Tyson parked behind a closed store front with no other cars. A sign warned about this being a tow away zone. 'Let them tow it' Tyson thought, 'I'm not coming back here anyway.' He tossed piles of trash into the back seat, looking for his backpack and shotgun. Inside the backpack he confirmed all of his supplies.
"One mouth guard?" Marcie asked.
"Specially designed for a rat mouth, check." Tyson said, putting it back inside.
"One role of painters tape?"
"Bright blue and untouched."
"Welders gloves?" She asked. Tyson took them out and began to put them on.
"Big enough to hold rat claws in, check." Tyson said.
"One pistol with a single bullet?" Tyson's heart sank. He looked into the backpack.
"...Check."
"Ear piece?" Marcie asked. Tyson removed it from the zipper pouch and stuck it in his left ear. He turned it on.
"Testing, can you hear me?" Tyson asked.
"Loud and clear. This one should stick in place even with your changing ears." Marcie said. "The sound and video from the camera is a lot better than even I expected. We've got everything we need." Tyson tried to smile, but found the act impossible. 'What's...how can...it's so close.' He thought, 'A year spent prepping and planning and here I am.' Marcie must have noticed his silence since she spoke up.
"They deserve this," Marcie said, "You told me so yourself. They ruined your life and got to live on, protected by their little bubble town. And now you can bring the pain to them. They're responsible for your wife leaving. They lost you your business, remember!"
"They lost me my job, my family..." Tyson mumbled, "It just doesn't seem real." He glanced around the car which had been his home for the past few weeks. "I used to be a clean person. Maybe turning into a rat made me filthy."
"You can blame them for that too." Marcie said, "Don't worry about it now. Just get ready. Your shotgun loaded?" Tyson grabbed it and checked the shells.
"All seven shells ready to go." He said
"Remember, aim for the butt if you have to fire." Marcie said. "The rock salt in there can't kill anyone unless fired point blank. Any shot gun blast at point blank can kill-"
"But the butt has no essential nerves," Tyson interrupted "And is mostly fat, yes we've been over this before Marcie." He sighed, "I'm going silent for now. Tell me when you can't hear something, or I miss something. We've got to get this recorded." Marcie confirmed she would. Tyson grabbed his backpack and gun, then exited his car.
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Dina Cumisario had always considered herself fairly open minded. When her son came out to her as gay, she loved him unconditionally. When her son told her about were society, she had been confused and concerned for his mental health.
When her son's boyfriend demonstrated he could turn into a giant raccoon, then she began doubting her own mental health. But Ricky had convinced his mother to come visit him in his new home of Moon Lake.
'I guess it does seem fairly normal.' Dina thought as she walked down the sidewalk. Ricky had told her to go out, see the town, meet the people. And thus far Dina had done absolutely none of that! Though she had walked almost two miles just staring at the inhabitants. 'What kind of were are you?' She wondered as she passed a woman with a...large endowment. Large enough that seeing it made Dina blush. 'Oh my, some kind of cow? Do they make were-cattle? Strange.'
All of the people had been friendly at least, Dina had to admit that. They smiled, waved, some asked if she was new here. And despite Dina's anxiety stopping her from speaking, she was starting to feel more at ease here. 'And Ricky wants to be a giant raccoon as well.' Her mouth went dry again at the thought. 'In time...in time I will accept this as God's plan and go with whatever happens. My son will be happy.' She nodded, 'My son will be happy.'
While Dina thought about this, she turned a corner on the street (which street she was on she had no idea). This street was empty, save for one figure, a man walking up to her. He was taller than her (though at five foot nothing, most people were taller than her) and looked disheveled with dirty blonde hair. He had over sized front teeth and five o'clock shadow. He wore an ankle length coat and a large black hat. One arm was inside the coat, the other came out the sleeve. On his back was a back pack, zipped up tight. Over his exposed hand was a large work glove, like you might see on a welder.
'I wonder what his species is,' Dina thought as she approached him. The man's nose trembled the closer she got. 'Big teeth, Ricky said that-' The man lifted his arm inside his coat up, and with it a pump action shotgun. Dina froze in mid-step. Before she could react, the shotgun man was on her.
"I admit, I figured it would take me some time to find a human," The man said, pressing his gun against Dina's stomach, "I was going to walka around, psych myself up and you basically dropped into my lap. Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Dina's eyes darted from the man to his gun and back.
"I can scream really loud." She said.
"And I can blow your spine out through your back." The man said. "This is a Model 870 Tac-14 shotgun, very short and very deadly." Dina swallowed.
"I have money," She said, thinking about her son who lived only a mile away. "Not much money but-" The man shook his head.
"I'm not interested in money." He said. "I'm here on a mission of..." He grinned, "A mission of advancement, for both Moon Lake and human society. I'm an ambassador of change. Now what is your name." Dina didn't respond, so the man pushed the gun harder against her.
"D-Dina." She whispered.
"Well Dina," The man said, "You and I are about to bring a whole lot of change to Moon Lake." He gestured with his free hand, "Turn around, start walking that way. If you do what I say, you will come out of this unharmed."