X

By Ebonhawk

Dressed in a traditional Cantonese shirt, simple black trousers and carrying a walking stick, a male liger fur walks up to the edge of a 100 foot wide metal rimed pool. Around the pool stand many beautiful females all armed with machinegun and fierce expressions. He kneels at the edge and looks at the sole humanoid occupant - a red fox fur bobbing on the top of the water.

“Well, Mr. Bind, I do hope that my people have been keeping you well entertained.”, he says in a kind and courteous voice.

“Well, Silver Fang, the ladies were very diverting but my current accommodations do leave a little to be desired”, says the fox. Almost on cue, a robotic fin pierces the water. The fox draws away from it as it brushes past his leg. “I hope you don’t expect me to tell you anything”.

“Of course, not.” silver Fang snarls. “I will get that information from your assistant.”

Bind tried to hide his shock. He knew there was no one who knew that the he was here. He kicked himself for not reporting his location to HQ.

Fang examined the fox and knew the truth. “You are so transparent Mr. Bind. You obviously don’t know anything about what is happening.”

Mr. Bind smiled. He knew what to do with this agent of evil. “Maybe you would like to tell me.”, the fox snickered.

“You know that when I created my sonic technology, I immediately knew its commercial value. Using it to map the earth’s geological wonders made me rich beyond dreams. But now I will be richer still. Using that technology, I created the sonic lance. My sonic lance can stimulate earthquakes anywhere in the world where my subs can reach. If I am not paid, I will turn my navy against the true masters of this world and free it by using the power of the earth itself!” The evil villain began to cackle at his at his own marvels.

“Just so long as you aren’t out to make some cheap beach front property in Arizona”, Bind said.

“Of course, not”, the big cat replied with sick sarcasm. “I am a freedom fighter.”

Just then alarms began to sound and the ladies around the pool ran out to stations elsewhere. Bind looked around wondering what the cause was even as Silver Fang began to bark orders at a couple of the lady soldiers as they passed him. Bind didn’t have to wonder long. Bind didn’t need his sensitive ears to hear as explosions rocked the island. Then he noticed the walls blur and shake hard for a moment. And another round of explosions occurred. It had to be the vaunted sonic lance; but, who had used it to cripple it’s creator’s base.

“Excuse me Mr. Silver Fang, I would appreciate it if you raised your hands”

Bind knew that voice. Every time he came got new equipment for his missions, he had to see X - the resident techie. That couldn't be though - X was an old raccoon he would never get near the action. He was always too sensible and too valuable for such things. As Bind turned around he expected to see any other furson then him. As he looked up he saw a gray and silver raccoon face of X at poolside.

“Hello, double-oh eleven.”, he said.

It was him. Out of his lab and in the field. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Silver Fang point his walking stick’s handle in his direction. Bind had seen him kill his agents that way.

“Watch out!”, Bind yipped.

Unlike most of Bind's supporting agents, X just smiled at the villain. Fang’s gun went off but X just continued to smile at the evil overlord as the bullet hit something metallic and fell uselessly to the floor. X pulled a little silver box out of his breast pocket. He tossed it toward the ground, but just as it was about to hit, it grew eight metallic legs. The metallic spider ran towards Silver Fang. Fang shot it three times before it got to his feet. It jumped up and wrapped it’s legs around the liger. The big cat struggled and tried to escape until the metal bug spewed a pink knock out gas in the cat’s face. X walked up to the edge of the pool and bent down so that he could talk to Bind.

“Now 0011, do you remember this ring I am wearing?”, the old raccoon said.

“You gave that to me yesterday”, he replied. He remembered it alright. X had given it to him but he had forgotten it when he was talking to Pandapenny. He left it on her desk.

“I gave you this for a reason, 0011. Now watch!” X opened the setting on the ring and a little stream of nanobots fled the ring in a string of silvery specks. The mechanical shark took careful aim and began to charge Bind’s legs with a clear intent to mangle.

“Uh..X..could you give me a paw out of here.”

“Just watch”, the old raccoon replied.

The shark drew closer and closer. Bind normally tried not to sweat, but as the shark came writhing biting distance a bead of sweat rolled down his brow. At the last second, the shark ducked under the fox’s feet and with a slight twist of the head threw the vulpine agent out of the pool. X walked over to the secret agent and offered him a paw up -which the proud and uninjured fox declined.

“This is why I make sure you are well equipped. To deal with these things.”

“How did you know?”, the fox asked as he made himself look like the lady killer he was once more.

“After the war, I came up with this device that lets me see tachyon waves. Using it I can always tell what problems you are going to encounter and then I whip up something to help you deal with the problem.”