>Written entirely by Strong Part I: A Day in the life >The day just started, the sun is still rising and you feel the light sunlight shining on your eyelids >You wake up and savor the feelings of the soft fur pressed against you >Paz's soft purring makes you want to stay in bed but it's time to get up >You stand up slowly, careful not to wake her up >No need to wake her if you don't have too >The smell of bacon will do that for you >Quickly and quietly you get dressed for the day, wearing your standard outfit >You hear Noises downstairs and your mind instantly flashes to everywhere you have firearms hidden throughout the house >You shouldn't paranoid about noises today >After all, you have your friends over, they still work for Various PMC's as trainers or extra guns During OPS >As you walk down you hear your front door open and shut along with muffled voices >Might as well make some breakfast like a good host would >As you enter the kitchen sunlight pours through the large windows, a large field beyond >There are two men walking towards a hay bale, paper targets in hand and various guns strapped to their backs >Let’s see, bacon eggs, Chorizo, tortillas, and a bit of ground sausage >Yea this will be great >You grab an apron and put it on, no need to get dirty >You riffle through various cupboards, getting the various pans and cooking utensils you need >Once you have everything ready you start cooking, throwing bacon onto a large griddle >The sizzling sound puts you at ease as you mix up the eggs >A large scramble that can be split will be perfect >The smell of bacon begins to fill the house as you watch your friends pinning targets to various objects >A tree, a hay bale a wooden post >They would practice shooting out here, other states like Commiefornia hated guns and made it so all those fun weapons were illegal there >Here there were no such worries >You wonder if Slag was going to shoot with them, the birdbrain needed practice >A soft stirring behind you causes you to turn around quickly, brandishing one of the kitchen knives >Old habits die hard, especially when it comes to things at your 6 >Worst place to have an enemy is behind you >However it's not an Enemy, far from it in fact >Paz stands leaned against the doorframe, still wearing her pajamas >The sunlight causes her golden fur to glisten softly >The picture of beauty >"Smells good mi bombasita" she purrs with her radiant blue eyes looking you up and down >You smile and set down the knife, then beckon her over >She walks over silently and you pull her into a hug >"Good Morning mi corazon" >She gives you a quick kiss >"Want to help me and make some salsa?" >Her salsa was always better than when you made it >She nods earnestly >The Sound of gunfire behind you causes you to freeze >The stifling heat of the Jungle surrounds you, the humid night are makes you sweat through your uniform >Why you volunteered for this mission sortie was beyond you >Well you didn't volunteer, you got voluntold >You were on point, your squad mates got wrangled into this as well >Frag was back and to your right >True to his Call sign, Frag was a demolitions expert >His right arm and leg were covered in burn scars >He said Bomb makers always have scars from their creations >He carried a FN Fal as well as a 37mm Sage Grenade launcher >His bandolier was filled with various grenades, each with different payloads >You recall when he was toying with a tear gas grenade and it went off in the tent (or wherever they stayed) >That was a fun clean up >Fuse was behind him >A short yet muscular man who carried a riot shield and an MP5 >With clearing buildings he usually went in first >Right now he had the shield strapped to his back >To your left and back was Ghost >He gave himself that call sign, as cringy as it was >While yes he was great with knives and blades he was hardly a ghost >He carried dual Kukri knives as well as a silenced Vector SMG >Quiet is how he worked and was able to get into places with various lock picking skills >Behind him was Switch, he wasn't quite as physically fit as the rest of the group, but he was a wizard at computers >You could give him a hard drive and he could crack it easily >Mostly he would come in after the fighting was done to get records and see who the buyers were >You pushed through the jungle, feeling the overwhelming humidity of the jungle >How did you get wrangled into this? >This is a job for the local Police or the DEA >Not the CIA they were probably funding this >You were going to check out a possible Drug op and Slavers den >They were supposedly capturing local Anthros from villages and using them for cultivating drugs >Scaring off the locals was bad for your business >They made it clear this isn't an extermination or an espionage >Scouting only >Document what you see, and return to base >Easy, but a bit boring >You curse under your breath for getting wrangled into this, this was some FNG's job not yours >But you were getting paid for it so it doesn't matter >You motion to the group and tell them to split up cover different sectors >One document the drug grow, one to document the living conditions of the Anthros, one to see the processing area, you were checking the headquarters, and one to check the defense perimeter >Meet back up in an hour >Easy in and out >You split up and head to your respective areas, ready for a fight if needed >But you hoped you wouldn't have to >This is a whole camp, you would be no match against it with just you and your 4 squad mates >Your guys might be better trained but numbers are numbers >Quietly you creep through the camp, they have lax security where you're headed >Most likely they had guard around the Anthros sleeping areas >They couldn’t allow their slaves to escape, that would be throwing away money >You sneak into the main building, luckily no one was around and you didn't have to kill anyone or hide any bodies >This sneaky shit was annoying, you would rather just roll in and take these fucks out >But running in un-informed was a death sentence >This place is set up like an office, it's quiet and has good AC >They spared no expense when it came to their own comfort >Even these computers they have are very cutting edge >Doesn't matter though, you plug in a USB Stick which pulls out their Data and copies it all onto it >How Switch made this thing was beyond you >After a solid 15 minutes the Drive has done its work and you have copies of all their files >You head through the building, double checking everything >No need to get sloppy because no one was there >Nothing really stands out until you push open a door >A body, an Ocelots body, torn apart >Various knives, spikes and other torture tools cover the walls >You're used to this but this time it’s different >The ocelot has to be no older than 6 or 7, her face twisted into a perpetual scream and her golden fur matted and covered in blood >A child, a cub, a young golden ocelot torn apart for game or pleasure >You document it and take pictures, but feel your anger rising with each picture >You wanted to find whoever did this >Could you? >Hm you could you make it look like an accident? >You know where the officers’ quarters are >Fires are great for looking like accidents and you knew just how to start one easily >You had a small amount of thermite, usually used to melting the locks off safes >That would do nicely >You exit the building and head for the officers’ quarters >Find some electrical wires; check. Use your knife to make a hole in the wall above them, check; Pour in termite and ignite it, check >You sneak away towards the rendezvous point >Let those fuckers burn >"What did you do Raid?!" Fuse hisses as you rejoin the group >"I'll show you later" you reply as you lead them away >You can hear shouting and an the roaring of flames behind you >Heh serves them right, child killers and pedos are the worst >Your group moves quickly away from the camp and back towards your ATVs >It was standard OPS to park at least 5 miles away and stay hidden >But noises behind you catch your attention, crunching leaves and twigs >Before you can react gunshots from FAL's ring out behind you >You hear bullets ricocheting off Fuse's shield >He immediately kneels down and Frag huddles into him >Nothing unmanly about huddling together to avoid gunfire >A bullet hits your left forearm, tearing straight through >You turn around and start pumping round backwards >At this point your shotgun might as well be a noisemaker, you couldn’t see anyone to fire at >You look down and your heart sinks, Ninja was down, several bleeding wounds in his back >Switch was trying to crawl to you as you fire off shell after shell >You pull him behind a tree for cover as bullet rip through the wood >"Raid I-I…I'm not gonna make it sir, I-I can't feel my legs and I think they hit my liver" >"You'll be ok Switch, you'll be OK" you say trying to comfort him >He pushes you away >"Frag Gimme those Grenades, I’ll keep them off you guys" Switch calls out full of determination despite coughing up blood >Frag tosses a belt with 6-7 frag grenades attached without any hesitation >"GO" >You get up and start to run >As you look back over your shoulder you see switch give you a small shaky thumbs up\ >Fuse brings up the rear of your line as the three of you run, bullets ricochet off his shield >Explosions go off behind you as you run >The smell of smoke fills your nose and lungs >A voice, a female voice speaks to you >"Its ok, its ok. Come back to me bombasita" >You're in your kitchen, Paz holding your arm gently while talking to you >Leading you out of the jungle again >The bacon is burning and billowing smoke while you hyperventilate >You swear angrily as you pull the bacon off the stove and turn off the burner >Fuck it’s been a while since that happened >You toss out the burned bacon and get a fresh pack from the fridge >"Where were you this time Love?" Paz coos, rubbing your arm gently >"The jungle again, the tortured Ocelot, ghost and switch dying was my fault" you say stone-faced, focusing on the bacon >"You did what you thought was right, those men tore apart a child, I have seen the pictures" >Doesn't help your guilt >They were good men and didn't deserve to die out there >Their faces flash in your mind, the pictures they showed of their families >You should have died instead of them, it was you who set that fire >Your thoughts are broken by Fuse and Frag walking back into the house >"Oh hey Raid you're up, where do you keep your ammo? And where's that bird? What’s 'er face? Bag?" Fuse says to you while giving Paz a warm smile >He always did have a soft spot for her, you recall him sneaking her sweets when you were all in the Lonely Hearts Gentleman’s Club >"Slag, that birdbrain is probably passed out drunk in the barn, extra ammo is in the broom closet in a soap box, you can't miss it" >"Cool, I'll grab it" he says as he nods to Frag >Frag sniffs the air calmly >"Smells good, never figured you for a homemaker but here ya are; can't say I blame ya though you got a nice place 'ere" >Paz Beams at you happily as you flip the bacon >"I just needed a change of pace with Paz" >Your heart is still beating hard as you breathe deep >Just a flashback, nothing more >Paz holds your arm as you cook, the salsa set aside for now >Breathe >Lower your heart rate >It was just a flashback >You pull the food off the stove and begin putting in serving plates >Fuse wanders back in and grabs one of the plates >"Thanks raid, you coming to shoot with us? >You nod "I’ll be there in a bit, let me eat with Paz" >"Cool" >He goes back outside with his plate of food >You hear squawking from outside and yelling >Guess slag is up >You pull out a chair for Paz at the kitchen table then sit down yourself >Her tail curls around your leg >God you love this Woman >You eat quietly, enjoying the food and the company >But as you eat you see the telltale signs of Paz getting sleepy >Her ears droop and her eyes close partly >All those surgeries took their toll on her, but in the end it would be worth it >When at last you see she can't stay awake, you stand up silently >Gently you scoop your favorite lady in the world into your scarred arms >As you carry her to the bedroom you see scar from the bullet would you earned that night >But as Paz Snuggles up to you and begins purring loudly against your chest, pulling face and lips to yours >You know it's ok >Gently, you Tuck Paz into bed and kiss her Furry forehead >"I love you" you whisper >A small smile and loud gentle purrs are all the acknowledgment you need >As you leave the room and close the door gently behind you, you know she's all you'll need in life >You smile as you hear gunfire going off and the occasional explosion >Nothing can set a morning right like a lovely purring ocelot and explosions >Yea >You'll be alright