It wasn't long until police filtered in with the hopeful people clutching resumes, causing whooping howling to fill the air above us.
When they did, I noticed they were a mixture of humans and hybrids, all wearing matching blue shirts with black vests containing armour, handguns, a handheld radio, and a body cam.
They had a black snake with silver stripes who listed the locations of people as she looked around. Three dogs, a Beagle and two German Shepherds, spread out to head to the listed locations, splitting up.
The humans tagged along with their colleagues. The one with the snake stayed back to approach us at the bar.
Instantly, Vinnie was nervous.
"Guys!" he welcomed them, wiping down the bench and moving the shots out of the way "care for a drink? Cops on Tops?"
He held up a Blowjob, grinning. The human man wasn't impressed. He took off his hat to reveal scruffed black hair.
"I'm officer Baress and this is officer Forbes. I'm going to need to see all your ID's" he stated "and licenses to serve alcohol at this establishment."
"Oh, I've got those" Vinnie chuckled, drinking the shot himself "lucky I bought my wallet."
I didn't. Mine was back home, with my stupid drivers license that seemed so pointless without an actual car.
"It's at home" I smiled back, patting my pants to show them I didn't have it "honest. Almost everything is at home."
"Yeah, about that..." Vinnie mumbled as he watched his license be scrutinized and matched to his face "it's a wreck back there."
"Rain. Run a B two V on one Mister Vinnie Price for me?" the human spoke into the radio clipped to his shoulder "P-r-i-c-e. I'll also need one for a Miss Viva Lehart. L-e-h-a-r-t."
I narrowed my eyes at Vinnie, trying not to make sudden movements as the snake looked me over.
How could he just spring that on me now? How bad was my home?! Was his version of a wreck having the door ripped off it's hinges, or was it the usual disarray it was in?
"What's your name?" it asked, pulling out a notepad.
"Elgress" I replied, thinking "oh! I might have a photo of it on my phone! Will that do?"
It looked to the man who gave a little nod. The notepad went away.
Pulling it out and flicking through, I breathed a sigh of relief when I found the familiar yellow background and handed it over.
Thank God I had kept that old photo. Back when I was job searching, I had to attach Id to some listings. It just made sense to take a photo than enter in all the details manually.
"Elgress Quindell?"
"I don't think I've ever heard you use your last name" Vinnie's brow lifted with his smirk.
I glared at him and watched as he took his Id back.
"You've got a hybrid stamp on your license" the snake pointed out, handing over my phone "do you have your other license on you?"
I saw the surprise in Viva's face at this news. Sucking in my irritation at being outed so openly, I flicked through the photos to find it further down.
The snake held out a hand, noticing the rough way I handed my phone back over. I folded my arms to try and help contain my bitterness.
Now that was two other people who knew. Viva was one I didn't trust to keep this a secret. Even with Vinnie shadowing her, what's to say she'd actually be quiet when he wasn't around?
"Scal. Can you run a HC, V three, and a COG on an miss Elgress Quindell? Q-u-i-n-d-e-l-l?" the snake spoke into the radio mounted on its shoulder.
Not the same as Vinnie and Viva. Why did I get three while they got one?
Great. What were they going to dig up now that I had that fucking stamp claiming I was different? This wouldn't look great in front of either Viva or Vinnie.
"Where are your grounds, Elgress?" the snake asked me as they handed over my phone that I squeezed instead "I see an address but none listed next to your mark."
"Grounds?" I frowned back.
"Birthing grounds" it stated simply "all snakes must have...."
"Alright!" I butted in and instantly got up from my seat, checking on Viva who had wide eyes and smile scraped across her face "can I talk about all this with you over there?"
It turned to the area in front of the statues I was suggesting. Their dark eyes scanned over the massive cock of the snake, unamused.
Walking over, I checked on the others and folded my arms across my body. I noticed the human cop glance across when our eyes briefly met.
"The others don't know" I lowered my voice to the snake "I'd like to try and keep it that way."
"About your species?" it asked.
I nodded, dropping my eyes to the floor.
"I'm not one of the wild ones, that's why I don't have the grounds listed. I was born in Saint Augustine in East Sophing."
"But you are pregnant" the snake looked down at me, quickly flickering a dark tongue "you must have grounds for them."
"It's here" I spread an arm wide "I've got nowhere else."
They nodded, straightening.
"Scal" the radio spoke up again "Rainbow, NV, Saint Augustine."
"Thanks, Erv" the snake, Scal, replied.
I smiled, knowing that everything hadn't been dug up on me yet.
Even though I answered the questions truthfully, I still felt so guilty in front of this cop.
"Are you aware it is illegal to conceal your identity as a hybrid from your employer?" Scal grew serious.
I was genuinely taken aback. My gut squeezed as I felt their dark eyes harden on me.
"I honestly didn't know" I admitted "I was just trying to keep all of this from getting out there."
"I'll need to notify them of your status" she declared.
I whimpered, glancing to Vinnie and Viva being questioned by the human who was now joined by a shepherd.
"Do you have to?" I mumbled.
"It is the law" she just replied.
I guess I couldn't do anything about that. If it was up to me, Bruce would never find out. Unfortunately, the illegal shit he had been throwing around lately made that now impossible.
"Where were you last night?"
I blinked back, trying to rearrange my thoughts.
From one shock to another. It was all moving so quickly.
"I was with Avery" I admitted, whimpering "but there were heaps of us there. I can get you the paper Bruce gave us! Everyone was given one!"
"Paper?"
"He doxxed all their addresses" I spoke, turning "Vinnie! Do you still have the sheet with the names and addresses?"
"You know it, Baby Cakes" he leant out, smiling and jerking a thumb "I've got a bunch behind the bar from the ones people left on the tables and chairs like slobs."
"It's all there" I faced Scal looking over to the bar "he told us we were going to get five thousand dollars if we could bring back any of the stars. There was another couple of hundred of we could tell him their locations before he gave us the sheets."
"And did you know anything about the influx of hybrids here tonight?" Scal questioned.
"No! I swear!" I breathed back "I was just sitting at the bar when a girl came in with a resume for bar staff."
"Who is your mate?" Scal peered over at Vinnie.
I grumbled, not wanting to stoop that low.
"Well?"
"Ez...ra" I bit out, barely pointing upwards "in the roof."
"Don't leave the bar" Scal told me with a gesture to the stools, powering back for the stairs "Rain, I'm heading up top. Got a Wildie up there."
"W at 12" he spoke in the radio as Scal searched the area for a way up as they marched through.
"S ten" a female voice replied, echoing "going to need a translator and backup. Got four up here, one C twenty, one infant."
The dog joined the snake. I was left standing by the statue I rolled my eyes at.
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I avoided eye contact with everyone as I slid up onto the stool and reached over to pour myself some water.
Why did it have to be today? Why ever? Urgh, why did that damn cop have to out me in front of Viva like that?
The place was crawling with cops. I just wanted to go home and avoid it all under my covers. I had to be strong. If I left now, it would be suspicious. I could ride this shit out for a little bit longer.
"Get your RSA redone before it expires" I heard Rein telling Vinnie, turning to Viva "just make sure you keep an eye on the percentages you are serving people. No alcohol after twelve for these establishments. Here's your fine."
He scribbled something down to rip off and pass to Viva who begrudgingly took it. I smirked at her fallen face when it found mine.
"Have a great day" Rain smiled to us all, trudging up the stairs after his colleague.
"A fine...." Viva sighed as she read it over "one hundred and seventy dollars! What a rip!"
"My Darling, I've been a terrible teacher if you are getting the fines" Vinnie plucked it from her fingers "and who didn't teach me? Bruce. He can have this."
It was folded and slid onto the bar. I turned my back and focused on my drink now that Viva had nothing else to focus on.
"So....." she started with a smile in her voice.
"Just drop it" I sighed, knowing exactly where she was going.
"But, like...." she paused, moving back around the bar to lean down and try and look into my narrowed eyes "they aren't like a snakes."
I scoffed, staring back at her. She was still smiling, checking Vinnie's expression when he joined her.
"Do you lay eggs?" she almost whispered.
"Right" I pushed my stool back and grabbed my glass "thanks for the water. Great chat guys."
"El" Vinnie whined back.
I stopped, waiting for him to say something comforting.
"You can take the glass out there. I'll get another fine."
Of course. More important things.
Gulping down the rest and slamming the glass on the edge of the bar, I huffed off.
I wasn't going to face either of them now that Viva wanted to ask stupid fucking questions about something she didn't need to know about and Vinnie was more worried about his precious bar.
Stupid people. Stupid cops. Stupid fucking situation.
Storming out to the stairs, I stopped at the top, wondering where I should go.
Cops were above, questioning Ezra who hissed back to the snake one that replied in the same language. Leaning out, I saw the monkey from the roof was talking to two humans while holding her chest. Claire was in the area between them, handing over ID. Over the other side, two dogs and three humans were talking to Silera and Balae; Balae standing before the gigantic snake, wings low and spread.
Hmm. Things looked tense up there. Somehow, the anger could be felt down here.
I walked across to the seats to take one of the closest ones. My eyes watched Alowyn standing on the stage by the ribbons he clutched, hounded by two cops; one magpie hybrid.
Did they have one for each species on their force? It was quite unusual there had been a snake for me and a bird for Alowyn. The dogs were just common. I'm sure we had plenty here too, wherever they hid.
What would they do with us? Just check that our names and photos matched and let us go? They seemed to be quite thorough with it all.
I heard the tinkling of an alarm go off. Pulling my attention back to Alowyn, I saw him jerk a thumb in the direction of the bar, still talking as he silenced it. He bowed, starting to pull the binds off his wings in the position.
The cops said something back that had him straighten up. He looked from one to the other, confused and pulling away when one pulled out cuffs to force his arms behind his back.
"You can't!" his voice raised to a level I could clearly hear now "I've got to go to Bronte and Soren!"
He tugged again, yanking against the cuffs. He spun around, flapping his wings as he tried to free them properly.
The cops ran after him as I stood up in shock at what I was witnessing. They garbled some codes into their radios before snatching onto the long feathers and pulling him back.
"I've got to go!" Alowyn wailed, struggling "please!"
"Hey!" I shouted to the cops leading him away "you can't do that!"
One focused on me, mumbling to his shoulder again. I heard the nonsense echo above and before me. They were everywhere.
"ELGRESS!" Alowyn sobbed when he saw me, fighting the restraints again.
They couldn't just cuff him like that for doing nothing! He wasn't even there when we went out!
Right. I had to do something. They couldn't get away with that!
Where were they taking him? Did they already have wagons out the front in anticipation for dragging all the hybrids out.
A squeal had me whipping my head upwards. The monkey was being forced around and into cuffs as well. She wriggled and fought, screaming as a screeching baby was plucked from her chest.
"NOT HER!" she wailed "JUJU!"
Ezra immediately snapped into action. Hissing filled the air as he charged for the human cop holding the squealing baby out at the nape of its tiny neck, the fingers spread in pain.
"HEY!" I yelled up at the roof uselessly to the cop who screamed "LET HER GO!"
"Ten ten!" a cop blurted, rushing past "ten ten! Hostile Wildie at twelve. V. Ten eighteen!"
Footsteps thundered above me. I saw flashes of Ezra as he slammed his body around to try and knock others away. He snapped and hissed, spitting out words amongst the noises smashing through the air.
I saw the snake cop rush towards the noise. With more spitting and hissing joining his, I felt my whole body tensing up from the violence screaming out.
My heart hammered. I felt my fear crawl into a whine in my throat, tears brimming in my eyes as I climbed over the seats to try and see what was happening.
"Deploy tasers!"
Ezra screamed in pain. He groaned, growling in pain when his body slammed into the wood overhead. I saw part of it hang off the edge of the roof, looping back up onto the floor.
The baby screamed and squealed in terror and agony. I saw a cop seize it to press it close to their jacket in an attempt to calm and smother the noise.
"GIVE ME MY BABY!" the mother screamed, her feet kicking out on the boards as she fought back "JUJU!"
"Wait!" I heard my voice choke up "you can't do that! HEY!"
Force slammed into my side. Pulling my gaze down, I saw I was now being manhandled into my own set of cuffs behind my back by a human woman and another snake; dark brown with black edges on the scales.
The overwhelming scent of cucumbers hit me.
Was it their perfume?
"Get off me!" I tugged against them holding tightly "I haven't done anything wrong!"
"You are being detained for questioning" the snake spoke, a male "cooperate or we will have to use force."
I saw the handgun against their sides. Was it a real thing or a taser?
The panic set back in. My legs grew weak, shaking when I was navigated through the seats and back towards the bar.
I hung my head shamefully when I saw Vinnie and Viva stare back in shock. With more screaming, swearing, and fighting breaking out behind me, I whimpered and sobbed at how helpless I was.
I didn't do anything wrong! Were they going to throw me in jail?
I was so scared. I didn't know where I was going and couldn't outrun it. Nobody could save me from this horrible situation I desperately wanted to escape.
"El!" Vinnie called "hey! Where are you taking her?"
The human peeled off to reprimand him. The snake shoved me into the dark tunnel where I could see the outside door has been chocked open with wood.
"Don't make it worse for yourself" the snake muttered now, moving a hand upward to his chest "you're pregnant. You've got to think about them."
"Just l-let me go!" I begged him, digging my feet in now "please! I've d-done nothing wrong!"
"Answer the questions at the station and you'll be fine" he rummaged again, forcing me to keep walking "breathe. Nothing bad is happening to you."
I couldn't even laugh at the absurdity of it all. I just whimpered, sobbing on my way out to the vans lining the inside of the gates and along the cul-de-sac.
The amount of police presence was attracting attention. People stopped on the pathway to watch what was unfolding. Some recorded while others just watched in interest.
"Watch your head" the snake said as they opened the back door of the van which was lined with grating on the dark window.
The inside was pure white and curved. A seat ran along the left side where I saw Alowyn already sitting, huddled against the back wall, crying softly.
"Hey!" he tried to stand when the cop waited for me to crouch inside "I've got to go! My family will die if I d..."
As soon as I touched the seat, the door was slammed shut, hurting my ears. Alowyn let out a howl, sinking back into the seat to cry loudly.
He was making the pain worse. Every little noise was amplified in this area, especially after the door drilling down my skull.
"Hey, hey" I looked over to him hanging his head "it'll be ok. They'll let us go in no time and you can see them again."
"W-what i-if I don-don't?" he whined back, trying to breathe when he pressed his head to the wall behind him "I ca-can't let them sta-sta-starve."
He looked up to the roof, crying. His tears shook his whole body as he tried to breathe through his absolute turmoil.
"It'll work out" I tried to soothe him "turn towards me. I'll get those stupid things on your wings off so you can leave as soon as you get out of there."
He nodded, showing me his back and hunching for me. One wing jutted upwards, trying to be helpful.
"What on earth did you tie these with?" I shook my head at the thick mess binding the bend of his wing to itself.
"R-rope" he choked out "Cl-Cla-Cl...."
"Claire..." I helped him start his sentence.
He nodded, trying to free himself by flexing his wings again.
"She sai-d t-they wo-work well."
"Well, she wasn't wrong" I sighed at them "stay still."
Moving my mouth to the knot, I tried to tease it back through itself. Alowyn had tied them securely, but obviously didn't want to be completely incapacitated in case something happened while practicing. The doubtfulness in his knotting made it a little easier to get an end pulled free.
"T-than-k y-you" he whimpered as I maneuvered myself to keep working the knot.
"Ightz gwood" I spoke through my peeled lips.
I heard him snort through tears. He tried to control his breathing so that the shaking wouldn't hinder me.
Gripping the end and using it to find the continuation under a loop, I bit into the fibres to try and tease it through.
It was bloody hard. The coarse fibres of the rope scraped on my teeth and sent jolts of disgust through my body. I pulled up, running my tongue over my teeth to try and remove the gross feeling of the rope.
Pausing to listen, I heard another door slam. There were boots approaching us.
"Turn around" I whispered, pressing my back to the wall.
Alowyn did so, looking across at the door.
"I'm born here, you arseholes!" a familiar voice roared, feet kicking against the door and nails raking along it "let me go! You can't kick me off a nest! That's against the law!"
"Just shut up and get in!" someone growled back.
The door was thrown open and I saw the shoebill jumping about to try and get free, like a bucking broncho. They had something strapped against their chest that connected to a brown bag containing their wings that strained inside. Unlike both of us, her hands were cuffed against her front.
Using the momentum from a jump, they tossed Balae inside and quickly slammed the door shut again. Crumpled to the floor, Balae kicked out against it, yelling.
I heard a hand slap along the side. Another door opened and closed from the back wall before the van shuddered alive.
"Let me out, you motherfucker!" she screeched, using her bent legs and massive beak to push herself up into a kneeling position.
The car began to reverse, throwing us back with the unexpected momentum. Balae fell to the side, unable to catch themselves.
Looking over to us with a sideways look, she quickly became aware she had company.
Crunching and lurching forward, I had to plant my spread legs to try and stabilize myself.
"Take my spot" I slid down the bench when we rocked over the dip at the gate "we need someone to get the ropes off Alowyn's wings."
"Oh, gladly" Balae grumbled back "those arseholes. When I get out of here, I'll show them why they call me a carnivore."
I snorted at her comment. Balae slid up onto the bench, bending into position to start roughly pulling and feeding the rope from Alowyn.
"So, what's the plan?" Balae asked.
"Plan?" I laughed nervously "answer whatever they ask so we can go home."
Balae didn't agree to this. She shook her head, clicking.
"I've got a whole nest up there that they are talking about relocating. If even one of them is cracked, I'll break their damn skulls."
I don't take this terrifying bird to be so violent. From the cheerful and chirpy demeanour of before, they were hellbent on murder.
"We'll be fine" I tried to calm her.
The wide eye snapped onto me. They gave the ropes a fierce tug, looping through another section.
"Silera was just darted and tased up there" Balae growled, yanking roughly to make Alowyn whimper "they treated her like nothing more than mindless prey. They want to dump her out in the wild again."
"Isn't that what you want?" I asked now, confused why they were so upset "you are wild."
Balae dropped the rope, puffing up. They clicked again, low and continuous.
"We had an agreement" she hissed "and unlike you, I care very deeply about my partner and our future. Once that nest is disturbed, it's useless. You'd know all about that."
"What the fuck?" I reared up.
"Oh, shut up" Balae scoffed "you have no right getting defensive over this. You killed the babies you had. You don't get to tell me that we will be fine. You don't give a damn about any of us. It's only what works best for you. Right now, this works out because you don't have a family to go back to like we do. You don't get to sit here and worry that they'll be dead when you finally walk out."
Balae panted through her rage. She turned her back on me, flaring my anger more. Alowyn glanced over, staying silent as he was finally freed. His wings stretched upwards as much as they could, shuddering.
"You don't get to fucking talk to me like that!" I snapped "who the hell are you t...?"
"Who am I?" Balae laughed out, turning to stare me down "I'm the one who was there for Tawn when he was crying his fucking heart out to me in that back room. I'm the one who tells Ezra that it wasn't a horrible, disgusting mistake to knock you up. That it'll all work out and you won't go and use him like you did to Tawn over and over again."
She glared when I averted my gaze, trying not to anger her further. The beak alone could fit my whole head inside and crush it. The way she bore holes through me let me know she has made her mind up on me a long time ago.
It didn't matter that Alowyn was right here. In this moment, I had to focus on myself.
"You are so damn lucky that you have something that can protect you" Balae hissed, glancing to my middle to make it known to me "if it were up to me, I'd have you flayed across a rock and boiling alive in Silera's stomach. You'd be the shit that not even flies would touch."
I didn't fight back. I just scowled, remaining silent. I booked at the sheer audacity of this bitch to threaten me with something so gruesome. Gritting my teeth, I controlled myself, out of survival.
Alowyn looked between us, wiping his eyes.
"Don't fight" he sniffled "we are all scared. Nothing is going to happen to them."
"How can you be so sure?" Balae turned on him now "what about your own family? How do you know that these...." she wrinkled up her face in disgust, grumbling "....people.... aren't going to head right there and take them as well?"
That's where Tawn has gotten it from. The hatred for 'humans' and his choice of words before he turned on me was because of Balae. She changed him.
"I'm not on property" Alowyn replied "and the hollow is tall. I have faith in my parents and their choices for our home. Because of them, I can raise my brother and sister safely. You need to trust you have done the same for your family."
Balae huffed, looking back over to me with anger.
"I did. Until they turned up and ruined it."
"You can fix it" Alowyn gave a small smile "nothing has happened yet."
"We are in the back of a police van...."
"It could be worse" he tried to remain optimistic.
"Could it?" I bit back now before Balae could snap again.
Her head turned to me. At least we agreed on that.
"Don't talk to me" she grumbled to us, choosing to sit on the floor instead.
Gladly. The sooner we were out of here, the better. I had never wanted to strangle someone more.
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When the van finally rolled to a stop and we gathered ourselves again, the sound of the front door slamming made Balae puff up and grow defensive once more.
The door opened to bright light that beamed inwards. Squinting around it, a person reached out an arm.
I smelled cucumbers again.
"Come on" they demanded "step out. Cooperate and it'll be easy."
I heard that phrase and smelled that scent before. This was the brown snake who had led me through the darkness.
I shuffled the way to the front first and was helped to the ground. Alowyn came next, keeping his wings tucked to avoid drawing attention to them. Balae stomped over last, refusing help to the ground.
We all had an officer each. Lights beamed from the poles positioned out the front of the station.
The snake with me opened the glass door and marched me through.
Instantly, there was a wall with a corkboard patched with missing people reports. Down to the left was a front desk the snake leant towards, speaking through the glass between them and the person at the desk. Others were seated at a table behind it.
Walking into a large square room with seats along every wall and lining the center back to back, we crossed to a door nestled in the far right corner.
Beyond that was a widened hall. To the right were holding cells with clear plastic barriers across the front instead of bars. Little holes had been drilled into a circle at the front where a tiny shelf and hatch also sat below.
The cells had a single bench at the back. The whole room was tiled white. At smelled clean, kind of like sweet freshener to try and disguise the bleach.
I noticed pieces of paper slapped across each cell running down the wall. Each was marked for Paragon, then had the species underneath.
Birds. Snakes. Dogs. Cats. Monkeys. Other.
It was all planned. For how long?
I was steered down past a door on the right, beside another wall of holding cells marked in the same fashion. Going through another door at the end, I looked back to see Balae and Alowyn being separated into their designated cages away from each other.
In this section, I was walked past a wall with more information stick to it about crime in the area and plans of action in the instance of being threatened.
Stopping at a door on the right, the snake ushered me inside.
A large metal table sat in the middle of the room with a single cup of water on each side and a bowl of mini muffins beside the handle. In the middle of one edge was a curved metal handle. Two metal chairs were planted either side. Behind the one with the odd handle was a large dark mirror.
Two way? Like in those movies? Was that a real thing?
Pushed down into the chair before the mirror, I was briefly uncuffed on one side so that it could be looped through the handle and snapped back onto me.
"You'll wait here for questioning" the snake simply said, yanking the cuffs to make sure they were secure.
"Hey!" I called, tugging on them "hey! You can't leave me here like this!"
He just left the room wordlessly, closing the door behind him.
I jerked again, trying to snap these damn cuffs from my sore wrists.
"HEYYY!" I shook them instead.
My voice echoed in the room. Scraping the chair across, I looked at the mirror to see if I could make out movement within it.
It was pointless. I could only see myself and my bloodshot eyes from crying.
I looked like shit. I was ragged and hunched like I hadn't slept in days. My hair was a mess from this morning and I could feel the wet warmth between my legs growing suspiciously as I sat here.
I checked quickly. No leaking. That was good.
Moving back to the table, I picked a muffin from the bowl to unwrap it.
Didi they poison these? Expect me to eat a whole bunch and pass out so they could keep me here?
Smelling it, it was the sweet fakeness of banana flavouring. Taking a tiny bite off the edge, it was sticky but delicious. My stomach gurgled at the tiny morsel of food I swallowed. I hadn't eaten anything else but hot chips today.
Fuck it. They left them here for me. I wasn't going to pass up good food.
Bending towards my hands, I devoured the first muffin. Batting the water towards myself, I was able to wash down the lump that instantly jerked hiccups through me.
The muffins were thick and sludgy, coating my teeth. I didn't care, unwrapping another to shove it down and follow it with another gulp of water.
God this was good. Breathing out a sigh, I reached for another.
I was halfway through chewing it when the door opened again and a woman with a tablet walked through, smiling to me. She held another cup of water that she noticed me eying.
"Good early morning" she grinned, checking the watch on her wrist "I am officer Poralla. I will be conducting your interview today."
"Interview?" I mouthed around my muffin, drinking the last of my cup "like a job interview?"
"Oh, no" she gave a quick laugh "just a few questions about your time at Paragon."
Oh. So, repeating the same shit I had already told the other officer?
Her shoes clicked when she crossed the room and lifted her chair to give herself room. The clean tablet was placed on the table. She circled around to my side to place the new cup inside my empty one.
She smelled like oranges. It was mainly the zesty rind rather than the juice. It had to be some sort of fancy body butter from how it followed her with every movement.
Her uniform was as crisp. Rather than the vests the others wore, she was in a collared blue buttoned shirt with badges on the breast with her name badge, and pleated black pants. Her shoes shone under the lights, as I did, clicking away. She didn't have a holstered weapon or loud radios. She only had a too-kind smile that directed at me when she sat down, lifting the chair rather than scraping it like I did.
"Would you prefer for me to speak in English or Heshier with you today?"
"I don't do that snake bullshit" I sneered back, unwrapping another muffin and checking the water she had given me "English is fine."
"English it will be then" she replied with a little nod "I'm going to ask you some questions about yourself and the others you worked with. This will involve topics about you as a hybrid. Will that be ok?"
"Not really" I huffed, jangling my cuffs back at her "but what choice do I have?"
She smiled again. It was really starting to piss me off how calm she was on the other side of the table while I was being treated like a prisoner.
"Is your name Elgress Quindell?"
I sighed, nodding.
"And how long did you work at Paragon?"
"Uh" I thought now "a good couple of years. I came in after Tawn was there and was put in to be his partner for the show at first. I think it was...twenty seventeen?"
"So, eight years?"
"I think so."
Was that right? I didn't want to unintentionally be lying to a cop.
"So, you must have seen some things over the years" Poralla commented.
I scoffed, agreeing.
If only she knew half of it. Her pretty little head wouldn't be able to comprehend the shit I had put up with.
"Are you able to tell me which one is Tawn?" she pressed on her tablet and bought up pictures of him, Luke, Silera, Ezra, and Levi.
All the snakes that worked there.
She honestly didn't know? She hasn't seen an advert or the show at all?
"This one" I pointed him out.
"And the others?"
I listed them off too, watching her expression for anything that would give her away that she was trying to deceive me.
"And when you were working at Paragon with Tawn, what did you do?"
"I sang" I replied, leaning back "at first. Then when I was too shakey, I was moved to the bar for some reason. Bruce thought I'd be good there because 'my shakes would mix the drinks better'."
What an arse.
"After that, he put me in the chandelier with Nisha for a little. Now, he wants me to do singing again with Lumi's voice."
"Who is Lumi?"
"Nisha's partner" I stated simply "she was fired. She has her voice recorded and I've got to learn the words."
"Ah, so lip synching?" Poralla commented.
I shrugged, nodding back.
"When you said you were 'too shakey' what exactly do you mean?"
"I have tremors" I held up my hands to show her that they were indeed shaking "it's kind of obvious."
"And how did you get the tremor?"
I hesitated, picking at the muffin I held.
"Did you have sexual relations with any of the actors at Paragon?" Poralla asked softly.
I remained silent. She knew. She just wanted me to confirm it all after luring me in with basic questions before getting to the most important ones.
"You can just point if it's too hard to say" she faced the same back towards me.
"It's not that" I glanced to them and dropped my head again, frowning "is that why I'm in handcuffs?"
Lifting my head to face her, I felt the tears prickling again at my eyes.
"No, no" she soothed "it's for your protection."
"My protection?" I dismissed her lies "yeah, I don't think so. You're scared of me."
"And how would I be afraid?"
"Nobody likes snakes" I flopped a hand "it's obvious. Nobody liked Tawn when he performed. They came to watch him because they were fascinated in seeing something dangerous up close. It was a gimmick. The whole show is a stupid exhibition of things normal people would usually avoid. Why do you think he was the most popular for drinks? It wasn't because they actually liked him."
"So, you hid your identity because you saw that" she stated.
"It's easier" I mumbled "and the things Bruce might do if he found out..."
Poralla's interest was obvious. She looked to me, glancing to the mirror with only her eyes.
"Was he abusive?"
I snorted, laughing.
"When wasn't he?" I scoffed "he's done all sorts of shit. He cut off Avery's wings, ripped out Tawn's fangs, raped him...."
"Raped Tawn?"
I froze, realising my mistake.
I couldn't take it back now. And he wasn't here to stop me. Bruce had to pay; if I had to use Tawn's trauma to get that, then it would be worth it.
"When I was in the bar, I'd make sure no-one went up to the office while he was up there. He'd go up for food because Bruce wouldn't give it to him unless he had sex with him; said it was some sort of thing in his contract from ages ago, I don't know. Tawn was ashamed of it all. He'd cry when we talked and say he was just trying to get it over with. He used to tease him so Bruce would finish quicker. He was starving. No-one else would be able to get that many rats for him."
There was a little pause as Poralla processed the information. She softened as my eyes glazed over with tears again.
"Did you have sexual relations with Tawn?"
I nodded, sniffling.
"Not out of pity or anything like that" I made sure I was clear "at the time, it worked for both of us. He got to have sex with someone he wanted to, and I got to be with someone I loved. He was a great partner."
"Did he ever threaten you into doing it?"
"No. He never raped me. It was all consensual."
She nodded. I grimaced.
"So, you got the tremor from him?"
"Mm hmm."
Another pause. I finished the muffin I had been pulling apart.
It still tasted amazing. The salt from my tears made it better.
"Did he ever threaten you?"
I nodded.
"Once. But he said he was sorry afterwards."
"And why did he?"
"I said that he wasn't a real snake if he had arms and legs" I mumbled, frowning at how stupid that sounded "we had an agreement that I'd go to Ezra and he'd be with Silera. I wanted Naga and he kept giving me ones like us. It was supposed to be a one time thing."
"And it wasn't, so that's why he threatened you?"
"No, he did it because I made it sound like it was his fault. He didn't like that I was turning to Vinnie instead of him. Vinnie is known to gossip and the whole snake thing, the pregnancy, and our relationship was a secret."
Poralla processed the info, making noises and nodding again. It wasn't her filtering through the info but whoever was behind the glass. She didn't take a single note.
"So, your current pregnancy is with Tawn?"
I shook my head.
"Ezra. Tawn and I aren't together anymore. I went to Ezra too early and things happened."
I want going to tell her about the alcohol or why I was so hellbent on birthing Nagas. I'd lean into the group couplings Tawn had told me about and make it seem like this was a normal thing amongst them. She was human. She wouldn't understand it completely.
"It was an accident" I hung my head "and he could never forgive me, so the thing with Ezra became permanent."
"I see."
Did she?
"Did you have sexual relations with any of the other snakes?"
"With Luke and Levi?" I wrinkled my nose in disgust "they're kids! I'm pretty sure that's illegal! And Silera is a woman."
Poralla smiled, breathing out a little laugh.
"How many times have you been pregnant?"
"How many?" I asked "well, we had an agreement for once a month, but it didn't work all of them."
She tried to keep her surprise neutral. I saw the brows lifted anyway.
"I think about seven out of twelve on average" I thought "I don't really count them."
My chart at home said otherwise. They didn't need to know that.
"For eight years?" Poralla breathed.
"Six" I stated "we didn't start until after a year together and this year is only in April."
"So..." she thought, pulling across her tablet to do the calculations "you've been pregnant fourty two times?"
"This whole year hasn't gone yet" I reminded her "ive had one other so far this year."
The one I aborted was made because we missed our month last time. The one I was carrying now was the second. The first in January had been me struggling in that hole alone as Tawn performed.
"Fourty six times?"
I hummed as I thought. She was only focusing on the pregnancies, not the information I had given her on successful chances this year. Technically, it was around fourty three.
Maybe it was more? Less? I'd just agree with her counting the whole four months extra. I couldn't argue with a cop.
"I think so."
"Why so many?"
"Even though I pose as a human, I'm still a snake" I told her confidentially "and snakes like big families. Tawn wanted a big family and so did I. We made that happen."
"What would you say would be the average amount you have live birthed to each time?" Poralla questioned now.
"I've had three, I've had seven" I told her "one time, I had one."
That was a pitiful month. I chalked it up to stress that year. It wasn't enough to keep my rent paid. I was almost evicted, and would have been, of I didn't have to beg my parents for money.
"Let's say five, for a rough estimate" she forced a smile as she typed "you've had about...." her eyes grew wide "two hundred and thirty children."
Really?! What was that times by four hundred for each good one? What about eighty for a deformed one? One hundred for an average?
I should have been rolling in it by those calculations. This time, I was going to have those Naga. I'd get over five hundred each, for sure.
"Sounds about right" I swallowed, drinking.
"Has Bruce made an agreement with you to have your children at Paragon? Has he made a contract for you to become pregnant by the snakes there in exchange for money?"
I giggled at how absurd that sounded. By the way Poralla didn't shift her expression, she was deadly serious about him running some sort of illegal baby farm.
"I agreed with Tawn and Ezra" I answered "Bruce never knew."
"There seems to be a high rate of pregnancies and illegal nests at Paragon" she stated "you are one of five who are currently pregnant while employed there."
I laughed at what she was implying.
"Do you think Bruce is running down sort of sex ring?" I gasped through laughter "come on! He's an arsehole, sure, but he's not that smart to get everyone knocked up! He's too worried about dodging bills and shuffling everyone around to make him look good!"
A sex ring! How on earth did she come up with such an outrageous idea?
"You've made your grounds at Paragon, where you work" she continued, watching me closely as my laughter died down "with that many children, how can you be so sure your employer hasn't sold them off?"
She really was getting too close to the truth. I had to be extremely careful here to not do myself in. I'd serve jail time if they found out what I had done with them all.
"You think...?" I frowned, searching the table for an answer "...that he's stealing my babies?"
"There could be a possibility. Where do you birth them?"
"In-in a pit out the back" I pointed, as if it was right there "through the cleaning room. I didn't make it the first time and found it hidden behind a cupboard. I've been using it since it's away from everyone and quiet. Tawn used to dig the hole for me."
Poralla's eyes flicked up again quickly. I pretended not to notice, forcing my tears again.
Think about going to jail. About having your wealth ripped from you. The way Tawn betrayed you and how you are cuffed right now, being questioned about things they shouldn't be sticking their noses into. How Viva knows about everything and will tell everyone. Ezra is going to steal every one of these bastards from you and leave you homeless.
"Is Bruce selling my babies?" I choked, gasping through my flowing tears "I thought they'd be living their own lives; free."
Oohhh that was good. Even I was impressed at how real it sounded. I had to keep thinking of sad things.
Dead babies. Every last one dead after carrying them for so long. My house destroyed and having to sleep in the gutters while bleeding out from the ruined pregnancy.
My breath rattled when I gasped in. I dribbled it out, genuinely crying over all the horrible things that would happen to me.
"Would you like a moment? A tissue?" Poralla sympathized.
I shook my head, snorting in my dribbling nose and coughing out a little disbelieving laugh.
"I-if th-thou-thought they w-were safe" I spoke up, whimpering "wi-wild, like Taw-Tawn."
Wild hybrids had a whole set of different rules to ones like me who were just diluted into something human-looking. No amount of time would turn me into a wild monster, like it would with him. With his wild blood in them, the previous batches probably had that same ability. I couldn't be held for abandonment if they were truly wild hybrids.
"I w-want t-to go ba-back to E-Ez-ra" I stated, hugging my middle "I don-don't want t-these o-o-ones t-to die t-too."
Bleeding. Gushing blood. Being fucked by Ezra again. Vinnie laughing about how I was being interrogated by police. Bruce finding out I was a snake, pregnant and without Tawn to keep him from me.
"He'll ra-rape me" I breathed in realization, looking up at the cop "Br-Bruce."
He really would. He loved dangerous things. He loved the feeling of snakeskin on his dirty cock. He'd kill my payload by forcing himself on me so viciously. I'd heard how he had done it to Tawn in so many disgusting ways. I knew the things he'd do to me.
"We are searching for evidence to support those claims" Poralla stated "take some time to breathe. I still have a few questions before you can return to your partner."
I nodded, forcing in some shaking breaths to steady myself. Gulping the water seemed to help as I cried into it.
He'd actually rape me. I actually did want to go back to Ezra. He'd keep me safe from Bruce's greasy fingers and hungry stare.
Of all things, the snake who was too quick to anger and who tried to feed me raw chicken. Fuck me.
I was dead when I went back.
Shuddering through my tears, Poralla waited a few moments for me.
"Are you ok to continue?"
I nodded.
"Last night, what did your employer do?"
"The p-papers?" I blinked back "he had us all...." I took another breath "sit down and he wanted to know where t-the Stars were. He offered five hundred to tell him where any of them w-were...."
"Did you know?"
I nodded, sobbing again.
"I-i met T-Tawn that morning at some gravel place with a tree" I breathed deeply again "he w-wa-was there with Luke and L-Levi. He said he was g-going home, t-that I was...."
I choked up, remembering the way he looked at me; the pain in his eyes when he made me step into the shadows with him.
"....nothing to him."
I took a few more breaths, drinking again. My hands were shaking terribly now. I could barely hold it steady.
"Bruce gave us papers with addresses" I spoke, breathing out "I need the money. I can't afford food. Everything at home is turned off. So when he said w-we could have five gr-grand, I went with Vinnie to who I thought was ea-easy."
"Did you see Tawn?"
Nodding again, I blinked out tears.
"We went to A-Avery first. I thought that the others wouldn't go s-so far out of the city. He was..."
His white feathers smothering him. The knives sticking out of his back. The way he screeched and screamed at everyone. When he came towards me with full intent of killing me if I hadn't of been pregnant. How I begged him not to kill Vinnie...
"He was scary" I whimpered, finally able to let out the pain of that night "he almost hurt both of us."
"Is that how you got the cut on your chin?"
I gurgled, trying to nod again.
"They stabbed him" I made an ugly noise as I tried to wipe my eyes "a-and he was so different. He had these fingers...."
I held mine up, curved. Looking at them, all I could see was his bloody claws.
"I found Tawn after that" I blinked through the burning tears "at Fasties. He was hiding because people were at L-Levi's house. He told me I sh-should be with E-Ezra. He had this big white thing in the car. He said h-he'd kill me if I didn't leave."
He really would hurt me. I wouldn't doubt he would have tore his fangs into my skin and pushed all of his venom into my bloodstream. I'd be left to die in a dirty Fasties parking lot out on the other side of the city. The person i once trusted with my heart would just stand there as I would feel it rupturing every vein.
My throat closes up at the realization. I snatched up the water in both hands to dip my dribbling lips towards it. I took a few more moments to choke out my tears.
"I went back t-to Paragon" I told her "I stayed with E-Ezra. This morning, I c-cut material with Herb and T-Tally. I ate with C-Claire and Ezra in the roof. I had water at the bar with V-Vinnie, Viva, and Al-Alowyn until police showed up and all the y-yelling happened. They stole a baby!"
"I assure you that any children are not stolen" Poralla gave a little smile "they are being looked after by officers while the parents are detained. It's for their protection."
"I was out in cuffs and thrown in a van" I remembered "Balae and Alowyn were with me. She was horrible."
"Shoebills are particular about who they associate with" she gave a little grin "you must earn their trust; bow to them."
"I'm not bowing to that bitch" I wrinkled my nose.
Poralla found this amusing, trying not to smile.
"What is your place of residence?"
"Oh" I struggled to think for a moment "uh, right next to the SunnyHill units. Twenty-seven Ramcora street, Peachtree Valley."
"There was a disturbance call out to that location last night" Poralla said simply "it's advised you don't return there until it is safe to do so."
"Safe? What exactly happened there?"
Did they seriously target my house just because it was listed and smash it up? To send some sort of message or just for the fun of it?
"We have contacted Mister Parkers about the incident to the property" she just continued "do you have anyone you can stay with? Family? A friend? We have a case open if you want to be out up in a nearby hotel?"
Around more strangers? Away from the few people I knew?
"No. I've got someone" I just replied.
It would have to be Ezra whenever he got back. With all hybrids being dragged in here and the way he had been ganged up on, I had no doubts he wouldn't be in the roof when I got back. I couldn't go with Vinnie. He wouldn't want to return to his shithole with me along for the ride for the abuse.
"Do you know why they would target you?"
"My name was on the list" I shrugged "I worked with Tawn and was close with him when I didn't. He wasn't there, so they would have been frustrated."
"Do you know who might have done it?"
I drew a blank.
Flower didn't like me, but to the extent to trash my home? And what about Loreen? Balae made it quite clear she hated me now. Would she leave the roof long enough to destroy my things out of spite?
"We all ran out when we got the sheets" I explained, still trying to figure it out "everyone just went their separate directions."
Poralla nodded, letting out a breath and gathering her tablet.
"I think we are done here. An officer will be in soon to uncuff you so you can be on your way."
That was it? They got all they wanted?
She slid me a card with her name and info on it.
"If you remember anything more, you can contact me."
I couldn't grab it. I just stared uselessly.
"What about my house?" I asked her as she clicked across to the door.
"Someone will contact you when it is safe to enter it again."
With that, she was gone. I returned to the muffins to eat another and wash it down with the rest of my water.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEL2wuY8s1
The brown snake from before was the one who released me. I rubbed my wrists, seeing they were red from where I had been tugging against the metal roughly.
I grabbed the card to pocket, sliding across to the bowl to snatch up a few more muffins to join the card.
The officer let me lead now, only moving in front to open the door that led to the holding area.
I saw the rooms that had been empty were now filling up. The monkey from the roof sat on the bench sobbing. A massive black one with a huge throat pouch was beside her to offer support.
Three cats glared from behind the plastic. A black and white one with a collar even hissed at the cop when we passed. A ginger one sat on the bench. A small brown one has its head resting on the plastic.
One dog was in the marked room. When I saw it was Tally, he shrugged, laughing at his misfortune.
For the birds, five prowled inside. All of them had their wings bagged. Those with wings for arms had them bagged and cuffed over the leather.
The first I noticed was Oliver, snarling at the bench he sat on. He only got to his feet when he saw me, banging on the plastic to get my attention.
There was one that looked like a wooden log sitting at the other side of the bench. The ones pacing were a rainbow lorikeet and galah. The last pressed in the corner to try and get someone's attention was Herb.
The other bird room that contained Alowyn and Balae only had Alowyn on the bench, quietly sobbing. Long gouges had been raked down the plastic where Balae must have been.
In the 'other' room was a hissing crocodile slapping it's tail on the ground. Beside it sat an echidna who kept their short beak down, trying to avoid eye contact.
The only room completely empty was the snake room. Not even Ezra was there.
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznvE2pBaxR
I was processed through the front and had the door opened for me. Just like that, I was out on my own on the street in the early hours of the morning that barely lit the surroundings from a veil of grey.
It was cold out here compared to the warmth inside the station. I breathed in the fresh air, letting it float out in a thin cloud, coughing when it tickled my throat.
I could make use of a shit situation and wander my way down to a shop to try and source this translator in a few hours when they would open.
Some fresh air could do me some good while I tried to work off this headache.
At least I'd be ready for whatever Paragon threw at me next.
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