Episode Fifteen The Rest of the Story

A lex

After they uncuff me, I spend the first few minutes rubbing my wrist and shrugging my shoulders. I hope we're doing the right thing. They may trust me, but I'm not so sure that's a good idea. There's something about Ro's meekness that activates the predator in me. Except in the courtroom, I've never liked that part of myself.

We adjourn to the living room, each of us taking our usual spots. Like most families, we never discussed it. There's just an unspoken seating chart.

I sit on one end of the brown leather couch, Shan in the middle, and Ro on the other end. Sometimes Chass sat on the side chair, sometimes on the floor between Shanna's feet so she'd play with his hair. It was our routine on those rare nights we were all home watching TV.

We're in that configuration now. Chass, by necessity, is on the floor. He's going to need some time to get used to that long tail and those wings. They've got to be worse even than these damned fangs and shaggy tail of mine.

Shanna dials in that news source she discovered a year ago, and a woman's voice cuts through the silence.

"Welcome to our broadcast. At the end of this update, we'll review the facts we've already shared. Let me start with the latest news we've uncovered."

None of us moves a muscle. The three of us on the couch are looking at the blank screen on Shan's phone as though it had video, which it doesn't.

"We've gotten information from a think tank in France. They've been preparing for an action like this. Although no one knew exactly how or when this would come down, we expected some unilateral attack against the poor citizens who didn't qualify for residence in one of the Towers."

Shanna's been hinting that something even more nefarious was coming down the pike. We were all in too much denial to do much about her fears. We should have listened to her. She's seldom wrong.

"I will read verbatim the recommendations from the think tank. It's a very long treatise which they reduced to one bullet point."

Chass turns to lay his chin on Shan's thigh. He's done this a hundred times before. That he looks so different now could break my heart if I let it. Shan seems unfazed as instead of combing her fingers through his raven-black hair, she touches one of the spiky shafts surrounding his face.

If I hadn't been watching, I wouldn't believe it. His eyelids pop wide and he yanks away while shouting her name as if he's scandalized. Since he's wearing no clothes, it's impossible not to notice the immediate, huge hard-on he's sprung.

We're all completely silent until Chass says, "I guess those spikes aren't just to frighten enemies."

He sits back down, but instead of sitting near Shan's feet, he leans against the side chair.

"Sorry. Still getting used to my new equipment."

I can't help but stare. He's always been the biggest of us, but if we live long enough to have sex again, I'm not sure any of us will be able to handle him.

"We predict packs, herds, or troops will form of those with similar DNA," the announcer reads. "They may roam the area, their genetics overtaking their higher thinking."

As if on cue, from perhaps several streets away, something bellows like a bull.

"To avoid interaction with large groups, especially of predator species, we recommend leaving populated areas and heading for the suburbs or rural areas. It goes without saying to take any weapons and food at your disposal."

Another bellow drifts to us, though it's farther away and can barely be heard.

"We may be forced off the air at any time. The powers that be might be able to jam our signal. I'm just going to ramble with all the information I know. Take it for what it's worth. None of it is officially verified. It's not as if any of the world governments spilled the beans. They're too happy in their new digs hundreds of stories above the Earth."

Chaska's settled back against Shan's legs, trying to cover his erection with a well-placed throw pillow. Good luck with that. It's too big to hide.

"We believe the shots you were given had a three-pronged goal. One was to kill off the majority of women. This will not only immediately slash the Earth's population, but will reduce future generations for years to come. I guess that's one way to lessen pollution."

I slide my arm around Shan to provide her comfort. That she doesn't flinch at my touch makes me love her even more.

"The second objective was to reduce the rest of the population into many factions that will keep those Down Below warring amongst themselves for years to come. A smart move, considering if we banded together we might be able to attack their Towers."

I feel like an idiot. If I'd given it a moment's thought I would have known they would have to do something like this to keep those Down Below under their thumb.

"The third goal, the most nefarious of all? To build a race of animal-men strong enough to be beasts of burden yet smart enough to be of more use than animals."

I look at Ro and Chaska, throwing a mind-picture of myself into the mix. Ro might be a prey species, but his muscles are enhanced. A great combination for a race of slaves.

Chass and I? Maybe we were designed to kill others. When our work of culling the herd down here is done, maybe the folks from Up Above will come for us. Otherwise, between my wolfish nature and his enhanced abilities, we could do some damage to the fuckers in power.

"Our intel suggests that within miles of the base of each Tower there is a compound of factories. Someone has to continue to produce goods for the ‘haves' while the ‘have nots' choke on the pollution Down Below. There will be an endless supply of sentient animals to do the bidding of the wealthy."

Mutating our genes wasn't enough? They want to enslave us too?

"As I said, this is only conjec—"

The broadcast goes dead. We pause for less than a minute before Shanna says, "We can endlessly debate what she said later. I suggest we go to our cabin near Janesville. We can sleep in shifts in the car on the way there."