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Salutations to old fans and new readers, Seems I've still managed to keep myself alive...surprising I know. I'm quite shocked to see myself whenever I look into my mirror...fully ready to see a blank slate of glass, or at least some sort of physical scarring, but alas...it seems I've been spared the worse of my inner demons for the most part so far. Still, every day is as trying as the last, with only the same set of 24 hour intervals to look forwards too. I would like to take a second to apologize for the long gap between chapters of my series. I feel that I at least owe my loyal readers a timely update in my series....but I kept hoping from project to project in the hopes of having them all done at the same time...no such luck. Still, The other two stories I have started are already half-way through, so those should be out relatively quick once I just get back in some sort of groove again..even if only for an hour. So, I suppose I should update my life for any of you keeping track. If you guys and gals are still keeping date, you'll notice that the one year anniversary passed last month...and much to my surprise...the only thing I spilled that day was tears; well, that's a lie...I'm pretty sure I spilled some rum during my 24 hour marathon of self-medication via booze and hooch. And with the heavy snowfall in my area, it's only made me want to hold someone warm even more. What can I say, the shivering cold brings out the romantic in me....and not having even the warm thoughts of someone hasn't been doing me very good. But it hasn't just been my mind that's been taking a beating; my body has had it's own share of problems. Aside from the almost daily and unprovoked nosebleeds, spontaneous bouts of shaking, severe stomach cramps, almost constant fatigue, and random moments of blurry vision...I suppose me taking out my frustration on myself is only adding to the problems. There are some days where I don't manage to grab a bite to eat till 6pm at night...and even then, my lack of appetite doesn't food that appealing to me. I still try to keep up to date on personal hygiene, but taking a shower, doing my laundry, and cleaning my room has taken a backseat to simply catching a few peaceful hours of sleep. Yeah...I said peaceful sleep....seems the only place I manage to find any sort of stress relief is in the twisted dreams of my subconscious. I just turn over, curl up, pull the blankets over my head, and drown myself in the feeble dreams of hopes long gone. I suppose my drinking hasn't gotten much better...if at all. I still crave the stuff every minute, always telling people in a joking manner how much I could go for a stiff one right now...if only they new. And with a friend of mine slated to get a large bottle of rum in the near future....I'm not sure I'll be sober for any long stretch of time. But I still keep far away from anything else like smoking, weed, or even harder drugs....I don't think I've yet fallen that far. And still I'm keeping my vow of celibacy to abstain from such things involving other people. And speaking of other people....someone...a "friend" actually got pissed at me for keeping with my vow. Told me that it was a stupid thing to do and that I should just go out and get laid to get it over with...that I was a horrible person for sticking to my pledge of chastity. I'm protecting his name because...well...I'm not really sure...but I suppose that if all the time we spent together before then meant anything, I owe him at least that. And just in case anyone was curious, we are no longer speaking. On one single brighter moment...the only thing that has actually gone fairly well since then...was that I met another friend to replace the one I lost. He's actually a writer on here who goes by the tittle "Fatman" {link} (note: not actually a link, I don't know how to do that}, and is currently in the middle of a series that involves vampires, zombies, and a host of other creatures of the night in a light you may have never seen them. Turns out he has a mate who also happens to write for here and goes by the name of "Tristan (Auguh)" {Link} (note: once again....not real...besides, your fingers could use the exercise scrolling). Anyways, I've been talking with Fatman (FM) for a while now...and we have gotten pretty close as online friends go. He actually reminds me a lot of myself...only skinnier. He has the same wants and needs in a relationship, that he's there for love and companionship, not a free ticket to get into someone's pants with no questions asked. I've talked to him a lot about his relationship with his mate, and I've helped address concerns that he's had about how to proceed things; it seems that this experience has left me with a brutal sense of honesty when it comes to things of a romantic nature...but he takes it in stride and greatly appreciates my help. He of course knows what's happened to me, and I can sense his sincere empathy for my situation. I know he wants to help me...but he doesn't know how..granted, neither do I. And at times I do get a bit jealous of what they have...of what I could've had if things had gone differently, but I try not to let it affect my friendship with him. If anything...it's made it stronger...because at least I know I'm not the only one out there looking for true love...and if I can help someone else and their lover make it through...then maybe it's all been at least somewhat worth it. I mean...it'd be a better legacy to leave then simply as a suicide victim. Well....that's all so far that's been happening around these parts, nothing else to really speak of. So on with all the other "usual" stuff you find in these parts. As always, all characters here are copywrited to me, Cyan Spirt, but I've got little to no reservations about allowing other people to use them so long as they ask for my permission first. And if you've gotten this far on the site and you still don't know what you are about to see, I suggest taking the blindfold off, removing the vibrators from your ears, and wake the fuck up....hehe. Now...one last thing I want to say before I go is this: This chapter is dedicated to Fatman and his mate Tristain, for not only being there when I needed you at all hours of the night, but because true love is so rarely recognized as something to be admired that I think you guys deserve it. I wish you two only the best a person cna have....it's obvious that you are fully committed to the idea of being together, and I hope you can achieve your dream one day...if not only for yourselves...but for all the lonely hopeless romantics out there still searching. Just remember, you can come to me with anything at all..and I'll do my best to help you....you have my word Sincerely your still writing wolf, Cyan Spirt. P.S. oh...I forgot...and HAPPY READING!! P.P.S. This chapter would've actually been up a few days ago, but it seems that it wasn't adult enough to make it into the "M/M" section. So rather then seperate the series among different catagories, I went back and added something (rather obviously I think) in order to get it passed that threshold. Hope it doesn't detract from anything...enjoy!

• * * A deafening series of bangs from someone's clenched fist against his cell door awoke the lion from his brief, if not tormented sleep. Maxi didn't even bother to ask who they were as he rolled over on his cot before slowly sitting up, his eyes getting used to the dim lighting of his cage. "Get up you mangy stray and eat your breakfast," a gruff male voice said sternly. The sound of rusted metal echoed through the chamber as someone lifted the small hatch at the bottom of his cell door and slid another metal bowl across the floor to the center of the room. As a side note, he noticed that the bowl from last night that held his dinner, which he hadn't touched, was missing this morning. "We'll be back in ten minutes," another voice said, equally as grumbled and male as the first one was. Another set of large bangs echoed through the room, the feline whining as he clamped his paws over his sensitive ears to try and block out the sound. "You better be ready...or else," the second one threatened; not liking the sound of what 'or else' could be, the boy nodded out of fear. Still not seeing any point in returning conversation, the cat simply watched as the shadows of two figures pass by the bared opening at the top of the door before vanishing down the hallway and out of both sight and hearing range. Once he was sure that he was alone, the feline swung his legs over the edge of the bed, kicking the sheets off of him in the process. He checked under the pillow to see if the status of his homing device had changed, but there were still no lights, only the silent whirring of electronics told him that it was still running. "It isn't safe here..." he told himself, clutching the phone tightly as he looked around his room for a better hiding place, his eyes passing over the metal dish that served as his toilet, the small sink and mirror, till eventually falling on the mattress he was sitting on. Leaning behind him, he tugged the mattress away from the wall just enough to slip a paw between it and the wall. Extending a claw, he made a small slit in the fabric along the seam, reaching inside to gently push the foam out of the way to make room for the small device that he slipped in. After making sure that it was tucked in tightly and the mattress was back in its original position, he rose to his feet and walked to the toilet to do his morning business, taking the rarely given opportunity for privacy. Deciding to take a lap around the perimeter of his cell, he caught sight of himself in the mirror as he ran; moving closer, he could see the damage of last night's activities in a better light. The formerly crisp and clean beige t-shirt now had several large holes on the front and back, and though each hole was a clear view to his golden torso underneath where the dull red circles from those damn electrical probes and touched him showed. Maxi's once bright golden fur around the markings had been reduced to black and brown strands that did little to cover the crimson splotches along his body. Looking down his legs, his black jean shorts did little to hide the extensive bruising that ran the length of his calf where the guards' steel-toed boots had kicked him. In fact, the lion was impressed that he was even able to stand, let alone walk, with those injuries. Seeing that there was nothing he could do to help his clothing situation, he instead turned on the faucet, watching the slightly brown water dribble out. Hesitating a moment before swallowing his pride, he dipped his paws under and tried to wash away the grime and dirt that had collected on his face and neck over the course of the night. His cleaning ritual was interrupted by the approaching sound of footsteps that signaled his time had elapsed. He could hardly believe that ten minutes had already passed, but he wasn't about to get into an argument with the guards. Before they approached, he took a quick look into what he was given for breakfast, becoming very glad he could suppress his hunger another couple of hours. There were two peaces of blackened toast, a batch of scrambled eggs that still had pieces of shell in it, and one shriveled sausage. Suddenly a face appeared in the door's small window; well, as much as a face could be when hidden behind a black wool mask that greatly resembled an executioner's; the lion tried not to think about that last point. "Face the wall, paws behind your head," the guard demanded, Maxi instantly conforming to the instructions as he heard the door being unlocked and opened. The sound of two sets of boots entering his cell, "And don't try anything funny, ya' hear?" the faceless furr demanded. Resisting the urge to spin around and punch the creature's lights out for fear of another shock treatment, the cat tolerated the strong grip on his right paw. His arm was brought behind his back, and a cold metal bracelet was snapped around his wrist before the exact same maneuver was used on his left paw. "All trussed up and ready to go," the second guard announced as he yanked the lion away from the wall by the chain of his handcuffs and forcibly marched him out of his cell and down the hallway. "Go where?" Maxi asked quickly, speaking before realizing that he should've probably kept his muzzle shut. But much to his surprise, there were no sudden electrical pulses surging though his body as the three continued to a destination unknown. "You'll know when we get there," the guard that wasn't holding his handcuffs replied firmly before giving the feline a stern shove forwards, "Now walk!" The rest of the walk was done in quiet as the two guards escorted the lion down several more hallways before turning him into what he determined was an interrogation room of sorts. They crossed paths with a few furs along the walk, though none of them said anything directly to Maxi, but he could hear the sound of whispers between hushed voices once they passed. As the windowless door was opened, the feline was pushed inside the bleak pale green room where the only furniture was a steel table and two accompanying chairs, one metal and the other upholstered wood; the metal one already taken by someone. As the three entered, the mysterious female stood up as if welcoming long time friends into her home; her furr a brilliant golden hue much like the lions, only shorter, save for her paws which were pure white, with perked pointy ears that swiveled around like small satellite dishes. She had on a pair of straight-legged black slacks that led up her trim waist to a shiny black leather belt; a large sterling silver belt buckle of a storm cloud accompanied by lightening caught the cat's eye. Above that, the female wore a navy blue blouse embossed with small lightening bolts, over which she had on a matching black blazer; her long blond hair was tightly pulled back into a substantial ponytail. "Welcome Maximillion Cordero, welcome," she said enthusiastically, as though meeting a long lost friend for the first time, her voice a clear indication that she hailed from the deserts to the west. "Here. Sit." she added, motioning to the wooden chair, "Guards, please strap our visitor in if you would." Maxi didn't bother to resist as he was led over, his rear pushed into the leather cushions as the handcuffs were removed. His freedom didn't last long however as each paw was then strapped to the armrest by what looked like a thin piece of wire, which was pulled taught around each wrist and secured underneath. "Good, good. Now please, if you could be so kind as to leave us alone for our discussion," she said again. One of the guards looked up at her, a surprised expression visible through the woolen mask, "You sure that's such a good ide-" "I'm sure we'll be just fine, thank you," the female canine said curtly, cutting off the guard before he could complete his thought. Moving around the side of the table, she took her spot on the other side of the table, facing the lion who was pretty confused at this point. "Very well then..." the other guard said, nudging his parter towards the door they had entered through, "We'll be right outside just in case anything should happen." "Good enough," she said with a smile, watching as the pair left the room, locking the door behind them and sealing the occupants inside. Turning back to her captive, that grin on her muzzle implying that she'd be just as happy if she were picking daises in a field. "Maximillion Cordero, here...in my room, I should be so honored," the furr said with gusto, reaching out to shake his paw before remembering she had him tied down, and withdrew the offer with a chuckle, "Or should I just stick with Maxi?" "Maximillion will suffice," he said coldly, refusing to be put off by her ever so casual demeanor. A few giggles echoed through the chamber, "Keeping this meeting purely professional I see. Very well then..." and with that, she clasped her paws on the table before her, but continued to smile. Still pretty skeptical that all this bubbly nature was merely an act to set him at ease, the lion remained stone faced and expressionless. "Since you know my name it seems, care to tell me yours?" he said coolly, "It's only fair after all." "Oh, I know a lot more about you then simply your name, sweetie. And while I wish I could, that would violate protocol I'm afraid," she said softly, seeming almost saddened by the rule, "But you can just call me Agent Tripwire instead. Think of it as my official title." "Well then, what can you tell me about yourself?" Maxi asked with a cocky tone. "And just why would I go and do that?" the agent replied, her voice still as sweet as sugar. It took the lion a moment to think of a reason. "It might put me a bit more at ease..." he answered, his voice much softer as he tried to fake a bit hopeful compassion, "You know, make me feel more comfortable talking to you." The female sighed, her slightly bushy tail sweeping back and forth against the floor, "I don't see a problem." With that, she reached into the blazer's interior pocket, the feline instinctively cringing in case she drew a weapon, but rather it was a small carton of cigarettes. "Mind if I smoke?" she asked, as though his opinion mattered to her as she tapped the box on the table while her other paw drew out a small plastic lighter. "I'd prefer if you didn't," the feline responded, glancing at the blank walls to show his disinterest in what his captor decided to do. But much to his surprise, when he turned back to face the mysterious woman, she was tucking the carton back into her jacket without having lit one up. "Bad for my health anyways," she replied with a grin as her right paw was busy spinning her bangs between her fingers. "Anyways, I'll skip the '20 Questions'. You can call me Agent Tripwire, as I've already said, and that's all the personal information you'll get from me. I'm a girl, if you couldn't tell, one hundred percent pure Dingo, or wild dog as we are sometimes known, five foot six, one hundred and thirty three pounds, I'm currently stationed elsewhere, but was called in yesterday on an urgent assignment, and I could kill you with a paper clip in less then twenty seconds." That last sentence was defiantly a threat. It didn't take Maxi long to see that this Agent Tripwire, whoever she was, was not kidding around, and that no matter how friendly her demeanor was, she was not above using force. "And I take it that I'm your special assignment?" he concluded. "That you are shuga," her tone betraying the calculating woman she was underneath all that glitz and glamor, Maxi figured. Seeing as they got introductions out of the way, the agent was about to say something with the rumbling sound of the lion's stomach echoed through the small chamber. "They been feeding you?" she asked like a dotting mother worried about her kitten. "They've been putting food out, if that's what you wanted to know," the feline said coldly. She was a dog, and that meant that he wasn't about to trust her, not after the way Jason had...well, he didn't want to think about him anymore. "But I can correctly assume that you haven't been eating it," the dingo replied calmly. "You're damn right I haven't been eating it!" he stated angrily, his eyes flaring for a moment before dropping back into solemn yellow orbs. "And just why not?" she asked with a girlish giggle, as though finding this whole conversation rather amusing. The lion would stand up and yell at her, if he wasn't restrained to the chair, "Because I have no way of testing what sort of foul toxins you might be slipping me! And I'm certainly not gonna make it any easier on you and your damn organization by being drugged!" Still keeping calm, she merely shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "And just what would we gain by drugging you that we couldn't extract through....other means?" the canine suggested, her auburn eyes matching his in intensity. Maxi could only shrug stiffly, "I don't know what kind of information you want from me. But what I do know is that your sp-...err, I mean group, seems to have no qualms about using underhanded tactics and hitting well below the belt." Ignoring the main part of his statement for the moment, the dingo leaned over the table, leering over at him with a sneer. "You were going to say 'species' weren't you?" she asked flatly, the cat giving no response but a blank stare; "That's what I thought," the agent said dismissively, "You're no better then that stealing, murdering, robber baron miscreant of a cat you call your father." "What did you say about my father?" the lion screamed, his claws dug into the wooden armrest but still, he remained seated. "Oh," the canine replied in mock surprise, "Did I strike a nerve there Maximillion?" she cooed. The interrogator easily noticed the anger welling up behind those golden orbs, the rage bubbling just under the surface of his once shiny pelt; the lion, while an uppity-elitist, was still a predator at his base level, and she had best not forget that fact. "You take back what you said about the leader of my pride this instant!" Maxi demanded of his captor. Snarling, his lips curled to reveal impressively sized fangs for a cat his age. The dingo threw her head back and laughed, "And just why would I do that?" The woman was completely confident that she had nothing to fear from the large cat sitting across from her, restrained only by a thin wire across each wrist. "He built his empire from the ground up with only his own two paws," the lion retorted, hissing slightly as he felt both his honor and his family's honor tarnished. Granted, Nathanial wasn't the best of furrs, he had his faults like all men, but he was his father nonetheless. And with the way things had turned out with Jason, he was the only one left who hadn't lied to him; manipulated him maybe...but he never hid his intentions. "Yeah," the agent said sarcastically, "On the backs of countless undocumented furrs, with the finances from multiple untraceable benefactors, and with the blood of unnamed thousands." "I don't have to sit here and take this," the prisoner said defiantly, turning his head swiftly to the side as golden strands of mane fell across his face, obscuring the fire in his eyes. His interrogator chuckled this time, seeming almost amused at the lion's gusto and defiance. "And you really think that you can just leave, let alone get out of your chair?" she asked; leaning forwards on the table with elbows resting against the metal surface, her head nestled in her open paws as though waiting for a show to start. "If you didn't notice, your goons strapped me down with wire so thin a newborn cub could break through it," he reminded her, though having not attempted to free himself yet. "If you think you're so high and mighty Mr. Cordero, I suggest you try it for yourself. Though be warned, you'll be in for a shocking surprise," the agent added, tormenting him with her girlish sighs. Maxi was about to respond, when she stopped him with a humoring kiss blown from her paw, "Or do you need your daddy to come and save his little cub?" "You bitch!" the lion snarled, bearing his bright white fangs as he planted his feet firmly on the ground and got ready to stand. In an equivalent scenario, where perhaps the feline wasn't so stressed, he might have given more thought to his words and actions; but his current stress level mixed with fatigue, hunger, and a broken heart drove up a wall between thought and action. As Maxi stood up swiftly, the restraints appearing as though to stretch with him, it wasn't until he heard the wires click that he realized he had taken the bait and bit off more then he could chew. It felt as though he had gripped a lightning rod in each paw as electrical current raced up his arms, forcing his neck back as his body went rigid. A earthshaking growl echoed from wall to wall like someone had revved a 747 jet engine inside his throat. As the pulses arced along his veins towards his central core, it turned his blood to liquid fire. Each hair along his arm stood at stiff attention, his entire body writhing once the paralysis vanished before finally collapsing back into the chair as a rag doll, the wires reseting. "What was that Maximillion?" she asked with another girlish giggle, "I couldn't quite hear you over your yelling." Maxi looked weakly up at the dingo whose wide smile finally showed her crueler intentions; he could still feel some leftover charge in his whiskers. "You..........Bitch," he hacked out barely above a whisper, forced to take a breath before each word. The air rushed down his reddened throat, filling his aching lungs; each expansion of his chest pressed his torso against an invisible wall of magma. "That's what I thought you said," his interrogator said with a small shrug before getting out of her seat to begin pacing slowly behind her chair. Her heels made a distinct echo in the chamber, the loud click causing the feline to wince at each step. "So, care to try and escape again?" she asked, looking over at the prisoner who merely shot her daggers, "I'll take it by your silence that you intend to stay put." The lion's rapid breathing soon slowed as he tried to recapture his former composure; that jolt had more then shocked his systems, it had opened his eyes that if he didn't get out of here soon, he wasn't going to last much longer. Deciding it'd be better to play along for the moment, or at least to find out why he was here, Maxi tilted his head up from where it had slumped on his shoulder to get a better look at the dingo. "So what is it that you want from me?" he asked, his voice wavering more then he liked in the process. Agent tripwire could only shrug as she continued pacing, "Oh, nothing much, just some insider information is all really," she said nonchalantly as she strolled back and forth. Ever so often she'd turn and look his way, their eyes locking for a brief second before the canine would break contact and return to her pacing, but still retaining an eye on her captive. "So if I talk and answer your questions...you'll let me go afterwards?" Maxi asked hesitantly, not willing to believe that it'd be so simple and straightforwards to get out of here. His eyes traced her movements around the room, bracing himself at any moment for her to pull out a gun and just end his sentence. "Of course," she said with a grin, paws sliding into her jacket pocket as she made her way around the corner of the desk, "You don't think we're simply a bunch of uncivilized monsters, do you?" Maxi didn't bother answering that question, watching with a silent intensity as the dingo worked her way around towards him, coming up on his right side. "Give me a high-five Maximillion!" she said excitedly, holding her left paw at about head height. "Are you nuts?" he asked, staring up at with in disbelief, daring not to move his paws to much for fear he'd set off those electric wristbands again. "In case you forgot, your goons strapped cattle prods to my wrists," he reminded her, snarling a bit as she continued to toy with him. "That wasn't a question..." the female agent commanded, her voice dropping to a deep decibel. What the lion didn't see was the black, rubber, tailer-fitted glove on her fingers when she removed her right paw from her pocket. "Now...give me a high-five!" she shouted at him, reaching down with her gloved paw to yank his arm up by the middle finger, forcing the metal strap to click in and complete the electrical circuit formed by his body. A high pitched screech left the lion's mouth as his body was once again rocked by the current that flowed across his broad chest to his other arm. "Fucking shit!" he screamed, his voice trembling thanks to his vibrating lower jaw. The feline could feel his tail and lower half spasming as he rode out the shock treatment until the female finally allowed his arm to drop back to the armrest. He gripped the edge of the wood as hard as he could; his muscles clenched up on him, body becoming stiff, heart beating faster then during the first time as he found increased difficulty breathing. "Why?" he asked softly, no longer having the strength left to display anger in his voice or body. "Golly-Gee," she piped out, badly faking a southern bell accent as she walked around to her seat, sliding the chair out before taking her seat, "You damn cats are even stupider then what I was told at briefing." Her voice was sweet...too sweet, like a piece of taffy covered in molasses; Maxi found it hard to swallow anymore as he glared up at her, while his mind raced to figure out what she was talking about. Was it really there in front of him all along, he asked himself, trying to see what he could have missed as for the reason he was stuck in his current predicament. Suddenly the bulb went off; it was like another electric surge only without the shock or metallic aftertaste it left in his mouth. "My wedding..." he gasped aloud, half choking on the realization, half on his inability to breathe clearly. It was so obvious, ever since that morning in his room, he hadn't realized it then, but looking back, the dog seemed to be almost smiling; and then at the church...his thoughts interrupted by the sound of someone clapping. "Congratulations!" the dingo announced, smiling and clapping her paws together as she rocked the chair backwards and placed the heels of her stilettos on the edge of the table, "Seems you were blessed with a brain under all that mane after all!" The lion seethed with anger, but letting it get the better of him again was not a card he wanted to play again, rather, he preferred to do some counting and figure out if they can beat his hand. "You want to stop it...permanently, don't you?" Maxi demanded to know of his captor. "Right again!" Agent Tripwire announced, "My my, a little electro-therapy and you're on a roll." Much to the cat's confusion, she seemed happy that he was slowly seeing the much larger picture, but then again, more likely, it was simply another act. "So, now that you see you're in far over your head, are you gonna answer our questions?" there was that dark undertone again, a low note that sent a shiver up the feline's spine. Obviously they were hoping that heaping on despair and showing that the lion had no way out of the situation, other then their way of course, was their tactic; too bad the cat was as stubborn as he was bright, he just needed that initial push. "Why should I?" Maxi countered, "You just tipped your hand." This seemed to shake the canine from her pedestal as her feet came crashing to the floor with a thundering thunk, instantly bolting upright to stare intensely at the furr across from her. "What are you talking about Maximillion? You know what will happen to you if you don't talk," her fingers sliding across her throat while she gurgled, a crude attempt at intimidation. "I'm taking about the fact that it doesn't matter whether I talk to you or not if your organization's sole goal is to stop my wedding," he said smugly, seeing for the first time that he had the upper hand in the discussion. Not letting his advantage slip away, he continued on; "The truth is, is that the only thing needed to stop the wedding is to simply keep me from the church. Now granted, that can be done by keeping me hostage and trying to extort information from me, but it can be done even easier if I'm a corpse. So to that extent, I see no reason in cooperating with you since either way you get to your goal. And frankly...I just don't like making it easy on terrorists." At this, the dog went silent; he could see gears turning in her head, having not expected the lion to find a loophole that they were not ready to reveal. "It seems that we have reached an impasse and are unable to cooperate," her voice suddenly loosing its perky quality in exchange for one that reminded him of his father's business meetings. "That appears to be the case," Maxi stated, relishing the feeling at having outwitted his captors, at least for the moment. "With our introductory meeting over, I'll have my men escort you back to your cell to give you a day or so to think over our offer before deciding on your final course of action." Her fingers were interlaced as she rested her forearms on the table, appearing as though she had just closed some big figure account at an office. "Your paranoia about the quality of our food has us quite worried Maximillion, we wouldn't want you to expire during your stay here," the lion could tell she was doing her best not to smile at that thought, "So someone will be around later with some hermetically sealed pouches of marinated tuna, a closed box of crackers, and a few squeezable packages of mayo for you. They shall not be tampered with, you have my word." Nodding slowly, Maxi did his best to relax. "I appreciate the thought Agent Tripwire," he said, letting the tension in the room drop on both fronts. With that, the dingo left her seat and walked to the door, knocking loudly on the metal panels and stepping back as it swung open and the two guards entered, this time neither was wearing his black wool mask as before. "Please take him back to his cell and stay there until further orders are delivered," she instructed, her two lackies quickly nodding. With that done, she moved to Maxi's left side, gently running her gloved fingers playfully from shoulder to shoulder, "It was nice meeting you Mr. Cordero." The tips of her claws traced down his arm ever so gently enough to just prick the hairs on his arm, before firmly grabbing his wrist and pulling it upwards to make the wire once again complete the circuit. "But if you ever talk to me that way again, I'll shock you so hard you'll think you fell into a thunder storm!" as she watched with a perverse amount of enjoyment at the lion twitching underneath her grasp. The feline let out another scream as pain once again rocketed up his arm and into his head, his eyes seeing bright flashes as he struggled to wrench his arm free. It was only when his shouting was reduced to a wispy cough that the interrogator released his arm and promptly left the room. Maxi meanwhile slumped weakly against the chair, he didn't even have the strength to fight when the guards slowly unbuckled him from his shackles, pulled his arms behind his back, and recuffed him before escorting him back down the hallway. That last jolt had sapped the energy from him, the two larger males having to hold him up as they labored to drag him down the tiled path; having enough awareness to look up, he though he noticed something familiar about the two now that he could see their faces. The one on his left was the color of polished steel, his pointy ears and long muzzle identifying him as some sort of wolf. The lupine's face was drawn thin, his crew cut of black hair made his head seem taller then it really was. While the creature on the left was a yellow dog, that much he knew, with his blond hair frosted with strawberry tips that hung just above his eyes. "She sure did a number on him, didn't she?" the golden one asked, looking over to his companion with a wide smirk. "She sure did," the other one said, taking the moment to give their captive a once-over, "This sure brings back some happy memories, don't it Theo?" "It sure does Arnold...sure does," the other replied, "Can't believe you even remember the last time we had the lion between us like this." A wide smile came over both canines, their words like puzzle pieces that the lion tried to fit together into a picture. Chuckling to himself, the wolf let a relaxed sigh out as they trekked through the underground prison, nearing their destination, "He sure has grown, hasn't he?" he asked his friend, reaching down to grope the lion's right buttcheek with a firm squeeze. The other canine just laughed, replaying the same motion only on the opposite side of the feline's rear, "That he has my friend...though I'd prefer if he were clean and smelled of mountain air like last time." Maxi eeped and whimpered, his body at the mercy of these two dogs who seemed to know him rather intimately. Suddenly his eyes lit up as the bulb in his head clicked on; "You're the two from the waterfall, aren't you?" he demanded of them, the realization giving him the energy to try and weakly pull free from their grasps. Arnold wouldn't have any of it as he grabbed the cat by the chain of his handcuffs and shook him violently, watching the boy loose his balance, almost falling if not for the other guard holding his shoulder. "It's a miracle! Seems our toy has finally remembered his old masters!" the wolf cheered as though it were a jovial occasion. The lion resented the insinuation, but didn't dare make it known, especially not if these two were the ones that had shocked him last night. "I'm surprised the sound of our voices didn't give us away," Theo murmured with a shrug, standing the cat upright again as the pair forced him to walk onwards. Maxi sulked in the idea that he was being watched over by two former rapists, "So, what have you guys been up to since your attempt to take advantage of me?" he asked, trying to make small talk so they'd keep their paws off of him. "Oh, all sorts of things..." the wolf said, reminiscing about fonder times it seemed. "After that little incident, I went back for formal training for about a year and a half till getting pulled out and sent to the advanced academy. Once I graduated, I got assigned here as one of Agent Tripwire's personal bodyguards; sweet gig I have to say. Got me an official name too, Agent SpikePit..." he said, as though trying it on for the first time. Using his free paw, he reached up to his neck and pulled down the hem of the black turtleneck sweater to reveal a large spiked collar that adorned his throat as evidence of his namesake. The golden retriever chuckled, his bushy tail constantly swatting into the lion's thin one, "I chose another path once we reported back. I ended up in the field where, for close to fifteen months, I took part in various undercover surveillance operations. After getting distinguished from the rest of the pack, they decided to pull me out and reassign me to the TRAP squad. I suppose it was just coincidence that Agent Tripwire had put in a request for two bodyguards, and we ended up being partners again." The two canines gave each other a warm grin as they turned the corner and continued on. "And in all their infinite wisdom..." the phrase getting a small chuckle from the wolf, "They decided to bless me with the Oh-so creative name of Agent Blaze." The walk appeared to take a lot longer now that Maxi was slightly dazed, his head still spinning as he swayed back and forth with each staggered step. "Wasn't there a third furr that day at the waterfall?" he mumbled, his mind still in a bit of a fog despite his few moments of mental clarity "What happened to him?" At this, the two guards seemed to grow silent and reclusive in their tone, "Oh yes...Benny, the little hyper one you're thinking of, correct?" the wolf asked, getting a small nod in return. Tipping his head back as they walked he sighed slowly, staring off as though he could see right through the ceiling and into the bright afternoon sun, "He died." "Poor guy," the dog said, echoing the sentiments of his friend as they rounded the last corner, "A few months after our rendezvous, he came to conclusion that being an Agent wasn't completely for him. He applied and received allowance to go off active duty and had his name put on the reserve list, where in case he was ever needed again, he could be reinstated. So after a nice farewell party, he headed off to civilian life; we kept in contact, seemed he had transitioned quite well back into normal society, got a wife and had their first litter on the way. But about a year afterwards, your feline secret police did a raid on the housing development where he lived...Benny got caught in the crossfire and...expired on the way to the hospital." "Oh..." the lion muttered, unsure of what else he could say. He was a mixture of emotions as his heart told him to feel sorry at the loss of life, and yet at the same time, he had to remember that these creatures were his sworn enemy. The feline could still vividly remember that black mask against the snow white fur he had seen over three years ago, and to know that in less then two years, he'd be dead...he hurt; he couldn't explain it...but he felt a pang of genuine pain. "I'm sorry," Maxi said, offering his condolences, "My sentiments to his family." "They got a generous settlement from here for Benny's service years and are managing to make it day-to-day," the wolf replied, his momentary depression returning to lust "But what will be make it better is what we were promised to receive once this whole thing is over and done with." And with that, the trio was in sight of the solid steel door to Maxi's cell, the hallway was as dismal and deserted as when they had left it this morning. Theo released his grip on the cat as he reached into his pocket to remove a large metal ring of black keys, all various sizes. "I can't wait myself," he said, opening the cell door to allow the other guard and their prisoner entrance, "Think of it as getting to put an end to some unfinished business." The feline was greeted by the site of his empty cage, the same dark four walls he had left not an hour or so earlier. Tightly closing his bright golden eyes, ears pinned against his head, he tried to block out their voices, their words, and the thoughts that were rising in him. "You mean we'll get to put it IN someone's end!" the wolf said as he uncuffed the lion, pushing him violently into his cell before backing out and slamming the door with a deafening clang. "Good one man!" the golden retriever laughed the two slapping paws before going to their posts on either side of the cell door just as they were instructed. Every so often one would whisper something to the other, getting a couple chuckles in response, but nothing that appeared to be anything more then office gossip. Once again back in familiar surroundings, the lions whimpered pitifully as he took a seat on the edge of his mattress. Burying his face in his paws, he wept tearless sobs, knowing that if he didn't get out of here soon, not only would he forfeit his life, but his virginity as well. After a minute or so, and once he could manage to chock back the anguished cries, Maxi compiled himself enough to reach towards the rear of the mattress where he had hidden the device, deriving a bit of comfort once he felt the bulge in the padding that signaled it was still there. His stomach gurgled, but he didn't want to think about his hunger; so rather then try and take a small nap, he moved to the floor where he sat cross-legged in a crude attempt at meditation. Emptying his mind of all the recent events was easy once he got his breathing regulated; keeping it empty for any prolonged period became the daunting task. The feline wasn't sure how long he sat there on the dirty floor, eyes closed, fingers intertwined, paws resting on his lap, and with his whiskers twitching at any new sound; but the sound of the metal latch sliding along the floor awoke him from his trance. Tilting his head up just enough, the lion watched with interest as first a red box came sliding under, stopping a few feet from where he sat, followed by two blue pouches and a few smaller silver ones before the door closed again. Nothing was said between captive and whoever had brought the food, no thanks or gratitude was needed. Maxi felt his stomach rumble even louder at the sight of food, but remaining ever cautious, he took his time in thoroughly examining the gifts to detect any tampering. Once he assured his safety, he tore open the blue punches of tuna, emptied an equal amount of mayo in each one, and then sat about having his makeshift lunch on the floor of his cell. The cat purred contently as he lay down on his cot, pads gently massaging his now fully belly, having finished his meal not two minutes prior. Nothing remained of the tuna, though there were still two entire sleeves of crackers left untouched, which he had stored under his bed for future snacking. No one had bothered him during his feast, and with his body having its first taste of food in over twenty-four hours, he felt rather content to relax, softly dozing in and out of sleep. His mind drifted back to his most recent conversation with the two guards, and with his hunger now satisfied, he started making connections he hadn't been aware of before. With the new information that those canines at the waterfall three years ago had been agents, probably planted there with a mission, it suddenly cast doubt that meeting Jason had been as fortunate as he had first thought. He theorized that that had been the organization's first attempt at corrupting him, since he couldn't remember another time where he had such intimate experiences with the canine verity. Because by having him raped, while it was crude, it got the job done about having to deal with any future wedding. He had heard stories about other young male lions, such as himself, who where raped before their marriage, usually by hired thugs of rival feline families. They had been cast out, shunned, all but abandoned on the street, and left to fend for themselves, usually by the same manor it all started with; by selling their bodies. Maxi shuddered at the thought of that being done to him had their original plan succeeded. But knowing what he knew now, and that Jason was also an agent under strict orders, then why was he even there to begin with if 'Plan A' had been to simply take the down and dirty method? Were they simply being cautious in having a backup contingency plan in case he had managed to escape or overpower the three would-be rapists? Or was it their plan all along to let him escape, thinking he got away from danger, when in fact he had walked right into their trap? Even with a full stomach, the lion didn't have the necessary energy to devote to finding those answers which he sought; suffice to say, realizing that the entire thing was a set up was damning enough in his opinion. With a new piece of the puzzle revealed, the cat contemplated what else he had learned this morning through his various conversations, that their main target was not truly him, but his wedding. That line of thinking, of course brought up the unpopular and unappealing topic of the event in question, the wedding service. Flashing back to the time between when Jason had been pulled out of his room, and arriving at that rundown motel, Maxi wondered if there had been another route of possibilities that he could have chosen. * * * It had been not ten minutes after Jason had been forcibly restrained by his brothers and removed from his room before his mother hesitantly made her way into his bedroom. The lion could hear the sound of her slippers shuffling across his hardwood floors. "It was nothing mom..." he said flatly, a bald-faced lie they both knew, but he didn't have the heart or the energy to tell her that he had been friends with a dog. He was laying curled up on his bed in a fetal position, still dressed in his blue sailing motif Pj's, having not bothered to move or make any attempt at cleaning. "Don't lie to me Ben..."she said softly from the doorway. His mother, the Countess Cordero as she was known in some circles, was the only one who ever called him 'Ben', a shortened nickname arising from his middle name of Benedict. "I'm not lying," he whined, rolling over to his other side so that he could watch his mother glide across the hardwood floor in her pale blue nightgown and matching slippers. She appeared to him much like a benign ghost might, soft and delicate, yet with the firm and powerful features of a natural born huntress. Her hair hadn't been washed and pressed as of yet, and she looked as though she hadn't been able to go back to sleep once her husband had been awakened by Maxi's shouting. "Honest...really," he pleaded as his mother took a seat on the corner of the bed, gently patting the space next to her. But nonetheless, the boy managed to flip onto his knees and crawled over to sit next to his mother, who draped her arm around his head and gently nudged him against her. "Now now, a mother always can tell when her cub is fibbing to her," she explained, plating a soft kiss on his forehead, "It's as plain as the whiskers on your face." The younger lion sighed, seeing as how he stood no chance against the combination of her woman's intuition and mothering instincts. "He's just a friend," Maxi explained, "He came to wish me the best of luck at my wedding...nothing more, I swear." He felt ashamed at having lied to his mother, and he showed it; his ears flattened against his skull, whimpering laid his head down in his mother's lap, stretching the rest of his body out behind him. Reaching out, he felt her gentle touch on the side of his head, tenderly massaging down to the middle of his back. "Shhhhush...It's alright Maxi, I believe you," she said, doing her best to comfort her youngest cub. Leaning down, she began to lovingly rasp his cheek with her tongue, holding her son close to her bosoms while she lapped his few fallen tears away. Maxi surrendered himself to her efforts, even though he was admittedly probably a bit too old for this sort of treatment. After his ears were properly groomed, he was told to take a shower and freshen up before getting dressed for this morning's planned activities, his father not allowing the unforeseen canine to interrupt proceedings. Once he had cleaned himself up, he got dressed in the tuxedo that had been laid out on his bed when he had returned from his shower. Taking his time in slipping on his socks, he did his bow tie in silence, eyes appearing lost and empty while he watched his paws move in the mirror. Minutes later, as his family was ready to assemble and get into the limo before heading off to the chapel, his father had slipped him the wedding ring, watching carefully as his son tucked it securely in the breast pocket of his tux jacket. The next thing he could distinctly remember was standing at the alter, the entire drive there coupled with all the preparations had gone by like a blur in the cat's mind. In front of him was a elderly snow leopard, his fur a pure white broken only by small black spots and the elegant priestly robes of gold and satin that hung from around his shoulders and draped like curtains to the floor. He stood before them, reading a large and dusty tome from behind a black marble podium, bowing his head and motioning with his arms as he spoke to the congregation seated before him. Next to him was a large elephant, much younger by comparison, who was dressed in similar robes, only not as ornate. He was Father Luke, and he headed up the everyday services along with most Sunday masses except for special occasions, which of course this qualified. Over the past couple of years, he had begun to get rather friendly with his neighborhood priest, and even spent time away from the church together, going out to the movies and dinner simply as pals. To his right were his elder brothers, acting as his best men, the twins were dressed to the nines in perfectly matching tuxes, their manes neatly combed back as identical red bow ties peaked from under the collars and small crimson handkerchiefs peaked from their breast pockets like a series of small mountains. While directly on his left was his bride-to-be, Diana Bramson, looking like a cross between a princess and a yeti in her bridal gown that had more layers of silk and lace then he had hairs on his head. The veil was still drawn over her face, but he could still see a clear outline of her features, and he had to admit, she was quite a stunning creature. The lioness's face was a pale golden yellow, her soft features outlined in rouge and blush to accentuate her contours, the edge of her muzzle tinged red by her lipstick; while some eyeliner made her molted magma eyes pop against her more neutral colored face whenever he'd happen to catch his bride looking his way. And as his paws were stiff at his sides, hers were clasped together, holding a large bouquet of roses firmly against her chest. He could make out the subtle shimmer of diamonds across her neck and dangling from her ears; for this lion had certainly come from the right side of the tracks, being not only born with a silver spoon in her muzzle, but the entire tea set along with it. Beyond her were the bridesmaids and her maids of honor, among them he counted his two sister-in-laws along with other young females of the two merging prides. Each was dressed in matching formfitting black dresses that complimented each figure quite nicely, the hem of each garment topped off with crimson lace trim embroidered with small rubies to enhance the shine. At the end of line stood his two nieces who had acted as flower girls at the beginning of the service, scattering white rose petals along the runner that ran from the edge of the church door up to the alter where they stood now. On either side of the carpet sat the two families, his taking up the right side of the pews while Diana's occupied the left. The parents of the betrothed took up the first row, and went back from there; among the guests, Maxi could count oil tycoons, heads of state, judges, actors, producers, scientists, lawyers, and diplomats. "...And now we have come to the part where we shall join these two lovers together in holy matrimony. Maximillon..." the priest said, his voice echoing over the chamber with no help from speaks or a microphone. The younger male was suddenly taken out of his trance as he turned to stare up at the priest, a slight rosy blush evident on his cheeks. "Sorry..." he said softly, embarrassed at his absent mindedness, "Guess I'm a bit more nervous then I thought." The white feline chuckled softly, "There's no reason to be nervous my son," he said softly. With that he opened his arms and motioned to the mass in front of him, "You are among only friends, family, and god on this joyous day. But do not worry, it's only natural to be a bit skiddish...Now, do you have the ring?" "Oh yes father," Maxi said, reaching into where he had safely stored it, gently cupping the golden band in his paws as he waited for further instructions. "Very good!" and with that, he turned back to the congregation and smiled, "And now, in front of your current pride, and your future pride, if you would repeat these words after me so that we may make these two families forever intertwined." Taking a deep breath, along with a quick look down at the book in front of him to make sure he hadn't missed anything as well as a glance over at the groom's father for conformation that he was still on track; a positive on both counts. "I, Maximillion Cordero, take you, Diana Bramson, to by my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be your wine, so that your goblet shall never empty. I swear to be your candle, so that you will never stumble in the dark. And I pledge that my love for you will be as endless as the skies, as pure as the snow, and as solid as the mountains. With these commitments I make here before you, my family, and god, I accept you as my mate...I do." The words were nothing new to the lion, he had practiced them over and over again in front of his mirror at home as instructed by his father to make sure that he didn't mess up. But now that he was here, standing in front of his friends and family, he couldn't recall ever speaking them with such fluidity or confidence. Nonetheless, this was the not the time to choke or second guess himself, he had a job to do, and was going to complete it to the best of his ability. So with a deep breath, he turned to face the lioness, reaching out to gently take her right paw in his as his left still clutched the ring. "I, Maximillion Cordero, take you, Diana Bramson, to by my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be your wine, so that your goblet shall never empty. I swear to be your candle, so that you will never stumble in the dark. And I pledge that my love for you will be as endless as the skies, as pure as the snow, and as solid as the mountains. With these commitments I make here before you, my family, and god, I accept you as my mate...I d-" his final word interrupted as the large wooden doors swung open with an echoing thud. "Maximillion!" a voice had rung among the crowd, everyone seated as well as the bride and groom turning to face the intruder at the door. The young lion's eyes had nearly bugged out of his head as he saw Jason's form standing there in a white t-shirt and jeans, his face and body looking weak and ragged, his chest heaving with each breath, but his eyes vibrant and alive as they locked on to him. "I want us to be together Maximillion Cordero......Come with me...And let us escape!" the dog had screamed at the top of his lungs, reaching out with his paw as though to draw the feline to him. In the few precious moments before complete chaos erupted in the church, Maxi had stuffed the ring into his pocket, whimpered a hesitant "sorry" to his former bride, and leaped from the alter as he began charging down the center isle towards the canine. Having to swerve around numerous arms reaching out from the pews to try and stop him, averting his eyes from the faces of the shocked guests, all he could think about was holding that curly brown body again. Soon enough, the church was filled with the sound of his enraged father roaring, "Stop them!", "Catch them!", and "I want that mutt's head on a fucking platter!" at the top of his lungs along with a cacophony of other such outrages. But by that time, Maxi had reached the arms of the dog, the two barely having time to embrace before bolting out of the open door and down the stone steps to where Jason had parked the small orange beetle on the veranda of the building. The pair were soon followed by all the wedding guests flooding out of the main sanctuary and advancing towards their small car. "Get in the passenger side!" Jason screamed above the frightening sounds of the angry prides as he pulled open the driver's side door and got in, slamming it closed with a thud before pressing the gas pedal to rev the engine. With a bit of foresight, the canine had decided on leaving the engine running in the predicted case that they'd have to make a quick exist from a throng of angry felines. Maxi didn't argue with the dog, eagerly slipping into his seat and strapping himself down as he took a moment to look over his shoulder at the ever advancing mob. "Floor it Jason!" he screamed, taking hold of the male's right arm and squeezing it out of fear as he waited to be greeted with the sight of the open road. The canine didn't have to be told twice as he shifted the car into drive, "Your wish is my command," as he stomped on the gas pedal as hard as he could. The small orange buggy lurched forwards a few feet before coming to a groaning stop in the middle of the herd of cats. Confused, Jason tried again, getting the same result. They pair could hear the tires scraping against the pavement, the engine rumbling, the exhaust fuming, and yet still, they advanced no more then a few inches. "That's right boys, don't let him go!" the lion heard his father distinctly yell over all of the commotion. Turning around, he could see his brothers holding on to the back bumper, strong arms grappling the metal close to their chest, each with a wicked smile on their faces that sent chills up his spine. "Dean and Dan are holding onto the rear bumper," he explained to the driver, "That's why we aren't moving." "I think that's the least of our worries," Jason whimpered, still trying to get the vehicle moving. Looking to see what the dog was talking about, Maxi turned back towards the front and was surprised to see a fully grown male lion pressing his body down on the hood of their car, a murderous twinkle in those golden eyes as he bore his fangs at the occupants. "Dad?" the lion hollered, another chill going through his body. Now more determined then ever to get himself and the cat out of here, Jason quickly shifted the car in reverse and got ready to rev the engine again; "I hope this little buggy can take it," he commented. "You're gonna kill them!" Maxi shouted, watching the brown paw yank the gear shift down. "If I don't, they're gonna kill us!" Jason responded in accord. "But you can't just back over my brothers!" the feline replied, glancing over his shoulder again to watch the events unfold. "I won't have to if they let go," the dog said, and that was the last of it as he stomped on the gas pedal again, hopefully getting results this time. Maxi watched as the twins were surprised that the car that had been previously trying to escape was now coming straight at them, and they were holding on to it. With a furious hiss, the two siblings threw themselves backwards away from the now advancing auto, rolling to the side across the ground as the car swerved between them, still carrying their father in the process. Once he saw that they were no longer grappled, Jason three the car in drive and drove forwards again before they could be encircled by enraged wedding guests. The feline was getting slightly queasy being thrown around the car, wishing this thing had been equipped with a rollcage to prevent his head smacking into the glass so many times. Manging to hold his breakfast, he glanced out of the windshield to see his father still grasping onto the hood, his claws digging into the metal as Jason started driving across the front lawn towards the street. "And now you're gonna run down my dad?" the lion screamed, "You have to stop Jason! Let him off before you kill him!" "Can't do that Maxi," the canine said as he started swerving the car back and forth sharply as he drove on. Both occupants watched as the elder lion's body shifted across the hood, skidding to the stop mere inches from the edge before heading back the other way. "Stubborn old coot ain't he?" he mumbled to himself. But soon enough, the momentum became too strong for Nathaniel Cordero to resist, and he went spinning off to the right side, nearly knocking his head on the side mirror as he flew past the younger lion's passenger side window. With a horrified look in his eyes, Maximillion watched his father sail past the window, landing and rolling till he came to a stop on the church's front lawn, a large cloud of beige dust coming up around him. But he didn't have time to say anything as the rear driver's side door suddenly creaked, a ray of light piercing the once solid metal. "They're shooting at us!" the lion screamed, placing his paws protectively over his head as the corner of the rear window blew out, sending glass cascading over the occupants. "Should I stop, and let you get out so you can ask them what's the problem?" the driver joked, turning left onto the long, stone driveway. The sound of a shotgun blast smacking into the front side of the car caused both occupants to scream bloody murder, the cat in particular. "Just shut-up and fucking drive!" he shouted, nearly in tears as he buried his face between his legs, the echoes of bullets colliding with the body of the car filling the small cabin. Jason said nothing as they swerved to the left, kicking up a wave of gravel and dirt before speeding off down the highway. They didn't have time to contemplate where they were going, or how they'd get there, all they knew was that they had to escape the pursuers who'd eventually come after them. * * * From there, the pair had driven all day and into the night, stopping only once so that he could take over as driver and let the canine catch up on some much needed rest. After that, it was like a slide show of everything that had happened in the two days since, no audio, no motion, just images in time. "If only I hadn't gone..." the lion mumbled to himself as he lay face up on his cot, staring at the gray cinder block ceiling above his head. Even now, he still couldn't decipher exactly what made him hop off of the alter to take the dog's paw, what derailed his train from the simple and easy track. His mind was in such a fog that it wasn't until he rolled over onto his stomach did he take notice of his hardening felinehood, which was currently pinned between his stomach and the mattress. He dismissed the idea of pleasuring himself as he rocked back and forth to try and find a better position to fall asleep in that didn't press down on his erection. But the more he struggled to obtain a comfortable pose, the more he inadvertently massaged his sheath and caused his lion's pride to demand release. Reaching under the waistband of his shorts, he readjusted himself in the white thong in an attempt to garner a better chance at sleeping undisturbed by his raging hard-on. Maxi had a nice position for all of three minutes before his cock returned a standing ovation and demanded attention. Sighing to himself, he cast a quick look to his cell door's window to check for any peering eyes; finding none, he hesitantly slipped just the tip of his finger under his shorts to gently massage the swollen head. The lion still torn, on one side he had his fatigue and depressing surroundings, on the other was his lust and need for enjoyment out of this entire experience. It was only once the tip of his fingers brushed over one of the forming barbs, that a shiver rocketed along his spine much like the electrical currents of earlier and he made his choice. Once again glancing to the door and still seeing no one, the cat covertly slipped under the covers, pulling the blanket to just under his chin before turning to his left. Now that he was facing the wall, his paws easily hidden under the blanket, he rushed to undo his fly; wiggling his shorts to his ankles, he pushed down the rim of that damn thong to fully free his aching member. He nearly revealed himself as soon as he wrapped his fist around the shaft, choking on a gasp that caught in his throat. The last thing he needed tonight were those two former rapists-turned-bodyguards finding out what he was doing forcibly join the party. The risk wasn't worth the punishment; so with ears constantly his surroundings, he started the process of bringing himself to orgasm. His golden eyes fluttered as the familiar feeling of his own fingers clasped around his cock took him to previously denied heights. Male lions were forbidden from exercising their sexual needs in the week prior to their wedding. And not having had time to himself, minus those minutes spent with Locke in the hunting cabin, he decided to take full advantage of the situation. While one paw was working his shaft, the other was loosely holding his muzzle tight to prevent any more accidental noises from escaping. Using his elbow to lift the sheets, he watched his yellow paw stroke along the bright red shaft. Small beads of pre dripped out of his slit and slid around his barbs before being used as lubricant for pawing. He was certainly ample sized for a male cat his age at eight and a half crimson inches, which was currently poised like a steel spire jutting from his crotch. Erotic images soon appeared in his mind's eye; like clockwork, the first furr to pop onto the stage of his sexual fantasy, in those umber curls that covered the curvaceous and muscled body, was Jason. Before he could stop himself, he had envisioned the dog laying naked on a bed of silk and roses, a 'come hither' look in his eyes as he exposed his cock for the lion to admire. Shaking his head, Maxi had to halt his fantasy before it progressed any farther; "What the hell was that?" he asked himself, "He betrayed me...and yet I'm still thinking of him." Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and recollected himself before setting back out into the depths of his sexual fantasies. It was the same bed, the same roses, the same glint in his eyes, but this time there was a blank panther strewn across the mattress rather then a brown dog. He remained clothed in that black skin-tight driving outfit he had worn back at the cabin; its formfitting material showing off the sinewy curves and trim body that the other cat had possessed. And before he could definitively place it, something about that scene turned him on far greater then he had anticipated. His paw was just a golden blur along his body as he couldn't help but mew softly as he pumped away. Maxi couldn't help but envision himself on that bed with Locke, those black paws roaming all over his body again, those brilliant emerald eyes peering into his soul, and those adorable trembling whiskers. He watched with anticipation as his dream self slowly began unzipping the obsidian cat's garment, pulling the fabric away to reveal toned abs and sculpted arms. Suddenly, the two mental conjurations kissed each other, with the panther gripping his lion's pride tightly; and before he could stop himself, he arched his back as he felt the familiar trembles of an orgasm racing over his body. Clenching his teeth to prevent any sounds from reaching the ears off the two guards, the feline shuddered as he felt his seed leaving the tip of his cock. Most of the ropes of white cat-cream fell along the side of the mattress, though a few high velocity shots managed to strike the wall just over his pillow. He felt his toes curl in his sneakers, his tail wrapping around his bare waist as he felt his release slow to a small trickle down the side of his shaft. Once the lion calmed down, his breathing recovering from his heavy panting, he set about using the far tip of his blanket to quickly clean up the mess he had made. As his mind slowly drifted back to what his last thoughts were before his orgasm, about he and Locke in a rather compromising position; he wondered if it had simply been a manifestation of subconscious lust...or something more. Maybe it was just his heart latching onto something...someone...who he felt he could trust after the way Jason had dumped him. Or maybe, he felt something genuine...something real. He wasn't sure how long he had zoned out for thinking on his inner feelings, but a quick look around his dimly lit cell told him that nothing had since changed. A loud yawn escaped the feline's muzzle as he tugged his shorts up and pulled the blanket back over him so he could catch some much-needed sleep before his meeting with Agent Tripwire tomorrow. Still unsure of what his final answer would be, he pulled his knees into his chest and mewed softly, his eyes closing just as his head hit the pillow. * * * Maxi awoke to the deafening sound of an explosion going off somewhere in the compound. Instantly the cat rocketed up to a sitting position, clutching the blanket tightly against his chest as he tried to figure out what was happening. He could feel the vibrations that spread out from the explosion's center like ripples in a pond, the echo still ringing in his ears. His hearing was acute enough that he could determine that the origin was somewhere to his west, assuming that the cell door pointed north. The feline figured that it was probably on the ground floor, but beyond that information, he was stumped. "What the fuck's going on?" he heard one the guards outside his cell say, and by the sound of it, he guessed it was Agent SpikePit. He could see the silhouettes of several other furrs passing by his barred window, their shapeless shadows passing in formation as they hurried to the source of the noise. Suddenly, another explosion erupted somewhere in the building, this one coming from due north. The entire building shook with the resulting aftershocks; Maxi had to hold onto his bed frame or risk being thrown to the floor. "I don't fucking know Arnold! Are we under attack or something?" Agent Blaze responded in like tone. "I'm thinking we should go help defend the base..." the wolf said slowly, taking a peak into the cell to check on the condition of their prisoner. Once he saw that the lion was still breathing and appeared to be relatively unhurt, he turned back to his fellow guard. "The cat isn't injured...he'll be fine. I mean who the hell's going to come down here looking for him right now anyways?" "I've no idea!" the other agent retorted just as a third explosion shook their compound, the pair remaining vigilant at their positions on either side of the cell's door, "But I'm sure as hell not gonna go against our boss's direct order, that's what." The wolf managed a chuckle, "True that!" he said aloud as they held fast to their duty, refusing to move and follow their comrades even as more ran across the once vacant hallway. Maxi, having listened to the brief conversation, just sighed and tucked his legs tighter against his body as he watched passing shadows streak from one side of the window across to the other, none taking the time to bother peering inside the fortified walls. "Fuck..." he sighed under his breath, seeing that he would be stuck here to ride out the waves of attacks from an unknown enemy with the two guards to keep him company. The feline had hoped that now with his energy partially restored, he could've made a break for freedom had the two decided to try and transport him to a safer location; those stun batons were a risk he'd be willing to take. But it seemed like he'd never get the chance as he sat on his cot, whimpering every time another explosion would rock the structure's foundation. He had lost count how many he had heard in the past couple of minutes, each once seeming as though it came from a completely different direction then the others. Whoever was attacking had the canines in a bit of a panic, the troops running back and forth along the hallway as they tried to get to each site; however, each new ripple got fainter quicker, signaling that the blasts were moving farther and farther away relative to his position within the facility. The lion hadn't been able to make out any of the rushed whispering from the passing agents, so he was still in the dark about what was going on above ground. "Hey..." one of the guards said, probably the golden retriever by the sound of it, "You hear anything odd, or is it just me?" "Right now my ears are ringing so loud from all those damn bombs that I can barely make out what you're saying," the wolf responded. That was then followed by a long pause as neither guard said anything, the cat taking that time to listen for anything himself. "Actually...now that you mention it...yeah, I kinda do..." Agent Spikepit said softly, as though still trying to hear the strange noise above the sound of his own voice. "So, it's not just me then?" the dog asked in disbelief, surprised that he wasn't loosing his mind after all. "Apparently not..." came the response. Through his window, Maxi could see the figure on the left side take a step right, crossing into the line of light, "It sounds like a loud 'hissing'...right?" "Yeah, I hear it now,"Arnold mumbled, "It's coming from this side of the hallway I think." With that, the pair moved towards the right in order to investigate the unknown sound, going only far enough down the passage so that the cell was still in their view. The lion did his best to restrain his curiosity, not wanting to become a victim of some sinister trap. After a few seconds of hearing the canines poke around at what sounded like the ventilation shafts that he had seen running along the ceiling, a sudden bark of surprise filled the hall. "What the fuck is that stuff?" one of them screamed. "The hell if I know!" the other responded. Getting up from his spot and moving closer to the door, Maxi too could hear the hissing sound that they had been talking about, only now it was much louder. With his paws hesitantly gripping the bars, he peered out to his right where he saw the silhouettes of the two males hidden behind a dense plume of purple fog...a very familiar color of purple fog now that he thought about it. They appeared to be chocking, trying their best not to breath in the mauve colored gas, but it seemed their efforts were in vain as moments later they collapsed to the ground. Nonetheless, his instincts overrode any higher level thought as the lion released the bars and backed up to the car corner of the room, cowering as he could see faint wisps of plum-colored smoke curl across the wall opposite his cell. The sound of a small motor then filled the hall as footsteps began making their way closer to his cell door, the fog making a quick retreat as the unknown creature advanced on it. Maxi still couldn't put two and two together until he saw a red bandanna move past door's window. "LOCKE!" he screamed out at the top of his lungs, finally realizing who it was that had come to his rescue. The red bandanna stopped moving left and retreated back to where the voice had come from. "That you in there Benedict?" the panther's voice said as he turned to glimpse into the dimply lit cell, his vibrant emerald eyes like two lighthouses in what had been a very dark and dangerous storm for the lion. "Yes! Yes!" the lion shouted, scrambling to his feet in the process, "I'm in here Locke!" getting to the door just as the other feline looked in. Not believing that it was truly him and overwhelmed by everything, the lion reached through the bars and around the smaller cat's body, pressing him tightly against the cold steel door. "Seems someone's glad to see me," the panther responded, his black paws gently rubbing the lion's limbs affectionately. Pressing his cold nose into the cat's tawny golden arms, he purred loudly as proof that it was really him. The lion was almost to tears, his fingers really able to touch someone in over a day. "Of course I'm happy to see you..." Maxi managed to squeak out between his whimpering, "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't gotten to me." And at that thought of his grim future being avoided, he started to weep, his paws still clutching his savior. "Don't think about that," the panther said, consoling the lion as he rubbed his arm up and down. "Besides..." he added, "The only furr you really have to thank is yourself. Because if it wasn't for you being brave enough to dial in that homing beacon I gave you, I'd have never found you again Maxi." Glancing back to the mattress where he had hidden the device, the cat made a small silent prayer of thanks, "Still...you came to save me Locke. You really came...just like you said you would...to get me." "Of course I did," the black feline said with a chuckle, "But if I'm going to free you, you're gonna have to stop strangling me first." "Sorry..." the lion responded, gently releasing the panther and flicking the tears from his eyes. "It's no problem," Locke said, brushing himself off in the process. "Now, if you'll kindly back away from the door, we can get this rescue truly under way. What do ya say?" he asked with a wide smile. "You got it!" Maxi said, thrilled that he'd finally be able to set foot outside of his cell without any guards. The cat scooted back a couple of feet, crouching down behind the flimsy cot as he curiously tried to watch what was going on the other side of the steel door. All he could see was the black feline bending over to where the lock was, and seconds later he was backed against the wall opposite the lion's door, a blue plastic lighter in his right paw. Flicking his wrist, a bright red flame sprouted from the lighter, flicking back and forth as it illuminated the panther's face and boyish complexion. "Are you in position?" he screamed through the door, apparently not worried that their escape could be foiled before it ever truly began. "I'm far enough away if that's what you mean, yeah," the soon to be freed prisoner responded. Unsure of what to expect, Maxi covered his head with his paws and tucked himself as close against the wall as he could. Seconds later, another hissing sound was heard; though, this time it wasn't of gas being released from a canister, but rather a flame traveling along a wick. It moved quickly along the floor and up to the door, the lion could see the flicker of light through the keyhole as it wormed its way between the tumblers. Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and small popping noise as the lock was blown up from the inside. Using momentum gained only from the explosion, the door slowly swung outwards revealing a very confident panther leaning against the far wall with a knowing smirk on his face. "Ta da..." he said with a laugh; and for the first time, Maxi could see the entire panther. Locke was definitely dressed for a midnight rendezvous in his pair of black combat boots, set of night camouflage that included pants and a flight jacket, his trademark red bandanna, a small pouch that rested on his hip, and a silver wristwatch on his right arm. Still dressed in his torn black shorts, burnt beige t-shirt, and white running shoes, the lion burst from his cage and tackled the smaller male against the wall, wrapping his savior in a tight hug. There were no words strong enough that could convey Maxi's feeling of relief as he pressed his face into the panther's shoulder, feeling small tears of happiness run down his cheeks. His tail waved slowly back and forth as he clutched Locke against him, and felt those black paws return the favor and intertwine just above the base of his tail. "I can't thank you enough..." he mumbled through trembling lips, a soft purr escaping his muzzle as he felt a warm tongue gently licking at his ears. He finally pulled back from the embrace, using the back of his paw to wipe his eyes; even just the presence of the other male, the scent of another feline just like him, gave the lion great comfort. "Seeing you smile again is all the thanks I need," the black cat said as he nuzzled the younger one's forehead. The pair embraced again quickly before setting out on escaping from P.O.O.D.L.E. headquarters. "Just let me do one last thing before we go," Locke said just as Maxi was about to round the corner and follow the path that had taken him to the interrogation room this morning. The panther pulled out four plastic ties from his hip pouch, and set about trussing up the two guards like thanksgiving turkeys as they slept; one tie around both ankles, and a second one binding their paws behind their backs. The lion couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the now bound wolf and retriever lean against each other, testing their new restraints as they slept. Once he saw that the feline was done, they set off down the corridor, and was surprised to find it completely devoid of life. Granted, there hadn't been many furrs moving around this morning when the cat had first arrived, but it wasn't this eerily silent. Though that wasn't the first question which popped into his head. "So, what was that stuff you used to open my cell?" Maxi asked as they moved calmly yet swiftly down the halls, "I've never seen anything like it." "Oh...this," the panther said, pulling out a small mound of what looked to be gray clay from his pouch. Locke was able to stretch, pull, twist, and shape the material to whatever shape he liked as the pair continued on. "You know what C4 is, right Benedict?" he asked as he balled it up and began tossing it up and catching it as they walked. "Of course I do," Maxi responded, jokingly hitting the smaller male in the shoulder, "I wasn't that sheltered you know," he said, much to the laughter of his friend. "I'm just checking is all," Locke said with a defensive chuckle. He didn't seem agitated or worried at all about being right in the middle of the enemy camp, at least he didn't bother to curb the volume of his voice. "Anyways, the letter 'C' in math usually stands for 'century' which translates to the numerical amount of one hundred, and the four represents the exponent, or how many time-" "I know how to do simple algebra Locke," Maxi interrupted. "Alright, alright...sheeesh," he muttered with shrugged shoulders, "Just trying to be thorough is all. Anyways, that gives the regular stuff an explosive potency of about a hundred million times the standard of one stick of dynamite when exposed to heat. Well, the stuff I have here in my paws ranks at about only a C1.5 or C2." The lion was listening to his friend's explanation, but he wasn't as relaxed about everything as the panther. Keeping his ears and eyes open for any sign of unwelcome company, he especially paid close attention for any sign that Agent Tripwire could be lurking nearby. "So, can I hold it?" he asked out of the corner of his muzzle, eyes constantly scanning the floor and walls. "Sure," the furr said, tossing the golden feline the small gray ball, "Knock yourself out." "Thanks..." he replied softly, easily catching the putty in his paws. The conversation all but died out while Maxi was busy experimenting with the putty in between his pads, and before he knew it, the passage they were in had opened up into some sort of large audience chamber. Still, there was not another soul in sight. "Hey Locke..." he said as they rounded a bench and headed up along the nearest lane of chairs; continuing once he saw he had the panther's attention, "How can you be so calm and collected. I'm a bundle of frayed nerves right now...and yet you don't see to have a care in the world. How come you aren't worried that they've set some sort of devious trap out?" That questioned seemed to get a rise out of his rescuer, "Maxi, Maxi, Maxi," he cooed between giggles, "Look around you...Just where do you think we are?" "In the canines' headquarters?" he responded, unsure of his answer as he finally caught up to the panther, handing him back the gray blob in the process. "Exactly," his paws busy putting the explosive putty away in his bag, "Why the heck would they booby trap their own base? Wouldn't it make more sense to simply station guards instead of nonsentient mundane machines that can't use reasoning or logic?" Blinking in silence, the lion couldn't believe how blind he had been, the answer was so simple he didn't see it; "And the guards aren't here because their elsewhere in the facility trying to fight off an enemy attack." They began moving again, reaching the stage in no time flat. Maxi then watched as Locke began scanning the walls as though looking for something specific against the wooden paneling. Once he located what he was searching for, the panther managed to pull open a hidden door much to the lion's surprise. It appeared to lead up to the projection booth located high above the stage, its glass window looking out over the entire foyer. With Locke in the lead, the two made their way up the narrow steel staircase, their shoes echoing along the small chamber. Eventually, they arrived in a tiny room high above where they had started; peering through the window, they could even make out their starting point. The four walls were cramped full of both digital and film projectors, various movie reels, and two computers; but most notably absent was another way out. "Help me move some of this stuff," the black cat said as he started handing his companion large framed movie posters. "You take a wrong turn somewhere or something?" the lion asked as he leaned the posters against the central projector, "Because I don't see an exit." "It should be around here somewhere..." he mumbled under his breath as he handed back more frames till he got to just bear wall. Pointing to a large steel grate located about three feet up from the floor, a grin came across his muzzle, "That's because you see a lack of possibilities my dear Benedict." "We're gonna crawl through the air vents?" he asked in disbelief. The panther didn't bother to answer the obvious as he pulled out an all purpose screwdriver from his spy kit and made quick work of the four screws that held the plate too the wall. "You're First Maxi," he said before dropping to his paws and knees directly underneath the vent "Need a boost?" A bit frightened as the prospect of being first, the lion slowly approached the wall, paws grasping the metal edge. "What if someone's on the other side?" he asked, hesitant to simply climb in and go for it. "There won't be, you can trust me," Locke said, straining to support the cat's weight as he placed his full support on the panther's back. But once he felt the lion pull his upper half inside the grate and no longer needed a stepping stool, he crawled out from underneath him. Using only his elbows, the golden feline began working his way inside. When only his rear and legs remained dangling out, he turned his head back towards the entrance; "But...But what if there's someone there?" he asked again, even more skiddish this time at the prospect of going somewhere alone. "I'm going in right behind you. You won't be alone in the vents...I promise," he explained, "Now get moving will ya!" And with that, he gave the lion's backside and gentle slap with his right paw, causing the boy to let out a much surprised yelp. Though that seemed to do the trick, for in no time flat Maxi had managed to pull his lower half inside. "You're gonna regret that!" the lion shouted back as he crawled farther into the metal tunnel, his surroundings getting darker and darker the farther he advanced. The panther could only laugh as he used one paw to hold onto the grate covering and the other to hoist himself up; he did his best to secure the vent, but he didn't dwell on perfection. "Turn right at the first fork, and then take a left at the second one," he instructed as he got into position, "That should take you to our destination." "Got it!" the first cat said as the pair crawled on in now total darkness. Maxi narrowly missed bumping his head on the sharp corner, taking a minute to feel around before finding the passage to his right and slowly sliding through. He could hear the echo of a dense thump as Locke bumped his head on the unforeseen corner, and couldn't help but chuckle a bit as the panther's misfortune. "What are you laughing at?" the elder feline said, having moved up swiftly while the other cat was too busy laughing. He felt around for a moment before giving a gentle tug on the bushy tip of the lion's tail, causing the first male to screech in shock at the gesture. It was at least another minute or two till he reached the second fork and took the instructed left, a couple of minutes later he was staring at a metal cover, bars of dim light illuminating his face. "It's a dead end, there's a grate blocking my way," he reported to the second in line. "Crap..." the panther muttered under his breath, having not figured they'd have one this far from a true exit, "Think you can bash it out or something?" "I'll give it a shot," he answered back. Putting one paw on the metal grate, he curled the other into a tight fist and punched dead center. Hissing in pain, he pulled back to see that his knuckles were red, but the weak metal bars had bent outwards. A few punches later, he crawled out into an even smaller room then the one they had left; he was sitting on a small stool nursing his injured paw when the panther squirmed out. "You alright Maxi?" he asked, taking a seat on the floor before his friend as he pushed the other yellow paw away to get a better look at what he was dealing with. "Oh shit, you're bleeding," he said, instantly noticing small trails of red from between his fingers which was soaking into his golden fur. "It doesn't hurt that badly, I'll be fine," he responded; though in truth, it ached and stung a lot more then he wanted to let on, he was a lion after all. "It isn't that...." Locke said, his voice trailing off as he rooted through his pouch before pulling out a small roll of white bandages. Leaning over, he began to slowly wrap the young male's paw as tightly as he could, "It's the fact that the scent of freshly spilled blood is something any predator can easily detect...I know I can." Once he finished doing what he could, he secured the loose end and topped it off with a gentle kiss, looking up to see a rosy blush apparent on those golden cheeks. Coughing loudly as though to cover-up his stare, the lion smiled nervously before turning away from the black panther kneeling before him; "Ummm yeah...thanks," he muttered. After flexing his fingers and seeing there wasn't any discomfort he couldn't suppress, he quickly rose to his feet, stepped around he medic, and glanced at the only exit, an archway cut right into the stone wall. "We should get going, staying around the air ducts with the scent of blood in the air probably isn't a smart idea." Locke could see that he had made Maxi uncomfortable, but tried not to let the lion see that he had caught on, better to take it slow with this one he told himself. "Good point," the panther said, stuffing the remaining roll of bandages in the pouch as he stood up. Walking past the larger cat, he peered through the arch into the dark void beyond, "If my memory serves me correct, this should lead us to the boiler room. We're still underground though, so we'll have to get topside before I can lead us out." The lion was still standing there, staring into the emptiness, as the panther passed him; his eyes watching the shifting figure of obsidian blend in with the dark as though he were returning from where he was created, specifically the alluring swishes of his long and slightly furry tail. "You're sure this will get us out of here?" Maxi asked once he had caught up with the other cat in the next room. Both felines took note of their new surroundings, especially now that there was decent lighting for a quick examination. The hisses and whistles of steam came from every bend in the metal pipes that curved around the walls till they vanished into various holes cut in the ceiling. Knobs, wheels, pistons, and gauges lined the various metallic tubes that criss-crossed their path; the pair required to duck as they headed into the center of the room. There, among the pipping, like heart connected to veins and arteries, was a giant three chambered boiler that had large accordion-like bellows constancy filling it with hot air to heat the water inside. "Have I lead you astray before?" Locke responded, nearly hitting his head into a metal spigot as he turned to face the former captive. "Well...no," he admitted with a chuckle at the near accident, "It's just...this does certainly seem to be an out of the way route you are taking me. Did you come this way to get to me?" "Nope. If I had, I never would've made it to your cell on time," he confessed as he walked carefully along the walls, on the lookout for both a ladder and anymore nozzles waiting to ambush him. The panther finally spotted their potential way out stationed in the back corner, a crimson red emergency exit ladder that led up to a metal hatch in the ceiling. "You get climbing, I got one last thing to do, okay?" as he rummaged through his pouch. "Why do I have to go first again?" Maxi said in a humpf, paws on his waist, "I'm the one they're looking for, shouldn't you be the one scouting for me?" "Because I'm busy preparing for saving your tail later...Now get going cub!" giving the younger cat a playful swat on his rear and causing the startled lion to meow loudly, jumping a foot in the air in the process. As he made his way over to the boiler, he glanced over his shoulder to see that Maxi was already on the third rung. Pulling out the remaining clump of gray explosive putty, he pressed it firmly against the metal cylinder, followed by a small remote detonator which he stuck into the clay. After he extended the antenna and checked that the signals were linked, he made his way over to the ladder and began climbing as well. The golden feline hadn't been paying any attention to what his parter was doing at all, he was too busy hiding the blush on his cheeks and rushing off towards the ladder. Here he was, barely twenty four hours after his fight with Jason, and he was already getting groped by another male, but more specifically, a male that he knew had feelings for him; the worse thing about it though, was that he wasn't repulsed by the attention, that he let it happen....that he sorta-kinda liked it. This train of thought didn't get to progress any farther, getting interrupted as the top of his head smacked into the metal grate. "I think it's open..." he mumbled as he shook away the imaginary bluebirds that flew around his head. "All thanks to that hard head of yours," Locke snickered, having watched the entire scene from below. "Ha ha...very funny," the larger cat replied sarcastically, "Now, how do I know when it's safe to move?" "Here..." the male below him said, passing a thin metal rod up to him, "Use this dental mirror to peer around outside once you lift the cover. If anyone is there, just slowly close the lid, no one will even notice you." He couldn't help but glare skeptically at the small mirror, but nonetheless the lion slowly lifted up the cover with his right arm, but he then realized he couldn't balance if both paws were off of the ladder. As he quickly let the cover slide back, he looked down to Locke, "You're gonna have to support me somehow...I don't have that good of balance." Groaning loudly, he did his best to disguise the grin that came over his face, "Alright...let me get into position first then." They were at least six feet above the ground when the panther finally reached the lion's legs; climbing over him, he was careful where he placed his paws, making sure not to dislodge the other cat, till his head was resting just above the base of Maxi's tail. With one paw, he hooked his arm around the nearest rung for support, his other paw encircling the feline's waist and pressing him against the ladder. "All done here," he announced, his eyes level with the two firm globes of Maxi's ass. Squeezing his eyes closed, the lion tried his best not to purr at the gentle touches against his body, or god for bid, get a hard-on from those same touches. "Thanks..." he muttered under his breath. Now feeling safe in letting go, he pushed the cover open again and shoved the mirror between the crack, angling it down so that he could clearly make out the reflection. After a minute of twirling it around to get a 360 degree view of above, "Looks clear from here." "Then get going!" Locke replied, "We don't have a lot of time here. Once you're out, make sure no one sees you, and then call down to me." "Got it!" Maxi said, enthusiastic as the prospect of getting closer to his freedom. Checking the mirror one last time, he quickly handed it down to the panther before opening the hatch and scrambling up the final few rungs to arrive in a new hallway. As opposed to the muted greenish-yellow color of the walls back down in the prison, the bright white paint accented with navy blue molding was a welcome change. Everything looked pretty sterile for the most part as the lion took careful note of his new surroundings. Crouching low to the ground in case he'd have to slip back inside, Maxi listened for the sounds of any incoming canines. "All clear," he shouted down the hole after a harrowing thirty seconds of suspense. Stepping back, the lion watched as the black form of the feline slowly began to emerge from the small hole, crawling out on all fours. With a chuckle, he offered his paw to help his rescuer to his feet; the act being eagerly accepted. He forgot his own strength as he yanked the smaller male to his feet, accidentally colliding together in an unforeseen embrace. Though the gesture didn't seem to bother Locke, who softly purred as he was held tightly against the golden feline, "You ready to go?" "Huh?...Oh, yeah," Maxi said softly, not wanting to say that the hug had been a fluke. As the pair separated and the panther squatted down to reposition the hatch closed, the lion's golden orbs began to wander absentmindedly along the walls. "Locke..." he said carefully, fear evident in his tone as he pointed to a small gray box where two walls intersected, "Is that a security camera?" Looking up, he could only shrug, "Probably," he said calmly, "But don't freak out or anything. Before I went in, I scrambled their camera signals, the damn things have been playing an endless loop for about an hour now." "Thanks for the information intruders," a stern voice said from behind them, the sound of a pistol cocking was easily distinguished in the otherwise silent passageway. At that, both cats froze where they were, fearful that one wrong move would send a bullet through someone's head. "Shit," the lion muttered under his breath, beads of sweat already starting to form on his brow as the fur on the back of his neck stood on end. He couldn't go back in a cell, he had decided that once Locke had sprung him free; but the thought of dragging the panther down with him made the prospect of self-sacrifice something worth considering. "I thought you said that the cost was clear," the still crouching male muttered. He was angry that his perfect escape was about to be foiled due to the lion's mistake, but seeing the cat shake with fear lessened his rage considerably; getting upset wasn't going to get them out of this. "It was...I swear. He must've arrived after we got out," Maxi whined, ears pressing submissively against his head as his tail tucked itself between his legs. "Shut up, both of you!" the mysterious canine barked, his voice unfamiliar to either cat. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the halls as whoever it was moved closer to inspect the newly captured enemy combatants. "Now, the black one, stand up slowly....I've got my gun aimed at the back of your friend's head, so don't try anything funny. Then both of you, raise your paws over your head and turn around." With a defeated whimper, Locke slowly rose to his feet, making sure his paws were always visible to the furr behind them; the last thing he needed was a mistaken movement costing either of them their lives. As the pair was raising their arms, he whispered, "Grip my watch when we turn around." "What?" Maxi said under his breath back, flicking his ear back to see if the soldier had heard him. "Just do it! Press the first button when I nudge your leg, understand?" he muttered, "I'll aim." "What the hell are you two cats whispering about?" the canine guard screamed, "I told you to turn around! Now I had better see some faces soon, or someone's getting an extra bit of lead in their diet courtesy of Mr. Magnum!" The felines quickly followed orders, scooting closer to each other as they slowly rotated around to face their attacker. He was a rottweiler, about their age, with all the customary black and tan markings about his face and neck. First and foremost their eyes were drawn to the impressive piece of weaponry held at arm's length from his chest, a Smith and Weston 500 series revolver Locke could tell, it was one of his favorites after all. He had a brown leather jacket draped around his broad shoulders, under which was a burgundy sweater and set of metal dogtags around his neck; below that was a simple black belt, beige army fatigues, and black combat boots. Overall, he certainly looked the part of an army recruit, though the manner in which he held his weapon, the smirk on his face, and the sparkle in his hazel eyes spoke to a more experienced soldier. "Nothing sir," the panther replied politely, inwardly smiling as he felt the lion hesitantly grip his wrist, fingers covertly searching the watch for the aforementioned button. While Maxi was doing his job, he concentrated on angling the watch's face so it'd hit the dog dead center; because anything other then a perfect hit on the first try would spell disaster. Huffing with an air of superiority, the rottie began pacing back and forth between his newly acquired captives. "That's what I thought," he said, finally taking the time to examine the cats in a better light, "Hey...you're the Cordero's youngest son, aren't you? I saw your picture on the 8'o'clock news." The lion gulped at having been recognized by their enemy. "Ummm....yeah," he mumbled as he tried to swallow the slowly expanding lump in his throat. Luckily he was saved from any future discomfort as he felt the panther's long black tail brush against his thigh; taking that as the signal, he pressed the small cleverly hidden button he had found along the watch's outer ridge. All three sets of eyes watched as a small shimmering object flew through the air, striking the canine dead center in his neck just as Locke had hoped. "Agh! What the fuck was th-" the dog cried out as his right paw released the gun and clasped his fingers against where he had been hit. But before he could finish his sentence, or manage to shoot off a round, his body seemed to stiffen and then proceeded to fall over backwards. Once he saw his foe fall, the panther giggled and lowered his arms back to his side. "Wow, I'm an even better shot then I thought I was," he said with admiration of his talents. "What the hell did you do to him?" Maxi asked in horror as he followed suit before taking a few hesitant steps towards the now prone canine on the floor before him. Looking down at the male, he could see a thin, almost hairline trail of blood down his neck from where he had been hit. He was about to say a few prayers for the recently departed when he saw the rottweiler's green eyes flicker to focus on him. "Holy fuck!" the lion responded; loosing his balance, he fell on his ass and scooted backwards, "He's still alive." "Well duh!" Locke replied, rolling his eyes as he bent down to examine their 'friend', "The dart was coated with a paralyzing serum. It temporary blocks signals from his spinal column to his limbs and prevents any muscle movement other then his heart. He can still hear and see us....Can't you Fido?" he asked with a chuckle. The golden cat could see the dog struggling to respond, but indeed he seemed unable to even move his muzzle. "So what are we gonna do with him?" he inquired, getting back to his feet and brushing his rear of dust. "Don't rightfully know, this wasn't part of my plan," the elder feline admitted as he squatted next to the paralyzed guard. Tracing his claws along the dog's neck, a wicked grin showing on his muzzle, the canine was powerless to stop the cat from slitting his throat and killing him right there. Though, much to his surprise, the fingers merely lifted his silver dogtags from where they were stuffed under the collar of his shirt and brought them into the light. "So...Mr. Logan Chirosi," Locke began, "Or will Agent LoneWolf suffice for this brief meeting? Regardless...that's quite an impressive piece of hardware you're holding there." "Come on," the lion cried out, fidgeting from nervousness as he began pacing back and forth across the hallway as his companion continued to tease the unresponsive furr, "We really should be getting out of here, don't you think?" Looking up at the lines of worry etched onto the boy's golden complexion, "Yeah yeah...just one thing," as he turned back to the dog, "You don't mind if I borrow this, do you? Of course not." And with that, he quickly wrestled the gun away from the canine, prying his clenched fingers off of the stock and trigger before slipping it into the waistband of his nighttime fatigues. "Thanks buddy!" he laughed before standing up, waving to Maxi that he was done, and heading down the corridor with the lion quickly in toe. Locke did his best to conjure up a three dimensional image of the compound's layout as they hurriedly rushed through the halls, their movements spurred on by the knowledge that they were no longer here completely under the radar. "You think there will be others coming after us?" Maxi asked hesitantly as they stopped just short of another corner. "Probably, I don't know for sure though...But I'm not taking that risk," the panther replied as he used the small dental mirror to spy around the corner, "Especially not with your dependence on me." Once seeing the path was secure, they advanced, led on by the black cat's innate sense of direction and photographic memory. "I appreciate the thought," the lion responded as they rushed past empty rooms and vacant side passages. Locke suddenly stopped in the middle of the hallway, grabbing the other feline by his tail as he rushed by, and pulling him to a halt. He could see his friend was about to ask something, but quickly clamped a paw over his muzzle to keep him quiet. "I don't think we're alone anymore," he whispered into the nearest ear, his own straining to hear the ambient noise through the bandanna. Getting the idea, Maxi stopped struggling and perked his own ears to whatever noise had spooked his friend, but it wasn't his ears that first picked up the trail of someone else, it was his nose. A familiar scent wafted into his nostrils, conjuring up the mental picture of a face all to recent, one he couldn't help but be forced to remember; "Jason..." he said under his breath, bearing his fangs in remembrance of the previous night's talk. "You mean that dog I saw back at your father's cabin?" the panther replied in a hushed voice, getting a small nod in response, "Shit." "What are we gonna do?" he younger cat asked, keeping his body perfectly still for fear that he'd miss the sound of the canine sneaking up on them. Taking a deep breath, Locke summoned his mental map for the last time, going over the route time and time again to make sure he had it down flat. "On my count, we're gonna run as fast as we can. You are to follow my every lead and do whatever I tell you...Understood?" Looking back down the hallway where he assumed Jason was laying in wait for them, and then in the direction where they had to go, he nodded as he pushed golden strands of his mane from out in front of his face, "Yeah..." "Good...Now, on my count..." his body hunching into a runner's sprint, "One....Two.....Three. Go!" And with that, he moved from no motion to a black blur speeding down the hallway, looking back for a moment he could see that the lion was just behind him. Locke turned right and took the corner hard, nearly slamming into the left wall as his boots skidded across the slippery tile floors; but he managed to regain his footing and continued running. He could hear a third faint set of footsteps, barely audible over Maxi's and his own, but they were there, which meant that they were being followed. The lion found it much harder to keep up then he had originally thought, the panther's muscled, slim, and aerodynamic form allowing for greater speeds and less wind resistance compared to his much bulkier body. Nonetheless, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, not daring to turn around for fear that the sight of the dog would cause him to stop in his tracks. "Are we almost there yet?" he heaved, his current state of two day's worth of starvation coupled with several counts of electrocution did not exactly prime him for physical activity. Rounding a second corner, this time it was he who almost lost his balance and tumbled into a wall mounted bulletin board, "I don't think I can run much more." "Just keep up with me a little longer, okay?" the other feline said, "It's right around the next corner." He felt horrible pushing the lion in the deplorable condition that he's in, but he had to motivate him to keep going if they were going to both make it out of here relatively unscathed. Knowing what was coming around the next bend, he shoved his right paw into the pouch on his hip as he moved, fingers kneading the gray clay inside and combining it with a tiny set of electronics. As the pair of cats rounded the last bend, his target came in view, a solid white wall. "It's a dead end!" Maxi shouted, seconds after he turned into the passage. He was about to stop and turn to face their attacker, but he had promised that he'd follow whatever it was that Locke was doing; and if that meant running headfirst into a brick wall...then so be it. "Just trust me!" the panther shouted back just as he slowed down enough to hurl the gray mass at the wall, hitting it dead center like he had hoped. As Maxi caught up with him seconds later, he threw both the younger male and himself into a small maintenance passage to their right. The two boys landed with a hard thud, sliding a few feet till they came to a rest against a wooden door. "Close your eyes and cover your ears!" he instructed as he pressed the third of three buttons on the side of his wristwatch. Suddenly a large explosion originated from where Locke had tossed the sticky gray mass; it felt as though the entire building were shaking and coming down around them as pieces of debris rocketed down the hallway. Once the initial explosion was over, the panther pulled the lion to his feet, brushing dust from his face before quickly making his way out of the small alcove. "What did you do?" Maxi said choking on the smoke, a rain of plaster particles showering them in bright white dust as they moved over large chunks of wall. "Made us an exit of course," the other replied once the dust settled. Motioning to the new large hole in the wall, the moon and stars in the night sky casting their dim illumination over the expansive field of grass before them. Making their way around jagged pieces of metal, glass, and wood, they were about to step outside when the sound of a gun cocking once again brought them to stillness. "Don't move a muscle," the voice said hoarsely as dust got into his lungs. Turning around, the escapees watched as the curly pelted brown canine slowly stumbled as he rose to his feet. His body was turned sideways with his right shoulder towards them, the cats facing down the barrel of a large caliber black handgun, possibly a berretta the panther thought. Maxi found those umber eyes numb and lifeless, the entire male's body tensed as his arm swung from aiming at him to aiming at Locke. "Do you really plan on shooting me?" the lion asked, his voice cold as he turned fully to face the dog, inching himself over to stand between him and his friend. "I don't want to," the canine replied, "But if that's what it takes to get you back here, then that's what I have to do." He took a slow step foreword, eyes focused on the smaller black feline whose familiar piercing green eyes and obvious tactical experience proved that he had been the furr at the hunting cabin. "I won't let you take him back into the awful cage," Locke said sternly, quickly glimpsing outside again. He figured that he could probably make it to safety, but Maxi was an entire other issue completely, and one that didn't look favorable. "Then you're just gonna have to kill us in cold blood," he offered the dog, his entire body stiff at the prospect of being shot. Taking his second step forewords, Jason raised his gun a little to the left to compensate for the lion's movements, "Guess I'll just have to start with you first." Before either dog or panther could react, Maxi reached behind him and into the cat's waistband and pulled out the Smith and Weston 500 series revolver, cocking the hammer back before pointing it towards the dog. "Don't you dare harm one fucking hair on his head you worthless mutt!" he shouted, arms shaking as he tried to keep them steady. This move caught the male off guard, not expecting to be faced with armed prisoners, let alone his former flame. "Are you really going to shoot me?" he asked, taking a hesitant step foreword as if to call the lion's bluff. "Do not fucking test me Jason!" he screamed, remembering to turn off the safety as he reaimed it towards the dog. His chest was heaving; sweat dripping down his brow as he tried his best to keep his body steady. "Locke and I are getting out of here alive...and there's nothing you can do to stop us," he said sternly as he swallowed the lump in this throat. Seeing that this was going to go down western shoot-out style with the fastest trigger finger remaining alive; the odds were considerably not in their favor since he assumed that the agent had for more weapons training then the diplomat's son. He decided to pull out his contingency plan, "I was hopping I wouldn't have to do this..." the panther said to himself as he pressed the second button on his watch. From somewhere in the building, it sounded as though a severe storm were brewing as the sounds of rumbling thunder echoed down the corridor. Faint at first, they soon built up speed till the walls on either side of the three furrs were shaking and creaking as if they were standing between the tongs of a tuning fork. Suddenly, pipes began bursting through the walls as gaskets flew off in random directions and clouds of thick steam began filling between the two armed males. "Is that why you stayed behind in the boiler room, you were planting another bomb?" the lion asked, the sensation of hot steam coating his face and whiskers. "I was taught to always have a backup plan," he replied with a shrug With both parties now hidden from each other by dense fog; still, neither side seemed willing to cut and run for fear the other might simply shoot them in the back as they fled. They could only make out parts of the other furrs as the thick clouds drifted back and forth across the hallway, obscuring a full picture. Taking this momentary lull in words, Locke began to slowly slip towards the hole in the wall, hoping to escape first before dragging the lion out after him. "I said don't move!" Jason screamed out over the hissing pipes. Even though the dense fog he could make out the moving bright red bandanna that was wrapped around the panther's forehead. And that's what he concentrated on and aimed for when he fired his first shoot. Maxi watched with horror as he saw the trail the bullet took through the clouds before grazing the right side of his friend's head. He saw the black cat clamp his paws over where he had been hit as red liquid oozed out from between his fingers. He heard the echoing hollers of pain as his friend stumbled around before having to resort to leaning against the wall for support. Turning back towards the faint dark shape of the canine, he raised his gun in retaliation. "Die you fucking liar!" he shouted, aiming his gun where he thought he remembered the bullet coming from; anger and rage flooded his body as he pressed the magnum's trigger, nearly being blown off his feet by the kickback. He retained his balance enough to see the clouds of dense white parting before a large bark of pain echoed down the hallway. The next thing he could see was Jason's silhouette on the floor, unable to tell whether he was moving or not. Horrified both at what he had just done, and that his friend was in critical condition, he tossed the gun down the hallway and ran to comfort the panther. Wrapping his arms around the smaller male's shoulders, he helped him to his feet. "I'm fine..." Locke said shakily, "We have to get out of here, now!" "But where do we go?" the lion responded as he lead his wounded friend through the hole and into the large grassy yard. It looked like an endless sea of grass over which an ocean of black sky resided. "Our ride should be straight back a couple hundred meters hiding in some brush behind a wire mesh fence. If you can get us there, we'll be fine," Locke instructed. Not wanting to wait for reinforcements to arrive on scene, Maxi hooked one arm around the panther's waist, his other draping the cat's black limb over his neck and holding onto his paw tightly. As fast as two felines could hobble, they made their way towards where was indicated, a metal fence that ran though dense undergrowth. Once they passed through an already made hole, the lion's natural night vision picked up the form of some sort of vehicle hidden among the brush, and he headed for that; relaxing only once he felt the cold metal of the car or trucks side panel pressed against his cheek did he know to stop. "Holy shit," a voice said, the lion suddenly sensing a third presence with them in the darkness, "What the hell happened to him?" "Who the hell are you?" the lion shouted, twirling around as he positioned himself between the unknown fur and the injured cat. "He's a friend, Maxi..." the panther said, quickly diffusing any tension; he'd have to do the introductions later. That seemed to be enough for the larger male to trust the darkened figure, his arms still helping to support Locke's form, whose own paws were still clamped around his bleeding wound. "Quick, get into the back seat and take him with you, I'll drive," the large figure said as he opened up the side door of the vehicle, ushering in the recent escapees. The lion carefully handed over the black cat's weakened form before climbing in and strapping a seatbelt across his chest. "I'm ready...pass him to me," he commanded with extended arms. As gently as he could, the golden cat grappled the panther and pulled his smaller body on top of his lap, making sure his legs and tail were pulled in before nodding to their driver, who then closed the door. Settling in those comforting golden arms, Locke, with one paw still holding his head, curled against Maxi. "I'm ready too," the obsidian cat said groggily, his head still spinning as he rest his head in the other boy's lap. Feeling the gentle ebb and flow of the male's breathing helped him calm down; which was the best thing he could ask for since the slower his heart beat, the less blood through his arteries, and the less he'd loose. "Alright boys, buckle up and bunker down, it's going to be a bumpy ride!" the driver grunted as he got into his seat, the car revving softly before he shifted into gear and floored the gas. Large search lights began scanning the field behind them as they moved along the fence's perimeter, watching through the open-air jeep at the large swatches of light crisscrossed the sea of grass. "What's going on man?" Locke asked from where he was huddled in the lion's lap. He tried to get up, but Maxi refused to let him, his arms pressed back on his shoulders keeping him pinned against the seat. The panther wanted to object, but he could understand his friend's motivation; even still, he was surprised when he felt his body covered in the warmth of another furr, the feline having draped his body across his own as a means of protection. Mewing softly, the younger cat did his best to restrain the black male's movement. "They've finally noticed our escape and are scanning the fields," he said, having to avert his eyes from the windows so as to not be blinded as the lights began getting closer to their moving car. "Fucknuggets!" then panther muttered, squirming against the much stronger paws that held him down. He wasn't sure where he wanted to go exactly, but he felt trapped and helpless being coddled like this. It was then that the sound of gunfire echoed over their heads as the canine guards began firing in the distance. Something powerful slammed into the left passenger side door, causing the metal to buckle inwards trying to resist the bullet's momentum. Shifting from restless to fearful, Locke grappled onto Maxi's body and pulled him closer, whimpering softly; he had been shot once today, he didn't need a repeat performance. "I'm scared too..." the lion admitted, echoing the black male's own thoughts. Afraid to touch the wound, he made sure to keep his paws away from the red bandanna, rather rubbing his pads up and down the silky black arms. "How are we getting out of here?" he wailed to their driver over the sound of bullets screeching by. "This should lead us back to the main road. From there...if we can keep our heads down...is a small rest stop where we should be able to relax," he said over the echoing fire. Though from the sound of it as they drove away from the source, it seemed they had been merely firing randomly into the darkness. Out on the road, the driver instructed that the passengers continue to keep their heads down as they drove on though the silent city. Both cats trembled in the back seat, holding on to each other for comfort as they rocked right along with the jeeps poor rear suspension. It could have been four minutes, it could've been forty minutes, Maxi had lost track of time, preferring to keep all his concentration on keeping the panther stabilized as best he could. In fact, it was Locke who had alerted him; "I think we're almost there..." he said, still clutching to the other feline's waist protectively. Sighing with relief, the lion let up on pinning the smaller male to the seat, seeing that they were going to make it out of this mostly unscathed after all. "That's really good news," he said mid yawn, his fatigue quickly catching up with him. "It should be around the next bend actually," their driver stated. And sure enough, as they rounded the corner, in the distance, the three occupants could make out the dim illumination of streetlights far ahead, showing off a small shack and several picnic tables. Taking a quick look at the parking lot, they saw that it was empty from this distance. Not willing to take any chances, they drove by it once to check it out before turning around further down the road, and coming back to take a spot directly under one of the overhead lamps. "Guess I should finally get to those introductions, huh?" Locke asked softly, sitting up in his seat and resting his back against the stiff cushions. Motioning to the driver's seat with his left paw, his right still holding his head wound, he smiled softly. "The furr to which we both owe a lot of thanks to is a friend I've known ever since I was a small cub in my mother's den. He may look intimidating, but he's the sweetest creature in our town. Maxi, I'd like you to meet my best friend, Davy Ein." And with that, the mysterious driver turned in his chair to face them, his face now fully illuminated by the light above. The furr who had been driving them since they left the compound was a tiger, his face a broad canvas painted with heavy brush strokes of white, black, and orange. He had a wide grin, bright orange eyes half closed due to what he took to be exhaustion, and a half-hearted chuckle. "It's nice to finally meet you face to face, Maximillion Cordero," the their feline said, extending a paw in a show of comradely. But instead of taking the gesture as one would suspect, the lion backed up from it, tucking himself against the far corner of his seat. "I remember you...." he whimpered, his breathing increasing as the name and face of their driver jogged memories, "You were in the parking garage at my father's company...weren't you?" He demanded an answer, though the tiger's silence told him all he needed to know. Pulling his knees against his chest, "I saw it..." he mumbled, "I saw your tail...You're no tiger...You're a halfbreed!" Turning to face Locke, his eyes wide with terror, "He's a halfbreed, I saw it with my own eyes...Did you know that?" The other two creatures in the car fell silent, the pair looking at each other for a brief second before both refocused back on the skiddish lion. "Yeah....I know," the panther said softly, not wanting to startle his friend any more then he already was. "Well why the hell did you employ one of them?" Maxi shouted. The idea that if his father had been right about dogs, he was also right about half-breeds, made him feel very unsafe having one in his immediate company. "We have to get out of here right now!" he yipped, his paws frantically reaching for the door handle. "I can't let you do that...." Davy said almost apologetically as he locked the doors from the driver's console, "You wouldn't be safe out there." "Well I'm sure as fuck not safe here!" he screamed. Reaching out, he took the panther's arm, desperately tugging him away from their driver, "I won't let him hurt you Locke...Come on, we have to go." Looking rather pained, Locke turned back to face the driver before staring into those golden eyes. "Maxi...I haven't been entirely truthful," he admitted under his breath, "There's something I need to tell you." And with that he reached behind his head to undo his bandanna, letting the bright crimson fabric slowly come away and flutter to his lap. With the obstruction gone, anyone could easily see what the boy had been so hard pressed to keep secret, a pair of large, pointy, wolf ears; "I'm one too....." * * * Well...the newest chapter is finished...and i'm assuming that if you got this far, you must atleast read something. So, give me a vote...a comment...or just a shoutout....I apprechiate them all. But just remember to check out Fatman's stories...you won't be disapointed...promice!