Third day of posting 5 chapters in a week.
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[Marcus Carvalho]
"Today is not my day." I mutter to myself.
I woke up alone in bed with Edith's scent still lingering on the pillow. I got up still tired but with my mind already alert because of the door bell.
Yawning, I walked to the living room, guided by voices echoing down the hallway. From afar, I saw Edith and another Anthro, a tigress in a heated discussion. The tigress was actually Yami Kage, and they wer talking about marriage, union, future... my future. Edith, on the other hand, seemed furious at what she was hearing.
Not in the mood to deal with both of them first thing in the morning, I did the thing that came to my mind.
I fled without telling then.
It's not that I'm a coward, but I'm not about to get involved in a discussion between two women first thing in the morning, especially when one of them is talking about marriage.
The mention of marriage at the time made my chest tighten.
"Eira," I whisper, while sitting on the floor.
The name echoes in my mind, bringing with it a flood of memories.
Eira is my first wife, the woman I miss the most from my adventuring life. Her smile, her perfum, her voice... everything came back at once, like a punch to the gut.
I left through the back door to sell my gold and explore the city of Santa Francisca... yes, this city is this world's version of San Francisco, only the name is the feminine version in Spanish.
"Lazy world building," I muttered, frustrated to no one in particular.
After selling my gold to Nonna Toretto I had the brilliant idea of withdrawing money. Even though my accounts are secure, I don't want the Chinese mafia to have access to all my banking transactions. With cash in hand, the old tiger will only know I made a withdrawal, not where I spent it.
Genius, right? A simple plan, no chance of going wrong...
Unless, as soon as I enter the bank, a gang of Brazilian capybara anthros tries to rob the place. At that moment, I was so stunned to see aggressive capybaras that I didn't react and ended up being taken hostage.
[Image CapibaraGang]
Getting out of this situation with my powers is easy, but I admit I was very entertained by the scene, and this gang of capybaras made me nostalgic and homesick.
"Seu cafézinho" said a capybara Anthro kneeling to hand me a steaming cup.
"Obrigado moça bonita," I replied in Portuguese to the criminal holding me hostage.
The capybara gave a shy giggle and walked away, leaving me to sip my coffee in peace. The warmth of the drink heated my hands, and the strong, bitter aroma filled my senses, bringing a sense of normality amid the chaos.
"Finally, a decent coffee," I mutter out loud. "I never realized the quality of average Brazilian coffee until I had to drink that sewage-water-tasting fast-food crap coffee."
As I took a sip of the coffee, a shadow loomed over me. Before I could react, a strong slap hit my hand, knocking the cup to the floor. The black liquid spilled onto the carpet.
"What the hell is this?" Asks the capybara Anthro acting as the gang's leader. "You think this is a fucking tea party?"
"What a waste," I whisper under my breath.
Irritated, I looked at the fat capybara leading this group. She wore a red shirt with a white star on the chest and yellow-lensed glasses
.
[Image]
"You better watch yourself, pretty boy, I'm Carlinha Matadora... porra!" The capybara growled, her voice laden with authority, trying to hide her fear and hesitation. "I won't tolerate any disrespect from any male, got it?"
"Carlinha?" I repeated, holding back laughter. "Seriously?"
She glared at me, her eyes narrowed, but I noticed a glimmer of insecurity. It wasn't the first time someone laughed at her name, and something told me it wouldn't be the last.
"Got a problem, pretty boy?" She crossed her arms, trying to look more intimidating.
"None," I shrugged, leaning back in the chair. "Just thought it was funny... but Carlinha Matadora sounds like a 90s drug dealer's name from Rio."
She huffs but couldn't hide the blush creeping up her neck.
"You're really funny, huh? Let's see if you'll still be laughing when I have my girls beat you up."
I try to deascalest by lowering my head, hiding a smile.
"Sorry, Carlinha. Didn't mean to offend," I say, my voice dripping with false humility. "Just nervous, you know? It's not every day I'm taken hostage by a bunch of... capybaras."
Carlinha stares at me for a moment, her eyes narrow, but then her face softened.
"Alright, alright. I'll let it slide this time," she said, pointing a thick finger in my face. "But stay sharp, moleque. No more jokes."
As she walked away, I leaned against the wall, trying to relax.
"Are you crazy?" Whispers a sheep Anthro wearing bottle-thick glasses at me. "You get us all killed?"
In response, Marcus shrugged as if he didn't care about the situation.
"Dude, for Goodness's sake!" Pleaded the sheep. "Don't piss her off."
"Me?" I asked in an exaggerated tone. "Pissing her off?"
I laugh loudly, a plan forming in my mind to mess with that asshole capybara.
"I would never be able to do something like that." I add, smiling at the face of horror on the sheep whimpering softly next to me.
[Carlinha Matadora]
I walk firmly, the wooden floor shaking with each step. Anger pulses in my veins with the feeling of disrespect eating me from the inside.
'Who does that moleque think he is? Laughing in my face,' I grumbled, frustrated. 'Even this bunch of useless bitches knows what happens when someone disrespect me.'
In the corner of the room, I noticed two of my members chatting, leaning against the wall.
"Hey, you two. Do you want to go to jail or get shot?" I growl at them.
In response, both shrank, knowing full well what would come next if they didn't obey.
"Then stop gossiping and go do something useful!"
Quickly I crossed the bank's lobby, the hostages shrinking back with each step I took. I reach the window, the glass already shattered by gunfire. The cold wind blew in, but it didn't cool my anger. Outside, the police gathered those stupid cunts with their guns and shields.
"Hey, you there!" I shout, calling their attention. "Where's the car and the money? You think I'm joking, you bitches?"
Silence followed, but I knew they were listening. The captain, that stuck-up orca, was probably laughing at me. But I won't let it slide.
"No I won't." I mutter, scowling.
I took a deep breath and shouted again.
"If you don't bring the damn van in ten minutes, I'll start executing hostages."
"How about pizza too," someone whispers in my ear. "I'm starving."
"And a pizza-." I cut myself off, confused by my own declaration. "Who the fuck is asking for pizza?"
As I turn, I see that male smiling at me, his hands still tied. But for some reason, this idiot stood up and followed me.
"What the fuck do you want here?" I ask, furius.
"A pepperoni pizza and a large Coke." He says with a smile.
"You crazy, you bitch ass moleque? I'll blow your brains out right now!" I roared, the vein in my forehead pulsing as I aimed my gun to his forehead. "You'll order pizza in hell!"
That bastard just smiled in retort, as if he didn't have a gun pointed at his head. My finger itches on the trigger, but before I could do anything, one of my lackeys came running, panting.
"Carlinha… I don't know how," she said, catching her breath. "But a hostage is missing"
"Is it this one?!" I retort, pissed out of my mind.
The tired capybara turns and notices the person she was looking for right beside me, hands tied, waving. Like we were childhood friends playing together.
I'm sick of this nonsense. This male thinks he can laugh in my face? I'll show him who's in charge here. I raise my revolver and press the gun against his forehead once again, the cold metal against his skin. He doesn't even blink, which makes me even angrier.
"You think this is funny, don't you? Let's see if you'll laugh now!" I shout, my voice echoing through the lobby.
My finger on the trigger, the pressure increasing. The hostages hold their breath, the silence is deafening. That annoying smile is still on his face.
"Go to hell, you piece of shit!" I roar, my face red with rage.
I close my eyes and pull the trigger.
BANG!
I feel a strange lightness in my hand while hearing the ringing echo in my ears. I open my eyes, prepared to see a body on the floor and the carpet stained with blood and brains.
But I'm met with something even more shocking.
"Que porra é essa?" I whisper in Portuguese, horrified at the scene before me.
Besides that damn male still standing and smiling, he had caught my gun with his mouth.
"How?" I murmur in disbelief.
In response, the human licks the gun, making the magazine eject and fall to the floor.
CLICK!
That smile, that damn arrogant smile. He shouldn't be standing, shouldn't be smiling. But there he is, defying everything I know, everything I believe.
"Yo-you're a demon," the words come out without thinking, the only possible explanation for what I just saw.
In response, the male laughs, bending his body backward, as if savoring my terror. With a quick movement, he spits the gun aside, his hands still tiedk. The metal hits the floor, the sound echoing through the bank.
"You're not normal," I say, my voice firm, trying to hide the tremor. "Males aren't like this. You're the devil, you must be."
He takes a step forward, the smile never leaving his face. I feel the Anthro beside me recoil, but I hold my ground. I won't back down, I won't show weakness.
"What if I am, ratinha?" He asks calling me little rat in portugues, his voice low, dripping with sadism. "What are you going to do?"
The question hangs in the air, heavy. I feel sweat dripping down my forehead, my heart pounding in my chest. What am I going to do? What can I do against something like this?
"I..." I start, but the words fail.
He takes another step, the smile now wider as he licks his lips.
My heart hammers in my chest as if I were running a marathon, cold sweat drips from my hands, when I felt defenseless before this being in front of me, the wall beside me explodes.
BOOM!
"GO! GO! GO!" A powerful female voice shouts, emerging from the newly opened smoky hole. "Two targets spotted, neutralize them!"
The blast still echoes in my ears when I'm thrown to the ground. The impact is strong, the air escapes my lungs. I try to get up, but I feel a weight on my back, immobilizing me.
"Stay still, you rat!" An authoritative voice shouts above me.
I try to struggle, but firm hands hold my arms, twisting them behind me. I feel the cold metal of handcuffs tightening around my wrists. The pain is real, but there's something else, something that I shouldn't fell right now.
Relief.
"Got this one, Captain!" The Anthro on top of me shouts.
"Thank God," I murmur, my voice muffled against the cold floor.
Beside me, I see my lackey, also handcuffed, her face pressed against the floor. Her eyes wide, fear plastered on them.
"You're under arrest," says the Anthro, pulling me up reading my rights.
The pain in my arms is intense, but I don't care. I'm alive, safe from the devil, and that's all that matters now. The wolf Anthro pushes me forward, and I stumble, trying to keep my balance.
"And the other one?" Asks the captain, the imposing orca leading the operation.
The captain, a giant orca over two and half meters tall, approaches, her gaze severe, but I don't look away.
[Image]
"You're Carlinha Matadora, aren't you?" She asks, her voice low.
"I am," I reply, my voice firm.
She nods, her gaze still fixed on me.
"You know what's going to happen now, don't you?"
"I do," I reply, my voice low.
She stands, her gaze still fixed on me.
"Take them away," she orders, her voice firm.
I feel firm hands pulling me up, taking me out of the bank. The cold air hits my face, and I take a deep breath, feeling at peace.
"I'm safe now," I murmur, relieved. "And that's all that matters now."
[Shanika Jackson]
At the interrogation room, I have my arms crossed, staring through the one-way mirror.
On the other side is one of the hostages from the bank robbery, a male named: Marcus Carvalho.
He's a young male, dark-skinned, green eyes, short dark brown hair and fit body. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing unusual about this handsome young man, but something makes me feel... intimidated when I look at this human.
At my side is Okune, the elephant anthro, forensic psychiatrist. Trunk curled, large ears, small but alert eyes. She observes Marcus with her notebook and pen in hand. Scribbles notes, occasionally looks at me, then goes back to writing.
"Interesting," the doctor murmurs, her trunk swaying slightly while she writes on Marcus profile.
"What?" I ask, keeping my eyes on Marcus.
"He shows no signs of stress. On the contrary, he seems relaxed and I dare say… a little bored."
"Bored," I repeat, staring at the human. "How he could be bored being a hostage. Do you think he's dangerous?" I ask, turning to Okune.
She hesitates for a second, then looks at Marcus and back at me. She puts down the notebook, her trunk extends toward me.
"Captain, my professional opinion is that, despite being eccentric, his behavior doesn't show violent tendencies. Nothing that would classify him as dangerous."
"Are you sure?" I insist, eyes fixed on Marcus.
Okune shrugs, trunk still swaying.
"I think it's quite the opposite. He seemed... entertained, according to the other hostages' statements. He made jokes, talked to the hostages, even flirted with one of the capybaras after she gave him a cup of coffee."
Flirted? With one of the criminals? I roll my eyes at the crazy talk, but Okune continues.
"Now…" the elephant anthro hesitates before continuing. "Let me be clear that what I'm about to say has to stay off the record."
I nod, agreeing to the doctor's terms.
"Based on my instincts and over twenty years of experience… I don't think he's cruel. But…"
She pauses, her trunk curling again, as if choosing her words carefully.
"I bet he can be very dangerous, captain… at least if he wants to be."
"But you just said he isn't dangerous." I repeat, eyebrows raised.
Okune nods, trunk gently swaying.
"Yes, did and I stay by my words. What makes me think he's dangerous is just my instincts, captain, that's why I'm saying off the record that he's dangerous. There's something in him, an intensity. It's not senseless violence, but... there's potential for it. Like a loaded weapon, just without a finger on the trigger."
I look at Marcus again. He's leaning back in the chair, eyes closed, as if dozing off. Nothing about him screams 'danger,' but Okune's words echo in my mind, and a small part of me seems to agree with her.
"I see," I murmur, more to myself than to Okune.
She looks at me, trunk reaching out again.
"Captain, if I may offer a final piece of advice... Be careful. He's not what he seems."
Okune leaves, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the one-way mirror. I watch Marcus for a few more minutes, trying to see what Okune saw. He opens his eyes, looks directly at the mirror, as if he knows I'm here. A faint smile spread through his lips before he closes his eyes again.
I take a deep breath, resolute. It's time to speak with him personally.
I enter the interrogation room, the door closing behind me with a metallic click. The environment is poorly lit, claustrophobic, the gray walls and cold metal table would make any anthro or normal human uncomfortable.
But not Marcus, he stares at me wide-eyed the moment he sees me and points a finger to me like a child.
"A killer whale," he says as soon as he recognizes my species.
I sigh in frustration and pull the chair, the scrape of metal against the floor echoes through the room.
I sit in the hard chair, my 2.15 meters (7.1 foot) height and 200 kg (440 pounds) of muscle make the metal chair creak, while the human in front of me doesn't take his eyes off me.
I'm used to this. It's normal for humans and even some anthros to fear me. My size combined with the name of my species used by Marcus screams danger.
"Calm down, Mr. Carvalho," I say, trying to sound as non-intimidating as possible. "I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to ask you some questions."
But instead of backing away in fear at my physical form, Marcus leans forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"What's your top swimming speed?"
I freeze for a second, blinking, surprised by the question.
"Say what now?" I ask, confused.
"Your top speed. How fast can you swim per hour?"
"I... don't know. I've never measured it."
"And how long can you stay underwater?"
"A few hours, if necessary."
"Whoaa," he smiles, like a child who just discovered a new toy. "And do you have sonar? Like dolphins?"
"Yes, but it only works in water."
"And would you win in a fight against a great white shark underwater?"
"I'd wreck those saltwater-bloated bitches easily."
He whistles, impressed.
"You're so cool, captain."
I feel heat rising up my neck, and I look away. I'm not used to compliments, especially from a human.
"Thank you, Mr. Carvalho. But I'm here to ask the questions, not to answer them."
He shrugs, still smiling.
"Alright, captain." He says to my relief. "Ask away."