Roll Call
#1 of Pet Shop Patrol
Roll Call
Disclaimer: All persons, locations and situations depicted in this story are fictitious and copyrighted to Michael T. Schell 2009 and used with his permission; any similarity to persons and locations in reality are purely coincidental.
A German Shepherd with dirty blond hair in a blue-black armored uniform including red gloves,boots and belt, black holster, gold shield (police officer's) and a visor ed helmet made to fit his skull walks down a long hallway to a small room overlooking a motor pool with a trio of motorcycles and an armored semi with trailer. The dog looks around intently for anyone else but the chamber is largely empty. But almost as an after thought he spies the turtle.
Dressed in a blue-black Kung Fu uniform with a shield like the one the dog is wearing, the turtle is meditating on a table in the back. A simple white satchel rests on his hip with red wrappings on his hands and feet indicate that he is probably some sort of martial artist. The three section staff in his lap confirms this in a way as he opens his eyes to address the dog.
"Good day, sir, am I in the right room?" the turtle asks. "My name is Donald Terapin but they have given me the code name of Shell Block. I am assigned to the 'Pet Shop Patrol' and was given this room to wait in. I do hope I did not misunderstand."
"You're in the right place, Donald," the dog says reassuringly. "I'm Gundolf Schell, my code name is Ranger X." He walks over to the window to view the motor pool. "They're trying out some new Law Enforcement equipment with me including the new Harley-Davidson Peacekeeper S.W.A.T. bike down there."
"Is that the big one?" Donald asks. "It does look rather impressive. My vows as a monk prevent me from actually owning much. But I believe my skills and those powers I have garnered through training will aid the team."
"Excuse me," a black haired sable ferret in a not so armored uniform like Gundolf's asks as he walks in, "is this the squad room for the Pet Shop Patrol? I'm Fletcher LaSalle; code name: Force Out."
"Didn't I bust you, not too long ago?" Gundolf asks. "But in any case this is the room for the Pet Shop Patrol. I'm Ranger X."
"I'm Shell Block," Donald says by way of an introduction. "What did you do to run afoul of Law Enforcement?"
"Yeah, I got busted doing a job for people that like to remain unmentioned," Fletcher says in way of an answer both inquiries. "So Ranger X, I hear you're gonna be the Sarge of this squad. No hard feelings I hope, your catching me was prolly my transfer so to speak."
"Nah," Gundolf says with a shrug. "Although we just need the females to come in and we'll be all set for whatever human officer we'll be reporting to of course."
"Of course we hybrids need constant supervision..." Fletcher says with a knowing smirk that he and Gundolf share as Donald watches the window to the motor pool. "By the way, Shell Block, aren't you uncomfortable with your uniform so tight in the crotch?"
"If I still had something there worth speaking of perhaps,: Donald answers honestly. "My order teaches that sex and sexuality are impediments to enlightenment so I had them removed."
"You're a Eunuch!?!" Fletcher and Gundolf ask as one in an astonished tone of voice.
"Yes, I hope that will not be a problem," Donald says off-hand. "How many more in our new team? I see a brown rabbit and a white cat coming up from the motor pool..."
"That would be the rest of our squad," Gundolf stats. "But I don't have a problem with you're being a eunuch, Shell Block. You'll be less...distracted I guess. What about you, Force Out?"
"I have no problem either," Fletcher says with a smirk. "More for Ranger X and me that's all. So we're a quintet then?"Yup, Gundolf says as he watches the girls come in. "Hello, Kitty! Hello, Bunny!"
The cat smirks in a reinforced outfit of blue-black leather that looks like a police dominatrix complete with hat and red whip. Her badge is on her hat which fits her platinum blond haired head very snugly suggesting it's really a kind of helmet although there is another gold badge between her breasts.
"Good doggy!" She coos. "I'm Catherine Sabine, Code Name: Pussy Whip. Is this the Pet Shop Patrol squad room?"
"Hi, I'm Hershey O'Hare," the rabbit says in a little more subdued manner as her outfit is more like a female version of Fletcher's with more than a few high tech flourishes like gadgets and a utility belt. "Code Name: Tech Support and I'm wondering the same thing as Miss Kitty here."
"You're in the right place, ladies," Fletcher says smoothly, "I'm Force Out."
"I'm Shell Block," Donald says simply.
"I'm Ranger X," Gundolf states with a smirk as he looks longingly and lustily at Cat. "A pleasure to meet all of you."
"I'll bet, hun," Catherine coos as she slinks over to Gundolf and practically presses herself into him with the almost mandatory grind that elicits the typical straight male response. "Is that a truncheon there or someone else I need to get acquainted with?"
"What the Yiff are you doing?" Hershey asks of Catherine over a secure communications channel softly. "We're just meeting these guys! Yeah, the dog is hot and so is the ferret but can we get to know them first?"
"I know what I'm doing!" Catherine whispers harshly. "Besides, Tom broke up with me last week and has been teasing and torturing me with pictures! I've got an itch to scratch!"
"You realize how yiffing ironic that is?" Hershey teases. "You suffering from Cat Scratch Fever? If I didn't want the guys to catch on, I'd bust a gut laughing."
"I hate to break up the party," Donald warns. "But I hear a human approaching and from the way he's moving..."
"I think the Keeper is arriving and he's not happy." Fletcher says with a smirk. "But then again when are they really happy?"
"I'd answer but I don't..." Gundolf begins as a tall African American man with an Afro the forms a yard long corona around his head enters the room with a scowl on his face. "Hello, Sir, something we can help you with?"
"You all can sit down and shut up for one thing!" The man commands with a growling bark. "Yesterday, freaks! I am Captain Tomaka Johnson, until they get some other loser I'm your boss." He looks over at Catherine. "Especially you, kitty! Away from the the males! Off the table, turtle, get a stool if your shell can't fit in a chair like a normal human!" He waits until Catherine and Hershey sit together at one table glaring at them while Gundolf, Fletcher and Donald sit on a bench at another table. "That's better, now the press has already been jeering you freaks of nature and this department for putting you together. I was put in charge for God knows why as I'm fed up with you monsters. The only good thing is that I'm now a Captain. I stay here while you things go in harm's way."
"What is his problem?" Fletcher whispers over the secure channel shared by him, Gun and the girls. "I've seen bad attitudes towards us before but this takes the cake."
"He used to be my boyfriend," Catherine grumbles over the channel. "He dumped me for a human chick and now he wants nothing to do with us. If he wasn't getting the salary to support his family he wouldn't be here."
"Is there a reason for your hostility, Captain?" Donald asks directly. "We have done nothing to you that I'm aware of."
"You keep thinking that, turtle," Johnson growls. "We are the laughing stock of the city. I just hope I can get enough brownie points to move up in the world. But for right now, I'm going to have you losers go out on patrol. So get the fuck out of here, except you, Cat, I wanna talk to you."
"Go on ahead, we'll catch up," Gundolf says and stands by Catherine who is very tense. Which raises the Captain's ire.
"I said..." He starts before Gundolf cuts him off.
"I heard you, but since the powers that be put me in charge of the team in the field I have a responsibility to Cat as well as everyone else. If she is going to be harassed by you in any connotation I am going to be there for her." Gundolf growls menacingly. "Maybe we would be denied 'human' rights because we are not technically human but we are sentient beings because a human grafted human and animal DNA to create us. Specifically all five of us were a custom order for this city as a test but the federal government. I can go over your head and bring a reprimand on you. Or I can have your previous relationship leaked out into the press. I'm sure the local and national media would gobble it up, turkey!"
"What did you call me, dog?" Johnson demands to know angrily.
"I'm not going to repeat myself." Gundolf states.
Tomaka tries to hit Gundolf but misses because the dog ducks. Gundolf and Cathering turn their backs to leave when Tomaka tries again. Only this time Donald catches him in his three section staff and guides him to the floor.
"Such hostility is unbecoming an administrator." Donald says plainly. Then he looks to Gundolf. "What now? We are to go on patrol, true, but do we leave him here to belittle us?"
"Not much we can do, Shell Block," Gundolf says honestly. "I'll have Tech Support radio the situation when we get on the road. Guys who treat their pets like this are usually brought up on charges."
"Can you knock him out?" Catherine asks to which Donald nods.
"I see where Pussy Whip is going," Gundolf says matter-of-factly. "Do it and let's move on."
Shell Block uses his staff to knock out the Captain as Pussy Whip gives Ranger X a kiss; as the they walk down the steps into the motor pool, they converse.
"Thanks," Catherine says seriously. "I'm not sure what Tom had in store for me but I'm sure it wasn't good."
"I got that impression," Gundolf states. "Which is the reason I stood up. I have your back, Cat, we just have each other out here. especially if out Captain is going to be trash like that."
"The whole patrol or just us?" Cat asks point blank. "Knowing Tom he probably wants me on the side. I want a male I can depend on."
"You have my loyalty as a field commander keeping his squad alive, Gun states before kissing her back. "I'd like it we could be a couple as well."
"Let's work on it then," Cat says sincerely as she mounts her bike and Donald climbs in with Hershey in the semi.
"Yeah, I'd like that," Gun returns as he gets on his bike. Alright, Pet Shop Patrol, let's roll out!"
As one the team rolls out of the motor pool and onto the streets of the city as the Captain slowly comes to. He sees that they are leaving and glares at them. The glare turns to a grimace as he sees that the whole team is following the dog's lead, which gives him cause to nod while turning to a portrait of his wife and kids while picking up the desk phone which has started ringing.
"Yo, Chief," Johnson says into the receiver. "Johnson here, Ranger X has asserted himself. The plan is go. I understand; I'll keep an eye on them."