Jake Jensen Werewolf AU Part 5.2
Aisha heard the sound of gunfire pick up as the wolf, Jake, ran out into the open and out of view. There was the sound of high caliber rounds slamming into the ground where Jake must have been a moment before, running in and out of the snipers’ crosshairs before they could register what the hell that thing was. Suddenly there was loud barking, snarling, and screaming. Just as suddenly, the scream was drowned by the sound of gurgling and ripping flesh. Aisha had slit enough throats to know the sound intimately.
The guns for hire were yelling in Russian, trying to figure out what was going on, shouting curses, and then screaming as whatever was attacking them torn them down. Soon, there was only one voice left. And the snarling, the gutteral snarling that made Aisha’s blood run cold. The last remaining survivor of the rampage was pleading for his life, praying to God to save him from the Beast. Once more there was the sound of tearing flesh, horrible screams of pain and fear, and then the screaming stopped.
The only sounds left was a shouting over the radios, asking what the hell was going on, the pounding of paws on the cold dirt ground, and the occassional thud of a sniper round missing its mark. The fence at the far end of the compound, where they had come in, shook and rattled. Then there was nothing but the voice on the radio.
Clay stood slowly, listening. Pooch came over and helped Clay get Aisha to her feet. She leaned heavily against the metal wall.
"Now we wait for Jake’s signal." said Clay, grimacing as Pooch slowly maneuvered the shot arm to be held close to the Colonel’s chest. With Jake’s discarded shirt the Driver made strips to wrap around Clay and Aisha’s wounds. Pooch worked deftly, tying the fabric tight. With Jake’s jacket, Pooch fashioned a sling for Clay’s arm.
From high above them and a bit away, out in the dark trees beyond the compound fence, there was snarling barking, gunshots, a scream, and then silence.
"One down… at least two to go." breathed out Clay, keeping quiet as he strained to listen for any noise. Pooch quietly checked his gear, his hand ghosting over the pouch in which Jake’s glasses lay. He swapped out his nearly empty clip the full one. They couldnt afford the need to change cartridges if he needed to shoot. That done they all stood in silence, listening. The voice on the radio had gone silent.
The sound of snarling and screaming repeated three more times. Each time echoing down from a different direction. There had been four snipers, not three. Silence fell over the compound once more, but only for a moment before a long howl echoed through the dark.
"That’s it." said Clay, moving to put his good arm around Aisha to support her. "Pooch, take Aisha’s other side. Let’s go." Pooch put an arm around Aisha’s other side, transferring his gun to his free hand. They moved together.
Of all the death and destruction that Aisha had seen in her lifetime, nothing had prepared her for the slaughter that greeted them. The ground was soaked with blood. Parts of men lay scattered, torn and thrown far from their bodies. Large paw prints lead this way and that through the bloody mud. Aisha gagged and swallowed down the bile that threatened to crawl up her throat. She forced herself to focus on walking. As she did she remembered Jensen’s words, "Its…. not going to be pretty."
They were almost completely to the fence when there is a quick whistle. Aisha involuntarily jumped at the noise and looked up quickly. Cougar stood just inside the fence waving them to hurry. The wolf, Jake, stood behind him. Blood covered Jake wolfen jaws, neck, shoulders and paws. Jake was panting slightly, but his ears were up and alert. Clay gave out orders as Cougar helped them through the fence.
"Jake take point. Cougar on our six. We get to the safehouse, patch up, and move." Both Cougar and Jake nodded simultaneously. The wolf turned and ghosted into the trees ahead of them.
Everything was silent in the trees, except for the sound of their breathing and their footfalls. Every so often Jake would appear along the path in front of them, silently waiting for them to catch up, the trotting off once more. Jake was talking them on a round about way back to the vehicle, probably avoiding where a sniper lay dead, torn and drenched in his own blood. They were far enough into the trees that any sound from the compound was muffled beyond their hearing. Aisha felt a gentle breeze pushing at the back of her neck, a relief to cool her adrenaline fired body.
Jake made a gruff huff of a noise and appeared before them, trotting quickly up to them. The four of them stopped at this. Jake was sniffing the ground and the air, his manner inquisitive. He trotted right up to them, pressing his cold nose against their exposed skin, sniffing and searching for something that they couldnt smell. Aisha stiffened when it was her turn, but Jake paid no mind to it, moving on to Cougar. He scented Cougar and then moved on, sniffing the ground where they had just walked and then followed the scent up. It was a scent being carried on the breeze. Jake started to growl deep in his throat, tensing for attack and glared back into the darkness behind them.
"Jake, what is it? What is wrong?" asked Cougar, moving to stand next to the wolf. Jake broke from his staring match with the dark long enough to look up at Cougar. Jake quickly licked the back of Cougar’s hand affectionately, and then bounded off the way they had come.
"Jake!" Cougar hissed after him, but Jake was already gone.
"Something’s following us?" voiced Aisha after a moment. Cougar didn’t answer, staring into the darkness which Jake had disappeared into. Clay was the one to answer.
"Jake doesn’t growl like that when we have something trying to come up on us."
"He recognized the scent." Cougar spoke quietly. Clay and Pooch looked at each other, confused and concerned. Clay cleared his throat.
"Pooch, take point. If I’m right, Jake didnt take up that far off course and we should get to the van soon." Pooch could find his way back to his precious van blindfolded if needed but Clay didn’t voice that opinion. "Cougar, keep our six. If anything Jake can track your scent the best. We’ll rendezvous with him at the van." Cougar nodded and turned, but his eyes were hidden behind the brim of his hat.
"Yes Boss."
They are walking for another ten minutes before there is the sounds of snarling and barking and of shots being fired. This is quickly followed by yelling and screaming. They dont look back as the voices begin to dwindle. They reached where the van is hidden quickly. As Pooch helped get Aisha and Clay into the van one final shot ran out, followed by a high pitch yelp. They all froze. Cougar was tense and ready to spring. He shook with the effort to keep still.
Clay broke the silence once more, speaking quietly to Pooch.
"Help me get Aisha in the van. As soon as Jake shows up, we’re out of here." Pooch nodded, though Clay could see that the Driver was worried too. "He’ll be fine." Clay said reassuringly.
The wait was not long. Jake appeared out of the trees at a quick trot, but he was limping, favoring his right leg to keep weight off the left. He was covered in fresh blood, much of it not his own. Cougar visibly relaxed when Jake appeared.The wolf went immediately to him and licked the Sniper’s hand.
"Did ya’ get um?" joked Pooch, opening the back door of the van. Jake gave Pooch a dark glare that caused Pooch to take a step away from the wolf as it jumped up into the back of the van. Cougar followed.
"Man, you are so touchy when you get shot." grumbled Pooch as he shut the van doors and got into the driver’s seat. Jake settled into the back corner of the van, curling up on his right side. Aisha could see the bullet wound now, dark red blood matting the fur one Jake’s hip. Cougar sat next to Jake and reached into his pack for cloths to clean the wound. As Cougar reached to treat the wound Jake would move his head to block Cougar, trying to keep Cougar from putting pressure on it. Jake flinched and yelped quietly when Cougar managed to get past him. His whining got louder as he attempted to move Cougar’s hand, gently gripping the Sniper’s hand in his teeth and lifting it away.
"Let him be Cougs. He wont stop fighting you until the bullet works its way out." said Clay, resting his head back against the headrest.
"And his whining will just get more annoying." muttered Pooch from the driver’s seat. Cougar sighed and let his hand be moved. Clay and Pooch were right. Jake wouldnt let him anywhere near the wound until his body pushed the bullet back out again.
Jake, Cougar’s hand still held in his teeth, gently set the hand down on Cougar’s lap. Then the wolf wiggled as well as he could in the van, whimpering quietly as his leg was jostled, to push his head into the gap between Cougar’s arm and his thigh. Cougar moved to allow Jake access and the wolf rested his head on Cougar’s thigh. Cougar’s hand came to rest on Jake’s head, gently stroking the fur between the hacker’s ears.
Aisha watched Jake as best as she could in the darkness of the van. She saw how Jake closed his eyes tightly. Saw how he tensed and drew his wounded leg closer whenever the van went over a bump too violently. She saw how deeply the wolf took its breaths. She saw how his leg trembled.
Aisha watched him through the entire ride to the safe house. Jake didn’t move from Cougar’s lap until Pooch threw open the van doors. As soon as the way was clear, Jake bolted. He made a whimpered sound when he jumped down from the van, but did not stay. Jake hurried as fast as his limp could take him around the back of the single story building.
"Jake!" Cougar called after the wolf, jumping out of the van. Aisha shuffled to let her good leg hang out the door of the van. Clay and Pooch were coming around to help her into the house.
"He’s fine Cougar." said Clay annoyed. His own wounds were starting to fray his cool. They would need Cougar to help with their own injuries. As Aisha was helped to her feet, and they began the short trek to the safe house she heard Cougar say quietly, "He’s never run off like that…"