>He spit them out. "Follow me, we have to find Kara and Charlie before the
>assassins do. It looks like Sly and Iris got the others away too." He popped
>them back in and they ran for the entrance. 

>As they stood by the entrance and looked around into the darkness, Chit
>wished they'd set up some kind of emergency meeting place... of course.
>He set off, Zander in tow.

They were taking a risk coming there, but there was no other conceivable
meeting place. The problem was, the location had been set from HQ, so the
assassins would come to the same conclusion. So they didn't leap out into
the middle of the blasted clearing where the old warren had been, they
snuck up through the treetops and looked down on the scene.

There, in the middle of the clearing, sat Iris and Sly, and Uma and Donna
and Jaime and Claire and Henri and Esser and Arlette... Chit counted quietly.
Seven. That would be all the survivors, except for Kara and Charlie. Unless
the assassins had gotten them too... but they were more likely still looking
for Conway. He hoped they didn't find him. For Charlie's sake, Kara could
take it.

Anyway, while he was glad that they'd all made it here, they were sitting
ducks in the clearing like that. Just because he'd named them after stupid
XCom soldiers didn't mean they had to act like it. Damn it! Hadn't they
learned anything from that game? They'd gotten blown up by blaster bombs
countless times... jesus christ, there was even a streetlamp-type thing
illuminating the whole scene.

He spit out the grenades and gave them to Zander. His cheeks bulged a bit,
but they fit, and it was less obvious then spitting them out where the
assassins might be watching. And there were a few things he had to say to
those two 'security experts'. }:/

"Stay here," he said to Zander, "If the assassins really are watching at
least one of us should stay hidden." Zander looked unhappy, but flicked
agreement.

Chit carefully made his way halfway around the clearing, then clambered down
the (far side of the) trunk and ran out to join the others, who were huddled
in a circle in the middle of the clearing, staring into the trees.

Iris and Sly almost lasered him before recognizing who he was, he was glad
he was so easy to recognize. "Excuse me," he said loudly, "But what do you
think you're doing?"

"Shhh!" Sly said, and Chit almost hit him, but stopped -- you don't smack
someone holding a laser. At least, he didn't. Sly went on in a whisper, "We
don't want to attract the assassins! They hit the warren before we were
ready..."

"I know, I checked there first," Chit replied in a normal tone. "I figured
you'd all come here... but I also figured you'd have more sense than to
show yourselves. They know about this place, they have to! Loren's buddy
the Mentat commisioned this warren in the first place.

"So there's no point in being quiet, if they're here they've seen us. There
is, on the other hand, a very good reason to run like hell for the first bus
to Toledo."

"We have to wait for the others..." Sly whispered, "There were four of you
that went out to search, right? And Conway?"

Damn it. He wanted to wait for Kara and Charlie, but it was too much of a
risk. They'd be okay. If anyone could evade the assassins... "Conway's dead."
The squirrels chittered in alarm. "We've got another spot to meet, better
hidden. Only Kara and I know about it, but we told the other two."

"Who..." one of the other squirrels asked... Arlette, one of Sylvie's. "Who
else is... [chitter] was Emilio with you? [hopefulflick]"

Chit concentrated on staying cool. "Zander and Charlie went with us."

"No!!!" Arlette keened, collapsing to the ground. Chit went over and held
her.

"Shh..." he said softly, "It'll be all right." He highly doubted it. He
figured they'd all be dead by morning. In which case, now that he thought of
it, she wouldn't feel so sad. "Now Shh! Wailing like that is annoying. It'll
draw fire." She giggled, then choked it off and started sobbing again. 

He let her go and turned to Sly and Iris, who were scanning the trees with
their lasers. "We have to leave, now." He glanced anxiously at the treetops.
Useless, of course -- if they hadn't seen him and Zander they wouldn't see
the assassins, who had doubtless had better instructors in the art of not
being seen than Kara. "Give me that," he said to Iris, reaching for the
laser.

"No!" she hissed, flicking angrily. "We're better shots," Sly added, pushing
Chit's paw out of the way.

"And you're also 'masters' of security that let half the warren get
slaughtered in their burrows, and led the rest out here to sit out in the
open and beg the assassins to finish the job. You can tag along if you want,
but I'm taking over while some of us are still alive. Give me the laser, and
give the other one to..." hmm... "Henri."

"No!" Iris screeched, leaping to the side and aiming the laser at him. Chit
rolled frantically while the grass ignited around him, until Sly restrained
her.

"Forgive my mate," he said, "She's a bit... enthusiastic. It's vitally
important that you live, so that you can fulfill the prophecy. She won't let
you compromise your own safety by taking a laser -- the assassins will aim
for the armed squirrels first."

"Give me her laser," he said, "Or I'm going to take it, and you'll have to
kill me yourself. I'm not letting that psycho-bitch stay armed within ten
miles of me." Sly didn't move, except for his tail, which lashed furiously.

Note to myself, Chit thought, avoid insulting armed squirrels. Or their mates.

Sly didn't move, although he didn't release Iris either. All the squirrels
watched him expectantly.

Note to myself, Chit thought, don't threaten suicide.

Chit walked slowly towards the pair.

"Kill him!" Iris snapped, "Now, before it's too late."

"No!" Sly answered, "Not until we can get... them..." he looked up at Chit,
who was listening with intense interest. "All?" He squeaked, grinning weakly.
He giggled softly, [shrugflick]ed, and aimed the laser.

"So it was you all along," Chit said.

"Yep! [flick] Can't believe you fell for that. *NO ONE* believes in that
stupid prophecy. [flick]"

"So why didn't you just kill me when you had the chance?"

"We were supposed to get you all. No sense making you a martyr. At least,
not one that we killed. [flick] Wipe out the warren, blame it on the bunnies,
what could be simpler?

"Of course, now we'll have to hunt your followers down one by one... the
ones we didn't already take care of, that is." Sly glanced around. The other
squirrels were all there, frozen in horror. "Or maybe not."

"Quit stalling and shoot him!" Iris snapped.

"You do it," he chittered.

"You broke the lens when you tackled me. What *is* your problem?"

"Er... nothing. [flick]"

"You *let* them live back at the warren, didn't you?" she said angrily.
"I thought it was suspicious when you managed to get *zero* kills..."

"I can do it!" Sly said, turning back, "Just give a chance to prepare..."

"Give me that!" she snapped, wrestling the laser out of his grasp. She
turned to aim at Chit, who, with the others, had recovered from the
initial shock and was halfway to the treeline. "Now, traitors, you die!"

<*KABOOM*>

Chit stopped, and looked back. Where the assassins had stood was a crater.
Another crater. Fresher. Zander ran down and joined them.

"What took you so long?" Chit asked.

"I was waiting until you were far enough away," Zander chittered, handing
Chit the two remaining grenades. "I remembered what always happened in XCom
when you threw a grenade too close to the others soldiers..."

Chit blinked.

"Should I have thrown it earlier? [chitter]"

"No!" he said, laughing happily. He ran up and hugged him. "Thank you! You
saved us!"

The other squirrels were milling around, vaguely confused.

"What..." Uma chittered, "What about the assassins?"

"Those *were* the assassins," Chit said, "and Zander here got 'em. Now all
we have to do is wait here for Kara and Charlie to show up..."

"No," came a voice from the shadows. They all whirled. "We're here," Kara
said, stepping out into the light. Charlie peeked out from behind a tree
(halfway up) then ran out to join them.

"Do you think that's all of them?" Kara asked.

"I'd say so," Chit said, "Not sure though. Damn... we'd better get out of
here, just in case."

"And head to Toledo?"

Chit pondered. "That's probably best. Safest. We *can't* stay here."

"Actually, you can," came an unfamiliar voice. An unfamiliar *bunny* voice.
Chit turned to see an armored bunny step out from behind a tree. Others
moved from other hidden places to surround the squirrels, most unarmored.
Not that it made a difference with all the squirrels unarmed.

"We heard the commotion and decided to investigate," the original armored
bunny said. "And look what we found. [armored-fluff] The kit killers,
conveniently gathered and wrapped." It paused. "Don't you get it?"

"Get it?" Chit asked.

"Wrapped? All wrapped up? Finished?" He made a 'come on' gesture with a 
black-spike-encrusted forepaw, then gave up in disgust. "Gah! Squirrels!
No sense of humor."

==
Chit                            (Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!)