Your Life In an Anthro's World

The Price Of Failure

Malcolm pounded his fists on his desk, "How did we let this happen?!" Tanya and Sally silently stood before him with vacant expressions, while the device Sally managed to retrieved sat on Malcolm's desk.
Tanya finally broke the silence, "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known."Malcolm glared at her, "But I should have known. Ever since she started excavating I should have suspected something wasn't right."
Sally then broke the silence, "You aren't to blame for the death of that family."
Malcolm shot an angry glance over at Sally, "I'm well aware of that. But it doesn't change the fact that they might still be alive if I had been more aggressive and done more investigating."
"Silvia knew better than to leave any clues behind," Tanya remarked, "She wouldn't have left anything for you to find."
Turning back to Tanya, Malcolm drew breath to argue against her point, but ultimately sighed and slumped back in his chair, "I know that. But I have to wonder, how many humans have died at her hands? I hope the extent of that death toll stops with this family."
"Don't forget, you were also able to save Kiba," Tanya commented.
Malcolm regarded her sternly, "We were able to save Kiba, but yes. I don't discount that as a victory. But I can't ignore the loss that we've suffered. The fact that it took this long for us to discover this only adds insult to the injury." Malcolm then sighed and turned to look out of his window, "And to make it even worse than that, Kiba had to be the one to discover it for us... In the most dangerous and rebellious way imaginable I might add."
Sally grinned, "He may not be very strong, but he's got some serious flare!"
Malcolm and Tanya both glared at Sally. However, Malcolm found himself unable to hold his angry gaze at her as his frown broke into a smile, "Yes he does." Malcolm's stern demeanor quickly returned as he looked back over to Tanya. "Things may not have played out the way that they should have, but we did get the device out of it. With any luck, Kiba will be able to figure out how it works... where is he anyway?"
"Luna took him to see Felicia and Kara," Tanya replied, I have to say; kid's getting pretty good at gettin' outta tight jams. I expected that he might get out of the police station, but I didnt think he'd get past Felicia and Kara."
Malcolm raised a brow and gave Tanya a skeptical glance, "Are we sure it's a good idea for him to be with them after last night? From what you told me, they might be holding some resentment."
Tanya shrugged, "Better to get this out of the way now. Besides, they love the kid. They won't stay mad at him forever."
As Tanya was yet speaking those words you were sitting on an examination table as Felicia washed her paws while Kara removed your shirt. Felicia returned to begin examining you while Kara began asking questions about what happened. She seemed to be probing you; looking for any signs of trauma or stress. Luna stood in the corner by the door with her arms crossed. Silence, aside from the two cheetah's working had been remained in the room as if speaking were taboo.
After some time, the awkwardness of the situation had finally started to get to you. YOu felt that you owed the sisters an apology, but you weren't sure how to approach it. Were they mad? If they were would it be best not to speak at all? You were relieved of having to break the ice when Felicia spoke first.
"I see you made it back in one piece," She stated. Her tone was even, her eyes focused on wrapping the scratch on your arm while her sister moved away to scribble some notes down.
"Yeah," You replied cautiously, "I was pretty fortunate."
Felicia scoffed, "Fortunate? No. You were invincible. No reason to worry at all because nothing bad can ever happen to you," She then looked up and made eye contact with you, "Right?"
"Felicia," You started, "I don't think-"
"So," She continued as she moved to get another bandage, "We might as well stop looking out for you and leave you be. This post escapade medical checkup is a waste of time too I'm sure because your so fast, and so strong and so smart that you don't need us around to look after you. You're Kiba Lockheart! Human extraordinaire, you can take on Silvia Deluma with your bare hands!"
You became quiet and gazed at the floor, full of guilt and shame. At that point, Luna intervened, "That's enough, he understands the gravity of the situation."Felicia snorted indignantly, "That's not the first time we've said this and it's not the first time he's pulled a stunt like this! Your the last person I would've expected to defend him."
"I'm not defending him," Luna argued, "But I've already lectured him and to be perfectly transparent, I understand why he did what he did. And I can't ignore the fact that he did manage to get the very same device that Silvia was using to bring humans here."
"Oh, well let's just forget everything then!" Felicia exclaimed sarcastically, "He went on a suicide mission and succeeded so we'll ignore the fact that he put himself at risk, ignored the instructions we gave him and fought us to the point of injury to do it!"
Luna narrowed her eyes, "Are you upset that he put himself at risk? Or that he fought and injured you to do it?"
Felicia threw her hands up, "Who says it can't be both?"
"They could have been alive," You muttered quietly.
Both Felicia and Luna looked at you with confusion before Felicia's face seemed to light up with comprehension, "Maybe. But they weren't were they? At the end of the day, no matter how you look at it you went off on a suicide mission based on a hunch that Silvia was going to drag another poor soul here. But she didn't, and the humans that she tried to bait you with were long dead. So you risked our life for nothing."
You felt a tinge of rage swell up in your chest as Felicia finished speaking, "It wasn't for nothing! I got the device, didn't I?"
"And you almost got yourself killed in the process! You need to stop worrying about everyone else and start protecting yourself first!"
"Is that what you told yourself when you helped save me at the gym?" You asked as you glowered at her.
Felicia faltered, but quickly reaffirmed her argument, "That was completely different."
"How?" you asked, "You saw someone who you'd never met in danger. You knew that you could have been thrown in prison for helping, and you did it anyway. So what's the difference?"
"He's right," Kara interjected, "He didn't do anything different than we would have had we been in his position."
"I'm sorry I hurt you," You said as you looked at Felicia, "And I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."
Felicia sighed, "I guess I'll have to just let this go, won't I? Besides, you wouldn't be the human we all know and love if you weren't so recklessly selfless."
Seconds later, Hunter and Annika burst trough the door, "What were you thinking?!" They both exclaimed in unison. You sighed and rolled your eyes while everyone else in the room shared a laugh at your expense.
Silvia Deluma however, was anything but happy.
"We heard you were in the hospital this morning. Would you care to explain?"
"No, not particularly," Silvia replied as she glared down at the phone display, which read 'conference call'.
"We've also been informed of a break in at your laboratory and private residence. She we disregard those as well?"
"You should," Silvia answered as she shifted in her chair.There was a long silence before the voice continued, "Silvia, we brought you into the fold because you had a knack for getting things done."
Silvia smiled smugly, "So we agree that-"
"That being said, your record as of late is filled with less than stellar results to put it mildly. You promised us the technology to reshape the planet; but so far you've produced no way of understanding or using that technology, you've allowed a human to escape, and you've exposed our plans in part to the public."
Silvia stood up at her desk, "These are all minor setbacks! You must understand the significance of what I'm doing here."
"The board has acknowledged your contributions and noted your accomplishments, but you have become a liability to us. And as resourceful and as smart as you are, you are not your grandmother. It was a mistake to think that you could fill her shoes." Silvia had to hold back a growl as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, "We will be sending a board representative to collect all of our sensitive assets that has been left in your care."
"And what of the human?"
"He's no longer your concern, we will deal with him. The director has shown interest in his accomplishments."
Silvia's rage blazed like an inferno, jealousy and hatred began to consume her, "You presume to take him over me!" She screamed as she slammed both of her hands on the desk.
"You said it yourself; he's a fascinating and resilient specimen. One capable of outwitting and escaping a ninetailed fox of the Deluma family while at the same time befriending another. We believe that perhaps, he can fill in where you left off."
"You can't have my findings. They're my property! And the human is mine as well, I brought him here! I discovered his talent and abilities!" Sylvia snarled.
"You don't get a vote," The voice replied evenly, "Expect our convoy and representative by the end of the day. And if I may make a suggestion? It is in your best interest that you cooperate." With that, the line went dead, leaving the Mayor sitting in silence.
She exhaled deeply, "So. If I keep my mouth shut and let them do as a please then I can keep my city," Sylvia growled, "That's the 'recognition' I'm allotted, is it?" She then turned and looked out of her window, "They couldn't even manage to get this far without my help. They can't possibly grasp the scope of potential that he represents." She then whirled around and picked up her phone before promptly dialing a number, "Connect me to the chief... Start prepping your men, I have an operation I need executed immediately. All of them. Yes, I'm aware of how many that is, which is precisely why I told you to prep all of them. Good." Sylvia then hung up the phone before standing and strutting out of her office.
Before a half an hour had passed she was storming into the headquarters of her private security team. A crew separate from the standard police force and financed by the mayor herself.
A gruff looking German Shepherd approached her, "Ma'am? What's going on?"Silvia looked around to find that her orders were being carried out as dozens of the canines were mobilizing. She nodded in satisfaction before issuing more orders, "As soon as your men are done prepping we'll take the convoy over to the labs. I want all of the key artifacts moved off site. After that we'll head down to Hilloa."
The German Shepherd sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry ma'am, I can't follow those orders."
Silvia raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean you can't follow them? I pay you, I gave you orders, now you carry them out!"
"No ma'am, we given strict orders by the board chairman to observe only. However, we were also given orders that in the event you refused to cooperate with the board's wishes that we are to take you into custody."
Silvia began to look around, finding that all of her men had stopped what they were doing and were now surrounding her. She glared at the dog in charge, "So, this whole time I thought I was keeping tabs on the board, keeping them at bay. But the reality is, they've had me under their paw this entire time."
"The board representative will be here soon ma'am, please don't make this more difficult than it is."
Silvia's eyes narrowed as she listened to her former subordinate, "All right then. If this is the way it has to be I suppose I have no choice."