Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire
Chapter 19: You Win Everyone Else Loses Part I 

Day: 28 (Somewhere in World Two)

“I whammied that one real good. He has been out for the last day. Was their hover vehicle worth anything?"

“That is the thing Vicious we couldn't get it to work. Every time Fierce and Ferocious tried to power it on it refused to start."

“Docile, did they clean it completely?"

“Yeah Ferocious made sure it was spotless. But it still wouldn't start!"

“What about the occupants?"

“We got the lioness but we haven't found the mongoose you saw- he ran in every direction."

“Keep working on the hover vehicle."

“And the girl?"

“You and the crew can pass her around or do what you want with her. If you are going to get rid of her let me know."

“Ok Vicious, and the human?"

“Yeah Vicious, what about the human?" I said stirring.

My head still felt fuzzy as I stood up to confront the road warriors.

The masked equine produced his bobble and started trancing me- again.

“He is freckled, homely and is going back to sleep." Vicious said.

*groan*

*thud*

“You just want to squeeze his butt again don't you?"

“Well it is rather cute. Rest assured he will join our OTHER offerings tomorrow Docile."

Day: 29 (The same somewhere in World Two)

I awoke some time later in a dirty 20 x 15 room. It appeared to be a dilapidated apartment, grey walls, brown floor and completely bare except for a metal table, chair and narrow window across from me. 

I felt wobbly as I stood up.

(How did I get here? Why do I feel so loopy?)

The last thing I remembered was the road warriors surrounding Shakara, Corbin and myself. Shakara! Corbin! Where are they? What happened to the prototype?! 

Let's see... I was fine until I started looking at that pendant that masked beastial was holding, that was when I felt dizzy. Damn, that son of a bitch hypnotized me and Shakara! That is the only plausible explanation! When we tried to make a break for it, the prototype's systems started to fail, we were surrounded and then... and then... I heard two of them talking, I woke up and that bastard did it to me again!

Now I am here. But why did the prototype fail? We should have been able to dispatch those thugs quite easily. Damn, it must have been that liquid they sprayed on the blue coupe! Oh no they got Corbin, Shakara and the prototype!

This is bad, very, very bad. I was separated from my companions and there was no way to get a message to Lady Ursa and professor Stern to let them know that we were in trouble or that I was here where ever that was.

I started to make my way towards the window opposite the table and chair in an effort to to try to figure out where I was. That was when I noticed my mobility was limited; there was something attached to my back; a harness and a cord. The other end was attached to the table. It seemed to be a rubbery - spongy material, very flexible, but not capable of being cut. I felt like a common dog. I was able to move about the room, but I could not reach the door leaving the apartment; I only had enough length to make it to the window and another room at the far end which I assumed was the bathroom.

I made my way over to the window and looked out, it appeared that the apartment was on the third floor of some building that was still standing amid all this destruction. Immediately across the street were remains of small store fronts the next block behind those- more destroyed buildings debris and rubble literally everywhere probably from the tornados that had destroyed the city. That pattern of destruction was really haphazard. The area I was in had been damaged but not as heavily as the blocks beyond.

My attention was then drawn to some commotion on the next block over. I witnessed a pygmy goat running from three humans a man and two women each were carrying makeshift weapons, one was holding a pitchfork, another a block of wood and the last carried a pipe.

The pygmy goat was wearing a distinctive uniform, despite it being dusty and dirty. He carried a sword and service weapon with him. I noticed while he was running he keep touching and shouting into a device on his left wrist. 

(Crap! It was a Knight of Warwick!) 

The communicator, the sword and service weapon were a dead give away. The crowd cornered him against a collapsed wall nearby. The goat first pulled his service weapon and started to fire it- nothing happened. 

As the man and two women moved in, he drew his sword. As he did that, an ATV drove down the street toward the would be mob. It looked like the bewildered knight was going to receive assistance from the vehicle's driver. That was when I noticed that the driver like the road warriors I had seen earlier had their face covered in a mask.

The ATV drove by the knight's would be assailants and headed for the pigmy goat. At the last second the driver turned the steering wheel to the left causing the ATV to drift sideways pinning the knight to the wall. He dropped his sword.

The ATV driver then got off his vehicle and with the mob's encouragement picked up the knight's sword and stabbed him with it. Before slicing the goat's head right off- his mouth was wide open as he died. The man, and two women cheered at the conclusion to their hunt.

I realized that there was a bad state of lawlessness here after the empire collapsed. What was left of the knight core was powerless to do anything about it. The city's isolation also did not help. 

(Right, it is not a good idea to be outside right now.)

“I am a bit larger than you're used to- you better spread your legs REAL wide!"

“Please no more!"

“You know the game brown fur, if you don't impress me or the crew you will join the OTHER offerings."

“Please! You are too big!"

“You are done when I say you are done babe and I have so much I want to give you!! Hnnnrghh!!!"

*scream*

My attention was drawn from the spectacle outside to someone grunting and shouting from behind the doorway of the room at the far end. 

“OAH my bunny buddy!!!"

(I thought that was the bathroom!) 

I thought to myself as I heard a female cry in extreme anguish.

Shakara!! I quickly ran to the door. My leash just allowed me to make it. I turned the handle and prepared to open the thing wide trying to see who was making those sounds.

The door led to a bedroom inside it I found a rabbit beastial brown fur, brown hair stark naked on her back whimpering as her pussy was being pounded by a massive flared penis moving in and out of her by a naked masked beastial.

(Vicious!)

I watched as he pulled out of her, flipped her on her tummy then placed his 'stick' between her cheeks thrusted a bit more then shuddered as he ejaculated all over her back. As he did I got a good look at the rest of him without his clothing. His arms and legs were striped while the rest of his fur was grey. He was a zonkey.

The brown rabbit whimpered as the z-donk finished. He grabbed a cloth and wiped her down before forcibly cuddling with his victim.

“No more... please...." The beastial female pleaded.

“You know I can't comply babe!" The masked beastial hissed at her. 

The brown rabbit female looked at him before dropping her gaze.

“You are one fantastic lay. The rest of the crew seems to agree as well. You are quite lucky we found you when we did- it is quite dangerous out there."

The masked naked beastial was obviously from one of the gangs that was running around the city. The rabbit female had a dazed, anguish look on her face as if she was consenting (reluctantly) to something she really didn't want to do, because she had to. 

She was partially reclined on what remained of a couch or sofa when they began again. Her male companion had his paw placed on her torso just below her breasts. His left paw on the sofa as he rocked his hips with reckless abandon into and out of her letting his testicles smack her vulva with each stroke. The rabbit had her right paw clasped gently around his neck.

“AW YEAH!!" Her assailant shouted as he pressed himself deeply inside her and stopped moving. “WOO!!!"

*OAH* The rabbit female moaned. I am not sure if it was that she enjoyed it or was glad that he had finally finished.

“Voracious and Ferocious were right." The he beast said embracing her in his after glow. “Perhaps I might just keep you around."

“You will?" The raped she beast asked.

“I might. You make a fine personal penis warmer, soft fur, even softer insides, and you have a pleasant smile too. Next let's see how many of us you can take in a session."

The female relaxed as her rapist pulled out of her again, his penis still dribbling with goo as it emerged from her. He washed her down a second time before reclothing. As he stood up, I realized that she was chained to the sofa like I was to the table. 

I quickly and quietly closed the door and went back to looking out the window. Eventually the masked male exited the bedroom. 

“You came to." The thug said walking into the living room. “Sorry for the delay, I was in the mood for a quickie- that female back there she's got the softest pussy around and nice singing voice too."

“What is this place?" I said staring at him.

“A lair that I use every now and again. Sorry for the lack of amenities, there haven't  been any for a while."

“No here." I said turning at him.

“You are in World Two." The zonkey said wiping his arms and legs with a cloth.

“What happened to my companions?" I asked looking at the masked beastial.

“You were separated from them." The z-donk said to me.

At that point I was starting to get very annoyed by his simple answers.

“Where are they now Vicious?!"

“Tch!" He responded pulling on my rope. The sudden tug caused me to land right on my butt.

“What is going to happen to me?"

“My you are a talker." The he beast said. “You are what we call an offering- a desirable."

“Meaning?" I grumbled.

“You are a remnant one that Others consider quite valuable. They are having a special today for every ten viable candidates we bring them, they will let one of us back into their good graces."

It dawned on me that for the second time in so many days, I have encountered a deficient, someone who was rejected by the synoptic and like my mistress, desperate to become an 'insider' again. So much so, that they would sell out their friends, family and anyone else they could find just to be possessed by the entity again. I would soon realize just how dangerous these Rejects actually were.

“I suppose we should get going." The masked equine said removing my leash and throwing me over his shoulder.

“Wait! Wait!" I protested. “You don't have to do this!"

“Really little human? Why not?"

“I see that you are a member of a gang of sorts. Do you have anyone to look after your members? I mean since the fall it has been kind of hard to find good healers."

“So what are you saying small fry?"

“I am medic I could look after you and your crew's health." I said as he placed me down on the apartment floor.

“That is nice, but we already have one of those." He said to me calmly. “A penguin from World One who made a similar offer to save herself."

(DAMN!)

“So sorry, but that position is filled. Besides there is nothing you can offer me that could counter the deal I have now."

“You mean becoming an Other?"

“I have been to that place small fry and it is wondrous! After that everything else here and in the universe is just trite. I want to go, I must go back permanently." 

(Note to self, it is futile arguing with a Reject.)

“So let's go or do I have to entrance you again?"

I dropped my gaze back to the ground as he said that. I was then slung back over the masked equine's shoulder as he left the apartment.

“So long Sura. I think Renegade and Slash wanted a turn with you next. Hope you survive the experience."

“Sura?! You mean the singer?"

“Yeah, the same." The beastial said as we made our way out to the street. My hands were bound and I was placed on his ATV. “Sorry about the visual impact little fella- but this is what is left of the city." He said as I looked around.

“How is it that you have transportation?"

“Hmm?" Vicious said.

“Everything electronic has been disabled."

“Oh that. It took some doing but the crew found some items that were outside the impact range. Repurposed them and we have mobility while the rest do not."

With that he started his ATV and we proceeded to drive off. 

“Have you been to World Two before?"

“Once." I replied.

“But not since the change?"

“No."

“Well then allow me to give you an updated tour. Oh and don't even think about screaming for help- there is none. Now to our left you have hollowed out buildings literally skeletons of their former grandeur, now to your right a desiccated structure- some type of business of corporate office. Behind that and in front more of the same. Over there hover vehicles that dropped from the sky. I think the remains of their operators are still inside. Oh and also notice that the street they landed on is now a dirt road littered with rocks and stones. The tornados that came through here were so severe and so intense they literally tore up the pavement." Vicious said to me.

The masked equine drove north. His mode of transportation was well chosen- we drove over, around and through block after block of rubble, debris and ruin occasionally passing survivors who were scavenging for food and water. Some were fighting each other for their daily necessities. Misery was everywhere.

“So where are you taking me?" I asked the zonkey as his ATV hit several chuck holes.

“The 'bin' it is a storage and collection point for offerings."

“Oh." I replied.

“Why so quiet? When I put you under the other day, you were singing like a canary. Your desperate mission to find supplies for your hidden colony."

“I said that?"

“You sounded very noble, dashing and quite heroic."

We were close to the 'bin' as my kidnapper referred to it where he planned to drop me off with his crew's OTHER offerings. I knew that I had to escape, but where to in all of this ruin? And how?

As we drew closer the zonkey saw another ATV about 1000 feet opposite our direction. It was headed directly towards us.

The road warrior had to swerve to the right to avoid being hit.

“It is him!" He shouted.

“Friend of yours?" I asked him.

“No. That has to be the Revenger. He has been attacking gangs all over the city!" He said as the ATV turned around for another strike. The equine floored it, but the attacking ATV was faster. It sideswiped us as it drove by. I was thrown from the ATV as it crashed landed into a pile of rubble.

This was the opportunity that I had been looking for! I got to my feet and ran as fast as I could. I had to get away from that beastial and find help but where in all this nothing? 

I ran several blocks to the north, then west before I found another section that had only suffered moderate damage but was still standing. On that block was a small base station belonging to the Knights of Warwick. I quickly ran inside.

“Please I need help!" I screamed to the surprised knight I found. He was a green lizard with a helmet carrying a sphere some armor and little else. He was very stressed. He also looked really familiar. 

“Don't we all." He said to me.

“Izzy?!"

“Do I know you human?" He said looking me up and down.

“Yes. I am Alex Winter I worked with Chemar of the Knights of Wundagore. We helped you take down some operatives of the Animalitia some years back." I said presenting my bounded hands to him.

“Yes I do remember you. How is Chemar?"

“Missing. I haven't seen or spoken to him since before the fall."

“Nor have I. Without the empire around this job has become impossible." He said to me.

“What did 'the Jaws of Justice have to say?"

“Commander Gator is gone, as is Warwick Castle and most of us."

“Wow, that is tough." I said presenting my bound wrists again.

“Those who are left are being picked off one by one by the gangs, mobs, Rejects, neo-rebels and creatures roaming around. I have tried calling for help but we are cut off from the other cities."

“There is no help coming Izzy. World One was destroyed by conflagration, World Three was destroyed by lava, World Four was destroyed by quakes and World Five by flooding. Compared to the other cities- World Two is the least impacted."

“How can you say that?!" He asked me.

“More of it is standing then the other cities Izzy."

“Really?"

“Can you get me out of this? I am in a jam." I said presenting him my wrists again. “I and my companions were kidnapped by a gang after our arrival here. I managed to escape but I need help finding them."

“Which one? There are quite a lot to chose from." The lizard said.

“They drove ATVs and claim they own the roads here." I responded.

“THE HORDE." His eyes became quite dazed as he said that.

“Who are they?" I asked.

“They are a fringe group of outcasts who were rejected by the synoptic. They will do anything- literally anything to fall under its influence again. I call them Rejects."

“Izzy, these Rejects have my friends and I fear for their safety!"

“Sorry Alex. I don't have the resources to deal with the threats that are popping up now. Our weapons are ineffective- all we have are spears and swords."

“Izzy there must be something you can do! I need help!"

“You know there is." He said leading me outside of the base back into the gravel street.

(What's he doing?!)

To my shock the honorable knight of Warwick flagged down another road warrior- this one was a warthog on another cobbled together ATV.

“Hey, I think you are looking for this."

The masked beastial snickered accepting the gift from the bewildered knight.

“Izzy!" 

I had been betrayed by a friend of a friend.

“The empire is gone boy and not coming back. The sooner you realize it the better off you will be!"

“Thank you for returning our property back to us knight Vicious has been looking for this. Perhaps we could offer you some compensation for your troubles?" The masked road warrior said.

The lizard nodded.

“I will put in a good word for you then." The beastial said throwing me crosswise over the middle of his seat.

“I should have never gone to him for help."

“Trying to escape was your first mistake." The masked beastial said smacking me on my backside- hard. “The second was seeking help from the core. They are nearly extinct."

The road warrior who called himself Ferocious, drove me to the 'bin' which used to be a nice looking ranch style house in a formerly nice section of the city- now in ruin.

“Look what I found!" The masked warthog said leading me right to the masked zonkey.

“I should have put him under before transport." Vicious said. “How did you find him?"

“I didn't, one of the knights did."

“So the few and proud are trying to curry our favor huh?"

“I think they want protection." Ferocious said.

That statement just sounded so, so wrong.

“Place him with the rest of the offerings." The zonkey ordered the warthog.

The road warrior started to lead me away. 

“Ferocious."

“Yeah Vicious?"

“Hold the offering steady."

!!!

That was when the masked zonkey punched me hard in my stomach. I tried to dodge what I saw coming but Ferocious had quite a good grip. As I dropped to my knees as it was followed with a kick.

“That is for trying to escape." Vicious said.

I was taken to the what used to be a interior yard and was placed with the OTHER offerings. As Ferocious opened the door to the courtyard, we were rushed by the luckless souls there.

I was thrown right at three hitting a young gorilla, avian and man who tried desperately to escape. All four of us landed in a big heap.

“No escapesies!" Ferocious said closing the door. 

“Damn!" The male human said helping me and the gorilla and avian up.

“Oliver?!" I said standing up.

“Alex is that you? Hey Theresa!"

“Nice to see a friendly face." She said to me. “By the way welcome to hell."

“I see you guys did make it here."

“Yeah but we got captured while searching for my sister." Theresa said.

There were eight in the courtyard with me six beastials and two humans- poor souls who were also victims of the Rejects. Unfortunately Corbin, Shakara and Dianna Wild weren't there.

“I knew we should have escaped earlier when we had the chance!" A pregnant dalmatian said to her mate.

“And gone where? I tell ya it is going to get better, we have to just ride it out!" The male said to his female.

“Ride it out?" A doe near the couple said crying. “You think that the High Evolutionary and his enforcers are going to burst through these doors, punish our captors and just restore order?"

“Well...." The male dalmatian started to say. “As sure as the spots on my bottom."

“Delusional much?" The adolescent gorilla said chastising the naive canine. “The knight core is being hunted to extinction. There is no order, only chaos! Anyone who survived the fall is facing starvation, disease, pain and misery."

“Any beast who ran for the forest is facing the same thing." The canine countered.

“So what is going to become of us?" The female avian asked.

“You don't know?" Theresa asked. 

“The zonkey said that we were offerings." The pregnant dalmatian said.

“That is exactly right." Vicious said walking into the courtyard. “You nine will be offered to the entity."

He was soon joined by the masked warthog and a masked capybara they called Fierce. All three were carrying weapons, a sword, mace and crossbow.

“Your miserable lives are going to change for the better!" Ferocious added. “The Others accepting the nonconverted right now."

“And what do you get out of this?" Oliver asked.

“An opportunity to join you." The warthog exclaimed. “No misery, pain or suffering only the true bliss of the ONE."

“You forget to mention minus the free will part." I added. “You know becoming the entity's meat puppet, you know its bitch."

“I have seen them around." A lamb next to the gorilla said. “They have creepy smiles and bizarre stares always. They don't sleep, eat or suffer from ailments either. If they touch you, you become one of them."

“Please don't do this!" The pregnant dalmatian pleaded. “I don't want my young to be enslaved!" 

“You should rejoice offering. Your pups will never know strife, misery or pain only the synoptic!" The masked capybara added.

“Yes and it is wondrous and for all of you a change for the better!" Vicious said. “So have a seat, relax, take a load off and surrender your free will!"

I noticed that the gorilla, lamb, avian, dalmatiations and doe freaked out at his statement, while Theresa, Oliver and I looked on in disbelief.

“I think our contact is here." The warthog said leaving the courtyard momentarily. “Coming!"

This was the moment! If I didn't leave right here right now... that would be it. But then there was my fellow offerings.

The warthog returned to the courtyard carrying back a spherical orb.

“Someone left this at the door." Ferocious said. “It is quite odd looking."

“You fool it is probably a bomb!" Vicious said examining the device.

“No, there doesn't seem to be any triggering mechanism. It looks like it looks like some type of toy." Fierce said.

(NO WAY!!!)

The three watched as the orb lifted off from the warthog's paws to hover over him, the zonkey and capybara. It panned left and right looking at the prisoners, then the wall in the courtyard and then back at the road warriors. That was when it happened.

*CHA BOOM!!!*

The three road warriors turned behind them as the high fence surrounding the courtyard was blown apart and in drove a familiar blue coupe with weapon a launcher deployed.

“Did someone get that hover vehicle working?" Ferocious asked.

“No." Fierce responded.

*Do not move you are my prisoners!!!* A youthful voice shouted.

“That will be the day." The zonkey said. 

*Then it will be today- because I am in quite a foul mood!!!*

“Um Vicious?" Ferocious said redirecting his colleague's attention to the blue coupe as another weapons launcher appeared this time on the left side of the vehicle just below the driver side window.

Alex Winter January 29 YOE 34