The operator looked at Heretic briefly before ignoring him and continuing to call Lockbox on his radio.  Janus, who had been nearby, came up beside Heretic.  "It means we're going to see some action after all," he said lowly, clearly agitated.  "I think you better grab something you can fight with."<br/><br/>Merelli had heard the entire conversation, and when his second-in-command approached he he waved him off.  "Thank you, Major, I heard it," he said.  He turned to the First Sergeant and the three others.  "You have your orders.  Stay here.  Protect the civilians."  He turned quickly and began jogging to different positions, shouting out orders to assume defensive positions.  The soldiers of the Fourth Brigade Headquarters Unit flew into action.<br/><br/>The First Sergeant looked at Marice.  "If you're lucky, you don't kill anyone," he said evenly, then turned to Jenten.  "If you can't fight, would you mind getting to a high place and using your ears?  It might help if we knew which direction they were coming from."  He looked at Emiko.  "Well, now's as good a time as ever to make a speech, know what I mean?"<br/><br/>Janus grabbed Heretic as they were ordered by a nearby sergeant to guard the hospital.  He took the anthro-fox into an alley on the right side of the building, looking north, and crouched behind a set of garbage cans.<br/><br/>Merelli, finished giving his initial orders, returned to the gazebo and drew his own sidearm, switching it off safety and listening to the radios.  Lockbox still was not coming in.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>With the final attacker vanquished, the little clearing was safe - but only momentarily.  The humans inside the Fort were being placated by their leader, Shark, but it was only a matter of time before they would re-emerge to absolutely dominate the town.<br/><br/>Feldana hauled herself up onto the rock wall and looked at Dreamer, Sherra, and Kitten.  Her young mind did not want to process the three dead bodies behind them in the near distance.  "Are we gonna go see Auntie Maeve now?"<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>"She broke 'em," the old man said plainly.  "They hurt like a mother sometimes."  His chains clanked and his voice sounded slightly nearer, like he was leaning towards Karogen.  "So... Mark the Plant.  I'm Alfonso the Nutjob."  He laughed quietly.  "Not my real name.  It's Zeller.  HAH!  No, not that one either.  My name is..."  he trailed off, losing his interest in the joke.  "Listen to me.  I'm tired, hungry, thirsty, and I'm in a shitload of pain.  You tell the Bitch thanks for giving me someone to talk to, even if it's a prick like you.  She's done me a favor, making my last moments more coherent."  His chains clanked again and his voice returned to its normal distance.  "I see things in my head.  I hear voices and I talk to them.  But you drown all that out and I can concentrate."<br/><br/>There was a pause.  "So what I'm saying is, you're the best asshole I've ever had to talk to, but you still ain't getting anything out of me."<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>The police officer took several forceful steps toward the truck again.  "I'm NOT turning you back!" he growled.  "I'm just telling you to take another road!  Now, if you don't get moving, I'm gonna detain you and have someone move your truck for me!  You got it?!"