#H.O.U.N.D.s

[r0b0t1me]

get your fuckin dog bitch!!

+ the plain lineart bc i like it

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Progress: 6/31 prompts filled.

Except I accidentally covered prompts 18 and 4 as one prompts (for 18), so I need to figure out the easiest way to split them up.

[aschlindartroom]

Fluffy Facts Tag Game

Tagged by @tryingtimi! Thanks so much.

Rules: List 5 or more cute or wholesome facts about your WIP, either events that happen or worldbuilding details or the like! Then tag some people you'd like to see do the game, too!

Second Serpent is notably lacking fluff for the most part, but there is definitely some light in the dark. *pops knuckles* Let's get crackin!

The H.O.U.N.D.s may be Schmidt & Foster's private political assassination squad, but during the Reconstruction (after the war), some of them were assigned to accompany the "Riders." These were specially selected military personnel who were sent to all corners of the earth in search of the last humans, acting as peacekeepers to offer a final refuge in New London. The H.O.U.N.D.s, with their special abilities, assisted these Riders by reading minds to break language barriers, liberating slaves, and providing support. There are many cultures that would have been lost after the closing of the dome without them. The H.O.U.N.D.s may be a tool, but they have been a tool occasionally used for good.

Martin and Eckehart, despite how dark the political B-Plot of Second Serpent becomes, are a huge source of fluff and giggles. They start their story as two very different people who are thrown together under strange circumstances. They open up, learn to trust each other, and after a 10-year slow burn and a lot of growth, they fall stupidly ridiculously in love. A scene with them is always bound to be either funny, aw-inducing, or heart-wrenching. Good chemistry, these two.

At its core, Second Serpent is a story about a group of emotionally isolated people learning to care about each other and themselves, even when it comes with the risk of being hurt. And it's about chasing ideals even when it seems hopeless. In a world that feels so very, very dark, the desire to be close and to be happy are never far away.

During the NWW, the sacking of museums and decimating of civilizations led to a 2nd Dark Age. And so, one of the most lucrative careers in New London is being a "Librarian." They are the well-read, historically-learned sages of the new world, who catalog and restore any piece of the old world they can find. Studious and life-long learners, this profession is grueling and tedious, but for their effort, they are HANDSOMELY paid. At the time that the story starts, The Librarian Society for Restoration has just published its 97th volume of their "world history" series, which is a very thorough accounting of major events as they know them.

In a later book, Seung will be pseudo-adopting a pair of psychic children. One of Seung's big arcs is shedding her hero worship of her father and finding her own way of living. Though she will never be their mother, by taking care of them, Seung has a chance to see a different way of parenting. Learning to be soft and affectionate rather than hard and exacting-- to extend a hand in comfort rather than a fist in anger.

Edit: WHOOPS. Almost forgot to tag people. Let's see... @valkyrie-the-bogwitch, @dgwriteblr, @andromeda-rising-897, @lunarmoment

[projectmetalmusic]

Project Metal Across The Pond (January 6th 2022)

Project Metal Across The Pond (January 6th 2022)

On this week’s episode of Project Metal Across The Pond With Ell Yong, I will be playing: Barús, Burdens Within, Blood Of Angels, Fueled By Fire, No Point in Living, Osyron, Null Cell, H.O.U.N.D.S, HELLGARDEN (CL), Helgrind, Helion Prime, Hell Machine, Jeff Pennachio, Lost Sacrament, Loose Sutures, Mask Of Satan and Skid Row. If I have time I will add more bands to the show The Double Shots,…

[imnews]

Hounds Expresses Future Plans, Music, and More!

Hounds Expresses Future Plans, Music, and More!

Mixer-uppers HOUNDS has a style of sound that is a mix bag according to them. Since forming though, they express details about the past, present, and future plans of what they have planned next.  1. Please tell us about the history of your band and its members. We have been around since 2013 although not always know as H.O.U.N.D.S. We are spawned from  our former name Dead Town Nothing. For…

[yelverton]

fuck a.g.r.a. as a h.o.u.n.d.s. parallel (dont fuck it maybe just... table it) this devil ass baby is a puppy... this witchcraft writing i swear...

[punyparkerr]

Sherlock series two marathon whoop who-

my god i hate myself

[bonnie-sans-clyde]

Yeah because a top-secret government agency is going to have t-shirts. That makes sense.

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 6 - I See I Don't Have Your Leave

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): Blindfold, Tortured for Information, "Hit them harder." Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi

Cassandra glanced around at the F.E.L.I.S. agents at the perimeter of the room.  

“With your leave, gentlemen, I’ll just be on my way,” she said with a nod.  She turned around only to find herself face-to-face with two more F.E.L.I.S. goons, their guns drawn and pointed directly at her chest.

Cassandra rose her hands into the air.  “I see I don’t have your leave.”  She glanced around again, calculating her chances if she chose to fight, but with two guns covering her, she quickly decided against it.

The F.E.L.I.S. agent to her right made quick work of binding her hands behind her back while another stripped her of her weapons.  She was soon led through a dizzying labyrinth of hallways.

Finally, they stopped at a windowless room with a heavy, metal door.  One of the F.E.L.I.S. goons untied her hands only to shackle them to a thick chain hanging from a hook on the ceiling.  

A man in a white lab coat strode into the room.

“Hello, Miss Jacobson,” he said in an accented voice, slowly circling her.  “I’ve heard much about you.”  He nodded to the two goons who were still adjusting the chain, and they stepped back.  The man in the lab coat took a strip of fabric from his pocket and stepped forward to tie it around Cassandra’s eyes, blocking out the world.

“And here I don’t even know your name,” Cassandra said dryly.

The man chuckled.  “Pardon my rudeness.  I am Dr. Felix Lang; I specialize in the area of pain.”

Cassandra’s mouth suddenly felt very dry.  “I see.”

“Particularly, pain as it relates to the extraction of information.”

“You mean torture.”

“Oh, come now, Miss Jacobson.  Let’s not be so crass,” Dr. Lang said.

Cassandra began to hear the sound of metal straining against metal as the goons began cranking the winch, hoisting her up off the ground.

“I am very familiar with your kind,” Dr. Lang continued.  “You H.O.U.N.D.S. agents aren’t very cooperative.  But no matter; we will get what we want.”

“And what is it that you want?” Cassandra asked.  Her wrists were starting to chafe where they made contact with the metal.

“Oh, nothing much, really.  Just the location of the nuclear armament map.”

“But I don’t know where the nuclear armament map is,” Cassandra said.

Dr. Lang chuckled again.  “We shall see.  We are very familiar with the internal hierarchy of your organization.  Information like this would certainly be known to an agent of your caliber.  And if not…well, you may know more than you think you do.”

He shouted an order, no doubt at the two goons, and Cassandra heard the door open and close.  Suddenly, Cassandra was aware of a presence directly in front of her.  A finger under her chin forced her head upwards.

“Yes, a fine specimen,” Dr. Lang said approvingly.  “I’m going to enjoy this.”  He took a step back as the door opened and shut once again.

“I have found that these…techniques are often more effective when the subject doesn’t see the instruments,” Dr. Lang said.  Cassandra could hear the grin in his voice.  “The imagination provides a much more colorful picture than anything I could come up with.”

Cassandra heard the sound of metal and wood clattering around, much like the sound of someone rummaging through a kitchen drawer.  

“Before we start,” Dr. Lang said, “I suppose I must keep this fair.  Where is the nuclear armament map?”

“I don’t know.”

“Good,” Dr. Lang said.  “I was hoping you would say that.”

***

Cassandra gasped.  She hardly felt the ache in her shoulders for the pain across the rest of her body.  Her skin would be a constellation of bruises tomorrow if it wasn’t already today.  Warm blood dripped down her side.  Dried blood formed a crust in the hollow of her collarbone.  One eye was quickly swelling shut, and her mouth was stale with the taste of copper.  Her head spun, and without the solid feeling of the floor beneath her feet, she might as well have been hanging sideways.  Her stomach churned.  Cassandra wanted nothing more than to curl up in a tight ball for the rest of eternity.

“You really are quite the specimen,” Dr. Lang said in a rare lull in his assault.  “You H.O.U.N.D.S. agents do an admirable job of following your training.  I must thank you for allowing me to practice so many of my talents.”

“Fuck you,” Cassandra spat.

Dr. Lang tsked.�� “Oh, naughty, naughty.  Though I suppose I should take pride in finally causing you to say something other than your pitiful ‘I don’t know.’”

Again came the rummaging sound that Cassandra had learned to associate with a fresh type of pain.

“I don’t often get to use this one,” Dr. Lang said.  “I am eager to see how long you will last with it.”

Cassandra tried to take deep breaths.  She had trained for this.  Everything would be ok.  She just had to–

Something solid and sharp hit her square in the stomach, forcing the air from her lungs.  

“I wonder what you think this little beauty is,” Dr. Lang said as she struggled to draw a breath.  “I hope I will get to show you later.  Perhaps that will be your reward for telling me what I want to know.”

The thing hit her again, right in the stomach once more.  And again.  And again.

Cassandra’s pain-hazed thoughts wandered back to her torture training, specifically the day they went over waterboarding.  She wondered if one could suffocate from getting the wind knocked out of them too many times.

Cassandra was vaguely aware of the door opening and closing.  After a few more blows, a new voice, this one sultry and female, spoke.

“Hit her harder, Felix.  This is taking far too long.”

“These things can’t be rushed, Andrea.  They have to be treated delicately.”

Another blow.

“I suppose,” the woman said.  “But Number 10 is growing impatient.”

“Number 10 is always impatient.”

Another blow.

“That may be so, but you still have to play the game.”

“All right, all right.”

Another blow.

“Don’t forget to ask her for the information every once in a while, hmm?  It’s not all about seeing how long she can handle your fun.”

“Will you get out of here?”

Another blow.

The door opened and closed again.  Cassandra’s oxygen-starved brain fixated on the sound, replaying it again and again as she swung from the ceiling like a pinata.  

Dr. Lang sighed.  “I know she’s right, but I was having so much fun.”  There was a small thud, like he was setting his latest torture device down.  “Where are the plans?”

This time, Cassandra couldn’t answer, even if she had wanted to.

“Good.”

Just as Cassandra was starting to regain control over her breathing, she was punched in the stomach again by the…whatever-it-was.  This time, Dr. Lang didn’t bother to wait between blows, and it didn’t take long for the world around her to begin to fade away.

To Be Continued...

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 23 - Unrecognizable

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): mistaken identity, "You're a liar." Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi, brainwashing

Bright lights burst in her eyes.  Sounds came at her from all angles, seeming to whiz by in all directions.  Images flashed in front of her, some familiar, but disappearing too quickly for her exhausted mind to latch on to.

Cassandra wasn’t sure when she had last slept.  Or eaten.  Or drunk.  The last few days had been…erratic.  Sure, she’d had sleep, and water, and even some food, but never enough, and not on any sort of recognizable schedule.  She wasn’t even sure what time of day it was.

Cassandra wanted nothing more than to close her eyes against the dazzling light, tune out all of the chaos happening around her, and drift off into dreamland, but the stimulant she’d been injected with wouldn’t allow it.

“The images you see before you are of a top F.E.L.I.S. agent.  A killer.  An assassin,” a booming voice echoed around her.  The words killer and assassin seemed to reverberate forever.  “Your mission is to stop her from murdering her next target.”

The words and images repeated over and over.  They felt like a circle: Cassandra couldn’t seem to figure out where they started or ended.

Killer.

Assassin.

Murderer.

Kill.

Killer.

Assassin.

Murderer.

Kill.

Killer.

Assassin.

Murderer.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill…

***

Cassandra stood stock-still, waiting for her orders.  A man in a suit stood beside her, listening to a walkie-talkie.  Two uniformed men wielding machine guns stood behind them, on guard.

The walkie-talkie came to life, spilling out static and broken words.  The man in the suit responded and then slipped the radio into his pocket. 

“She has arrived,” he said to Cassandra.  He pressed a handgun into her hand.  Cassandra gave a curt nod and began to make her way to the northwest side of the island.

***

It didn’t take Cassandra long to find her target.

She hid in the bushes and the trees, tracking her as she made her way inland.  Her target was observant—every snap of a twig caused her to scan the area for threats.  But Cassandra hid herself well, and the target kept going.

Finally, the target stopped.  She took device out of her pocket and began fiddling with it.  Cassandra took the opportunity to gain the high ground by climbing up a nearby tree.

BANG!

A shot rang out.  The target looked up, startled.  Cassandra jumped down from the tree, tackling the target to the ground. 

“Cass!  Is that—what are you doing?” the target said as they grappled.

Cassandra pulled back her fist.

The target ducked out of the way and twisted out of Cassandra’s grasp.  She jumped to her feet, panting.

“Cass!  It’s me, Minnow!” 

Cassandra sprang up after her and punched again.  Minnow dodged.

“You know me!  It’s Minnow!  Your partner!”

No, that couldn’t be right.  Minnow was her friend, her partner, not the assassin standing before her.

“You’re a liar.”  Cassandra raised her gun.

Minnow’s eyes widened.  “Cass, wait—”

Cassandra pulled the trigger, and Minnow hit the ground.  Then she fumbled for her wallet.

“Look!  Here’s my ID.  My driver’s license, my H.O.U.N.D.S. badge.”  She staggered to her feet as she held them out to Cassandra.

Cassandra glanced at them.  “You stole those.”

The target gaped.  “I did not!” she said.  “You can see photos.  It’s me!”

Cassandra scoffed.  “You don’t look anything like those pictures.”

“What are you—”

Cassandra raised the gun again.  The target grabbed her wrist and forced it up, sending a bullet into the sky and Cassandra toppling to the ground.  The target held her down with one hand while wrenching the gun away and tossing it out of reach with the other.

“Look at me!  Really look at me!  I don’t know what you’re seeing, but—”  The target’s eyes shone with…tears?  “You have to look past that!”

Cassandra’s head swam.  It was as if she were seeing double, the image of the target in front of her competing with the image of Minnow stored in her brain.  Cassandra blinked hard, trying to shoo the image of Minnow away, but when she opened her eyes, it was stronger than ever.

The target released her hold on Cassandra and sat back.  Cassandra sat up and brought her hand to her head, trying to steady herself.

“Cass?” the target said softly.  “Are you ok?”

When Cassandra opened her eyes again, the image of the target was gone.  It was just Minnow sitting before her, worry painted on her face.

“What—?” Cassandra said.  She felt like her mind was grasping at straws.  “How—?”

Minnow breathed a sigh of relief.  “You back with me?”

“Yeah, I—I think so,” Cassandra said. 

Minnow stood and pulled Cassandra up after her.  “Are you ok?” she asked again.

Cassandra nodded as they began to walk.  “It was so strange.  You looked like you the whole time, but my mind was telling me that you were someone completely different.”

“Fascinating.”

“Except at the end, there.  Then I was sort of seeing…two of you?  Except one was you and the other was Not You.”

“But both looked the same?”

“I think so?”

“Wow,” Minnow said.  “I’d love to be able to do research about that one.”

“I don’t think that’s ethical,” Cassandra said.

“Yeah,” Minnow agreed.  “At least I’ll have your psych workup to look through.”

Cassandra groaned.  “That is the last thing I want to do after all of this.”

“Lucky for you, we’ve got to figure out what F.E.L.I.S. is doing on this island first,” Minnow said.

“Oh!  That!” Cassandra said.  She started patting her pockets.  “I’ve got the notes on that somewhere…”

“Do you?” Minnow said doubtfully.  “I would think F.E.L.I.S. would have taken them.”

“Right,” Cassandra said, dropping her hands to her sides.  “But I still remember it.  They’ve got this gambling setup going on—”

“Wait, wait, wait.  F.E.L.I.S. went to all the trouble of brainwashing you to kill me, but they couldn’t make you forget what you found out?”

Cassandra paused.  “Yeah, I guess so.”  She shrugged.  “Too bad for them that you’re not on their side.”

“I don’t think that I would be able to tolerate working with a bunch of boneheads.”

Cassandra laughed.  “I don’t think you would, either,” she said.  “But as I was saying…”

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 20 - Recuperation

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): borrowed clothing Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi, in which the author remembers her characters are werewolves

Cassandra watched with a mixture of fondness and worry as Minnow slept soundly across the forward-facing bench of their train compartment, Cassandra’s jacket draped across her shoulders.  It had been a difficult K-9.  Cassandra could tell that Minnow hadn’t been quite ready for it, so the transformation had been rough and had started the whole thing off on the wrong foot (and, not to mention, torn her clothes).  

Cassandra looked out the window.  Minnow would be fine after a good, long nap, a decent meal, and a trip to medical, but she couldn’t help but worry.  She found herself drumming her fingers along the windowsill and nervously shaking her leg.

Cassandra looked at Minnow again.  She was fast asleep, and after a turn like that, Cassandra knew she would be for a while.  There wouldn’t be any harm in taking a walk to get rid of some of these nerves.

Cassandra stood up and quietly slipped out of the compartment, gently sliding the door closed behind her.  She glanced both ways down the train car to get her bearings and then started off towards the dining car.

The dining car was just about empty as it wasn’t close to a mealtime.  A quick glance at the menu told Cassandra that she didn’t want to get something to eat, so she continued on.

She soon came to the lounge car and sat down on a sofa looking out of the big windows that lined the car.  She watched the scenery, painted in the reds and golds and oranges of autumn, rush by.  Minnow would enjoy it--she’d always been drawn to autumn colors.  Cassandra wished she’d brought her camera, which was tucked away in her suitcase back in their compartment.  Ah, well.

Instead, she grabbed a magazine somebody had left on a side table and began flipping through it.

The door to the train car clicked open, and Cassandra looked up to find Minnow standing there, scanning the car.  She was wearing Cassandra’s jacket, the sleeves swallowing up her hands.  She clutched the front of the jacket to pull it tighter, further highlighting the difference between Cassandra’s broad shoulders and Minnow’s narrow frame.

God, she looked so small.

Minnow looked like she could be knocked over with a feather--a far cry from even her usual post-turn state.  Cassandra felt the spark of some primal instinct deep inside her to rush over to her, wrap her in a blanket, and tuck her away somewhere safe and protected where nothing could ever even think about harming her.  But Minnow didn’t need a superhero to swoop in and save the day.  There was no one who needed saving.  Just one H.O.U.N.D.S. agent in need of rest (and a new shirt).

Minnow’s eyes quickly fell on Cassandra, and she smiled and slowly made her way over, dropping onto the couch next to her partner.

“How are you feeling?” Cassandra asked.

“Worn out,” Minnow murmured, pressing herself into Cassandra’s side.

Cassandra put her arm around her.  “Anything hurt?”

Minnow hummed in response, and Cassandra wasn’t sure whether she’d heard her.

“Whatcha doing in here?” Cassandra asked.

Minnow shrugged.  “Seemed like the thing to do.”

“The last time I did that, you were mad at me for two and a half weeks.”

Minnow lifted her head up to glare at her.  “You were in significantly worse shape than I am.”

Cassandra cracked a smile.  “I don’t know.  You’re pretty dead on your feet.”

“At least I’m not passing out at the back of the train.”

Cassandra pursed her lips.  “Point.”

Satisfied, Minnow pressed herself back into Cassandra’s side. It didn’t take long for her breathing to even out.

Cassandra absently stroked Minnow’s hair as she went back to watching the world rush by outside the window.

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 17 - Waiting

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): overcrowded ER, "What happened to me?" Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi, blood

Part 1 | Part 2

When Cassandra woke up, she was in the passenger seat of a standard-issue H.O.U.N.D.S. sedan.  Minnow was in the driver’s seat; they were driving on back roads, making their way back towards civilization.  It didn’t appear to be their usual car, as the various bits and bobs they’d collected over the years were nowhere to be found.  Instead, the interior was empty and sterile, like that of a rental car.

The trees rushing by the windows soon gave way to homes and shop fronts.  Traffic lights replaced stop signs, and the road became more crowded.  Cassandra looked over towards Minnow, who was glancing between her and the road with a worried look on her face. 

Cassandra had the feeling that Minnow had probably been trying to talk to her.

“I can’t hear you,” she said.  It was weird to speak without being able to hear herself. 

Minnow said something that Cassandra, again, couldn’t catch. 

Cassandra ran a hand through her tangled hair.  “My memory’s shot,” she said.  “I haven’t the faintest idea of what happened or how I got to…whatever that place was.  I can’t even remember the mission I was on.”

Minnow frowned. 

“Other than not being able to hear, though, I think I’m ok,” Cassandra continued.

Minnow said something in return, though Cassandra, of course, had no way of knowing what it was, but she could tell by Minnow’s face that she was deep in thought.

They rode in silence—or, at least, what Cassandra assumed was silence.  Blessedly, the ringing in her ears had faded.

To Cassandra’s surprise, they turned into the parking lot of a hospital.

“What—where—” she stammered.  “How far away are we from a headquarters?”

Minnow took a pad from her pocket and scribbled something on it before turning it around to show Cassandra.  Far enough.

Cassandra made a face.  “That’s not an answer.”

Minnow got out of the car and came around to the passenger side to help Cassandra out.  Cassandra considered refusing to move until she got a real answer—she really didn’t like this feeling of not knowing what was going on—but decided against it.

The emergency room was full to bursting.  The waiting room was packed, there was a line to see the intake nurse, and Cassandra could see filled beds lining the hallways past the front desk.  Luckily, the intake nurse was very efficient, so they didn’t have to wait too long in line. 

Once they reached her, Minnow did all the talking.  She flashed her badge at her, not for preferential treatment but so that the emergency room staff would understand their need for secrecy, and explained what was going on.  Probably.  At least, that’s what Cassandra assumed she was doing.

The intake nurse checked Cassandra’s pulse, heart, lungs, temperature, and, of course, her ears.  Then she said something to Minnow and sent them to wait in the waiting room. 

And wait.  And wait.

Not trusting her own volume control, Cassandra took the pad and pencil from Minnow’s shirt pocket.

Are you sure it wouldn’t have been easier to go straight to HQ?

Minnow took the pad and shook her head.  5 hours away.

Cassandra looked around.  I think we’ll be waiting longer than that here.

I wasn’t going to risk driving back w/o getting you looked at.

You could have done it.

I’m not a doctor.

Cassandra gave Minnow a Look.  You might as well be.

That’s not how it works.

Cassandra huffed.  That may be, but Minnow was certainly more than capable of basic triage.  And Cassandra was pretty sure that whatever was going on with her ears could wait.

Cassandra took the pad back.  I’ve been looked at.  Can we go?

Minnow didn’t even take the pad back; she just frowned and shook her head ‘no.’

Cassandra crossed her arms and flopped back in her chair like a petulant child.  If only the waiting room weren’t so loud and crowded.  The ringing in her ears had returned with a vengeance.  At least now Cassandra could cover her ears, though she wasn’t sure that that was helping.

Minnow frowned again, worried this time, and took back the pad of paper.  What’s wrong?

Too loud.  Ears ringing.

Minnow looked around.  Cassandra could tell she was trying to come up with some sort of a plan.

Want to step outside?  I’ll wait in here if they call you.

Not really.

Cassandra didn’t particularly want to be alone right now, and certainly not in an unfamiliar place in the wee hours of the morning.  She took the pad back.

What did the nurse say?

Hearing loss is probably temporary, doctor will look at it to make sure.

A HOUNDS doc could do that just as well.

No.

Cassandra checked her watch.  An hour had passed since they’d seen the intake nurse.  She wished she had a book or something.  Her stomach grumbled.

Ah.  Yes.  That made sense.

I’m hungry.

Minnow smacked her hand to her forehead.  Cassandra knew she must feel about as silly as she herself felt.  Any turn, even one as brief as the one Cassandra had had last night, burned a lot of calories.  The nap Cassandra had taken in the car had helped a great deal, but no amount of sleep could replace a good old-fashioned candy bar.  Or five.

Minnow stood up, clearly searching for a vending machine.  She took back the pad. 

I’ll be right back.

At that, every fiber in Cassandra’s body screamed No!  Cassandra grabbed onto Minnow’s arm and held her fast, looking at her pleadingly.  Even if Cassandra’s ears were working fine and she knew she’d be able to talk without shouting, she couldn’t find the words she wanted to say. 

Minnow looked back at Cassandra, startled.  She slowly sat back down in her chair and put her arm around Cassandra’s shoulders.  She took the pad back.

Are you ok?

No.  No, Cassandra was not ok.  She didn’t know what had happened to her, she couldn’t hear anything and had no idea if she ever would again, there were too many people around, and she didn’t seem to be getting any closer to getting seen and getting out of this damned hospital. 

But if Cassandra wrote any of that—hell, if she thought any of it—she’d burst into tears, and she didn’t know when she’d be able to stop.  So instead, she wrote, Stay?

Minnow pulled her tighter and nodded.  She took back the pad and wrote, I’ll stay.

***

They sat like that for a while.  A long while.  Some of the people around them were called in to see a doctor.  Some of the people around them weren’t. 

The next thing Cassandra knew, she was being nudged awake.  She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as Minnow handed her the pad of paper.

I’m going to see how much longer.  I’ll be right back.

Cassandra’s heart fell, but she nodded anyway.  She watched Minnow as she made her way over to the front desk, only looking away to glance at her watch.

Three hours, now, and counting.  Cassandra knew they should have gone straight to Headquarters.

It wasn’t long before Minnow returned.  Cassandra leaned her head back on her shoulder while Minnow scribbled something on the pad.  She was awfully tired and also lightheaded.  She realized that she still hadn’t eaten anything since she’d turned, which would certainly explain both.  But Cassandra didn’t quite care. 

Minnow had to nudge her a few times before she opened her eyes; she hadn’t even realized she’d closed them.  Minnow handed her the pad.

It’s going to be a while.

Cassandra nodded and settled back in against Minnow’s shoulder.  The ringing in her ears seemed to have intensified.  At least it fell away when she shut her eyes.  But soon, Minnow nudged her awake again.

We’ve got to get you something to eat.

Cassandra’s eyes slipped shut only for Minnow to nudge her again, harder this time.

I’ll be right back.

This time, Cassandra didn’t protest.  She rested her head on her arm while Minnow left to go find food.

Cassandra had no idea how much time passed before Minnow came back with three chocolate bars and a package of peanut butter cups.

After the first bite, Cassandra’s hunger became the only thing she could think about.  She devoured the rest of the chocolate as fast as Minnow would let her.  Minnow scribbled on the pad again.

We need to get you something more substantial.

Oh, no.  Cassandra was not going to sit here by herself while Minnow went searching for the hospital cafeteria. 

Cassandra took the pad back from Minnow.  Headquarters?

Minnow looked around at all the people still in the waiting room, then at her watch.  Then she nodded and stood, motioning for Cassandra to follow her.

They went back out into the crisp morning air and returned to the car.  Soon, they were back on the road, heading towards the nearest H.O.U.N.D.S. Headquarters.

Wherever that was.

But first they stopped at a diner so that Cassandra could get some real food in her.  After Minnow had ordered for the both of them, Cassandra pulled out the pad of paper.

Where are we?

Dave’s Diner.

No, what state?

Minnow looked between Cassandra and the pad a few times, a stricken look on her face.  Colorado.

Colorado.  That did not ring any bells.

Minnow took back the pad.  You don’t remember anything?

No.

What is the last thing you remember?

Cassandra thought.  Images flashed through her head: boarding a plane, a briefing in Mr. Thaddeus’ office, being taken to some unknown place.  Then she clutched her head at the memory of an impossibly loud noise that seemed to penetrate her skull and leave her reeling.  All Cassandra wanted to do was curl into a ball and stay there until pain passed.

Minnow laid a hand on her arm.  Cassandra didn’t move.  She couldn’t, even if she’d wanted to.  Right now, she hurt too much to want much of anything.

Minnow’s hand shifted, and Cassandra was vaguely aware that she’d left her seat and had crouched down next to her.  Minnow gently pulled Cassandra’s hands away from her head and examined her face, her breathing, her pulse.  She pulled her penlight from her pocket and shone it in Cassandra’s eyes. 

The waiter came over, a concerned look on his face.  He said something, and Minnow responded.  Cassandra realized that her face was wet with tears.  She bit the back of her fingers, trying to muffle the whimpers that threatened to escape her throat.

Minnow scribbled on the pad of paper.  I asked him to bring out our check with our food.  It’ll be out in a minute.  What do you need?

Cassandra just shook her head, tears spilling onto her cheeks.  She didn’t know.

Minnow slid into the booth next to Cassandra and pulled her into her arms.

Cassandra took the pad of paper.  What happened to me?

Minnow shook her head.  I don’t know.  We’ll figure it out.  I promise.

Cassandra nodded, because that was the only thing she could do.

The waiter came by with the food and the check, which Minnow settled before he left.  By then, the pain in Cassandra’s head had lessened to a dull ache, and they both ate their breakfast in, well, silence.  Then they headed back to the car to resume their long drive back to H.O.U.N.D.S. Headquarters.

To Be Continued...

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 13 - But You Could Have Died

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): floral bouquet, "I'm not as stupid as you think I am." Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi, in which the author remembers her characters are werewolves (but only a little)

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine."

"It'll heal!"

"Will you shut up?" Minnow snapped, and Cassandra could see that her hands were shaking.

“Look, I know if our places were switched right now, we’d be up the creek, but they’re not. I’m a ‘wolf; I’ll be fine.”

Minnow tied off the bandage, pulling it just a little too tight, before getting up and walking out of their train compartment.

Shit.

Truth be told, while Cassandra knew she would be right as rain in a few days, she wasn’t feeling 100%. The slash on her arm had gone from feeling like a hot poker being pressed to her skin to the dull ache of a sunburn, and the goose egg on her head had already begun to shrink, but she was still tired and dizzy.  She felt helpless, with her and Minnow’s usual roles reversed.  Especially since Minnow was definitely overreacting.

Still, something about this latest injury had Minnow spooked, and Cassandra figured she should do something about it.  She’d have to, sooner or later, and it was always best to get these things over with.  Clear the air before it became too thick to see through.

Cassandra sat up, head swimming, and collected her strength.  Then, she took a deep breath, stood up, and immediately fell against the wall.

It took all of Cassandra’s willpower not to collapse back into the bench and pass out until they reached their destination.  Instead, she closed her eyes and waited until the train stopped swaying like a rowboat before she pushed off and made her way out of the compartment. 

For once, Cassandra was thankful for the narrow corridors.  While they usually made transporting luggage a pain in the neck, they now provided constant, steady support as Cassandra made her way through the train cars feeling more like a pinball than a person.

The dining car proved to be a little more difficult.  Cassandra had half expected to find Minnow there, but she only found a few stray travelers having a quiet cup of tea or coffee.  She tried to be as unobtrusive as she could, gripping the tables and backs of chairs as she made her way through.  She paused at the end of the car, vaguely wondering how she’d managed to get through without falling and pulling a tablecloth (and all the dishware) with her. 

Then was the lounge car, which had exactly one passenger, an elderly man engrossed in the day’s crossword puzzle, so she didn’t bother to waste her limited energy being subtle as she used the seatbacks as a crutch on her way through.  She pushed open the door at the end, the cool air clearing her head and restoring some of her expended energy.

“Why are you on your feet?” Minnow said, her eyes holding steady on the horizon, and her voice neatly concealing the white-hot rage that Cassandra knew well enough to hear around the edges.

Cassandra resisted the urge to glare at her.  “Because you weren’t there to keep me in our compartment.”

“I needed some air.”

“Sure.  But we need to talk.”

Minnow finally faced Cassandra, raising an eyebrow.  “Oh?”

Cassandra nodded, trying to gather her thoughts.  It was a good thing there was a railing to hold onto, otherwise she would probably be on the ground.

“I’m sorry,” she said, the world swimming around her.  “I don’t—I’m not sure exactly why you’re so upset, but I never meant to—” the boat—no, train—gave a nauseating lurch, “I never meant to do that.”

Minnow gave her a peculiar look.  “Cass, you’re white as a sheet,” she said. 

Cassandra squinted.  “Why are there two of you?”

Minnow took her by the arm. “Come on. Let’s get you back inside.”

It was a good thing that Minnow had her, because Cassandra’s knees buckled, and the world went dark.

***

Cassandra cracked open her eyes.  The world was too bright, and everything hurt.  She blinked a few times and found she was back in their train compartment.  Minnow was sitting diagonally from her, using the tiny table attached to the wall to write something.

Cassandra tried to sit up.  “Minnow, I—”

“Don’t.  Move.”  Minnow pointed her pen at her accusingly without looking up.

Cassandra dropped back down.  “I’m—”

“You are not moving a single muscle until we get off this train.  Understood?”

Somehow, Cassandra didn’t think this was the best time for a smart-alecky comment and instead chose sincerity.  “Yes, ma’am.”

Now, Minnow did look at Cassandra, if only to glare at her.  Cassandra held her gaze, feeling too tired and too awful to try to lighten the mood with an overly innocent look.  Maybe that hadn’t been quite the right form of sincerity.

“Good.”  Minnow went back to writing.

“I am sorry, though,” Cassandra said quietly.  She shifted, even though she wasn’t supposed to, and hissed in pain.

Minnow put down her pen and came over to check her bandages. 

“I’m not as stupid as you think I am,” Cassandra said.

“I don’t think you’re stupid, Cass; you’re just…reckless.” 

“I didn’t mean to—” Cassandra frowned.  What had happened?  Her head was too fuzzy to let her think.  Had Minnow broken into their first aid kit’s meager stash of painkillers for her?  Or was she just tired?  That made equally as much sense, with the transformation being as intense as it had been.

“Just get some rest, Cass,” Minnow said. Cassandra knew from experience that Minnow’s refusal to acknowledge her apology meant that she wasn’t ready to accept it yet, and even though that “yet” was there, Cassandra couldn’t help but feel even worse.

Cassandra soon found herself drifting off, lulled by the swaying of the train and the world rushing dizzily past the window. 

***

“Cass, wake up.  We’re here.”

Cassandra stifled a groan as she found herself back in the land of the living.  Her jacket had been pulled up around her shoulders at some point during her nap.  Her head was a lot clearer than it had been before, and it looked like keeping herself upright would no longer be a challenge.  But the trade-off was that she hurt even worse.

“How do you feel?” Minnow asked as Cassandra creakily rose to her feet.

“Like I’ve been hit by a train,” Cassandra grumbled, grabbing her suitcase (which Minnow had been so kind as to take down from the rack) by the handle.

“I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Well, what am I supposed to say?  I can’t exactly wave my hands and make it all better!”

“I don’t know!” Cassandra snapped as her suitcase slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor with a thud.

Minnow slid open the compartment door, and Cassandra followed her into the aisle and off of the train, now holding her bag with both hands.  Together, they headed toward the street, where Minnow hailed a cab, much to Cassandra’s relief.  They rode to HQ in silence.

“I’m going to Medical,” Cassandra muttered once they’d made it through security.  She didn’t miss the worried look Minnow gave her, and she couldn’t help the pang of guilt in her chest.  It wasn’t often that either of them willingly went to Medical.

Her arms felt like jelly once she finally set her suitcase down in the tiny waiting room.

“You can go right on in,” the receptionist, Tina, said.

Cassandra nodded.  “Keep an eye on my suitcase?”

“I’ll have someone bring it to your office.”

“Thanks.”

Cassandra pushed open the door to the exam room.  One of the nurses, Monica, was already in there.  Cassandra sat down on the exam table, and Monica began her examination, taking her vitals and asking so many questions that her head spun.

Dr. Murphy came in before Monica was finished and joined in, interjecting with her own questions and starting her own physical examination.

The doctor let out a low whistle.  “That’s quite the bump you’ve got there.”

“You’re telling me.”  Cassandra hissed and ducked away as she gently prodded it.  “Don’t touch it!”

“Sorry.”  Dr. Murphy wrote something down in her chart and continued.  She gently unwrapped the bandage on her arm and inspected what had once been a deep gash.  “Your partner did a good job of patching you up.”

“‘Course she did,” Cassandra said.  Minnow was good at everything. 

The doctor told her how to breathe as she listened to her chest and back with her stethoscope, then frowned.

“Lie back for me.”

Cassandra wasn’t sure she would be able to get back up again if she did, but she complied all the same.  The doctor apologized for her cold hands before gently pressing on Cassandra’s ribs, making her hiss in pain once again.

“Does it hurt when you breathe?”

“Yeah.”

“When did that start?”

Cassandra considered.  “When I woke up on the train.”

“And when was that?”

“Just before we got off.”

The doctor nodded and started writing on her prescription pad.  “It looks like you’ve probably bruised your ribs, but we’ll have to get an X-ray to be sure.”

Cassandra wrinkled her nose.  “Great.”

The doctor added something else to her chart.  “Either way, I’m going to have you stay here overnight.”

“What?”

“For observation.  And to make sure you don’t go running off to save the world.”

“Trust me, I’m not running off anywhere any time soon.”

“Just another reason to keep you here,” Dr. Murphy said with a click of her pen.  “We’ve got to make sure that you’re taken care of.”

Cassandra groaned.

“Monica here will help you change into a gown and get you X-rayed.  Then it’s off to your room…”

***

Cassandra flipped through the magazine that one of the nurses had given her for what felt like the thousandth time.  She’d read just about every article, save one or two that were so asinine she couldn’t get through them.  She tossed the magazine onto her blanket-clad legs in frustration and settled in to stare at the ceiling for a while.

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

Minnow slipped into the room, clutching a bouquet of ‘get well’ flowers, worry painted all over her face.  “How are you feeling?”

“Bored.”

“Sounds about right,” Minnow said, nodding.  She added her bouquet to the vase already on the side table, undoubtedly sent over by Mr. Thaddeus.  “How about physically?”

“Like I can’t breathe.”

“You can’t breathe?” Minnow said in alarm.  “Should I get the nurse?”

“They know already.”

“What’d they say?”

“To breathe anyway.”

“To breathe—what’s wrong with you that you can’t breathe?”

“My ribs are bruised.”

“Ah,” Minnow said.  She pulled over the chair and sat down.  “You really are a terrible patient.”

Cassandra glared at her.

“Think about it for a moment,” Minnow continued.  “You complain, you argue, you refuse to rest, you traverse the length of multiple train cars--”

“I was trying to apologize!”

“--you squirm when you’re supposed to hold still, you’re angry that you’re even hurt in the first place--”

“Dr. Murphy says that’s the concussion.”

“Part of that’s you, and you know it!” Minnow shot back.  “If you hadn’t gone absolutely insane in the first place--”

“I didn’t go insane; I was doing my job!”

“That wasn’t your job, that was a suicide mission!”

“Well, somebody had to go after the ambassador, and everybody else was busy!”

“You couldn’t have grabbed somebody to go with you?”

“Not if I didn’t want to lose him, no!”

Now it was Minnow’s turn to stare at the ceiling, to give herself a moment to collect herself.

“But you could have died,” she finally said.

“Minnow…”

“I know.  I know that’s a part of our job.  That's what we signed up for.  But that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to…”  She took a deep breath.  “You scared the hell out of me, Cass.”

Cassandra focused on her breathing in an effort to keep herself from crying.  Crying now would be murder on her ribs. 

“Min—” she began helplessly.  She took another breath.  “I didn’t—I tried to tell you on the train, I didn’t mean to scare you—”

“It’s not about me!  It’s about you!”  Cassandra could see tears gathering in her eyes.  “I know you’re a werewolf, and I know you can withstand a lot, but you aren’t invincible!”

“I know that, but—” Cassandra stopped, knowing that if she said anything else she’d break into sobs. She took a deep breath, desperately trying to hold back. “Min, you know I love you, and I promise we’ll talk about this, but I can’t—”  She rested her hand on her ribs.  “I can’t do this right now.”

Minnow nodded, standing up.  “Yeah,” she said.  “Ok.”  She stepped towards the bed and pressed a chaste kiss to Cassandra’s forehead.  “I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”

Cassandra nodded, not making eye contact.  She heard rather than saw Minnow leave the room, gently closing the door behind her.  The tears that Cassandra had been trying to hold back started leaking out of her eyes, and it was all she could do to prevent herself from sobbing.

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 3 - Why Won't You Help Me?

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): Delirium; Gurney Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, spy-fi

Part 1

Cassandra smoothed Minnow’s hair back from her sweaty brow as the latter slept restlessly in the back of the truck.  She seemed to be growing warmer every minute.  Cassandra found herself holding her breath each time they hit a bump, hoping and praying that it wouldn’t wake Minnow up.  

Minnow writhed in pain underneath Cassandra’s hand.  Cassandra gently hushed her, wishing she had something, anything that could help.  

“We’re almost at headquarters,” Dolly called from the driver’s seat.  “The Medical ward here in Chicago isn’t as robust as the one in Arlington, but it should do!”

“I don’t think any headquarters has got a Medical as robust as Arlington’s,” Cassandra called back.

“Atlanta’s is.”

“Atlanta?”

“They’ve got the CDC practically next door.  All sorts of crazy things going on there.”  

The truck hit another pothole.  Minnow whimpered.  

“Shhh.  Everything’s alright.  We’re nearly there,” Cassandra soothed.

“The important thing is, our Medical will definitely be able to handle George,” Dolly called.

“Good!” Cassandra said.  “No offense to your driving, but after a ride like this, I don’t really want to take her on a helicopter.”

“None taken.  It’s these roads, anyway.  You should see how they are when I’m not trying to keep it smooth!”

“Maybe another time,” Cassandra said.

Dolly laughed.

They swerved suddenly.  Minnow was strapped securely to the gurney, but that didn’t stop Cassandra from grabbing onto her to make sure she didn’t fall off.

“Hey, cool it!”  Cassandra regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth.

“I’m trying my best up here!” Dolly called back good-naturedly.

“I know,” Cassandra said.  “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it.  I know it’s tough right now.”  They turned and the truck soon came to a stop.  “We’re here.”

Dolly hopped out of the driver’s seat and came around to open the back of the truck just in time to be met by nurses and orderlies rushing out of the building to meet them.  Cassandra followed close behind as they whisked Minnow into the building.  They took her into a room and crowded around her, doing all sorts of examinations and tests. 

Cassandra knew that she couldn’t be much help here.  She’d done her part, spending sleepless nights anxiously searching, waiting, hoping, praying.  She’d brought Minnow back home; now it was up to H.O.U.N.D.S.’ doctors and nurses to bring her back to health.  She pressed herself against the wall, small and out-of-the-way, the exhaustion of the last two weeks hitting her all at once.  But Cassandra still felt on-edge, her muscles tense and ready to strike.

Minnow quickly grew restless and agitated as she was transferred to her hospital bed.

“No!  No!” she cried, squirming and writhing.  Luckily, H.O.U.N.D.S. medical personnel were trained for this.  “Cass-where’s Cass?”

Cassandra shut her eyes.  The best thing she could do to help was to stay out of the way. 

Minnow’s cries suddenly grew more desperate.  “No!  No!  Cass—please!  No, no more!  No more!”

“I’m just taking some blood to run some tests, Miss George,” said the tech.

“Cass, help!  Please!  Help, Cassie, please!”

Cassandra couldn’t take it anymore.  “It’s ok, Minnow!  You’re at the hospital!  You’re safe!”

At the sound of Cassandra’s voice, Minnow began to thrash harder, her voice dissolving into sobs.  “Cass?  Where are you?”

The techs and nurses closed ranks around her, restraining her so that she wouldn’t hurt herself (or any of them).  To their credit, they didn’t admonish Cassandra, didn’t even ask her to leave—or maybe they were too busy with Minnow to pay her much mind.  Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut as tears began to fall.

“Cass, why won’t you help me?”

Cassandra couldn’t take it anymore.  She rushed out the door and ran down the hallway, the sound of Minnow’s voice calling her name echoing behind her.

Cassandra didn’t stop running until she left the Medical ward and entered a hallway of agent offices.  She found an empty room—either it was currently going unused, or the agent assigned to it was particularly minimalist—and dropped into the chair, where she laid her head in her arms and cried.

To Be Continued...

[radarsteddybear]

Someday, I'm going to write a series of pulp-type novels about my two spy OCs but blatantly steal all the plots from episodes of 1960s television shows.

[radarsteddybear]

Whumptober Day 2 - I Saw Everything

Fandom: Original Fiction (H.O.U.N.D.S.) Prompt(s): Made to Watch Rating: Teen Additional Tags: whump, hurt/comfort, friendship, found family, off-screen character death, spy-fi

“Minnow!” Cassandra called, running through grey corridors lined with solid, metal doors.  “Minnow!”

Cassandra turned a corner.  The doors down this hallway each had a window near the top.

“Minnow!” Cassandra called again.  No answer.  Starting with the first door on her left, Cassandra began peering into each window, zigzagging back and forth across the hall.  

Most of the rooms were dark.  Cassandra didn’t have the time to investigate each one in the off-chance that Minnow was trapped in there, hidden in plain sight.  It had already been a week since she’d gone silent, and her last message…Cassandra shook her head.  She didn’t want to think about it.

“Minnow!” she repeated.  She looked through a window—someone had left this light on, and she could see it was somebody’s office.  Somebody’s empty office.

“Minnow!”  Cassandra hurried to the next door.  And the next.  And the next.  Finally, long after Cassandra had lost count of how many doors she’d looked through, and how many of them had enough light to see anything, she came to a window that showed a figure laying on what looked a lot like a doctor’s exam table.

“Minnow!”  Cassandra knocked on the window, but the figure didn’t move.  A thin blanket was pulled tightly around her shoulders, and Cassandra could see her chest slowly rise and fall.

Cassandra took a pair of hairpins out of her hair and set to work on the lock.  Almost…almost…shit, she lost it.  

Minnow had always been better at lockpicking than she was.  

Cassandra had no choice but to try again.  Almost…almost…the lock gave a click, and Cassandra quickly flung open the door before it changed its mind.  She rushed inside, leaving the door to bang against the wall.

“Minnow!” Cassandra cried, rushing to her side.  

Minnow looked terrible.  Her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in days, and her face shone with beads of sweat.  Cassandra pressed the back of her hand to Minnow’s forehead.  Sure enough, she was burning up.

Minnow opened her eyes—wide, wild—and a hand darted out of the blanket to grab onto Cassandra.

“Cass!” Minnow said.  Her voice sounded strange, almost feral, if Cass didn’t know any better.  “Cass, they took her!  They took her!”  She broke down into sobs.

“Took who?” Cass asked, startled.

“Joan!  Joan!  They took her, Cass. Oh, it was awful…”

Joan.  The agent that Minnow had come looking for.  Cassandra bit back a curse.  She knew she should have come with Minnow.  She knew that this would be more important than the Button case.

“It’s ok, Minnow.  We’ve got a team looking for her now.  They’re sweeping the building…”

But Minnow was shaking her head.  “It’s too late, Cass.  She’s gone.  They killed her.  I saw it.  I saw everything.”

A pang went through Cassandra’s entire body, sending a rock to her gut and tingles through her fingers.  Cassandra had no choice but to shake it off.

“Let’s get you out of here,” she said, rising to her feet.

But Minnow clutched onto the front of Cassandra’s shirt, holding on like a drowning man might hold onto anything within his reach.  “Don’t leave me, Cassie, don’t leave me…” Minnow sobbed.

“Hey, shhh,” Cassandra said.  She frowned.  Minnow was in really bad shape.  She took Minnow’s hands in her own and gently removed them from her shirt.  “I’m not leaving you.  You’re coming with me.”

Cassandra pulled the blanket off of her friend and coaxed her into swinging her feet over the edge of the bed and putting them on the floor.  Cassandra gently pulled her to her feet.  Minnow immediately began to crumple, so Cassandra pulled her arm over her own shoulders.

“Lean on me,” she said.

Minnow trembled.

“Come on, that’s it,” Cassandra said as they began to walk.  “First one step, then the next…”

They continued this way, Cassandra murmuring words of encouragement as they slowly, slowly made their way back up the corridors.  The stairs were even harder—by then, Minnow was shaking so badly that Cassandra was afraid she would rattle right out of her grip.  But she held on tight and encouraged her up each step.  Cassandra gave a silent prayer of thanks that another group of H.O.U.N.D.S. agents had already neutralized the F.E.L.I.S. lackeys that had been running this joint.

Finally, they reached the top of the stairs.  Just about a hundred more feet until the door.  

“Come on, Minnow, we’re almost there,” Cassandra said, practically dragging her now.  Cassandra wished she were stronger.  She wished for a full moon.  Hell, she wished for any moon.

They inched toward the door.  75 feet…50 feet…25 feet…

Minnow slipped right out of Cassandra’s grasp and onto the floor.

“Minnow!” Cassandra cried.  She crouched down and put her shoulder under Minnow’s, ready to pull her back up.  She tried to keep her voice upbeat.  “We’re almost there!  We can’t stop now!”

“I can’t!” Minnow gasped.  

“Sure you can!  Look,” Cassandra pointed, “the door is right there.  That’s as far as we need to go, and then you can rest for as long as you want.  Ok?”

Minnow looked blearily towards where Cassandra was pointing.  Then, she nodded.

Cassandra lifted her back up, and together, they hobbled to the door.  Cassandra shoved it open with her free shoulder, and they were thrust, squinting, into the bright sunlight.  

Ok, so Cassandra had lied.  They had about 50 more feet to go to get to the waiting H.O.U.N.D.S. truck.  She didn’t say anything, and Minnow didn’t, either, as they made their way over.  The driver jumped out of the cab and rushed around to open the doors.

“Any injuries?” she asked.

“I didn’t check,” Cassandra said.  

Dolly, the driver, easily scooped Minnow up bridal-style and brought her into the back of the truck.  

Cassandra rolled her aching shoulder, catching her breath.  She hadn’t realized just how taxing it had been to carry all of Minnow’s weight.  

Dolly lowered Minnow into the cot and started tending to her, carefully inspecting her for wounds.

Cassandra twisted the gem on her communicator ring.  “Agent Jacobson calling Delta team.”

After a few seconds of static, a tinny voice returned from the ring.  “Delta team.”

Cassandra took a moment to gather her thoughts.  “I have Agent George.  She reports that…Agent Shaw is dead.”

There was a pause on the other end of the channel.  “Please repeat last message.”

Cassandra took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  “Minnow said that Agent Shaw is dead.  I have no other evidence at this time to confirm.”

“Copy.  Over and out.”

Cassandra turned her communicator ring off with a click.  She took another moment to compose herself and then climbed in the back of the truck.

To Be Continued...