Luckily, Sybil and Tom weren’t long with their scouting. However, when they came back, Sybil fell into contemplative silence. Shaggy and the others let her think through whatever she needed to. Tom shrugged his shoulders when the others glanced questioningly at him. So Shaggy sat back once again and waited. Even when the now empty delivery truck pulled away and Sybil moved their car to follow. They followed at a distance as the large white truck made its way back toward downtown.
Shaggy sucked in a breath. He thought the Spiegal Brother’s truck would head toward the warehouses he and the others had worked. Instead, the truck turned just before heading downtown and curved away. Shaggy sighed and monitored the setting sun. They had all been up since last night. Thankfully, with his pack’s recent changes, they weren’t tired, but they still needed to hit a grocery store for food.
“I think we are just going to have to rip the thing out.” Sybil said finally.
Tom sputtered. “All that time thinking, and that’s what you come up with?”
There was a dull thud as someone, probably Rita, hit Tom. Shaggy didn’t bother to look and instead searched Sybil’s face as she drove. He figured she had already run through the pros and cons of disabling the devices. But they all still needed to know everything.
“That going to be a problem?” Shaggy asked.
Sybil shook her head. “It’ll just mean drones will swarm the truck’s last known location. We are going to have to book it. I was trying to think of a way for us to keep the trucks. But we are going to have to dump them fast once we get everything off-loaded.”
“So nothing we weren’t expecting. Where is it?”
“Just behind the passenger seat. Almost under it. Rip it, shoot it, or chop it. Make it not work and then get the truck out of there.”
Shaggy nodded and went back to watching their target as it continued westward. Sybil was still coasting behind several other cars. So Shaggy was sure they hadn’t been seen yet. Rita asked a question from the backseat.
“How many are we grabbing?”
“Three.” Shaggy answered automatically. “That way when it comes time to dump them on Bunch turf we can have two per truck. I don’t want anyone walking through enemy territory alone.”
There was mild grumbling from the others, except for Cekrass. But everyone seemed to take his orders seriously. Shaggy didn’t think his pack would have any trouble with the Bunch, but he didn’t want to risk it. Once they were clear of these jobs, they could take a break below ground and get things settled.
The truck ahead pulled into a gated area. Shaggy could see multiple warehouses over the top of the brick fence surrounding them. He even thought he saw more trucks. Unfortunately, he also saw more K-Tech guards outside. Sybil passed the enclosed area and spun the car around. Shaggy felt a low growl in his chest as he thought about K-Tech’s standard armament. He hadn’t fought a lot of them, but the ones he had fought carried laser weaponry. Those damn things stung like a bitch.
“We’ll hit them in transit. As soon as they are far enough away, Sybil, pull alongside. Cekrass or Rita can jump out and take the truck. Then we’ll shoot back here for another.”
Shaggy spun in his chair to address the others. “Once you are in, kill the tracker and hightail it for the deli. Get the kids to start offloading. Once that’s done, head a few blocks north and dump it. Got it?”
His pack nodded as one, and Shaggy could feel the hum of excitement through the link. They were ready. They would have to deal with any screw-up as things went. He didn’t see any problems with the plan, but Shaggy knew that something was bound to go wrong. The Law of Gaming said that if the system could throw you for a loop, it would. Shaggy bit his lip as a white truck left the facility and Sybil immediately followed.
He could feel both Rita and Cekrass tense. A quick buzzing in his head and the two came to an agreement. Rita would take this first one. Sybil seemed to get the message too as she slowly speed up. Shaggy put a hand up, trying to slow the woman down. They didn’t want to hit them too soon. Shaggy also monitored the sky for any nearby drones. He didn’t see any, but who knew how close the damn things could be?
After a two blocks, Shaggy felt Rita getting anxious so he let Sybil zoom ahead. Thankfully, the streets were pretty clear as Sybil jerked around the large truck like she was going to pass it. A rush of air hit Shaggy’s neck as Rita thrust open her door. Without a word, the newly turned werewolf leapt toward the truck’s driver side door and sank her sword through the window. Shaggy grimaced Rita yanked the door open and rushed into the truck’s cab. The driver’s body was flung from the open door, followed by another out the passenger side. Sybil slowed and got behind the truck. Once Shaggy got the ‘okay’ through the pack link, Sybil pivoted off the street into an alley.
“That’s one.” Tom said.
Shaggy could hear the grin in the lanky man’s voice. He had to admit; it seemed to go pretty well. As their car followed the roads back toward the Spiegal Brother’s warehouses, Shaggy heard the sounds of drones ahead. He kept an eye on them as long as he could, but soon they were back and waiting for another truck. Shaggy gave Cekrass a questioning eyebrow. But the large Lizard-man simply grinned back. Showing off a large row of impressive fangs. Shaggy wondered how his looked in comparison.
“Fang envy.” Sybil chuckled.
The others joined in laughing as Shaggy just shook his head and pointed at another truck leaving the warehouses. Sybil followed the same tactic as before. They followed the truck for a few blocks. But when they got to the spot that Rita had intercepted the other truck. The streets were filled with ambulances, gawkers, and cops. Luckily, the truck they were following rerouted around to another street. Shaggy had Sybil wait another two blocks before they attempted the same maneuver as before.
Like Rita, Cekrass hurled himself bodily from the car and slammed into the truck’s cab. The weight of the giant lizard Werewolf sent them almost careening off the street. But Cekrass yanked the passenger side door off and after some audible screaming, the truck righted itself. Sybil spun their sedan around and Shaggy contacted Cekrass through the link. But all he got was a primal excitement that almost overwhelmed him. The alien Were seemed to have enjoyed that. Shaggy just grinned and waved Sybil back toward the warehouse. After a few more blocks, drones dove through the sky and Shaggy hoped Cekrass remembered to disable the tracker.
“Next one’s mine, right boss?” Tom asked excitedly.
Shaggy merely smiled as Sybil pulled into a spot up the street from the warehouses. Luckily, it didn’t seem like they had been discovered yet. Either the trucks weren’t in contact with the main office or they had been hit so fast they didn’t get the word out. Shaggy thought they might be pushing things with the third truck. With the first two, the drones and cops had been fairly quick to respond. Shaggy wondered if that had anything to do with K-tech.
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Shaggy was deep in thought when the sound of Vick whistling in amazement brought him around.
“Wow. That’s a truck right there.”
Shaggy had to agree. The other Spiegal trucks had been large white trucks. The next one out of the warehouse was a large grey monster of a vehicle. Shaggy was sure he could see armored plates on the thing. While the others had been standard large four-wheel trucks, this thing was an eighteen wheel monstrosity. Movement on top of the truck brought Shaggy’s attention to two men hooked by cable onto the roof of the moving truck. Both men were wearing K-Tech armor, and Shaggy was sure there were others inside the truck itself.
“Uh boss, maybe we should let this one go.” Tom said weakly as the truck slowly turned away from them.
It was heading in the opposite direction of downtown. Shaggy, that was fortuitous as he tried to see what the driver or passenger side door looked like. Sybil moved the car in pursuit as Vick cocked his rifle. Shaggy grinned at his pack as their car followed the large K-Tech truck. It hadn’t been a part of their plans. But how could they pass this up?
“This is going to take all of us,” Shaggy said. “I want Sybil and Tom to hit the cab. Vick and I have the top. Then we’ll all converge in the back and deal with any problems there. Sybil, I want you to prioritize finding and disabling trackers.”
He got mental confirmation of his orders through the link. Although Tom sent worried vibes to everyone. Shaggy didn’t say anything, though. Tom was right. This was probably dangerously stupid. But when the Gaming Gods bless you with a gift, you gotta take it. He readied his claws and gave Sybil the go ahead after a few blocks.
With a rush of adrenaline, Shaggy shoved his door open and kicked off the floor of the sedan. He slammed into the back of the truck and scrambled for purchase with his claws. Thankfully, he got them into the truck’s armored side and clawed his way to the top of the truck. The monstrosity jerked as Shaggy scrabbled over the edge. They had been noticed.
Vick’s rifle cracked from the street as Shaggy stood and caught his footing. Blue pulses of energy whizzed by his head as the two K-Tech guards opened fire. They were screaming at him, but their voices were caught by the wind. Shaggy assumed they weren’t shouting nice things, though. He leapt forward and aimed his claws at the first guard’s armored torso. The second was readying his energy rifle when some of Vick’s shots found home. The guard’s armor caught the bullets, though, making the guard jerk but stay upright.
Shaggy filed that away as slashed his claws forward. But the tethered K-Tech guard was quick. He dodged nimbly backward and tried to get his rifle into Shaggy’s face. Shaggy swung his arms upward and clipped the rifle’s barrel. He felt the thing give, and he heard metal snap as the guard’s weapon became useless. Shaggy grinned and dove back at the man, but the swerving truck and unsure footing made him overshoot. He had to catch himself on the roof with his claws before he was thrown off.
As he righted himself again, Vick’s rifle cracked again. The cord tethering the K-tech guard to the roof snapped and blew uselessly in the breeze. Shaggy almost cackled as he felt Vick do the same to the other guard’s cord. Now they were on a more even footing. Shaggy jumped and let the wind take him as he angled both feet toward the first guard’s chest. His target tried to move, but it was too late. Shaggy’s dropkick slammed into the man’s side and sent him sailing off the back of the truck.
Shaggy’s elation was short-lived as a sharp pain slammed into his back and his feet left the truck’s roof. He could smell his skin burning as more blue energy shots came his way. Vick returned fire as Shaggy tried to catch himself on the back edge of the truck. He just managed to get his claws into the rim of the back door when the truck swerved mightily again. He grinned as the second K-Tech guard went sailing over his head and off the truck. Taking stock, Shaggy saw that their stolen sedan was on the side of the road. Crashed into a building. Shaggy briefly wondered where Vick was firing from, but then he saw his pack mate running alongside the truck.
The sharpshooter was huffing and puffing and was slowly falling behind. Shaggy raked his claws down the back of the truck until he was halfway down the back door. The truck jerked again, but Shaggy jammed his claws deeper into the metal and turned to offer a hand to Vick. The man slung his rifle over a shoulder and doubled his speed as he leapt for Shaggy’s outstretched hand. Shaggy caught Vick and lifted him bodily toward the top of the truck. That’s when the door he was stuck in swung wide open.
Shaggy had enough time to see Vick’s eyes widen in surprise before the gunman went over the now open door. Vick grabbed the top of the open door as he went over and Shaggy sighed in relief. But then energy rifles and Vick’s own gun sounded on the other side of the open door. Shaggy was sure that whoever was in the back of the truck was shooting at his NPC friend. Grunting with effort, Shaggy clawed his way around the open door. Shaggy glimpsed down the side of the truck and he saw the open driver side door. So apparently Sybil and Tom were inside the truck now, at least.
Once he got his claws around the edge of the door. He flung himself around its side and into the still firing beams of K-Tech energy rifles. Vick was grimacing as small round patches of burnt skin smoked on his body. Shaggy also grimaced, but focused on the three men inside the truck. All of them were in black armor and firing away at the both of them. They were good shots, too. Shaggy could feel more burns appearing on his front. Luckily, the energy weapons didn’t have a lot of knock back. Vick’s rifle clicked empty and Shaggy heard the Sharpshooter swear.
“Gotta go in close!” Shaggy shouted over the wind of the still moving truck.
Vick nodded grimly as Shaggy gave a mental countdown. Once he got to zero, both he and Vick leapt off the door toward the three guards inside. Shaggy had his claws up and ready. Vick had his rifle raised like a club. They slammed into the three men and went tumbling deeper into the truck. Shaggy saw brief glimpses of counter-tops and lockers, but he ignored everything as he tried to jam his claws through the nearest guard’s armor.
A snap-hiss in the air indicated the guards were now using stun batons. Shaggy dug his claws deep into the nearest guard’s chest and stood. Vick was tussling with another guard in the long truck bed, so Shaggy rushed to help. But a snap of electricity and his muscles convulsing had him turn around. While the one he had stabbed was on the floor, bleeding out, the last guard was standing with her helmet removed and stun baton at the ready. She went for another jab and Shaggy had to sidestep. Pushing his back against a long countertop in the truck.
Without looking, Shaggy grabbed for something on the counter and threw it. The beaker-looking thing shattered against the woman’s armored forearm. Shaggy dove in after the distraction and tried to jam his claws through the guard. But she back-pedaled and raise her baton again. She was about to charge again when the door to the cab behind her opened and Tom appeared. She was mid turn as Tom leapt on top of her and slammed a knife into her throat. The woman collapsed as Tom smiled a savage grin at Shaggy.
Shaggy raised a thumb, but turned to help Vick. However, the man was using the end of his rifle to bludgeon his guard to death. The butt of Vick’s gun was red with blood and the man himself was huffing and puffing. Shaggy clapped Vick on the shoulder and moved to close the back doors. He could see that the truck was still moving, and he hoped Sybil had found what she needed to. Shaggy heard the sounds of drones buzzing in the air as he got the door closed.
Grimacing, he marched down the length of the truck toward the front cab. They could inspect what they had stolen later. For now, they had to focus on getting away and getting this monster unloaded. Once he was in the large front cab of the truck, Shaggy saw three dead guards and a sweaty, annoyed looking Sybil behind the enormous steering wheel. Shaggy could smell burnt plastic as the front dash sparked dangerously.
“Tracker was embedded in the console. I had to burn it out.” Sybil said, raising a hand wreathed in green flame.
Shaggy nodded. “Understandable. But I think we have drones.”
Sybil waved a hand at the burnt console. “They had a radio and might have called for help. We need to hurry.”
“No shit!” Tom screamed from the back of the truck.
“Get as much packed away as you can!” Shaggy shouted back. “We are going to have to do everything at a run!”
“Already on it, boss!” Vick replied. “Some of us, that is.”
“I am taking a well-earned breather.” Tom explained.
Shaggy shook his head as he left Sybil to her driving. Whatever they had just stolen was bound to be worth it. But he had to make sure. Robbing K-Tech had gotten him into trouble before, but it came with some sweet energy guns. It seemed the same thing was happening here. Although now there was no lizard in a lab coat or space vampires involved. Not to mention the fucking cat-lady.