The four were fully ready and prepared, with the many years the four have had to bulk and train themselves. It's a large testament to what their mentors were able to teach them. Comparatively to Mr. Lark and Dave, their experience was lacking. Something simple could be used for their first mission. At least for James and Angel only. They need to be the beacons for hope for the hybrids to excel and take charge in the new world.
"You two have your very first mission. Dante, you can slowly start working on finding a place in the center city to rent and access as your own central operations location. Willow should be able to come with you, she won't draw much attention." Lark ruffled his son's gelled hair. He handed over a set of car keys as Dante took them gently.
He twirled them in his fingers. "If we get the spot I have been looking at for a while. It provides great access in and out of both the sewers, roof access, and for Willow and I street access, no parking but the docks parking is only four miles away if we need it." Dante beamed with pride as his black leather jacket matched his hair, aviators covered his eyes.
"Such a thorough plan. If it is what it is thought up to be." Willow smiled. She dressed in a simple matching set of olive green sweats. "Mr. Lark, are you sure the kids will be safe by themselves?" She nodded to the others. They still haven't been told what they need to do yet as they held a metallic spear in each hand.
"Of course. It's something simple, Dave looked at it and there aren't hunters in the area, it's just plantation workers tending to the fields with them also making sure the hybrids stay in check." Lark smiled as Dante opened the door. "You two stay safe."
"We will dad. Love you." Dante held it open as he and Willow passed through as it shut behind them. Silence filled the air as both Angel and James looked over confused up to Lark. Neither of them fully aware of what their goal is.
"You two have something much more difficult. To the west of here by nearly two hundred miles is a plantation of a few rich men who have enslaved people like you. Lead them directly south after freeing them and we will have a fairy waiting to bring them away from this land. Saving them from the twisted life they have currently." He sighed as he held up two backpacks. "Here are enough supplies for you to make the trek in about three days. Get there, rest, then attack at sunset. From sunset till sunrise lead them away. If it reaches a point where it is sunrise and you still need more time. Prioritize yourself if you can't save them." The two bobbed their heads as they understood.
"So, we take on whoever we can and save as many as possible then flee to fight again another day." James took a deep breath. "We can save our kind slowly like this. Correct?" Lark nodded as the two smiled. "We have great strides ahead."
"So we should get moving quickly?" Angel had her wings flutter. Her body was wrapped in the top half with black gauze, she tore her last shirt trying to get it off. It complimented her black leggings and blue eyes. Her blonde hair poking out of her silhouette in front of her wings.
James had a simple long sleeve with a black and white swirl pattern as his black joggers made his white cat ears and tail stick out even more. His light brown hair faded with his cyan eyes. Lark gave them a nod as they exited out the front door and looked at their phones. It had the mapped direction for them to go as they took off in a brisk jog. They couldn't challenge each other in speed to keep their stamina up for the entire day and the fight ahead.
The two hundred mile trek didn't feel as long as it was thought to be for the two. Neither of them were exhausted by the slightest and it was a few hours until dusk. The treeline allowed for the two of them to have an immediate advantage and allowed for them to scout out what they were looking at in depth. Several outer buildings seemed rustling with life from the hybrids. Segregated by species and role as James had his hair on his tail stand up in anguish. "What a vile sight."
Angel scanned four of the buildings that surrounded the larger building in the center. "All the hired hands seem to be in the closer buildings to the center. As for a few of the other families in the center house, the center house is also where they keep all of their goods. So, if we do this correctly." She took a sigh. "We would be called savages for murdering them all despite the past. But if it's for the people."
"Your call sister. We have about three hours to decide." James looked directly to the center house. If only they could save all of the hybrids in the past and carry them forward to a better future.
"Well look, it's an isolated unit. Has low value and I have to spend a few weeks making it functional for one person, let alone the entire apartment. Most I can reasonably pay is one fifty. I am not even including the other fifty I'd need for restorations and permits." Dante looked at the man, busy beard and covered in grease stains. Slob of a human whose clothes matched his swindling nature.
"The lowest I can go is one seventy, I need the money to pay off this place and even then I still will be close to debt with those above." He put his hands together. "Please?" The man dropped to his knees.
"You should feel lucky my dad taught me a lot on home restoration. God knows how much shit we broke growing up. It was needed." Dante chuckled as Willow looked over at him with a glare. "One seventy and you help me get the stuff here for repairs. I notice that flat bed truck of yours out front. If it is yours."
"Deal." The man extended his hand as Dante shook it. "The misses and you expecting more than you in the family or why the rush?" Willow's face turned beet red as Dante laughed.
"No sir, she is the family, dad asked for us to find our own way in the world and we are gonna do it together, but it's best for us to be able to bring over our own guests if need be." Dante winked as the man nodded up and down.
"I'm sorry I thought you were a couple." The man sputtered as Dante bellowed with laugher while Willow twirled her hair behind him. The man saw this and gave her a soft wink. "Ready to get this done before sunset?"
"Only so ready as I can be." Dante motioned to the street as the three began to walk to the bank. With very little realization what was happening many hours away. The sun caressed the horizon as they had faint smiles.
"We do this slowly and quietly." James crept out of the treeline and crawled along the ground. Ready to pounce at a moment's notice as he kept going forward to the first hut on the outer ring. They had no patrols out at the moment as Angel lifted off and soared high above.
James made it to the first hut as he gave a gentle tap on the front door. It slowly creaked open with each tap as he nudged it open with his right arm, grasping his spear in his left as he slowly peeked his head into the building. His eyes scanned the room as they all looked at him in fear. Women and children all looked beady eyed at him as they saw his ears.
They froze in fear, all their different features stood upright and visual for him. Tails, ears, horns, fins, gills. The only thing that made them different than humans were just a few small sampling details. He put his hand to his mouth with his pointer finger extended. He shushed them as they all didn't move a muscle. "We can get you out of here, to safety." He smiled as he spoke, a small child sprinted directly to his leg and hugged him. The rest of them all stayed quiet.
"Escape isn't that easy, let alone how hard they will come for you and try to attack you." An old lady swaddled in layers of cloth rocked back and forth in her chair. "The last time a field was freed, security went up ten fold on the property. All of them." She lifted off her hood as it revealed a collar and a brand. James held his anger in contempt.
He slid through the door and stood on it. "What do the collars do?" He asked softly, questioning how to make this work and why not all of them were wearing it.
"They are for former runaways. Those obedient ones are gentle enough to not fight back. I still will bash my horns against them." She softly touched her nubs on her head. "But now, these collars have a shock function and a tracking function, with wires to detect if they are cut. And to prevent cutting." She had a soft smile.
"So everyone without a collar can leave safely. Is there any ways to take them off?" James' eyes glazed over the collar and it's design as a small vibration came from his phone. He picked it up from his pocket as Angel messaged that patrols started. "We can move fast." He typed quickly back. 'Message me again when the first one opens the door to the house I'm in.'
Angel hovered above as clouds filled the sky. Making it a pitch black night for all those who normally couldn't see. 'What a foolish move.' She sighed as she swooped down and dropped rocks through each window with softly written notes to not be alarmed and they will be escorting them all out tonight. She circled back to the first one as the guard tapped the door. She sent a thumbs up as James clung to the corner of the room.
"Bed checks you filthy rats." The man stood tall and filled out. His long button up with his blue overalls were covered by a blue bomber. Black hair hiding all his past scars. "Why aren't you laying down yet?" His hand clenched around a whip on his side as the miss stood in front of all of the rest of the house. "You all normally obey other than her, do you want to match her looks and."
James dropped from the ceiling. Grabbing the man from his neck and crushing it with his bare hands. The man started to spaz and twitch as the lady came over and kicked him in the head. Killing him the rest of the way as James grabbed his spear in the corner. "If the collars are tracking how precise is the location?" James asked in a panic as the rest of the cabins had normal bed checks.
"I'd assume down to a couple of feet." She liked his spunk as James patted down the guard. Nothing for removing the collar. It had to be something in the mansion. "That option is too slow." He relied on his impulse and ripped the collar in two. Neither of them were shocked as the collar went offline.
"Hey, you know that one ram? What's her name? The one who escaped like ten times with no horns?" One of the guards in a black button up and black pants swiveled to his coworker. "Her collar went offline."
"Probably is cause he wants to have some fun. Can't have it too easy. It's a false alarm." The second guard matched the first as both started to laugh. "We get to ask if he got the horns when he comes back in an hour."
"Heh, right. Not even worried? No what if's?" The first asked as the second nodded no. "I get he is one of the stronger men on the field but something feels weird." The second guard stood up and rested his hands on his shoulder.
"Listen Rook, he has himself handled quite well." The guard twirled him around as he sat back down and picked up his book.
James took a deep breath. "South, take everyone south, there is a path carved down to the beach where a boat will take you all to safety." He pointed south as she nodded looking at the rest of them. "How many more are collared here?" He asked softly.
"About twenty? Most of which are in the other two houses closest to the mansion." She responded as Angel landed in the doorway. "These aren't just any two kids saving us." She felt tears running down her cheeks. They all looked in wonder to her for the many behind them. "Sorry. I was once friends with your mother. Wonderfully quiet lady. I was there forever ago." Both the twins dropped their guard as shock filled their souls. "May was on the same plantation I was. So sweet, sadly it isn't the time for semantics. I will tell you the story once we all can meet up safely. Keep rescuing them for all of us."
The twins nodded as neither could shake the feeling of her being something special. "Angel will fly above the sky and guide you to the treeline. Once there, you should be safe, no other humans will be in the path." They all nodded as James popped his head out the door. Waving his hand as many of the women picked up their kids and held them. Ready to make their mad dash away.
"Follow me." Angel fluttered her wings as she lifted off the ground silently, gliding in the air as they all charged out of the house. James noticed no movement as they all made it to the treeline safely. The first house was secured as Angel landed next to him. "So, if she is right. This mission becomes all the more important."
"One main compilation. Some of them have collars on that can track them and will shock them if not removed fast enough. We need to cause a distraction and disable them all for the last wave of people. If they can be patient before escaping." James pointed to the fabric torn in two on the ground. "I have the distraction figured out. But we need to get the rest out safely." Angel nodded softly. "Onto the next house?"
She smiled. "We can get them out at the same time. I can handle the far one right now. Get the one on the left." She lifted off and flew above the mansion. Looking through the glass windows as several families peacefully slept. 'This will be their last day on the planet if all goes right.'
She landed on the door as she gave three soft knocks. The door opened as a large burly man opened the door. His large bushy tail showed through his tattered cloths he had the excuse of calling clothes. "Miss, were you the one who threw the rock?" She nodded as he saw the white wings and dragged her into the house. "Guide us."
"Who here have those collars? You will have to stay behind for a little bit longer. My brother and I have a plan to take action and move all of you at once." The seven of them all stood up and huddled up. "If you all can wait here, I will escort the others out first, head south and there will be a boat waiting for all of you." She gave a slight bow to them.