FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 39: Fire

Pulling out of the parking lot, the tires squeal as Donnie accelerates, the potent 5.0L V8 engine of his 1989 Ford Mustang roaring. Glancing over to his right, he looks to Victoria. The mare AdvAnimal peers outside, the wind coming through the open window and fluttering her long, silver hair. With a little smile on her face, she watches the trees, her hand resting on the edge of the door. As if feeling his gaze, she turns her head, her modest smile widening.

“What?”

“You look happy.” He replies.

“I am!”

“Yeah? You seemed a little jelly back there. Was my cowgirl feeling left out?” He gently teases.

“Well, maybe a little... But I’ll have it someday.” She replies, reaching out and stroking the side of his head, her fingers weaving through his black hair. “We’ll have it, stallion... Someday very soon.”

She coos as she leans closer, her narrowed eyes scanning him with as much passion as carnal desire. Planting a kiss on the side of his face, he turns his head. As he’s about to speak, she quickly and thoroughly French kisses him.

“Vicky!” He chuckles as their lips part.

“What?” She innocently bats her eyelashes.

“Careful, cowgirl. I’m driving over here.”

“So?”

“So, it’s distracting. Plus, if you wake him up, how will I steer? You know he’ll be in the way.” Donnie winks.

“Mmmm-yeah. My biiiig stallion.” She coos, gently groping him. “Drive faster and we can put him to work.” She adds, giving his crotch a gentle squeeze.

With his eyes lighting up, Donnie drives a little faster. Victoria holds on tight as he turns a corner, heading for their isolated mansion. Only moments later, a stream of blacked-out vehicles, some with red pinstripes, cross the intersection. They move swiftly and directly, pulling into the warehouse parking lot. They park beside another car, Amanda’s black Lexus. Amanda and Adrian drove separately, their trunk filled with equipment that Louis and Jose had requested. Like Donnie and Victoria, who’d also brought with them an assortment of gadgets, Amanda and Adrian decided to stay for a while and visit with their friends.

However, unlike the black-haired man and his mare AdvAnimal lover, they did not leave early. Victoria still wanted to cook for Samara and Connor, feeling guilty about leaving them alone, even though everyone was certain what they’d be doing. With the mansion all to themselves, why wouldn’t they? Sitting down for a meal, Adrian briefly excuses himself to grab another gallon of milk and refill his glass. Walking by a window, he stops in his tracks. Soldiers in familiar gear are led by two Agents, each with an AdvAnimal partner! The glass slips from his hands. Crash!

“Fluffy? Are you okay? Adrian?!” Amanda pushes her seat back.

“They’re here!” Adrian exclaims, dashing back into the dining room.

“Who’s here?” Jack asks.

“Agents! Soldiers!” Adrian replies.

Retrieving a pistol from a holster hidden beneath his shirt, a Bersa Thunder 9 Pro Compact, Adrian flips off the safety. The display proves his seriousness to his companions, who were certain that this was yet another one of the bunny man’s many jokes.

“Sovereign Six?!” Alessandra whimpers with fear, a clawed hand resting upon her swollen belly.

“Are you serious?!” Jack rises from his seat, drawing his Taurus PT1911 pistol.

“They’re gathering outside. Strike teams are going to move in any second. They’ll breach, bang and clear. That’s S.O.P. Come on, Mandy.” Adrian replies, grabbing Amanda’s upper arm and pulling her to her feet.

“What?!” Mackenzie gasps, her terror as plain the pink nose on her mouse-like face.

“Oh, shit. Oh, fucking shit!” Louis rests his hands on the sides of his head.

“We might be able to get away if we leave through the back. Hurry!” Adrian continues.

“We can’t go without the doc or Audrey.” Jack insists.

Before anyone can respond, a window shatters and a flashbang bounces off of the wall, landing a short distance from Adrian’s paw-like feet. He pushes Amanda down and covers her ears, ignoring his own. The deafening explosion disorients everyone in the room. As they gradually come to, they can see the lights and lasers from the attachments on the M4 Carbine rifles and MP5K submachine guns carried by the soldiers. Adrian tries to rise to his feet, only to be shot with a tranquilizer dart. The other AdvAnimals receive similar treatment.

Hearing the explosion and a burst of gunfire, Jose pauses his work. Taking his goggles off of his face and adjusting his glasses beneath, he turns toward the staircase. Realizing that something is amiss, he points to the nearby landline phone, kept for only the most extreme emergencies. Tearing off her own goggles, Audrey acts fast, leaping past her mate and grabbing the phone. With the push of a single button, she places a call. It rings again and again.

“Damn it, you two! Answer!” The red panda AdvAnimal growls.

With no one picking up the phone, she tries again. Back at the mansion, the satellite phone rings as it sits atop a dresser. The incessant noise is drowned out, however.

“Ahh! Ahh!”

“Ooh, shit! Easy, Sammy!” Connor whimpers.

The dark gray cat AdvAnimal snarls in the ecstasy of her unbridled passion, the headboard thumping loudly against the wall. Straddling her lover, her claws dig into the light brown flesh of his scrawny chest, her hips rocking quite violently as she works them both with all of her strength.

“Rrrr! Rrrr! Rrrr-yeah! I’m! Ahh! I’m gonna! Ahh-fuck! I’m gonna!!! NnnnhhhYAAAHHHH!!!” Samara squeals, slowing her pace as she orgasms.

“OOOHHH-SHIT! HHNNNNGGHH!!!” Connor winces, gripping tightly to her hips.

He releases his seed, which flows deeply into his lover. It’s the first time since she’d made him take her virginity that he’s gone without a condom; she simply wouldn’t allow him to wear it. Once again cornering her lover, she initiated the carnal act, only to ruin the condom he presented to her by impaling the foil package with her claws before throwing it aside. Ignoring his protests, she held him down and straddled him. Now, feeling his manhood deep within her, his semen coating the depths of her womanhood, she finally has what he’s been denying her for so long. She’d put up with his reservations for as long as she could stand.

“Mmmmmmm, thaaaat’s better!” She coos, leaning forward and kissing her mate with untold passion. “See, little bear? Wasn’t this nicer? I told you it’d be better, letting me have you, raw.”

“Yeah...” He murmurs.

Lifting her head, Samara cocks hers as she notes Connor’s expression. He looks to her briefly only to then stare at the wall beyond her, a strangely melancholy look on his face.

“What’s wrong? Wasn’t that good?!”

“Of course it was, but-”

“Then what’s the problem?!?!” She cuts him off.

“... We weren’t ready. You didn’t even listen to me.”

“Aww, little bear!” She softly giggles, leaning in for more kisses. “You know you liked it.”

She coos and caresses him as she kisses him. Ring, ring, ring! After more than a few kisses, she pushes herself up, gazing down at her lover.

“You can’t deny it; you were in heaven. I could tell by how much you gave me.” She winks.

“Yeah, I was, kitty-cat, but... You just took it. You know I don’t like it when you do that. We’re supposed to be a team. Just you and me, remember? Kitty-cat and little bear. We were supposed to agree when the time was right, but you made the decision for me...” He speaks in a subtle whimper, gazing up and into her eyes.

Feeling the guilt of her actions, Samara’s posture changes. Her shoulders slump, bowing her head. She can feel his semen inside of her, racing to fertilize her eggs. The agony of her feminine urges finally subsides. Now, only the ugly truth remains. She loves him so much, and yet she bullied him into impregnating her. When that failed, she resorted to seduction, with a little bit of force sprinkled on top. Thinking back on it, she did disregard his protests, and did push him onto the bed even when he asked her to wait. Ring, ring, ring!

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean... I just...” Samara stammers.

“... What?” He asks in a soft, perhaps even pitiful tone.

“I just wanted...”

Ring, ring, ring!

“The urge to mate with you, to become pregnant. It... I could feel it burning...” She begins, slowly rubbing her lower belly. “I could hear it in the back of my head, just...”

Ring, ring, ring!

“Just screaming at me...”

Ring, ring, ring!

“It was unbearable, and... Rrrrrr! Who the fuck is calling?!?!” She snarls, her claws scratching his chest as she looks over her shoulder.

“Ow! Easy, babe!”

“This better be real damn important!” She growls, lifting a leg and rolling off of her lover. “I’m trying to have a moment with my little bear, and this asshole! ... WHAT IS IT?!?!” She roars, picking up the phone.

“Agents! We’re being raided!” Audrey screams.

“What?!” Samara’s tone abruptly changes.

“Sovereign Six is raiding us! Get out right now!”

Hearing the strangers’ voices in the background as they make their way down the stairs, the line suddenly goes dead. Dropping the phone, Samara turns back to her lover, who pushes himself up by his elbows. At first, he examines himself. The claw marks on his chest and the remnants of their carnal passion on his manhood seem to bother him a great deal, but upon shifting his eyes and looking toward the feline AdvAnimal, he forgets all about her primal aggression.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Get dressed.” Samara replies, slipping on her panties.

“Huh?! Who was that? Donnie?” He asks, carefully sliding off of the bed.

“They’re being raided! We have to go!” She exclaims, scooping her bra and top into her arms.

“Oh, fuck! How did they find them?!” He thinks aloud, stumbling as he struggles to pull up his underwear.

“I don’t know but... Oh, shit! Donnie!”

After slipping on her bra and fastening the clasps, she brushes some sweaty and frizzy hair away from her feline ear, the phone ringing as she speed-dials Donnie. After only two rings, he picks up.

“What’s up ‘little bear’?” Donnie teases.

“This is Samara, and don’t ever call him that! That’s my pet name for him, for when he and I are having passionate sex!” She growls at him.

“Alright, sorry! What’s going on?”

“Where are you?”

“We’re about five minutes out.”

“Change course.”

“What? Why?!”

“Just do it! It’s not safe.” The feline AdvAnimal insists as she pulls up her pants.

“What’s going on? Is something wrong?” Victoria cuts in.

“Audrey just called. They’re being raided.” Samara answers, checking her SCCY CPX-2 pistol for readiness.

“What?! We were just there!” Victoria gasps.

“We’re going for a car. We’ll try to rendezvous at the emergency site, so just... Oh, no...”

Dropping the phone, Samara’s icy eyes widen at a horrifying sight. Nearly a dozen blacked-out vehicles drive down the long driveway before partially encircling the mansion. Doors fly open and dozens of Sovereign Six soldiers emerge. They’re led by a lone Agent. Emerging from the same car as the Agent, a Skunkette AdvAnimal in a tightly fitting and rather skimpy purple dress approaches him. With a pistol in-hand, she guards her partner who leads from the rear. The soldiers close in. The muffled sound of a shotgun makes Connor jump as they breach the door, shooting off the lock with breaching rounds.

By now, Connor has collected the bulk of his clothes and managed to pull on most of them. As he slips his shirt over his head, he pauses to stare in shock and horror at the sight. Only Donnie’s voice yelling at them from the phone lying on the floor manages to snap either of them out of their trance. Grabbing the phone, Samara passes it to Connor, only to grab him by the other hand and drag him out of the room. She keeps her pistol raised as Connor follows her, the lamb to her shepherd.

“Guys, this is serious. Whatever you do, stay the fuck away. We’re heading for the back, toward the cars. If we can escape, we’ll meet you at the emergency rendezvous.” Connor speaks in a near whisper.

“Can?!”

Before Donnie or Victoria can say anything else, he hangs up and tosses the satellite phone into a laundry chute. It lands on the floor, two stories below, the battery popping off and sliding away. As they make their way toward the staircase, Samara growls in frustration.

“I hear them coming.” She whispers.

“What do we do?!” He whispers back.

“Head for the study. We might be able to climb down from the balcony.”

Before they can make a move, a canister leaving a trail of off-white smoke flies up the stairs, lobbed by a handheld launcher. Pushing him into the nearest room, Samara closes the door, only to find that they’re inside Donnie’s and Victoria’s bedroom. Taking one of the mare’s beloved cardigan sweaters, she stuffs it beneath the door to prevent the CS gas from entering. Connor heads toward a window and pulls it open. Though he’s eager to escape, he refuses to go without his beloved. He grabs her arm and pulls at her, even as she tries to push more clothes beneath the door.

“Come on! That’s enough! We have to go!”

Heading for the window, Samara grabs her shorter and relatively lightweight lover, hoisting him over the edge with her enhanced strength. Her claws dig into his clothes, which begin to tear.

“What are you doing?!” He gasps.

“Shh! I’ll jump down after you. Trust me, little bear.” She smiles with such warmth.

As he tries to get ahold of something, the door thumps loudly. Someone is trying to kick it in! She twists her upper body, takes aim and fires her compact pistol with one hand. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! Her claws continue to dig into Connor’s shirt, causing it to tear. It rips and he falls ten feet, landing on the concrete tile patio beneath and twisting his ankle as he rolls onto his back.

“Connor!” She cannot help but exclaim, peering down at him.

With a firm kick, someone breaks into the bedroom. Turning back, she fires six more rounds, keeping the shrouded assailant at bay. Dropping her empty firearm to the floor, she grabs the window ledge and vaults over it with the grace of an acrobat. A dart flies through the air, striking her in the left shoulder blade. She lands on her feet but then immediately stumbles.

“S-see, little beh, bear... We’ll be... F... Fine...” She stammers as the tranquilizer takes effect.

Falling onto her hands and knees, she tries to crawl toward her mate, only to land on her side. Knowing that something is amiss, Connor scurries toward her. Resting his hands on her upper arm and rolling her over, he promptly discovers the dart jutting from her shoulder. Removing it, he drops it in the horrified realization that he’s effectively alone with the dozens of soldiers. Before he has a chance to finish processing his predicament, a sliding glass door opens and the visage of an AdvAnimal peers at him from the darkness.

A sinister smile spreads across the skunkette’s lips. Reaching for Samara’s gun, which should be in her hand, Connor is flabbergasted to discover that it’s gone. Did she drop it?! Without a means to defend himself, and with an ankle screaming in pain, he remains on the ground and beside his lover. There’s nothing else he can do; he glares at the creature as she emerges from his home.

“Well, now! Look what I’ve found!” The skunkette chirps as she steps outside, her high heeled shoes clicking softly on the patio.

“Oh, shit...” He chokes out, startled by an AdvAnimal who serves Sovereign Six speaking.

Stepping out of the shadows of the mansion, an Agent with slicked back black hair adjusts his mirrored sunglasses. Approaching the skunkette, he gives the creature a little smack on her furry buttocks, which peeks out from beneath her unnecessarily short dress.

“Good work, Persephone.”

“Mmm-thanks, lover.” She coos, looking back and smiling quite lustfully at him.

“Is he not interested in fighting?” The Agent asks in their trademark cold monotone.

“I think the wittle guy is hurt.” Persephone remarks in a very condescending tone, approaching Connor slowly and methodically.

“Don’t ta-talk... About... Mmmuh... C... Con...” Samara struggles to speak.

The Agent’s eyebrows raise in a visible display of surprise, while his partner looks equally shocked. She glances back at him for a moment, only to return her focus onto Connor. Grabbing him and rolling him over, onto his belly, Persephone drives a knee into his back, only to then yank his arms behind him and slap a pair of black handcuffs on his wrists. She’d kept them stowed in a pouch near the small of her back, attached to a thin, leather belt which wraps around her slender waist.

“Get... H-hands off him... H-he’s muh... Mine...” Samara growls softly, fighting the sedative that courses through her veins.

The Agent and his AdvAnimal easily subdue the pair, only to bring them into the secured living room. Having searched it for weapons, they confidently place them side-by-side on the couch, a soldier standing in each corner of the room and watching them. Persephone stands unsettlingly close to the pair, right beside the armrest, her groin near Connor’s head. He looks up at her, perplexed by her gaze. She seems to gloat, as if her eyes were saying, “see how easily we dominated you?! You’re so pathetic!” Suddenly, the AdvAnimal sniffs the air. With eyes narrowing, she flashes a toothy smirk.

“I bet you’re wondering if things could’ve gone down differently... If you weren’t fucking her brains out, you might’ve escaped. Isn’t that a shame?!” The vocal skunkette taunts him.

“Settle down, fluff-buns.” The Agent speaks with a surprising level of humanity. “Don’t taunt the prize.”

“Sorry, lover.”

Emerging from the hallway, a soldier who wears all black stands at attention. Even his gas mask has tinted glass, making it impossible for Connor to discern any features of the human.

“Search complete, sir. The building’s clear. We did find this in the basement, though.” The soldier’s voice amplifier box booms.

Handing over the damaged satellite phone and battery, the Agent briefly examines the device. He looks toward Connor but doesn’t even bother to question him. Instead, he manages to force the battery back into the cracked case, only for the phone to turn on! Connor was certain that a fall from such a height would’ve left it useless.

“It would seem that you placed a call just as we arrived... After receiving one from a familiar number.” The Agent remarks in his cold monotone, turning his whole head to stare at Connor through his mirrored sunglasses. “Who did you call?”

“D... Don...” Samara murmurs, as if talking in her sleep.

Connor’s head swiftly turns toward her, hoping she won’t finish answering. In her state, she obviously cannot help herself. Recalling that she’s supposed to be mute, he then turns his attention toward the Agent.

“What was she saying?” The Agent asks.

“I assert my fifth amendment privilege!” Connor smirks.

“Don’t play games, little boy...” Persephone suddenly leans in and grabs him by the throat. “That’s how small fries get cooked!”

“... Fuck you.” He manages to choke out.

“Rrrr!” She snarls, baring her teeth as she squeezes his throat even tighter.

“Down, girl.” The Agent casually instructs.

“Hmm?!” The skunkette releases Connor and turns toward her partner. “I can get the midget to talk, lover. Trust me.” She coos.

“Oh, I’m sure, Sephy, but we can find out the easy way.” He chuckles, his inhuman facade all but gone.

With an unnerving little smile, the Agent methodically redials the phone number, typing it out as if to taunt Connor. With a wave of his hand, he instructs them to remove Connor and Samara. Persephone drags him to his feet, yanking his arms painfully upward, as they’re cuffed behind his back. Meanwhile, the four soldiers each take hold of one of Samara’s limbs, carrying the now unconscious AdvAnimal as if she were a slain deer. The couple are loaded into the back of a black Sprinter van, guarded inside and out.

Persephone shoves Connor inside with considerable strength, as if she detests his very being. After slamming the doors closed, Connor turns to Samara, who now leans against a corner, near the enclosed cabin. Eager to feel anything comforting, he leans against her very gently, allowing her soft fur to brush against his skin. He gently and lovingly nuzzles her furry shoulder. As he turns his eyes toward the soldier, who stares through the red-tinted lenses of his gas mask, he cannot help but wonder. How did they find them, and what are Donnie and Victoria going to do on their own? Will they be okay?

Whipping the steering wheel, Donnie drops the satellite phone into the mare AdvAnimal’s lap, freeing up his hands. Taking another road, he heads away from the mansion and the warehouse, now driving in the general direction of the nearby town.

“Where are we going?” She asks with a whimper of fear.

“Martin’s.”

“Do you think it’ll be safe there?!”

“I don’t know, but I can’t think of anywhere else to go.” He answers, too focused to shield her from the truth.

“Should we call? Make sure it’s safe?” She asks, fidgeting in her seat.

“Vicky, I really don’t know. I’m winging it, here.”

Listening to the roar of the Mustang’s engine, the tension grows. After a short period, it becomes palpable. Donnie and Victoria briefly glance at each other but say nothing.

“How about a little music or something?” He suggests, reaching for the knobs.

“Okay.”

“Fire, to destroy all you’ve done. Fire, to end all you’ve become. I’ll feel you burn.” The radio sings to them.

As quickly as he’d turned it on, Donnie shuts off the radio.

“Never mind...”

Glancing over to her, he can see the fear in her face. Guilt creeps in. Victoria has long been the most nervous and easily frightened of all of the females. When they removed the tracker from the back of her neck after rescuing her from Gold Base, she was the fussiest. He’s always tried to shield her from the dangers of his work, and nearly gave up on missions because of her anxieties. Now, however, he knows that he cannot shield her from the danger, he cannot hide a dark fate.

“I’m sorry, Vicky. We should’ve stopped a long time ago.” He suddenly begins.

“What?!”

“We could’ve. We talked about it once, not long after we agreed to let you all stay... When Connor started having sex with Samara and I realized that I was falling in love with you, we talked it out over our phones. We should’ve stopped then and started over. I never wanted to put you in this position, babe. I just love you too damn much.”

“Aww!” She cannot help but smile. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t.”

“No, you’re not.” He cracks a little smile as he chuckles.

“Okay, you’re right... But I’m still glad.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because if you gave up, you wouldn’t be you. You wouldn’t be my Donnie.” She coos, lovingly petting his head.

With his heart warmed beyond words, the lovers share a gaze. They’d share far more, if it weren’t for him racing toward Martin’s home. Minutes later, they arrive and knock on the side door. Luckily, hardly anyone was on the residential street of his upscale neighborhood; no one notices the late 80’s Mustang with the silver furred mare AdvAnimal in the passenger’s seat or the occupants knocking on a door. Their heads are on swivels and their hairs stand on end. After a brief wait, the side door opens and a startled Martin looks them up and down, his head poking through the crack.

“What the hell are you two doing over here?! You always call first!” He exclaims.

“We need your help, Marty... It’s going down.” Donnie begins.

“What is?”

“You know...” Vicky chimes in.

Seeing the looks on their faces, Martin’s expression changes. Hanging his head, he stares downward for a moment before pulling open the door and allowing them to enter. Stepping over the threshold, they discover Martin holding his newborn baby girl, Shayla. Identical in form to her mother but with the darker skin of her father, himself a mixed-race child of a dark-skinned Jamaican and a Caucasian, the little baby AdvAnimal stares at the strangers with her big, dark green eyes, her tiny fingers in her mouth.

As he leads them further into the large home which he shares with his mate, Camilla emerges from upstairs. Hearing the familiar voices, she’s curious about their unannounced visit. She stops in her tracks, however, when she sees the looks on their faces. Though she begins to panic, Martin is a comfort to her, as he always is. Ever since they’d bonded, when he claimed her as his own by taking her virginity, he’s been a loving and calming presence. With the group gathered in the living room, Donnie hastily explains all that he knows, leaving Martin and his AdvAnimal lover to stare in shock and horror.

“And where do you think they’ll take our friends?” Camilla asks, finally subduing her fears enough to speak.

“I’m not sure, but I can hazard a guess.” Donnie replies.

“Telivima?” Martin wonders.

“Probably. Amanda thought that’s where everyone who went missing was taken. They certainly aren’t killing all of those people!” Victoria assures him.

“I have no idea how they found us, especially after we were flying under the radar for so long. This place may be compromised. We’d better get moving.” Donnie says as he rises to his feet.

“We’re not going.”

Frozen in place by Martin’s words, Donnie turns his wide eyes toward his friend, and the Type Z AdvAnimal who occupies the space beside him.

“... What?”

“It’s over, Donnie...” Martin speaks very softly.

“No... Hell no!” Donnie shakes his head.

“We can still get away!” Victoria assures them.

“Yeah, man! It’s not over until it is, and we have a say in that!” Donnie continues.

“Keep your voices down... I get, Donnie, but I’m saying it’s over for us...” Martin retorts.

“We’ve had enough, Donnie.” Camilla interjects, cradling her baby girl in her arms.

“Are... Are you serious?!” Donnie gasps.

“We can’t keep doing this. I can’t... I’m not going to fight forever. Hell, that was your guys’ job! I was just the money man. I’m not going to run, live in crummy motels and look over my shoulder forever. I can’t do that to her.” Martin looks to Camilla.

“It’ll be okay. She’s had her baby.” Victoria remarks.

“I’m pregnant again.” Camilla replies.

“Already?! It’s been like... Two weeks?!” Donnie chuckles from shock.

“What can I say? Cammy has a voracious appetite and I’m more than willing to feed her.” Martin smirks and winks.

Camilla giggles and leans into her mate’s side. He drapes an arm over her, giving her bicep a gentle and affirming squeeze.

“The point is, we can’t run forever and we don’t want to. We talked it over, before and after she had the treatment, and then for a third time, after I got her pregnant again. We’re not cut out for this. I just want the quiet family life.”

“And you think you’re going to get that by being captured?!” A shocked Donnie asks.

“Well...” Victoria remarks.

“Don’t!” He turns to his lover.

Shayla wriggles in her mother’s arms, her long, elf-like ears folding inward and wincing at the loud sound of his voice. She babbles and begins to whimper, on the verge of tears.

“Quiet down... Don’t upset Shayla...” Martin growls, a surprising sternness in his voice.

“I’m sorry, I... I just don’t understand.” Donnie softly replies.

“Yes, you do, and if you don’t know, you will when you look at her.” Martin begins, pointing to Victoria. “She already said it, Donnie. Amanda thought those missing people were being taken to Telivima. Maybe we’ll be prisoners, but with her bonded to me, I don’t think they’ll want to separate us.”

“The others, maybe, but she’s a Type Z. They didn’t want them getting out for a reason, and whatever that may be, both her and Alie have babies now... Do you really think they’ll just forget that you and Jack mated with their forbidden AdvAnimals? Just let you guys move into a quiet neighborhood and be prisoners in their 1950s sitcom village?” Donnie pleads, trying to rationalize with his friend as much as his mate.

“I don’t know, but that doesn’t change anything.” Martin shakes his head.

“We don’t want to do this anymore...” Camilla speaks up, gently rocking her baby back to sleep.

Hanging his head, Donnie sighs and runs his fingers through his thick, black hair.

“If you want to take your chances, I do have a bug-out-bag ready. I packed it long before I wised up.” Martin remarks, rising from his seat.

Heading over to the stone fireplace, he removes a painting hanging above the mantel. Pushing on a stone that juts out a little too far, a stone that’s normally hidden behind the painting, the wainscoting beside the fireplace pops open. Opening the panel, which rides on a hidden hinge, he reveals a compartment with a black duffel bag inside.

“Still into that James Bond shit.” Donnie flashes a little grin.

“Who doesn’t love secret compartments? If this house was old enough, I’d have an escape tunnel leading to the marina.” Martin replies, dragging out the heavy bag.

Opening the bag, Donnie finds it filled to the brim with cash, all in $100 bills. On top of the pile is Martin’s flashy Taurus PT911 pistol, the nine-millimeter firearm still in the holster and gleaming as if it had just been polished. Beside it are spare magazines, in pouches, and a few extra boxes of high-quality hollow-point ammunition.

“That’s quite a stash, Marty.”

“About half a million, and one-hundred and fifty rounds. There’s some fake papers in there too, but I think I put those in first, so you’ll have to go fishing.”

Closing and lifting the heavy bag, Donnie grunts from the strain. Victoria jumps at the chance to help him, briefly stumbling before regaining her balance. She grabs the bag and takes it from her mate, easing his burden.

“Thanks, cowgirl.”

“Anything for you, stallion.” She coos.

“Stallion?” Martin smirks, holding back a chuckle.

“Yeah... Are you sure you won’t change your mind, Marty?”

Martin and Donnie share a final gaze, both of them realizing that it could be the last time that they ever see one another. Martin opens his mouth to speak, only to hold his breath. Before he can gather his thoughts, they hear a ringing. Lifting up the satellite phone, Victoria passes it to Donnie, who reads the screen.

“It’s the house...” He murmurs.

Abruptly snatching the phone, Martin answers it.

“Hello?”

“So, there are more of you!” An unfamiliar voice chirps.

“Looks like someone got A’s in school.” Martin quips.

“With whom am I speaking?”

“Martin Foster... I’m the last of ‘The Four Horsemen’ and I don’t appreciate you nabbing my friends.” He replies, glancing toward Donnie and gesturing for him to leave.

“I can imagine! ... I must admit, I didn’t expect you to answer. I’m curious; what’re you planning to do now that I’ve collected your friends?”

“Let’s cut the bullshit... I’m tired of running. You want to be rid of us? We’ll turn ourselves in.”

“We? Aren’t you the last of ‘The Four Horsemen’?”

“Camilla... She’s a liberated Type Z AdvAnimal, and also my wife... There’s also our second gen baby, Shayla.”

“...”

Covering the microphone with his hand, Martin glares at the flabbergasted Donnie.

“Are you waiting for a fucking invitation? Get out of here. We’ll buy you some time.” Martin whispers.

“Let’s go, Donnie.” Victoria pleads as she grabs him by the wrist.

“Hello? Are you still there?” Martin asks the caller.

“... Yes... This is quite unexpected. How do I know you’re serious?”

Growing impatient, Victoria pulls at Donnie’s arm, forcibly dragging him away from Martin, who surrenders via phone to whom he can only assume is an Agent of Sovereign Six. He continues to wave a hand, shooing them out of his house as he speaks to the unknown person.

“Looks like you’re the ‘seeing is believing’ kind of asshole... You want my address?”

“That would be lovely!”

“Alright. Just... Try to make it as gentle as possible.” Martin requests, his eyes focused on his AdvAnimal lover and their baby.

Reaching the side door, Donnie and Victoria climb into his car before pulling out of the driveway and racing down the street. He looks into the rearview mirror again and again, visibly distraught by the shocking turn of events. How could he just abandon his friends like that? How could he drive away? Glancing at Victoria, however, who anxiously nibbles on her nails, he knows the answers. What’s more, he struggles to feel guilty for it. He never thought he would, when all this began, but now he loves the mare AdvAnimal more than anything or anyone.

Still, the unfortunate truth cannot be denied. After driving for some thirty minutes, Victoria looks over to her mate. Reaching out a hand, she rests it on his thigh and lovingly strokes him.

“So, what’s the plan?”

Without saying a word, Donnie pulls off of the highway, drives down a desolate road a few hundred yards and then parks on the berm, just beyond an old, faded billboard. After a brief pause, he turns the key, shutting off the car.

“What’re you doing?” She asks, cocking her head.

“You know as well as I do how this is going to end...”

“Donnie?!” Victoria’s voice quivers.

“They keep records, babe... Sovereign Six... They’ve bested us at every turn. Sometimes I wonder if we managed to get you girls out because they let us...”

“Donnie, please...”

“They’re going to know there’s more. They probably already do. They’ll know from old camera footage and records that there’s a missing silver furred mare who escaped the same day as the others. They’re going to find all the fur and hair you shed in our bedroom, and match my DNA from my hairbrush or toothbrush and realize that I was there when we killed that cat girl, the day we rescued Jose, Audrey and Adrian... Half a million is a lot of money, but it won’t last forever...” He speaks softly and slowly, turning his head and looking his mate in her eyes.

“W-we... We can still get away! Right?! We can still live our lives! We can just find a quiet place somewhere to hide! I-I can have your baby, finally, and we’ll be okay!” She replies, as if trying to convince herself.

Reaching out a hand, he strokes the mare’s muzzle so softly and lovingly, before leaning in and kissing her with incredible passion.

“You know better, Vicky... You’re smart. Even if we somehow pull off a grand escape, how long before we’re caught? What if we have some kids and that slows us down? What happens when the money runs out?”

“B-but I have fake papers, Donnie! I always carry them, see?!?!” She exclaims, sticking a hand down her tightly fitting shirt and pulling them from her bra.

“That still doesn’t resolve the money problem. A life of hiding is expensive, Vicky. Cheap motels, gas, food; it all adds up. Besides, you’re forgetting the biggest obstacle.”

“What’s that?”

“You...”

“Huh?!?!” Her eyes become glossy with tears.

“How long until you blow our cover? You can talk, but no AdvAnimal is supposed to be able to do that. How long before you trip over your own hooves and call out in front of a stranger? What if someone hears us fucking, you screaming my name, only for a human and an AdvAnimal to leave the room? It’s only a matter of time...” He says while slowly shaking his head.

Victoria falls silent. She knows that he’s right, and still a tear cascades through the soft, silver fur of her cheek. She’s just so afraid of what’s to come. All she wants is to be safe. After a quiet moment of pondering, she returns her attention to the window, staring into the vast Kentucky wilderness.

“So... What’re we going to do?”

“I’m not sure... All I do know is that running will only delay the inevitable. Besides, I don’t think I could ever live with myself if I turned my back on our friends. I got them into this. I got them all into this, just like I got my parents and Old Mr. Hapcock into this. I couldn’t avenge them, but maybe there’s hope for our friends? Maybe...”

Abruptly pushing open the door, Donnie steps out of the car. Following her lover, as she always does, Victoria stands beside him as he opens the trunk. Inside is the bag that Martin had given them, but also a few other bags and cases. Most of these stay in Donnie’s car all of the time. He prefers keeping it close, the equipment he’d used when he still went out on missions, probing Sovereign Six for information and weaknesses. Taking a small Pelican case, he opens it and retrieves a strange device. The small computer, akin to a GPS, flickers to life.

Victoria knows what he holds, as he’d explained its use many months ago, long before she could speak. In case of an emergency, everyone keeps a small tracking device of some kind on their person. Connor keeps his in a wristwatch, as does Louis. Jack prefers it being in the top button of his favorite rocker vest, while Amanda has taken to wearing it in a small golden pendant. Donnie, however, often leaves his behind, and as the girls never leave their homes, they don’t have tracking devices. Martin never wanted one, preferring to insulate himself from their activities, while Jose long feared the potential of the devices being used against them.

“Let’s hope they didn’t find these and deactivate them...” Donnie murmurs, waiting for the GPS to get a signal.

After a few moments, little red dots begin to appear on the screen. To his surprise, all of the devices appear to be active! The device automatically zooms in, keeping every beacon on the screen. They’re in a large bundle and moving in the same direction.

“Well, I’ll be damned...”

“Donnie?”

“They’re active.” He says as he turns and looks up at the towering mare AdvAnimal. “All of them!”

“So... What do you want to do?”

“What do you want to do?” He shoots back.

“I’m your female, Donnie. We’ve mated, and I belong to you.”

“That doesn’t mean you don’t get a say.” He retorts.

“I’ll follow you into a burning building, if that’s where you want to be.” She answers without hesitation, a little smile spreading across her muzzle as she slips an arm around him.

“That’s my cowgirl.” He smiles back. “You’re the best. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.” She flushes beneath her fur, bowing her head and lifting her shoulders quite bashfully. “You tell me all the time, stallion.” She coos.

“And I mean it...” He speaks softly, lovingly stroking her cheek.

After sharing a kiss, he closes the trunk and motions with his head. Victoria follows him back to the car. Passing her the device, he starts the car and shifts into gear, following in the general direction of the beacons.

“So, what’s the plan?” She asks, her eyes shifting from the little screen to her mate.

“I don’t know... They’re moving really fast, though. Probably in a helicopter or a plane. It’ll take us a little while to catch up. I guess we can figure it out as we go!” He chirps.

“Okay!” She grins.

Reaching out a hand, she lovingly caresses his shoulder, then pets his head. He looks to her and smiles a little wider.

“I love you, Donnie.”

“I love you too, Vicky.” He replies, returning his attention to the road. “I hope they’re alright...”

Standing beside the large, black step-van which contains their collection of captives, Agent Sharpe listens to the oral reports of his men, Agent Grey and Agent Stevenson. He glances back, watching as the scores of soldiers escort their chained prisoners into an Embraer E-175 jet plane. Painted black and with a red pinstripe, the aircraft is set to take them directly to Telivima for processing. The Old Man’s instructions were perfectly clear; absolutely no female AdvAnimals are to go to waste. However, he wonders how he’ll react to the knowledge that two Type Z’s have bred, one heavily pregnant and one caring for a newborn.

Once Agent Stevenson finishes regaling him of how he’d so casually arrested Martin, Camilla and their newborn baby, the three Agents make their way toward the plane. Taking a bag from the back of their assigned car, Angelina, the Siamese cat AdvAnimal and Agent Grey’s partner, turns to motion for him to hurry up. She slings the bag over a shoulder, a hand resting beneath her belly. At five months pregnant, it’s showing quite nicely, especially considering how much quicker certain AdvAnimal breeds gestate. The plane’s engines gradually come to life as the pilot prepares for takeoff.

“Better hurry up, before we leave without you!” She teases, cupping a hand over her feline snout.

With a little smirk, Agent Grey merely shakes his head.

“That girl...” He softly sighs. “She’s lucky she’s a goddess.” He remarks.

As she waits beside the steps, both Persephone and Krystal, who holds baby Jade, stop to watch their partner’s and mates. When the engines become too loud, and they’re close enough, the girls climb the steps and disappear into the aircraft.

“Thanks again.” Agent Grey suddenly begins.

“For what?” Agent Sharpe raises a brow.

“For getting my Angel the treatment. I appreciate you sticking your neck out for me.” Agent Grey replies.

“Yeah. Me, too. I don’t know how to thank you.” Agent Stevenson chimes in.

Removing his mirrored sunglasses, Agent Sharpe looks between the two Agents. He silences them with a gaze, and both men nod. They climb about the aircraft without speaking another word. Just then, as a crewmember closes the door, his phone rings.

“Hello, sir.”

“Mr. Sharpe! I’d like you to see me right away. Bring your prize, too.” The Old Man chirps, his voice sounding surprisingly healthy.

“Which prize, sir?”

“All of them! I’d like to meet those who’ve caused me so much trouble all these years, and please, call me ‘Emery’... Krystal was right; it sounds better. I’d like to hear your report as soon as you arrive, and get another look at that adorable baby of yours, too.”

With their flight diverted by The Old Man himself, it’s a short but tense trip to a private airfield. More Sovereign Six soldiers await their arrival and swiftly take control of the prisoners. Agent Sharpe and Krystal make their way toward a black and red pinstriped UH-72 Lakota helicopter. He glances toward the soldiers. They prepare the prisoners for their flight in another helicopter, a Boeing CH-47 Chinook with a similar paintjob. Before loading them inside, they begin a more thorough search, only for a high-ranking soldier to stop them.

Why would he do that? Agent Sharpe and Krystal take their seats aboard the helicopter and are promptly whisked away to the Black Tower. Within the hour, the family find themselves seated across from The Old Man’s desk. He listens intently as Agent Sharpe delivers his report, while Krystal remains silent, content to tend to baby Jade.

“Wonderful... You’ve done an excellent job, Mr. Sharpe!” The Old Man remarks, as soon as his successor has finished.

“Thank you, sir.”

A quiet moment passes. Sitting in the extravagant and unnervingly silent office, The Old Man’s cold but weary eyes scan Krystal’s elegant form. Feeling his gaze, she shifts her sapphire orbs, her curious eyes staring at the decrepit human.

“You’re really quite stunning.” The Old Man begins, a bony hand clutching his oxygen mask to his face.

“Thank you.” She flashes a nervous smile.

“You two make for an unexpectedly adorable couple... When I assigned her to you, I hadn’t anticipated that.”

“Well, I certainly appreciate it, sir.” Agent Sharpe quietly replies.

Glancing over to Krystal as he reaches out to hold her clawed hand, the couple share a warm smile. Baby Jade, the bundle cradled in one of her mother’s arms, gently babbles as she vies for attention.

“Many things were not anticipated... I should’ve expected this, though. Her passion, her elegant shape, her ample breasts... So many changes we’d made from the original...” The Old Man suddenly murmurs, interrupting their moment.

Staring at a wall, The Old Man appears quite pensive, his aged eyes gazing as if peering through the black marble and into his own past.

“Sir?”

“Emery.” The Old Man sighs. “You don’t need to call me ‘sir’, not anymore.”

“Sorry. Old habits.”

“You’ve done very well, and soon, perhaps very soon, this throne will be yours...” The Old Man remarks, his voice weakening.

“Are you alright? You look troubled.”

“I’m just thinking... Reflecting... I wonder, as I sit and look at my replacement... Did I ever properly explain to you exactly what this project was? What Harriet was?” The Old Man abruptly asks, turning toward his successor.

“No, s-... Emery.”

“Harriet... The world’s first AdvAnimal... I remember the day I read her report and saw her photos as she grew in that incubation chamber. She was a fluke; we never anticipated such a hybrid...”

“What?!” Krystal gasps.

“Decades ago, I saw the writing on the wall. Humanity is destined for destruction, but as religion saves our souls, science would save our lives. The Advanced Animal Trials, Attempting Genetic Evolution Project... AdvAnTAGE... I wanted to take what was good about the beasts of the earth and make humanity stronger. Perhaps then we could survive what we were doing to this world? Perhaps with enhanced abilities, heightened senses and better endurance, we could adapt to a failing ecosystem or even overcome the rigors of deep space travel and colonize other worlds? All we needed to do was evolve...

Instead of a perfect human, Harriet was the first and only successful experiment, and that’s when I knew that our mission had changed. This world was never meant for us, but for them...” The Old Man pauses, briefly bowing his head to Krystal and baby Jade. “Unfortunately, Harriet was too human. She was little more than a girl with fur, paws for feet and an unusual head. A deformed human if there ever was one, but I saw the potential. I saw what she could precede...” The Old Man remarks, raising a hand to motion to Krystal, silently extolling her form and virtues.

“Harriet did not have all of the heightened senses, the instincts that I knew would make her truly superior. She had some, more than us mere humans, but not enough. She even grew more like a human, gradually, and not like the AdvAnimals we’ve been creating, who reach maturity before the average human has their final growth spurt... Did you know that she even began to speak? Albeit briefly.”

“Yes, I vaguely recall that.” Agent Sharpe nods.

“She was very slow to learn, but there was progress, at least initially. Sometime around puberty she became mute, though she remained literate. That was the first clue that there were problems in their creation. We saw what could be but somehow failed to reach it. Even with the enhancements I’d requested for all of the subsequent AdvAnimals, they were not perfect. Admittedly, I didn’t find their shortcomings to be much of a problem. After all, in the grand scheme of things, our speech is a large part of what’s lead to our inevitable downfall. Unfortunately, more severe problems began to manifest... But every problem has a solution...”

The Old Man endures a rather painful chuckle. He turns his cold eyes toward baby Jade, who shifts in her mother’s arms. Pulling her hand away from her mate’s, she checks her baby, brushing her face so gently. Jade begins to cry, revealing her toothless maw. Realizing that she’s hungry, Krystal shifts in her chair, pulls down her dress and begins to breastfeed her and Agent Sharpe’s daughter. The Old Man flashes a strange and twisted smile as he leans back in the large, padded chair, taking a bizarre delight in the simple feeding of the infant.

“What a wonder... In your arms, Krystal, you hold the future.”

“Sir? Emery?” An increasingly uncomfortable Agent Sharpe leans closer.

“With the simple act of breeding, all of these problems were resolved. Red Base conducted experiment and experiment, and I quickly realized that in order to save the project, I merely needed humans and AdvAnimals to breed. The second generation AdvAnimals have none of the flaws of those we grow in the tanks, and all of the improvements I could’ve ever hoped for. Increased senses, rapid growth - proper adulthood is reached in only eleven or twelve years instead of seventeen or eighteen - the intellect, speech and literacy of a human and full control over their mental and emotional faculties. Perfection... Absolute perfection...

Even their animal instincts to breed, their ceaseless urge to reproduce, it works to my advantage...Heh... The older they become and the longer they go without breeding, the more aggression they display. It grows and grows, until the only option left to them is to simply take what they want by force. That’s why I waited as long as I did to begin the Welcoming phases, so that they’d be released with six or seven years of yearning... They’d be ready to accept anyone, the first human willing to bond with them. That’s also why every AdvAnimal, save for Harriet and the early test subjects, received military training and were made to endure The Catechism.”

“I see...”

“You will...” The Old Man continues. “You will be the generation to see all that I’ve built. The shade of the tree I’ve planted but will never enjoy. Well, the beginnings of it, at least.”

“But what about the Type Z’s, and the other flaw we never addressed?” Agent Sharpe interjects.

Krystal glances nervously at her mate, worried that his curiosity may lead to trouble.

“Ahh, yes... The Type Z’s... Being the only AdvAnimals created by splicing more than one animal with human DNA, they had to be canceled. It’s unfortunate, as their rapid regeneration and natural affinity for water was something I’d hoped to harness in the future. Should we never reach the stars, those would’ve been excellent abilities to possess... And as appealing as their smooth skin is, I have no doubt they would’ve done very well to advance our work with the public. Choosing to make seventy-five percent of the AdvAnimals female more than made up for their loss, however.” The Old Man replies with a soft and wheezed chuckled.

“But what’s to come of them? Rather, what do you want me to do with them?” Agent Sharpe reiterates.

“Nothing. They’ll continue to be confined until their carnal rage is such that they must be terminated. We cannot risk them breeding, as their more diverse genetic makeup could undermine my work.” The Old Man calmly answers.

“How?”

“Never mind that...” He grumbles, turning his cold and weary eyes away. “Since we’re on the subject, when I’ve finished with them, please terminate the rogue Type Z’s, their offspring and whoever they’re bonded too!” He chirps.

“As you wish... Emery?”

“Yes?”

“What about the other flaw?” Agent Sharpe politely redirects the conversation.

“There is no other flaw...” The Old Man coldly responds, staring at his desk.

“Begging your pardon, Emery, but there is. We know the second gens aren’t receptive to each other. The oldest are already sexually developing and have begun targeting humans in their vicinity. They’re seeking out mates. We’ve doubled security protocols to prevent undocumented breeding, not a small feat when we let them roam our city freely... They never seem to adapt the ability to breed with other AdvAnimals.” Agent Sharpe rather gingerly retorts.

“And it’s possible they never will.”

“But they’ve run the permutations. I’ve read the reports and heard their worries, Emery. You’re telling me their ingrained desire to reproduce without constraint somehow isn’t a problem?” Agent Sharpe presses him.

“As I said before, some problems solve themselves. Three or four generations from now, when the human population is matched or even diminished by the AdvAnimals, natural genetic mutations could resolve that situation for us.”

“And what if they don’t? Shouldn’t we make some effort to ease it along, as you attempted to do with our own evolution?” Agent Sharpe suggests.

“No...” The Old Man glares at his successor. “When we’ve finally bred ourselves out of existence in one-hundred years or so, the AdvAnimals left behind will adapt... Or they’ll die... That’s assuming, of course, that their hordes of children, created by their unrestrainable urges, don’t overwhelm and collapse earth’s ecosystem even faster than we already are!” He cannot help but cackle.

Agent Sharpe and Krystal both struggle to contain their shock. They’d always known that they worked for a powerful and devious organization, but for Agent Sharpe, he always saw the work they were doing as progress. Every mission, every project, every single step was a move toward something greater. For Krystal, she owed Sovereign Six not only her life but her purpose and her family. She rose to the top, setting records during her combat training and trials that have yet to be broken by males or females.

Now, as they sit and listen, they learn the awful truth. Looking toward his mate, it’s clear to both of them that The Old Man delights in their fears. The blight he’s slowly unleashing upon the world, in the most basic and natural of forms, sexual reproduction, would go unchecked if left to him. As he laughs, it’s obvious to the couple that what The Old Man desires most is the extinction of humanity. The AdvAnimals are simply a means to that end, and if that brings them down alongside the humans, then so be it.

“You look surprised, Daniel.”

Agent Sharpe stares, a hand slowly reaching up to cover his gaping maw. He cannot speak, his mind reeling. There are no words to describe the swirling of thoughts and emotions which split his skull from the inside out. Why would The Old Man condemn humanity? Why would he do something so nefarious as use passion and the creation of life to extinguish it? Why?! He gave them a family to raise, already knowing that by the end of his and Krystal’s lives, this family would inherit a world ablaze, lit by the very man responsible for their existence. It’s a mind so dark and so sinister that even Daniel Sharpe, an Agent and a killer, struggles to comprehend it.

“Why did you think that more than half of my requests from Dr. Chavez and his team at MiLab were to enhance the AdvAnimals’ physical features? Why give your lovely Krystal and all of her sisters’ perfect figures and big breasts? Why make the average male compete with Peter North or John Holmes in both endowment and appetite? You’ve been with me since the beginning, Daniel, since before Harriet was a ball of cells in a test tube. You know their nature and their capabilities as well as anyone.

They’ll do what they do best, seduce and overpower, taking from humanity what we’ve taken from our own world for millennia. Forests erased, oceans polluted, and still we feast upon the carcass of our world like parasites... Yeast consuming everything until it’s all gone... The countless wars fought with no purpose or reason. We drink blood like water, consumed by it. We revel in it. We’re the most dangerous creature to have ever lived. Whatever fate humanity receives, once all is said and done, is exactly what we deserve, and you know it...”

Slowly turning his head, Agent Sharpe stares into Krystal’s eyes. She sits silently, her mouth closed and lips expressing no emotion. Their baby suckles at her breast, unaware of the conversation taking place, the very fate of the world unfolding around her. Though she’s silent, Daniel can see how horrified and fearful she is. Their bond is such that even though she can speak, they don’t need words to convey messages. What is he to do, now that he knows the truth about Sovereign Six?

It’s suddenly clear to him why Mr. Nazarov, General Davis and Director Bloodworth want him to kill Emeryth and take power. The Old Man is as corrupted and evil as they come. However, he’s no fool. This is yet another test. He realizes that he has no choice but the correct one. He must do what needs to be done. With a simple look, he eases Krystal’s mind, only to then turn his head and stare out of the windows which stretch across the room.

“Well? Don’t you agree, Daniel?” The Old Man presses him.

“Yes, Emery... Unfortunately, I do...” Agent Sharpe murmurs, his glossy eyes drinking in the skyline outside. “I’m just grateful for the family I can enjoy, while there’s still time.”

“Good...”