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Victor let out a small startled noise as Jordan attempted to hug him and then fell onto the Lizardman, but fortunate for him, he managed to roll onto his side before the dogman landed on top of him, hugging up against him. It certainly wasn't where Victor had planned on ending up, but he was worried if by moving he could hurt Jordan....so Victor laid there quietly.

It wasn't exactly all that uncomfortible, and...the warmth from the dogman's body was relaxing, it was like having a living electric blanket on him, and his coldblooded biology soaked it up, eventually relaxing him until Victor fell asleep

The day had been spent in his duplex, like so many had been. He was still afraid to be outside or be alone. Right now, he was alone. Victor was off doing his thing, leaving Jordan scared and to his own devices. He was going stir-crazy, but at least the pain meds were taking the edge off. Jordan had been told that he’d have to go outside eventually. The thought of those predators being out there and on the loose frightened him. He was still in shock that he’d ventured into the village no less to find Victor. And in the midst of fear and pain killers, he just wanted to walk again, to not be crippled bait for another attack.

Jordan wheeled himself towards the door and felt himself tremble as he neared the portal to the outside world. Maybe if he just opened the door and sat in the doorway, he could enjoy that cool breeze without physically going outside.

Sweat ran down the nearly-furless face. His paw hesitantly reached out for the door as he was in stunned disbelief. Technically, he wasn’t going outside and so it was different, right? Right. The doorknob was clutched tightly as he lunged forward, ,throwing himself out of his chair and against the door. He wasn’t going to actually open it if he could help it, but he had to fall back into his wheelchair and the knob turned and pulled as he fell back into his seat and rolled backwards by his own force. The door swung open and he stared in horror, afraid. Traumatized.

"H...h..." he squeeked out, trying to form the words. He was too far from the door now and anyone could be out there. "Hel...help..." he squeeked out, staring out at the sand and water helplessly..

Awen had been surprised as she raised her webbed arm to knock on the dark duplex's door that it burst open infront of her. The manta girl jumped to the side and out of the way. For a moment she caught her heartbeat and tried to figure out what just happened.

She could hear a soft voice but no coherent words that she could tell. She peeked her head around the corner with a curious, cautious frown and saw Jordan with his eyes all wide bits of his fur standing on end. Her brow furrowed as she stepped full into view.

"Jordan? Sweetie are you okay? It's just me, Awen."

Awen glanced around at the open air about her. "Jordan there isn't anyone out here..."

Stepping inside she shut the door. She frowned and glanced around the duplex and then straight at Jordan. "What happened to you? Who will kill you? It's not another Moreau thing is it? Actually we have to talk about that...."

She moved closer and shook her head slightly before kneeling down to more his level with the wheelchair. "But never mind about that for now... Are you okay?"

Jordan visibly calmed with the door’s shutting. Once more he was protected by his fortress of solitude. Not even the big bad wolf could get in now – or so he wanted to tell himself. His arms were ‘miraculously’ able to move again and they fell at his sides, taking a deep, slow breath. It was Awen, not a killer. Not a blood-thirsty killer tiger-man.

He tried to say that name of pure, unadulterated evil. He tried hard to utter the name of the his would-be assassin, but all that would come out was “It was J-J-Ja…” that’s all he could say without starting to feel panicked once again. “We were attacked.. in the jungle…” he lowered his head to gaze into his lap. “Five months have passed without knowing what happened.. I was scared and looking for answers. I was hoping to find you at the lake, but a shark.. what’s his name..? Alec? We were on our way to the village and he came out of nowhere.. attacked us in the jungle.. I don’t know if Alec’s alive..” he still trusted her somewhat, even though she was a friend of Richard’s. He hated that feline so much… “What? Moreau?” he blinked, whispering in confused echo.

He reached out to hug her when she was close enough. Awen was the first islander he’d met and to that end, she was his first friend upon the island. Who knew if they were still such good friends after Jordan had dragged the manta into the jungle, bolted when he’d heard the outburst caused by Dee’s music, and the way that he’d simply blown her off when he escorted the then-human Dee back to the village. “I can’t walk.. I can’t even feel my legs, Awen.” He laid his head on her shoulder and fought to hold back the tears.

The manta wrapped her arms around the furry form as he reached out to her. She closed her eyes tightly and squeed as she could. Another Jamal attack? But not against the guards or lab techs...against regular islanders. She held him closely. This is what she was afraid of since the start for Jordan. He shouldn't have been so vocal about his allegences, he shouldn't have been so zealous about Moreau.

A few tears rolled down Awen's cheek as she drew in a quick breath. "Jordan... I'm so sorry." Not able to feel his legs? Could he be paralised from the wasit down? "You shouldn't be... this shouldn't... Damnit Jamal..."

She pulled back from the hug but kept her hands on the dog's shoulders. Her expression was already schooled from her anger and despair into a smile for her friend. "You'll be okay Jordan... don't worry. I'm sure you'll be okay. You have changes left, it wouldn't be the first time that the changes have healed things... you will be fine it'll be okay."

A penny for her thoughts. If he could have read her thoughts, he’d hear ‘I told you so’. Jordan shouldn’t have done a lot of things, one of the more notorious had been speaking of Moreau, allowing Lauren’s opinion of Moreau to integrate into his, and to perform any deed for the name of the labs publicly. He’d caused strife in the lives of several others’ lives, the most notable being Newt, whom he hadn’t seen in three months now. Probably a good thing, too.

“Don’t cry, Awen..” he reached out to pat her webbed hand, offering a look of condolence., “St least I’m alive, right?” he paused, not sure what to say so she didn’t have to shed tears for one so undeserving of pity. “And who knows… maybe the next change will heal my shattered legs…” Jordan didn’t really believe that in his state of mind, but he had to sound convincing for her. Hope felt so false following the attack.

“I’m glad to see you, Awen. I’m sorry for what happened in the jungle. You’re my best friend here. You helped me when I was new, you’ve continued to speak to me even when I’ve been a jerk and a complete idiot. I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you in the jungle that day with Dee. One person I mat have been able to protect.. but, I’m told that I’ll get stronger and be able to protect myself and others.” He put on a half-frowning grimace to those words. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but when those mistakes begin to affect others than myself.. there’s a problem..” Jordan fumbled his paws nervously, hoping his apology would be received with open ears.

She nodded and wiped away the tears she'd forgotten had fallen. She was just so distraught to see one of her friends in such a condition. "Your legs will be better hun, they'll grow strong in the next change, I'm sure." And she was actually. There was no doubt in her mind, as other wounds healed for some miraculously then so could this.

"And shush Jordan." She waved her hand with a small frown. "Don't go on with all this sorry stuff. It's okay. I understand, you're not yourself and something is wrong here."

She sat herself down on the ground next to the wheelchair and sighed. "That's actually why I came here. We need to talk Jordan... I'm worried for you. Worried for a lot of things.... something just... isn't right here."

He’d listen to her so long as she kept him company. He needed to feel safe and numbers accomplished that. Even if it was to talk about something that could potentially land them both in a lot of hot water, Jordan was relieved to be with a good friend for the moment. The last time anything had been said to the effect of Moreau, Jordan had become defensive and outright stand-offish. Sure, the lingering effects of the mental tampering had become an integrated part of his brain. The re-wiring of his mind’s facilities.. all he could do now is ifght it, because it was a permanent part of him, no matter how much he detested it or succumb to it on any given day. He was pretty sure what she was going to bring up.. and Jordan wasn’t going to fight her again.

He steepled his paws as best he could and held the index digits to his chin as he nodded solemnly. He cared for her and feared for her well-being with this approaching conversation. “Okay, Awen. Yes. Let’s talk, then.” He nodded, giving her a kind smile. “What’s on your mind?” Jordan figured that he’d let her bring up any controversial subject matter.

Awen looked around the duplex and knew that this was probably the least safest place to talk to Jordan about what she wanted to. She sighed a little bit.

She shifted around in her seat as she thought about how to overcome this situation when her slightly laboured breath made it clear.

"Well, I've been out of the water for awhile... I really should get back to the water. I was hoping, maybe we could talk while I sorted my breathing out?"

Jordan had hoped that she would suggest as such. It would have looked all-too suspicious if he’d offered that option. Moreau watched him like a hawk and knew his duplex was not a safe zone to speak on confidential and controversial matters.

Jordan nodded in understanding as he wheeled his chair to the other side of the bed closer to the door. He was less afraid with someone near him, though he had to overcome the anxiety of the outdoors for this important meeting. He knew things. Whether or not he’d be able to disclose such classified information was debatable. If he knew anything worth divulging.

“I understand. Just.. one small favor.. once we’re outside, I may become too afraid to push my owqn wheelchair. I hate to impose, but do you think you could aid me? It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do.” He gave her a subtle nod as to say it was her move. "It's been a while since I've enjoyed a slow walk in the great outdoors."

Awen nodded with a smile and stood up. "Well of course I'll help!" She was about to say that she could until they got to the water but thought better of it in favour of something else. "Maybe I could even get you into the water with me? I hear that some people have actually had physical therapy by swimming and being helped to swim. It may help?"

Please say yes Jordan... in the water and further from the camera and microphones....

The manta girl took hold of the wheelchair and pushed the dog outside. When they stepped out Awen took a deep breath, getting out of Jordan's duplex was like getting weight off of her shoulders. She didn't know what it was about the place, and of course she'd never say anything to Jordan lest he be offended, but that duplex just gave he the creeps.


He smiled at her offer to push his chair. Perhaps they weren’t being overly subtle, but neither had outright declared they were conspiring. “You don’t say..” he looked up with genuine curiousity. Anything that could restore his legs was worth a chance. “well.. alright.” He tried to make it convincing with some hesitation inbetween words.

As he felt Awen grip the handles from behind him, Jordan closed his eyes. If he couldn’t see where they were going, then he could pretend they were elsewhere. Immediately, it felt awkward though as he began to panic with quickening breaths. It was as if he were Alec on that trail the day they’d been attacked. “I… I’m gonna keep my eyes closed…” his breaths were shallow. “V-Victor says I have to overcome my fear of going outside… and I trust you with my life, Awen.”

"Yeah..." Awen shuddered a bit at the thought. She may enjoy and indeed need water to live these days but the fear still tingled her skin when she thought of it. "In and out of therapy clinics half my life. One therapist suggested I take some time with this little theraputic pool at her clinic. She said it was mostly used for physical rehabilitation but mine was a special case and it could maybe help." She ave a small chuckle. "I never even got my toes wet, I got out of these as fast as I could.... and never went back to that clinic." After a short pause she smiled. "But like I said, they use it to help so maybe it could help you too."

Nodding Awen smiled. "This Victor is a smart guy. Best way to overcome your fear is to emerse yourself in it. Take it from me, pup." She smiled and wheeled Jordan on.

"Just take your time, I'm here for you. Once we're in the water it won't be so bad. No one will be able to hurt you there as long as I'm around." She said softly to him as she continued pushing him to the lake.

It took some time but she came to the edge of the lake after quite a few bumps and jostles of the chair. Awen chatted about anything that came to her head to try to keep Jordan mind off of the outdoors.

"Um, you may want to open your eyes now. You'll need to see to help get in the water."

Last time Awen was at the lake with a wheelcahired man Alec had tossed himself into the mud. Awen was not wanting to repeat the experience of dragging another islander through the muck.

Awen was a smart girl to distract Jordan’s mind. He was a mess, more than before. He was afraid of things too, just.. never before like this. He didn’t like most insects, spiders especially, but buzzing, stinging pests such as bees, wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets )all of which were found in Florida and had stung him at one point of another). Bees died after one sting, but the others.. wasps stung and stung and stung. He wasn’t allergic, but it was painful. That pain of stinging was associated with the pain needles left. As a child, he’d needed regular bloodwork drawn, something that left the fear of needles in his mind. Needles were hard to deal with as well. He’d flinched like a wuss when Moreau had injected him upon arrival and he literally stabbed himself in the arm out of irrational fear prior to his last self-administered injections.

“Victor’s a nice guy.” He replied shakily, clutching at the chair’s armrests for dear life. It didn’t take canine senses to tell him he was outside, but with both powerful smell and hearing painting pictures in his mind it was difficult to ignore. “He’s a psychology major and he’s dropped by on occasion since I was released from the labs.He couldn’t help but chuckle nervously at being called pup. It brought back a few memories of a ruined friendship with a pterodactyl girl who’d called him puppy, another testament to how well Jordan makes friends and then stupidly turns them against him.

Every bump had made him edgy and nervous that he was going to topple over like Alec had in their frantic escape from Jamal. That was what happened, an unseen rock had sent them to the ground toppled over.

Once they’d stopped, Jordan nodded softly at hearing Awen’s request to open his eyes. He still clutched at the wheelchair arms tightly. Jordan took several deep breaths in preparation. He kept telling himself he was safe, but it was difficult to admit ot himself that he’d come out so far. Slowly, he pried an eyelid open. He was jittery, shaking all over, as he opened his eyes a bit more, gasping with the anxiety coming back rapidly. “O-O-Okay… before I change my mind..” he gripped Awen’s hand tight, as to signal he was ready to make the leap to the water.

"Well you'll have to introduce me to Victor sometime. He sounds like a good guy, smart too." The manta made sure to lock the break on the wheelchair before trying to get the dog off.

"Okay, I'm going to pull you up and..well... for lack of a better way try to use that momentum to get you into the water, alright? This part of the lake is pretty deep right off the shore, but not deep enough for you not to hit the bottom. It may sting a bit at the jostle but it's better than trying to struggle through the mud..alright? On the count of three...""

"One.... two...three!" Awen pulled up and over on the dog's arms with all her might, hoping that he would as well push himself up and hopefully get him into the water. Once in that far Awen could more easily help him.

Jordan nodded. “Alright. I’m ready.” He placed his paws back onto the wheelchair armrests, readying himself to push off, like a child launching from a swing. He rocked himself back and forth, though it had hurt a little to do so, awaiting her signal. He was judging the force needed to make it into the water without falling short and becoming a mud puppy. This seemed crazy, but at the same time, somewhat rational. Jordan knew he could trust Awen. She wouldn’t let him drown.

He used his momentum to their advantage as Awen hefted him to his feet, propelling himself up and out of the chair and waving his arms to stablilize himself. “Whooooooa…” He could feel his legs go limp under him and he had to lean on her shoulder for support or fall down on the spot. Jordan wrapped an arm over her back as he wondered how this was going to work. His legs were seemingly unresponsive and sore from prolonged unuse.

“I’m sorry I can’t do more to help. I feel like I’ll fall over at any moment. My legs feel so weird.. so numb and dead..”

"OH geez!" Awen had meant to push the guy over the edge into the water, not just into a standing position besider her. His weight threw her off balance and almost made them both fall to the ground, but by some miracle Awen gained her footing and shouldered Jordan's weight as much as she could. Sure she was hunched over and stressing to keep them upright let alone able to walk to the water. But it was something.

She huffed a bit under pressure. "Alright..." She said with a strain. "Just.. try to keep balance. Once we're at the edge.... I'm going to have to drop you into the water. Sorry I don't think... there is any more...graceul of a way to do this..."

The manta tried to take a wobbling step forward.

Leave it to Jordan to make any seemingly simple task difficult. He felt bad for putting so much strain on Awen. “Please don’t hurt yourself on my.” He commented softly, trying to sound less like a burden, but that’s exactly what he was to someone or another, just a burden. That’s why he was better off as a subject than rotting in prison. Or so he would be led to believe.

“Alright. I think I know how to do this.” He nodded to her with a stupid grin. He had to do this in one fall swoop or he’d wind up in the mud, so he jerked his torso off to the side as he let go of Awen, and let his body splash into the water ungracefully.

The water felt so good on his fur-shaven body. His head popped out of the water, leaving his shoulders barely exposed as he looked back, smiling up at the manta. He didn’t panic. There was no need to. He was able to sit in this part of the water comfortably and have his head poke above the surface. “I’ve missed how great this feels.”

Awen was once again set off balance bu the sudden weight shift on her shoulders. She hadn't expected Jordan to do that on his own so quickly. She fell to her knees as Jorda splashed over the edge and into the deep-ish water. She grinned as she moved closer to see the dog boy's smile.

"It is wonderful, isn't it?" The girl lowered herself into the lake a little more slowly and gracefully. Looking around Awen found what she wanted. There was a small spot nearby where the river met the lake. It was not too unlike where she and Richard had met for their convorsation, semi-deep but with shallow parts where the water ran over rocks to make enough noise to confuse speak in microphones. She took the dog's arm and tugged a little. "Let yourself float, I'll bring you over there. The flowing water might help a bit more than the more stagnant stuff."

She'd not forgotten why she took Jordan on this little outting.

Once more nodding, he allowed himself to be dragged into the flowing waters, smiling at the feeling of moving water over his bared skin, something he missed dearly and knew wouldn’t last. All that fur to grow back sometime.

“Yes it is wonderful.” He felt his body float more as he let his muscles relax. He couldn’t help but smile as he was indeed feeling good in her company, in the water. “Good thing I know the doggy paddle.” He winked at the horrible pun. His anxiety was melting away in the cross-stream. Jordan’s muscles relaxed even more and he let himself soak up the momentary peace.

“I bet you know lots of places like this.” He curiously asked, skimming his arms over the water’s surface once they were settled into the new location. Jordan closed his eyes and sat there, ears flicking every now and again, but it was obvious he was more calmed than he had been.

Awen smiled for a moment watching the dog-man just soak everything in. The flowing waters, the warm sunlight the calming gentle words. It was a wonderful moment...

"Yeah... there are a lot of lovely spots I don't think many other people really know or care about." She ran fer fingers along the water watching the tipples and trails it left. "And there are a few wonderful little underwater caves I wish I could show you."

She shook her head slowly. The moment must end.. there was a reason to this, and it wasn't a little pleasure trip.

"Jordan..." Her tone suddenly changed to a more serious one. "I'm worried about you..."

It was a grand moment. A shame that it did have to come to an end, but before that had to be, Jordan relaxed his body even more, sinking down till his chin was touching the water. His arms lay at his sides beneath the water. He smiled, still with his eyes closed, as he wished he could see those caves as well. The things Awen was privy to by mere fact that she was aquatic in nature made him envious. Alas, the happy moment had to stop sometime.

Jordan opened an eye just enough to peer out of the corner from his vision. “You are?” was all that he could articulate. Jordan hadn’t anticipated that. He’d thought she was going for the hard material off the bat, like Richard had tactlessly done in his obsession with the loyalty serum that had leaked out in drunken intimidation.

"Well, yeah of course." She said and kept her eyes to the water as she tried to work her words carefully. "Last I saw you you were completely irrational. You were irate, rude, and obsessive. I wouldn't have been surprised if you would have took a crack at me for saying something bad about Moreau."

She paused for a second and closed her eyes trying to get things right in her mind. "That's not you Jordan. I mean.. I knew you before your changes... before all..this.." She shook her head. "No. There is something wrong..." She opened her eyes and looked at the dog. "I mean... I know that you sympathised with Moreau... thought he was doing you good. But I mean... he is destroying lives... hurting people... breaking up families and turning... people like Jamal into Jamal." She shook her head. "Why... why risk life and limb for him. Why be so defensive? Why... did you look at me like you wanted to hurt me for my comment about him? Jordan.. that isn't you."

Awen purposefully avoided the subject of a loyalty serum for the time being.

“I… don’t know what to say, Awen.. I didn’t mean to involve you.. but I was scared. I didn’t want to die out there.. and I could have potentially killed a human bystander in the process..” He lowered his head in shame. “I came to you because I needed a friend at my side..” he huffed, rubbing at his temples. “Truth-be-told, it was supposed to be Lauren backing me up. Doctor’s orders. Except she was no where to be found. I’m so sorry, Awen..”

“No.. not exactly.. that wasn’t me speaking, per se. I mean, it was and it wasn't. I’d been scared until Lauren had come to my duplex one day maybe two weeks after my arrival. She put things into perspective for me, gave me the sunnier-side-of-the-island speech… Moreau is our salvation. If we work with him and not against him, we can have anything we can desire. I wanted so badly to believe her that I even gave that speech verbatim to a newcomer, myself… and then I transformed infront of her... for the first time” he shook his head, not wanting to divulge the chemical influence. Not yet. “I bought into her persuasive words. It’s hard to explain what’s happening to me, Awen.”

She rose so many good points that he would have difficulty disputing. “I don’t know what to say in my defense. I can’t erase my mistakes.”

"I'm not looking for you to apologise Jordan." She said in a rather flat tone. "You really have to stop apologising for every little thing." She shook her head slowly. "I'm worried for you, not angry with you."

Tilting her head back to look up at the sky the manta was backed into a corner. "Truth be told I've heard a very disturbing rumour Jordan... And you may not like it... hell I don't even know if I believe it... but I'm terrified of it and what it could mean. It goes beyond the subjects, beond the lab techs... hell it goes beyond the island."

The girl ran a nervous hand through her hair. "I always looked on the bright side of things. The research here could be used to cure countless diseases, mental conditions and advance mankind in a way nothing else can..." Her hand gripped into a fist and she cursed. "But to think it was going to be used for weapons... just... it disgusts me. Disgusts me that I've embraced this life so much when it will cause a whole lot of pain..."

Looking over to Jordan she frowned. "Loyalty serum. A way of controlling us, the techs... people, military forces, governments... This is so much beyond is....and it scares the hell out of me Jordan."

She wasn’t angry with him. That was a good start. He didn’t want to blow up at Awen and she’d called him out on many valid points. One being that he was pissed at her in the jungle with Dee and Thom. And he was ready to slug her for that comment about Moreau then.. Jordan did apologized a lot since being a test subject. It came with the territory of being such a screw-up, despite his efforts. The coming blow had been softened and he looked over to her a bit nervously.

Jordan remained silent, while hanging onto the manta’s every motion, every word. It was best to let her speak her peace, though he hadn’t imagined the research conducted upon the island could possibly be used in biological warfare. Transforming humans into human0animal hybrids, sure he could believe that as it was happening to most everyone on the remote island, but manipulating the technology for global military purposes? That was kinda far-fetched. It sounded like the rumor-mill was huffing paint thinner.

He’d expected her to come looking for information, but Jordan had not anticipated Awen bluntly stating those words that were making his life more difficult thanks to a damned transgender tentacle cat poking her nose where it didn’t belong. His body submerged abruptly, as he splashed in surprise. Loyalty serum?! How the hell did she come to know about that?!

Jordan popped his head back up, spitting out a lung-full of water and coughing. Jordan was wide-eyed as he frantically splashed closer to Awen, his large paws making that easier to tread water without the use of his legs. She’d hit something on the nail and it drove deep as he gripped her shoulders firmly, staring her in the eyes with that wild expression.

“Awen. Listen to me. This is very important.” He lowered his voice in urgent fear. “Where’d you hear that?” there was no point in pretending, with Awen, that he didn’t know about the loyalty serum. He was a terrible liar and she quite possibly knew him better than anyone on the island. “For your own safety, please, don’t get involved. Whoever’s told you is playing a dangerous game that could cause each of us more trouble than anyone in the labs ever could.”

Awen's eyes widened as Jordan revealed his knowledge of the subject. She'd hoped that Richard was exadurating, or just being paranoid. But it was true? She shook her head, her tone become sligtly more harsh, but not angry. "Jordan, I'm already involved."

She looked directly into the pup's eyes with a steady gaze. "We're already in more trouble than the labs could give us. You have to understand that. Why would Moreau develop such a thing, just for his own amusement? To keep us in line? He could put us in chages and be done with it. No. No, no. There is something more in that scheming red head of his. Something bigger. But you know about it? He..." Awen backed up a half inch in the water. "He's injected you with it hasn't he? You're his test first subject?"

Or was Lauren his first? She couldn't tell anymore if the mongoose's love of the man was real or... no, no... Moreau really had saved Lauren from her torment on the streets. She'd reacted favourable to the labs, but so did Awen. Or perhaps... they were experiments first with it? Milder versions? Had Moreau been working on it the entire time? And Jordan was just the first...extreme subject?

Thoughts swirled around in Awen's head as her heart thumped hard in her chest. She had to keep calm.

"Richard's a better ma--person than you think." She said softly. The girl rubbed her temples softly. "But that's not the issue. She isn't the only one who is worried." The manta sighed and shook her head. "I was the one who brought to light the world wide consequences of something like this. And from what I can tell no one but Moreau knows of this serum. His lab techs, the guards... not even Sabin and Aubrey were told about it from what I gather."

She bit her lip. "Jordan, I'm just saying that this is serious. It isn't just about you."

Any fire that he wanted to vent onto Richard to make her look like the monster she acted around himself was cut short. He snapped his neck up at the mention it was Awen and not the feline who’d instigated this matter to another level. He wouldn’t berate his friend. He couldn’t. He wasn’t even certain what could be ascertained from what she’d just said. His head swam as it began to hurt with an oncoming headache.

A sigh, then he brushed back his long, flowing hair. He didn’t know where to progress from here. It would have been so much simpler to use Richard as a means to execute his hostilities, but Awen.. she really was a part of this now. It.. this situation had escalated because of a comment Awen had made? He just didn’t know how to process this information. It was confusing that she had a hand in this matter.

Jordan gave her a wounded look. He did feel betrayed by her intervention into the matter, now having a better understanding of why Richard was becoming so much more fanatical about this. “It’s no longer just about me.” he couldn’t hold back anymore. “That piece of garbage chastises me for having worked for Moreau for only a year, when he/she/it worked for Feral far longer than I had some thirty years before me. How is Richard a better person and worthy of absolution for having connections to Feral, when she hunts me down and terrorizes me for information that’s only going to get us all killed?” he tried to contain his anger at the injustice of it all, not wanting to scare Awen, but that was a difficult task when mentioning the displacer beast. “You once told me that there were no factions, that it was just ‘us’ as a community. Richard has an agenda of her own now and is using people at her disposal. Richard is operating on a faction of her own and damned the consequences. If it kills us all, she’ll have her answers only to prove what? A futile point? She is not better than Moreau. She is the same as him.”

Jordan took a moment to calm himself. “Richard is a loose cannon and I’m worried for your own safety, Awen. As long as you value her so highly, you're in danger of falling prey to that beast.”

Awen closed her eyes and took a breath. Why does everyone treat her like such a child? All the time, when she tries to talk seriously to an islander about something she's always beeing swayed, influenced. She is always dragged into something, or influenced and pushed by someone else. She was always being led around, Richard with his investigation, Sabin with his loyalties and now Jordan. Was she such a fool? So naive as everyone seems to think?

"I am not a child!" She said finally as she opened her eyes. "I'm not being lead around into some death trap by Richard. I am doing this because I don't think it's right Jordan. I'm terrified of what is going to happen to us once Moreau is done with his experiments. When he's gathered all the data he wants, when he's finished his loyalty experiments." She moved closer to the dog-man. "What do you think will happen once he's done? He's just going to keep the island open, spending millions of dollars to keep people away, to feed us, keep us in our nice duplexes, importing everything we need?" Slowly keeping her eyes on the man she shook her head. "When the experiment is over all the lab rats die."

"This isn't Richard's words. These are mine. I'm not being swallowed by any beast but Moreau. This has gone beyond Richard and his silly suspisions. Sabin is afraid, Jordan. Sabin. You know, Moreau's right hand man?" She huffed. "And you can't begin to tell me this is at all right or ethical. It's a loyalty serum, mind control Jordan. One that actually works. You can't tell me that Moreau made this is just for you. Just for us subjects? You can't be so naive."

"Jordan, I'm talking to you not because I want to help Richard research. It's because I am ******** terrified. I am worried about you, now. I'm worried about everyone for later."

He was taken aback by the sudden outburst, loosing his balance as he splashed backwards into the water. Had he said something wrong? “I didn’t say you were. I’m just looking out for you, dammit! I don’t want you getting hurt, okay?! It’s still alright to show concern for someone you care about, isn’t it?” he growled in frustration and smashed a fist into the water as he diverted his gaze from her only momentarily. Jordan fell silent, though. Moreau wouldn’t kill them off, would he? Of course not! They were all-too valuable to simply dispose of wastefully.

He was speechless, allowing her to rant uninterrupted for a lack of anything intelligent to say. Jordan was naïve, though. That’s what got him into so much trouble. Still, what she was saying about global applications still seemed crazy. Moreau had hand-selected him to be here as a test subject, as a means of research. He would be spared such a horrible fate, no? To survive a near-death mauling only to be ‘downsized’? “Some people need to be controlled. Jamal, Annie, anyone else who poses an immediate threat to us and the well-being of everyone on this island.” The irony of that statement had flown over his head as he was immediately thrust into that category as he was the first recipient of the loyalty serum. “I almost died because of a homicidal madman half-tiger! If I have to be used as a guinea pig so that people like that can be controlled, so be it.” Jordan clenched his jaw, grating his fangs with agitation. Why was she so stubborn and unwilling to see this had beneficial applications?! And certainly she wasn’t alone in this view.

Jordan knew he could trust Awen and he believed her that she wasn’t here on Richard’s behalf. “I’m scared too, but what can I do about any of this? I’m just Moreau’s dog. I’m not becoming some predatory creature that can stand it’s ground in a battle. If this matter progress the way it has been, then I’m afraid we may be on the verge of a civil war upon the island that will claim casualties. I’m sorry that it’s scared you. If I’ve scared you. I don’t want to see innocent people hurt over this. All of the others who don’t know about the loyalty serum and who can’t know for their own safety.”

Awen stared in shock and horror at what Jordan was saying. How could he even suggest such a...?

"There wouldn't be a madman half-tiger if it wasn't for Moreau! Jamal wasn't such a bad guy before all that tiger s**t started to mess with his mind! And Annie. Dear lord Jordan! She was the sweetest girl you ever would have met! She was kind, caring and never did anything to hurt anyone. But because of Moreau she is a feral beast roaming the jungle. They wouldn't need to be controlled if it weren't for that real mad-man's damned experiments! So don't you dare use them as examples of what needs to be controlled. Yes for our safety now something has to be done but it was Moreau who put us in such a situation to begin with! They were not bad people, they didn't need to be controlled!"

Her breathing was becoming very laboured at this point. She was getting too worked up to be above water. Just sitting in it wasn't good enough if she was still breathing air, she needed to feel the water pass through her gills again.

"YOU ARE NOT MOREAU'S DOG! You are a human being Jordan, not a pet! You deserve better than this. I don't care what he's been telling you or doing to you. You deserve better than this. And everyone of those islanders... who are going about their business oblivious to what's happening do not deserve their freedom further squashed. There may not be much we can do Jordan.... but this is wrong. Can't you see that?"

She huffed again and shook her head. "I loved my transformation. I enjoy my abilities, they are gifts. I see the medical application to these experiments, I understand their usefullness. But there are willing test subjects for this sort of thing. For god's sake go into the furry community and get voluenteers. Don't pray on people with little other choice, don't trick people into spending their life savings on it. Don't hurt the family's of those left behind. Jordan, I may accept the transformations, I may understand those. But there is no reason for a mind control serum. There are other methods of control, there are other ways to keep people safe. This has a grander, shadier application."

At this point the poor girl began practically hyperventilating. She took in too deep and too quick of breaths. Her webbed hand came up to her throat as she tried to make herself breathe. "This.... isn't...right..." Tears came to her eyes as she struggled for breath.

He’d just had his a** handed to him on a silver platter. There was no defense, no retort to what she had said. He didn’t even have the time to apologize once again when Awen was looking green in the gills, as it were.

s**t. Something was wrong with her! After that lengthy vent, she was looking like she was in pain. Their shouting match was going nowhere fast and taking its toll on his aquatic friend. She was crying for God’s sake! Awen’s breathing was scaring him and he paddled to her side desperately. The hand at her throat was a universal sign for ‘can’t breathe’ indicating there was a good chance that she couldn’t breathe.

“Awen! Shitshitshit!” he repeated the profanity in urgent concern as he had no time to think about what could be done to help her. “Don’t die on me! I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” He blathered as he had to quickly act. He was suddenly brought back to the moment of her last change when she dove into the water. She needed deeper water? That had to be it!

“Awen! We need to get you to deeper water!” damn his broken, non-functioning legs. This was life and death here! Jordan cried in pain as he willed his body to move. He grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to the where the river diverged into the lake. He had to save her at any risk. Swimming one-armed was a difficult task and harder considering he was trying to move against the flow with one arm. He bit his bottom lip and hissed through his teeth. His futile attempt was just that. Futile and tiring for his healing body. “Won’t… let you.. diiie..” he huffed between words as he tried harder to push against the flow. His head was bobbing below the water's surface as he struggled to push his body.

"I'm...not...." She tried to say but then Jordan gripped her arm and started to struggle to get into deeper waters. Awen struggled against him, he couldn't go out there he can't swim with his legs as they were! She had to do something or he'd drown.

Twisted her body so that she was facing him on her back Awen put her flippers onto the dog's chest. With a mighty heave she pushed him away from her, hard, back towards the shallow water where he could sit upright. While at the same time pushing herself further into the depths.

She shot through the water letting the water rush through her gills, letting air back into her system. She cursed herself and she damned body. This wasn't the proper way to end a debate. But she needed to make sure he knew she was okay. She pushed herself to the surface.

"I'm okay." She said with a small wave. "I'm not dying...just a tad hard to breath."

It had happened so quickly. He was trying to figure it out as he regained his own breath. Damn, Awen’s a lot stronger than she looks! At first it felt like he was sinking and then he was spun around so quickly and ontop of the manta. He’d gasped a bit, holding onto her as Awen had placed her flippers upon his chest. Jordan wasn’t sure what was going on. He was a bit puzzled about what she was doing and offered a nervous grin. That’s when he was catapulted away from her without a moment’s notice, gasping as he felt the wind knocked from him.

Jordan splashed back into the shallows, shaking his head out, all that cascading wet hair flinging back and forth as he did. A paw wiped away some of the water that had splashed across his face to see that Awen was safely on the other side.

He waved back gently, settling back into the shallow side. “That makes twice I’ve tried to save you.” Jordan said with a grin. It was an attempt to break the tension.

"I'm a big girl, Jordan." She chuckled. "I'm capable of saving myself every now and again, eh?"

Shaking her head she sighed. "I don't think I should stay above water for much longer... We'll have to continue... or discontinue our discussion later. Give me a minute more of swimming around and I should be able to take you back to your duplex.... but that's about it for now I'm afraid."

Indeed the manta needed to stay in the water. Their argument had grown too heated and she needed to swim and clear her head and lungs.

He smiled softly to her, nodding to her retort, but the smile melted into a sag when Awen announced that she needed to leave. Jordan gave a huffing breath as well, thinking that may not be such a bad idea. Their argument had come close to physical blows. Jordan’s energy was fading as well. The meds took the edge of the pain, but his healing body didn’t have the stamina it used to. The shouting, the heated emotion was making him feel weak, so he remained sitting in the shallows to reduce exertion.

“Awen, before you go…” he rolled his neck to the left and scratched at an itch behind his ear “whatever happens… no matter what… please take care of yourself.” He looked down to the water where he caused ripples with a paw. “I’ve been fighting the foreign canine DNA for weeks now, trying to retain my humanity. I’m afraid I’ll lose my humanity if my willpower falters. I can’t change what’s happened to me, but you’ll always be my friend, no matter what.”

They say you hurt the ones you love the most, friends included. Jordan was becoming afraid that if lost himself to the animal that was consuming him, he’d no longer be able to differentiate such boundaries of friend and enemy. Awen’s dedication to the disclosure of the loyalty serum was a threat to him and everyone involved.

Jordan awoke groggy. The remnants of fading dreams departed from immediate memory. Half a year now.. it was approaching six months, if not beyond, since his arrival- and so much had happened in that time- including but not limited to- being mauled and paralyzed from the waist down.

As he pulled the blanket off of his body, with a mighty yawn, Jordan blinked as he felt something against his paw-like foot. He was feeling the blanket, the sheet underneath and the mattress supporting his canine body. That wasn’t what freaked him out though. His eyes flew open in time to see his foot wriggling from the base of his bed. This surprise caused him to sit up swiftly, feeling a slight pain in his upper arm as he hoisted himself up on his arms into a propped-up sitting position. The injection mark was hidden from view, underneath his shirt, so he didn’t think much of it.

“Oh my god…” he stared in awe at the movement underneath the blanket. He’d stare for almost five minutes before puling back the bed coverings. A tear of joy came to his eye as he could actually feel again, move his legs once more. “Oh my god!” he laughed, repeating his excited oration again and again. He nearly leapt out of his bed in half-asleep excitement. He couldn’t keep this to himself! Jordan had to go out! This was something that had to be shared in good company!

Moreau's dog meets Sabin's dog with surprising results

Jordan Essex

Jordan had no idea what his new acquaintance, hopefully friend, was thinking. Like them all, eventually you thought about home. He’d gotten caught up in all of the island politics that it had taken a sweet elderly woman by the name of Thina to remind him of the family he’d never see again, how it had only ever been Jordan, his mother, and father.. and even then he barely saw his parents. No one to look up to, no one to use as a role model. All he’d ever wanted was an older brother to look out for him. His parents compensated that with pets. Hardly the same.

Those steaks smelled so good too. A good slab of meat was what the doctor prescribed, so to speak. Jordan watched intently, sprawled on his stomach like a dog with his legs parted to the sides. He was comfortable on his soft bed, moreso when that luscious cold steak was placed infront of him. He didn’t know if it would be bad practice to eat with his paws in the company of the other dog, so he waited and then followed suit, pinning it down to the plate and tearing into it, likewise tugging and ripping it with flesh-tearing fangs. It didn’t take long for him to finish either, as he wolfed his food.

Jordan nodded to the question, licking some juice from his muzzle. “Ah feel much beddah now.. tha’ks ta wu.”Jordan was curious about him. Did he have family back home too? Should he even ask? He wanted to know more about Nicky. He wanted to befriend this savior from the sands. “Fahgeev mah.. buhd.. do wu mind ef ah ashk a parsonel keshtion? Uhm… ah wash wundring… pleesh dun bah mad.. ah wash wundring.. ef wu had famlee.. ah nevah had much of a famlee.. buhd ahll nevah see them again.. what wu did out thar.. ef ahd evah had ahn olda brother, ahd imagine he’d been like wu..” he was looking up to this guy something fierce.. “shorry.. ah know.. et shounds sho shtupid..”

Nicky Bartels

Nicky too proceeded to completely devour his steak. He didn't even realize until he was almost finished just how he was eating it. Sure, back home when he was feeling lazy and was by himself, he would eat a leftover steak with his hands...but not like this. The tearing from side to side...the open-mouthed chewing...it was just so strange to Nicky. With a sigh, he just pushed it from his mind and finished up the steak a bit after Jordan. He knew he couldn't keep pushing these worrying thoughts away forever...but not now...not in front of Jordan. He couldn't show anything but confidence in front of him. Once finished, he easily leaned back against the wall...wincing slightly as his sore tail pressed uncomfortably against him. He took a moment to rearrange the obviously non-canine like, offending appendage.

He felt a lot better though, now that he had some food in him...that steak hit the spot and hit it well. As he licked his chops, he didn't even notice his tail move very slowly from side-to side. At Jordan's questions though, his ears perked up slightly at attention. He licked his nose in thought before answering. "Well..." he began, making a point not to address being mad or minding at all, "yeah...I never had much in the way of a family. Was an only child...parents didn't really care about me too much. Until recently I had a large group of friends that turned out to be anything but that..." He trailed off though as Jordan finished with his comment about brothers. Nicky was shocked to be honest, and his only reaction was to give a genuine smile. No sarcastic smirk or false face for once...just a small smile. "Heh...don't be, Jordan...I'm honored." He wasn't quite sure what to make of this...after his initial reaction, he immediately began to suspect that maybe Jordan was making fun of him...but that look on his face...could he be telling the truth? "Besides..." he continued hesitantly, unsure of how to capitalize on the gem Jordan had just thrown to him, "I'm sure anyone else would have done the same."

Jordan Essex

Jordan scoffed incredulously. “Ahnyone elshe woulda left me there or laughed at mah mishzery…” Namely Richard or Newt. Jordan respected this guy too much to beat around the bush. He wouldn’t show his full hand, but he’d lay down enough for the man to go on. “Ahv dun thingsh ahm not proud of..” he turned his head away to look outside his window, gazing at the surf.

He wanted Nicky to think highly of him as much as did for Nicky- even if that meant telling him things that would make him leery. He couldn’t play this game of pretending everything is fine, like he had with Awen. Now she was turning against him… “People here.. they hear mah name en convosashion and associate me autamatacally...” a sharp, indignant huff erupted from his flaring nose. “Ahv dun watt ahv had ta do ta savive here.. hypacrits..”

He closed his eyes for a moment to keep himself from becoming emotional. This was not the time for that. “Ahm loshing mah best friend on thish ahland, ahv hurt people.. ahv…” He couldn’t hold it back much longer. Jordan was remorseful for the innocents he’d taken down and the lives he’d interrupted. A choking sob escaped, but he'd be strong. He had to! “Ahm not a monshter… ahv even tried ta be like them and undashtand them… buhd ah guessh ahm not meant ta be like them.. ahm shorry for tha people ah hurt. Ah though ah wash doeeng tha right thing at tha time..”

Nicky Bartels

Nicky just leaned against the wall, impassive, as Jordan spread his feelings out before him. Goddamn...a person after my own heart... he thought to himself incredulously as he just watched Jordan become more and more emotional as he weaved his tale. Only did what he needed to in order to survive, huh? I'm guessing he was roped in by Moreau then...except Moreau didn't need anything from anyone...Sabin on the other hand...Sabin needs something...which is why I can do business with him. But something tells me that even when Jordan did what Moreau wanted...it didn't work out for him physically...and Moreau wouldn't lift a finger to help. That's why Moreau will fall...he can't take care of his people. How can someone so brilliant be so ignorant at the same time? It boggles the mind. He idly wondered if Richard was one of these Jordan slighted then...the credibility of such biased information should not be taken lightly. He knew how to deal with the cat-woman then...at least he had an idea. Slowly, his initial shock and intimidated outlook on Richard had begun to fade as he began to realize just how many chinks were in her armor.

"...bastards," he muttered out as he continued to listen to Jordan. The dog-man was right though...they were all hypocrites in one way or another. Especially those holier-than-thou he had met so far. Survival was key...those idiots try not to realize this by hiding behind building something...'normal'...like a theater. The idea that they hurt this poor, pathetic dog-man enraged Nicky...a frown creeping into his features as he listened. If he had the means and opportunity, at the moment he would like nothing better than to bash the offenders' brains in.

"That's bullshit, Jordan...the fact that they lash out at you is sickening. And any 'friend' that won't back you in such a difficult time as this," he said while gesturing to the obvious difficulty Jordan was facing, "is no friend worth having....wanting to survive is no crime...and those that think so are goddamn fools."

Jordan Essex

He had to remain strong. It was imperative not to be lost in a sea of rough emotions as that had caused severe bouts of depression in his earlier weeks of island life. He accepted that he was a screw-up long ago, but it didn’t mean he had to like it. He could change. People were known to change, after all. The one who remains static in the face of such turmoil is either insane or utterly oblivious. Jordan was like those waves he gazed upon: calm and friendly one day, yet rough and forboding the next. It had become a way to deal with the madness- or to prevent himself from succumbing to it. That’s why he did what he had to to survive. That’s why he was willing to play ball with Moreau, because no one else gave a damn. At least Moreau was consistent. If Moreau were going to betray him, then at least he’d have some idea it would be coming. However, that day wasn’t today.

Jordan’s attention was drawn from the ocean with an ear-flick that had caught the word Nicky uttered. “Huh..?” he slowly turned his head, repositioning himself for comfort reasons by folding his arms over one another and leaning forward on them. “Hoh..” he nodded respectfully “We ahl deal wiff t’ings deefrentlee..” Jordan offered a sage nod. “Ah do watt ah hawd ta.. beecaush ah could haf been shent ta prsihon.. poshiblee keeled or worsh en lawkdown.. but instead..” Jordan was just telling this man things that perhaps he shouldn’t be, but so far he hadn’t lunged at his throat “Ah wash brawt here fow ah second chawnce.. ahm shorry if that pishes on ahnywun’sh day, but thawt esh waw ah do watt ah gotta do ta survive.. ah know ahm jusht ah pawn.. buhd ah usheful pawn esh kept alive..”

Then… as if out of the blue, he listened as Nicky was actually supporting him?! Could it be that someone didn’t condemn him for looking out for his interests? Now Jordan knew this was a good man. He wasn’t chastising him hypocritically, as Richard had, for the cat had ties with Feral as well he’d learned early on. It was such offered knowledge that had caused Jordan to confide into the now cat-woman of his affiliations, in hopes of understanding, not torment. He was stunned. No one previously had ever been this nice after knowing so much of his shady wheelings and dealings. “Ah t’ink wwe undashtand wun ahnutha qwit wall, Neeky.” He wriggled his nose with a small grimace.

Nicky Bartels

Nicky watched Jordan for his reaction as the half-formed dog-taur dealt with his own emotions. The soon-to-be Cerberus, himself, had thoughts of his own as he shivered slightly from the cold in the room. He also had worries about his own employer...Sabin...hell, who wouldn't? Eccentricities were always something to worry about. But Nicky had his own reasons for dealing with one of the people who did this to him. He had transcended the initial survival instinct and gone back to searching for some measure of control. Sabin would be able to supply that...he seemed to be the adviser behind the throne...and when all is said and done, the king is usually killed while the adviser slinks off into the sunset. Nicky knew this...and he was more than willing to capitalize. Though...he would need someone with loose morals on his side. Richard was a liability...Gaius was too outspoken...from what he heard of Zach, he was unable to control himself...but Jordan...if only he could get Jordan back into the good graces of the other islanders, he could be very useful. Already he seemed to be a direct access to Moreau...

He hadn't even noticed that he had stopped watching Jordan, lost in his own thoughts, when Jordan began talking about his own past. Nicky's eyes widened the slightest bit at that information. Well...Cons need to stick together...his face once more became impassive, except for a slight smirk on his canine muzzle. "Witness protection program," he said slowly, eying Jordan for any change in temperament. He was going out on a limb himself here, he was pretty sure Jordan would take this well...but there was always the slight chance his views may take a complete 180 upon hearing of his own checkered past. Though he was banking on Jordan being able to commiserate with his own troubles. "New Orleans...working with the wrong people..." he said, trailing off, hoping that that would be enough for the dog-taur.

Jordan Essex

Jordan didn’t ask questions he shouldn’t. He’d never known anyone in the witness protection program, but he assumed Nicky had been the better man in his own situation. His initial reaction slipped with a momentary raise of his eyebrows, but not much more than that. You don’t isolate the only guy in six months who wasn’t acting the part of judge, jury, and executioner. This guy was the real deal, a man who was on the level of the commoner, not some high and mighty aristocrat like so many others acted. Pretentious fakes and social butterflies trying to outdo who’s the most cultured and dignified. Whatever… He liked Nicky’s style. That’s all that mattered.

“Shum peepul math not be sho undashtandeen, buhd ahm not wun to judge, conshidereen mah own mishtakes.” Jordan offered forward as a peaceful resolution to the potentially-offensive quirking of his brow. “Yeer ah reel perhun, Neeky. Yah undashtand reel peepul, not preetendeen tah be shumwun yah ahnt. Wu ahn ah ahr here for reeshons of ore own doeen.” Jordan expressed a rare moment of insight. He usually seemed aloof and uninvolved with the lives of the other people, but perhaps that was all a clever ruse to begin with. He may be naïve, but he wasn’t stupid.

Nicky Bartels

He knew it was probably a bad idea to give up so much information to someone like Jordan...but who's he going to tell? And Christ...if he does, who'll believe him? But all in all, he wasn't too worried about it...Jordan seems like a loyal one when all's said and done. Seems that's the only moral scruple he kept dear to him. Of course, Jordan wasn't the only one who knew about that...he was pretty sure he at least hinted at his marred past in his dealings with Victor. "Oh...you're right on the money there, Jordan," he said with a nod and a grin, showing off his well-developed canine teeth. "People tend to forget their own sins when they're overshadowed by someone else's."

He took a moment to look over Jordan as he leaned against the wall...his tail still lazily swinging back and forth. A small spark flared up in him for the briefest of moments...something was wrong...he was being way too open with this near-stranger. But...stressful situations bring along strange bedfellows...and with that thought, the spark went out.

"Heh...I appreciate that, Jordan. Too manyof the islanders are full of nothing but fluff...hiding in their own little activities and projects to forget about what's happening to them. It's no wonder they're treated the way they are by the labs. If you ask me," he said while walking closer to the bed and sitting down on his haunches, "they're the rat bastards who're selling out."

Jordan Essex

Jordan pushed himself up stretching his arms in an attempt to sit in a different position. The long body was so awkward and had him confused as to how he could become used to this particular change. It wasn’t like his first change where his hands and feet ad become paws. Jordan was able to function almost normally still; but, being reduced to walking on all fours with his spine having realigned, leaving him reeling in pain. The aspirin Nicky had given him weren’t by any means as strong as the pain medication he’d been using for a couple weeks now, but it was better than nothing. The middle leg that had grown surprised him when it pushed up as well, more easily propping his torso into a raised position, while leaving his hindquarters slumped across the bed.

“Peepul act like theh nevah ded ahnyt’ing wrong. Ohr theh conveniently ‘fohget’ ” He huffed with indignation once again, his nose flaring wildly at the very notion of others placing themselves on such pedestals. “Ahn cuz of that, ahnywun hoosh not wiff thar view, then thar not gud ahnuf aht ahl. Ah hat ahlitisht haschool mentahliteesh..” Jordan rolled his eyes after comparing many of the islanders to a network of high school children stabbing one another in the back to be the ‘golden child’ of the in-crowd.

Jordan regarded the other canine’s statement with an approving nod. “Ahv not had much inta’action wiff them. Ah havint falt welcome ahrond them. Eetsh eashier to dishtance mahshelf then deal wiff thar ballsheet..” he shook his head getting a few errant strands of blond hair in his eyes. “Watt abot wu, Neeky? How haf wu been doeen? Met ahnywun othah than mahshelf?” He asked curiously. “Ahd trah to avowd a few peepul.. lahk a nashty cat named Reechaard.. ahnd ah shychotic frog named Newt..” Jordan could use an ally against these folks. Inwardly he smiled from ear-to-ear, hoping Nicky would heed his warning.

Nicky Bartels

With a curious eye, Nicky watched Jordan shift positions. He idly wondered just how the mechanics of such a being worked. For instance...did he still have only one heart? It seemed like a body that big would need more than one in order to survive properly...either that or his single heart will soon work itself to death. He had heard cases of those with thyroid gland problems ending up just dropping dead in their late thirties. For that matter...how long could any of them live? Almost everything around nowadays causes cancer...and from what he studied back in college, such cellular growth at such a rapid rate would be anything but good for you. Forced mutations couldn't be accurate...he shuddered slightly at the thought of bursting out in tumors.

"You get that a lot in my line of work...it's called group-think...and in such a stressful situation such as this, you're lucky you weren't lynched," he said with a sigh. "All in all, they're not bad people...just...kind of ignorant. Of course...ignorance can be deadly." He looked away for a moment as he straightened up, his knees popping as he stood. It took a careful hand placed on the wall to balance himself as one foot tried to stand on it's tiptoes while the other remained flat of the floor. "...Christ..." he muttered to himself while looking down at his clawed toes.

"Hmm? Oh...just, mingling, I suppose. Information is key here. But yes...I've met this Pegasus named Gaius and whoever else he normally hangs out with....but ah...a frog named Newt? Haven't heard of him...however, Richard...Richard I have heard of. Heh...trouble that one...ironically, she's the one who gave me your name...I suppose she thought I'd come by and cause trouble or the like," he said with a knowing smirk. "She was there when all of...this happened," he gestured to the muzzle on his face with a grimace, "Gotta wonder what's with her...though with a name like Richard, something tells me I don't really want to know."

Jordan Essex

Jordan defied mechanics. There was no rhyme or reason to this. His once-human body was being molded like clay in ways no sane person on the outside world could perceive. But he was quickly becoming what the good doctor wanted him to be in body. His mind was like fried eggs thrown against a wall and tossed in a blender. That too was being manipulated and he feared for those who knew or were suspicious: Awen, Dee, Richard… okay, so he didn’t care what happened to Richard. This body, for all the millions it cost, was imperfect. He still had one more change to reach Moreau’s vision of the loyal dog he wanted the criminal to become. Jordan wasn’t a doctor, he had little to no practical working knowledge of the processes he was undergoing, nor could he fortell the coming months of torment –perhaps years- before Doctor Moreau would allow Jordan to ascend to perfection. It was best not to dwell too deep into such thinking.

Jordan tried not to notice Nicky’s difficulty getting to his feet, as he’d been there himself, plus some with his accelerated changes. At least this guy wasn’t already covered in fur. He had time before that would inconvenience him. But Jordan couldn’t ignore him in his awkward movement. Jordan was ready –or so he thought he could be ready- to extend a paw if Nicky fell.

Nicky was insightful, so he listened diligently. Jordan listened too well as he heard Richard’s name thrown out in the way that it had been. The bane of his island existence, the unamker of the master crafter. Richard was his persistent tormentor like a schoolyard bully with deadly claws and hooks. Jordan’s paws slipped forward on the sheets. His eyes went wide and his triangular ears flattened to his head in fear. His hindlegs kicked and flailed and Jordan nearly fell off the bed when his body thrashed nervously to gain proper support of his weight and length. Jordan looked like he was about to ball up and cry as he heard that. He was afraid of what to say now and what to do. He’d invited this man into his home and he was here because that damn cat had pointed him into the direction, no doubt to work him over for information, like he’d used Awen.

“Wu… wu know Reechard..?” Jordan whimpered. “Ah.. ahr wu here tah shpy on mah..?” he looked hurt at that thought, like he’d just lost a good friend. “W-watt ahr wu gonna tell her..?” His eyes pleaded for Nicky not ot hand him over ot hte cat like a cornered bounty.

He… wanted to believe that this man would do the right thing after all they’d said. His breath was sharp and hard as his chest visibly pushed out and then in rapidly. “Ahm shcared of Reechard… she ushes peepul.. she tormentsh me... threatensh mah.. that evol cat ish turning mah friend againsht me… ushing her ash a shpy… ah tried tah warn mah friend, buhd it ended en ahn argument.. Ah ah like wu, Neeky.. pleesh dun get involved with Reechard..”

Jordan’s struggle with the changes had only truly begun. Everything leading to this point had merely been in preparation for this obstacle before ‘perfection’ could be achieved. The accelerated changes had taken a bizarre shift with this one, leaving him awkwardly positioned on five legs (two of which were his arms allocated in function), with a reformed spine not intended for bipedal travel. Walking on its own was difficult, without the limp of an ungrown torso stump to hamper movement. Coordination without a center of gravity was an ordeal that superceded willpower. Everything was simpler when one had only two legs to move, but when five legs are all competing to be the first to move, issues arise.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. That had been the best method of approach to his motion woes (and hope to God he didn’t trip himself up). First the front left arm-now-impromptu-leg had to be lifted, which precariously threw his quadrapedal body off balance; then, while moving that ‘leg’ forward, Jordan had to remember not to move his right hindleg. That crucial- yet literal- step continued face-planting Jordan into the ground. His right hindleg kept tripping up his new middle leg, but he wasn’t giving up just yet. Jordan was displaying stubbornness where previously he would have surrendered to his weakness.

Step dammit! Step! He shouted in his mind. Speech was difficult and used too much energy. He hadn’t spoken in the four days that he’d last seen Nicky. There was no point in talking to himself, plus he needed to conserve his strength for the task at hand. Jordan was panting fiercely. This was hard as hell to manipulate his body’s movements. You miserable mutation! STEP!! But such anger only earned him a swift movement of the wrong leg, which dislodged his shaky footing. His shoulder collided into the bed frame roughly, leaving an immediate bruise beneath the fur.

He huffed heavily, but Jordan didn’t yell. He couldn’t when he was biting his tongue. The dog-freak wanted to scream and he wouldn’t allow it. This was part of his training to become stronger. Jordan wanted to be in control of himself to be the strong person he needed to become, mustering what dismal willpower he actually had to do it. Blood trickled down the corner of his muzzle after his fangs had pierced the long, broad canine tongue, panting in lieu of being able to properly sweat. He had to be strong for himself. Jordan was such a sniveling, weakling wuss and he had serious doubts, but at the same time he wasn’t giving in as he always had done before.

You make me sick! Get up and walk dammit! Get up you pathetic piece of s**t! Stand on your legs and walk goddammit!

But he couldn’t do it. Jordan couldn’t force himself to rise again from his exhaustion. And so he lay there… reprimanding himself for his weakness in the silence of his mind.

The jungle held many dangers to many people, but it also contained something valuable enough to coerce Jordan into its depths. He was a dog on a mission, but unlike before, this was a mission of peace.

Richard had been intensifying her efforts in her loyalty serum inquisition because she was a scary, whacked-out tentacle-kitty high on catnip, or something like that. Cats- conniving, arrogant, trouble-making independents. Who needs ‘em? Dogs were better in every way.

Jordan paused in his limping step, arching a brow upon realization of his train of thought. Okay, that was weird, he admitted, but before he could set off again, a rustling sound caught his twitching ears. It was coming from infront of him, from a bush maybe three yards ahead of him. His black canine nose snuffled intensely to detect what it could be, lowering his down as he stared in readiness. He wouldn’t be able to escape any predator in this condition, but he didn’t need to as a rabbit bounded from the bush. Jordan’s tail wagged, but not because he liked the rabbit. He did like the cute fluffballs as pets, but for some reason… he found its movements interesting. Like… he wanted to chase after it. He’d stepped forward in his clumsy body. Being so close to the ground didn’t seem as encumbering in his hunkered-down form. His brow furrowed as he thought about giving chase to the smaller rabbit. Something about chasing rodents appealed to his canine mind. No… this wasn’t right. He gritted his fangs and shook his head from side-to-side, making his triangular ears flap. Get a grip, Jordan… was his mantra. There wasn’t time to dawdle in the jungle..! He had business with Thom.

Forgetting the rabbit -for now- he pushed himself onward, distancing himself from the vermin. Out of sight, out of mind, right? RIGHT??

Unfortunately, the little fuzzy bunny had more than one predator that day. Between one thing and another, it had been well over a week since Thom had eaten, and the cobra was hungry. With his new limitations--aka, having to hide from the cameras--he hadn't had as much freedom when it came to hunting, and his stomach was suffering for it. Today, however, he had picked up the trail of a lovely little rabbit and was quite confident that it would be the main course of his next meal.

That was, until a much larger mass of white fur startled it away. Thom cursed under his breath and glanced after the rabbit, but quickly gave it up as a lost cause. Even if he did manage to catch up with it, it would be wary for a good while yet, and likely hear him coming. Frowning, he turned his attention to the white dog-thing and straightened up. "You scared away my dinner!"

No, out of sight did not equate to out of mind. Jordan looked over his shoulder at the rabbit and his tail wagged, seeing it hop away slowly. This’d be easy enough to catch, even with his stump leg throwing him off! The canine urge to give chase was foreign and it made him feel really good, as if it were doing something right. That of course arose the conflict of trying to stay in control of himself and not surrender to the powerful urges the Samoyed DNA was trying to root into his brain. But before he could give chase, Jordan heard that voice. Boy, this was familiar..

Thom could take him down. The snake had proven that before, but he couldn’t hide in waiting for him to calm himself. The jungle wasn’t a playground, not for him anymore.

“Zat wu, Thom?” he garbled his words through the muzzle. “Ah ned tah shpeak wiff wu.”

But even as he called out, his eyes caught that rabbit scurrying off. There was no fighting it as his pupils dilated and his nose flared. Like a dog chasing after his favorite squeaky toy, Jordan scrambled, fumbling to coordinate himself. At first he had the motion, but that was a bust when he tripped himself up again and dove into the dirt face-first.
"Of course it's me," he snapped in reply, glancing past the dog towards the rabbit, only to grimace as Jordan went running off after the fuzzy creature. It was a rather pitiful sight, all in all, and a horrible technique for catching the rabbit, if he may say so himself. He was half tempted to just hurry away before Jordan could get his footing and try to talk to him again, especially reflecting on the dog's new speech impediment. Thom didn't have much patience for speech problems.

"Then stop scarin' my meal an' talk, I'm not goin' to listen for long."

Jordan mentally chastised himself for that slip in control. He’d dealt with Thom a couple times before and had come to know he could be intolerant. Jordan pushed himself up with his arms first, then with his hindlegs and the middle leg acted like a jack hoisting up a car. His ears flattened to his head as he turned to face the much, much larger snake now… oh boy.. this could go very badly..

“Ahm not here tah fot wiff wu..” he started off. “Ah’ve come here tah wahn wu.. thar’z ah dangeroush pershun nahm’d Reechaard.. who wantsh that laptop… sheh’s goeeng tah outrahgous lengthsh tah get ahny infawmashion regawdeeng eet..” he had to take a breath. The muzzle speech problem was taxing as he had to strain to pronounce such garbled pronunciations. “Ahm weeling tah help wu… ef wu help mee..” he craned his neck upwards with a gruff. “Ahm… ahm tha’ only one who can acteevate tha laptop..” he feared for his life upon that hesitant admission.

Thom rolled his eyes. Of course Jordan wasn't here to fight. Jordan was in no shape to fight with anyone, much less the cobra. Thom had very nearly killed the dog man once, prevented then only by the chip in the back of his neck. Now the chip was gone, and, if provoked, Thom wouldn't hesitate to attempt the murder again.

However, as Jordan went on, Thom's interest grew. "I've already met Richard, thank you," he replied drly, folding his arms. "An' I don't find him...her...whatever, particularly threatenin'. Richard doesn't 'ave th' laptop, an' I don't plan on handin' it over." He paused briefly, raising a scaled brow at the dog man. "...I'll admit, I'm curious t' see what's on that laptop myself. What d'you want?"

Thom wasn’t strangling him. That’s a good start. Convincing the snake to work with him on this was going to be like pulling teeth from a crocodile. He’d given him so many reasons not to trust him, but now they had a common antagonist. And the admission the two had met, Richard and Thom, worried him slightly, but that may be able to play right into his hand. “T’en wu knowu tha Reechaard cont bah twusted.. sheh’sh mokeeng mah life ah leeveeng hell..” He bit his muzzle in annoyance, pawing at the dirt beneath him.

“Sheh’s weelen’ ta do wotevah eet taksh tah get eet from wu.” He was trying to make it convincing. Richard did want the laptop, Thom could confirm that fact, but undoubtedly the snake would take no pity, but more accurately delight in tormenting the dog. “Tha’ laptop….” He paused, huffing for breath and in irritation at how this all began. “Tha’ laptop eesh worthlesh tah hew. Eet oonleh containsh a shinpul diahgrom that ah wush wawkeeng on wahn it was tahkeen.” His eyes darted back and forth vigilantly. He had to be sharp, say just the right words, and not die out here by pissing off Thom. “Ah fond out from Awen tha’ Shahben… uh… uh… Doctow Duvot.. hash been towd and hash bot inta Reechaard’sh pawanod liesh..”

The stress was making him uncomfortable. He couldn't sweat so he had to pant. To think they could be on the brink of a great upheaval caused by one paranoid cat-thing’s unfounded suspicions, something that was ruining his life and could cause unwanted ripples afterwards. Jordan was thrown off guard by the nature of Thom's question. He needed the laptop, but he needed to play offense against Richard as well. What he wanted was that laptop, but there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of prying that, nor convincing Thom to hand it over to HIM. His heart beat harder and he was panting faster, exasperating himself.

"Don't push your luck. I wouldn't say I 'ave any reason t' trust you either, Jordan," he snapped. Not that he really had any reason to believe he was lying either. Jordan was terrified of him, that much was clear. The dog was breathing heavily and practically shaking where he stood; he absolutely radiated fear, as the occasional lazy flick of the cobra's tongue only confirmed. Jordan knew exactly what Thom could do if he wanted to, and Jordan wouldn't have the nerve to risk his life by lying.

Indeed, on top of the fear, Jordan said that Richard was making his life absolutely miserable. Jordan had come to the person who he feared, who he knew had little to nothing to worry about in an actual attack from the old cat, and who, after what he was hearing about Richard's determination, would be more likely to lash out at her in their next meeting. It was a rather smart move, all in all, and, briefly, Thom considered being a touch more patient.

"Th' laptop's hidden, I'm the only one who knows where it is. An' I'm not goin' to tell Richard. Especially if she's just goin' t' 'and it over to Duvert." His lip curled at the very idea. Richard had talked about causing unrest in the labs with the contents of the laptop. Moreau had something on there that even Sabin hadn't seen? "If I take you to th' laptop, will you show me what's on it?"

He recoiled with that fear as Thom laid down the law. He’d been strangled to unconsciousness before, even felt those wicked fangs embedded into his shoulder. That wound had taken some time to heal. Jordan was trying to get Thom’s support by spinning a web of deceit. If he succeeded, Thom and Richard would confront one another and hopefully the lesser of two evils would prevail. It was devilishly sublime and lethal in all respects.

“Gud.” for now “ At leasht Reechaard cont get tah eet..” but neither could he and that was a kick in the a**. But perhaps, at some point, the laptop would no longer have to be an issue, one way or another. Jordan didn’t know this Duvert fellow, but apparently he was the cat’s meow. Jordan’s ears were flattened to his head as Thom went on, then they perked slightly at the offer to take him to the laptop. What choice did he have? The ball was in Thom’s court and if he played along, maybe the snake wouldn’t treat him as his next meal- or at the very least, afford him more consideration than he would Richard at this point. Score one Jordan.

“Ahright. Ah’ll show wu.” He nodded shakily. This could be very, very bad if Thom was displeased.

Thom didn't at all trust the dog man, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He eyed Jordan suspiciously for a moment longer, then nodded slightly and turned to start away, gesturing for the dog to follow. It was a good ways into the jungle to where he had buried the laptop, made even longer by the fact that they had to weave to avoid cameras and to ensure that Jordan wouldn't have the faintest idea where exactly they were. Thom on his own was usually safe of cameras once away from the main paths and such, as he had no chip to activate them, but Jordan's presence would have cameras watching about wherever they went. They had to be careful, and they had to move quickly.

After a good while, Thom paused and glanced back over his shoulder towards Jordan, sending him a frown and pointing a finger at the ground beneath Jordan's feet. "Wait 'ere. If you move from this spot before I say you can, I'll kill you." And he meant it, and he was certainly capable. They weren't quite too the hiding spot yet, but Thom liked wher eit was hidden and didn't want to bother with finding another spot once Jordan left. With everything he had been hiding in the jungle lately, suitable spots--and spots that he could remember--were harder and harder to come by.

The travel through the jungle was rough on him. He kept stumbling on himself and tripping on roots and other foliage. This was perhaps the craziest thing that Jordan had done to date. He was playing Devil’s Advocate now with people who were stronger, faster, and more equipped to render a disabled dogman helpless and dead. Thom could off with the laptop before the labs would ever find his body. Even for all his listening and nose-twitching, this was an unfamiliar part of the jungle and it wasn’t likely Jordan could retrace his steps back to the location on his own. He made damned sure to remain silent the entire way, lest Thom bury him out here..

He thought they’d arrived at last when the snake turned to face him with a deadly serious glance. “Yesh, shir.” he afforded him the respect of calling him ‘sir’ which up to this point, only Moreau had been given that particular courtesy. Strange times call for strange tactics. Jordan was scared shitless. Thom would kill him in a heartbeat if he got out of line. Had Jordan known his chip had been removed, he may have lost his nerve altogether.

It seemed like forever had passed as Jordan laid himself onto the ground, panting hard. His legs ached from all that walking, especially his arms had become sore from overuse. He’d folded his arms together as a makeshift pillow. He wanted this over with. He needed that laptop and it was so close now. Any attempt to reclaim it, he realized, would result in his imminent death. Let Richard get hurt. Cowards stay alive, while the foolish die for their scruples.

Satisfied that Jordan wouldn't come creeping back in an attempt to find the laptop or run away while his back was turned, Thom headed off once more to the spot where he had hidden it. He was fairly certain he had nothing to worry about as far as Jordan was concerned. The dog was so clumsy that Thom would undoubtably hear him if he tried to follow, and for the same reason he would be easy to catch up with if he tried to run off with the laptop. Thom had the upper hand here.

He returned before long with dirt caked under his fingernails and the laptop tucked under one arm. It was in surprisingly good condition, all in all--he had taken the case as well and jammed the lock on it so it couldn't lock against him, and that had kept it protected from the elements. The case, on the other hand, was in horrible condition, but Thom didn't think that mattered much.

Upon his return, the cobra man kept his distance, giving Jordan a pointed look to be sure he remembered not to move, and finally pausing about five feet from the dog man. He looped his tail into a coil and sunk down as if sitting, propping the laptop on it and opening it up, then smirking in approval when it actually turned on and began through start-up processes, only to frown when it required a password. "What's th' password it needs?"

He’d become bored with waiting. What the hell was taking him so damn long? Did he trick him?! Was this a double-cross to leave him as fodder for the jungle? Nervousness welled in his gut. The minutes passed as he considered ditching on Thom in case this had been a trap. But… he needed to do this as a show of faith for the distrustful snake.

Upon his return, Jordan lifted with head with a gruff. About damn time, he thought to himself. He could have toyed with Thom by backing up, then the laptop would hut down. That’d be hilarious for the while five seconds of life Jordan would have left. There was too much at risk here. Even if he gave Thom the password, it still needed his DNA thumbprint recognition. “Mebbe, wu should let mee do zat? Eet needsh mowe than a pashwowd.” Jordan wiggled his paw, grimacing despite how scared shitless he was. “Look.. ah cont eshcape wiff eet, show u haf nuffin tah worry abot.”

Sense told Thom to refuse, that there was too much risk in just handing the laptop over to Jordan. But curiosity won over very quickly, and he slipped free of the coil and the short distance to Jordan, hesitating only a beat before passing him the laptop. However, he didn't give him the chance to even consider running, instead snaking around to the dog's opposite side so that the better part of his tail completely surrounded the little patch where the dog was sitting. There would be no running.

Click-tap. Click-tap. Click-tap. The sounds of claws tapping keys must have been annoying, but they’d both have to suffer through it. Click-tap. Click-tap. Click-tap.

As Jordan typed in the password, he thought about just smashing his fists into the computer. That could prevent anyone at all from making use of the laptop again. Certainly. Then Richard would have nothing to show for herself, Doctor Duvert would be left empty-handed and likely less trustful, and anyone else that knew would have to suffer through it as well. It was easy for them to be on the other side of the fence on this matter. They didn’t have to live in fear over the consequences of this witch hunt, they didn’t understand nor care about what would happen to poor Jordan, how could they? They’d all bought into the paranoid delusions of Richard’s upstart scheming. But if Jordan did that, he’d die. Then what? Then he couldn’t stop this madness. Richard would win and he’d be food for a hungry snake. Talk about a tough choice.

“Ah jusht want tah shay ahm shorry, Thom.. fow ahv’r’ting ah’ve dawn tah wu..” his ears flicked nervously through the cascades of blonde hair. “Ah’ve been ahn ash tah wu and othersh.. ahnd ah’ve been mawkeeng amendsh tah thoshe peepul one aht ah tom.” Whether Thom wanted to believe the sincere apology or not was irrelevant to him. No had to forgive him. No one had to say’ that’s alright, buddy, it’s not your fault Moreau is making you his personal; do-boy’. No. Thom didn’t have to forgive him, just like Richard hadn’t. “Wook, Thom.. ahm shick of mawking eshcuses faw mahshelf, fow Moweau.. mebbe ah’d be beddah off ef Jahmawl had keeled mee when he jumped me ahn Alec..” his voice got lower as his brow furrowed “ woulda shaved ah lot of peepul ah lot of pain ef he had..” Jordan pressed the enter key and applied his thumb.. er.. dewclaw to the appropriate space when asked for DNA verification. He hadn't cheated death to lose this war.

There was nothing to gain anymore. This matter had exploded into something dire because of one paranoid conspiracy theorist who’d contaminated others with her wild, unfound accusations. All he could do now was play defense against the forces of Sabin, a monumental task in itself. This was his mess and he’d fix it by any means reasonably possible.

"You apologize too easily," Thom countered dryly, giving no indication that he had accepted the apology or that he would apologize in return. He wans't sure what Jordan was apologizing for, and he certainly wasn't going to apologize for his own actions. "I've nearly killed you, I ate your pet, I've dragged you off into th' middle of th' jungle under threat of death if you try th' least little thing, an' you're apologizin' to me? You're apologizin' because you tried to save a rabbit from gettin' killed."

He wrinkled his nose, clearly less than impressed by the display. "If you expect to get any respect whatsoever from me, you'll stop whimperin' an' cowerin' and actin' like all I've done is right just because you're scared of me."

He paused for a bit, watching over the dog's shoulder as Jordan tapped at the computer, then laughed. "That was you? Jamal said there was someone else around when he attacked Alec, but he hadn't said... He doesn't like you," he pointed you almost smugly, clearly amused. "I'd be careful."

Jordan did seem to apologize too much. It was becoming habit and it happened as second nature. Whether the apology was accepted or not, Jordan honestly wasn’t sure. Whatever. He’d opened his muzzle to speak, but then he thought it best not to continue on with a retort. Coming out here hadn’t been wise and mouthing off to a hungry snake who’d just as easily devour him was even less so. He just shook his head in annoyance. There was no point in making it worse in the long run.

He focused on the humming of the laptop, though acknowledging Thom’s words with an idle flick of his ear. Honestly, he didn’t care. Respect or not, this was about screwing over Richard and quite possibly a lab tech who wanted to cause anarchy. In his mind, he was keeping the peace as it were.

However, the uncalled-for laughter broke his silence. He knew people didn’t like him, hell many of them wanted him dead, but he was insulted by the outburst nonetheless. Jordan rose up to his paws, quite annoyed as a snarl had appeared on muzzle, showing the fangs beneath. “Fock Jahmawl. Fock Reechaard. En fact..” he kicked the laptop towards Thom indignantly, and turned about. “Fock wu. Ahm ott of hewe, Hov ah nishe day. Theesh wush ah meshtake.”

Two weeks ago, he’d come to Seth, demanding to be put to death. Instead, he’d been granted sanctuary in Seth’s domain. The thylacine had given him roost in the rotted, fallen tree once used by him when he’d needed to get away from it all. A sabbatical from dwindling humanity.

The first two days in the wild had been separation anxiety from the cold of his duplex, from his comfortable bed, from the conveniences of adequate human shelter. It was almost enough to push him back to his isolated duplex in ‘No Man’s Land’. Almost.

Rational thought was rapidly untethering. With the drama revolving around him, he was no longer an active participant to conspiracy in any way, shape or form. His presence, his purpose had become moot. Thom, Richard, and their allies in the anarchist fiasco could all fight to the death over their precious laptop and it wouldn’t phase him at this point. Each party-to-danger had their own motive and agenda. He was just a pawn, used and tossed aside at the whims of others.

Nesting on a pile of grass in a rotted log was not the ideal living conditions for a long-furred cold-climate canine. It was hot, humid, and miserable. He couldn’t do much about his fur. He’d been there before, but it grew back with his last change; however, he could do something about his unbearably-long hair. In a cold controlled climate it was fine, but not out here. Not in the wild. Anything to prevent himself from crawling back. That’s why he’d chopped off the majority of his golden blonde locks of hair. It was crudely performed in the cover of night with a steak knife stolen from the cafeteria. Wild. Untamed. His butchered ‘haircut’ now reflected the instability festering within him.

In addition to giving him boarding, Seth had shown him pathways that were less heavily monitored by the labs, even though he knew they knew where he was at all times, at any given moment- so long as that chip remained his neck, he remained on their radar. Perhaps he would have to rectify that sometime… Jordan didn’t want to be bothered by islander or labs alike, not until he could become strong. The only method to accomplish said ends was total emersion into the wild. He had to embrace his inner wild, live in the untamed terrain like an animal, forage like a scavenger, detatch himself from weak human emotion. The latter was still a work in progress. He couldn’t yet bring himself to killing for food, though giving chase satisfied the encroaching mental canine counterpart.

And the village was off-limits for now. He was hungry, but he wouldn’t debase himself to begging for scraps. He’d rather starve first. Jordan wouldn’t allow himself to rely on anyone for survival. Reliance equated to co-dependant weakness.

His canine exterior wasn’t as pristine and fluffy anymore. His fur was becoming tangled and nappy without regular grooming. The periodic rains that came with summer showers of the rainy season left him stinking of wet dog, but this was part of being wild. The smell of a wet and filthy dog was not at all pleasant to his own senses, no less others with equal or greater.

He wasn’t taking proper care of himself. Jordan was hungry all the time from improper nourishment and losing weight, he was edgy. Much like a vagrant mutt, he was sneaking around the shadows at night for whatever he could find to sustain himself. He was becoming failure-to-thrive. And losing his mind. He didn’t care anymore. There wasn’t much more anyone could take away from him. His life? Ha. He’d hit rock bottom.