Everyone is at a standstill, we all eyeball each other and try to read the moves as each muscle twitches in anticipation. Should I go for another gadget? It'll definitely be a sudden movement, and that just might make me target number one and seal my fate.
I dare to whisper, "We can't outrun this thing, look at the size of its legs."
Clyde takes one step back, but the beast takes one forward. "We can't fight it either, one chomp means certain death."
Ira crouches low slowly, reaching for a tossed gadget on the ground. She whispers to us, "We stand no chance, I'm gonna die with a weapon in hand."
Clyde snips at her, "Ira, don't!"
Her fingers graze the handle of the stun rod she was reaching for, but the beast flings himself at her in an actual blink. I don't know how, but Clyde manages to throw a punch and makes direct contact with the side of his head. The chompers bite air instead, giving Ira a chance to grip the rod and turn it on. It sparks to life as she turns it to the highest setting and swipes wildly at the creature that tore her partner apart; it works to keep him on the defensive. Clyde scrambles on the floor to collect more gadgets, and I join him in the search.
"This is useless," he tells me, "none of these are going to work without the right circumstance. Ira can't keep that thing back for long."
I stare at the devices in my hand, and I loosen my grip around them, letting them hit the dirt once more. "We should've brought lethal measures. Oh!" I remember what the cat told us before he turned and shove my hand into my pocket, pulling the second ring out. "Time for you to go primal!"
"Clyde!" Ira cries out. He turns to check on her, but he's met with the charging cat smacking him so hard, he flies out of my view. The beast follows him through the bushes and trees, vicious hunger in his eyes.
"No!" I slip the ring onto myself, fearing the worst of what could happen to me, but fearing even more if I can't save Clyde. I run after it too, Ira screams at me to stop and get back to her and her stun rod. I ignore her, making it to the start of the heavy forest. I stop quickly as I hear heavy crunching coming back to me, and duck when I catch sight of fur darting for my throat. The beast flies overhead, missing my skin barely, but ripping my shirt with its single claw. I turn to face it, watching it roar magnificently as it put itself between Ira and me.
"You're wearing the ring!?" Ira shouts, still waving the stun rod for dominance over the battlefield.
"Nothing's happening!"
"You should be stronger, just punch him or something!"
Impossible scenario, but it's worth a shot. Ira waves the rod some more and directs the beast closer to me with its back turned. I sum up the courage once it gets close enough and throws my leg into a kick. My shoe makes contact with the rear end, and astonishingly it's enough to take effect. The cat meows in pain and gets sent hurling across the clearing; I've just got the biggest ego boost of my life. I feel my lips part in a wicked smile, and crack my knuckles as I approach to keep the heat on it.
Ira meets me by my side. "Holy hell! We actually stand a chance now."
"How do I transform like he did?"
"He said you need apex focus. I don't know what that means."
"Please, go check on Clyde for me, I'll protect you the best that I can."
She hurries off and follows Clyde's path of dented bushes and smashed branches. I keep an eye on the cat, but I've stopped approaching. Getting too close might not give me enough reaction time. I narrow my eyes and mind onto the creature, only picturing him and his predicted movements. The area around me begins to fade away as they are no longer important to this fight. Is this focus? Is this what the ring wants? My question is answered as my shoes explode into pieces unable to contain the massive feet that have evolved in a matter of seconds. I can feel my bones changing, but it doesn't hurt, it just feels strange. My legs follow the same course as I feel the fur on them become less silky but thicker. The bones stretch in an unnatural way, and my muscles rapidly release and contract in some freaky massage before getting bigger and stronger.
"Oh man, this doesn't feel good," I say aloud. The cat recovers and wastes no time diving for me. I have no choice but to move out of the way before the transformation is complete. I sprint at him, sliding on the leaves below and dodging right under his pounce. I can imagine how strange I look with these legs and little body. They continue to grow as I stand back up, eventually, my pants can't take it and give up, ripping away and showing off the massive fur that's accumulated. From the feel, I can tell my underwear is gone, but the fur hides anything delicate.
"Troy!?" Clyde yells while hanging on to Ira for support. "What the hell did you do to yourself?"
Seeing him alive and well glues my mind back to one piece. Now I have no distractions. "Containment is gone, help me kill this thing!"
The sound of a new voice is enough to turn the creature's attention over to Clyde and Ira. Ira lights up her rod again, ready to fend off a pounce if it should happen. The cat speeds off in their direction, and I follow instinctively; the new legs have given me a dramatic speed boost. The longer strides allow me to catch the cat immediately by the tail. He howls in pain as I start spinning him around and around and let him go at full speed, but when I released my grip, my arms beefed up as well. It was quick, I didn't feel it at all, but now I have no thumbs.
"This is the freakshow of a lifetime," Ira says.
I can't wait any longer. I get down on all fours, the process taking over me in double time. It might have been the agitated state I am in, but I feel myself completely change in what must have been less than a minute. I thought I was going to lose my sanity and revert to savagery, but I'm completely in control of myself. I can understand language and don't have a blood lust. This is a wild ride, my face is so much bigger, it must look funny. I open my mouth to say something, but I can't form words, this mouth is weird, I'm missing my lips.
The cat is already up for Round 2, and I charge him, my mind still on the defensive. He readies himself for a bite, and I counter by raising my front paw as a decoy and biting his vulnerable leg instead. I crunch hard and let go quickly before he can get the back of my neck. He freaks out, lashing all limbs and teeth at me, but I back up. Ira rushes in to help, using the rod on the cat and frying him in one spot. Clyde hops over and grabs the leg I bit, dropping his weight on it and holding it in place.
"Ira, get the other leg!" he orders. She drops the rod and grabs the tired cat's leg and pulls it forward, dropping him to the ground with only whimpers left to say. It's dirty, but I don't have these new teeth for nothing. I place my mouth on the side of his neck, and as he still kicks around and cries, I chomp hard, feel the crunch, taste the blood, and let go of the limp body. Everybody lets go and back up, watching the massive sabertooth turn back to the original anthro he once was.
Ira stretches her arms out. "Welp, just another normal day for squad 1, huh?"
Clyde hunches over and steadies his breathing. "I'd love to say this is the weirdest, but it's not. Backup must've gotten lost."
In the distance, my ears pick up multiple footsteps heading our way.
"You think they're going to shoot Troy on sight?"
He recovers his stance. "Guess we better meet 'em up front." He looks up to me, now that I am finally taller, and rubs his hands into my fluffy fur. "You are one beautiful fox."
Aww, I want to say thank you, but I can't. I'll just smile.
*** *** ***
"So, how long did it take you to change back?" Carlotta asks, wiping the corner of her mouth after a swig of her coffee.
I take a break from eating to answer her. "Just a few minutes, I think. When backup escorted us back here, I was walking with them in that beast form for a bit, but luckily I changed back before we hit the public streets. I was naked, granted, but nothing a blanket couldn't cover."
"You sure are starving. Guess that was the beast form taking all your calories?" I simply nod as my mouth is full once again.
Poor Clyde got hurt in the fight, and now he sits next to me with a cast on his arm and a medical boot on his ankle. "We failed to record the case, ma'am, I suggest we turn it in through written form like we used to."
Carlotta leans back in her chair. "No need, this wasn't a commission case, and we have no need for a record that requires no tracing. You'll be paid, of course, but consider this a civic duty."
I sit back too. "So, with all that said and a pretty bow on top, can we have the weekend off?"
She rolls her eyes but smiles too. "Dismissed, Agents." We scatter out of the chair and hurry through the door, all the while a warm fire spreads in my belly from just thinking of the plans we can make with two whole days off. Clyde calls the elevator and pushes the button for the lobby, but I also push the button for the infirmary.
"What'd you press that for?" he asks me.
"I need to check on something real quick. Wait for me outside?"
"Okay," he says and leans in for a kiss, but stops when he notices the camera in the corner of the cab. The door opens for the lobby and gets off, waving at me as he watches the doors close. I step off into the medical wing and find the room where Jonah is registered. Sure enough, Ira sits in the chair next to him.
I knock on the open door. "Hi, can I come in?"
She seems startled but settles down quickly. "Troy? Yes, come in."
I creep in since Jonah is asleep. "How's he doing?"
"He's recovering quickly thanks to the doctor," I see her hand holding his, but she lets go as soon as she notices me eyeballing it. "Uh, just checking his pulse."
"He's hooked up to a heart monitor." She puts her finger in front of her lips and shushes me. I laugh lightly and squat down to get closer to her level. "You know, I like my partner a lot as well."
"I know," she says, "all squads should like their partners. It'd be a useless team if they didn't get along. Besides, I saw the way you looked when Clyde got hurled by that thing, you were feeling something much more genuine than just Occupational Hazards."
"Yeah, I know what you're saying. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost Clyde."
"That's how I feel about Jonah, and when we first got pounced by that thing I just...I," she holds his hand again, "I don't like Jonah, Troy, I love him."
It was an easy call to make, but I still feel bad for prying open her secret. "And he loves you?"
She nods, her tears turning her eyes into a miserable beauty as they sparkle in the light. "Yes. I know it's not allowed, but we can't help it. It was meant to be. Don't tell Adams, please."
I stand up. "I won't. I promise...because I'm dating my partner too."
She stands up too, but she now has a stern frown and clenched fists. "I knew it," she says, and for a moment we stand in silence. What feels like forever comes to an end as she throws her arms around my neck into a warm hug. "I knew it, it was so obvious! The professionalism threw me off though. You guys are good at hiding it."
I hug her back. "There, now you've got dirt on us as well."
"Dirt? I'm just happy to learn that we're not alone."
"It sounds to me that you were never alone with Jonah around."