The Erruilion Plague: Book 1, From Roots of Evil

Chapter 10 - The Town of Renacimiento

          The truck hit a particularly vicious bump and woke us all up, grumbling about the quality of the roads. Looking over to the dash cam feed on a screen near the front, it seemed like we were arriving. There was a loose assortment of what looked like hand built cabins conglomerated around an old aircraft hangar  more patch than original material. There looked to be about 50 of the cabins, most of which were lifeless and blatantly never lived in yet. About ten of them were lighted warmly from within and had a vulpen family watching us approach from their porches. We pulled into the hangar and found it to seem to be part school, part garage, part sick bay, and part bulk storage (and to my amazement, there was ample room left for a fifth function without being cramped if it was ever required.) We came to a halt and the drivers started piling out of their vehicles. Jax had drove the big rig we were in, and headed back to open up the back for us to get out.

          As the door rolled up, the humidity was oppressive. For real though, you could probably swing a glass hard enough through the air and it would be full to the brim. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle, but it was even worse than my parents house, and that's in southern Florida... It was otherwise warm as there too, and smelled strongly like forest. I saw the children in the school segment all watching, eyes full of the innocent curiosity that comes with youth. I stood up and with Tracy practically glued to my side, and took my first steps into what looked like we'd be calling home for a while. As we filed out, we saw a creamy white and grey vulpe storming towards us, and I had the sneaking suspicion that he was the Dex fellow Onyx had been so worried about. He was wearing combat boots, a grey shirt tucked into his black pants, and a belt to hold it all in place. By no means was he a small man either, he looked like he could have been a fresh off the front lines soldier. Considering the nature of the other captive vulpen we had just rescued, I wouldn't have been surprised if he was listed somewhere as MIA, knocked unconscious and stolen away. His glare was one of daggers, honed to an edge fine enough to slice through anything with ease.

          He eyed me with my weapon still affixed to my back for a second, before arriving and proceeding to all but tear Jax's throat out. I didn't catch most of it as I flattened my ears to my head, but the gist of it that I did catch, this mission did not go to plan. Jax then gave his best shot at explaining the execution of the plan, but Dex was not having a word of it. In the end he calmed down quite a bit, much to the recently emancipated vulpen's relief who had taken to trying to subtly hide behind Onyx and I. Not that I could blame them after the horrors they had probably witnessed, but I was somewhat relieved myself at no longer being used as a huma- erm, I mean vulpen shield. The Arctic-like vulpe I assumed to be Dex then gestured towards me and somewhat more coherently shouted again at Jax, "And what's with him? Why is he armed? He's a bit calm for what you just removed them from and bore witness to." Ha. I had a hard time not letting it show, but the fact that he thought I was calm? He must be a great comedian or I'm a great actor, because internally I was loosing what was left of my slight grip on something like sanity.

          I chose to make my introductions and extended a han- paw in his direction. (One of these days, my mind will adjust to the new container, I swear.) I offered in what came out in a far more confident tone than I should have been capable of emitting considering my past 24 hours "Ben Armindike, recently liberated unwilling media sensation at your service sir."

          He looked at me with a look that practically held out a sign labeled skepticism for a moment before recognition flashed through him. He shook my paw with an iron grip and said "Ah. You're the kids from the bombing then. The name is Dexter, I'm what we have for a leader of this little haven in a world of hell." He released me from the steely trap that was his pawshake and gestured to the weapon strapped to my back. "I see you're already acquainted with our... friends... at The Cooperation then."