No Choice Read online

  Toni chuckled a bit. “I get it, but I can’t help but be grateful. If this sticks around, they’ll have one more weapon, and one no one can take from them.”

  “You’re a lot more blood thirsty and realistic than most civilians I deal with,” McKenna noted, watching the woman carefully.

  Toni shrugged. “I’ve never been a pacifist. Technically I’m a Marine, did four years including two tours. And right now I’m a 911 operator, so my view of the world might be a bit skewed. But all in all, I’d rather have my children on trial for murder, than dead as a victim.”

  McKenna blinked. She’d never heard anyone state that so bluntly, but she couldn’t really argue. Finding victims, especially children, had to be the hardest part of the job.

  “Just makes me glad I’m not a mom,” surprised a bit at herself for the comment, but she didn’t take it back. “So, have you played with this,” she waved her hands a bit to encompass everything, “at all yet?” She hadn’t talked to anyone beside JD and while she definitely wasn’t going to ask any of the crazy’s that had sent her emails, so in a way that made Toni the safest person to ask.

  Toni glanced around, and McKenna had to fight not to be embarrassed. Talking publicly about something that was still a hot bed of craziness might not be the safest thing.

  “A bit. I got the kids home pretty quick and let them run around the apartment.” She looked a bit embarrassed. “We were saving up for a house, but never got one and the money, well,” she shrugged. “Let’s just say life doesn’t always work the way you think it will. But after they changed back, I swear they about ate me out of every bit of food I had. Hence being here,” she waved at her overflowing cart that finally dawned on McKenna looked a lot like hers with a bit more sugar. “I’m not willing to let them run around outside yet, not with the news right now. So, I don’t know. I want to play but I’m not willing to go out right now. So, Catch 22 I guess.”

  McKenna nodded and bit her tongue. The idea JD floated sounded better and better. And she rather liked this woman but offering up an outing was going a bit far, but maybe later.

  “Would you be willing to exchange numbers and maybe talk occasionally?” Toni asked, her eyes on her kids who had navigated over to the books, still staying quiet but definitely having an intense discussion.

  “Yes,” the answer leapt off her tongue, and she was glad the woman had asked, because she hadn’t known how to.

  “Thanks. Just I don’t know anyone else who has shifted, and they promised to keep my name out of the report. From what I could see unless you paused and zoomed, I wasn’t that visible in the video. But,” Toni’s voice caught, for all that her face remained calm and composed, “I just don’t know who else to talk to.”

  “I totally get that. Here, give me your phone.”

  Toni did, without even blinking, though McKenna had to admit it wasn’t like Toni didn’t know exactly who she was and how to find her if she needed. With a few quick taps of her phone she had sent herself a text message. She handed back the phone, then sent one to Toni, identifying herself only as Kenna. Why she didn’t want to think about. But this had nothing to do with her job, which was a rarity.

  “Thanks. I’d better get going, before they come to the conclusion that changing in the middle of the store is completely valid.”

  McKenna fought a smile and nodded. “Yeah me too. I’ve got stuff to do today, and I’d better get on it.”

  They exchanged half-tentative, half-hopeful nods and then headed back on their own paths. When she had picked up her own phone McKenna realized how behind she was and quickened her pace to try to finish shopping and make sure she was home before the chest would be delivered.

  Heading to the car, she focused on her car, her mind running through a million things she needed to do when she got home, high on that list was eating. Her stomach and head were telling her she needed food. She’d taken a few of the samples in Sam’s but in many ways she thought it might have made it worse. Her body clamored for food, and she really couldn’t figure out why, but at this point she just wanted to get home and scarf down the chimichanga's she had purchased, and she was rapidly approaching the point where she didn’t care if they were cooked or not.

  “Hey, bitch. Or is it pussy?” An insulting voice cut across her thoughts and she stiffened as she realized she’d completely zoned out, focusing only on her list of things to do, instead of watching her surroundings.

  She stiffened, as her training snapped in.

  About time moron. What? You think your notoriety was just going to disappear?

  Her own mental voice castigated her as she turned to face two big beefy rednecks, who had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds each. And from the way they carried themselves, they knew how to use their bodies to intimate others.

  “May I help you gentlemen?”

  The leader a big boy with red blond hair shrugged, pushing back his baseball cap a bit as he strutted closer. “Maybe, I’ve always liked girls with a wild side. I figure a pussy that can really become a pussy would be as wild as I can get.”

  McKenna sighed internally.

  Really, I get redneck morons on top of this?

  “Gentlemen, as you know who I am, I assume you also know I’m a police officer. So why don’t you just go away now, and we’ll forget this happened.”

  The leader shrugged. “So? My brother’s a cop, and he says he knows you. That you’re a frigid bitch who just needs a hard cock to be personable.”

  That comment stung. Having random idiots call her names didn’t faze her, but the idea that another cop would think that way about her cut deep, deeper than she expected. The sigh was a bit more forced than she expected it to be, but she exaggerated it even as she took a better stance to be able to move, nudging the cart so it bumped against her car, resting there gently.

  “Really, just go home. I don’t have time for this, or the desire.” She tried one more time hoping maybe they’d go away.

  “Guess he was right. Even becoming a cat hasn’t heated this pussy up.”

  McKenna blinked. “How long did you have to work to come up with that?”

  The leader paused for a minute off balance. “Huh?”

  “I mean really. Pussy for cat, in heat, I mean did you sit at home and work on your bad double meanings?”

  He just looked at her, his face blank.

  “And you didn’t even realize you did it. Go home,” she ordered now just completely exasperated with this whole situation.

  “I don’t think so, I want to see what a cat looks like naked.” He moved forward, his two friends flanking him and McKenna groaned.

  God, the paperwork on this is going to suck.

  “Well, this should be good. I wonder if I’ll get over a million view in the first ten or first fifteen minutes.” Toni’s voice came out as the men were approaching McKenna, everyone turned to look where the voice had come from.

  Toni stood there, her phone in front of her, holding it steady as she continued to talk. “Oh, I already called the police and I’m live streaming this on social media, mentioning the local police station. Oh look, I’m already getting responses that units are on their way. So please continue, I’m sure Officer Largo won’t mind the extra publicity, after all she’s already one of the most recognizable women in the world.” Toni’s voice never changed from calm and disinterested as she filmed. “Smile guys, I’m sure people are going to want to talk to you after wards and you are about to become famous, or is it notorious?”

  McKenna didn’t know if she wanted to fall down in laughter or start beating her head against the pavement. The men all stopped looking at each other with uncertain looks.

  “Oh, Steven, apparently your wife is watching and wants to let you know she will be talking to you when you get home, but if she has to bail you out of jail, you can wait for the divorce attorney.”

  One of the men, with short dark hair, paled and took two steps back. “Sorry, dude. I’m out of here.” He ducked
his head down between his shoulders and quickly weaved his way between cars and disappeared.

  “Fuck this shit. I’ll catch you later.” The blond leader snarled and he and his friend both took off running, the sound of sirens chasing their departure.

  The stress drained out of McKenna and her head spun to the point she had to reach out to her car and let it steady her. Toni put her phone away and glanced behind her. McKenna followed her gaze to see two faces peering over the back seat of a small Honda sedan.

  Toni walked over to her a wry smile on her face. “I guess it is reassuring to know that assholes never change?”

  McKenna choked on laughter then tried hard to not pass out as the world spun.

  “Frack. Here, eat.” There was a soft tearing sound and Toni shoved a protein bar into her hands. “Your sugar has bottomed out. Eat.”

  McKenna did, the first bit of it on her tongue helping as the cop cars pulled into lot and headed their way. The sirens and lights actively hurt, and she wished she had ear plugs. The sirens clicking off as the cars stopped in front of them was a relief.

  An officer McKenna recognized but didn’t know stepped out a sardonic look on his face. “You just can’t say out of trouble can you, Largo?”

  She snorted. “Yeah like that was how I wanted to end the day.” She cast a nod at Toni. “You can thank Ms. Diaz here though for both of us avoiding a ton of paper work. They weren’t going to leave me alone.”

  “Yeah, we were listening. She got it up about the time you were pointing out the heat and cat pun. Good thinking, Ms. Diaz. That probably saved everyone.”

  Toni shrugged. “Seemed appropriate, given that social media got her into this mess."

  McKenna snorted, and she noticed at least one of the officers fighting a smile.

  "Well then if you don't need us, we're going to head out. Keep an eye out, Largo. These probably aren't the only idiots around."

  "I wouldn't be that lucky. Will do." The officers waved and then pulled out. McKenna shot a look at Toni, who was fighting a smirk. "I guess I owe you."

  "Not even. You saved my child's life. I'm never not going to be in your debt. Besides, that was amusing." Toni grinned. "We both have groceries thawing, so I'm going to get going. Call me, seriously." Toni nodded, then finished with her groceries and left.

  By the time McKenna got home the delivery personnel were waiting for her with the freezer. She ran up the stairs to let them in, then headed back down to get the metric ton of groceries out of her car and into her apartment.

  She waved at the men leaving, they had plugged in the freezer and it was already cooling as she trotted back down for yet another trip.

  Maybe I'm over reacting, but at it is, it is all I can do to not start eating now. My body can wait another fifteen minutes.

  She kept repeating that mantra as she turned with the second to last load of bags. As she turned Mrs. Kellerman came out of her ground floor apartment, worn cane held tight in hands knobby and worn by her decades of life.

  "Hey, Mrs. Kellerman. How has your day gone?"

  In the two years McKenna had lived there, she had gotten to like the old woman, her dark hair now all but white, and her cookies that reminded McKenna of a life lost. While not a friend, she'd been friendly and good neighbor over the years.

  Mrs. Kellerman turned and kept walking not paying attention to McKenna's hello.

  Well, that was odd.

  She ran up the groceries and returned as Mrs. Kellerman hobbled back from the mailbox, her worn yellow house dress hanging on her frame.

  "Hey. You doing okay? Sorry about the crowds last night. Hope they didn't disturb you too much." McKenna said reaching out to help her up the curb.

  Mrs. Kellerman shrank back from her outreached arm, her thin lips drawn back in a sneer. "Don't touch me, you animal. I saw what you are. Get away from me before you infect me with your disease." The words were hissed out and spittle flew from her mouth and McKenna flinched back, her heart stuttering to a stop.

  "Mrs. Kellerman? What are you talking about?"

  "You're an animal. You hid it, but it figures you'd be a nasty beast. Stay away from me. I'll be contacting the property manager to try and get you out of here. Us decent humans shouldn't have to deal with animals like you in the very place they live." She all but spit the last words at McKenna as she disappeared into her apartment.

  McKenna stood there, throat tight, and fought to breathe normally. Mind locked down, refusing to explore what just happened, she grabbed the last of her stuff. Locked the car and headed back to her apartment. Once in she shut and locked the door, and for a first time in over a year clicked the security bar into place.

  She zapped three chimichanga's and inhaled them, but they only blunted the hunger. With a sigh she threw a pan of frozen enchiladas into the oven and worked on organizing and dealing with all the food she had purchased. Thirty minutes later food had been put away and the enchiladas were done cooking. Sitting down with the whole pan, at least four times what she would have normally eaten, McKenna pulled up the web and started reading the news even as she put the too hot food into her mouth.

  The interaction with Mrs. Kellerman unfortunately didn't turn out to be a fluke or something specific to her. Reports were filtering up on hate crimes against those who had come out. Or Shifted as it was being called. Already sides were being drawn, and her email was flooded with requests and offers and other things. Her folders were over flowing, and she didn't know what to do.

  Overloaded with info, she shut off the computer and taking the half-eaten pan, she grabbed her whiskey, not giving a damn it was only two in the afternoon. She went out to her small balcony and took a large mouthful, eating mechanically. It wasn't all that good, she made much better. But time and convenience had won this battle.

  What do I want to do?

  The idea rattled around in her head. But she kept hitting a wall, she didn't know anything. Not about the shifting or the abilities once shifted. There really wasn't any other option. If she didn't get control of this, she was going to be buffeted around by everyone and everything with no control.

  McKenna didn't do 'not in control'. She'd been at other's mercy too much as a kid, she had decided a long time ago to make sure she was in control of her own life, which partially explained her career choice.

  That being decided she got up and started dinner, the enchiladas had just been lunch. A roast with veggies, which might allow her to have left overs, was thrown in the oven. It would take about three hours to cook.

  She pulled her curtains over the sliding glass doors and set her phone to do not disturb. With a mental sigh she stood up, still dressed in jeans, tee, and tennis shoes.

  I guess I'd better learn what shifting in clothes means and see how much damage I do.

  Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and focused on being a cat, again.

  Chapter 11 - Research

  Two students at UCLA were found dead today. The police still aren’t sure of the cause of death. Drugs were found on site, with evidence of use. Both students were known to have changed and were seen around the campus yesterday appearing healthy and in good condition. But their bodies were found wasted, and all evidence points to starvation over years. Police are still investigating to see what caused the deaths. ~ KWAK News Radio

  The change this time was smooth and easy, her bones and muscles shifting and realigning, and it almost felt normal this time. Almost. McKenna managed not to fall over, but the clothes bound her weirdly. Her shoes just slipped off, so that was good to know, but the socks felt wrong in a way she’d never experienced. Her jeans caught on the bend of her knees and she had to struggle for a minute to slide out of them.

  Good to know, basically stretch and they fall off, but what the hell am I going to do about the underwear, bra, and shirt?

  Her boy shorts were caught with her tail going down the hole with her left leg, and her haunches caught them oddly. She squirmed for a minute trying to get out of them
.

  Dammit, I really don’t want to shred my clothes every time I need or want to change.

  After another minute of squirming and stretching, she managed to get them off in once piece and was very glad there was no one around to watch that performance. But the t-shirt and bra weren’t giving. Before she had just snapped it, not caring in the need to get to the kid, but bras were expensive. Finally, by catching the shirt with her teeth, she managed to pull it over her head by holding it down with one paw and backing out of it, the bra she just decided to ignore, shifting back right now would just be a pain, and she didn’t have anyone she needed to fight with at this moment.

  Dang it, JD’s idea of kilts is sounding better and better. He’ll never let me live this down. That or a stripper’s wardrobe where I can just rip everything off.

  The idea that she was thinking of this as a long term option struck her. And she chased it down. It had started to feel normal, a part of me, and something that we would have for a long time. Why in the world would that idea have sunk in so quickly?

  Pushing that away, for something to discuss with JD and maybe Toni later, she closed her eyes and just listened and felt them twitch as she focused on different sounds. She could hear so much. People upstairs talking, the TV playing, the cars driving by. Her apartment had good sound proofing, so she could occasionally hear yelling, usually during football games, or the occasional slammed door, but that was about it. Now, she knew her neighbors were talking about what they wanted to do tomorrow, and if they could skip church.

  McKenna opened her eyes and took a look around her house. Tilting her head as she thought about what she saw. Her walls were normal beige, and that color seemed about the same. But my green and blue couch and the bright curtains seemed dull and washed out. My vision got blurry as she looked down the hall. What she could normally see clearly from where she lay, seemed blurry and out of focus. A curtain twitched from the draft of the air conditioning, and my head snapped to it the second it moved.