FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 29: Misplaced

Hearing a knock at the front door, the young man looks away from the TV screen.

“Huh. Who could that be? Should we check it out?”

He glances down at the small child lying atop his chest. The baby boy tilts his head back and gazes up at his father. Only a few months old, the child stares with big, aqua colored eyes only to make babbling noises.

“I think so, too. Come on, little man. Up we go!”

Carefully grabbing onto his son, the child giggles as he’s hoisted into the air by the armpits. The young father places an arm beneath his baby’s bottom and cradles him as he makes his way toward the front door. Pulling it open, he’s surprised to see the pale, suit-wearing man and his AdvAnimal companion.

“Daniel! Kris!”

“Hello, Ozzy.”

Agent Sharpe flashes a modest grin at the mere sight of little Kyle, who twists his tiny body and eyes the strangers. Named after his grandfather, little Kyle’s ears droop at the sight of the strange man. Leaning past her partner and lover, Krystal flashes a toothy grin and waves her fingertips. Agent Sharpe promptly removes his mirrored sunglasses and steps closer. Harriet’s first child has seen the duo several times before, but as young as little Kyle is, it’s always a new experience.

“What are you two doing here? You normally call first.” Ozzy asks, stepping aside to let them into his home.

“I wanted to share the good news and I wanted it to be a surprise. Where’s Harriet?”

“The same place she usually is when she isn’t with me. Her studio.”

Ozzy motions for the pair to follow him before using it to play with baby Kyle’s tall but drooping bunny ears. His son giggles and wriggles in his arms. Krystal watches them, her heart warming at the sight. She rests a clawed hand over her belly. One day, she too will know the joys of having a family.

“So, what’s the surprise or are you going to make me wait?”

“We’re just down the hall!” Agent Sharpe softly chuckles.

“So?” Ozzy smirks.

With a little sigh and a disapproving shake of his head, Agent Sharpe glances at Krystal. She wiggles her clawed fingers at baby Kyle, sticking out her tongue, puffing out her cheeks and making a silly face, eliciting a giggle from the child. He enjoys seeing her around children. Though she’s a trained warrior and maintains an excellent persona during their work, able to execute targets without remorse, she becomes an entirely different person when in the presence of children. It’s painfully obviously how badly she wants one, but it won’t take long; she’s already pregnant. As often as they entertain each other in the bedroom, that was a given.

The faint sounds of music grows increasingly louder as they reach the last door. Finally reaching the end of the hall, Ozzy opens the door and pokes his head through the crack. The soft rattling of a sewing machine is barely audible, drowned out by the heavy metal music.

“Enslaved and hypnotized! Chained to artificial lives! You are bastards of the machine! The bastards, of the machiiiiiine!” The man’s voice sings.

“Hey, babe. Babe!”

“Oh, hi, hun!” Harriet glances back.

With a nod of her head, her assistant reaches over for the radio and turns the volume down.

“Thanks, Millie.”

“Anytime!” Melissa Sarapetti, her bubbly human assistant chirps.

“We only just started on this new dress concept thirty minutes ago. Did you boys miss me already?!” Harriet softly chuckles, glancing back at her husband and infant son.

“Yes.”

“Aww! Well, come here and give me a snuggle!”

Rising from her chair, Harriet rests a hand beneath her modestly swollen belly, which carries yet another of Ozzy’s children. In a few more months, she’ll give birth to their daughter, which they recently confirmed with an ultrasound. They’ve already decided to name Carol.

“Awesome! Oh, and you have visitors!” Ozzy chirps as he steps into the room.

“Oh?!”

“Hello.” Agent Sharpe steps inside.

Immediately upon seeing the suit-wearing Agent, Millie’s smile quickly fades. It doesn’t matter that he’s no longer acting the part or has such a close relationship to the world’s first AdvAnimal and her family; he belongs to the sinister group who staged her disappearance and ruined her career.

“Daniel! Hi! Where’s Krystal?! I know she’s back there!” Harriet exclaims, grinning from cheek to cheek.

Poking her head inside, Krystal waves with her fingertips. She follows her partner and mate inside of the room, which is filled with fabrics, finished clothes and sewing equipment. As the very first AdvAnimal, she was trained as a seamstress by her mother, Carol, in order to manufacture her own clothes; Harriet designs, tests and markets all of the clothes that are tailor-made for her race. Tops made to accentuate the naturally curvy and buxom figure of most AdvAnimal women, as well as pants, skirts, dresses and even underwear that accommodate the tails of every species. She’s quite the fashionista.

She’s even taken up cobbling, making shoes and boots that accommodate their large, paw-like, digitigrade feet, though many AdvAnimals prefer to go without them. Much of what she’s designed was done with the help of Millie, her faithful assistant, along with a small army of local AdvAnimal girls, and a handful of males. The humanoids of varying breeds who work for Harriet as models. With AdvAnimals now publicly available, albeit still on a limited basis, Sovereign Six operates the only AdvAnimal clothing line in existence, yet another in their many sources of income.

As the bunny woman embraces the Agent and his well-dressed, Husky AdvAnimal partner, Millie steps back. Clearing her throat, she regains Harriet’s attention.

“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll head out for a bit.” The twenty-year-old human begins, speaking in a soft and somewhat anxious voice.

“Oh? Will you be back tonight?” Harriet asks, smiling warmly and resting a hand on her hip.

“Sure. I could take little Kyle for a walk, if you want. I, uhm... I just need some air.” She replies, fidgeting with her long, blond braid, which reaches nearly to the small of her back.

“That’d be fine.”

With Harriet’s approval, Ozzy turns to Millie and passes her little Kyle.

“Take care of my little button!” Harriet adds.

“You know I will.” Millie coos, wiggling a finger over the giggling baby’s nose.

“Never hurts to say it.” Harriet remarks.

Though she appears quite taken with the second generation AdvAnimal, lovingly cradling the baby in her arms as if he were her own, the blond-haired human with big, emerald eyes stares daggers at Agent Sharpe and his partner on her way into the hall. After a brief silence, the Agent turns back to Harriet.

“I’m sorry, Daniel.”

“It’s alright. I guess she’s still mad about that.”

“Typically, when people move to a new city, it’s by choice, and they usually aren’t made to spend a week in the hospital, undergoing forced blood and pregnancy tests.” Ozzy remarks.

“We all have our orders, and besides, that wasn’t even me! That was Agent Grey!”

“Well, you can’t blame her. You know you Agents all look alike!” Harriet teases. “Anyway, she’ll get over it eventually. So! What brings you two over here?! You normally call first!”

“That’s what I was saying!” Ozzy chimes in.

“Well, we do have some news...” Agent Sharpe begins, pausing for dramatic effect.

“Did they find out she’s pregnant?” Harriet asks with a worried tone.

“They likely knew that weeks ago, but I guess it’s okay now?” He shrugs his shoulders. “The Old Man seemed happy, about Krystal and I.”

“Probably because she’s an AdvAnimal.” Ozzy remarks.

“The real news is that I have special permission; Krystal is going to get the treatment.” Agent Sharpe explains.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! I’ve always wanted to talk to another AdvAnimal!” Harriet exclaims, clasping her hands together as she literally jumps with joy.

“Hmm!” Krystal coos, smiling wide.

“I bet it’s even more exciting for you. Now you get to be nagged!” Ozzy jests.

“I’m more eager to hear her call out my name.” Agent Sharpe retorts, flashing a sinister grin.

Bowing her head, Krystal’s smile widens as her jaw hangs open. Harriet and Ozzy both smirk, before glancing toward each other.

“So, I guess you wondered if I had any advice for her.” The bunny woman begins.

“Couldn’t it be that I just wanted to come and tell my only friends the good news?” Agent Sharpe retorts.

“...”

“Well, okay... That and to see if you had any advice for her.” The Agent admits.

“Uh-huh. It’s okay, Krystal. It doesn’t hurt. Here’s how it was for me...”

Standing by her work desk, Harriet gives Krystal a detailed explanation, revealing the complete process, the sensations, and even her thoughts. She warns her not to be afraid of the confusing thoughts, and to resist the urge to use unknown words as her mind unlocks, lest she embarrass herself. It’ll all come in time, and it won’t be long, once the treatment begins. She warns her about the other side effects, too, explaining that in many ways, they’re actually a net benefit. After a thorough but surprisingly brief, one-sides conversation, Agent Sharpe and Krystal say their goodbyes before showing themselves to the front door.

“So... Now that our guests and mommy’s little helper is gone, what do you want to do?” Ozzy asks, turning to his wife.

“Mmm...”

The bunny girl coos and narrows her eyes as she slowly steps closer. She slips her hands up her skirt, only to wiggle her hips as she sashays toward him, pushing her pink, lace panties down to her knees. They fall to the floor and she steps out of them in a single, fluid motion. With her clawed hands caressing his chest, she gently tugs at his t-shirt before sliding her hands down to his belt, which she slowly unbuckles, all while a wide smile spreads across the young man’s face.

“I see! Do we have time for that?”

“Millie takes very long walks. You know that. She’ll go around the whole town and be back in an hour or so.”

“That’s true.” He murmurs and nods.

“Come on, stud...” Harriet kisses his neck, pushing down his pants and underwear. “You’ve got more work to do; I told you I wanted at least six.”

“But you’re already pregnant.”

“... It never hurts to be careful!” She chirps, innocently batting her eyelashes while simultaneously hiking up her skirt.

“That’s also true!” He chuckles, taking his wife into his arms.

Meanwhile, walking hand-in-hand, Agent Sharpe glances at Krystal. She returns each look, as if she can feel his eyes upon her. Cocking her head, she stops in her tracks, making him stop as well. They turn to face each other. With an expression of worry on her face, she reaches out a hand and lovingly strokes her partner’s cheek, her claws only just touching his soft skin.

“Mmrrmm...”

“I’m okay...” Agent Sharpe begins, resting his hand over hers. “I’m just concerned.”

“Hmm?”

“For our future.”

Reaching out a hand, he rests it upon her belly, gently rubbing her.

“I don’t know if I’ll be in charge by the time you give birth to our first, but as long as he’s lived, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s years before I take power.” He speaks softly, almost whispering, his hand still rubbing her belly. “Sometimes, I worry. He was so casual about our relationship... I worry that he’ll... Use our family for leverage.”

“...”

“You can’t say you never considered that.”

“Mmrrmm.” She whimpers, turning her eyes away.

“I love you, Krystal, and I’ll love our baby. I’ve been thinking about what you said, but... I’m scared, Kris. I’m scared of losing you. I know you’re right, but Hell is life without you.”

“Aww!”

Throwing her arms around his neck, the solid white Husky AdvAnimal with the unique, black ponytail, clings tightly to her mate. The human has proven himself worthy of her time and time again, and the longer they’re together, the more loving and romantic he proves to be. Still, she trembles with fear. She knows he’s right. Can The Old Man really be trusted to keep his word, after all he’s done and all that he’s made them do? Just then, she feels a vibration. Pulling back, Agent Sharpe and Krystal look down at the left breast of his suit jacket. Reaching into the inner jacket pocket, the Agent retrieves his cell phone.

“Hello, sir.”

“I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time, Agent, but I thought you could use a bit more training.” The Old Man begins.

“Sir?”

“Don’t worry. You’re still my successor. I’d like you to head over to D2C and replace the Agent there. Spend a month there! See the sights and get comfortable with the computers!”

“That seems rather... Menial, sir.”

“Hey, I started with a typewriter and day-old pictures from a U-2! D2C is my brainchild, and I’d prefer it if my successor understood the ins and outs of the world’s most complex and sophisticated data mining facility.”

“Understood, sir. I’m sorry if I-”

“Save it. Just replace the Agent there and give them something to keep them busy. I’ll be in touch.” The Old Man speaks with a startling amount of warmth.

“Yes, sir.”

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, Agent Sharpe turns his attention toward Krystal.

“Come on, Kris. We’d better get home and pack.”

Stepping inside of their home, Alessandra breathes a sigh of relief. Turning in his chair, Louis smiles at the sight of Jack and the AdvAnimal with red and black spotted skin passing through the foyer.

“Home, sweet home.” Jack remarks as he sets down their bags.

“Well, look what the lizard dragged in!” Connor chirps.

Samara and Mackenzie rise from their seats - Mackenzie sat in the chair beside Louis, to the far left, and Samara was atop Connor’s lap - only to focus on a familiar sound. Following closely behind the duo, soft footfalls enter the home. Amanda adjusts her glasses as her blue-green eyes scan the exquisite interior of the wonderfully restored mansion. It’s quite a sight to behold! A large staircase leads to the upper floors, while wide archways lead into rooms to the left and to the right.

“Hey, guys!” Jack calls out quite loudly.

Crash! The group turns their attention toward the kitchen as Amanda continues to carefully examine the home from the safety of the foyer.

“What the hell?! I told you guys not to startle Vicky when she’s cooking!”

Storming out of the kitchen, a pale man with somewhat long, black hair, black jeans and a purple t-shirt emerges, appearing in Amanda’s periphery. She turns her head to look at the man, only to gasp. Standing directly beside her is a feline AdvAnimal! She moved silently across the room and stands within arm’s reach of the shocked and horrified woman, who stares at the cat girl in the glossy, black, skin-tight bodysuit. Dark grey fur covers the humanoid creature, black hair parted down the middle and nearly reaching her shoulders. It frames her cat-like face.

With a silent snarl, she flashes her pearly white teeth, revealing disturbingly long, fang-like canines. Her clawed hand rests on the grip of a small, red and black pistol. She glares with piercing blue eyes, sending a chill up Amanda’s spine. Donnie looks between the women, rather perplexed by her reaction. As the human and AdvAnimal women stare at each other, trapped in deathly silence, Louis walks by without a care in the world. Mackenzie peaks around a corner, eliciting another gasp from Amanda, though this time it’s far more subdued.

Mackenzie’s large, round ears and rodentesque snout, which is noticeably longer and broader than the feline’s, gives her an unnerving appearance. It’s only made worse by her snow-white fur and matching hair, which gives her the appearance of a vampire or a fresh corpse. Big, amber eyes turn toward the flabbergasted Amanda, who cannot help but tremble as she takes a step back.

“Y-you... You have more of them?” She sheepishly asks, shifting her eyes and glancing at Jack.

“Oh, yeah! I guess I, uhm... I guess forgot to mention that.” He murmurs, fidgeting with an ear as he turns away.

Amanda turns to him and looks toward the other men, only to take another step back. As she inches her way toward the front door, she bumps into something.

“Oh!” Amanda stumbles.

“Rrr...”

Mackenzie grumbles as she steadies herself. The humanoid mouse girl moved almost silently as she passed behind Amanda. The rodent AdvAnimal promptly ignores Amanda, turns and smiles, her lips peeling back, curling around the corners of her snout and revealing her many teeth. Louis has just called out to her. She practically skips as she presents herself to Louis, who smiles, opens his arms, and gives her a warm and loving embrace. It’s a thoroughly unnerving scene.

The blond-haired human with pale skin and a rather nerdy, Dungeons and Dragons t-shirt holds tightly to the non-human, her pink, fleshy, rat-like tail swaying slowly from side to side. They nuzzle each other so affectionately, him with his nose buried in her hair, between her large ears, and her with her snout, tucked beneath his chin. Amanda’s eyes grow wide. She turns back around, curious about the cat woman, whom she knows is armed. She blinks and gasps again. The feline creature has moved even closer, without making a sound! Her nostrils flare as she sniffs the air and her icy cold eyes narrow with visible distrust.

“Relax, babe.” Connor smirks, resting a hand on the small of Samara’s back and gently stroking her with his fingertips.

As Amanda silently mouths Connor’s final word, stunned by his obvious connection to the perpetually scowling cat woman, she’s once again distracted by the clop, clop, clopping of hooves. Exiting the kitchen, a true beast of a woman emerges. The towering AdvAnimal has a short coat of soft, silver fur, long and wavy white hair, an even longer white tail and big, sapphire eyes. Her frame is well-built, and though her arms and legs are proportional to her body, their sheer size makes her look quite strong. Furthermore, her bust is massive.

However, she has a disturbing amount of equine features. Her ears and her large hooves, the sloping bridge leading to a snout that, while very equine, could almost be described as dog-like. Amanda finds the amazon of a woman nothing short of terrifying. Standing directly behind the man in the purple t-shirt, the humanoid mare rests her large hands on his shoulders, pressing her bust into his shoulder blades. The man is taller than Amanda but the AdvAnimal is even taller! She cocks her head as she stares at her, eying the human female with curiosity.

Unlike the other AdvAnimals, however, the equine seems far less disturbed by the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar female. She flashes the human woman a warm and even genteel little smile. With her tail swaying gently from side to side, the tip gently dragging on the hardwood floor, she lifts a hand from the man’s shoulder and waves. Dressed in a tightly fitting top and cardigan, the mare AdvAnimal appears to be wearing an undersized poodle skirt. Her fashion sense matches her seemingly innocent expression.

Placing his hands over hers, the man in the purple shirt, who stands a head shorter than the humanoid mare, gains her attention. With his head tilted back and hers pointing down, they share a tender kiss on the lips. It’s clear to Amanda that Jack isn’t the only one consorting with the beast women. She cannot help but contemplate turning back and leaving, but as she ponders this, she hears a familiar sound. Glancing over her shoulder, she’s horrified to see the blond-haired man with the Dungeons and Dragons t-shirt closing and locking the front door.

“Huh... I didn’t see your car, Jack. Did you park it already?” Louis asks.

“Ask her about that...” Jack grumbles, suddenly glaring at Amanda.

After briefly looking between each other, the men and women of the isolated manor turn their attention toward Amanda.

“So, this is her, huh?” Connor asks.

“Yeah. That’s her.” Jack says with a frustrated sigh.

“Amanda Anderson. Pleased to meet you.” She speaks softly.

The startlingly short Connor takes a few steps toward her and extends a hand. As he greets her in traditional fashion, Samara lets out a low growl and takes a single step forward. She places herself partially between them, narrowing her icy eyes and glaring. Fearful of the cat woman’s intentions, Amanda gulps and swiftly pulls her hand away.

“Welcome to our humble abode! So... What happened to his car?” Connor asks.

“Oh, that...”

Adjusting her eyeglass, Amanda takes a little breath. It appears to the others that she’s bolstering her shaken nerves.

“I made him abandon it!” She chirps.

“... What?” Donnie blinks, thoroughly shocked.

“Seriously?!” Connor chuckles.

“Damn straight! I loved that car, too!” Jack growls, obviously upset.

“You love all your cars.” Louis retorts.

“So?!”

“I’m sorry, but that car was far too flashy. You might as well have been driving a neon sign saying ‘follow me!’ It was better to leave it and take mine.” Amanda begins, speaking in a somewhat condescending tone. “Besides, mine is far roomier and more comfortable!” She boasts.

“What’s she driving?” Donnie asks, approaching the others with Victoria by his side.

“A black Lexus.” Louis replies.

“But we didn’t have to leave it! I mean, I could’ve taken back roads or something!” Jack whines.

“I explained this to you before, multiple times. It seems that you either cannot grasp or the concept or are willfully dense. You see, they have these things called sa-tel-lites...” Amanda coolly continues.

“Rrrr...”

Alessandra snarls and shows her sharp teeth, taking a few steps closer. It’s obvious to everyone that the hybrid AdvAnimal has something against Amanda. Seeing the rising tension as Alessandra flexes her fingers, her sharp claws glistening, Donnie steps between them.

“She has a point...” He begins.

“Are you seriously taking her side?! We left my car in Kentucky!” Jack angrily exclaims.

“Relax. Just think about it. If you collected new Ford Tauruses, you wouldn’t be in this mess.” Donnie rationalizes.

“But it’s not even that rare of a car!” Jack protests.

“It’s over forty-years-old and in a unique blue and silver, duotone finish. It’s simply too noticeable. To be quite honest, I’m amazed you made it to Florida without being arrested by the Agents. For a man in your line of work, you don’t seem to think too much.” Amanda remarks with the bookish confidence of an aged librarian.

“The fuh-?! I found you, didn’t I?!” Jack retorts, his face flushing with anger. “Maybe they simply didn’t expect it? Maybe I’m just that good? Maybe they underestimated me, too?!”

“Heh.” Amanda chuckles.

“Look, it’s done!” Donnie swiftly attempts to diffuse the situation, resting a hand on Jack’s chest and keeping him a safe distance from Amanda. “We have far more important things to worry about.”

“Yeah, man. And when we can, we’ll just go back and get it.” Louis assures him.

“And if we can’t, we can buy you a replacement.” Donnie adds.

“But then I have to find another El Camino!” Jack growls.

“It’s a good thing they aren’t rare, then, huh?” Connor quips.

“... Whatever.”

With that, Jack grabs a few of their bags and storms off in a huff. After watching her lover for a moment, Alessandra turns to Amanda, narrowing her emerald eye and glaring at her before picking up the last of their bags and following Jack up the stairs.

“Well... That was fun!” Donnie chirps, turning to Amanda.

“I’ll say...” She mutters under her breath.

“I’m Donnie, this is Connor and that’s Louis...” He begins, pointing out the other men. “And these are our girls, Victoria, Samara and Mackenzie.”

“Hi...” Amanda murmurs.

“... He didn’t tell you about them, did he?”

“No...”

“Figures.” Donnie sighs.

“So, you’re ‘The Four Horsemen’?”

“Yeah. Hey, since you’re here, maybe you’d like to have dinner? I promise to pick the broken glass out of it.” Donnie jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

Bowing her head, Victoria seems to flush embarrassment, resting a hand over her brow as if to hide herself. Amanda wasn’t expecting such a human gesture. Sidestepping closer to her, Donnie slips an arm around her waist. With a gentle pull, he brings the towering AdvAnimal closer.

“Just kidding, sweetheart.”

As they share another kiss, Amanda continues making her way toward the front door.

“Sounds delicious but, uhm... I think I’ll pass... M-maybe just go into town and... Find a place there...”

Glancing between each other, the men’s expressions change. With a single look from Donnie, Victoria nods and begins to approach the anxious Amanda. The humanoid mare’s legs are so long that she closes the gap in only two steps. Reaching out with a large hand, she grabs onto the strap of Amanda’s purse.

“I’m sorry...” Donnie murmurs.

“Huh?!”

With a firm yank, Victoria pulls the purse away from Amanda and nearly drags her to the ground. She’s so strong! As she passes the purse back to her lover, Amanda steadies herself, her hands on her knees. She takes one step closer to Donnie, an arm outstretched.

“G-give me that!” Amanda whines.

Samara doesn’t hesitate, drawing her red and black SCCY CPX-2 pistol and taking aim at the Amanda’s head. Digging through her purse, Donnie retrieves her sidearm, promptly passing it to Connor. As he examines her loaded Smith and Wesson M&P Shield, Donnie collects Amanda’s car keys and slips them into one of the front pockets of his black jeans.

“Why don’t you stay the night? We have a nice guest bedroom, and we can bring you food... Please?” Donnie asks.

“...”

“I’m afraid I have to insist...” Donnie speaks with a surprising somberness.

“This is to protect you as much as us.” Connor adds.

“...”

Amanda doesn’t fight. She knows she has little choice. With Donnie in front of her, Victoria to her right and Samara directly behind her, the colorful pistol still clutched in her clawed hand, she finds herself being led up the stairs and into a spare room. As they present her with her quarters, she’s surprised to find that it is, in fact, a regular bedroom. The bed is made and it looks quite comfortable. There’s even an attached bathroom. A large window allows a good amount of light in. As she steps into the room, Amanda glances at the doorknob only to find that it has a conventional privacy lock, with the knob on the inside.

“We’re not going to lock you in, since we can’t, so we’re trusting you not to escape... If you have any things in your car, I can get them for you.” Donnie speaks calmly and politely.

“A bag of clothes...” Amanda speaks very softly.

“Sure.”

Sitting atop the bed, she stares at her feet. As she watches the human and the two AdvAnimals leaving, she knows that it would be futile to try and sneak by them. Victoria is so strong and takes such long strides, and Samara is not only armed but highly trained. Amanda knows all too well why she wears that bodysuit. She isn’t sure what Mackenzie or Alessandra can do, but their heightened senses alone make them ideal sentries. Even without the AdvAnimals to aid them, she’s certain that The Four Horsemen are all armed. Why wouldn’t they be?

With a long and somber sigh, she briefly resigns herself to her fate. Flopping back, she lay spread out on the bed. Turning her eyes up, she stares at the window. Promptly lifting her head, she contorts her upper body as she turns her attention toward it. After pausing to listen and ensure that no one is nearby, she creeps slowly toward the window, hoping that it might facilitate her escape from the men and their AdvAnimal girls. To her dismay, however, she finds that not only is it made of thick Plexiglas but it’s also screwed shut, with brackets on both the outside and inside, and painted over to match the windowsill. Do the other windows look like this?

She returns to her bed just as Donnie opens the door. To her surprise, he knocks first. She can only nod her thanks as she takes the bag before sitting atop her bed to ponder the choices she’s made. Perhaps her faith in these men was misplaced? Lying on the bed, on top of the covers, she stares at the ceiling for quite some time. The hunger grows, and while resting a hand over her relatively flat belly, she briefly wonders if she should’ve reconsidered their offer of food. Just then, there’s another knock at her door. Why do they keep knocking? If she’s a prisoner, why not just barge in? After all, they literally own the place.

“Yes?” She calls out, lifting her head from the pillows.

“It’s Jack. I, uhm... I brought you dinner... Can I come in?”

“Alright.”

Slowly opening the door, Jack pokes his head inside. He flashes a little smile before stepping inside, revealing his hands to be completely full. One hand carries a large plate that’s positively covered in food, while the other holds a tall glass of transparent, crimson liquid. Alessandra stands pressed against the door, her clawed hand still gripping the knob. She seems to take great pleasure as Jack shimmies past her, his side rubbing against her front.

“Chicken parmesan with a side of rice pilaf, salad and croutons... I wasn’t sure what you wanted to drink, so I poured you Faygo Red Pop.” He begins.

“Classy...”

“Yeah, I know. I hope you like it.”

As he approaches her nightstand, the AdvAnimal with the smooth, red and black hide and long, wavy black hair narrows her emerald eyes, her peculiar smile fading as she glares at Amanda. She cannot help but wonder whether the humanoid lizard ever leaves him alone; she’s never seen them apart. Alessandra takes a position beside the door, crossing her arms beneath her impressive bust and staring daggers at the human woman as she leans against the wall, a leg crossing over the other.

“We’re not quite living up to your expectations, are we?” He suddenly asks.

“Gee, what ever gave you that idea!” Amanda retorts, rolling her eyes as she adjusts her glasses.

“Yeah, I’d be pissed, too... Listen... I’m sorry.” Jack murmurs, an expression of genuine guilt and shame on his face. “I wanted to tell you about the other girls but I thought that if I did, you might not want to come. After the fuss you made about Alie, I just... I thought it’d be better.”

“Better to shock me into a heart attack? Congratulations! ... You know, I trusted you!”

“...”

“I came to you because I want to take down Sovereign Six, to stop them! ... Then I see you have an AdvAnimal yourself...”

“Her name’s Alessandra...” He remarks in a frustrated tone.

“And then, after assuring me you were on the level, you bring me to a house with three more, and you’re all in bizarre relationships with them! Yeah! I’m so glad we can trust each other!” Amanda yells, ignoring his comment.

As she grows increasingly irate, Alessandra moves away from the doorframe. Her arms fall to her sides and she bends her elbows. With her long, tapering tail stiffening behind her, she plants her large, digitigrade feet roughly shoulder width apart, one ahead of her and the other behind. It’s a peculiar stance and Amanda isn’t sure of her intentions. Her clawed fingers flex as she glares, but then she takes a single step closer. Jack immediately notices his AdvAnimal lover and her changing demeanor. He swiftly turns toward her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, Alie.” He says to her, giving her a little squeeze. “I know, and that was wrong of me, but I really do want your help. I spoke with them, after I calmed down over the car thing...” He briefly glares at her. “And they want your help, too...”

“What did they think of my plan?”

“Yeah, about that!” He turns his eyes away, nervously fidgeting with an ear.

“... Seriously?!”

“You can explain it all to them, later. I just wanted to say I was sorry, and that if you’re willing, they’ll hear you out... Also, to give you food!”

“... When?” She sheepishly asks.

“Just now.” He points to her plate.

“No...” Amanda rests a hand on her forehead, staring at her feet. “When do they want to talk?”

“Oh! Tomorrow morning... Aren’t you hungry?” He points to her full plate.

“I’ve lost my appetite.” Amanda retorts, crossing her arms beneath her ample bust.

“Huh... And I was sure you’d be starving by now!”

He waits for Amanda to respond, but as she sits and stews, she remains silent. Glancing over to her plate, he has an idea. Slowly extending a hand, he very methodically reaches for a maraschino cherry, which sits atop her side of salad. With her arms still crossed and body stiff, she turns her eyes, following his hand. He plucks the cherry from the plate, just as her stomach growls. Alessandra raises a brow. Did she hear that? As loud as it was, he probably did, too, though he doesn’t point it out or even glance at her belly. Instead, Jack inches the cherry closer and closer toward his mouth.

“Give me that!” Amanda growls, abruptly snatching the cherry from his fingers before swiftly eating it. “I mean... If you insist.” She speaks as she chews, turning her eyes away as her cheeks flush.

“Okay.” He chuckles. “I’ll tell them you’ll sleep on it... Have a good night, alright?”

Picking up the plate, Amanda rests it atop her lap as she grumbles her response. Jack and Alessandra see themselves out. Right before leaving, the AdvAnimal glances back at her and silently snarls, briefly flashing her sharp teeth, only to close the door and disappear down the hall. True to their word, they don’t visit her again, giving her time to rest. Amanda sits in her room, watching a small TV in the corner and eating, before lying down to sleep. It’s surprisingly easy, given her situation, likely aided by her mental and emotional exhaustion. The next morning, she awakens to the sound of someone knocking on her door. She rubs the sleep from her eyes before collecting her glasses from the nightstand.

“Yes?” She calls out, sitting up in bed and putting on her glasses.

“It’s Connor. Did you want to join us for breakfast?”

She sits and ponders, something she’d done for some time before falling asleep. Though they forbade her from leaving, effectively imprisoning her within the mansion, their behavior gives her pause. Jack’s kindness, even when angered, and Donnie’s polite consideration of her needs. They aren’t the manners of bad men. Perhaps she should give them a chance?

“Amanda?” He finally calls out to her.

“Yeah, I’ll go.” She replies.

“Cool! See you downstairs.”

Connor leaves. Is he not even going to bother escorting her? Climbing out of bed, she changes her clothes and freshens herself in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, she opens the door and peaks out. She looks to and fro. There’s nothing but an empty hallway. Walking carefully down the hall and toward the steps, she’s surprised to find the front door unguarded. A thought crosses her mind. Even if she had her car keys, would it behoove her to escape? So far, they seem to be true to their word. As she stands at the base of the steps, looking around as though she were lost, the mouse AdvAnimal emerges from the living room. With her arm extended, she pulls Louis, whom she holds by the hand.

“But I love Stargate! It was just getting good!” He whimpers. “Oh, hi. Looking for the dining room?”

“Uh... Yeah.”

With a little smile on his face, Louis motions for her to follow, and though she cannot help but notice how the mouse girl narrows her eyes with suspicion, Mackenzie doesn’t bother to watch her; the couple walk away, heading beyond the stairs and toward a room near the back of the manor. Amanda follows a short distance behind them and finds herself entering a large dining room. A rectangular table has ample seating for nearly a dozen people, and though it’s somewhat antiquated in style, it appears to be brand new. Matching chairs encircle the table.

With a stack of matching plates in one arm and a number of glasses in the other, Victoria moves around the table. Donnie follows behind her, setting out silverware as she places the tableware.

“So, what is it today?” Connor asks, already seated beside Samara.

“Pancakes.” Donnie replies.

“Oh, yay...” Connor mutters.

“I know, right?! Lots of calcium! Everything a growing boy needs!” Donnie quips.

As Connor grumbles and Samara rolls her eyes, Vicky and Mackenzie cannot help but giggle. With her eyes closed, the mare AdvAnimal doesn’t notice the shifting glass that’s tucked near the crook of her arm, pressed against her furry arm and the soft cotton of her tightly fitting top. Her large breast presses into the glass, shoving it upward, and by the time she notices it, just as Amanda takes a seat near the end of the table, away from the others, it’s already too late.

She gasps and tries to grab the glass with a hand that already holds a plate, only to fumble both objects and drop them to the ground. Crash! Victoria’s cheeks flush through her thin coat of silver fur as she covers her mouth, which hangs open. She turns her eyes toward the others.

“I keep telling you we need to switch to plastic!” Connor exclaims, shaking his head.

“Hey, it was an accident! ... But he’s probably right.” Donnie says as Victoria moves toward him.

“Mmrrmm!” She whimpers, stepping into his outstretched arms and looking for comfort.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Get the food and I’ll clean this up and pour the drinks.” He assures her, holding her and gently petting her back.

Amanda watches as the others share idle chatter about nothing in particular, only for Donnie and Victoria to return. She presents a large platter filled with pancakes and French toast, surprising the others with multiple options, while Donnie carries two pitchers. He sets them aside and sweeps up the broken glass before moving around the table, pouring milk and juice for the others. If Amanda had to hazard a guess, this appears to be a routine morning for the group.

“But if you build your character with extra strength stats, you wouldn’t have that problem.” Louis remarks.

“Well, that’s why I wanted to use an enchantment so I wouldn’t have to build a tanky char-HEY! What the hell, man?! You know Samara doesn’t like milk!” Connor growls, glaring at Donnie.

“Oopsie! I guess I forgot!” Donnie facetiously exclaims, a wide grin on his face.

With her arms crossed and a scowl on her face, Samara glares at the glass of white liquid. Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Connor stretches, even grunting a little as he reaches for the glass that’s a bit too far away, further amusing Donnie. Connor promptly swaps the glass of milk, trading with Samara for his orange juice. Within seconds, the men have already forgotten the slight, once again bantering and teasing each other. As Donnie approaches her, he holds out two pitchers.

“Milk or juice?”

“Juice, please.” Amanda softly replies.

His expression suddenly changes, as though he were ashamed. He pours her drink in silence, only to stand there for a moment, staring. Clearing his throat, Donnie sets the pitchers aside and reaches into a pants pocket.

“I’m sorry about before. I really didn’t want to do that, you know... We talked it over, and, uhm... Here... You’re free to go, but you’re welcome to stay.”

Presenting her with her car keys, Amanda is at a loss for words. Reaching out her hand, she stares into her upturned palm as Donnie drops the keys onto her hand.

“You can have your gun back, too... Whenever you decide to leave... I left it with Jack.”

“Or you could stay and share this plan of yours.” Connor interjects.

“Yeah... Okay.” Amanda speaks softly, her fingers coiling around her keys and a little smile spreading across her face.

“Great! ... Right after I eat, though!” Donnie chirps.

“Yeah. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” Jack remarks.

“Dude!”

Victoria flushes and bows her head rather shyly.

“I didn’t mean her!” Jack chuckles.

“Yeah. That’s your job, anyway.” Connor smirks, glancing at Donnie.

The room erupts into laughter and giggles before the men continue to tease each other. They appear so friendly, so jovial, so natural in this environment. Even their AdvAnimals join in, texting each other on somewhat outdated sliding phones and treating each other and the men in a thoughtful and genteel manner. For as unsettling as they appear to Amanda, it’s quite surprising and perhaps even a little heartwarming. Could she have been wrong about them? As she watches the men and their AdvAnimal women, she wonders if maybe this is what separates them from Sovereign Six. Surely, the Agents and their murderous AdvAnimals don’t have such a rapport.

“Agent Sharpe!”

Thoroughly startled, Agent Stevenson stands at attention. Persephone, Agent Stevenson’s AdvAnimal partner and lover, sits back in a chair beside the Agent’s desk, tending to her claws with an emery board. She glances at Agent Sharpe but seems unconcerned. Entering the office immediately after her partner, Krystal waits for a nod from Agent Sharpe before closing the office door. She moves around the room, casually closing the blinds that cover the windows, which surround them on three sides. Seeing this, Persephone sets her emery board aside and helps Krystal block the view of the lowly workers of D2C, Sovereign Six’s data collection facility.

“I’m sorry, sir... I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s alright.” Agent Sharpe raises a hand, a hint of humanity in his voice.

“It... It is?!”

Agent Stevenson stares with wide eyes, his eyebrows visibly raised above his mirrored sunglasses.

“Yeah. I’m not going to report that, and you aren’t in trouble, either. I’m simply here to relieve you.” Agent Sharpe begins, speaking quite calmly.

“Oh... May I ask why?”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been told to learn the operation of D2C.”

“Oh! ... Told by who?”

“Him...”

“OH! ... ... What should I do, then? Go back to Telivima or...?”

“They know I’m here, therefore they know you’re free. Head back home. Take a day or two. I’m sure one of the Six will call you when they’re ready.” Agent Sharpe explains.

“Alright... You sure I’m not in trouble?”

“Get out of my office.” Agent Sharpe cannot help but smirk.

“Right. Come on, Sephy. Let’s get that cute ass back home.” Agent Stevenson turns to his partner, pulling down his mirrored sunglasses and eying her elegant form.

“Mmmm...” She coos as she slowly stands to her feet.

Reaching out a clawed hand, the AdvAnimal with the appearance of a humanoid skunk lures her lover into her arms. She beckons to him like a siren, gazing at him longingly with her reddish-brown eyes and innocent smile, which graces her short, cat-like snout. Agent Stevenson obeys. He wraps his arms around her slender but shapely figure, embracing the skunkette and lovingly petting her head, his fingers weaving through her thick, snow-white hair. Her bushy tail sways behind her as they share a passionate, tongue-filled kiss.

Once they’re ready, Agent Stevenson stands before the closed door, straightening his tie, cracking his neck and taking a few deep breaths, preparing himself as he gets back into character. Persephone passes her emery board to Krystal as they trade places. The skunkette runs her clawed hands over her body, smoothing out her shiny, cobalt blue dress, which has a slit along one side. It shows off a furry but toned leg, and facilitates her use of a custom-made leg-drop holster. In her holster is a stainless-steel Walther PPK. Everything about the AdvAnimal woman is the antithesis of her partner; feminine liveliness in opposition to his cold masculinity.

With a hand on her hip, she waits for her partner, and as soon as he opens the door she sashays out of the office. Her steps are fluid and graceful, with much of her body swaying in a subtle wave, in stark contrast to his eerily stiff, quasi-robotic movements. The skunk woman moves almost silently, as she prefers not to wear shoes. Taking Persephone’s chair, Krystal rests her custom-made high heels atop the corner of Agent Sharpe’s new desk, which is quite sterile; the Agents are forbidden from having any personal affects visible, outside of their own homes. He shifts papers to one side, only for Krystal to rest a heel atop the sheets.

“Don’t start. Be a good girl, Kris.”

“Heh.” She flashes a cocky smile.

“Unless you want me to punish you. Right here... On top of this desk.”

“Mmmm...” She coos, her lusty eyes narrowing.

“That’s what I thought.” Agent Sharpe smirks.

Before he can utter another word, however, Krystal’s ears perk. Attuned to his partner’s subtle gestures, he trusts her heightened senses and swiftly prepares himself.

“Hello, sir! Sorry to barge in on you like this but-OH! You’re not Agent Stevenson!” The Supervisor of D2C exclaims, visibly startled.

“...”

“I’m Supervisor Denson, sir.”

“...”

Agent Sharpe merely stares through his mirrored sunglasses, his hands clasped together as he sits very rigidly at the desk, as though he were a mannequin. Krystal, however, leans back in her chair, seated directly beside her partner, an emery board in one hand as she tends to her claws.

“Is Agent Stevenson here?”

“...”

“Or are you here to replace him?”

“... How may I help you, Supervisor Denson?” Agent Sharpe finally speaks in his monotone voice, sending a chill up the Supervisor’s spine.

“Well... I-I had a report that I was working on...” Supervisor Denson begins, lifting up a manilla folder filled with papers. “We finally found something! A missing Type-Z, identified as ‘Alessandra’! She went missing from Gold Base several months back, along with a few other AdvAnimals... Though they aren’t nearly as consequential as her...”

“I see... And this is the report?” Agent Sharpe asks in his dry, soulless voice.

“Yes, sir!” Supervisor Denson exclaims, passing the Agent the folder. “We first discovered her when she showed up in a social media post! A man took a picture with her in the corner, near a very unique car! It turns out it’s a 1975 Chevrolet El Camino! I had some of our guys dedicate one of the supercomputers toward finding that car, and after reprogramming it, they came through! She was with that man way off in the corner, a man who also fits a description of someone who once, erm...”

Supervisor Denson pauses, hesitant to upset the Agent with something as embarrassing as an infiltration, assuming, of course, that the Agent is really a man and actually feels emotions. Sometimes, he cannot be sure.

“Anyway, we found the car in the parking lot of the Ritz-Carlton resort hotel on Amelia Island, in northern Florida, but by the time we got the computer up and running, they were already gone. We then used what little traffic cameras were in the area to follow the car’s path of travel and pinpointed them in West Liberty, Kentucky. The local police have been compelled to watch the car for us, twenty-four-seven.” Supervisor Denson continues.

“When can we expect a return of the stolen Type-Z? I will also need to speak to this man, whomever he is. Ensure that he’s taken alive.”

“W-well, sir, the vehicle’s owner and the missing Type-Z haven’t returned... Yet! B-but I’m certain that wasn’t our fault! Perhaps they’re lying low in the town?” Supervisor Denson suggests, sweat beading on his forehead.

“...”

“When we catch them, you’ll be the first to know!”

“I would expect as much... What do we know of the owner? This man with a stolen AdvAnimal.” Agent Sharpe asks, methodically flipping through the papers.

“We performed a background check on the car and we learned rather quickly that the registered owner, a Mr. Craig Johnson, died of cardiac arrest in 1984...”

“Seems he has something to hide...” Agent Sharpe remarks, staring at Jack in the top corner of the posted photo. “Where was the car registered to?”

“It was registered to a home in Detroit, Michigan, but that proved to be an old address that’s now a vacant lot. The license plate was for a completely different but valid address, however, it seems that the plate was requested directly by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, using a false employee registration. We believe the owner or someone connected to him hacked the system and falsified everything to cover their tracks.”

“I see...”

“However, sir, we did follow the route from when the photograph was taken of the car to when the car reached the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island! We traced it back to a possible point of origin!” Supervisor Denson chirps.

“And where might that be?”

“Somewhere in the mid-west, sir!”

“... You’ve instilled me with confidence...”

The terrified Supervisor cannot tell if the nameless Agent is making a dry joke or if his life is in danger.

“Uh, w-well, sir, it c-could probably be narrowed down a bit... All the way down to, uhm... Indiana or, uhm... Th-the southern half of Illinois?”

“I see... Have you forwarded this report?” Agent Sharpe asks, slowly closing the folder.

“No, sir. Did you want me to?!”

“No. Leave that to me.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Consider this operation Level Five, Classified; Direct all of your reports to my office, and I do not create any back-ups. No one outside of this room, aside from your staff, are to know about this operation.” Agent Sharpe instructs, his face as cold and stiff as stone.

“Understood, sir.”

“... You may leave now...”

“Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!”

Beating a hasty retreat, Supervisor Denson nearly trips over himself as he flees the Agent’s office. He doesn’t even bother to shut the door. With a low grumble, Krystal slides out of her seat and closes the office door before returning to Agent Sharpe’s side. No longer under the watchful eyes of the men and women of D2C, Agent Sharpe sits back and sighs. Rising from his seat, he collects the folder and removes the stack of papers from within, tossing the empty, unmarked folder into a trash bin as he moves around his new desk. He takes a moment to playfully tug on Krystal’s unique, fanned out ponytail.

“Hmm!” She coos, smiling warmly at her partner.

After briefly flipping through the report for a second time, he makes his way across the room and toward the fax machine. Pausing for a moment, he reaches out a hand, turns the papers over and feeds them directly into the paper shredder, next to the fax machine. Krystal cocks her head and furls her brow, watching as he feeds them one by one into the shredder. The little diamonds of paper fall like snow into the waste basket beneath. Approaching his partner, Agent Sharpe takes her hand, guides her out of her seat and right into his arms. As they embrace, he lovingly rubs her back and kisses her cheek. As she nuzzles her lover, he whispers into her large, canine ear.

“You wanted me to lead my own way, not his... Well, Kris... This is how it starts.”