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"Hey, honey."

"Hi, luv." Corona greeted Jack with a kiss and pulled a chair out for him. He sat and she curled her tail around his leg.

"Sorry I couldn't get here sooner. Couldn't check my messages until after my shift ended."

"Don't worry about it, there's still time." She nuzzled his cheek. "How'd it go?"

"Could've been worse, I guess." Jack sighed. "I don't think the new guy's gonna work out. But that's not my problem. I'm just relieved that I don't have to go back to that shithole again. On the other hand, though, I'm worried about paying the bills now that I don't have a steady job anymore."

"Well, if we can land a few good gigs soon, we'll be okay." She giggled and leaned over to nuzzle his cheek. "I'm just excited that we'll be working together now. It'll be fun!"

"Yeah." He smiled and put his arm around her. "If we can land a couple high-paying gigs to start..."

"Right. I know you don't like the rich, but if we could score a few escort or bodyguard jobs with some of 'em, we'll have ourselves a pretty good allowance and will be able to be a little more selective about the jobs we take later. I'll start hustling for one tomorrow and see what happens." She grinned. "And you can make a good start by helping me out with this job tonight."

"Sounds good to me. So, what's up?"

"I've been hired to frighten off a stalker. Here, take a look at this; the guy may be familiar." She handed him the photo and watched his face scrunch up in disgust.

"I couldn't forget that son of a bitch if I tried. And I've been trying, believe me. He was wearing the same dress when he showed up in the pizza place, even." Jack handed the photo back to her. "So he's the stalker?"

"Yep." Corona giggled. "It's a small world, eh?"

"It's a sick world." Jack shook his head. "I should've realized this guy was some kind of psycho."

"From what I understand about your job, you had to deal with perverts and idiots all the time. I doubt this guy really stood out that much from all the rest."

"True. Still, once we're done with him, we'll probably need to be quarantined and decontaminated thoroughly."

Corona chuckled. "Well, it's better than being paid minimum wage to put up with people treating you like shit. At least now you'll get to smack him around a little if he takes a swing at you."

"You can find the bright side of damned near anything."

"I do what I can." Corona giggled and held up the picture. "Anyway, this guy--my clients nicknamed him 'Pervy Patty'--has been sending them creepy emails, talking about the things he wants to do to them, and has actually groped one of them. He keeps getting a little bolder each time. The police haven't done anything to help, so the girls hired me to scare him away."

"You know, that's fucking typical. Nobody ever does anything about a scumbag like this until after he assaults someone. Yet the cops always have the time and manpower to keep pulling me over and giving me speeding tickets when I wasn't even speeding."

Her smile vanished. "It didn't happen again, did it?"

"Not yet. I'm just still pissed about the last one. And the one before that. And the dozen before that. And it's only a matter of time before they do it again." He shrugged. "Anyway, about this stalker--it's good that you were hired to take care of him. People like him always start off small, but like I just said, they keep escalating until they rape or kill whoever they're fixated on."

"It's...it's that bad? Really?"

He nodded. "This is serious. This guy started by following them around, then he actually got physical with them, right?"

She nodded slowly.

"Well, the next stage will be him raping one of them. Maybe even killing her afterward."

Corona slouched over the table and shook her head. "I had no idea. I wouldn't have treated the matter so lightly if..."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. You're only six months old; give yourself time to learn how the world works."

Her wings drooped a few inches. "While I was growing in that tank in the Biotek lab, they programmed me with all sorts of information--two dozen languages, combat tactics and weapons, how certain chemicals react with each other...all sorts of ways to wound and kill people. But nothing that would really help me understand the people I might end up fighting."

"Well, maybe it's better if you don't understand what makes a guy like Henderson tick." Jack rubbed her back and kissed the side of her muzzle.

"True, I suppose." She sighed. "I can't imagine what would make anyone do something like that."

"Some people are just broken inside. Some of 'em can be fixed, but others...the best you can hope for is not to be anywhere near 'em when they go off." He scooted closer and put his other arm around her. "The good news is that you have a chance to stop this guy before he hurts someone."

"What should I do? At first, I was planning to only put a little scare into him, but now..."

"If that's how you're gonna handle him, you really need to work him over. He's gotta be so terrified that he wets himself. Rough him up and make sure he understands that you'll kill him if he gets anywhere near your clients again."

Corona shivered. "I've never killed anyone before. I don't know if I can--even someone like him."

"You just need to make him think you will." Jack gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Maybe even that won't work, but it's the best chance you'll have."

She nodded. After remaining silent for a long moment, she said, "I did have an idea, just in case this doesn't work. Taura found some information that can help when a case is built against him. But that may not be enough, so I figured we could stay out of sight at first, and wait for him to try something with the girls. And when he does--"

"You want me to record the whole thing?" Jack grinned and tapped his solid black, cybernetic left eye. "I'd be glad to."

"Cool. I talked it over with the clients and they agreed to give it a try. So we'll hang back and you can record what Pervy Patty does, and if he doesn't try anything out here, Nori volunteered to lure him outside. That way, there won't be any witnesses when I kick his ass."

"Count me in." He glanced around. "So, where are they?"

"That table over there." Corona nodded at the four girls sitting at a table in the far corner. She took a slow look around the room, stood and stretched, and pointed at the bar. "I'm gonna stand over there, where I can keep an eye on everybody. Wanna wait with me, or cover the room from a different angle?"

"Guess I'll go with you. It'd be too hard to keep in touch from the other side of the room, with all the noise in here." Jack followed her over to the bar. "I'll be scanning the crowd for him. If he shows up, I'll see him."

"Okay." Corona leaned against the bar and watched the crowd, flicking her eyes toward the doors now and then. "Want anything to drink?"

"Um..." Jack chewed on his bottom lip as he thought it over.

"Non-alcoholic, of course," she added with a wink. One of the first things she'd learned about Jack was that he never touched alcohol. "Though you probably won't find much of that in a place like this. Aside from cola, that is."

"I'll make do." Jack looked at the menu board and took his wallet out. "Guess I'll have coffee. What're you having?"

"Put that back, I'm buying." She dug her own wallet out of her back pocket.

"Okay, but I'm buying the next round."

"Deal." She waved a hand to get the bartender's attention. He smiled and hurried over to her, and she ordered their drinks before turning back to the crowd.

"Coming right up." The bartender moved off to fill a glass and grab a cup for the coffee.

"So, do you miss your delivery job yet?" Corrie grinned and kept her eyes on the crowd.

Jack snorted. "Hell, no." He turned to keep an eye on the room. "I'll miss working with Bladder, but nothing else."

"Sorry I didn't get a chance to meet him."

"He was hoping to meet you, too. He's been curious ever since he found out that you're an anthro."

"Ah, naturally." She chuckled.

"He hangs out at the Event Horizon sometimes, so maybe we'll bump into him there, sooner or later."

"Sooner, I hope." She flicked a glance at him before resuming her scrutiny of the patrons. "Got any horror stories that you haven't told me yet? Just to pass the time?"

"Oh, hell, I wouldn't know where to start." He shrugged. "Well, just to pick one at random...one night a guy placed a carryout order, and when I asked for his name, he said, 'Why? Don't you have one of your own?' And then he started laughing."

"Wow, a real comedian." Corona rolled her eyes.

"I wanted to stab him in the eye with my middle finger. That would've been fuckin' hilarious."

Corona laughed. "Where do these idiots come from?"

"I dunno, but I wish they'd go back."

The bartender returned with their drinks and Corona paid him. Jack picked up his cup and sipped.

"So, what did you say to that guy?" Corona said.

Jack chuckled. "I told him that my name was Mike Hunt, and that's why I wanted his instead."

Corona burst out laughing. "What did he say then?"

"Nothing. He just hung up. Damn shame." He aimed a lopsided grin at her. "Another time, somebody ordered a taco pizza, so I asked him if he wanted a beef, chicken or steak taco. He said he wanted 'regular.'"

"He...what?"

"That's pretty much what I thought. Buncha shitheads, my customers were. Most of 'em are Darwin Awards waiting to happen." He started to say something else, then he held up a hand. "I see the pervert. He's moving through the tables, looking around like he's trying to find your clients."

"Okay, get ready to start recording." She looked around until she spotted Henderson, then turned toward the girls' table. When Kim glanced up at her, she motioned at Henderson with her glass. Kim looked over her shoulder, then ducked quickly and tried to hide her face with her hand. The others hunched over, letting their hair fall across their faces.

Pervy Patty passed their table, frowned and turned slowly. He took a step back the way he'd come, then he noticed Myaku and her friends. He smiled, crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. He locked his eyes onto them and remained where he was, content to watch them for a moment.

Corona shuddered. There was something about his eyes that told her the young man was a couple quarts low. "Oh, man, he gives me the creeps."

"At least he's not wearing that damned skirt again. Jeans and a wife-beater--not exactly the height of fashion, but he's looked worse." Jack smirked. "The shiner is a good look for him, though."

"He's gonna look even worse than that if he doesn't leave those girls alone." She took a deep breath and let it rush out. "Okay, you recording?"

"Yeah, I started when he headed for their table."

"Good. Now let's see if he tries anything."

The minutes ticked slowly away. Corona finished her drink and ordered a refill. Henderson hadn't moved by the time she finished the second one. He hadn't approached their table, but the way he'd kept his eyes locked onto them was one of the most unnerving things Corona had ever witnessed. She suppressed another shudder.

Jack didn't take his own eyes off Patty, though, even when he took a moment to sip his coffee. By the time his cup was empty, Henderson still hadn't moved.

Finally, Nori pushed her chair back and stood slowly, fear and dread clouding her face. She met Corona's gaze and twitched her head toward the front door, then turned and shuffled away.

Even from halfway across the room, Corona could see the girl's hands shaking.

Henderson turned his head to track Nori.

Come on, take the bait. The more Corona saw of this guy, the more she wanted to beat the living shit out of him.

On the other hand, if he didn't go for it, at least Nori would be safe.

Henderson glanced around, pushed away from the wall and followed Nori.

"Got him," Jack muttered.

"Yeah. Hold on a sec." Corona waited until Henderson had moved far enough away not to notice her following him, then she nodded at Jack. "Okay, let's go."

They hurried after him, staying back far enough to avoid spooking him, but close enough for Corona to reach him quickly if he got out of hand.

Henderson stepped outside and Corona caught the edge of the door before it could close. She paused for a few seconds, pulled it open and ducked through. She found Henderson disappearing around the corner to the left, heading for the alley behind the club.

Corona peeked around the corner and saw him following Nori into the alley. She moved aside to give Jack an unobstructed view.

Nori leaned against the wall, opened her purse and dug around inside, pretending not to see Henderson approaching her. But once he got within five feet of her, she lost her nerve and backed away from him.

"G...get away from me!" Nori turned to run.

Henderson grabbed her arm. "Hey, wait a minute. I just wanna get to know you a little better." He slid his free hand under her shirt.

She screamed and tried to push him away, then wrenched her arm out of his grasp. She screamed again and turned to run, but he reached out to grab her, clamping one hand onto her arm and the other onto the lapel of her coat.

"Wait just a minute! Don't be in such a hurry. I just want to--"

"Let me go!" Nori lunged away from him, but couldn't break his grip. "Let me go! Let me go!"

He covered her mouth with his hand, muffling her screams. "Quiet. That's right. Don't make a scene, now."

Jack drew his gun and flipped the safety off.

"You get all that?" Corona whispered.

"Yeah," Jack answered through clenched teeth. "Take care of him before I blow his fucking head off."

Corona strode over to Henderson. She clamped her hand onto his left shoulder and squeezed. He cried out and let go of Nori. Corona spun him around to face her, grabbed his throat and lifted him off the ground. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets. He clawed and pried at her talons, but couldn't budge them.

"Better go back to your friends," she said to Nori. "You don't want to see this."

#

Jack moved out of Nori's way as she sprinted around the corner, then he leaned against the wall and watched Corona do her thing. He kept his gun out, just in case, but pointed it at the ground. He doubted that he'd need it, but it couldn't hurt to be prepared.

Corona turned and slammed Henderson into the wall. The impact knocked him stupid and his eyes almost rolled up in his head. She let go of his shoulder, grabbed his shirt and lifted him up to her eye level. He blinked and shook his head.

"What...the hell?" he mumbled.

"Shut up!" she snapped, and his eyes focused on her. He whimpered and tried to push her away. She shoved him into the wall again. The back of his skull hit it with a dull thump, and he screamed and clutched at his head.

"Do I have your attention?" Corona growled into his face.

He moaned and nodded.

"Some friends of mine have told me that you've been harassing them. That stops now, do you understand?"

"I--I wasn't...I didn't do anything wrong. Let me go!"

"I saw you forcing yourself on her." Corona drove her fist into the wall, inches from his head, and he flinched. "Don't lie to me again."

Jack grinned. She's off to a good start.

"Listen carefully, you piece of shit," she snarled. "I won't warn you again. Leave them alone. If you get anywhere near them again, I will kill you." She bared her teeth and all the color drained from his face. "Is that clear?"

"F...fu--fuck you!"

Oh, that was ill-advised. Jack shook his head. Bastard's got wind whistling between his ears.

"What did you say, bitch?" Corona drew in a breath and roared into Henderson's face.

He screamed and a dark stain spread across the front of his pants.

She pivoted and threw him across the alley. He bounced off the wall and sprawled on the pavement. She picked him up, grabbed his hair and yanked his head back.

"Kill you! You got it now? Or do I need to keep explaining it to you?"

Henderson shook his head and threw his arms across his face.

"About time." She lowered him to the ground, and his legs almost buckled. "Oh, and if you're even thinking about turning me in to the police, remember one thing--I'll find you before they find me. Clear?"

He nodded again, whimpering, tears streaming down his face.

"Good. Now get the hell outta here." She gave him a shove that sent him reeling almost to the end of the alley before he collapsed. He pushed himself up to his hands and knees, moaned, and pitched forward. He got his feet under him, stood slowly and staggered away.

Jack grinned and walked over to Corona. "Damn, I do enjoy watching you work."

"Heh. I have to admit, that was pretty gratifying." She slipped her hand into his and they walked around the corner. "Let's go back inside and make sure Nori's okay."

He nodded and opened the door for her. She smiled and coiled her tail around his leg as they returned to the girls' table. Nori was crying and the others were holding her hand, hugging her and rubbing her back.

"He's gone," Corona said, leaning over to give Nori's shoulder a reassuring pat. "You're safe now."

"The question is," Kim said, "will he stay gone?"

"He'd better." Corona flexed her muscles. "Next time, I'll put him in the hospital."

"Good." Myaku gave Nori another hug. "You were pretty brave, girl. Dunno if I could've done that, myself."

"Sh...shit, I was so scared!" Nori sobbed and dried her eyes with a napkin.

"You did just fine."

"Yeah, you did." Corona smiled "If that guy has any brains at all, he'll stay away. But just in case, I want all of you to call my voicemail and leave a message at regular intervals--say, every hour or two--just so I know you're okay. Keep it up for the next week or so, until we can be sure that he's gone. And if you see him anywhere, even if you think he just happened to pass by without realizing you're there, you call me immediately. I'll be on him so fast it'll make the air crackle."

Nori managed to smile, though the tears continued flowing.

Corona found an empty chair, pulled it over and offered it to Jack. "Now, if you don't mind, we'd like to hang around for a while, just to be sure that dipshit doesn't come back."

"We don't mind at all." Kim grinned. "I just wish we could pay you more."

"Nah, don't you worry about that. Whatever you feel you can afford is fine."

"Are you sure?" Kim exchanged a glance with her friends. "We don't want to stiff you."

"I have a sliding scale depending on who my clients are and how much money they have. I'm not in this line of work to bankrupt anyone." Corona smiled. "Anyway, Jack recorded a video of Henderson assaulting Nori. He can send a copy to your phones."

Myaku took out her phone. "Just send it to 'Myaku's Phone.' I'll send copies to everyone else."

Jack nodded and brought up a menu in his field of vision. He ran a search for wireless devices, selected her phone from the list that popped up, and began the transfer. "I stopped recording before Corrie started the beatdown, so there won't be anything Pervy Patty can use against her if he's stupid enough to go to the cops. I did, however, get everything that happened after Nori left the table."

"Thank you." Nori sniffled. "No matter what we pay you, it'll never be enough for what you did."

Corona patted Nori's shoulder again. "Make multiple copies of that. And take one to the police first thing in the morning. It should be enough for them to arrest him."

"It's a good start." Kim slumped back in her chair and sighed. "My mom'll be relieved, too, even though she can't officially condone this because of her job."

"We can't thank you enough." Myaku sent copies of the video to her friends' phones.

"Well," Corona said, "the best way to do that is to help put this guy in prison and get back to your normal lives."

"We'll do that."

Jack smiled. He'd been nervous about quitting his job, at first, but now it seemed to be the right choice. If nothing else, it'd be good enough to see Corona in action. Being able to jump into it with her would be a bonus. As uncertain as the future might be without a regular paycheck, it'd be worth it just for the chance to work with her.

He slipped his arm around her waist and allowed himself to relax and enjoy the moment.