FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Austin stared at the keypad in disbelief. Whatever transaction was going on warranted security measures beyond a group of thugs. He smiled to himself, the effects of the drugs let his brain work at full mental capacity. Working his claws around the base of the keypad, he managed to pop it loose from the wall. Sheetrock was never a good material to drill screws into. The long ribbon cable extended far back, but not far enough. Whoever dummy rigged the setup was obviously not a security technician. The input code for the keypad was obvious as the keypad wires for the correct combination went straight to the deadbolt, while the others split off and went to the alarm. Opening the door was a matter of imputing the code. He laughed loudly to himself, "too easy," he complained as he threw both doors open. Four masked figures stood inside, huddled around a box. They turned to stare at him. "I've come to collect a little present," he smiled, "that must be for me." The sound of metal on metal met his hyper-sensitive ears, and before any of them could draw their weapons, he had shot them all dead. "Pleasure doing business, he stated as he left the room with his parcel. On the way up to the lobby, he detoured through the maintenance room and cranked both water heaters up to full capacity. Austin made extra sure to shut off the lights as he left, as well as all the valves.

The doors to the elevator rolled open. For such a dilapidated building, they really went all out by restoring minimal power for such a simple meeting. The ride one floor up was relatively fast, as he suspected, several armed guard filled the lobby when the doors opened. The cunning wolf smiled at them all and watched as they drew their weapons. "I'm sure you all like hot showers," he told them. On the floor below, two water heaters were busy overloading with pressure. "Well, I like mine extra hot, explosively hot, you may say." The floor below the guards ripped apart as metal shrapnel and hot water spewed forth from the lower level. Time to go see his employer.

Twenty minutes later, Austin stood in front of a dark walnut desk with his hand on the parcel.

"I've come to collect payment."

He laughed, "pay you? That was child's play. Hardly worth a cent out of my pocket," he waved him off.

Austin turned and walked back across the room. "Do these doors bold automatically?"

"Yes?"

"Very clever." He slammed both doors and ripped the handles clean off, before turning and walking back towards his employer. "There's only one way out of this room now, and that's for your dead, ghastly apparition to pass through these walls."

The employer laughed again. "How do you expect to kill all six of us?"

"With a bullet to the head."

"And where did you get a gun? That's the problem, always a stickler for the rules. You're clinically insane! You can't have a gun."

"Really? According to law, any firearm built before 1880 doesn't count as a gun," he smiled, careful to show all his teeth, his mother always taught him to look his best. "I have a six shot revolver in my pocket, I can gun down everyone in this room faster than an automatic. Wanna see?"

The employer sighed, a but unsettled. "I'm sure we can reach a agreement."

"We already had an agreement."

"You had your payment, in illegal drugs."

"Oh, these little things," he said pulling out the bottle. "You said not to exceed two tablets a day?" He looked him dead in the eyes and emptied the jar in the palm of his hand. "In such a rebel," he said as he took them. The glass jar shattered on the ground as a surge of life entered his mind.

"You're fucking insane!" He screamed.

"I know. And it feels so good."

His employer began to tremble.

"Scared?" Austin grinned.

"Why should I be?"

"Because I can calculate the decay rate of a neutrino bomb faster then you can blink." Austin turns and drew his gun, firing five shots at five others before they even had the chance to turn their heads. "Told you," he laughed, practically frothing in the mouth, "now it's just you and me. One bullet left. I've been thinking of saving it."

"What for?"

"For me," he placed the barrel in his mouth, but stopped midway and pulled it out again. "You know though, I'm a nice guy. I think I'll let you have it." He pointed the gun at his employer, "pay me or die."

"Stop."

Austin turned.

"Don't shoot him."

"Atlas?" Austin stared in disbelief. His best friend standing up for this lowlife.

"You never were going to get paid."

"W-what? You...told...you told me..."

"I lied," he laughed, "I'm a fox, it's what we do best."

"You were my fucking best friend."

"Things change."

"You promised, you said I could get paid, and I could get Evelyn out of that dismal hell hole."

"I said you COULD, didn't say you would."

Austin stood there shaking, he pointed at the employer. "Get out. I have other issues to deal with." He waited until it was just the two of them alone on the room. A wolf and a fox, a hunter and a sneak.

"We were best friends."

"If you say it too many times, it'll lose its meaning."

Austin pointed the gun at him.

"You're going to shoot me?" The fox stated in false surprise, "but we were friends, some might say the best of friends."

"You said it yourself, things change."

"You son of a bitch."

"Yeah, I am a son of a bitch, you're a son of a very disappointed fox."

"My mother was always very proud of me. Your mother, Austin, died because the mere sight of you gave her cancer."

The tip of the gun dipped low. Atlas continued, "that's right. Is the little puppy sad now? Oh, one more thing, your poor daddy, committed suicide just a year later! You were only ten years old. What a pity. That bullet belongs in your head, not mine."

His hands shook, the gun was no longer aimed anywhere, a stray tear fell from his eyes.

"There there, do what you were always meant to do Austin. Lastly, if you decide to live a little longer, don't tell anyone about this little encounter, or a certain little bitch will find a bullet in her head too. You know who I'm talking about."

"You touch her once, I will kill you."

"Kill me now, see where that gets you."

They locked eyes. One knew immediately that he fucked up, the other knew immediately as well. Austin raised the gun and shot his best friend. Arguably his only friend. Atlas gasped out loud before his knees gave way, and gravity did its job.