No Choice Page 12

  “Now that we all have names to go with people. Here’s our thoughts. McKenna, I know this is uncomfortable, especially given the content of the video, but at this point you are one of the most recognizable people on the face of the Earth.”

  “Wait, what?” McKenna interjected. The comment made no sense, and she couldn’t get that idea into her head.

  Anne glanced at her arching an eyebrow. “I take it you haven’t looked at your video?”

  “Gods no. Why would I want to do that?” The words blurted out before she could consider the political weight of them.

  Holich snorted. “Well at this point it has been viewed over five billion times. You’ve broken most counters.”

  She felt like someone had hit her in the chest and couldn’t speak.

  “So, McKenna, we need you and JD back. We can’t afford to not have you out on the streets, being our visible face. As such the investigation has made some… shortcuts. The board over the weekend viewed the video, your dash cam, and the bank security cameras. The consensus is that you acted as appropriate given your unusual situation. As such we are clearing the case. You still need to be re-certified, and you are required to see a counselor, but other than that, you should be able to go back on the job afterwards. Any questions?”

  McKenna shook her head, no active thoughts going through her mind.

  “With that said, William here is staying with the fire department, but will be on call if you have a situation that needs another shifter. Though at this point I can’t even imagine what might come up. Lieutenant Canolia will be staying with homicide at this time.” Anne turned her gun metal gray gaze on McKenna. “You’ve got the highest scores, and the best record of anyone here, plus the whole PR aspect.” She ignored the huff from Raul. “We want you on days with JD, and Raul and Kala, you’re going to be partnered and be on second shift. If something odd pops up, McKenna, JD, expect a call to get you to deal with it. The rumors we’re hearing from other areas are not good. California, well Northern California has never had major race issues, and it is the determination of the department that even with this change there won’t be any discrimination.”

  McKenna ducked her head, remembering the looks she got as they walked in. This battle would not be an easy one.

  “That being said, you’ve got new call signs. McKenna, you and JD are RVS01, Raul and Kala, you’re RVS02. William - if we need you we’ll call for your station and just say FDS11. If you’re not on a call, your captain has agreed to let you roll out in whatever vehicle is available. The odds are if we are calling you, bring the paramedics with you.” Her voice carried a grim tone that caused shivers up and down McKenna’s spine.

  What does she know that we don’t?

  “Please socialize among your selves, the Governor should be here in the next half hour. We have a session arranged for all active duty officers who aren’t on a call right after that. So figure mostly second and third shift, with anyone who can come by. It’ll be in the auditorium.”

  “Wait what?” The words were blurted out before McKenna could stop them, but she stood fast looking at Anne.

  “Kirks idea, not mine. Give your coworkers a chance to ask their questions and help us all.” Anne stood up, casting a quick glance over the room. “Have fun, I’ll be back when I bring the governor in.” With that she exited the room, leaving McKenna staring after her.

  “That woman. Remind me why I like her?” She demanded of JD whose spinning level had gotten faster.

  “She doesn’t stare at your chest?” JD’s automatic response landed in the room with an audible thud, and he froze, turning his head glacial movements to look at everyone staring at him with wide eyes. “Oh, fudge.”

  William choked out a laugh, breaking the sudden tension. “It is so nice to know I’m not the only man who inserts his foot so firmly into his mouth. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure,” JD muttered, sarcasm dripping off of each word.

  McKenna glanced up and caught Raul glancing at her chest, visibly biting his tongue. It bugged her on a level she couldn’t identify. Rather than dealing with something she knew had no good outcome, she turned and focused on Kala.

  “So, I noticed you seemed a bit stressed out by all of this. Are you okay?”

  Kala ducked her head, then stiffened and lifted it. “This has created some issues. But I don’t think I’m alone. My family never agreed with my choice to become a police officer, they agree even less with my...” She trailed off and shook her head. “This curse, gift, blessing, freak occurrence? I don’t know what to call it, but I changed in front of them and they are outraged.” Kala sighed and forced herself to sit up straighter. “This country saved my family, it is an honor to be able to serve. I am proud of the job I do. I do not believe Allah would curse me, but my family says I’ve been cursed because I’ve strayed. So be it.” A fierce glow entered her eyes. “I don’t know what this will bring, but I will honor my oath.”

  McKenna sat back, all she had to deal with was her own confusion, the idea of adding a family in on top of it had never occurred to her.

  “Good for you. If you need help, let me know. Just remember, you are always you, no matter what the form.”

  “Well I have to say I like both of your forms.” The voice of Raul interrupted our conversation and McKenna turned, while not stunned, still surprised at the blatant innuendo.

  “I’m sorry. What?” He said even as she felt JD rise and loom over Raul who had come up behind her and Kala.

  “Nothing, just saying that both of you are fine examples of women in uniform. Would that everyone could see the fine specimens like you?” His smile oozed charm, and all McKenna wanted was to slap him hard enough to wipe the smirk off his face. She clenched her fists until her nail bit into her palms to resist the urge.

  But there wasn’t anything she could really call out about the words. Heck, JD’s earlier comment had been much more provocative to the casual observer. The difference was she knew JD and knew exactly how he meant the comment. Raul’s comment didn’t feel even remotely the same.

  Before she could figure out how to respond, Larry walked over, his rank casting a welcome sobriety on the conversation. Raul dropped his smile and McKenna relaxed as it faded.

  “I must say, part of me wishes I was still in the field to deal with this brave new world. Then I realize I’m not sure I’m up to it anymore. I’m having enough cognitive issues just with dealing with my own changing, the idea of facing it over and over again seems unimaginable.”

  McKenna quirked a lip at that. “I envy you then. I suspect I’ll have it thrown in my face for the rest of my life.”

  Larry barked out a sudden harsh laugh. “If it makes you feel any better, and please don’t report me for any level of harassment, you looked much better nude than I have in multiple decades.” His grin made her laugh as he patted his obvious belly.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment, no matter how much I wished my coworkers had no idea what I looked like nude. But I’ll also not be offended at all, if my video is never mentioned again.” Her eyes swept the room, and everyone but Raul grinned at her. His narrow-eyed look made her glance back at him, but it disappeared before she could verify what she saw.

  Before she could respond, Anne Holich came in. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce the Governor of California.”

  Chapter 14 - Showing Off

  More and more people, some stars in the public eye, and even a few politicians have come forward to prove they also have the ability to change. One of the interesting things has been a few people who shift into animals that haven’t existed with humans for over thirty thousand years. An NFL linebacker changed into a Homotherium, a cat that went extinct over twenty-five thousand years ago. No one has come forward with any suggestions as to what it means. The NFL player has refused all requests for interviews about this. ~ASPN All Sports News Channel

  The meet and greet with the governor went fine, boring but McKenna hadn’t expected anything el
se. What had her stomach doing backflips was facing her peers in an informal Q&A session.

  “I think I’d rather face the reporters again,” she muttered to JD as the six of them headed to the auditorium. Usually where they did awards ceremonies and training, it wasn’t that big, only holding a little over a hundred people.

  She stumbled as she walked in, the place was packed with people, probably pushing the fire marshal limits.

  “Oh, this is not good. Please tell me no one is armed?” The look JD gave her, let her know it was a stupid question. In their dress uniforms they didn’t have their service weapons with them, besides, she and JD weren’t officially off suspension until Holich filed the paper work, which meant they hadn’t picked up their weapons yet. Everyone here looked like they were on duty or had just gotten off.

  “I really, really, really hope I’m just being paranoid, but I can’t see how this is going to go well. You think they’ll ask us to change?”

  JD blinked at her. “I suppose they could ask, but they couldn’t force it, I don’t think. Besides, this whole getting naked thing is going to get old fast.”

  “Or we’re all going to become nudists.”

  “Hubba, hubba,” JD said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

  The snicker slipped out, and she felt better for it.

  “Thanks, moron.”

  “Hey! I’d like to point out I have the Masters, while you have a lowly Bachelors. I don’t think moron is appropriate.”

  Tilting her head McKenna acquiesced. “Fine, I’ll give you that. Jerk?”

  “That is probably still accurate. Jerk it is.” JD’s smile lit up his face, and she laughed. Their banter had eaten up the walk to the stage and distracted her from the looks they were getting. The six of them, led by Anne walked up on the stage, and lined up behind her.

  McKenna kept shifting on her feet, wanting to be anywhere but up on this stage with everyone staring at her. Anne was talking quietly to Larry while people milled about, but everyone kept shooting looks up to the stage.

  “Stand still. Do you need one of my spinners?” JD said in a low voice offering her a smaller spinner.

  “No and put that away before I give in and chuck it somewhere.” She snapped back. All the stress of the last few days making her more snappish than normal.

  Luckily JD treated her bad mood with the same irreverence as always. “Oooh, do I get to call out targets? Because, since Kirk is walking in, I think he’d be a perfect target.”

  Her eyes snapped to the figure of Kirk striding through the room. He had on his smug, confident smile, and McKenna tensed even more. The three times she’d run into that smile it hadn’t ended well for her. The last time had been right before that blasted press conference.

  He walked up to the stage, traveling up the three steps in a brisk pace and walking directly to the podium. Everyone quieted as he stood there, and her stomach clenched even more.

  “Everyone. Thank you for coming to this informal Q&A. I’m sure you’ve all heard the rumors, seen the video, and wondered how much of that video was faked or exaggerated.” McKenna felt like he had just slapped her in the face. Why would she fake something like that? Much less allow anything of her nude to be filmed. For that matter how would she fake it? The video quality showed every stretch mark and excess ounce she had as well as the blood dripping from her muzzle.

  With a jerk she forced herself to pay attention to what Kirk said.

  “With that in mind we have the focus of that video here to answer your questions, as well as other members of our department who have come forward with a similar skill set. So, I open the floor to you, members of this police force, to ask the questions you need to make sure you respond correctly to people in this situation.” Kirk turned still smiling that smile that made McKenna hand itching to slap it off his face. “Officer Largo, if you would.” He waved his hand towards the podium.

  McKenna looked at him and seriously considered quitting.

  Money, food, rent.

  She closed her eyes and then opened them, stepping to the podium and putting a smile on her face.

  “This is a bit of a shock to me, so I don’t have anything prepared. So what questions would you like to ask?” Her hands gripped the podium until she felt her nails digging into the wood, trying to not lose her cool.

  There were mutters and shuffles with people glaring and watching her with worry. One officer, male about thirty-five pushed his way to the front.

  “I’ve got one. How much can you understand when you turn into that animal?”

  “Everything. I just can’t talk, or at least I don’t know how to talk. The tongue doesn’t seem to work the same. But I was still me, I knew who I was and what was going on.”

  There was a subtle ripple that went through the room.

  “Why did you kill those two bank robbers?”

  The question shouted out from the back caused a rippled and McKenna took a deep breath. She had gone over this previously, but even now she didn’t understand how she had known to use her claws and fangs so expertly. But telling anyone else that, or mentioning that she felt guided, would be a huge mistake.

  “They had a gun pointed at a child and implied they were about to kill the boy. The change hit right then, and the person holding the child hesitated. I didn’t. If I had my weapon, I would have pulled the trigger. Instead I used what I had available at that moment. I did my job to the best of my ability to protect the people in the bank.”

  And she would never admit the blood lust and thrill at stalking them, bringing down her prey. The memories rippled through her mind, and her nails dug tighter into the podium.

  “How do we know this wasn’t all a scam?”

  McKenna shrugged trying to appear unconcerned. “You don’t. But given the news that is coming in from around the world, I think assuming this is a joke would be on par with assuming the world is flat because you can’t see the curve of the earth.” Her voice had gotten a bit sharp with that comment, and she felt JD move up a little behind her. The stage wasn’t that big, so he must have exchanged places to put himself at her back. Just knowing he was there calmed her down. She didn’t have the answers to this crap. Why did they think she did?

  “You should be fired.”

  The words came from the densely pack crowd, and McKenna saw Kirk and Holich’s heads whip to the crowd with her peripheral vision.

  An officer McKenna recognized only in passing pushed his way to the front. Detective from his suit, his hands on his hips and his face flushed with fury or fear. She didn’t really know which.

  “Detective Carmichael, you are out of line.” Kirks voice snapped out like a whip.

  “No, I’ve got a right to protest working with a dangerous animal. We all saw that video. She went berserk and killed those two men, ripping them open when she turned into that thing.” His voice rose an octave as he ranted. “Anyone that can do that should never be a cop.”

  McKenna might have blown him off, but for the number of looks people were giving her that made her think this wasn’t an isolated thought.

  “Officer Largo gave us a full report on the situation and her actions. The board met over the weekend, and the bank video cameras back up her testimony. Other than the unusual nature of her weapons, and the limits placed upon her by the situation, there is nothing she did that we find questionable. While killing the men was regrettable if she had been armed we have no doubt the conclusion would have been the same.”

  “What two people eviscerated?” the detective demanded, not backing down.

  “No, two perpetrators dead because of the choices they made.” Kirk’s voice came out hard, uncompromising. McKenna almost liked the man right then, it never occurred to her he might have her back. “Men who were about to shoot a child. Remember we have this all on video and everyone agrees if Officer Largo had not shifted when she did, we would have had a dead child, and probably more killed.”

  Kirk turned his attention on the crowd, his voic
e firm. “Let me make this clear, any discrimination towards those that shifted or can shift will be dealt with as if it was discrimination against someone’s race. Any attacks against those who can change their form will be treated as a hate crime.” His voice dropped an octave, and he leaned forward a bit, his eyes latched on to the detective’s face. “And if I hear of any member of my department acting in a way that would foster resentment or hostile work conditions for any other officer, I will have that shield on my desk before they know what happened. Have I made myself clear?”

  “Yes, sir.” The words were muttered, but the man didn’t look away, and McKenna saw a hint of regret flash across his face.

  Kirk lifted his gaze and ran it over the audience. “I assume my words were very clear. This has been discussed with the mayor and the Governor. As far as we are concerned this is a no different from their religion or skin color, there is no discrimination based on this. Now are we setting up a special group with these officers, yes. Is this special treatment? Only in the same way we pull in women to deal with female rape victims and pull in people of the same faith when there has been a faith-based hate crime. Not because those people are somehow better or special, but because they have an instant level of rapport with the victims. That is what we are doing with this group. As far as I am concerned nothing else has changed. If you have any issues, please feel free to come discuss them with me.”

  The wolfish smile was back, and this time he showed all his teeth. For once McKenna was glad to see it.

  “This Q&A is dismissed,” Kirk ordered, and McKenna sagged a bit against the podium where she had a death grip on it.

  “You okay?” JD’s low voice sounded in her ear.

  “Yeah.” She watched Kirk stride off and frowned. “Now I am really worried the world might be ending though.”