No Choice

by Mel Todd

  "Hell, yes. Add in some coke too. I need something to prevent me from removing this stupid bitch from my space. Would you believe they gave her this cushy PR job, working with all the shifter kids? Getting them on busses and driving them around to show them they are just fine. It should have been mine. I've got the seniority, and do you know how much ass I could have gotten with all those mommas looking up at me to protect their babies?" An inarticulate scream on the other end made C-Tac wonder how much Bacon had drank already today, or what other modifiers he'd indulged in. But what was more interesting was the idea of shifter kids on a bus.

  "So what? She just drives around in a bus and only shifter kids get on? Like the short bus for furries?"

  "Ha, that's a good one. Too bad we can't excise this crap from our systems. Who needs to be an animal why isn't human good enough?" C-Tac didn't answer the rhetorical questions, just let the man ramble. "But not that lucky whore. Nah, each day is a different district, taking the kids and talking about the animals, special field trip and all that crap. They've even got it up on the website like it is something to be proud of. Fuck that. Tired of thinking of this shit. Meet me at our usual place in an hour. And this crap better be good and plentiful, or the only way you'll be leaving is in handcuffs." A click and the call dropped.

  C-Tac leaned back looking at the phone, his eyes narrowed. The attitude by Bacon didn't faze him, it made the man easy to control. But the information might be the answer to his problems. He pulled a hundred out of his wallet, and purchased the coke, noting it down. For this he'd spend his own money. A certain amount of extra drugs were expected to go missing, but he didn't use, and shorting the boss was just stupid.

  He pulled up the website on the computer and smiled as he saw all the information he would need. This might just work out after all. With a pep to his step, he went out to reward his cop, the drugs were nothing in the scheme of things. This plan would make him a fortune.

  Chapter 29 - Summer Day

  Funding is flowing into genetic research. While scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what has allowed some people to shift, even more people are interesting in figuring out if there is a genetic component as to why these people develop this ability. The theories being floated around are everything from a virus, genetic mutations, research from another government that got away from them, to even the laughable alien species attacking us. Whispers say the person who identifies the trigger will be a shoe in for the next Nobel Prizw, but just as interesting will be figuring out why not everyone was affected. ~ TNN Science

  The rest of the week disappeared for McKenna. The results from the promotion test would take a week or more to be validated. But either way she felt content with her life. She’d been released to light duty mostly because she needed PR training and even with healing she still needed to heal and give herself some time to recover. That gave her time to pack and direct the movers in packing up her apartment and then moving it over to her new house. The sale price of the house had been more than fair, honestly a bit under market value, but she’d signed a clause to not sell it again for at least a decade which made him happy. Olivette had packed him up and had him out of there by Thursday, letting her move in.

  Though after the movers, down payment, and a cleaning service, she winced as she saw her formally very healthy bank balance take a hit. But between dealing with the new training for this PR position, dealing with the IA people and more reporters, and then moving in Friday night, she felt like she hadn't had time to breathe in forever.

  Sunday she figured she'd invite over Toni, her kids, and JD. In a last minute idea she invited Kala. Everyone accepted with enthusiasm, so Sunday afternoon she prepared to use her new grill and show off her house, or at least it would be her house soon enough.

  JD arrived an hour early, which fit perfectly with her plans. He loved to grill, and she had no issue letting him do the work. Even better, he showed up with twenty pounds of hamburger patties and buns. She let him play with the grill as she did a store run to make sure they had everything to go with the hamburgers.

  She pulled in, with Toni pulling up as she tried to get groceries out of the car.

  "Want some help with that?" Toni asked as she opened her car door, letting two children scramble free as if they'd been trapped for hours.

  "Sure. Just needed to make sure we had enough to eat."

  Toni glanced at the food, arching an eyebrow. "We planning on shifting?"

  "Planning no, but I've learned it is better to be prepared. I have a large fridge and a chest freezer if we don't eat it all."

  Jessi and Jamie stood near her car, looking up at her with serious eyes.

  McKenna cast a dubious glance at them. "yes?"

  "Can we help?" Jessi asked her face somber. "We're sorry you got hurt."

  "Oh, thanks. No, I’m good. But if you go around the back JD is back there and should be about ready to start cooking the hamburgers."

  "Okay," they chorused, then were gone in a flash of dark tan legs.

  McKenna paused in her movements, arms full of bags. "Is it just me, or have they grown a lot since I saw them at Sam's?"

  "They've grown a lot," Toni's voice was so dry McKenna wanted water just hearing it. Toni reached in and grabbed some of the other bags. "They're at the height and weight they should be at ten, not six. I think they've spent so much time as cats, they've aged faster. "

  That idea rocked McKenna back. "You think they are aging faster?"

  Toni shrugged as they walked into the house. "I don't know, but they are sure growing faster. Part of me wants to complain, but they are so healthy. Even their little scrapes and bruises disappear, and they are so happy with this. Even the teasing of the other kids doesn't bug them."

  McKenna saw her cast an odd look her way. "What? I haven't done anything to encourage them, heck I barely know them," she protested at the look, feeling guilty for some reason.

  Toni snorted. "That wasn't why I gave you the look. I heard you'll be at their school Wednesday, for one of the first Shifter Experience stops."

  "Ah. That is their school? Hmm, will you be there?" McKenna asked she pushed her way into the kitchen, dumping bags on the counter, and starting to sort. Another load of groceries remained in the car.

  "Yep. Taking the day off. Will be a zombie while I’m there, but that's been a fact of life for years." Toni glanced around. "Let me go get the last set."

  McKenna nodded, sorting and putting what needed to be cold in the fridge.

  “I’ve got the last of the groceries and look what I picked up in your drive way,” Toni said from the door.

  McKenna looked up to see Toni walking in, arms laden with bags, followed by Kala, a large container in her hands.

  “You made it,” McKenna said a smile across her face as she looked at the other woman. Kala released a shaky sigh, and the tightness drained from her shoulders.

  “Thanks for inviting me.” She turned looking. “This is your new place?”

  “Yeah, though I haven't’ done anything with it. I had the movers put in the bed and the TV, everything else is still in boxes. Heck, I haven’t even unpacked my suitcases yet.” She waved at the house. “Feel free to wander, it isn’t like I have anything put up anywhere. I kept a lot of the furniture from the previous owner. It fits here and is tougher than what I own. Did you need me to take that?” She nodded at the container in Kala’s arms.

  “Oh, yeah.” Kala offered up the container. “I wanted to bring something to share, so I made ma’amoul cookies.”

  McKenna peered into the container and saw lots of small pale cookies. “What are those?”

  “They are shortbread cookies filled with dates and figs.” She looked away shrugging a bit. “I like them.”

  “Ooh, they sound good. Though, to be honest, food lately just sounds good.” McKenna flashed her a smile. “JD is out back with Toni’s kids. Go.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure you don’t need me?” She looked torn between escapi
ng and hiding.

  “Positive. JD is tending the grill, and I’m sure the kids are either driving him crazy or having a blast.”

  Kala ducked her head and headed though the house, looking around as she moved.

  Toni waited until the other woman had headed outside, before she asked in a quiet voice, “Shifter?”

  “Yep. Jackal I think she said. She seemed kinda isolated, so didn’t figure it would hurt to ask. And she’s a police officer, so I think you and the kids are pretty safe.” McKenna winked. “If three shifter cops can’t handle it, you know you’re in big trouble.”

  Toni snorted in laughter. “Against bad guys maybe. Against the terrible duo out there? Trust me, we are outnumbered.”

  McKenna shot her a look and a curl of worry pooled in her stomach as Toni laughed more.

  And I’m going to deal with kids? If just two are that bad how are we going to handle a bus full of them?

  Between the two of them the fridge filled up with groceries, materials to make a Dagwood worthy burger were piled on plates, then they headed out to where JD should be cooking hamburgers on the grill. The deck had been one of her favorite parts of the house, and her new grill sat on it in a place of honor.

  The grill sat cold, and the back deck was empty. McKenna looked around, confused, when a soft chuff caught her ear. With a mock sigh she set the plate down on the large table, draping a cloth over it to keep off the flies. “Come on, I know where they are,” her voice wry as she waved to Toni, and they walked down the steps of the deck to the corner of the house.

  As she expected, a brown bear with two black jaguar cubs romping on the bear and a fascinated Kala watching with her hands over her mouth, but her eyes sparkled.

  “This doesn’t look like cooking dinner,” her voice rang out over the area, and the animals and Kala turned to look at her. The bear ducked his head, avoiding her eyes. “If anything, this looks like making sure you eat me out of every bit of food I bought.” She tried to keep a stern look on her face, but it didn’t work. Toni giggling behind her didn’t help any.

  McKenna threw up her hands in mock exasperation. “Well go on you two,” she said waving her hands at Toni and Kala. “Go change. Empty bedrooms and bathrooms are there to be used, let’s have some fun.” Kala darted a look at her.

  “Really? We can do that?”

  McKenna turned and indicated the rolling hills, and the only houses a good mile or more away. “Kinda of why I want the place. Need a nice fence to surround at least the first acre or so. Will give me the privacy to change as I desire. So go.”

  “Are you going to change?” Toni asked, and McKenna shook her head.

  “I’ve changed so much lately, I’d rather watch you guys play and get the burgers going.”

  Both women chewed their lips, darting looks at the kids, then back and McKenna. She rolled her eyes. “Go. I’m getting myself a drink, something alcoholic, going to get the grill going, and enjoy this.”

  That last comment pushed them over the edge and they took off towards the house. Five minutes later a gorgeous jaguar crouched at the corner of the house, tail twitching softly as it tracked the antics of the bear. McKenna had pulled a hard cider out of the cooler on the deck, moved a chair so she could see everything, while the grill heated up. A smile curved the corner of her lips as she watched the jaguar get ready to pounce.

  With an elegant leap, one that made McKenna wonder if she looked like that when she jumped, the black creature soared, hitting the bear on the side and knocking it over, as she landed with poetic grace and licked a paw.

  The expressions on the two cubs faces made her ache for a camera to capture all this, but she didn’t move. Some things didn’t need to be shared with anyone else.

  A high-pitched yip came from the deck, and McKenna looked over to see a dog like creature standing there. Long legs, and ears that rivaled a jack rabbit, but larger than any dog she’d ever seen.

  “Kala?” She felt stupid asking, but she’d never seen a jackal in person, and only a few on the occasional Animal Planet show.

  The animal dipped its head, then with a quick tail wag, trotted over, almost diffidently to the others, as if asking for permission to join. The shyness evaporated when one of the cubs pounced her. In their cat form McKenna couldn’t separate them at all and didn’t try. But she did grin as the cub and jackal tumbled over and over, the cat less than half the size of Kala’s form, but the wrestling match looked pretty well matched. And it was wrestling, no one had claws out, and snaps of teeth were pulled, and laughing in animal form echoed off the walls of the house.

  With a pull of her cider she got up and started tossing hamburgers on the grill.

  “I hope we have enough,” she muttered, but mostly she watched her friends play, and marveled at the world she existed in as she cooked.

  When the plate was full of burgers, she went in and grabbed other stuff, potato salad, chips, veggies, and fruit. Loading the table took only a moment, then she walked over to the play. Well, what remained of it. At this point only the cubs were still bouncing and even they looked tired. The heat of the California summer beat down, and the cat and bear each lay in the shade while the jackal who didn’t seem distressed by the heat, chased the cubs nipping at tails with a high yip.

  “Foods ready. Why doesn’t everyone come change, and get some cold drinks, and food?”

  All the animals turned towards her, and in a moment there were five animals trying to get into the house to change. McKenna laughed, grabbing the set of shorts and tees that the kids must have shed, and JD’s shirt, sandals, and kilt. She walked in, dropping the stuff in each room for the person and closing the door. Still laughing, she headed out and began to build her own masterpiece of a burger.

  In short order everyone had gathered around the table and began to inhale food. This time, her hunger wasn’t of the same level, so she could watch, and see what others saw when you ate after shifting.

  Chapter 30 - Taken

  Tragic news over the weekend about the deaths of too many children. In four separate incidents, six children lost their lives this weekend, and the only thing they had in common was they were all shifters. Two teens killed themselves in a suicide pact after relentless bullying at school when it was revealed they could shift. They stole guns from friends and shot themselves, their bodies discovered by one set of parents when they heard the gunshots. Two children were killed by religious parents in Utah when their children shifted in front of them. They were beaten to death by their own parents, declaring that they were abominations to god. Another was shot by a scared home owner when they saw the wolf prowling through their yard. The final might be the most tragic. A young girl shifted and darted out into traffic to be hit by a passing car, that never stopped thinking it had just hit an animal, not a child. This change is affecting all of us, even those that don’t shift. All we can do is hope in the wake of such tragedy, people take a closer look at their actions and remember what you see might not be everything. ~ TNN Op Ed piece.

  The smile from the weekend remained on McKenna’s face, even through two days of scheduling, planning, and dry runs. Watching her friends, the word had an interesting taste on her tongue, play and laugh and just exist, made for one of the best days in a long time. Year-round schools in the area meant that if this worked, they’d just cycle through kids until things had stabilized a bit more.

  Even as they went over dry runs for protests, possible riots, or even just a parent getting upset, she focused on the laughter she had shared with friends, and wondered why she had avoided it for so long. Years in foster care had taught her to never get attached, and then with working full time in college friends had been a secondary situation. And at work, well even today, being a female cop was hard, and staying remote and untouchable had been the safest way to go. But now?

  Her grin widened a bit more, even as she filled out the last of the forms.

  “Hey, Largo?”

  She looked up as Holich walked in. />
  “Yes?”

  “Hernandez took a personal day today, and we really want to do a positive shifter police presence. We are adding Kala as another person, figuring the extra female will help lower any concerns.” McKenna frowned at her, and Holich rolled her eyes sitting down in the chair next to her. “Yes, I am well aware of how sexist it is, and I hate that we are pandering to it. But reality is that women are regarded as more child oriented and less dangerous, even when they can turn into a giant cat with claws and fangs.” Holich flashed her a quick grin and McKenna snorted out a short laugh. “So, I’d like to have Kala on there with you, JD can run as your back up. To be honest, we aren’t expecting anything. Most of the people raising a fuss are bored housewives with nothing better to do. Besides, she’s young and non-threatening. You’ve hardened up a lot in the last few weeks.”

  McKenna tilted her head frowning at Holich. “What are you talking about?”

  “You don’t see it? Huh, I suppose not. You’re all muscle, lean, and you move like a cat now. You’ve always been a strong woman, but now you radiate health and strength. It’s a bit intimidating. Speaking of which, you really do need to spring for new uniforms, those are baggy on you at this point.”

  Shit, she has a point. All of my clothes are falling off of me, I just haven’t wanted to deal, I just keep tightening the belt more, and switched to wearing my sports bras.

  “Noted. I think my weight has stabilized, or at least I haven’t lost much in the last few days. I was trying to wait and see what happens. Uniforms are not cheap.”

  “No, they aren’t, but you need new ones. And soon, PR remember?”

  “Got it.” McKenna glanced at the paper work she was finishing up. “This was the last of them. Kala here? I think we are ready to go.”

  “Yep, she was changing when I left her. JD is waiting for you and the driver has prepped the bus.”

  McKenna glanced down at the schedule again. Pick up kids at three schools, for a total of fifteen children, along with two parents from each school, making for nineteen people, plus JD, Kala, the driver and herself. They were then going to head to the zoo where they had set up a special presentation focusing on animals and how they worked and interacted with others and talk about the kids and their animals. They had decided to push the idea that there was nothing wrong with being able to shift, and also that it didn’t make you better than anyone. Trying to walk the fine line between ‘you’re okay’ and ‘you’re better’ than others would be a pain. Part of her worried they were over reacting, but with the news being what it was, everyone was worried about young kids at risk.