[quote]"You mean, a certain important cargo. Well, you'd better start talkin', Minerva, time's something we don't have and if what you say is true, a war may begin today."[/quote]
[quote]"Funny enough, I don't think we ever mentioned what it was WE wanted, but In either case, as long as the thing in question is yay high, has green eyes and a stubborn streak" he said quietly, holding his hand up about 5"8' off the ground. "then yes, we are on the same page, if not, we have nothing to discuss. so let's drop the espionage acts and get to work shall we?"[/quote]

"No, you didn't mention the 'cargo'," the mink replied, her arms folded and posture strong, despite being alone with the two males. "But I have ways of finding things out. Lots of them, in fact. For example," she leaned closer and spoke in a lowered tone. "I know that both of your are GEAR pilots with the LDF Roughriders..." She leaned back and returned her voice to the normal level. "But yes - we are on the same page, and looking for the same... 'thing'. I would've gone to find 'it', but, well. I couldn't get into where she-uh, it, is myself, even if I do know where to find it. And even if I did - I wouldn't stand much chance of getting away or getting anywhere afterward. Someone with a bit more legitimacy and firepower though..." she nodded to the pair. "Well. They might stand some chance. I can show you where to find them; the Western side of town. But, there are others looking too. And I think they might be close on finding out a location as well - and a lot less nice about moving in and not causing property damage than me. Last thing I heard, they were getting ready to move out too, and to do it in force as well."
She sighed and shook her head, fur shimmering in the dimming sunlight of the late afternoon. 
"It's up to you; I know where and how to find what we're both after, and I know who's got her too. Without you, I just have to wait and try another plan if things go down how I expect - I don't want to do that, especially given what's at stake. And I'd rather do this with your help. We both get what we need that way". 
She shrugged and paced a couple of steps, waiting for an answer, and half stepping in the direction of the park exit, and then back toward the pair.

***
[quote] "Hello?! Is anyone home?"[/quote]
The inside of the room was dim with the lengethening afternoon shadows. Sunlight speared through the small glass window in the front of the room, and motes danced in the slanting rays. Arranged around the surfaces and counters of the half-lounge half-shop were boxes, containers, tubs and packages all labelled with care in a flowing, hand-written script. On the walls were pictures of people and places, along with various medical instruments - stethoscopes, and the like. 
At the sound of Esailia's voice, there was rustling and shuffling from an adjoining room through an open door. A moment later an aged male voice responded with a "Yes, yes, I'm coming!" 
A few moments later a middle-aged badger shuffled into view, leaning on a walking stick and looking through square-eyed glasses to the feline. He paused and nodded at her, smiling gently.
"Good afternoon, miss. Name's Doc Willen. I've been helping people around these parts for years. Can't say I've seen you before, but if you're here in search of help for what's ailing you, then I'll do what I can."
He settled into a chair and poured a glass of clear, cool water from a jug, and offered a seat opposite, as well as a glass, looking at her as he sipped, his eyes warm and keen, despite his obviously advanced age.

***

Blade had finished scanning through the playback of the chips, and had stumbled across some pertinent info; The capybara had, in line with his upstanding business practices, later sold on the details of the princess and her entourage to a second group that had come through. While they had not come in person to collect the information, they had dealt through intermediaries, and left an address: In the western district of the town. 
Unsure of where else to look, Blade had placed an anonymous call to the local police reporting the capybara for his underhanded dealings, and left to investigate the address. He was headed along the streets when the call from Kuraiko came in.

[quote] "Blade. Remember that mean lookin' guy you showed us in the briefing? He's here. All those parts were for GEARs, so no doubt he's doing some maintenance after getting their asses kicked, considering how many parts they bought. Hell I kissed a shell and I still don't need that much...Anyway. These guys seem important, I'm gonna stick around a bit more and see what I can learn about these guys, Max is still with me, the Cap is doing it her way."[/quote]

He paused as he heard the words, and grimaced, glancing across the Adrian. "They might be modifying or upgrading their GEARs, or might even have new ones in there. We can't tell right now." He paused and felt anxiety gnawing at his gut, and the prickling feeling of doubt and panic rise. Again, the craving for a drink rose in him and he forced it away, turning away from the hare as he spoke to Kuraiko.
"Where the hell is Es? You were all [i]supposed[/i] to stick together, dammit. Any deviations from the plan were supposed to go through me. Or did I get demoted from fucking CO without being told? Stay there, and keep observing. I'm going to get the rest of the fireteam to your location. We've got a lead on another location on the west side of the town. I'm going to move in on it with Aidan and Mike. I'll be in touch again within a half-hour. [i]Don't do anything without orders,[/i] and don't underestimate them either. Blade, out".
He signed off and switched channels, calling in to Mike and Aidan.
"This is Blade - how are things goin'? We have a lead on our end, an address in the west side of the town. We're going to move there. If you've got no other intel, then we oughta move on it, over". 
He paused, waiting for a reply.

***

Back at the warehouse, activity kicked up a notch. A heavy hauler; not quite landcrawler in scale, but of the type used to move GEARs and other heavy equipment, like generators, heavy construction equipment and the like; rolled up in front of the warehouse, the weight of its' passage and the rumble of its' turbine engine enough to rattle the glass in windows up and down the street, and displace loose objects. 
The tarp covered load on its' bed was well-hidden, but as it backed up to the heavy rolling door, the northeners flocked out, guiding the load in and keeping careful eyes out around the streets nearby, as the heavy load was rolled into the building. 
Inside, glimpsed, were the shapes of other GEARs; not easy to distinguish from here, but certainly [i]not[/i] the modified civilian models from earlier. These were true military-issue machines, glimpsed as the door rolled down.
Moments later, a black-furred vulpine rolled up in an ATV, pulling the machine to a halt in the parking lot and moving inside in a hurry, after exchanging words. Shortly after, shouted words summoned the rest back inside, and the doors all closed. Something was afoot - heralded by the dimming of lights inside the building, and the clatter of heavy machinery and whining tools coming to life.