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No Chance

Epilogue

copyright 2018 comidacomida

Courtney sat on the sofa turning the DVD case around and around in her hands; she'd all but given up on seeing it. The videographer for the wedding had apparently misplaced it and she went so far as to provide Daryl and Courtney a full refund for her services, but it had finally been delivered-- for free-- about three and a half years later. The note attached to it said that they finally located it and were sending it along at no cost.

The arrival of their DVD brought up memories Courtney hadn't thought about in years and, as she looked at the simple title of "DARYL AND COURTNEY ROGERS"; it had taken quite a bit to get to that point, but they had finally married. The ceremony had been beautiful; they'd been surrounded by friends and family, and everything went so smoothly it had made Courtney wonder why so many people had horror stories about their wedding day. In fact, other than the videographer misplacing the video it had been as perfect as her ring.

Setting the DVD case aside, Courtney held up her hand, admiring the beautiful wedding band; what she had received on the day of the wedding had been a partner to her engagement ring, and the two were interwoven perfectly into a singular whole. She smiled to herself; more than three years had passed and life had changed in far more ways than she could have possibly imagined. The 'perfect storm' that had taken place after the Federal Drug Administration extraction team picked them up from the Division Six installation had led to that ceremony in ways that had been inconceivable.

They had spent two months being transferred between at least a dozen FDA sites. For most of it Daryl and Courtney were accompanied by Abe, Fred, and Rex only but, once the Division scientists and surviving lab animals had completed debriefing the small group grew into a community of several dozen. From there, Abe and Rex had their paws full with helping the installation survivors reintegrate and come to grips with the changes they'd wrought in the world. Oh-- and the world certainly did change.

After two months, Courtney, the FDA agents, Abe, and Rex were released into a supervised facility. While they were still technically under the 'control' of the FDA they were afforded many more liberties, and even permitted to exit into the general populace... which is where Courtney saw the effects of what Division Six's formula had done. The following month, coupled with the prior two were quite likely the most difficult in modern history as the newly changed animal people (and people animals) had to come to grips with their altered life. During that time, it was discovered that only about 60% of the remaining human population had been affected by the virus, which meant that only three out of every five people were able to understand friends, family members, and coworkers who had undergone the most extreme changes.

By the end of the third month, Courtney, Daryl, Fred, Abe, and Rex were traveling between help centers working as advisors and counselors. Having been vetted by the FDA, they were official government agents and Courtney had never felt so fulfilled; she'd always had an interest in helping people and guiding those most troubled by the changing world provided her so much more satisfaction than working as a business analyst. Daryl focused on helping altered humans who were at least as much human as they were animal; Fred led discussions and help sessions for humans who had undergone more drastic changes; and Rex, ever the gregarious Dog was pivotal in aiding affected animals learn more about their new thoughts and feelings. There were so many very difficult days and numerous difficult cases, but they were all worth it.

It took yet another month for social services, government agencies, and non-profits to figure out the logistics to spread the programs to an extent that finally gave the FDA a break, and that meant Courtney and Daryl FINALLY had a chance to figure out their own lives, and that was when the wedding plans began anew. By month six their entire group had moved out of the FDA facilities and that, in and of itself, was an adventure. Despite having a caseworker and a part time helper, Fred's needs made it difficult for him to live alone, and so he became Courtney and Daryl's room mate-- their first room mate.

Abe's mother and father had long-since provided him emancipation papers but the Fox was still so focused on making a positive difference in the world that he was nowhere near capable of maintaining his own finances; Courtney and Daryl's house had five bedrooms so they were more than happy enough to invite him to live with them after the wedding and Rex came along with the package; despite the dog returning to his four legged body his brain continued to function at a level on par with a human. The Fox and dog were as inseparable as ever; Abe introduced Rex to others as his boyfriend and Rex explained to others that Abe was his mate. Just one more crazy thing for the world to process.

Smiling to herself at the craziness of her blessed life, Courtney let out a content sigh and turned the television on, finally pressing play on the DVD player remote as she settled into the cushions; she'd put Sophia down for a nap, so that meant she had some quiet time to herself. Her daughter would be three in a few weeks, and was a bundle of energy. While Courtney once worried about the trials and tribulations of having a baby, looking back at her fears she could only laugh; having a human child would have been easy mode.

Like her father, Sophia was a humanoid panther or what the research community had taken to calling a 'Homo Sapiens Felinus'. Raising her had been uncharted territory and, on some days, it felt like Courtney had to combine the skills of a parent and zoo keeper, but it, like her new FDA-appointed task, was satisfying in a way nothing else had come close to being before. Courtney liked to think of herself as a good mother, and was often praised as such by others in her parenting circle; Sophia was months older than any of the other children, and so the mothers and fathers in her group often looked to her for guidance.

With a smile on her face and the warmth of a wonderful life wrapped around her like a blanket, Courtney watched the opening of her wedding video. There were little snippets showing her getting ready for the wedding interspersed with Daryl doing the same; it had been such a chore getting him fit for his tuxedo, and she giggled to herself at the memory... and also started tearing up. After everything they'd been through, getting a tux sized and modified for a panther wasn't anywhere as stressful as a real ordeal.

She sat up a little straighter as the ceremony began and she felt herself tearing up anew as "Here Comes the Bride" started playing. She swallowed, fingering her wedding ring as she watched herself walk down the aisle, flanked on one side by Fred. Since her dad had passed it seemed like an obvious choice to have him give her away, especially since he had been dating Courtney's mother for almost a month and a half. She felt herself blush when she remembered learning that morning that, despite being one of the humans unaffected by the disbursement of the mutagenic virus, her mom understood Fred.

Apparently she'd understood him for about a week at that point, and, based on how close the two had become, Courtney had a feeling how her mother had contracted the mutagen; her face still burned when she thought about it. Of course, that was just one more thing she'd have to get over considering Fred and her mom were going to be married in a few months themselves. She loved them both, and were glad for them.

Courtney slowly eased back down into the sofa, letting out a contented sigh as she watched their exchange of rings. Abe and Rex were the ring-bearers; the Fox looked dapper in his white tux and Rex had a white bow tie on his collar; it was picture perfect. Dabbing at her eyes again, Courtney's cheeks hurt from all the smiling, and that only became a more pleasant problem when the video proceeded to the post ceremony reception.

The videographer had interviewed everyone at the dinner and gave the guests an opportunity to record a message for the newly wed couple. Courtney shed more tears when Abe and Rex were interviewed. Abe, as expected, had a well thought-out, beautiful speech prepared. Sometimes she found it hard to believe that he had been sixteen when she first met him-- seventeen at the wedding. His words, despite being insightful, were brief and powerful. "Hey, you two. I know how much you went through to get to where you are and I hope you remember it too. It takes a lot of effort to make a relationship work, but you already proved that you have what it takes. You deserve this. I love you both."

When Abe toasted the camera with his Champaign glass of sparkling cider Courtney found herself smiling and crying at the same time. Rex, who had been taking speech classes to better connect the speech centers of his canine brain with the universal language had come a long way since being revived by Abe and he his words, while much more straight-forward were no less impactful. "Daryl, you are a good boy, and Courtney, you are a good girl. I hope you have lots of puppies and lots of happiness. Thinking about you makes my tail wag, and I'm really excited to get to live with you after your honeymoon is over!"

Various other friends and coworkers continued the monologues and Courtney looked over her shoulder toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms. Neither Abe nor Rex were home at the time; the Fox was in high demand among the genetics firms working on addressing side-effects of the mutagen so he was out of the house more often than not. Rex, on the other hand, worked part time working with mutated animals and spent the rest of his time being a lab assistant for Abe. She smirked thinking back to the first time Abe introduced Rex as his 'lab' assistant; the rather stuffy recruiter had trouble figuring out whether the Fox meant a Labrador support dog, or a laboratory aide. In response, Abe, ever the cut-up, replied with "Yes.".

So caught up with the video and her memories, Courtney almost missed the sound of the front door opening. Glancing quickly to the clock, she realized that she'd been watching the DVD for nearly an hour. Daryl called from the entryway, his voice loud, but not so loud as to ignore the fact that Sophia was likely sleeping. "Ceenee, I'm home."

She called back mutedly. "I'm in the living room."

Courtney paused the video as Daryl came around the corner; his black fur was a great contrast to the white button-up shirt he wore and, unlike most other agents at the office who wore a black suit he wore a dark blue one. His eyes flicked back and forth between her and the television and she saw the glint of recognition light them up. His whiskers twitched visibly in pleasant surprise. "Oh! Is that our wedding? I thought they lost the recording."

She smiled, moving her leg off of the cushion next to her so he could join her, which he did immediately. "Mmm-hmm. It arrived today... they're still not charging us for it."

Her husband leaned forward and pressed his velvety muzzle to her lips, providing her a loving 'good afternoon' greeting and, as he pulled away, the Panther gently pressed a paw on Courtney's belly, rubbing at the small bump that identified her condition. It was going to be their second. "So... how's the little man today?"

They'd been through the ultrasound a week prior. In addition to confirming that they would be having another cub (the vast majority of offspring between humans and 'the changed' seemed to take after their 'altered' parent). She laid her head against Daryl's chest as her hand joined his paw on her abdomen as she pressed the PLAY button again while smiling. "I think he's wanting peaches."

Courtney had long since stopped caring about the differences between human and animal-- baby and cub; she was eagerly looking forward to having another little one around the house. Rex had been great with Sophia, and, despite regaining his four legged shape, he was aging like a human rather than a dog and there was a good indication that he'd be around for quite awhile, able to keep them all company for years to come.

Daryl slowly stood as if finally realizing the implication. He leaned down and brushed his muzzle across the top of her head in an intimate expression of adoration. "I'll be right back with some peaches then. Canned or fresh?"

She smiled up at him. "Both?"

The Panther padded into the kitchen whistling pleasantly to himself. Daryl had always been a happy whistler but he'd been bereft of that musicality until he'd managed to relearn the skill with a muzzle. Courtney was enamored with her husband, and, despite the continued video going on in front of her she repositioned herself so she could watch him work in the kitchen. Daryl's sports coat had come off and he'd rolled up his sleeves, bare paws of his feet making no sound on the tile as he moved between fridge and counter and pantry and counter and cutting board and knife holder.

She continued watching him, smiling as he returned to the living room, a bowl and fork in one paw. Daryl came to an immediate stop, the bowl falling right out of his grasp and onto the carpet, eyes transfixed. Caught by surprise at the sudden halt, Courtney followed his gaze to where it was focused on the television, and Courtney's breath froze in her lungs: the videographer was outside the event center and was interviewing-- "Is that-- is that Thomas Grant?!?"

The similarities between the man they were seeing and the clones that they knew as 'Thomas Grant' were striking, but he was not the exact copy that would have made him a dead giveaway. when the videographer finally gave him a chance to speak a chill went up Courtney's spine. "Hi Daryl. Hi Courtney. It's Alex Grant."

Courtney turned to look at Daryl; the Panther was puffed up and she saw the ridge of fur on his neck identifying extreme emotion was all hackle-y. He glanced her way too even as the videographer spoke to him. "So how do YOU know the bride and groom?"

Looking back to the TV, Courtney saw the man smile. "Oh... through my dad, Thomas mostly. They go way back."

Alex, as far as she could tell, looked to be about their age, which was only a handful of years younger than Thomas Grant. Courtney tried to work the math around in her head but gave up quickly, realizing that she really didn't know anything about clones, or if what Alex was saying was even true-- or if Alex was even his name. The upbeat videographer, however, had none of her reservations. "Okay. Well, go ahead and leave a message for the bride and groom so they can have it forever!"

Alex looked straight into the camera, his smile reminding her eerily of David's. "I wish the bride and groom endless happiness and success. I'm sorry my dad wasn't able to make it today, but I'm sure we'll both see you again soon. Oh! And I hope you make good use of the gifts I got you-- I know a few people who are looking forward to seeing you both try em on."

As the videographer moved on to interview others, Courtney was already off the sofa and turning to regard Daryl, who stepped closer to her. They each spoke up at the same time, talking over one another. They also both stopped to let the other speak, then started up again in unison. Courtney held out her hand to stall Daryl, asking "Who was that? Was that really--?"

The Panther's eyes unfocused, his muzzle hanging open, and Courtney realized that his attention had been taken off of her and was once again on the TV, which was behind her. Turning around to see what had caught her husband's attention, Courtney dropped the controller that she hadn't even realized she was still holding. The videographer was interviewing another guest outside the venue, but what Daryl had noticed was also what caught her eye: the man who had introduced himself as Alex Grant was being led to a car alongside a one-armed man who looked uncannily like "It's David!"

The extraction team never had found David's body, but the bloody smear of tissue, and fluid on the collapsed stairway had led them to believe that he was dead and gone. Courtney dropped to her knees and grabbed the controller, standing back up to rewind the DVD to see it again. Daryl took a step closer so that he was standing beside her behind the couch. He rested a paw on her shoulder. "We need to call this in."

Nodding mutedly, Courtney paused the recording, staring at the open window of the car the two were approaching. It was hard to tell due to the background being out of focus, but she was almost certain that she saw a Thomas Grant behind the half-down tinted window. She was just about to approach the television for a better look but a sudden knock at the front door made her jump. Daryl was back in the living room a split second later, cell still in paw. The two exchanged glances and the Panther held a paw, palm out to her, then slowly slid it into his suit, pulling out a service pistol which had been long-since modified to accommodate his feline grip.

Courtney had known that he'd been armed for awhile, but she'd never actually seen the weapon. Rather than heed his unspoken request to remain where she was, however, the woman picked up a poker from its stand by the fireplace and followed after her husband. He shot her a glance but didn't object, rather, he motioned for her to get the door as he took up position against the corner wall that led to the hallway, revealing only half his head and arm with the gun in his paw. He nodded to Courtney and she slowly reached out to the door knob, remaining pushed up against the wall as she slowly unlocked it and then, with a quick pull, yanked it open--- nobody was there.

Daryl's whiskers wilted as he scowled, ears facing forward and he slowly emerged from behind the corner and stalked toward the door. "There's a package on the porch."

Her response was reflexive. "Careful."

He flicked his tail. "I will be."

the Panther knelt down as he inspected the package, calling over his shoulder. "It's from Alex Grant."

Courtney shook her head. "That means it's from Division Six... let's wait for the agency to get back to us."

The Panther's response was matter of fact and, quite frankly, logical enough that it almost put her at ease. "I'm still on hold. Besides: if they meant to do us any harm they'd had plenty of chances already. There's no reason they'd have to be so 'James-Bond-Villain' about it."

Despite her not wanting to admit it, she realized that he had a point. "Just... be careful."

He chuckled, carefully picking it up. "You already said that."

"Well that's because I mean it. If there's some kind of bomb or chemical cocktail in there I don't want our cubs growing up without a father."

The smile slowly faded from his muzzle and he kicked the front door closed. "I'll be careful... now get back into the living room and I'll bring it in."

Courtney immediately realized that Daryl didn't quite get the concept of 'being careful'. "Like hell you will. If you're going to open it then do it right there."

Daryl shrugged and transferred his gun to his other paw, placing it atop the package to keep it in place, and extended his index finger, the claw emerging from it before he ran it along the tape keeping it closed. "Alright... let's see what's inside..."

Courtney was caught between wanting to step away and step closer as the Panther slowly opened the box. The second inclination won out when her husband cocked his head to the side, ears and whiskers perking up. She lingered behind him in the entryway as he slowly stood straight again, container in paw. "What is it?"

He turned back to her, reaching into the box and pulling out a key. It was attached to a plastic tag that had the San Diego Transit Authority logo on it. Daryl turned it over, revealing an imprinted '#7' on the back. The obvious answer to her question was that he had a key to a locker at the transit station but there were too many unanswered variables for him to answer anything other than "I don't know."

* * * * * *

Perhaps it wasn't the smartest decision to head to the transit center alone, but Courtney had long since come to terms that neither she nor Daryl were the most cautious people in the world. They had dropped Sophia off with Courtney's mother and Fred, explaining that they had some errands to run. It was a perfectly reasonable excuse since the little cub's grandmother didn't need a reason to take her for an evening. Daryl had lingered a moment longer, obviously weighing the thought of letting Fred in on the secret but, in the end, the couple left without a word spoken on the matter.

As they were getting out of the car at the intake facility Courtney had enough presence of mind to tell him to be careful with the single warning "Remember: if we see any sign of danger we get out of there-- curiosity killed the cat, you know."

It had been good to help dispel some of the tension but, as they walked into the almost empty terminal Courtney's heart began to race. Her hand sought out Daryl's paw and she gave it a squeeze; she felt the faint prickle of his claws, letting her know immediately that he was likely just as on-edge as she. He drew them back into their sheathes an instant later, indicating that he had the presence of mind to not hurt her. He also murmured "Locker Seven is right over there... keep an eye out."

He let go of her hand and moved ahead several steps, nodding casually to a Wolf in a denim jacket who was leading a Hyena girl and a human boy; the girl was holding his tail and the boy was holding hers. Courtney watched them go; the Wolf was talking over his shoulder to the two little ones-- the girl was at least five, which suggested to Courtney that she must have gone through the change. It brought her back to some of her counseling meetings during the first few months of the insanity following the mutations. The Wolf was talking to both of the kids in a fatherly tone, but she couldn't tell what he was saying since he was speaking in Spanish. In her mind the interaction suggested, at least superficially that they were both his. Family members of different animal species had it hard in the beginning.

Daryl called to her, looking back over his shoulder as he lingered at the locker. "Ceenee? You okay?"

She closed the distance. "Yeah."

Courtney moved up beside him as he inserted the key. The Panther remained there for several seconds, neither turning it nor withdrawing; she watched as his nose worked the air, whiskers perked and attentive, ears focused. "I don't smell any chemicals... no ticking..."

They'd already agreed that Division Six wasn't going to do anything to harm them, but it didn't mean they were going to be stupid about it. Courtney nodded, then leaned forward and closed her hand over his paw; they turned the key together. She pulled back even as Daryl slowly opened the locker door and they peered into it in unison. The contents were quite simple: two lanyards terminating in what looked like ID cards stuffed into plastic sleeves resting atop what looked like a file folder.

A voice spoke up from behind them. It was a voice Courtney had never expected to hear ever again. "I'm glad you came."

Daryl did a remarkable job of keeping the snarl out of his voice as he turned around. "David..."

Courtney also looked back to the man-turned-ferret-turned-man. David was a human again, just as she thought she'd seen in the wedding reception video. As if that wasn't strange enough, she realized something else. "You have your arm back."

David looked down at his right arm, raising before opening and closing his hand. He chuckled that emotionless chuckle of his. "Ah... I suppose you must have seen me on the recording then. Yes-- it came back in nicely."

Daryl went for the more obvious inquiry. "How are you a Human again?"

David's laugh was much more genuine the second time. "Well... after Fred's little intervention I ended up bleeding out. I would have thought that was obvious."

Another man materialized out of the small crowd of commuters moving through the corridor and he stepped up beside David. Courtney recognized him immediately; despite being in his late fifties he looked almost just like the Thomas Grant clones. "The FDA was so busy evacuating the facility they didn't pick up the extraction team we sent for David."

Daryl looked the man up and down. "I take it you're with Division Five? Or is it Division Six?"

The newcomer smiled through his graying beard, offering out a hand. "Tom Grant. I've heard a lot about you two."

Courtney only stared as Daryl's ears raised and his tail curled. "You're the original for the clones?"

Tom smiled. "I was the head of Division Five back in the day. I suppose you could say that I was the mold they broke when we started the cloning program." He glanced beside himself as the young man from the wedding video approached. "I take it you got my son's message?"

Alex stepped up to stand next to his father; David, Tom, and Alex had them outnumbered, but Courtney surprised herself by being angrier than she was afraid. "So, despite what you all planned out with Division Six, I guess it's just coincidence that none of you were affected by the mutations? I guess it just goes to show you--"

The words stuck in her throat once Alex pulled a cell phone from of his pocket while she spoke and before she was done he turned it in her direction. When she stalled he spoke up, identifying the little snow leopard. "This is Whitney, my daughter. My wife stayed with her at ground zero. She's a Zebra, and I still think they're both beautiful."

Courtney couldn't quite form a full sentence. "But... they...?"

Tom put an arm around his son. "My granddaughter had stage four cancer; she was at a children's hospital in Los Angeles. I'm pleased to say that she's since made a full recovery and has been cancer free for over three years."

Taking a moment to process what she'd just heard, Courtney was almost ready to respond when she was struck dumb again when a new voice spoke up. "The viral mutation resets the body of all affected patients, removing genetic defects including Down syndrome, Huntington's disease, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis..."

The white Fox emerged from behind the three men and stood beside David. Daryl's ears went straight up and Courtney heard him echo her own voice as they both questioned "Abe?!?"

Daryl's questioning went deeper. "You were in on this the whole time?"

The Fox tucked his tail, shaking his head. "No... they approached me about two years ago when I transferred Neu-Data Genetics."

David nodded. "Abraham didn't know what was being done at Division Six, but he has been monitoring the fall out and affects since. Neu-Data is one of our recent acquisitions."

Tom nodded. "Dr Christensen has been pivotal in helping Division Seven gain our data points and aiding with the follow-up on adverse effects."

Courtney and Daryl spoke in unison again. "Seven?"

Abe nodded. "Division Six was studying the affects of mutation on genetic defects, cancer, and telomere decay. The mutation released into the atmosphere--"

Daryl spoke over the Fox "Was a social experiment. Division Six wanted to cure 'the human condition' and change how people see one another. I read the dossier."

Tom sighed, smoothing out his beard with a single hand. "It was a pleasant side effect, Mr. Rogers."

Courtney took her turn to challenge them. "Pleasant? Do you know how many people died in the first three months from the chaos?!?!"

Abe's ears wilted slightly. "Yes. I put together those statistics for them. One million, ninety three thousand, one hundred and four."

David continued talk before she or Daryl could speak on the point. "The rest of Abraham's research is there in the locker. Death from violent crimes are down almost forty percent; property crime is down thirty one; fraud has dropped nearly seventy."

The fur on Daryl's neck rose slightly. "So now you're saying the ends justify the means? You think it's okay that you turned people into animals without their permission?"

Alex stepped forward. "Mr. Rogers, the Division saved over forty million lives of terminally ill patients who were waiting to die in hospitals and hospice-- there were over 350 million people with genetic diseases, of which almost 70% are now cured, and others have the capacity to be once Division Seven completes its research."

The numbers, if they were true, were staggering enough to give Courtney a moment's pause. Daryl, however, was less trusting. "And we're supposed to take your word for it that your numbers are accurate?"

Abe stepped forward, tail still tucked. "I... hope you'll take mine. I'm the one who compiled the paperwork."

That caused the panther's muzzle to click shut. Numerous seconds passed before anyone spoke up, and when someone did, it was an unexpected voice. Rex came trotting down the hallway, tail wagging. "So? Did they say 'yes', Abe? They said 'yes', right?"

Courtney glanced from Rex to Abe to the three men, then back to Abe. "Say yes to what?"

The Fox kicked at the tile floor with a foot as he cleared his throat. Abe's tail curled tighter around his leg as he spoke up "I... want you to join Division Seven with us."

To Courtney it felt like she'd been punched in the abdomen. Her breath left her as she tried in vain to get her thoughts to gather again so she could think. Daryl apparently had an easier time of it. "You want us to work for THEM? For David? He shot Rex, Abe! He--"

David spread his hands apart in a supplicating gesture. "You won't be working for me, Daryl. Division Six is done with its task and I'm not carrying forward to Division Seven."

The answer wasn't enough to calm the Panther down; Daryl's hackles were still raised but, to his credit, he kept his voice to a cordial volume... barely. "And how in the fuck did you regrow your arm?"

Tom laughed, slapping Alex on the back. "Well... Alex here has been hard at work with Division Seven making great headway with the base virus Division Six used in the--"

Daryl's eyes shifted to Tom next. "So you're the head of Division Seven then? What makes you think we'd work for you?"

Tom's laugh grew in volume and emotion. It was Alex who spoke for him. "My dad was only serving as an advisor for Division Six... he hasn't been involved since the cloning program."

Courtney took over while Daryl regained his composure. "So it's you then? What are you going to do if we say we won't work for you?"

Abe fidgeted, sticking his hand paws into the pockets of his hoodie. "Um... actually Alex was on the council for Division Six. He's just helping Division Seven get started."

Rex trotted up to Daryl and Courtney, and squeezed between them so he could put his forepaws up on the locker. The dog poked his muzzle inside and pulled out the lanyards and ID cards, tail wagging as he came back to the couple and offered them as if he were wanting to play fetch. Courtney took both for the two of them and looked to Abe. "You, Abe? Are you saying YOU'RE the director of Division Seven?"

The Fox shook his head, and Rex sat down on the laminated floor, scratching himself behind the ear with a hind paw. "Nope! I am!"

The silence of the group was interrupted when Tom patted Alex on the shoulder. "I'll see you next week."

The two exchanged a hug, and Alex shook David's hand; the two older men headed off into the crowd together. Alex then looked back toward Courtney. "We approached Abe about it first, Mrs. Rogers, but he turned us down; even though he wanted to help he didn't want to be in charge since he didn't think he'd have what it'd take to keep everyone honest."

Abe cleared his throat awkwardly; it looked like he wanted to stick his arms into his pockets up to the elbows as he spoke. "There were lots of things that Division Six did wrong in pursuit of something that was right, and I was worried that I might do the same thing."

Alex nodded. "And I respect him for that. Not even twenty and he has more insight than most. So we thought for awhile about the best way to proceed."

Rex hadn't stopped wagging throughout the exchange, and his tail picked up speed. "So they chose me cuz I'm a good boy!"

Abe reached down and laid a paw on Rex's head between his ears. "But it's important that we have a group who can trust one another, which is why Alex suggested to involve the two of you. I know things didn't go well last time with Division Six, and you both have your own lives and it might be kinda guilty to--"

Daryl reached out and took one of the lanyards from Courtney. She turned to look at him, meeting his eyes; there was a sense of certainty in them, and she already knew what he was going to say before he did so. "It's a lot easier to police an organization from the inside."

Nodding, Courtney closed her hand around her own and they both looked back to Abe, Alex, and Rex. "Okay... so... now what?"

The dog's tail began beating so fast he had to stand up so his whole rump could wag with it. "You'll join us? You will? Really?"

Abe finally started to relax a little, his tail uncurling as his ears rose up from where they'd been flat back against this head. He sniffled, and Courtney could tell that his eyes were wet. "I love you both, you know... I- I'm REALLY glad you--"

Daryl interjected. "First thing is that I'm filing the proper paperwork with the FDA. If we're gonna do this then we're doing it by the book."

Abe nodded vigorously and he smiled. Alex nodded. "Fair enough."

Letting out a deep breath, Courtney felt herself smiling too. "So... I guess we're beginning it with the five of us then?"

She was astounded when she heard the sharp, pointed whistle emerge from Rex's muzzle; she knew that he'd been practicing alongside Daryl, but she certainly hadn't expected it. The dog followed it up with "Everyone-- heel!"

Although the several dozen travelers wandering through the transit center was less than during rush hour, having them all suddenly stop and approach the locker was more than a little intimidating; she glanced to Daryl, who appeared just as on guard. Alex put things into perspective "Forty two total, not including the five of us."

The next hour was spent meeting all of their coworkers. It was intimidating at first, but Courtney began to feel a little more at ease when the Wolf she'd seen earlier let her hold his daughter. The Wolf's name was Jaime, and his daughter was Maria. At that moment all Courtney thought about was how wonderfully strange the world had become. She would have thought about it longer, but there was so much to be done she that had no chance to dwell on the negative; things were changing, and for the first time in almost four years she knew in her heart that it was for the better.

The End