The First SaR Mission Ch. 03

-The Full Moon Retreat-

Episode: The First Search and Rescue Mission

Chapter 3:

The Circus Comes to Town...

To the reader:

It was nice to have made some progress after my, apparent, chapter 1 debacle. Even having read many hundreds of stories on Literotica, over the years, writing and publishing this first one, for me, at the least, is trial and error. Thanks for the feedback and thanks to all of you for sticking with me.

This time around, I have pared out much of the equipment description and "en route" training and map illustration that was chapter 3, (My limited experience told me that it would not be well received), and telescoped the necessary text into, what was chapter 4. By popular demand, this revised chapter is about as plain, in its presentation, as it is going to get. As I have said previously, I live and I learn. Also, I may begin combining some chapters, simply to make the postings on the website longer.

Special thanks to my wife, Diane for proofreading for me.

*****

[08:30, Tuesday, as wheels begin to roll]

Jack and his key people, except for Leon and Jay, his lead betas, are in a black SUV, pulling a generator, at the head of a convoy. Following Jack's SUV, two large tour buses, a tractor-trailer rig, and three more black Suburbans, each pulling a trailer. Jack's Beta Prime and Segundo are onboard the two buses...

Opening his Alpha bond to his betas on the buses and those in the SUV with him...

Jack: Ok, everybody, this should be interesting. I have never tried to use the bond to communicate within a moving convoy, before. Leon, Jay, How many did we have sign-up?

Leon Barski: Boss, We ended up having to ask for volunteers to stay behind. We have a hundred wolves and three Werepanthers going as search teams and twenty-eight Weres and humans going as support.

Jack: Wow! Excellent! Do you and Jay have your 'demo packs' and are you prepared to hold school on the way?

Leon: Yes, Boss.

Jay Robinson: Yes Alpha.

Jack, turning to his mate: Mari, do you think that we got everything?

Mari: I think so. Stop worrying. If we missed anything, we'll send someone back to get it or out to buy what we need.

Jack: Oh, Gawd! I forgot bedding!

Mari: Jack, Stooopppp! Eleanor had a hundred and fifty folding cots with blankets and pillows loaded on.

Jack: Oh, good. Excellent!

Mari: Jack, all of the lead staff sat in on the planning meetings. Trust your people. They are smart and want this to go smoothly, just, as you do.

Jack: Yeah, I know. I'm, just, nervous. This is the first time out and is going to be so much in the public eye... It's our first and best chance to shine.

Onboard the first bus...

Leon: Ok, everybody. Listen up! I'm going to go over your backpacks, how to configure them for your wolf and how to configure them for your human. I will also, go over what they contain and how to use the special equipment in them.

The packs are white and reflective with a big red cross and the words 'SEARCH AND RESCUE,' in big red letters. It's a matter of not having the surviving victims die of a heart attack when they find themselves surrounded by a pack of giant wolves. There is one other little piece of gear that goes with the pack. We call it the 'poncho.' This might be useful, this time out. Once again, it's made of lightweight, waterproof nylon, white with a reflective red border. It goes over the packs and snaps together underneath or can be snapped to the pack straps...

*****

Leon works through the entire inventory, explaining each item and demonstrating them, where needed...

Basic inventory of a Search and Rescue wolf-backpack:

1 - UHF digital, handheld, two-way radio with ear clip mic / speaker

24 - spare lithium batteries, (will fit all included electronics)

1 - Personal Locator Beacon, (transmits identifier and GPS location)

1 - flare launching pencil with 6 red flare cartridges

1 - LED flashlight

1 - LED headlight and headband

1 - K-Bar knife with a backside saw

1 - hatchet

1 - magnesium fire-starter bar

50 – "strike-anywhere" matches, waterproofed

1 - book; survival and first aid

200 ft. - roll of 800-pound parachute cord

1 - basic First-Aid kit

2 - 1-liter bottles of drinking water

24 - energy bars

1 - water purification hand pump

2 - parachute cloth, 10' x 10', rip-stop nylon, Dayglow orange, waterproof

4 - "Space Blankets"

2 - VyTeck jumpsuits

1 - pair rubber slipper shoes

1 - his / hers swimsuit

*****

Leon: Ok. I think that we are down to the last item. It's a marvel of ingenuity. It's a sort of two-piece Speedo... [Groans and laughter] There is a top and a bottom. Guys, most of you are in good enough shape not to need the top... I hope! [Laughter] The bottoms look like a standard male Speedo. Gentlemen, tuck the package all the way in. Arranging it for the best effect is fine, though. [Laughter] Ladies, you use the same bottoms plus the top, which is sort of a halter top. And, to be honest, it really looks, pretty, damned, sexy! Not bad, at all. These suits are very light and made out of some super stretchy Spandex, so, they don't really hide much, but, they will meet the test for televised decency, although, we may end up only on the late night news. Look, as Weres, it is, pretty, difficult to be body shy, but we're trying our best to fit into conventional human society. We just can't end up on the cover of 'Sporty Wolf Illustrated'! So, please, don't be caught on camera with anything flopping in the breeze! [Laughter and applause]

Leon: Any Questions?

Leon: Good! Then, let's move on to topics that are more specific to this search.

Leon: The first order of business is to organize teams. Um...Hold up a second. Let me do a quick check-in with Alpha McClintock.

opening his bond to the Alpha...

Leon: Alpha, this Leon. By my count, we have 103 volunteers to conduct the search. That includes the three panthers. Do you still intend to have two members to a team or could we do it by fours?

Jack: Leon, let's go with four to a team. There is safety in numbers and that is still twenty-five teams. That should make for a quick, but, thorough search. Do you have the panthers on your bus?

Leon: Yes Sir.

Jack: Ask them if they want to go as a group or willing to work solo.

Leon: Yes Sir, I will. Alpha, if it is alright, then I'd like to leave my bond open so that you can follow along with organizing the teams.

Jack: That's fine, Leon.

Leon turns back to the expectant faces on the bus...

Leon: Ok, back to it, here. Alpha McClintock has decided to deploy in teams of four. And... Of our three panthers, he wishes to know, do you want to be deployed together or are you willing to go out as individuals?

After a quite conference between the two men and a woman sitting close to one another, near the back of the bus, there are head nods all around and, then, Harry Fontain, (Werepanther), speaks...

Harry Fontain: None of us are mates and it is generally our nature to be solitary, so, we're good with going out alone.

Jack: Thanks, Leon, I got that. They are ok with going out solo. I'm trying to think how we could use their special talents.

Leon: Alright, then... Next question for everybody; is there anyone on this bus who's mate ended up on the other bus?

There are blank stares and no move to raise a hand by anyone...

Leon: Good. That helps to 'uncomplicate' things a little bit. Hold a sec while I check with the other bus.

Leon: Jay, have you checked to see whether anyone on your bus thinks that they have a mate on this bus?

Jay: Hold on a moment, let me ask.

a minute passes...

Jay: Leon, no one spoke up, so, I guess not.

Leon: Ok, thanks.

Leon: Ok, great. It seems that we have avoided having to assemble teams across two different buses.

Leon: Let me just make some notes, here.

Leon: Now the fun begins. Has anybody here ever played musical chairs, before?

Leon: We're going to try to get organized as teams. You will remember that Alpha McClintock said that mates would be deployed together. Well, we're going to take that a step further. I'm going to do my best here to extend that to mates, families, couples, 'main squeezes,' and 'BFFs.' [Giggles] Now, a note of warning, I don't want to be told to go out there and throw a bucket of water on some pair rolling in the grass! [Laughter]

Leon: Alrighty, then! Luckily, this bus has four across seating. So, do we have any groups of two or more that need to or want to stay together? Raise your hands, please.

About a dozen hands go up...

Leon: Ok, great. Now hands down. Do we have any groups of more than three?

Four hands shoot up...

Leon: Ah! A family. Mama wolf, The-Big-Bad-Wolf, Teeny wolf, and Teeny wolf...

Leon, speaking to the teens: You all are, at least, eighteen, right? It's a requirement for going out on the search.

Both teens: Yes, sir

Leon, speaking to the family: and you want to stay together, right?

Teen boy: I...

The father: Shut up, Robert, or stay on the bus. [Titters all around]

Teen boy: Yes, sir.

Leon: Well, then... Pointing to the first row of seats... Ladies and gentlemen in this row, would you, be so kind as to stand up and move down the aisle to let this family come forward.

People shuffle down the aisle...

Leon: Alright, would the family, please, move into this row of seats.

Leon indicates the first row...

The process continues down to pairs...

Leon: Now, would all of the pairs and groups of two, raise your hands.

Leon counts hands...

Leon, with a look of consternation on his face: That's strange. We seem to have an odd number of people making up groups of two. [Singsong] Somebody's not playing the game!

A woman several rows back, looking at her cellphone... Oops, sorry. She raises her hand.

Leon continues the process of sorting pairs into teams finally moving the three Werepanthers into the last row of seats...

Leon: Good. We now have our teams. For seat rows, one through thirteen, those wolves to your left and or right are your teammates.

Ok, I'm going to give everybody a few minutes to introduce yourselves and meet your teammates. General pandemonium erupts...

Five minutes later...

Leon: Alright, everybody settle down, now.

The bus quiets and one of the panthers in the back row raises his hand...

Leon: pointing to the panther... Yes, sir. Question?

Bobby Baxter: Yeah, we still have an empty seat on the back row.

Leon partially shifts to his wolf's ears and in his best wolfie voice, says: 'MINE!' [laughter]

Baxter: Oh.

Leon: Now I have to ask a question and I really don't want to ask it... Is there anyone who just cannot work with some member of his or her team?

All of the wolves are looking around in silence, the tension thick, but no one raises their hand.

Leon: Outstanding! Leon, using his best campy strut and in a falsetto voice says: 'I just, can't work with that bitch!' The entire bus dissolves into laughter.

Jack: still listening through the bond... Careful, L e o n...(but ,damned funny).

Leon: Sorry, Boss.

Leon: Sorry, ladies. I just, couldn't help myself. [titters]

Leon: Congratulation to all the wolves. You are now the first Were elite team of teams. Not to be forgotten... I think that you Werepanthers have volunteered for the 'BLACK OPS' corps. There is a long confused silence.

Leon: You know, 'black ops'... panthers... Aw, I'm getting out of the joke business! [laughter]

Leon: No, seriously. He hasn't told us anything about it yet, but I think that the Alpha has something special planned for you.

Leon: Help, Boss!

Jack: Naw. You made your bed, now spin around three times and sleep in it.

Leon: Alright, Everyone, let us move on to some techniques needed in search and rescue work...

Leon: Remember the golden rule of survival: 'Crap your pants after you get away from the bear, not before!' [laughter] First things first.

The buses roll on with the training continuing...

[13:05, Tuesday, The convoy is arriving at the search team's initial point. The vehicles are pulling in, to park and waiting to be positioned]

Robert Renford, (Search and Rescue team leader, State Emergency Management Agency): Gawd damn, son-afa-bitch! The fuck'n circus is in town. Complete with 'wild animals'!

Thornton: Now, Bob. You said, yourself, that you hated to put your team into this meat grinder; that you figured that this mission was going cost the lives of several team members, that we shouldn't send people into this terrain in the dark and in killer weather. So, these guys volunteered to go. They claim that they are Werewolves and they can do this. I say that, if they have the big, hairy balls to try, then, let them try. All we have to do is hold our hats over our hearts when they carry their dead out.

Thornton: Besides, I'm interested in seeing, just, what they can do.

The lead SUV pulls to a stop at the head of the line of vehicles and Jack jumps out and heads for the two men on the road. He recognizes one of them as Berry Thornton.

[On the buses]

Leon: Alright, The hardest thing about being in the army, is all of the waiting around you have to do. [snickers and agreement] So, just sit still until the Alpha tells us what to do. I imagine that we will help the logistics people get the camp set up, but we'll see.

Jay: Sit tight until they tell us what they want to do.

All of the vehicles sit idling and no one gets out. Everyone waits expectantly.

Jack: Berry, how are you.

Thornton: Hello, Jack. Jack, I want you to meet Robert Renford. He's the team leader for our search and rescue team.

Jack, with his hand out: How do you do, Robert.

Renford: Just Bob, Jack.

Jack: Berry, we came with the search teams and we hope all the support we will need. Where can we set up?

Thornton: Well, what do you have?

Jack: We'll have six tents; (a mess, operations and radio tent and three barracks tents). All of the tents are fifty foot by thirty and we'll set them up as two long tents. We have a towed generator, fuel trailer, water trailer and the vehicles and trailers that you see.

Renford: Son-afa-bitch.

Thornton: How many people do you have?

Well, we have twenty-five search teams of four Werewolves each, plus three Werepanthers for special operations. There are an additional twenty-five or so, as cooks, radio operators, technicians, electricians, and logistics people. They are a mix of Werewolves and humans.

Bob stands there catching rain in his open mouth.

Thornton: Well, we're standing in a sharp bend in this road and there looks to be enough asphalt here to set up most of your tents on a hard surface. It won't hurt to mostly block this road. It ends down there about a quarter mile. Just be sure to leave a small avenue, so that we can get in and out. As far as parking your vehicles, any place you can find will be alright.

Jack: Alright, well let me get this show on the road and then we can discuss what we are dealing with.

Jack turns to face the convoy and appears to simply stand there.

Thornton and Renford start to turn and walk away but notice that Jack hasn't moved except to point to several spots around the immediate area. Thornton and Renford look at one another in confusion and turn back to go see if Jack is ok, when headlights come on all of the vehicles.

Immediately, two of the black SUVs pull around the side of the truck and two buses and begin maneuvering to turn around with their trailers backed into the location assigned for the tents. As this is happening, the truck and the remaining SUV at the back of the convoy back up about a dozen car lengths and the two buses maneuver to park on the side of the road with their doors facing the road.

The lights inside the buses come on, and the doors open, and over one hundred men and women, all dressed in gray sweatshirts and pants and white deck shoes begin filing out and head for the trailers that carry the tents.

This sudden 'beehive' of activity catches the attention of several men dressed in camo pants, t-shirts and combat boots who had been drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes while standing around under a canvas pavilion trying to stay out of the drizzle.

A line of men and women forms down the side of each trailer while others have just finished removing the lashings holding the tent components on the trailers. A pretty woman of average size with auburn hair is the first, from the end of one line, to round the back of one of the trailers. She, then, begins dragging a thirty-foot long roll of tent canvas off of the trailer and then steps to the middle of the roll, concentrating on her task at hand and bends as if to pick it up. Three of the men from the pavilion, which were watching and talking, one with a cigarette dangling from his lip, notice that the long roll of canvas must weight two or three hundred pounds and start toward the woman at a quick step. The woman, not yet having noticed the men, bends down picks up the canvas and rolls it up her arm to her shoulder.

As she is swinging the roll around, a racket draws her attention. She looks over to see one man dancing around trying to get the hem of his t-shirt out of the waistband of his pants, while cigarette sparks waft from the neck of his shirt. Another man is sitting on the wet ground, obviously, having fallen hard and the man in between them simply staring, open mouthed and looking very, very pale. She smiles at them, blinks her beautiful golden eyes, and walks away with her burden.

Renford: Berry, do you still keep that bottle in the glove box of your truck?