Ch. 04: Night Terrors

Chapter IV

Night Terrors

Hidaya had found a place to rest after making her getaway.

In the meantime, the soldiers that came after her had the foxes in custody.

A particularly tall soldier in black armor strolled right up to the tod who had been beaten bloody. The vixen sobbed with her cheek swelling and some teeth missing.

The tall soldier knelt before the male and lifted his muzzle. The soldier took off his helmet and it was Sam, Hidaya's former lover. The otter stared sternly at the fox, "I'll give you and your mate a chance. Tell us where she went, the meerkat that was with you, where did you find her?"

The tod didn't say anything right away, so the vixen shouted "We picked her up at the beach! She made us bring her here!"

Sam slapped the vixen, "I wasn't talking to you!"

She shrieked in pain.

The otter looked back at the fox, "Is that the truth?

The tod grimaced, "Yes, there's not much else. She didn't say a lot, just her name."

"Hidaya Sinclair, I know." The otter stood, "I don't see a reason to keep you both here then." He whipped out his sidearm and shot the vixen in the head. He turned his M1911 on the sobbing male, "Don't worry, you'll see her again, real soon." and he pulled the trigger, blowing the fox's brain matter all over the carpet. Sam received a call just then. He pulled his helmet back on and tapped the built-in radio, "Father?"

The voice came from the speaker, "Have you located the traitor, my son?"

Sam sighed, "I'm afraid not, but I have sent some men after her as we speak." he signaled two random soldiers to leave and they did. "We should have her in due time."

His father's grizzled voice came through, "See that you do, we cannot let this woman disgrace us any further. For what that bastard did to me, his little bitch should taste all of my hate, even through you, Lieutenant."

Sam nodded, "Understood. Lt. Sam Montague out."

...

"Oh, God, I'm nearly there, babe!" Carrie shrieked while she rode Jimmy.

The vampire bat had her entire body wrapped in his wings.

A loud knock at their apartment door disturbed their sexual reverie.

Jimmy started to get up, but Carrie pushed him back down, "Oh no, you started this, you're finishing it!" She bounced harder on his lap so he couldn't protest.

Matt sighed as he already knew what was keeping them. He jiggled the knob and it wasn't even locked. He stomped right in and stopped at the sight of the bat pulling his kangaroo girlfriend tight against his hips as he unloaded his precious seed in her.

Carrie was satisfied and she let Jimmy know with a deep, loving kiss while she allowed Matt an unadulterated look of her snatch clinched tightly around her boyfriend's length.

If the badger weren't married, he'd take that open offer but, he had a wife, a kid and was currently working on a second. He waited for them to separate, which they did with a messy splatter, all over their coffee table.

Carrie smoked a weed joint while she waited for Jimmy to recoup for another round.

The bat rolled himself a blunt, "So, Mattie, I assume you didn't just come in to catch me nuttin' in my girlfriend."

The badger grumbled, "I knew I shoulda called first." He cleared his throat, "An informant of mine came to me last night with information regarding the rat that killed those wolves in Waco. He's here in Corpus Christi and he was just inside one of Jerry's bars. Your old stomping ground, Jimmy."

Jimmy blew a big cloud of weed smoke, "Lips Sealed? Perfect. If anyone's seen this pendejo, knows where he lives, we'll be havin' roasted rat chops on the fire before we know it!" He put out his weed in an ashtray. "So, are we goin' right over, or can I go first? This stuff empties ya out faster than ice cream and chili."

The badger rolled his eyes at the bat's frank talk, "Sure, just... don't forget to wipe this time."

...

After all of that nonsense, Jimmy and Carrie were both dressed. They left the apartment with Brody.

They made it to the bar in record time.

The leopard seal owner of the bar stood behind the counter when the three Marksmen came in. He watched them carefully while he wiped glasses. There weren't very many people here, it was daytime.

Jimmy came right up, "Gussy! Hey, it's your favorite customer!"

The seal faked a smile, "Sure, I remember you. How could I forget the guy that took my goddaughter's virginity right here on this counter?"

Jimmy laughed, "Cherry was a wildfire, speakin' of, does she still come 'round here?"

Gus nodded, "Regularly, usually at night." He peered over the bat's shoulder when the cheetah in question stepped in, "Usually at night... hey, Cherry!"

The bat turned and was soon staring at the girl who first stole his heart when he arrived in this big city.

Cherry smiled sweetly, "Jimmy, it's been some time..."

The bat got up, "It has."

Carrie, Jimmy's current girl, watched her boyfriend hug his ex. She cleared her throat, "Hello, Cherry." She shook hands with the younger, prettier female.

Cherry sensed the tension from the other girl, but still showed a kind smile, "What brings you both around here?"

Jimmy playfully groped Cherry and made her blush, "I wish I could say we were here for that soft ass of yours, babe, but Papa didn't raise no liar." He chuckled "But you ain't lost a bit of them looks have ya, sweet thang?"

Brody interrupted their happy reunion, "I'm afraid to say the three of us are here on Marksman business."

Gus nodded, "I figured."

Cherry blanched after hearing that name, "You're still a part of that, Jim?"

The bat shrugged, "It's a living."

The cheetah pushed him off of her, "A living hurting innocent people and destroying families. That's not living."

Brody cleared his throat, "Before ya carry on about what soulless, life-taking monsters we are, we've come here because I'd heard from a very reliable source, we have a new shardbeast in town, a rat."

Gus nodded, "There was a rat in here last night."

Cherry shouted, "Gus!"

The seal ignored her complaints, "That loud mouth, Brutus started trouble with Cherry and some marsupial fella, I guess a friend of the rat's. The rat intervened, the three of them all left after a quick persuasion from Ol' Betsy." He referred to his shotgun.

Jimmy's fur rose on his neck, "Brutus was botherin' Cherry, an' this rat, he helped her?" He didn't know how to feel about that.

Gus kept scrubbing an already clean glass, "Uh-huh, he seemed like a nice guy, but whatever beef ya got wit' him that ain't my business. I don't know where he lives either; I never make it a point of learnin' where all my customers come from."

Jimmy forced a smile, "That's somethin' I always liked about ya, Gus. You don't bullshit."

Carrie turned to Cherry, "That means you talked to the rat, Cherry."

Cherry scoffed, "I did, but you're freaking mad if you think I'll do anything to help you three." She stormed past the kangaroo then stopped before Jimmy.

The bat suddenly stopped her, not in a forceful way, just his own way. He looked into her eyes with those scarlet reds of his. "Cherry, this guy protected you, you should at least have some way of contactin' him so I can thank the fella personally."

She hated when he was this way, and hated more that she couldn't resist that smoldering stare. "The last time I saw him, he was speaking with a ferret, real pretty, kinda young, looked like she had a rich daddy. They seemed to hit it off. I walked away after that."

Jimmy kissed Cherry on her cheek, "Thank you, Cherry baby. That should be a nice enough bit of info."

She growled, "Don't fucking kiss me."

Jimmy sighed as she turned to leave. Carrie put her arms around him, "You can't win with all of them."

The bat leaned into her embrace, "I still won you, hon." They kissed while Brody rolled his eyes.

The badger shouted "Alright, let's get outta here!"

The three of them left then.

...

Jill had just finished getting dressed when her father walked in.

He walked up to his daughter as she was just fixing her top, "It looks as though you have plans for today, Jillian. Another wild night?"

The ferret smiled, "Actually, tonight may be a bit more subdued. I met someone last night, we're going to meet again today so I can see if maybe, maybe this could be the one."

James smiled, "The one? And is this one a male?" He teased her playfully.

She giggled, "Yes, Dad. His name is Jacob and he seems really nice. He's tall, dark, has the prettiest eyes."

The father held his oldest child, "Is he a ferret?"

She let her father hold her, "He's a rat. We're meeting this afternoon, Desiree will come with me and we'll see how it goes from there."

James left a small fatherly kiss on her cheek, "My little Jillian has grown so quickly."

She held his paw, "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the best dad in the world."

Her father laughed, "You wouldn't be here at all if I had never met your mother."

And Jill facepalmed while her father walked away, bad fatherly joke achieved.

...

Jacob was just leaving the shower himself. He was busy drying himself when Bill walked in.

The opossum sniffed the rat, "Oh man, Axe body wash, you're really serious about this, Jacob."

The black rat let his towel drop as he opened his suitcase to pick out some clothes. He spoke while he pulled on clean underwear, "I haven't really been with anyone since Hannah died. I want this to work, but I don't know... I'm still old school, you know. The old get-to-know-her, then kiss her kinda guy."

Bill sighed, "You didn't have to do that with Hannah, though. Y'all two were made for each other. This other girl, she's obviously a little more high class, but she seemed like the fun type. Where did you say you were going again?"

Jacob stepped into a pair of blue jeans, "We're going to our old hangout, Studio 23. That means I'll get to see Frank, I know that guy would love to see his favorite godson back in town,"

The opossum put an arm around his friend while the rat remained shirtless, "That'll be nice. Need a wingman?"

Jacob laughed, "Thanks, but don't you have work?"

Bill smirked, "I do, that's why I'm getting Jonny to go with you. God knows I can't depend on you when it comes to details."

Jacob put on his best shirt, a clean white t-shirt, "I'm sorry if I'm not the guy that likes to brag about where I stick my dick."

...

Hidaya sat bolt upright as soon as she heard the footsteps. After she'd made her getaway, the meerkat had stopped to rest by a construction site.

A trio of soldiers in power armor searched the site in the dimming dusk sun. Their suits whirred and thunked as they looked around the area.

"Target not yet in sight, over!" one of the soldiers spoke over his in-built radio.

Hidaya kept low as she attempted to circle around behind her followers.

One of the soldiers groaned, "Can anyone tell me why we're wasting resources on some mongoose bitch?"

Another soldier answered, "Fucked if I know."

As the soldiers conversed amongst each other, Hidaya ran up on them. One soldier turned in time to catch a steel pipe across his visor.

Hidaya hit him with her paws glowing with shard energy.

The pipe shattered the visor, sending shards of fiberglass into the soldier's eyes. He didn't have time to scream, however, before Hidaya sent a blast of heat through the pipe that made the back of his skull and helmet both explode.

Hidaya wasted no time; as the first soldier fell, she leapt over him, charging energy again through the pipe. She shot blasts of light into the other two soldiers. One was killed instantly, the other lost his leg as he attempted to dodge.

The soldier screamed in pain as he fell to the concrete.

Hidaya took his helmet off, then slammed the pipe down on his skull, shattering his skull.

With her three pursuers dead, Hidaya was able to run, leaving her trail of carnage behind as she fled.

...

Meanwhile, Bill was at work. Whenever he was not being an effeminate hillbilly goofball, the opossum was a professional auto-mechanic. Right now, the fun-loving marsupial was blasting some Black Sabbath while he was cranking on the motor of a large brown pickup.

The opossum wiped the sweat and grease from his brow as he hopped into the driver's seat. He turned on the ignition of the truck to try and start it. That ignition chugged with as much effort, then died out with a sad whirring noise.

The opossum took out a lollipop he'd been sucking on the whole time, "Uh-huh, that figures!" He hopped back out of the truck to go to his workbench.

Just then, someone came running right into Bill's garage. The opossum turned to see who it was when suddenly he had small tan paws wrapped around his torso. "What?" The marsupial choked out before he heard his assailant's voice.

"Shh! Shut it! Shut the hell up!" Hidaya said as she attempted to subdue the opossum, "I'm running! I need someplace to hide!"

Bill stammered, "Hide? What?"

The meerkat slammed him down on his workbench, "I said shut up! I'm sorry, but I need to hide! Some very bad people are following me, and I need rest!"

Bill wasn't the bravest of Texans, so he stammered out, "Alright, alright, my boss's office, it's pretty spacious, I could keep ya there!"

Hidaya grunted, "Fine! Take me there! And don't try anything!"

Bill chuckled nervously, "Oh you don't worry about that, darlin', I'm too much a coward ta even think of it!"

The door to Bill's boss's office slammed open, fully denting a file cabinet that was right next to the door.

The meerkat came in, dragging her hostage in with her. Hidaya looked around the small office, before she let Bill go. Right away, she shuttered the one window.

Bill sat on his boss's desk as he watched the small tan female running around, "Who exactly are ya runnin' from, ya gotta drag me into it?"

Hidaya looked to him and sighed, "I'm sorry I have to involve you, but I've been here three whole days, and I've been drowned, shot at and chased for almost all that time, so you understand, I'm a bit on edge."

Bill found himself taken in by the little lady's wild green eyes, "Look, I understand, I get testy when the line at the deli's takin' too long an' I'm on my lunch break."

Hidaya looked right at him, "This is not like that at all."

The opossum laughed, "Sorry for tryin' to be funny."

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, not the time."

Just as she spoke, she heard the whirring of power armor outside. "Shit! Get down!"

Outside, the soldiers gathered in numbers, "We tracked our target to this garage, sir!" One of the soldiers said over his in-built radio.

Sam's voice came through, "Good, we have her trapped at least, just be careful, you know the saying about a cornered beast."

The soldier in command answered back, "Right!" He signaled two others to scout ahead.

The two went in, unfortunately their power armor was too big for them to even enter the garage. One subordinate radioed their captain to say so, "Insufficient size, sir! Can't enter!"

The captain sighed, "Alright, if she's in there, but we can't go in, we're gonna have to blow the whole thing."

Inside, Hidaya was able to hear them since she kept the helmet she took off the one soldier. "Fucking hell!" She cussed once they said they would torch the whole garage. She looked at Bill, "Is there some other way out of here?"

Bill shrugged, "Just through the garage, but I'm guessin' that's out."

Hidaya sighed, "Damn it!" She threw down the helmet, then she peered out the window while staying low. There seemed to be no soldiers watching this side of the garage.

Outside, the soldiers all gathered, "Alright, torch it!"

All together, the power armors charged their phaser rifles and shot at the garage. The combined blast from their shots lit up the whole place, and soon the whole building exploded in a massive fireball of destruction.

The soldiers stood watching the flames burn, that innocent brown pickup burning among the wreckage.

Meanwhile, Bill and Hidaya had both crept out the back window and were making a hasty retreat. Bill looked back to see his job go up literally in flames.

...

While all this was happening, Jacob stood outside Studio 23, his old hangout, where he used to work, where he made a living and had friends... He looked up at the old place, clutching Hannah's rosary. Jacob turned as he heard someone walk up.

It was Jonny. The squirrel was dressed in his flashiest dress shirt. It was a shiny blue which he purposely left half-buttoned to show off his silk undershirt and his lean build. He wore black jeans with bedazzled pockets to compliment the rest of his outfit.

Jacob chuckled, "And you're happy with that look, huh?"

Jonny looked at him with a playful indignation, "Psh! What the hell are you talking about? You know I make this look good, ese!"

Jacob leaned back to look at the squirrel's bedazzled rear-end, "You've literally got spotlights on your ass!"

Jonny snapped his fingers at the rat, "Hey, a guy's gotta flaunt it when he's got it."

Just as the two of them were laughing, Jill drove up in her metallic blue mustang.

The rich ferret popped out the driver's side as soon as she was parked, "Hey guys!"

Jacob perked up instantly when he saw her, "Oh, hey, Jill right?"

The ferret came up to him in her white tank top and thigh-length purple skirt. She gave herself a little twirl to show off, "What do you think? Not too flashy right?"

Jacob definitely looked sideways at her cute twirl, "Nah, not flashy at all, you could probably give this guy fashion tips." He gestured to Jonathan who stuck his tongue out at the rat.

Jill looked at Jon and smiled, "Oh no, I think that's perfectly sexy for you, honey. You show off that ass!"

Jon smiled when she complimented him, "Thank you, honey! I'm glad someone here has some fashion sense."

Jacob chuckled as he stood between two gushing girls in glitter.

Desiree had gotten out of Jill's car by then. The beaver was dressed in attire more appropriate for going to a punk rock concert than any nightclub. She wore a tight band shirt that showed off her midriff and had black shorts that perfectly molded to her plus-sized hips. She joined the trio on the sidewalk, "Alright ladies, if you're all done trading tips on who looks the girliest, I'll meet y'all inside for drinks!"

Jill looked at her friend as the beaver was immediately let inside to the club. She laughed, "I guess we should go in then."

Jacob laughed too, "I guess so. Ladies first?"

Jill flicked a paw and scoffed, "Please, I'm hardly a lady." She snorted cutely before she playfully bumped her hip with his, then followed her girl in.

...

Inside, the club was as lively as it had been four months ago when Jacob worked here. As Bill had said though, the place had gotten decidedly more racy since he left. It wasn't a strip club, per se, but the ladies working here were certainly more scantily clad, showing off their asses and cleavage more than before.

Jacob wasn't surprised, when he was here he remembered some patrons already treating the place like a gentleman's club.

Jill loved the place though, being a party girl, as well as openly bi, she enjoyed seeing all the sexy girls that worked this club.

Jonathan hung back behind, though. The place was nice, but certainly more geared towards the straight crowd than someone like him who preferred men.

Desiree was ahead of the whole group, shaking her thick beaver butt and waving that cute little waffle-tail of hers around.

Jacob brightened up considerably when he saw who was behind the bar.

The old hippo was serving some patrons before he looked up and he saw his godson walk up. Professionally, he finished the drinks and took their money before he shouted, "Hey, hey, look who's crawled up from the shadows!"