The scene died down as fast as it had occurred. Teams moved silently and steadily towards their assignments.
The Huey gunships lifted from their stationary ground positions and soared off into the frail dusk light to pick up more crews waiting at the local airport. Transgene had silently taken over all airstrips and key positions within the "Yellow" or contaminated zone. Local authorities were informed not to contact the media, else their funding would be cut. To their credit, Trangene possessed the correct know-how to fake a covert Government intervention. If they weren't careful, the top would likely be blown here and REAL special ops teams would be parachuting onto the streets of Otter Falls.
Ashley gazed into the twilight scene. Trees and all visible foliage swayed with a remarkably serene grace as a light breeze crossed the forest.
"I don't like this Dan, not one bit," Ashley consoled, "Transgene somehow possesses the money and the means to hire a mercenary army to contain its little scientific meltdown here and doesn't contain the capacity to fully supply us. Without nightvision, we'll be fighting blind out here. Animorphs can see better than we can in the dark."
"Hmmm," said Dan, not listening. He peered down the scope of his M40. Ashley rolled her eyes. Why must she always be paired up with such moronic fools? Either Donner hated her with a passion or someone wasn't interpreting the resumes right. This guy was a Class A meathead. Dumb as rocks. Ashley only hoped he could aim, as his spotter she would be the one using a noggin.
"Let's go," urged Ashley, "We don't have much time."
Dan lifted his marine-cut adorned head and nodded in agreement.
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The underbrush was an unexpected pain in the ass. The impending night had made it's presence clear as one of the two mercenaries tripped every few steps. They were only able to keep reasonable stealthiness because the wind had picked up over the hour and a half it had taken them to reach the grassy gnoll that would soon serve as their monument to the destruction of fine infected friends.
Their position was perfect. The small hill was full of undergrowth that would make them untracable to almost any eye while laying down because of their ghillie suits. The gnoll viewed the target area at a distance of about 280 meters, a great enough range that they could have a good shot at escaping from stalking barnyard animorphs.
Laying down, Ashley fixed her binoculars to a small tripod and removed her silenced M4 Carbine from her back while Dan attached a silencer to his M40. The final adjustments were made. It was time.
Ashley scanned the scene for targets. No movement had occurred locally since they had taken their position. The barn seemed to be still, as did the source of the virus; the river and its adjacent banks. The fields were empty. Ashley checked her watch, then heard a stir to her immediate left followed by two sharp cracks.
"What th-," whispered Ashley as the rock continued its trip down the gnoll.
"Just testin' the curviture," Dan commented with a dull smile, "There ain't sh-," He didn't have time to finish the comment. The rock had rolled into a dense patch of underbrush and a huge 'whooshing' sound followed as a great dark surfboard-shaped figure shot out of the growth. The figure remained upright for a moment before letting out a fierce hissing noise. Ashley was hit with a stream of liquid.
"SKUNK ANIMORPH!" screamed Ashley as she fired several silenced shots down into the area where the beast had shown its backside. She wiped the burning stink from her eyes, rolling as she removed the surely infected ghillie suit from her body, without noticing that Dan had bolted. Her partner was the least of her worries as the stench seemed to consume her very being as she frantically tried to save herself from the impending life as a Skunk morph.
Meanwhile, Dan sprinted down the hill towards the only man-made structure in sight: the barn. He was totally driven by fear, hardly noticing that his partner had successfully shot down their attacker as he leapt over its corpse. Moments later, Dan flung himself inside the wooden structure and placed his hand on the wall for support while he rested. While he panted in the darkness, he felt a presence behind him. He casually turned, expecting Ashley but what he found was a hot jolt of stinky breath and a slobbery kiss. The assailant knocked him to the ground. Dan frantically tried to escape the lustful attack but failed many times over. His overloaded brain was able to interpret what he was feeling as he tried to fend off the attacker, despite the growing urge in his pants and the repeated fondling hands of the assailant which were not helping. Long tongue, leathery thick lips, narrow extended head and neck, pointed ears, short encompassing hair, at least one pair of breasts, three fingered hands, and a general smell of horse manure. As Dan began to succumb to this beast, as small realization hit his mind.
He was being raped by a Mare morph.