(Now, for the grand opening!)
Thunder crashed, foretold by the massive, jagged streaks of lightning that crackled across the sky. A sky dark and swirling with anger, unleashing its fury down upon the city below. Rain fell in a massive downpour, a storm like this had not been seen in the past twenty years. Somehow, through this horrendous mess of nature's fury, a lone military hovercraft struggled through the turbulence and howling winds, inbound for the military airstrip on the rampart in the military district.
"Alright ladies, listen up! We're landing in twenty minutes, but there's a slight problem!" Captain Monroe, a wolf in his mid-thirties, shouted over the winds and storm outside the main cargo bay at the rear of the hovercraft. "Landing gear and hover controls were disabled by the storm, which means we're not even slowing down! Hope you enjoyed the airdrop onto guelile point three months ago, because this time you have an even smaller target! Airstrip helipad, Siluis is first, Faye, you and...." The captain went on to list the order the entire detachment was going to para drop in, but it faded into the background noise. He sat across from her, silent, unfazed by the fact they were about to attempt a High Altitude Low Opening airdrop from 10,000 feet with a target landing zone 50ft by 50ft. Then again, he is the most celebrated special operations trooper of the past decade, respected throughout the entire military. For the first time since they had been called to the cargo bay, Siluis moved. He leaned forward, looking at her, though it was impossible to tell with his full face helmet, and said, "Second time HALO jumping?"
Meanwhile, in district opposite that of the military, atop the city rampart, the vicious storm was not a problem at all, merely booms of thunder and howling winds, driving rain pounding at the skylights in the concrete roof of the slave housing Aspen and Gruwel, along with five other slaves, called home. The housing consisted of three cells for two slaves, with concrete side walls and iron bars for the front wall, complete with two hard wooden beds with thin mattresses and threadbare sheets, a room for the slave overseer of the work team of six, and a small commons area with a couch, table for four, counter with cabinets and board games inside, as well as a tv sunk into the wall, behind a thick clear glass panel that made it inaccessible, just like the skylight had thick steel bars 3inches in diameter. The door to the housing was made of solid titanium, five inches thick, and of course, locked from the outside with steel deadbolts in the door itself like a safe. The concrete walls were steel reinforced and seven inches thick, with no windows. Aspen and Gruwel had shared a cell since they were bought a month ago.
(Remley only)Meanwhile, in the military district, at the castle-like control center, in its northern tower, 12th floor, the storm was all too apparent for the four military patrollers bunking in the room. Shawn O'Hare, a snow leopard whose identical twin brother was a slave somewhere in the city, sighed and gazed out the window across the sprawling, storm-enveloped city. "He's out there, I know it..."
In fact, Riley O'Hare was indeed out there in the storm, panting as he dashed along the road towards blades' mansion. He knew the thief took in escaped slave girls, perhaps he'd take in a boy. He heard barking behind him, and shouts. They were on to him, and gaining, even as the leopard put on a burst of speed to reach the estate grounds ahead of his pursuers. "Help me!! He cried out.
