Here's a story commissioned by  draegwolf featuring his characters set in  ebonyleopard's Extinctioners universe. Here, Rush and Dash take on their first major case, and find that their world is getting a whole lot crazier...

characters ©  draegwolf
setting ©  ebonyleopard
thumbnail image is from here: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/13496813/


Pariah
written by Aelius[/i]


“How long has it been?”

“About four-and-a-half-hours.”

“I hate stake-outs…”

Dash leaned back on the musty old hotel bed, having abandoned his worries of catching fleas on it after getting bored hours ago. “Why couldn’t they have picked a better location to meet than the Grotto? At least in places like the Vale, the cheap hotels have TVs that work.”

Rush sat at the room’s only window, his gaze still fixed out on the street. “Because down here in the lowest part of the city, no one cares if a corrupt cop and a shady trafficker are conversing with each other.” He let out a sigh, losing his patience at the situation, too. “That is, when the trafficker has the decency to even show up.”

Outside on the street, an off-duty officer, a bat in plain clothes, leaned against one of the graffiti-covered buildings that filled the lowest level of Aerie known as the Grotto. It was a sub-level of the city where old, ruined buildings sat alongside remnants of train tunnels, caves, and ancient skeletons of structures that used to host bright, hopeful visionaries before Aerie eventually grew large enough to abandon them for more promising modern architecture.

The only way Rush knew of the officer’s corruption was from notes gathered by his now-missing client, Jasmine. Rush figured this would be a typical missing persons case, a perfect way for Pariah Investigations to make a name for itself. When people were afraid to trust official authorities, private investigation remained a viable alternative, and the two felin brothers had an edge in closing their cases thanks to their unique talents.

Rush saw a small, canvas-topped SUV pull up next to the officer.

“Dash, we got activity.”

Dash hopped off the bed and trotted over as Rush carefully opened the window.

The SUV parked and a rhino stepped out, addressing the officer with a short nod.

Rush tried to focus his minicam, but the rhino’s back was turned and a harsh neon light above worsened the amount of shadows at street level. He felt his heart hammering in his chest. At last, a key element to his case presented itself. He had to get this. Not only did Pariah Investigations’ reputation hinge on this case, but so did Jasmine’s fate. He hoped his recent string of luck and fortune would continue to play out in this case.

He leaned out, trying to get a better angle for his camera. Though the light was not good, he could still hear the conversation below.


“Well? What’s your answer, Parker?” asked the rhino.

The officer kept his wings wrapped around his body, “I can get you a half-hour window. There won’t be a single cop near you once I give the signal, but that doesn’t mean civilians won’t notice anything suspicious.”

“That’s not a problem for me. The civilians over there know better than to get involved with strange business. Most of ’em are already conducting shady dealings of their own in that area.”

“Fine. Just don’t forget your deal. Fifteen percent extra for my troubles.”

“Relax. As soon as we’ve left, I’ll send it all to your account.”

“My private account. My superiors are getting suspicious about my absences and I’m afraid they’re gonna start scanning.”

“Like said, relax. My organization is already aware. Keep your cover and you’ve nothing to worry about.” The rhino turned to get back into his truck. “We leave in exactly four hours. Make sure we get our half-hour of peace by then.” He froze, glancing up as part of the neon light overhead reflected off Rush’s minicam. “You said this place was safe, Parker!”

The bat glanced up and pulled out his pistol, “It was! Go, hurry!” He fired off a few shots, sending the felins back into the building.

The rhino jumped into his vehicle, “You just lost your extra fifteen percent!”


Dash fired back to send the officer diving behind his hovercycle while Rush leaped out the window and landed perfectly on the truck’s canvas top before it sped off.

Dash dove out the window, caught the fire escape railing, and slid down to run at Parker.

The bat lifted his gun, “You just made a big mista—” He froze—Dash had already detached the pistol’s slide, rendering it useless.

“About what?” said the felin, grinning. He socked Parker in the stomach.

The bat hit the ground curling in pain. Dash grabbed the corrupt officer’s hovercycle. “Mind if I borrow this?” He started it up and sped off in pursuit of the rhino.


Rush clung tight to the SUV’s roof, shredding the canvas top with his claws.

The truck swerved into street traffic and weaved among cars and pedestrians, clipping nearly every vehicle it passed.

Rush jolted on top of the truck, trying to maintain his grip. Gunfire erupted from within as the rhino tried to dislodge the felin. Rush twisted to avoid the bullet holes springing up around him. He pulled out his own gun and fired down into the cockpit.

The truck swerved down a narrower street, skidding and raking its side against a wall. Despite the bullet wounds in his leg, the rhino kept his foot down, moving full-speed with no care for what got in his way. He lunged up in his seat, spiking the canvas roof with his horn.

Rush let go to avoid him, clawing back down above the rear seat. He dodged the trash and debris blasting past as the rhino rammed anything in his path.

Rush aimed down and fired again, trying to connect non-lethal but still crippling shots against the driver. As the truck kept moving, however, he realized the seat cushion’s framework was deflecting the shots. It was impossible from this angle.

“Of course it is…” Rush muttered to himself, frustrated. He grated his claws against the canvas to make an opening and slid in upside down, then shoved the gun against the rhino’s skull. “Pull over or I will shoot!”

The rhino jerked the wheel, swerving the truck down another street and throwing Rush against the side window.

He pulled out another gun and haphazardly aimed behind him, “Get out!”

Rush coiled in attempt to avoid the first few shots, then realized the only way to dodge the rest was to do as asked. He hit the door handle and fell out, right onto Dash following close on the hovercycle. He grabbed one of the hoverpod arms, struggling to keep his body on the vehicle.

Dash fought to keep a straight line with his younger brother thrashing about on the front bumper, “Hey! Hold still!”

The SUV accelerated ahead. Its open door struck a street vendor cart and sent it spinning.

Dash tried to serve away, but Rush’s weight threw off the balance and the hovercycle tipped, skidding sideways and crashing into the cart. Rush fell forward onto clutter of sausage buns and plastic condiment bottles before rolling onto the street.

Dash shoved the bike off and staggered to his feet. He saw the SUV disappear into traffic as a crowd gathered, some to gawk at the spectacle, a few to offer help, and more to raid the spilled food.

“What happened there??” yelled Dash. “I thought you said you were on a lucky streak.”

Rush tried to rub off ketchup and mustard stains on his shirt, but only smeared them. “Yeah, but in this case, luck meant not dying. Did you get the plate number on that truck?”

Dash blinked. “No… I was trying to keep up with it.”

Rush sighed, stopping himself from rubbing his forehead and staining his beret with sauce. “Then we might’ve just lost this case. They know they’re being watched now.”

“Yeah, and I bet that cop is gonna send the entire force after us, too.”

“You’re right,” came a voice behind them.

They turned to see another police officer, a female Pomeranian dog, approaching with her gun raised. Behind her, five more officers followed, avians on wing swooping in to land. “You two just ruined a deep cover operation that’s been going on for months. Congratulations.”

The policemen handcuffed the two cats as a cruiser pulled up.

The Pomeranian holstered her gun and pulled out her badge. “I’m officer Nadia Palmer, Aerie City Police Department, Special Investigations Division.”

Rush smirked, “You know that spells ‘SID,’ right? Not the most flattering nickname.”

Nadia shoved Rush back against the cruiser. “You should be more worried about what we’re gonna do to you two, now that you’ve blown months of work.”

“Maybe we can help,” said Dash. “We’re private investigators, and we’ve obtained plenty of information regarding a series of kidnappings down here.”

“Nice try, but I seriously doubt a bunch of P.I.’s will have the level of intel the A.C.P.D. has been able to gather.”

“How about the fact that Officer Parker has been taking bribes from two or three different gang outfits? Or the fact he’s been swiping evidence to give to various black market agents like the one we just tried to chase? Oh, or how about that he promised to keep authorities away from something that’s going to go down four hours from now? Go ahead and ask him.”

Nadia blinked, “I’ll… take that into consideration, but we’ll need more evidence than your word.”

“We’ve got a file full of notes by an investigative journalist who’s mysteriously disappeared—the same person we’ve been trying to track down on this case,” said Rush. “We’ve got more to offer if you’re willing to discuss some leeway for us.”

“That depends on the quality of your information. You’ll have to do better than bribery claims if you want to be let off the hook, guys.”

Dash shuffled over to Rush’s side. “Well, you won’t find our notes down here. Why don’t we go and get them for you?”

He lashed out, hands free of the cuffs, and swiped Nadia’s pistol from its holster then fired into the air, sending the nearby officers scrambling for cover. In the same motion he threw open the cruiser’s passenger door, “Get in!”

Rush, already freed by his brother, leaped in and moved into the passenger’s seat right before Dash tossed the gun and followed in to take the wheel.

Nadia grabbed the door handle but it was already locked, “That was a huge mistake!” she yelled.

Dash slammed the accelerator and took off.

“She’s right…” Rush said, wide-eyed from adrenaline. “That was a really stupid stunt.”

“It’s keeping us out of prison while we get this case figured out. I’m not gonna let our leads get cold when we’ve already compromised a separate investigation.”

Rush let out a breath. “Well, now we have to clear this case, and the results better be worth it because if we don’t uncover something huge, then we’re heading straight to jail once we finish.”

Dash grinned, “And we’d be sharing cells with a few perps I put in there, too. That’s a good motivation.”

“I’d ask how you got out of those cuffs so quickly, but considering you’re a former cop…”

“C’mon, it’s not that hard when you have claws. In fact, whoever cuffed us should be reprimanded for not securing our fists first.”

“You’d still get out.”

“Yeah, but it would have been more of a challenge.”

Red and blue flashed behind them.

“That didn’t take long…” Dash muttered.

Two cruisers rapidly approached behind them. Dash hit his own stolen car’s lights and siren, hoping to entice the traffic ahead to get out of the way.

“Do you have any idea where you’re going??” Rush asked, trying to hang on.

“Anywhere that they aren’t! I’m open to more suggestions!”

Rush studied their surroundings as their cruiser roared through the Grotto. His quicker-than-normal reflexes began piecing together landmarks and bits from memory of previous missions in Aerie’s lowest sector. In spite of everything moving way too fast and chaotic, he finally figured out a close destination. “How fast can you lose these guys?”

“Are you serious?? What do you think I’m trying to do?”

“Just turn left up here!”

Dash grabbed the e-brake and skidded around an intersection, nearly clipping an oncoming car. Behind them, one of the pursuing cruisers slammed on its brakes just in time to collide with the car’s rear bumper. The cruiser behind it nimbly swerved around and kept pace with the fugitives.

“Mind telling me your idea, Rush?”

Rush kept glancing back, “We need to ditch this car as soon as we lose them.”

“I know that part. What’s your plan after that?”

“We hope that Tasha will let us hide for a little while.”

The cruiser zoomed through a tunnel, its spastic lights reflecting off the concrete walls to nearly blind them.

Dash winced, “I don’t think she’s going to be too happy about us bringing this sort of attention to her brothel…”

“She owes us after that incident with the Pryde.”

“Bringing that up will just make her even angrier.”

“It’s the only option we have, Dash! So how long will it take you to ditch these guys?”

Dash grit his teeth. When they exited the tunnel he swerved right, smashing through a fence and rolling down an embankment onto a maintenance road bordered by tall buildings. The pursuing cruiser followed close, gaining speed.

Dash whipped the car left, crashing through a bent metal door into the remains of an abandoned warehouse. The two cars wove around support columns, narrowly missing pieces of leftover debris on the floor.

Rush kept his eyes ahead, figuring out a trajectory that could give them an advantage. “See that ramp on the right? Take us up to the upper deck. I think I see a way out.”

Dash knew better than to question his brother at a time like this. He already knew Rush had an almost supernaturally-keen sense of awareness when the time called for it. The stolen cruiser juked right and drove up with the pursuer still following close.

Street lights outside the shattered windows pulsed into the cockpit as the cruiser sped along the narrow second-story deck. With time appearing to dilate in Rush’s vision, he could already see a path outside.

“See that enormous hole in the wall coming up? We’re leaping through it.”

“I don’t think this car will fit.”

“No, but we will.”

Dash blinked, “Are you insane??”

“No time for this, Dash!”

Dash grumbled and hit the cruise control, then maneuvered next to his brother in the passenger seat, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. “This would be the perfect time to prove you’re still on that lucky streak. On your mark…”

The hole drew close on the right-hand wall. Rush opened the passenger door and clutched his brother’s hand. “One… two… now!”

The two felins bounded out of the car and threaded right through a gigantic crack in the warehouse’s wall, aided in no small part by their natural feline agility, leg power, and Rush’s impeccable timing.

Rush glanced down as they fell, and his eyes shot wide. “Oh, crap!”

They plunged into an ice-cold drainage river. The current violently threw them in the opposite direction, threatening to pull them apart. Dash twisted and wrapped both arms around his flailing brother.

“Stop squirming!”

Rush struggled to keep his head above water, at first fighting his brother’s grip then fighting his urge to panic. Stunned by the cold water he could barely think at first, other than about the fact he wanted to get out.

Dash held him tight in the current, trying to keep them both afloat.

The water carried them into a small tunnel, where the flow increased and Rush’s attempt to calm himself became harder.

inally, the tunnel ended and water opened up to a wider river, where Dash managed to pull Rush to the banks. Rush finally managed to stop struggling in Dash’s grip by then.

Dash helped his brother out of the water, “We… actually made it…,” he panted. “You really are lucky!”

Rush finally paused, hyperventilating. “No kidding, I almost thought that wouldn’t work.”

Dash blinked, “Are you serious? You actually doubted yourself??”

Rush gestured back the way they came, “You saw what we just did! That was statistically impossible!”

“We’re alive, so talking about impossibility is a few minutes too late. On another matter…” He gave his brother a light shove. “Someday you’re gonna have to get over this aquaphobia of yours…”

Rush coughed, still visibly shaken. “Well… it won’t be tonight…”

Dash smirked and leaned back, keeping an arm on his brother’s shoulder. “I guess not. That aside, you all right?”

“Y-yeah… I think so.” He gripped his head and winced, “Aw no…”

“Relax, I got it.” Dash handed him his black beret. “Snagged it before we went into the tunnel.”

Rush squeezed the river water from it with a wry grin, “Thanks.”

“So, you decided to jump out of there knowing that you’d end up in water?”

“I didn’t want to, but I figured it was better than keeping the chase going on longer, and I honestly thought the river wouldn’t be so deep. Or cold. I guess I forgot about the rain showers Aerie’s been getting lately.”

“Well, I guess it worked, but we gotta put some more distance between us and their search area.” Dash got to his feet and shook the water off. “C’mon, we better get a taxi.”

Rush followed suit and the two felins made their way up the banks. They scaled a border fence then trudged along the road until finally spotting a taxi cab.

As soon as they got in, the driver turned and gave them a smirk. “What happen? You two jump in the river?”

“Yes,” they said in unison.


They got off a few blocks from their intended destination, hoping to discourage tracking if the driver told APD units he had driven them here.

Even down the road, Dash already saw the distinct pink glows from the windows of The Oasis. Bass thuds from it reverberated through the area.

“Let’s hope she’s in a good mood this time.”

They entered into what appeared to be a thriving nightclub, complete with a bar to their left staffed by beautiful ladies and a wild dance club to the right, where lasers and lights flashed among partiers. A mouse was at the turn tables on a higher platform, moving to the groove of the music.

Rush tugged his brother’s shoulder and they headed toward a set of nearby stairs. The striped felin waved at one of the bouncers, a thick-chested copper rooster.

“Remember us? We’re back…”

The rooster gave him a stare, then stepped back to allow them up. “You might wanna dry yourselves off first…”

At the top of the staircase, they passed an elegant balcony area and went straight to a thick door at the back. By now the nightclub portion below had already transitioned to a slower-tempo song.

Inside was a pleasantly-decorated lobby filled with warm colors, plush furniture, and walls and glass that suppressed much of the nightclub’s music, save for some of the bass. Rush and Dash looked horrendously out of place, standing in sopping-wet clothing and fur.

Dash lifted his nose, “Hm, they changed the scents in here. Smells nicer than before.”

“Pheromones,” Rush replied. “And a hint of… lilac, I think.”

“How would you know?”

“Katie smelled just like this last time we dated.” Rush blinked. “You don’t think she came from here, do you?”

A cute chipmunk girl approached, smiling, “Welcome to the Oasis!” She paused, noticing their soaked clothing. “We… can get some towels for you.”

Rush stepped forward, “Thanks, but we really need to talk to Tasha. It’s important. Tell her Rush asked you.”

The chipmunk nodded and hurried off to find her mistress, directing one of the other ladies to show the felins in.

Dash managed to pull his gaze from some of the nearby ladies. “So, what explanation are you going to give her?”

“I’ll just say we’re on an important case. Who knows, maybe she’s heard something about the kidnappings. She’s an information broker and I’d figure word like that travels pretty quick among these circles.”

Rush looked up and saw the chipmunk rounding a corner, accompanied by a silver-furred chinchilla lady in a stunning blue dress.

Tasha took one look at the two soaked felins and rolled her eyes. “All right, you two. Follow me…”


In one of The Oasis’s many bedrooms, Tasha offered them some towels and then leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “When I said you two were welcome to stop by, I didn’t mean showing up looking like bums. It’s bad for appearances.”

Rush rubbed one of his ears, trying futilely to get water out. “Well, next time you should be more specific. Anyways, we need to ask a favor.”

“And that is?”

“We kinda… got into some trouble with the local cops and need to lay low for a bit.”

Tasha groaned, “Are you kidding? Now? Look, I don’t need that kind of heat on my business. Officer Palmer’s already got it out for me.”

Dash smirked, “Ah, so you’ve met her too!”

“Yes, and I’d like to avoid her from now on. It’ll be much easier to if you two aren’t leading her here.”

Rush took in a breath, dreading what he was about to say, “Tash… I really don’t wanna bring this up, but I think you owe us after driving some of those Pryde thugs away.”

Tasha glared at him, “When I said ‘I owe you one,’ it was just an expression!”

Dash nodded, “But you did say it. Admit it, your bouncers couldn’t handle them all alone.”

“I’ve taken measures to fix that. Most of my girls are enrolled in top-level self-defense courses and I’ve hired a few more bouncers.”

Rush lifted an eyebrow, “I’m surprised they weren’t already, considering some of the things I overheard them discussing after that Pryde incident. They seemed very knowledgeable about some sensitive information regarding public officials, crackdown programs, et cetera…”

Tasha sighed and rubbed her face, “All right, fine. You two can stay a night but that doesn’t mean the company is free.”

Rush gave a playful frown, “Aww…”

“That’s, um, not what we were aiming for,” Dash replied. “I like your thinking, though. Say, we were also wondering if you knew anything about a series of kidnappings around here.”

“This is the Grotto. It’d be stranger if kidnappings weren’t so common.”

“C’mon, you know what we mean,” said Rush. “We’re on an important case involving a missing investigative journalist. A skunk, female, spotted fur coat. There’s some kind of pattern she was trying to figure out and now she is probably one of the victims. Haven’t you heard anything?”

Tasha rubbed her chin, “Hmm… There’s nothing I can say for certain, but I have heard about some odd disappearances ever since a group of public aid workers opened free clinics for the poor. I didn’t think the two instances would be related, but lately I’ve had some strange hunches about those workers.”

“Well, we know you have good instincts. Maybe they could be a front for an organ trafficking operation?”

Dash tossed away his towel and straightened his shirt. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Back when I was on the force I heard about some black market operations that targeted the poor and homeless, under the impression that a response from the authorities would be slower. We busted a few of ’em, but they were all small-time gigs. Nothing organized.”

“Well, maybe that’s about to change,” said Rush. “Where are those clinics located?”

Tasha shrugged, “They pop up here and there. I think I remember seeing one about three or four miles south of here, on 12th Street.”

“We’ll start there.”

“After the heat dies down,” said Dash. “Besides it’s a lot better waiting here than at that motel anyway.”

Tasha turned to leave, “Make yourselves comfortable, and consider us even.”

Rush hopped back and landed on the bed, grinning. “I’m beginning to like this case now! Let’s have ’em dry our clothes while we’re waiting.”

Dash tugged at his still-damp shirt. “We don’t have a change of clothing. You expect us to walk around in nothing but our own fur until they’re dry?”

“Remember where we are, Dash. We don’t need clothing for what we’ll be doing while we wait.”

Dash smirked, “I knew you’d say that…”

“I wonder if those two snowshoe cat twins—”

The door opened and the chipmunk stepped in, then carefully shut it back. “I overheard you guys talking with Tasha. About the clinics, I mean.”

Rush leaned up, “You know something?”

She nodded, “Yeah. I know for a fact there’s something strange going on with them.” She looked around. “I… don’t want to talk about it here, though. I’m afraid Tash might listen in.”

Rush tilted his head, “I know Tasha, she’s trustworthy.”

“Yeah, but… well… Listen, I’m just afraid I might say something that would set her off.”

Rush and Dash exchanged glances.

Rush slid off the bed, “I guess it’s understandable if you’re uneasy discussing sensitive topics here… y’know, considering the kinds of secrets the rest of the girls seem to know. Is there somewhere more private we can talk?”

Dash knocked on the wall, “These rooms were designed to be private.”

The chipmunk nodded to the door, “You’d be surprised… C’mon, I think it’s safe outside in the alley.”

The two brothers traded uneasy glances, but followed her through The Oasis’s lounge and down a staircase beyond a back hallway.

“My name is Vica, by the way,” said the chipmunk.

Dash smiled. “Cute name.”

Rush muttered, “Cute body, too.” Dash turned and elbowed him. “Ow! What, that’s a compliment in this place.”

Vica let out a chuckle and opened the exit door. They came out into an alleyway lit by a dim floodlight and a pink neon sign further out near the street.

“All right,” said Dash as he shut the door. “Whatta ya got for us?”

Vica whirled and threw a punch, narrowly avoided by Dash. Rush grabbed her from behind but an air blast sent him into the other wall.

Dash circled around her, “You work for ’em, don’t you? The aid workers?”

Vica only stared back, but Dash noticed pieces of gravel and broken glass swirling around her feet.

“Rush, you okay?”

His brother stumbled around, dazed, but remained standing. “Give me a sec…”

Vica charged at Dash. The felin dodged left and grabbed her arm, but another blast sent him barreling down the alley. She whirled and flung another burst, but Rush had already dove away.

The felin rolled to his feet and launched himself at the chipmunk, tackling her to the asphalt.

Vica struggled in his grip, then finally unleashed another blast, throwing Rush into the air and Dash further back before he could come close.

Rush grabbed a nearby fire escape ladder, stopping his fall but leaving himself open. Vica turned and gazed up at him, then smiled wickedly.

She motioned upward but the ground under her erupted, flinging her backward into a wall. More cracks appeared under her and metal pipes covered in sparking wires jutted out, warping into a pair of gigantic hands.

Vica blasted one to shrapnel, but the other grabbed her and slammed her against the opposite wall. The neon sign above erupted in sparks, then wires shot out from it, wrapped around her neck, and delivered a powerful shock. The chipmunk slumped in the metal hand’s grip, out cold.

Rush swung to a closed dumpster and hopped to the ground just as Dash approached, staring up at the gigantic metal hand.

“What the Kenal just happened?? Was that you?” he asked his brother.

Rush held out his hands with a confused expression, “What makes you think I can do that?”

Dash turned, seeing the door back into The Oasis cracked open and the glimmer of eyes looking out. “C’mon out. We know you’re watching.”

A male mouse, the same DJ in the nightclub, timidly walked out. “Uh… s-sorry…” he muttered. “I just wanted to help.”

Rush grinned and held out his hand, “That was your doing? That’s impressive. I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff but that right there topped everything.”

The mouse glanced away, suppressing a smile, “I haven’t gotten the hang of it just yet. It’s hard to practice, as you can imagine.” His eyes went wide, “Don’t tell anyone! I don’t want a bunch of suits coming in and poking me with probes and stuff.”

Dash held up his hands, “Relax. My brother and I specialize in keeping things under the radar. Besides, I doubt anyone would believe us anyway. Your secret’s safe with us. Call me Dash.”

“I’m Tommy,” replied the mouse. He stared up at Vica. “I always had a feeling about her.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rush.

“Well, I know a lot of Tasha’s… um, ‘employees’ are also spies, so I figured it was only a matter of time until a double agent came in to spy on her. That and, well, she can make air blasts.”

Dash turned to his brother, “Yeah, we might need to report to someone about that…”

“Like whom? Last I checked, there are no agencies equipped to handle superpowers,” Rush retorted. “And besides, that’d risk someone finding out about our connection to her. I say we just turn her in and note that she’s a lethal ops agent or something. First, however…” Rush climbed up the metal arm and rummaged around Vica’s coat.

“Any clues?” Dash asked below.

“Her coat has that rhino’s scent on it… and it smells like it’s been near a beach, too.” Rush glanced down. “The beach… no, the ocean! We gotta check out Aerie Harbors. What if those clinics are fronts for black market surveyors? Potential victims could be abducted and shipped out into international waters, while local authorities are conducting searches on the mainland.”

“Great, so how do we get there from here without getting noticed by the cops?”

Tommy spoke up, “I have an idea.”

He led them around to a nearby fenced-in lot where a bunch of beaten up cars sat. The mouse approached a boxy green car and put his hand on its frame. After a moment of concentration, rusty sheet metal flattened out over the frame. The car husk next to it warped and engine parts flew out and into the green car. Tires from two other nearby cars rolled over, pushed by axels that had already begun smoothing out. More metal twisted and bent until all the parts connected to make a working vehicle from the scrap.

Rush and Dash blinked in amazement. “This is unreal…” said Rush. “You’re a technokinetic.”

Tommy nodded, “I can’t guarantee this thing will hold up, but I’m confident that it’ll get you to the Harbors. The only thing I haven’t figured out is out to start it.”

Dash got into the driver’s seat. “No problem, this is an old model. Easy to hotwire. How long do you think it’ll take for a missing vehicle report to register around here?”

“These broken-down cars have been sitting there for over a year now, completely unusable,” said Tommy. “They’re all probably abandoned.”

“Good enough for me! Get in, Rush.”

Rush handed Tommy a business card, “Keep in touch,” and got in.


The car sped down a highway as dawn began to break high overhead.

Dash reached over and put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “You okay?”

Rush kept his gaze out the window, where he could already see the coast. “Still trying to accept the fact we just saw two individuals possessing abilities that defy all normal logic.”

Dash nodded. “You know… some might say your incredible luck defies logic, too.”

“Luck is arbitrary. But creating air blasts and reshaping metal with your mind? That’s straight up comic book stuff.”

Dash chuckled.

“That, and I’m nervous about blowing this case. We went through a lot already…”

“Hmph, I figured you were worried about the fact we might have to go out in all that water.”

“Well, that too. Maybe we can find a shipping manifest or something. Those public aid workers must be arriving by sea, after all. If we can find what boats their equipment and supplies are coming from, we got a good lead to follow and can call it in without even having to step onto one of ’em.”

“Before we do that, we gotta figure out how to get in. We left our forging kit back at the motel.” Dash blinked. “And now the police know we can forge documents… Crap…”

“Maybe they didn’t find our room.”

Dash sighed, “We’ll worry about that later. For now… got any ideas on bypassing barbed-wire fences and armed guards?”


In the dock office, a sea otter hummed the tune from a portable radio as he looked over various port requests from the day’s arrivals.

Rush shoved the door open pulling Dash in. “Hey! You guys approved a humanitarian group not too long ago, right?”

The otter blinked, “Um… I think so.” He glanced at Dash, whose ragged fur and weary expression looked extremely convincing. “But I think you should call a hospital if you need help.”

Rush waved the notion away, “It’s not an emergency, but there might be some sorta pandemic going around. Just tell us where they’re docked.”

“Er, I can’t give that information out. But you’re better off going to one of the tents in the city anyway. That’s where all the workers are.”

Dash glanced up at his brother, “Let’s just do that instead.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, we aren’t gonna get anywhere with him here.”


Outside, Dash straightened up as they walked to the docks. “Berth thirty-seven.”

Rush smirked, “You actually managed to flip through the papers that quick while I had him distracted?”

“I’m getting better, plus the request was near the top of the pile. That’s good news. It means they haven’t been here for too long yet.”

“Y’know, all that talk about super powers…”

“I don’t need power,” said Dash, grinning. “I’m just that good.”

Sure enough, at berth thirty-seven they found numerous crates bearing the medic’s symbol being unloaded from a medium-sized vessel. Before it, three guards stood watch—a horse, a bobcat, and a jackal.

The bobcat stepped forward as the felins approached. “This is a private dock, fellas. Go somewhere else.”

Rush spoke up, “Vica sent us. Y’know, the chipmunk that makes the air blasts?” At seeing their stunned reactions, he smirked. “She said something about you guys being interested in others with ‘powers’.”

The three guards exchanged glances. The bobcat answered, “What makes you think we’d know anything about that?”

“One, because your expressions say you do, and two, because you didn’t ask, ‘What are you talking about?’ Listen, we know your organization is interested in that kinda thing, or else we wouldn’t be here. Dash?”

Dash held up the bobcat’s pistol, “I never thought aid workers would be packing like this. You trying to fend off druggies?”

The other two guards burst out laughing while the frustrated bobcat’s ears blushed, realizing his concealed holster was empty. “Alright, smart guy. I get it.” He pulled out his radio, “Bicks, I got two more potentials. They say Vica sent ’em.”

“Bring ’em in, and hurry, we’re about to leave.”

Rush and Dash followed the bobcat around various crates until finally reaching the boarding ramp to the ship.

Rush glanced up and saw the same rhino from The Grotto on an upper deck, entering the bridge. Rush whipped around and kicked the bobcat off the gangplank.

He let out a shocked yelp and hit the water.

Dash stopped, “What was that for?”

Rush grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the ship, “Another distraction. Let’s check below deck for missing people before this boat leaves!”

The two brothers ran alongside the port deck and found a stairwell. At the bottom, they found a sealed door and lingering dander that carried a distinctively familiar set of scents.

“Jasmine… and a bunch of others!” said Rush.

He opened the door and followed the scents down one more level to another door, guarded by a ferret armed with two stun guns and a mace canister.

The ferret’s hand hovered over one of the stun guns, “Who are you and why are you here?”

Rush studied the ferret’s movements, “I’m a private investigator, and I’m here to stop—” Rush twisted, evading Taser darts, and lunged, striking the ferret’s stomach then following through with a chop to the neck. The ferret hit the floor, gagging.

Rush slid past while Dash turned to the ferret, “Yeah, it’s tough when they’re at it better than you, isn’t it?”

The whole ship lurched, with grinding engine noises reverberating throughout the framework. They were heading out to sea.

“C’mon Dash…” Rush muttered. He opened the door to find rows of cylinders bound to the walls, each with monitors above them showing vital signs and suspected hybrid traits.

Rush stepped back, stunned. “Hybrids? Is that what they’re calling them?” He could not believe the sight. These supposed “public aid” workers were targeting individuals with unique talents just like Vica and Tommy. He and his brother would be potential victims just for associating with these people. He then paused, wondering if his “lucky streak” was more than just luck.

A familiar scent drew him out of his trance. He turned and noticed a group of large steel drums. One of them had a peculiar vapor drifting out from its lid.

Dash saw his brother opening it. “Hey, be careful! That stuff could be danger…-ous…” The felin gawked at what lay within— an unconscious female spotted skunk whose very body seemed to be in a state of transition from solid to smoke. “What the…?”

Rush tugged the skunk, trying to pull her out, “It’s Jasmine! I… I don’t know what’s happening to her, but we need to help her!”

“How??” Dash asked. “She’s turning into vapor!”

“No, she’s re-solidifying,” said Rush. He nodded to the drum’s lid, which had scratch marks on the inside half. “I’ll bet they stowed her in there to keep her from, uh… drifting away.”

He gently laid her on the ground and felt her neck, detecting a pulse.

The skunk stirred, seeming groggy and delirious.

Rush stood and looked at all the cylinders along the walls. There was no way he could free everyone and escape.

Dash caught sight of an inoculation kit on the wall. Inside, he found precisely what he had hoped to find: an adrenaline stim. “All we have to do is get her out. Between her notes and everything she’s experienced between her kidnapping and now, there’s no way this operation can get ignored.” He handed the stim to Rush, who turned and injected her.

“Good point. We’ll return for the rest of the captives once the ship is halted and we contact the Coast Guard.”

Jasmine tensed in his arms and her eyes shot wide. She grabbed his jacket, “What’s going on? Where are you taking me??”

Rush tried to keep a firm grip on her, “Take it easy, I’m here to help! My name is Rush, remember? You hired me and my brother…”

Jasmine looked into his eyes, “Pariah Investigations… yeah, I did…” She leaned back and winced. “I thought I was too late…”

“Not yet, but we’re cutting it close.”

Dash kneeled next to her and smiled, “Hi. Dash, private eye.”

“Jasmine. Kidnap victim.”

“Can you help us stop these guys before we get too far out at sea?”

Jasmine stood on wobbly legs with Rush’s help. “You can’t do it yourself?”

“You were investigating them long before I was. I figured you’d know ’em better.”

They opened the exit and found three guards waiting for them, one of them the same ferret Rush had struck moments earlier, and this time they all carried firearms.

Rush and Dash tried to grab Jasmine’s arms and pull her back, but by the time they reached the door panel they realized she had turned to mist again. The door slammed shut between them and her, trapping her with the guards.

“Jasmine!!” Rush yelled, beating at the door panel to open it back.

Yelling erupted beyond the door, then gagging, and then sudden silence.

Rush threw the door back open but found all of the guards already on the floor, out cold. In front of them, Jasmine rematerialized out of thin air.

Rush’s jaw dropped, “Did you do that?”

Jasmine stared back in shock, “I… I think so…”

Dash blinked and looked at the unconscious guards on the floor, “This entire case is too weird.”

Rush stepped over them. “C’mon, we’re running out of time.”

Running through the halls, Rush glanced back at Jasmine, “So that’s your ability? Sublimation?”

“I guess,” said the skunk. “I honestly have no idea what’s happening to me.”

Dash chimed in, “Well, if you can convert yourself into vapor, then you’ve got a handy way of escaping next time they catch you.”

“I’m more worried about not being able to re-solidify! What if I can’t change back?”

“If the others can get the hang of theirs, then maybe you can with yours.”

Jasmine’s eyes widened. “You’ve seen others?”

Rush grinned, “Here and there…”


Outside, Dash reached the top of the stairs and rounded a corner, then leaped into a nearby alcove, avoiding gunfire from the bridge on at the other end.

Behind him, he saw a guard rushing his way, then Rush ran out from the stairs and knee-slammed the guard over the railing.

“Perfect timing! Get down!” Dash yelled.

Rush pulled Jasmine back into the stairwell before another bullet volley streaked at them. He pulled out a pistol and fanned his whiskers, getting a feel for the ocean breezes.

Jasmine tilted her head, “What are you gonna do with that?”

Rush thought for a moment, then whipped around the corner and fired. He dove back to miss the next volley, but only heard a body tumbling down the staircase. “That.”

“There’s no way you’re that accurate…”

Rush smirked, “You’d be surprised at the things you can learn with a little bit of free time.” Rush ran out toward his brother and halted at the foot of the stairs leading up to the bridge, “How many are up there, Dash?”

“I counted three before that guy started firing.”

Rush planted his back against the wall and aimed upward into the bridge’s doorway, then fired. Two arced into the doorway while the third ricocheted into the bridge. The felins heard a pained yelp.

Dash carefully climbed the stairs, calling back, “Show off!”

A guard lashed out from behind the open doorway but Dash grabbed his arm, twisted his wrist to free his gun, and flung him down the stairs. Rush and Jasmine avoided the tumble on their way up.

The trio entered the bridge, but the only person there was an injured guard incapacitated by Rush’s volley.

“If we’re traveling out at sea…” Dash muttered, “They why is there no one piloting the ship?” He turned and saw Jasmine, then smiled.

Rush went to the radio, “I’m calling the Coast Guard. With any luck we can—”

“Get down!!” Jasmine grabbed them both and pulled them behind a console. Gunfire sent sparks flying off monitors and work stations then riddled the windows above.

Rush aimed at the ceiling and fired wildly, but his magazine went dry after three shots. Dash blind-fired from behind cover, but more machine gun fire sent him behind the console.

“You have nowhere to run!”

Rush’s eyes widened, “I know that voice… it’s the rhino from The Grotto.” He glanced at Dash, “I don’t think we’re gonna get any help from the authorities on this one.”

He turned to Jasmine, “Care to try your ‘Aroma’ trick on him?”

Gunfire rattled above them again.

“I don’t have that kind of control!”

“Pass on that!” Dash shouted. “I don’t wanna end up knocked out, too!”

Hearing the rhino stomping closer, Rush held Jasmine’s shoulder. “Just trust me…”

The rhino moved into view. Jasmine leaped at him and grabbed his gun, “Now!”

He opened fire, but the bullets sailed over the felins’ heads as Jasmine momentarily vaporized. Dash opened fire right through her, riddling the rhino’s body with the last of his magazine. Jasmine rematerialized just as he fell to the floor.

The skunk panted, visibly shaken, “I can’t believe I just did that…”

Dash stood up and smiled, “But it worked! Nice trick, by the way.”

“Thanks,” Jasmine replied with a sheepish grin.

They paused at hearing a voice on a loudspeaker outside. They glanced out the window to see Coast Guard aerocraft hovering nearby and Cutter ships approaching.

“Wow,” said Rush. “They showed up quicker than I thought.”

“Well, we did ruin that half-hour window.” Dash turned to his brother, “So, do you think we’ve earned a pardon, or should we bail out?”

“I’m not jumping into all that water…”

Dash tossed his gun and headed for the exit, chuckling, “You would if I dragged you.”

“Don’t joke about that!!” Rush said, following.

“What makes you think I’m joking?”

“I said cut it out!”

Jasmine snickered and left with them, wondering what trouble they had gotten into in their attempt to find her.


Nadia Palmer was already at the scene by the time Rush, Dash, and Jasmine were marched out by the Coast Guard. Luckily, Jasmine vouched for them.

“That still doesn’t change the fact you assaulted an officer,” Nadia replied.

“He was corrupt!” Dash countered. “Whatever happened to him, anyway?”

Nadia glanced away, “An investigation is still ongoing, but in the meantime he’s been suspended.”

“So, in other words, I helped expose him.”

Nadia poked him in the chest, “Not until he’s been proven corrupt. Don’t get cocky.”

“Too late,” Rush replied.


Nadia sighed, “Still, I guess this revelation here at the docks have opened our eyes to something major. I suppose it’s enough to let you off with a misdemeanor and have you owe fines.”

Rush’s tail flicked behind him, “Just how major are you talking about? Is this more than an abduction ring?”

“I can’t give out any details yet…” Nadia gave Jasmine a stern look, then turned to the rest of the cops nearby. “But you’re investigators. I think your client may be able to fill you in…”

Rush and Dash turned to Jasmine. The skunk nodded, “Yeah, this won’t be an isolated incident. My