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Venom: Beautiful Killers. Part 26.

"Just kill him."

"You keep looking out the window like a tourist. It's like you've never seen Los Angeles before."

"The farthest I've been are the places you've taken me. I've always wanted to see places like this. You don't think there will be a hunt that takes us as far as Hollywood by any chance?"

"I highly doubt it."

Tivoli sticks her head out the window again and feels the breeze. It hits her face and winds through her hair as they travel down the highway at high speeds. She deeply inhales the cool air and laughs energetically. Her expectations seem to have been met at this stage. She is out on the town with her handler, a guy whose company she finds absolutely thrilling. She is riding in his fancy sports car, appearing to be more well-to-do than she really is. There is a glass bottle of schnapps in the cup holder to her left, so they have just returned from a festive gathering. Everything seems to be going flawlessly well.

Of course, while she is happily absorbing her surroundings, Paraná remains all business as he drives the car. He smiles slightly whenever he speaks to his apprentice, but for the most part, his face is taut and angry. He seems to be concentrating really intensely, like he is looking for something. Judging by how he keeps slowing down, there is a good chance that he is looking for a residence.

"Hey!" Tivoli's yelling gets the jaguar's attention for a split second. She is excitedly impatient. "Are you finally going to tell me where in Beverly Hills we're going? It's getting pretty late."

"We're going to meet one of the executives. That is all I can tell you right now until I am sure that the man we're after will actually meet us."

"Which one?"

"Crevecoeur."

She stops smiling and nods in response. She doesn't know what is going on and her nod only helps her feign understanding. "It's a beautiful night. It's almost a shame we have to work. Everything was perfect up until now. I really appreciate the lengths you've taken to make me feel welcome. You've spent so much on me, I almost feel important. I've really enjoyed myself."

Paraná shrugs without looking at her; he probably was not paying attention.

The ocelot puts her hands on her lap. Her face twinges with nervousness as she longingly looks at her friend. "I never did thank you for the dinner. I've never seen peppermint liquor before. It's like nothing I've ever imagined. Maybe I'll get to drink it soon."

The jaguar looks bored. "That's nice." Suddenly, he gasps and slams a hand on the steering wheel. "Found him! Finally!" He veers the car sharply and the tires squeal as it turns the corner.

A dark minivan comes into view, waiting on a curb. Its lights are off but the front door is open. The executive is leaning against the vehicle, looking around suspiciously. He has a book in his hands, but he is hardly looking at it. The ambient light is too dim to read with anyway. His face is calm, but his eyes are pacing with urgency. When he hears the low whine of Paraná's car brakes, he tosses the book in the car and slowly steps forward.

The black sports car parks behind the executive's vehicle. Tivoli exits first, bouncing on the balls of her feet like an excited toddler. She deeply inhales the air once again. Paraná comes out cautiously. He looks behind him to make sure they are alone before approaching the executive. "Mr. Crevecoeur, you made it."

The human looks at the jaguar with a disapproving eye. "When I said not to attract too much attention to yourself, I was really hoping you would take that to heart. Why on earth would you bring your sports car?"

"I wanted to impress the apprentice." He points to Tivoli, who is looking around and verbally wowing her surroundings. "I also want to make a good impression on the mark."

"This actually flies in the face of the original cover story that we agreed on."

"That's true, but I changed my mind. I don't want to seem too desperate to see him. I want to appear as rich as he is. That way, there's less of a chance that he will reject us. The plan will still work."

Crevecoeur sighs hesitantly. He puts his hands on his head, possibly dreading this trip. He sighs sharply and leans against his minivan. At this time, he spots the ocelot walking up to him. She had been looking forward to this day for a while, but is not acting like she is about to kill someone. "Hi," she says. "I'm glad to see you again. If I may say so, it's an honor to finally see one of you guys in action." She extends her hand.

The executive angrily folds his arms. "Be serious."

Tivoli shudders at the human's dark tone. Bewildered, she lowers her hand.

In the meantime, Paraná had been in his car, fishing for some items he needed for his part of the endeavor. He comes out holding a black book and a couple of ball point pens. His face shows more urgency than Crevecoeur's, if that were at all possible. He points at his boss. "Are you ready?"

"Not quite. My contacts haven't called me back yet. It's been four hours."

The jaguar shrugs. "So? They've already found the mark. Let's go meet him."

"Hold your horses! I'd just like to get word from them, just in case something's wrong. I know you're ready to go, but not everything is ready for you."

"You have already briefed me on this mark and his surroundings numerous times. I have all the information I need. What else do we have to wait for?"

Crevecoeur raises his voice and moves closer to the felines. "Bear in mind that you're not the only one who's going to be there. You've got someone to look after. For your plan to work, Tivoli would have to be alone with the mark for a rather long period of time. He's gonna be asking her a lot of questions. We must make sure that she knows what to say to him so your covers aren't blown. We also need to know if his fellow traffickers, or the furries who work for him, will be there. That's why we should wait until my contacts call back. This could get very dangerous."

Paraná scoffs. "They're all dangerous. Besides, she and I will have carried out the kill before anyone notices."

"We don't know where he is right now or if anyone's with him. Just stay here and wait for my contacts to call. They've already infiltrated his group, so they know where he is at all times. Let's just wait. In the meantime, I got some news from the client...."

While the men talk with raised voices, Tivoli slowly and nervously backs away. She puts her hands behind her back and gently strokes the base of her tail. Her mouth opens as if she is trying to say something. Her name is being mentioned over and over again, and in harsher tones, so she must be dying with curiosity. She continues to look around to make sure there is no one else there to hear.

Their cars are parked near a strip mall that has been closed for the night. A couple of cars drive past them, but nobody is trying too hard to pay attention. At the intersection close by, a white sedan is being followed by a patrol vehicle. Tivoli's sharp eyes spot the police car seconds before its lights suddenly come on. Even though the sedan is being pulled over, she acts like the patrol car is coming for her. She quickly turns away and heads back to her handler, who is slowly starting to lose his temper.

"You are getting worried over nothing. You don't have to meet Mr. McDaniels. You just let me worry about that."

Crevecoeur lowers his voice, carefully giving the jaguar the upper hand. "I still think this is too soon. It's too bad the mark chose this day to meet you two. At least you're both prepared."

Paraná clears his throat. "Actually, I haven't yet told her what she's going to do. I kept that information from her on purpose."

"What the hell for?! Why the hell would you want to do that to your student?"

"I want to test her skills. That's why. It's a good reason. The mark will be meeting the both of us. After I introduce her, I'll try to get him alone. Either she will kill him or I will. I will try to make sure I do it, and while I do, she'll have something to do. You remember your part of the plan?"

"I'm trying to have faith in you man. I really am. I haven't served as a lookout in a long time, and I think I could do so much more than watch her back from a distance."

"Just go with it." Paraná angrily waltzes back to his charge. He brushes off the lint clinging to his dark vest while the ocelot runs up to him. "We're all set," he says.

Tivoli releases a foreboding shudder. "He doesn't look too pleased to see me."

"Don't mind him. He doesn't think you're capable of this task."

"That's nonsense. I've only been preparing for this day for the last six days. You could say I've been waiting for this since I was first accepted. Is the mark close?"

"Crevecoeur says that Mr. McDaniels' house is five miles away from here. We should be going there...as soon as he finishes doing whatever the hell he's doing."

"What's he waiting for?"

"More information, I guess. But we're about as ready as we'll ever be."

"You haven't told me the plan yet."

Paraná leads Tivoli into the car. Inside, they watch the executive talking on his cell phone, trying desperately to reach whoever he wants to talk to. She watches him with concern until her teacher snaps her out of it, putting an arm around her.

"Listen to me. I came up with this over the course of a couple of days. I called our mark earlier in the week and he is really interested to meet us. He lives in a gated house where he does a lot of business. If the house has a gate, it will also have other defense mechanisms to keep people out. What I will do is get us into the house, introduce you to him, and try to speak to him alone. While we're speaking in another room, you have to find the controls that open the gate so that he can enter." He points at Crevecoeur's direction.

Tivoli looks at her lap. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"There's something else. Crevecoeur told me that the person who wants McDaniels dead is related to him. She says that he stole some jewelry from her and it's possible that the items are in the house we're going to. They may not be in there, but if you do find them, we'll be paid extra. Anyway, you don't have to do much. Find the jewels if you can, but most importantly, find the instrument that opens the gate. Then leave as quickly as you can. While I do him in, Crevecoeur can take you home."

She turns to him and looks into his eyes. "What if you can't be alone with him?"

"One of us will be alone with him at some point tonight. If for some reason I can't do it, you will have to. You have your weapon?"

"It's in my purse. It's the only thing in there."

"Take the first opportunity you can and just get him. Easier said than done, I know, but--"

"He's coming."

Cell phone in hand, Crevecoeur trudges toward Paraná's car. His face shows more urgency than before. "Okay. The mark is returning to his house. I just got word that he's all dressed up, as if he's going to a party...or something. He'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Wait a minute." Tivoli is nervously raising her hand. "How exactly are you getting this information?"

"From my contacts, like I've already told you. Simon and I made friends with a couple of guys who were rejected as hitmen; they help us keep track of the marks that we're too busy to find. Almost every one of your coworkers, Paraná included, have contacts who work for them. They all gather at The Shark Pit to discuss their findings."

"Well...how do I know they can be trusted?"

"Look, this used to be my jurisdiction. I'm not from here, but I know this place like the back of my hand. One of my contacts was a fellow detective. The other two were denied the job you're doing now. They can be trusted."

Paraná puts his hands on the wheel. "We're wasting time. Give us directions to the house. We'll be there as soon as he is."

Crevecoeur shakes his head. He seems more nervous than the ocelot is. "Just go straight from here until you see the "No Trespassing" sign. Then turn left. You'll see the gate after a mile. I've been to that house before."

The jaguar turns the ignition and, while his boss is still talking to him, drives away from the mall parking lot. His anger starts to subside, but is internally cursing out the executive. The look on his face concerns his apprentice, who gently puts her left hand on his right thigh. "Are you all right?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Just get ready."

"You haven't told me what the cover story was. Isn't it something I need to know?"

"There is a black bag in the back. I want you to take out what's in it."

She releases her grip on him and turns around. "Wow, I'm surprised I didn't see that there." She does what she is told. From the trash bag, she pulls out what looks like an article of clothing. It is too dark inside the car to get a clear glimpse of what it really is. She puts it on her lap and unfolds it.

"I want you to wear that when we meet him. We want him to be very interested in you when he sees you."

It is a shirt, to be sure, but it is not easy to tell what it really is. "What's wrong with what I have on?" she asks. "My blouse may look a little old, but I think it's good enough. In fact, I think it's sexy. The mark should love it. You certainly do."

"You are the cover story. You are the reason he wants to see us. Trust me. He will let us in his house only if he is interested in you. To really entice him, you should wear that shirt. The one you have on makes you look older."

She continues looking at what she is holding, but it isn't until Paraná stops at a red light that she is able to see what it really is. Her eyes widen at the black, short-sleeved T-shirt that she is being asked to wear. It is newly bought; the price tag with the measurements is still attached to it. The front is decorated with flowers and flower petals of different colors. The design is nice and gives character to the shirt.

Tivoli looks at the price tag. "Isn't this a little small?"

"Yep."

"So...wait a minute." She gasps as Paraná steps on the accelerator. Her unprepared body jerks backwards, causing her to drop the shirt. When she picks it up again, a frown shows up. "Are you serious? This is what the mark wants?"

"It'll show your midriff."

"My...." She holds up and stretches the shirt, getting a look at all of its dimensions. "Am I your daughter again?"

"No. No this time. McDaniels is smarter than your average human being, or he would not have eluded the police for as long as he has. He works with big cats, so I assume he can tell the difference between my species and yours. You'll be my niece."

Still looking at the T-shirt, Tivoli sighs anxiously. "Great."

"Put it on before we get there. Don't forget to remove the tag."

"So I'm a kid again. No wonder you wouldn't let me drink alcohol at dinner." The ocelot's breathing quickens once again as she starts to unbutton her blouse. She is right next to the person she wants to be with and the evening started out great, but now she is shaking with panic. Her fingers struggle to unhook the last button, but she eventually does what she is told. With her companion concentrating on the road, she slowly pulls the dark shirt over head. She turns away to make sure her chest is out of view.

Paraná would most likely have liked the sight of the nearly half-naked ocelot in his car, but he never loses his focus. "Once you get that on, I want you to roll up the cuffs of your jeans. It will, hopefully, make you look...um...." He mutters something in his native tongue and shakes his head with disgust. "What is that word?"

Tivoli scoffs. "Stupid?"

"Like a waif. That's it. It will make you look more helpless."

She is successfully able to wear the small shirt. It barely fits her and, if anything, makes her look more pudgy than she really is. She tries to pull it down so that it could cover the part of her belly that is exposed. She gives up after a couple of minutes.

"You look nice."

"Do I?"

"Honestly, I'm amazed that you can pull of the look of a little girl and yet, with the right change of clothes, turn yourself into a good-looking, full-figured woman. And all without makeup. It's astounding."

Tivoli shows a quick smile before nervousness once again takes over. "How old am I this time?"

"Hmm. That's a good question. I've been thinking about that one myself. Let's say nine."

"Are you kidding?" She pulls the rear-view mirror towards her so she can observe her face. "I really look nine?"

"With the clothes, and your height, you don't even have the look of a teen. It's absolutely perfect."

"So, is the mark a big perv or something?"

"Try not to think like that when you meet him. We're here."

Tivoli continues the fruitless endeavor of hiding her belly with her shirt while Paraná slowly pulls the car in front of the gate. As the jaguar announces his presence to the intercom, her breathing again quickens. She looks at the gate with dread. There is no cat to hide and look for this time; the ocelot will be the center of attention and may actually do the killing. Her mind is filled with doubts and scenarios. Her mouth opens, amplifying the sound of her fear. When the gate opens and the jaguar drives through, she presses her mouth closed.

The house is big, brightly lit, and decorated top to bottom with potted plants and small statues. There is a stone fountain at the front yard and a big expensive-looking car in the lit garage. Paraná nods delightedly. "This looks like the house of a mark."

"This house is a palace!" Tivoli's mouth opens again, letting more quick breaths through. She looks intimidated, even though she has yet to meet the man they are after.

The jaguar chuckles and stops the car near the fountain. He turns to her and gently stokes her left cheek. "Are you all right? Rather, are you ready?"

She forces a smile. "Listen, big guy, I just--"

"Roll up your jeans, up to your knees if you can." He smiles as he watches her obey. She does it frantically, as if she's being timed. He shakes his head. "When you finish that, give me your watch. You're a preteen today, so you won't be needing it."

She straightens herself and pulls the watch off her right wrist. "I just want you to know that I trust you."

"Don't say it if you don't mean it. We're about to enter a very dangerous place. Do you feel safe with me?"

She nods and puts the watch in his hands. "Absolutely." She is trying to put her hands in his.

"Just do what I say and everything will be fine. Don't worry about why. Just know that you're the star of the show. He'll meet me, I will introduce you, and we'll talk for a while. I'll get him alone so we can talk business. I'll get him away from you, and you look for the controls that open the gate so that Mr. Crevecoeur can come in. After I do the job, you leave with him while I clean away the evidence of our stay. If somehow I can't kill him and he wants to see you alone, I'll join Crevecoeur outside and you will have to do it. We'll eventually sneak inside and surround him. You remember all the lessons that I taught you?"

Tivoli tries desperately to control her breathing. She quickly nods. "Mm-hmm."

"If you remember where the knife is the most effective against the body, you'll be fine." Paraná opens his door and quickly exits. "Don't forget your purse."

Ironically, Tivoli's purse looks more adult-oriented than the watch she just took off. Nevertheless, her current overall appearance is what Paraná wants--the short, black T-shirt, rolled-up blue jeans, white socks and white sneakers. She has stopped trying to pull the shirt down and instead is covering her exposed midriff with her hands.

When he turns to speak to her, she is looking at her shoes. "Listen to me. It goes without saying that I should do the talking. Only speak when spoken to...but don't speak the first time he speaks to you. Just stand there and look cute. I'll make up an excuse and he should take even more of a liking to you."

"Well, that'll be easy. I don't really know how to handle talking to someone I'm gonna kill later."

"If I trap him successfully, you won't even have to touch him."

"What color are the jewels? What do they look like?"

"Crevecoeur says they're blue and shiny. A couple of blue earrings and a blue pendant."

He leads the way as they advance to the front door. Before he can even reach for the doorbell, the door opens. A tall, stocky man, wearing the same colored three-piece suit that Paraná is, stands before them. He has been expecting the pair of felines. He fixes his eyes on the jaguar and nods emphatically. "Come in! Come inside, my Brazilian friend! You're just in time. I like that."

The mark has a pleasant-sounding, easy-to-understand British accent. His hair is freshly cut, his face is clean and flawless, and his shoes look like they have just been shined. He has the look of either a rich playboy or the manager of a very profitable company. He definitely does not have the look of a career criminal. Tivoli's perceptions of him must have been torn down by now; her face has a shocked look about it. While the men walk through the living room, she stands and stares at her surroundings. Paraná notices and walks to her, whispers something in her ear, and grabs her left hand.

"Call me Arlo. We may be dressed formal, but we don't have to act formal." He turns to his guests. The jaguar and the ocelot are standing a considerable distance behind him; Paraná is standing straight and smiling at his host while Tivoli is looking away. The sight causes the mark to chuckle slightly. "I take it she's the shy type."

"She's just never been to a house like this before. She's only ever been used to the suburbs." The jaguar stands behind her apprentice and gently pushes her forward. "Come say hi to the nice man."

Tivoli groans with reluctance, but shuffles forward until Mr. McDaniels can look at her face without squinting.

The human laughs and bends down to look at the ocelot's eyes. "It's nice to meet you. How are you this fine evening?" She does as she had been told and remains silent. She turns her head away, looking at her handler with worry. As Paraná massages her shoulders, McDaniels reaches for her face. He tickles her chin, getting her to look at him. When she does so, he stares into her eyes. "She's very beautiful. What did you say her name was?"

"Betina. Her parents are from Sao Paulo. She does not talk with an accent, but she's--"

"You don't see too many ocelots in Brazil."

"Well, no, but the climate is always changing. A lot of us are moving to places we've never been before. There weren't very many leopards in L.A. until about ten years ago. I know you work with a few."

"That I do." The mark continues to scratch Tivoli's chin, getting her to open her mouth. He thinks she is about to speak, so he stops scratching and stands back. Her body is practically squirming under her clothes. She definitely does not like being touched by him. When he steps away from her, she exhales with relief.

"I like her. You weren't lying when you said she stands out. I like her coat...." He steps forward again and strokes the tip of her left ear. "I really like the ears. I'm...not sure about her tail, but it's only a minor complaint. Her backside's really attractive. She looks really good."

Paraná clears his throat. He is just as nervous as his apprentice is. "So I take it the terms are agreeable?"

"Actually, I'd like to amend the deal somewhat. I want to...get to know her more intimately, so I'd really like it if she stayed the night." He observes the jaguar's wide-eyed stare and laughs again. "Don't worry. She'll be perfectly safe. I've had the maid make up the bedroom upstairs especially for her. It's got video games, puzzle books, and plush dolls. She'll love it. You're welcome to stay with her of course."

The ocelot and the jaguar look at each other. She is starting to get angry. He rubs her head gently and turns back to McDaniels. "And about the money?"

"Ha. You cut to the quick. I really like that. Her parents must be really hard up. Don't worry my friend. All in good time. I'll make you a deal that will satisfy everyone. You both come with me." McDaniels walks through the living room and into the kitchen, his smile hiding bad intentions. He holds the sliding door open for the felines. Before they can pass through however, he suddenly steps in front of them. "Listen, I know it looks like we're rushing, but would it be too much to ask that she take her top off?"

Paraná shrugs and nods. "That would be fine."

"I hope she's not too modest."

The men turn to Tivoli, who is frozen in place. She turns her head to each of them, looking at them with disbelief. She is looking for a sign or an excuse to keep her shirt on. Instead, she sees two eager guys pawing her with their eyes. She angrily puts her hands on her hips. It is an obvious, outright refusal.

Paraná folds his arms. "Please. Don't be mad. Besides, how else are your mommy and daddy going to get this much money?"

She rolls her eyes and puts her hands down. After receiving a stern look from her teacher, she sighs in disgust and starts to remove the T-shirt. She grunts while she does it since it is tight on her. When she is done, she balls it in her hands and sighs. Even though the situation looks uncomfortable, a smile starts to creep in on her face. It feels strange that she is smiling, but the shirt is no longer constricting her and she can breathe more easily. McDaniels' request has exposed Tivoli's upper body fur, from her slightly protruding belly to her small but well-defined shoulders. The black spots that cover her are absolutely striking in the bright light. She is wearing a black sports bra that dutifully shows off her chest.

This is the first time Paraná is seeing his apprentice without her shirt on. He gasps in surprise. He knew what was coming but his face shows that he was not expecting it to happen. As any man would, he is looking at her chest, mentally undressing her. Even though they have been together for a while, this looks like the first time that he is taken aback by her loveliness. (He should be more worried that the size of her breasts might give away her real age.)

Luckily for the mission, McDaniels hardly cares. He looks her over and nods gleefully; he is just as smitten as the jaguar is. "Turn around for me," he says. "Do a three-sixty." Tivoli obeys, showing off some muscle. "Excellent. I like her coat. That's really nice. She'll be very popular. I don't think money will be a problem."

He again leads the felines into the kitchen. It is about half as big as the living room, but is just as decorated. On each of the walls are authentic oak cabinets with fancy, gold-plated door handles. Next to the electric stove is a shiny, stainless steel dishwasher. There is something cooking in one of the pots in the stove.

"I made you something to eat, just in case you haven't had dinner yet." The sound of the word 'dinner' makes Tivoli's ears stand erect. "I trust you both like....um...macaroni and cheese?"

The cats look at each other again. The ocelot smiles more broadly. Paraná looks at her with confusion. For the first time today, he seems to have lost his confident swagger. "That's a nice gesture, but I didn't think we were going to eat anything."

"Yeah, well unfortunately, something has come up and I have to be going. I suddenly have to attend a meeting with the very people who will be paying for Betina's...services. It's a money issue, but you needn't worry. Anyway, the news came just minutes before you arrived. So I thought I'd conjure up something quickly, something 'instant,' so I wouldn't leave her without a little something to eat. I hope it's to your liking." He laughs as he sees Tivoli quickly jaunts to the stove. "I see she likes it."

The pot with the food in it has steam rising from inside. Tivoli stands on her toes to see the contents. Sure enough, the smooth, yellow goodness that is macaroni and cheese is boiling inside. She looks at the mark and nods in approval.

Paraná closes in on his apprentice, still confused with the marks' last statement. "Wait a moment. You're leaving now?"

"Well...the people I'm meeting...." McDaniels shakes his head in disbelief. "If you can believe it, some of them have never seen an ocelot before, so they've had to resort to internet websites and encyclopedias and the like...." He laughs heartily and walks over to Paraná. He slaps the jaguar's back, trying to get him to relax. "The problem is they want a picture of your Betina so that they know for sure that they're not being cheated. Don't worry, though. I'm sure once they see how good she looks, they will pay whatever you demand."

"You need a picture of her?"

"Do you have one? I'd bring her to the meeting, but I'm afraid they'll just take her without askin'."

"Sorry. I don't have one with me."

"Oh, that's no bother. I'll deal with it later. Let's eat." He walks to the table, where there are already a couple of bowls set aside. He brings them to the stove, bumping into Tivoli. She is still eagerly watching the food boil. McDaniels laughs and stands in front of her. "Would you like to eat in the living room, little girl?"

She nods in response, happily but cautiously. She tries not to let him get too close, even though he has put his hands on her already. She backs away slowly from the mark, trying not to show too much of herself.

Mr. McDaniels is cordial and friendly as he serves the felines. He serves the macaroni to Tivoli in a small, blue bowl. She is more than happy to get away from him, so she gladly accepts the food and trots to the living room. "Quite exuberant all of a sudden," the mark says.

He and Paraná sit at the table with heaping bowls of dinner in front of them. The jaguar stares at the meal as if this is his first time seeing cheese-covered macaroni. He picks up the nearby fork and digs into the mass, scouring it as if he were looking for something bad inside.

"Once again, I'm sorry that this has to happen. My idea was to have her stay the night and tomorrow morning, my clients would come over and I would introduce her to them. The money would change hands and you, as well as Betina's parents, would be twenty-five thousand dollars richer. I didn't count on the buyers being so...daft. Now I have to go and tell them what an ocelot is. I'll have to describe her as best I can, but it would be nice if I had a picture of her."

"So, what's going to happen? Are we not meeting?"

"Not today, I'm afraid. Although...if I make a call, I can agree to bring you along. You can tell them what Betina looks like and they'll know that they will get their money's worth."

"So, who will we be talking to exactly?"

"Fair question. You deserve to know who's getting your niece. It's a group of people, five altogether, whose money-making reputations are second to none. Now, I take it you're new to underground trading game. I want you to know that there's no need to be apprehensive. I'll tell you everything you need to know...."

As he eats using his right hand, Paraná continues to flex his left hand, possibly getting it ready to do to Mr. McDaniels what he did to Mr. Moros. With the mark constantly staring at him though, this is not the right time to act. All he can do right now is listen and agree. As he does, the mark describes, as vaguely as possible, what his plans for Tivoli are.

"Your asking price of twenty-five thousand dollars might scare them away, but for someone as pretty as Betina is, we should ask for double. What do you think?"

"And...she'll be doing mostly...sexual favors, yes?"

McDaniels shrugs. "Mostly, but they'll take real good care of her in any case. I can tell by the look on your face that she may not be the same once she gets to where she's goin', but believe me, she's in good hands."

"And where is she going?"

"That depends on the client. My business is mostly intercontinental. However, I've sent other kids to Cambodia, Thailand, the Middle East, lots of places. There aren't many ocelots in the places I work, and many of my clients like the exotic ones." He looks at the watch on his left wrist. "Well, gotta get going. The meeting's gonna run long, so the sooner I leave, the sooner it will start. You can stay here with your niece if you like, or you can come with me and meet the people I'll be taking her to."

Paraná nods and tries to keep himself interested, but he knows that it will now be harder for him to kill the mark. "Sure, I'll meet them. Are we...leaving Betina here by herself?"

"She'll be fine. We'll send her upstairs to the room I've arranged for her. She'll be able to sleep soundly. The meeting will be over in about two hours and you can spend the night here with her if you wish."

Paraná finishes his meal quickly and helps Mr. McDaniels wash the bowls. This seems like the perfect opportunity for him to finish the hunt right here. But he does not act on it, even though he stands behind the mark several times as he clears the kitchen table. The jaguar clearly thinks about it, but does not act on it.

Instead, while his mark is busy cleaning up, he sneaks into the living room to check on Tivoli. At first glance, she is not there. Her purse is on the couch in front of the television and her empty bowl that had the macaroni in it is on the floor. The black shirt that he made her wear had been thrown on the floor too. Paraná's breathing picks up and he starts to look around more frantically. There is no sign of the ocelot. He quickly enters the living room and grabs the empty bowl, whispering her name as he does so. He takes a look through one of the windows to see if she had stepped outside. Finding nobody, he tiptoes back to the kitchen and gets the mark's attention. "We forgot one."

McDaniels had just finished wiping the counter. He takes the bowl and laughs. "She ate it all. Would she like seconds?"

"Um...no. That's it for her."

"Hmm. Too bad. All the young girls like the mac and cheese." He returns to the sink to wash the bowl. This buys the jaguar the time he needs to look for his student.

With the faucet running in the kitchen, he runs into the living room. Tivoli is nowhere in sight. There are a couple of sliding doors behind the couch. Paraná slowly pushes them open and looks around the next room. It is a hallway that leads to other rooms in the house. On the left of the lit hall are the stairs. On the right side are a couple of doors, one of which could be a bathroom. Paraná closes his mouth and quietly sneaks toward the doors. He calls out Tivoli's name once again and gets no answer.

The jaguar works quickly and turns right at the hallway. The bathroom is right in front of him. The door is open and the light is off, so she is not in there. The other doors are closed. He does not open any of them and instead relies on his keen senses to determine if she is anywhere nearby. Seconds later, he hears the kitchen faucet shut off. McDaniels is finished with the dishes.

"Where are you?" he asks softly. There is no answer. He takes one more look at the bathroom again before giving up and turning around.

"Psst." Tivoli suddenly appears, causing the startled jaguar to fall backwards. She had been behind him the entire time. The ocelot gasps then chuckles at her fallen partner. "I think I've found it. I just--"

"What are you doing here?"

"I've been looking for the controls to the gate. I think I may have found them."

Relieved to have found her, he slowly props himself up. "Let's go back to the living room. He is about to leave. I will go with him and try to finish the job outside the house. You will have more than enough time to open the gate."

"You're going with him? Can I talk to you before you go? I need to ask you something."

"McDaniels wants to see you before he leaves. Let's get out there first."

"Tell him I'm using the bathroom. I really gotta ask you something." She stops smiling and puts her hands behind her back. Her anxiety toward the job has quickly returned.

The teacher nods. "All right. Hold on."

Paraná leaves the hall through the sliding doors, closing them while he does. Breathing heavily, Tivoli walks to the bathroom, turns the light on, and closes the door behind her. A minute ago, she was laughing and had every reason to. She had been doing her part of the mission acceptably, acting like a believable nine-year-old and not giving herself away. Now that she knows her handler will be alone with the mark, she looks afraid once again. She moves to the sink and makes the water flow.

Her hands shake as she washes her face. She can barely hear the sounds of a conversation at the living room nearby. It sounds like an easygoing discussion and there seems to be nothing else happening. Still, Tivoli does not like the situation. "Just kill him," she whispers. "Kill him now. I wanna go home."

She washes her hands before stopping the flow of the water. The conversation in the living room is no longer audible. She faces the door and is about to leave, but stops in her tracks when she hears a soft knock.

"Are you decent?"

She opens the bathroom door and takes in the welcome sight of her handler. He has his hands in his pockets, looking cool and collected. If he is worried about the mission like she is, he does not show it.

Paraná enters the room and looks at his charge. "Why is your face wet?" He closes the door behind him to give them some privacy. "I gave him an excuse and he's going to wait a couple of minutes. The operation has a small complication. He has a meeting to go to, so our plans have changed. I may have to finish the job in his car. Sadly, I haven't thought that far ahead. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"What if you can't do it?" she asks. "He's a really big guy. What if he gets the upper hand and comes back for me? What do I do then?"

"Oh...are my lessons not coming through after all?" He puts his hands on her shoulders and gently rubs them. "If I told you that you're going to be fine, would you believe me?"

She responds by embracing him, catching him by surprise once again. "I'm not as sure about this as I was this morning. It doesn't look like that plan's going to work now. Couldn't you think up some excuse and get us out of here?"

"You don't think I can do it?"

"I'm trying to be brave, but...the man's a monster. I don't think I can stay much longer. And if I had to, I don't think I could...." She holds on fervently and he returns the embrace. In this position, the shaking stops and her breathing slows down. While in his arms, she can forget that they are in some stranger's house; she could even pretend they were at his house. A deep sigh escapes from her mouth. "I can't believe you let him touch me."

"It had to happen, okay? He was going to do it eventually. You did fine. You followed his orders, you smiled when you had to, and he doesn't know any better." He rubs her back, causing her to grip him tighter. "We'll go home soon. I'm close to ending it now. Just trust me."

She buries her head in his chest. "Just be careful, okay?"

Paraná does something that he had been avoiding since they met. He kisses her. (Sure, he only kisses the top of her head, but it's a start.) It is the first sign that he may be falling for her too. After a minute in each other's arms, the jaguar gently pushes her away, bringing her back to reality. "We'll be finished soon. Don't forget how much this hunt is worth. Don't worry about me. Just focus on what you need to do."

"How long will it take?"

"Not too long. My hands are ready." He opens the door and leads her out. "He wants to see you before we leave. Are you ready?"

Tivoli wipes her wet face with her hands and tries to show off the little-girl smile she had earlier this evening. She adjusts her sports bra so that it can stay on her shoulders. Once they return to the living room, she is back in character.

McDaniels is smiling from ear to ear. "Well, well. You've cleaned up for me. You didn't have to do that."

Paraná chuckles in mock agreement. "She is ready for bed."

"Is that right?" He looks at the ocelot with anticipatory glee. "Well, not to worry, dear. We've got plenty of nightwear for girls your size. There's a room upstairs that's ready for you. You won't have to sleep in those clothes." The mark puts his right hand on her back and leads her through the hallway and up the stairs. Paraná stands behind them anxiously.

Tivoli closes her eyes with dismay. She mumbles under her breath, "I wanna go home."

The mark raises his eyebrows. "Hmm? What that?"

She looks up at him and shakes her head vigorously.

The human laughs and slides his hand down her back. "You 'ave a cute, little nose. You know that?"