Mega-Bear vs. The US Air Force, Part Two

The police didn’t even bother showing at first; they left the job in the hands of the supposedly-capable animal services. Armed with beltloads of tranquilizers, and some reserve firearms in case of problems, they certainly seemed to be more than up to the task of one bear. As they hunted through the forest, the feelings of dread began to build regardless of this. The tracks, easy enough to follow, seemed to follow a shifting pattern that denoted – at best – extensive neurological damage. Realizing they would be lucky if they were dealing with a mad bear, many of the team began to ready their pistols.

Among these nervous men was one Hunter Nash. Many people tried to tell him his name was ironic, given his position, but he either openly or inwardly corrected them – his name was coincidental. To be ironic, he would have to be the hunted. This thought went through his mind at the moment and he knew, desperately glancing into the woods in search of this crazed bear, his name might actually become ironic.

At last, though, the tracks lead to a clearing – one of the grilling zones in a larger picnic area – and the bear is spotted, slumped over with dozens of empty picnic baskets surrounding him. Silently taking aim, the team deploys as it has been trained: two agents get in position with a heavy net as three more members take aim with their tranqs. The shots are fired, bringing the bear out of his gorge-induced stupor, and he panics and begins to run, knocking over the grill, embers spreading on the ground. As the animal control agents make chase, the embers grow into a steady flame which winds to the woods. The bear turns at the smell of smoke, more tranqs being shot into him. Standing on two feet, a roar, as terrifying for its contents as its volume, erupts:

“Only you. Can prevent. Forest fires.”

Stunned by this impossible event, the team nevertheless finds their bodies moving, driven by a will deeper and more primal than their own, going through the proper measures to put out the small blaze.

Hunter, having fallen behind, comes upon the scene with no small amount of bewilderment. Not one to ask questions, though, he races on after the bear, now switching to the live rounds. As he takes running shots, at best grazing the bear, he begins to lose sight of the animal until he has to resort to slowly tracking him, knowing the bear has to be several hundred feet in front of him now.

A whirring sound grabs his attention. An engine – impossible, he thinks, there’s nothing out here but woods. Paying no respect to this detail, though, a bush plane lifts off into the sky within view of Hunter. Flying the plane, and breaking the man’s view of what is possible and not, is a bear, wearing a scarf, aviator jacket, and hat.

As the plane flew into the sky, the stunned Nash stood still for some time. It’s not every day that your reality is broken. Finally, seizing upon some last vestige of stability before his psyche truly fell apart, he radioed to the police. Quietly, he explained the situation, assured the man it was in no way a prank, and eventually got him to do what he had called for – the National Guard was alerted. The Air Force began their first-ever bearhunt.