Workplace Relations By Michael Barnes

Chris Foxx is owned and copyrighted \xA9 by Chris Yost. Amy Squirrel and Sabrina are copyrighted \xA9 to Eric W.Schwartz. James Sheppard is copyrighted \xA9 to James Bruner. Michael Taillong, Eric Taillong, Erica Taillong, Rachel Maximillion, Angela Markson, David Bateson, Michele Fawn, Lara Justain, Jake "Jazz" Phillips, Christina Landry are owned by me. Anthony Maximillion is copyrighted to his player Anthony Lanuza. ZigZag, Brandy and Maxwell are copyrighted to Max BlackRabbit and are also used with permission. Ertai Maxwell is copyright \xA9 Roland Bloodthunder.

Chapter 12

Reunions

Eric swept up the broken glass from the front door as Bryce carried in some new glass to replace it with. “Dumb bribe taking cops! Sheesh next door you idiots! Man we need to get that new sign up”

Eric and Bryce stayed behind while everyone either went to the hospital to see James or have there back examined. “Ertai I told him not to over do it” Eric though and snickered.

”Bryce?” Bryce was sitting reading a magazine.

”Yea?” Bryce called out as he got up placing the magazine into his back pants pocket.

”I need ya to get ready to go home I will replace the glass and then lock up after I clean up the ugh studio okay?” Bryce nodded and got his things together as Eric grabbed his cane.

”Sometimes you have to cut corners…” Making sure Bryce had left Eric started to unwrapped his shoulder and then concentrating he grunted as his body shifted into his stealthy human form. “Now that that’s done… He’s coming back! Damn!”

Eric leapt on the ceiling and dug his claws into the roof, hoping Bryce would not look up. “Eric? Funny must be in the can… Oh well… I can ask tomorrow” The fox left and Eric came down.

”Heh” Eric shook his head trying to forget about his parents as he changed back his shoulder undamaged like Eric had never caught himself and Michael in that fall. “Now for the front doors”

”Michael what do you mean there was no virus? Then how the hell did Eric infect me? Huh? Huh?” Michael smacked his forehead.

”Well ZZ I know your under stress and all I really should be going but I will try to explain this again…” Michael said while sweating as ZZ squeezed his right shoulder hard digging in her claws all the while managing to still look good Michael thought.

“Eric, Erica and myself were used as test subjects for a type of genetic modification technology… That is how we can fight like we can it was programmed into our RNA the memory holder or container in each cell in a living being”

“So? I already knew you were different not what I want to know!” Michael looked at David who looked away then Angela who was thinking about something else then Sabrina who got up and left saying she had a date with Chris.

Michele and Lara were chatting on cell phones so Michael faced ZigZag again and continued.

”Eric when infected with that cover up virus got his DNA messed up… He went blind slowly and now has lost his sight due to it and also he has become contagious but it only happens during certain time periods… Um so um his cells must have attached themselves to your DNA and altered it thinking that they were still inside Eric rather your body they set about repairing the damage genetic damage, which resulted in your case of genetic alteration. Um is that good enough? You do remember how you got infected right?”

“Yes that scratch… Okay I am calm I am okay…” ZigZag ran into her room crying leaving Michael wondering why he came back when he remembered something.

”Oh yea that disk I was supposed to give Eric… Hmm but more importantly I need to get back home… Who knows what happened to my IBM servers!” Michael left ZigZag’s place while everyone milled about.

”So James is going to be alright right?” Angela asked finally reaching a conclusion to her thoughts.

David nodded not really paying attention. ”Maybe but he still is in serious condition but knowing Eric he would not dare ignore ZigZag’s request of him. Though im not sure how Eric is supposed to help James when the docs said he may not live…”

“I wonder… ZigZag was making sure about how she got infected for some reason… You don’t think she would?” Everyone ran to her room and opened the door.

”Okay im confused ZigZag is going to do what?”

David calmly talked into the cell phone. “Infect James with a sample of your blood… So she may be dangerous or erratic watch your back… Love makes you do stuff like this… Eric do you think your blood could help James?”

Eric sighed and sat in ZigZag’s chair after sitting down a group of papers he was reading through. Eric ran a hand through his hair and then stared at it.

”Pink skin and no fur… Hmm is this so superior? What was mom and dad thinking when they decided to mess around with human DNA samples… James was right our research was wrong and I bet he knew all along… Square one damn… Well thanks David call me if any thing else happens”

David hung up and Eric put away his cell phone. Relaxing his muscles he changed back to normal and ran his hands over his bare arms.

”Fur much better or is it?”

”I really don’t care anymore which is better as long as I can help James… Eric I need your blood… Now there is an easy way and a hard way!” Eric would have laughed normally knowing how sick ZigZag’s jokes could be but the way she was holding that knife and the fact that she was transformed really scared the wits out of him.

”Okay fine here” Eric grabbed a vial out of his pants pocket. “I drew a sample for testing this morning… Really now a knife, come on sheesh you could have at least brought a weapon that would have scared me”

”You are afraid” ZigZag flashed a smile. “I can smell it” ZigZag approached Eric and took the blood from him. “I will just go inject this into James… It may kill him right?”

”Yes but it may work… Are you willing to live with the consequences? You and James may decide to have kids… With both parents as carriers its assured that your children will have this… Im not even sure about my own children but I know your children will”

ZigZag smiled. “So what do I have to lose?” Eric looked at ZigZag.

”Someone really important in your life… Did you get word back from Maxwell?” ZigZag turned as she was leaving her office and looked at Eric.

”I wont bother to ask how you know that… No I haven’t” Eric looked at a wall and ZigZag put her hands on her hips and frowned.

”You know something… What is it?” Eric stood.

”There were other test family’s ZZ…. My parents sent the plans for the gene modification technology to other scientists who tested it on others… My parents have kept in touch with one test family only… Your family may have been experimented on before I even came around hence your stripe pattern. Its perfect for a predator and since you still do have that “natural” defense mechanism under your tail heh im guessing you were going to be used for infiltration. If you were ever selected for training”

ZigZag sat down in one of the chairs she used for interviews or office guests. “You mean Maxwell and Brandy? Oh my god… I knew dad was up to no good he never was a good father…. Always looking for an easy way to get money but this… Letting his children get experimented on, on top of… Never mind Eric keep a watch out on the net for Maxwell and Brandy… I have to get to the hospital… Roof access right?”

Eric smiled. “Best way to sneak in… Though watch it… If you stay changed for too long you may revert to whatever programming that got transferred over to you from my cells…”

”Huh?”

”You will function like a machine until your mission is complete… So try to think of non serious stuff helps keep you in control” ZigZag left her office while Eric continued entering in some numbers into her desk computer.

Michael meanwhile was coughing up blood when a vicious kick was dealt to his forehead.

”Target is weak finish him!” Michael looked up one of his eye’s swollen shut.

”Why? Why kill me?” Suddenly three gunshots rang out. Michael’s attackers hissed and took off running leaving Michael holding his chest and heaving up mouthful’s of blood.

”Erica?” Erica knelt and helped Michael stand.

”Oh Mikey I wouldn’t let you die that way! I have to be the one to do it.., Come on I will bandage you up in the car… We have to hurry the deal is going down tonight!”

”What deal?” Michael sputtered out as his ribs slowly mended thanks to his enhanced metabolic system. Erica helped Michael into her car and climbed in and started driving.

”Anthony is going to sell off ZigZag’s brother and sister to a foreign nation cough China cough. For twenty million apiece, they need them to test out there own form of genetic modification Tec derived from our parent’s technology or rather stolen… Understand?”

”Yep so how do I save them?”

”Get past forty armed guards and trained assassins and then three gene enhanced guards and then you get to face Anthony then save them” Michael grabbed a soda from the cooler behind Erica’s car seat and took a long drink.

”No problem heh this is going to be fun… So how much do I owe ya for the info?”

”Nothing if you promise me one thing”

”Yes?”

”Don’t kill Anthony if you do somehow manage to make it to him and beat him… I honestly do love him… Course Rachel doesn’t like to share but that will change” Michael sighed.

”What’s wrong big brother? Afraid?” Michael smiled.

”Yes and to tell the truth I feel Anthony doesn’t deserve my little sister… Sure I have acted immature and hid my smarts with rage… Blinding rage… Besides Anthony has tried to kill me and Eric and ZigZag or is plotting to…” Michael crushed the soda can until it crumbled into smaller fragments.

”But I understand love. Me im dating a human who’s incidentally able to turn into a fur… Pretty cool huh?” Erica smiled and snickered.

”What?”

”Have you ever ya know reversed roles when being intimate?” Michael blushed.

”Damn it everyone I know has asked me that… Even the normally I don’t give a damn in the world David… Michele and ZigZag I understand but David? And incidentally yes though that is off the record”

Erica laughed. “I know I know your still embarrassed you haven’t still lost your virginity hehehe and your what now? Almost 25 and haven’t had any fun… Im surprised Michael you were such a player… It was apart of your infiltration gene therapy… To be able to seduce almost any woman… Me any man or woman if I chose… Just the right hormones and well you get the idea”

Michael nodded. “Yea well your supposed to be somewhat better than me… Are you?” Erica shrugged. “Well from the video mom and dad sent me you were handling yourself pretty well without changing. That shows they did fine with you as far as your true form… Eric and me have to change… But our disadvantages at being able to access our full fighting potentials can be overcome with training not gene therapy. We heal faster from wounds when able to concentrate and we are also able to shut off our emotions… Can you Mikey?”

Michael gasped. “So you’re telling me the only reason your able to kill is if you turn off your feelings?” Erica nodded and smiled at Michael.

”I said can you also?” Michael looked away.

“Sometimes when I am upset I feel like a machine… So Eric is able to deal with his going blind by not actually dealing with it?”

”Maybe but Eric doesn’t use that one trick our model has… Or rather our genetic model… Eric confronts things with his mind and well it’s going to cost him if he doesn’t learn to use his full power. During that fight with you in the office he had his emotions off but he held back subconsciously and the fact that those brainwashed code words didn’t hold up saved your life… Or his… I saw a lot of times in the video when you could have easily snapped his neck and ended it… I guess we all still care even if we are not really like other people”

Michael felt better as his swollen eye along with the rest of his injuries healed at last. “Erica explain how Anthony got a hold of Maxwell and Brandy” Erica looked at her brother serious and cold.

”They were trying to have normal lives… I guess when Anthony came across Maxwell breaking into a lab had set up… He was trying to find something or another for someone or rather one of Anthony’s other worst enemy when he got caught… Brandy tried to rescue him and well things happen”

Michael sighed. “No don’t take me to the harbor yet… I need an edge or rather two… ZZ has to know and help!” Erica stopped the car and looked ahead.

”You sure that is wise? Her family will be fine… They will just experiment not kill Maxwell and Brandy… Though I wonder what those experiments will consist of…”

Michael sighed. “I forgot your crazy… Sometimes”

”And I forgot how cute you can be… Okay I will take you home but… Where is ZZ? Our spies lost track of her when she left the studio carrying a knife” Michael’s eye’s went wide when Erica put her hand on his shoulder.

”No blood was on it… Trust me” Michael nodded as Erica started driving again. For the rest of the ride back to his old home Michael thought about a lot but said little.

”Look’s like I have to go to war… I am ready for it… Funny I should be sweating like mad but I am calm and I feel my muscles are tensing up… Hmm must be an automatic response to my thoughts… I will have to ask Eric about how we were modified”

Elsewhere

Maxwell struggled with his ropes. “Give it up kid no way your going to break those diamond thread ropes!” Maxwell concentrated and started popping the ropes on the molecular level while his captors left him and the unconscious Brandy alone.

”They don’t know me very well eh sis?” Maxwell looked at Brandy who slept off the drugs in her system and continued to work at his bindings one thread at a time.

“I hope someone comes to help us…”

At the Taillong residence

Eric strapped on the lightweight body armor Michael tossed him then slid a Kevlar suit over it and then put on some camo gear over it and put another set of armor on over that.

Michael did the same then tossed Eric a holster with six trick cane’s attached to it. “Each one does something different… One has enough of a charge to kill a normal person… Try not to use it on anyone okay?”

Eric nodded and took off his shades and put on a smaller pair that Michael had given him a while ago. “For luck course I could get Angela to kiss me but… She would flip at seeing me in this get up… Funny it’s not heavy at all what is most of this material?”

Michael smirked. “Amazing what you can get from an advanced civilization… Most of it is common enough but its made of synthetic stuff lighter than the original material plus it is better at absorbing laser shots… If they are using light weapons the armor will take three hits from a very high powered gun so be careful course with our skill we shouldn’t worry about being hit”

Eric puts on a red bandana and grabs a sawed off shot gun loaded with stun bullets. “Okay im ready” Michael straps on two sub machine guns and then slings a shot gun over his back and picks up extra ammo for it.

”You know the plan right?” Eric thinks then replies.

”Standard attack pattern frontal assault… Try not to lose your nerve Mikey” Michael’s jaw drops as Eric blinks.

”Okay Commander… ZigZag are you ready?” ZigZag steps from out of the basement bathroom dressed in the gear Michael gave her.

”Yea um what is this?” Eric smirks as he takes the gun out of ZigZag’s hand and slaps a fresh power pack from the charger into it and hands her three more.

”Stun gun your going to be our back up… Remember this is an experimental weapon… I stole the plans from some computer in Nevada… Don’t ask just how and why just use the darn thing”

ZZ nod’s then looks at the basement steps. “So who’s car are we going to sacrifice?” Everyone look’s at Mike and he sighs.

”Okay… Darn this is the thanks I get after giving you all those cool weapons I got from my girl”

Eric sprints up the steps and exits the basement and then walks calmly out the front door.
Its in the dead of night only a few boozing teenagers the children of Eric’s neighbors are out and they whistle and hoot at Eric’s gear.

”WOW heS GOInG to WAR BABY…. I feel sick Joe…” Eric holds in a laugh as one of the yelling kids passes out and is helped up onto the porch by his friends. Eric get’s into the drivers seat.

Michael taps on the window and growls. “You have no license! And if we are going to destroy my car I get to do it!” Eric frowns and scoots over as ZigZag hops in back.

”James may not live but I will not worry about him when Brandy and Maxwell are in this strange situation… And why do I get such a wimpy gun?”

Eric snatches the stun gun from ZZ and points it at his mailbox and fires and the mailbox glows a faint red before exploding.

”At maximum setting this thing can vaporize steel and who says you got a girly weapon?” ZigZag blinks and smiles.

”I always knew you two would treat me right… Now let’s go I have such a wedgie… Though it is kind of nice…. Oooh”

Eric turns red as Michael sputters and hits the gas. “This is going to be a long night… Hey who’s that guy?” A black rabbit stares at ZigZag with a pair of binoculars and smiles as Michael drives past.

Eric blinks. “Hey isn’t that the guy that was following Sabrina a while back? Funny I guess since he lost out to Chris he had to switch to another gal… ZZ congrats” ZigZag punches Eric in the back of the head.

”Shut up… Why can’t I be like other starlets? I do have fan clubs he could join!” Eric smiles as he pictures himself and his brother and ZigZag in there gear sitting in a station wagon preparing to bring a beating down on Anthony and his friends.

”This is so damn cool! Okay now if your captured remember…. Scream and beg till they turn away in disgust then beat the crap out of them!”

Later

”Are the subjects ready?” Brandy leers at Carlos Black a weapons dealer of the exotic type.

”Yes Carlos my friend now the others should show up to stop us but im sure our friends over their can handle them this time… Heh so what do you want Evan and Lorene? Here to beg for Eric and Michael’s lives? Don’t want your babies being sold to the highest bidder? Well too bad hehe hehe hahahahaha!”

Evan smiles. “No but im here to place a bet… I bet you a million dollars that Eric, Michael and ZZ take out your men then beat the tar out of you… Unlike you they have no genetic blockers in place to prevent uncontrolled hormonal imbalances… Right Anthony?

Anthony glared at Evan and growled. “Fine stay if you like Brandy my dear relax and watch the show!” From the ceiling of the harbor warehouse came four televisions situated around a wide screen all showed the front gate to the warehouse.

Anthony smiled and picked up a remote when a light flashed and zoomed in on a flaming car. “Classic distraction method… Sort of original seeing as its on fire… Hmm send a few men to put it out like planned they will deal with there frontal assault… Eric would never resort to any other tactics… I know how he thinks”

Eric comes in through a back window behind Anthony’s desk and lands on him and then flips up.

”If you want to live mom and dad and anyone else YOU BETTER DUCK!” Eric pulls out the sawed off and starts to fire on the guards in the room as his parents duck. Anthony stands and then falls over as ZigZag hits him from behind with the stun gun.

A bolt of energy leaps from the weapon and causes Anthony’s fur to smoke slightly. “That is one way of beating out the competition!” Michael comes in through a skylight and begins to shoot every guard in site.

All the men fall over twitch as the stun shots take them down in seconds. “God I love being a genetically altered twenty something!” Michael thinks as he cuts his rope and lands and head buts and then kicks a guard away before putting a stun shot into him.

Eric back flips away from three masked attackers. “These must be those three Michael said Erica mentioned… Cool time to go to work!” The masked attackers pull off there masks and reveal.

”Women?!”

”Are you sexist or something?” One says as she kicks then leaps on him.

”DAMN IT ERIC! You have all the fun!” Michael tosses down an empty clip as one of the three girls leaps in front of him.

”Hmmm cute but I guess I have to mess your face up for the time being” Michael catches the first punch and spins the girl while reaching for a knife.

The girl lands then while still being held by Mike flips him then twists his arm and punches his elbow nearly breaking it. Michael twists away and flings the knife at the girl’s head and she catches it with two fingers and flicks it back into Michael’s shoulder.

Eric flips up and then runs up and flips off a wall while pulling out a cane and extending it. Using it like a sword Eric fends off the girl that leapt on him.

”Your pretty good so what generation are you?” Eric steps back and slashes down at the girl and she side steps Eric’s swing.

”Second generation like yourself cutie” Eric smiles and blocks a claw swipe at his face with the cane.

”Your sweet talking is not appealing to me!” Eric suddenly catches a scent and frowns.

”Eric, Angela would like to speak with you” Eric keeps on fighting as Angela is dragged in.

”ERIC! You’re fighting! You said you were going to a strip club with Michael to celebrate his return! You lied to me!” Everyone pauses for half a second in disbelieve of Angela’s naivety and then continue fighting.

Michael fends off two of the girls while Eric continues his fight with the one he’s talking with. “So Cheryl, your sisters are Cherry and Jeri? Cool Mike’s my brother and you must have met Erica right?”

Erica leaps behind Eric and wraps a cord around his neck in one movement and tightens it choking him as Cheryl leaps up and kicks Eric twice while in mid air then back flips slashing his face with the tip of her boot.

Eric flips his twin into Cheryl then pulls out his sawed off and shoots Cherry and Jeri I the chest knocking them skidding away from Michael as he recovers from punches to his windpipe.

Anthony sighs and says. “They don’t even care if Angela is being held hostage!” ZigZag meanwhile has set her brother and sister free.

”So are you like an agent or something or just… Strange sis?” ZigZag rolls her eyes.

”No just run to the roof a helicopter will be here in ten seconds to pick us up!” Brandy’s ears twitch.

”Yea I hear it… Are you okay? You seem worried about something?” Eric and Michael slam into ZigZag and all three of them skid into a container and then stand slowly as the three sisters advance with Erica in the lead.

”Erica I knew you wouldn’t miss out on this fight… Um Eric just how do we escape?” Eric twirls his cane and then transforms.

”We up the stakes… Mom Dad I will show you that besides being your so called son I am the weapon you made me to be… You guys run I will hold them off and rescue Angela!”

Anthony tosses Angela into Michael’s arms. “Take her! I consider your boyfriend more fun to play with anyway!” Anthony leaps over in front of Eric as he continues to twirl his cane.

“Five against one and you all must have some of my moves too well I like to play rough!” Eric runs away from the five and they chase him into a corner.

”Trapped brother” Eric points the tip of his cane at Erica and fires a stun line into her chest.

”Zapped Zis heh” Eric sends twenty thousand volts into Erica and drops his cane and draws another one to fend off a knife attack from Jeri.

”Nice tactics but” Cherry and Cheryl shoot Eric with machine guns. Eric is hit in his side by multiple shots and falls over.

”No I wanted to kill him and drain him of his blood…”

Erica makes a sour face. “Yuck you have the worst fetishes!” Antony grins as he pics up Eric by the arm.

”Yea right like you don’t like to do strange things… Too bad Eric was such a fool!” Eric slashes Anthony’s face with his free hand and then leaps away.

”SUCKERS!” Eric leaps off a wall and out a window while setting off some explosives.

”Support beams! Smart move… EVERYONE CLEAR THE BUILDING!” Michael watches from the helicopter he had sent for as the whole warehouse collapses in on it’s self.

”Thanks sis… You saved us and… Well im sorry for what I said a few years back…” ZigZag hugs Maxwell as a clank is heard from under the helicopter.

Eric hangs from a line as the craft speeds away into the night. “That was fun… Mom Dad… I hope you got out alright” Eric looks at the moon as a boat speeds off towards a yacht.

”Dear that was exciting… Hmm think we should have done things this way? I mean our children hate us… Except for Erica she’s a loon” Lorene looks at Evan and frowns.

”No things went out of control back there! Did you see how Eric planned that assault? He totally tricked Anthony into believing he would attack head on”

Evan rolls his eyes “Plans do not always go like we want them… Just be wary… Cheryl, Cherry and Jeri are you girls all right? Your parents did loan you to us and we don’t want you three hurt in any way when you go home”

“We are fine sir mission went as planned. And as you predicted none of us were really fighting with everything we had… In fact Eric was toying with us the whole time… Battle data should prove interesting reading material for Momma and papa back home”

Evan looks away from Cheryl and waves her and her sisters off as the boat docks with the yacht and everyone enters the larger ship through a side hatch. Soon the ship has set off to sea.

Meanwhile

”James?” James opens his eyes and smiles. “Who shot you?”

James looks away. “I did… Or rather someone who looked like me…” ZigZag hugs James who nearly says no when he doesn’t feel any pain from his chest wounds.

”ZigZag… You used Eric’s blood… I feel fine… I shouldn’t… You did something I said only do if you felt it was right…. Great now I have to take orders from a nineteen year old”

Eric looks at his watch. “Since last night I have been twenty… Man im old” Michael pats his brother on the back.

”Cheer up man its cool being 20! You get to… Nah you still can’t do that… Nor that… man you suck being you!”

Everyone laughs as a knock is heard at the hospital room door. “Meet Brandy and Maxwell” Brandy who’s fur scheme is inversed comes into the room like her brother she is a pure skunk. Maxwell walks in behind her his fur is what is considered normal for a skunk.

”Hello” Brandy says while looking down at her feet.

”Hey guys” Maxwell says scowling.

”Okay nice kids… Who are they?” James asks while trying to think clearly.

“My little brother and sister… Just try to like them… Okay?”

Eric smiles as Michael slips out of the room and begins to walk away.

”I have over stayed my welcome… Tell Ertai to work out less and film less if he wants to stay alive cause in this business stamina is worth more than physical strength… Unless your using one of ZigZag’s scripts later…”

Eric waves to his brother as he steps into the elevator and looks right at him with a smile on his face.

Angela walks up to Eric and slaps him then hugs him. “You lied!”

”You believed me… When you knew the truth… Thanks now let’s go out to eat suddenly I feel like a nice long breakfast!”

”Don’t you mean hot?”

”Your hot enough for me” Eric says with a wink as Sabrina shows up with flowers with Chris who looks antsy.

”Chris you will get back to PSO in a moment! Let me say hi to ZigZag then we can leave!” Eric looks at Chris and smirks.

”So let me guess… Chris Powers?” Chris looks at Eric.

”Eric Masters… So your that guy who stole my Double Saber!”

”YOU TOOK MY Heaven Punisher!” Both guys look at each other growling as Sabrina slips away with Angela on her heels.

”Boys and there toys… Gah not you too Sabby!”

Sabrina looks at an ad for a new Amiga computer after handing ZigZag her flowers for James.

Angela shakes her head and leaves the hospital dragging Eric away from Chris. “I will get my HP back and then I will crush you in version two! Watch me pig! I will kill you with my holy power! Muwhahaha!”

Eric shuts up once he is out of Chris’s sight. “Okay what to eat?”

End of chapter 12.

Comments flames questions about where I get my info on DNA. Contact me at Mike_Charger@hotmail.com Also visit the workplace relations page at my site www.angelfire.com/journal/mikecharger