"You lupines are the worst. Did the gene editing make you all stupider, or do only stupid people decide to go lupine?" the young woman said. She was petite with slender limbs and rose coloured skin, it went beautifully with her dark purple hair that she had slicked back to her collar line. Her ears were large and pointed, and marked her as an elfin variant.
"Shut up Serenitee. You elves are the worst, your edits just make you look weird. We are faster, stronger, hardier, and create connected communities and families." said the wolf variant. He covered his yellow eyes with his large hand, as if in exasperation. "All of which are reasons you came to hire us, right? Stop the bullshit and get in here for a drink you little shit disturber," a wide smile split his face, revealing very sharp teeth.
"Fine Wilfrend, you know I can't turn down a whiskey," she said, smiling now too.
Hours later, and many whiskeys and beers drunk, Serenitee finally said, "I need you to come to old America with me. Your team is the only one I can trust to go that far. The score is," she pauses, and looks around. Then she whispers, "a fucking legend. Every piece of scrap will be worth its weight in editing licenses."
"Are you shitting me? Old America? We'll need to do an exit and reentry flight to avoid the storms of the Atlantic. And then we'll have to be geared up for a war. America," he said loudly, and drank his shot. Droplets of amber liquid hung on the light grey fur over his lips. "Its a wasteland, filled with mutants. Are you taking us somewhere that is still radioactive?"
"I don't have a death wish. The rads are low in the destination. I know the place is filled with mutant animals, that's why I'm hiring you," Serenitee said with a goofy smile. "You're not afraid of a few wolf-bears, are you?"
"Bitch," he said. Then he threw his arm around her shoulder and shouted, "We're heading to Old America boys."
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"Don't move," Wilfrend said. The 5 lupines in his pack, and Serenitee all froze. This wasn't the first time he'd noticed danger in this broken urban landscape, and they were happy to have his senses, superior even compared to other lupines, on their side.
"Over at our 2 o'clock, don't look directly, but there is something large and hungry between that fallen wall and old hotel. If there is one, there might be a pack," he paused to lick his lips. "I'm going to walk ahead while you all spread out in this open area. I want half of you covering me behind these rusted vehicles, and the rest covering all of us by getting your backs up against the building to our 8 o'clock. Once I'm even with where I see the monster, I'm going to sprint ahead to that wreck in the street. Looks like a bus."
Everyone checked their weapons again quickly, then nodded they were ready. Even Serenitee was carrying an automatic phase modulated energy weapon. She dialed it up from stun to puncture.
"Ok, go," Wilfrend said, then started ahead.
Serenitee headed to the wrecked vehicles with 2 of the lupines. She was a good shot, but didn't trust herself at a range much further than this. She took cover and waited. Then Wilfrend ran.
The beast shot out of hiding like that was its cue to move. It was the size of an old Earth cow, maybe, but it looked like a cross between a rottweiler and a lion, with huge paws and a large mane framing the angry, dog-like face. It loped quickly after Wilfrend. To his credit, he didn't turn to look back, he kept sprinting for cover. Serenitee lined up her shot and fired, relying on the rear group to cover her if more monsters showed up.
Her shot blasted a hole in the road behind the beast, 'damn it,' she thought. Luckily the two lupines were better shots, they both hit their mark and the beast tumbled forward with large holes in its chest and skull.
"Nice," she exclaimed, forgetting herself a little. She scanned around, but saw no other movement in the area. The team must have agreed, because they all headed towards the downed monster.
"Hell boss, this guy was booking it, good thing there was only one here. Those teeth are sharper than yours," the tallest lupine said. He went by Rem, Serenitee thought.
"Not sharper than yours though Rem. Nice shooting." Wilfrend bent over and poked a device repeatedly into the beast, targeting organs.
"Taking tissue samples?" Serenitee said. She was surprised, it wasn't the first thing she would have thought of after almost getting eaten.
"Yeah. I have a standing order to bring interesting samples to one of the gene barons." Before Serenitee even opened her mouth, he cut her off, "No, I didn't tell anyone where we were going. It won't matter after we are done though, and people don't make the trip over here often."
"Fair enough. I hope we don't run into any samples that are too interesting though," she said with a smile.
"Me too," but he wasn't smiling.
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It took 3 days to reach the campus they were looking for.
The whole city was overgrown with trees and plants, most of the buildings in the core of the city were collapsed into rubble. It made for a surprisingly good habitat for a variety of nightmare creatures. They avoided most, but still tangled with spiders the size of dogs, goat like things that could ram through walls, and a snake big enough constrict a car.
The outer edges of the city were largely intact, just weathered and abandonned. Fewer trees and plants here as well. The university looked pristine in comparison. Maybe it was the relatively low buildings, but it was clear the campus was spared from the widespread bombing that happened during the collapse.
"And you're sure this is it?" Wilfrend asked.
"As sure as I can be. This is where it all started. The university lab of the great geneticist, Dr. Cerses. The father of Gene editing." Serenitee said. Everyone hushed for a moment. "Now, lets go and pillage his lab."