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Venom: Beautiful Killers. Part 21

"Count me in."

[Lunchtime, and not a moment too soon. Even though it's good to see the fried chicken, I don't feel too well. I have a really bad headache and I am more tired now than before I last dozed off. I've got the medicine, just in case. I might just push the button right now.]

[My writings are under my pillow. I have to remember to hide it elsewhere when the bed is made later tonight. The more I learn about the ladies, the more I'll write down. From what I've been able to recall, Winter has a devotion towards her mate, Shiloh, that borders on clinginess. I should pay attention to that, just in case the clinginess manifests into something more. Pamila is a fireball, but is part of a closed system. So, whenever she vents her frustrations, she gets herself in trouble. It's been exciting, but it might not be for long. I'd like to see her grow up a little.]

[Camille may be popular, she may be beautiful, but she is not very stimulating. She follows in lockstep with Pamila, her best friend, but she is much nicer. She seems to be friendly to everyone and does not have a disagreeable bone in her body, except when she's killing people. As for the ocelot, she is the one to really keep an eye on. In fact, her nervousness makes me nervous. I'm afraid to see her fail. Even though she is about to join a reprehensible business, I'm actually hoping things work out.

[Lunch is done. God, my head hurts....]

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

Paraná has had his hands on Tivoli's shoulders all morning long. This time, however, there is good reason. Greenleaves is sitting right behind her. Her sharp ears can hear every note of the lion's breath. He inhales through his nose and exhales through his mouth, sometimes emitting a low, slow growl. She probably thinks he is about to eat her.

The jaguar caresses her right cheek, getting the scared girl to turn to him. "Talk to him."

"Wh-what?"

"Stop being so nervous. Talk to him." He smiles as she vigorously shakes her head. "Hey, look at me. I'm just fine. If he wants to do anything bad, he'll have to do it to me first. Talk to him."

She swallows and, after one more squeeze of the shoulder from her handler, she turns to the lion. She is trying to put on as brave a face as possible. After taking a deep breath, she clears her throat to get his attention. She slightly shudders at his big smile. "So, your name is Greenleaves. What kind of name is it?"

Paraná's face turns sour and he places his left arm back on her shoulders. He probably thinks the question just asked should not have been asked. He clears his throat, trying to get her to calm down.

Greenleaves frowns at first, but returns to smiling seconds later. He nods at her. "The kind of name that isn't questioned when its owner has a mouth as big as mine." He chuckles softly. "Just don't worry about that, love." He shows a little concern as he sees her drop her head and swallow. "Hey, relax. Everything's good here. It wasn't a bad question, just unexpected. That's all."

Tivoli gathers herself rather quickly. After all, her handler is watching. "So, what do you do when you're not...doing this? Do you have a job other than this one?"

He looks up and sighs in response. "Well, I brought me wife to America about seven years ago and, wouldn't you know it, I couldn't find work anywhere. It seems nobody in California wanted someone like me working for them. Apparently, I scare too many people. I don't know how they figure that." He stops and waits for Tivoli to stop chuckling. "Anyway, once I had kids and became involved in the community through the school, I started getting accepted by some of the parents. Apparently, I was the personification of parental authority that they wanted to help control their unruly kids. Soon, I got a job that I really took a liking to."

"Really? What was it?"

"I coached the school's third grade football...um, that is to say soccer team. It was tough at first; hardly any of them could stay in the 4-3-3 formation for very long. But they eventually came to grow into it."

Paraná shrugs. "I thought your family was back in England."

"They are now. But we spent five years here taking our kids to school. After they moved away, I thought about quitting this job and going back with them. But I just like it too much. I can work whenever I want, the killing is quick and virtually painless, and I can take weeks off at a time if I want to. Who wouldn't want to continue doing that?"

Tivoli is feeling more comfortable now and is slowly easing herself into the conversation. "And how does coaching soccer compare?"

"Oh, the kids are great and their soccer is improving. I like it very much. Of course, it's all fun and games as long as no tails are stepped on...." Greenleaves is interrupted by a noise on the other side of the aisle.

It is the sound of Camille laughing with the boys surrounding her. She has given Inverness her sunhat. "It looks better on you," she says.

The lion's tongue licks his upper lips. "That Camille is a succulent piece of fruit." He shakes his head, forcefully turning himself away from temptation. "I'd fall for her if she coaxed me enough. You know I've seen her naked?"

Paraná laughs. "You have?"

"Yeah. It was probably my second day in this building after Rory introduced me. I was feeling rather raw, so I decided to take a shower in the newly installed locker room. I had taken off me clothes and was coming in. She had her back to me. Let me tell you, if you love ample backsides, Camille's is the one you'd pay to see." He smiles bashfully as the ocelot stares at him. "No offense meant, love."

"None taken." She giggles, then frowns. "Wait...what does that mean?"

Loiola is clearly enjoying the banter and starts laughing. He has his back to them and tries in vain to cover his face. "Don't be jealous, ma'am. Camille's quite a dish. They don't make girls quite like her anymore."

"Wow. Now I wish I did know her. That way, I could defend her honor."

Loiola's laugh is now loud enough to fill the room. Everyone looks his way, causing Tivoli to look down nervously. Greenleaves laughs along with him. "I'm not laughing at you, love. It's just that honor isn't the first thing you think about when you look at Camille."

Paraná nods in agreement as his arm returns around her shoulders. "Don't worry about it. Camille loves those kinds of compliments. Trust me. If you tell her she has a big butt, she'll say think you."

Tivoli tries to respond, but is interrupted by Hoeness, who has come running to the lion. "Good to see you again, Limey." After Greenleaves nods at him, he turns to the leopard. "Hey, if you're up to it, could you help me apply some makeup?"

Loiola tries to shut his laugh down, with little success. "Going in disguise again, huh? What you wanna look like?"

"I need to look like an Akita, pronto...as soon as the meeting's over. It'll be a big job. Are you up to it?"

"Consider it done." He resumes laughing as Hoeness runs back to his seat on the other side of the aisle.

The ocelot raises her eyebrows and shakes her head. She is learning a lot of things almost all at once. "You can do that?"

"I have five sisters. They cover themselves with all kinds of powders and paints, they almost don't look like leopards when they're done. One day, I came home with a black eye, and I had a date that very night. My oldest sister offered to cover up the shiner, and it was hardly noticeable when she finished. Since then, I've become fascinated with hiding blemishes and scars. In time, with a lot of online research, I learned how different furries use makeup to change their faces and fur to look completely different. They could look like other furries, they could look more feral, they could look anyway they chose. When I got hired here, I made it known that I could disguise you to make you less conspicuous and more able to get your mark."

"You'd have to be really good then. Hoeness looks nothing like an Akita. He doesn't have the face for it."

"Yeah...his tail isn't the right shape either. But as long as he can stop himself from waving it so much, he just might pull off the look, after I put the makeup on."

"That's really interesting. So what colors are you gonna use?"

"Hold that thought. We're about to start." Loiola turns away from Tivoli and, like everyone else in the lobby, looks straight ahead. The room quickly quiets down and everyone sits up straight. Tivoli quickly looks around her, completely caught off guard, not quite knowing what to do. Everyone is now wearing serious-looking faces, even the normally bubbly Camille, who has her hands clasped on her lap and is more than ready to go. Tivoli notices her and tries to follow suit.

Ted frees himself from the hallway and makes his presence known. He is carrying his laptop and projector. St. Croix runs over to him and helps set things up, clearing the marks from the front desk. The executive turns his attention to the crowd. "Good morning, everyone. I'll be leading the proceedings today. We've got fifteen marks to get through, so let's not waste...." When he turns around, he gasps at the crowd. "Damn, summer's not over yet. Did you all finish your vacations all at once?"

A low murmur rumbles through the room as the furries start talking amongst themselves. Nobody answers Ted's question. He shrugs and is about to start the meeting when he notices Greenleaves stand up. The sight of the tall beast quiets the room and every eye turns to him. At first startled, Ted scoffs when he realizes who it is.

"Good morning, boss," says the lion. "Good to see you again."

With great poise, the executive strides through the aisle. "Same to you, big guy. Welcome back." They first shake hands, then embrace. The murmurs resume as the two seem genuinely pleased to see each other. "How long has it been?"

"Almost two months. Me wife says hi."

"I'm glad." Satisfied, Ted goes back to the front desk.

As she turns to her handler, Tivoli can't help but chuckle. "That was amazing. He looked almost human that time."

Paraná leans near and whispers, "Oh, no. That's not real. Don't pay attention to that. Remember that I told you that everyone hates at least one executive. Greenleaves hates Ted. In fact, they hate each other. He makes fun of Ted at every opportunity."

"Well, they act friendly enough."

"They tolerate each other. After all, Greenleaves is a good hunter and Ted pays the money. So they need each other just as much as they can't stand each other. It's true of all of us."

Tivoli lowers her head, trying to avoid being heard. "I don't think I have it in me to...hate any of the bosses."

"Give it time."

Ted stands behind the front desk and grabs one of the laminated papers. "Rory, my fine friend. Great to see you again." The dingo nods in response. "For those of you who have been away for a long time, I'd like to welcome you all back. I'm not lying when I say this, but it just wasn't the same place without you. I haven't moderated a meeting in a while, so let me get this out of the way first. You know that we usually get photos of the marks from the very people, mostly relatives, who want them offed. Sometimes, however, they can't produce a good, or more recent, picture. That's why we have our own photographers. As always, I'd like to give a big thanks to Baua for the pictures he's taken." He pauses to wave to the Italian Greyhound, then notices the leopard in the front row. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Loiola nods. "Good to see you too, sir."

"How are you these days? How's the knee?"

"It's got a couple of steel rods in it. I've got some physical therapy ahead of me, but I'll live."

Ted turns to the crowd. "For those of you who don't know, Loiola tore his MCL a while back shooting a photo for us. It's just one of the many risks you guys run out there. So, how long before a comeback?"

The leopard shakes his head. "I'm out the rest of the year I'm afraid. But I'll still continue to visit."

"Make sure you do. I owe you some back pay."

A voice calls out, "What about me?! Do I get some back pay?!"

Ted shakes his head. "Do not do that. I do not want random voices interrupting me today, not even in jest." He hears a sound behind him and turns to face the hallway. Simon comes forward, followed by the beagle who earlier helped Loiola to his seat. Simon moves over to his superior and whispers in his ear. Ted smiles and loudly clears his throat. "Attention everyone. I have an important announcement. We have someone new joining us. Actually, he isn't new, but returning."

Tivoli leans forward, thinking that Ted was about to point her out, but she calms down when it is apparent that he is referring to another male.

Ted coaxes the beagle over to him and shakes his hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Prosper. He, along with Shiloh and St. Croix were the first among you. They killed a couple of people for me, a couple of wanted criminals. Those criminals were the first marks before we ever thought of calling them marks. As a matter of fact, it was Prosper who gave me the idea of starting this endeavor. After I had paid him, he gave me his card and told me to call him if there was anyone else giving me trouble. The idea to hire you guys sprung from that. Anyway, as you can see, he's in the navy, and he's going to be with us while on shore leave. If you don't know him, get to know him after the meeting and give him your thanks."

Prosper nods his thanks and sits next to Loiola, who pats him on the back.

Before Ted can officially start the meeting, he gives Simon time to wave at a couple of the workers. "Once again, it's good to see you all again. I'm flattered, considering that you all could have spent more time taking your vacations. Um...yes, Camille? What is it?"

The cat stands and puts her hands behind her back. "I don't mean to start you off on a sour note, and forgive me if it sounds like I'm a bit...mad, but I've just been told that you officially gave Shiloh a mark with a forty thousand dollar bounty before getting the rest of us to see it. You really didn't do that, did you?"

"Yes I did," he answers immediately. "He hadn't hunted in a while, so as a favor to him, I allowed him pick his choice of--"

"I haven't hunted in a while either. Is there any chance I could get that same consideration someday?"

"First of all, don't interrupt me again. Secondly, if you're insinuating that I am giving Shiloh preferential treatment, you haven't been paying much attention. When it comes to choosing hunts, handlers are limited to only what the new recruits can do. They sacrifice the ones they would usually go for to compensate for the lack of experience of the apprentice. They also usually share the reward, getting less money than they are used to. So anything that Shiloh got today--"

"But forty thousand dollars?"

"Anything that Shiloh got today, he has more than earned."

While Ted keeps talking, Greenleaves leans into Paraná. "I've forgotten how much of a dick he is."

Less than satisfied, Camille returns to her seat. Meanwhile, Simon is loving the size of the crowd. "This is almost everyone. Who's missing? Besides Shiloh and a couple of the ladies?"

Ted shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad everything is getting back to normal. We can finally get rid of these marks, many of whom have been here for weeks."

"You've told them about Prosper. Are you gonna tell them the other news?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's right." He clears his throat loudly, garnering the attention from the crowd as they grumble about what he said to Camille. "I have another announcement to make. Simon and I are just a couple of weeks away from opening our own bar. Simon's procured our liquor license, we've gotten a deal with a food supplier, and we're planning to open in mid-August. Considering your fondness for cheap food and alcohol after hours, I thought I'd invite you all to come any time you feel like having a cold one." He pauses to note the looks on the workers' faces. "Now, don't worry about a thing. I know that as a former police officer, I'll be attracting a lot of present and ex-cops who will no doubt be coming to our bar. I assure you that you all can still go there and drink without scrutiny. I promise you all that you will be completely safe...that is as long as you guys are careful."

Applause rings out from the back of the room. It is coming from just one person. Greenleaves claps his hands cheerily and nods in approval. "Excellent. I like that. Count me in."

"Thanks man. Consider yourself invited."

"Have you named your pub yet?"

Ted and Simon look at one other. "Um...no. We're still mulling that over. But I'm thinking of giving the place a name that suits my personality. It'll be a name that exudes authority and wisdom, but at the same is friendly for all patrons.

"Ah, brilliant." The lion stops smiling and puts his hands behind his back. "So, you gonna call it Wanker's?"

There are few things that drive the executives crazy in the morning meetings, because they are usually in complete control of them. The main thing that makes them angry is time-wasting. It rarely happens because everybody knows the importance of clearing out in time. Decorum and maturity are demanded at all times. So, when someone makes a joke, especially at the owners' expense, it is surprising to say the least. Greenleaves slight came from nowhere. It was quick and to the point. It also did its job.

The room fills with laughter. Almost everyone is choking with laughter. Hoeness is not laughing. Rather, he is looking at Ted with near embarrassment. St. Croix is not laughing. He is looking at the lion angrily. Camille is not laughing either, but she is getting close. Being in the front row, Ted and Simon can probably see her, so she lowers her head. For his part, Greenleaves sits there, mouth closed and completely relaxed, looking at the executives as if waiting for a serious answer to his question.

Ted nods, as if expecting nothing less. "You know, sir, for someone who hunts as sparingly as you do, you're in absolutely no position to make jokes like that, even if you don't like your boss."

Even more defiant, Greenleaves stretches his legs underneath Tivoli's chair. Looking completely serious, he nods. "So, Wanker's it is then."

Tivoli, like Camille, also has her head down. She is still laughing; in fact, her laugh was probably the loudest in the room. Paraná rubs her back, trying to calm her right into the meeting. As she starts to breathe easier, the rest of the room quiets down.

Simon nods at Ted. "This might be too big for you. Let me stay and help." With that, he picks up a laminated photo. Now, everybody is ready to listen, although there are still titters of laughter coming through.

Ted ignores them and starts right away. "First of all, full disclosure. The mark Shiloh took was a woman named Pam Daltrey. She is the daughter of a well-to-do businessman who is involved in the upcoming gubernatorial election. She cheated on her husband with some other rich playboy. That's why the bounty is so high. Because this has the stench of politics all over it, you can't give this hunt to just anybody. Anyone one of you is good, but Shiloh is perfect. He's killed many important people before and has gotten away with it every single time. He is a natural at something as complicated as this. Don't be jealous that he gets this ahead of any of you. It's just that after what Pamila did, it's important that the most discreet of you get that job, and the huge bounty." He waits for a reaction. All he gets is complete, angry silence, which is most likely what he wants. "Don't worry about it, boys and girls. There's plenty of marks here."

Ted holds up a picture and starts to talk. As angry as the room is, nobody complains and the meeting begins in earnest. The first mark shown is worth five thousand dollars. The second, half that. They are meager totals compared to what Shiloh got, but everyone listens intently. Even Greenleaves sits up and pays attention. Simon chimes in, showing off marks and giving tips on their particular whereabouts. Everything is flowing smoothly. Then, ten minutes in, the front door opens once again.

It is a quiet entrance. The executives have their heads down at the time, so nobody notices her until she is halfway down the aisle. It only dawns on them that there is someone new inside when Tivoli gasps and says, "Oh, my God."

Paraná turns to the ocelot, then sees what she is seeing. The rest of the room responds the same way. Soon, every eye is on Mieri, the red panda. Tivoli shakes her head at the sight. The new guest is every bit as red and as furry as on her videotape. She walks daintily in front of everybody, looking around her like a child. Her arms hang rigidly at her sides and her long tail rides the carpet below. She whispers "Wow" to herself as she gazes at the faces. When she finally sees the executives, she closes her mouth and tries to steel herself. She carefully walks toward them.

Tivoli is so impressed, she cannot help but whisper "Hi," at her. Startled, Mieri quickly turns, watching the feline wave. She stops walking and they stare at each other; one totally interested, the other seems hopelessly lost."

Ted clears his throat loudly. "Good morning, madam."

Mieri quickly turns to face him; her tail hits Paraná right in the nose. She feels it and gasps remorsefully. She spins to the jaguar's direction and weakly apologizes. He rubs his nose and sneezes; he does not acknowledge the red panda's efforts.

Tivoli stands to get a closer look. The newcomer is as striking and as beautiful a creature as she has ever seen. Mieri is much taller than she ever imagined and has a very distinguished color that puts many of her workmates to shame. The ocelot whispers "Wow" once more before Paraná gently pulls her to her seat.

Ted sighs patiently. "Well, don't just stand there. Have a seat."

Something is clearly wrong because Mieri has a frightened look on her face. She shakes her head, refusing Ted's offer. Instead, she quickly walks to the front desk.

Simon puts down the picture he is holding. "What's wrong?"

She moves closer to him and whispers in his ear. The room begins to murmur once again as everyone whispers to everyone else. All of their eyes are on the weak-looking female. Greenleaves leans forward and says, "Well, that was rather awkward."

Paraná continues rubbing his nose. "I wonder where she's been. I haven't seen her since the Fourth of July party."

Tivoli continues to look at her in amazement, paying close attention to the long, bushy tail sticking out through her blue jeans. "Unbelievable."

"What's that?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. She looks absolutely gorgeous. That's all."

"Her name is Mieri. She is very quiet and almost always keeps to herself. She is also one of the most underestimated workers in here...for obvious reasons. She's small and not very powerful, but she makes as much money as the other girls."

Greenleaves chuckles. "She's more of the black widow type. She lets herself get close to her prey, then she...well, she doesn't kill them so much as she watches them die. Her methods are quite clever."

The ocelot nods her understanding. "I've seen her on tape. She's just as nervous now as she was during the interview. I felt like giving her a hug."

After a couple of minutes of hushed talking, Simon leads Mieri through the hallway, leaving Ted alone with the marks and the crowd. He watches the panda leave and clears his throat. "All right, folks. Back to business. We've got just ten minutes left." He is about to hold up another picture when, the front door opens once again. At first, he is exasperated; the interruptions keep coming. However, once he sees who has just entered, his mouth drops. "Good God!"

A tall, long-legged woman steps through, brushing her short skirt with her hands. She looks like the typical California blonde bombshell. Her hair hangs straight, just below her shoulders. She has a perfect-looking tan and well-defined muscle tone on her arms.

Everyone turns to see who it is. Suddenly, the room is in an uproar. First, St. Croix yells "Welcome back!" Then the foxes greet her loudly. Then everybody stands to clap and holler. The room fills with applause. Inverness whistles. Greenleaves roars, slightly startling Tivoli once again. Throughout the crescendo, Camille keeps her seat and remains out of sight.

The woman, at first taken aback, laughs at the wild reception, then waves and bows. "Thanks everyone, thank you so much. It's great to be back."

The cheering is so loud that Tivoli covers her ears until it subsides. She then taps Paraná's shoulder to get his attention. "Who is that?"

The jaguar waves at the human emphatically. "That is the psychiatrist. She is really, really, good. She helps us make it through when times are difficult. When the job becomes too much for me, she is the first person I see. All the boys have seen her at one point or another. She puts us at ease."

"You all must have really missed her. I've never seen so much enthusiasm for a shrink."

"Ooh, don't call her that in her presence. The chief won't like it if you do."

The meeting is delayed yet again as the woman shakes hands with all of the workers on the far side of the aisle. Moving to the other side, she receives a big kiss on the cheek from Greenleaves and responds by rubbing his head. She high fives Paraná and gives Loiola an apologetic hug. Then she comes to the front, shaking hands with Ted. "Did you miss me too?" she asks.

"Very much so, Miranda; as much as any of them. You came back early though."

"I have some news I'd like to share with you. Talk to me in the conference room after the meeting is over. And for the rest of you guys, if you want them, your sessions can resume tomorrow."

The room cheers again at the new arrival, so nobody notices the front door open. Pamila has arrived. Just like the day before, she is wearing all black--a black skirt with black leggings and a black, short sleeve T-shirt. Her clothes are not really fit for this meeting, but she hardly cares. Nobody pays any attention to her; the workers are all looking straight ahead. It's probably just as well since she does not look receptive to anyone right now; it looks like her anger from yesterday has not yet left her. She stands in front of the door and does not bother to take a seat. She just folds her arms and waits.

As Miranda leaves, the room quiets down again. Ted holds up a picture. "Just two more of these to go, folks. Both of them are held over from previous meetings. First of all, Paul Winters. Fifty-five years old, a suspect in multiple bank robberies in San Francisco and other locations north of us. He's back in L.A. One of our contacts spotted him at the airport two days ago, but no one knows where he is now. He's fond of the downtown area, so anyone taking this mark should start there first." He puts it down and picks up another picture. "Finally, Arlo McDaniels. He's been on this list for over a week. None of you have tried to go after him, and that's understandable. His last known whereabouts have been sketchy for the last couple of days. Not anymore. He was last seen somewhere between Beverly Hills and Bel-Air. He's so elusive that the bounty on him has increased by thirty percent. Now's a good time to take this hunt."

Showing a great deal of interest, Pamila inches away from the door and starts walking down the aisle. The more Ted talks about Arlo McDaniels, the more she nods. It looks like this is the hunt she wants.

"You guys have got five minutes left before we open for business. That does not give you guys enough time to choose or trade marks. I'll just put these down and you all try to be as quick as you can. Don't forget to put the room back to the way it was and turn the TV on. Good luck, everyone. " He watches as the workers leave their seats. "By the way, good luck to Tivoli, our new recruit, whose first hunt is tomorrow."

Some of those in the first row, Ravi, Gonal, and Inverness, grab the first pictures they can find. Most everyone else rushes to the front. Loiola stands, but does not go to the desk. Tivoli and her handler stand back. Having already chosen their mark, they sit and observe. Now that she sees the inner workings of the building, the ocelot is exceedingly happy. Neither of them notices Pamila behind them.

For her part, the fox puts her hands on her hips and waits, biding her time. She sees the familiar blue color of her friend Camille and smiles, but does not move from her spot.

Paraná also hangs back and shows Tivoli what is going on. The crowd in front of her looks massive; even though there are just around twenty-five workers, they are all swarming around a relatively small space. Those closest to the front desk either grab a mark to look at or pass them off to the ones behind them. Those lagging behind take the pictures that they are given. Some, like Camille, sit down to look them through while others try to make quick exchanges.

The ocelot looks on intensely as the crowd up ahead rumbles loudly. Paraná continues to give her tips. "If you get up there first, you will be pushed and pulled all over the place. It is rather disorganized. The best thing that you as a rookie can do is to stand back and wait. Most days not every mark will be chosen. Then you can go to the front desk and see what's left. "

"That's a lot of people. It doesn't look like there will be any left."

"Trust me. This large number of people doesn't happen every day. Today, most of them will take marks, so they won't be in tomorrow's meeting. The crowd will be much smaller. Of course, you don't have to worry about it today." He pauses as he sees Pamila pass them. He chuckles. "She, on the other hand has to."

The crowd is starting to disperse as most of the workers take their choices and escape through the dark hall. With the time reaching nine o'clock, only St. Croix, Hoeness, Baua, Inverness, and Ravi remain. They are talking amongst themselves. St. Croix and Hoeness have pictures while Ravi and Baua try to bargain for them. Inverness looks at them with anticipation. In the meantime, Pamila has crept up to the desk. There are only three marks left. She starts to quietly peruse through them when she sees the face of Arlo McDaniels. The bounty on him is five figures--nineteen and a half thousand dollars. She nods with delight and is about to take it with her.

Hoeness looks up briefly and sees the fox about to take off. "Hold on, there! Not so fast. Where are you going with that?"

She sighs in response and slowly turns to face the German Shepherd. "Well, good morning, Hoe-boy," she says quietly. "Didn't get enough of me last time?"

"What are you doing with that?"

"What, are you stupid? It's my mark. I've chosen it, and I'm now going to the conference room to make it mine. The bounty's good too, so--"

"I have it on good authority, Ted's as a matter of fact, that for the next month, that the only thing you'll be cleaning up around here are lint balls, not slime balls. The mop and bucket are in the men's restroom as always. You can put that down now."

Pamila lowers the picture and stares into the eyes of her rival. "Who told you that?"

The rest of the men look on in surprise, Hoeness folds his arms. "Ted did, last night. He seems rather happy about it. To be honest, so do I."

As the argument continues, Tivoli watches on with interest. She turns to her handler. "Who is that?"

Paraná shakes his head. "Her name is Pamila, but the less you know about her, the better. She's practically on her way out the door...and out of our lives. Now, if I remember correctly, you were offering to pay for breakfast?"