Mary Lou raised her hand to her chest, in mock surprise. "Why, whatever do you mean, dear?" she said sweetly.
"You just called me 'mate', not by my name." said Adam.
"Did I? I don't remember saying anything like that. Maybe you misheard me. " said Mary Lou, doing her best to smile innocently.
"Yes, you did. I know what I heard, " said Adam shortly.
Mary Lou raised her long claws to her chin, as if in thought. "Maybe I did. Honestly ever since the change I haven't felt like myself, and have been saying and doing some unusual things. "
Adam quickly raised the tranquilizer gun and pointed it at her. "How do I know you're really Evelyn?"
"Whoa, whoa, dear. Calm down. You know about the shampoo. Who else could I be?" said Mary Lou.
"Mary Lou" said Adam shortly, with a hint of anger, as he continued to level the gun at her.
"Wait, dear, think about it. Mary Lou is a beast. Even if she transformed, she wouldn't be able to talk, now would she? " asked Mary Lou coyly.
"We have no idea what that shampoo is capable of," said Adam dryly.
Mary Lou was starting to get worried. He was smarter than she had originally thought.
"Wait, wait, " she said with a hint of desperation. "I can prove it. I have this." She reached into her satchel, pulled out Evelyn's badge, and carefully handed it to Adam.
Adam looked it over in his hand. Seeing it was Evelyn's badge, he relaxed a little, and began to lower the gun. "Sorry, Evelyn, this is just all really weird, and I'm a little edgy."
"That's okay, dear, I forgive you, " she said with a smile.
Adam's smile dropped just a little. "Dear? Hmm....Evelyn, you seem to be using that word a lot, and I can't recall you ever using it before. It's almost like you don't know my name anymore. You haven't forgotten my name, have you?"
Mary Lou's smile dropped. "No, of course not. Don't be silly." She wracked her brain. What was the fool's mate's name? She remembered it just a few minutes ago, but in the excitement she had forgotten it again.
Adam quickly raised the gun. "Well, dear. " said Adam smugly. "What's my name?"
Mary Lou was frantically searching her mind. What was his name? She was about to pounce on him, just when the fully transformed Evelyn's loud bellow echoed throughout the tunnel. Adam lowered the gun in confusion, and Mary Lou used the opportunity to jump into his arms in a protective posture. As she relaxed, the name easily returned to her mind.
"Well, Adam, if I am Mary Lou, then WHAT was THAT?" said Mary Lou slyly.