A Quickling Beast
1
Quin Morgan sat on the roof of the Crockett Chemical building north of Old Troy. He wore a baggy suit, and sunglasses. His tail twitched as he watched the trees just beyond the fence.
Quin had been a salesman, driving a route up and down the state. He had been drugged and experimented on by a mad scientist who had worked for CC. Now he was a big, green, lion bear who tried to have a smile for everyone he met, but found that some people were still scared of him when he walked toward them.
He couldn't imagine why.
Quin noticed a disturbance on the north fence. Something was coming through the woods as quick as a car. That didn't make a lot of sense. He knew the company didn't have any testing going on. He got to his feet and made his way down to the ground. This looked like trouble.
The fence came apart in front of the thing Quin spotted. Closer now, he realized it was a woman dressed in a beige outfit with a mask painted on her face. Her long, brown hair was tied back in a pony tail.
"What can I do for you?," said Quin, tail lashing slightly as he watched this stranger. "That was a fast jog."
"I don't want to hurt you," said the new arrival. "But I need something from this place. If you hand it over, we can go our separate ways."
"That's good of you," Quin said. "Can we talk about this?"
"No, I'm being watched," said the beige woman. "If I don't hurry, he'll do things to my sister. You have to get out of my way."
"You have to give me something to work with," said Quin. "I can help you if you let me."
"He using an alias," said the Beige Woman. "It's Maldanado. Now I have to get what I came for."
"Not without the fake battle," said Quin, rushing her, arms outstretched.
"No time for that," said the Beige Woman.
She put her foot down, sprinting forward. The ground took on a sandy shade as she rushed forward. Quin sprang, moving like the giant cat he partially resembled. She stepped on him, dropping sand on his back as she ran for the building. A ramp of sand formed to carry her to an upper floor.
"I should have known," Quin said, turning almost before he touched down. The ramp collapsed before he could hope to run after the mysterious woman. Still, he had to try to stop her.
Quin looked around for options. They were dismally small. He could run into the nearest door, climb the wall, or wait for the larceny to be over and try to catch her as she ran away. None of those looked good for success at the moment.
2
Diana Taggert hated what she had to do. She had no choice if she wanted to keep Cindy, her sister, alive. She was dying anyway from the quickening treatment she had been subjected to against her will. Even if she died, maybe that green beast could track down Maldanado and free her sister.
It was a slim hope, but the only one she had at the moment.
Diana searched the lab quickly, her platforming ability allowing her to stay out of the reach of those who wanted to catch her. She briefly wondered how much of her life it was using up as she found the chemical safe she wanted. The beakers were secured in a traveling case to prevent breakage so she could head back to where she was supposed to meet her tormentor.
Being given great powers to steal things was not what she had wanted when she had moved to Old Troy from San Francisco.
That green furry guy had said he would help, but she couldn't risk it. There was too much of a chance that Cindy would be hurt if she didn't comply. Her sister was all she had. She couldn't risk her.
Diana stepped to the nearest window, easily avoiding anyone trying to catch her. She smashed through it with a simple kick. Loose dust and dirt collected into a ramp under her feet as she ran toward the ground. The Green Beast was nowhere in sight as she headed for the fence.
That was a surprise, but a relief too.
Diana wanted to get what she had to do done with as little trouble as possible. Fighting a bear- lion was compounding her jeopardy. She had no doubt that the Beast was smarter than he looked. He might even find a way to stop her from getting back to Maldanado.
Diana refused to harm anyone, but she had to play along until she could free Cindy. She could turn Maldanado over to the police when she had that chance. He would give her an opening with that overbearing arrogance. Then she would really see what she could do with her powers.
Kicking the stuffing out of that grinning weasel would be something she could do for a month of sundays without ever tiring of it.
Diana made her way back through the trees that surrounded the chemical laboratory, glad to see her car where she left it. She pulled on the overcoat to cover her costume and wiped off the make-up mask with a rag. She got in, and started the car toward the local road. Her master waited for his precious supply.
3
Quin Morgan admitted this his altered body had advantages that he as a normal human did not possess. He was stronger, faster, more agile, and his sense of smell had improved immensely. He would never be able to challenge a blood hound, but he knew when he was on the right track.
It was also quieter than his human body. He didn't have to think about it. He was a green shadow whether he wanted to be or not.
These abilities allowed him to track down the car his Beige Woman used by following her trail back into the woods. He had been able to force the trunk with a minimum of effort to hide inside. One push shoved the jack out of the way.
The car started up moments later. Quin braced himself so he wouldn't flop around in the trunk and give the trap away. Obviously something had to be done about this Maldanado. Releasing hostages when you have a perfect fall guy didn't seem prudent for an evil mastermind to do.
The Beige Woman could be made to steal anything as long as she thought her sister was alive. It was a blackmail that wouldn't hold water for a defense in a court with cries of un-American activities still filling the air. The sister had to be rescued, the bad guy nabbed, and the Beige Woman cleared of wrongdoing.
Quin waited patiently for the car to stop. He was more than a bit surprised that the runner drove for over an hour before finally pulling off asphalt onto a bumpy road that sounded like gravel. She drove for at least another hour before pulling to a stop. The car door slammed.
Quin counted slowly to sixty before he lifted the trunk lid a fraction. He peered around, then opened the lid all the way. The Beige Woman was gone, leaving her sandy tracks behind. Now came the tricky part.
Quin found that he faced a wilderness leading into a mountain range. Sandy blotches disappeared into the tree line. He knew he didn't have the speed to catch up. He did have the stealthiness to move through the forest undetected.
You might say he was made for it.
Quin padded into the trees after the vanishing footprints. In a moment, he was gone. A shifting of light marked his progress as he started climbing the foothills to the mountains beyond. He owed the Crocketts for their help adjusting to his condition and he sympathized with the lady he was chasing.
More than that, he wanted to put a stop to whatever scheme was going on before it became something catastrophic.
4
Maldanado waited patiently for his minion to return. He had to use a light touch with the Taggert sisters. If he pushed them too far, they would turn on him no matter the cost. He needed time to break down their will powers so they would be submissive to his every want and need.
He might even devote time to expanding his harem if this experiment worked out well. His formula had created an agent able to go anywhere as fast as any vehicle on the road. Future modifications should add to that quickness, strength, and stamina. Of course, he would need test subjects that were easy to control and dispose of once their usefulness ended.
The doctor jotted down his thoughts as he waited. He knew it wouldn't be much longer. His quickling formula had turned Diana Taggert into a living weapon. No ordinary man would be able to stop her.
Maldanado smiled at the sound of the door buzzer upstairs. His lackey had returned with the vital ingredient he needed to continue his chemical experiments. Creation was the finest of human endeavors. Any and everything should be done to further that goal.
Using two women who probably didn't understand the importance of such an endeavor was nothing compared to the benefits that would be harnessed by his genius.
The hidden door swung open at the top of the wooden stairs leading down into his laboratory. Annoyance crept in when he realized the door had not swung back in place like it should. Light footsteps heralded Diana Taggert in her beige costume. He didn't miss the revulsion on her face.
Sooner or later he would change that look to longing. Patience and time would see to that.
He put aside the distraction of her shapely body long enough to seize the case in her hand. He almost dropped it in his excitement. Long steps carried him to his work table.
"Where's my sister?," Diana asked, fist clinched. "I want to know that she's still alive."
"Yes, yes," said Maldanado, waving a hand of dismissal. "I assure you that she is fine. I am keeping her in good condition as long as you serve me. Fail me once, and the consequences to your sister will be dire."
"I want to see her," said Diana. "I want to see for myself."
Maldanado finished examining the contents of the case, smiling in approval, before he went to the wall beside his work area. He flipped a switch to pull a section of the wall out of the way. Behind it, a transparent window looked into a cell-like bedroom. A woman lay on the bed, sleeping.
"How do I know she is okay?," Diana asked, staring in the window. "She could be dead."
"I assure you she isn't," said Maldanado. "Now please leave so I can do some work."
Diana hit the window in frustration, relieved that her sister sat up at the noise. At least she was alive. There just wasn't any way to get her out of the prison yet.
5
Quin Morgan's tail twitched as he listened at the door. His face didn't convey the satisfaction he felt. He heard the Beige Woman retreat toward the door, moving slowly. He took a chance and peeked around the frame. He settled against the wall, quietly waiting for the chance he saw walking his way.
When the Beige Woman got close enough for him to touch, he wrapped his paw around her face and pulled her close, hugging her tight. She tried to struggle, but a normal strength woman wasn't as strong as a bear lion. He held up a hand for silence.
"Stay put," whispered Quin, picking her up and setting her to the left. "I'll get your sister for you."
Diana nodded, wondering how the Green Beast had gotten to the cabin. He should still be at Crockett trying to pick up the pieces. He must have followed her somehow. She didn't want to trust him, but knew that this could be the only chance she had to rescue her sister and extricate herself out of this mess.
The Green Beast padded into the room, straightening his jacket. The girl behind the glass screamed a warning. He saw her running to one side of the room behind the window. He frowned in consternation. He hadn't thought of his appearance scaring the hostage.
Quin didn't pause to ponder the turn of events. Instead he roared down on Maldanado, the man at the work table. One swipe lifted the man up and dropped him on the other side of the table.
Quin grabbed the edge of the window frame with his taloned fingers. He pulled with his prodigious strength, roaring in effort. That sound almost made him stop, but he redoubled his effort until he pulled frame and transparent plastic out on the floor. The Beige Woman's sister had vanished somehow.
The Beige Woman jumped through the empty window frame, sand dripping behind her as she moved with the extraordinary speed she had been granted by the mad scientist lying on the floor. She had a rare moment of malice, hoping the extortionist had been killed by the huge hand of the Green Beast. That would suit her extremely fine.
Quin wrapped the metal bar stool around Maldanado to keep him out of trouble. He grabbed the stolen chemicals and placed them back in the carrying case. Something was wrong about this setup he thought as he took the case and placed it in a tree out of reach of most normal people. The sisters should be talking by now.
Quin went back to the opened window to the secret room. He snuffled at the air, catching wind of the Beige Woman's scent. The other smell reminded him of dead things he had found outside the Crockett fence line. He climbed into the secret room to investigate.
Cindy and Diana Taggert eyed each other in a tunnel that led to a door that opened on Maldanado's work area. The Beige Woman held up her hands to show that she wasn't going to hurt the younger woman. Something struck her as wrong in the way her sister growled at her.
What had that quack done to her?
"Cindy?," Diana asked. "Don't you know me? It's me, Diana."
Cindy leaped forward, skin hardening into a rocky consistency. Her fist swung with the deadliness of a stone club. Diana slid backward on a platform of sand, dodging the heavy hand. The hardened appendage knocked a divot out of the wall.
"You ruined everything, you idiot," Cindy shouted, swinging again.
Diana blocked the second blow, reflexes overcoming her brain. She fell from the force of the blow, arm flopping at her side. Maybe she had cracked the bone in her upper arm with that mistake. She knew enough to roll from the follow-up kick to her head.
"Marvin was going to fix what's wrong with me," Cindy screamed, stomping the packed earth of the tunnel in an effort to crush her sister's head. "You couldn't go along with the program once, could you?"
"I stole that stuff for you," said Diana. "I made myself a criminal for you. I hurt people because I thought you were in danger. Why didn't you tell me the truth? Why did you put me through this?"
"We wanted you to get the chemicals so I could live," said Cindy. "Now I'm going to break apart because of you."
"I won't take the blame for your mistake," said Diana, kicking out with her superhuman speed. "I won't do it."
Diana's kick landed with the superhuman speed she had been endowed with. It broke off pieces from Cindy's skin, driving her back. Cracks zigzagged across the stone covering as the younger sister staggered back against the hidden door. Diana kicked again. She hoped to keep pushing until she drove her sister through the door.
"I think that's enough, ladies," said a wall of fur in a wrinkled, dirty suit looming in the tunnel between the door and the room. "We can sort this out peacefully."
"I'm going to kill you," said the rock girl, swinging and lunging at her two opponents. Her sister slid back out of the way, using the Green Beast as a shield. He caught the hand and the arm behind it.
"I think you need to think about this," Quin said, suit jacket ripping. "I don't like to fight."
Cindy tried to jerk her hand back. Then she swung with the other hand. She couldn't connect while being held at arm's reach. The bear-lion face broke into a grin she wanted to break in pieces.
"Are we done yet?," he asked.
epilogue
Quin Morgan sat on the roof of Crockett Chemicals, looking at the sunset. He decided this demonstrated an animal need for quietude and a human appreciation of beauty that he had never possessed as a human being. He scratched his chin, thinking maybe he should invest in an industrial shaver.
He still didn't know how fast his fur would grow back from such a radical operation. He didn't want to look like a giant poodle.
"So this is where you hide from the rest of the world," said a light voice behind him. "I can see why."
"Hello, Diana," Quin said, ear flicking slightly in her direction. "How's the arm?"
"Still broken," Diana Taggert said. "I just came up to thank you for your help. I still don't know how you tracked me down, but you showed up in the nick of time."
"Nothing to thank me for," said Quin. "Just doing my job."
"Baloney," said the Beige Woman, wearing a blue dress, pumps, and a sling for her arm. "You stuck your neck out for me and I know it."
"I know the owner," said Quin. "It was nothing to let her know the whys of things. No one was really hurt. The stolen stuff was returned. Your sister and her boyfriend are in separate jails. I couldn't get them off the hook, and I didn't want to."
"There aren't enough excuses for what they did," said Diana. "I don't know if this speed will kill me in the long run. I don't know what will happen to me."
Quin watched the sun sink a little lower. He knew what it was like to wake up something totally different from what you were when you fell asleep. The locals were used to his new face now, but he was a freak anywhere else.
At least, Diana could live anywhere without attracting unwanted attention.
"What do you plan to do now?," Quin asked.
"I have a job offer if you can believe that," said Diana, standing close enough to make his fur ruffle slightly. "Something really close by. I thought we could have dinner and discuss it."
"A job offer that you want to discuss with me over some steak and beer?," said Quin, not looking up. "I hope I don't have to buy."
"I'm afraid so since it looks like you're going to be my new boss," said Diana. "We might as well start out on friendly terms."
"When did this happen?," asked Quin, looking up for the first time.
"It seems every executive needs a good secretary," said the Beige Woman.
"That's good," Quin said. "I have a secretary but not an office."
"I'll work on that," said Diana, smiling as the sun turned her face red.