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Venom: Beautiful Killers. Part 38.

"...pressure points...."

Tivoli has now spent three hours with Winter, which marks the longest stretch of consecutive time that the two have spent together. They have spent most of it in Shiloh's basement man cave, inspecting the exercise equipment and entertainment center. Tivoli says it is the biggest television screen she has ever seen in person. It is also quite definitely the flattest. The two spend the better part of two hours eating breakfast, watching a movie, and trying out the bench press.

Winter enjoys her time with her ocelot friend, which mostly includes laughing at her naiveté while trying to lift weights from the supine position. She tries to tell the feline that it is not a good idea to do it without a spotter. As she asks the wolf what a spotter is, the two head upstairs to watch more television. They sit on the same couch, laughing at the screen and at their various anecdotes. Tivoli tells the wolf that she is an only child. Winter answers "Me too!" and the two start to form as close a bond as they have ever had. The ocelot talks a little about her past while Winter is more than happy to simply listen.

They are interrupted by Shiloh entering the house, carrying a plastic bag full of groceries. Winter curiously leaves Tivoli to follow him and scrutinize. She and her mate talk in nearly-raised voices, drawing Tivoli's interest for a short time. After a few minutes, the wolf returns to the couch and takes her place next to the ocelot. Tivoli continues telling her story, but Winter is not as jovial as before.

"Where was I?" Tivoli smiles from ear to ear as she lowers the volume on the television. "I had graduated high school when I started getting all these propositions from all these guys who wouldn't give me the time of day in the first three years. Cats, mostly, but I also got offers from some of the local members of the rugby club...and their fathers." She laughs loudly. "Seriously, it's amazing what going to the prom can do for your image. I can still remember my very first date. He was a serval who tried very hard to pass himself off as an ocelot so that we could look more compatible than we really were. It was quite sad now that I think about it. We went out four attempted dates, but we had nothing in common, so it ended quite quickly."

"Why'd you choose him over the others?"

"Well...I didn't. It's just that I loved the attention I was suddenly getting, but I knew nothing about going forward with any particular guy. I was a loner my first three years. As a senior, I wanted that to change. I just wanted the boys to pay me compliments and make me feel good about myself. I didn't really feel like going out with any of them. So, even though I didn't have a date, mom bought me a prom dress and took me there. I felt awkward entering the gym all by myself, but I was determined to get noticed. It worked wonders; I temporarily took a few guys away from their dates. Altogether, I danced with ten of them, including the prom king and the serval. The prom king whispered to me that I was beautiful and that he wanted to go out with me the next night. I said no, but promised myself that after graduation, I would go out with the first person who asked."

"So the serval asked."

"Yeah. I didn't choose my first date; I let fate decide that. Too bad, though. I could have dated a prom king."

"So they were in love with the dress."

"What?"

Winter clears her throat and straightens herself. "You said so yourself. Going to the prom changed your image, but if the boys didn't start to notice you until your fourth year in high school, then it was the dress that did it for them, not anything you did."

Tivoli blinks a few times in disbelief. "That's not true."

"What happened before your senior year? Did you make yourself the kind of person the guys wanted to get to know?"

"I was always on time, I studied hard, I did extracurricular activities, including singing in the choir, and I got straight A's as a sophomore and a junior. But the guys I liked didn't want a girl with those qualities. By senior year, I just wanted to get noticed. Since then, I always got by with my looks. That doesn't necessarily mean I can't attract a guy without them. I'm easygoing, I'm playful, I'm...well, I think I'm really intelligent. I'm much more than a prom dress."

"Are you and your tutor still an item?"

"Um...we...." She shakes her head and stares at her very interested friend. "We broke up."

"You what?"

"Just yesterday."

Winter scoffs and shakes her head. "But you just got started."

Tivoli sniffs. "And just like that...it was over."

"What happened? Were you not compatible? Like with the serval?"

Tivoli chuckled, though she tried not to. "He had sex. Can you believe it? Just...straight out of the hospital. He had sex with someone." She watches Winter put a hand to her mouth in shock and scoffs. "Forget it. It's no big deal."

"Are you kidding? I'd be pissed."

"Well, it's all right, you see. He may have broken up with me, but I haven't really broken up with him. We're still living together. I've got no place else to go and he was kind enough to let me stay with him. The advantages of staying together are endless. We can both bring money into the house and we can pay bills while still getting pretty much anything we want. We'll be living comfortably in semi-luxury. If in the meantime I can turn him around, it would be a bonus."

"Turning him around? So you're going to just forget that he's already slept with someone while you two were going out?"

"We started getting close when we were first introduced, but I was falling for him the moment the first hunt was over. He took out the mark without trouble or consequence, and he kept teaching me things along the way. He was so strong and...unaffected."

"Did he use a gun?"

"No, he used a garrote."

"Wow." The wolf shakes her head. She is interested in the conversation but still concerned about her mate. "I could never kill anyone that close up."

"I already have, as nerve wracking as it was. Anyway, we're still in the same house, so a relationship is still possible. I just have to show him so."

"I think you're fighting an uphill battle."

"What you mean?"

"You said it yourself, didn't you? Right out of the hospital, he went to someone else and had sex when he could have just come home--to you. Doesn't that tell you that he's out of your league?"

"Well...he did tell me he prefers a bachelor's life." She shakes her head with defiance. "But I'm not giving up. I'm probably not the kind of girl he's used to...and I'm definitely not the type of person he just had sex with. But I think I can ground him. A few days with me and I think I can make us an item."

"I don't know. Are you sure he won't just see you as someone to get laid with?"

Tivoli looks at her friend, deep in thought. "I'm a virgin, Winter. I'm saving myself for someone special. I'm willing to believe that Paraná is that guy, but I won't let him use me for sex either. We're just gonna be friendly like we were when he started showing me the ropes. In time, he'll settle down and we'll be more than friends. Besides, he still has to recuperate from his wounds. That gives me plenty of time to brew a connection with him."

Winter smiles. "You see that? There's that self confidence you had when we first met. You just have to muster that same kind of fortitude with your job."

The ocelot looks at her lap. "Killing people is serious business."

Winter scoots closer to her friend and puts her arm around her. "You need to stop being scared of it."

"Please don't make demands like that. It scares me." She gives out a stilted laugh, then heaves a deep sigh. "I needed to kill three, not two out of three. I must look really pathetic right now."

"When we first met, you had me over a barrel, remember?" Winter pauses and waits for the ocelot to recall that moment. "You caught me in the middle of a hunt and you confronted me with it. You showed real fortitude at that moment. You need to remember the power you had over me and use it when you meet your next mark."

"Well...if you recall, you then cornered me in the restroom, so I wasn't as strong as I let on. I wasn't even that confident when I shoved my knife in your face."

Before Winter can respond, she hears the sound of footsteps coming from the floor above them and drawing closer. She stands, leaving Tivoli alone on the couch. The wolf's face has a nervous itch to it. Her heart beats rapidly, causing her to take a couple of breaths. Shiloh appears about to leave; it will be for the last time today and will not be back for a while.

"Excuse me, would you?" She does not look at Tivoli when she asks, but prepares herself to receive her mate. She stands at the bottom of the stairs, waiting with bated breath.

As the ocelot looks on confusedly, Shiloh appears from the stairs. He is wearing a flattering, formal ensemble. His top half is covered in a tan vest, black suit, and a black tie. The white collar of his cotton shirt sticks out cleanly around his neck. His black slacks look very new and his black, designer shoes look freshly polished.

"You look like a butler," Tivoli says. It was a quiet statement, so nobody heard her.

Winter sneers angrily. "Isn't that too hot for the desert?"

Shiloh shrugs. "I'm going to one of the lodges first, remember? I'm dressed like I'm going for a business meeting. That's my cover."

"This is such a big mistake and I can't believe you're willingly making it."

"Dear, do you really want to hash out this disagreement in front of company?" He points at the ocelot. "I mean, come on. It's not like I want to leave you. It just so happens to be real far. I'll miss you the whole time I'm away."

"Distance is not the problem. Location is."

"If I were going to the moon for a mark, I'd still come back to you. Don't you believe that?"

"I...." Winter huffs and folds her arms.

Shiloh holds up his hands. "Wait a sec, honey. Look. Watch this." He clears his throat loudly and, quite seriously, sits next to Tivoli on the big couch. Before the ocelot knows what is happening, his arm is around her and he is holding her close. He stares into her eyes and caresses the back of her neck. "Hey," he says, producing a smile.

A nervous Tivoli blinks a couple of times. He is uncomfortably close, but he is smiling and nothing bad is happening. She swallows and tries to control her breaths, then sighs with relief, probably thanks to the gentle caress of his fingers. "Hey," she says back.

With his mate looking on, Shlioh says, "I'm going on a long trip and I won't be back for several days. I promise I'll come home as soon as possible. Until then, you'll miss me, right?"

She looks at Winter for a second, then looks back at Shiloh. She hardly knows what is happening, so does not know what to do. Shiloh stops smiling and raises his eyebrows. He now looks less like a sexual predator and more like someone who is looking for approval. His eyes widen and his mouth shows a slight pout. Tivoli's smile returns. "Sure. I'll miss you."

"You think I can do the job, yes?"

"Of course I do. You're the best."

"That means a lot to me. Thanks." Suddenly he leans forward and gently plants his muzzle on her nose. A quick "Wait!" escapes her mouth before it is muffled by his. In front of Winter's surprised and disbelieving face, he is kissing her. Tivoli's short scream turns into a soft moan as he gently caresses her cheeks with his hands. She hardly fights and even starts to lean back into the sofa.

Five seconds later, the kiss is over. Shiloh suddenly releases, practically dropping the ocelot, and stands to face his mate. "You see? That's how it's supposed to go. She's confident and as you can tell, she's not scared at all. She's not bothered and she barely knows me. So how come you are?"

Winter growls and reaches over to grab Shiloh's arm and pulls him from the couch to the front door. She is angry at him, but when they reach the door, panic starts to set in. "I could kill you," she says. She opens the front door, then the screen door. Eventually, they stand face to face. He is smiling lovingly at her, but she is reacting more to the situation than his reassuring face. "Why did you do that just now?"

"Well, I gotta hear a kind word from someone." Shiloh gets closer to her and places his hands on her shoulders.

While they begin a heart-to-heart talk, the front door remains open. Tivoli giggles quietly in response to being kissed and inquisitively looks through the open door. The wolves are speaking in hushed tones, but her sharp hearing is able to make out what is being said. After two minutes of dishing out a distressing tirade to her lover, Winter looks at him with her stiff arms folded. Shiloh responds by kissing her nose. Tivoli watches on, greedily taking in the live soap opera in front of her.

"What am I going to do with you?" Winter asks.

"Everything I need is in the car. The days will be real hot and the nights will be real cold. Believe me, I'm ready for both."

"I know."

"Then stop pouting. Have faith in me...like you've always had."

"I know who you are, okay? I've been with you for ten years. I know your ins and outs, your ups and down, your strengths and weaknesses. I know everything there is to know about you and I care for most of it." She looks at her left shoulder where Shiloh's right hand has temporarily made its home. "I just can't get past this. I know you can get the mark...but I don't think you know how. I just have this feeling that--"

"I said faith, not feeling."

"Intuition is not a bad thing, Shiloh. You use it in the field all the time."

"That's instinct. It's not the same thing. Intuition is astrological gobbledygook. Instinct--honed-in instinct--is something you're born with that aids your survival. It's not just a feeling of something about to happen. It's knowledge of a pattern of behavior--yours and your opponent's."

"And what if the environment won't let you follow your instincts?"

"You're still bothered by the fact that I'm going to the desert?"

"Remember my last apprentice hunt, Shiloh?" She caresses his left cheek with her right hand. "Remember how hard it was raining? I told you how difficult it was to do my job because the sounds were not normal--"

"Yeah, but that was _after_you did the job. You did fine...and so will I. I kept telling you to just go out there and kill him. I kept telling you not to be nervous. If you were, I didn't notice."

"I wish you would have also told Mother Nature to stop the rain. I'm sure she would have listened."

"It could have been a hurricane out there. You still would have killed Doran Mann. It just goes to show that we can do our jobs in any kind of weather. We're wolves! That's the way it's supposed to be."

"Yeah, but the rain won't cook you like the desert sun will...and you never been to any desert before. So why shouldn't I worry?"

Shiloh releases her and covers up his face. He sighs into his hands with exasperation. "This is going to be hard."

Winter grabs his wrists to pull his hands down, then reaches up to hold his face in her hands. "I love you," she whispers. "If my doubts about this job can't show you how much you mean to me, then what will?"

He puts his hands around her waist. "Listen...." He shakes his head as if to deliver some bad news. "Everything you say means something to me...but there's nothing you can say now that'll prevent this. Everything has been set in motion. Fifteen minutes ago, I was on the phone with Aurora, the client. We've set up where to meet and our cover story. There's a chance I'll meet the mark face to face before I carry out the job. The client will set everything up so that there will be no mistakes." He leans forward to kiss her forehead. "And she'll be with me for most of the trip. She'll give me help, so I won't be alone."

Winter closes in and bows her head, planting her forehead on his chest. "Will I be there too?" She laughs, though she tries not to.

"Of course." He gently puts a hand under her chin and gets her to look at him. His big smile returns. "You are always with me."

She looks at him seriously and just stands rigid as he hugs her. His long arms wrap around her body, trying to comfort her. However, she shakes her head, probably with disapproval. This trip to Death Valley is well underway; Shiloh just has not left the house. Winter knows she cannot do much about it and sighs heavily.

He hears the sound and breaks up the hug. "Hey, it's all right. Everything is going to be fine. I'm also going to be fine...and I'll be right back here this time next week."

Just as he finishes talking, Winter returns the hug with one of her own. It is strong and heartfelt. She closes her eyes and presses her head on his right shoulder. He is caught off guard, but embraces her back. They hold each other for a couple of minutes. Nearby, a tear rolls down Tivoli's left cheek. She wipes it away and leans back on the sofa, fighting the urge to continue watching.

Once more, Winter whispers, "I love you."

Shiloh has his eyes closed and is probably thinking of something else. "I'm sorry?"

She places her hands on his shoulders and pulls her closer to him. "I...." She kisses his neck. "...love...." She kisses his nose. "...you."

There are a few more minutes of this. Shiloh whispers assurances and sweet nothings in her ears. Her concerns soften but never fully alleviate. He tries to get her to laugh, telling a couple of self-deprecating jokes, but she only holds on as if letting him go would be deadly.

"Gotta go, babe."

"How much longer before you do?"

"About five minutes."

"And how many 'please don't goes' do I have to say to get you to stay?"

"Hold on, okay? Think of the money, the prestige, the clout we could have with our coworkers back at the office. As you already know, none of those guys are willing to go way out of town to catch a mark, so they'll never catch a mark like this. We are and we will. I'm going way east. You've been to Chino Hills recently. It's what we do."

"I failed the mission at Chino Hills."

"Not because of anything you did. And I won't fail this one. Trust me. We are better than you think." He grabs her hands and kisses her muzzle before escaping past her. "Like I said, everything I need is in the car. Anything I don't have, I'll get. Anything I don't know, I'll learn along the way."

"Use your intuition." Winter tries to laugh, but just smiles nervously.

One more kiss and he gets into the station wagon. As it pulls away from the garage, Winter can see that the rear seats are heavy with supplies, including a carrying case for extra clothing and a couple of sports caps. Still in apparent disbelief, she puts a hand over her mouth as she watches him drive away, and stands there a couple of minutes afterward. The front door is still open so Tivoli can see everything.

Winter had forgotten about the ocelot, but once she closes the door, they notice each other. Tivoli looks on, slightly embarrassed and unsure of what to say. The wolf tries to look as dignified as possible, keeping her mouth shut and standing as straight as she can. Nobody says a thing as Winter decides to take a seat next to her on the couch. In fact, nobody talks for five minutes.

As Winter leans back on the sofa, Tivoli suddenly finds the urge to speak. "Actually, intuition and instinct pretty much mean exactly the same thing."

The wolf inhales deeply, then exhales loudly. She is trying not to become emotional. "I didn't know you were still here."

"I'm sorry if I saw anything I wasn't meant to see. I didn't know if there were any...romantic rituals taking place, but I would have left if you wanted me to."

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Sorry."

"It's not you. Don't worry about it."

"Who's Shiloh hunting?"

Winter sighs again and rubs her forehead. "He's hunting a coywolf named Alex...or something."

"Excuse me? A what?"

"Coywolf. A combination coyote and wolf. I never knew such a thing existed."

"Oh...you mean a hybrid."

"Yeah, that's the word."

"Like a zedonk."

Winter giggles. "A what?"

"A zedonk. A hybrid of a zebra and a donkey. I had one of those as a classmate in grade school. We were instant friends. I was being made fun of because I was fat. She was picked on because of the way she looked. Only her legs had stripes, which made it hell when she had to go to gym. Pretty much everyone called her a freak."

"Zedonk is a stupid name."

"Funny. That's what the bullies kept telling her." She clears her throat to change the subject. "So what are you gonna do now?"

Winter pauses to hear the last remnants of sound from their car driving away from the house. "He told me he'll call once he's halfway there. He should be at his destination, wherever it is, later this evening. I miss him already and if I didn't have errands to run, I'd stay here all day waiting by the phone."

"Would you like some company while you wait?"

"You don't feel like going home?"

Tivoli shakes her head. "If I had my way, Paraná and I would still be in bed, cuddling. But, besides not being interested in me, he's still recovering from his wounds. I figure that any time I spend with you would be good for me."

"All right. I'm going shopping. You can help me pick out new clothes."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It is now noon on the wall clock near the doorway to the cafeteria. Even though the lights are on, the sun is shining through the window blinds, creating a serrated shadow effect on the white-tile floor and the tables. In the middle of the large room, sitting by one of the tables, is Pica, the white bobcat. He sits in a metal folding chair with his head hanging back. It looks like he is sunning himself with the pieces of the sun's rays that flow through the blinds.

A few feet away, in the "gym" side of the cafeteria, his partner is working out with some barbells. Dunn, the swift fox, shows just how muscular he can be as he does bicep curls. He is wearing a simple, white wifebeater and track shorts. (The shorts are skin-tight and anyone who wanted to could take a glance at his package.) He lifts the large barbell easily and effortlessly. While he does, he sneaks a couple of peeks at the bobcat and frowns. "You're supposed to be helping me, you know."

The bobcat is wearing a maroon T-shirt and denim shorts and shows of his own muscle definition. It looks like he has gained a little muscle mass and has probably been working out too. "What's that?"

"You're supposed to be my spotter."

"You're doing fine."

"Meanwhile, you're doing nothing. You're just sitting there."

The bobcat's ears twitch. "I'm thinking. I have many things on my mind."

"Yeah? Like what?" Dunn backs off and lowers the barbell, flexing his arms as he does.

"The fact that we haven't had a successful hunt in over a month. As a matter of fact, between us, we only have one successful hunt since our return from suspension."

"Ah. Funny you thinking that...when you could be thinking about your next hunt." The fox sets the weight aside and picks up a nearby towel to cover his head. "Or have you given up hunting and just haven't told me?"

"Fine. You tell me. Are you thinking about the next hunt?"

"Of course."

"Is that why you decided not to choose one at this morning's meeting?"

"What can I say? None of them suited me."

"Bullshit. You could have taken a chance and got one. Besides, you and I are thinking the same thing. Our encounter with Shiloh's girl has made us weak, to our friends, to our bosses, to everybody...even ourselves." Pica had been staring straight ahead, but now faces the fox. "You know it's bothering you too. She owes us--"

"Eighteen thousand a piece. I know that, all right? You're right. I've been thinking about that too."

"Oh good. For a moment there, I thought I was doing the thinking for both of us."

Dunn snorts angrily. "So what about it, huh? Every time she's here, he's here. The next time we're in a meeting together, it's not gonna be any different. No matter what we think about doing to her, we've obviously got no plan for him. So...what do you suggest?"

"Let's stand up to her again. In front of everyone! Let's get our clout back."

"In here, dumbass?!"

For some reason, even though their situation seems hopeless, Pica smiles. "You know where." He winks. "The one place the bosses won't be...with the largest gathering of furries in any location in the greater Los Angeles area."

Dunn removes the towel from his head and wraps it around the back of his neck. His brow furrows and his eyes narrow. "Listen, I don't...." Then he gasps. "You mean The Shark Pit."

Pica scoffs. "Took you long enough to get it."

"Shut up." The fox goes deeper into the gym, through a couple of treadmills and picks up a pair of sweatpants. As he puts them on, his partner laughs at him. "What?"

"Seriously, how could we not? We'd be among friends. We corner her in there and air out our grievances. Enough of us hate her that we'll get instant support, whether or not Shiloh's with her."

"But she hasn't been with us long enough for everyone to hate her."

"They hate her because they hate him. Matter of fact, I think when we do it, Shiloh should be there too. He's such a dick when he tries to defend his girlfriend, nobody will be able to stand him when--"

"Stop it. Do you hear yourself?" Dunn pulls up his sweatpants and closes in on his friend. "We were pathetic against her, and at the time everyone ganged up on us. Now you want us to act even more pathetic...in front of more people."

"Before you call us pathetic again, how much money have you made in August?"

The fox frowns as his bobcat friend turns away from him and looks back out at the sun. "Touché."

"We do fewer hunts than the rest of the guys. That's why we resorted to hunting the most wanted on the FBI lists for reward money. Now we've just suddenly stopped all together. We don't even pick them out any more. Maybe we lack the confidence we used to have doing this sort of thing."

"I am always filled with confidence." Dunn stands in front of the bobcat even though he still has his eyes closed. "I mean, look at me. We let the bitch get the better of us and we haven't been making money, but do I look like I'm sweating it? No fucking way. I mean, sure...I'm frustrated, but I also know that we're not destined to be weak forever."

Pica shakes his head in disbelief. "If you really wanted to show a brave front, then you would have fought for one of today's marks. Even if they didn't want to trade with you, they would have appreciated the effort."

"And why didn't you make one?"

"Hey, I paid attention. But all the marks Ted showed us are too far from home. I don't feel like leaving L.A. right now."

Dunn laughs. "Isn't that what I just said a minute ago? None of them suited me. So we both acted weak this morning. We probably shouldn't have come here today."

Pica opens his eyes, sees his lover blocking his sun, and lowers his head. "Yeah, right. You're just here because Miranda has a session with us. You just want to eyeball her like the rest of the guys."

"That's not true. Anyway, why are you coming with me?"

"Well someone's got to keep your dick in its place."

Dunn growls and reaches for the bobcat, grabbing his shirt and forcefully standing him up. "Now listen here. I know we're both the man in this relationship, but if you're gonna continue acting like those jealous whores we also sleep with, I'm gonna treat you like one of 'em."

Pica grabs Dunn's left wrist with both hands, but cannot pry himself loose. As he looks on angrily, the fox leans forward and eases a soft kiss on his lover's mouth. The more he presses, the more he loosens his grip on the bobcat. A few seconds later, Pica puts his hands on Dunn's shoulders and they embrace eagerly.

The feline has his head on the fox's right shoulder. "We're mad at each other all of a sudden."

"Well...you've always been an angry individual."

"I still want my money."

"We'll get it. We'll both get it."

"What about Inverness' share?"

Dunn scoffs. "Fuck him."

"Hmm?"

The fox pushes himself away from the hug. "You heard me. Fuck that Scottish bastard. He gave us away. I don't give a rat's ass if he gets his eighteen grand. He didn't get suspended like we did. I don't care if he sees his money. We just look out for one another and get that reward money from that stupid wolf. It's been a long time coming."

Pica looks at his watch. "Speaking of time, we're really late."

"All right. Let's get out of here."

Dunn places a hand on Pica's back as they leave the cafeteria through the doorway and enter the dark hallway. They can hear the voices of business in the lobby just ahead. One of the executives is greeting customers. As quietly as they can, they make their way past the locker room on their left and the conference room on their right. They eventually make it to the "psych" room.

The door is only partially open, but Dunn gasps as what he sees inside. When he pushes the door open, his partner gasps as well. Miranda is right in front of them.

"You two are late," she says sternly. "Everyone told me you were here and we've been waiting for you for the last ten minutes." She widens the opening and steps aside so the two can enter.

They step inside slowly, carefully taking in the scene. The room is filled with most of their male coworkers. The main desk has been moved to one side of the room, leaving room for a semicircle of chairs that now decorate the area. Almost all of the hired hitmen are sitting down in this room. Pica and Dunn greet St. Croix, who is sitting the closest to them. Next to him are the twin foxes, Benny and Boris. Ravi and Gonal have taken seats next to them. Baua, Hoeness, Greenleaves, Loiola, Prosper, Rory, and Stefano are also there, all looking glad to be there. As Pica and Dunn look on at the farthest end of the room, they see Inverness looking down at his lap. He gets a glance at the couple and perks up. He waves, but the two ignore him. However, they do acknowledge Paraná, sitting next to the Scottish Terrier. The jaguar waves at them and they answer.

Also in attendance are two newer faces; not new to everyone, of course, but less familiar. A polecat, a lynx, and a snowshoe hare sit at the end of the semicircle farthest from the door. In all, including Pica and Dunn, nineteen males are in the room, under Miranda's control.

"You two get in here," she says. "There are a couple of empty seats left." For her part, the psychiatrist is wearing a low-cut, floral dress. It is high enough to expose her lower legs and shows enough cleavage to keep the guys interested. Her choice of dress certainly makes her easy on the eyes. She angrily closes the door and faces the group. "Now that's everybody...well, except for those who are still on summer vacation. Shall we begin?"

Pica and Dunn each choose a spot at the center of the group. All the men sit with their legs together and their hands on their laps. Most of them are smiling while others look bored, but they have her full attention. Miranda sits on a chair that she had earlier put in front of them and gets a look at all the males. Eventually, her frown turns upside down.

"Well, good afternoon, gentlemen. I must say it's been too long since we've had one of these. I was starting to think I've overstayed my welcome."

A few of the men clamor negatively, indicating that no, she has done no such thing. The feeling is almost unanimous, even among those who do not vocalize it.

"Good. I cannot imagine where we would be without these monthly sessions. I was hired to keep you guys stable and grounded while you did your...work...." She giggles, getting Rory and Greenleaves to chuckle. "And I'm glad to see it's been making a difference...at least to most of you. Pica's not as angry as he used to be, St. Croix is not as nervous about his hunts as he used to be, and the bickering that used to take place before I got here has ceased."

"If I may, ma'am," Greenleaves says. "It's really only because the cause of our bickering has left. And by that, I mean two of the ladies."

"Yeah, that's a shame. They never came to my sessions, though I did see Zesty for ten minutes once. She was having problems with Pamila. Speaking of which, I hope the ladies who are staying aren't giving you all such problems. You're getting along well with them, right?"

A couple of ums and ers follow and nobody answers right away. Then Baua raises his hand. "Well ma'am, we try, but Pamila makes it...hard." The greyhound looks around the room, paying special attention to the stern looks from Hoeness and Pica. "We still haven't gotten off her case; we really don't think she belongs here."

Miranda nods. "Yeah, she hasn't been to see me, and I don't get here early enough to see her when she cleans. Speaking of which, how has she been doing? Anyone know? How's she handling her new duties?"

Baua shrugs. "We don't particularly care."

"But really, now that's she's been mostly neutralized, everything's fine, right? She can't hunt, she can't trade, she can't take marks or money away from you guys. And as Ted tells me, you all have been performing so well ever since. So...isn't it time you tried to make friends with her again?"

St. Croix smiles. "No problem for me, ma'am. I've always been friends with her."

A loud "Hey!" comes across the room. Everyone turns to see the polecat looking at the wolf. "Quit kissing ass!"

"I'm not!" St. Croix wrinkles his nose and looks back at the psychiatrist. "I think an example should be set. I didn't like what she did either, but she needed us, okay? She needed us to stand by her when her salary was taken away. I thought it was unfair what the execs did to her. She worked really hard for that mark...Cam Morris...and while her methods were explosively costly, she still did the job."

Greenleaves' deep voice draws everyone's attention. "She also extinguished four innocent lives."

"It's not her fault the mark chose that moment to open the bomb package. Besides, we're killers. What do we care for innocent lives? If someone innocent gets in our way while we do our job, we kill them too, don't we?"

"This is different, though, isn't it? She drew attention to the hunt and the police were there right away. If she were there, she would have been caught. The ensuing probability of our capture would greatly increase."

"Ahem!" Miranda shouts to refocus the group. "First of all, she was there. Secondly, she wasn't caught. Third, none of you are or had been in any danger. Now that that's been established, can't we forgive...and go back to the way things were?" She looks around the silent and now sullen faces. "Or are we just gonna hate women all together?"

There is no sound for at least half a minute. Miranda shakes her head with dread. Then someone nearby whispers something, causing her to look up. "What was that, Hoeness?"

The German Shepherd angrily bites his tongue. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"She shouldn't be here!" Pica yells, surprising Dunn. "She shouldn't be cleaning these offices. She should be cleaning the floor to her prison cell."

Miranda smirks. "Wow. That's new. You're usually quiet at these meetings. You're not one to waste words, so when you speak, it must be important. Why do you say she should be in prison? In retrospect, don't you all belong in prison?"

Everyone looks around, but nobody admits or acknowledges anything. She was looking at St. Croix when she asked that question; he only shrugs unsurely.

"Why do you say that, Pica?" she asks again. "She doesn't do anything you don't do already. And don't tell me you just hate her. It's too easy."

"Do I really have to answer that? Isn't it enough that she's poor at her job?"

"She did something, didn't she? She did...or said something to you that's bothering you. So what is it?" She waits a few seconds without getting an answer. "Come on, bobcat. What'd she do this time that's made you so fierce?"

The bobcat huffs angrily and sucks in some cold air through his teeth. "Look, it was weeks ago, okay? A few of us were playing poker, and Rory had just found out that the stupid bitch was demoted to cleaning lady. And he said--"

"Oh, come on, buddy! Don't tell her this!" The dingo keeps his seat, but protests loudly and nervously.

"And you said you would like to see what it looked like. As luck would have it, you didn't have to wait long." Pica turns back to Miranda. "Pamila came in the lobby. We looked at each other, but said nothing. Then she went through the hall. After a few minutes, I went to see where she went, just out of curiosity. And I saw her cleaning the toilets in the ladies' room." He looks around, first at his partner, then at the faces staring at him. He notices the faces of Prosper, Greenleaves, and a few others who were not there on the day in question. They look at him eager for the story to continue.

"Go on," Miranda urges.

"First it was just me and her, right? We were just jaw-jacking and she was poking fun at me. Then, Dunn came in, then Rory and the rest of us who gave up the poker game. We all came to see her kneeling down in front of that shitter. At first, it was fun seeing her...as you said, neutralized. But while her body was prone, her mouth wasn't."

"You didn't have to do that to her," Rory says.

"Hey, I was defending our honor!"

Miranda furrows her brow. "What did you do?"

St. Croix stands up in surprise and folds his arms. "Yeah, what did you do?"

Pica looks at either side of him, getting angrier while he faces scrutiny. He points at the wolf. "Hey, you sit down. You don't lead these sessions."

"Did you hurt her?"

"I dunked her head in the toilet." He waits for the murmuring to die down. "And I held it there until Dunn pulled me off of her." He hears Greenleaves clear his throat nearby, as if in disapproval. "Look, I don't have to answer to anybody for what I did. She deserved it. Besides, she was making fun of us."

Miranda leans back into her chair, clearly concerned. "But wasn't she compromised enough? Why did you have to go so far? Didn't you...." She spots St. Croix slowly walking closer to the bobcat and stands to face him. "Hey, don't do that. Go sit down." He looks at her angrily, but obeys just the same. She then walks closer to the middle of the semi-circle and stands between Pica and Dunn. "Tell me, did she poke fun at Dunn? I know you're defensive of him. Is that why you reacted the way you did?"

Now Dunn stands. "Look, I've got something to say, all right?! I'm gonna say it and I don't want any interruptions. And I'm gonna say it in front of all of you so that nobody gives me crap about it later!" His eyes are wide and alert. His face is flushed. He is so hyper that he refuses Dunn's hand when he offers it.

"Nobody's stopping you," Miranda says.

"I was bullied in high school. No big deal; I can take care of myself as you all know. But I was friends with other people who were also bullied. Some were bullied because they were geeks...or looked weak, while others because they had scales instead of fur. Still others were savaged because they'd dare make friends with me. I wasn't out yet, but pretty much everyone suspected I was gay, or at least bi. The girls were especially mean, especially the popular ones. You all know them, right? Those cheerleader types? They would sadistically ask if they weren't good enough for me and--"

"Let me guess," Inverness says. "Pamila represents those kinds of girls, am I right?"

"Come on, guys. Don't interrupt." Miranda's voice is soft and reassuring. She listens and understands while most of the guys around her only bear Pica because they have to. "Please continue," she says.

The bobcat relaxes, then feels and allows Dunn, sitting to his left, to hold his hand. "Long story short, a couple of my friends killed themselves. I was devastated...and I carried it with me through all four years of high school. Sometimes, I cried openly for them...and I was picked on for even that. The school did nothing to honor them and I did nothing to defend them. Naturally, I blamed myself for their deaths and in college, I...." He stops and chuckles. "Well I didn't swear to defend the weak or anything, but I said I would be more proactive in defending...." He looks at his partner. "...the people I love. So, um...."

"You don't have to say any more, Pica." Miranda sits back down and clasps her hands. "Thanks for sharing."

"You still shouldn't have done that," Rory says. "I only wanted to see her on her knees. I didn't need to see her head in the fuckin' toilet."

"Nevertheless, it happened." The psychiatrist clears her throat as she watches Pica retake his seat. "Listen, I know we've all gotten this session off to a rocky start and I don't mean to dwell on this...but my original question still hasn't been answered. How are you guys getting on with the other girls? I'm also interested in what you think of the new recruits."

Everyone looks around again but nobody is quick to speak. St. Croix looks on at the group with disappointment and slowly shakes his head. "Well, at least I made the effort to get to know them."

Baua shrugs. "Eh. Those bitches can go to hell."

Some laugh. Others, like Greenleaves quietly protest. "Do you not have a crush on one of those 'bitches'?"

The greyhound ignores him, but looks around as everyone talks among themselves. Most of them are in agreement. If there is anyone who likes any of the women, like St. Croix, they remain silent.

Miranda quiets them down. "So, if I gather correctly, you guys are saying that you're much better off without the girls being in the office?"

Ravi chuckles loudly, making everyone turn to him. "I am quite partial to Camille. When she first came in about two years ago, I took an immediate liking to her. She was fun and easy going."

"Please," Baua says. "We all know what you were really after when you first went over to her."

Miranda butts in before Ravi can argue with Baua. "What do you mean by that, Ravi? What do you mean by 'was'? Are you saying she's no longer those things?"

"Not at all. I'm saying that she was just more fun when she wasn't used to the lifestyle, you know? We started going out when she was here a year. By then she was still a rookie with only four or five hunts to her name. As time went on however, she was more used to it, and...." He shrugs and shakes his head. "I don't quite know how to explain it. I just didn't see her as attractive as I used to."

The two red foxes are laughing at the tiger. Boris points at him and says, "First of all, loverboy, we were all after her. Out of Camille, Zesty, Mariana, and the bitch, Camille was the looker. She had the cute baby face, the nice smile, the sexy laugh, and those rich-bitch clothes that accentuated her ass." He quickly turns to the psychiatrist. "No offense, ma'am, but she wore those for a reason." He turns back to Ravi. "Second of all, you weren't going out with her because you liked talking to her. You wanted to take her home to do the no-pants dance. I don't blame you for that, but don't go acting like you saw her as anything more than a fuck-toy."

The tiger sneers at the fox. "If that's what you think, then it's no wonder she chose me over you."

Sensing another argument brewing, Miranda stands and towers herself over the group. "Okay, so you didn't see the girls as colleagues. They were either just objects of your affections...or obstacles to be dealt with. What about the new girls? Who's tried to get to know them?"

Pica bows his head angrily, still thinking about Winter. Meanwhile, St. Croix has no problem talking about either of them. "I saw Winter before, but I really only introduced myself after she became an official member. She's really confident and ambitious, attributes she obviously gets from Shiloh. She also strikes me as a quick learner, but it also means that she makes plenty of mistakes to learn from."

"Well I'm glad someone made the effort. What about the other one? The last I heard, she was working under...." Miranda smiles and looks at Paraná's direction. "What was her name?"

The jaguar clears his throat. "Tivoli. Her name is Tivoli and...." He clears his throat and shifts in his seat. It looks like he would rather talk about something else. "She's a good girl."

"Was she a good student?"

Greenleaves chuckles. "In other words, were you two snogging?"

Paraná closes his eyes and tries to wish away the laughter around him. The tightness in his eyelids, more than any of his other movements, indicates that he is still in considerable pain. "Whatever, man." He turns to face Miranda as best he can. "She was quiet, obedient, and full of questions. She had the potential to go very far. If I had not been stabbed, I'm pretty sure she would be ready for her first job now."

"So...she's not ready?"

"Well...I'm not her tutor anymore, so I don't know for sure. Considering her new handler is Crevecoeur, I'm not sure she is."

Miranda walks over to him with suspicion. "Paraná, are you all right? Are you sure you shouldn't be home resting?"

The jaguar exhales loudly and nods. "I'll be fine. My pain medicine is quite good."

"You know, I get the feeling there's something bigger at work here. As you know, doctor-patient privilege forbids anything said in here to be divulged outside. If there's anything you want to tell me about what happened the night you got hurt, or if you'd just like to vent, I'm here for you. In fact, after this session, maybe you and I should have a private session, and you can tell me what's really bothering you."

"Please. You don't have to go that far."

"Don't give me that. You could be at home sleeping, but instead you are here, feeling down and acting miserable. So, I insist. You and I will talk privately after this meeting is over." She clears her throat and places herself in the middle of the semicircle. "Now listen, everybody. There's a reason I wanted to talk about your female coworkers. I've been thinking about it and of course, I'd never do anything to you guys without your consent, but there's an experiment I've been planning for the past several months. I wonder if you guys would offer me the privilege of being my first subjects."

Her soft smile returns as she looks around the room eagerly. A couple of them, the tigers and St. Croix especially, nod in agreement right away without question. Collectively, the men are slow to trust propositions from people they hardly know; a few of them have an aversion of human beings altogether. However, enough of them approve of what the psychiatrist wants to do.

"Great," she says, clasping her hands. "I think you all will like this. I've been reading about something interesting today's scientists are doing. They are trying to see if the idea of 'personal space' can be measured. The question is this. Is personal space a specific unit of distance that applies to everyone? Or does it vary from one person to the next? Or does it exist at all? People want to find out because they feel it will help answer some of life's more troubling problems. Which employees are the most compatible with each other? Why does my husband stay out all night? Why can't little Timmy come out to play? Those kinds of questions. It's become a really important experiment that the government is even donating millions of dollars for its study. We're gonna try an experiment of our own, and it won't cost the taxpayer a thing." She giggles and takes a few steps back. "Everyone please stand. I'm going to divide you all in pairs."

The men do as they are told. Rory stands up so quickly, he almost knocks his chair over. Everyone stands up silently and awaits some orders. Paraná struggles and breathes laboriously as he pushes himself off his seat. Most everyone is looking at him, some with concern. Greenleaves shakes his head; he looks uncomfortable and disappointed watching the feline try to stand.

Pica and Dunn pretty much stand up slower than the others. The fox looks at the bobcat while he moves his chair away to give himself more space. When Pica faces forward, Dunn is waiting for him; he places his hands on the bobcat's shoulders. "Hey." He smiles and slides his hands down his partner's arms. "I love you too."

He leans forward to kiss the surprised bobcat, but their mouths accept one another as if they had been planning it. Pica closes his eyes and is about to place his hands on Dunn's neck. Then they hear a sudden tsk from behind them, causing them to break it off. They turn to see Inverness gawking at them. "That's right, fellas. Make things even more awkward."

Miranda notices the quick exchange, but keeps focused on the task at hand. "Excellent. Now I want you all to pair up with someone else in the room. Do me a favor though; don't partner with someone you're already very familiar with. So, um...." She steps forward and points at the lovers. "Pica, you and Dunn can't be a pair. The same goes for...Ravi. You and your brother have to find different partners. Just be close by to translate for him."

Out of her sight, Dunn gives a strong, one-handed push to the Scottish Terrier, who stumbles but keeps his footing. Before Inverness could respond, she grabs their attention.

"To avoid favoritism, I'm going to call out someone's name. That someone will pick a partner from across the room. After you make your choice, just stay where you are. I'll give you further instructions."

With that, the pairing off really starts. St. Croix's name is called first. He picks Inverness, which gets him away from Dunn's gaze. Benny chooses the polecat. Pica kisses Dunn's cheek, then chooses Prosper from across the room. Boris points to Ravi. Dunn straightens his shirt and chooses Greenleaves. Loiola chooses Gonal, who is given instructions from his brother. Baua picks the snowshoe hare. Hoeness chooses Stefano. Rory chooses the lynx.

Paraná stands all by himself. Miranda notices him and looks around. Seeing that everyone else has a partner, she slowly walks across the room. Just as the jaguar sits back down, she leans forward and gently touches his shoulder. "Would you like to pair with me?"

He looks at her unsurely. "What exactly are you planning?"

"I'll tell you once you join in. Stand up for me."

As he obeys, Miranda walks the door to get as far away from Paraná as she can. "All right. If I called your name, stand on this side of the room, next to me. The people you chose will stand on the other side, next to Paraná. We're all gonna stand side by side as we face the guys we chose."

A couple of minutes pass while everyone does as they are told. Everything looks uniform and orderly. It is probably the first time ever that this many beings have stayed together in one room without anything bad happening. The feeling is weird for some of them.

Miranda smiles proudly at her accomplishment. "I'll bet it's been a while since most of you have been in the same room together like this, huh? And from the surprised looks on your faces, I'll bet you never knew you had this many coworkers. The sheer size of this group is overwhelming. I just hope you all realize how powerful a force you guys make up. If you don't, then...now you know the purpose of these sessions. We can be a very powerful team; all of Los Angeles should be scared of the people in this room...but only if we can get past the hang-ups with each other, okay? Hopefully someday the girls will join us. Now, I want us all to face our partners. You guys across the room, stay where you are. The rest of us will walk slowly toward your partner. When you get close enough to...." She stops and focuses at the far end of the room. "Gonal? What's wrong? Why're you making that face?"

Gonal points at her, speaking softly and cautiously. Ravi says, "There's someone behind you."

Everyone is suddenly on alert, even Paraná, who is so off balance that he looks like he is about to fall. He sniffs the air and shrugs. "Is there someone at the door?"

St. Croix looks at the watch on his left wrist. "Maybe I'm needed at the front...but my break time isn't over yet--"

"Quiet." Miranda leaves her places and tiptoes to the door. "If Ted hears you, we're toast. He doesn't know I do these group sessions." She takes a couple of deep breaths, then places her hand on the knob. "Maybe it's just someone trying to use the restroom. Let's keep our voices down until we know for...ah!"

The knocking from the other side of the door startles almost everyone in the room. The room now contains a feeling of dread, as if they men are doing something illegal by gathering together as they are.

"Who is it?" Miranda asks. She notices everyone watching her and forces a smile.

"It's Crevecoeur. I'd like to talk to you if you're not too busy. You got someone in there?"

She turns to shush some of the men before returning to the door. "Yeah, come on in. You're not interrupting anything." She stands back and the door opens. The dark-skinned man enters not suspecting anything, and the look on his face when he sees the anthros in front of him speaks volumes. He looks at them, then looks at her. "Welcome," she says.

"What's going on?" He is too focused on all the eyes on him that he does not greet anybody. "Why's everyone here?"

"We're having a psych room session. I usually do these with the guys. You know that."

"In the middle of the day?"

"Don't tell Ted, okay? This was the only time we had where everyone was free. We're making good progress. So...what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, I can't tell you now. I was going to ask you about Tivoli and the evaluation that you guys gave her after she killed McDaniels. There was something about her demeanor that I wanted to ask. I was wondering if we could talk in private."

"I don't know anything about any evaluation. I don't even know the girl. You'll have to ask Ted."

"Wait...you're saying Ted the evaluation all by himself?"

"He must have, because I don't know anything about it. As you can plainly see, only the guys see me."

"But that's stupid." Crevecoeur shakes his head and looks at the ceiling. "I thought you and Ted did that stuff together. You evaluate them and Ted decides if they stay on the job."

"Is something wrong with the new recruit?"

"I'm not confident in her third hunt. I mean...she did the job, but I haven't made her an official member. I still need to talk to her about it, but she doesn't have a home phone number and she won't answer her cell phone. I can't reach her."

"But why did she need evaluation? Did something bad happen?"

"Something went wrong on the McDaniels hunt, but I can't talk about it in front of everyone here. I'd better just go."

"Hey wait a minute!" Miranda suddenly smiles and grabs his arms. "Could you do me a real big favor? I know you don't like this psychiatric stuff, but I'd really appreciate it."

The human closes his eyes and heaves an annoyed sigh. The other guys look about as uncomfortable as he is; they would rather see him leave. "I don't have to do any talking do I?"

"All you have to do is follow instructions. You don't have to share any secrets or anything. Stand here."

"What am I doing?"

"I want you to be Paraná's partner. We're conducting an important experiment." She puts her hands on the executive's waist and positions him where she once was. "Look to your left. You can see that you're in line with some of the other guys. When I say go, you and the others in this line will slowly, at your own pace, walk towards the partners you've chosen. You'll be walking towards Paraná."

He stoically nods and turns to his left. Right next to him is St. Croix. "Good to see you again, sir," says the wolf. "How're the kids?"

"Same as always."

Miranda steps to one side of the room. She can see the whole room from where she is and can moderate more effectively. "Now the point of the exercise is to 'measure' personal space. When I say go, everyone on the left side will slowly walk to your partners on the right. If you feel you're getting too close to your partner to be comfortable, then just stop." She turns to the furries on her right. "As for you guys, if you feel your partner is getting too close to you, then hold out your hand and show him your palm. He will stop right where he is. When everyone is stopped, we will see how far away everyone is from one another." She sees the men looking at her, trying to register everything she is saying. However, she is so eager to begin that she yells "Go!" almost immediately.

St. Croix, Benny, Boris, Pica, Dunn, Loiola, Baua, Hoeness, Rory, and Crevecoeur take short steps forward and walk toward their respective partners. It seems Crevecoeur has a longer gait than the rest of them. Everyone is facing the man he chose, so everything is going according to plan. A few seconds later, a couple of men on the other side of the room have their hands outstretched.

While looking at Inverness, St. Croix also notices Paraná face. The jaguar is stiff as a board, his arms folded and his feet stuck together. His face had only been exhibiting discomfort up until this moment. Now it shows how angry he is; he looks ready to pounce on something or someone. His eyes are narrow and his whiskers are as erect as ever. His tail curls at the tip. His body seems to get tighter as his "partner" gets closer.

St. Croix now takes a quick look at Crevecoeur, who keeps his stoic and aloof demeanor. The human sees and probably even feels the jaguar's ire, but he hardly looks phased and keeps moving forward. However, the wolf looks on with concern and is not really even looking at Inverness anymore.

A few more of the men stop in their places, either on their own or by their partners' hands. The pair closest to one another is Hoeness and Stefano; the German Shepherd stopped on his own. Thirty seconds later, only St. Croix and Crevecoeur are moving. Everyone else has stopped and is watching the executive. Meanwhile, Miranda looks on and nods with interest.

St. Croix keeps looking at Crevecoeur's slow march toward Paraná that he has to be told "Hey! My hand is out!" from Inverness. This stops the wolf dead in his tracks and gets everyone else to look at them. St. Croix apologizes. Miranda says, "That's okay. You didn't go too far forward. Good job, everyone."

As she moves toward her subjects, she notices that Crevecoeur has not stopped. Paraná still has his arms folded. The human is getting closer and the jaguar is anticipating it. St.Croix looks on and opens his mouth as if about to say something, but is interrupted when Miranda passes him. She goes through the forest of men and says, "This is fascinating. I would have thought that the taller males would be closer to the smaller ones. I'm surprised. I wish I had some measuring tape."

Everyone stays where they are as the psychiatrist moves between them examining the spaces between partners. She takes notes with a pad and ball point pen and happily thanks each of the men for their participation. When she gets to St. Croix and Inverness, she tells the terrier, "You're the second shortest in the group, but you've got the smallest space separating you from St. Croix...and he's the tallest." She stops smiling as she notices that neither the terrier nor the wolf is looking at her. They are looking instead at the human and the jaguar.

Crevecoeur and Paraná would be nose to nose if not for their folded arms touching each other. They are face to face, with the jaguar's eyes looking up at the slightly taller human's. While Crevecoeur looks bored staring at him, Paraná bares his yellowing teeth and starts to growl. He catches almost everybody by surprise. Greenleaves raises his eyebrows and says, "What's this then?"

Being the mediator that he is, St. Croix wants to step between them, but is kept at bay by Miranda. She cautiously walks next to the boss and asks, "Is everything okay?"

Crevecoeur turns to look at her for a second, then turns back to the angry face. "Apparently not."

"You...didn't stop."

"He didn't hold out his hand."

She looks at the jaguar as the volume of his growl increases. "Was it something he did?"

Crevecoeur closes his eyes. "It might have something to do with the McDaniels hunt."

Smartly, she does not try to converse further with Paraná and allows him to continue growling. The jaguar even tries to push the executive with his folded arms. She shakes her head and heaves a sigh. "Now, don't anyone do something he might regret later. If something bad happened during the hunt, it would just be wiser to talk it out and air our grievances."

"Paraná doesn't air grievances. He keeps them inside. That's how he works, I'm afraid."

The jaguar responds by whispering something in Portuguese. It is loud enough for everyone to hear and it causes Miranda to back away somewhat. "That didn't sound nice. Am I to take from this that...neither of you has any personal space issues?"

Still looking at the feline, Crevecoeur says, "I don't have any concept of personal space."

"That's ridiculous. How come?"

"Because I know where all the pressure points are."

Everyone looks on confusedly. St. Croix looks the most confused. "What does that mean?" he asks.

"Well, the body is symmetrical. That's true of both humans and furs. Whatever nerves you have on your left side, you have in the same places on your right. Also, any pressure points on your top half have equivalent points on your bottom half. For instance, there's a spot somewhere near your temples that is extra sensitive when you touch it. It's either pleasurable or painful depending on the amount of force you use. If you punch someone there, he could easily go down. You got it?"

St. Croix, Miranda, and a couple of others nod.

"Now, I couldn't very well do that to Paraná here. His reflexes are most likely too quick for me. But, the equivalents of the sensitive areas of his temples are right by his feet. If I kick them, he'll go down. If I step on them and apply enough pressure, he'll give up. Big cats tend to have more of these points than humans do."

Close by, Hoeness scoffs. "You saying you know where everybody's pressure points are?"

Almost smiling, he stares at the German Shepherd and says, "That's why I have no concept of personal space." He returns his gaze to Paraná.

As everyone watches on, the jaguar suddenly stops growling, looks around him, and backs away from the executive. The anger disappears, replaced by uncertainty. It is possible that he may have just embarrassed himself in front of everyone. He eventually backs back into his chair and sits quietly.

Crevecoeur nods and sighs at Miranda with content. "If you need anything else from me, don't hesitate to ask, okay?" He makes his way toward the door.

"Why bother? You guys never attend any of my sessions, and you need more help than these guys do. You're worse than the girls."

"Psychiatry is dumb," he says, closing the door behind him.

The psychiatrist puts her hands on her hips and turns back to the group. "Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Rory says, smiling from ear to ear. "That was quite fun. Let's do it again."

"Forget it, guys. Show's over. Everybody out." She watches everyone slowly take their leave, then stomps right over to the jaguar. "Except you, Mr. Brazil. I don't speak your native language, but I know a curse word when I hear one. You're gonna stay here and tell me what's on your mind."

"Didn't you hear him?" Paraná's voice rises. "It has to do with--"

"Yeah, yeah. I know...and you got stabbed by the mark. Everyone knows. But you still killed him, right? So why are you mad at Robert?" She waits until the rest of the men have left, then pulls a chair next to him. "Get comfortable if you can. You're gonna tell me everything if it kills you."