Cougar's Roar

by Jim Mohr

  “Cougar, tonight why don’t you relinquish your residence. It’s a closet of a place. Move in here. If we submit a requisition, you’re a First Lieutenant, I’m a Sergeant. We can get a bigger place.”

  “You want to live together? That’s awful fast with the L word isn’t it, Carrie?” One eyebrow raises as she sits up in surprise, stunned that I remember her words from the day prior.

  “Hell yes, it’s fast,” she says as the blanket falls from covering her, revealing her beautiful flesh. “Move in with me.”

  “How are we going to deal with the rank thing?” I ask.

  “Well, if you are serious about us being together. I will resign when we are ready to move forward with our relationship. Until then, we live together in a joint household. Unless you would rather wait.”

  “No, Carrie, I’d love to be here with you. I just need to focus on my team. I have to build it. I can’t concentrate with your beautiful naked body strutting about.”

  Carrie giggles as she pulls the sheet up to cover her chest. “There, is that better?”

  “Not really, no...” I lean forward and kiss her. The sensuality and passion make my chest burn. “I’m going to shower and head home. I’ll be back by this evening, okay?”

  “Okay. If you’re interested in moving in, my keycode is 15812. I’ll enter you as an authorized guest.” She touches my chin gently as her eyes betray how deeply in love she is with me.

  ***

  Later That Day

  Near 64D8

  Each housing floor level is 400,000 ft.² and is divided into twelve sectors, each roughly 23,000 ft.². The sectors are further divided into various residence sizes from 550 ft.² and up. The sectors are numbered north to south, 1-4, and west to east, A-D. Sector 1A is the northwest corner of the floor, 4D is the southeast corner.

  My first recruit is on the sixth floor, near apartment number 8 in sector 4D: 64D8. The eight-foot-wide floor hallways narrow into the sector hallways. My first recruit, I hope, is Sergeant Jack Klingmeyer. Sergeant Klingmeyer is a Chicago native and the best sniper that the Alliance has. He would be an incredible cornerstone of my team.

  The hallway leading to apartments 6, 7, and 8 is tucked away inside sector 4D. Only one guard covers the three residences, Sergeant Klingmeyer.

  I enter the niche of a hallway, I see Sergeant Klingmeyer. He seems to occupy half of the hallway. He is muscular, 6’4” tall, a 240-pound monster of a man and his appearance fits the Chicago stereotype.

  He sees me and snaps to attention. “Sergeant Klingmeyer, at ease,” I say. The man relaxes and looks at me. His deep eyes and bushy eyebrows give him an intimidating appearance. “Sergeant, I would like a word with you.”

  He rolls his eyes and looks forward. “I’m busy, Lieutenant.”

  “I can see that, Sergeant. I’m here to discuss your career, your duty assignment.”

  “Lieutenant, you aren’t my commanding officer. What can I do for you?”

  “I’m actually with Special Ops. I’d like you to join my team. You’ve been identified as someone who would be quite valuable. I’m interested.”

  Sergeant Klingmeyer continues looking forward. “I’m not interested in any team commanded by a Lieutenant. No offense, I have other things to occupy my time.” I can tell this man is a fiercely loyal, brave, and stubborn man.

  “Don’t worry about my rank, Sergeant. I work directly for Colonel Zahn. I need a sniper, you’re the best. If you don’t join, I’d appreciate some names. I’ll fill my sniper rolls one way or another.”

  Klingmeyer turns and looks at me, a devious smile on his face. “Lieutenant, how long have you been an officer?”

  “Why? What does that matter?”

  “Because you sound like this is your first assignment. Some big officer gives you a cushy little command, and now you’re hell-bent to get into it. Is that close to the way it went?”

  I enter Klingmeyer’s mind. He detests Lieutenants. I pull the names of his competitors from the sniper competitions, the ones that he respects. I say them out loud as they come. “Sergeant Tyler Smith, Sergeant Montrel Jones, Sergeant Bry Jefferson, and Private Angel Rogue.”

  Klingmeyer’s face contorts with a mixture of anger and confusion. “You sneaky little fuck.”

  “Little? I’m 6’2, Sergeant. Sneaky? Not exactly. As I said, don’t worry about my rank, I can take care of myself. I need four snipers, you just gave me four names. Enjoy guarding this hallway.” I turn to leave.

  “Wait a minute, Sir, you didn’t tell me you’re a mind reader. Hold on, what’s this about me being valuable, what are you after?”

  I pivot and look at the Sergeant. “I’m putting together a combat team. They will conduct offensive operations behind enemy lines. There will be two squads of twelve to fifteen, one or two snipers per squad.”

  “You actually think twenty-four to thirty soldiers can make a difference?”

  “The twenty-four to thirty I’m going to put together will. I thought you’d qualify for it. I was wrong.”

  “Wrong?!” Klingmeyer says as he steps forward, leaving his guard post. “I’m the best shot the Alliance has. I can make your team or any other team.”

  “So, do you want in, Sergeant?”

  His eyes narrow as the devious smile returns. “Fuck yes, sir. It sounds like fun. It sure beats standing in this goddamned hallway for two hours a day, five days a week.”

  “Welcome to my team, Sergeant Klingmeyer. Welcome to the Clandestine Assault Team, CAT for short.”

  Chapter 48

  Dove—Transport Station: New Orleans, Louisiana

  I can sense Owl’s pain. Her mother’s death has left a gaping hole in her soul. The new companion, Knight, has softened some of the pain, but even a companion cannot cure our deep-seated human feelings. Knight’s killing of Brown Recluse has not abated Owl’s anguish, I think it actually has made it worse.

  Owl and I approach the transport and we both sense another Psychokinetic. Owl looks at me, to see if I sense the guest or not.

  “Dove, I need to get a cabin for us. Knight is waiting for me to open a window.”

  “Absolutely, Owl. Should I see who this is?” Owl is already gone, she didn’t even acknowledge my question.

  The Psychokinetic is approaching me. I wait at the transport entrance for them, they are coming for me, I can feel it.

  From my right comes a soft, female voice ringing through the air. The woman’s English accent is smooth and sounds as if she is well educated. “Dove? Dove, I need to speak with you. I only need a moment.”

  The young woman is older than I am. Her clothing is nondescript, unlike mine, or Owls. “Who are you? What do you want?” I ask.

  The woman nods. “I am Osprey. I am a minion of Lions. He has requested that you and Owl both join the Psychokinetics at his home.”

  I blink as I look at the woman. “Owl is inside the transport. Can you go with me and talk to her about this?” Owl will not like this or Osprey. Even if she wasn’t dealing with her mother’s death, she would not approve of this. She was maimed by Lion and she is not ready to forgive.

  “Where are you heading?” Osprey says as she points at the transport. Her curiosity seems to hide other intentions. I do not trust this bird.

  “Let’s talk to Owl.” I enter the transport, Osprey is on my heels. We pay for our tickets and quickly find Owl. She is seated in a cabin with the curtains drawn. Knight is resting quietly on her armrest.

  As we enter the cabin, Knights eyes open wide. Owl bristles at our guest. “Owl, this is Osprey. She works with Lion. She wants to invite us to Lion’s home.”

  Owl looks at Osprey. “You have a lot of guts coming here.” She holds up her left hand, showing the missing thumb. “Lion has taken more of me than I like. Why should we now voluntarily go to his home?”

  Osprey nods to Owl. “L
isten, I may be the next bird up the line from you, but I’m smart enough to know I’d lose in a fight against you both. I’m a minion of Lions, that doesn’t mean I’m a drone. I come in peace.”

  The transport moves as Knight looks at the curtain covering the outside window. “What’s this invitation for anyways?” Owl asks.

  Osprey sits as she speaks. “Lion wants all of the Psychokinetics to know that he is king. It’s a chance to meet your family.”

  Owl’s emotions are raw. “My family is dead. One by a drunk driver, one because of a Timere.” Tears form in her eyes.

  “I was talking about your Psychokinetic family, Owl. We aren’t all bad.”

  I interject, “Osprey, we tried to speak with Lion. He made his intentions known. Why now? Why did he send you and not a Pigeon?”

  “Dove, because of your visit, Lion has realized that there is a misunderstanding with some Psychokinetics. He wants everyone to know him, but not as a source of information or wisdom. He has information, and he is wise, but he wants to be known as our king.” Owl laughs sarcastically. “I’m sorry that you feel that this is a joke, Owl. Lion is not the provider of everyone’s little requests.”

  Owl stands as Knight spreads his wings, they are already linked. “Dove answers for herself. My answer is that Lion can go fuck himself and you. You fucking traitor! You are a bird, but yet you serve someone who you know is wrong.” Owl sticks her left index finger in Osprey’s face. “I was kicking Falcon’s ass, and I sure as hell can take you. If Lion is such a king, what is he doing about the Timere? What about Taipan? Fuck off, Osprey!”

  Osprey remains seated, her power is not rising, she is submitting to her inferior. “I am sorry to hear you feel that way, Owl. I will warn you though, Lion is serious. He is not playing. The Wolves have set him off. He knows us, what we can do. He has the ability to locate us, all of us except the Wolves. He sent his minions to gather the ones he calls troublemakers. Your friend, Cougar, is in for a worse visit.” She looks at me. “Don’t be foolish, come and hear what our Lord has to say. On Saturday, January 3rd, at noon.”

  ***

  Cougar

  One down, twenty-three to go. I enter the secure elevator to sub level two, the Command Level. My new position in Special Operations has granted me access to Command Central. I smile, in satisfaction at the achievement I have made. I went from a Resistance Sergeant; an assassin, to an Alliance First Lieutenant with access to Command Central, in just four months. It’s a good thing that I’m not a spy.

  As I pass Command Staff Room 1 I see the guards posted there have the look; that look when a meeting is in progress. I continue to Command Central. I approach the spot where I killed Sebrev and the other assassins. The four guards on duty do not respond to me. They stay at the position of parade rest; a less rigid form of attention. The door to the vault opens. The computer has recognized me.

  The noise and bustle of Command Central still leaves me in awe, even if the Command Staff is in meeting. The fortified vault is impervious to magnetic waves, x-rays, and sound detection. The walls are triple reinforced with blast resistant panels, heat-resistant coatings, and a recently installed magnetic wave/x-ray dampening insert. The room has backup and tertiary power sources and multiple methods of communication with the outside world. It is a 25’ x 20’ octagonal vault. Each office maintains a presence in the Command Central; from Air (immediately to the left of the vault door) to O1, O2, O3, Communications (both internal and external), Special Ops, and lastly Security (to the right of the door).

  Every station, save O3 and Commo, has multiple computer stations. O1 and O2 each have three stations. My destination is the Special Ops desk, on the rightmost wall. Colonel Zahn is not at the desk, his assistant; Captain Shae Turnbull is. Captain Turnbull is a black woman from Iowa. Though she outranks me, she is not in my chain of command. I answer directly to the Colonel.

  “Ma’am, I have my First recruit.” Captain Turnbull turns to acknowledge me.

  “Great, Lieutenant. You were able to convince the sniper?”

  “Yes, ma’am. How do we transfer him from Security to my team?”

  “I’ll put in the request with O3. Now, where do you go?”

  Behind me the Assistant O2 officer, Colonel Derik Hansdorf is looking at satellite photographs of what appears to be a barren mountain in eastern Russia. The clicks of the satellites’ magnification changes seem to irritate me, they never have before. I am unsure what to make of my touchiness now, nerves?

  “I am not sure,” I answer Captain Turnbull. “I have several options. I’m intrigued by a referral from Sergeant Slowiski.”

  “I would strongly consider his advice. Though he was just promoted to Sergeant First class, he has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.”

  “The thing is, ma’am, his referral is incarcerated at Cairns base.”

  She dips her head and smiles. “Or, you could completely disregard him. What is the criminal charged with?”

  “She apparently beat her first-line supervisor to a pulp and then when security was called, she put two of them in the hospital before they finally subdued her.”

  Captain Turnbull thinks about the information. “My advice would be to check her out. See what set her off. I’d be cautious though, she may have an issue with authority.”

  “Thank you, ma’am. I’ll keep her on the radar and continue with the more promising leads.”

  Chapter 49

  Falcon—Outside the Perimeter of the Wisconsin/Illinois Base

  Monday, Early Afternoon

  “Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee….” Hyenas’ laugh is nerve grating as he directs it at the humans on the other side of the gate. Before us is the second-largest Alliance facility in the world, only Atlanta base is larger. Overhead, jets scream by as the constant hum of motors and men’s voices fill the spaces in-between the jet engines.

  “Sir, we are wanting to speak with Cougar Reed!” I yell. The man stands to face me, a machine gun across his chest.

  “Clear these grounds civilians! This isn’t a house where you knock on the door and get let in! Get lost!”

  Hyena laughs again as he looks at me. “Pesky human, isn’t he? Let’s tear the place apart, little birdie. Hee, hee, hee.”

  I ignore Hyena. “Sir, I understand that. We are Psychokinetics and we need to speak with him.”

  The human turns and talks to his companions. They are too far away for me to read their minds. Overhead, I sense a Peregrine falcon flying; there must be large buildings in the neighboring city of Beloit, or some large trees nearby, for it to nest. The human turns back to us. “We’ll notify the Lieutenant. If he says no, however, you will be forced to leave.”

  Hyena yells loudly. “Hee, hee, hee…. Forced? Hee, hee, human you couldn’t force me to do anything!”

  I grab his arm. “Shut up, dog! Lion wants him informed. Don’t mess this up.”

  “What did your friend say?” the human asks me.

  “Nothing, sir. Never mind him.” I give Hyena a gentle shove. I hope he keeps his mouth shut.

  The human and his companion leave as they head to their guard station. Three soldiers step forward from behind them, machine guns aimed at us. I sense one of them is a Psychokinetic, he is not attached to an animal.

  “Hey, underling!” Hyena yells. “January 3rd, at noon, a meeting at Lion’s residence in Atlanta. Hee, hee, hee.” he nudges me. “There, we told him. Hee, hee, hee.”

  I shake my head in disgust. I detest Hyena worse than I fear Lion. “You’re an idiot, you know that? A damn Canadian idiot.”

  After several minutes the human guard returns. “He wants your names,” the man yells at us.

  “I am Falcon, this is Hyena. We are minions of Lion.”

  “Yeah, Lion! Lord of the earth. Hee, hee, hee, hee,” Hyena jests.

  The man leaves again. Several minutes later he is back on
ce more. “The Lieutenant will meet you in town, in Beloit. There is a park, named Big Hill Park. He’ll meet you there at 6:00 p.m. if that is sufficient.”

  “Oh goody, hee, hee, hee. We get to go to the park with Cougar. Hee, hee,hee, let’s have a picnic! Hee, hee, hee, hee.” Hyena grabs my arm as his eyes go wild. I think he has gone insane.

  “Very well, human. Big Hill Park at 6:00 p.m.” I reply to the man. “Hyena, he isn’t inviting us to the park to have a picnic. He’s inviting us because he expects a fight.”

  Hyena inhales loudly. “Better yet! I would love to torture a cat today. Hee, hee, hee, oh goody.”

  ***

  Cougar

  “May I go with you?” Carrie asks as she straps her 9 mm to her waist. Her question isn’t so much a question as it is a polite order.

  I chuckle softly as I wink at her. “I love you. You know that, right?”

  She smiles and blushes slightly. I can sense her protective feelings for me as if my telepathy is pulling the emotions from her, as it did those years ago with languages. “Yes, I know. My only dealings with Psychokinetics has been with you, Lieutenant Smith, and those other two women. I don’t want you going alone. Either take me, or Sergeant Klingmeyer.”

  I think about the big Chicagoan. “I just recruited him today. I don’t want to walk him around in a park meeting some unruly Psychokinetics. Besides, right now I’d feel safer with you by my side.”

  “Me? Why?” she responds, curious at my logic.

  “You’ve dealt with me for months now. You know me. You also have had more exposure to Psychokinetics than most people. If the meeting goes south, we are Alliance soldiers. We have diplomatic immunity when dealing with civilians. I trust that you have no problem putting a bullet in someone’s head to defend me, to defend us.”

  Her eyes seem to darken as ill thoughts enter her mind. “Cougar, for us I’ll kill anyone who tries to interfere. I’ll down any son of a bitch who tries to take you away from me.” I smile as I realize that I may never want to piss Carrie off.