FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 4

Kasdel woke up to the rays of sunlight that had quietly crept through the window; even the blinds couldn't stop the intense radiance from bathing the apartment. Staring at the ceiling for a few long minutes, he tried to get his brain working. Then he noticed the large arm belonging to a black cat draping over his chest from behind. Softly stealing a look over his naked shoulder, he saw Lanson purring lightly while still in his dream world. The cute look on the large feline was melting his mind, as Kasdel shifted his weight slightly so that he could take a better look at the sleeping panther. The orange house cat smiled to himself while gently tracing a finger along the muzzle of Lanson and watching his partner's cat ears twitching a little. He could feel the warmth of Lanson's body against him, as the massive panther legs were entwined with his.

Kasdel could still vividly recall the fervent sex that they had last night. His butt still felt sore from the seven inch long cock that had savagely dominated his virgin entrance. The cum had leaked out from his hole during the night and Kasdel could feel spots on his fur became dry and hard from the sticky fluid of his lover. He breathed peacefully in a content mood while feeling the hot breaths from Lanson tenderly blowing against his slender neck. Lanson stirred slightly while mumbling incoherently, as he drew Kasdel closer to his chest and cuddled the small feline in an affectionate gesture. Such act had made Kasdel blushed with glee, as he closed his eyes and pulled the panther's large furry hand to his face. Giving it a few licks of love, he returned to the slumber land hoping to meet his companion within the dreamy world filled with untainted merriment and indiscrimination that society had long abandoned.

Screw his shift in that stupid store. His boss could manage that place by himself; a place of utter tedium and annoyance; a place that was more of a prison than a source of income.

***

Kasdel grumbled unhappily as he walked down a barren street a few blocks away from the convenience store. His black hoodie and blue jeans had absorbed the sunlight and made his body quite warm; just the way he liked it. His earrings sparkled from his human ears while he strolled lazily. It was early afternoon when his boss had called and gave him an earful for skipping work second day in a row. Despite his very effort of trying to get himself let go or fired, the owner of the pathetic store had demanded Kasdel to head back to work. It was as if the fat human didn't even want to let him go. Maybe because the guy knew Kasdel was the only one dumb enough to accept a job there.

The late summer sun had enveloped the area with whiteness, as the pavement was surprisingly clean. Devoid of garbage and other filth, it was clear a city cleaning vehicle had passed through. A clean metropolis was an image desperately needed to conceal the deprived living conditions that many citizens were facing. With various nations around the world joining forces to form the United Government, it was ridiculously easy to force its poor citizens to pay non-stopping taxes that had seemed to be increasing in amounts every passing year while refusing to improve the living conditions. There were riots and protests happening all the time. People were fed up with the way how the United Government had acted under a false-pretense of legality through phony reasoning to siphon additional money for the white collar officials to indulge. Of course, the demonstrations that had screamed for equality and transparency regarding city planning were met with deadly oppression; one that had cleverly done through edited media coverages so that blind sheep who believed their government was still looking after their best interests would happily accept. In reality, those who had dared to fight against the power of the United Governments were secretly disposed of.

Kasdel had heard about the ominous brutality officials were exhibiting from the people that had visited the store. Most of the time he had shrugged it off as he didn't care much about politics and social philosophy; he was in a battle with himself. A hidden fury that had been bottled up for years; a threat that was screaming to be released yet had been restrained by Kasdel's rather tranquil personality; it was a fight filled with silent lament scream within his mind. He was so close at embracing a bitter end that such self-destructive thought had been his only companion for the last two years. Seeing couples walking on the streets, hand in hand, snuggling, hugging, kissing, and enjoying life; the scenes were too avid for him that he felt greatly incensed by such repulsive acts. Ironically enough, he wanted to have the same experience with someone as well.

Rounding a corner and entering one of the main arteries of the road system in Nadiko City, Kasdel was met with heavy traffic, crowded sidewalks, and loud noises. Tall skyscrapers loomed over him. Dark windows glittered under the sun. Grimacing, he shook his head as he gripped his shoulder pack tightly lest a thief pickpocketed his belongings. That darn Lanson! Kasdel yelled in his head while he navigated around the sea of people. The black cat had forced him to get to work after waking up. The panther had told him though he would be taken care of in the worst case scenario that didn't mean Kasdel could sit around and do nothing at home. The house cat must try and put in the effort, said the panther. Such nerve, that Lanson! Kasdel gritted his teeth with slight irritation while he waited at a crosswalk with a bunch of other humans.

Suddenly, Kasdel felt like someone was watching him as he waited for the lights to turn. Turning around slowly, he scanned the people around him. Men and women in different clothing stood by while checking their messages on their phones; a few teenagers had skipped school heading somewhere; some parents with their children were busy herding the young ones before they lost themselves in an ocean of intolerable suffocation generated by the disgusting scents of overpowering colognes and perfumes.

Kasdel cautiously walked across the street as his senses were telling him that someone or something was definitely on him. The natural instinct of a cat had been part of him since birth. It was almost like a sixth sense in some way; powerful; dominant; perceptive; it had saved him quite a few times in the past. Still, it seemed extremely peculiar that whatever it was had effectively avoided his detection, as he continued to skim around the surrounding environment with his light yellow eyes through lingering strands of long black hair that had been tied into a pony tail once again behind his neck.

The mysterious figure watched while Kasdel gradually disappeared down the street. His gaze had never left his target, as he patiently observed Kasdel from afar. Stretching a bit, he straightened his shirt before leaving the area.

***

"What did I say before?"

Kasdel tilted his head and asked: "What?"

"I told you that one more lateness and you are gone. It seems you have a major problem with authority. Did you think that you own the store? No. You are just a worker here helping me out."

Standing in front of the fat man whose face was red with agitation, the cat in his human form softly sighed as he listened to his boss yelling at him. When he had entered the store, the ignorant human was fuming while walking out from his office in the back. He had skipped not only a day's work earlier but he had also come in late for his shift today. Not that he had cared. To Kasdel, having a job in this forsaken place was worse than being in hell.

"What makes you think skipping out work yesterday is okay?" The owner asked loudly.

"I was injured."

"Injured?"

Lifting up his left arm and pulling back the long black sleeve, he exposed his skin and said: "Yeah. I was hit by a car and I was hurt. I couldn't come in to work. I guess I forgot to call you...sorry."

The man stared at the white flesh for a long moment before his eyes shifted up to Kasdel's face. Sputtering, he yelled: "What kind of bullshit is this?! There's not a single trace of a wound or broken bone! Who are you trying to fool here?!"

Taking a quick peek at his arm and then back at his boss, Kasdel smiled sheepishly. "I guess it had healed faster than I expected."

Stunned and obviously enraged, the man had looked as if he was about to faint from the lack of means to vent the enormous fury brewing inside of him. Readjusting his tie that didn't fit his attire, the owner pulled up his falling pants where the single belt used to secure oversized waistband was on the verge of breaking apart. His massive belly hung grossly over the beltline; a scene that Kasdel had tried not to take in with every ounce of his willpower. Finally, the man lifted his short, stubby arm and pointed at the doorway.

"You are fired! Get out of my sight!"

Sighing, the young feline muttered: "It's about goddamn time."

"What did you say?"

Looking at his former employee, Kasdel replied: "I said it's about time you fired me. I can't stand this shithole anymore! There's no room for improvement. There's no opportunity to be promoted to a better position with a better salary. For five years, you didn't let me have a day off. You didn't care if I was really in an accident or not. It's as if everything that I've said and done up till now was a lie to you. If it weren't for me looking after your pathetic store, you would have bankrupted already."

Eyes wide, the man yelled: "Get out of my store, now! Kasdel, you ungrateful bastard! You'd still be starving if it weren't for me! Who do you think you are? I'm the one who had given you money for the work that you did! But clearly you don't need this job anymore! So get the fuck out of my sight before I beat your sorry ass!"

Waving a goodbye, Kasdel left the building. Once outside in the sunlight, an indescribable feeling had swarmed over him. It was a mix of relief with a mild sense of regret. As much as he hated his job, he had let his emotions getting the best of him. Then again, getting fired, although he had been hoping to receive such treatment for quite a while now, was never a good thing to experience. It had left an extremely bitter taste in his mouth, which had prompted such immature outburst toward the man that had employed him for many years. He was surprised at the reaction that he had displayed. Given his personality, he should have taken the firing with well-composed stride, showing the human that he was professional and rational to the end.

After walking down the street for a few minutes, Kasdel heaved out a depressing breath before popping a coin into a vending machine. Grabbing the can of coke and leaning against the machine, he took a sip before gazing blankly into the clear blue sky above him. The sidewalk was fairly empty; most people had gone back into their office buildings after lunch hour. Whiteness of the pavement had seemed to be bleached into an even frostier color, as the bright sunlight flooded the area with its unrelenting rays. There were very few shades available with the scorching ball of fire in the sky casting a low late afternoon angle. Standing there zoning out while his hair draped over his skinny shoulders, he looked like a prostitute waiting to be taken.

Tossing the empty can into a recycling bin on the side of the street, Kasdel strolled quietly down the road. Passing multiple stores that had aligned neatly to his right the feline in his human form didn't take much heed to the fancy signs and flashing displays. He was depressed and felt lost now that he had finally gotten what he wished for - getting fired. Ignoring the usual stares that people gave him with his dyed hair and earrings, Kasdel was walking aimlessly with no actual destination in sight. Lanson would still be at work right now and there was nothing to do back at his apartment.

It wasn't long before Kasdel had reached a busy intersection with a sky bridge that could allow people to safely cross the road without getting hit by cars. The dark silver structure reached as high as two stories in the air. There weren't too many pedestrians walking about as Kasdel navigated his way up the staircase from one end of the entrance. After moving to the middle of the bridge, he stood by the railing and looked out toward the long stretch of vehicles that whizzed by beneath him. The overhanging ceiling above had provided a cool shade that was refreshingly comfortable. His hoodie fluttered lightly when a gust of warm summer wind surged through the rather vacant passageway. His hands trembled softly while he gauged how high it was from the black pavement down below to where he was standing right now. His light yellow eyes brimming with a thin coat of tears, as Kasdel pondered what he should do now with no source of income.

Kasdel longed for Lanson right now. He wanted to seek comfort in the black cat's embrace. He wanted to feel the support and the reassurance from the presence of the large panther. He felt lonely and naked without Lanson. Wiping away the drop of tears that rolled down the side of his face, Kasdel shook his head. Wishing for Lanson now was pointless. Besides, he knew that his companion would come visit him tonight. At least, he had hoped that it would be the case.

"You seem to be troubled by something."

A voice that rang out beside him had startled him. Literally jumping up like a scared feline, Kasdel took a step back and stared at the man in front of him. Slim and smaller than he was, the unannounced individual was wearing a white sweater and pair of dark blue jeans. Looking at Kasdel with dark green eyes through a pair of eyeglasses, the relatively young-looking person grinned.

"Why do you care?"

Shrugging, the man leaned against the railing with an arm while brushing his spikey blue hair upward and away from his face. "I was just seeing you making a gesture of jumping off this sky bridge. I'd figured I should intervene before a tragedy happens. After all, a nice-looking guy like you shouldn't get so distraught in life."

Blushing, Kasdel narrowed his eyes. Without saying another word, he started walking away. Running to catch up to Kasdel, the stranger was persistent in trying to strike a conversation.

"Hey! What's the rush?"

Heaving a sigh of annoyance, Kasdel increased his strides while stating coldly: "If you are trying to scam me or have other twisted agendas I am not going to fall for them. Get away from me."

"Is that how you thank the person who has just saved your life?"

"You didn't save me from anything. I wasn't going to commit suicide. Stop bothering me. Get lost."

Looking mildly hurt, the man rolled his tongue in his mouth as he stared intently at Kasdel while he slowed down his pace. Standing near the staircase, he watched Kasdel running down the steps and disappeared among the group of people that had populated the sidewalk. Breathing heavily after the walk had become a full sprint through the city streets Kasdel sat and leaned against a low brick wall within a quiet neighborhood. Houses and gardens around him were designed similar to that of Japanese style; small, clean, and elegant-looking; some of them had a tiny pond trickling water through a shortened bamboo. The sound of crisp gurgling liquid was revitalizing within the summer heat. Wiping a bead of sweat away from his forehead, Kasdel looked up and down at the narrow vacant street. Aside from noises of few lingering vehicles roaring down the block, he was alone.

Kasdel took the time to ponder who that person was. There was something odd about the stranger. A sense of ferocity could be felt from the guy. As well, Kasdel had caught a faint scent of familiarity. It was as if that person was like him, a different species in disguise to avoid prejudiced social scrutiny.

Suddenly, Kasdel noticed a figure was standing not too far away looking at him. Turning around, he saw it was an individual with a black motorcycle helmet fully enveloping the head. A silver heavy bike was parked behind him in the middle of the small intersection, as if the person didn't care if he had blocked other oncoming traffic. The polished black visor gleamed as the stranger slowly moved toward him. Leather outfit for riding protection creaked lightly while the man advanced toward the confused Kasdel. The aura coming from the uninvited stranger was heavy; silent and deadly; devoid of any sorts of sentiment. Kasdel felt his throat tightening up while standing up slowly from the ground. Holding his bag close to him, he eyed the stranger with great suspicion.

Before he could say anything, Kasdel noticed the man lifting his hand. A pistol was aiming at him. His eyes were wide with disbelief as the world seemed to be slowing down. The weapon was like Death's Sickle, ready to take the life that it was claiming. Kasdel closed his eyes expecting the worst. His body was frozen on the spot; unable to move and unable to react, he was a sitting duck waiting to be slaughtered. The gunshot had never happened. Only a loud grunt and the sound of a body falling on the ground had occurred. Reopening his eyes, Kasdel saw the same odd man that was following him around had somehow neutralized the threat. With the biker on the ground a few feet from the man, Kasdel was trying to bring motion to his legs; to flee; to run to somewhere safe.

Looking up, the short individual smirked a bit. He pushed up his glasses before standing up and running toward Kasdel. Holding up a hand attempting to stop the guy from getting closer, Kasdel took a few steps back in panic.

"Whoa! Stop!"

Pausing only a meter away from the frightened feline, the man asked: "I just saved you twice today. Surely you are not that antisocial, are you?"

"Who the hell are you and what is going on here?!"

Before the mysterious person could reply, a rustling sound had made him turn around. The assailant got up and brushed the dust away from his leather jacket. Turning his neck a bit, crackling sounds could be heard as he began to walk toward the person that had prevented him from accomplishing his objective.

"Stay here. Don't move unless I say," the small man instructed as he sprinted toward his opponent, leaving Kasdel utterly bewildered.

The two met face to face a second later. As the opponent was surprisingly agile at dodging the punches that the smaller guy was dishing out, Kasdel could see his stalker was also equally nimble in terms of movements. Both combatants were moving in such a way that had far exceeded the capabilities of normal human beings. Their jumps were three times higher than what a well-trained human athlete could do and their mid-air acrobatic actions were surreal. They leaped between the concrete walls and telephone poles like two alley cats pursuing each other.

After avoiding a kick from the enemy, the smaller person suddenly spun in the air and extended his leg. The boot had solidly struck his assailant's chest. A sickening thud echoed in the air as the biker's entire body flew backward away from a ring of dust that had lingered at the point of impact. The enemy's upper torso had collided against a residential fence with such force that an entire section of the barrier made up of solid bricks fractured and crumbled inward. A thick cloud of debris and smoke rose high into the air, partially obscuring the visibility of the road. Pieces of concrete slabs rolled in front of Kasdel as he coughed and shielded his face.

Landing in front of his fallen opponent, the stranger that had saved Kasdel from certain death suddenly had a long spotted yellow tail exposed from the back of his jeans. Kasdel was stunned as he stared with his mouth opened. Another Feral Assassin species? It was not possible and Kasdel wouldn't have believed it unless he had seen it with his very own eyes. He thought only Lanson and himself were the two beasts that had hidden away behind a human disguise in Nadiko City. Yet, in front of him, the person that had just miraculously demonstrated a strength far superior than a human was actually another of his kind.

Without warning, the wounded enemy leaped up from the wreckage, as his once-shiny black helmet and suit were scratched, torn, and covered in a fine layer of white dust. His visor had shattered in half, revealing a glaring orange eye from within. Using the wall as support, he poured energy into his legs and shot toward the dominating individual. Bending his knees and lowering his center of gravity, the one that had exposed his tail shifted his weight so that only his arms were used in counter-attack. Redirecting the massive force from the punch that the biker had thrown out, the smaller man reached out and smacked his palm against the back of the enemy, sending the poor person spinning across the road, clearing the low fence, and into an innocent resident's house.

Screams rang out as neighbors began to come out of their homes to see what the commotion was about. It wasn't long before distant sirens of patrolling officers were creeping closer. Recollecting his breath, the man got back to Kasdel and grabbed the stunned feline's hand.

"Hurry! Let's get out of here before more trouble comes!"

"But-wait-I-"

"I'll explain everything later!"

He pulled Kasdel with such tremendous strength that Kasdel felt like his right arm was about to be dislocated. Without choice, he started running with the secretive person that had just shown some incredible feat. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the biker was walking out of the rubble. Fear had gripped his heart as Kasdel sprinted as fast as he could. He didn't have a choice. He had to rely on this stranger that had just saved his life. If he were to be brought into some kind of dire predicament later on so be it. He'd die already had the man not intervene.

Staring at the two retreating figures while panting with distress, the person stood in the middle of the street where residents were surrounding him. Yells of anger and confusion had filled the area when homeowners had noticed the damages to their properties. One woman was so irate at the mess to her garden that she had stood in front of him, screaming for compensation.

A streak of blood sprayed through the air and onto nearby bystanders after he made a swiping motion with his claws protruding from his leather gloves. Snarling with frustration he turned and walked back to his motorcycle, leaving the woman gurgling for air as reddish liquid filled her throat and spurted out from the massive gash on her neck. She slumped onto the ground in a pool of blood while everyone else shrieked in terror. They ran back into their house and locked their door while the man calmly got onto his bike and rode away.

***

Even though he had the stamina that of a cat, Kasdel still felt winded by the marathon that had lasted for thirty minutes. He had been running around the city today and he still had no idea what was going on. The man was not even out of breath as he stood beside the tired victim, as he scanned the environment for signs of pursuers. They had gotten to the industrial sector of the city where massive factories were erected to process various kinds of raw materials. Large plumes of factory smoke roared into the sky, as the afternoon sun had begun its daily descent beyond the lines of skyscrapers that had populated the city center. Large rolling gates had prevented any non-essential persons from entering the forbidden factories. There were guards inside the compounds but they usually remained at their posts and hardly ventured out onto the transport roads where constant delivery trucks roared through to meet their deadlines. Gesturing Kasdel to follow him, the man led the dazed feline into a secluded, abandoned area between the warehouses. As Kasdel caught his breath, the person got close to him.

"Stop getting so close to me!" Kasdel blurted out as he shunned away from such uncomfortable advancement.

"You are just so cute when you look flustered," the strange person stated with a grin. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Who knows what you are trying to pull...." Kasdel muttered as he set his bag down on the dirt road.

"Listen, if I've really wanted to hurt you I would have done so long ago."

"And you could have just enacted such an elaborate scene so that you could get close to me and bring me to this area where no one will know where I was!"

"Yet, you had decided to willingly follow me. Isn't that contradictory?"

"You were pulling my arm! After seeing what you can do, do I have a choice?"

"You are all by yourself anyway day in and day out. No one would care either way. I know because I've been tracking you. So the question still stands: If I were set on capturing you why would I have waited until now?"

They stared at each other in silence for a few long moments. Without warning, Kasdel abandoned his side pack and dashed to the right. Leaping over a security fence and landing within an abandoned warehouse property, he transmorphed half way to his natural form. Sprinting at full speed, he slid under a large truck to bypass the loading bays before using his arms to hurl himself over another gate. He skidded to a stop when he saw the stalker was gazing at him from the roof of a rusted vehicle just a few steps away. Panting while looking at the man, Kasdel darted into a small crevasse between the two storage buildings in an effort to lose his chaser. As he emerged into an open parking lot that was filled with overgrown weeds and broken down machine parts, he headed toward the exit in the far distance. Yet, before he could get to the gate, the man suddenly sprung over the gate and landed in front of him.

The dark green eyes had sent shivers down Kasdel's spine as he saw the person in front of him transmorphing into an anthro leopard. Black spots gradually appearing alongside of his face while his nose had shifted into a cat's muzzle. The sweater had concealed most of the furry creature's appearance but Kasdel could see the long sharp claws lining the fingertips from the leopard's hands. Short yellow furs were wavering lightly in the breeze, as a small dust devil danced between them.

Twitching his cat ears that had protruded from the spikey blue hair, the beast pushed up his glasses and said: "Did you honestly think you could escape from the clutch of a leopard?"

Kasdel gritted his fangs while standing there unsure of what he should do. His tail arched against his back while his furs were standing straight up in a display of great distress. Before he could react, Kasdel suddenly felt a heavy weight on him. He was knocked backward onto his back as he cried out in pain. Opening his eyes, he saw the leopard was on top of him. His arms were pinned down while the feline above him growled lowly in a playful way. Lowering his muzzle, the spotty cat's whiskers lightly tickled Kasdel's neck.

"You smelled so good, Kasdel."

Shifting his eyes, the orange house cat asked: "How did you know my name?!"

Before the predatory beast could answer, three more figures quietly landed around them.

"Oh, stop being so naughty, Azen!" A female voice rang out from the group.

Laughing and jumping away from Kasdel, the small leopard sat on the ground while watching his playmate slowly getting up. The tallest one, a female among the group, was staring down at Kasdel with her purplish eyes while wearing a white uniform with low-cut blouse complementing her shoulder length red hair. She had a smile on her face while showcasing her beautiful figure - a result from years of intense trainings and exercises. Next to her left was a man with short golden hair sporting a silver necklace while also wearing the same uniform as his female companion minus the blouse; muscular with broad physique pushing against the tight outfit, he studied Kasdel closely while showing an expression of arrogance. Being the same height as Lanson, the man had somehow resembled Kasdel's lover but was obviously revealing more of an egotistical personality than the humble trait that Lanson had possessed. Finally, standing all the way back was a teenager that was clearly the youngest out of the group. With the same long black hair as Kasdel, he, too, wore a pair of glasses like Azen had. Slim in appearance and clearly had a reticent personality, he looked more like a weak butler in a fancy mansion than someone that had the same ability as Azen and the others.

"Look how you've frightened this little kitty, Azen," the female cooed with sympathy as she gently cupped Kasdel's face and brushing his long black hair away from his face to get a good look. "I swear, Azen, sometimes your jokes do get too far."

Waving a hand, the small leopard dismissed the comment. "Kari, we all know that in your disguise of motherly character, you are the most ruthless one out of all of us."

Upon hearing that, Kasdel's eyes widened again while he struggled to get out of the woman's grasp. But she grinned and wrapped her arms around him, bringing him close to her bosom. His face turned red when he felt the large breasts pressing against his upper chest and neck. It was evident to him that she was being a tease, perhaps a greater tease than Lanson.

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, the brawny man with the golden hair stared at the weak orange cat. "I don't know why we need to protect this guy. He's just a weak house cat that's like all others."

"Lanson ordered us to protect him so that the United Government won't have their way with him," the shy individual behind them said soft as he stood politely. "Saber, you should know better."

Flashing his partner a glare, the man shook his head. "Xerus, Lanson is a fool thinking that he can waste the Feral Assassins' resources. Our numbers are shrinking and we shouldn't be spending time and effort on this pussy. Rather than wasting our time, we should be tracking down Crypt. Killing another Gen-Two will be beneficial to all of us and our survival."

Kasdel felt a sense of rage as he heard the last word - pussy. It had implied that he was pathetic, useless, and completely insignificant. It was true he was nobody; a talentless being that was not worthy of anything. Still, it felt annoying when he heard another person making such remark toward him, as if he didn't exist. Kari noticed the change in her little kitty's expression and she gently released him.

Bringing his chin up, she said: "Kasdel, I do hope that you will excuse Saber's words. He's a venomous character with tendency to get onto people's bad side. It's only done so that he could satisfy his perverse nature."

Saber scowled while Azen leaped onto his feet. He got to Kasdel's side and reached up, lovingly scratching Kasdel's furry ears and softly caressing the orange cat's tail.

"Will you stop touching me like that?!" Kasdel snapped.

Snickering, Azen apologized. "I'm sorry. I can't help myself. You just look so helpless and cute."

"This guy has a tendency to fall in love with anyone that is a feral beast like us," Kari explained. Pointing to Xerus, she introduced: "And finally, Xerus here is our organization's intelligence gathering officer. Don't judge him by his looks. In terms of combat ability, he may be the strongest out of all of us."

"You joked too much as well, Kari," Xerus replied while seemingly blended into the background so that less attention could be placed on him.

"What is going on here?" Kasdel blurted out as he took a step back. Looking at the group of people in front of him, he felt like he just got dragged into a troublesome mess.

"Perhaps he'll explain to you better than any of us can, Kasdel," Azen said as he smiled. Verdant eyes gleamed with energy he motioned Kasdel to follow them. "Come on. We'll bring you to Lanson. He's our commanding officer and will tell you all there is to know about our past and what the United Government is currently trying to do."

End Chapter 4