FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

It was one of those old big box store, they used to be called, back before people decided they preferred doing the majority of their shopping from home. I sort of remember going to one, I was nine I think. Dad tool me and Tim. Magdee was suppose to come, but she and dad had gotten into an argument and he'd grounded her.

I remember there being a lot of toys, and that I could play with some of them, right there, in the aisle. Tim and I played cops and robber. I remember walking for hours while dad talked about the stuff that was on the shelves. There even was a restaurant there.

I think it closed not long after that. I do know there are none left in Denver, probably no where in the US. The only one I read about was in Los Angeles, a large building that sold all kind of stuff from the end of the twentieth century, when they were really popular. It was quite the tourist attraction, according to the article.

I guessed that even less than fifty years away was enough to make some people nostalgic about those good old days.

This one was boarded up. We were parked in the residential block on the other side of the main road form it. This house looked uninhabited so we were using it as out base of operation, well, the parking lot.

Tom had pulled out binoculars from his trunk an I was checking the front for any indication of guards, no one I could see. There weren't any windows, the door was covered with plywood and over that I could just make out the word 'club' where the large letters had been removed, years ago.

There were a lot of those buildings standing empty in the city. Was well as the others smaller ones around it. Some have been converted into social clubs, one, near my folks' place was an arena now, with an ice rink, two basketball courts a running track and a few tennis courts. That might actually have been the one dad took me and Tim to. A few, close to business areas had been turned into multi level parking, but most were like this one, empty and used by criminals.

"Okay, no one outside." I handed Tom the binoculars. "I'm going to check at the back while I check inside. You guys stay here until I'm back."

"How are you going to go in without them seeing you?" Tom asked.

"I'm going to step outside my body."

Tom went, "huh?"

"Do you need me to write the circle?" Fred asked.

The last time I'd done this in his presence, back in the spring, I hadn't been able to step out without help when I was awake. "No. I've been practicing." I sat crossed legged, leaning back against his car. "I can step out of my body, it's what I can do," I told Tom.

"I thought it was finding people, that thing you did at the house, where you couldn't see anymore. You almost gave that buck a heart attack."

"That was a Phrase, any of use could use it. And Zee is just a protective."

"Right," he said sarcastically. "I didn't know feds knew how to care that much." He paused. "Then what was what you did at the clearing? Throwing that kid all the way into the woods?"

"That was Colby's ability I was using."

"So what? You guys can switch powers?"

I sighed, I knew where this was going to lead. "No, I'm was copying his ability, and I'm the only one who can do it as far as we know."

"Really?"

"He's special," Colby said.

"I'm not." I glared at the armadillo. He was fully healed, at least the skin was closed and there weren't any scars, but I could tell he was favoring that side, there was still debris in there. He should have waited, like Frank had said, but he hadn't wanted to be left out.

"I am not," I told Tom, how had a knowing grin on his face.

"I know that's a lie," the badger said. "You've fucked me, so I know just how special you are." I rolled my eyes.

"None of you go anywhere. I don't know how long this is going to take."

I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. Since stepping out was easiest if I was sleeping, at least that's when it tended to happen without me trying, I'd settled on meditating to reach a close a state as I could while being awake.

And it worked.

It took two minutes now, but I could pull myself out. It was like my body was made of molasses, but I was able to do it. It felt like I should be panting from exhaustion by the time I was standing next to myself.

Like this the world was gray and kind of dark. I generated light, as did everyone here, except for Tom, he was translucent, almost clear. My gaze stopped on Magdee. Unlike us, who were filled with a sort of yellow light, she had green veins flowing through her. They moved around in her in what looked like random. I guessed it was how my mind interpreted her magic, the green had to be because that's the color I associated with nature.

The car was barely visible, since it didn't have any magic. Only magic was clear to me, and none of the objects here had any. I walked through the car. Nothing had mass here either. Not even my friends, although their magic would offer some resistance if I walked through them. I had no idea if they'd feel it. Something to try at some point.

Going to the building was easy. I took another step, and I

was there. Distances were relative. I could go anywhere withing a half mile from my physical body by just thinking about it.

Like everything else, the building was almost clear, and I could see a body of light walking along the interior wall, just passing the door and continuing. As I'd expected, this was a one of the Society families.

I walked through the door and made out three more bodies of lights; four Society members. They would be our main troubles. One of them was thirty feet off the floor. He had to be in an office, and I was willing to bet that's where my family was. I went looking for the stairs, not an easy thing to do when they are almost invisible.

Yes, I can walk through walls, and doors, even people, but I even thought they aren't really there, I need stairs to go up. I am almost certain it's a subconscious thing. The same thing that lets me walk on a second story floor without falling through.

It also means I should be able to make believe there are stairs and use that to move up, but I can't. My subconscious just won't cooperate.

There was light on the 'floor' where the office was. A Phrase was written there, not, two. I kept an eye on them as went up the stairs. One was against in front of the door, that the guy was leaning against. The other one the only window, looking out on the show floor. I studied the one at the door for a moment before walking through the wall next to the man. I wasn't testing if someone could feel me walking through them right now.

I couldn't tell any details about him. He was a little smaller than me, so five eight maybe? I couldn't tell species, ears didn't show up here, and muzzles were too fuzzy.

I found my family huddled in the far corner from the door. Them being huddled, more than the little I could make out, told me it was them. I couldn't hear anything, but I expected Rackun and his sister to be whimpering.

Alright, I knew where they were. Now I needed to try to workout how many people where in the building, starting with the back. No one there. I couldn't tell what was barring the loading dock, but it seemed thick.

I walked through the building, doing my best not to rush, but being conscious time was passing. I didn't want to be here so long I missed the call, Hell, I wanted to assault this place before the call came. I had a tentative number of forty people when I decided I'd been here long enough.

I went back to the office. I had to walk up the steps. That thing about me being able to go anywhere instantly? It doesn't work when going up. No idea why.

I studied the phrases. Noticed it was a sequence of eight sigils, repeating, and the the one under the window was identical. I memorized it. Fred would be able to make out what it was. Once I had it, I willed myself back to my body. Yep, it works moving down. Again, I don't know why.

I had to force myself into my body, just like I'd had to force myself out. It was becoming easier the more I did it. I really should get in the habit of practicing this daily.

I opened my eyes. It always took me a moment to reorient myself, then a little more for my body to decide I was actually back in control of it. Then I could stand.

I went to the flower bed and traced the sigils I'd seen. I explained how they'd been laid out, end to end around the office.

"I think it's to keep your family from leaving."

"Like a wall?"

"Not physically. That's intent, also will, This one is a negation sigil, but the way it's connected I think it isn't meant o negate an effect, but a desire. I think that if they get close to it, they'll simply stop wanting to leave."

"They must be freaking out, they want to leave, try, but end up deciding they'd rather not." I growled. "How about us?"

"Sure, but we know about them, so we can scuff the one at the door going in, ruining its effect. If it's protected, we can go through the wall on the way out. It only works because they have no idea what's causing them to change their mind." I turned.

"Okay, there's around forty people there, probably armed." "Probably?" Tom asked.

"Normal people are difficult to see when I'm out of my body. Anything that's not magical is barely there. So I couldn't tell what they had on them, but I expect they're armed."

"That's a lot of people to keep watch on one family," Tom said, looking at the building.

"What are you thinking?"

"They might be expecting you, well us."

"How would they know we're coming?" Martin asked.

"It could just be a precaution. What could they know about you, Dent?"

"It depends which family is behind this. I doubt it's Martin's, so they won't know a whole lot, but being the only of my line left, I'm bound to be notorious."

"So they would have done their research. Your association with Martin, is that known?"

"Yeah, specially after last spring."

"You're going to have to tell me about that after this.

Okay, and they know that you can do that stuff, magic?"

I nodded. "There's four of them in there, so at the very least they know."

"Yeah, if I was in their position, I'd prepare things, just in case you found out where I was."

"We still have the element of surprise." I looked at my phone. "Just over thirty minutes before he's suppose to call me back. Do you think it's best if we wait for the call? Let him think I'm where he sent me?"

"No. He's going to have that place watched. In fact, he might be wondering what's taking you so long already. The longer we wait, but more nervous he's going to be that you're coming here."

"Then we're going in now. Tell me you have stunners in that trunk of yours."

Tom stared at me. "What use to I have for stunners?"

"I can provide that," Martin said. "Dad won't let me carry lethal weapons, but I don't like going unarmed anymore. And since I usually have some of the gang when I go out, I carry enough to arm everyone."

He opened the truck and started hanging out guns.

"You realize that if a cop finds that in your car," I said, taking one, "you can be arrested. Most people can get away with one, even without a justifiable need, but multiple of them will leave the cop to think you're planing something."

"I'm planing on defending myself and my friends." He smiled at me. "If a cop tries to search my car, he's going to find himself being far more interested by something else, well, someone else."

"Looks like you resolved that inner conflict." He'd better hope the cop who searched his car wasn't a woman then.

I watched as Colby tried to keep his gun, demonstrating he could clock someone over the head with it. Reluctantly he placed it in the trunk and took one of the stunners. It looked minuscule in his hand. When he saw me watching him he grabbed his crotch and squeezed, like he was checking it hadn't shrunk.

I rolled my eyes at his action.

Tom handed me a tactical vest. "I only have two. I don't normally work as part of a team this large."

"Put one on," I told him. I looked around, who was the most at risk here? Realistically, we were equally at risk. "Magdee." I handed it to her.

"I don't need it. I can harden my skin. I can take small arms fire."

"Bark?" Fred asked.

"Sort of."

"Use it," Martin told me. "If you die, your line goes."

"Not really. You have the baby."

Martin sighed. "Then put it on because I don't want to lose my friend."

Magdee looked at him and mouthed 'baby?'

"Later," I replied. "Martin, since this is Society, do you think they'll use bullets against us?"

"Without knowing which family it is, I can't tell."

"Okay, then everyone be very careful. I'm not entirely sure of the layout, but as best I could tell it was mostly empty warehouse shelving or empty space, so there isn't much cover. "There's an office at the back, up stairs. That's where my family is. I'm going to head straight there. I'd like for Colby to come with me. The closest way out of the dock at the back and I have no idea what's blocking it. I can use this strength to force it open."

Martin nodded. "Frank'll go with you too. Extra fire power and if you can hurt you can use his ability to heal."

"Don't you guys have one of those symbols for that?" Tom asked.

"My ability works faster," Frank replied.

"Except I'm pretty tapped out. I haven't had sex since all this started."

Colby opened his mouth.

"No. We don't have the time."

"You can still use the extra fire power." I nodded.

"I'm going with you too," Magdalene said.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. That man might be a small minded piece of shit, but he;s still my father. And mom's there, as well as Tim and the kids. I'm not going to just go after the raffle while they're in danger."

"Okay." I looked at the others. "One last thing. If any of them shows special abilities, try to subdue them. I need to know which family is behind this attack." "The rest?" Tom asked.

"No killing."

"I know." He showed me the gun Martin had given him. "I mean do we care if the rest escape?"

"No, I don't. Those who matter are the four with powers."

"Can you point them out as we go in?"

I shook my head. "I only see magic when I'm out of my body. There's on in the office with my folks, but I don't know where they others are anymore." Tom nodded.

I took a breath. "Okay, everybody ready?" I got nods all around.

I turned and strode toward the building