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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

*Chapter 41: The Wrong Situation At The Wrong Time *

Day 72 (Western Maze)

“Oh no!"

“Alex you were supposed to be watching him!" Lady Ursa said pissed.

I reached for his abandoned spear. My legs started moving toward the exit to the surface but my mind stayed put; I fell to the ground.

“Alex!" Lady Ursa said kneeling.

“I feel weird mistress."

My she beast conducted a quick inspection of my person.

“You have been sedated." She said looking at a mark on my neck.

“As in drugged?!"

“Yes pet, Mr. Ferguson was planning this. He probably waited for you to doze off and then made his move."

“And now my carelessness has doomed us all."

“What are you telling me pet?" The female brown bear said crossing her arms.

“The commander tricked ONE into rejecting Russell."

“Really?"

“The entity thought the commander had killed Mr. Ferguson that is how we got him back and protected the city." I said looking at her paws.

“I see." My warrior bear said helping me up. She then grabbed and stashed me in the silver prototype. “Commander this is Lady Ursa we have an emergency." Shouted into her communicator.

“What is it?" The rhino warrior asked.

“Russell has left us."

“How?"

“He drugged Alex before going topside." Lady Ursa said powering on the prototype.

*Recognized Lady Ursa Senior Knight Wundagore Castle*

*Emergency Authorization Alex Winter Wundagore Castle*

“I will scramble all available resources, we need to find him."

“Affirmative, I am taking Alex to the infirmary."

My mistress left me in Shakara's care while everyone left to find the wayward pony before he could rejoin the entity. Lady Ursa took the silver prototype and started to search the forest near the exit of the west maze. Corey and Rumble joined in too trying to track Russell by his scent. Commander Rhinox and Corbin took to the sky searching from the air.

“How do you feel my little cutie?" The lioness said giving me something to drink.

“A little better. What was I hit with?"

“Something to make you very groggy and to sleep longer, this should counteract it."

“And Russell used that the fact that I was incapacitated to escape. Very sneaky." I said as she helped me up.

“Alex come we have to help with the search."

My lioness took me, and a cube to the commander's office where we found a map of the surrounding area the rhino had been using to search for his subordinate and to track enemy movements.

“How long were you out?" She asked me.

“It had to be at least two hours."

“So given that he is short and not good at running. He couldn't have gotten far, say five miles."

“So the commander established a perimeter." I said looking at the map.

“This is point one." The commander said. “Points two, three report."

“This is point two." My warrior bear said checking in.

“This is point three." Corey said.

“Any progress?" The rhino asked the bear and the human teen.

“NEGATIVE." Corey said.

“I have searched and researched. There is no sign of him." My warrior bear said.

“Did he get past the perimeter?" Shakara asked.

The commander was very silent. It was the kind of long silence a superior makes to let their subordinates know that the situation is dire.

“If he reconnects with the entity..." the he beast started to say.

“ONE will know about all of us, our home and its location." My she bear said.

“Continue searching everyone we must find him at all costs." Rhinox said. “Good idea Corbin. We are going to check World Five, Capital Stadium and the Grand Kingdom. Shakara you have ops."

And so our desperation increased. Rumble tried desperately to pick up Russell's track's but found nothing. My mistress continued to comb the forests as Rhinox searched from the sky. Even Feleen joined the search watching the camera that we had placed near World Five.

Shakara was supervising the operation keeping track of what areas were searched and updating everyone in the field. Twenty minutes went by, then forty, then and hour.

“Corey and Rumble do you have anything to report?" The lioness asked.

“Yeah nothing- Rumble can't even find his scent it is like he was abducted by aliens." The teen said.

“...snow falling is not helping..." The werewolf added.

“Rumble is going to check with that neighboring wolf pack perhaps they have seen something. Point three out."

“Lady Ursa report." Shakara said contacting our bear.

“Nothing Shakara. With the snow on the ground I thought there would be tracks leading from the lost city."

“Mistress how is the silver prototype performing?" I asked her. “Can you use hover mode?"

“A little." The brown bear said to me.

“How much is a little? Can you take to the sky?"

_“Not exactly." _

“1000 feet?"

“No."

“500 feet?"

“Ah no pet."

*Ten feet Mr. Winter. That is all.* The automated assistant said to me.

“So how are you maneuvering in the forest than?"

“I have resorted to using hydrofoil mode pet."

Lady Ursa used that mode to try steer the silver coupe through the forest, the snow fall and the trees. But her performance was hampered by the crippled prototype, we did not have any surveillance capability and extremely limited weapons as in only one working side-pod with few armaments.

“This is like looking for a needle in a haystack." I said to my females.

“I haven't heard of that expression pet." My warrior bear said.

“Little cutie?" The red eyed lioness added.

“It is a expression from my world- it means it is going to be very difficult. For that I am sorry I really, really screwed up."

“More like someone had a premeditated plan to take advantage of you." My lioness said.

“I am going to check another location. I will check in thirty minutes point two out." Lady Ursa said.

“Commander Rhinox anything to report?" Shakara said.

“He isn't at the compound." The mongoose boy responded. “Or Capital Stadium."

“We scouted out those areas and there was no sign of him." The rhino warrior said.

“We are presently flying over World Five, but there is still no sign of him." Corbin said his eyes locked on to the copilot monitor. “We could land and deploy microprobes."

“It could be too dangerous. There are Others everywhere." The commander responded. “Let's fly lower and keep searching."

“We will check back in thirty minutes momma lion." Corbin said. “Point one out."

“Feleen report." The dark tan lioness said to the fennec fox at our auxiliary site.

“Increased activity near World Five; more Others. Wait, I have something." The sentinel advised. “No, false alarm it is a horse but wrong color and size."

“What happened?" I asked.

“It ran toward a female white rabbit, kneeled at its foot paws and pleaded to be touched. The rabbit compiled. The horse hugged the rabbit saying thank you and they walked off. It was quite an interesting exchange."

“That sounds like Poa, still recruiting for the cause."

“Alright we will check back a little later Feleen." Shakara said ending the transmission.

“And once again we are facing annihilation." I pouted as my she beast updated our assets locations in the field.

“Just like last month little cutie."

“It is starting to become a thing around here."

“I wonder if we will start enacting rules like the Intendant to protect our home?" The red eyed she beast said.

“You mean like restricting everyone's movements- preventing anyone from leaving?" I asked.

“What if next time it is Caden and his thugs, more night creatures or some other bad nasties out there that we don't know about?"

“Disturbing thought acting like the Grand Kingdom to protect ourselves. It would seem we would be no better."

(Hmm....)

“Shakara what if Russell was playing us?"

“What are you getting at little cutie?"

“What if he knew that we would be topside searching for him the moment he escaped. So what if he didn't go topside after all? I mean that would explain why there aren't any tracks or his scent and why no one has seen him."

“I am trying to follow." The horny lioness said.

“I think we should be following him. We are going to the north maze."

“Why the north maze?" She asked me.

“Because it originally connected to an underground cavern that exited near World Five."

“It makes sense Alex."

Shakara gathered some supplies including several glow-sticks for illumination, the cube we were using to reach our searchers and Russell's spear.

“Why are we taking that?" I asked as we made our way toward the north maze.

“Protection." She replied.

“It suits you Shakara."

It took us thirty minutes to get through the north maze and to the dirt wall that lead to the underground cavern. When we arrived we found the dirt wall, but it was not intact. A hole had been made just large enough for a miniature horse.

I looked at my lioness and she at me.

“Point four to points one, two and three." Shakara said over the cube.

“Go ahead Shakara." My perfect person said to my devious person.

“I think I have something Russell departed the lost city via the north maze. He then entered the cavern north of that."

“But that area is dangerous! That is why we sealed it off from the maze!" Corbin shouted.

“Someone made an entrance where the north maze ends and the underground caverns begin." I said to everyone listening.

“Well that explains why we weren't able to find any trace of him." Corey responded.

“The caverns will exit very near to World Five." The mongoose boy said.

“...about three miles..."

“Very well. Points two and three meet me at the cave entrance near World Five." Rhinox ordered. “We will have to search for him there."

“Alex and I will enter from the south and try to flush him out." Shakara said.

“You two be very careful." My bear warned.

“Alex to me." Shakara said drawing the spear.

I grabbed her tail and started to follow behind before she pushed me in front of her.

“What gives?"

“You are more familiar with this place than I; you even mapped it out. You are also holding the light source."

“Yeah, I lead you follow."

So we searched.

“This place is vast Alex! There could be a number of things down here with us."

“That is a very unsettling thought Shakara."

(Uh oh.)

!!!

I pulled Shakara close to me and extinguished the glow stick as something rustled by us quickly in the dark.

*SNARL*

“What was that?!" The lioness asked me.

“You can see in the dark you tell me."

“I saw, I still can't interpret what I saw." The she beast said to me. “But it was not Russell."

We let whatever that thing was get a good distance away from us before resuming our search. Meanwhile Corey, Corbin, Rumble, Lady Ursa and the commander met at where the complex exited above ground three miles from World Five. They went as far into the caverns with the prototypes as they could before venturing on by foot and paw leaving the mongoose boy to run tactical.

“Point two to point four."

“Point four here my lady." Shakara whispered.

“We are here." The brown bear asked.

“Be careful mistress we are not alone." I warned

“This day gets better and better." The black haired teen said.

“Corey and Rumble that direction. Ursa with me." Rhinox ordered. “Keep communications open."

“Rumble, I believe you are up." Corey said.

The were-creature dropped to all fours and started sniffing.

“...he is here..."

“Where big guy?" Mr. Collins asked.

“...this way..."

“Alright Corbin run tactical." The rhino ordered.

“Right."

“Overwatch and the other um...." The commander started to say.

“You can call it Wheels." The little mongoose boy said.

“Why Wheels Corbin?" Lady Ursa asked.

“Isn't it obvious? The only thing that works on the silver prototype are the wheels- so..." The snarky teen said.

“Very funny the brown bear grumbled."

“Overwatch and Wheels guard the entrance nothing is allowed entrance or exit without my authorization."

*Affirmative commander.*

*As you wish sir.*

“Rumble you take lead." The commander directed. “We will follow. Weapons at the ready everyone."

The cave complex was a vast as I remembered it. The search team traveled half a mile in the darkness tracking our wayward horse.

“Great place for an ambush." Rhinox said nervously as the escaped lab creature started sniffing the air.

“What is it Rumble?" Corey asked.

“...Russell was not alone..." Rumble said tracking.

“I smell it too." My warrior bear admitted.

“We are nearing them little cutie I think I can hear them without the cube." Shakara admitted.

“Good." I responded.

(These caves always gave me the creeps.)

“Rumble where to now?" Rhinox asked.

“...scent ends here..." Rumble grumbled.

_ “RUSSELL COME OUT WE KNOW YOU ARE HERE!!!" _ The black haired teen shouted.

“That was loud enough to wake the dead son." The rhino said to the teen as the werewolf snarled.

“...there is something here..."

“He is right." My fierce ursine warrior said.

“I think our presence disturbed it." Corey said drawing his crossbow. “Ok I disturbed it."

“You over there come into the light!" Shakara and I heard the commander shout.

WHY HAVE YOU DISTURBED ME?!!!! A horrifying voice said.

“Shakara they are in trouble!" I shouted. “We need to back them up! Now!"

“Which way?!" She said to me.

I looked at the routes in front of us. Four trails. I just decided to pick one as we listened to the conversation the search party was having with whatever it was in the cave complex.

“What the hell is that?!" Corey shouted.

“...oily, blobby and ugly..." Rumble grumbled.

“What is the plan commander?" My fierce ursine warrior asked.

“We all get out of here, with no casualties." Commander Rhinox said powering on his weapon as the thing approached Lady Ursa and Rumble.

“Is it friendly?" Corey quipped

“WHY HAVE YOU AWAKENED ME FROM MY SLUMBER?!!!!"

“That would be a no." The black haired teen said.

“We came here to retrieve one of our own who was lost." My fierce ursine warrior said to the creature.

“So sorry to disturb you, we are leaving now." Commander Rhinox said.

In a harsh soul shattering tone Shakara and I heard the thing respond to the commander's comment with just one word.

*DIE. *

“ENGAGE!" The rhino warrior shouted as Shakara and I encountered a wall and had to backtrack.

Shakara and I heard our friends attacking the thing with the ominous voice we had heard over the cube. There was a lot of yelling, sword clanging and laser fire.

Back at the fork in the road Shakara muted the cube as we tried to find our friends.

“Laser fire is coming from that direction." My lioness said.

We started moving that direction as fast as we could go.

“It's got me, I can't move my legs!" Corey shouted. “Ursa!"

“Mfft!!!" Shakara and I heard our bear start to say before she was interrupted. It sounded like something was trying to smother her.

“It is got me too!" Commander Rhinox shouted.

“I think we interrupted its nap time!" Mr. Collins said. “It is not happy!!!"

“It is probably a night creature from Capital Stadium." Rhinox shouted.

“Night creature eh? I got this! Commander your glow stick! Throw it!" The teen ordered. “Commander, Ursa, Rumble cover your eyes!" The teen said loading an arrow in his crossbow. He then fired right at it. It burst into a bright light that lit up the cavern.

“Definitely this direction Shakara!" I shouted.

BRIGHT LIGHT!! BRIGHT LIGHT!!

Shakara and I arrived at where Rhinox, Rumble, Corey and my mistress had confronted the night creature just in time to feel something dart by us very fast.

“Quick thinking son." The rhino said to the teen.

“It was the only way to free us from that thing." Mr. Collins responded.

“Alex, Shakara so glad you could join us." Lady Ursa quipped. “If you had gotten here earlier that whatever it was would have enveloped you too."

“We tried to get here as soon as possible mistress." I responded as we approached them.

“But this place is vast." My devious person added.

“It didn't matter that thing had us dead to rights." Rhinox said as the lioness approached.

*TRIP*

*OOF*

Shakara went down face first. Her spear went sliding on the cave floor.

“Hey, I thought you feline types were supposed to be sure footed!" Mr. Collins joked.

“...Corey..." Rumble snarled.

“Sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

“I tripped over something!" The she beast said.

I brought my glow-stick to her side.

“...found something..?" Rumble said bounding over.

“Yeah. Commander! Mistress!" I shouted.

“What did you find?" The rhino asked.

“...badger..."

Lady Ursa and Corey walked over to where the loin-clothed werewolf was standing.

“Commander Rhinox you need to see this." My she beast said.

Lying on her side was a large muscular badger. Just past the direction the night creature came from.

“Barq!" The rhino warrior exclaimed.

But the commander's subordinate was not alone. Lying right next to her was a young avian girl she looked all of six years old.

“Rumble?" Corey asked his wolf.

The were-creature snorted.

“It is her." The teen said. “But he is sensing something."

“...a presence..."

“Is it Russell?" Shakara asked.

The were-creature shook his head.

“His scent ends right here, there is nothing more- like something got him." Mr. Collins said.

“Like that small oily blob that attacked us." The rhino warrior said.

“I am not detecting any danger. But Barq appears to be weak and malnourished. We need to get her to the infirmary now." I said to my companions. “The little avian as well."

The commander paused for a long while.

“Rumble." He asked.

The were-creature sniffed over the badger and small avian girl.

“...not Others..." The former lab creature responded.

“Very well take Barq and the youngling to the infirmary." The rhino warrior ordered.

“Rumble if you would assist me." The red eyed lioness asked.

Shakara and Rumble carried the large badger back toward the north maze. I took the avian girl. Corey went along for security.

“Your new protocol commander?" The bear said to the rhino.

“It was what I could come up with on such short notice." The rhino said to the bear. "But I am leaning on including you in that protocol since you were rejected by the entity."

Lady Ursa and Rhinox would search the caverns a while longer after we returned to the lost city but would not find any trace of our lost pony. In the space of a few weeks we had lost two members of our community and obtained two more.

But with that came the constant fear that Russell Ferguson had escaped, turned himself over to the entity and if he did, ONE would be coming for us.

Alex Winter March 15, YOE 34