Shadowfox Null 07
#7 of Shadowfox
Shadowfox 07
07 Shadowfox -- Null
"This isn't just erased," Technofox said. "The partition's actually unreadable." She looked up at Shadowfox apologetically. "It looks _just_like a malfunction. Sorry. Thought you might have mishandled it."
"They've read implant memories from chimerae killed in plane crashes," Shadowfox reminded her.
"Just rinse 'em off and stick them in someone else," Silverfox agreed. "Sort of like a --"
"This isn't what you get when you delete information," Technofox mercifully interrupted. "It's what you get when something's physically damaged the memory."
"Can you do that at the OS level?" Firefox asked.
Technofox considered possibilities, and nodded.
"Do we know how Tawny died?" Firefox leaned on the table.
"Sort of," Technofox replied. "I've got the report, but it's all medspeak to me. Maybe Tall Felicia could explain it."
Firefox considered. "That won't sound suspicious, I think. Let's ask her."
"I'll do that," Silverfox nodded.
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Shadowfox asked. Technofox's ears twitched, and she looked at Shadowfox curiously.
"I hope so." Silverfox rubbed the back of her head, and explained to Technofox. "Tall Felicia wants me to herself."
"Uh oh," Firefox muttered.
"I _never_said anything about being exclusive!" Silverfox snapped. "It's just... shit, I wouldn't hurt her feelings for the world."
"We know that," Shadowfox poked Silverfox in the arm playfully.
"Does Tall Felicia have a problem with you?" Firefox asked.
"I'm not sure," the grey fox said.
"Then you better find out."
"We just had lunch with her," Shadowfox said. "There were no scenes."
"Here's what we need to find out." The big fox looked at Technofox. "Could a brain implant kill a chimera in a manner consistent with Tawny's death certificate?"
Technofox nodded. "That, I do know. It's not impossible."
"If the people who built Tawny's implant were hiding something, wouldn't wiping it like this just make you more likely to hold an inquest? Wouldn't it be easier to just ... I don't know, fail to log the operations you don't want people to see?"
Technofox made a complex gesture which incorporated a "Well, duh" shrug and a look of complete bafflement. Then she hesitated and a small but powerful LED popped into being over her head.
"The only reason to erase data is to conceal it," she said thoughtfully. "As you said, if they're concealing the actions of a program, it should be enough to not log that data. But suppose there's another program you don't control or even know about which logs those actions? In that case, your safest bet is to burn down the whole library. Which they did."
"But the ashes look suspicious."
"Only to someone who already suspects an arsonist."
"Tech, didn't you say that Tawny's implant was modified?" Silverfox asked. "So she's got black market stuff in her head."
"Right."
"And she got the ICR chip from Fischer's boys," Silverfox continued. "Maybe she got an 'upgrade' from them too. One she didn't know she was getting."
"You mean Fischer booby-trapped her implant?" Firefox asked.
"So they could kill her if they ever wanted to," Silverfox finished.
Firefox shook her head. "I don't like this. We've got two options and neither one makes sense." She lifted a finger. "Option One: Tawny's implant killed her. And coincidentally this happened right after a motorcycle accident we caused?"
"Maybe the motorcycle was sabotaged too," Technofox suggested.
"Wouldn't that be ironic?" Firefox lifted her second finger. "Option Two: Tawny's implant didn't kill her. But the implant crashed and burned at the same time Tawny did?"
"I have an idea," Silverfox said quietly. "When you count to two like that, could you whip out your tits instead of your fingers? It would liven these meetings up a bit."
"Seconded," Technofox nodded.
"You're both asking for a wedgie," Firefox answered.
"I think her implant had something on it," Technofox said. "Something she wanted destroyed when she died."
"Tawny protecting her friends?" Silverfox scoffed.
"Or her friends protecting themselves," Technofox argued. "Fischer's gang gave her a new ICR chip -- maybe they made their own modifications. But as Fire pointed out, the timing's hard to believe. It seems more likely the implant self-destructed when she died."
That was the most likely explanation, Shadowfox thought... but there was something bothering her, something on the tip of her tongue.
"I wish we could talk to Doctor Clayton about this," Technofox mused. "Maybe we can sanitize the information somehow--"
"Or Felicia," Silverfox agreed.
That was it.
"Suppose you were a nurse," Shadowfox said, suddenly.
Ears and eyes shifted to point at her. It was a little intimidating. Her thought was just half-formed, and she didn't know if her words would do it justice.
"Suppose a runaway died on you," she continued. "And her body's going back to her owner..."
"...I'd be really tempted to blow her implant," Technofox finished.
"Exactly," Shadowfox agreed. Who knew what secrets might be stored there, secrets no abolitionist wanted a slave owner to see?
"I'd send a copy to her significant others," Silverfox objected.
"But in Tawny's case, who?" Shadowfox asked.
"You got me there," Silverfox admitted. "What about the RCMP being compromised?"
Firefox looked thoughtful and nodded, once. "We're not likely to find out what really happened there, but my guess is the Canadians found a leak and they're dealing with it."
"But who was the turncoat?" Silverfox asked.
"Probably nobody we met." Firefox shrugged. "I've talked to Clayton about it, and right now we don't need to know."
And we probably won't until we work with the RCMP again, Shadowfox thought.
"Lieutenant Philippe Le Drian," Thompson's voice didn't quite drip with contempt, but Shadowfox was sure it would if she squeezed it. "McKinnon's immediate superior."
The name didn't ring a bell, but Shadowfox noted it. Technofox would set up a search agent that very night. "He was the leak?"
"We can't be sure, but signs point to yes," Thompson grimaced and shrugged.
"He's in prison?" she asked, guessing the answer.
Thompson hesitated. "It's a Canadian problem, let them deal with it."
"So, not in prison."
Thompson looked uncomfortable, and she knew she was right. "It doesn't look like he was formally charged. However, he's been taken off the team and transferred to the Northwest Territories. The rumor -- and I didn't tell you this -- is that he confessed after McKinnon died."
"So he's probably spilling his guts," Shadowfox tried to look on the bright side.
"Very likely. The RCMP gave us the location of some dead drops on the West Coast. Looks like the Free French got to them first, though."
"Huh."I wonder how they found out?
"And speaking of anonymous tips," Thompson shifted and watched her face. Shadowfox braced herself. "Someone told the police that you killed someone."
"Who did I kill?" What a bizarre accusation! She noticed he said "police", not "Boston Police" or "Atlanta Police." And she wondered if he knew there were two.
"A legally human chimera named Tawny," he finished.
"Son of a --" She was a sister! "She was in Blue Diamond with us." And_that _is my alibi. "Why are you telling me?"
"Because I don't believe it," he said, waving his hand. "Neither does the Boston Police."
She didn't believe him. Why would someone accuse Foxforce of causing an accidental death? "Is there something suspicious in her death?" I'm going to get the bastard who killed my--
He snorted. "Not that anyone can point to. But there's a problem. If Tawny's death isn't suspicious, then the accusation won't get very far, will it? It doesn't make sense."
Yes, it does, Shadowfox thought. Fischer had given Tawny a motorcycle, had painted a target on her and then waited for her to die before informing the police. And if there was something for the police to find...
She didn't think there was, and unless she misread their Boston Police contact he'd assume the accusation was a ham-fisted effort on the part of an old case. Still, it rankled her that Fischer had wanted them to get Tawny, and worse, his willingness to sacrifice her opened a slim suspicion that maybe the puma wasn't guilty...
"Please sit down, Silverfox." Doctor Clayton's voice came out of a speaker on the spit sink next to what looked like a dental chair.
Silverfox had seen the chair more times than she knew. It was a remote medical station, designed to allow a doctor to perform most simple procedures through telepresence. Right now, it was in use by Foxforce's personal doctor. His personal avatar, a blue wireframe of a human face, hovered above the speaker.
Silverfox looked dubiously at the headrest. She pressed her lips together and brought herself to sit down. His avatar moved to stay in her line of sight.
Communication devices inside the headrest accessed Silverfox's brain implant. Shadowfox watched, trying not to feel anxious. Clayton created an image of their implants every time they came in for a check-up. There was nothing suspicious on Silver's implant anyway.
"Are you feeling agitated?" Doctor Clayton asked. Shadowfox almost replied.
"I suppose I am, a bit," Silverfox agreed. "I've seen too many movies where bandages get removed and reveal something horrible. I half-think you're going to take this cast off and show that my arm's been eaten by the pupa of some enormous parasite."
Shadowfox crinkled her eyes. She's so funny! Clayton could reproduce body language with his avatar and read it as well.
"I will prepare a set of films to counteract that anxiety," Clayton assured her. "You will find them entertaining."
"I'm sure I will," Silverfox nodded seriously. Foxforce's Strip Riffing Parties were legendary. Hopefully, not among the Machine Intelligence community.
"Please rest your arm on the sling," Clayton raised a metal frame into view. When Silverfox's arm was in place, a shackle put some light pressure on the cast. An arm ran some sort of sensor down the cast on both sides, and when it was done it changed the sensor for a small circular saw and repeated the motion.
The two halves of the cast came off with a popping sound, and other metal arms with different tools lifted the top. Blades, scissors and vacuums began to clear away the packing material. Silverfox flinched at the smell as a month of sweat from her palm was released to the environment. Shadowfox was barely able to keep from twitching.
"Would you like to keep the cast?" Clayton asked.
"Ugh, for what?" Silverfox wrinkled her nose.
"All right. Please lift your arm. Is there any pain?"
Silverfox raised her hand over her head as though she had just given blood. "A little. Sort of pins and needles."
"That's normal," Clayton's kindly tones assured her. "I'd like to run you through some hand motility tests in the next room. Shadowfox, as long as you're here, I'd like to run a quick diagnostic on your implant. Then you can wait with Silverfox."
What a great idea! "Yes, I'd like that."
Silverfox went into the next room and Shadowfox took her place.
"You may report," Clayton said seriously.
Everything is under control. "Firefox and Technofox sleep together most nights. Silverfox's relationships are casual."
"Tell me about Felicia Brandon Biotech Tango Fox Charlie."
Shadowfox sighed. "Felicia wanted something stable and exclusive, Silverfox doesn't. They've broken it off. Neither of them are happy about it, but they're still talking and they agree it's for the best. We've had Tall Felicia over for dinner a couple of times. I think it's going about as well as you can expect."
"Tell me about Tawny."
"There isn't much to say. She was a Blue Diamond girl. Silver and Fire did some scenes with her, but that didn't carry over to the real world. Shady past, you remember that cocaine thing in San Diego. So we always kept her at arm's length. Sorry to see her go, anyway."
"You witnessed no excessive mourning, no regrets?"
"No regrets." Shadowfox shook her head with the confidence of truth.
It wasn't at all suspicious that he'd bring up the recent death of an acquaintance. It was nothing to worry about, she told herself. To her relief, he switched subjects.
"Tell me about Andrew Larson."
There wasn't much new to tell, so Shadowfox decided to go over what Clayton already knew. "He's still in the picture. I would say he is closest to Firefox, but Firefox is closer to Technofox. He isn't focused exclusively on any one of us -- I've been mixing it up so that won't happen. We even had a group scene with him. I don't see him as a threat to the dynamics of the crèche."
"No jealousy, no arguments?"
"Not that I've sniffed out. Firefox has priority, which reinforces her role within the crèche. Silverfox wants another group encounter with him, but there have been scheduling conflicts. His freelancing supplements his disability payments and he seems happy and stable."
"So conflict is avoided because none of you have an attachment to him that exceeds the attachments within the crèche," Clayton said with satisfaction.
"Yes, exactly." It was obvious this was the point.
"Also, there is no sign that Mister Larson's attachment to any individual is extravagant."
"I would agree that is the case. He doesn't like travelling away from us, but he hasn't rejected any contracts over it."
The headrest buzzed and made contact with the computer in her brain.
"Why did Gerome Shayler purchase Tawny's corpse?" he asked bluntly.
Clayton could see the beating of her heart. What a strange thing to bring up. "Jerry's an all right guy. Tawny's owner wanted to recycle her, and I think he was genuinely outraged over it."
"But he didn't purchase her organs."
"That doesn't surprise me. They're going into sick people. He has a donor card himself. It's not like her corneas are being made into expensive gloves." This is a perfectly reasonable explanation and I am a little baffled by your confusion.
"Yes, I understand the difference now. Do you know how Mister Shayler met Tawny?"
"Jerry is worried about employment for runaway chimerae. Tawny met him in that context. It's possible that she heard gossip about him beforehand. While Silverfox was missing, she attempted to ingratiate herself with him."
"Why do you think she did that?"
"He's an independently wealthy man and..." I'm trying to come up with the words."With a weak spot concerning women. Tawny was an experienced prostitute and confidence trickster. Silverfox was missing, he was vulnerable. A puma will go after a deer."
"I am concerned there might be a connection to Foxforce."
"I am too, but this just doesn't cross my threshold. I do wonder if she intended to be his long-term girlfriend or if she was going for a big payoff. I would guess payoff." Let's talk about Tawny. I have many interesting things to say about her.
"Has Mister Shayler ever shown belief in the paranormal?"
"Some, I think. I believe he was paying Tawny to try to contact Silverfox while she was missing." Just one of those goofy things humans get into. How amusing! "It's not clear to me how seriously he took it."
"I ask because Mister Shayler is an active patron of the New England Skeptics Society."
That was news to Shadowfox. Crap. "Huh. That's odd." You have raised an excellent point. "Maybe Tawny contacted him, and he thought it might be interesting to play along. Write an article about it or something." It's just the sort of thing he would do. "Interest doesn't always mean belief."
"In general, that is true." Clayton wasn't convinced.
Shadowfox waved her hand I don't really see the relevance. "At any rate, he knew Tawny. She had her accident on the way to meet him -- whether or not he set that meeting up under false pretenses. How much did Tawny cost him, anyway?"
"The transfer of title with fees and taxes came to roughly seven thousand." Every time Clayton said something, it sounded like a mild observation of fact.
"I don't imagine that's much to him." Seven grand? He's a millionaire."That's like ... what, seven dollars, seventy dollars to me? I'd pay that to give an acquaintance a decent burial."
"Generosity is a possible motivation, but I am concerned Mister Shayler may have been motivated by a strong attachment to Silverfox. A strong attachment by one individual within the crèche to an outsider is problematic, particularly if the outsider has a significant amount of money or influence. You need to work especially hard to prevent that scenario."
That was an order. Yes, sir. She nodded. "I'll see to it."
"Tell me about Shadowfox."
"What do you mean?"
"Are you feeling any destabilizing emotions?"
She laughed. "No, just doing what I do."
Silverfox was touching each of her fingertips and working puzzles with her left hand as her phone downloaded video about kindly and honest doctors who saved their patients. No doubt one of them showed the dire results of withholding information from one's primary care physician. And Silverfox would have to watch them and even take notes, because Clayton would ask her about them.
Clayton didn't prescribe video very often. That triggered Shadowfox's suspicion, but on further thought, given the circumstances, it wasn't unusual. Blue Diamond was a shared experience within the crèche; Fischer's hunting preserve wasn't. Silverfox didn't talk about it, not even in bed. Shadowfox was a little worried about Silverfox herself.
"So you're going on a vacation?" Clayton asked.
Silverfox responded with a sincere grin. "All of us, yes. Shadow and I are going straight from here to the airport. Firefox took our bags for early check-in."
Tech and Fire had taken an earlier, less expensive flight. Jerry had offered to pay for tickets, but Firefox had drawn the line there. He would be on the same flight as Shadow and Silver. According to Tech, he had quietly downgraded his ticket from business class, but wasn't able to swing a seat with them. Gentleman adventurers had money but didn't make a show of it.
"Excellent. I hope you enjoy yourselves."
We're vixens off to have some fun
A week of basking in the sun
We're vixens off to Florida
But nothing rhymes with "Florida..."
_ _
They took public transportation to the airport. But even the real threat of public humiliation could not prevent their spirits from bubbling forth in song.
Jaded business travelers looked at them, misty-eyed with memories of times gone by, when travel was an adventure and not a repetitive chore. Children on their way to the Kingdom of Mouse were already misbehaving; their parents watched them and remembered when their lives had a thing called "freedom."
Shadow and Silver would have left the bus side by side and arm in arm, but the door width mitigated against such choreography.
Shadowfox had initially gone along with Silver, just following the lead of her more rambunctious teammate. But within a few minutes, she was truly participating, so filled with love and joy that it crowded out almost everything else.
She was still considering Clayton's orders. And right now, his concerns seemed foolish. Silverfox had dozens of lovers, mostly one-nighters in whatever town Foxforce was operating. Was it really possible that there was enough room in her for a love that would crowd out what she felt for Foxforce?
Oh, sure, Jerry was a heck of a catch. Shadowfox began to run through a list of his good qualities, and "independently wealthy" wasn't even the first one that made it.
He didn't really need to buy Tawny's pelt, did he? He could have let that go to make piping on expensive coats, and Foxforce would still have gotten what they wanted. But the idea of Tawny being skinned outraged him, and he happened to have the cash to do something about it. Plenty of people were willing to screw chimerae; Jerry genuinely seemed to think of them as people.
Clayton's worries were nonsense. Yes, Silverfox was fond of Jerry. She was fond of almost everyone she slept with. It wasn't as though Jerry had proposed to her.
They stopped off at a fast-food sandwich place so they could avoid plane food.
"Oh, Shadow?"
Shadowfox's ears perked slightly. There was something studied in the gray fox's voice, as though she was saying something of import, something she had rehearsed. Silverfox cared more about this than she wanted to admit.
"Uh-huh?"I am slightly distracted by the story on the news monitor.
"Would you mind swapping seats with Jerry?"
Shadowfox felt the fur at the back of her neck lift and lower again, blocked from public view by her long hair.
That is a reasonable request. "Sure. No problem." She smiled. "You know," she said in lowered tones, "I've been feeling a little horny recently."
Silverfox lifted an eyebrow. "After last night, girlfriend?"
"Heh heh," Shadowfox laughed, low. "No complaints, but I've got an itch you're just not equipped to scratch."
"Meaning that you're craving penis?" Silver's voice was unnecessarily loud. A passing mom and dad looked up from their brood.
"I love peanuts," Shadowfox declared. "I wish they still gave you those little bags on flights."
"Yeah, the honey roasted," Silverfox agreed. "Or the caramel ones in Cracker Jack."
The brood moved out of earshot. "But the thing is I don't want to go out and find one."
"You know, our host might be able to accommodate you."
This is an awkward thing for me to ask. "You're sure you're okay with this, Silver?"
"Sure." Silverfox nodded amiably. "As long as I get to watch."
"Deal."
Michael Yost was a software developer flying to Orlando to attend a seminar about how to avoid creating legally-sapient machine intelligences by accident. Next to him, on the aisle, was a beautiful, black-furred fox girl.
"Beautiful" wasn't a polite fiction in this case: she was smoking hot, so much so that he would not be surprised to discover that she was on her way to do a photo shoot or entertain in some expensive establishment the dads snuck out to after dinner.
He had never sat so close to a chimera before. He wanted to start a conversation but she was staring directly ahead, showing life with the occasional blink and slow and steady rise and fall of those yummy-looking breasts he was trying hard not to stare at.
To his credit, Mike didn't want to be the weirdo on the flight who wouldn't leave her alone. She was either lost in thought, or barely capable of it. So he reflected that girls who looked like that were usually stupid, and with that he turned to the comfort of sour grapes and his tablet computer.
How could she pull this off?
Everyone knew that chimerae had boosted sex drives. When ICON had placed an order for chimera operatives, they had toned that down as a factory modification. Blue Diamond had removed those limiters.
It had changed their behavior. Before Blue Diamond, Firefox and Silverfox had been lovers, on and off; but generally they were all exogamous. Blue Diamond had made all of them the polyamorous bisexuals their model was supposed to be.
They had each formed relationships outside the crèche prior to Blue Diamond. None of those had survived, unless you counted Shadowfox's strictly professional encounters. Nobody had wanted that to happen. The truth was they were all too different, sexually and emotionally.
Foxforce didn't share lovers. Shadow had prevented Technofox from hooking up with David by hooking up with him herself. One of Fire's boyfriends had hit on Technofox and that hadn't gone well at all.
Andrew was the exception. They had met Andrew in Blue Diamond. He had been posing as a photographer auditioning for a gig; actually he was looking for his chimera bride. In that specific, sexually charged environment each of them had "serviced" him.
After he helped get them out, Firefox met him on the street and brought him to her bedroom. Firefox had to leave early the next day and he had woken up with Silverfox. It hadn't seemed weird. Once you had sex with someone you could either make a clean break or keep it going. Andrew wasn't "Firefox's lover," he was "Foxforce's fuckbuddy."
Could Jerry assume the same role? With Andrew they had the shared experience of Blue Diamond. With Jerry, they had the shared experience of Tawny's murder. Well, at least it was a more pleasant association.
Silverfox's bag came through at last. She opened the top compartment, and handed Shadowfox her knife. Shadowfox slipped the knife into her pants and looked over Silver's shoulder. Silverfox had brought four Glocks. Two matched Glock 10s and a smaller Glock 29 in 10mm and a 9mm Glock 19.
"Someday Glock will name a pistol after you," Jerry said admiringly.
"That's so sweet," Silverfox smiled. "What to choose, what to choose..." Silverfox's hand hesitated over the 10s before selecting the Glock 29. She slipped a magazine into the butt and clipped the holster onto her armor, and reached for two spare magazines.
A security guard did a double-take. He did not ask to see her license; a scan of Silverfox's ICR chip cross referenced to her full concealed carry permit and appeared on his enhanced vision.
"Aren't those for the 10?" Shadowfox asked.
"The 29 will take the long magazine for the 10." Satisfied, Silverfox closed the suitcase. "I'd like to take the pair, but it's been too long since I've fired with my left hand."
"Besides, we're riding a limo to a gated community," Jerry reminded her.
"I got into a gunfight in Canada." She pointed at the Glock 19. "I'm going to use that for my left hand at first. Work up to ten millimeter." She looked over at Jerry. "You mentioned there was a pistol range near the bungalow. Any chance we could drop by there today?"
It was 1612. Jerry looked at the clock and grimaced. "They're open ten to five. I don't think so."
"Ah, well." Silverfox buttoned up her shirt. "Tomorrow, then."
"We can go swimming tonight," Jerry said by way of consolation.
"Is that the new euphemism?" Silverfox asked, smirking.
Shadowfox smirked. "Sounds good to me." I am in the mood for some penis sharing.
It was a trial balloon. Silverfox looked blank and Jerry took his lead from her. That hesitation on Silverfox's part was worrisome.
"Oh, there's our limo," Jerry pointed brightly to a man holding a sign that said SHAYLER. "There's a rental place near the bungalow, and I figured we could get a car there if we wanted to take some day trips."
It was a big town car, with enough room to sit three across in the back. Jerry was holding the door, and Silverfox delayed to let Shadowfox in first. Was she generously taking the less-desirable middle seat or was she making herself a barrier?
Shadowfox knew she had to be careful. While Jerry confirmed their destination, she took Silver's hand and was gratified to feel her squeeze.
Shadowfox looked at Silver. I could totally do you right now. Silverfox looked back at her, and returned the smile.
Shadowfox put her muzzle closer to Silverfox. Silverfox turned her head and moved her ear in her direction.
"Open your pants," Shadowfox whispered.
Silverfox lifted an eyebrow and inclined her head to the driver.
"You'll just have to keep quiet," Shadowfox glanced at the back of the driver's head. There was a barrier between them, with a transparent window and intercom. Shadowfox wondered if it was to protect the driver or encourage this sort of thing. "Come on. I spent the whole flight wanting this."
Silverfox hesitated, and decided she liked the idea. Glancing up at the driver to make sure he wasn't turning his head, she took a folded blanket from a pouch on the seat and covered her lap.
Jerry looked down, perhaps wondering if she was cold before turning his head out the window. After a long flight, he was probably out of conversation. He heard her belt buckle come undone and looked back in surprise.
Shadowfox put a finger to her lips. Silverfox settled in and turned to look at her. He nodded and politely looked away to give them some privacy. That was exactly what Shadowfox didn't want. He had to be a participant, not a bystander feigning ignorance. She couldn't even try to draw his attention by staring at him; Silverfox would notice.
But Shadowfox was now committed. She touched her nose to Silver's and put a hand under the blanket. Silverfox moved to cover both of their laps with the blanket, but Shadowfox shook her head. Louder, so Jerry would hear. "No, this is just for you." I am the bringer of sexual release. And maybe he'd get curious enough to steal a peek.
Silverfox's clothes were bulky and heavy, designed to conceal. It wasn't easy to get past the pants and armor, but it was possible. Under the stiff armor, Silverfox was wearing a tiny G-string that barely covered her. Was this a surprise for Jerry? Shadowfox patted around it, stroked the fabric lightly, felt the delicate lacing...
Wait a moment. "Are those mine?" Shadowfox asked.
"Probably," Silverfox admitted.
Silverfox was the only one close enough in body size to swap clothes, and she was an unrepentant underwear thief.
Shadowfox stroked her through the light fabric covering. She didn't want to risk fondling her breasts because of the driver. She ran a finger along Silver's cleft, bottom to top. The gray fox shivered as she brushed lightly over her clitoris. A slight dampness made the panties cling to Silver's mound; Shadow wondered how long the drive would take, but she doubted this would take much time.
Shadowfox continued to stroke her through the panties for a few blocks, as though the sheer fabric was an insurmountable barrier. She rubbed her with three fingers, one on each side and one in the middle. Silverfox was looking forward, trying not to react visibly, but unable to suppress a soft, lovely shudder when Shadowfox touched her in the right place.
Shadowfox considered working entirely through the panties, but it would take a while. She moved her hand up and then slipped it inside the fabric. Silverfox gulped and licked her chops.
Shadowfox remained intent on Silverfox. You and your pleasure are the only thing in the universe. It made it difficult to see Jerry's reaction. Jerry was trying to pretend he didn't see what was going on, with limited success. It was hard to see if he was jealous, angry, or excited. Shadow's instincts told her this was a mistake and she needed to back off, but her logic didn't admit it.
Silverfox touched her own breast, fleetingly. Her hand would be in the sightline of the driver, and she was in armor. She leaned forward, closed her eyes and stretched sensuously. Her ears flattened and she shuddered, holding the position for a long moment before she exhaled with a long sigh.
Jerry couldn't help but look over, of course. Shadowfox made sure he saw her lick her finger.
"You're magic, you know that?" Silverfox whispered.
Shadowfox shrugged and smiled, the artist accepting her due without boasting. "I like watching a beautiful girl enjoy herself," she whispered, so Jerry could hear.
Silverfox glanced at the driver to make sure he wasn't looking, and touched muzzles with Shadowfox. Jerry was watching the scenery. He seemed relaxed. Of course, he was a good enough actor to fool Tawny.
It wouldn't make sense for him to be jealous. He knew Silverfox and Shadowfox slept together. Jealousy wasn't logical. Seeing it in front of him might make it different.
Shadowfox needed to get something from him, so she could see if he was upset and concealing it, or just tired from the flight. "Will there be anything for me to cook at the bungalow?"
"I gave your shopping list to the concierge," Jerry said immediately. "He said it would be there by time Fire and Tech arrived. We can always order in, though. I'd hate for you to feel obliged to cook on your vacation."
"I like to cook, especially for people I care for." She reached over Silverfox and patted his thigh. "I'm not doing anything I'm obliged to."
She rested her hand there. He didn't flinch away and his smile seemed genuine, but he didn't cover her hand with his.
Silverfox did. After a moment of hesitation, he put his hand on the stack. Silverfox squeezed Shadow's hand, and he squeezed hers.
The limo pulled into a gated community. Jerry tipped the driver while Shadow and Silver unloaded the trunk.
Outside the air conditioning, it was hot enough that Shadow's fur lay flat, forcing out pockets of warm air. It was evening and the sky to the west was red; the heavy salt smell of the ocean filled Shadow's sinus and cultivated palm trees barely moved in the wind. There was topsoil and landscaping, and a light sprinkling of windblown beach sand. A squat robot vacuum came down the path. The buildings were low, and small.
Jerry took his carry-on from Shadowfox, and looked at a sign to orient himself. A few artfully meandering paths took them to their bungalow. There was a footbath by the front door. The lock was electronic; Jerry fumbled for his phone until Technofox opened the door from the inside.
The little fox was wearing a bathrobe. Her fur was wet, and she smelled of salt water. Shadowfox hugged her and came away damp; their tails swished happily, Technofox's leaving a subtle spray of water.
"Welcome to sunny Florida," Technofox said, as though she had been there for more than a few hours. She looked at Silverfox. "How's your arm?"
Silverfox flexed melodramatically. "Not a twitch."
Technofox gushed her happiness as Shadowfox looked around. Her fur was lifting in the cooler air. They were in the living room. The chairs and couch were upholstered in what looked like real leather. Like some of the suites in Blue Diamond, there was no carpet. For an instant, Shadow's throat tightened and she had to remind herself it was because of sand. There was a fireplace, a curious thing to have in Florida. One of Technofox's laptops was sitting on a stand, because Technofox felt every horizontal surface needed a computer.
"Master bedroom to the right, second bedroom to the left, kitchen and dining room on the other side," Jerry pursed his lips. The master had a king and the second bedroom two twins and a folding cot.
"Fire and I set up in the second bedroom," Technofox gestured to the right. "Shadow, we've saved a dresser drawer for you."
That was a polite fiction for public consumption. Their bedrooms in Boston were small, so the four of them were used to sleeping two to a twin. The second bedroom had two twin beds; Fire and Tech would share one.
Silverfox grabbed Shadowfox from behind. "Mine," she hissed at Technofox. She nibbled Shadowfox's neck and started thrusting with her pelvis.
"I wish -- down, girl! No! Not in front of the Press! -- Silver would express herself better instead of making me guess what she wants," Shadowfox said, keeping her voice normal. "I'll go check out the kitchen."
"If you go through the atrium," Technofox picked up a folded bathrobe, "give this to Fire. I was getting it for her when I heard you."
"Sure." Shadowfox took the garment. There was a sliding door with etched glass which had to go to the atrium.
The atrium floor was made of planks, weather-beaten and slightly springy underfoot. Folding beach chairs were set up, and other weather-safe, outdoorsy things like balls and nets were stored out here, under awnings to protect them from direct rainfall and the sun. There was a hot tub recessed into the floor, even though it was a bit warm to contemplate. The atrium offered privacy and was open to the air, and Shadowfox was sure the obvious possibilities were intentional.
There was a concrete platform and a grill. They didn't have a place for one in their home, so Shadowfox liked to use them when they were available. Firefox was on one knee, scrubbing down the metal grate. Her fur was wet, and she was wearing the tattered chamois bikini Andrew had bought her. Her fur was wet, but the bikini wasn't. Firefox's practical one-piece was hanging from a clothesline, above a patch of wet concrete. She hadn't worn the bikini for swimming.
"Thanks," Firefox reached for the robe. "Have a nice flight?"
"What flight?" Shadowfox blinked, pretending to be gobsmacked by the vision Firefox presented.
Firefox smirked and inhaled. "I was hoping to finish this before you got here. Do you --?"
Firefox didn't finish her question, because Shadowfox pulled the robe just out of reach. Firefox grimaced comically. "C'mon. I don't want Jerry to see me like this."
"You owe him for the shotgun, don't you?" Shadowfox teased.
"You are a silly fox." Firefox moved closer and grabbed for the robe. "Gimmie."
Instead, Shadowfox tucked it under her arm and took a step forward. Her free hand went under Firefox's breast. Firefox stopped, surprised. Shadowfox moved her hand up, under the fabric, and pinched her nipple.
"I think he should see you like this," Shadowfox said. "He deserves a look at the goddess we have on our team." She kept her eyes on Firefox's, and squeezed her breast. She lifted the fabric up, exposing Firefox's nipple. She ducked her head, took it into her mouth, and sucked gently. It stiffened against her tongue. "Yummy," she announced, and looked up as though challenging Firefox to disagree.
The big fox put her arms around Shadowfox and hugged gently. "You're in a mood," she laughed.
"I didn't get any this afternoon," Shadowfox told her.
Firefox laughed again and kissed Shadow on the top of her head. "I hope you'll visit tonight," she whispered. The big vixen rearranged her top, pulled the robe on, and tied it securely. She made to leave, presumably to greet Silverfox and their host.
"One moment," Shadowfox stopped her.
Firefox looked at her, bemused. "Did you want to lick the other one?"
"Yes, but that's not what I wanted to bring up."
Firefox nodded.
"You know this trip is really Silverfox's party," Shadowfox began.
"Absolutely. What do you think she'd like?"
"You know she's been hinting about another five-way."
"With Jerry?" Firefox lifted her eyebrows. She hadn't considered this, obviously.
"Why not?" Shadowfox asked. "Jerry's not someone Silverfox found in a bar."
"Right, it was a sporting goods store," Firefox nodded, mockingly.
"You know what I mean. He's not someone you just met at breakfast. You know him. We worked with him." Shadowfox patted Firefox's groin. "You were probably thinking of hitting up some surfer stud, you naughty girl. I know you like sausage, at least once in a while."
That struck home. Firefox looked away and grinned.
I was joking around but now I'm serious. "It doesn't reflect on what you and Tech have. I'm just talking about having a little fun with him." Shadowfox put her hand in the hot tub. "You know you're going to be sitting here with your legs in the water while Tech's going down on you and Jerry will accidentally walk in. Wouldn't it be nicer if the whole bungalow were clothing-optional?"
Firefox liked the idea. Shadowfox was sure of it. Still, there was something uncertain in her face. For Firefox, indecision was unusual. "I'm not sure how Tech feels about it."
"You know she needs some coaxing once in a while." And you're the one to coax her.
Firefox's ears twitched, as she considered the possibilities. Shadowfox thought it best to leave it at that.
The concierge had handled Shadow's shopping list and had even put the groceries away. The oranges were bigger than she expected, and somehow imperfect; the shape and color were slightly different from what she usually bought from the grocery store. It made them look more real. Shadow wondered if they were from a local orchard. She held one in a black furred hand and lifted it to eye level. One cultivated through thousands of years of artificial selection; one grown in a lab.
Technofox came in by way of the second bedroom. She had changed into a T-Shirt and shorts.
"There's a good take-out place if you don't feel like cooking," Technofox reminded her.
"Honestly, I'm in the mood," Shadowfox answered. She could tell this was going to be a theme. She was probably the only one in the group who didn't consider cooking a chore.
"Silver and Jerry were going to take a quick dip, unless that interferes with your plans." They were probably going to flutter about cooking all week, convinced they were taking advantage of her. It might get tiresome.
"I'll probably join them. How's the water?"
"It's great. It was a little choppy earlier, but the water looks calmer now." Technofox's enthusiasm bubbled out. "Isn't this place fantastic? You wouldn't believe how fast the internet connection is. I'm getting numbers almost as good as I can get at home. And there's a shared network drive."
"You don't say?" Shadowfox said, amused. Technofox arrives in a vacation bungalow on the side of the Atlantic Ocean, and on the first day she runs a packet test. It was wrong, but somehow so right.
"You probably feel the same way about network diagnostics that I do about cooking."
"Huh. Really?" Technofox's ears rose thoughtfully.
Regardless, Shadowfox had groundwork to lay. If Technofox demurred, Firefox would do the same out of loyalty.
Shadow looked at the little fox. I have a special, exciting thought I want to share with you, only with you. She lowered her voice. "I wonder how many girls Jerry's banged here."
Technofox blinked, startled. Not in a how can you think that way, but in a how did you read my mind way. Good.
"Brainless surfer chicks with implants," Technofox said, as though dismissing the thought. "Tanned life-support systems for winning wet T-shirt competitions."
It was less a dismissal of brainless surfer chicks than Tech's old problem. I don't measure up. Shadowfox leaned down and kissed Technofox on the top of her head. "I fooled around with Silverfox in the limo," Shadowfox said. "I'd like to think it happened when you stripped Firefox out of her bikini."
"Uhm, in the car?" Technofox asked. "Jerry was in the front seat?"
Shadowfox slowly shook her head. Am I not a naughty girl?
"I could never do something like that," Technofox smiled nervously. This was the complicated part. People had three zones: acts in their comfort zone, acts in their shock and outrage zone, and between the two, a seduction zone. Technofox's seduction zone was relatively wide.
"Afterwards," Shadowfox countered, "to break the ice, I reached for his penis. He demurred, saying that while he appreciated my sex star body, he was secretly pining for a brainy little nerdlette." She nodded seriously. Do not doubt that this is a true anecdote.
Technofox pondered that, and laughed. "Nah."
"You see? You're too smart to buy it. Which proves my point."
"How?"
Shadowfox rested her hands on Technofox's shoulders. "Cast aside the petty rules of civilization and embrace the primal Technofox. Unleash the wild animal we all know that dwells within you."
"Uh, arf?"
"When was the last time you slept with a man?"
"With Andrew." Technofox played with her glasses. "You remember."
Shadowfox feigned shock. "That's dangerous."
Technofox's ears twitched, confused. "What are you talking about?"
I am sincere and a bit worried. "Basic rules of survival." Shadowfox poked Technofox with each point. "You can last three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, three weeks without food, three months without penis." Shadowfox patted Technofox's groin suggestively.
At the same time, Shadow considered a menu for tonight. Unfortunately, most of the buns failed to match Shadowfox's standards. Chicken, then, and roasted corn on the cob. Add a few beers to loosen things up.
Technofox shook her head and choked back a laugh. Then she pretended to take it seriously. "What about heterosexual men and lesbians?"
"Well, obviously the men have their own penises," Shadowfox explained. "And the lesbians have to take special dietary supplements. It's a secret."
"Ah," Technofox nodded, feigning belief. She folded her arms and tried to think of a rejoinder. Failing, she shook her head. "I don't know. I think maybe he and Silverfox would rather have some time to themselves."
It was unfortunate that Technofox had touched on the entire point of the exercise. "Eh," Shadowfox shrugged. "She certainly didn't bring that up while I was getting her off in the limo."
Tech's jaw dropped. "I thought you were kidding."
"Strangely, no." Shadowfox arranged the chicken she had chosen on two cookie sheets, spreading them out so they would defrost. She wasn't sure exactly how long she wanted to swim, so she returned the sheets to the fridge. Then she washed her hands again. "Are you attracted to him?"
"I'm attracted to most people. I'm a Reynard Ten Eff."
Shadowfox folded her arms. "Do most people have your back like Jerry does?"
"No, they don't," Technofox agreed. "Why are you pushing this?"
Shadowfox turned away. I'm a little hurt. "Maybe I want to sleep with a guy I like once in a while." Her voice was clipped. "Without feeling like I'm making a play for Silver's boyfriend."
The master bedroom was actually about the same size as the second bedroom.
"You have got to be kidding me," Shadowfox said to nobody on opening her biggest suitcase.
Technofox and Silverfox had developed an incredibly lame "Foxforce 4" symbol. It wouldn't pass muster as a chest symbol for an indie superhero. It was bad enough when it was limited to wallpapers, but one of them had apparently found a website that would take an image and weave it into a beach towel.
Shadowfox sighed, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She could buy a new beach towel tomorrow; tonight she would have to stay in fashion hell. With luck, her bikini would distract anyone from paying attention to the towel.
Firefox looked at her quizzically as she passed through the living room. "Love your towel."
"Swap you for yours."
"Didn't pack one. Want me to do anything for dinner?"
"Thanks, it's covered."
"But you're not." Firefox's eyes laughed. "Don't you think that bikini might be a bit much? Or a bit not enough?"
"I'm trying to attract a rapist," Shadowfox explained. "Maybe he'll steal this towel." Shadowfox closed the door on Firefox's chuckle.
The gate opened to let her through. A slope marked the no-man's land between sculpted sod and concrete to sand. It was late afternoon on Friday and she expected more of a crowd, but she guessed the day was a bit cool.
Whenever Shadowfox entered a new populated environment she performed a chimera census and behavioral assessment, and adjust her own attitude to match. The service types, the hot dog and ice cream salesmen and the janitors were acting pretty much like their counterparts everywhere; they were casual and joking and relaxed. The rich-men's-toys were keeping close to their patrons and pretending to find them fascinating. There was a cluster of chimerae in one place; a knot of furred bodies all of whom seemed to know one another. That was obviously the Chimera Part of the Beach.
Toys aside, she didn't see any mixed couples or solitary chimerae. Uh-oh. There had to be a reason local chimerae avoided the place.
Firefox had misjudged the local dress code. While grannies, moms and kids were in one-piece suits, their approximate peer group of human babes were mostly sporting bikinis from the same impractical websites Shadowfox had browsed.
As she walked among the humans, Shadowfox was getting some appreciative looks, but most of them were negative. Some of the guys had expressions which were less speculative and more predatory. That was unsettling, but not unexpected. To her surprise, she was getting some sour looks from human women.
Shadow had gotten the same vibe before, in the dressing rooms of strip joints. A few human women resented chimerae in the same industry. Chimerae started off with the best genetics money could buy, and Shadowfox knew that most human girls in Ebony's class had to work at keeping in shape harder than she herself ever did. On top of that, chimerae put a lot of pressure on the hooker market. Some call girls had said as much to her face.
That didn't seem like a good explanation. Despite all the heated fantasies of beach comedies, these weren't predatory vixens competing for desirable -- i.e., rich -- men; they had boyfriends or husbands and jobs or classes and were not at all interested in trading sex for money.
Shadowfox filed a mental note to stay in a group, and she scanned the beach for Jerry and Silver. She thought she saw them some distance out in the water -- yes, that had to be Silverfox's head.
Shadowfox had to lose the towel, use it to stake out her part of the beach. She went to the periphery of the chimera beach ghetto. Most of the chimerae there were women, because most rich people were men.
Shadowfox walked up to a lynx girl in sunglasses, with an electronic reader.
I am a nice girl and I want to be your friend! "Is this spot taken?"
The lynx tensed and looked up. "Ebony?" she gasped, as though astonished she wasn't someone else.
Shadowfox didn't recognize her. That was the problem with being a minor celebrity. Ebony met a lot of people in the flesh, and a lot more people had seen her on their computers and home entertainment screens. Unfortunately, both categories would greet her by name.
The lynx was a she, and Ebony didn't have a big following among women. So odds were the lynx was a colleague who had met her, and not a fan.
Shadowfox's brain implant shook hands with the lynx's to get her ICR code. A routine search of her personal contact list returned a hit.
"Jewel!" Shadowfox squealed. What a wonderful coincidence to meet you again! Shadowfox double-checked her own agile ICR chip. She set it to return Ebony's ICR code. Now that she was recognized as Ebony, she was better off emitting Ebony's signal.
Jewel (Shadowfox read from her address book) was a dancer owned by Atlanta's Geronimo club. They used her as a pinch-hitter between visiting stars like Ebony. Her "Meal" flag was checked, but "Date" was not. Now Shadowfox remembered her: they had conversations about working freelance in the northern states. Jewel was chattel under Georgia law; she'd only ask about freelance jobs in non-slave states if she were giving some thought to running.
Shadowfox spread her blanket. "What takes you to Florida?" she asked.
"Oh. The owner took me down for ... training."
"What sort of training?" The word raised alarm bells when applied to property.
"Dance. Dance training."
Shadowfox didn't buy it for an instant. Although every venue from Disney through Marvel Adventure World to Flashgirls employed dancers, it sounded like a lie Jewel was eager for her to believe. Jewel's right thumb was a bit bloody. She had been chewing around the claw, a habit Shadowfox didn't remember from last February.
I am very calm, and I will not hurt you. "That's good. I have a dance instructor back in Boston."
Jewel was frightened of something. And she was frightened of Ebony. Why?
Had Jewel gone on the run? Why would a runaway go from Georgia to Florida? Her contact info wasn't flagged as missing. Maybe she had just run? And decided to spend her first afternoon of freedom enjoying the sun in a slave state? That was ridiculous.
"Why are you here?" Jewel demanded, as though Shadowfox were her executioner.
Maybe she knew Shadowfox was ICON. Maybe she suspected her of being a bounty hunter.
"I'm just vacationing here with some friends," Shadowfox answered, as though the lynx weren't on edge. There's nothing to be afraid of. And then, flailing for hints, "What's got the savannah apes riled?"
Jewel grimaced, but at the same time she relaxed. Shadowfox guessed it had nothing to do with her. "Some Georgia boys had some fun with a Florida fur girl. Her owner's prosecuting."
Under Georgia law chimerae were pets; in Florida they were slaves. It seemed like a subtle difference but slaves were legally human and had some rights. Chimera rape in Florida was a criminal assault, not cruelty to animals with the owner having to prove damages.
"What do the boys say?"
Jewel rolled her eyes. "That they were paying her and she's claiming home invasion and rape because her owner took an earlier flight unexpectedly."
Crap. Then it was They Said / She Said and She had a clear motive for lying. Shadowfox hated that sort of case. She wondered if it would ever be possible to find out for real, or if this would just be another excuse for people to argue.
It would be pointless to mention that to Jewel; her mind was made up.
Gosh, it's good to see you again. I liked our chats over salads and pizza. "You still have the same contact string? Maybe we can get together." Shadowfox sat on her appalling beach towel. Jewel looked alarmed.
"My master won't--" Jewel cut herself off. "My owner might not like that."
"Doesn't want you getting ideas?"
Jewel's face froze and she laughed nervously. "The truth is I've been taking advantage of him. Relying on his good nature. I sort of owe him -- I want to let him know I appreciate him."
"That doesn't sound like you." Shadowfox kicked herself. That was an honest reaction.
Jewel looked away. "I'm very lucky where I am now. I need to leave well enough alone. Things could be a lot worse, you know."
That didn't feel like a reply as much as it did a stock phrase that had to be trotted out from time to time, as though Jewel wasn't talking to her.
"You've still got my contact string, don't you?" Shadowfox asked.
Jewel nodded. "I'll get in touch with you," she said. Shadow was sure it was a lie.
I believe you. "Great. I'm going to look for my friends." Shadowfox leaned closer to her. "And if you're up north, give me a call."
"Uh-- sure." Was she being watched? Shadowfox fought the urge to follow her gaze.
"I'm from Boston," Shadowfox reminded her, before rising to her feet and walking into the surf. Drop the hint, walk away, because a hunter wouldn't do that.
The water was cool, and soothing on her bare feet. She walked out until her bikini bottom got wet, and then turned in the direction she had seen Silverfox.
Shadowfox had probably spent more time on the beach than any of the other foxes, and most of that time was for photo shoots. The Reynard-10 was too heavy to swim well, even Firefox. Wading was fun, though. The water sucked the heat from her feet and hands and the unpredictable contours of the uneven sandy bottom added a touch of low-impact risk: would her next step be into an abyss? The surface of the water provided no clue.
Silver and Jerry were in deeper water, about up to her neck and his shoulders. Periodically, Silverfox would rise up and then slip back down.
They were intent on one another, but not so much so Shadowfox felt she would be intruding. Shadow reached a steep grade and almost stumbled. Her breasts went under, and her shoulders. Wading became a slow motion hop, and she swam the last few meters. They looked at her welcomingly.
"I just wanted to tell you guys I'm making chicken on the grille."
"Sounds great." Jerry lifted Silverfox until her belly left the water. Silver was wearing a practical red one-piece that revealed only a hint of topboob.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready."
He let go and she sank to the bottom again.
"What are you doing?" Shadowfox had to know.
"Tail propulsion experiments," Silverfox answered. "I'm trying to keep from sinking using only my tail."
Amusing. "Any luck?"
"Success eludes us, but hope remains high." The gray fox smiled. "I saw your bikini. Looks like you're performing some erection production experiments."
"Well, if you can't produce erections on a beach..."
"Tech was saying a couple of fur girls got their tops stolen," Silver said seriously. "I love the look, but this isn't the place."
"Too bad." Shadowfox knew she had to get Jerry involved in this. "Did you like my bikini?" she asked him.
"Yes, very much," he replied exactly as though he was complementing her hat or shoes or something else men didn't care about.
"I'm glad." I wore it just for you, she beamed. Are you hard for me?
He could hear her thoughts. She could see it in his face. And she knew the answer was yes.
Shadowfox took a step closer to him.
"I'm glad," she repeated.
Something was wrong. He wasn't relaxing. He glanced to her left, behind her.
Shadowfox followed his gaze. Technofox was standing in the water, almost completely submerged. Her waterline was almost precisely at the midpoint of her muzzle; her nostrils flared with each breath and rippled the surface of the ocean. Particularly large wavelets lifted her and lowered her back down, as though she were a boat, her head the conning tower of a furry, and disapproving, submarine.
"Oh," You're so cute I could just eat you up! "Hi!"
Technofox tried to answer, but a small portion of the Atlantic flowed in and dissuaded her. She coughed underwater, expelling water and bubbles. The head turned with infinite dignity and began to go for the shore, leaving a wake behind her.
Shadowfox watched her go. Was Technofox a step ahead? Had the little fox said something to Jerry?
"You look troubled," Silverfox said.
"Just paranoid. I want to see she gets to the gate safely." She had let the shield drop. She had to watch that, think of Silverfox as ...
She didn't finish the thought.
"Is that a problem? Should we walk with her?" Jerry frowned. "Look, if we should relocate --"
"We just got here," Shadowfox shook her head. "It's too early to think about that." That would reassure him that she was not being too cavalier.
"I'm not going to be chased away by surfer dudes," Silverfox announced. "Knee to the groin should handle it."
"It's still light out, there's a bunch of chimerae within earshot, and Tech's pretty tough." Shadowfox laughed. "There was an incident, but I'm probably just having trouble unwinding."
"Oh, the three good old rapists," Silverfox dismissed them with a grimace. It wasn't surprising that Jewel would rush to judgment, but Silverfox was a trained investigator. No, Shadowfox was being too harsh. Maybe Silver had heard something Shadow hadn't.
"Well, I don't know," Jerry shrugged. "Maybe she's telling the truth, maybe they are."
"Is that your opinion?" Silverfox asked.
"I don't have the facts, so I don't have an opinion. Null is a perfectly respectable value in that case. I mean, come on. Three guys are saying one thing, and a woman's saying something different. Would you convict them based on that?"
"She's a slave," Silverfox grumbled.
"Yes. Absolutely." Jerry nodded. "But that doesn't make her the good guy. Tawny proved that."
Silverfox lowered her ears. "You sound like Firefox." She grinned and her ears lifted. "Which means you are infuriating and probably right."
"Why do you put up with him?" Shadowfox teased.
"He gives good head."
"Really?" Shadowfox looked at him. Prove it, cowboy.
"You know, Shadow," Jerry said casually, "You don't owe me any favors. You're not obliged."
"Jerry," Silverfox warned.
"It's okay, Silver." Shadowfox kept her eyes on him. "Jerry, you know what I do."
"Uhm. Yes." His voice was guarded.
I am backing off because I don't want to chase you away. "Am I coming on a little strong?"
"Nah, he likes that," Silverfox said. "And we've only got a week. Jerry, I'm okay with this. The four of us have been lovers for a while. I'm not jealous of them." She hesitated. "Jerry, I am going to say something no woman has ever said to a man. Listen to your penis."
"Do you think I have some ulterior motives?" I'm trying so hard not to be hurt right now.
"Well --" he hesitated. "That's not the way I'd put it."
"Don't bring this up again," Silverfox muttered.
Shadowfox knew she had to be careful here. The idea wasn't to steal Jerry from Silverfox. The last thing she wanted to do was take sides in an argument they were having.
"Silverfox," Shadowfox said hesitantly, "I know it's a sore point you don't want to discuss, but I'm new to the conversation. What shouldn't he bring up?" Please don't be angry at me. I love you!
Silverfox smiled. "It's okay. Jerry's upset that our personalities were tweaked for the sake of the team. It's really sweet, if you think about it." She looked at him fondly. "You have to remember these 1.0 releases are always buggy."
"One point one," Jerry assumed tones of wounded dignity. "Neanderthal was 1.0. Anyway, it's all about Kant."
Silverfox nodded happily. "I used to be all about that, but now I like guys."
Jerry gave her a pained look; she was pleased. "Emmanuel Kant and the Moral Imperatives," he said patiently.
"Oh, yeah. I downloaded all their singles." Silverfox bobbed her head, as though in time to a soundtrack.
"'Treat humanity in myself and others always as an end and never as a means?'" Shadowfox guessed. And then she added, for the sake of Silverfox, "Doop do-wa..."
"She just read that off Wikipedia," Silverfox scoffed.
He nodded slowly and grinned. "That's it."
"I don't know about 'humanity'," Shadowfox said carefully.
"That was translated before artificial intelligence," Jerry reminded her. "Words change their meaning. Today we'd say sapience."
"That sounds great, but..." Silverfox began. "The problem is that all that crafting and modifying you're talking about? That's why we exist in the first place. We're created because we're a means to an end."
Shadowfox's ears twitched. "You think you'd be taking advantage of me?" What a silly notion!
"Well, yes," he nodded.
"It's not exploitation when we want to do it," Silverfox said.
"But you're trained to want to."
Silverfox gasped. "Oh, save me from my false consciousness!"
Shadowfox considered bringing up his hiring prostitutes. No, that might go in uncomfortable directions. Better to use a neutral example. "Like when you go shooting with Silverfox?"
"Oo. Good one." The gray fox nodded and looked over to Jerry with bright eyes.
"Aren't you trained too?" Silverfox poked him on his forehead. "Didn't your mother push you to study when you were young? To clean up your room? Shower?"
"Yes," Jerry agreed. "For my benefit. Not because she was selling a computer engineer on the open market."
"Jerry," Shadowfox began, "I know I'm a whore."
Silverfox flinched and began to say something.
Jerry interrupted. "No you're not. You're a soldier using the weapons you were trained to use."
"But my weapons are..." she smiled bravely. "Dual purpose."
Silverfox snickered. He pretended to find that funny.
"Silverfox, I never told you this. But back when we were still training they told me they were teaching me how to get people to do what I wanted. And then you and Firefox got together, and the same thing was something people shared because they liked each other."
Silverfox blinked.
"I thought I'd never be able to express love because ... because doing it was part of my job." Shadowfox took a deep breath. "But it's not true. It isn't. I know the difference," she lied. "And I know I like you, Jerry. You're attractive. You're smart, you're funny, and you're a good friend to have."
"And he gives good head."
Emotional memory._Shadowfox imagined he was the noble, fictional prince who had captured her heart when she was young. She imagined she was somehow with Kuchi'Inu -- she had confessed her love, _and he didn't believe her.
He thought she was sent by his enemies to lie about a precious gift shared by people in love.
"Don't you trust me?" This is my heart, talking to you. And with those words, she could feel tears welling up. She wasn't crying, but she knew her eyes were sparkling.
Silverfox bought the act. Jerry was a harder target. He gave the impression of being run by his penis but he was sharper than that. Every time he flirted with a woman his head ran through the same question: Is she after my money? Women had probably lied to him a lot: knowing that made him effective when the time came to deal with Tawny. Would he be effective with her?
"Of course I trust you," he squeezed her hand.
Her body would respond for men she hated. She could look in their eyes and convince them she was theirs. She had done it often enough. And she did honestly like Jerry. His looks appealed to her, so why was she having trouble now?
She knew she had to stir herself for him. Talk wouldn't be enough; he had to feel her excitement. She imagined Kuchi'Inu was taking her hand. He looked into her eyes, and he was asking her to be his love forever. Kuchi'Inu took her into his arms, and she could scent his excitement.
Shadowfox lifted his hand, and slipped his fingers under her top. His hand moved, with none of the uncertainty he was showing. Her eyes widened, and she smiled. Her tongue darted between her lips. Silverfox's ears shifted, curiously. Shadowfox could hear her unspoken question: which part of her bikini is his hand in?
"It's no good pointing out that I'm wet," Shadowfox smiled. "But can't you feel that's hard for you?"
His finger made small circles around her aureole, brushing lightly against the nipple. Shadowfox felt quite lightheaded. The excitement for him was starting to rise in her. She looked deeply into his eyes, and saw it mirrored there.
"You're so beautiful," he said. He hesitated. "I'd like to kiss you right now."
Silverfox looked at the crowded beach. People might notice if they went too far, and Shadowfox could see that part of her liked that idea. But it was better to avoid that in public. "Let's go back inside," Silverfox suggested.
Jerry followed her glance and grimaced. "Unfortunately, that would involve leaving the water."
"Hard-on?" Silverfox asked.
"A _massive_hard-on," he corrected her with wounded dignity.
"Yes. That would go without saying," the gray fox answered. Her arm moved. "Is that lopsided?" she frowned.
"Right," he said. "Just give a moment to--"
"Don't stop doing what you're doing." Shadowfox reached down. He was in Speedos, and she could feel the bulge. Trailing along it with one finger, she found that his tip had gotten trapped in one leg. "Oh, let me. I know how these things work."
"Are you suggesting I don't?" Silverfox asked.
"This time last year you were a lesbian," Shadowfox reminded her.
"It is even so. Teach me, sensei."
"It takes a delicate touch." She looked at him. "I bet it feels like iron inside you, but they don't really like to bend sideways." She reached in and pulled his swimsuit away from his crotch, allowing his penis room to pop out straight. "There we go." She ran a hand up the top of his erection, lingering near the tip. He was circumcised, Andrew wasn't. She released his bathing suit, and the elastic pushed his penis against his belly.
"That's not helping," he told her. "Well, it is, but it isn't."
Shadowfox felt Silverfox's hand. "He's right," the gray fox said.
"Maybe if you think about baseball?" Shadowfox suggested.
"I don't like baseball."
"That's sort of the point."
"Oh. Right."
"Well, he can't go on the beach in this state," Silverfox mused. "He'll have someone's eye out." She grinned wickedly and groped him under the water. "Ooo."
"It's the top of the first, Red Sox against the Mets. Not working."
"I'll get my beach towel." Shadowfox fixed Silverfox with an icy stare. "I brought it out hoping a homeless person might steal it."
"Silver," Jerry frowned. "You didn't swap out her beach towel for that horrible thing, did you?"
"Somebody apparently did," Silverfox answered. "I can't speculate who might have done it."
Jewel had taken her towel and things and gone. Shadowfox folded her towel to make a sort of pad, and Jerry used it for cover. It probably didn't fool anyone, but the courtesy of the beach required one to ignore concealed bathing suit malfunctions.
Shadowfox closed the door behind them. Her ears rotated; Tech and Fire were in the atrium. There was a shower out there, for a quick rinse before using the hot tub.
"Let's get the salt off," Shadowfox suggested, and took Jerry by his hand. Silverfox suppressed a smirk.
Fire and Tech were in the hot tub, on opposite sides. Tech's practical one-piece was hanging on the line. The water in the tub was churning, bubbles forming a curtain. Technofox lowered herself slightly, folded her arms over her chest.
Firefox turned her head to watch them come in. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she gave Jerry half a smile.
"Evening, Jerry," she said.
"Good evening," Jerry nodded. "Sorry to interrupt. I'll shower off in the bedroom."
Firefox lifted her eyebrows. "We were kind of hoping you wouldn't."
Firefox stood up.
She took Shadowfox's breath away. Her wet fur lay flat across her body, and her large breasts bounced slightly, once. Firefox turned her back and stepped on the seat. Her tail was wet and showed none of a fox's usual bushiness; her buttocks curved and the muscle swelled as she came around the hot tub.
Nude, she walked up to Jerry and put her arms around him. Shadowfox noticed they were about the same height; standing almost perfectly eye to eye. He embraced her, and they kissed.
Silverfox slipped her shoulder straps off and pushed her swimsuit down off her breasts. Shadow had never doubted that Silver would be into this. It was hard to believe that Firefox would do this without clearing it with Technofox, but Shadowfox tore her eyes away to see the little fox's response. She was deep in the water, her nostrils barely above the surface. Her eyes and ears were intent on Firefox. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes and ears were alert; a combination of fascination and wariness.
Kissing a girl with a long muzzle was often awkward, but Jerry's had picked up tips from Silverfox. He didn't press his lips hard against the end of Firefox's muzzle; instead, he moved to the corner of her mouth. Firefox opened her mouth to let his tongue in, and he moved his lips down to her neck and shoulder. His head blocked and Shadowfox couldn't see; but Firefox gasped and shuddered; her eyes widened with surprise, then closed and she smiled with pleasure.
He was biting her, harder than a human girl would like but chimerae generally enjoyed a little more force. His hands were high on her back; one moved lower and cupped her buttock.
"I think you're a bit overdressed," Firefox whispered.
She meant him, Shadowfox was sure, but her hands seemed to think Fire was addressing her. They reached to undo her top, and it took a deliberate decision to stop. Someone else should undress her.
Silverfox's hands were on her back, and she undid her top from behind.
Jerry moved to push his trunks down, but Firefox shook her head. She let go of him and went to her knees. She rolled his bathing suit down. His erection came out, hard and jutting upwards.
Firefox looked at it for a moment. She then pressed it against the side of her face, licked it once and took it into her mouth.
"Wait," he said. "Not yet."
Firefox moaned softly, moved her head back, until it came out with a soft slurp. "Salty. I like it." She licked his leg near his pubic hair.
She pushed his bathing suit down his legs, past his knees and down to his ankles. He stepped out and started to lower himself down. In response, she embraced his legs, pushed them together gently until he straightened to keep his balance.
"Let me." Her voice was low and husky. "I want to explore a little more." It sounded midway between a command and a question.
Her hands moved up to his buttocks and her tongue to his testicles. She licked him as though he needed to be coaxed, as though his penis wasn't already urgent. She straightened and raised herself, and put her hands under her breasts.
Silverfox was embracing Shadowfox from behind. One hand cupped her breast, the other slipped into her bikini bottom.
Firefox took his penis between her breasts just as Silverfox's digit slipped into Shadowfox. The black fox cried out involuntarily; for an instant she berated herself but then she saw that her contribution wasn't unwelcome.
Firefox licked the tip of his penis and let go of him, leaning back on her hand. He came down next to her, kissed her mouth and face. He moved lower. This time, she moved her shoulders back and encouraged him to take her nipple in his mouth.
He pushed her over onto her back. "My turn," he said. Firefox nodded.
His mouth found her nipple. At first, he was gentle, and then his hand began to knead at her breast. He was getting a little rough, but Firefox's panting made it obvious she was enjoying it. She cried out once, and he immediately stopped and lifted himself up, looking at her inquiringly.
Silverfox's finger was on Shadow's clitoris. Shadowfox's nipples were stiff, and she was gasping. Part of her was saying she was being selfish, that it was her proper role to bring Technofox into this, but she was too excited.
Firefox took his shaft into her hand. She guided his tip between her legs.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't know if I can last long."
"Need you," she replied, her voice shaking. "Now."
He slid into her with a sigh and Firefox cried out. She clutched him tight to her with her arms and legs crossed behind him at the ankles, keeping him from pulling out.
"Oh, that's sweet," Firefox gasped out. "That feels sweet. He's one of the good ones, love!"
Shadowfox flinched. Did he know Firefox was talking to Technofox? Did he understand what a "bad one" meant? She saw sorrow flicker over his face. He kissed Firefox tenderly on the forehead.
Firefox growled and rolled over on top of him. She moved her hips, tentatively at first, then harder and faster as they found a rhythm. It was fast and hard, and Shadowfox watched her hips for a glimpse of his penis, thrusting like a piston.
He didn't last. He had been teased too long, and it was only a few moments before he held her close and tensed as he flowed into her. He moaned between clenched teeth. She pulled free of him, her back arching and her breasts bouncing as she called out to the darkening sky.
His hands rose to her breasts and she smiled at him and laughed, encouraging him to play. He was still inside her.
"I'd like to do more for you," he said.
"And he's good at it," Silverfox piped in.
"Oh, that's tempting. But..." Firefox reluctantly looked at the three of them. She had her first satisfaction, and she would name the next. She lowered herself down and licked him once on the shoulder, as a brief goodbye. She raised herself on one knee and he slipped out of her; flaccid and moist.
Her eyes fell on Technofox. Shadowfox felt a stab of jealousy.
Technofox lifted her head free of the hot tub. "Jerry, I'm sorry."
Jerry was exhausted and perhaps a little dopey. He knew that, and wondered if he was missing something obvious. "For what?" he asked, finally.
Technofox looked away back at him, and spoke rapidly. "Jerry, remember in the ocean when Silverfox groped you and she said it was me?"
He nodded.
"It was me," Technofox admitted. "Uhm, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it without permission."
Jerry laughed. Firefox jiggled. He then put on a more serious expression. "I'm flattered that I got the attention of a pretty girl like you."
Technofox smiled bashfully.
"Come here." He smiled at her.
"Uh, you just--" she started.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Why does nobody pay attention to what I say?" Silverfox shrugged.