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Chapter 6: Dark of the City

The capsule came to a halt after five minutes of darkness. Lights turned on around them, prompting Jasper to remove his seatbelt and rise to his feet. Vix and the others followed suit. "Pardon me Jasper, but the red-light district is known for prostitution and sex clubs, yes?"

Jasper opened the door to the capsule and reached out towards a ladder on the wall nearby. "Precisely. Don't get any ideas, we're here strictly for research purposes."

Kuda got out last, following behind Max. "I'm always up for some action."

Jasper pushed away a small man-hole cover above his head, shining the bright moonlight down into their tunnel. "One at a time, and watch your heads."

Once all four of them had reached the surface, Jasper kicked the cover back over the hole and looked around. Bright neon lights and signs covered the businesses that lined the streets, complimented by dozens of individuals lurking in the shadows. "This isn't a place you want to be after dark, unless you're looking for trouble. Fortunately for us, trouble is exactly what we're looking for." He began to walk in the direction of a large building towards the end of the street.

"Couldn't we go downtown where there's less...weird shit?" Max shivered as his left footpad touched something squishy in the road.

"The people we're looking for don't allow themselves to be seen. Here in the red-light district, everyone looks just about the same." The lynx paused and looked up at the establishment before them. The two-story building looked ancient, and seemed to be falling apart from the outside. The flickering sign above them that read Serpentine served as the only source of technology that still functioned. "This is the place. Kuda, would you do the honors?"

The massive wolf put a paw to the door and pushed, watching the door open much more easily than he had expected. "Well that was simple enough."

Max poked his head inside and looked around. Three patrons sat at a bar on the far side of the room, tended to by a dingo in a dirty suit. No one seemed to acknowledge their entrance. The tables and chairs were made of cheap wood, and the ornate curtains seemed too lavish for the establishment's own good. Kuda lifted his nose to the air in curiosity as the group walked inside and slowly took in more of their strange and uncomfortable surroundings.

Jasper nudged his companions and whispered to the group. "We're here because intelligence states that members of a new crime circle have gathered in this establishment to discuss gang related activity. Vix and I are going to discreetly gather intel from the patrons at the bar. Kuda, I'd like you to snoop around upstairs. As for Max, I want you to look for controlled substances in places where people aren't necessarily supposed to be. Got it? If it looks unusual or you don't know what it is, take it." The three nodded and dispersed.

After making his way up the broken stairs, Kuda stuck his head into the first open door he encountered. It seemed to be an empty bedroom. As stealthily as the large wolf could be, he entered the doorway and began examining its contents. Books and papers covered the nightstand, lying haphazardly beneath a flickering lamp. "I should bring these to Vix, he'll know what to make of them."

The sound of creaking wood caused him to turn, knocking several books from the table with his tail. "Is someone there?" He clenched his fists. "Come out or I'll pound you out." Slowly, a shadow emerged from the darkness and stood in the doorway. Kuda could tell it was a small female, and lowered his guard. "You shouldn't be here, ma'am."

The female figure took another step forward. "Oh, but I want to be. Are you looking for a good time, big bad wolf? I can give you anything you want." Kuda cocked his head and raised his ears as the mysterious shadow's face caught the light. Before him stood a serpent girl, smiling through enticing fangs and a long red tongue.

"Uhh...listen I don't have time to--"

"Shhh...Get on your back for me. Please." Her eyes bore into his, and Kuda felt his body go stiff. Little by little, he started to lose control of his own movements.

"What are you..." He strained against his own muscles, but they wouldn't budge. The wolf backed away from the reptile and tripped over the mattress, falling onto his back and looking up at the ceiling. "I can't move..."

"That's the point, sweetheart. Just relax." Her voice was soothing but carried a bite that made his fur stand on end. Sensing that he was under her full control, she climbed over his body and straddled his hips. "You're not from around here, are you?" With his arms to his side, the reptile was free to explore his body. She ran her arms underneath his tight shirt and quickly lifted it from his chest. "I can give you whatever you want. What might that be, wolf?" His captor leaned in close, pressing her breasts against his chest and caressing his chin with a single claw. It took all of his strength to try to look away, but his efforts were fruitless.

Kuda strained to speak. "There's nothing you could give me. Give it up, serpent."

The reptile rubbed her hands against the tight cuts of muscle in his abdomen down to the V-shaped tissue that descended into his groin. "Are you so sure?" Her hips began to grind against his, slowly and methodically while her claws tore open the fabric of his shorts.

"I'm telling you bitch, you're not going to get to me." He slowly started to inch his right paw away from his body and toward the nightstand nearby.

"Oh? I think I get it now." The serpent started to change before his eyes, taking on the form of something else entirely. Dark fur began to grow out from the scales she once possessed, and her feminine features hardened into those of a ravenous male wolf like himself. A tight growing sensation began to grind against his hips, catching his attention immediately. Kuda turned a bright red, and all of the blood in his body began rushing to his head.

"Get...off of me!" Kuda clasped his digits around the lamp resting on the nightstand and pulled, sending it flying into the shapeshifter's head. Immediately he could feel the control over his movements return.

Vix and Jasper approached the bar and apprehensively took a seat. The bartender glanced at the pair out of the corner of his eye and abruptly stopped conversing with one of his hooded clients. He placed a drink in front of the guest closest to Vix and made his way over to the two. He looked each of them up and down, especially Jasper. "Is there something I can help you gentlemen with? Something strong?" The dingo reached below the counter and pulled two bottles up for them to see.

Jasper looked between the bottles and turned to Vix, patting him on the back. "Vix here likes it strong. Give him whatever you see fit." The fox's eyes grew wide, but he didn't speak out in protest.

The bartender turned his back and began mixing a drink. He quickly and carefully poured small shots of several fluids into a tumbler and began shaking the mix, turning back to face them. The dingo coughed out a sorry excuse for a laugh. "Lovely night, wouldn't you say?" He placed two glasses on the counter.

Jasper lightly kicked Vix under the barstool. Vix gulped and breathed out a short answer. "Absolutely, I couldn't agree more."

The bartender opened the tumbler and poured half of its contents into each glass, making eye contact with Vix as he poured. "This stuff is like fumes, but it goes down smooth. I promise. Many consider it a favorite around the area."

Jasper lifted his glass and examined it in the light. "I must say, your hospitality know no bounds. Now tell me, how often do you victims actually fall for this party trick?" All three patrons immediately stood up and looked at Jasper, revealing their reptilian forms and glowing yellow eyes. "That's what I thought. Now this can play out one of two wa--"

A crash reverberated through the entire building, followed by Max running through the main hall and heading straight for the door carrying several vials in his paws. Jasper placed a paw to his forehead. "Ahh shit."

The dingo turned back to Jasper, flattening his ears and pulling a handgun from beneath the bar. Moments later, the sound of heavy footsteps from above caused everyone in the building to look up. Kuda tumbled down the stairs wearing ripped shorts with the tattered remains of a shirt still clinging to his fur. "Jasper the women here are insane!"

The lynx turned to face the bartender with a smile, looking down the barrel of his gun. "Well I guess this turned out to be a real shit show, didn't it?"