Tran made for quite a sight like this. While he seemed less panicky than when he was brought in, he was still speaking in quick little bursts, holding his hands behind his back, and sort of nervously hopping from side to side. It took a fair amount of back and forth to get him up to speed, but he was a lot more cooperative than anyone else Tasha had seen so far.
"Now I always objected to conditions there!" he sputtered. "I was always going to blow the whistle I can prove it I kept notes! Never tested on people they brought in! Purely theoretical work from me! Nothing put into practice before Mark volunteered! I'll expose everyone with some protection for myself!"
Tasha almost laughed. Of course it would be the man who turned himself into a bird who was willing to sing like a canary. She wasn't generally a fan of cutting deals, but if he really was able to implicate everyone at that lab, and he was the last one out the door when everyone was changing forms and making a break for it... she quickly had some paperwork drawn up for him.
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It took Carmen a moment to clear the fog of sexual desire from her mind well enough to take in what Wally was saying and talk with Terry herself. Of course, it was less a proper conversation and more Terry gasping out quick answers to a few of Wally's questions in the throes of making love with one of the other bucks. At first she just found a big part of herself wishing she were in Terry's place, but eventually she said something so out of character with the Terry she'd always known to sober her up quick. Stopping only to shove a handful of those berries in her mouth, she followed Wally outside to discuss things a bit more privately.
"That... couldn't have really been Terry in there," she eventually said, in a trembling tone.
Wally pulled her in for a hug, gently stroking her ears. "I don't think she was this far gone last time I was here. I mean... the sex, yeah, but now... it's like she doesn't even remember who she used to be... or if she does, she's just... completely disinterested in ever coming back."
Carmen squeezed herself more tightly against Wally, burying her head in his chest. "That was the whole point here though, wasn't it? Proving these bodies mess with your mind... I mean, Terry went through that whole big show before coming here, signing that 'last human will and testament,' right? I thought it was silly at the time, but legally it's supposed to hold up. No matter what she's saying now, it takes priority. They have to return her to how she came in when the two months are up, right?"
Wally continued stroking her fur, whispering calming things in her ear, but it was mostly his scent helping her keep it together as he replied. "I don't think that's really going to matter if they show up to drag her off and she's sporting some huge baby bump. From what I've read, they have this standing policy not to change anyone who's pregnant, no matter how far along, and we can't exactly force her to terminate against her will..."
The thought of it gave Carmen an odd and unfamiliar sort of empathetic pang. She said nothing, but her leg did start to slide up Wally's as he continued.
"Maybe she'll snap out of it if we can just... get her out of this environment. If she's not in that warren, surrounded by bucks... if she's back in front of a camera, she might remember who she really is. I mean, if nothing else, if we can just film her for a while, back at the apartment, this whole documentary might pan out. We show our footage to enough people and I'm sure there'd be some sort of proper intervention, right?"
Carmen looked up to nod, which turned into a kiss when she met Wally's eyes. Even as she begged, "please don't let that happen to me too," she pulled him to the ground to make love once again. Afterwards, with some embarrassment, the two immediately returned to the park entrance to be changed back to normal, Wally already planning the calls they'd be making once they had.
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Tasha was quite impressed with how thoroughly Nguyen was willing to sell out his coworkers. Apparently, he'd been keeping a journal, which corroborated a good chunk of his testimony, but most of that they'd already worked out. What was useful was his account of the day of the raid. Every single researcher who'd decided to hide in plain sight... she was appalled at how many they'd just delivered to the park. Names of half the security workers still at large, and most interestingly, the original identity of that winged horse man. He'd been completely unaware of what had happened to the Minotaur, but that did seem to match the timetable. He did seem particularly eager to sell Yeltis down the river, given their... relationship since taking flight. When he asked to examine her, she honestly wasn't sure if it was out of concern, spite, or just... examining a research subject. Likely the latter was at least partially a factor. He was curious about the Minotaur as well. From the sound of things, he'd be able to weigh in on whether his simplistic mental state was really an act or not. That would certainly make Tasha's job easier.
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Goldie had awoken in Sam's arms, something she was quite happily getting used to, but at the moment she was alone with her thoughts. Everyone was saying her testimony had been a huge help, and the defense had been grasping at straws trying to undermine her credibility, but the whole experience had been humiliating, and emotionally devastating. There was nothing in the world she wanted more right now than to just go back to the park and never think about any of this again. She had every intention of just hiding in the motel room, face buried under pillows until it was time to fly back, but Sam had some "big surprise" he'd left to get ready that he swore would help cheer her up.
The phone rang, and after a bit of inner debate, she finally answered. Apparently there was a fancy car for her outside, with tinted windows. At least she wouldn't have to worry about being recognized by anyone passing by. With a shaking voice, she said she'd be down soon. Pulling herself together, she sighed, realizing she'd have to put her court clothes back on to avoid offending anyone, alien as they felt. Apparently, Sam was meeting her somewhere. She'd expected another lawyer's office, and was rather surprised when the driver delivered her to some high class restaurant. What was Sam thinking? Didn't he realize this was the last sort of place she'd want to be right now? She felt like the lowliest worm, avoiding eye contact with everyone as she was shown to her seat.
Sam, of course, was being as kind and supportive as he could. Ordering her a fancy steak, with a game hen on the side, showering her with compliments, but it all felt a bit hollow. Eventually he stood up, and leaned over to her, no doubt planning to let her know she was making a scene. Then he pulled something out of his pocket.
"I realize sometimes you feel like you aren't welcome anywhere," he said, "but you're always welcome in my heart. Will you marry me?"
Goldie was a bit surprised at the sight of the ring... and the sheepish expression on his face at his own cheesy line. All the same, her voice caught in her throat, and the only way she could respond was to nod and lick his snout, as he put it on her finger.
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Irene had never felt more at peace with the world, intertwining her fingers with her glorious stallion as they once again dove from a tall rocky outcropping, soaring through the air for almost a mile before touching down and promptly rolling to the ground so she could once again feel his glorious manhood inside her and feel his hot breath on her neck. As she lied their afterwards, completely out of breath, panting as the sun warmed her body, she caught sight of the flashing lights approaching. Not thinking for a moment it had anything to do with her, she ignored them at first, and continued to simply bask in the afterglow. She still thought nothing was wrong as doors opened and closed, and footsteps begin to approach. It was only when her darling Lawrence was being pulled to his feet and handcuffed that she realized what had to be going on.
Scrambling to her feet, she used the power of her impressive frame to force them away from him, but her efforts were met only with two more men pouncing on her from behind, painfully compressing her wings as they cuffed her as well.