tabby

phone. “Let’s see what you have in store next for us, Tabby.”
I ground my teeth as I took his phone. I hated the nickname Tabby. People had used it as a derogatory comment toward me all my life. Yes, I was a cat shifter, a domestic cat, but I came from purebred stock on my mother’s side. Russian blues all the way back for generations. We weren’t some common mixed breed. Not that I cared if anyone was, but tabby was used the way humans called people “trailer park trash.”
Ignoring his comment, I took his phone, praying he’d have some embarrassing photos on it. The computer behind me beeped as the screen went black. I pulled the USB from it and held it up beside his phone. I pushed in a sequence of buttons, and voilà... his phone began to flash through all the data it stored as the USB went to work copying the information. “Not only does it copy hard drives but also everything that is stored on a phone.”
Arin’s eyebrows rose as his grin widened. “So it copies data, images, and communications, correct?”
I nodded, unsure of where he was going with this. There was a hint of laughter in his voice that made me wary.
“So, you’ve created a new DIC.”
There were a few snickers in the audience, and I felt my cheeks flame. Fine. Yes, I supposed that the initials of the types of files it copied did spell out DIC, but I hadn’t been juvenile enough to say it. Agreeing with him was the only way to save face, but I wouldn’t let him get the last laugh. “Yes, I guess you could call the Data, Image, and Communications Collector a DICC. That way male field agents won’t forget to bring their DICCs with them when they head out.”
Arin stepped in front of me until he blocked out everyone else, and I felt a strange electric charge in the inch of air between us. His hand wrapped around mine, holding his phone as he leaned in. “I’ll let you handle my DICC anytime.”
My fingers went slack along with my jaw as he pulled his phone free from my hand. “What a fabulous presentation. All of you need to be proud of what you’ve created. I can’t wait to test them all in the field or reap the benefits of their behind-the-scenes use.” He stepped away from the group, heading toward the doors. “I suggest we all head to lunch where we can continue our discussions.” He winked at a couple of the female students, making them swoon. I wanted to throw up.
He stopped at the double doors, where he looked back over his shoulder. “Oh, and Kitty, I mean Tabby, don’t forget to bring the DICC. I’d like to handle it some more.” The girls laughed as the guys punched each other on the shoulders as they all followed him from the room.
“That arrogant dick. That lumbering bear. That... that... I’ll manhandle his dick all right... with a knife.”

5
Bae
I marched across the campus toward the Working and Administrating Networking Core or WANC after receiving the summons to Director Cooper’s office. Each step pushed a little spring in my step. Maybe today would be the day we were sprung from this place. FUCN’A was a beautiful campus, and in the future—the far distant future—I might enjoy coming back to teach the new cadets how things were done, but at the moment, I wanted to be out in the field, using those skills to investigate and save victims, not teaching newbies who didn’t follow instructions or couldn’t get out of the way of escaped animals.
A black shape materialized beside me, and despite years of having it happen, my heart still lurched. At least I’d stopped jumping, but that didn’t stop me from glaring at my adopted brother. “Ass.”
“Nope. Panther.” Kasim nudged my arm. “You, bear.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Ass.
“You received the summons as well?” He didn’t give me a chance to answer but continued, “Do you think we’re being sprung?”
My forehead wrinkled. Not from the question, since it was my hope as well, but from his tone. I expected Kasim to show some enthusiasm at the possibility. Of all of us, he was the one who chafed at the bit to leave and get back to work, but instead his voice held a hint of... regret? What was up with that?
Students milled around us, giving us curious looks. A few braver souls started toward us but backed off quickly, giving us a look of fear. A glance at my brother confirmed he wore his scary face. Teeth bared, eyes narrowed. A quick sniff confirmed he perfumed the air with a scent that let those sensitive to the smell of predators know that a dangerous one was within their vicinity.
I smacked his arm. “Cool it. You’re scaring the children.”
He shrugged. “If that scares them, then they’re going to be needing the services of NAKED for more than just shifter wardrobe malfunctions.”
The door to Director Cooper’s office popped open the moment we stepped into the outer office.
“Come on in, Mr. Jones and Mr. Jones.” Director Cooper sat behind an extra tall desk. It had been made that tall to accommodate her height, but I also thought she liked the way it elevated her over the majority of those who entered her office.
A subtle intake of air and a grunt had me swinging my gaze around the room. The grunt I knew came from Kasim, and the moment my eyes landed on the silver-haired beauty, I added my own. What is she doing here?
Tabitha.
Yes, I knew her name. I made it my business to know everything I could about her. There was the old adage of keeping your friends close but your enemies closer... I just wasn’t sure which camp she fell into. From the moment I’d first laid eyes on the uptight school-teacher look she sported—from the pulled-up hair, the glasses, the buttoned-up collared shirts—she drew my attention in a