Doomsday Man Ch. 04: Bourbon Jungle

Cable disengaged and left behind Hector lunged RAMROD forward and ran directly over Tuskarora's hind legs. He heard a snap even inside his truck but kept on going. That power pole was coming down like a falling tree and dragging Tuskarora along with it until it hit the street. Powerlines severed sent a charge all through Tuskarora but somehow, he managed to crawl away into the salon as a shelter to lick his wounds. Creaking above him the ringleader growled just as the roof collapsed burying him. He was going to be stunned for a while. True Blue officers moved in with jetpacks keeping them from touching the electrified street and pumped his snout where it was the most tender with tranquilizer in hopes he was down for the count. Ehh? Debatable!

Members of his herd were far enough away to avoid the electric onslaught. However, Ozzie and Harriet feeling their fur on end leaped to safety jumping from car to car in their way. Rubber tires preventing a deadly jolt. The cats were smart. Distance saved them from an untimely demise, but then again, they did heal fast when wounded. Persia up above found a guest in Bantwo, introducing themselves to one another. It was strange when Bantwo spoke in two separate voices in identifying themselves as distinguishable sisters. The tigers were not the only furballs to have their hair frazzled.

With Tuskarora tentatively taken down Persia followed a silent Bantwo, the sisters likely thinking and conversing within their shared space. Rooftop to rooftop the ladies jumped with an impressive ease until reaching a parking lot below. Standing on the edge of a brewery obviously designed to fulfill the needs of the nightclub across the street, they realized they were not alone. "Hector's pets have tracked us." Bantwo finally spoke again. "Taken to higher ground to avoid the high voltage lines in the streets."

Persia leering back over her shoulder scurried to greet the tigers hugging their necklines and sharing in their combined purrs of affection. Eyes narrowed even Bantwo sensed the rapport the three cats had together. She could relate, with her own bond with her sisters Warbride and Isolation, she whom resides within Bantwo's body. Iso her true name but it just made sense to adopt the codename. Bantwo being a unified name for both sisters Iso did share a wondrous body with her sister Occupa obviously Occupation. Life just had a way of throwing curves. The ladies had more curves than a female should. Fit, trim, booty not slim.

"True Blue has the block cordoned off but the herd is breaking the barrier." Bantwo informed Persia, "The MAWb are much smaller than the Ivory Gang this cannot bode well."

"How the heck do they communicate? All I hear are trumpets and grunts." Persia returned to Bantwo's side, Ozzie sniffing her tail led to swats and hisses. "Sorry! He's horny." Bantwo cocked a Spock like brow and ignored the situation as beast... best she could. Truthfully, she was afraid to know.

"Telepathy! The vocal cords on both the herd and the MAWb are too devolved to speak as humans might, but their brain functions have opened up a channel of telepathic communication that suits them best. Unfortunately, that means the rest of us are susceptible to having our minds read at any moment. They seem too busy to even notice us. Look around us Mrs. Hostile." Persia in turn did just that.

"Vultures!" Aligning the rooftops were humanoid birds just waiting for fallen prey. "Great! I hope they don't go getting hungry for live dinner."

"They watch and wait. Conflict is not their way. With the power lines on the ground, they will not go after Tuskarora. True Blue will likely protect him even if he does not deserve it. That, and his hide might be too tough for them. Not only is the ringleader a BPOZ he has somehow mutated to a sturdier form than most. So far our scientists in the city have not deciphered how that is even possible."

"The times they are a changing. Goddammit Ozzie quit licking my ass." She chose a different tactic to prevent that and somersaulted backwards up over the male tiger and landed on his back, sitting between his spiked secondary ribs that protruded on the outside of his body. That calmed him down some. "Pheromones are a bitch!" Persia related. "Males just can't ignore me, it's impossible. It's like I'm in heat 24/7 to them."

"I pity you. We... must share the same man, my sister and I. Warbride however prefers women."

"Right! Lockheart! Doesn't she control people's lust?"

"Yes! It can be quite effective in getting others to fight her battles."

"Uh huh! And maybe encourage your sister to like her?" Hearing this Bantwo again cocks a brow, she had not thought of that. "Just saying! They could be in love, but I'd always wonder about a power set like that."

"Food for thought. I will keep my eyes on that going forward." Just as they resolved to head down to the ground, now that they were far enough away from the whipping wires on the street, a block over in flew Officer Iron Madden. She/ He was doing her best shooing off the vultures with a vibration cannon attached to her arm gauntlets. The birds flocking moved on for the moment. Seeing the ladies Madden flew in and hovered in front of them. Her reflective visor lifting to reveal the woman within she grinned.

"We having fun yet. So, you're the infamous Persia."

"I am! Grace Madden, correct?"

"That would be me." Formerly Greg Madden but those days were gone. "Sure, you want to get involved in this mess?" Bantwo took that moment to use her own gauntlet to fire off a thin projectile with a steel line attached. The tiny dagger stabbing into a wooden crate on the lot she anchored her end around a vent before using her narrow hydraulic spear in both hands to send her body down to the lot safely.

"Looks like she is. Me? I just want a glass of wine. Do the Hippos even sell wine?"

"Hard stuff mostly. Wine doesn't get beasts that drunk so it's purely medicinal in these parts. I do know a nice cafe uptown if you ever want to ditch Romeo for a few hours just us girls."

"I thought you were a guy."

"Used to be, but I've found my true self. I'm much happier now, minus the periods of course. Need a lift down or are you staying up here with the Tigger Twins?"

"I'll be down shortly. Go do your job, and I'll think on the cafe date. I could use some friends that don't think with their penis. Those I prefer not to call friends." She laughed and patted Ozzie on the head. "Those type are more slam bam damn man. I like it rough!"

"Nice meeting you Mrs. Hostile." Visor down Madden saluted Persia and left her to her urges.

"She seemed nice."

********

True Blue having the power grid shut down contained the electricity factor to enable harnessing Tuskarora. This allowed them to bring in a flatbed trailer to carry him off to Sentinel Suite's version of Alcatraz in the East River. Formerly called Riker's Island it was now referred to as Moreau the Same. That's its nickname, it was really rechristened the Bronx Who! A who's who of beasts and mutants that created trouble for society.

Most of those prisoner's like Tuskarora couldn't swim that far in shark infested waters. Now that the DNA disaster had evolved every living creature even the saltwater mutates could survive in the river. Risky trip should they break out and attempt such a feat. Try as the humans might in keeping humanity going, the world was really fucked up.

"Thank you for saving me Hector Hostile." Warbride pulled her SAFARI unit up alongside RAMROD to greet Hector in opposite directions. "Let us end this battle."

"Follow my lead Headhuntress!" He winked at her then hit the gas pushing RAMROD through its paces in tearing its way through a debris field. Warbride who had long ago erased her true name and adopted her warrior traits whipped SAFARI around to give chase. Airborne units of True Blue accompanying them overhead and dividing up, some to scatter the vultures who were circling again, others to back up the Fort Apache Officer's. They knew Hector was the one to get the job done. Thing was that this job was BIG!

"There's Kashmir! Oh, you have got to be kidding me. They brought their bambino with them. Guess they couldn't get a babyshitter." With Mammoth size backup around the Queenleader and her infant son named Jumboy she was mentally giving off commands to her thirty plus herd to take out the blockades. A number of True Blue Officer's were APOZse like Hector, mutant powers but also combined with animal traits.

Some APOZ, simply mutants used their abilities as a defense. For instance, Shelter aka Sheldon Barlow who had a personal force field that he could expand around him up to thirty feet in any direction required. Shelter stood proud in securing the perimeter no matter the charge of beasts plowing into his field. The field held strong, the distance between he and the invisible field barely made his feet slide on the asphalt with each powerful nudge. Good power to have.

"Warbride?" Hector called via headset mic, "Channel some pulse cannon barrage on the back of the herd. Let's split these guys up so they're not one massive army. I hate using baby boy to piss off Momma Kashmir but it's her fault for bringing a baby to a warzone. He's better off in our hands than if the MAWb gets him. You divide, I'll conquer."

"Done!" The warrior driver clicked the necessary buttons to activate equilibrium pulses from her underside turret array. The pulses messed with more than their bodies; their telepathy was even scrambled. The males began to disperse out of confusion. Hippos gave chase, biting at their legs in hopes of bringing them down and ending their lives. The MAWb were vicious just like in the wild. Don't cross a Hippo unless you plan on being dinner. In most cases the Hippo population working for Ivan Bigfellow and his mob wife Doris were civilized and controlling their genetic mutations in some form of humanity over beast. They just wanted a good life and be proud owners of a business. Namely the nightclub Bourbon Jungle. Booze, broads, gambling, and not so tasty cuisine. To them it was magnifique. Rats, birds, whatever was available. Fish from the sea purchased and made for live dishes. This was their home! Turf and surf! Followed by a burp!

Kashmir was protective of Jumboy, the infant hugging close to his mother. It was easy to see the boy was upset and worried, not hearing his father's thoughts. If not for Kashmir, he might have set out on his own to search for Tuskarora. His older brother Stompede hung close to his mother also, but being adult he was more watching her back than battling the MAWb! True Blue flamers made a path toward Big Momma as well as trying to keep the MAWb from eating Jumboy. Grace Madden flew in to hover next to an idling Hector Hostile, peering over through his window.

"Met your wife. Nice lady!"

"Not now Madden. We need to snatch the baby and draw the herd away from the club. Kashmir won't keep the assault up if he's in jeopardy. With Tuskarora out of the picture I'm surprised the war hasn't retreated by now."

"She's as stubborn as her ole' man. Kashmir used to be an MMA fighter so that tells you something. I'd love to see her fat ass try some kicks now."

"I've seen a few on two legs so don't rule anything out. Have your man Shelter somehow move in and separate Mommy and Booboo. If he can do that, I'll have Warbride hook and hoist Jumboy into her truck bed and neutralize him. Once Kashmir sees her kid in jeopardy she'll follow. I'll deal with her and hopefully bring her down like Hubby. Keep your fire brigade on her herd and the MAWb. Where's Ivan and Doris in all of this?"

"Where do you think? Still at the craps table and eating hors d'oeuvres. I'm ready for a Long Island Iced Tea after this. Lost sight of your Wifey's tail, I wonder where she ran off to?"

"My cat's are with her. She's safe."

"You sure? The male seemed ready to hump her."

"He better not or I'll cut his... shit! It'd just grow back. It's only because of Persia's body chemistry."

"I hear that. If I still had my dick it'd be hard."

"Fuck off Madden! Let's finish this, I'm ready for a shot or five myself." Whiskey!

Shooting skyward Madden began barking orders getting Shelter in position to split up the family. Firebug Unit creating a wall of flame between herd and the MAWb sent the Hippo's backstepping to avoid being burnt. What worried many of the MAWb was all the booze in storage in the distillery that could potentially go boom. A gathering of MAWbster's were blocking the building for just that reason but with their bulk all they essentially achieved was protecting their hired brew cooks indoors working 24/7 safe. Brew cooks that consisted of animals with a better capability to use their hands to get the job done. Hippos were lazy, but good at being enforcers.

Kashmir and Stompede were forced apart from Jumboy, the infant panicking at the separation anxiety. With Shelter walking closer to the herd in order to accomplish his directed task the opening was wide enough to extract baby boy. Warbride abandoning SAFARI with cables to attach to Jumboy dared the herd and the flames, even her own pulse cannons jarring her flesh like rippling waves. She was proving just how tough she was, even seeing Kashmir and Stompede slamming into Shelter's force fields trying to get at her.

The plan was deadly but so far working. Jumboy was disoriented and susceptible to his harness. Once he was wired up Warbride made her way back to SAFARI where Bantwo had jumped into the driver's seat. Hitting a hydraulic recall Jumboy was dragged squealing out of the herd itself. A number of herd members tried to intervene, but Hector added to the pulse cannons to prevent Warbride from being trampled.

At the tailgate of SAFARI, Warbride exercised her true strength and lifted the infant up into the bed and let the canopy enclose him. Bantwo moving over for her sister let Warbride take the wheel and drive off with Jumboy. Momma was having a fit! Sure, enough she and Stompede along with two others gave chase. Shelter then turned his tide, pushing the rest of the herd back. MAWb members kept distant at the True Blue Officers who demanded they not intervene any further. Good enough for them, it was dinner time.

"That's it! Good job Ladies." Hector praised his team. "Take Jumboy out about ten miles then let him loose. Stay with him until Kashmir and her crew catch up then get out of there. I'll see you two back at Fort Apache."

"Battle well, Brother Hostile!" Warbride replied.

"Hoping that parts over. Unless you're referring to my prying my wife away from the club here. My gut says she's inside. Curiosity always did thrill the cat."

The herd forced back ended up joining Kashmir in charging down the street. With Tuskarora now bound tightly on a flatbed trailer brought in by a heavy-duty chopper, the bed was airlifted to transport him to Bronx Who Island. His herd stressing over being unable to save their leader chose for now to save his heir. Stompede and the Queen were in power now. Jumboy would grow to hate humanity. Even in containment the baby was fuming with anger. Someday soon his strength would grow. Watch out world!

Hector waited a bit before shutting down RAMROD and leaving the safety of his ride. True Blue fliers now on the ground were cheering over their victory. Over an intercom system came the voice of an assistant to Ivan Bigfellow, "Is this thing on?" TAP! TAP! TAP! "Good! Apologies! This is Niles Oxpecker! My employer Mister Bigfellow wants to thank you all for helping keep peace. Drinks are on the house." Cheers!

BEEP! BEEP! RAMROD was locked tight and in self-defense mode.

"Works for me."

Iron Madden wrote Hector an illegal parking ticket just for laughs. Reports to fill out she flew off back to Sentinel Suite.

"Time to see what the pussy's into. Hopefully not into her."

Uh-huh!