"Okay Midge, let's start from the beginning." Guy pulled a binder onto his lap and opened it up, flipping through to the middle. "My name is Agent Guy. You do not need to know my first name, nor my wife's but you will be provided with my phone number when you leave. I am part of the Neko Containment Force, NCF for short. We are a very small part of a larger part of the government, called the Department of Homeland Security. I know none of this makes much sense to you, but bear with me."
Guy cleared his voice before continuing. "You are currently in violation of several statutes, which we must remedy immediately. You are over the age of 18 and not registered so this is the first thing we need to handle. We will fill out the appropriate paperwork and you will be provided with a social security card and birth certificate.
"I will get papers? But I do not have money." This was too important to mess up, Midge wanted to understand exactly what was happening.
"They don't cost money, Midge."
"But my mother said they were very expensive. That she got them from Williams but I would have to talk with a Guy."
"Williams was dirty Midge, do you know what that means?"
"No."
"He was charging for papers that should have been free and pocketing the money for himself."
"But she sold me, and Misty, so that the others could have papers. But you say she did not need the money for their papers so did not need to sell me?" he asked, his eyes filling with tears.
"Yeah. I'm sorry Midge, really."
"So why did my masters not get my papers as was promised? If they would not cost money? When I was sold, Mark told my mother that he would buy my papers, it was worked into my price. He did not though, he sold me before, did you say 18?"
"Yeah, he sold you to Jose. Can you tell me what happened then? And please tell me the truth Midge, nothing bad is going to happen, I promise. I need to know."
"He sold me to Trent."
"You were sold? You went straight from Jose to Trent? When was this?" He picked up his pencil, ready to write.
"I do not know when. It was spring. I went with Mark when I was 14, it was winter. I stayed until the next spring, so I think I was 15 then. Jose kept me longer, two springs so I was 17? Then I stayed with Trent until he died and that was 2 years or maybe not quite. He died in February and I stayed there awhile, then left. Steven found me and kept me for several months. Then I escaped and found Scott."
"Okay, hold on. So you went with Mark in the winter of 2006 which matches my records of December 8th. Spring of 2008, it was actually March 29th that he registered your sale, you went with Jose. And you say you were there until sometime early in 2010? I visited him late that year and he said you were gone, so that checks out. Do you know Trent's last name?"
"Bunker I think. I am not quite sure if I remember the spelling."
"And he died in February of this year, 2012?"
"Yes."
"He never registered you or got you papers. Damn Midge, I looked all over the place for you. Where were you living with him? In L.A.?"
"Yes."
"And who is this Steven guy? He bought you?"
"No, he just found me and took me. He locked me up. He tried to steal me from Scott when he saw me at a restaurant but I escaped. Then he broke into Scott's apartment and destroyed things. He is not a nice man."
"Haven't met many owners that were. So okay, what happened with Scott? I see you have a collar, but he hasn't registered either you or your sale."
"He does not know how. He did not buy me, I gave myself to him so he could keep me safe. He wanted to bring me here for Christmas and we were going to try to find out how to get my papers."
"Is that so? What's his last name and address?"
Midge gave him all the information he had, then excused himself to use the bathroom.
Kimberly had been quiet throughout the interview but spoke up now. "He's been through hell and high water, that one. He's sweet though. What'll happen?"
"I don't know. He has a chance, we could save this one." He hushed as Midge came back and curled up in the recliner. "Missus, could we have some of your famous tea?" he asked before flipping to the next page in his binder. He closed his binder though, then looked at Midge. "Look, most of the Nekos I rescue are registered and owned and if the owner has filled out the proper paperwork, I have to return them except in very specific instances. Do you understand?"
"So I would go back if I was registered but I am not properly owned?"
"Exactly, so you don't have to go back. You could be free."
"But.... I want to be free and with Scott."
"Why him? Why go back if you don't have to?"
"Because I love him."
"Holy JESUS in heaven!" Kimberly exclaimed from the kitchen, running back into the living room and putting her hand over her heart. "Did you HEAR that?"
"Calm down Missus, you know how these things go."
"But none of them have ever said THAT! It's so sweet."
"Okay Midge, we're done for now. We'll go into the office tomorrow and start getting you squared away. You can go to your room and watch TV, or whatever you'd like to do for awhile, alright?"
"Yes Sir." He wanted to ask if they would call Scott tomorrow but he held his tongue. Visions of a life without being sold swirled through his head and for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to think of his family. Maybe I can at least see them. I will ask tomorrow.