Wolfhound: Secret Heroes

“Hey, sleepyhead, wake up!” A voice penetrated the haze that was the process of waking up.

I opened my eyes to see Ranger standing over me, grinning. “We’re there. Sarah and your boss are packing everyone’s stuff.”

“Allen.” I groaned, sitting up and blinking the sleep away. Not that it did much good. It’d take a bit for me to really be awake. Thank Celestia I was somehow a morning pony, so it wouldn't be that long.

“Alright, you’ve got wings, if your hooves get tired. And you’ve got a horn, if you can’t pick up your own crap, so come on!” Ranger winked at me, showing that he was just joking around.

I smiled, and let out a small chuckle. “Okay, okay, let’s go.”

I magicked my bags into my hands, and then I walked off. Surprisingly, I didn't use my magic much. I preferred using my hooves whenever possible. I also didn't fly much. What can I say? I'm a hoof-stallion. If that's not already a term for something.

Stepping off the platform, I was greeted by the sights of a still-growing town. Incomplete buildings, roads half-finished, and even the platform itself had a few things missing here and there. It looked like a set straight out of an old Western movie.

Yep, definitely the outskirts of civilization. I collected my thoughts, and consigned myself to walking through haphazard surroundings.

I found everyone in the back room of a surprisingly complete and sturdy pub, going over the battle plan. Allen and Ranger were sitting at the table, everyone else was standing a couple feet from it.

Sarah was hunched over it, apparently pointing things out. She was talking. “-Town is only ten miles from here, actually. I guess you guys are picking up on your expansion. Used to be, our closest city was twice that distance from the border.” She looked up and saw me. “Firestar, come here, you’ll wanna see this.”

I came over and sat down. On the table was a map of the town and what was known of its surroundings.

“Okay,” Sarah continued. “The town is somewhere around this area,” a finger tapped a supposedly empty spot, “but it’ll be guarded, at the least. They’ll already know of this place, and they’ll be on their guard for any adventurous explorers who wander too close. I’ve never been here myself, so I don’t know the specific layout. Most towns are pretty similar in general, though.”

I leaned forward for a better look as Sarah grabbed a blank paper and started drawing on it. When she was finished, it looked like a basic plan for a frontier town, but with some extra things of a militaristic nature added in.

“This is the general outline for every town I know of. Governor’s building should be around the center, but specific location is variable. The whole area is surrounded by guard towers, but they won’t shoot first. They’ll do it quietly, and make it look like a local animal. This area has a lot of snakes, so they’ll probably make it look like a snake bite.”

“So, what? Walk in there, an’ don’t let ‘em stab ya?” Jackie stepped forward and asked, not bothering to change her accent.

“No.” Allen replied. “I’d rather we don’t get spotted at all. If we have to, sure. But otherwise, try to stay low. I want to be in and out before they even know anyone’s there.”

Jackie nodded and stepped back.

Sarah continued again. “The barracks for the local militia will be right next to the governor’s house, so if we set off an alarm, we’ll be surrounded real quick.”

Jackson spoke up. “How trained are the militia?”

Ranger answered. “About as well as an Elite Guard.”

“Seriously? A militiaman? That good?”

“They take their military seriously.”

“I suppose so.”

Sarah waited to make sure they were done, then, “Any questions?”

No one spoke up. “Good. Let’s move out. Two miles from, we’ll unpack our gear. Allen, if you want to, there’s a small hill that happens to overlook some of the area. It might have a view of the town.”

Allen nodded his thanks, and grabbed his pack.

We were moving.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Luckily, the hill did overlook the town. Well, some of it. We could see a couple roads in, and we had a complete view of the guard towers on our end. Allen and I were guiding the team. He had his sniper rifle, and I had binoculars.

Somehow, I navigated everyone in without getting them spotted, but it was close a couple times. I had to get Leon to drop to prone before the sniper on a tower turned completely around. That was a really close one.

“So, why are we doing this, again?” Jackson asked.

“We’re doing this to send a message.” Allen replied.

“And that is?”

Jackie answered. “You attack us, we bring you down.”

I smiled. Not how I might have put it, but similar enough. It works. “Plus, who wouldn’t go after the chance to weaken them, or at least slow them down a little?”

“True.” Jackson agreed. “Nice message, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

They all formed up behind a random house. The plan was to use it as a safe haven while we determined where the governor was. If civilians were in the house, we’d either tie them up, or take them down. Depending on their reactions. Anyone who acted in self-defense hasn’t committed a crime. If a civilian attacks us, we respond in kind. If we can restrain them non-lethally, great. If we can’t, oh well.

“We’re at the house, ready to move in.” Jackson said.

“Leon, pick the lock.” I ordered.

Allen had had enough of holding his rifle. “Firestar, switch.”

We switched. Now Allen was the spotter, and I was the sniper.

I watched through the scope as Leon finished picking the lock. Jackson went in, gun at the ready. A few seconds later, he called out “Clear!”

“Firestar, get down there.” Allen ordered me.

“Yes sir.” I grabbed my kit and worked my way down, navigating around or over the numerous rocks.

Unfortunately, something I didn’t see almost got me. All I got was a HISS! Before something moved only a foot away.

On instinct, I dodged. That saved my life. A large snake sailed past where my neck would’ve been if I hadn’t moved.

I pulled out my knife and quickly lunged over, grabbed the thing, and decapitated it. Once I got a closer look, I realized I’d been extremely lucky. One bite from that thing and I’d be paralyzed, and within an hour its venom would’ve killed me. No known cure, except for heavy-duty healing magic. It was one of those varieties of snakes that we hadn't figured out an effective anti-venom to, yet.

“Star! You alright down there?” Allen called out.

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine! Thing almost got me, though.”

“Well, if you’re good, then move. I’ve got you covered.”

Sure enough, I was practically escorted in. I followed his instructions, and I never got spotted. Although I never asked, nor did I ever want to, how close it had been, or how many times I almost was.

I pretty much just strolled into the house. Inside, two people had been tied up. Ranger was talking to them.

“We don’t want to hurt you, and we’ll let you go as soon as we’re done here. You have my word. Is there anyone else that lives here?”

Two shakes.

“Visiting?”

Same response.

“I sincerely hope you’re telling the truth. If they fight us, we’ll try to restrain them, but we might end up having to kill whoever we’re fighting. If you tell us now, then there won’t be any chance of them dying.”

They just looked at him.

“Okay.” He straightened, and turned towards me. “Howdy.”

“Howdy, pardner. Where’s everyone else?”

“Upstairs, come on.” With a jerk of his head, Ranger led the way up to where Jackson and Sarah were scoping out the surrounding area.

They were kneeling in front of a window. Jackson had binoculars, and was scanning outside. Sarah was doing the same with her eyes. She glanced up when we walked in and nodded hello, then went back to looking around.

Jackson started speaking. “I’m seeing the target building. Um, Sarah? There’s three barracks surrounding it.”

“Then it’s a fortified place.”

“Here, Firestar, take a look.” He handed the binoculars out without even looking.

I took them and stood next to him. I put them up to my eyes and scanned the area. Everything was only a block away, across the street.

“I’m seeing a lot of armed guys down there.” I reported. I centered onto the building that was in between all the barracks. “Front door’s guarded. I’m seeing somebody in the windows.”

“That’d be a sniper.” Ranger said.

“He could be a problem. He’s got a good view of the entire area. He’s got it completely locked down. He’ll see us as soon as we get anywhere near the place.”

“Too bad we don’t have a suppressor for Allen’s sniper rifle.” Jackson muttered.

I looked over and caught Ranger grinning. “We don’t need one. Star, you a good shot?” He held out a crossbow to me.

I took it. “I could be. Gimme a minute.” I set up at the window, and aimed. I’d shot crossbows a few times as a colt, and I’d been able to hit the bulls-eye eight out of ten times. Granted, not as accurate at this range, but I still knew how to account for the various factors. I’d done it before.

I aimed for half a minute, double-checking, triple-checking, and even up to quintuple-checking my aim. Once I was certain I’d hit him, I asked “You want me to get him now?”

Allen’s voice came from the doorway. “Do it.”

I fired. The sniper collapsed. We waited for people to freak out, but nothing happened.

“Okay, let’s go.” Allen said.

I walked over to the living room, and found everyone geared up and ready. I selected my team, and moved out.

Allen, Jackie, and Leon would hit the back, where it was less guarded. Sarah, Crystal Ranger, Jackson, Amber, and I would sneak through the sides. We’d have to go right through a bunch of the guys patrolling around. It was going to be tricky, but we had to. The only way to the side doors were over the fences or through the fence gates, all of which were behind at least a people patrolling.

“Is this normal?” I asked Sarah.

“On alert? Yes, it’s protocol. Otherwise, no.”

“So, because of that town over there, our job is that much harder?”

“Pretty much. Gotta love ignorance, huh?”

“Ha. Yeah.”

We snuck through them, somehow. Half the time we were prone, the other half we were crouched or hunched over. Occasionally – actually three fourths of the time - we’d have to stop and wait for one to pass, or we’d have to double back before one came around the corner, but we did it.

We soundlessly opened a fence gate and quietly filed in. Mercifully, the fences weren’t metal links, but wooden structures. We moved to the side door and stacked up.

I spoke over the radio. “Wolf One-One? Wolf Two-One. We’ve made it to the entrance. Standing by for green light.”

“Copy, Two-One. We’ll radio when we’re ready.” Allen, AKA Wolf one-one, replied.

We set up positions so we’d be able to see all the ways into our area, and hide if need be. Luckily, no one came, and a minute later Allen got back on the radio.

“We’re ready, you have a green light. Count down, Two-One.”

We stacked up against the door, I silently tested it. Unlocked. Good.

“Three, two, one, go!” I said. I opened the door and held back.

Sarah and Ranger went in, followed by Amber. I followed.

I swiveled my sights around as I moved, making sure it was clear. Then I turned around and covered Jackson as he backed in and shut the door. There was now no sign we’d ever even been here.

I motioned for Ranger and Sarah to take point. We’d have to search every room, just to be sure. The governor probably knew what’s really going on in the world. We needed to take him down before he found a way to do any damage.

The message would be sent.

Room by room, we searched. Occasionally we’d have to knock out someone that was occupying a room. We couldn’t risk them screaming and blowing our cover. We’d gotten really lucky. So far everyone we’d found had either been facing away from the door or been close enough that we’d just knock them up top the head and they’d slump to the floor. After being caught so they wouldn’t make any noise, that is.

Eventually, we found ourselves on the third floor. As we were walking down a hallway we’d just finished clearing, a door on the far end opened up.

Team One.

“Dear Celestia, I almost shot you!” Leon said.

“I could say the same.” Amber replied.

Allen walked in. “Alright, we’ve regrouped, let’s stay together now. Team One will take point. Team Two, cover our six, and get anything we missed.”

“Copy sir.” I said.

We followed them up a set of stairs onto the fourth story. They on purposely gave us something to do by passing some doorways.

I’d occasionally order one of my team to check out the rooms behind those doors, but I’d also do it myself, sometimes.

Eventually, we found ourselves on the fifth – and highest – floor. That’s where everything went wrong.

Leon opened up the door on the far end of the floor. On the other side was a man wearing a formal suit. The governor. Unfortunately, he was too far away to knock out quietly. And he was facing us.

His face went white, but he lunged for a desk. On it, was a pistol. He and I fired at the same time.

I hit him in the head, he hit Leon in the stomach.

Leon crumpled with a pained grunt. Ranger rushed forward.

“Move, move, move!” Allen yelled, no longer bothering with being quiet. The whole neighborhood had heard the shots, anyways.

I looked over my shoulder to see Ranger picking Leon up, with Jackson’s help.

“On me!” Allen ordered. We formed up and double-timed it out of there.

Third floor, we found quite a few unhappy campers.