Workplace Relations By Michael L 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, Evan Taillong, Lorene Taillong, Rachel Maximillion, Angela Markson, David Bateson, Michele Fawn, Lara Justain, Jake "Jazz" Phillips, Christina Landry are owned by Michael Luvar. Barnes. Anthony Maximillion is copyrighted to his player Anthony Lanuza. Bryce Landry is copyrighted \xA9 to Bryce Landry. ZigZag, Brandy and Maxwell are copyrighted to Max BlackRabbit and are also used with permission. Ertai Maxwell is copyright \xA9 Roland Bloodthunder. Dartanya Nightblood and Chance Wolfhog is copyright there owner Chance Wolfhog. Live "Lively" Wire Katt is copyrighted \xA9 to her player Live "Lively" Wire Katt

This story has nothing to do with events in the Sabrina Online comic strip or those in The ZigZag story or Sabrina the story. Though some chapters or parts of it may seem that way. This is a work of fiction and I in no way have taken these characters without permission. Please note this story is a work of fiction and any resemblance to anyone living or dead (without permission) is just a coincidence.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to a fellow fur known as Vixdrawr (To those at the Sabrina Online fan club) who is going through a bout with cancer. I know how terrible this sickness is due to my research and own fears realized from that research. I hope he is okay in the end. His chemotherapy is still ongoing. I just hope he makes it…

Chapter 19

The beginning the middle and the end

Eric sat in an unlit cell somewhere on a military installation deep in the Nevada desert. He knew what was going to happen next... "Interrogation is an art form to some while to others a form of pleasure… Practicing an art is fun… I love to type and smash my fists into a goon’s face... Shana is coming… And she will try and kill me or worse… I knew I should have killed her years ago when I saved her… Hmm I sense she has been thinking about me all these long years… I wonder… Is it bad luck that women fall all over me?"

Eric was messed up pretty badly. His thinking was incoherent at times and his heart was too relaxed for his actions to be fast enough for an escape attempt at the moment. “Damn I have been drugged… Never been so un alert. Some of my senses have flat out turned off on me… The nanites also seem to be working to fix the problem but electromagnetic interference is also working against them… Must be some kind of… Power core nearby… Hmm I can use that gah my head… Someone is coming but it sounds like a bombardment!” Eric knew his senses were becoming hyper sensitive one moment then normal the next. To say the least it was maddening.

Eric's ears twitched like mad. At his cell door appeared Shana. She had a smile on her lips as she entered the cell alone. "Well how are you doing?" Shana suddenly reached out and kissed Eric forcefully on his lips. Eric did not resist he welcomed it or rather something inside him did. After the kiss Shana licked Eric’s face and smirked as she stood before him once again.

“I am fine Shana… Trust me when I say this meeting will be different… Your survival is impossible for I am a…” Shana shoved a stun device into Eric’s chest and he knew he was screwed then and there as his motor functions ceased for the moment. Luckily Shana did noting more than get closer to Eric instead of attacking like he thought she would.

Leaning down Shana sniffed Eric’s chest, as he lay sprawled twitching on the dusty ground. “I have had this scent on my mind for years… You remember how we met don’t you lovely? Mmmm” Eric wanted to strangle Shana to death at that point because she started to tug and twist his ears it hurt since they were sensitive to touch but at the same time it also felt strange.

“Fine… Be that way… Oh that is right I shocked the crud out of you so you can’t talk… Do not disappoint me Eric… I have quite a responsibility now that I am apart of a team. I have more responsibility what do you have?” Shana got right in Eric’s face and stared at him in the eyes. Eric stared back then slowly blinked.

“Are your nanomachines damaged? That device was made to knock even you down for but a moment… Hmm I have a question for you… Answer it as soon as you’re able to talk… How is it possible for me to have fallen in love with you of all people? Am I insane? Or obsessed? Love can flourish on a battlefield… All the conflicts in other nations that last generations are proof of that… How? The people fighting and fighting to survive still have babies even in their war torn countries… That should show how love is powerful… Do you love me?”

Eric’s nanomachines were fine in fact the stun device’s effect was short lived… Two more seconds passed and Eric just knew that he could move and talk but he faked injury with the nanites help. He had to act like the tazer had an effect on him so he could get the jump on his enemy. He wanted so much to kill her suddenly.

To possibly hide the truth from Angela who was in fact helping set up some kind of invasion by her people… Eric did not know all the facts yet. He needed to talk to Angela without ending up making out and or sleeping with her.

While Eric was thinking Shana studied him as she knelt by his face watching him twitch. She seemed to be thinking also for a moment then she spoke again. “Did I use you Eric?” “Did I feel so lonely? Did I have to have some comfort from one such as you? Sure you are handsome and must have girls chasing after you… But why did I accept your kindness?”

Eric broke his hold on his programmed instincts to watch and wait and spoke while standing shakily. “Because like almost every young GAA or young person for that matter. Who has grown up like you seeks some emotional comfort… That kiss I gave you was just that a kiss… It was meant as a friendly gesture to someone who obviously was very blood stained… In the metaphorical since” Shana lifted Eric up by his neck and threw him into a cement wall.

”Shut up! I hate you! Because of you Eric… Because of you they violated me… Studied me… Hoping for some clue as to how to attack you or lure you… They found nothing from their mind probes or anything else… And on top of that they did the same to Jeri… Yes your woman was violated… It was also punishment for failure…”

Eric smirked. “She isn’t my woman… We loved each other for a brief twinkling but who is to say whose feelings those really were? After all we were in my ancestors bodies… Or maybe the famous Taillong charm is great at finding women and seducing them?” Shana slashed Eric’s face with her claws and he forced his nanites to not repair the damage. But slowly but surely the wound healed. Cameras in the cell whirred and recorded this.

Elsewhere on the base

Figures watched a video monitor. Eric was in the center of a graphics intensive screen. “The computers estimate that he did not use the nanites to enhance his already hyper healing powers… If so that wound would have healed three seconds quicker”

One of them asked the one who spoke ”If he did not heal instantaneously so that means the nanites are not working? What do you think Mel you said he was hit with one of your knockout stun blasts and he resisted it? That could mean he is more powerful than we knew or his nanotec is way more advanced than we first thought of it… And apparently self adapting…”

The clone of Mellisa listened carefully and knew she had to report in to her creator but first she had to play her role. “Chance is friends with him therefore he may have gathered more info on Eric since he decided to go off on his own in an attempt to keep tabs on him and get revenge” The doctors around Mel nodded.

”That boy has had his own agenda for the longest time even if he is following orders he still does what he wants…” Mel simply smiled.

”Yes but I wonder what will happen next? Shana has so many confused emotions… And so much hate… Maybe she is unable to properly control her emotions or unlike most of us is letting the pre-programmed instincts kick in… Should someone try that flawed code word system and make her calm down?”

”Not yet I want to see how this plays out…” Daimon said while stepping into the control room.

Back in Eric’s cell

Shana was yelling at Eric who was trying to respond calmly.

“You somehow knew what to do to seduce me and ruin me… I hate you!” Eric looked calm and said.

”But all we did was kiss…” Eric said while shaking his head. “Your insane after what you have gone through… I probably am also but somehow I hide it deep down inside… Like a lot of fur’s we can take a lot but sooner or later we lash out even at ones we care about”

Shana threw her claws on her right hand in a point towards Eric’s neck intending to take his head off with her super strength but she stopped millimeters away from his neck knowing that she would only scratch him. “Even if the powerful drugs he was injected with are still in effect and blocking the production of hormones needed to toughen his skin… His skin under that fur is as strong as steel I can tell…” Shana spoke out loud to Eric who stared at her fingertips. “Your lucky I have more privileges now… That is why I can touch you and do anything I want… After all the doctors are just going to study you… We cannot however admittedly duplicate your nanotecnology… Why? It is too advanced… We believe the humans that ran the original base thousands of years ago found it in a crash and managed to somehow preserve it… Only when the original base complex was buried in a nuclear blast under tons of sand and dirt, the nanites were left to rot... So when we found this place decades ago and restored it and created various compounds all over based on it’s advanced technology… The nanites were effectively dead… So a time travel device was restored and Jeri was selected due to her unique DNA structure… Somehow the machine was able to send back some and others were rejected by it or killed outright. Some would say fate was guiding her… Then she came out of the time warp right as you were coming along on your pity trip… Feeling sorry for your condition caused by your anger and parents… And lo and behold you had a genetic structure that the living nanites she had managed to collect from the distant past. Could latch onto… Like they were keyed to your genetic code… But how could that be?”

Eric walked over to Shana and sneered, “Maybe there is more going on than you think? Eh? Maybe somehow in a distant past a scientist knew that only his genetic code would be able to save the future and created the machines that flow inside me… Only he made it so that they would only work with his offspring… Could that be the truth?” Shana blinked once then faced away from Eric as he stared into a camera that was looking at him.

The scientists murmured among themselves. “Could that be true?” One said while another asked.

”If so how could it be that he would come into possession of such a powerful tool?”
And the third said.

”The technology is definitely alien… We have no records since Jeri could not prevent her collected info from being destroyed by the accident which left Taillong with what is ours!”

A tall figure drinking a Pepsi stepped forward. What race he was uncertain since he remained somewhat in the shadows but he spoke with a deep voice. “The Taillong family has been a thorn in my side for years… First his grand father… Now his grandson… For now all we can do is run the world from the shadows my organization and I. But with Eric’s DNA and the technology in his body we can expose ourselves and take over…”

Back in Eric’s cell Shana was explaining how the GAA’s were born and raised in the military’s most top-secret divisions and groups.

“I was born and raised here after being taken away from my surrogate mother like the others…” Eric frowned.

”You do know we are being watched… I do not know exactly what it was you injected me with… But I swear when I am at full power I will kill you if you get in my way… For weeks I have known I would have to kill when I came on this rescue mission. I have a question… Where are Jeri’s sisters Cherry and Cheryl! Where are the sentient super computers that created them and why am I not dead?”

Shana smiled and showed her teeth as she replied. “Jeri’s sisters are dead… The computers are dismantled and our new ones are producing a perfect batch of GAA new types that will be able to match you easily… I am afraid your outdated goods like the rest of us”

Eric knew the truth that he was the strongest and he would prove it but first he wanted to toy with his supposed captor before beating her to a pulp and defeating anyone else who got in his way.
”Your weak letting them punish you harshly for a kiss…”

”WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO MORE!”

Eric hopped out of his sitting position and punched Shana out of the cell. The door now lay under Shana as she moaned. “I remember clearly what happened! DO YOU!” Eric’s eyes turned blood red as he sat down on the bunk, as Shana lay unconscious. Eric laughed and laughed insanely Shana woke up seconds later with Eric staring at her intensely.
”It is amazing how fast our kind recovers… Isn’t it?” Eric made his eyes glow intensely in the light of the cell.

”Eric… You make me sick” Eric was standing over Jeri a second after she blinked.

”I do? Then reliving our shared past should tell you something else about how I feel about you!” Eric grabbed Shana by the neck and stood her up. She could not move as Eric dived into her mind and made her relive events that caused her so much pain. Eric also sent her his memories of that snowy day.

The past

Exactly 24 hours after Eric returned to his own time period.

Eric rode his motorcycle in a rainstorm. He was confused and upset that nothing was going right and he had to rely on dumb luck and his hearing more than his eyes to see in the storm. “Jeri… God why did you do that to me? Damn it why? I will probably never see her again… And to add insult to injury I am a virgin in this body with the experiences of someone who is not… Though I did assure my family’s financial future… Those stories royalties should keep money in my pockets for years. I wonder how Mike is acting in this altered timeline?”

Michael at that moment was sitting in a diner watching television while also watching the ladies walk by. Without him knowing it the contents of his wallet changed and memories were added as the changed timeline took effect. “I would love to order something more filling… Damn my stomach… Damn that cute skunkette and damn my brother for running off… And after that scientist helped him come to terms with the fact he was going blind… Sheesh… At least he can still see somewhat… When we finally do make it to the west coast I am going to make him work his ass off! Meanwhile I will sit back and relax… Either I am lazy manipulative or trying to make a man out of my kid brother… HA! How can I talk I haven’t even… Hey is she looking at me? Wow been a while since I was on a date… That and the fact that since then I am broke and poor… What the hell?”

Feeling his wallet Michael realized he had a wad of cash.
”That is right… My savings account has a few million in it… How the hell could I forget that! After our parents betrayed us I remembered the royalties from those novel’s gramps wrote and managed to get the money put into my brother’s name and mine… YAHOO! I can eat…” Michael started to sob for joy realizing that his suffering was over. “Now to stop being a cheap ass”

Walking up to the counter Michael placed an order for two stake platters and paid for the food of the cute skunk that stood next to him also. Sheriff Baines came up behind Michael. He was a massive Bruin who kept a watch on the town’s newcomers. “Michael you seem to be ordering a lot this night… I thought you were strapped for cash? Any reason why you have money now?”

Michael pulled out his charge card. An elite card that was issued to only those who had massive bank accounts from Faster Card the fastest credit company in the world when it came to anything money related. The sheriff stared along with most of the diner occupants. “Whaaa? Just because I am rich and do not flaunt it does not mean I am massively cheap…” Michael stuffed napkins into his pant’s pockets while the skunk next to him laughed.

“Hmm multimillionaire orphan Michael Taillong… I heard about you on the news… Says your collecting royalties for the world’s most popular science fiction series ever… And it was written over a hundred years ago… My my any ideas about continuing the series like your grandfather did?” Michael was stunned.

”No I am leaving that to the writer of the family… My younger brother Eric…” Michael was ecstatic. “Don’t mess this up… Talk to her and get her number or something! Ask her to sit dummy!” “Would you like to sit and eat with me?”

”Why not you did pay for my meal… And I hope you do not tell my folks about this Sheriff… They already think I have a dozen men after me. You do not need to make them think that is true now do you?”

”No but watch yourself Krystal… These rich idiot types may seem cute but they also can be hiding a lot behind a billfold…” Michael sat with Krystal at the counter and soon other conversations filled the dinner as Michael conversed with his future life partner.

The thundering storm answered Eric’s question by hitting a tree with a bolt of lightning directly in his path. Eric leapt off his bike and hit a tree at the side of the road and slid to the ground as his motorcycle cart wheeled and skidded to a stop at the edge of a cliff.
”Ooooh my neck… I knew this mountain rage was bad… And it is starting to snow… I just hope the bike works and nothing happens to me that hasn’t already happened” Eric stood pulling his cape over his body again and walking towards his bike. A whistling sound was heard and Eric turned and side stepped a small rocket propelled hook like weapon.

Hearing the sparks from the electrified line Eric stepped back quickly but calmly searching with his weakened senses. “So your able to sense me are you not?” Eric was staring dead ahead into the trees he had switched his eyes unknowingly over to heat sensing mode and was tracking a red blob moving slowly at him holding something. “Well then I am less than twenty paces away from you now… If you were smart kitty you would just ask yourself what are my options now? Eh? No response? No matter I…”

Eric turned around and jumped off the cliff edge after hopping over the guardrail. “…” Eric landed on a small ledge further down the side of the hill and knew he had to think fast he somehow knew about the ledge there but he did not wonder how. A shadow looked down at him and Eric caught a glimpse of the face that he would never forget.

”Hello Taillong… Funny I thought you would commit suicide… Look how about we do this sensible like? I toss a rope down and you climb up?”

”How about you just walk away before I hurt you?” Eric then leapt again and skidded and tumbled down the side of the mountain to the bottom. His attacker looked through the snowstorm at his unmoving body and then tossed a rope over the guardrail after securing it and prepared to retrieve Eric’s body

“He is mine!” Securing the rope to the guardrail Shana stood by the edge looking down at Eric. Little did she know that this cliff face was already loose and part of the road had fallen away years ago hence the cliff right by the guardrail, which should have been further back from the edge.

Eric was not dead but he had cracked some ribs and broke a leg in the fall. The line Shana was preparing to use to climb down to get his body with was near his right arm. Eric tugged on the rope to make sure it was secure and then promptly literally tore the earth out from underneath Shana’s feet. He did it all on adrenaline and he knew this was the only way to take her out without much fuss. “Die!” Eric heard himself call out as he smiled and watched Shana fall. Shana thinking fast fired at Eric’s position with her weapon and brought him to his knees before she blacked out on impact far below. Eric now on his knees felt a hole in his chest and a sudden shock as he slipped and fell forward also. Eric’s last thoughts were of his brother and lost sister as snow covered his form.

The present

Eric was punched in the face repeatedly by Shana as tears streamed from her face. “You should have let me die! Damn you!” Eric felt every blow to his face. Shana smiled and glanced at the security cameras, she wanted to get her revenge on Eric for what happened to her all those years ago. And she did not care who was watching… Eric let Shana work out her anger at the cost of a little healing later.

Meanwhile at the Studio

A meeting was being held to keep everyone up to date and to also find out where Eric’s last few scripts were and to see who would clean up until he returned.

“Okay I found the diskettes and also I have decided Bryce should clean up the studio after filming all agreed?” Bryce did not raise his hand but everyone else did even James who did not really care and had a look much like Chance’s uncaring look.

”That is cold ZigZag! Oh well at least no one can go insane from having to do that kind of work…” ZigZag whistled as she remembered another feline besides Eric who held the position and went insane sort of. “What does that mean?”

”Nothing Bryce just avoid cleaning in the Darke” Sabrina and ZigZag exchanged laughs at her inside joke.

“Now that we have solved that in as calm a manner as expected… What the hell did happen to Eric?” Angela looked at the pad she normally used for keeping note of the damage caused by Chance and the others to assess how much they were docked out of their pay for it.

”Okay here is the plan outline in his own words. Get captured deliberately by the enemy before they are ready to capture you by forcing their hand. Two rescue Jeri’s family if possible while destroying any research compiled on myself if possible. Three kick ass… That is what Eric said to me and so far it is going well… What surprised me is that Eric freaked when he spotted that tiger woman he called Shana”

James and Chance looked at each other for a split second at the mention of that name.

Sabrina spoke first while taking her medication for stress her doctor prescribed earlier after receiving a report from her psychiatrist about delusional episodes.

”That is an okay plan I think… But how did he get the “enemy” to come after him so soon?”

Angela smiled sadly. ”He wanted to be able to catch at least some of the enemy off guard so he ticked off a few people who set into motion plans to speed up their plans to grab him anyway…. By now someone should be interrogating Eric… That someone should be dead soon and he will move on and carry out his plans…”

The only person now partially shocked by hearing plans of murder was Sabrina and even now her medicated brain was so relaxed she thought she did not hear it. James rubbed his left arm while asking. “Sabrina has a valid question can you answer it fully?” Angela snickered.

”Oh just sent a few pictures and info proof he got of how a congresswoman had her man on the side taken out along with his whole family over a period of years just because he dumped her for another… Who is also deceased and buried in a shallow grave with lime”

Chance punched a video monitor and Angela whipped out her pad and wrote down how much to deduct from his pay. “If he is so strong how come he acts so weak? And idiotic!”

Angela looked at James. “Chance you should know better from your training. Looks are not everything”

ZigZag who was staring at the ceiling let out a sigh and cracked her neck. “What is this all about anyhow? Time travel… Ancient technology… Neo Era? I am so mixed up I think I should go lay down!” Roland yawned.

”Your not the only one boss”

ZigZag smiled. “See even poor Roland still doesn’t fully understand” Roland laughed.

”I know more than you would like me to know” Roland closed his eyes leaning into his seat while smiling. Lively who sat next to him licked his cheek.

”Your just a softie you know that?” Roland blushed.

”So what if I am? I thought us foxes had another reputation?”

Ertai smiled “Well you know what they say about foxes…” Sabrina blushed and her glasses fogged up. “Not that! I mean how sly we can be… Well it just so happens I am a thousand year old magician who was trapped in a time vortex on an island… And as such I could see all the events that transpired in history dating back twenty thousand years… It is quite amazing how things are in the world today… He, he, he”

Everyone stared except for Lively who snickered. “I knew about Ertai… He is one of the legendary four… A group of magicians who tried to alter history so the accident that made us what we are today never happened… To say the least his libido got in the way when my ancestor who was evil seduced and trapped him then killed his three partners… Such is the way of the world when you think with your crotch”

Ertai snickered “Aw you know you like it when we are teamed up on screen… I for one like ZigZag’s scripts” Angela spit out her coffee and even Dartanya who was lightly snoozing on her perch Eric installed in the break room laughed.

Angela shook her head and let out another laugh. “I cannot believe how a group of strange people could come together like this! Um where are Bryce and Michele?”

Bryce and Michele came out from under the meeting table in disheveled clothing.

ZigZag smiled her world famous smile. “You making out or something? You two could at least wait until after we finish traumatizing Sabrina… Not that we intend to do so on purpose of course Sabrina”

”Of course ZigZag…” Sabrina was cleaning her glasses as Bryce giggled along with Michele.

“Actually a quick rehearsal was gong on…”
Sabrina blushed deep red. Bryce’s sister just frowned. And Jazz covered his eyes with his ears while shaking his head.

”Oh my poor Sabrina you look so embarrassed here let me help” ZigZag came up behind Sabrina and hugged her. ”Why do you always tense up when I come near?” Sabrina was stiff as a board.

”Because you used to like me a lot as in LIKE me. Before James that is” Chance let out a small snicker and James brought his full attention onto ZigZag.

”ZigZag…” James said while giving her a stern look.

”What? I was just hugging a close friend…” ZigZag at his point had her tail wrapped around Sabrina also and was using the tip to tickle her nose. James kept staring at ZZ and she finally let go of Sabrina who fell out of her seat. Jazz helped her up and handed her her glasses. Sabrina felt Jazz’s hand touch hers and she realized that it was not Jazz at all.

”WHO THE HELL IS THAT?” Sabrina leapt back into Christina who sat on a couch in the meeting room. Jazz stood and pulled off a mask. IT was in reality a black colored rabbit named Max Blackrabbit.

”Um… Sabrina I have to tell you something… But I never got the chance… Then that Chris guy showed up… Damn how do I say this… I am madly in love with you…” Sabrina blinked.

”Wait you’re that baby sitter… I guess Amy was right on the money after all… Look I have no interest in you and you must be one heck of a disguise artist to avoid James and Chance… And ZigZag’s detection of you” Chance grabbed Max and held him still.

”Trespassing is wrong! So how did you get rid of Jake?” Max gulped.

”I just bribed him he is a distant cousin after all so I had an inside man… Just don’t hurt me…” Chance growled.

”Sabrina say your goodbyes this fake is going bye-bye!” Sabrina reached out and stopped Chance from throwing Max out.

”Sorry you waited so long but I have a great boyfriend and a lot of good friends… You seem nice enough… But sorry I am taken…” Max looked down at his feet then smiled as he looked at everyone while rubbing his shoulders.

”I guess I just needed closure… Thanks and Jake you can come out now” Jake stepped into the meeting room holding a speaker.

”Thanks cousin and thanks to this receiver I heard everything said wow Ertai you’re a magic user also… What’s next Sabrina is able to change fate at will ha, ha, ha, ha” Ertai and Lively did not share in the laughter. Max just blinked.

”Okay maybe she is out of my league for a reason after all…”

Lively nodded. “Yes fate’s power… Only a few people have it… With it you can alter time and space if you master it… Or if you’re inexperienced you can destroy history or someone’s fate to be precise… But when I got here I could not determine who among you was a wielder for a while. Then I discovered Ertai but he wasn’t the one who had the power I mentioned… No he was strong true but the one I speak of is of course Sabrina!”

Sabrina gagged. “Great I am just like that girl on TV… How did I become a magician? I am sick of all these strange events going on in my life! What next Chris reveals that he is actually a genetically enhanced assassin?”

James knew that everyone was on edge and needing answers. But he wanted to ask his old student a few things “Chance how is your sister?”

”Mel is fine… Anthony has the clone he sent in sending him info via electrical wiring. Anthony says that the base security is as tight as ever… Figures since I escaped twice back in my day… Darty are you okay?”

Dartanya smirked. “Yes I am… I am sure that Eric will fall right into my lap once he returns… We are more alike now than ever the way I see it. We both kill to survive” Angela’s reaction was watched by ZigZag.

”Dartanya shut up please! If he wants to leave me fine… After what I told him who wouldn’t… I could be dead in a few days anyway… And you guys also!” Angela actually started to cry. Dartanya feeling bad spoke softly.

”Look you have to admit he is a unique individual… Sure Chance and me are just using each other… For um fun. But I am just not sure anymore about what I want for myself and Chance… He still loves Shadow…”

Chance was on the perch Dartanya hung from and holding Dartanya by her shoulders in an instant. “How do you know about her?” Chance looked down at James who shook his head no meaning he did not tell her. “How?”

”First get off of my perch Eric installed for me second YOU call her name out while yelling out code words and maneuvers like you are in a fight as you sleep… When you sleep…” Chance let go of the perch with his legs and landed on his feet. Looking pissed as always Chance just leant against the wall.

James began to explain “Chance fell in love with a girl named Shadow… All the kids at the base are never named… They have there own names for each other and the numbers that are issued to them at birth. All this info is classified but I am not held to that rule of keeping my mouth shut since I am a merc first and foremost and confidentiality ends with my payment”

ZigZag frowned. “So your admitting you killed people for money? You said you would never admit that to me!”

Lara who was combing her hair chimed in. “ZigZag that is kind of redundant you already knew about James bloody past. The only thing we still do not know is who shot him…”

James continued, “I worked on the base training these next generation Special Forces units. One of there missions was to exterminate humans… Sorry Krystal but the military fears you due to your peoples infiltration’s in the past” Krystal and Michael were at the studio since no orders had come in for them to go to work as spies for the last purely human government on the planet.

”Our people James”

”Whatever?” Krystal frowned.

”If it wasn’t for ignorant people like you Michael here would not have been forced to kill that huntress a while back in the hidden city… Hatred breeds more hatred!”

”Who did I kill?” Krystal slumped back into her seat at Mike’s dumb comment. “No really who did I kill? I mean there was that guy from Malaysia who I stabbed through the eye on one of our missions… Then that guy from Southern Europe with an Irish accent… wait I’m confused…”

”Shut up Mikey” Krystal hugged Mike and he held her. James smiled then looked stoic

”Anyway I do not endorse hate… I just state the facts… You’re the enemy silent and deadly… With the ability to hide in plain site… So they wanted weapons like yourself only for us…”

Krystal sighed while looking at James while resting her head on Mike’s shoulder. “One fact. I was born this way… Naturally our people evolved and adapted to that virus… Two just relax and three… Mike your stepping on my tail…”

James ignored Krystal. ZigZag interrupted them. “James if you have issues spit them out… Do not hold things in…”

James went over reasons why he loved ZigZag and softened. “Okay… but… After I finish” James swallowed a glass of water. “The children always never really understood why they were trained day in and day out… The only one who did not verbally voice his concerns was Chance… He rose to become somewhat of an unofficial squad leader of his generation… Even though command was given to someone else in the group…”

Everyone looked at the open door there stood Taillong’s Evan and Lorene. Evan spoke sadly. ”Daimon… Michael’s twin brother was given team leader position for that group” Mike’s eyes bugged out as he stood.

“I have another sibling… How and why could you split us up? And why tell me now?” Michael stood growling his fur’s quills stood on end looking ready to explode from his skin. Which everyone nearby thought would happen since they did once before and impaled Jazz in one of his ears in a comical moment when Mike got over excited.

Lorene smiled sadly. “Your brother was born stillborn… He was dead… You survived… But his body was donated or rather taken from us… So we had him erased from the hospital records and went home with one healthy child.

”WHAT!” Michael looked shocked beyond belief. “You knew Chance?”

”Yep. Your twin is like you only colder and he doesn’t say much yet his room reflected his childish side… He is like you a lot and my rival. But you should know something… I respect him more than you”

Michael frowned. “Your not funny” Chance smirked.

”Well you should thank the people who made me who I am today… They are the ones who saved him”

Evan nodded. “The scientists at a facility revived him and kept him from us but did inform us of his progress on a strictly scientific basis for research purposes and to prevent the same thing from happening with Eric and Erica… And what is worse is the way Eric will find out… He will run into him on the base and he will unfortunately fight him. And I do not know the outcome… Who can win is uncertain…”

Chance smiled. “Eric will win… I for one believe he can… Since I can’t beat him I am sure he could win… Do not mistake my statement for weakness. It is my warrior’s pride that makes me speak like this… And Darty…”

”Yes?” Dartanya said while gazing at Chance.

”Mention this tonight and I will hurt you…” Dartanya giggled and Chance frowned.

Darty shrugged. Mike was up hugging his mom and freaking out. “I have a twin… Who was revived after he was born dead. What the hell… I need to think… Okay I am done” Mike sat looking as calm as ever but everyone knew he just turned off his emotions for the moment.

James cut in “Daimon was Chance’s rival alright and best friend… They may have been only 9 at the time but Chance started going through puberty earlier than normal and it was determined that he was a mutant GAA. A variation that was made to his and his sister’s genetic code showed promise when he started to produce high voltage electricity… So much in fact that he could magnetize metal around him or the iron in his body and actually simulate flying… Chance show them what I mean”

Chance nodded and narrowed his eyes and soon lifted ten inches off the ground. Lively did the same thing and so did Ertai. “Whew at least I am not doing that…” Sabrina looked down and noticed her chair was lifted off the ground a few inches. “Why did I open my mouth?”

Angela smiled “No don’t you see it is not you… At least not yet… Your chair is the only one with metal leg’s right near Chance” Sabrina noticed her chair resting on the carpet once again after Chance touched down.

”Sabrina don’t worry if I really intended to do something to freak you out I would have made you levitate” Lively smiled.

”Gah you have it easy… You know how much power it took to do that?” Ertai was sweating and huffing. “Not to mention you overworked poor Ertai”

”Aw shut up… Whew… At least I am not an electrical outlet that walks and talks…” Chance and Lively gave Ertai death stares. “I meant it in a good way…” Lively zapped Ertai into a sitting position with her pinky.

James smiled. “Your antics remind me of when Chance was first discovering how to use his powers…” Chance nodded.

”Yea I found I could emit enough electrical force at full charge to kill dozens just by touching the ground in the area they were in… In fact I should have done that to Eric when I was sent to kill him… But that probably would not have stopped him due to him being the most powerful GAA alive and he doesn’t know it…”

Angela sighed. “Your all good people… Well what happened James?”

”Nothing much was going on then… Sure Chance and his sister were the most popular kids at the base then… Even the older men looked up to them. Chance like most GAA’s can call upon tactical data stored in their genes. It is our only edge against each other in combat besides our strength… Eric has his work cut out for him…”

Back on the base

Eric was exchanging blows with Shana. Throwing a punch aimed to the left Shana dodged right into the path of Eric’s left fist and was delivered a crunching blow to the nose. “Is that all you have Taillong?” Eric leapt up and kicked Shana with both his feet in the chin sending her into a wall. Landing on his hands Eric flipped backwards and propelled himself from a crouching position right into Shana sending them both through the wall.

The cameras were back monitoring the cell again and the scientists and other soldiers watching made comments on the fight. “Should we let them fight like that? I mean going through a steel reinforced wall like that should show that we should end it…”

The shadowy figure nodded. “Yes but not yet… I want to see what Eric can do…”

Daimon stepped forward from the shadows behind the figure. “Even if Shana dies?”

”She isn’t in danger”

Shana was having her skull bashed over and over into the ground. She did not move after Eric stopped. Standing Eric sat down hard on the ground staring at his opponent. “You are weak… Just like that day all those years ago… Just like I was…”

The past

24 hours after Eric’s first meeting with Shana.

A pile of snow suddenly exploded and from it came Eric. He held his side and then looked over his body in shock as he realized. “I am healed… But what about Shana?” Eric spotted a paw and reached for it and pulled out one nearly frozen kitty. “Are you okay?” Eric passed a paw over her mouth and felt no breath. “Maybe I can do something still…” Shana suddenly moaned and Eric smiled then thought for a moment. “How did I know her name?”

Eric picked up Shana and walked towards a cave in the side of the mountain. Inside he found two skeletons and ignored them. “Cough…” Shana suddenly shoved Eric away from her. And stood wobbly on two feet.

”You’re a fool!” Shana pulled out a knife and lounged at Eric with it. Eric thrust out with his shoe and kicked Shana square in the chest knocking her back. “A fast fool but none the less you’re a fool”

”Please just shut up and help me find something to start a fire”

”I will use your clothing to start a fire once your dead Taillong!” Eric just looked at Shana and laughed.

”Sure… I will have you know something about me. One I know for a fact your in pain from your fall still. Two I am stronger for some reason so I doubt you can hurt me and three I have no idea what the hell is going on… I am not sure what is going on…”

“It is simple really” Shana stood to her full height and proudly recalled her mission. “I have to bring you in dead or alive. Though they want you alive still dead is good also!” Eric laughed.

”Fine then bring me in… If you can!” Eric made Shana’s knife flew into Eric’s hand. “Heh just as well that you did not see that coming… Now just relax and I can get us out of this… What is your name anyway?” Eric said trying to be sure if he was right about her name.

”None of your business… I have no name but I am called Shana…” Eric nodded and started a fire.

”Nice knife! Armor plated I see… Hmm I guess it is used for killing others of our kind right?”

Shana nodded. “You know about what you are?”

”Not really just a few glimpses here and there but no real clues… Not since what happened to me two days ago… But Jeri never really spoke of her time growing up… I think Mary would not let her… For her own sake”

Shana snorted. “Too bad our superiors were not happy about your accident… Some of us in the group back on base do not know what to think of you… I for one want you dead… You swayed Jeri to your side…”Eric blinked. “Ever wonder why Jeri acted so resistant to you trying to convince her to just play her role as your wife at first? Well believe it or not she was”

Eric laughed and laughed hard. “Gay duh like I for one could not tell… Gramps thought of it as kinky but other than that yea I knew just don’t like talking about it… Let me guess you are in love with her and now your having ideas about why she finally gave in to me willingly? You want to understand me and how I think so badly so you can emulate me on some level and get her back. I have no idea how you can do that other than by examining my thoughts and believe me I know you’re not able to. It is like opening a book the images are easy to understand it is like my mind automatically translates what I scan from your head… Why are you giving me that look?”

Shana growled. “Taillong you have no idea what your family has done do you?” Eric looked up at the cave roof and shook his head.

”Nah and I don’t care that much about it right now… What I want is simple I want you to forget killing me cause it will not happen understand?” Shana growled and Eric got a feeling what that look meant but it did not mean much to him. “Stop it!” Eric slapped Shana and caught her retaliatory punch to his crotch barely.

”You took her away from me why!”

”I had no real say in the matter… Why do you not ask god?”

Shana screamed. “He does not hear me!” Her statement shocked Eric.

”She feels like I did a while ago… Erica… I will find you” Eric drew strength from his devotion to finding Erica and sat down next to Shana and held her. “Your just lost like everyone else… Come on let’s climb up the mountain and finish our fight… This time you can throw me off the mountain”

”You mean it?”

”Sure if you can beat me” Shana smiled and hugged Eric as they settled down for the night. Shana was surprised when Eric kissed her cheek and held her tighter wetting her fur with his tears. His tears from his lonely lonely heart…

The present

”Life is a gift… Each day is a gift from god… I understand that now more than ever… That is why the present is called the present… Sometimes you get a bad day/gift but more than ever I now truly hope you understand Shana… It was a kiss to make you feel better nothing sexual behind it no mind control tricks nothing like that… Just wake up and realize for yourself that I have no real bad intentions… Granted I was smashing you through walls and beating you up a moment ago… Still I really am not like that… I want you to know that”

Eric left Shana sitting crying into her hands inside the cell they started fighting in originally. Eric checked over his suit and found that it was relatively intact. He had to fight his way out. And it was going to be messy. “Eric… Wait you need this…” Shana gave Eric a key card.

”And here I was hoping to blow the door off its hinges… Okay see ya and if you want you could come with me…” Shana laughed.

”And fight over you with the rest? Believe it or not coming from me those girls are crazy!” Eric nodded and smiled at the cameras and then gave a look that would make anyone know he was not just going to be walked all over. Eric turned and promptly bashed his nose on the wall. Shana sighed and Eric shrugged and rubbed his nose.

”Somehow I feel that fate has it set in stone that I will always do something stupid when I am trying to be serious…” Eric was off and running now and he accessed stored plans of the base from his memory. He did not know for sure but he did know that he was stronger than he thought before. “Have to let go of all of it… Cannot afford to hold back… Man I need to get back and say sorry for acting like a jerk for so long… But I could not loose control in front of my friends… Anthony would love that”

Speaking of over dramatic villains…

Anthony was relaxing in his office suite with his wife and Erica. They had come to terms with there differences and got along at least in public. “Okay bring in Mellisa I have enough time on my hands to at least see how she is doing…”

Mel walked in with Chance who growled loudly.
”Seems she has escaped… Well almost” Chance stared at Anthony as Erica spoke.

”Erica shut up I have come for my sister… Anthony I am staring at you because your reaching for that gun taped under your desk” Anthony drew the gun anyway.

”So what are you going to do?”

”Leave” Chance took his sister by the hand and walked out all the while Anthony kept pulling the trigger on his gun.

”Rachel dear… You remembered to reload this right?”

Rachel smiled. “No after what you did to that pizza boy who Erica ate afterwards… I think I better keep your ammo”

”Damn you!” Anthony threw the gun on the floor and frowned. “I never get to kill anytime I want to anymore! Sheesh Erica are you in on this too?”

Erica nodded. “Call it therapy I mean you kill on a whim it is time you left that to lackeys… Jeri!” Jeri walked in.

”What is it you want?” Jeri snorted.

”Reload this weapon and clean it” Jeri took the gun from Erica and left.

”Damn her too! She is on the list just like you two!”

Rachel shook her head realizing that she had given up her sanity just to understand her man and not fear him. “What list is that?”

Anthony faced his large window. “List of people I would like to kill and or have sex with… Not really sure why though I mean she is in love with Eric my mortal foe… Now that I think about it a lot of people hate his guts I wonder why?”

Eric finished ripping off an attacking fur’s mask. Then punched him in the face and took his weapons after dragging him into a closet. “Hmm if he was a GAA that would have taken longer to do… Okay now for the fun…”

Eric climbed into a vent after using his powers to short out the security system. Moving along like a snake Eric came above an entryway that was guarded. Getting a stun grenade ready and a smoke grenade Eric opened a vent further down with his mind and then tossed the two distraction devices through the now open vent and immediately saw the soldiers fire up into the vent as the grenades went off.

Momentarily blinded by Eric’s distraction Eric took that moment to come through the vent cover directly above the door and then took off running while tossing proximity mines behind him. His pursuers who were GAA’s were blown back by the bombs as Eric made his way right into an ambush.

”Hello Eric!” Eric recognized the voice and looked around a corner gasping out.

”Michael? What the hell are you doing here? Are you a traitor like Erica?” Eric was shocked.

”No I am his twin and your brother also” Eric processed this and immediately before he could understand it all switched off his emotions.

”So what? I need you out of my way!” Eric opened fire knocking his brother back a few inches but he stood firm. “Those were armor piercing… What the hell?” Daimon punched Eric into a wall and then picked him up and slammed him into the ground.

”It has been fun but… Where did he go?” Eric wondered why they could not see him and realized.

”My cloaking ability! I better high tail it before they damn!” Daimon grabbed Eric by the face and dragged him to another room. In this room was a pit in the center with ropes hanging over it from the ceiling and two ways in and out. At the sides were windows all around. The glass had been taken out so I reminded Eric of an arena in ancient times. On the walls were the remains of what appeared to be various beings bones. Eric took this into account and decloaked since he was caught.

“You should know something little brother… This is where we fight and train… Only the strong survive… You see the higher ups have left us to our own devices on the lower floors. Sure they come down and check on us but down here we have our own society… And every so often the strong along with those who want to get stronger go on missions. It is a false freedom but freedom nonetheless… If you want to make it up to where the scientists are and also where the main exit is you have two choices… Fight your way past hundreds of GAA and ordinary soldiers or fight me here and now… For these lovely prizes”

Eric noticed the walls sliding away to reveal a cell. Inside were Jeri’s sisters. “Where are the computers that made them?” Daimon held up a case.

”On ice. These types of neuron computers have to be kept chilled… So as an extra incentive I will turn off their cooling units and they should last about half an hour… Oh and they might want to see and hear this so…” Daimon opened the cases and had some female GAA’s brought over some equipment, which he attached them to and then cut off their coolant.

Father spoke first. “Daimon you monster! Leave our children alone! I helped them revive you why would you do this?”

Daimon laughed and had Eric restrained Eric struggled and frowned. “By the way that is one of my mates. Her name is Wildcat and the one on your left is Lina. She is as you can see holding up the truths about how strong bears can be is she not? Oh and meet your niece and nephew”

Two little cubs ran up. “This is uncle Eric? Hmm he doesn’t look like much” Daimon snapped and Lina pulled off Eric’s suit top.

”See what I mean now little Erin? Looks are deceiving”

”I see daddy… See you later after the fight… Try not to do what you did to Rick last time…”

Eric was appalled but he hid it due to him not really caring. “You let your children watch… Damn you Daimon… I just met you and already I like you a lot. You do not give everyone a load of crap like a lot of other people… And your true to yourself”

”I AM true to myself and now let us begin!” Daimon snapped and soon the stands began to fill. Some lab coats filled the stands to including one figure in the far back who hid his face and hands with leather.

Eric broke free leapt up sixty feet to and off the ceiling into Daimon and knocking him away. Eric drew the one weapon he had left and that was… A cane.

”Back to basics bro… You’re not like Mike exactly but your similar enough to him that I bet I can beat you by predicting all your attacks… With my sight off” Daimon glared at his brother.

”I am the best here and I have a few of my own tricks…” Daimon was tossed a battle-axe by Wildcat. “I specialize in assassination tactics… Close range is preferred though I can do some tricks like this little number to kill people” Daimon twirled the axe around with one hand when suddenly the blade launched off and twirled around him like an orbiting moon. The ax handle produced an energy mace and Eric smirked.

”I love that trick but I have one similar to it” Eric called up a mental shield. It used the atoms of the air to form a barrier of sorts around his body additional armor in a way that would cushion a blow but Even Eric was sure that his bare arms could not prevent that axe blade from cutting into him.

Daimon raised his hands and waved to everyone. Eric concentrated and soon his muscles expanded and toned and tightened till he looked like he had been bodybuilding for years. Eric still looked small and lean and Daimon noticed this and snickered. “Hiding your true stamina?”

”No trying to toughen up for this fight…” Eric thought Eric ordered his nanites to be on full alert to any kind of attack damage from strained muscles to broken bones. Eric glanced over at Jeri’s sisters and the computer units he came to get also. “Jeri you owe me… Angela… Man your life must be terrible also… Damn I have to go home. This time nothing is going to stop me! Nothing!”

Eric twirled his cane slowly as he walked around the pit. Daimon followed his brother’s movements and then suddenly sent the orbiting axe blade flying at his head. Eric blocked it with a wave of his hand sending it into a wall. “How did he do that!”

Daimon was stunned. “Heh little does he know I have more moves than ever… I know I can not get out of here with all of them…” Eric glanced at the sisters and the computers.

”He isn’t looking” Daimon’s mace hit Eric square in the face with a whip from his axe handle. “I have you now!” Daimon yanked Eric forward and into the pit. Eric broke free from the energy whip and extended his cane like a pole and slammed it into both sides of the hole. Daimon looked down at Eric who flipped up onto the newly made beam and sneered.

”Ha! I think your going to have to try harder!” Eric ducked the axe blade as it came from behind him and then flipped to avoid it just barely while landing and slipping off the slender pole. Eric caught it by the hand and used his momentum to swing up and out of the pit with the pole now a cane in hand only to be hit in the chest by the axe blade. The crowd roared as Eric flew back and slammed into a cement wall cracking it.

”Dear brother feel my wrath!” Daimon forced the blade to spin like a buzz saw; it dug into Eric’s fur and past his shield and started to cut his skin.

”AHHHH!” Eric forced himself to concentrate and he felt out Daimon’s mind and attacked it. Daimon dropped the ax blade and it fell to the ground with a thud and stuck out of it like an axe blade stuck in the ground.

”Get out of my head!” Eric was knocked out of Daimon’s head as he leapt over the pit and charged at him. Eric felt his bloodied chest and actually stopped concentrating on Daimon’s attack to look at the wound.

”He cut me… Oh your ass is mine now!” Eric flung his cane at Daimon and he was about to fling it away when it exploded into pieces. Eric flew through the air landing a kick on Daimon’s chest sending the GAA mix back a few steps. Eric followed up with an upper cut then a spin kick to his brothers left temple. Daimon caught Eric’s right leg and then slammed him into the ground.

”Here is another move I love to perform… Hope you can hold your breath!” Eric was suddenly in the crushing arms of his brother. His grip so strong he could not breathe or see anyway out of it. Eric’s nanites started to create oxygen to supplement the supply left in his blood.

”Funny I feel that that character off TV… A distraction… Good idea but not for me to be distracted! I need to distract Daimon and land a finishing attack on his furry butt!”

As Eric fought for his life Angela was communicating with her mother.

”Really now I think we should leave this world alone” Angela’s commanding officer glared into the hand held communication device as she walked to a balcony.

”I do not care what you think! We need slaves and food! And those Terrans should provide it… And with this advanced cultures technology in our grasp we can heal our world. Just look at it daughter of Ner’sta!” Angela was given a view of the desert wasteland that was her home after the last big war.

”I know I know we must do this… But…”

”But what? You already barely avoided being dragged back here and executed… But since you are a princess and have not told them state secrets you avoided that… If Eric comes back… You can have him as a mate… He should come back our computers have ran the calculations. If he uses his full potential nothing and I mean NOTHING should stop him short of a bombardment from space and an atomic blast or quantum explosive to the chest or well you get the idea… Now relax your mission is still the same for now watch him… I am still worried though… Should you make the wrong choice then I am afraid I will have to kill you my child…”

“Yes mother…” Angela sighed “Being a Nevran bites sometimes” Angela sat at her desk and everyone came from the hall.

ZigZag spoke first. “Okay we are all spared and our families if we choose also but everyone else will either be eaten or made a slave… That sounds like a novel I once read…” Angela nodded.

”We have been here for years… We come from an alternate reality… And as my mother the queen stated we need food and that advanced technology in the humans hiding place…” Krystal rubbed her stomach. She had been two months along when she finally told Michael the news. Her pregnancy was starting to show. Which made her all the more proud.

“What do you want from me? All the council will do is come out of their high rises hike to the old village where Michael was judged and decide to bomb your people back to hell then go back to their fancy homes and relax without thinking twice about what they have done… The only reason they have not done this to all the furs in the world is because we are brothers. You are alien… Aliens who have been intruding on our reality for years… But eat us use us for food? I at least hope you process the meat…”

Angela said nothing. “Okay I think I am going to go home now…” Sabrina said while yawning and looking sick.

”But Sabrina what about Eric? What about your newfound power! And what about James and ZigZag and all the rest? Even Ertai and Lively’s stories remain to be examined in more detail. Well I guess we will have to wait till tomorrow…” Jazz was punched out by Darty.

”No narrations got it?” Jazz nodded and pulled out a tape recorder and it played a soft melody. Dartanya stomped it into the ground along with Jazz’s paw. “Or ending songs this is not a and I repeat a Anime!”

Jake stood up and put on his cowboy hat that made his hears flop back. “Well then I guess I will have to bebop on over to my cousin Spike’s place then…” Darty screamed in rage and chased Jake out of the studio. And they per chanced upon Chance and his sister who stared as they watched Darty flying after the hopping bunny.

“Okay at least this place did not go to hell while I was gone” Chance muttered while walking into the studio. Mel shook her head and smiled.

End of chapter 19

up next… The end of an Epic story and the beginning of another… Does Eric escape with his rescued friends? And if so how the hell does he do it? Angela is an alien princess from an alternate reality? Can things get any worse for everyone? Find out next time on Workplace Relations. As always email me at Mike_Charger@hotmail.com

Author’s notes

This was the LONGEST workplace relation’s chapter ever. And the last one in the current series should be twice as long. Yep and it will take longer to put out since I will start working soon. But I need the money so I can see my girl who I met online. Her character Claire Tiger has been in some of my fan fiction stories such as Sonic Ball Z a story that is based on the Sega and Archie comic universes and with a little of Dragon Ball Z madness in it. I am glad all you true believers who stuck with me over the last year since I started this story. It has been a year and twenty chapters. I am working on the last chapter to Workplace Relations right now. The next series Working Relations takes place on Angela’s home world. It could change but the action will involve the studio as it putters along with Michael taking over as studio writer and janitor along with his girlfriend Krystal taking Angela’s job since she took off… A lot of surprises and changes to come but hey thanks to you readers I will keep going for another set of twenty stories or more. Depends but I know I can do it.

Sincerely

your friend and furry author

Michael Luvar Barnes