Richard stood there, his back to the door. The big bodybuilder dressed in loose black sweat pants and a lycra top that were stretched tight over his upper body, showing off the shelf of his pecs. His long sliver hair was hidden under a baseball cap which had a running polar bear icon stitched round it. Tim lowered the bat. He didn’t know what to say, he’d not told the guys about the Change and now Richard……..quickly he shifted down to his Human form. He sensed Kelvin doing the same behind him.
“What’s up” he said in his deep baritone.
“What was so damm important that you had to pull me away from my post workout sauna?” Richard said turning round, he held a black canvas bag in his hands. His white toothed grin contrasted sharply with the dark tan of his skin.
“Er…..I didn’t call you” Tim said looking confused.
“Well someone did” Richard’s eyes took in Tim’s dishevelled appearance. Tim knew he’d smell the sweat and cum from the lovemaking upstairs.
“Busy afternoon?” he said raising an eyebrow.
“You don’t know the half of it” Tim chuckled. “you better come in”
Tim retreated down the hall. Kelvin went into the lounge and Tim turned and gestured for Richard to follow. Richards nose was flaring as he stepped into the house. Tim saw his eyes narrow as Richard thought. Suddenly it occurred to Tim that Richard was a Shifter too he would smell them! Should he say something? A memory flashed to him, he was a cocky teenager, a huge kid compared to his peers. Hank had left him with Richard one afternoon. Tim had been nosy and asked Richard what the strange S-U(P) code on his drivers license meant and if it had anything to do with his native American parents. Richard had fixed him with a stare and growled at him ‘its rude to ask what others are, and nosy to look at their things without asking’ He’d never asked again, even after he’d become Boss. As Tim followed Richard into the lounge he decided to wait until asked.
Kevin sat in the broken couch and Richard stood before the unlit fireplace. Tim leaned against the door frame.
“Richard this is Kelvin, Kelvin this is Richard” Tim said and the two big men shook hands. Tim couldn’t help comparing Richard’s toned and shaped muscle to Kelvin’s naturally big hairy arm. Hairy wins he decided.
“So the call was from me?” he asked.
Richard nodded “Yeah dude, defiantly from you, from this house”
“We made no call” Kelvin rumbled from his chair.
“Well the call said get my arse over here now. I know your voice anywhere”
“Dammit. You think its Cosgrove?” Kelvin said to Tim.
“I don’t know. It’s not the FBM style” Richard raised an eyebrow
“FBM? What the magic guys? What you want with them?” Tim and Kelvin looked at each other. Kelvin shrugged slightly. Tim locked eyes with Richard
“There was an accident here this morning. I found an artefact and it zapped us both. Made us both into Shifters. The Bureau came round to investigate the magic use” he said.
“Shifters?” Richard looked between them with a grin “bet you’re no Bunny rabbits”
“Damm right” Tim grinned back. There was a pause.
“Grizzlies” Kelvin said answering the unspoken question. Richard nodded
“That would explain the very familiar smell” The three men looked at each other, there was a longer pause before Richard looked into Tim’s brown eyes
“I am a Polar Bear Shifter” he paused “Hank never told you?”
“Never” Tim answered. Richard looked over at the picture of Hank and Tim
“Old man always could keep a secret. I miss him”. Richard nodded at the picture.
“Amen to that” Tim said quietly.
Richard turned back to the two men. “So if you did not call, who did?” he asked
“Dunno” Tim said.
Richard put his bag down on the table carefully.
“Someone did” he growled. “I don’t like being jerked around”
“Well let me apologise for that straight off” a new voice said. All three men jumped and shifted to half Bear form instinctively. Richards lycra stretched across his barrel chest, his sweatpants suddenly filled to bursting as he grew into his massive white furred Polar bearman form. Tim and Kelvin’s overalls bulged and ripped as they changed too.
In the centre of the room stood Tal, he was dressed in a sharp black suit with a long black, sliver trimmed cloak.
“Who you?” Richard growled at him.
“He’s all right” Tim said and shifted back to Human form “although he has a few questions to answer”. Kelvin took his cue from Tim and shifted back, as did Richard a few moments later.
“Thank you gents” Tal said in his even voice “I feel slightly less microscopic now” he smiled brightly.
“Thank you for bringing the statue” he said to Richard who looked confused.
“I brought my bag, but its only got beer in”
“Ah a small deception on my part, please forgive me. One of the tins is a hidden artefact that allowed me to get in past the cordon the FBM has put up around the yard. Nothing serious, mealy a identification ward, annoying more than anything. I used your bag as a transport device”
“Why the call?” said Tim. Tal had annoyed one of his friends and that annoyed him.
“I needed Richard to come here so I could come along and explain what had happened with the box. I did not want to leave you uninformed”
“OK” said Kelvin “why not call direct?” Tal looked round.
“Shall we sit?” he suggested. The Bearmen sat down, Richard in the armchair, Kelvin and Tim on the broken couch.
“From the top then” he said “but first” he reached across to Richards bag and pulled out a can of beer. He tapped a nail against the side three times and mumbled something. The can shifted into a very lifelike statue of a rearing Grizzly bear. Tal mumbled something else and placed it on the mantelpiece.
“That will stop unwanted snooping on your house by magical or other means. It’s a gift to say sorry for the inconvenience” Tal sat on the foot stool.
“Gentlemen I have to apologise. I meant to take the box earlier but before I left I could sense the FBM closing in. Taking then would of left a magical trail for them to follow and I have no need for them to track me. So I took it while you had them distracted via methods of my own. It is quite safe now and disturbing no one, you will not be bothered by it again. The FBM will keep you under observation for a while before deciding that you two Shifters are no threat to anyone and move on”.
“How can you be so sure?” Kelvin said a little growl in his voice.
“Standard op procedure. They will leave again. Cosgrove is no fool, and does not have the resources to spend looking for something he cant have”
“And where does that leave us then?” Tim said “we still have no idea about Shifter society and magic and stuff”
“Well the Crystal will tell you what you need to know about magic, Richard here can teach you about Shifter society, as for anything else, watch TV”
“I have no problem helping you guys out” Richard said calmly “it’ll be good to give something back and nice to boss the boss around for once” he smiled evilly.
“Want to bet being a Shifter involves buying lots of beer for all of Richards friends?” Kelvin laughed.
“Damm right” Richard grinned back.
The tension seemed to drain out of the room as everyone laughed heartily. Tal spoke up
“Look gents. I feel bad for all of this. Can I buy you all dinner? I know a very good steak place on the edge of the city”
“You mean Little Bull’s Place?” Richard asked. Tal nodded.
“You know it?” he asked
“Know it? Best damm steaks in the State. My brother runs the place with Bull”
“I think I could eat a whole herd of cows about now” Tim said rubbing his hands over his gut.
“Yeah, I’m up for that” Kelvin echoed.
“Give the family a call to meet us there” Tal said to Richard “it’s on me”.
“Sure. Can I use your phone boss?” Tim hooked a thumb towards the kitchen. Richard got up and left the room. Tal turned to Tim and Kelvin
“Thank you gents. I’m sure today has been a busy day for you. Please understand that none of this was supposed to happen this way.” Tim placed his huge hand on Tal's shoulder.
“Its ok. Both of us” he looked at Kelvin who nodded “are happy like this. You were right it was destiny, or whatever. It feels right. This Bear is who I am.”
Tal nodded as Richard came back in.
“We take my truck” he said ”and they are meeting us there in an hour”
“Right then. Time to get dressed” Tim said standing, “wanna borrow some leather?” he said to Kelvin.
“Ask a stupid question” Kelvin said hauling himself upright. They started past Richard and up the stairs.
“Hey” he called “we have to be there in an hour. Don’t get up to anything” Shouts of denial came down the stairs. Richard grinned.
“I will meet you at the restaurant” Tal said “I must do something first”
“OK” said Richard and blinked as Tal vanished “now that’s magic” he laughed.
________
Outside the yard sat a grey van. It had no markings and muddy plates. Inside was one man, but the back of the van hummed with technologic and magical toys. The man was on the phone
“No sir. Had no audio contact since Mr. Greenton got here. I suspect something magical has disrupted the bugs. No sir, nothing on visual either, the curtains are drawn….yes sir…..I can…..hold on sir…..something’s happening……yes sir…..all three Shif urm..targets are coming out” he turned off his phone and flipped a switch. Sounds of walking talking men flooded the van. Agent Keswick listened for a few minuets then picked up his phone and dialled again
“Cosgrove here”
“They are going to Little Bull’s Place sir. You know it?”
“Yes I do”
“I can also confirm Tal was here. From what they are saying others are meeting them there”
“Tal with them now?”
“No sir”
“He must be meeting them there. Bring the team and I’ll meet you there. Good work Agent” Keswick hung up and watched as the three huge men got into a 4x4. It pulled past him before he started his van and followed.