[Somewhere in Ministry of Knowledge's territory.] It's a warm day on this nameless planet, specifically in it's vast rainforest. During summer cycle the temperatures get unbearable, but what can you do, right? That is the question that a squad of five people ask themselves rhetorically in thoughts. The group is resting within walls of leaves, vines and trees. They lay on the ground, lean against roots and tree barks with eyes lazily daydreaming. Those people are all Apex, four of them visibly in teenage years. There is visible difference in posture compared to the fifth person, an adult Apex in his early 20's, which appears to be the only one focused as his eyes roam the depths of bushes, picking out each sound out of the orchestra to be sure, be sure that the source is not trying to kill them. "Lieutenant, permission to take a piss?" Says one of the teenagers, a brown Apex with short buzz fur. He asks that in a light-hearted manner. The adult doesn't respond immediately, being in a trance of caution. His head darts back to the young one and a frown gives him few more years in looks. "Permission denied, Cricket. I told you all two hours ago to relieve yourselves. All of us listened, except for you." So-called lieutenant went back to glaring at bushes, immersing into the sounds again. Cricket doesn't respond, instead crossing his legs with a focused grimace on his face. The other three, a white apex, grey one and another brown don't really react to it. Daily shenanigans like those waste those short hours of rest from them, it's better to stick to yourselves, be quiet. After ten minutes Cricket begins to squirm in place, visibly trying to hold it. Few sticks break from all the commotion and lieutenant looks back at the teenager once more. "...Go, two minutes. If you're late, night shift is yours."Cricket does not even respond, jumping on his feet as he darted into the bushes to take care of his problem. Four of them sit silent for a moment, before the white one speaks up. "Always troubles with him, you know? When was the last time he did not went to /pee/?" He exclaimed with accusation in his tone. "Tellin' you, he doesn't pee there. Or shit, I heard rumours in camp that he's been smuggling tobacco all the way from the civilian zones." "So what?" Asks the second brown one, smacking his lips at the comment. "Oh no, Big Ape is endangered because Cricket had been smoking cigarettes on a scouting mission. Defend the Ministry from toxins, Fred!" He says with mock in voice. Lieutenant seems to not care about the quarrel, already focused on the forest. The grey one listens to the two talking, but doesn't say a thing. Fred adjusts the helmet on his head, painted in green camouflage, as he shakes his head. "Very funny, Seoul, very funny. Know what I find funny? When you went to Trista before we departed and asked her to pray for you. Oh yeah, a thirty years old married woman is definitely on her knees right now." That made the grey one snicker loudly, biting on his lips to not burst out with laughter. Even lieutenants's lips went up in a slight smile. Seoul wanted to say something, pointing his finger up in the air but apparently decided not to. Then, multiple things happen at once. Cricket comes out of the bushes, but not alone. He is held with one hand by a much taller, broader Apex with a knife milimeters away from teenager's neck. Out of the other sides at least five others jump out, all of them with rifles pointed at the group. Lieutenant shakes off the surprise first, grabbing the rifle resting on his legs. The second are both Fred and Seoul. No mercy was given to them, as they were shot down with quick series from the intruders. Their bodies, becoming lifeless in mere seconds, would lay on the damp ground of the rainforest. This mild-relaxed atmosphere seems like it was ages ago for the grey teenager, who did not react as fast as his comrades had. With the rifle still on his legs, he slowly raised his arms up, the eyes betraying that he was scared, truly terrified for his life. "Fuck... F-FUCK!" Cried out Cricket, watching the scene with pain painted on his face. A single stream of tears leaked from his right eye. The Apex behind him, a man reaching his fourties of white fur and red skin, looked at the harmless grey soldier. "What do we do with the two, Yarkart?" Asks one from the ambush squad, his eyes locking onto the white Apex as his rifle is still pointed at the teenage soldier. "They surrendered, didn't they? We ain't killing kids without guns, eh?" Even though he said those words, the knife did not move from Cricket's neck. "Take the other, let's see if they like the taste of another perspective in this war." And so the one from the squad lowers his rifle and walks over to the grey Apex, grabbing onto his arm to yank him up. He did not resist, letting the group to lead them into depths of the bushes, back into the green mass of the unknown. [The End]
