chapter 5 - one hell of a party
The walk from our house to Max's was little more then a stroll next door. Even though i had a key and was allowed in anytime i still knocked and waited for an answer. It wasn't even 5 minutes before an older looking brown otter opened the door letting me in.
"Good morning Jason, Max will be down shortly" the otter spoke with a calm and even tone that spoke of years beyoned the service he spent working for max. His name was Edward but everyone either called him Ed or Eddy much to his displeasure. He came up to about 5' 5" with a slim build that suit his position as Max's butler. His fur was brushed smooth to the point i thought he just got out of the shower or he glued it that way. He wore the standerd clothes of a butler but it was a dark emerald green, a choice he claims was Marks idea but neither will tell me the truth on that. Over all he was just an averge looking guy with the only thing that sticks out is that his tail had a light blue hue to it, a detail not even Max could explain.
The wait was even shorter then when i knocked as Max came down a set of stairs still combing his hair with Eddy assisting with his tie. Max looked alot like his son but he was a full blown timber wolf and was even kind of shorter then Eddy at 5'3". He kept a decent build by execising with me and Mark when he could. He was really quite mild mannered despite his somewhat whimsical choices like getting a fur tattoo on his leg of a white eagle, which could be seen because he was in such a rush he forgot something.
"Ok Jason lets go. Traffic is supposed to get horrible soon so lets leave ASAP" he spoke quick and clear. When he saw me shaking my head no and closing the door he asked almost cutly "Why not?"
At this I could only point down. Once he saw his was just in his blue boxers he immediatly bolted up the stairs. Both me and Eddy couldn't help but chuckle at how easily Max didn't notice he was half nude till I told him. He came down moments later hopping madly with one leg in his pants and struggling to get the other in.
After this little bout of a circus act I was opening the car door for a fully dressed max and getting in the driverside myself.
"Why didn't Ed say something earlier? Better yet why didn't YOU say something instead of just pointing Jason?" Max loved to talk and I let him so as the drive was soon filled with max rambling off all the reasons or whatever while I just sat and nodded. Soon I noticed it was unusually quiet and I looked over to see max was looking at me a little too closly. So in answer to his stare I began wiping my face off and checking my teeth and hair. When that didn't stop his stare i finnaly asked what was wrong. "You had another nightmare didn't you?"
"... How do figure?" Max was the only who seemed to notice when I had those dreams. Even Mark didn't notice, and we share a bedroom! Economy sized house, not saying anymore.
"You just have that look about you. Was it worse then usual?" I never knew what he ment by 'look' because i just pretend it dosn't happen. The only reason Max knew about them was because he was increadably nosey one morning when he saw I had just woken up.
"Not sure. I woke up drenched in sweat like usual so i assume it was the same." that was my hope anyway.
"Still no idea why youre having them?"
"Not a clue. im not going to go see a therapist about it so don't ask" the last one I tried talking to thought i was a sociopath when I said I was dreaming about killing people as a wolf. Probly not wrong but she was really rude about it, even threw a cross at me.
"You should still talk to some kind of proffesional about this though. How about the docter Mark talked to when he thought you could start spitting fire if you started acting like a feral!" Fun thing to know. There were feral animorphs. They could walk on two legs but they didn't seem to have a mind beyond instinct. They wern't a problem, just that some people would turn feral and never turn back. It was a concern but nothing beyond someone just suddenly going crazy for whatever reason life gave them. "She got him to stop sleeping with that fire extinguisher didn't it."
For a few seconds I tried to rember that but stopped soon after I saw we had arrived at the museum. "I'll think about it. Quick check first, do you have youre speech memorized?"
He nodded.
"Still have that pocket pistol?"
He pulled out to prove he still had it.
"Cellphone with satalite uplink?"
He checked his pocket then nodded.
"Allright then lets go."
I had parked us behind the museum and had got out first. There was a small crowed out front so I asked we be let in the back entrance for privicy purposes. The door was open as promised and the guard there escorted us to the room the ceramony was taking place. It was in the eastern culture exibit where several pices of art and history were displayed.
"Ok jason im going to go mingle. Why don't you go and enjoy you're self for once. It might even improve that face of yours to smile." he winked as he skiped over to some tiger like a little kid.
I soon felt a large hand drop on my shoulder. "This is for high class people only kid. Either get out or show me an invitation." i looked over my sholder to see it was a rino in a black suit and sunglasses.
"Im the body guard for Maxami-" I never got to finish because he started dragging me to the door. To which i responded by taking his wrist and throwing him over my sholder in a quick judo throw. Thankfully he landed on empty space between the guests.
"Why you litt-" he was interupted by max and the tiger quickly stepping between us.
"Shut up you idiotic neanderthul! Mr. Baxter I am so sorry your guard was forced to teach my new help a lesson in apperances!" the tiger hastily spoke as if it was him I just slamed.
"Its quite allright Mr. Eveans I forgot to tell you my guard is encourged to work in street clothes. I do hope he wasn't to rough with him." Max was quick to defend me while he used his hand to signal me that I should apologise as well.
Things quickly evolved into a humility act as both Mr. Eveans and Max kept trying to give the more formal apology. To which both me and the rino slipped away, the rino towards the door and me to the buffet. I spent the next hour just standing around looking at the art while nibbling on some horderves among other guests and guards alike. It was nice despite me not being a people person.
Too bad it didn't last.
I was walking by one of the side entrances when I cought wind of a foul smell. It was a heavy metalic scent that made me think of iron mixed with water. I looked through the entrance and fearing a spillage of something, investigated. The hall was filled with art and other things but none that would give off such a smell. I continued following my nose when I found what it was, and it made my heart stop.
Standing there was someone, I couldn't tell what they were, covered in blood. The rino was at their feet covered in cuts and slashes. The blood pooling around them was more then proof that the rino was dead. As cold red eyes fell on me, I knew one thing was absolutly certain.
I was going to be next if i didn't act fast.