The Road Home pt 2

“You think the other hellhounds will wanna go camping with me an’ you?” Serena asked, after they’d finished up their breakfast. It was morning, and the city was already bustling with people too busy to notice what they thought were two street rats. “What are they like?”

“Nate’s my best mate. He’s also a pain in the ass, he got made team lead and hasn’t let me forget it. But he’s good, keep us all in line and focused but a little bit of a stiff. Theres Esteban, hes cool he’s older and was the one who mentored and trained me and Nate …” Vas rambled as he listed a few more name from his own squad. “... and Kayne he’s good enough they might send him to sniper school.” He said looking around and people walking around. “So … who do you think looks the nicest enough to help us?” He asked the Rabbit for suggestions.

“I dunno. Everyone looks like they’re in a hurry. I mean, I could cry. People might be more willing to help me if I cry.” She offered. “You wanna stay here, while I go try?”

“You think that’ll work?” Vas blink perplexed over the idea.

Big tears started to roll down Serena’s cheeks.”I’m lost!” She made a stay motion for Vas.

Vas made himself scarce, but close enough he could keep an eye on things. He watch on discreetly impressed.

Serena tried a few people, twice being handed a few dollars, before someone in a uniform grabbed the girl by the shoulder.

Vas stiffened the instead to break the mans arm kicking in. He held himself back … if she needed help she would make it clear.

Serena spoke animatedly, trying to explain things, the uniformed man nodding as if taking it in. Serena patted her pockets and shook her head. They exchanged back and forth, before she pointed towards where she’d last seen Vas. “Onii!” She called. “Onii!”

Vas popped his head out and trotted over to Serena shoot them men wary looks. “Everything okay?” He asked quietly.

“I found someone to help!” She said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

“Yea?” He said eyes flashing up to the men in uniform. Vas took his sleeve to help wipe her crocodile tears away. She was good! “You can help us?” Vas said looking up to the men.

“You need to make a call?” He asked.

Vas nodded. “Yea … we don’t have a phone. You think you can help us?”

“I can let you use a phone, but if I catch either of you panhandling again, I’m locking you up, understood?” He asked, holding out the phone for Vas to use.

“Sure …” Vas said eagerly dialing a number waiting for someone to pick up.

“Rapid Response,” a bored sounding voice said on the other side of the phone.

“Victor, Alpha, Sierra reporting and requesting pickup.” Vas said quickly.

“Hold,” The voice commanded, “Victor Alpha Sierra what’s your location.”

Vas spun around looking around for any kind of sign. “Uh …. Mita Hill Plaza.” He answered as if it were a game show. “Oh and it's a pickup for two. Me and an HPT.”

“What’s an HPT?” Serena whispered, tugging on his arm.

“Oh … uh … that’s you. You what called a high payoff target.” Vas explained in a whisper.

“Target?” She questioned, glancing around nervously.

“When can we expect pickup?” Vas pressed before looking back down at Serena. “Yea. HPT’s that's the proper term cuz you’re not a HVT or a HVI … cuz those, you know …” Vas made a shooty motion with his finger.

“Stand by,” the voice said, followed by another long silence. “Four hours, Victor Alpha Sierra.”

“Four hours?! I have been MIA for a whole day! We have zero actual assets did I mention an HPT?” Vas balked at the time frame and the bump down in priority. It was like if there were no explosions they took their sweet time!

“Estimated. That’s the earliest I can get a transport. Meanwhile, sit tight.”

“Is there a non-estimated ti- … hello? He- fucking dammit.” Vas said to the phone indigent. “Un fucking believable!” He huffed handing back the phone.

The jackboot policeman accepted his phone, sliding it back into the case on his belt. “You secure a ride? I don’t want to see either of you panhandling here again,” he said gruffly.

Vas gave a curt nod. “Yea, they’re coming.” He said keeping it simple.

A call came over the radio which was more important to the policeman than a couple of kids begging for money, so he let them be to fry bigger fish.

“What’s an HVT?” Serena asked, ushering the boy towards a soda machine.

“High Value Target.” Vas answered, letting Serena guide him away. He gave the policemen a quick wary glance to make sure they were going somewhere not in their direction.

“You shoot high value targets? It sounds like they’d be … worth more,” she said, pressing a button and taking out the two fizzy drinks the machine spit out.

“They’re High Value Target because they’re high value to the enemy.” Vas explained, pressing a button for a flavored soda.

“Who’s the enemy?” She asked.

“Anyone not us.” He said as if that where the obvious answer.

“Good thing I’m a hellhound then, like you,” she said, struggling with the bottle’s twist cap.

“Exactly.” Vas said smiling again reaching over to help her with the twist cap. “Cuz Hellhounds at the ends of theday are the only ones you can trust. We always have each others back.”

“Yep,” She said happily, taking a long sip before the bottle flowed over. “Is an HVI the same thing as an HVT?”

“HVI is a High Value Indevidual its to specify that the target is person.” Vas elaborated taking a sip form his apple flavored soda.

“Targets can be things other than people?” She asked, hiccuping from the fizz and covering her mouth, giggling.

“Sure. A high Value Target is anything thar enemy find important. A convoy, a stash of weapons, information. That why they have one to specify if it’s person or not.” Vas said watching all the different people walking by.

Serena nodded and took another sip. “So why aren’t I an HPI?” She asked. “I don’t wanna be a convoy or stash of anything.”

“Becuase you typically shoot HPI’s. When your and HPT you either a friendly, someone where extracting or somhthing were tasked with taking because ther eis a benefit to it.” Vas clarified. “There is a lot of lingo but you’ll get used to it.”

“What’s the benefit to me?” Serena asked, curling her lip as she shook the bottle to make more fiz. “To any of the Erinyes, I mean.”

Vas shrugged. “They didn’t tell us. They told us to fetch and fetch fast, figured they didn’t have alot of time to prep us so … but like I said, they wouldn’t have sent us to get you if it wern’t important any luckily they up and sent the right hound to get you out.” Vas said puffing a bit with pride.

“Sure did,” Serena agreed. “Anyone else woulda left, ‘specially after their team did an’ there was no one around to say otherwise.”

“Tsk that was separates a Hound form the rest of ‘em.” Vas said dismissivly. “Hounds always get the job done. Even when there no one to say otherwise. Can’t wait to see the look on there faces when we get home.” Vas smoked nudging Serenas shoulders. “So not expecting you and me to have walked after the building got bombed a second time.”

“But we did, on account of we’re made of some pretty stern stuff,” she repeated, finishing the last of her first soda.

“Tough, Smart and Fast. You like the little hound that could.” Vas giggled over the idea. “I do hope tell let you and your sisters hang around, shake things up a bit. Plus you never gotta worry ‘bout anything with so many Hounds around.”

“An’ you’ll shoot anyone who tries messin’ with us. Will I get a gun, too?”

“Maybe when you get older. You to short so the ejected bullet is gunna pop right out and hit you on the top of you head. There crazy hot too so it smarts like hell.” Vas said poking the top of her head for emphasis. “But … who knows maybe they might let us train you a bit. Well find out after we get back.”

“I’m not too short if I stand on my tip toes,” Serena said, demonstrating.

Vas made an iffy motion. “Let get us home and settled in first and get you fed so you grow more. Hellhouse have a standard height you know.” He teased.

Serena nodded, and continued walking on her tip toes. “Home,” she repeated.