” The gazelle responded firmly.

“Give me your pistol. I can at least give them hell before I go.” The daggers in his eyes had disappeared, being replaced with the façade of strength to hide the fear and regret that welled inside him. He would not be making it home from this tour. 

Koslov did as he was ordered, words not needing to be said before looking back at Mica and 4611. Mica, a nightingale, had loaded the missile onto the satchel that 4611 had slung over his back. Koslov helped with his sergeant’s pack and rifle, pausing only for a moment as another explosion from a few streets down rocked the building. Petro sat himself up against the wall on the far side of the stables door before saying hurriedly, “Go, go now!”

Mica, Koslov, and 4611 all dashed out the door in an attempt to make their sergeants final orders a reality. Gun fire could be heard all around them, though primarily to the east as they headed away from it. However, they couldn't go two streets without seeing the enemy. As Koslov spied around the corner, he spotted a contingent of those they feared. They consisted primarily of white furred canines and brown bears. The war had only officially been in place for four years now, but everyone knew it had really been going on for almost a decade. The bears had been slowly positioning for years and, when they had finally formally invaded, all the puzzle pieces were in place to capture a lot of territory quickly. 

"We have to wait them out," Koslov whispered, "we can't win this fight. Let's hide in the building here." 

The three dipped in and out of various buildings as they slowly made their way east, helping the massive 4611 through as needed. They walked through an abandoned kitchen to the empty front half of a restaurant to avoid another group of enemies. Mica did her best to be strong while tinkering with the radio she carried everywhere. While communications was her specialty, she could only regretfully say, "I feel so helpless. We're going to have to get a lot closer to our goal before I can use this. Any outgoing signal will get triangulated quickly and we'll be caught. I could try and listen in, but they've changed the encryption codes again." It wasn't Koslov that consoled her like she expected, but 4611 who nuzzled at her gently. The bird gave a soft smile before taking another step forward, another step towards her goal. 

The sun would soon disappear past the western horizon when the trio had gotten about halfway to their destination without being caught. They would need to make a slight correction north to get back on track, but it was better to avoid the main square. Plus, there was a stable attached to a motel like building not far off they could try and post 4611 in. The two anthros posted outside the door and peered inside. It looked abandoned like the other buildings. Koslov went first while Mica watched his back. 4611 stayed outside and kept his eyes peeled.

"Heya folks." A deep, foreign voice appeared beside them. Both swiveled immediately to its location, rifle and pistol pointed directly at him. The only reason they weren't dead was because it was clear he was a Foreigner. "Whoa there folks!" The gator said. He was dressed semi formally and held up his hands as he said, "I ain’t no threat. Just the owner of this fine establishment. Ya’ll need a room?"

Mica relaxed enough to lower her pistol while Koslov kept his rifle pointed squarely at the gator's chest, barking sharply, "Why haven't you evacuated like everyone else? Everyone was under orders to evacuate when the sirens went off." 

"Cause this ain't my fight brotha'." He responded calmly. "I don't care if this critter kills that critter. I just wanna run my motel. Names John."

"They're fucking invading our city, your home, and you don't care?" Mica says disgusted.

"Honey, I got my reasons." He responded coolly. "So, what yer tellin' me is that you need shelter for the night against the invading enemy? Now, why would I do that? Why would I put myself in danger for a coupla strangers and their pet deer?" The gator said with a side eye towards the group.

"We have something of tremendous importance that we need to get to the other side of town-" Mica started to say before she was clocked on the back of her head by Koslov.

"Quiet down! Do you want everyone to know of our mission?" He hissed at her. 

"We don't have any other choices!" Her voice was louder than it should be, and she put her hands on her beak immediately after. 

The gator looked at the three of them and sighed heavily before saying with soft eyes, "Look, I been there me self long ago. Different time, different age, same shit. Yeah, ya’ll can stay, but... I got some rules and requests for ya. First, she stays in my bed tonight," he said bluntly. The implications were obvious, and they were about to protest when he continued, "Second, the big guy there stays in the stables out back. Got ma mare back there, he can stay with her." 4611 huffed in defiance, having slipped inside carefully during the conversation, but didn't protest further. "And lastly, if you nick anythin’ or piss me off, you're all gettin thrown out. Ya hear me?"

"I'm a soldier, not a concubine you big fucking brute!"Mica unleashed her rage, "and I'll never be your fucking toy tonight or any night or any time you fucking pig!" 

"Whelp, if that's the case, lemme call the guards right over. They'll be happy to escort you out." John responded with a sneer. 

Koslov raised his rifle before 4611 stepped in. He stood between them all with his nose in the air. After a few deep sniffs, he spoke, "your mare is in heat. I can smell her from here."

Mica's jaw dropped in surprise and even Koslov appeared stunned for a moment. John retorted back, "she's deep in it too. You wanna bang ‘er?"

4611 merely cocked his head a little and shrugged as best a feral deer could before negotiating, "Leave Mica out of your plans tonight and I'll breed your mare. Nothing more valuable here than an offspring from her, correct?"

"You can talk?!" Mica asked in disbelief. 

"You never asked if I could." 4611 responded back with a touch of smugness in his voice. 

"How do I know you can breed her? Ain't she a different species?" John asked skeptically. 

"That's not a problem for me. She'll be growing heavy with my filly once I'm through with her." 4611 responded confidently. 

John seemed to contemplate this for a moment before sighing and responding, "Fine. Ya'll get to stay the night, but I ain't providing no dinner." He stepped behind the desk and pulled out a key. Koslov held out a hand as of to catch it but John just gave him a look. "Are you dumb? You sleep in a normal room and ya’ll gonna get shot when they break in. No, you'se gunna sleep downstairs." 

John stepped into the dining room, moved the table, and pulled up the rug showing a secret hatch. Both Mica and Koslov gave him a look, making him say, "look, I ain't got no fight here, but I also don't wanna see no one get hurt. Yer at least civilized enough to talk it out rather than some of those lot who think punchin’ me is gonna help them out. I ain't gonna help you more than I have to, but I ain't gonna see you hurt neither."

4611 huffed and nudged at Mica before she went down, saying, "come with me." 

Confused, Mica left with him while Koslov went below ground to scope things out. With careful antler maneuvering, 4611 escaped the building out the back and into the stables. The mare was tied up to the back post instead of in its own room. The world hadn't all adjusted yet to the new sizes of creatures after the events years prior. But it seemed she was doing well enough. He must have taken very good care of her as her coat appeared brilliantly in the evening light and she was thoroughly brushed. A custom-made saddle rested along the wall and her trough had a small amount of hay left in it. 

"Can you help me with my luggage?" 4611 asked softly. Mica nodded and started taking off the straps, carefully laying the missile on the ground while leaning their sergeants pack by the door. 

"That thing ain't comin' inside." John said, pointing to the missile. "Just throw a bunch of straw over it."

Mica rolled her eyes but did as he suggested. After rolling it into the corner and starting to cover it with straw she asked, "So... Do you have a name?" 

"Everyone calls me 4611. That's as good a name as any.” He said, shaking off the dust from the day. 

“How are you… Like this?” She asked, “Have you always been able to talk? Why didn’t you…”

Apologies, Mica,” He said softly, his nares flaring wide and taking in the warm, inviting air of the stables, “You should go. I do not think I can be distracted much longer.”

She would try to protest, but his nose was already pushing towards the mare who was clearly flagging for him. She was a touch larger than him, but not enough to worry about. He dipped his nose into her nectar and took a very deep breath. Lifting his head, he let out a feral bellow into the growing darkness. 

Mica blushed. thinking he'd certainly be a much better time than the brute inside. That being said, getting laid in the middle of a city being actively invaded probably wasn't the best idea. She took her leave and made sure to bring in the sergeant's pack as well. Her better mood was dashed after stepping inside and seeing John watching intently. His dick was being openly tugged as he watched the feral animals starting to go at it, remarking he had to make sure they kept up their end of the deal and offered himself to her once again. 

Mica sighed and shrugged him off, going down the steps of the basement to the sounds of two animals trying to go at it and a creep enjoying himself. She felt a wave of relief when Koslov gave her a hug and showed off the room. It wasn't much, but at least it was warm and dry. They struck up a small candle and looked through Petro's things. It was finally a moment that they could grieve, and both shed tears at the picture of him and his family with two kids. At least they could tell the kids their dad died with honor. Mica tucked the picture in her personal pack before they snuffed the light. She found herself fading into the night before her tears had finished. 

Consciousness came back to her not with a gentle nudge, but a hand over her mouth and terror seeping in. Koslov was knelt beside her, waking her up and quietly whispering to her, "we have a problem." Mica got up slowly and started to reach for her big pack. Koslov stopped her with a shake of his head and pointed to her pistol. "We may need to make a hasty exit." 

It was then that she heard it, soldiers upstairs talking hurriedly, and a familiar voice from the night before. "Look, I ain't got nothin' here that you'se gotta worry about. You can check yourself. Here's all the keys. Just check upstairs." A thud was heard before John exclaimed, "ow! Mother Fu.... Look! I ain't hiding nothin'! You wanna see?!"

Footsteps came into the dining room and the table was shoved out of the way. They heard him pull back the carpet and say, "see? Here's the trap door you'se always talkin' about! It's just storage! I'll even open it up for you!" 

The two of them heard scraping metal against wood as the handle was lifted. Their hearts pumping harder than they could hear as both braced their weapons up at the door, ready to shoot.

"See?! What'd I tell ya? Nothin! Here, I'll go get the fuckin’ boxes for ya if ya want!" John shouted. The door to their hole was still shut. What was...

Then Koslov's eyes grew wide as he realized the plan. Immediately he burst from the hole, letting his rifle talk as the automatic gun mowed down the unsuspecting soldiers on the other side of the room. He briefly realized there had been two holes in the floor all along and pulled Mica up and out. 

John finally poked his head out and said, "there's more outside! You gots ta go! Go go!"

They didn't need to be told twice. They ran to the stables where they found 4611. The sight was horrendous in the very early dawn light as the body of an enemy soldier fell from his rack. Where once was a proud ten point now only held nine as one stayed logged in the fallen body. 

"We gotta go! There's more coming!" 4611 cried as Mica and Koslov started putting the harness on. So much would be left behind as all their packs were still down below. Koslov turned to the missile and started to load it just as another group of enemy soldiers shouted in their direction. "Leave it! Jump on my back! We got to go!" 4611 Said earnestly. 

"But the payload!" Koslov protested. 

"Doesn't matter if we're all dead!" 4611 responded sharply. Koslov cursed and jumped on his back, wrapping his arms around Mica's waist while she was talking into the radio. 

"Gamma camp, gamma camp this is M4935 requesting immediate assistance. Sergeant Petro is dead, and we are being chased. I repeat, we are being actively chased, Over!" 

4611 started down the street after bursting from the stables, leaving the mare heartbroken and behind. Thankfully his first direction was guessed correctly as he dashed to the corner to turn east. However, there was a small contingent behind them who were already shouting into their radio before the three could turn the corner. 

"We're coming from 50.4504 N, 30.5245 E and headed due East. We're getting out of the city as fast as we can but we need assistance!" Mica responded to something Koslov didn't hear. 

"Do you have the payload?" They all heard back, their hearts sinking as they thought of the missile behind them. 

4611 turned his head just enough to eye them and nod his head while he continued running. When Mica started to protest, he said passionately, "just say yes anyways!"

"Yes! Yes, we have the payload! Help us!" Mica said after pushing down the button. 

"Copy that, we're on our way." Came the response a moment later. 

But the relief was short lived as a pair of motorcycles burst from the alleyway behind them and started in hot pursuit. There was no way they could outrun the machines, but they could still control them. 4611 turned down a tight alley with both riders holding on tight. The small balconies leaning into the alley held various clothes and other things abandoned by the citizens. While the distractions were helpful, 4611 couldn't help but lose another two tines to the squeeze. 

It also didn't stop their pursuers from shooting back. The random fire found two marks, one in 4611's rear flank and the other in Koslov's right arm. Both creatures bellowed out a roar of pain but kept going. 

Suddenly, 4611 Burst from the alley into a main, wide Street. He started due East once again, but the view terrified him and everyone else. A large tank was looking directly at them, the barrel pointed straight in their direction. The blood left all of their faces as the barrel lit up and a shell raced towards them.

And then past them, hitting the corner of the building they just exited from and exploding around their pursuers. It was only at this moment did they realize the tank was friendly, having pushed into the city just far enough. 4611 raced past it, his eyes solely on escaping with his passengers. They heard the rumble of a helicopter behind them, but it too pulled away. 

The next few hours were a blur. The three of them were immediately debriefed by command as to what happened. All of them gave their accounts and talked about the man who helped them at the motel while leaving out the less than kosher parts. Then they were all told to go rest.

Koslov went to the medical tent while Mica went into the Forest. She found a small, untouched grove close by and collapsed in tears in the middle. At the same moment that the sun started poking up from above the trees on her, 4611 joined her. The large beast laid down next to her and encouraged her to rest on him. 

"Thank you," he said, "for not telling them about last night. I appreciate it." 

"But we lied to them! We didn't have the payload!" She responded worried. "Are they going to punish us?"

"But you did have the payload," the buck said softly to her. She looked to him quizzically as he continued, "I was the payload. I've been genetically modified to help produce more sentient titans." Chuckling at Mica’s confused expression, 4611 went on to explain, "ever since the bombs dropped years ago and the radiation caused animals to grow and expand, a select few also gained sentience. The numbers last told to me were something like one in ten million mammals. My mother was one of those animals, and she agreed to be experimented on. Thus, I was born. And I was given the gift of being able to bring other, more enlightened animals into the world."

Mica's overwhelmed tears were rolling down her cheek feathers as 4611 nuzzled her, "You did give me an idea, while we were out, little Mica," he went on to say, "would you name me? I've only ever known the labs. But now that we're out, I shouldn't just be a number." 

Mica laughed through the tears and gave him an incredible hug. "I'd be honored. You're quite a gift from the Gods, I'd say. So, how about Bohdan?" 

"Bohdan," he repeated. "I like it. Thank you, Mica. Thank you."