FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter VI: Breaking Out

Monday saw Caleb keeping his head low for more of the day. He opted to wear some casual clothes and riding with Mary instead of going in with Ballistic and not wearing his letterman jacket. Still, it was fairly hard to hide a seven foot, three hundred pound wolf even in a world of furs and with the average height of humans being six and feet. A few baleful stares were thrown his way while a few others just pretended to ignore him. Still, he knew that would all die down in the next couple of days.

In his time in West California High, he had seen the team win and lose and had been caught up in the hype of both scenarios. While never truly being into the game until recently, he would scowl and sneer at the team when they lost and be hit with a degree of hero worship when they won. And like everyone else, that feeling faded after a few days.

It was just his first time being at the centre of the attention.

The school hallways were buzzing with activity as it would normally every morning even with grumbles of 'I hate Mondays' and heavy, weary sighs. He, on the other hand, was feeling quite refreshed and happy. The previous night with Lance had only cemented what he already knew; he loved his brother. Admittedly, it took a rash decision, a need to be comforted and a crippling loss to come to that conclusion but he was glad he came to it nonetheless. It was hard to keep his tail from wagging to reflect his mood.

As he was rifling through his things, a faint knocking came to his locker door and he peered at the culprit.

Alex smiled at him brightly. "Sorry I bailed on you yesterday. Some stuff came up."

"Nah, it's okay," he responded with a shrug. "I wasn't really into studying that much anyway."

"I can imagine." Alex nodded sagely. "Hey, do you think coach will let you off practice today so we can hit the museum?"

That was a good question. From what he heard, the team usually got the Monday after a winning game off practice but seeing as they _didn't_win...

"Probably not. I finish around five. Think you're still up to heading to the -"

His phone rang abruptly, 'Waiting for You' playing. He winced, held up a finger and forced his ears back up as he brought his phone to his ear.

"This early? Really?" he asked.

"Nothing bad," Bren responded. "Just calling to tell you that I pulled some strings and I've got you a tour of Bal-Mordain. When is your project due?"

This time, his tail was wagging and he didn't hide it. "Friday."

"Great. Think you can take the tour tonight or tomorrow?"

"Sure!"

"Two catches though. One, I'll have to dock your pay by a thousand."

"A thousand!?" he repeated much to Alex's confusion. "Why!?"

"Come on. It's not like you use most of it. And it's only to charter the transport and to offset the time the guide will be taking to take you on the tour. Secondly, you have to bring six people."

"Six? Why?"

"The transports don't run every day, you know, and it is a fairly long trip. To make the tour worth it, you need to bring another five people with you. Otherwise, it's more money out of your pay."

Caleb did some quick calculations. There was himself and Alex, definitely. That was two down. Mary and Lars would be happy to come making four. Ben he wasn't entirely sure about being a supervillain but last he checked, there were no werewolves in Bal-Mordain. That made five including himself. He just needed one more. Lance? No, he was busy at school today and his family would be asking why he'd invite Lance over Leon or not invite them both. Plus Lance would be asking how he got a tour of one of the most restricted places in all of West California.

"Let me get back to you. I need to organise this with the rest of the guys."

"Let me know by noon, okay? Today or tomorrow are your only windows."

"Thanks! You're a champ!"

Caleb hung up, grinning broadly at Alex. "Guess what? I got us a guided tour of Bal-Mordain!"

Both of Alex's eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped open in surprise. "What? How?"

Yes indeed. How? Bal-Mordain could be considered a world of its own. It was one step from those deep-space prisons where all the prisoners were frozen in cryogenic sleep permanently. Still, it was locked up very tight and only superheroes, government officials and supervillains could access it though the last was not necessarily because the people guarding the prison wanted them there nor were they that welcome.

Though the second option...

"Well, you know how my dad is a journalist..." Caleb began. "And my mom is the assistant to California's senator."

"Right."

"I pulled some strings, pulled the old puppy dog eyes and played the 'if I don't get this, I'll fail my classes and wind up living in the basement for the rest of my life' card."

Alex grinned broadly and let out a short laugh. "Caleb Hale. There's a devious part of you that I never knew."

A devious, incestuous, lying, conniving part that made him instantly feel horribly guilty. Just yesterday, both Ben and Mary pointed out that he was the most honest person they knew and yet here he was lying through his teeth. It _was_for a greater good... sort of...

"There's a catch though," he answered with a sheepish smile trying to hide his guilt. "We've got to bring four other people with us. I was planning to invite Mary, Lars and Ben. Did you have a plus one?"

Alex twisted his lips into a thoughtful look, sort of curling his mouth to the side. "Hmm..." His eyes drifted to the right then widened. "Oh! Hey! Gregory! Gregory! Over here!" He began waving at a figure making his way through the crowd.

Caleb's ears perked up as a relatively short hyena - only about six and a half feet high - saw them and wandered over, a big smile on his face. The guy had dark red hair and had a pair of sunglasses perched within his thick mane. While it was the middle of summer, Gregory wore nothing but a pair of very short, white shorts, a golden chain around his thick neck and a pair of sandals. His build was fairly impressive as well, very big, very muscular and very toned.

"Oh! Iz friend Alex!" rumbled the hyena in an incredibly thick Russian accent. "You iz friend, da?" The hyena's golden eyes flickered with curiosity.

"Yup!" Alex stood between Gregory and Caleb, a hand on each of their shoulders. "Gregory, meet Caleb Hale, he's the star receiver of our football team. You watch him play last week."

"Oh da!" Gregory took Caleb's paw and shook it wildly. He had a _very_strong grip. "Iz game where friend Alex had to go toilet for very long time." Alex rolled his eyes and muttered something about there being a long line. "You scored what you Americans call a 'touchtown' yes?"

"Touchdown, actually," Caleb corrected. "And you're Russian?"

"He's an exchange student," answered Alex. "Came here from Russia just a few weeks ago and joined the gymnastics team. You should see this guy flipping and somersaulting all over the place! These legs are deceptively strong!" Alex patted Gregory's massive thighs.

Caleb let go of Gregory's paw and nodded numbly. "I'll have to check that out some time." He froze for a second as he processed his words. "Your legs not your gymnastics! I mean -" He slapped his forehead. "I'm sorry, I'm finding it _really_hard to focus with you being half-naked and all."

Gregory frowned at him. "I though ze American culture for furs iz all about nudity and free love?" He grinned brightly, tail wagging. "I was hoping to get 'all-American experience'. Walk around naked. Surf the waves. Eat ze 'hot dogs'. And have ze crazy love with ze football players."

Caleb's tail fluffed out and even Alex looked horrified as he leapt away from the innocent hyena, eyes wide.

"What!?" they both cried in unison.

Seemingly confused at their horror, Gregory pulled out his own tablet and showed it to them. "Iz all on website. All American Experience. See?"

Both boy's jaws dropped in horror when they saw countless images of butt-naked guys of all shapes, sizes and races coupling together in seemingly impossible pretzel shapes. Throbbing penises were everywhere and more than a few showed the guys in the moment or orgasm. A lot of them had the guys showing the results of their love making on their fur or flesh.

"I think there are a little too many 'X's' in 'Experience'," Caleb murmured, pointing at the big banner on the website. "Why isn't PILOT censoring this?"

"Probably doesn't recognise the make and build of the device," Alex muttered, straightening and gently pushing Gregory's tablet away so no one could see it. "He did get it from Russia."

The hyena's ears flicked towards the two, confusion in his eyes. "Iz something wrong, comrades?"

"No," Caleb squeaked. "Not at all. Just... I think you have the wrong idea about the 'All-American experience' there."

"Awww..." moaned Gregory. "And here I was hoping to... what iz it you Americans say? Taste your cream pie? I thought Americans loved apple pies but I am just Russian. What do I know?"

"You know a lot," Alex said, his left eye twitching in horror. "Just... not the right things. And excuse me if I got this wrong but you were hoping to taste Caleb's cream pie?"

"Da! Iz that not what it says here?" He reached for his tablet again but Alex forced it back down. "You sure nothing iz wrong, friend Alex? Did I get my information wrong?"

Caleb exchanged with Alex. Neither of them had really any idea how to tell the big, muscular - and admittedly sexy - hyena that he had been getting his impression about 'American life' from a gay porn website.

"It's just," Alex said softly. "Furs are allowed to go around naked around here but funny thing about the law... If you're fully naked, it's not illegal. But if you're scantily clad, it is."

The hyena's eyes widened. "Oh! I do not want to be arrested. Here, I fix." He reached for his buckle.

"No!" Caleb cried, holding out his paws to stop the hyena. Both Alex and Caleb gave him puzzled looks. "I mean... Not here. Um... You might lose those shorts. Lots of people here. They look expensive."

Gregory grinned. "Oh they iz! Got them at American Walmart!" He smiled broadly. "So, iz something exciting happening?"

Alex gave Caleb a shrug as if to say, 'Just tell him. I'll tell him about the porn afterwards'.

"Yeah!" Caleb exclaimed, trying to push the thought of the big, strong - yet smaller hyena - wrapped around his cock far out of his head. "I just got us primo tickets to tour Bal-Mordain! You wanna come with us to visit the prison where all the supervillains are kept?"

"Da! Da!" exclaimed Gregory excitedly. "Iz great opportunity for exchange student like me! I see how Americans imprison their villains! I want to also learn about these 'conjugal visits'. This website says-"

Caleb managed a shaky smile as he too pushed down Gregory's tablet He began wondering just what the other countries were saying about the US. "Yeah, I'm glad I could help your American experience. Um... Sorry, what was your full name?"

Suddenly, Gregory's thick, Russian accent dropped and he said - in a perfectly Americanised accent, "It's actually Gregory Graham Griggs."

Alex and Caleb both jerked back in surprise.

"Sorry," Gregory said, taking off his sunglasses. "Chicks just love the Russian accent and the whole dumb foreigner thing really gets them. Have no doubt, I'm from Soviet Russia and just came over here but, come on, no one really speaks like that. Not anymore."

"Soviet Russia?" Caleb repeated. "I thought you guys dissolved for the second time a hundred and fifty years ago?"

An evil glint entered Gregory's eyes and Caleb realised he had just set himself up for one of the modern time's worst memes. The hyena puffed out his chest and, once again in his thick Russian accent, exclaimed, "Yes! That iz what we wanted you to think!"

All three of them had to laugh.

About a hundred and fifty-five years ago, the Soviet Union rose again after centuries of dormancy. Apparently, there had always been a secret branch of the Union existing beneath the Russian democracy, ruling and putting up the façade of an America-friendly Russia to develop their own weapons and whatever else. When the then prime minister of Russia was accused of weapons development, he 'accidentally' let slip that the 'Soviet Union was not creating any weapons of mass destruction'. The entire congregation of the UN stared at him and asked the question, 'The Soviet Union, I thought you guys dissolved.'

The prime minister replied with a sinister smirk, stood up, spread his arms wide and exclaimed proudly, 'Yes! That iz what we wanted you to think!'

What followed was a second Cold War where this time, Britain and Australia were under threat by Soviet expansion with the American people sitting back and making fun of them with the 'Yes! That iz what we wanted you to think!' meme. It followed along the lines of a question being asked with a picture of the ursine prime minister exclaiming his trademark line.

Example: 'Herpes? I thought you were clean.' Then... 'Yes! That iz what we wanted you to think!'

Or, famously for the latest Microsoft console, 'DRM restrictions are back? But I thought you said...' Naturally followed by, 'Yes! That iz what we wanted you to think!'

Naturally, this just made the Soviet Union a laughing stock to Americans and when the cold war ended with the Union collapsing due to its ill-conceived plan to back supervillains being revealed to the world and many of its own people leaving its borders, everyone just laughed harder. It was nothing against the Russian people. If anything, most of the citizenry were completely unaware they were living under a communist regime until the declaration was made. Thousands defected where they could. Ultimately, it would've been better for the Soviets if they had just shut up.

"Seriously though," Gregory said, back to his Americanised accent. "I'd be honoured to visit Bal-Mordain. I promise I'm not a Soviet spy."

"Doubt you could hide any spy equipment in what you're wearing," Caleb said, grinning broadly. "If you don't mind me asking...?"

"Oh this?" Gregory shrugged. "Russia is freezing. This place is like an _oven_for me! I'll burn if I so much as put on a shirt!"

"That'll make the security checks all the easier." Caleb fished out his phone. "Is tonight good for you guys? Meet at five thirty outside school?"

They agreed on the time, big each other a 'see you later' and then turned to head to their different classes.

Caleb found his tail wagged at the prospect of going to Bal-Mordain. He gave Bren a call to confirm the time and was glad to hear that it could be arranged. A text to Mary, Lars and Ben later and he was heading to class with a fairly exciting day ahead of him only permeated with one thought...

Russian accents were sexy.

Then he froze and spun back around, watching Gregory laugh at something Alex said. The Russian was just faking being dumb and ignorant of American culture.

So did that mean...?

Was he hitting on Caleb?

*****

Coach was surprisingly... thoughtful during practice. He barked and snapped at them all when they made bad plays but he emphasised one thing: no two men could make a team. He pulled both Lars and Caleb from most of the plays, getting them to play the opposing team's defence while the starters rammed into them. This led to a lot of bruises on Caleb's part and Lars getting tackled more than he was used to but it bled out the aggression the team had on them for bailing on the game. It also got the rest of the team working better without the two.

When practice was over, Caleb was pleased to observe that the scowls and foul looks had died down and some guys had gone back to patting him on the back and congratulating him on this play or that interception.

He was wet and still smelling a little of sweat when he bounded over to Ballistic with Lars. Mary was near her car chatting with Alex, Ben and the hyena, Gregory. The smile on her face was genuine and she laughed at something Gregory said. As they approached, Caleb realised he would have to ask either Ben or Lars to ride with him. Having those two on the same vehicle was a motor accident just waiting to happen.

He chose Lars.

"Everyone ready to go?" he asked, slipping on his helmet and handing a spare to Lars.

"Da! I am excited!" exclaimed Gregory in his fake - but very convincing - Russian accent. "Let us go see American prisoners!"

Mary gave off a very strange laugh that Caleb had never seen on her before. She had her arm curled around her abdomen in such a way that she was pushing her breasts up and she was batting her eyelashes a lot. Having seen Abby when she was dating Arthur or talking about the otter, he knew exactly what was going through the empath's mind.

If only she knew Gregory had been spouting sexual innuendos as Caleb earlier in the morning. Maybe he just enjoyed making football jocks like him nervous. Maybe his was bi. Or maybe he really did want to wrap his muzzle around Caleb's -

He pushed the thought from his head, inundating his mind with random thoughts and wonderment at Bal-Mordain's secrets. Mary looked too preoccupied with the Russian to read his mind.

He shoved his helmet over his head and jumped on Ballistic with Lars wrapping his arms around his waist. He led the way to the transport station of Bal-Mordain. It was a twenty minute drive so along the way, casual chatter was a given.

"Dude, did you see the way Mary was looking at that guy?" Lars laughed. "Fuck, man. She wants him bad."

"Can you blame him? Russian accents are sexy."

Lars let out a curious noise. "Really? You find Russian accents sexy?"

"I have a list. First it's British, then Australian followed by Russian and then French."

"So you'd do a Brit, an Australian, a Russian and a Frenchman?"

"No. Anyone who has that sort of accent." It was strange that Lars fell silent at that stage and for the rest of the way to Bal-Mordain's transport facility.

Detached from the rest of the city, the facility was fenced off by enormous, concrete walls armed with automated turrets and a force wall that would block any energy weapons fired at it. There were guards dressed in the jet-black and silver of the facility's guards patrolling the grounds constantly and the 30 metre high walls prevented anyone from seeing beyond it into the facility itself.

Caleb stopped in front of the front gate where he was surprised to find Bren waiting for them in his van. The gates themselves were made of pure, black metal and rose up to match the height of its connecting walls. A guard post that looked deceptively simple stood in front of the gates with the lone guard watching them suspiciously.

"Bren?" he asked, getting off Ballistic. "What're you doing here?"

The tiger, dressed in his usual black suit and tie, said, "Can't have you going into a secret government facility without an escort, now can I?" He reached into his pockets and held out several passes. He handed one to Caleb and Lars. Caleb remembered what Bren said about part of his pay being docked to pay 'for their guide'. With Bren being the guide...

When Mary rode up with the rest, Bren handed it to them their passes as well.

"I will be your escort this evening," the tiger said. "My name is Brendan. Please follow me in an orderly fashion. No photography. At all." He held out several manila folders. "I have taken the liberty of preparing still photographs for you all for your school project. Rest assured, nothing from stock photos nor were they doctored. You all have different photographs as well."

A bolt of fear ran through Caleb. Bren was really pushing the limits of his FBI persona. Making everything seem like a cover up would just arouse more suspicion. Or maybe he was just being paranoid after sneaking around humping his brother.

"Now if you will all follow me," Bren said, turning towards the gates.

They followed the tiger to the guard station where they all presented their passes. Each of them was required to undergo a quick pat down for weapons and to check for bomb threats. Gregory gave the guard patting him down a sly wink as the guy could only really check the hyena's pockets. Once they were cleared, the enormous, metal doors swung open only very slightly, just enough for them to step through and into the courtyard of the enormous complex.

What appeared to be a railway station awaited them though it was more heavily guarded and there were tanks lining the flanks of the narrow pathway they strode upon. There were two VTOL aircraft also waiting like crouched birds ready to pounce. A bullet-shaped train waited for them and Bren stepped aside to let them all through the sliding doors.

Inside, was a Spartan white carriage. Lars was the first to step through and the moment he did, he gagged loudly and clutched his chest. Caleb rushed to his side and held him as Lars doubled over slightly.

"Lars! What's wrong, man?"

Bren squeezed past the two big boys. "These trains are specifically designed to nullify all forms of superpowers from fully fledged supers." For a second, his eyes flashed towards Lars and then Ben. "Unfortunately, the field is so immense that normal people will feel an incredibly discomforting jolt upon entry. It might be akin to someone standing on your chest."

"Yeah," Lars whimpered, letting Caleb lead him to one of the hard seats. "That about sums it up."

Gregory shrugged when he too didn't feel anything and jokes about maybe having latent superpowers. Alex stepped through and didn't did the same, jabbing at Gregory, comparing whose latent super powers were stronger. Ben visibly paled and looked like he was about to throw up while Mary sat beside him, breathing heavily. He could tell the latter was just faking it.

He eyed Bren carefully who sat opposite him and Lars. The tiger waved at someone and the doors shut. In brief moment, Bren wagged a finger on his other paw. Caleb nodded in understanding.

The tiger had lied. Supers would be the ones to feel the strain. Lars and Ben were both supers and Mary was just pretending. That meant both Gregory and Alex were perfectly normal. Caleb hadn't felt anything because he wasn't a fully-fledged super, just an Outsider.

"Does the Halestorm think he has powers too?" Gregory asked from over the chair.

"It's probably something lame like knowing where to be at the right time to catch a shitty pass," he answered, elbowing Lars playfully. The Doberman offered a weak smile as sweat rolled down his brow. He couldn't believe that lack of powers could affect a super so much.

"A power is a power," Alex said, smiling brightly. "We're all special in one way or another. We can't forget that."

His eyes went back to Bren. "Some just more than others."

The tiger took his queue and cleared his throat to catch their attention. They were all pulled forward slightly as the train began its descent into the sea and heading towards Bal-Mordain.

"A few other rules as we approach the facility," Bren said. "Please do not_interact with any of the prisoners. Some of those in lower levels of security aren't frozen in cryogenic sleep so they _will_try to antagonise you. Make sure to wear _all_the protective equipment you are given. Remember, some of these people have superpowers so they can and _will use them on you if you give them the chance."

"Don't their cells nullify their powers like this place?" Alex asked.

For a second, Caleb feared Bren's lie could've been caught out. Naturally, the tiger had rehearsed the story.

"One must never forget that a super's powers expands and grows the more they use it. Even if we were to nullify their powers, they will simply grow _around_it given enough exposure and grow more powerful. We do not want that, naturally. Instead, the nullifying fields are applied to certain 'dead zones' in the facility. These dead zones are naturally littered with guards, traps and measures to keep any potential escapees from leaving Bal-Mordain."

Bren stared at them sternly for a second. "Shouldn't you all be taking this down?"

Caleb blinked, let out a sharp yip and then went into his bag, scrounging for his tablet. He began writing notes on what Bren had said and continued to take note as the tiger went further on about the facility, particularly its history and development.

"Every containment facility for major villains and their gangs are especially created for their powers. While they may grow to overcome them eventually, the dead zones still exist and there is regular maintenance every two weeks or so to improve and develop these defences and keep them secure."

A few questions were flung from the eager students. How were the prisoners fed? Were they ever allowed to stretch their legs? Was there any work to rehabilitate them?

Bren only answered the last one before the train came to a halt.

"Bal-Mordain is run by three people," he said, rising to his feet. "The first is the Warden who has ultimate authority in the facility. Then there is the head of psychology who attempts to rehabilitate the prisoners and, lastly, the AI Maximus."

When the doors of the train slid open with a loud hiss, the group of students stepped out into the vast world of Bal-Mordain. Though the artificial island had sheer cliffs, Caleb was surprised to find that the majority of the facility was actually covered in lush greenery. Though the imposing black structures not too far away marked the majority of the facility, it looked more like a castle sitting on its own little paradise island.

It was almost welcoming.

Almost.

"Everyone," Bren said with a sweep of his paws, "welcome to the Bal-Mordain Facility."

*****

It had been five days since that fateful encounter at the Goodnight Moon club and Eric Mancini must've left - what was it? - twenty messages on the cell phone given to him by Con AKA Gnoll. He had begged, pleaded and tried to play it cool. But after five days, he couldn't take it anymore. He left his two bedroom apartment and went straight back into the red light district of West California Island.

Not for the first time since they had met, he drove up to the club before immediately turning around and calling himself an idiot for the last message he had left. It was three frickin' days! It wasn't even two hours after Gnoll had practically called him a damaged child that he dialled that number and tried to profess his maturity.

Now, five days on, he wanted that hyena more than anything.

Resolving that this would be the night, he got to the point where he parked his truck and then froze.

He had met Gnoll on a Saturday evening. It was Monday. What were the chances of him meeting the hot, cocky hyena on a work night? Eric turned back around, calling himself stupid for the sixtieth time and slammed a fist into his truck's door.

"Fuck..." he muttered to himself.

Then, his phone rang.

He checked the number. It was one he recognised. How could he not? He _had_called it twenty times in the past five days. His heart jumped to his throat as he pulled it to his ears. The young man never got to say 'hello' when the strong musk of the hyena wafted into his nostrils and those strong arms wrapped around his shoulders, holding a phone lightly.

"You called?" came that cocky, rumble.

Eric swooned, leaning back into that heavily muscled chest. He closed his eyes and began to turn around, relishing the build-up to when he'd see those beautiful golden eyes again, take in that firm, muscular frame and hear that heart-warming laugh again. He almost couldn't wait as he opened his eyes.

Con looked as handsome as ever. This time, he was only wearing a white singlet that his muscles practically pushed to their limits, the straps all but disappearing into the folds of his massive shoulders. Strangely, the singlet was too long for him and came down halfway down his thighs. It hid whatever he was wearing over his groin if he was wearing anything at all.

"Why didn't you call me back?" Eric asked softly.

"I've been busy," Con answered with a smile. "I get a lot of guys coming after me night after night, you know."

That felt like a direct physical blow. Was this just a one night stand? Just the big hyena throwing a bone to make him shut up? Or worse, was this the moment when Gnoll shot him down, telling him to stop bothering him?

"So... you picked me because...?"

Gnoll smirked, tilting his head slightly as he lifted his phone and ran through the messages. "I find you... endearing... The messages you left me were quite... passionate. This one is my favourite."

Eric blushed deeply when his own terrible voice began belting out of the phone singing a horrible love song he had made up. It didn't even rhyme and spoke of how a guy just lost his dad and his mom became practically comatose only to find someone who brought light back into his life.

"Sorry..." he murmured softly. "I guess I was a little overcome by you."

"To be honest, I came to this club every night and danced in the hopes that you'd be there."

Eric's eyes lit up and he looked up at Gnoll hopefully. "You did?" He obtained his own edge of cockiness, tilting his head to what he knew was his good side. "Why didn't you just call me back?"

"What? And miss this?"

Con hit another message, this one consisting of Eric sobbing into the phone and begging for attention.

"Whoa, hey man," Eric said, trying to come off as dismissive and macho. "I was high that day..."

"You do drugs?"

He took a moment to reply to that. "No... I'm just addicted to you."

A moment of strained, awkward silence. A cricket even chirped somewhere.

"That was bad," Con said with a soft chuckle.

"Sorry, sorry," answered Eric. "You're just... I dunno... wow."

Con smiled at him warmly, leaning down until their noses were touching. The contact sent shivers of anticipation through Eric's body. More than anything, he wanted to reach up and close that last few inches between their lips. It took all his effort to resist.

"Well, here I am. Now what?"

Eric tried to be as confident as he could possibly be and hiked a thumb over his shoulder at his truck. "How about going to my place?"

"Didn't we try this once before?" Con asked, inclining his head to the side with an eyebrow raised.

"Somehow, I think this'll be different."

That made the hyena smile though not laugh. Eric really wanted to hear that laugh again. Despite that, Con agreed and for the second time, they stepped into his truck. He drove fast and hard, not wanting a moment for Con to throw a fragment of doubt into him again. They made it to his apartment in fifteen minutes during which time neither of them spoke. Eric seized the hyena's paw and practically dragged him up a single flight of stairs to his apartment. He fumbled for the key. The jingled as they dropped to the ground.

"Shit..." he muttered. When he bent down and picked them up, he straightened and felt the hyena's muscular chest press against his back. Strong paws gently wrapped around his hands and guided his keys right into the keyhole. Eric couldn't help but fell there was some symbolism there.

They both stepped into his apartment and Con let out a soft surprised sound.

"It's not much," he admitted.

"For how long?" Con asked, gazing around the bare lounge room. There wasn't even a TV or a couch. Everything Eric owned was in his bedroom and the kitchen was barren with only a fridge. "Did you just move in?"

"Yeah..." Eric admitted, feeling a blush on his cheeks. He shut the door behind him, cutting off any escape for the hyena. It didn't look like Con wanted to leave anyway. "I just moved out of my mom's place not too long ago. I got this place with the cheque for compensation I got from the company my dad was working for and his life insurance... and his will..."

Con turned to him, an apologetic look on his face. The hyena gently ran a finger across Eric's jaw, making the latter shiver at the surprisingly affectionate gesture from such a powerful fur.

"Tell me about your dad."

Eric looked away, unable to meet the hyena's gaze. "He was strong. He was my idol. Even when things were going tough and when the job market was bad, he'd do anything to make the rest of us happy. Without him... I... I don't know... I feel... kind of lost..."

"You're so damaged and in a place so alien..." Then, the hyena gently cupped the back of Eric's neck, pulling him close and pressing him against that firm, muscular chest. "Let me make you feel more at home."

Eric's heart jumped to his throat and be barely managed a squeak when Con lifted him up in both arms and carried him to the bedroom. His body shivered at the sheer amount of strength the hyena possessed, making him blush as Con effortlessly lay him down on the bed and shuffled over him, their bodies hovering just an inch from one another.

The hyena's breath smelled strangely of peppermint, only adding to the exotic feel of him. A flush of that spicy-sweet breath rolled up Eric's neck, making him moan softly as he arched his neck back, offering it to the hyena. Con leaned forward, gently pressing his fangs against the flesh there. It made his flesh shiver with goose bumps. Con's tongue gently lapped out, brushing against skin. His paws worked expertly to slide beneath Eric's shirt, drawing those soft, leathery pads over Eric's stomach and to the young man's chest.

Eric moaned softly when a gentle touch pressed against his nipples. Con let out the faintest hyena laugh.

"Is this your first time?" Con asked.

Eric nodded, unable to formulate words.

"I'll go easy on you. That is, of course, if you want."

He never wanted anything more in his life. His hands gripped Con's waist and closed that last inch between their bodies. Only their clothes kept his skin from brushing against that soft, brown fur. Over the past few days, he had played this scenario over and over again in his mind, mentally playing out the scene over and over again. In his imagination, he was the one on top, riding Con's ass and making the hyena beg for it. He wanted to be the dominant one, punishing the hyena for making him wait but as he lay there, being caressed by that long tongue, he couldn't imagine himself anywhere else.

Con's expert paws retreated from underneath his shirt, leaving him feeling cold. Then, the hyena pressed a claw against the collar of his shirt. He never imagined that anyone's claws could be so sharp but Con drew his claw across Eric's shirt, tearing through it right down the middle and leaving the youth gasping. Sweat rolled off his chest, looking flat and unimpressive compared to the chiselled Adonis body hovering over him.

The hyena smiled softly and leaned down, pressing his muzzle softly against Eric's left nipple. The touch of the hyena's cold, wet nose sent shivers down Eric's body. A wave of warmth followed the blast of cold when Con's muzzle wrapped around his erect nipple, tongue gently lapping out and stimulating the sensitive nerves there. Eric's hand reached up behind the hyena's head, pressing the fur against him as much as possible. Con's hips expertly bucked and vibrated against him, slowly pushing his already raging erection against his pants and underwear.

Eric eagerly reached down towards his pants scrambling to get them off. He managed to unbuckle them and fought to kick them off. His underwear was halfway down his legs when his cock pushed up against Con's rock-hard abs. The mere touch made him quiver and moan.

His moan grew louder when Con's tongue slowly brushed away from his nipple and slipped up his chest, tracing a line very slowly up to his collarbone, lapping gently at his neck before rising up his cheeks. The hyena gently nibbled at his earlobe. Eric's eyes fluttered beneath his eyelids, a quiver running down his body.

"What if I told you could meet your father again?"

Eric's eyes snapped open. "Wh - what?"

Con laughed his hyena laugh, making Eric grunt. God, that laugh was so enchanting...

"I'm not going to kill you if that's what you're thinking," Con said. His muzzle hovering over Eric's ear, the hyena said, "Your father is being kept in Bal-Mordain."

Eric's eyes widened in shock. He tried to push Con away but it was like pushing against a brick wall. "What!? Why!?"

"Because of what happened to him. Do you want to see him again? Do you want to free him?"

His father had been his rock, the foundation of his entire life. More than anything, Eric wanted find Brodie Mancini. When news of his 'death' reached his ears, he had locked himself in his room and cried for what felt like days. He had seriously considered bringing out a tie and hanging himself from the rafters because he knew there could be no future for him or his family without his strong, determined father who not only built homes and structures for others but built their entire family with his bare hands.

That sizable cheque of compensation from the company, his father's life insurance money and his will was gave Eric a start but a start to where... He just wasn't sure...

Now...

"What... What do I have to do?" he asked softly.

He felt Con smile and that intoxicate laugh filled his ears again, making his heart leap and his cock jump in excitement. Slowly, the big hyena pulled him up from the bed. He felt a blast of cold as the hyena removed himself from the bed. Eric yearned for the touch of that muscular, furry flesh and scrambled to his feet after the fur. He was a little surprised when they entered small bathroom.

Eric was led inside and guided by Con to stand in front of the sink mirror. He stood there naked, looking so scrawny and pasty compared to the broad-shouldered, supermodel body Con had. His heart began to race when Con's arms wrapped around his waist, one paw gripping his cock and the other gently caressing his thigh.

"I want you to look at yourself as you are right now," cooed Con softly in his ear. "Look at yourself in the mirror. Then tell me exactly what you want to be."

The young man instinctively wrapped his arms around his chest, trying to hide his modest figure because he thought it made him almost look like a flat-chested girl. "I want to be more like you," he murmured softly. "I want to be more like my dad... strong..."

A soft smile touched Con's lips as he nuzzled Eric's neck. Eric could feel Con's erection pushing through some fabric he wore that was still hidden by his singlet.

"What else?" asked the hyena softly.

"I want to be taller... I don't want people looking down on me... Ah!" He gasped softly when Con gently squeezed on his cock. A little burst of cum spurt out of the tip of his member, dripping down a across the hyena's massive paw. Con didn't even have space to stroke Eric's cock. It was just so big. Or at least his cock was just too small. "I want a bigger cock..." he murmured softly, a soft moan escaping his lips.

Con pulled his other paw away from Eric's thigh. Eric watched with sexually-charged interest as the hyena drew one finger and lathered it with his spit. Con even spat on it a little. A mix of apprehension and lusty need made Eric watch as that finger disappeared behind him. The warm, slick finger pushed between his butt cheeks. He instinctively clenched down.

"Relax," Con whispered softly. "What else do you want to be?"

Eric forced himself to look forward, look at his pale twig of a body. "I... I dunno... I.. I... AH!"

A sharp blast of pain erupted from his ass. He bent forward, catching himself on the edges of the sink and he grit his teeth together, squeezing his eyes shut. Con whispered 'breathe' to him and he exhaled loudly. Every muscle in his body relaxed very slowly. His ass stopped clenching around Con's wet finger, slowly easing and giving the hyena more room to gently push further into him. More pain as his virgin ass was pushed open.

"Tell me about your ass," Con said gently. "Tell me what your ass to look like."

"I... I... Grrrr-ah!" He gasped, trying to keep his scrawny legs from collapsing out from beneath him. With a monumental effort, he said, "I want... I want a nice, bubble butt... big and firm. N-n-no fat... Just... just muscle... Ah!"

Con began pulling out and the pain was replaced by a tingling warmth that spread through his entire rear. He shuddered a little, cold sweat rolling down his back. The hyena began pushing back in and Eric braced himself but knew better than to clench down. This time, there was only mild discomfort and he found himself yearning for that finger to drive further into him. He began to hum softly, his hips bucking lightly into Con's waiting paw.

"Yeah," Con murmured softly in his ear. "A big, firm butt. Nice and smackable."

"Yeah..." Eric agreed. Then, Con pushed a second finger against the rim of Eric's ass. For a second, the young human froze but then pushed himself back into the awaiting appendage. There was a fraction of pain again but it was nothing like before. It felt like he could take more. Something thicker, longer. He moaned lustily and with need the more Con kept driving his fingers into him.

"Ready for me, stud?" the hyena asked.

"Fuck yeah..."

When Con pulled his fingers out, Eric was left panting and wanting. A soft whine escaped him but that was quickly replaced with a quiver of excitement when he felt Con's legs brush up against his very lightly as the hyena discarded his underwear. Something long, thick and wet slapped the base of his spine, running seemingly halfway up his back.

Was that Con's cock? It was huge! It had to be more than a foot long!

Slowly, Con's free paw ran up Eric's back. In the mirror, he could see the hyena admiring it. "What about your back? What kind of back would you like?"

"M - My back...?" Eric asked softly. "Well... Um..."

"Do you want it to be brimming with muscles? Nothing but? Every cut, ever hill and valley clearly definable and looking like it was cut right out of cold, hard steel?"

Eric just imagined having a back like that. He had seen his father's own strong, muscular frame and yearned to be that strong. "Yeah... Muscles everywhere... My spine just _sinking_into them and when I stretch... fuck... It's like looking at a mountain range..."

Then, Con's cock slipped against his ass and Eric blinked. Something... Something was wrong... Odd. He felt some... abrasion as the slick member began pushing into him. Strangely enough, he could feel that cock sliding into his ass so smoothly like it belonged there or... or that something bigger was meant to be in him.

Curious, he glanced over his shoulder.

His eyes widened in shock when Con's cock slipped into a tanned, furry ass that was not his own. Huge, steel buns were barely contained by the smooth, silky tan fur that ended just at the base of Eric's spine. They were _huge_too, clearly bigger than something that his small frame could support.

"Wh - What...!?"

"Your back?" Con pressed, pushing more of himself into Eric. A rush of ecstasy filled Eric like Con was touching his very soul. He pulled his head back straight, panting softly as Con began rocking back and forth, accelerating that sensation of being filled over and over again.

"Yeah... I want a strong back..."

"How tall do you want to be?"

"I wanna be seven - no eight - no, nine feet tall! Fuck, make it nine and a half! I wanna... Oh god!" He groaned as that strange tingling sensation began rushing all the way up his back. With every thrust Con made, it pushed that sensation further and further up his spine. A sound like rubber stretching met his ears and though he wanted to turn around and watch what was happening, he forced himself to stare at his reflection in the mirror in front of him.

His scrawny frame began extending further and further upward, his spine stretching beyond what any normal human could be. More than that, he watched as his lats began to expand, stretching out of his flanks and pushing his shoulders and arms out. Firm mounds of muscle jutted right out from underneath his armpits, curving sharply into a slim waist. Con's paws rolled over his back muscles and he could feel his claws slide into every cut, groove and crevice that now populated his back. Slowly, Con drew a single claw down his spine, thrusting constantly. It didn't seem like he was making progress as Eric's frame grew. The young man's face almost pressed up against the mirror and he was sure that if he was standing fully erect, he would come close to brushing his head against the ceiling!

"What's happening to me...?" Eric moaned softly. "What are you...?"

Con's paws migrated to his thighs, leaving Eric's cock unattended. "I want to talk about your legs. What should they be like?"

Eric groaned as those soft paws rolled over his comparatively short, hairy legs. "Fuck..." he groaned. "I fuckin' want them to be like tree trunks. Strong but still flexible."

Con thrust into him and the wave of warmth rushed downwards into his thighs. He moaned softly a as the growth flooded his legs. Muscles seemed to breathe with each of Con's thrusts. They would bulge out every time the hyena entered him and as he pulled out, they would slowly deflate. Then Con would be back in and they would surge back out farther than they had been before. Eric moaned and was forced to spread his legs as his thighs began to rub against one another. As he did so, his stance had to widen further and further as he legs stretched longer to become perfectly proportionate to his taller upper body. There was a moment of pain in his calves as they began to grow. It felt like someone had stuck a needle of lava into them and as the molten magma began to cool, it merged with his muscles.

"Oh god!" Eric cried, arching his huge, muscular back.

"Your chest needs attention," cooed Con, his paws travelling up from Eric's thighs. They teased his cock and balls just lightly before rolling up his flat abdomen and non-existent chest. "I think you'd look sexy with a six pack."

"F - Fuck that!" Eric growled. "I want an eight-fucking-pack!"

Con laughed. His next thrust felt like it stabbed Eric from deep inside and pushed at his gut. He could see the faint outline of eight, strong muscles pushing against his abdomen, a grin crossing his features. He began to laugh as, with each thrust, the muscles began to surge past his skin, sucking every ounce of fat from his frame and turning them into iron-hard muscle. Eight, perfectly cut abdominal muscles jutted out from his stomach, draining the excess flab from his flanks to perfect the 'v' shape his back had already begun.

"Juicy pecs..." he hummed loudly. "Fuck, I want them bad. And permanently erect nipples! I want people to know I'm a fucking' stud! That my chest is just that _fucking_huge!"

Con's laughter redoubled and Eric joined him, rocking back and forth in tandem with the hyena. The cock in him felt nice but it didn't satisfy him. He was built for something more, something bigger. It was hot and fuck did he need it but he wanted more. As he ran these thoughts through his head, Con's paws rolling up his chest. They squeezed against his flesh and he let out a rumbling growl, purposefully puffing out his chest as the wave of warmth pulsated out of his legs and migrated up to his chest. He grinned at his own reflection, watching his pecs push out from beneath Con's fingers, forcing them apart as they bulged and grew. The rush of power in him was exhilarating!

And he wanted more.

When the hyena brushed his fingers against Eric's nipples and he felt just how hard they were, he knew they would remain like that, permanently begging for someone to press their lips against them and get close to those huge, steel mountains which were his pecs.

"Arms!" he panted. "My arms!"

"Oh yeah?" Con asked, his tongue rolling out as he panted. "Flex those huge biceps for me. Show me just how big they are."

Eric lifted one arm, supporting his entire weight on the other. He gave it one good flex. Con's next thrust pushed all the power into that arm. His shoulders blossomed into the juicy mounds they were always meant to be and his biceps and triceps followed suit. The pushed his skin to the limit, veins having to rapidly grow to supply the new muscles with blood. He opened his hand for a second and then clenched it into a tight fist. He felt the bones crack and strength, his hand becoming massive as blood pumped into his forearms, strength pushing his muscles to their limits but placing them in direct proportion to the rest of his body. A loud moan rippled through his thick throat as the power travelled from his left arm across his neck to widen it and then down his right. He gripped the sink tightly as the rush of might flooded his arm.

Crrrack!

His sink cracked beneath his grip.

"God yeah... Oh yeah..." His eyes went down to his cock which looked so pathetic against his legs. "Do my cock next. My cock!"

"You're so eager," laughed Con. "But I have a better idea..." Con pressed his body against Eric's, the contact simply electric. The much smaller hyena pressed his muzzle against Eric's left armpit, that arm still flexed. "I think you'd be sexy with thick fur right here..."

"Oooh yeah..."

Right before his eyes, a thick bush of hair grew from the deep valleys that his muscles made. They jut out, becoming almost like fur.

"Yeah... You'd look sexy hairy," Con murmured. "Tell me how sexy you'd be."

"Ffffuck yeah..." he moaned back. "I'd be a fucking stud... A real man! A man's man! Every guy would want me! Yeah!"

Just as he said these, he lowered his left arm, enjoying the touch of his new armpit fuzz brushing against his massive muscles. As he set his hand against the sink again, thick strands of hair began growing all over his forearms, becoming a layer of dark fur-like strands. His other armpit did not go unattended and that too had its own growth. Thick strands of hair began creeping up his chest, originating from his groin, the weed-like fuzz spread rapidly, shooting up towards his abs to form a definitive treasure trail and the squeezing between his pecs. The chest hair grew, he could feel it but it couldn't even make it all the way out of the valley, just forming a small crest on his chest. At the same time, a similar layer of hair rolled over his thighs and legs, giving him a wild, feral look that he enjoyed. His face tingled a little. Strands of hair began jutting out from his upper lip, curling around his mouth and spreading all over his chin. The sexy, dark circle beard made him grin and that grin was just so stunning.

"Fuck!" he rumbled to Con's laughter. "I'd make a fucking sexy hyena!"

"Yeah, you would," Con laughed.

On cue, he felt the ripples of the change start from his fingertips and toes. By now, he had thrown away all sense of suspicion and fear. He willingly embraced it, throwing himself willingly to it... and to Gnoll's influence.

Gnoll watched the boy give in and laughed. Shark Tamer knew his stuff. Prey on their insecurities, make them want it more than just sex and use the sex as a tool. More than that... the power of love. He couldn't help but let out another laugh at the cliché. As the black claws began to jut out of Eric's toes and feet, he found himself growing closer and closer to orgasm. But he reeled back and enjoyed the ride. By now, the huge soon-to-be hyena in front of him was doing all the work, squeezing his cock with that tight, bubble butt of his.

The soft, dark fur covered Eric's hands, turning them into more stubby fingers to resemble paws and added with the leathery pads, his transformation was well under way. As the fur crept up his forearms, Gnoll noted how the arm hair remained a distinct dark brown while the fur was lighter still. It made him look _very_sexy indeed, a real alpha-male. The fur crept up all over Eric's body, covering him in the light brown coat of a true hyena that only accentuated the dark tufts of fur that was his body hair.

Eric arched his back and shook his head. His hair crept down the back of his neck, snaking down his spine and forming a long, lush mane. His laughter grew more and more hyena-like, filled with triumph and release. His jawed stretched forward, teeth turning into fangs and his ears moving to the top of his head. When he next opened his eyes, they were the same gold as Gnoll's. The massive hyena saw his reflection and let out his own laugh.

Gnoll found that moment of finality absolutely euphoric. He let himself go, spilling his seed into Eric in thick globules but it was nothing compared to the grown that fed into Eric's own cock. The hyena's balls dropped several inches, making room for their sudden spurt of growth. They bounced against his massive thighs, churning with cum like mad factories as they desperately tried to fill his need for release. The newly made hyena arched his back, grinning to himself and shutting his eyes as his human cock spurt in release.

With every blast, his cock stretched further and further outward, widening in girth until only the biggest and loosest of asses would be able to take it. Gnoll had an idea about whose ass Eric wanted especially as the boy murmured 'daddy' beneath his loud growls. Jet black splotches began creeping up Eric's cock, spreading rapidly with every blast of hot cum that poured into Eric's sink. His cock landed into the bowl, constantly shooting gallon after gallon of seed until his cock was past fifteen feet long, pointed and utterly black.

Only then did the last few dribbles of seed end, with the sink completely filled and seemingly clogged.

"Fuuuuuck..." rumbled Eric. "Oh fuck..."

Gnoll reached up, gently cupping the hyena's chin and turning his newly made lieutenant's muzzle towards him. Eric was too tall to kiss but he still looked absolutely sexy with that beard. "How do you feel, Boy Breaker?"

"Boy Breaker..?" Eric murmured in confusion. Then he suddenly grinned. "I fuckin' love it. And I fuckin' love this!" He stretched his arms wide and flexed them both. Veins rolled up his shoulders and all the way down his arms. His back was the picture of perfection.

"Great." Gnoll grinned broadly. "Now, we just need to train you up."

"Train me?" asked Boy Breaker, a frown crossing his muzzle. "For what?"

Gnoll's grin grew broader as he flexed his cock in the hyena, making the latter moan. "For getting Man Breaker out of Bal-Mordain."

*****

"We're going to write about the facility's dead zones," Caleb announced, absently chewing the edge of his pen.

Mary smacked the back of his paw. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? It'll ruin your stylus-pen."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom." He turned to the others, using it to point at Lars. "What're you and Mary going to write about?"

The Doberman exchanged glances with Mary who sat beside Caleb. "The memorial gardens? That's not something anyone will expect, right?"

"We got a guided tour into Bal-Mordain. No one will expect that," Mary responded. "Personally, I think our teachers aren't going to believe us but I'm fairly sure I could convince them it really happened." She glanced at Caleb and Ben. "I don't know how the two of you are going to deal with that but I pray for your grades."

Ben lifted his hands into the air and adjusted the glasses he did not need. "Hey, I'm not taking history this year. It's geography for me. I tagged along because it was nice to see where Blood Wolf could be imprisoned."

Lars shot him a venomous stare while Alex and Gregory both continued to scribble notes on their own tablets. Ben just looked smug as he played a few games on his own tablet.

Gregory suddenly threw his paws into the air, a bright grin on his face. "Ah! We should go to da beach!" Everyone on the table knew full well he didn't really have a Russian accent but he liked to keep up appearances. Especially, as he put it, 'where pretty shy girls can hear him'.

The librarian gave them a loud 'shush' and Gregory raised a paw in apology. As with the last few days, they hyena was dressed only in very scant clothing. Just yesterday, he only had a pair of cut-off pants and today, he had only wearing only a pair of Speedos until one of the teachers advised him to wear something else. He kept the Speedos but borrowed one of Caleb's gym shorts which were several sizes too big for him, forcing Gregory to constantly pull his pants up on the front. His tail kept the piece of clothing up from behind but every so often, when he was standing, the front would slide down and reveal the big bulge through his blue bathers.

"That came out of left field," Alex said from where he sat on Caleb's other side. "Besides, Caleb and Lars have practice after school and this project is due on Friday. Plus we've got other assignments."

Gregory flashed them all a cheesy smile. "So? Let's go now!"

It was the middle of the morning just for their morning break. The school day had barely started.

"You mean ditch school to go to the beach?" Caleb asked.

"Da!" Gregory nodded vigorously. "Is not what American high school children do all the time?"

"You're thinking of American high schoolers in the 2000's," replied Mary, picking up her own tablet. "These days, smart is the new sexy."

"Niet!" exclaimed the hyena. "Sexy is what you make sexy! We all sexy here! Let us go show it to the world!"

Caleb regarded his tablet and the monumental amounts of notes he had taken during the tour in Bal-Mordain. His brain was feeling overloaded and he didn't think he could last the rest of the day. The prospect of going to the beach even momentarily was tempting, though he didn't want to miss gym or football practice... His teammates were still a little pissed off at his disappearance in the last game and disappearing for practice again would hurt his standing with them even more.

"You know what?" he said, setting his tablet down. "Why don't we hit the beach now? Let's get back before lunch is over. I don't want to miss practice."

"Yes!" Gregory laughed. "That is the American spirit! Let us go!"

"Not so loud!" Lars hissed. "We won't be going anywhere if people know where we're going."

Caleb had long known that Lars ditched school often himself here and there. One time, he was fairly sure it was because of a girl in college he was dating but he wasn't sure. Or maybe he was out doing superhero things. He was never too sure...

Mary just rolled her eyes, picked up her things and stood up. "You jocks_do what you want. I'm going to see what I can do about the English assignment we all have. And _no I'm not letting any of you copy off me."

"I'm with her," Alex said, hiking a thumb at Mary. "I need to catch up on my schoolwork or my dad will have my hide. Later!" He jumped up and quickly followed Mary.

The only problem came with the fact that Mary was the one with a car and while Caleb had Ballistic, he could only take one person with him. This solution was solved when, as they were sneaking out to leave, Ben suggested that he and Lars take their own way to the beach considering how they had their own means to get there. Gregory remained blissfully unaware of what that meant and just took Caleb's offered spare helmet as they jumped on Ballistic and made their way to Sunnyview Beach, the closest beach to their school and a popular hangout place for the students - truancy or no.

As the rode, Caleb became all too aware of Gregory's proximity to him and how close the hyena's paws were to his groin. For the past day, he had been wondering about Gregory's sexual preferences and if he was really aware of what he had been saying yesterday. Every part of him wanted to ask but then he began wondering why it was so important. He was with Lance now, he was taken. Maybe he should nip this in the bud before it started? Or was he genuine curious?

Curious, why, he wondered.

A relationship with Lance was fulfilling and it made him feel loved but it was still forbidden. It was incest, after all. He couldn't help feel that if he had a relationship that was just as fulfilling and wasn't taboo, he would be happier. He wouldn't have to go around hiding from his parents or family, he could walk the school's hallways paw in paw with his boyfriend and he wouldn't be worried about what people would say.

But still... Lance...

They reached Sunnyview Beach within ten minutes. Caleb parked Ballistic and he was a little surprised to find Lars and Ben already on the beach waiting for them. Ben was wearing a pair of ragged beach shorts which looked suspiciously like the pants he had been wearing at school. Lars had his shirt off and chest puffed out, clearly showing off his muscle structure in comparison to the smaller, slimmer Ben.

Caleb felt the heat of the summer sun on his back and was tempted to remove his own figure-hugging shirt but remembered that the much more scantily clad Gregory was nearby. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head that if he so much as showed any fragment of fur to the hyena, the Russian would be all over him.

"Hey!" Lars exclaimed, waving at them. "Gonna go for a swim?" He was looking extremely trim and lean. As the quarterback, he was a perfect all-rounder with excellent upper body strength and equally great legs. While Caleb was a little leaner, he was much bigger in terms of sheer muscle mass and strength. Being a superhero probably had something to do with that as well.

"I dunno..." Caleb answered. "I didn't bring a change of clothes."

"Then just strip, dude!"

"But my underwear..."

"Just go commando! Speaking of which..."

Caleb's eyes boggled and before he could protest, Lars stripped off his shorts and tossed them aside. His briefs showed off his considerable bulge making Caleb dizzy for a moment. Ben rolled his eyes and strode towards the lapping waters. There was a large number of people on the beach already, mostly families with small kids and people who had taken a summer vacation. As with the rest of California, the beach was home to beautiful bodies from the toned, muscular and buff to the slim, athletic and sexy - for both genders and all species. A vixen and her friends came across them and she batted an eye at Caleb. She made no effort to hide the fact that she bent around and checked out his ass.

His jock mentality kicked in and he grinned at her. "Like what you see, ladies?"

They giggled, the vixen sliding up next to him and making a show of her ample bosom.

"I dunno," she responded. "I think I need to see more. Take of your shirt."

Gregory suddenly chimed in. "Da! Da! Is so hot here in American sun! Come, friend Caleb! Off with the shirt!"

He never got a chance to protest as Gregory seized the rims of his shirt and yanked it off his head. He let out a muffled cry and tried to struggle but in doing so -

Rrrrip!

Tore his shirt in half.

"Gah!" he cried as his bare chest was revealed. The vixen's eyes sparkled and she licked her lips. Her friends let out a soft 'oooh' and wandered over. Two of them actually went further and reached for his body, one girl rubbing his firm pecs and the other running her finger across the vein on his left arm.

"You're a big boy!" the vixen laughed.

Suddenly flustered by all the attention and Gregory's manhandling, he pointed at Lars and said, "Sure am! But if you want some real beef, my bud over there could use a workout."

They turned to Lars who rapidly shook his head. "Ummm... Nah, I'm good bro. Go ahead. Girls' all yours."

Caleb frowned and leaned forward a little, examining Lars' nose. "Hey... Uh... Lars... Your nose is bleeding."

Lars' eyes widened and he patted his nose with a finger. As he pulled it away and stared at the blood there, he muttered a quick, 'Shit' and hurried away, puzzling Caleb even more. The girls giggled and then invited him, Gregory and Ben for a swim.

"Swim with girls?" Gregory asked, inclining his head to the side in confusion. "Naked?"

"No, silly!" laughed the vixen. "Unless that's how you want to swim?"

"Is that not dangerous with American sharks?"

Suddenly, all attention was shifted away from Caleb as Gregory's Russian accent stole them away from him. Just relieved to no longer being fawned upon, Caleb retreated to Ben's side and watched the girls as they 'oohed' and 'aahed' at Gregory's muscles.

"I'm bigger than that guy," Caleb muttered.

"Yeah but you're also gay," countered Ben. He gave Caleb a curious look. "Speaking of which, why the hell did you let those girls fondle you if you're not into that stuff?"

He shrugged absently. "I'm a shitty gay, what can I say? I'm new to this stuff and old habits die hard."

Ben shook his head. "In the months I've known you, you and Lars are probably the most stereotypical jocks I know down to the supressed homosexuality."

"You're just jealous because you can't turn those girls into werewolves."

"Bite me."

"Isn't that what I'm meant to say?"

Ben grinned and nudged him in the ribs with an elbow. Lars returned and attempted to go all alpha male when he saw Gregory getting all the attention. He flexed for the girls who all rolled their eyes and said something along the lines of having seen a lot of big Dobermans but a Russian hyena...? That was exotic.

As they watched the two, Caleb felt like he was burning up with his pants. He removed them and tossed them onto the pile of clothing Lars had already discarded. Gregory invited all the girls to a swim, naturally inviting Lars too. The hyena tossed his borrowed shorts into the pile, making the girls drool at the sight of his speedos. Lars chased after them into the sea.

"Hey," Ben began, once they were alone, "I'm sorry if I came off strong on Sunday. I'm glad you're not jumping to the FBI or something... On the account that you know where we live and what not."

Caleb shrugged. "You're my friend, Ben. Blood Wolf or no. The way I figure it, you haven't gone blabbing about my role or the Gene Stealers, you haven't outed Lars and haven't exposed Mary either. We're all keeping one another's secrets. That's worth something."

Ben chuckled softly. "I'll admit, the reason I wanted you over was to try and turn you. But I guess you foiled my evil scheme."

"If that's seriously the best 'evil scheme' you can come up with, Ben, you're going to have to try harder especially compared to the Gene Stealers."

Ben's expression darkened and for a moment, Caleb thought he had crossed a line. Was there some sort of competition between villains? Was it bad to compare one's success against another?

"About them..." he murmured softly. "I spoke to my dad and mom... Or at least my 'parents' in the Alpha Pack and to the outside world. They never heard of the Gene Stealers but they have heard about other cases of spontaneous transformations in other States and countries. Isolated cases though. Never the same. This is spanning years though. No one transformation was ever the same and people dismissed it as people going a little nuts after discovering their powers but then when I told them about Spider Queen, Dragon Knight, Wendigo and Shark Tamer..."

Caleb frowned. "What?"

Ben locked gazes with him. "Cale, the first reported case of any transformation even remotely related to Spider Queen's insect-related transformation was two hundred and fifty-two years ago. For Dragon Knight, one hundred, Wendigo is just recent at fifty and Shark Tamer is just the last decade."

"Wait... Are you sure...?"

The werewolf nodded. "The Alpha Pack keeps this sort of thing documented. We want to know who else can turn people. Rival packs or groups, you know. Normals are our bread and butter. If someone else is turning them, then they're taking our life blood and our power from underneath us." He frowned deeply, his eyes flashing red for a second. "My dad said that the investigation seemed like the girl got infected with a 'superpowered' insect larvae that sort of made her a massive spider with barely enough intelligence to discern her father and mother. Sound familiar?"

It did. That was Spider Queen's MO.

"The infections have been progressing, you know," Ben said softly. "Increasing in intensity and potency as time goes on. But there were years when nothing happened. The Alpha Pack that was behind them recently but it's probably just because you guys were dealing with them." He gave Caleb a grave look. "My dad wants to speak with us and Bren. They want to broker a deal."

"Cooperation?"

Ben nodded slowly. "I can't promise anything will come out of it. We _are_supervillains. But if we can help stop the Gene Stealers, we'll do whatever we can."

It was an excellent opportunity and certainly something Bren would be interested in. The Alpha Pack would effectively be put down as allies and while there would be tension, it would mean the Outsiders wouldn't have to keep looking over their shoulder for the Pack's next move. Trust would be hard to come by but better to have an ally against the growing Gene Stealers than more enemies.

"Great. I guess we just need to get the Elemental Alliance on board and then we might just get enough firepower to take these assholes down."

Ben snorted. "Don't tell me you didn't hear."

He flicked his ears at the werewolf. "Hear what?"

"Feral Steel released a statement this morning about his stance on Outsiders. Said that it's either go super or leave it to the professionals. They don't need 'wannabes'."

The Elemental Alliance, especially its leader - Feral Steel - was quite vocal about its position on Outsiders and this statement was just another salvo at any Outsiders out there just trying to help. Feral Steel was a powerful super, a strong wolf with the power to conjure metal and manipulate metal at his will. His powers had grown over the years to allow him to manipulate magnetic fields and there were rumours that he could even extend those powers to the metal that naturally exists in people's bodies. He was incredibly_powerful but also a little bit of a tightass when it came to his 'superhero territory'. He hated it when other superhero groups intruded upon the California area for whatever reason. It was Alliance policy to clear out _everyone from any battlefields including local police which naturally didn't make him popular with the local law enforcement.

It made for great recruitment opportunities for the FBI and the Outsider Program, though.

"He's just spouting more of bullshit," Caleb said, waving the thought away absently. "Anything to get in front of the cameras."

"Speaking of cameras..." Ben gave him a curious look. "That camera Bren uses to erase people's memories... What about the Alliance? Surely they know about these attacks, right? I mean, they would detect big, explosions and powers flying everywhere. Not to mention scores of missing people."

He waved the thought away absently. "Bren takes care of it. Plus, people go missing all the time because of supervillains. Nothing new. I bet you've kidnapped a few people to turn them."

"Point."

They lounged in the sun for a little longer, Caleb panting as sweat rolled off his muscles. He was tempted to his the ocean himself but he didn't like getting salt flakes in his fur and if he were to rush back to school soon, he didn't need to explain why he had 'chronic dandruff'.

When it was about to head back, he called for Lars and Gregory. Lars emerged from the waters sulking because all the other girls had crowded around Gregory. He slumped beside Caleb with a huff.

"Man, his accent is killing them! It's like he's one of those frickin'_hyenas except instead of a laugh, he just say something sexy like, 'In mother Russia, we _really fuck you!'."

"Maybe we should get you really drunk so he and Comrade Lars could get to know each other better?" Ben laughed.

"Har-har."

Gregory eventually emerged, dripping with seawater. Caleb bought both him and Lars a beach towel and the two headed off to shower before heading back. Caleb threw on his pants and remembered that his shirt was torn. Oh well, it would be a nice stroke to his ego to be going around shirtless for the rest of the day. He had never done it before but, then again, he hadn't exactly grown to have the physique for it until fairly recently.

Lars and Gregory came out of the showers fifteen minutes later. Once again, their travel arrangements were set as Lars and Ben made their way to school while Gregory rode with Caleb on Ballistic.

The wolf's thoughts were on the idea of working with the Alpha Pack when Gregory's paws began to travel slowly down his washboard abs. The hyena was pressing himself against Caleb's back.

"Uh... Greg... You okay back there?" he asked over his shoulder and through his helmet.

"Never better," answered Gregory in his normal non-accented tone. "You are _very_attractive, Caleb. I love the contrast your white belly fur has against the rest of your body. And it shapes against your muscles perfectly, highlighting the things that need to be highlighted."

"Ummm... Thanks..."

Gregory laughed softly, a very quiet hyena laugh. "I am sorry, I have made you awkward."

"Sort of, yeah."

"Well let me make you feel less awkward."

Caleb suddenly pulled the brakes when Gregory's paw squeezed his package very tightly. In the middle of the street, away from prying eyes, he leapt off Ballistic and tore off his helmet. "What the hell!?" he cried.

Gregory, still astride the bike, pulled off his own helmet and smiled at him. "I want the All American Experience. I believe sex with a high school jock is part of that."

"Don't give me that bullshit," Caleb sneered.

The hyena shrugged absently. "Okay. Then how about this? I'm gay, Caleb. I find you attractive. I want you to make sweet, sweet love to me, kiss me, take my cock, cum all over me and drink my seed from now until the end of the year when I leave for Russia. Is that so difficult to comprehend?"

Caleb was baffled. "What!?"

"A man cannot be an island. I am a foreigner in a foreign land. I desire companionship and you are a kind, supportive, adorable person. You got me access to a highly restricted prison facility. I never got to thank you for that."

"So you'll thank me with sex!?"

"Hopefully it will become a regular thing."

Caleb shook his head in horror. First Ben, then Lance and now this? Admittedly, Ben had ulterior motives but Gregory!?

"You have got to be shitting me."

Gregory gave his hyena laugh. "I never kid when it comes to sex."

Caleb shook his head, pushing the shock away. "Okay... I appreciate the gesture and I'm really flattered but -"

"But what? Are you straight?"

"No but -"

"Are you taken?"

What could he say to that? That he was and he was dating his older brother?

"No -"

Shifting back to his very sexy, Russian accent, Gregory said, "Then what is the problem? You are single. I am single. We are both gay. Do you not find me attractive?" The hyena slipped off the bike and approached him, a claw gently drawing circles around Caleb's exposed nipples.

"You're smoking hot especially with that accent."

Gregory leaned towards him, their lips hovering over one another. "Then why do you not kiss me, yes?"

Caleb's lips curled in disgust. He pushed Gregory away roughly, shocking the hyena. "Thanks but no thanks. You're not my type."

"A hyena?" countered Gregory. "If you give me a chance, I could put a little hyena in you too if that is what you want."

"It's not that," Caleb growled, stepping around Gregory and jumping onto his bike. "You're the cocky, 'I get whatever I want' spoiled brat that thinks a sexy accent and a hot body will get him everything he wants. Fuck man, you use a gimmick to attract people to you. You lie to them. You pretend you're ignorant but really, you want them to think that just so you can get in their pants."

He shoved his helmet over his head, flicking the visor up so he could deliver the finishing blow to the hyena. "That's not my type. My types are those people who are honest up front. Even if they've been hiding a secret or never realised it until that moment, as long as they're honest with me, that I can appreciate and admire. You're not that guy, Gregory.

"You can make your own way back to school."

He kicked Ballistic into gear and zoomed off before Gregory could even make a counter argument. It was a terrible thing to do, leaving the guy out there in the middle of the street to fend for himself. Hell, he probably didn't know the way back but with that accent and slimy smirk, he would get everything he wanted.

He took a moment to analyse his existing relationships and realise that is why he maintained his current company. Lars was honest with him. Yes he kept his secret as a superhero but only because it was necessary. They were the best of friends. Mary had never hidden anything from him. She was _very_vocal. Ben had ulterior motives, yes, but he was considerate and didn't force it upon people like Gregory. Even when he showed his true colours to them, he didn't pin them to the ground and turn them as Caleb was sure Gregory would have pinned him down and raped him until he got off. And Alex? There was nothing Alex was hiding! He was cheerful, sincere and generally a happy-go-lucky guy!

Finally, there was Lance. Through the years of torment, Lance always did show a glimmer of restraint. When he came out to Caleb, it all made sense and he really appreciated the honesty and courage behind it. Hell, even Leon was honest in his pranks even if they were out of sheer boredom.

Gregory did not fit into that picture.

Caleb had no room for a guy who lied just for sex in his life.

Before he knew where he was going, he was riding up to the garage of his house. He blinked a couple of times and though he wanted to go back for football practice, he was in no mood to deal with Gregory if they ran into one another again. Thankfully, no one else seemed to be home - the van was gone. Dad might be home working on his next project but if he was _really_quiet, Caleb could sneak past without him noticing.

Much to his relief, Dad's slippers were still in the shoe rack meaning he was out. Curiously, Lance's were missing.

"Lance?" he shouted. "You here?"

"Cale?" His older brother appeared at the top of the stairs, fur freshly dried and a towel around his waist. "What're you doing here?"

"Just got hit on my a gay foreign classmate. Kind of blew up in his face. Not feeling like going back to school."

"Oh..." Lance looked like he was trying to fight a smile. "Hey, you wanna come up? No one is home."

Caleb's tail was wagging. "You always know exactly what'll make me feel better." He bolted up the stairs and practically crash-tackled Lance into his room. Their bodies hit the floorboards with a heavy whump, their muscular frames rubbing against one another as they fought for dominance. Caleb managed to pin Lance - who wasn't fighting very hard - to the floor, Lance's towel lying beneath them forgotten.

"Hey," Lance began, "what happened to your shirt? You never go out shirtless."

"Kind of lost it."

"I like you shirtless."

"I thought you liked me without clothes at all?"

"That too."

They both worked immediately to tear off Caleb's pants. Both their cocks were already hard and dripping precum. Caleb pressed his lips against Lance's and it just felt... right. This was something he couldn't get from Gregory. That open feeling of honesty, of affection and without any secrets between them. And this... this was forever. Gregory wanted a year-long fling. This, what he had with his brother, it would outlast that.

As they broke their kiss, Caleb grinned. "Shall we take this to the bed?"

"Sure -"

Then a shout came from downstairs.

"Lance? Are you home?"

It was their mother.

They stared at each other in horror.

"Shit!" they both whispered in unison.

"Caleb?" came Dad's resonating voice. "Are you here too? What're you doing home?"

Both boys scrambled to their feet. Caleb's foot got caught on Lance's towel and he tumbled right into his brother. His weight carried them immediately to the bed with a loud crash. Caleb yipped loudly when he felt Lance's cock slide slightly into his virgin ass. In response, Lance puppy-maker squirted a bit of precum into him, making the younger wolf shudder, his tongue hanging out as the warm fluids seeped out of his ass.

"Lance? Is that you?"

The doorknob began to twist.

"Don't come in!" they both shouted, damning them both.

David Hale pushed open the door with Lillian Hale hovering right behind him, just pulling off a sunhat. They both froze when they saw two of their sons, very naked and with very pronounced erections over one another and Lance's in particular partially in Caleb's ass.

...

David Hale lifted an eyebrow. "Oh. I see you two are busy. We'll come back later."

"David!" Lillian snapped. "Your sons are just having sex!"

Caleb's worst nightmare had just come true. His parents had caught him and Lance in the middle of sex. What could he tell them? He tripped and fell - which was ironically the truth? How would he explain the fact that the two of them were both naked? Comparing sizes? That wouldn't explain why his pants were all the way off.

And worse, they knew he was gay! What if they thought he was trying to convert Lance!?

"Mom, Dad..." he began.

"Hush Caleb," Lillian snapped. Strangely her eyes were fixated on her much taller husband. "David..."

David Hale groaned loudly. "Oh come on! Now? Really?"

She slapped him lightly with her purse. "You just caught your sons screwing each other and your response was 'We'll come back later'. You owe them an explanation! Especially Caleb!"

"Me...?" Caleb asked.

David shook his head. "Can we at least let them finish?"

"No! You promised to tell him on his birthday! You didn't! Now march, mister!" Lillian Hale pushed her husband into the room, entering herself and shutting the door. "Caleb, Lance, your father has something to tell you."

It was strange that despite being caught in the act, it was their father that looked like he was the guilty party. Both boys disengaged from one another and sat attentively on the bed. Still very aware of his erection, Caleb reached down and placed Lance's towel over his privates. Lance took one edge and draped it over his own cock. It didn't stop their erections from showing through the fabric, though.

"Caleb..." David began, ears folded back and a look of regret on his face. "I should have told you earlier about this... Well, we both should have -"

"I wanted to tell you," Lillian corrected. "But your father kept procrastinating."

"I was going to tell you when you were seven but then I was afraid the other kids at school would tease you. When you hit middle school, it just became awkward and then high school, you shot up and I was too busy pushing you to go to football so this wouldn't seem so bad."

"What?" Caleb urged. "What isn't so bad?"

David offered Caleb a shaky grin. "Well... The reason why neither of us are upset that you and Lance are in the process of toe-curling, mind-blowing, homoerotic, incestuous orgasm... is because, technically... it's not incestuous..."

Caleb frowned. The cogs in his head were slowly starting to turn to one conclusion and his heart sank even further. "Um..."

"Caleb..." David began.

Lillian rolled her eyes. "You're torturing him, David." She stepped in front of her husband. "Caleb, you're adopted."

...

David peeked over his wife's head. "Surprise!"