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The AdvAnTAGE Project

By

Mantrid Brizon

Episode 19: What's In The Box

A hard jolt causes him to bump his head, rousing him from the drug-induced slumber. Opening his eyes, he can hear the faint sounds of the world outside. He attempts to lift a hand, but finds his wrists bound. The darkness envelopes him and his chest begins to heave. He struggles to breathe, being fed a steady dose of oxygen from a medical respirator attached to his face. It forces him to calm down. His mind races as he begins to ponder his situation. Where is he? How long has he been asleep? Has it been hours or days?

Upon cornering him in his apartment, the Agents saw fit to spray Dr. Jose Chavez with a potent aerosol. It'd been designed at White Base, while he was still the Director, as a means of subduing the AdvAnimals. One spray, and unconsciousness quickly follows. With so many physiological similarities, it works just as well on humans, if not better. The fact that they'd use it at all proves to him just how dire his situation has become. Why did he have to give in to that stranger's demands? Why didn't he confide in the Agents and spare himself? Why must his conscience by so obnoxious?

Wheeling the cart into the hangar, a group of elderly men, flanked by Agents, a detachment of heavily armed Special Operations soldiers, and even two SCRM-R's, wait for the unveiling.

“Finally! I always enjoy a good present. So, what's in the box?! Have you brought me something nice?" The Old Man chuckles, rubbing his hands together.

“Yes, sir." The first Agent replies.

“As you've requested." The second says, standing beside the cart.

With a pull of a lever, the Agent unlocks the cart's platform and gives it a quick pivot, spinning the large box so that it sits vertically before the Supreme member of Sovereign Six. Flipping up a few latches and opening the box, Dr. Chavez is blinded by the artificial light that beams down from the ceiling of the hangar. His eyes widen in horror as he stares at the very men who only a few days earlier granted his wish and promoted him, removing him from the horrors of Red Base.

“Well, well... Someone's been very naughty." The Old Man smirks, slowly stepping forward.

“Careful, sir." An Agent moves in, guarding his leader.

“He doesn't look as though he's in any position to harm me." The Old Man chuckles, looking over the thick, padded straps that hold down Dr. Chavez's wrists, ankles and waist. “Remove that mask. I'd like a word with him."

“Yes, sir."

The Agent does as he's told, as obedient as ever. Removing the mask from Dr. Chavez's face, the frightened man gasps for air.

“What's going on?! Why have you brought me here?! What did I do?!"

“Come now, Doctor. You didn't get to where you were by being a fool. Did you think you could hide it? After all, we knew about your revolver and your thoughts of suicide. We took the gun and instead gave you a proper way out. We allowed you the freedom to take those long drives to clear your head, and we even granted you a most unusual request, to meet with us face-to-face, and we permitted you to leave a facility where you were doing exceptional work, because you simply didn't like it anymore!" The Old Man growls, his voice growing louder as his anger builds.

“I-I'm sorry... I just..." Dr. Chavez sniffles.

“Spare me... All of that, everything we've done for you, and you decide to clone a hard drive and give it to some wannabe hero?! Some peon without any comprehension of our work?! A vigilante with a grudge as deep as your conscience and a mouth as big as your naivety?! How dare you ask such asinine questions! I put my faith in you, and you've betrayed it... You know, they wanted to kill you, but I put a stop to it." The Old Man points a boney finger toward his compatriots.

“Then do it!" Dr. Chavez growls, a quiver in his voice. “I can't live like this anymore! I should've just worked for some hospital, where I could do actual good! Why did I ever get into bed with you monsters?! You'd save me the trouble and pain if you just fucking killed me!"

The Old Man raises his brow and contorts his mouth into a strange grin. A little chuckle reveals his amusement.

“Is that a fact, Doctor?" He asks with a startling degree of warmth.

“Yes..."

“Interesting! ... I've long suspected you of being a security risk, but I never anticipated you, of all people, to be able to do something such as this. Cowards don't typically act so... Boldly. In fact, with this revelation, I'm beginning to wonder if that first leak at MiLab was even Amy Chen's fault!"

“..."

“Is your silence an admission of guilt, Doctor?"

“Just do whatever you're going to do to me..." Dr. Chavez hangs his head.

“In time... Close the box. I'm tired of looking at him."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, The Old Man turns his back and the Agent places the mask back over Dr. Chavez's face and seals the box.

“May we kill him now?" An annoyed Mr. Nazarov asks.

“And give him what he wants?!" The Old Man raises a brow, then shakes his head. “I don't think so."

“You don't truly believe that bullshit, do you, sir?" General Davis turns to his leader.

“No one would ever ask someone to kill them." Director Bloodworth adds.

“Don't be so certain. You only say that because you cannot fathom yourself doing so, but there are people who are very willing to die. That wasn't some reverse psychology. He truly desires an end to his pain. His conscience is greater than I thought, and I'll admit that was an oversight on my part. However, if we truly wish to punish him, keeping him alive will be much more effective."

“And what shall we do with him, sir?" Mr. Nazarov asks.

“Contact Dr. Blackmore. Let him know that there's been a change of plans. He'll become the Director of Purple Base, as originally promised, and serve as the Mayor of Telivima. As for the sniveling little Dr. Chavez... Maybe he should finally get that hospital job he so desperately wants?" The Old Man flashes a twisted grin.

“Sir?"

“Well, what better way to remind him of his failures than have him spend his days catering to the health and wellness of the AdvAnimals he so dislikes? I'm sure helping them birth their children, the very species that may one day reign supreme, will be an excellent reminder of his failure. In fact, isn't Harriet's child due to be born, soon?!"

“Yes, sir. She's only a few weeks away from her due date." Director Bloodworth replies.

“Good! She can be his first patient!" The Old Man grins from cheek to cheek.

“Are you sure that's wise, sir?" Mr. Nazarov furls his brow with worry.

“Don't think I'm giving him any leeway. This time around, he won't have any of those cushy privileges. No contact with the outside world, no unsupervised access to anything that could be even remotely considered a weapon, and full, twenty-four-hour video and audio surveillance. No mistakes this time. Not only will he not have the opportunity to harm his patients, he won't have the opportunity to end his life, let alone the privacy use the bathroom in peace or to think out loud, as he so often does." The Old Man assures them.

“And what of the leak, sir? How will we deal with that?" Mr. Spender asks.

“We can't be certain that he didn't give away our most precious secrets." Director Bloodworth adds.

“We have to assume that he did. Contact our people at Unifact. Tell them that we're pushing ahead their schedule." The Old Man says, casually glancing at his wristwatch. “If we work fast, it won't matter what he leaked."

“And what about the data from Red Base, sir? How will we spin that?" General Davis asks.

“Will that even be possible, considering?" Mr. Spender interjects, a worried look on his face.

“Ye of little faith! Everything can be spun in our favor, if we do it right." The Old Man flashes a sinister grin. “I've been manipulating people since L.B.J and controlling the media since Jimmy Carter! Just leave everything to me..."

“Yes, sir. Alright!" General Davis turns toward the soldiers and Agents. “Load him up and ship him off to Purple Base!"

After so long, the anticipation becomes overwhelming. How much longer will it be?! With a pitiful whimper, the desire to act finally takes over. Dashing through the door and racing up to the familiar, black car, Victoria ignores the pleases of Connor and Louis. The mare AdvAnimal's long, white hair and flowing tail are swept back by the breeze as her hooves clop on the steps and thump over the earth and gravel driveway.

“Victoria?!" A stunned Donnie swiftly jumps out of the car. “What're you doing?! You've got to get back inside before anyone-"

The air is pushed out of his lungs as the ecstatic AdvAnimal girl slams her ample bust into his chest and throws her arms around him. With her head bowed and muzzle resting atop the crown of his head, she brings her face near his cheek and nuzzles him.

“Mmmmm!" She happily hums and gives him a tight squeeze.

“Aww, I missed you too." Donnie softly chuckles, slipping his arms around her voluptuous form.

“Guys..." Connor murmurs.

“I was hoping you weren't going to forget about me while I was gone." Donnie continues.

“Mm-mm!" She shakes her head, then continues to nuzzles him.

“Guys! Car!"

The pair turn their heads. The glint of light, a reflection of a car's window, rises above the hill in the distance. A little over a half-mile away, it won't be long before the stranger, likely a local of the small, Indiana town, drives by and sees the AdvAnimal. Though they're well-known at this point, a result of nearly twenty years of interviews, ads and various propaganda, it's common knowledge that the populace does not yet have access to them. In a matter of seconds, their cover will be blown by the spectacle of Victoria's presence.

“Damn. Can we make it to the-AHH!"

Without hesitation, Victoria acts fast. Using her larger, stronger frame and a hoof, she sweeps Donnie's legs out from under him and lies him down. She stretches herself out as she lay to his left, her body somewhat covering his and one of her long, slender legs running between his legs. Connor, in an effort to not look suspicious, casually approaches the car and stands near their heads. He leans into the car, through the driver's side window, and looks for a button or level. Victoria smiles and stares into Donnie's eyes, her head tilted forward and her body pressed firmly against his.

She looks so sweet and innocent, a little smile on her face and her long, white hair flowing over her shoulders and framing his head. With her smile slowly widening, she leans a little closer, smooshing her breasts against his chest. Unable to resist, Donnie lifts his right hand and brushes her hair back, resting it over her shoulder as she bows her head in a bashful manner. Connor pops open the hatch and makes his way around the back of the car, lifting the hatch and collecting a bag, just as the car reaches them. Victoria's eyes shift as she hears it driving away. Donnie's hand reaches up and rests on her cheek, reclaiming her attention.

“Huh... That was different. They waved at me." Connor remarks, shouldering a heavy duffle bag. “Maybe they're local? Okay, you two. We'd better get her back into the house before-"

Connor stops in his tracks as he walks around the back of the car. His eyes widen in shock and amusement as Donnie and Victoria kiss each other. Though at first it seems rather benign, he turns his head as the passion increases. Donnie appears to thoroughly enjoy it as Victoria loses herself in the moment, a hand on his shoulder and the other disappearing toward his waist.

“Ahem!" Connor clears his throat.

The pair pull their lips apart and tilt their heads back. Glancing up at him, a little stream of saliva bridges the gap for a split-second.

“Hm?" Victoria looks to Connor.

“W-what is it?" Donnie asks, his cheeks flushing.

“Let's get her back inside." Connor casually remarks, a little smile on his face.

“Oh... Right. G-good idea."

Victoria pushes herself up and rises to her hooves, only to reach a hand down, still smiling at Donnie. He takes her hand and she gently pulls him up, being very careful not to harm him with her incredible strength. She pulls him hard enough to draw him into her bosom, only to give him another hug. She kisses his cheek in front of Connor and then drapes an arm over his shoulders. Donnie takes a step, only to stop in his tracks when he sees literally everyone else in the manor watching them from the doorway and a nearby window.

Most of them grin at the odd couple, while Louis seems rather surprised. With her head leaning to one side and resting against Donnie's, Victoria walks with him toward the front door. Connor collects the rest of Donnie's gear, then locks up the car before following them inside, struggling with the heavy bags. Entering the house, Donnie shies away as the other three AdvAnimal girls stare at him. They turn their attention toward Victoria and nod their heads, as if making a silent pact.

Mackenzie lifts up a cellular phone, sliding the top half to the side and revealing a tiny keyboard underneath. To Donnie's shock, she uses her claws to swiftly type a message. After pressing a button, several other phones beep and Samara, Alessandra and Victoria all produce identical Samsung Stratosphere phones. They read the message and Victoria appears to grow embarrassed. A strange smile spreads across her lips and she bows her head rather shyly, while Mackenzie and Alessandra giggle. Donnie scratches his head.

“What's so funny?"

The girls swiftly slide their phones closed and turn away, ignoring him. Even Victoria doesn't want to show him the message.

“I wondered when you'd get back." Jack says, draping an arm over Donnie's shoulder. “I bet you're ready for bed, huh?"

“You have no idea." Donnie sighs and tilts his head back. “I drove all day and night. Twenty-six hours, including a few stops to gas up and use the bathroom."

“Damn! That's commitment!" Connor chirps, shutting the front door with his foot.

“So, what's with the phones? I thought we don't use cells?" Donnie asks.

“We don't." Connor replies, setting the bags aside.

“That was Louis' idea." Jack says, walking toward the work room and patting Louis' shoulder as he passes him.

“Actually, it was Macky's idea." Louis retorts. “Since they're all literate, I wondered if there was a way that we could better communicate with them. She suggested 'notes' and then it hit me. I took some ruggedized phones, left them deactivated, and then we modified them. Connor came up with a program that uses the AM/FM radio feature and basically turns their phones into a text-based walkie talkie. Short range, but effective. The first four we gave to the girls. We're not quite done with the next four. We'll finish those up today." He explains.

“They seem to work fine. They've been using them all day." Connor remarks.

“Huh! Clever!" Donnie grins, glancing at Mackenzie.

The mouse girl flashes a nervous smile and bows her head, then returns to Louis' side. She stands within arm's reach of him, looking toward him, as if for guidance.

“So, what's this 'huge' thing you brought for us?"

Donnie reaches into his right cargo pants pocket and produces the box containing the laptop hard drive, presenting it to Louis.

“Huh... I was almost expecting it to be... Bigger." Louis remarks, taking the hard drive.

“It's one of those interdimensional things. It's bigger on the inside."

“I see!" Louis chuckles.

“So, what's in the box?" Connor asks.

“You'll see." Donnie smirks.

After removing the hard drive from the box and looking over the ports, turning it in his hands for a moment, Louis returns to his workstation. Donnie is surprised to find a third chair and desk, with an unused monitor and components for a new computer, sitting to the left of Louis' workstation and opposite from Connor's. As Louis sits in his chair and slides closer to his desk, Mackenzie takes the seat to his left and scoots closer to him, before resting a clawed hand on his forearm. Did they give her a workstation and are they building her a computer?! Louis is quick to answer that question.

“Don't worry. We'll finish setting you up once we check this out." He says, lifting up the small hard drive.

Samara follows Connor as he returns to his desk, where he was programming another phone before Donnie arrived. She keeps a hand near the small of his back, carefully hooking his shirt with her claws. Jack heads for the kitchen with Alessandra following along, while Donnie makes his way for the couch in the work room, a distance behind Louis, Connor and Mackenzie's workstations. He sits down on the couch, stretches his arms along the backrest and slumps back. In a millisecond, he's closed his eyes and feels a deep relaxation. Though he's been sitting all day in his car, the couch is infinitely better.

Hearing the clopping of hooves, he opens his eyelids, shifting his sapphire orbs toward the source. Victoria stands in front of the empty space directly beside him and straightens her skirt before joining him. Sitting on the middle cushion, she slithers toward him and presses their sides together. As he feels her pushing against him, he curls an arm, wrapping it around Victoria's voluptuous body. She slides over and down, until she's able to rest her head on his shoulder. His arm falls over her shoulder, hanging just above a large, full and perky breast.

“Mmm!" She coos, shifting her head and making herself comfortable.

Lifting up his feet, he's about to rest them atop the coffee table, but stops when he notices something peculiar.

“Hey, what's that?"

“What's what?" Louis asks.

“This box." Donnie replies.

“What box?" Connor asks, his eyes glued to his monitor.

“This big cardboard box, sitting right here. It's almost as big as the table."

The girls swiftly turn and stare, a strange look on their faces. Even Victoria lifts her head. Donnie furls his brow. How odd. It's as though she knows what it is.

“Oh, uhm... Nothing!" Connor replies, looking over his shoulder and staring at the box.

“Yeah, that's just a bunch of junk! Old parts and stuff!" Jack exclaims as he dashes toward the table.

He sets down a few cans of soda pop and hastily collects the large box, grunting as he slowly moves the cumbersome container across the room. He sets it down near another cardboard box, which contains an armoire purchased from IKEA They've pulled out some of the pieces out and set aside the tools but have yet to construct it. Donnie raises a brow, perplexed by their strange behavior. However, the lack of sleep begins to catch up to him. He turns his head and buries his nose in Victoria's hair, smelling the sweet scent of her shampoo as he leans his head against hers.

With a hand on his chest, the mare cuddles up to him, and within seconds, Donnie falls fast asleep. Awakening from a nightmare, he jolts to the sound of the gunshot in his mind. Panting for air, he sits upright and looks around the room. Where is he? How did he get into this bed? Searching frantically for a light source, he sees the outline of a lamp on a table, which he swiftly turns on. Looking around the room, it takes him a moment to realize where he is, eventually recognizing the furnishings as those in the guest bedroom.

It's always been sparsely furnished, with almost no decorations to speak of, as he's never actually lived in the manor full-time. Like Martin, he's kept a distance, but unlike Martin, who lives in an expensive, upper-class loft, Donnie's homes have almost exclusively been cheap, sleazy motels, places where he can hide away. He's lived out of a duffle bag for more years than he cares to count, and no place truly feels like home.

Pulling off the covers, he throws his legs over the edge of the bed, only to look down and find himself completely naked. His head turns and he looks at an empty space beside him. For a brief moment, he was almost expecting to see Victoria lying there. Who else would've removed all of his clothes? His friends never would've gone that far, and he knows for a fact that the AdvAnimal girls lack their level of modesty. They often sleep nude, as they quickly discovered, and with the notable exception of Mackenzie, would wander the house that way, while deciding what to wear. At least they did until they politely asked the girls to dress in their rooms.

Donnie lets out a heavy sigh. The only thing that bothers him more than Victoria not being there is how badly he wishes that she was. He glances at the nightstand and finds his clothes, the same ones he was wearing for over a day. They sit in a pile, neatly folded and next to the lamp. At the top of the pile is a cell phone, identical to the phones used by the girls. He collects his clothes and notes the smell of the laundry detergent. Whoever disrobed him took the time to wash them. Setting his clothes aside, he's far more interested in the cell phone. Looking through the phone he finds a note that says “readme".

“Finished the 5th phone. Decided to give it to you. The phone's text feature operates on a radio frequency. The contacts list alters the frequency. 'All' is readable by all phones, for a group chat. 'Guys' is our private chat. Gave the girls a 'Girls' version. Have fun. - Connor"

Checking the phone's contacts list, Donnie finds that he has all four of the girls in his list, as well as Louis, Jack and Connor, plus the 'All' and 'Guys' contacts. Scrolling down, he finds Victoria. He sits at the edge of the bed for what feels like an eternity before he finally decides to use the phone.

“Are you still up?" He texts.

A few minutes goes by, and Donnie begins to wonder if he might be disturbing her.

“She's probably asleep. Yeah... I should just go back to bed and-"

Beep! He lifts the phone and his heart races. Why is it doing that?! He opens the text.

“I'm still awake." Victoria replies.

He takes a moment to ponder what to say. He types a message, then deletes it. He types another, but deletes that one, too. In the end, he can only think of one message that sounds right.

“How did I get up here?"

“I carried you to bed. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable." She replies.

“Did you wash my clothes, too?"

“Yes."

He softly chuckles at the mental image. What it must have looked like as the mare AdvAnimal carried his limp body up the stairs and into his bedroom. Did he flop around like an oversized doll as she stripped him naked? He must have been exceedingly tired to not wake up during that. The phone suddenly beeps.

“Don't be mad! I didn't touch you while you were asleep!" She comments.

“I'm not mad."

“I just looked!" She texts at the same time he replies.

“It's okay." He replies.

“Oh. Good. :-)"

Again, he chuckles. After a short pause, his smile fades. He holds up the phone, his thumbs hovering over the little buttons on the keyboard. With a sigh, he begins to type.

“Were you going to bed?"

“Not anymore. :-D"

“Did you want to talk?" He asks.

“We're talking right now."

“I meant face to face. I wanted to spend quality time with you, like I promised."

“I'll come to your room!" She replies.

“Okay. Bring your phone."

Setting the phone aside, he turns around and leans back in bed, staring at the door. After a few seconds, his eyes grow wide and he looks down at his body, gazing upon his fully exposed manhood.

“Oh! Oops!" He quickly puts on his underwear.

He hears the clopping of her hooves as she approaches. The doorknob turns just as he snaps the elastic waistband of his boxer-briefs. It creaks open and Victoria peeks inside, sticking her head in rather slowly, as if she was worried that he may be indecent.

“Well? Come on in."

With a wide smile on her face, she pushes the door open and steps inside. His eyes grow wide. Closing and locking the door behind her, her hooves clop on the floorboards, her exceptionally large, perfectly formed breasts jiggling with each step. She's only wearing her red panties. His face flushes as she walks around the foot of the bed before climbing in with him. She sits beside him, looking down, her warm smile ever present. After a moment, she lifts up her phone and begins to type with her thumbs. He marvels at how much faster she is.

“It's good to see you. I missed you." She texts.

“I missed you, too..." He says with a smile, looking up at her. “I... I thought about you... A lot."

Victoria bows her head and shies away, and he's almost certain that he can see her cheeks flushing beneath her silver fur. Eventually, she lifts up her phone and types again.

“I thought about you often, too. :-)"

“You don't have to text the smiley faces." He chuckles, sliding a little closer. “Not when I can see your beautiful face."

“Hehe." She nervously giggles.

“I hope those were good thoughts you were having." He adds.

“Mhm!" She nods.

Reaching out a hand, he caresses her cheek. For some reason, all he wants to do is give her another kiss. As their lips inch closer, she turns her eyes and looks at the scar on his forearm. It draws her attention; she turns her head and grabs onto his arm with both hands, her smile fading as she examines the scar. Donnie turns away and lies back, pulling at his arm. Victoria releases him, though she looks quite worried, as if she'd made a mistake. She swiftly picks up the phone and begins to type.

“I'm sorry. I noticed it before." Her text message reads.

“It's alright." He speaks softly.

“What did you want to talk about?" Her next text asks.

“Well..." He turns in bed, facing her. “I promised I'd share my story with you. How all of this came to be. It's as close to the beginning that matters. Then, if you feel like it, it'll be your turn. You can tell me whatever you want about yourself. How does that sound?"

Victoria nods her head and slumps back in bed, listening eagerly to Donnie as he begins to speak. For the next few hours, he shares his past, beginning with finding the encrypted file that inadvertently caused the deaths of Old Mr. Hapcock, his mother and his father. He explains the origin of the scar, caused by his own hand, in the successful attempt to cover up his own kidnapping and potential murder. Hearing his quivering voice as he relives the years of living in fear, using false identities and moving from motel to motel, it breaks her heart.

By the night's end, she finds herself cradling him in her arms, giving him all of the comfort that she possibly can. He pays no attention to her ample bust, which presses against his warm flesh. The care she shows him is far more intriguing, and so very heartwarming. Her affection is greater than anything he's ever experienced before, which is not a surprise, as he's spent the majority of his life all alone. A part of him doesn't feel as though he deserves her love, but she gives it to him anyway. He responds by wrapping his arms around her and holding her.

When the exhaustion overwhelms her, Donnie doesn't force her to stay awake, nor does he make her return to her room. Instead, he holds her in his arms as she falls asleep in his bed. He then watches her for a moment, before cuddling with her and holding her while she sleeps. Even though he doesn't feel tired anymore, it's a simple matter to return to sleep; it's infinitely easier with her radiant warmth and the sweet aroma of her fur, which floods his nose as he rests it near her shoulders. Awakening around noon, Victoria yawns and stretches, then looks over to see Donnie already awake and watching her.

“Hi." He says with a little smile.

She lifts a hand and waves with her fingertips.

“I'm sorry you didn't get a turn last night. You can have me all day, to make up for it."

Her little smile widens and she slowly rolls over to face him. Leaning in, she rests a hand on his cheek and gives him a soft kiss. As soon as their lips part, she nuzzles him with her broad snout. She looks so happy to be spending time with him. It only makes his feelings that much stronger. In that moment, Donnie finally begins to realize why she's always on his mind, and it startles him. Hearing a knock at the door, he rolls over.

“Yeah?!"

“Are you coming down for a late breakfast? There's still some leftovers!" Louis' muffled voice asks.

“Sure!" Donnie speaks loudly for him.

“Okay! Uhm, by the way, no one can find Vicky!" Louis nervously adds.

“She's in here!" Donnie replies, feeling a sudden wave of embarrassment.

“Oh... Okay!"

Looking toward Victoria, she too appears somewhat nervous. Is she worried about what the others will think about her spending the night in his room? Somehow, Donnie didn't think that she would care about their opinion. Or perhaps she's unconcerned and only shares in his feelings? Finding her phone, she types a message.

“I'm sorry. I know I'm not supposed to be here. If you want, I'll tell them you don't want me."

Her message breaks his heart. He sits up, his mouth hanging open.

“No..." He sets his phone aside and turns toward her. “Don't you do that, and don't ever say that, either... Vicky..." He scoots a little closer and rests a hand on her cheek. “I do want you. Tell them the truth. You slept next to me, I held you, and it was great."

With her eyes becoming glossy, a happy tear suddenly runs down her cheek. After wiping the tear away, he leans in and kisses her very tenderly, only for them to kiss again. By their fifth kiss, they can hear more footsteps. They're almost pacing the hall. Realizing that it's time they got up, Donnie and Victoria climb out of bed. She holds her phone in her hand as she makes her way toward the door. As he pulls on his clothes, she puts her ear to the door, listening carefully. Unlocking it and pulling it open, she makes her way back toward her room, to collect her clothes.

Trusting her heightened senses, he leaves the room only to walk through the hall and hear Victoria slamming into someone. He turns his head, seeing the mare standing with a hand covering her mouth. Samara sits on the floor, almost lying backward, glaring at her and rubbing her head with a clawed hand. He chuckles and dashes down the steps, thoroughly unsurprised when he finds his friends in the work room, surrounded by the other girls.

“Hey, buddy. Finally getting up?" Connor smirks.

“Yeah, I slept pretty well." Donnie chirps.

“I'll bet..." Jack murmurs.

“What's that supposed to mean?!"

“Nothing!" Jack smirks.

“... So, did you use the phone?" Connor asks.

“Yeah. We talked." Donnie sits on the coffee table.

“Just talked?" Jack raises a brow.

“Yeah. Why?"

Jack shrugs his shoulders. Making her way downstairs, Samara immediately focuses on Connor. She walks across the room, her eyes narrowed and a little grin on her face as her hips and tail sway so gracefully. Moving away from his workstation, he smiles at the gray furred, cat AdvAnimal. Stepping up to him rather confidently, she leans in, places a hand on the back of his neck and kisses him on the lips, surprising no one but Donnie. He can briefly see their tongues caressing before their lips part. Taking hold of his hand, her clawed fingers weaving between his, Samara leads Connor away.

“Sorry guys. We'll see you later. We've got stuff to do."

As they walk away, Donnie watches with a raised eyebrow. Pulling his hand away, Connor gives her firm butt a little smack, which is made all the more audible in her tightly fitting bodysuit.

“How long has that been going on?" Donnie finally asks.

“A few days." Louis replies.

“Yeah, they became a couple pretty much the day you left." Jack adds.

“Huh..."

“They made it official before that, though." Louis remarks.

“We noticed how different they were acting, a few hours after you left, so he eventually just came right out and told us. Samara cornered him in the study, late at night, and 'one thing led to another, guys!'" Jack imitates Connor's voice.

“That was them?!" Donnie gasps.

“Oh, you heard that?!" Jack laughs.

“I'm sorry. May your ears please accept our humblest apologies." Louis smirks.

“Wow. I didn't think he had that in him." Donnie shakes his head and laughs.

“They already have a routine. First, they play some video games, then they play with each other." Jack flashes a little grin. “Been doing that every day since you took off to find Red Base."

Passing the couple as they make their way up the stairs, Victoria looks to Samara, who seems to stare at her. He cannot see the feline woman's face, but Victoria appears to be quite embarrassed. Making her way downstairs and into the kitchen, she waves her fingertips at Donnie and smiles shyly as she passes him. He flashes a little smile, but it's rather forced.

“What's wrong, Donnie? You don't look yourself." Louis cocks his head.

“Can I talk to you guys, in private? Please?"

Hearing the stress in his voice, Jack and Louis look to each other before turning toward Alessandra and Mackenzie. Without uttering a single word, the girls promptly leave the room, walk across the hall and disappear into the living room. They turn on the television and crank up the volume to drown them out. Donnie sits on the coffee table, his arms draped over his knees as he stares at his friends with a fretful expression on his face.

“So? What's the matter?" Jack asks.

“Yeah. What's wrong, Donnie?" Louis scoots his chair closer.

“I think... I'm falling in love with Victoria." He speaks very softly.

A sudden clanking of dishes rings out from the kitchen. Looking toward the sound, Donnie closes his eyes and drops his head.

“Wow... Okay!" Louis chirps.

A visibly uncomfortable Jack scratches the side of his head, then shifts the longer strands of his hair. Opening his eyes, Donnie lifts his head to find a shocked Victoria staring at him from the kitchen. It's clear to all three men that she heard his hushed voice from there. After failing to hear Samara in the hallway, Donnie was hoping she wouldn't catch his confession.

“Were you going to ask us how to tell her? Because I think you solved that problem." Jack remarks.

Overcome by her emotions, Victoria darts away, returning to the staircase and rushing up the stairs. She almost looks afraid. Donnie rises to his feet and takes a few steps toward the stairs, but stops and turns back. He walks slowly across the floor, his head down as he begins to ramble.

“I don't know... I'm so conflicted. I spent years just trying to open that damn file, and as soon as I did, I wanted to hate the AdvAnimals. I did hate them, too, for a long time. Right up until we saw Harriet and her family. You were right, Jack... She seemed so innocent, so human. I had to make myself hate her. But then Mackenzie helped me escape, Vicky saved me, and I brought them all back here... I tell myself every day that just because they didn't have a part in Sovereign Six's plans, it doesn't mean it's any less evil. That logic makes me want to think of the girls as evil, but I don't. Now, I find myself thinking about her, and I almost hate myself. I feel like such a fucking hypocrite."

He stands beside the cardboard boxes, looking over the nearly finished armoire, which Jack had been putting together.

“She's on my mind constantly. When I heard Connor and Samara in the study, I got jealous because I thought it might have been her! I couldn't even believe it when I felt it. I almost hoped that leaving would make it all go away, but when I said goodbye to her, all I wanted to do was turn my car around and come right back. Half of my energy driving back here was just the thought of seeing her again, and last night, I told her about myself. I mean, I really told her things, my feelings and my fears, and then I held her and it felt so right! I even thought about doing more than... Man... Am I going crazy or what?!"

Louis and Jack look between each other, sharing a similarly shocked and perplexed gaze. After a moment, it's clear to Donnie that neither of them has come to terms with their own complex and confusing relationships. Perhaps they were the wrong people to ask?

“Look, uhm... I really have no idea what to say." Louis replies.

“Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." Donnie sighs.

“If you're having these feelings, why not write them all down and give her that speech? Maybe you two can talk about that? She's got that phone; it might be less confusing with her feedback." Jack suggests.

“You're probably right. I'm just scared about what she might say." Donnie says with a sigh.

“Fear of rejection?" Louis asks.

“You know, I really think so. How crazy is that?!" Donnie softly chuckles.

“It's not crazy at all." Louis replies, a strange little smile on his face.

“To be honest, I think that fear is unfounded. I mean, if you could see it from our perspective, to see how she follows you around, I think it's clear she's more worried about you rejecting her." Jack adds.

“I hope you're right. I just think about it and I start to get scared that-OW!" Donnie winces as he accidentally kicks the corner of the large, cardboard box. “Damn, that's heavy. What's in there, anyway?"

“Oh, just some components!" Louis replies.

“Yeah, nothing special." Jack dismissively waves a hand.

“Computer stuff?!" An excited Donnie kneels down and opens the box.

“No, wait!" Jack races up to him.

“Oh..."

Donnie's eyes widen. He finds himself staring into a box that's completely filled with strips of condoms. A package slip at the top of the neat stacks reveals the exact contents.

“Vendor bulk order. 5,000 units. 1,000 Okamoto Crown, 1,000 Okamoto Beyond Seven Aloe, 1,000 LifeStyles Tuxedo Black, 1,000 LifeStyles SKYN, 1,000 Trojan Magnum." He reads aloud.

With a raised brow, he holds out the package slip to his friends, who now look even more embarrassed than he was at the start of their conversation.

“Yeah... We weren't sure how to tell you about that." Jack finally admits.

“You mean, you guys, too?!" Donnie gasps.

“Well, no... I'm sure Alessandra would love that, but... I haven't exactly... Been with her... Yet..." Jack replies, his cheeks taking a rosy hue.

“That's rather personal, Donnie..." Louis almost whimpers, turning his head away.

“That's a 'no'." Jack smirks.

“All of these can't possibly be for Samara and Connor!" Donnie scoffs.

“Well, no... After he told us about his 'study session', he got scared. After what you said you saw in those videos, and all that 'second gen' talk in those reports, he worried about getting her pregnant. As it turns out, a report from Red Base made it clear that Plan B works on AdvAnimals. No idea how. After that, he thought it might be best to take precautions." Jack begins.

“He told us that it was probably inevitable that we'd do it, too. 'Four healthy guys with as many willing and eager females, it's bound to happen', he said." Louis' face flushes as he speaks. “We realized that he was probably right. Better safe than sorry."

“After sizing ourselves in the privacy of our rooms, we gave the girls a latex allergy test." Jack chimes in.

Donnie's eyes grow wide, his mouth hanging open.

“No, no! It's nothing like that!" Louis exclaims.

“I had an old condom in my wallet that was just about expired..." Jack murmurs, visibly ashamed of that fact. “We, uhm... Rolled it over a banana and asked them to touch it to bare skin."

“All of them seemed to understand why we made the request. They were very cooperative. We certainly didn't make them do anything against their will." Louis swiftly interjects.

“Samara happily went first, sitting on Connor's lap and rubbing it on her nipples, which was very unsettling to watch!" Jack exclaims, his face almost beet red.

“The other girls did pretty much the same thing, except for Alessandra, who wanted to show off for Jack." Louis continues.

“Yeah, I put a stop to that right away, and she settled for her forearm... Among other things..." Jack murmurs.

“After that, Connor made the order. Overnight delivery. We didn't know exactly how many until we opened the box."

Satisfied but shocked by their answer, Donnie stands in silence. He looks toward the box, noticing the Trojan Magnum condoms.

“So... Do I not get to make fun of Connor's size anymore?" He smirks, pointing to the large sized condoms.

“No, those are, uhm... Those are for me." Jack's flashes a shy grin.

“I want to be surprised but..." Donnie sighs. “Alright, well this was awkward enough. I'd better leave you guys to work on that hard drive."

“Alrighty!" Louis chirps. “I'll let you know when I have something good!"

Seeing Donnie leaving the work room and heading toward the stairs, Mackenzie and Alessandra swiftly climb up from the couch and return to Louis and Jack. They don't even bother to turn off the TV. He can hear them dashing across the floor, their claws clicking on the hardwood. It's rather adorable, and brings a little smile to his face. As he makes his way up the stairs, eager to find and speak to Victoria, he hears his phone beep. He stops at the middle of the stairs, pulls out his phone and reads a new text message.

“I'm sorry. Don't be mad. I listened from the stairs." Her text message begins. “I liked what you said about me. I want you to love me because I already love you. :-)"

“You do?!" He texts back.

“Yes, I do. I felt so close to you when you told me about your parents and about how scared you were. I love how you trust me and how sweet you can be. I love how I feel when you hold me. I love you very much, Donnie. Please, see me in my room." She replies.

Stuffing the phone into his pocket, he races up the stairs and swiftly walks toward her bedroom door. He doesn't want to appear so excited, but he simply cannot help himself. Announcing himself as he stands outside, he doesn't even knock before he turns the knob. Stepping inside, he stops in his tracks when he sees her. Bending over her bed, she once again wears only her red panties, having removed the rest of her clothes. With the most innocent of looks on her face, she hooks her thumbs behind the thin waistband of her panties.

She remains perfectly still, waiting for him to make a move. After looking between her large, perky breasts and her perfect buttocks, he shifts his gaze and looks into her sapphire eyes for a moment. Donnie steps into her room, closes the door and locks it behind him. With her smile widening, she rather shyly pushes down her panties, exposing herself to him. He feels the blood rushing to his loins, and cannot help but reach down and adjust himself.

Her eyes narrow and she coos, her long tail swishing through the air. She moves it to the side, silently inviting him to partake of her visibly wet womanhood, but the long strands brush the nearby vase.

“Hmm?!"

Hearing a strange rumbling, she tries to peer over her shoulder, shifting ever so slightly. Her tail hooks the teetering vase and it falls over, smashing into pieces on the floor and leaving a considerable puddle of water. As Donnie looks toward the broken vase, the red flowers strewn about the floor, he can only smile. Shifting his gaze, he stares at Victoria, who's cheeks flush to the point that he can actually see it beneath her silver fur.

“Don't worry..." He says, stepping closer and unbuttoning his pants. “I'll clean that up later."

He drops his pants and underwear to the floor as he stands directly behind her. Victoria's breath hastens as she stares in awe at the human, who so eagerly reveals his manhood to her. She trembles as she feels his hands gently resting upon her hips. With a little tug, he directs her movements.

“Get a bit lower and lean back a little." He speaks softly.

She obeys, spreading her legs wider and canting her hips. Feeling her nether lips brushing something, a chill runs up her spine. She can't stop now, nor does she want to. Leaning even further back, it's warm, firm and bulbous. She winces and bites on her bottom lip with eager anticipation as he presses the head of his engorged phallus against her loins.

“Do you really love me?" He suddenly asks. “Or do you just want this?"

She looks back at him, startled by the question and the worried look on his face. Though he presses the tip of his exceptional manhood against her flesh, ready to use it, he very clearly wants this to be meaningful. With a warmth in her chest, she takes one hand away from the bed, points between them and then curls two fingers around each other, smiling warmly as she pantomimes her feelings as concisely as she can.

“Good, because I meant what I said... I love you, Vicky."

“Mmm!" She nods her head.

With that, Donnie no longer hesitates. He pushes forward until the engorged tip begins spreading her nether lips. They both gasp as her warm, wet flesh begins enveloping him. With both hands on her hips and with a firm pelvic thrust, the mare becomes his.