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The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 32: Tip Of The Iceberg

“What?!"

“I-I'm sorry, sir..."

Holding the phone close to his ear, the nervous Chief Security Officer clears his throat. After collecting the Agent's report and compiling all of the data on the escapees and their rescuers, he was forced to place this dreadful call. To his shock, however, he didn't speak to any mere Agent or a secretary to one of Sovereign Six, but Director Bloodworth himself. Once the Director was appraised, he insisted that The Old Man be informed right away, and it was the CSO who would do it. He's never even seen The Old Man, let alone heard his voice, and now he must break bad news to the single most powerful person on earth?!

“S-s-sir?" The CSO sheepishly calls out.

“... What was her name?" The Old Man asks in a somber voice, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Alyssa, sir... Her partner's name was Frank."

“And was she with child?"

“Yes, sir. Sh-she was two months pregnant." The CSO replies, nervously tugging at his shirt collar.

“Thank you for your report summary... Please forward a complete copy to Director Bloodworth, right away..."

Before the CSO can respond, The Old Man hangs up. He stares at the phone, his hand covering the back of the receiver, only for it to tremor. His chest heaves and he grits his teeth before letting out a raspy roar and shoving the phone off of his massive desk. As it falls to the floor, his armed guards glance at each other, their faces blank and expressionless.

“Those bastards! How dare they kill an AdvAnimal?! This cannot stand! Oh, it certainly cannot! ... Get me a new phone and contact Agent Sharpe! I need to see him right away!" The Old Man barks.

“Yes, sir."

“He needs to answer for this failure..." The Old Man's balled fist shakes with rage. “I hope those insolent fools, whoever they are, enjoy their freedom, because when I find them..."

Pulling up to the manor, Adrian's eyes grow wide.

“Ooh!" He exclaims, resting a clawed hand upon the camper van's tinted glass.

“Are we there yet?" Connor asks, his eyes closed as he rests his head against Samara's shoulder.

“Yep!" Jack chirps.

“Seriously?!" Connor perks up.

“My, what a big house you have." Jose remarks, gazing upon the old and sprawling manor.

“All the better to shelter you with, doctor." Donnie quips.

Driving around the back of the mansion, they hastily hide the stolen van in the multi-car garage, swapping it out for their surveillance van, which is currently disguised as a hippie bus, complete with flower decals.

“Are you sure it's safe to keep this here? What if the owner has LoJack or OnStar?" Donnie asks.

“No." Jack chuckles. “It's an '89 Econoline, and I swept it when we first stopped for gas, anyway. I'll take care of it later, after we settle in."

“Oh, good! Well, let's go, doc." Donnie chirps, motioning to Jose and Audrey with his bandaged arm.

“You can just call me 'Jose'. That's my name, after all."

With the stolen vehicle locked away, the group makes their way toward the back door of the manor. Opening the back door, it's eerily quiet. All of the lights are off, and the only sounds they hear are the squeaking of the door hinges and the creaking of the old floorboards. Donnie enters first, stepping over the threshold and into the utility room, just behind the kitchen and beside the dining room.

“Honey, I'm home!" He calls out.

“Hmm?!" Victoria, who stays by his side, turns to him, furling her brow and cocking her head.

“It's a joke, sweetheart." He replies, looking up at her as he takes her hand into his.

“Louis? Mackenzie? Are you here?" Jack calls out.

“You know they never leave the house." Connor retorts.

Stepping forward, Samara's feline ears twitch as she focuses her attention on the darkness of the kitchen. Though it's just past morning and the sun is out, they often keep the shades drawn so that the girls won't be seen by any passersby, and without the lights on, it's as dark as a tomb. The gray furred cat AdvAnimal lifts a clawed finger and points toward the front of the house. Making their way deeper into the manor, they begin turning on all of the lights. Suddenly, they hear a few faint sounds, like the snapping of elastic.

“Louis? Mackenzie?" Connor calls out.

“Oh, h-hey guys! We, uhm! W-we didn't hear you come in!" Louis exclaims as he darts out of the living room.

“Yeah, we just got back." Jack replies.

“Are you alright? You look a little pale... Er." Connor asks, raising a brow.

“W-we're fine! Juuust fine!" Louis nervously scratches the back of his head.

Peeking around the corner and through the archway, Samara finds Mackenzie hastily straightening her summer dress before seeing her and plopping her butt down onto the couch cushion.

“Heh..." The mouse girl nervously chuckles as she waves to the cat woman.

Samara raises a brow, her eyes scanning her form. Her body language is perplexing. She's more jittery than usual. Samara's nose twitches as she sniffs the air.

“We, uhm... We just hung out all night and fell asleep watching a movie." Louis continues.

“Oh, okay. That explains the disheveled look." Connor remarks.

“Come on, Macky. We should probably freshen up. I mean, we did spend the night sleeping on the couch, in our clothes, after all!" Louis rather loudly proclaims.

Springing to her feet, the mouse AdvAnimal moves nearly silently as she darts off, following her mate. Disappearing around the corner, she follows Louis upstairs. Narrowing her eyes, Samara sniffs the shifting air, only to turn her attention toward the couch. Her brow raises when she spots a faint stain on one of the cushions, near the corner of the sectional couch. She glances back, only to see Connor heading for the workstations in the lounge area, a duffel bag under his arm. Before anyone else notices, she hastily flips the cushion over to conceal the stain, then follows after him.

“How are those wounds? Now that we're safe, we should really take a more thorough look at them." Jose remarks, glancing between Donnie and Amanda.

“Good idea. We don't want these to become infected. We've got enough problems as it is." Jack adds, wincing as he gently pokes the bandage on his face.

“I'm fine." Amanda retorts.

The middle-aged doctor takes a step toward her, his companion, Audrey, right beside him. Amanda turns her back to Jose, crossing her arms beneath her bust in a display of stubbornness.

“It's alright. It's not like I'm a first-year med student." Jose speaks softly.

“I said I'm fine!" She reiterates.

“Are you sure? You took a few good blows to the head. Even though that cut isn't very bad, it should still be treated."

“It's alright!" She growls. “Besides, Donnie and Jack both got it way worse than I did..."

“You're welcome." Donnie teases.

“Suit yourself." Jose murmurs and shrugs his shoulders.

“Well, I wouldn't mind keeping my face." Jack jests, flashing a little grin.

“Did you girls want to get us settled in while the doc patches us up?" Donnie asks as he turns to Victoria.

Alessandra immediately looks to Jack, who nods his head. She only ever listens to her mate. For whatever reason, it's a behavior that every paired female seems to exhibit; even the timid Mackenzie ignores commands or even suggestions made by anyone other than Louis. Setting their gear aside, Victoria, Alessandra and Amanda cart it away. Connor and Samara remain at his workstation, while Adrian collects a lone Pelican case which the girls had left behind. He swiftly follows after Amanda, to the silent amusement of the others. His interest in her is obvious.

With Audrey beside him and holding a powerful flashlight, Jose begins examining Jack's face. He gently dabs a wad of fresh gauze around the wound. They'd hastily cleaned their injuries with a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide purchased from a gas station, but even so, his cut is red and puffy. Meanwhile, Donnie slowly removes his purple t-shirt, the back of which is torn in several places and speckled with blood.

“A very minor infection has set in, but if we clean this up, it won't be a problem... You're very lucky, Jack. She nearly broke your orbital socket with that wrench." Jose remarks.

“Luck hurts." Jack retorts, wincing from pain as Jose pokes his cheek.

“In fact, if I sew this properly, you might not even have a very noticeable scar. Your beard hides a lot of it, anyway."

“Oh, good. I still get to be pretty." Jack smirks.

“Pumpkin?" Jose turns to Audrey.

“Hmm?"

“I may need you to assist me, especially with him." He says, motioning to Donnie with his head.

Audrey flashes a warm smile and gives him a thumbs up.

“Pardon me, but do you have any more medical equipment?"

“Oh, yeah, actually! In the basement!" Connor chirps, rotating his chair to face Jose.

“Could you get it, please?"

“Sure. Come on, babe." Connor gives Samara's butt a playful smack.

“And some brighter lights, if you have them. I'm not too fond of surgery by flashlight." Jose adds.

“Neither am I." Donnie quips, wincing from the pain.

By the time the girls have returned from stowing their gear and unpacking their clothes, Jose has already properly cleaned Jack's wound, sutured it and given him a new bandage. Turning his attention to Donnie, they can now see the extent of his injuries. Thankfully, for as strong as she was, Alyssa's sharp claws mostly failed to penetrate Donnie's bulky leather jacket, which he'd worn beneath his disguise to improve his masculine physique. Of all of her strikes, only a handful actually cut his flesh, though these few wounds are quite deep.

Victoria kneels beside him, holding his hand and petting his head as he lay across the coffee table in the lounge area. He moans and groans as his wounds are properly cleaned by the trained doctor. Luckily for him, they'd planned ahead, and after hacking into a medical supply distribution company several months earlier, they were able to order and intercept a shipment of powerful medicines and anesthetics. After cleaning his wounds, a topical painkiller is applied. Donnie lay still, now feeling little pain as Jose sews up his wounds.

“So, that's what my back looks like after we have sex." Jack teases, glancing at Alessandra.

Alessandra flashes a lustful smirk, while Donnie chuckles, then groans.

“Shut up, man. Laughing makes my wounds hurt."

“I thought that painkiller was working."

“It helps my flesh, but that joke stung my dignity." Donnie retorts.

“Almost, done... There!" Jose chirps, finishing the last stitch.

“Thanks, doc."

“Here. Gently apply these bandages. I can clean this up." Jose says, handing fresh gauze bandages and medical tape to Victoria.

As he collects the tools he'd used to tend to Jack and Donnie, Jose cannot help but notice the couple; the mare AdvAnimal applies the bandages, covering Donnie's stitches, only for him to groan in pain. Perhaps the anesthesia is already wearing off? As soon as he lets out a pained sound, she leans over and kisses him, looking very apologetic as she nuzzles his face with her broad muzzle. Once he's relaxed, she gives him another loving kiss and carefully continues her work. It's not exactly a surprise, as Jose had watched his saviors ever since their rescue. He'd be a fool not to see the obvious affection between the men and the AdvAnimal girls, all of whom appear to be bonded with a specific man.

“How long have you been a mated pair?"

“I don't know. A few months, I guess." Donnie replies, glancing back at Victoria.

“Actually, all of us are 'paired', if that's what you call it. Me and Alie, Connor and Samara, those two, and even the mouse and Mackenzie." Jack adds.

“You mean Louis and Mackenzie?" Donnie asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Wow! She's a mouse, too?!" Jack teases.

“Yes, I figured as much... Well, Donnie, no rough sex until your stitches are out." Jose speaks with the clinical coldness of a doctor. “If you two are going to mate, you'll need to be on top, so as not to put excess pressure or friction on your stitches."

Donnie's cheeks flush at the unexpected remark and he quietly clears his throat.

“Aww." Victoria whimpers and clops a hoof on the floorboards.

“A fan of riding your cowboy, huh?" Jack teases them.

“Mmhhmm!" The mare smiles and nods her head.

“Wow." Jack chuckles.

Donnie's face flushes even more, visibly reddened.

“Awkward..." Connor murmurs as he glances to Samara.

“Well..." Jack clears his throat and glances between Jose, Audrey and Adrian, the latter of whom follows Amanda down the stairs. “I guess we should figure out how to settle you guys in."

“First, I think we should discuss the next phase of my plan." Amanda chimes in. “Time is of the essence and we really need to-"

“I'm sorry, but there's something else..." The shirtless Donnie swiftly interrupts, stepping between them. “Look, doc, I don't want to sound ungrateful here, but you were pretty tight lipped on the long ride home."

“I know..."

“I didn't want to press you because I was in a bit of pain and still freaking out over how everything went down, but there's something I really need to know... What's this flaw we've heard about?"

“Flaws..." Jose replies with a heavy sigh, crossing his arms and hanging his head.

“I'm sorry?!"

“You said flaw, but there's actually several. Which one were you asking about?" Jose explains.

The air becomes thick as the silence envelopes the room. It's a fog of anxiety and awkwardness so dense that it's almost a physical presence. The girls, even Audrey, all appear quite unnerved by these flaws, evident by their expressions as they look amongst each other. The men share similar worries about whatever it is that Dr. Jose Chavez has to say. However, after what feels like an eternity of silence, he fails to elaborate on his previous statement. He merely stands there, staring at the floor.

“So, there's... There's more than one flaw?" Connor finally manages to break the silence.

“Indeed, there are. Depending on what reports you've stolen, it could be about a myriad of problems. You're going to need to be specific if you want any satisfactory answers." Jose casually replies.

“... How?" Donnie chokes out.

“I beg your pardon?" Jose lifts his head and furls his brow.

“How could you do this?" Donnie grumbles.

“Do what?"

“THIS! How could you create so many AdvAnimals and then release them to the public knowing they have all of these issues?!"

“That's not my fault..." Jose grumbles, his arms falling to his sides.

“I mean, there's AdvAnimals in thousands of homes, maybe even tens of thousands, and you and I both know that they're only going to release more as time goes on!" Donnie continues.

“That's certainly true. There's a multi-phase plan to-"

“See?!" Donnie cuts Jose off. “You knew they were going to do this and yet you didn't bother to resolve any of those issues!" He growls, stepping closer and pointing his finger at Jose.

“I did what I could, given the circumstances... I wasn't in control, Donnie." Jose calmly and quietly retorts.

“But you made them! How could you not be in control?! I mean, when you think about it, you're just as responsible as they are! All the shit they've done... You might as well have personally conducted all those sick, sexual experiments at Red Base! You could've sent those male AdvAnimals into those rooms to rape all of those poor, human girls, or paired females up with human guys just to see what would happen! You all but hand-delivered AdvAnimals to private homes, knowing what could happen because of all of these flaws, which you still haven't elaborated on, by the way!!!"

“But I didn't do any of those things! I'm just a doctor and a scientist! Sovereign Six calls all of the shots! I just follow orders!" Jose insists.

“Oh, bullshit! Don't even pretend like you aren't culpable! You were a part of the original team at Unifact! You made these creatures in the first place! You took over after the Burnhearts retired, after they came out with Harriet and spent over a decade making an entire generation love her! How the fuck can you stand here, with blood on your hands, and proclaim your innocence?!?!" Donnie all but screams, growing increasingly irate.

“But it's n-not my f-fault! I just... Just..."

Suddenly and without warning, Jose stumbles backward. To the others, he appears to be suffering severe vertigo, bending over and placing his hands on his knees. He wheezes, a hand reaching up and clutching his chest. Audrey sees this and races to his side, resting a hand on his upper back and making him look at her. As he watches her, she tries to coach his breathing, her other hand on his chest as she takes slow, deep breaths, her chest heaving. They can see how unsteady he appears, barely able to remain standing as he tries to mimic Audrey's slow and methodical breaths.

“Doc?" Jack steps closer.

“Is he alright?!" Connor asks.

“He's fine! Now I want some answers, doc, so you damn well better start talking!" Donnie snarls, taking a few steps closer.

“Donnie, chill. I think he's having some sort of attack." Connor interjects.

“The fuck do I care?!"

“Donnie!"

Stepping even closer, Donnie comes within arm's reach of Jose, only for Audrey to suddenly step forward. With a stern look in her eyes, she holds out a hand, her palm facing him.

“Get out of the way! He has a lot of explaining to do!" Donnie insists.

“Mm-mm..." Audrey shakes her head 'no'.

“Don't make me angrier..."

“Rrrrr..."

Audrey snarls, her upper lip peeling back and revealing a mouth full of startlingly sharp teeth. Like Samara, she has enlarged, fang-like canines, and her incisors are quite sharp and rather pointed. She coils the fingers on her outstretched hand, her claws painted pink, while bending her knees and the elbow of her other arm. She appears to be performing a martial art pose. Immediately upon seeing this, Victoria steps closer, her eyes narrowing as she cracks her knuckles. The sound echoes in the large, quiet room.

“Seriously, Donnie, let it go." Jack insists.

“We can pick this up later, man." Connor adds.

“Don't you want answers?! Because I fucking do!"

“Yeah, I do, but this isn't the way to-"

Before Connor can finish his sentence, Donnie takes another step closer and is promptly shoved backward by Audrey, who thrusts her palm into his chest. She's quite strong for her build, and doesn't hesitate to throw him onto his back. Landing with a loud thud, Donnie yelps in pain and winces, to Victoria's horror. She stomps her hooves as she approaches Audrey, a snarl on her typically cheery face and a fire in her sapphire eyes. Audrey moves aside, trying to keep Jose out of the fray, her hands up and claws ready.

She jumps back as Victoria lunges forward, trying to grab her, only for the klutzy mare to stumble. With a swift spin, the red panda girl punches and then roundhouse kicks the silver furred mare, who nearly falls over. Just as she tries to finish the combo, following up with a second spinning kick, Victoria reaches out and grabs her leg, near her ankle.

“Ahh!" Audrey yelps as she's yanked to the ground.

She falls with a soft thud, then wriggles and twists, quickly breaking free from the mare's grasp. However, by the time she rises to her paw-like feet, Victoria has grabbed her by the throat. In a desperate bid to fight off the towering and immensely strong mare AdvAnimal, Audrey kicks her in the abdomen while slipping her arms between Victoria's. With a second kick, this one to her chest, she manages to break free, performing a rather sloppy backflip as she forces the mare's arms apart and launches herself off of her chest.

The horse girl falls backward, landing on her buttocks, her ample bust jiggling quite violently. Samara has had enough. She places a clawed hand on her pistol and prepares to draw her red and black SCCY CPX-2 from her kydex holster. Alessandra is quick to join her; the red and black spotted Salamander hybrid curls her fingers like scythes, readying her claws. Her thick and heavy tail sways behind her as her lips peel back to reveal her sharp, predominantly carnivorous teeth. Victoria pushes herself up, huffing in anger as she steadies herself, standing between Samara and Alessandra.

Though outnumbered and clearly outmatched, Audrey refuses to back down. She's prepared to fight to the death to protect her companion. Her courage doesn't deter the others, however, who simultaneously take a single step closer, their backs arching as they ready for a fight. While most of the group remain frozen in horror, Jack sees what's about to unfold and leaps into action.

“Whoa! Okay, stop! Knock it off!" He rushes between the groups. “The last thing we need to be doing is fighting each other!"

By placing himself in the middle, he ensures that Alessandra will defend him, even if that means fighting Victoria and Samara. As he'd hoped, she quickly lowers her hands and relaxes her stance, her snarl disappearing.

“He's right. This doesn't get us anywhere." A worried Amanda interjects.

“Yeah. We've got more serious concerns." Connor quickly steps forward.

Samara turns to him, only to see her mate holding out a hand and motioning with his fingers for her to come closer. She swiftly holsters her pistol, seemingly forgetting all about Audrey as she steps into Connor's outstretched arm, which he promptly wraps around her slender waist. Only Victoria maintains her stance, though it begins to soften as the others stand-down.

“The hell?" Donnie chokes out, still lying on the floor.

“I'm sorry, bro, but the doc's not in any condition to answer anything right now." Jack continues, looking down at Donnie, who slowly sits upright on the floor. “What we need to do is calm down, take a break and let them settle in. We can get back to this later, when we all have clear heads. Agreed?"

Victoria turns to Donnie, looking to her mate for cues as to what to do next. After a short pause, he slowly nods his head. Ignoring Audrey, who also relaxes her stance, the busty, silver furred mare AdvAnimal approaches Donnie, holding out a hand to him.

“Yeah... Yeah, alright..." Donnie replies as he's helped up by Victoria. “Come on, Vicky. Let's go to our room. I feel like lying down."

“Mmm!" She coos, her eyes lighting up.

In short order, the others leave the room; Connor and Samara return to the workstations, while Donnie and Victoria make their way upstairs. Adrian stands near Amanda, who quickly comes to Jose's aid, though Audrey already tends to him. The red panda girl ensures that Amanda keeps her distance, holding out a hand to ward her off, even as she tends to Jose's panic attack. Alessandra approaches Jack, batting her eyelashes and smiling so innocently as she leans into his side. It's as if the past few minutes of strife haven't occurred.

“I'm sorry about that, doc." Jack turns to him, slipping an arm around his mate and pulling the red salamander girl closer. “This didn't need to happen. You should rest, and when you're ready, we can sort all this out. Okay, doc?"

“Jo... Jose." He replies through his wheezing. “Just Jose..."

“Okay, Jose." Jack grins. “We have a room that'll work for you and Audrey. I'm assuming you two are...?"

“Yes." Jose turns to her and smiles. “We've mated. She's my girl. My pumpkin. My one and only." He speaks softly, gently brushing her orange and white hair from her brow.

“Aww!"

Jose pulls her in, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing their bodies together. Audrey basks in his warmth, clinging to him and resting her head on his shoulder. As she gently rubs his back and nuzzles him, her long and bushy tail sways gracefully from side to side. She looks quite content. They both do.

“Yeah, that's what I thought." Jack murmurs, a little smile spreading across his face. “As for you!" He glances at Adrian. “It's getting a little crowded in here. We've got eight bedrooms, but once the girls started bunking with us, we turned two of them into storage. You, uh... You might have to sleep on the couch for a bit, until we can figure something out. I hope that's alright."

The rabbit man merely smiles and nods, eagerly accepting the meager accommodations. In truth, it's not all that different than what he had before, and glancing at Amanda, the scenery and his prospects have already dramatically improved.

“Come on, Jose. Let's get you to bed. You need rest."

“Yeah. Take a nap or something." Connor chimes in, now seated at his workstation and booting up his computer.

“I'm not that old..." Jose grumbles.

“If you aren't up for having dinner with us, later, I can bring you and Audrey something."

“Thanks, Jack. You're a good man."

“Shows how much you know." Jack smirks. “Your room is upstairs. We'll show you. Let's go, Alie."

“Oh!" Alessandra jumps and coos as he gives her buttocks a firm smack.

Jose and Audrey walk a few steps behind Jack and Alessandra, leaving Amanda to stand in the middle of the room, dumbfounded. She wasn't expecting things to turn out the way that they did. Though she pities Jose for all that he's been through, and she understands he has limitations, she feels the unsettling doubt creeping in. Time is of the essence, and if they take too long to carry out her plan then it might be all for naught.

“Well... That was something." Amanda lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Don't worry. We got them out, so that's a start. We're still going to help you." Connor remarks, his fingers typing away on his keyboard.

She glances over her right shoulder at Connor, watching him as he works. Sitting in Louis' seat, directly beside him, Samara leans close to her mate and watches him. After a moment, she reaches out a clawed hand and pets his head, slowly running her fingers through his hair. Rolling her eyes as she turns away from them, Amanda watches the quartet making their way upstairs and disappearing down the hall. She sighs, cocks her head and runs her fingers through her hair, only to freeze. Hot breath blows on the back of her hand and gently shifts her frizzy, brown locks.

Slowly shifting her eyes and turning her head, she glances over her left shoulder. She stares with wide eyes, knots in both her throat and her chest. Barely an inch away from her hand, which still holds a hank of her thick, brown hair, Adrian looms over her. With his face so close that it nearly touches her hand, he looks down at her, his rabbit-like nostrils flaring as he exhales. His lips curl around his snout, forming an innocent smile, while his icy blue eyes remain fixated on her own aqua orbs. She gulps and his ears twitch, only for him to furl his brow and cock his head. Did he hear that?! Perhaps it's time for her to retreat to her room.

Taking a step forward, she cannot help but grimace as she walks away from the bunny man. One step, and then another; she makes her way toward the staircase. Though she doesn't hear him following her, she recalls how silent the females can be, and like them, Adrian doesn't seem fond of footwear. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes grow wide and her heart sinks. He's two steps behind her! Following her like a puppy dog, his innocent smile is ever present. She clears her throat, hoping that'll illicit the desired reaction, and stop him in his tracks. To her chagrin, he doesn't seem to catch on and instead moves a little closer. Did he think she was calling to him?!

“Oh, boy..." Connor mutters, watching as Amanda darts up the stairs, followed closely by Adrian. “It's going to be fun, watching how that plays out." He chuckles, glancing at Samara.

Opening the bedroom door, Jack stands aside and presents the last remaining bedroom to Jose and Audrey. Alessandra weaves her fingers together and rests them atop one of Jack's shoulders, leaning into him and watching as the middle-aged doctor and scientist explores the bedroom with his younger, red panda AdvAnimal girl.

“I hope this is alright. We had to set this up at the last minute; Amanda took our usual guest bedroom for herself."

“It's fine, Jack." Jose replies, sitting on the edge of the bed, beside Audrey.

“Okay... I, uh... I'm not sure how long you two are going to be here, all things considered, but if you need anything, just let me know. We can always run to the store for you or order whatever you want."

“What about glasses?"

“Sure! I didn't know you wore glasses."

“I did, but early into my incarceration they were taken from me. I guess they didn't want me to use the lenses for something other than reading..." Jose explains, glancing toward the floor with an expression that could best be described as ashamed embarrassment.

“Oh... I guess I can see that..."

“They let me have contact lenses, but as quickly as you pulled us out of our room, I didn't get a chance to collect them."

“Lucky for us, because we forgot to bring the hoods when we brought you back!" Jack jests.

“..."

“Ahem... So... I don't suppose you know your prescription, do you?" Jack asks, stepping into the room.

“Of course."

Jose pantomimes the act of writing, so Jack produces a small notebook and a worn-down pencil from a pocket of his rocker vest, which he'd worn underneath his security guard disguise. Taking the artifacts, Jose begins to scribble some notes.

“Just try to make it legible. I know how you doctors can be." Jack teases.

“I'm going to add a few other things, too, if you don't mind."

“Not at all!"

“Just some supplies for a personal project. Something very important to me." Jose remarks.

“Whipped cream?" Jack smirks, glancing at Audrey.

“No. What?!" A perplexed Jose furls his brow.

“Never mind." Jack chuckles. “I'll accept your fetch-quest, but I can't get you plutonium, so don't ask."

“..."

“Sorry... Trying to lighten the mood."

“It's alright, Jack." Jose replies, returning the notepad and pencil. “I think I will rest for a while. Maybe a nap is just what I need."

“I thought you weren't that old?" Jack raises an eyebrow.

“It's catching up to me." Jose smirks. “I just want to lay here, with my pumpkin."

“Aww." Audrey coos, leaning into him.

With that, Jack leaves the room and closes the door behind him, only to notice Alessandra's perplexing gaze. Following her stare, he tries not to chuckle as Adrian stands in front of Amanda's bedroom door, just down the hall. He looks inside of the room with sad, puppy dog eyes and a small frown, his normally perky ears drooped and hanging alongside his head.

“Go. Away." She sternly instructs before slamming the door in his face.

“Aww..." Adrian whimpers.

“No luck, huh?"

“Hmm?"

The rabbit AdvAnimal turns toward Jack and Alessandra, who walk toward him with their arms around each other's waists. He raises a clawed hand and waves, only for Jack to stand beside him and rest a hand on his shoulder.

“Come on, buddy. We'll find you someplace to crash."

“Hmm!" Adrian smiles and nods his head.

“Hey, are you a fan of first-person shooters?"

Adrian raises a brow and cocks his head. It's obvious he has no idea what Jack is talking about.

“Okay. First stop: the PlayStation!"

Meanwhile, inside of their new room, Jose and Audrey sit on the edge of the bed. With her head on his shoulder, he runs his fingers through her long and thick hair. He stares at the glistening strands, orange with a few white streaks throughout. Some of the AdvAnimals have very unique colorations. Glancing down, he cannot help but smile at the sight of her face. Her soft features, her warm colors and the adorable twitching of her black nose. Opening her eyes, she turns her citrine orbs upward, a smile gracing her face as she gazes up at him.

“Looks like we made it out, pumpkin." He coos, petting her head and softly brushing a furry ear. “I told you we would, eventually."

“Mmm!"

“Admittedly, I thought I'd have to go back to being his poster child, but I'm glad it worked out this way. Although, that will make it harder to give you what I promised."

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

“Don't worry, pumpkin. I'm a man of my word. I won't leave you like this."

As he shifts to face her, she lifts her head. Jose places his hands on her cheeks and the couple gaze longingly into each other's eyes before leaning in and sharing a long and passionate kiss.

“I love you, Audrey. I thank the merciful Lord for every day I have with you."

“Aww!"

With a wide, toothy smile and glossy eyes, she leans in and nuzzles his face before giving him a series of loving kisses. Her lips move away from his, caressing his cheek as she inches her way toward his neck. Gripping onto his shoulders with her clawed hands, she presses herself into him and the pair fall backward, onto the bed. She often struggles to control herself whenever they share these moments of love and affection, not that he ever complains, but so soon after recovering from a panic attack isn't the right time.

Instead of straddling his pelvis and necking him while pulling at his clothes, she instead lay beside him, nuzzling his neck and cheek with her snout. He rolls onto his side and stares into her big, gleaming eyes, which remind of polished gemstones. Jose tenderly strokes her furry cheek, caressing her with his fingertips.

“Mmm..." She coos, basking in his warmth.

“I love you, Audrey. I truly do." He says, his hands resting on her furry waist, just above her broad hips. “And I cannot wait for the day when you can say it back to me."

“Mmm!"

Leaning forward, she tenderly kisses his lips, and after a few more signs of love and affection they wriggle their way up the length of the bed. With his arms wrapped around her, his chest against her back and her buttocks against his groin, Audrey and Jose finally relax. Her long, bushy tail drapes over his side as they spoon, his nose buried in the soft fur near the nape of her neck. She cannot help but grin from cheek to cheek as he gives her a little sniff, his arms tightening ever so slightly as he holds her close. Like Jose, she's grateful, too, for every day she has with this wonderfully brilliant, gentle and loving man.

“Doc?"

Knock, knock, knock.

“Doctor Chavez? Are you up?"

Jose jolts from the sudden sound. He opens his eyes, still peering over Audrey's shoulder, his nose buried in her soft and sweet-smelling fur. Lifting his head and looking down, he can see Audrey is fast asleep. The burning in the back of his eyeballs is telling. How long have they been sleeping? Knock, knock, knock, knock. He blinks before shifting, rolling onto his back and then sitting up.

“Doc?"

“Yeah... Just a moment."

After climbing out of bed, Jose shuffles his feet along the carpeted floor. Pulling the door open, he's surprised to see Donnie standing on the other side. For a moment, the voice sounded like Jack's, though the two men do sound quite similar.

“Donnie! ... Are you alright?"

“Yeah..."

Looking past Jose, he sees Audrey sleeping on her side, still wearing her clothes.

“Oh... Were you resting?"

“Yes."

“Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you." Donnie says, looking genuinely apologetic.

“It's fine."

“Okay... Hey, doc, about before... I just wanted to say... ... I didn't mean to blow up on you like that. I kind of lost my head." Donnie quietly begins.

“It's alright..." Jose murmurs, briefly glancing down at his feet.

“No, it's not. I shouldn't have been such an asshole. Please, try to understand, I've been chasing these people and trying to uncover their plans for more than half of my life. I honestly don't remember much about my childhood at this point; it's pretty much been this. If I could write a book about it, it'd read like a combination of The X-Files and Jack Ryan or maybe Jason Bourne."

Hearing their voices, Audrey is finally roused from her sleep. She lifts her head from the pillow and peers over her shoulder. Seeing who's at their door, she swiftly rolls over and sits up, watching the parley, a concerned look on her face.

“That sounds like a good book." Jose mutters, his fingers repeatedly tapping against the door.

“Yeah... It'd probably make a good movie, too."

“Probably."

“So... No hard feelings?" Donnie asks, extending a hand to him.

After a brief pause, Jose leans forward and shakes his hand.

“Water under the bridge." Jose flashes a modest grin.

“Thanks, doc. I, uhm... I don't mean to rush you, and I don't want to make this harder on you, considering what happened earlier, but at some point, we really need to have a talk."

“Yes, I know... And you can call me 'Jose'."

The two men stare at each other for a moment, and just as the awkward silence begins to become uncomfortable, Donnie steps away from the door and walks down the hallway. Closing the door, Jose turns toward Audrey.

“Well, I guess that problem has worked itself out." He remarks.

“Hmm..." She almost whines.

“You don't think so?"

Lifting a hand, she wobbles it from side to side.

“Well, of course I'll err of the side of caution, but at the very least it seems that we won't be at each other's throats, for however long we're here with them."

Sliding toward the edge of the bed, she stretches out her toned legs and rests her paw-like feet on the floor, her toe claws sinking into the carpet. She takes a few silent steps toward him and reaches out her hands, slipping them into his. They stand before each other, gazing into each other's eyes. Audrey gives him a concerned look.

“Try not to worry, pumpkin. We're going to be alright."

She steps closer, pressing her ample bust into his chest as he wraps his arms around her, holding her.

“It's a shame we couldn't bring your communicator, though... I'll have to whip up a new one, until I can treat you."

“Mhm!"

“Will pen and paper do?"

“Mm-mm!" She shakes her head 'no'.

“I was only teasing, pumpkin." He chuckles and pets her head. “Oh, how I long to hear your own sweet words caressing my ears."

“Aww!" She coos and nuzzles his face.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Jose?" A familiar voice calls his name.

“Yes, Donnie?" Jose calls out through the door.

“It's Jack. Dinner's almost ready. Did you and Audrey want to join us?"

Turning his attention toward the red panda girl, she pulls back, flashes a warm smile and nods her head.

“Yeah, alright... We'll be right down."

“Okay! See you downstairs!" Jack chirps.

“So, we're making an effort to fit in, then?"

With a softened brow, she gives him a concerned look before pointing a claw at his chest. It's clear from her expression that this is a question.

“I'd prefer it."

Her smile returns and she once again gives him a tight embrace. Audrey, like the other female AdvAnimals, looks to her mate for guidance. Had he expressed a desire to escape, she'd be preparing for that instead. However, he has a good feeling about Donnie and his friends, and the exceedingly confident Amanda Anderson seems to have a plan. Perhaps they're the right ones to put a stop to Sovereign Six, once and for all? They were able to rescue them from the heart of Telivima, after all.

Reaching out for her, he pulls Audrey back into another loving embrace, kissing the side of her snout and nuzzling her cheek. She grips to the back of his shirt, her long and bushy tail swaying with glee as she coos.

“Don't worry. I think we're going to be alright." He whispers into her ear.

Pulling open the double doors, the Agent and his partner traverse the long corridor, heading for The Old Man's extravagant office. His dress shoes click loudly on the polished, hardwood floor, her toe claws softly clicking in kind. Glancing over to her, he stares through his mirrored sunglasses. Seeing her red cardigan swaying behind her and fluttering with the movements of her bushy tail, the black dress that clings to her elegant, snow-white form, the warmth of her smile as she walks with him; somehow it makes him feel like everything will be alright. Feeling his gaze, she turns her head, looks upon him and smiles a little wider, flashing her pearly white teeth.

“And in case I'm wrong... I love you. I love you so much, Krystal."

“I. Love. You. Too. Dan-yell." She speaks slowly, struggling to form a complete sentence.

She'd only just begun the treatment a few days earlier, and already she's so articulate. They continue to walk through the long and intimidating corridor. The Old Man had abruptly called them away from their mission, barely a week after assigning them to D2C, where Agent Sharpe was the acting Supervisory Agent. He sounded rather angry, and in his state, he didn't even send another Agent to replace them, or at least not one that they saw on their way out. Agent Sharpe cannot help but glance repeatedly at Krystal, the fear swelling within him.

“Just remember, no matter what happens, we'll always be together, right until the end." Agent Sharpe speaks softly to her.

“I. Will." Krystal replies.

“Heh..."

“Hmm?"

“Sometimes, I still can't believe I'm hearing you speak. Your voice was always warm and lovely, but now it's the only thing I ever want to hear."

“Aww! You. Very. Sweet." She replies in simple English.

Finally reaching the very end of the hall, the two guards, identical in fashion and demeanor to any other Agent, take their hands away from their KRISS VECTOR submachine guns and swipe a pair of keycards before pressing their palms to the black plates. Only then does the loud clanking of a lock echo throughout the hallway. They grasp the golden handles of the towering ebony doors and pull them open. Sitting at his gargantuan desk, The Old Man leans into his wingback chair, glaring at the Agent and his AdvAnimal partner and lover.

After staring at them for a brief but awkward moment, he motions with a boney hand, silently instructing them to sit. They obey, with Krystal following Agent Sharpe's lead. As they wait for him to speak, The Old Man takes a deep breath, slowly and deeply exhaling through his thin nostrils.

“Why did I ever listen to you?" The Old Man finally begins, cutting through the silence.

“Sir?"

“Do you know why I picked you? Why I chose you to take over as the head of Sovereign Six?" The Old Man asks, carefully and somewhat shakily rising from his chair. “Well?!"

“... No, sir."

The Old Man walks slowly around the gargantuan table, using it for his support. His armed guards move away from their posts, following close behind. They only stop when he turns and extends a boney hand to them.

“I picked you to be my successor... Because you're the most compliant."

“..."

“Of all the Agents I'd watched over the years, every single one of them dropped that cliché Man-In-Black, meat robot routine the first chance they got. Not you. You remained professional and upstanding even when in your own home... At least until recently." The Old Man glances at Krystal.

“So, you are always watching me." Agent Sharpe remarks, both relieved and unnerved to know the truth.

“Of course! There's hardly a moment of your life that isn't recorded and filed. Who did you think you worked for? The government?!" The Old Man cackles. “I knew the very moment you'd popped little Krystal's cherry, and minutes after she learned that she was pregnant with your child, I already had a file on it. I'm meticulous, Daniel. My attention to detail and shrewd tactics is entirely responsible for my being the most powerful man on earth, and I have goals..."

The Old Man stops and sighs, before continuing to make his way around the table, shakily approaching their chairs.

“Unfortunately, I cannot live forever, and so when I looked for a successor, I was thorough in my criteria and very strict in my vetting. You, Daniel, are the only Agent who feared me enough to maintain his persona in private. You, who only broke character when pushed to the emotional limit. You, who actually tried to hide your romantic relationship with the AdvAnimal I gave you, who I'd intended for you to impregnate. You tried to hide your relationship because you love her too much to risk losing her. You correctly saw the danger in what I'd given you and tried to protect it. You, Mr. Sharpe, were an Agent after my own heart... You were perfect!

I chose you because you're malleable, because you're so rigid as to be programmable. I picked you so that even in death, my will would be carried out by my loyal puppet, Daniel Sharpe... You would be 'The Old Man, Junior', but unfortunately you have a fatal flaw. You aren't ruthless enough to lead, at least not yet. In your desire to bribe Dr. Chavez into returning to the fold, you not only gave him the opportunity to escape, but are directly responsible for the death of several human guards and one of my prized female commandos, who was not only paired with one of the now-dead guards but also pregnant. Not only that, but you facilitated the escape of two more AdvAnimals! Your weakness has failed me..."

Now standing directly behind Agent Sharpe's seat, The Old Man rests his hands on the wings of the wingback chair. His thin, boney fingers press deeply into the red leather, making it creak. Glancing over to The Old Man's hand, Agent Sharpe can see it trembling with unbridled rage. The Agent gulps, fully expecting to be executed at any moment. Raising his hand, he removes his mirrored sunglasses, breaking character as he looks toward Krystal, herself preparing to fight to the death. Her eyes glance between The Old Man and his guards, before she's thoroughly disarmed by the pitiful look in her lover's eyes. Is he giving up?!

“Fortunately for you, however, I won't live long enough to find and groom a new successor; you're a project nearly twenty years in the making, Mr. Sharpe..." The Old Man begins, his words a weight off of their shoulders. “But you still need to answer for your failure... I'm placing you on executive probation."

“Sir?"

“Think of it as a temporary administrative discharge. You will return to active duty to be used as any other Agent. When I call upon you, I expect you to fulfill your duties as cleanly and ruthlessly as possible. That sappy, sentimental streak of yours... It needs to be eradicated before I'll trust you with my throne... Now get out of my office and wait for my call."

“Yes, sir..."

Rising from his seat, Agent Sharpe lends a hand to Krystal. They walk with fingers entwined, heading for the massive doors that lead back to the long, intimidating hallway.

“Oh, and when I call on you!" The Old Man suddenly chirps, stopping them in their tracks. “... Try to keep her out of harm's way. She is carrying Sovereign Six property, after all." He says, flashing a twisted grin.

“... Yes, sir..."

As they ride the elevator down to the parking garage, Agent Sharpe and Krystal hold each other. He shivers, the terror having traveled down to his very bones. It wasn't the fear of execution that got to him; he's petrified of losing Krystal, his only true companion and the mother of his unborn child. He's horrified that The Old Man could disregard her life and that of their unborn child. How could The Old Man call their baby property?! How much longer until the wretched man finally dies?! They gaze into each other's eyes and share a passionate kiss.

“I'm sorry, Kris. I know I should be stronger, but I just can't bear the thought of losing you."

“It. Okay... I. Love. You. How. You. Are." She speaks slowly, a warm smile on her face.

“I love you, too, Kris. It's just that nothing I do should ever blow back on you. It isn't worth it... Perhaps we should just play his game?" He thinks aloud.

“I. Love. You. For. You... You. Good. Man. Dan-yell... If. You. Fight. I. Fight... I. Ahk-sept. Conse-. Conse-quen-ces..." She struggles with a more complex sentence.

“Krystal..." He softly chuckles, placing a hand on her cheek and softly caressing her with his thumb. “You're truly the best partner a man like me could ask for. I'm so lucky to have a wife like you, to walk this earth with me. What would I do without you?"

“Not. Have. Good. Wife." Krystal smirks.

“That's certainly true!" His smile grows.

They share another kiss, just as the elevator door opens. Stepping into the dimly lit parking garage, they swiftly begin to hear footsteps echoing on the concrete, mere feet behind them. Krystal whirls around, reaching across her body and placing her clawed hand on the handle of her .357 Magnum revolver. Agent Sharpe's hand slips beneath his suit jacket, where he grabs his concealed Jericho 941 pistol.

“I mean you no harm." The man with the eastern European accent begins, raising his hands into the air.

“Mr. Nazarov?! What're you doing here?!" Agent Sharpe gasps.

He's flabbergasted by the sight of one of the members of Sovereign Six standing only feet away, and without any bodyguards. Though elderly, he's still a decade younger than The Old Man, and in better health. The former high-ranking KGB man steps closer, removing a golden cigarette case from a pocket of his suit jacket. He slowly and methodically opens the case, retrieving an unfiltered cigarette, before lighting it with a matching golden Zippo lighter. As he takes a drag of his cigarette, he slips the case and lighter back into his pockets.

“I wanted to say..." Mr. Nazarov begins, smoke streaming from his nostrils. “Despite whatever he said, which I'm certain was quite irate, you did the right thing."

“... I did?"

Agent Sharpe furls his brow, his hand still holding onto his pistol. Could this be a trap? He glances to Krystal, who draws her Magnum revolver anyway and glances around the parking garage, keeping her eyes, ears and nose focused on detecting any hidden attackers.

“That isn't necessary."

“You understand my concern..." Agent Sharpe murmurs.

“Yes. I read the report, Mr. Sharpe..." Mr. Nazarov takes another drag of his cigarette before blowing the smoke past them. “You did exactly what I or the other members of Sovereign Six would've done. What happened at Telivima couldn't be helped. You will learn, if you haven't already, that there's no such thing as perfect security, Mr. Sharpe."

“Why do you keep calling me 'Mr. Sharpe'? I'm just an Agent."

“For now, perhaps... But in time... In time, you'll be my boss... What a strange world we live in, yes?"

Mr. Nazarov chuckles, before taking a long drag on his cigarette and discarding it. As Agent Sharpe relaxes, taking his hand off of his concealed pistol, Mr. Nazarov approaches him. Holding out a hand, which is kept at a slight angle, Agent Sharpe cautiously reaches for it. They awkwardly shake hands before Mr. Nazarov turns away and casually departs.

“I believe I'll be honored to serve under you in the future, Mr. Sharpe. Da-svidaniya."

Krystal holsters her revolver and stands beside her partner as they watch the elderly man walking away, only to disappear into the shadows. Without uttering a word, Agent Sharpe motions for her to follow, then heads for their car. Opening the door for her, he extends a hand. He often enjoys playing the roll of the gentleman. Krystal takes his hand, only to feel something. As her partner closes the door, she holds a note, which Mr. Nazarov had clandestinely slipped him during their handshake, and which he covertly passed to her.

“Ready to go home?" He asks, reaching out and covering the note in her hand.

“Mhm." She slowly nods, a worried look on her face.