FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Nigel found himself walking home in a slight daze, his mind still attempting to process what he had just gotten himself into. All he had wanted to do last night was check out a new club and make sure that there was nothing crazy going on, which had embroiled him in a plot that involved the death of at least one club member in order to hide its conspiracy. When he did a data search of all the incidents in that area all he could find about it was that police had found a body under one of the elevated platforms of the city and ruled it an accident. No investigation, no autopsy, no crime scene... whoever was behind this was able to cover up the entire thing without so much as a whisper on anyone's radar, if Simon hadn't been there he probably wouldn't have caught it either.

The car he was being driven in dropped him once more in the same spot that he was picked up, the hybrid immediately getting soaked in the rain as the driver motioned him over and gave him a package. When he asked what it was the driver merely said that it was compliments of Mrs. Pettrenavosa before driving off once more down the wet streets. Nigel just stood there for a few seconds before shaking the water out of his purple hair and running to his shop in order to open it. By the time he had gotten inside every inch of him was dripping from the rain as he flicked on his sign and immediately went to the back for a change of clothes.

By the time he reached the back room he had already gotten off his overcoat and had just stripped off his shirt when he saw a figure that caused him to practically jump backwards through the door again. "About time you got back," the lizardfolk said as she sat there leaning against his workbench, tapping her clawed foot as Nigel attempted to recover from his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. "When I got here and saw that your shop wasn't open I thought you might be dead or something."

"Hell Alisha..." Nigel said as he took his sopping shirt and tossed it into a corner. "How many times do I have to tell you that key I gave you is for emergencies only?"

"Like I said, thought you were dead," Alisha replied with a shrug as she watched Nigel put the package down on his workbench and went towards the stairs of his apartment. "What's that, you got a secret admirer or something? Box of chocolates and some flowers?"

Nigel just told her not to touch as he went up and changed his clothes, thinking about the elf and the cheetah that he had just gotten in bed with. While Natalya definitely seemed to enjoy her cloak and dagger, keeping everything hidden behind that rain coat, fedora, and snarky personality, the cheetah appeared to be pretty straightforward. The detective was definitely very pleasant to look at though and was probably one of the ways she disarmed people when attempting to get information. It pretty much worked on him, he thought to himself with a sigh as he looked over at his secret compartment while putting on a different shirt.

How had she known about his love of latex? Did she somehow break in without tripping any of his security? It seemed unlikely; with the secrets that he kept and the items that he had for sale his system was one of the better ones out there. Perhaps she had seen him staring when he was looking at the club, maybe lingering a little too long on those shiny bodies as he had scanned through the footage...

That wasn't for the hear and now however, he had to focus on his store and also open whatever Natalya deemed necessary for him to have. When Nigel got downstairs he saw Alisha significantly closer to the box then she had been before and the hybrid told her to shoo off back to her garage. Though the forked-tongue was clearly interested in what he had gotten she just gave him a wink and told him that it was his turn to pick up dinner before exiting out the back door. Once she was gone he went over and turned a dead lock that was also installed on the door, a magical rune glowing as the metal sealed into place. Once he was sure he wouldn't get dropped in on he went back to the package and gave it a look around before finally opening it and dumping out the contents.

The first thing he noticed was a credit chip, and when he scanned it he was surprised to find that it had a thousand credits on it that instantly transferred to his bank account. Not bad for a few hours of keeping the shop closed, he thought to himself as he quickly examined the rest of the items. The next thing he found interesting was a solid block of metal that was a similar color to the... ring that Simon had found, along with actual item himself that he took a pencil and put to the far corner of her work bench. It was pretty clear what they wanted him to do, and with his artificer tools and the item itself he could probably make a few decent forgeries of the item. Without the active magic though he wouldn't know what to put into it in order to fool anyone magically-inclined, which when he stated at the office the elf just gave him a smirk before continuing to work.

The last thing that he got was a bunch of pictures, ones that he recognized as from the security cameras at the club that he had gotten access too. Simon must have gotten them before he disconnected, Nigel thought as he looked through them, and they all tended to focus on their faces. On one of them he saw a note written in red ink that said his homework was to try and find identities to these faces and give them to Natalya, who would then arrange the rest. There were about a dozen photos there and though he kept noticing that they were all wearing latex he kept his mind focused on the task at hand as he ran upstairs to get his computer.

After two days of searching he was surprised to only find names for half of them, even putting aside his work on personal projects in order to try and find trails on these guys. Normally it would be as easy as putting them through the black market facial recognition scanner that he had hacked into, but that only worked for one guy and he turned out to be someone off the street. The other eleven weren't in the system at all... which meant they were probably pretty powerful in order to keep their faces out of the usual databases. If it was powerful people though it meant that their picture would likely be in another place and used network spider bots to harvest any news articles or websites that might have their faces on it.

Once he had gotten a match he sent the information to a burner e-mail, then went about his work as usual while his programs tried to find another lead to follow up on. On the third day however he was working on a traditional pen that would write in multiple colors and never run out of ink when he heard the door open. "Oh... uh, hi there," Nigel said as he expected to see a customer out there only to see the hat and coat of the detective. "I didn't think we were going to meet again while the job was going on."

"I got a lead on one of those names you sent me," Natalya said as she kept her profile low. "This one is going to be a little trickier than the others so I'm going to be bringing in the entire squad to help. The car is waiting out front."

"Now hold on," Nigel said as she started to walk out of the shop, slowly turning around to face him once more. "I can't just be running out of this shop, I have customers that depend on me."

Both of them looked around at the empty store, Nigel feeling himself blush slightly. "I'm sure that they will be content to wait until you get back," she said as she lifted the brim of her hat and gave him a wink. "Plus as before I'll make sure that you're well compensated for it. Now come along, I don't have all day."

Though he felt his cheeks burn slightly the thought of progressing on this case on the mysterious club and also getting another hefty credit chip was enough to soothe his ego as he flicked off his open light and closed the door behind him before heading to the parked car. As they drove through the city Natalya handed him a folder, showing him a face he recognized as one of the twelve he had been looking for except in a nice business suit instead of latex. Natalya explained to him that he was one of the founders of a security company that helped stop an incursion that would have crippled the economy of the city, and as such was given a couple of sweet contracts as a kick back. Since he won't answer her calls, she said with a feigned pout, she was going to visit him at work where he would hopefully be a little more open.

Along the way they also picked up Simon, the cheetah nodding at both of them as he came in with his bag. Once he was in too she briefed them both that she was going to go in with the identity of an executive and that they were her lawyer and personal assistant, letting the two figure out which one wanted to be which as they drove. Eventually they decided that Nigel would be the assistant and Simon would be the lawyer because that would give the cheetah the reason to have the briefcase and him an excuse to play around with his PDA. Naturally it wasn't a real PDA, Natalya said as she handed the device over to him, it was a rather expensive pocket computer that she was going to want back.

"Now when we get to his office I'm going to need to know if he has any cameras or silent trips," Natalya explained as Nigel familiarized himself with the settings. "Naturally you can't just out and tell me and whispering is rather suspicious so if there are cameras I want you to work in the word coffee and if there are silent alarms I want you to say bagel. You can tell me how many cameras there are by working it into the number of sugars for the coffee and if there are multiple alarms just give multiple flavors of bagel. Either way though you will need to disable those alarms, then once you do the all clear is saying the time, you got it?"

Though Nigel was taking in a lot of information suddenly he believed that he got it all, though the elf gave it to him one more time just in case before turning to Simon and giving him his instructions. By the time they were both set they had reached the underground parking garage of one of the tallest buildings in the city, the two furred ones looking at one another as they wondered how powerful this person she was interrogating was. Once they had parked the elf took off both her raincoat and her hat, revealing the business suit underneath as she pulled back her hair. Both Simon and Nigel couldn't help but stare as they saw more of her in this instant then they had the entire last time they were together as she grabbed her purse and beckoned them to follow.

Even though Natalya assured him that nothing was going to happen to him Nigel still couldn't help but feel his stomach churring in anxiety. Furred ones like him were not hard to find, especially with the markings he sported as they rode the elevator up to the lobby. At least for Simon he looked nearly identical to every other one, he thought to himself as they went right up to the reception and Natalya said that she had a meeting with Mr. Bandler. She just gave the half-elf on the other side of the desk a small smile and leaned over while waiting for him to respond, catching him slightly by surprise and causing him to blush as he gave her fake identification pass back and told her to proceed through security.

Security turned out to be a full body scan and bag x-ray, Natalya putting her purse on the conveyor with Simon following up behind. As the cheetah got scanned Nigel put the PDA and his wallet in a bin so it could go through. "Alright miss," the guard said. "You're good to go."

At first Nigel thought that maybe they were still talking to Natalya, but when they saw it was Simon it caused him to tilt his head before he was told to move it along. He was quickly scanned and then given his items back before they went to the row of elevators that lined both walls and pushed the button. "You see," Natalya said with a smug grin. "That wasn't so hard, now was it."

As Nigel was about to comment on it he suddenly felt his body get shifted slightly, Natalya moving him over slightly to the left before he felt her resting her purse on his back. When he asked her what she was doing the elf just told him to stay still and don't look up. Curious Nigel attempted to try and see what it was he wasn't supposed to see and in the reflection of the metal wall of the elevator car he saw a camera that she had placed him between her and it. He heard a pop behind him and once more using the reflection he saw her applying lipstick to her somewhat thinner lips before rummaging a bit more around in her purse. Once they reached their destination, which took quite a while, Natalya pulled out one more thing to hand to them, a pair of sunglasses that she told them they might need.

It didn't take long for Nigel to find out way as they stepped out of the elevator car and was greeted with sunlight, actual sunlight that came from the sun. Both he and Simon had the same reaction and they placed their glasses on their face as Natalya moved forward while doing the same. It appeared the entire floor was just one big office; the sun was coming in from the windows at the back as they could see the grey clouds that were probably raining down on the city below. On either side of them the walls were comprised of mahogany tile on one side with bookshelves on the other as they moved down the narrow marble walkway between raised platforms to the desk and the man seated behind it.

"What a pleasure it is to finally meet you Mrs. Duvchel," the man said as he walked around the desk to shake her hand. "It's not very often that I meet someone from across the ocean in person, most days people like to do things by telecommuting, makes things rather impersonal don't you think?"

"Oh I wholeheartedly agree," Natalya replied. "To my left here is my lawyer Mr. Arnet and to my right is my personal assistant Paul. Mr. Arnet and Paul, this is Trevor SanCroix of SanCroix Securities."

"I really should get some furred ones for myself," Trevor said. "They were built for service after all, it just makes sense. But let's get down to business, shall we? I know you have a very busy day today in our fair city."

Nigel tried not to frown at the comment SanCroix made about him and Simon as he used the PDA to check on the security of the office, watching the scanner continue to work as the two began to discuss some deal in the Everglades that the detective probably made up just to get them there. It was mostly a smokescreen to let him do his work, using the complex computational device to hack into the wireless to do a more through network scan. While he wasn't sure what she had planned after this being up so high in a building with no exit other than the way one came was a bit daunting. If they were discovered who knows what this man would do... being one of the more powerful people in the city extended certain privileges when it came to people nosing around where they didn't belong.

"Madame Duvchel, would you care for a drink?" Nigel said once there was a break in the conversation. "Perhaps a coffee just the way you like it with three sugars?"

"Oh my, where are my manners?" Trevor stated as he pointed over to a counter that ran along part of one wall. "I have a few flavors that use that new fancy machine over there, I prefer traditional brewing methods myself. But anyway help yourself and if you could grab me a sparkling water I would very much appreciate it."

"Of course," Nigel stated, standing up and keeping the screen of the PDA hidden. "Would you like me to bring anything from there in the way of food? Perhaps a bagel?"

"It's just a wet bar I'm afraid," Trevor said with a chuckle. Before he could continue on Nigel nodded to him and thanked him, then nodded to Natalya as well. Three cameras and a silent alarm... that was quite the security to have on an office like this that already benefitted from the pat down that was received downstairs. As he went over to the area where there was coffee and other drinks it gave him a chance to work on the security unimpeded. A private server for the cameras, and it looks like the silent alarm went to a private company instead of the police as he hacked his way through the protocols and spoofed the system.

By the time the beverage was ready he had managed to loop the camera feeds and trick the silent alarm to going to his phone instead of wherever it was supposed to go, Nigel starting to put three sugars into the coffee before he shook his head and just took the cup over to Natalya. "By the way madame," Paul said as she handed him the cup. "I just wanted to let you know that it's almost two o' clock."

"Oh splendid," Natalya said as she brought up her purse in one hand while holding the coffee with the other while still looking at Trevor. "By the way, I couldn't help but notice your chair, is that one of those newer models with the hover pads so you can float around without the need for wheels scuffing up your floor?"

"Indeed it is?" Trevor stated, beaming with pride as he slapped the velvet armrest. "Just picked it up last week, top of the line."

"Fantastic," Natalya replied as she took a sip of the coffee, then looked down at it. "Oh my, this is delightful." In the next second the elf pulled out a pistol and shot three times, scaring the others and causing the one she was aiming at to duck down in his chair before she motioned him to sit up. "Ah ah, you really mustn't slouch, it's poor for your posture."

"You... you crazy elf bitch!" Trevor said as he looked behind him and saw the bullets had made a triangle pattern in the glass behind him. "Do you know what you could have done?!"

"Of course I do," the elf smiled as she tapped Simon on the shoulder, the cheetah nodding and taking out a camera from his briefcase and taking pictures. "But let me explain it to my dear friend here." Nigel's eyes were still wide and his ears were ringing slightly as Natalya leaned over to him while still pointing the gun at Trevor. "You see, since we're so high up there is actually tremendous pressure inside this room that is trying to escape to the lesser pressure outside, which if that glass breaks is called a blow-out."

"You're damn right!" Trevor shouted, practically frothing at the mouth. "You could have killed us all!"

"From this high up?" Natalya replied with a laugh. "Hardly, however if someone was in a chair that was currently hovering, like yourself, why you'd just be sucked right on out." As the human's fingers began to move towards the control pad on the armrest she pulled back the hammer of the gun. " I don't think so... you and I are going to sit right here while my two furry friends go and see just what you're hiding here, starting with your computer."

Nigel continued to sit there before he caught a glimpse of Natalya motioning with her eyes over to the desktop, then doing it again more blatantly before he caught the hint and moved over to access the computer. Like most people he found that the lock screen was already deactivated, which made his job far easier as he looked up any and all information that referenced The Gates of Emessu. When everything was pulled up he took a data stick out of the PDA and shoved it into the computer, feeling the wrathful eyes of the man being held up by gunpoint as he downloaded the information.

Just as it was processing Simon shouted that he found something, Natalya once more saying that Nigel should go and see what the cheetah found as she took another sip of her coffee. "Natalya was right with me bringing this thing," he said as the hybrid looked at the screen he was being shown and saw a ray of orange in an otherwise blue and purple surface. "Infrared camera, detects heat. Maybe some sort of secret room?"

"Only one way to find out," Nigel replied as they began to look for the way to open the secret door. When he asked Natalya if perhaps Trevor could tell them where it was she relayed the question and got a string of curses in response, though when he looked at his face he saw something that almost looked like fear. "Wait, I think I found it..."

It ended up being a tile that had a slightly different pattern then all the others, and when he pressed it in both furred ones had to step back as the entire marble slab shifted back in order to reveal the room underneath. When the two looked over what they saw caused them both to freeze in shock, their jaws dropping to the ground as the space they revealed was actually three coffin-sized holes in the ground... and they weren't empty. As soon as they were exposed to the air the three individuals, which they could only guess was a maybe a male forked-tongue and a male and female elf started to squirm.

The reason why they were so hard to identify was that they were covered head to toe in a shiny latex suit, their bodies defined but also featureless under what could only be thick rubber as they let out muffled grunts and groans. Despite essentially being entombed they were clearly being aroused, though how they were getting air, water, and foods was hard to tell unless they opened the suits. But when they reached down to try and see where they could open them they found no seam or zipper, like they had been trapped in them with the only adornment other then that was a metal collar around their necks that was starting to look really familiar to Nigel. When they attempted to try and get them out Natalya told them to just leave them, they needed to leave soon and she was sure someone would come up and rescue them soon.

"Well that was a pretty nasty surprise," Natalya said as Nigel and Simon helped the three encased victims become more comfortable, moving around the desk and sitting on top of it right in front of Trevor. "Now why would you be going and doing a thing like that to innocent people? And what does that little club of yours have to do with it?"

"Are you sure that we have to leave them here?" Nigel asked, trying not to look at the three doll-like latex people in an effort to preserve modesty.

"It would be pretty hard to march three nearly naked people through the lobby, don't you think?" Natalya said. "I'm sure when the police get here they'll take good care of them and Mr. SanCroix."

To Nigel and Simon's surprise the man went from anger and rage to almost having a manic look in his eye as he began to laugh right at the elf. "You think that they're ever going to touch me?" he said after he had gotten done. "You're going to be in jail before I even get done sharing a cup of coffee with the district attorney! I don't know what you're think you're going to do but it's already too late, we've won and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"Won?" the elf replied as she leaned back. "Won what? The craziest rich person award?"

Once more Trevor laughed, but this time it was far darker as he looked straight into her eyes. "You have no idea what you and your little pets have stumbled into," he said with a toothy grin. "When he's done with you all three of you will wish that you've gone to prison. Soon he will rise and all will fall in his path!"

"Is that so?" Natalya stated as she leaned in, taking her foot and placing it against the middle of the chair. "Well why don't we just go ahead and start with you then?"

Before Trevor could react the elf kicked his chair backwards, the floating furniture carrying the man along until it hit the weakened pane of glass and caused it to shatter. Both Nigel and Simon nearly stumbled forward as they felt all the air get sucked out into the room as they could hear the screams grow distant until they couldn't be heard at all over the howling wind. The two furred ones just looked in shock as the detective took apart the weapon she had been holding and put the pieces in her purse along with the data stick from the computer. When she got back to the two she clapped her hands and asked what they were still standing around for, they had work to do still and this place was about to be a crime scene.

A few minutes later the three were sitting in Natalya's car once more after Nigel deleted any trace of them being in that office while Simon dealt with the physical evidence, driving out of the parking garage just as the police were showing up. "I still don't know how we managed to beat the police out," Simon said as he watched the officers get out and storm the lobby through the tinted windows. "You would have thought that a body landing in the street would be a clue that something was wrong."

"Oh that body probably drifted about a block before it landed from how high we were up," Natalya replied with a small smirk. "Plus the landing makes it hard to identify and when you add in that the offices are often sound-proofed it's a wonder more people don't use it to get away. Sometimes it takes days if they happen to land on the roof, my guess is we got a bit unlucky and he probably landed on someone's car."

"Right..." Nigel said, still remembering the look on his face when he saw the man tumble out of a three-digit floor window. "So... why did you push him out of a window again?"

'A few reasons," Natalya said simply. "First is he saw my face, as well as you two, and that's generally not good when you get on the shit list of someone as powerful as that. Second he turned out to be absolutely off his rocker, keeping those poor people prisoner in those latex suits and talking about someone rising. Third... well, I just really didn't like him."

The three then turned their attention to the case in front of them, trying to make sense of the bizarre twist their case had taken. People completely dressed up in rubber suits hidden under floors, a club that makes people wear things that are likely messing with their head, and a data stick full of info that they were going to have to sift through. The last part Natalya said that she would take care of, giving the two a package that contained their homework before dropping them off at their respective locations. For Nigel it was back at his shop, the elf telling him that he did good today before he got out and stood in the rain watching her drive off...