REDEMPTION

— by Jeff Karamales

Chapter 12
Tails and Shadows
 

WAITING at the front gate as the pair of vans containing Victoria Skarbek and her camera crews pulled into the parking area were Sofiya, Marcelo, the Vulps wing physician Maria Ramirez and Maria Paccini, the fennec having been brought along as she was still the subject of conversation in several circles.

Despite being overcast, Marcelo squinted against the glare from the fresh snow that had fallen that weekend. “Once we get our preliminary greeting over they can go ahead and get set up in guest cabins three and four. Would you see to that, Maria?”

Both the human woman and fennec Fur looked to the Director. “Which Maria?” they both asked simultaneously before looking at each other and laughing.

“You know, there are times that I don’t think I think things all the way through,” Marcelo lamented. “Doctor Maria, you are here as a courtesy greeter. Fennec Maria, would you show them to the cabins, please,” the man said, trying hard to keep a straight face and failing as he began to grin widely. “Maybe I should just give the two of you numbers. That might make it easier.”

“But not nearly as much fun for us,” Doctor Ramirez commented wryly just before the passenger door of the lead vehicle opened.

Dressed in clothing that would have looked at home on the slopes of a posh and trendy ski resort, Victoria Skarbek slid out of the van, her designer boots making muffled crunching noises in the fresh snow as she approached the gate that one of the guards opened for her.

“Welcome to the North American Branch, Adirondack Institute of the Anthro Human Colonization Program, Miss Skarbek. I’m Doctor Marcelo Delgado, the Director here.”

The woman accepted the hand that was extended to her, giving what Sofiya felt to be a patently false smile.

“Please, I’d really rather I were addressed as Victoria,” the woman said with the hint of a Bostonian accent. As she let go of Marcelo’s hand her eyes roved over the other females. “And everybody knows Miss Paccini from my brother’s show,” she said in a dry voice, the slightest hint of distaste on the word ‘brother’. “You are quite the celebrity, Maria.”

“Thank you,” the fennec replied, huddling in her furman parka, not at all comfortable in the cold despite her rich fur coat.

“May I introduce Doctor Maria Ramirez, the physician in charge of overseeing the transformations and wellbeing of the volunteers for the Vulps Wing,” Marcelo said with a gesture to the dark haired woman at his side.

“Quite the pleasure, Doctor,” Victoria informed the other woman.

“Just Maria, please,” she informed the journalist. “Here at the Institute we’ve found it’s far more comfortable to simply use first names.”

“Of course, Maria.”

“And this is Sofiya Talova, the colony leader for the upcoming Bastien mission,” Marcelo said as the red fox stepped forward.

Victoria’s eyes seemed to light up, and the smile that split her lipsticked mouth was almost predatory, like a shark that has detected wounded prey. “Most certainly a young lady I want to meet!” the reporter enthused. “I will definitely want to be sitting down with you more than once to talk.”

“I am at your disposal, madam,” Sofiya responded, trying to keep her hackles from rising at the other female’s touch.

***

“BLOODY HELL,” Rupert Campbell, one of the males from Stockholm Class 18 swore as he tripped over a power line for the third time during the exercise as the camera crews that had accompanied Victoria Skarbek moved the recharge point for their equipment for the fifth time and failed to properly cover or even mark where the cables lay in the snow. He deposited the pine boughs he’d been half carrying, half dragging and knelt next to Richard and Sofiya with his tool bag. “How much longer are we going to have to put up with these blokes?”

“At least another week,” Sofia told the former mason from Bude in southern England, her voice sympathetic. She tried to ignore one of the camera operators that moved in to where the three were working on building an emergency shelter.

It was standard for all Furs to learn how to construct impromptu shelters in all sorts of weather with a variety of materials as there was always a chance of getting caught out in the elements while exploring a new world. The exercise for the day was not only setting up a shelter, but also learning how to get a fire going using only the materials that were immediately at hand. It was an extreme case scenario, but one that the red fox vixen wanted her people to know, believing that the more knowledge each colonist had, the more likely they would survive a potential incident with calm reasoning.

The cameraman leaned in a little too close to see how the three Furs were progressing on putting together a lean-to roof of interwoven branches of pine when he stepped on the British Fur’s tail and inadvertently ground it painfully into the snow under his cleated boot.

Rupert’s yowl of pain turned into a snarl of anger but before he could wheel around on the human that was just trying to do his job, Richard had a hold of the other Vulps and kept his reaction from getting out of hand.

“C’mon, Rup,” the silver fox told the other, almost dragging him away. “Looks like your lady has a fire going already. Maybe we can get her to heat up some tea.”

The other fox let himself be led away and Sofiya was grateful that Richard had been able to defuse the situation so quickly. She had to admit that after four days she was getting a little tired of the constant intrusions as well and had almost lashed out in anger when Victoria had barged in on her and the silver fox during an intimate moment. While nothing had really been going on, that was where things had been headed, and the vixen had been quite frustrated at the interruption.

“I-I’m sorry,” the cameraman said, realizing not for the first time that the Furs weren’t just people in funny animal costumes. They were both human and predator and, if provoked, quite capable of violent reactions.

“What is your name?” Sofiya asked the young man casually.

“I’m Rob,” the young man said as he shifted his camera.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Rob.” The red fox smiled. “You have to understand that we are under a great amount of pressure to learn as much as is possible in a very short time. Sometimes we, just like you and other people, let our anger get away from us. While we do not blame you for being here, to most of us it feels that we are performing for someone else’s amusement…like trained dogs or circus animals. It can be…frustrating.”

The young man nodded in understanding. He lowered the camera after switching it off and knelt on the snow and began to adjust it until Sofiya realized it was a sham. The human looked around surreptitiously to make sure there wasn’t anyone else from his crew around before looking down at the camera. “I need to warn you,” Rob began in a whisper as he opened the compartment for the battery. “Victoria has ordered us all to try and get either pictures or video footage that could be really embarrassing. She doesn’t really like the AHCP or Furs at all. Everything she’s doing, all the smiles and sucking up, it’s all a show. You guys need to be really careful.”

The red fox considered this, the information confirming her dislike of the woman. She then cast a curious glance sideways at the young man. “And why are you telling me of this? If found out, might this lose you your job?”

Rob smiled even as he continued to look at the camera and turned the battery over in his gloved hand. “I didn’t understand you guys at first,” he admitted. “I didn’t really get what all of this is about. But after seeing how hard all of you are working, and listening to some of the doctors talk about the pain that you’ve gone through and what the instructors are trying to teach and why, I really respect you all. You have a really tough job ahead of you.”

The human looked at the Fur and grinned while his cheeks turned red, and not from the cold.

“That and I’ve met a couple of you that I…um, kinda like.” He snapped the battery back into the camera and closed the compartment before doing an actual test of the recording device. “I think you are all some of the coolest people I’ve ever met.”

She watched as the youth cast a look at another small group of Furs that were working on a shelter and smiled knowingly. “Ah. I see who it is that you are liking,” Sofiya quipped with a spreading grin. “If you wish, as a way of thanking you for your warning, I can introduce you. Charlotte is a very good friend. We went through the process together.”

“You’d do that for me?”

Sofiya nodded, her grin growing even larger. “You are acting as a friend, and it is what friends do for each other. Tonight after supper would be the best time.”

Rob gave the Fur a look of surprise and gratitude. “I…I don’t know what to say…”

She laughed and nodded at the camera. “Do not worry. But it would be best to pick up the camera and to act as if nothing is wrong. One of the others, the older woman with the always unhappy face is coming this way.”

The young man finished tinkering with his equipment and stood, switching the unit on just as the production director neared.

“Problems Robert?” she asked angrily.

“No ma’am. Battery leads had a bit of dirt on them. We’re good to go, now.”

The woman scowled at the camera operator for several moments before turning the same look on the vixen before walking away to find someone else to make miserable.

“When you go to Bastien, maybe you can take her to feed to some alien monster,” the youth snorted. “Though you’d probably give it the worst case of indigestion ever!”

***

“DO you trust this young man?” Marcelo asked Sofiya, a furrow forming between his black brows.

The vixen nodded. “He was very sincere and did not give any of the indications that he was lying.”

“It would fit with some of the stuff that’s been going on,” Richard agreed. “I found one of her people, that Thomas guy, lurking around the Educational Wing when everyone else was out training or in the classrooms. He said he’d gotten lost, but if that’s the case, then I’m the President of the United States. After pointing out the exit, I followed him and caught him on the Felis floor. When he acted like he was getting ready to slip into Melanie’s room on the third floor I made sure he knew that I was watching him.”

“Then there are the cases of some of Victoria’s people visiting Furs at very…ahem, personal moments, all for a supposed interview,” Sofiya added. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a small rectangle. It was dark grey with a small circular screen of gold and a swatch of some sticky substance on the back. “And I found this in my room attached to the underneath of my table.”

Marcelo picked up the object, his expression one of surprise that rapidly turned to disbelief. Then he became angry. “A bug? You found a bug in your room?”

“As soon as I discovered it, it conveniently found itself in a cup of coffee,” the red fox said calmly. “Which was very much a pity. I was looking forward to that coffee as well.” Sofiya straightened her blue robe-like top. “As it goes, because this young man feels he is owing favors, and is becoming very fond of us, he will do what he can to ensure that no recordings that could be misconstrued or be shameful to both Vulps and the company last very long.”

Marcelo went silent for almost a full minute as he scrutinized the covert listening device.

“So, what are you planning on doing about this, chief?” Richard asked.

“To be honest, I don’t know. I’ll have to inform Stockholm, of course, but apart from that, I don’t know.” Marcelo put the bug on the desk and leaned back in his chair, rubbing at the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger before fishing out a bottle of aspirin from his desk and shaking out a number of the capsules.

“I have a friend…” Richard said with a grin. “He’s kind of an electronics buff. Knows all sorts of neat things about radios, computers…bugs. He lives in Virginia and could be here in about eight hours.”

The Director eyed the silver fox suspiciously. “I’m listening. Go on.”

“Well, with a little time, he could sweep the entire Institute clear of anything that wasn’t supposed to be here. I mean, he’s really good.” Richard gave the man across from him a feral grin, an expression Marcelo started to match. “Fuel up his truck, buy him a steak dinner and a beer, and he’ll be more than happy to come up and take care of things.”

“Is that all it would cost?”

“Jack’s the kind of guy that doesn’t really need money. He’d do this mostly just for the fun of it.”

“Well, it’s either that or I get law enforcement involved. I’d really rather not go that route if I can avoid it, though I don’t think I’ll have much choice.” Marcelo eyed the aspirin bottle again before dropping it back in his desk drawer. “Can he be discreet?”

Richard laughed. “Jack’s the soul of discretion.”

The Director nodded. “Call him.”

***

JONATHAN ‘Jack’ Baines pulled up in the parking lot outside the Adirondack Institute just after sunrise the next morning. Waiting outside the gate, Richard grinned when he saw his old friend and called out as the man slid from the driver’s seat of his SUV. Despite the large size of the vehicle, the suspension groaned as Jack pried his heroically proportioned form out and looked around.

“It took you long enough. How many times did you stop for breakfast?” Richard asked as he drew near the man who even the guards were staring at with stunned expressions.

“Holy smokes!” the rotund man drawled in a thick southern voice that was booming even in what he considered a conversational tone. “Rick? Is that really you?”

The silver fox held out his arms and smiled widely. “I got a little fuzzier.”

Moving with astonishing speed for one so large, the newcomer rushed forward and picked up the anthrofox in a bear hug, laughing loudly. “Man! This is unreal! I can’t believe you went and did it! Your ol’ man has gotta be ticked off!”

“Put me down!” Richard wheezed. “You’re going to break my ribs!”

Jack set his friend down but didn’t let him go as he looked the Fur over with amazement. “I knew you were talking about doing this for a few years, but I never thought you’d actually go and do it!”

The smile fell from the silver fox’s face. “Well, I needed the change, you know?”

Likewise the human’s expression sobered. “Yeah. I can dig it.” Jack looked around and put his fists on his hips with a nod. “So this is where they do it? This is one of them Furmankind Institutes?”

“This is it,” Richard said.

“And you need an exterminator?”

“Yep. Bad bug problem.”

Jack snorted. “Ain’t found an infestation yet I couldn’t lick. Show me where to get a cup of Joe and we’ll go talk to this Marcie guy.”

“Marcelo,” the anthrofox said with a snort of laughter. “His name’s Marcelo, and I’ll show you the cafeteria. You’ll be able to get whatever you want while you’re here from there.” Richard gestured to the gate and the cart he had waiting.

“Hold on. Let me get my flipbook first.” As with his speed, the large man was also fairly agile and turned to the SUV to retrieve what looked like a normal business laptop, though like the Institute issued PBJ’s, there was more to the common computer than showed. “What are the hours on this cafeteria of yours? I need to know if I’ll have to stock up on snacks.”

“Open round the clock,” Richard answered with a grin.

“I love this place already.”

***

 “SO FAR there’s about twenty five or so of these little guys just from the cafeteria to here,” Jack informed Marcelo, Sofiya and Richard as they sat in the director’s office. Not even that room had been safe and upon entering the man had found three different listening devices which now resided in a pitcher of water at the sideboard. Jack took another bite of a bread roll stuffed with bacon, cheese and mayonnaise. “It’s not like they’re expensive or anything, and pretty easy to make as well. These? These little guys are pretty crude as far as bugs go. Mighta been state of the art stuff ‘bout forty years ago,” he continued around a mouthful of his third such sandwich in twenty minutes.

“Is there anything you can do about them?” Marcelo asked, his anger rising with every passing moment at the way his, and the AHCP’s trust had been betrayed.

“Well, sure!” Jack replied with a laugh. “I can sniff ‘em all out, I can burn ‘em out where they are, or I can even lock in on the frequency they’re using and cook the receiver. Ya see, each one is only a little different than the others, figure three to five hertz transmission variation for each one, this way you ain’t recording over another bug’s signal…don’t want to lose something juicy from one bug ‘cause another picked up the sound of the can flushing or something. Like I said, crude, but it works. Get a computer to digitally record all the stuff these things are picking up and pick and choose what you wanna hear. Just like flipping channels on your TV.”

“What about stealing the signal?” Richard asked.

“And using them to get information on Victoria Skarbek?” Sofiya added looking at her partner with a shrewd grin.

“Ooo! I like the way yer girlfriend thinks, Rick!” the portly human said, his term causing both Furs a bit of embarrassment. “Yeah, I can do that. Nothing I like better than upstaging some poseur. If they want to go this route, they really need to hire a pro.”

“Like you,” the silver fox commented.

“That’s right. I get big money for a reason,” Jack said with pride.

Marcelo paled slightly. “And how much is this going to cost me?”

The rotund man gave a belly laugh that set his entire impressive girth to shaking, much like Father Christmas from the stories. “Shucks, Marcelo! Richard’s a friend and yer his friend. I can’t charge ya’ll fer this being friends and such! Besides, I like it here. Ya’ll are real hospitable like. Reminds me of Home!”

— NEXT CHAPTER —

Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.