by Jessica Snow
Kimberly grumbled, then smiled. "Well, I can hope that I get the same benefit you did getting back in shape," she said, whispering in Melanie's ear. "Or did you get that rock hard booty that my brother keeps staring at constantly by pure chance?"
"You know exactly how I did it," Melanie said, opening her book and finding her place. "The exact same way you will, and probably end up with a better butt anyway."
"Will you two young things give an old lady some peace?" Akiko chided gently from her seat. "Some of us don't have the body of a twenty-five-year-old anymore."
"And some of us will be happy to have the body you do when we're seventy-one," Melanie retorted, earning a grin from Akiko.
"So what are you reading?" Kimberly asked as she settled into her seat. The flight crew came on, stating that everyone needed to be buckled in, and they double checked their belts.
"It's about Abraham Lincoln's leadership in the Civil War," Melanie replied. "He did something really cool in that his Cabinet was made up of people that he didn't always agree with, but he knew were best for the job. With so many points of view and all the other stuff, it just reminded me of how we kind of are. So many different viewpoints, not always agreeing but working together. So I wanted to see if there was any way that I could learn something and be a better part of the team."
Kimberly sat back and patted Melanie on the leg. "You already are, Sister. Just by being you, you already are."
For the next five hours, Melanie lost herself in the book as the flight wore on. Kimberly moved over a seat and went to sleep for a while, before getting up to use the toilet and coming back a few minutes later and dropping back off to sleep. Melanie finished her book just before the plane banked and made final approach into Iceland, where the plane was refueled. Looking over, she saw that Akiko was still awake. "Aren't you going to sleep too?"
Akiko shook her head. "Since Nioclas died, I've only been able to sleep a few hours at most a night. I took a nap prior to us boarding, I’ll be fine. What about you?"
Melanie got up and quickly stood up. Grabbing a blanket from an overhead rack, she covered Kimberly up and propped a pillow underneath her head before moving across the aisle and sitting down. "I'm never one to get a lot of sleep before a big operation like this. I might drop off for a bit right before we land, but there's no way I'm doing a long sleep like Kim is."
"You should. You don't exactly have Lycan reserves," Akiko replied. "If you stay like this, you’ll eventually have exhaustion catch up with you."
"I know, but I'm too worked up," Melanie said. "I've always been this way. I don't know if it is adrenaline or just scared silly, but I can't sleep."
Akiko nodded, then held out her hand. "Give me your left hand."
"What?" Melanie asked, perplexed. "Why?"
"Ancient Asian reflexology trick taught to me by a Swedish massage therapist," Akiko joked softly. "Just trust me. Close your eyes and lean back, and let me see what I can do."
Melanie sighed and did as asked, letting Akiko manipulate and massage points on her left and forearm. It didn't feel like she was doing anything, but the touch wasn't unpleasant, and besides, Akiko was trying to be helpful. Still, there was no way that she'd be able to fall asleep under these circumstances.
"Mel? Hey, Mel? Time to get up, sleepy head," Kimberly said, shaking her shoulder gently.
"Wha... wha?" Melanie said, blinking her eyes. She'd just been getting her hand massaged by Akiko, what was going on?
"You've been asleep for seven hours," Kimberly explained with a light chuckle. "You looked so cute lying there, Akiko and I let you stay down after the plane landed, but now they've got most of the cargo bay unloaded. Keith and them are on final approach now. You ready to get up?"
"Yeah," Melanie said, sitting up and feeling more refreshed than she had in days. "Wow, whatever Akiko did, it worked wonders."
"Yeah, I can tell," Kimberly replied. "By the way, thanks for the blanket. Akiko told me you covered me up and made sure I was comfortable. Thanks."
Together, the two women left the passenger cabin and walked down the narrow stairs to the cargo deck, where Melanie saw ten lines of Lycan troops, lined up and ready for inspection. Akiko was moving through the files quickly, studying each of them up and down along with the field commander of her warriors, pointing out things to be fixed in every Lycan's readiness. At the far end of the line, ground crews were already working to reattach the rotor blades to Kimberly's helicopter, while next to it stood a tall brunette woman. From the way Kimberly bristled, she suspected that it was April Bell.
"Your best friend?" Melanie asked, glancing over.
"Wise ass. Come on, I want to make sure they don't fuck up my helicopter," Kimberly said, walking across the tarmac. Approaching the helicopter, Melanie was encouraged when she saw that the ground crew was actually four of the Lockwood maintenance techs who had prepared the Wolf for flying inside the C-5, to begin with.
As they came near, April Bell turned. Seeing who was approaching, she quickly swallowed a look of distaste before assuming a look of grudging respect as she saw the clothes Kimberly was wearing. "Lady Lockwood, I can assume you are the pilot?"
"Yes, I am. I'll be flying air support for the attack," Kimberly replied. "We wanted to thank you for your assistance, Lady Bell."
"It is no problem. We’ll be eliminating a threat bigger than just the Order," Bell replied. Turning her eyes, she looked Melanie up and down. "Greetings. You are?"
"Melanie Waldwyck," Melanie replied. "April Bell, I take it?"
Melanie could tell April bristled at her not using her title, but she let it slide. After all, if they really wanted to get into a pissing contest, Melanie was higher ranked than her, being a First Mate versus Second Mate. "I am April Bell of House Melior," the Scottish woman replied, emphasizing her House. "I have heard much about you. I look forward to seeing you in action."
"Let us hope the results are as good as the anticipation," Melanie replied tightly. "So you like Kimberly's Wolf?"
"Is that what you call it? A fitting name for a Lycan attack heli. However, I don’t get the reference. Someone told me it was famous."
Melanie squinted her eyes in disbelief. "How old are you?"
"I turn twenty-six in November," she said in clear defensiveness. "Why?"
Melanie blinked and just smiled. "Never mind. It's a bit before your time is all. If we survive this mission, I'll tell you about it sometime."
"Lady Lockwood, this helicopter is capable of multi-channel UHF transmission right?” April asked, dropping her conversation with Melanie and turning her attention to Kimberly. "It will be important for the attack."
"If you mean can it interface with the communication systems that the troops will be using on the attack, then yes. We confirmed that in the States before we left," Kimberly replied. "Why, is your radio different?"
"No, I'll be using yours," April replied. "I'm going to be in your co-pilot's seat, acting as your forward observer."
Kimberly bristled and clamped her mouth shut. Like hell she will.
Melanie heard the words loud and clear over their Link. Let's see what Keith has to say on this. Remember, he's the Alpha in charge of all this. Although, I can assume she isn't going to be on the Clan's Christmas card list?
Melanie was glad when she heard a chuckle over their Link, and Kimberly was able to keep her temper in check. "We'll see, Lady Bell," she said instead. "I will have to speak with my brother, make sure he doesn't have other plans. However, it would be helpful to have your expert eyes on the battle."
Just make sure she doesn't leave her lunch all over the co-pilot's seat, Sister. Melanie thought.
I make no promises.
"If you'll excuse us, Lady Bell, we'll go check in with Lady Thornblood, and get an update on the other people coming in," Kimberly said.
She turned and walked away before April could reply, while Melanie stood looking at her. The Scottish Lycan looked at Melanie evenly, a clear lack of respect in
her eyes. She knew why as well. After all, Melanie was just a mere human and not a Lycan. Still, Melanie had played this sort of game before as a cop plenty of times, and returned her gaze with just the right amount of measured nonchalance, as if the taller Lycan was nothing more than an interesting bug. Finally, Bell could take it no more. "What?"
"Nothing," Melanie said with a small secret smile. "Just thinking I wish I could have met you at the trip you took to Thornblood Hall. I would have enjoyed the practice of extending hospitality in the Lycan way for you."
Melanie turned and walked after Kimberly, who spoke to her over the Link. You mean like when you damn near started a brawl with Morrigan Thornblood after calling her a bitch-wolf?
What? I think I handled that situation perfectly.
As do I.
A rumble permeated the air, and Melanie turned her head to see the lumbering 747 land on the other runway before slowing and approaching the parked C-5. Even at barely over an idle, the whine of the turbofans was painful, and she wished she'd worn ear plugs. Putting her fingers in her ears, she waited for the spinning turbofans to stop before jogging over with Kimberly to the stairs at the bottom in anticipation. As soon as she saw Keith, she had to resist sprinting up the stairs to embrace him, instead waiting for him to reach the ground before hugging him. "Did you have a good flight?"
"Yes," Keith said. "Luckily I was able to get over to a store and replace the DVDs they had. So everyone who wanted to watch got to watch Enter the Dragon instead, with Interstellar as the second feature."
"Wise decision, Mr. Roper," Kimberly joked, earning a smile. "Hey, did you know that April Bell wants to ride along as our forward observer during the attack?"
"No, but let me go talk it over with her," Keith said. "I know you wouldn't be exactly happy with that situation."
"Happy? I'd rather drop her on the Order instead, except I'm pretty sure it would just be more humane to kill them," Kimberly said softly, making sure nobody else could hear. "All right, let's go check in, get everything ready. When we hit, I'd rather hit fast and hard."
"Then let's go do our final briefs. We have a night to prepare, and hit tomorrow morning," Keith said. "So let's get a move on."
Chapter 52
Melanie felt the blood rush through her veins, pulsing loudly in her ears as she made her way over the rocky terrain. Somewhere, she had garnered the picture in her mind that Great Britain was mostly flat or rolling hills. She was quickly corrected of her misconception as she was told that while England and Wales might be relatively flat, the Highlands of Scotland had earned their name the old fashioned way, with pitched, rocky terrain that while perhaps not as tall as the American Rockies, was certainly challenging enough for her.
The USAS-12 automatic shotgun she carried was heavier than some of the weapons she had trained with, but not overly so at about fifteen pounds with the thirty round drum magazine attached. The four extra drums she carried in her cargo pockets and in the compact satchel on her back were a different matter, not so much because of weight but because of how ungainly they made movement. Now, half a mile out from the Order's meeting place, she gritted her teeth against the chafe of the ammunition against her legs.
"You have eyes on the target?" Melanie whispered into her headset. Next to her, Akiko Thornblood had already started removing her clothes to be gathered up by a designated warrior who was staying in human form, carrying them in his own pack for another Lycan. In all, the attack force would be half in wolf form and another half in either human or partial wolf form, in different amounts depending on the unit.
"Confirmed. The building currently has eight vehicles parked in front, including two armored vehicles with heavy machine guns," Kimberly replied. She was five thousand feet in the air and two miles away. Packed with high-tech sensors, she could easily give them intelligence. "Ground units, I count seventy-five inside. Do you have the same?"
"We do," Keith replied. "Okay, Unit 2, what's your position?"
Melanie checked the GPS unit attached by a strap to her forearm, wishing she didn't have to deal with all of this equipment. However, with Akiko shifting into wolf form, it was up to her as her partner to keep the second unit in contact with Keith's wing. "We're in position. Awaiting orders."
The plan was simple. Melanie and Akiko's Unit 2 comprised about two-thirds of the Lycans who wouldn't change to wolf form, instead using weapons to fix the enemy in position and provide a heavy attack element from the south side of the building. Meanwhile, Keith and the majority of the wolf form Lycans would sweep in from the enemy's exposed flank, using their speed and Lycan abilities to quickly get in and cause chaos. Kimberly in the Wolf above would provide air cover in case the enemy had any helicopters of their own, as well as close air support if the situation called for it.
"Okay, then on my mark, Unit 2, begin your fixing attack," Keith whispered into his headset. He would remain in partial human form, at least enough that he could communicate via radio if he had to. In the stress of battle and with the chance of injuries, there was no way they could trust just the Link to get them through the attack.
Melanie wiped her hands on her pants and double checked her shotgun. Armed with alternating shells of double ought buckshot and deer slugs, it would punch a hole through almost anything within a hundred yards of her, except for the armored vehicles. After that, the deer slugs would have plenty of power, but accuracy would be poor at best. She looked over at Akiko, her hand raised. "Ready?"
Akiko, in her beautiful jet black wolf form, nodded her shaggy head. Melanie had never seen her in her wolf form before and thought she was stunning. Reaching out suddenly, she placed her free hand on the crouching wolf's head and scratched behind the ears. "For luck."
Akiko somehow rolled her eyes even in her lupine condition and nodded slowly, turning her attention towards the old stone building below. Built in the fourteen hundreds, it had started out as a monastery before becoming a country house for high-ranking members of the Church, and finally falling into the hands of the Order. Part of Melanie was sad that such a beautiful old building would be reduced to rubble by the time the attack was finished.
"Now," Keith said over the radio. Melanie dropped her hand, and Akiko lifted her snout to the morning sky and letting loose a long, bone chilling howl that echoed off the surrounding mountains and hills. Answering cries from her troops replied, while those who hadn't changed aimed and fired.
The first shots came from warriors who were carrying light shoulder-fired rockets. From the angle they had, they were able to hit one of the lumbering wheeled armored cars immediately, while other warriors with heavy caliber rifles immediately began peppering the building with rifle fire. The first armored car went up in an exploding pyre while the men on patrol outside the building dove for cover. Unit 2 was too far from the building, however, and Melanie knew what had to be done. Stepping out, she raised her voice. "Advance!" she screamed, bounding down the slope toward the building.
She didn't know what fueled her legs, or even if anyone was following her, until she saw out of the corner of her eye Akiko's huge wolf form keeping step for step with her. A battle cry ripped from the throats of the attacking Lycans, and suddenly they were moving forward in if not military precision, with heart-stopping bravery. Diving behind a stone outcropping, Melanie pulled her shotgun to her shoulder and aimed.
Now nearly a hundred meters closer, the Lycan troops were able to fire more accurately, their rifles beginning to have an effect on the Hunters below. Melanie watched as men fell to the Lycan fire.
Suddenly, the second armored vehicle came around the monastery, not from the west as she'd expected but the east, plunging through the shallow waters of the nearby Loch. The dual fifty caliber machine guns on top began firing, deadly typewriters of death. Lycans began to fall, the rocks of the hillside not enough cover against the heavy guns that could easily reach out and fire through a few inches of crumbly rock. Melanie glanced at Akiko, who growled deep in her throat. Many of t
he dead were her Clansmen, and she couldn't control her rage for much longer. "Unit 1, Unit 2 under fire. Advance now!"
An answering howl rose from the hills to the flank of the field while at the same time the battlefield was filled with the whining roar of Kimberly swooping in for an attack run of her own. Her rocket pods fired twice, hitting the armored vehicle once, but not piercing the heavy armor. Still, it distracted the gunner inside as he swung towards the greater threat, the helicopter that could fire into the weaker armor on his top. Melanie was on her feet as soon as the machine guns stopped firing, sprinting as hard as she could across the rapidly flattening field. She could start to see individual movements close to the building, and felt the joy of battle wash over her, heady and sexual in its own way.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Akiko's form pull ahead of her just as her eyes noticed a flash of light, and suddenly Akiko was tumbling, pitching forward onto the dirt and skidding to a dusty halt.
"Akiko!" Melanie screamed, dropping to her knees and firing her shotgun futilely towards the flash. The maximum range of her buckshot shells was only a hundred yards at most, and she was still at least twice that from the shooter. Dropping down, she crawled over to Akiko, pulling her huge body and turning her over. "Akiko."
Akiko was hit in the shoulder, her blood spurting out over Melanie's hands as she pressed down. Reaching into her tactical vest, she pulled out a thick compress bandage and ripped the plastic seal off, pressing the absorbent cotton to the hole. "Medic! Medic! Goddammit, MEDIC!"
"No.... medic, Sister," Akiko said, her growling voice strained. "We're Lycans, remember?"
Rounds began to impact around Melanie and she jerked her head up as she saw the dual machine guns of the armored vehicle pointing straight at them, having decided that killing what was obviously the lead pair was worth more than the risk from Kimberly in her helicopter. Ducking, she heard the fifty caliber bullets smacking into the turf all around her, and sent up a prayer that Keith would raise Jay well, knowing she was going to die.
