Over the Hedge: Second Generation

by starwars4life

Set 15 years after Midsummer Crises. The kids and young adult hedgies are now grown adults and must continue to carry out what their parents have taught them about heists, fun, friendship, love, and family. But will the problems they now encounter as parents and mates make the hedge family grow stronger and larger, or break apart and get smaller?

7. Chaos and Theories

Chapter 7: Chaos and Theories

A week has passed since Plushie's and Meredith's wedding, and at the secret training pond with the waterfall in the early hour of 3:00AM, the mink kids, Damon, and Niara are about to begin their next training session with Boombata, Nukalawa, Laderius, and Tiger. Laderius and Tiger had volunteered to escort Damon and Niara to where Boombata and Nukalawa were waiting to begin the next lesson in the young ones' training. When asked why the latter two were helping them this time, the skunk and feline had told their kids/grandkids, "You'll find out when the lesson starts," which makes Damon and Niara all the more excited.

All the participants' training sessions have been going well, and they are getting better each time. Of the minks, only Jude, Stratford, Connie, and Chris are present, with Madeline and Alfred Jr. being no-shows. But this is to be expected since the minks have to take turns when they can come; the reason being that if they all went at the same time for every training session, their parents would get suspicious. So far it hasn't been necessary, since they have always gotten back before their parents wake up, but it's an extra precaution that so far has been paying off.

Boombata: "For dis lesson, we teach you dee art of hand-to-hand combat."

Nukalawa: "Because when you run out of your chemical weapon, you must still be capable of fighting like lions. Just like I did on many occasion. Adult honey badger may be the size of a small- to medium-sized dog, but they not afraid to fight animals much larger than themselves. And so it will be wit all you."

Boombata: "My mate is a credit to her species. She is relative'ly small in size compared to predator animal, but honey badger known for toughness, tenacity, and fearlessness. In fact, most animal—including lion and hyena—often steer clear of feisty, 'little' honey badger."

Niara points at Nukalawa as she says, "But you almost the size of a wolverine, and we just small skunks and minks."

Connie nods in agreement and adds, "Yeah, even when we're fully grown, we'll never be as big as a honey badger. So we need to rely mainly on our stink. *Yawn*." After seeing the sharpened gaze of the adults after she let that yawn out, Connie is quick to say, "Sorry. I'm tired from my parents' lesson. They force us to practice late into the night, and give us no time to recover."

Nukalawa: "Apology accepted, young disciple."

Laderius: "But to answer what you and my daughter jus' brought up: You all mustelids, and all mustelids have astoundin' physical strength despite our small size. That's why I here, to show you that skunks and our brothers and sisters—species-wise—minks are strong 'nough to do this."

Laderius is wearing a skunk-sized dog backpack and from inside a nearby bush, Boombata and Nukalawa pull out a handful of small but heavy 6x6 inch ceramic tiles that they put in the backpack. Though small, the tiles are made of marble, one of the heaviest materials easily available, and almost effortlessly, Laderius is a able to run at full speed, jump at full high, and even do a front flip. The disciples—including Damon and Niara—stare wide eyed and let out a "Whoa..." in wonder.

Laderous takes the backpack off himself and then says, "Skunks and minks're also capable of doin' this."

Boombata reaches into the same bush and pulls out a short piece of 2x4 wood and Nukalawa pulls out a 12x12 ceramic tile. With his species' strong shoulders, back, and forelimbs specially designed for digging, and claws like little steel tire-irons, Laderius rips the 2x4 and tears up the ceramic tile in seconds. He pants and breaks out a sweat, but the young participants are amazed and encouraged beyond words.

Boombata: "Before we begin, I ask you, what is best way to fight one-on-one?"

Chris: "I think even our parents taught us about this correctly. The best way to fight is when your opponent least expects it. To sneak up from behind and attack 'em when they're not looking."

Stratford: "And my parents and big brother taught me that you make your first blows the hardest, aim for the most vital areas that cause the most pain, and don't let up until your enemy is defeated."

Boombata raises an eyebrow and looks at Nukalawa who gives him the same astounded look. Boombata then looks back at the young ones and says, "Incredible..." The minks feel their pride surge. "...Every word you just said is wrong."

Now it is the minks who give astounded stares and let out a, "Say what?" in unified, monotoned disbelief.

Boombata: "Not your fault, but parents'. That is how coward fights: hiding in shadows like lazy snake, striking when enemy most vulnerable and unaware, and going for cheap shots."

Connie: "I get it now, it's cowardly. But it's the smartest way to fight. Um, right?"

Nukalawa: "What are you?"

Connie: "A mink."

Boombata: "Part of what species?"

Connie: "Mustelids."

Laderius: "And because y'all mustelids, 'size doesn't matter.' And that ain't no cliché for mustelids, 'cuz as I demonstrated, it's the truth. Whoever came up with that old sayin' was talkin' about mustelids."

Boombata: "First rule of tonight's lesson: un-learn what parents have taught you about fighting. You will fight with honor, like true mustelid."

Nukalawa: "No matter how small or big you are now, or will get once you grow. My mate isn't as big or strong as me, which is why he take main role of tonight's training. To serve as living testament that 'size doesn't matter,' and how to fight like mustelid."

Boombata: "Fighting with honor like mustelid should be as nat'tral as your very species. Zorilla, and skunk are small, but unlike small animals, we don't camouflage ourselves from predator. Our black and white coat make us stand out even while at rest—a warning to enemy that trouble in store for those who dare provoke us. So first rule of fighting wit honor like a mustelid: We fight in dee open, not ambushing from nearby cover, or using fur as camouflage."

Jude: "But our camouflaged fur keeps us safe from predators who would make mincemeat out of us."

Boombata: "Point well said. For you live longer than other mink when you know some fights not worth the risk of your life. That's when you use camouflage as defense, but not offense—which is rule two of fighting with honor. As true mustelid, it is not you who should be afraid of your enemy, but your enemy should be afraid of you. And advantage you as mink have in such engagement tis most predators don't expect mink to fight in the open. Make enemy overconfident in themselves, and underestimate you."

All the learners let out an "Ohhhhhh..." in realization.

Boombata: "As for striking at most vital areas of body, also cowardly and weak. Lesser fighter use knowledge of vulnerabilities against opponent to win fight as easily as possible, which in of itself is lack of strength; both physical and mental. Strong, honorable fighter demonstrate true physical and mental strength by aiming at nonvital areas, but still causing so much damage that enemy's fear of being hit in more vulnerable spots clouds thoughts. The pain and fear lead to poor judgement and wrong decision, whereas your restraint yet potency keep your head clear and in control. This is rule three of fighting with honor like true mustelid."

All learners in unison: "Okay."

Boombata: "Rule four is to fight in defense, not to attack."

Chris: "But isn't the whole point of fighting someone to attack them?"

Boombata: "I not saying you do not hit enemy, but that you let your opponent make dee first move. Block, parry, or dodge, then follow up with counterattack. Observe..." (Faces Nukalawa) "Me dɔfo, tow hyɛ me so—my beloved, attack me."

Nukalawa throws a fist forward aiming at Boombata's face, which he casually avoids, grabs her punching forearm with one paw, and uses it to yank her toward him and into his own fist made with his free paw. The blow hits and while she is disoriented from his blow, she still tries to hit him with her other paw, but he dances around to grab her from behind and does a suplex on her. The learners, as well as Ladarius and Tiger, stare with gaping mouths, and just when the question forms in their heads, Nukalawa jumps back to her feet and says, "Do not fear, I am, as they say, 'tough as a badger.' But in my case I am tough as a honey badger."

Boombata: "That means she not hurt. And we di'not use our full strength. That was us getting warmed up. But noticed how I let her try to hit me and answered her attacks with my own?"

The learners say, "Yes sir" in unison.

Boombata: "Tha'tis what I mean when saying fight in defense."

Stratford: "But what if our opponent does the same thing? Waits for us to make the first move so they can counterattack our hits?"

Boombata: "Great question. When facing smart opponent, you must force his or her paw to make first move. Approach such enemy with aggression, make it seem like you about to attack, and when they focused on blocking your ruse, you must interchange either attacking them from an area they don't expect, or parry and do a counterstrike. Another demonstration?"

All the animals exclaim, "Yes!"

Boombata: "Then my beloved, attack me again...wɔ w'ahoɔden nyinaa mu—with all your strength."

The mink and skunk siblings gasp and grab their siblings' paw hard.

Nukalawa does a sideways kicking flip to put some space between her and Boombata. The two slowly get into a fighting stance with their paws out in front of them. They pause for a few seconds, and then Boombata charges forward with a raised fist. Nukalawa raises her own to block it, but is so focused on doing that that she doesn't keep her eyes on his other fist which connects to the side of her head. Boombata tries to grabs her by the back of the shoulders, but she spins out to the side. He next attempts to hit her in the face by hammering his left fist out to the side as he spins to add more momentum to his punch, but she dodges it by doing a back handspring. Once Nukalawa is on her feet, Boombata rushes at her again with a left-legged kick aimed high. She bats it away, and he gets into another kicking stance using his right leg and aims at her abs—or so it seems until he suddenly shifts his right foot to hit her in the thigh. He then does a roundhouse kick that she ducks under, then leaps into the air so high and far that she lands three feet away from her mate's back.

Needing a different approach, Nukalawa runs forward and Boombata's peripheral vision catches a glimpse of her trying to do a clothesline. He ducks to avoid it, kicks her in the abs for real which causes her to crunch forward, but she rises up again. Expecting this, Boombata does a double-fisted back blow on her upper back, which drives her to the ground on all fours. For a brief moment, it looks like she's out, and Boombata waits to see if this is the case, but then she foolishly tries to stand back up. Boombata takes instant notice, and before she can straighten her back, he grabs her by the right arm, turns his body so they are now back-to-back, and then hurls her over his head and throws her forward. She hits a nearby tree back-first and collapses face-first onto the ground. She takes a full ten seconds before slowly getting up and looking not the least bit injured or tired, though she is sweating bullets just like Boombata.

The audience claps, whistles, and whoops. After it fades, Boombata says, "We pair off as follow: Damon and Connie, Niara and Stratford, and Chris and Jude. Come forward and wait for my go to start. Nukalawa, Laderius, Tiger and I watch."

The mustelids do as they're told, then look at Boombata who says, "For first session, you spar, not fight for real. Match end when opponent has been knocked on ground, or submits."

Learners in unison: "Of course."

Boombata: "Ready?"

Learners in unison: "Yes sir."

Boombata: "Go."

Niara goes for a kick that Stratford blocks, then he aims for her head with his right paw. She ducks and tackles him to the ground, ending their sparring session in just as few seconds.

Jude waits for Chris to make the first move, and Chris does the same. When neither does anything, they each assume they will act before the other, and come forward—unintentionally at the same time. They throw a punch that hits the other's paw, then try a kick, but contact each other's leg. They next do a headbutt, and daze each other upon impact. Jude recovers first and attempts a baseball slide into Chris, who leaps over Jude, but also loses his footing and falls to his knees. Jude tries to grab him, but Chris kicks like a donkey. Jude miraculously catches Chris's hindfeet in his paws, but Chris frantically shakes and kicks his feet so furiously that Jude loses his balance and falls on his back.

Damon does a leg sweep, but Connie jumps to avoid it and lands a hit on his head with her fist. He then throws one fist after the other at her, causing her to frantically block as best as she can and back up as he advances. Once Connie's back is to a tree, Damon darts forward while standing at his full height. She ducks to avoid it, but that's exactly what he wanted. Damon puts her in a head lock, and grabs her arm to bring it around to her back where he forces it into a painful position.

Connie: "Ow, ow, OW! Stop! I give up!"

Damon lets him go, and Nukalawa says, "End of matches. Review time."

The learners listen closely as they catch their breath.

Boombata: "Niara: great job using intellect to win fight fast. Of course, Stratford is young, lightweight, and not trained by us yet, so he inexperienced. Not all opponents will be like that, so don't get comfortable because of your victory."

Niara: "I know. I just remembered some of the things you taught me before today and got lucky."

Laderius: "Stratford: you did good to block and follow up with a counterattack, but that don't mean your enemy will be caught off guard all the time. Be ready for a second, or even third follow-up attack."

Stratford: "Yes sir. I thought she would stay standing up, not duck."

Nukalawa: "Jude and Chris: you two oldest and most experienced, so excellent job waiting for opponent to make first move and reading eyes to know where hit was intended. But headbutt worst move in a fight, never use it because it hurt headbutter more than headbuttee. And since you both attempt it, each suffered equally. You cann'ah afford such vulnerability in fight."

Jude and Chris rub their still-throbbing heads while muttering out, "Now you tell me..."

Tiger: "I was impressed that you, Chris, defeated Jude right when it seemed like he would beat you."

Jude: "I thought I had it in the bag, so I took my time in approaching him with a plan to shove him down."

Laderius: "Never assume you've won a fight until it's truly ov'ah, Jude. Yo enemy could turn the tide of any engagement with'a flick of a wrist."

Jude nods yes, and Boombata turns his attention to Chris.

Boombata: "Chris, great job turning tables. But your kicking attack became one of desperation when Jude catch feet in paws. Clear-headedness during whole fight is key to vict'ry. Smarter adversary would have defeated you."

Chris: "I'm surprised I won too..."

Tiger: And you both lost your balance at some point in the fight, which can be a fatal mistake. Because fighting requires balance, I as a cat have perfect coordination, which is what I am here to teach you all. But first, on to the last pair."

Nukalawa: "Connie: When fighting, try not to let opponent force you to back up, unless you have plan to turn tide. Instead, you should be the one who force adversary to back up where you want him to go."

Connie: "I understand, Mrs. Nukalawa. It was just hard for me to think how to do that with all those fists coming at me so fast."

Damon: "That's why I did it; to confuse ya."

Tiger: "Yet another wise move, my zadeh—grandson. You must have as much control of an engagement as possible, but never let your guard down for the unexpected to happen.

Laderius: "And thinkin' too much inna fight is a quick way to get beaten, 'cuz you lose focus."

Connie: "Then how am I supposed to fight without thinking?"

Everyone looks at Laderius with intrigue, making him eleaborate with, "I said you did too much thinkin'. As you discovered, things happen too fast for you to react sometimes." While miming his moves he says, "It's not like, 'Oh he's coming at me from up high, lemme block up high. Now he's attackin' down low, lemme block low.' Y'all unda'stand me so far?"

When they nod yes, Laderius continues, "Like I discovered while playin' sports all my life, you wanna take all the time you want ta gather yo thoughts, think of a strategy, and act on that plan. But all the chaos goin' on 'round ya makes that impossible. Instead, you gotta shut out all distractions and become one with yo situation and your moves. 'Just focus on the goal and the ball you holding' as my parents taught me. Some call that concept 'stillness,' other's call it 'becoming one with the game.' Within the context of fightin', it means you can't think, you gotta feel what to do."

Connie: "How in the world do we do that? We're not psychic mind-readers, or Jeddies with The Force."

Jude: "It's Jedi, Connie."

Laderius: "That don't matt'ah. What mattah's is that kinda thing is somethin' you gotta learn on your own. And the best way to do it, is to get more experience fightin'."

Boombata: "Which again, is why you all be here. To learn from us."

"Not—Any—More!"

All heads turn in the direction of the speaker who turns out to be Robin the mink who has a tight hold on Alfred Jr.'s arm. Her mate Nick is standing beside her, and behind him are Connie's and Chris's parents Chritopher and Cassandra; and Bruce and Elan who also have a tight grip on Maddie's arm. Maddie's and AJ's fur is ruffled, scratched, bleeding in several places, and they are holding their faces with their free paw to try and soothe the wounds inflicted there.

Maddie: "I'm sorry...They forced us to bring you to our secret training spot..."

Bruce: "We were already ashamed of you for losing that duel. But to accept training from the very ones who humiliated you—and us—instead of your own parents is downright disgraceful!"

Robin sticks her face inches in front of her son's and demands, "Tell them how we found out you see them behind out backs, or else!" She raises her fist as a warning.

Alfred Jr. gulps then says, "When we ran out of spray so suddenly while doing target practice with our parents, Maddie and I tried to say it was because they were pushing us too far."

Elan: "And for their lies, we gave them a proper, justified beating. Didn't we, Madison?"

Maddie: "Y-yes m-ma'am...Justified..."

AJ: "Get real! They tortured us—literally tortured us—for two hours until we finally broke and told them where to find you. We broke when they ripped out some our fur—Gosh, that hurt SO BAD!"

That knowledge makes the learners and their teachers sick to their stomachs. But the ones who seem disgusted most of all are surprisingly the mink parents, who turns their heads and give death glares at AJ as if he insulted them.

Robin's response starts out soft, but increases in volume and intensity after each word until she is screaming at the end. "What. Have I said. About you. Being. A lily-livered, weakling, DRAMA QUEEN!?"

She backhands her son in the eye, the SLAP! sound making the teachers and students jump in surprise at the rawness of the impact. AJ yelps as he falls to the ground, and stays there. He has been hit at that same spot many times today already, so it makes him cry rather than speak, "Plea-heeeeeeese! STOOOOO-OOOOOP!"

Robin's voice somehow becomes more hatful and feral as she screams, "AND BEING A WHINY, LITTLE CRYBABY IS EVEN WORSE! Nick?"

Nick nods, grabs AJ off the ground, and holds him up as Robin bites hard into her son's arm. Maddie turns her head to look away, only for Bruce to slap his daughter upside the head, wrap his paws around her neck to squeeze and says, "You. Will. Watch. THIS!"

Suddenly, Bruce is hit in the face with a rock, while Robin is hit in the back of the head and Nick is hit in the left cheek. All three turn in the direction they know the ones who did that are, and as expected see Laderius, Damon, and Niara holding more rocks in their paws, as do the other teachers and students.

Laderius: "ENOUGH! Leave yo kids alone!"

Tiger: "You abusive, heathen, miscreants! They are your own flesh and blood, and you treat them worse than your most hated enemy?!"

Christopher (matter-of factly): "It's called 'discipline,' you know-nothings. Perhaps you'd be better parents if you hit your kids for disobeying you, instead of just grounding them and talking firm only."

Elan: "That is the reason why kids are getting weaker-willed, overly-sensitive, and brattier with each passing generation: because of parents who don't use corporal punishment."

Cassandra: "We are NOT gonna contribute to that pathetic yet somehow growing trend. We're preserving the old ways when animals knew how to behave and were fully, mentally mature by the age of 18."

Bruce: "By hitting our kids as punishment, we teach them that doing bad things—like going against our wishes—is going to lead to consequences. And better for them to learn that important lesson from their own parents, than to learn it the hard way in the real world."

Robin: "That's how our grandparents raised our parents, and how our parents raised us. Our grandparents...now they knew how to properly raise kids. My mom and dad were beaten with switches and thorn vines, so me just using my fists and teeth is a downgrade compared to that, but still effective."

Nick: "The main point is, we keep our kids' punishments painful and private, they learn their lesson, and that bad behavior will go away."

Christopher: "And whenever they take what they've learned from our discipline and do it on other kids whose parents have spoiled them instead of givin' 'em the proper punishments they deserve, it means we are succeeding in preparing our kids for independent life. And our kids will help others become just as strong as we are."

Having finally heard the reason why these minks raise their kids they way they do, the listeners have some words of their own to say.

Laderius: "Your intentions are well-founded, but your methods are horrendous and backwards. You're not makin' your kids strong, you're making them cruel and abusive monsters."

Tiger: "Yelling, threatening, and calling your kids names is not the way parents should talk to them, even when they do bad things. Because if all you do is show loud anger and abuse toward them, that's all they'll know you for. And that's all they'll know how to express themselves toward others.

"Let me share you the words of wisdom from the great Persian philosopher, Omar Khayyam: 'Do no evil, it will return like a boomerang. Do not spit in the well, you drink the water. Do not insult someone who rank below you, and suddenly you have to ask for something. Don't betray your friends, you can't replace them. And do not lose your loved ones, they will not return. Don't lie to yourself, over time you will check that you are betraying yourself with this lie.' " (1)

Laderius: "Short-version translation, 'cause I saw you folks rollin' yo eyes, and doubt you have the brains to fully comprehend what Tiger said: when you treat your kids and others horribly, especially if it's based on a lie you created, you're gonna lose everything and everyone you care about. In this life, and in the next."

As expected, the mink parents only burst out laughing. Robin leads the backtalk with, "What are talking about, 'next life'? We're animals. We don't have souls."

Bruce: "It doesn't matter if we do good or bad."

Nick: "There's no afterlife for us."

Cassie: "We die, our bodies fertilize the Earth, or fill a predator's stomach. End of story."

Christopher: "That's why it's important to get things done the right way in the time we have on this planet while we're still alive."

Elan: "And how we see it, you folks," (Points at the teachers and their students) "are getting in the way of that."

Robin: "So how's about we teach you a lesson of our own, eh? Somethin' called whoopin' your be-hinds for corrupting our kids!"

Bruce: "They were strong and proud before they were beaten by you."

Christopher: "Which means you ruined them!"

Cassie: "Time for a little payback!"

Robin: "Starting with Damon and Niara..."

As the mink parents walk forward, Damon and Niara plan on standing their ground, but Nukalawa and Boombata leap in front of them to confront the approaching mustelids.

Nukalawa: "We trained Damon and Niara."

Boombata: "They defeat you and your children because of us."

Nukalawa: "We responsible for your so-called problem."

Boombata: "So if anyone be punished by you, it'tis us."

The minks stop moving, look at each other, then look back at the zorilla and honey badger.

Robin: "Yes. You crude, uncivilized, barbarians are right. It really is your fault."

In the fraction of a second, Nukalawa jumps forward and is leering into Robin's face while the other adult minks have taken a step back out of surprise. The honey badger doesn't waste any time in asking, "Are we 'crude, uncivilized, barbarians' solely because we hail from Africa? Because one is only as vulgar as those words by their actions, not where they from. Based on how you treat your own children, and for the reasons you have twisted and perversed, you are the most crude, uncivilized, barbarians to have ever lived. But heed my warning and go back home and redo your lives, before my mate and I redo your faces. For fists are not best way to solve issues. Compromise, mutual understanding, and respect are."

Robin: "Quit pretending that you're smart enough to know what 'compromise, mutual understanding, and respect' are—animals from your continent aren't mentally capable of that. You eat your own dead parents for Nature's sake. So instead, how about you and your mate go home to Africa and breathe in your own stink. You know you enjoy doing that, primitive savage!"

Robin spits into Nukalawa's eye, then punches her in the nose. Boombata lets out a high-pitched, scraping, slow-rattling screech his species is known for then yells, "For that, we use everything except our chemical weapon on you!"

While wiping off the spit, Nukalawa also makes a loud rattling sound that exemplifies why honey badgers are known as "ratels" in many parts of the world, and in Afrikaans, that word means rattle. She also yells, "It give us advantage otherwise!"

Boombata hits Robin's face and the real fight is on. The minks have come prepared not for a fight, but for a massacre, as they get out porcupine quills they had been carrying in a homemade quiver. But these quills have been dipped in snake venom, and they each jab Nukalawa, scoring hits and leaving the quills embedded in her skin. She falls to the ground and the kids scream "NOOO!" as it seems their female mentor meets her end.

But the smirks wipe off the mink parents' faces when Nukalawa gets up with a smirk of her own and says, "Honey badger immune to snake and bee venom."

Wanting to get the honey badger back for hitting his mate, Nick rushes forward. Nukalawa responds with an upward kick to his ankle that sends him up a few inches into the air. Still airborne, she punches him "below the belt" so hard that he is already knocked out from the pain before gravity even has a chance to take him back to the ground.

Bruce and Robin used the time it took Nukalawa to do that to flank her, and now come at her with their claws. Nukalawa jumps into the air while doing the splits and kicks each with a hindleg. The adult mink siblings recover quickly from the blow and come at her again. This time she can't avoid their attack, and quickly finds herself tightly gripped in their teeth. But honey badgers have extremely thick and loose skin, which can be as thick as 6mm or ¼ inch in some areas. When grabbed by a predator, the looseness of a honey badger's skin allows it to twist around and attack its attacker. Which is exactly what Nukalawa does to Robin and Bruce when she twists her body to put Bruce in a headlock then bites him with her sharp teeth while also punching him with her long, powerful claws. When he falls to the ground, Nukalawa focuses back on Robin who tries to release her bite grip but is too late to stop Nukalawa from grabbing her behind the head and then slamming it into a rock on the ground.

Knowing her move left a lot of scratches and bruises on Robin's face, Nukalawa says, "That for your son and his friends..." Not taking any chances of another retaliatory strike, Nukalawa flips Robin over (confirming the damage done to her face in the process), and does a double elbow slam that hits the mink in the gut and the throat. This knocks her wind out and prevents her from breathing for a painful 12 seconds. Before passing out from lack of oxygen, Robin hears Nukalawa tell her, "That for me and Boombata."

In the same timeframe Nukalawa and her opponents have been doing all of that, Boombata ducks to avoid a right cross punch from Christopher on his right and Cassie on his left, then brings his own fists to their heads when he rises back up. Neither takes much damage, but Boombata doesn't have time for a follow up attack because Elan then comes up trying to kick him. He catches her leg with both paws, spins her so that she hits Cassie, and tosses her into Christopher. Cassie wasn't hit too hard and gets back on her feet fast. She tries to hit him "below the belt" but he jumps over it and does a dropkick that literally knocks her upside the head. When she falls to the ground and doesn't get back up, Boombata turns around to see Christopher and Elan coming back at him, but with a stagger. Because this means they are weakened, Boombata addresses them, "Surrender now, and I won't leave painful, permanent mark on your bodies."

Christopher and Elan say, "Never!" in unison.

Boombata sighs and mutters, "Shame." The two minks and one zorilla run at each other, with the former planning on hitting the latter in the face or eyes. But Boombata stops and bends his back over to let their claws pass over him like the over-parodied action scene in The Matrix. Unlike that movie, he falls to the ground, but does so intentionally so that he can quickly turn over and slice his sharp claws into each minks' Achilles tendons. Christopher and Elan fall to the ground on their stomachs and before they have a chance to react to that, Christopher's then Elan's backs are sliced by Boombata's teeth. Zorillas have 34 sharp teeth which aid them in shearing flesh and grinding meat, and Boombata uses them to make a cut that travels down half the minks' backs. They certainly react to that—with a scream.

Oddly, the parents' children come to their aid to check if they are not gravely injured. During the fight, the mink children and Jude remained silent and could only stare...torn apart between their loyalties to their familial ties and recent friendships. But seeing how miserable their usually strong parents are now, they can't help but try to assist them.

Niara: "Wha'ch'all doin'? They deserved what they got fo' beatin' and bullyin' you."

Chris: "I know...But for better or worse, they're still our parents."

Maddie: "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them."

AJ: "I just hoped they've learned their lesson."

Nick: "You can say that again, son...Ouch..."

Christopher: "I think I'm gonna need stiches..."

Elan: "Me too."

Cassie: "I lost five teeth…"

Bruce: "I think her teeth pierced my skull…"

Having suffered some major trauma to the head, Robin's speech is impeded as she says, "My fayfe...Hurff tho muff!"

Nukalawa: "We try to settle issue peacefully, but you elected way of disrespect and violence. Taste of your own medicine foul. Now you have small idea of what you done to your children."

Boombata: "Blows and scars be permanent reminders of defeat, and signs of warning. For if we hear you abuse kids again, we come to discipline you. This fight prove who have superior strength and intellect, and that you can'nah win 'gainst us."

Robin: "I don'f feel fo gooff. Tayfe me home..."

Laderius threateningly says, "Y'all not goin' anywhere..."

Everyone turns and gives a frightened stare at Laderius for the tone he used. When he says "Not 'till you get sum first aid," in a tone of concern, all fears fade away.

He and Tiger take out a first aid kit and tend to the mink adults' injuries; putting band aids on cuts, ice on sore limbs, raw meat intended for lunch on bruises, and stitching Christopher's and Elan's backs.

During the process Nick asks, "Why...?"

Tiger: "Weapons of love are more effective than violence if you are to change others. And because violence begets more violence, nothing will change if we let you leave after your hard lesson. But when you treat others how you would like to be treated, love and compassion will find its way into others' hearts."

Laderius: "By givin' you what you need, 'stead of what you deserve, we hope you'll want to change yo' ways yourselves. It's better than changin' outta fear of another beatin'."

The same feeling of respect that Jude expressed to Nukalawa for saving Stratford during the duel at the creek now finds its way slowly entering the parents' minds.

Still, these minks are so used to force and authority that Christopher is compelled to say, "But we wouldn't have done the same for you."

Laderius: "That's how we diff'rent. We're not haters, but we also not too soft either. We give you one chance to right all the wrongs in yo' life. You go back to yo' old, rotten ways, especially after what we doin' for you now, we'll beat you harder and not give you first aid. I'm jus' hopin' it won't come to that."

Once the wounds are fully dressed and the soreness has left the bodies, all the adult minks are able to stand except for Robin who clutches her chest and groans, "I still feel horrible...I need to lie down and rest for a bit..."

Nick: "Okay, honey. We won't head back home until you're good and ready."

Bruce points to Nukalawa, Boombata, Tiger, and Laderius and says, ""As for you...We'll give what you said some serious thought."

Maddie: "Eh-HEM! And say..."

Bruce, Elan, Christopher, Cassie, Robin, and Nick say, "And thank you for helping us," in unison.

Tiger: "Just remember: we could have let you walk home bleeding, battered, and beaten, but chose to show you, our enemies, kindness and care."

Boombata: "Next time we meet, it should be under different circumstances."

As the minks nod yes and head home with their kids, little do they know how true that will be.

---

It is now 9:00 in the morning, and Plushie, Meredith, and Carolina are riding back to the log on the off-road motorized skateboard with Meredith driving and Plushie serving as the GPS. After making a turn that will put them on a straight path to home, their minds are flooded with all the amazing thrills they experienced on their honeymoon. As well as something more...lurid that they overheard from one of the hotel resort's staff. The words the female human had said, though brief, struck a nameless fear in the turtles' hearts, and their voice tones reflect their disturbance.

Meredith: "Do you really think that woman meant it, Plushie? Or was she just exaggerating?"

Plushie: "It's hard to say, Meredith...Humans are experts at deceiving themselves, or at the very least, misremembering things."

Carolina: "But if she really meant it, it'll be real trouble."

Wanting to put the mind of his new, innocent daughter at ease—as well as his and Meredith's own minds—Plushie's tone immediately lightens when he chirpily replies, "It won't be trouble for us, Carolina. My family and I have overcome impossible odds in the past, not matter what kind of unexpected surprises came up. We can do it again. Only this time, you and your mom will be there with us to enjoy the fun."

Meredith rhetorically asks with some snark, "You're not letting that thrill-seeking adventurer side of you do the talking, are you?"

Plushie matches her tone when he puts a finger on his chin, tilts his head, and gives a mischievous smile and look in his eyes as he replies, "Maaaybeeee..."

Carolina giggles, "Hee-hee. I love you daddy, cause you're so fun!" as she then wraps her arms around Plushie who pats her on the head.

Meredith smiles and chuckles at the sight of the two which makes her ponder, "I can already see the great times us three are going to have living as our own family. We'll be going on heists, doing more stunts, watching TV shows and movies, playing at the playground zone, practicing sports, getting to—"

Plushie: "Meredith! Watch out!"

Meredith snaps her vision forward and sees a teenage raccoon doing a handstand directly in the path of their skateboard. Plushie cries out for the mammal to get out of the way, but the raccoon is apparently deaf and doesn't budge. With no other option, Meredith veers to the right as hard as the skateboard can do, which causes the three reptiles to lose balance and fall off. They each tuck themselves into their shells and avoid injury as they hit the ground. But the skateboard hits a nearby rock and starts spinning on its side as it keeps propelling toward the raccoon.

Just when it seems the mammal is doomed, the procyonid leaps off the ground using its forepaws and does a front flip, the skateboard missing it by inches. If that wasn't miraculous enough, the raccoon turns in the direction of the skateboard—getting a full view of it impacting hard against a tree—and then starts doing cartwheels, unfazed by the brush of death the creature narrowly avoided. When the raccoon does a back handspring, the turtles, looking at the mammal with scrutinizing gazes, they instantly recognize who it is.

Plushie shouts, "Sare?! We almost ran you over! Why didn't you move out of the way?" When she keeps doing back handsprings, Plushie loudly asks, "What's wrong with you?! Why aren't you answering me?"

After finishing one more back handspring, Sare spins on one hindfoot while doing a ballet pose. That's when the turtles notice her eyes are closed.

Meredith: "I don't believe it, she's sleepwalking!"

Carolina: "More like sleep gymnastics-ing."

Plushie: "We should wake her up so she doesn't wander into any more danger."

Meredith: "But I heard you should never wake a sleepwalker because they might lash out and hurt you or themselves."

Plushie: "We have shells, we'll be protected. And the only harm she'll do to herself is having temporary soreness."

Meredith sighs and says, "Alright. But stay back, Carolina. Mommy and daddy will handle this."

Carolina: "Okay."

Plushie: "I'll grab her arms from behind. You slap some sense into her—literally if you have to."

Meredith: "This is crazy...but it's crazy enough to work."

Plushie and Meredith now approach Sare who is still spinning, the two ready to spring into action the instant she stops. When she does, she is exactly how the newlyweds want her. Plushie takes her arms and pulls them behind her back, making Sare scream out and try to wriggle free, but Plushie's grip is too strong. The teenager's eyes also open, but she is so deep in REM sleep that they are blank and glassy; so they might as well still be closed. Still screaming, panic showing in her face, she starts to kick with her hindfeet, but Meredith's shell protects the turtle from harm.

Meredith: "Sare!" (Grips Sare's shoulders) "Sare! It's Meredith." (Shakes Sare) "You need to wake up, now!"

When her shaking doesn't do the trick, Meredith user her open-palmed hand and slaps the left side of Sare's face hard as the reptile says, "Wake up," then slaps the right side of her face while saying "Wake up!"

Sare gasps and her eyes go from dull and glassy to aware and observant.

Sare: "Wh-where am I? Aunt Meredith? Why are you here? What happened? And—owwwww!—why does my face hurt?"

Meredith: "I'm sorry, honey. You were sleepwalking and we almost hit you with our off-road skateboard. I had to hit you to wake you up so you wouldn't get yourself hurt."

Carolina: "But you're really good at gymnastics, even in your sleep."

Sare: "I was sleepwalking? I've never done that before."

Meredith: "It's said sleepwalking is passed down from family history."

Plushie: "But neither Rebecca, Garrett, nor their families have ever sleepwalked. And I know because I've been living with Rebecca since I was nine, and living with Garrett since I was 17."

Sare: "Then why was I sleepwalking?"

Plushie replicates his uncle's serious tone when he answers, "Honestly, I don't know...But there's no need in answering what can't be answered. We'll just need to tell your family to keep a close eye on you when you sleep."

Meredith: "That reminds me, we need to get back home pronto, to have a brief family meeting about something we overheard on our honeymoon."

Sare: "What did you overhear?"

Plushie: "It's better if we tell the whole family."

Meredith looks at the totaled skateboard and then says, "It's a good thing we don't have much farther to go. We're in you and your sisters' gymnastics spot, so it's a two-minute walk to the log."

Sare (rhetorically): "Then what're we waiting for?"

The turtles take one step, then stop when Sare cartwheels in the direction of home. Three cartwheels later, Plushie asks, "Why are you doing that instead of walking?"

Sare stops and faces Plushie to respond, "I love the gymnastics mom taught me. And if I'm ever going to get better at it, I gotta practice it as much as I can."

Meredith goes "Heh-heh," before saying, "No wonder you did that while sleepwalking. Gymnastics has been implanted into your subconscious mind by your mother." In her mind, she says, "Maybe even passed down genetically."

When Plushie's family and Sare get back to the main living area and tell the hedgies about the close call crash Sare narrowly avoided, they are aghast. Spike raises a paw and reveals something equally troubling.

Spike: "You're not the only one who did something crazy in their sleep. Last night I dreamed I could shoot out my quills like a projectile weapon, but...I used it on all of you..." Some gasps come out, but Spike then emphasizes, "That's not the worst part. I...'decorated' the trees with all of you by impaling you there...When I woke up, I was holding some of my quills like I was ready to attack, but was in the open area next to no one."

Emma: "You're very brave to say that out loud in front of everyone, baby. But it was just a nightmare. It doesn't mean anything."

Spike: "I know, but it was still disturbing..."

Ike puts a paw on his father's arm in comfort as he reassures him, "Of course it was dad..." Wanting to add humor to get everyone's mind off the disturbing dream, Ike slyly asks, "What did you eat last night to trip-out like that?"

A few laughs come out from the listeners, which makes Spike want to ensure everyone is back in a good mood. Spike jokes back, "If anything, it was that videogame where you could use a wooden stake gun on zombies that I saw you playing last night...Playing like an amateur, that is."

All porcupine kids go "Oooo-ooooooo!"

Ike: "Dad, you old geezer, that was just part of your dream because I'm the king of videogames now. Your reign ended a long time ago."

Bucky: "He was not dreaming, BN—biological nephew. I was there with Annie and Drake as they were waiting on who would die next so they could take the player 1 or 2 spot, and you died on the first three hits."

Ike clenches his fists and growls in anger, which makes Spike put a reassuring paw on his son's arm and say, "No worries, Ike. This 'old geezer' will teach you how to get better at that zombie game. Because once you become an expert gamer, those talents never go away."

Plushie then steps forward and says, "I hate to interrupt your father-son 'bonding', guys, but Meredith and I overheard something a staff woman at the Forest-Side Embassy Suites said during our honeymoon."

Verne: "What was it?"

Meredith: "When one of her co-workers asked if any pests had gotten into the hotel's kitchen, she told him no. He asked her how she was sure, and she said it's because her son is a freshman at Verm-Tech who has shared with her ways to spot the signs of vermin in one's home."

Plushie continues with, "But the important part is when she said her son heard a rumor that 'Verm-Tech is working on a new breakthrough that'll change the face of vermin control forever.' "

After giving that knowledge time to sink in to the listeners' brains, Plushie says, "Like I said, it's just a rumor, but we need to be extra careful and even more observant of what things Verminators might use against us on future heists."

RJ: "We will, Plushie, especially because we have a heist coming up soon. With all the parties we've had and new family members we've gotten so far this Spring, we're already starting to run low of the food we obtained from the Changs' house."

Bernard: "Thanks to Reagan's, Ro-J's, Lauren's, and R3's reconnaissance, we've picked out the perfect houses to raid from."

Pat: "Our new kids needed a hobby to pass the time during their health recovery..."

Rebecca: "...And R3 showed them and his littlest sister the ropes."

Garrett gives R3 a thumbs-up while happily shouting, "That's one's of my boy's, son!"

R3: "Thanks dad!"

Stella: "But where is Reagan?"

Stella's observation makes everyone look at the recon team in confusion since the girl raccoon is missing from the meeting. But Pat sighs and explains with a hint of embarrassment, "She's having one of her, um, 'adjustment' issue moments," while making eye contact with RJ for the emphasized word. This causes RJ to comedically grimace like the night he found a can labeled "Dead Meat" while he was searching for any scraps of food to give to Vincent after the wagonload had blown up. It also prompts Bernard, Pat, and Heather to walk away and go talk some more sense into her.

Figuring this out, R3 makes all eyes focus on him when he addresses the crowd, "No need to worry. I got all the things we learned from those places perfectly stored here in my noodle." (Points to his head)

Lauren: "I thought you wrote them down—"

R3 says, "—In my brain, like I said," while turning his sister around so prying eyes can't see them. He then gives Lauren the I'm-trying-to-brag-to-my-siblings-about-something-I-did-Go-along-with-it-face. She winks and smiles at her oldest brother, then mimes zipping her lip. It turns out that he wrote them on his arms, and places his paws on Lauren's shoulders so he can glance at his notes without anyone being the wiser.

R3 continues (but pauses whenever he needs to refer to his notes), "As I was saying, we have discovered where Pierre lives: at the corner of...Athens Avenue and Delphi Drive. It may seem logical to raid the houses farthest from his...but we've all learned he's often out and about. So...we need to do the one thing he'd never expect: loot from his house and the ones nearest to it."

Many hedgies gasp, but Lizzy announces in a matter-of-factly tone, "I saw your eyes looking at your arms, and can smell the scent of a marker. You're reading off notes like a noo-oob!"

She and her other two siblings chuckle, until Velma silences them with, "Shh! This is serious everyone. We can't raid from the house of the man who's the biggest threat to our lives! That's suicide!"

Rebecca: "It would be if we didn't have a fool-proof plan to make it un-suicidal. Fill 'em in on the rest of your observations, son."

R3: "We've studied Pierre's routine and have come to the following conclusions: he wakes up at 5:00 every morning, does cardio exercise on a workout bike, showers, eats breakfast, and is out the door by 6AM to start his patrols of the 'burbs. His son is at Verm-Tech, and his wife leaves for her work at an office building at 6:30. With the house empty and Pierre making his rounds in a vain effort to find us, his home is pretty much unprotected."

Gary: "That last part was paraphrased from Mon Mothma's briefing in Return of the Jedi!"

R3 cuts off any efforts from his siblings to mock his love of Star Wars by raising his voice and saying, "The main point being, it should be safe to raid from his home."

Elroy rhetorically asks, "But lemme guess, it's loaded with traps?"

Ro-J: "Loads of traps! Heaps of traps! Traps up the wazoo!"

RJ grins and silently says, "Yes! My grandfatherly skills are rubbing off on my food—I mean, oldest grandson. Wait, what? Why'd I think 'food'...? Ah, must've been a brain burp moment."

R3: "It's gonna take us a long time to disable the traps, even with all our best techno-wizards working their hardest. So, to make sure we have enough time, we'll split into two groups. One will serve as decoys to keep Pierre occupied, while the other disables the traps and raids his food."

Showing how much of RJ's snark and Heather's attitude have influenced Mary, the opossacoon addresses the whole gang but looks at Verne and Velma when she says, "And before anyone tries to object or offer reasons to cancel this raid..." Now she looks at the whole group when she says, "We have factored in all the risks of all the things that could go wrong, and how to counter them. I'll let Ty and Grace fill you in. I need to go join my brother and mom."

She leaves and everyone gives Tyler and Grace their undivided attention as they go over details-details.

Meanwhile, Bernard, Pat, and Heather have followed Reagan's scent to the underground clubhouse where she is busy playing a Nintendo 3DS.

Pat: "Reagan...you missed the part of the meeting where we announced how you, your brother's, R3's, and Lauren's hobby of reconnaissance helped us figure out the next houses to raid."

Eyes glued to the game, Reagan says, "Like I told you earlier, mama, he was at the meeting. So no way Josè was I going to it."

Bernard calmly says, "Put the DS down and look at us, Reagan." When she refuses, he hardens his tone with, "Now, Reagan." She obeys this time and looks at Bernard as he says, "How long are you going to let yourself live in fear of RJ?"

Reagan: "Until he goes away. Because he's the reason I keep living in fear."

Pat: "You're wrong, Reagan. Your life is what you make it out to be. You're still holding on to past trauma, that it's blinding you what's in front of your eyes."

Heather: "We've been over this, like, about a gazillion times: RJ will never hurt a hair on your body."

Pat: "All he wants to do is give you the love he has shown your little brother."

Heather: "And it breaks his heart that he can't comfort, play, and laugh with you."

Reagan: "There's so many other kids he can comfort, play, and laugh with in this family, why're you trying to force me?"

Bernard: "We're not forcing you, Reagan. We know you'll come to terms with it in your own time. And if you need to know, RJ has already spent plenty of time with the other kids in our family, and wants to spend just as much time with the new ones."

Heather: "Think about, like, when you played with your first toy after joining our family. You spent, like, almost a full day with it. Then when you got into videogames, you spent almost a whole week playing them because they brought a new, fun experience to your life you hadn't felt before."

Pat: "RJ's too old for toys, so he has fun by playing with kids. You're his oldest granddaughter, and yet he hasn't spent any time with you."

Bernard: "The only time you have spent with him was when you first met him. You screamed and ran away. It wasn't even a full minute."

Heather: "And if he wanted to hurt you, he'd be, like, getting close to you without your permission. But he's kept his distance from you ever since you met him. He has sacrificed so much for your sake."

By now, Mary enters and, having overheard some of what's been said, uses her raccoon-inherited craftiness to probe deeper by asking, "And you were at Plushie's wedding hanging out with your friends and family, all while RJ was there too. I mean, you kept out of eyesight of him, but still, you totally could've done the same thing at the meeting just now. So why were you okay being around him then and, like, so afraid to be around him today?"

Everyone stares at Mary whose thought-provoking question surprises them, while also making them put on their thinking caps. All eyes turn to Reagan who decides to stop beating around the bush and tell the truth.

Reagan: "Last night I had another nightmare—er, memory—of my adopted dad."

In what has become a routine by now, Pat and Bernard sit down and put Reagan in Pat's lap while the other nearby adults take a seat in front of the kit, everyone listening closely to her story.

---

Sometime after Monica had been killed by hunters, Robbie had religiously guarded a box containing some of his mate's fur, a photo of them when they were young, and a choker with a fake purple jewel she always wore. But being a raccoon, Reagan felt the urge to take the choker just to try it try on one early morning when Robbie was still asleep. She left their dwelling for the nearest pond to use the water as a mirror. Just before she could get it around her neck, two ferret bullies snatched it out of her paws. Knowing the amount of trouble she would be in if she let it go without a fight, she tried her hardest to get it back. Normally a raccoon can easily overpower a ferret, but Reagan was perpetually weak from starvation and previous beatings, so the ferret boys hit her some then outran her.

She had no other choice but to ask for Robbie's help, even though she knew what it would lead to. But if she told him the truth, hopefully he wouldn't hit her as hard than if she never told him.

She comes back in their home holding a bruised eye with one paw and shakes Robbie while sobbing out, "Da-aaaad. Wake up! Please! It's serious."

Robbie wakes up alright, and on the wrong side of the floor. "Stupid kid, I was trying to sleep!" He shoves her with one paw so hard that she lands on her back. He then stands up and stomps toward her while snarling out, "You don't know how hard it is for one guy to raise two ungrateful little brats! It's exhausting! I need all the rest I can get, but here you are screwing me out of what I have rightfully earned!"

Ro-J has woken up by now and says, "Please no hurt sister, dad!"

Remembering what Bernard had done for Ro-J at the playground zone, Reagan "edits" certain words Robbie had said to make them less-offensive as she continues her story.

Robbie gives a death glare at Ro-J and spits out, "QUIET!" in a voice so sharp and ear-piercing, that Ro-J buries his face in his paws while shuddering. Refocusing back on Reagan he demands, "Why the heck did you wake me up?!"

Not wanting a beating to occur before she can tell the full story, Reagan speaks as fast and clearly as possible. "I tried on mama's choker, but Johnny and Preston beat me and took it from me. I couldn't catch up to them."

Robbie's eyes widen in shock as he says, "You did what...?" He runs over to the box of Monica's personal items and opens it. When he notices the choker is gone, he closes the box's lid, locks it, then chucks it across the home. His pupils have turned into tiny beads, glaring in hatred at Reagan. "You opened the box I told you to never even touch...Stole my mate's choker...then let those weakling, inbred ferret brothers steal it from you!? What is the matter with you?! You are so gosh-darn WORTHLESS!"

He kicks Reagan in the nose, bloodying it in the process, but she still has the strength to call him out on his bad parenting (if one can even call it that) by saying, "If I was properly fed and not so sore all the time, I'd have gotten it back! If you could talk to their parents, I'm sure they'd—"

Robbie: "I will do no such thing! That's not how I raised you! You fight your own battles, because I won't always be here to help you.

"Now, you are going back outside, and you are not setting one toe in here until you teach those boys a lesson and get MY Monica's choker back! This is your fault. This is YOUR friggin' FAULT! You go fix it, NOW, or I'll 'fix' you like a pet dog or cat!"

Reagan is still processing everything her father has asked of her and how there is no way she will be able to do it. It has been three seconds since Robbie has finished speaking, and seeing that his daughter hasn't moved an inch, he yells out, "Are you deaf?! I SAID GO FIX IT! Or I'll 'fix' your pipsqueak brother, first!"

Reagan starts crawling out, to which Robbie has another blow-up reaction to. "Stop squirming on your belly like a worm and walk upright with pride and strength!"

Surprisingly, Reagan ended up getting the choker back without any trouble by telling Johnny's and Preston's parents how their son's stole it from her, and how important the choker was to her father.

When she came back to the outside of their home, Robbie is waiting, guarding the entrance/exit like a military-trained dog. He asks, "Did you get it back?"

Only after Reagan holds up the choker and says, "Yessir," does he relax his posture. She walks toward him holding it out in her paw as she plans to give it back to him. Instead, he snatches it out with one paw, throws it into their dwelling, then wraps both paws around her neck and squeezes.

Robbie: "If you ever touch anything in that box of your mother's things again, I will kill you. Do I make myself clear?"

Reagan frantically shakes her head yes while fighting to stay conscious from Robbie's vise-like grip. Again, ever since Monica died, Robbie makes a habit of abusing his daughter for the littlest of things, as his grip now tightens and he tells her, "Say 'Yes sir!' "

Reagan tries her hardest, but can only let out gasps. Robbie demands, "Say 'Yes sir!' Dang you!"

Reagan (gasping): "Yeee-esss. S-ssssirrrrr."

He finally let's go and walks back into their dwelling, leaving Reagan outside to gasp for air. One minute later, she enters their home just as Robbie is about to put the choker back in the box. He sniffs it, looks over his shoulder at Reagan, and informs her, "No dinner for you tonight. Your stink is on Monica's choker. It's gonna take forever for it to smell like her again."

Despite the insult, Reagan is happy that Robbie is finally giving her a break from a physical punishment. The "bliss" lasts until Robbie elaborates on his earlier warning by saying, "And before you think that would free you from me if I kill you for touching this box again, I ask you this: when you're dead, who will be around to stop me from abusing your little brother?" Robbie points at Ro-J who whines and backs up in fear. "You will die knowing you caused him to die too."

Reagan's voice is raspy, but her words come out clear. "I understand..."

Robbie: "Now, did you make Johnny and Preston beg for mercy before beating them up?"

Fear has only entered her mind halfway when Robbie adds, "Don't lie to me! I'll know."

Reagan gulps and says, "I didn't beat them up. I told their parents what happened and they gave it back to me. But don't worry, they promised something like this will never happen again."

Robbie goes to all fours and sprints at Reagan who is being pinned hard against a wall as Robbie's face is nearly touching hers.

Robbie: "You didn't make them pay for stealing?! I told you to teach those boys a lesson!"

Reagan: "But I—"

Robbie: "I have no time for your bogus excuses! You didn't do EXACTLY as I told you to, you disobedient witch!"

Ro-J: "She got choker back!"

Robbie turns his head at Ro-J and says, "Shut up! I'm talking to your sister! I will—!" He suddenly stops, his eyes widen, and then he smiles as he has a much better idea of how to discipline his daughter. He almost coos when he says, "How about we play that little game when Monica was still alive? The one called 'Hunt the Coward'? I'll count to ten, give you a chance to run, then I'll come hunting you down!" He steps away from Reagan, covers his eyes, and says, "One..."

Having "played" this "game" before, she knows it's pointless to run from Robbie. However, while his eyes are covered, she thinks of something else to do, something that she should have done a long time ago...

Robbie: "Ten!"

When he uncovers his eyes he is surprised to see that not only has Reagan stayed inside their home, she has a stone in her paw that she throws at his face without hesitation. Remembering how she is too weakened to cause any damage to Robbie with her own fists, Reagan has instead left the task up to a hard and solid stone which hits Robbie in the nasal bone—

—And bounces off him harmlessly, causing no damage.

Robbie chuckles out, "What are you doing?"

Reagan grabs a miniature flower vase and hurls it toward Robbie. It breaks upon impacting his chest, but he doesn't even flinch.

Robbie rhetorically asks, "Is that the best you got?"

Reagan picks up a KAWAKI Virtual Electronic Digital Pet keychain and throws that at Robbie's "most vulnerable spot." But like before it does no damage to him despite the device hitting its mark.

Robbie: "Keep 'em coming. Because here I come."

Robbie casually walks toward her as she runs this way and that to avoid him, throwing whatever natural or man-made item she can at him (except the box with Monica's things, because she will literally be dead if she tries that). And yet, no matter what she does, the objects, though hitting him, do nothing. She is too weak, too feeble to do any kind of harm to him. It's humiliating. Infuriating. Hopeless...

When Reagan runs out of things to throw, Robbie corners her again with a stranglehold and says, "You are a wreck. I try so hard to repair you, to make you a strong raccoon like me and your mother...But no matter how hard we try, you always find some new way to be a total failure. You're a stain on my name, an insult to your departed mother's memory. I am doing my best, but you seem too broken to fix. Don't worry, I still have a few new ideas to try out. And to give you a 'teaser trailer' of what those involve, let me just say that I see I haven't been hard enough on you...That. Is going. To change..."

---

Reagan told her story without crying or emotional moments. But now that she has finished, she breaks down and bawls her little heart out. All the adults hug her tight while giving blank stares as their minds try to comprehend how anyone can be as cruel as Robbie was to his own daughter. They don't say it out loud, because it would make them seem like sadists, but in their minds they all wish they could have been there to see Robbie get eaten by that bear.

"Heck," they all ponder, "A slow, painful death was too good for him. He deserved something far more painful, something drawn out over the course of months."

The most astonishing thing is, Reagan still hasn't shared the worst things Robbie had done to her yet...And she hopes she never has to. But then she remembers how dangerous hope can be, but can't think about it too long because a wuestion is asked of her.

"Reagan?" asks Mary. When the kit looks at her, the opossacoon says, "I thought I knew cruelty and evil...But hearing all the things you've been thought with Robbie...I guess everything I have heard and seen is the tip of the iceberg."

Bernard: "Ditto."

Heather: "But RJ is Robbie's polar opposite. Not in appearance, but in everything else."

Before Reagan can come up with a retort, Aaron comes zooming into the clubhouse and says, "Emergency! Come back to the log! Someone needs saving! No time to explain! Follow me!"

He zooms back out before anyone can ask what's really going on. They pick up Reagan and carry her with them as they run to the family's main living area. When they arrive, they are surprised to see the mink parents and their kids. At the center is Nick holding his mate Robin in his arms, and she looks terrible. RJ, Verne, Rick, and Rebecca have already examined her and take turns telling the five who just arrived what is wrong.

RJ: "Her breathing is labored."

Verne: "She is burning up hot."

Rick: "Her heartbeat is rapid."

Rebecca: "Her pulse is weak."

Nick: "She also has been nauseous, vomiting, and has a lot of pain in her mouth."

RJ: "It all points to symptoms of being bitten by a venomous snake."

Nick: "But she has not been bitten by a snake!"

Robin raises a finger and weakly says, "I...the...poisoned quills..."

After a few seconds, Bruce gasps and comes forward to speak in realization, "When we attacked the honey badger, Robin must've bitten into one of the areas where we had jabbed Nukalia with the snake venom-laced quills."

De'Ausha: "One: her name is Nukalawa. Two: sounds like you brought this on ya'self."

With shame and acceptance lining her voice, Robins confesses, "I...know..." For someone like her to do that, it raises a lot of eyebrows, even among the mink parents. Robin points at Tiger and says, "You were...right...when you quoted that...Middle Eastern philosopher."

Nick: "Robin, please, don't talk. Save your strength."

Robin's voice has a sudden edge to it when she talks back to her mate by saying, "No...I must tell them...Even if it kills me." Nick backs off, once again proving to all those who hadn't figured it out before that Robin wears the nonexistent pants in her family, not Nick who is more compliant with his mate's aggressive attitude.

She looks back at Tiger and continues, "All the evil I did came back to bite me in the tail. I insulted you folks, and now I need your help. I lied to myself, and it betrayed me. And I lost my son's love, and don't think I'll ever get it back. That truly was, wise advice." (1)

Saying all that takes a toll on her, as her eyes roll back, she goes limp, she breaks out in sweat, and her breathing is ragged. Nick panics as he rapidly says, "No-no-no-no-no-no-no! Do NOT leave me, Robin!"

He becomes too absorbed in hugging and rocking her, begging for her to wake up and not die all the while, that Bruce has to ask the hedgies the important question. "How do we save her? I-I know we've been nothing but horrible toward all of you and our kids, and we're finally getting our deserved comeuppance. But we promise to change, honestly! We just...want my sister to live so she can make it up to you, AJ, and all those we've wronged in the past!"

The hedgies look at each other in question for a brief moment, then nod. Rick gets things started by saying, "Because she wasn't bitten by a snake, and got the venom in her system indirectly, it's possible to neutralize it with antibiotics like cephalosporins, piperacillin-tazobactam, and ciprofloxacin."

Rebecca: "And the only place to get those is at a pharmacy."

Bruce: "Then let's go!"

Mary: "It's not that easy. We first have to find out where a pharmacy is, then we gotta travel there, see what kind of security measures there are, and come up with a plan on how to get in and back out without risking our own safety."

Bucky says, "I'll get on Google Maps," as he goes to get an iPad.

Grace: "Those who wanna help load the off-road golfcart, come with me."

Heather: "I'll stay here and take care of your kids, Mary."

Mary: "Thanks mom."

Elroy: "Just try not to spoil them too much. Please?"

Heather says, "I make, like, no promises," while giving a smirk. Elroy sighs internally but focuses his mind and body on getting things ready to save Robin.

Emma: "Spike and I will make a stretcher so we can bring Robin with us. We're not leaving her here and coming all the way back to cure her. The sooner she takes the antibiotics the better."

Rachel: "Just don't move her around too much, 'cuz that'll make her blood flow more and the venom will spread faster."

Emma: "I know, but thanks for the reminder."

Rachel: "You're welcome."

Bucky calls out, "Found the closest one. If we take the main roads, the trip will be 25 minutes."

Nick: "Robin hasn't got 25 minutes!"

Bucky patronizingly says, "Chill, dude. You interrupted me." His voice goes back to "lecture mode" when he says, "But we'll be traveling in the off-road golf cart, so it'll take us half the time."

Velma: "We need to fit as many as we can in the golf cart, because it's gonna take all of us to search the pharmacy aisles. That means all you minks join us too."

Minks in unison: "Got it."

RJ: "Bernard, go get the big duffle bag. My, yours, and Mary's golf bags aren't enough."

Bernard: "Agreed. C'mon Pat, Elroy, and Mary. I'll need your help."

Luby: "We can also fit a good number of smaller animals in it. It'll save some seats in the golfcart."

Rick: "That's my mate. Your raccoon craftiness never goes away with age."

Luby: "I age like wine, Rick. The older I get the better."

Nick impatiently says, "Great. You two are in love. I love my mate too, and want to keep her from dying. So can we get moving already?"

Laderius: "You wanna come along on this trip with your mate?"

Nick: "Of course I do!"

Laderius: "Then calm, the fong, down."

Nick takes in and lets out a long, deep breath and then says in a more relaxed tone, "I'm sorry. I'm just so worried."

De'Ausha: "We know. But you und'astand that if we rush thangs, it'll only make savin' Robin take more time."

Nick: "Yes..."

De'Ausha turns to go help Laderius get supplies they'll need for this raid, but whispers to him, "Nick may become a problem. His words and voice sound calm, but his eyes are not."

Laderius: "Yeah, I noticed too. We'll keep an eye on him, and stay on our guard."

De'Ausha nods as they keep walking. With all the animals present, it takes only eight minutes for everyone to get everything gathered and into the golf cart. Those who remain behind are Heather, all the bats (who are asleep), Zeke, Tim, Mira, Lou, and Penny. It's basically a skeleton crew, but with all predators dealt with, the hedgies' home is safe.

Right?

---

The trip to the pharmacy takes 12 minutes, or rather the trip to the tree line that separates the woods from the streets and buildings around the pharmacy, which is in the middle of a shopping district. Lauren and Ro-J are looking through binoculars while, R3 and Reagan look through rangefinders while the animals wait for their analysis.

Nick: "How much longer do you kids need?"

The other hedgies have gotten a taste of Nick's impatience on the ride here as he kept asking if they could make the golf cart go faster and how much longer they had to reach their destination.

Getting fed up by now, Garrett looks Nick in the face and says, "My son and daughter, and their cousins will take as long as they need to do things right, instead of quick."

Rebecca: "And you'll stay here by the golf cart with your mate and son."

Nick: "No way. I wanna help you get the medicine she needs."

Rebecca: "And you will help, by being by your family's side and keeping them calm and supported."

Nick is about to object further, when R3 suddenly announces, "Okay, we've got good news and bad news."

Reagan glances at the information on her device's display one last time before putting it down and saying, "According to my rangefinder, the pharmacy is about 2,000 feet away—1,980 to be exact."

R3 also puts his rangefinder down as he says, "That's about three city blocks. So the good news is, we know how far we gotta travel."

Ro-J keeps looking through his binoculars while saying, "But the streets are full of cars..."

Lauren does the same with her binocs as she says, "And the sidewalks are full of people..."

R3: "So the bad news is figuring out how to go through the busy streets and crowded sidewalks in broad daylight."

Mary: "And if just one human sees one of us, they will, so, call animal control. Or worse, Verm-Tech."

Lauren: "There's already three police cars..."

Grace: "Which means it'll be a rapid response once a person calls 911."

Ty: "So like always, we gotta do things as fast as possible. Only now we gotta be even faster."

Ro-J: "There's also some cameras at the pharmacy parking lot."

Bernard gulps and says, "Which means authorities will get a clear look at our markings, phone Verm-Tech, and...Uh!" Pat puts both paws behind Bernard's back to stop him from feinting, but it doesn't stop him from throwing in some Shakespearean humor. "Perhaps this raid is too dangerous to do. For as they say, 'The destitute have no cure but hope.' " (1)

AJ: "That's not funny! My mom's dying, you freak!"

All the hedgies collectively turn their heads to glare at AJ; the sound of them doing so is quite audible.

Ike: "Watch your mouth, boy, or your butt's gonna look like a cactus after I hit it with my quills!"

Annie: "And we won't help you anymore."

Bea: "Yeah! You'll have to get the medicine without us."

Emily: "All in favor say 'Aye.' "

All the hedgies raise their paws and say "Aye" in unison.

Meredith looks AJ in the eyes and tell him, "Do not insult any one of us who are trying to save your mother's life."

Plushie: "Because we could have—should have—not helped you at all, as punishment for all the verbal and physical attacks you've done to our family and relatives."

Bernard says, "No worries. Animals have called me that so many times, that it's lost all meaning. Because I am a freak—ing, awesome, half-possum!" While saying that, Bernard demonstrates that he truly is RJ's son by speaking nonchalantly, smiling, and doing casual hand gestures like his father did when he told the hedgies, "So we scared her and she overreacted. No biggie."

Only the hedgies chuckle, but Nick is starting to lose even more patience, when he yells, "Stop wasting time, dad gummit! Get your heads out of your butts and into the game of saving MY mate!"

Kale: "Den zip ya's lip and listen. I gotta plan for dealin' wit dose humans and clearin' a path for da rest of you's ta get to da pharmacy. Been cookin' it up in my brain ever since R3 told us da bad news. Me and my pack will cause mayhem in da streets—chasin' humans and causin' traffic accidents—distracting everyone from you while you's drive the golf cart trew the clear path we'll create in the middle of da pandemonium."

Having lived with Kale for 20 years, and Clara, Boxer, Percie, and Roaster for 15, the other hedgies don't voice their concerns as they know these wolves can pull it off. It's rather the minks who ask the questions.

Christopher: "That's too dangerous!"

Elan: "And if you become roadkill, there won't be any diversion for the rest of us to make it to the drug store."

Percie yawns and says, "Details, details…Boring, boring. We'll be fine."

Maddie: "All it takes is one car hit, and you'll be dead."

Clara: "Kyaa-ha-haaa! Iffa car hits me, it's the one dat's gonna get smashed inta pieces! Dibs on da street. Who wants da sidewalks?"

The wolf triplets say "A mí!" (Spanish for "me") in unison.

Boxer: "Humans teenk dey sooooo tough and dominant, but my claw swipes, bites, and growls are gonna show dose payasos—clowns—dat the Big Bad Wolf is real, and is the boss!"

Percie: "Most'uv 'em will flee in fear, and I'll be da 'sheepdog' who herds 'em wherever I want 'em ta go. Not even da fastest human in the world can outrun an average wolf, and I'm anyting but average."

Roaster: "Now dat my scar no longer hurts, I can take pride in lookin' extra scary. Seein' a wolf is frightening enough, but seeing a wolf with'a eye scar as dank as dis," (Points to his scar) "is gonna make even da grown-ups turn inta babies who'll 'mess' demselves outta fear!"

Kale: "I'll get da cops' attention and lead 'em on a wild goose chase. Da same goes for animal control and Verm-Tech when they show up."

RJ: "I'm not doubting any of you, but want to make sure you all know that when Verm-Tech is called, it's not going to be a few of their finest, or an army of rookies. They're going to throw the best they have at you."

Clara smirks and says, "Let dem come."

RJ nods and says, "So we got the distraction that'll get us to the pharmacy covered." Looking at the crowd of animals he says, "Now let's talk about the surveillance cameras at the drug store." After a three second pause that confirms he has everyone's full attention, he asks, "We don't want the humans inside to know we're approaching or else they'll lockdown the building or come up with their own plan for dealing with us once we're inside. So, did anyone bring the paintball gun?"

Pat raises her paw and says, "Yes. While helping pack the duffle bag."

Elroy: "I also included an attachable ACOG scope."

Laderius: "Oh-ho! I know what'choo thankin'! Create da world's first homemade paintball sniper gun and shoot da cameras."

Drake: "How many paintball guns did we bring?"

Mary: "Two: the regular-sized one, and my paintball pistol in my bag. We'll take out the cameras with the normal one because it has better range, and is big enough to attach the scope. But we need to be able to leave out of any door or window, whichever is closest to the medicines we'll need. So that means we have to hit all the outside cameras with one paintball gun. That's gonna take time we, so, do not have."

Scarlet: "Hammy and Aaron are fast enough."

Aaron: "But the gun is too heavy for us to aim, and neither of us have enough shooting practice."

Ty snaps his finger and says, "Aha! Then we'll have you guys just bring the gun to our best marksmen and women who will be waiting at the places that gives them a clear shot at the cameras."

Roger asks Hammy and Aaron, "Can y'all still carry the gun?"

Hammy and Aaron in unison: "Yes!"

Scarlet: "Then the camera issue is settled. Anything else?"

Velma: "How will we get the people inside the pharmacy to leave?"

Stella: "I'll take care'uh dat."

Tiger: "And everyone else with 'chemical weapons' can keep brave humans who rush us away, or create a 'cloud' to cover our escape."

Laderius: "Just make sho' you conserve 'ammo,' b'cuz we might need spray all raid and escape long."

Gary: "He's right. Because on the ride here, I noticed a sign that said, 'Now leaving State-law-protected woods.' Which means humans can, and likely will, follow us through the forest until we get back in the woods that are protected. Unless we do such a number on them that they won't be able to follow us."

Kale: "No problemo for us wolves, but da rest'uv ya's gotta play it by ear."

RJ: "We will. I think that covers everything. Anyone need a recap or are we good to go?"

The animals say various words that indicate that they are ready.

RJ: "Then onto Phase 1."

He nods at the wolves who nod back and run toward the busy shopping district. The others must observe and wait for the opportune moment for them to move into town.

As for the humans down below, while they go about their way, people from five families who have never seen or heard of each other before will unknowingly share a similar experience today.

---

"Jake, put your phone down and hurry up. We still got to buy couch pillows at TJ Max, a gift card at Best Buy, and run to the grocery store," says his mother, Harriet.

Jake, a Caucasian kid, sighs. He never liked shopping, and doesn't think he ever will. It's boring, tedious, takes forever, and always leaves him feeling drained of energy when it's finally over. He tried to convince his mother that he's old enough to be left home alone without adult supervision; he just turned 13 for crying out loud. But no, his mother insisted that he gets out and about instead of being cooped up in the house with his comics and videogames all day on Saturday—one of the two days he gets a break from school all week. So here he is, doing the thing he likes the least.

"I might as well be a hostage," he thinks in angst. But there's nothing he can do about it, except obey his mother because the sooner they get finished running their errands, the sooner he can get back to home sweet home. So he puts his phone back into his pocket, and quickens pace.

---

His sentiments are shared with Charles Matisse, an African American man in his mid-30s who is driving his family of three (his wife, son, and daughter) to Chuck E. Cheese for a friend's birthday. Although it gives him and his wife a break from their rowdy kids, that place wasn't built with grown-ups in mind. Going to Chuck E. Cheese can be summed up like so: the kids have the time of their lives, while the adults awkwardly stand around with nothing to do for hours. And, man, does Charles hate awkwardly standing around with nothing to do. Yes, he can socialize with the other adults there, but nine times out of ten, they talk about things that do not interest him. Even worse, the place doesn't offer any of the alcoholic drinks he likes, so he can't calm his nerves.

"Oh well," Charles muses. "My wife and I chose to start our own family, and this is just one of the hardships of being a parent."

---

A quarter of a mile away, an Indian American grandmother, Manjula, and her granddaughter Sacchi are enjoying a mid-morning snack on an outside Subway restaurant table that they decided to stop by on their way back to the car after spending time in an urban park across the road. Since their religion encourages a vegetarian diet, the pair are enjoying a Subway veggie-lover's pizza.

The 10-year-old Sacchi asks, "Thanks for spoiling me with pizza, Daadee Ma."

Manjula: "What are Daadee Mas—grandmother's—for? And here, we got a discount since your cousin works at this particular restaurant."

Sacchi: "I want to work here one day too. To help feed others is something I've always dreamed of."

Manjula: "Didn't you want to become a zookeeper at one point?"

Sacchi: "Yes, but after hearing of tiger, bear, wolf, and elephant attacks that happened to zookeepers, I've changed my mind."

Manjula nods and then asks, "Did I ever tell you the story of when my mother outsmarted a tiger in India?" After Sacchi shakes her head no, Manjula continues, "Her village was having some tiger trouble one week, and just when a tiger was about to strike a boy, a sloth bear came running in to defend its territory. The tiger was coming straight for the bear, but when the bear reared up and showed its teeth, the tiger broke off its attack and ran away."

Sacchi is very interested now, and is amazed at the story. She may not want to be a zookeeper anymore but years of learning about animals in books and TV shows have turned her into self-proclaimed expert. "But never have I heard of a fearsome tiger being frightened off by a silly-looking sloth bear," she ponders in wonder. She asks out loud, "But that Tiger should have easily beaten the bear. Why did it not fight?"

Manjula: "Tigers are not true fighters like most people think. They are ambush predators, looking for an assassination rather than a battle. And if their prey notices them before they are ready to pounce, they will refrain. So my mother would wear a mask on the back of her head whenever she walked through the forest. She would hear the growl of the tiger somewhere in the brush, but it never tried to attack her."

Sacchi: "Wow…But I would still be scared to come face-to-face with a wild predator, which is why I changed job choices."

Manjula: "Living in a busy town is also a good way to avoid predators because all the noise keeps them away."

---

At an open-air market located in a church parking lot, a fresh-out-of-college art major, 24-year-old Hispanic man named Sergio is at his caricature booth adding the finishing touches to his latest customer. "A little more lines for the hair. Touch up the cheeks. Add the wrinkles...Aaaaaand," he muses, and then says out loud, "Voilà!"

He picks the picture up from its stand and turns it around to show his work to the five-year-old boy. The boy laughs and says, "I look so funny! You did good!"

His parents, however, have different feelings. The father says, "That's the ugliest thing I've ever seen! You said 'pay half up-front, half upon completion,' but we're not paying you a penny more for such a bad sketch—no, SLOP!"

Sergio: "Pardon me?"

The mother agrees with her spouse by adding, "You made our son's forehead look like that Hector Hammond creep from the Green Lantern movie."

Father: "His two front missing teeth aren't that far apart. Why'd you give him Ben Stiller's ears? And what's with the fish lips?"

Mother: "And why would our five-year-old son already have wrinkles like an old person, or for that matter, slanted eyes when he isn't even Asian?"

Sergio: "The point of a caricature is to exaggerate someone's physical characteristics to create something funny."

Mother: "Funny? I swear you put every physical ethnic stereotype into one image."

Sergio sighs and internally bemoans, "It's always over- and misused claims of racial stereotypes these days. This kind of thing never happened to Picaso or Frida Kahlo..." He then elaborates out loud, "Perhaps after I share the mentality behind my art, you will see the intelligence that lies within.

"In this day and age, when everyone claims to be picked on due to their race, my art pokes fun of that trend by putting common physical characteristics on those they don't normally belong to, quite like the artist Roger Shimomura. That way people will realize it doesn't matter the way you look or are portrayed; everyone can feel a common, humorous connection in the irony of my artwork. In other words, it's so silly that it would be silly to get offended by it. That was my senior thesis in college, and I received an A-plus. Think of it this way: we all grew up watching the Looney Tunes, and Speedy Gonzalez was a Mexican stereotype, Pepe LePew was a French stereotype, and Foghorn Leghorn was a Southern stereotype. And yet, Mexicans, French, and Southerners think those characters are hilarious instead of offensive."

Sergio thinks he has won over the unsatisfied customers when they fall silent for a few moments.

The father patronizingly asks, "So you plan to lessen racist stereotypes by drawing racist stereotypes? What kind of stupid plan is that?"

Mother: "And there's a difference between being good in college and being good in the real world."

Son: "But I like it. It's funny!"

The mother glares at Sergio and points an angry finger at him as she says, "See what your 'art' can do? Make young kids think racial stereotypes are funny!"

Father: "Keep your stereotype drawing. We don't want it. And if you're smart, you'll give up your career before you offend someone who won't be as 'nice' to you as we have."

Sergio sarcastically says, "Yeah, sure." Then talks normally as he waves them goodbye and says, "You all have a nice day."

Mother: "Draw animal stereotypes. No one will be offended by that."

Sergio grunts, but then wonders aloud, "Maybe..." Recalling something his World War II history-obsessed roommate had talked about, he gets a blank sheet of paper out and starts to work on an animal stereotype.

---

In a police car at a section of a ramp where people have been known to take it too fast while coming off the interstate, Officer Pavlov, a 30-year-old Russian American sits waiting for his speed indicator to beep when someone goes over the limit. He has been here for over an hour and is getting incredibly bored. He keeps singing "Nyet, i Nyet, i nyet, i nyet," meaning "No, and no, and no, and no," in his native language as each car that comes off the ramp does so at an appropriate speed. He sighs and mumbles out, "What did I do to deserve this?"

Pavlov wanted to become a police officer to help protect the public from danger, not sit on his butt monitoring traffic. He was an officer of action, not patience, just like his father before him, and his grandfather before that. He has always held a deep respect for all cops. Any person who is willing to put his/her life on the line every day and night to keep others safe garners respect in his book. He has tried many other jobs, and none of them gave him the satisfaction that he was doing all he could for the county he lived in. But making people walk around anywhere knowing that no harm will befall them is what gives him a purpose in life.

And then there was his deeper, more personal reason. In recent years, the news has taken quite a liking to exploiting the heck out of certain police officers who have made some pretty bad mistakes that have made most Americans scorn law enforcement. Whether the people those officers mistreated were criminals or innocent, Pavlov knows that what such "malpracticed" officers did was wrong, and went against the vow they took "To Protect and Serve." But the public has a hard time understanding that just because there are a few rotten apples, doesn't mean the entire orchard is sour. So he became an officer at a time when only 45 percent of Americans trust their police force in hopes of restoring the public's faith in law enforcement.

"But I can't do that here while waiting to give speeding tickets..." Pavlov again mutters out loud.

Little does he know that his desires for more action are about to be granted. But the people who will be at the epicenter of what's to come are the Matisses'.

---

"Are we there yet?" ask Charles Matisse's son and daughter, Devon and Kiara.

This is literally the tenth time they have asked that.

Knowing her husband well, Janerica decides to give him a break when she turns around in the front passenger seat of the car and says, "For the last time, kids, no. We got another five or ten minutes. And this better be the last time I hear you ask that question. Find another way to pass the time."

Charles: "Why not play 'I Spy'? I used to love doing that in the car with my brother and sisters when we was your age."

Devon, sitting in the seat behind Janerica says, "Ok." He looks outside the car window then says, "I spy with my little eye somthiiiiiing blue."

Kiara looks out of her brother's window as best she can from her seat behind Charles and she asks, "Sky?"

Devon: "Nope."

Kiara points and asks, "That car?"

Devon: "Nope."

Kiara: "Oh! The mailbox!"

Devon: "Yep!"

Kiara pumps her fist then says, "Okay my turn." She looks out her window and sees something rather peculiar that would be perfect for their game. "I spy with my little eye something, gray."

Devon looks out of his sister's window as best as he can, but when he does that, even Kiara can't see the thing she saw anymore. But there are now some people on the street running, maybe for the store down the road with the big "Clearance Sale Today!" sign. Not knowing this, Devon guesses, "Car door?"

Kiara shakes her head, "Nope." She looks out her window again and sees the same thing traveling through an alley now, but it disappears behind a dumpster.

Devon: "Sidewalk?"

Kiara: "Nope."

Now that they are at a red light at a major intersection, Kiara takes a closer look outside her window, while still giving her brother plenty of room to do the same. Just when she thinks she sees what she saw moving out from behind the dumpster, Devon says, "That man's shirt?" which causes Kiara to automatically look at the person her brother mentioned.

"No," Kiara says in a rushed tone, eager to get her eyes back on the thing she saw. But it's nowhere to be seen, so she decides to break the news to her brother, just as their car starts moving forward when the light turns green. "It's gone now, but it was—"

Devon: "Oh! The wolf!"

Kiara instinctively says, "Yes," as if it's nothing.

Then Charles sees it too and yells, "WOLF!" A mostly light-gray wolf with a black stripe running down its back, regular-gray X on its back, and five checkmark-like bangs runs in the middle of the intersection. He slams on the brakes, causing the car behind to rear-end his vehicle. Another car coming from the opposite side of the road swerves to the left, hitting the car in that lane, which then hits the car waiting at the stoplight's left side from the Matisses' original position.

As for the Matisse family, their car is pushed forward by the car that hit them from behind—directly into the charging wolf's path. Just when it seems like the canine will become road kill, it jumps onto the Matisse's car hood. The animal shows its bared teeth as it snarls, its breath fogging a small part of the windshield. Charles screams and instinctively floors the gas pedal. Unfortunately, when the car hit them from behind, it damaged their rear axle. So when Charles goes forward, he has to fight to regain control of his skidding car. The wolf has already jumped off his car, but he is certain that he will hit some pedestrians when—fortunately—the car veers again and impacts a fire hydrant instead, breaking it open and making it spew high-pressure water up in the air.

Up until that point, the cars on the right side of the intersection from the Matisses' starting position were unaffected by the wrecks going on. But now they find themselves unintentionally joining in the chaos when the nut on the fire hydrant's right-side outlet rockets out and hits the chain of an 18-wheeler carrying pipes. The chain breaks and the pipes fall off, some hitting other cars, some falling on people. The pipes are too small and are relatively light, so no fatal damages are inflicted, but the pipes scatter everywhere and make it impossible for any vehicles to move on that side of the intersection.

The wolf—Clara—smirks at her vile handiwork, and then runs to the next intersection to cause more mayhem.

---

Jake yawns and sheds tears of boredom for the millionth time as he leans against the rail of the waiting line for the checkout counter at TJ Max. The worst part of shopping is the lines, and since he can't get out his phone without receiving a scolding, all he can do is continue to brood. "There's never enough workers at the checkout counter—there's five empty registers for goodness sake!—everyone and their brother is at the store; all the people in front of us have full carts while we have three items; and instead of using a credit or debit card, they pay in cash, check, or worst of all, coupons that slow the whole darn process to a snail's pace! This is why online shopping is the norm, but no-oh, mom wants us to do things the old-fashioned way..."

Harriet on the other hand, loves shopping, and thanks the Lord that retail stores are still around. She grew up when malls and major retail stores were the number one way Americans bought things. She says in her mind, "Getting out of the house to travel and see all the cool stores, their wares, and interact with people in the hustle and bustle is so exhilarating! Even if I don't want to buy something I see, it's still so fun to look at it. True, sometimes the stores don't have exactly what I'm looking for, but it's like fishing: hit or miss, but you have a good time no matter what. Online shopping takes all the fun out of exploring the stores, the satisfaction of finding the exact thing you're looking for, and most of all being able to interact with the item to make sure they are perfect for you. Not to mention there's no waiting for delivery, you buy it and take it home."

"Next customer," announces a person at the now free checkout counter.

Jake is thrilled that it's their turn and says, "We're up, mom," hoping to speed up the process. When he and Harriet get to the counter, to Jake's chagrin, his mom digs into her purse while saying, "I have some coupons in here. Just gimme a sec."

Jake rolls his eyes and looks out the store windows. What should have been his teaser of impending freedom has turned into bars of imprisonment. Just as that thought passes through his head, he notices a crowd of people running amok on the sidewalk and parking lot. Finally, for the first time since getting into the car, his interest is piqued. It's like the classic scene from every movie that has a disaster going on in it: the helpless citizens fleeing for their lives from some force they can never hope to defeat. But what Jake never expected is when the force causing the chaos to enter the store.

The store's automatic doors let in a wolf with light brown circles around its eyes, checkmark-like bangs above the left eye, a dark gray upside down Saints-like logo on its face, white fur on the ventral side, light gray fur above that, and regular gray fur on the dorsal side where a thick Y-shaped pattern is most prominent.

The beast lets out a brief howl, then snarls as it runs straight at the people closest to it: those at the checkout counters. Screams erupt and people run, jump, and push to get away, some into each other. Jake is knocked to the ground by the customer at the checkout counter to his and Harriet's right, and just as his mom reaches down to help her son up, the wolf comes running at them. Harriet shields Jake, ready to take the mauling the wild animal is about to unleash so her son will be protected, when the wolf runs past them. Taking advantage of this, Harriet pulls Jake up and the two start running out of the store. Meanwhile, the wolf's speed enables it to head off the fleeing customers who now come running in the opposite direction, and out of the store too, and the canine follows. It's an odd double-edged sword situation in which the people deeper into the store are now safe, but the people out of the store are being chased. Some make it to the parking lot, but others have to keep running in order to avoid the snapping jaws, the latter of which includes Jake and Harriet.

In the mother's and son's eyes it's like the wolf is specifically targeting them, and they are right, because Jake is giving off the most fear. Having no love of sports, he has grown up doing indoor things most of his life and is completely out of his element when it comes to anything that deals with the outdoors, like encountering wild animals. Speaking of which, the canine lunges forward and Jake prepares for a world of pain—

—Only for the wolf to shoot past them and go into another store where the patrons scream, try to get away, are headed off by the predator, and then flee outside where the canine keeps pursuing them.

Like mother like daughter, because Percie smiles at how her evil plan is working out perfectly. She continues herding the ever-growing crowd where she wants them to go, the experience is most humorous to her. Humans, the dominant species on planet Earth, are acting like a bunch of sheep—both figuratively and literally—wrought by an animal they consider lower than themselves.

"Mother Nature is one cruel, humbling, mistress ain't she?!" Percie silently mocks the people. "No, I take that back. I am one cruel, humbling mistress!" She then does her mother's trademark "Kyaa-ha-ha-haaa" laugh aloud in animal language.

Having satisfyingly indulged her ego, she refocuses on repeating her strategy that is clearing the streets of people.

---

Officer Pavlov had gotten so used to his boring assignment that he jumps when the female dispatch unit's voice comes in his police car's radio transceiver blasts out, "All units there is a Code 11-81 in progress at the intersection of Boulder Avenue and Creekside Street. As well as one confirmed Code 10-91V in progress on Jackson Highway at the strip mall."

Pavlov instantly recognizes the situations being described. Codes 11-81 and 10-91V mean a traffic accident with minor injuries and vicious animal respectively. He grabs the walkie-talkie part of his radio transceiver and says, "Unit 87 copies—10-4. Heading for Jackson Highway now. Over."

He puts the walkie-talkie part back, gets his car into gear, and speeds off, feeling excited for the first time in his law enforcement career. As a kid, he was always a cop whenever he and his friends played cops and robbers in their neighborhood, and he was so good at it that the only time he allowed the robbers to win was when they begged him to. He feels that boyhood glee returning as he's about to see some real action that will make the public safe from danger—the exact thing he signed up for when joining the force. He may be stopping a vicious animal instead of a criminal, but he will fulfill his duty 110 percent.

Maybe his efforts will be one for the history books, maybe they will be just a footnote. Perhaps his efforts will change everything, maybe nothing will change. But no matter what, he will take pride in his job and bring honor to his profession.

All this passes in his mind in about five seconds, when the dispatch woman's voice comes back on his radio, "Negative, Unit 87. Units 66 and 32 are being sent from the station to secure Jackson Highway until animal control and Verm-Tech can handle Code 10-91V. Resume your regular duties, over."

Pavlov grits his teeth as a new fire lights in his belly. He keeps his cool as he responds, "No, dispatch. People are in immediate danger, Units 66 and 32, as well as Verm-Tech and animal control will take too long to get to Jackson Highway. I'm just four blocks away, and can get there in two minutes tops with my sirens going. I can either diffuse or contain the situation until they arrive. Over." Knowing it's wise to call backup no matter how big or small a problem is, he then says, "Request that Units 66 and 32 provide backup when they arrive, over."

There is a five second pause that makes Pavlov hold his breath, since it means dispatch must be talking to her superior about his insubordination. Dispatch then says, "Confirmed, Unit 87. 10-49 Jackson Highway. Over and out."

Pavlov smiles. 10-49 means "proceed to," so he puts his radio back and places both hands on the steering wheel—

—That he immediately turns to the right to avoid a dog running straight for his car, causing the man to swear in his native language. The only details Pavlov notes are that the canine has light brown fur and lacks a tail. The dog charges the police car again, but Pavlov drives straight for it. As he does, he notices that it's not a dog, but a wolf. He is surprised that another wolf has shown up (meaning an entire wolf pack must be rabid if they are attacking humans) but will not let the animal keep him from saving the citizens at the Jackson Highway strip mall. This time, the wolf will have to make a move, and whether it gets out of the way or run over, Pavlov is not slowing down. If he gets to Jackson Highway first and deals with the wolf there, he will get the recognition he deserves from the police chief who will put Pavlov on the frontlines of all real crimes instead of traffic duty.

Pavlov floors it as he thinks, "Think you can distract me from stopping the rest of your pack? Sorry, pooch, but this day belongs to me and all law enforcement with it!"

The wolf reaches its left forepaw to its right side, where Pavlov now notices is a light brown vest similar to Police K-9s. Shiny objects drop on the road, and the canine gets out of the way. Since he floored the gas pedal, Pavlov is going too fast to avoid running over the objects which turn out to be caltrops. His tires blow out and his car careens into a streetlight pole, hitting it on the left side in between the front and back passenger doors.

Pavlov isn't injured but is very surprised. He groans out, "Umnyy pederast—smart bugger..." as he reaches for the radio to report what has happened. "Dispatch, another Code 10-91V at my location. Car disabled. Proceeding on-foot to Jackson Highway strip mall. Over and out."

He doesn't wait for Dispatch to respond because he knows it will be to tell him to wait for assistance and let Units 66 and 32 handle the situation. This, he will not allow. Pavlov checks for the wolf, doesn't see it, and gets out of his car. He is in excellent shape, so he should arrive at the site of the original 10-91V in five minutes. He runs for one block, then his left calf experiences sudden and sharp pain that makes him fall to the ground. He turns his head to the sound of a growl and sees the same wolf about two feet away from his bitten calf.

Pavlov snarls out, "Pochemu ty malen'kiy vreditel'!" which is Russian for "Why you little pest!" as he pulls his handgun from his holster. By the time his gun is free, the wolf is running away. And with people crowding around Pavlov to assist him, he doesn't have a clean shot.

As for Kale, he runs as fast as he can to the sites where his pack will be in order to plant more caltrops for the authorities who will come.

As the wolf runs away, a passerby asks Pavlov, "Officer, are okay?"

Second passerby: "You need to see a doctor about your leg!"

Pavlov: "Then someone give me lift. My car's totaled!"

Pavlov's personal radio goes off again as the dispatch says, "All units, another 10-91V in progress across from Billingsly Park."

The first two people help Pavlov up while three other passerbys flag down a car. Now on his feet, Pavlov shows the driver his badge and says "You, I'm Officer Pavlov. I need you to drive me to the hospital."

The officer's timing couldn't have been worse because the car driver is a 19-year-old who has a stash of marijuana hidden in the glovebox. The boy tries to brush Pavlov aside by saying, "I'm sorry sir, but I'm in a hurry for a job interview and don't want to miss it. Ask the person behind me."

Pavlov is immediately suspicious and says, "It's not a request. You're also not dressed for an interview, and it's a Saturday..." Remembering he has more important things to do, Pavlov decides to not worry about this kid and says, "Look, I can drive, my right leg is okay. So if you want to step out, and give me your address I promise to return your car when I'm through."

Fearing the officer will discover his illegal stash, but thankful that Pavlov will be in the seat opposite of the marijuana, the teen says, "You might pass out from pain. I'll be your co-driver in case things go wrong."

He has already scooted into the front passenger seat before Pavlov can object. The officer gets inside and says, "Thanks kid. Now buckle up."

"M-my name is Lyle," the nervous kid responds.

Pavlov nods and steps on the gas. Lyle notices something is off when Pavlov drives past the road that leads to the hospital, causing the teen to say, "Um, the hospital is that way..."

Pavlov: "Son, there's a wolf loose at the shopping district, terrorizing people and attacking them like the one who bit me. I am going to save them first, and then go to the hospital."

Lyle: "No way, man! Lemme have my car back!"

Now at a stop light, Pavlov looks at Lyle and seriously says, "Do you know how much you smell of weed?" Lyle's eyes widen and Pavlov continues, "I am a career-cop. My whole life I trained myself to enforce the law, including how to identify the smells of illegal substances. If you help me, I will promise your punishment will be less severe. Get in my way, and you're looking at some serious charges."

Lyle gulps and then asks, "Okay officer. What do I have to do?"

Pavlov: "When I stop the car, help me walk. That's all."

Lyle: "You got it."

Just as the light turns green, Pavlov's radio comes on again. "All Units, another 10-91V in progress at Saints Catholic Church Parking Lot. Also, Units 66's and 32's patrol cars have been disabled. All confirm, over."

Pavlov speaks, "Confirmed dispatch. Over." But in his mind, he is pondering, "What in the name of Mother Russia is going on today...?"

---

Manjula and Sacchi just finish wiping their lips with napkins when they hear a small kid scream from the park across the road. They think nothing of it, because all kids scream whenever they play around, and the two proceed to gather their trash and head over to a trashcan. That's when they hear an adult scream, followed by several others. The two Indian Americans stare at each other with furrowed brows and turn their heads over to the ever-growing commotion. People at the park are running in all directions, some tripping and getting back up, others staying on the ground and curling into a fetal position. When they see the causer of the mayhem, they feel a chill run down their spines.

A wolf with four different shades of brown fur (light, regular, dark, and chocolate) and a jagged scar on its left eye is snarling, running, and snapping its jaws at everything in sight.

Many park-goers have gotten on the largest play structure assuming that this wolf, like all wolves, can't climb where there are no stairs. But the wolf seems to smell their fear, and proves them wrong by jumping one curvy ladder rung to the next as he gets to where they thought they were safe. The people panic and either take the slide, a regular ladder, a sliding pole, a twisting pole, or just jump off the side in order to get down to the ground.

The canine doesn't wait, and jumps after those going down the slide, landing on top of their back and forcing them to the ground where it then pounces on another victim.

Manjula and Sacchi are awestruck by the devious predator and its surprising intelligence.

Manjula: "It's attacking..."

"Like a tiger..." Sacchi finishes. Fear gripping her brain, Sacchi grabs her grandmother's hand and tugs it as she says, "Hurry! Let's get inside, Daadee Ma!" But Majula doesn't move, causing Sacchi to yell, "Come on!"

Manjula holds fast, as the story of the tiger her mother faced shows vivid images in her mind's eye. One of the reasons that vicious animals choose to keep attacking humans is because the humans rarely fight back whenever a dangerous animal first comes into contact with people. The first time villagers saw the tiger with an old chicken in its mouth, the tiger stared them down while their lives flashed before their eyes. Fortunately for them, the tiger did what any good tiger should do when encountering humans: it fled, but did so on its own terms. The people did not pursue it or try to hit it with their farming tools as it made its way back into the thicket of trees, since they were just happy the tiger left them alone. This happened two more times, and in each, both man and beast let bygones be bygones. Then the attacks started on the tiger's fourth visit, and everything changed.

That was three times the tiger's actions had no consequences, three times it went unchallenged. Therefore, in the predator's mind, even if it did suffer a consequence later, it had learned there was a chance it could get away, free as a bird. It had learned to gamble, and the last thing any human wants is for a vicious predator to gamble with their life. While it is true that provoking an animal will cause it to retaliate, treating a vicious predator like a pet in the wild is tempting fate that can (and often does) lead to disastrous results. Any damage inflicted on animals that are in the process of running away teaches them a lesson, but when predators are not taught that coming near humans can have bad consequences for the animal, it makes the creature believe no humans will resist further incursions. Failure to act could result in someone being killed, and that tiger killed over 100 villagers in a 10 mile radius.

This matters to Manjula because her mother was among the first villagers who encountered that tiger, and had suffered the guilt for the rest of her life, because Manjula's mother blamed herself for those lives lost. Had she and her peers attacked the tiger at their first meeting (their numbers would have in fact discouraged it from retaliating back), it would have learned that coming to this village can result in it getting hurt, and it would think twice before coming back. This wolf apparently has had many encounters with humans who treated it a harmless cardinal or perhaps even a pet dog, and now its predatory instincts are making it do what nature intended its species to do.

In India, regular citizens cannot hold firearms, so the villagers had to use bladed weapons meant for farming against one of Mother Nature's deadliest predators ever to walk the planet. But this is America where regular citizens are allowed to hold weapons, and Hinduism encourages that owning a weapon for self-defense is the religious duty of every head of the family. Manjula is not the head of her household, so she does not have a gun, but she does have both a taser and can of mace inside her purse.

She pulls out both and Sacchi asks, "What are you doing?!"

Majula: "What my mother could not."

Sacchi: "But it's a wolf, it won't back off whether you look at or away from it!"

Manjula: "Which is why I am prepared to protect you and others."

Wiggling free of Sacchi's grip, Manjula struts across the street, drawing a number of people's attention—after all, how can one not be impressed when an elderly woman brandishing a taser and mace goes toward an attacking animal. Many plead her what she is doing, which Manjula replies, "Getting rid of the wolf. But the odds are better if we work as a group."

Some flee to save their lives, but others rally behind her, and what started out as a one-woman show shortly turns into a posse. The wolf notices them, snuffs out its nose in a way that sounds like a scoff—as if saying, "So what? Is this all you got?"—and waits for them to make the first move.

The mace can has a range of 18 feet, and the taser a range of 15 feet. Manjula fires both at once, but does not aim the mace directly at the canine, and instead hitting the ground around it; drawing a circle. The wolf easily dodges the taser, but the fumes of mace are just as bad to inhale as being hit with it, and because this animal is a wolf, it's sense of smell works against it in this regard. Furthermore, the hazardous concoction was sprayed in a circle around the wolf, making it unavoidable for the predator not to breathe in the fumes even as it turns to run away. Best of all, the mace fumes agitate the eye scars, which forces the wolf to slow its retreat to tend to that area.

Manjula shouts, "Keep it busy while I reload my taser!" and the people around her start throwing rocks and personal items, or grab nearby sticks with which to whack the wolf who now is having a hard time standing. "Get back!" says Manjula and the crowd does so.

Just when Manjula squeezes her taser's trigger, the wolf lunges forward in a desperate, last-ditch effort to escape! The suddenness of its action, and unexpected distance covered, catches the woman off-guard. The scar-eyed wolf bites Manjula's taser-holding hand, and claw-slashes the hand holding the mace spray. The rush of pain and momentum of the canine makes Manjula fall on her back, and the wolf pounces on top of her chest. The wolf's dark and light purple eyes narrow into a literal predatory glare, despite the pain the scar causes, and meets the frightened woman who had been so certain victory was at hand moments before.

"I never thought this wolf was a chaalabaaj..." ponders Manjula, the latter word meaning "trickster."

As if he had known the reasons for Manjula's bravado, Roaster decides to teach the human a consequence for attacking him by snarling out in animal language, "Somethin' ta remember me by, señora perdedora!" the latter words meaning "loser lady." The canine bites off the elongated lobe of Manjula's right ear while slashing a scar down her left eye, spitting the ear chunk into her face when he finishes.

The wolf then runs off to lead the posse away from the street while other bystanders help Manjula. Sacchi comes running up with tears streaming down her eyes, "Daadee Ma! Why?!" She wraps her arms around Manjula in a big but gentle hug, "Why'd you have to be so brave?!"

Manjula: "Oh, my sweet, beloved, potee—granddaughter...'The only thing needed for evil to triumph, is for good people to do nothing.' "

Sacchi: "But it's just an animal, it's not evil."

In a sudden burst of energy that Sacchi did not expect someone in Manjula's current condition to possess, the elder woman jolts upward, looks directly into Sacchi's eyes, and adds strength to her grim voice tone when she says, "I looked into its eyes...It. Was. Evil..." Lying back down, Manjula now speaks in her usual calm tone, "But now it knows messing with humans will have repercussions. I have saved many lives...My mother's spirit can long last find respite."

A man who finished a 911 call for an ambulance, who only heard the last thing Manjula say, asks her, "What does that mean?"

Manjula: "Ask me later, I am an old woman, and need a nap."

She closes her eyes and Sacchi wails, "Daadee Maaaaaaaaaa!" in loss. A male spectator scoops her in his arms while his wife checks Manjula's pulse.

After sighing in relief, the man's wife says, "It's ok, kid. She just passed out. It's actually a good thing, because now she won't feel any pain." Once Sacchi calms down, the woman says, "Your grandma saved my nephew from the wolf. I'll gladly pay the ambulance fee. In fact, I would like to get to know you and her much better. Your grandmother may have lost an ear, but she has gained a friend."

Her husband says, "Make that two."

A teenage spectator walks up and says, "No. Three."

A young man steps forward with a raised hand and says, "Four."

One by one, a total of ten people declare their friendship to Sacchi. Wanting to keep the girl's mind off her grandmother, the wife who started it all then says, "My name is Jenny, what's yours?"

Sacchi wipes away her tears and starts talking.

---

It's been less than 10 minutes since the family had mocked his artwork, and Sergio is nearly done with his latest work of art: "The German Sheppard." The obvious dog breed is wearing lederhosen, has blond headfur (visible beneath the hat), blue eyes, and is holding a beer mug in one forepaw and a pretzel in the other. The horizontal leather band on the upper middle part of the lederhosen suspenders have sausages and the German flag.

A random woman notices the drawing and stops by Sergio's booth to say, "Hey, is that, like, a German-German Sheppard?"

Sergio: "It certainly is, ma'am."

Sergio feels his heart race when the woman says, "So stereotypical..." but then the man relaxes when she adds, "but so funny. Do you mind if I buy it from you?"

Sergio muses in bewilderment, "Well I'll be darned...Those stuck-up folks from before were right," then replies out loud, "Not at all. And since you didn't request me to do this drawing, you get it for a much cheaper price of $30.00 even."

The woman jumps in glee and says, "Oh, what a deal! Here!" Sergio helps put her debit card into the card reader attached to his cell phone, then hands her the artwork. She further compliments him with, "Thanks again. My boyfriend's a huge dog-lover, our anniversary is coming up in a few days, and this would make the perfect gift."

Sergio: "Then I'm glad I could help you out! You helped me too by showing me that this new art style I just tried out for experimentation can actually work. You have a nice day."

Woman: "You too."

She holds the drawing up in front of her fac to admire it while turning around in the direction she wants to go. Suddenly, the dog on the drawing comes to life by bursting out of the ripped paper and knocking her to the ground! She screams when she realizes it's not a dog that's on top of her, but a wolf! The canine has white fur on its belly side, gray fur on its dorsal side, and light brown fur from the bottom of his eyes up to his head.

Sergio has a habit of speaking Spanish whenever he's scared or nervous and exclaims, "¡Un lobo loco!" Then says it in English to warn all listeners, "A crazy wolf!"

Most people take one glance and start to panic, running in a frenzy, but Sergio plans to fight back, especially after the wolf bites and rips off the woman's shirt. Being a true artist, he relies on whittling his sketching pencils with a pocket knife instead of pencil sharpeners. He opens the knife up and throws it, scoring a hit on the right foreleg shoulder. The wolf turns to face Sergio, growling in rage, then does something disturbing. It uses its left forepaw to slowly pull out the crimson-colored blade—not making a peep while doing so—licks the blood off, then drops the knife down like a mike drop. What makes this disturbing to Sergio is not that the creature didn't make any sounds of pain, and not that the canine is smart enough to remove a knife. But rather, that the whole process was done in what seems like an act of defiance.

Before Sergio can read any deeper into it, the wolf comes running at him. Sergio has no choice but to turn around in order to locate then grab his sharpest pencils, but it comes at the cost of feeling a sharp and painful pressure on his buttocks as the wolf bites there. The bite is unnaturally strong, like being hit by a speeding motorcycle, but as soon as it started, it stops. However, a ripping sound and a sudden draftiness confirms that Sergio is now pantless, but graciously still has his underwear on. By the time he gets up from his fall, the wolf is running deeper into the market where it repeats its actions of ripping off people's clothes instead of actually attacking.

Sergio thinks, "It's like it wants to humiliate us...But if that's the only thing it wants to do—"

Just when he thinks everything will be okay, the wolf starts knocking over vendors' tables and tears up their merchandise in addition to de-clothing the people. Most are too embarrassed to anything besides shield themselves with their hands, but Sergio remembers how ancient humans had to live amongst bears, tigers, wolves, and lions with only stone or stick weapons to defend themselves.

Sergio muses in defiance, "Our ancestors didn't care about the state of their clothes. Their main priority was survival." He picks his knife back up with one hand while dialing a childhood friend's number on his phone with the other. When the person on the other end picks up, Sergio says, "Hey Dill, it's Serg. We got a major wolf problem down here at the Saints Catholic Church parking lot near downtown."

Dilbert's voice: "We've gotten calls about other wolves running amok not too far from there. Don't worry, me and Verm-Tech's finest are already on the way, and I'll make sure to come to you personally."

Sergio: "Thanks man, you're the best."

Dilbert's voice: "Try to keep the wolf in that area. Don't let it run off."

Sergio: "Will do. See you soon."

Sergio hangs up the phone and goes after the wolf who forces a baby carriage to fall to on its side. The toddler isn't hurt, but still cries from the suddenness of the action. The mother's shirt is ripped off as she picks up her child in her arms. She holds her kid close and trembles, expecting an attack, but the wolf has already moved on to another kiosk.

Having seen the animal's path of destruction this male vendor here is prepared. More than prepared, he is armed. He takes out a hand gun, waits for the wolf to approach, and fires two warning shots into the air as soon as the canine's nose peeks into view. The humans are just as jolted as the animal, with the former panicking more than ever after hearing the gunshots. But the latter defies all rule by leaping toward the gun-wielding man, and snatches it out of his hand with its teeth. Most unexpected—and horrifying—of all is when the canine keeps the firearm in its teeth, then aims it at the vendor. The man panics and topples over his own tent to escape just as the wolf uses its index claw to fire the gun into the air, mimicking what the human had done to frighten it.

By now Sergio has caught up with the wolf and gets ready to throw it at the animal's head. That's when the wolf faces him and fires the last bullet into the man's right shoulder. Sergio reels back and clutches his wound, the pain burning like a hundred fire ant bites. When he looks at the canine again, the latter spits out the gun, and Sergio swears the thing smirks at him while turning in a way to show off its knife wound.

The message is clear: An eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth.

The wolf then strides toward Sergio, who is crawling on his legs backwards in a vain effort to get away. The wolf runs forward, stares into the man's eyes, rips off his shirt, then runs to cause more mayhem.

Sergio thanks Mother Mary it did not try to bite his flesh, then passes out from the shock of his wound coupled with the heat outside.

As for Boxer, he again thanks Mother Nature that he did not inherit his mother's full strength or cockiness, because rather than destroying the gun like she would have done, he opted to wield it. Clear evidence that he inherited all of his father's intelligence.

---

"Are you folks good? Please say something!" asks a motorist who had left his car to help those less fortunate. There are others like him around the damaged vehicles, but this man is next to the Matisses'.

Charles and Janerica groan as they slowly open their eyes and see the looks on motorists who had left their cars to help those who wrecked. Their car's airbags inflated when they hit the hydrant and must have knocked them out. They then remember their kids and Janerica frantically asks, "Devon and Kiara! You okay?!"

The siblings cough but say "Yes ma'am" in unison.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Charles is about to say something that will vent his frustration in an effective way while also lightening the mood, but his son beats him when Devon says, "Mom and Daddy? Can we never go to Chuck E. Cheese again?"

The car becomes a bubble of laughter and smiles. When those subside, Janerica says, "Lets get out. Slow and steady."

The motorist decides now is the best time to address the family and says, "Glad to see you aren't seriously injured. My name's Jerry, and I'll help you open your car door. It's banged up pretty bad, but should still open. I just need you four to unlock it manually. After that, you should head to the hospital to make sure you don't have any internal injuries. I learned that the hard way after being in two car accidents."

Charles, Janerica, and the kids do as instructed, and are soon standing on their feet outside their totaled car.

Janerica's eye widen and she says, "Dad gum...I can't believe it."

Charles: "Yeah. This is gonna be one huge headache for the insurance company. Not to mention needing to buy a new car."

Janerica: "I'm talkin' about that."

Charles follows her pointing finger and he gapes his mouth at all the destruction the wolf has caused. And not just at their intersection, but also four more down the road.

But that's not what caused Janerica to say what she said. Passing the last light in the distance and turning right appears to be a golf cart—being driven by animals.

---

Finally, Jake and Harriet can stop running. Their legs feel like toothpicks about to crack at any moment from how long they have been running. The wolf has led them and many other people into a dead-end alley. They think the canine will attack, but what is does instead is baffling. Demonstrating its immense strength, the wolf located two nearby dumpsters and pushed them in the way, then took any nearby cinderblocks and even chunks of bricks it bit out from the walls to form a barricade that the humans must climb over to leave the alley. But no one has attempted that yet because, one, they are still trying to catch their breath; and two, the wolf is on top of the dumpsters, standing like a guard dog, daring them to try and leave.

The sound of a car horn tooting out "La Cucaracha, La Cucaracha," makes the canine turn around. It looks back at the group of panting humanity and then abandons its guard post by leaping off the other side.

Harriet looks past the dumpster and between the gaps of cinderblocks and bricks to see what the wolf is now following, or rather, escorting. A group of various critters are driving and/or riding a large, 10-seater, silver golf cart with redneck wheels and a supercharger at the engine. She makes out porcupines, raccoons, a skunk, and several minks, but thinks there might be more on the side of the vehicle that's not facing her.

Jake saw the same thing and even pinches himself to make sure this all isn't a dream. Confirming he's actually here, he then asks "Mom? Did you see that?"

Harriet: "I sure did. That wolf was making room for those animals...And we are shopping online from now on."

Jake thought he would never hear his mom say that, and pinches himself again to be 100 percent sure.

He and the other people jump in terror when gunshots go off somewhere close by. Since the shots came from past the dumpsters, everyone knows they are trapped and can only curl into a fetal position and hug their loved ones. They don't notice the wolf flee back and join them.

The voice of a man with a slight Russian accent is heard, "Nyet! I missed! That way! It went there! Hurry!

A youthful voice pants out, "I'm trying, Officer Pavlov. You're still outpacing me even with that wounded leg of yours."

Pavlov's voice: "Add 'getting more exercise' to the list of things you must do to avoid me arresting you, Da?"

After another pant Lyle's voice says, "Yes sir." After a two second pause, Lyle asks, "How do we get you over that?"

The humans listeners open their eyes, and some yell when they notice the wolf is hiding amongst them.

"The wolf!"

"It's back!"

"Help us!"

Pavlov's voice: "Put me next to that dumpster, Lyle! We'll move it together!"

An echoing "Thump!" happens, followed by the screech of metal on concrete as one of the dumpsters slowly starts to tilt inward. Those closest people to the dumpster try to approach it to speed up the process, when the wolf grabs Jake who cries out in pain as he is dragged by the hip away from Harriet.

Harriet: "That wolf just took my son! Ja-aaaake!"

Jake: "Mooooom!"

Pavlov's voice: "Everyone rush the wolf! It'll panic and flee!"

But when the people try to, the wolf narrows its eyes and squeezes Jake's hip hard enough to draw blood.

By the time the dumpster has been fully moved, Pavlov brings his gun up and asks aloud, "Why haven't you rushed it—Oh..."

While training at the police academy, Pavlov had prepared himself for all kinds of crime he might encounter once he became an officer. He knew how to deal with a gunman holding a hostage, but never was he prepared to see an animal take a human hostage. The wolf is facing the dumpster sideways, Pavlov at its right, and the group of people at its left—that way it can skim its eyes to the left or right to keep an eye on those preventing its escape without needing to turn its back on either officer or civvies. There are some people who start to circle the wolf from behind, but the animal senses their movement and yanks Jake as a message, causing them to back off.

Pavlov pulls back the hammer of his gun's safety, and the wolf growls while biting into Jake. Still growling, it then makes its tail point toward the gap the police man is standing in front of, lets the tail drop, then points again.

Pavlov can't believe it. Never did he expect that his first real assignment would be negotiating with an animal. But he also knows if he refuses, the wolf will injure the boy, or worse. So he slowly lowers his gun and moves aside so the wolf can leave. The canine doesn't seem satisfied, because it stomps its left foreleg on the ground twice, then slides it backwards.

Having noticed the telltale signs of this animal's gender, Pavlov muses, "Umnaya devochka..." or "Clever girl" in Russian. Understanding the message, he drops his gun on the ground at his feet, and uses his uninjured leg to kick the firearm under the dumpster. He then softly says, "Lyle? Let the wolf pass. Whatever you do, don't try to stop it."

Lyle's voice: "F-fine by me."

The wolf again demonstrates her disturbing intelligence by pointing at Pavlov, then at the crowd of people to her side. Pavlov slowly limps to join the crowd, and even goes behind three people in order to lessen the threat he poses to the creature. Once he stops moving, the wolf, still holding Jake, slowly backs out of the gap in the barricade, not taking its eyes off the humans who can only stare in shock and awe.

Knowing the wolf can no longer see him, Pavlov puts his plan into effect. He always carries a backup pocket pistol in one of his utility pouches, but waits for the right moment. The wolfess is 10 feet away from where the alley meets the street, and the instant it lets go of Jake, the officer whips out his gun with lightning speed, aims, and fires. The wolf has used her senses to determine what the man was doing and easily avoids all five bullets.

But she needn't have bothered, because his shots went intentionally too high to hit the canine. More importantly they were too high to accidentally hit the boy. Even if he fired in the kid's direction, he would have received a massive backlash from the spectators for doing something that could have killed Jake.

Pavlov happily muses, "But I am not one of those trigger-happy officers who make terrible mistakes. I am here to restore the public's faith in the men and women in uniform."

His plan works as intended, because he is soon surrounded by people who pat his shoulders, shake his hands, and even kiss his cheeks, thunderously applauding and yelling their thanks and praise.

One person says, "You're my hero, fella!"

Harriet kisses him repeatedly on the cheek and says, "Thank you! Oh, thank you officer! You saved my son's life!"

Pavlov smiles and says, "I'm just doing my job: 'To Protect and Serve.' Speaking of that, someone go help the boy. I need to make a call." A crackle of a walkie talkie breaks and Pavlov says, "Unit 87 here, over."

"Dispatch hears you, Unit 87. Give us an update, over."

Pavlov answers, "There was a Code 10-91e on a boy—an animal bite. I followed up with a Code 10-57. I fired some shots, but the animal got away. Repeat it got away, over."

"Dispatch copies, over."

Pavlov: "Any updates on my backup? Over."

"All officers sent out had to abandon their vehicles. They saw the same wolf as you and their cars crashed. But Verm-Tech and animal control are still mobile and will be here soon. Two minutes out, over."

Pavlov wants to assist them with catching the wolves, but with the adrenaline dying down, the pain in his leg comes back with a vengeance. After a groan, Pavlov replies, "Solid copy, dispatch. I also sustained a Code 10-91e and am heading to the hospital. I really like this leg and don't want to lose it. But you make darn sure to tell Verm-Tech and animal control that they are dealing with highly cunning, ruthless, and dangerous wolves. No joke. Criminals could learn more from one of these animals than from Al Capone, El Chapo, and their entire gangs combined, over."

"10-4 on that, Unit 87. Over and out."

Pavlov: "Over and out."

Two adults help Pavlov walk away. Before leaving, he turns toward Lyle and says, "You do what I said, da?"

Lyle: "More than that, sir. I want you to tell me what I need to do to become an office like you!"

Pavlov smiles because he did more than even his father or grandfather if he has gotten a former felon interested in becoming a cop. He seals the deal by saying, "Then walk with me. Let's get to know each other better."

---

"Sergio…? Sergio? Wake up, man. It's Dill."

With a groan and a lot of effort (and pain), Sergio opens his eyes and sees Dilbert kneeling at his side. Behind him are a man and woman wearing animal control uniforms. The man is named Reed who points and asks Sergio, "Is that a bullet wound?"

Sergio: "Crazy wolf...knew how to fire a gun at me..."

The woman is named Bethany and she scoffs and says, "Absurd...Canines aren't that intelligent, and their paws make it impossible to—"

Dilbert: "He's telling the truth. I know the kind of wolves we're dealing with now." (To Sergio) "I take it the mutt got away?"

Sergio: "Yep. I tried to keep it in this area, until it shot me and ran off. It didn't attack anyone either, it just ripped people's clothes off."

Dilbert mumbles his thoughts out loud, "It's a diversion..."

Reed: "Wha'ja say?"

Dilbert: "In addition to the report that led us here, the local police dispatcher said that an officer encountered a wolf that took a kid hostage. The same wolf also chased a bunch of people into a dead end. There were three other reports about a wolf that caused cops to crash their cars, one that caused big traffic accidents at some major intersections, and another that terrorized a park."

Bethany: "Yeah, it's a classic case of a rabid wolf pack on the loose."

Dilbert: "No it's not. It's strategic and precise planning. But for what, I'm not sure of..."

Bethany: "I think you're giving these wolves too much credit, Dilbert. In all my 20 years of animal control career, there has never been any cases where wolves can cause this much trouble, especially intentionally."

Reed: "Likewise."

Dilbert: "With all due respect, I have encountered more animals with the cunning of Professor Moriarty in my short four years at Verm-Tech than you have in those 20 years. And my dad and his best friend have been dealing with animals like this since before I was born."

Bethany: "You Verm-Techers...Always the conspiracy theory fruitcakes of the animal kingdom."

Dilbert's face turns red, and he puts it in front of hers and responds through clenched teeth, "I'm going to let that insult slide for now because the longer we spend infighting, the more damage these wolves are gonna cause."

Reed's radio buzzes on and the dispatcher says, "Officer Reed, eyewitnesses are describing what seems to be a group of animals driving a golf cart, over."

Reed: "Come again? Did you just say animals driving a golf cart, over?"

Dispatcher: "That is correct, over."

Dilbert taps a balled fist into an open palm and says, "Of course. That explains everything..." Without asking permission, Dilbert takes Reed's walkie talkie and says, "Send an ambulance to the Saints Catholic Church parking lot. There's a gunshot victim who needs immediate help. Then keep listening to, and informing us of, any and all eyewitness reports of the golf cart, over."

Reed (cynical sarcasm): "Uh, you could've asked for my radio."

Dispatch: "This is Dispatch, who is this? Over?"

Dilbert: "Dilbert Stanton, the son of Pierre Stanton, over."

The Dispatch responds with an accepting and urgency-laden voice with, "Roger that. We'll keep you posted, over."

Bethany: "What the?" (Turns on her own radio) "Dispatch, this is Officer Bethany. Why is the Verminator who hasn't even graduated college yet suddenly in charge, over?"

Dispatch: "That Verminator and his father are the two smartest, and most experienced when it comes to dealing with animals. This operation may be under Animal Control's jurisdiction, but you will follow his lead, over and out."

With smug satisfaction, Dilbert proudly says, "Let's head back to our vehicles. I have a remote-controlled drone developed by Verm-Tech that can detect and track the scents of any animals we choose, along with some other 'nifty' surprises." Remembering the last encounter his father, Steven, Mariana, and himself had with the hedgies, Dilbert sinisterly muses, "Now it's my turn..."

His smile fades when they arrive at cars—

Reed: "You gotta be freakin' kidding…"

—When they discover that all their tires have been slashed.

Bethany: "Who did this?"

Pierre takes a big sniff and his face and voice turn sullen as he shares, "One of the wolves. It must have returned while everyone else was busy recovering from the initial chaos and helping those in need..."

After looking at each other with wide eyes, Reed and Bethany look back at Pierre. Bethany says, "Tell us what we need to do, and we will follow it to the letter."

Dilbert's smile returns.

---

"Forty-five minutes…? Are you for real?! I already waited two hours at the doctor's office, and now you're gonna make me suffer from this colitis for 45 more minutes?! What they heck am I supposed to do for 45 minutes in a boring-as-heck pharmacy?!" Yells a 23-year-old female customer named Tracy.

Yadir, an Iranian-American sighs internally as he ponders, "Another impatient customer. Remember your training: Keep your cool, be empathetic, don't feed the fire, and get her to calm down." Out loud he says, "I'm deeply sorry, ma'am. One of my best friends had colitis before too, and it's terrible. But getting the precise amount of the antibiotic from your doctor's prescription is vital. If we rush things and give your either too much or too little, you won't get better. And if you have other things to do, you could take care of them first and come back here when it's ready."

Tracy: "I have nothing else to do, and live 30 minutes away. That would be an hour wasted if I left, came back here, and had to go all the way back home. Look at all the people working behind you," (Points) "You're clearly not short-staffed so if it takes 45 minutes to get one bottle of antibiotics ready, it's because y'all are just lazy!"

Yadir sighs internally again as he thinks, "Not only an impatient customer who is used to getting her own way fast, but a belligerent one too...They don't pay me enough to deal with this avvalin keehan alah mozakh-raf—first world problem nonsense...Something that so many Americans do."

If anyone hates being in a boring pharmacy, it's Yadir. But he knows what real-world problems are, things that would make waiting 45 minutes with colitis seem like Heaven. He was only four-years-old when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini came to power in his home country. Because his family was one of the few Iranians who actually supported Mohammad Reza Pahlavi—the famous Shah of Iran—and were outspoken about the benefits of their country giving the U.S. cheap oil, they had to flee for their lives to avoid imprisonment, abuse, and possible execution.

Obtaining a passport and traveling Visa in a country that enacted a religious, police-like state was incredibly difficult, especially as fugitives being hunted like animals. He and his family miraculously made it to Turkey without anyone getting hurt or killed where they got what they needed to come over to America, the famed land of opportunity. Once they came over to the U.S., they had to learn a whole new language while finding a home to stay in, and jobs to make money.

This took about a decade, and just when things were looking up for the soon-to-be college grad, the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks happened. It didn't matter that Yadir was Iranian instead of Afghani, to 90 percent of employers, he was an America-hating, religiously fanatic, Muslim terrorist. He went to college for an technology engineering degree, but couldn't find anyone willing to hire him in that line of work, out of the belief that he would "engineer" a bomb. His whole family faced ostracization, and it was so harsh and stressful that it actually contributed to his younger sister's baby being a stillborn. So instead of being allowed the opportunity to pursue his dreams, Yadir was forced to seek employment at a pharmacy one of his step-cousin's father owned—the exact kind of job he was hoping to avoid.

Standing behind a counter filling prescription orders is both tedious and boring. Although it keeps his body moving, it doesn't keep his mind busy. His mind requires constant stimulation, but here he has too much free time to think about the problems in his life. And when a rude customer comes in to make his life even more of a pain, Yadir feels like screaming.

Fortunately, the man waiting in line behind Tracy lends Yadir a hand, when the patron says, "Try to relax, ma'am. We all have to wait long in a doctor's office, and to get our medications filled when we have many other things we'd like to be doing instead. But yelling and insulting the pharmacists, without knowing how hard their job is, is not going to make things go by faster."

The man's wife adds in, "It'll only make things go by slower. So cool off, or go somewhere to vent out your negative emotions, before someone has to send for the store's manager."

Tracy turns around to glare at the two, then looks back at Yadir and says, "It better be 45 minutes. If it's just one minute over, I'm talking to your manager." She then walks out to return to her car where she can listen to the radio and have a smoke to pass the time.

Once outside, she has to wait for a jerk who does not let her have the right-away, flashing the motorist a vulgar gesture once the back of the person's car is facing her.

"Lady, that was uncalled for. Especially in front of my kids," says a woman passerby.

Tracy can't believe random strangers are now getting on her nerves and commenting on every little thing she is doing. She spits back, "Don't mess with me! I'm having a bad day!"

She ignores what the woman says after that and crosses the road to reach her car.

Then, right as she presses unlock button on her car keys, she sees something that she initially believes is a hallucination from the colitis pain, until it attacks her and makes her gag for air. She loses all sense of direction and find herself running back into the pharmacy.

---

Back inside the store, as Tracy was walking away, the man from before walks up to Yadir and says, "Sorry about that, sir."

Yadir: "No need, it was not your fault. Some people are just hard to deal with, it's part of my job. But I really appreciate you and your wife's help. So, what do you need?"

"Yadir!" calls someone walking up to the counter. It's his step-cousin, Hassan, whose job is to monitor the surveillance cameras. "You're good with technology, something's wrong with one of the cameras and I need you to take a look at it."

One of Yadir's co-workers says, "I'll take over for you, Yadir. Go help him."

Yadir nods and says, "Thanks, Terri." He comes out the door and briefly struggles to keep up with Hassan who is almost jogging. Once Yadir is beside Hassan he asks, "You're in a big rush. What is the issue?"

Hassan: "One of the camera screens just went black all of a sudden, but the instrument panel shows that it's still online. The same thing happened to a different camera about four seconds later, and then another four seconds after that"

Yadir raises an eyebrow and goes "Hm..." as he takes the information in. "Sounds like a glitch. The cameras are pretty old."

Hassan: "The cameras were replaced this past Monday..."

Now Yadir is really curious, and now that they're at the monitor station, more issues have come up.

Hassan: "What the?! Now all the outdoor cameras are out!"

Yadir's mind works quicker than the average retail worker. He has already noted some oddities about what the images on the screens are showing, discovered their source, and come up with an explanation before Hassan finished speaking.

Yadir shares his observations out loud by saying, "Look at the liquidly oozing and the rubber-like spots. It's paint from a paintball gun. And if all the outdoor cameras have been hit in such quick order, it must mean several shooters are outside beyond the cameras' range. Which means—" Yadir's eyes widen in shock and a trickle of sweat starts falling from his head.

Next, the two Muslims hear Tracy's voice scream, "Watch out for the—!" followed by several screams come from the main area of the pharmacy.

"—Armed robbery!" finishes Yadir as a chill runs down his spine.

Hassan curses himself for focusing too hard on the blackened monitors instead of on the cameras showing the inside of the store. But by the time he turns his eyes in to the screens that show this, the screens are full of a thick cloud of green.

Hassan: "Toxic gas!"

Yadir gets a post-traumatic stress flashback of the tear gas used against his family in Iran in the attack that forced them to leave their home. He also remembers what he has always kept with him since that horrible night. He never thought he would ever have to use it, but is glad he has always trusted his instincts to have it ready.

Yadir: "Pull out the gas masks I gave you the first day I worked here! We need to go help our customers and co-workers!"

Hassan nods, uses a small key to open a drawer from a desk, and gets out two gas masks. He puts one on himself and hands over the other to Yadir. Hassan then picks up a phone and dials 911.

The operator asks, "911. What's your emergency?"

Hassan: "Robbery in progress at CVS Pharmacy on Bucknee Avenue! Perpetrators are using toxic gas! Come quickly!"

Operator: "Got it. Officers are on the way. Find a safe place to hide until they arrive."

Now that his mask is on, Yadir asks, "Do you have any other weapons I can use?"

Hassan: "The phone just said we need to wait."

Yadir: "It could be too late by then. Each second we waste, innocent people could die. We know this store like the back of our hands. We can navigate it if our eyes were closed. I'm doing this with or without your help, but without would be more dangerous."

Hassan keeps his handgun and knife and gives Yadir a stun gun and an extendable police baton. With a silent acknowledgement that they could very well die from being heroes, the two exit the security office and open the door that lets them enter the main store where visibility is barely over a foot. Yadir heads to the pharmacy counter where the sounds of coughing can be heard while Hassan moves to search for the robbers. Fortunately, the gas works both ways in that it prevents the two Muslims from seeing the robbers, but also hides their approach, making it easier to sneak up on the assailants.

Yadir sees one customer passed out on the floor, and all his co-workers behind the pharmacy counter coughing an making their way out to the main store floor. They have their shirts putted over their noses in a vain effort to lessen the gas's effects.

Terri moans, "God almighty, it STINKS!"

A female co-worker shouts, "I can't see anything!"

A male co-worker yells, "That stupid skunk! Even when the customer from before warned us, it still got us by surprise!"

Yadir puts his weapons away while sighing in relief. "Just a rogue skunk. I'd take that any day over armed robbers," he muses, unaware that the animals are indeed armed and here to rob. While approaching his co-workers Yadir calls out, "Here I am. Follow me. I'll lead you to safety."

When Yadir gets closer to the front door, he is surprised to see several customers not going outside. He asks, "What are you standing in here for? Get outside!"

Male customer: "We c-can't! *Cough* Wild animals are guarding the exit!"

Yadir cautiously walks over to the front door and sees several raccoons, porcupines, an opossum, and squirrels outside. Some have golf clubs, others have quill-spears, one has a taser, another has a paintball pistol, and the rest have slingshots or other blunt objects.

When Hassan yells, "Avardan ekhtezal alef!" which means "Get off me!", Yadir turns around and follows the sounds of his step-cousin's grunts. He finds him in Aisle 5 where a mink is clawing and biting at his head, and three others are pointing and gesturing as if trying to reason with the mink on top of Hassan. There are also seven raccoons and two animals that look like a cross between a raccoon and opossum searching the aisle and shelves, all of which have small gas masks on. Yadir is so bewildered by the sight that he pauses to tilt his head instead of helping Hassan. He is brought out of his mind-boggling trance when Hassan yells, "Do something!"

Yadir takes his police baton and almost swings at the mink on Hassan's head out of instinct, but stops himself from doing that—"You learned think before you act during your days as a fugitive in your homeland. Unlike animals, you have intelligence"—and aims instead for the three defenseless minks. He sends them flying further down the aisle, and as expected, it causes the one on Hassan's head to stop its attack and look in the direction of its brethren. Hassan grabs it by the tail, swings it in a circle, then lets it go join its fellow minks. By now the three mustelids have gotten back up and kneel down to check on their latest arrival—

—Who proceeds to let out a screech of panic and shoves the others onto the floor as it runs past them and starts heading over to the medicine counter where Yadir normally works. Before Yadir can go investigate, he yelps and jumps in surprise when Hassan fires three warning shots hoping to scare the animals away.

This has the opposite effect, when the four adult raccoons turn toward Hassan and retaliate. Two get out magic wands and start shooting Roman candle fireworks, while the other two blast homemade flamethrowers made of lighters and hairspray.

The two Muslims retreat to the front of the store where Yadir says, "I think they're looking for something. Follow me to the medicine counter." Hassan nods and sticks behind his step-cousin.

When they reach it, they find more minks, three adult skunks—one of which is partially albino—two young skunks, a cat, and five porcupines of varying ages. Yadir also notices one of the minks frantically looking at medicine boxes and bottles and correctly theorizes it's the same one that attacked Hassan. It is throwing the medicines it doesn't like carelessly everywhere, which knocks over the contents of other shelves, causing the animals that were there to turn and make angry and annoyed noises at the mustelid.

Hassan takes his knife out and throws it at an adult porcupine with brown fur that's too busy scolding the mink to notice the humans. The quills slow most of the blade's momentum down, but not all of it, so the knife hits the animal's right hip. Knowing the others will only be distracted by the yelp the rodent makes for a few seconds, Hassan's gun and Yadir's taser are already raised and aimed at their next targets. But the animals are not distracted and throw sticks with porcupine quills taped to the tips at the humans' hands. Yadir and Hassan are hit and drop their weapons, instinctively looking at their reeled hands. They decide to bite the bullet and pull the makeshift spears out. Their adrenaline makes the pain go away faster, and when they look back at the counter, they see something that proves that animals do have intelligence after all.

A yard slingshot has been set up and two smaller porcupines being flung toward the two men. Not wanting to take a hit from a whole body of quills, Yadir ducks and flees down the closest aisle, fearing another attack will follow, while Hassan turns to run in the opposite direction. The porcupine aiming for him lands on the back of his head feet first instead of quills-first. This turns out to be just as bad, since the porcupine is armed with a pocket knife and cuts off the straps that hold Hassan's gas mask on his head. When it falls off, Hassan immediately succumbs to the putrid stench that still fills the store. Gasping and gagging on his knees, he doesn't notice the other porcupine that missed Yadir coming up from behind and thwack him in the leg with its quilled tail. Sprawled on the ground from the hit, he is unable to stop the porcupine from hitting him in the face with its quills. The pain coupled with the surrounding stench causes Hassan to pass out.

Meanwhile, Yadir hears his step-cousin's scream and intends to travel down the next aisle and make his way back to Hassan. Then the two will take their chances of going out the front door. He doesn't notice a stray mink standing on top of the aisle, or the sound it makes calling out to Aisle 5. Just as Yadir turns into the "alley" in the middle of the store that runs perpendicular through the middle of the aisles in the front and the aisles in the back, he sees the more possum-looking of the raccoon-possum animals with a raised golf club in its paws. It swings, and a golf ball hits Yadir in the right eye. The glass eyepiece saves him from the impact, but also breaks and enables the skunk stench to slowly but surely seep through the gas mask.

Yadir holds his breath and runs down the aisle, the effort making him have to draw more air into his lungs. Realizing his folly too late, he breathes through the mouth, but that only makes him taste the rancid smell. He coughs and gags but still makes his way to Hassan.

The two porcupines are guarding Yadir's step-cousin and Yadir trusts his instincts as he comes forward to kick them. He is a great soccer player, having played since the day he learned how to kick a ball, and successfully kicks one of the porcupines off Hassan. But when he goes for the other, it curls into a ball and Yadir ends up kicking the quills. Since he is wearing normal tennis shoes, the quills go straight through, making Yadir fall on his back.

Out of options, and seeing the porcupine approach brandishing its pocket knife, Yadir takes out his police baton, throws it away, and curls into a ball as the smell now causes his eyes to water. "I can't believe I'm trying to reason with an animal," he muses in disgust. But his plan works, since the porcupine does not attack him and instead goes to help the one that was kicked. Yadir will not abandon his family, but without his foot, he can't carry or drag Hassan to the front either. Besides, the other animals are no doubt still guarding the way outside and now he is in much worse condition to do anything against their attacks. He simply joins the rest of the workers and customers in coughing and staying put, praying for the cavalry to arrive soon.

---

Reed is having a bit of trouble controlling his drone against a wind gust and nearly crashes it into a billboard, prompting Dilbert to caution, "Careful with that! These drones are very expensive."

Reed: "I'm trying my best."

Dilbert: "Didn't you ever play any flying videogame? The controls are just like that."

Reed: "I never played flying videogames. I was more of a Mario kid."

Dilbert rolls his eyes and says, "Here. Take mine," while offering Reed his controller. "I'll get your drone into a safer area and then we'll swap again."

Bethany has played many flying videogames and has been controlling her drone without any problems. "I see one of the wolves. Lemme zoom in." The controller resembles a modern console controller with a screen, and after using her index and pointer finger to enlarge the image, she gets a better look at the canine. "Eww. It's got one nasty scar on its eye."

Dilbert smiles and encouragingly says, "I bet you wanna shoot it with the drone's built-in tranquilizer gun just for it being so ugly, eh?"

Bethany retorts with, "No. I'm going to shoot it so it doesn't harm anymore people. And that poor thing must have suffered a horrible attack. I'm not a sicko like you who hates animals and gets his kicks out of animal abuse."

Dilbert: "If you knew what animals are capable of, you'd think otherwise. But I digress. Go ahead and hit it."

Bethany presses the fire button and the wolf's run turns into a stagger, as if trying to fight off the tranq's effects. But after looking hatefully at the drone, it quickly falls on the ground, its reign of terror finally put to an end.

Reed: "Nice shot, Beth!"

Bethany responds, "Thanks Reed," while putting the drone in idle so she can get out her radio with one hand. "Bravo Unit to base, one of the wolves had been tranquilized. It's on the corner of Alford Boulevard. Send a team to retrieve it."

A male voice over the radio replies, "Roger that, Bravo Unit."

Dilbert's heart beats faster and a sweat breaks out over his brows. "If a non-Verm-Tech person examines the wolf, they might discover the illegal nanobots!" he muses in fear. Wanting to avoid that, he regains his composure and proposes, "We'll let Verm-Tech handle the retrieval. It'll save you folks some trouble."

Bethany rhetorically asks, "So you can torture and abuse the wolf for your R&D Department to develop more devices that indiscriminately kill animals? Not a chance. We're taking it to one of our facilities where it will be fitted with a tracker and relocated far away from any humans."

Dilbert reasons with her some more by saying, "When animals attack humans it's because they are used to attacking them. If you send it away, it will go to where there are more people and attack them again. I'm not saying we should dispose of the wolf just because it's an animal, but because it's a threat to people, and we should not take our chances."

Bethany still looks unconvinced, so Dilbert then uses his ace in the hole.

Dilbert: "And Dispatch said to follow my instructions to the letter. So Verm-Tech will handle it, and that's final."

Bethany: "That may be the case, but Dispatch also said this operation is still under Animal Control's jurisdiction, since Verminators are just independent contractors hired by regular people instead of being part of law enforcement. So once we have captured the animals, it's our choice to decide what happens to them."

Dilbert: "But we captured it using Verm-Tech equipment and resources—"

Reed: "Look, if it makes you feel better, we can have one of your Verm-Techers accompany animal control to our holding facility and oversee the process as an observer. Take it or leave it?"

Dilbert sighs in both defeat and relief, "It's better than nothing," he says in his mind before saying out loud, "Alright, deal. Now let's focus on finding the other animals."

Bethany: "I hope we hear of that golf cart soon, because we don't have the time to search the whole area, and these drones burn through power fast."

As if luck is on their side, Reed's and Bethany's radios buzz with an announcement. "Dispatch here. The golf cart being driven by animals has been located at a CVS Pharmacy on Bucknee Avenue, over."

Reed: "Roger Dispatch. Heading that way, over and out."

Dispatch: "10-4. Over and out."

Reed then notices something on his monitor. "Hey, there's another wolf! Hm, it doesn't have a tail...Anyway, gotta get close to get a better shot."

Bethany: "I'll give you a hand. Two drones are better than one."

Dilbert: "No, Reed is enough. We only have enough battery life to make it to CVS and tranquilize the animals. Reed has more battery, so he can tranq the wolf, but you and I will keep heading to the pharmacy. And since Verm-Tech is in charge of pacifying these animals, you can't say no this time."

Bethany: "Very well."

Reed: "Taking the shot now."

Dilbert glances at Reed's controller-screen, and the Verminator's eyes widen. "You're too close! The wolf sees you!"

But Reed has already fired, and misses as expected. The wolf dodges the other shots too. Then it does something most eye-opening. It goes over to some skinny pipes on the outside of a building, rips one off—with no effort, as if it's a twig!—then hurls it at the drone. At first it seems the wolf has missed, since the monitor keeps showing a normal image. Then a flashing icon shows up on the screen informing, Right Rear Propeller Damaged. The drone droops down while listing lazily to the side. If its moving mouth, smug expression, and pointing forepaw is any indication, Reed would bet his house that the wolf is letting out a laugh. Then it does something almost as amazing as before. It jumps on top of a dumpster, then leaps at the drone, catching it in its mouth.

Still watching, Dilbert prays the wolf will finish the job by crushing the drone to a pile of scrap, because if any animals with expert computer knowledge—like the ones that are attacking the pharmacy—hack into the drone's systems, all the illegal hardware and devices can be shared online. But when the canine walks off with the machine, it's clear that the wolf intends to keep it for that very purpose.

Dilbert uses one hand to swipe Reed's controller from the man's hand, while using his other hand to shove his drone's controller into Reed's.

Reed scoffs and asks, "What is it with you and violating my personal space and equipment?!" But Dilbert ignores him and uses the controller to pull up a program that lets him activate the drone's self-destruct; used only to prevent the device from being captured and studied. The video screen shows two seconds' worth of static, then goes black, indicating the device has self-destructed.

Dilbert muses, "Hopefully it took the wolf with it." Then he tells Reed, "Sorry about that. I really wanted to save the drone. My girlfriend at Verm-Tech R&D gave it to me as a gift. But as you saw, that mutt broke it to shreds."

Dilbert feels his heart beat quicken as he hopes—prays—that Reed didn't see the self-destruct program being pulled up.

It only gets faster when Reed says, "That...is...the...biggest...stupidest...most...childish reason I have ever heard for snatching the controller out of my hand."

Dilbert lets out the biggest internal sigh of relief of his whole life (thus far).

Reed continues to patronize him with, "A man of your age...You should be ashamed of yourself." He then holds out the controller, offering to Dilbert while saying, "Here. Take your controller back. That way I won't have to worry about your four-year-old, snatchy-grabby hands."

Dilbert takes the controller like a normal person and says, "Yes sir." He then focuses on piloting the drone to the CVS.

Bethany proclaims, "There it is. I see the golf cart blocking the pharmacy's entrance...That's one heck of a golf cart, too. Do they really need all those cops and animal control trucks there?"

Dilbert: "Yes, they do."

Bethany: "Hey Dilbert? Are those three Verm-Tech vans?"

Dilbert looks at her screen and nod his head. "Yes, it is, and I personally know who's in one of 'em. Let's provide them some air support." He activates his earpiece microphone and says, "Hey Howie, getting in the fray of the action?"

Howard "Howie" is Caucasian and one of Dilbert's friends. He's a bit on the heavy side, but far from being overweight. He even became a field Verminator to lose some unwanted pounds.

Howie replies, "Sure am, Dill. Sully and Kathy are in the other vans and we're prepping to storm the building. I take it you're above me controlling a drone?"

Dilbert smiles at the mention of the other two names since those are like the replacements of Dwayne and Gladys LaFontant when it comes to Verminator skills. The latter two were slightly better, but the new ones are still very good. With reassurance in his tone, Dilbert says, "More or less. We'll give you some eyes in the sky and maybe pump some vermin full of tranqs. And why hasn't anyone moved in yet?"

Howie: "These vermin are armed with melee and ranged weapons. We scared the ones that were hanging around the golf cart into the building. But some skunks gassed the place, so we're waiting for the officers and animal control to put on gas masks, that way we'll be at full strength when we go inside."

Dilbert: "Copy that. Our drones only have about 15 percent more power, so we'll help you out until the batteries die."

Howie: "Sounds good—Hey what's that?"

Dilbert's drone has now arrived at the CVS parking lot where he and Bethany notice what looks like smoking cans being thrown out of the store with great range and accuracy. The cans land next to the cops and animal control officers who haven't put on masks yet, and causes those people to get on their knees and start coughing like crazy.

Howie: "Sonnuvah gun! Tear gas!"

Focusing on the store's entrance, Dilbert zooms in and makes out the silhouette of three animals swinging golf clubs as they hit more tear gas cannisters into the parking lot. Dilbert may not have a clear shot, but figures any hit is better than doing nothing. The drones don't have any other visual modes—"Note to self, get R&D to add them,"—so Dilbert fires all his drone's tranqs at his best guess as to where the animals are, but can't tell if he hit anything. When three more objects hurl out toward the cops and animals control officers with masks on, it's obvious Dilbert missed every shot.

Not only that but the objects explode in a blinding light and very loud sound.

Howie: "You gotta be kidding me! Flashbangs too!? Who the heck are these animals? Rambo's pets?!"

Bethany: "I'll fly into the entrance and fire my tranqs."

Dilbert then gets an idea so crazy and reckless that it might actually work. "No wait out here. I'll fly in. I have more experience with these drones than you."

Bethany: "Alright."

Dilbert flies his drone at full speed at the entrance. While on his way he sees three more objects being launched out that look like grenades! Not worrying about what he can't help, he keeps flying, and activates his drone's self-destruct.

Bethany: "Are those rubber balls?"

The screen on Dilbert's drone goes black, and he then looks over at Bethany's screen. The animals' latest weapons turn out to be rubber ball grenades, which, upon exploding, scatter many rubber balls in all directions at high velocity, hence the name.

Howie: "Ow! Gosh darn it, that hurt! My van's windows are busted too! Where did they get their paws on these actual weapons?!"

Bethany's and Reed's radio comes on with a male animal control officer's voice saying, "Was it me, or was there a was small explosion in the store?"

Dilbert: "Hopefully it was a grenade that went off prematurely."

When nothing else launches out of the store's entrance for 20 seconds, Dilbert smiles smugly at how he either killed or severely injured the three animals with golf clubs.

Suddenly, Howie screams, "Ahh!" followed by a small explosion sound. On the drone's camera, the other verminators and officers not yet injured are hit with more flashbangs that seem to appear out of thin air at their feet. But when Dilbert sees a gust of wind pass by the clothes, he has an idea of what is placing the flashbangs so close but is doing so unseen.

With all the humans who had come to help now out of commission, the first of the animals inside the store emerge from the entrance and get ready to start the golf cart. One of which is a tail-less wolf wearing a dog vest which is uses to take out a rubber ball grenade, just in case any humans move.

Dilbert: "Shoot the tranqs!"

Bethany presses the fire button, but the screen goes black after being hit with a paintball. One second later, and the drone's screen informs Front Left Front Right Propellers Damaged, indicating the paintball shooter has already hit those areas.

Bethany sighs and Dilbert puts a hand on her shoulder and says, "It's okay. You tried your best. I'll take this back now," tapping the controller as he said that part. She gives it to him, then she and Reed talk in their radio.

Bethany: "Bravo Unit here. Our last drone was taken out."

Reed: "Our cars are also disabled, so request some pickup at the Saints Catholic Church parking lot."

The man in charge of Animal Control says, "HQ to Bravo Unit. Request confirmed. The wolf you tranquilized also has been picked up and is proceeding to HQ for tagging and tracking."

Bethany looks at Reed and tries to cheer him up with a smile by saying, "I guess we're not walking away with a total loss." After Reed nods, Bethany presses her radio's talk button and says, "Thanks HQ."

Reed: "Over and out."

By the time the two animal control officers turn back to look at Dilbert, they never noticed he once again activated the drone's self-destruct. Ensuring Verm-Tech's illegal activities remain a secret from prying eyes.

Dilbert: "I helped you tranq the wolf, so mind if I come to your HQ to oversee the process?"

Not wanting to add anything else to such a talented, yet immature man's woes, Bethany and Reed both reply, "Of course."

Dilbert says "Thanks," while nodding and giving a defeated look. But on the inside he is smiling with evil glee as he muses, "Perrrrrrfect..."

---

Robin groans as she wakes up when the golf cart hits bumpy terrain in the woods.

Before the mink can even register how she feels, Rebecca asks, "How are you feeling? And be specific, don't say things like 'good', 'bad', or 'okay' or any synonyms of those words,"

Once Robin's mind catches up with her body, she groans louder, then says, "I'm itchy, sore, feel like I have rashes, and got a fever."

When she opens her eyes AJ's face goes from worry to relief as he sighs. He wraps his arms around her and says, "Yes!"

Robin quizzically asks, "Why are you so happy about how crappy I feel?" Her mind forms a logical answer, "Maybe in revenge for how terrible I've been to him...I don't blame him."

But she misunderstands her son once again when AJ says, "Those are the symptoms of the antibiotic that will cure you of the snake venom! It means it worked! You're gonna live!"

Robin: "Where's Nick? I thought he'd be the first one to greet me as I woke up."

De'Ausha and Laderius are standing behind the minks and now come forward.

De'Ausha: "He's out cold. His impatience nearly cost the lives of all those in the pharmacy."

Laderius: "He was driven insane by his worry over you. He did things before we were ready, which gave the humans time to muster up defenses, literally ran over those who got in his way, and made finding the medicine harder by throwing stuff everywhere which knocked things off'a da shelves."

Bruce: "We tried to stop him, tried to reason with him, and even tried to restrain him. But nothing worked."

Chris: "If we were to have any hope of finding what we needed to save you, he had to be dealt with."

Laderius: "So I knocked him out by hittin' him hard over the head."

Rebecca: "But the damage he caused had already been done. The cops, Verm-Tech, and animal control surrounded the building and we had to fight our way out."

Garrett: "We would've been trophies if it weren't for my man Kale who arrived to bring us the flashbang, rubber ball, and tear gas grenades he stole from the abandoned police cars he caused to wreck."

Aaron (speaking very fast without pausing between words): "And don't forget my dad and me who drank some Mach 6 energy drinks that were in the store so that we could place some more flashbangs near the last people's feet unnoticed."

Given his twitching and jittery movement, the remnants of the drink's effects are still in his system.

Before Robin try to say something in her mate's defense, Verne's voice speaks loud and clear from the front of the golf cart.

Verne: "Alright, I want a head count of how many are injured and how bad?"

Bucky: "Got hit with a knife in the hip. It's not too deep, but I'm not running for a while."

Boxer: "Ese estúpido traidor de habla Hispana trew a knife inta my shoulder, but it's just'a scratch."

Percie: "You said it, bro. 'That stupid Spanish-speaking traitor.' "

Mary: "Even when we heard the beeping that drone was making and tried to get clear, my dad, brother, and I got hit with a little bit of debris when it exploded."

RJ: "But it's just some scratches and scrapes. Nothing some good ol' fashion Band-Aids can't fix."

Clara: "I heard dat same beeping when I had tha drone in my mouth. It sounded identical to da self-destruct beeps from a videogame my kids had played, so I spat it out before dee explosion."

Boxer: "But Roaster was captured! We gotta save my little brother!"

Clara: "Relax, kids. I overheard some animal control radio chatter that he's bein' taken to one of their dumps, 'stead of Verm-Tech. So he won't be dead on-arrival."

Her words do nothing to calm them down as Percie looks at Emma and Quillo who are on cell phones and frantically asks, "You found dee animal control facilities he's been taking to yet?!"

Emma: "We found 20-plus animal control buildings on Google Maps, but there's no way to tell which specific one he was taken to."

Quillo: "And the buildings are spread so far apart that even if we separated into over 20 teams, we wouldn't have the manpower to pull off a rescue at such carefully-guarded places. Especially the ones that're open 24/7."

After hearing this and glancing at the search results on the phones, a lighting bug suddenly flashes over Rick's, Ty's and Grace's heads

Rick: "That's it!"

Ty: "Narrow your searches down to the ones that're only open 24/7!"

Grace: "Roaster is in one of those places!"

Meredith: "What makes you so sure?"

Proving that being grounded in reality has many benefits, the three raccoons elaborate.

Rick: "We know that Dilbert was one of the verminators who tried to stop us today thanks to Boxer overhearing a human's phone conversation."

Grace: "Because that freak has a vendetta against us, we gotta do what few animals should ever do: think like that animal-hating wacko."

Ty: "In spite of his insanity, he's far from dumb. He knows the members of our family. And if I was Dilbert, I'd want to personally go to the building where Roaster is being taken and do Nature-knows-what to him. And do it ASAP."

Kale: "Gah, now you's makin' me worry about my son as much as my kids! C'mon Mi Mejores Brotes C-y-F, tell us which facilities are open 24/7!"

Quillo: "Relax, Kale. Your Best Friends C and F have figured it out. There are seven that're open 24/7."

Emma: "So we'll have plenty of man-" (Looks at Quillo with mock-narrowed eyes) "and woman-power" (Looks back at Kale) "when we separate into teams that'll do some breaking and entering into the animal control buildings."

Tiger: "But we need to return home to gather supplies we'll need for our raid and discuss who goes where."

Plushie: "My thoughts exactly. We're not prepared to go straight from here to the seven animal control buildings. We also gotta drop off Robin, her family, and the rest of you minks."

Bruce then climbs on top of the seat's backrest and announces, "No. You risked your lives to save someone in my family, now it's our turn to do the same for you." He looks at his fellow minks and asks, "Y'all with me?"

The minks unanimously shout, "Yes!

The hedgies smile as their selfless efforts have once again turned former enemies into friends.

Stella: "Someone needs to go to the Skunk Sector and see if Boombata and Nukalawa can help out too."

Clara: "Leave it ta me. I'm so fast I can run circles around dis snail-paced golf cart when it's goin' full speed."

Pat: "Careful not to get skunked."

Clara: "No worries. Since that near-little incident a few weeks ago, De'Ausha suggested the animals in da Skunk Sector, and wolves like me n' my family, use a code phrase ta let 'em know I'm not a predator out ta eat 'em." (1)

Niara: "What's da password, Aunt Clara?"

Clara: " 'Ehwa' which means 'smell' in Akan. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta marathon ta run—or rather, do a warm-up exercise. Kyaa-ha-ha-haaa!"

The hedgies roll their eyes at how Clara, though having mellowed down considerably since they first met her, still finds room to feed her superiority complex. When she leaves, RJ comes up with something the family and their friends can do to reduce the prep time for Roaster's rescue.

RJ: "For the remainder of the trip home, anyone with a device that can access the internet has a homework assignment. Pull up some satellite images of the seven buildings Roaster could be in. You're looking for the size, shape, location of cameras, and the amount of personnel. Also try to estimate how long it might take for authorities to arrive based on where the buildings are to the main roads."

Without question, the animals get started. They lose track of time as they are still engrossed in their work, until Lizzy breaks their concentration by shouting, "Oh no! What happened?!"

Everyone gasps at the sight of their main living area which looks like it has been ransacked. Food and toys are scattered everywhere in various states of destruction, trees have been scratched up badly, electronics have been broken, books have been torn, and even the log has suffered a cave-in from the ceiling. Something like this was done by Kale's brothers Luciano and Bugsy 20 years ago, only this time it looks even worse.

But material items are always replaceable—the family in fact has secret stashes of more toys, food, electronics, and books hidden through the forest for just such an event—it is the living creatures that the hedgies are worried about. Bernard is the first to leap off the golf cart, and is followed quickly by his sister, the brother porcupines, Plushie and Meridith, and Sam who take turns calling for their family and friends.

Bernard: "Mo-om!?"

Mary: "Tim, Zeke, and Mira!?"

Bucky, Quillo and Spike in unison: "Mom and dad?!"

Plushie and Meredith in unison: "Carolina!?"

Sam: "Ba-ats?!"

With no response, the animals' hearts grow heavy as their heart rates quicken.

Kale: "I can track dare scents better dan anyone, here. They're—"

Familiar albeit muffled voice: "Wait!"

Second familiar and muffled voice: "We're down here!"

Third familiar and muffled voice: "Coming out!"

The trapdoor in the log is lifted up and out comes the three in the order they had spoken with Heather, Lou, and Simon. Penny, the remaining bats, and Carolina emerge next.

Mary: "Where's our kids?!"

Heather opens her pouch and out come her daughter's adopted joeys.

Tim and Mira (in unison while wrapping their arms around Mary): "Mommy!

Zeke (wraps his arms around Elroy): "And daddy!

Carolina runs up and puts an arm around each of her parents and says, "It was awful!"

RJ: "What happened?"

Lou: "We were just lounging around, minding our own business, when Heather picked up the scent of some unfamiliar animals."

Celine: "She woke Simon and me up, and we confirmed that they were predators."

Simon: "Wolves, bears, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, snakes, cougars—you name it."

Heather: "Because some of those could climb, it meant, like, going high in the trees wouldn't be safe. So, we all got inside the hidden passage under the log we had dug."

Carolina: "At first I thought it was exciting to go hide from big baddies like that. But when they yelled in rage at how much they wanted to tear us to pieces, I nearly screamed."

Penny: "The same goes for your joeys, Mary and Elroy. But luckily, you had some of the best mothers and fathers in the family to calm them down and keep them quiet."

Lou: "I don't know exactly who they were or why they did it, but I do know it wasn't a random attack. I betcha they were probably just waiting for our home to be unprotected. So whoever it was, they had time to watch and observe us without us ever knowing."

Kale (shakes his head no and stands tall in defiance): "Impossible, my nose would've detected dem..." (Eyes widen) "Unless..." (Slowly lowers his posture in shame) "dey used scent-ridding spray." (Muttering under his breath) "Hasta los pozos de Diablos a cualquier cosa que los humanos inventaron esas cosas..."

Boxer: Sí papá. 'Down to the pits of Heck to whatever humans invented that stuff...' "

Percie: "But our pack defeated all the predators in these woods! How could there be anymore left?"

Kale: "I gotta feelin' some of dem was the Bush-Wacker Pack, and their fox paisanos. If I was a true wolf, I'd travel any distance ta get the revenge I wanted. As for dee others, I dunno. Maybe they're from anoth'a forest, or perhaps are da relatives of the predators mi familia pack has defeated."

Boxer: "It don't matter where dey came from or how many dare are! We're gonna teach 'em that we Predator-Quellers are not ta be trifled with!"

Percie (puts a paw on her brother's shoulder to calm him down): "But before we do that, we gotta rescue Roaster." (To the animals who stayed behind) "He was captured by animal control during our raid, and we gotta bust him out before Dilbert does somethin' mean n' nasty to 'im."

RJ: "Let's see what we can salvage, then talk about how to divide our numbers into seven teams to go to seven buildings he could be in. Since 24/7 work hours means there will be guards no matter how late in the night it gets, that's the kind of place Dilbert would take him."

Heather: "And all 19 of us are coming with you where we'll be safer."

Lou: "Even if we can't participate in the rescue, it's better than staying here waiting for another possible attack."

Verne (sighs): "Yep. As much as I would prefer there to be another option, that's the way it has to be."

Kale: "I don't know how long Clara's gonna take gettin' Boombata and Nukalawa over here, and we're not gonna wait up for her. Every second we delay makes things worse for Roaster, and Clara will und'astand that. So let's leave her a note and walkie-talkie in case we's all gone before she comes back."

The animals then break to gather what little items are still functional enough to use. What they find aren't perfect, but it's better than nothing.

Just as they are in the middle of planning who will go to what building and how they will best pull off their rescue, Clara proves she sometimes has a right to brag about herself. Because she comes in carrying not only Boombata and Nukalawa, but also the otter families of Jacob, Skip, and Amy.

Clara: "I figured we could use all da help we can get from all our friends."

Boombata: "Nukalawa and I need not explain why we offer help."

Skip: "As soon as Clara told us your family was in trouble, we dropped what we were doing and volunteered to help you rescue Roaster."

Jacob: " 'Trata a los demás como te gustaría ser tratado.' "

Kay: " 'Treat others as you would like to be treated.' "

Amy: "If one of my kids got captured, I'd come to you hedge-heisters first for help."

Isaac: "I also made some phone calls with the animals from Plushie's wedding, and shared them the addresses of the buildings you plan to hit." (Holds up his cell phone) "They're all on hold and waiting for orders."

With the additional mustelids, especially the amphibious ones, the chances of a successful rescue have been increased by ten. But with all their other animal friends living far and near, there is no way they will not be successful.

Plans have to be redrawn to accommodate the new animals that can take part in this operation, but it takes less time and in ten minutes, the animals head out.

The extra hands also help lessen the hedgies' feeling of disheartenment at how things were going so well in their lives, and now, with all the problems that have surfaced it's like the old saying, "when it rains it pours."

But their problems are only beginning, and that old saying isn't accurate to describe what's in store for the family and their friends. Rather, it should be more akin to "When it hurricanes, it destroys all."

---

I hoped you enjoyed my first true attempt at telling part of a story from the humans' perspective, and the chapter as a whole.

(1): I'd also like to thank Shkiper again for suggesting some specific lines of dialogue and plot, that sometimes I coincidentally already had in mind, but most of the time were of his own.