{{For those interested, I have posted a guide to the active Moon Lake threads in the Forums section of CYOC.net.—tmw}}
While now a different group than in previous episodes of this story, two men continued to shadow Tom Herald, reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, when the passenger's cellphone rang.
"WHAT?" he exclaimed, upon hearing the news.
"What is it?" asked his partner, driving.
"Headquarters says that the agent we have monitoring our bug left in the Chief's office reports that the Seattle Police now suspect someone named Dymixious, with potential ties to Moon Lake, is responsible for the murder of Lionel Ulysses."
"How?" the driver demanded to know.
"Apparently the police found new evidence in Ulysses' murder, and an officer named Samuels has had previous contact with this Dymixious, which is why they suspect him."
"This is not good. How can the police find evidence that somehow remained undiscovered before now?"
"Unknown. But the Seattle Police plan to ask Moon Lake's police to keep an eye on this Dymixious until Federal agents can serve a proper search warrant, since this guy's personal residence is on private land between the two towns," reports the passenger.
"Something is not right here. Request headquarters to start an investigation into this Officer Samuels immediately," ordered the driver.
"Yes, my beta. Anything else?" asked the passenger, holding his hand over the mouth piece of his cellphone.
"Yes. Tell them until instructed otherwise, we are carrying out our current mission. The Luna Brotherhood will continue protecting the innocent weres of the world, no matter what!"*
MEANWHILE...
After honoring his Editor's wishes, in part to keep his job, Tom Herald goes on to another matter after covering the Seattle Seahawk's scrimmage that morning and their head coach's Tuesday press conference before the big game that Sunday.**
Herald drove to the biggest costume supplier in the area and went inside for information on tails.
"Can I help you sir?" asked the female clerk behind the counter as Tom entered. "Halloween is this Saturday, but we still have a nice selection of rentals available."
"Thanks, but I just have some questions about tails," replied Tom, approaching the counter.
"Oh. A do-it-yourself-er."
"You sound a bit disappointed."
"Perhaps. Depends upon how things turn out," she said, eyeing him closely.
"My nephew is trying to make a rat costume for some odd reason, but is having trouble creating the tail," said Tom, lying to her.
"I see. Well, depending upon how much time he wants to put into it and how elaborate he wants it to be, just a long enough piece of flesh colored yarn, because a rat's tail is basically long but bare of hair, with one end cut into a point and the other stuck into the back of his pants would suffice. Or if his mom's helping, she can either stuff one leg of a pair of flesh colored panty hose and basically do the same thing, or create one from scratch," suggested the clerk.
"How?"
"Just take some appropriate colored material, sew it into a small tube with a point on one end, then stuff it with fiber-fill or something else and be done."
"He was hoping to somehow have it sway with his movements," said the reporter, recalling the vest cam footage of Ulysses on the run after he was shot and the alleged tail appeared.
"Rat's tails aren't like an opossum's or a cat's. They're somewhat flexible, but without much control. Just having the costume piece tucked into the back of his pants will pretty much accomplish the desired effect when he moves about," suggested the clerk.
Tom thought about it for a moment. What that homeless man was claiming to be the "rat man's tail" back in the alley where Ulysses was shot looked like nothing more than a long piece of spray painted plastic tubing.
Could I be all wrong about this? he wondered. That police footage was of poor quality. Then again, the cops on the scene looked surprised to suddenly see a man with a tail.
"My nephew was hoping to go to his party and suddenly turn into a rat. Any idea how he could do that?" he asked the clerk.
"Tear away outer clothing like strippers wear, with his rat costume underneath? Inflatable prosthetics? It's doable, depending upon how much money he has to spend and how much time is left before his party," replied the clerk.
"I see," said Tom, thinking it over. There could have been some kind of cheap inflation device, like a rubber bulb, attached to that tubing. Then again, where did it disappear to?
"Say, are you all right?" asked the clerk.
"Yeah. Just lost in thought," answered Tom. "I was wondering, how do you know so much about animals?"
"College courses. I want to be a vet when I graduate. Can I ask you a question?" inquired the clerk.
"Sure."
"You're kind of cute, and I've been super busy with my studies and working, so I don't have a boyfriend. Want to go to a Halloween party with me Saturday night?" asked the clerk.
________________________________________________________________________________
*Okay, for those who have been following along, the cat—I mean werewolf—is out of the bag now. More details to come!
**November 1, 2015; Moon Lake time. Technically, the Seahawks were in Dallas and beat the Cowboys 13 to 12 that day, but since this is just a "story"...
—tmw.