A Web Serial by M.C.A. Hogarth
| 38. Prototype. | 40. Entrapment. |
|---|
39. Under Tension
Barracks. Spots is just settling in after the trip to the Testing Facility. Claws is staring at the ceiling. Long after Spots has stopped moving, he's still staring.
Montage. Engineers laying down grid. One squad guarding. Then another. Shot of the flooring being put down around the trap. Marines shooting crabs.
Control Center. Peaches is leaning over the console, watching the video from several different suit-cams. Gunny's standing behind her, arms folded.
[ Base ] Coyote : Control, this is Team Doggy.
Controller. "Team Doggy, this is Control. Go ahead."
[ Base ] Coyote : The grid is finished. Repeat: Grid is finished. We are escorting the engineers back now.
Controller. "Great news, Team Doggy. We'll pass it on."
Peaches straightens. "That's my cue. What squad's up next?"
Controller, consulting different screen. "Team Kitty, ma'am."
"Tell them I'm on my way."
Armory. Team Kitty is suiting up, along with a couple of Varmints.
Over the intercom. "Team Kitty, the grid is complete. Advise you have the LT on her way down."
Whiskers. "Babysitting again?"
Hairball. "Maybe she just wants to have a look at the thing now that it's done."
Claws. "I know I do."
Scythe, holding down the button on the intercom. "Team Kitty copies, Control. Thanks for the heads-up."
Spots is sitting on a corner, studying the new shield generator.
Claws, under his breath. "Son of a gun!"
Spots. "Claws?"
Claws laughs and shows her his arm. "He gave me one too. I was thinkin' of askin' him for it but didn't want to climb through all the security hoops between us an' his hide-out."
Spots grins. "He really has been around humans long."
Claws. "Either that, or guys are the same everywhere."
Spots. "How's that?"
Claws. "Don't want the girls havin' all the best toys. An' particularly not first."
Fang, eyeing them. "What've you got there?"
Spots. "New shield prototype. We're testing for Samuel-Colt."
Scythe, calling. "You could have remembered to say something about that to me."
Claws. "Sorry, boss, slipped m'mind. Lack of sleep an' all."
Scythe. "No joke, Walker. This is serious." He comes over to have a look. "Was this thing tested?"
Spots. "In the lab, extensively. It's got to be field-tested at some point, Scythe. I volunteered."
Scythe, resigned. "Of course you did. All right, fall in before Bonny Peaches surprises us en deshabille."
Claws. "Fancy, boss. Real fancy."
Scythe. "Yeah, but you got it, didn't you."
Spots. "He pleads the fifth."
Claws shoots her a glare as Peaches enters the compartment, already suited.
Scythe. "Attention!"
The squad stands at attention. Peaches sweeps them with her gaze, then nods.
Peaches. "Looking good. Finish suiting up and let's go have a look at our new flooring."
"Yes, ma'am!"
| 38. Prototype. | 40. Entrapment. |
|---|
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