Sharp Shooter

Ghost Town

6 Months Ago

Location: Al Nasa, Sahara Desert

Operator: Staff Sargent Raji Vyper

Weather: Heavy Overcast, Windy

Mission: Locate Ren Raziel

I could see the light at the end of the sewer pipe, though it was faint and dim. The air near the exit smelled fresh and damp, rare for this part of the world. With it was also the faint trace of smoke. I assumed at first it might be a camp fire that was carrying on the wind, but the closer I came to the exit of the pipe, the more I realized that wasn't the case. When I crawled out the end of the pipe, I stuck my head out first, shifting my gaze above and below me to make sure I hadn't been followed by other hounds. Seeing the coast was clear, I hauled myself out of the pipe and dropped the ten feet to the ground, planting on all fours.

"Something to be said for training I guess", I thought to myself as I surveyed the area. I was in a waste treatment plant that looked abandoned. In the deepest part of the plant were four giant collection tanks that had long since filled with sand and rusted out. There were four buildings on the side of the mountain that had broken windows, sagging catwalks and failing roofs. Rusted pipes jutted out of the side of the mountain and turned downwards to face the tanks they used to dump sewage into. I'd only been here twice, once with my friend Ren, a short, 5 foot Southern Dragon who was a master Sharp Shooter, and once on my own and without him I was completely lost. I doubted what the KA had done to me had enhanced my shitty sense of direction, so I found my self praying to Allah that I could get out of this pit and get home before the KA caught me.

"Do I still remember my away around this pit?", I asked myself as I started forward, "you better, otherwise your fucked."

"Thanks for the words of encouragement ass for brains", I growled at myself as I descended down to the plant. As I fought for grip in the sand on my way down, four scents caught my nose. I recognized them from basic, but didn't know their names. What I did know was that they were the four that the Trainer always called to help hold me down so I couldn't kill him. I slid into cover behind the waste tanks and lowered myself to the ground. It was getting darker and darker by the minute, so my black fur would keep me hidden.

"Why did they even send us after this fucker?", one of them asked, sounding like she was both, fearful and annoyed.

"Maybe because he betrayed us?", a male asked, "maybe because he sided with the infidels? Or how about the small fact that he swore to kill every single KA Fighter he could get his paws around?"

"And what if this fuck is not alone?", the first female asked again, "what if Vyper had friends who jumped ship with him? I know he knew that sniper kid, the American. I forget the kids name."

"Ren", I said to myself.

"Vyper?", A third voice asked, "have friends? As if! Vyper can't be trusted!"

I peered around the tank, finding four other Drakehounds gathered in a circle. They were of varying heights and builds and none of them could take me one on one, but the four of them together would stand more than a good chance of pinning me at the least and capturing me at the worst, so now, it was time to do what Drakehounds were trained to do, divide and concur.

I picked up a rock and chucked it all the way up to one of the buildings, smashing one of the windows and acquiring the attention of two of them.

"The fuck?", the female asked, "what was that?"

"Let's go check it", the first male said, "you two stay back here in case Vyper turns up."

"Rodger", another male said.