FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"H-Hey Fiona? Can we stop at the next rest stop?" an athletically built young woman asks the shorter, more academic inclined driver, who sighs heavily. "If you're really that nervous we can just go back. Or you can get a taxi home." She turns the car so they go down the off ramp to the rest area. "I'm not nervous, Fiona! I'm just.. I need to pee." Fiona parks the car and puts it in park. "I suppose I could use a break also." She removes her keys and shoves them in her pocket. The taller of the two rushes off toward the rest area while Fiona calmly walks along. Fiona looks obviously like a bookworm, she has leggings with boots, shorts, and a long jacket to hide inside of. She walks over to the map, looking at the small 'you are here' marker and tracing her finger along the interstate to their destination. _'This will take way longer if Ashley has to pee at every rest stop.."_Fiona thinks to herself as she reaches up, adjusting her shoulder length, brown hair, then her glasses. Fiona sighs and removes her glasses, the little specks of dust bothering her. She walks off into the bathroom to rinse the lenses off.

Before long the girls are on the road again, Ashley playing on her phone while Fiona focuses on rocketing down the interstate. "You know Fiona, we can get in the left lane and go to 80." "I don't like speeding." Ashley shrugs.. "Suit yourself." "You complain a lot for someone that asked to ride with me because she wants to see a werewolf." "Hey shush, bookworm. I'm just here to see you have to admit they aren't real." "They are. They're very dangerous, too." Fiona replies.. Ashley puffs her cheeks and returns to her social media feed on her phone.

Their drives took most of the day, but finally the pair end up in Louisiana, in a small town in the bayou. "You brought me out to Louisiana?!" Ashley turns right as Fiona closes her car door and goes to the back. Ashley gets out a shoves her door shut, going to the back to get her bag. "So how long are we staying?" Ashley stares at Fiona. "A few days if necessary." She picks up her duffel bag. "We're sharing a room, so lets check in together." Fiona says and walks off. Ashley grabs her overnight bag and pushes the hatchback shut. She sighs and follows the shorter bookworm.

The desk woman looks up, the two girls are quite the sight, a brown haired, 5'4" nerdy girl with glasses and a 5'11" athletic girl in sporty clothes with bright red dyed hair. She checks the pair in, and hands Fiona the keys.. "Excuse me." Fiona asks her. "Could we order from a local seafood place and have them deliver?" "Normally not, but I've been told to accommodate you any way I can Miss Quarto." "It's no big deal, I-" "No I insist. I'll have someone go pick up your meal. What did you want to order?" "Well, just some crab cakes and fries from whichever place has the best. And sweet tea." "And you, miss?" "Ashley, I'll have some crawfish, and lemonade." "Alright. I'll have it brought up as soon as I can, ladies." Fiona walks off as the woman calls in their order. As soon as they're back outside Fiona sighs, rounding the corner. "Don't they treat you special, huh~?" Ashley teases. "I don't like it. They think I can most definitely solve their issues so they treat me special." "Huh." Fiona opens the door to their room and steps in. The room is fairly bland but its well cleaned and maintained. "Go ahead and get a shower, Ashley. I'm tired." Fiona puts her bags down and crawls onto the bed. Ashley shrugs and walks past her, dropping her bag on the second queen bed and fishing out her bath bag. Fiona pulls the second pillow to her chest as the bathroom door closes. She doesn't sleep, just laying there, resting her back after driving since 7 in the morning. She doesn't move until there's a knock at the door, but Ashley answers in a towel. "Alright thanks. I don't really have any money.. So maybe..-" "Oh just pay the man! He doesn't want to see your fake cheerleader tits!" Fiona annoyedly says as she stamps over to grab her tray of food! "W-Wow, rude!" "A-Actually the hotel is paying tip, so don't worry.." Fiona rummages into her bag and produces a small vial. She goes to the door and gives the young delivery boy the small vial. "Here. This is iron dust, if you see any fae-folk throw this on them, it burns them. Good night." She pushes the door closed. "I'm sorry.. Iron dust? Fae-folk? Do you actually believe in that kind of crap?" "Faeries are more common than you think. I always keep vials of iron dust on hand. Aren't you here to meet a werewolf, anyway?" Ashley rolls her eyes.. "I'm here to prove to you they don't exist! There's no way monsters exist, Fiona."

The next morning, Ashley is stirred awake by Fiona slamming the door. The short girl sits at the table, sorting through a folder full of papers. "Mnn.. What the hell is all that..? Why did you slam the door..?" "To wake your lazy ass up. We're here to work. You wanted to come right?" Ashley groans and throws her blanket off, sliding out of bed to get a shower. Finding the shower already wet annoys her more. Fiona has already gotten up, had breakfast, and started her business for the day and its only 8 AM! When she finally returns to the main room Fiona is watching TV. The news is on, talking about a murder the night before. Fiona turns it off and gets up. "Come on Ashley, we're going to the scene." "What?! Let me get dressed at least!" Fiona barely has time to turn away as the towel flies off and Ashley starts pulling clothes on. Though in the car she has to struggle to spin her shirt around the right way anyway. Fiona pulls in near the police cruisers and parks. "You can stay if you want." Shes quickly out the door and in the trunk, putting some items into her jacket's inner pockets. Ashley comes back in time to see Fiona stuff a handgun into an underarm holster hidden by her jacket. Ashley also spots the array of small vials and needles, knives under Fiona's jacket. "H-Hey, do you have a permit for that..?" "Of course I do. These are all necessary." She pushes the hatch back closed and walks off. Ashley follows, visibly nervous now seeing someone from her college campus toting a gun..

As Fiona approaches the crime scene she fiddles around in one of her inner pockets.. "Hey you girls can't be he-" He cuts himself off as Fiona puts a folded paper in his face. "I'm authorized." He snatches the paper and unfolds it.. His expression goes from annoyed, to worried, to downright afraid for his job as Fiona swipes it back and returns it to her coat. "Thank you for your service officer, I'll keep this between us, don't worry." She ducks under the tape, the officer quickly lifts the tape for Ashley, keeping his mouth closed. "Whats that paper? Just who are you, bookworm?" "Let me have some secrets would you?" Fiona replies. The lead detective looks back at the pair. He goes to Ashley and clears his throat. "You must be miss Quarto!" "Wha-Wait! I'm not-" She's quickly cut off. Fiona continues walking, ignoring the idiot detective and looking down at the covered body, slipping on a protective face mask. "Could you uncover the victim please? I need to see the wounds." The coroner, an aged male uncovers the mangled corpse.. Fiona kneels down, pulling up her jacket to avoid any contamination. The body is mangled, deep bite marks and claw gouges. "Looks like he got mauled by a bear.." The older gentleman says, looking it over. "You would think.." Fiona produces a small packet and tears it open, producing a pair of sterile gloves. Once she has them on she reaches in, looking at the remains of the victim's neck. "These punctures here, what do you make of them, coroner?" "In my personal opinion looks like he got sucked by a vampire, but professionally? I don't know what makes those marks. Vampire bat?" "Vampire bats don't actually suck blood. No, I think your initial answer might be accurate. Unless..." "Unless?" the coroner asks her. Fiona stares at the wounds, looking over the body.. "There's plenty of blood left. On the contrary, a lot of the meat is gone. But the meat wasn't torn out by teeth, no it was cut out. The victim's clothing was half opened, not torn. His pants button and zipper aren't broken. His shirt was unbuttoned, and his heart.. Missing.. His head is clawed and bitten but not destroyed, his brain is intact.." The coroner looks over at Fiona, kind of wierded out to see a young lady inspecting a body like this.. "So let's summarize." She looks up at the coroner. "This was either a vampire or a werewolf, trying to make it look like the other. A werewolf could leave the punctures to implicate a vampire. Likewise the vampire would slice off as much meat as possible to make it look like a werewolf." she stands. "I'm finished, sir, thank you." She walks away removing her gloves, producing a notepad she starts scribbling notes down quickly, noting down all the details she can. While Ashley and the detective are still distracted she wanders back, quietly swiping the victim's effects from the ambulance and heading down the street. Now she just needs to find his car..

As Fiona is walking down the sidewalk she hears "Hey you! How dare you let that guy think I was you!" Fiona looks back. "Oh good you caught up. I'm looking for his car." Fiona presses the button again -hooonk!- "Oh. I'm finally close enough. Come, assistant." "A-Assistant?!" "Shh!" Fiona spits back at her as she walks forward, looking around, looking out for any traps. "You really believe in this monster nonsense huh?" Ashley walks forward up to the grey SUV they came for. It's parked alone on the side of the gas station. "No cameras on this side.." Fiona says. "He didn't want to be seen." She says, looking up at the cameras on the front of the building. She looks over, the fence into the next yard is broken..? Fiona turns and heads over to the neighboring house. Ashley looks around. "Fiona?" She sighs, seeing Fiona is gone again and shrugs, looking into the SUV's windows.

Meanwhile Fiona knocks on the door of the house. A burly, bearded man answers the door. Fiona can immediately smell alcohol, no, that isn't drinking alcohol, he's been cleaning? "Sir are you aware your fence is broken?" "Broken? It shouldn't be. Who are you, kid?" "I'm with the government, I'm an investigator. I'm just short, sir." She produces her ID to show him. "A man was killed last night and I believe he hopped your fence to avoid the gas station cameras, may I have a look at your back yard?" He returns her ID. "I'll come with you. Hold on a moment." He steps from the door to put on some sandals. Fiona peers inside. Pictures of his family, flowers, the kids backpacks are at the staircase. No indication of any problems here. "Daddy who's at the door?" A tiny female voice asks. "Nobody dear, just a lady that needs to see the back yard." The man returns and pulls the door closed behind him. The two go into the back and sure enough several fence board tops are snapped. "Ah god dammit." "So I take it this is new damage." "Yeah.. I'll have to fix this." Fiona turns and walks away, staring down.. "Foot steps.. Good." "Hm?" The man turns, watching her track the steps. They both follow them around the side of the house and to the front yard. "I see. So ideally he would have come back this way to return to his truck." Fiona turns back. "Thank you sir, I'll be out of your hair now." Fiona says with a smile, then she turns to walk back to the front yard, and to the gas station. "There you are! Stop disappearing on me! What if someone kidnapped me?!" Ashley says frustrated. Fiona stares her in the eye and lifts the truck's keys, pressing the unlock button nonchalantly. "Don't disturb anything too badly. We're just looking." "Yeah no, I'm not touching some dead guy's stuff." Fiona opens the driver side doors, then the trunk, and finally both passenger doors.

Ashley watches as Fiona climbs in the passenger seat, she starts going through papers in the sun visor first, then the glove compartment. "Nothing.." She returns all of the papers carefully and checks the center console. Ashley yawns softly, but blinks as Fiona slides out of the seat. The back seat is empty. She checks the under seat compartment. Nothing. Fiona closes the passenger side doors and looks in the back. There's a heavy plastic, weatherproof chest in the back. Fiona stares at the thick padlock, wondering how she should handle this. She pulls her jacket open, she has lockpicks. But she would look really suspicious.. "Hey Ashley, could you get us some drinks? You need some breakfast too right?" She produces a $10 bill. "Grab me a coke please, the rest is yours." "Well, sure thing then, if you're buying." Ashley takes the 10 and heads inside. When Ashley returns Fiona has the chest open, checking out the contents. "Hey how'd you get in there? That padlock looked pretty hard." "I have my ways, assistant." Ashley rolls her eyes and snacks on her cheap gas station hotdog, then blinks. "Wow this ain't bad." She mumbles. "Aha!" Fiona says, producing a important documents folder. She quickly returns the clothes and items, then re-locks the case. She locks up the SUV, leaving the keys inside as she heads off, looking through the folder. "He took everything with him.. Car title, house deed, all of it." Ashley only half pays attention as Fiona shoves the folder under her coat, then takes a sip of her coke.

Meanwhile at the crime scene Detective Harris is watching as the coroner's staff loads the sealed up remains into the ambulance. A deputy comes over to him, "Sir we can't find the evidence bag. Its.. Possible that one of those girls that came in took it." "You mean Miss Quarto? The tall one?" The detective asks. "What..? No Quarto was the smaller girl. She had government papers." There's an awkward pause.. "Deputy get your people out, find that short girl! Find out if she took that evidence bag and find the victim's vehicle, he had to have driven here!" The deputy quickly walks away to radio in at his car. While he radios in Fiona and Ashley's description the pair are returning to their hotel room. Fiona ignores Ashley's inane rambling as she gets her cell phone out. "Hello. Dr Reed, I need some advice on the current case. Yes." She puts the phone on video call and props it up. An aged professor type comes up, he adjusts his glasses as Fiona sorts her papers. "Firstly, the victim's body was badly mangled.." Ashley heads into the bathroom while Fiona and the old man talk on the phone.

When Ashley comes out Fiona is getting her things together. "Come on, my job is done here." "What? Already?" "Yes. The doctor and I agree that we're dealing with an older werewolf. A task force will be assigned to investigate and terminate the subject." "Oh? Not convinced you're going to prove me I'm wrong, suddenly?" "Yes. This one is older and more cunning. Probably living among the townspeople. Besides, subject termination isn't my field." Fiona grabs her bag. "Come on." Ashley rolls her eyes and sighs heavily. "Came all the way to bumfuck Louisiana for nothing, huh?" She goes to get her toiletries bag and drops it into her bag. "Fine, fine." Fiona walks to the car with her. Ashley notices the short girl is walking with a lot of speed in her step. "Hey, you're in a hurry, huh?" "Of course I am. Normally I would investigate more, but this situation is too dangerous." Ashley shrugs as they walk to the car. "I figured a shorty like you would chicken out conveniently." Fiona pulls the hatch back of her car open and puts her bag in. As Ashley is loading her bag Fiona hears a loud scrape behind them. She instinctively reaches for her concealed handgun as she spins, but something large and heavy slams into her head! "FIONA! WAKE UP YOU DAMN BOOKWOOOORM!" Ashley struggles as shes grabbed, her face is grabbed, preventing her from screaming and from seeing whats happening as shes carried away by an unseen entity.

Fiona wakes up to the sound of sirens.. She's draped over her open trunk, her ribs hurt from falling onto the hard edge of the trunk, her head aches.. Is that.. blood..? She reaches up to touch her head. There's blood on her fingers. "You get the hell away from her!" "She contaminated our crime scene, stole evidence. Shes under our jurisdiction!" Fiona tries to look up but a gloved hand stops her. "Whoa there. Take it easy." There's a man in black armor with a one-way visor helmet. He helps her lay down on a stretcher. Fiona can barely make out the argument happening just feet from her. "My head.." "Yeah you probably have a pretty bad concussion, or, should have one. Just let me get you some medicine for the ache." He gets up and walks off. Another suited agent kneels down. "What happened? It get the jump on you? Anything broken? Any infection?" "Dad, I'm fine.." Fiona says weakly.. "I'm.. I'm okay.." He softly rubs her arm as he looks up. His agents are checking out claw marks in the road. "Make sure you get some rest, Fi. You were out of it all day.." Fiona looks at him confused.. "You called the doc at 10 this morning. Its 6:47 right now." "Its been.. Listen.. You need to find it! It took the civilian I brought, Hes probably already eaten her so-" His hand pats her shoulder. "We've already tracked it with a drone. We're headed straight to it's den after we're done securing you." "Fine.." She says, sighing heavily as her head drops to the head pad. As soon as Fiona is in the command truck the task force departs into the woods.

Fiona sits at a terminal in the armored command vehicle, rubbing her temple as she waits for the medicine to kick in. "What'cha looking up?" The operator beside her asks. Fiona looks over to the younger male and then back to her screen. "Local cases. The murders started here, at the same time as this article. 'Local wife and two children slaughtered.'" she reads. Fiona sighs into her hand as she continues reading into this story, hoping for a connection. "This is Kyuubi-1. We're approaching the den now. 2 and 3, take point. Remember we don't know where this cave goes to." Fiona turns around to see the monitors. Each man has a camera on his helmet and his rifle. "Geez.. I only got in town yesterday and I've been knocked out and got a civilian killed.. Great.." "Hey, Fi. Don't think like that. Maybe the wolf has something else in mind for her." "Something else? Hm.." Fiona turns back to her screen.. "Something else in mind.." she repeats.. "This is Kyuubi-2, we're 30 yards in. No contact." Fiona pulls up the database on local maps.. Then an old map of the cave system.. "something else in mind.." she mutters, thinking.. The cave system Kyuubi team is in goes under the gas station she found the SUV at.. That man from the house.. "SHIT!" The operators jump and spin to look at her as Fiona returns to the article. "That's him! That's the man I talked to! I.. Oh no no nononono.." She spins around and darts out the back of the truck, slamming the door closed behind her! "WAIT! FI!" Operator Carlin follows her out, shes ahead of him, unlocking her trunk and then the metal toolbox inside. "Fiona you're not cleared, you took a hard hit to the head earlier!" "I need to go Hank, I can't direct the task force on a hunch, I need to be sure." She pulls her jacket off and gets her bullet vest from the box. Fiona hefts the plate carrier over her head and lets her arms slide into the shoulder plates as it falls. "If I'm wrong then I'll be fine. But if I'm right I might be in time to help Ashley get home safe." Carlin groans. "Yeah.. Alright. I'll support you from the truck. But you stay in contact and be careful, you understand me?" "Yes." Fiona pulls her jacket back on while she watches Hank walk away.. She opens the bottom of the tool box and produces a pump shotgun. The shotgun hides easily under her jacket, and she's off, driving down the road back to the gas station. She pulls in and parks beside where the SUV used to be. There's no manhole cover in the spot, so she heads to the man's house, ID at the ready. She keeps her handgun in her right pocket, her hand inside her jacket, ready to draw through the false pocket slot.

As Fiona walks she scans over the yard. No signs of struggle, nothing out of the ordinary. But she can smell an odd fruity smell near the house as she approaches. Fiona knocks, but the door swings open after the first pound. "Great.." she mutters, turning on her radio.. "I swear Carlin if she gets hurt over there I'll have your ass!" "Dad, I'm fine. I'm entering the residence I told Carlin about." there's an audible groan on the channel. "Fine. But you be careful. We should be right under you, we're going to try to come up into the basement, stand by." "I can't. I'm headed in." Fiona enters the house, hoping nobody was standing nearby, listening. "Who are you?" Fiona spins to face the kitchen, her heart sinks as her fears are confirmed.. "A.. A golem..?" A young girl is standing in front of her, a wooden, dressed up body with a flushed human head on it, blinking and moving like it's still alive. "Are you a doctor? My.. My whole body aches, miss.." Fiona just stares, clutching her gun under her jacket. "Who did this to you..?" "Daddy said I had an accident.. He brought me back. He's trying to bring mommy back too but.. It hurts so bad.." Fiona pauses.. She reaches for her radio button on her neck. "C-Carlin.. I have a golem here. A little girl.. Could you.." Her dad's voice cuts in. "Fiona. You know how to handle this. You said you were ready for field work didn't you?" "Wait, Tucker this is a lot to ask of her!" Fiona cuts her line. She does know how to handle this. "I'll make sure you and your mommy don't hurt anymore, okay?" The little girl looks up as Fiona pulls her gun from her jacket. "I can't bring your mommy back but I can help you move on and stop hurting.."

Tucker rams his shoulder into a reinforced wooden door. "Dammit! Bastard has one hell of a carpentry degree." "Sir!" Kyuubi-7 holds up the breaching charge. "Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about." Tucker moves to let his teammate plant the charge. There's a muffled gunshot above them. "Come on, blow it!" The charge detonates, allowing the task force inside. The main room of the basement is empty, aside from usual basement things like toilet paper and canned goods. "Blue!" A female voice calls out, Fiona peers around the corner coming from upstairs. "Fi!" Tucker goes to her. "You.." "Handled it. I know, golems can be dangerous." "Sir, there's an exit." Tucker and Fiona both turn, there's steel doors in the opposite wall. "Well fuck, son, blow it." Tucker says. The task force stacks on the door, Fiona pulls her shotgun and gets behind her dad. "You.. did_clear the house, right?" "Of course I did, _sir." "Good." The charge blows out the lock, allowing the team through. They descent in formation down the stairs. "Good, my lessons seem to have stuck." Tucker muses to his daughter. "Well when you simplify it to the level of a 3rdgrader anyone can understand how to move in formation dad." Kyuubi-2 holds up his fist. "7, breach." "I don't recommend it sir, cave could be unstable. We don't know whats on the other side." "Let me." Fiona moves up and quickly pumps her shotgun empty, catching each shell and shoving it on her pocket. She loads in buckshot. "Ready to breach." Tucker falls in behind her, quickly peering around Fiona's hair to make sure her earplugs are in. "Always the doting father, boss?" 7 says as they stack up on both sides. "Yeah haha, fucker. Fiona, breach." She quickly blows out the hinges, then crouches in the middle of the hallway so the task force can move past her into the room, walking on top of the now felled wooden gate. "Jesus.." one of the members says as they exit into a large cave. "H-HEY DOWN HERE!" "Ah hell. Control this is Kyuubi-3, civilian spotted." There's a pause.. "Comms are dead. We're too far down, 1." "Alright then, let's go, team." The cave opening is about 3 stories high, there's a wooden staircase leading down to the bottom. Ashley is at the bottom, tied up on a stone slab. "What the fuck is this, an indiana jones movie?" 3 says. "Alright 3, you're Indy, da-dada-daaa your ass down there with 7 and clear." "Yes sir." 3 hums the indiana jones song as him and 7 jump off, their suits absorbing the impact as they land on the bottom of the cave. Both soldiers advance and check for anyone hiding in the side caves. The rest of the team moves down the staircase in spread formation, Tucker makes sure to maintain line of sight on Fiona.

The team rally near Ashley, moving cautiously as they approach her. "Shit, stop!" 7 calls out. "There's an opening in that slab.." "Wh-What do you mean an opening!?" Ashley cries out, struggling.. "Stop moving! There might be a trap under you! Boss, we should call this in, if we try to get close we could trip whatever traps are here." "Lets just move calmly, and try to get her off of there. I'd rather not leave a civilian behind." There's a momentary pause.. 7 slowly moves forward toward the slab.. "Alrighty.." Tucker looks upward, seeing a suspended spear above Ashley.. "7, work fast. There's a spike above her." "Gee, thanks boss." Once he's confirmed that Ashley is clear of any secondary traps he carefully cuts into her ropes. "Okay miss. When I tell you, roll toward me as hard as you can." "Alright.." Ashley says nervously "Okay.. one.. two.. Three!" He pulls while Ashley rolls, having her narrowly avoid the falling spike! A loud squish sounds instead of a thud as the spike falls.. Tucker steps to the hole and shines his flashlight down the hole in the slab. "What the hell.. there's a rotting body down there covered in.. Rotting meat.. Is that a human heart? No, there's several hearts." Fiona looks down, thinking.. She watches 7 move Ashley away from the altar while she puts it together. "A homunculus. He's trying to use the meat and hearts, and now Ashley's life to resurrect his wife.. His daughter's golem body was a test.." "CONTACT!" Something large slams into 7, throwing him across the cave! It goes for Ashley while the team moves, firing several shots into the monster's back while it turns, holding Ashley like a human shield, it's teeth sunk into her shoulder. The beast's large claws over her mouth keeping her silent. Fiona's gut twists, seeing Ashley's terrified eyes, finally confirming their target was a werewolf makes this different. Even if they put down this werewolf Ashley has most likely contracted Lycanthropy through that bite.

Fiona slowly lowers her shotgun.. "Fiona?" Tucker glances over. Fiona lets her shotgun fall, caught by her sling as she steps forward.. "Hey, Fi!" Tucker calls. The werewolf's expression changes, a sense of instinct. "Let her go. If you release her now I'll end you painlessly." Fiona says. Her voice comes out different, more firm and pronounced than her usual soft voice. The wolf raises it's head, speaking in a gruff voice. "You.. What are you? A human shouldn't have such presence.." Fiona stares the wolf in the eye. Two fuzzy wolf ears perk up out of her hair. The werewolf stares, shocked. "You're.. not human!?" Fiona stares down the werewolf. The room is silent, with most of Kyuubi team ready to gun down the werewolf, one of them helping 7 back onto his feet off to the side. Fiona reaches into her jacket. "You have 3 seconds." The wolf throws Ashley aside, Fiona can hear her father yell her name as she lunges at the wolf, The werewolf is surprised by the small girl's speed, but it isn't a concern for long as her teeth latch into his throat, and her hands, morphing into long clawed wolf hands dig into the side of his neck. Fiona stays latched on despite the beast's struggling as her razor sharp claws dig into both carotid arteries, she can feel claws jab against the back of her vest as she pushes her weight, throwing the wolf off balance. The two hit the ground, giving Fiona the edge as she braces herself and pulls with everything she has! A sickening tearing sound fills the cave, then silence.. Fiona is left panting, blood soaking her human face and front, the wolf's violently severed head hanging by it's hair from her clenched wolf hand. Ashley is stunned to silence, Tucker steps toward Fiona.. "Hey.. Come on, we're heading home.." Fiona turns, her glasses are crooked, damaged during the fight. She silently holds up the head in front of her. "4.. Secure the trophy." Kyuubi 4 moves up to take the head and put it into a thick plastic bag. "Secured, sir." Fiona idly licks her lips, looking over at Ashley. "Your wound. I need to see it." "W-Wait.. D-Don't touch me.." "Don't be silly. If I don't treat that wound you'll turn. And I'll have to take you down too." Ashley lets out a whimper as Fiona produces a vial from under her jacket. Seeing the small bookworm soaked in someone else's blood, licking it off her cheek. "Here. I just need to apply this to the wound." Ashley is too frozen in fear to resist.. But oddly, the thick copper smell, plus Fiona's sharp golden eyes somehow comforts her. Fiona is stronger than she looks, and in an odd, twisted sense, she's oddly attractive..

Almost an hour later. Tucker leans against the garage door, He reaches to his left wrist pad to switch his comms to private. "This is Kyuubi-1. Amaterasu made contact with the target." The radio comes back, "This is Operator Carlin. Did she consume any of it?" "Only blood." Tucker looks over, Fiona is sitting to the side, licking the red stuff from her wrist. "We should be more careful sending her into the field. We're waiting for pickup at the residence. Request cleanup team. 1 golem, deceased. 1 body, and 1 werewolf, deceased." "Affirmative. Calling it in. Carlin, out." Ashley is sat on a crate, her shoulder is bandaged up. Outside the retrieval truck backs up to the garage, Tucker pushes the door up and everyone steps up inside. As soon as the armored truck pulls away a second truck pulls in, blocking off the garage as the second team goes in. "Wh-what happens now?" Ashley asks. Tucker looks toward the front of the truck at Fiona, Carlin is trying to scrub her hand while she licks at the other, he's trying to get her to stop. Tucker looks back at Ashley. "Well. First you're going into quarantine. Don't worry, the rooms are comfortable. Then once we know you aren't infected we'll release you. After giving you amnesiacs we'll send you home. Unless you decide to stay with our merry hidden government organization. It's up to you." Ashley stares blankly at Tucker. She can't see through his visor, so she just looks down. "Geez, there." Carlin says. Stop licking blood off yourself." "I can't help it.. It.. Tastes really good.." Fiona groans and struggles as Agent Carlin forcefully wipes her cheeks. "Hey.." Ashley asks Tucker.. "What.. Is she..?" Tucker pulls off his helmet, revealing his fresh-shaved, chiseled face and short blonde hair. He looks about 39, maybe 43 at the latest. "We don't know." He says plainly. "We call her Amaterasu. We think she may be a reincarnation of an ancient wolf spirit. But factually we have no idea." Fiona looks over at them. "I can hear you, dad." "D-Dad?!" "Not by blood, kid. But I raised her, yeah." Fiona stands and walks up into the cab of the truck. "I'm gonna get a nap." Fiona says "Shes.. Kind of creepy.." Tucker isn't fazed by her comment. If anything, his face reads more understanding than offended. "Yeah. Watching a girl her size take down a monster and rip it's head off with her bare hands and teeth can be scary." Ashley sits back in her seat. The drive home is long, and uncomfortable.

Fiona stays in the cab for the return trip, asleep in one of the sleeper bunks for the drivers. Tucker goes to check on her, then returns to the back. "Still asleep?" Carlin asks. "Yeah. She always sleeps a lot when she transforms. How long till we're home?" "Bout 20 minutes." Tucker looks up, Ashley is asleep in her chair, most of his team are either reading, playing on their phones or napping. He sits, picking up his helmet. "Carlin. Next time let's keep her on a shorter leash." Tucker says. "Yes, sir." The large armored truck bounces as they pull into the ramp leading into the underground garage. Ashley is jerked awake as they move down into their parking spot.

Ashley is moved to an observation room, a small bedroom, with thick glass walls. Shes irate over being quarantined, but seeing the only exit guarded by two heavily armed robots keeps her from even considering escaping. She's staring at the magazines they left her. It's been a day since they locked her in and took all those samples from her, but she hasn't wanted to read them. Outside, Fiona steps into the airlock. "Authorize entry, Amaterasu." The electronic keypad beeps and the inner door slides open. She enters with a small plastic case in her hands. "You here to kill me..?" Fiona sits the box on the table. "Of course not. We have things to discuss." Ashley gets up and walks to the table. Ashley sits as Fiona sits across from her. "You're infected." Fiona states bluntly. Ashley feels her heart stop a moment.. "You said.." "The medicine I used isn't a 100% solution. However, you haven't fed. You can stay under observation until we develop a cure, but with permission, I've come to offer you an alternative." She opens the box, revealing a tough red collar. "Oh hell no. You are NOT putting a collar on me!" "Listen. If you transform you'll lose control. This collar is enchanted to help you maintain control over your inner wolf." Fiona looks down at the collar.. "I had this made as an apology. I shouldn't have brought you with me. Trying to prove the existence of werewolves, and other monsters was a stupid reason to allow a lapse in judgment and put you in harm's way." Ashley is silent for several moments. "And how much are you charging for this collar?" "Nothing. In fact you'll be given a job, and pay. Full benefits package from the US government." "So I'd be a Fed?" "Officially, yes. I can't tell you who we answer to yet. I worked hard to pull the strings to allow you in. This collar is the only requirement. If you lose control I can use it to force your wolf to calm and allow you to retake control. I'll even train you as best I can in controlling it. But it isn't easy." Ashley's lips purse. "What if I say no?" "Then.. Command will order your execution. Or that you be indefinitely held until we can cure you." "Bullshit! I'm an American citizen you can't do that!" "I can't. But the higher ups can. Please Ashley, I'm trying to save you.." Something in Fiona's pitiful eyes makes Ashley back down somewhat.. She sits, Fiona picks up the collar. "I'll guide you as best I can. You never know, you may enjoy hunting cryptids with me. We might make a good team." "... Fiona, what the hell is a cryptid?" "Oh, uh.. Cryptids are monsters, basically. Your Skinwalkers, Mothman, The Jersey Devil, uh.. The Slender Man." "Oh! I saw that movie." Fiona nods. "Fine.. If my only option is death, then.. Fuck it, I guess.." Ashley says, gruffly as she undoes the collar's buckle. "I can help you." Fiona stands and walks to her. Ashley's cheeks turn red in a mix of embarrassment and anger. Fiona adjusts the collar and finally buckles it. "There you go. We'll get you up to speed and trained tomorrow. One more night in here and tomorrow you'll have official quarters." Fiona takes the now empty box and closes it. "Good night, Ashley. I promise I'll try to make things comfortable for you. Since.. This is technically my fault." Ashley watches the shorter girl leave. She goes to fall onto the bed and groans into her pillow. All of this shit, now she's wearing a damn dog's collar! Ashley flings her pillow at the door, then snatches up a magazine. "At least tomorrow I get an actual bedroom." She looks up at the robots on the other side of the glass guarding the door and sticks her tongue out at them.