Chapter 2: Leverage
I hope to get some feedback on this story. Specifically my writting style. Now on with the show
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Chapter 2: Leverage
The first few days were the most trying for Tod, he wasn't the most sociable person to begin with and well he had no clue of how to deal with a blind but overly friendly mouse. In other circumstances Tod imagined that he would rather enjoy Cindy's company, but the circumstances where anything but ideal. Tod had to admit to himself, that frankly it was working his nerves over.
In the mornings he had to adjust his schedule so he could wake up before Cindy just for the fact that she had been good to her word, she had correctly figured he wouldn't look if she started to change cloths. Cindy also made it clear that she would need help in the bathroom with her daily grooming. Tod knew who she want help from, but he had convinced Brandon (by choking the wolf with his own shirt collar) to have Linda come over and help Cindy in the mornings or evenings.
During the day Tod's conversations with Cindy were pleasant enough if inconsequential. He was thankful that work distracted her most of the time but ever so often she would make the point of sitting down for more serious conversations, mostly covering more intimate topics. He wished she wouldn't but, Tod could tell why. Cindy was lonely for the most part and in desperate need of some companionship. Now because of Brandon, she had a captive audience for all the emotions that had been bottled up since her roommate moved out and she had lost her apartment.
He did have a slight pang of conscience for her plight but as he saw it they were worlds apart, culturally, just from the circumstances of their respective upbringings.
Though humans are spectacularly diverse in their cultures, languages and have physical differences capable of dividing them into all manners of groupings, they still are all the same species and begotten from the same basic mold of life. 'Furs' on the other hand, as they tended to use this as a group reference for the diverse species, are almost as varied as a children's wild life book.
Their differences not only cover the places of their upbringing, the traditions of their forefathers, but also the genetic hard wiring of their distant feral ancestors. In all it completely changes the meaning of such simple phrases like 'raised by wolves.' Tod could relate but only on the most conceptual level.
Add to this menagerie of competing behaviors were the hybrids, Furs of birth from dissimilar parents or the latent traits passed through from pervious generations of genetic mixing pot breeding methodology. Tod thought it was best not to even wonder about the genetic mechanics of a hybrid's creation since he was certain that the result would be a pronounced loose of sleep and sever migraines for no appreciable gain.
In all Tod found it comforting that Cindy couldn't see his expression while she related her high school stories of both having a crush on a boy in art class and being similarly terrified of him since the boy in question was a cat, (that part he found disquieting). Nor could he quite relate as she explained the personality differences between carnivores and herbivores. Cindy's opinion being that carnivores tended to be jerks, not that he was included. By the end sometimes, Tod wished he was deaf so that social points such as: discussing why most lawyers tended to be reptiles or rats, would be mute.
"So, are you going to answer me?" asked Cindy as she lend on the table, her sightless gazed fixed somewhat in Tod's direction. She had just engaged him directly in conversation. Tod realized that the part of his brain that had allowed him for years to sleep standing up right, eyes open, and at attention; had just switched off leaving him rudderless again in a conversation.
Shaking his head to clear the fog, he remembered that they had started talking when Cindy had come into the kitchen to take a break for lunch, "Sorry, you lost me. What was that again?" Cindy giggled a bit and Tod imagined it was at his expense, "I said, 'have you ever dated someone other than a fox?'" She had trapped him again with what would normally be an innocent question. If he kept to the truth Tod knew more poignant questions would come, if he bent it to more cohesively follow a Fur's perceptions, then Cindy would start another of her ever present advances towards getting him to 'open up.' He knew that she meant for him to open his heart to her, but all it did was make him feel trapped.
He decided to fall back on the truth, "Not that I can ever recollect."
"Really?!" she said leaning even further forward, the edge of the table pulling the dipping neck line of Cindy's shirt dangerously low. "Have you ever been attracted to one then?" she asked coyly. Damn, he knew it!
"One what?" Tod stalled.
"
You know, Allan. Someone who wasn't a fox," she asked past half closed eyes as a finger played with her neck line. Answering Jeopardy questions was easier then this, time for escape and evade, "Well I have to keep my standards up. If she wasn't a real fox, then I guess she would have to at least be really cute."
Cindy's nose scrunched up and twitched a little as he could see her playing his response over again in her head. After a moment she broke into laughter, "Now that's a typical male response!" Inwardly he sighed, "Well, you know how men are. Are minds are always on tits, tails, and," he coughed, "fine posteriors."
"Oh, and who's have you been admiring lately?" she asked coyly again. Tod could just beat his head on the table. He had walked out of the fire and back in through the side door. Ok, next fall back: manners, "I don't believe that is something I should be openly discussing with a lady."
"Rude and refined all at the same time," said Cindy smiling at her own rhyme. Tod could just whimper, if it wouldn't be taken the wrong way. He wasn't good with women to begin with, but Cindy compounded it but playing cat and mouse; with her taking a decidedly uncharacteristic position in the game for her species. Still smiling she sat back readjusting her shirt to a more modest position.
"Do you know something Allan," she said as her smile relaxed from seductive to just a warm friendly sort. Looking at her and still feeling a little worried, "I imagine not." Cindy wrapped her arms across her stomach, "I like how you're so easy to tease."
Tod fought to keep the sarcasm from his voice, "Why's that?" Her smile turned more wistful now, "Because you're one of the only guys I've ever met that isn't all over themselves trying to bed me." Tod was a bit surprised that the conversation had turned from being suggestively intimate to the infinitely more intimate view behind her deep blue windows to her soul. "So, truthfully. Does it make you as uncomfortable as you sound when I ask you these questions?" she asked kindly.
He had to search his thoughts for a moment, "Only in that your so forward."
"I'm sorry. Its just so fun to tease you since I image that you get the cutest looks on you face from being so embarrassed," she said with a slight giggle. He sighed and stood up shaking his head as he passed her to go to the fridge. Cindy grabbed his hand before he could get by, "I don't mean anything by it, you know?" Tod could tell just by the way she held his hand that she didn't mean anything hurtful by it but she did want it to mean something.
"I know," he said warmly patting her hand before letting it go as he continued to the fridge, "can I get you something?" "Just some water please," she said as she stood up holding out her glass. Tod walked back and as he took her glass she slipped inside his arms and hugged herself to his chest. He stood there a bit stunned as her cheek rested against his shoulder. With some hesitation he put his arms around her and hugged back patting her on the back unsure if this was a precursor to tears.
"Mmm, your warm," was all she said before letting go and stepping back. "I'm sorry, I needed a hug just then," said Cindy with more then a bit of embarrassment.
"It's alright, I can understand that. As the song goes, 'everybody needs somebody."
"To love," she finished what he had meant to leave un-said. Tod promptly got the water for her then went back to their room to clear his thoughts with some exercise. After a couple hours he figured that it would be alright for him to get cleaned up without any undue interruptions. When he hopped in the shower Tod cursed as he remembered that he had forgotten a clean shirt. Figuring that it wouldn't me much of a problem if he hurried back to the room for one before Cindy found him.
Tod tossed his towel on the counter as he hurried out the bathroom and right into Cindy as she was reaching for the door handle. Both her hands found his waist. Tod's mind froze as a distantly small part of him hoped that she would excuse herself and step back. Instead her hands went up his waist to feel his sides then moved across his abs.
Tod did have a bit of hair on his chest and abs but no where near what it would take to pass for fur. Her pleasantly surprised smile slowly turned to confusion as she moved her fingers through his hair and across his almost un-marred skin. Someone with burns as extensive as he had claimed would of felt more like a piece of beef jerky then what he knew Cindy was experiencing. Her hands started to shake as they went along his back and arms, then across his shoulders and up his neck. Eyes wide she stared up towards his face as her hands traced the back of his neck and through his close cropped hair.
He could scarcely imagine what she was thinking as her hands found his ears, not at all shaped or positioned where they should be. Almost with a bit of fear she bit her lip as her fingers traced over his face, cupping his cheek for a moment then traced his lips and jaw. Her breath almost caught in her throat as she tried to speak, "Allan? Is that you? I mean, what are you?"
A lopsided but sad smirk crossed his face, "I'm certainly not what you thought I was." She nodded at that before hesitantly she reached up and put her fingers to his face again. Tod closed his eyes and silently waited as she explored his face again. A small sad laugh passed his lips, "Am I still as handsome as you imagined me?" Cindy's hands slipped from his face and came to rest on his chest again, "You're certainly different." Her fingers played a little with his hair as she stood silent for a moment, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Would you have believed? Would you have been hysterical if you hadn't known me? What's to say that you wouldn't have tried to turn me in," slowly he put his hand over her's. Inside part of him winched as he watched how his words hurt her. Sadly she gave a small nod to his reasoning, "So? Umm, what does this mean for... I mean where do we.... What?" For the first time in a long time it pained Tod to see how much of what he had done was affecting another person. Quietly he took her hands, stopping Cindy at her loss for words.
He knew what she needed to hear, he knew what she wanted to hear. For those simple words of understanding and acceptance. Those few words that she had so desperately fought him for and would bring a close to what he imagined was a near crippling loneliness. She wanted what his heart, that had been blackened in the deeds of continued survival, just could not freely give.
His eyes spoke to her blind gaze of the sadness he could never rightly put into words. Softly he held her hands as he gently cupped her cheek, she nuzzled into his palm, "I don't know Cindy, I just don't know." There they stood for a moment seemingly frozen in time before she reluctantly took both his hands again. The uncertainty and small questioning fear were plain on her face as were the hopes for the answers she wanted. Tod still knew he wasn't ready to face anything even remotely as complicated or painful as that could be.
"Let me get a shirt then we can sit and talk," slowly he pulled away as feelings of loneliness, a desire for intimacy, and the safety of an understanding friend vied to be expressed. It all fought against the cautious pragmatism that had carried him safely so far but left him as isolated as he imaged Cindy felt. It was a type of vulnerability that he had little willingness to stand.
Slowly donning a shirt he contemplated what he could possibly say, but he only drew a blank. Tod knew he would of eventually had to confront a similar situation, but as are most people are want to do he had hoped that the time would of come much later rather than sooner. Outside their room he offered Cindy his arm before leading the way to the couch.
Once they were seated neither seamed willing to make the first move. His vulnerability nagged at Tod but a part of him enjoyed it. Finally there was someone he could possibly not be afraid of, or maybe he could even come to being close with. Still the other fears lingered: that she would reject him outright for what he was, that either from fear or a sense of duty to the community she would turn him in to the authorities, or that it would be so much to take in that she wouldn't be able to cope with it.
Finally Cindy broke the silence, "So what are you really?"
"Human. Just an average and plain human."
The quiet stole back over them as she took this in, "What is a human?"
Tod had to think for a bit on the answer since it was one of few questions no one had ever asked before. "Well. That's a philosophical question humans haven't been able to answer for all of our recorded history," he said carefully. Cindy gave a weak smile, "You're side stepping the question again." Tod could only shrug, "Sorry it's a very old habit. Seriously, where I'm from we believe mostly in one of two things. Science: which thinks we descended from primates and religion: which all state in one form or another that a benevolent higher power created humans in its image."
"Its, not a he, she, or both?" she said quizzically. "Hey, I'm trying to cover a lot of ground in a really short time; humans are just as diverse in beliefs as any Fur," he said as cheerfully as he could manage.
She took his hand turning it over in her paws feeling the differences between them, yet such close similarities, "So, what is the truth? What have you told me that wasn't a lie?"
"As you know for one I wasn't burned, but I did loose everything during the fighting I described," Tod mulled over what else he had told her. "I was fairly honest about where I lived, what I've done, and who my friends used to be. I just lied about them being Furs or that they where still around in any fashion. They're just a whole world away from here and that just leaves me with out everyone I knew," Tod ran his free hand through his hair as he thought about how far into the truth he should go.
"I won't say I didn't lie, but I tried to just bend the facts around to a point of view you could understand. All except one thing," now came the uncertainty that the truth can bring. "I didn't meet Brandon during the end of my service, not in the way I told you. I more of stumbled on him in trouble and reacted how someone indoctrinated in the infantry is want to do. This is my sort of round about way of justifying something frankly terrible I did in what I later thought of as service to the greater good," he needed to press on and finish but how could he just admit it. It had been one thing to fight for others in combat, to defend yourself, or to follow orders. What he had done that night was just too different.
"Allan, what ever you did, it's alright if you did what you thought was right," she said shaking his hand a little to pull him from his inner thoughts. Tod sighed, she had given him a way out for now, "Thank you." He ran his fingers through his hair again lost in thought, "So like you were trying to say earlier. Where does that leave us now?"
Cindy bit her lip as she hoped her fur hid her blush of embarrassment as all of her earlier suggestive advances were stripped away, "We... I thought you were something different then and its just too much. I mean being different species is exiting and all but your human and I'm a Fur. Its just too much of a difference." She let her chin drop as her ears drooped some. Tod calmly said, "How about we just go with no pressure then. I still would like to keep you as my friend." A warm smile crept back onto her face, "I think I can handle something this weird for a friend." Then she put a bit of a sultry whisper into her voice, "but we can always be more then just friends."
"How about we watch a movie and try to forget some of the un-pleasantries first," he said as he pulled his hand free. "Alright but lets get comfortable first," she said as she pushed him back into a corner of the couch before leaning back against his chest. "Be careful I might get to enjoy this," said Tod as he picked up the TV remote to scan the channels for a decent movie. Cindy let her smile slip back to her more normal warmth, "I hope you do." That said she pulled his arms around her waist as he channel surfed, "You do still remember that I can't see."
"Yes, but I'm not going to let that stop us from enjoying a movie," he said trying to keep up the levity. Cindy giggled, "Now that I know you're human, it makes sense of all those strange things about you."
"Hey, you're supposed to be the diverse and open minded one, remember," he said as he settled the channel on a comedy.
There they stayed for a while, just content to enjoy each others' company.
* * *
Hours later Brandon arrived home from work along with the pleasant surprise of seeing that Linda had just pulled up in the driveway shortly before him. Getting out of the car he was glad to see her after the day he had. Quickly Brandon walked up and gave Linda a warm hug, "It's good to see you." The skunk smiled back as she held him for a second feeling some of the tension in his back melt away as they embraced, "Tough day?"
Brandon kissed her lightly on the cheek as he stepped back, "Yes, I still can't seam to get a handle on Silver Streak's losses. We're doing good in sales but over head is still killing us." She rubbed his shoulder as she led the way up the steps, "You'll get a handle on this, I know you will." Brandon loved her for the enthusiasm she always lent him. "How did the auctions go?" he asked. "Smoothly for once, plenty of counter bids for some of the older pieces but no dramatics," said Linda as they walked in heading for the living room and some much need relaxation.
Both were a little shocked as they entered the living room to see Cindy quietly asleep in Tod's arms as he dozed fitfully. Linda looked to Brandon, "This certainly is a change." Brandon smiled as his arm encircled Linda's shoulders, "It's one I hope lasts." Linda looked at him puzzled, "You wanted this to happen? I mean, certainly it's a good for them to keep each other company but, is it wise? Consider what would happen if this is more than a simple friendship."
Brandon looked down, "I know but their so similar. He's lost, she's alone, and well she is blind." It sounded a little weak even to Brandon, especially seeing it in Linda's concerned eyes. She stared at Brandon for a bit before looking back to Tod and Cindy. She knew Brandon meant well, but he didn't see the consequences of where the coupling of such emotions could lead, it was typical of a male to see so dimly into a situation, but it was such that it could never be helped.
"I hope that's enough. I don't think Cindy is ready for another loss and we can never really know about Tod," Linda shook her head. Brandon glanced down at her, "Should we wake them?" Linda shook her head again then smiled a little, "No, this is as peaceful as I have seen either of them. Cindy looks, content and Tod is just less troubled then normal."
Tod's head lolled back and his eyes opened lazily as he looked over the back of the couch at them, "Neither of you are as quiet as you think."
Linda smiled, "Sorry for waking you." Lazily he blinked as he seamed to study them, "I don't sleep very well anyways." Seeing Linda's puzzled look Tod explained himself, "I think too much to sleep soundly. I just drift around a lot more at night." He carefully freed an arm to point behind him, "Brandon, I left something of interest for you on the table." With that he settled back down and closed his eyes seeming for all the world to be asleep again.
More then a bit curious, Brandon left Tod to his rest and went to see what he considered interesting. Seeing a manila folder on the table labeled 'expenses,' Brandon's curiosity was piqued. Opening it he expected that Tod had cataloged the expense of him living here. What Brandon found was much more profound and shocking. At first he was concerned at Silver Streak's accounting papers being in the stack, then at the highlighted sections, but it all came together in the carefully graphed flow chart. It wasn't Tod's use of spreadsheets that impressed him, but that he had so carefully translated all of it into the diagram. He could see how and where all his money worked but his attention was slowly drawn along the lines from income to profits and where it stopped along the way.
Brandon had suspected in the back of his mind that something was wrong with his company but he never had suspected that it was embezzlement or what sort of scale it was on. Some one had gone to a lot of trouble to move small dollars and change from just about every conceivable expense into a dummy company kept in private holding. Seeing it all Brandon now had a clue who but, how Tod, a soldier and such a low level one, had figured this all out or done such a good job of juggling the numbers was beyond him.
"Linda! Your never going to believe what our human friend finds interesting," said Brandon still in ah of it all. "Oh?" Linda moved up behind Brandon to look over his shoulder, "So what am I looking at?" Brandon licked his lips still a bit shocked himself, "It's a near perfect blue print for corporate wide embezzlement." Linda blinked several times before she seriously started searching the documents, "My god! Your right, who put this all together?"
Brandon shook his head with a sarcastic smile tugging at the edges of his face, "The charts or the theft?" "Both! I mean who would do this to you?" it was just a little much for them both to take in at once. "It would seem Ian from resource management," that said Brandon started laying the papers out, which Tod had been thoughtful enough to number and already have stacked in order. By the end Brandon still couldn't believe it, the paper trail had holes in but there wasn't anything Brandon would be unable to get from the office's secure documents.
"Is this enough to press charges?" Linda asked as they reviewed the documents for the tenth time. "I don't think so, but I think it's more then enough to get my lawyer on it."
Linda looked at him curiously, "What, why not the company lawyer?" Brandon sighed, "Besides the fact that Ian can call on him for help when I press formal charges, he's good friends with him too so I can't chance letting this slip before I have something." Brandon still had a lot of questions besides how Tod had put all this together just from what was in Brandon's home office.
It also scared the wolf just a little to see what their guest could do in his free time with as meager resources as Brandon imagined he had. It was disturbing to Brandon that this had all come from someone who he thought of as an overly assertive herbivore and not more in tune with a devious, scavenging carnivore. Tod aside, Ian was Brandon's bigger concern right now. That weasel (more appropriately a ferret) had managed not only to embezzle money but to also nearly sink Silver Streak in just one go. It would probably take months to untangle Ian from his position at Silver Streak but the ground work had been firmly laid.
Brandon busied himself in his office as he waited out the hours it took before Cindy woke up and freed Tod from his position as a seat cushion. He stopped Tod as he past his office, "Can I talk to you?" Brandon wanted to be cold, assertive and confident, but only one cold look from the human broke his resolve. "What do you need Brandon?" asked Tod coolly. Brandon hated it as he looked away. Tod could stare just like a cat, unmoving, unblinking, and with a posture that spoke volumes of how casually he was waiting for a an opening.
"Tell me why you did it. I wan to know how, but I'll settle for why right now," said Brandon centering himself again. Tod's kept up the calculating stare just for a moment more before letting it drop and looking away himself, "To be completely honest I had started out looking for a way to manipulate you into assuring my safety."
Brandon's jaw tensed, he had suspected something but hearing it was very different from fears. Before he could respond Tod continued, "But Brandon I found that I liked you, I like Linda and I even like Cindy's company. So I decided to take the much harder road that stands on moral high ground." Now Brandon was confused, "What?"
Tod looked at him levelly, "I did it to show my appreciation for all the difficulties you've had since you took me in and in a small way earn some of my keep." That took Brandon back some, "I never said anything like that to you."
"No but you thought it and I could see some of it in your moods," Tod said calmly as he leaned back against the door jamb. Brandon thought for a moment then smirked, "I noticed your good with numbers, you ever program." "For your company, no. I think maybe a job as the night janitor is a bit more in order," Tod walked out leaving behind an air of finality.