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The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 33: Permafrost

Opening his eyes, he lets out a faint groan as he rolls over in bed. The ruby sheets, made of the finest silks, gleam in the faint, amber light radiating from his wall sconces. Slowly sitting up, he winces as his bones creak. He glances at the clock on the cherry wood nightstand. It isn’t even six o’ clock in the morning. Rising from his bed, The Old Man slips his feet into a pair of fashionable house shoes before preparing for the day. After a shower in a black marble and gold gilded stall, he dresses in a plain black suit and tie.

Servants attend to his every whim, waiting on him like meat robots. He places an order of steak, eggs and caviar, with fresh, hand-squeezed grapefruit juice. As he eats his extravagant breakfast, his servants clean, and prepare for the rest of the day. Only two guards protect him, standing nearby and holding their KRISS VECTOR submachine guns. It isn’t for lack of security, as The Old Man’s home is a penthouse situated on the rooftop of the skyscraper where his office is located.

Due to its smaller size atop the towering, black glass building, it cannot be seen from the ground or even from a distance. In fact, very few who work in the building even know how to access it. Only one elevator can reach his home, and the door is hidden behind a false wall, built over a vault door capable of withstanding handheld rocket blasts. Only his two most loyal men and The Old Man himself can open this secret door, which requires a combination of keycard and palm print verification. His servants are effectively prisoners, living in modest quarters and rarely leaving for any reason.

As he finishes his meal, The Old Man cannot help but dwell on the events of the previous day. It eats at his mind, the escaped Dr. Jose Chavez and the missing AdvAnimals. It’s almost too perfect. How could they have done it? How could they possibly escape from the walls of Telivima? How did they even know where to go?! The must’ve had help. It’s the only rational explanation. There must be a leak somewhere. A scientist with a grudge or a high tier security officer with a conscience? Clearly someone he hadn’t properly vetted.

If only he could track down the men who’d aided them in the escape, then maybe he’d have his answers. That’s when he remembers something, his icy cold eyes widening. Before he’s even finished, he rises from his seat and abandons the plate of partially eaten food, motioning for his guards to follow. Shuffling his way downstairs, he soon finds himself seated at his gargantuan desk, just before seven-thirty in the morning. He picks up the nearby phone and places a call.

“Hello?” A man answers.

“Have you finished analyzing that blood sample, yet?” The Old Man asks.

“S-sir!” The man immediately stammers, recognizing the voice. “Y-yes, sir. We did...”

“... And?”

“I’m s-sorry, sir... There’s no matches.”

“What?!” The Old Man gasps, his boney fingers squeezing the phone in anger. “How is that possible?!”

“W-well, sir, there was an awful lot of cross-contamination, sir! We were able to identify Alyssa’s blood, b-but due to the nature of AdvAnimal blood, what with it having so much human DNA and all, there wasn’t anything we could do! Even the samples under her claws were contaminated! I-I’m really sorry, sir...” The man hastily explains.

“So, you didn’t get anything?!”

“I didn’t say that, sir. We were able to identify two potential sources that were not her own, but because of the pooling of her own blood and tissue around her body, all we were able to get was a partial, and that wouldn’t be enough, unless we could test it against a new sample source.”

“So, if I find you the perpetrators, you could verify their identities?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That’s exceptionally unhelpful...” The Old Man grumbles.

“I’m sorry... B-but if we had more time and maybe slightly better samples, we might be able to do more!”

Without answering, The Old Man hangs up the phone. He lets out a frustrated sigh as he leans his elbows against the huge desk, only to slump back in his exquisitely comfortable wingback chair. He looks toward his laptop for a moment, the screen black as it sits, powered down. That’s when it occurs to him. Whatever they’re planning, those people who rescued Dr. Jose Chavez, his companion, Audrey, and the mechanic AdvAnimal, it’s obviously a threat to his mission. That is absolutely unacceptable. Picking up the phone, he places another call.

“Hello, sir!” A woman’s voice, chirps.

“Good morning, Ms. Hill.”

“How may I assist you, sir?!”

“There’s been a change of plans.” The Old Man begins, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

“Oh?!”

“Your mission, commencement of ‘Phase Two’ of the Welcoming operation...”

“What about it, sir?!” The bubbly woman asks.

“We’re moving the schedule forward.”

“Oh, okay! What’s the new date, sir?!”

“I want you to begin operations tonight.”

“...”

“Ms. Hill? Are you there?”

“... Yes, sir... I-I, uhm... Tonight?” Ms. Hill sounds quite perturbed.

“Yes, Ms. Hill. Tonight.”

“Forgive me, sir! I normally never question you...”

“Then why start?” He quips.

“It’s just... We haven’t even finished preparing the observation facility, and most of our staff are still being trained! ... Could we perhaps trickle into Phase Two, until AMO-1 is ready?”

“Is that what I asked you to do?” The Old Man sternly retorts.

“No... B-but I’m just concerned! I-I mean, knowing what we do about the AdvAnimals, should something go wrong...” Ms. Hill hesitates to finish her sentence.

“Go on.”

“Well, should something go wrong with the AdvAnimals, should any of them act on their... Baser instincts...”

He can almost hear Ms. Hill cringing on the other end of the line.

“Well, we might not be able to handle it, sir. Phase Two is a calculated risk, but to act without AMO-1 up and running... It feels... Foolish.”

“Noted. Now remember who you’re talking to... I gave you an order, Ms. Hill... Do I need to send someone who’s willing to carry it out?” He speaks in a startling warm, almost fatherly tone.

“N-no, sir! I’ll do it, sir! Right away, if that’s what you want, sir!” She swiftly changes her tune.

“Good! ... I expect a report by lunchtime. Start rolling them out.”

“Yes, sir...” Ms. Hill whimpers.

Sitting back in his chair, The Old Man’s twisted smile grows a little wider.

“Heh... Let’s see them stop me now.” He mutters to himself.

As he gently slumps back in his wingback chair, softly tapping his boney fingertips together, his wandering thoughts land on his protégé. For as weak as Agent Sharpe’s guidance was, for as foolhardy as he can be, he’s the only heir that The Old Man has. Perhaps he should use his executive probation to keep him close? He could give him a series of menial tasks, perhaps even operating one of AMO-1’s emergency strike teams? That might teach him how to better lead, so that way The Old Man could finally die knowing the right man is in charge.

As he reaches for the phone for a third time, The Old Man’s mind continues to wander. What’s Agent Sharpe doing right now? Surely, Krystal must be with him. It’s in her nature, to guard her mate like a mother hen. Perhaps he’s cuddling up to his partner right now, lying beside her in bed? Picking up the phone, The Old Man begins to dial the familiar number, which he long ago committed to memory. Agent Sharpe isn’t permitted to have any other numbers.

“I hope you aren’t busy, burying your bone in your bitch.” The Old Man chuckles to himself.

After only a few rings, Agent Sharpe answers the phone. The Old Man wastes no time and immediately dishes out a series of orders to his groggy underling. Those orders? Travel to the unfinished observation facility, officially called ‘AdvAnimal Monitoring Offices #1’, or AMO-1. Once there, he’ll oversee the facility, monitor their progress, then both lead and serve on their strike teams. This must be done “until further notice”. For a brief moment, Agent Sharpe feels like a young recruit again. These are the same kinds of missions he was undertaking before the first AdvAnimal, Harriet, was even grown.

“Sir, if I may ask...” Agent Sharpe quietly begins.

“You may.” The Old Man smirks.

“Why do you need me there so soon, when Phase Two is months away?”

With a soft chuckle, The Old Man leans forward, inching toward the phone’s base.

“Wait and see...” He cryptically answers, before casually hanging up.

“Well... Seems I have my first assignment as a regular Agent.” He sighs, returning his issued cell phone to the nightstand.

“We. Be. Okay. Dan-yell.” Krystal coos, sitting beside him in their marital bed.

He turns to her and smiles. The warmth in her cobalt blue eyes is even greater than the warmth of her soft fur. Reaching out a hand, she caresses his bare chest. Like her, he’s taken to sleeping undressed. After a tender moment, he scoots closer and slithers an arm around her feminine form.

“Only so long as I have you.” He coos, stroking her cheek and then giving her a loving kiss on the lips.

“Aww! Dan-yell. So. Sweet.” She replies.

They nuzzle each other for a moment, his lips softly kissing the sides of her snout. As he rests his head against hers, his nose pointing toward her shoulder, he cannot help but smell her aromatic fur. Suddenly, she curls her fingers, scratching the flesh of his chest with her claws.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“Not. Too. Sweet... Don’t. Want. You. Going. Soft.” She giggles.

“Not until I’m done with you, huh?” He winks.

“Hehehe!”

A short time later, Agent Sharpe slips into the walk-in closet in the master bedroom of their modest, single-family home. He makes his way toward a rack and collects a bland, black tie. It’s a perfect match to his many plain, black suits. He glances toward the partially opened doorway, watching and waiting. Krystal walks around their bedroom in typical AdvAnimal fashion. Wearing nothing but her fur, she searches high and low. Her ample bust bounces and her tail sways from side to side as she prances about their room, stopping to look through dresser drawers, before bending over and exposing herself to him as she peeks underneath their bed.

“Still can’t find your favorite choker?” He calls out from the closet.

“No!” She whimpers, opening the nightstand drawer and sticking her snout into it.

“I keep telling you to put it in a special place, where it won’t get lost.”

“My. Neck. Not. Speh-shell?” She asks, smirking as she glances toward the closet.

“You know what I mean!” He chuckles.

After a few minutes of searching, she enters the closet as well. Standing right behind him, she softly hums as she presses her ample bust into his back, her arms sliding beneath his armpits and around his torso as she gives him a warm embrace. In one of her clawed hands, she holds a small device, nestled in her palm to keep it as hidden as possible.

“Hey there, smartass.”

“Hi.” She coos, gently scratching his chest with her empty hand.

Glancing over his shoulder at her, he lifts a tie, his hand pointing toward their bedroom. She shakes her head ‘no’.

“Hmm... That’s what I thought.” He remarks.

He glances down at the scanner in her other hand, seeing a green light slowly blinking. Using the small scanner, which she’d been carrying all morning, Krystal sweeps the walk-in closet for spying devices. She doesn’t find any, to her silent but visible surprise. Setting the device aside, she steps into Agent Sharpe’s arms and hugs him, her canine snout near his ear.

“I. Check. Whole. House... This. Only. Place. Safe.” She whispers.

“No wonder he knew about us so fast...” He whispers back, nuzzling her face.

“At. Least. He. Not. Upset... He. Happy. You. Gave. Me. Child.” She replies, speaking slowly and very softly.

“A silver lining...”

“I. Happy. Too. Dan-yell.” Her bushy tail gleefully wags.

“Me, too.” He smiles and softly kisses her cheek. “I could’ve lived without the cameras in our bedroom, though. I bet The Old Man watched every time I took you.” He softly chuckles.

With his arm tightening around her waist, he gives her perky butt a firm smack. Her incredibly soft but dense coat of fur dampens the sound, but not the strike.

“Oh!” She jumps. “Hehehe! Mmmm...” She nuzzles his face before sensually licking his neck.

“That’s my girl.” He gives one of her butt cheeks a little squeeze. “So, should we?” He quietly asks, repeatedly kissing her cheek and moving toward her lips.

“I. Follow. You. Dan-yell... I. Support. You. Always.” She coos, lovingly caressing his face.

“Alright...” He kisses her lips very tenderly. “Then we will.”

Krystal coos as he gives her a little squeeze and another loving kiss. Though he’s made the decision, it’s obvious he worries for her safety; any male should fear for the safety of his pregnant female. After a tender and loving moment together, Krystal collects an elegant, black dress and her red cardigan from the closet, as well as her favorite choker. They’d known where it was all along. As they leave to carry out a menial task, one of many that The Old Man had given them as a form of punishment for Agent Sharpe’s supposed failure, they pass by their living room fireplace. The logs are still faintly crackling.

“Forgot to snuff out these embers! Don’t want our house to burn down while we’re away.” He grins, glancing back at her.

“That. Not. Good.” She smiles back.

As he kneels beside the fire and collects the nearby poker from the bin, he clandestinely tosses Mr. Nazarov’s note atop a pile of coals. It’s quickly charred beyond recognition. He then smashes it with the poker, as he snuffs out the rest of the glowing embers. In under a minute, the incriminating note is no more.

“There... Safety first...” He murmurs.

With that, Agent Sharpe and Krystal collect a light breakfast-to-go from their kitchen cupboard and head out. As they snack on Pop-Tarts, they quickly climb into the black and red pinstriped Jeep Wrangler that waits for them in their driveway.

“We should stop and get some better food at one of those Automats.”

“Yes. Please.” Krystal replies.

For all the technology and security, The Old Man was the grand architect of Telivima. It has eccentricities which gives life in the hidden city a quasi-retro feel, and the Automat diners are one of many such novelties. Meanwhile, at The Four Horsemen’s rural Indiana mansion, everyone assembles in the dining room. Victoria, as usual, has prepared breakfast. This time, however, Mackenzie aided her. For some inexplicable reason, she’s suddenly interested in cooking, and homemaking in general. She’s never been so eager to do those things before.

With a large breakfast prepared by the AdvAnimal girls, they carefully set a platter of food out for everyone. Victoria places the tableware, which after numerous accidents, all of which were caused by the klutzy mare, has been switched to high-quality plastic. Donnie, as usual, circles the table with a pitcher in each hand and pours their drinks. Mackenzie sits beside Louis and promptly serves him, piling up his plate. She then leans into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling his face, happily cooing and giving him a series of soft kisses.

The prominently displayed affection causes him to flush with mild embarrassment and gives the others pause. All of the AdvAnimal girls are affectionate with their mates, often doting on them and acting territorially, however, for Mackenzie in particular, this display is unusual. She follows him relentlessly, listens only to his words and enjoys being tucked beneath an arm, but this recent behavior seems rather out of character for her. Regardless, no one bothers to bring attention to it. He’s nervous enough as it is.

“So, is this a normal breakfast for you?” Jose asks, glancing around the table.

“Pretty much!” Connor chirps.

“Dinner, too.” Jack adds.

“Yes, I recall last night.” Jose murmurs. “I’m just surprised you go through all of this trouble.”

“We’re sort of a family.” Louis softly remarks.

“Yeah. It’s nice to get some downtime with the whole crew. Besides, it was harder before Vicky learned how to work the timer on the stove.” Donnie chuckles, glancing over to his mate, who bows her head with mild embarrassment. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Those were the best burnt muffins I’d ever eaten.” He teases, slipping an arm around her waist.

“Mmrrmm!” She whimpers.

“As thrilling as this conversation is, guys, I think we should really t-”

Amanda pauses, feeling a subtle tingling sensation on her forearm. Glancing over to her right, the young human woman finds Adrian, who’d claimed the seat beside her and leans so close that his fur brushes her smooth, alabaster skin. He wasn’t there when she sat down only a minute ago! Why does the AdvAnimal always follow her? As her aqua spheres focus on his cobalt blue orbs, a little smile graces his face.

“Ahem... Do you mind?!” She snaps.

Adrian scoots back a few inches, his smile ever present.

“Thanks... As I was saying. I think we should really talk about th-”

“Dude!” Connor barks, interrupting her.

“What?” Donnie smirks.

“Don’t ‘what’ me!”

“Rrrr...” Samara growls, glaring at the white fluid in the glass.

“Why do you keep doing that?!” Connor snarls. “You know she hates milk!”

“Sorry. I keep forgetting.” Donnie replies, struggling to subdue a chuckle.

“She’s a cream girl, anyway, right?” Jack teases, winking at Connor. “I bet she’ll lap that right up.”

Rather than be offended, the cat AdvAnimal coos. Gazing lustfully at her mate, she leans into his side. She’s not afraid or ashamed to admit and even revel in their sexuality. Why should she? They love each other, and he claimed her for himself months ago. As his face flushes, she plays with his hair, smiling and running her claws through it.

“... Assholes...” Connor grumbles as he swaps drinks with Samara.

“Mmm!” She coos, smiling wider and nuzzling his face.

“Heh. You’re welcome, babe.” Connor grins, reaching up and stroking her cheek very tenderly.

“As I was saying...” Amanda sighs.

“Oh! Before I forget!” Jack suddenly perks up.

With a frustrated sigh, Amanda rolls her eyes, drops her fork onto her plate and slumps back in her chair.

“Jose made a list of stuff he needs.”

“Gourmet coffee and lingerie?” Connor teases, trying to one-up Jack.

“Not exactly, but some new attire would be appreciated. I mean, we literally escaped with nothing but the clothes on our backs.” Jose answers, looking to Audrey.

“Yeah. That’s no problem, doc.” Donnie replies.

“Guys...” Amanda grumbles.

“I was going to take care of the list myself, but some of it’s kind of... Science-y.” Jack adds, passing the list to Connor.

“Huh...” Connor murmurs, leaning over and showing Louis the list.

“This stuff shouldn’t be a problem, either. Did you want to set up a workstation near ours?” Louis turns to Jose.

“Actually, I was thinking about that. We took a walk around the manor early this morning and your only potential lab space is in a rather crowded basement. Normally, it wouldn’t be a problem, but there were guns and cases of ammo strewn everywhere. Understandably, I hesitate to touch anything in your armory.”

“I call it my toy box.” Jack smirks.

“In any case, we may need to expand, especially if I’m to be of any practical use to you.” Jose continues.

“Hello! Could we talk about my plan, now?” The increasingly frustrated Amanda asks.

“Leaving the house might be an issue.” Donnie replies.

“Maybe not. I could give him a fake identity.” Connor chirps, shoveling syrupy pancakes into his mouth.

“You can do that?!” Jose gasps, genuinely surprised.

“Sure! I did it for all of us already. Fake IDs, birth certificates and legit social security cards, and I could even match up your alias to some old high school year books. At a glance, it’ll look like your fake identity is the real you.”

“What about Audrey? I won’t go anywhere without my pumpkin.” Jose insists, leaning over and slipping an arm around the red panda girl’s waist.

“Aww!” Audrey coos, flashing a toothy grin as she rests her head on his shoulder.

“That’s a bit more challenging. I could forge fake Welcoming papers, like I did for our girls, but it won’t hold up to scrutiny. At the very least, it’ll be good enough to fly under the radar. I mean, it’ll work, but you just don’t want to draw too much attention to yourself.” Connor explains.

“That’s acceptable.” Jose grins.

“Guys...” Amanda grumbles.

“We could call Martin, too. Enlist him in helping us find new real estate for the doc?” Donnie suggests.

“That’ll allow me room to work, and perhaps provide Audrey and I little more privacy... And you can call me ‘Jose’!”

“I’ll contact him after breakfast, if you want.” Louis offers.

“Sounds good!”

“GUYS! THE FUCKING PLAN?!” Amanda yells.

“...”

Everyone stops and turns their heads. They stare at Amanda, who positively fumes. She leans forward, her hands gripping the edge of the table and her shoulders curved upward. The girls examine Amanda’s posture and quickly look to their mates, as if they’re seeking direction on how to deal with her. Donnie clears his throat and shifts in his chair.

“Listen, Amanda... I get that you want us to help you, but you’re rushing the hell out of this plan of yours. With that last mission, we didn’t even get a lot of time to prepare, like we normally do.” He begins, breaking the silence.

“It worked, though, didn’t it?!” She retorts, flashing a smug grin. “I told you it would!”

“But we don’t do things that way. If my struggles have taught me anything, it’s that knowledge and preparation beats blind luck every day of the week, and we got very lucky... The next time, it might not go so smoothly.” Donnie continues.

“Yeah. I mean, can’t we at least get them settled in before racing off into the unknown?” Connor asks.

“We already got Jose and Audrey and your new fan-boy out of there. Why are you so pushy?” Jack asks.

“Because time is of the essence! I keep trying to tell you idiots that, but you don’t seem to listen! If we don’t turn public opinion against Welcoming the AdvAnimals, by undermining Unifact and exposing Sovereign Six’s true intentions, we might as well throw in the towel! How many ways do I have to explain that?!” She angrily shouts. “We need to get Jose’s message out there. We need to wake up the sleeping masses, and to do that, we’re going to have to hurry. We need to prepare a data pack of evidence and you guys need to be ready for the biggest hack you’ve ever done.” She says, turning to Louis and Connor.

“... That’s your big plan?” Jack quietly snickers.

“Uhm... Forgive me for being a Debbie Downer, but this foolproof plan of yours... We’ve tried going public before.” Connor remarks.

“Yeah. That didn’t really get us anywhere.” Louis adds.

“I mean, we bolstered the Puritan movement, before they got crushed into powder, after the bad press over those bombings. Maybe we gained an ally or two, but other than that... Less than ideal results...” Donnie interjects.

“I know. Some of that data you leaked was found by my brother, Kenny. Reading those files is part of what woke him up. Because of you, he actively sought out Sovereign Six, to work and spy on them. It got him digging. That, and all the rumors he’d heard while working for them. This time will be different. You didn’t have all of this new data, and you didn’t have the creator of the AdvAnimals to serve as your mouthpiece!” She confidently retorts, wearing the smuggest of grins.

“As a what?!” Jose gasps.

The entire group freezes, some of the girls pausing with utensils in their mouths.

“Once you compile the data and we can put together a brief but detailed video account of Jose explaining what’s really going on, we’ll broadcast it on every major news network at the same time, not to mention internet uploads.” Amanda continues.

“And exactly how are we going to do any of that?!” Donnie cannot help but ask.

“My source. I have a list of locations where their satellite feeds can be tapped into. Once we visit those sites and make some undetectable adjustments, Connor and Louis can maintain a backdoor into every network! Then, we can make our move! Imagine how many people we’ll wake up when they’re all bombarded with the truth on every channel, Anonymous style!” She chirps, increasingly excited at the thought. “They won’t even be safe on YouTube! If we win hearts and minds, then there’s hope yet!”

Donnie and The Four Horsemen look to each other. None of them speak a word. They don’t have to. They’ve doubted the confidence of Amanda and her grandiose plans from the start. While she provided much of the information they’d used to infiltrate Telivima, proving that her sources were more than adequate, it was Donnie and his friends who rescued Jose and the others. It was also The Four Horsemen who’d planned everything, from the school bus to the decoy drone and the bleach wash in every vehicle. It’s always been them doing the work.

The only reason they allowed Amanda to help was because they needed a human getaway driver, and Connor was busy at their mobile hacking station. That, and Samara would never leave him alone. Even their girls can see that Amanda is far more bark than bite, often rolling their eyes at her assertions that she has all of the answers. Now that she’s outlined her plan for them, which she’d kept close to her chest, it’s as complex and outlandish as an 80s action movie. It’ll likely be just as dangerous, too.

The Four Horsemen already know that they’ll be the ones who have to travel to these sites, which will invariably be guarded, and establish the backdoors. Amanda has sources, but without coaching, how useful is she? They cannot be certain that when the chips are down, she won’t be a burden. Besides, they’d already tried a plan similar to hers before, and all that happened was a reactionary hastening of Sovereign Six’s plans, which unfortunately worked in the shadow government’s favor.

“If we can get even ten percent of the population to wake up and take a stand, that’ll be too many for them to subjugate! We just need to expose them for who and what they truly are, and then we can finally have revenge for all the innocent people they’ve hurt and killed, like my brother, Kenny!” She continues, her confidence self-inflating with each passing second.

“Right... We’ll start preparing, okay? ... After breakfast.” Donnie finally replies.

“Good!” Amanda chirps, finally appeased. “Could someone pass the butter, please?”

Adrian is quick to lean over and collect the butter dish, eagerly turning to her and presenting it like a hunter’s kill.

“... Thanks...” She mutters under her breath.

After their breakfast, Victoria and Mackenzie clean the table and wash the dishes while the others begin more pressing business. Claiming his seat at his workstation, Connor boots up his computer. Samara, as usual, stands directly beside him, a clawed hand on his shoulder. Amanda undoes the top two buttons of her shirt and slips a hand inside, to Adrian’s considerable interest. She digs deep, and a few seconds later, she retrieves a small sheet of paper which she’d been keeping in her bra. Handing it to Connor, it reveals five addresses, listing them as the locations where they can access industrial sites with high-speed, encrypted satellite feeds.

“This paper is damp...” He remarks.

“Sorry... It’s a little warm in here.” Amanda’s face flushes, her eyes darting away.

“... ‘Kay...”

“Mmm...” Adrian coos, eying the human’s full and ample bust.

Amanda swiftly turns her head, only for him to look her in the eyes and smile. Peering over her shoulder, Samara stares at Amanda, who stands a few steps behind and on the other side of Connor’s chair. The cat AdvAnimal’s ears twitch.

“Hmm... This handwriting is really fancy. It’s kind of hard to read.”

“Yeah. My source wrote it. It takes some getting use to.”

“You meet your source face-to-face?!” Connor glances back and raises a brow.

“Well, no... We use dead drops. I’ve actually never even heard my source’s voice.”

“Huh... I wonder how they came by this-”

Knock, knock, knock! Swiftly turning toward the archway, her eyes focused on the door, Samara draws her red and black SCCY CPX-2 pistol. Connor and Amanda both jump, visibly startled. Adrian appears both unconcerned and unsurprised.

“Who the hell is that?!” Donnie asks, emerging from the kitchen and drying a plate.

“Expecting a package?” Amanda turns to him.

“We never have anything delivered here.” Louis replies, almost whimpering.

“Oh, no... Did they?!” Jose gasps, stepping into the hallway with Audrey right beside him.

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock!

“Helloooo! I know you’re home!” A familiar voice calls out.

Suddenly, Donnie and his friends relax. With a little chuckle, Connor gets up from his chair and heads for the door. With a frustrated sigh, Samara holsters her pistol and follows him.

“Little pigs, little pigs! Let us in!” Martin teases.

“Hey, Marty!” Connor chirps, pulling open the front door.

“Greetings!”

“What are you doing over here?! You normally call first!” Donnie asks.

“Yeah, but it’d been a while... So, you going to invite us in or what?!”

Connor takes a step back and waves a hand, presenting the foyer to the fourth Horseman.

“Thank you!” He says as he steps over the threshold. “So, we were in the neighborhood and I-... Who’re your new friends?” Martin’s tone abruptly changes.

“I guess it has been a while... This is Amanda. She’s helping us out.” Donnie points to the human woman.

“Martin Foster.” He says, extending a hand.

“Hello. It’s a pleh-”

“Hhhsss!”

Sticking her head into the doorway, Camilla glares at Amanda and hisses like an overgrown monitor lizard, who recoils at the startling sight of the reptilian AdvAnimal and swiftly retracts her hand.

“Down, girl.” Martin chuckles. “Sorry. My wife is a little protective of me.”

“...” Amanda merely stares at Camilla with wide eyes, her hand clutched to her chest.

“... And this is Dr. Jose Chavez, his companion, Audrey, and that’s Jack’s new videogame partner, Adrian!” Donnie continues, pointing out each newcomer.

“I always had a feeling about him. I guess I wasn’t his type.” Martin laughs.

“Hmm?!” Adrian cocks his head and raises a brow.

Entering the home and closing the front door behind them, Martin removes the light jacket from Camilla and hangs it on a nearby rack. A type of amphibious Salamander hybrid, just like Alessandra, Camilla’s smooth but dense light beige and bronze colored flesh is on full display; the busty and voluptuous, two-toned, black-haired female wears only a tight crop top and matching leggings. Her large feet are bare, with sharp claws crowning each toe. They’re almost raptor-like, and hardly make any noise as she follows Martin through the foyer and into the living room.

By now, Louis has joined them, as does Mackenzie and Victoria, and also Jack and Alessandra, who were in the basement. They crowd into the living room, though it doesn’t have enough seating for so many people.

“So, what brings you here, anyway?” Donnie asks.

“Oh, we were just passing through. You know how it is.” Martin replies.

“Missing us?” Connor chuckles.

“Yeah, maybe a little bit! Especially you, buddy. I was thinking about our school days recently. Do you remember all of those bullies I used to beat up in high school, the ones who used to try stuffing you into your locker? Good times!”

“... Yeah... Wonderful...” Connor grumbles, averting his eyes.

“Aww, come on! I’m just teasing you! I missed you guys!”

“Well, we kind of missed you, too, Marty.” Jack grins.

“Kind of...” Connor smirks.

“Seems like you’re too busy to miss me! You’ve got a whole clan in here! Who are they, anyway? Contacts? Associates? Housekeepers?”

“Actually, it’s a good thing you showed up because we were about to call you. We need your help.” Donnie begins.

“Figures. You know, you guys only show up when you need a piece of me. We never talk anymore.” Martin teases.

They explain their situation to Martin, summarizing Amanda’s story and their mission to rescue Dr. Jose Chavez, which freed not only the doctor but also the two new AdvAnimals. As they talk, Donnie and his friends cannot help but notice how jovial Martin seems. Even when he learns of the dangers they’d faced infiltrating Telivima, he takes it rather well. He was always a friendly guy and a lady’s man; he was easily able to befriend them back in middle-school, when associating with nerds and geeks would’ve damaged his social status, which it didn’t, but this is different. Something has changed.

“Sure, I can find a new lair for your mad scientist! No problem!” Martin chirps.

“Uh, cool! That’s great news.” Donnie replies, glancing toward the others.

“Do you need a strong power grid? Because I know a few industrial sights that need some love.” Martin asks, rising up from the couch.

“That would be preferred, yes.” Jose nods.

“And someplace out of the way. Maybe with facilities?” Jack suggests.

“Such as?”

“Locker rooms, and a cafeteria. Maybe showers. Something that we can convert into a bunkhouse, just in case.”

“Sure! I’ll get right on that, as soon as we get back home.”

“I have to ask, Marty... Why are you out here? You never just ‘drop by’.” Louis suddenly remarks.

“Well, look who said more than three sentences today! I think that’s a new record!” Martin chuckles.

Glancing at Mackenzie, whose big, amber eyes scan his form, Louis can feel a change. A pressure builds in the depths of his mind.

“... You want to answer the question or what?” He demands, surprising the group.

“Calm down, killer.” Martin replies. “To be perfectly honest, we were sort of... House hunting.”

“What? Why?” Jack furls his brow.

“Yeah. You’ve already got that sweet penthouse.” Connor adds.

“The truth is, I kind of miss living here.” Martin glances around the room, a little smile on his face. “Those were good times.”

“You were only here for a year, though.” Connor points out.

“Yeah, but I sometimes miss having a house. Honestly, we’ve been thinking of moving out of that place and finding somewhere quiet and peaceful. Maybe a nice house in a rural town, like this one!” He chirps, turning to Camilla. “I think Cammy and me would be happier in a place like this.” He continues, tenderly stroking her cheek.

His friends are speechless. For the longest time, Martin had wanted the flashiest penthouse in a well-to-do part of a major city. He wanted a place that would impress the many women he’d bring home. He’s always driven the nicest cars, and even his button-up shirts are at least $100 a piece. Why, then, is he suddenly changing his mind? What’s happened to their friend?

“That’s, uhm... Surprising.” Donnie finally remarks.

“How so?”

“Because you’re... You.” Connor retorts.

“You don’t seem like the ‘settle down’ type.” Jack adds.

“You guys haven’t spent enough time with me, especially lately! People change, you know...”

Turning toward Camilla, Martin gives her the warmest of smiles. Extending their hands, they weave their fingers together and share a loving kiss in front of the group. Several of them immediate notice the glint of the gold ring on the third finger of Martin’s left hand. Those who didn’t notice it immediately realize it moments later. As she slithers onto his lap, her legs draped over one side, she throws an arm around his neck, her clawed hand resting against his chest. As they exchange several passionate kisses, the matching ring that Camilla wears, on the same finger of the same hand as Martin, is in plain view.

“Uh... Marty?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s with the new bling?” Connor points at their rings.

“Oh, these?” Martin flashes the ring. “Well, I figure I call her my wife, we sleep together and sleep together...” He winks. “And I’m crazy in love with her, so-”

“Aww!” Camilla coos, giving him a squeeze and pressing her cheek against his.

“So, I figure we might as well seal the deal. I got us rings.” He continues.

“Wow. That’s surprisingly romantic of you!” Louis remarks.

“Yeah, and if they clear the paperwork, it’ll be official!”

“... What paperwork?” Donnie’s heart sink.

“Oh, well, you know how some of those famous types came out as being with their AdvAnimals? It caused a bunch of debating and a small resurgence in the Puritans.”

“Yeah, we watch the news.” Louis quips.

“Well, a few of the bigger names, like Anna-Maria what’s-her-face, petitioned to legalize human and AdvAnimal marriages. I figured, ‘I love her enough. Why not? What better way to prove my love for her?’ Makes sense, right?”

“Please tell me you’re joking...” Donnie chokes out, his eyes growing as wide as saucers.

“No.”

“That’s a forged document, Marty!” Connor yells.

“You really think they look into that sort of stuff?” Martin raises a brow.

“... YES!” Several of the group shout in unison.

“Oh my God...” Donnie hangs his head.

“Relax. I mean, there’s that lawyer guy in this same town trying to marry his AdvAnimal. I saw them on the local news.”

“That’s different! Paige is a legitimately Welcomed AdvAnimal!” Connor yells.

“Jesus Christ, Marty... What the fuck were you thinking?” Jack grumbles, too shocked to even raise his voice.

“Look, they’ll likely just glance at it, see that she’s not a human and stamp ‘rejected’ on it. I just wanted to make the gesture!” Martin defends himself.

“The rings weren’t enough?!” A terrified Louis asks.

“What if they scrutinize your documents or come and visit you? We know they put trackers in the AdvAnimals. Hell, they put a tracker in the doc over there!” Donnie shouts.

“It’s true.” Jose nods. “Every AdvAnimal is tagged upon reaching puberty.”

“They’re local authorities, guys! It doesn’t matter! They’re just a bunch of nobodies with little desks in cheap offices!”

“It does matter! ... In fact, I think we should get some of our money out of those accounts.” Connor says, while nervously wringing his hands.

“Oh, come on!” Martin whines.

“This was the stupidest thing you could’ve ever done, Marty. I’m sorry, but you put us all at risk.” Jack calmly explains.

“Guys...”

“You have no idea how powerful these people are!” Amanda chimes in, having been left in a shock-induced silence this entire time. “They’re influence runs as deep as the local city council!”

“You can find the property and get us started, but we’ll be the ones dealing with the realtors and actually buying it. If they’re watching you, we might already be screwed.” Connor begins to panic.

“His name is on this house...” Jack turns to the others. “They might check this place soon. We may need to relocate.”

“Yeah... I’m sorry, Marty, but you two should probably go...” Donnie adds.

“Oh, come on, guys! Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little bit? They’re probably just going to reject it anyways and then it won’t ma-”

“Oh, shit...” Louis chokes out, staring at the TV.

“What?!”

“The news...” Jose murmurs, pointing a finger.

The doctor and scientist had been watching the news with Audrey, who was far more interested in cuddling with him, up until the moment when Martin knocked on their front door. It’s been muted but playing this entire time. Now, however, there’s a breaking news announcement, and Unifact’s name flashes across the screen. Jose unmutes the TV and cranks up the volume.

“Again, breaking news today, as Unifact reveals that Phase Two of their Welcoming program has been expedited! According to a published article by the multi-national pharmaceutical company, directly responsible for the creation of the AdvAnimals, quote, the interest in the AdvAnimals has been overwhelming, and support for their release and distribution is staggering. Unifact has been listening, and as of midnight tonight, ‘Phase Two’ will begin, several months early.

_ _

Welcoming centers will allow AdvAnimals to be Welcomed with the ‘Phase One’ restrictions removed. For a modest fee, anyone who clears the background check will now be able to simply show up and pick one, end quote! Fascinating stuff! Back to you, Jim!” The female reporter proclaims.

Frozen in shock, their eyes glued to the television screen, the mood is a mixture of fear, uncertainty and disappointment. Donnie, who’d expected something like this would happen, is only surprised by the swiftness of Sovereign Six’s action. When he escaped with the data, it still took them nearly two days to move preemptively. This time, it only took them one. Glancing at Amanda, he’s soon joined by the others. Her entire plan hinged on stopping the tide, on turning hearts and minds away from the AdvAnimals before Sovereign Six could do this very thing.

“I-I... I can’t believe it...” She chokes out.

“I’m sorry.” Donnie murmurs, turning his eyes away.

He glances toward the others, who look to him and slowly shake their heads. He’d warned her this might happen, but the last thing he needs to do right now is rub it in.

“I just can’t believe it! I didn’t think they’d act so fast! I-I mean, why would they take such a huge risk?!” She exclaims, a quiver in her voice.

“If it makes you feel better-”

“Dude, don’t.” Jack interrupts Donnie.

“I wasn’t going to say that! I was going to say, ‘this proves you’re on target’! That’s all!”

“So what?! By the time we can carry out my plan, there’ll be tens of thousands of these things out there!” Amanda growls.

All of the AdvAnimals turn to the young human woman and narrow their eyes in disgust and anger, with the exception of Adrian, whose ears droop and brow softens.

“We were supposed to beat them to it, not the other way around! ... I mean, what’s the point now?! What the hell are we going to do?!” She exclaims, anxiously chuckling at her own misfortune. “We’re fucked...”

“It’s not that bad.” Jack turns to her.

“We can still salvage this. It might not be as effective as you were hoping, but it’s something.” Donnie adds, a warmth in his voice.

“And this dumbass might’ve just led them right to us?! Way to go, guy!” She continues, completely ignoring their assurances.

Clearing his throat, Martin gently eases the increasingly upset Camilla off of his lap, only to quietly lead her to the front door. Amanda continues to rant, pacing and debating how long they’ll survive. Will it be days or weeks? Perhaps their enemies will toy with them, giving them months of paranoid anguish before closing the net? Though Donnie and Jack warn her against being so melodramatic, she’s overcome with fear and grief. It’s obvious to them that she had no back-up plan, let alone anticipating any setbacks. Gradually, the group breaks apart.

Louis leaves first, taking Mackenzie by the hand and heading upstairs. Jack and Alessandra return to the basement, just as Amanda begins sobbing. Kneeling on the hardwood floor, she takes off her eyeglasses, buries her face in her hands and weeps. Unable to do anything to console her, Donnie rests a hand on the small of Victoria’s back before leading her upstairs, to their room. Connor and Samara return to the workstations, and Jose and Audrey disappear, leaving her alone with Adrian.

Despite what she’d said, he’s compelled to stay. Kneeling beside her, he cocks his head, silently watching her for a moment.

“Oh, Kenny... I’m so sorry. I did my best, but it looks like you died for nothing. I hope you can forgive me.” She whimpers, the tears cascading over her palms and toward her wrists.

Hoping to comfort her, Adrian extends a hand and gently rests it on her shoulder. Without hesitation, she turns toward him, places her drenched palms against his chest and shoves him back. Losing his balance, Adrian plops down onto his butt, his hands on the floor and brow furled. He was only trying to help.

“Leave me alone... Just... Back off, you f... You fu-...”

She cannot even finish insulting him. With the tears streaming down her face, her lips contorted in anguish and body trembling, she looks downright pitiful. Adrian’s brow softens and he pushes himself up. Returning her face to her hands, she continues to weep. Once again, Adrian touches her, resting his hand upon her upper back. Onc again, she turns to him, and though she looks terribly upset by what he’s doing, her snarl fades. Her shaking hands cling to his t-shirt, given to him by Louis, who is a similar size and build.

Suddenly, Amanda falls into his arms, leaning against him and burying her face into his chest as she sobs like an injured child. Resting his chin atop the crown of her head, Adrian’s arms curl around her, a hand petting her head while the other rubs her back.

“Shh...” He tries to console her.

“Kenny... I’m sorry. I’m a failure... I’ve always been a failure...”

Sitting at his workstation and typing on his computer, Connor cannot help but feel badly for her. For as overly confident, cocky and abrasive as she is, it’s obvious now that it’s overcompensation for her own inadequacies, and a smokescreen to mask her suffering. Turning in his chair, he glances back at her, only to look toward Samara, who sits beside him, at Louis’ workstation. She glares at the human woman with the coldness of an animal, like a beast who’d been struck one too many times.

“Hmm?” She shifts her sapphire eyes toward him, visibly surprised by the look he gives her.

“Try to be nice, babe. She doesn’t mean it. She’s just... In a bad place right now.” Connor whispers to her.

“Mmrrmm...” Samara’s lips contort, her arms crossing as she shows her displeasure.

“Please? For me?”

Glancing toward the ceiling, Samara lets out a displeasured sigh, then looks him in the eyes and slowly nods her head.

“Thanks, babe.” Connor grins and kisses her before returning to his work. “I hope there’s still something we can do... It’d be a shame to give up after all this work.”

After a full shift at his new post, Agent Sharpe notices the time. Turning to Krystal, he whispers in her ear, and after sharing a kiss, they finally call it a day. In typical Agent fashion, they leave without saying a word, his expressionless face and robotic movements unnerving everyone around them. Climbing into their Jeep Wrangler, they drive toward the opposite end of Telivima. There’s just enough time to make it, and as little time acting out of routine, the better. They’d both committed Mr. Nazarov’s note to memory. He wants to meet.

A short drive later, and they pull up to an unused hangar, as directed by the note. Two men wearing the suits and mirrored sunglasses of Agents peer through windows, one of either side of a conventional door. Upon seeing the Agent and his snow-white husky AdvAnimal, they open the door and stand at attention. Moving casually but cautiously, Agent Sharpe and Krystal remain on their guard. Is this a trick, to prove their shaken loyalty in The Old Man? Could this be an ambush meant to weed out any rebels within Sovereign Six?

It doesn’t matter. They don’t have anything else to lose, and after their last meeting, Krystal secretly confessed her fears to her mate; she doesn’t want The Old Man claiming their baby, to raise it without parents as she’d been raised, and forced to endure rigorous military training. She doesn’t want her son or daughter to become a soldier for the aging tyrant, and neither does Agent Sharpe. Stepping inside, they see a darkened room, with a single, amber light illuminating a circle that encompasses a small card table and several folding chairs.

Seated at this table is Mr. Nazarov, General Davis and Director Bloodworth, a full half of Sovereign Six’s inner circle. Mr. Nazarov stands beside the card table, his arms crossed as he stares. His expression is telling, a combination of mistrust and genuine fear.

“Is it safe to assume that he doesn’t know about this?” Agent Sharpe asks, breaking the silence.

“Da. You would be correct.” Mr. Nazarov murmurs, nodding his head once.

“Please, have a seat.” General Davis extends a hand, presenting two chairs.

“... We’ll stand.”

An awkward silence envelopes the room. Agent Sharpe and Krystal both keep their heads on a swivel, scanning their surroundings very carefully. Aside from the three members of Sovereign Six, the card table and chairs, and the two men guarding the door, there’s nothing else to stand out in the large and vacant hangar.

“This is the only place that’s safe. We’ve checked it for bugs and quietly deactivated the two security cameras.”

“Someone’s going to notice that.” Agent Sharpe warns.

“We know. This is a one-time meeting.” Director Bloodworth replies.

“We need your help, son.” General Davis says with a heavy, melancholy sigh.

“You’ve likely noticed by now that something is amiss.” Mr. Nazarov begins.

“You could say that...” Agent Sharpe mutters.

“The Old Man... He’s lost his way.”

“You’re obviously aware he plans to fast-track ‘Phase Two’, despite the potential risks.” Director Bloodworth interjects.

“Yes.”

“He’s taking risks for his goals, but this isn’t what we were meant to be, Mr. Sharpe. This wasn’t our goal, but he’s too powerful. He insulates himself, even from us. We need a man on the inside... We need you.” Mr. Nazarov continues.

“To do what?”

“Get close to him. Embrace his every word and work your way back into his good graces, whatever it takes, no matter whom you have to kill or maim.” Mr. Nazarov explains.

“... And once I’m close?” The Agent carefully asks.

“Once you’ve ensured that he’s put his faith in you, once you’re certain that you will take the reins... End it.”

Agent Sharpe is flabbergasted. With eyes wide, he slowly removes his mirrored sunglasses.

“You. Serious?!” Krystal gasps.

“Very...” Director Bloodworth answers, visibly surprised to hear her speaking.

“We don’t care how you do it, though the cleaner the better. An accident or natural causes would allow for a smoother transition of power.” General Davis adds.

“You may plan and execute it however you wish, and enlist any help you trust. All we ask is that you end it.”

“... And then what?”

“...”

Glancing between each other, it almost appears to the Agent and his AdvAnimal lover that they don’t have a plan beyond that. Still, he cannot be certain of their safety if he doesn’t do it. It’s not a difficult decision.

“Will you help us? Will you be our Agent and help us make this right?” Mr. Nazarov steps forward, speaking with a startling level of humanity.

“Alright... I’ll do it.” Agent Sharpe nods.

“Good. From here on out, I’ll be your contact. We may only meet sporadically, and you won’t be able to contact me. When the need arises, I’ll find you where he cannot hear... That’s the best we can do for the moment... You should go, now.”

“Alright.” Agent Sharpe murmurs.

Slowly nodding his head, Agent Sharpe returns his mirrored sunglasses to his face before turning to Krystal, resting his hand on the small of her back and walking casually toward the door.

“Zabotit’sya...” Mr. Nazarov murmurs.