Is this Guy for Real
(July 22, 2013,02:30pm: City Hall, Marblecliff, NH) As alex pulled the Corvette into
the closest to the door as she looked over at Hank, "Jou go in an' ge' da
papas. I ain't goin' in dere." "Wait," Hank said as he looked at
her, "What happened earlier?" "Neva min' jus' go ge' da papas,"
She said as she killed the engine. He shrugged and left the car for the building. As he walked away
Alex thought about the strange lunch she had with the Mayor. the entire event caught her off
guard. Normally she made the first move
or just blow the guys off. And it was always in a setting where she expected
things like that to happen. She was not ready to be approached by a good
looking man in a random location like the City Hall. When she first saw him she
was not even looking at him that way. He just happened to be in the right place
at the right time for her to ditch the knife. The man made no sense to her, one
moment he is talking about the Dark rider house or some other serious matter,
but then he slips in some complement or flirtatious remark. It was usually
obvious when a guy was hitting on her, but he just seemed different. She
couldn't tell if he was genuinely interested in her or if he was just doing his
part as the Mayor of the city. This kestrel was strange she couldn't read him
like she could the other guys. When Hank returned to the Corvette
with an envelope in paw. As he sat down he looked over at Alex and handed her a
piece of paper, "I think this was for you." She held the small note in her
claws, [Sorry about lunch. I was called away to
deal with a few important things. Give me a call some time,
555-543-9653, Steven] She waded the paper up on tossed it in the back seat as
she said, "It's notin'. Let's go." He was good looking, and seemed nice, but no
guy like that, Good looking, successful with his pick of any woman he wanted,
could possibly really be interested in just her. (July 22, 2013,04:15pm: The
Escher House) As Alex and Hank walked into the house they
were greeted by the sounds of gunfire and explosiones. The two dropped to the
floor and rolled against the walls out of reflex. Each slapped their side with
trained response for their side arm. As shouts of "Ha! I told ya, the fucker
was just a poser. I bet his brother will be pissed when he gets back and sees
his new rank of piss-ant." The looked
across the hall at each other as they nodded in agreement to say nothing about
their current position on the floor now that
the voice of the young chinchilla
and her hobby registered in their war addled minds. When they finally entered the living room to
see the young chinchilla with a headset on and xbox controller in paw.
Susan was laid out on the couch as she watched the young girl decimate her
enemies on the bigscreen TV. Without turning the girl continued her rant, "I
know the guy that owns that account he's better than that. I bet his brother is
on it again. I'll hear him bitching about it for a week when he sees how many
time I dropped him in just the last three rounds. Susan saw the her two comrades she just raised her paw the her lips then
waved them to take seats in the nearby chairs. Together they watched the young
teen work the controls, her nimble trained fingers flew between the analog sticks, triggers and
buttons. They marveled at the unrealistic weapon swapping and movements of the onscreen action. The small girl was as well trained and
practiced at her skills with the game as the were in time back in the times of
real combat. Ales and Susan turned to look at the Otter as she flinched
repeatedly at each simulated explosion. Susan turned to Hank as said, "Go for a
walk if you need to." Elise turned as the sudden voice in
the room pulled her attention away from
the screen. "Oh, when did you guys get back?" Alex screeched and pointed at the
TV as she watched the character on the screen fall over dead. The young
chinchilla said, "don't worry about that, it's not my competition tag. I was
just goofing off." She then turned off the TV without worry about the game running on the console. As the room went silent and hank
left the house for a cool quiet walk,
Susan looked over at Alex and said, "Okay, you have to tell me about your date
with the Mayor." "Itwandtnodate," Alex blurted
out barely understandable gibberish. the older chinchilla looked over at
the younger girl with a smile and said, "I think I hit a nerve." She looked
back at her friend and asked, "Did he ask for your number?" "No. "ee even walked off befer da
food showed up. Da dick couldn' even finich da lunch 'ee invited me
ta," Alex said a hind od animosity in
her voice. "'ow take a girl ta lunch den
don' even stay ta eat?' "Okey, Boomer you have to start
from the beginning, becuse I didn't really get how you meet the mayor," Susan
said as the young chinchilla got up into a chair. "You meet the Mayor?" The girl
asked as she looked at the eagle in disbeleife. "I was goin' inta City 'all an' dey stopped me fer da knife I
'add." Elise cut Alex off, "Didn't you jump all over Aunt Susy for that?" "No! I got on 'er case fer taken
dem wheae dey wern' sposed ta be. I fergot I 'add it er I wulda lef' it in da
cah," Alex said in her defence, "So I gave it ta da firs guy I saw on 'is way
out." Susan waved her paw in the air, "Okey, typical
Alex. Where does the Mayer come in?" "'ee was da maya." "So you handed the mayor of
Marblcliff you knife and he asked you on?" How the fuck to you pull shit like
that off?" Susan asked still a little
out of it due to the pain meds . "No' like dat. 'ee followed me ta
da bussiness office and gave me my knife back firs'." Elise looked at her oddly, "The
mayor just walked into City Hall with a Knife in his paw? That doesn't sound
right. If we can't do it neither should he." "Dat ain't da point," Alex offered,
"I tink 'ee was 'iting' on me when 'ee caugh' up. 'ee tooke me tada fron' of da line and got dis
girl to do da papawork. That's when 'ee aksed me ta lunch." "And your dumb ass called me to
figure out how to go to lunch," the older chinchilla woman said with a gin on
her muzzle. "It ain't like da, Fluffy, 'ee da
maya, I don' know 'ow ta do all dat political chit, dats jour dapartmen'." "Fine, I'll give yoou a go on that
one," Susan said, "But, calling a stone
person might not have gotten you the best advice. What did you talk
about?" "ee aksed 'bout da ouse and wha' we
was doin'," Alex said, "Da ass'at tough't I was talkin' about startin' up a
yout' 'alfway 'ouse er somtin. I was 'bout ta walk out righ' dem,even called
'im a chee'in bastard." Elise spoke up, "I think he's
single, or thats the last I heard." "Yea, da cocky fucka 'ad to chow me
an artical 'bout day chit," the eagle said clearly annoyed at the fact. "'ee
could a jus' told me dat chit. Den 'ee up an leave. I swaya ta god 'ee was
firtin' da 'ole time." Susan snickered at her friend, "let
me get this straight, he was hitting on you and you're complaining? He must
have been one ugly fucker for that to
happen.""if I wasn' worried 'bout da papas
I would a just lef' 'im dere wai'in fer me," Alex said crossed her wings and
sat back in the chair. Susan looked over at her niece and
said, "I think she like him." "I don' like da fucka. 'ee lef'
me at da
res'ront." Susan snikers as she quoted a movie lien, "I
think she doth protest too much." "If
dey wasn' on already broke I'd
break ya ribs," Alex said angrily. Just as they we finishing their
little talk, hank walked in on the last few volleys of words, "Wait, you
mean Alex was really at lunch with the
Mayor?" "She says she was, but we still
don't have any proof," Susan replied,
"She could have been doing anything." Hank looked over at Alex, "Is that
who's number was on the note?" "Note?" Susan's eye lit u[ at the
otter's revelation, "What note?" "The one that was clipped
to the papers," he offered in
response. "She tossed it in the back of her
car," hank said as he lifted Susan's lages to sit on the couch with
her. 'Whateva, I'm done tilkin' 'bout
it," Alex said sternly, "So le's just watch da girl kill fuxkas on the bame box tin' er pu' in a movie er somtin'. Le's just stop talkin' 'bout it." As f to save her from further
torment by her best friend over her encounter, the phone in her pocket chimed.
She pulled it out to look at the message. [4:47pm DR23B: We're stuck in the
parking garage downtown.] [4:47pm Me:It's pointless to try
and get out, just sit tight and wait for the end of rush hour.] "Squeaker and Mouse bait are stuck
in a garach in da city," Alex said releved for the change of topics. She checked the
logationtracker they all had on their phoen, "Dey in da one I useta park at. I
cen give da security a call an' 'ave dem help 'er out a dere." She dialed her phone and waited for
the answer. She cleared her throat as
she heard the line pick up, "Yes, this is Alex, Who is on duty to night?" She
waited a moment, "Ay Steve, I have a
gril an' 'er fen' stuck in da garach... Dey're in a Charga... Ya know wha' ta say
if dey aks da ques'ion, righ'? Jus' go
ge' dem out when ya cen. I'll owe ya one." She then hung up the phone and [put
it back in her pocket as she watched the
tween resume her game on the TV, now with the volume turned down. (July 22, 2013, 10:15pm: The
Escher House) Alex had seemed off balance the
entire evening. Susan managed to hold her tongue and not push the eagle. Her
encounter with the Mayor of Marblecliff remained an unexplored conundrum for Susan, as Hank was not one to
bring up others lives, especially
someone like Alex. Much of the remainder of the afternoon evening was
spent watching Elise massacre countless
players on the big screen in the living
room. Alex remained uncharacteristically quiet, even though the talkative family dinner with the Eschers. she
had only nodded and shrugged as they asked her questions. Susan was a bit worried about her
friend, it was not often the eagle was
ever quiet, and when she was no good came of it. This Mayor guy had thrown Alex for a loop. The eagle was out of
her comfort zone, and she needed to do something about it. But what? Susan held her side as the effects of her
medication waned. Slowly she made her
way down the stairs in search of her pain relievers. She was not sure, but
Susan had suspicions that Elise may have hear her and Hank the night before,
and didn't want to risk damaging the young chinchilla's perspective on love and
sex. But right now she had more important things on her mind. She staggered out
into the cool evening air as she made
her way to the Corvette. She was certain
that Alex had left the note in there and
she needed to know more about this 'risk factor' that had walked into Alex's
life. She groaned as she dropped into
the passenger seat. She Sucked air through her teeth as she painfully twisted
her body to look behind the seat. Alex's
Corvette was just as she expected it to
me, not a grain of dust in any spot. the carpeting looked showroom new, the
scene mard by a single crumpled piece of paper. The chinchilla stretched her body to to get the elusive note. She
flattened the paper out as she turned
back into the seat and breathes a sigh
as the pain eased slightly. The simple note told her a lot that Alex didn't
tell her. sketched out in neat readable
script wan the name of the man that had thrown a monkey wrench in the little
controlled sphere of her best
friend. Now she needed to see what all the commotion was about. She pulled out
her phone and searched for everything
she could find on this Steven, Mayor of Marblecliff.
Alex laid on the pullout bed
unable to sleep. Her mind continued to ponder her unusual encounter with
Steven. The man, this kestrel approached her after she had done what anyone
would have considered foolish or crazy. The things she does on a normal basis
that scared off so many, that keep her safe and incontrol. He looked right past
all of that, and calmly approached her. No one in their right mind would do
that. That was it, that must be why he
is still single. He was like her He must
be pushing people away, diving into his work and holding tight to
everything he could control. He must be damaged. There was no other reason he
would be interested in her and not someone else. As she thought back to the lunch
she began to question her assumptions again. He smiled, no matter what she did,
he smiled. He didn't flinch, he didn't react, he only smiled. She
unwittingly passed him a deadly weapon,
when he gave it back to her... he smiled. She
all but told him she would not accept his lunch invitation and... he
smiled. She Yelled at him in a crowded
public place, belittled his reputation and questioned his character and... he
only smiled. The cocky son-of-a-bitch only smiled. She couldn't stand it. The look
of him constantly smiling at her, like he actually cared about what she had to
say. That smug, arrogant smile he toanted her with. She clenched her fist ready
to scream as she wished she had reached across the table and smacked that
damned smile off his arrogant face. But it wasn't arrogant, it was
soft, warm, inviting. She felt the corner of her mouth curle as the intent eye looked at her, the kinds smile
greeted her every glance. The soft gentle touch when he took her wing into his
and escorted her where he wanted her to
go. She sighed as she thought about what
his feathers must have felt like if she was not wearing that suit jacket. She closed her eyes as the image
of his face flooded into her mind, the
deep, dark brown eye, that looked
back at her. The black beak that faded to grey where it met the feathers of
this head. The bright red-brown patch at
the top of his head, The white of his cheeks bordered by the black streaks of
feathers. The grey and black feathers of his wings as he picked at his salad. Why? Why was she looking at his wings? Why
was his damned smile stuck in her mind? Why couldn't she think of
anything else? She clutched her head as if it was about to explode, and stifled
a scream as she kicked her feet in a little pointless tantrum as she tried to
drive the thought of Steven Archer out of her mind. She rolled off the pull-out bed
onto her feet as she staggered into the deserted kitchen. As she pulled open the fridge to look for
something the settle her nerves the sound of the front door closing caught her
attention. She glanced out to the stairs in the hall only to see Susan ascending them back to the rooms. She looked
back to the brightly lit cold storage as her
current mission drove the concerns for her friend out of her mind. She
reached into the fridge and pulled out a cold bottle of beer, popped the cap
off with her break and poured it down her throat as she reached for another. She held the second bottle in her
claws as she looked around the kitchen. The minute amount of clutter suddenly
bothered her. The applianced set
helterskelter on the counter. The few small plates and cups in the sink. She
walked over to the light switch and flicked it on. She opened the second bottle of beer as she
ran a sink full of soapy water and began to clean. She spent uncounted hours in
the kitchen, cleaning and re cleaning
the plates and counters. She
moved and rearranged the appliances. beer after beer, she repeated the process
of filling the sink and cleaning everything within reach. By the time she had
finally passed out from the combination
of alcohol and exhaustion the room sparled like a showroom ready to display for
potential shoppers of the appliances and dishes held within.
(July 23,
2013, 5:20am: The Escher House) Darren stopped at the foot of the
stairs as he saw the light in the kitchen, but no one at the table or sound of
cooking. Cautiously he walking in to the amazingly clean kitchen. He paused
almost scared to walk in the highly polished floor. the light reflected cleanly off the counters and sink.
All the brushed steel alliances gleamed
in the fluorescent glow. The only thing
that marred the pristine scene was the eagle passed out on the floor by the
counter, surrounded by empty beer bottles and randomly scattered caps as if
those items were invisible to the one who did all the cleaning. The older chinchilla reached down and lifted his Alex off the
floor and returned her to the pull-out bed in the living room, then returned t
clean the mess left by their impromptu
maid. As he tossed the empty bottles into the trash he heard
Julia walk into the kitchen and gasp.
"What the hell
happened in here?" she asked as she looked down at her husband. Darren looked up from his task
and said, "It looked like
one of our house guests goes on gleaning
frenzies when she's drunk." Okey, Thats a new one, the red
Squirrel said as she walked over to the counter, "Any Idea why sent her on the ... um... cleaning binge?" "I'd Ask Susy," he said as he
stood up next to her, "But, I don't know if that would
help. The poor girl did seem a little off last night." As the two started their morning pot of coffee Susan
Walked into the kitchen and groaned. "Fuck,"
the chinchilla said as she looked
around the room, "Alex did this didn't
she?" Julia looked over her shoulder
and said, "It looks like
it, but I'm not going to complain. This might be the cleanest this room has
been since we moved in." Susan winced as she eased herself
into a chair by the table, "Trust me, it might be cleaner. And you're probably
out of cleaning supplies, alcohol and
clean rags in the kitchen. Darren sat by the grey chinchilla
as she asked, "Any idea
what set her off? I don't know too many people that go on binges without a reason." Susan popped the lid off the prescription bottle as she answered, "She met
a guy yesterday. And apparently the
thought broke her brain." She pulled out a couple pills and popped them in her
mouth, "She may be loud, and strong
willed, but when she is caught off guard by things, she can get a little freaked out if she can't get
her head around it." She took the cup of coffee out of Darren's paw and washed
the pills down before she handed it back
to him. "But I think this might be a good thing. If the guy really is interested
in her, it might be just what she needs." Julia smiled as Susan as she sat
down next to Darren, "Why
don't you invite him to dinner this week?" Susan smiley as the thought of a
double edged plan entered her mind, "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I found
his number on a note in her car, I'll give him a call. Would tomorrow be okey?"
the joy of both getting the guy her friend was obviously infatuated with, and
getting even with her over all the nickname
prodding and wrestling matches brought a smile to susan's face. Darren said, "She passed out in
here on the floor, I put her back on the hide-a-bed. I don't think she is going
to be very happy with herself when she wakes up though. She wet through a few
cases of beer while she was up last night." Susan sighed as she replied,
"Better here alone at night than in a club. I would much rather you guys have a
clean house then scrap together the cash
to pail her out again." Julia looked as the chinchilla
woman, "Again?" "Yeah, She has a little .. um... temper
issue when she gets drunk. She's better now than she used to be," Susan said as
she rubbed her ribs. "And I feel this shit kicking back i. I think I'll tumble
back up to the bed before I pass out here." "Be careful, Susy,"Darren sad as she stood up to
leave the room, "Why
not lay out in the e-z chair, then I
won't have to worry about you falling
down the stairs till we get back." She smiled over her shoulder at
the older chinchilla, "Don't worry, I'll have Hank carry me around once he
wakes up." Julia giggled as Susan left the
room, "You know, she seems a bit cheerier ever since she... um... fell asleep in
the guestroom by mistake?" "And still in total denial," Darren said as he
sipped his coffee and opened the morning paper. (Excerpt for Marblecliff's
Most Eligible Bachelor Interview) Darcy Howard: Mister Mayor, first of all, congratulations on
being named this year's "Most Eligible Bachelor." You know, I think you're the
first politician that's ever won the award. A lot of our female readers value
your honesty and telling it like it is. That's pretty remarkable, since a lot
of people find politicians untrustworthy. Steven Archer: Thank you. I'm honored and humbled by the
accolades, but really, I'm just living my life by how my parents taught me. My
father always complained about public servants making and breaking their
commitments to the voters that placed them in office. I recognized a problem,
and decided to do something about it. DH: No doubt they did a good job. Valedictorian, Chimera
Prep, class of 1994. Attended Harvard Law School, graduated magna cum laude in
1998, and got your Masters in 2000. And now, you are Marblecliff's youngest
ever mayor at 38. How is it that you've been able to be so successful on a platform
of transparency? SA: People are smart, and they can read through the
smokescreens and tell when they're being fed buzzwords and soundbites. But
that's most of what they hear in debates and interviews, and what causes the
character assassinations you see every November. I'm trying to fix a problem.
I'm no career politician. I don't care about the pay or the prestige. I have no
problem admitting that if certain tax hikes don't go through, I plan on cutting
funding to this, that, or the other. The public works hard for their money, and
it isn't hard to comprehend that very few
will jump at the chance to do a job for pennies on the dollar. DH: You say "very few," but you're one of them, Mr. Mayor.
You're actually one of the lowest-paid city employees. Why is that? SA: Again, I'm not doing it for the money or the prestige,
and I don't plan on retiring as a politician. I have a nice car; that was my
gift to myself. The mayoral house isn't mine; it belongs to the city, and it is
a bit large for just me. I take what I need to live in pay, and let the city
keep the rest of my salary so that it can hire more workers. DH: You say 'for just you.' I'm sure a lot of the single
young ladies out there would love to know why a guy like you is still single,
and what you're looking for in a mate. SA: What can I say? I'm selective. I am looking for someone
passionate about making a difference in the lives of others. A woman that would
fit in whether I took her to the ballroom or the bar. I'm a simple guy doing a
job that needs done, and once this is all over, I kind of want to just settle
down and go back to living that simple life. Anyone I date needs to understand
that one day, the fancy dinner parties are going to end, replaced by family
picnics and fishing trips. DH: You've mentioned having a problem that you're trying to
fix. Are you referring to third gender equality? That was one of the main
points of your campaign, and a pretty controversial topic. A lot of your
constituents didn't see eye-to-eye with you on that subject. SA: That's exactly what I was referring to, Dana. I have a
sister that is a herm, and she struggled a lot with bullying once her gender
was inadvertently made public knowledge. She had tried so hard to keep things a
secret to avoid that type of persecution, just like so many other of our
hermaphroditc citizens. No one, regardless of gender, species, or sexual
orientation, should have to hide who they are out of fear of discrimination. I
look at other cities and wonder why we are so judgmental. I truly admire, and
hope to emulate the work Mayor Rose Nielsen did to champion third gender rights
in Roosevelt City. If I can have a similar impact here, then my job will be
done. (July 23, 2013, 10:20am: The
Escher House) Alex sat up on the pull-out bed
and held her head as the throbbing headache washed over her. She groaned as she
tried to remember how she got back into the living room. She squinted as she
looked around the room. Susan was seated in the recliner reading from Alex's
Nook. "Wheae is evea ine?" the eagle
asked as she flopped back down on the bed. "Hank is out getting material lists and prices for the coming
renovations, thank you you guy selecting a crap heap for a house," Susan said
with a wink, "Elise is off at some friends house doing whatever it is the kids
do when their parents aren't home." Alex snickered then groaned,
"Don' make me laugh." "what? got a hangover or
something?" the chinchilla prodded her friend, "Darren said he loved the job
his new drunken maid did in the kitchen, They picked up another few cases to
see if they could get the rest of the house done." "Shudup!" Alex retorted as she
rolled onto her back, "I's no' my fault dat lef' a mess in da kitchen." Susan read a line for the nook,
aloud, "What can I say? I'm selective. I am looking for someone passionate
about making a difference in the lives of others." As the chinchilla stopped, alex
slapped a pillow over her face and creamed into it. Without moving the pillow
she said, "I've already seen dem lies,
ya don' need ta read em to me again." "I don't know, Boomer, This guy
seems right up your alley," Susan said with a smile as she continued, " A woman
that would fit in whether I took her to the ballroom or the bar." She sat the
tablet down, "If that's not you, I don't know who he could be talking
about. You sure you didn't know him when he did this interview." "'ee a lie dick, dey all are. 'ee
jus' said wha' eva 'ee t'ogh dey wan'ed ts 'ear." Alex sat up and swung her
legs off the bed, "Dey all jus' say wha' ya wanna 'ear ta ge' da votes. I bet 'ees one a dem rich kids born whi' a silva spoon in 'is mout'. 'ee
wen; ta a prep school, 'arverd and all dat, normal people can' aford chit like
dat. I bet' 'ee was even groomed ta be a polotition." "I don't know about that,Boomer,"
Susan said as she went on reading the article, " I'm just living my life by how
my parents taught me. My father always complained about public servants making
and breaking their commitments to the voters that placed them in office." "'oo eva 'is speach writa is we choulc give em a call fer
our community appeal," She massaged her
temples ass he spoke, "No one's really like dat. It's all fer show." "How much do you want to bet that
his guy is the genuine article?" Susan asked, "I bet you fifty dollars he's as honest as they come." 'I betcha fify dollas 'ees gay
an' dats why 'ees single," Alex looked ofer at Susan as she went on, "An' 'ees
in da close' 'cause 'ees in one a dem concervative towns
wheae he's get droped if dey
found out." Susan looked back at her friend
with a wide grin, "Okay, We'll ask him at dinner." "Oh so we gonna go all da way to
Mabalcliff ta 'ave dinna wit da maya so
ya cen aks if 'ees gay?" Alex asked as she stifled her laughter, "Dat'll
go ova as well as when I called 'im a cheatin' bastad." "No we're not going there, he's
coming here." "Ya, okay, "Alex started as she
stood up to go to the kitchen, "So ya jus' gonna call up City 'all and say,'I'd
like ta invite da maya ova fer dinna.' 'ows dat gona work fer ya?" "No," Susan said as she grunted getting out of the chair, "I called the
number on the note and he said he'd be here around seven." The eagle spun around, a look of
shock on her face, "You didn'." With a smile the chinchilla said, "It was Julia's idea,
and I thought it was a great one. You thought of it yourself, Having the Mayor
on our side could be a really good thing." Alex ran up to susan and grabbed
her by the shirt. "So ya gonna use me ta get yur manipulative paws on da maya? Wha' ya gonna
do, blackmale 'im? use me as leverage.? "ee aint gonna fall fer dat. Ya
migh' as well call 'im back an' call da 'ole tin' off." Susan looked back at her friend
angrily, "It that all you think of me? Some manipulative bitch that uses what she can against people to get them to do what she
want?" She plapped the eagles claws off her shirt, "I only do that to people
that deserve it. Jesus Christ Alex, I didn't even tell him you were going to be
here. I called him up from the number on the note and told him I was with the
Dark Rider group and was interested in discussing our plans in Marblecliff with
him." She clutched her side as she heaved and yelled at her friend, the pain in
her lungs sueged with each word, "And for someone you hardly know, the you
openly despise and hate so much you cut him down with every word out of your
beak, you came to his defence pretty damned fast." She started to walk at Alex
as the eagle slowly backed away. "If he is one of those crooked politicians you just said he is, why
do you care if I blackmailed him to further our cause." Alex tripped against
the step that led into the hall and fell hard on the floor. "He's a two faced,
backstabbing politician, right? So why
shouldn't we use what ever leverage we can find against him?" Susan stopped as
she looked down at her friend, "I'll do whatever I need to do to who ever I
have to in the interest of our cause, and if you plan on standing in my way, in
the way of the plans you agreed to forward, I will cut you down with the rest." Alex laid flat on the floor of
the hall as she looked up and the one person she thought would never turn on her. The rage in
the chinchilla's eyes burned into the eagle. She knew Susan wasn't like that,
She knew that manipulating was always a last resort. Alex thought back to the
many times she had to console her friend for
using any shady tactics with
people, and now she was the one that attacked her about it.The fear that her
words might have just ruined her beast, longest talking friends, shot through
her as she stammered, " Sus.., Susan, I.. I didn't..." Tears began to form in her
eyes as the vision of her friend blurred
before her. Alex felt the soft fur of the
chinchilla wrap over her as the laid on the floor together. "I know you didn't
mean it, Boome. And I don't know what came over me either. But right now both
of us need to pull it together here." Alex wiped the tears from her eyes as she
looked over at Susan who continued to speak, "Your boyfriend is coming over to
dinner. What would he think of you laying around on the floor." "'ee's no' my boyfrien',"
Alex said loudly as she pushed the
chinchilla away from her. "I 'ardly know 'im." "Maybe not, but you like him,"
Susan looked over at her friend as they
lay on the floor, "you want me to ask him if he's gay? that will clear one
obstacle up." Alex looked at her shocked at the
comment. "Ya wouldn'," she exclaimed. Susan sat up
and winced with the effort. "You have a point, I saw his picture, the guy is hot, he's either really picky or
gay. Don't you want to know before you put out the effort?" Alex stood up and braced herself
against the wall as the rush hit her. "Wha' effor'?" She asked as she held
her suddenly throbing head, "I ain't gonna date da guy er notin'. We just need
to keep 'im happy fer all the Community suff' righ'?" The chinchilla struggled to her
paw as she held her aching side, "You're starting to understand the political
game a little, Boomer, Now you just have to start playing it." She slowly
walked intot he kitchen ass she looked
for her pill bottle that was left on the table. "Now just remember, if he tries
to bed you thats just waht we need if
you do want to blackmail him." Alex looked over at her friend
angily, "I ain't gonna be par'a dat kinna chit. It aint' legal an' ya know it.
So I cen't do dat. Even if 'ee's a n ass'ole, prick." Susan smiled as she saw the eagle getting frustrated with her again,
"Maybe we can get him drunk and get some photos of him grabbing one of us. O,
even better, If he passes out we can strip him down and climb in bed for some
really racey shots." "Ya ain't gonna do 'im like dat,"
Alex squaked at her, "'ee woun't ge' dat drunk anyway." Susan smiles to herself as Alex
left the room. For once she had the upper hand on the eagle for a change. She
just had to be careful how far she pushed her friend. before she would admit to
her infatuation with the man. "okay, Boomer, We'll just have him over for
dinner and a few drink. We'll talk to him about the Dark Rider House and our
actual plans for the place, and maybe get the Mayor's stamp of approval on the
project. Everything I've seen makes it
look like he is really like by his constituency and having him
backing might could be a good thing." "Wha'eva, cen we drop it already?
I'm gettin' tierd of talkin' abou' 'im." "What ever you say, Boomer, He's
coming fo dinner tonight," I hope you have something decent to wear." She
snickered as she heard her friend rush up the stairs, most likely to start a
load of laundry.