Path of the Hunters [PART 3]

"Our friends 'ave been captured. One of them an infant. We need to go after them."

"Loud or quiet?"

"Preferably quiet," Sol said. "We want them out in one piece."

"As I figured. Request denied. Unless you want us to let you out of this ship, it ain't going to turn around. Damien needs to be looked over."

"That's fine with us," Cross said. "It's us they want, anyway."

"Speak for yourself, Cross!" Nova said. "I'm not lettin' them even look at my family!"

"Do you want to save them, or not?"

Nova growled, then turned to his wife. "Aurélie, you're part of this..."

Aurélie sighed, mind racing. She needed to get Elesis and their child as soon as possible or they could be killed. She needed to get her babies to safety.

"Split up. They must be found, but I 'ave to stay with the babies. Crescent will be able to sense 'ooever grabbed them just as well as I. You'll need to stay focused, ma cousine."

"At least someone's using their heads. Pelican's en-route to pick you folk up." She stated with a smile. "Boys, land it."

"Yes ma'am" Chorused the pilot and co-pilot as the ship slowed to stop and landed.

"And 'ow will they get to the base once they retrieve them?"

"Just call us when they do, the pelican that they came in on that will be hovering a safe distance away will come in to pick them up."

Aurélie nodded, sliding Aurora from Nova. "Bonne chance."

"I won't fail," Nova said, kissing her on the lips.

"Neither will I," Crescent said, blades in her hands.

"I'll go as well," Kane said. "She will need the backup."

"Me too," Cross said. "This is my teammate we're talking about here."

"And my daughter," Sol said, getting to his feet.

The dog nodded again. "Just be silent and careful. They can throw through things and metal will not affect them, if we are talking about the Laroches. But they will not be able to detect you unless you are foolish. If they are the Baudoins, I will leave you with Crescent's wisdom."

"Cross should have the com Damien gave him a while back to contact us. Just hollar when your mission is complete and we'll pick you up, just make sure LZ is clear, if those pilots die, we go loud."

Another pelican dropped into view, this time minus the roar of engines, instead it had a gentle and quiet hum.

Katherine smirked, "I requisitioned you folk a stealth model and a sniper team. Should help a little, even if the Laroche can sense metal..."

Aurélie shook her head. "They can't. Only a select few 'alf-breeds can. And they are all in 'ere at the moment."

"At any rate, that's why we have these." Cross and Sol pulled out their guns. "To put it simple, they're laser guns."

Katherine chuckled, "Which means that they can move in closer and give sniper support. They're outfitted with hard sound rifles, so their metal phasing abilities are useless."

"Bonne." She lifted a hand to Nova's face. "Be careful, mon coeur."

The back hatch of the stealth pelican opened and one could see the four ODSTs in the seats.

"I will. See you when I get back."

"Please bring Yue back," Mani said to Sol, kissing him. "I'm counting on you."

Sol nodded. "I won't let you down."

"Okay, guys," Cross said. "This is it. Let's make this quick and painless." He led the five-man squad onto the stealth pelican.

Aurélie sighed, watching them go. "Bonne chance," she whispered.

The hatches shut on both pelicans and both of said pelicans took off in opposite directions.

"Ok," started Katherine on the stealth version, looking at Cross as she flickered into view courtesy of the projector in the cieling, "we need those coordinates, Cross."

"33 degrees North, 4 kilometers North; 118 degrees West, 2 kilometers East. It's a pier, lots of storage tanks and small buildings around. It's been abandoned recently."

"How cliche. No matter, not my place to pass that kind of judgement."

The pelican shifted and started flying towards the area.

"Alright, once the pelican drops you and the snipers off, it'll keep watch in the air, ready to pull a strafing run if things get too hairy."

"Understood. There's an area with a lot of red tanks, about 40 meters North. Drop us there, and we'll move in."

"Will do."

The pelican shifted and landed at the indicated area and opened the rear hatch.

"We'll drop the snipers at another location for a better vantage point, good luck and keep that com in your ear for updates from them and us."