As Joe and Leo flew through the wasteland and forest, Leo got to see a sight many on the ground never get to see. The wind in his hair and scenery left him flabbergasted. Joe just looked at him and chuckled. The two of them were finally cheering up after losing Claws.
Joe and Leo switched off with driving until they came upon Oklahoma City. Two years ago, Joe heard that humans and refugee beastmen were hiding out. In World War III, Oklahoma City didn't get attacked but was raided over and over. This chased people into the rural areas. Eventually, people returned and started a small settlement there.
"Personnel in the hovercraft halt," a voice from an intercom said to Joe and Leo. Looking around they couldn't see anyone.
"Warning Sir! Incoming plasma shot!" A blast was shot right next to the hovercraft. Joe stopped the craft in place.
"Joe that almost killed us." Looking ahead Leo saw a large blaster cannon mounted on an old building.
"That was a warning shot. Do not try anything funny and land the craft now."
"I said I knew people were here. I didn't say I knew them." Joe told Leo as he landed the craft. When they landed the craft in a painted red circle. The three buildings surrounding the circle had people and beastmen come out holding weapons on the second-floor balconies. "I don't think they think we are friendly."
A man, woman, and beastman came forward. The woman spoke first. "Hello, I am Anna Stewart. I'm the President of this settlement. The beastmen just call me leader. To my right is Lycan the commander of the Warrior Brigade. To my left is Jack O'Connor commander of the Defense Brigade. Now who are you and why have you come here?"
"Mam, My name is Joseph Brown, and this boy's name is Leonardo. We are escapees of a Canine-beastmen spacecraft east of here. It is about 1000 kilometers."
"Joseph you were off by 70. It is 1070 kilometers," Sprite replied.
"Oh, and his name is Sprite," Leo replied grinning trying to calm the situation.
"Like I was saying we were both imprisoned and escaped with the help of a beastman."
Lycan perked up and asked, "tell me his name so we can honor him?"
"His name was Unit 9345, but we called him Claws."
"Thank you, human Joseph. Shadow go carve the name Claws on the memorial," commanded Lycan.
A feline variant beastman responded, "As you command." She left to complete her job quickly.
Anna then said, "welcome to the settlement we call Independence. I'll have my aide Samantha take you to a place to rest. Tomorrow morning, she will retrieve you and bring you to the council room in town hall and discuss what you know and where you can pitch in." Looking over to a young woman about 19 years old. She nodded her head. "Good then, I shall see you tomorrow. We will move your ship into a bay for safekeeping hope you don't mind." Anna smiled the creepiest smile Leo ever saw. He thought she was way too happy to in this era.
As everyone started to disperse, Lycan gave a chest salute and left. Then Samantha walked up and the two men to follow her. Walking through the buildings was like a maze to Leo. He never got to see so many structures still standing for the most part. As they weaved through the piecemealed settlement, they came to an old gas station. "Even though this place is close to center no one wanted it. So, it is all yours."
"Thank you, Samantha. We will see you in the morning." She smiled and then looked at Leo. Even though he was younger than her, he was still abroad and strapping young man. His roughed-up exterior made Samantha wonder even more about him. When Leo caught her staring, he glared at her out of curiosity. Mistaking the glare as he was upset, she looked down and said, "Goodnight."
Joe was looking over at Leo and laughed. He might be a good fighter, but he knew nothing about women. "Let's get inside and clean up the place if we are going to be living here for a bit."
"Sprite why did Joe laugh at me?"
"I don't know Sir, I'm 55% sure it had to do with the female, but also Joseph doesn't make sense most of the time. So, that could be the other 45%, Sir."
"Leo, hurry up. I need your help moving all the junk piled inside."
Leo ran inside to help move around stuff. There were shelves, tables, an old van, and even a bunch of scrap metal. As the sun was creeping down, Joe dusted off his hand and looked at Leo with a job well done. They moved most of the junk to block the open windows and built them a living area next to countertop.
Joe finally had some time to finish bandaging himself up. Even though Leo did a patch job on the craft. Now Joe was able to seal it with some gel Sprite told them was in the station. After that Joe finally crashed from exhaustion. Leo laid down, but his mind was racing.
Laying there Leo could hardly sleep. The night before he was in an iron cell with little hope of escaping. With Claws help, they survived and got to see the sky again. Then Joe took him to the settlement where they have a lot of humans. When he was looking around, he couldn't even count them all. Looking at Joe sleeping and then down at Sprite a feeling he never felt before started taking place. "This is what it feels to have a home and a family….."
"Sir, a family is a group of people that have mated together to produce offspring…."
"Nooo Sprite, I don't want the mating story again."
"Sir, your pheromones were rising when you saw the female named Samantha. You should mate with her."
"Sprite stop talking. I'm going to bed." Leo rolled over and covered his head with an old vehicle cover. He slowly drifted off to sleep.
Around midnight a siren woke up Joe and Leo and they ran outside. On the intercom, "pack of Coyote beast. Defense team battle stations. Warriors pick off the stragglers." Joe and Leo looked at each other wondering what to do. A man with a blaster ran up the two of them and told Joe and Leo to follow him to his station to be safe.
The station was across from the gas station on the roof of the house. Once up there they walked up a man-made bridge to get on the next home over. Now the three of them were two stories high. "Name is Austin. Point out the coyote, and I will shoot."
At first, it was quiet, and then a pack of shadows ran through the building. All the other men posted started firing. Blaster fire was humming in the air. Focusing his eyesight, Leo could tell they gunmen only hit a few of the coyotes.
A still silence spread over, and Sprite chimed in, "Sir they're on the roof. Leave now."
Ignoring Sprite two coyotes ran towards them and leaped at Joe and Austin. Using an Ascending Sun, Leo knocked the coyote going for Joe off the roof. Leo looked right, and the coyote was clutching Austin's throat in his jaw. "Get off him!" Using all his force, he kicked the coyote off the roof. Looking down Austin was convulsing and bleeding out.
"Sir, you need to apply pressure now, or he will die."
Leo got down and applied pressure to where the beast bit Austin. Cursing at himself for not saving both Sprite spoke up again. "Sir, a late Mana Fighter beast is staring at you." Leo looked up, and less than 10 meters from him was the Alpha coyote beast. Its glowing yellow eyes were locked on Leo. "Let go of the human male and run Sir. Your chance of survival is 32%."
The alpha leaped across the small building towards Leo. Should he run, or should he try to save Austin? He didn't know what to do.