"So, you caught him?" Laura York-Rush asked me later that evening.
We had finished a quiet dinner, much of it prepared by Molly. She had it waiting for Laura and Simon when they finally arrived at Bandhavgarh when Molly went to set the table for dinner. They didn't say much and waited for Ulysses and Herman to go off into our living room and watch some television. When they did, Laura asked her question.
"In a matter of speaking, yes," I answered.
" A matter of speaking?" Simon wondered, keeping his voice quite. Clearly they didn't want to trouble their sons.
"He had a dosage of the Animatrix Serum," I answered, "when "normal" means didn't work, he took the does and turned himself into a one ton bull Bison."
"A cow with an attitude," Simon almost chuckled, "where are you holding him?"
"He's dead, sir," I answered, "he started a fight after taking his dose and he had to be put down before he either got away or did more damage then he had done already. His body is being taken to where it can go through all the appropriate burial practices."
"I would have liked to face him in court," Laura almost growled, "my father may be old... and we have expected something like this... but he didn't deserve it."
"No one does," Molly spoke up.
Laura only sighed.
"How is he?" I asked.
Laura only sighed again. It was Simon who would answer.
"Not well," Simon said with a sigh, "he's still in some sort of coma. They have him hooked up to a whole bunch of life support machines... and it doesn't look like he's in good shape."
"But he's always looked so healthy," Molly commented.
"He's old, Mrs. Wayne," Laura finally spoke, "He was a wonderful father to me... and an even better grandfather for Ulysses and Herman... but he isn't young enough to be able to heal easily any more. We need to accept that... we all do."
"Please..." Molly told her, "call me, Molly... and you must have hope that he will get better."
"We both hope that he will," Simon replied, "but we have to face the truth. It isn't likely that he will survive this... and the doctors are not all that confident. Some of it may be age... some of it may be things that you wouldn't notice in a basic physical that are complicating things as a result of the attack Washerman made on him... but they are not confident he will recover."
And this is where Laura nearly broke down.
"They asked us about pulling the plug on him and letting him go," Laura cried a little, "they're that certain that he won't recover. We told them we'd think about it and consult his will again to see who has the power to make that decision and whether or not he would want it."
Molly and I shared nervous glances, as neither of us knew what to say.
"Please don't mention this to Herman or Ulysses," Simon said weakly, "this is already hurting them plenty."
"Of course," Molly and I managed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The next few days went quietly. Officer Barnes and I had a few routine calls to take care of, but nothing that would either be a problem or be frustrating. Simon and Laura continued to go to Kalispell during the day to be with Michael York in his hospital room, though I also figured they were also looking through whatever legal files they needed to as part of the moral dilemma they were going through with whether or not they should let him die or keep him hooked up to the life support machines in the hope that something would turn around. Molly and I had no answers for that, and we did want to visit him, but our schedules were just hectic enough that that was practically impossible. Eventually, Molly gave Laura some flowers and told her that we wanted them to go to him as a sort of "get well" gift. Laura politely thanked her.
However, a lot of that didn't set well with me and I made my way into Officer Howard's office at the end of another quiet shift.
"Is there something I can do for you, Officer Wayne?" Officer Howard asked politely.
"It's mostly to ask for a bit of a favor," I said weakly, "and wondered if I could get some time off."
"Time off?" Officer Howard asked.
"Just one day in this coming week, and about a week's worth for the Fall hunting season," I explained.
"The hunting season is a tiger thing, I'd take it?" Officer Howard asked, chuckling slightly.
"It would let me exercise the predatory instincts I have to hold in check the rest of the year," I nodded, "Molly will probably hunt in the afternoons after school when the hunting season arrives... and so I will need to know if I can get time off for the hunting season... so I know how many tags to buy."
Officer Howard nodded, "I'm pretty sure you have plenty of vacation days left for this year. You've only taken the one week that you went to see Ms... I mean "Mr." Washburn's wedding. Just let me know what days you plan to go hunting when the season schedule comes out."
"Thank you, sir," I gave a relieved sigh.
"And for the one day... you can do that tomorrow," Officer Howard then shrugged, "I'll let Officer Barnes know... but you can go ahead and do that. Would you mind if I asked why you are also taking a lone day off?"
"Mostly to go visit Michael York," I answered, "His daughter has come up and has been staying with us with her family. They aren't confident that he can recover."
Officer Howard slowly sighed.
"I'm sure a lot of people will miss him," Officer Howard then spoke, "I've never known him personally, but the Yorks have been here for quite awhile. Go on, it'll be alright."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The tags for the fall hunting season were not out yet, as the dates for the hunting season weren't released, but a good part of me felt thankful that I would be allowed to take the time off for the hunting season. Hopefully, things stayed quiet. Simon and Laura had returned from their daily trip to Kalispell, but what came as the shock was that Molly was getting ready to go out when I arrived at Bandhavgarh.
"Is something going on?" I asked as I came in the door.
"Yeah, the latest debate for the School District race," Molly answered, "I intend to go to follow how things are going."
That made me gasp in slight surprise. Because of Washerman's actions and the search for him, I had forgotten all about the race for the School District's Superintendent's spot. That race wasn't about to end because Officer Barnes and I had a big case to deal with.
"Do I have time to change?" I asked once I got my faculties back together.
"If you hurry," Molly answered, "are you intending to come along?"
I nodded and rushed up our stairs.
"I'll wait for you here," Molly called after me as I went up the stairs.
I changed as quickly as I could and then then made my way back out. I was still straightening my shorts so that the hole for my tail wasn't off center as I made my way down the stairs. When I reached Molly, she moved to lead me back out.
"We'll try to be quiet when we return," Molly called to Laura and Simon who were setting the table for their dinner.
"We'll have your shares in the refrigerator for you," Laura called back.
Molly and I then made our way out and began walking back into town.
"Do you know how Tabby is doing?" I asked sounding curious, as Molly tended to have more time to read the paper then I did.
"As far as I know, they're both still deadlocked," Molly answered, "Though, with the Washerman case you've been focused on..."
"I've missed a lot, I know," I sighed.
"Also," Molly spoke slowly, "Laura and Simon have finished going through the legal papers Michael York has left them to review. Laura does indeed have the power to make the decision on whether or not to keep him alive or not."
From the way Molly said that, I had a very depressed feeling.
"They intend to pull the plug, don't they?" I asked.
"She feels he's suffering," Molly answered, "and since the doctors aren't confident... it's needlessly prolonging the agony. I don't think she wants to do it... but she feels it's the best thing to do."
I gave a low sigh.
"When do they plan to do it?" I asked.
"Tomorrow," Molly answered, "I've already called Mr. Patten, let him know that I can't go in to the Summer Sun program tomorrow, for personal reasons."
"You intend to go?" I asked.
"He gave us our home," Molly replied, "He deserves that. If you can't get off duty, that'll be alright..."
"No, I got the time off, actually," I told her, "I had thought we'd go to visit him and wish him well... now... I guess it's to say goodbye."
Molly slowly nodded. We then slowly continued on. The debate was again being held in the high school gym, in order to seat all of the people who had been attracted to following the campaign because of how heated it was. Hireman and Tabby continued to trade jabs at one another, and the present debate would probably be no different. As Molly and I entered the gym we found that nothing about the race had diminished in intensity as we entered.
My taking time to change out of my uniform had cost us a little time. The debate hadn't started yet, but the entire front row was filled up, and that had tended to be where Molly and I preferred to sit. It fit our legs better. With that front row, full, we then slowly made our way into the stands, looking for an open seat that accommodate us. We had just found one and sat down when the moderator for this debate, a man, stepped forward to begin the debate.
"Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, and welcome to the final debate before the resumption of school in the end of August," the moderator spoke, "Before moving into the questions for the debate, each candidate will be allowed to make one brief statement, beginning with the Incumbent, Wayne Hireman."
"Thank you," Hireman replied and then stepped forward to face the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, this race has been a tough one from the very beginning and has involved very complicated issues. Revolving around the safety of our children from those whose sense of humanity is so weak that they've given it up. Quite literally turned themselves into animals."
Molly and I stifled a growl at him. Neither of us had asked for the Animatrix Serum, and if Molly hadn't been grabbed, we would have happily remained human. The fact that we had accepted what we now were had nothing to do with our origins as Animal-People.
"I have repeatedly said that they are dangerous and must be vigorously monitored while my opponent has urged us to let a dominant predator run wild through our schools," Hireman continued, "She has urged us to gamble with the safety of our children. Now many of you may say that Molly Rhoer-Wayne would never attack anyone... but are you really going to gamble on her instincts? Some kid may one day trip in front of her and appear weak. What will you do then when you trust her utterly to not act like a tiger?"
There were a couple of audible "boos" coming from elsewhere in the stands.
"And if you do not trust my analogy, surely you will trust the news that clearly shows us that Animal-People are to be kept on a very short leash," Hireman continued, "Horace Washerman, a known lunatic with little or no brains used the Animatrix Serum to turn himself into a Bison, which I'm sure all of you know is the most dangerous animal in Yellowstone National Park. And in the course of his latest crime wave, he beat an elderly man senseless, and is now in critical condition... he seriously wounded a Glacier National Park Ranger and murdered an FBI Agent. Now, is that the behavior that makes you think that we should trust Animal-People without question? It doesn't to me. If Washerman can succumb to Animal instincts, so can the Waynes... and all the more reason to have the harshest measures ready should they do so."
Again, Molly and I held back growls. Washerman didn't take the serum until the very end of the incident with him. He had been human when he released the Ames' cattle. He had been human when he attacked Michael York. He had been human when he was seen in the Hungry Horse gas station. He had been human when he shot the Park Ranger and killed Agent Harris. He didn't turn himself into a Bison until the end, and even with that, his mind wasn't immediately lost to animal instinct. Just as Leona, now Leon, Jacki, Clemens, Molly, Myself, and all of Changes victims hadn't lost out to animal instinct. We had to deal with them, yes, but our "human" mind wasn't gone.
And as Hireman relinquished the stand, I privately vowed to correct his information.