Erick: "No, this can't be real... this is just some sick joke right...?" I look down at the bed, getting myself lost in deep thought, the feeling of my entire life was a lie lingering.
Jack: "I think he needs time to clear his mind, we should take them outside and explain it out there." Jack says in a comforting way.
I close my eyes from the stinging pain and look around the room, feeling weakened and starved with the bomb collar scratching at my throat still.
Erick: "I feel like shit... I can't understand" I say with a terrible headache starting in my head.
Docter: "From what these two have told me, you were in deep Apex territory so I guess you wouldn't hear about the other countries." He informs.
Erick: "Maverick always said that humanity was dead." I say confused and groan a bit from the head pain.
Doctor: "Well... he isn't entirely wrong there are very few of us." The doctor answered with a sad expression.
Doctor: "Human rights have been going downhill even in pro-human countries."
Jack: "Are you sure we should talk about this now, he is out of it." Jack says with concern.
I look down and stare at my hands which are noticeably more pale, almost ghostly pale. My head aches from the pain as I try to piece together what is being said.
I frown and look back up at the doctor curiously.
Erick: "You know why?" I ask curiously.
Docter: "I don't entirely know but it could be out of fear due to what is happening in Apex and Vend." The doctor says with the same upset face.
I give him a confused look at the new names.
Erick: "What is Apex and Vend? I heard of Apex but not Vend" I ask confused.
Doctor: "Well to put it simply, Apex is a federation that goes across Canada and the USA to put it in your terms."
I raise my eyebrow at him with the same confused look.
Doctor: "Well you said you're from Alaska yes?"
Erick: "Maverick mentioned it once or twice but never described it fully." I explain.
I look away from the doctor and notice Jax and Jack are no longer in the room, making me sigh sadly.
Doctor: "Well, I can explain it more as you are on bed rest." The doctor says with a slight smile.
Doctor: "Nice seeing a human in the small place of Aperture, we have very few."
I look back at the doctor with more curiosity with the more he talks.
Erick: "How large is Aperture?" I ask with my attention fixated on him.
Doctor: "Very tiny, Aperture is only as big as Aper itself on the coast of what used to be Canada."
Docter: "Though in time it would be liberated by the Apex federation as they are already almost the entirety of former North America." The doctor says now without worry and fear in his voice.
Erick: "You mention a place called Vend, where is that?" I ask.
Doctor: "Very small now as it's only Canada's east coast islands, Apex is struggling to get to the island but in time Vend will crumble to the federation. The doctor says with more worry than before.
Erick: "What does N.A.F stand for?" I ask remembering the patches I saw on Kat's team.
Doctor: "National army of the federation"
I look at him confused at the two other words but just nod my head.
Erick: "What's so special about this federation?"
Doctor: "It's what the new world is, some Anthro idea of a united world, think of it as what the UN was but just more authority and control.
Erick: "So Apex is just a region or part of the federation?" I ask.
Doctor: "Correct, Apex is the largest and holds the most power which is why people just call it Apex instead of The Apexion Federation or T.A.F.
Erick: "Anthros have weird names..." I say questioning the strange name.
Doctor: "It's a part of their weird culture, it has a different meaning than human definitions. The doctor says with the same confusion as I.
Erick: "Thank you doctor." I say with a small smile which he gives me a nod before leaving the room.
I sit alone with the sounds of a heart rate monitor breaking the silence.
I groan a bit from the annoying headache and from how sore my body is.
I feel around my face and notice that they kept my balaclava on which makes me more comfortable but they probably notice the Cadavar scaring on my back but they probably don't know what it means, only Ruby and Kat know thankfully.
I close my eyes, trying to fall asleep but begin to think of where Jack and Jax went but quickly suppress the thoughts.
I start to think of what happened before I enter my current state and try to remember what Ruby said to me but can't, though I remember the shark kid I saved, hopefully, the kid is safe.
I feel my eyes starting to get heavier and try to slip into sleep but hear a muffled sound followed by something crashing into the ground.
"Guns shots... shit N.A.F is here then"
I quickly put it together and grab the tubes attached to me and rip them out, making me yelp in pain with the heart rate monitor now flat-lining.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and force myself to stand up but only for them to give out and fall straight onto my face.
"Fucking hell that hurts"
I squeeze my fists into a ball to hold back any sound and stand back up on my feet, using the wall to support me.
I look down at my body and nothing I'm in a patient gown and nothing else which gives me a great view of my ghostly pale and scarred body. I shake my head and look around the room and notice my equipment in the corner.
I walk across the room using the wall as a support while cursing under my breath from the numbness in my legs. I notice a paper on top of my clothing and look at it to read. "Wear when N.A.F. comes to not get shot" with a signature from what I assume is Jack and Jax.
I quickly throw off the patient gown leaving me with nothing but the balaclava on and quickly throw on my old uniform marked with H.A. patches replaced with terribly placed N.A.F patches.
I groan a bit with the weight of my helmet on my head, thankfully no steel plates in the carrier. I think of what I should do in the 10 minutes that took for me to wear everything the sounds of muffled gunshots have only gotten louder.
I listen out again and hear another one, assuming they are killing all the hospital workers and patients.
Waiting for the impending doom of Apexion soldiers to take me with the feeling of helplessness tugging at me.
"Can't escape the N.A.F. I am a valuable target or asset to them, probably just a target"
I think to myself and begin to question why I was brought here to Aperture or Aper or whatever it was called. Surely Jack and Jax knew that this would happen, they are from the Federation, unless this was them trying to smuggle me away which would lead to their death.
I think about what I just thought, the two people who only cared about me being killed, well Kat, but she just is told too and pretends too.
Wouldn't be the first time I got an Anthro killed like this.
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(flashback)
I walk excitedly through the forest towards a hangout spot that was secret between me and my fox.
Maverick normally doesn't let me roam free but I take advantage of this when he lets me patrol free for supplies. I run through a tree and begin to slow down as we get to our spot. A small rock sticks out at the edge of a cliff that gets an amazing view of the mountain range.
I sit and wait for what feels like hours, listening out for her as she is quite clumsy.
I hear a stick snap to my left and see her freeze as if she is trying to sneak up on me. The red fox wearing her normal shorts and red hoodie. I watch her let out a sigh before she begins to walk toward the rock and sits on it.
I slowly get up and walk behind her to surprise her. I walk up behind her and grab her by her waist and hug her tightly, getting a loud fearful yelp.
???: "God damn it Erick! Stop sneaking on me like that!" she shouts at me with a slight smile.
Erick: "Thought I was too big to be sneaky" I tease her about what she said last time.
???: "Yeah yeah whatever you." She says slightly annoyed.
Erick: "Come on it was funny Chloe." I say with a small laugh.
Chloe: "Only a little..." She says defeatedly before laughing with me.
I gently sit down with her next to me at the edge of the cliff looking out at the view.
Chloe: "You know... I sometimes hate the fact that our species can't get along." Chloe says upset while resting her head against my shoulder.
Erick: "I know." I say quietly not liking the topic.
Chloe: "I mean come on! Look at how amazing you are! You're better than any of the other boys at my school" She says happily mixed with annoyance at the thought of the other boys at her school.
Erick: "Yeah... I never had to deal with many people" I say vaguely.
The red fox lets out a huff as she catches onto my vagueness.
Chloe: "Always so vague about your home life, well it's not like mine but why can't you share?" The red fox questions me with her puppy eyes.
Erick: "I... just can't be sorry but I would if I could." I say while looking down at her with a sad expression.
Chloe: "Someday I'm going to take you to my house and show you what it's like to live as a real teen!" She says excitedly with her tail wagging like crazy.
Erick: "I'm sure you will someday." I say while rubbing her head, making her purr.
Chloe: "I love you Erick."
Erick: "I love you too Chloe." I say with a smile.
I hold her hand gently as we look out at the view enjoying the view with the cold Alaskan sun on us.
We sit in silence for a while but hear a strange sound of people talking.
Erick: "Shit Chloe hide!" I whisper yell at her as grab her by her hand and attempt but only for a gunshot to echo through the forest, hitting Chloe in the head with the bullet making an entry and exit wound.
I quickly pulled her body into some bushes and looked at her, seeing the hole through her head made my stomach twist, I hugged her and started to cry.
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(present)
I rub my wrist gently, looking at the scar I dug into myself to always remember her, even if she was an Anthro she showed me some hope but that feeling is long gone now.
I quickly cover my wrist and hear doors getting kicked down, now only closer to my room.
After a few minutes, the door of my room finally gets a knock before being kicked down and greeted by a large wolf.
Kat: "Suspect spotted" She shouts out before multiple footsteps start to rush to my room.
I quickly put my hands up to surrender as she quickly throws a bag over my head and zip-ties my hands behind my back. She quickly throws me up and begins pushing me.
Roxy: "We can't kill him like the others?" The shark asks annoyed.
Kat: "This no-fur is sadly an asset to Ruby and must be captured before we invade Aperture"
"The doctor is dead then like everyone I talk to, didn't even get his name"
I think to myself as Kat pushes me forward through the building.
Kat: "The fuck was Jack and Jax thinking bring you here." She asks towards me and I only give her a shrug.
Kat: "Well they are captured and scheduled to be put into a labour camp so whatever you had between those two is done" she informs with no sympathy.
Alice: "When we leave the dead zone I will inform Ruby." She says quickly.
I try to figure out who said that as I only know Kats's voice fully and not the rest of her team.
Kat: "Red and her team should be at the evac site" She replies.
We walk down some stairs, nearly tripping a few times before I walk towards the exit.
I try to think if I heard of the Anthro named Red but could only assume that it was another one of Ruby's rangers.
We walk through the exit now hearing the sound of cars and other city noises before being pushed through an unknown path.
We walk for a while as my footsteps go from the sound of a road to leaves and grass. We talk for what feels like 15 minutes before the sound of a helicopter can be heard.
???: "Got the fucker?" A female voice shouts.
Kat: "Target secure, let's get out of here!" Kat shouts back as I'm thrown up into a helicopter and sat down.
I sit in silence to avoid getting my head blown off by one of the pissed-off Anthro's.
???: "He's like a pet huh." The same voice from earlier says in a mocking way.
Roxy: "Unwanted one but he's here." She says continuing the mocking.
Kat: "Shut up both of you." Kat says annoyed.
Erick: "How long will this trip take?" I ask Kat expecting maybe an answer.
Kat: "An hour so you better keep real quiet if you want your limbs still attached to your body." Kat says aggressively.
Erick: "Yes ma'am." I say on instinct which made me freeze at what I just said.
I feel the helicopter making me unable to hear anyone but someone puts a headset on me allowing me to talk.
Nova: "Should he really be allowed to hear our conversations?" The panther questions justified.
Roxy: "Just allows us to degrade him more!"
Nova: "What a weird fucking kink." She said in a joking way.
Two begin to shout while some of the others join in.
Erick: "What the hell is a kink?" I ask out of the blue and confused.
Silence was the only thing I could hear before someone coughed and the headest being pulled off my head now only heard the deafening helicopter blades.
I sigh to myself before humming to myself as I try to maintain a calm composure and not let myself scream mentally.
After what felt like about 15 minutes my collar began to let out an annoying buzz that I could feel.
"Guessing we are out of Aperture and the dead zone"
I think to myself as I tap my foot impatiently.
I rest my head back and relax my shoulders, trying to fall asleep only for someone to slap my left thigh hard. I sit up and groan a bit from the pain and look in the direction of the person and flip them off with my zip-tied hands.
Another punch connects now to my face to my right as I guess someone has seen my action. I yelp in pain before sitting still and keeping my head down to avoid getting hit.
After what felt like forever the helicopter began to descend and after a bit, we touched the ground and I could regain my hearing.
Kat: "I'll bring him to the holding cells for the time being." Kat says while grabbing me from my plate carrier and throwing me off the helicopter.
I stand up and get pushed forward and begin to walk around a place I have never been before. We walked through a doorway and into a building that seemed to stretch on forever.
Several other voices could be heard doing their jobs, sounds like intelligence officers. After a while, Kat walks me into a new area and begins to slow down.
Kat: "If it were up to me no-fur I would just listen to what we say and don't try anything." Kat says while shoving me forward extra hard before continuing our previous pace.
Erick: "Not like I have a choice with the bomb collar." I say annoyed with her.
Kat: "Attitude doesn't get you anywhere." Says angered.
Erick: "Well I'm starting to get pissed off with all the shoving and pushing fur." I say with the same kind of anger back.
I feel a backhand connect with the back of my helmet which makes me shake my head in pain.
Erick: "Sorry." I say quietly.
Kat: "Whatever just shut up."
We stop moving with Kat grabbing sometimes and tapping what I assume is a scanner as a door in front of me opens loudly. We start walking again before coming to a halt and another door opens.
I get shoved into this door with the door closing behind me.
Kat: "You will be held here until further notice, you will remain zip tied and bagged." Kat says before walking away.
I wait until I can't hear her footsteps and begin to pull my wrists apart and snap the zip ties and pull the bag off my head.
I look around and notice I am in a jail cell like the ones we had in our bunker but just more clean. I sigh to myself sitting on my cement bed and laying down.
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(Kat POV)
I stand outside the double door doorway until I hear a beep allowing me to enter. I see Ruby sitting at her desk with papers and a laptop in front of her.
General Ruby: "Captain Kat." Ruby addresses.
Kat: "General." I say while giving her a small salute.
General Ruby: "We got the human?"
Kat: "The no-fur is in a holding cell until further notice." I say with an annoyed expression.
General Ruby: "He gave you a problem?" She says with an eyebrow raised.
Kat: "Besides some attitude and annoying questions he complied more than I thought he would." I say honestly but still with an annoyed expression.
General Ruby: "Well, your team will in the meantime watch over him as he has admitted to us he is a potential Cadavar"
Kat: "I don't see why we don't kill him if that's the case"
General Ruby: "We will use him to track the other Cadavers" Ruby says clearing the confusion.
General Ruby: "I am not asking for you to be friends or hell be nice to him but need him alive and healthy."
Kat: "I will try my best with my squad."
General Ruby: "Good, well I believe Alice is the first one on watch duty and should feed him."
Kat: "Let's hope Alice is having a good day but what did you want to actually see me for?" I ask breaking the ice.
General Ruby: "We have possible intel of another human bunker in federation territory and unlike the last one it is military."
She says as the memories of watching the Cadavar brutally kill those no-furs in the bunker.
General Ruby: "He will be sent on a suicide mission and your team will be there to make sure he comes back here, I will inform you more on the day of." Ruby says while handing me a folder and then tapping her finger.
Kat: "Something bothering you General?" I question.
General Ruby: "Besides the normal stress no but it's the thought of them possibly being a real Cadaver" She admits as she stops tapping and holds her hands together.
General Ruby: "If it is true we need to give him a new identity so we avoid anyone spreading word."
Kat: "I believe only you and I know that he is a Cadaver to my knowledge." I say while folding my arms together now getting more serious.
General Ruby: "Perfect then we will give him a code name that your squad will refer to him as instead of Erick." Ruby says while typing something on her laptop.
Kat: "What is his name now?" I ask curiously now.