《Core Worlds》 Prologue In the dark, cold void of interstellar space, a massive object approached a star system. Hundreds of kilometers in size, shaped like a long silver cylinder, the object hangs in eerie silence like a speck of dust in the black fabric in space. Even traveling at tremendous speeds, it took years for the object to reach the system''s edge. At the edge of the Solar system, the object arrived and scanned the different planets with its sophisticated sensors. The object found nothing special with the system as it began its preliminary scans. A common yellow star with a few planets, just like the other hundreds of star systems the object had previously surveyed. The object switched its scanners to the third system and it hit the jackpot. After the scans confirmed the presence of biological matter, small disk-shaped drones are then launched from the cylinder''s blisters. The scouts corrected its course and they accelerated to the blue planet. Even though the drones were fast it took months for them to arrive. The first reports were received from the scouts contained the chemical composition of the atmosphere, lifeforms, the dominant species technical level, population and all other relevant data. The A.I judged the planet''s atmosphere and diverse animal life as optimal with few variations that were within the norm. The A.I. also calculated that some animals may develop sentience in a few millennia. The only variable the A.I found sub-par was its dominant species. These bipedal lifeforms were clearly sentient and civilized and they were within the bare minimum threshold for Initialization. The Watcher then made a copy of itself and attached it to the seed module. A large part of the ship''s body shaped like a pyramid detached and began its slow and steady passage to this planet called Earth. Although it was still a matter of debate whether if this was a good thing for the ones contacted. Only time will tell. Observatory in Hawaii March 23, 2008 At two in the morning, Prof. Jack Branch was your stereotipical looking astronomer. Pencil thin, slightly balding, and wore a sleeveless button shirt with a pocket protector and was trying in vain to stay awake. Tired dark eyelids and baggy from the usual all-nighters his profession endured regularly. Having a flexible bodyclock also helped but it didn''t really matter to Jack, he still felt sleepy at this ungodly hour. He grimaced as he took a sip from a cup of cold coffee and slapped his cheeks sharply. The silent hum of the computers was broken by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. "Yah feeling okay there Jack?" With a thick southern drawl the man beside him asked without looking up. He was reading the data from his computer display and was also trying to stay awake. While Jack looked like a scientist, his friend was the complete opposite. Mike Gellar was tall and had an athletic body but underneath all that muscle contained a phenomenal brain. "Yeah Mike, I''m fine. Just Goddamn sleepy." Jack answered tiredly rubbing his face with his hand. "Are you sure those coordinates were correct?" He asked mike fearfully and his eyes widened. ¡°It''s not the first time some amateur got overly excited." To use the telescope, they had to apply for months and if the coordinates were wrong, months of waiting goes down the drain. "The Coordinates are fine Jack. Mah contact''s solid," Mike says confidently looking him in the eye. "When was the last time I got it wrong?" He lifted an eyebrow at Jack. He didn''t say the coordinates came from an eight-year-old girl amateur astronomer. Jack glanced at Mike''s haggard face. Yep. Better not tell him about that part. "Okay! Okay!" Jack raised his arms in surrender. ¡°I trust you Mike" He sighed heavily and returned to his screen, looking at the jumble of numbers only they could understand. Mike didn''t know how the little girl discovered the stellar object. She was playing around with the telescope and was pushing different numbers randomly. When she looked at the eyepiece, she saw a little asteroid and she immediately ran to her dad screaming in joy. An amazed father recorded the coordinates and sent it to Mike for confirmation. The little girl didn''t know it was the Seed ship between the orbits Mars and Jupiter on approach to earth. Little did the father and daughter team knew the significance of their discovery. -- "Hmmm. That''s odd" Jack said. He frowned when he read the data. When they finally found the asteroid, they took the spectral readings and the numbers they received was strange. The luminosity or albedo of the asteroid was too high. While most asteroids were composed of different metals mostly iron, nickel and some carbon, they shouldn''t be this..this shiny. This was the third time they checked the readings. So they spent their precious hours checking the equipment. They thought the instruments were misaligned but after running the diagnostics, the sensors were fine. "She sure is shiny!" Mike said proudly. The coordinates his contact gave him was good. Although Mike was starting to get a little anxious when they didn''t find it quickly. They dismissed it at first because they thought it was just a dim star. "Toldya it was good. I wasn''t even worried. You scaredy cat" Mike teased with a smug look on his face. Jack was sure Mike was worried when he caught his friend tapping his fingers incessantly. That was Mike''s tell he learned from playing poker with him. It was already morning when they got the final data and went back to the hotel to celebrate and they flew back to the mainland the next day. Unbeknownst to the two astronomers, the reason the object was "shiny" was that the seed ship was made of an unknown alloy with a mirror finish. And if they bothered to check it again they would be shocked to know that the asteroid started decelerating and changed its course to match earth. -- Meanwhile, in Louisiana, a girlish yell can be heard from the backyard of a suburban house. A little girl was shouting and shaking in excitement while her face was glued on the telescope. She brushed her blond hair away from her right eye, her face was sweaty from the humid heat. But that didn''t bother her as she stared in wonder at a shining asteroid on the telescope''s viewfinder. Her dad was sitting in the rocking chair drinking a beer smiling proudly at the little girl. They finally got the rights to name the asteroid and the father thought of different names for the asteroid for a week straight. The name should be something manly and majestic.. "Daddy! Daddy! Look!" the little girl/budding astronomer shrieked and pointed at the asteroid. "Sparkles is getting bigger! Look! See!" The little girl beckoned her hands to her father. She thought the names her dad suggested was silly. So Sparkles it was. The father humored his daughter and stood up from the chair and walked to the telescope. The little girl stepped down carefully from the little platform her dad made for her and gave her father some space. The father took off his glasses and looked at the asteroid. Sorry. Sparkles. The asteroid was bigger. A lot bigger. His face frowned and thought he pointed the telescope wrong. He examined at the LED readout and sure enough, it was correct. "Huh? You''re right pumpkin. That thing is bigger." He told her daughter and took another look at the asteroid. He smiled at the little girl''s face. "Her name is Sparkles Dad!" Her daughter admonished, her lips pouted and hands on her hips. "And she''s a lady too huh?" her father asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked at his daughter. "Yah. Coz she''s pretty" she said with the confidence of an eight-year-old. The little girl pulled the father away from the telescope for her turn again. He laughed and walked back to his chair. Better start saving for her college tuition, the father thought bemused. It would be nice having a real astronomer in the family. -- Three months after they went back to their university Jack was calculating the trajectory of Spar0145 aka Sparkles. They also asked a colleague of theirs who works at an observatory in France for some recent data of Spar0145. "Uh-oh. Something''s wrong". He said out loud unconsciously as he scratched his head in confusion. He triple checked his math but the numbers didn''t lie. He compared the earlier data to the recent one. The asteroid''s speed and course changed significantly, and if his calculations were correct, its path was on a collision course with earth. His face paled and he ran to his department head office to report the shocking results. White House August 11, 2008 "... speed. Spar0145 is on a collision course with Earth" The Science Advisor told the President of the United States softly while reading from his notes. He took off his reading glasses and placed it on the conference table. The whole room was quiet and the entire cabinet was dumbstruck with the information he provided. Suddenly, people shouted questions all at once and their voices increased in intensity. Some cabinet members stayed quiet while others jeered.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "QUIET! PEOPLE! BE QUIET!" A man''s shouted command rose over the cacophony of loud voices. "I SAID BE QUIET!" The words sounded like a gunshot and the voices died instantly. The President glared at everyone in the room and his gaze surveyed the different reactions of his cabinet. Years as an officer in the Marines trained the president to perfect that glare. Better men and women under him melted like butter under that fierce look. He let the silence hang in the air for moments then turned to his science advisor. "Are you sure Dave? We had near misses before but why is this one different?" The President asked with an even tone, his face neutral and he leaned back in his chair almost relaxed. "Yes, Mr. President. I''m ninety-nine percent sure." The Science Advisor said confidently with his arms crossed. "Our people at NASA, ESA, and JAXA confirmed these findings. At its present course, the asteroid will hit the Earth. But, that''s not the point I was trying to make sir. The asteroid changed its course and decelerated!" the Science Advisor almost shouting his eyes burned with excitement, His body quivering full of energy. "You mean it''s slowing down?" the president asked incredulously. "My physics is a bit rusty, Dave. Am I correct when I say that things in space usually don''t slow down?" he raised his eyebrows at the man. "Precisely sir, it''s one of Newton''s law. Especially in the vacuum and weightlessness of space. An object''s motion is always constant unless a force is applied." He looked down at his glasses and stopped talking. He was unwilling to voice his conclusions and his self-confidence waned. He sat there fidgeting with his glasses and ignored the stares people were giving him. The president eyes bored into the Science Advisor while he digested the statement. Then he finally grasped what the man was saying. The neutral face he was displaying vanished and he looked at his cabinet. Some faces showed confused expressions while the others understood what the advisor implied but stayed quiet, not meeting the president eyes. "Is the asteroid.." the President asked tentatively his face unconfident for the first time as he looked at the Science Advisor. Somehow he was afraid to jump to conclusions. "Artificial? We don''t know sir." The Science Advisor gave the president a lopsided smile and shook his head. "Asteroids don''t act like this. They just don''t slow down and change course this drastically unless it passed close to some planets gravity to affect it. Spar0145 was not close enough to Jupiter and Saturn to change its path." the Science advisor said in his lecture mode. "Dave, what do you mean by artificial? do you mean..." The Secretary of Homeland Security asked for clarification. He already had an inkling, but he didn¡¯t want his colleagues to think he was out of his mind. "Aliens." The science advisor said flatly. He was crossing his arms with a challenging posture and dared them to call him crazy. The room exploded in loud voices. Some people were laughing and shaking their heads but a minority stayed silent, obviously thinking hard. "Aliens!?" "Little Green Men?!" "Haha! I knew this was a joke!" The president stayed silent and he let them talk with each other while he collected his thoughts. Aliens? Jesus Christ. Out of the frying pan into the fire. On one hand, an asteroid strike. The kind that ended the dinosaurs and the on the other was an alien invasion... hmmm.. While a massive asteroid strike was apocalyptic, an alien inva... no, an alien encounter or contact has more leeway to work with. Hmm... The voices slowly died down and the cabinet members were glancing at each other. The president turned to his military advisors sizing them up. They were all silent through out the whole meeting. "Generals, What are our options? Can we defend from an invasion?" the president asked his military advisors. "We have plans for a response to an extraterrestrial threat sir". The army general said straight-faced. "What?! We really have one?" The president asked in a shocked voice and his eyes widened. He thought that was just a Pentagon myth back in his officer days. The president composed himself and gestured to the general. "Ahem. Sorry. Please continue" "Yes, sir. Together with a zombie apocalypse type scenario." The general nodded his face serious while an admiral shot an apologetic look to the president. "It all depends on a lot of variables. The technology the aliens have, the enemy strength and numbers, The location of their beachhead and their objectives." The army general counted with the finger of his right hand. He also glanced to his left inviting an air force general to say his piece. "The high ground also matters, sir. Space is the ultimate high ground. They can just bombard us from above and wait for our surrender." The air force general interjected. "But..we don''t know if we can win." The president said flatly as he summarized the general''s thoughts. "Yes, sir. but.." The army general started. "But, what if they didn''t come here to invade." The Science advisor interrupted. He glanced at the glaring general and he cringed. "Please continue Dave." the President gave an assuring smile inviting him to finish. "A sufficiently advanced civilization may be enlightened enough to think that wars are no longer necessary," The science advisor said regaining his composure. "They may think wars and conflict and barbaric." The Science advisor said tapping his finger on the table for emphasis "They are clearly a very advanced civilization and very enlightened!" The science advisors face was full of wonder and his eyes burned with excitement. Not like us! the president thought as he listened. "I think we should send a message of greeting, peace, goodwill and the willingness to work together." He completed his speech and his eyes burned with passion. He glanced at the Joint chief of staffs and they were ignoring him, they were huddled in a mini-conference of their own. One of the generals snorted when he heard his naive conclusions and rolled his eyes. "Sir, shall we inform the public?" the white house press secretary asked boldly. She was thinking of the public response if news of the aliens would leak out. No. Not "if" but "when" she corrected herself "A statement from the white house may help in limiting a panic after the public finds out. And make no mistake Mr. president, it will leak out!" "I think it''s too early to make conclusions." The president hedged but when he saw the press secretary started to argue. "But when we get more solid Intel in the coming months we make our findings known slowly so acclimatize the public and not cause panic." He said placating her. The press secretary nodded satisfied with the answer. "Our recommendation Mr. President," The army general said when the president looked back to him. "is to activate the plans and ready our forces just in case and if the aliens proves to be hostile.. we do a full mobilization of our active military, reserve units, and reinstate the draft." "Hope for the best but plan for the worst" The president saying to no one in particular. Not waiting for an answer he stood up and paced behind his seat. His hand on his chin in deep contemplation. His political opponents criticized him for a lot of things but not of his being able to act quickly and decisively. "Generals, activate the plans immediately without delay." He ordered his generals. "Secretary of energy. Start stockpiling our oil reserves." "FEMA. make plans for a nationwide.." The president rattles all his orders in quick succession. This is going to be a long night the Secretary of Education thought to himself. -- Two months after that full cabinet meeting the entity named The Watcher finally decided that it was the right time to make his presence known. The AI tapped the correct communication array he had already hacked an hour before. It then divided its processing threads hundreds of times and each thread called a single number. The AI, being efficient contacted all the leaders of humanity simultaneously. The president was reviewing numerous plans in the oval office when suddenly, his cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID but it only seemed to show a random string of numbers and characters. Since, only his family members and trusted advisers had his number he answered it with a hint of confusion on his face. The army general briefing the president caught his reaction and fell silent. "Hello? Who is this?" the president and all other leaders answered the phone. Most of the leaders were confused some were angry, a few were sleeping although a couple of leaders thought it was all a prank and promptly hanged up. "§©§Õ§â§Ñ§Ó§ã§ä§Ó§å§Û§ä§Ö? §Á §Ù§Ñ§ß§ñ§ä! §Á §á§â§Ö§ã§Ý§Ö§Õ§å§ð §Þ§Ö§Õ§Ó§Ö§Õ§ñ." "?Hola? ?Qui¨¦n est¨¢ perturbando mi siesta?" "Bonjour mon amour. Ma femme dort ¨¤ c?t¨¦ de moi." "I am the being approaching your planet. You may call me Watcher. I will give your council one hour to assemble and I will call again at that time." the Watcher translated into different languages. The universal translator on this planet was abysmal and added to the confusion but the gist of the message was easily understood. "I will answer your questions in one hour. Goodbye." The call was ended so abruptly that they didn''t even have time to form questions. Without asking for permission the Watcher split the seed ship into five modules. One pyramid and four diamond shards. The four different shining metal shards were like an ace of diamonds in appearance. The four shards then parked in a geostationary orbit around the earth¡¯s equator, covering every land area. The pyramid housing the Watcher moved above the north pole and transmitted its instructions to the shards. Each shard was visible to the naked eye like a shining beacon in the night sky. Videos of the shards were posted in video hosting sites and a couple of them promptly crashed due to the heavy traffic. The four shards then slowly disintegrated into dust covering the entire planet. Unseen by the observers who watched the spectacle. The microscopic nanobots were dispersed into the air, oceans, seas, and the land. It entered the human''s bodies unnoticed. Animals, even aquatic ones were not excluded. By multiplying in the millions using the trace elements of metals and chemicals found in every living thing, these nanomachines invaded every part of the body. It changed the animal''s body ever so slightly over a long period of time and then retreating into a solid core attached to the spine. In the human''s bodies, the nanites completed its directives and turned into a solid core. After the core determined its task was completed, it went into hibernation mode and waited to be activated for the first time. The only side effect was a sudden pang of hunger and reports of record sales from deliveries of food found its way to the news. When most of his advisors were gathered in the oval office, they all anxiously stared at the president¡¯s cell phone like it was a poisonous snake. Only the sound of the mechanical clock can be heard and an eerie silence hanged in the air. Thankfully, someone had the presence of mind to find a charger and plugged it into the phone. Now that''s a call you don''t want to have a low battery icon flashing. Ring...Ring... The sound of The cell phone ringtone made everyone jump and President nervously reached for the phone. He swiped the answer button, his hand shaking a little and put it on speaker phone. "This is the President of the United States of America. To whom am I speaking?" the President said as he leaned forward and tried to keep his voice calm "This is the Watcher. By the power vested in me by the Dalsau Mercantile Collective, I hereby proclaim this planet is accepted for Seeding and Initialization. Chapter 1 - When an orc is chasing you Year 2019 Glenville High School, Washington History Class ...The Event happened 10 years ago... ... a lot of governments thought the Dalsau was going to invade but they were actually just traders looking for a new market... ...we sell or trade the cores and other products to the aliens for credits or exchange them for Altech items... ... the new immigrants are mostly the family of Prospectors, Merchants, Altech engineers, Laborers..... I thought a senior¡¯s life was fun. I thought it was like in the movies. Parties... Drag Racing... Stink Bombs... The works... Instead, I''m here half listening to my classmate''s drone on and on about the Event in history class. I sighed internally. What¡¯s the point in studying the Event anyway when it only happened ten years ago? Like when people mentioned 9/11 you readily know or maybe had an idea of what happened. We called it The Event like it was the only world-changing phenomenon in recorded human history. Try asking the dinosaurs. Yep. There are none. Move over dinos, we¡¯re the captain now. I was so deep in my musings that I didn¡¯t hear Mrs. Baker calling me. ".. Helloo... Mr. Hunter... Anybody home?¡± Mrs. Baker tapped her stylus repeatedly on my desk. Sarah giggled on my left. She was the most obnoxious girl in the world. She''s not even that pretty. I frowned at her and she raised her shapely eyebrow. I turned my head to the teacher before I might say something that I''ll regret later. ¡°Uh. Sorry. Can repeat the question again ma¡¯am¡± I inquired. I became embarrassed and my cheeks were getting hot all of a sudden. A couple of students sniggered loudly at the back of the room. I ignored them and I made my face look eager to the teacher. ¡°Oh. Welcome back, Mr. Hunter! I thought I had to ask your friend Mr. Cooper to form a search party ¡± faking concern dripped from her voice. ¡°Like that¡¯s gonna help!¡± his friend Frank said helpfully. The traitor. Everyone laughed and my face felt hotter. ¡°Okay. Settle down people¡± Mrs. Baker judged I was embarrassed enough and decided to let me off the hook. ¡°My question was.. Why do you think the Dalsau Collective seeded our planet?¡± She folded her arms waiting for my answer. Seeding. I recalled how my parents talked about The Event a number of times in the past. After the seeding, the nanites changed every human, animal and plant life form on earth. The effect was it shortened both the animals breeding period and harvest cycle of all plants. The animals themselves developed interesting and sometimes dangerous characteristics. They also increased the sizes of the animals. The wolves were twice as large and now had sharp metal-like teeth and some birds that were the size of a small plane. The larger animals were even a lot smarter than before. I read in the forums that certain parts of the dangerous rare animals sell for thousands of credits in the Collective¡¯s markets. But the most prized item is a metallic solid ¡°Core¡± that can be found in large beasts. A ¡°Core¡± is inside in every human too. I shuddered at the thought of an object attached to my spine. I gathered my thoughts and I thought of different ways to answer the question. ¡°Uh. Maybe because they¡¯re just too lazy and can¡¯t be troubled to harvest the core and other animal parts themselves,¡± I answered. I furrowed my brows and continued. ¡°I mean why do you pick the cotton you planted yourself when you can get someone else to get them.¡± I finished with a grin. ¡°So were the slaves¡± Mrs. Baker, being a black woman narrowed her eyes. My grin immediately disappeared and my face changed into a horrified one. ¡°Wha. what? No. no. You misunderstood me. I think it¡¯s cheaper for the Collective if we get the cores and parts ourselves and in return, we get paid. I¡¯m a capitalist Y¡¯know¡± I answered hurriedly not wanting to be called a racist. With all that has happened around the world judging someone''s skin or carapace color is least of our worries. I heard some parts of the country are still no-go zones with all the dangerous beasts running around. ¡°Hmmm. Possibly. Not a bad answer. I¡¯m surprised you listened to my class at all Mr. Hunter. Next time pay attention¡± Mrs. Baker admonished walking away and asked another question to a different student. I sighed in relief and thought to myself that almost went bad. ¡°He shoots and he scores¡± My friend leaned over and whispered. ¡°Hmpf. you got lucky¡± Sarah says dismissively adjusting her glasses. I glared at her and she smirked. ¡°Tsundere confirmed¡± Frank added glancing at Sarah. I scowled at my friend. Frank Cooper has a black cropped hair, black mischievous eyes, hooked nose and average in height. We¡¯ve been friends for a long time. Maybe a bit flabby at the midsection. We always do a lot of things together, from shooting hoops to chasing girls. Frank is a little impulsive sometimes but a good friend nonetheless. Before I could form a retort the bell rang and I hurriedly packed up my things and ran to the door with my friend behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to finish your essays and pass them next week!¡± Mrs. Baker hurriedly reminded the class while she almost got stampeded by the rushing students. ¡°That was a nice save earlier dude¡± Frank complimented me while we walked to the hallway lockers. ¡°Although you sounded like you were against the Event.¡± I glanced at him he had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. ¡°What? No man. I love it¡± I answered grinning as I placed my bag in my locker. ¡°It makes the world a bit more interesting to tell you the truth. Did you see what ...¡± I was interrupted by a high pitch voice. I looked down at the voice. ¡°Scuse me. Ya mind movin?¡± A tiny voice piped up and a very short girl wearing jumpers and a Gap shirt was crossing her arms. A Halfling. She scowled at Frank who was blocking her locker. ¡°Sorry, Dila.¡± Frank moved to the side and we fell silent. We watched her having difficulties placing her stuff inside. With a little jump, she tossed her books on the shelf about halfway and with another jump the book finally slid in. ¡°Oh, such gentlemen¡± Her little voice full of sarcasm as she closed her locker. ¡°Hey. I was gonna help but..¡± Frank was tried to explain. ¡°Save it ya bum.¡± she retorted walking away. ¡° WhadidaIdo?¡± Frank asked innocently and I chuckled. That''s their daily ritual. Frank tried helping her once and she called him a chauvinist pig. ¡° You¡¯re welcome!¡± Frank shouted at her. The halfling turned and gave him the finger. ¡°See what I mean.¡± I explained laughing at him. The girl halfling glared back as she joined her friends. ¡°Yeah, dude I get what you''re saying. C¡¯mon, let''s go and get lunch I¡¯m starving.¡± Frank replied still glaring the halfling. ¡°You go ahead man, I gotta go take a leak¡± I walked briskly to the restroom thankfully it wasn¡¯t far. After I did my business I went to the sink and washed my hands. I looked in the mirror and I saw a prince-like figure looking back at me. I stared at the image, then realized it was my face. Who am I kidding? I snorted. Short dark blonde hair, with a square face and about 6''1 in freedom units. The only thing that was unique, was my violet eyes. After washing my face I left the room and got almost got run over by two running dwarves chasing a giggling halfling. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Move it you Giant!" The halfling shouted at me. ¡°WRAH! NO RHANIN IN DA HALWEY¡± The orc P.E. teacher Mr. Bonzcrahzir roared and pointed at the offender''s backs. I got out of there quickly. The Collective as it¡¯s commonly known is made up of different species. Most of the species appearance was like the denizens from fantasy books. It left most of the xenobiologist scratching their heads as to why aliens look like elves, dwarfs, orcs, and others. So humans being human, if the alien looked like an orc, we named them Orcs. No biggy. The aliens didn¡¯t mind anyway. All public schools were required to accept all species as part of the agreement between the government and the Dalsau Collective. Mostly the children of families from extrasolar workers are enrolled at the school. They make up around ten percent of total school population mostly teenage halflings, orcs, dwarves, elves, and beastpeople. Although beastpeople were pretty rare in our school. Arriving at the cafeteria I took a tray and lined up. A couple of football jocks were ahead of me and the line moving a little slow. ¡°Foor Mak n Chiz pliz!¡± A tall green orc who wore football jersey ordered loudly to the server. He gestured the amount with his fingers and smacked his lips at the food. The tired looking server slopped the last of the dish on the orc¡¯s tray forming a mountain of mac n cheese. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡° Leave some for us!¡± a trio of halflings next in line complained. ¡°Hohoho. Yu snoze yu loze¡± the orc laughed turning away from the muttering trio who were staring daggers at the orc. Amused by the scene I got some fried chicken, some tater tots and got a glass of iced tea at the beverage station. I followed Frank to an empty table and started eating the chicken. ¡°mmhmm. gulp. I always thank the Event for these,¡± Frank holding up a rather large chicken leg. It was twice the size of an unseeded one. "My dad told me the other night that chickens were a lot smaller than before.¡± He stared at the leg for a few seconds then shrugged and continued devouring it. I nodded and took a bite myself before answering. ¡°I hear KFC has more than a hundred branches off-world now,¡± I said incredulously at the thought. ¡°Those aliens sure do buy anything.¡± I said shaking my head. I glanced out the window saw some cheerleaders both human and elves practicing their routine. Man. Those elves can really climb. I was admiring the flexibility and dimensions of the elves when I was rudely interrupted by Frank, who tossed a tater at my face. ¡°Stop leering at those innocent girls. Like you have a chance with those angels.¡± Frank said wistfully. He was also staring at the cheerleaders. ¡°I wasn¡¯t leering, I was staring. And so were you.. you hypocrite¡± I said giving him a rude gesture. I looked back outside and admired the view. After a minute of silently admiring and praising the Event, Frank turned back to me. ¡°So. Are we on tomorrow?¡± Frank asked quietly changing the subject glancing left and right to see if someone was listening in. ¡°What¡¯s on tomorrow?¡¯ I asked faking confusion and continued eating. My excitement now building and cheerleaders now temporarily forgotten. ¡°Hunting! You idiot¡± Frank whispered loudly cupping the sides of his mouth with his greasy fingers. Glaring at me for forgetting hunt. As if I¡¯d forget something like that. ¡°I know. Just kidding¡± I said placating Frank. ¡°Hahaha. I was just joking,¡± laughing at my friend¡¯s annoyed face. ¡°It¡¯s not even illegal. I don¡¯t understand why we have to keep it secret.¡± ¡°Shushh! Mark my words Brian if this ever gets out every Tom, Dick, and Mork will be looking for our spot and cleaning it out¡± Frank pointing his chicken bone at me. ¡°And what will that leave us? Nada. And I can¡¯t wait for the buggers to breed more. So no mo money for that stupid thing you keep eyeing at the traders¡± ¡°Hey! It¡¯s not stupid. That¡¯s some Altech piece of art¡± I replied sounding wounded. I¡¯ve been saving all the profits from our hunting trips and if the catch stays good maybe in a few months I can finally afford it. ¡°Ever since I seen one from that movie Dad keeps on watching. I gotta have one. My precious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trip to the hospital if you ask me,¡± Frank muttered while finishing his juice. ¡°You¡¯re drooling by the way.¡± He said and pointed at my chin. Horrified I quickly wiped my mouth but feeling nothing wet I tossed a tater at Frank. ¡°Asshole¡± ¡°Hahaha¡± Frank laughed dodging the potato bit. After finishing our lunch we waited for the bell to ring and we separated to our different class. Math class was the same as history class. My mom¡¯s a math professor at a nearby university so I can do the math. No pun intended. I¡¯m a little advanced in the math department than what they¡¯re teaching here, but looking on while my less mathematically inclined classmates trying to solve a problem gets a little boring. Thankfully my teacher knows about it and mostly ignores me. After the bell rang, I found myself wearing my gym clothes in the locker room for our last class for the day. I¡¯m not that athletic but I considered myself above average. I looked to my left and Frank looked depressed. ¡°I hate this class¡± Frank muttered slowly trying his shoelaces. ¡°C¡¯mon man, last class of the week.¡± I tried cheering him up. ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯re gonna make it rain baby.¡± I said. I mimed throwing a wad of bills. ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe It won¡¯t be that bad today?¡± Frank replied finishing tying his shoelaces slowly cheering up. ¡°Who knows we might...¡± ¡°AW RYT YU MAGYTS!¡± Mr. Bonzcrahzir crashed into the boy¡¯s locker room. He wore a bright yellow tracksuit and a clipboard in his left hand. ¡°STARTZ RUNNIN IN DA TRAK NAW!¡± Then he promptly blew a golden whistle every other second ¡°MUV whistle MUV whistle MUV whistle¡±. We immediately ran to the track. ¡°Oh, God. I spoke too soon,¡± Frank wailed while running. Thick bands of sweat running down his face. ¡°Kill me now please,¡± he moaned. ¡°Who¡¯s the idiot who thought assigning an orc to a gym class was such a great idea.¡± ¡°Less talking more running!¡± I hissed to my friend running beside me. I¡¯m not that winded but I kept my friend some company and emotional support. ¡±You could lose some weight, my friend.¡± I said grinning upping my pace a little bit. ¡°Ow... no... you.... didn''t... Did...you...just... call.... me... fat?¡± My friend said between huffs as he tried to match my pace. Just to fair with Frank, he¡¯s not really fat but he sure could use a little bit of trimming. ¡°ORGZ HERY BALLZ CALLINZ!¡± Mr. Bonzcrahzir shouted behind us, easily keeping pace while holding his clipboard. ¡°IZ DAT ALL YU GUTZ?¡± ¡°HAFLINS RAN FAZTER DAN YU!¡± he pointed his clipboard forward. I looked ahead and sure enough, a couple of halflings were faster than us. Then the gym teacher tilted his head looking at me. ¡°HANTER! WATZ UR EXCUZ!¡± He roared at me. ¡±Sorry Frank..You know.. what they say about...being chased..by lions..¡± my friend''s eyes narrowed then widened in comprehension ¡°No...you...wouldn''t.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t be..the last guy!¡± I teased and ran faster and after a few minutes I caught up with the main pack and decided to stay with them. I don¡¯t really feel bad doing this to Frank. We¡¯ve been doing this routine for a while now. I¡¯m sure he understands..See you tomorrow buddy ¡°FAZTER CALLINZ! FAZTER!¡± Chapter 2 - Elmer fudd had it bad ¡°Oooh... You¡¯re so naughty¡± The elf maiden giggled when I tickled the sides of her body. ¡°Stop it. Hehehe. That tickles!¡± I stopped my finger from moving and looked at her greedily. ¡°Hmmm, ticklish are we my lady¡± I teased the wriggling elf on the bed. I walked my fingers on the leg moving upward. ¡°Maybe if we remove this I can tickle you better¡± grabbing her shirt with my fingers. ¡°Bzzzt¡± The elf whispered in my ear when I tried to remove her top. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked confused and stopped my very important work. I looked at the giggling elf face. ¡°Bzzzt! Bzzzt!Bzzzt!¡± The elf suddenly shouted at me. She kicked me hard and I flew off the bed. Bzzzt....bzzzt....bzzzt...bzzzt... I opened my I eyes and groaned. A couple of more minutes! I swiped the snooze button on my phone and closed my eyes. Maybe I can get back to my lovely elf. I tried falling back to sleep but the alarm went off again. I sighed and opened my eyes. I yawned, rubbed my face and sat on the bed. I stared at the wall for a few seconds and I stretched my body. Bzzzt...bzzzt...bzzzt... I reached over and turned off the alarm on my phone. I looked out the window and it was still a little dark. I checked the time on my phone and it showed 5:00 am. I stood up and went to the bathroom and used the porcelain throne. I then took a long hot shower and dried myself. I opened my closet and took out my hunting camos and gear. I put on the camos and opened my pack and started tossing my gear inside. After checking everything were all accounted for I opened my safe and grabbed my rifle. I checked the chamber and confirmed it was empty and placed it gently on the bed. Since a lot of the usual timid animals turned savage when The Event happened, a lot of the gun laws were relaxed. I also took my utility belt and put in on. I checked the knife for the sharpness and felt satisfied with the sharpness. I also grabbed my handgun and clipped the holster on my belt. I shouldered my pack, picked up the rifle and exited my room. I smelled the coffee brewing when I walked to the kitchen. My dad was sitting at the table drinking coffee and was reading the news on his E-Pad. He''s forty-one years old, black hair, full beard, and 6''3 in height. He looked up when he heard me and examined my clothes, guns, and gear. ¡°Going Hunting.¡± He asked raising his eyebrows. ¡°Going Hunting¡± I confirmed and my dad nodded. Setting my pack on the floor and placed the rifle on the counter. I grabbed some cereal and milk and started eating my breakfast. ¡°This story says the government¡¯s hiring some aliens to clear the Red Zones¡± my dad showing me the article on his EPad. ¡±It also says here they raised the bounties this year. That''s good money¡± ¡°Umhuhm," I mumbled. I looked at the article and continued eating. ¡°Hmph... It''s just a waste of tax payer''s money.¡± My dad grumbled. ¡°They could infil some Recon Marines and call in some air support. BRrrrrrrrrtt Boooom and pick up the cores later¡± motioning his hand like a fighter. My dad was a retired marine and sometimes his solutions to problems were more firepower. ¡°They tried that before,¡± I pointed out and spooned the last of my cereal. I placed my bowl and glass in the sink. ¡°They were horrified that the cores were scattered all over the place and it took months to find them. Hahaha¡± I laughed. I remembered reading an article about that operation. The government thought they could use the cores to buy some new Altech. Instead of just grabbing the cores calling it a day, it became a giant Easter egg hunt. It ended up costing more. ¡°Anyways. I gotta go, Dad. Those cores aren¡¯t gonna collect themselves¡± I said hurriedly and grabbed my stuff before dad goes into full rant mode. I grabbed the keys to my truck and went through the door. ¡°Be careful out there¡± My dad called out as the door was closing. I opened the door of the truck stowed my rifle and pack in the back. Then I went back in the garage to take out our secret weapon. I examined it and tossed the weapon in the back satisfied that it can handle a few more beatings. I started the truck and drove to pick up Frank. He was already waiting for me when I stopped in front of his house. He was also wearing camos, carrying a pack and rifle. He placed everything in the back. When his hand went to the door handle, I stepped on the gas and he missed it. ¡°You¡¯re so mature Brian.¡± he said rolling his eyes and got in. ¡°Hahaha. How was Mr. Bonzcrahzr?¡± I teased him laughing. ¡°Yeah Yeah. Don¡¯t remind me,¡± He said grabbing the seat belt ¡°It wasn¡¯t funny y¡¯know.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I told you to start exercising!¡± I laughed and stepped on the gas. I thought Frank was a little overweight. He gave me the evil eye. Frank got over it quickly and we talked a lot on the way. Mostly about cars and the new mission impossible movie trailer. ¡°They say Tom Cruise''s popular off-world,¡± Frank mused reading the comments on the trailer.¡± ¡°listen to this. TAM CRUZ SUKZ¡± reading the comments. ¡°Never read the comments.¡± I advised sagely as I turned the wheel for a right turn ¡±It¡¯s all full of trolls. Literally!¡± W both laughed at my joke. Frank watched his favorite gossip channel and the rumors were highly entertaining. An Elf princess ran away, an Orc party turned in to a riot, and a couple other scandals. Half an hour later we arrived at the Whitman National Park. I parked my truck on the side of the dirt road and turned off the ignition. We got out from the truck grabbing our stuff from the back and geared up. We walked silently for thirty minutes and Frank grumbled something about his legs. So we stopped for a break and drank water from our CamelBak. ¡°I wish we could use a storage mod¡± Frank grunted as he removed his pack from his shoulders. ¡°Can¡¯t wait till I¡¯m eighteen. Stupid age restriction.¡± W sat down on a fallen log. ¡°Hey. Do you remember Gorim?¡± he asked remembering something. ¡°Gorim? Gorim. Gorim.¡± My eyes unfocused as I tried to recall the face with the name. ¡°Machine shop class Gorim?¡± I guessed. ¡°Dwarf with shave cuts ¡± my hand pointing at my chin. ¡°Yeah, him¡± ¡°Sure why?¡± ¡°His clan elders activated his Core at 15¡± ¡°What? That cheater. That asshole ripped me off!¡± I said rubbing the middle finger in memory remembering the sneaky dwarf hustler. We bet our lunch money and finger wrestled and I can still feel the pain to this day. ¡°Yep. Fifteen¡± Frank grumbled then taking another sip of water. We sat there and complained about the injustice that was the Activation minimum age. I understand that activating your core at a young age was not good for the body. A child''s body needed to develop more. I could use some strength right now I thought darkly. We resumed our hike after resting for five more minutes. In an hour we finally reached our secret location. As we placed our gear inside empty fuel drums I heard the sound flapping wings. I turned my head to where the sound was coming from and I saw a park ranger on a brown Pegasus landing on the clearing nearby. I recognized the park ranger on the peg. We raised our hands in greeting and he waved back. After they landed he patted the beast on the neck. The ranger was a rough-faced man, heavily tanned from the sun. He looked very thin and short in stature around the mid-50s in age. He carried a huge rifle strapped to his back.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Well. Well. If it ain''t the Monster hunter duo. Heya boys.¡± The ranger greeted touching his hat and smiled at us when he got into talking distance while rubbing his mount¡¯s neck ¡°How ya doin?¡± ¡°Heya Bill.¡± ¡°Hi, Sir.¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing fine.¡± We greeted back and shaking his hand. The Pegasus bumped his head on my shoulder snorting and started sniffing my coat. ¡°You too Herc¡± I added rubbing his neck. I noticed him trying to get his mouth in my pockets. ¡°Sorry buddy, no apples today.¡± I apologized showing my empty palms but the peg turned his head away in a huff, annoyed for not getting his due. When the peg saw Frank approaching he raised his hind leg in warning. Frank immediately backed off. ¡°Greedy bastid. Ur supposed to be on a diet!¡± Bill admonished while the peg turned his neck around nipped the ranger¡¯s leg. ¡°Ey. Watch it!¡± Slapping the offending head affectionately ¡°How¡¯s your daddy?Bin here long?¡± he looked down at us smiling. ¡°Dad¡¯s fine. Still grumbling and we just got here.¡± I replied shaking my head. ¡±We¡¯re planning on hunting a lot¡± I gestured with my head nearby meadow. Dad and bill used to hunt together when I was little. ¡°Uh-huh. Lemme check. Jus a second¡± the ranger produced a little notebook from his front shirt pocket flipping the pages. ¡°You boys can hunt as many as you want,¡± he said returning the notebook ¡°No huntin limit yet.¡± ¡°Boyaa!¡± ¡°Ka-ching!¡± We high fived. Our luck was holding. The ranger was smiling when he saw us. ¡°Jus hunt what you can carry.¡± he cautioned us with a pointed finger. ¡°Yes sir¡± ¡°Sure Bill¡± we chorused grinning like mad. My precious. Just wait for me. ¡°Trouble sir?¡± Frank nodded at the rifle on his back. It looked like a large bore rifle and it was almost as tall as he was. ¡°Not really,¡± he replied shaking his head. ¡°Just spotted some wolf tracks five miles from here, they high tailin it moving west¡± He informed us pointing due west. ¡°A small pack¡± he added to allay the fear forming in our faces. ¡°Really?! Is this area safe?¡± I asked quickly getting concerned about the wolves. Those Dire Wolves were twice the size and five times the attitude from normal ones. If the wolves were ranging in the area we might have to cancel this hunt. ¡°Hmm. mebe... It''s Safe enuf I think. Dey probably far away by now. But better be safe than sorry¡± he said rubbing his chin and pointedly looked at our rifles. We sighed in relief. ¡°Jus be on the lookout¡± Bill advised us. ¡°Gotcha Bill. We¡¯ll keep our eyes open¡± I assured him looking at Frank. He shrugged. Hunting was a dangerous hobby if you got careless. ¡°You boys got them flares?¡¯ the ranger asked. Frank reached behind his belt and showed him a flare gun. ¡°Good.¡± The ranger nodded approvingly. ¡°Well. See ya later boys. Say hi to your daddy for me. And good luck on your huntin¡± Bill said in farewell and adjusted his saddle straps. I guess the ranger had a lot more patrolling to do. Can¡¯t blame the old cooter. The park rangers were spread a little thin in our area, the Pegasus can cover a lot of ground. ¡°Yeah. Catch you later Bill. Have a good one¡± I said stepping away from the duo. ¡°Bye Herc. I bring some apples next time¡± I assured the peg and his neck nodded. ¡°You too boy¡± he called out before running into a gallop and the Pegasus flapped his wings gaining altitude. We stared at the flying figure until it disappeared from view. We grinned at each other and went back to prepping. I wore my armor and pulling the straps tight. After I was satisfied I bucked up my helmet and slapping it to make sure it was a good fit. I glanced at Frank and he was doing the same ritual. ¡°I never get tired seeing Herc fly.¡± I said to frank tightening the straps and spikes on our secret weapon. ¡°Yeah. Dude, I really want one¡± Franks said wistfully staring at the sky. ¡°Good thing you¡¯re still a virgin then¡± I joked throwing a stone at Frank. ¡°I¡¯m not a virgin asshole and that¡¯s a Unicorn thing!¡± ¡°Them too!¡± I laugh at Franks reddening face. ¡°C¡¯mon. We¡¯re burning daylight out here!¡± Frank said as he shouldered his rifle and ignored my teasing. He walked to the meadow and I followed still laughing. We approached the meadow slowly and crouched as we examed our surroundings. As we neared a little mound maybe six feet tall with a slight incline, I signed to Frank to follow me. He nodded and stayed at my rear. After we walked crouching we reached the top. We looked at the field of full grass and flowers and our prey was sitting happily munching on the grass. I pointed to Frank the closest target thirty feet away and he nodded and pulled out a slingshot. I readied my wooden shield and kicked the spikes into the ground. ¡°Now!¡± Frank¡¯s aim was true and hit the white Horned rabbit the size of a large dog in the leg. The bunny saw us and charged straight toward us. Frank hid behind me pushing me slightly forward, dropping the slingshot and pulled his baseball bat from his harness. I braced the shield with my shoulder when a strong impact rocked the shield. The top lip of the shield hit my helmet so hard I almost lost my balance. But with Frank bracing me behind I quickly recovered. The rabbit¡¯s horn was embedded in the wooden shield and Frank slugged the struggling bunny with a baseball bat it to the head a few times. The bunny was dislodged from the shield and was stunned from blows. Not wanting the animal to suffer I quickly drew my knife and slit the bunny¡¯s throat. Grimacing from the blood spatter of the kicking rabbit I held the head down while Frank grabbed the legs. When it stopped moving, we tossed the bunny on the shield and dragged it to a tree near our camp. We tied the legs to a robe and hanged the bunny head down. ¡°That was so effing fun!¡± Frank said smiling breathing hard from the bunny''s weight. ¡°It¡¯s a good size,¡± I said grinning still full of adrenaline patting the dead bunny ¡°That was one solid hit!¡± rotating my shoulder. ¡°Yeah. Dude, I even felt it from behind¡± Frank also grinned ¡°I didn¡¯t know you like it from behind!¡± I guffawed slapping my knees ¡°What?¡± Frank asked with a confused face, then he finally he got it and laughed ¡°from..behind! Hahaha!¡± He repeated the punchline. We then skinned the rabbit taking extra care not to poke holes in the silky soft fur. It¡¯s the reason why we don¡¯t use the rifles. A .22 will only annoy the rabbit but anything larger would cause large exit wounds which lower the value when the alien traders appraise it. After skinning it we quartered the meat and put it in a large garbage bag. Only one last thing to do. I checked the spine carefully and found a little dark grey sphere the size of a match head. I used the tip of my knife and carefully removed it dropping it in a small ziplock bag. ¡°Got it.¡± I said shaking the bag in front of my face. ¡°Even the bunny¡¯s core is activated.¡± Frank said sighing folding the fur and packing it in a garbage bag. We then gathered the fur, horn, and meat separated by bags tied it with a rope and suspended it high on a tree. I dropped the guts in a hole I dug earlier and buried it. We retraced our steps earlier and hunted some more. We bagged another two bunnies but the last one was a little dicey. It was the largest bunny we ever saw. The buck saw us approaching slowly and I thought it was going to run away. So I was surprised that it just sat there staring at us. I looked back at Frank and shrugged and readied his slingshot. I jammed the spike on the ground braced the shield on my shoulder. I hope the padding will help cushion the force of the impact. ¡°Shoot!¡± I ordered and tightened my body. The bunny was hit on the chest and predictably it charged us right away. It hit us so hard that even with Frank bracing me from behind, it hit like a truck and bowled us over like bowling pins. I stood quickly shaking the dizziness out of my head. The straps ripped and the shield was torn away from my hand. I looked to my right and the bunny was on its side starting to get up but it was stunned too. So I jumped on the bunny held for dear life ¡°FRANK!! KILL IT! KILL IT!¡± I shouted holding the bunny by the horn to keep it from goring my face, and I wrapped my legs around his midsection. ¡°HOLD ON!¡± Frank shouted pulled his knife and drove it into the neck. ¡°LET GO BRIAN! LET GO!¡± I let go and rolled away from the bunny. I tried standing but I was just too tired, so I sat on the ground and waited for the bunny to stop kicking. After the bunny died, I laid on the ground staring at the sky feeling drained. I looked at Frank and he too was on the ground breathing heavily. ¡°You okay Frank?¡± I asked checking if he was okay and standing up. ¡°I¡¯m fine dude. You okay?¡± Frank answered and sat up. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine¡± I walked to Frank and pulled him up. ¡°Duude. Look at the size of that thing¡± Frank poked the bunny with his foot. ¡°It¡¯s huge. It must be the level boss bunny or something¡± I said amazed. It was a giant. It was maybe fifty percent larger than the average bunny. "LEVEL BOSS BUNNY?!" Frank shouted incredulous at my deduction and slapped me on the back of the head "AINT NO SUCH THING!" After admiring the bunny, I checked myself out and undid the straps. I scrutinized my armor and helmet for damage. I bought a used motocross armor set and football helmet at a garage sale. I added more padding and painted it camo. Looking for broken bones, cuts and sprains, I tested the motion of my arms and legs. Thankfully I found none and I put the armor back on. Resting for a bit we dragged the giant bunny to our camp and started the whole process again. I was my turn to stand guard so I watched the surrounding area while Frank field dresses the bunny. Frank was taking pictures of the bunny promising to post it in Phasebook and Twitter. I was scanning the area when I heard the sound of cracking branches in the distance. I turned my head to the sound and I saw a small and brown flicker between trees a hundred feet away. I was instantly on my guard raising my rifle and I whispered to Frank to keep quiet. ¡°Shush¡± I whispered to Frank again and he stopped posing for selfies. He slowly walked to the nearby tree and took his rifle. ¡°I saw something¡± my voice cracked a little scanning the trees. ¡°What is it?¡± Frank inquired walking slowly to stand beside me. ¡°I dunno..I think I saw a deer¡± I whispered quickly. I was starting to get excited. I checked the chamber on my rifle and when Frank saw what I doing he checked his too. ¡°There are no deer in this area.¡± Frank whispered back. ¡°Hhruoh¡± ¡°Hhruoh¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± Chapter 3 - Not too soft, not too hard, but just right! Slowly the Great Bear slipped out from the trees and started moving at leisurely toward us. It was surprising that such a large animal can be hidden in the forest. It looked like an over-sized Kodiak bear. Seven feet at the shoulder, golden brown fur, and over-sized paws. I saw it stop moving and raise its head sniffing. My face paled when I realized it smelt the meat and blood in our camp. ¡°Fu.fuck!¡± ¡°What¡¯s a bear doing here!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± ¡±Let¡¯s run¡± ¡°Run to where? It can run faster than us!¡± We talked over each other raising our rifle at the Behemoth. Frank was correct. There are no bears in our area. We didn¡¯t even bother carrying bear spray. The only predators here were only wolves and wolverines. ¡°Shushh!¡± Frank looked at me and I put a finger on my lips. ¡°Back away slowly. Move!¡± I whispered loudly. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating. Frank nodded his face white as a ghost and we started backing away from the fresh kill paralleling the tree line. The bear resumed its search still moving slowly. I remembered reading from a book, that the bears had bad eyesight. I just hope it¡¯s still the case with this one. Think! Brian Think! I looked at Frank and he was staring at the bear. I quickly viewed our options. Fight? I looked at our rifles and rejected the idea. Our rifle¡¯s caliber is great for wolves but not bears. Especially not a Great Bear. It won¡¯t kill it fast enough. There were no bears around here so we neglected to bring precautions for it. Stay still? Stand our ground? not happening. I don¡¯t trust myself to sit tight. Run? Then I remembered gym class. I slowly lowered the rifle and cross shouldered the strap. Frank seeing the movement beside me copied what I did. ¡°Brian. What are we gonna do?¡± he whispered furiously to me. ¡°Frank. Listen. We keep backing away from the meat¡± I whispered still backing away. Frank nodded slowly still following me. The bear stopped and resumed sniffing and we stopped dead in our tracks. It homed in at the smell and slowly approached the camp. We were about fifty feet away when it saw the bunny''s carcass and it quickened its pace. The bear finally found the bunny and it started eating it. ¡°Move.¡± I whispered not looking away from the bear and resumed walking slowly. I checked my phone and silently cursed. There was no coverage in this area. I then formulated a plan ¡°We run if it charges at us.¡± I whisper after a while. The bear was halfway through the bunny eating happily. ¡°What? Run?¡± ¡°Shush!¡± ¡°Yes, we run. Then we split up¡± I nodded. I was both excited and afraid at the same time. I quickly explain my plan with frank and if the bear chases us, at least one of us can call for help. ¡°Okay. Okay. We can do this¡± Frank nodded jerkily. Psyching himself up. ¡°Mr. Bonzcrahzer wasn''t so bad now right?¡± I said lightening the mood and failing completely ¡°What?! Now is not the time dude¡± an exasperated Frank glared at me. The bear finished eating the bunny and looked up the meat hanging on the trees it stood up and grabbed bags. ¡°Keep walking man¡± We slowly but surely was gaining some distance from the bear. I was getting a little confident that we can escape without the bear noticing us. We angled our path into the trees to shield us from the bear''s vision. Just as we were about to vanish from the bear¡¯s view disaster struck. ¡°Crack!¡± Frank stepped on a fallen branch and my heart hammered even faster. The bear whipped his head to where the sound was coming from. ¡°Freeze¡± we stopped in our tracks praying for the bear to ignore us. ¡°Oh no.¡± Frank said horrified and his body was not moving an inch. ¡°Easy. Easy¡± I calmed him down. But inside I was about to bolt. It took all my strength to stop me from running. But then the bear stood up and roared a challenge. It was a female. Shit. A female bear was very aggressive if there¡¯s cub nearby. I hoped it wasn¡¯t the cub I saw earlier. ¡°Please. Please¡± Frank was now panicking. His leg shaking getting ready to run. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Stay Calm¡± I said to steady us. Maybe It will leave to protect her cub. The bear roared again and dropped down on all four then stayed still. She then charged at us and stopped. She was trying to intimidate us and she was doing a good job. ¡°Stay...Stay¡± I said shaking with my nerves shot. C¡¯mon mama bear. Leave. I begged silently. The bear stood up again and roared but this time it charged at us all the way. My fight or flight instinct finally tripped. ¡°RUUUUUNNN!!¡± I shouted and we both ran into the woods splitting up. I saw Frank taking a left weaving through the trees and I ran a different direction. I could use some extra speed about now! Shut up Brian complain to the government later! Whipping branches hit my face stinging me as I passed between trees, but I ignored it and kept running. I saw a fallen tree in front of me and tried jumping over it. I tripped and face planted, but I got up quickly. SHIT!SHIT! I dug deep running as fast as I could, going through bushes not caring if it was poison ivy or full of thorns. ¡°Crack!¡± I looked back and the bear just stamped on the fallen tree with her paw and breaking it like a twig. The bear roared again and I changed direction to avoid going near the cliffs. I looked back again hoping the bear was gone but I saw her following me fifty feet away. I jumped down on a narrow goat trail but I tripped and rolled sliding toward the cliff¡¯s edge. I grabbed at anything I can put my hands on and I was able to grab a vine while falling off the cliff. I was stopped abruptly hitting the cliff wall with my back. I swayed in the air ten feet below the edge of the cliff holding for dear life. I looked down the dry river bed full of large rocks and I gripped even harder. It¡¯s a long way down maybe about fifteen stories. I could still hear the bear grunting and she was still following me at full speed. The bear was so intent on mauling me that she didn¡¯t see the cliff in time. The bear tried stopping but her speed and momentum were so great that she slid off the edge directly below me. The bear was clawing the edge for a handhold above me that the claws ripped the vine I was holding onto and we fell together. We both screamed I think. It felt like time slowed when I saw the bear was below me tumbling and I just closed my eyes waiting for it to end. The bear hit the large stones on the dry river bed on its back and breaking her skull. I landed on top of her slightly sideways my legs first while my arms braced my head like in a fetal position. I felt my bones break even though the bear¡¯s chest cushioned my fall. I tried moving my hand but it won¡¯t move. I opened my eyes and I felt a burning sensation inside my chest. The bear¡¯s breathing rocked me up and down softly until it slowed and stopped. Not long after that my eyes closed and fell asleep. In my dreams, I was living my life. attended school, played football against pro orcs, and female elves fought for my attention. I was fighting demons with my laser eyes with my pet bear. I thought the bear attack was just a dream. It was quite a good dream considering. I woke up in a hospital room two weeks later, I was confused which was the dream world and the real one. I realized I was covered in bandages, body cast, and a tube was also running through my nose. I blinked my eyes and tried rubbing my face but my arms didn¡¯t move. I saw my dad sleeping on the couch and I tried calling him, but my mouth didn¡¯t move so all that came out was a little croak. Then I remembered the bear..the cliff..falling... It wasn¡¯t a dream I thought. Then I realized that this was the real world and I can¡¯t feel my body. I cried. I was paralyzed. Tears were running down my cheeks and I couldn¡¯t even wipe them. I thought of the things I couldn''t do anymore like driving, running, and even going to the bathroom. So I laid there silently crying my eyes out. Just let me go back to my dream world, I pleaded with God. Through the tears, I saw a nurse come into my room and was holding a saline bag. When she was beside the bed to change the bag she saw my open eyes full of tears. Her eyes popped out with her mouth open. She said nothing to me and ran out the room. Even the nurse is scared of you. A mummy crying. I thought bitterly. I can¡¯t help but laugh at the nurse''s wide-eyed look. It snapped me out of this crying marathon. You can either laugh or cry. So I took a hold of myself and thankfully the tears stopped falling. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.My mom went through the doorway and ran to my bed and she cried. The nurse must have informed her that I was awake. She immediately hugged me. My mom''s a short woman and she was having difficulty reaching me. My dad woke up from the commotion. I looked at my mother¡¯s face and I didn¡¯t like what I saw. My mom was a beautiful woman but now she looked old, pale and her blond hair was a mess. I was suddenly guilty for worrying my mom. ¡±...¡± "..." I tried to tell my mom I¡¯m okay but I can only hum and grunt. ¡°Oh, my poor baby! You¡¯re awake¡± My mom cried in happiness and caressed my cheek wiping away the tears. ¡±Honey he¡¯s awake!¡± My mom slid down the bed so my dad could see me. My dad jumped off the couch and I looked at dad. He didn¡¯t change at all. He looked calm and smiled a little. My Dad always seemed so unflappable to me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry son. It¡¯s gonna be okay¡± My dad said softly and hugged me gently. Dad and I were not the hugging type so I was a bit embarrassed actually. Thankfully he straightened up and awkwardly squeezed my hand and let go. ¡°Doc¡¯s gonna fix you up I promise.¡± He said to me confidently. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine¡± My mom assuring me running her hand across my cast covered chest. ''No, it¡¯s not okay! I¡¯m paralyzed!'' I wanted to shout out loud and I was starting to get angry. I understood they were just trying to cheer me up. C¡¯mon! dad! You can¡¯t promise to un-paralyze me! If only my core was activated I could be walking right now. I hate this! What¡¯s the point of having a core if we can¡¯t use it! I thought bitterly. Just one more year! Then I remember something I was looking around the room. Frank! Oh my God! Is he okay? I thought furiously. This stupid mouth! FRANK! I tried saying the name. I tried talking but only grunting sounds came out. Maybe he¡¯s hiding trying to surprise me. Where¡¯s that Idiot? ¡±...¡± I tried saying Frank¡¯s name again but same as before I can only hum and grunt. Then I remembered the plan and I slowly relaxed. The plan obviously worked seeing that I¡¯m alive and kicking. Well...Not the kicking part. I thought through the plan in my head. The plan was to split up and head to an old missile silo we discovered a mile away. We found that base while looking for a good hunting spot three years ago. We opened the small hatch on the ground with some WD-50 and elbow grease. It had a tunnel entrance with a ladder going down and it was small enough for us to get inside while keeping the bear out. The first one who reached the hatch was to fire a signal flare and alert Bill who was patrolling the area. If only they would just stop saying ¡°it¡¯s okay¡± and gave me the rundown on what happened. I laid there half listening and brooding. I was just angry with everything. Wishing and praying that this was just a bad dream. I was slowly getting tired and my eyes closed before I knew it, I was fast asleep. I dreamt that the bear was standing in front of me and that I couldn¡¯t move. The bear titled it¡¯s head and gestured me to start running. Thinking that I didn¡¯t understand, it pantomimed a running man and pointed at me. The bear this pushed me gently with her paw to get me going. It was such a funny sight that I woke up smiling inside. I glanced at the clock and it was already late afternoon. I looked at the couch and Dad was scowling furiously typing into his EPad. Angry Phasebook veteran mode I thought slightly amused. He''s wearing his usual getup. Earth-tone cargo pants, white shirt, and a camo jacket. I swept my eyes around the room and realized there was a lot of flowers, get well cards, balloons and some plushie toys. I didn¡¯t know I was popular. I mused. I was looking at the plushies and I stared at a golden brown teddy bear sitting in the middle. It didn¡¯t take long for me to guess who brought that. He¡¯s Alive. That asshole I sighed in relief. Slowly my anger from yesterday started fading. A few moments later male doctor and my mom came into the room. He was thirtyish in age, lithe body, hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a white lab coat. He was talking with my mom and I did double take when I noticed his pointy ears. He nodded to my dad and extended his hands forward for a handshake. He went beside me and looked at my eyes. He stared for a long time and nodded to himself. ¡°Cahn you here me Brahyan? My name is Healer Athlon. I am core scientist. Close eyes if yes¡± The elf said slowly asked in a very low voice. His accent was very thick I thought. I closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t know we had an elvish healer. They were pretty rare and can only be found in larger cities. The elves in our large town were mostly artisans and winemakers. I remembered the cheerleader the other day and can¡¯t help sighing. At least they couldn''t blame me for staring. That was the only thing I can do now. ¡°Ghood!¡± ¡°I know you many of questions but you listen first.¡± the elf said in broken English waiting for me to respond. It¡¯s not like I got anything better to so, I gave my assent. I blinked ¡°Ghood. I good news bad news¡± the elf doc started as if unfamiliar with the phrase. ¡±Sorry. Practice English¡± He apologized. He raised his wrist and tapped his fingers in the air. Wow! Altech!? Cool! I thought instantly amazed at the casual use of the tech. My hope suddenly soared with the possibility of fixing my paralysis when Altech. Maybe that was what my father meant about the doc fixing me. ¡°Translator is on now¡± the elf explained after he stopped tapping. ¡±I have already explained this to your parents.¡± he said gesturing to them. ¡±Now the good news.¡± I held my breath. Please. God. Please. I prayed furiously ¡°Your paralysis is only temporary." "Understand?¡± He asked. Did he say Temporary? Temporary!?!YES! I was shocked and happy at the same time. I was so relieved that I cried again. Thankfully my mom wiped the tears off with a tissue and caressed my cheeks. My mom was hugging dad jumping for joy. My dad was just nodding in satisfaction rubbing my mom¡¯s shoulder. ¡°When the nanite core in your body detected a massive trauma it activated and initiated its emergency life support protocols¡± The elf doc continued seeing my understanding. Wow. So my core¡¯s active now! This just keeps getting better and better! ¡°Dormant cores does that sometimes¡± he added. ¡°The nanites stabilized your internal bleeding first then put you into a coma because your brain was hemorrhaging and relieved the pressure to prevent brain damage¡± The elf stated pointing at my bandaged head. ¡°And it also stabilized your broken bones and attempted to fix your spine¡± the elf continued looking at his notes. ¡°Very lucky!¡± the elf smiled at me. That¡¯s me. I only roll twenties baby I thought happily. ¡°That is the reason you are paralyzed¡± the elf explained slowly gesturing my whole body ¡±The core suppressed your motor functions to prevent further damage and to stop you from feeling pain¡± ¡°If the core was to activate your pain centers¡± tapping the cast on my leg ¡°Very bad.¡±the elf added for emphasis. I shuddered at the thought of the pain. This core thing is really cool! I was amazed at what the core can do. I might have walked away from the fall if my core was active at that time. I probably could have gone full UFC with the bear. Stupid age restrictions. Images of me kicking the bear¡¯s ass flashed through my head. I looked at mom and dad imagined them fighting a bear. A basic core can¡¯t really do that. Thoughts of bear carnage disappeared from my head. You need a lot really expensive mods for a small chance of beating a Great bear and the traders don¡¯t accept dollars. ¡°Now maybe bad news or maybe neutral news¡± the elf shrugged. I cringed internally. Don¡¯t tell me I lost something important. I tried staring at my.. ahem. ¡°Unfortunately the nanite¡¯s supply in your body not was enough to fully stabilize everything especially your spine¡± I listened to him confused. I thought a core can... ¡°But first I need you need to understand,¡± the elf looked me straight in the eyes ¡°A core can only do so much. Even if you had an active core when you fell..¡± the elf did complete the statement he flicked his wrist and checked his invisible notes before continuing. ¡°So your core needed to find another source of nanites¡± I remembered the ziplock baggie full of little cores in my pocket. Thank you bunnies. I¡¯ll stop hunting you this year. I thought in relief. ¡°So.. your active human core absorbed the active bear core and helped you stabilize completely¡± He looked at my face with a hint of a smile. ¡±Very Lucky Indeed¡± he added. excuse me?! I blinked furiously Chapter 4 - Bear with Me a little a bit ¡°Since the activation was a forced one,¡± The elf said in a lecturing tone to my parents ¡±Your core is in a partially active state that is only keeping you stable and conscious,¡± the healer was pacing a little ¡°And we need to activate it fully for it to heal you completely.¡± What?! Bear Core!?I don¡¯t understand? I was having trouble processing what the healer said to me. I was blinking and humming trying to get his attention and to explain it to me better. ¡°Has this happened before Healer?¡± My mom asked with concern. My dad frowned, but let her take the reigns of the discussion. "What about the side effects?¡± ¡°Oh yes! the Beastmen does this regularly.¡± The Healer assured my mother and he completely ignored me. ¡°Perfectly safe.¡± Beastmen!? I was turning into a Beastman? I quickly stared at the few bare patches of skin. I was looking for signs of brown fur or long hair. I tried feeling teeth with my tongue but the bastard won¡¯t move. ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± C¡¯mon. Notice me Healer! The elf looked at me and he smiled when he saw my distress. I sighed in relief. ¡°It is very exciting, right? The first human and beast core union¡± The elf was now smiling widely and his eyes stared at me hungrily. No! He totally misunderstood me! It¡¯s the opposite! I redoubled my efforts, my eyes were blinking faster and the humming got louder. ¡±....¡± ¡±....¡± ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± ¡°Oh. I forgot. I assumed you applied for the special activation request¡± The elf asked both my parents ignoring me again. They both nodded. ¡°The FCB agent¡¯s fifteen minutes late.¡± My mother said a little annoyed checking her watch. ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± ¡±...¡± ¡°Ah. It is unfortunate that you cannot speak right now¡± The elf said looking at me with pity and interest.¡± I need to do a lot of experime.. tests. Yes. Tests to look for any side effects. Odd. My translator is having a little problem¡± He said frowning. He shook his wrist and tapped it with a finger. ¡°Must be a sunspot.¡± He shrugged. You just want a lab rat! God! Please help me! I wailed internally. I sighed This is useless. I stopped struggling and ignored them thinking dark thoughts about furs and tails. ¡°With your parent¡¯s permission of course. I will be taking over as your healer.¡± He looked at my parents for confirmation and straightened his lab coat. ¡°Um. I don¡¯t know if..um. our insura..¡± My mother was worried about the cost. We¡¯re not a wealthy family. Just your average middle-class folks. ¡°I will work for free of course. My healer¡¯s vow cannot allow me to ignore your son¡¯s afflicti...situation¡± The elf said humbly lowering his head. ¡°Oh. It will be our pleasure Healer¡± My mom consented. She smiled shyly elbowing my dad sharply. ¡°We know you¡¯re a very busy man..err..elf¡± acting demure all off a sudden. ¡°You got it doc¡± my dad answered glancing at me and shrugged. ¡°Think nothing of it. Your son should be our only concern¡± the elf said magnanimously smiling. I was staring hard at his face and I found that smile very troubling. I also didn¡¯t miss that ¡°our¡± part. Knock...Knock...Knock Everybody looked at the door and a tired looking woman was standing by the door. Fortyish with black hair she was wearing a slightly wrinkled pantsuit and carrying a medium sized metallic case. ¡°Is this Brian Hunter¡¯s room?¡± The woman asked tentatively, a little embarrassed for interrupting the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m from the FCB¡± She identified herself. I looked at her and perked up when I heard the initials. FCB. Federal Core Bureau. They¡¯re the people that activate cores. ¡°Ah. Yes. Please come in. We were waiting for you¡± My mom said raising a single eyebrow at the agent. She can be a bit bitchy sometimes with late people. I think it comes with the territory being a professor at a college. ¡°This is Healer Athlan. I¡¯m Prof. Janice Hunter, Brian¡¯s mom¡± ¡°I¡¯m his dad¡± ¡°I¡¯m Agent Claudia Gates¡± Handshakes all around. ¡°My supervisor already briefed me, Healer Athlan,¡± Agent Gates said placing the case flat on the table ¡°May I have your Identification please, Healer Athlan.¡± The agent asked politely raising her wrist and was looking at an invisible screen. ¡°Of course.¡± the elf said slightly annoyed muttering something I can¡¯t hear. He raised his wrist, fingers tapping and made a swiping motion toward the agent¡¯s general direction. ¡°Thank you, Healer Athlan¡± The agent looked at her screen then glanced at the healer¡¯s face. Satisfied with the Healer¡¯s ID, she pulled out something from the case. ¡°Can you please sign this..this. and this ¡± the agent handling a couple of folders to the healer and my parents. I ignored their bureaucratic rituals. While Glenville isn¡¯t that rustic, Altech was still rare and low key. It didn''t help that those displays were invisible except for the user. Maybe in the larger cities, they were more common. I made a mental note to research the different mods available at the traders when I got out from this place. Thinking of the traders made me wince at the wasted fur and core. But I still had the other cores from our previous hunts stashed in my safe. So it wasn¡¯t a total loss. I glanced at the two and apparently, everything was in order. The agent went beside my bed and placed a metallic disk the size of a small plate on my chest above my belly button. She stepped away to give the healer some room. ¡°I am going to modify the activation process, considering your condition.¡± The elf placed his hand on the disk and a blue hologram screen appeared above the disk. The room was slightly engulfed with a bluish light. Woah So cool. I was entranced by the display. ¡°Do not worry Brian you will not feel any pain.¡± the elf typing rapidly at the holoscreen. His fingers a blur to my eyes. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.¡°I will put you in an induced coma just to be sure.¡± When he noticed my parent''s concern face. ¡°It will be fine.¡± He assured them. After a few minutes, he was finished and turned to the agent waiting nearby. ¡±The codes please.¡± The healer asked the agent. The agent placed her palm on the disk for a few seconds and went back to her position. ¡°I will start in 3 seconds¡± My eyes narrowed and I braced myself. I was a little afraid of the whole thing, to be honest. The elf healer smiled at me greedily and counted down. ¡±In Three..two...one.¡± and tapped a single stroke on the screen. I immediately blacked out. -- I was dreaming again. This time I was riding the bear hollering and laughing like a cowboy. The bear tried to throw me off but I held tight. Finally, the bear calmed down and allowed me to ride it. I leaned forward and scratched the fur behind the ears. The bear groaned with pleasure and dropped down to its side throwing me off. I laughed and scratched the bear¡¯s belly and it groaned again. The bear sat up and I stood up looking at its eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds and the bear grunted. I awoke finding myself in the hospital room again. I felt sad leaving that dream. I recalled the scene and it was so peaceful and happy. I blinked my eyes and rubbed my face. I was shocked and stared at the hand. I also saw that the bandages and cast were removed. ¡°I can move!¡± I said my voice rough and low. I winced at the ache in my throat. I swallowed a few times and the pain dissipated. ¡°I can talk.¡± my voice returning to normal. ¡°Indeed!¡± Someone said in an amused voice. I turned my head so fast my head spun and my neck hurt. After the dizziness fell away I saw the elf healer typing on his holoscreen. He dropped his wrist and turned his body facing me. I noticed we were alone in the room. "You slept for a week,¡± He informed me ¡°I was getting tired of waiting.¡±He joked and he was smiling. ¡°Where¡¯s my mom and dad.¡± I asked my face confused. ¡°I sent them away for lunch. I wanted to speak to you alone.¡± I raised my eyebrows he chucked ¡°Oh nothing so sinister.¡± he said smiling. I beg to differ. I remembered his hungry look. ¡±I...¡± I tried to speak but I didn¡¯t know where to start. I had hundreds of questions floating around in my mind. ¡°Take your time¡± He gestured at me. ¡°Am I going to turn into a beastman? You said something about cores uniting¡± I asked fearfully. ¡°I got nothing against beastmen¡± I assured him ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for the whole... fur and tail thing¡± pantomiming a tail and ears my face twisting. ¡°I think I misspoke. I apologize.¡± He said fidgeting ¡°I was just thrilled to see the first active human and active animal core... united... I think that is the wrong word to use.¡± He was grasping for the term and he nodded ¡°Assimilate is the correct term¡± ¡°Is there a difference?¡± asked cringing. ¡°Oh yes. It depends who assimilated to who¡± ¡°In your case, your Core assimilated the bear¡¯s Core.¡± My eyes bulged out and my face was full of terror. ¡°Hahaha. Do not worry. Beastmen are born not made.¡± He explained laughing at my facial expression. ¡°So no. You will not turn into a beastman ¡°Do you understand?¡± I nodded sighing in relief. ¡°How does that work?What happened? the Assimilation I mean.¡± I asked. I was curious to the answer. ¡°Quite simple actually. We are sentient beings and the bear was not. There is a kind of priority who gets to absorb who.¡± ¡°So I get powers or something.¡± I asked hopefully. Maybe I can get my final form. ¡°Something. Hahaha¡± The elf laughed at my greedy face and he turned serious. He moved closer to the bed. ¡°I want you to try and think about opening your Core status holoscreen in your hand.¡± he said changing the subject. When I didn¡¯t. He smiled assuringly ¡°Try it. You will not be disappointed ¡± I stared at him a little suspicious. Then I shrugged and I thought hard. I looked at him annoyed when nothing happened. ¡°Try gesturing with your left hand when you think.¡± He said staring at my hand. If he¡¯s trying to make me look like a fool I¡¯m going to punch the sonuvabitch. I thought activate and flicking my wrist at the same time, when an empty blue screen appeared on my hand. Woah! I was mesmerized. I moved my hand side to side and the screen followed without any lag of delay. I probably looked like an idiot waving my hand. I looked at Athlan trying to show my success but he was typing furiously muttering at his holoscreen. I frowned suddenly getting suspicious again. ¡°You didn¡¯t know this would happen.¡± I stated flatly staring at the elf. He was silent and ignored the question. When no answer was forthcoming. I sighed and experiment with the holoscreen. ¡°By the way. Why can¡¯t I see your screen and how does this thing even work?¡± I asked. That question bugged me the first time I saw it. ¡°Hmm...Because the screen is inside your cornea.¡± He looked up from his typing ¡°And the wrist flick is just a way to focus your mind.¡± I stared at him skeptical with the reason. ¡°Have you heard of the term hand-eye coordination?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot y¡¯know.¡± I said reproachfully. I searched the screen for the X button but there was none ¡°Uh. How do you close the screen?¡± ¡°Do the same but think deactivate or close.¡± I tried it but it didn¡¯t work. I thought harder and It was still there. ¡°C¡¯mon¡± I did a few more and I was starting to get frustrated. I emptied my mind took a deep breath. Finally, it closed. ¡°It will get easier the more you practice.¡± Athlan said helpfully. ¡°I feel like a lab rat¡± I muttered. I did it again and it was a little faster this time. I promised myself to practice later. ¡°Why is the screen blank?¡± Where are the stat attributes? ¡°Ah. You don¡¯t have any mods installed yet.¡± Athlan said clearly enjoying teaching a dumb monkey. ¡°Ooh.¡± Finally understanding how the holoscreen work. If I added mods, the screen would display them. ¡°But why do I have this and mom and dad doesn¡¯t have one¡± I didn¡¯t notice them using one. ¡°It doesn''t usually show up unless you have Mods installed...Hmmm.. Maybe because you have a larger core than the basic one. More nanites more processing...There were a couple of cases like this..¡± He his forehead bunched up in contemplation and his hands tapping his screen. I then remembered about my bear dreams but realized it was a bad idea. He might try cracking open my brain so I decided to keep quiet. "I have a proposition for you,¡± Athlan said his face serious. I stopped playing with the holoscreen. ¡°I need to perform some tests on you. First human and all.¡± I nodded. This place was as good as any. ¡°I want you to come to Seattle at my laboratory.¡± ¡°In Seattle? I don¡¯t know?¡± Seattle was 4 to 5 hour drive. ¡±It¡¯s a bit too far for me¡± ¡°Your parents agreed to my terms,¡± He said and his eyes narrowed. When I didn¡¯t reply he sweetened the deal ¡°I will pay you 2,000 GalCred for your time.¡± I converted it into dollars and I was flabbergasted by the amount. ¡°And what will you do to me.¡± I asked warily. It was too good to be true. ¡°Oh. Nothing painful¡± He assured me avoiding my eyes. ¡±Hmmp you¡¯ll just put me into a coma again¡± I retorted. ¡°What? No. That unetacal!¡± He said horrified. I must admit he¡¯s a good actor . ¡°It¡¯s unethical¡± I corrected him ¡°That is what I said¡± He slapped his wrist ¡°Broken translator.¡± ¡°You said the wrist thing wasn¡¯t necessary!¡± ¡°Do you want the job or not?¡± He said suddenly ¡°I could remind your parents of our earlier deal..¡± he said ominously. An elven healer resorting to blackmail! Shame! ¡°Okay. okay!¡± I threw my hands up in surrender ¡°I knew you are an honorable man¡± He stood up and did an elaborate hand gesture. ¡°What¡¯s that hand wiggly thing?¡± I asked. I tried copying it. ¡°That means if you break our deal I¡¯m honor bound to kill you.¡± His smile looked damn near homicidal. I rubbed my face with my hands in frustration. Chapter 5 - In for a penny, In for a Pound ¡°Hahaha! It will be okay. I promise¡± Althan said laughing patting my leg. I groaned pitifully ¡°Do not be a childling Brian.¡± he chided. Before I could make a snarky comment my parents arrive. They saw me sitting up and my mom rushed in and gave me a really tight embrace that it hurt. Her embrace was so strong I was having trouble breathing. I glanced at dad asking for help. He just smiled. ¡°Oh, my baby! Are you okay? Can you talk?¡± she asked hopefully and still hugging tightly. My dad was behind her nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Mooom..I¡¯m fine mom... too tight... I can¡¯t breath¡± I ground out. She reluctantly let go and examining me. She thought my hair needs some attention and started fixing it her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry baby. We were so worried¡± she said. ¡°But you¡¯re fine now,¡± she said while looking at the healer. Athlan nodded and my mom¡¯s face filled relief. ¡°Thank you, Healer Athlan for everything you did for our son¡± My Mom walked to Athlan and hugged him briefly. He also winced. ¡°No problem. He is like a brother to me.¡± Athlan said shamelessly laying it thick. I looked daggers at him but he didn¡¯t meet my eyes. They continued talking about me and I was just listening to their small talk when I felt someone¡¯s hand on my shoulder. I turned my head and dad was standing beside me. ¡°You look good son,¡± My dad said patting my shoulder. Like I said, we¡¯re not the hugging type. ¡±The doc did good.¡± my dad added as he was inspecting my body with his eyes. ¡°I feel fine¡± I confirmed. Parts of my body still hurt a bit but everything felt alright. I wiggled my toes and checked my family jewels just in case. My dad snorted in amusement he saw me feeling my crotch. ¡°Hey, Dad. Is Frank okay?¡± asked anxiously after confirming it¡¯s all there... ¡°Oh. He¡¯s fine¡± My dad said and a huge weight lifted off my shoulders ¡°He wanted to stay here¡± he gestured the couch ¡± But he still had school¡±. Dad elaborated. ¡°What happened dad after..the..y¡¯know.¡± I asked dad. ¡°Weell..¡± He explained the events after the ¡®bear-falling-off-cliff-me-landing-on-top-of ¡¯ thing. As I surmised Frank reached the silo and fired his flare gun. At the same time, Bill was finishing his patrol and decided to check up on us. He saw the flare and immediate speed up to Frank¡¯s position. After Frank explained what happened he ordered Frank to get inside the silo and wait. Bill headed to our camp and on the way, he spotted the trail of fallen trees and uprooted bushes. He followed the trail to the cliff and saw us down on the river bed not moving. They landed on the river bed and checked for my vital signs. When he saw I was still breaking he radioed for a rescue chopper. The Helicopter took me to the hospital. Our family doctor was there doing his rounds when I arrived. They stabilized me and took an x-ray image. When our doctor checked screen he was confused at first then understood what he was looking at. He then called Healer Athlan who he met at a conference. I was proud that my plan sorta worked and was relieved that Frank didn¡¯t panic and lose his head. I winced when I realized how lucky I was. If we didn¡¯t fall off the cliff the bear would¡¯ve chased me down and mauled me. Maybe deep inside we both playing the hero. I think we had the idea of leading the bear away while the other escaped. I promised myself to buy the appropriate gear against bears. Maybe a bigger gun? Landmines? Or maybe that laser gun at the trader¡¯s shop...maybe a... I thought of different things when dad interrupted me. ¡±Bill dropped some stuff at home.¡± he said cryptically and smiled. I was about to ask what stuff was that when mom said something to me. ¡°You should thank Healer Athlan for giving you his time to do your tests¡± My mom reminded me and I looked at her a little outraged. She glared at me and mumbled my thanks. "That is perfectly alright Janice,¡± Althan said smiling to mom and then looked smugly at me ¡°No need to thank me. I am not that busy.¡± he said assuring my mom. ¡°You¡¯re so humble Healer Athlan¡± My mom gushed. ¡°We don¡¯t know how to repay you¡± she added. ¡°Pay with my blood¡± I muttered. Athlan¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°What¡¯s that Brian?¡± My mom asked looking at me. ¡°I said thank God¡± I lied. ¡°Thank God¡± my mom echoed nodding. ¡°I think I am done here,¡± He said checking his wrist. He looked at my mom ¡°I can release him tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh. And don¡¯t overexert yourself¡± He said to me almost like an afterthought. ¡°This is for him. Once a day before going to bed¡± He gave my mom a medium sized bottle that appeared on his hand. Woah. Storage mod. I thought. I¡¯m always a sucker for Altech. I added it to my mental list to check out. ¡°It has been a pleasure Janice¡± ¡°Mr. Hunter¡± He shook my parent''s hands and bowed. He looked at me smiling. ¡°See you this Saturday at around...hmm.. one p.m. I gave your mom the address of the Institute. See you there¡± he reminded me. ¡°Goodbye.¡± He waved and promptly left the room. ¡°Your farewells suck¡± I muttered. l lay back down and adjusted the pillow. I thought elves were all wise and graceful. Maybe a ¡°May the light of mon-keigh shine upon you¡± or something. ¡°Have you seen my phone mom?¡± I asked. I wanted to text Frank and check my mail. I hope the phone survived. ¡°Hmmm. I think so. The nurse gave me a large bag full of your things,¡± she said opening the drawers one by one. After finding it empty she searched the small closet ¡±Ah. Here¡± She opened the bag and made a face. The bag was full of my bloody clothes and armor. ¡°Oh. I think it¡¯s broken¡± She pulled out my phone and it was full of cracks. She gave it to me and I checked it. I pressed the power button and it didn¡¯t turn on. It was totally busted. I sighed. No internet. This is going to be brutal. ¡°Throw it away mom. Please¡± I gave it to her and she thought about it. Then placed it back inside the plastic bag. I raised my eyebrows ¡°I¡¯ll just store this in the basement.¡± she said and put it back inside the closet. My mom is such a hoarder. ¡°So... When am I going back to school?¡± I asked. I got off the bed slowly. I was moving my arms, legs, and doing jumping jacks. They were a bit stiff and I felt some pain. I was amazed by the recovery time. ¡°Do it slowly Brian.¡± My mom admonished me. My mom tsked and checked her watch. After a couple of more stretches, I went back to bed and adjusted it so my upper body was leaning up. ¡°I really have to do the paperwork. I¡¯ll be back later okay?¡± she said. I nodded and she went left the room.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. I looked at dad and he was on the couch sneering at his EPad. My dad¡¯s really addicted to Phasebook. I¡¯m glad he doesn¡¯t comment on my friend''s post, unlike some parents I know. ¡°Dad. Can I borrow your Epad? Mine¡¯s busted¡± I asked my dad. I¡¯m starting to get bored and my internet itch is getting to me. ¡°Just a sec. This stolen valor dipshit pinned his ribbons wrong... moron... ¡± My dad typed with his two fingers so it took a while ¡°Here¡± He stood up and handed me the Epad. ¡°Thanks¡± I logged out his account and signed in. I checked my messages and friend requests. There was a lot so ignored it for now. I checked my wall and It was full of well wishes. Most were people from school, classmates, teachers, and some people I didn¡¯t know. I scrolled down and down and down. I was touched that people cared and they seemed sincere. I stopped scrolling posts and messaged Frank and a couple of other people. The messages were mostly a variation of ¡°Still alive¡±. I started reading the other messages. Most where just ¡°Get well soon¡± and didn¡¯t need a reply. I opened a message from a girl I knew and I read the message [Just something to look forward to] and a pic of her wearing nothing...Oh Jesus! I closed the message and looked at dad. He was looking at this phone. I looked at it again for ..uh..research. It¡¯s usually the quiet people. I logged out quickly and handed the EPad back. I was getting drowsy after a while and I closed my eyes for a nap. -- ¡°Hey! Wake up!¡± I opened my eyes and a teddy bear was filling up my entire vision. I was startled and punched it in the face. It flew away hitting the top of the table and scattering the other plushies. ¡°You asshole¡± I shouted at Frank. He was laughing hard. I gave him the stink eye. But after a few seconds, I gave up and joined in laughing. I looked around the room and were alone. ¡°How are you dude?¡± he asked extending a fist. I bumped it. ¡°Everything working?¡± He asked anxiously and looked at my body. He¡¯s as subtle as an Orc. ¡°I¡¯m fine man¡± I answered and swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. ¡°See. It¡¯s all good¡± I demonstrated. He nodded and walked to the fallen plushies. He picked them up and read the tags. ¡°Huh. I didn''t know you were friends with her.¡± He said surprised reading the lion¡¯s tag. ¡°This one¡¯s a bitch.¡± He said to a monkey one. ¡±B..Baka!Baka!¡± He mocked and showed Sarah¡¯s penguin. He placed all the plushies back on the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry man.¡± he said not looking at me. He was biting his lower lip. ¡°This is all my fault.¡± ¡°Hey man, listen! It was an accident! Okay?¡± I walked to him putting my hand on his shoulder. ¡°I was the one who suggested years ago remember!¡± I pointed out. Frank was looking the floor. ¡°It could¡¯ve been you laying there in a coma too,¡± I said pointing at the bed ¡°The bear chased me instead.¡± I said shrugging. ¡°Shit happens man,¡± I said softly leaning forward. ¡±C¡¯mon say it. Shit happens.¡± He finally looked at me and smiled a little ¡±Shit happens.¡± he said to me and nodded. I sat on the couch relieved. I was guilty that I didn¡¯t realize my friend felt bad about what happened to me. ¡°Anna called me last week.¡± He said raising his eyebrows ¡°She was very worried.¡± he was smirking now. He showed me a card with her handwriting. He was talking about my Ex-Ex-Ex girlfriend. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± I said frowning crossing my arms. ¡°It¡¯s over between us.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t over till it¡¯s over¡± He sang waving the card. I didn¡¯t say anything and my frown deepened. "Okay.. okay.¡± He said his hands up in surrender ¡°Good¡± I said ending the discussion. But inside I was happy that my friend was back clowning around. Frank stayed till my parents came back. My mom thanked Frank for visiting me, he gave me a man hug and left. She brought back some pizzas and I ate a little. Because I was on a liquid diet when I was in a coma, the nurse cautioned me about eating too many solid foods. My mom fussed over me the entire time and I didn¡¯t mind. It was her way of coping. The nurse who ran earler came to my room checking my vitals. She was actually very nice and let me borrow her EPad. I searched for information about the cores. Most were things I already knew. Increased muscle and bone strength, resistance to diseases, increased lifespan and the rest were just rumors and conspiracy theories. I also checked the Altech price listings, but most were just estimates. So I returned the EPad and fell asleep. I was released from the hospital early in the morning. I learned that today was Wednesday when I asked the orderly pushing the wheelchair. I counted the days before Saturday and I was imagining the torture devices that elf bastard was making for me. I can¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. I remembered GalCreds he promised and I felt a little better. When we arrived at our house I saw my truck parked in the garage. Dad told me Frank drove it back after Bill came for him. He also told me my stuff was in my room so when I went inside there was a surprise waiting for me. Now I know why my dad was very cagey when he told me about the stuff Bill dropped off. My pack, guns, and helmet were leaning on the wall. They must have followed and searched the trail. But what caught my interest was the folded fur and bear head sitting on top of my bed. It was so big that even if it was folded a couple of times it still covered the bed. Something bubbled on my chest and I burped. The pizza I ate must have made my gassy I reasoned. I touched the bear¡¯s fur and was surprised with softness. The sun shined on the fur and the color was spectacular. It was light brown in color with a little bit of copper tint. I looked at the head and it was almost two feet wide. I tried lifting it all up to spread the fur on the floor but it was too heavy and my joints and back hurt. I just decided to leave it there and I admired it. I patted it and gave my thanks. ¡°Thank you for saving me. I¡¯m sorry you had to die.¡± I said to the bear and feeling a little guilty about the whole thing. Knock...Knock My head whipped back and saw my dad by the leaning by the door. I moved away in embarrassment. Talking to dead animals was not a good thing. ¡°Big one ain¡¯t she.¡± My dad said walking inside and stood by the bed. He acted like it was normal. ¡°She looked smaller when she was chasing me.¡± I said eying the fur and head. Then I chuckled at my observation. I was kinda busy running for my life than to check the actual size. I thought amused. ¡°Some friends of mine owed me a lot of favors,¡± He said leaning in and rubbing the fur ¡±We went and skinned the bear and I had it tanned.¡± ¡°Waste not, want not.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Watch this¡± He took out his pocket knife and flicked it open. He grabbed the end of the fur and turned it over to the leather side. My dad then started stabbing the leather really hard, grunting in the effort. He stabbed a few more times and indicated to me to take a look. I leaned down to examine it and I stared in astonishment. There wasn¡¯t a single hole and I felt the leather with my fingers to confirm what I was seeing. ¡°Tough bastard.¡± My dad said in admiration. I looked up from my examination. He talking about the bear and not me. ¡°You too.¡± he added when he saw my face. ¡°My friend tried cutting it with a knife first¡± He gestured with the knife. ¡°It didn¡¯t work. Good thing Bill had a monoblade¡± He added ruefully. He closed the knife returned it to his pocket. He was talking about a monomolecular edged blade. Those things were crazy sharp and don¡¯t come cheap. That was what I was planning on buying at the traders. ¡°So if I tried shooting it using my rifle ...¡± I said thinking hard. ¡°Yours?¡± he shook his head and he scratched his beard in deep thought ¡°A .50 rifle with armor-piercing. Sure.¡± I was right then. It would¡¯ve only pissed it off! I thought. ¡°So what are you going to with it? The fur I mean.¡± My dad asked me. I was silent and was still wondering how they carried it back. ¡°Huh? mmm¡± I said scratching my head thinking about it. It¡¯s kinda ghoulish using it as a blanket though. ¡°You could sell it,¡± My Dad said. ¡°That¡¯ll fetch a pretty penny.¡± ¡°That''s right!¡± I exclaimed and felt gassy again. Damn pizza. ¡°Buuurp. Excuse me. I¡¯ll bring it to the traders¡± I said my mind already listing my wish list ¡°Yes. That¡¯s a good idea.¡± I nodded grinning in excitement. I could sell my other bunny cores I still had left. I could use the money to buy another phone to replace the broken one. Maybe some mods too, and the monoblade. Oh. sweet loot! I thought happily. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll get Bob to help me carry it to your truck¡± My Dad said nodding. Our neighbor was a big guy so they won¡¯t have trouble carrying it. ¡°Right. Tomorrow?¡± I asked dad. He nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll need to use the bed though,¡± He said and I nodded to him. ¡±Should¡¯ve thought of that.¡± My dad said contemplating how to move it. He gathered up the fur and the head still attached to into a pile. I tried helping but he shook his head. He then shrugged. He pushed the pile to the side while grunting and it fell down on the floor by the bed with a loud thud. ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± He said looking at the pile breathing heavily. ¡°I almost forgot.¡± My dad said patting his multitude of pockets ¡°Where did I put it? Ah here.¡± He muttered then he found it. He handed me a folded piece of paper. I unfolded the paper and started reading it. It was a bounty claim for the Great Bear. It had a bounty?! I was surprised. I thought about it and it made sense. The bear must have killed someone before it moved to our area. It was all signed up and all I needed to do was go to the County Treasurer¡¯s office. Then I read the amount. ¡°Twenty grand?!¡± I shouted in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t spend it all at once.¡± My dad laughed and slapped my back. He left the room while I was reading it again to make sure I wasn¡¯t seeing things. ¡°buuuurp¡± Chapter 6 - Humpty and Dumpty meets Brian I woke up around ten in the morning. I slept fitfully last night, I tossed and turned for a long time. I felt something weird in my body. The sensations were hard to explain like describing the taste of the color green. So I lay there awake and tried to keep my mind off the things I felt all over my body. That got me thinking about my life. I didn¡¯t want to tell anyone, but facing the bear changed me. A lot. I¡¯m not talking about PTSD although I still get flashes of the bear chasing me and ruining my mood. What changed in me was that I hated feeling helpless and scared. It felt like the decision whether I live or die was entirely on the bear¡¯s whim. I don¡¯t blame the bear for following its nature but it¡¯s in my nature too not to die so... so..easily. I also felt restless and I was starting to welcome the idea of going to Seattle. I went to the bathroom and took a shower as If I wanted to wash away the bad mood I was on last night. As I walked to the sink I noticed a little circle above my belly button. I frowned as stared at it and leaned into the mirror to get a closer look. It looked like a mole and it felt like a scar when I touched it. I shrugged and assumed it was from the core transfer and touched it one last time. I examined myself in the mirror and my body looked a little thinner and leaner like I was on a diet. I remembered the liquid food, the feeding tubes and I shuddered at the thought. Pleased with the reflection in the mirror, I flexed my muscles like a bodybuilder and winced when they felt a little sore. I took a black shirt and a pair of blue jeans from the closet and wore them. My stomach growled in hunger so I went to the kitchen for some breakfast and found my parents talking at the table. ¡°Morning.¡± I greeted my parents and sat down. My mom was grading tests from a stack of papers her forehead was creased in concentration. I looked at her face and I was relieved. She looked better now. Dad was sipping coffee and reading the news. He looked up from his EPad when he heard me. ¡°Morning. Grab some chow.¡± He said and sipped his coffee. ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded and grabbed some bacon and eggs. ¡°Morning hon. Had trouble sleeping?¡± She glanced up and asked and I nodded while my mouth was full. ¡°Is it the pain? I have some painkillers here.¡± She started to get up until I interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s fine Mom. It¡¯s not that bad. Just pins and needles.¡± I added a few more eggs to my plate because I was still hungry. My dad glanced at my appetite and raised his eyebrows. I shrugged and continued eating. Maybe dad has some idea of what I¡¯m feeling. But with mom in the room...maybe later. ¡°If you¡¯re sure. Maybe I should call the Dean and ask for a leave extension?¡± She took her phone and started dialing. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Really. My muscles probably need some time to adjust.¡± I leaned forward and took her phone from her hand and placed it in the middle. Yes, absolutely later. ¡°Alright. But you tell me if it¡¯s too painful. Okay?¡± She conceded and she took the pitcher of water. ¡°Have some water.¡± She lifted the cooler to pour my glass. ¡°Sure mom.¡± I grabbed the glass in front of me it shattered into pieces. I immediately jerked my hand away and stood up. I checked my hand looking for cuts. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°Language!¡± ¡°Ey!¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± I apologized to my parents not looking at them. I was still checking for blood. ¡°Careful honey.¡± My mom stood up and took a dustpan and starting cleaning the table. ¡±Are you cut?¡± she asked while sweeping the table. ¡°Huh? No. I don¡¯t so. I didn¡¯t even grip it hard¡± I was only using my thumb and two fingers. I helped mom clean the table and I noticed the glass was not that thin. I carefully took a piece and examined it. My dad was quiet and was looking at me with his lips pursed. He then stood up and extended his hand palm up like a handshake ¡°C¡¯mere.¡± ¡°I wanna try something.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I stared at his hand for a few moments and place my hand on his. ¡°Squeeze it. As hard as you can.¡± I looked at him dubiously and did it anyway. I squeezed like a firm handshake. ¡°Harder. Are you afraid of hurting me?¡± He teased faking a sneer. ¡°Well. If you put it that way.¡± I squeezed hard as I could. It felt like I was squeezing steel. I leaned into my grip and bunched my face. ¡°Ahhh!¡± I yelled and stopped. I shook my hand it was throbbing with my heartbeat. I felt pins poking into my fingertips. ¡°Not bad. Not bad¡± My dad said smiling widely. My mom watched the whole thing silently. ¡°Do you think so, babe?¡± My mom asked dad her face uncertain. I was starting to get annoyed when my dad confirmed it. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± My dad said nodding. ¡°What is it?¡± I asked both of them. My arms crossed in annoyance. My mom just smiled. ¡°Yep. Your Core''s kicking in,¡± he explained nodding to my mom. ¡°He¡¯s eating a lot too.¡± He added. ¡°You''ll need to be careful with fragile things¡± He cautioned. He went to the fridge and took out an egg. ¡°Here. Practice with this.¡± He placed the egg on a plate on the table. ¡°This is how I did it before. You¡¯ll get used to it in no time.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s how I practiced too!¡± My mom said picking the egg swiftly ¡°See. Way too Easy.¡± she showed me the egg smiling smugly. She placed it back on the plate. ¡°Practice!¡± she ordered pointing at the egg. ¡°Oh, I get it? I can''t control my strength! I¡¯m like superman now!¡± I finally understood what they were on about. I was happy and was no longer annoyed. Then I looked at dad¡¯s hand. Maybe not superman. I was so excited that I started practicing right away. ¡°Stronger? sure. Superman? Hahaha. Not by a longshot!¡± ¡°Hehehe. That¡¯s cute! honey!¡± ¡°Me Hulk. Me save you! Hehehe!¡± My parents swiftly popped my superhero bubble right away. ¡°I¡¯m getting Bob. I¡¯ll be back¡± My dad was smirking and left through the back door. ¡°Everybody¡¯s a comedian.¡± My mom placed another two eggs on the plate ¡°You¡¯ll need them.¡± she said knowingly then left the house for her class. I sat on the chair and stared at the egg. I tried poking it with my finger and it didn¡¯t crack. I slowly reached out and squeezed using my thumb, index finger, and middle finger. It cracked covering my fingers with yolk. I sighed and wiped my hand with a table napkin. I tried again and concentrated harder. I slowly squeezed and as soon as I felt some resistance I stopped squeezing and let go. I did it multiple times squeezing a just little harder every time. Dad and Bob came in while I was practicing and saw them carry the fur across the room. I stopped and stood up but my dad told me to keep practicing so I did. I took another six eggs before I got a hang of it. I can now lift the egg up and place it back without thinking too much about it. I noticed there were a lot of scrambled egg sandwiches piled on a plate in the middle of the table. Dad was eating a sandwich while swiping his Epad with his finger. ¡°Dad, look at this.¡± he looked up and I showed him me picking up the egg and placing it on the table. I picked it up again like a holy object and smugly smiled at my dad. ¡°I thought it was hard.¡± I teased. ¡°Try rolling it in the air with only your fingers.¡± He said. I tried rolling it but it cracked and the liquid fell on my shirt. I sighed and I was getting frustrated. I threw the eggshells in the trash with the others from my previous unsuccessful attempts. ¡°You don¡¯t need to master it in one go.¡± my dad said not looking up from the tablet. I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. I gotta change¡± I agreed and went to my room and changed my shirt. I walked back to the kitchen because I wanted to talk to dad now that mom wasn¡¯t around. I¡¯ve thought a lot about this lately and I¡¯m not sure mom would approve. That bear attack really puts things in perspective. ¡°Hey, Dad can we talk?¡± I asked as I sat down. ¡°Sure.¡± He placed his EPad on the table and waited. ¡°I was thinking. About after High School and...¡± I started but I couldn¡¯t find the words. It was hard to explain but dad nodded. So I said the first thought that went through my mind. ¡°I want to do things. I don¡¯t think I can just stay here and..,¡± I shrugged helplessly. ¡° I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You want to join the military?¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°I don¡¯t hate the idea but if it¡¯s..¡± ¡°Not the military dad.¡± Now that dad mentioned it. It sounded interesting but it¡¯s not what I meant ¡°No offense.¡± I added. ¡°Okay. Not the military. College overseas?¡± My dad sounded a little relieved. ¡°I can¡¯t put it into words. All I know is that I got this itch.¡± My dad frowned. ¡°Not the serial killer kind of itch¡± I added hurriedly. ¡°I understand.¡± he nodded ¡°That¡¯s why I joined the Marines. You¡¯ll figure it out.¡± He assured me. ¡°Like father like son eh.¡± he snorted and shook his head. As I sat there I remembered Dad and Bob carrying the fur and I quickly walked outside to check. The fur was laying there on the truck bed covered by a plastic wrap. I went back inside the house. ¡°I¡¯m heading out to the traders!¡± I yelled at my dad. I went back to my room and grabbed the bounty letter, bunny cores, keys. I got in the truck and drove away tires squealing. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Glenville is a decent sized town with a population of around five thousand. It¡¯s mostly a farming town and the local economy is raspberry, apple, wine, wood products and others. It¡¯s not too large that we don¡¯t get big city problems like high crime rates and bad traffic and not too small that you get to meet new people. Sometimes. It has the amenities of a city like the local college, banks, theater, etc. The place I¡¯m driving to is called trader¡¯s street. It¡¯s actually a small alley fifteen feet wide and maybe a hundred feet in length. It¡¯s filled with shops and a bar. It''s was the place where aliens buy things from home. This was also the place where local hunters sell their... loot. It was a twenty-minute drive and I parked near the entrance. There were two orc security guards standing near the entrance. To ease my mind I took out a ten dollar bill and folded it a couple of times. I asked the female orc leaning on the wall to watch my car and she palmed my cash grinning. ¡°I Gotz yu!¡± She said slamming her fist on her chest. I passed by the entrance and walked directly to my favorite place in the world. Tordan¡¯s Emporium. As I walked into the store I saw a male Halfling hustler doing the three card monte and surrounded by other aliens.I shook my head and a flying dwarf almost hit me as the bouncer threw him out outside the bar. They don¡¯t serve to minors too unless you¡¯re a dwarf. There¡¯s no justice in the world. As I dodged walking aliens I saw Tordan¡¯s shop was in sight sandwiched between an elven clothing store and a restaurant. As I entered Tordan¡¯s store an orc guard stopped me and waved a device on my body. ¡°Yu gudz!¡± He said dismissing me. I approached the owner, but he was negotiating the price with a man. Tordan, unlike the rest his species was taller than an average dwarf. He was also twice as loud as they argued on the price of the item placed on the table between them. It sounded like they were nowhere near agreeing so I studied the other items on display. I¡¯ve seen most of the items here before but there were newer ones. There was a large Warhammer sitting on a wooden stand and I looked at it closely. It was pale gold in color with stylish engravings. I tried touching the runes, but the orc grunted and said ¡°No totz!¡± So I reluctantly pulled my hand away and just looked at it. A voice called out to me and tore my gaze away from the weapon. ¡°Excuse me gard laddy boye. His a neuw one on these shors.¡± The owner Tordan explained with a very thick accent. ¡°What¡¯s with the accent Tordan?¡±I giggled and tried hard not to laugh. Tordan¡¯s face was annoyed. He flicked his wrist and typed something. ¡°There! Happy! You young ones really have no respect!¡± He spat out and glared he at me. His accent now was back to normal. When I didn¡¯t say anything and just raised my eyebrows questioning. The sighed audibly ¡°I had to keep up appearances. It raises the prices,¡± He explained with a pained expression. ¡°Alright let me see the cores.¡± He extended his hand. ¡°I got something better to sell to you. It¡¯s in the back of my truck¡± I said grinning. I looked around the shop finding no assistants. ¡°I need help bringing it inside though. It¡¯s heavy and it¡¯s bigger than this.¡± opening my arms wide and gave a lopsided smile. Tordan¡¯s eyebrows raised and thought if I was being serious or joking. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding man.¡± I said hurriedly ¡°Right. Just a second.¡± He looked at me with narrowed eyes and shrugged. He went through the backroom and shouted in dwarvish. After a minute he came out with four other dwarves following him. ¡°Carry his stuff back here¡± He ordered the assembled dwarves and gestured at me. I stood up and glanced at the following dwarves. ¡°Follow me, guys.¡± I said to the dwarves and a girlish harrumph can be heard. ¡°Oh. And girl. Sorry. ¡± I added. I rolled my eyes and walked quickly to my truck. I nodded to the orc guard watching my car and pulled the plastic covering away from the fur. I dropped the tailgate and stepped away. I watched with my mouth open in amazement, as the dwarves grunted and manhandled the fur and head. They made it look so easy carrying it. The female orc guard who watched the truck asked me if I was the one who killed it and when I answered yes she patted me on the shoulder hard. ¡°Gud Jobz. Vary Naiz ¡± the orc said eyes filled with envy and admired the fur. She then called her partner in orcish and she said to me. ¡°We Leadz¡±. She didn''t wait for my permission went ahead of the dwarves who carried the fur. We walked to the store and it became a mini-parade of sorts with the orcs leading the way and shouted at people blocking the path. The place became quiet, as the aliens watched our impromptu procession. They were clapping and yelling ¡°Good job!¡± ¡°Good kill!¡± and a grinning halfling food vendor even gave me a free barbecued kabab. I was a little hungry so, I said my thanks and happily munched away. As we entered the store the orc woman leading the parade patted me hard again and left. I looked at Tordan and he had an incredulous look on his face. He controlled his facial expression giving me a bored look. I laughed inside. The look on his face earlier confirmed that this fur is worth a lot. Tordan had his assistants spread the fur on the floor. Even though his store had some decent space, it still didn¡¯t fit. The dwarf felt the fur and scanned it with a silver device. He then measured it while the assistants held up the edges standing on ladders. It took a while before he was finished and had it folded back. He waved me to join him and sat down on a stool in front of him. His face still had that bored look and I grinned at him like a fool. I waited for him to start. My dad taught me that trick. After a few minutes of silence, he broke the impasse. ¡°Hmm yes. I''ve seen bigger though. This might be worth something,¡± He started. He glanced at the scanner. ¡°I¡¯ll give you four thousand creds for the lot.¡± ¡°Excuse me?!¡± I blurted out. I was shocked by the amount. It was eighty thousand dollars when I mentally converted it. That was twice the money Althan promised to pay me for the tests. I then kicked myself for the outburst. ¡°I¡¯ll raise it to five thousand creds.¡± he said hurriedly as he misunderstood my outburst. I was amazed at my luck so I made something up. ¡°I almost died for this. I was in a coma for weeks! Eight thousand and we have a deal!¡± I faked my outrage. I raised my chin and crossed my arms. Always double or half the first price. My dad also taught me when bargaining. ¡°I like you boy. But that¡¯s too high even for me. I have to feed my children too.¡± He said sadly shaking his head. He pointed at the dwarves who carried the fur. I looked at them and they were all glaring at me. I felt guilty and almost gave in but I realized that this was just a tactic that Tordan played to his customers. ¡°Seven thousand creds. My parents mortgaged our house to pay for the hospital and therapy bills¡± I wailed to him pitifully and tried crying. It didn¡¯t work but he thought I was holding back my tears. He said nothing and I thought this deal was bust. ¡°Fifty-five hundred creds and that¡¯s a lot for the fur, but don¡¯t you ever say I don¡¯t have a heart.¡± Tordan said sighing. I was about to agree and I had an I idea and made a final push. ¡°I don¡¯t know Tordan. How about six thousand and maybe something¡± I said looking around his shop. The dwarf thought about my offer and his eyes gleamed. ¡°Hmm. Okay. Let¡¯s step back a bit,¡± The dwarf announced, ¡°Why don¡¯t you look for something you want.¡± He waved his hand across his store. ¡°Okay.¡± I stood up and looked his products. I looked at the monoblade and It was 300 creds. Dad said Bill the ranger had one. The bounties he¡¯s getting must be good. ¡°Oh. I also have some other cores.¡± I said grinning. I fished the bunny cores in my pocket and gave it to him. ¡°Hmmm. Let me see.¡± He put the cores in a plastic container and used the device again. His forehead wrinkled. ¡°Horned Rabbit cores? I thought..¡± ¡°The government took it. They said something about some national security thingy.¡± I lied feining indifference. I didn''t know how to explain what happened to me but I think it¡¯s best if I don¡¯t spread that around. ¡°Ah. That¡¯s a shame.¡± he was disappointed and his face fell. The bear core must be really expensive. Then he became silent rubbing his beard deep in thought. He took his device and fiddle with it and stopped after a while. ¡°How about this Brian. This is my final offer. I¡¯ll take these cores and the fur.¡± ¡°In exchange, I will give you six thousand creds..¡± He forestalled me by raising his hand when he saw that I was starting to protest. ¡°Let me continue, please. Plus, I¡¯ll make you a jacket from the leather, I¡¯ll have my daughter make you a bear tooth necklace and 500 creds worth of items. That¡¯s a good deal!¡± he offered his eyes shining. I thought about it and this is the best I could get from him. A memento from the bear sounded nice. Something to remind me of my weakness. ¡°We got a deal!¡± I said grinning holding my hand out. ¡°Deal!¡± The smiling dwarf said his eyes became predatory and his smile grew larger every second ¡°Did I just get fleeced?!¡± I asked aloud. Chapter 7 - Shopaholic Anonymous ¡°What? No. no.¡± The dwarf assured his face returning to normal but I didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°So what are going to with it?¡± I was suddenly curious. They could probably make a big rug out of it. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m going to use it as material for clothes like your jacket, for handles...¡± ¡±I¡¯m going to make more credit just chopping it up than selling the entire thing.¡± The dwarf was greedily looking at the fur and rubbing his hands. I didn¡¯t like the idea of cutting it up piece by piece but it¡¯s not mine anymore. After we concluded our deal Tordan invited me to check his products so I browsed. Every time I looked at his products I¡¯m always filled with wonder. Every Altech item here has a different alien history. I could select any random item and I wanted to learn its origins. I wanted to explore the place that produced it. I thought about my future life and realized that I didn¡¯t want to work in an office all day. I thought about dad and he seemed satisfied with his life. He spent a long time in the Marine Corps and he traveled all over the world. When I was little he would talk about the different places he visited and I listen to those stories with wonder. Here surrounded by alien items and culture I wanted that. Then everything clicked in my mind. I finally had an idea what I wanted to do with my life. It was staring in from of me the entire time and I didn¡¯t notice it. But my first priority was to find some weapon that can protect me from large animals like the Great Bear. That was an oversight I paid in blood. I didn¡¯t want to say it but the encounter with the bear sparked the competitiveness in me. My first challenge against a real beast didn¡¯t count because I won it on luck than skill. I want to prove to myself that I wasn¡¯t a weakling. I looked at the different advanced rifles and read the tag. ---Callian Unimax National T21 Plasma Rifle--- Now, this is what I need for future hunting. I read the disclaimer. ---Level 2 Tech License Needed--- I was disappointed. I was still a minor and I can¡¯t apply for a Level 2 Tech License until I was of legal age. That rifle was perfect for me. I signed and moved on. I examined the smaller tan colored rifle below it and it had an organic feel to it ---Delkan Integral CK12 Laser Rifle---- I found it a lot small for me but it would be a perfect fit for a woman. Then my eye found the tag. ---Level 2 Tech License Needed--- I sighed. I checked the other rifles and they all needed level 2 and above. I scratched my head in frustration. ¡°This is America!¡± I shouted in anger. ¡°If I wanted a tank. I can get one!¡± Anyone can buy Level 1 tech but anything higher than that you¡¯ll need you¡¯ll need a license. Their reasoning too was all nonsense. A finger poked me on the elbow and I saw a dwarvette looking at me funny. I smiled at her embarrassed. Thankfully she didn¡¯t make a comment. She just wanted to measure my size and I stood there while she pointed a laser measuring device at my body. She left after she was finished without saying anything. Tordan approached me and asked what I was looking for. I told him my problem. ¡°You don¡¯t have license huh. Hmmm.¡± He scratched his chin and inside the backroom. The emerged a couple minutes later. ¡°How about this one? Tirolan Integrated Technologies S88. This is popular among the hunters because it¡¯s Level 1 Tech.¡± He showed me a futuristic looking sniper rifle with a scope. It had a black barrel and a very aesthetic looking grey body. It looked a little similar to a Barrett rifle only it was more futuristic. I handled the rifle I was amazed that it was lighter than my old rifle. ¡±Let me show you something.¡± He took the rifle back and held it with his right hand. Then the pushed a button with his left and the rifle changed. The barrel shortened, the scope retracted down into the body and was replaced by a holosight. The stock also shortened and it reduced the size by almost half. ¡°That¡¯s so cool. Like a transformer.¡± I stared at the rifle with fascination. ¡°In this mode, you can use it for..what was the word..close quarters battle.¡± ¡° Stupid concept.. If it¡¯s that close use an ax.¡± he complained. ¡°You like it? You can buy this one.¡± He patted the rifle with his hand. He pressed the button again it transformed back into the previous look. ¡°Is this that laser rifle?¡± I asked still staring the rifle and I wanted it. ¡°No. But it¡¯s good for hunting. It¡¯s a gauss rifle¡± he said rolling his eyes ¡°Gas rifle?¡± I asked confused ¡°No. It¡¯s spelled G.A.U.S.S. It accelerates projectiles using electromagnets.¡± the dwarf spelled it out for me. ¡°It¡¯s railgun!¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t say that in the first place?¡± Now I knew why this rifle was only a Level 1. It was just a slug thrower.They just removed the powder and replaced it with magnets. ¡°Same same.¡± He shrugged. ¡°How is this better for hunting? It¡¯s not even...it¡¯s kinda old school...It still fires bullets right?¡± I looked at it dubiously. ¡°It¡¯s cool looking and all but..¡± ¡°You little pup.¡± ¡°Let me ask you. How do kill an animal?¡± he interrupted his eyes narrowed and the dwarf was getting annoyed. ¡°Let see. Hitting vital organs, blood loss, shock from trauma..¡± I counted with my fingers. This I know a lot. ¡°What happens if you shoot an animal with a laser or plasma?¡± the dwarf asked gesturing at the other rifles. ¡°Boom! Animal¡¯s dead.¡± I grinned. ¡°Pew. Pew.Pew. Dead.¡± Making a gun sign with my hand and blowing the finger like a barrel. ¡°Noob... What happens is both laser and plasma takes time to burn through inches even feet of skin and muscle and then it cauterizes the wound stopping the bleeding immediately. Hmmm. It¡¯s the same with plasma. Both also have no stopping power. And one thing both types of weapon do best is BURN!¡± He tapped his finger on my chest hard. I rubbed the spot with my hand.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Ah...Really? So I can still kill the animal but..¡± I finally got it. Yes, I could kill an animal with a laser or plasma rifle but the loot will be wasted. ¡°It burns the animal. The fur, the skin, etc.¡± He nodded when he saw I finally understood the cons of energy rifles. ¡°So what different about the gas rifle?¡± ¡°Gauss!¡± The dwarf roared. ¡°Yeah. Gauss.¡± I rolled my eyes. He gave me a dirty look. The dwarf closed his eyes and growled something. ¡°Wait a second.¡± He went back to the back room and came with a bunch of things. ¡°See this. This is the projectile or bullet.¡± He placed something on the table. ¡°Take it. Have a look.¡± I took the projectile. It was a polymer cylinder the size of a cigarette butt with a single opening. I looked at the opening I saw something pointy. ¡°The ammo¡¯s tiny. The ammo of my rifle is larger than that.¡± I replied full of scorn. I was starting to feel he was just bullshitting me. ¡°Yes. But that doesn¡¯t matter because this projectile goes ten times faster than that. Armor piercing is standard to this rifle.¡± He said patiently. Finally, the dwarf had enough. ¡±Come with me. You''re testing my patience!¡± He picked up the gauss file and a magazine and walked to the back room. I followed and inside the room was larger than I expected. It had three locked steel safe doors, testing area and a small staircase going down. We used the stairs and went down. There was another room filled with locked metal boxes and at the far side was a long lighted corridor with a target silhouette. He placed the gauss rifle and magazine on the table that blocked the entrance of the corridor. ¡°Lemme change the targets.¡± He pressed a button and silhouette dropped down a hatch and a large gelatin block replaced it ¡°I should charge you for this.¡± he muttered darkly. He pressed a button and a slot appeared on the top behind the scope and he inserted the magazine. He aimed the rifle and fired quickly before I could react. ¡°BANG!¡± ¡°I MISSED!¡± ¡°BANG!¡± ¡°FUCK!¡± It was so loud that my ears hurt and was were ringing. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me!¡± I glared at the dwarf. In an enclosed place it magnified the sound considerably. ¡°Oh. I forgot you didn¡¯t have the mod¡±The dwarf''s face said otherwise but I let it go because I heard mods and it perked me up. ¡°Auditory mods or Auris mod¡± he added ¡°You do?¡± I asked. That kind of mod was useful. I knew this was another marketing scheme by the dwarf. ¡°Yes. The hearing¡¯s the first to go in this line of work¡± He poked his ear with a finger wiggling it. ¡°Right. I¡¯m gonna get one for Dad. The mod I mean. He¡¯s starting to lose his hearing.¡± I quickly made up a story. Tordan nodded in sympathy. ¡±Okay. Let¡¯s see the target.¡± Before the dwarf can ask more questions. He pushed a button on the table. The gel target moved towards us briskly. I examined the jello looking target, but it was surprisingly very firm and harder than flesh. It was a rectangular block three feet wide and five feet in length. I poked at the entry wound. The hole was a bit larger than my finger, but inside the transparent gel, I could see clearly the damage done inside. The projectile almost penetrated all the way through. I was very pleased with the result and made up my mind. ¡°Can I try the rifle? With a new rifle too.¡± I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. ¡°Ah. This is where we talk business. I can¡¯t open a new one if you just want to try it.¡± his eyes gleamed. His face back to business mode. ¡°Okay. How much?¡± ¡°Fifteen hundred creds.¡± I winced. At that point, I stopped converting it to dollars. It was pointless. ¡°Throw in four thousand rounds and we have a deal.¡± I countered. Then I remember something. ¡±This ammo is standard right? Not hard to find and unique?¡± I raised my eyebrow at him. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very common. You can return both if I¡¯m lying.¡± He assured me and I nodded in acceptance. ¡°Praise The Emprah! Deal!¡± he exclaimed happily.I grimaced when I saw the look on his face. I was afraid I got scammed again. Well... live and learn. ¡°Be right back.¡± He took the rifle and came back with a grey gun case. ¡°Check the seal.¡± He pointed at the holoseal. I examined it carefully and it was unbroken. I nodded. He opened the seal with a knife. ¡°Place your trigger finger in that recess for ten seconds¡± he pointed an indented area near the handle. I placed my index finger on it and counted the seconds. A scanner illuminated my finger and I felt a pinprick. I snatched my finger away and glared at Tordan. ¡°Hahaha. That never gets old!¡± He guffawed. ¡°I hope it doesn''t prick me everytime I open it!¡± I complained. ¡°No. no. Just the first time to confirm the owner. You¡¯ll see¡± he grinned. I knew this was some sort of payback. I placed my finger again grimacing and it opened immediately. I opened the case wider and sitting inside was a brand new gauss rifle. I looked at the ginning Tordan and he nodded. So I took hold of the rifle and did some tacticool positions pointing the barrel at the gelatin for safety. ¡°Watch this.¡± Tordan yelled in dwarvish and in a minute one of his attendants appeared. He gave him the rifle holding the barrel and the nervous attendant held the grip. The test subject stiffened and shook like being shocked by a Taser. The dwarf¡¯s hand slipped from the grip and fell backward unconscious. I felt sorry for the dwarf they clearly do this test a lot. ¡°See. Good safety feature.¡± he remarked he poked the fallen dwarf with his shoe. The dwarf stood up and ran away topside. Tordan also taught me how to unlock the rifle so anyone can touch it. After he taught me the basics of the rifle it felt no different from a human rifle. The ten included mags had a fifty round capacity with its own integrated battery pack. The mag charger was included in the case. I borrowed a hearing protector and fired the rifle in both modes. I was satisfied with the accuracy and recoil so we concluded our testing. ¡°Oh. I need a few more things.¡± I said I sat down on the stool. ¡°A monoblade, four storage mods and do you have armor?¡± ¡°Mmm. I got the storage mod and monoblade. But armor? No. I sold my last set. Maybe next month I can get some more. Just a second.¡± I nodded. I didn¡¯t think I have the creds to afford one. He walked to the storage room and he emerged after a few minutes. He set the items in the middle. One blade and some metallic wafers encased in a plastic box. I looked at the monoblade greedily and took it out slowly. This was the Altech item I had been saving up for. Similar to a straight Japanese tanto blade it was twelve inches in length and single edged. It had a dull dark gray finish and black grip. It was made out of a carbon composite metal. I handled it carefully because Tordan warned me too many times before. The edge of the blade was only one molecule wide so it will cut through almost anything. I raised the blade high and the edge gleamed. I inserted the knife back into its scabbard carefully and place it on the counter. ¡°How does these work?¡± I indicated the square boxes. ¡±I need to teach Dad¡± I added sticking to the cover story. ¡°It¡¯s simple actually. First, and this is important. You must handle it with a synthetic glove. You just remove the nanomod with the gloved hand, place it on the back of your palm and wait for it to melt into your skin.¡± He demonstrated using a coin he had laying around. I nodded. ¡°Then wait for it to appear on your menu.¡± ¡°Usually after sleeping¡± he added. ¡°By the way. What other mods do you have? All I see is just Storage, Rejuv, Comm mods... ¡± ¡°What''re the other mods for? You can¡¯t use it.¡± He asked suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re not selling it to others, right? You need a permit to sell these.¡± ¡°Really. It¡¯s for my parents. As a thank-you gift for the bills and all.¡± That was not the whole truth. He believed me and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re looking for the good stuff right?¡± I nodded eagerly leaning forward and my heart beat faster. The dwarf walked to the large Warhammer and picked it up one-handed. ¡°The strength, Agility, intelligence mods¡± he continued and offered the weapon to me handle first. I held the grip and he released it. I fell off from the stool pulled down by the weight of the Warhammer. I was astonished and released the handle. I tried picking it up with my two hands and pulled hard. It didn¡¯t even budge. My eyes widened. I stared at the dwarf amazed at his strength. This is it! This is what I have been yearning for. The POWAH. I looked at him grinning with greedy eyes. He looked at me sadly and said. ¡°YOU ARE NOT WORTHY!¡± He declared. -- Chapter 8 - Full Leather Jacket ¡°Just kidding! Well, not entirely.¡± Tordan added after he saw my frustrated face. ¡°Those types of mods are Level 2.¡± He explained his face apologetic. ¡°C¡¯mon! It¡¯s always the good stuff!¡± I complained. I massaged my temples. My dreams of smiting dangerous beasts one handed was crumbling before my eyes. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ask your senator or congressmen. Your planet your rules.¡± Tordan growled. I glanced at his face and saw that he too was frustrated about it. ¡°Our Association had been lobbying both your government and the Dalsau to remove the restrictions for months but..¡± He didn¡¯t finish. I guess he thought he was preaching to the choir. I sat there deflated and unable to speak. I mulled over what he said. My frustration was slowly waning. I wanted to start a career in hunting as a sideline while I was still in school. I can still do it, but for the Level 2 mods, I¡¯ll just have to wait until I was eighteen. I didn¡¯t have to wait long anyway. So I shook myself internally and stopped my dashed hopes from ruining my mood. I swore to myself to find another way. ¡°So. Are you going to buy the other mods?¡± He asked me when I didn¡¯t say anything. I was a little disappointed about the whole thing. There were still some good mods and I can buy those. I shrugged and told him what I wanted. Tordan eyes narrowed and stared at me for a long time. I suspected that the dwarf knows I wasn¡¯t telling him the whole truth. I melted under his hard stare until his eyes softened and he snorted went back to his old self and we bargained for the price. I bought the rifle plus ammo, the monoblade, four storage mods, and one auditory mod. After I thought about it, I also bought two Rejuv mods for my parents. Those were pricey but they were for my parents. I was about to buy a comm mod but remembered that my family and friends still used a cell phone, so I ditched that idea reluctantly. I ended up with three thousand Creds remaining. I winced when I converted it to dollars even though I promised myself not to. I still had more money to collect anyway and the thought cheered me up. Tordan piled the items on the table and placed an empty tote bag for me to use. He threw something at me I caught it. It was a very dark brown bomber jacket with a light brown fur collar. I looked at mouth open he was smiling smugly. ¡°We¡¯re aliens. We ride spaceships. We bend the fabric of SpaceTime¡± He stated as if that explained everything and he smirked. ¡°Try it later. C¡¯mon, check them all.¡± He said as he glanced at the other waiting customers. I checked the items quickly and they were all sealed. Toldar with a knowing smile on his face extended his hand and I shook it. He said something solemn in dwarvish and I raised a questioning eyebrow at him. He just shook his head still smiling and patted me on the back. I said my goodbyes and walked back to my car. I sat inside the truck, I wondered what the dwarvish words and smile meant. As I turned the ignition, I glanced back to the direction of the store and I made a promise to tell the dwarf the truth. I think he already knows anyway. I was just probably making a big deal out of it. I pursed my lips and pondered claiming the bounty, but the thought of my Altech items on the car while I waited for the check made me queasy. I glanced at the weapons, mods, and my heart skipped a beat in excitement. So I eagerly drove back and I couldn''t wait to get home. -- I sat on the on my bed and took out the Storage mod from the bag. My hands shook a little bit in anticipation. I broke the seal with my fingernail and opened the clear plastic cover. I looked at the mod in my hand turning it slowly, looked at it in all angles. The mod looked like a small matte gray matchbox only thinner and had a wafer texture. I wore a latex glove on my left hand and slowly placed the mod on the back of my right sweaty palm. At first, it didn¡¯t do anything but after a few seconds, the mod slowly melted like butter in a heated pan. My heart raced and I concentrated on keeping my hand level. The metallic liquid spread out near the edges of my palm. It moved and looked like mercury, but it stuck to my palm even when I accidentally tilted it. I frowned when I felt a slight pressure on my palm and after a few moments, the pressure increased. As I started to feel the pain I started to panic but calmed myself and beads of sweat fell down my cheeks. The silvery film then started to disappear in some spots and slowly it disappeared altogether absorbed by the skin. The pain receded slowly until it went away. I sighed in relief and my heart rate fell. The only evidence of the mod was a slightly red patch on the back of my palm. I tested my hand slowly rotating it and feeling the area where the mod was. That was an experience I won¡¯t likely forget. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Tordan said to tell my Dad (Me) that the mod ¡°installs¡± after full night''s sleep. He also said we could only install a mod once a day. I was amused by the term we used like our body was a computer. I laid on the bed and contemplated the whole process. I regarded my hand and the reddish patch of skin. I thought about the procedure and the term made sense. The body was the hardware and the core was its operating system. The average person only had the most barebones windows installed on it. With a little activation prompt on the bottom right. The mod acts like a peripheral you add to your computer. The whole analogy fits. Maybe not with Apple. I was probably tired because I fell asleep and I woke up when my mom called out that the dinner was ready. So I stretched my body, stood up and walked to the dining room. Dad was already there still on his Epad. He sat at the end and Mom was placing food on the table. I sat down on his left and stared at the food. There was a lot more than usual and I asked mom about it. ¡°You¡¯ll need a lot of food¡± She said. She sat down and pinched my Dad¡¯s elbow. ¡°Sorry babe.¡± My Dad said wincing and he placed the Epad on the empty chair behind him. He looked at me and he grinned. ¡°You¡¯re gonna eat a lot for a few weeks.¡± He smiled as he recalled his own core induced hunger. ¡°Let¡¯s say Grace¡± he announced. We gave our thanks and we dug in. We talked about non-consequential things like the weather, who¡¯s marrying who, and other stuff. I ate a lot of food so I was a bit embarrassed, to be honest. While I was on my third pie Dad asked me about my trip to the traders. I quickly finished the pie and took the items from my room. I told them about my bargaining skills and showed them the jacket. They said jacket looked good on me. Then I gave them the Rejuv and Storage mods. ¡°These are expensive hon. We were planning on getting some for the both of us. Thank you.¡± My mom''s eyes teared up as she looked at me. I dropped my head and gazed at the table a little embarrassed. Rejuv mods slowed the natural aging process of the body. The nanites did it by manufacturing an enzyme that stopped most of the cells from breaking down. It''s not an immortality potion though and I can¡¯t use one because my body needed to develop some more. ¡°Told ya not to spend it all in one go. This is useful. Thanks¡± My dad said softly examining the storage mod and picked up the monoblade. I kicked myself when I forgot to buy a one for dad. ¡°They only had one in stock. I ordered one for you.¡± I lied again. I sat there bemused that I was lying a little more than usual. I promised myself to control it later. ¡°You guys know how to use it. Right?¡± I asked them while they were busy admiring the mods. ¡°You eat them right hon?¡± My mom picked up the mod and placed the plastic box in her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, babe. I think you insert it in the ass.¡± My Dad grinned his hand motioned that particular area. ¡°What! No! You...¡± My eyes widened in horror. My parents then laughed. ¡°We were kidding hon. You put them on the back of the palm. Right?.¡± My mom smiled at me. ¡°Hehehe. Gotcha there!¡± My dad laughed. ¡°Yeah. Okay. Okay.¡± I sat there chagrined. I acted like a know-it-all and I got my just desserts. ¡°I never did ask what mods you had¡± ¡°Hmm. None. We didn¡¯t have a lot of money before hon. We were still paying my student loans when these came out. Your Dad at that time just started the company¡­ and..¡± she shook her dead unable to continue speaking, her face full of emotion. Then she stood up and hugged me hard. I patted her shoulder. ¡°Thank you hon¡± She whispered to me. My eyes watered a little. I looked at dad he gave me a thumbs up. We were doing alright financially now. Dad and his buddy founded a small private security company maybe six years ago. It grew into a big one after three years. Dad passed the reigns of running the company to his friend and he still gets a check every month. My Dad earned his retirement after years of abusing his body when he was in the Marines. I wanted to give something back to my parents who raised me. Seeing their reactions made me happy that I did the right thing. As I laid on my bed after dinner I was thinking of my future. My goals were now solid. All I need was to make the first step. The problem was there were obstacles blocking my path. My goal was very simple. I wanted to see galaxy... I wanted to meet interesting and stimulating aliens of an ancient culture...I wanted to see exotic and dangerous beast... and hunt them. --- Chapter 9 - The check and me ¡°C¡¯mon Work!¡± I shouted in frustration for the hundredth time as I rotated my wrist swiftly. I even did the spiderman hand gesture when he shot his web. Although the holoscreen did open for a microsecond, It wasn¡¯t an image I wanted to cultivate. I thought I already had the hang of it at the hospital. Unfortunately, the storage interface didn¡¯t pop out like the last time. Maybe I had installed it incorrectly. The thought of that scenario made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and I felt a sinking feeling in my chest. I don¡¯t think the Mod came with an uninstaller. Hmmm. maybe they do. When I woke up from a good night¡¯s rest, I noticed a small metallic circle the size of a small button embedded in the palm of my right hand. Since then I had spent an hour trying to make it work. I sighed as I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes. I recalled something crucial Healer Athlan said me and I played that memory in my mind. I opened my eyes and tried it once more. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. This time I didn¡¯t say the word ¡°storage¡± in my mind. I thought of the act of opening what I wanted and extended my wrist. A blank blue holoscreen appeared near my right hand. I exhaled in relief and smiled. I examined the blank holoscreen and It had the words ¡°storage¡± on the top. I deduced it was blank because I didn¡¯t have items on it yet so I closed it and searched the room for something to test it out. There was a pencil on the desk and I stood up and took it. I held the pencil on top of my palm like I was offering it. I thought of storing the pencil and the metallic circle flashed cold in my palm and the pencil disappeared. My eyes widened and my hand shook when I realized that It worked. ¡°YES!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs and grinned. I opened the storage holoscreen and found a small image of the pencil like an icon. This was starting to feel like an RPG game. I touched the icon and nothing happened. I tapped it again and still nothing. My face frowned and I was about to raise my hand to scratch my head when the pencil appeared and fell from my hand. My eyes widened and realized that the palm orientation had something to do with it. I stored the pencil again and tapped the icon and turned my palm up. It appeared on top of my palm the same position as I stored it. I understood the mechanism now. It was simple and effective. A sword, as an example, wouldn¡¯t appear if I didn¡¯t close my hand like I was gripping the hilt. I experimented with a knife and gripped the hilt and thought of storing it. The icon image of the knife appeared on the holoscreen and I touched it. Good. The knife didn¡¯t appear. I then closed my fingers and just as quickly something pushed against my grip and the knife appeared. I shouted again happy at the result. That made sense because, without this feature, things you stored will drop everytime you retrieve them. I congratulated myself for a job well done. I tried it with my new rifle, mags, and the other mods. I stared at the monoblade and I frowned at the monoblade deep in thought. It was risky if I tried it and made a mistake in retrieving it, so I held off testing it with a naked blade. Instead, I just stored monoblade still in its scabbard. After I was confident that I could retrieve my stuff without dropping it, I prepared for the day. I showered, wore my clothes and went to the kitchen and had breakfast. The three of us were shoveling food like our lives depended on it. It was funny when I glanced at my small and petite mother eating so much food to feed two people. Mom noticed I was looking at her eating and she blushed, embarrassed with her appetite. I didn¡¯t linger at the table for long because I had errands to do. Before I left the house I wore the leather jacket and looked at myself in the mirror near the front door. The jacket made me look cool and I touched the soft leather. I placed the bounty voucher inside the right pocket my finger brushed something. I took out the object and it was the bear claw necklace. I held it in front of my face. I admired the craftsmanship it took to make it. They only used the tips of the claw because the whole thing was too large. I wore it immediately and looked at my whole get up. My reflection grinned. It made me look even better. I gave myself a high five and left the house with a bounce in my step. I arrived at the municipal building and parked my truck in front of it. I went inside and as I passed the metal detector near the entrance orc guard stopped me. ¡°No Wepanz Alowdz!¡± He glared at me and my body froze. My face paled when a sudden realization came to my mind. I forgot that all weapons were banned at public buildings. The metal detector that I passed through must have a sensor that detects weapons. I thought I was going to jail when he grabbed my right hand. Instead, the Orc attached a flat metal bracelet and locked it closed. Then he turned his back dismissing me. I stared at the bracelet and my brows furrowed as I tried to understand what happened. A tall solidly built middle-aged man in a suit saw me examining the bracelet and he approached me. I glanced at him my face confused. ¡°That¡¯s a security bracelet.¡± he said with a baritone voice. I looked at the bracelet and I still didn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°It suppresses your storage mod until you remove the bracelet.¡± he explained smiling to me, showing his own bracelet. I gave him sheepish smile. ¡°I just got it today.¡± I showed him my studded hand. My cheeks heated up in embarrassment. ¡°Gotcha kid. We¡¯ all go through with it the first time.¡±. The man smiled and nodded in sympathy with my mistake. ¡°Yeah. Thanks. Good thing I didn¡¯t put my papers inside.¡± I patted my pocket containing the bounty voucher. ¡°Yah. Anyways I gotta go¡± he said and gave me a little salute as he walked away. I glanced at the man¡¯s back and the metal detector. I had some misgivings about storage mods and the ways criminals can employ them. Mods, in general, was still pretty uncommon in Glenville, but I recalled the bank, grocery stores, and other places had those metal detectors. I guess this town wasn¡¯t that backward as I thought. A rueful smile appeared on my face and I walked to the Treasurer¡¯s office. The treasurer¡¯s office was a set up like the DMV with some human and aliens lined up behind two counters mostly to pay their taxes. I searched for an information desk and found one. I asked the woman stationed at the table and she examined my bounty voucher. She instructed me to line up on first counter and I waited in line until it was my turn. I gave the bored looking guy behind the counter my voucher and he asked me for my ID. I fished my wallet and took it out, I gave my ID to him. He examined the paper and looked at my ID. He did a double take and his bored face vanished. He kept examining the two the documents and his forehead wrinkling in concentration. He stood up and asked me to take a seat, while he walked away from the counter. The people behind me grumbled in annoyance. I gave them an apologetic look and walked to the seats at the back of the office. I saw the man who helped me at the metal detector and he nodded in recognition. I nodded back and sat two seats away from him. I waited for thirty minutes until the guy at the counter approached me. I assumed the Information lady was wrong in her instructions as he asked me to follow him. He led me to a room with a sign [Hazardous Species Section]. This was probably the room to claim the check. The guy knocked and opened the door. The room was small and spartan. The paint was peeling in some places and the room smelt of detergent. It only contained two file drawers and a heavy-set man sitting at the desk staring at me curiously. He pointed at the chair and I sat down. On his desk were my voucher and ID. ¡°Hi. Is this where I can claim the bounty?¡± I asked my voice unsure. I looked at the man and he was comparing my face with my ID and the paper. He didn¡¯t say anything and he frowned. ¡°This is highly unusual.¡± He said to no one in particular and his eyes narrowed. His voice was rough as if he smoked three packs a day. He was quietly regarding me and his eyes bored into me. He let the silence hang for a minute. ¡°You killed this animal?¡± He asked me and raised a single eyebrow. I tone sounded unconvinced. ¡°Yes, I did¡± I confirmed. I thought this was just going to be an ordinary transaction. Maybe a minor was not allowed to claim a bounty. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± he said flatly. My spirits dropped as I felt the world was against me. Maybe just the government. ¡°Yes sir. I killed that bear.¡± I sat up straight and looked him in the eye as I said it. Maybe I could tell him to call Bill at the National Forest Service to confirm my story. ¡°Just a second¡± His eyes widened when he recalled something. He stood up and check the steel cabinet behind him. There were old newspapers piled neatly on top of it. He checked the front page of every paper until he found what he was looking for. It was the local paper and on the headline was the words [Local Boy Survives Bear Attack]. I didn¡¯t know I was in the news. My phasebook full of posts now made sense. I was now a local celebrity and I didn¡¯t know how I felt about it. I remembered the photo someone sent me and I blushed a little. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The man chuckled and shook his head when the read it. He looked up from the paper he showed the front page. ¡°This was you?¡± He said incredulously. I was still a bit embarrassed about the whole killing-a-bear-by-accident-thing. I didn¡¯t meet his eyes and looked down while my cheeks burned hotter. ¡°That¡¯s me¡± I confirmed and I was still not looking at him. ¡°It¡¯s fine Mr. Hunter. I thought you were trying to fool me.¡± He said and he gave me an apologetic look. He walked and sat down in his chair. ¡±That¡¯s a felony by the way.¡± He added. I sighed in relief that he believed me. ¡°Young kids these days. A minor too!¡± He chuckled again. He regarded me with pursed lips for a few seconds. Then he grinned and his eyes sparkled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t say in the law that you have to be eighteen to claim a Hazardous Species bounty check.¡± he pronounced. And I looked up to him my eyes full of hope. ¡°So. There¡¯s no problem for you to claim the bounty.¡± ¡°Really sir? That¡¯s awesome!¡± I said elatedly. It seems my luck is holding. The man nodded with a grin on his face. That means I can still hunt and claim bounties legally. I thought I knew why he was suspicious at first. I was a minor and he thought I didn¡¯t have the means to hunt something that big. I was going to say you could get a gauss gun but I refrained. I didn¡¯t want to give him any ideas. ¡°I think they made an oversight with that law..¡± He said rhetorically rubbing his chin in contemplation. ¡°In any case. In the future if you give me a signed voucher, I¡¯ll give you a check,¡± he said as if he was reading my mind. He wrote something on a piece of paper and paperclipped it to the voucher. He gave the voucher back to me with my ID. ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Darren by the way and Good Job!¡± he belatedly gave his name and extended his hand for a handshake. I shook it and my face was full of appreciation. I interpreted what he said as a dismissal so I left the room in haste in case he changed his mind. The cashier gave me an all official looking check. I grinned as I saw the numbers. I glanced at the man who helped me earlier with the bracelet gave me a thumbs up. I waved at him and left the office. A human guard removed the security bracelet and I suddenly relaxed. I didn¡¯t notice it earlier that I was that tense. But considering our initial encounter with Mr. Darren, it was understandable. Thankfully my visit to the bank was painless but they slapped a security bracelet on my wrist when I entered. That answered my questions about bank robbers with storage mods. After I deposited my check I walked out there twenty thousand dollars richer. I remembered I still needed a cell phone so dropped by the town¡¯s single electronic store and bought a new shiny smartphone. I drove home in a very good mood, but when I remembered what day tomorrow was my mood evaporated fast. I drove back home silent and brooded. When I was in my room I downloaded all my contacts and install all my favorite apps on my new smartphone. I played a few games for a few hours and had a big dinner again. I laid on my bed and tried getting some sleep. -- ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed. I hit the brakes and pulled my truck to the left to avoid a collision. A Halfling woman almost sideswiped me with her tiny pink car. My heart raced as tried to maintain control of my vehicle cursing the whole time. I glared at the halfling through the windscreen who was on the phone. Goddamn women halfling drivers. I growled at the car in question. This was why I hated driving to Seattle. There are too many cars. I woke up early for the drive to Seattle and the lack of sleep didn¡¯t help my bad mood. I tried listening to some music in the truck but that didn¡¯t help. I was imaging the terrible experiments waiting for me and I almost rear-ended a car when I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I concentrated hard on my driving but my stomach growled. I was getting hungry and I forgot to bring something to eat. My mom was still sleeping and I didn¡¯t know how to cook even if my life depended on it. So when I saw a fast food chain and I decided to grab some food. With my hunger sated, I drove steadily to my doom. -- -Turn left- -Turn left.- The female voice of the Nav System ordered and I glanced at the map display on the console. I checked the traffic and turned into a road with a sign of the hospital. I followed the road and found a parking area adjacent to a white rectangular building. I looked for a spot and parked my truck. I turned off the engine and sat inside the truck for a minute. I sighed and got out and faced the building. The Seattle Medical Institute building was on ordinary looking one. It was painted white and rectangular with rows of windows. It looked like a regular hospital and I was a bit disappointed. I thought the Institute was like a super high tech hospital made of glass. I blamed it on watching too many movies. I went through the large double doors and stood at the lobby. The lobby was crowded and the reception desk was busy with a long line of people waiting. I noticed that there was a lot of aliens here. This must be a hospital that served both human and aliens. I pulled out my phone and called Athlan with the number he gave to mom. I heard music instead of the sound of ringing. I listened and smiled at the Korean lyrics. Thankfully Athlan answered the call before the song grew on me. ¡°Yes?¡± Athlan answered his voice sounded annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to say Hello yknow.¡±. I joked. I tried to amuse myself at his expense. ¡°Who is th...Brian?¡± his voice completely changed. Now it sounded sweet. Too sweet ¡°Hello, Healer. I¡¯m in the lobby waiting.¡± ¡°Very good! I¡¯ll have someone fetch you¡± He said quickly. Was the healer busy? Maybe we can cancel this test. ¡°Thanks, Healer. I..¡± ¡°Tot-tot-tot-tot¡± That was rude. He didn¡¯t even say goodbye. I stared at the phone and I smiled. I went into my contacts and added a black and white photo of Dr. Frankenstein into his profile. I smirked as I saved the photo. That¡¯ll show him. I saw a lovely female elf nurse get off the elevator and started scanning room. This must be the one he sent for me. Athlan, you sly elf you. I grinned at the thought. Then I had an idea. I walked towards the wall and leaned on it. I crossed my arms and assumed a nonchalant attitude. I turned away from the pretty little elf but I kept looking at her with the corners of my eyes. What can I do? I have a weakness for elf women. But the female elf smiled in my direction and waved. I heart my jumped and I stupidly waved at her. I was about to get off the wall when I a muscle-bound dude went past me and the elf nurse ran to the man and kissed him. I flushed in embarrassment and moved out of sight. I¡¯ve seen that in the movies a lot of times and I fell for it. So my mood soured and I leaned on the wall. I crossed my arms in annoyance for real this time. I waited there for ten minutes when a short fat male elf showed up and was scanning the room. I stared at the unique elf in wonder. Elves had fat people? He was wearing a white lab coat and I raised my hand to get his attention. I didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer than I needed to. He saw me and I walked to him. He grinned at me and I couldn¡¯t help but smile back. He confirmed that I was the one he was supposed to accompany and I followed him. He might be fat but was quick and agile for someone his size. I upped my pace to keep up with him. I walked passed several rooms with alien patients and I wondered why was there was a need for hospitals anymore. I made a mental reminder to ask Athlan about it. After a few more twists and turns we arrived an empty hallway. The fat elf indicated that we had arrived and we went into a door on the right. It wasn¡¯t what I imagined a lab would look like. The lab in my mind was full of beakers and test tubes and bunsen burners. Instead, the lab was like a gym and the floor covered in non-slip material. Inside it had a treadmill, weight machines, a medicine ball, and other exercise equipment. I thought the test might not be that bad at all. Healer Athlan came out of his office on the left and quickly walked towards me. ¡°Ah. My favorite patient¡± He smiled eyes wide happy to see me. Or maybe happy to test me. ¡°Hi, Healer.¡± I gave him a small smile. I didn¡¯t know why I was annoyed by him. I reconciled to the idea of being poked and prodded. I was curious what was happening to my body. ¡°Do not be so formal with me Brian. Call me Athlan or Mr. Xe¡¯noloa¡± He shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder. ¡°Or ¡®Doc¡¯ like the other humans call me¡± He added. ¡°Eh..I¡¯ll call you ¡®Doc¡¯ then.¡± I nodded. His name was a mouthful. ¡°Good. Good.¡± he said ¡°So what¡¯s the test?¡± I asked as I looked around the room ¡°We will measure your strength, speed, endurance, your mental capacity, your... ¡° he listed the tests and the terms he mentioned went over my head and I just nodded. After he was finished he tilted his head as he scrutinized me. ¡°But enough of that. Let us do something easy first. Take off your clothes.¡± ¡°Excuse me doc?¡± Chapter 10 - Let me hear you scream. I stared at him with my eyebrows bunched together and I was trying to decide if he was being serious. All doctors were really the same in our galaxy. I guess. Even alien ones. ¡°I mean, you need to change your clothes.¡± He corrected when he saw my face. When Athlan said that, I became relieved and gave him a rueful smile. I hated it when our doctor asked me to remove my clothes at the clinic. I was not a prude, but when a grown man asks some dude to get naked, it''s not normal. The fat elf came back carrying some workout clothes in his hands. He handed it to me and took me to a supply room for me to change. I inspected the workout clothes while I was butt-naked inside the room and they were not your typical workout clothes. They were dark grey, almost black and it had the same texture of silk, but more stretchable. I looked closer at the fabric and there were small lines in the cloth like the circuitry of a microchip. Someone knocked on the door and I tore my gaze away from the patterns. Fearing the fat elf would open the door to check if I was okay, I put on the clothes quickly and left the supply room. The leggings and long sleeve shirt were skin-tight. The clothes hugged my body so tight that an embarrassing bulge on my crotch was visible. I stood straight while Athlan and his assistant attached small devices to the back of the shirt and leggings. After the testing the devices, they asked me to do warm-ups and I did my usual routine. ¡°Alright. Let us start with your strength. We will record this as a baseline for other future tests.¡± Athlan announced while I stood there covering my crotch. ¡°What do you want me to do.¡± I asked and look at the different types of exercise equipment in the room ¡°Mmm. Endurance first, after that the legs, then arms, and finally your core strength ¡± He read from his holoscreen. ¡°My Core strength? You can test it?¡± My ears twitched and I perked up with interest. Now, this is what we''re talking about. ¡°Hmm. No, not your Core but your core muscles.¡± he smiled and gestured at my midsection. ¡°Oh.¡± I replied a bit disappointed. ¡°We will do that later,¡± he said. He grinned and his eyes glinted. I remembered that face and my heart dropped. ¡°Much later.¡± He added and his eyes widened. The first test was my endurance and he asked me to get on a treadmill. I got on it and the fat elf pressed the start button. At first, the speed was that of a brisk walk, but at every five-minute interval, the settings got higher. I was now running at a marathon pace and we stayed at that speed. I recalled Mr. Bonzcrahzir shouted at us to straighten our body and keep our hand by our sides when doing long distance runs. So I corrected my posture and grudgingly accepted that maybe the orc had a point and I was able to run for an hour straight. Athlan made me rest for ten minutes and advised me to drink some water. He happily recorded the results and his assistant prepped the other machines. After I recuperated from the grueling run, he tested my leg strength on the leg press and I was now sweating profusely. He made a ¡°not bad¡± comment when I completed the leg press and I was breathing too heavily that I never got to say biting retort. I rested again and we did the arm strength test. The machine was a weird one. It had a rubber gripped, metal handlebar solidly attached to a shock absorber like that of a car. I asked him what weight should I try first and Athlan said to push up as hard as I can. I shrugged and sat on the seat below the handlebar. I wiped my hands and gripped the rubber handle just near the top of my head. I took a deep breath and pushed up. My eyes opened wide in surprise by the weight he set and the handlebar started moving slowly. I looked at Athlan and he was looking at the display on the side of the machine. He noticed that I stopped and he said to continue. So I braced myself and pushed as hard as I can. I grunted as I pushed the bars up harder. It was really heavy but inch by inch the handlebars moved at glacial speed. ¡°Yes. Yes. Push... Good. Push.¡± The elf was saying in encouragement. But I tuned it out and concentrated on pushing. I finally reached my breaking point and I shouted at the end. I dropped the handlebars and I instantly lowered my head in exhaustion. My heart was beating fast and I wiped the sweat from my forehead with a towel. I looked at Althan to ask if what I did was okay. ¡°Is that the best you could do? Because if that was it¡­ A Halfling can do better than you!¡± His voice was full of disgust and the elf was sneering at me. My eyes widened in shocked at his reaction. His scornful gaze was like a physical blow to me. I didn¡¯t ask for this test and If he doesn¡¯t like the result, screw him. I was angry at that point and almost left the test room but I didn''t want to give him the satisfaction. So I sat there and glared angrily at him. He still had that mocking look and I turned my face away. I dried my hand on my pants and gripped the handlebars. I took a deep breath and pushed as hard as I can. ¡°Are you even trying human? I cannot even... This is pathetic. You are Weak!¡± Athlan mocked at me. When he uttered that word I became enraged. I was angry because it was true. I despised that word so much that something inside me snapped. I wanted to punch that face but I took it out on the machine instead. I felt my muscles straining and noted that my joints were cracking. I pushed even harder and my chest started burning. The burning sensation traveled to my whole body but I didn¡¯t care and pushed even harder and harder. I heard the sound of my heart beating in my ears like a pounding drum was deafening. I roared loudly and the sound echoed in every molecule of my body. I didn¡¯t know how long I was pushing but I finally reached my limit. I dropped the bars and it felt like my arms fell off. I noticed a humming sensation in every part of my body. I roared again because it felt like the right thing to do. I noticed someone was patting my back softly and I looked at the hand. It was Athlan''s, he was smiling widely and face had a fanatical quality to it. I glared at him and I started to stand but my body felt weak. ¡°I am sorry for the words I said.¡± He said softly to me and he now had a somber face. Even though he apologized I was still mad at him, because saying the word ¡®weak¡¯ to me felt like a slap in the face. ¡°I only said it to make you angry and make you push harder. Brian Hunter, please forgive me.¡± After he said those words he made a very elaborate bow and he held that bow, with his eyes to the ground. I softened my glare when I digested what he said. My burning anger was slowly melting away into a small glowing ember. His body was still bent and I thought he was waiting for me to accept his apology. I wanted him to keep that bow for a long time and I chuckled out loud. Finally, the embers of my anger died. ¡°Forget about it, doc.¡± I said to him but the elf was silent and his body was still bowed. I was perplexed when he didn¡¯t straighten up and I remembered his sincere and formal apology. I hurriedly stood up and I hit my head on the handlebars, but I ignored it. ¡°I forgive you.¡± I said. My voice sounded formal and I bowed to him. ¡°And sin no more¡± I added glibly. When I said those words, it was like a ritual was completed and the ended the bow. He looked at me with a lopsided grin. ¡°I am not sure about not sinning.¡± he said grinning. I laughed out loud and he joined in. The fat elf grunted and walked away. Like the assistant was embarrassed at his boss''s behavior. ¡°No hard feelings okay?¡± I said to him to remove any doubt and I offered my hand for a handshake. He took the hand and shook it. ¡°Okay. Please sit down. You will need some time to recuperate.¡± he suggested. I nodded and sat back down. He walked away tapping at his holoscreen furiously and muttered something I couldn¡¯t hear. I stretched my body slowly after a while the weakness started going away. I took a sip of water and was suddenly hungry. The fat elf as if reading my mind handed me a candy bar, I eagerly took and ate it quickly. I mumbled a thank you while my mouth was full. He nodded to my thanks and he left to join to Athlan. The elves were deep in a discussion, so I enjoyed the bar and rested my sore muscles. After they were finished in their discussion, Athlan came to me and asked me to follow him to his office. The elf sat at his desk and he invited me to sit on the chair in front of the desk. I sat and looked at Athan¡¯s face. He was in deep contemplation and when he finally turned his face to me, he gave me a small smile. ¡°You are probably wondering why I acted like that earlier.¡± he started. I nodded to him and waited for him to continue. ¡°How do I say this so you can understand...hmm.¡± His forehead wrinkled trying to gather his thoughts. He nodded to himself and looked at me with a serious expression. ¡°I wanted the Bear Core inside of you to¡­ to awaken. Yes. awaken.¡± He explained. When I heard the word ¡®bear¡¯ and ¡®core¡¯ I started to worry and it showed on my face. He saw my worried look and rushed to continue. ¡°Do you remember what I said? No fur, no tail, ears..¡± He asked me. I nodded jerkily and grimaced at the thought of those things appearing on my body. ¡°It will not happen. I assure you. Unless you want to undergo a transplant wi..¡± He stopped when he saw me shaking my head vehemently confirmation. ¡°Sorry. I digress. A normal ¡®Being¡¯ has one core type tailored to its host. Me, I have an Elf Core. Your mom and dad have a Human Core. Understand.¡± I nodded and understood. ¡°But you have a Human Core and Bear Core and it combined into a unique single Core... Hmmm... Maybe I was correct about them uniting. Except it produces two different nanites now.¡± He looked away from me and rubbed his chin, deep in thought. I waited for him to continue and my uneasiness of the idea of having a bear inside of me started to wane. ¡°During the test, you only used your Human Core nanites and it was within normal parameters. Except for the last one. That last effort you did, you used the Bear Core nanites. I checked the readings and both human and bear nanites in your Core were working together.¡± ¡°But how did that happen doc?¡± I asked still having trouble understanding the significance of what Altlan just said. ¡°Did you feel anything strange earlier..maybe a..¡± ¡°I think so! It felt like there was something hot in my chest and it spread to my arms, legs ¡­. Everything!¡± I exclaimed and my eyes widened in recollection. I remembered the feeling. It almost felt like hot water was pouring through my veins.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Ah. As I expected the Bear Core activated its nanites throughout your body...hmmm... Yes.¡± He nodded as if it was only normal. ¡°Is that bad doc?¡± I asked concerned. ¡°I¡¯m not turning into a mindless human-like bear am I?¡± I asked for confirmation. That would be bad if that were to happen. ¡°What? No! You watch too many entertainment fictions.¡± He shook his head ¡±Movies will rot your brain.¡± he cautioned his face full in disdain. Thank God! ¡°Like I said nothing to worry about. Although I was a bit concerned that your Human core would reject the Bear Core and split into two.¡± He said frowning and he continued. "And the two Cores would fight each other turning your insides into mush." ¡°But I was Correct! Of course, I am correct. I am never wrong! ¡± He said to himself, not looking at me. I saw Athlan¡¯s face return in that manic expression earlier. ¡°But it could have split.¡± I asked my eyes narrowed and stared at him hard. Like before, he pretended he didn¡¯t hear me. I sighed deeply and started to get annoyed with the elf. ¡°So I¡¯m okay, right. I won¡¯t turn into something..¡± ¡°What? No. no. It is quite useful actually. Think of it as a...a reserve strength... Yes. As a backup.¡± Then he smirked at me. ¡°If you want out to find more. You can try asking the Beastmen. Goodluck with that!¡± ¡°Hehehe. You and your secrets! I have them now!¡± he said smugly, his gaze looking at the ceiling. I deduced he was talking about the Beastmen. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s like hitting the afterburners. I¡¯m okay with that. ¡± I nodded and smiled at the idea of having super strength. We were living in our own world at that point. We ignored each other and thought of different things. We were silent for some time and I broke first from that fugue. ¡°So...There are bear nanites in my system then?¡± I asked. I wanted to understand how it works. ¡°Hmmm.. Yes. Did I not say that earlier?¡± He was annoyed that I interrupted him from his daydreams. I tried recalling what he said and I remember him saying my Core now produced two types of nanites. If I understand correctly the human nanites that strengthened my body and if it needed more the bear nanites would help out. I hoped that it was the only thing they did. But what would happen if I absorbed another Beast Core? Hmm. Maybe a Silver wolf or the cheetah. I asked Athlan about it. ¡°Are you an Idiot? Try putting two predators in a single cage! See what will happen!¡± He guffawed at my question. Tears running down his face. ¡°I was only asking.¡± I said in a hurt voice. So no Bear/Tiger/Cheetah/Lion/Eagle hybrid Core then. I thought bitterly of the lost combinations. ¡°Aren''t they just nanites anyway? So what¡¯s the big deal!¡± I crossed my arms still annoyed he was having fun at my expense. He stopped laughing and his face turned somber, almost sad. ¡°I tried doing that for a long time Brian and the results were bad, very bad. I requested the Beastmen for information but they are secretive about the subject.¡± He glared at the invisible beastmen.¡±I believe that the Cores assumes the essence or attributes of the host species, although only subtly. I am still researching it. That is where you come in with the test. And that is why I am a Core Scientist and Healer¡± He said puffing up his chest. ¡°How long have you been a scientist?¡± I was curious about his age. Elves live three times longer than humans even without the Elf Cores. ¡°Eh... Ah. I just recently started researching... Ah...I am still a young elf...I had a few things I had to do...I was a bit busy.¡± He deflated and didn¡¯t meet my eyes. Before he met me, I had the impression that his research was going nowhere. "How old are you actually doc?" I asked him directly. Elves were actually very proud of their age, unlike human women. "Me? Oh. I am only sixty-one" He seemed actually embarrassed about it. "you''re that Sixty-one?" I was shocked and it showed on my face because when he saw it he grimaced. I thought he was less than forty. "Yes, I am only sixty-one. But I am one of the youngest Core Scientist in this sector!" He defended. "Unlike some people." he muttered. "Eh, you consider yourself young? But sixty-one is old!" I exclaimed. "To you humans maybe. But to us, they consider someone less than a hundred young. Someone whose opinion does not matter." He said darkly. Then he looked at me and raised his eyebrow. "But that does not matter in the scheme of things. When I have successfully completed my research, they will kneel to me and apologize for the countless slights they have given me" His eyes flashed and his lips drew back in a snarl. "Hey doc, what are you talking about?" "Hmmm... Just some things I need to account when I finish this." He composed himself and looked at me. "You do not need to concern yourself." he assured me. "Okaaay. What¡¯s next? The test I mean." I was getting bored with the discussion and I needed to finish early so I can go back home. ¡°Hmmm. Just a few more," he checked his holoscreen. ¡°Just the core strength, a reaction test and a mental test¡± ¡°Right. Lead the way¡± We both stood up and exited his office. The core muscle test was brutal. I did so many different types of sit-ups and my abdomen was starting to cramp. My favorite test was the reaction test and it was fun actually. It was like a whack a mole arcade game and I had to use my hand to hit a series lights as quickly as I can. I heard the assistant say ¡°He¡¯s fast¡± but I ignored him and completed the test. ¡°Above average I should say¡± Athlan commented but did not elaborate and I didn¡¯t push him to explain it. The last test was the mental one and it was by far the most difficult. It was like a souped-up IQ test with puzzles and mazes. That was the first time my brain actually hurt and I finished it with a small headache. When I was finished, I narrowed my eyes at Athlan and dared him to make a comment about my intelligence. ¡°Passable¡± Athlan said grudgingly said Athlan told me to grab something to eat when the test was finally finished. From the hours of exertion, I was physically drained and hungry, so I nodded eagerly. While I was munching on alien delicacies, I had a thought and I hurriedly ate and went back to the test room. Atlan was busy typing on his holoscreen and I interrupted him. ¡°Excuse me, Doc. I forgot to tell you. I installed some mods earlier and I was asking if it was okay?¡± I asked him. As soon as he heard ¡®Mods¡¯ and ¡®installed¡¯¡¯ He stopped from his typing and waved away the holoscreen quickly. He then grabbed my shoulders and shook me. ¡°You installed Mods? Are they working? What kind of mods? Hurry up speak up boy!¡± ¡°Uhh...I...Stop shaking me! GODDAMMIT!¡± I shouted. He stopped shaking me and when he realized what he was doing. He shook himself and gave me an embarrassed smile. ¡°I am sorry, Brian. I lost myself there for a second. I was so preoccupied with the testing that I didn¡¯t realize you had mods installed. A moment please.¡± He then checked his notes and I was left stunned by his reaction. I was about to say something but he beat me to the punch. ¡°Yes, I see it now. Here, in the scan data. I thought it was just some minor irregularities. Nothing to worry about. I assure you¡± he stopped from his musings and looked at me. ¡°What Mods do you have actually?¡± ¡°I just installed a Storage Mod. I have an Auric Mod too. It¡¯s not installed though.¡± I answered. ¡°And it works?¡± I nodded eagerly and pulled out my rifle. ¡°Put that away!¡± He said quickly glancing at the door. I hurriedly stored the rifle and gave him a crooked smile. ¡°So it works... Yes¡­ As I suspected...Of course, it works...I calculated that it would.¡± He said checking his notes again. I cleared my throat. ¡°Ah sorry. We were supposed to test it later. Installing Mods¡± Looking up from the holoscreen and turned it off. ¡°But, that is already done.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t move.¡± He picked up a device and scanned my whole body. Then he reviewed the finding while I kept quiet. Why was he so worked up about it? Maybe Althan was concerned that installing mods wouldn''t work. This asshole elf and his secrets. ¡°It is well within parameters. The Mod connected to the Human part of your core.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s safe to install mods?¡± I asked tentatively. I should have asked him before I installed that Storage Mod. I grimaced at that mistake. ¡°It seems so. We could try body enhancing Mods.¡± When I heard that, I became excited. Strength Mods here we go. ¡°But you are still a minor. You are not allowed Level 2 mods. Hmmm¡­ Yes, I remember reading a memo about that in orientation.¡± He said to me and my heart dropped. ¡°You have an Auric Mod still uninstalled?¡± ¡°Yeah. But it was for the rifle. Like an ear protector.¡± I sighed disappointedly. The Auric Mod was nice and all but it was a bit mundane. ¡°We could try that. It¡¯s the same principle with strength mods and other body enhancement mods.¡± He had a faraway look and nodded to himself. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s do that, but I need to monitor the integration.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s the same?¡± I asked. I was still new to this mod thingy. ¡°An interdimensional storage mod allows you to open a pocket universe through the conduits in your palm.¡± He showed me his own studded palm. ¡±Your body wasn¡¯t changed. It only added the tools.¡± ¡°An Auric Mod, like a Strength Mod, enhances parts of your body, like your inner ears, so you can hear better or manage loud noises.¡± He looked at me and he indicated his ears. ¡°You will stay at my home for the night while I monitor you.¡± He said his eyes sparkled. My eyes widened when I heard that. Did I hear correctly?Did he say stay at his home? His tone made me think that like I didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡°Doc, I need to get home! I''m supposed to be back the same day!¡± I told him as reasonably as I could. ¡°My mom¡¯s a bit protective¡±. I said that so maybe he¡¯ll reconsider. My mom¡¯s parental instinct was very strong, like the mama bear. I hope the elf would realize that too and change his mind. I wondered about the bear cub and it was okay. ¡°Call your parents. They will understand. It is for your health after all.¡± He grinned at me, daring me to call his bluff. I scowled at him knowing what my mom¡¯s answer was when my health was involved. I scratched my head and looked at the bright side. At least I¡¯ll know if I can use a Strength Mod in the future. So I called up my mom and told her I needed to stay for the night. Her quick ¡®yes¡¯ was a bit disconcerting. I thought she trusted the elf too much. It was already afternoon and Athlan decided that we need to go to his place because of the traffic. He invited me to ride together in his car and I accepted because I hated the traffic. We drove for an hour and arrived in the city. Although it wasn¡¯t my first time in Seattle, I still acted like a tourist. I watched the scenery and the people. The city was very modern than our town and I felt a little envy. Here and there, I can see a few people use their holoscreen. My eyes softened when I saw a cuddly Cerberus puppy jumping around on a leash. We approached a tall building and Athlan went down the underground parking lot. We rode the elevator and entered his apartment. I was impressed by how big it was. It was larger than our house and you could see the space needle out the window. This place must be expensive and I was impressed at the elf. I raised my eyebrow at him. He said his Healer profession pays well. the condo was mostly furnished in all different shades of white, from the couch, the marble floor, the table, etc. Shades of white were better than grey anyway. I thought about me staying here for the night and the elf seemed harmless enough. The elf was a good host I thought grudgingly as he ordered a lot of food. When we finished our dinner, he said it was the time to install the Auric mod. So I wore another workout clothes with sensors again. The installation was a bit easier this time. The pain wasn¡¯t so bad like the Storage Mod. With nothing to do, I played games on my phone in the guest bedroom the entire. Athlan knocked on the door and placed the sensor on the bedside table and left the room without saying goodnight. Rude. The bed was comfy enough and I was very tired from the testing that I instantly fell asleep. I was dreaming again but this time it was different. I was riding the bear and we were in a battle with me riding carrying a long lance. We were fighting a dragon and we were evenly matched. We were both battered and bruised. Our enemy was laughing at us and we both roared in defiance. I patted the bear and she looked at me with determination. We charged the dragon with my lance pointed forward, aiming for the dragon''s heart. I didn¡¯t know the conclusion of that battle because I was rudely interrupted by a piercing scream. I instantly opened my eyes and covered my ears. The sound was so loud that I rolled off the bed in agony. The scream was so intense it penetrated my body and soul. Then screaming stopped, I opened my eyes slowly and my face was full of pain. I saw a female elf covering her eyes with her hands and she wasn¡¯t covering it well. She glanced at the bulge in my pants and her eyes widened. The banshee screamed again and the agony started once more ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek¡± Screamed the elf girl. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh¡± And I replied. Chapter 11 - Doggy style, but not really I was in a fetal position covering my ears from the noise and it was pure agony. I wondered if the pain will ever stop and end my suffering. The girl stopped screaming and I sighed in relief, but she took a single deep breath and continued her vicious screech. When I heard the scream again I shrank into myself again. Was this the torture session I had dreaded since yesterday? I pondered those thoughts while I was in a cocoon of soul-crushing torment. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!" Atlan shouted when he entered the room and I whimpered at his voice. He was staring at me on the floor and looked at the screaming elf girl. She had a good set of lungs and if I was coherent enough, I would''ve been impressed. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The girl continued to scream. Athlan, God bless him immediately grasped what was happening and covered the girl''s mouth with his hand. "Ummrk..." The girl was instantly silenced and she was glaring at the culprit who muted her. I looked at Athlan with my eyes full of pain and he looked at me with pity. "Help me," I whispered and the noise from my lips made me wince. Athlan glared at the girl and he put his finger to his lips to keep the girl silent. He went past her and left the room, his steps were deafening to my ears. He came back and he was writing on a piece of paper. He ripped the paper from the pad and held it up for me to read. -Open your mod menu and decrease your Auric Mod sensitivity.- I read the note and quickly complied by opening up the holoscreen menu. I selected the MODS button and there were two mods icons. I tapped the ear image and the Auric Mod menu appeared. There was a [-] [+] button and I pushed the minus button with a shaky finger repeatedly. Slowly the loud sounds were decreasing until a slight ringing in my ear remained. I saw Athlan snapping his fingers but I didn''t hear it. He snapped his fingers again and I figured out that I turned my hearing off. I increased the sensitivity up one button at a time until I can hear normally. "....who''s this weirdo?" The girl elf looked at Athlan her eyebrow raised and she crossed her arms. "He is my patient. I am observing him. Brian, can you hear me?" He asked his face full of concern. He extended his hand, I took it and he pulled me off the floor. "mfkay...ahem.. I''m okay. That was really loud." My tongue wasn''t working properly. I looked at the elf girl, who was scrutinizing me with a pinched face and I immediately covered my crotch with my hands. She had a long straight red hair, a little shorter than me, and was wearing a white T-shirt and shorts. She was also one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen. She had fair skin, high cheekbones, a cute button nose and lovely Tartar eyes. I quickly dusted myself and plastered my face with a smile. I offered a handshake to her and she just stared at my hand like it was full of worms. I didn''t take my hand away and she rolled her eyes. She grumbled something about social conventions and shook my hand. It was so soft like velvet and my heart beat faster as I touched her skin. "Umm. My name''s Brian. What''s your name?" I introduced myself and gave her a dazzling smile. "Whatever." She dismissed me with a wave of her hand. My smile cracked a little. "Bro, about my allowance. I spent it all last ni... on books. They were expensive." She asked Athlan with a very sweet voice. I stood there with my smiling face nonplussed. Here was my perfect angel in front of me and she was ignoring me. "Can you give me a little advance?" she asked shyly. "Oh. Yes. No problem my little fairy. Here is the money." He hurriedly grabbed his wallet and took out a fat stack of bills. "Thank you, bro! you''re the best ever!" She clapped her hands jumping a little and hugged the stupidly smiling Athlan. She grabbed the cash and counted it while she left the room. I was staring at Althan and his sister with my mouth wide open. She just mooched her brother out of his money that easily? I looked at Athlan''s face and he clearly doted on his sister. My eyes went back to her and she was on her phone talking with someone. "My sister. Arbela." His mouth was mouth set in a hard-line and he narrowed his eyes when he saw me looking at her with desire in my eyes. "My younger baby sister. Stay away from her." He warned me ominously. Did I detect a little hint of murder in that voice? "Sure. Sure." I assured him raising my hands in surrender. "Alright." He gave me a final glare and grabbed the device on the bedside table. He went out and closed the door behind him. I quickly changed to my yesterday''s clothes and just piled the workout closed on the bed. I also made the bed and cleaned the room. I was having trouble deciding if I should just grab a taxi and leave or ride with Athlan to the hospital. I''ll just probably leave or else he''ll find some other test for me. As I got out of the guest bedroom, Athlan was waiting for me. "I analyzed the data and it seems your Auric mod installation is fine. There is no problem at all. I wish we could use Level 2 mods but... " He trailed off. He was studying his holoscreen closely. "Oh yes... it is good..." He was still looking at the screen. "So it''s fine?" The elf nodded when I asked, he was still absorbed reading the scanner. "Anyway. Doc, thanks for having me, but I gotta go. I just take a taxi." I started to leave. "What? Are you leaving? Ah yes... We are finished testing the Mod. I''ll drive you back to the Institute." He went for the keys. "Oh no. It''s okay, Doc. I need to go somewhere else. I don''t want to bother you." I reasoned. This might be just a ploy to keep testing me. "If you are sure. Alright." He nodded. With the new data I provided, I didn''t think he needed much convincing. ¡°Here, I almost forgot." He took out his wallet again and produced a GalCred card. It was a like a credit card and Tordan gave me one just like it. "Oh. Right, I forgot too." I grinned at him. I really did almost forgot about the money he promised. I took the offered card and put it in my wallet. "Thanks, Doc," I said happily and took out my wallet to put the card inside. "Just put in your wallet mod...Ah, right you do not have one." He said looking at my wallet. "You better get one. That is a lot of money you are carrying." He advised me. That''s right! I''m such a noob! "I forgot there was one." I smiled sheepishly tapping my wallet on my wrist. Toldar did remind me of it, but it slipped my mind. A door opened on the right side of the living room and Arbela appeared wearing a very tight yoga attire. Like a fool, I stared at her hungrily. "Ahem." "Sorry," I mumbled and took my eyes off her. I¡¯ll find her on Phasebook and research her...everything... "I will see you in... six months. That is long enough to see any significant change." Athlan said rubbing his chin. He then looked at me smiling and offered his hand for a handshake. We walked to the door.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Yeah. Thanks, Doc. For everything." I shook his hand and gave him a smile. "Goodbye Brian. Remember, come back in six months." Athlan said in farewell. "I gotcha. Bye." I turned to look back at Arbela and she quiclky turned her head away from me. I was about to say goodbye to her but the Doc slammed the door in my face. "Killjoy," I muttered at the door. I stared at the door and contemplated knocking it. Maybe, just maybe that lovely elf would answer the door, I then realized that Athlan can really screw up my body in revenge and so I walked away. Jealous brothers! I called a taxi and asked the driver to drop me off at the mall. The traffic wasn¡¯t so bad and I arrived at the mall without much delay. The Altech store was set up like an electronic store with Mods on a pedestal, but there were no weapons on display though. It didn¡¯t have the feel of Tordan¡¯s Emporium, It was very impersonal and I didn¡¯t like it. The Mods were a little more expensive than Tordan¡¯s but I was already here so I bought a Wallet Mod. I passed by a pet shop and I couldn''t¡¯ resist the Giant Shepherd puppy at the window of the pet¡¯s store. I went inside the store and the puppy barked at me. I petted the puppy and I considered getting one. Dogs could be a great hunting companion but I didn¡¯t have the patience to train one. So I regretfully said goodbye to the dog and he barked at me to bring him with me. I had to leave the store before I bought the dog in guilt. So I left the mall, got in a taxi to the Institute, and left Seattle. -- It had been a month since I got out from the hospital and the month passed by without any incidents to speak off. The school was...school and to be honest I was getting a little bored. I asked Frank to join me but he demurred, saying that it was too soon for him. So here I was, alone in an area ten miles from where we encountered the bear. I stored my rifle and checked the ground again. There was nothing here, so I circled the area radiating outwards and looked for spoors. A ¡®spoor¡¯ can be anything an animal leaves behind, a paw or hoof print, scat droppings, fluffs of fur, and other indicators. I was looking for spoors on the ground and it was hard finding one. A good way was to look for spoors on a trail where prey animals would regularly use. The wolf needed to hunt for food and would follow its prey¡¯s trail. I was in a narrow area between two hills that served as an animal trail and my eyes were glued to the ground looking clues if the wolf passed by. I finally found something near a tree and pulled out my flashlight. I illuminated the small patch of ground at an angle so that shadows can form on the spoor and the contrast will make it more visible. I removed a leaf on top of the spoor and took a good look. Yes! My eyes looked closely at a fresh large paw print and measured it with my hand. It belonged to a wolf and a large one if my guess were correct. It didn¡¯t belong to a Black Wolf or Dire Wolf judging its the size, but to a Silver Wolf. Unlike their cousin, the Silver Wolf was far larger, faster, and more dangerous. The only advantage in hunting a Silver Wolf was that unlike its smaller kin, it was a loner. A Silver Wolf can travel hundreds of miles searching for a mate and it looked like this one was looking for one... I¡¯m finally on to you Mr. big bad wolf. I was sitting on the couch back home and used the internet to research about rare animals. I came across an advisory in a hunting forum, that a Silver Wolf was last seen ranging in our forest park. I remembered the wolves that Bill spotted during our last disastrous hunting trip, and I had a good guess why the pack was moving away from that area. I decided to check it out the next day and ten miles west of the bear attack, I saw an old large paw print heading northwest. I wasn¡¯t lucky that day and a week later I found another set old paw prints a couple of miles north. I¡¯ve been tracking the wolf for three weekends now and I finally found some fresh pawprints. That was why I¡¯ve been crouching and searching for a few hours now. I checked the pawprints again and saw that the beast¡¯s direction of travel was to the north. I turned off the flashlight and followed the pawprints. I checked the map on my holoscreen and looked for likely paths through the forest. I also checked the time and compared the distance. I still had six or seven hours of daylight, so I decided to risk it and rode my new electric ATV. Unlike its gas-guzzling cousin, the electric motor made the vehicle run silent and was perfect for hunting. I¡¯ve been driving for an hour now and I found the path I took was the correct one. When I checked the area, I found large paw prints moving north. I compared a pawprint to the first one and found that it had the same size, so I rode the ATV again and drove for a few a miles north. I stopped at a small clearing to take a break and reorient myself. I drank some water and ate two energy bars because I was still in my Mod induced hunger. I checked the wind again for the hundredth time and was satisfied that I was still upwind to the direction I was traveling. Good. When I felt I was ready to move, I continued following the path due north. The trees were getting sparser and I had an easier time driving the ATV. I had about three hours of daylight left and it was starting to get cold. I was wearing my leather jacket over my camos and it was warm enough to use it. So I drove slowly, dodging trees and careful not to make any unnecessary noise. I was three hours into my lonely trek when I was suddenly startled by something. My Mod enhanced ears heard a low snarling sound due west and my heart skipped a beat. At first, I thought the wolf found me but I also heard the dying call of a moose. My heart raced at the rare opportunity, so I stopped and took out my bino and checked the area where I thought the sound came from. I didn¡¯t see anything so I got off the ATV and I walked slowly to where I heard the sounds. I checked the wind again and walked carefully to a large tree-covered hill. It was slow going as the hill was a little steep but I finally reached the top and crawled on my belly. I took out my binos and started scanning the area. In a large clearing, I saw the large Silver Wolf feasting on a moose 500 yards away. I can¡¯t gauge its actual size but in comparison to the moose, it was smaller a the Great Bear. With my heart beating fast in excitement, I slowly grabbed my rifle laying on my right and extended the bipod attachment. I settled on a comfortable shooting position and I pointed the rifle at the wolf. I shifted my aim at the calculated projectile drop on the crosshairs. The wolf''s head was down taking bites at the carcass and I aimed for a heart shot. I took a slow steady breath and exhaled it gently leaving a little air left in my lungs. I slowly squeezed the trigger between heartbeats and adjusted my aim when the wolf shifted to the left. Before the Gauss rifle could fire the wolf moved suddenly and I released the trigger in haste. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. The wolf was gnawing on the moose''s ribs and was playing with the detached bone. I waited for five minutes but the wolf wouldn¡¯t stop moving around the carcass. I had a plan to stop the wolf from moving but I wasn¡¯t sure If I could risk it. I glanced at the rifle I¡¯m using and figured it wasn¡¯t that risky. So I took a deep breath and howled at the wolf. When the wolf heard the howl it jerked its head to my position and it froze. I quickly aimed my rifle at the wolf and squeezed the trigger. The Gauss rifle fired and the recoil made it jump back sharply. The bang of the rifle was muted by my mod and all I felt was the kick to the shoulder. I reacquired the wolf on my scope and I found it on its side twitching. I exhaled in relief and blinked away the dust from my eyes. I stood up and held the rifle on its underside. I stored my binos and walked to the ATV bubbling in exhilaration. I didn¡¯t realize how enormous the wolf was until I was only ten feet away on my ATV. Sure, it was smaller than the Great Bear but it was faster and more vicious. Sometimes bear would just maul you and leave you alone after. Sometimes. A wolf is another different matter, they would just kill you quickly and eat you. That¡¯s why I never hunted black wolves or dire wolves because you may kill one but the others will slaughter you. I looked down at the wolf¡¯s body and I grinned in accomplishment. I finally killed a large beast with my own two hands. Well, with my rifle but I killed it using my skill as a hunter. No pun intended. I walked closer to the dead wolf but when I was only four feet away, I noticed that it was still breathing. We both moved at the same but the wolf was quicker. The beast landed on top of me and my rifle across its throat keeping his head away from me. NOT AGAIN! That thought went through my mind when the wolf was trying to bite me. I used both hands on the rifle to push the bottom of the wolf¡¯s jaws upward. The wolf was snarling and its saliva was dropping on my face. The wolf was too strong and its teeth were slowly nearing my head. I could feel its hot breath on my face and I smelt the blood of its last kill. The wolf claws also raked my chest but the zipped leather jacket protected me from being disemboweled. When the wolf jaws were inches from my head I roared in fear and defiance. When I roared again I grew stronger and felt the familiar burning sensation in my chest that traveled through my arms. I slowly pushed the head away until my arms were fully extended. I also raised my right leg and pushed against its chest. With my heart beating fast, I quickly released my right hand from the rifle and took out my monoblade from storage and gripped the handle. I thrust the blade through wolf¡¯s lower jaw and the blade slid into its brain. The wolf strength suddenly disappeared and I quickly pulled out my blade and tossed it aside. I held wolf up for a few seconds and then my limbs gave way.I was breathing heavily and I was covered by the wolf''s body and I tried pushing the wolf away, but the body was too heavy. I lay there on the green field covered in blood and a giant wolf on top of my body. Karma is really a bitch. Chapter 12 - To squeeze or not to squeeze Chapter 12 Of all the dumb things that ever happened to me...this one was up there. Falling off a cliff was still number one but this was arguably a close second. I should have checked the wolf if it was still alive but I didn¡¯t. A wolf playing dead? C¡¯mon! That¡¯s just below the belt! I was overconfident in thinking that the Bear Core and the Mods made me invulnerable. I got careless again and I almost paid the price. If I was aiming to be the best hunter I swore to myself that this would be the last mistake. Ever. Hope so. I made that promise. So here I was on the ground, covered by the wolf¡¯s body, and with my arms spread out. *Wat Do?* I used my arms to push away the dead wolf but it was too heavy and the only shifted a little. How did I manage to push the wolf earlier? Right. The Bear Core helped. Come on, Mama Bear. Give me some strength! I placed my hands on the wolf¡¯s chest and pushed hard. The wolf¡¯s body moved a little and the weight pressed against me eased and I continued to push harder. I took a breath, grit my teeth and bunched my face while I pushed higher. My chest burned and the bear nanites finally helped out. I roared loudly and my arms were slowly extending. the wolf¡¯s blood was dripping on my face but I ignored it and pushed higher. I slowly shifted the wolf¡¯s head to the left while I shuffled my torso to the right. I dropped the body and my head and chest were finally free but my legs were still pinned. I sighed and tried moving the wolf again. -- My face was sticky with the wolf¡¯s congealed blood and I tried wiping it with my dirty hand. I took out a small towel from my storage and wiped most of the blood off my face. I was exhausted from my exertions and I took a little rest while staring at the wolf. I was still breathing hard while I was looking down on the wolf and I was contemplating how to move it. I was finally freed after twenty minutes and as I sized up the body, It seemed I needed to struggle more. The wolf was smaller than the great bear but that didn¡¯t matter at all and staring at it wasn¡¯t going to make it any lighter. I crouched down near the wolf and examined the light grey fur while I took out my knives. I made the first cut at the throat and started field dressing the wolf. I tried lifting the head with the fur and as I suspected, the they were too heavy to carry by myself. I thought of tying ropes on the fur and imagined carrying it like a backpack while I drove the ATV, but the weight might tip the vehicle back. I rejected that plan and searched for another one. I stared at the fur with pursed lips and pondered at the problem for a while but an idea came to me. I drove the ATV back to the treeline and used my monoblade to cut down a tree. I made a crude trailer by using some rope and the rough flat boards I made from the tree. I tied the trailer to the back of the ATV and dragged it back to the wolf. I loaded the head and fur with difficulty to the trailer and I remembered something I almost forgot to do. I cursed at my temporary amnesia and blamed it on the wolf. You can¡¯t expect to recall everything you needed to do when some wolf was trying to eat you an hour earlier. I walked back to the wolf carcass and crawled inside the chest cavity. What¡¯s a little more blood when you¡¯re already drenched on it. I found what was I looking for and I used a knife to gently dislodge it from the spine. I picked the Silver Wolf¡¯s Core and looked at the prize. It was grey, the size of a golf ball, and it had hex patterns all over. I grinned at the Core and held it up to the sun. After admiring the Core, I stored it in a ziplock baggie and put it in my pocket. As I was about to leave, I looked at the wolf¡¯s carcass and surveyed the meat. What a waste of meat. I could bring it back but nobody ate wolf meat and they say it reminded them of dogs. They may have a point there. I then had a thought, I could give it or sell it to the lady who sold soil compost to farmers. So I butchered the meat into small pieces and stored it in my Storage mod. It¡¯s too bad there were limits to the size of items the Storage Mod can tranfser...mmm...I¡¯ll ask Tordan about it later. After I stowed the items on the trailer, I left the wolf¡¯s carcass for the scavengers and drove away.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The sticky blood and the smell was getting annoying while I drove through the forest dodging low hanging branches. I rode carefully and watched the terrain for bumps that can damage the rickety trailer. I considered my making a pitstop and clean myself off from the blood. The clothes I was wearing was getting a little itchy so I made the decision to stop by and find some water. I glanced at my Gauss rifle and it was filthy as hell. Thank god it was waterproof. I was driving and humming a song I heard earlier when I passed by our old hunting site. When I saw a few Horned Rabbits munching on the grass and I hastily avoided them. I was a little tired and I can''t deal with those rabbits right then. The bunnies were all looking at me and maybe it was just my imagination but they were definitely giving me the evil eye. Those bunnies were lucky my trailer couldn¡¯t handle more weight and so I gave them the finger. I passed by our little hunting camp and it was a little mangled by the Great bear. It was a strange being back, like visiting your own crime scene. I wanted to check our camp but the creek was nearby and I needed to clean myself as soon as possible. I gave the place one last look and continued on. I jumped in the clear water with my clothes on and washed the blood away. The creek¡¯s water became pink from the blood and I grimaced at the sacrilege when I dunk the rifle in the water. When I felt I was suitably clean I got out and except for my boxers, I took off all my clothes . I checked the jacket while I dried myself and unbelievably wolf¡¯s claws didn¡¯t leave a mark. The great bear saved me once again. I sighed in relief and patted a thank you to the bear leather. The jacket was one of my prized possessions and it would¡¯ve been heartbreaking if it got damaged. I eyed the wolf skin and thought maybe I could get Tordan make me some boots from the leather. I was squeezing the water out of my camo shirt when I heard I a very weak cry of an animal further up the creek. The sound was from an animal that I recently had a close and very personal disagreement. My eyes widened in surprise when I recognized the cry and I immediately wore my clothes. I raised my rifle, my hands shaking a little and I checked my surrounding using the rifle¡¯s scope. I searched every inch of ground, but I didn¡¯t see anything and I thought I was just imagining things when I heard the animal cry again. No. Not this time. I steeled myself and slowly walked to the sound. I collapsed my rifle into compact mode and inched closer to the noise. It cried again but I noticed that it was different. The wail sounded weak and faint and I only heard it because of my Mod enhanced hearing. I followed the creek upstream and I found the animal making the noise. It was inside a large den and the animal was in a very pitiful state. Its fur was matted with dirt and the body was all skin and bones. Inside the den, there on a bed of dried leaves was a whimpering Great Bear cub. The little cub was laying on its side and was grunting softly. The cub saw me when I crouched at the den¡¯s entrance and it groggily moved away from me further inside. I hunt dangerous animals but this weak little cub pulled my heart strings. This was the cub that I saw before we were attacked by the bear. This was my Bear Core''s cub. It was almost a miracle that this cub survived on its own when the mother died. I looked inside the hole and there were small bones scattered inside. The little bugger tried hibernating judging from the state of its body but it woke up too soon when its dismal body fat supply dwindled into nothing. This bear won¡¯t survive much longer without its mother to feed the cub properly. I was debating with myself of the course of action in regards to the poor bear. With a heavy heart, I aimed my rifle at the cub¡¯s head and decided to end its suffering. What a sad end to the little fighter. My rifle shook a little as I slowly tightened the trigger. Chapter 13 - An offer I cant refuse *Bang* I squeezed the trigger and the snap of the projectile going past the sound barrier echoed across the meadow. It was a perfect shot and another Horned Rabbit¡¯s head exploded in multiple fragments. The blood misted and a crimson cloud was hanging over the dead bunny¡¯s body. I winced at the overkill and even though I used the lowest power setting on the rifle. The result was still very messy. The other bunnies disappeared into their burrows when they heard the loud report of the rifle and I walked to the dead bunny¡¯s body carefully to avoid falling into a hole. Rabbit holes were a hazard in these parts as many hunters broke their ankles when they forgot to watch their steps. I sidestepped a hole with a suspicious white fluff of hair quivering below and continued to walk slowly to claim my kill. I cleaned the bunny of its skin, entrails, and drove back to the reason I was hunting these stupid creatures. I slowly crawled into the great bear¡¯s den I found a month ago. I coaxed the sleeping little cub to wake up and eat the meat I''m holding. She was laying down on a bed of leaves taking a nap and woke up when she heard my voice. ¡°Come on, little fella. Come on¡± I enticed the cub, waving a piece of meat in her direction. The little bear¡¯s ears perked up and her nose started sniffing at the smell of the meat. The bear turned her head to look at the meat in my hand and she quickly scrambled to take it, lest I change my mind. The grunting cub slowed her steps when she a foot away from me and almost bashfully took the meat in her mouth. I gently rubbed her shoulder while she ate slowly and her body no longer froze in tension. The first time I tried touching her, the bear cowered and refused to come near me. I had to spend a long time calming her down. A month earlier, I almost pulled the trigger of the rifle. But at the last second, I felt guilty and I stayed my hand. I remembered lowering my rifle and taking out a piece of wolf meat in my storage and slicing it up into thin strips with my knife. When I saw the starved cub weakly crawling towards the meat I laid on the ground and it made me promise to keep the cub alive. Something strange happened to me when the cub took its first bite of meat I gave her. My chest burned hot and I rubbed my chest in surprise. I wondered for days and asked myself why my bear nanites burned unexpectedly that time. I still didn¡¯t know the answer to that question. I was interrupted from my musings when the cub pawed me gently in the chest for more food. I gave her another piece of meat and continued rubbing her sides. When she was full, the cub went outside the den to play and I followed her smiling. I looked at the cub who was playing with a stick and examined her body thoroughly for signs of malnutrition. The little bear was no longer weak and she was stronger now with her body filled out with fat. I made feeding trips almost every day after school and I was satisfied with the results of my outings. In a sense, this was like an appeal for her forgiveness for killing her mom and also as a thank you to the mother for saving my life with her sacrifice. The cub came me asking for rubs and I complied while I measured her size for comparison with her late mother. She was three feet at the shoulder now and with the golden brown fur of her species, she looked like a smaller version of her mom. After the cub felt that the rubs I gave her were enough for now, she went back to play with her toy. Smiling at the bear¡¯s antics, I went back to the den and gathered the scattered leaves inside. I took out more bunny meat and placed it on a bed of leaves in a corner of the cave. I judged the amount of food in the den will last a few more days and readied myself to leave this place for the last time. I can¡¯t keep this up this daily feeding trips forever and the cub must learn to survive in the wild. I looked at the cub sadly while she was having fun with the stick. I always knew that these visits wouldn¡¯t last for long and I had to leave the cub she may to learn to survive in the wild. I went over to the little bear and tearfully gave her one last scratch. She stopped playing with the stick and I kneeled and gave her a last big hug. ¡°Goodbye, little stinker. Grow up and be strong like your mother!¡± I said to her my voice cracking a little when I let go of her and I walked back to the ATV and left without a looking back. - Today was Friday and it was two weeks after I left the cub on its own in the forest. I went to the Department of Fish and Wildlife office after school. I wanted to check the status of my bounty voucher for the Silver Wolf I hunted. It was the department¡¯s job to evaluate and sign the vouchers in our state. They were slow in processing my request and I wanted to know what the hang up was. Mercifully, the voucher was signed and I went directly to the Treasurer¡¯s office to claim my check. The clerk recognized me when I handed him the voucher. He stood up and asked me to follow him again. I was slightly irritated with the delay again, but I just grumbled and followed him silently. He ushered me to Mr. Darren''s office again and something tells me this wasn¡¯t a normal talk. ¡°Ah. Mr. Hunter. Good to see you. Sorry for delaying you again but I wanted to talk to you.¡± Mr. Darren stood up when he saw me walk in and he offered his hand. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too sir. Is there something wrong? Am I in trouble?¡± I inquired nervously as I shook his hand. They might have changed the bounty claim rules and that made me a little anxious. ¡°No. no. No trouble at all. Please have a seat.¡± He assured me as he sat back in his chair. ¡°Oh. Okay, sir. What do you want to talk about?¡± I asked as I took a seat in front of him. ¡°Someone from DFW called me two weeks ago about your claim and he gave me a heads up. We¡¯re close friends and I might have mentioned you earlier... and our misunderstanding the last time you were here. But that¡¯s partly the reason why I called you here.¡± ¡°Yes, sir?¡± I asked him tentatively. It was uncomfortable hearing that my exploits were being talked about and I shifted my body on the seat. ¡°Right. I hope I¡¯m not being too personal. But, what are your plans after graduating? That¡¯s a month from now. Right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Uh, I might have some plans and maybe hunt for a living. Why do you ask sir?¡± I said vaguely. This discussion was getting uncomfortable. My guidance counselor asked me those same questions last week and I gave Mr. Darren the same answer. ¡°That¡¯s good. The thing is, there is a plan to offer jobs at the Sheriff''s office for hunters. They¡¯re going to announce it next month, I believe. The Sheriff asked me to send him some good hunters in advance. I think you fit the bill. You can put me as your reference if you want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a good hunter? I don¡¯t know about that, sir.¡± I said in a self-deprecating tone. I didn¡¯t consider myself a good hunter. I¡¯m an ¡®okay¡¯ hunter. Maybe. I¡¯m also a bit intrigued by the job. ¡°Yes, you are a good one. ¡± Mr. Darren smiled and gestured at my voucher. My face flushed and I looked at the floor, a little embarrassed with the praise. I¡¯m flattered that he thinks I¡¯m a good hunter. ¡°I don¡¯t have the full details of the job. And If you¡¯re interested, you can send your resume to the Sheriff''s office and ask them questions. Don¡¯t wait too long though.¡± ¡°Yeah...I might be interested and I¡¯ll check it out.¡± Mr. Darren beamed at me when heard my answer. ¡°Good. Good. Anyway...That¡¯s it. You¡¯re probably raging to grab that check. Go straight to the cashier. I had them process your voucher while we were talking¡± Mr. Darren stood up grinning and offered his hand. ¡°Thanks, sir. For thinking of me. The job I mean.¡± I said lamely. I stood up and shook his hand. ¡°No problem, Mr. Hunter. Good Hunting.¡± Mr. Darren walked me out of the office and I proceeded to cashier¡¯s booth. I did the usual claim the check and deposit the check in the bank routine. I thought about the job when I was in my truck after leaving the bank. I¡¯ll be a little honest with you. I was more than a little interested in the Job. I was racking my brain for weeks for ways to accomplish my goals. This wasn¡¯t like in the movies where a magic item fell on your lap out of nowhere or you received a mysterious letter inviting you to a magic school. I decided to visit the Sheriff''s office tomorrow and ask some questions. Now that I knew my Silver Wolf hunt was legit. I went to the tanner¡¯s place and collected the fur. I had to tie ropes straps to the rolled up pelt and carried it like a backpack in reverse. I was sweating and was breathing heavily when I dropped it on Tordan¡¯s floor. I sold the fur to Tordan for two thousand creds. Much to my dismay, the wolf pelt didn¡¯t match the bear¡¯s price. Tordan was spitting in indignation when I told him he was trying to cheat me with the value of the pelt. But the dwarf ¡¯s anger vanished when I showed him the wolf¡¯s core. ¡°Yes.The Core.¡± The dwarf eyes were shining as he stared at the core. He then collected himself and assumed the usual bored look. He took the core and scanned it. After he was satisfied with its authenticity he gave it back. ¡°Might be worth something.¡± He commented on the core. I stared at the dwarf with pursed lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop with all the posturing. Okay?¡± I pleaded. I was getting tired of making up stories to inflate the price. ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re taking the fun out of bargaining.¡± He grumbled. The dwarf really did love arguing with the customer just for the sake of it. ¡°Three thousand¡± He made his offer and he crossed his arms.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thirty-five hundred.¡± I countered. ¡°Deal.¡± He accepted smiling. ¡°Right. Deal. Here you go.¡± I handed him the core still inside the baggie. ¡°What are you going to do with the Core anyway?¡± I asked as an afterthought. ¡°To make Mods of course. I sell these to Mod Engineers. The wolf¡¯s core¡¯s characteristics make it good for a lot of things. The speed, endurance, the senses, etc.¡± The dwarf scanned the core again. I recalled Doc Athlan explaining it to me that Cores assumes it¡¯s hosts affinities or something. I shrugged. It was too complicated for me. ¡°Um. Tordan before I forget. Is there a Mod that increases the size of what I can store?¡± Tordan looked up from his scanner. ¡°How large?¡± ¡°Like the bear¡¯s body or the wolf.¡± I gestured the pelt. ¡°What? No! Hahaha! You and your silly questions.¡± He laughed his eyes tearing up. ¡°Hey! I had a lot of trouble carrying that pelt. I had to improvise.¡± I defended crossing my arms. ¡°Sorry. Hmmm... You could buy an anti-grav lift.¡±. He said rubbing his bear. I asked him about using his assistants to carry the bear fur. ¡°Builds character.¡± Was all the dwarf said. The slavemaster. I also bought an additional storage mod for my left hand. It might be a good idea to have a backup in case my right hand gets injured. Good thing the other storage mod connected to my existing one so I don¡¯t have two separate storages. The dwarf transferred the creds to my wallet with a flick of a finger and I left the store after one last look at the restricted items. Just you wait till I get my Level 2 License. I bought a lot of food for dinner at an Italian restaurant. I wanted to celebrate my latest success. Although my appetite was slowly returning back to normal, I still had some mods to install. So don¡¯t judge me. I mentioned the job during dinner and my mom, as usual, had problems with it. ¡°But, that¡¯s a dangerous job!¡± My mom said eyes widening. She almost missed the plate when scooped up some pasta. ¡°I¡¯m just curious, mom. I¡¯m just talking about it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m taking the job right away.¡± I rolled my eyes. Did I mention her being overprotective? ¡°We talked about this. Let him do what he wants.¡± My Dad admonished my mom using his fork for emphasis. ¡°It¡¯s just. He¡¯s...¡± My mom didn¡¯t continue and bit her lower lip. He¡¯s my baby?. Jesus! I¡¯m Eighteen now! I just had my birthday recently! I groaned internally. I guess they already had this discussion and agreed to it. I could tell mom wasn¡¯t happy about it. Her laugh and smile were too forced when I told them some jokes I read on the web. I steered the discussion about my upcoming prom and graduation. Thankfully, mom was excited about it and she went on asking who I¡¯m taking to the prom. I don¡¯t know honestly. I had some female friends and I thought of asking them was awkward. I volunteered to do the dishes and clean up the table after dinner because I felt bad upsetting mom. -- Sheriff''s Office: I arrived at the Sheriff''s office in the morning and I asked around about the job. They pointed me to the Sheriff¡¯s secretary, so I went there and talked to the secretary. I had wait to wait for an hour because I didn¡¯t have an appointment. I was just supposed to ask some details of the job but she assumed that I was applying for it. I was about to correct her when her phone rang and she pointed at the seats, while she answered the phone. I looked at her helplessly but she was busy talking on the phone. I waited for her to finish talking on the phone and explain what I was here for. But after she hanged up, Ms. Norris immediately went inside the Sheriff''s office and I wasn¡¯t able to get the chance to talk to her. They were probably having a meeting when some deputies joined them. When they were finished she peeked her head out the door and called me to come inside. I knocked on the sheriff''s door and went inside looking very nervous. ¡°Please take a seat Mr.. ?¡± The Sheriff''s said in a gravelly voice. The Sheriff was a big-bellied man. He also had a very shiny bald head. He shook my hand and they were surprisingly strong. Looks can really be deceiving. ¡°My name¡¯s Brian Hunter sir. I here to ask about the hunting job. Mr. Darren from the county sent me.¡± I introduced myself. I also name dropped just to be sure. ¡°I¡¯m Sheriff Stevenson. He sent you huh.¡± He examined me critically. I straightened my posture and made eye contact. He was twirling his thick mustache and was still eyeing me. ¡°Yes, sir. He told me you needed hunters and I wanted to know the details.¡± ¡°The Job is to hunt. Simple as that.¡± The Sheriff said flatly. I think I caught him at a bad time. I heard the secretary Ms. Norris clear her throat. The Sheriff glanced at her and back to me. ¡°But if you want details.¡± he conceded. ¡°Our county is almost surrounded by forest parks and the park ranger¡¯s are having trouble controlling the animals. Sometimes dangerous animals stray to the outlying farms, homes, etc and we need some people to deal with it.¡± ¡°Like the animal control sir?¡± I asked. The Sheriff grunted in disgust as a response. ¡°The animal control people are having trouble dealing with housepets and strays. You can¡¯t expect them to hunt down dangerous animals the size of a minivan.¡± He shook his head. ¡°They keep telling me,¡¯You can¡¯t kill them, Sheriff¡¯. We can just capture them¡¯. Like we can just tranq them.¡± He mimicked the voice of a kid. He also scoffed at the idea capturing them. ¡°Yeah. They¡¯ll get eaten alive. Literally.¡± I agreed with him and the Sheriff nodded. After the Event, a lot of people were afraid that their newly cored pets might go wild and attack them. But after a couple of months, their concerns were largely unfounded. Aside from the size increase and larger pet food bill, the pet¡¯s were pretty much still domesticated. There were always some exceptions and I don¡¯t envy those animal control officers. ¡°And I can¡¯t keep sending deputies to take care of it because they have their own jobs. My deputies are good men but they are only trained and equipped to deal with men.¡± The sheriff was turning red. The secretary cleared her throat again. ¡°Beings. People. You know what I meant!¡± He amended glaring at the woman. ¡°If you want the job, I¡¯ll deputize you and you¡¯ll be stationed here in the office until someone calls 9-1-1 and you¡¯ll respond to that emergency.¡± The Sheriff was leaning back in his chair trying to relax and was squeezing a stress ball. He saw me looking at the ball. ¡°My deputy was killed yesterday. Freak accident.¡± He explained. ¡°So, you want it? You look a little young though.¡± He examined me. ¡°I''m eighteen, but I¡¯m still in school, sir, and I¡¯m graduating next month.¡± I hurried to explain. ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯re Hunter¡¯s boy. I shoulda known with those eyes. Hmmm.¡± He was surprised and he finally recognized my name. He was referring to my purple eyes. ¡°Any experience? Aside from that fu-fudging bear.¡± ¡°I hunted a Silver Wolf weeks ago, Sir.¡± I showed him a copy of my voucher. He read it and looked at me with a new light. ¡°Well... We can take that into account.¡± He said grudgingly. ¡°Sir. I just wanted to ask questions about the job and I¡¯m still considering it.¡± I said trying to explain. ¡°Alright, ask them. Be brief. I¡¯m busy.¡± I thought about it and there was only one important question I had in mind. ¡°The bounties sir. Can I still claim them?¡± I¡¯m not trying to be greedy but let¡¯s face it. Hunting¡¯s good money. ¡°What?! We¡¯ll pay you a salary! A good one too! You think this is some volunteer work?¡± His voice was rising and I winced. But the secretary cleared her throat again and the sheriff took a deep breath and exhaled trying to relax. ¡°Right. We can¡¯t allow you to collect the bounties on the emergencies. Conflict of Interest.¡± I was disappointed. I kinda like what the job was about. But money is money. I was not trying to be a mercenary here. The secretary whispered something to the sheriff and his eyes widened in recollection. ¡°But any off-duty hunting for bounties are fine. As long as you don¡¯t do it on your working hours. Is that clear enough for you Mr. Hunter.¡± He narrowed his eyes at me and I nodded quickly. That¡¯s actually good. So I can earn a salary and hunt on my day off. Maybe that¡¯s how ranger Bill does it. I started to like the idea. ¡°That¡¯s funny. Mr. Hunter is hunting animals at the hunting grounds. Hahaha!¡± He said suddenly laughing. Another female throat clearing. ¡°Sorry. No offense.¡± He apologized. ¡°None taken, sir.¡± What can I say? He¡¯s the sheriff. The secretary whispered something longer this time and the sheriff looked at her incredulously. But the secretary continued and after a while, the sheriff nodded. All of the sheriff''s anger and bluster were gone now. ¡°Let me be honest with you, Hunter. We need hunters badly and because of that ¡®no bounty¡¯ clause, were having a hard time getting the good ones to apply for the job. So after you graduate and if you¡¯re still interested in the job, I¡¯ll give it to you. Provisionary of course.¡± The sheriff said his tone very serious now. ¡°We also take care of hospital expenses for injuries incurred performing in the line of duty,¡± ¡±We can also grant a Level 2 license.¡± He added as a sweetener. He gave me a knowing look. I promised to the sheriff to think about it when I said my goodbyes. His last statement stuck with me. Hospital bills and a Level 2 License. The insurance covered my stay the last time and Athlan waved his fee. But what happens if I get injured again while hunting. I bet our premium rose after the coma thing. I also can¡¯t keep relying on my parents forever. This job grants me independence from them too. I¡¯ll have to move out eventually and this job might be a good start. I get paid to hunt dangerous animals and I also get to help the community. And a Level 2 License! That clinched it. I drove back home smiling about the job and my future. Finally, things were looking up. -- I was half asleep when a loud crashing sound woke me up. I immediately stood up looked out the window. It was very dark outside because our neighborhood was sparsely populated. It¡¯s mostly ranches and farms that bordered the park. I heard another crash and I quickly grabbed my gauss rifle and body armor. I check the time on my holoscreen and it was four a.m. They might be home invaders and dad has drills for these situations. I ran downstairs and I passed my dad, also wearing his gear. ¡°You heard that Dad?¡± I asked nervously ¡°Yep. Let¡¯s go outside. Grab your flashlight and follow behind me.¡± My Dad ordered calmly. I nodded and followed him out the back door. My Dad was scanning our backyard with his flashlight mounted on his rifle. I was doing the same and I mentally added a night vision Mod to my to-buy list. We heard the crashing sound on our right and we both pointed out rifles to the sound. I used my flashlight in the area I thought I heard the sound. The intruder was illuminated and our little thief was destroying our grill. ¡°Oh No!¡± I said, I lowered the rifle and detached the flashlight. I illuminated the intruder again and I sighed in frustration. The cub was killing our grill. ¡°Goddamnit!¡± I wailed. ¡°Ey, Language!¡± Chapter 14 - I love the smell of bacon in the morning *Chuff* ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± I shouted at my dad. I recognized the cub in front of me that was illuminated by the two flashlights. She¡¯s grown since the last time I saw her. Those rabbits near the den were easy for her to hunt and it showed. The cub was now a six inches taller and fatter too. I was very worried that she didn¡¯t learn to survive when I left her, but here she was in front of me and she was sniffing the collapsed grill. I was both relieved and dismayed. Relieved that she was okay, and dismayed that she followed me here. I¡¯m positive she won¡¯t go back to the forest even if I forced her. ¡°I know that little runt.¡± I said my voice was full resignation. I glanced at my frowning Dad, and he lowered his rifle after hesitating briefly. I heard the click of my dad engaging the safety on his rifle. ¡°You deal with it. I¡¯m getting some coffee.¡± My Dad shook his head and left me with the cub. Dad wasn¡¯t a morning person without his caffeine. He turned on the porch lights and the area we were in was illuminated a little. I turned off the flashlight and stored my rifle. I was scratching my head in frustration when I was suddenly bulldozed by the cub. I landed on my butt on the grass and the bear was pawing my armored chest for attention. Sighing deeply, I scratched the cub in the neck and she grunted in pleasure. I really can¡¯t be mad with the cute runt. I was about to stand up when she wrestled me back to the ground. I got scared at first, but relaxed when I realized she was just playing around. I think I pissed in my pants a little. I knew she wouldn¡¯t stop pestering me unless I wrestled with her, so I played with the cub. My chest burned hot and I stopped the mock-fighting with the bear. I broke away from her bear hug quickly and stood up. I was looking at my chest and I frowned at the sensation. I also felt something from the cub, it was like she was happy. This was getting weird and I rubbed the vest on my chest in worry. I thought about why this kept happening. Maybe the Bear Core in me reacted because of the cub. I was also puzzled that I felt the cub¡¯s mood. I saw Athlan¡¯s creepy smile in my imagination and I hastily tried burying my concerns in my mind. I don¡¯t want to deal with the elf right now. ¡°Enough! You stinker!¡± I admonished the cub and gently slapped her nose with my hand. Thankfully, she got the idea and settled down. She smelled bad and I¡¯ll bathe her later. ¡°What am I gonna do with you?¡± I asked to no one in particular. The cub tilted her head as if she understood what I was saying. No, that¡¯s just my imagination. I shook myself when I walked to the back porch and sat on the steps to think. What wrong with me?I need to stop thinking about it. The cub saw my old basketball near the steps and she ran towards it. She sniffed the ball and started playing with it. I was watching her with amusement when I heard the back door opening. ¡°Is that the bear¡¯s cub?¡± Dad asked when he came back holding a cup of coffee. He emphasized the word THE. He sat beside me on the steps. ¡°Yeah. I think so. Probably.¡± I shrugged. Great Bears were rare in our area. They mostly live north in Alaska and Canada. I took off my vest and tossed it on the floor of the porch. ¡°Why is that bear here? This is too much of a coincidence.¡± His eyes narrowed at me. I winced at his gaze. ¡°Uh. I might have fed her a little.¡± I said in a low voice, not meeting his eyes. I fed her more than a little. ¡°I bet you¡¯ve been feeding her a lot.¡± My Dad guessed and he examined the bear¡¯s body. ¡°Like, almost every day for a month.¡± He accused me. I¡¯m so grounded. Are they still allowed to ground me? I¡¯m an adult now. ¡°You knew?¡± blurted in surprise and I looked at him with my mouth open. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really trying to keep it a secret.¡± My voice very contrite. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. But I was wondering why you were sometimes late for dinner. You also had a lot of dirt all on your shoes every time you came back. I thought you and Frank were hunting again, so I didn¡¯t say anything. I didn¡¯t want your mother to worry.¡± He explained. ¡°I found her after I killed the wolf. She was so weak, Dad. I felt sorry for her. I was keeping the bear alive by feeding her but I left her like a month ago. I didn¡¯t know she would follow me here.¡± I gave my dad a rueful smile. ¡°But, that¡¯s a long way from here!¡± My dad''s face was amazed at the cub. The bear¡¯s den was pretty far from here. I visualized her route and found that it was doable if she kept following the edge of the park. She probably hunted small animals while she traveled to here, judging from her body. ¡°Well. She¡¯s a crafty one. I wonder how she tracked you? Smell? Maybe.¡± Dad thought out loud. The bear was finished playing with the ball and she came to me asking for rubs. I rubbed the runt and she chuffed happily. I think my Bear Core and her has something to do with it, but I didn¡¯t say that. I wonder if I should tell Doc Athlan about it. Sorry, no thanks. ¡°So, what are you gonna do?¡± He asked looking at me rubbing the bear. I didn¡¯t know how to answer that question. We were quiet for a long time lost in our thoughts. I felt attached to the cub and I don¡¯t think I can leave her again. She¡¯ll be safe here and when she grows up, she will probably leave to find a mate. I looked at the pup and decided to keep her. She¡¯s my responsibility now. ¡°She could stay here. Hunt in the woods. I¡¯m afraid other hunters might find her.¡± Our property was large enough, about 150 acres of woodland. My great-grandfather bought this place back in the 20¡¯s. The bear had space for herself here when she gets bigger. She could hunt those feral pigs and other animals for food. ¡°A bear can¡¯t be a pet. Usually. Although, a great bear is smarter than a dog. I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± My Dad rubbed his chin while staring at the bear. At least dad was open to the idea. Then he snorted. ¡°Crazy Russians.¡± I had an idea though. ¡°I¡¯m gonna try teaching her commands. Like, ¡®no¡¯ ¡®stay¡¯, ¡®come¡¯, and ¡®don¡¯t kill¡¯ Hehehe.¡± I chuckled and my dad shook his head laughing. ¡°Yep, good idea but forget housebreaking her. She¡¯s not coming inside the house. And if she shows signs of being too aggressive. She¡¯s gone.¡± He warned me and his eyes were hard. I nodded. I understood what dad was saying between the lines. I¡¯ll do it myself. ¡°Okay. Well, let¡¯s see if she tries to follow you inside. I¡¯ll cook breakfast¡± My dad made his decision. The sun was rising now and it was getting brighter outside. The cub tried to follow me inside the house, but I said no forcefully and slapped her nose. She was making pitiful noises but didn¡¯t try to get inside. To reward for listening, I poured some milk into a large bowl and gave it to her. She was laying down on her belly outside the door, giving me a sad face but she cheered up when I gave her the milk. I closed the door and left her loudly licking the milk. After we had our breakfast, I tried teaching her some commands.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I was teaching her to stay when mom came out on the porch carrying the laundry. She screamed when she saw the bear and dropped the clothes on the porch. The little cub wailed and went behind me cowering. ¡°Is...is...is...That¡¯s a BEAR! GET AWAY FROM IT!¡± She yelled and went back inside. She opened the door halfway and poked her head out. ¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING BRIAN! GET INSIDE!¡± She yelled. I winced at her voice. The poor cub was trembling. I got on my knee to give her an assuring hug and rubbed her. ¡°You¡¯re scaring her Mom! Look! She¡¯s shaking!¡± I gave mom a reproving look. I rubbed the cub and told her it was okay in an assuring tone. Mom got over her shock and was staring at the scene with wide eyes. ¡°Come here, mom. It¡¯s okay. She¡¯s friendly.¡± Mom was made of sterner stuff and she edges closer to us. My mom walked slowly to us and her face was a little pale. I could tell my mom was extremely nervous. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom. Give her a rub.¡± I told mom and she came closer. She gave the bear a tentative touch. After a while, mom was rubbing her as if the cub was like a dog and made baby sounds at the bear. ¡°She¡¯s so cute hon! What¡¯s her name.¡± I looked at her blankly. A name? I can¡¯t think of one at the moment. Beara? No, that¡¯s just corny. ¡°I¡¯ll think of something.¡± ¡°Better do it quickly or else she won¡¯t respond to a name.¡± She advised me still rubbing the cub. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a bear expert, Mom.¡± I gave her a crooked smile and she ignored it. ¡°I think your name will be Cuddles. Because you¡¯re so cuddly, you little baby, you.¡± she said to the cub in baby talk and squeezing the bear¡¯s ears. I was horrified of the name. ¡°Not Cuddles!¡± -- I was in the woods on our property and I was trying to move without making any sound. I crouched behind a bush and I was raising my head slowly to take a peek. Good, they were still there. We¡¯ve been waiting for two hours now and we finally saw a herd of large feral hogs gathering near the feed spreader. I installed the spreader a week ago and it was finally paying dividends. The feed spreader automatically scatters corn every day in a small area. They were good at attracting animals and it made my life easy hunting them. I borrowed it from Bob, our neighbor and the way things were going, I was going to buy one for me. I accidentally brushed my hands on the leaves and it made some noise. I froze instantly and I checked the hogs to see if they were spooked. Nope. Their heads were down eating the corn and were unaware of my presence. I slowly relaxed and took a deep breath. That was close. I looked back to my silent hunting partner, who was hiding behind a tree. I nodded to myself, satisfied that my companion wasn¡¯t making a sound. Hera was eagerly eyeing the pigs but was waiting for my command. I felt a sense of anticipation from where Hera was hiding. I slowly raised my hand and pointed at the pigs. ¡°Go¡± I whispered and thought of the word in my mind. Hera burst from behind the tree instantly, as fast as a bullet. Although she¡¯s around four feet at the shoulders in height now, her speed always surprises me. I watched Hera charge at full speed, she was as silent as a ghost with her padded paws. Hera finally reached the herd and fell on the gathered hogs. The pigs squealed in alarm but it was too late and Hera jumped on a hog¡¯s back and violently wrestled it with her clawed paws. We sometimes play-wrestle for fun, but watching the real one made me question my sanity. I shuddered at the scene I was witnessing. Even though she was outnumbered, the other pigs were scared of her. When the other hogs saw the predator in their midst, they scattered in every direction. When Hera¡¯s hog fell on its side, she quickly clamped her jaws on her victim¡¯s neck and shook her head. Hera then let go of the hog after she crushed the windpipe and severed the arteries. The hog was trashing on the ground and Hera roared in victory. I laughed at her very cute roar and maybe in a few more months or a year, it would sound terrifying. She was sniffing the trashing hog and looked at me to see if I was watching her. I stood up from where I was hiding and ran to the now dead pig. ¡°Good job, Hera!¡± I rubbed her shoulders and I was smiling with pride. This was our first successful hunt together. I¡¯ve been trying to teach her patience and how to select her prey wisely. The first time we tried hunting, she just charged at the very first hog she saw. Hera was fast but the hog was alert and saw her charging and got away. That hog was larger than her too. I was getting frustrated with our failures and was planning on hunting the pigs myself for her food. There were no rabbits in our property and hog hunting was much more difficult. I looked at the kill and I was elated with the hog she chose to bring down. The juvenile sow was just the right size for her to dominate it and the larger ones were too difficult for her due to their bulk. I was overjoyed that she can hunt these hogs now. Feral pigs were pests and I hunt them whenever I had the time. Oh yes. The Hog Slaughter Era is coming. I gave Hera another rub and I could sense she was content with the kill. I stopped worrying about sensing her feelings for a while now. Hera¡¯s Core and her mother¡¯s Core inside me were connected somehow. But, there was no point in worrying about something I didn¡¯t understand and I just rolled with it. It was a good teaching tool for her though. I quartered the hog into smaller pieces and gave the heart and liver to the waiting Hera. She also learned to wait for me to give her the food. She was noisily eating the organs while I stored the meat in my storage. It¡¯s a good thing time runs slowly inside the pocket universe or dimension or whatever¡­It made the meat fresh for a long time. When I was finished storing the meat in my storage, we walked back to the house and I barbecued the meat after marinating it. Hera was a well-behaved bear and I didn¡¯t have that many problems disciplining her. We were worried that she might attack our neighbor''s animals but she never wandered to other people¡¯s property. I made her a large bear house in the backyard using thick plywood. I insulated it and added padded floor mats for her to sleep on. I might take her out and meet other people in the future but I decided to take it easy. Frank was still terrified of Hera when she jumped on him for some play-wrestling when he wasn¡¯t looking. Maybe much later. I was grilling the meat when I was reminiscing our graduation ceremony. It was weird. I didn¡¯t feel excited or I didn''t get a sense of accomplishment when I took my diploma. I only felt...glad. I was glad that it was over. I saw my friends jubilant faces and I felt jealous that I didn¡¯t feel that way. I asked Dad about it and he said something about my ambitions were just high. I get what he was saying. Graduating was just a stepping stone for me and I can¡¯t wait for the next one. Who knows, I might be sleeping under an alien sun and breathing the alien air in the future. ¡°Here you go, you greedy guts.¡± She was eyeing the meat on the flames and I gave her large share of the meat. She loves them grilled for some reason. I eyed the munching bear and hoped she didn¡¯t require her meat cooked all the time. ¡°Mom! Dad! Food¡¯s Ready!¡± I shouted at them, placing the meat on a plate and setting it on the outdoor table we had in the backyard. -- ¡°Hera! Stay!¡± I ordered her forcefully and she just tilted her head. I massaged my temples. I¡¯m too young to get migraines. Today was my formal job interview at the sheriff''s office and I didn¡¯t want to be late. I was wearing my best suit. My only suit actually. As I was about to drive off when I saw Hera chasing the truck and I had to stop or she¡¯ll follow me all the way to town. This was the first time she did this and she always stayed at home when I left the house. *chuff* The cub made a pitiful noise and she blocked the truck with her body. I thought I trained her better, but apparently, it wasn''t enough. Or she was just ignoring the training. I glared at the cub. ¡°You can¡¯t come, Hera!¡± I pleaded with the cub. I looked around to see if we were alone. Why was she acting this way? ¡°They might shoot you.¡± I added with a low voice and tried to scare the runt. *chuff* Hera moved away from the truck and it looked like she was going back to our backyard. I sighed in relief. I went back inside the truck and was about to turn the keys when I heard a lot of scraping sounds and heavy thud on the back. I turned to look behind and I saw Hera sitting on the truck bed. Hera¡¯s red collared head was looking at me and her tongue was hanging out. *chuff* Chapter 15 - Driving miss Hera ¡°Daddy! Mommy! Look! A Bear!¡± A little black haired boy was shouting at his parents and jumping up and down in the backseat of their minivan. I groaned and shielded the side of my face with my hand. I was on my way to the Sheriff''s office and had to stop at an intersection. I was waiting for the green light when the minivan stopped beside me. ¡°I want one!¡± The boy demanded. No, you don¡¯t! I took a quick look at the car on my right and the boy¡¯s face was plastered on the car window. He was waving his little hands at Hera vigorously. I looked in my rearview mirror and the little runt was waving back with a clawed paw, aping her fan. *chuff* ¡°Come on. Turn green, please.¡± I appealed to the traffic light. When I decided to bring the stubborn bear to the job interview, I forgot that maybe a bear on the back of a truck might cause problems. Of course, it will cause problems, who am I kidding. I glanced back apprehensively at the minivan but the parents were ignoring the boy like they were used to him making things up. I was thinking of going back but I didn¡¯t want to be late for the interview. ¡°That¡¯s nice joey.¡± The father said woodenly while he was looking at the traffic light. The dad clearly did not believe the boy. The light finally turned green and I stepped hard on the gas pedal. The tires squealed and the truck shot like a missile. I took one last look on the rearview mirror and I saw the parent¡¯s shocked faces. The bear was facing at the minivan and was still waving at them. I took a shortcut and hoped the parents in the minivan didn¡¯t call the cops on me. Goddammit, Hera! ¡°Dude! Look!¡± ¡°Sooo Cute!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Animal Cruelty!¡± -- I parked in front of the Sheriff''s office¡¯s brown two-story building and turned off the ignition. I groaned when I recalled the spectacle that I caused in town. A biker Orc even tried chasing me for a couple of blocks. I got out of the truck quicky and frowned at Hera. I looked at the time on my holoscreen and I was a little early for the interview. I was racking my brain on how to keep the bear out of mischief. I can¡¯t leave her outside or people passing by the street would panic and call 9-1-1. I finally said ¡°Screw it¡± and decided to bring Hera with me inside the building. I just make something up if they ask why a bear was following me. ¡°Hera, let¡¯s go. Come.¡± The bear cub didn¡¯t need convincing and she ungracefully jumped off the truck, face planting on the road. Hera rubbed her face with her paw at looked at me accusingly. I rubbed her neck and walked to the door of the building. She followed me hesitantly but stopped at the double doors and she was grunting nervously. I trained her not to go inside our house and I was confusing her. I coaxed her to come inside and I walked confidently into the building. The Sheriff''s Office was converted from an old hotel and inside it looked like a hotel lobby. The interior was marbled with wood accents and the walls were painted in beige. It had a very classic and cozy feel to the place. On the left was a glass double door leading to main offices and the right glass double doors were where the receiving room, holding room, and the small jail cells located at. Between them was the stairs for the second floor and a wood-paneled hotel type reception desk. There some people lining up at the desk and they were predictably alarmed when they noticed us walking towards them. ¡°Jesus Christ!!¡± ¡°What tha Fuck!¡± ¡°Run!¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯tcha move!¡± ¡°Git it away from me!¡± As I expected, the lobby was in chaos when they saw the bear. The people were falling over themselves trying to get away from Hera. I winced at the scene even though I knew this was going to happen. I saw a frowning old bearded sergeant was behind the reception desk with the sign -Sheriff''s Office-. He took a good look at us and then his mouth twitched in amusement. The sergeant turned to look at the frightened crowd who was still shouting in distress. ¡°SHUT UP!¡± ¡°I SAID, SHUT UP!¡± The sergeant bellowed at the panicked crowd. The people quieted down. Hera was trying to hide behind me from the commotion. She really was a shy bear. ¡°Haven¡¯t you idiots seen a bear before?¡± The sergeant was glaring at the huddled people at the corner of the lobby and the way he said, it was like a bear walking into the Sheriff''s office was the most normal thing in the world. ¡°But, Sarge! That a fuckin man eatin bear! It¡¯s gonna fukin kill us!¡± The head of a deputy popped up behind the reception desk he was hiding from. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Kowalski. That¡¯s a tame bear you goddamn pansy. Stop hiding. You¡¯re a deputy for chrissake.¡± The sergeant said, his voice full of disdain at the hiding deputy. Deputy Kowalski fearfully glanced at Hera and his head disappeared again behind the desk. The sarge glared at the deputy one last time and turned his head to us. ¡°What can I do for you kid?¡± He asked me, his face was amused again. I was so impressed with the sergeant that I wasn¡¯t even insulted when he called me kid. ¡°Sorry for the trouble, sir. I¡¯m here for the interview.¡± I gave him an embarrassed smile. ¡°Call me Sarge. You¡¯re a little early. That¡¯s good.¡± He nodded and glared at the silent crowd. He then pursed his lips and examined us while twisting his beard. He nodded and moved to the side of the large desk and walked out of the reception counter. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll walk you to the Sheriff. Kowalski, watch the desk.¡± The ordered the still hiding deputy and gestured us to follow him. We trailed the sergeant to the left glass double doors and entered the main office. The people in the lobby shifted away from us when we passed them. The main office or bullpen was filled with desks with deputies working on them. A deputy was sitting on the desk and was facing us when we came in. His eyes went wide and swore in alarm. I thought the bullpen must be soundproofed because the people here didn¡¯t hear the commotion outside. The other deputies looked up from their work and saw us walking. They also had the same reaction. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°What the hell!¡± ¡°Bear!¡± ¡°What a cute bear!¡± ¡°Settle down, people!¡± ¡°Holster that weapon, Barnes!¡± ¡°Settle down!¡± ¡°Nothing to see here.¡± The sergeant ordered the startled deputies as we passed by on our way to the Sheriff. He also slapped the hand of a deputy who was starting to draw her weapon. He glared at her and the deputy shrunk away from the sergeant. I liked the sergeant¡¯s quick thinking and reminded myself to be always on his good side. The way the other deputies hastened to comply with his orders, the sergeant was very respected here. Or maybe they were more terrified of the sergeant than the bear. He led us to the waiting area near the secretary¡¯s desk and Ms. Norris¡¯s spectacled face paled when she saw us. Her eyes widened and she tried holding back a scream. I raised my hands to settle her down and she calmed down. I gave her my resume and her hand was shaking when she took it. ¡°Okay. See ya later kid and good luck.¡± The sergeant winked and shook my hands and I nodded to him. ¡°Thanks, Sarge.¡± ¡°Uh. Please take a seat Mr... Hunter was it? I¡¯ll call you when we¡¯re ready.¡± Ms. Norris said to me. The little secretary chewed her lower lip and was staring at Hera. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± I took a seat near the door of the sheriff''s office. The bear was sitting in front of the secretary and I called Hera to sit near me. She loudly sniffed at Ms. Norris and moved in front of me and laid down. The secretary was giving the bear quick glances while she did some paperwork. The sergeant came back later with a donut in his hand and confidently gave it to Hera. The bear was eating the treat loudly and was groaning with pleasure. The sergeant was probably showing off to the watching deputies but I didn¡¯t mind. We were attracting a crowd but the sergeant told them to get back to work and they scattered like flies.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Mr. Hunter, the Sheriff will see you now.¡± Ms. Norris said to me putting down the phone receiver and she entered the office hastily glancing at the Hera. I stood up and contemplated what to do with Hera. I thought it was better to let the Sheriff know about Hera right away and not hide the fact that I had a bear following me around. I shrugged tapped at the napping bear with my foot and she followed me into the office. The Sheriff didn¡¯t say anything when Ms. Norris asked us to take a seat in front of his desk. He was glaring at us red-faced and I was sitting in the chair sweating buckets. He was just staring at us back and forth and I guessed that he probably won¡¯t accept me for the job. I knew bringing Hera was a bad idea but I didn¡¯t know what to do at that time. The petite Ms. Norris cleared her throat and the Sheriff started squeezing the stress ball vigorously. ¡°You do know how to make an entrance. I¡¯ll give you that.¡± The Sheriff conceded. I didn¡¯t respond and only gave him a little-lopsided smile. ¡°I called the people you listed on your resume and they say you¡¯re a good hunter. They even said that if I didn¡¯t want you, they¡¯ll recruit you themselves. I don¡¯t really go hunting, so I¡¯ll trust their word,¡± He gestured at my resume. I¡¯ll thank Bill and Mr. Darren later. ¡°I¡¯m a bit concerned with your age though.¡± He rubbed his jaw while studying me. ¡°I¡¯ve been hunting since I was thirteen, sir. I¡¯m also a good tracker. I tracked that Silver Wolf by myself for miles and it took weeks. No hunter was able to do that.¡± I defended myself. I didn¡¯t mention to the Sheriff that hunting also involved a lot of luck. I was also flattered with what they said about me. ¡°Well, I¡¯m a man of my word and I said I¡¯ll give you the job if you want it.¡± The Sheriff continued after a long pause and sighed. ¡°You still want it right?¡± he added a little hopeful that I would say no. ¡°Really, Sir? Yessir. Thank you, sir!¡± I said hurriedly and I was a little shocked that they were still offering the job to me. My first real job! I grinned widely. I AM THE LAW! ¡°Alright, you''re hired.¡± The Sheriff sighed and stared at the bear again. ¡°By the way. About the bear. Are you going to bring it with you?¡± He asked. ¡°Hera? She¡¯s¡­ Uh...¡± I was trying to make up an excuse so she can come with me. Then another great idea surfaced in my mind. ¡°She¡¯s a K-9 Bear, sir.¡± I said confidently but that image was marred when a big fat drop of sweat fell from my forehead. ¡°A what? A K-9 bear?There ain''t no such thing!¡± The Sheriff guffawed slapping his hand on the desk and Ms. Morris giggled a little. My face turned scarlet and I felt my neck heat up.¡±Hahaha! A K-9 bear!¡± ¡°She¡¯s my hunting partner sir. We¡¯re a team. I need someone to watch my back and she¡¯s it.¡± I explained truthfully. I was playing with the idea weeks before and the more I thought about it, I liked the idea. ¡°A K-9 bear? Really? But, don¡¯t call her a K-9 bear. She¡¯s obviously not a dog .¡± The Sheriff control his laughter. ¡°She¡¯s tame, right? She won¡¯t attack anyone...Well... You got her into the office and I didn¡¯t hear any gunfire. I heard blood-curdling screams though.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a good bear Sheriff. Really!¡± I assured the Sheriff. Hera helped out by chomping her jaw loudly and showing her sharp teeth. I looked back at Hera who was sitting attentively watching us talk and I was silently pleading for her to behave. She surprised me when she moved to where the secretary was standing. A scared Ms. Morris stepped away from her but was blocked by the file cabinets and was unable to retreat. Hera prodded Ms. Morris¡¯s hip with her muzzle for a rub and the secretary looked at me helplessly. I wasn¡¯t really worried. Okay, maybe a little. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She wants a back rub.¡± I encouraged her and she extended her hand slowly and gave her a rub. ¡°See Sheriff! She¡¯s very nice.¡± I grinned at the bemused Sheriff and I promised to buy Hera lots of treats. I¡¯d like to imagine that she understood us, but that¡¯s a stretch even for her. ¡°Fine. But, just one incident of any aggression and both of you are gone. Understood?¡± He warned me. I nodded hurriedly. ¡°Right. I want you to follow Miss Morris for some paperwork and welcome aboard.¡± The sheriff stood up and extended his hand. I shot out of the chair and shook his hand. ¡°You¡¯ll get your badge and gun after passing the tests, eval and others.¡± He looked at Ms. Morris who was now comfortable with Hera and was giving her good rubs. ¡°Thank you, Sheriff! I won¡¯t let you down!¡± I was grinning widely. ¡°See that you don¡¯t. Miss Morris?¡± The secretary gave Hera one last rub and motioned me to follow her. We got out of the office and I stood near the door not knowing what to do next. ¡°A K-9 Bear. Hahaha. Wait till they h...¡± The Sheriff was pounding the desk again and picking up the phone. Ms. Morris closed the door and cut off the laughing Sheriff. She told me to follow her and walked to a group of deputies talking near an empty desk. When they saw us approaching them, they fled immediately. She deposited me on the desk and piled a dizzying amount of papers for me sign. ¡°Read and sign this, please...And this...¡± Hera was following the secretary around while she kept on adding numerous forms for me to fill up and sign. That earned her another donut and I concentrated on reading the paperwork. Most were contracts, personal information forms, waivers, background check, and etc. Finally, after all the paperwork was signed, it was time for orientation. I was sitting in the conference room and was listening to Sergeant Stone briefing me on the job details. I left Hera with Ms. Morris and I thought that will make the other people more comfortable with her. I also found out that Sergeant Stone was my boss and was in charge of the hunter squad. He was the sergeant who helped me out earlier. I found it funny when he mentioned the hunter squad because I was the only member of that squad. ¡°If you see someone committing a crime detain them or call for backup, but wait for a regular deputy to arrest the suspect. That¡¯s not your job. Understand? We can¡¯t have you writing arrest reports all the time. If you really ¡®need¡¯ to arrest someone, do it and use your judgment.¡± I nodded. I am not quite the law after all. ¡°When you respond to a 10-91, that¡¯s the code for Dangerous Animal, and if someone interferes with your job. Arrest them. That can be very vague and if you have doubts, call me. Understand? Good?¡± ¡°By the way, don¡¯t forget to register your bear at the animal control office. I¡¯ll give them a call after this briefing.¡± He reminded me. I nodded eagerly. ¡°You must always be professional in...¡± He continued without missing a beat. I grimaced when he informed me that keeping dangerous animals without a permit was a felony. I wondered how they classify the different animals. A dog could easily kill you like a wolf if the dog wanted to, yet people can still keep them without permits. They gave me a pass because they saw that Hera was very tame. They never saw Hera take down that hog. I chuckled at the thought. But I¡¯m taking her to animal control after I¡¯m finished here just to be sure. The briefing was tedious and after we were finished, Stone gave me a thick binder of local laws for me to memorize. I was to start on Monday and I was very excited about it. I collected Hera from a crowd of female deputies who were giving her rubs. She was blissfully enjoying the attention and grunted in disappointment when took her away from her adoring fans. I bought donuts from a bakery nearby as a reward for her good behavior. She kept sniffing the box and saliva were pooling on the floor in the bakery. Two brave halfling teens asked me if they could pet her. I hesitated a bit then nodded and watched Hera carefully while I held her collar just in case. I relaxed when she allowed the halflings to rub her and I released the collar. Donuts in hand, we proceeded to the animal control office and had her registered. They said Sgt. Stone called them earlier. The reaction from the officers there were more muted considering the job they had. A few more rubs and we left there shortly. We arrived at the house and it was almost dinner. Hera wanted her donuts immediately but I told no. She can have some after she ate her meal. During our dinner, Dad congratulated me on getting the job but mom was a little guarded with hers. Mothers. ¡°Here you go you greedy guts¡± Hera was eagerly eyeing the donuts after dinner and she ate them happily. I left Hera on the porch while she was in a sugar-induced high and I went inside the house. I wondered if bears get diabetes. -- I was finally sworn in as a deputy after weeks of training, evaluations, test, firearm qualifications, and other things that I had to pass. Those weeks were the most rigorous days that I have ever experienced and I was proud that I was able to pass them all. It was also a lot more satisfying than graduating from high school to be honest. And today was the day I would finally start working as a deputy. I was standing in front of my locker and I examined the clothes Sgt. Stone gave me. The short-sleeved shirt was your average khaki deputy uniform but I was given jeans instead of the regular khaki pants. I asked my boss about it and he told me that they were more durable for our job. I thought about it and it made sense. An emergency may take us to wooded areas and rugged terrain. I wore the uniform and my khaki hiking boots. I tucked in my shirt and stared at the issued gear. The gave me a 9mm sidearm and I sneered at the small caliber. Our squad was also issued gauss rifles but I already had one and I declined the rifle they offered. My personal rifle was more advanced than the issued one. I wondered if they bought them from Tordan. Probably. I wore the utility belt and clipped on the gear. The radio and the gun holster were the only gear on my belt. I stored most of the other gear in my storage. I found out that some deputies bought their own Storage Mods and that was what they usually carried on their belts. I thought about wearing the vest but I wore my leather jacket instead. My leather jacket was equal to the vest and I trusted it more. There were two velcro patches on the top front of my bear leather jacket. I tried sewing the patches with a needle but that didn¡¯t work. So I hot glued them on the leather instead. I velcroed my name patch on the right side and I straightened it when I thought it was crooked. ¡°Dammit, Rook! Hurry it up! The briefing is about to start!¡± A deputy yelled by the door and I hastily attached my badge. I inspected myself in the mirror and looked at the badge. It was really crooked but the deputy bellowed again. I took one last look at the pentacle shaped badge that says -Sheriff- - Dorset County- - Deputy Hunter - and ran to the briefing room. Chapter 16 - I wish I could fly ¡°Oooooh, Here comes the Hunter squad!¡± ¡°Hey, Rook! I got a very large snake problem...in my pants!¡± ¡°He¡¯s late coz Godzilla was chasing him!¡± ¡°Watch out Rook! Them asshole rats gonna sue you for poowlice browtality!¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late Sergeant Stone.¡± I apologized to the frowning Sergeant in charge of the briefing. He gestured with his chin for me to go inside. I gave an embarrassed smile to the sixteen or so men and women inside the briefing room. They were still joking and whistling at me. There were some few handclaps when I passed a few jokers to sit on the chair at the back. I sat there with my face turning scarlet from the ribbing I¡¯m getting. My trainer warned me to expect it as I was the new ¡®Rook¡¯ or Rookie. So I tried ignoring the catcalls and looked straight at the lectern. ¡°Settle down, Settle down. Where was I?¡± The sergeant checked his notes and continued the briefing. ¡°Right. Deputy Kline and Morrey, you got traffic duty. We¡¯re getting complaints of a group of halflings and dwarves drag racing scooters on Cornell Street at night.¡± The mentioned deputies groaned in unison. ¡°Shut it down before those orcs bikers join in.¡± ¡°The renaissance fair will start tomorrow and I need five volunteers.¡± The room was silent and everyone wasn¡¯t looking at the sergeant. I wanted to volunteer but after reading the room I refrained. ¡°Okay, so that¡¯s how you want it. Let¡¯s see. You, you, you... ¡± The chosen deputies moaned and deflated on their seats. ¡°Deputy Hunter Hunter...¡± The sergeant started but the room exploded in laughter. He frowned at the deputies and after a while, he realized what he said. ¡°I think we''re gonna have problems in the future with your name, Hunter.¡± I gave him a crooked smile. Our title was Deputy Hunter and last name. And I could see the confusion it would cause if we get new hunters. ¡°Nickname!¡± ¡°Make him a call sign!¡± The deputies helped out and the entire room agreed that it was a fine idea. The sergeant grinned and wrote on the whiteboard -Deputy Hunter Hunter Callsign. Write down below-. I blanched. They were going to write stupid nicknames like Huntless, Ratcatcher, and Bear Maid. He returned to the lectern and instructed to the deputies attending. ¡°People, write down your preferred callsign to our lone hunter here. It may help him remember the time.¡± He gave me an evil grin and I winced. I would never be late again if I could help it. I looked at the board and wondered if I could write my own nickname. ¡°Deputy Hunter, This week for your familiarization. You¡¯ll be riding along with..¡± The deputies all looked down and avoided the sergeant''s gaze. The sergeant''s eyes were scanning the room and his sight rested on a deputy who was looking straight at the lectern. ¡°Deputy Connelly.¡± He decided and nodded, satisfied with his choice. Their room was silent and the deputies were glancing at each other. ¡°Yes, Sarge.¡± My partner for the week responded. I looked at Deputy Connelly and he was around mid-30s and was built like a football linebacker. The muscles in his arms were almost bursting the sleeves on his uniform. I hoped we get along together. ¡°Right. That¡¯s all. Dismissed.¡± He ended the briefing and left the room. We all stood up from our seats and my partner came towards me. Besides being a large man, he was also 6¡¯6 tall and I was in awe of the deputy¡¯s size. When he reached me, he extended his hand for a handshake. I gripped his hand firmly, but he slowly squeezed hard, my eyes narrowed and I reciprocated in kind. Then he raised his eyebrow at me and he squeezed even harder. I didn¡¯t want him to think I was a pussy, so I gave him a bored look and I upped the pressure. My hand was in pain but I didn¡¯t let it show on my face. He finally relented and released my hand. Deputy Connelly grunted and said ¡°Not bad Rook.¡±. So this is how it¡¯s gonna be. The hazing continues. ¡°Nice knowing you Rook.¡± A thin deputy gave me a knowing look and winked at me. I was about to ask why but I was interrupted by Deputy Connelly. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rookie.¡± He walked away without waiting for my answer. I shook my hand behind my back to ease the pain and I hurriedly followed him. We were walking downstairs to the lobby and I suddenly remember something. ¡°Do you mind waiting for a bit, Sir. I have to sort out my bear.¡± I asked Connolly. ¡°Be quick.¡± He answered and he walked to the reception desk to sign out his car. I quickly walked into the bullpen and searched for Hera. I didn¡¯t find her in the central area, so I checked the boss¡¯s office. I found her playing with a ball chew toy the sergeant gave her and Hera was on the floor in front of Ms. Morris¡¯s desk. She stopped chewing the tow when she saw me and came over to ask for rubs. I gave the bear cub plenty of rubs and she gave me a bear hug. ¡°Stay here, Hera.¡± I commanded the bear. She made whining noises and I took out a piece of candy. I gave it to her and she forgave me for leaving her while I go on patrol. She wasn¡¯t ready to come with me yet and I thought she needed to socialize with people more. She liked hanging out with Ms. Morris as she receives a constant supply of donuts and rubs. The secretary didn¡¯t mind watching her and I think the petite woman made Hera act like a gatekeeper and made other people wary disturbing her work. I gave Hera another candy and left the office. ¡°Sorry for the holdup, sir.¡± I entered the waiting white Tahoe SUV outside the building and sat on the front passenger seat. ¡°Don¡¯t make a habit of it, Rook.¡± He admonished me and backed out of the parking lot. He adjusted his mirrors and turned on the radio. ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± I said as I was putting on my seat belt. Deputy Connolly stepped on the gas pedal and we started our patrol. ¡°Stop calling me ¡®sir¡¯. Call me Deputy or Connelly.¡± He ordered. ¡°Yes, si...Deputy.¡± I answered. I didn¡¯t think we were at the level where I can call him by his last name. I hoped this shift would be like in the movies. Stakeouts, car chases, and stopping bad guys. But when I realized how peaceful our town was, I became disappointed. ¡°First. Let me make some ground rules. Comply with my orders without question, always stay behind me, keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking. Understand?¡± He gave me a hard look and making sure I was listening to him. ¡°Crystal clear, Deputy.¡± I nodded vigorously at this instructions and adjusted my seat. ¡°Good.¡± He made a right and we drove to the commercial area. I smiled and was excited to finally start my job. We rode silently for almost an hour and it was so awkward. I tried making small talk to Deputy Connelly and he always answered in single words, so I gave up trying to chat with him. This must be part of the hazing. The excitement I felt earlier waned. It was so boring driving around the town patrolling and I was having second thoughts on the job. When the radio called us, I was relieved and hurriedly grabbed the radio handset. ¡°Dispatch. This is Deputy Hunter Hunter over.¡± I answered slowly and clearly. I winced at my title. It really sounded stupid. I heard Connelly snort and my cheeks flushed. ¡°We have a 10-15 at the Gorkz Rezto Bar, proceed to the location over.¡± ¡°10-4 over.¡± I ended the transmission. Deputy Connelly was listening to the radio and he made a U-turn to drive to the bar. ¡°Uh. Deputy. What¡¯s a 10-15 again?¡± I asked shamefaced at my ignorance of the codes. There were more than a hundred codes to memorize and I still had trouble remembering them. ¡°Hehehe. It¡¯s code for fun, Rook.¡± The Deputy gave me a twisted smile and I groaned internally. -- I was walking behind Deputy Connelly, as per instructions and we arrived at the place. The Gorkz Rezto Bar was where the Orcs hangout for drinks and it was themed like something that came out of a Mad Max set. A chair crashed through the window and scattered pieces of glass on the sidewalk. I immediately hid behind the wall and placed my hand on my gun. I could hear the sounds of brawling orc and voices encouraging the fighters inside the bar. Connelly casually took a peek inside by the window and walked leisurely to the entrance of the bar. I hastily followed him with my hand still on my sidearm. He leaned his body on the wall near the door and crossed his arms.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Alright Rook. I want you to control the disturbance.¡± He pointed with his thumb to the bar. I glanced at the bar by the broken window and blanched. The room was filled with Orcs watching the fight with glee while six of them were slugging each other and I looked at Deputy Connolly with a frightened expression. ¡°Without using your gun.¡± he added with a wicked grin. ¡°Waaaaaargz.¡± ¡°Datz all u gotz!¡± ¡°Breakz Bonez!¡± The Orcs inside the bar bellowed and the sound of breaking furniture filled the air. ¡°You¡¯re joking right?¡± I asked him incredulously. Orcs were stupid strong and were hard to control when they were filled with bloodlust. I was willing to bet that they were all drunk as well and were not in the mood to listen to a human asking them to stop their fun. The sergeant also said not to arrest anyone unless I had to. ¡°What are you waiting for, Rook? Arrest them.¡± He was still giving me that stupid grin and I nodded jerkily. I hesitated for a few seconds then went through the door and surveyed the scene before me. Two pairs of Orc were fighting each other and a huge orc was standing over a defeated opponent. He was shouting at the air in victory and kicked the unconscious orc on side of the body. I wavered and glanced back at Deputy Connelly. He gave me a thumbs up and gestured to get on with it. I took a deep breath and steeled myself. The deputy did order me to arrest them. With a serious face, I walked to the victorious orc and poked him on the elbow. ¡°PUT YOUR HANDS UP! YOU¡¯RE ALL UNDER ARREST!¡± I shouted in a commanding tone but without my gun pointed at them, I¡¯m not too sure if they would comply. The drunk Orc looked down and snarled at me. He grabbed the front of my leather jacket and threw me out of the now broken window. It happened so fast that I wasn¡¯t able to defend myself. I landed on the pavement and rolled but a car stopped me from going any further. I groaned in pain and tried to stand up but failed. ¡°HAHAHA! PUNY HOOMAN!¡± The offending orc mocked me. When I heard the orc belittle me, my eyes flashed in anger and my rage boiled up. The Bear Core burned in my chest. I stood up and walked quickly back inside. HOW DARE YOU! I AM THE LAW! The familiar fire in my chest was now a raging inferno. My eyes were full of fury and I saw the Deputy¡¯s grin vanish. I approached the laughing orc who had his back turned to me. A collapsed black steel baton materialized on my right hand and I extended it with a flick of my wrist. The sound of the baton lengthening was like a crack of the whip and the Orc turned to look what the noise was. I reversed the baton and slammed the point of the baton¡¯s pommel hard in the Orc¡¯s abdomen and his body bowed forward in pain. I smacked his forehead with the baton and he fell on his knees. I dropped the baton on the floor and grabbed the front of the orc flannel shirt pulling him up easily. The bear nanites provided me with the strength that I needed. The orc was moaning in pain and his limbs were hanging uselessly. I roared and threw the orc out of the window where I once flew through earlier. The orc landed on the sidewalk hard and I could hear his whimpers. I noticed the room was silent like a graveyard. I glared at the remaining orcs but they were no longer fighting. All the orcs in the room were staring at me and they were bewildered by the strength that I displayed. I picked up my dropped baton and advanced to the orcs who was causing all the raucous. They hastily raised their arms in submission and the other bar patrons raised theirs as well. ¡°That¡¯s enough fun for today, Rook.¡± Deputy Connelly amused voice stopped me in my tracks and I looked back at the deputy while keeping an eye on the surrendering orcs. I quietly nodded and fixed my now disheveled uniform. We called for backup to transport the suspects to the Sheriff¡¯s Station for processing. The deputies left me alone to calm down and collect myself. I placed a bag of ice on the side of my head and I flinched from the pain. Deputy Connelly pointed out my bruised head and gave me some ice from the bar. I looked at the orc being assisted inside the deputies car and I felt guilty that I let my anger influence my actions. I need to control it, not control me. The other deputies were taking statements from the orcs and they were giving me quick glances. My heart fell and I knew the Sheriff was going to fire me. That was a clear case of police brutality. I looked sadly at my badge and I felt that I tarnished the symbol it represented. ¡°Hey, Rook!¡± My misery was interrupted by Deputy Connelly and he had a female orc with him. The lady looked familiar to me but I couldn''t remember who she was. I straightened my posture and waited for the well earned reprimand from the deputy. ¡°Yes, Deputy?¡± I asked and I was resigned to the fact that my career in law enforcement was over. ¡°Well, Mrs. Ghorza here says that she knows you,¡± He was reading the name from a little notebook. ¡°She assures me that her husband won¡¯t press charges.¡± ¡°I Knowz Bearhartz!¡± She nodded at me. Deputy Connelly raised his eyebrow at me and I shrugged at the name. ¡°I Leadz honorz walkz!¡± She banged her fist proudly on her rather large chest. That action finally reminded me of her identity. She was the guard who volunteered to lead the mini-parade at Trader¡¯s Street. ¡°Gud fightz! Me Bloodmatez okayz!¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯re done here. Mrs. Ghorza, we need you to visit Sheriff''s Station for your statement and remind your husband in case he forgets...¡± He requested the female Orc. She nodded to us and gave me another of her shoulder slaps before leaving. The deputy eyed the lady orc and returned to look at me. ¡°So, Rook. What did we here learn today?¡± He asked suddenly. I was a little annoyed with Deputy Connelly. I knew he was just testing me but I felt that was a bit extreme. ¡°Try not to kill the suspect?¡± I guessed and tried being a smartass. ¡°That too,¡± He gave me a rueful smile and then became serious. ¡°Here¡¯s one important lesson.¡± ¡°I could think of three ways to solve that problem and the one you used while effective was not one of them.¡± ¡°They are going to fire me.¡± I said glumly and looked down on the pavement. ¡°For that! Of course not,¡± He snorted. I looked up with hope in my eyes. ¡°An orc with a raging bloodlust? You defended yourself when he laid his hands on you. That¡¯s called Appropriate Use of Force. I thought you already knew that.¡± ¡°I kinda lost my head in there.¡± My voice was full of regret and shame. ¡°Do that to anyone else and they¡¯ll fire your ass.¡± His eyes became hard and I shrunk from that look. ¡°My point is, you could have tossed a pepper spray grenade inside and that would have cooled their heads. You could also have just waited for them to finish fighting. The orcs who lost usually pay for the damages. You get what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± I said chagrined. I actually had the grenades sitting in my storage. ¡°Always think of the options you have before acting on it. Do you understand, Rook?¡± He poked his finger hard in my chest for emphases. ¡°Yes, Deputy.¡± I gave him an embarrassed look. ¡°Good. You understand.¡± He gave me one last hard poke. ¡°C¡¯mon, Rook. Let¡¯s get these guys booked.¡± We drove back to the Sheriff''s Station with a still dazed orc in the backseat. -- ¡°Hunter, The sheriff was looking for you.¡± Sergeant Stone informed me when we arrived at the lobby escorting the wayward orcs. My face visibly winced at the words he used. Shit! I¡¯m in trouble. ¡°Just get it over with, Rook. It won¡¯t be last time you¡¯ll get called in.¡± He advised me when he saw my face. He grinned and shook his head. I went directly to the main offices and found Hera begging for treats from a blonde female deputy who was holding a box of donuts. She took one quick look at me and her attention returned back to the smiling deputy. What a traitor! She¡¯s angry with me for leaving her behind. ¡°You¡¯re such a cutie, Hera!¡± The female deputy gushed. She took a strawberry filled donut and nimbly fed her. Jesus. She¡¯ll get spoiled from this! ¡°Hi, Deputy Harris.¡± I greeted her and ignored the bear. Hera returned the favor and didn¡¯t look at me, busy eating her donut. ¡°Hello, Rook! I hope you don¡¯t mind me feeding her sweets. By the way, the Sheriff was looking for you.¡± I gave her a strained smile and went to the Sheriff''s office and knocked. ¡°Enter!¡± ¡°You wanted to see me, Sheriff?¡± I poked my head in through the door. ¡°Sit! Close the door!¡± He indicated to the chair. I looked at his face and my spirits dropped. I sat down and braced for impact. This was going to hurt. ¡°Hmm. Let¡¯s see. The first day out on patrol you responded to a disturbance and you beat an alien senseless.¡± He was reading from a sheet of paper and he looked up, his face turned crimson. ¡°AND YOU ALSO THREW HIM OUT THE WINDOW!?¡± The Sheriff shouted at me banging his hand on the table. My ears rang at the volume of his voice. He grabbed his stress ball and starting squeezing. I silently prayed for Ms. Morris to come in. ¡°DAMMIT HUNTER! We pride ourselves on our professionalism and beating someone UNCONSCIOUS and THROWING THEM is the complete opposite of being a PROFESSIONAL!¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky the orc didn¡¯t press charges. Hunter, you best unfu...sort yourself or I will do it for you. Understood.¡± The Sheriff''s anger finally losing steam. I nodded hastily. ¡°Hmm. What punishment should I give you?¡± He rubbed his chin and his eyes glinted. He picked up the phone and called Sergeant Stone. ¡°Sarge. It¡¯s me. As an apology Deputy Hunter Hunter here...¡± The Sheriff¡¯s forehead creased when he said my title but continued. ¡°Volunteered to write all the arrest reports for all suspects. Got that? Bye.¡± ¡°Report to Sergeant Stone, Hunter. Go!¡± He ordered and I made a quick retreat. -- ¡°It¡¯s the silent ones you gotta be careful with. Ain¡¯t that right, Rook!¡± ¡°He was just joking, Mr. Rook! Please! I beg of you. Don¡¯t throw him out the window! ¡± ¡°Thanks for writing our reports Rook!¡± ¡°That orc thinks he¡¯s a halfling now!¡± ¡°Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Good morning to you too.¡± I responded to the peanut gallery and took a seat at my usual place at the back. I got used to the constant ribbing I endured for the past week and it was kinda funny when I looked back to the orc flying incident. My fingers were still numb from typing the reports and I had to write every single one of them differently. I promised myself to avoid arresting anyone unless I had to. Deputy Connelly walked into the room and sat on the chair next to me. ¡°Hey Rook. Morning.¡± Deputy Connelly mellowed out after the orc incident and was giving me less of a hard time. ¡°Morning, Deputy.¡± I gave him a nod. ¡°Have you noticed the whiteboard?¡± He gestured his head forward. I was confused about what he meant and looked at the board. To my surprise and horror, the board was filled with suggested callsigns for me. I read out loud the written callsigns. ¡°Orc Tosser,¡± ¡°Air Orc one,¡± ¡°Orc Rocket,¡± ¡°FuckUNewGuyUSuck or FUNGUS,¡± ¡°The AntiOrc,¡± ¡°RunOrcRun,¡± I scratched my head in annoyance. Those names were just mean. Chapter 17 - So... we meet again Chapter 17 - So, we meet again. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hera. We¡¯re gonna be late.¡± I urged the bear to climb up the metal steps on the back of a converted K-9 carrier. She examined the steps, pawing the metal and gingerly climbed aboard. The back suspension of the SUV lowered visibly from the 350-pound bear and the car tilted backward. She moved forward to the front seats and the vehicle leveled. I¡¯ll need to beef up the suspension a lot more. My familiarization period was finally over and I was now a bonafide Deputy Hunter. The sergeant issued me a custom white Chevy Suburban K9 carrier last Friday and he said that Hera needed it. I think Sergeant Stone dotes on Hera and he made sure that I was given the right car. I owe the Sergeant a lot of favors for that. We made more changes to the SUV during the weekend, so that Hera may fit inside comfortably. My Dad removed all the steel partitions and all that was left was a single flat carpeted floor inside the SUV. I installed a folding step on the floor at the end of the trunk so Hera could easily climb in. The SUV also had the benefit of hiding the bear from view while we drove around town. The K-9 lettering on the side needed to be replaced and I planned to stop by the car body shop in town next weekend. ¡°Stop it, Hera. Move back a little.¡± I gently pushed her head away. Her hot breath was tickling my ears and it was annoying while I was driving through the town. She teased me by licking my ear and she moved back giving me some space. Hera amused herself by watching the people we passed by and waving her paws at them. I muttered darkly at the boy who taught her that silly trick. -- ¡°Hi, Hera.¡± A female voice greeted the bear and I looked up from the manual I was reading. I was assigned a desk and I did some studying while I waited for them to send me out. It was Deputy Harris carrying a box of full of bribes. Her desk was next to mine on the left. Hera instantly perked up and her nose quivered when she saw the deputy. The short blonde woman squatted in front of Hera and gave the bear a big hug. The deputy was in her twenties and she was a cute one. I gave the bear a dirty look. ¡°Morning ¡®Rook¡¯.¡± She grinned impishly at me. I rolled my eyes at her. She loved calling me by that stupid nickname because she was the previous rookie. They don¡¯t call her ¡®Rook¡¯ anymore though since I was the new one. ¡°Morning Deputy.¡± I said sullenly. I was starting to hate that name. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Rook. You won¡¯t be the rookie forever.¡± She had a grin that annoyed me. She fed Hera a donut and the little traitor ate the treat. She gave Hera a rub and sat in her desk next to me. ¡°How long was it before they stopped calling you Rook?¡± I turned my body to face her. Her button nose crinkled annoyance when I reminded the deputy of her own experience. ¡°Me? Months. Rook. Months. Hehehe. Your turn now. Hehehe. Revenge is sweet.¡± She grinned evilly at the Jelly donut and took a vicious bite. The strawberry filling dripped from the corners of her mouth. I scratched my head in annoyance. She saw my irritated face and graciously offered me the box. I tried acting like a man but I took one anyway. So good. I was chewing the last of the donut and wondered if she was being serious when the phone on my desk rang. I quickly swallowed the donut and picked up the phone. ¡°Hello, this is Deputy Hunter.¡± ¡°Hunter. Animal Control requested some backup for a 10-91 at Jan Ander¡¯s Farm at near Nathelen Winery. You know the place?¡± I opened my holoscreen and wrote the details in my Biblio Mod. I know the where the farm was. ¡°I¡¯ve been there before, Sarge.¡± I returned headset on the cradle and my excitement bubbled up. I got to finally do my job. I looked at Hera, who was enjoying Harris¡¯s rubs and her eyes were half closed in pleasure. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hera.¡± I said to the bear and she instantly went alert. I put on my leather jacket and walked to the exit with Hera following me close behind. ¡°Awww...Bye Hera.¡± Harris called out. She didn¡¯t even say goodbye to me. -- After a twenty minute drive, I arrived at Ander¡¯s farm and parked near an Animal Control Van. I got out of the Suburban and opened the trunk to let Hera out. I scanned the area looking for the officers and I heard a child¡¯s piercing scream. My heart beat faster and my adrenaline started flowing. ¡°Hera, Let¡¯s go!¡± I remove the Gauss rifle from storage and ran to the source of the wail. Hera was running beside me and I entered the large wood barn where I thought the sound came from. I pointed my rifle at the barn as I slowly entered the large open doors. When I saw the situation inside the barn, I quickly lowered the rifle. I stored the rifle and motioned Hera to follow me. ¡°You can¡¯t kill them!¡± An eight-year-old girl¡¯s desperate plea pierced through the general cussing and grunting of the two Animal Control officers. ¡°Uh. Sheriff¡¯s Office.¡± I said uncertainly to the people inside the barn. Inside the barn, there was a large steel wire mesh animal enclosure. In the pen, an A.C. officer wearing riot police armor was down on the ground dazed while his partner was in front of him and was using a kevlar shield to protect them both from the animal assault. ¡°Help us!¡± The officer holding the shield shouted desperately at me. I sighed when I saw the animals contained in the pen and my excitement evaporated. I walked to the gate of the enclosure and went inside. I dragged the downed officer by the straps of his armor to the gate while the other officer shielded us from the constant attack. We finally got out of that slaughterhouse. Why does this scene look familiar? Ah, yes. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t hurt them!¡± The black haired girl begged while her parents held her back. ¡°I think the officers are the ones getting hurt, young lady.¡± I gave them a lopsided smile. The stunned officer was finally back on his feet and his partner was taking off her helmet. She checked her partner for injuries. Hera smelled the animal¡¯s scent and I sensed her anticipation. ¡°Hera. Stay.¡± I told the bear and she grunted in disgust. The little girl was staring at the bear with wonder and she forgot the plight of the animals in the pen. ¡°You can pet her,¡± I assured the girl. She looked at her parents and they hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s very nice.¡± I added to assure the parents. The finally let go of the girl and she ran to the bear. Hera stayed still and allowed the girl to give her a rub. The little girl then hugged the bear and Hera grunted happily. I left the family and walked to the officers to introduce myself. ¡°Deputy Hunter.¡± I extended my hand and we introduced ourselves. ¡°Thanks for coming, Hunter. I know these animals are below your expertise but we¡¯re temporarily short staffed right now. Anders called us because he¡¯s having trouble with them.¡± Office Alan Ricard said to me while we approached the enclosure.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°How the hell did he even get them?¡± I asked both of them incredulously. Those damned Horned Rabbits usually inhabit in the woods north of here. I stared at those hate-filled red eyes. ¡°The Dad there, found a litter of the buggers when he was out hunting them and brought them home for his daughter. Stupid idiot.¡± Officer Sheila Perkins said darkly and glared at Jan Anders. ¡°So, what the game plan? Kill em?¡± I asked eagerly. I could feed them to Hera. She loves eating bunnies. ¡°Sorry, Hunter. We love to, but we can¡¯t. Our boss is a...¡±. Perkins didn¡¯t complete the statement. ¡°A tree hugger.¡± I suggested. They made non-committal sounds and not meeting my eyes. Loyal subordinates. ¡°So, how do we do this?¡± Ricard inquired rubbing his sore chest. ¡°We need some thick plywood and a baseball bat.¡± I eyed the lucky bunnies and searched the barn for materials to make a wooden shield. -- The battle of Ander¡¯s farm was both epic and painful. Even with meticulous planning, a bunny got through our defenses and hit me on my armored chest. I still had my camo armor in my storage and I wore it just to be safe. I rubbed at the tender spot on my chest. Thank god I wore it. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Hera sleeping. The little girl fed her with a lot of milk and cookies while we were inside subduing the bunnies. She¡¯s sleeping off the sugar-induced high. I was on my way back to the Sheriff station when Dispatch called me on the radio. Thank god, Sergeant Stone erased those asinine callsigns and ordered the rest of the deputies to think of something radio friendly. I¡¯m not optimistic with my fellow deputy¡¯s choice of sensible callsigns. ¡°Dispatch, This is Deputy Hunter. Over.¡± ¡°Deputy Hunter. We have a possible 10-91 at Rowland Heights. Deputy Connelly is at the location. Proceed immediately.¡± At Rowland Heights? A wolf pack? Impossible. The terrain was wrong. ¡°10-4 Dispatch. On my way. Over and out.¡± I took a right turn and drove to the place. I was starting to get excited again. -- ¡°Where¡¯s is he?¡±. I asked myself. I was almost near the end of the paved road and I was still searching for Connolly¡¯s SUV. Rowland Heights was a large sparsely wooded hill located south of Glenville. At around 7,000 feet in elevation, the place was a popular trail for mountain biking and hiking. The parking/sightseeing area also overlooks the town and was a nice place for people to hang out. I was following the paved road for two miles up the hill but there wasn¡¯t a sign of Deputy Connelly¡¯s car. I decided to head out to the parking area and hoped the deputy was there. I finally found the Deputy Connelly¡¯s empty Tahoe at the sightseeing area and parked beside it. I looked around the place and I couldn''t find him. I exited the suburban and opened the trunk to let Hera out. I approached the deputy¡¯s SUV and confirmed that it was indeed empty. I tried calling him on the radio. ¡°Deputy Connolly, this is Deputy Hunter. Come in.¡± No response. I tried hailing him a few more times but he didn¡¯t answer the radio. I used my cellphone but he didn¡¯t answer also. ¡°Dispatch, This is Deputy Hunter. Come in.¡± ¡°Hunter, This is Dispatch over. ¡± The voice crisp and clear. ¡°Dispatch, no sign of Deputy Connelly at the parking area. Over.¡± ¡°10-4, Connelly¡¯s last report said he was on the trail. Over.¡± All by himself? I had a bad feeling about this. ¡°10-4, over and out.¡± I placed the radio back on my belt. ¡°Hera.¡± I said to the bear who was playing with a twig. I walked to the gravel trail and she followed behind me. I took out the Gauss rifle and walked up the trail. I was hiking the twisting gravel trail uphill for twenty minutes and I still didn¡¯t find the deputy. I tried calling him on the radio again but he still didn¡¯t respond. I was starting to get worried and I upped my pace. Was there a dangerous animal? I was starting to get winded and I stopped to take a rest. I could easily see the whole town from where I¡¯m standing. I wondered how high up the hill we were now. I looked back to check up on Hera and she was easily keeping up with me. I could tell she was happy with the hike and the surroundings. She was running around checking every bush and tree. She then suddenly stopped and rubbed her back on a nearby tree and clawed it. The little runt was marking the area as her territory. I shook my head at her antics and continued up the hill searching the area methodically. I finally found something a few hundred yards later. It was a twisted up neon green bike in the middle of the trail. I ran to the wreck, my heart beating hard and examined the bike. The tubular metal was twisted in different directions and the paint was all scratched up. I looked up the side of the hill and I saw the signs of where the bike hit the ground as it tumbled down. The marks went a long way up the hill. The biker must have fallen off his bike somewhere further up and the bike went off the side of the snaking trail. This doesn''t look like an animal attack. It appeared to be just a bike accident. But, Connelly wasn¡¯t the type of guy that made jokes about something this serious. Hera came close to the bike and sniffed it deeply. The cub then recoiled from the bike and growled in alarm. I was baffled by her behavior and so I took a closer look at the bike. Hidden behind the bent metal were four recognizable claw marks that scratched the green neon paint and gouged the metal frame. I went alert instantly and scanned the area with the scope of my rifle. I glanced at Hera and her body language was tense. Thankfully, the hill had little tree cover and I could see everything around me. My mind was racing at the implications of the claw marks. I cataloged the different predators in this area and one thing came to my mind. It was not a wolf, but an Onyx Cougar. I swore silently because they were one of the most difficult animals to hunt. Unlike most predators, these cougars were true hunters and they liked to stalk and ambush their prey. They were hard to spot and they like to hide in the shadows, waiting for a chance to strike. I was afraid that Deputy Connelly got jumped while he was examining the bike. I must be vigilant while I checked the area. ¡°Hera, Guard.¡± The bear followed my command instantly. Her head was scanning the area for hidden threats and she was sniffing the air intensely. I searched the area around the bike for clues. I found boot prints walking along the trail and disappearing behind a bend. I examined them and they were all shallow and even in depth. It told me the deputy was walking normally and was not running. There was also no blood anywhere. So, he wasn¡¯t attacked in this location. Maybe the deputy was okay and he was just up the hill tending to the wounded biker. I hoped the claw marks were wrong. ¡°Hera, Behind.¡± I ordered Hera to watch my back while I scouted forward following the boot prints on the gravel trail. I walked slowly along the trail with my eyes looking for any telltale signs. I found a small drag trail and deduced that the falling bike that made it and continued following the trail. I kneeled in the gravel for us to take a break. I checked the wind and grimaced when I found out we were upwind. The cougar probably knows we were in the area from our scent. I drank water from my storage and gave some to Hera. She tenderly pawed my chest in affection and continued scanning the place. The bear¡¯s gaze always paused uphill and she growled quietly. I trusted my bear¡¯s instincts and I didn¡¯t let my guard down. We resumed our hike and in a couple of more minutes we finally found something that made my blood go cold. The path was blocked by a fallen rotten pine tree no bigger than my thigh, it also appeared to have fallen quite recently. Near the fallen tree were a lot of blood and drag marks on the gravel trail. I examined the drag marks and a blood trail was beside it. The drag marks led away from the biking trail to the left and into the bush covered hill. I stood up to follow it but also found another bloody drag trail. This one was larger, deeper, and my heart sank when I realized it was probably the deputy¡¯s. I immediately grabbed my radio to call for help. ¡°This is Deputy Hunter. Dispatch, come in.¡± I tried it twice. ¡°...Hunter...This¡­ Dispatch...¡± The radio signal was spotty. I surveyed the area and the town was blocked by the hill. ¡°Dispatch, you are breaking up. Over.¡± ¡°...Situation...Hunter...ver... ¡± Shit. I¡¯m having trouble understanding that. I checked my phone and almost threw it in disgust. No signal. ¡°We have a possible deputy down. A possible Deputy down... Over.¡± ¡°... ¡­ ¡­ ...¡± I shoved the radio back on the belt in anger. This useless thing. I examined the blood on the ground and I didn¡¯t know how much of it was shed. I needed to find them quickly in case they were still alive. If I keep going slow and cautious, I might not make it in time. I contemplated on a plan but it was risky, maybe too risky. The Cougar might be watching me right now and ambush me when I least expected it. I looked at Hera and hardened my resolve. This is why they pay me the big bucks. I have to save them and to do it I had to be fast. I changed the Gauss rifle into the compact full auto mode, zipped my jacket close, and turned up the sensitivity of my Auric Mod. I looked down at growling Hera and she was sniffing the drag marks. ¡°Hera.¡± The bear turned her head to look at me eagerly and she waited for the command. ¡°Hunt.¡± I whispered. Chapter 18 - Today, we hunt ¡°Hunt.¡± When Hera heard my command, I suddenly felt something primal and vicious coming from her. Good. I needed her animal instincts now. I got off to the left of the trail and followed the drag marks deeper into a flat forested area of the hill. Hera quickly followed me and I stopped to judge the general direction of the drag trail. I walked fast to the direction I assumed was the location of Deputy Connelly. Hera was no longer following behind me and she was now in front scouting ahead. She was following the smell of the bloody trail on the grass. I checked a suspicious shadow below a small tree but found nothing, so I continued moving. I was turning my head a lot, scanning the area and my neck started to hurt from the exertion. I ignored it and continued following the bear. This cougar was smart, she was hiding her meal somewhere out of the way. Where did the cougar drag the bodies? Hera was moving too slowly for my tastes and I urged her to move swiftly. She responded promptly and her speed increased. I was following the drag marks when I heard Hera growl loudly at a wall of bushes. I parted the leaves and in a depressed area covered by vegetation, we found two unmoving bodies placed side by side together. The biker and Deputy Connelly. The biker¡¯s body was missing several limbs and the deputies shirt was soaked in blood. They¡¯re dead. The cougar killed them. The sight of my fellow partner made my heart ache. Then I realized the cougar was nowhere in sight. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I surveyed the area. I was now angry and I wanted revenge. But, I hesitated to approach the victims in case the cougar attacks me when I checked the bodies. I held on to Hera¡¯s collar when she wanted to move forward. My mind was plagued by indecision but something happened while I was staring at them. Unexpectedly, Deputy Connelly¡¯s right arm moved to his chest and I threw caution to the wind. ¡°Hera. Guard!¡± I let go of Hera and went through the bushes. I ran noisily to Connelly side and kneeled beside him to check his vital signs. I felt a slight pulse on his neck and his breathing was shallow. Relief washed over my body. I could still save the deputy. I glanced at the biker¡¯s body but with the amount of damage he received, he was very likely dead so I guiltily ignored him. I cut the deputy¡¯s shirt carefully with the monoblade and opened the uniform wide. His chest was full of long straight lacerations from the cougar¡¯s claws and I needed to stop the bleeding. I took out my supply of SureClot and FastHeal pads out from my storage. Tordan recommended them to me and I bought a lot of them. I glanced at Hera and she was actively searching the area for threats. I returned to my first-aid and applied the SureClot ointment on the long lacerations. The blood in the wounds bubbled and a slight burning smell filled my nose. Connally moaned quietly from the pain and I can¡¯t risk giving him morphine. After the SureClot did its work the bleeding stopped and I stuck the FastHeal pads on the wounds covering them. I pressed the pads gently on the wounds and marveled at the sight of Altech medical technology. The pad melted into a single large pad and the med-nanites repaired the wounds. The pads must have a pain dampening feature because Connelly was no longer groaning in pain. I stood up to confirm the vitals of the bikers when I heard Hera roar and I saw a large black blur moving with lightning speed towards me. I was surprised by the attack and froze for just a few moments. I fumbled in grabbing the rifle that was hanging on a sling on my chest. But I realized that the cougar was too fast for me and I couldn''t raise my rifle in time. The Cougar was only five feet away from me when Hera charged out of nowhere and body slammed the cat. The snarls from the cougar and Hera¡¯ s growls mixed into one cacophony of bestial combat. They were rolling on the ground clawing each other and I tried aiming at the cougar. Their bodies were too intertwined and I couldn''t get a good shot without hitting Hera. The growling Hera was on top of the cougar and was clawing the cougar¡¯s chest like a jackhammer. The cub¡¯s attacks didn¡¯t do much damage and cougar contemptuously swiped Hera with her paws throwing her off to the side. The cougar stood on all fours and snarled at the dazed bear. The cub was dwarfed by the cougar and the cat was at least twice the size of Hera. I finally had my chance and I pulled the trigger. The hill was filled with the cracking sounds of multiple sonic booms. The rifle fired in five-round automatic bursts and I didn¡¯t stop pulling the trigger. The armor piercing darts hit the cougar¡¯s chest and the cat was thrown backward by the impact of the projectiles. I aimed the reticle of the holosight at the wounded cougar¡¯s head and pulled the trigger. I learned my lesson when I hunted the wolf and I will never forget it. The cougar¡¯s head exploded from the hypervelocity rounds. I engaged the safety on my rifle and ran to Hera. The little runt was on her side, a little stunned by the cougar¡¯s strike. I checked her for wounds but her skin was tough and the cougar claw didn¡¯t cause any wounds. I breathed a sigh of relief. I felt her bones for breaks but there didn¡¯t seem to be any. Hera whined pitifully at me and I gave her a gentle hug. She was just being a baby. ¡°You saved my life, Hera. Thank you.¡± I rubbed the back of her neck and made comforting sounds at the bear. I released Hera from the hug and stood up to examine the dead cougar. The cat¡¯s body was a mess. The top of its head was missing and the chest cavity was fully open. The projectile¡¯s entry wounds were the size of a baseball and the body was riddled with it. I stared at the cougar with contempt. This is for my partner, asshole. I returned to Connelly¡¯s side and kneeled to measure his vitals. I examined his pulse and it was a little stronger than before. I also check his breathing and it was improving. I tried to remember the first-aid class during training. I finally recalled something that I needed to do and examined the deputy¡¯s body for any additional wounds. There were some defensive wounds on his arms and I applied first-aid on it. I also took off my leather Jacket and covered his chest for warmth. I glanced at Hera and she was poking the dead cougar with her paws. She did her cute victory roar and I laughed at the sound, relieving some of the tension in me. She put her head inside the cougar¡¯s chest cavity and ate something. The kill was a team effort and so, I let her do what she wanted. I returned my attention back to the deputy. I needed to make an important decision and I thought the deputy¡¯s vitals were stable enough for now. Should I wait for help? Should I call for help? I dismissed those options and I was left with a risky one. We were too far from help and I had to move him. That was his only chance. I eyed the deputy¡¯s body and wondered if I can carry him all the way to the car. I¡¯ll just have to try. Hera came beside the deputy and licked his face gently. Her face was soaked with the cougar¡¯s blood. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, Hera.¡± I assured her and she continued cleaning the deputy¡¯s face. I washed her face clean with some water from my storage and prepared myself to carry the deputy. Please. Mama Bear. I need your help. I gently picked him up and put him into a fireman¡¯s carry. I heard his pained moans and I apologized for the pain. I grunted at the weight and my knees shook. I placed one foot forward, then another, and another. I was walking too slowly and it would take hours before I could reach the cars. I took a deep breath and willed my Bear Core to help me. I felt nothing at first, but in a few minutes my chest started burning and I thanked the mama bear inside of me. My step was quicker now like a normal walk and I tried not to jostle the deputy any more than necessary. I finally reached the bike trail and stepped on the gravel path downhill. I made sure-footed steps and tried to avoid slipping. I was amazed at the Bear Core supplying me with strength for a long time. I hoped using it continuously without breaks didn¡¯t have any long-term side effects. I stopped my wandering thoughts and concentrated on putting my foot forward one step at a time. I walked passed the destroyed bike so I knew I was about half-way through the back-breaking trek. I heard Hera behind me and when we reached her territory marker, she roared cutely again. Some of my exhaustion vanished from that funny sight. ¡°Stop...screwing...around...Hera.¡± I ground out between labored breaths and continued moving downhill. I didn¡¯t know how long I was walking but my radio crackled to life and I heard other deputies trying to contact me. I slowly reached behind my belt and took out the handheld radio.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°This...is Deputy... Hunter...Deputy...Down...Deputy Down.¡± I was having a hard time talking on the radio. It was as if every word I uttered sapped my strength a little. ¡°Rowland Heights...Deputy Down...¡± I continued repeating the phrase. I hoped that they could hear me. Trying to talk any further only diminished my stamina and Ignored the radio. I was so tired that I was mildly delirious. All thoughts on my mind were gone and the only thing I did was walk.When I saw deputies running towards me that I thought I finally broke my mind. But the people weren¡¯t a mirage after all and they reached us and took a hold of my body. The touch from their hand snapped me back to reality and I stopped my foot from moving. ¡°We got him, hunter. We got him.¡± ¡°Let go, brother. We¡¯ll take care of him.¡± I heard the deputies soft assuring words. They deputies gently took Connelly¡¯s unconscious body from my shoulders and I wobbled and became dizzy. I tried holding on to Deputy Rawling but my exhaustion promptly overwhelmed me and I crumbled to the ground facing the sky. Hera anxiously grunted at me and liked my face softly. I tried moving my hands to stop her annoying licks but my arms didn¡¯t have the power to move. ¡°Hunter! Are you okay!¡± ¡°Rawlings, grab his arms. Pick him up!¡± Two deputies carried me by throwing my arms around their shoulders and they grabbed my belt. They dragged and carried me downhill. I found out that we were not that far from the parking lot. The area was full of the cars and two ambulances. ¡°I¡¯m fine, man. Just tired. Lemme rest.¡± They tried putting me on a stretcher and I took a seat on the back of the ambulance instead. A female elf paramedic checked me out for injuries. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m okay.¡± The paramedic tried to remove my shirt. ¡°You got some water?¡± My supply of water ran out. ¡°Here.¡± She opened a bottled water and gave it to me. I drank half of it and gave the rest to Hera. She was sitting in front of me, anxiously looking on as the paramedic took my vitals. She drank the water greedily and the elf produced another bottle. ¡°Hunter, What happened up there.¡± Deputy Rawlins asked me after returned my leather jacket. I took a deep breath and explained. I noticed they stopped calling me Rook. ¡°I arrived at the scene...¡± I recounted what happened to the group of deputies who were clustered at the back of the ambulance. -- ¡°After I...uh...searched the scene, I ...Proceeded to...¡± I typed the words on the keyboard with difficulty. I was required to submit a report of the incident and they didn¡¯t accept it if the language wasn¡¯t formally written in police lingo. ¡°Hey, Rook. Are you still not finished with the report?¡± My neighbor teased me. The deputies finally stopped calling ¡®Rook¡¯ after I saved Connelly¡¯s life and for some reason, Harris stubbornly keeps calling me by that name. She was just jealous that I didn¡¯t get stuck with the name for months and Ignored her when she used that nickname. ¡°Okay. Okay. You¡¯re no fun, Hunter.¡± She surrendered at last. I turned my head to look at her when she finally used my real name and gave her a grin. I also stopped calling them by their full title. The deputies didn¡¯t mind me calling them by their last name ¡°It¡¯s not my fault they gave me two days off, Harris.¡± It was already been a week now since the attack and was procrastinating with finishing the report. ¡°I heard they¡¯re releasing Connelly from the hospital at the end of the week.¡± ¡°Already? That¡¯s fast. I visited him three days ago and he was only conscious for few minutes. I was only able to speak with him for a short time and he got tired.¡± I was shocked at the news. ¡°They used some new Altech medical thingy on him.¡± She shrugged. Well, that explains it. My desk phone rang before I could ask any more info. ¡°Hello, This is Deputy Hunter. Okay, Sarge..¡± The sergeant called and wanted to see me. I saved the document on the computer and went to the lobby. It was a slow day so the lobby was empty and I approached the desk. I search the office for Hera but she wasn¡¯t here. She¡¯s probably begging for treats somewhere. The people here at the office were used to her by now and they usually had a spare donut to entice the bear for a rub. I went through the glass double doors and entered the lobby. It was a slow day and the lobby was empty. I found Hera and the sergeant stone behind the reception desk. ¡°What do you need, Sarge?¡± I asked the sergeant who was feeding Hera with a donut at the back of the desk. He wiped his hands on his pants and came forward to talk to me. ¡°I need you to hand this purchase order to Tordan¡¯s Emporium.¡± I owed him a lot of favors, so I didn¡¯t mind being an errand boy. I read the list and I raised my eyebrows at him. ¡°The sheriff liked those first aid items you used on Connelly.¡± He explained. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± He handed me an official looking letter envelope. It says Federal Core Bureau on the front and I was intrigued. I opened it up and something fell out. I picked it up and examined it. ¡°Yes!¡± I pumped my fist in the air. I grinned at the sergeant and he shook his head while smiling. ¡°I gotta go, Sarge.¡± I called Hera and she came to me with her mouth still full. -- ¡°Sheriff¡¯s business. Stand aside.¡± I ordered the orc guard blocking the entrance of Tordan¡¯s store. The stubborn orc didn¡¯t move and he just crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Yu hav weaponz end bearz.¡± The orc gestured with his face at my sidearm and looked behind me at Hera. ¡°You will respect mah authoritah!¡± I pointed the badge with my thumb. This asshole had been hassling me ever since I threw his brood brother out the window. I was getting tired of his attitude and I put my hand on my gun to emphasize that I was not in the mood. The orc saw the movement and stepped back hastily. I glared at him and went inside the store. Hera growled at the orc and followed me inside. The dwarvette was minding the store and when she saw us, she ran to the back office. Tordan emerged from the door with a big smile. ¡°Ah, my favorite customer. What do you have, my boy?¡± he affably. The dwarf probably had a good sales week. My face was still frowning from the delay at the entrance and I needed some fun to lighten the mood. ¡°Mr. Tordan Garilsson. I here to search your store for contraband. Here¡¯s the warrant.¡± I said. My voice was very serious and I handed him the purchase order but he didn¡¯t read it. His face was deathly pale and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish. ¡°I suggest you read the warrant before I start.¡± I said somberly. This was too much fun. They say power corrupts and they weren¡¯t wrong. ¡°But...but...¡± He stammered and read the paper quickly. When he understood what the paper really was, he slammed it at the counter. ¡°You!...You!...¡± His face was turning crimson and he gnashing his teeth in anger. ¡°Gotcha! Hahaha. You should have seen your face.¡± I laughed and slapped my knees. ¡°You good for nothing, rascal! Is this how you repay me for my kindness! I am always fair to you boy and this is all I get!¡± He was ranting now. I always enjoyed tweaking his nose. ¡°Well... If you don¡¯t want me here...¡± I took the purchase order out of his hand and walked away. ¡°Wait a minute! Stop! I was a little angry and hasty with my words.¡± He said hurriedly. I gave him a big grin and he shook his head. He then laughed and all was okay. ¡°You¡¯re an arsehole, Brian. C¡¯mon gimme the paper.¡± He extended his hand to me. His greed overcoming his anger quite easily. I gave him the purchase order and he read it again carefully. His eyes were shining as he tallied the amount in his mind. ¡°Hmmm...I need some time to complete this order. I¡¯m low on some of the other merchandise listed here.¡± ¡°Sure. Just send the items and the bill to the Sheriff''s office.¡± ¡°Yes. I can complete this order in a week, I think. I could ask my suppliers to prioritize the items. For an extra fee of course.¡± He twisted his beard while he computed the total amount. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m here for something else too.¡± I placed the card on the counter and he read it out loud. --Level 2 License-- --Brian P. Hunter-- Chapter 19 - ¡°Ah...You¡¯re playing with the big boy¡¯s now, lad.¡± The dwarf¡¯s eyes gleamed at the promise of further profits. ¡°C¡¯mon. What level 2 mods do you have?¡± I asked leaning forward and my heart quickened. I had waited for a long time for this. Super Strength. Here I come! ¡°Let me see...¡± He checked his holoscreen and I waited eagerly. The dwarf took a long time and I felt a flash of annoyance. He was dragging this out and I wanted to grab the dwarf and shake him. ¡°Hmmm. I have a couple of enhancement mods available. A Neural mod, Auxilium mod, Oculus mod, Reflex mod, Musculoskeletal reinforcement mod...¡± He finally said and he smirked when he saw my impatience. ¡°What¡¯s a Neural mod?¡± I interrupted him. That intrigued me. Super Intelligence? ¡°It improves the synchronicity of your installed mods with your brain.¡± When he saw my face of incomprehension. He explained further. ¡°Your Storage mod for example. When you want to retrieve your stored items, you do it manually. With a neural mod, you can retrieve the item you want with your thoughts. I was going to suggest you buy one. It needs a lot of practice to master it though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s useful.¡± I thought about situations where I don''t have the time to press buttons. ¡°Right. Hmmm...Here, I¡¯ll send you the list.¡± He flicked something in my direction and I opened a holoscreen. There was a -received a document, accept or deny- prompt and I pressed -Accept-. I examined the products and found there were dozens of mods available for sale. There were mods that I didn¡¯t know what they did. But, there were mods that I did recognize and I want them all. I saw the listed prices and that put a damper on things. I made a decision to get three Mods and not blow all my money in one purchase. I need to leave some creds for mods that I might need in the future. The muscular-thingy mod or strength mod was a must, but the second and the third one was harder to choose. I could get the neuro mod and visual enhancement mods. The Neuro Mod was more useful than I initially thought. Instead of manually controlling every mod that I had, I could control every one of them with my thoughts. The Oculus mod was essential for my job as it had a night-vision, infrared, and could vastly improve my eyesight. I finalized the mods I wanted and asked for the price. ¡°Hmmm. I could sell it to you for...let¡¯s say¡­ three thousand creds.¡± My eyes widened. That was steep. I had only eight thousand plus creds on me... ¡°C¡¯mon, Tordan. Can you give a discount? I¡¯m your best customer.¡± ¡°The best? Ha! Not even close! You rascal. Hmmm...I could do twenty-eight hundred.¡± ¡°Can you go a little lower? We¡¯re friends right?¡± I wheedled the dwarf. The dwarf thought about it and made a counteroffer. ¡°I¡¯ll sell them for twenty-five hundred and you get a ten percent discount for a year but on one condition. I get exclusive rights to any animal items you hunt.¡± He offered. I thought about it for a long time. Tordan wasn¡¯t the only Altech trader in our area, there was one in a neighboring town if I recalled correctly. The dwarf always traded fairly with me and I didn¡¯t find anything wrong with those stipulations. ¡°Exclusive rights for one year. In Washington State.¡± I amended his offer. I caught a flicker on his face and I knew my counteroffer surprised him. That cunning dwarf! ¡°One year, in this state. Deal.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± We shook our hands and we both smiled. ¡°Oh. Try to visit in a month or two. I heard rumors that they might release some new Mods for humans.¡± He said while he placed the items on the counter. I examined one and the Enhancement Mods were larger than the Level 1 mods. ¡°Sure. Oh. I almost forgot. Can you make an armor vest for Hera? I need one that stretches as she grows up.¡± I didn¡¯t want her to rely on her thick skin for protection and I wanted to put a -Sheriff- logo on the vest. ¡°I recommend you visit the store next door. That¡¯s where I had your jacket made. You¡¯re not getting a rifle upgrade?¡± He smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. ¡°Eh. I kinda like the Gauss Rifle. It destroys the animal on full auto though.¡± ¡°I told you it was a good rifle for hunting. I might know a thing or two about hunting.¡± He bragged. I paid the dwarf and stored my precious Mods. We made our farewells and went outside and went to the elf clothing store. When I walked into the store, I was greeted by an elf and asked for my jacket. I assumed they were going to store it, I shrugged and gave it to him. The store was different from Tordan¡¯s. While Tordan had a pawnshop looking interior, the elf clothier was more fancy and stylish, for a lack of better term. It looked like one of those shops that sold expensive suits for gentlemen. Another elf approached me and bowed. He had long blonde hair tied in a ponytail and wore an impressive looking English style suit. ¡°Welcome, to my humble shop. My name is Litharen. I make one the finest clothes in this country.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Deputy Hunter.¡± I introduced myself and we shook hands. ¡°I saw you wearing my creation as you came in. How did find the jacket?¡± ¡°I love it. It fits like a glove. It also saved my life on one occasion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear that. My products have a limited lifetime warranty. I am that confident of the quality of my wares,¡± He waved in the direction of the clothing. ¡°How can I be of assistance? A suit for a formal event or for business, perhaps? Or a ballistic, energy, and fire resistant clothes.¡± Wow! This guy can really talk. Tordan could learn a thing or two from this guy. ¡°I need something for my bear, Actually. A K-9 vest for her. Something light but can also protect her from claws or bullets. She¡¯s still growing, so maybe something stretchable.¡± I hope I didn¡¯t insult him for asking him to make something for an animal. ¡°Hmmm. Something strong yet flexible...¡± He was unfazed by my request. He pursed his lips and examined Hera. I liked him already. He didn¡¯t mind that it was for a bear and I respected him for that. ¡°Any material can only do so much in terms of stretchability. The more the material expands, the weaker it gets. Hmmm...We could use carbon-nano weave fabric with a stretchable cloth for the seams and straps for easy removal. But we need to resize the vest when the bear gets a lot larger though. Yes, I can do this.¡± He nodded to himself.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°How much will it cost?¡± ¡°Seven hundred creds.¡± He said and looked at my face for my reaction. I didn¡¯t know him and this was our first deal, so I refrained from asking a discount. It was also for Hera and I didn¡¯t want to skimp on her armor. ¡°Okay. But give me a discount when we resize the vest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s agreeable. Your bear, please. If it¡¯s no trouble. I need to measure her.¡± ¡°Hera. Come here. Stay.¡± I told her and she tilted her head at me. I held her arms out wide and but the tailor said I didn¡¯t need to do that. I let go of her arms and she grunted in annoyance. Ever since we killed that cougar she was getting a little strong-willed lately. It must be the hormones. The tailor measured her with a laser tool and he said the vest would take two days to finish since it was a custom job. I paid the elf half of the cost and we left the store. Instead of following me, Hera went straight to a food stall and begged the vendor for some food. I took pity on the halfling and bought some for Hera and she ate the barbequed kebab with gusto. We left trader¡¯s street after some kids asked for some selfies with Hera. I was happy that the town was getting used to her. There were no calls for a hunter that day and we got home before dinner. -- I decided to install the Strength Mod first and I examined the mod. It was the size of a box of playing cards and it had the same wafer texture. Tordan recommended a different way to install the mod. I laid down on the bed with my shirt off and placed the mod on my chest. The mod melted on my chest and it was absorbed by my skin. After a while, I felt a something tingling in my chest. It was like there were spiders crawling inside my body and I didn¡¯t like it one bit. I resisted scratching my chest and the sensation spread throughout my body. After twenty minutes my body started getting hot like I had a mild fever. I was sweating profusely and then weird the feeling transformed into pain. It was like pinpricks at first, but after a few minutes the pain increased and it felt like I was dropped in a vat of boiling oil. I swore at the vengeful dwarf for not warning me. I heard Hera¡¯s roar in my room while I grimaced in pain. I shouted in agony and I promptly blacked out. I woke up early in the morning and groaned, my whole body was so sore like I was exercising all day. It was good thinking that I asked the sergeant for a day off. I didn¡¯t think I was in good shape for work and tomorrow was Sunday, so I had time to recuperate. I tried stretching my body and the pain increased. What did the nanites do to my body? I¡¯ll need to test it when I felt better. I took a shower to wash away the sweat from last night torture session and went to the kitchen to eat. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Morning, hon.¡± My parents were at the kitchen table eating breakfast. I placed some food on my plate and ate it ravenously. ¡°Did you install some mods last night?¡± My dad asked ¡°Uhuh. How did you know?¡± ¡°The screaming kinda gave it away and you told us last dinner.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°As long as it wasn¡¯t a girl screaming. Hehehe.¡± My mom teased. My dad choked on his coffee. ¡°MOM!¡± ¡°BABE!¡± We looked at her horrified. I think I need to move out. ¡°You going to work today?¡± My Dad quickly changed the subject. ¡°I asked for a day off today. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in the best condition.¡± I stretched my body again and it was still painful. ¡°That¡¯s good. When we installed our mods, it felt horrible. But it was worth it.¡± My mom shook herself at the memory. I took a good look at them both and their faces looked younger now. The wrinkles on their faces disappeared and they looked energetic. I patted myself on the back for buying those mods for them. ¡°Oh. I almost forgot. I got a surprise for you, hon.¡± She stood up from a table and took something from the dining room. It was a square item covered in brown paper. She took off the paper cover and I groaned when I saw the surprise. ¡°Tada! I had it framed a few days ago. Babe, look. Brian looks so handsome in his uniform. I¡¯ll post this on Phasebook. My son¡¯s a real hero.¡± She beamed at me and showed the framed local newspaper front page. She breathed on the glass and wiped it with a napkin. ¡°Deputy Hunter saves a colleague from a cougar attack. You did good. I know that man¡¯s father.¡± My dad read the headline. ¡°I going to hang it in the living room or maybe in the dining room. Maybe, I should bring it to class to inspire my students.¡± She said out loud. Please no! ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, babe.¡± My dad nodded. I ate my breakfast swiftly and got out of the kitchen before they started making more embarrassing ideas. At least my cutie was above all that nonsense and she gave me a big hug. Hera started sniffing my chest and I felt a sense of approval from the bear. I looked at her face and she had her tongue out. Can she smell the new nanites in my body? Stranger things had happened. -- ¡°Hi, Hera! I missed you!... Ey, Hunter. You look chirpy this morning.¡± Harris kneeled on the floor and gave her a big hug. I felt great actually. My body felt lighter and stronger. I still need to go the gym to try out my strength. ¡°You¡¯re early today.¡± She said to me after giving Hera her daily rub. ¡°I had some errands before coming to the station. I could say the same for you.¡± I raised an eyebrow. Harris was always ten minutes late and she had to make it up by leaving work later. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m turning over a new leaf this week. My horoscope said so.¡± She said without meeting my eyes. ¡°Really? I suppose that ass-chewing you got from the sarge had nothing to do with it.¡± I teased. ¡°Of course not.¡± She huffed. She gave Hera her favorite jelly donut. She didn¡¯t offer me one though. ¡°Briefing in five minutes!¡± A deputy shouted and we made our way to the second floor. For some reason, Hera followed me to the briefing room and I thought it was fine as long as the sergeant didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Aw, shit!¡± ¡°Be careful now, Beck. She might eat you. Right Hera?¡± ¡°Look what I got, Hera. Come here, I know you love this.¡± ¡°Hey, Hunter.¡± The stupid hazing ritual finally petered off and I, for once was thankful for the respite. I sat at the back as usual and watched Hera being fed copious amounts of donuts by the deputies. I think they treat her as a mascot. A mascot that could maul them if she wanted to. I looked at the empty seat on my left and looked for Connelly. He must be still at the hospital and I knew Harris was bullshitting again. Right on time, the sarge entered the room and we stood up. ¡°Morning, take your seats.¡± He saw Hera in the briefing room and looked at me. I shrugged at him. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get this started. Hunter, I want your report on my desk at the end of the day. Got it?¡± I nodded quickly. ¡°We received reports that a group of dwarves and humans are mining illegally at the abandoned Tiller Quarry...¡± I listened to the briefing carefully even though it wasn¡¯t really my job to arrest offenders. Most of the crimes being committed were relatively minor and we wanted it to stay that way. The sergeant gave his last thoughts and the briefing ended. I hurried to my desk to finish my report and hopefully, the sergeant would accept it. The phone rang as I printed the report for the sergeant. ¡°Hello, this is Deputy Hunter... uh-huh...what¡¯s the address...gotcha...bye. ¡± I put down the phone and called Hera. I took the package I picked up earlier and kneeled on the ground next to Hera. ¡°Don¡¯t move, you runt.¡± The bear cub grunted in annoyance. ¡°C¡¯mon, Hera. Lift up your paws. No, the other one.¡± *Chuff!* ¡°Stop moving.¡± *Chuff!* ¡°Almost done. You big baby.¡± *Chuff* ¡°Done.¡± I looked at Hera critically and was satisfied with it. The other deputies were crowding us and were admiring Hera, especially the female deputies. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Awww. That¡¯s so cute.¡± Harris said looking at us. We walked away from the gathered deputies without acknowledging them and I grabbed the leather jacket on my seat. We passed them slowly in slow motion and I wore my jacket, and I adjusted it for a better fit. I took out my Oakleys and wore them one handed. I put on my non-regulation brown Outback hat and I heard a female deputy sigh deeply. Following me with her head held up high, I felt the sense of smug satisfaction radiating behind me. Hera was wearing her new dark grey vest with a large yellow -SHERIFF- and a small -Hera- patch on the side. *Chuff!* Chapter 20 - The road trip ¡°Chuff!¡± Her head was between the front seats of the Suburban and she blew her hot breath on my ear tickling it. ¡°Stop it, Hera.¡± I scratched the itch with my fingers and overtook a slow car holding us up on the freeway. We were on our way to an annual conference for west region hunters and it was held during the month of September at a hotel near Yellowstone National park. The sheriff ordered us both to participate and I told him that sending us both would cost a lot of money. I thought he would reconsider but he reluctantly paid for the travel expenses. He called my bluff and I had no choice but to follow his orders. I deduced that the Sheriff wanted to show off his human/bear hunting team to the other law enforcement departments. The attendees of the gathering were deputies, police officers, park rangers and other hunters employed by their local governments. If I was being honest, I was excited since this was my first conference. I didn¡¯t know what to expect but the sheriff warned me not to get drunk since I was still under 21. He didn¡¯t say I can¡¯t drink though. Maybe a little sip. ¡°Chuff!¡± The bear licked my right ear one last time to remind me and I gently slapped her nose. ¡°I know. I know. I¡¯m hungry too!¡± We were on the road for six hours now and the snacks I brought along for the trip were woefully inadequate for a half-ton bear. Since it was almost lunchtime anyway and I was on a lookout for any fast food chain. I searched the area for more than fifteen minutes but this stretch of the I-90 highway we were using was sparsely populated. I glanced at the satnav map and saw that the town of Alberton was coming up in a few more miles. ¡°What do you want, Hera? But, no burritos though.¡± She loved those things but it made her gassy and the deputies at the station banned the food unanimously. I punched the nearby restaurants button on the map screen and a Diner was the closest one to us. I selected the destination and watched as a new route was calculated. ¡°Chuff!¡± I glanced in the rearview mirror and I saw her ears perk up when she heard her favorite food. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you stinking up the air inside the car.¡± She grunted and nipped my ears to make her displeasure known. I blew a raspberry at her and she ignored me. *Turn Right on the next Exit.* A female computerized voice ordered me and I followed the instructions. I parked the Suburban in front of the Willow Creek Diner and turned off the ignition. I got out of the SUV and surveyed the area around the town. There were fewer trees here in this part of Montana but it was still a lovely place and the environment looked similar to Glenville. The small town was surrounded by tree-covered mountain ranges and I instantly felt at home here. I took a breath of the fresh air, savoring the smell of the trees and stretched the kinks out of my body. I heard Hera impatiently tapping her paws on the window and walked to the rear to let Hera out. The suspension of the Suburban creaked dangerously as she carefully backed out of the vehicle. She¡¯s grown a lot in six months and her shoulder was now near the height of my chest. I had her vest resized twice by the elf tailor and the discount he provided helped a lot. I inspected the armor and concluded it still had a few more months before it needed more adjustments. I also surveyed the space in the car and planned to modify it in the future to enlarge the internal volume more. I entered the diner and Hera looked at the Diner dubiously but followed me inside the glass double doors. The place was half full with people eating their meals and a young tired looking brunette waitress saw us as I was searching for an empty table. She dropped the coffee cup she was holding and her eyes widened as she was about to shriek. I quickly held up my hands placatingly and that stopped her from screaming. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll just grab a table there.¡± I told her in a calm voice and walked to an empty table on the right side of the diner. The table was partially hidden by the long counter in the middle and that part of the diner was perfect for keeping a low profile. She nodded jerkily and she cleaned the mess she made. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, folks. She¡¯s a drug-sniffing bear.¡± I told the shocked people inside the diner. They looked at Hera¡¯s sheriff vest and they talked with each other animatedly. I sat at the empty table as far away from the other diners and Hera sat on her hind legs on the floor beside me. ¡°Um...Sorry, Deputy. But pet¡¯s aren¡¯t allowed inside.¡± The same waitress told us when she came to take our order. ¡°She¡¯s not a pet ma¡¯am. She¡¯s a working bear. Can you guys make an exception? Please?¡± ¡°Well...all right. What can I get you, sir?¡± ¡°Thanks. Yeah... Ah...I¡¯ll have a cheeseburger, fries and a coke. Hera will have... two orders 10 fried chicken bundle.¡± I said checking the menu. Hera whined but I ignored her. ¡°Two orders?¡± The waitress blurted. ¡°Yeah, I know. She¡¯s on a diet.¡± I looked at her body and she pointedly looked away. Hera understands what the word ¡®diet¡¯ means. The waitress hastily retreated when she got our orders and I killed the time by playing a game on my phone. I looked up from the game and saw that the people in the diner were now relaxed but kept on glancing at Hera. The children were a different matter and I could hear the kid¡¯s pleading voices to their parents. Hera also heard the voices and she amused herself by waving her gloved paws at them. I had the custom leather/carbon nanoweave gloves made by the same elf tailor. I looked at the covered claws and I was satisfied that they held up good. She was surprisingly gentle with her sharp claws and was very careful with them but I didn¡¯t want any accidents when she got too excited. The doors of the diner opened and a masked man with a revolver came through and pointed the gun around. I stiffened and dropped the phone on the table. My hand was slowly reaching for the sidearm on my hip. The women in the diner screamed when they saw the robber and everyone tried to hide behind their tables. ¡°This is a robbery! Gimme all yo fucking money!¡± He demanded and pointed the gun at the nearest couple. The man and woman at the table hurriedly took their wallets and handed them to the masked robber. ¡°Gimme yo wallets.¡± He pointed at the next table where an elderly couple sat. ¡°Wait, Hera.¡± I whispered to Hera and she stiffened waiting for my next command. The robber didn¡¯t notice us because we were hidden behind the long counter in the middle of the Diner. When the robber was facing away from us, I got out of the table with my gun in my hand and crouched behind the counter. I took a quick peek from behind the counter and saw the perp walking to our side of the Diner. I couldn¡¯t use my gun is this crowded room, so I reholstered my sidearm and thought of the steel baton. The baton appeared in my grip and I silently extended it. Hera was quivering in anticipation on my left. My adrenaline was flowing hard and I concentrated on the enhanced sound of the robber¡¯s steps. I winced at the loud voice when the masked man screamed at a trucker two tables away from me. After he took the money he started walking toward our table, I tensed up and waited for the opening. I saw a hand with a gun appear in front of me and it started to turn towards me slowly. I finally made my move and rushed to the robber. With my enhanced muscles, I swung the baton downwards hard at the hand holding the gun and I heard the crack of the bone breaking. The man screamed in pain and the gun dropped on the floor but it didn¡¯t fire. Hera moved when she saw me took a step back, she jumped at the shrieking man and she was on top of him. Hera pinned the robber to the floor with her paws and roared inches away from his face. Hera¡¯s roar was no longer cute and it sounded like a promise of carnage and violence. The man¡¯s eyes were wide and his body froze in terror. ¡°Good job. Keep him there, Hera.¡± I kick the gun away and Hera was showing her teeth at the suspect. ¡°Call 911!¡± I told the standing crowd and everyone hastily pulled out their phones. This wasn¡¯t my jurisdiction and I¡¯ll let the local cops arrest him when they show up. -- The local deputies arrived with their guns drawn at the Diner ten minutes later and took charge of the scene. They hesitated a bit when they saw the suspect with Hera still on top of him. I told Hera to back off and I identified myself to the deputies. They took my Sheriff Deputy ID and sidearm for their safety. They arrested the trembling suspect and they collected everyone¡¯s statements including mine. I sat at my table while I waited for the deputies to finish and looked at the scene in front of me as the once traumatized children were now happily feeding Hera with her well-deserved chicken. Our food was burned during the robbery and the cook made another batch of fried chicken just for her. My stomach was rumbling when the deputy came back. He returned carrying my ID and gun in his hands. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Your ID checks out, Hunter. Sorry bout that.¡± Deputy Thompson said and handed my stuff back. ¡°No problem, Thompson. Part of the job.¡± I shrugged at him and holstered my weapon. ¡°The witnesses told me your...companion is a drug-sniffing bear.¡± He checked his notebook and raised his eyebrow at me. ¡°She¡¯s a hunting bear, actually. I didn¡¯t want to worry them.¡± I gave him a crooked smile. ¡°I knew there was no such thing. Hehehe. I bet she¡¯s expensive to feed.¡± Thompson chuckled and eyed the eating bear. ¡°You have no idea. She¡¯s worth it though.¡± My stomach rumbled again. ¡°By the way, your Sheriff said to get your ass back on the road. His words, not mine.¡± He gave me a knowing grin and I shook my head. -- ¡°You¡¯re no better than that robber, Hera. You just had to stuff yourself with the food they gave you.¡± I adomished her as I changed lanes on the highway. She thought that my statement didn¡¯t deserve a reply and ignored me. She made herself comfortable and settled down for a post-buffet nap. Thankfully they didn¡¯t have burritos on the menu. ¡°The vet said you need to eat less sugar and more veggies.¡± I continued scolding her and she promptly snored. Hmph. No more Jelly donut for you. Our quick lunch break turned into a two-hour delay and we were behind schedule. That didn¡¯t include the potty break she needed and I had to find a place to park near a wooded area. I still had three more hours of driving and I wasn¡¯t able to eat my lunch at the diner. I was getting too hungry and I had to do a quick stop at a fast food drive-thru. The detour added another ten minutes to the already long journey. It was bad luck we stopped for lunch at that particular Diner and it appeared I was just a magnet for trouble lately. I noticed the sky was getting dark and I turned on the headlights. I took a sip of warm coffee and grumbled at the world while I continued driving. It was night time when we arrived at the Big Sky Hotel and Convention Center. I was disappointed when I saw there was no snow on the ground. The season here was still early fall and the ski areas were closed till November. I had hoped do some skiing for fun and turn this event into a short vacation. I looked at the perfect ski slopes wistfully and regretted that it wasn''t covered in snow. After all that has happened to me this past year, I felt that I earned a break. I parked the car in the parking lot in front of the white hotel. There was a big banner with the name of the convention ¡°7th West America Wildlife Hunter¡¯s Conference 2019¡± was plastered on the side of the hotel. The three-star hotel was a decent sized one, with seven floors and the large convention room at the back. I got out of the vehicle and was surprised with the cold temperature outside. I zipped my leather jacket close and massaged my numb butt. I looked inside the SUV and Hera was still asleep. ¡°Wakey. Wakey. Hey, wake up!¡± Hera grumbled and got out of the car. I grabbed my suitcase and locked the Suburban. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hera.¡± I walked to the hotel¡¯s entrance and she followed me with a big yawn. Sounds of exclaims, shouting, swearing, and general panic greeted us when we walked through the wooden double door and I was frankly getting tired of it. The lobby was full of lawmen and I expected a calmer reception from my brethren than the standard shock the average people usually displayed. I did the standard ¡°calm down¡± ¡°She¡¯s tame¡± routine and the lobby quieted down. I stood behind the reformed line at the concierge and the people in the line tried to act nonchalantly at the presence of Hera. I noticed a quarter of the people in the lobby were wearing leather jackets of all different colors and styles. The hotel was pet-friendly and a dozen large K-9 hunting dogs aggressively barked at Hera. She didn¡¯t dignify roaring back at them and she just displayed her fearsome teeth to the dogs. The dogs whined and tuck their tails under them behind their handlers. With her dominance over the dogs established, she sat back down on the carpet. ¡°Behave, Hera.¡± I admonished the bear. She gave the dogs a final warning growl and grunted with satisfaction. ¡°Sorry.¡± I apologized to the K-9 handlers. They mostly smiled and shook their heads but some scowled at me. I sighed. I was not making a good impression at all. The line at the concierge moved slowly and apparently, there was some mix up with the rooms. The people waiting in line grumbled and a wiry middle-aged man on my right, wearing a khaki leather jacket and a brown cowboy hat swore in disgust. ¡°This shit happens ev¡¯ry year!¡± He said to everyone in the line and they nodded in agreement. He looked at me when I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°My first time here.¡± I explained smiling a little. ¡°Hey, Y''all! We ¡®ave a virgin ovah heeyah!¡± He announced at the room. His deeply tanned face grinned at me and the people in the room laughed. ¡°Stay away from that reprobate!¡± ¡°He¡¯s doomed! Miller!¡± ¡°Miller! Prepare the welcome surprise!¡± My face heated up from the comments and l looked back at Hera to check her but she looked unfazed by the loud laughter. It was like I was a rookie all over again and I tried to ignore it. ¡°Don''t ya worry bout a thang. Ah''ll take care of ya'' ¡± Miller grinned and winked at me. He examined my jacket and stared at Hera. ¡°That''s a nahce lookin'' pardner ya got thair an'' tha jacket''s nahce too. Great bear?¡± He nodded appreciatively at my jacket and Hera. ¡°Yeah, they are both Great Bears. Yours is nice too. A Sand Wolf?¡± I made a guess with the color of his jacket. ¡°Yuhp, this bastid been huntin mah cattle on mah ranch. We square now. Hehehe.¡± He caressed his jacket with his hand. The line finally moved again and in a few more minutes it was my turn. I gave my ID and the Sheriff¡¯s Office credit card to the lady concierge. Miss Morris gave it to me with a caution not to overspend or they¡¯ll deduct it from my pay if I did. The lady was tapping the keyboard for a long time and was checking the credit card. ¡°Thank you for waiting, Deputy Hunter. This is your room card key to the suite on the fifth floor.¡± A suite? Oh no! This must be a mistake. I¡¯ll get chewed out by the Sheriff again. ¡°Breakfast will open at 6 am and just show your room card key to the maitre d¡¯. Do you need help with your luggage, sir?¡± She placed the room key card, credit card and my ID at the desk. ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I gave her a smile and took the items. What¡¯s done, is done. I¡¯ll just face the music when I get back. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hera.¡± I nodded to Miller who was talking with a couple of his friends. He tipped his hat to me and pointed out Hera to his group. The elevator was big enough to fit us both and I pushed the correct floor. Hera whined a little when the elevator moved and I rubbed her shoulder to calm her down. We exited when arrived at our floor and searched for our room. We found it at the end of the hall and entered the room. I whistled and stared at the room. It really was a small suite and it was by far the largest hotel room I ever had. There was a separate small living room area with two couches, a small kitchen, and a four-seat dining table. I winced at the cost of the room and I promised to pay the difference when I get back. Hera knocked me aside as she smelt and examined the entire room. I placed my suitcase on the bed and moved the coffee table in the living room so Hera had some space to sleep on. I removed my shoes and plopped on the soft king-sized bed. I used the remote to turn on the flat screen tv and switched the channels for something interesting watch. Hera whined when I skipped a UFC fight, so I returned to that channel. It was funny watching Hera pawing the air like she was copying the fight moves on the tv. I relaxed on the bed and stretched my entire body. I could get used to this kind of luxury. I was exhausted from the long drive and I felt my eyes close little by little. My eyes snapped wide open when the doorbell in the room rang and I went to the door to answer it. I opened it and Miller was at the door with four of his leather jacket wearing friends he was talking to earlier. I looked at them in confusion and I didn¡¯t know why they wanted to see me. I also didn¡¯t remember giving them my room number. Miller and his friends'' faces broke into a big grin when they saw my confused face. ¡°Surprise, Noob. Hehehe.¡± Chapter 21 - Eye of the Tiger ¡°Please, I can¡¯t.¡± I pleaded with Miller and I coughed. ¡°We ain¡¯t finiss¡¯d yet, mah frend.¡± He cooed at me and moved it closer to my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s too much. No more.¡± I tried to move my head away but a strong hand on my neck stopped me. ¡°Yus, ya cahn. Juss a little moar.¡± It touched my lips and I could taste the vile liquid. ¡°C¡¯mon... Dats it.¡± Miller¡¯s fellow tormentor encouraged me. My face grimaced at the smell and I opened my mouth slowly. ¡°Y¡¯all learn to luv it. Hehehe.¡± Miller grinned at me. ¡°Bottoms up!¡± They yelled and I drank the shot of whiskey. My face screwed up from the taste and the fumes burned my lungs. I coughed again and they pounded my back with their hands. ¡°Hehehe. Mah turn.¡± Miller poured himself a shot and drank it. ¡°Yeehaw. Thass sum fine likker.¡± He pounded the glass on the table sharply and smacked his lips. After I opened the door earlier, Miller and his posse barged right in and started placing bottles of whiskey on the dining table. He declared the welcoming party was now open and started passing around shot glasses. I demurred at the offered glass and reasoned that I was under 21 of age, therefore I cannot participate in their drinking binge. He chuckled and asked me ¡°Who¡¯s gonna arress us? Ourselves? Hehehe.¡± I shrugged and poured my glass with whiskey. The alcohol loosened up my lips and we talked to each other like we were best buds for a long time. We discussed hunting in general, like the largest bounty we got, the rifles we used, the best lure available and other hunting stuff. We also embellished our stories a bit and the animals got larger with every telling. They were deputy hunters like me and they worked for a large county in Texas. We had a lot of something in common and I was having fun with the conversation. We compared a lot hunting tips and which techniques works the best for that particular animal. We also drank a lot too. ¡°How didya corral tha bear? I cud get me a wulf pardner.¡± He gestured carelessly with an unopened bottle and unscrewed the cap. I lost count of the number shots of whiskey I had and I was drunk as a skunk. Hera was watching another MMA fight and was mostly ignoring us. She tasted the liquor Miller offered to her but she didn¡¯t like it and returned to her TV. ¡°Uh. Ish kinda difficulsh...difficult to do. You¡¯ll both need to almosh die.¡± I slurred and told them of the circumstances of my bond with Hera. I felt comfortable talking to them about it and it was probably the alcohol. ¡°Hmmm. Ah cu¡¯d try tha. Thass eashy enuff.¡± He eyed Hera and assessed his chances. He nodded and thought it was good. I was dumbfounded at his lack of concern of the danger and I giggled at the image of him babying a wolf pup. ¡°I¡¯ll dig ya grave, Millah.¡± Posse no.1 quipped. ¡°I got dibsh on his knife.¡± Posse no.2 informed us. ¡°Fuck¡¯yall! Thay don''t cahwl me thuh numbah one hunter in Texas for nothin.¡± He glared at them drunkenly. ¡°Ya glass is draiyh.¡± He noticed my empty glass and poured some more whiskey for me. -- ¡°Stop shaking the bed, Hera. Please.¡± I whispered. It was seven in the morning and I was laying on the bed nursing my hangover. ¡°Chuff!¡± She ignored my pleas and shook the bed harder. I looked at the clock and groaned. I got off the bed slowly and examined the empty room. I didn¡¯t remember them leaving. I probably blacked out from the whiskey and they dumped me on the bed. ¡°Okay! okay!!¡± I drank a glass of water and it made me a little nauseous. I forced myself to drink one more and then took a shower. I took Hera to the woods at the back of the hotel and she did her business. I checked the clock on my holoscreen and judged we still had time for some breakfast. The breakfast buffet at the hotel restaurant was full and we waited for a few minutes for a table. The staff at the entrance blanched when she saw Hera and I had to pay for her breakfast. A group of deputies left the restaurant and we were able to get inside. The restaurant was a large one and it was full of eating people There were plenty of different foods and I took two plates for the both of us. Hera went directly to the pastry corner and chuffed at me to move quickly. ¡°Donuts again?¡± I took her favorite item with a pair of thongs but she pointed her nose at the Danish pastries instead. I shook my head and replaced the donut with the pastry that she wanted. I looked at her and added a few more. I scooped some scrambled eggs, a lot of bacon, two dozen sausages, a bowl of milk, some orange juice and placed the plates full of food on a nearby empty table. I looked around to see if the staff was watching and placed Hera¡¯s plate on the floor. The food tasted good and ate it with relish, with my hangover now forgotten. ¡°Morning. You feeling okay, Hunter?¡± I was placing some sausages on Hera¡¯s plate and I straightened up to look at the speaker. It was posse no.2 and he was carrying a plate of food and a cup of coffee. I think his name was Rogers. ¡°Morning. I''m feeling fine now, Rogers. Earlier, not so much.¡± I indicated an empty seat in front of me and he took a seat. ¡°Sorry about last night. It¡¯s a tradition of sorts for first-time attendees. The guys thought that the hunters who missed the first one should experience what it was like.¡± He shook his head and started eating his food. ¡°You were there at the first one? How was it? ¡± I gave Hera some more sausages. ¡°We were. The guys last night, I mean. The first conference was... Ha! I¡¯ll tell you this much, there wasn¡¯t a single sober hunter that weekend. Can¡¯t really blame us tho. That was a bad year for hunters. A really bad one.¡± His voice was somber and he stared at the coffee cup. He shook himself and continued eating. I was respectfully quiet and waited for him to continue. ¡°When the Dalsau changed the animals, we had no idea they were getting more dangerous every season. After three years we realized that there were too many dead hunters and a conference for every region was established as a result of that. I think that was why we drank ourselves stupid that weekend.¡± ¡°It was that bad?¡± ¡°Yup. very bad. One of the results of the first conference was the creation of the Deputy Hunters, Police Animal Response Unit, and others.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it...¡± ¡°Well, lookie here. I could make a nice jacket outta that.¡± Someone interrupted me and I looked up to see a Police Officer carrying a coffee cup and a large King Shepherd dog on a leash. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I said to the officer and examined him up and down. He looked like a male model wearing a police uniform. Light blonde hair, blue eyes, and with a fit body. ¡°You were just lucky in killing that Great Bear and they say you ran away screaming like a little girl. Some hunter you are.¡± He sneered at me and placed his cup on a nearby table. ¡°Who¡¯s the douche?¡± I raised a questioning eyebrow at Rogers. He rolled his eyes and didn¡¯t look at the newcomer. What is this? High School? ¡°How did you know? You stalking me or something? That¡¯s a crime you know.¡± I told him as condescendingly as I could. ¡°Fuck you noob. Think you¡¯re some badass bringing that bear in here. I¡¯m here to burst your bubble.¡± He squared his shoulders aggressively. Hera sensed the man¡¯s hostility and growled at the dickwad. The King Shepherd whined and tucked its tail. ¡°Control your animal! Noob! ¡± He said loudly like he wanted the people in the room to hear him and took a step back to emphasize that Hera was threatening him. I looked around the room and the people were staring at us. I knew he was baiting me and I responded in kind. ¡°By the way, Is the dog your handler? I think your dog needs to control you, Officer.¡± I mocked him loudly and I heard loud sniggers. ¡°Officer, Heel! Stand! Good boy! Do you want a treat?¡± I teased him as if he was a dog. The people listening laughed and mocked the dickhead. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Mebe he got rabies!¡± ¡°Get lost, Dumbshitski.¡± Rogers growled and twirled a butter knife in his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s Dubanowski!¡± He corrected Rogers and stared at the knife. ¡°Whatever Dickinbuttski. Have your dog give you a walk. Let the real hunters talk in peace. Go, Fuck off.¡± Rogers pointed the knife toward the exit. Dubanowski face turned scarlet and but didn¡¯t reply to Rogers.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°This ain¡¯t over, Hunter... Come, Adonis.¡± He said menacingly to me and walk away with his dog to the exit. ¡°What his problem?¡± I asked Rogers. ¡°That dumbshit? He thinks you stole his spotlight when you came in with Hera. He supposedly captured a Razor Tiger, it escaped from a zoo in California last month.¡± ¡°Those are from Russia right?¡± He nodded. That country had a lot of different animals and I wished I could take a hunting trip there. ¡°He acts like he did it alone and he conveniently forgets that a lot of private hunters helped out. What a fucking poser. Just ignore him.¡± He explained and I hated the asshole even more. ¡°Where is thuh food at! Ah need a steak!¡± Someone hollered and Miller made his appearance. He saw us and walked in our direction. I tried hiding from him but failed. ¡°Hey thar, pardner. Ah got sumthin'' for ya. Hehehe.¡± He grinned at me and offered me a flask. -- ¡°Recent samples taken from animals indicate that there has been an exponential increase in animal dimensions. There are also multiple indications of non-standard mutations in all the tested species.¡± The speaker pointed at a holographic 3D images of predators that were projected on the stage. The old Zoologist was the guest speaker for this morning¡¯s dialogue. ¡°It is our belief that in 15 to 20 years, the animals will diverge completely into new separate species.¡± He continued and adjusted his suit and tie. The room was packed with all of the two hundred attendees and I was glad that I able to find a seat. The ¡®Present & Future Terrestrial Zoology¡¯ presentation I was attending was very informative. The guest speaker showed us a lot of animals that I haven¡¯t heard of before. They also compared the different behavioral patterns of the animals and a lot has changed since the cores were introduced ten years before. Some monkeys are even showing a primitive kind of intelligence like the Neanderthals. I hoped they won¡¯t show them the Planet of the Apes movie. ¡°So, ya''re sayin'' wer goin'' t'' see some dragons an hydras in thuh future?¡± Miller unabashedly interrupted the speaker. The scientist was unfazed by Miller¡¯s rudeness and adjusted his tie to buy time to collect his thoughts. ¡°Maybe. Probably. If the alien¡¯s records are to believed, then yes. We could see those types of beasts in time. Don¡¯t forget the Watcher is meddling with the animals too.¡± The speaker pointed his finger to the roof. ¡°Shiyeet¡± Miller cursed and the whole room joined him. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°King Kong¡¯s got nothin on me!¡± ¡°A real BigFoot!¡± ¡°What¡¯s next? Werewolves?¡± ¡°Please hold your questions till we get to the Q&A segment.¡± He reminded the room. That werewolf comment hit close to me and I winced at the furry image. Even though Doc Athlan assured me that it¡¯ll never happen, I was still a little worried about that happening in the back of my mind. The room settled down and the speaker resumed his presentation. The topic was about animal strength and weaknesses and I listened intently. I continued taking notes on my holoscreen and Hera was snoring loudly on the aisle. After the Q&A session ended the presentation was over and I quickly walked to the restaurant for lunch. We were checking out the vendor¡¯s area after we ate and there were a lot of specialty hunting tools being displayed. The hall was a medium sized one and there were a lot of stalls of different product brands from guns to hunting apparel. A stall caught my eye and I approached it to ask the elf sales rep. ¡°Hi, how does that work?¡± I pointed to a spray canister on display. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Elethan.¡± We shook hands ¡°This product removes your body scent when you spray it on your clothes. The proprietary non-toxic liquid contains nanoparticles and other ingredients that effectively absorbs the molecules that your body produces.¡± He took a can of the product and showed it to me. ¡°Wow, That¡¯s great! No more gauging the wind direction.¡± I exclaimed at the elf. It was a really useful product. ¡°Exactly. Unlike clothes that trap the wearer¡¯s odor. This is more comfortable and less of a hassle to use. A single application will last for 24 hours.¡± He said proudly. ¡°How much is it? I¡¯d like to buy one.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, you can only order them in bulk. You can give me your department''s contacts and we will send a proposal to your office. Here, take this sample.¡± He smiled and handed me a can. ¡°Thanks. Here are the sheriff''s office contacts.¡± I flicked the contacts on my holoscreen to his direction and stored the sample in my storage. I hoped I could convince the sheriff to buy them. I said my goodbyes to the sales elf and continued surveying the other products that were on display. The products I found were interesting but I could probably buy them at Tordan¡¯s and I called it a day walked to the exit. The rest of the afternoon was filled workshops, roundtable discussions, and when the all activities was over, I called it a day and went to our suite after dinner. I turned on the flatscreen for Hera and switched the channel to her favorite program. I looked on as the bear eagerly watched the fight and wondered if Hera would go a tv withdrawal when we return back home. I jumped on the bed and just relaxed. My mind was swirling with ideas from the new information I learned from the seminars. I replayed the speaker¡¯s conclusions in my mind and I felt mixed emotions about what the future might bring. The possibility of an entirely new species of dangerous animals appearing on earth filled me with both excitement and dread. Two things were for certain in any event: The world will become more exciting and it will be good business for hunters. -- ¡°Ovher heyah! Hunner!¡± A grinning Miller was waving at me with his hat. He was in the front row near the raised stage of the auditorium and I sighed, then walked to the cowboy. ¡°Ah saved ya a seat. C¡¯mon, it¡¯s fixinn-ta start!¡± He patted the proffered seat clean and I sat on it. Hera laid down in front of me and yawned. I nodded to Rogers in greeting who was sitting beside me. ¡°Thanks. What¡¯s the fuzz all about.¡± I examined the people in the room and they were talking animatedly. The buzz of the people¡¯s conversations was loud enough that I adjusted my Auric Mod. ¡°Thay say thair''s is a surprise later. This beder be good. Hehehe. ¡± He rubbed his hands and his eyes glinted. ¡°What¡¯s he talking about?¡± I asked Rogers ¡°I dunno. The say it¡¯s a demonstration of some kind .¡± He shrugged. I took out the activity sheet and there was no mention the topic of the presentation. This was the final event of the conference and I expected more information from the organizers. I checked the time and the special guest speaker was late. We were making small talk for fifteen minutes and the crowd was getting antsy at the delay. Finally, a man wearing a suit approached the mic stand on the stage and tested the audio. ¡°Mic test. 1.2.3. Good Afternoon. My name is Joffrey Baumhuger, Professor of Zoology at UC-Berkeley. I would like to thank the committee for inviting me to this conference.¡± He introduced himself with a thin voice. He wore thick black glasses and had a malnourished look. ¡°He needs to eat more meat.¡± Rogers quipped and we snickered at the thin professor. ¡°I am here to discuss alternative methods on the suppression of cored species for eventual capture. We...¡± I frowned at the professor. Suppress and capture? ¡°Did he say, suppress?¡± Rogers asked incredulously ¡°Capture? What thuh fuk is ''e jawing about.¡± Miller said loudly and several people looked at him. ¡°Shush! I¡¯m trying to listen.¡± I admonished them. ¡°It is not the fault of the animals when they attack humans and we should prioritize capturing them in the most humane way. We, humans, have encroached on their habitat and we should respect them, not kill them. Animals have rights too and they should be protected as if they were people themselves. My fellow professors at the UC-Berkeley have devised a way to neutralize these innocent animals without killing them.¡± ¡°Kay-yun ya believe this fucker!¡± Miller yelled at the man and the entire room joined with him. ¡°Fuckin tree hugger. Why did they invite him?¡± ¡°I guess the animals have more rights than the victims!¡± This was utter madness. I recalled how the Onyx Cougar ambushed Deputy Connelly and killed the biker. The cat almost got me too except Hera was there to protect me. The cougar¡¯s method of hunting the two victims was eerily too cunning for a normal animal. The incident still nagged me a lot and it was as if a human planned the attack. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, please let me continue.¡± He pleaded with the angry crowd and the people quieted down. I glanced at the faces of the hunters and they were not happy. ¡°Thank you. I know this is hard to believe but I have a demonstration for you. This will rest your doubts. Officer Dubanowski, Please begin.¡± He announced. As if on cue, a smug faced Officer Dubanowski entered from the from the side of the stage and supervised a team of men dragging a wheeled steel cage. The sound of shocked voices echoed across the auditorium and I stared at the snarling animal confined inside the bars. ¡°I, present to you. A Razor Tiger!¡± He said with a flourish. A snarling tiger was in the cage and it was a foot taller than Hera. It was shaped like a Siberian tiger but it was covered with a dark brown fur instead. I stared at the tiger¡¯s large golden eyes and I could feel the hate coming from it. Hera saw the tiger when she was awakened by the snarls and she tensed up. She growled at the tiger and took off her gloves with her mouth. ¡°Easy, Hera.¡± I calmed her down and rubbed her shoulders. She ignored me and I sensed a challenge was being issued to the Tiger. ¡°I would like to thank Officer Dubanowski for capturing this beautiful specimen. As you can see, he is very agitated and aggressive.¡± The professor didn¡¯t notice Hera growls and he continued. ¡°Now, here is the genius of our proposal. A dart filled with nanites.¡± He held up a modified tranquilizer dart and inserted it into a pistol. ¡°When the nanites are injected into the animal, the nanites attaches to the part of the Tiger¡¯s brain that controls its aggression and suppresses it completely. Please observe.¡± We were completely silent and was watching the demonstration intensely. The professor aimed the tranquilizer gun at the Tiger and fired. The dart shot out and it embedded on the dark brown skin of the tiger. The pain of the dart made the Razor Tiger angrier and sparks flew when its knife sized claws hit the bars. The angry cat snarled loudly but after a few seconds, there was a remarkable change in its movements. The tiger became sluggish and it stopped battering the steel bar. The tiger then laid on the floor of the caged and it was completely docile. ¡°As you can see, the nanites work. We used this method in capturing this animal. To prove my confidence in this method. Officer?¡± He said smiled proudly and nodded to the officer. The smug man fiddled with the cage and my eyes were filled with horror when I saw him take out the bar panels from the cage. ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± ¡°Stupid Fucker!¡± The crowd backed off instantly and moved as far away as they could from the uncaged tiger. I couldn¡¯t move because I was holding on to Hera. She was ready to charge the uncaged tiger but I held on tight on her vest. ¡°Hera, Calm down!¡± She relented and backed off. ¡°I¡¯m outta here!¡± ¡°This is fukin unsafe¡± ¡°Ah ain¡¯t gonna be here wheyn that kitty changes its mahnd. Less go bois.¡± Miller declared. He and his posse started walking to the aisle. I agreed with him that this demonstration was too dangerous no matter what that egghead demonstrated. I nudged Hera to follow me and I walked to the aisle. The crowd murmured and some people at the back rows started leaving the room. ¡°No, Don¡¯t leave. It¡¯s entirely safe. See.¡± The professor walked to the Razor Tiger and he was five feet away from the feline. I didn¡¯t care what he said and turned away from the stage. As I was about to step on the aisle, a terrifying sound reverberated through the room. I turned my head instinctively at the sound and my worst fear was realized. *Rooooooooowl* The Razor Tiger snarled and pounced at the professor, pinning him to the stage. Chapter 22 - Tigger stole Winnies hunny *Roooowl* The Razor Tiger¡¯s loud bestial roar filled the room and the sound froze everyone in the auditorium. The unlikely possibility that a dangerous animal was loose among us, stupefied everyone and the terrible sound awakened the lizard part of our brain that was dormant in our consciousness. It tripped our fight or flight response and made the people in the room hesitate to act. But, there was only one in the room that didn¡¯t have that problem and she leaped on the stage to confront the tiger. Hera stood up on her hind legs and roared a challenge at the Razor Tiger. Her voice was now as every bit as primal as the tiger¡¯s and her immature roar was now gone. She was no longer the cuddly bear I tried to pass off to the other hunters in the conference. The cute, shy, and kind bear was now replaced with the miniature version of North America¡¯s deadliest apex predator. While other predators could boast of their faster speed and their cunning, but none could surpass the Great Bear¡¯s ferocity in a fight. The Razor Tiger, hearing the challenge whipped its head to the bear and ignored the professor altogether. Standing up, Hera was now a head taller than the tiger and she tried to intimidate her opponent with her height. Hera was nowhere the near size of her mother, true, but that didn¡¯t matter to her as she moved closer to the tiger.The tiger bared its teeth at the bear, stepped away from the man and squared off with the growling Hera. I pulled out my rifle from storage and aimed the rifle at the tiger¡¯s head. I slowly pulled the trigger but a loud command made me release the pressure. ¡°HOLD YER FAYIAH!¡± ¡°LET THEM FIGHT!¡± Someone yelled and I looked back at the crowd. Some had their rifles out and was aiming at the tiger. ¡°FUCK HIM UP, GIRL!¡± A female voice encouraged Hera and everyone lowered their rifles slowly. ¡°GIT SUM!¡± Miller hollered at Hera and the other hunters cheered the bear on. I reluctantly lowered my rifle in assent and apprehensively watched as the two predators circled each other. In the corner of my vision, I saw the professor crawl away from impending fight, he stood up and jumped down from the stage. Everyone in the room was cheering like we were in a coliseum watching two gladiators fight. I returned my attention back to the animals and watched anxiously for them to make a move. Both of them were wary of each other and neither of them attacked first. Suddenly, without any warning, the two charged at one another as if a silent bell rang to signal the start of the fight. There was loud thud as the two animals collided and they started clawing each other. Hera stood up again to give her a height advantage on the tiger and swung a powerful right hooking paw at its head. Her razor sharp claws hit the side of the cat¡¯s face and the tiger staggered sideways from the impact. Hera didn¡¯t stop attacking and another blindingly fast left paw smashed the tiger¡¯s jaw. The cat counterattacked with lightning fast strikes at Hera¡¯s chest and I was afraid that the tiger¡¯s claws would hurt her. I was relieved when I saw the armor vest protected her against the barrage and Hera retaliated with blows to the body while she ignored the tiger¡¯s ineffectual attacks. The tiger retreated from Hera and it was reassessing the situation. They circled one another again, both trying to get an advantage over each other. As they were about to clash again, a booming sound of a rifle shot ripped my attention away from the battle and whipped my head to the sound. ¡°Ya stupid fucker!¡± Miller snarled. I saw Miller holding down the smoking barrel of officer Dubanowski¡¯s rifle. ¡°You made me miss, Asshole! I cou...¡± He wasn¡¯t able to finish that sentence, on the account of a well-placed punch on his jaw by Miller and he crumbled on the floor, knocked out. I looked back to the stage to watch the fight but I saw that the Razor Tiger was running away towards the backstage with the growling Hera pursuing. ¡°That shot spooked the tiger!¡± Someone exclaimed. I didn¡¯t waste any time and jumped on the stage to follow Hera. I chased them backstage and the two animals were knocking down a lot of audio equipment and boxes full of wires. I found myself jumping a big fallen speaker and the feline crashed through a partially opened door. I ran after Hera through the broken door and saw a man entering the room from outside. The tiger smashed aside the man with its shoulder and he went flying to the wall. The man was slammed to the wall unconscious and I hurried to his side to check him. The feline was unbalanced with the collision and Hera caught up with it. She jumped on the tiger¡¯s back and they were rolling on the floor clawing each other. The tiger¡¯s face and its body were sporting long bloody wounds from Hera¡¯s sharp claws and I examined the bear¡¯s condition. I was alarmed when I saw lots of bloody spots on Hera¡¯s fur that was not covered by the armor vest. I heard loud footsteps behind me and I turned around to see Miller was also pursuing the Razor Tiger. ¡°Shiyeet.¡± He muttered when he saw the bloody man near the wall. Miller kneeled beside me and a medkit appeared in his hand. I looked at spry old coot as he performed first aid expertly and was satisfied that Miller knew what he was doing. I glanced back at Hera but saw the tiger escape her grasp and it leaped through emergency exit doors. The tiger was now outside the building free at last and a roaring Hera chased after it. I hesitated to follow and debated if I should wait for more hunters. ¡°Go, Ah got him. Don¡¯t let im getaway! Go!¡± Miller gently pushed me forward. I sprang to my feet and ran outside. The Razor Tiger was a fast runner as it made a beeline to the left side of the ski area but Hera was able to keep up with it as they ran parallel to the tree-covered slope. I was lagging behind them as I went around trees and I willed my Bear Core to give me more speed. My chest burned with the familiar sensation and my legs pumped harder with the nanites help. I was surprised at Hera¡¯s speed as she matched the tiger¡¯s pace. I concentrated running on the uneven forest floor and watched out for things that might trip me. The tiger changed its direction abruptly and moved towards the steep mountain slope to the left. Hera was slightly caught off guard but she was able to change course nimbly and continued the chase. I tried aiming the rifle while running but it was too difficult keeping the tiger in the crosshairs. Frustrated, I stored the rifle with a thought and ran upslope cursing. I took a quick look behind me and I saw down the slope the small figures of other deputies entering the woodline but they were too far away. I decided to not to wait for them as the danger of the tiger escaping overrode my sense of self-preservation. After ten minutes of brutal running, the three of us were on the base of the mountain and terrain was more rocky with fewer trees. The angle of the slope was getting steeper but the tiger wasn¡¯t having any difficulty going up and was stretching its lead. I having a hard time moving the thirty-five degree slope and I was getting winded. The high elevation of the area with the air¡¯s low oxygen content was starting to take a toll on me as I exerted my muscles. I could feel my heart pumping hard as it tried to supply my body with the necessary oxygen. I took deep breaths as the edges of my vision started to black out. I kicked myself for not getting the Mods to compensate for the high oxygen demand and I promised to buy them when I get back home. I slowed down to a fast walk as I struggled to keep up. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The razor tiger disappeared from view upslope and I forced myself to up the pace. There was a level area between the two mountains and I crawled up the lip. I saw the tiger leap behind a pile large rock boulders near the edge of the saddle and the cat hid behind it. Hera was approaching the large rocks cautiously and sniffed the general direction of where the tiger was. She made a low growl as she detected the hiding tiger. Breathing heavily, I materialized my rifle from storage and shakily aimed at the boulders as I walked slowly towards it. I was glad at the respite even though I knew this was most likely the final confrontation of this chase. I motioned Hera to take the right side of the boulders while I took the left near the cliff. We walked towards it slowly taking care not make any noise. As I neared the edge of the rocks, the tiger appeared in front of me and it took me by surprise. I hastily took a shot at the large animal but missed hitting it by inches. The tiger charged at me and bowled me over. I was stunned when I hit the back of my head on the rocky ground and the rifle flew out of my nerveless hand from the impact. The gun skittered over the lip of the saddle and clattered noisily down the mountain. The world was spinning and I tried to get up from the ground. The Tiger swiped its paws across my chest and I was thrown back near the edge of the slope. The wind was knocked out of me and I tried to hold on to the rocks to stop me from rolling down the slope. A moan escaped my lips from the pain in my chest and it felt like I broke a couple of ribs. The Tiger was about to attack me again but Hera appeared from behind the boulders and jumped on the cat¡¯s back. This time, instead of clawing her opponent, Hera grappled the tiger from behind like an MMA fighter and they fell to the ground with the tiger on top of her. The bear¡¯s four paws were holding back the feline¡¯s kicking limbs as the tiger tried in vain to break away from Hera¡¯s grip. Hera had the advantage of leverage and she slowly pulled the tiger¡¯s legs back with her paws. The tiger¡¯s chest was vulnerably exposed and the cat snarled in distress. Seeing the opening, I took out my monoblade and ran to the tangled animals. I leaped forward with my blade in both hands and plunged the monoblade in the tiger¡¯s chest. The beast wailed with an anguished cry and like a hot knife through butter, I pulled the monoblade towards me disemboweling the tiger. I grimaced when my face was splashed with the feline¡¯s hot blood and I stepped far away from the spasming body. I wiped the blood away from my face and flicked the blood off the monoblade. Hera let go of the tiger and pushed the body away from her. She stood up on her hind legs and roared to the sky in victory. He dropped down on all fours and patted the dead tiger¡¯s body with her paw. Satisfied that it was truly dead, she came to me and gave me a big bear hug. ¡°Owww. Not so hard, Hera.¡± I winced at the pain from my ribs and pushed her away gently. ¡°C¡¯mon, let me see your wounds.¡± I checked her body and there were long shallow lacerations on her unprotected skin. I took out my first aid kit and applied it to Hera. She whined when the clotting agent did it work. ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby.¡± I chided her as she tried to pull away from my ministrations. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a dozen jelly donuts if you stay still.¡± I bribed her. She heard the magic words and she froze so I could finish applying first aid. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s finished.¡± I said after I glued the last of the wounds close. ¡°Oh. I forgot.¡± The other hunters were probably still looking for me and I needed to show them my location. I took out a flare gun from my storage and fired it in the sky. The burning flare hanged in the air slowly as the parachute deployed. I groaned in pain when sat on a nearby rock and I unzipped my jacket to examine my battered ribs. They didn¡¯t seem to be broken when I prodded them gently and I surmised that they were only bruised. The Strength Mod finally paid off when it reinforced my bones were with nanites. Without the mod, the tiger¡¯s attack might have crushed my chest. I exhaled in relief and watched Hera as she ate the tiger¡¯s organs greedily. I learned from the lectures that most of the nanites were concentrated in the heart and liver. I scrutinized Hera¡¯s bloody fur and realized her skin needed to toughen up more. This was a good way for Hera to acquire more nanites and improve her body. I examined the sun and there were maybe two or three hours of daylight left. I decide to wait for the other hunters to come to me because I was too tired to go looking for them. I slowly relaxed from the day¡¯s pandemonium and contemplated the actions I took in chasing the tiger by ourselves. I concluded that it was a risk that I had to take or else someone would have died if we let the tiger roam free. If that idiot only held his fire and didn¡¯t spook the tiger, Hera would have won hands down without my help. That brilliant grappling move that she did was eerily similar to a submission hold and I bet she copied it from watching tv. I shook my head and wondered what other tricks she had up her sleeve. ¡°Hey, Hunter! Ya still alive?¡± A voice yelled out. I quickly stood up and carefully looked down the slope. Miller and his posse was slowly climbing up with their rifles pointed up. ¡°I¡¯m fine! Come on up!¡± I waved at them and I had a large grin plastered on my face. They saw me and they ran up. I grabbed their hands and pulled them up one by one. ¡°Ya lose this, pardner? Hehehe.¡± He handed me my Gauss rifle and checked it if it was broken. It was still fine but had a few scratches on the surface. They found my Gauss rifle when they saw it tumbling down the slope and deduced my general location. They were examining the tiger¡¯s body and was taking pictures with their cellphones. ¡°Jesus, Hunter. You only used a monoblade?¡± He asked incredulously. He was kneeling near the corpse and was examining the open chest cavity. ¡°I dropped my rifle.¡± I shrugged. They looked at me with raised eyebrows. ¡°C¡¯mon! Moar details!¡± Miller yelled. I told them about the chase and the fight. They laughed and shook their heads in disbelief when I told them of Hera¡¯s new found fighting skills. ¡°You didn¡¯t wait for us.¡± Rogers said pouting. ¡°He done not need our help. Hera¡¯s clahws did a numbah on the fuckerr. Good kill tho.¡± Miller scratched his jaw while he looked at the tiger¡¯s body. ¡°Tha settles it. Ah''m gonna get me a huntin pardner.¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s your funeral.¡± Rogers shrugged at Miller. ¡°How about the other hunters? Did you guys saw them coming up here?¡± ¡°Thay all ovher thuh place! It¡¯ll take ''em awhile t'' fahnd us. Hehehe.¡± His eyes glinted and walked to the tiger¡¯s body. ¡°Wha you guys waitin'' for?¡± He looked us and grinned. He took out his monoblade from storage and started dressing the tiger¡¯s body.