FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 27: Driving Force

Slowly opening her eyes, a modest smile is perpetually plastered on Mackenzie’s face. With a delighted sigh, the white, mouse AdvAnimal arches her back and gently shifts. Her paw-like feet brushes something and her long, fleshy tail feels a modest pressure near the base. Turning her head, she looks toward her right, finding Louis still lying beside her. He lay there, passed out but snuggling with her, his arms wrapped around her slender form. She glances down. Her feet had brushed his shins and her tail is pressed between their bodies, though not uncomfortably so.

Unable to resist, she rubs the soft, pale skin of his legs with her pink footpads. Her little smile grows even wider. Seeing him there and feeling him against her is a wonderful reminder that what happened only a few hours earlier wasn’t a dream. Slowly adjusting herself, she carefully rolls over to face her new mate, a clawed hand brushing his cheek. For reasons unknown to her, she simply cannot resist the urge to touch him. She’s overwhelmed by a sudden connection to this particular human, a titanium bond that links them together.

With her hand now resting upon his bare chest, her claws softly scratching him, she marvels at her lover. She’s wanted him for some time and now she finally has him. A smart, thoughtful, kind, trustworthy and adorable man, all to herself. However, as she dwells on their carnal passion, she realizes their mistake. Leaning forward, she grows increasingly fearful. Louis rolls onto his back, slowly coming to. In a panic, Mackenzie pushes against his chest, using his body to boost herself up. She pulls her hand away so quickly that she accidentally claws him.

“Ow...” He winces.

Sitting upright, she stares in horror at the crusty substance caught in her snow-white fur. The off-white remnants of their passion is barely visible to the naked eye. She brings a hand to her face and begins nervously nibbling on her claws. Sitting up beside her, Louis looks at the red marks she’d just made.

“So that’s what my back looks like.” He jests.

Mackenzie doesn’t make a sound. Was his joke that bad?! He turns toward her, only to see the look of worry on her face. Though she’s often nervous and shy, this is an entirely different expression; this is serious. Growing concerned for his lover, Louis extends a hand, resting it on the soft fur of her back.

“Macky? Are you okay?” He scoots closer.

Turning her head, she looks him in the eyes. After a brief pause, she slowly shakes her head ‘no’.

“What’s wrong?! Is it me?!” He scoots even closer, slipping an arm around her waist and resting a hand on her slender hip. “Did I do something you didn’t like?!”

“Mm-mm...” She shakes her head again.

“Oh... Then what’s wrong, sweetheart?”

He speaks with such a soft and loving voice, and even tenderly strokes her cheek. He’s never called her “sweetheart” before, either! She finds herself calming down, her little smile returning. He’s just so comforting.

“You can tell me. You can tell me anything, Macky.” He says, gently nuzzling the side of her snout with his nose.

The soothing sound of his voice and the way he showers her with love and affection make her close her eyes and hum with joy. It takes her a moment to remember why she was even upset in the first place. Pulling back, she looks down at his flaccid manhood, only to then glance at her own groin and rest a hand over her flat belly. She gently rubs her abdomen, her claws weaving through the short, white fur that covers her body.

“Huh? OH! ... Oh...” He says, finally realizing the gravity of the situation. “I guess we should, uhm... Do something about that.”

“Mmhmm...” She slowly nods.

Reaching out a hand, Mackenzie very carefully, even nervously, takes hold of Louis’ manhood, gripping him very loosely. Though he’d finally used it, giving both himself and Mackenzie the first sexual experience of their lives, he still feels himself flushing as she touches him. She brings her other hand closer and mimics the act of unrolling a condom, before looking into his eyes and flashing a sweet and innocent smile.

“Safety first, huh?” He teasingly asks.

Mackenzie slowly nods her head.

“Okay. From now on, I’ll do that. Whatever makes you feel better, sweetheart. Anything for you.”

“Hmm!” She coos, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him tightly.

As she presses herself against him, he leans back. Bracing himself with his right hand, he finally realizes just how close he is to the edge of her bed.

“Uhm, Macky?”

“Hm?” She asks, nuzzling his face with her snout.

“Want to go and, uhm... Take care of that problem, now? I think there’s still time.”

“Mhm!”

Letting him go, she turns and scrambles away, crawling along the bed and toward the edge. As she shifts, her large tail, hairless and rodent-like, smacks him in the left bicep, like a huge, pink whip, throwing him off balance.

“Ahh!” He exclaims.

Hearing a loud thud, Mackenzie turns back, furling her brow and cocking her head. Where did Louis go?! She walks slowly around the foot of the bed.

“I’m okay!” He suddenly exclaims, raising a hand over the edge of the bed.

“Hehe!”

Walking almost silently across her room, Mackenzie steps over Louis’ clothes, which remain strewn about her hardwood floor. It brings a little smile to her face. She stops at a nearby table and scoops up her clothes, a summer dress with sewn-in, padded cups, and her rose red panties. As she looks over the clothes, she seems hesitant to put them on. Louis watches her as he collects his underwear from the floor. Mackenzie makes her way toward an old armoire, which she promptly opens to retrieve a red bathrobe, hanging among her other dresses.

She looks between her two choices and whimpers, as though she were struggling to decide. Somehow, Louis finds this strangely adorable. After a moment, she places both choices atop the nearby table and returns to her nightstand. Louis cannot help but stare at her as her exquisite, nude form passes by. He focuses on her small, taut buttocks, smiling at the thought of how he grabbed onto it as they made love. Collecting her special phone, Mackenzie slides it open to reveal the keyboard, then begins to type away. After a short wait, it beeps. She types another message. Beep!

“Eee!” Mackenzie squeals in her Soprano voice.

“Are you alright?” Louis asks, raising a brow.

“Mmhmm!” She turns to him and nods.

Returning to the table, she collects her dress and panties and folds them up, before slipping on her bathrobe. Soon, Louis can hear the distinct clopping of Victoria’s hooves as she makes her way through the hall. He races to pull up his pants and fasten the button. Knock, knock, knock! Tying her robe closed as she walks, Mackenzie dashes toward the door, only to pull it open and reveal Victoria standing there. With her arms crossed beneath her impressive bust, the towering, six-foot-four mare AdvAnimal looks down at the five-foot-nothing mouse girl.

Mackenzie’s large, rounded ears droop as she hangs her head in a rather apologetic fashion. Letting out a sigh, Victoria pulls an arm from beneath her bust. Hidden just beneath the crook of her arm, she was concealing a box of Plan B morning-after pills, which she promptly presents to Mackenzie. Ostensibly on Mackenzie’s request, she’d taken the box from the “pleasure cabinet”, as Connor has jokingly begun to call the armoire near their workstations, which holds the stockpile of condoms and emergency contraceptive pills.

Mackenzie’s cheeks flush as she reaches for the box, only for Victoria to suddenly hold it high in the air, well out of the diminutive mouse girl’s reach. Pulling out her other arm from beneath her bust, the mare reveals several strips of condoms clutched in her other hand. By now, Louis’ face is almost cherry red. As he slips on his shirt in the background, Victoria turns her ice blue eyes toward him. She has a strange look on her face. It almost seems to say, “Really? You couldn’t take a few seconds to take this one precaution?!”

As if to drive the point home, Victoria waves her hand back and forth, swaying the long strips of condoms. With her ears still dropped and her head bowed, Mackenzie abruptly reaches out and swipes the strips of condoms, startling Victoria. The mare’s expression changes and she grins with amusement. Finally presenting the mouse AdvAnimal with the box of morning-after pills, Mackenzie snatches those, too. With a little giggle, Victoria drapes an arm over her shoulders and gives her a hug, only to then rest a hand atop her head and mess up her snow-white hair as she takes a step back.

Thoroughly embarrassed, Mackenzie shyly retreats into her room. Victoria waves to them with her fingertips, clearly reveling in the lover’s shared nervousness and embarrassment. Mackenzie returns to Louis, who now sits at the edge of her bed. Setting the condoms and the box of pills atop her nightstand, she steps closer to her lover and stands before him. Wrapping his arms around her slender waist, he draws her even closer. With a hand placed on the back of his head, she rests her chin on the crown of his head, basking in the warmth of his embrace.

“Well... That was fun.” He murmurs.

“Hm?!”

She arches her back as she pulls her upper body away, turning her head down to look upon him. He almost sounded upset. Though he doesn’t appear distressed, he wears the distinct look of nervousness and anxiety, something he often has. Turning his eyes up to meet hers, he quickly realizes how that might’ve sounded to her.

“No! Not what we did!” He exclaims. “That part was great!”

“Mmm!” She coos, nuzzling his head very tenderly.

“I-I just, uhm... I know the guys are going to give me a lot of crap for this.”

Taking a hand away from his shoulders, she pantomimes by pointing toward herself and then the opened doorway to the hall.

“You too, huh?”

“Mhm.” She nods.

Resting his head against her chest, his chin near her modest bust, Mackenzie holds onto her lover and lovingly pets his head.

“You’re so good to me, Macky... I should’ve come to you sooner. I’m sorry I’m always so nervous. Sometimes it’s just hard, you know? I get scared. I worry about things that might happen.” He begins, his arms squeezing her a little tighter.

“Mhm...” She nods, running her claws through his golden hair.

“I’m glad we did this, though... All the time we’ve spent together. It’s... Well, it’s been the best time of my life.”

“Aww!”

“... I love you.”

With her eyes wide, she leans back and peers down at the human. With his chin nestled between her breasts and his puppy dog eyes turned up to her, he flashes her the sweetest and most innocent of smiles. She can tell just from looking that he means it. Overwhelmed by his admission, she cannot control herself. After hugging him so tightly that she fears she might crack his head like an egg, his face smooshed into her chest until he can barely breathe, she lets him go and swiftly collects her phone. After typing a message, her hands shake as she turns the screen over for him to read. So great is her shaking that Louis has to reach out and steady her. In a weird way, he finds it adorable.

“I love you, too! I’ve wanted you for a mate for so long! I would fall asleep looking at your picture, wishing you were mine. Now you are, and it’s a dream come true!” It reads.

“Really?! You looked at a picture of me before bed?!”

She vigorously nods her head.

“Oh... Well... I did that very same thing.” He shyly replies.

“Aww!” She coos, hugging him one more time.

“So, does this mean you want to move in with me?” He asks.

“Mmhmm!!!”

After another long embrace, Louis formally asks her to stay with him, moving out of her room and into his room. It’s a step that’s been taken by all of the men in the house, living and sleeping beside their mates. Only Donnie, who never had a full-time room in the manor to begin with, moved in with Victoria; Connor and Jack brought their lovers into their rooms. Holding the phone behind Louis’ head, Mackenzie types another message, before pulling away and showing him the screen.

“I’m going to shower. Come with me.”

“Y-you mean, in the show?!” His face flushes.

“Mhm!”

“Oh...”

Mackenzie furls her brow, somewhat perplexed by his sudden shyness.

“It’s just that I’ve, uhm... I’ve never done that before.”

“You never barged into my room and made love to me before. I think you’ll be okay.” Her new message reads.

“True...”

“Besides, even a human could smell us on each other.” She types. “It’s for the best we don’t see the others until we’re clean.”

“Heh! Good point!” He flushes, shyly scratching the back of his head.

Taking him by the hand, the dainty mouse girl leads the jittery and nervous human out of her room. It isn’t often that she’s the most calm and relaxed one. She makes sure to take the box of Plan B with them, and while Louis runs the water and adjusts the temperature, Mackenzie takes the pills. After joining the mouse AdvAnimal in the shower, enjoying a rather benign washing session, the pair get dressed before making their way downstairs.

Unsurprisingly, everyone turns toward them. Connor sits at his workstation, his chair turned at a slight angle and with Samara seated on his lap. Donnie and Victoria sit beside each other on the couch along the wall, cuddling and relaxing. The two AdvAnimal girls wave to Mackenzie, who happily waves back. She then leans against Louis and rests her head on his shoulder. It’s as if she’s confirming that she is, indeed, no longer a virgin. She then turns to Louis and plants a big kiss on his lips, in full view of everyone.

For as shy and nervous as the mouse girl often is, she seems fully enveloped in her new mate, to the point that her previous anxieties no longer seem to matter. She openly flaunts their newfound relationship, without a though or care in the world. Though he wanted the mouse girl and her very public kiss, Louis can feel his friends’ eyes burning into his flesh like lasers. As soon as she moves her head from his view, he can see their smirks as Donnie and Connor stare at the pair. They look thoroughly amused.

Mackenzie happily hums as she passes Louis, who’s now frozen solid with nervousness. In a matter of seconds, she disappears into the kitchen just behind him. Only the sound of the refrigerator’s doors opening and closing, and the hum of the built-in ice machine, breaks the silence.

“Well!” Donnie finally exclaims, taking his arm from around Victoria’s waist. “Look who finally came out of his hole.”

With a half-amused and half-shocked snicker, Victoria gently smacks her lover’s bicep with the back of her hand.

“What? I wasn’t talking about her.” Donnie chuckles.

“I guess you did have it in you.” Connor remarks.

“You meant ‘in her’, right?” Donnie snickers.

Victoria rolls her eyes and subtly shakes her head, but her lips curl around her muzzle with visible delight. With his cheeks now a nice shade of cherry red, Louis clears his throat. Donnie soon rises from his seat.

“Relax, buddy...” Donnie says, stepping closer and resting a hand on Louis’ shoulder. “We’re just teasing. Seriously though, I’m proud of ya’!”

“... Really?”

“Yeah!” Donnie sniffles and pretends to wipe away a tear.

“Our boy is finally becoming a man!” Connor adds.

“I love you, son!” Donnie exclaims as he yanks Louis by the shirt, forcing him into an awkward embrace. “You’ve finally done it! You’ve made your old man so proud!”

Emerging from the kitchen, Mackenzie carries a cup of tea in one hand, and an unopened can of Sprite in the other, which she promptly presents to her lover. Still locked in the strange embrace, Louis turns his eyes toward her, extends a hand and grips the can. With an amused smile, Mackenzie uses a claw to pop open the can for her mate. As quickly as he’d pulled Louis in, Donnie almost shoves him backward.

“Alright, enough of that!”

“S-so, uhm... Where’s Jack and Alie? Are they still asleep?” Louis asks before lifting the can and taking a sip.

“Oh, they took off hours ago!” Donnie exclaims as he returns to the couch, sitting beside his beloved Victoria.

“Huh?! Already?! ... It didn’t seem like that long.”

“It never does.” Donnie winks before glancing over to Vicky.

With her smile widening, the mare girl drapes an arm over her lover and pulls him in.

“Where are they going?” Louis asks, approaching the workstations.

With an arm resting on the door, the windows down and the wind in their hair, Jack glances over at Alessandra. She sits back in the bucket seat of his medium blue and silver pinstriped ‘75 Chevy El Camino SS, only to turn her head and look back. It’s as though she sensed his gaze.

“You’re right, babe! This was a better choice than the van!” He exclaims, patting the door of his car.

Though she’d initially tried to get him to use his 1930 Ford Model A Roadster, this was still a good choice. Jack thoroughly refused to drive the Roadster, partly due to the small gas tank but mostly because a vehicle so rare and flashy, and most importantly without a roof, would draw far too much attention on such a long road trip. As far as old cars go, the nearly forty-year-old El Camino is still a relatively common sight.

It isn’t as common a car as a Chevelle SS or Donnie’s 80’s Mustang, both being popular choices for gear heads, but it’s perhaps the most incognito vehicle that Jack owns. With eight-hundred miles between them and their destination, Amelia Island in northeastern Florida, it’ll be a fun, comfortable, and a hopefully uneventful ride.

For hours they cruise along the highways, their forms hidden from view by the darkly tinted windows of Jack’s sporty car, which they raised as soon as they were within view of other motorists. They listen to music on the aftermarket radio and enjoy a light snack, stopping only at the most deserted of rest areas to relieve themselves. Pulling into the back, out of sight from the highway, Jack turns to Alessandra.

“Okay, Alie, I don’t have to go, yet, so I’m going top off the gas tank.” He begins, pointing a thumb at the back window. “I don’t want to rush you, but...”

With a little smile, Alessandra holds up a clawed hand. She rests two fingers over his lips, silencing him. She then softly strokes his cheek with her fingertips and leans in to steals a kiss. As she pulls away, she nods with acceptance.

“Thanks, babe. You’re the best.” He flashes a little grin.

“Mmm!” She nuzzles his face, before climbing out of the car.

Stepping out of the car, Jack watches Alessandra for a moment as she makes her way into the rest area. Though it’s deserted, except for Jack’s car, she looks from side to side as she enters the building. As soon as she disappears into the ladies room, Jack walks toward the fuel cap of his sporty car. Leaning over, he collects one of six jerry cans that sits in a row, held against the silver painted truck bed and just beneath the rear window with a cargo bar. He hastily begins to pour the five gallons of gasoline into his El Camino, being careful not to damage his car by bumping it with the can or spilling gas on it. A few minutes in, he hears a horrifying sound. Beep, beep! A car honks its horn.

“Wow! Nice wheels!” An older man exclaims as he pulls into the lot, two spaces away from Jack.

“Thanks.”

Just as the stranger with a bushy, white beard parks his car and shuts off the engine, Jack closes the cap to his El Camino’s gas tank. He leans over, returning the now empty jerry can beside all of the others.

“What’s with all of the gas?” The stranger asks.

“Oh, uh... I like to race to my destinations; it’s more efficient to drain the lizard and then these cans all in one stop than to make multiple stops, you know?”

“Makes sense, I guess. You sound like a rally driver! Do you store food and drinks, too?!” The older man chuckles.

“Yes.” Jack honestly replies.

“Heh... Say, do you mind if I take a picture of her?! She’s a beaut!”

After glancing toward the door to the rest area, Jack knows it’s only a matter of time. Better to placate the stranger and send him on his way before Alessandra returns. He reluctantly agrees.

“Thanks! It’s not every day you see a classic like this, and in such fine shape, too!” The man exclaims, pulling out a smartphone.

Jack gulps, stepping out of the shot. He’s just thankful that the man wants a picture of the side of his car.

“Not a fan of pictures?”

“Nah.”

“That’s okay. I’m a little camera shy, myself.” The stranger replies.

Just as he’s about to press the big white button on his screen, the door to the rest area loudly creaks, drawing their attention. The man’s eyes grow wide and he turns his whole body toward the doorway. Emerging from inside, Alessandra walks with her eyes turned toward her feet. She looks at her hands, as if checking to make sure she cleaned them well enough.

“Wow!” The man exclaims, stopping Alessandra in her tracks. “You have an AdvAnimal, too?!”

She lifts her head, her emerald eyes wide. She wasn’t even paying attention, merely assuming that they were still alone.

“We call it “Welcoming”, since it doesn’t sound like ownership, but yes, she’s with me.” Jack coolly replies.

“Sorry. I’m an old timer, and I’m still not used to all these changes. The world today is so different from when I was a kid, it’s crazy! No offense intended.” The man replies.

“None taken.”

“How long have you, uhm... Been with her? Adopted her? Whatever they call it.”

“I Welcomed her a little over a month ago.” Jack swiftly lies, extending an arm toward Alessandra.

She doesn’t keep him waiting and steps into the space, allowing and welcoming his arm as it wraps around her body, his hand resting on her waist.

“I was approved by Unifact not long after her type were made public, and when she was introduced to me, I thought she was perfect. Luckily, she felt the same way, since she came with me that same day. We’ve been loyal companions ever since. It’s nice always having her around.”

Alessandra’s heart warms as she listens to Jack’s words. Though he’s bluffing the stranger about how they met, she can tell from his voice and the look in his eyes that he certainly means what he’s saying about his feelings; their love for each other seems to grow with each and every day.

“She’s very red! Goes great with a blue sports car!” The older man chuckles. “Ahem... Sorry, I couldn’t help but-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jack interrupts the man.

“I just didn’t want to seem like I was focusing too heavily on her skin... Uhm... Are AdvAnimals another race or another species?”

“Another species, but like I said, it’s okay. You merely stated a fact, and facts aren’t racist or speciest or whatever.”

“Right...” The man murmurs, visibly embarrassed.

“Anyway, I love her skin and her color! Smooth and glossy...” Jack begins, softly caressing the smooth hide of her midriff with his fingertips. “You should see her when she’s all wet!” He winks and chuckles.

Her eyes grow wide and she turns her head, looking toward her mate. The stranger’s face flushes and he nervously clears his throat. Is Jack trying to make the man uncomfortable enough to leave or is he actively flirting with her in front of him? It’s hard for her to tell. After an awkward pause, the man sidesteps, moving back and away from them, then lifts up his phone.

“Anyway... Let’s get a shot of this classic!”

Pressing the button, he snaps a photo of Jack’s El Camino. With a nod of his head, the stranger wishes the pair a safe and fun drive, only to head inside to use the restroom.

“Okay... We’d better get out of here before more people show up.” Jack turns to her.

She nods her head and makes her way for the passenger’s door. Climbing into the car, Jack hastily drives away, glancing back at the rest stop through the rear-view mirror several times. Meanwhile, Alessandra looks him over, dwelling on his comments to the man.

“From now on, we should probably stop at places a ways away from the highway to gas up and stuff... Are you okay with that?” He asks, glancing over to her.

Alessandra nods her head, though she seems displeased.

“I know squatting behind a tree isn’t glamorous, but we really need to stay under the radar... All the time I spend with you, I’m almost starting to forget that we’re playing a dangerous game. We can’t be taking risks, babe, not until this is finished.”

They drive in silence for a moment as Jack seems to lose himself in his thoughts. She cocks her head, watching and listening. After a brief silence, he opens his mouth and sighs.

“You know, me and the guys have been struggling with those suit-wearing monsters for so long that I was beginning to wonder if I’d even be able to adjust to a life without conflict. I guess now I know, but it scares me, because we’re still deep in the woods, you know? If anything ever happened to you... God... We just really need to be careful, here.”

Glancing over to her, Alessandra curls her lips into a subtle smile and gently nods her head. She then lifts up her phone, and knowing that he cannot text and drive, she types out a message only to lean over and show him her screen.

“I understand that what we do is dangerous, and while I want a normal life, I know that it isn’t an option right now. You can adjust to anything, and I will always be there for you, to help you, just as I know you will always be there for me. We can build a life together once this is all over, and I’m sorry if I make it hard to stay focused.” It reads.

“It’s okay, babe. It’s not your fault, and you don’t make it hard to stay focused. It’s just that sometimes I just want this whole thing to be over with. I mean, I’ve got these sweet cars, my gun collection, a ton of money and a hot-ass girlfriend, but I can’t flash any of it! It really sucks!” He says with a little smirk.

“Hehe!”

After a pause, pondering his earlier words, Alessandra types out one more message.

“Did you mean what you said before or were you just trying to make that man leave?” It reads.

“What? About liking your skin or you being sexy as hell? Because I meant all of it. You’re hot as fire, babe!” He says, flashing a proud grin. “I’m lucky to have you all to myself. I just couldn’t help but brag a little bit.”

“Mmm!” She coos, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder and a hand on his bicep.

Making his way out of the bathroom, the man takes a look at the empty space where the El Camino had been. He pauses for a moment to dwell on the unique encounter.

“Not every day you see a car like that, and he had that AdvAnimal, too! That’s something I just gotta share!”

Taking out his phone, the older man posts the photo to his Facebook profile. After drafting a short message to document his little adventure, he glances at the photo of the beautifully preserved car before turning his attention toward the far corner of the picture. Unbeknownst to Jack, both he and Alessandra are in the shot; the older man sidestepped just enough to capture them in the top left corner.

“Man... I remember when my Sarah had a figure like that. Ahh, the good old days of the 70’s! Makes you wonder where all the years go!” He chuckles to himself.

After a long and arduous drive, the drowsy and half-starved Jack and Alessandra finally pull up to their destination. Sitting along the side of the road for a moment, Jack stares at the extravagant Ritz-Carlton resort hotel. Though initially enthralled by the complex, Alessandra turns her attention toward her lover. In an effort to comfort him, she reaches out a clawed hand and rests it on the warm flesh of his right forearm.

“Sorry, Alie. I’m just worried.”

“Hm?” She cocks her head.

“That’s the Ritz-Carlton. High-end everything, especially security, and very, very expensive. There’s no way I can hide you there. I’m just nervous about all of the witnesses...”

She gives him a little squeeze, silently assuring him. He turns his head and looks into her eyes. Her green orbs are so welcoming, telling him that everything will be alright.

“You’re right... Okay... You ready?”

“Mmhmm!” She nods.

“Good! ... That makes once of us...”

Pulling into the parking area of the five-star hotel, they’re met by a valet. Though the valet takes a second look at Alessandra, it’s clear that he’s more intrigued by her type than her being an AdvAnimal. As he prepares to climb into the car, the youth notes the large quantity of empty gas cans in the El Camino’s truck bed.

“Those aren’t full, are they, sir?” He asks.

“No.”

“Oh... Mind if I-”

“Don’t ask. Here’s twenty dollars.” Jack murmurs, slipping the young man cash from one of his pants pockets.

“Thank you, sir!”

They collect their luggage from inside the car, two modest backpacks and a medium sized, black Pelican case. Alessandra slings her pack, while Jack carries his backpack and the case. Stepping inside, they’re bombarded by the clean lines and subdued atmosphere of the resort hotel. Several male patrons walk around in business casual, while one wears swim shorts. Several women are in elegant bathing suits, while a few wear nice dresses and still another wears tightly fitting yoga pants and a tank top. With Jack in his jeans, t-shirt and spiky rocker vest, and Alessandra in her rather skimpy outfit more befitting of a stereotypical gypsy, both draw attention to themselves.

“May I help you, sir?” The clerk at the counter asks.

“Yeah. Ahem... I have a reservation for Mr. Kelley.”

The man begins to type on a keyboard, his eyes glued to a screen. Alessandra scans the lobby of the five-star hotel, noting several other AdvAnimals who accompany the other patrons. Even the AdvAnimals are wearing equally impressive dresses and bathing suits. Nearly all of them are female, walking in lock-step with human men. The sole exception is a lone male with the appearance of a solid white German shepherd, except with deep blue eyes and a black nose. He sits in a lounge chair between a pair of young, slender human women with nicely tanned skin. They appear to be sisters. After typing away on his computer for a moment, the clerk clears his throat.

“Ahh, yes! Here you are! Three nights in one of our honeymoon suites. It says you paid the holding fee by card, Mr. Kelley. That just leaves the balance of twenty-two hundred dollars.”

Jack startles the clerk by producing a billfold from an inner pocket of his studded vest and opening it to reveal $10,000 in cash, all in $100 bills. After counting out the sum, he slaps the money down on the counter and turns over his hand. The clerk stares at him for a moment.

“Well? Keys.”

“Of course, sir!”

After collecting the card keys, they follow the clerk’s instructions and make their way toward the elevators. As they walk, they pass a woman walking in the other direction. The slender but busty woman with alabaster skin and light-brown hair glances toward Jack, eying him for a moment with blue-green orbs, only to turn her attention toward Alessandra and raise her brow in surprise. She doesn’t say anything or even acknowledge the pair, nor does she take a second look after passing them, merely taking off and cleaning her wire-framed glasses as if she hadn’t a care in the world.

Is she so surprised? There are other AdvAnimals in the hotel, a few of whom are plainly seen with their human companions. Alessandra glances down at her clothes and then toward Jack, and for a brief moment, she feels uneasy in their surroundings. Jack is equally unnerved, though for entirely different reasons. His eyes dart about, shifting between every surveillance camera that they pass, though he tries not to bring attention to this fact. Upon reaching their room, he opens the door for her and waves her inside. Stepping inside right behind her, Jack cannot help himself and gives the AdvAnimal girl a little smack on her perky buttocks.

“Oh!” She jumps and looks back, gently rubbing her butt.

“Heh. I couldn’t resist... So?! What do you think?!”

She turns her head and her eyes scan the room. It’s very modern in its styling, and everything looks quite expensive. Turning her attention toward the jacuzzi, however, her eyes grow wide.

“Nice, huh?!”

“Ooohhh...” She coos, slowly approaching the large, oval tub.

“Just try not to get too cozy. Remember, babe, we’re here to meet a contact.” Jack begins.

After turning the four dials on his cylindrical combination locks, he opens up the Pelican case and examines the contents. It holds several electronic devices used for hacking electronic door locks, landline phones and even modern car doors and ignitions. Alongside those are three small handguns with a quantity of pre-loaded magazines for each, and two folding knives. Pulling out a Taurus G2c with an aftermarket threaded barrel and suppressor from the foam cutouts, he checks the weapon to make sure it’s loaded, only to turn his attention toward one of his backup guns, a Ruger LCP II in .22 LR.

“Hopefully, this meeting goes off without a hitch...” He murmurs, setting the weapons aside. “But you can never be too careful.”

Hearing the sound of a water faucet turning on, Jack furls his brow and glances over his shoulder. Sitting at the edge for a moment, Alessandra fills the jacuzzi with water, keeping a hand held beneath the faucet and bringing it to her preferred temperature. She closes her eyes, already beginning to relax.

“Babe?”

“Mmm...” She quietly hums, wiggling her fingers beneath the rushing water.

“Are you even listening to me?”

As the jacuzzi is gradually filled, she stands to her feet and strips off her clothes. They fall in a heap at her lizard-like, four-toed feet, covering her sharp claws and bunching around her animalesque ankles. She doesn’t even bother to answer him.

“Right... Well, I suppose in the meantime, we can have a little bit of fun.” He says with a growing smile.

She dips her toes into the still water and lets out a delighted sigh. Without any reservations, she slips into the jacuzzi. The smooth underside of her long, thick tail rubs against the plastic walls of the fancy tub, making a loud squeaking sound. Jack pushes the case and his weapons aside and begins stripping off his clothes, leaving his rocker vest and t-shirt hanging over the edge of the bed. It’s at this point that Alessandra finally notices him.

She leans back, her arms outstretched as she watches him with a wide smile on her face. The water sits just above her ample breasts, and though he didn’t see her place any bath beads or soap into it, it appears somewhat opaque. Now as naked as the day he was born, Jack steps up to his lover, who slides back and slips even further beneath the surface. Her hair spreads out like a Japanese fan as it floats atop the water. She looks up at him with her big, emerald eyes, the water rippling from the breath of her nostrils. Alessandra bats her eyelashes.

“Hey, sexy. You know, if you use these buttons and dials, you can make it bubbly.” He says as he kneels beside the controls. “Check this out.”

Pressing a button and turning the dial, the tub begins to jet the water all around her.

“Ooohhh!” She coos, popping up from beneath the waves to marvel at the wonderful tub.

“I thought you’d like that.” He chuckles.

Turning toward the tub, he dips in his toes.

“Holy shit!” He exclaims as he falls backward.

“Hmm?” She furls her brow and turns toward him.

“Doesn’t that burn?!”

“Mm-mm!” She shakes her head.

“Huh... Okay... Maybe I’ll just, uh... Wait for it to cool.”

“Mmrrmm...” She whimpers, her lips curling into a frown.

“It’s hot, babe!”

Suddenly and without any warning, Alessandra springs from the water and lunges for him. Grasping onto his hips, she flashes the most sinister of grins as she yanks, dragging him into the steaming hot water. His skin turns a light shade of pink on contact with the not-quite-clear liquid.

“Ahh!”

“Hehe!” She giggles, pulling him into a hug.

She keeps her arms wrapped tightly around his torso, her bosom smooshed into his chest and her snout nearly pressed against his lips as she stares into his eyes. Though the temperature is a shock to the system at first, he takes only a few moments to adjust before beginning to relax. She slithers toward a seat, pulling him along, and soon Jack finds himself seated beside his lover, her arms draped over his shoulders and clawed hands resting on his chest as she nuzzles the side of his head with her snout. Leaning backward, he turns his head and flashes a smile that’s almost as warm as the water.

“This is nice...”

“Mmhmm!” She nods, still nuzzling his head.

“... Alie?”

“Hm?”

“I’m really glad you came with me.” He rather sheepishly begins.

“Mmm!” She happily hums and gives him a squeeze.

“It means a lot that you offered, without hesitation. I know we’re on a mission here, but... Well... I think we could use some time to ourselves. After all we’ve been through, not just as a team but you and I, as a couple, I think we deserve it, you know?”

“Mmhmm.” She nods, lifting a hand and gently stroking his black hair.

“We’ve been getting a lot closer lately, and I don’t just mean physically, although that’s been great, too!”

“Hehe!”

“I mean, we’ve really been connecting lately. I tell you ‘I love you’ all the time, but lately I feel like even that doesn’t truly express my feelings. I’ve never been in a relationship that was so... Intimate before. I imagine this is what those rare happy marriages feel like.” He continues, almost rambling.

At a complete loss for words, all she can do is stare at him with widening eyes and loosening arms. Ever since Jack finally made his feelings known to her, claiming her heart and her body on Martin’s living room table, she’d hoped to hear something just like this.

“To me, you’re a near-perfect wife. You know, this trip can sort of be our honeymoon. I mean, we’re even in a honeymoon suite!” He says with a poorly subdued grin and a nervous chuckle.

Alessandra’s silence begins to worry him. Though he knows she cannot speak, she often makes noises in her elegant, Contralto voice; he’s become very good at deciphering her noises and their meanings. Silence isn’t the best sign. Is she just processing the information or has he worried her with his feelings? He quietly gulps at a terrifying thought. Is he more in love than she is?!

“A-Alie? Was it something I s-”

“Ooohhh!” She coos as she abruptly latches onto him all over again.

“Oh, god!” He exclaims as she nearly pulls him beneath the surface.

Gripping him tightly, she nuzzles his face and kisses him all over. He can feel her positively trembling with joy.

“I guess you feel the same way, huh?” He asks, unable to resist the urge to confirm his suspicions.

“Mmhmm!” She vigorously nods her head.

“Good! Thanks for not drowning me, by the way.”

“Hehe!”

“Yeah...” He sighs, repositioning himself and spooning with his mate as they sit in the jacuzzi. “I think we’re going to be alright!”

“Mmm!”

Listening to the soft hum, his head slumps back and his eyes feel heavy. After a moment, he feels a thump and lifts his head.

“Hey, sleep after your shift.” His colleague remarks, after kicking the base of his chair.

Sitting upright, the man in business casual straightens his black tie and clears his throat.

“Sorry...”

Focusing his attention back toward his screen, he watches as his powerful computer scans harvested data. As an employee of Sovereign Six, he’s one of many men and women working in the shadowy group’s Data Collection Center or D2C, as it’s often called by the staff. He’s directly responsible for running an algorithm that scans social media posts for any mentions of AdvAnimals. This same computer simultaneously runs another program, checking posted photographs with the latest in facial recognition software to locate and pin any and all pictures containing AdvAnimals.

These pictures are then screened for legitimacy; there are still a handful of unauthorized AdvAnimals out there, and some of them aren’t even those monstrous creations of Dr. Keller. Once the scan has completed, he’s given a list of posts and photos to manually siphon through. Yet another program runs in the background, scanning and comparing the photographs and posts with a database containing the information and pictures of AdvAnimals who work for Sovereign Six or have been Welcomed by unsuspecting civilians. Unauthorized AdvAnimals will be automatically flagged. All he needs to do is verify the program for accuracy.

He clicks the mouse and opens the side-by-side windows, then presses the Enter key whenever the software has made a positive identification. For as many AdvAnimals that have been Welcomed, some people are more active than others, and he often sees the same few hundred AdvAnimals appearing again and again. Sometimes, twenty posts in a row will contain the same AdvAnimal! As he presses the key, growing increasingly bored, he rests his chin on an upturned palm. Suddenly, he finds himself looking at a picture.

“Hey, this is just a car!” He exclaims, furling his brow. “Oh, wait a minute...”

Grabbing the mouse, he highlights and zooms in on two figures in a top corner. His eyes widen as he sees the border of the second window flashing red. Big, bold letters, also in red, sit prominently above a different photograph that’s akin to a mugshot.

“UNAUTHORIZED ADVANIMAL. CONTACT SUPERVISOR IMMEDIATELY.”

Pressing an alert button on his desk, a raised light that’s mounted to his desk turns red. It’s not unlike the warning system at a store for the self-checkout machines. A man in a black suit sees the light and immediately approaches.

“What’s going on?” He casually asks.

“Sir, I found a Facebook post with an unauthorized AdvAnimal!”

“Really?!” The supervisor gasps.

They’ve been searching for months and months, but they’ve never found any of the missing, monstrous creatures created by Dr. Keller or an unauthorized AdvAnimal before.

“Yes, sir! It seems the owner of this car claimed to have Welcomed her, but she was reported missing from Gold Base months ago.” The worker continues.

“That’s a pretty good shot of her, too, though it’s clear that whoever took this picture was much more interested in the car... It’s a shame we can’t see the license plate.” The supervisor murmurs.

“That’s a pretty rare car, sir. Perhaps we could modify our software to start searching for it? It might be able to siphon off photos of compact pickups with blue and light-colored paintjobs. Narrow the search, at least. Maybe the traffic camera department will be able to pick something up?!” The worker chirps.

The supervisor stares at the screen for a moment, pondering the worker’s words. His head gently bobs up and down as he rubs his chin.

“Yeah... Good thinking! Draft a report for me right away and I’ll see to making those modifications to our software.” The supervisor chirps, patting the worker on the shoulder.

“Thank you, sir! I’ll get right on that! ... You know, I almost wish I could be there when you present my report to that Agent.” The worker remarks, using his mouse to open MS Word.

“Ugh... Every last one of those guys creeps me out, but him especially.” The supervisor shudders.

“Ditto, sir.” The worker replies, his fingers typing away on his keyboard.