Mindy sat on the bed next to Dave's unconscious body, her head in her hands. She thought back to the trip home. Whatever had knocked him out had also charged him up like a battery. Just touching him had shocked her like a hit from a tazer. She had finally had to take off her cape, looping it around his wrist and using it to drag him back to the car. She got shocked two more times trying to put him in the back seat, finally giving it up and putting him in the passenger seat up front.

She also noticed that the second discharge was weaker than the first, and the third was even weaker. She noticed that Dave seemed to be getting weaker, as well. Her right hand curled around the grip of her pistol, but did not draw it. The temptation to assassinate the cat creature was there, and strong, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Dave. Swearing under her breath, Mindy climbed into the driver's seat.

It was a short drive from there to the apartment, but in that time, Dave's breathing evened out. Mindy was zapped again as she tried to get him out of the car, and it was like the first time, knocking her on her behind.

"This has been the weirdest night of my whole fucking life," she growled as she once again used her cape to drag him up to the apartment. Finally managing to get him to his bed, she sat down next to him, and with all the reverence of a prayer, whispered "Daddy, I think I am officially in over my head."

It was another two hours before Dave awoke, and once he sat up, the power began to brown out.

"What the hell?"

"Dude, relax. You've been doing that since we got home."

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Dave turned to face Mindy. She had since switched into civilian clothes, and was now wearing one of his tee shirts and a battered pair of jeans. She sat down on the bed next to him, but did not touch him.

"How ya feelin'?"

Dave blinked at her question, but took stock of himself.

"Pretty good, actually. What the heck happened? The last thing I remember is yelling at a mutated Mr. Bitey."

Mindy nodded, and said "Yeah, well, when that fucker bit you, something happened. You started giving off electrical shocks. Whatever he did to you turned you into a fucking human tazer, dude. I got you home, and you've been fucking with the power ever since. I don't know whether you're draining it, or just messing with it, though."

The power came back on, and stayed back on. Dave grunted, and rasped out "Weird."

After a few moments, something occurred to him.

"Uh, Mindy? Where are my clothes? I'm naked under this sheet."

Mindy's eyes glazed over, and her smile could only be called goofy.

"Mindy?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you take my clothes off?"

"Uh huh."

"Did you peek at me?"

"Yeah."

"Did you do anything else?"

"No. Wanted to, though."

"Did I zap you when you moved me?"

"Yeah. That's why I didn't do anything else. Didn't feel like getting tazed again."

Dave nodded, and without thinking, patted Mindy's thigh. She awoke from her daze with a start, and then frowned in confusion.

"Hey! You didn't zap me that time."

Thinking that over, Dave said "Control over this... whatever it is, seems to be instinctive. I wonder if the whole sleep zapping thing isn't some kind of defense mechanism, or maybe just part of my change. It does answer a couple of questions about how Tarak got changed. It's triggered by some kind of biological agent. Oh fuck!"

Mindy jumped to her feet as Dave got out of bed and started to pace, completely ignoring his state of undress. She tried to ignore it, as well, but the play of muscles under his skin was distracting as hell.

"Dave? Dude, what's wrong?"

He turned to face her, and his expression looked haunted.

"Mindy, think about it. I got bit, and now I've got powers. This shit is contagious. We have to call the CDC, and get this city under quarantine."

Mindy summed up her opinion in two simple words.

"Aw, fuck!"