Fusion and Iron

5. The Battle For Mount Blackhead

The bulk of Mount Blackhead's forces had all gathered around one large picnic table, crowded shoulder-to-shoulder with one another. The sky had darkened into a hue of deep sea blue, the astral stars twinkling like jewels in the broad blanket of the horizon. In spite of the summer heat, a cool breeze rustled the twisting trees, leaves shimmering under a pale moonlight. The dense woods that surrounded the fortress created this shroud of darkness, a position no operative would want to be in if at the mercy of whatever prowled in these forests.

The base itself (compared to the industrial coziness of a city) had a rustic, homemade charm to it. The structures here were built with whatever could be scavenged, reinforced by old wooden beams, sheets of metal, heavy tarps, string lights, and so on. The camp was dimly lit by said lights in a hue of orange, complementing the campfires and tiki torches which were lit up all around the entire base.

Despite the nighttime forest ambiance, frantic discussions and small talk were being had. The main point of interest was a massive tarp of blank paper held down by several rocks and an unloaded pop gun as weights, ensuring it wouldn't float off in the wind. Among the group, Niles leaned in on the edge of the table, his eyes scanning the crowd. Beside him stood Juno, Rachel, and Zak, each sharing the same mix of concern.

The conversations slowly died down as a figure pushed through the crowd to get to her seat, recognized by her simplicity. She was dressed in a puffy forest green sweater with long sleeves covering her hands, a black top peeking out from her collar, swaying gray sweatpants, and pale-black kicks. She was immediately recognized by her long and silky black hair, falling well past her shoulders: Numbuh Three.

Part of her face had been covered with bandages, showing off her determination more through her eyes. Strapped across her back was a slasher sword, its handle bearing a striking green design that matched her sweater. The initials "K.S." were engraved into the metal, marking not only her identity but also her purpose.

Numbuh Four was walking behind her, easily gathering everyone's attention. A small bandage on his chin showed he hadn't escaped the day unscathed, though the scratch was nothing compared to the calls he was about to make tonight.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" he barked, smacking his hands down on the table. The crowd quickly quieted down and turned to look at the table as he continued. "We've got big news and very little time, so we're gonna make this fast. Kuki?"

Numbuh Three made a worried face, rubbing her hands anxiously together, and quietly replied, "Uhm.. you go ahead."

Four nodded, sitting up and taking a deep breath. "Me and the boys just got back from another patrol up north." He gestured a hand toward Niles, "We found another operative today who was able to help us out; turns out, a bunch of nasties were found way up north, moving this way as we speak. Fuse is planning another siege on the camp."

A few voices calmly spoke out in reaction, the occasional
"What?"
"No..."
"You can't be serious."

"Much like last time, they're in one big horde. More of the nasty buggers and then some from the desert; I haven't heard back from the folks up north, so something tells me we've lost Devil's Bluff." Four sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he frowned a bit. "Three and I are out of ideas, so we're open to suggestions. I'm not good at strategy and Kuki's specialty is stealth."

The team immediately fell silent as a couple of people looked to one another for offers and ideas, yet came up empty-handed.

There wasn't a response initially until Niles held a hand up, "Is this the first siege Fuse is starting on Blackhead?"

Four shook his head, "No, second time. We gave him a good smack the first time around."

A spark went off in his mind as his eyes widened behind his mask.