The world is ever changing, and humanity continues to unfold it's mysteries. They manipulate it for the price of overcomplexity and all living things on earth. Their hubris was put to a halt when they realized their almost impossible task of saving them from their demise. Desperate to save themselves from their own actions, they prematurely launched a risky project: portals to various realms.
The plan was to either find a new world for humanity, or other life that could assist them. It started as a disaster. The new realms were dangerous at times. Creatures invaded Earth, the lands were uninhabitable, and the planet became even more unstable. It took half a century to find allies, and even longer to fight the war against hostile beasts.
These dark times are history now. The scars still remain, but all that matters to us is our peace and safety in the present. Here at Stray Dogs, we continue working to bridge any remaining gaps between humanity and our saviors. Earth isn't exactly comfy for them, but our newest product might change that. We present the IDBP vaccine to protect the health of our foreign-to-Earth residents-
The television cuts off with the click of a remote. A young, tan woman sits on the edge of her couch with a notepad. It's filled with hurried scribbles. She turns to the remote holder: an aged man giving a stern look.
"Hey dad, I was watching the news. Do you mind turning that back on?" The woman requests.
"Them news ain't gonna tell ye what ye need Bliss. It's tainted, omitted nonsense."
Bliss sighs, "Its all I can do dad, I don't have access to anything related to those companies. I've been climbing the ranks but I still can't touch them."
Her father gives a reassuring pat on the back
"Me neither kid, and it only makes me more suspicious. I don't trust any of those darn businessmen. But hey, I'll talk to a buddy of mine. They might know some people that could get us close. For now, there is nothing we can do"
He sits next to Bliss on the couch, flipping through the channels till he finds one he is satisfied with. Bliss initiates an attack, staring at him with judgement and frustration. While she appreciates the support, she still finds herself annoyed by his tranquility. Bliss has been searching for a significant case for a while now. The everyday theft or abuse cases keep her occupied and faithful to her job, but she wants a greater purpose. A name in the multiversal headlines.
She leaves the couch, uninterested by anything that could be on air. Grabbing the keys from the kitchen table, she heads to the truck and drives off to clear her head
It started aimlessly until she felt the dull stab of her handgun as she adjusted in her seat. Without even a second thought, Bliss mentally set a route to the nearby shooting range.
A whirlwind of paper swirls around a man, cutting at his skin with harmless yet painful strikes. The voices of many attempt to drown out the sounds of paper. It only leads to a competitive cacophony. Then he opens his eyes.
A massive, mutated rat wearing a lab coat is staring across from him with worrisome eyes.
"Sir, are you feeling alright?"
The man composes himself before doing a 180 with his chair, facing away from the rat.
"The same as always Mora. The invisible, nonexistent tiger that stalks the troubled minds."
Mora snickered. "At least there isn't an actual tiger. Or is there one you aren't telling me about?"
"A whole ambush of them".
The man lit a cigarette, causing Mora's concern to rise like the smoke.
"Sir-"
"Mora buddy, drop the 'sir'."
"Only when you drop the cigarette sir".
The man put out the cigarette using his finger tip with a pouty yet mature face until Mora held his end of the deal.
"Thank you Killtro" Mora said, satisfied, as he took out a rehab flyer from Killtro's trash. "Here's something that will actually help. That and some good news: only one hour till we can go home. Well, you can."
Mora stayed in his lab, all day all night. It's tough for a mutated lab rat to find a home to buy or rent. Even with the interdimensional residents that make Mora seem normal, he was thrown into the sentient world without proper ID and papers and everything.
Killtro nodded in false agreement, "This isn't the tiger's only habitat".
The stomps and wheezing coughs echoed down the hallway as Killtro elegantly stumbled to the head of security's office. When he arrived, he knocked rapidly without end. Its the only way to get an answer. A plump, sour face greeted him. The messy bearded man smelled of dog, smoke, and an unknown, putrid smell. His big, beady eyes stared at Killtro with annoyance, even thought he is the one who called him to come.
"What did ye want Otis?"
Otis looked up and down
"You're a mess, sir".
Killtro laughed, "Is that what you called me for?"
Otis nodded with a serious face, but followed it by motioning for him to come in. The two men sat down at the small wooden desk. It was mostly empty besides a few stacks of paper, a phone, and some Tupperware with devoured contents. Once they settled, Otis began:
"Sir I got some concerns 'bout dah securahty of our more... underground establishments. I've been thinkin 'bout harin' some extra firepower but they gonna need some more trainin' y'know?"
Killtro cleared his throat nervously. "And what do you want me to do? I don't handle hiring."
Otis reached under his desk, opened a drawer, then settled a hand gun and a decently sized blade onto the desk.
"Why don't ye indulge in some ol' bad habits and teach em' to dah newbies with some hands on experience."
The suggestion made Killtro squirm.
"I don't know bud, I'm already covered in enough papercuts and smoke as it is."
The two men laughed, then, tenseful silence. Otis gave a daring look, while Killtro stared at the weapons like a child staring at a dead bird. He eventually answered before the forever angry looking man's burning stare set him ablaze.
"I'll think about it, but I doubt it will be a yes. I don't feel so sure about getting my hands red and dirty again."
Setting the blade in his right pocket and the gun in the left, he got up and left without another word. Before he closed the door behind him he could hear Otis grumble "Ye a killar, deh don' call ye Killtro for nothin'"
Bliss arrives at the almost empty shooting range with her job-assigned handgun. Once she signed in, she entered the station next to one of the few attendees. It was an odd looking man, a chimera of ethnic features. She couldn't even try to tell where he was from, part of her wonders if he is even from Earth. Something about him didn't seem entirely hunan. All she knows is that he is pale and shaking, his finger frozen over the trigger. His target doesn't have a single bullet hole.
Bliss gently puts a hand on his shoulder, and immediately takes it off as he whips around with a scared and crazy look. He relaxes as a he gets a better look at Bliss and apologizes.
"I'm so sorry ma'am, uh, officer" he adds as he notices the badge on her uniform. "It's been a rough day at work."
Bliss gives a teasing suspicious look.
"Is that all sir? You seem to be struggling there."
The man nods, aiming once more at the target.
"The power to take another being's life is a terrifying idea, even more so when failure means losing your own. Either way, someone loses a parent, child, or friend."
Bliss shows her agreement with a sorrowful look. She remembers all the lifeless eyes staring at her, asking too late for help or mercy.
"The target has no life or ill intent. Try not to overthink it."
"Overthinking is all I can do officer"
A shot went off. A hole emerged where the heart would be. Another. This time, the brain. Then many shots all over the target's head. Bliss's eyes were glued on the man as he went to replace the target and return the rental firearm. The meek, philosophical man's spirit was replaced by a focused hunter. On the way out, he stopped by Bliss, thanked her, and looked at the name on her badge. His eyes looked like a dyslexic old man reading small text. There was a lot of thought behind his eyes, which brought curiosity and nervousness to Bliss. He hurried out before she could even question him, and when she tried to follow him out the door he was already gone.